Dearie Awards 2012: Stage Show of the Year

Winner: NEWSIES
"Extra! Extra! Disney Turns Flop Flick Into Boffo B.O.!" Broadway may have been surprised by the unexpected success of Disney Theatricals' screen-to-stage transfer of Newsies, but we devoted fans ("fansies"?) of the 1992 box office bomb-turned-cult favorite always knew that the beloved movie musical would "seize the day" on the stage.  With a cast filled with scruffy, athletic (over-aged?) newsboys, a book by Movie Dearest icon Harvey Fierstein and two Tony Awards (including one for, finally, Disney music man Alan Menken), Broadway's Newsies truly is the "king of New York".

Honorable Mention: CARRIE
Twenty-four years after its infamous Broadway opening (and quick closing), the notorious musical version of Stephen King's Carrie reared its pig's blood-soaked head this past year Off Broadway.  And while the revised revival ("revisal"?) took the material seriously instead of going to camp, it did produce the cast albumwe always wanted.

Dearie Awards 2012: Documentary of the Year

Winner: BULLY

Despite the ratings controversy this timely film engendered (egged on by its distributor in the interest of free publicity), Bully is essential viewing for teens and adults and ought to be shown in every high school.  In focusing on the plights of five students harassed by their peers for one silly, inexcusable reason or another (including, in at least one case, sexual orientation), director Lee Hirsch exposes the utter cluelessness of well-meaning parents and the horrific ineffectiveness of school administrators at protecting the children in their charge.  Simply put, this is the year’s one must-see documentary because young people’s lives truly are on the line.

Honorable Mention: HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE

A riveting recollection on the formation of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in mid-1980’s New York City.  After hundreds of deaths and thousands of HIV infections, a diverse assortment of young people came together to take on church and state in support of people with AIDS.  Their efforts resulted a decade later in the introduction of the first protease inhibitor, literally saving lives today.  The film serves as both a necessary eulogy and an inspiring celebration of our history.

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

Dearie Awards 2012: Foreign Film of the Year

Movie Dearest proudly presents the 6th Annual Movie Dearest Awards, honoring 2012's best in film, television and the stage! Also known as the "Dearies", this year's awards are dedicated to the memory of our dear friend and fellow critic/movie lover Neil Cohen.

And the first "Dearie" Award goes to our pick for Foreign Film of the Year:

Winner: AMOUR
Michael Haneke’s exploration of the waning days shared between a man (veteran actor Jean-Louis Trintignant) and his dying wife (Emmanuelle Riva, impressively stripped to her very essence) won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and is favored to win the Academy Award.  One would have to be truly heartless not to be moved by their plight, regardless of one’s sexual orientation or relationship persuasion.  Haneke & Company illustrate par excellence that the music of the heart never stops playing.

Honorable Mention: SKYFALL

Some readers may be scratching their heads to see the latest 007 epic here (notice the category is not titled Foreign Language Film of the Year), but we felt it appropriate given the involvement of British director Sam Mendes, many British cast members including noteworthy turns by Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes, and the inherent British-ness of James Bond himself (currently personified by Brit hunk Daniel Craig). Also adding to Skyfall's international flavor is the scene-stealing Spainard Jaiver Bardem, who single-handedly (on 007's thigh, no less) brings the long-simmering homoeroticsm of the long-running series to the forefront as the film's big bad. Thrilling and thoughtful in equal measure, Skyfall is one of the very best entries in this enduring series’ 50-year history.

By Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest, Rage Monthly Magazine and Echo Magazine.

Monthly Wallpaper - January 2013 - 2012: The Year in Film

As 2012 comes to a close, it is time to look back on the year in film, and what better way then with the Movie Dearest calendar wallpaper for next month!

Several of 2012's most talked about movies make up the collage, so you can spend all of January 2013 gazing at the likes of Abe, Bilbo, Cosette, Erik & Paul, Hitch, Hushpuppy, James, Merida, Magic Mike and Richard Parker. What a way to start off a new year!

Just click on the picture above to enlarge it to its 1024 x 768 size, then right click your mouse and select "Set as Background", and you're all set. If you want, you can also save it to your computer and set it up from there, or modify the size in your own photo-editing program if needed.