Good Morning, World

Did y'all see the news that our boy Alexander Ludwig was the first official name dropped into the fourth season of The White Lotus over the holiday? Mike White loves a big dumb blonde type, it would seem -- from Jake Lacy (and Lukas Gage) to Leo Woodall to Patrick Schwarzenegger, there's always at least one of them hanging about every season. Anyway we've been a long time fan of Alexander's and we love this for him. This season will be set in the south of France -- apparently they're also trying to get Helena Bonham Carter, and she sounds like dream casting for this series. Cannot wait!

Great Moments In Movie Staches

Edgar Wright's not-great re-do of The Running Man has made me want to revisit some of the many trashy Schwarzenegger movies that I adored as a kid, and from there it doesn't take long for me to start thinking about Carl Weathers in Predator. Glen Powell wishes!

Pics of the Day

Two very important photos from the set of Edgar Wright's The Running Man were dropped online (via) -- having seen the film last evening let me just say that the towel sequence highlighted in the film's trailers are highlighted for good reason. Highlight reel (not to mention spank bank) material! Anyway if you haven't given me your opinion on yesterday's THR throuple poll click here and do that! (And click the images to embiggen a bunch!)

Do Dump or Marry: The Running Men

I'm not being show-offy when I tell you that I'm leaving the MNPP HQ desk early this evening so I can run off (get it) to see Edgar Wright's The Running Man remake (now you do) -- I am merely stating a fact, a statement of truth. This is just what is going to happen. I know how crushed this makes you many Schwarzenegger-heads and I apologize. Y'all can see it Friday! If we make it to Friday. Who knows. We all might be performing in life-or-death game shows by then the way things are going. But until then let's play a life-or-death game of our own by "Do Dump or Marry"ing the three hunks at the heart of Wright's re-do who stunned on the red carpet premiere as seen in these photos -- that'd be Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, Lee Pace's Mustache, and Glen Powell. Now [in my best Richard Dawson voice]  RUN... to the comments and choose! (pics via)

Glen Powell Ten Times

Glen Powell is on the cover of the new issue of GQ rocking a lot of blown-up muscle body-suits for some reason and I'm just going to lay it all out here -- I find those things deeply disturbing. For some reason they unnerve me. So I won't be sharing those images. If you need to see him looking like he skinned Arnold Schwarzenegger alive and is wearing the skin-suit then feel free to click the above link -- me I'm editing the photos down to the acceptable "Glen being regular old hot" assortment. Hit the jump for just those...

I Wanna Run To Glen Powell

The trailer for Edgar Wright's remake of The Running Man -- okay I suppose we can call it a new adaptation of Stephen King's story, whatever -- has arrived and it looks like an absolute blast. I knew I was in for something special the second we saw Glen Powell smacking his tighty-whities-clad ass two times. We kept a running tally of people who got cast in this last year and the names were wild -- Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin, Michael Cera, Katy O'Brian, Lee Pace, Karl Glusman, Sean Hayes, and William H. Macy just to name the bigger names -- but the trailer mainly focuses on Glenn, Michael, Josh and of course Colman in the greatest showman role previously made iconic by Richard Dawson. And is it just me or...

... is Colman going to get a lot of comparisons to Tramell Tillman's showstopping work in the TV series Severance? That's all I could see. But lord knows I love Colman and he seems to be having a helluva time so bring it on. Everything looks hella fun actually -- this is definitely Wright bringing that sweet sweet Scott Pilgrim energy. (And the presence of Cera obviously underlines that.)  I don't think I spotted Glusman or Pace though -- do you think one of them is that masked man with the grenade? I'll have to go back and listen to the voice. Anyway watch:  

The Running Man (2025 edition) is out on November 7th.
How the hell is this not a summer movie???

Pic of the Day

White Lotus three-timer Jon Gries (dude pictured in the middle above who plays Greg / Gary) seems to've had the best time out of anybody on the seven month long shoot in Thailand -- his Instagram has been a non-stop beefcake-fest. But the above photo of him sandwiched between his co-stars Patrick Schwarzenegger and Arnas Fedaravičius really takes the cake. Cakes, even! Lucky man. See a few more below:

Jon Gries (aka that cad Greg / Gary on #TheWhiteLotus) has shared some noteworthy photos of the cast! (See more here www.instagram.com/p/DHBg1v4JAp...)

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— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) March 11, 2025 at 11:17 AM

Good Morning, World

Good morning from the Ratliff boys coming to you from the 

shores of sunny Thailand! Nothing but a positive outlook for them! 

So... who do you think dies?

Good Morning, World

Happy Monday... well you know. All things depending.  I think we all feel like Patrick Schwarzenegger in this scene from last night's White Lotus these days -- a little sick, a little terrified, every time we wake up -- and who can blame us? Mike White tapping into the zeitgeist in a way only he could! Chaos reigns at home and abroad and entertainmentally speaking. Good times. I suppose this is where I ask y'all what you though of that episode if you watched it? I'm trying to be non-spoilery although these two gifs obviously say a little bit! Feel free to jump in in the comments, and I'll even give you a bouncing off point here with Sam Nivola's lil' bum...

Quote of the Day

Did y'all catch MNPP fave Alessandro Nivola during last night's Oscars show? I can't remember who it was that won (maybe the songwriters?) but they were seated behind The Brutalist actor and Nivola and his wife Emily Mortimer were sitting front and central on-screen for awhile as the people got out to walk to the stage and I yelped in excited recognition. (It was very the "Leo Pointing" meme.) Anyway Esquire chatted with Nivola about his custom-made tux and The Brutalist and his crazy year yesterday before the show, but my favorite bit was when they asked him about watching his son Sam Nivola on The White Lotus right now:

"You bet I have been watching season 3. From the looks of it, I may have to start watching some of it through my fingers. But I mean, it’s just amazing watching him. He’s done so well. I think he’s so good in it, and there’s something about his character that is so gentle and mysterious and really draws you in. I can tell that it’s headed in a direction that’s going to get a little hectic soon, so I’m bracing myself for the coming episode tonight. You know, Carrie Coon was texting me and wishing me luck for the Oscars, and I was saying I might have to slip out of the Vanity Fair party tonight to catch episode 3 before rejoining the fray. But, yeah, he’s kind of being shot out of a cannon now, and I’m so happy for him."

His saying "I may have to start watching some of it through my fingers" made me lol. No kidding! We've been leaning forward ourselves during Sam's scenes with Patrck Schwarzenegger but we have the benefit of not being his father haha. But in related news I passed out right after the Oscars last night and have not watched last night's episode of The White Lotus so nobody spoil anything in the comments please! I'll watch it tonight. And now I must insist you hit the jump for a couple more photos of handsome devil Alessandro looking sharp as fuck...

Good Morning, World

I don't usually post gifs all in a line like that like this is Tumblr or some shit but... well who am I to judge Tumblr? But mainly those shots from this past weekend's episode of The White Lotus need to be seen like that to be properly appreciated. As explicated last week after the premiere those are the "will they or will they?" brothers (!!!) played by Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola on the show's third season...

It must be so weird for Sam Nivola to play a person who is related to a guy with such a beautiful ass that it's impossible not to stare at -- I can't imagine where he's summoning that energy from

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— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) February 24, 2025 at 10:58 AM

... and Mike White only added further fuel to that fire with that moment. (Do you think there is meta commentary going on with the fact that both actors are "nepo-babies"? I think Mike White just might be that galaxy-brained but that might just be a coincidence.) Anyway we'll see where that thread goes (watchfully, we will!) but for now let's just distract ourselves with a big brand new photoshoot of Patrick for V Man magazine after the jump...

Good Morning, World

I was going to wish everyone a happy Monday, but it's Tuesday? Okay, sure. Happy Tuesday from me and from the fun-time brother duo of Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola on the season premiere of the third season of Mike White's hit series The White Lotus, which aired on... Sunday? Yes Sunday. Speaking as an only child sibling relationships have always been a mystery (and a fascination) to me, but I think that maybe this whole conversation about what kind of porn your brother likes was meant to feel off? In my days on this earth I have yes watched a lot of let's say fictional recreations of this exact scenario. But I don't think that's what real life between siblings is usually like. But what do I know. As I said on Sunday...

I'm going to have to spend a lot of this season of THE WHITE LOTUS reminding myself that Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola are NOT related, they are ACTORS playing ROLES, and the feelings I am feeling are OKAY, aren't I?? Damn you, Mike White! (I love you, Mike White.) #thewhitelotus

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— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 12:35 AM

... I'm just thankful I can keep repeating to myself that these are two very attractive actors that Mike White has engaged in a fictionalized scenario for me, and not wrestle with it beyond that. Pretty naked people being freaks -- yes please! What did y'all think of the premiere? I refrained from asking for screeners so I could watch it weekly with everybody and not binge it all weeks ahead of time because that's an isolating way of watching the show and I don't need to review it. This is for me to have fun with! As is Patrick Schwarzenegger's bum, of which his father speaks very highly. (Speaking of weird family vibes.) As well he should! It's a great bum. And you can see plenty of it after the jump...

Don't Forget...

... the third seasons of both The White Lotus and Yellowjackets are back onn T.V. this weekend! And I have illustarated this news with two photos of Sam Nivola, son of Alessandro, who is on TWL so you don't forget. Of course Arnold Schwarzenegger already did that work for me when he told us all to keep our eyes peeled for his son Patrick's bare ass. What a proud papa!

You Can Run But You Can't Hide From Colman

There are moments -- not often, but more than once -- where I wonder if I might Jekyll out sometimes and sneak off under the guise of a different personality to be a casting director. Some movies just have such Me Casts that I can't imagine anyone else being responsible. Maybe I have a twin I was seperated from at birth and we're communicating telepathically? Anyway that's where I am at today with the news that Colman Domingo has now joined the cast of Edgar Wright's remake of The Running Man -- Colman being perfectly, exquisitely, cast as the evil game show host character that Richard Dawson played in Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1987 (classic as far as I'm concerned) version of the movie. How great is that casting though? Colman has got Game Show Voice and Showman Swag for dayssssss. Anyway he's joining a cast that already includes Glen Powell, Katy O'Brian (our queen from Love Lies Bleeding), Lee Pace, Josh Brolin, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, and my beloved weirdo Karl Glusman. Put this movie down my mouth please!

Run This Way, Man

I am not sure that the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic The Running Man needs a remake -- and I am being unironically serious, as I genuinely love that movie -- but if it is going to happen I suppose having Edgar Wright direct it and having Glen Powell and our boy Karl Glusman star in it isn't so bad a way to go. The latter was announced today via Deadline which reminded me that I somehow don't believe I have posted about this project before even though it's been ticking some boxes all along -- I mean also in the cast is Love Lies Bleeding queen Katy O'Brien! Anyway I guess I can see how an update on the movie would work and Wright know how to shoot kinetic nonsense like a pro -- plus Glen Powell might be a perfect leading man for him, and for this prokect specifically, since he's as funny as he is studly. Wright will surely go at this with a lighter touch than the doom-minded original did. All I know is they better put Glen and Karl in those same kind of skin-tight jumpsuits that Arnold wore in the original dammit. Or we rebel!

13 Bunnies of Halloween #6

Have you ever seen the 1989 Aussie horror-ish flick Celia? (It's available to watch on YouTube if not -- or you can buy the Region 2 blu-ray from SecondRun which is what I did, and it was worth it.) It tells the story of the hyperactively imaginitive young girl Celia (Rebecca Smart) in Melbourne in the late 1950s who wants nothing more than to have a pet rabbit of her own. And yes the gif above is a spoiler, I suppose -- she eventually gets her rabbit! And because Celia is awesome she names it Murgatroyd. But it takes awhile to get to Murgatroyd -- half the film is her pining away for her own pet bunny, drawing it...

... and also dealing with the horrible bully Stephanie in her class who makes her own nasty little drawing about Celia's bunny-ward desires...

Don't worry though, Stephanie gets what's coming to her. They all get what's coming to them!!! Celia is not to be trifled with, try though they might. Which is to say that Celia is a goddamned legend as far as I'm concerned. Or she should be. She's put through the wringer and comes out a total hard-ass by the end -- Celia basically has the same character arc as Dutch, Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in Predator, and by the end I'd put money on her in a battle between those two. 

The film is set during the "Red Scare" in Austrailia and I suppose there's lot of symbolism involving the way that Celia's parents and community drive out the nice Marxists who live next door to them with the "rabbit plague" that's happening simultaneously -- we see lots of incredible newsreels from the time warning about Myxomatosis, the rabbit disease that also happens to be the title of a Radiohead song.

Anyway if you're an animal lover Celia is a tough sit -- poor little Murgatroyd does not have an easy life. But that made Celia perfect for an entry in our "13 Bunnies of Halloween" list! So all your suffering was worth it, Murgatroyd. He's the Jesus Christ of bunny rabbits, he is!

They Call Me Mr Megs

I suppose people in the summers of the 1980s felt about Sylvester Stallone movies and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies the way I do about Jason Statham movies -- it's just not summer without the dumbest possible version of them hitting my local cineplex. And so perhaps I went easy on Meg 2: The Trench in my Pajiba review which went up over the weekend, but I didn't hate it like many critics to be  doing (it's got a pretty dismal RT rating) right now). I think most people were hoping for a smarter dumb movie since Ben Wheatley was inexplicably directing it, but I remain fine with a dumb dumb movie in such instances. I quibbled with some things, like how I really wish they'd have gotten somebody to work on the dialogue, which is abysmal -- one rework on that front would've fixed so many of its issues, I think. But when the gigantic shark fought the gigantic octopus I just stopped caring, and smiled. 

Good Morning, World

Before the series The Staircase aired I never would've thought to do a post on nepotism-baby Patrick Schwarzenegger because he hadn't done anything to give me a reason to. I hadn't seen him act in much but when I did I wasn't exactly walking out inspired -- like, I'd wanted to like the horror movie Daniel Isn't Real more than I did but I thought the two leads, one of which was him, were distractingly weak. Anyway like every single person on The Staircase, Schwarzenegger was very good -- maybe not Toni Collette or Parker Posey good, but asking that of him would just be mean -- and here we are and I am sharing these photos from Interview Magazine this morning. There's a long convo with his co-star Dane DeHaan there as well, check it out if you're so inclined, or just hit the jump for the rest of the photoshoot...

Nightstream Fest: Bloody Hell

As part of this here ongoing Nightstream Festival  I watched an online panel (which featured our pal Final Girl Stacie Ponder!) that was on the subject of "Camp Horror" -- meaning Camp by way of Susan Sontag, not Jason Voorhees. And the panel got me thinking about a few things... not all of them being Stacie's Movie Shelves... one of them being: what would Straight Dude Camp be? The origin of Camp is mainly queer, specifically with regards to Gay Men; on the panel Stacie talked about her idea of Dyke Camp, and how that's a little different. But the riddle of Straight Dude Camp only riddled me for about two-point-five seconds, because I have seen Road House, and I have seen Road House many, many times. It's Big Muscles and Bigger Violence, a la any Schwarzenegger joint.

Bloody Hell isn't exactly that -- we're probably too self-aware in 2020 to go back to that place again -- but it made me think of that at times, and for that I thank it. I love me some Big Muscles and Bigger Violence, and Bloody Hell's got those thing sin spades. It stars Ben O'Toole and Ben O'Toole's carved-from-marble torso, both of whom are trussed up like Robert Conrad in Wild Wild West for half the film, and if I haven't sold you by now then I don't know my audience. 

O'Toole plays Rex (see -- Rex is totally a Schwarzenegger character name) as a former Marine who in our opening scene thwarts a bank robbery in spectacularly violent fashion. Unfortunately for all hunked-up action-stars it's not the 80s anymore and violence is now freighted down with repercussions, and so Rex is sent to prison for his spectacular vigilantism. His case sparks a big public debate though, turning him into a media sensation, and so when he gets out of jail several years later the first thing he sees is his own face on the tabloid rag in a checkout line at the grocery store.

In a touch that feels lovingly borrowed from the Evil Dead movies -- which gave us Bruce Campbell as the hyper-aware action-figure of Ash, which is probably even closer to what Bloody Hell is gunning for than the earlier references -- Rex has a slight hint of a split personality, in that he sees himself outside himself and has conversations with this second self. Basically it's an excuse to give Rex somebody to talk to since he spends a good chunk of the film chained up in the basement of a Finnish serial killing family, but we're getting ahead of ourselves there. O'Toole is a big actor, and this gives him twice the maneuverability.

Okay, now's the time for the Finnish serial killing family. I won't spoil the fun of the A to B to Finnish serial killing family, but suffice to say that Rex ends up in Finland and in their basement trussed up like Thanksgiving, and must summon all the power of his crazy abdominals to get himself out of this situation. It involves kicking children in the face, romancing the local blonde pretty girl, an extremely juicy leg stump, and a scene I refuse to believe wasn't inspired by the jaw-dropping finale of my beloved 1981 slasher Just Before Dawn. Bloody Hell is a lot -- a lot of fun, a lot of gore, a lot of large rampaging pustules, a lot of that v-line that guys who're really in shape have... it's a lot!

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

Total Recall (1990)

Kuato: What do you want, Mr. Quaid?

Quaid: The same as you; to remember.

Kuato: But why?

Quaid: To be myself again.

Kuato: You are what you do. A man is

defined by his actions, not his memory. 

Happy 30 to one of my favorites, Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall, which was remade in 2012 to absolutely no effect whatsoever. See this is what I mean when I tell y'all not to get upset about remakes -- if they're lousy they'd slough right off like slippery slime and the original will look every shinier for it. When they announced the remake in 2009 I did a list of some of my favorite random things in the film which still holds up here eleven years later -- I just caught some of this on cable the other day and man alive this movie's nuts in all the best 80s ways. I know it's a 1990 movie but it definitely still feels like an 80s flick -- it counts. It's a summation, if you will, of 80s Arnie Nuttiness.

The film also made my list of five favorite films of 1990, for the record. It brings me exquisite joy, first to last -- Verhoeven firing on all slimy cylinders, at the top of his subversive Hollywood WTF peak; how he got away with what he got away with when he reined should be the subject of a billion books. Anyway if you love Total Recall too tell me what's your favorite part? That guy's third arm? Sharon Stone? Or it's this, isn't it: