'it's linking men, hallelujah, it's linking men... Amen!'

The Film Experience likes the ladies best -- actresses forevah -- but today's links are curious phallocentric, hence the title.

Observations on Film Art one more piece on Sidney Lumet, something to fill out the "constrained" picture of the general mass of obituaries.
Tom Shone, in a wonderful concise piece, knows we're all more Brad Pitt than Terrence Malick in this Tree of Life.
Cinema Blend Katey worries that Hollywood is going to make us sick of Jeremy Renner. He's doing as many franchises as Samuel L Jackson adding The Bourne Legacy (lead role - taking over for Matt Damon) to the line-up. Ruh-roh.
The Wrap organized-crime-drama alert. There's always a few in production. Sean Penn and Josh Brolin, so memorably at odds in Milk, may be enemies again in Gangster Squad
Jezebel has a hilarious reel of men faking orgasm onscreen (in non-pornographic films). It's even a little bit interesting in a non-pervy way.
Movie|Line Joseph Gordon-Levitt trashes the Conan set for a Hesher promo.
Movie Morlocks RIP on the 1970s star Michael Sarrazin (They Shoot Horses Don't They, For Pete's Sake) who passed away last week. So many major goodbyes in showbiz lately. Sigh.
TVLine Strange Emmy development, ladies division: January Jones is still campaigning as a lead for Mad Men despite her screen time being at least halved this past season. Bad move? This puts her up against Elisabeth Moss, who is back to lead.

GayGayGay
Stale Popcorn Yay. Another convert to writer/director/actor/producer Xavier Dolan. I'll  have more on Heartbeats once it hits DVD... whenever that is.
Towleroad this weeks column by moi. I would have reviewed Water For Elephants but I was in Nashville. Is it wrong that I'm super excited to see it?
Out Magazine Thomas Dekker (Kaboom, Cinema Verite) is sending out all sorts of mixed signals about his sexuality. I guess we're still a couple years away from (male) movie actors coming out.

Links: Haynes, Malick, Madonna, Mitchell

direct this
unexamined/essentials looks at the entire career of Paul Anderson. No, not that one. The other one, the Paul W.S. Anderson one.
The Telegraph Tim Robey awaits the return of Hollywood's poet Terrence Malick with The Tree of Life and investigates his mystique.
Nick's Flick Picks encounters the first Todd Haynes project he's not totally gaga for: Mildred Pierce. I share his trepidations but like him, am definitely enjoying the details and the actressing.
La Daily Musto John Cameron Mitchell (Rabbit Hole) is even using Kickstarter now? It's a whole new world. This is for funding for an animated film.

in less auteur driven news...
Playbill Here's an interesting idea. Andrew Lloyd Webber doesn't think it will ever happen but he wants Madonna, who already played Evita in his world, for the big screen version of his Sunset Boulevard musical.
Movie|Line Remember Josh Pence, who got that SAG nomination for just his body appearing onscreen with Armie Hammer's face on it in The Social Network? Now we get his face: he's got a role in The Dark Knight Rises. Happy endings.
Twitch Film brings you the winners of the Dallas International Film Festival. Congratulates to this one we're hearing about the first time: Jess + Moss.