Ty Watches "Twisted Metal"

After returning from vacation I decided that I am going to get caught up on some tv that I want to see. The first show I am going to watch is "Twisted Metal". I have watched the first three episodes before writing this. Let’s discuss.

I heard about the show from a bunch of different podcasts that I listened to. Shaun Diston mentioned it on a few of his shows, Ify Nwadiwe mentioned it on an appearance of "CBB" and Mike Mitchell was tooting its horn, before the writers and actors strike, on "Doughboys". I was primed to watch the show. I even tried while on vacation, but it was a hard sell for my family. So I waited and started yesterday.

This show is wild. It is at times funny, gory, violent and heartfelt. This show is really trying to have it all, and for me, so far it's working. I'm all in. I am very invested so far. I like the story. I guess it is based on a video game that I have heard of but never played. I didn't even know what the game was about until I read about the show. The short story is that a catastrophic event happened in 2002 that messed up all the computers in the world. Cities blocked themselves off and let the criminals run wild in the open. There are delivery drivers, called milkmen, that bring stuff to the walled off cities, but on the way they encounter some undesirable bad guys and girls. Anthony Mackie plays the main milkman in the show. He is hilarious. I really enjoy the comedy he brings to this role. He is funny, motor mouthed and always finding some way to use his charm to get out of trouble. Stephanie Beatriz plays a loner who loses her brother and is now on a quest to avenge him and live in peace. Thomas Haden Church is a bad cop who is out to hurt anyone he deems is "breaking the law". He is a very, very bad guy. Neve Campbell is the leader of New San Francisco, and she has some kind of ulterior motives with Mackie's character. Mike Mitchell and Tahj Vaughans are two guys who are about to get eaten, but are busted out by the nefarious police officers and are recruited to become officers themselves. One is into it, the other, not so much.

The best part of the show so far for me has been Sweet Tooth, the evil clown that runs Las Vegas. Sweet Tooth is also played by two people. Will Arnett does his voice, and this is such a perfect move for him. He has such a cool and distinguishable voice, and getting to play an insane clown suits him well. Pro wrestler Samoa Joe plays the person behind the clown mask, and that is a match made in tv perfection. He is a big dude, his body looks like it would survive an apocalyptic event and he can kick some ass. I'm usually terrified of clowns, and this one is very frightening, but the way they are having this character come to life is so funny that I can get past my fear.

I have been enjoying what I have seen so far. I am not going to binge it because I want to take it in slowly. I think I will do a few episodes a day, when I have the time to watch, so I can really let it sink in. I definitely recommend the show. For people like me, who do not know the video game, it is kind of perfect. I'd be curious what the players of the game think, but I'm in. I like it. I will be watching it all. I suggest you do the same. 

Ty

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

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The Advent Calendar of Great Holiday Movies: Day 20 "The Night Before"

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a great movie associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be extra awesome. Enjoy.

Day 20: “The Night Before”

Opened Doors: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19

The holiday season is filled with parties. We have work parties, family parties, and parties at the bars and clubs in our neighborhoods. We have an idealized vision of the best party ever when we are younger, and we spent most of our days chasing that perfect party. In the midst of the chase, we grow older. We start to have more professional responsibilities, we may start a family, or we may need to just grow up. The perfect party is an illusion, growing up is reality.

In 2015 “The Night Before” premiered and was a very modest hit. The final “Hunger Games” movie opened against “The Night Before”, and the raunchy holiday film had no chance. In the few years since it’s premier, “The Night Before” has found a cult following for people looking for something funny, and a bit more modern in their holiday entertainment.

The story in “The Night Before” is relatable to anyone who used the holidays searching for the perfect party with their friends. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, and Anthony Mackie play three friends who swore they are going to find the best Christmas Eve party in all of New York City. Year after year they get together, do some drugs, get drunk, and never find the mythical Nutcracker Ball. After a while Rogen and Mackie have professional and family responsibilities, and finding the perfect party is not at the top of their priority list. Gordon-Levitt however is still committed to the goal of going to the Nutcracker Ball. Hijinks ensue, truths are revealed, weed gets stolen, friends fight, weed gets stolen, Michael Shannon saves the day, and friends learn a valuable lesson. It is a tale older than Christmas itself.

The holiday parties of our twenties look very different than the parties of our thirties, and those look different than the parties of our forties, and on and on. What makes any of these get togethers perfect is that we have them with our friends.. We may fight, our drugs may get stolen, and we may need Santa’s son to save us, but we were together on that magical night before Christmas. That is the reason for the party season. .

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Being around friends for the holidays is great, but what is it like being alone? Let Bill Murray and the band Phoenix tell you all about being alone on Christmas Day.

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