After an exhausting day, sometimes the antidote is turning on Ti West's "X," so we can bask in Maxine's unshakable and b**** courage -- channeling any of that power and strength for ourselves. Other times, we crave a kinder touch and assurances that we're precious too: This is what the goddess Melba May (Park Overall) provides viewers in Darren Stein's directorial feature debut, 1997's "Sparkler." Ok, she's not actually a goddess in the film, but she might as well be! If you've never heard of the low-budget comedy road trip film from the creative mind of "Jawbreaker," it's because it was virtually impossible to find until it hit streaming this month.
Not only does it cast Freddie Prinze Jr. against type as an antagonist heel (which we love to see), but it also stars Jamie Kennedy ("Scream"), Steven Petrarca, and horror legend Veronica Cartwright. What opens up as...
Not only does it cast Freddie Prinze Jr. against type as an antagonist heel (which we love to see), but it also stars Jamie Kennedy ("Scream"), Steven Petrarca, and horror legend Veronica Cartwright. What opens up as...
- 1/27/2023
- by Cass Clarke
- Slash Film
Normally it’s better to stay out of politics when talking about actors and their own affiliations since it tends to become a big mess when talking about who they support, what causes they’re for, and what they believe in. But with Park Overall, it’s kind of tough since she’s been an activist for so long and even ran for a political position at one point, which is a big part of her life and kind of needs to be highlighted at least a bit. As an actress, she’s been around for a while, but as a politician, it does feel
Whatever Happened to Park Overall?...
Whatever Happened to Park Overall?...
- 6/22/2021
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
Not long after an initially unheralded premiere in 2011, the Independent Spirit Award nominated debut from Patrick Wang, In the Family, suddenly started getting much deserved attention, which resulted in a wider theatrical release in spring of 2012. The critical response has been nearly unanimous, and Wang stands as one of the most exciting new authorial voices in American indie cinema, not to mention his film’s ability to place an Lgbt themed subject matter into a wider cinematic realm than the niche its ilk is usually relegated, has been an equally regal and transcendent.
Chip (Sebastian Banes), wakes up one morning and bounces into his parents’ bedroom, waking up his dads, Joey (Patrick Wang), and Cody (Trevor St. John). We watch their breakfast ritual, as the three warmly and familiarly converse, all of them going about their respective days, Cody being a teacher and Joey a contractor. They have family friends,...
Chip (Sebastian Banes), wakes up one morning and bounces into his parents’ bedroom, waking up his dads, Joey (Patrick Wang), and Cody (Trevor St. John). We watch their breakfast ritual, as the three warmly and familiarly converse, all of them going about their respective days, Cody being a teacher and Joey a contractor. They have family friends,...
- 6/25/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Ties That Bind: Wang’s Debut a Cinematic Knockout
Every so often, unpredictably, a film comes out of nowhere, with no pomp or circumstance, heralding a brilliant new cinematic talent. Quietly debuting at the tail end of 2011, Patrick Wang’s In the Family, received a nomination for an Independent Spirit Award, which set off a slow but steady trickle of theatrical releases for this quiet gem across the country. Skillfully avoiding stereotypes, clichés, and any manner of manipulative techniques in order to generate emotional discourse, Wang has created what sounds like a hot topic potboiler on paper and made a film that’s as hopefully humanistic as it is melancholically realistic.
Chip (Sebastian Banes), wakes up one morning and bounces into his parents’ bedroom, waking up his dads, Joey (Patrick Wang), and Cody (Trevor St. John). We watch their breakfast ritual, as the three warmly and familiarly converse, all...
Every so often, unpredictably, a film comes out of nowhere, with no pomp or circumstance, heralding a brilliant new cinematic talent. Quietly debuting at the tail end of 2011, Patrick Wang’s In the Family, received a nomination for an Independent Spirit Award, which set off a slow but steady trickle of theatrical releases for this quiet gem across the country. Skillfully avoiding stereotypes, clichés, and any manner of manipulative techniques in order to generate emotional discourse, Wang has created what sounds like a hot topic potboiler on paper and made a film that’s as hopefully humanistic as it is melancholically realistic.
Chip (Sebastian Banes), wakes up one morning and bounces into his parents’ bedroom, waking up his dads, Joey (Patrick Wang), and Cody (Trevor St. John). We watch their breakfast ritual, as the three warmly and familiarly converse, all...
- 11/15/2012
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Actresses from bygone NBC Saturday night shows are following their dreams! Empty Nest's Park Overall: a politician now! Amen's Anna Maria Horsford: recently cast as Winston's mom on New Girl! And now, we have received word that Blair from The Facts of Life (you may also know her by her given name Lisa Whelchel) will be competing for the $1 million prize on the new edition of Survivor, starting September 19. CBS is still keeping the identity of three other castaways hidden, but that's because they're returning players, and not because they're Tootie, Jo, and Natalie.
- 8/20/2012
- by Kyle Buchanan
- Vulture
Over the years here at AfterElton and beyond, I’ve written about a lot of gay films. Whether or not it has shown in my reviews, much of that writing has been steeped in frustration because many films we're solicited to review in the "gay" genre quite simply aren't very good.
There have always been clear standouts, of course, but far more frequently I find myself watching mediocre or downright bad films: derivative, sassy comedies lit like commercials for dishwashing detergent; clumsy coming-out indies dripping with empathy but devoid of any artistry; sappy soft-core porn poorly disguised as romance.
Is the ratio of bad-to-watchable gay films really any worse than that of the broader cinematic universe? I think it probably is. So I have to admit that when a new gay film comes across my desk, I tend to receive it not with excitement, but with a sigh.
I begin...
There have always been clear standouts, of course, but far more frequently I find myself watching mediocre or downright bad films: derivative, sassy comedies lit like commercials for dishwashing detergent; clumsy coming-out indies dripping with empathy but devoid of any artistry; sappy soft-core porn poorly disguised as romance.
Is the ratio of bad-to-watchable gay films really any worse than that of the broader cinematic universe? I think it probably is. So I have to admit that when a new gay film comes across my desk, I tend to receive it not with excitement, but with a sigh.
I begin...
- 6/22/2012
- by brian
- The Backlot
Former Empty Nest star Park Overall has put her acting past behind her and is launching a bid for the U.S. Senate.
Overall, who played nurse Laverne Todd in the popular TV series, is now hoping to represent her home state of Tennessee as an elected member of Congress.
She tells the National Enquirer, "I'm a progressive and I'm tired of the meanness. I'm for gays, blacks, Asians, the poor and everyone."
The 55 year old will go head-to-head with incumbent Republican Bob Corker when the state primary kicks off on 2 August and the actress-turned-politician, who also guested on The Golden Girls and Reba, is hoping to eek out a win, adding, "This is the biggest adventure of my life!"...
Overall, who played nurse Laverne Todd in the popular TV series, is now hoping to represent her home state of Tennessee as an elected member of Congress.
She tells the National Enquirer, "I'm a progressive and I'm tired of the meanness. I'm for gays, blacks, Asians, the poor and everyone."
The 55 year old will go head-to-head with incumbent Republican Bob Corker when the state primary kicks off on 2 August and the actress-turned-politician, who also guested on The Golden Girls and Reba, is hoping to eek out a win, adding, "This is the biggest adventure of my life!"...
- 4/11/2012
- WENN
"Empty Nest" sitcom star Park Overall is adding her name to the list of actors-turned-politicians with a run for a Senate seat in Tennessee. "I have officially filed (papers) to run against Bob Corker for the U.S. Senate," Overall told The Greenville Sun on Thursday. "Somebody had to do it and if nobody else will do it, I will do it." Let's hope that's not her campaign slogan. Also read: Jon Stewart: Let's Talk About Contraception and What's Good for Ladyparts (Video) Tennessee native Overall, 55, is best known as sassy nurse Laverne on...
- 4/6/2012
- by Kimberly Potts
- The Wrap
In regards to my visit to Washington & Lee University for the debate between Maggie Gallagher and Andrew Sullivan, I'm still digesting. It was great to get together with Dennis though, we really never see each other, and we're not even sure that snicks is a real person or just a 1980s model computer. As far as the debate, held in the Lee Chapel over the crypt, Maggie didn't really seem on her best game and was all over the place with an admittedly polite but hostile audience. Sullivan made a wonderfully personal case for marriage equality being the conservative ideal for finding a way to bring a new disruption into the constructs of a society without destabilizing it.
But Dennis and I spent about a half hour talking to Maggie at the reception, just us. She's articulate, and there really isn't anything "mean" about her positions. I don't agree with...
But Dennis and I spent about a half hour talking to Maggie at the reception, just us. She's articulate, and there really isn't anything "mean" about her positions. I don't agree with...
- 4/6/2012
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
Reality TV stars have been slowly inching their way into politics — witness the Real World's Sean Duffy, now a congressman from Wisconsin, or mull over the gubernatorial ambitions of Rupert Boneham from Survivor — but it's time to reclaim our elected offices for the people who really deserve them: actors! NBC Saturday night sitcom veteran Park Overall, who played sassy Southern nurse Laverne on the 1988-1995 show Empty Nest, is running for senator in Tennessee, where she hopes to represent the Democratic party against Republican incumbent Bob Corker. "Somebody had to do it and if nobody else will do it, I will do it," Overall said, explaining that she was galvanized by the conservative war on contraception. "I’m a good Democrat and there doesn’t seem to be one around. I’m going for broke." Good luck, Park! And if Jackee and the deacon from Amen want to get involved,...
- 4/6/2012
- by Kyle Buchanan
- Vulture
President Obama was in Los Angeles on Monday night, this time his campaign fundraiser took him to the House of Blues, where the evening's festivities were emceed by Emmy winner and "Modern Family" funnyman Jesse Tyler Ferguson. President Obama confessed, "Michelle and the girls love them some 'Modern Family.'"
video platform video management video solutions video player
Early on, the Commander-in-Chief was interrupted by a heckler, who shouted, "Jesus Christ is God!" before...
video platform video management video solutions video player
Early on, the Commander-in-Chief was interrupted by a heckler, who shouted, "Jesus Christ is God!" before...
- 9/27/2011
- Extra
Now that President Barack Obama has cleared up the issues with his birth certificate, check out these other facts "Extra" found out about our 44th president!
20 Entertaining Facts about President Obama1. Ancestry
Pres. Obama is primarily of Kenyan, Irish and English ancestry.
2. One of Eight
Pres. Obama is the eighth left-handed U.S. President. The others are: Garfield, Hoover, Truman, Ford, Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Clinton.
3. TV Fave
Pres. Obama is a fan of the TV show "The Wire.
20 Entertaining Facts about President Obama1. Ancestry
Pres. Obama is primarily of Kenyan, Irish and English ancestry.
2. One of Eight
Pres. Obama is the eighth left-handed U.S. President. The others are: Garfield, Hoover, Truman, Ford, Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Clinton.
3. TV Fave
Pres. Obama is a fan of the TV show "The Wire.
- 4/28/2011
- Extra
Comedian Robert Klein and Judith Light have signed on to star in CBS' comedy pilot The Stones. Meanwhile, Jonathan Silverman has been cast in another CBS comedy pilot, Crazylove, Park Overall has joined NBC's comedy pilot Alligator Point, and Michael Rispoli has been tapped for ABC's drama pilot 10-8. The Stones, from Warner Bros., KoMut Entertainment and producers Jenji Kohan, David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, centers on boomer parents (Klein, Light) whose decision to get divorced rattles their twentysomething children.
- 3/27/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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