Reverend's Previews: Cruz’n through Fusion 2010

Though it has grown in popularity over the years and now runs for ten days each July, the Outfest Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival still can’t come close to showing every GLBT film produced each year around the world. Thankfully, we have Fusion: The Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film Festival to supplement Outfest and provide a unique showcase of the diversity within our own community. Fusion 2010 starts today and runs through March 13.

Wilson Cruz, the prolific stage, film and television actor, will be the recipient of the 2010 Fusion Achievement Award. Cruz made television history in the 1990’s as an openly gay teenager on the acclaimed My So-Called Life. He also played the HIV+ transvestite, Angel, in Rent on Broadway.

The Latino actor’s other credits include TV’s ER, The West Wing, Noah’s Arc and Rick & Steve, the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World, as well as the feature films Nixon, All Over Me, Party Monster, Coffee Date, Bam Bam and Celeste, Supernova and He’s Just Not That Into You.

Cruz will also co-star in this year’s Fusion Gala film, The People I’ve Slept With. This delightful new comedy by acclaimed gay director Quentin Lee (Drift, Ethan Mao) focuses on Angela (Karin Anna Cheung), a sex-loving woman who discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant and isn’t quite sure who the father is. In Angela’s quest to find the mystery dad, everybody has advice: her gay best friend (played by Cruz), her conservative sister (Lynn Chen), and a handsome conquest (the very attractive Archie Kao).

Also of note in the cast of The People I’ve Slept With is veteran actor James Shigeta (who has appeared in everything from Flower Drum Song to Die Hard to Mulan) as Angela’s fitness-obsessed father and the very funny Randall Park, who nearly steals the show as “Nice but Boring Guy,” one of her baby’s prospective fathers. Well-written by Koji Steven Sakai, this accomplished film is a must-see for both men and women.

According to the Fusion press release announcing Cruz as the recipient of this year’s award, “Through his activism and art, Cruz is a role model of courage and honesty who inspires those within and outside the GLBT community.” Cruz has been especially devoted to the support and encouragement of GLBT youth. The Fusion Achievement Award will be presented to Cruz during the opening remarks of the Fusion Gala this Saturday night.

The traditional “Legacy Screening” at Fusion this year will be of 1967’s Portrait of Jason. The movie is noteworthy for being filmed in one wild night at New York’s Chelsea Hotel. Considered a landmark of non-fiction film, Portrait of Jason is the raw record of a confessional conversation with an African-American gay hustler recounting his life and times. The documentary’s director,Shirley Clarke, was a key figure in the American avant-garde and has been an influence on filmmakers and video artists over the last 40 years. It will be shown on Saturday.

Also being presented on Saturday will be the Fusion Shorts Programs. These series of GLBT short films will include the striking Boy Meets Boy, by director Kim-Jho Gwang-soo, as well as stories about transgender youth, a sexually conflicted jazz musician and a butch girl with a crush on a married woman. This year’s movies hail from the US, Wales, various parts of Asia and other countries.

Fusion screenings, parties and related events will take place at various locations throughout Hollywood. For more information about Fusion and to buy tickets, please visit the fest's official website.

Preview by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.

Reverend's Reviews: Soul Music

One doesn't often hear the terms "cabaret" and "rocker" used together as a description, so I was intrigued when I saw them applied concurrently to San Francisco-based singer and musician Mark Growden. Growden's new album, the provocatively titled Saint Judas, is set for release on March 16.

Saint Judas is Growden's ninth CD, but his first full-length recording of primarily his own songs in eight years. During the interval, Growden grappled with a drug addiction that he, fortunately, overcame. Now sober for two years, the talented singer-songwriter has created a set of lyrically well-crafted tunes with titles that reflect lessons learned during his recovery, among them "Been in the Storm So Long," "Faith in My Pocket" and "Everybody Holds a Piece of the Sun." And as Growden movingly — and truthfully — declares of God's love in "The Gates/Take Me to the Water": "Every soul is welcome, be you a virgin, a whore, a sinner or a saint."

The delightfully jaunty title track sings the praises of Jesus' betrayer, which will no doubt raise hackles in conservative Christian circles if it should receive wide play. But Growden isn't writing for the holier-than-thou, thankfully. Rather, he seems to write and sing here on behalf of those who have endured persecution, either of their own making or at the hands of others. His offbeat employment of accordions, banjos, flugelhorns and coyote howls (!) only seems to reinforce Growden's musical commitment to the marginalized.

While intrigued, I was hesitant at first to listen to Saint Judas and give Growden's music a chance based on comparisons I'd read of his style to the growling and sometimes nihilistic likes of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. They actually have little in common vocally or in terms of the general optimism of Growden's lyrics here. Being released during Lent and just prior to Palm Sunday and Passover, Saint Judas can serve as a great soundtrack to one's personal, spiritual journey.

I don't know anyone in my circle of gay friends who is a fan of the late "Man in Black" Johnny Cash. That being said, there can be no denying the spiritual power of his final recordings, just released on CD under the title American VI: Ain't No Grave, by anyone — gay, straight or otherwise.

Just four months prior to his death in 2003, Cash and a small band of musicians gathered at the behest of producer Rick Rubin. Cash was mindful of his declining health and his beloved wife, June Carter, passed away unexpectedly while recording the songs included on Ain't No Grave.

Don't let the smiling picture of Cash as a child on the CD's cover deceive you: Ain't No Grave is the musical reflection of Cash's preparations for the end of his own life. His voice is weaker here, but it is suffused with conviction and a clear-eyed, even hopeful anticipation.

Most of the songs are covers, and they include heartfelt renditions of Sheryl Crow's "Redemption Day" and Kris Kristofferson's classic "For the Good Times." Cash and Co.'s performances of the traditional title hymn, "Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound" and "I Don't Hurt Anymore" are particularly satisfying. There is one song penned by Cash especially for this recording, a simple musical setting of 1 Corinthians 15:55 which asks "O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" The CD ends on a wistful note, with the traditional Hawaiian song "Aloha Oe" serving as Cash's formal good-bye.

I wasn't a fan of Cash while he was alive, but Ain't No Grave confirms for me the man's honesty as a songwriter and soulfulness as a singer as well as his deep faith. Now I'm a believer. Better late than never, I suppose!

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.

Reel Thoughts: Baby This Time

Imagine if a lesbian couple could, with the help of science, create a baby on their own, without the aid of male sperm. Alison Reid creates just such a scenario in her first film, The Baby Formula, a funny, often moving look at gay parenting and relationships available on DVD today.

Athena (Angela Vint) and Lilith (Megan Fahlenbach) submit to an experimental procedure that impregnates Angela with an artificial sperm derived from Lilith's stem cells. It’s all recorded by a “documentary” crew led by director Reid herself.

The couple struggles with all sorts of issues, including Lilith secretly getting the lab to impregnate her as well, before the real fun starts.

Then, they tell their parents.

Athena’s mother Wanda (Rosemary Dunsmore, in a fabulous performance), a seemingly closed-minded Christian, can barely tolerate that her daughter is gay, much less trying to “take Immaculate Conception away from our Lord.” Her father is more accepting, although he’s holding something back.

Lilith’s two dads (“Those horrible people,” as Wanda calls them) are more supportive, although Lilith is angry that their sobriety seems fleeting. Jessica Booker, as Grandma Kate, is a complete hoot in what you could call “the Betty White role.”

Vint and Fahlenbach have a marvelous chemistry, and they both were really pregnant during filming. The mockumentary structure serves the story well, and you will be surprised by the emotional places The Baby Formula goes. It’s a labor of love for director Reid.

Review by Neil Cohen, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Phoenix's Echo Magazine.

Reel Thoughts Interview: Take a Trip Down Avenue Q

It’s been a long road to Avenue Q. The wildly hilarious musical that proudly features puppet nudity, and which beat out Wicked to win the 2004 Tony Award, bypassed the Southwest in favor of an exclusive booking at Las Vegas' then-new Wynn Casino. Sadly, Vegas didn’t take kindly to a show that lovingly sends up Sesame Street while imparting some of the smartest satire of any Broadway musical in years.  The Sin City Avenue Q closed to make room for Monty Python’s Spamalot (which also closed fairly quickly). Fast forward half a decade later, and ASU Gammage will finally play host to the musical that teaches us that “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist”, “The Internet Is For Porn” and that “You Can Be Loud As The Hell You Want When You’re Making Love.”

Set on a decidedly downscale street far from Manhattan’s trendier Avenues A, B and C, Avenue Q is home to a lovable bunch of people and puppets who are all struggling with what to do with their lives. Brian is an unemployed comic, while his wife Christmas Eve is a therapist in need of patients. Kate Monster is a fuzzy girl with a big heart but no boyfriend, who wants to open a school for monster children. Residing upstairs is Trekkie Monster, a big scary-looking guy who lives for the aforementioned internet porn. Rod and Nicky are suspiciously like Bert and Ernie, if Bert was an uptight Republican whom everyone assumes is gay and Ernie was a sloppy slacker. Then there’s the building super — that can’t be TV’s Gary Coleman, star of Diff’rent Strokes, can it? While most everyone on Avenue Q thinks “It Sucks To Be Me,” it definitely won’t suck to be you if you get your tickets now. You will laugh your puppet or human head off.

I spoke with Tim Kornblum, who plays the long-suffering Brian, a terrible stand-up comedian with a demanding wife. In real life, Kornblum is an out gay man who’s excited to have landed his first professional gig, never mind it being on a national tour of a hot Broadway show. He started in September and didn’t find it strange at all to interact with the talented puppeteers who act in full view of the audience. “He’s got the brain of a seven year old kid,” Kornblum laughed. “He’s always fascinated by just the most banal things. But he’s got a great relationship with his wife.”

Kornblum is a lifelong New Jersey native, so he’s loving seeing the whole country on tour. It makes it challenging that his boyfriend Kyle is in school in Philadelphia as a dance major, but the couple makes it work.

Kornblum was in high school when he first saw Avenue Q, and he instantly fell in love and wanted to be part of it. He had to convince his family about his choice of professions, but getting the job clinched that. “For the most part, the audiences are phenomenal, but we definitely go to some of those more conservative towns where they aren’t so keen on the show. But then it’s our job to open them up and convince them that we’re not actually bad people up on the stage,” he laughed. He explains that Christmas Eve and Brian get along so well, because he needs someone to take care of and she, without any patients, needs someone to take care of. “They’re perfect for each other,” he quipped. “Their relationship has grown and changed since we started.”

“There is a character who’s a closeted homosexual, and the entire show charts his journey, so for anyone who’s experiencing it themselves or knows someone who’s going through that, Avenue Q is a more comedic way to look at a very serious issue,” Kornblum explained. “I think it makes certain things easier to take. Personally, as soon as I saw the show, I bought the poster of Rod that says, “I am not a closeted homo. Whatever.” The whole show is based on love, and that’s something that a lot of relationships these days are lacking.”

He also revealed what replaced the lyric “George Bush!” in the rousing final number, “Only For Now”. At first, it was “Swine Flu”, he explained, “until people started dying.” Then, for a while, it was “Fox News!” Now, the ultimate and most hated thing that the audience is reassured is “only for now” is … “Glenn Beck!” Now, that’s a hopeful message!

Neil also had a chance to speak with one of Tim's co-stars:

There’s something about Rod. Avenue Q’s resident fussy Republican is definitely keeping something secret and he just won’t come out … and say what it is. As his roommate Nicky sings to him, “If you were gay, that’d be okay,” but Rod is not receptive, to say the least. I gently tried to coax more information from the purse-lipped puppet, but even Rod’s portrayer, Brent Michael DiRoma, couldn’t get much more out of him.

NC: Where are you from? Do you have any brothers or sisters? What was your family like? Conservative? Liberal?
Rod: I am a proud Floridian. I'm an only child. My family is full of strict Republicans and we're very conservative.

NC: So, what’s the best and worst thing about living on Avenue Q?
Rod: I'd have to say the best thing about living on Avenue Q is that we all feel free to burst into song whenever normal conversation doesn't quite do the job. My not so favorite thing on Avenue Q is the constant amount of rats.

NC: Where would you move if you could?
Rod: Oh, I don't think I could ever move away from Avenue Q, but if I had to choose one place, it would be Japan. I love the culture and I'm currently learning to speak the language!

NC: Tell me something about your friends or roommate that people would never guess.
Rod: Believe it or not, Nicky my roommate has a severe crush on Hannah Montana. I caught him singing along while I was playing "Party in the USA"!

NC: What is something that would surprise people about you?
Rod: Uhm, I don't think anything about me would surprise anyone. Nope ...

Avenue Q opens tonight at ASU Gammage in Tempe and continues through March 14.  For future dates and locations of Avenue Q, visit the national tour's official website.

Interviews by Neil Cohen, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Phoenix's Echo Magazine.