The Gospel of Eureka
Narrated by multiple-genre artist Mx Justin Vivian Bond, The Gospel of Eureka is a heartfelt, often humorous documentary set in Eureka Springs, Ark., which is home to both a vibrant LGBTQ and drag community and to devout evangelical Christian residents.
The sophomore feature from Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher (October Country), The Gospel of Eureka explores how the denizens of Eureka negotiate differences around religious beliefs, gender expression, sexual freedom through drag performance and political action.
A necessary story for divisive times, Variety called the film, "a needed shot of all-American optimism... Mosher and Palmieri prove a town doesn't need to be perfectly aligned. It just needs to agree there's a universal right to personal liberty." Watch it in select theaters.
Cinderella
Famed British director/ choreographer Matthew Bourne has reimagined classics including The Red Shoes, Sleeping Beauty, and an all-male Swan Lake. Now, his Cinderella, set to Prokofiev's score, takes place in London during the blitz strikes of World War II, has arrived at Los Angeles's Ahmanson Theater.
Reconfigured by Bourne as an old movie-obsessed dreamer, this Cinderella (Ashley Shaw), set to Prokofiev's score, cleans the stately home where her drunken stepmother rules over a clan that includes a pair of wicked stepsisters, and three stepbrothers -- one a lascivious foot fetishist, one a perennial child, and one a handsome gay man who is arguably the second Cinderella of this production.
When an injured RAF pilot (Andrew Monaghan) happens upon the home, Cinderella allows herself to dream of real movie love while her stepfamily preps for the ball. Much of the ensuing plot, unfolds in Cinderella's mind after she's caught on the street during a bombing.
Replete with attempted murder, fetishes, sex workers, electric shock therapy, a post-coital dance number, a gay love story, and a male fairy godmother (or angel) who resembles Lady Gaga in a suit, Bourne's Cinderella is like no fairy tale you've ever seen.
Cinderella runs at the Ahmanson through March 10. Tickets are available here.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
The sequel to The Lego Movie finds the inhabitants of Bricksburg facing a threat in the form of Lego Duplos, invading from outer space. The heroes fight back in a struggle that takes them to strange, faraway galaxies. The film features a plethora of star voices, including bi actress Stephanie Beatriz as General Mayhem, Elizabeth Banks as Lucy, Will Arnett as Batman, Nick Offerman as Metalbeard, Alison Brie as Unikitty/U;trakitty, and Chris Pratt as Emmet and Rex Dangervest. (Unfortunately, Pratt recently enthused publicly about his church, Hillsong, which happens to be homophobic; Ellen Page called him out for it.) The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part is playing in theaters nationwide.
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are this weekend, and the ceremony promises to be one of the gayest yet. At least 13 queer women are nominated in multiple categories, including Janelle Monae for Album of the Year (Dirty Computer) and Lady Gaga for Song of the Year and Record of the Year (A Star Is Born's "Shallow"). Hosted by Alicia Keys, the event will also feature performances from Cardi B, Shawn Mendes, Monae, and more. Watch it Sunday, February 10 on CBS.
Ariana Grande, "break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored"
The world's biggest pop star just released her fifth album, thank u, next, complete with a fresh video. The clip for "break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored" -- the album's third single -- won't change the game like "Formation," "Rhythm Nation," or "Vogue" did (or even Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend," which is subtly alludes to), but it offers a fun surprise at the end. As for the album as a whole, reviews are generally positive. Will you give it a listen?
One Day at a Time
Netflix's One Day at a Time takes the beloved '70s sitcom about a divorced mom raising teen daughters and gives it a fresh focus by reimagining the premise with a Latinx family. Justina Machado (Six Feet Under) stars as Penelope, the single mom raising her son Alex (Marcel Ruiz) and her daughter Elena (Isabella Gomez), who comes out as a lesbian in season one. Of course, the legendary Rita Moreno plays Penelope's over-the-top mother Lydia, who lends a classic air of camp to the entire show.
With humor and a whole lot of heart, One Day at a Time's excellent season two focused on a newly out and deeply political Elena who joined protests and fought for LGBTQ rights at her school even as she navigated dating. The series did a deep dive into intersectionality and highlighted various sexualities and genders at a teen level eventually giving Elena a girlfriend, Syd, who is nonbinary.
The show's third season promises to explore more of Elena's identity and her relationship with Syd.
One Day at a Time premiered February 8 on Netflix.
Boomerang
Producers Lena Waithe, Ben Cory Jones, Halle Berry, and Rishi Rajani have partnered to create Boomerang, a BET series based on the film of the same name starring Eddie Murphy. The show, starring Tequan Richmond, Tetona Jackson, Leland Martin, and Lala Milan, "revolves around a successful executive who finds that his lifestyle choices have turned back on him when his new boss turns out to be a bigger deviant that he is," reports The Hollywood Reporter. "It is described as an updated version that explores contemporary workplace dynamics, including the changing role of gender, office politics, relationships and the conflicts between Generation X and millennials." Boomerang premieres Tuesday, February 12 at 10 p.m. Eastern on BET.
