Sunday Matinee: Always Amazing [Film]

June 23, 2019 Leave a comment

 

When I was but a young boy growing up in the 90’s, I only had four favorite comedians. And it has only come to my mind in recent years who exactly the main four were. I enjoyed sitcoms and films featuring folks like Sinbad and Tim Allen, but I really didn’t know enough about stand up comedy to know that this is where they came from, thus they are not in my first four. Who were those first four? Well, I will cut the shit and tell you, as I can only imagine if you are reading this at all, you probably know who I am going to dramatically end with, and then throw in a few sentences about other comedians who made me happy as a youth, of which you won’t care, but I will continue to talk about because this is my site and I will do whatever the fuck I want to do. Fight me. I’m sorry. I probably wouldn’t fight. Anyway those comedians were: George Carlin, Andrew Dice Clay, Jeff Foxworthy, and….yeah, you guessed it, The Amazing Johnathan. The first two were simply the products of a 9 year old boy living in the New Mexico desert who was told not to listen to certain CD’s in his Dad’s CD collection, so of course he had to listen to certain CDs in his Dad’s CD collection and would eventually learn about the 7 words you can’t say on TV as well as the idea that Old Mother Hubbard was really just wanting some some serious dog dicking. Foxworthy was a product of my mother being somewhat of a “redneck”, but not really, and his stuff being clean enough to play on road trips with me in the car. And c’mon, I was probably like 10 when he really broke.

The latter though, was more of a product of my own bemusement, and actually came around the early pre-teen years for me. The Amazing Johnathan was an almost spastic psychopath that I feel was put on a loop for so many years on the new founded network that seemed to only come on at my Dad’s house because he had cable in the city known as Comedy Central. Back in the day, when CC still cared about stand up comedy (they’re coming back to it, I know) you could not miss this incredible “magician”. His antics were as animated as they were clever, and I couldn’t get enough of the guy.

Cut to almost two decades later: Carlin remained in my wheelhouse probably because I began to adore the films of Kevin Smith; Dice somehow managed to reach legendary status, a feat that only time will understand; Foxworthy stayed the course and managed to only be the 3rd weakest member of his crew falling short of a dude with a fake name and damn good line of beer bread you seem to only find in the midwest; and The Amazing Johnathan…..I feel like I NEVER heard from him again.

And then one rainy day in 2019, I’m listening to an episode of Doug Loves Movies, and I hear the always wonderful Steve Byrne talking about a documentary he has made about somebody named The Amazing Johnathan, and it’s free on YouTube. So I thought, “Well, I better check this shit out before they decide to charge for it!”. And as soon as I saw that face, that bandana, and that bewilderment, I was immediately sent back in time to a much simpler era of my life. There he was, the one who got away. Now, this is not to say that The Amazing Johnathan wasn’t out there performing and doing amazing (as one would assume, right?) things out there in the world while I was losing and then regaining interest in the world of comedy. No, he was out there killing it in pre-internet, pre-400 streaming services, world of Vegas and beyond and just somehow completely missing my radar. But thanks to the wonderful Steve Byrne and the insane people at All Things Comedy, we have an amazing documentary available for free (so, so, stupid, we’ll get into that) on YouTube entitled Always Amazing. And I’m here to tell you, Folks: it’s absolutely brilliant.

 

 

Always Amazing is, first and foremost, an absolutely brilliantly made documentary. It tells the tale of a true to life screw up who used his wild personality to achieve acclaim and fortune by forming an identity that was completely wrapped around the power of being zany. The Amazing Johnathan clearly had an animated soul, and the comedic sensibilities that combined the appeal of Gallagher with the psychosis of Charles Manson. And it worked! For so many damn years, it worked beautifully. What do you do when you realize you may not be the best “magician” in the world? Well, you first realize that you are also an incredibly funny person, and you make the two work together! I believe that is truly what this film is all about at its core. But beyond this fact, this is also the tale of a man who befriends a young boy and they have a healthy relationship as friends over the years. Now, I know that last line seems a bit strange and out of left field, but save it people. There are jokes to be made, and as we learn throughout the film may be right in Johnathan’s proverbial wheelhouse, but what is truly on display here is a pure bond that is so touching and insanely heartfelt. Nothing more.

The film is also the documentation of a man who lived a life, as the kids would say: hard AF. In the 90’s you were never really an “alcoholic” or a “drug addict”, as long as you were a performer. If you created art in any kind of way, you were an artist, not a drunk. We didn’t seem to combine the two. Tupac Shakur was a straight up pothead and alcoholic, and died at 25 years old. But, he was idolized because of the art he created. Hunter S. Thompson was an absolute madman and was lucky that he was such a wildly bad shot with a pistol that he never killed anyone before killing himself. But, the ART! This is what signified The Amazing Johnathan as a true talent. He was always fucked up. But, guess what? 14 year old Ronnie Trembath didn’t know that watching his Comedy Central specials. I didn’t know the pain behind the eyes. How would I have guessed that 20 years later I would be watching a film about this man on this new “internet” thing and realizing, “oh, he was just fucked up all the time!”. But alas, here we are. And thanks to the likes of folks like Steve Byrne, we are now learning what exactly are the consequences of a life lived so hard and based around the means of enthralling audiences.

I am completely aware that we are in a weird renaissance for comedy. Over the last 5 years or so, I have returned to loving the format, and actually got my ass out to some shows lately. Documentaries about road dog comics and television personalities are becoming rampant as the bubble continues to blow up. The infiltration of comedians into podcasting and YouTube has really made this whole set up flourish. Think about it: podcasts are simply talk radio. YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO TALK RADIO! It’s truly fascinating. So with that thought in mind, I am truly not that surprised to see that The Amazing Johnathan is having his moment back in the sun, all in his time of dying.

 

So, Folks, please see the below link to check out Always Amazing. And if you can find some way to give money to Steve Byrne, All Things Comedy, the film’s crew, whoever it is, please consider doing so as, again, this incredibly well made documentary about an incredible human being is FREE! Enjoy!

 

 

Filed under Film

Saturday Special: Clinton Road [Film]

June 22, 2019 Leave a comment

 

“In the film, scripted by Derek Ross Mackay, a widowed fire fighter seeks closure after his wife goes missing on an actual haunted road in rural New Jersey but must unlock the roads secret if he wants to get out alive.” – October Coast PR

 

Let me kick things off by saying this: New Jersey is scary as fuck. I’ve never actually been there, but from what I have heard over the years, possibly just from people who live in Philly, there is a lot of weird shit happening in the Garden State. Growing up as a huge Kevin Smith and Zach Braff fan, I think I assumed it was all just fun, slacker-oriented horseplay happening up there. And now, I see Clinton Road? What the hell is happening?

More on the subject at hand, Clinton Road is an absolute masterpiece in horror cinema. This film has an emotional depth that is comparable to any mainstream horror sensation you are likely to know by name. This film truly has it all. Whether it’s jump scares from creepy ass kids, to oral sex GIVEN to a female at an inopportune time, all of the elements are covered. There is even a great deal of mysticism, and a brilliant amount of Ice-T telling a dumbass group of white kids to not go fucking around in the woods, all the while knowing that they are going to do just that.

 

 

Renowned actor Richard Grieco has dabbled in the off-camera world for many years, mostly has a producer, including the wonderful film The Green Fairy directed by our old friend Dan Frank, as well as another old friend of our’s, Rolfe Kanefsky, Art of the Dead, which also features another dear friend, the great Sarah French. Alright, that’s enough name-dropping for now. But, Grieco has now taken it a step further in the world of horror in which he has already immersed himself within ever so nicely, to sitting in the director’s chair. And I will be damned if Clinton Road isn’t a prime example of a legendary figure who truly GETS the horror genre. He does a bang up job with this film that I know you all are bound to enjoy.

And thanks to a wonderful script, an incredible young cast, and some non-Ice-T cameos from the likes of Vincent Pastore, Fredro Starr of Onyx fame, and Eric Roberts, who is absolutely hilarious by the way, Grieco had a wonderful gathering of great things to work alongside with bonafide writer/director (and Leonardo DiCaprio’s former bodyguard, according to IMDb) Steve Stanulis. Seriously Folks, Clinton Road is not be missed! Check it out as soon as you can, if not sooner!

 

Clinton Road is in select theaters now and will be available on DVD and VOD soon!

 

 

Filed under Film

Simone Miller [Interview]

June 21, 2019 Leave a comment

 

Hello Folks, and happy Friday to you all! Today we have some wonderful words from an absolutely delightful actress on the rise, the great Simone Miller! She is a multi-faceted star in the making and can be found in the recently aired series Detention Adventure, that while not exactly be in my demographic (i.e. I’m OLD), but is a remarkably unique and fun story involving Alexander Graham Bell, an even deeper dive into world history, and, you guessed it…detention!

Simone is a wonderful young actress that I am certain we will be seeing a lot from in the years to come. She has some amazing projects on her plate already, which will be discussed in her answers below. So Folks, let’s waste no time and just get right into it. Please enjoy some amazing answers from the great Simone Miller! Enjoy!

 

******

 

What inspired you to get into the world of performance? 

Disney movies definitely had a huge part in me wanting to pursue acting! I also love to sing and play guitar and ukulele. I knew that if I wanted to perform I would have to build my confidence level. So my parents enrolled me in an acting workshop with an agency and I was selected to join their roster which has really helped me with speaking in front of a large crowd and in front of adult industry executives!

I am very intrigued by a recent project you appeared in entitled Detention Adventure. Can you tell us a bit about this? What drew you to this project overall?

Detention Adventure is a CBC Gem original streamed program, about three nerds who purposefully get themselves thrown into detention, because there are said to be hidden tunnels that lead to Alexander Graham Bells hidden lab beneath the school. In detention the three friends meet Brett the school bully who is very underestimated, who ends up joining them on this adventure! I think what first drew me to this project and character was how different the audition process was. After I performed the scene as Raign, Joe (the director) then told me to perform it as an angry parent and after that a French prince…. it was definitely one of the most unique auditions I’ve ever been to and also one of my favorites.

 

 

I also understand that you have another project coming out soon known as The Clark Sisters. Can you tell us a bit about this project? What can we expect to see from you on this one? 

In this film I was cast as the young version of Dorinda Clark. You can expect to see me in an old night gown, very tired, annoyed and grumpy. It was such a great experience to work on a legendary movie!

If you were given the opportunity (possible in a few years or so) to appear in the biopic of any legendary figure in world history, who would it be? 

It is a dream of mine to play Rosa Parks! She is a leader of change, fearless, a great role model to all woman and people of color. If I could play her, it would be a truly humbling experience to tell her story.

I read in your bio that you are very active with the Jamaican Canadian Association. I am very curious to know what sort of work you have been doing with them? And can you tell us a bit more about this organization? 

This organization supports the Jamaican community here in Canada, and assists the people of Jamaica also! This organization is always up to help out one another for nothing in return like on our most recent project was when my father and I volunteered to help paint a church. We have actually painted this same church over the past few years as a large population congregate their and the people want to keep it in great condition! I have also given out school supplies and sweatshirts to those less fortunate in the community and have supported their charity events in the past.

What does the future hold for you? Anything else coming up that you would like to plug to our readers?

Well I always am working towards new projects that you can stay tuned to on my Instagram @simone.mcq. I hope to continue to perform professionally whether that be in acting or singing, for the rest of my life! I pray that my future is holding this for me!

What was the last thing that made you smile? 

I had to take a selfie for an editorial, and when I was looking at myself, I blurted out “I look like a stale cheeto” and just hearing myself say this made me smile and laugh, because of how ridiculous it sounded!

 

 

Filed under Interviews

Jackie Fabulous [Interview]

June 19, 2019 Leave a comment

 

Hello Folks! I am beyond excited to share some words from your wonderful guest today here at Trainwreck’d Society. It’s Jackie Fabulous! Jackie is a new favorite comedian of mine, but is one who has been killing it on the stage for quite a while now. I was casually listening to our dear friend Amy Miller’s podcast, Who’s Your God?, as I do each and every week, and I came across this absolute gem of a person who is just so damn funny and seemed to have just a real warm spirit around themselves. And by the end of the podcast she had with Amy and Steve, I was hooked. And then, as it tends to happen, I found myself going down a rabbit hole on YouTube. A “Fabulous rabbit hole” if you will. Yeah, I went there. Not a comedian, Folks, but I can throw some goddamn gold out there every once in a while.

After spending an abundance of time watching and enjoying what I could find of Jackie’s, I decided I would absolutely LOVE to ask her a few questions and to have her wonderful aura grace our digital pages. So, I had to hit her up! And damn it all if she wasn’t kind enough to share some responses with us here today! So Folks, please enjoy some words with a woman who is so great, her namesake says it all, the incredible Jackie Fabulous!

 

******

 

When did you first discover that you were a hilarious human being, and that you wanted to make people laugh for a living? I understand you worked in law prior to breaking out in the comedy world? What inspired this transition?

I was always the funny girl in school. Not the class clown just someone who rather make the class laugh then pay attention to the lessons being taught.I went to law school and worked in a lot of law firms. And then realized boredom was making me want to eat staples for lunch. I was not happy and hated being in a cubicle in an office so I tried a comedy class after work and decided that was the way to go because I was finally good at something.

As a touring comedian, you have been all across the country, in what appears to be every damn city in the country! I always like to hear from comedians who are willing to play anywhere, and find out where they have found great audiences in places that some may not expect? So with that, what are some cities that you have had some wonderful experiences working in that people may not expect to be a great place for comedy?

Comedians tend to make fun of remote or far away locations where there’s not much going on seemingly. But I have found that the less there is to do in a town or city the better audiences are because they look you up online they see the advertisement for shows at a club in their hometown and they plan on it and they all come out in droves. El Paso, Texas, people make fun of it but they come out to a show every time. To be honest, if it’s a town where there are not a lotta black people I do really well. People kind of want to see something different they get tired of just going to see another white male comic.

I’m going to be 100% honest with you here…I am a new fan of yours. I actually learned how hilarious you were by your appearance on a podcast that I never miss an episode to, co-hosted by our friend and past guest Amy Miller, known as Who’s Your God?. Your appearance on this podcast was actually what made me feel like I needed to be 100 with you, and let you know this. I’ve since dug into just about every video I can find of you doing stand up. But, I have not yet had the chance to see you live. So with that in mind, would you be able to give a quick idea of what a live Jackie Fabulous show might entail? What can new fans expect to experience during a Jackie Fabulous set?

The biggest compliment I have ever gotten is that I ama relatable. I talk about what happens to me I don’t make anything up. I don’t have that kind of brain. If something happened to me that was embarrassing or sad or life-affirming I usually can bring it to the stage that very time it happens. I don’t believe in getting embarrassed about lessons to learn in life. And women in particular gravitate towards me because they get to finally hear another woman talk about what it’s like to be a woman at any age. My shows are honest and when I’m done audiences usually knows who I am. My goal is when I’m done performing I need for the audiences to understand what they just saw and want to get to know me and feel a little bit better about the fact that usually what has happened to me has happened to them in some capacity. And they can laugh at it.

 

 

I understand that you have a new book coming out soon in what is being called the Find Your Fabulous series. Would you be able to elaborate on the upcoming project? What can we expect to find in the new book?

I am writing my next book. It is about how I realized my parents were wrong about absolutely everything they ever taught me about being black from an immigrant family, a woman and an attractive woman at that. It’s about me learning that the rules don’t make sense and you can make your own rules and that you don’t have to do what everybody else has done to get your goals accomplished. The book is about how my parents raised me to be scared of everything and not to take risks and for whatever reason I did not grow up believing that they’re way was the best way. This book is about re-educating myself and Re-educating anyone whose mother told them they should be afraid of everything because they are a woman.

One of my favorite things that I have noticed that you do in your work as both a comedian and as a public speaker, of which the two seem to go hand in hand for you, is that you are a person who firmly believes in the empowerment of women. And in your line of work, that is no small feat, and I commend and thank you. I’ve got 3 daughters, and I will be damned if they feel as though they are beneath anybody, let alone some idiot who thinks he runs shit because he has a reproductive organ dangling outside of his body. With that in mind, I am curious to know about your thoughts in your current job when it comes to the inclusion of women? Are things improving for women in comedy? Or has the recent spike in attention simply began to fade into oblivion, and things are beginning to fade into the same old sort of nonsense that was occurring before the Twitter outrage?

I think things are changing permanently for the better. I don’t think this is a phase or it will go away. Too many women are angry entertainers and normal people. And the people who have the power or are influencers or have a voice are forcing those who don’t to create a voice. I spent a lot of my time obsessed with men and dating and relationships and sex only because I was trying to fill a void. And now with the transition happening where women are no longer being sought after as sex toys or just baby  makers I don’t think things will go back to the way they used to be. The outrage is too great.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers? 

On May 28 I auditioned for America’s got talent and it will be televised on NBC at 8 PM. That is the biggest thing I’ve done in my career so far and hopefully it will not be the last.

I want and expect to get my own talk show. There’s a need for a new generation of talk show hosts like me who are real and look like other women in the world who aren’t already mega rich. And that is definitely me LOL.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I had a show last night in Vegas with a lot of women in the audience from Australia and they literally caused a stampede to get to me after the show to tell me that they were so happy to see a strong woman talk about real things and how much they are tired of men complaining about everything in  Comedy. I kissed them and hugged them all. Because they reminded me that money or no money, TV or no TV, I will never stop doing this.

 

Jackie is consistently on tour! Here are some dates you can find her at as of now, but be sure to check out her WEBSITE for future additions, as well as how to purchase tickets:

 

June 26th – 30th : Edmonton, Alberta, Canada @ Edmonton House of Comedy

July 3rd : Ontario, Canada @ Ontario Improv

July 7th : Los Angeles, CA @ Chocolate Sundaes at the Hollywood Laugh Factory

July 9th : Fairfield, IA @ Fairfield Arts & Convention Center

July 10th: Dubuque, IA @ Diamond Jo Casino

July 12th – 13th : Cedar Rapids, IA @ Penguin’s Comedy Club

July 14th – 17th : Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Atlantic City

July 18th : Ventura, CA @ Ventura Harbor

July 29th – August 4th : Las Vegas, NV @ Comedy Cellar Las Vegas

Aug 5th – 6th : Las Vegas, NV @ Women’s Leadership Conference

Aug 13th – 15th : Hermoas Beach, CA @ Comedy & Magic Club

Sep 4th – 8th : Bloomington, MN @ Minnesota House of Comedy

Sep 10th – 15th : Reno, NV @ Reno Laugh Factory

Sep 21st : Flagstaff, AZ @ Big Pine Festival

Oct 3rd – 5th : Calgary, Alberta, Canada @ Laugh Stop Calgary

Oct 9th – 13th : Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona House of Comedy

Jan 3rd – 4th, 2020: Washington D.C. @ D.C. Comedy Loft

Filed under Interviews

New Music Tuesday: Onesie – Umpteenth [Album]

June 18, 2019 Leave a comment

 

First of all, I have to kick this thing off by stating that I have been listening to Onesie’s brilliant second album, Umpteenth, almost on a loop now for weeks. I had every hope to get something up here about it, damn near a month ago. Unfortunately, the time I was spending listening to this absolute gem of an album happened to be in while I was too busy playing on-line class-clown, and struggled to find the time to write about something I actually cared about. But, fuck it, here I am. And if there is something I truly care about, it’s letting you all know just how great Umpteenth is, and why you need to check it out ASAP, as it is now currently available.

As I stated earlier, I have listened to this album so many times that if Ben Haberland walked into my house at this very moment and told me that my cats were disgusting and should be put down….I would eventually be a bit hurt, but I would at first be starstruck. Having insults hurdled at me from the man who has sung the words of “Final Days Of Nineteen” to me for all this time is in my home! And full disclosure, I don’t believe he would actually ever do this.

 

In all seriousness Folks, the genre-bending group that is Onesie is hand’s down one of the those multi-faceted acts we are (or at least should) be looking for when it comes to listening experiences. There are so many different sounds on display throughout Umpteenth, yet it all blends ever so nicely to create a magical sound that is unique to them and them alone and it is a damn good one. With power-pop elements that clash perfectly with a big guitar sound, the entire track list of this album is destined to blow you away. But what I respect the most about Onesie and what they have done here is their obvious lack of “give a shit” in trying to fit into any sort standardized sound. And with that, I firmly believe that Onesie has created one of the best albums of 2019 thus far.

 

Umpteenth is available now from Dadstache Records wherever you get your music. And check out other releases available on the band’s Bandcamp page.

 

 

Filed under Music

Inés Efron [Interview]

June 17, 2019 Leave a comment

¡Hola a todos! Hoy tenemos una entrevista absolutamente increíble con una actriz aún más increíble. ¡Es Inés Efron! Debo comenzar diciendo que desde que empecé este pequeño sitio hace casi 8 años (¡el próximo mes!), Efron ha sido alguien que siempre había soñado tener en el sitio desde el principio. Como veremos más adelante, apareció en una brillante película independiente que realmente me llamó la atención en la época en que estaba creando Trainwreck’d Society. Se llama XXY, y es una película absolutamente perfecta por muchas razones, a las que sin duda nos referiremos en esta entrevista. Y como puede adivinar, la película funciona muy bien gracias en gran parte a la actuación de Efron. Estoy muy emocionada de que esta actriz absolutamente brillante esté presente en nuestras páginas digitales.

Ah, y si no te has dado cuenta, esta es nuestra primera publicación que se hará completamente en español. Nos gusta que nuestro huésped se sienta cómodo aquí en Trainwreck’d Society, por lo que pensamos que sería genial completar esto en la lengua nativa de Efron. Tenga en cuenta que si algo suena incomprensible, es totalmente culpa mía, y no hay culpa en ella. Incluso después de vivir en el sur de España durante 3 años, todavía confío en que Google traduzca para mí. Una vez más, cualquier cosa incorrecta está en mí! ¡Así que comencemos esto! ¡Disfrutar!

 

******

 

¿Cuándo descubriste tu pasión por el mundo de la actuación? ¿Cuándo te diste cuenta de que este era el mundo en el que querías vivir? ¿Fue una ambición muy temprana tuya?

Descubrí mi entusiasmo por la actuación en las clases de Nora Moseinco, una gran maestra Argentina de actuación. Yo tenía 16 años y esperaba ese dia de la semana para ir a las clases, ahí todo era juego e investigación en la libertad creativa. La actuación era un vehículo para tener un encuentro muy honesto con uno mismo, y poder observar todas las ideas que se generan sobre las cosas del mundo y sobre uno mismo.
En ese momento estaba por terminar la escuela y tenía que decidir qué carrera iba a estudiar, ahí fue que me inscribí en el conservatorio de arte dramática, donde no dure mucho, y luego volví a desarrollar mi formación con Nora Moseinco y algunas otras actividades que también nutrían mi formación actoral.

Ha pasado más de una década desde que le diste al mundo tu impresionante actuación como Alex en la película XXY, aclamada por la crítica, que sigue siendo una de las mejores actuaciones que he visto en mi vida. Tengo curiosidad por saber qué es exactamente lo que te atrajo a este papel? ¿Qué te hizo querer tener un personaje tan complejo?

El personaje de Alex de algún modo me era familiar, desde mi infancia siempre tuve muchos pensamientos acerca de lo femenino y lo masculino, me enojaba bastante todo lo que se daba por sentado, los estereotipos de lo que era ser niña, tenía un espíritu bastante rebelde. Y durante mi adolescencia eso se encendió con mucha fuerza, fue un momento en que realmente no sabia de que se trataba ser mujer. Como podía, trataba de correrme de los canones sociales, no quería dar nada por sentado. Por eso cuando recibi el guion de XXY, encontré que era posible para mi ponerle el cuerpo a Alex, su incomodidad con la vida era algo familiar para mi.

XXY fue verdaderamente un revolucionario y realmente tiene éxito en el tema que importa más de lo que actualmente está en el punto de mira de los cambios sociales más que en 2007. Como el cerebro detrás de darle vida al personaje de Lucia Puenzo, lo que crees personalmente es especial sobre la película ¿Y qué lo hace relevante para el clima de cambio y el progreso de hoy en día que estamos viendo (aunque lentamente) en todo el mundo?

Lo que yo creo que es interesante es que la película trae la posibilidad de abrirnos a un pensamiento que no define, que no pretende encasillar la realidad de acuerdo a las experiencias que hemos vivido y a nuestro condicionamiento cultural y de crianza. Y eso es algo que como humanos tenemos que estar siempre manteniendo latente en nuestras mentes, es una especie de atención que tenemos que tener con la realidad, que muy fácil se nos olvida. Y esto es aplicable a todas las cosas del mundo que damos por sentado, que pre juzgamos. No definir la realidad de acuerdo a nuestras creencias es un ejercicio diario que va a durar toda nuestra vida

 

 

Un par de años después de XXY, aparecerías en otra película de Puenzo titulada The Fish Child. Siempre tengo curiosidad por saber, desde una perspectiva de actuación, ¿qué hace un buen director en una película? En su opinión personal, ¿cuáles son algunos de los fundamentos más importantes que un director debe tener desde la perspectiva de un artista?

Lo mas interesante es que el director haya pasado por algún tipo de experiencia relacionada a la actuación, con esto me refiero a que hayan experimentado por si mismos lo que es actuar. Porque si no se les puede volver algo muy ajeno, algo a lo que le tienen demasiado respeto y por lo tanto se acercan al actor con solemnidad o un extremo cuidado.

Por otro lado para mi es muy importante en el rol del director estar guiando al actor con respecto a en que momento del relato sucede cada escena, entender bien que sucedía antes de casa situación. Porque si no muchas veces, por mas que el actor haga el ejercicio de recordar el guion y que parte está actuando en cada escena, el director siempre trae una mirada mas objetiva y global. Los actores solo necesitamos que las cosas no se nos pongan muy personales, ahí el director puede acompañar en el entendimiento de que es lo que se está contando en cada escena. No perder nunca de vista el relato en su totalidad.

Siempre logras elegir algunos personajes muy únicos y esclarecedores para retratar. Teniendo esto en cuenta, ¿qué es lo que normalmente buscas al decidir qué personajes quieres asumir? ¿Qué tipo de conexión con los personajes está buscando cuando elige su próximo proyecto?

Cuando elijo un personaje primero trato de identificar si realmente yo podría ponerle el cuerpo. Si el personaje atraviesa una situación que es demasiado ajena a mi vida, a veces me doy cuenta que no puedo personificar emociones que son tan desconocidas para mi. Que son cosas que por mi madurez emocional o por el entorno en el que vivo aun desconozco.

La otra cosa a la que estoy muy atenta es a que la pelcula cuente algo que no sea dañino para quien la observe. Que no sea una pelicula que traiga dolor al mundo.

¿Qué es lo que el futuro tiene para ti? ¿Algo que te gustaría conectar a nuestros lectores?

Continuo estudiando la vida y el mundo.

¿Qué fue lo último que te hizo sonreír?

Mi gato mirando la television.

Filed under Interviews

Sunday Matinee: Barbie’s Kenny [Film]

June 16, 2019 1 Comment

 

Hello Folks! It’s Father’s Day all around the world, so we here at Trainwreck’d Society felt it was only appropriate to have our Sunday Matinee be based around a film that revolves around…a Mother! Aren’t we just so clever? You pay for the whole seat around here, but you’re only going to need the edge, as our old friend & comedian Sean Jordan used to say. In all honesty, the timing has nothing to do with why we are covering Barbie’s Kenny here on Father’s Day. I honestly forgot that that this Sunday would be any sort of mild landmark, it was honestly just my genuine excitement and time availability that made me decide today would be the day to showcase this absolutely incredible film. And when I say incredible, I feel as though that is lacking justice. Let me be absolutely clear here, Folks: Barbie’s Kenny is the best film of 2019. I know we have a lot of proverbial road to cover this year (literally half of it), and we haven’t even hit the awards season, but I seriously can not see any project topping this absolute gem of a film.

Last February, you should definitely remember an interview we did with the brilliant Everything Sucks! actor Zachary Ray Sherman. In that interview, we talked about a little film that he had worked on as his directorial debut, in which we were completely uninformed about, and relied heavily on the internet for research. Obviously always a good call, right? Either way, I was very intrigued by the film, and was hoping to check it out some day. And lo and behold, just in the last week, Zachary himself thus provides! I was expecting to throw this film in the queue and get to it eventually. But then I found myself with 20 free minutes, and I was absolutely hooked. The level of intrigue I had right from the beginning of this film  surprised even myself. But before I get to heavy into my own thoughts on this brilliant film, let’s go back to what Zachary had to say about the film last February:

This project came out of me wanting to quit thinking about directing and making a movie and actually do it. So I self financed it (savings, loans and credit) and shot it very quickly as people were working for free or next to nothing. I was elevated by my talented peers who came on and donated their time, skill and energy to the project. My director of photography (Martim Vian) is brilliant and he was an amazing catch. I didn’t think he’d be available to do it, but he read the script and he liked it and generously came on board. It was a lot of work, but I thrive on the prep, the planning, deciding what’s going to be the best for the making of the movie. I wrote, produced and directed and we shot it in ten days. The story is loosely based off of my girlfriend and her dad. A couple years ago he came to live with us and I got to know him. I dramatized the seed of the inspiration (you can equate it to Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in that he took this story that took place over months, in some times years in previous versions and he ratcheted up the tension by placing the drama within days) and came up with the script by taking a microbudget online film course led by a great guy Shawn Whitney. The script came together really quickly and after shooting Everything Sucks! I began planning how to go and make my first feature and was shooting a few months later.

– Zachary Ray Sherman, February 2019

 

 

So Folks, as I stated earlier, I absolutely loved Barbie’s Kenny. Not only is it the best film of 2019, it is one of the best indie releases I have seen in quite a great while. It is films like that this that truly got me into loving cinema. And it is so inspiring to know that there are still films like this out there getting made, as well as knowing that folks like Zachary Ray Sherman are still out there to give a damn about making a classic heartfelt and inspiring film.

And what a cast! Seriously, the relationship between the two titular characters, portrayed brilliantly by Tara Bast and Shawn Hawkins, builds so brilliantly. This is of course thanks in part to a beautifully written story, but is definitely guided to perfection by these two incredible performers. And the compassion in the eyes of Bianca Lemeire, who portrays Emily, the woman who may just change Kenny’s life and help him through his turmoil, was absolutely mesmerizing.

 

 

While I can not say that I appreciated this film for any direct relation to my own life, I will say that I completely understand this film. I, and alot of other, know the character of Barb. Some people seem as though they were sent to this earth only to wonder aimlessly, maybe bringing another, better, life into the world, and leaving far earlier than most. It is a familiar concept, yet I can not say that I have ever seen a story like this displayed with so much accuracy and brilliance in the last couple of decades. The guerrilla style filmmaking, and obvious gift in storytelling, Sherman has created absolute magic with Barbie’s Kenny, and if you find yourself in the festival circuit throughout the rest of 2019, I implore you all to check it out ASAP.

 

Check out this trailer below courtesy of Zachary Ray Sherman used for the 2019 Newport Beach Film Festival:

 

Filed under Film

Saturday Special: Terror in the Skies [Film]

June 15, 2019 Leave a comment

 

“Journey to the heartland of the Midwest in this new documentary which offers an in-depth look at an ongoing phenomenon.  Director Seth Breedlove contacted numerous witnesses and investigators who claim to have seen massive beings in the sky as recently as last year. One of the most recent, and popular stories in recent years has been an ongoing wave of sightings of a red-eyed, shapeless creature dubbed “the Chicago Mothman”.” – Justin Cook PR

 

******

Well, wasn’t this a documentary that can only be described in the most elegant way by stating it was “fun as hell”. Usually whenever I dig into a documentary, I usually have at least the slightest idea as to what the concept may be about. That is typically what draws me to docs to begin with. I mean, I knew a bit a bout the idea of a “mothman”, but not necessarily about the Chicago Mothman legend. And I certainly wasn’t aware of the terror that has been occurring every now and again in the state of Illinois. Hell, my father lives there! I’ve gone there several times, and never knew that I need to be on the lookout for some giant ass birds that are looking to carry me away and devour me, if not whole into a couple dozen pieces! But thanks to this brilliantly made documentary Terror in the Skies, I will probably never be able to visit my father again. Needless to say, Folks. I am a believer! In fact, the supernatural effect of these giant birds seems so entirely reasonable. I mean, a kid was literally picked up from the ground and flown to an alternate location rather than where he was once standing. Is that not reason enough? Something is out there Folks, and we need to be prepared.

 

 

Beyond whatever speculative content you may watch in Terror in the Skies, you can not deny that director Seth Breedlove has created an absolutely brilliant documentary. SRV Films and Santino Vitale handled VFX and the film contains original illustrations by Matt Harris and Brian Serway, and it is all absolutely incredible! Again, no matter what you choose to believe in regards to the subject matter within the film, you are going to be thoroughly entertained and impressed by the brilliance that went into making this delightful documentary that is just so damn much fun. Enjoy!

 

Small Town Monsters films released the film on Amazon Instant Video, Vimeo OnDemand, DVD and VIDI Space on June 7th.  

 

Filed under Film

Rachel Redleaf [Interview]

June 14, 2019 Leave a comment

Happy Friday, Folks! And welcome back to another wonderful interview to close out the week. Today we have some words from the brilliant Rachel Redleaf! Rachel is an incredible actress that I discovered on one of my favorite television series that is streaming these days, the Netflix Original Series Atypical. She has been fantastic on this program, and I was inspired to reach out and learn a bit more about her, and some of the other work that she has done. And wouldn’t you know it, she is just a damn gem of a person and gave some wonderful answers for you all today.

Next month, Rachel will actually be appearing in a film that I am so incredibly excited to check out, which is the 9th film from legendary director Quentin Tarantino entitled Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. Rachel will talk about it below, but I promise you all, no spoilers! She will also appear in a new Miranda July project coming out soon that I am also very excited about.

Rachel is an amazing actress, and an even more amazing person. We are so honored to have her grace our digital pages today. So without further babbling, please enjoy some words from the wonderful Rachel Redleaf!

 

******

 

What inspired you to get into the world of the performing arts? Was it an aspiration you have had since your youth, or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

I’ve wanted to perform for as long as I can remember. I did my first show, Wizard of Oz, when I was 4 at Desert Stages Theater in Scottsdale, AZ and I never looked back. I got interested in film more recently and decided to study it in college and here I am:)

You have had a reoccurring role in one of my favorite series of the modern age, the Netflix Original Series Atypical. You are so wonderful on this program. I am curious to know what your experience has been like working on this project? It’s such a heartwarming and inspiring show. Have you had any sort of inspiring moments whilst working on this show that are memorable and have impacted your career thus far?

The entire cast is so amazing to work with. This show is what jumpstarted my career and it continues to impact my life, not only with fans and further auditions, but with meaning and friendships. 

I understand you are set to appear in the Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. I am also very curious to know about this experience. I know you can’t expose much about the film itself, but what was it like to work on a project of this magnitude, and working under the guise of a legend like QT?

It was like dream. I still can’t believe it’s real. Working with Quentin was so life changing. He cares so much about everyone on his sets and his passion shines through and it’s so inspiring. I’m honored to have gotten to work with him and on such an amazing film.

 

 

You also have another project coming out at some point in the near future that was directed by another legendary director, the great Miranda July. Would you be able to tell our readers a little bit about what they should expect from this film?

It’s a heist film with lots of heart and I get to play a pregnant lady with an agenda which was definitely a new and exciting experience! I also had my first onscreen kiss. 

If you were given the opportunity to portray any famous or renowned person in American history, who would it be?

Bette Midler! I’ve always been compared to her and I think it’s the biggest compliment ever because she is my hero and I would love to portray her or even CC Bloom in Beaches The Musical someday!

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like our readers to know about? And how can they stay in touch with you via the Internet?

Well I absolutely love musical theater so I hope that you can see me on Broadway one day. Check out my website for updates http://www.rachelredleaf.com or my Instagram @rachelredleaf

What was the last thing that made you smile? 

Making my graduation cap with my best friend Kennedy!

Filed under Interviews

Adam Croasdell [Interview]

June 12, 2019 1 Comment

 

Hey there Folks! Oh, do we have a damn fine interview to share with you all today! We have a very special interview with an amazing actor of both on screen as well as a gifted voice over talent. it’s Adam Croasdell! Adam may be most recognizable as the man who portrayed the intriguing character Eccarius in the hit AMC series Preacher that I personally cannot get enough of! We have had some folks from the show on here at TWS before who were absolutely wonderful, and Adam Croasdell is definitely a continuation of that.

AND not only did Adam have a regular appearance on one of my favorite shows on television right now, he also happens to be a part of the latest installment of the video game franchise that is the absolute best available. Regular readers out there will know exactly which one I am talking about. But, for any new readers out there, I am obviously talking about the Fallout franchise! That’s right, Folks, Adam is the man who voiced the robot Modus, and other various characters as well, that we all know and love in the latest installment of the franchise, Fallout 76.

And these are just TWO of the amazing projects that Adam has worked on. He’s also held reoccurring roles in shows like Reign, Castlevania, and more. He’s also worked within other well known video game franchises like Halo, Final Fantasy, Middle-Earth, and more. Seriously Folks, the man has done it all, and we are so excited that he is with us here today!

So without further babbling, let’s just get right into it. Here are some amazing words from the brilliant Mr. Adam Croasdell!!

 

******

 

What inspired you to get into the world of acting? Was it something you were always interested in even as a youth? Or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

I always wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger, but when I asked myself why, I realised it was because I had seen them in films and on TV. Then I realised that I could still be an astronaut if I became an actor. Unfortunately Matt Damon keeps getting my parts…

What was your very first paid gig as a performer? And where there any sort of lessons learned from that very first job that still affects your work today?

My first paid gig as an actor was for a well respected 4-part mini series that I shot in South Africa. I played the young lover of an older woman caught in the throes of a midlife crisis. We had a shower scene together, and the day before it was due to be shot I was pretty nervous. The actress – a consummate professional – calmly assured me that it was going to be a closed set and that it was all going to be fine. The next day, comforted by this, I arrived on set only to have her pull me aside, wild-eyed, and say, “I don’t think I can do this! I don’t think I can do this!” Sets are funny places. I’ve learnt to expect anything.

 

 

You worked on several episodes of one of my favorite shows currently on the air, which would be AMC’s Preacher. I truly enjoy this show so much. I am curious to know what drew you to this project, and how it was to work on some a truly unique program? Was there anything that set it apart from the plethora of other work that you have done?

I really enjoyed working on Preacher. I was drawn to it for many reasons. The idea of playing a vampire in New Orleans was exciting to me. I lived in the French Quarter while I was there and often walked around at night, getting a feel for the place and understanding – sometimes viscerally – what had inspired Ann Rice to pen her vampire novels there. Of course, working with Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Sam Catlin was also a big draw. Being in a series produced by these guys was always going to be an exceptional experience. And of course, I had a lot of fun acting with Joe Gilgun. What set it apart from other work I’ve done was the immersion in the dark, humorous world of the graphic novels that it originated from. Preacher keeps very close to the source material and I got to do all kinds of cool things as a result; flying, transforming into animals, mesmerising people, as well as having some very kick-ass fights. The set was a very creative one, and we were working in a city where, fittingly, anything goes.

Beyond the world of onscreen acting, you have also had a very successful career in the world of voice over acting. Specifically, you have worked on some of the finest video games to ever be released, including several gigs in the immensly popular world of the Final Fantasy franchise. But, one franchise that you worked on is not only our favorite video game franchises, but one of the best series of ANYTHING ever, in our humbled opinion. And that would be the Fallout franchise. And you have done some work on the latest installment, Fallout 76. How did you come to work in the world of Bethesda? And somewhat similar to the previous question, what drew you to work in the Fallout world? And was there anything about it that set itself apart from the other VO work you have done?

Yes, I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in some great video game franchises. My first one was the lead in Dead Island: Riptide – as the Australian mercenary, John Morgan. I’ve also voiced the dwarf, Torvin, in the Middle Earth franchise, and Ignis Scientia in Final Fantasy XV. With Fallout 76, I auditioned without knowing what it was. The project had a codename at that point. When I got the part and they told me what the franchise was, I was very excited to find out it was Fallout. It has such a great fanbase and it was great to finally be a part of Bethesda. MODUS is such a cool character to me. Who wouldn’t want to play a psychotic Artificial Intelligence bent on world domination who also has the hots for a geostationary satellite?

 

 

The Fallout fandom is a pretty specific but very obessive culture. I know this, because I am a part of that fandom. We’ve featured several folks who have done VO work in the franchise, and we always like to ask how the fan interaction is for them in regards to Fallout specifically? So how has that been for you? Any sort of interactions with FO fans since 76 was released?

The fans have been great on social media, creating GIFS of MODUS and telling me how much they enjoy the game. It’s always great seeing how much the fans enjoy these games.

If you were handed the oppurtunity to portray any legendary figure in American history, who would it be? 

I think Edgar Allan Poe and Nikola Tesla. Both were geniuses, and both tortured and misunderstood. Their contributions to the worlds of culture and science can’t be overestimated. On the subject of ‘Tesla’, I’d also like to play Elon Musk when the time comes. But his story is still being written. Three fascinating minds and personalities.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

There are several things in the works right now, but I can’t talk about them yet.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Seth Rogen wiping out down the stairs in his movie, Long Shot. It was laugh out loud funny.

Filed under Interviews

← Older posts

Newer posts →