Movies Dearz

Wide open spaces, legendary characters, historical adventures, sweeping vistas ... the Movie Dearest Calendar Wallpaper is truly epic for the month of September this year.

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After a neck-in-neck battle for box office dominance this past weekend with Takers, its fellow new release, The Last Exorcism came in 2nd place but still grossed more than anticipated. As usual, young people hoping for big scares were the driving force behind the thriller's success but I, as an ordained minister, was more intrigued by what The Last Exorcism had to say — and show — about religion and faith ... although I love an intelligent horror movie too. My interest was largely, if not completely, satisfied.

The Reverend Cotton Marcus (played with impressive fervor by the photogenic Patrick Fabian) is a Protestant preacher renowned for his exorcist abilities. But, as Marcus confesses to a documentary camera crew in the film's opening minutes, he doesn't believe in demons or manifestations of supernatural evil. Rather, he has concluded that those claiming to be possessed are in need of psychiatric help, to which many of the fundamentalist Christians who call upon his services are opposed. Marcus has also witnessed the damage sometimes wrought by ministers in the process of casting out the Devil and his minions, including the death of a boy not much older than Marcus's own son.

It turns out that the good Reverend has hired the filmmakers to document what he intends to be his final "exorcism" in an effort to show the world once and for all that demonic possession is a hoax. Marcus responds to the invitation of a farmer in rural Louisiana who believes his teenage daughter, Nell (the superb Ashley Bell), is under the influence of an evil spirit. Armed with an encyclopedia of demonology, special effects-laden props, a Satanic sound mix and self-righteous swagger, the preacher and his companions gradually find themselves in over their heads.


The Last Exorcism is at its best when it poses as many practical as theological explanations behind Nell's presumed possession. Is the girl being victimized by her questionably-sane brother (Caleb Landry Jones)? Has she been raped and impregnated by her father (an excellent performance by Louis Herthum)? Or, is the ordinarily angelic-looking Nell simply a screwed-up teen, dramatically grieving the death of her mother two years before?

The movie loses some credibility whenever its characters fall victim to illogical behavior, as too many spook-fest protagonists have before. Instead of calling Child Protective Services and the police once they suspect Nell is the victim of sexual abuse or in the wake of her apparently slashing her brother across the face with a knife, Rev. Marcus and Company lock the girl in her room and wait for all concerned to simply sleep things off. Not even Nell's vicious, caught-on-video bludgeoning of the family pet (cat lovers, beware) is enough to wake them up to reality.

I can forgive The Last Exorcism all of this in light of its otherwise (mostly) intelligent handling of an enduringly fascinating subject. It is refreshing to see a non-Catholic approach to possession and exorcism; as Marcus himself notes of Catholics, "They've got the movie," referring of course to the 1973 classic, The Exorcist. Marcus also accurately states that every world religion has a method for expelling evil spirits, even as he remains unconvinced of the spiritual efficacy of such rituals.


It is harder to forgive the film's over-the-top, Blair Witch-y finale. I think it would have been much more resonant and disturbing to leave the question of exactly what the hell (no pun intended ... OK, sort of) is going on unresolved. Instead, we get everything but Rev. Marcus's exact fate graphically spelled out, although within the limits of a PG-13 rating, thankfully.

Still, The Last Exorcism is thought-provoking and intense. It even has a gay twist at one point, which I'm not about to give away. One should never underestimate alleged forces of evil, as the good minister and his companions learn the hard way. The film effectively proves the old adage: "When you dance with the Devil, you're sure to get burned."

Reverend's Rating: B

UPDATE: The Last Exorcism is now available on DVD and Blu-ray from Amazon.com.

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

Love was in the air and on the screen throughout the 2010 Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), held August 19-25. While only a couple movies of specifically GLBT-interest were shown, love — in a variety of forms and stages and with all its natural ups and downs — was the central theme of many festival selections.

I wasn't able to catch one of the GLBT features shown, Hermafrodita, but will try to track it down via its press rep and review it soon. However, the fest's screening of Contracorriente (Undertow, in English), a gay romance from Peru, sold out and enjoyed a reception that cements the acclaim the film has received since its January debut at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Cinema Audience Award.


Beautifully rendered by writer-director Javier Fuentes-Leon and his excellent cast, Contracorriente is set in a small, predominantly Catholic fishing village. It is home to Miguel (Cristian Mercado) and his wife, Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), who are expecting their first child. A well-regarded fisherman whose devotion to his marriage is unquestioned, Miguel is described as being "on good terms with God." Mariela and their neighbors consider it a quirk that Miguel is more interested in watching the TV soap opera Right to Love than the national sport of soccer.

The conservative community is also the current home of Santiago (Manolo Cardona), an itinerant, openly gay painter. Unbeknownst to anyone as the film begins, Miguel and Santiago have been having an affair. Miguel doesn't consider himself homosexual and bristles when Santiago brings the term up but he also can't stand the thought of Santiago leaving, which the artist plans to do as the birth of Miguel's son grows near.


Before then, and in the wake of an argument between the two men, Santiago disappears. After missing for several days, Santiago reappears in Miguel's home, much to the latter's shock. It quickly becomes apparent, though, that this is Santiago's spirit and neither Miguel's wife nor anyone else in town can see him. Santiago recalls that his body was pulled to the ocean depths and drowned, and it must be found and laid to rest by Miguel before Santiago's spirit can rest. Until then, they take delight in walking around town and being more openly romantic since Santiago is invisible.

Contracorriente traffics in traditional conflicts between homosexuality and religious repression, but the film feels fresh thanks to its unique setting and occasional comedic elements. Fuentes-Leon makes a winking reference to the 1978 Brazilian movie Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, in which the ghost of a woman's former husband begins to haunt her once she becomes engaged to a new man.

Once a nude painting of Miguel done by Santiago is discovered as well as Santiago's body, Miguel is challenged to publicly admit his relationship with Santiago. The film's final 30 minutes perfectly encapsulate both the pain and liberation that come with coming out. Contracorriente (which is due out on DVD in December but may get a theatrical release before then) is not to be missed.


Two non-gay but noteworthy movies I saw during LALIFF are Viajo Porque Preciso, Volto Porque Te Amo (I Travel Because I Have To, I Come Back Because I Love You), from Brazil, and Colombia's La Sangre y La Lluvia (Blood and Rain). The first, which is co-directed by Madame Sata's Karim Ainouz, is significant for being perhaps the first film ever where the protagonist is never seen. We hear Jose, a 35-year old geologist on a 30-day road trip to map a proposed canal, and see things from his perspective throughout, but the most viewers ever glimpse of him is a brief, blurry memory shot.

As he travels, Jose (voiced by Irandhir Santos) ruminates on his and his wife's marriage, and the trials and tribulations it has endured. In the process, he meets and occasionally has sex with other women he encounters during his journey. By the end, though, Jose regains his willingness to commit without being able to see what awaits him, exemplified by climactic shots of Speedo-clad men diving off the jagged cliffs of Acupulco, Mexico into the treacherous sea below.

La Sangre y La Lluvia marks the feature debut of promising Colombian director Jorge Navas. It is the often brutal but ultimately touching saga of a taxi driver, Jose (played by Quique Mendoza, who recalls a young Mickey Rourke), who is out to avenge his brother's recent murder. He crosses paths with Angela (the striking and very good Gloria Montoya), a party girl looking to get laid but discovers a deeper attraction toward Jose.


It is impossible not to be drawn into the sympathetic relationship that develops between these two disparate individuals in the span of one blood-soaked, rainy night. The film's climax is unnecessarily protracted and made a late screening even later, but La Sangre y La Lluvia, its director and stars are worth keeping an eye out for.

As LALIFF's omnipresent Co-Founder and Chairman, Oscar-nominated actor Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver, Battlestar Galactica), announced prior to one of the screenings I attended, "98% of these films won't be shown elsewhere in the US." While this is unfortunate, I am grateful to LALIFF for giving us Angelenos, at least, a chance to experience the best of what current Latin cinema has to offer.

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

Watch new movie trailer: Machete (2010)

Cast: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal
Director: Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis
Release Date: September 3rd, 2010
Genre: Action, Adventure

Movie description: After a violent shakedown from a notorious drug lord nearly kills him, Machete, a renegade Mexican Federale and tough-as-nails vigilante for justice, roams the streets of Texas, working as a day laborer. When Machete is hired by a crooked US Senator to execute a covert hit, Machete is double-crossed and forced to run from the cops and an endless stream of assassins. But what they don't know is that Machete is looking for them so he can settle the score.


Trailer for movie  Machete (2010)

“You went and saved the best for last.”
-- Vanessa Williams
And boy, did they! Ugly Betty has always been an GLBT-friendly treat, but the “Fourth and Final Season” now available on DVD ties up plot points with a big pink bow. From a beautiful season opener guest starring the late Lynn Redgrave (in her final, lovely performance) to Justin’s unforgettable Homecoming to Betty’s British invasion, you will find it hard picking a favorite episode.

Season Four starts with Betty (America Ferrera) finding her new promotion as associate features editor very challenging. Her new boss is her bitter ex-boyfriend Matt (Daniel Eric Gold) and her co-workers resent the favoritism Daniel (Eric Mabius) shows her. Her big sis Hilda (Ana Ortiz) is torn between her good guy boyfriend Archie (Ralph “Karate Kid” Macchio) and bad boy ex-flame Bobby Talercio (über-sexy Adam Rodriguez). She is also worried that her son Justin (the fabulous Mark Indelicato) is shutting her out and afraid to come out to her.


Meanwhile, back at Mode, Wilhemina Slater (Vanessa Williams) and her hot Aussie con man beau (sexy Grant Bowler) have a wild on-again/off-again relationship full of sneaky schemes and conjugal visits, but that’s nothing compared to what happens when her prodigal daughter (Yaya DeCosta from The Kids Are All Right) shows up covered in blood. BFFs Marc (Michael Urie) and Amanda (Becky Newton) get an unexpected third when aging temp and party girl Helen (Kristin Johnston) enters their lives, and shows Amanda what she might turn into if she isn’t careful.

Best of all, Justin finds love (a girl named Lily!) but has to compete for her affections with cutie-patootie schoolmate Austin (Ryan McGinnis). If you think that’s the end of his story, then you don’t know Ugly Betty. By the end of this snarky, hilarious and surprisingly moving series, Betty has definitely outgrown the “Ugly” moniker and you’ll love where she and the whole cast of characters wind up.


My favorite moments of the season are:
- Betty and Lynn Redgrave surrounded by hundreds of butterflies in "The Butterfly Effect Part 1".
- Justin’s rocky road to Homecoming hero at a public high school, and his final showdown with his sexuality after attending a performing arts school.
- Betty reunited with Christina (Ashley Jenson) in London, and Betty’s unexpected love connection as the series ends.
- Betty and Marc reduced to dressing as a wiener and a bun.


- Kristin Johnston’s clueless turn as Helen, who has the oblivious hots for Marc.
- One particular couple who has their sweet first dance at Hilda’s wedding reception.
- Daniel’s seduction by Jamie Lynn Sigler, who draws him into the spooky cult, the Community of the Phoenix, headed by even spookier Dylan Baker.
- The episode “Be-Shure” is a classic farce where both Betty and Hilda think they’re pregnant, and the only one who knows it is their dad Ignacio’s new girlfriend, Jean (Faith Prince), the pharmacist who sold the girls their pregnancy tests.


- Wilhemina coming face-to-face with her drag inspiration Wilheldiva Hater (played not-so-convincingly by her brother Chris Williams) and forcing him/her to do events Willi doesn’t want to do.
- Claire Meade’s touching reunion with the son she gave up for adoption (the hunky Neal Bledsoe) and his not-so-happy trip to New York City. Let’s just say that the alcoholic doesn’t fall too far from the tree.


- In “Million Dollar Smile”, Betty becomes braces-free and dreams of a world where she’s the pretty sister. Marc is a doting dad and Amanda is married to Daniel. Her guide to this alternate universe is her chatty orthodontist, played by Kathy Najimy.
- All those cameos! In addition to Redgrave, Najimy and Christie Brinkley as Willi’s arch-rival, there's more Broadway faves like Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christine Ebersole, Bryan Batt and Next to Normal’s Aaron Tveit (soon to be seen in Howl opposite James Franco), RuPaul, Varla Jean Merman, Carol Kane and, of course, Alec Mapa (as bitchy fashion reporter Suzuki St. Pierre).


Like many great people and things, Ugly Betty was cut down in her prime, but as the Fourth and Final Season proves, you want to go out on a high note and leave ‘em wanting more.

The DVD also includes such fun Bonus Features as "Betty Bloops", "Betty Goes Bahamas" and "Mode After Hours".

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

When Cougar Town first premiered last fall, I had been (somewhat) eagerly anticipating it. I have always been a fan of Friends and its talented cast, and I welcomed the return of Courtney Cox to prime time network television comedy after her turn in the abysmal Dirt on FX in 2007-2008.

The pilot episode did indeed make me laugh out loud, guffaw even, several times. The second episode was equally funny with a hysterical photo montage that I watched several times over again through the magic of the bloop-back-button on TiVo. The third episode still provided plenty of laughs as well as the world's first dual manicure/bikini wax, but I was already beginning to tire of the shows basic premise: 40-something real estate agent Jules Cobb (Cox) is freshly divorced and coping with single life and, you guessed it, being a cougar (an older woman chasing after younger men, for those of you not in the know.)

I have never been a fan of current-day one-camera-sitcoms. They usually strike me as forced and insincere. Furthermore, Cox's performance in the show was almost too over-the-top, especially when contrasted against the show's supporting cast, which is ironic as she started out completely understated on Friends and eventually came up to a broader sitcom-style performance. Cougar Town just seemed to be going nowhere, and I stopped watching. Mind you, I didn't dislike the show, but there just wasn't enough there to keep me tuning in, especially with my TiVo memory at 13-percent and too many shows backing up in the queue.


Now, I have an “everything is better on DVD” philosophy, so when the chance came up to review the Cougar Town: The Complete First Season DVD release for Movie Dearest, I jumped at it. And son-of-a-gun, the show is better on DVD! But not just because of the lack of commercials, extra bonus features and chronological viewing convenience. The show itself, about a third of the way into the season, starts to downplay Cox's “cougaresque” sexcapdes, and becomes a character-driven, ensemble show about middle-aged people navigating life.

Yes, it is pretty much Friends twenty years later, but it works. The clever writing now has more substance and pathos beneath it, and the cast is one of the best ensembles to come along since Will & Grace. This becomes most apparent in the Thanksgiving episode “Here Comes My Girl”, wherein the entire cast begins to interact with each other instead of being somewhat separate entities on the periphery of Jules' life.

And what a cast of characters to play with! Jules best friends, next-door neighbor Ellie Torres (Christa Miller-Lawrence) and co-worker Laurie Keller (Busy Phillips) seemingly despise each other. Yet they maintain a bickering and humorous truce out of their friendship for Jules. Miller-Lawrence plays the self-absorbed Ellie with a dry wit reminiscent of Bea Arthur (she better take that as a compliment) and Phillips spouts off some of the shows best non sequitur lines with a sincerity that defies logic, such as: “Maybe Grayson's just being careful because it's a new relationship — they probably haven't even shaved each other yet.”


Rounding out the cast and characters are Bryan Van Holt as Jules' ex, Bobby, a typical, loveable loser type who remains remarkably human with Van Holt's deft and layered portrayal; Ian Gomez as Andy Torres (Ellie's husband) whose slightly inappropriate man-crush on Bobby breaks the mold of best buddy relationships; Josh Hopkins as Grayson Ellis, Jules' neighbor, nemesis, will-they-or-won't-they love interest and “paper buddy;” and the subtle and talented Dan Byrd as Travis Cobb, Jules and Bobby's college-bound son — the child Monica and Chandler probably would have had.

Put any of these characters/actors together in any combination, and the chemistry sparks and the laughs follow, even when it is a slightly inappropriate coupling. That doesn't happen much on television anymore. The show includes great guest appearances as well, including Barry Bostwick, Beverly D'Angelo, Sheryl Crow and Lisa Kudrow in a wonderful turn as the world's meanest dermatologist.

The only character who remains true to the “Cougar Roots” of Cougar Town is the mysterious and wonderfully under-developed, Barb, portrayed by General Hospital's Daytime Emmy-nominated Carolyn Hennessy. Her character pops out of nowhere, often just leaning into camera shot, to offer her two cents of “Cougar Philosophy” and disappears just as quickly. The bonus features offer Barb's Blog Spot from ABC.com, in which she dispenses advice to the middle-aged lovelorn, and that alone is worth the price of admission. Also of note on the bonus features is the Jimmy Kimmel sketch “Saber-Tooth Tiger Land” featuring Cloris Leachman and a foul-mouthed Shirley Jones.


But make no mistake, despite the show's new ensemble direction, it is Courtney Cox that holds it all together. Much as she did with Friends, she sets her tone to that of her fellow cast-mates, and she sparkles all the more for sharing the spotlight.

Created by Bill Lawrence (former Friends writer and co-creator of Spin City and Scrubs) and Kevin Biegle (former Scrubs staff writer), Cougar Town walks a not-so-delicate tightrope between schmaltz and cynicism, which never strays too far from reality, while still daring to dally with the surreal. It is also a dazzling show to look at, with production values that play with color and light in a way few other shows do. In the end, as with Friends, Cougar Town is simply made up of nice (though flawed) people who are just fun to spend time with.

And, for me, that's what television is all about.

The Actor Factor: A View from Both Sides of the Camera is by James Jaeger, Los Angeles based actor and resident television critic of Movie Dearest.

After listening annually to their 1998 holiday CD ‘Tis the Season since, well, 1998, I had my first chance to hear the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles perform live this past weekend, and at the Walt Disney Concert Hall no less.

Now celebrating their 32nd season, GMCLA is one of the oldest continuous such ensembles in the US. Sure on This Shining Night, the chorale’s August 21 concert, highlighted its strengths but also featured a pair of misguided artistic choices that threatened to sabotage the evening. Fortunately, two significant and impressive premieres kept the 130-member chorale from the brink.

The first act started well enough, with gorgeous renditions of Kevin Robison’s “In the Space of Now” and David Conte’s “Invocation/Dance,” the latter inspired by three verses from Walt Whitman’s “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d.”

These were followed by a diverse selection of songs arranged under the heading “Golden Light.” Included was a hymn by Russian composer Pavel Tchesnokov proclaiming (in Russian, naturally) “Salvation is made in the midst of the earth, O God, Alleluia”; a musical setting of James Agee’s poem, “Sure on This Shining Night”; and Tom Brown’s contemporary and deeply moving “Jonathan Wesley Oliver, Jr.”, about a childhood friend who died of AIDS.


Act I concluded with six selections from famous operas by male composers, which marked the first misstep of the evening. While the excerpts were adequately performed by the choir, the section went on too long, especially in the absence of storylines or theatrical scenery. Also, some of the soloists fell short (bass John Musselman and tenor Jerry Cordova were honorable exceptions to this).

After this interminable interlude and the show’s intermission, Act II began impressively with the world premiere performance of “The End of It All” by electronica composer/DJ John Tejada. Tejada was present to “perform” his piece on laptop and sound console (and, of note, got married the next day to LA PR diva and Movie Dearest friend, Lynn Hasty; Congratulations!).

It was impossible not to bop one’s head or tap one’s feet during “The End of It All,” which I really hope was recorded or will be soon. The mash-up of male chorale voices and techno was inspired and will no doubt be popular in dance clubs and adventurous music halls alike. Steven Young’s lighting design provided perfect support, not only during this number but also throughout the concert.

GMCLA Executive Director Hywel Sims then proudly introduced — rightly so — the debut of the chorale’s new Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Youth Choir. A collaborative effort between the GMCLA and area high schools, this strongly-voiced, high-energy ensemble blew the audience away, especially during their medley of Madonna’s “Like A Prayer,” Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.” A rousing standing ovation followed.


Sadly, a great deal of enthusiasm was then drained as we were subjected to “The Harvey Milk Schools Project.” Another and no doubt worthy collaboration between GMCLA and area schools, it recounts the story of the late, openly gay San Francisco supervisor’s life and assassination interspersed with familiar show tunes and pop songs.

Since Harvey’s story was recently told in the award-winning movie Milk and seen by most of the audience, it was overly familiar and decidedly less artistically-staged. It needlessly inflated the evening to nearly three hours, although the GSA Youth Choir returned thankfully for the concert’s finale: great renditions of Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” and Michael Jackson’s Free Willy theme song, “Will You Be There?”

While I was very happy to finally see GMCLA perform live, I was underwhelmed by some of their selections. If interim Artistic Director Dominic Gregorio is to blame, “Sure on This Shining Night” marked the end of his involvement with the choir. I am looking forward to what GMCLA will do next.

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