Ty Watches "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Series Finale

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" ended the series last night in what I consider to be perfect and glorious fashion. I don't truly know what I was expecting, but this seemed fitting and almost the only way Larry David could close out this classic television comedy. David is a genius. I have sung his praises for so, so many years. The guy gets it when it comes to comedy. He makes fun of others, but more importantly, he makes fun of himself time and time again. That much was on display during the hour long series finale. I think that is what made this such a successful and hilarious show over its long run.

"Curb" started in 2000. The show went for 12 seasons, and it felt like HBO let him put out a new season whenever he was ready. That was the best way to do this show. They had to be hands off for this to work. I have to assume David made it that way as well so he could put out exactly what he wanted in each season. We got 120 episodes of his genius. We had through lines in every season. They brought back classic bits in last nights finale from the earliest seasons. David got incredibly famous people to be on, either as themselves or as totally new characters. He let his stars shine. JB Smoove became a household name. Jeff Garlin and Susie Essman will be remembered forever as their characters. Ted Danson's heightened version of himself was perfect. Cheryl Hines starred as his wife and then ex wife. He got everyone from "Seinfeld" to be on his show. He got Bruce Springsteen to appear. He gave young up and coming improv actors their first chance to be on tv. He made offensive jokes and dealt with the blow back. He made his portrayal of himself as one of the greatest comedic characters to ever be on screen. This was, and always will be for me, a perfect show. This is the greatest comedy to ever be on tv. No one will come close to touching its genius. "30 Rock" is the closest now, and I love that show, but it is not even close to the hilariousness that "Curb" gave us.

And the way they closed it all out last night was a true joy to watch. To take on David's finale of "Seinfeld", the one everyone besides my wife and I seem to despise, and just go with it and do an almost updated version, it was the absolute best move to make. My wife and I kept saying to one another while watching, "this is perfect". To see him in a courtroom, to see the witnesses from seasons past show up, to see him and Jeff get into another messed up situation caused by their own stupidity, it was so perfect. Seeing Jerry Seinfeld show up for him and David to do bits was like watching a reunion I didn't know I needed. And for the the two of them to kind of hash out the "Seinfeld" finale in the most meta way possible, I couldn't be happier with what I saw. I'm glad they didn't do some kind of character change for anyone on the show. They all ended up the same as when they first appeared on the show. They were still griping about menial things. They were still trying to figure out where to eat. Richard Lewis, RIP, was still cracking jokes to David, and he was doing the same to Lewis. It was just a great sendoff to a great, all timer of a show. I loved the series finale. So did my wife. As for what I've seen on the internet today, it got a pretty good ovation from everyone who has watched it.

I want to end this today by thanking everyone involved with the creation and the constant improvement on "Curb Your Enthusiasm". You will all have a special place in my heart. And the biggest thanks goes to Larry David. Your genius knows no bounds. You are the greatest comedy television writer this world has ever been able to witness. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and enjoy your retirement. Now, it is time for me to rewatch this series for the millionth 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 "Dream Scenario"

I just watched the Nicolas Cage movie "Dream Scenario". I was pretty in the dark about this movie. I didn't know it was an A24 production. I didn't know that Cage was even starring in the movie. I hadn't seen a preview for it. I am not fully sure that it even played in any theaters in Saint Louis. Then I heard Scott Aukerman talk about it on one of his many podcasts. Then it started showing up on streaming services as a feature. Then I read a few reviews and decided I wanted to see the movie. The reviews were solid, Aukerman was talking it up and Cage was getting very good coverage. I'm such a fan of Cage's that I will watch almost anything he does. I just want to see how big he gets with some of his roles. In this one he was subdued, but in the best way, and the only way Cage can be.

If you don't know, and I'll be as spoiler free as possible in my review today, Cage plays a professor who starts showing up in people's dreams. And not just his family's dreams. He is in a bunch of people's dreams all over the world. And when he shows up he doesn't do anything. He is just there. He walks in, looks at the people and goes about his business. It seems harmless, but there are also some creepy undertones.  The movie opens with him in his daughter's dream and it seems like a regular day. Then stuff starts to fall from the sky and his daughter begins to call for her dad as she is starting to float away. All the while Cage's character, her dad, just continues to rake leaves and say, "it's alright". It is odd and a little scary. He knows nothing of this, but all of the sudden people start to ask if they know him, if they've met before and why is he so recognizable. It isn't until he runs into an ex at a play that he realizes what is going on. She tells him about her dreams that include him and says she wants to talk and write about it. He agrees and then he blows up. He becomes viral and he really leans into his newfound fame. He takes interviews, he gets a book deal and he starts a partnership with a new up and coming tech company.

Then things change. This is where the movie gets tense. This is when the movie talks on the whole idea of everyone wanting their 15 minutes of fame. It seems like people will do anything to get famous in the current climate, and that is the direction this movie goes with for the second half of the feature. What happens in people's dreams now runs the gamut. And when people see Cage they have certain expectations and ideas about his character. It gets hyper tense and a little anxiety fueled. And I completely bought into what they were saying. I love how they made fun of how stupid "cancel culture" has become. The people who claim that they are "canceled" are idiotic and this movie does a wonderful job of showing that. Cage's character's "apology" is rich with how stupid these "canceled" people act when they are forced to admit wrongdoing. And Cage takes all of this on so beautifully. He doesn't have to be over the top, unless it is in a dream situation, and he owns those parts. He plays a very believable professor. He seems like a boring husband and dad. He is nerdy, cringey and shy. He is not in full control of any of his real life situations. He is just a regular dude who tried to make his 15 minutes of fame last longer than it should have.

I really liked this movie. It is understated and well done. It has funny and scary moments all wrapped up in its 100 minute run time. I definitely recommend this movie. It is a good watch and does a good job with the totally wild story they are telling. 

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 Zone of Interest"

I'm slowly going through a good amount of movies that were up for Oscars this past year. I also like to look at best of lists and decide which movies I want to see from those. One such movie was "Zone of Interest".

I came to this movie very late. I know of Johnathan Glazer, I have watched some of his movies, namely "Under the Skin". He was never really my cup of tea as a director. His movies seem kind of boring and the story is often left up to the viewer. That frustrates me. But I read a good amount of reviews for "Zone of Interest". I watched the trailer. I saw what some people online were saying about the movie and my decision was set. My wife had zero interest in watching, so I waited until she was on a work trip to watch. I rented it on Amazon last week and sat back.

What I saw was horrifying and gross and sad and brutal and frustrating and I cannot stop thinking about the movie. It has stayed with me. We were on a trip last week and I told anyone who'd listen about the movie. I am trying to avoid spoilers, but at this point that seems moot. This movie is a must see, only once, and it will stay with you and haunt you.

For the people that may not know, "Zone of Interest" takes place at a home outside of one of the Auschwitz concentration camps. The focus of the movie is the family that lives in a palatial home just outside of the concentration camp. The dad works there, they have three kids and the mom is an at home parent. They have servants and visitors that come and go all times of the day. I know it may not sound scary yet, but all the while the family that we are focused on, who live in the house, we can hear what is going on inside of the concentration camp. There are screams, gunshots, pleas of help and we can see smoke pouring out of a furnace. What makes it even more frightening, we never see any of the atrocities, thank goodness. We can only hear the awful, awful things that happened at one of these camps. It is horrifying. The screams are blood curdling. The movie is in German with English subtitles, and when you hear the screaming, it just says "audible screaming" on the subtitles. That gave me chills while watching. When they go away from the screams of terror, we focus on the family and their inner workings. These people are pure evil. The dad is a shrill businessman who takes advantage of every person he comes in contact with. He may seem like just a working stiff, but when you think about it and watch his actions, he is a monster. The mother is a witch. She is constantly screaming at the servants. She is mad at her mom when she leaves. The mom leaves because she cannot sleep with all the sounds going on outside her bedroom window by the way. She treats her dog like garbage. She calls herself the "Queen of Auschwitz". She is just as evil as her spouse. The kids are doing what they see from their parents. The teenage son is mean and hurtful. He locks his little brother in a greenhouse at one point, and has this creepy smile on his face the whole time. The little boy will stop and listen to the horror outside his bedroom window while he plays with toys during the day. It is a nightmare. The baby is just a baby, so who knows how she grew up.

There are two things in this movie that may stay with me forever, and they both occur near the end of the movie. Spoiler alert. The husband gets a new job and has to move out. The family stays at their home while the husband continues to climb the ranks for these incredibly brutal and offensive people. At one point he gets an award and something named after him. When he calls his wife to brag, she asks how the party he is attending was. He tells her he wasn't really paying attention, but thinking about "how much gas it would take to get rid of all the people in the room". That is evil incarnate. Then, as he is leaving said party to return home, he stops in two seperate hallways and tries to vomit. Meanwhile we get a flash forward to an Auschwitz museum and you see the horrors that occurred. There are a massive number of shoes, clothes and various sizes of all, saying that no one was spared by these monsters. They show an oven that was used. They show pictures of people who lost their lives simply for having a different religion. It is truly the scariest moment of the whole movie for me. We then go back to the evil monster from the whole movie, unable to vomit, and then it is credits. It is almost like the guy realized what he was doing, and how bad it was, and he almost had a moment of clarity. Almost.

"Zone of Interest" is a movie that needs to be seen, but only once. This was a tough watch, but it also gave me a look at the day to day lives of these monsters and how truly sickening they were to be doing the things they did. I will never watch this movie again, but it was one that needed to be watched. It is a good way to learn some unfortunate history. Watch it if you are interested in the horrifying history of these evil monsters. "Zone of Interest" told a good story of how villainous real people can be, if they choose to be villains. 

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 "Spaceman"

I'm going out of town for the rest of the week tomorrow, thus meaning I'm going to take the rest of the week off after today, but I wanted to leave you all with my review of the new Adam Sandler Netflix movie, "Spaceman". I will be back next week, but I wanted to get one more in before taking a few days off.

I was excited to see this movie. I am a big, unabashed Adam Sandler fan. I enjoy most of his stuff. There are definite duds, but for the most part, Sandler's stuff entertains me. And his recent stuff I have truly enjoyed. I loved "Hustle". "Uncut Gems" is one of the best movies I've ever watched. So, to see him take on another hard drama role, I was intrigued. He has been knocking it out of the park lately. I also like Paul Dano, Carey Mulligan and Isabella Rosselini, all of whom are cast in this movie. And I am lukewarm on Kunaal Nayar, who I only know from "The Big Bang Theory", a show I have only ever seen bits and pieces of. I have never watched a full episode of that show. So, this movie had a ton going for it before I even turned it on.

After watching and thinking about it this morning, I think the movie is fine. It isn't great and it isn't bad. It has good moments that seem to be buttressed by boring or dull moments. The performances are wonderful. I have to say that. Sandler nailed it again. He is a good actor. He knows what to do when given good work to act from. He also does good work when a director kind of pushes him to do good stuff. He delivers in this movie. I bought him as a lonely Russian astronaut. I was with him throughout the whole movie. I was sad when he was sad. I was lonely when he was lonely. It was a job well done. Carey Mulligan is about as reliable as it gets. She does very good work with a smaller role here. She is the co-star here. She is second on the call sheet. But she gives a very heartfelt, very meaningful performance. I enjoy her work. Ever since I saw "Promising Young Woman" I have been onboard for Mulligan's work in movies. Isabella Rosellini was hardly in the movie, but she has this air about her. She is a true legend and she brings in when she is cast. Kunaal Nayar was very good here. I dug his work in this movie. I also liked his time appropriate moustache. He did a solid job here. And Paul Dano, lending only his voice, was creepy and monotone and awesome. This is what I have come to expect from him. Everyone did their job and did it well. I have no qualms with the acting here.

My issue, the movie got very boring at times. It also came off pretentious from time to time. There are shots of Sandler in space that seem to stay on an image far too long. I understand that the mission needs to be addressed, but I don't have to see the same purple space scene over and over again for long stretches of time. There is also some stuff with the look and the dialogue that comes off a bit pretentious. This is a love story, but I don't need some stuff jammed in my face as a viewer. I get it. I understand what they are going after. But it came off weird for me sometimes. I feel like they could have cut the movie by about 20 minutes, make it a nice 85 minute long movie, and they would have had a hit on their hands. But, with the direction they chose, this is going to be a forgotten movie for some fans of the actors. It will kind of come and go.

Did I like it? Sure. Will I watch it again? No. But don't let that cloud your judgement. By all means, watch this movie, if only for Dano's role. It is different and weird and I truly loved his work in this movie. Otherwise, maybe skip this movie if you are on the fence. 

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 "Poor Things"

I was able to watch "Poor Things" over the weekend. Let’s discuss.

I had wanted to see this movie since I first heard about it a few months back. I like the director Yorgos Lanthimos. I am a fan of both "The Favourite" and "The Lobster". These movies are different and unique and weird. And I'm here for it. "The Lobster '' is what turned me from a Colin Farrell detractor to a big fan. And "The Favourite" is what opened my mind to Emma Stone's brilliance and willingness to take on different roles. She is one hell of an actor. So when she was announced as the star of Lanthimos' new movie, I was in. Then I saw a preview and that intrigued me more. Then I saw reviews and they were glowing. Then I heard people talk about the movie on podcasts and I was all the more hype to watch. My dad and I made plans to see it in the theaters, but it never happened for a myriad of reasons. So, when it was announced to be streaming, I was going to watch it ASAP. 

I loved this movie. "Poor Things" is like Lanthinmos' other movies, but on a much bigger scale. This is a big budget, big time Hollywood movie. Emma Stone stars as Bella Baxter, a Frankenstein monster of a person. Stone is magnetic. Seeing her go from infant to toddler to moody teen to brilliant adult was an absolute joy to watch. The mannerisms she used when she was an infant were real and I was convinced that she had the mind of a child. As she gets smarter and smarter I found myself getting even more interested in what was going on on screen. Seeing her discover her sexuality was funny. It was truly hilarious. I was laughing very hard. When she referred to sex as "furious jumping", it was a true delight. Seeing her use her sexuality to gain an advantage was an interesting look at the world of sex workers and those who enjoy that lifestyle. I thought it was quite powerful. I was also a fan of how incredibly calculating and smart Bella became as the movie continued. I also enjoyed when Bella was still figuring things out with the teen brain, the movie made fun of social interactions and conventions. They played with how silly all these things are when you really think about it. I loved it. Stone was magnetic and absolutely earned her Academy award.

The rest of the cast was dynamite too. Willem DeFoe, as Dr Godwin, who is basically Dr Frankenstein, was excellent. He is one of my favorite actors ever. And his prosthetics were wild. Ramy Youssef was wonderful as DeFoe's assistant and initial love interest of Bella. His performance surprised me in the best possible way. Mark Ruffalo was funny and over the top and I thought he could have gotten more awards consideration. He went for it and totally nailed it. Jerrod Carmichael had a very minimal role, but it was so memorable. I think about his scene with Bella often after seeing the movie. I liked how cynical he was. An actor that I assume is famous, but I don't know, Hanna Schygulla was great. She was sweet and answered all of Bella's questions. She felt like the first person who openly accepted Bella, warts and all. Kathryn Hunter as the madam at the sex worker home was really well done and seemed perfectly fleshed out. I was kind of mesmerized by her character. Suzy Bemba as Bella's girlfriend at the house was understated, in a great way. And then we have Christopher Abbott as Bella's first husband, who didn't know she was still alive. He was mean and ignorant and hateful. Abbott did a great acting job because I despised his character.

The look of the movie was unlike anything I have ever seen. It was like a painting had come to life. I loved the black and white at the beginning, but when it shifted to color, that took this movie to a whole other level. I have not seen another movie that looks like this in my viewing ever. And the direction was second to none. Every actor bought in. They gave it their all and it showed on screen. They were all willing to go for it, and I feel like a lot of that has to do with their comfort with Lanthimos.

I am a big fan of this movie. I was telling my dad and a buddy of mine about this movie so much that they watched it last night, I assume to get me to stop talking about it. They confirmed to me they liked it as well. Go watch "Poor Things". It is destined to be a classic and Emma Stone gives a performance for the ages. I really love 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 "Dune: Part 2"

I have just returned home from seeing "Dune : Part 2".

I have been really anticipating the release of this movie. I watched the first, new "Dune" during the pandemic. It was released to streaming, and I took advantage and watched that movie in my home. I loved it. I was glued to my screen. I did not look at my phone once. My wife would come in and out of the room and ask questions and I would answer, and then rewind and rewatch what we may have missed. The first new "Dune" was also my first time I found myself cheering for Timothee Chalamet. That movie made me a fan, and I have not looked back. I also watched David Lynch's "Dune" during the pandemic. I did not like that version at all. It was a slog. It was boring. And it was nonsensical. So I've done the necessary homework. My dad joined me this morning, he watched the first new "Dune" on Wednesday, and we set off for a 10am screening.

I want to say, the theater was as clean as I've ever seen a theater before. The crowd was delightful and pleasant. The staff was dynamite and helpful. The Galleria 6 Cinema here in Saint Louis did their job perfectly. There were only two previews, only one commercial, and by about 10 after, we were in the world of "Dune". And from there on out I was in awe of what I was watching.

First off, this cast is incredible. Chamalet is back and does an even better job in this movie. Zendaya is given much more to work with in this sequel and she does amazing things. I was rooting for her character the entire movie. Javier Bardem was more involved, did a great job and even provided some laughs. Rebecca Ferguson did a phenomenal job with her arc in this movie. The whole Harkonnen family was terrifying in all the right ways. Stellan Skaarsgard is back and he is even more scary as the head of the family. David Bautista is back and he is cowardly and in over his head. And Austin Butler is the nephew who is the villainous of all the villains in this movie. He was scary as hell. Florence Pugh and Christopher Walken do some pretty good things here. Pugh figures to have a much bigger part in the third installment of this franchise. Josh Brolin returns and he is having a great back half of his career. And there's all the side characters and minor part actors who do some wonderful things in their very minimal screen time.

Then we have the direction. Denis Villenvue is the best sci fi director in the game right now. I trust him with any material he decides to work on from this moment on. And then there's the stuff on screen. This is an epic in every sense of the word. It was close to three hours but never felt long. The scenery, being pretty much nothing but sand, was mesmerizing to look at on a big screen. The sandworms were the coolest thing I have seen in a movie in a long, long time. I was enamored with those things. The CGI and the massive amount of people in the movie was a triumph all its own.

The story was pretty great too. The majority of the movie is a war movie. There are a bunch of battles. There are moments of strategy. There are training moments. There is hand to hand combat. There are soldiers hiding and attacking from everywhere. It was awesome. And, near the end, although it is what I consider to be the main story, it becomes a religious story, and the problems that lie within following one person. It was interesting to see the movie take this turn and everyone involved pulled it off with grace and professionalism.

I loved this movie. My dad did too. I couldn't believe that they exceeded my high, high expectations. I cannot recommend this movie enough. That is why I left my review so vague. I think you should try and see it in a theater too. I'm not a big theater goer, but this movie needs to be seen on a big screen to get the full effect. "Dune: Part 2" is amazing. Go see it. 

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 "Beau is Afraid"

After much thought, waiting for the movie to be on premium cable and four sittings, I have finally watched all of "Beau Is Afraid", and boy oh boy do I have some thoughts.

First and foremost, I think I liked this movie. I keep thinking about it. I cannot seem to shake what I watched. I truly loved Joaqin Phoenix's performance. This has to be one of his best performances that I have ever watched. I also enjoy Phoenix's acting for the most part. I like the movies he picks and he truly does give his all. He doesn't halfass anything he is committed to doing. I loved the imagery and the way the story was told. I liked the way it was broken down into different acts. I enjoyed the moments of silence that they have the viewer sit and wait in. All of that leads me to believe that I enjoyed what I saw. But there are some issues I have as well.

This is a long, long movie. It is one minute under three hours. The moments of silence are long and vast. There are some disturbing images that kind of freaked me out and took me out of the narrative of the movie. I feel like Ari Aster wanted to tell EVERYTHING he was thinking at the time of writing the movie. He should have, and could have, edited a good hour out of the movie. Amy Ryan and Nathan Lane could have been given a little more to work with in the script. Parker Posey is only in about three minutes of this movie, and Beau, Phoenix's character, is obsessed with her. Zoe Lister Jones, who I adore as an actor, seems to be chewing scenery. The first hour, which focuses on Beau's current living situation, is bleak and sad and disturbing and overly scary. I understand why it is shot and acted that way, but it feels like it may be a bit much.

Then we have Patti Lupone. Lupone is wonderful. I adore her. I love her outspoken nature. She is not afraid to speak her mind, and I think that is great. But in this movie she is severely underused until the last 30 minutes. In the finale she is great, they, for me, hit all the right notes with her character. And she absolutely shines. But leading up to all of this, she is a ghost. She lingers over the movie, but we don't get the breadth of her situation. We see her a lot in flashbacks, but not enough in the present day. There is her funeral, but that is just a ploy to get Beau back home. And when she returns, after one of the most uncomfortable sex scenes I've ever seen, she acts like everything is normal. It most certainly is not normal.

Looking back at this venn diagram of the good and the bad I found watching this movie, again, I liked it. Excuse me, I think I liked it. Lupone is amazing in the end. The whole scene in the forest, with the play, had me rapt to my screen. I couldn't look away. The creepy underlying stuff with Lane and Ryan had me on the edge of my seat. And Phoenix is incredible. This is a truly amazing performance from him. I like his work here almost as much as I did in one of my favorite movies ever, "Her". He is such a devoted and confident actor. He never takes things less than serious. He is all in. And in a movie like this, one that is this weird and deep, he was made for this. Phoenix is one of my favorite actors at this point. I don't know much about his personal life, but I do like his acting. I'm a fan of his acting, maybe not the person.

I'd recommend this movie with a big, big caveat. It is long, it is weird and you have to be all in while you watch. This is not a movie you can check in and out of. You have to be committed when you watch. Do that, and you will be rewarded. 

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 "Bottoms"

Over the weekend I was finally able to see the movie "Bottoms". I remember previews for this and wanting to see it. I remember it getting very good reviews after it was released and wanting to see it even more. I remember hearing possible awards buzz surrounding the movie and wanting to see it the most. But time got away from me. The winter is the busiest time for me as far as coaching and dad duty goes. But, we had a date night, it was my turn to pick the movie and "Bottoms" was streaming on Amazon Prime for free. So we watched.

I loved this movie. I laughed at this more than most comedies that have come out in the past four or five years. The basic plot is, two nerdy, gay high school girls start a fight club to meet their crushes. That is the short version. But there is so much more on screen. First off, this is a high school spoof of a movie. When I looked up the cast, no actor was younger than 20 years old. But this was a situation where you could tell it was done with intention. The creators wanted actors that looked young, but we all know that they are not very young. This made some of the stuff we watched even funnier.

Ayo Edibiri and Rachel Sennott are the leads, and they are perfect. Sennott is the more outgoing, funny and talkative one. But, she will never be confused as a "cool" kid. Edebiri is more soft spoken. She doesn't want any trouble. She just wants to get to college. These two are sensational. When they finally get alone with their crushes, I was stoked, and then devastated for Sennott's character. These two used to be college roommates, and you can tell from their electric chemistry on screen. Sennott really keeps your attention when she talks. And the moments where Edibiri gives a speech, or does a monologue, are pretty powerful. They filled the cast with other actors that I don't really know. The crushes are played by Havana Rose Liu, this is the first thing I've seen her in, and Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford's daughter. They were excellent. Ruby Cruz is the one who kind of gets the whole fight club going. She was funny and had a solid arc. Punkie Johnson plays Edibiri's wild aunt who lives in a trailer. Zamani Wilder, Summer Joy Campbell and Virginia Tucker are members of the fight club, and all three bring some hilarious traits. The football players, namely Nicholas Galitzine and Miles Fowler, are wonderfully goofy. The whole stuff with the QB, Jeff, is riotous. And then we have Marshawn Lynch. What a star-making performance from him. He is hilarious, he pretty much improvised all of his lines, he took this role to make up for the way he reacted to his sister coming out, and he absolutely crushed. They took a chance and they were paid off tremendously by his performance. All of the actors did a wonderful job.

What most impressed me was the writing. This is an absurd movie, but it is absurd in all the best ways. The spoof of the football team's importance landed perfectly. The way teachers and administrators behave was tremendously done. How the main characters arc from nerdom to popularity and back to nerdom paid off. I was overly impressed with how well thought out and how simply insane the movie came across on screen. We need more comedies like this.

"Bottoms" is just as good as "Booksmart" and "Superbad". I actually think I may like it a bit more because of the presence of Ayo Edibiri and how ridiculous it is supposed to be. I definitely recommend watching this movie. It is very funny and very 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 "Curb Your Enthusiasm" 14th Season Premiere

The 14th, and final season, of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premiered this past Sunday. My wife and I didn't get to see it until Monday, but all the same, it was awesome.

The thing I like most about this show, what has kept me coming back for each new season, you never really feel like it left. It picks right back up where we left off after last season, and we are in it. That makes me happy to be a fan. They don't have to rehash every storyline from the previous season. They use the main story, add a little detail from other seasons, but all in all, each new season is, and feels, new. Larry David and the writers deduced they were going to keep his new show and Maria Sofia this time around. That is kind of perfect because it helps the viewer understand why David and all his people can continue to live their lavish lives. His show is a hit, he is asked to appear at parties with Maria Sofia and they do, although David is not too thrilled. And then we are thrust into the new season.

This is the last go round, that is what everyone involved with the show keeps telling us, so we are instantly put into uncomfortable situations. Larry goes to Atlanta to appear at a party of a lifelong fan. Before going though they stop off at Auntie Ray's house in Atlanta. Auntie Ray was one of the family members displaced by the hurricane in season five I believe. She and Larry are all lovey dovey with one another until she tries on his glasses. Larry is convinced she bent them and they have a pretty epic screaming match. Leon is there, of course, and he adds his usual hilarity. Maria Sofia and Larry are at it at every step, so all of this just adds to his frustration over the glasses. We then get classic Larry David stuff. He wants to call a party guest by a nickname, but they don't want him to call her that. This irks Larry and he will not rest until he knows why he cannot call her by this name. He won't take pictures with the party guests. Leon eats the birthday cake before it is presented. David feigns interest during conversation. He gets into a fight with the maid at his hotel. He has to wear Auntie Ray's glasses everywhere. Jeff tells him he may not get paid for his appearance because of his attitude at said party. It is all the classic things you have grown to love about the show made better by the three years since it was last on air.

David knows what he is doing because he may be the best writer in comedic television history. He is gruff and mean and angry all the time, but that is what I love about the character. Leon is back and funnier than ever. Jeff and Susie are there to go along with and antagonize. Cheryl and Ted Danson are going to come up most assuredly. I cannot wait to see Vince Vaughn. I have to assume Richard Lewis will make appearances. And now we have Maria Sofia.

I cannot wait to see how they close this all out and I'm going to relish every moment of this final season. If the season premiere is any indication, this is going to be a rock solid season of one of the best comedies of all time on tv. 

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 "Self Reliance"

Before watching "Saltburn" I watched "Self Reliance". I heard a lot about this movie prior to watching it. I'm a Jake Johnson fan, and he has been on a bit of a podcast media tour promoting this movie. All I needed was to hear the plot and I was in.

The long and short of it all, Johnson's character gets asked to be on the dark web's number one reality show where he is being hunted. If he can last for 30 days he wins a million dollars. The catch, he cannot be alone. Ever. If he is with someone else, he cannot be harmed. The people who run the show will not go after him as long as he is with someone. Sounds intense, right? Well, while there are some wild scenes, scenes that made me jump, this is a pretty funny movie too. Johnson said as much during all of his podcast appearances. The movie is also a tight 90 minutes. This has everything I want in a movie. It is all wrapped in a nice little package that is wildly easy to digest. So when I watched, I had pretty high hopes.

The movie hit them all. From start to finish I was in. I am a fan of Johnson, especially when he does stuff that is a change of pace from "New Girl". Here he is a down on his luck dude that wants some more excitement in his life. And when Andy Samberg shows up, playing himself, that is just another feather in the movie's cap. I am a very, very big Samberg fan. And when Johnson decides to take this opportunity, that is when the movie achieves its goal. It is a pretty wild ride from there on out. Johnson tries to tell his family and they do not believe him at all. They think he is losing it. There are moments where I kind of thought he was going through a mental break. Johnson decides to hire an unhoused person, played by Biff Wiff, and they have some nice chemistry with each other. I liked the way they played off one another. Johnson eventually meets up with Anna Kendrick and they form an alliance. The two of them have worked together before, and it shows on screen. I liked watching the two of them in scenes together. I would totally buy them as a couple. But, the whole idea for this movie, the dark web reality hunting show, is always a threat. At any moment I thought that Johnson could get bumped off, and that kept me on edge. Whenever he was alone, even for the brief moments he was, it legitimately scared me. And Johnson played that very well. I truly loved that when it was all going down, he would implore his family members that this was all real, but they still brushed it off, with hilarious results. When he calls his mom at work, that was a pretty wonderfully hilarious scene. When she mispronounces Andy Samberg's name, that was comedy gold. Even as the movie builds to its conclusion, the immediate threat and disbelief from everyone else, it is still there and still freaks me out. Johnson plays all this so well. You could tell this movie was a labor of love. I read that he wrote it during the lockdown when COVID was raging. That shows. But it is not a pandemic movie. That much is clear.

I definitely recommend watching this movie. It has good genre blending and it is a nice, quick watch. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and I think you will too. 

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 "Saltburn"

My wife and I sat down and watched "Saltburn" this past weekend. We have seen a bunch of reels on Instagram. We have read the things people have been saying about the movie, while avoiding spoilers. After doing all this research we both decided we had to watch. So we did.

I do not know that I have ever seen a movie this bizarre, and I've seen a bunch of weird movies. I like movies that try something different, something people haven't really seen yet. "Saltburn" takes that and really runs with it. So, my first push to watch this movie came about when I heard that the director also directed "Promising Young Woman". I love that movie. It was one of my favorites. So when a new movie by her was announced, I was intrigued. Then I saw and read all that stuff, so that made me even more in. Again, this is the most bizarre movie I've ever watched. I am very glad that I came into it blind, but holy hell was this a ride. I am going to reveal some things in this blog, but if you haven't seen the movie yet and plan to, stop reading and come back and finish after you watch.

The movie starts out nice and normal. It shows a kid going off to college and trying to make friends. All the while he has his eye on the cool kids. He eventually starts to hang out with them and build relationships. He becomes such good friends with the hot guy, Felix, played by Jacob Elordi, that Felix invites him to stay at their home, Saltburn, for the summer. He agrees and this is where the movie gets truly nuts. Things start to get odd at the halfway point. Ollie, played by Barry Keoghan, has this weird, odd way of interacting with people. He seems shy and coy. He doesn't want to disturb anyone until it is fruitful for him. Felix's sister waits for him one night outside his room. He goes down to her only to turn her away. she does it again and this is the first gross thing that happens. He starts to pleasure her with his fingers and she pushes back, saying it isn't the right time of the month for her. He responds with one of the grossest lines ever muttered, "good thing I'm a vampire". You can use your imagination of what happens next. I had to cover my eyes during this scene. I'm not kink shaming anyone or anything, but that just isn't for me. When Ollie kind of rejects her the next morning, she is mad, but everyone moves on. From there we see Ollie drink bathtub water that Felix has ejaculated in. He also gives hand pleasure to Farley, all the while telling him to "be a good boy". He goes along with the mom and dad, played by Rosamund Pike and Richard E Grant, when they act like everything is okay even when horrible things are happening all around them. He drugs people and kills them when he deems fit. He leaves, but comes back and takes over the home. He does cocaine and dances in the nude. He has no remorse. It is devastating and terrifying.

When the movie was done I was flabbergasted. I didn't know if I liked it or hated it. I couldn't figure out what I was watching and why all these things were happening. I was highly impressed by the acting because the portrayals of everyone made them unlikable. But the thing in this movie's favor, I haven't stopped thinking about it for three straight days. I will be doing something and, pop, a scene in the movie will replay in my head and I will think about it and pour over it. I can't seem to shake this movie. I think the writers, director and actors did an amazing job because this is a movie that I will think about a bunch. I want to say, if you do decide to watch this movie, it is crazy. You will see things that will make you uncomfortable. You will squirm. You will cover your eyes. But you will not be able to shake it from your mind. It will stay with you.

So, would I recommend this movie? Yes, if you are prepared to be uncomfortable. But go in with all the aforementioned warnings. "Saltburn" is a crazy, messed up movie and will rock your brain. That can be good or bad, that is up to you. Watch at your own risk. But I do think this is a solid 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 Curse" Season One

Last week I finished season one of "The Curse". I kept thinking about it a lot since then. I was thinking about it so much that I went back and rewatched the finale last night.

I thought this finale was pretty remarkable. In fact, I found this whole season to be very weird and interesting and thought provoking and pretty solid. This show is very different. It is unlike pretty much anything that is on tv right now. The plot is fairly simple, but the execution was next level.

"The Curse" centers on Whitney and Asher, a married couple that host a HGTV show. They go to their hometown and build climate change friendly homes. They have squabbles with the network, the people who work for them and amongst themselves. Sounds simple enough. But the twists and turns happen galore. This show went to some of the cringiest places one could imagine. There were times where I felt uncomfortable watching. I would squirm on the couch. It was wild. The way these two take advantage of the people in their hometown, especially the indigenous people, is abhorrent. When they think they are doing something nice, it is only for their own benefit or to help the show. They are only out for themselves, so much so that they start to plot against one another.

Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder are dynamic here as well. I was totally blown away by Fielder's acting. He takes the uncomfortableness to a whole new level. If you thought he was awkward on "The Rehearsal" or "Nathan For You", this show makes those people look tame. He is clingy and needy and helpless here. It was a delight to watch. Emma Stone is wonderfully odd and plays a white savior so well. She has no qualms about the things she does as long as she thinks she is helping out the less fortunate. In most cases she is only out for herself. There is a scene in particular when she pokes fun at Fielder for trying to be tough and I was taken aback at how mean and nasty her character could be. It was a tour de force for her. I also appreciate the fact that she is doing stuff like this as opposed to taking on multiple rom coms or dumb coming of age movies. She is taking chances, nailing it and I'm here for it. Benny Safdie is also a revelation. I have always enjoyed his directing, but his acting here is pretty good. And while not as cringey as Fielder, he is right up there.

I think my favorite thing about this show is the long, silent moments. They really make you sit in it. The viewer is almost forced to sit and go back and think about what you just saw. They will have this super awkward scene or moment, and then they will cut to a long shot of a home or the face of the person in the aftermath. You just sit there and go over what you just saw until the silence breaks. It is pretty cool the way they do that. And the way they tell this story, and how they end it, it is one of the odder yet cooler things I've ever watched. They never poke fun at reality tv or home making shows. They never make these awful people seem like they have some good inside of them. They paint these overprigeled rich assholes in the proper light. And I love that.

"The Curse" is not the easiest watch, but if you let yourself get into it, the payoff is pretty exceptional. I loved it. If you are going to watch, and you are a Fielder fan, change your expectations. And if you are going in to watch Emma Stone, change your expectations. This show is unlike pretty much anything out there now, but it is well worth your 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 the Trailer for "Spaceman"

Yesterday I watched the trailer for the movie "Spaceman". This is the new Adam Sandler movie that premieres on Netflix in March. Let’s discuss.

I have been an Adam Sandler fan from the moment I first saw "Billy Madison". I then went back and watched his stint on "SNL", and pretty much all of his other stuff. He had a fan for life from then on out. I even saw "Little Nicky" in theaters, on my birthday. I watched both "Grown Ups" movies in the theater. I have never finished "Ridiculous 6". I enjoy Sandler's work and will continue to watch almost everything he is involved in. So, this new movie "Spaceman" got my attention simply because I saw Sandler in a picture for the trailer.

I watched it, and I am amped to see it in a little over two months. The movie looks very cool. I am a fan of sci-fi space movies. The set alone will draw me in no problem. I like movies that take place in space because I know I will never go into space. So, I like to see how these writers and actors portray that on screen. I love the "Alien" franchise, minus some of the newer movies. "Blade Runner" is one of my all time favorite movies. I really loved watching "Gravity" in 3-D. That was the best way to watch that movie. That was the closest I think I will get to feeling like I'm in space. I'm a sucker for a space movie. So, I was sold based on that alone. Then I watched and focused on the story. I am all in now. It is about some NASA employees that go on lone space missions. They study and record what life is like, alone in space. I got a real "Black Mirror" vibe from the trailer. Carey Mulligan plays Sandler's wife, and she is one of the best actors in Hollywood. She always brings it, always does a great job and brings brevity to any movie she is in. In this trailer that comes across tenfold. Once she shows up I have an immediate reaction thinking this is an upper tier movie. Then the trailer tells us the movie is written by the people that wrote "Chernobyl". I never saw that show, but from what I read, it was pretty amazing and very grim. These are three key facts that very much intrigue me. As I said before, I'm all in on this movie. Throw in the fact that Paul Dano plays a talking spider, that is icing on the cake. This movie is going to be weird and awesome, hopefully. I cannot wait.

I also want to say, I love this new direction Sandler is going with his movie choices. He is doing some really interesting stuff and I'm here for it. I loved "Uncut Gems". It is a little overlong, but that movie is intense and Sandler crushes it in the lead role. It is criminal that he didn't get awards consideration. Then he did "Hustle". I like that movie even more. I am a sucker for basketball movies and Adam Sandler movies. Combine those two, what a recipe for success. "Hustle" also happens to be a very well made, well written and well acted movie. And now we have "Spaceman". Sandler is on a roll of movies that speak to me as a fan. These are not outrageous comedies, which he already has done and perfected. These aren't movies where he is letting his buddies goof around. These aren't paycheck movies that he is making to just get paid. He is taking real chances on interesting and different styles of movie. I love that and I love that he is stretching his chops. I hope he keeps doing cool stuff like this for a good long while. This 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 Curse" Series Premier

Last night I was able to watch the pilot episode of "The Curse". This is Nathan Fielder's new show. He is also working with Benny Safdie, he is a co creator, and A24 is producing. Let’s discuss.

This is right up my alley. I adore Fielder's work. "Nathan For You" is one of the best, most original shows ever. He followed that up with a genius show, "Rehearsal". Fielder is in an incredible groove as of late, and Showtime giving him his own show was a genius move. Benny Safdie was in "Good Time" and he directed it with his brother. He and his brother also did "Uncut Gems" which is one of the better movies to have been released in the last couple of years. The Safdie brothers have a great eye for directing and they are on fire right now. Safdie was also excellent in his role in "Good Time". A24 is the best production company in the game. They are doing the best work in movies and tv right now. They also paid people and gave them what they asked for during the actors and writers strike. Whoever is running A24 is one of the smarter people in the game. A24 totally rules and they have a lifelong fan in me. So putting all three of these together, it is a recipe for a wild and entertaining tv show.

Now, this show is not really a comedy. There were comedic moments in the pilot, but they were few and far between and they were buttoned by something creepy or cringey. And I think that is the point of this show. Putting Fielder in charge may lead one to believe that this is going to be a straight forward comedy. But this show is a lot more like "The Rehearsal", or "Finding Frances". Fielder is doing something different and I'm here for it. There were moments in the pilot that were disturbing, creepy, cringey, uncomfortable and I was all in from start to finish. I wanted to see something different and weird from Fielder, and that is exactly what "The Curse" gives the viewer.

There was one scene in particular that really shook me seeing Fielder acting it out. He and his wife, Emma Stone, who is perfect here, are being interviewed by a local newscaster. The newscaster starts in on Stone's family and you can see it pisses Fielder off. He starts to go off on her, and at one point he snaps and tells her to "talk to me, not to my wife". My wife saw this and said she hates his character. I told her me too, but I think that is what Fielder is going for. He has other moments that really creeped me out, and he nails it, like the most squirm inducing sex scene I have seen in quite some time. Stone, as previously mentioned, totally nails it here. She is trying to do something good for her community, but she is also the poster child for gentrification, and she has no idea. She is tough and formidable, but she is also causing harm to her community. Benny Safdie is the creep of all creeps here. He is the director of their show, and from the moment he steps on screen he is despicable. He makes it look like a mom is crying when she is actually dying. He hits on Stone far too much. He gets footage without people's consent. He tries to make people uncomfortable when there is no reason for it. He shows his old content which is vile. He is so gross yet I cannot take my eyes off him when he is on screen. This show is very different and very creepy. They let you live in silence and they linger on shots longer than seems necessary. But it works. Fielder has an eye for this. Safdie knows what he is doing. And Stone is such a pro. This works.

“The Curse” may not be for everyone, but I'm in. I say check it out if you like any of the three main people, but go in knowing it is not a typical tv show. It takes chances and those chances worked for me in the pilot episode. I can't wait for more. 

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 Flavor Flav Perform The National Anthem

The other night the Milwaukee Bucks invited Flavor Flav to sing the national anthem. This may seem like a weird artist to choose, but we must never forget that the Bucks did invite Ja Rule to perform at halftime of one of their games after the release of the Fyre Festival documentaries. They like to take chances in that front office and I am here for it.

I did not see Flavor Flav's performance in real time, but a bunch of people reached out to me afterward to see if I saw it. It was also plastered all over sports pages that I follow online. But it wasn't until RD texted me and asked if I watched it did I actually sit down and watch it. At the time of the text coming across my phone I had not seen it though. And RD told me it was "iconic". That was the push I needed to sit down and take it in. So I did.

You know what? It was exactly what I expected from Flavor Flav singing the national anthem. Sure it was off key. Sure it felt like he didn't know all the words. Sure he was either too quiet or too loud when he sang. But I loved it and I loved that he went out and did it with no fear. He sang his heart out. He gave it everything he had. He tried his hardest. And he seemed like he was having a damn good time.

I also appreciate that the people within the Bucks organization who decide these things tried to get a hip hop legend to do this. And Flavor Flav said yes. I can't imagine Chuck D doing this. No way is Busta Rhymes going to do the anthem unless he is trying to see how fast he can rap it. I don't see many modern hip hop artists clamoring to go do this. But Flavor Flav did, and he gave it all of his gusto. He had his big clock on and everything. I love that. He is also a very committed sports fan. Flavor Flav loves to go to live sporting events. I have seen him at college and pro football games. I'm sure he has gone to a number of baseball games. He would talk about his love for pro sports when he had his crazy dating show on VH1. And he has always loved basketball. The guy is a true hoop head. So I bet that when the phone call came across to do the anthem at an NBA game he jumped at the prospect. The fact that he got to do it and then watch Giannis and Dame play together so early in this new season was probably icing on the cake for Flavor Flav.

As for the people out here bad mouthing him and the Bucks, get over it. Also, what did you expect? This is not some polished singer. This isn't Adele. This isn't Taylor Swift. This isn't Josh Groban. Flavor Flav was the hype man for one of the most important hip hop groups in the history of music. And he was the best at his job. So for people to be giving him a hard time, I'd like to see any one of them go out and do the anthem any better. At least Flavor Flav gave it his all too. He went out there and did the song the best way he knew how and he did it with a smile never leaving his face.

I applaud you Flavor Flav and the Bucks front office. You all took a chance on a rap icon and I thought he did a very commendable job. 

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 "Theater Camp"

Over the weekend my wife was out of town so I watched the movie "Theater Camp" on Hulu. She wasn't interested, I knew she was going out of town, so I took advantage and cued it up. I wanted to see it when I first heard about it, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity.

I loved this movie. It is kind of a perfect movie for me. I like indie movies, comedies and I especially like mockumentaries. This is all three rolled into one. For people who may not know about this movie, the plot is pretty simple. Amy Sedaris owns a prestigious theater summer camp. She is recruiting kids for the upcoming summer session and, while watching a performance, she has a seizure and slips into a coma. I promise it is funny. While she is in the hospital her son, an excellent performance from Jimmy Tatro, has to run the camp. This is a perfect role for Tatro. He plays an influencer who is in over his head. He doesn't know how to run the camp. He is self indulgent. But, he does have a heart of gold. Deep down he is a good dude. The top two counselors are played by Ben Platt and Molly Gordon. They nail it as well. Platt, who I am not the biggest fan of, plays this role great. He is narcissistic. He holds people back. He is always fighting with everyone. But he truly cares about his job as a theater teacher. Gordon plays a hippyish actor who is trying to find her place. She was in love with Platt's character, but acts like she doesn't like him romantically after he comes out of the closet. But, you can tell the attraction is still there. She also gets to do a little bit of dramatics, which is used right next to comedy in a great way, and she nails it.

Those are the three main characters, but the rest of the cast does great in their bit roles. Noah Galivn is awesome as the tech guy who has some talent and gets a chance to showcase it. Caroline Aaron is great as Sedaris' business partner. She has some of the funniest lines in the movie. Ayo Edebiri is a lying counselor who just needs a job. This is a departure from her usual roles, but being the dynamite actor she is, she crushes it in this movie. She also has the coolest clothes in the movie. Nathan Lee Graham and Owen Thiele are exceptional as teachers who thrive in a theater camp scenario. The students are great too. This movie works on every level. The teachers are smug and arrogant. But they love what they do. They take their jobs very seriously and that comes through. But this movie is really about Tatro, Platt and Gordon. They command the audience. When they are on screen, especially together, they make all of this movie work. You can tell that Platt and his partner have been working on this story for a long time. You can see Gordon's influence as well.

Seek this movie out. It really deserves to be seen by many people. They need to keep making movies like this because these are some of the best comedies out there right now. "Theater Camp" is awesome. Go watch it. 

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 "Only Murders in the Building" Season 3

My wife and I just finished season 3 of "Only Murders in the Building" last night. We have been fans of the show from the start, but it took us a minute to watch this most recent season. Let’s discuss.

For a show that has the same formula each season, the writers really know how to keep it fresh. The show focuses on three people who live in the same apartment building, Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez, and they host a true crime podcast while they solve a murder within the building. Pretty simple, right? But they find new ways to make it better every season, and this new season is no different.

The second season ended, spoiler alert, with Paul Rudd's character collapsing on stage. That is where we pick up season 3, and when it starts, it really gets going. This season felt like there was more action. The pace seemed quicker, the multiple storylines came at you fast, and that made it all the more watchable. Adding Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep was an absolute home run. Those two, especially Streep, are wonderful actors and seemed to have a blast this season. Rudd played a superhero, broey version of himself this season. I loved his performance. He was an asshole with some secrets. They even found a way to make him look like he was a redeemable person. Streep played an actress who couldn't seem to find a break, which is wild when you remember that you are watching Meryl freaking Streep. She is one of the best actors of my lifetime, and seeing her try to play a bad actress was hilarious. But, much like Rudd, she nailed it. I bought her every step of the way and want to see more of her in the future of this show. They also added Jesse Tyler Williams in a bit role and he did a wonderful job. He was funny and charming and I liked his character a ton.

Really this show is all about the three stars and boy oh boy did they do a great job this season. Steve Martin got to do a ton of fun stuff and he was exceptional. I really enjoyed when he would go to the "white room" while rehearsing the play. Martin Short got to do a bit of dramatics this season, which he crushed, but he was the funniest one of them all. I think he is the most underrated one on this show, but that should change after this season. And Selena Gomez was front and center this season. She really carried the show and did a phenomenal job. She is really proving how good of an actor she is. She is a shining star here. The rest of the cast is amazing as usual. The guest stars are big time names and they do a wonderful job. The new actors they brought in bring even more weight to this already wonderful tv show.

"Only Murders in the Building" is one of the better shows on streaming networks right now. If you are not watching it, remedy that. This is as funny as any other show and it has three tremendous actors in the leading roles. And the writing staff is second to none. This show is great. Watch it. 

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.

Ty Watches Eric Andre Live

Last night I went to see Eric Andre at The Factory on his new tour. Last night was the second night of the tour, so I did not know what to expect. I also did not know if it was going to be a standup thing or something else. It was most definitely something else, and that is a very good thing.

The tickets for the show said that the doors opened at 6 and the show started at 7. They were spot on. Eric Andre had an opener, DJ Douggpound, and he came on stage at 7pm sharp. He was very funny. I enjoyed his 20 minute set quite a bit. DJ Douggpound act is his standup with him playing some music underneath it. He was also on Eric Andre's new podcast recently, so it was nice for me to see him perform after hearing him talk about some not so fun performances. What I liked most about his set was how much fun he seemed to have with it all. He had some great jokes that were buttoned with some funny song clips. When he would play old songs but add in different words, that cracked me up. I also liked him pitching voices up and down. That was pretty hilarious as well. I also liked him coming on stage skateboarding. It was whimsy for me. DJ Douggpound also writes for Eric Andre's show, so he was a perfect opener.

After he was done, there was a five minute break and then Eric Andre came roaring to the stage. When I said that this was different from a standup show of his, that was made incredibly apparent from the start. This was a live version of "The Eric Andre Show". He came on stage and immediately destroyed his desk. He then proceeded to throw food at the crowd and spray them with water. I was sitting in the balcony, safe from all the carnage, so it was pretty hilarious to watch. After going off for a bit, he started the show. His co-host for the night was the Fridge Keeper. People who know know that the Fridge Keeper was introduced on the most recent season of the show. The Fridge Keeper is like the Crypt Keeper, except he lives in the fridge and he raps. I adore the Fridge Keeper. From there on out the show was mayhem. He invited an attendant of the show as his first guest. Andre messed with his phone and talked to his mom. He invited a different person on stage and tried to seduce them like Janet Jackson did on her recent tour. It was wild. We all saw his butt. When he called the first guest's mom, we all got to speak with her. She was a delight. At one point he blended a bunch of McDonald's and fed it to some crowd goers. He used a kiss cam which changed nearly instantly to a calculus cam. He had a few more people come on stage and do a ranch dressing chugging contest. When he couldn't pick a winner, he made them freestyle rap while sucking on hot sauce ice cubes. He then had his second guest, Clownvis, come on stage. He did an interview with Clownvis. He told Clownvis to kiss the Fridge Keeper. He had him drink wine and coffee mixed together. He asked Clownvis to sing his famous song, which happened to be a Christmas song. He messed with Clownvis, which delved into messing with the crowd. He did it all. The show ended with him and Clownvis singing a song, and then he walked on stage bottomless to bow to all of us.

This was a whirlwind of an hour. I leaned over to my buddy about halfway through and asked, "how long is he going to be able to keep this up?". The answer was an hour, and it was a perfect amount of time. You can tell he is still trying to figure out how to put this show on, but I had an absolute blast seeing him live last night. The last time he was in STL he had to cancel, so this was a long time coming for me. I am a humongous Eric Andre fan, so seeing him live was a big deal to me. He delivered. I was in awe of what I saw last night. It was weird and gross and exactly what I hoped a live version of his tv show could be. I had a great time and I highly recommend seeing this show if he comes to your town. It is unlike any other live comedy show that I have seen, and that is a very good thing. It was a great 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 "The Little Mermaid"

My daughter is home sick from school today, she is fine, just a mild cold with a cough, and when the kids stay home they get to pick the tv show or movie we watch after the doctor appointment. My daughter wanted to watch "The Little Mermaid". I thought, cool, I haven't seen that movie in a long, long time. So I went to turn on the cartoon, the one I know of, and that was when she stopped me and told me she wanted the live action "Little Mermaid". I had totally forgotten that they made a live action version. She reminded me that she and my wife saw it in the theaters with my mother in law. That was when it clicked with me that they did make it, and it was easily findable on Disney +.

I turned it on not expecting much or to even be fully paying attention. These live action remakes have been pretty subpar up to this point. But I was fully in right after they did the "Under the Sea" song. This was a visual feast. I loved every choice that they made while doing this musical number in this movie. It was pretty tremendous and the movie never lost my attention from that point on. This is a very good live action remake. I think it is the best one to date. Halle Bailey is simply amazing as Ariel. She has a powerhouse of a voice. When she sings you cannot help but listen. She takes these famous songs and makes them her own. She also happens to be a solid actor. She embodied the cartoon character. She had the red hair. The way they made her mermaid tale was very cool, and looked very real. When she comes on land and cannot talk, which should be very hard to do, she totally nailed it. I bought it from the jump. She is a star. Melissa McCarthy was pretty superb as Ursula. She looked like she was having a great time doing this, never really taking her foot off the pedal. She chewed the scenery in the best possible way. She also looked like the cartoon character, but more palatable. My hat is off to the makeup and animation team for achieving that masterfully. Prince Eric, I don't remember the actor's name, was fine. This movie isn't about him though. Awkwafina as Scuttle, a new character, was funny and my favorite in the whole movie. She even got to rap and she crushed it. Daveed Diggs was pretty good as Sebastian. You have to get over the fact that he is doing a very cliche Jamaican accent. But once you do it is easy to buy into his performance. He is a great performer and singer and that dude gives every project he is in his full go. He doesn't let up for one second. I really loved the back and forth between him and Scuttle. I kind of want a Sebastian and Scuttle side movie where they fall in love. But make no mistake, this is Halle Bailey's starring role and her introduction to the entire world. And she hit an absolute homerun. She is incredibly talented and is going to be around for a long, long time.

I definitely recommend this movie for parents with young kids and for people who grew up as a child of the 90's just like me. You will appreciate how well they interpret this movie and even the added stuff feels classic. The live action "Little Mermaid" is a pretty decent 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 "BS High"

I watched the documentary "BS High" last week and I have some things to say.

The documentary focuses on a "school" and its coaches. Now, the school is not really a school. Bishop Sycamore High may have a website and an online presence somewhat, but it is not a real school. This documentary takes us through its beginning to where it stands today. What they focus most on is Roy Johnson, the founder and coach of the football team, and their appearance on ESPN facing IMG Academy in 2022.

This is a football movie, but it is also a character study of a con man. Roy Johnson is a smart man who knows how to take advantage of people. He is evil. He has a scary smile that is permanently on his face. He has no remorse. He only cares about himself. He thinks others are out to get him. And he knows how to game the system. Johnson had tried to start a school a few years back that gained a little traction. They had a football team, but no one ever really went to class or learned anything. When that fell apart that did not stop him. He decided to double down and go even further with his new school, Bishop Sycamore. He hatched his chickens too soon. He went ahead with this "school" with no funding or space for an actual building. He had mockups made, but nothing came of those. He hired a coaching staff and audio visual people. He reached out to athletes who may be on their last chance and gave them a shot. He wined everyone he met, but he never really dined them. This movie does not have the allure of a show like "Last Chance U". That show has real people in a real school and they do get one last shot. Bishop Sycamore was a total scam. These kids signed away their lives while Roy Johnson took advantage of their info. He would rent out hotels in their names and never pay. He would get apartments for three months in their names and wait until they were evicted, thus ruining that kids credit. He would hire players' parents to be the "hospital staff" for games when kids would get hurt. He would make them play multiple games within the span of a few days.

That was where this all really came to a head with Johnson and Bishop Sycamore. Somehow, some way, Bishop Sycamore was able to schedule a game against IMG, the most powerful high school football program in the country. This game was aired on ESPN. IMG easily disposed of Bishop Sycamore. I believe they won 59-0. But what was more glaring was the lack of competition. Bishop Sycamore had no right to be on the same field with IMG. These were boys playing men. But the biggest problem, Bishop Sycamore had kids on their team that were in their 20's. Some of their starters had already graduated high school. Yet they were somehow deemed eligible and still not good enough to compete with the teenagers on IMG. The Bishop Sycamore kids also got hurt, and hurt bad. That could be due to IMG, but they also played a game two days before the IMG game and were hurt during that game as well. You should never play two high level football games in three days. That is abhorrent.

When this was all done, and Bishop Sycamore was found to be a fraud and the rest of their scheduled teams pulled them off their schedules and when these kids were left out in the cold, did Roy Johnson learn anything? Nope. He was still smiling. He was still blaming the former players. He was still going off on the parents. He was still cackling and saying that Bishop Sycamore was going nowhere, and he was right. That is the scariest thing of this whole movie. Johnson has gamed the system and the state of Ohio has yet to put rules in place stopping this from going on. Of course ESPN and the powers that be in Ohio declined to be interviewed for this movie. But Johnson didn't. He put his story out there and he is an awful, awful man. He has to be reprimanded for his atrocious actions, but he is still coaching high school football. And that should terrify everyone.

I highly recommend this movie. It is endlessly watchable and very eye opening. It is a solid watch. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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