Dearie Awards 2010: New Star of the Year - DARREN CRISS

Sparks flew on Glee when Chris Colfer's Kurt Hummel first met Darren Criss' Blaine, leader of rival singing group the Dalton Academy Warblers. Those sparks turned into a bonfire when the dreamy Blaine launched into an a capella rendition of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream". Just like Kurt, we the audience knew it: we were in love. And a new star was born.

Thanks to Criss' smooth vocals and undeniable charm, "Teenage Dream" soon turned into the hottest Glee track to date. His other performances on the show — "Hey, Soul Sister" and the playfully romantic Blaine/Kurt (Blurt?) duet "Baby, It's Cold Outside" — also became "Gleek" faves. It's no wonder then that multi-talented actor/singer (known previously for his magical, musical turn as Harry Potter in a popular viral video) was quickly signed on as Glee regular. We eagerly await Criss' — and Blaine's —return when the show resumes its second season next month.

Honorable Mentions:
In a show that already serves up more than its fair share of beefcake, it must be hard for the new hunk on the block to stand out. But when Joe Manganiello, as heroic wolf man Alcide Herveaux, first stepped on to True Blood (and out of his clothes... Google it), we definitely took notice; his sexy shape shifter leaves us howling at the moon.

As for the big screen, no other actress had as great a breakout year in 2010 than Mia Wasikowska. Her first major starring role was as the title character in the worldwide smash Alice in Wonderland (and its endless franchise potential). Later in the year, she proved she has the acting chops playing daughter to moms Annette Bening and Julianne Moore in the indie hit The Kids Are All Right.

Dearie Awards 2010: Stage Show of the Year - THE DIVINE SISTER

2010 saw a lot of great GLBT friendly shows come and go on and Off Broadway. However, no other show exhibited the sheer gleeful hilarity of Charles Busch’s comedy The Divine Sister. Based on any and every movie where women wear wimples (not to mention The Da Vinci Code and Tea and Sympathy), The Divine Sister was a fabulous return for Busch (and longtime friend and co-star Julie Halston) to his Theatre-in-Limbo roots, where he gave life to such camp classics as Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and Psycho Beach Party.

Set during the same mid-sixties period as Doubt, The Divine Sister celebrates more innocent nun-centric favorites like The Sound of Music, The Singing Nun, The Bells of St. Mary’s, The Trouble With Angels and its sequel, Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows, not to mention Agnes of God. Plus, the whole production design looks like a period Catholic School play (convent bricks made out of kitchen sponges and a chandelier made of plastic forks and spoons spray painted gold? Brilliant!).

When asked to comment on his win, Busch responded, "I love Movie Dearest and I'm sincerely very honored to have my play The Divine Sister chosen Best Stage Show." The Divine Sister was the funniest thing to hit the Catholic Church since the Crusades, and we are happy to bless it with a Dearie Award.  (Tickets are available through February, but since January is a tricky month for productions, it’s the perfect time to see this divine production. Visit the show's official website for tickets and more information.)

Honorable Mentions:
After a woozy revival starring Robert Goulet, it was a bracing breath of fresh perfumed air to see La Cage aux Folles once again on Broadway... and once again win the Tony! British comedian Douglas Hodge recreates his West End triumph, reinventing the character of Zaza... think Ricky Gervais in drag with killer pipes. Kelsey Grammer was his understated foil, and Les Cagelles were a leaner, meaner group of queens with major attitude. "The Best of Times" is indeed now at La Cage aux Folles, but it may get even better: come February, Harvey Fierstein and Jeffrey Tambor will star!

The hit of last year’s New York Fringe Festival, Devil Boys from Beyond was a lovingly vulgar send-up of 50’s sci-fi movies, McCarthy-era politics and His Girl Friday. Playwright Buddy Thomas and director Kenneth Elliot set their raunchy romp in 1957 Lizard Lick, Florida, where the beer-bellied Bubbas are being replaced by studly muscle hunks from beyond Uranus. Their horny housewives couldn’t care less; they’re thrilled with their new diet of beefcake. It’s up to tough-talking Mattie Van Buren to uncover the surprising reason for this alien sexual invasion.

With an all-male cast that included the amazing Andy Halliday, a Charles Busch Theatre-in-Limbo alum, and a show-stealing performance from the brilliant Everett Quinton of Charles Ludlam’s Theatre of the Ridiculous fame, Devil Boys from Beyond was a welcome return to the gender-bending Golden Age of the 80’s Off-Broadway. Along with The Divine Sister, Devil Boys proved that drag theater is as funny, fierce and fabulous as it ever was. Watch the skies for Devil Boys from Beyond: a regional production is opening this weekend in Phoenix and at other theaters throughout the US.

Click here for Neil's original review of The Divine Sister.

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

Dearie Awards 2010: Foreign Film of the Year - UNDERTOW (CONTRACORRIENTE)

With its achingly real story of hidden passions set against a picturesque background, it's easy to see why Undertow (Contracorriente) can be called "Brokeback Ocean".  Filmed alongside the Peruvian seacoast, writer/director Javier Fuentes-León's romantic tale of tragically lost love recalls Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, as married fisherman Miguel (Cristian Mercado) is visited by his secret lover, painter Santiago (Manolo Cardona), from beyond the grave. The bold screenplay, which isn't afraid to show its characters' realistic flaws, culminates in a final scene as heartbreaking as the "Ennis finds the shirts" moment in Brokeback Mountain.

Undertow, our very first Foreign Film of the Year, is Peru's official selection for this year's Academy Awards.

Honorable Mentions:
Starring a kick-ass bisexual action heroine named Lisbeth Salander, The Girl with the Dragoon Tattoo (and its two sequels) was hard to ignore this year. Meanwhile, in a calmer section of Sweden, a homophobic teen outcast disrupts the not-so-perfect life of a gay married couple in the sweetly moving dramedy Patrik Age 1.5.

Click here for Chris' review of Undertow (Contracorriente).

UPDATE: Undertow is now available on DVD and Blu-ray from Amazon.com.

Movie Dearest Proudly Presents: The 4th Annual Dearie Awards!

Yes, it's that time of year again, time for some awards that are even gayer than the Tonys: The 4th Annual Movie Dearest Awards!

The 2010 "Dearies", chosen by myself and my fellow Men on Film, Chris Carpenter and Neil Cohen, honor the best and brightest of film, television and theater as covered here on Movie Dearest.  (Click here to view past "Dearie" Award winners.)

We'll start the festivities later today with a new category, Foreign Film of the Year, and continue the celebration through to next Sunday, with the announcement of our Movie of the Year!

Madame Dearie, the envelope please ...