She Is Ann Lee, Hear Her Roar

One of last year's most slept on upon great movies was Mona Fastvold's The Testament of Ann Lee, a rapturous musical  starring Amanda Seyfried as the Shaker founder -- the film was weird and unexpected and in the words of Anya Jenkins "never going to become a breakaway pop hit." Still it made my top ten of the year and what are we doing here if we're not believing what I say??? But since the movie didn't do well at the box office or the awards bodies it seemed as if getting a physical media release of the thing was D.O.A. -- I still don't know if we'll ever get a blu-ray (there were headlines when it hit VOD that it indeed wouldn't be getting this) but thankfully one barrier's now been smashed down as Milan Records has announced the soundtrack from the great Daniel Blumberg IS getting a vinyl release, and you can pre-order it right here. Hooray! This score is absolutely gorgeous -- being a non-musical person this is exactly what I want from my "musicals" honestly. Real music! That lands in September -- and hey maybe if the thing sells well they'll give us a goddamned blu-ray of the movie itself. Sorry, Ann Lee -- a "gosh-darned" blu-ray, I meant to say. Anyway I guess THE MAN Daniel Blumberg has enough sway to get his shit released, as HE did with THE MAN Brady Corbet's The Brutalist -- THE WOMAN writer-director and WIFE of Brady Corbet Mona Fastvold should try being more of a MAN I guess. (Sexism comes in all forms, y'all.)

Good Morning, World

Did y'all see the news that right now, as of this minute, there are zero plans to give Mona Fastvold's tremendous 2025 film The Testament of Ann Lee any kind of physical media release? That right there is some high bullshit if I ever saw some high bullshit. I say we riot in the streets until not only a 4K disc is released but also that goddamned glorious soundtrack of Shaker bangers is put onto vinyl as well. "Shaker bangers" haha, what a phrase. It sounds like the name of a rowdy detective on a CBS procedural. "Nobody runs from Shaker Banger, baby!" Ahem anyway Ann Lee's gay brother himself Mr. Lewis Pullman (who could totally play Shaker Banger now that I think about it) is on the cover of the new issue of Esquire and we've got the shoot, hit the jump for it (or else we'll send Mr. Shaker Banger here on your tail)...

Shut Up The Gays Are Talking!

The time has come for the queers to take it away! (When isn't it that time...) The queer critics guild GALECA (of which yours truly is a member) has announced the nominations for our annual Dorian Awards today, and per usual we did good, better, best than most. As ever, because I'm an old crank, I could take issue with some of the people who did get nominated -- I loathe Ethan Hawke's performance in Blue Moon, for instance -- and I could take issue with some of the people who didn't get nominated -- I can't believe we, a group of queer people, didn't have love in our hearts for the best animated movie oif the year by leaps and bounds Boys Go To Jupiter -- but I'll just shut my yap and clap my paws because overall...

... we did very good. A couple of nominations for Pillion! (Even though as I stated earlier today who could be sure which year A24 wants that movie to fall under with their weird release strategy,) A couple of nominations for Hedda, a movie which should be getting much more attention by the big guys -- I can't believe that Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss probably won't get Oscar nominations whilst steaming crap like the Wicked sequel will. What a world, what a world, indeed. Anyway congrats to all of the nominees (except Ethan Hawke) and if you want to hit the jump I will share our press release with all of the nominations...

Lewis Pullman Four Times

Momentarily I thought maybe it could be considered a spoiler for Mona Fastvold's magnificent film The Testament of Ann Lee to share that the character Lewis Pullman is playing in it is a big ol' 'mo. But I decided instead that one, while it's not an inconsequential note re: the film's themes it's also barely there, and sharing it won't ruin the movie for you in any way, I don't think. It's not some explosive revelation with regards to his character, but it does add to and underline the film's ideas about the Shakers as a community of misfits in their day. That said number two, and more importantly, I thought sharing this tidbit of information might get one or two of you who mightn't otherwise to go and see the two-plus hour musical about a bizarre religious sect. And that's what we want! Because I really love this movie and I'm not entirely sure I'll be properly reviewing it at this point, what with the holiday looming ahead. It's a great movie! Go see it! On a big screen if you can, as it very much demands a big screen. I watched it at home first and I liked it, but then I saw it a second time in 70mm and it blew my brain through the back of my head. With that said hit the jump for a couple more of lil' cute Lewis here...

The Critics, We Choiced

This marks my second year voting as a member of the Critics Choice Association and I long ago made peace -- well before I even became a member -- with the fact that my weird personal picks would end up falling through the cracks of a general consensus and not get much representation in the final tallies. It's just par for the course with this type of thing. That's what I have my personal awards for, and uhhh hopefully some time I'll get to those. But today what I have to share with you are the Critics Choice nominations! And there are a few things I voted for up in here -- you can be sure that any nominations for Hard Truths, Nosferatu, The Substance, the two Guadagninos were among my votes -- and that makes me happy. I will glom my hopes onto them. Oh and as a sidenote -- I am planning on going to Los Angeles for the ceremony this year! So stay tuned for coverage from that! Exciting star-fuckery ahead! Okay now let's hit the jump and see the entire list of nominations...