The Michaels Angarano & Cera Movie

Long-time MNPP fave Michael Angarano wrote and directed and starred in a movie called Sacramento that just premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival -- it co-stars Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart, and Angarano's real-life partner (and PEN15 star) Maya Erskine, and its plot perfectly fits the description of approximately one million other movies in that it is about two estranged friends at a cross-roads in their lives going on a road trip to discover yadda yadda. But even if the tropes it traffics in are old, Angarano went and made a very lovely little movie anyway -- read my review of Sacramento over at Pajiba. I love all of these actors and the movie really feels genuine and true and it is a very nice way to spend ninety minutes of your time. What more can you ask for? Michael Angarano wearing a top-hat and nothing else -- sure! But I guess he can't do that every time out. I guess! (Find somewhere to do that again in your next one, Michael.) 

Trap Me In a Car With Michael Angarano

Checking my archives I can't believe it's been two entire years since I've posted about my "Bertie" boy Michael Angarano here on the site? The last thing I posted in April of 2021 was about him getting a role in that show Minx -- that show has fully come and gone by now! And I never watched a single episode of it. For shame, me. I mean I know I tend to hate Christopher Nolan movies but the fact that he's in Oppenheimer should've gotten a mention. Well I'm posting about our boy today at least, with Deadline's word that he's written and is directing a road-trip comedy! It's called Sacramento and it will star him and Michael Cera as best friends who drive from L.A. to Sacramento and discover about themselves and their relationship the kind of things people discover on movie road trips -- their wives will be played respectively by PENI5 legend and icon Maya Erskine (aka Angarano's real life partner) and, uhh, Kristen f'ing Stewart? Okay! Imagining her and Michael Cera as a married couple has already got me giggling, so that's good news.

Michael Angarano, Maybe Male Centerfold

One day post-announcement and I'm already ready to set my DVR to record Minx, an upcoming series for HBO Max that Bridesmaids director Paul Feig is producing, which THR describes as "a half-hour comedy set in L.A. in the 1970s about a young feminist who joins forces with a low-rent publisher to create the first erotic magazine for women." Okay let's be real -- I was ready to hit record five seconds after seeing the show will star New Girl's Jake Johnson as the "low-rent producer" as well as, in an undisclosed role, our boy here Michael Angarano (aka Bertie forever Bertie). They might not be disclosing anything but given how un-shy Angarano's been over the past several years I'd honestly be shocked, shocked, if he wasn't playing a centerfold. The show will be led by Ophelia Lovibond from Elementary, and is being run by writer Ellen Rapoport -- there's a very funny story in that THR link about her showing up at her meeting with HBO with an entire trunk full of 70s pornography that'd already won me over on her, and then I checked her IMDb and saw she worked on Faye Dunaway's reality show The Starlet and I have just now named Ellen Rapoport a gay icon. Don't let me down, lady! Here's the idea, just with fewer pants:

The Knick II: The Knickening

In a new interview The Knick creator and filmmaker of some renown Steven Soderbergh says that a third season of our beloved Cinemax series The Knick is in the works, and that it is set to focus on André Holland's character... and that Moonlight director Barry Jenkins is behind it. We say yes to all of that! When the show ended its second season I recall Soderbergh saying at the time that he'd be open to somebody else continuing the show, but that he personally was done telling his story -- I guess this is what he was talking about! Soderbergh says he just read the pilot script and it is "terrific" -- oh and he adds that he personally is working on a sequel to his movie High Flying Bird, which also starred André. Anyway all of this sounds excellent; I really just have one specific request when it comes to more of The Knick...

Dear @BarryJenkins & @Bitchuation

We demand more Bertie
Please and thank you #TheKnick pic.twitter.com/BiFJ1y8Jij

— Jason Adams (@JAMNPP) September 24, 2020

One Stacked Weekend

Although I've got a pile of New York Film Festival screeners to watch and reviews to write this weekend (slash for the next two weeks) I'm actually impressed I got as much done this week as I did, because this week revealed itself to be a doozy, new-release-wise. Not just movies either, what with three television series of note all premiering -- Luca Guadagnino's We Are Who We Are arrived on HBO on Monday, while Ratched hit Netflix...

... (and hey there Corey Stoll in sock garters) and PEN15 hit Hulu today -- but primarily in movies, and I managed to share some thoughts, fast or otherwise, on everything I intended to! So let's do a quick round-up...

WHAT TO SEE, OR NOT SEE, I DON'T OWN YOU

Earlier today I reviewed Sean Durkin's The Nest, starring Jude Law and Carrie Coon, right here. It is good!

I reviewed Antonio Campos' The Devil All the Time, starring every young actor on the planet plus Jason Clarke tugging it to street trade, right here. It is... okay?

I whiffed the fact that they switched the release date for Miranda July's latest called Kajillionaire to next week and went ahead and reviewed that anyway, right here. That'll be out a week from today! I will surely re-remind you then.

The gay horror flick Spiral starring the ridiculously handsome Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman from UnREAL (sidenote: I miss UnREAL), hit Shudder earlier this week and I shared my thoughts on that right here. Bonus as an aside in that review I mention the horror flick Antebellum, out on VOD today, but sadly not worth that much of my (or your) time.

On top of all of that I also got my first of many to come NYFF review out with my thoughts on Steve McQueen's Lovers Rock, which just opened the fest -- read that over at The Film Experience. I'll have more up over at TFE over the weekend and through the next couple of weeks for the fest, so stay tuned!

Your biggest priority out of all of these things would be... well it's PEN15, isn't it? Honestly if I was home right now and not trapped at my office desk I'd be re-watching the second season of PEN15, which is absolutely everything, just everything. I very much liked the first season but the second season takes the whole show to glorious, surprising heights -- the show is a classic now. An all-timer. For real. Watch PEN15 dammit!

I was totally jazzed when my beloved Michael Angarano showed up on #PEN15 in the new season but I had no idea until right now that he and the show's star Maya Erskine are a real life couple!!!! NEW FAVORITE COUPLE ALERT pic.twitter.com/T6oapEQ1n0

— Jason Adams (@JAMNPP) September 12, 2020

Good Morning, World

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I'm always Shocked and Dismayed when I realize I'm not following one of MNPP's many, many big crushes on their Instagrams, but sometimes they slip through the cracks -- so it went yesterday when I felt that unfortunate slack with Michael Angarano, forever our beloved Bertie on The Knick, whose Instagram can be followed right here. He's been on there since the start of 2017, so make sure to scan on through if he makes you feel as warm and fuzzy as he does your MNPP overlord -- I gathered up a few more choice moments after the jump...

Good Morning, World

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Oh, goodness -- anybody watching Kat Dennings' new show Dollface for Hulu? I am not but the second I heard that my beloved Michael Angarano did a striptease in an episode there was one of those cartoon me-shaped holes through every wall between me and seeing it immediately and sure enough, it did not disappoint. (Thx Mac)

For one he spends a good chunk of his time stripping for Goran Višnjić for some reason? Honestly I have no idea what's happening in the scene or why, I watched it with the sound off (whilst giffing it frame by frame by beautiful beautiful frame) but I'm sure the actual context would just ruin it. 

This is almost as good as his towel-dropping scene on The Knick, but there's no top-hat this time, plus I already had a huge crush on his character "Bertie" on that show when that scene happened, so that one remains the gold standard, but really how fortunate and surprising that we've been blessed with so much Michael Angrarano gratuity in these past several years. Hit the jump for another dozen plus gifs since I too just can't help myself...

Good Morning, World

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Happy Monday to you people and on top of that a happy 31st birthday to the actor Michael Angarano, one of our most unsung faves here at MNPP... although now that I have noticed he's been on several episodes of the Starbucks Holiday CD Turned TV Series This is Us I'm feeling a little wary. Oh well, I suppose an actor's got to act. Somebody give our beloved Bertie from The Knick another good gig, please! These shots are of Mike with Emma Roberts in the indie In a Relationship, which I saw at Tribeca last year (see also this picture) but never reviewed... it's okay? The highlight is a lot of Mike's butt, but when isn't that the highlight?

Yes I'll Watch Your Movie, Michael Angarano

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Even though I'm smack-dab in the middle of press screenings for the swiftly approaching Tribeca Film Festival (which runs from April 18th to 29th) I'm still playing catch-up on figuring out all they're screening - I am so very bad at managing my time, you guys. And so it was only yesterday as I went through the list of films that I stumbled upon this picture (click to embiggen) of Michael Angarano & Emma Roberts in a movie called In A Relationship and... I feel as if I ought to share it. For reasons... that are clear to you. Honestly I'm so side-swiped by this Michael Angarano thing you guys. (Remember when he wore just a top hat and a towel on The Knick? Who could forget?) But there it is. For the world to see. Anyway I am off to a couple of screenings now, and in related Tribeca Hotness News have you guys watch the trailer for The Seagull yet?

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FOR FUCK'S SAKE pic.twitter.com/b0PsvYmjhf

— Jason Adams (@JAMNPP) April 2, 2018

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Eight Hours Don't Make a Sun Dogs

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I've got a pair of new trailers to share with y'all today and I am not above (hahahaha) using naked men in the shower to stop you in your tracks to watch them. Nope. Not above that in the slightest. First up we've got the trailer for Rainer Werner Fassbinder's newly remastered 1972 miniseries Eight Hours Don't Make a Day, which is premiering at the Film Forum here in New York tomorrow. Watch:

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See our previous posts on Eight Hours right here. That trailer only gives you a couple of quick glimpses of my working-class crush from the series named Wolfgang Zerlett...

... but their glimpses that get the crush across, I think. I don't know how RWF found these guys - they all look the same but what a look. Anyway speaking of atypical beefcake onto our #2 trailer...

... which is for a movie called Sun Dogs, starring the always surprisingly appealing Michael Angarano as "a young man determined to be a military hero [who] ends up on a misguided adventure." The trailer makes his adventure look very misguided! Watch:
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It co-stars newly-minted Oscar lady Allison Janney as his momma, and it hits Netflix on April 6th. I never really paid Angarano much mind until that filthy scene he did in that movie called The Brass Teapot a couple of years back and now I always take notice. So, you know, take notice, Young Actors - get yourselves butt whipped by Juno Temple in half-off tighty-whities and you'll make fans for life.

Good Morning, World

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I'd like to think that I'd have had the patience to wait three days to post those pictures of Michael Angarano wearing nothing but a top-hat and his adorable smile on The Knick if I'd have known it was his birthday today - Happy 28, Mikey! - but obviously I wouldn't have had that patience; that's a saint's patience. That's some Ghandi shit. Thankfully I was able to find some bonus random moments of Michael sans pants in that 2012 movie The Brass Teapot that I haven't posted before -- if you did miss the post we did on the main tighty-whities scene in this movie way back in March of last year though you'll wanna click here. It's a good one. And then you can go on and hit the jump for a couple more...

Pic of the Day

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I would have posted this picture of Michael Angarano flashing his (sadly censored) bits earlier today when I capped the actual scene from The Knick if I had seen it before thirty seconds ago, but since I didn't I doubt anybody's too verklempt over a double dose of Bearded Bertie's Wonder Emporium. This is via actor Chris Sullivan's Instagram account (he plays Cleary on the show).

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Good Morning, Bertie

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If you're watching Steven Soderbergh's The Knick and you're a sane person with good taste (and you're here so I assume that's true) then you're probably in love with Bertie, the bearded boy-doctor played by Michael Angarano (see previous Angarano gratuity here), and this week's episode offered up perhaps the choicest Bertie moment we'll ever get as the boy-doctor became a man-doctor with a period-appropriate game of striptease involving a top hat and not much else. I love this show in general but this, Steven Soderbergh, is really taking it to the next level. Hit the jump for the rest...

I Am Link

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--- Knick Of Time - I didn't realize that Steven Soderbergh's The Knick is back for its second season this Friday (in my old age I've gotten bad with dates; I had no idea that Fargo was back until yesterday afternoon right before it aired) but back it is, and there's a nifty piece from the set over at Vulture. I was a big big huge fan of the first season, and I'm looking forward to more shooting up via penis shaft and noseless ladies and hopefully they'll find a way to get Michael Angarano to show that hot little bum of his.

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--- Fake Fur - I was psyched to see that the gloriously underrated Steve Zahn (speaking of hot little bums) had gotten cast in the next Planet of the Apes movie (called War of the Planet of the Apes) but then is aw that he's going the motion-capture route for it and will be a monkey. (Ape, whatever.) That's a loss of a hot little bum, dammit. They have cast some dude named Gabriel Chavarria as a human though, and he's a looker (see below) so I guess that Damn Dirty Monkey Movie won't be totally eye-candy-free thank goodness.

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--- Filth Forever - Next week would've marked the 70th birthday of Harris Glenn Milstead, aka the divine Divine, and Baltimore Magazine got to chat with John Waters and Pat Moran about their friend - love the bit where they talk about what he'd be doing now and how totally into gay marriage he'd have been since it was an excuse to throw a lavish party.
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--- The Boy Wonder - Everybody's fighting over Taron Egerton's hot little bum (I wonder if I can work "hot little bum" into nearly every single one of these stories...?) and it almost led to a stand-off between two studios, but they worked it out and he will star in both the Kingsman sequel as well as a new Robin Hood movie, both filming next year. Phew, bum crisis averted.
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--- Queen's Subjects - I love this story - our pal Murtada got to ask Cate Blanchett a question at the New York Film Festival this past weekend! I was there at the same screening of Carol and I heard all of this and he tells the story wonderfully, go read it at his site. It was a lovely little moment. And make sure you read Nick Davis' comment because he pinpoints one of my favorite moments in the film, Blanchett specific, that struck me both times watching it.

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--- Camp Horror - I hadn't read much beforehand about the slasher-comedy The Final Girls, which was released last weekend - it's one of those movies I knew I'd watch being so right up my alley that I didn't feel the need to spoil it. I will probably review it shortly but for now, now that I have watched it, here's a little chat with the film's creators Joshua John Miller and M.A. Fortin, a gay couple. (Thanks Mac) Miller is also the son of the actor Jason Miller, aka Father Carras from The Exorcist, and wow this all makes so much sense now.
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--- King Cobblepot - I refused to watch the first season of Gotham because I have a deadly allergy to Jada Pinkett Smith (only the Scream sequel offered a momentary immunity that one time) but I think her character (Fish Mooney hahahahahaha) is maybe dead now? With that in mind the casting of Paul Reubens as the Penguin's father in the show, bringing him back to the role he played in Batman Returns, might definitely get me on-board.
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--- And Finally I wish every day included a lengthy conversation with Toni Collette for me to read, but since that's not the case getting one today at least is a treat -- here she is talking to the New Zealand Tribune, mostly about her new role opposite Drew Barrymore, Dominic Cooper, Dominic Cooper's Kilt, and cancer. (thanks Mac) There is a little bit about Krampus too, which cannot get here quick enough. Miss You Already is out at the start of November, while Krampus is out in December. Toni Collette World Domination! Took the damn world long enough.
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Which is Hotter?

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Michael Angarano or Clive Owen on The Knick?

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poll by twiigs.com

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A happy 27 to Michael Angarano today - I don't know if I would've clicked it into place that he's adorable if he hadn't done that bare-assed scene in last year's The Brass Teapot, but he is adorable, and even more so with the hipster slash period-appropriate beard he rocks on The Knick. Any Knick fans out there? I really really really loved the show. But back to what I was saying about Angarano's bare-assed scene in The Brass Teapot...

... when I did the original post on that I wasn't working with gifs at the time, so I'm glad I've given myself the opportunity to fill out that absence. And if you feel as if I'm tipping the scales too far in Mike's favor, click here for The Full Clive Owen Experience.

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I Am Link

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--- Lovecraft For Kiddies - When the news broke the other week that Guillermo Del Toro will be making a second Pacific Rim movie my mind flashed back to his adaptation of HP Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness that wasn't meant to be with sadness... and now comes word that it might mean to be after all? Del Toro himself says that he's maybe figured out how to make a PG-13 version of the story that he'd be happy with; the studios are apparently demanding that rating because of how much he wants to spend. So... maybe? Maybe? MAYBE???

--- Up With Clouds - I haven't watched this here first trailer for Olivier Assayas's new movie with Juliette Binoche yet because what part of what I just said do you think implies I need to watch a trailer to know I am already seeing this movie as soon as I can possibly muster? Assayas, Binoche, boom, done. (Although yes if you keep going and get to the part of the cast list where Moretz is we start to hesitate, that's why we're stopping before we get there!)
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--- Gotta Knack - The first season of Steven Soderbergh's series The Knick, documenting old-timey hospital stuff with Clive Owen, doesn't air until the start of August but Steven's already saying he's hoping he gets to make a second season. (Here's the trailer in case you missed it.) Of course he'll be busy cramming his camera up Channing Tatum's body cavities as DP on the second Magic Mike movie first. But after that. Oh there's also a series of character posters for The Knick right here which are giving me so much facial-hair-lust I don't even know what to do with it all. Look at Michael Angarano's (mmm Michael Angarano) twisty little stache!

--- Witchie Poo - I keep hoping that Tina Fey will make a good movie that's worthy of her comic skills so here, let's hope again - she's making what Deadline calls basically a witch version of Ghostbusters. I really have no idea what that means - I guess they are witches and they build a company selling their services, or maybe they are regular people who hunt witches for money? Commerce plus hexes equals movie, I guess.

--- The Killing - I saw this here first trailer for David Fincher's Gone Girl, his adaptation of Gillian Flynn's popular novel, over the weekend and even though I was being forced to stare at ben Affleck (ugh) I was into it. But not as into it as I am the great batch of teaser images of evidence baggies and their suspicious contains. Those are fab.

--- Business Class - I dug this piece on the admittedly not subtle political meanings of Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer - it's kind of a rundown of all you need to think the movie's thinks it's thinking. I hadn't thought of Tilda's performance as a riff on Margaret Thatcher but now that it's out there I see it's obvious; maybe I'd have seen it quicker if I'd ever watched that Meryl movie and had a quick go-to comparison to summon up.

--- Cap'n Tight Pants - Brandon Routh is playing another superhero! Let me rephrase that - Brandon Routh might be wearing another superhero costume! Ahh that's better, now I care more. He's going to play The Atom aka Ray Palmer on the next season of the series Green Arrow. Cue comments blah career slide from blockbusters to not-the-lead on a CW show blah.

--- And Finally I also saw this featurette slash trailer for the James Brown bio-pic Get On Up starring bio-pic specialist Chadwick Boseman at the movies this weekend, and I have to say I appreciated this bits where Chadwick's wearing that tight gold jumpsuit and dancing around, I did. I might have to see this movie after all!

I Am Link

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--- Robo Chap - I can't remember if I'd heard this one before but Neil Blomkamp's lining up his next project - it's called Chappie and it will return him to South Africa; it's about a robot stolen by some gangsters and forced to do their bidding. Blomkamp's right-hand man Sharlto Copley will voice the robot, which seems to miss the complaint here in the US that nobody had a clue what Copley was saying half the time in Elysium, but irritates me mostly because I want to look at Sharlto, all of him, with my eyes.

--- And Speaking of Blomkamp I hope to write some reviews this afternoon so stay tuned, but for now (and giving you a clue where I'm at) there are a bunch of interesting think-pieces tearing apart Elysium going around - The Playlist goes through it good bad and ugly style, while CriticWire applies the rules of world-building to it to see how it stands, and most interestingly is this piece at ThinkProgress dissecting its weaknesses when it comes to its own health-care allegory.

--- After Mud - Saw a commercial for Mud last night and rambled a bit about how much more I'd have like it sans McConaughey - he was perfectly fine in the role but I really just don't like looking at him anymore. (Magic Mike besides.) Anyway I'm glad to see director Jeff Nichols is lining up a much more agreeable to me cast for his next flick - Kirsten Dunst has just signed on opposite Joel Edgerton and Michael Shannon (of course Michael Shannon) for Midnight Special, which is about a father and son who go on the run when they discover the boy has special powers. Not sure who's playing who, but somehow I don't think Joel Edgerton is playing Michael Shannon's son. But maybe Michael's playing Joel's daddy? Now that's I'd watch.

--- Dare To Dario - The Playlist gathers up some quotes from director David Gordon Green in the new issue of Esquire mainly about his gestating or dead remake of Suspiria (somehow he made me want to see a remake of Suspiria so much, only to pull the rug out once he'd tricked me into needing it), but he also says he's mulling a horror film written by the guy who wrote Compliance. Okay! Make that then!

--- Pretty Pictures - EW has the first couple of pictures of Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche as an inevitably perfectly dreamy pair in Fred Schepisi's upcoming film Words and Pictures, which will be screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. Clive has beard! Score. And Juli is as lovely as ever. And how nice to have a romantic pairing that involves two people of the same older age, too.

--- And Speaking Of Clive, I forgot he's making that miniseries with Steven Soderbergh for Cinemax about a New York City hospital at the turn of the last century called The Knick; some other actors - including the cute-bummed and talented to boot Michael Angarano - have just been announced. It'll film here this Fall.

--- Mish Monster Mash - I forgot to link to this the other day but here's Rich taking down The Conjuring over at Gawker and making me feel a little less crazy for not liking the movie; my friend Tom also pointed out something to me that I hadn't thought of about the flick - nobody ever conjures shit in it! Title fraud!

--- Viva Villains - Taking to Twitter to explain himself, Chronicle creator Max Landis explained just how weird his sequel to that down-scaled super-hero hit would have been - it sounds like he would've spun the world of the first film around three hundred and sixty and taken a look at a good woman who turns herself into a villain, or something. More importantly, Chronicle cutie Alex Russell is working on a movie called Believe In Me, where he'll no doubt flash those dimples and win my heart anew. (thanks Mac)

--- And Finally here's our pal Sean T Collins on the season premiere of Breaking Bad for Rolling Stone, being his usual very smart self on these things. Love love love the comparison between the final scene and A Game of Thrones.
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Good Morning, World

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That is definitely how I feel, how he looks there, this morning. Ugh. In fact there's a good chance blogging will be light today, I'm not feeling well. Anyway for now what are our thoughts on Michael Angarano? I've always liked him as an actor but it wasn't until I just saw these shots of him (via) in The Brass Teapot (which is out in April) that he caught my eye in that way. You know the way. That way. I suppose I hadn't seen him the way this movie shows him before, which... well hit the jump if you wanna know what I'm talking about. It's worth a look... a couple, actually...

Today's Fanboy Delusion

Today I'd rather be...

... exploring the bush with Lee Pace.

These are from some movie called Ceremony (via) that Lee made with Uma Thurman and Michael Angarano. Actually from what I can tell these are from extra footage that's on the DVD. I haven't seen it, but man do I miss seeing Lee Pace. I hope there's a hefty dose of him in The Hobbit.

Now I Want It Now

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Steven Soderbergh's next movie Haywire - with Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton, Michael Angarano, and Antonio Banderas, all opposite mixed martial-artist Gina Carano - was supposed to come out in January but it's just switched distributors and isn't coming out until April or March of 2011 now. Boo. But I can wait. I can be patient. Wait, what's that?

"... we should be ready for some marketing material to arrive soon. We're told that the excellent designer Neil Kellerhouse, who created posters for "The Girlfriend Experience," "The Social Network" and a number of DVD covers for The Criterion Collection, has created a poster for "Haywire" which should be coming soon. Also, Soderbergh is planning to put six minutes of the film on YouTube in which the film's star and ... Carano will apparently "destroy" one of her male co-stars. We can't wait."

Okay I take it back I can't wait for any of this gimme. Gimme!
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