MD on IG: Psycho Beach Party

If you are in need of a Kool-Aid colored splash of escapist nonsense (and who doesn't these days?) then Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is just the frothy flick for you. From the insanely original minds of its stars/creators Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo comes this campy, crazy, culotte-clad comedy destined for quotable culthood, so see it now to one-up all your friends. Among its many joys (not too mention, to be fair, a few shaggy edges) is the sight of an entirely game for silliness Jamie Dornan embracing his inner goofball while managing to be sexier then all three Fifty Shades movies combined.

MD Rating: 7/10

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is now available for purchase and rental via digital, Blu-ray and DVD.

MD on IG: The Great Puppet Caper

From Disney to Roberto Benigni, Shrek to pornography ("It's not his nose that grows"), Carlo Collodi's no-strings marionette Pinocchio has made his fair share of film appearances. But none has been as faithful to the original tale or as uniquely surreal, yet charmingly matter-of-fact, as Matteo Garrone's recent, Italian language version. With a menagerie that includes a sleepy snail and a talkative tuna (and despite the repeat presence of Benigni, now playing Geppetto), the makeup artists are the real stars here; they will truly make you believe the boy is wood.

MD Rating: 7/10

Now available on home video and digital purchase/rental.

 

Reverend's Reviews: Giving Thanks for New LGBTQ Movies

Ah, November has arrived. The month of cooler temperatures, roasted turkeys and pumpkin pies is here! Unfortunately, traditional Thanksgiving gatherings will be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 prevention efforts. But November remains the start of the holiday season as well as the film industry's annual awards season.

Due to pandemic-related delays, awards season will last longer than usual this year. The current submission and screening deadline for most organizations including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is the end of February 2021, with most awards not being presented until March or April. Three new movies of gay, bi and/or queer interest that are also sparking awards buzz are therefore getting a head start by being released this month. They will play theatrically where possible but will also be available for streaming.

Uncle Frank, from Amazon Studios, is a nostalgic and often heartrending look at the life of a closeted gay man in the early 1970's. It will be available on Amazon Prime beginning November 25th. British actor Paul Bettany, best known as the heroic Vision in various Marvel Universe epics, could be an awards contender for his sensitive performance in the title role. Following his upbringing in conservative South Carolina, Frank has fled to New York City and become a revered literature professor. He also has a longtime but secret partner, Walid, who is warmly portrayed by Peter Macdissi.

Things start to get complicated for Frank when his young niece, Beth (Sophia Lillis, who made a splash as Beverly in the It movies), becomes a student on his NYU campus. She soon discovers that her beloved uncle is gay but accepts him. Things get much more complicated when they receive word of the sudden death of Frank's homophobic father, Beth’s grandfather. Frank, a recovering but vulnerable alcoholic, reluctantly returns home for the funeral with Beth in tow. They undertake a road trip to Creekville, SC, which Walid unexpectedly but eventually joins them on.

Once home, Frank learns he was excluded from his late father's will and, to make matters worse, is forced to finally face a long-buried trauma that he has spent his entire adult life running away from. Many gay men of his generation will be able to relate to this aspect of the script, which was written by Alan Ball. Ball is the out and well-respected creator of TV's Six Feet Under and True Blood, and he won an Oscar for his original screenplay for American Beauty. He also directed Uncle Frank and served as one of its producers.

In addition to providing a great acting showcase for Bettany, the film's excellent supporting cast includes Judy Greer, Steve Zahn and Margo Martindale plus stage and screen veteran Lois Smith, who turns 90 this month. It also features plenty of humor despite its serious subject matter, including the hilarious line: "I'll slap you so hard, your clothes will go out of style!" Uncle Frank should not be missed.

Another new queer release set in the early 1970's is Stardust, a biopic about singer David Bowie's challenging transformation into his androgynous alter ego, Ziggy Stardust. It will also be released on November 25th by IFC Films. Johnny Flynn, who also made an impression in Emma earlier this year, is eerily evocative as young Bowie. He nails the late performer's appearance, voice and mannerisms. Knowing how the Academy loves actors who play musical icons (see Renee Zellweger, who won last year for Judy, and Rami Malek's win as Freddie Mercury the previous year, among many others), Flynn could be a contender for Best Actor this year.

Stardust opens with Bowie's arrival in the United States for the first time in 1971. Although Bowie was popular in Europe, he wasn't yet a name here due to his music being, as described by his manager in the film, "too dark, too weird for the Yanks." He is surprised to discover upon his arrival that his manager failed to arrange the proper visa for him. What Bowie thought was going to be a national singing tour turned out to be a series of radio interviews in largely rural areas that proved less than welcoming.

Bowie was known early on for his gender fluidity in terms of how he dressed, and he came out as bisexual to Playboy magazine in 1976. While Stardust doesn't delve into his sexuality much apart from his open marriage at the time to Angie Barnett (played by Jena Malone), he does decry "bourgeois morality" and is shown as being anything but conventional. Costume designer Julia Patkos does a fabulous job in this regard, re-creating Bowie's outfits and the general fashions of the time.

According to the film, several of Bowie's family members suffered from schizophrenia, including his older brother. He is depicted as terrified of being diagnosed as schizophrenic himself. This fear is what ultimately drove him to develop his Ziggy Stardust persona, who Bowie could separate from himself. The move paid off, making Bowie famous both nationally and internationally. It also led to him becoming an impressive actor in movies and theatre.

Stardust provides considerable insight into Bowie, who died much too soon in 2016. His fans, general music fans, bisexual men and queer viewers will find much to appreciate in the film.

Monsoon is a modern-day story that has already been an awards contender. It will be available from Strand Releasing on November 13th. Cambodian writer-director Hong Khaou's reflective drama was nominated for Best Picture in 2019 at both the Athens International Film Festival and Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. It has been well received this year at Outfest, NewFest and other LGBTQ film festivals here in the US.

The very hot Henry Golding of Crazy Rich Asians fame plays Kit, a gay British-Vietnamese man. He returns to Saigon from London for the first time since he was six years old, when his family fled the country in the aftermath of the Vietnam-American war. Sadly, he has come home to lay his late mother's ashes to rest. He re-connects there with Lee, his estranged second cousin, and arranges an online date that turns into something more with Lewis (Parker Sawyers, who previously played a young Barack Obama in Southside With You). Lewis is a sexy clothing designer preparing to open his first shop in Vietnam. As Kit struggles to make sense of himself in a country he's no longer familiar with, hooking up with some other men along the way, his personal journey opens up new possibilities for friendship, love and happiness.

Khaou's perceptive screenplay tackles many issues in a generally subtle way. These include enduring conflicts between the East and West including acceptance (or not) of different sexual orientations, as well as racial and generational differences. John Cummings' striking music score also deserves mention. Monsoon emerges as an intelligent and touching film, well worth watching after a hearty Thanksgiving dinner.

Although it doesn't have any LGBTQ content, the amazing Shadow in the Cloud has two other things going for it: gremlins and Chloë Grace Moretz. It is also an unquestionably feminist suspense-adventure film. I caught its North American premiere during last month's online AFI Film Festival and I am so glad I did! This New Zealand production directed by Roseanne Liang is one of the most genuinely exciting and entertaining films I've seen in several years.

Gremlins haven't been seen on movie screens since the 1984 classic bearing the mischievous creatures' name. Prior to that, they were primarily known for their memorable appearance in the original Twilight Zone TV series and its 1983 movie adaptation. But prior to that, they were to blame by World War II pilots for any mishaps that occurred with their planes during flight.

Shadow in the Cloud goes back to the source of this aviation legend. Moretz (Kick-Ass, Hugo, Greta) plays Maude Garrett, an alleged military officer with more than a few secrets who is assigned to a flight aboard the aptly-named "Fool's Errand" carrying a top-secret package. As the only female on board, the plane's crew of male chauvinists make her sit alone in one of the gun turrets.

It isn't long before Maude finds herself face to face – literally – with a human-sized, bat-like creature hellbent on tearing the plane apart. Naturally, the men above don't believe her until the gremlin starts picking them off one by one. The action becomes increasingly, deliriously over the top as Maude extricates herself and takes charge. The camera rarely leaves Moretz, and she makes Maude the fiercest movie heroine since Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley in the Alien series! This is not hyperbole.

Written by Max Landis (son of director John Landis), Shadow in the Cloud features solid performances all around as well as terrific special effects and an awesome, retro 80's music score by Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper that does John Carpenter and his frequent collaborator Alan Howarth proud. I loooove this movie and hope it gets a US release soon!

It's hard to believe that Requiem for a Dream is 20 years old. Darren Aronofsky's horrific yet poetic adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr's novel about how addiction sabotages four people's pursuit of their dreams was released last month on an anniversary-edition 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack for the first time, courtesy of Lionsgate. This hi def transfer makes the film and Matthew Libatique's cinematography that much more vivid.

For me, the heartbreaking highlight of the movie remains Ellen Burstyn's Oscar-nominated performance as Sara Goldfarb, a widowed woman yearning for recognition late in life. This leads her to first develop an addiction to television and then on "upper" diet pills. A young Jared Leto plays her heroin junkie son, with Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans in fine form as his doomed friends. It is not a pretty nor uplifting picture but talent shines throughout both on screen and behind the scenes.

New special features on this home video release include audio commentaries by Aronofsky and Libatique, an interview of Burstyn, deleted scenes and a featurette on the film's memorable music score by Clint Mansell and Kronos Quartet (which sounds especially good in this transfer's Dolby Atmos sound mix). While not for the faint of heart, Requiem for a Dream endures as a cautionary classic.

Reverend's Ratings:
Uncle Frank: B
Stardust: B+
Monsoon: A-
Shadow in the Cloud: A
Requiem for a Dream (20th anniversary home video release): B+

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

Reverend's Preview: Outfest 2020 Goes Hybrid

 

There are hybrid plants, hybrid animals, even hybrid cars. But a hybrid LGBTQ film festival? That's how Outfest Los Angeles is billing itself this year in light of our present, socially-distanced circumstances. LA's largest and oldest film fest, also considered the preeminent LGBTQ fest in the world, is scheduled to take place August 20th-30th.

Presented by Warner Media, Outfest 2020 will feature ten days of LGBTQ movies, panel discussions with filmmakers and celebrities, and numerous special events. It will take advantage of the latest "hybrid" opportunities in streaming/digital, at-home, and in-person (as allowed) events that will make the fest accessible to a global audience for the first time in its history. Each previous summer, Outfest has screened more than 200 feature and short films from around the world to an audience of more than 50,000 people in venues throughout Los Angeles. This year's program is being promoted as "Out Where You Are" in recognition of the current difficulty of having so many people gather together in person.

"The Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival was born out of an era of advocacy, understanding that the only way we would ever see ourselves reflected three-dimensionally in entertainment was if we found a way for storytellers to find visibility," according to organizers. "As the channels, audiences, and the marginalization and acceptance of our community shifts, so shall we."

Readers can visit the Outfest website for up-to-date information, as well as to purchase a full-festival online viewing pass at the low price of $59. Each film or program will be available to watch for 72 hours after its premiere. I was able to preview several features to be screened including Cured, which will be making its world premiere on August 24th. This eye-opening documentary is directed by Bennett Singer (Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin) and Patrick Sammon (Codebreaker), and was co-produced by Outfest's former Executive Director, Christopher Racster. It illuminates a pivotal yet largely unknown chapter in the struggle for LGBTQ equality: the years-long campaign that led the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to finally remove homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses in 1973.

Homosexuality was listed in the APA's first edition of "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM) in 1952, based on limited studies of people institutionalized in prisons and psychiatric hospitals. This was subsequently used to enforce laws against LGBTQ relations, and generations of US school children were taught that being LGBTQ was "a sickness." Most psychiatrists turned a blind eye to important studies by Sigmund Freud and Alfred Kinsey arguing that homosexuality was not a mental illness.

As depicted in Cured via vintage film footage as well as more recent interviews with participants and witnesses, several pioneers in the gay rights movement saw it as essential to take on the APA. This was especially true in the wake of the Stonewall riots. As lesbian activist Barbara Gittings recognized, "Nothing would ever change as long as we were burdened with the 'sickness' label." Gittings was joined by Mattachine Society head Frank Kameny, GLAAD co-founder Ron Gold and others in storming the APA's annual meetings and demanding dialogue on the subject of homosexuality.

Despite the vociferous opposition of Dr. Charles Socarides, who remained anti-gay even after his own son came out to him, this dialogue led within a few years to the removal of homosexuality from the DSM. Ironically, Cured reveals that the current head of the APA, Dr. Saul Levin, is openly gay. The documentary serves as a strong, timely testament to the power of persistence and righteous anger to affect change.

A delightfully different, narrative movie that will also be an official selection at the fest is Dramarama. This semi-autobiographical dramedy by Jonathan Wysocki is set in Escondido at the end of summer, 1994. Five longtime friends and recent high school grads gather for an overnight Victorian murder-mystery party before heading their separate ways to college. The fact that all of them were involved in theatre together adds a hilariously over-the-top element to the proceedings.

Among this group of three girls and two boys is the closeted Gene, who is questioning not only his sexuality but his faith. He is attracted to his best friend, Oscar, as well as a local pizza delivery guy. Tensions, sexual and otherwise, bubble up throughout the friends' final night together. Dramarama is well worth seeing for Wysocki's smart script, abundant references to early-90's pop culture, a fun Danny Elfman-esque music score by Chanda Dancy, and the terrific performances given by its talented, fresh-faced cast.

Two other noteworthy films that will be screened during Outfest are Dry Wind and No Hard Feelings. "Hybrid" is a good term to describe the storytelling and/or characters in these features. Dry Wind incorporates hardcore pornography in its narrative at times, while the lead character in No Hard Feelings is often conflicted between his Iranian ethnicity but German citizenship.

Dry Wind, from Brazil, weaves a sensual tale from its Speedo-filled opening minutes to a climactic three-way. Sandro (a bold performance by Leandro Faria Lelo) is a middle-aged gay man drawn to two younger co-workers at the fertilizer plant where he works. He is also drawn to numerous fetishes including leather, motorcycles, piercings, sportswear and tattoos. Talented writer-director Daniel Nolasco references both Tom of Finland and Alfred Hitchcock in this vibrant, voyeuristic drama that features abundant full-frontal nudity and explicit gay sex.

No Hard Feelings focuses on Parvis (played by the charismatic Benny Radjaipour), a young gay man born to Iranian refugees in Hanover, Germany. After getting in some legal trouble, Parvis is assigned to complete community service hours at a local center for migrants. There he meets handsome, closeted Amon and his sister, who are both from Iran. Parvis and Amon slowly grow close to each other and embark on a genuinely sexy, ultimately tender relationship despite the threat of deportation that hangs over Amon and his sister. Faraz Shariat's admirably complex film is also a colorful, music-filled celebration of Iranian culture.

There will be many more can't-miss LGBTQ films shown during Outfest 2020, so be sure to participate from wherever you are!

If you're in the mood for some non-LGBTQ but creepy and thought-provoking sci-fi, Sputnik is newly available on demand from IFC Midnight. This Russian riff on Alien and its cinematic ilk is set in 1983 Kazakhstan while the Cold War between the USSR and US was still raging. After something goes wrong during their flight, a space capsule returns to Earth with only one survivor: the handsome commanding officer, Konstantin (Pyotr Fyodorov). Unfortunately, Konstantin claims to have amnesia and can't remember what happened.

Dr. Tatiana Klimova, a disgraced but perceptive psychiatrist well-played by Oksana Akinshina, is brought in to assess the survivor. She diagnosis Konstantin with PTSD but also discovers he has been infected by an alien parasite or symbiote that emerges from his body at night. It falls to Tatiana and the increasingly aware Konstantin to outwit their military captors, who naturally want to weaponize the creature.

Sputnik's director, Egor Abramenko, imbues the film with both a heart and conscience in addition to its accurate evocation of Soviet-era politics, science and military. While it is a creature feature on the surface, Sputnik serves as a potent allegory for the experience of being abandoned and/or adopted. It also offers a memorable twist on what might constitute a body-invading alien's main diet. The movie is gory in spots, which will please some horror/sci-fi fans, but there's more going on here.

Returning to new gay-themed films brings me to Simon Amstell's Benjamin, which will be released August 25th on DVD and VOD by Artsploitation Films. The title character, known as "Benji" to his limited friends, is a British filmmaker with a philosophical bent. He is also gay, depressed, insecure and romantically drawn to "thin boys on stage."

It is this latter trait that initially connects Benjamin and Noah, a young French singer he meets at a party. Soon after, though, Benji is confronted with the flop of his latest movie as well as his seductive (and very attractive) co-star, Harry. Will he finally grow up and become "a real boy" not unlike Pinocchio, or will Benjamin succumb to his insecurities?

Some of these plot points have been previously covered in other, better gay films but Benjamin benefits from a self-effacing sense of humor as well as good performances. Colin Morgan, perhaps best known as star of the 2008-2012 TV series Merlin, is plenty likable and at times deeply touching in Benjamin's title role. Amstell's screenplay also provides some reflective commentary on personhood and the self. Streaming the film is nothing to feel insecure about.

Reverend's Ratings:
Cured: A-
Dramarama: B+
Dry Wind: B
No Hard Feelings: B+
Sputnik: B
Benjamin: B-

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

Reverend's Reviews: We Need a Little Christmas Now

2020 is half over and I'm not sure whether to say "oh my God" or "thank you God"! It was already a dreadful year for me personally even before the COVID-19 pandemic due to my mother's death in early January and the fallout from that. So, as Auntie Mame famously declared at the height of the Great Depression: "We need a little Christmas now!" Yes, five months early.

Filmmakers and streamers have been happy to oblige. First and foremost, Disney+ moved up its anticipated premiere of Hamilton, the filmed version of Broadway's smash musical, by more than a year and just in time for Independence Day. It doesn't contain any Yuletide elements but its premature availability is itself a great holiday gift. I was unsuccessful at seeing it on stage so I'm thrilled to have finally watched this truly fantastic edition (being referred to by fans as "Hamilfilm") culled from three performances in 2016 and starring the original New York cast including Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show's deservedly acclaimed creator.

Alexander the Great

Unless one has spent the last five years living under a rock, you should be aware that Hamilton tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton through a multi-ethnic cast and decidedly modern musical approach. It won multiple 2016 Tony Awards including Best Musical as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Brilliantly adapted by Miranda from Ron Chernow's straightforward biographical book, it is compelling theatre imaginatively directed by Tony winner Thomas Kail. While I'm not as enthusiastic about Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography, which is hip hop-inspired but often strikes me as herky-jerky in all his projects, it is undeniably energetic.

Kail also direct the current film effectively, but one must bear in mind that this is a high-def, edited recording of a live stage performance rather than an opened-up movie. (A true "Hamilfilm" could yet happen down the road.) As such, I wish Kail and crew would have eliminated the audience's reactions. I don't like being "cued" when to applaud, laugh, sing along, etc. while watching a movie. When one is actually sitting in a Broadway theater, a viewer is an active part of the audience and participates with them as well as the performers on stage. The same dynamic simply doesn't exist while watching a recording alone from one's sofa, and it is silly to try to re-create it at home.

The Badness of King George

That being said, Hamilton on Disney+ is chock full of incredible music, dramatic moments and great performances. The entire original Broadway cast can be enjoyed here including Tony winners Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler), and Daveed Diggs (Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson). Also on display is out actor Jonathan Groff's deliciously funny appearance as King George III, who had left the production before it was filmed but was invited back for this special occasion. Since my experience of Hamilton before now was limited to the cast recording, I was unprepared for Groff's dishy, non-singing involvement in "The Reynolds Pamphlet" sequence. Simply hilarious!

The production is beautifully photographed by Declan Quinn (Leaving Las Vegas, In America) and sharply edited by Jonah Moran (Fosse/Verdon, Mars). Nowhere is their artistry more apparent than during the showstopper "The Room Where It Happens." With Broadway and many theaters around the world currently closed, the opportunity to view this Hamilton is a true gift... even if one's living room is the room where it happens.

The Family Tree is a new queer movie actually set during several successive Christmas seasons. Written, directed, and even edited by indie Panamanian filmmaker Jorge Ameer (Sabor tropical, D'Agostino, Oasis), it is an unexpectedly affecting melodrama now starting to make film festival rounds. Theatrical and home video releases are also being planned.

One night before Christmas, animal rescuer Victor (played with abundant compassion by Keith Roenke) stumbles across the robbed and beaten body of a man in his neighborhood. We come to learn he is Roy, an undocumented and homeless but not unattractive American played by Michael Joseph Nelson. Victor takes him in and nurses him back to health, learning Roy's story in the meantime. Although both men are straight, Victor eventually offers to marry Roy so he can stay in Panama. Roy is initially reluctant but realizes he has no other options. They get civilly married on Christmas Eve, then ironically start falling in love with each other.

The men's relationship becomes more complicated when Roy goes to work for and eventually falls in love with Victor's female bff, Alina (Anaïs Lucia). They get engaged so Roy and Victor get divorced. Soon after their marriage, however, Roy learns that he is infertile. Alina wants to have a baby, so Roy and Alina ask Victor to father their child "naturally" with Roy present to provide romantic inspiration to Victor. Tragedy strikes in time (have Kleenex handy) but the trio's love for one another lives on.

While the performances in The Family Tree are at times amateurish and Ameer's dialogue can be simplistic, this is a heartfelt story heightened by its holiday setting. The film features warm, colorful cinematography by James Brown as well as handsome lead actors and some tasteful male nudity. Editing is Ameer's weakest skill, as this movie's slow pace and running time of 130 minutes prove. Still, The Family Tree is unique, sensitive and memorable.

If Martin Scorsese were to direct a gay-themed prison flick, it might look something like Sebastián Muñoz's The Prince (El Principe). The movie won the prestigious Queer Lion award at last year's Venice Film Festival and is newly available on DVD, Blu-ray and streaming services courtesy of Artsploitation Films.

Set in a Chilean prison during the 1970's Allende era, The Prince echoes Jean Genet's sexually explicit short film Un Chant D'amour and Fassbinder's provocative Querelle in its exploration of male desire under oppressive conditions. Attractive, 20-year old Jaime ends up incarcerated after stabbing his friend to death while in a drunken, jealous rage. He is assigned to a cell with four other men including the domineering Ricardo, aka "The Stud" (although he is referred to as "The Stallion" in promo materials), plus a cat named Plato.

Ricardo takes Jaime under his wing and provides him protection in return for sexual services. While Jaime becomes attracted to another young, similarly kept inmate, he also falls truly in love with Ricardo. Some gentle romantic and comedic moments brighten the generally hellish environment and proceedings. The movie also provides a potent evocation of community, with its requisite tensions and intimacies, losses and celebrations.

The Prince serves as Muñoz's narrative feature directing debut after two decades working as an art director and production designer. His visual skills are impressive but so is his ability with actors. Juan Carlos Maldonado is sexy and sympathetic in the title role, while Alfredo Castro gives a nicely nuanced performance as the cat- and boy-loving "Stud." This is a great movie for gay men to watch while potentially feeling incarcerated at home.

I referenced Genet's infamous Un Chant D'amour above but was only recently able to watch the complete 1950 short thanks to another "Christmas in July" gift: Pink Label TV, a new, adult-oriented streaming service. It provides access to many hard-to-find independent and erotic films in numerous categories including "Boygasms", "The Feminine Porn Gaze", "POC (People of Color) Porn" and "Edu-porn."

Like Un Chant D'amour, many of the movies available on Pink Label TV have historic, sociological and/or artistic significance. This is especially true of "The Bressan Project", which spotlights new 2K digital restorations of two pre-AIDS gay features by Arthur J. Bressan, Jr. The pioneering filmmaker died of AIDS complications in 1987 but not before making Buddies, the first feature film about AIDS, in 1985.

Passing Strangers (1974), available now, tells the unexpectedly romantic tale of an 18-year old man, Robert, who is struggling to come out in San Francisco. He replies to a newspaper romance ad (remember those?) from Tom, a 26-year old looking to settle down from his cruising lifestyle. They begin exchanging letters in between graphic sex scenes with other men, and eventually meet at a local gay beach.

The film is initially shot in black and white but it changes to color à la The Wizard of Oz once Tom and Robert meet in person. It is badly dubbed and features some laughably dated camera shots and techniques as well as a weird music score. However, Passing Strangers was ahead of its time in its open and honest depiction of the cruising lifestyle and the desire by some gay men for a true romance. As the older, experienced Tom writes, "I want to love someone." It's simple but somewhat groundbreaking for the time. From today's perspective, the movie gives a glimpse at a time that was at once more hedonistic yet more innocent for gay men. It is also historically significant for Bressan's inclusion of footage from the very first San Francisco Gay Freedom Parade, which he shot in 1972.

Bressan's Forbidden Letters (1979) will be available in August. It becomes apparent soon after the start of this legal drama with porn interludes that the director's technique improved in the five years since Passing Strangers. Definitely worth checking out next month on Pink Label TV.

Reverend's Ratings:
Hamilton: A-
The Family Tree: B
The Prince (El Principe): B+
Passing Strangers and Forbidden Letters: B

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

Reverend's Reviews: Pictures for a Pandemic Pride

Happy socially-distanced Pride, everyone! Viruses, rioters and looters may be abundant nowadays but we in the LGBTQ community must do the best we can to celebrate. It is interesting to note that Pride month each year commemorates a riot, a street protest in June, 1969 that was sparked when bar patrons at New York City's Stonewall Inn, led by trans people of color, fought back against routine police violence. Over the next six days, the small band of patrons were joined by 1,000 protestors who clashed in the streets with police and energized the movement for LGBTQ equality.

Sadly, today also marks four years since the Pulse massacre in Orlando, Florida. We must take a moment to remember the 49 lives senselessly stolen at the popular gathering place for young LGBTQ people. Out today in virtual release via Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles and others is a powerful new documentary, For They Know Not What They Do, that incorporates one Pulse survivor's story. The film is Daniel Karslake's sequel to his 2007 film For the Bible Tells Me So and continues the exploration of how religion has been used to oppress many LGBTQ individuals. Thankfully, it also shines a hopeful light on the growing number of conservative Christian parents who are becoming more accepting and supportive of their "sinful" children.

Karslake provides intimate, sympathetic portraits of four US families. One is an evangelical Christian married couple who struggled with both a gay brother/brother-in-law and their own gay son, the latter of whom became involved in the "ex-gay" reparative therapy movement with tragic results. Another couple confronted the difficult reality that their daughter is transgender; she is today political activist Sarah McBride. A bi-racial Christian couple similarly struggles to accept their transgender son.

And then there is the Hispanic Catholic family with a gay son and grandson, Vico. His traditional, Puerto Rican grandmother was the more resistant to Vico's sexuality but she grows to a greater understanding after Vico survived the 2016 Pulse shooting. Tragically, several of his friends were killed or wounded that night. One can't not be moved by this family's story.

For They Know Not What They Do incorporates appearances by such anti-LGBTQ stalwarts as Pat Robertson, Focus on the Family, and Exodus International. But there are also powerful, unexpected statements of support for our community from some Protestant Evangelical clergy and congregations. The film is ultimately uplifting, proving that "conversion" of hearts and minds is possible for those anti-LGBTQ folks who need it most. For more information about how to watch it, visit the First Run Features website.

Suspense writer Shirley Jackson hasn't been widely regarded as an LGBT pioneer despite the presence of some such-oriented characters in her books, notably The Haunting of Hill House. This perception is sure to change thanks to Shirley, the new biopic/psycho-drama now available on Hulu and other streaming services. Director Josephine Decker won a Special Jury Award for Auteur Filmmaking at January's Sundance Film Festival, while Elisabeth Moss gives a spellbinding performance as the neurotic author that is already gaining her end-of-the-year awards talk.

In the film, Shirley resides with her husband Stanley (played by the reliably great Michael Stuhlbarg) on the campus of the women's college at which he teaches. She already has a successful writing career but is struggling with her new work. That is, until a young married couple arrive to temporarily live with Shirley and Stanley. Fred (handsome Logan Lerman) is Stanley's new teaching assistant, and his wife Rose (a strong turn by Odessa Young) is expecting their first child.

There are obvious shades of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as the hosts begin to play seductive mind games on their unsuspecting boarders. Interestingly, Fred and Rose increasingly become like Stanley and Shirley. The film also features lesbian interactions between Shirley and Rose as well as resonant feminist commentary. Decker makes it all Gothic and occasionally morbid à la Jackson's stories. Shirley is both insightful and creepily entertaining.

Darren Coyle's Chasing Sunshine offers a decidedly lighter take on not only lesbian relations but the state of modern love in general. Though made in 2018, it is newly available for streaming via Amazon and other sites. Set in San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles area, this romantic comedy centers on struggling actress Darcy (a winning performance by out actress Kassie Thornton, who sports an "It Gets Better" t-shirt throughout).

When Darcy discovers a note she believes to be from her secret admirer slid under her door, she embarks on what becomes an increasingly wacky scavenger hunt. Being car-less, however, forces Darcy to recruit her best friend's boyfriend, Jack (Trevor Penick, very funny), as her driver. The enjoyably mismatched duo have discussions and debates as they drive to each new clue. They also pick up Jack's occasional Lyft clients, who provide some of the film's funniest moments.

Coyle has a good eye for offbeat SoCal locations as well as a good ear, as evidenced by David Ricard's jaunty, a cappella bebop score. Chasing Sunshine is at times perceptive, at times silly but a feel-good flick worth checking out during Pride month.

Last but not least among new movie offerings for Pride is Boys on Film 20: Heaven Can Wait. This latest assortment of gay-themed shorts from around the world is out now on VOD and DVD from Peccadillo Pictures. Of note, the Boys on Film collection is now at 20 years the world's longest-running short film series.

While the 11 shorts offered here are consistently good, two of them – Just Me and Mine – are decidedly downbeat. Another pair, Chromophobie and Manivald, are noteworthy for their unique animated takes on gay life. Don't Blame Jack serves as the 29-minute centerpiece of this 2 1/2-hour showcase. It is the sensitively-written and -performed story of a bipolar man failing to find stability, until he happens to meet an understanding (and sexy) new guy.

I really liked the visually-impressive Mankind, about a gay man, Will, who is accepted as a finalist for the first manned mission to Mars. It will be a one-way trip, however, which is unhappy news to Will's lover. And this collection's finale, The World in Your Window, is a touching must-see about an 8-year old boy struggling to console his father in the wake of his mother's death. He gets unanticipated help from a tough, tattooed neighbor.

Whether you'll be venturing out or staying in, there are numerous safe ways to celebrate Pride!

Reverend's Ratings:
For They Know Not What They Do: A-
Shirley: B+
Chasing Sunshine: B-
Boys on Film 20: Heaven Can Wait: B

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

Reverend's Reviews: Au Revoir, Hollywoodland

Once upon a time, there was a magical kingdom called Hollywoodland. It was a place where dreams came true... at least for some. The kingdom's name was later shortened to Hollywood but it continues to exist in Southern California today. There isn't a lot going on there right now though, so I recommend a trip back in time with the help of out megaproducer Ryan Murphy.

Murphy's stylish new historical fantasy Hollywood is now streaming on Netflix. It centers on an ethnically- and sexually-diverse group of actors and filmmakers trying to break into the film industry in the aftermath of World War II. This was the era when the world-famous Hollywood sign actually read "Hollywoodland" until 1949. While some of the series' characters are fictional or fictionalized, many players during the "golden age" of movies are included: closeted actor Rock Hudson; actresses Vivien Leigh, Anna May Wong and Tallulah Bankhead; gay director George Cukor; and African-American Oscar winner Hattie McDaniel (reincarnated here by Queen Latifah).

The show also draws considerable inspiration from the late Scotty Bowers' memoir "Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars". Bowers was a former Marine who ran a Los Angeles gas station that ended up as a front for celebrities (male and female) looking to hire young men for, shall we say, private entertainment. The leading men in Hollywood all start out working or connecting at the Golden Tip, a service station run by the Bowers-esque Ernie West (a dapper and funny Dylan McDermott).

All end up drawn to a biopic – written by a black and gay screenwriter played by the sexy Jeremy Pope – inspired by the real-life story of Peg Entwistle. The frustrated actress famously committed suicide at the age of 24 by jumping from the "H" of the old Hollywoodland sign. When the film's first-time director campaigns for his African-American girlfriend to play the title role in Peg, it sparks not only a dramatic metamorphosis of the project but the entire industry.

I've heard from some Hollywood viewers who have been confused by Murphy's approach in mixing the real and fictional here. “I wanted to do something where I gave some, if not all, of these people a happy ending,” Murphy recently told Time magazine. “How do I make a commentary on the power of Hollywood to change hearts and minds? I decided to put together a fictional alternative-universe Hollywood and then populated it with some real people, and other fictional characters loosely based on real people.” What most struck me about his series, though, is how it reveals the gay "power behind the throne" of the old studio system. Its mostly Jewish founders along with (albeit closeted) gay men truly made the film industry what it became.

The show's cast comprised of both seasoned veterans and talented newcomers is excellent. In addition to the previously mentioned Latifah and McDermott, there's Patti Lupone as a studio head's wife who unexpectedly ends up in charge, Jim Parsons as a viciously manipulative talent manager, Holland Taylor as a casting director, Darren Criss as Peg's bi-racial director, Mira Sorvino as an aging actress, Michelle Krusiec as the criminally neglected Anna May Wong and, best of all, stage actor-director Joe Mantello as a closeted studio exec. Jake Picking makes an impression as Rock Hudson despite looking and sounding little like him, but David Corenswet proves to be the real deal as fictional lead character Jack Castello.

Entertaining and sexy, Hollywood is also uneven in tone at times (like most of Murphy's oeuvre) and has some melodramatic elements that verge on camp. However, it ends on a powerfully retro-hopeful note. Women, gay men and people of color end up in power positions that are still denied to too many of us even today. It's sad that the series' vision remains more a fantasy than reality.

Speaking of melodramatic, the gay-themed 1967 movie Reflections in a Golden Eye has just been released on Blu-ray for the first time courtesy of the Warner Bros. Archive Collection. Although it is an adaptation of Southern writer Carson McCullers' 1947 novel about secret passions on a US Army base, the film plays more like Tennessee Williams. This is heightened by the presence of lead actors Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor, who previously headlined screen versions of several of Williams' famous plays including A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

In Reflections, Brando plays Major Weldon Penderton. The buttoned-up officer becomes smitten with handsome young Private Williams, who is given to nude horseback riding and sunbathing so who wouldn't become smitten? Williams is played by Robert Forster (who passed away last year) in his film debut. Meanwhile, Penderton's flamboyant, party-throwing wife Leonora (Taylor) is having an affair with another officer played by Brian Keith. I laughed out loud when I read the salacious copy on the Blu-ray's cover: "In the loosest sense he is her husband... and in the loosest way she is his wife!"

The movie was given prestige cred by the great director John Huston and renowned producer Ray Stark, who would later re-team, somewhat oddly, on the 1982 film version of Annie. Unfortunately, too much is left unexplained about Reflections' main characters for it to be satisfying, despite featuring what may be Brando's most vulnerable performance on screen; his Southern accent is sometimes unintelligible though. Another plus is the cinematography by Aldo Tonti and an uncredited Oswald Morris. Of note, the movie was initially released with a gold hue throughout, which Huston intended, but the studio replaced it with full color prints one week later. The Blu-ray includes remastered versions of both the golden and regular versions. Reflections in a Golden Eye is primarily worth watching today for this visual novelty.

Of course, Hollywood hasn't been the exclusive domain of filmmakers for some time now. Today marks the virtual theatrical opening in Los Angeles and elsewhere of New French Shorts 2020, the latest collection in an annual showcase of some of the most exciting new short films and cinematic voices from France. Online ticket purchases for this nearly 150-minute program will help support currently closed art house theaters across the US. For a full list of cities and theaters that will benefit, visit the KinoMarquee website.

These seven shorts run the gamut from animation to absurdist comedy with a substantial dose of queer romance, and include award winners from the Cannes Film Festival, Locarno, Palm Springs ShortFest and more. The program's two gay tales are well worth watching. The Distance Between Us and the Sky involves a meeting of two young men at a remote gas station in Greece. While one fills up his motorcycle, the other haggles provocatively for some euros so he can get home to Athens. While Vasilis Kekatos' film is sexually charged, it ends on a very sweet and romantic note. It won both the Short Film Palme d'Or and the Queer Palme at Cannes in 2019.

Marine Leveel's Magnetic Harvest (La traction de pôles, which may serve as a double entendre) is the second gay short. Lonely farmer Mika is busily searching for a lost pig and trying to get his organic farming certification. The return of his longtime but platonic friend, Paul, might just provide Mika a respite from looking for love online. Time and circumstance will tell. Both lead actors as well as Mika's hookup are attractive in a refreshingly naturalistic way. This film is a charmer, but all of this year's French Shorts selections are well worth checking out.

Reverend's Ratings:
Hollywood: B+
Reflections in a Golden Eye: C
New French Shorts 2020: B+

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

Reverend's Reviews: Concerned & Conflicted

The adjectives above might apply to me or they might apply to the subjects of the films I'm reviewing this week, or both. Read on to find out which!

I am personally concerned that the best movie I've seen thus far this truncated cinema year isn't getting the wide theatrical release it would have received if not for the current coronavirus pandemic. True History of the Kelly Gang (IFC Films) is now available to rent or purchase digitally, and I'm happy to report it will be playing exclusively on the big screen in the Los Angeles area for at least the next week at the Mission Tiki 4 Drive-In in Montclair.

Ned Kelly has long been celebrated in his native Australia as a folk hero. Essentially the Down Under version of Robin Hood or Jesse James, he and his devoted band of followers fought to drive the British out and restore the land to its native citizens during the 1870's. Alas, Kelly was ultimately executed for his efforts. A number of previous movies have presumed to tell his story but none have taken such an intimate, sexually-fluid approach as Justin Kurzel's impressive new production.

Adapted from the Booker Prize-winning historical novel by Peter Carey, it stars George MacKay as the title outlaw. If his lead role in last year's Oscar-nominated 1917 didn't make MacKay a star following prior impressive performances in Pride and Captain Fantastic, this movie should... so long as enough people see it. He remains charismatic but is also downright sexy here, with numerous nearly-nude scenes revealing his chiseled physique. There is no shortage of male nudity in True History of the Kelly Gang, with Nicholas Hoult and Charlie Hunnam showing off what God gave them too. There is also no shortage of men wearing women's clothing, as that was a prime tactic Kelly and his men took to throw off their male-establishment pursuers. Finally, Kelly is shown as enjoying a gay-ish relationship with his best friend as they sleep together and caress each other for warmth, maybe more.

The film's great, mostly Aussie cast also includes Essie Davis (The Babadook, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries) and Oscar winner Russell Crowe, who sings in one scene much more impressively than he did in Les Misérables. I also admired director Kurzel's gender-bending approach as well as Ari Wegner's vibrant, sepia-toned cinematography and the percussive music score by Jed Kurzel. This is a movie that deserves to be seen in whatever format one can find it.

New on Netflix this week is the provocative, revealing Circus of Books. Directed by Rachel Mason, the documentary focuses on her own parents. Barry and Karen Mason were an unassuming straight married couple with three young children in 1982, when they became the owners of West Hollywood's most popular destination for gay porn until it closed just last year. Can you say "conflicted"?

The film details multiple aspects of WeHo's gay history starting with police raids on local gay bars in 1967 and subsequent protests that pre-dated 1969's Stonewall uprising. Indeed, Circus of Books was originally the New Faces gay bar, which then became Book Circus for a number of years until the Masons bought it and flipped the words around. They soon became the biggest international distributors of gay porn almost despite themselves. It wasn't long before the initially ignorant Barry and Karen found themselves at one of the epicenters of the AIDS pandemic as well as anti-obscenity persecutions under the Reagan administration.

Rachel, the documentarian, takes an admirably objective approach to their "family business" until things become more uniquely personal. It turns out that her brother Josh, one of Barry and Karen's two sons, is gay. When Josh came out to his parents during his college years, he was met with resistance from his mother, a devout Jew. Raised to believe homosexuality was "an abomination," Karen concluded "God must be punishing me for owning this business" when one of her sons turned out to be gay. She later recognized her hypocrisy and both she and Barry became involved in PFLAG.

In addition to the fascinating family history and dynamics uncovered in Circus of Books, it features entertaining new interviews with the likes of former gay porn superstar Jeff Stryker (who still looks great), longtime porn publisher Larry Flynt and current drag star Alaska, who at one point worked at the store. This is one documentary that truly has to be seen to be believed.

JUST ANNOUNCED: Outfest invites all to join a live stream Q&A with Chi Chi LaRue, Buck Angel and director Rachel Mason tonight at 7:00 pm PST as they take you on a journey discovering how LA's queer adult industry came into existence to the players who helped champion sexual, human and LGBTQ rights, as well as the many who were lost before we could recognize their efforts. Join the conversation on @Outfest's Twitter, Facebook Live and YouTube Live.

Concerned characters and conflicted feelings are at the heart of the new gay-themed Israeli film, 15 Years (available on VOD and DVD from Breaking Glass Pictures). That's how long Yoav and Dan have been partners. Despite their relationship being open, which Dan takes more advantage of, they appear happy at the story's start. Things start to change, though, when their longtime friend Alma announces she is pregnant. It gets Dan talking about he and Yoav having a child, which Yoavi declares he is absolutely opposed to due to his negative experience with his own parents. Things quickly go downhill from there for the couple.

15 Years is a mature, perceptive tale. It is sensitively written and directed by Yuval Hadadi, with fine performances by the attractive Oded Leopold and Udi Persi as Yoav and Dan, respectively. It also won the Best Narrative Feature Award at last year's Chicago Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival. I found some of the characters' motivations a bit murky or confusing as the movie progressed, and the ending is particularly so. Still, its worth checking out during these "shelter in place" days.

Reverend's Ratings:
True History of the Kelly Gang: A-
Circus of Books: B+
15 Years: B

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

Reverend's Reviews: COVID Home Vid

 

Like most of my fellow Americans, I've been living under a "shelter in place" order the last few weeks thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Working primarily from home, however, has given me the opportunity to catch up on a lot of online, streaming, and backlogged home video releases. When life gives you lemons, you gotta make lemonade!

I have enjoyed a number of streaming series. My fave is Amazon Prime's Hunters, a rooted-in-fact account of a diverse group of people out to exterminate surviving World War II Nazis hiding out in America circa 1977. It boasts a terrific cast (including Al Pacino, Logan Lerman, Lena Olin, Dylan Baker in a viciously villainous turn, and the ever-delightful Carol Kane), taut plotting, and great period details plus occasional musical numbers and faux theatrical trailers or public service announcements. The plot, which includes a lesbian romance, gets increasingly strained and less rooted-in-fact by season one's end (there's a huge climactic spoiler I so want to reveal but won't). Still, Hunters proves to be a rip-roaring, occasionally – yet appropriately – harrowing, and at times deeply moving show.

My brief takes on a few other series I've binged recently:

War of the Worlds (Epix), a modern-day adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic tale of alien invasion. It is slow-building but creepily effective, even as it replaces the original story's hulking warships with diminutive, dog-like invaders. After a few episodes, you won't be able to get their mechanized walking sound out of your mind. There are a lot of intelligent twists and turns added to Wells' foundation, and the impressive international cast includes Gabriel Byrne, Elizabeth McGovern, Lea Drucker and hunky Adel Bencherif.

Pennyworth (also on Epix) is a thoroughly enjoyable Batman prequel/spinoff that details the origins of Bruce Wayne's trusted bodyguard/butler/personal assistant more popularly known by his first name, Alfred. Set in swinging 1960's London, the title character is personified by the sexily confident Jack Bannon. He must thwart a plot to prevent a hostile takeover of Great Britain led by three great villains played by Jason Flemying, Polly Walker and a delectably funny-nasty (and sapphic) Paloma Faith. Handsomely produced and smartly written throughout.

Thanks to online chat, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness (Netflix) has proven to be the water-cooler smash of the season even while we haven't been gathering at water coolers. This documentary series about several unique personalities who have run or continue to run animal sanctuaries in the United States is fascinating even though it goes on at least two hours/episodes too long (with an additional, up-to-date episode reportedly set to premiere this Sunday). Its central figure is the openly gay Joseph Maldonado-Passage, a.k.a. Joe Exotic, who at one point was married to two men simultaneously and is currently serving time in federal prison for plotting to kill one of his tiger-saving adversaries, Carole Baskin. As the series reveals in exceptional detail, Joe and his cronies are an obsessive, drug-addled bunch. Baskin, meanwhile, remains under suspicion for possibly killing her second husband, who hasn't been seen or heard from since 1997.

The Politician (Netflix) is prolific gay producer Ryan Murphy's latest and focuses on the machinations of a privileged, sexually-fluid high school senior obsessed with eventually becoming president of the United States. First, however, he has to be elected student body president and he has some unexpected competition. Out, Tony Award-winning Ben Platt of Dear Evan Hansen fame balances intensity and vulnerability beautifully in his first lead TV series role. He is well supported by Gwyneth Paltrow and Bob Balaban as his adoptive parents, Murphy fave Jessica Lange as the deranged mother of a fellow student, and an impressive array of trans, gender non-conforming, and disabled actors. Like most of Murphy's series, the tone of The Politician veers uncomfortably between dark comedy and affecting drama but it is a strong show with plenty to say about the state of American politics pre-COVID-19.

Movie theaters remain closed as part of the unanticipated toll the pandemic is taking on our lives. This has forced film distributors to re-route their new productions from exhibition on the large screen to small screens. Such is the case with two new, similarly-titled movies: Almost Love and What Love Looks Like. Both are now available on demand, with What Love Looks Like currently streaming for free on Amazon Prime. It is set in Los Angeles and follows four heterosexual couples who meet cute plus one established couple having issues, largely thanks to the guy's cell phone addiction. Unfortunately, writer-director Alex Magana's screenplay here is simplistic and vague on character details, while his photogenic cast give amateurish performances. The film's best feature is Magana's warm, color-saturated cinematography.

Mike Doyle's more accomplished Almost Love has a comparable story structure but is set in New York City and has a longtime gay couple at its center. Adam and Marklin, together five years, have reached a pivotal point in their partnership and are contemplating whether to get married. Their friends Cammy, Haley and Elizabeth are dealing with their own relationship challenges that include, respectively, dating a homeless man, having a 17-year old student fall in love with them, and not wanting to have a child whereas their partner does want one. The movie boasts good performances, abundant angsty humor à la Woody Allen, plus an amusingly smug appearance by the great Patricia Clarkson as a renowned artist who secretly has Adam do her painting for her. There is also a jaunty music score by Dabney Morris.

I've also had time to watch some of the Blu-ray discs that were gathering dust on my bookshelf including – finally – the campy cult classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls! The least known and most interesting, however, is the 1959 western Warlock. I'd heard about this hard-to-find film for at least 20 years and bought it as soon as it was released on Blu-ray last year by Twilight Time. It was long acclaimed as a superior entry in its genre as well as for its not-so-subtle gay subtext.

Henry Fonda heads the cast of Warlock as Clay Blaisedell, a freelance lawman hired by the desperate citizens of the outlaw-plagued title town after their latest sheriff was run out of town. He arrives with his "partner" of 10 years, the fastidious Tom Morgan, who is soon decorating the pair's new living quarters and running the local saloon, which he and Blaisedell fancifully re-name "The French Palace." When one of the outlaws (played by Richard Widmark) decides to go legit and serve as sheriff, the repercussions threaten the carefully-manicured relationship between Blaisedell and Morgan. Made at a time when westerns were known to be inhabited by heroes wearing white and villains wearing black, filmmaker Edward Dmytryk (who was blacklisted for a time) overhauled things with intriguing shades of grey. This underseen, beautifully photographed movie is a must.

And just arrived on home video is Cats (Universal), the misbegotten film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-running stage musical about, well, cats. Critics were merciless to this gloriously bizarre adaptation when it was released last Christmas but it is in the throes of becoming a new cult classic. Prior to the coronavirus shutdown of theaters, there was an increasing number of midnight screenings with attendees dressing as cats and singing along! I suspect these will resume once we can go to the movies again and that the home video release may heighten (lower?) the film's reputation.

In fairness, the cinematic Cats has been given more of a plot than the stage version including a true lead character, a true villain, and backstories for several of its felines including the downtrodden Grizabella (played by Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson). Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography is energetic, the built-to-scale sets are imaginative, and the "digital fur" costumes aren't bad; the Blu-ray contains several interesting behind-the-scenes featurettes exploring these elements. The digital makeup highlights are another story, appearing unfinished or outright grotesque at times. If one doesn't buy the key conceit of both the stage and film versions – adult humans as singing & dancing cats – one is pretty much guaranteed to laugh the movie off. Going the animated route, which producer Steven Spielberg was reportedly pursuing back in the 1990's, would likely have been a more palatable/successful approach. The 2019 result is undeniably enjoyable though, regardless whether one takes it seriously or as camp.

Reverend's Ratings:
Hunters: A-
War of the Worlds: B
Pennyworth: B+
Tiger King: B-
The Politician: B+
Almost Love: B
What Love Looks Like: C+
Warlock (1959): B+
Cats (2019): B

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