Holyalmondsportsturtle - Anxious Turtle

#I would volunteer to scrub his back.

#Paul was sensational in this film (he's always sensational), and the major awards slept on his performance as Hanno/Lucius.

#He has a regal, Roman face - perfect casting.

#Also, Paul was the hottest I have ever seen him in this film.

#I will rewatch my Gladiator II DVD for sure.

LUCIUS VERUS GLADIATOR II (2024) dir. Ridley Scott

Holding The Man (2015)

For pride month, the fourth LGBTQ film that I watched for the first time is a 2015 film from my country of Australia, called Holding The Man. The film was directed by Neil Armfield and is adapted from Timothy Conigrave's 1995 memoir of the same name.

This is an exceptional and devastating film, with terrific chemistry between Ryan Corr and Craig Stott in the leading roles. In 1976, two students at an all boys Catholic school in Melbourne, Timothy Conigrave (Corr) and John Caleo (Stott) fall in love. This is of course is a problem for the school when this is discovered, and disapproved of by the boys' parents. This was a time when homosexuality was illegal in Australia.

This is also a story about AIDS, and as the story is devastating, you can probably guess where it's heading. Much like All Of Us Strangers, Holding The Man broke me, and I will think about this film for a long time.

Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Paul is so handsome. 🥰

#paul mescal

Paul Mescal | Oscars (2023)

#paul mescal #jessie buckley

#I have read the book by Maggie O'Farrell. It's heartbreaking but so well written.

#Take your box of tissues to the cinema for the film adaptation.

#Having to wait at least 7 months for this is too long.

Ranked 9th among the most anticipated films of the upcoming Awards Season is the historical drama by Chloé Zhao (Oscar winner for Nomadland), produced by, among others, Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes. The film is based on the acclaimed novel Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, which won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020.

Set in 16th-century England, Hamnet tells the story of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley), a healer deeply connected to nature, as they face the overwhelming grief of losing their 11-year-old son Hamnet to the plague. The film explores themes of mourning, love, and resilience, offering an intimate glimpse into Shakespeare’s private life and the profound sorrow that would later inspire his iconic tragedy, Hamlet.

The screenplay, co-written by Zhao and O'Farrell, promises a faithful and emotionally engaging adaptation of the novel. Cinematography by Łukasz Żal (Cold War, Ida) ensures a visually refined experience. With its poignant story, high-profile production, and powerful performances, Hamnet stands out as one of the most eagerly awaited contenders for awards recognition.

Awards Season Blog

The Awards' Compass: Hamnet di Chloé Zhao

Awards Season 2025/2026: Hamnet di Chloé Zhaos con Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Emily Watson nel ruolo di Mary, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe

you don’t need perfect conditions to start. you just need to start. five minutes of focus is better than waiting for motivation to come.

I love both Paul and Pedro, and their characters in Gladiator II. 😍

#paul mescal #pedro pascal

PEDRO PASCAL ⏤ Gladiator II | Training 

#This post has got me wanting to watch The Hunger Games films again.

#Woody Harrelson was outstanding as Haymitch Abernathy.

#I just finished reading Sunrise on the Reaping. Haymitch truly is one of the most tragic characters in the history of literature.

#The film adaptation of Sunrise will leave me wrecked on the floor.

#Suzanne Collins remains a queen.

#scenes i can never watch the same way again after reading sunrise on the reaping

What a man. 😍

#paul mescal

Paul Mescal

#paul mescal

How Paul Mescal won no awards for Gladiator II is beyond me. He understood the assignment, and he ate, and left no crumbs.

"No, if anything, he's just trying to tear the establishment down, but actually not for kind of political reasons. It's personal reasons. It's the fact that Rome to Lucius represents everything that has taken his wife away from him. It's the the reason that he doesn't feel connected to his mother anymore. So it's an exciting thing to get to excercise that anger against an establishment in film."

"I think he attempted [to separate his personal agenda for the greater good of democracy]. I think he attempted up to the point that there's a certain responsibility thrust into his character's journey. Of course, it depends on the context, but I think where there's conscience, there comes a responsibility, right? I think that's what the film is saying with lucius."

"They're both questions. It's the moment that it stops being about him. He's asking the thousands of people around him a question. He's like, the line is, 'Is this how Rome treats its heroes?', and essentially it's Iike, 'If that's how they're going to treat him, how do you think you're going to be treated just as a simple citizen? This is a celebrated Roman general.'"

"I think he probably flips. He think he acts without constitution for the most part, for the first two acts of the film, I would say, and then when he finds out about his bloodline, he sees the state of Rome and what Fred and Joe's characters have done to Rome, and suddenly he's got the birthright to kind of succeed them, his constitution is somewhat forced upon him, but I don't think it's to fair to say that he takes that in his stride, like the film ends on a question where he's seeking guidance. I would describe him in the latter half of the film as somewhat of a reluctant leader, but does have a constitution. We don't really know how far he gets with it, but I think he probably would make a good leader. "

"He recited the poem in an attempt to subvert the power because Denzel's character at that moment is trying to protect Lucius by saying, 'Oh, he doesn't understand English. He's from the Provinces, etc.' But by Lucius reciting something in English, he's letting the emperors know, 'It's not that I don't understand the question. I'm choosing not to answer it. So, instead, I'm going to recite a poem to you.' But it's a political decision. It's a charged decision. It's an exciting moment for an actor to get to play because anything can happen in a story context from that point."

Paul Mescal on Lucius: IAMMIKEMUSE