Tag Archives: Janeane Garofalo

Review: Who’s sorry now? ‘THE APOLOGY’ will be in theaters and streaming simultaneously on Shudder and AMC+ this Friday.

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present


THE APOLOGY

Anna Gunn plays Darlene, a woman whose daughter went missing 20 years ago. After a long day of preparations to host Christmas Day with the help of her adoring neighbor and best friend, Gretchen, a knock on the door changes the trajectory of her night and life. Darlene enters a fight for truth and revenge. Writer-director Alison Star Locke challenges audiences to contemplate grief, unresolved trauma, and guilt in an explosive confrontation of a survivor’s deepest fantasies.

Locke’s script sets a solid pace, with details of her daughter’s disappearance slowly revealing themselves, unrequited love, past regressions, and secrets boiling over. Darlene’s ex-brother-in-law lands on her doorstep under the guise of a surprise family reunion, but his ulterior motive involves a revelation in Sally’s case. The information he’s been sitting on as Darlene relentlessly searched for Sally, became an advocate for other families, and got her alcoholism under control. The rage and fear evolve into a knockdown, drag-out fight between redemption and revenge. 

Compounded by the raging snow outside, any turmoil coming from the house is more than muffled. This simple device proves to be a wonderful segway for Gretchen to reenter the story. Janeane Garofalo nails this role. She’s funny, down to earth, and perfectly wonderful. Her iconic snark lies underneath the surface of a woman whose love for Darlene surpasses all things. Linus Roache plays Jack with a presumptuous air that comes off as slimy immediately. His arrogance and bulldozing persona make him punchable, which is how Locke meant for him to come off. The smugness makes your blood boil. Anna Gunn‘s turn as Darlene is rife with hurt and drenched in melancholy. Her scenes with Roache are tense. 

Here is where I felt like The Apology missed the mark. The film hinges on Jack and Darlene’s dynamic. Locke gives them a juicy backstory. Somehow the level of intensity from Gunn and Roache was at an 8 when it needed to be at a 10. That extra oomph of passion and terror (or lack thereof) kept me with one foot in disbelief and one foot firmly intrigued. I wanted to jump over that threshold, but I never got there. The screenplay had all the makings of the success of films like An Eye For An Eye. I’m not sure why this happened. We all know Gunn is a spectacular actress, but it didn’t go far enough. I hate it when my bullshit meter lights up.

THE APOLOGY will surely capture your attention. Those who live and breathe true crime these days will undoubtedly wish this scenario on every family member left to wonder what happened to their loved one. Hopefully, the story is enough to keep audiences satisfied.

THE APOLOGY will be in theaters and streaming simultaneously on Shudder and AMC+ on December 16th.



DIRECTOR: Alison Star Locke
WRITER: Alison Star Locke
CAST: Anna Gunn, Linus Roache, Janeane Garofalo
SYNOPSIS: Twenty years after the disappearance of her daughter, recovering alcoholic Darlene Hagen (Anna Gunn) is preparing to host her family’s Christmas celebration with her best friend Gretchen (Janeane Garofalo). Late Christmas Eve, Darlene’s estranged ex-brother-in-law, Jack (Linus Roache) arrives unannounced, bearing nostalgic gifts and a heavy secret. Soon, Darlene finds herself caught between reason and ruthless instinct. Trapped together by a dangerous storm, a battle of wits escalates to a violent game of revenge.
RUN TIME: 91 minutes
RATING: Not Rated
GENRE: Thriller
DISTRIBUTOR: RLJE Films/Shudder

 

Review: ‘3RD STREET BLACKOUT’ shines through the dark.

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Paladin

presents

3rd street blackout poster

3RD STREET BLACKOUT

Opening TODAY April 29th

Co-created by and co-starring
Negin Farsad 
(“The Muslims Are Coming!,” “Nerdcore Rising,” TED Fellow)
and
Jeremy Redleaf
(Streamy Award Winner “Odd Jobs,” “Sesame Street”)

Also starring
Ed Weeks (“The Mindy Project”),
Phyllis Somerville (“Little Children”),
Janeane Garofalo (“Wet Hot American Summer”)
John Hodgman (“Pitch Perfect 2,” “The Daily Show”)
Jordan Carlos (“The Nightly Show”)
Sasheer Zamata (“Saturday Night Live”)

If you’re in your thirties, you can easily remember a time in your youth when IMing was mind-blowing, chat rooms were presented as a thing of fun and danger, and MySpace was the coolest new awesomeness to ever exist. Nowadays, we live and breathe by texting, messaging, tweeting, instagramming, you name it, but most of it is online and very little exists as person to person interaction. The convenience and commonality of our technological advances has, in a lot of cases, destroyed the way we communicate as human beings. Swiping right (or perhaps left? I’m not sure, I’m married) is the new way to “date”. Now don’t get me wrong, I have four very close friends who are now married because of Match.com, but have we become too reliant on technology to really connect anymore? 3RD STREET BLACKOUT tackles that very question in the funniest way possible.
3rd street still negin farsad and jeremy redleaf
Mina, a neuroscientist and TED-talker, and Rudy, an app developer, live life like any typical NYC couple today.  Texting, skyping, Netflixing and chillling their way through a seemingly healthy relationship. What happens when Hurricane Sandy rolls in and knocks out all of the power and signal, forces Mina and Rudy to confront a new conflict in old fashioned ways. Emoticons are no longer an option. Rudy escapes to Brooklyn to cool off while Mina flails in her own Manhattan environment. The two are lost without  the other and it’s not  until they break “social norms” and actually talk to one another does the problem get attention.
3rd street janeane garofalo and negin
The script is ultra intelligent and incredibly timely. I was genuinely laughing out loud the entire 87 minute run. It felt more like a sit down with my closest friends, drinking and thinking, and less like a formulaic Hollywood rom-com. The dialogue is a super natural and sailor-mouthed delight. The cast is outstanding. Co-writers/Directors/Stars, Negin Farsad and Jeremy Redleaf are fanatstic. With and “every-man” (and woman)  feel in their presence and NY attitude, I was with them from go. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the comedy stylings of Katie Hartman. Hartman plays one of Rudy’s app developer cohorts and could not be funnier. I would watch an entire film about her character, any day. Overall, I was impressed by this charming indie, chock filled with great performances from hilarious cast. I look forward to seeing more from Farsad and Redleaf in the near future.

3RD STREET BLACKOUT opens today in  NYC!
About Negin Farsad
Though this is her first collaboration with Redleaf, Farsad previously produced, directed, and starred in the documentary hit, “The Muslims Are Coming!,”  which also featured Jon Stewart, Lewis Black, Janeane Garofalo and David Cross.  She also recently completed the feature, “Nerdcore Rising” starring “Weird” Al Yankovic and MC Frontalot.   In addition to being selected as a TED Fellow, she was named one of the “50 Funniest Women” by the Huffington Post, and her first book, a memoir/manifesto entitled “How to Make White People Laugh,” will be published this May, as 3RD STREET BLACKOUT expands nationally, by Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette. She has also written for and appeared on various shows on Comedy Central, BBC & IFC among others.
About Jeremy Redleaf
Redleaf is an Emmy Award winning actor/writer/director/producer who has created award-winning digital, transmedia, and experiential productions through his Brackets Creative shingle, including “Odd Jobs,” winner of “Best New Web Series” at the Streamy Awards, and “Best Writing” at the International Television Festival.  As a performer, he plays Gonnigan on “Sesame Street,” narrates numerous shows for MTV, and has appeared across television, films, and commercials.

Find out who else is joining ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ in the first official trailer – Hint: they’re mad men

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Find out who else is joining ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ in the first official trailer – Hint: MadMenFind out who else is joining ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ in the first official trailer – Hint: they’re mad menunnamedJoin us July 31 for Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, a limited 8-episode series coming to Netflix.

It’s the first day of camp in this outrageous prequel to the hilarious 2001 cult classic movie. And at Camp Firewood, anything can happen.

An all-star cast delivers big laughs in this irreverent spoof of summer camp and ’80s teenager movies. We’ve seen the last day of summer in the classic original film, now discover the events that shaped these iconic characters on the first day of Camp Firewood’s season.

Elizabeth Banks, Michael Ian Black, Bradley Cooper, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Christopher Meloni, Marguerite Moreau, Zak Orth, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, and Michael Showalter join together with new characters played by Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, John Slattery, and more. It’s going to be an unforgettable day of events in Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp!

‘Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp’ Welcome to Camp Firewood first clip!

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Welcome to Camp Firewood – Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp

Camp Firewood is more than just a summer camp. It’s a way of life. Join us July 31 for Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, a limited 8-episode series coming to Netflix. Elizabeth Banks, Michael Ian Black, Bradley Cooper, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Christopher Meloni, Marguerite Moreau, Zak Orth, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, and Michael Showalter are among some of the cast joining the series, which tells the story of the first day of Camp Firewood’s famous summer season, now fourteen years after the film’s debut.

‘Wet Hot American Summer’ back on Netflix – watch before the series premiere on July 17th

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#unnamed

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp – Series Premiere July 17th

The counselors are confirmed in this teaser for Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, a limited 8-episode series coming to Netflix just in time for summer. Elizabeth Banks, Michael Ian Black, Bradley Cooper, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Christopher Meloni, Marguerite Moreau, Zak Orth, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon,and Michael Showalter are among some of the cast joining the series, which tells the story of the first day of Camp Firewood’s famous summer season, now fourteen years after the film’s debut. The series is directed by David Wain and co-written by Wain and Michael Showalter.

Camp Counselors Confirmed in the Teaser for ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ Netflix Series Coming This Summer

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wet hot americcan summerThe counselors are confirmed in this teaser for Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, a limited 8-episode series coming to Netflix just in time for summer. Elizabeth Banks, Michael Ian Black, Bradley Cooper, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Christopher Meloni, Marguerite Moreau, Zak Orth, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, and Michael Showalter are among some of the cast joining the series, which tells the story of the first day of Camp Firewood’s famous summer season, now fourteen years after the film’s debut. The series is directed by David Wain and co-written by Wain and Michael Showalter.

I’m so excited for this! Who’s your favorite counselor? Read More →