Ty Watches "Barbie"

Now that I am done with the football talk I want to get to some things that I have seen or done or listened to the past couple weeks and have been waiting to tell you all about. The first thing I want to talk about is "Barbie".

Me, my wife and kids all finally went to see the movie two Sundays ago. I have been pestering my wife to see it and told her the kids should come. The movie is a phenomenon and I felt like it would benefit the kids to see it. They had typical reactions. My son, who is 11 and focused solely on sports said it was a "6 out of 10". My daughter loved the colors and seeing Barbieland, but when it got to the more serious stuff she was not interested. My wife and I absolutely loved the movie. I mentioned on the podcast last week how much I adore this movie. I fully believe it is going to go down as one of the best, and most impactful movies to ever come out.

"Barbie" tells a great story about acceptance and being okay with who you are and how it is fine to be sad sometimes and that everything is never going to be as perfect as one may want their lives to be. I was moved by this movie. I laughed harder at this movie than some of my favorite comedies of all time. The imagery was astounding and cool. They used old style techniques and made them modern day. It was highly impressive. And the acting was superb. Margot Robbie knocked it completely out of the park. She was fully engrossed in this role and gave it her all. She played funny and heartbroken to perfection. She blew me away. Ryan Gosling was what I imagine Ken would be like if the doll came to life. I fully believed he was Ken. It was terrific. He was the funniest person in this whole movie. America Ferrera spoke for all of us in our early 40's and how tough life can be with kids nowadays, especially kids with an opinion. Ferrera is wildly underrated and this role should push her to the fame she deserves. Even the smaller roles, those were nailed. Michael Cera as Allan was my favorite. Issa Rae as president Barbie was pitch perfect. Will Ferrell as Mattel CEO was spot on. Simu Liu as a rival Ken was the best foil you could want for Gosling's Ken. Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie was an example of how great a comedic actor McKinnon is. I was blown away by everyone. To see all the Barbies and Kens, that was quite a feat.

What got me most was Greta Gerwig's directing and her and Noah Baumbach's script. The directing was second to none. Gerwig controlled every aspect of these super talented actors and pulled the best out of them. To get drama and comedy the way she did, that work should not be overlooked. She should be the odds on favorite at the Oscars for best director. There should be no question. The script was even better than the directing. Gerwig and Baumbach told a relatable, real life story using Barbie and Ken dolls. They found a way to make a real life story out of dolls. There were moments in this script that were the best of the best. The way they tackled the stupidity of the patriarchy to Barbie dealing with an existential crisis to America Ferrera dealing with her daughter growing up and being over Barbie, it all worked. I bought it all and wanted more and more.

This is one of the rare perfect movies. I cannot find a flaw anywhere. Any early skepticism I had was instantly erased. I cannot recommend this movie enough. I think everyone should see it. It is a feat that will not be met for a very long time. "Barbie" is destined to become a classic and I am stoked that I saw it in a packed theater during week four of its release. What an accomplishment. 

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 and twitter.

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

Ty Watches "Superstore"

Recently my wife and I decided that we wanted to watch a new show. We have time, what with this pandemic getting worse by the day, and we decided to try the show "Superstore".

I have seen commercials for this show a bunch. We watched a good amount of shows on NBC, I sometimes watch football on NBC, and occasionally I would see an ad or a preview for the show. I was intrigued, but prior to the pandemic, I never thought to watch it. I also had a bunch of stuff to do outside of the house, so I really prioritized what I would watch. But as I said at the top, I have extended time now.

So we turned on the pilot about a week ago, and when I type this today, my wife and I will most likely finish season three this evening. I wish I had watched this show much, much sooner. While NBC isn't at FX or HBO's level, they still make really solid shows. "Superstore" can be added to that list. For those that don't know, the show takes place at a big chain business, a la WalMart or Target, and the store is in Saint Louis, an added bonus for me. The show talks about the many lives of the people that work there, and it is very funny. It is your common workplace comedy, but it works like "The Office" or "Parks and Rec" did, but this show isn't the mockumentary style the other two were. This is a single camera show, with no studio audience. This is the classic sitcom.

The actors on the show are really solid too. America Ferrera is great as Amy the floor manager. She is about as real a big chain store worker can be on TV. I know that she is acting, and she is beautiful, but she does a very good job of seeming like a person that would have that job. She totally pulls it off. I cannot think of the actor's name that plays Jonah, but he is great as well. He is funny and charming and goofy and, much like Ferrera, I buy his story arc to this point. Dina, the assistant manager, is amazing. She is funny and rude and doesn't pull any punches, and I crack up every time she loses her temper. Garrett, played by Colton Dunn, is my favorite. He is wheelchair bound, we don't know why, but his dry wit and lack of caring make me forget he is playing a handicapped person. He has some great quips and makes some hilarious faces. His distaste to buy anyone else's BS is classic. He is awesome. Glenn, the manager, has this wild voice, and he is so nice and almost a total pushover. But when he gets mad, he lets it all out. He is real good at going up and down on this show. Cheyenne is the pregnant teen that seems to have wit beyond her years, even though she is kind of dimwitted, but on purpose. When she laughs because she is uncomfortable, that is one of my favorite things on this show. And I could go on and on about all the side characters on the show. They all have their place, and the way the show literally writes for everyone, it is great. They give the main characters their shine, but the smaller roles, they have their own place on this show, and the writers make sure we remember them from episode to episode.

If you are looking for a fun, breezy, 20 minute show that will make you laugh and enjoy yourself, I highly recommend checking out "Superstore". It is on Hulu, and it is really funny and really well made. I know they are currently on their sixth season, and if we keep up the pace that we are watching the show, we will be caught up in about two weeks. It is that good.

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 and twitter.

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