Thank Goodness for (Most) New Screen & Stage Musicals

On this Thanksgiving Day when those of us in the United States traditionally count our communal and personal blessings, Reverend remains ever grateful for—in addition to many other things--the opportunities God continues to provide me in reviewing new movies and NYC stage productions. God knows they aren’t all perfect artistic creations, but I will always respect the effort (not to mention the money) it takes to bring a film, play or musical to life today.

Here are my mostly positive reviews of several works I’ve seen this past week: 

Wicked: For Good (Now playing in movie theaters)

AKA Wicked: The Movie Part 2, this is the cinematic second act of Jon M. Chu’s pretty darn overall masterful adaptation of the long-playing/-touring stage musical. The first act of both renditions, with their fundamental world-building and central-character development, is stronger than the second. Act II is also necessarily darker and the tone more solemn, with songs that are decidedly less bubbly than Act 1’s. That being said, Wicked: FG makes some definite improvements/needed expansions on the source material (noting the initial contributions of authors/creators L. Frank Baum and Gregory Maguire).

I am noting I’ve already used the forward slash / above much more than I usually do. But this seems unavoidable when one is dealing with a generations-spanning literary and pop culture phenomenon like The Wizard of Oz. Some “purists” who have responded negatively to Wicked in its various forms have done so because of perceived deviations specifically from the classic 1939 movie. I don’t disagree with some of these criticisms, but I am also apparently more willing to suspend disbelief that the Wickeds exist in an alternate storytelling timeline/universe. (Darn, there’s another / !)

Chu, the newer films’ director, is clearly conscious of these criticisms and tries mightily to reconcile them. Is he wholly successful? No. The most glaring and downright confusing discrepancy in Wicked: For Good regards the motive and process by which Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh, who has a few amusing moments with Ariana Grande’s Glinda but is pretty much one-note evil in Part 2) conjures the cyclone that brings Kansas’s Dorothy Gale to the Land of Oz. And the fact that Cho refuses to show the latest Dorothy’s face becomes irritating, simplistic political “pawn” though she may be in this telling.

Despite all of this, there is still plenty to recommend Wicked: FG. Grande and Cynthia Erivo as “wicked witch” Elphaba cement themselves in these roles for this and perhaps future generations. It was most telling—and accurate--during the screening I attended that a young boy seated nearby loudly declared “That was awesome!” at the end of the song “No Good Deed,” performed by Erivo with spectacular visual support from Elphaba’s flying monkeys.

I wasn’t thrillified—to utilize the movies’ vernacular—by Jeff Goldblum’s turn as The Wizard in Part 1, but he redeems himself in Part 2 with his visual gag-infused number “Wonderful.” His performance also makes a stronger dramatic impact here. Similarly impressive and even hotter than he was in the first half is out dreamboat Jonathan Bailey, recently christened “The Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine, as conflicted hetero love interest Fiyero.

Visually, musically and dramatically—not to mention financially-- Wicked: For Good is a success. Even if it isn’t as strong an achievement as Wicked, I fully expect both chapters together will prove over time to be a cinematic classic.

Reverend’s Ratings: B+

Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York (Now playing at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre)

I wasn’t planning on seeing this new musical I knew nothing about when I did on November 19th, but another show I was committed to that day cancelled on me somewhat last minute. At the time, I was complaining privately but now I’m raving publicly about the multiple benefits of this fabulous London to NYC transfer!

A charming plot by co-writers Jim Barne and Kit Buchan focuses on two young antagonists turned protagonists who are thrown together by unlikely circumstances. The British Dougal flies to New York for the wedding of his father, who he has never met, only to fall in love with Robin, the sister of his father’s much younger fiancée (i.e. Dougal’s step-aunt-to-be). What starts as potentially creepy turns into a genuinely moving romance between two lost Generation Y-Z souls.

Two Strangers features only two actors: Sam Tutty (making his Broadway debut) and Christiani Pitts. Tutty is adorable as Dougal, although he initially risks wearing the audience down with his overly enthusiastic attitude. One can sympathize with Pitts’ Robin and her aversion to having much to do with him. However, with further character development, some great songs and a genuine chemistry between the two performers, Tutty wins over all but the hardest hearts.

I was very happy to see Pitts perform once again. The first Broadway production Reverend saw in 10 years after relocating to the northeast was 2018’s flop King Kong musical, in which Pitts played the classic Fay Wray role. She was very impressive acting alongside a massive gorilla puppet, and she gives another tough yet ultimately compassionate performance here.

I also have to give a shout out to the musical’s superb scenic design by Soutra Gilmour. It consists of two towers of luggage, with various suitcases ingeniously utilized at times as tables, chairs, a wet bar, beds, and more. The stage’s turntable is also used brilliantly by the designer, actors, and director-choreographer Tim Jackson.

There is no shortage of bigger, better-known shows now on Broadway clamoring for patronage. I encourage everyone to hear the call of this new, small-scale but big-hearted production.

Reverend’s Rating: A-

Chess (Now playing at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre)

Full disclosure for anyone born after the year 2000: this is not a new musical but rather the show’s first major revival since 1988. This allegorical tale depicting a chess match between the USA and the then-Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War (one can definitely argue whether we are in a new Cold War with Russia today) has had a checkered history. At the time, Chess’s greatest claim to fame was the song “One Night in Bangkok” that became a pop top 40 hit. The initial Broadway production closed after only two months and 68 regular performances. 

In the 37 years since, Chess has become a frequently re-worked cult classic subject to numerous video renditions and community theater mountings. I attended a quite good “theater in the round” production in my native Arizona approximately 25 years ago. Die-hard fans have been clamoring for a true Broadway revival all along and have finally gotten their wish. Too bad it isn’t much of an improvement on the original, especially according to a personal friend who saw both the original production and this one.

It didn’t take long for me to figure out that the musical’s current incarnation is a glorified concert staging. There is one set throughout with the band prominently displayed, a required chorus that incorporates occasional cheerleader-esque choreography, and the lead characters migrating downstage for their over-amplified soliloquies.

These lead characters are Soviet competitor Anatoly (Nicholas Christopher), his American rival Freddie Trumper (Aaron Tveit, a Tony Award winner for Moulin Rouge!) and Florence, the woman who comes between them played by Lea Michele of Glee, Spring Awakening fame. While they and the chorus members provide impressive vocals throughout, only Tveit gives a truly layered performance. Christopher and Michele are bland when they aren’t singing. Hannah Cruz (Suffs) makes more of an impression than the latter two in the supporting role of Anatoly’s wife, Svetlana.

I thoroughly enjoyed Tony nominee Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder) in this production as the all-seeing Arbiter, a role which seems to have been expanded and modernized here. Though amusing, the character’s commentary on current political figures—much is made of Freddie’s unfortunate last name--and issues as well as Chess itself tends to undercut the show’s seriousness. Perhaps the musical’s ultimate rendition is yet to come? Or maybe they should quit while they are at least financially ahead, since this Broadway revival is proving to be a hit.

Reverend’s Rating: C 

Wishing all my dear readers/followers a happy and blessed Thanksgiving! I give thanks for all of YOU.

The Most Reverend Chris Carpenter is editor of Movie Dearest and chief contributor. He has been reviewing movies and theatre since 1996 and also contributes to Rage Monthly magazine (ragemonthly.com). He is a founding member and former Vice President of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Critics (galeca.com) and currently serves as a nominating/voting member of its New York-based Theatre Wing. Reverend Carpenter has been an ordained minister since 1995.

Reverend's Interview: I Was Born This Way

I was unfamiliar with the late Carl Bean until approximately 5 years ago. I had bought a new car that included Sirius XM satellite radio and I often listened to their Studio 54 channel. One day, they played a remarkably progressive, LGBTQ-positive disco era song I had never heard called “I Was Born This Way.” I subsequently researched it and Bean, who sang it.

He ultimately became Archbishop Carl Bean and founded the Unity Fellowship Church, the first large-scale LGBTQ+ ministry in the USA.  Having survived racism, homophobia and childhood trauma, Bean initially found his voice through song – first as a gospel singer in Harlem’s Christian Tabernacle Choir and later performing with his group, Carl Bean and Universal Love, on their 1974 album Universal Love. But it was his recording of the 1977 Motown hit “I Was Born This Way” that would earn him fame. The song was celebrated as the world’s first gay anthem. 

However, Bean eschewed a mainstream music career and instead chose a vocation in activism. He started the Minority AIDS Project in Los Angeles, serving a vital role for underserved populations at the height of the AIDS crisis. Established 40 years ago, it is still in existence and serving those in need today.

A fabulous new documentary, I Was Born This Way, celebrates the life and legacy of this unapologetic gay Black trailblazer. It is currently playing at the Laemmle North Hollywood Cinemas and will expand to additional cities/theaters soon. The film utilizes innovative rotoscope animation and features appearances by Lady Gaga, Questlove, Billy Porter, California state representative Maxine Waters, and the legendary Dionne Warwick.

Lead producer Wellington Love and co-director Daniel (Dan) Junge recently spoke with Reverend about the process of making their revealing, engrossing documentary. Note: Some questions and comments have been edited for space and/or clarity.

 Thank you both for your time! It’s a great film, so congratulations on it and the awards it has won at film festivals thus far. Let’s start with a question for each of you: How or when did you first become aware of Archbishop Bean?

DJ: I was researching a television series on social action and music, protest music essentially, and one of the episodes was going to be on sex. That made me think immediately of Lady Gaga and her anthem Born This Way, so in researching that I found out that her song was an homage to this earlier song and the man who sang it. I was enthralled and thought that would be an incredible part of the episode. Well, the series—like so many—didn’t happen but that story stuck with me. When I initially researched him I for some reason thought he was in the Midwest, but then I dug in and realized his church was in L.A., probably 2 or 3 miles from where I lived at the time. I thought this could be an amazing standalone film, so I reached out to him and was shooting within a month.

WL: I’m embarrassed to say I really didn’t know much of anything about him until 4 ½ years ago when I got a call from executive producer Josh Green while I was on vacation in Amsterdam. He called me and says “Hey Love, I’ve got this project about this guy named Carl Bean and we’re looking for a little money and maybe you can make a couple calls.” So Josh sent me an interview of Carl who, as you see in the film, was this incredibly charismatic, magnetic figure. It was 45 minutes of him telling his story and (afterward) I couldn’t call Josh back quickly enough to say “How can I help? What can I do to move this along?”

Daniel, in terms of interviewing him—and I don’t want to be morbid or anything—but how long after you interviewed him did Carl pass away?  

DJ: About a year later (in 2021) but he was already immobile and that’s why we’re playing a little trickery there in the film with the background. He was in his home, which was a mobile home near Compton, living in very humble circumstances, and he hadn’t moved from that chair (seen in the film). He was being assisted by members of his congregation. We didn’t want to place him in that world for the film, and that’s why we shot on bluescreen and put him in his church where we felt he belonged. He was as vibrant as ever at that point, you can hear how strong his voice is, but from the waist down he was unable to move. For the sake of the film it really works well because he seems as healthy as ever, but we knew that he was unwell and was very unwell within a few months of shooting that.

Well, that just tells me how providential the timing was that this project came together when it did and you were actually able to get him instead of it being all archival footage or retrospective. That’s great.

DJ: Yeah, I don’t believe in angels but if ever there were, there was one on our shoulder. Or maybe it was providential for him as well because he got a chance to use us as a microphone to amplify his message right at the end of his life.

Yeah, he got to tell his story firsthand. That’s awesome. Love, as the producer can you talk about your role in wrangling or supporting this project?

WL: Initially I came on to help raise much needed funds and when the film was meant to be a 40-minute short. Soon after I came on board, we realized that we couldn’t do Carl’s story justice in that time so we had to recalibrate, open up the film, bring in more talent, raise more money, and think about what other elements we could include in order to really do justice to his life. As a producer, part of your job is to keep it moving, not only the money side but the spirit or the morale so we could keep going. Thankfully, Dan is a real force and we made a good team in terms of making sure, even in the low moments, how important it was to get this right not only to help bring in talent like Questlove and Billy Porter and Lady Gaga, but also to be responsive and responsible to the community whether it be the LGBT community, AIDS activists or the black community. So part of my role was being there to support everything that Dan and (co-director Sam Pollard) needed to do to make sure that this got done as best we could make it.

Who was responsible for reaching out to the talent involved, like Billy Porter?

DJ: We both did but Wellington was really the primary impetus for reaching out to Billy and working with Billy. Wellington, you can fill in more there but I think that’s a critical element for the film.

WL: Obviously, one of the things that we wanted to do in the film was to bring Carl’s story forward, to make it relevant to what’s going on now, and Billy was the perfect sort of ambassador or advocate or embodiment of that in so many ways: being an out, black person of faith; he’s been very open about his HIV status; his musicality and how important that was to embrace that as part of your art. I think that was something that Carl was so adamant about since he was a kid. He was unapologetic about being this gay kid who had this voice, and so Billy was a critical part of that and then obviously—without revealing too much of the film—the recreation of the Liberation song and to make that a point of continuity and moving things forward. Certainly, when Dan started this and I came on board, we had no idea that the film would arrive at this moment when we need these messages more than ever.

DJ: Chris, it’s worth mentioning because of your background (as an out gay clergyperson) that in the Venn diagram where black civil rights and LGBTQ rights overlap, we can probably name a lot of people there and we know there’s a strong history there. Also, there’s some conflict there as well. But in the Venn diagram where you bring Christianity into that, that’s a very small sliver—I won’t say it’s a miniscule sliver—but it’s unknown and not often spoken of.

Yes indeed. Jamie Lee Curtis is listed as one of the film’s executive producers. How did she get involved?

DJ: Thankfully, I had made an earlier documentary with her called Hondros, about a war photographer, so I knew her through that and had an immediate point of contact with her. Also, she has a trans daughter and has been a very strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. 

WL: To add to that, one of the things we want to highlight with the film is how much we need allies, and Jamie has been so supportive of the film in many respects and also just in terms of promoting it. As Dan said, she has a trans daughter so she has a vested interest in making sure that this work lives and can get out into the world.

There are so many messages, so many inspirations that people can get out of your film and out of Carl’s story. If there is one thing that each of you most hope or want people to take away from viewing this film, what would that one thing be?

WL: You know, Carl talks about God is love; love is for everyone. Love is for everyone! I think that is an increasingly hard thing to remember and to embrace. We need to be compassionate. We need to think about other people, remember to love other people. That would be it for me.

DJ: I would only add that, in times like these, we have to remain hopeful. Carl had an indomitable spirit and was always hopeful. We hope the film sees a wide audience and that his spirit gives people some hope in this era. It’s just dark days, as you know.

Amen to that!

For more information, visit iwasbornthiswayfilm.com.

The Most Reverend Chris Carpenter is editor of Movie Dearest and chief contributor. He has been reviewing movies and theatre since 1996 and also contributes to Rage Monthly magazine (ragemonthly.com). He is a founding member and former Vice President of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Critics (galeca.com) and currently serves as a nominating/voting member of its New York-based Theatre Wing. Reverend Carpenter has been an ordained minister since 1995.

Pre-Halloween Review Roundup: Epic Universe, Black Jesus, Jewish Superheroes, and a Spider Woman

Reverend apologizes for not posting recently, between prepping for and recovering from our biennial (every two years) church Synod. It was held in Orlando, Florida the first week of October. Synod was excellent, and the location enabled Reverend to spend a pre-church biz day at Universal’s latest theme park. Now that I’ve recovered from all of the above, I am able to tell all about Epic Universe!

In terms of first impressions, the park is beautifully designed and appointed. It is highlighted by various “portals,” one at the main entrance and one at each of four unique entertainment areas. These are the Isle of Berk inspired by the How to Train Your Dragon franchise; video gamey Super Nintendo World; the Universal parks’ latest Harry Potter evocation, Ministry of Magic; and what not unexpectedly emerged as my personal fave: Dark Universe, a celebration of all the classic Universal movie monsters including Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and many more. 

Entering Dark Universe feels like stepping into a 1930’s black and white thriller. Dr. Frankenstein’s castle dominates the landscape, although its current inhabitant is Dr. VictorIA Frankenstein. She puts a welcome feminine twist on the still scientifically obsessed character. The castle’s interior boasts a genuinely thrilling attraction entitled Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. I was fortunate as a solo guest/single rider to be able to walk right onto this ride not once but twice.

Adjoining Monsters Unchained is a roller coaster, Curse of the Werewolf, which appears deceptively small-scale at first glance. However, it’s spinning cars, fast launches and multiple reverses actually make it one of the more intense coasters I’ve ridden in a while.

A slightly less intense and definitely more humorous thrill ride, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, is the centerpiece of the whimsically designed Isle of Berk. An adorable audio-animatronic Toothless pushes the launch button on this wild coaster. The multiple family-friendly attractions in this themed area, plus an opportunity to meet and even pet Toothless, make it a winner.

Epic Universe’s remaining sections, Ministry of Magic and Super Nintendo World, left me a bit cold.  Or rather hot--and not in a good way--as the temperature reached 90 degrees on the day I visited and there is currently a dearth of shaded areas and/or cooling stations in the park. The Fantastic Beasts re-creation of Paris is spectacular but its sole ride, Harry Potter’s Battle at the Ministry, was “delayed” (aka broken down) when I first attempted to ride it and later had a 2 ½ hour wait time. Hard pass even for a single rider. Similarly, Nintendo land’s two major attractions were either “delayed” or had too-long wait times. I ultimately felt compelled to leave the park late afternoon for the cooler environment of my hotel room, with visions of classic movie monsters dancing in my head.

Reverend’s Rating: B

Saturday Church (Now playing at New York Theatre Workshop)

In his nearly 30 years of reviewing movies and theatre, Reverend has never described anything in print as fucking fantastic. Sorry to offend you pearl clutchers out there. ; )  Yet that is exactly what I exclaimed verbally to my companion at the end of the performance we attended of this off-Broadway musical world premiere. Others apparently agree with me, as the show has been extended through October 24^th. 

While Damon Cardasis has vibrantly adapted his excellent, non-musical indie film of the same title for the stage, this new musical boasts two major calling cards: songs by Aussie pop goddess Sia (with additional music by American DJ Honey Dijon) and Tony Award-winning non-binary actor J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like it Hot) in the dual role of Pastor Lewis/Black Jesus. The songs are great, and Ghee plus the entire cast including relative newcomer Bryson Battle as lead character Ulysses are—at the risk of repeating myself—fucking fantastic.

Ulysses is a sexually searching, devoutly Christian teenager who, rebuffed by his family church, finds himself at the LGBTQ+ friendly “Saturday Church” held in a local community hall. While there and under the guidance of numerous queer members of the faithful, Ulysses finds love and discovers their true self…and just in time for their fabulous annual Ball!

Whitney White’s direction, Darrell Grand Moultrie’s choreography, and Qween Jean’s costumes are all eye-popping.  The one weak link I detected in the production is Tony winner David Zinn’s scenic design.  Yes, the set needs to be multi-functional, but do the walls and upper level sight lines have to be so high and the paint color so lime green?

Saturday Church seems Broadway-ready and I would love to see it transfer there this season BUT it would likely have to compete with the stylistically similar and fantastic (if not fucking so) Cats: The Jellicle Ball.  I recommend Black Jesus on Broadway for the 2026-2027 season. That is, unless the Cats reimagining ends up running “now and forever” (ahem).

Reverend’s Rating: A-

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay  (The Metropolitan Opera) 

God knows comic book superheroes have been all over the big screen and small screen in recent years, so it’s only fair that they finally make an appearance on the main stage of the world’s most revered opera company. The Met’s new production of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay just completed its initial run on October 11^th, but it proved to be such a success that a revival as well as an HD broadcast in movie theaters has already been announced for early 2026.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Michael Chabon, this excellent opera just had its world premiere last year at decidedly smaller-scale Indiana University. With a melodic, dramatic score by Mason Bates and strong libretto by Gene Scheer, it relates the story of its title characters. Both are Jewish cousins who flee Eastern Europe for the USA as Hitler rises to power in the 1930’s. Once they are together in New York City, they unite their writing and artistic talents to create a new superhero: The Escapist. Their resulting comic book becomes a smash success. This hardly ends the challenges they face, however, especially since Clay is a closeted gay man.

Reverend was privileged to attend its final performance of 2025 and I’m so glad I did. The production, directed by Broadway vet Bartlett Sher, is strikingly designed and gorgeously sung. Act II suffers a bit from its length (the whole performance ran 3 hours including intermission) as well as the use of an excessively large turntable battlefield that cut off images on the back wall for those of us seated in the Met’s upper levels. Perhaps that can be re-thought before future performances.

Nevertheless, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay has the potential to become an operatic classic. It is also exposing younger audiences to the art form. A boy no older than 10 behind me in the bathroom line during intermission told me how much he was enjoying it. Hopefully this was the first of many positive days or nights at the opera for him.

Reverend’s Rating: B+ 

Kiss of the Spider Woman (Now playing in movie theaters)

I was thrilled to learn 2 or 3 years ago that acclaimed filmmaker Bill Condon was going to make a movie of one of Reverend’s favorite stage musicals, Kiss of the Spider Woman.  In fact, the original Broadway production starring the late great Chita Rivera was one of the shows I saw during my first time in New York City way back in 1993. Of course, it was based on the Oscar-winning 1985 film that was itself adapted from Manuel Puig’s acclaimed 1976 novel.  That’s nearly 30 years of spider women, gay window dressers, and straight South American revolutionaries thrown together in one prison cell, whew! If you’ve read, seen or listened to any of these iterations, you know what I’m talking about.

This latest adaptation premiered to mixed reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in January of this year but Reverend has been chomping at the bit to see it ever since.  I finally had my chance with its US theatrical release on October 10^th. Sadly, the movie has bombed at the box office so if you want to see it on the big screen you’d better move fast. I expect it will hit streaming sooner or later, to reference one of the score’s songs by divinely inspired gay composing duo John Kander (who is still going at the age of 98) and Fred Ebb (who passed away in 2004).

Condon (who previously adapted both Chicago and Dreamgirls for the screen) stays fairly faithful to the stage version but makes some subtle changes. The story is now set in the early 1980’s, so some of the film within a film references and other elements have been somewhat updated. Molina--the flamboyant, effeminate character forced to share a cell with brooding Valentin—has been made more gender-fluid or non-binary than in previous versions. Most disappointingly, some of the original show’s songs have been cut including one, “The Day After That,” which provides some critical backstory for Valentin. A couple of new songs have been added but they aren’t particularly memorable.

The movie’s biggest strengths are its lead performances and elaborate, retro-technicolor musical numbers. Queer actor Tonatiuh makes a strong impression as Molina, while veteran Diego Luna gets to display his singing and dancing chops (he is also in his tighty whities a lot). Jennifer Lopez dazzles as the Spider Woman and her movie star alter ego, Ingrid Luna playing Aurora, and she seems to be having fun with her dual roles.

Kiss of the Spider Woman has hit movie theaters at a time of social and political upheaval in the US that Condon and his collaborators could not have envisioned when they went into production. While this may be hurting the film at the box office, it only makes this story’s/show’s themes more relevant. Catch this spider (woman) while you can.

Reverend’s Ratings: B

With all these reviews and related costume suggestions completed, I wish all my readers a safe, spooky and happy Halloween!

Reverend’s Reviews: Good vs Evil

Superman is currently flying high at the global box office in his first solo movie since 2013.  Naturally but rather dully titled Superman, it is the first entry in DC’s new “universe” of superhero films supervised by writer-director James Gunn (formerly of the Guardians of the Galaxy series). While it definitely has its flaws (see below), Superman has clearly proven to be a crowd-pleasing adventure.

Wisely avoiding the origin story approach of most previous movies about the Man of Steel, the new film (written and directed by Gunn) drops viewers and even Supes himself—literally--into a scenario taking place approximately 3 years after the adult hero has identified and endeared himself to the world. He soon finds himself battling arch-nemesis Lex Luthor, who is manipulating world events as well as a pocket dimension he has discovered in an attempt to destroy him.  Various other familiar names/faces include Lois Lane, Jimmy Olson, Perry White, and Ma and Pa Kent. There is also my personal favorite, Eve Teschmacher from the first two Christopher Reeve-led Superman films.

Among the frankly too many new names and faces in the movie are DC heroes Metamorpho, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Rick Flag and Mr. Terrific. TV’s Peacekeeper also makes an appearance. And then there is the army of villains employed by Luthor, including the otherworldly Engineer. That we aren't given the backstories for any of them here requires viewers to be familiar with the original comics and/or various TV series in which some of them have previously appeared.

The one truly delightful addition for which little introduction or backstory is required is Krypto, the rambunctious superdog being “fostered” by Superman in the film. Both kids and adults will thoroughly enjoy his antics. Krypto adds needed comedy to the story’s darker moments and serves as necessary backup at one point to the kryptonite-poisoned leading man.

Speaking of the lead, David Corenswet makes a convincing, earnest and darn handsome Superman. He also conveys well the still-young hero’s naivete and overly trusting nature. Rachel Brosnahan, best known til now as TV’s Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, has good chemistry with Corenswet as the new Lois Lane.

The biggest liability in the movie is Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor.  Although I blame Gunn’s writing and the direction as much as Hoult, this version of the villain is excessively sadistic, humorless and histrionic. It made me yearn for the late great Gene Hackman’s campier take on the character.

Superman also struck me as excessively violent in general, especially during its big video-gamey battle scenes. Thankfully, Gunn’s approach is more colorful and faster-paced than director Zack Snyder’s dreary films featuring Henry Cavill’s dull performance as the hero. 

Supergirl makes a brief appearance toward the end of the current film, setting up her own adventure due in theaters next year. I’m looking forward to it if somewhat cautiously.  Hopefully, Krypto will also get his own movie at some point!

Reverend’s Rating: B-

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club (Now playing at the August Wilson Theatre in NYC through October 19th)

It has been playing for over a year now but I was only recently able to partake in this immersive, Tony-nominated revival of the classic musical.  With a memorable score by the great Kander & Ebb and book by Joe Masteroff, the show—which was first performed on Broadway in 1966—has received numerous revised productions. It also inspired the Oscar-winning 1972 movie.

What finally inspired me to visit the current, beautifully designed Kit Kat Club was queer country singer Orville Peck’s temporary run through July 20th as the show’s mesmerizing Emcee. Peck brought a physically stronger and more menacing presence in the role, certainly more so than this production’s original Emcee, Eddie Redmayne. Peck also sang the role beautifully and with fewer vocal flourishes than Redmayne, especially the second act’s “I Don’t Care Much.” Perhaps most notably for his longtime fans, Peck did not wear his trademark mask throughout his Broadway debut.

Matching him vocally and dramatically was Eva Noblezada as Sally Bowles, also through July 20th. They were very well paired, and their genuine admiration for each other was apparent during the curtain call of the performance I attended. I found Noblezada’s rendition of the show’s title song over the top during said performance, but this was a rare misstep on her part. 

Another criticism of the current show is that the first act is too long at an hour and 45 minutes. To be fair, this isn’t necessarily the revival’s fault.  Two of the film version’s original songs have been added to the stage rendition over the decades, and at least one of them (“Mein Herr”; the other addition is “Money, Money”) is excessive/unnecessary at this point.

Cabaret’s still entertaining but ultimately disturbing depiction of the Nazi party’s anti-Semitic rise in 1930’s Germany has previously proven timely in light of various world events. In 2025’s MAGA-infested USA, though, the musical registers as more frighteningly relevant than ever. I pray we all heed its lessons.

Reverend’s Rating: B+

Heathers: The Musical (Now playing at New World Stages in NYC through at least January 2026)

One of Reverend’s all-time favorite movies is 1989’s Heathers, a bitterly dark yet hilarious exploration of good vs evil and “teen-angst bullshit” written by the great Daniel Waters. I was aware since 2014 that it had been adapted into a stage musical since its off-Broadway premiere that year and had subsequently listened to the cast recording, but I just last week was able to experience it live for the first time. And what an experience it was!

The show began before even entering the theater. There were a large number of female teens, young adults, and queer people in Heathers-inspired attire present—most of them clearly too young to have seen the movie when it was first released. As soon as the lights went out in the theater and the initial musical notes sounded, they cheered as if at a rock concert. Their loud vocal enthusiasm continued undimmed (unvolumed?) throughout the performance.

I loved the audience’s enthusiasm and I generally loved the performance despite its flaws.  Similar to Cabaret above, the first act is too long with at least one song (the misogynist Ram and Kurt’s more recently added “You’re Welcome”) completely unnecessary. Anyone who has seen the film knows what happens to Ram and Kurt, so better to just cut to the chase.

But the rest of the score, by screen-to-stage auteurs Kevin Murphy (Reefer Madness) and Laurence O’Keefe (Legally Blonde), has several powerful interludes. The extended opening number “Beautiful” establishes the show’s tone and lead characters well; “Candy Store” solidifies the domineering Heathers’ raison d’etre; “Our Love is God” epitomizes the deeply dysfunctional relationship between ethical-leaning Veronica (played by & Juliet’s Tony-nominated Lorna Courtney) and her emotionally scarred boyfriend J.D. (Casey Likes, who headlined Broadway’s Back to the Future as Marty McFly last year); and the wistful “Seventeen” transported this 50-something year old critic back to my idealized vision of high school during the 1980’s.

Bottom line: If one doesn’t find this high-energy revival of Heathers: The Musical affecting, infuriating or amusing (and probably all of the above), you must have eaten a brain tumor for breakfast.

Reverend’s Rating: B