An Ode to the Greatness of "Napoleon Dynamite"

Once again I am under the weather. It is not COVID, I've tested multiple times, but I just feel very blah. I am bummed out that I have gotten sick twice in the past three weeks. I think it is definitely due to the fact that I did not get sick at all for two years and now, when I do get a virus, it hits me hard. I'm still moving around and doing daily house stuff, but when I have down time, instead of running, which I really, really, really want to be doing right now, I have been watching movies the past two days.

This morning I felt very blah, so I wanted comfort food from my movie. I wanted comedy and something I knew that, if I fell asleep, it would not be a big deal. I searched the streaming services and found "Napoleon Dynamite".

This is an all time favorite for me. I have spoken about this movie a ton on the pod. I saw this movie in the theaters six times. It is a classic. So I put it on and proceeded to watch the whole thing. I laid on my couch and figured I would doze off a bit. But this movie is so good, so well made and so well acted that I was as intrigued today as I was the first three or four times I watched it.

This movie works on every single level for me. It is perfection. It is like the perfect indie comedy. It is quiet, shot in a weird location, has cool music and was made for cheap. But I think what made this watch different was something I haven't noticed ever in my watches. I think what makes "Napoleon Dynamite" so good, why it worked so well and why it has and will stand the test of time is how well they handle the mundaneness of everyday life, especially in high school. Watching today, I just happened to really notice how mundane real life can be. There is not a ton of dialogue at the top, but Napoleon does sigh an awful lot. I know we all did that in our high school years. When we would get frustrated it wasn't using our words, we would walk around and moan and groan hoping someone would notice us. There is also all the little nonsense that people do not like to do that we all complain about as well. Napoleon has to feed Tina, and that frustrates him. He gets mad, he groans, he yells, but in the end he feeds her. He also gets into little fights with Kip throughout the movie. I grew up with three brothers and we would fight over nonsense all the time, and it was seemingly the littlest stuff that would be the most frustrating. Napoleon wants his chapstick, Kip won't bring it to him. Napoleon wants chips, Kip tells him he needs them to become a cage fighter. They argue about the computer. There's fights over Uncle Rico's videotape. It is all real and all ridiculous. The stuff with Pedro and Napoleon, becoming friends and hitting on classmates, felt so real and so true to life. I was brought back to my high school days talking to my close friends. And there is that scene when Napoleon and Pedro test out his bike on a ramp. It is the funniest thing in the movie in my opinion and it rings true. Napoleon fights with his grandma and uncle. He tells Uncle Rico he has to leave because he is "eating all the steak and ruining everyone's lives". I swear I have said similar words to my uncle's before.

There is so much more. I was kind of floored watching from that point of view this morning. It made me appreciate the movie even more because of how real it all felt. "Napoleon Dynamite" is so great for a million reasons. And capturing the mundane is another feather in its cap.

Ty

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

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Playing Ten Questions with a New Five Year Old

Nothing is off the record here

My son turned 5 yesterday, and I decided that I wanted to interview him. I wanted to know how he sees the world. I wanted the insight of a 5 year old because, honestly, I do not remember much, if anything, from when I was 5. I asked him 10 very simple, easy questions. He answered them all as truthfully as he could, and then he asked me the same 10 questions. I thought this was an interesting idea, so I'm going to go through each question, his answer, why he answered the way he answered and my response when he interviewed me. Here we go.

Question one: Who is your favorite superhero? As you all know by now, my son loves superheroes. His answer was, very quickly, Captain America. When asked why, he simply said because he has a shield. Nothing else, just that he has a shield. Short and sweet. My answer to this question, Wolverine. When asked why, I told my son that I liked his powers and his claws. Both of us needed little to no time to answer this question.

Question two: What is your favorite movie? Miles thought about this one and finally settled on "Captain America: Civil War". See the running theme so far? When asked why it was his favorite, he said because of the battle scene in the airport. Now, full disclosure, that is the only scene of the movie he has ever watched. He hasn't seen anything else in the movie. I thought it was an interesting choice. My pick, "Napoleon Dynamite". When asked why, I told him that it was silly and goofy and I've seen it over 40 times. He was unimpressed.

Question three: What is your favorite TV show? He quickly answered "PJ Masks". You all know how I feel about this show. But, my son loves it because of the "superhero" theme. Simple and plain. When I was asked, I of course said "The Simpsons". It's the best show ever and I will not hear of anyone not agreeing with me.

Question four: What is your favorite book? His answered spoke so much to his age and the time we live in now. Without hesitation, Miles said, "Captain America: An Origin Story", on his Kindle Fire. He reads books off a tablet now. I still read paperbacks, but this generation of kids, everything is digital. When I asked him why this was his favorite, he said because it tells him everything about his favorite superhero. When he asked me, I said "Lord of the Flies". He asked me what is was about, I told him, and he said he wants to read it someday. This was a very proud moment for me.

Question five: What is your favorite sport? Miles said baseball, baseball, baseball. When I asked why, he said it is easy, he likes to hit and throw and play first base. It was a very child like answer, and I loved it. I was the same when I was his age. I told him that, but when he asked me the same question, I told him basketball. It is my favorite to play and watch. He thought I was going to say football, which I love, but I surprised him with basketball.

Question six: What do you like about school? He told me he likes his teachers, the stuff they teach him and playing with his friends. I thought this was a perfect response from a 5 year old in Pre K. That is exactly what I'd expect most 5 year olds to say. When he asked me what I liked about school, I told him recess. He was confused because recess is so short, but I told him I looked forward to it everyday.

Question seven: Who is your favorite family member, grandparents and cousins included? This may sound like an odd question, but he's 5, and he said he loves everyone! I was floored. He was being completely honest too! Anyone that knows Miles knows that he loves everyone and everything. I know I'm biased, but he's a damn good kid. When he asked me, I said besides Mom(my wife), I told him my brothers. I've been through it all with my brothers and they have all made me a better person. Thanks guys.

Question eight: Who is your best friend? Now, this may have been an answer based on who was around, but I think this is true for most 5 year old boys, he said Mom(my wife). When I asked him why, he said she is the nicest and sweetest person he knows and he loves her so much. It was very nice. When he asked me, I did not have as quick an answer. I have lost touch with a lot of people I used to consider my best friend, but when it comes down to it, my father is my best friend. We go to shows, games, movies and just talk about everything. He has always been there for me and he's always kept me level headed. Not only is he my dad, he is undoubtedly my best friend.

Question 9: What is your favorite food? He answered just as I thought, saying mac and cheese. This kid would eat it everyday if I let him. He said he loves it because it is gooey and cheesy and that his Grammy, my mother in law, makes the best. I told him my favorite food was steak. When asked why, I told him that I love meat. That is it and that is all.

Final question: What is your favorite restaurant? He said Chuck E Cheese. I think this place is gross, Miles loves it. This is the most 5 year old answer imaginable. That place is made for young kids. He even likes the food, where I find it inedible. My answer, The Block. It's a local Saint Louis butcher block that has the best meat I've ever had in my life. It is really great. If any readers not from Saint Louis come to town, check The Block out. It's incredible.

So, that is the life through the eyes of the newly minted 5 year old son, Miles Kulik. I loved this idea and I'm glad my wife suggested it. I had a lot of fun doing the interview and even more fun writing it. This was great. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed doing it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man. The other great thing about having a new five your old in the house. The dad can spend the weekend playing at an indoor water park. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Great Movie Comedies Vol 1: "Caddyshack" & "The Big Lebowski"

The greatest jokes ever live on the reels

As you all know by now, I'm a fan of comedy. I've written and talked about it a ton both on the site and podcast. I love stand up comedy, television comedy and, today's topic, comedy movies.

Today I'm going to talk about 2 specific comedies that I adore, but there's so many others I could talk about. Movies like "Billy Madison", "This is Spinal Tap", "What We Do In The Shadows", "Napoleon Dynamite", the list could go on for days. Those are all great and all classics. I really love a good comedy. A movie that makes me belly laugh and doesn't take it self to seriously, it gets no better than that. A great example of that, "Anchorman", but that's not one of the two I will talk about today, but it deserves mentioning. There are also older, classic comedies that still hold up to this day. Movies like "Some Like It Hot" or "Duck Soup" or "Kentucky Fried Movie". All older, but all still absolutely great and worth checking out. But, the two I want to specifically talk about today are "Caddyshack" and "The Big Lebowski". Not only are these two of my favorite comedies, they're two of my favorite movies of all time. They're both timeless, hilarious and just flat out well made movies. Everyone involved with both movies really hit a home run. The actors, writers, producers and directors really struck gold.

Let's first talk about "Caddyshack". This has to be one of the most quotable movies ever made. Talk to anyone that's seen it and I guarantee they will quote something from "Caddyshack". There is so many famous lines and speeches in this movie. Bill Murray has multiple moments that are absolutely splendid. Take any scene, be it when he is pretending he's at the Masters and smashing flowers or when he is ogling the older women and telling them to "bark like a dog for me" or when he cleans the pool after what is believed to be feces floating around and he picks it up, smells it and takes a bite and exclaims that everything is okay and the rich lady passes out. Bill Murray is the star of this movie by far. But, we get excellent performances from Chevy Chase, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe, Sarah Holcomb and Rodney Dangerfield. Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield are phenomenal in this movie. They too, much like Murray, have equally quotable lines and moments. Chevy Chase's scene when he is putting and talking to Danny Noonan(O'Keefe) about life and handing him lessons is very, very funny. And everything Dangerfield does in this movie is comedy gold. Rodney Dangerfield truly did not get the respect that he deserved. He is one of the greatest comedy actors of all time. "Caddyshack" is a classic.

"The Big Lebowski" is almost the exact opposite of "Caddyshack", but that doesn't make it less funny. Where "Caddyshack" had great improvisers and great comic actors, "The Big Lebowski" is one of the best written comedies of all time. The Cohen Brothers dabbled in comedy, with the excellent "Raising Arizona", but they're more known for their more dramatic stuff. What makes "The Big Lebowski" great, they blend drama, action, and most importantly, comedy to perfection. This has to be one of the weirdest, yet most hilarious movies I've ever watched. It is so good. It starts out great and continues to be great for two hours. It's also very weird, but that adds to its charm. Any scene involving Jeffrey Lebowski(Jeff Bridges) and Maude(Julianne Moore) is absurdist comedy gold. The scene when the two of them are talking about sex and her weird roommate is just sitting there listening, reading and laughing is genius. It's so bizarre, yet hilarious at the same time. John Goodman and Steve Busecmi are spectacular in this movie too. Goodman is the loud and obnoxious ex Vietnam vet and he is so good. When he pulls the gun on the guy for going over the line and forces him to mark it 0 is awesome. Also, when he talks about "the Jesus"(John Turturro), and his troubled criminal past, absolutely hysterical. Busecmi is great as their quiet bowling buddy that just wants to be involved. The arguments he and Goodman get into are great. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is also very good in his limited role and so is Tara Reid. But, Jeff Bridges is the star and he totally nails this character. He's so good, I associate Bridges as "The Dude", no matter what role he's playing. Everything he does is memorable and he is very believable as this stoner stuck in a crazy situation. And what makes is so well written as I wrote earlier is, everything that comes out of the actors mouths was all written. There's no improvising in a movie that seems it's almost exclusively improvised. That's some next level writing and the Cohen's are some of the best. "The Big Lebowski" is a terrific and bizarre comedy that everyone should see.

These are just two of my favorites, but I wanted to single these two out because they're different, yet equally hilarious. If you haven't seen either of them, stop what you're doing and watch them now. When you are done laughing, you will be thanking me.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Tomorrow you can hear Ty talk all about great comedy movies on The X Millennial Man Podcast. Ty is on twitter, go follow him @tykulik.

The Greatest American Band Debate: The White Stripes

For the greatest American band debate, today, I'm going to nominate a band that I once adored, but now, I cannot stand them and I can't believe that I ever defended them or thought that they were great musicians.

That band is the White Stripes.

I used to love this band, and I mean LOVE them. I thought that Jack and Meg White were two of the most unique, most proficient musicians I ever heard. They burst onto the scene in 2000 with the album "De Stijl". This was a classic blues/rock throwback album. It was a lot of old blues covers and the way they played the songs was quite phenomenal. Jack White's voice and guitar playing was top notch. Meg White was a good drummer, keeping the rhythm, but that's about it for her.

It was also around this time that I discovered the Black Keys, a band that I still adore and I think is ten thousand times better than the White Stripes, but you have to know, I was a teenager when I first heard the White Stripes and my mind wasn't fully developed as far as my musical taste went. Not yet at least. Then, I saw their video for the song "Seven Nation Army" and I was immediately hooked. There was nothing better at the time, not even the Black Key in my mind. I was so, so wrong. But, "Seven Nation Army", the song and the album both, were huge hits that showed the world that a two piece band could make great music.

So, from about 2001 to 2004 I was one of the biggest White Stripes fans there was. I devoured every record they put out. I already owned "De Stijl" and "Seven Nation Army", but then I went out and bought "The White Stripes", "White Blood Cells" and "Elephant". Their very first record, "The White Stripes" was a lot like "De Stijl". It was raw, old timey blues covers that Jack White turned into rock and roll. It was a good album, at least I thought it was at the time. Then I bought "White Blood Cells". I absolutely loved this album when I first heard it. It wasn't all covers this time around. Jack White was making his own versions of old timey blues/rock songs and they were good. He also threw in some acoustic stuff that I really enjoyed. The song, "We Are Gonna Be Friends" is still, even though my feelings on the band have changed, one of my favorite songs to listen to and play on guitar (plus it is featured in my favorite movie ever, Napoleon Dynamite). My kids, especially my son, loves when I start to finger pick this song. This is still a very good song that I will always enjoy, no matter how big my hatred gets for this band. Then, the album "Elephant" blew me away. It was mixtures of old and new songs. Some of the songs on the record are timeless. And then there was another awesome video for the song "The Hardest Button to Button". That video is incredible. Go check it out if you haven't seen it. The White Stripes, to their credit, knew how to make a memorable music video.

In my personal opinion, their album "Elephant" was the last great record they made. In 2005, they released "Get Behind Me Satan", and that was when I started to lose interest. The album is okay. Songs like "My Doorbell", "The Denial Twist" and "Instinct Blues" are all classic White Stripes, but I was growing weary of their sound. 2005 was also the year that my love affair really took off with the Black Keys. That was the first or second time I'd seen them and I loved everything they were doing. They definitely took the throne, as far as two piece bands, away from the White Stripes. It was also around this time, either 2004 or 2005, that I saw the White Stripes live, and that's when I kind of gave up on them. They were okay live, but it was their demeanor on stage, especially Jack White's, that made my distaste for them first appear. He was rude, arrogant and seemed like he didn't want to be there. The songs sounded boring, almost like they were recording in the studio. He yelled at the techs that were back stage whenever his guitar would go out of tune. He's a professional musician, I'd think he'd be able to tune his own guitar. His solos lacked proficiency and flare. He kind of just picked a pattern, and that was his solo. No fuss, no muss. I need some excitement out of my lead guitar player when I see a band I enjoy live. And then there was my big revelation about Meg White during that show. She is the second luckiest person in the history of music, behind only Ringo Starr. She's not that good of a drummer I realized. In fact, she's quite terrible. She just banged away simple 4/4 rhythms all night and seemed brain dead. Even when she sang, it was boring and pretty awful. After that show, I kind of lost interest in the band.

The White Stripes seemed to lose interest as well, only putting out one more album, a live one, in 2010. Jack White went off and did other projects like, The Raconteurs and Dead Weather and produced new records for old country singers like Wanda Jackson and Loretta Lynn. The Raconteurs and Dead Weather are fine, just not my cup of tea. They are too emo to be rock and too rock to be blues. Both bands are White Stripes light, and that's not a compliment. Meg White, I haven't heard from her in about 7 years now. I'm sure she's living large on the enormous amounts of money that the White Stripes made.

What angers me the most about this band though is Jack White's off stage attitude. He's a bully. He picks fights with random other musicians and when they call him out on it, he verbally abuses them via social media. He has a bad attitude. I don't buy the tortured genius bull shit either. He is a straight up bully, there's no other way to put it. He should be happy that he gets to live his dream life, but he picks fights and complains about the state of pop music. Screw you Jack White, you're a supreme asshole. I just can't believe I invested so much of my time, energy and money on this band. I got caught up in the hype, and for five years, they reeled me in. I'm glad I got out and found much better two piece bands, like Deadboy and the Elephant Men and, of course, the Black Keys. When the White Stripes were great, they were awesome. But, their attitude and off stage act became too much, at least for me, to handle. They definitely belong in the conversation, but I can now say, without any hesitation, that I loathe the White Stripes and more importantly, Jack White.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He finds it therapeutic to write about musicians he used to like and now hates. Is Puff Daddy next? Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.