Reverend's Preview: And the Oscar Goes To…

With gay producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan returning to oversee the show, out comedian/daytime TV goddess Ellen DeGeneres hosting, and the AIDS drama Dallas Buyers Club up for six awards in major categories (including Best Picture), this year’s Academy Awards may prove to be the most GLBT-relevant yet. The 86th annual star-studded extravaganza will be broadcast live on Sunday, March 2nd on ABC.

While there are no openly GLBT actors among this year’s nominees, several performers received nominations for playing characters belonging to or at least friendly toward our community. Leading the pack are Matthew McConaughey, as an AIDS-afflicted straight man who establishes a life-saving business relationship with a trans woman (played by fellow nominee Jared Leto) in the eye-opening Dallas Buyers Club. Leto and McConaughey are considered the front-runners in their categories, having won both Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards as well as numerous critics’ group honors.

Upsets, though, are always possible at the Oscars and either old timer Bruce Dern (Nebraska) or younger favorite Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street) could steal McConaughey’s thunder as Best Actor. Leto could similarly find himself beaten as Best Supporting Actor by Captain Phillips charismatic newcomer Barkhad Abdi or the popular Bradley Cooper from American Hustle. Still, I’m putting my money on McConaughey and Leto.

Jonah Hill was also nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his turn as DiCaprio’s literal partner in crime, a bisexual stock broker, in Martin Scorsese’s controversial The Wolf of Wall Street. Hill’s portrayal of a closeted member of our community is not a favorable one but it is frequently entertaining in a hedonistic sort of way. Finally, Dame Judi Dench received a nod as Best Actress for her moving performance as a mother searching for the gay son she was forced to give up for adoption in Philomena, which was inspired by a true story.

Philomena was directed by Stephen Frears who, while not gay himself, previously helmed the 1980’s gay classics My Beautiful Laundrette and Prick Up Your Ears. Frears was passed over by the Academy branch as a Best Director nominee this year but Philomena racked up several other nominations including Best Picture (a surprise), Adapted Screenplay and Original Music Score. The five men vying for Best Director are David O. Russell (American Hustle), Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity), Alexander Payne (Nebraska), Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) and Scorsese. Cuarón is favored to win for his technologically groundbreaking, breathtaking work, but Russell and McQueen can’t be counted out entirely.

Other nominees beside Philomena and Dallas Buyers Club in the all-important Best Picture category are American Hustle, Captain Phillips (whose star, Tom Hanks, was a surprising snub in the Best Actor category), Gravity, Spike Jonze’s futuristic romance Her, Nebraska (this year’s most overrated contender, in my opinion), 12 Years a Slave and The Wolf of Wall Street. As of now, there is a three-way race between Hustle, Gravity and 12 Years — all of which are very deserving — for the main prize.

Apart from the higher profile Dallas Buyers Club and Philomena, the most significant GLBT entry in this year’s Oscar race may be found among the Best Documentary Short nominees. Jason Cohen’s Facing Fear relates the powerful story of a gay man, Matthew Boger, who found himself unexpectedly reunited with a former neo-Nazi skinhead, Tim Zaal, who savagely beat Boger 25 years earlier. After a challenging process of reconciliation and forgiveness between the two, Boger and Zaal today consider each other friends and regularly give presentations together about their journey. Cohen does a terrific job and it would be great if Facing Fear won. Facing Fear and its fellow Documentary Short nominees, as well as all the Animated and Live Action short film nominees, will be screening at a theater near you starting today.

Gay favorites in other categories include Disney’s Frozen, up for both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”); Baz Luhrmann’s ravishing adaptation of The Great Gatsby, nominated for Art Direction and Costume Design; and Best Documentary Feature candidate 20 Feet from Stardom, which focuses on the backup singers behind several legendary performers (including Bette Midler, Sheryl Crow Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder).

Curiously absent among this year’s Best Foreign Language Film nominees is Blue is the Warmest Color, the scintillating lesbian drama that won the Cannes Film Festival’s grand prize and has swept critics’ group foreign film awards. It turned out to be not eligible this year due to a quirk in the Academy’s submission rules, even though it received a US theatrical release. The movie will reportedly be eligible for next year’s Oscars. Hopefully, it will still be remembered then.

Meron and Zadan, who are producing the show for the second year in a row, promise “no shortage of comedy with Ellen DeGeneres as our host.” DeGeneres MC’d the ceremony once before, in 2007, and was well received as the first openly lesbian or gay person to host the event. The producers also announced a special celebration of movie heroes that will anchor this year’s show. “People around the world go to the movies to be inspired by the characters they see on the screen,” Zadan and Meron said in a statement. “By celebrating the gamut of heroes who have enriched our movie-going experience, we hope to create an evening of fun and joy.” And for all us "friends of Dorothy", there will be a special tribute to The Wizard of Oz in honor of its 75th anniversary.

Prior to this year’s Academy Awards but on a related note will be the broadcast of a new documentary, And the Oscar Goes To…, by gay filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (The Celluloid Closet, Paragraph 175, Howl). It will premiere February 1st on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) to kick off their annual "31 Days of Oscar" celebration, and will be repeated several times on TCM, as well as on CNN, throughout the month of February. The duo, who are themselves Oscar winners for 1988’s Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, will chronicle the nine-decade history of the world’s most popular awards show. It all sounds like must-see TV to me!

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

Reverend’s Reviews: Plummer, Porter & Perfect

There are worse ways to spend 90 minutes than in the company of Oscar- and Tony-winning actor Christopher Plummer… although Julie Andrews and other former co-stars may beg to differ. Plummer’s tantrums on the set of 1965’s The Sound of Music as well as other films and plays in which he has appeared over the decades are well documented. Fortunately, he is a perfect gentleman in the current A Word or Two playing at Los Angeles’ Ahmanson Theatre through February 9th. The one-man show, which Plummer also wrote, celebrates his lifelong love of literature while indulging audiences with tidbits about Plummer’s upbringing and convictions.

Now an impossibly fit and mentally sharp 84 years old, Plummer reads from such time-honored authors as George Bernard Shaw, Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde, Vladimir Nabokov and, of course, William Shakespeare. More surprising are his admiration for Winnie the Pooh creator A.A. Milne, the Bible (from which Plummer movingly delivers a lovely selection from the Song of Songs) and religio-ethical poet W.H. Auden. The Canadian actor gives an amusingly fey, inexplicably Southern-accented interpretation of King Herod from Auden’s For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio. Plummer also impresses with his comments, mostly derisive, on more contemporary subjects including Twitter, Botox, Governor Chris Christie, plastic surgery and, naturally, Justin Bieber.

With guidance from Tony-winning director Des McAnuff and the support of a massive staircase comprised entirely of books (beautifully designed by Robert Brill), Plummer unquestionably succeeds in his stated attempt to rescue classical language from what he perceives as its impending demise. I did find composer Michael Roth’s occasional bits of background music and ambient sound distracting and completely unnecessary. A Word or Two needs only Plummer’s command of literature to keep theatergoers riveted.

Running now through February 16th just a few miles south of LA at Long Beach’s acclaimed International City Theatre (ICT) is the California premiere of Let’s Misbehave: The Music and Lyrics of Cole Porter. The production also serves as the inaugural work in ICT’s 29th season. Cole Porter, the famous (and famously closeted) art deco-era composer, would surely be delighted by this extended revue despite the threadbare storyline devised by Karin Bowersock and Patrick Young to connect Porter’s classic tunes.

An economical three-hander set in the mid-1930’s, Let’s Misbehave features a trio of longtime, single friends — one male and two female — in the early morning hours following a “swelegant” party. Host Dorothy (the terrific, funny Lindsey Alley in her ICT debut) and the on-stage pianist (Brian Baker) she has employed cajole Marc Ginsburg’s Walter and elegant Jennifer Shelton’s Alice into renditions of more than 35 Porter songs in between rounds of old fashioneds. The buddies eventually make a sworn agreement that each will take a lover in time for the 4th of July, just a month away. Things quickly become complicated once Alice and Dorothy discover they both have a more than friendly interest in Walter, while Walter only has eyes for Alice.

Director/choreographer Todd Nielsen and his cast find a few effective, mostly unspoken moments of sorely needed dramatic tension in this piffle of a plot. Porter’s compositions, alternately humorous and wistful, would more than stand on their own in providing an evening of theatrical entertainment. Kicking off with “Well Did You Evah?” and culminating in “De-Lovely” (plus an encore or two), there are stops along the way at such well-known standards as “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Anything Goes,” “Night and Day,” “Friendship” and “Every Time We Say Goodbye,” plus a number of lesser-known Porter songs. The cast members are fine with the vocals, and the three harmonize particularly well. Unfortunately, their dancing is more pedestrian but each gave Nielsen’s moves their all on opening night.

Porter’s life was given an underrated film treatment ten years ago in Irwin Winkler’s De-Lovely. Kevin Kline is typically charismatic as Porter, with Ashley Judd and out actor John Barrowman in supporting roles as Cole’s devoted wife Linda and one of his male lovers, respectively. At least it is an improvement on 1946’s Night and Day, a decidedly sanitized bio starring Cary Grant.

On a final theatrical note: Some readers probably wish, like me, that you could have caught The Perfect American, Phillip Glass’ operatic treatment (with libretto by Rudy Wurlitzer) of the life and death of Walt Disney, during its one and only performance to date last year at Madrid’s Teatro Real. Well, I recently learned that the world premiere was recorded and is now available on Blu-ray and DVDfrom Opus Arte. Guess what Reverend bought with one of the Amazon gift cards he received for Christmas?

One’s appreciation of the score will likely depend on one’s appreciation of Glass’ minimalist approach. As a longtime Disney devotee, though, I found its controversial depiction of the beloved artist/studio head/theme park builder fascinating. Disney is revealed as more megalomaniacal, neglectful and racist than Tom Hanks’ current turn as the icon in Saving Mr. Banks and, arguably, more so than the historical record. Walt’s brother Roy, wife Lillian and two daughters are characters in the opera, as are Andy Warhol and Abraham Lincoln from Disneyland’s famed Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction, albeit a more malfunctioning version played by Zachary James (who originally played Lurch in The Addams Family Broadway musical and was previously interviewed here on Movie Dearest). Christopher Purves is excellent both dramatically and vocally as the smiling, scheming innovator.

Impressively staged by Phelim McDermott of Shockheaded Peter fame, The Perfect American is well worth renting/buying and watching/listening. Just don’t tell current Disney head honchos Bob Iger and John Lasseter.


Reverend’s Ratings:
A Word or Two: A-
Let’s Misbehave: B
The Perfect American: B+

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

Reverend’s Reviews: Gay in the Desert

Now that our annual nominating and voting process for the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (or GALECA, of which I am Vice President and co-ballot tabulator) is over and the cinematic year that was 2013 is closed out, I can finally review a handful of gay-themed movies that screened during the Palm Springs International Film Festival two weeks ago. Better late than never, especially when two of the films are very good and another good. The less said about the fourth movie I review below, probably the better.

Cupcakes is a suitably tasty confection from gay Israeli director Eytan Fox (Yossi & Jagger, Yossi), easily his lightest and most purely enjoyable film to date. Super cute Ofer Schechter plays a gay schoolteacher who, when not entertaining his class by lip-synching in drag, yearns to represent Israel on the world’s #1 televised singing competition, UniverSong. Each nation annually chooses a singer or group to compete, so Ofer (actor and character share the same name) enters himself and his five girlfriends in the Israeli selection process. Two complications arise once they are chosen: (1) the ladies didn’t know Ofer had entered them as a singing group and (2) Ofer’s closeted boyfriend is a member of the wealthy hummus-producing family that sponsors Israel’s team. Will their conflicts be worked out in time for UniverSong’s climactic Paris showdown? Is the pope Catholic?

Colorful art direction and costumes as well as a score chock-full of hits by Scissor Sisters, The Captain & Tennille (who sadly announced their divorce today after 39 years of “muskrat” marriage), Debbie Boone (!) and more serve as the sweet icing on this delectable treat. Sure, its lightweight but its also good to see Fox taking a break from heavier fare.

Another contemporary gay filmmaker, Bruce LaBruce, takes on a decidedly riskier tale in Gerontophilia but with impressive results. After a several years run of sexually explicit, frequently gory horror satires including L.A. Zombie and Otto; or, Up With Dead People, LaBruce (working with co-writer Daniel Allen Cox) gets downright cuddly with this still outré romance between a young man named Lake and a man, Melvyn Peabody, approximately 60 years his elder. They meet at a nursing home managed by Lake’s mother, where he works as an orderly and Mr. Peabody is a resident. While Lake has a genuine concern for the elderly and begins to question what he sees as their over-medication and abusive treatment, he also develops an increasingly erotic fascination with the older male bodies he is charged with washing and dressing. Melvyn, who is gay, begins to return Lake’s attentions once his sleep-inducing prescriptions are cut back. The pair begins playing strip poker (while shaking martinis no less) behind Melvyn’s closed door and things quickly escalate from there. It isn’t long before Lake “kidnaps” Melvyn for a romantic getaway, during which jealousies unexpectedly flare and other surprises await.

Pier-Gabriel Lajoie, who plays Lake, is photogenic but amateurish, at least initially. He grew on me, though, and his heartfelt reactions during the film’s second half are touching. Meanwhile, veteran black actor Walter Borden gives an excellent, graceful performance as Melvyn, who is alternately confused and delighted by Lake’s uncompromising interest in him at his advanced age. Gerontophilia is also beautifully shot, especially during its final scenes in a snowfall, by Nicolas Canniccioni. “You’re such a saint,” Lake’s feminist girlfriend, Desiree (a great Katie Boland), tells him at one point. Well, Bruce LaBruce is no saint but he gets credit here as always for his boldness and bravery. I’m very interested to see what reactions his latest film receives once it gets broader play.

In the new documentary Ignasi M., Spanish filmmaker Ventura Pons (probably best known in the US for 2002’s well-received, gay-themed Food of Love) turns his camera on fellow countryman Ignasi Nunez. Nunez has been acclaimed internationally as a museologist and art restorer. He is also flamboyantly gay, HIV+ and the proud parent of two young adult sons he fathered naturally with a disabled woman.

Nunez has a sharp intellect and quick wit, so Pons wisely sits back and lets his subject do most of the talking on a variety of topics including sexuality, religion, nature, the value of art and museums, parenthood, economics and class, and death. His fellow conversationalists include Nunez’s elderly parents (his father has attempted suicide as did his grandfather, the latter successfully), his sons, the mother of his sons and fellow museologists. As a viewer, it took me a little time to get into the film’s rhythm and approach, which struck me more often than not as free association. Some additional editing and tightening up wouldn’t hurt, but Nunez emerges as an impressive if eccentric figure.

Less than impressed, meanwhile, discreetly describes my reaction to the wanna-be gay satire Hidden Hills. Written by and starring the self-proclaimed “comedy duo” of Tim O’Leary and Ted Trent, its one of those movies that is trying so hard to be funny it turns out not to be funny at all. The plot has something to do with a 1960’s gay couple (O’Leary and Trent) who decide to get married, but my partner and I could not get through it. While some of the period fixtures and costumes are spot-on, once it is determined which period we’re supposed to be in, the film is woefully amateurish in writing, acting and its irritating music score. I’m trying to figure out how Hidden Hills made it into the Palm Springs fest. Clearly, the festival’s programmers, despite doing an otherwise terrific job this year in the GLBT department, are not infallible.

Reverend’s Ratings:
Cupcakes: B+
Gerontophilia: B+
Ignasi M.: B-
Hidden Hills: D

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

And the Dorian Awards Go To...

The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (GALECA), of which I and Movie Dearest contributor Chris Carpenter are members, have named Steve McQueen's epic period drama 12 Years a Slave as the 2013 Film of the Year in this year's Dorian Awards. Other big winners include Dallas Buyers Club's Matthew McConaughey and Blue Jasmine's Cate Blanchett in the film performance categories and the French lesbian romance Blue is the Warmest Color as both Foreign Language Film of the Year and LGBT Film of the Year.

 

Kill Your Darlings, starring Daniel Radcliffe as Allen Ginsberg, and Short Term 12 tied as the Unsung Film of the Year, while the documentary Bridegroom, Pedro Almodóvar's campy I'm So Excited! and the "visually striking" Gravity round out the movie prizes.

The Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra and women-in-prison dramedy Orange is the New Black topped the television awards, tieing for TV Drama of the Year, with Orange also named LGBT TV Show of the Year. Candelabra's Michael Douglas took TV Actor of the Year and Orange's Laverne Cox was crowned the year's "rising star" with the "We're Wilde About You" Award. Jessica Lange won her third Dorian Award in a row for her role in the American Horror Story franchise, with AHS: Coven also named Campy TV Show of Year.

HBO's Girls and Getting On won TV Comedy and Unsung TV Show, respectively, while Dame Shirley Bassey's showstopping rendition of her iconic James Bond theme "Goldfinger" at the 82nd Academy Awards was named the TV Musical Performance of the Year.

Special Awards were also given to political pundit Rachel Maddow ("Wilde Wit of the Year"), eccentric Renaissance man James Franco ("Wilde Artist of the Year") and legendary actress and comedienne Lily Tomlin (The Timeless Award).

GALECA's annual toast of the winners will be held the afternoon of Sunday, March 9, in Hollywood (location to be announced). For more information on GALECA, visit their official website or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.