“In the story, Zoe is determined to make a horror film. She sets her sights on an upcoming horror film contest and enlists her family, to help her with the project. As her film becomes more and more bloody, her father Oscar (Conroyd), becomes concerned and shuts down production. Now, Zoe is tasked with shooting her sister’s wedding. But, she still has plans to complete her horror film and this wedding might be the bloodiest set ever!” – Allen Film Publicity
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Jessica Scalise’s very funny, but also very touching, film Zilla and Zoe is at its core, a delightful treat of a film. It touches on several different elements of the human personality in a sort of serious manner, yet manages to keep the whole idea of the story very light-hearted, and dare I say just a whole lotta fun. The story is solid and follows a group of truly unique characters. One of those characters I should add, is not actually a person. It’s a particular city that is whimsical in its own right. Of course I am talking about our beloved city of roses, Portland Oregon. Regular readers know that we tout this city with great pride and admiration for what it is at its core. Unfortunately, one thing that it is at its core, and so many PDX natives refuse to admit, is that the city can be completely ripe for mockery. And Zilla and Zoe is not afraid to poke a little fun at its fare city. Scenes fit themselves into the storyline as though they were taken directly from Portlandia. The character Oscar (brilliantly portrayed by Kurt Conroyd) even passes along the old saying of “Unemployment in Portland is more like an art form”. I haven’t lived near my old stomping grounds in quite a while, so I’m not sure how much gentrification has changed much. But, I can tell you that this statement used to be very accurate. The use of Portland, while not entirely important, definitely adds a bit more hilarity that fits in beautiful with the story.
When it comes to the cast of Zilla and Zoe, the two titular characters were wonderful, although weirdly not as much of a “team” as the title may suggest. But youngster Aida Valentine gives an amazing performance as the horror movie obsessed Zoe, and Sam Kamerman is a damn saint on the screener who should be in the running for the crown jewel of the PDX film community. But, as wonderful as they both were, I have to say that Kurt Conroyd absolutely stole the show. His performance was phenomenal, and brought the perfect amount of life to what I would consider to be Scalise’s best written character in the film as the uncle who’s just sort of passing through the entire situation at hand, yet sort of feels like he might be on the edge of a nervous breakdown. A performance like Conroyd’s is something that makes me so happy that Al Gore invented the internet, so I can write this and tell you all about how wonderful he was in this brilliant film.
So, if you are looking for a good bit of fun in a film, I cannot recommend Zilla and Zoe enough. You’re going to laugh, you’re going to smile. You’re going to see a 10 year old girl mutilate dolls in the first two minutes. Honestly, what more could you ask for? Enjoy!
Zilla and Zoe will is currently available in select theaters, and will be released in VOD soon.
A couple (few?) months ago, one of my favorite comedians, Chris Cubas, tweeted something along the lines of (I’m paraphrasing here, because I am too lazy to go back and screenshot the actual tweet):
“Post Malone is what I refer to Ted Danson’s work on the television show Becker.”
And dammit if I didn’t laugh my ass off at the though of this. Not just because of it’s social relevance today, but because any time that I have a chance to see and or talk about this incredibly underrated sitcom, I instantly become excited.
Folks, if you are a regular reader here at Trainwreck’d Society, the idea that we would have the series Becker featured so prominently on our Sunday Matinee series, as well as throughout the upcoming week, might not seem so strange. In fact, all six of you may rejoice a bit. But, for those of you who may just be tuning into our digital pages, please let me explain. So here’s the thing: In short, I absolutely adored the television series Becker, which ran from 1998 to 2004. I did an incredible amount of growing up during this period. The growing up wasn’t directly related to my watching Becker almost religiously, but it definitely played a part. No, the real growth came due to the fact that the show started when I was 13 years old, and ended its run far too quickly when I was 19 years old. Now, for those of you who were familiar with the show while it was on, I can honestly understand that you may seem a bit confused as to why a 13 year old would become attracted to such a program. And for those of you who don’t understand why it might be a bit odd, here is a short description of Becker from the ever so informative and accurate site that is Wikipedia.org:
“Becker is an American sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of the Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a cantankerous doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, and friends, and practically everything and everybody else in his world. Despite everything, his patients and friends are loyal because Becker genuinely cares about them. The series was produced by Paramount Network Television.
The show revolved around Becker and the things that annoyed him, although the members of the supporting cast also had their moments. The relationships between Becker and Reggie (later, Chris) formed the key plots of many episodes. The show tackled more serious issues as well, such as race, homosexuality, transvestism, addiction, nymphomania, schizophrenia, cerebral AVM, and political correctness.”
Now, that description doesn’t exactly scream “young adult” or “teen friendly” in any kind of way. But for us weirdos out there in the world, it was a PERFECT show that was had a great run yet was still taken away from us far to quickly.
Over the years here at Trainwreck’d Society, we have spoken with several folks who worked on this damn fine program. Including Hattie Winston, who by our count was one of the first people to share words with us, way back in 2012, when we were just learning how to do this thing (we still are). And since then we have featured the likes of writer Maisha Closson who worked on the program, as well as actor Damon Standifer who had a recurring role in the series. Even when it comes to folks who may have only appeared in one episode of the program, such as pen15’sTaylor Nichols and Getting Grace writer and director Daniel Roebuck, I always feel compelled to ask them how they enjoyed working on this program. And they ALL had only nice things to say about both the show’s star Ted Danson, as well as the crew that made up the core of the series. And I simply cannot tell you how much it warms my heart to know that Ted is a genuinely good guy, and that the general nicety of the program’s production was what exuded onto the screen and brought so much joy into my life.
So Folks, here is what we shall do! All this week, we are going to be almost 100% Becker! We have four wonderful interviews to share with you all. Four brilliant writers, directors, producers, that helped bring this amazing program to the world….right down to the show’s creator himself, Mr. Dave Hackel!
I am not blowing smoke up your proverbial asses when I say that a week like this was something I had been hoping to be able to do since I started this little project almost 8 years ago, on a whim, in a shitty hotel room outside of Biloxi, Mississippi. Now, here I am on a rare sunny day in the East Anglia region of the UK writing to you all about a show that I loved so much, trying to share my respect for the program 15 years after it went off the air. This is sort of a dream, Folks. And I thank you for coming to hang out within it.
So again, we have 4 days of interviews with some of the fine folks who were behind the making what I consider to be the greatest sitcom ever produced. And we will even have a special “New Music Tuesday” feature that is also relevant as well. All of you hardcore Becker fans out there probably already know where I might be going with that one.
To kick things off here, check out this incredible 10 minute collection of some of Ted Danson’s best moments as Becker, according to YouTube user illshelteru. Enjoy!
“Near the end of the Spanish War, a “trigger happy” fascist soldier turns into a hermit and gets caught up in the care of a fig tree after the look in a ten year old child’s eyes, son of one of his victims, awakes in him the certainty that the kid will kill him as soon as he reaches sixteen years of age.” – October Coast PR
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Wow, what a hell of a film we have here. I can’t lie, I was told this was a “whimsical comedy”, and I can sort of see it, in some ways. But, in other ways NOT AT ALL. What sort of crazy sense of humor do the Spanish have that I was not previously made aware of? I do agree that it is a fresh & magical exploration of the horrors of the Spanish Civil War as I was told. But I probably wouldn’t jump right out the proverbial gate and say this film is “whimsical” in any way. But nevertheless, it is an absolutely brilliant film! Such a brilliant premise that leaves just enough mystery to help you build your own assumptions at some points, but also leaves you with the ability to check your own ideologies at the figurative door and just enjoy some fantastic cinema!
Again, I’m not saying that there isn’t a bit of fun to be had in this film. But, for the most part, I found the subject matter to be delightfully dark. And not in a dark comedy kind of way, just plain ass dark! Writer/Director Ana Murugarren has completed something absolutely wonderful with The Bastards’ Fig Tree, no matter what genre you decide to through it in. And the film’s two leads happen to be absolutely incredible. Karra Elejalde is wonderful as the delightful stubborn hermit, and Pepa Aniorte is simply magical as the perfectly overbearing Cipriana. And Mikel Losada did an amzing job bringing to life a character that was so easy to despise as Pedro Alberto. Such great work all around.
Check it out Folks! This is a truly magical piece of Spanish cinema that you are all sure to love. Enjoy!
The Bastards Fig Tree will receive a digital release June 4. Look for it wherever you buy your films.
“With the United States gripped in the panic of the 1950s Cold War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower deemed homosexuals to be “security risks” and vowed to rid the federal government of all employees discovered to be gay or lesbian. Over the next four decades,the longest witch-hunt in American history, tens of thousands of government workers would lose their jobs for no reason other than their sexual orientation.
But the mass firings have an unintended effect: they stirred outrage in the gay community, helped ignite the gay rights movement, and thrust an unlikely hero into the forefront of the LGBTQ fight for equality.Partly based on the award-winning book by historian David K. Johnson, THE LAVENDER SCARE illuminates a little-known chapter of American history, and serves as a timely reminder of the value of vigilance and social action when civil liberties are under attack.” – Emma Griffiths PR
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Strap in for something special Dear Readers. We have some things to talk about. The Lavender Scare is a film that has taught me so much about something that I quickly realized I was far too familiar with, but wasn’t entirely aware of as far as specifics and event details were concerned.
I will kick things off before getting on my soapbox about the details of the film by stating that The Lavender Scare is a very well made documentary that evokes a plethora of emotions ranging from pride, back to anger, and flips it all around back to complete amazement. But, let’s be honest, we have 24 time Emmy Award winning producer and broadcast executive Josh Howard running the show in his directorial debut, so the odds are that he could be making a documentary about the process of grass growth, and it was going to be well made, even if this is technically is directorial debut. Howard knows how to bring out the most in interview subjects, and move around their quotes to fit a narrative that not only moves the film along in a steady pace, but manages to hit all of the extremely important plot points of the film. Yes Folks, there truly is a narrative and a collection of plot points that need to be done just right even in a documentary. And Josh nailed them, because that is what he has been doing for many moons. The Lavender Scare is a brilliant film that you will surely find yourself lost within very quickly. Also the god damn QUEEN herself, Glenn Close, is narrating! There is no way this isn’t going to be a wonderfully made film!
Now, if I may casually wipe off my worn down Chuck Taylors and step upon my soap box decorated in purple velvet for such an occasion, I have a few things to say. First of all, I completely understand that the specifications of this film can be emphasized by the intolerant and insufferable section of a country completely devoid of human decency and dead set on widening the divide that already exists. I know this. The film focuses on the impact on government employees who are being outcasted and literally stricken of their livelihoods because of who they decide to love. But obviously, it is about so damn much more than this. Please be warned: I am about to say some of the most cliche shit that you have ever heard. But sometimes certain forms of rhetoric become “cliche” because they are absolutely true, and have to be reemphasized from time to time. So…why in the hell did it ever matter? The sexual orientation of a file clerk at the Department of Agriculture wouldn’t, didn’t, and never will affect the work that said employee would ever perform. What does it actually effect? Well, it effects the potential of what said file clerk could possibly accomplish, that nobody knew they could! This can be said about the women, black people, and any other person of color who was denied the opportunity to pursue their dreams based solely on the way the looked. Seriously Folks, just start to let your mind wonder about the lost potential that was driven by (predominately) asshat straight white male Americans who saw themselves as the superior beings and had an inability to see the potential good that was being disregarded.
I do feel the need to say that I have personally witnessed the impact that allowing openly gay humans to serve in the military and other government duties has had on the security to our nation. And in short: The impact is nothing. Absolutely NOTHING! And when I say nothing, I strictly mean nothing in the negative sense. There have been zero negative impact to ANYTHING! In fact, it could only be positive! The repeal of the absolute bullshit Don’t Ask Don’t Tell nonsense (which I know is praised in the film, but c’mon, what a cop out? I’ll buy a “good start” theory, but seriously?), quickly led me to having an openly gay boss in my day job, which happens to be for the government. And do you want to know what impact it had on me? NONE! He was just a nice person, a great person to work for, and who he decided to be romantic with in his off time had zero impact on how we accomplished our goals for the day. Actually, I met his husband on several occasions, and he was a very nice man! Imagine that Folks, they’re just people! As The Lavender Scare states several times, “the evidence did not exist” for disgusting people like Ike & Dick to present homosexuality as something to be feared. It was simply hate. No way around it. Hate has fueled the government’s actions since the beginning. Hate and Fear. The tides appear to be turning, but only time will tell if this is true.
Now, getting back to the film, shall we. As “woke” or down for the cause of human equality as I would like to believe that I am, I also have to be honest when I say that I learned ALOT in watching The Lavender Scare. I honestly did not know much about what was happening in this era beyond my love for The Beat Generation. My limited knowledge of the 1950’s was surrounding one specific group of people, who made it seem so glamorous to be young, broke, gay, alcoholic, what have you, during this time. I obviously had a lot to learn. One figure that I was particularly unaware of and is heavily showcased in this film was one Frank Kameny. What a hell of a guy, am I right? The fight that this man went through is absolutely incredible. But what struck me the most was the absolute pride he had in what he had accomplished. The man was, deservedly so, proud of himself for what he helped spearhead. And dammit, he deserved to be so proud! I have watched other documentaries where an actor may be talking the way Kameny did towards the end of his life, with pride over a TV series or a particular film, and it simply comes off as arrogant. But, in this case, Kameny deserves to have a very high level of positive arrogance for what he has accomplished. He is freaking HERO, if we have ever had one, and he deserves to be known as such.
I implore everyone to watch The Lavender Scare as soon as humanly possible. Follow the film around social media, do whatever you have to do to take in this masterpiece of a documentary with a very real and engaging message that needs to be spread amongst the masses. Just do it.
The Lavender Scare will open theatrically in New York (Cinema Village) and Los Angeles (Laemmle Music Hall) on Friday, June 7, 2019, timed to the 50-year anniversary of Stonewall, with a national release to follow. For more details, check out the film’s WEBSITE for further details.
“A married couple, trying to rebuild their relationship after an affair, travels to a secluded cabin and stumbles into a blood feud between the Native American owners of the property and the neighboring clan, who obsessively guard their land and punish those who trespass on it in terrifying ways.” – October Coast PR
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Today’s Saturday Special is basically a film that is giving us good Halloween vibes a solid fiscal quarter early. Hallowed Ground is another absolutely incredible independent horror film that simply hits all the right marks. Notably, it has a truly despicable villain that you absolutely feel zero sympathy for throughout the film’s entirety. I personally always appreciate this. Not to put down the frequently mentioned on this site, Jason Voorhies, but sometimes I truly do enjoy just knowing that the antagonist of the film is truly a piece of shit, and they deserve to die. Like, could we all really blame the shark from Jaws? Wasn’t the shark just, you know, being a shark? Anyway, I am digressing from the point here: Hallowed Ground is an independently made cinematic masterpiece that I truly feel you will all enjoy deeply. It’s also insanely clever in the way that it take the concept of same sex marriage as real non-issue (because it isn’t) but manages to wrap the idea around the little brains of the film’s villains, only making them appear even more ridiculous. This is progress Folks, and it would be impossible to disagree with it.
The cast of Hallowed Ground is also extremely solid. You got a frizzle beard Ritchie Montgomery acting absolutely insane, yet knows the entire truth. Ritchie, of course, has been in just about everything since the early 80’s, so there is no real surprise there. If you got Montgomery in your film, he’s only going to make it better. But, the two newbies (to me) that really stood out and are now falling in line to be a couple of my favorite performers, especially in the world of horror, was the aforementioned antagonist of the film, Miles Doleac who portrays the appropriately named “Bill”. Bill’s performance was so good that I would put his portrayal of Bill up as an example of how to play evil, right alongside the likes of a Nurse Ratchet. He truly is that damn great. The other performer who has enlightened me to their work was one of the film’s lead protagonists, Lindsay Anne Williams. I wanted to point her out because she managed to take on the role as one of the film’s heroes, while at times also being a somewhat unlikable character, who just can’t quite seem to let go of certain “things” (people? Sorry, no spoilers!). Lindsay displays a smashing amount of emotional depth into each scene of Hallowed Ground and is beyond commendable. And as I said before, great work all around by the cast as a whole, truly the stuff that indie gold is made of, and sadly not abundant these days.
And if you needed another reason to check out the incredible film that is Hallowed Ground, because my cheeky compliments just weren’t quite good enough for you: I recommend you see this film especially if you are a Trainwreck’d Society purist. Our dear friend and past interview subject during our 2017 run of our Month of Horror, Wesley O’Mary, is a co-producer on the film, and even has a wonderful supporting role. Usually this sort of involvement is non real coincidence, but this time it was fun to learn that it was! So when I saw his name attached to Hallowed Ground, I knew I was in for something great! And as should you! So check it out Folks! If you love indie horror with a real purpose and meaning, you’re going to love this one!
Hallowed Ground will be in select theaters June 7, and releasing on VOD/DVD June 11.
“Reagan is a model high school student with a “killer after school job. When the parents of his classmates become too overbearing, self-obsessed – or just plain inconvenient – he offers to get rid of them for a price by setting up a series of “accidents”. But when seasoned police detective Cliff Dawkins starts putting the pieces together, it’s a battle of wits to see if Reagan can keep business booming while the rising body count brings Cliff closer to the truth.” – Big Time PR
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Oh hot damn Folks. Do we have an incredible and exciting film to showcase for you all today. Extracirricular Activities is a delightfully dark comedy that is almost pristinely written and features an incredible main cast as well as a great collection of cameos from the likes of Angela Kinsey, comedian Bobby Lee, Danielle Macdonald, and many more. Of course, the main attraction is most definitely the main cast, specifically the absolutely incredible Colin Ford who gives a performance of a lifetime.
I’ve always absolutely loved the type of dark humor that this film presents. It is such a delightful escape from the real world. And when it is done well, it can be extremely engaging. It feels just a tad bit dangerous to be rooting for the “bad guy” of the film, but not an ounce of guilt is to be had in all actuality. Ford portrays Ragan Collins, a villain who is just so damn likable, thanks in part to his amazing performance, but also owes so much to screenwriter Bob Saenz for writing such a supremely interesting character into existence.
Extracurricular Activities is nothing short of being one of the finest dark comedies of the last 20 years. Director Jay Lowi and Cinematographer Jay Visit have created a brilliant visual demonstration of Saenz’s incredible tale that begs the viewers to ponder the question: Is what’s happening in the film really so bad? Instinctively we feel we should say “Yes”. But, when you really think about it……Nah, probably still have to say “Yes”. That’s why a film like this is so much fun. Let’s just sit back and pretend, shall we?
Extracurricular Activities will be available on VOD wherever you watch movies on June 4th.
“Lonely widow Joyce rents out a room to make easy money. She meets mysterious drifter Bob and takes him in as a long-term tenant. She becomes obsessed with her much younger guest, making him the object of her deepest romantic fantasies. When a friend’s betrayal derails Joyce’s fantasy world, she seizes control of her own destiny with a deadly mission to finally get what she deserves.” – October Coast PR
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First of all Folks, I have to start this off by saying one thing: I didn’t realize that I needed a Lin Shaye vehicle in my life until I was about 15 minutes into Room For Rent.
Of course, I was focused on the story in itself and how it was going to develop, and yada yada yada, all the things you’re probably supposed to do whilst watching a film for the first time. Especially a horror or thriller film where you can sort of tell where things are going to go, pretty quickly and you’re just sitting around waiting to be surprised. But, as it does, my mind started to wonder. I am very aware of Lin Shaye and some of the amazing work she has done. She has become somewhat of a legend specifically in the horror world, especially with the Insidious franchise under your belt recently. And lest we not forget the fact that she also spent time in the 80’s in the Critters franchise and many other works of horror. But, I would probably say I know her best due to the likes of the Farrelly Brothers. She appeared in, what I would consider, their three best films in small but memorable roles. Of course two of them would be Dumb & Dumber and There’s Something About Mary. But, as we have confessed in the past during our interview with one of the film’s stars Vanessa Angel, I’m all about Kingpin! And I will be god damned if Lin Shaye wasn’t a comedic delight!
So long story long, I then began to realize that while I almost appreciated Lin Shaye, I hadn’t realized that a vehicle just for her would be an amazing thing to witness. And wouldn’t you know it? Writer Stuart Flack managed to write an absolutely incredible story in Room for Rent in which Lin is able to shine and show the world why she has been a treasure in the world of cinema in over 150 films over 40 years. And in a very weird way, even though she is the obvious psychopath in the film, and her victims are unsuspecting and mostly innocent…..I was definitely rooting for her the whole time. Part of that may be my own weird psychosis, and just a love for the unexpected to happen in a suspense film. But a lot of it is probably owed to how wonderful Lin Shaye is as a performer.
Room For Rent overall is a delightful bit of escapism into an extremely dark world. The story is told so well, with wonderful performances all around. Director Tommy Stovall keeps the suspense tight and the mystery upon you right until the credits roll. It’s a delightful film that I know you are all going to love. Enjoy!
Room For Rent is in select theaters now, and available on VOD wherever you watch movies.
“After enduring years of abuse from his alcoholic father and the school bully Chase, Jesse Peterson tells his best friend Sarah that he plans on committing suicide. After promising to tell no one, Sarah finds it upon herself to try to stop him, taking any means necessary.” – October Coast PR
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2019 is already been shaping up to be a pretty heavy damn year in the world of film showcases here at Trainwreck’d Society. We are entering the second quarter of the year, and we have already had some pretty wild conversations about some very important issues through some of the cinematic adventures we have been going on. And today is absolutely no different. Moving further down the “what makes us sad” path, we have the brilliantly made indie gem of a film Just Say Goodbye as a platform to discuss the seriousness of mental health. Director Matt Walting brings Layla O’Shea’s amazing and dark take on the idea of suicide to the screen in a truly tremendous fashion. This films simply steeps pain into the boiling water of life, and brings in and out of existence throughout every other scene. Much like anyone suffering from mental health issues, the pain comes and goes in severity, but it never truly fades away entirely. And the same can be said for timeline in which this film follows. You see so much love, saddle alongside so much fear. You feel the ups, remain hopeful, but weary all at the same time. The mark of truly great storytelling, if I do say so myself. I and I do.
Featuring a cast of hard working yet relatively unknown performers, Just Say Goodbye is one of those films that is such a well done story in its own right that the level of talent in performances could have been drastically understated. But as it would be, the cast was absolutely incredible, and truly managed to pull you directly into the story and appreciate even more what the folks behind the story where attempting to convey to their audience. Katerina Eichenberger is an absolute star in the making, and somebody I will be watching very closely at in the future. And William Galatis gives an absolutely stunning performance as the crazed emotional wreck of a father. Everyone on the screen is obviously giving it their all, and seem to understand just how important this film could, and will be.
Mental Health has been becoming a more regularly talked about issue these days it seems. Which is definitely a wonderful thing. As a society, it appears as though we may be finally starting to break down that wall of judgement that comes with a person suffering from ailments that can’t always be seen to the untrained eye. The stigma is lessening. It’s not gone, but we the conversations are getting longer and more impactful in certain arenas. One major problem (apologies for the soap box regiment I am about to go on) has been the way we talk about mental health issues in general. It has always been frustrating to me to hear certain lies like “Oh, my ADHD kicked in” or “I’m a little OCD about [insert humble brag bullshit]”. Why do we speak like this? Why do we think this is okay? ADHD and OCD are very real mental health issues that should be taken a whole lot more serious. I know these are two very specific examples, and they don’t entirely have a direct link to depression, but the coalition can obviously be made. Basically, when we use bullshit language like this, we are belittling very real mental issues by even saying that you have even “a little bit” of a real problem. You never hear, “I’m a little fractured femur about cleaning my apartment” or “Oh, my broken foot really kicked in when I was at work”. Sound ridiculous? Well, that’s because it is. And so is claiming to have a mental illness as a simple personality trait. So please, please, knock that shit off. Okay, back to the film at hand.
All ranting aside, Just Say Goodbye is indeed a wonderful film that the world needs to see. And I hope that you all will. Soon. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and if you are looking to get a conversation started about suicide and the effects that it has on a person and those around them, I implore you to check out this film.
Just Say Goodbye will be in select theaters starting May 10th.
“In order to save her son’s life, Ana must find a powerful stone. Her grandfather originally discovered it in the Zone of Silence, the Bermuda Triangle of Mexico. Throughout her desperate search, Ana stumbles upon family secrets and enemies who believe the stone’s power is worth killing for. Silencio fixes on a factual mystical marvel in the heart of Mexico that charges a young psychiatrist the mission of unravelling a real-life X-File!” – October Coast PR
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Planet Earth can be a wild and unpredictable place. There are so many mysteries surrounding our planet that truly can not be explain. Which I believe sort of makes life just that much more interesting. And for those of us who enjoy a nice suspenseful thriller of a film that is shrouded in just a little bit of mystery, it is the earth’s mysteries that can make a story all that much more fascinating. And Folks, that is absolutely what you get in a film like Silencio. This is a powerhouse of a dramatic thriller that will leave you metaphorically (and maybe physically) gasping for air. Not out of fear, mind you, but of bewilderment. Anybody who has pondered the existence of super natural powers and/or beings that could severely disrupt our regular human movements and actions, this is the film you simply HAVE to see. Writer and director Lorena Villarreal absolutely knocks it out of the park with a truly original story that is stylized absolutely perfectly throughout the entire film’s run time. There truly is so much to love here, Folks. I truly implore you all to see this film as soon as you can.
There truly is so much to love about this film. As always, we have to talk about the performances. But first, I have to give a shout out to not only Villarreal’s direction again, which is phenomenal, but also to Mateo Londono. Mateo is a cinematographer with an absolutely amazing eye for turning even the smallest scenes of a big film into moments of highly enticing visual stimulation. Silencio was just so damn much fun to watch unfold, and so much of that had to do with how it was shot. And when it comes to the aforementioned performances, everyone absolutely rocked it. I was specifically blown away not only by the film’s lead, Melina Matthews (who was actually the voice of one of the freakiest characters of all time as the titular character in 2013’s Mama), but by the legendary John Noble as well. Everyone was so wonderful, and brilliantly added to the cinematic perfection that is Silencio. I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys beautifully shot, well written, and thought provoking dramatic thrillers. Which really should be Everyone, right?
Silencio will be available on DVD & On Demand on May 14th.
“In early 2016, when a dark wave of anti-transgender bathroom bills began sweeping across the nation, The Human Rights Campaign published a report identifying 2016 as the most dangerous year for transgender Americans. In Washington State alone, six such bathroom bills were introduced in the State Legislature. Filmmaker Vlada Knowlton captured the ensuing civil rights battle from the perspective of a group of embattled parents as they banded together to fight a deluge of proposed laws that would strip away the rights of their young transgender children. With the help of a coalition of state lawmakers and civil rights activists, these families embarked on an uncharted journey of fighting to protect and preserve their children¹s human rights and freedoms in this present-day civil rights movement. As one of these parents, Knowlton presents an intimate portrait of her own struggle to protect her 5-year-old transgender daughter from laws inspired by hate and fear.” – Big Time PR
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Hello Folks! Today is Easter. I was planning on taking this round of the Sunday Matinee showcase off, but a certain gem of a documentary has come across my digital desk and I feel as though, religious holiday or not, the subject matter within this film needs to be widespread on any given day of the year. The Most Dangerous Year is a powerhouse of a film that should very well knock anyone who is on the fence about issues surrounding transgender off of their proverbial high horse if their pulse is active and there is even an inkling of compassion within their being. Sadly, there is still an element of human beings out there in which it will have zero impact and will just downright refuse to watch the “blasphemy” (it is not) of young children understanding who they are at a very young age. And with that being said, if you are one of these people who would make their way into the latter category, please know this right now: Trainwreck’d Society stands with these children, and against the absolutely ridiculous laws that these brave children and parents were willing to stand up and fight to have withdrawn. And if you don’t like that? Please stop reading this very second.
Whilst watching The Most Dangerous Years (which before getting to far into the dissection of the content of the film, is a very WELL MADE doc, as well as being very important) their is one solid and hope filled argument that continues to run through my head, even though I know it is of no use in the matter, but really calms me down: Some day they will do a Dollop podcast about this nonsense.
For those of you who aren’t aware of The Dollop, it is a bi-weekly American history podcast, once a week (inside joke, for sure) that is hosted by our friends and previous guests, comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds. And the reason that the “bathroom bills” of 2016 are ripe for parody from these hilarious cats is because it is exactly the type of horrendous and ridiculous subject matter in which they would lampoon on the regular. Now, this is a very specific reference, I know. But, it’s really just an argument that is in relation to something mentioned at the very beginning of this very documentary. The people who were so against the nation accepting gay marriage as a normal occurrence, basically needed something new to fear. And apparently, attacking transgender humans became the next “logical” target to spread their hate speech towards. And yes, I will flat out say this: this is a religious issue. It is directly their fault, as well as the fault of any other group of hate mongers out there spreading their own personal brand of evil just because somebody doesn’t think like them on issues that frankly, don’t really affect them in anyway. Obviously, “not all religious people”, “some are okay”, and yada yada yada. I’m getting pretty sick of having to say shit like that, but for pretense and purposes, there it is.
Basically, the country is going to laugh and scoff at the ridiculousness of the entire subject matter. Just as we do on the subject matter of civil rights. It is almost impossible to conceive the idea that there was a period in time where the American legal system would be able to ban people from sitting at certain counters because of the tone of their skin. And as a father of three young children, I can contest that the idea of two people of the same gender who want to share in legal matrimony was once illegal in nature is a ridiculous concept to them. And with that, this too shall pass. There is always going to be hate, racism, and down right bigotry in this country. But the passage of time is hopefully watering down the ignorance and weeding out the hateful. I remain hopeful in these ideals. Even with the flare up of the current administration in the White House and the MAGA attitude that swayed an election, I still remain hopeful that one day this ridiculous hold out for the “old days” will be deemed unsuccessful and absurd. Of course, this doesn’t mean we sit back and wait. We must fight. And fighting is exactly what Vlada Knowlton and her family and supporters are doing, and I simply can not support it enough.
Seriously, bathrooms? A simple place to complete the physical relief in which the body requires by nature? We separate ourselves from other animals by completing these acts in controlled areas. So, what the hell do people think is happening in these rooms designated to eliminate as much Taco Bell from your body as possible? Did these people watch that scene from There’s Something About Mary about the Rest Areas and take it too seriously? Are these people the same folks who still believe that rapists are hiding in dark alleys, and aren’t actually more than likely close relatives? Do they actually believe that pedophilia runs rampant entirely in public places designated to control particular bodily fluids? Even writing this out I can’t help but think: Is this a joke?
Another fascination I had with the film is its setting itself. The grand state of Washington. The “hot bed of liberalism”, as I have once heard it called. Yeah, sure. From the viewpoint of a front porch in rural Nebraska, it may appear this way. But, lest we forget: Washington has trees. Lots of fucking trees. And they grow food. Lots of food. The concept of rurality does not escape the Evergreen state. Logging is a very real profession. Fisherman exist all along the sea, living in a sort of unrealistic stand still, as distant from the shadow of the Space Needle in miles as they are in generational growth in some cases. Being from the one of the most MAGA friendly counties on the western side of the state, I can definitely confirm these opinions as being very close to facts.
In order to prevent any further babbling, I would just like to reiterate that I firmly believe in and stand by the message of this film, and I implore everyone to see it as soon as it becomes available to them. This is a beautifully down documentary, about some even more beautiful human beings, and it needs to be seen by all. History will prove this to be right, but only with the help of guiding forces and those who support them.
The Most Dangerous Year will have its L.A. premiere on April 26th at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills. Go HERE for tickets. Further screenings will be happening in cities such as our beloved former hometown of Spokane, Washington in the coming weeks. Also Chicago, Tacoma, Chattanogga, & more. Visit the film’s WEBSITE for further details.
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