Synecdoche By Wes

See? I told you I would pop back in here over the holiday! I didn't lie, for once. Feel free to throw confetti in my face the next time you see me. Anyway I am here, over a holiday, to direct you toward a piece I'm proud of -- for Mashable I wrote about Wes Anderson's telescopically structured Asteroid City, and how that structure helps triple underline its big beating beautiful heart, click here to read it. I really dig this movie in case that's not clear by now -- this is the second piece I wrote about it, including my Pajiba review which you can read here. I hope you've all gone to see it for yourselves by now -- the big screen really is the best way to experience Wes' methodical aesthetic minutiae -- but if you're waiting for home for whatever reason the blu-ray is on sale already, right here. But it's not out until New Years Eve so, you know, prepare to wait.

Pablo's Sweatpants Strike Again

The just dropped first trailer for Lorelei, the movie I dubbed "Pablo Schreiber in Grey Sweatpants: the Movie" here on MNPP last week, begins with a shot of Pablo Schreiber in grey sweatpants. My work here is done! Poof, I disappear in a cloud of silver glitter and dust mites. In all seriousness this is a lovely little movie which also co-stars the always-welcome Jena Malone, I reviewed it out of Tribeca right here, and y'all should see it when you can. Which ain't too long -- it's hitting theaters and VOD on July 30th. And here's that trailer:

Good Morning, World

 

Let us greet this Monday with some Pablo Schreiber (via his Insta) -- have any of you kept up with American Gods? I stopped watching after the first season the second MNPP pal Bryan Fuller left the building, but I do appreciate checking back in on the menfolk he gathered for its cast now and again. Especially, if you check our Tumblr, one Mr. Whittle...

I Wish it Would Rain Down On Me Now

.

I'm sure that the cast of Woody Allen's banned-in-America latest A Rainy Day in New York is real real excited it's getting a release overseas this fall -- Timothée Chalamet (who donated his salary to charity) and Jude Law and Elle Fanning and the rest of 'em are probably looking forward to answering those questions. Whatever, the film's dropping in France in September and a bunch of other countries after that (and inevitably it'll leak online for the rest of us who care after that), and now there's a trailer. Watch:

.

Good Morning, World

.

Howdy everybody, a Happy Monday to y'all -- I'm a little distracted with not-blog stuff right this second so here's a nice and random and perfectly fine to pass the time photograph of a certain Mr. Naomi Watts and his open shirt beckoning you bed-ward to get us through these week-first moments. I'll be back very soon! (via, thanks Mac)

.

Today's Fanboy Delusion

Today I'd rather be...

... hearing the ocean with Pablo Schreiber.

I can't quite hear it yet, Pablo! 

Bring it closer! CLOOOOSEERRRRR. 

Anyway shame on us on two counts - number one there've been several pictures worth sharing posted to Mr. Schreiber's Instagram over the past month that we're just now getting to, and number two we haven't watched this week's episode of American Gods yet. We'll make up for the second part tonight, but we can do something about the first part right this second! Hit the jump for ten more pictures...

Nobody Puts Liev Schreiber In The Corner

.

I have already seen Chuck (which was previously titled The Bleeder, as you can see above) which stars Liev Schreiber at the real-life boxer that inspired Sly Stallone to write Rocky, but I can't write up my thoughts about it until it premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival in one week. Still that's not going to keep me from sharing the beefcake-tastic poster and trailer, both prominently featuring Liev Schreiber's prominent beefcake.

.

.
And you don't have to wait long - Chuck is out on May 5th.
.

Putting the Gods in American Gods

.

(click to embiggen) Two weeks ago we saw the first couple of pictures from American Gods - you know, Bryan Fuller's adaptation of Neil Gaiman's book for Starz - thanks to EW, but at some point between then and now another picture, the one seen above, apparently snuck onto the internet without me noticing... until now! That's Ricky Whittle as Shadow on the left (see a great big gratuitous post of his right here) and that's Pablo Schreiber as Mad Sweeney on the right. (Also yes to more Pablo Schrieber please.) Selling this show as these two big beefy fellas thrashing at each other's not a bad way to sell this show!

.

I Am Link

.

--- Super Wolf - Now that he's been cast it totally makes sense that Tyler Hoechlin is playing Superman on The CW's Supergirl series (thanks Mac) - I don't know why his name didn't occur to me when the word was going around that the show was looking to cast the role in the first place. Supergirl is run by Greg Berlanti, the openly gay dude behind basically all of the DC superhero shows on the small screen, and it's clear he learned some vital lessons from watching the Teen Wolf series which co-starred Hoechlin. Anyway Tyler is sure gonna fill out that suit nicely!

--- Drinking Buddies - Orlando Director Sally Potter is about to start filming a new movie, which is cause enough to celebrate, but wait til you get a load of her cast - Kristin Scott Thomas, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Timothy Spall, Bruno Ganz, and Cherry Jones! That is a mad good buncha actors, people. The film is called The Party and much like the Peter Sellers movie of the same title is is set at a party. Imagine that.

--- Gods in the House - The first two pictures from American Gods have arrived! See them over at EW. The adaptation of Neil Gaiman's book, which we've already talked about a billion times, is being shepherded onto the small screen by no less than Hannibal and Pushing Daisies mastermind Bryan Fuller himself, so we expect greatness. In the picture you can see Ricky Whittle (dear lord look at Ricky Whittle) as Shadow Moon and Pablo Schreiber as Mad Sweeney the leprechaun; at the link you can see a couple of shots of Ian McShane in character too.

Oh and in the past couple of days there's been several roles cast, all men of color - the gorgeous Omid Abtahi (I've had a crush on him for ages) is playing Salim, while Orlando Jones and Demore Barnes have been cast as Mr Nancy and Mr Ibis, respectively. And here below is a picture of Omid, who you'll probably recognize from one of the thousand times he's been asked to play a terrorist (like Homeland or 24, for example):

--- The Ol' Oak Tree - The first poster for A Monster Calls, one of my most anticipated movies of the year, has arrived - get a look at it over at STYD. This movie is based on the heartbreaking and beautiful children's book by Patrick Ness, which I highly highly recommend. The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, and the rich deep baritone of Liam Neeson as a tree. Watch the trailer over here if you missed it.

--- Brain Drain - I haven't gotten a chance to read this one yet but The New York Times spoke with Charlie Cox about his currently-running play Incognito (oh I am sure they got a Daredevil question or two in there, if they know what's good for them) - you can read it over here. (Thanks Mac) There is a picture of him attached, to make the words go down smoother. I saw this play a couple of months ago and didn't love it, to be honest, but Charlie (everybody) was good.

--- Number Twos - I was going to just post this brief update (or rather non-update) from Winona Ryder about how she has no idea what's happening with Tim Burton and the Beetlejuice sequel right now (thanks Mac) but then I read this article at THR today talking about how Hollywood's current big problem is "Sequels That Nobody Wants" and I found that to be much more interesting a thing to share. And if that's the mindset that might put the brakes on a Beetlejuice 2 happening, honestly. Especially with the Burton connection, what with the Alice in Wonderland sequel being the reigning King of the Flops and all. Happy Childhood Memories be damned, I'd probably be willing to give up a Beetlejuice cash-grab if Hollywood promised to stop shitting out sequels. (HA.)
.

Always Bet On Pornstache

.

It's the 39th birthday of the actor Pablo Schrieber today - he's probably still best known for playing "Pornstache" on Orange is the New Black but his career seems to be doing pretty well (he was apparently in Michael Bay's 13 Hours, but I didn't see that) so I think he'll be around for awhile. Anyway he's half-brothers with Liev Schreiber, whose career is also doing pretty well - Ray Donovan keeps being renewed even though I don't think I know anyone who watches that show (I have been tempted though - have I ever) and he was just in the Oscar winner for Best Picture last year (and some people maintain he was the best thing in Spotlight). But we only want to know the important things, like...

.

To add my own two cents I have seen both of these guys on the streets of New York and my answer is definitely Liev -- Pablo was riding a bicycle on the sidewalk and that's an instant disqualification.

.

More Like Ab-ghanistan

.

Let's just get this out of the way -- I am never, not ever, going to see Michael Bay's 13 Hours. John Krasinski and Pablo Schreiber and James Badge Dale and Max Martini can rub all the dirt in their beard and bicep crevices that they want to -- if Bradley Cooper squatting in short shorts wasn't enough to get me to see American Sniper, and it wasn't, then nothing's gonna overcome Michael f'ing Bay. 

But as I did with Cooper I will post some pictures, but you guys need to promise me you won't go see the movie either. We can be strong together, like these dudes, only less gay. Effeminate pinky swear! Hit the jump for a few more of the beefy bearded Benghazi boys...

Driving Mister Dornan

.

I didn't know that Pacific Rim actor Max Martini plays Jamie Dornan's driver in Fifty Shades of Gray! Now there's some fantasy spank-bank material. See our big gratuitous post on Max right here - he's a fine slab of ginger. Anyway now comes word that he's joined the cast of Michael Bay's upcoming probable nightmare of a movie 13 Hours, which is about (sigh) what happened in every Republican uncle's favorite buzzword Benghazi. Even worse, his co-stars are all bringing the hotness - the film will also star John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, and Orange is the New Black's 'stache-twirling guard Pablo Schreiber. This movie will be the death of me.

Liev Strong

.

Cotton be Weary no more. Anybody who's been paying attention - and indeed, we have been paying attention - has noticed that Liev Schreiber's become a bit of a beefcake, but these shots of him (via JJ) are taking, you know, the cake. The beefcake. I just wish he and his Ray Donovan co-star Eion Bailey were taking, you know, the cake together. Eion would make for a fine cake-boy.

Good Morning Again, Eion Bailey

.

Do the people making Ray Donovan want me 

to never be able to do anything ever again?

I think the people making Ray Donovan want me 

to never be able to do anything ever again.

That's the only explanation I can come up with for why they keep throwing a half-naked Eion Bailey at me (see previously), in scenes of a semi-homoerotic nature with Liev Schreiber no less...

... forcing me to spend hours of my days 

capping the scenes endlessly. My hands are tied!

Of course, maybe they're just including these scenes because they are literal Saints, in which case my complaints are... well, blasphemous. I think I might be on to something.

Alright, enough yammering. We have good stuff...

... to get to. (Including a scene of Liev skinny-dipping at the end of this same episode, cuz why not.) Hit the jump for it!

Good Afternoon, World

.

Did we ever figure out why Liev Schreiber was seen that one time wandering down the highway half naked? I suppose it's one way to liven up a shitty commute. I bet you Naomi put him up to it. She's probably a kinky one, that Naomi. Anyway a happy 46 to he who will always be Cotton Weary to me.

Sorry for the delay this morning - the New York Film Fest called. Just got out of a screening of James Gray's The Immigrant, with Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix. See look I can totally prove it, it's James Gray and Joaquin Phoenix...

I imagine I'll say something about that at some point. The movie and the Q&A, that is. But to answer your first question - yes, Joaquin Phoenix made everything awkward. It's like his superpower, I think.
.

Good Morning, World

.

Today I'd rather be waking Liev Schreiber up

with some happy birthday wishes. More after the jump...

Which Is Hotter?

.

Liev Schreiber: in Cotton or lace?

.

poll by twiigs.com

.

I'd completely forgotten that Liev did drag once before Taking Woodstock. I suppose it's his masculine bulk - he fills up every inch of his six-foot three-inch frame - that makes it a repeat-worthy visual punchline, putting him in frilly dainty lady-clothes. Or maybe he just like putting on dainty frilly lady-clothes. Whatever. Point is he looks better out of them.

.

.