Super Mario Galaxy Movie in 200 Words or Less

My boyfriend and I have a running joke about how lesbian sex in the movies has long been reduced to two women holding their palms out flat toward the other's, hovering but not quite touching, which is to say that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hinges on incestual lesbian sex saving the universe. So that's something! Indeed that's the best thing I can say about this clashing cacophony of noise which has me pitying all the poor parents out there -- get ready to paint eyes onto your eyelids so the kids don't catch onto your snooze, Moms and Pops. The movie does unlock its honest end-game though, in that it really made me want to dig out my dusty Wii to play Super Mario Galaxy again -- this is nothing but an assemblage of dopamine signifiers for Mario-heads, lapsed or still running, with nary a thought thunk outside that sphere. There is a scene where I really thought the movie might reenact Raiders' infamous opening of the ark scene, just with Bones Ghosts melting Princess Peach's face off, but that sadly didn't come to pass -- like everything here, opportunities super smashed. 

The Killing Joke

Well today turned into a short day -- got in late, trotting out early! Not complaining! But before I head out lemme link to a pair of reviews I've dropped for this weekend's movies -- click here to read my thoughts on How To Make a Killing with Glen Powell, and click here to read my just-dropped thoughts on the lo-fi sci-fi flick Redux Redux. The latter's great, the former's a stinker, but hey Glen Powell looks like he looks there above so who am I to judge? Well okay yeah with movies, movies I'm exactly the person to judge -- a movie critic. Reputable or not, whatever, I called myself one so it's true. But if Glen wants to come choke me out between those biceps I sure won't argue. Have a great weekend, everyone!

How To Make a Killing in 500 Words or Less

Remember Scream Queens? The Ryan Murphy series that ran for two seasons a decade ago didn't rewrite the television medium but it's one of Murhpy's most entertaining efforts, goofy in a way that embraced Murphy's tendencies toward chaos -- the slapdash quality that sinks so much of his work was there a feature, not a bug. Anyway that was where I was introduced to Glen Powell as the dipshit hunk Chad Radwell, a perfect distillation of the actor's strengths right up front. That character's smugness wasn't meant to be charming... until it was, thanks to Powell's balls-deep performance. Point being I've been rooting for Powell all these years because he charmed me so fully right out of the gate. 

But the iteration of Glen Powell Movie Star that we have in 2026 has become a different beast altogether, and the limits of this current rictis-grin persona of Powell's meet and are beat by their match in John Patton Ford's How To Make a Killing (his follow-up to Emily the Criminal with Aubrey Plaza), out this weekend. What this movie -- which is based on the book Kind Hearts and Coronets, previously turned into a very fun movie with Alec Guinness in 1949 -- needs is a real asshole. Somebody who isn't desperately trying to be liked while also murdering his rich-prick relatives in order to get their wealth.

The actor who played Chad Radwell ten years ago maybe could've pulled this off. But Glen Powell V.2026 cannot. The movie works so hard trying to make his character Becket into a good guy -- despite all, you know, the killing shit -- that it deflates any and all of its satire, instead wandering around some unpleasant uncanny valley for two hours. Powell's face is frozen into an action-figure smirk for the entirety of this thing's runtime, and it's impossible not to wonder what an actor who was actually enjoying their slide into depravity might've brought -- an actor with an edge, somebody who brings a real sense of danger. A Jack O'Connell or LaKeith Stanfield could've rocked this.

The character really needs to have some crazy in his eyes; a sense that he's finally finding himself by discovering and embracing his monstrous lineage of rich shits. But both the movie itself and Powell keep backing off of that at every opportunity. There's no sense of developing tragedy or mounting lunacy -- it's just a bunch of stuff that happens, the end. And it's a genuine disappointment because the good version of this movie is so close, so possible, but it's just a series of self-owning stumbles instead. A cowardly trip, man.

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!

Lee Pace Twelve Times

I don't know why I thought this morning's "Glen Powell's Butt" post would be the end of my Running Man posting this week since I offered up my brief opinion on the movie therein -- are you telling me the world doesn't move on once I've laid down my decree? Harumph! But I'll allow a sleazy photoshoot of Lee Pace -- I grant this permission to exist! It's for Bustle magazine and I haven't read the interview yet but if it's anything like the photos...

... then we're in for a real treat. (The above photo is cropped until I can find a better version without type all over it -- you know me and my OCD!) Anyway apparently Lee talks a lot about his wicked side coming out when he plays villains and uhh yeah I guess that's the idea. I was catively annoyed at how they had his face covered up like 90% (is that a spoiler? Yes he eventually takes the mask off) in The Running Man -- as good as the shape of him looks in his fetish gear in the movie we still want that face. Otherwise I start suspecting there's a stunt-man doing everything while Lee's off sipping chamomile in his trailer. Anyway instead of just talking about wanting to look at Lee let's do it! Hit the jump for this really very sexy photoshoot...

Good Morning, World

Yesterday I shared with you a couple of shots from the set of Edgar Wright's The Running Man where Glen Powell was seen running (heh) around in just a skimpy towel -- well I didn't think they'd give up these goods so quickly but in a set video on the film's Instagram account they show the moment where the towel drops and yup, it's just as meaty and delicious as I remembered it being.

For the record I'm not reviewing this movie so all I'll say is it's not great unfortunately -- as a big fan of the original movie who's also aware that it's not a great movie either, a proper re-working really could've been something. This movie's a big mess tonally, and the third act is absolutely butchered to the point where I had no idea what was even happening. It's really too bad. We deserve a nasty black-hearted satire about a game-show host ruining the world dammit! Haven't we earned that much in 2025 dammit? Anyway at least all of the supporting actors are having fun (Colman especially) -- and this isn't meant as any slight to Glen who obviously I enjoy looking at, but it's just a bad move to waste Katy O'Brian the way she's wasted here. You see her on-screen and you just want to follow her off on her story immediately. Alas. Here's that full video:

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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)

Is Anybody Watching Chad Powers?

Is there any reason for me to?

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...

Happy 4th

I wanna see Glen Powell's flag at full mast!

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???

Today's Fanboy Delusion

Today I'd rather be...

... pushing it real good with 

Glen Powell and Lewis Pullman. 

Who Wore It Best?

I'm kind of annoyed that the Instagram account Portiswasp beat me to this punch because it'd popped into my head last week when I saw actor Brandon Sklenar (above right) wearing this stylist-fave mesh shirt for Interview Magazine and realized I'd seen it everywhere lately and had since then been meaning to do this exact poll. Alas I was too slow and you can see the entire collection of menfolk who've rocked the shirt at their link. Me I'll focus in on four of the fellas, all of whom (save Skelnar until now) had already been featured  here at MNPP in this nip-barer of a fashion choice. (Glen Powell here, George MacKay here, and Kit Connor here.)

online polls

That said those four aside the correct answer is 

probably actor Ishaan Khatter, because goddamn.

In Space No One Can Hear Barry Jenkins Scream

It hasn't been the greatest week on record just in the general sense of, you know, everything! But here is one good nice story to come out of it, one which hopefully come to fruition as long as, you know, "everything" doesn't murder us first. THR is reporting (thx Mac) that good and proper movie star (we can call him one now right?) Glen Powell is going to make a movie with good and proper auteur (we can definitely call him that) Barry Jenkins to make a movie! And there won't be any animated wildebeests this time -- it's about human beings and for adults this time! It's called The Natural Order and it's based on a story by Coco screenwriter Matthew Aldrich and all we know beyond that right now is that it's "a sci-fi thriller centering on the search for eternal life." I will watch a Barry Jenkins sci-fi thriller! And even better I will watch a Barry Jenkins sci-fi thriller starring Glen Powell! So sign me up. In all seriousness this sounds like a solid compromise between Barry making the tiny independent masterpieces he'd been making and then churning out depressing IP nonsense like the Lion King sequel  because that's the only sort of trash Hollywood is interested in. So bring it on. 

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!

Twist On This

I was hoping if I went digging I'd find that Vanity Fair had already gifted us with an out-take from their shoot of Glen Powell this week, but no such luck -- just the two very hot shots I posted Wednesday so far. But I have never posted this photo before so let's post that photo whilst I direct you to my ol' Pajiba review of Twisters, his blockbuster sequel that came out earlier this summer and which has today, this very day, landed on streaming thanks to Peacock. I found the movie kind of disappointing -- as much as I can ever be disappointed by a Disaster Movie, since I will watch and re-watch even the worst of them a million times over, anyway. But hey it gave us Glen in a wet white t-shirt so s'all not a negative!

Which is Hotter?

John Krasinski was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" today and actual real live people seemed to be like, "... Huh?" Myself included. While I think the man has had his moments over the years I've soured on him since his shitty overrated and deeply conservative Quiet Place movies came out and, in their wake, so too did some stories about him being a shitty egomaniac. Anyway I now have a hit tweet...

Vanity Fair coming out the same day and making an absolute mockery of People's always terrible Sexiest Man Alive game pic.twitter.com/vkQkQ4ibDj

— Jason Adams (@JAMNPP) November 13, 2024

... pointing out that Vanity Fair totally stole People's thunder today with their incredibly hot batch of menfolk prancing about for the annual "Hollywood Issue" and so a path forward seem to've presented itself! There are actually rumors going around that one of those VF men, the probable most likely alternative choice,  Mr. Glen Powell of the film Twisters, smartly turned People's title down. So let's slap the two of them in the face with our big poll and see who comes on top, then!

online polls

Pics of the Day

The new issue of the annual Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue is here, which always gives our favorite hot young things a chance to mingle in fun behind-the-scenes snaps.... and which has brought us the above moment between Jonathan Bailey and Josh O'Connor and I'm just about done for the day, how about y'all? Here's the full cover: 

(click to embiggen) And good for Nicole Kidman slamming her way into the center of the front flap (that phrase feels wrong) all these many many decades into her esteemed career -- having now seen Babygirl I get it! Not that I ever stopped loving Nic, but Babygirl has the makings of a hit if they're smart about it. Harris Dickinson's reading of "Good girl" will probably (and should) be the line of the year if they do. (And Harris should've made the cover too dammit.) Anyway! 

These two fucking photos of Glen Powell!

A mesh shirt? That hair and those glasses?

Were they actually actively trying to kill me? 

Whoever took these photos really went for it and we applaud them. You can see them all at this link, which further links to the invidividual interviews, but I've got all the photos of note right here after the jump...

Keep Running Up That Pace

Enough things coming up Lee Pace (what a phrase) these past couple of days that a Lee Pace post was demanded of me! Firstly his 2006 film The Fall from the director Tarsem has gotten a re-release in theaters  this weekend which has been wonderful news for people like me who have loved that movie since day one and the rest of you who were dummies who didn't see it but now have the chance to. It's also on Mubi but I recommend going to the theater and taking this beauty in on the big screen -- click here for wheres and whens of that -- as I did last night! And it ruled. I hadn't seen the film in quite some time but it rocked my world all over again. On that same note there is a terrific chat with Pace over at The Playlist today reflecting on making the movie so read that! And now we begin our countdown until Mubi drops the 4K disc of the film -- really hoping it lands before the holidays. 

But wait! This is not all of the Lee Pace news fit to print! Yesterday it was announced that he's joining the cast of The Running Man re-do from director Edgar Wright! I just posted about this movie earlier this week because it already gained a hot ass cast with Glen Powell and Karl Glusman and Josh Brolin set to star in it -- now with Lee it's a veritable smorgasborg of beefcake set to slip into those skintight bodysuits. Good work, Edgar Wright -- now just be gayer than usual about it, please. All of that said hey look it's a photoshoot (via) of Lee I've never posted! Let's do that! Hit the jump for that...