Ty Watches "Deadpool and Wolverine"

Over the weekend we saw "Deadpool and Wolverine". Now, I'm going to stay spoiler free, so this may be one of my shorter blogs to date. Let’s discuss.

This movie needs to be seen to see all the easter eggs and possible spoilers if you miss it in the theaters. The cameos are more than worth the price of admission, plus they add a bunch to the overall story. That being said, I have grown a little weary of superhero movies. I'm over the extended universe. I don't like the multiple universes stuff. None of these heros have to go away anymore. Writers can just say that their version of the hero or heroes is alive in a different universe. It has been overplayed. And this movie kind of does that for a minute, until they totally make fun of the whole idea. This was a big point in this movie's favor. I've also grown tired of most superhero movies being one of two genres, either trying to be hard comedy or hard drama. They try to make stuff over the top funny or depressingly bleak. "Deadpool and Wolverine" goes full comedy. They are having a damn good time. They have a few moments of drama here and there, but they are always undercut with something hilarious. This was another factor that had me enjoying this movie.

Another point, for me, most of the new movies that come out are anywhere from two and a half hours to three plus hours. We get long, drawn out movies that seem to take forever. I love both new "Dune" movies, but those movies are very, very long. Hell, most superhero movies are super long now. The new "Flash" movie that came out a year ago is damn near two and a half hours long. The newer "Batman" movie is a few minutes under three hours. It has gotten out of hand. It feels like the people involved are just trying to jam as much into a movie as they can, and if it eclipses three hours, so be it. "Deadpool and Wolverine" is just a hair over two hours, and that includes opening and closing credits and post credit scenes. The movie kept my attention. I knew I wouldn't have to sit in the theater for too long. I knew I would most likely not have to use the restroom during the screening. I knew it was going to be fast and quick and full of jokes and that is what I want from my superhero movies. They nailed it with the length here.

This movie is also incredibly bloody and violent. I leaned over to my wife at one point and told her that it was the most blood I have ever seen on screen to this point in my life. This is a very gruesome movie that is not to be taken lightly.

Finally for me as a viewer, I'm a sucker for anything Wolverine, and this new version is my favorite. Wolverine is brash and rude. He is a drunk. He is mean and violent. He wants to destroy anyone he deems to be in his way. That is exactly what we get from Hugh Jackman in this movie. He is free to curse and crush, and that is exactly what he does in this movie and I'm here for it all. Give me this Wolverine every single time.

"Deadpool and Wolverine" is a true must see. I'm so glad my wife convinced me to go and assured me it would be different from other superhero movies. She was right and I wholeheartedly recommend checking it out. It is awesome.  

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 Boys" Season 4

The other night my wife and I finished season 4 of "The Boys". This is a show my wife and I started during the pandemic. RD suggested it to us in fact. We loved it from the start. This show is violent and fast and intriguing and funny and fascinating to watch. To take on superheroes in this fashion, making some of them very, very bad people, is a great hook. It does things other shows don't even think about doing. Some of the stuff they have gotten away with, it is amazing that they are even able to show it to the public.

I was stoked for season 4 after season 3 ended so upsetting. We start off pretty much where we left off, but this season proceeded to be one of the most depressing seasons of television I've ever watched. I had to remind myself multiple times that this show is not real. None of this is based on a true story. Some of the things that are being done on the show cannot possibly happen in real life. That is how damn sad this fourth season of the show is.

"The Boys" takes on what is happening in the real world right now. You have the alt right versus the progressive left. We see the rich superheroes, and their friends and supporters, as the alt right. They say things this season that have been said to me about being a liberal. I squirmed at times hearing Homelander or Firecracker talk to people who don't side with them. I would have to take a good long break after some episodes because they perfectly portrayed the alt right as I see them. The progressive left is highlighted by the titular Boys. They are all back and they are fighting the alt right. They have also added Starlight. She and Hughie are a couple and they are fighting together. Starlight is the face because she is a superhero. She is the leader of the left. She gets scoured by the alt right. It was all too real to watch. Again, seeing the way she was treated all season made me sick because it felt so real. The way the right in this show does their news, leaks their news, has their rallies, it all looks like Fox News and what the alt right follows and listens to nowadays. The progressives are left to hide and fight with whatever little means they can find. Some want to run, others are willing to die for what they believe in. All of this is way, way too real. It is a nearly perfect parallel to what is happening right now. And not one side can change the other side's mind.

It is shocking how realistic this show about lab created superheroes was this entire season. I would sigh and think how poignant it is in today's political climate. I love this show, but this season was such a downer. I was depressed after every single episode. It made me sad. Seeing how these characters have grown or changed this season was shockingly upsetting. I would find myself ruminating on episodes days after watching them. After watching the finale I sat in my bed and was terrified at the outcome, because something similar could really, truly happen in America.

I will always and forever recommend "The Boys", but this season is a tough watch. This season will make you feel all sorts of ways. I'm curious to see how they close it all out in their fifth and final season, coming sometime soon I believe. I'll watch for sure. But season 4 is a season I will most likely never watch again. It really bummed me out. 

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 'House of the Dragon" Season 2 Finale

"House of the Dragon" closed out the second season last night. Let’s discuss.

I have been on board all season with this show. If you go back and read a past blog of mine, I wrote how I was waiting with such anticipation for the big battle they've been building towards all season long. I hoped it was coming. It felt like it was coming. They had a scene in an earlier episode that was akin to foreplay, in which we saw the bad side of battle and saw what the dragons are capable of doing. All of this had me so pumped to what I assumed was going to be one of the most epic battle scenes in television history. As my wife and I sat down to watch, we were both on the edge of our seats. With each passing minute we both felt that we were getting closer and closer to this tremendous battle. The armies were finished forming. People on both sides pledged their allegiance. We had big dinners the night before. We saw some dragons flying. We even got a glimpse into the future, with White Walkers and Danerys mind you, and it felt like it was time.

Sorry for the spoilers by the way.

After the meetup between Rhaeynera and Allicient, I figured it was going to be just a matter of time. I looked down at my watch and realized that we had less than ten minutes left in the finale. I figured, well, this is going to be a quick war scene. Maybe they would come in with a bang, have some epic stuff happen, close with a big kill, and then it would be on to the next two years before season 3.

That, unfortunately, didn't happen. After the meeting between the two queens, we see all the people that have some kind of importance traveling. The armies are on the move with their flags. The dragons are circling around waiting to get shit done. The king is being quietly moved to his new home. Some people are showing the prince regent that they don't trust his move. Allicient's dad is still in jail. One of Rhaeynera's step kids has found her dragon. The new riders are being fit with armor. It is a bunch of slow shots of people traveling to fight a war. And it went black while watching all of this.

I sat there confused. I, along with almost every other viewer, had been waiting for a war. This is what the whole season has been building to. This is what it is supposed to all come down to to close out the second season. We were supposed to see war. But we saw, as we have all season, people prepping for battle, people getting themselves lathered up for a fight. I am of the belief that tv shows owe us nothing, and I'm still at the point today. But come on dude. The fans have waited all season long for a war. At least on "Game of Thrones" we would get a bunch of battles during the season. That show was always building towards the biggest battle, but we got something like an appetizer from time to time. We saw fights, we saw bloodshed, we saw people dealing with their own reckoning. "House of the Dragon" season 2 was a tease. We got none of that. We saw people prepping for eight straight episodes. I still think this show is amazing, and it kept my attention. But, throw us a bone. Give us a taste. Let us see one of the main things we come to see when we watch this show.

I'll still definitely watch season 3, but this finale left an unappetizing taste in my mouth. There was a ton of pomp, but no circumstance. I was bummed, and now we have to wait for 2 more years to hopefully see this battle. That is a drag. 

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 Real Bros of Simi Valley: The Movie"

Years ago I watched a show on Facebook. That sounds weird to say, but it is true. One day I was scrolling on my feed and came across something I found interesting and funny, so I clicked on the link. The two reasons were, one, I'm a Jimmy Tatro fan and two, it looked like a spoof of all the reality real housewives stuff that I actively avoided.

Tatro is a funny actor. If you don't know him, he was the star of the first season of "American Vandal". He was also the co-star of "Home Economics" and had a small role in a movie I loved, "Theater Camp". The guy works. Then, I love when funny people spoof nonsense reality shows. I adored "Burning Love". Kevin Hart did something similar with "Real House Husbands" which was also hilarious. I devoured both shows. So, seeing funny and smart people spoofing real housewives stuff, I was psyched to click on the link.

The show was called "The Real Bros of Simi Valley". I watched the hell out of this show. It was short too. There were three seasons. Each episode was anywhere from 6-12 minutes. And it was nonsensical hilarity. They made fun of all of the classic tropes of real housewives shows, or better for me, they constantly made fun of shows like "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills", both shows I also watched. When I found the show I watched as much as I could in a few days. Then I waited for more. It was great.

It seemed like it just went away. Then I saw the people from the show popping up on social media recently as the characters from the show. I was intrigued. I found out they were making a movie and that it was going to be on the Roku Channel. I get that channel, as does everyone that owns a Roku, and patiently waited for "The Real Bros of Simi Valley: The Movie". They were going to do a high school reunion type movie. I was hyped.

I watched it the day after it was released, and holy hell is it a funny movie. It was nostalgic to see them all again as their characters. And the movie is downright hilarious. They bring along all the reality tropes and play them off so goddamn well. From the start of the movie, where they think they are going to have to fight, but they are all brought together by Xander, Tatro, getting a new truck, it was dynamite. From the truck to making fun of Xander's brother for not "burning" to Johnny being picked on to some of the girls starting a podcast to everyone living a "lifestyle", it all worked. They had a ton of guest stars in the movie. They brought on little known comic actors who shined in their small roles. The jokes were flying. I found myself laughing harder and harder at every joke. I loved how they kept making their trucks bigger and bigger. I appreciate that they stuck to their ignorance from the show. And their arrogance. In the reality tv world it seems like everyone that is on one of those shows takes themselves far too seriously, and they recreated that perfectly. This movie was a total home run. They didn't have to make it, but the fact that they did and that it works makes it that much sweeter.

I love this movie. I highly suggest watching this movie if you watched any of the show when it was on Facebook. It helps to know who the people are and why they act the way they do. That is why you should check out both. This movie is awesome and the show that came before is even better. Watch both. 

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 "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire"

Over the weekend my wife and I, and our children as well, watched "Godzilla X Kong". We were all calling it "Godzilla Kisses Kong" halfway through due to the x meaning kisses in x's and o's. My wife was very excited for this movie. These types of movies are right up her alley. She was stoked the moment she remembered it was now streaming. So, as we do most Friday nights, we sat down for our home movie viewing and all four of us watched.

First off, this is not a good movie. The story is nonsensical. After seeing a Godzilla movie that was amazing, "Godzilla Minus 1", "Godzilla X Kong" was not even close to its level. The people in this movie, and there are some pretty good actors, are nonessential. We would have scenes with actors like Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens and Brian Tyree Henry all sharing the screen and I couldn't care less what they had to say. The humans in this monster movie were so uninteresting and, quite frankly, useless in this movie. They are there to move the story along and tell us, the viewer, what we are about to see next with the monsters. They offer nothing else. They are strictly the voice for the voiceless. Again, I like those three actors quite a bit, but they had no real reason to even be in this movie. I remember saying to my wife while watching that I had had enough of the humans. I just wanted to see the monsters doing monster activities.

And that is where this movie thrives. The monsters make this movie worth watching. Godzilla and King Kong are the only reasons to watch this movie, and while it is not a good movie, these two monsters make it one of the most fun movies I have seen in a long time. A movie doesn't have to necessarily be good for me to have a good time. That is more than the case for "Godzilla X Kong". When we get past the scenes with the humans, and we get straight up monster action, I was more than there for all of it. Seeing the humongous King Kong at the opening of the movie ripping a dog monster in half, it was amazing. Seeing the green goo spill onto his body was rad. I felt bad for his toothache as well. That bummed me out. When we met the baby Kong, that was dope. Baby Kong had a bad side, but he ended up doing the right thing. Godzilla was incredible to look at as well. This Godzilla went from blue to purple to pink and it was cool. When Godzilla suplexed King Kong, I scoffed, but then watched it again. And it ruled. To see Godzilla do an old school wrestling move on King Kong, then to do it correctly into a pyramid in Egypt, I don't think it gets any cooler than that. Even a minor monster like Mothra was pretty amazing to see in this movie. When the three of them decide to team up, and do so by screeching and growling, it was akin to when the Avengers came back in "Infinity War". And I'm not being hyperbolic about it at all. I got chills when they teamed up. Oh, and we cannot forget the underground apes that are bad that cause the original King Kong to get a metal arm. That's right, King Kong gets his arm frozen, then has an attached metal arm affixed to his body, which he then uses to crush not only his enemies, but also full on cities. I thought I would hate it, but I loved it. It was super useful and pretty integral to the ending of the movie.

Look, when one sits down to watch "Godzilla X Kong", they need to lower their expectations. This is not a movie that is going to make you sit and reflect. You will not be asking many questions afterward. But you will have a good time. You will enjoy the fight scenes. You will eat all of your movie snacks. My expectations were low, and this movie greatly exceeded every single one of them. I wholeheartedly recommend "Godzilla X Kong". It was an absolute blast. 

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 Bear" Season 3

I just finished season 3 of "The Bear" the other night. Let’s discuss.

I started off super strong, watching three episodes in a row the night it was released. But then I made a decision to slow down and take my time. Recently I have found myself not binging tv shows that much anymore. I like the anticipation and waiting. I remember having to wait a week for a new episode of a show I watched. That was cool. I had all these theories of what could happen. I vividly remember talking with friends and neighbors about who we all shot Mr Burns after that famous "Simpsons" episode. I just like the feeling of watching shows a little bit spread out now. That is why it took me a little longer to finish this season.

I do want to say, I read headlines and heard other people say that they thought this season was weak. I have been trying to figure out why they were saying all of this. After finishing the season I sat there and thought about what I just watched and I have to say, I thought it was damn good.

"The Bear" has all but cemented its place as a great tv show. There are no truly bad episodes. Each new show gives me more and more to think about. With each passing season I grow more and more attached to the characters on the show. I have grown to love the episodes when they tell us a single story about one of the characters. The episode solely based on Tina this year was wonderful. This show owes the viewers nothing. It is one of the heavier hitters to come out in a long, long time. Sure, there are some flaws here and there, but every show has that. The simple fact that "The Bear" has a hit rate of over 90 percent, that is pretty amazing.

I feel like wanting to be counter culture, or be a nonconformist or just try to have a "hot take" has really taken over the internet. People always want it to be the best thing that they have ever seen. The problem with that, we all have different takes on what we view. Most hated the series finale of "Game of Thrones". I thought it was fine. I don't care who became the overseer of everything or that the white walker's death wasn't as intense as some hoped. I was able to seperate the sheer fact that "Game of Thrones" is a fantasy world. Dragons and zombies and all that wild sci fi stuff is not real. It is pure fantasy. So whoever "wins" in the end, cool. I'm not going to get up in arms about it all. I know some hated the series finale of "Lost". Again, I didn't mind it. I don't care that they were all in a sort of, spoiler alert for a decades old show, "purgatory". Take the show as a whole, and it was dope as hell. I hear all these nerds talk about how "The Simpsons" was only good for a ten year run, between seasons 2-13. I still love that show and find something I adore in every episode, new or old. It is still one of the best written shows that has ever been on tv. I think, no matter how good and well beloved something is, there is going to be a small group of people that say it is bad. Unfortunately, the people doing that now work for major internet sites and publications. They put their opinion out there and the viewers just run with it and tell everyone that they feel the same. It is a true bummer because no one can ever just like a thing that most others do. Some people are just here to be a contrarian. I am glad that it is not me.

Back to the topic on hand, "The Bear" was as intense, as poignant and funnier than it has been to date. I'm very interested to see how they handle the ending of season 3 in season 4. I want to see Natalie and how she and her husband are handling life as new parents. I want to know what Sydney decided. I'm curious to see where Marcus and Tina are with the restaurant and their place there. I want to know if Carmy and Richie are cool again. I want to know what Unc decided to do after taking The Computer's advice. I'm just as engaged and curious as I was after seasons 1 and 2.

I recommend season 3 wholeheartedly and don't read into what the internet says and what your friends or family may regurgitate what they read on the internet. "The Bear" is still easily one of the best shows on tv, with season 3 only further cementing its place. 

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 Quiet Place: Day One"

My wife and I went to see "A Quiet Place: Day One" last weekend. Our kids were staying with grandparents for an overnight visit, so we used that opportunity to go on a date. We went to a movie we wanted to see and had a nice, quiet dinner at home.

We saw the first two "Quiet Place" movies in the theaters as well. The original movie is incredible. It is truly unique. It has a totally different take on a post apocalyptic world. It was an interesting idea that really worked for me as a movie goer. I was all in on the sheer fact that John Krasinki was directing it, and the fact that it happened to work, that was an added bonus. The second installment I was a little cooler on. It is still a good movie, but it just didn't hold the same weight as the first one for me. I liked the idea of seeing the family move on now that the dad had died, but it was more of the same. I knew going in that the monsters attack based on sound, that they cannot see and that water is how you can somewhat defeat them. I was hoping for a little more from the deaf child, but I felt like they didn't push that narrative hard enough. That being said, I liked the whole idea of a town surviving in that world. I thought it was a cool concept. And, spoiler alert, to see how it all came crashing down was a devastating ending, but it was also well done and came across almost flawlessly.

Going into "Day One", I was both skeptical and excited. I was skeptical because we all know this story by now. If you have seen any of these movies, you know the jist. We get the nuance by now. We understand the rules. I was excited though because I wanted to see how this all started. I thought maybe we would get some kind of story telling us why and how the monsters came to Earth. And the fact that they were focusing this story solely in New York City, one of the loudest places on the planet, I was all in for them doing that. So, we got our popcorn and water, sat down in a very comfortable theater and sat back and watched.

We did not get a reason why the monsters attacked, but I was okay with that. I figure that if something like this happens, it will just happen. There doesn't need to be some bigger explanation as to why someone or something decides to attack. I assume with monsters like they have in these movies, they are just out for blood. And that is as acceptable a reason as I need. But, outside of that, this movie didn't really work for me. Lupita N'Yongo is fantastic. She is a damn fine actor and she more than pulled her weight here. But we already know how this all plays out. I wasn't as stoked on seeing the first day of this as I thought I would. When it happened in the movie I sat there and thought, okay, be quiet and get to water. I understand that the storytellers and actors have to do their job and pretend that they don't previously know all this stuff. But if you have seen any of these movies, just like I said above, we know the rules by now. I just didn't buy into the people and how they dealt with this horrific event like I did in the first movie. I already know what the monsters look like as well. And they look great in this movie, and we see them a ton, but the shock and awe wore off for me in the second installment. I didn't really buy any other actors' performances outside of NYong'o's. I wasn't as scared and jumpy as the previous movies made me.

I was talking to my wife and a friend of mine after seeing this movie and telling them that I think they have mined this idea for all it is worth. They can't really tell a new story at this point. They should have stopped after the first movie, but it was a surprise hit and the powers that be want all the money they can get. I get that, but what was once a really cool and different idea has become cliche and, for lack of a better word, boring. Monster movies shouldn't be boring. The monsters should make it exciting. And while I'm not fully on board with this movie, it is good, just not for me. The movie looks great, has one great performance and doesn't linger. But, I could figure out everything that was going to happen, and that is not something I'm always able to do.

Save yourself the time and just watch the first "Quiet Place". Or, if you're a completionist, watch "Day One" and only focus on Lupita N'yongo. She is the only good reason to see this movie. 

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.

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Ty Watches "The Bear" Season 3 Premiere

The third season of "The Bear" was just released. I got to it last night. My wife was working late, so I watched the first three episodes. Let’s discuss.

This show is wonderful. It is one of the better things that tv has to offer right now. I'm all in again, as I expected I would be. Today, I want to talk about the season three premiere. After my wife retired to her home office to take a meeting, I sent my kids to their rooms and I went to mine to watch the show. I wanted to fully focus on only the show. As I turned on the first episode, I was blown away at how good, cool and unique it was. The whole premiere is done like a flashback, or a montage. We get to see Carmy going through his entire cooking journey, which led him to where he is today. We get to see conversations he had with his family members. We get to see who he trained with when he started in the restaurant industry. We see him at his highest highs as a chef, and his lowest lows. We watched him work with Daniel Baluad, one of the world's most renowned chefs. We watch him work at a farm to table restaurant, which was literally built at a farm. We see him back with his asshole of a boss played by Joel McHale. We see the chef from the excellent episode of season two, "Spoons". We see her send him to Copenhagen. We see him leave for New York to start his journey. We get to watch flashbacks with his brother who passed. We see him miss the call about said brother passing away. All of this is in the premiere in a montage. And the montage is underscored by Trent Reznor. The music is at times both sweet and haunting. You get the sense of what he was going for with the score when we see what is happening scene to scene.

I was moved by a lot of this episode, but it was the farm to table stuff that really got me. I have always thought of that idea as hackey. It felt like true schtick to me. But watching the premiere of season 3 last night, I got a new perspective on why that way of cooking seems so important to some chefs. Getting to grow, then use your own ingredients, that has got to feel truly amazing when/if you become a chef. Carmy seemed at his most content while working there on the show. I really liked the way that was all filmed and acted and it turned me from a skeptic into a less cynical skeptic. Even the tough moments, the things that make this show sad from time to time, it was necessary to understand why Carmy is back home, and why he is so determined to run this restaurant and work together with Sydney. He wants something bigger and better, and he wants Sydney to have better things as a chef.

All in all, watching an episode with a runtime of about 40 minutes all through montage should not work. But, "The Bear" not only made it work, they made it work perfectly. You get a much better understanding of the main character in this show and why he is where he is as of now. I cannot recommend this show enough. I know a bunch of people are already watching, but if you are somehow not, remedy that right now and watch "The Bear". This show rules and is so unique. 

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 "Clipped"

I started to watch the hulu miniseries "Clipped" the other day. I have been looking forward to this since I listened to the podcast miniseries, "The Sterling Affairs", that it is based on. I followed along with the casting, the writers they hired and when it would be released. Then I went on vacation and forgot about it. That is until my cousin messaged me to ask if I had seen any of it yet. That jogged my memory and I fired it up the other day.

Now I truly cannot decide if I like it or not. This is a wild, widl story. For people who may not know, "Clipped" is centered around Donald Sterling, the former owner of the Clippers, and his relationship with his assistant V Stiviano. He said some horribly deplorable things about other races, Stiviano taped it all, and when she felt like she was being pushed out of his life, she released the tapes for all to hear. I have never listened to the tapes, but from what I have read about them, they are abhorrent. Sterling is a racist through and through. He also seems like a real crummy person to be around. He is an awful person who deserves all the hate he is rightfully getting right now. Ed O'Neil plays him in this show, and I have to give him credit because he is creepy as ever. Everytime he is onscreen portraying this monster my skin crawls. I cannot stand this person and O'Neil hammers that feeling home for me. Stiviano is played by Cleopatra Coleman, and she does a very good job of portraying someone that is just out to be famous. She doesn't seem to care how she gathers said fame, she just wants to be famous. Jacki Weaver plays Shelly Sterling, and she is delivering as she always does. The final main character of this story is Doc Rivers, played by Laurence Fishburne. He is, far and away, the best actor in this whole thing. He has totally embodied Rivers. He sounds, moves and reacts just like Rivers. It is uncanny.

So, with this main cast being a bunch of homerun hitters, and this story being juicy as hell, that should make for an easy 1-2 punch to make this whole show sing. But, it seems very different and odd at times while watching. I told my wife that I don't know if these people are really this shallow, or that was the direction the actors were given. At times the show seems very much like a melodramatic soap opera that "Talk Soup" would have made fun of in its heyday. Other times they try to be very serious, but it feels like they go over the top with it. When I was watching the second episode the other day it felt very much like a Spanish telenovela. I don't know if that is the vibe this show is going for, but that was the feeling I took away the other day. And the casting team did no favors to the actors they got to play the players. None of these actors resemble any former Clipper. During a basketball scene when they are playing the Warriors, the guy they got to play Steph Curry is the bottom of the bargain barrel version of Curry. But, with all these criticisms I may have, I find myself going back for more. It is like a trainwreck that I simply cannot look away from. I will laugh hysterically at something that I have to assume they were going for drama and not comedy. There are other times that I will exclaim, to no one in the room, "WHAT!!!!????!!!". I cringe consistently at some of the basketball stuff they do. There is a scene where they do the roll call song, and it made me squirm on my couch.

All in all, this show is inconsistent, and at times very dumb. But, I want more. I think because I was so interested and I devoured the podcast miniseries, I will finish this. But, I'd be wrong if I said it was actually good. It is a soap opera and that is how I will watch it going forward. 

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 "Iron Claw"

I had a free afternoon yesterday and I used it to watch "The Iron Claw". This is a movie I have wanted to see for a while now. I had tried to see it in the theaters with my dad, but the timing was never any good. Too many things going on with my kids. But, he and my mom had seen it recently, and my dad told me that I should watch. He wanted to get my thoughts on the movie. So I sat down and tuned in.

Right off the bat, this is a very, very well made movie. The wrestling looks real and looks amazing. The look of the movie transported me back to being a kid in the late 80's. The writing was never cliche or over the top. A lot of sports movies get cliche and easy to predict. This movie did not go that route and it is better for it. The direction is very well done. And the acting is top of the line. I enjoy Zach Efron as a person. He seems like a good enough dude and I appreciate that he is trying to get out from the Disney kid shadow. But I have not really considered him to be the best actor out there. Well, my mind has been changed. He absolutely nails it here. He does a fantastic job playing the oldest surviving brother of the family. And he completely transformed his body. He is shredded. The first image we see of him is him waking up and the dude is cut. Good for him. The other brothers in the movie do an excellent job as well. Jeremy Allen White gets to do what he does best. He is dramatic and doesn't have to say much. Harris Dickinson plays the brother who is kind of thrust into the limelight. He does great work with the whole trash talk thing that they do in professional wrestling. And the fourth brother, there are five in real life but they left one out which I was fine with, Stanley Simons, also nailed it. He was the outcast. He wanted to play music and not be a wrestler. He was kind of thrust into that world, and this actor's portrayal of that pain was done very well. And the mom and dad, Maura Tierney and Holt McCallany, play super serious, super intense enablers. They were both wonderful in their roles, especially McCallany. He was mean and bitter and tough and I grew to loathe him by the end of the movie. That is a sign of a well acted role. The back and forth between him and Efron was stunning to watch for many reasons. It was great acting, it was tough, I bought that this was a real relationship and I ended up feeling bad for both of them.

The first hour of this movie is a thrill. There are a bunch of wrestling things, both behind the scenes and in the ring that were an absolute blast to watch. Seeing the brothers interact and work off one another was cool. Seeing Kevin, Efron, find a person who loved him and see them grow and get married was great. Then, about an hour in, this movie turns very sad and it is relentless. This is where all the death and destruction of the family begins. I guess it is no surprise to people who know of the family that this movie is based on, but it felt like one tragedy after the next. Each kid, with Efron being the lone exception, dies in a tragic, awful way. And they show us. We see the bad things that happen. And it is brutal. Watching this movie, I got similar vibes to the first time I saw "Full Metal Jacket". Each movie starts all fast and moves quickly. But then it takes a dramatic turn and turns into something totally different. And both movies are really damn good.

I liked this movie. But, it is very tough to watch. You need to understand that going in. This movie is sad and it does not let up in the second half. But, I recommend watching. Hell, I'd say watch it for Efron's performance alone. He is wonderful, but so is 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 "Madame Web"

Yesterday I wrote about a movie I loved, "Godzilla Minus 1". Today I am writing about another movie. Unfortunately for me, this movie was not nearly as good. Hell, it wasn't even enjoyable. The movie is "Madam Web".

Now, before I get into it, I had heard all of the bad things about this movie. I read reviews. I saw videos of people mocking it. I saw the stars of the movie bemoaning it publicly. Still, I wanted to watch it. I have also heard a few podcasts talk about it, and while they acknowledged how bad of a movie it is, the majority of the pods seemed to think it was still enjoyable to watch. I started to get feelings that it may be akin to "The Room". That is one of the worst movies ever, but I think it is endlessly watchable. There is a difference. Some movies are just bad. Others are bad, but in a fun way. "Madam Web", at least for me, is just bad. Part of the push to watch this was my wife. She loves superhero stuff. I never really was into superheroes until I met her. She has definitely made me a fan of some of the MCU, namely X-Man stuff. So, she wanted to see the movie, I had heard that it could be fun bad and it is now streaming on Netflix. All of these things came together one night that was free, so we sat back and watched the movie.

From the start of it I just could not find anything I enjoyed about the movie. Dakota Johnson's performance felt so phoned in. It seemed like she was forced to do this movie. I asked my wife if the people who made the movie had some incriminating evidence, and if she didn't do the movie they would let it out. Her performance was boring and hollow. And she is the main character. Adam Scott was fine, but I'm a fan of his. He did the best with what he was given. I can say the same thing about Emma Roberts. I have not seen much of her stuff, but here, much like Adam Scott, she did the best she could with the lines she was given. Mike Epps, who I enjoy quite a bit, was barely in it, and they killed him off pretty early on. The three girls that Dakota Johnson takes under her wings are as cliche as they get. They have the "bad girl", the "nerdy girl" and the "lonely girl". And they all want to do their own thing until they can't anymore. And to cast Sydney Sweeney as the quiet dork is some of the worst casting in movie history. I hate to be the typical hetero male here, but she is far too attractive for that type of role. It is impossible to buy. The villain in this movie was horrendous. I feel like the majority of his lines are ADR. Paul Scheer even said as much in the live recording of "How Did This Get Made" when they talked about this movie. Anytime he has to give extra lines of dialogue, they cut from his face and shoot him from the back. And his voice was incredibly grating and awkward. The scene at the beginning, with Johnson's mom, was awful and proves that the actor was almost all ADR. That whole scene too was a total mess. They don't explain anything that is going on, some wild stuff happens, and then we are transported to modern day. This movie also felt like a COVID movie. A bunch of scenes were outdoors. When they were inside, there seemed to be no more than a few people on screen, with the exception being the baby shower. That scene is a mess all its own. It is truly bad. The action sequences were bad. We only get to see the superheroes in their costumes in two very short dream sequences. The writing is very bad. The actors seemed disengaged and bored with what they were doing. No one seemed to buy into the whole world they tried to create in this movie. There is no post credit scene, which I am fine with but my wife was mad about. She likes that type of thing in her superhero movies.

"Madam Web" is a big miss, and I didn't even find it fun bad. It was just bad bad. I do not recommend this movie. It is just a hair under two hours, but man did it feel a whole lot longer. Skip this and watch "Godzilla Minus 1" instead. 

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 "Godzilla Minus One"

Hello all. I'm back from a relaxing vacation and I have things to talk about. I see RD wrote some excellent pieces while I was gone. I'd like to give him a big thanks for that. One article struck me the most. It was his love for "Godzilla Minus 1".

He has been talking about this movie since it was in the theaters here in the US. He has always been a Godzilla fan too, so him gassing this movie up so much was not surprising. Me, I am pretty indifferent when it comes to Godzilla. I like some of the movies, haven't seen others and some are pretty bad. But, the way RD wrote about "Godzilla Minus 1" intrigued me. So, the night we got back my wife and I wanted to veg out and watch a movie. It was my turn to pick and I picked "Godzilla Minus 1". I also made sure to mute my phone and put it somewhere that wouldn't tempt me to look at it while the movie was playing. I'm glad I did that.

From the moment this movie started, I was all in. That first sequence, where they have the mechanics and the kamikaze pilot being attacked by the Godzilla in this movie was amazing. It was at night, but you could fully see Godzilla. We got a very good look at this monster that we would follow throughout the movie. But we also got some backstory on the people being attacked. The kamikaze pilot did not go through with his mission. He cowardly fled when he was supposed to complete his mission. The only mechanic that survived the attack was rightfully pissed at the pilot. They got on a ship to go home, the war was over, and the mechanic let the pilot know how mad he was with him. He gave him photos of the deceased families that they left behind. The pilot arrived at a ravaged home. His city was decimated by the war. The bombs took almost everything out. The pilot returned to no family. Only one person he knew was left, and she was unhappy with him. I think all of this made this movie all the more better.

Sure, there was a Godzilla monster that the humans had to fight, but we also got a story about people. We got to know the characters. This wasn't just random people fighting a monster. We got to see the aftermath. We saw PTSD. We saw the town get rebuilt, only to be destroyed by Godzilla again. That scene, when Godzilla comes on land and crushes the city, was marvelous. Godzilla had grown radioactive spikes at this point. Godzilla had fire breath. Godzilla was there to cause chaos, and chaos abounded. Buildings were reduced to rubble. Houses were gone. Many, many people lost their lives. And when we get to the climactic battle, the big boss match up, it was a thing of beauty. I kept saying to my wife how I couldn't believe that it wasn't real. They made the waves and the water and the monster all look so real. The whole fleet of Navy ships and the tugboats that accompany them was a thrill to watch. And Godzilla was so damn cool to look at while watching this movie. The way they made the spikes and the radiation come to the forefront of the monster was the best I'v ever seen in a Godzilla movie.

As I stated above, the story and the acting is wonderful. These actors made it seem like so much more than a monster movie. I rooted for and against people. The four main guys we get for the majority of the movie have some excellent moments between them and solo stuff that is awesome to see. And the fact that they made Godzilla simply a destructive force, doing what Godzilla does because it wants to, that is the best way to show this monster on screen.

RD was right. This is an incredible achievement. There is no other movie that has come out this year, maybe "Furiosa", that reaches the levels this movie gets to along the way. "Dune: Part 2" may be close as well. But, for the moment, "Godzilla Minus 1" is the best movie I have seen in 2024. I for sure recommend watching this movie. I have no notes and no real criticisms. "Godzilla Minus 1" is as close to a masterpiece as we have gotten in a long, long time. 

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 "Furiosa"

My wife and I saw "Furiosa" over the weekend. Let’s discuss.

This was a movie I was going to the theater to see no matter what. I have been looking forward to it since it was announced. Look, "Fury Road" may be the greatest action movie ever made. I think it is. It is full throttle, non stop action, and that is what I love about it. And it is not a "Fast and Furious" movie. Those have their place, but the whole "Mad Max" series has created a sci-fi world that absolutely fascinates me. It is the type of dystopic future movie that I am inclined to watch over and over again. And I have. I've seen the other "Mad Max" movies multiple times, with "Fury Road" leading the way, with at least a dozen viewings. So, giving me the backstory of Furiosa, Charlize Theron's character in "Fury Road", is all I want in a summer action blockbuster. We went out the day after it opened, we were in a relatively empty theater, and we sat back and watched.

My wife was not into the movie. These movies aren't for her. She likes her action movies to be superhero driven. But, I appreciate her wanting to go out and watch a movie series with me that I adore.

I loved this movie. Now, it is not on "Fury Road" level. That is a masterpiece. If "Furiosa" got to the level of "Fury Road", I don't think I'd have to watch any other action movie ever. But "Furiosa" has a place in my heart. I knew going in that this movie was going to be more of a story. George Miller told us that much during his interviews. And he and his crew told a great story. I loved getting to see where Furiosa came from and how she ended up where she did. Seeing her home, The Green Place, at its height, was pretty cool. It was also brutal because those of us that have seen "Fury Road" know the demise of The Green Place. And even in a movie that is more of a slow burn, we get a pretty dope chase scene right after Furiosa is captured. And the action sequences continue throughout the movie. There is a non-stop 15 minute action scene on a war rig that is one of the best things I've ever watched on any medium. It is a damn work of art. I also liked that we got to see Immortan Joe before he takes everything over. He is still evil as hell. We get to see The Bullet Farm and Gas Town before it all gets blown to hell. We see how some alliances started, and how some broke apart. We get to see early versions of the War Boys. We see the wasteland that has been created in this world. And it is bleak.

The performances in this movie are incredible. They bring back some of the people from the original movies. The actor who played Immortan Joe originally has since passed away, but his replacement did a damn fine job. The mothers in The Green Place are protective and totally badass. The first driver of the war rig may be one of the few people I have rooted for in this series. And then we have Anya Taylor Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Hemsworth is endlessly watchable as the main villain. He has no redeeming qualities. He is evil through and through. And I couldn't get enough of his work here. He really went for it and he definitely nailed it. I want to see him do more roles like this because he was truly foul and truly amazing here. Anya Taylor Joy did more than just justice to Theron's work. Joy embodied Furiosa. I read that she had to do a bunch of acting with only her eyes, she does not have a bunch of lines in the movie, and she hit a damn homerun with her eye acting. I know her story, yet I was endlessly surprised by what I was seeing. The final scene between her and Hemsworth is one of the best things I've ever watched. Joy was magnificent.

I loved "Furiosa". While speaking with a family member who also saw the movie on opening weekend, he said that, while not on the level of "Fury Road", he gave it an 11/10, he gave "Furiosa" an 8/10. I think that is fair. I'd probably go 8.5 or 9/10, but that is me. "Furiosa" is an achievement. I recommend this movie wholeheartedly. It will be on my best of 2024 list. I can already tell. Go see it now. I plan on going a few more times to see it in the theaters. Maybe I'll see you there. 

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 "Mad Max: Fury Road" With His Son

Last weekend my son and I went to his uncle's house to watch a movie. The movie we decided upon was "Mad Max: Fury Road". Let’s discuss.

I love this movie. I have written about it. I am going to see "Furiosa" on Saturday. So is my son's uncle. We wanted to watch "Fury Road" before we saw "Furiosa", so it was a win-win for the two of us. It is no secret how much I adore "Fury Road", but I had no idea how my son would react watching this movie. He is all sports all the time. That is the only thing he truly cares about in the world at this moment. He plays and watches strictly sports. So him seeing "Fury Road" was a true toss up.

When the movie started he got quiet. That is not ordinary for my kid. He is loud. He wants to talk all the time. He is constantly asking questions. He just loves to chit chat. He would make a comment here and there, like saying how thirsty the movie was making him, but for the duration, he was silent as a street mouse. I would ask occasionally what he thought. He would shake his head and say that it is a good movie. I was beaming with pride. The action kept coming, that is what this movie does best, and I think that helped keep his attention. And when the movie would slow down, to tell more of the story, he was enrapt in what the actors were saying.

When the movie ended I had an inkling of what he would say, but I still had to ask. He told all of us there watching that he really enjoyed the movie. We were all stoked. I asked him what he liked best, and he told me when Immortan Joe got his face ripped off. He also said Immortan Joe's name correctly, which means he was really paying attention. When I asked him to elaborate more on what he liked, he was back to his normal self, talking a mile a minute. He told us that the movie looked like it was filmed on a different planet. He loved the action sequences. He liked Tom Hardy's performance as Max. He asked me a bunch if Charlize Theron was reprising her role as Furiosa. When I told him no, he said, "I hope this new person does a good job". To me, that comment means he is now invested in this world. He even liked how the movie ended. He was pleased with how they wrapped everything up. It was so cool to watch this movie through his eyes.

I have seen this movie so many times, well over a dozen by now. But watching my son watch the movie, hearing what he had to say afterward and seeing that he enjoyed it. it was like I was seeing it for the first time all over again. He has been bringing it up to me since Saturday. He has told his grandparents how much he liked it. My wife has had to hear his review a few times. And each time he brings up the movie, a big smile comes across my face.

You never know what your kid is going to like. You try to show them things that you like, but that doesn't always work. He has no interest in "The Sandlot", which bums me out. But, he is now a "Fury Road" fan, and that is pretty damn amazing. I will be curious to see if he wants to see, or would even like "Furiosa". Since "Fury Road" was such a hit, his uncle and I decided we are going to show him more movies we both enjoyed when we were younger. I'm sure they'll be hits and misses, but we hit a homerun with "Fury Road", and that makes me smile. 

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 Contestant"

Last night I finished the new Hulu documentary "The Contestant". I clocked this movie solely based on a picture. I was scrolling through Hulu one day and saw this picture of a gentleman sitting down with wild hair and a bushy goatee. It was at that moment that I thought, what is this, and I need to find out asap. I did a little research and found out it was a doc about the first "reality show". I watched one trailer and that was all I needed to watch. I started it the other day, but my son got home from school, and he was not interested. That is why it took me two days to finish.

I really liked what I saw. This is an eye opening doc. There are so many things in here that made me gasp and audibly say things to no one besides my dog. I could not believe what I was seeing. The movie is about a young actor in Japan, nicknamed Nasubi. That is the Japanese word for eggplant. He is called this because he has a very long face. He was bullied as a child because of this, but found out that if he made people laugh, he would not get picked on. After growing up and not enjoying the day to day office life, he decided to become an actor and comedian. He was amongst a group of other no known actors to participate in a new show. His ticket was picked and he was off to do a show, of which he had no idea what it was going to be. He is taken to a room, stripped of all of his clothes, has the essential things to survive, and is told that he can only leave the room when he earns 1,000,000 yen by mailing in postcards from popular magazines. This all takes place in the late 90's. So, Nasubi knows he is being filmed, but doesn't think it is ever going to see the light of day. He is also totally alone and the only way to get food, clothes and whatever else he may need, is to play these mail in postcard games from magazines.

The doc starts off goofy and funny, but it quickly turns dark, and kind of sad. You can see the struggles Nasubi is going through. You can see him starving. At one point, after he eats all of his rice, he is left to eat dog food. I was so sad for him at that point. Seeing him slowly lose his mind was hard to watch. He didn't deserve this, but he was there everyday, everything being filmed and watched and he kept plugging away at these postcards. The producers and creators of this show kept pushing. People kept tuning in, so they just kept it going. They moved him and gave him new tasks. He had to figure things out all over again. And he did. And he was eventually done with this, but it still felt like bullying, the way he was treated afterward. He became a caricature. I felt really bad for him because you could tell he was still really struggling with everyday life. He eventually used his newfound fame to help others. He did what he could for the horrific tsunamis and earthquakes in his hometown. He climbed Mt Everest to make money for another earthquake in Delphi. He did things to help others. Instead of trying to take his fame and become an actor or comedian known worldwide, he did things to make sure others were taken care of. Nasubi is a good dude who did not deserve to go through the horrific 15 months he did for content. I am so glad he came out of the other end a better person.

I recommend this doc wholeheartedly. It is a glimpse inside the awful world of "reality tv", and how it kind of got its start. And Nasubi is so much better than the people who used him for 15 months. "The Contestant" is a very good doc and you should watch it 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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Ty Watches the "Megalopolis" Trailer

RD texted me last night and asked if I had watched the trailer for "Megalopolis" yet. I had not seen it yet. I had actually forgotten about this movie. I feel like it has been shelved for a while, and I thought it may not ever be released. But RD saw the trailer, and the fact that he texted me about it, meant I had to watch this trailer as soon as I could. I had a bunch of stuff going on yesterday, but after my kids went to bed, I went to Google and checked this trailer out.

I cannot wait to give this movie all of my money. The few trailers that I watch, when they get me hyped up, that is a sign of a movie I will remember, be it good or bad. Before checking out the trailer, I asked RD what he thought. He told me that this movie was either going to be awesome, or be so bad that it is awesome. He compared it to a movie we both talk about a lot, "Southland Tales". Those that know that movie get the comparison. "Southland Tales" is a movie that I know is not well made. There are far too many stories going on, and they gave that director too much money and he went wild. But, it is a movie that I think about often. I have gone back and watched it multiple times. This is a movie close to three hours by the way. I have invested a ton of time into a movie that, as I said, I know is bad, but it is often on my mind. If "Megalopolis" gives me this, it will be more than worth the price of admission.

The trailer I watched was barely less than two minutes, but it has so much packed in it. Adam Driver is the star of the movie, and forgiving his wild hair do, look it up, he usually does a pretty damn good job in every movie he decides to do. This looks no different. I get excited when I see him in a movie, and for him to do something this odd and different, I'm there. I also saw that Shia LaBeouf is in this movie, and he has seemingly no eyebrows for some reason. LaBeouf has his personal issues, he needs real therapy, he has problems he needs to deal with, but in this trailer he is going for it. He looks like the anti-hero of this movie, and when LaBeouf goes for it, and is given proper direction, he does good work. Outside of those two people, I could not tell you who else is in this movie. I know there are a bunch of people, and they all seem to be doing their best, but their names escape me right now.

It also needs to be said, Francis Ford Coppola directs this movie. He is one of the greatest directors to ever sit behind a camera. He is a legend. His work speaks for itself. He has earned the right to make a movie this big and weird and interesting. I don't know what he last directed, but he appears to let it all hang out in the trailer for "Megalopolis".

I am being honest when I say this is one of the wilder trailers I've ever watched. "Megalopolis" starts with some people in a limo, a shot of the Statue of Liberty with fire in the background, other statues removing themselves, as if they have gained sentience, and sitting down. Then, as if you think the world may be ending, it shows people in what looks like an underground society living it up. And there are people who look worse off, trying to overthrow these other people. Oh, and Laurence Fishburne, I remembered another actor from the movie, giving us a voiceover that is very coy. This all takes place within the first 30 seconds of the trailer. It only gets crazier from there.

Go watch this trailer. Prepare yourself so you can go see it on opening day like I am planning on doing. I cannot wait to watch this movie and then have many conversations about it afterward. I am excited about this craziness. And either way, be it good or bad, we all win. 

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 "Deerskin"

Yesterday I watched a movie that a buddy of mine has been suggesting to me for awhile. The movie is called "Le Daim", or in English, "Deerskin". This is one of many movies made by French director, Quentin Dupieux. He has directed a bunch of other movies, but the only other Dupieux movie I have watched is "Rubber".

For those that don't know, Dupieux likes to make weird movies. He is an abstract film maker. "Rubber" was about a sentient tire that exacts revenge on the human race. It is absurd and funny and wild and I enjoyed my viewing experience. Once I let go and just accepted the world he had created, I bought into "Rubber". "Deerskin" is not like "Rubber". Although it has a wild premise, it is much more of a slow burn. I want to move ahead spoiler free, so I will give a broad retelling of the premise of "Deerskin".

A man goes to buy an authentic deerskin jacket from a guy he meets online. He uses every last penny he has to get this jacket. The man gives it to him and also gives him a camcorder. The man becomes obsessed with the jacket, thinking it is the best jacket in the world. He is always mentioning his "sick style" in reference to his new look. He doesn't know what to do with the camcorder, so he makes up a fake story that he is a filmmaker. He entrusts the help of a local bartender, who also happens to be a film editor and they decide they are going to make a movie together. The idea for this movie is to convince everyone else to give up their coats so this man can be the only one wearing a coat in the world. They will do this by any means necessary. Along the way the man gets himself a full deerskin outfit. That is about as vague as I can get with a description.

Now I get it, this sounds odd. This sounds like some nonsense. But, much like "Rubber", once I let myself get engaged with the world they created, I was all in. This movie goes in some interesting directions, and I couldn't take my eyes off screen. The two main actors really give it their all in this movie, and I totally buy their performances. Dupieux created another bizarre world, and I was anxious to see where he took everything. While it wasn't necessarily the ending I wanted, I understand why he closed the movie out the way he did.

I was pleased with my viewing experience of  "Deerskin". The slow burn was effective. The performances were good. The story was interesting and weird. And it was something unexpected, which I have come to expect with Dupieux's work. The movie is also 77 minutes long, which is wonderful for such an odd story. I recommend this movie if you are into avant garde, weird stories. This is different. This is wild. This is not the norm. But man was it a solid, mind bending watch. I feel like I want to go back and watch it again to see if there was some stuff that I missed. This also makes me want to watch more of Dupieux's movies, which I most certainly will do. But, for me, "Deerskin" was successful. Go check it out. 

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 2024 NFL Draft

Round 1 of the NFL draft happened last night, and I have thoughts.

As you may remember, I did my preview on Wednesday with my five players I liked, five I was down on and two sleepers. Most of the ten players I mentioned on Wednesday were picked last night. The only ones who weren't were Cooper DeJean and my two Michigan "sleepers", Mike Sainristril and Junior Colson. So, of the twelve players I mentioned nine were picked in round 1. That is wild to me.

As for the draft, it was pretty wild, after the first five picks. We all knew that Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye were going to go 1, 2 and 3. I also feel like these three ended up with the best team's to fit their style of play. I feel as if these three dudes are happy and will have varying levels of success, but I think all will be relatively successful. Then we had the best prospect, Marvin Harrison Jr going to the Cardinals. This is perfect all around. MHJ is the instant number 1 wideout, Kyler Murray has a reliable target and the Cardinals have a cornerstone to build around. Then, as Jim Harbaugh is want to do, he took a big offensive tackle to shore up the o line. Then it got a little odd. Malik Nabers was the second wideout off the board to the Giants. I thought it would be Rome Odunze, but I was wrong. Then the Titans reached hard for JC Latham. No disrespect, but there are better o lineman available today to draft than Latham. He should be a fine starter, but not a world beater.

Then the Falcons went nuts and took Michael Penix Jr at 8th overall. I didn't believe my son when he told me the Falcons took Penix Jr. I think he is a very good QB, and I like him and want him to succeed, but why would the Falcons take him, and take him that high? They signed Kirk Cousins this offseason. They have a bunch of young talent that they haven't figured out how to use yet. They need help everywhere on defense. They hired a defensive minded coach. And they took a project QB who is already 24. This was stunning to me. I don't get it at all. These things are why I could never be a GM in the pros. This is a true head scratcher. This is akin to the Bears traded up from 3 to 2 a few years back to draft Mitch Trubisky. I was floored by this pick.

To wash the bad Trubisky taste out of their mouths, the Bears jumped up and took Rome Odunze to pair with Williams and Keenan Allen. It scares me what the Bears did last night being a Packers fan. They got two excellent players in the first nine picks last night. They were the opposite of the Falcons. They made smart picks that help their team. Then RD's Vikings took Michigan's JJ McCarthy. I have said that I have doubts about McCarthy as a pro, but this was his ideal place to be picked. He won't be under the microscope, he has Justin Jefferson to throw the ball too, has a great o line in front of him and he is going into a situation extremely suitable for a rookie QB who may be starting by mid season. It was chalk with the next pick, the Jets taking Olu Fashanu, they need line help.

And then the Broncos reached almost as hard as the Falcons and took Bo Nix. I do not like this pick one bit. Sean Payton is old school, Bo Nix seems soft, he is older than Penix Jr and not nearly as good. I'd be upset if I were a Broncos fan this morning.

Bowers to the Raiders is nothing special to me. They already have a tight end, but Bowers is younger. Then the Saints addressed issues with the o line and took Tailese Fuaga. Then it was three straight defensive picks, Laiatu Lati to the Colts, which helps their pass rush. Then Byron Murphy to the Seahawks and their defensive minded new head coach Mike McDonald. And Dallas Turner to the Vikings. That pick is more impactful to me than JJ McCarthy. Dallas Turner should help make a very bad defense a bit better. The Bengals got one of my favorite players in Amarius Mims. I don't know how Bengals fans feel about this pick, but I love it for them. He will be an all pro in a few years. The Rams took Jared Verse to help and replace Aaron Donald's retirement. They need defense, they need d lineman and they took one of the better ones in the draft. The Steelers took o lineman Troy Fantanu, who will start day one and is a good blocker. Chop Robinson went to the Dolphins next, and hopefully he can make up for some of the guys who left in free agency. The Eagles got the best defensive back in the draft in Quinyon Mitchell. This was the latest example of the Eagles lucking into a star talent in the draft. Brian Thomas Jr is going to the Jags to add depth in the wideout room. Terrion Arnold fits in perfectly in Detroit. The Packers took a big o lineman in Jordan Morgan, which I am stoked about. The Bucs took Graham Barton next, and he will be one of the best centers in the NFL in two years. The Cardinals, after taking MHJ at 4, got edge rusher Darius Robinson from Missouri. This kid is talented and will rack up tackles on the d line. The Chiefs took a big chance, which I think will pay off, drafting Xavier Worthy in round 1. He is fast as lightning, will get a chance from day one, and will be learning from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. This is a homerun pick. And the final four picks were relatively chalk. The Cowboys got o line depth with Tyler Guyton. The Ravens got more secondary help with Nate Wiggins. The 49ers took Ricky Pearsall, who I was very unaware of, at 31. And the first round ended with the Panther getting Bryce Young an outside threat in Xavier Legette. He is big and fast.

Wrapping this up, I thought, for a draft, that this was kind of wild. It started relatively normal, but then the Falcons decided they wanted to be the talk of the sporting news this morning. And it only got nuttier from there. I'll be watching to see where the rest of the Michigan guys I like go, and where some other players I've watched for four year end up playing. The draft is always an exciting time for fans, and this year has upped the ante. Hopefully we get some more crazy stuff happening. Time will tell. 

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 "Fallout"

Recently my wife and I started to watch "Fallout" due to RD giving it some rave reviews. I didn't know much about the show, but I did hear Johnny Pemberton talk about it on a recent episode of the podcast "Doughboys". I have been a Johnny Pemberton fan ever since I first saw him on "Superstore". He was hilarious on that show, and that gave me the push to watch his standup and his other movie and tv appearances. I was an instant fan. Then, after listening to "Doughboys", RD and I were recording a podcast of our own, and he kept asking me if I had seen "Fallout", or if I was going to check it out. I mentioned the Johnny Pemberton stuff, and with the push from RD, that was all I needed to check it out. I told my wife I was going to start it, but she asked me to wait. She wanted to watch it as well. It was a wonderful surprise.

So, over the weekend, we started, and three episodes in, I'm all in. This is a good show. It is gory. It is violent. It is profane. It is bleak. It is hilarious. And it is doing some cool, interesting things for a newish tv show. I have never played the videogame that it is based on. I don't think RD has either. I know my wife hasn't either. But, I don't think you need to to watch this show. The characters look like what I have looked up on the internet from the game, but that is where it seems to end. This is a whole story outside the game from what I gather. This is new and unique to the show. And it works. I have been so excited to watch with each passing night. I'm doing a thing where I don't want to binge watch shows. That means one show a night. It makes for a much more fun experience watching a show. It reminds me of how I used to watch tv as a kid. It also helps build suspense. I am so ready to focus on the episode when we turn it on. I am fully locked in on what is happening on the screen. No phone, no Nintendo Switch. It is just me, my wife and "Fallout". I love it that way.

Outside Pemberton, who plays an army brat, the cast is pretty great. Ella Purnell is the lead. She is really awesome as a vault dweller. Her naivate is great to watch on screen. Kyle MacLachian plays her dad, and he has only been in the first episode so far, but it is clear there is more of him to come. Moises Arias plays her brother, and while he seems meek, his arc looks like it is going to take a cool turn. Leslie Uggams and Zach Cherry are on the vault board, and they are in over their heads. Aaron Moten plays Maximus, another Army brat, who is out doing his own thing in this wild post apocalyptic world.

And then we have Walton Goggins.

Walton Goggins may be the coolest person on Earth. He is so, so wonderful here as "The Ghoul". I have a whole piece coming up strictly dedicated to his acting career. That is for another day. But in "Fallout", Goggins continues to be so incredible. He makes a show instantly watchable when he is on screen. He is the absolute best.

Outside the acting, the scenery is rad. The world they created is dark and bleak and arid. It is a good look at a crazy possible outcome of a bomb. And even in the dark times the show has created, there is still humor peppered in and out of each episode. I find myself laughing a few times each episode.

I'm very glad this show is in my life now. I highly recommend people watch it if you have Prime. "Fallout" is very, very well made. Check it out. 

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.

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Ty Watches "Civil War"

I went out and saw "Civil War" in the theaters yesterday. I was told by RD, my mom and dad that I should see the movie. I watched a few previews, read one spoiler free review and made up my mind, although it was pretty made up with the recommendations from family members. I went to a 1:30 show and it was about half full. This movie has been out for two weeks now and people are still going to see it.

This movie is an important one. People need to see this movie. This should be required viewing for all Americans. I think this may be the most important movie of the decade. This is an unflinching look at what America could become if we continue to go down the path of dictatorship. This movie is brutal. This movie is unrelenting. This is not a happy movie. There is not a happy ending. There are no heroes. I was exhausted after watching the movie. I am still thinking about stuff I saw and it has been almost 24 hours since seeing it.

Again I say, this should be required viewing. My fear though, the people who need to see this movie, who may be persuaded by this movie, will either hate it or not see it. I looked around at the crowd yesterday and they looked like me. I look like a liberal because I am a liberal. I vote democrat. I always have and always will. That was the vibe I got from the crowd. And that is great. It is clear that we are seeing this movie because it is vital for us to try and do anything we can to stop this from happening. But we already have that view on the world. I want things to get better. I want people to make decisions based on facts and science. I want the world to be a loving and accepting place. But the people that may be avoiding this movie, may be against this movie, they won't go see it or they won't open their minds if they see it. They have made their minds up. That is scary.

The scariest thing about this movie is that it could very well happen at any moment. And the militant and fascist racists out there, all they need is a reason to do the horrible things they want to do. That is all on screen. Jesse Plemons' character is terrifying. Nick Offerman's portrayal of a dictator turned president is a real possibility. The journalists, played by Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny and Stephen McKinley Henderson are all out for their own good. They want the picture and the story that will make them famous. By the way, Kirsten Dunst is magnetic in this movie. She does an amazing job portraying someone just doing their job and trying to make it in the crazy world in "Civil War". She deserves awards recognition. But again, she is out to get the best photograph. She wants to be remembered for her work. As I said up top, there are no good people in the movie and I think that is the whole point.

I believe this movie was put out to show how truly, truly awful things could get if we don't make changes. I don't want to have to live in a world where we ration for water or have to stay in internment camps or try and act like something awful isn't going on in the world. I want to live happily and free. Be in the land of the free and home of the brave. That doesn't seem possible in Garland's "Civil War". Things can change. Things can get better. But we have to recognize and not accept the dictators and militants in the current world. I don't want to live inside a Civil War.

This is a very important piece of content that needs to become required viewing. Go see this movie ASAP. 

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.

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