Ty Watches "Saturday Night"

During last week and so far this week I have been catching up on some movies that I've been putting off. One such movie is "Saturday Night".

A good amount of people whose opinion I appreciate, told me to watch this movie. I used to watch "SNL" a ton back in the late 90's and early 2000's. I watched all the way through The Lonely Island's run, but then I kind of fell off. During that time I went back and watched older episodes. I decided I wanted to watch episodes from the 70's and 80's. I kind of fell in love with the earliest episodes during that time. I got way more into the minutiae of comedy at that time, so learning about some of the earliest writers rooms, reading and educating myself on people like Micahel O'Donoghue and Rosie Schuster was a total blast for me. So, when the people that recommended the movie told me it was about the first live airing of "SNL", that was all I needed to know to watch. Other stuff came up, but I was finally able to watch it all in one sitting yesterday. And I totally loved it.

I was all in on this movie from the first frame. I really enjoy movies that seem frenetic, especially when they take us back to a very important time in history. And let us not get it twisted, "SNL" changed the game when it comes to live sketch comedy. No other show in that genre would be here now if it weren't for "SNL". There would be no "Key and Peele", no "Chapelle Show", no "MadTV" without "SNL". This movie focused on the 90 minutes leading up to the first airing of the show. We got to see all the behind the scenes stuff. I really liked seeing how rough rehearsal could be. I liked watching the castmates cutting loose with one another. Seeing Lorne Michaels constantly on the move made for an intriguing story. Seeing old classic actors walking around trying to figure out what the show was going to be, and then dismissing it, that stuff moves me. I'm sure it is all made more grandiose for movies, but I don't really care. If a movie is well made, and "Saturday Night" most definitely is, I can overlook that stuff.

The casting here was amazing. I was shocked at how authentic they made it feel. Gabriel LaBelle, who I have never heard of, played Michaels. He was magnetic. He totally embodied everything that I have to imagine Michaels was going through that night. But he always stuck to his vision. The casting of the first cast was great too. Dylan O'Brien shined as Dan Akyroyd. He became him. Lamorne Morris brought brevity and hilarity to Garrett Morris. Ella Hunt brough the wit and constant upbeat attitude of Gilda Radner. Emily Fairn was so incredible as Larraine Newman. Her performance made me appreciate Newman's genius even more. Kim Matula embodied Jane Curtin and brought the feminist badass out in her. Matt Wood was quietly wonderful as John Belushi. And Cory Michael Smith brought out all of the asshole in Chevy Chase. Nicolaus Braun did double duty, nailing it as both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson. I do want to shout out two other performers as well. I mentioned my fandom for O'Donoghue and Schuster earlier. Well, Tommy Dewey was absolutely perfect as O'Donoghue and Rachel Sennott continues to build her resume higher and higher with each role. She's awesome as Schuster. And Cooper Hoffman is wonderful as a young Dick Ebersol.

It was clear from watching how important "SNL" is to Jason Reitman. He directed this movie beautifully. It showed on screen. I highly recommend this movie for fans of "SNL" and sketch comedy in general. To see the start of it all was pretty great. Go watch this movie. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Mickey 17"

Last Friday my dad and I went to see "Mickey 17". I was going to write about it right after seeing it, a quick reaction, but I decided I wanted to sit on it and give the movie more thought. I wanted the weekend to sit with it. I'm glad I did.

Right off the bat, I really liked the movie. I'm a Bong Joon Ho fan. I love "Snowpiercer" and "Parasite". The love for those movies put me in a pretty good head space heading into "Mickey 17". What I enjoyed the most about "Mickey 17" was the humor. This is a funny movie. There's jokes and some of the things Robert Pattinson does as his version of each Mickey made me laugh out loud. Speaking of Pattinson, he is truly wonderful in the movie. He gets to do a ton and he nails it. With each new Mickey there are subtle changes and Pattinson brings all of them to life. The two main Mickey's, 17 and 18, are who we spend most of the time with and Pattinson plays both. Each Mickey is totally different and that is fully due to his performance. I thought he was amazing and he has become a better actor with each movie. He has upped his game, picks cool projects and I want to see what he is going to do next.

The other cast members are solid too. Naomi Ackie plays Nasha, Mickey's partner. She is badass and super cool. She knows this whole society they live in is nuts and she lets everyone know. She gives a great performance. Steven Yeun is Mickey's buddy, and he is an asshole. He is only out for himself. He will do anything to get ahead no matter who he has to screw over. Yeun is so reliable and so good as an actor and I am a fan. Mark Ruffalo is over the top in the best possible way. He is putting on a show as the villain and I grew to despise his character pretty quickly. I have to believe that was the point. He was so annoying and so stupid and Nasha lets him know it. Toni Collete plays his wife and she is equally despicable. She makes "sauces" and is always in her husband's ear. She is always telling him what to do in a way that will only benefit the two of them. And then we have the "creepers". These are the alien creatures that live on the planet they are travelling to in the movie, Nilfheim. They have a pretty great turn in the movie and it makes it all come together in the end.

Along with the acting, the story is great. This is clearly an allegory for how messed up the US is under this current "administration". Ho made his own version of it and set it in the near future. He kind of nailed it when it comes to what a trip on a spaceship away from a rotting Earth would feel like. It looked truly miserable. But Ho made it funny, made it work and made it a blast to watch. And I love the stuff he did with the "creepers".

This is a very good movie that I want more and more people to see. It is a fast two hour and seventeen minutes. And Pattinson is so good in his role. I highly recommend it. And go to a theater if you have the chance. The movie deserves to be seen on a big screen. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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R.I.P. David Johansen

I don't know how it passed me up on my social media timeline stuff, but I just saw that David Johansen passed away a few days ago. Let’s discuss.

Some people may not know who Johansen was, but I sure do. The people that do remember him probably know him from his band The New York Dolls. I never listened to his band. I think they were punk or maybe glam rock or something like that based on what they wore on stage. I will probably go check out some of the music now that Johansen is gone though. Other people may know him as an actor. Johansen was in a ton of stuff during his acting career. I saw him in a documentary about his solo music career very recently. I only saw the very end, but it was fascinating from what I saw. I will say though, he did look pretty sickly in the doc, and the movie finished filming right before COVID. But he was in plenty of things. He had a three episode arc on "Oz". He filmed a lot of stuff as his alter ego, Buster Poindexter. He appeared in a good amount of corny 90's comedies. And he played the bartender in "A Very Murray Christmas" on Netflix. But what I know him from best is as the Ghost of Christmas Past in my favorite holiday movie "Scrooged".

Johansen was so memorable in his small role to me. I have his face burned into my memory. He was the cab driver that was always smoking a big fat cigar. But he also made the most of his lines in the movie. The way he spoke was so memorable for me too. He was gruff and grimy. He had a brash New York accent. He had a raspy voice that always stuck with me. Of all the ghosts that Murray was visited by in the movie, Johnasen's was my favorite part. He made the gloomy parts gloomier in a good way. He showed Murray's character how bad his life was in the past, and that was essential to the plot of this movie. He took the limited screen time he had and ran with it. From that point on, anytime I saw David Johnasen in anything else I pigeonholed him as his character from "Scrooged". That's on me doing that, but I don't necessarily think that is such a bad thing. Johnasen left such an indelible impression on me with that one role that it has stuck with me even to this day. I adore his performance in that movie and will always adore that performance.

It was kind of nice to see a bunch of people, when I caught up on social media, paying tribute to Johnasen. He clearly left a mark on a ton of people in both the musical and acting world. He also seemed to have a ton of friends all over the world. A musician I really like, Black Joe Lewis, even paid a very nice tribute to him on his Instagram page. David Johansen seemed like a guy who lived his life to the fullest. It seemed like he tried to do as much as he could while he was on Earth. I appreciate that.

Rest in Peace David Johansen/Buster Poindexter/The Ghost of Christmas Past. I hope you're having fun wherever you may be right now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on the Oscars

I don't watch the Oscars. I have never really watched the broadcast. It may have been on in the house when I was a kid because I know my mom likes that stuff. But, for me, I have always just checked who won the next day. And I used to have a ton of takes. I would gripe to anyone who would listen. I did this for a while too. I'm sure I was pretty annoying to whoever would listen to me. I felt that I knew better about movies than others, I'd voice that opinion, and other people would move on. I wouldn't. I'd keep it going. Then, when I started dating my wife in my mid 20's, she really didn't care too much about the Oscars. And because I liked her, I kind of stopped talking about it all together. I'd still check to see the list of winners, but I would just move on. Sometimes movies I liked won, most of the time, movies I hadn't even seen at that moment won. That's the way this stuff is.

Last night was pretty weird and made me truly realize how insufferable I had to be back in the day. "Anora" took home pretty much all of the big awards. I'm currently 40 minutes into that movie, with an eye on finishing it today. I think it is a pretty good movie with an incredible performance from Mikey Madison. I feel like she is a deserving best actress winner. But, on the internet you would have thought a catastrophe occurred when Madison was announced the winner. Apparently a lot of people thought Demi Moore should have won for "The Substance". I love "The Substance". I personally think it was the best movie of 2024 by a wide margin, and Moore was exceptional in the movie. But, people on Instagram and other social media sites were screaming and yelling and viscerally angry that Moore was beat out by Madison. People went so far as to compare this to the plot of "The Substance". I don't buy into any of that at all.

The Oscars are subjective. Both actresses put on wonderful performances and were both deserving of the award. But only one person can bring the trophy home. They don't give out half trophies. I saw a lot of people were upset that Adrien Brody won his second Oscar. I have not seen "The Brutalist" yet, I plan on seeing it, but people seem angry. I guess he tossed his gum at his girlfriend and his acceptance speech went on forever which also upset people. I'm not a fan of Brody's. I have never been a fan. And the speech and tossing of gum is not a surprise to me, which is part of the problem. But, by all accounts, he did a good job in a movie that is solely focused on his character. And all the lead up talk I read was about him being the front runner. While I don't like him, it seemed like he was going to win it all along.

I don't plan on watching "Emilia Perez", I've heard it is quite bad, but no one seemed as angry about Zoe Saldana, a fantastic actress, winning for that movie as they did, and do about Madison and Brody winning. Everyone I have heard talk about "Emilia Perez" says it is very bad, and we now have all this controversy surrounding the titular character in the movie. Kieran Culkin was incredible in "A Real Pain", but I have even seen some gripe about his win.

Not one of these actors and actresses got full acceptance from anyone. Some people simply want to complain no matter what the outcome may be. People feel this weird need to go online and instantly give their reaction and thoughts about a subjective thing that doesn't even matter in the long run.

I guess what I want to say today to the reader, and anyone who had to suffer through my nonsense back then, I'm sorry and it's not that important. In the long run it doesn't really matter who wins an Oscar because we can all go back and watch the movies we all like and relive the performances we all enjoy. We don't have to degrade anyone else or any performance that we may not have been that high on at the time. All these award shows are meant to force debate, but if we just took a step back and let it go, maybe things would be easier to deal with in the long run. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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A Millennial Remembers Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog all passed away two days ago. There has been a lot of speculation about the passing, but the reality is the world lost an all time actor. I hope they get this all figured out, but in the end, they have gone to the other side.

I was a fan of Gene Hackman's acting. He was a winning actor for sure. He, for the most part, took on pretty cool roles and, more likely than not, nailed it. I'm a big time sports fan, as you all know, so my social media feed was filled with everything "Hoosiers". I don't particularly care for that movie. I find it a little boring. I get all the love for it, and what it did for sports movies, but give me "Major League", "Bull Durham", "White Men Can't Jump" and "Hoop Dreams" anyday over "Hoosiers". I did also get a lot of love for "The French Connection". I have never seen that movie. I have heard it has one of the best car chase scenes ever filmed. And Hackman won one of his two Oscars for that movie.

For me there are two movies that told me everything I needed to know to be a fan of Hackman's work. The first is a pretty bad movie, which I love, called "The Replacements". This movie is about replacement football players that take over for the original players that are on strike. The whole idea of this movie is a problem up front. The viewer is supposed to be rooting for "scabs". These guys aren't pros, the pros are asking for more money, which they deserve. But, we are told that the pros are the bad guys and the replacements are the good guys. Anyway, this movie is all about Keanu Reeves' relationship with the cheerleader he likes, and his new coach, played by Gene Hackman. What makes me like this movie is Hackman's performance. He brings a gravitas and classic acting style to this movie. Hackman could have phoned it in and just cashed a check. He didn't do that though. He fully bought in. He was an old school coach put into a rough situation. Hackman wore a fedora, had a salt and pepper mustache and carried this aura of "win one more game for your old ball coach". And I loved it. I bought every single second of his performance in this cliched, tired sports movie. He was the best part about it, and when I first watched it, I had no idea he was even in the movie. The fact that I even remember a thing about this movie is because of Hackman.

The other movie, playing one of the greatest roles of all time as Royal Tenenbaum, is "The Royal Tenenbaums". This is my favorite Wes Anderson movie. I believe it is his best. The cast is amazing. The story is so well told. All of the actors are giving it one million percent and totally nailing it. This isn't just a straight forward comedy from Anderson. He tries new stuff out and he crushes it. But, the best person in this movie filled with magnetic performances is Hackman as the patriarch of the family. He's mean and gritty. He only cares about himself all the way to the end. He only wants things that will further push his wants and needs. He is an asshole, an egomaniac and a terrible father. And you cannot take your eyes off him whenever he is on screen. He owns the room every time he's in a scene. He is the funniest one in the movie. The moments of clarity he has are always undercut by more of his character's poor attitude and nonsense. I was blown away the first time I saw him in this, and with every rewatch, it reminds me of how amazing Hackman was in this movie. I've read that he was kind of a jerk to Anderson on set, and that is a bummer. But this is a role that will forever define Hackman's career for me. As a viewer of the movie of his I've seen, this is the best he's ever done and it's one of the best performances of all time. We should all be very grateful that we get to watch him as Royal Tenenbaum.

Rest in Peace to Gene Hackman, his wife and his dog. Time will tell how it all went down. But, enjoy being one of the greatest actors wherever you may be right now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Better Never Than Late on "Venom: The Last Dance"

My wife and I watched "Venom: The Last Dance" over the weekend.

Oh boy.

A while back I wrote about how I enjoyed the first movie in the Tom Hardy "Venom" universe. That movie understood what it was supposed to be. It was silly. The relationship between Eddie Brock and Venom was one of the better love stories I've seen in a long time. The action sequences weren't great, but they were fun because everyone involved was in on the joke. I kept watching it and saying that I didn't know why, but I liked the movie. We watched the first movie again when we were in Mexico a few months ago, and it was then when it dawned on me that the first "Venom" movie is a perfect, lazy day on vacation movie. It lives in the background, you check it out for a minute or two and then you go back to relaxing. We did watch the second movie, but that one was too violent and too scary. They went for as much gore as a PG-13 movie could go for. The Eddie Brock and Venom duo wasn't as great, they wasted Woody Harrelson and the stuff with Michelle Williams just didn't hit. I was kind of bummed afterward because they went in a totally different direction. It had the opposite effect that the "Thor" movies had. Those movies shifted to more comedy where this movie shifted to violence.

But, with the third installment being called "The Last Dance", it piqued my interest. I was hoping that they'd go back to trying comedy and focusing a bit more on Brock and Venom. Well, this movie took a third tonal shift, and for me, it fell flat. This time they tried to go sentimental. This, for me, is not what this story should be. I wished they'd gone back to having fun and goofing around. I thought they would go for broke and make joke after joke after joke. They did not. I will say, they definitely spent more time on Brock and Venom's relationship. Those two were talking back and forth the entire time they were on screen. They worked on their relationship so much that they ended the movie with a montage from the previous movies. But, the way they spoke to one another was corny as hell. There was one scene where Venom turned into a horse, made Eddie ride him, and as they were going faster and faster, Venom said, "now that's what I call horsepower". That is some low level writing in my opinion. And this continued time and again. They got big name actors and barely used them. Juno Temple is onscreen for maybe five minutes. Chiwetel Ejiofor is there for a little longer, maybe ten minutes, and he is a cliched former army veteran. Rhys Ifans plays a hippy and it is not so great. They got all these great British actors to play Americans, and while they could've made jokes about that, they chose not to, which bummed me out. The action sequences were dull and boring. You get so many symbiotes in this movie, which should have been awesome, and they came and went far too fast. And the final scene between Venom and Eddie Brock, where they really tried to tug at the heartstrings, was not very good. You could see where it was going from the start, and to have one of them sacrifice themselves, I was not a fan.

I guess I'm happy that I get to watch the first one anytime I want. That movie will hold a special place for me. But I wish the people involved stuck with the goofiness. Three genre changes just simply didn't work. Maybe Tom Hardy had enough and was ready to be done with this role. I don't know, but "The Last Dance" was not as good as it could have been for me. Oh well. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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James Mangold Makes Movies for All the Adults in a Family to Enjoy

Earlier today I heard a comedy writer I like say something that I found to be pretty profound. He and one of his other podcast hosts were talking about "A Complete Unknown". Sean Clements said he liked it, and then he dropped one of the better quotes I've ever heard. He said some form of, "I hope James Mangold continues to make movies that me and my folks like". I couldn't agree more.

I also recently saw "A Complete Unknown", with my mom I might add, and I liked it quite a bit. You can go read my blog about the movie on the site. My mom loved it too. When we drove home we talked about all the things we liked about the movie. My biggest takeaway was the direction. The movie had a nice flow, the music scenes were shot beautifully and the actors seemed to understand the assignment. I credit a good portion of all of this to the director.

After hearing Clements comment, and thinking about my personal experience with "A Complete Unknown", it got me thinking. Now, my favorite Mangold movie is "Logan". This is not one for my mom, but my dad may like it if he ever watched it. I think it is the best version of how brutal and violent a mutant like Wolverine can be. I also think the idea of making more of these mutants in a lab and how rough and wrong that is was a nice touch. He also gets a tremendous performance from Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart. Those two are dynamic actors, but he got the best out of them. But the performance he pulled from Stephen Merchant was a stroke of genius. I only knew Merchant from comedy movies and shows, but he pulled off one of the better dramatic performances I've seen. It was a masterful job from Mangold getting that out of Merchant.

I did some more diving into his movies this afternoon, I found even more movies that fit into the genre of me and my folks having a good time. "Ford Vs Ferrari" has no right being as entertaining as it is. I had zero expectations going into that movie and it was great. "Walk the Line" kind of started the resurgence in these movie biopics. That is a Mangold directed movie as well. He got Oscar worthy performances out of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. He helped those two become even bigger stars. Phoenix became Johnny Cash. Reese Witherspoon was dynamic as June Carter. That movie is special and important to many, many people. Hell, without "Walk the Line" we would have never gotten "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story". Mangold also directed "The Wolverine". This was the follow up to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". "The Wolverine" was going to be better no matter what, but it actually revitalized that character in my opinion. "Knight and Day" is a fun movie with star power. Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz have wonderful chemistry and they make this formulaic movie kind of worth watching. And the remake of "3:10 to Yuma" is a great action western. That movie made me want to watch some older westerns because of how much I liked it.

The one thing that all these movies have in common with my liking of them, the ones my folks have seen seem to enjoy them as well. James Mangold makes non threatening movies that the whole family will enjoy. The cliche works here and works like a charm. I'm curious to see what Mangold does next, but whatever it may be, I bet my folks and I will really enjoy talking about it afterwards. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Seek Out and Watch "Wyrm"

I recently finished a movie that caught my attention simply due to the poster. While looking at streaming services for a movie to watch, I came across this movie called "Wyrm" on plex. The poster is a younger kid with a 90's background, akin to a JC Penny photo shoot, and after the title of the movie, the tagline reads, "simply looking for love". This was all I really needed. It had the odd vibe that I enjoy in indie movies and I was all in. After my buddy explained it a bit to me, that gave me the final push I needed.

Right off the bat, I really enjoyed this movie. It was weird and simplistic, in the best ways. It was funny and surprisingly heartfelt. The performances were pretty damn impressive. As I was watching the movie, I got vibes of "Napoleon Dynamite" and "Welcome to the Dollhouse". The movie, in its lead roles, has smaller name actors that I hadn't heard of. When you look at the cast in the opening credits there are recognizable names, but those actors play small roles. Names like Rhea Seehorn, Paula Pell, Jenna Ortega, Lukas Gage, Natasha Rothwell, Rosemarie DeWitt and Dan Bakedahl pepper the cast. But the lead roles are from Theo Taplitz, as Wyrm, Lulu Wilson, as Izzy, Sosie Bacon, as Lindsay and Azure Brandi, as Myrcella. These actors are tremendous in this movie. Azure Brandi plays Wyrm's sister, and she is mean and bossy and loving in her role. Sosie Bacon is terrific as the other person in the car accident that led to Myrcella and Wyrm's brother's death. Lulu Wilson is weird and wonderful as Izzy. She has two dance sequences that are rad. And Taplitz absolutely steals the show as the title character. He is mousey and quiet. He is your typical introvert. He is a quieter Napoleon Dynamite. He has more feelings that he's struggling to deal with as a young teen. Taplitz was a revelation to me, and I will be looking to see more of his work.

The movie's plot is an interesting one too. This movie takes place in an alternate reality in the 90's. Kids who have never been kissed wear a big collar around their necks. When they get that first kiss, their "collars pop". That leads to bracelets and other contraptions as you get older and experiment more. But this isn't a typical movie about young kids trying to "score". There's the death in the family. Wyrm and Myrcella's parents are dealing with grief in their own ways. The kids live with their uncle and his girlfriend. School is a whole other monster that they have to deal with, by which I am referring to the collars. Everyone is very straightforward and no nonsense. And while the first half has its funny moments and got some big laughs from me, the more they dive into the dramatic stuff, the more I liked this movie. As I said before, this movie has heart. This movie is telling a story. This movie is a true coming of age movie that we haven't seen in quite some time.

I highly recommend checking this movie out if you come across it somewhere. It's different and unique. While it may have vibes of other movies, this is its own telling of a funny and, at times, a very sad one. Go and watch this. You won't be disappointed. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "A Complete Unknown"

Yesterday my mom and I went to see "A Complete Unknown". Let’s discuss.

I was a bit skeptical going into this movie. I usually enjoy music biopics, but when it's an artist that I like, I get a little hesitant. I have yet to see the Bob Marley fictional biopic "One Love". Marley is my favorite artist of all time, I have watched documentaries about him, I have dove about as deep as one can into his music catalog. He is too important to me to watch someone else play him. I know that I would be too hypercritical about a fictional movie centered around Bob Marley. And while I adore Bob Dylan, he is not on Marley's level for me. I've also kind of fallen off a bit from music biopics. I thought the Freddy Mercury movie with Rami Malek was bad. I have not seen "Rocketman", and don't know if I'll ever see it. I rewatched "Ray" during COVID and it didn't hold up for me like the first time I saw it. I am a snob about music, and when the story is fictional and given the Hollywood treatment, I tend to tune it out. But, with a push from my mom, and my newfound fandom of Timothee Chalamet, I decided to give this one a go.

I'm glad I did. I appreciate my mom urging me to go with her. I thought this movie was excellent. I should have known with James Mangold directing that the audience was in good hands. He did great with "Walk the Line" and "Logan" is my favorite "superhero" movie. He is a good director, and he knows how to shoot musicians. Chalamet is a revelation here. He could have made his version of Dylan a cliched impression. He could have just used a funny voice and kind of walked his way through this movie. He didn't do that. As my mom said, he embodied Dylan. He became him. From his look to his voice to even playing guitar and singing the songs himself, Chalamet absolutely knocked it out of the park.

My mom also said something else that really stood out to me after the movie too. She said that she could see Chalamet becoming a new age Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant. This kid is hyper talented. He seems to pick good movies most of the time. I love his portrayal of Paul Atreideis in both new "Dune" movies. I thought he did a superb job as a young Willy Wonka in "Wonka". I like his stuff in movies like "Don't Look Up" and "Ladybird". And after seeing him play Dylan, he is now one of my favorite actors working today. And he definitely had help.

Scoot McNairy, as a sickly Woody Guthrie, helped move the story along. I thought Ed Norton did great things with his version of Pete Seeger. Elle Fanning was great as Dylen's first partner after he moved to NYC. Monica Barbaro was wonderful as Joan Baez. Boyd Holbrook was convincing as Johnny Cash. I mean, pretty much everyone in this movie seemed to understand the assignment and ran with it and did some great things.

I also liked that the story of the movie was Dylan's early rise to fame and him playing at the Newport Folk Festival up until he goes electric. And I thought the way they handled the whole ordeal of him going electric was perfect. This movie never got cliche and sappy. They showed Dylan's genius, but also how tough it would be to collaborate or be in a relationship with him. I felt bad for Pete Seeger after Dylan's rise to fame because he became a second hand person in his life.

I loved this movie. The reason to see this and watch it again and again is Chalamet's performance. He is dynamic and I hope he continues to do cool stuff in his acting career. He is a talented dude. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Bob Uecker Made My World a Better Place

Bob Uecker, the iconic voice of the Milwaukee Brewers and one of America’s most cherished entertainers, passed away today at the age of 90. Affectionately known as “Mr. Baseball,” Uecker was far more than a sports figure—he was a cultural icon whose humor, wit, and charm transcended the game. 

We already knew all of that.

Outside of Bob’s less than mediocre professional baseball career, his longtime duties as the voice of the Brewers, and his movie/television career, Mr. Baseball was someone who impacted my life in a very positive way. I already miss him dearly.

Bob Uecker has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. His Miller Light ads in the early 1980s were everywhere, and while I was far too young to drink the product, Bob made me laugh. “I must be in the front row” is something I always say when I go to sporting events. His role as Harry Doyle in “Major League” and its sequel delighted me as a kid, and now my own son quotes him. My son says “juuust a bit outside” on any bad pitch. After a particularly bad Reds outing this season, I said to my wife “two goddamn hits, hell no one’s listening”. I did not really watch Mr. Belvedere, but I had a close childhood friend reach out today and say that Bob Uecker on that show is the dad he always wanted. Later in life I discovered Bob’s legendary visits on Johnny Carson, and I love to tell the story of Uecker and Bob Gibson holding hands in the Cardinals team photo. Bob was a Gen X/Millennial comic legend.

I was lucky enough to meet Bob Uecker one time. Back in 2005 I was working in Milwaukee. I was at an event where Bob was the guest speaker. He took time to talk to each person and he was as funny as he always was. When I had my time with him I mentioned that I was from St. Louis. He asked my age and I told him I was young enough to not be around for his playing days but old enough to appreciate his after baseball work. He then said to me that I looked old enough to drink Miller Light but young enough to strike him out. I laughed and said thanks for the compliment. Immediately after my remark, Bob turned around and said it was no compliment to me but the truth of his abysmal hitting. His comic timing was perfect, and Bob Uecker gave me a memory for a lifetime.

I loved Bob Uecker. I already miss him. The world was a much better place with Mr. Baseball bringing us joy. Bob’s last call ever, a Brewer’s playoff loss to the Mets, the legend said at the end of the game “I’m telling you. That one (pause) had some sting on it”. Bob Uecker always knew what to say.

Thank you for a life well lived, thank you for the memories, and thank you for decades of entertaining this boy from St. Louis, but today (pause) has some sting on it.

RD

RD is the creator and Head Editor of SeedSing. He also does a bunch of podcasts. Find them here.

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Ty Watches "Kinds of Kindness

After over three days of viewing it, I just finished Yorgos Lanthinmos' latest movie, "Kinds of Kindness". This is a movie I was looking forward to after watching "Poor Things" and falling in love with it instantly. I also happen to be a Lanthimos fan. I like "The Favourite", "The Lobster" is one of the most underrated movies, and as I previously mentioned, "Poor Things" was amazing. I was going into "Kinds of Kindness" with high hopes. The cast was also pretty stellar. Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley are all in this movie and I enjoy most of their work.

With all that being said, with all the expectations, this was one of the weirder movies I've seen in a long, long time. That doesn't mean I disliked the movie. I enjoy weird movies. I like movies that sit with you after you see them. I want a movie to challenge me from time to time. I want to go back and read multiple things about some of these movies to see what I may have missed. "Kinds of Kindness" gave me all of that.

The movie also frustrated me too. And that's fine. I think what frustrated me most, outside of the 164 minute runtime, was how disjointed the finished product was. This is a movie told in three parts, with three different stories and the actors playing multiple roles. That's all well and good, but I almost wished Lanthimos just decided to make three shorts. Or he could have chopped this up into one two hour long very good idea of a movie. The movie is also unexpectedly gory and sexual. There are some things in this movie that made me uncomfortable to watch. I'm becoming more squeamish the older I get, but some stuff in here felt a little gratuitous. There's a lot to ingest with each story and it comes at you in shocking and wild ways.

Outside those few complaints I had, this is an okay movie. Plemons is doing a masterclass here. His performances in the three different stories are pretty damn great. When he is given solid material and doesn't always have to play a creep, he can do some good things. I especially loved his performance in the second story. It's quite clear that Emma Stone trusts and respects Lanthimos and he seems to bring out some of her best work. The third story, which follows a cult and its members, is where Stone really buys in and pulls out all the stops. She is tremendous there. Dafoe and Chau don't have as much screen time as Plemmons and Stone, but when they're on screen they're great. Qualley is in and out of the first two stories, but she pulls double duty in the third one, and she goes toe to toe with Stone. The movie is, while still very odd, very thought provoking. I was getting a little sleepy eyed with about 40 minutes left, but then some stuff started to happen which jarred me awake. I had to see what was going to happen next. The movie kept my attention better than others. I also appreciate the fact that Lanthimos went a little sci-fi with the second story. I understand that "Poor Things" is about reanimation, which is very sci-fi, but in this movie, which is a hard drama, he adds a little sci-fi spice and I like that. I like when people take chances.

All in all, "Kinds of Kindness" is a good movie. It has all the tools to be good. Hell, it has everything it needs to be great. But, it is incredibly weird. The movie is niche. It can be shocking here and there. It has unsettling things happening left and right. I will most likely never watch the movie again. But, I'm glad I was able to see it, finish it and write about it today. I don't know if I'd recommend it to everyone though. If you do watch it, what I will say, expect the unexpected. And go in with an open mind. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Better Late than Never on "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror"

On the heels of seeing Robert Eggers “Nosferatu”, I decided I needed to go back and watch the original from 1922. That one is called “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror”.

Now, going into this movie, I knew next to nothing about it. I knew Eggers based his movie on this story and that he used elements and images from the original. I should also mention that my dad told me to watch it as well. He remembered liking it, and his opinion hold a ton of brevity for me.

As I settled into this movie, I didn’t realize what a treat I’d be in for. “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” is a very good movie. I didn’t know it was a silent movie, my first, but that didn’t matter. This movie is scary. I found myself jumping here and there while watching. The actors are so good with their body movements and facial expressions that it’s easy to get context from all of that. There’s also cards that flash that help guide you along the story. The cards have written words on them and they tell anyone who may not know what is going on. Eggers did use the same character names. Ellen and Thomas Hutter are the main characters. These old time actors are great. They do so much without saying a single word. Ellen Hutter is exceptional. She has a lot to do and she nails it. Knock is creepier in the original. He’s small and squirrelly. He’s menacing. He has an odd mouth shape and the actor used it well. The seamen and doctors have the perfect look. But this is truly all about the actor playing Count Orlok. This is the original on film vampire. This guy is creepy as hell. His whole aura had me scared. From his hair to his teeth to his fingers, it’s all a great vampire look. He also makes some great facial expressions and really goes for it. Watching him float in and out of scenes was wild. Seeing him carrying a coffin was nuts.

This was so worth going back to see where this idea all started. There’s a real reason why this is considered one of the great scary movies. The music and tone are perfect. The actors are great. The scenery is eerie and well used. It’s an achievement when you realize this movie is over 100 years old. I cannot get over how much I liked this movie. I’m not the biggest fan of older movies, but this one has made me rethink that and now I want to go back and watch some more. If you like Eggers “Nosferatu”, go watch “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror”. You’ll love it ad much as I did. I also recommend seeing it anyway because it’s pretty damn good.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Nosferatu"

I'm a Robert Eggers fan. I have three of his four movies now, and all 3 I have enjoyed very much. Last week my dad and I decided we were going to see "Nosferatu". We try to see a movie during the holiday season and this was one that we both wanted to see. I had high expectations because I love "The Lighthouse" and "The Northman" is one of the coolest movies that has ever been made. The early reviews were also very favorable. As we settled in and sat back, I was ready to love Eggers vision for "Nosferatu".

And, it delivered on every level for me as a movie goer. This movie was an absolute homerun. I have only recently seen the original from 1922, and Eggers and crew do that movie some solid justice. The story is pretty much the same, but they added dialogue and made it a little more understandable. We also get to see Count Orlok early on in this movie, and we get to hear his horrifying voice. Bill Skarsgaard does an admirable job as the Count. He plays him menacingly and unforgiving. He is a truly wretched being, and Skarsgaard nailed it. I am more impressed with each role I see him in. He is a good actor and he seems to have found his niche in Hollywood. Lily Rose Depp is undeniably great as Ellen, the one whom Orlok is obsessed with. She is pitch perfect here. The convulsions and visions also felt very real to me. Depp never dives into cliche stuff with this role. She embodies this sickness and it shows on screen. Nicholas Hoult is very good as the husband. You buy his naivete at first, but then when he encounters Orlok, his whole outlook on the world changes, and Hoult embraces the madness incredibly well. You can see the agony and fear on his face when he goes to sell the Count the new home he is purchasing. Aaron Taylor Johnson and Emma Corrin give very good performances as the married couple friends of the Hutter's, who take on Ellen when Thomas is sent away. They have a family and a life, but all that is on hold when Ellen comes to stay with them. You see their grief and frustration. Ralph Ineson, a buddy of Eggers I presume, is wonderful as the doctor trying to help Ellen with her issues, but he won't buy into the occult. Instead, he enlists his former professor, played excellently by Willem Defoe, to take on the patient. Defoe is magnetic. I loved every single second he was on screen. Defoe is one of my favorite actors, and he is more than game for this role in this movie. From his dusty jacket to acting with live rats, Defoe nails it here. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Simon McBurney as Knock. He is Orlok's pet so to speak. Everything he does is in service to Orlok, and he will go to great lengths to get the job done.

Outside of the cast, the cinematography and the story are dynamite. There are some shots in this movie that are impeccable. When Hutter meets the chariot that takes him to the castle at a fork in the road, that was an amazing shot. Every time we get more of a glimpse of Orlok, it gets spookier and spookier. The castles are big and beautiful to look at on screen. The story is simple enough, but the actors have totally bought in and they really sell it to the viewer. I was on the edge of my seat the entire two plus hour long runtime. I didn't want to miss a thing. For as gross and gory as some of the stuff in the movie was, it was all needed to move along the plot and let us know why we were in certain situations.

"Nosferatu" is truly an achievement and a movie I think a lot of people should see on a big screen. I cannot recommend this movie enough. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Scrooged" is the Best Movie for the Holiday Season

Today I have an idea that I have been thinking about for quite some time now. There are a ton of holiday movies, and since we are in some holidays and almost at some other holidays this time of year, I have finally come up with what I consider to be the best Xmas movie. My family has celebrated Xmas my entire life, so the holiday movies I watch this time of year center primarily around Xmas. I have seen all the hits. I love "Elf", "Home Alone", "A Christmas Story", to name a few. I have also enjoyed some more modern holiday movies. I found myself really liking "Happiest Season", which was just released last year. But there's one movie I consistently go back to this time of year. It is my comfort food for Xmas. It lets me know that we are fully in the Xmas season.

The best holiday/Xmas movie, for me, is "Scrooged". "Scrooged" gets it totally right. From start to finish this movie is damn near perfect. I have no notes for it. First of all, the cast is dynamite. Bill Murray is perfectly cast as Frank Cross. He is the Scrooge here. He is a cynical executive who despises the holiday season. While it could've been cliche or phoned in, Murray's attitude as Cross is perfect. This is what I imagine Murray acts like in his real life. It wasn't too much of a stretch for him and he totally nails it. Karen Allen is his love interest, Claire Phillips. She is wonderful here. She's light and cheery. She embodies the people who live for this season. But, where she could have played this as constantly happy, she nails the little drama moments. She also plays unhappy, in the alternate universes, very well. Allen is such an underrated actor. And this role, for me, is her tour de force. I come away even more impressed by her performance with each new watch. The ghosts that visit Cross are well played too. David Johansen as the ghost of Xmas past is great. I love that he plays the role as a cabby. I love how gross his cigar is that he's constantly chomping on. I like how he has no problem showing Cross all of his past problems. I really love this role. Carol Kane is as perfectly cast as Murray is in this movie. She plays the Ghost of Xmas Present. What makes her so electrifying in this movie is how evil and mean she is. She is constantly hitting Cross. She is trying to wack some common sense into this hate filled, awful man. She pulls no punches and she is willing to literally harm him to try and get him to see the error of his ways. And Pat McCormick, the Ghost of Xmas Future, shines in his small role. He doesn't get a ton to work with, but he really adds some much needed drama to this comedy movie. These five are great, but some of the side characters are awesome too. Bobcat Goldthwait is excellent as the disgruntled co-worker. John Glover seems nice, but reveals his sliminess eventually. Robert Mitchum is a scrooge himself. Alfre Woodard is electric as the studio head with a young kid. I mean, this cast is amazing.

What makes me really think this is the best holiday movie, they get the tone perfectly. This movie portrays how gloomy and dark the holiday season can be. It shows cynicism better than any other holiday movie. But it also has a heart. After the ghosts visit Cross, this movie has a ton of heart. It's almost too gloomy for a bit there, but then the writers, actors and director nail how cheery and fun the holiday season can be. Murray, after seeing all three ghosts, is so happy that his crew is taken aback for a moment. They don't trust his happiness because of who he is. But, in the long run, they buy it and go along with it. And I love that.

The holiday season can be good and bad and "Scrooged" tells the best version of that real life situation. I'm sure everyone will have their opinions as to why I'm wrong, and that's okay. Please, tell me why. But, for me, "Scrooged" totally nails the feelings and attitude that this season brings. And I love it so much for that. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Venom" is a Bad Movie that I Enjoy

While on vacation last week my wife and I were looking for a movie to watch before bed. We wanted a quiet night in our room with a movie we could just vedge out to before going to sleep. We were lucky enough to stumble upon the first "Venom" movie with Tom Hardy.

I do want to say, right off the bat, this is a bad movie. When you look at its bare bones, there's nothing really redeeming or good about it. It's dull, weird and doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's objectively a bad movie. But, in this rewatch, I was astounded at some of the things we both noticed.

First off, this cast is absolutely stacked. Tom Hardy is an award nominee and has won a few here and there. He's a method actor and he takes his work too seriously. I enjoy his acting, but I bet he is a pain to work alongside. Michelle Williams plays his ex. She is an award winner for sure. She is a multiple Oscar nominee. She is in some of the best movies of the 2000's. She was a tv star who made the leap to movies with ease. Riz Ahmed plays the villain. He is a multi time award nominee. His performance in "The Sound of Metal" is one of the best acting performances I've ever seen. He is wonderful in "4 Lions". Ahmed has made one hell of a career for himself. Jenny Slate is a comedy queen. She makes great movies for A24. She is one of the best at portraying the 90's in some of the movies she has been in lately. That is a bunch of heavy hitters in a movie that lives in the "Spiderman" universe, and isn't animated. We were taken aback when we realized this last week.

Another thing we noticed was Hardy's dual role in this movie. He plays Eddie Brock. He is a "rogue" writer. He does the grimy and gritty stories. He wants to expose what he deems to be the bad guys. He and Williams also have pretty good chemistry when they are still a couple in the movie. I buy their made up relationship. Hardy also plays the voice of Venom, and it is wild, wild stuff. Venom is loud and rude. Venom knows what it wants and tells Eddie all this. The two of them actually have back and forth before we even know that Brock is infected with Venom. And on this watch I loved every single second of this dual role. It was hilarious. You can tell that Hardy totally bought in and took this role seriously. He didn't just phone it in. He wanted this role and he wanted people to know that he wanted the role. Some actors would just cash a paycheck while filming this movie. Not Hardy. He bought in. We were both impressed that he was actually going for it in this awful movie.

The last thing we noticed was how sweaty Hardy was the whole time. He looked like he had just run a marathon. And he looked this way pretty much the whole movie. Even before he was Venom, he still had an unkempt, grimy look to him. I attribute this to the fact that Hardy probably didn't want to comb his hair or take a shower while making this movie. I'm not saying he didn't do these things, it just looked that way to us. It was quite the look.

Finally, I cannot emphasize how bad of a movie "Venom" is. But, if you look for some fun things about it, like my wife and I did, you may find yourself enjoying it a bit more. I know we did and it was a much better viewing experience for the both of us. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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2024 Year in Review: Best Movies

This week I'll be doing my best of 2024 lists. I enjoy doing these and I like to do them right before the holidays. Just like years past, I'll do my top five movies, tv shows, music, sports moments and podcasts/podcast episodes. Let us tarry no longer. I'm going to start the week with my top five movies of the year. I have not seen every movie I intended to see in 2024. That means movies like "Anora" or "Y2K" are not on my list because I have yet to find the time to watch them. I also want to see many more movies that came out, but I forgot or the timing never really worked out for me. But, I think I paired my list down pretty well and the five movies I picked were the best, in my opinion, that I watched in 2024.

Coming in at number 5 I have "Self Reliance". This was a movie I watched by chance. I was listening to a podcast that Jake Johnson was on and he was promoting this movie. I like his work. He said that Anna Kendrick was involved, as was Andy Samberg, playing himself. Both of those added to my curiosity. It was streaming on hulu, and after the podcast episode I turned the movie on. I really enjoyed what I saw. "Self Reliance" is a movie where a guy has a chance to win a big sum of money if he can avoid being assasinated for a certain amount of time. All he has to do is constantly have someone by his side, and the people out to get him cannot go after him. Along the way there's twists and turns that make this movie even better. I found myself rooting for Johnson's character. I wanted to know more about why Anna Kendrick was so willing to help. I liked the whole Andy Samberg of it all. This was a cool, unique idea of a movie with a stellar cast. It was well written, only 90 minutes long and totally paid off. I think everyone should seek this movie out so more movies like this can be made in the future.

At number 4 I have "Deadpool and Wolverine". I have grown weary of timelines and superhero stuff, but this movie did it right. The right jokes were made. The right timeline was picked. It was a great vehicle for the superheroes involved. Ryan Reynolds understands Deadpool and knows how to write and play him onscreen. Hugh Jackman is Wolverine, and this version has been my absolute favorite to this point. To get X-23, Blade, Elektra and Gambit involved was perfect. I enjoyed Chris Evans in this movie. The villain was mean and nasty, but also understandable. I knew why she was doing what she was doing. It made sense to me. This movie is fun, vulgar, hyper violent and one of the bloodiest movies I've ever seen. It was also a blast to watch.

At number 3 I have "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga". RD and I debated about this movie to no end. I loved it, but said it wasn't as good as "Fury Road", which I personally think may be the best movie ever made. He consistently told me it was a totally different movie. I get that. Anyway, "Furiosa" is grimy and gritty in all the right ways. To see the world created that we all know from "Mad Max" was incredible. Chris Hemsworth played an excellent villain. Anya Taylor Joy was magnetic as Furiosa. I loved the origin story and getting to finally see why Furiosa was at Immortan Joe's camp. I found this movie enthralling and dynamic. George Miller made a colorful yet gritty movie work to perfection.

At number 2 I have "Dune:Part 2". Denis Villenuve knows how to make the seemingly unmakeable movie. He has adapted the "Dune" books into something that is not only watchable, but fantastic and easy to understand. Timothee Chalamet is wonderful as Paul Atriedes. Rebecca Ferguson has embodied his mom and preacher of what she considers the gospel. Zendaya is remarkable. She absolutely crushes her role. Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin bring mild comedic elements to this dreary world. The sandworms look real. The battle scenes are epic and beautifully shot. "Dune:Part 2" has one of the best shifts in tone and color when we see where the Harkonnens live and fight and plot. There are no notes for this movie. It is damn near perfect.

At number 1 I have "The Substance". I have not seen a movie this unique, this refreshing in years. There's no other movie out there right now, or in the past decade plus for that matter, that comes close to being what "The Substance" is. Demi Moore is simply amazing as Elisabeth Sparkle. She is perfect for the role of a superstar who other people think has aged out of her fame. Margaret Qualley is just as good as the younger version of Sparkle. She takes it all in stride and is more than game for what this movie is telling the audience. Collie Farageat had an idea and went for it, hitting an absolute homerun. This movie will make you queasy. It is meant to unnerve the viewer. There are some very disturbing images. But when you let it wash over you and you allow yourself to be in for the ride, you will end up thinking about this movie over and over and over again. I've already watched it three times, and I can't wait to watch it again. I want to see more and more of what I may have missed on my first three viewings. "The Substance" is a movie that needs to be seen and then talked about. It's so damn good.

That's it for my top movies in 2024. Come back tomorrow for my top music of the year. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"A Real Pain": Exploring Heritage, Humor, and Heartache

Sometimes the best movie-going experiences come from taking a chance. That’s exactly how my kids and I ended up watching Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain. Instead of picking the movie first, we started by choosing the Hi Pointe Theatre, a local gem with a classic charm that reminds me of simpler times. Known for its mix of older films and thoughtfully selected new releases, it’s always a pleasure to visit. Once we settled on the Hi Pointe, we scanned the listings and landed on A Real Pain. A quick read of the synopsis sparked our interest, and the movie’s connection to Polish heritage gave it even more appeal for us. As someone who is 1/4 Polish (making my kids at least 1/8), I was curious to see how the film would handle themes tied to family roots. 

The story follows cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) as they travel to Poland to honor their grandmother. What starts as a somewhat comical road trip evolves into a poignant exploration of family, identity, and the unresolved tensions that shape who we are. I found myself relating deeply to David, particularly his frustration with Benji. On the surface, Benji comes across as the “cool guy,” exuding charm and charisma. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that beneath his empathetic façade lie selfish motives and trauma-induced instability. This dynamic felt strikingly familiar, highlighting the challenges of navigating relationships with people who can be both magnetic and overwhelming. 

Kieran Culkin delivers a standout performance, capturing the raw vulnerability of Benji’s character. Watching his interactions with Eisenberg’s David was a rollercoaster—hilarious in one moment and emotionally intense the next. Their dynamic reminded me of the complexity of family relationships, where love and exasperation often go hand in hand. 

One of the film’s strengths is its ability to weave humor and heartfelt moments seamlessly. It had us laughing one minute and reflecting on family bonds the next. The Polish backdrop added another layer of depth for me. Seeing the characters confront their heritage and shared history made me think about my own roots and the connections that tie us to the past. 

The intimate, nostalgic setting of the Hi Pointe Theatre made the experience even more special. Watching a film with this kind of emotional weight in a theater steeped in history enhanced its impact. It reminded me of the simple joy of sitting down with my kids and getting lost in a story together. 

Final Thoughts: 

A Real Pain is a film that resonates on multiple levels. From its humor to its heartfelt exploration of family and heritage, it offers something meaningful for everyone. For those who enjoy stories that dig into the complexities of relationships while still finding moments of levity, this movie is a 

must-watch. And if you’re lucky enough to catch it at a theater like the Hi Pointe, you’ll find the experience even more memorable.

Kirk Aug

Kirk is a writer, beekeeper and a fellow traveller on spaceship Earth. Follow Kirk on instagram @kirkaug

Better Late Than Never on "Escape From New York"

When the pandemic started I made the decision to go back and watch a good amount of classic movies that I've missed over the years. I have made good headway, but there are a ton of movies considered classics, and I've only made a small dent on my list. I've kept up as best I can, and this weekend it was my turn to pick the movie for date night. One movie I have been circling for quite a long time was "Escape From New York". I have become a big John Carpenter fan since the pandemic, and the "Escape From" movies are some I have missed. Well, that was remedied this weekend by us watching "Escape From New York".

I have to say right off the bat, I loved this movie. Every second of it was exactly what I wanted out of an action movie. "Escape From New York" takes place in the futuristic world of 1997. I love this about older movies as well, seeing what the actors, writers and directors all predicted what the future would be like. It's pretty wonderful. The island of Manhattan has become a prison, and all criminals have inhabited certain areas of it and are living horrific lives. Kurt Russell plays Snake Plissken. Plissken is one of the coolest characters that has ever existed. He's mean, gruff, angry all the time and has a certain set of skills. He is 1981's version of Liam Neeson from "Taken". Plissken needs to save the president who has been kidnapped, and we go along on the ride with him for 90 plus minutes. I can see why Russell was considered such a big star back in the early 80's. He is good looking. He has this rough side to him. He speaks the coolest of anyone I've ever heard on film. He carries himself like the movie star he was/is. I was glued to the screen every second he was on camera, which is the majority of the movie. He was exceptional. I could tell how much he loved this role and this movie. It showed on my tv. There are other actors in this movie that are doing some nice work, Romero comes to mind, but none did what Russell did while he was on screen.

I also love the way Carpenter directs this, and all of his movies, for that matter. He makes action and scary movies, but he lets you live in the world they have created. It's not non-stop action. There's not the constant threat of a jump scare coming at any moment. Carpenter builds the world within the movie. He lets us get to know the characters. We find reasons to root for or against them. He tells a story with his direction. They don't make action movies like that anymore. No one wants to sit and figure stuff out. We just want it fed to us like babies. Carpenter didn't do that. He wanted the viewer to figure things out for themselves, and I appreciate that. He's telling a story, but he lets us figure things out on our own. I miss action movies like that.

All in all, "Escape From New York" is instantly one of my favorite movies. I loved every single second of this movie. I loved the performances, mainly Russell'. I want more directors to take a page from Carpenter's work and build the world and story. I highly recommend this movie if you haven't seen it yet. It is one of the better movies that has been made. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "The Substance"

I watched "The Substance" yesterday. This movie came on my radar a month or so ago and I have wanted to watch it ever since. I was going to rent it on Amazon when it was in the theaters, but it was far too expensive. But, yesterday I was able to watch it online for free. I made sure to set aside my afternoon so I could really focus. From what I had read prior, this is a movie that needs your full attention. So I sat down and sat back, ready for the ride.

I want to say right at the top, I liked this movie. I never found it boring or slow. There seemed to be something that kept my attention at all times. For a movie that clocks in at around two hours and twenty minutes, it never drags. This movie will hold your eyes and the story will keep you coming back for more. "The Substance" is about a fading movie star that hears about a drug that can make a younger, better version of yourself. That's the long and short of it. Demi Moore plays the aging star, Elisabeth Sparkle. She is removed from her job and she is trying to find meaning in her new life. She decides to use the substance, and this is where Sue, Margaret Qualley, comes into play. This is the younger version of Elisabeth. This version is primed and ready for stardom and will do almost anything to continue her rise to fame. Again, this is the short version because I don't want to spoil anything today.

Moore is fantastic in this movie. I have seen her in stuff before, and have always thought she was a fine actor. She does good with the roles she's given and has earned her fame. In this movie, this may be her best work in my opinion, as well as a lot of other people. She does some amazing things in this movie. She also really goes for it. She holds nothing back and she is more than willing to play a fading star. It feels like a perfect role for her because she can relate, not that she is fading at all. Demi Moore is still one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen on screen. And she acts the absolute hell out of this role. She better damn well get awards consideration. Qualley does some damn fine work as well. She is so good at playing the younger version. She is on her game and really shines. I've seen her in other movies, but this is a real co-starring role here. She is up to the task and is right there step for step with Moore. It's kind of rad to see these two acting opposite each other. They both do some wonderful work.

Now, and this isn't a spoiler at all, this is a full on body horror movie. Some of the stuff I saw made me cover my eyes and made my stomach turn. They hold nothing back. You see it all and they hold on shots for a real long time. Even when people are eating or putting makeup on or showering, they hold onto shots for an uncomfortably long amount of time. That is by design. The writer, producer and director, Collie Fargeat, has said that she is a Cronenberg fan and that "The Fly" was a big influence on her. That comes across tenfold in "The Substance".

As I said at the top, I like this movie. I've been thinking about it all day today. But this movie is not for the faint of heart. There are some wild twists and turns. There's some real disturbing images. And they don't shy away from any of it all. Watch this movie if you're curious and you want to see Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore go blow for blow in the acting category. They're more than worth the watch. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Total Recall" (The Original) is Still a Great Movie

Recently I rewatched the original "Total Recall". I hadn't seen this movie since I was in my early 20's. I remember liking it then, but it had been awhile. I found it on Amazon and decided that last week was a perfect time to revisit the movie.

As I sat back, I kind of forgot most of the plot and the movie. But, in this rewatch, I was stoked at how much I still love the movie and how it still holds up. I was all in. When the movie started it all flooded back to me. Every little plot point and big scene came to the forefront of my mind. I could remember where I was when I first watched the movie and I was just as happy this time around. This is when Arnold Schwarzenegger was at his biggest point of stardom. He could do no wrong in the action movie genre. He was a heavy hitter and he barely had to act. He just had to emote, beat some bad guys and flex his muscles. "Total Recall" was a perfect movie for him to star in at that time in his acting life. Sharon Stone wasn't in it much, but she was great as well. But, this is all about Schwarzenegger. He did some great things in this movie. The action sequences were wonderful. The ending fight scene was pretty epic and awesome. He also had very good chemistry with both of the female leads. He also seemed to be having a good time during filming of this movie. When he got to do the scene where he was talking to his past self on the computer, that was pretty ahead of its time and executed very well.

This was also the time that Paul Verhoven was in his bag. He was crushing the ultra violent ultra intense action movie. There was no one better than Verhoven at doing this. To have the ability to make both "Robocop" and "Total Recall" in a short period of time, that is the work of a true professional.

I did managed to watch some of the updated remake they did, and it is not even close to the original. The newer one is dark and dreary. They take themselves too seriously. They aren't having the same amount of fun that the original movie had to its credit. It's just not the same. They didn't need to remake or update the original because the original is a classic. That was proven tenfold to me on this revisit.

I think a bunch of people are going back and watching old movies from their childhood because we are sentimental, but there's something unique and different and fun about the original action movies from the 80's and the 90's. They're campy and fun. They don't take it seriously. They understand how absurd these movies can be, and they just go for it. That's cool to me. I like that they were willing to have fun and enjoy themselves. Graphics are too good now. CGI is fully taking over movies, which is a bummer. And everyone wants to be brooding and moody in movies now. Actors, and I don't blame them, want awards. Not too many actors like to have fun and have a good time making action movies now, save for Keanu Reeves.

I definitely recommend going back and rewatching the original "Total Recall". It's from a forgotten time in Hollywood and it is a nice blast from the past when doing a rewatch. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.