Who's That Lady? - It's Mary Lynn Rajskub!

Partners in Crime Edition

Fletch of Blog Cabins and I have finally been given the opportunity to to partner together to present two thespians, a That Guy and That Gal, who've recently partnered together onscreen in the film Sunshine Cleaning. See how that works two ways, eh? Check out Familiar Face - Unknown Name for the latest inductee while I present my special lady below.

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Nearly everyone can recognize Jolie's or Johansson's, um, talents from across a crowded theater, but what about the woman playing their best friend, mom, or even Pilates instructor? Here I shine a spotlight on those actresses that live in the shadows and ask the question:

Who's That Lady?
Mary Lynn Rajskub

First things first; it's pronounced Rice-Cub! Mary Lynn Rajskub is Michigan-born and raised. She earned a degree in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute. Mary Lynn also studied acting and music, which she's used to catapult into television and film roles. Her mad guitar skills have come in handy as one half of the comedy duo Girls Guitar Club. When not adding to her list of IMDB credits (currently at forty-eight), she still squeezes in time to paint and exhibit her art.

3 Unforgettable Roles
Road Trip - Seann William Scott couldn't completely pull the wool over Blind Brenda's eyes. He may have stolen her school's shortbus, but not before she gave him the one-finger salute for feeding her dog and generally being a douche.

Mysterious Skin - As Avalyn Friesen, I instantly recall that dowdy, front-buttoned, potato sack of a dress she wore. Ms. Rajskub seemed nearly as timid as her outward appearance suggested. But Brian discovered more than he was searching for during his brief encounter with Avalyn.

Sunshine Cleaning - Mary Lynn portrays slightly paranoid phlebotomist Lynn, who is befriended by the troubled Norah. Norah tries to bond over the similar family histories, but Lynn makes it abundantly clear that she's not looking for that kind of empathy.

Honorable Mentions: The character of Zelmina the cult member nearly won out for unforgetttable role, but I couldn't show that much love to Dude, Where's My Car? Still, I can almost hear the popping sound of her jacket when I picture her. Ms. Rajskub has played Chloe O'Brian on 24 since Season 3, though I'm sorely behind on that series. The role my wife always remembers is Pam, the pageant assistant from Little Miss Sunshine, playing alongside fellow WtL? inductee Beth Grant.


Saw it, but even I don't remember her in it!
Mary Lynn Rajskub's been appearing in television and film since 1996 so there's a good chance you've seen her and didn't even know it. There was more than one credit that furrowed my brow when I tried to recall her role in the production.

Films: Sweet Home Alabama, Punch-Drunk Love, The Anniversary Party, Magnolia, The Truth About Cats and Dogs

(I don't recall her Magnolia or Truth About Cats and Dogs roles for good reason; she 'appeared' as a voice. Hey, a credit is still a credit!)


Mary Lynn Rajskub is the woman you call when you need 'that look.' 'That look' says:

I am not amused.
Why are you talking to me?
You think you're much funnier than you are.
I would squash you underfoot if I had a big enough boot!

You know, THAT look. She's also great at playing the nerd, or the slightly off-keel girl. If you want to know more about her career, be sure to check out her IMDB and Wikipedia pages. You can also be a total geek like me and follow her on Twitter!

Mary-Lynn Rajskub has one project that will be released this summer. I don't know who Helen is in Julie & Julia, but it's a safe bet she's a friend or relative of Julie or Julia! I can hardly wait for this to release.

MMM: Why Didn't I Taste It?

I planned to continue the trend of finding lost artists for May. Then I saw Star Trek this weekend and felt obligated to feature this next performer. If you're looking for Reel Whore insight into Star Trek, check back soon.

I will say while I did enjoy the movie, I wished The Shat had had a cameo. Rumor has it he was offered a role and turned it down. It's probable, but did that make me miss his swollen mug anymore; no.

Maybe he can transform his disappointment of being omitted from the film into a series of poems. Maybe those poems can be arranged into songs. Maybe the Shat can then perform those songs with a hodgepodge of great musicians. It's not like it hasn't happened before.

His singing career has been a thing of ridicule over the years. In fact, one wouldn't call it a career so much as an occasional romp into spoken word for shits and giggles. That is until William Shatner joined forces with Ben Folds to create the album Has Been in 2004. I will state on record that not only do I own this album, but I enjoy the hell out of it. Shatner is accompanied by an eclectic group of performers; Aimee Mann, Henry Rollins and Brad Paisley to name a few.

Maybe you've shunned this album. Maybe you've thought I'll give it a listen tomorrow. Maybe you're waiting to borrow your brother's copy. Don't wind up asking, Why did I waste it? Why didn't I taste it? Here's a listen to whet your appetite:

William Shatner - It Hasn't Happened Yet

My favorite song on the album is You'll Have Time, but the videos for that weren't up to snuff. When the Shat's involved, there is a certain modicum of quality that one must maintain.

F-n' A, man. I got a rash, man!

URGENT MEDICAL NEWS BULLETIN

Fuck the H1N1 virus. Allergies ain't got nothing on this. We're on the verge of a pandemic, people!

After days of complaining about irritation and unstoppable scratching, I took my wife's advice and conducted a self-exam. Close inspection revealed that I've got cinematic crabs! That's right, I got Flik-Itch! I managed to pick off a couple but it did little to help. Check out these vicious lil buggers:


Symptoms started presenting shortly after I snubbed X-Men Origins: Wolverine last weekend. Not only did I fore go watching the first big summer movie, I didn't even opt for the counter-blockbuster programming, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Instead, I pissed away the weekend sifting through my DVR, hanging with friends, and, of all things, doing yard work. Needless to say, by Tuesday the itch for summer blockbusters was unbearable.

The only cure for Flik-Itch is summer movies. Any affected party should apply copious amounts of mindless popcorn flicks liberally at least once a week.


With repeated application, symptoms usually subside quickly. Continued usage will cure Flik-Itch within three months. Flik-Itch has been known to subside within two months, but ironically only when the available medication produced is of inferior quality. At this time, doctor's are hesitant to speculate which strain, malignant or benign, this season may bring.

To be safe, I intend to slather on an IMAX-sized dab of Star Trek immediately before I scratch my ass raw! I suggest you do the same.

'Cleaning' is a Messy Movie

Sunshine Cleaning
Release: 03.13.09
Rated R
1 hour, 42 minutes

Second Run Seats


Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams, Serving Sara) lived the dream in high school; head cheerleader dating the quarterback Mac (Steve Zhan, Riding in Cars with Boys). Now she cleans up behind those living their dreams. She's taking realty classes which consist of secret rendezvous with the now married Mac at the Sleep-Eazy motel. Meanwhile, Rose leaves her son, Oscar (Jason Spevack, Hollywoodland), with her baby sis, Norah (Emily Blunt, Dan in Real Life), since it's one of the few jobs Norah doesn't completely screw up. With a passing comment by Mac and the urgent need to earn private-school tuition for Oscar, Rose decides to specialize her cleaning for the recently deceased. Enlisting her layabout sister, the backdoor business Sunshine Cleaning is born.

Did you catch all that? Rose is juggling a hustling father, a troubled sister, a bored child and a married boyfriend all while cleaning houses, working on a realty license and running an unlicensed bio-hazard removal business. Somewhere amid the frenzy she finds time to catch random television movie scenes to find her late mother's walk-on role as a waitress. Her plate is extremely full, which explains, but doesn't excuse, why all these plot strings don't get resolved by the film's end.

The death of their mother had a significant influence on the lives of Rose, Norah and their dad Joe (Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine). I can't say exactly how it affected dear old dad because Joe's story is only partially told. The trauma leads Norah to seek out a kindred spirit in Lynn (Mary Lynn Rasjskub, Mysterious Skin) with surprisingly contrary results. The effects on Rose isn't as apparent; she continually tries to attack her problems with a determinedly cheery outlook, though her facade appears on the verge of shattering with each breath.

The expressive faces of Amy Adams and Emily Blunt lift Sunshine Cleaning out of complete mediocrity. As my wife put it, I'd have hated to have been in drama class competing for lead roles against either of these two. The two actresses convey such convincing emotions that you want to cheer or cry with them, even if you're not sure what you're reacting to. Arkin gives a fun but all too brief turn as Joe. As Winston, the one-armed owner of a cleaning supply shop, Clifton Collins, Jr. (Traffic) is underused though he becomes an increasingly important part of the Lorkowskis' lives.

Dirty Undies
Even with the ladies cleaning up spattered human remains, director Christine Jeffs is careful to avoid showing anything worse than a few drying pools of blood. Rose's adulterous affair does provide a fair amount of flesh from Adams and Zhan, but the fun stuff is left up to your imagination.

The Money Shot
I give a standing ovation to casting director Avy Kaufman who couldn't have chosen a better cast of actors for the project. There's nothing particularly bad about Sunshine Cleaning; it's just that in this case, great performances in a mediocre story still results in a mediocre story.

MMM: Weeping Butterfly Tears

In a moment, do you ever find yourself asking "What ever happened to...?" That's the question that crossed my mind a couple weeks back when this song came on the radio. It'd been a good long while since I had heard it, but I immediately wondered what fate had befallen the artist.

Was he on the road to a comeback? Did he suffer a tragic accident? Did he find religion and give up the hedonism of the pop life?

It turns out those questions don't have simple answers. According to Wikipedia, Terence Trent D'Arby "died a noble death" on October 4, 2001. Don't be sad, Terence Trent D'Arby was only the stage name of Terence Trent Howard who legally changed his name on that date to Sananda Maitreya. His new name came to him in a series of dreams after he meditated for a better representation of his identity as an artist.

In fact, fans of D'ar...um, Maitreya will be happy to learn that he has been putting out albums for most of the noughties and even has a new album, NIGOR MORTIS available. I haven't had a chance to sample Maitreya's newest material, but I am more than curious. In the meantime, I'd like to pay tribute to his long-deceased image of the eighties.

Terence Trent D'arby - Wishing Well

Wow, you discover something new everyday. I think I'll dig up more of these "What ever happened to...?" stories in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Counting Down the Zeroes: A Beastly Feast for the Eyes

Brotherhood of the Wolf
Le Pacte des loups

Release: 10.11.01
DVD Release: 10.01.02
Rated R
2 hours, 32 minutes

Full Price




This post is part of COUNTING DOWN THE ZEROES, brought to you by IBETOLIS of FILM FOR THE SOUL.

It is said that the best tall tales germinate from a seed of truth. For Le Pacte des loups, a.k.a. Brotherhood of the Wolf, the truth began in the French countryside during the mid-eighteenth century. Over one hundred people were killed in attacks by beastly wolves. The legend of the Beast of Gévaudan is still shrouded in mystery to this day.

In Brotherhood, the mystery is revealed by the recollections of the Marquis d'Apcher as he pens his memoirs. He recalls the brutal killings and how the King dispatched Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan), his taxidermist, to investigate the monster. Grégoire and his Iroquois companion, Mani (Mark Dacascos, Cradle 2 the Grave), quickly discover the beast is larger and more deadly than any normal wolf. As the search continues, Grégoire chases more than wolf tales, specifically the courtesan Sylvia (Monica Bellucci, Shoot 'Em Up) and the Count's daughter, Marianne de Morangias (Émilie Dequenne), which her creepy brother Jean-François (Vincent Cassel, Eastern Promises) is none too happy about. As repeated efforts by the local guard to hunt and kill the beast bear no fruit, Grégoire learns the beast's true nature is tied to a political coup.

Period pieces have never really been my cup of tea. How then would one propose to tell a story that is appealing to audiences not typically interested in stuffy clothing, fluffy wigs and verbose posturing? Start by brutally killing a busty damsel. If that doesn't hook them, toss in a savage from a faraway land; let's make him a Native American and, just for kicks, give him mad ninja skills. This savage and his civilized companion are the King's Green Berets compared to the Keystone Cops running around shooting at every shadow in the forest. Horror, action and comedy are covered, but if still unsatisfied, mix in a brothel of naked women and debauchery to lighten the mood even more. You do want to keep the story's tone dark, so it's best to add a pinch of conspiracy and intrigue, another reason to have us looking twice at every character.

Writer-director Christophe Gans (Silent Hill) and writer Stéphane Cabel manage to incorporate all of the above-and more- into Brotherhood. As outlandish as it sounds, they pull it off superbly. Beginning in bloodshed, Brotherhood quickly slips into a cadence, alternating between story exposition and spectacle about every ten minutes. Those spectacles range from bone crunching, hand-to-hand combat to the silky, heaving bosom of Monica Bellucci to peasants tossed about like chew toys by the Beast.

Through a combination of clever transitions and slow-motion, Gans makes Brotherhood a savory visual feast. The Beast, once revealed, is a bizarre and sinister creature that seems nigh unstoppable. Gans ensures audiences understand just how powerful the creature is through a complex battle with Grégoire, Mani and the Marquis (Jérémie Renier, In Bruges). Brotherhood's gruff sound effects drive home the weighty impact of the bullets and the jagged tearing of the blades in ever action sequence.

Gans takes similar care with the softer moments. Watching the camera glide over Bellucci's heart-shaped derriere as the scene subtly changes to the snow-covered hills of Gévaudan was one of my favorite moments, and not solely for a glimpse of bare Bellucci. Gans has a knack for crafting scenes that feel poetic even if the story isn't.

If you find the opportunity to watch it, I highly recommend doing so twice; once with subtitles and once dubbed. I normally prefer subtitles, but with so much action a second, dubbed viewing helps to appreciate the visual details. Being a film not in my native tongue, I hesitate to comment on the acting. Cassel steals every scene he's in, but from what I've seen of him, that is usually the case.

With all that happens in Brotherhood it's hard to imagine it feeling sluggish, but it does lag in parts. The slowness is a minor quibble about an otherwise exhilarating tale of legendary proportions. Thanks to Gans' flourishes, you forget that Brotherhood is little more than a monster movie.

Trailer Trash: The May-09 Gang Bang

We've dragged ourselves through the dregs of spring movies and now Summer 2009 looms before us. We've got some studly-looking blockbusters in the line up, but we also have some slap-crappy sequels no one asked for. I'll save my lambasting for below.

Those who keep up know I promised to review all the March releases, and I'm still delinquent. Lucky for me, the final two should be opening at the cheap theater shortly. Don't say I never follow through on a promise, no matter how excruciatingly painful.

Summer '09 doesn't look to be off to a bad start. It's not a great start either, but we'll make due. Here are IMDB's May releases, ranked from worst to best for your reading enjoyment:

Exercise the Right To Cinematic Celibacy.

Dance Flick (05.22) How many Wayanses does it take to make a funny spoof movie? Evidently, more than are working on this one. I can slam this all day, but fact remains it will make money, and crappier sequels like Sing Flick and Cheer Flick will come oozing forth like the icky baby in the trailer.

Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian (05.22) Dear Amy Adams, I'm sorry I won't be attending your latest flick. It's not that I don't love you; after all, I did see Underdog to hear your voice. It's Ben Stiller's uncanny ability to make films insufferable. Dear Hank Azaria, I'm sorry I won't be attending your latest flick. It's not that I don't love ...

Up (05.29) Pixar thought a non-speaking robot on an apocalyptic Earth was a hard sell; how about a crotchety old man in a floating house? If it's one thing kids love, it's animated movies about elderly people. I remember how my little sister scurried to the TV every Saturday to watch the Grumpy Old Men cartoon.

Management (05.15) Hollywood just doesn't release enough romantic comedies about stalkers. Watching Steve Zhan and Woody Harrelson make with the funny would make it worth watching... if I didn't have to sit through Aniston's entire cache of pissy and pouty Rachel expressions.


It's Friday, I Don't Want to be Alone.

Angels and Demons (05.15) This Ron Howard-Akiva Goldsman-Tom Hanks reunion has one major advantage over The DaVinci Code: I've never read this book. Considering how badly they raped that story, I should be running for the hills. Then again, Ewan MacGregor costars and that great smile can overcome even the worst scripts and hairdos.

Battle for Terra (05.01) How sad is it that one line uttered by James Garner sold me on this? The animation looks pretty solid and the story has been getting good buzz. Besides, right about now I'm up for any animated flick that doesn't come from Pixar or Dreamworks.

Ghost of Girlfriends Past (05.01) People know Jennifer Garner's crooked mug usually sends me running away. However, the glistening chest and teeth of Matthew McConaughey draw me in like a moth to the flame. Seriously though, I'll sit through this rom-com for a chance to see Emma Stone outshine the lot of them.


Next Day Air (05.08) The mix-up between slackers and drug lords has this flick looking like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Brothers. Either the trailer is cut really well, or this actually shows promise. I like Mos Def and all, but when did he become 'AND' cred worthy?!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (05.01) I've seen this trailer SO MUCH... it was flaming, flames, FLAMES... on the side of my face... Fans of the film Clue should recognize that great line, but it is also how I feel about this damn film. A clue is what Fox should get because they are trying to market this with alternate endings a la Clue in squeeze more money from us. Even if I had seen the bootleg version (wink, wink) I would have still gone to theaters for a proper viewing, but since Fox has to be such dicks about it, they can sit and spin on Wolverine's adamantium claw.

Moist With Antici...Pation!

Drag Me to Hell (05.29) Sam Raimi makes damn good horror movies. Justin Long is a pretty funny guy. Alison Lohman is a vastly underappreciated actress in both talent and cuteness. That's three reasons to see this. You need one more? That old hag looks hysterical and terrifying at the same time!


Terminator Salvation (05.21) Can someone please explain to me how the actual battle for humanity scores a PG-13 rating when its non-war predecessors are all R-rated? I've had a good long cry about it, and I'm still stoked to watch Christian Bale smoke some metal ass. If only they'd worked a way to insert Summer Glau, then I'd be standing in line right now.

Star Trek (05.08) Another advert I'm sick of: 'Not your Father's Star Trek.' Shatner's not in it so it can't possibly be the same. I'm one of the few who doesn't believe J.J. Abrams is God's gift to sci-fi. Still, this looks fucking awesome. If it lives up to even half of what the trailer promises, it will boldly go where the series has not gone before.


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Here's a fun fact; rising star Anton Yelchin is in both Star Trek and Terminator Salvation. If only he'd be cast to play Yorick in the upcoming Y the Last Man film instead of the LaBeouf, I'd be as happy as a little girl!