Reverend's Reviews: MaXXXine, Cats and NYC Pride Shows

Midsummer has brought an abundance of cinematic and theatrical thrills. From new twists on serial killer and alien invasion tropes, to a fantastic revival of a classic musical plus a new off-Broadway LGBTQ event, there is truly something for everyone available right now. Here is Reverend's rundown:

MaXXXine, now playing in theaters from A24 releasing.
Mia Goth's title scream queen turned murderess first made a splash in 2022's X, then became the retro Pearl in last year's gory throwback to an earlier era of filmmaking. Writer-director Ti West again proves himself to be a master at recreating cinematic eras with this new sequel, set in the excessive mid-1980's. Goth returns as now-porn star Maxine Minx, who is desperate for mainstream crossover success and will stop at nothing to achieve it.

Soon after being cast in the lead role of sequel-within-a sequel The Puritan 2, Maxine's friends start turning up dead and a creepy private investigator played by none other than Kevin Bacon begins trailing her. Could her imperious director, the real-life serial killer dubbed "The Night Stalker," and/or Maxine's religious fanatic father be behind things? No spoilers here. While MaXXXine doesn't quite reach the deliriously campy heights of Pearl nor the intensity of X, it is a worthy entry in this smart and lovingly self-aware series. Goth remains one of today's most exciting, unpredictable big-screen actors. And I really hope they release this movie's song soundtrack — featuring the likes of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Kim Carnes, ZZ Top, New Order, Animotion, John Parr and more — on old school CD!

A Quiet Place: Day One, now playing in theaters from Paramount Pictures.
This engrossing prequel to actor-director John Krasinski's previous two sci-fi/horror films about blind yet sound-sensitive aliens decimating the human race revitalizes things in a rather ingenious way: It relates the beginning of the invasion from the perspective of a terminally-ill woman and her therapy cat. I'm not kidding. Eventually, they meet up with an anxiety-stricken young man who becomes an unexpected ally, but this movie definitely belongs to Lupita Nyong'o's Samira (or Sam for short) and the impressively loyal Frodo (played interchangeably by two real cats, Nico and Schnitzel).

Sam is making her anticipated final visit to New York City with fellow residents of her hospice on the day the vicious aliens arrive, which can be perceived as either unfortunate or fortunate timing. She subsequently makes her way through the devastated metropolis in single-minded pursuit of her dying wish: a slice of pizza from her favorite Harlem restaurant. Uniquely, the intervention of the aforementioned young man (Joseph Quinn of Stranger Things and the upcoming Gladiator II) threatens to upend her plans more than the aliens.

As written and directed by relatively new but gritty filmmaker Michael Sarnoski (Krasinki was apparently busy with his Jack Ryan series and charming, recent movie IF), Day One is unexpectedly thoughtful and moving. I can attest to its authenticity as a depiction of a dying woman's experience, since I work full-time with diverse hospice patients. Thankfully, most dying people don't have to contend with evil aliens in addition to their serious illnesses!

Cats: The Jellicle Ball, now being performed through August ​11th at the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC) in New York City.
Speaking of cats, Frodo above isn't the only feline currently strutting their stuff in audience-pleasing offerings. The 40-year old stage musical Cats, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and inspired by the writings of T. S. Eliot, has been re-envisioned as an NYC-set queer ballroom story à la the classic documentary Paris is Burning and more recent FX-Hulu series Pose. This new interpretation is nothing short of sensational, and one of my all-time favorite theatrical experiences to date.

I was not a fan of the original production of Cats; in fact, I prefer the much-maligned 2019 film. I love actual cats and have 3, but the sight of adult dancers in feliney leotards plus ears and tails left me underwhelmed. Happily, there are few literal feline allusions in this new Jellicle Ball. Instead, co-directors Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch have re-defined the term cat as "slang for any queer person or ally who is part of the Ballroom scene," in the context of their production. They are aided delightfully by co-choreographers Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, not to mention an amazing cast of LGBTQ performers and allies headlined by 78-year old Tony Award winner Andre De Shields as Old Deuteronomy. Best of all for fans of Paris is Burning like me is the participation of Junior LaBeija ("O-P-U-L-E-N-C-E!") as Gus, the Theatre Cat!

The palms of my hands were sore from applause by the end of the performance I attended, and I had cried at least twice. If you'll be anywhere near NYC this summer, you simply MUST attend Cats: The Jellicle Ball.

From Here, also being performed now through August 11th by Renaissance Theater Company at the Pershing Square Signature Center in NYC.
I closed out Pride weekend in NYC with a preview performance of this striking new musical inspired by the tragic shooting of 49 LGBTQ people and allies at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida 8 years ago. Donald Rupe wrote, scored and directed a semi-autobiographical and undeniably affecting story that focuses on a group of friends impacted by the massacre in various ways.

The engaging Blake Aburn leads the cast and holds center stage throughout as Daniel. While struggling for acceptance from his mother for being gay and having difficulty committing to a long-term relationship, Daniel nevertheless secures a chosen family of devoted friends. Although they all survive the June 12th, 2016 shooting at Pulse, they understandably bear emotional and spiritual scars. The musical gives almost everyone a literal spotlight in which to share their experience.

Rupe's book and songs are strong as are his cast members, who are mostly transplanted from Orlando and making their NYC stage debuts. His direction is at times too self-referential and threatens to become cloying but thankfully did not during the performance I attended. Most bothersome to me was the sound mix in a theater that is ultimately too small for this powerful production. Here's hoping From Here graduates soon to a larger venue in NYC and/or elsewhere.

Reverend's Ratings:
MaXXXine- B+
A Quiet Place: Day One- A-
Cats: The Jellicle Ball- A
From Here- B

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Reviews: Jessica Lange IS Mother of Broadway

Maya Rudolph may have recently been declared as the mother of Mother's Day 2024 and late-night TV in a must-watch, Gaga-esque opening sketch courtesy of SNL. However, and with apologies to Maya, the current Mother of Broadway is two-time Oscar winner Jessica Lange. She is currently headlining Paula Vogel's appropriately titled Mother Play at NYC's (Helen) Hayes Theater and has been nominated for the Best Actress Tony Award for her performance. In this semi-autobiographical work that spans six decades, Lange plays Phyllis, the less-than-enthusiastic mother to a gay son (played by Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon fame) and a lesbian daughter (played by previous Tony Award winner Celia Keenan-Bolger). Both Parsons and Keenan-Bolger are also Tony-nominated this year for their turns here.

Subtitled A Play in Five Evictions, Vogel's new work follows Phyllis and her children in the wake of her separation from their father. Between affordability and infestations by pests (gloriously visualized by projection designer Shawn Duan), they are evicted from their first three apartments in fairly quick succession. The trio gradually find their footing both collectively and individually but continue to experience ups and downs as the decades progress. Women's rights, LGBT rights, and the specter of AIDS all intervene along the way.

I was privileged to see Lange live on stage for the first time last weekend, even though this is not her first Broadway appearance and she already has one Tony Award to prove it. Like myself and many others in the Northeast recently, she was apparently grappling with some allergies and had to cough at times during the performance. (The next day's matinee performance was cancelled due to her health issues.) But Lange nonetheless imbued Phyllis with vitality, humor and dramatic vulnerability. Heck, she even dances more than once during Mother Play!

Director Tina Landau can be considered guilty of a few excesses in her staging. Most questionable is an approximately 10-minute scene in which Lange is alone onstage. I don't know how it was written by Vogel, but it is showy to say the least. The production's best scenes are when Lange, Parsons and Keenan-Bolger are all together... and accompanied by a chorus of dancing cockroaches!

Also causing a stir on Broadway currently is the Tony-nominated musical Illinoise. Inspired by the 2005 album by queer singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, I exited a recent performance asking the same question some fellow critics have asked: Is it truly a musical? Or is a dance piece with choral accompaniment (and no singing principal cast members)?

Whatever it is as determined by award nominators, Illinoise does prove to be an affecting theatrical experience. Director-choreographer Justin Peck has conceived Stevens' album as an opportunity for a group of diverse young adults to come of age via dance around an on-stage campfire. At the center is the adorable Ricky Ubeda's Henry, a gay man tortured by his doomed first romance even as he is currently in a loving relationship with a more mature man. We've all been there, honey, and the album/production could have just as easily been titled Arizonoise or Indianaise, based on my personal experience.

Stevens' music, Peck's choreography, Brandon Stirling Baker's lighting design and Adam Rigg's naturalistic scenic design all work together effectively to create an engrossing, engaging tapestry. But is it really a musical? I tend to consider Illinoise more of a dance piece but still expect it to win a Tony or two come June 16th.

Reverend's Reviews:
Mother Play: B+
Illinoise: B

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Reviews: Outsiders and Elephants on Stage

I went into the May 4th performances of new Broadway musicals The Outsiders and Water for Elephants knowing they bore a few similarities to one another. Both are drawn from beloved literary works that were adapted into generally successful movies. Both productions were directed by women — Danya Taymor (Julie's niece) and Jessica Stone, respectively — and they have both been nominated for this year's Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Finally, both musicals are nominated for the 2024 Tony Award for Best Musical.

But they also share a few things in common of which either I was not aware or did not remember from their source material. Somewhat oddly but tragically, both The Outsiders and Water for Elephants feature a central protagonist who recently lost their parents in a fatal car crash. They both incorporate musical scores written by a conglomerate of composers: the Pigpen Theatre Company (Water for Elephants) and Texas-based band Jamestown Revival with Justin Levine (The Outsiders). And finally, both shows employ significant, impressive theatrical techniques in telling their stories. Water for Elephants boasts a menagerie of circus animals brought to life via puppetry, while The Outsiders has both an onstage church fire and a rain-soaked fight scene to keep viewers engaged.

Apart from these various similarities and attributes, however, both musicals end up being fairly standard or good-but-not-great. The Outsiders, based on S.E. Hinton's acclaimed novel about class differences among youth in 1960's Oklahoma, benefits from a strong first act but unfortunately suffers from its over-long and sentimental second act (though it isn't as mawkish as Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 movie, thank God). The fact that the story's teenaged characters are being portrayed by actors in their 20's-30's also makes a negative impact. That being said, Brody Grant in his Broadway debut is an affecting, Tony-nominated Ponyboy.

At least The Outsiders has some still-potent social commentary on its side. The plot of Water for Elephants proves dated apart from its "be kind to animals or they might kill you" message. Headliner Grant Gustin, best known as The Flash on the long-running TV series, was sadly out sick the night Reverend attended. He plays one third of the story's love triangle, with Isabelle McCalla as the circus performer object of his affection and her husband, abusive ringmaster August (played by Paul Alexander Nolan). But these characters aren't particularly well-developed, which allows the show's puppet animals and real-life circus performers to justifiably take center stage.

Perhaps most critically of all, neither musical's songs are particularly memorable. Ponyboy's Dickens-inspired "Great Expectations" and Water for Elephants' second act opener "Zostan" made the biggest impressions on me. Audience members around me, though, responded strongly at the end of both shows with The Outsiders taking a noticeably emotional lead. Will this translate into Tony Award success come June 16th?

Reverend's Ratings:
The Outsiders: B
Water for Elephants: B-

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Interview: We Love You, Mommie Dearest

Where were you when you first watched Mommie Dearest? Acclaimed and reviled in equal measure upon its release, the movie has been a camp phenomenon in some segments of our LGBTQ+ community for over four decades now. Watching it has become a rite of passage for many.

My late, beloved grandmother Phyllis was a fan of Hollywood legend Joan Crawford, and I fondly remember attending an opening weekend screening of the movie with her in September, 1981 (I was a mere 14 years old at the time). I recall we both thought it was well-done, even if a few over-the-top scenes strained credibility. But I also recall seeing a report on TV’s long-running Entertainment Tonight just a week or so later about how the movie was becoming a cult experience, with some male viewers dressing in drag as Joan and wielding wire coat hangers. If you’ve seen the film (and if you haven’t, you must watch it ASAP) you know what that’s all about.

Mommie Dearest was adapted from an infamous autobiography of the same title published in 1978 by Joan’s adopted daughter, Christina Crawford. Her mother had died a year earlier at the age of approximately 73 (Joan was notoriously cagey about how old she was) and had left Christina and her adopted brother, Christopher, out of her will. Christina subsequently felt compelled to write about her physically and emotionally abusive relationship with her late, Academy Award-winning mother.

A. Ashley Hoff

Her book became a bestseller but also tarnished Joan’s image, justifiably so. Now, a new book exploring this history is being published on May 7th. With Love, Mommie Dearest: The Making of an Unintentional Camp Classic, by A. Ashley Hoff, details the writing and selling of Christina's book and the aftermath of its publication as well as the filming of the motion picture, whose backstage drama almost surpassed what was viewed onscreen.

Hoff is also the author of Match Game 101: A Backstage History of Match Game and My Huckleberry Friend: Holly Golightly and the Untold History of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. He previously worked for talent agencies in Chicago and Los Angeles, and has written articles on Hollywood for The Advocate and Films in Review. Hoff has also been interviewed about numerous pop culture subjects on various talk shows and podcasts.

During a recent phone conversation with Hoff, this writer asked him when and where he first saw Mommie Dearest.

“I had known of its reputation, but the first time I saw it I was in high school and it was on cable TV,” the author replied. “It was really cut up with some scenes missing, including the bathroom scene. I took it seriously, as a horror movie and not as camp.”

IRL: Christina and her "mommie dearest" Joan Crawford

He continued: “The first time I saw it on the big screen was at the Music Box Theater in Chicago in 1997 or ’98. They had a ‘Mother’s Day with Christina Crawford’ event. She was there, and it was kind of creepy watching this movie about her abuse knowing Christina was in the lobby. So, I went out and talked to her. We had a nice conversation.” Hoff subsequently kept in touch with Christina and excerpts from a 2021 interview he conducted with her are in his book.

Indeed, With Love, Mommie Dearest contains many interviews and anecdotes from people involved in the movie’s production. Readers will learn that, shortly after her book was published, Christina was approached by producer Frank Yablans for the movie rights. In addition to buying the rights, Yablans agreed to pay her to write a first draft of the screenplay. She did so but he did not use it.

“The sad part about Mommie Dearest was that I really wanted to make a film about child abuse and the manner in which child abuse can occur,” Yablans wrote in his later, unpublished memoir cited by Hoff. “Child abuse can also happen in extremely wealthy homes with extremely powerful people… That was what compelled me to make the movie, and it was well ahead of its time because today child abuse is a much bigger issue than it was in 1981.”

When the movie was released in US theaters on September 18th of that year, Christina Crawford was unable to enjoy its initially successful reception at the box office. She had suffered a massive stroke one month earlier and was given a one percent chance of survival. Thankfully, she recovered within a couple of months following risky surgery. Once again, Christina proved herself a survivor.

Faye Dunaway as Joan in Mommie Dearest

Both directors and lead actresses came and went during the film’s pre-production process. Ultimately, Academy Award-winner Faye Dunaway was cast as Joan. It is her performance that largely drives the movie’s reputation as a camp classic, and it negatively affected her career.

I asked Hoff more about this. “Does she give an over-the-top performance? Absolutely,” he replied. “Does she chew scenery? Absolutely. But she gives a truly operatic performance, which is what the director (Frank Perry) wanted. To be fair, she gives a phenomenal performance!”

Some agreed with this at the time: Dunaway placed second as Best Actress of 1981 with both the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics. But she also “won” the Golden Raspberry Award, or Razzie, as Worst Actress of the Year for Mommie Dearest (to be fair, Dunaway actually tied with Bo Derek’s non-performance as Jane in Tarzan, the Ape Man.) Even today, some reputable critics including Leonard Maltin and yours truly admire the film for its groundbreaking depiction of child abuse.

“I recently showed the film to two friends of mine who had not seen it before and they were riveted by it as a serious depiction of abuse,” Hoff told me. “Their response was not what I expected. They did not see it as camp. And then I know some people who have watched the film hundreds of times and will always enjoy it as camp.”

Diana Scarwid as Christina in Mommie Dearest

So what makes Mommie Dearest so campy to some people, especially gay men? Well, the exaggerated moments in Dunaway’s performance are definitely one factor, and none more so than when she angrily crosses her eyes while her face is smothered kabuki-like in white cold cream. The screenplay also features some enjoyably harsh dialogue spoken by both mother and daughter Crawford that is undeniably fun to shout out with them.

In his book, Hoff quotes critic and Palm Springs resident Marc Huestis regarding the film’s popularity in the gay community to this day. “Gay guys have a thing for their mothers, let’s face it,” Huestis said. “I had a relationship with my mom, who was in show business as well, that was very much physically abusive like the one in Mommie Dearest; my mother actually did hit me with wire hangers… So just seeing that scene, the laughter was a release from the ghost of not only Joan Crawford but my own mother.”

Whether we love it, hate it and/or laugh at it, Mommie Dearest continues to stand the test of time for various reasons. I highly recommend reading A. Ashley Hoff’s new book for his detailed, insightful exploration of these… but not before you’ve trimmed your rose bushes in the middle of the night and/or bought stock in Pepsi Cola!

Author photo credit Atila Sikora.

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Reviews: Women Rule On & Off Broadway

Good for you if you've seen the award-winning musical Six, either on Broadway or on tour. But that show proves to be soooo 2021 when compared to three bold, female-centric new musicals currently reigning over the NYC theatre scene. They've also been nominated for multiple New York critics' awards in recent days, with potential Tony Award nominations pending for two of them later this week.

Teeth, adapted from Mitchell Lichtenstein's generally acclaimed but definitely challenging (especially if you are male) 2008 film, recently had its world premiere at Playwrights Horizon. The movie's plot involving a teenage girl who develops a rare case of vagina dentata hardly screams out "musical material," but co-writers Michael R. Jackson (of A Strange Loop and White Girl in Danger fame, both of which I loved) and Anna K. Jacobs ran with the possibilities they perceived.

Their graphic yet humorous adaptation follows the film closely until the final third, when it becomes an over-the-top, dystopian tale of newly-empowered women avenging themselves against men... by chomping off their penises and making them obedient zombies! Jackson's lyrics for songs with such titles as "Modest is Hottest" and "According to the Wiki" are typically clever, and the musical is well supported by Sarah Benson's direction and Raja Feather Kelly's choreography. Jeremy Chernick's special effects, which include a climactic onstage inferno, are also worth noting.

Sorry for the short notice, but Teeth did close yesterday after being extended twice. I'm hopeful it will have a robust life in regional and/or community theaters in the future.

Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly also has a sizable hand in Lempicka, the truly stunning musical that just opened on Broadway. It is inspired by the dramatic life of early-20th century painter Tamara de Lempicka, about whom I knew very little when I entered the Longacre Theatre. I exited the theatre 2 ½ hours later thoroughly enlightened, inspired and entertained.

A revealing book and stylistically diverse songs, both co-written by Carson Kreitzer and Matt Gould, depict the title artist's journey from Revolution-era Russia to Paris through World War II. She ultimately ends up elderly and unknown in 1970's Los Angeles. Lempicka was married to a man, with whom she had a daughter, but also enjoyed relationships with women. Last but not least, she became and is remembered today as a groundbreaking painter.

Director Rachel Chavkin (an award winner for both Hadestown and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) applies her typically bold, engrossing style to this bio-musical. Kelly's choreography is stylish and energetic, although the use of dance struck me as fairly constant and overly busy during the first half of act one. The actors, however, are the true stars here, which is as it should be. Star Eden Espinosa was out of the performance I saw due to illness but her standby/understudy, Mariand Torres, was sensational even though she reportedly had little full-show or full-cast rehearsal time beforehand. Amber Iman, as Lempicka's model/lover Rafaela, was no less potent. Other standouts among the hard-working cast were Andrew Samonsky, George Abud, Natalie Joy Johnson and, of course, Tony Award-winner Beth Leavel in a couple of roles. Leavel reduced the audience to tears with her beautiful 11 o'clock number, "Just This Way."

It's a bit early to know how Lempicka might fare long-term. Successful musicals not based on a movie, a book and/or a political figure are pretty rare nowadays. A significant number of Tony Award nominations on April 30th would help raise its profile. I certainly wish this important, exciting show a long run on Broadway, on tour, and beyond.

Suffs is the other estrogen-fueled, newly-opened Broadway musical. Its title is short for suffragists, those early-20th century American women who fought for the right to vote when only men were allowed to do so. Readers of a certain age may have previously learned about them via the "Sufferin' Til Suffrage" Schoolhouse Rock cartoon and song.

This new musical was written by singer-songwriter Shaina Taub, who also headlines the all-female and non-binary cast (taking a cue from last season's Broadway revival of 1776) as real-life suffragist leader Alice Paul. Taub doesn't have the most commanding stage presence but plenty of dramatic electricity is provided by her fellow cast members Nikki M. James (a Tony winner for The Book of Mormon), Jenn Colella (a Tony nominee for Come From Away) and others. I also applaud director Leigh Silverman for casting some disabled actors.

Suffs is a more traditionally scored and staged production than the other shows reviewed here, which perhaps makes it more crowd-pleasing. I expect it to make a strong showing when Tony Award nominations are announced tomorrow. Taub's songs are serviceable if not particularly memorable save for the climactic "Keep Marching." Ditto re: Mayte Natalio's choreography. I highly recommend the show, though, as both a valuable history lesson and a pleasant theatre-going experience.

Reverend's Ratings:
Teeth: B+
Lempicka: A
Suffs: A-

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Reviews: Two Great New Movies to Ring in Spring

Spring has officially/meteorologically sprung, although you wouldn't know it here at Reverend's rectory in New England. Other parts of the country are likely having earlier indications that the seasons have changed. This is especially true based on some local movie events.

In northern California, the Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF) is being celebrated this weekend! Proving that Sonoma has more to offer than just fine wine, this fest is presented each year by a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting the best in independent film and filmmakers from around the world. SIFF hosts its annual festival each March, getting a jump on the US film festival season, as well as year-round events and special screenings. For passes, tickets and more information, visit sonomafilmfest.org.

Extremely Unique Dynamic will be having its World Premiere as the fest's Gay-La Spotlight Film on tonight with a party hosted by fabulous actor-writer-director James Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Rabbit Hole, Shortbus). The movie will have an additional screening at 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 23rd. A smart meta comedy, it follows Ryan (Harrison Xu) and Daniel (Ivan Leung), two childhood best friends and aspiring actors. They are spending one final weekend together in Los Angeles before Ryan moves to Canada with his fiancé. Wanting to create a lasting memory, they decide to make a movie… about two guys making a movie… about two guys making a movie. In the process, bottled-up secrets arise as they unpack their decades-long friendship and prepare for the next chapters of their respective lives.

Things were seemingly just as meta behind the scenes. Read this carefully: Extremely Unique Dynamic is directed by Xu, Leung and Katherine Dudas (who plays Juniper) from a screenplay by Xu, Leung and Dudas, and is produced by Xu, Leung and Noel Do-Murakami. Both Leung and Do-Murakami identify as LGBTQ+. Also of note and beyond acting, Ivan Leung is celebrated for his comedic rap finesse that was notably showcased in the viral hit "Taco Loving Asian Guy." Also appearing in the film are Hudson Yang (well-known from the groundbreaking sitcom Fresh Off the Boat) and, making his film premiere, internet personality Nathan Down (3M YouTube followers and counting).

Leung and Xu give endearing performances in this often very funny movie. Wherever and whenever you see it, be sure to watch all the way through the end credits for additional meta wackiness.

The hands-down best film I've seen thus far this Spring/new year is Thomas Cailley's The Animal Kingdom (in French: Le Regne Animal). Co-written by Cailley and Pauline Munier, this visionary, provocative new sci-fi/queer thriller drops viewers into an extraordinary world where mutations in human genetics are causing people to transform into hybrid creatures. These mutants become disparagingly referred to as "critters" or, worse, "monsters." François (Roman Duris) does everything he can to save his wife, who is affected by this mysterious condition. As some of the creatures disappear into a nearby forest, François embarks with their 16-year-old son Emile (Paul Kircher) on a quest to find her with unexpected help from a local police officer (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Alas, Emile also soon begins to succumb to the unusual transformation.

The Animal Kingdom had its world premiere as the opening film of the Un Certain Regard section at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. It was subsequently nominated for a leading 12 Cesar Awards and won an impressive 5 Cesars, including Best Visual Effects. The film is now playing in some US theaters and is streaming for a $6.99 as I write this. It is well worth the ticket or rental price, between its LGBTQ-relevant plot and Paul Kircher's impressive, affecting performance.

Reverend's Ratings:
Extremely Unique Dynamic: B+
The Animal Kingdom: A-

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Preview: March Brings Major Movie Awards

 

Illustration by Olly Gibbs, ollygibbs.com

Hollywood’s biggest night this year will be this Sunday, March 10th, when the 96th annual Academy Awards are scheduled to be bestowed upon the best films, actors, actresses, directors, etc. of 2023. Nominations were announced on January 23rd and include several LGBTQ+ contenders. Getting a head start on the celebration, however, are GALECA’s newly-announced Dorian Award winners for 2023.

GALECA: the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics was founded in 2009 and currently consists of 500 members (including yours truly). Each year, the group honors the best mainstream and LGTBQ+ film, television and Broadway/Off Broadway productions via their Dorian Awards. A 501 c 6 nonprofit, GALECA also advocates for better pay, access and respect for its members, especially those in our most underrepresented and vulnerable segments. GALECA’s other efforts include the Crimson Honors, a college film/TV criticism contest for LGBTQ women or non-binary students of color.

Among the LGBTQ-interest film honorees recognized by both GALECA and the Academy among their initial nominations this year were out actor Colman Domingo for his performance as the title, trailblazing gay activist in Rustin; out actress Jodie Foster as the dedicated friend and coach to a record-breaking lesbian swimmer in Nyad; lead actress Sandra Huller, screenwriter Justine Triet, and their keep-‘em-guessing courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall; and the touchingly queer, anime-inspired animated movie Nimona.

Somewhat surprisingly, GALECA completely snubbed actor-director Bradley Cooper’s biopic Maestro, about bisexual composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein. But then, GALECA nominated the popular, Oscars-neglected queer comedy Bottoms in multiple categories.

Also notably absent among this year’s Oscar nominees was out filmmaker Andrew Haigh’s pretty much universally-acclaimed All of Us Strangers. This metaphysical/supernatural tale of a gay man reuniting with his long-dead parents while embarking on a romance with a mysterious neighbor is beautifully made and truly haunting. Actors Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal were both nominated by GALECA for their deeply moving performances.

Similarly neglected by the Academy were the LGBTQ favorites Saltburn and Passages. All this being said, the single coolest Oscar citation this year in my opinion is composer John Williams’ 54th nomination at the age of 91! He was recognized yet again for his score of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. (Williams actually turned 92 since this year’s nominees were announced.)

GALECA’s 15th annual Dorian Award winners, including several new categories, were just announced. We are honored to include them here:

Film of the Year: All of Us Strangers (Searchlight Pictures)

LGBTQ Film of the Year: All of Us Strangers (Searchlight Pictures)

Director of the Year: Greta Gerwig, Barbie (Warner Bros.)

Screenplay of the Year- Original or adapted: Samy Burch, May December (Netflix)

LGBTQ Screenplay of the Year (new award category this year): Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers (Searchlight Pictures)

Non-English Language Film of the Year: Anatomy of a Fall (NEON)

LGBTQ Non-English Language Film of the Year (new award category this year): Anatomy of a Fall (NEON)

Unsung Film of the Year- To an exceptional movie worthy of greater attention: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. (Lionsgate)

Film Performance of the Year: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon (Apple, Paramount)

Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Charles Melton, May December (Netflix)

Documentary of the Year: Kokomo City (Magnolia)

LGBTQ Documentary of the Year: Kokomo City (Magnolia)

Animated Film of the Year: The Boy and the Heron (GKIDS)

Genre Film of the Year - For excellence in science fiction, fantasy and horror (new award category this year): Poor Things (Searchlight Pictures)

Film Music of the Year: Barbie — Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, et al. (Warner Bros.)

Visually Striking Film of the Year: Poor Things (Searchlight Pictures)

Campiest Flick: M3GAN (Universal)

“We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star Award: Ayo Edebiri

Wilde Artist Award - Recognizing a truly groundbreaking force in entertainment: Todd Haynes

GALECA LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer Award - For creating art that inspires empathy, truth and equity: Colman Domingo

Timeless Star (Career achievement award) Honoring an exemplary career marked by character, wisdom and wit: Jodie Foster

For the full list of nominations and more information about the Society of LGBTQ+ Entertainment Critics, please visit galeca.com.

And the 2023 Dorian Film Award Winners Are...

ALL OF US STRANGERS

 Film of the Year, LGBTQ Film of the Year and LGBTQ Screenplay of the Year: Andrew Haigh

BARBIE

Director of the Year: Greta Gerwig and Film Music of the Year

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Film Performance of the Year: Lily Gladstone

MAY DECEMBER

Supporting Performance of the Year: Charles Melton and Screenplay of the Year: Samy Burch

ANATOMY OF A FALL

Non-English Language Film of the Year and LGBTQ Non-English Language Film of the Year

ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET.

 Unsung Film of the Year

KOKOMO CITY

 Documentary of the Year and LGBTQ Documentary of the Year

THE BOY AND THE HERON

Animated Film of the Year

POOR THINGS

Genre Film of the Year and Visually Striking Film of the Year

M3GAN

Campiest Flick

AYO EDEBIRI

"We're Wilde About You!" Rising Star Award

TODD HAYNES

Wilde Artist Award

COLMAN DOMINGO

GALECA LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer Award

JODIE FOSTER

Timeless Star Career Achievement Award

Reverend's Interview: Guillermo Diaz is Here to Stay

Out actor Guillermo Diaz will be commanding movie screens this month as the star of You Can’t Stay Here. Directed by longtime, underground filmmaker Todd Verow (Frisk, Tumbledown, Goodbye Seventies), it will opens this week at theaters in Los Angeles and elsewhere.

The plot of You Can’t Stay Here was inspired by real events in early 1990’s New York City. The AIDS crisis hangs in the air and cops are targeting gay men in well-known cruising spots. This doesn’t stop aspiring art photographer Rick (Diaz) as he spends his days and nights cruising in Central Park. After he witnesses the murder of a gay man, though, Rick is drawn into a dangerous and sexy game of cat and mouse with the magnetic killer that leads him to question his own sanity.

Diaz is great in one of his few leading man roles to date, and it’s always good to see Verow back in action. The movie was actually shot in Central Park with the city’s permission. Verow wrote about the origins of his latest production for the film’s press notes.

“During the COVID pandemic, I heard that the Ramble (the notorious cruising area in New York’s Central Park that featured prominently in William Friedkin’s film Cruising) was jumping,” Verow recalls. “I went there to investigate and indeed it was full of queer people engaging in all sorts of intimate activity, not all of it sexual. Most of the cruisers were wearing masks, which only intensified the eye contact and intimacy.”

The filmmaker continued: “We had been locked down, curfew-ed, and burned out on Zoom sex and the harsh coldness of Grindr, Scruff and other hookup apps. We needed physical contact... or at least proximity... with other human beings. This got me thinking about cruising and cruising places around the world. These are sacred spaces and, no matter how the police or governments try to beat them back, they will always be cruising areas.”

During this time, Guillermo Diaz was in New York City working on a TV series. He contacted Verow saying he was a fan of his work and wanted to make a film with him. Verow was also a fan of Diaz’s work, especially his portrayal of La Miranda in the 1995 film Stonewall, and messaged him back immediately. They got together for lunch and Verow told Diaz about his recent experiences in the Ramble and how he wanted to make a film about cruising there. Diaz liked the idea.

The screenplay for You Can’t Stay Here was written by Verow and his writing partner, James Derek Dwyer. “I wanted the film to take place in the early 90’s, before social media and smart phones and during the height of the HIV/ AIDS crisis, when homophobia, both external and internalized, ran rampant,” Verow shared. “The script is loosely inspired by real events during that time but also on the timelessness of cruising and the otherworldliness of the Ramble itself. Real life cruisers rarely, if ever, speak. Everything is conveyed through their eyes. Guillermo’s eyes convey so much; I could photograph them all day.”

In addition to his early, star-making turn in Stonewall, many viewers know Diaz as Huck from his many seasons on the ABC hit series Scandal. He is also recognizable from such movies as Bros, Half Baked, Party Girl, High School High and Steven Spielberg’s The Terminal. In addition to his feature film credits, he is well-known from Showtime’s award-winning series Weeds (where he played the role of Guillermo, coincidentally/appropriately enough) and NBC’s Law & Order: Organized Crime. He can also be seen with Britney Spears in her video "I Wanna Go" and in Beyonce and Jay Z's video "Run" alongside Sean Penn and Jake Gyllenhaal. Diaz made his directorial debut with the documentary short film Valley of the Undocumented, which was produced by Russell Simmons and Mark Zuckerberg for Immigrant Heritage Month. Born and raised in NYC’s Washington Heights, he currently resides in Los Angeles.

Diaz recently sat down to speak with me about You Can’t Stay Here and other aspects of his impressive, 30-year career. (Note: This interview has been edited for length and/or clarity.)

CC: Congrats on the movie! It’s good to see you front and center in the whole movie.
GD: Thanks. Yeah, it was nice.

CC: You really got this project rolling. What led you to seek out and work with Todd Verow when you did?
GD: I had booked a recurring role on a show so that brought me to New York for a year, year and a half. Because it was recurring I would work two days a week, sometimes one day a week, and I was like “Oh my god, I’m going crazy.” It was a procedural show and it wasn’t very challenging creatively, and so I started to think “Who do I want to work with? Who’s out there, like an indie director that excites me and I would want to collaborate with?” And I thought of Todd. I followed him on Instagram so I thought “I’m just going to message him. Why not? It’s 2023, right?” (laugh) So I sent him a DM and told him that I was a fan of his work and I would love to work with him. I’m also a huge horror film fan so I told him I would love to do something in the horror-thriller genre and would he be into it? He was, so we met up and the ball started rolling from there.

CC: That’s great. Are you happy with the finished film?
GD: I am, I am. It’s a classic Todd Verow-style movie. I knew he was a guerilla filmmaker. The way he works is very guerilla style with very few takes, and so when I saw it I was like “Ok, this is a true Verow film.” It was kind of exciting because I believe it was the first time that Todd worked with SAG actors and dealt with the union, if I’m not mistaken, so I was able to bring in actors that I love and wanted to work with. It was really exciting and collaborative, which I loved.

CC: How have audiences been responding to the film?
GD: It’s not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s OK. You want everybody to love your movie, but everybody walks away from it wanting to have a conversation and having questions, wanting to understand certain things. That’s good, people always wanting to talk about it. That’s definitely a plus.

CC: In what ways are you like your character, Rick? And in what ways are you different?
GD: I’m like him in so many ways. I grew up in New York City, I’m Latino. I was in my 20’s in the 90’s and I experienced meeting guys through cruising on the street or in a park or what have you. It’s not like now. I think this generation and the previous generation don’t really know what that’s like, so in that sense I’m a lot like (Rick). I lived that experience, not to the extent that Rick in the movie does. I was very much in the closet as well so that was a similarity. Some of the stuff that happens to my character in the film were experiences that either I had or Todd had. The ways that I’m not like him? I feel like I would have not gotten caught by the character people are now calling “The Vampire.” I feel like savvy Guillermo in the 90’s would have been like “What if I punched him in the face and ran?” (laugh) In the film, Rick gets sort of infatuated by him. He’s frightened by him but at the same time infatuated by him. I feel like I wouldn’t have been that way if I was in that situation, but who knows?

CC: You came out publicly in 2011, according to Wikipedia, which was still pretty rare for a well-known actor at the time. What was the reaction like?
GD: I’m so bad with years but I think it was before 2011. I came out in a magazine called Genre in like the late 90’s. It was when I did Stonewall. My management team told me “You’re going to be asked non-stop if you’re gay once you start doing press, so you’ve gotta figure out if you’re gonna be honest or if you’re gonna be in the closet and say you’re not.” But I was like, “Nope, I’m not lying.” I was 27 when I officially came out to my parents, which was the hardest to do. I had already been out to my friends and I had a boyfriend at the time.

CC: Are there any challenges or obstacles today for out, gay or LGBTQ actors, in your experience?
GD: Honestly, I can only speak for myself and from my experience but if there have been obstacles I haven’t been privy to them. I move forward and do my work and audition for a ton of stuff. Some I get, some I don’t. I honestly try not to think about that. I’m sure there have been some projects that have come up that possibly the producer or director or someone finds out I’m gay and they’re like “Nah, we’re not gonna work with him.” But again, I’m not privy to that so it’s not my problem, it’s their problem. I’ve experienced no problems, no push-back really. I’ve been super fortunate. I think what’s been good for me is that I haven’t kept (being gay) a mystery. I’ve been able to say “This is me, take it or leave it.”

CC: Good for you. What’s your advice for any young LGBTQ actors who want to make it in the industry?
GD: Quit acting right now and go do something else! (laugh) It is such a hard, difficult business to be in. If your heart isn’t in it 150,000% you should stop doing it and think about something else. Truly, like seriously, I’m only in this business and became an actor because I knew in my heart and my soul that I was gonna make it no matter what, and I never had any doubt. Regardless of all the rejection from auditions, which is a normal thing. But it’s difficult and again my advice is if you don’t want this a million thousand percent then go figure out something else, because that’s what it takes. And sleep with as many producers as you can. (laugh) I’m joking!

CC: Well, on that note: What are you working on now? What do we have to look forward to?
GD: (Laugh) I just directed — oh my god, it’s already been about two years — but I directed my first feature film, so now I’m in the post-production process. It’s a movie called Dear Luke, Love Me that a friend of mine, Mallie McCown, wrote. It’s sort of a dysfunctional relationship drama. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. We raised all the money ourselves through a Kickstarter campaign, shot the movie for like a month, and then we did the editing and now we’re in the post-production process. We’re starting to submit it to festivals and stuff so hopefully I’m going to be doing the festival thing for a little while, fingers crossed. And then Todd and I are talking about doing another movie together which, knowing how Todd works, that’s probably going to be the first movie that comes out. He works so fast. You’ll be interviewing us for that movie like in a month. (laugh)

Interview by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Reviews: New Play Pride House Explores Fire Island's History

The LGBTQ+ mecca that is Fire Island, located off the coast of New York's Long Island, has served as the setting of numerous movies (Longtime Companion, the aptly-titled Fire Island), plays (Lips Together, Teeth Apart) and TV series (American Horror Story: NYC) over the years. This makes sense, as the summertime resort destination has been attracting members of our community for well over a century.

TOSOS (The Other Side of Silence), NYC's oldest LGBTQ+ theater company, is currently celebrating the start of its 50th season with the world premiere of Pride House. It runs through this Saturday, February 10th at the Flea Theater. Please visit their website for full info and tickets. Playwright Chris Weikel explores the dramatic, and comedic, dynamics among a microcosm of Fire Island inhabitants during the globally-tumultuous years of 1938-1939.

The play's setting is a Cherry Grove cottage owned by Beatrice "Bea" Farrar, which she shares with her ex-husband Thomas and two Jewish children they are temporarily sheltering from the growing spread of Nazism in Europe. Bea is happy to count among her friends a number of gay men who also make frequent use of her home. Her ex-husband is also gay, but Thomas has remained on mostly friendly terms with Bea. Weikel, the cast, and director Igor Goldin evoke numerous challenges that impacted real-life Fire Islanders at the time including the Great Depression, homophobic neighbors, racism and, last but not least, the Great Hurricane of 1938.

Alas, Pride House ultimately suffers from trying to tackle too many issues and incorporating too many characters. While addressing the rampant antisemitism of the time (with definite parallels today) is noble, the inclusion of the two Jewish children proves to be one issue and two characters too many. I feel the play would be more focused and effective if it concentrated specifically on Bea and the colorful gay men in her life. Even the homophobia they confront via Bea's neighbors could be alluded to rather than personified. These excesses also make an already lengthy play feel that much longer.

On the plus side, Pride House features an excellent, fully-committed cast led by Jamie Heinlein as Bea (and in spite of some flubbed lines during the February 3rd performance I attended). Also deserving of specific mention are Jessica Disalvo as an Italian ex-patriot lesbian named Natalia and London Carlisle as Edwin, a black Broadway dancer. Best of all is the hilarious Jake Mendes as Stephen, the deliciously sardonic sidekick to shrill theater queen Arthur (played by Tom Souhrada). Evan Frank's set design and Ben Philipp's lovely, period-accurate costumes are similarly praise-worthy. Here's to TOSOS and another 50 years!

Reverend's Rating: B

Reverend was also privileged to recently attend Jonah, another world premiere play in NYC. Rachel Bonds' potent work isn't a biblical tale and there are no whales involved, but it does include a powerful religious message. Presented by the Roundabout Theatre Company, it is running at the Laura Pels Theatre through March 10th.

It's difficult to describe the plot of Jonah without revealing spoilers. Gabby Beans (a deserving Tony Award nominee last year for her turn in Lincoln Center's revival of The Skin of Our Teeth) headlines the play as Ana, a young woman dealing with the unpredictable aftereffects of sexual abuse. Beans is riveting, especially since she never leaves the stage during the 100-minute performance. She is very well supported by Samuel H. Levine, Hagan Oliveras and John Zdrojeski as the various men in her life, some of whom may be imaginary/fantasized.

Danya Taymor (who is a niece of The Lion King director Julie Taymor) provides engrossing direction, utilizing various sleight-of-hand techniques in the lighting and staging to keep audience members on their toes. However, my friends who attended the performance with me and I had issues with Wilson Chin's unchanging set, which serves as multiple locations in multiple time periods. More variation in the set design or decor would have been helpful in this regard.

I also have concerns, as an ordained priest-bishop, about the play's critique of Confession or the sacrament of Reconciliation as practiced by both Catholics and Mormons/LDS. God knows there have been many abuses of the sacrament over the centuries but I can attest to the beauty of the practice, as both confessor and confessee, when it is done or celebrated in a legitimate, non-exploitive way. Still, I appreciate playwright Bonds' serious treatment of this and other spiritual/theological matters. All in all, Jonah is excellent and demanding of patronage.

Reverend's Rating: A-

While the general population is currently focused more on movie-related awards and top-ten lists, Reverend was excited to realize recently that last year was the first year I attended a substantial number of Broadway and Off-Broadway productions since moving from California to Connecticut nearly 6 years ago. Subsequently, I was moved to identify my picks of the 10 best NYC theatre productions of calendar year 2023 (in alphabetical order):

• & Juliet
• Camelot (revival)
• Dear World (revival)
• Here Lies Love
• How to Dance in Ohio
• The Jerusalem Syndrome
• Purlie Victorious (revival)
• 1776 (revival)
• The Shark is Broken
• White Girl in Danger

Honorable Mention: Titanique
This musical spoof of James Cameron's Oscar-winning movie has been running off-Broadway nearly 3 years now, but last year was the first time Reverend saw it in person after watching an early, streamed performance in 2020 at the height of COVID-19. It was/is an utter, must-see delight.

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.