MD Review: Gods and Monsters

Leave it to Marvel to take a group of obscure comic book characters and build a whole big budget sub-franchise around them. But what worked for the Guardians of the Galaxy does not for Eternals, no matter how much the studio pushes it as their next awards-baiting break out, à la Black Panther. Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao tries, but it's hard to care much about a bunch of angsty, super-powered immortals you've never heard of before.

MD Rating: 6/10

Eternals is now playing in theaters.

Reverend's Reviews: Back to Broadway

With proof of COVID-19 vaccination and photo ID in hand, Reverend recently made his first trip back to NYC and Broadway since December 2019. Ah, how I longed for those carefree days when one could attend subsequent Best Musical Tony Award winner Moulin Rouge! (which we earlier honored as our pick for 2019's Best Stage Show) without fearing for one's life! But I'm happy to report that both Broadway and Off-Broadway are in healthy shape at present.

My intrepid theatre chums Joe, Zoe, David and I first paid homage to the gods of NYC theatre by taking in Off-Broadway's Fairycakes. It is playing at the Greenwich House Theater in Greenwich Village (duh). Written and directed by the acclaimed and often hilarious Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed, the stage adaptation of Xanadu and the LGBTQ film classic To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar), the comedy is something of a mashup of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Pinocchio and Cinderella. It's first act is too long and convoluted, but things pay off nicely in the tighter second act. The play's main selling point is its big name cast currently consisting of comedian/CBS news correspondent Mo Rocca, Avenue Q veteran Ann Harada (who is also a regular on Apple TV+'s Schmigadoon!), Charles Busch's frequent sidekick Julie Halston and the one and only Jackie Hoffman. An enchanting musical score by Beane's husband Lewis Flinn as well as Gregory Gale's extravagant costumes also deserve special mention.

Disney is back on Broadway, not only with the return of long-running hits Aladdin and The Lion King but with their brand-new Winnie the Pooh. At 75 minutes, it is an adorable family-friendly delight. Sure, the simplistic plot consists of little more than honey-loving Pooh bear and his stalwart friends Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet and Rabbit getting into various kinds of trouble while their human pal Christopher Robin is away at school. But the overall look of the production, supervised by Jonathan Rockefeller, is amazing. The various non-human characters are larger-than-life puppets visibly operated and voiced by Jake Bazel (Pooh), Chris Palmieri (Tigger), Kirsty Moon (Piglet and Roo), Emmanuel Elpenord (Eeyore, Rabbit and Owl), and Kristina Dizon as Kanga and various natural elements. Bazel, in particular, does a great job channeling the unforgettable voice of the late Sterling Holloway; he even looks like a young Holloway! Numerous songs by the Sherman Brothers from the classic animated films as well as tunes from more recent Pooh-related projects like Piglet's Big Movie (2003) and The Tigger Movie (2000) are incorporated. Both the kids and adults in attendance loved it. Trust me, there are way worse ways to spend a Saturday morning.

My Connecticut friends and I went our separate ways the afternoon of Saturday, October 30th. Reverend took in my #1 choice, which was Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, now playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater. An import from London that originally opened on Broadway shortly before the COVID-related shutdown, it starred newly-minted Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren as the rock & roll goddess. Unfortunately, Reverend learned just a few days before the performance and months after buying my tickets that Warren was leaving the production last weekend so I didn't get to see her. On the plus side, her understudy and new successor Nkeki Obi-Melekwe was fantastic and I'm sure she would have won the Tony if she had originated the role. I also preferred Obi-Melekwe's vocal performance over Warren's more affected, gravelly singing (which I had heard multiple times beforehand via Sirius XM's On Broadway channel).

The book of Tina, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, is a fairly straightforward account of Turner's rise to stardom despite her abusive marriage to Ike Turner (very well-played with just enough sympathetic insight by Tony nominee Daniel J. Watts). I appreciated that the show, directed by Mamma Mia's Phyllida Lloyd, is bookended with references to Turner's longtime devotion to Buddhism. Many songs from the diva's five-decade career are successfully incorporated into the show, although some (notably "Better Be Good To Me" and the Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome theme "We Don't Need Another Hero") feel somewhat shoehorned in. To call Anthony Van Laast's choreography energetic would be an understatement, and Obi-Melekwe impressed me even more with her post-curtain call mini-concert of three more Turner songs! Whether on Broadway or eventually on tour, Tina is a must see!

My theatre-loving pals and I closed out our 4-shows-in-24-hours NYC weekend together with a preview performance of Mrs. Doubtfire at the Stephen Sondheim. Adapted from the beloved 1993 movie that starred the late, great Robin Williams, the musical was in previews and primed to open before last year's Broadway shutdown. Our reaction to it was decidedly mixed but revisions may yet be made prior to it's official December opening.

I haven't actually watched the film since seeing it in a movie theater nearly 30 years ago. I enjoyed it but can't remember the plot with complete accuracy. That being said, the musical (written by Wayne Kirkpatrick, Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell, who previously collaborated on the delightful Something Rotten!) recreates all the story's major points including "It was a run-by fruiting!" I do wish there had been a full musical number of this, though, in addition to a pair of terrific songs inspired by the movie's "Easy Peasy" and "Make Me a Woman."

The primary attribute of the stage version, which is directed by Broadway legend Jerry Zaks, is lead actor Rob McClure. He gives an amazing performance as Daniel Hillard/Euphegenia Doubtfire, aided and abetted by Catherine Zuber's quick-change costumes and Tommy Kurzman's makeup and prosthetics. McClure is hilarious and moving in equal shares, and I totally expect him to win next year's Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Mrs. Doubtfire: The New Musical Comedy is well worth seeing for McClure alone.

As I wrap up this article, I was just informed of the long-awaited casting of the two leads in the upcoming Wicked movie! Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo will play Elphaba while pop superstar Ariana Grande will be Glinda. The film starts filming next summer under the guidance of director John M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights). Reverend is already polishing his ruby slippers!

Reverend's Ratings:
Fairycakes: B-
Winnie the Pooh: B+
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical: A-
Mrs. Doubtfire: B

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

Reverend's Preview: Festivals of the Fall

We might all have cooler temperatures, pumpkin lattes and Halloween celebrations on our mind, but there are still major film festivals happening in Southern California this autumn. And there is plenty of LGBTQ content featured at two of this month’s most prominent events!

Now celebrating its 20th year, the San Diego International Film Festival (SDIFF) is the region’s premiere film festival and one of the leading stops on the annual film fest circuit. This year’s lineup includes at least 155 films: 24 Narrative Competition films, 14 Documentary Competition films and 117 Short films.

SDIFF’s 20th anniversary event starts today and  will run through October 24th. Produced by the San Diego Film Foundation, festival attendees will enjoy a hybrid of in-person and virtual events. In-person festival events and screenings will take place in some of the oceanfront city’s most beautiful locations including Balboa Park’s Museum of Photographic Arts, the San Diego Museum of Art, the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa on Mission Bay, and even on board the USS Midway! Patrons can also access over 150 films On Demand in the festival’s Virtual Village as well as Q&As with filmmakers from around the world.

C’mon C’mon, the opening night film, stars Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann and Woody Norman. The latest from writer-director Mike Mills (who previously made 2010’s Oscar-winning, gay-themed film Beginners) is a deeply moving meditation on the connections between adults and children and the importance of family. SDIFF 2021 will close with actress Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial feature debut The Lost Daughter, a psychological drama based on the novel of the same name.

Presented in between these will be two major gay-interest Spotlight features. The Power of the Dog is the first film in 12 years by acclaimed writer-director Jane Campion (The Piano, The Portrait of a Lady, In the Cut). Benedict Cumberbatch stars as a sadistic 19th century rancher struggling with repressed sexual yearnings. The actor is already receiving major Oscar buzz for his performance. Meanwhile, the unique animated documentary Flee follows Amin, a gay man on the verge of marrying his husband, as he shares his story for the first time about his hidden past of fleeing his country as a refugee. Flee won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary section at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Other Spotlight features will include Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart as the late Princess Diana; Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical Belfast; uber-quirky filmmaker Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch; and Stephen Karam’s The Humans, adapted from his award-winning Broadway play.

Tonya Mantooth, CEO/Artistic Director of the San Diego International Film Festival recently said: “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, I have really reflected on the great strides that have been made within the film industry. There has been a significant increase in female filmmakers as well as a larger examination of global social topics. We are thrilled to provide a platform to showcase that change. This year, the festival received over 3,000 film submissions representing over 65 countries. We are excited to curate one of the strongest film lineups in our 20-year history including both independent films and studio premieres."

Passes to attend live screenings at multiple locations throughout San Diego or Virtual Fest Passes can be purchased at the SDIFF website or by calling 619-818-2221.

Then there is the 22nd annual Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF), to be held October 21st -28th at various Orange County locations. Tickets are now on sale on their website. Several LGBTQ+ feature films as well as short films will be screened. Among these are:

My Father Mary Anne (Min pappa Marianne): After breaking up with her boyfriend, 28-year-old Hanna returns to her hometown for a temporary position at the local news station. Her world is soon turned even more upside down when her beloved father, the local priest with the big beard, reveals that his greatest desire is to be Mary Anne. From this point on there is no going back for Father Mary Anne, who insists on being her true self. It's a tumultuous journey for Hanna, who didn't know herself or her father as well as she thought she did.

Yes I Am - The Ric Weiland Story: An openly gay software pioneer, Ric Weiland found early wealth as the second employee at Microsoft in 1975. He was an integral and valued part of their early successes and helped shape the company into what it is today. Ric retired at 35 to quiet nagging doubts and to create impactful and meaningful change in the world around him. His generosity and influence helped shape modern HIV/AIDS research, marriage equality and legal protections for LGBTQ employees at some of the biggest names in the business. Through this documentary (narrated by Zachary Quinto) and the personal diaries Ric left behind, we gain a clearer picture of the beloved, talented and troubled man.

Pieces of Us: An intimate look at the personal journeys of LGBTQ+ hate crime survivors who, by choosing to take their recovery public, inspire the survivor in all of us. The film juxtaposes the inspirational stories of recovery each of its subjects (including transgender activist and Stonewall Riots survivor Victoria Cruz and Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India) have experienced with the powerful connections their public actions have produced. Their stories take us to New York City, Denver and India to witness how intersectionality and speaking one’s truth can build a supportive community and even spark global change.

Someone Like Me: Leaving everything he knows behind, Drake -- a vibrant 22-year-old gay man from Uganda -- aspires to the universal freedoms everyone deserves: to be whom he is and love whomever he chooses without fear of discrimination, persecution or violence. Tasked with a year-long commitment as Drake’s primary support network, a group of strangers from Vancouver’s queer community unite under the banner of Rainbow Refugee, a non-profit that connects LGBTQ+ asylum claimants with sponsors. Sean Horlor and Steve J. Adams’ feature documentary takes a verité approach to the generous and rough-edged nuances of what it means to sponsor an asylum seeker. Chronicling the complexities of the journey taken by Drake and his sponsors, the filmmakers illuminate how survival itself becomes a victory in a world where one must constantly fight for the right to exist.

Several LGBTQ+ short films will also be screened under the program title “Short, Sweet and Queer.” These will include Adrift in Sunset, Falling In, ITCH, Liminal, Satan's Tears, That Girl, Peugeot and The Lonely Prince.

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

Reverend's Preview: Jump, Darlings, to QFilms Long Beach

I expect I’ll always remember Cloris Leachman best as Frau Blucher, the sinister yet hilariously lascivious castlekeeper in Mel Brooks’ classic Young Frankenstein. Others will fondly recall her as Phyllis on The Mary Tyler Moore Show or as Granny in the big screen adaptation of The Beverly Hillbillies.

Sadly, Leachman passed away earlier this year at the age of 94 but not before completing her final film role in Jump, Darling. This new LGBTQ family drama will have its Long Beach premiere the evening of October 3rd as part of the 28th Annual QFilms Festival. Presented by The LGBTQ Center Long Beach, proceeds from each year’s festival provide important funds for The Center’s numerous programs that support more than 25,000 seniors, youth and other members of the diverse local community.

QFilms will run Thursday, September 30th through Sunday, October 3rd, 2021. Movies will be shown three different ways this year: indoors at the Art Theatre Long Beach, 2025 E. 4th Street; outdoor screenings at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), 628 Alamitos Avenue; and online at QFilmsLongBeach.com. Last year, all films were streamed online only due to the pandemic. Passes and tickets are now on sale at QFilmsLongBeach.com.

Jump, Darling is written and directed by debut filmmaker Phil Connell. It follows a rookie drag queen (played by newcomer Thomas Duplessie) reeling from a breakup who moves in with his declining grandmother (Leachman) to protect her from the local nursing home. The film is a thoughtful exploration of the right to live as who we are and how we wish, while also grappling with end of life care.

The initial seeds for Jump, Darling were planted along two parallel tracks. One was Connell’s experience with end-of-life care conversations with his grandmother. The other was his experience choosing life as an artist. “Over a period of years, my late grandmother struggled with how to prepare for her ‘decline’, be it physical or mental,” shares Connell. “It was the topic of conversation each time I would visit her. Meanwhile, as I recommitted to filmmaking, I struggled to maintain my resolve, against all the forces and voices, the ones that every artist face.”

The film’s supporting cast includes Linda Kash (Best in Show) and Jayne Eastwood (Chicago), plus cameo appearances by well-known drag queens Tynomi Banks (featured recently on Canada’s Drag Race), Fay Slift and Miss Fiercalicious. The film showcases six on-screen drag performances against a pop soundtrack including Robyn, Allie X, Rough Trade, Years & Years and more.

During her long career, Leachman won both an Academy Award and a BAFTA Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Last Picture Show, and she holds the record for the most Primetime Emmy acting nominations in history, a whopping 22. She played her role as Phyllis on The Mary Tyler Moore Show to such great success that it led to her own television series spinoff, Phyllis.

“Cloris was an icon and an ally,” said Connell. “To work with her, to know her, and now to share her final leading performance with the world is a true honor.”

QFilms will feature a number of additional feature films and documentaries during its four days. Here’s the rundown:

This is Jessica (premiering Thursday, September 30th at 7:00 pm at the Art Theatre): Fest favorite Andrea Meyerson paints an intimate, emotional portrait of a woman forced to make a heart-wrenching decision to save herself. From her earliest years growing up as a Mormon boy in a conservative environment, Jessica knew she was a girl. Terrified to risk her family, her faith, her life on earth and eternal soul, Jonathan went about creating the perfect life of a young Mormon man, becoming a missionary, marrying young and starting a family. While serving in the Army under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, she became despondent over the chasm between whom she was and who she was merely pretending to be. When Jonathan finally comes out as Jessica, it's a leap off the edge of life as she knows it.

Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story (Thursday at 9:30 pm at the Art Theatre) features tech mogul and philanthropist Bill Gates as well as the voice of out actor Zachary Quinto. Ric Weiland was a brilliant programmer, queer pioneer and one of the earliest employees of Microsoft. He dedicated his life and fortune to philanthropy and activism, but personal struggles eventually became too much to bear. This important film is the story of his life and legacy.

Rebel Dykes (Friday, October 1st at 7:15 pm at the Art Theatre) is a rabble-rousing documentary set in 1980s, post-punk London. It tells the previously unheard story of a community of dykes who met doing art, music, politics and sex, and how they went on to change their world.

No Ordinary Man (Friday at 9:30 pm at the Art Theatre): A fascinating, award-winning portrait of Billy Tipton, the renowned jazz musician who was revealed after his death to have been transgender.

Summertime (Friday at 9:15 pm Men & Friends’ Night @ MOLAA): Over the course of a hot summer day in Los Angeles, the lives of 25 young Angelenos intersect. A skating guitarist, a tagger, two wannabe rappers, an exasperated fast-food worker, a limo driver... they all weave in and out of each other's stories. Through poetry they express life, love, heartache, family, home and fear… but one of them just wants to find someplace that still serves good cheeseburgers.

My First Summer (Saturday, October 2nd at 11:00 am at the Art Theatre): 16-year-old Claudia has grown up in isolation from the outside world. Stranded on a remote property after her mother's death, she is shocked when Grace, a spirited local teen, appears in the garden like a mirage or a breath of fresh air. The pair finds in each other the support, love and intimacy they need, and teach each other the restorative power of human connection.

Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters (Saturday at 6:30 pm at the Art Theatre): A feature documentary that traces the remarkable history and legacy of one of the most important works of art to come out of the age of AIDS: choreographer Bill T. Jones’s tour de force ballet D-Man in the Waters. As a group of young dancers reconstructs the 1989 dance today, they learn about this oft-forgotten history and deepen their understanding of the power of art in a time of plague.

Fanny: The Right to Rock (Saturday at 9:15 pm at Women & Friends’ Night @ MOLAA): Sometime in the 1960s in sunny Sacramento, two Filipina American sisters got together with other teenage girls to play music. Little did they know their garage band would evolve into the legendary rock group Fanny, the first all-women band to release an LP with a major record label. Despite releasing five critically acclaimed albums, touring with famed bands from Slade to Chicago, and amassing a dedicated fan base of music legends including David Bowie, Fanny's groundbreaking impact in music was written out of history... until now. Fighting early barriers of race, gender and sexuality in the music industry, and now ageism, the incredible women of Fanny are ready to claim their hallowed place in the halls of rock 'n' roll fame.

Marry Me, However (Sunday, October 3rd at 1:15 pm at the Art Theatre) tells the stories of Jewish LGBT men and women who decided to marry against their own sexual orientation, in order to comply with Torah laws and be accepted into their families and religious communities. Some shared their secret with their partners, some kept it hidden, and some lied even to themselves. After their eventual divorces, they confront the conflicts they repressed: their faith and religious laws; children, family and community; exposure to society and search for a partner. The characters experience a journey of self-acceptance and social activism, as they try to affect change in their religious environments.

Forgotten Roads (Sunday at 5:30 pm at the Art Theatre): Bereft on an isolated turkey farm after her husband’s death, 70-year-old Claudina — meek, repressed and adrift — moves into town to live with her daughter and grandson. Despite a strained relationship with her daughter, Claudina experiences an unexpected spark of life when she befriends the dynamic and independent married woman next door, Elsa, who seems to travel paths and make choices Claudina never had the chance to make. But in the gossipy Chilean town of Lautaro, their budding relationship doesn’t stay a secret for long. Just as Claudina sees love’s horizons expanding, she may be forced to choose between the traditional role she understands and the open road ahead of her.

QFilms 2021 will also present a large number of specially-curated LGBTQ short film programs including CORTOS: Latinx Queer Shorts (Thursday outdoor screening at MOLAA); TRANSpirational Shorts (Friday at 5:00 pm at the Art Theatre); Rated PG-13: Youth Shorts (Saturday at 1:30 pm at the Art Theatre); Queermation: Animated Shorts (Saturday at 4:00 pm at the Art Theatre); and (Almost) Midnight: Experimental Shorts (Saturday at 9:30 pm at the Art Theatre). These are in addition to the fest’s traditional programs Men In Briefs (Sunday at 11:00 am at the Art Theatre) and Women In Shorts (Sunday at 3:30 pm at the Art Theatre) plus two new exclusively-online programs, Eat My (Comedy) Shorts and Locally Sourced: California Shorts.

There will truly be something for everyone everywhere in Long Beach at this year’s QFilms!

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