Ty Watches "Sign Stealer"

I was on the fence about watching the new Netflix doc, "Sign Stealer". I am, as you all know, a super fan of Michigan football. They're the only sports team that I truly love. I care deeply about the outcome of each game. It is a problem, I've been working on it for a long time and have gotten better, but I still care. Some would say too much. So, the idea of a doc that focuses on Michigan's "scandal" from their title winning season seemed like a bad idea. But I read some reviews of it from people that I like, and they said it wasn't all that bad. I am also a big fan of the whole "Untold" series that Netflix does. It is a nice mix of true crime and sports. I like to watch stories about both those things. So, probably against my better wishes, I tuned in to "Sign Stealer" yesterday.

As I sat down to watch I tried to have an open mind. I wanted to hear everyone's side of the story. I wanted to hear from Connor Stalions himself. This is the first time he has spoken about the whole thing since the story broke. But, it was hard for me to tamp down my love for Michigan football while I watched. Look, the whole idea of "Untold" on Netflix is to reveal hard hitting, real life journalistic stuff. The next "Untold" I'm going to watch is about the murder of Steve McNair. I've also seen them take on the Manti Teo catfishing incident, a crime boss buying his son a hockey team, these are real criminal acts.

The whole thing behind "Sign Stealer" is about a low level employee deciphering signals from other teams, a custom that most high level division 1 football teams do. This is not a crime. This is not even fully illegal. It is a gray area, but still, not illegal. The only illegal thing being done, according to the dumbass NCAA bylaws, is advanced in person scouting. What the hell does that even mean? Can low level coaches go to college football games just as a fan? Can they invite friends and family? Can they just be regular fans? I guess not, according to this one rule. I agree that what Stalions did was shady, but he was not the reason that Michigan got better at football. It was nice to see Mike Barrett talk about this on the record. He was there. He put in the work. He made himself a better player and a better leader. So to hear his side of the story was enlightening. Then you have this new person in this that I truly hate, Brohio, talking about how "shady" and "upsetting" this whole situation became for him as a fan and a message board moron. The fact that he calls himself that, that he would lend his "intelligence" on this matter and expect people to take him seriously is the funniest thing to come from this doc. In the end, what I read prior to watching the doc said that if you're a hater or a fan, there is nothing in this that will change your mind. Fans of other schools are going to claim that this lays it all out there and the sanctions should be coming. Michigan fans are going to say it is no big deal, because it is no big deal. For Netflix and "Untold" to take this low level issue and make it akin to true crime docs was unnecessary. But, they need to strike while the iron is hot on this topic, before it fizzles into nothing.

What we watched in "Sign Stealer" will not change the outcome of last season, and the last three years of Michigan football. They are the reigning champs. They've beaten the university of Ohio State fair and square three years in a row. Teams had a chance to beat Michigan after Stalions was let go, and they still couldn't do it. Michigan will keep their trophy, keep their titles and keep all their wins over the past three years. I guess you can watch this doc if you want, but there is nothing in here that will change your mind either way. Go Blue. 

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 "Jackpot"

It was my pick for date night movie last weekend, and since Paul Feig was recently on "CBB", I decided to go with his new movie, "Jackpot!". He made it sound good on the podcast, the cast sounded great and Feig tends to make pretty funny movies. Add on the fact that it was deemed an action comedy, that was all I had to hear. As we sat down post dinner, I was kind of excited for what we were about to see. I was wrong.

I hate to say it, but this was a bad movie. There was nothing that was even remotely redeeming for me as a viewer. The premise is really good too, which makes it an even bigger bummer that I did not like this movie. "Jackpot!" takes place in the near future, 2030, and everyone who lives in LA, if they choose, is eligible to win a big lottery if they're name gets picked. The winner has 24 hours where, if someone can kill them without using a gun, they get the prize. See, the premise is pretty solid. It definitely has legs. And, casting Awkwafina as the main character and winner, should've been a homerun. Putting John Cena in there as her helper and protector had a chance to work. And Simu Liu playing an over the top bad guy was a nice change of pace for him. I thoroughly enjoy these three actors, I like their other projects, they make me laugh and Awkwafina and Simu Liu have really good chemistry. But, it simply didn't work. My wife said it best when she told me, "this movie doesn't know what it wants to be". She was totally right. At moments it was pure action. Then they'd do something they thought was dramatic and somber. But that would be buttoned by a joke, that didn't work ever. This movie did this for the whole 100 minutes. It would jump from genre to genre to genre, I guess thinking that the audience wouldn't notice. But my wife and I noticed, and I'm sure a bunch of other people noticed. Awkwafina is underused. She excels when she can kind of go off in a movie or show. She was way too understated in this role. John Cena plays the same character in every movie it seems now. He's good at playing a big goofball, but it can be tiresome and it didn't mesh well here. When he would get into fights in this movie I would just say to myself, well he is going to kick their ass. There was no arc for him. He stayed the same person the whole time. I knew he was going to be fine in the end. There were zero moments, for me, when I thought he was in true danger. As for Liu, he was almost too over the top. He was cliche in his role. He became a 90's action movie villain far too much. And I couldn't buy him as a bad guy. Liu is too nice a dude in real life for me to ever buy him as a villain. He is Shag Chi and Ken to me. He is a handsome dude that can kick butt. He isn't some kind of monster that they tried to portray him as here.

I couldn't find anything I liked in this movie. This should have worked for me, being a fan of everyone involved, but it didn't. Sometimes people that you're a fan of will make bad stuff. It is a fact. "Jackpot!" is that for me. Feig, Awkwafina, Cena and Liu missed the mark here. I do not recommend this movie. It is not good. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "VelociPastor"

I put some movie reviews on the back burner the past couple weeks due to my football previews. Now I'm back to resolve this issue. The first movie I want to talk about is "Velocipastor". Let’s do this.

Now, the title should tell you all you need to know about this movie. This is a movie that was made around 2017, and the people involved knew exactly what they were doing. They had an idea, they ran with it, they made it cheap and they had fun. I read that this movie was based on a trailer, which makes sense. The synopsis of the movie is, as much as I remember, as follows, a pastor gets the power of a prehistoric animal and he, with the help of a sex worker, decides to rid the world of evil. That synopsis alone was more than enough for me to watch. A few friends of my wife and I told us that they either saw it and loved it, or wanted to see it. The movie is a little under 90 minutes, which is even better.

The movie starts with the pastor waving to his parents, who then explode in a car fire. We don't see the parents, but we see some writing on the screen that says, "car is on fire". What a start. From there it only gets wilder. The pastor goes away to China, on the advice of his mentor, and this is where he collects the dino tooth that gives him his power. He is hiking, some ninjas take out a lady running from them, and as she is dying she gives the pastor the tooth. He returns to America, and his church, after this craziness. Meanwhile, the sex worker is having a tough go of it with her employer. He is loud and mean and just not a good dude at all. Later, the pastor goes out to the woods because he hears a noise. Then he starts to morph into the velociraptor, taking out the people that are messing with the sex worker. The sex worker takes the pastor to her place to let him sleep off the night. By the way, the "violence" that occurs is hilarious. It is nonsensical and I was laughing my ass off at the "action". The sex worker tells the pastor what he did, he doesn't believe her, but then the sex worker's boss comes into confession, confessing to many crimes, including being the person to start the car fire that took his parents. The pastor's arm then morphs into the dino arm and he takes care of the bad boss. He then returns to the sex worker's house and says that he wants to work with her. While they are ridding their neighborhood of crime, the sex worker and pastor become close. But, the pastor's mentor is not happy with what he is seeing. He takes the pastor to see a witch doctor. But, the mentor tells us a story about his past. This was nuts. This was the funniest part in the whole movie to me. To shift focus, to tell this story and to put it in a war, chef's kiss. We return to the witch doctor's place, and while they are doing their work on the pastor, he becomes hungry. He starts to morph and while it's happening, he rips his mentor's eye out. This takes us on another excursion to the bad guys in the movie, a cabal of ninjas who sell drugs to kids. The pastor's mentor is not happy with what he is seeing, but he gets taken out by the bad guys. This is all leading to a bug showdown between the pastor, the sex worker and the bad guy ninjas. The fight starts great, with one of the main bad guy ninjas revealing that he is the pastor's brother. We get some flashback shots we've already seen, but this time the brother is in the background, going unnoticed. Another great idea by the movie makers here. There's a big fight, the pastor takes out his brother, but the sex worker gets taken out as well. This is when the pastor morphs back into his dino form, and he tries to take out the main bad guy ninja. He gets paralyzed by the bad guy ninja, or so we think. But, his injury was just a ruse. He still has dino arms and he gets rid of the main bad guy ninja. We then find out that, not only is the sex worker okay, but now she is pregnant. The movie ends with the pastor and the sex worker deciding they are going to continue their work, as a couple.

Look, this is by no means a good movie, but it wasn't made as a good movie. Like I said, the creators of this knew exactly what they wanted to do, how to make the movie, and they nailed it. I highly recommend everyone watch this. It is so worth the minimal time it takes, and it is funny as hell. Watch "Velocipastor". You will not regret it at all. What a dynamite 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 USA vs Serbia Men's Olympic Basketball

I was able to catch one hell of an ending in the men's Olympic semifinal yesterday between Serbia and the US. I was doing other things when the game started, but I would check my phone periodically, looking for the score. Serbia was in total control of that game, from what I saw. through the first three quarters. I saw that Serbia was leading by 16 at one point, and they took an 11 point lead into halftime. I wasn't too nervous because I figured the US would turn it on in the third quarter and roll to an easy victory. I forgot to check the score for a good 10-15 minutes, and boy was I stunned when I saw Serbia had a 13 point lead going into the fourth quarter. I figured the US was cooked and they would be playing for bronze. I finished the recording I had with RD, and when signing off he told me that the US cut the lead to five. This was when I decided I had to turn it on. I told my son to come watch the game with me. He likes the Olympics and he loves basketball, so he was more than happy to watch the end of the game with me.

When we turned it on the lead was four in favor of Serbia 76-72. But it looked like the US had turned the lightswitch on on both ends of the floor. I saw Embiid get a paint touch, on soft ass Nikola Jokic, and he made an easy turnaround jumper to cut it to two. The US then suffocated Serbia, got a rebound and LeBron drove to the rim with no issues. Not one Serbian player tried to step in front of him. He cruised to the hoop to tie it up. Serbia got a couple free throws, but then it was Steph time. He came off a screen, had as wide open a look as he may ever get and he rimmed in a three. The US didn't look back. Serbia had a few chances to tie it, but the US tightened up and hit some clutch jumpers and clutch free throws. The US won 95-91 and will face France in the Gold medal game tomorrow afternoon.

I will admit that I was frustrated watching the end of the game. I'm a child of the 90's, I think Jordan is the GOAT and I am of the firm belief that the 92 Dream Team is the best assembly of basketball talent the world has ever seen. I did lean over to my son and say, "the Dream Team would've been up by 30 at this point". I was heated, I like this collection of current players and I expected a total blowout. That is not the case anymore. The talent has evened way more than back in 92. I need to check myself and calm down when making big statements like that. The US did what they had to do and they won. Steph was absolutely incredible on the offensive end. I think he ended up with 36 points. LeBron was the leader he has been throughout his entire career. He ended with 16 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. He is the only Olympian to record multiple triple doubles in Olympics play. He is truly astonishing to watch play the game of basketball. Embiid finally showed up and showed out. He is so much better at basketball than Nikola Jokic, and he showed as much yesterday. I don't care what the Zach Lowe's and stats nerds say, based on pure eye test, Embiid is a better defender, a better shooter, he cares more and he loves the game. What more could you want from a basketball player? Kevin Durant continued his wonderful run off the bench for Team USA. He has been a mid range killer in these games and he continued that trend yesterday. He had this beautiful moment where he flashed open for an elbow jumper and hit nothing but net to put the US up by four late in the fourth. He has been the guy that can get you a bucket when you most need it in these Olympics. Devin Booker did his job spacing the floor and bringing the ball up. Jrue Holiday, when he locked in, played incredible defense. Anthony Davis played his part in less minutes than he is used to. I mean, it has been so cool watching these superstars let go of egos and play the game as a team. They are doing what is best for everyone on the squad, not just themselves.

I do want to give Bogdan Bogdanovic a shout out. He was the only Serbian I saw yesterday that looked like he wanted to win. I feel like the rest of that team took on Jokic's ho hum attitude. Not Bogdanovic. He was out to win yesterday. He stayed attacking. He wanted the victory more than any of his other teammates. He was the best Serbian on the floor by a million miles. I've grown so tired and so bored of all the love that Jokic gets, so it was refreshing to see a different Serbian going all out yesterday. But it still wasn't enough.

The US survived and advanced. They have a very tough gold medal match coming up against the host country. France is big, they protect the rim and they have the fans and refs in their favor. I hope the US comes out with some fire in their bellies and puts away France early. If not they are in for another battle. But the US really showed some pride and grit and it was damn exciting to watch yesterday. I can't wait for the Gold medal game now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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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.

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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.

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.