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

Reverend’s Reviews: Pride 2025 on Stage and Screen

Pride month has come and gone, but for many LGBTQ people Pride is—and should be—a 365 days a year celebration!  Even with the forces of political darkness weighing down upon us, there are artistic forces continuing to lift our community up beyond the month of June.  Huge thanks go out to the latter!

To illustrate this, Reverend highly recommends these new streaming productions and live, off-Broadway plays:

Prince Faggot (Now playing at Playwrights Horizons in NYC through August 3rd)

A provocative---and provocatively titled--world premiere written by Jordan Tannahill, who is making his NY debut as a playwright. It imagines the real-life Prince George of Wales, who is currently 11 years old, as an adult gay man struggling with both having a relationship and accepting his destiny as future king of the UK. Grown-up George is personified on stage by John McCrea, who originated the title role in the acclaimed London musical Everybody’s Talking about Jamie.

Other factual characters include Prince William, Duchess Kate and Princess Charlotte. Curiously absent is younger Prince Louis, which one of the players humorously notes. They intermingle with fictional characters, notably George’s lover (played by the captivating Mihir Kumar). Adding to Tannahill’s blending of the real and imaginary are periodic monologues delivered by the actors as themselves. The cast, most of whom play multiple roles, is excellent.

This unique dramatic approach is well-orchestrated by director Shayok Misha Chowdhury, even if some monologues and scenes run a bit long (the show runs 2 hours with no intermission). There are compelling, often graphic discussions and depictions of political intrigue, trans lives, BDSM, racial/ethnic discrimination, and finding modern meaning in the play’s title slur. The overall effect reminded me of Tony Kushner’s modern classic Angels in America, which is subtitled “a Gay Fantasia on National Themes” and similarly intermingles fictional and non-fictional characters.  Prince Faggot could well be subtitled “a Gay Fantasia on British (even Global) Themes.” It is a timely, intriguing and important show.

Reverend’s Rating: A-

Beau: The Musical (Now playing at Theatre 154 in NYC through July 27th)

This heartfelt, engaging tale spans three-plus decades and centers on a young, gay aspiring singer named Ace (a very good Matt Rodin) who meets the grandfather he didn’t know existed. He subsequently learns his grandfather, Beau (Chris Blisset, suitably gruff yet endearing), is also gay but naturally from an era when homosexuality had to be kept in the closet. It doesn’t help that both Beau and Ace live in Tennessee.

Director-Choreographer Josh Rhodes’ production has a nice, organic feel to it.  From the immersive set by Daniel Allen to Devario D. Simmons’ versatile costumes, Adam Honore’s lighting design to the cast’s affecting performances (the cast members double impressively as the show’s band), audience members feel a part of the environment and part of the action.

One can justifiably accuse the book by Douglas Lyons (Chicken and Biscuits) of being overly earnest, and the songs co-written by Lyons and Ethan D. Pakchar of being unmemorable though catchy and/or touching upon first listen. But the show will resonate with older gay or bi men, and maybe even younger men with southern roots.

Reverend’s Rating: B

Aichaku (Now streaming via Prime and Freevee)

I hadn’t heard of this charming gay-themed indie film before it popped up on my streaming recommendations list. I’m so glad I checked it out. Set in rural Japan, it features Christopher McCombs (who also wrote the perceptive screenplay) as Lucas, an English teacher from the US who is struggling to carve out a life there. He unwittingly begins to cross paths with Ken, a Japanese construction worker (played by hunky, soulful Christopher Nishizawa) who is trying to figure out his own path in life. They gradually fall into a tentative romance, with various locals as well as Lucas’s mother in the US providing equal parts opposition and encouragement.

Sensitively co-directed by previous TV collaborators Raito Nishizaka and Michael Williams, Aichaku offers a welcome international perspective as well as a more mature approach to first love between two men from very different backgrounds. It is certainly sexy at times, as well as disarmingly funny. Many of the laughs are generated by Yayoi Fujiwara and Kaori Takeshita as Lucas’s hosts. Search for it now!

Reverend’s Rating: A-

Lost Boys and Fairies (Now streaming via Prime and BritBox)

Best of all is this lovely, 3-episode BBC series from 2024 that is just now making its stateside debut. Created by Daf James and directed by James Kent, it tells the story of gay couple Gabriel and Andy (superbly played, respectively, by Sion Daniel Young and Fra Fee) who have been together for eight years and are eager to adopt a child. Andy is excited about the prospect of becoming a father whereas Gabriel, a drag performer, is hesitant. This is not only due to Gabriel’s past issues with drug addiction but also because of his unhappy childhood, which was marked by his mother's early death and his father's homophobia.

Although the couple initially sets out to adopt a girl, they meet and begin to grow fond of Jake (the adorable Leo Harris), who was placed in foster care after being removed from his own violent father. With the guidance of a sympathetic social worker and support from their chosen family, Andy and Gabriel’s dream of becoming parents starts to come true.

Be warned: The series features some devastatingly emotional moments as well as some truly hilarious situations. There are also fantastic musical numbers performed by Gabriel and additional cast members.  Some viewers may find the tonal transitions jarring. Don’t let this scare you away! Watching Lost Boys and Faeries is ultimately a beautiful, hopeful experience…not unlike life itself.

Reverend’s Rating: A

All reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film & theatre critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly magazine. He is also a founding & voting member of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Critics (galeca.com).

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

Snook! Sink! Boop! & More Now on Broadway

Reverend’s Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter

Hello, dear readers!  It’s been a while since I last posted and I apologize for the delay.  Numerous issues intervened: extended illness, retirement of the previous blog administrator, northeast US winter, church duties, evil presidential administrations, etc. At any rate, I’m happy to be back AND in the immediate wake of the 2025 Tony Award nominations!

Reverend has been “bingeing” Broadway’s latest offerings over the past month or so, since I live in NYC-adjacent Connecticut and am a member of the GALECA Theatre Wing (galeca.com).  Grrrrlls, we’ve got a lot to write/talk about!

Let’s start with two of this season’s most illustrious yet challenging talents for the alliteration-adverse like myself: Sarah Snook vs. Sadie Sink. These TV/streaming darlings are currently headlining fantastic Broadway plays, and both the actresses and their productions are newly-anointed Tony nominees in multiple categories. But adding to any potential alliterative confusion between the pair is the fact that their respective theaters are directly across 45th Street from each other!

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Now playing at the Music Box through June 29th)

Sarah Snook’s one-woman tour de force interpretation of Oscar Wilde’s classic morality tale. I was not very familiar with Snook (which I learned is pronounced like boo or new, not like look or book) but I became an instant fan after witnessing her Tony-nominated performance. She delectably plays 26 different characters, some of them in the same scene thanks to quick costume changes and/or pre-recorded projections. It is a stunning production, brilliantly conceived by Kip Williams and beautifully designed by Marg Horwell. Catch it while you can!

Reverend’s Rating: A+

John Proctor is the Villain (Now playing at the Booth Theatre)

A live and in person chance to shine for Sadie Sink, Stranger Things’ breakout star. This potent new play by Kimberly Belflower serves as both a critique and modern day translation of Arthur Miller’s theatrical classic, The Crucible. There are no witches to be found here, only a “coven” of high school girls learning to stand up against their male abusers. Sink and her castmates, under the direction of last season’s Tony-winning director Danya Taymor (The Outsiders), are uniformly excellent. Teens and young adults will respond especially well to this.

Reverend’s Rating: A

Boop! The Musical (Now playing at the Broadhurst Theatre)

The most visually inventive and purely enjoyable musical of this season. One doesn’t have to be particularly familiar with Betty Boop, the early-20th century cartoon character, to be wowed by this show’s immense charms. When Betty is transported from her black & white world to ultra-colorful, modern-day NYC, comedic chaos ensues thanks to Bob Martin’s very funny book. Things may get a little too silly at times but kids will eat it up (especially Betty’s adorable dog, Pudgy, who is frequently on stage). A star is born in 25-year old Jasmine Amy Rogers, making her Broadway debut in the title role. She is a charismatic triple-threat and now a deserved Tony Award nominee. The scenery, special effects, costumes and choreography are consistently amazing, and the pop-leaning songs by David Foster and Susan Birkenhead range from serviceable to terrific. I’m surprised Boop! isn’t doing better in terms of attendance although its award nominations may give it a bump. No matter what, I’m hoping it will get a national tour so everyone can check it out.

Reverend’s Rating: A-

Floyd Collins (Now playing at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre through June 22nd)

Speaking of early-20th century Americana, Adam Guettel’s and Tina Landau’s 1995 musical inspired by a real-life incident in 1925 is finally making its Broadway debut. It is a unique work that tells the tragic tale of a young man trapped in a Kentucky cavern and the early “media circus” resulting from his plight. The always likable Jeremy Jordan stars as Floyd, and he was in fine voice during the performance I attended. Jordan is also newly Tony-nominated as is this production in the Best Revival of a Musical category. After a strong start, I found some of the staging odd and the show itself overwrought, with a few too many central characters. Still, Guettel’s songs often soar and the finale packs an emotional punch.

Reverend’s Rating: B

Operation Mincemeat (Now playing at the Golden Theatre through February 2026)

This British import is definitely one of the more unusual shows currently running. The musical is based on a true story but considerably infused with a Monty Python-esque sensibility. A crack team of government operatives (including James Bond creator Ian Fleming) develops and executes a plan to oust Hitler’s troops from Sicily during World War II. While most of the story is played for laughs, it features some touching, resonant moments. The strongest is “Dear Bill,” a lovely soliloquy beautifully performed by Tony nominee Jak Malone (he previously won the Olivier for his turn). Operation Mincemeat’s first act is stronger than the second, both dramatically and musically, but it definitely makes for an entertaining afternoon or evening at the theatre!

Reverend’s Rating: B+

Real Women Have Curves (Now playing at the James Earl Jones Theatre)

The newest of this season’s musicals just opened April 27th.  Adapted from Josefina Lopez’s play and 2002 movie of the same name, it depicts a group of Latina immigrant coworkers in a dressmaking shop in Boyle Heights, California circa 1987. One of their daughters is about to graduate from high school and is intent on attending Columbia University in NYC, much to her parents’ disapproval. Though set nearly 30 years ago and developed prior to the current presidential administration, the show is powerfully timely in dealing with immigration issues. While very serious in spots, this is primarily a musical comedy with many funny moments and a vibrant score by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez. They were both surprise nominees last week for this year’s Best Score Tony. Real Women Have Curves also boasts a delightful, mostly Latina cast. It is a true crowd pleaser, and Latina/Latino theatregoers will no doubt especially appreciate it.

Reverend’s Rating: A-

Reverend's Reviews: 2024 — Another Queer Year for Movies

Happy new year, dear readers! Interestingly, we termed my round-up of the best and worst movies of 2023 “a Queer Year for Movies.” Guess what? 2024 turned out to be even MORE queer. (Queerer?) Heck, a major award-nominated release was even entitled Queer!

Also interesting is the fact that many of this year’s best films feature lead characters who are underdogs, oppressed, and/or members of underrepresented communities who discover their dignity and power. What’s more, there is no shortage of LGBTQ talent in front of and behind the camera.

Without further ado, here is this queer critic’s rundown of the best and worst cinematic offerings of 2024. As is my custom, I sometimes join together movies of equal quality that also share themes, genres or talent.

1. The Brutalist (A24). An excellent, humanist epic about the title style of architecture and a whole lot more. It follows the journey of a Holocaust survivor, his wife and their niece to post-World War 2 USA. Lead actors Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce have never been better. Actor-turned-director Brady Corbet, who memorably played Brian in Gregg Araki’s potent Mysterious Skin (2004), establishes himself here as a master filmmaker. It is 3 ½ hours long but well worth the time, and thankfully includes an intermission.

2. Emilia Pérez (Netflix) and The End (NEON). Two original, deliriously unique movie musicals. The first centers on a trans character (played by trans actress Karla Sofía Gascón) and both the havoc and grace that result from their transition. The second depicts a family, headed by the always great Tilda Swinton, that has survived a global apocalypse in their underground bunker. Did I mention both films are musicals with full-on singing and dancing? Don’t miss them.

3. The Animal Kingdom (Magnet Releasing). I fell in love early last year with this French fantasy-drama. An unknown phenomenon is causing humans to turn into animals, birds and other species. Derogatorily termed “hybrids,” their mistreatment evokes LGBTQ parallels. When his teenage son is afflicted, a father grapples with how best to support him. This is a beautiful, timely parable featuring award-winning special effects.

4. Challengers (Amazon/MGM) and Queer (A24). Filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and writer Justin Kuritzkes created not just one but two of the most provocative movies of the year. Tennis has never appeared as sexy as it does in Challengers thanks to the film’s fluid — and very hot — love triangle, while Daniel Craig (yes, the former James Bond) has never been as boldly sexual as he is in Queer.

5. The Blue Angels (Amazon/MGM), Jim Henson: Idea Man (Disney+) and Let the Canary Sing: Cyndi Lauper (Paramount+). In a strong year for documentaries, these three stood out to me for the unadulterated admiration they have for their subjects even as they remain objective. The Blue Angels, about the elite Navy flying corps, also boasts spectacular cinematography best experienced on the biggest screen you can find.

6. The People’s Joker (Altered Innocence). Vera Drew caused a commotion with this, her first feature film as a director. A queer, clever, satiric take on Batman’s nemesis and many other DC Comics characters, it angered DC’s leadership to the extent they prohibited Drew from showing the movie publicly. She even had to withdraw it from some 2023 film festivals. Fortunately for all of us, DC relented last year and Drew’s ingenious comedy is now available for all to see!

7. Wicked (Universal) and Nightbitch (Searchlight). Women rule — eventually — in these fantastical works. Director Jon M. Chu not only adapted the long-running Broadway blockbuster Wicked into a blockbuster movie musical, but worked in tributes to the entire cinematic legacy of The Wizard of Oz as well as more story elements from gay writer Gregory Maguire’s original novel. Meanwhile, Amy Adams gives her best performance in years as a neglected wife and mother who learns to defy gravity with the help of a pack of dogs and her newly unleashed inner canine.

8. A Quiet Place: Day One (Paramount) and Tuesday (A24). As some readers know, my “day job” is working with hospice patients. I was therefore caught off guard, pleasantly so, by the terminally-ill protagonists of these two well-made adventures. Lupita Nyong’o’s Samira finds renewed reason to live, with the help of her therapy cat and a traumatized man, as NYC is attacked by aliens in the Quiet Place prequel. In the lovely Tuesday, a dying teenage girl and Death itself, which appears as a magical bird, must prepare her mother (a terrific Julia Louis-Dreyfus) for the inevitable.

9. Anora (NEON). The latest from writer-director Sean Baker (Tangerine, Red Rocket) is currently racking up awards from film festivals and critic groups. It focuses on the title character, an exotic dancer/sex worker who falls for the spoiled son of a Russian oligarch. Though their relationship proves ill-fated, Ani discovers her true strengths in the process. Mikey Madison gives a delightful, star-making performance.

10. Conclave (Focus) and The Critic (Lionsgate). Conniving Catholic cardinals and an equally manipulative theatre critic are the subjects of these more classical yet unexpectedly entertaining movies. An all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini add credibility as their characters participate in the election of a new pope in Conclave, while queer legend Ian McKellen plays the secretly gay, deliciously vicious writer in The Critic.

Honorable mentions in alphabetical order: The Fall Guy, Kinds of Kindness, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Late Night with the Devil, Lover of Men: The Untold Story of Abraham Lincoln, National Anthem and Sing Sing.

At the other end of the cinematic spectrum are these 2024 movies that most made me want my money, time and/or dignity back after enduring them:

1. Under Paris (Netflix). Super-smart great white sharks invade the French capital. Utterly ridiculous, yet it became a streaming hit that is reportedly getting a sequel.

2. The First Omen (20th Century Studios) and Immaculate (NEON). Evil nuns and priests have become an overused cliché in horror movies. These two entries employ them to the worst, most illogical extremes to date. God should smite the filmmakers.

3. Road House (Amazon/MGM). I don’t think anyone was asking for a remake of the 1989 camp classic that starred the late Patrick Swayze as a bouncer with seemingly mystical abilities. Well, we got a remake anyway with Jake Gyllenhaal stepping into the role. It was far from an improvement.

4. Night Swim (Universal). A family moves into a new house which, unbeknownst to them, features a haunted swimming pool as an amenity. While this plot gets points for originality, it quickly starts to tread water.

5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Warner Bros). The long-running sci-fi action series has finally run out of gas, as proven by this over-the-top, more-of-the-same prequel.

6. Madame Web (Sony). So bad it soured me on the current Marvel offering, Kraven the Hunter, and I would normally watch yummy Aaron Taylor-Johnson in anything (see honorable mention The Fall Guy above).

7. Civil War (A24). It may yet to prove to be a prescient documentary, but this box office hit seemed like a cash grab in light of our country’s political woes by the otherwise reputable British filmmaker, Alex Garland.

Despite whatever ideas the last movie above in particular might inspire, here’s to a happy, healthy, safe, non-revolutionary (but no promises) 2025 for all of us!

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