Better Late Than Never on "12 Monkeys"

I just watched the movie "12 Monkeys" for the first time. Let’s discuss.

I have heard about this movie for years but never got around to it. I know why I didn't see it when it first came out. The preview made me scared. I had issues with movies that were post apocalyptic when I was a kid. It felt too real and too close to me back then. I couldn't handle it. But, I don't have any real issues with movies like that now. I actually seek these types of movies out. I have also had two of my brothers, RD and Seth, who have been in my ears for years about this movie. But I never got around to it, until this past Tuesday. This is also my first time seeing a Terry Gilliam movie. I have always heard about him, but never watched any of his movies. That's going to change after seeing "12 Monkeys".

I loved every single second of this movie. For people who have not seen it, the movie takes place in the past, present and future. Bruce Willis plays a criminal from the future who is sent back in time to try and stop this disease from being released in 1996 that is going to wipe out 99 percent of the human population.

Bruce Willis is exceptional. A performance like this makes me so sad that he has to deal with what he is currently dealing with. He and his family do not deserve this at all. He is so good in this movie. They let him be himself to an extent, but he also had to act like a crazy person at certain points, then shift on a dime and act like he was just giving in. It felt like he had given up at certain points in the movie. He portrayed all of this very well. I especially liked the scene when he was beating up someone who accosted his friend, and he took his own teeth out afterward. It was such a good performance of someone who could just flip on a dime at any given moment.

I also really liked all of the stuff in the asylum. This is where we meet Brad Pitt, an Oscar nomination worthy performance. Pitt is the best part of this whole movie. He plays the leader of the 12 Monkeys crew that everyone thinks is the cause of the spread of disease. Pitt plays this asylum patient and real world person perfectly. He is twitchy and talkative. He goes on these rants and raves where he will make sense in one sentence, then go off the rails during the next. He was so fun to watch.

Madeleine Stowe plays a psychiatrist who works with Willis. She thinks he is losing his grip on reality at first. But after a while she starts to understand and see his side of things. She realizes he is actually from the future and wants to help him. Christopher Plummer has a minor role, but he is memorable and I thoroughly enjoyed his southern accent. There are a bunch of other people in this movie and they all lend some good stuff to this movie that makes you feel wacky while you watch.

I loved everything about this movie. The look and estechic were so much cooler than a bunch of similar movies being made today. Gilliam made this movie look surreal, especially in the asylum, and you could really see it on the screen. I also like that the writers throw you in so many directions before revealing everything in the final act. I loved all the twists and turns. This movie's plot had me on the edge of my seat. But what I think I enjoyed most was the way it all wrapped up. Most movies give you hope. Most movies will show you something that makes you think it will all be okay. Most movies want you to leave in a good mood. Not "12 Monkeys". This movie ends very sadly. Spoiler alert, but everything you see leading up to the final act, it is going to happen. That is how the movie ends. You watch all of this stuff happen, and when there's a chance to stop it, that doesn't happen. I like when directors take a swing like that. And land said swing.

"12 Monkeys" is a very, very good post apocalyptic sci-fi movie. I shouldn't have waited this long to watch it. I'm glad I remedied that this week. I recommend you do the same if you haven't watched it, or are looking for a rewatch. "12 Monkeys" rules. 

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 Thing" on the Big Screen

Over the weekend I was fortunate enough to have a buddy who invited me to see "The Thing" in the theater. Let’s discuss.

My friend had been watching a bunch of John Carpenter lately, and he told me he had never seen "The Thing" in the theaters. We are both too young to have gone to a theater, but I did ask him if he had seen the movie prior. He was quick to let me know that he had. I watched it for the first time relatively recently. I want to say that my wife and I watched it last Halloween. We each pick random movies every weekend we are home to watch, it was my turn to pick, I heard a bunch of people saying how great the movie was, so I finally decided it was time for us to watch.

"The Thing" is an incredible movie. It was way ahead of its time. The practical effects were amazing. I don't think any movie has gotten to the level with practical effects that "The Thing" was able to achieve. The acting and writing were superb. I found myself not trusting anyone in the movie as it went on. And tons of movie makers have tried to recreate this feeling since, to varying degrees. Kurt Russell and Keith David are so, so good. They are, for all intents and purposes, the main characters, with Russell getting a bit more screen time. But it all comes down to those two in the end and they own every scene that they're in for the entirety of the movie. The movie takes place in Antarctica, and the way Carpenter directed, you feel cold while watching. There's snow everywhere. The wind is whipping around the base camp. The actors' clothes are snow covered every time they reenter the camp. It just makes you frigid while watching. I got all of this when I watched this movie in my home.

Seeing it on the big screen though, that was a whole other level. I went into this viewing very excited. I know the ins and outs of the movie, I have made my own feelings well known with the people in my life, what I think about the ending and I went into this viewing looking for stuff that I may have missed. I tried to have as keen an eye as I could. And I think it kind of worked. I noticed the dog way sooner than I did the first time. The crowd would ooh and aah at certain points, and those scenes made more sense to this time. I watched each and every crew member with a closer eye. I wanted to see if I could pinpoint when they were turned by the alien. I wanted to find all this stuff out.

But it was the crowd and my buddy who made this viewing so much cooler for me. I love that local theaters are showing older, restored movies on the big screen. Seeing "The Thing" at the Hi Pointe, a local indie movie theater, is the best way to watch a movie like this. Seeing it with people my age or older, people who have loved this movie since it first came out, people who have a true affinity for it, that ruled. I like how the people who were a little older than me, you could see the pure enjoyment on their faces while watching. Nostalgia is very big right now, and doing something like this is a big money making endeavor. And it lets people see the movie the way they saw it as a kid. That is what is truly important in this scenario. The theater was also about half full, which for a 9:30pm show on a Saturday night, that's a good sign to me. I also truly enjoyed having a conversation with my buddy about our feelings after the movie. I truly liked his insight.

I'm here to say that on April 6th of 2026, I believe that Keith David had turned into a thing, and he and Kurt Russell were going to die on that base camp. I used to believe that they were both human, but after seeing that David's character had no breath coming out, and that he drank what may be gasoline in that wine bottle, I do think he turned into a thing. He also disappeared with no warning when he was supposed to be looking out. That is the first sign that the thing got him.

I cannot recommend going to see this movie in a theater if you get the chance. It will change your outlook and you will view it in a whole new light. Also, if you haven't seen "The Thing" ever, rectify that right now and watch it. "The Thing" rules and seeing it on a big screen makes it even better. I had a blast. 

Ty

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

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Better Late Than Never on "Y2K"

About a year ago I remember Kyle Mooney going on a tour of podcasts and tv shows to talk about his new album, which I adore, and a new movie he was directing called "Y2K". I listened and loved the album, but I skipped the movie for the time being. I don't really know why I skipped it either. It got bad reviews, but that hasn't stopped me from seeing stuff before. It wasn't in the theaters too terribly long, but I watch stuff on streaming all the time. And then I kind of just forgot about it. I was then checking on the A24 list on HBOMax and "Y2K" was one of the first movies that popped up. So I sat back while I waited for the repair person to show up and watched.

I found myself enjoying the movie. I'm a Kyle Mooney fan. I loved when he was on "SNL". He used to make me crack up with the characters he would play, especially the 90's comedian who would bomb on weekend update. I really enjoyed "Brigsby Bear" . I think it is one of the more underrated movies to come out in the 2010's. I watched all of his Netflix show, "Saturday Morning All Star Hits", and loved how weird and dark it would get. And when he shows up in bit parts on tv shows or movies, I get stoked. I also like his and Beck Bennett's podcast, although they don't always record on any kind of schedule. He makes me laugh and I enjoy his brand of comedy. So I was going into "Y2K" with an open mind, which I think is the best way to watch a movie like this. It isn't world changing film making. I don't think Mooney and crew thought they were going to win any awards. But you could tell in watching this movie that he was having a good time and he wanted to tell a gory and weird and funny tale about what he thought would happen if viruses messed with computers on New Years Eve of 1999.

This movie was perfect for someone my age because Y2K was such a big deal. Everyone talked about it. We all wondered what would happen. We all backed up our computers. I can remember sitting in my basement with some friends as midnight rolled around and nothing happened. But this movie takes us into a world of something happening. The movie starts off like any throwback to the late 90's that we have now. There's the music of the time, the fashion and kids getting ready to ring in the new year. Jaeden Martell plays the main character, Eli. His best buddy, Danny, is played by Julian Dennison. They are dorky outcasts that just want to be accepted by the cool kids. They get drunk one night and decide to go to the big party held at "Soccer" Chris's house. Soccer Chris is played by singer The Kid Laroi, and he does an okay enough job playing a jerk. But Eli's main goal is to kiss his crush at midnight, Laura, who is played by Rachel Zegler. She kisses Soccer Chris instead, and Eli feels rejected. Then some wild stuff starts to happen. It hits midnight, and a few minutes later the machines start to take out the kids at the party. It is gruesome and hilarious. I thought it was pretty great the way Mooney directed these scenes. They were scary but also funny. After the massacre at the party, where Danny unfortunately leaves us, we have four people on the run. Eli, Laura, CJ and Ash. All get away. They did have a fifth kid with them, but he tried to do a trick with some rollerblades and breaks his neck. See, funny the way they off some of the characters, at least in my opinion. From here on out it is all about survival, but they also make it funny along the way. Mooney plays a stoner movie clerk who happens to have a nice, safe location free of internet. But he too meets his demise, and again it is hilarious. But this movie is really all about Eli getting up the courage to tell Laura how he feels, all the while the world is seemingly coming to an end due to Y2K.

I laughed a lot during my watch. I think Mooney has a good, and unique sense of humor. I find his stuff to work for me. I don;t necessarily agree with the critics on this one, but to each their own I guess. If you want to watch a movie that is a good time, and to turn your brain off for a bit, "Y2K" is a solid choice. I liked it a good bit. 

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 "Project Hail Mary"

I have just returned home after seeing "Project Hail Mary" and I have thoughts. This is going to be a spoiler free review, so you have no worries reading ahead. I will not give away anything.

First and foremost, I loved every single second of this movie. I was moved, I laughed, I got nervous, I was rooting for random stuff to happen and my attention never wavered, not even once. I was totally blown away by this and I could have watched another two and a half hours and been as happy as I could be.

Ryan Gosling does some amazing work in this movie. He is such a consistent actor and I have come to enjoy pretty much every project he chooses to do. He is making some solid picks and he seems to get better with each choice. I loved his work in "Barbie", and in "Project Hail Mary", he plays a totally different role. He has been doing that in every movie. He is such a pro and he seems to sink himself into each individual role he accepts. He brings these people to life and he is an absolute joy to watch. And for most of this movie he is acting alone. There may be a partner on the screen for him to play off of, but make no mistake, for about 70 percent of this movie he is acting alone. And he nails it. His performance as Dr Grace was one of the better performances I've seen in quite some time. This is right up there with Michael B Jordan in "Sinners" and Leonardo Dicaprio in "OBAA". He is doing some tremendous work and I hope that when the Oscars are announced for next year, the voters don't pass over the awesome work he does in this movie.

Sandra Huller is the other main actor in this movie, and for the minimal amount of scenes she is in, she is great as well. I found her demanding, but I understood why. I liked that she sang in this movie. She even makes a few jokes. She does a very solid job as a supporting actor and it makes me want to watch more of her work.

But the biggest takeaway I got from this movie was the direction from Lord and Miller. These dudes know how to direct and make a compelling and beautiful movie. This movie takes place mostly in space, but that didn't stop them from making it colorful and lush. I loved the look of the planets in this movie. They made up one and it was one of the coolest and unique things I've ever seen on film. The spaceship looked legit and real and big. This was a vast ship full of what I imagine most spaceships have on board. I also really appreciated the way the story was told. I have not read the book, so forgive me if this is how it was written, but I loved the whole back and forth way of storytelling. I liked that we go back and forth from space to the real world. They tell us about everything that led to why they are in space and why there's a spaceship. But they didn't do it in two separate parts. They would do some stuff in space, then have a scene back in the real world and it all worked and flowed so well. It was a very cool way to tell the story. We would get time in space, and then they would flashback and show us why these certain things had just happened, or what got them to this point in the movie. This movie works on every level. I was all in for the entire run time. I want more movies like this. It is clear to me that Lord and Miller understood the subject material and they made a damn good movie based on a story they both love. I like that and want more of that.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. When movies like this are made it makes me optimistic about the future. We have people like Ryan Coogler and Lord and Miller who are young and making really cool, really interesting stuff. That is great and I want more and more of it. And Rocky is one of the best characters to ever appear in a movie. Go see this movie in a theater with others. That's the best way and you will love every minute. This movie rules and I'm going to talk about it a bunch more for the rest of the year. What a great, great time in the theater. 

Ty

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

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"Project Hail Mary" Reminds Us of Something We are Close to Losing

This is not going to be a traditional movie review for the new film Project Hail Mary. The plot of the movie revolves around a scientist, light years away from Earth, trying to figure out how to stop our Sun from dying. It sounds like a depressing film, it is actually quite hopeful, funny, and emotionally moving. The movie also has something very welcome for today's audiences to see and feel.

Project Hail Mary is a refreshing reminder that intelligence, curiosity, and trust in expertise can still drive a compelling story.

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with a screenplay by Drew Goddard, and anchored by a compelling performance from Ryan Gosling, the film brings together a team that clearly understands how to balance spectacle with thoughtful storytelling.

What makes the film stand out isn’t just its high-stakes premise, it's stunning space sequences, or its scientific ambition—it’s the quiet confidence it places in its protagonist. Rather than undercutting brilliance with cynicism or constant second-guessing, the story leans into the idea that sometimes the smartest person in the room really should be trusted to lead. Even when others—human or otherwise—question decisions, the narrative consistently affirms that careful thinking, problem-solving, and a deep respect for knowledge are not just admirable traits, but essential ones.

That dynamic becomes even more meaningful in the film’s interactions beyond Earth. The presence of an alien intelligence doesn’t diminish human capability; instead, it creates a space where mutual skepticism evolves into mutual respect. Watching two vastly different beings learn to trust each other’s reasoning is one of the film’s most rewarding elements. It’s not about who is smarter—it’s about recognizing intelligence in different forms and choosing collaboration over doubt.

In a landscape where characters often succeed despite their flaws, Project Hail Mary dares to suggest something more optimistic: that people can succeed because of their strengths. It’s a story that celebrates competence without arrogance, science without condescension, and trust without naivety. And in doing so, it feels both rare and deeply satisfying.

Go see Project Hail Mary. When you leave the theater you will be filled with optimism and hope. We could use more of that these days.

RD

RD is the founder and Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Better Late Than Never on "The Platform"

I was out to coffee with my brother and my dad the other day and the two of them kept talking about this movie called "The Platform". Well, that's the name in English. But they were both giving it very positive reviews and remarks. They were talking so much about it so I asked them what the deal was with this movie. I wanted to know why they liked it so much. What made it work. Instead of giving me a breakdown, my dad told me to watch it that day when I got home.

So I did. I fired up Netflix, set it up to the English dub and watched it all unfold for the next 90 minutes. And they were correct. This was a very good, very unique movie. And before people get mad, I know the English dub is the "improper" way to watch a foreign movie, but I didn't feel like reading subtitles, I don't know Spanish and I just wanted to enjoy my time watching the movie. Anyway, as I watched this movie it all started to make sense as to what they were talking about. The whole premise of this movie is that people are put into rooms that are numbered. And each day food is lowered down from room to room on a platform and the people in the rooms have a certain amount of time to eat the food that is on the platform. So, if you are on one of the first 20 or so floors, you're eating ok. But as the platform goes further down, food gets more scarce until there is none left. The movie tells us the story of one of the people in these rooms, and how they try to survive the ordeal. But the movie goes into much, much more detail than that. I have been thinking about it since I finished on Tuesday. I have been batting around the idea of, is the place they're all in, for lack of a better term, jail? Or is it hell? Or something totally different? The people in the movie will talk about "getting out" in a few months. So does that definitely make it jail? Who's to tell. They also talk about what some will do to stay alive and eat. The main character's first roommate talks about why he does some of the things he is driven to do. He is clearly out of his mind, but he thinks that what he is doing is the proper thing to survive. Each month they get transported to a new room. Sometimes they go higher, making it all the way to the 6th floor. But other months they end up in the dregs, going as low as room 171. This is where all the mind games and tricks come into play. We also come to realize that some people are there voluntarily, while others are there for committing a crime or doing something wrong. The main guy is doing six months there so he can get a degree. But his first roommate threw an air conditioner out of his room that struck a passerby and ended their life. This brings the jail or hell question back into play. But the movie starts to take on a whole new level when the idea of a child is introduced. The main character has a roommate at one point who tells him that no one under 16 is admitted. But there is another person there who claims to be looking for their child. For a bit there's even a question if this kid exists. The "mom" does horrible things to a dog, and the dog's owner tells the main character that this "mom" is just a wannabe actor. But then some other stuff happens that makes me think the kid is real. Watch the movie if you want to know if the kid is real or not. But all the way through the movie many other things pop up. I put myself in that scenario and think, what would I resort to in this situation. You aren't allowed to hold onto food on the levels or else the people in charge will do something to the room, be it make it very hot or very cold. They show the kitchen staff throughout the movie, and they seem to truly care about the food they are putting on that platform. This led me to ask questions like, do they know where the food is going, do they like their job, do they know about the people? All of that came to mind while watching.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. I was engaged throughout and wanted to see more. They did make a sequel, which I will eventually watch. I thought that this was a solid movie with some really interesting conundrums. I say to definitely check this movie out if you have Netflix. 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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New Dune Movie First Then New Avengers Movie

The other day my son and I were talking about upcoming movies that we were excited to see. He's really into superheroes, mainly Marvel, stuff. I tend to like weirder movies. I prefer independent stuff, stuff off the beaten path or well made blockbusters. So, when he told me that "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Dune: Part 3" were coming out on the same day, it was a bit of a shock to me.

These movies are both going to be big deals, and both should make a good amount of box office money. I fully expect the superhero movie to make more, they have a wider fan base, but this final installment of "Dune" should bring in decent money as well. But the thing that surprised me most was when my son asked which movie I wanted to see more on that day, and without hesitation I said "Dune".

There was no second thought. It was as easy an answer that I have had in awhile. I have thought more and more about why this is the case, and I think I have finally figured it out. I'm over superhero stuff. This has been happening for some time now, but it just hit me during this conversation with my son. There's just too much backstory and lore that I have totally fallen off from to this point. I will still go watch some of this stuff, but only because my wife or son wants to see it. That is why I went to the newest "Fantastic Four" movie. My son was amped, he asked us to go and I love seeing movies in the theater. And while that movie was enjoyable, there was stuff in it that I had zero idea what it was all about. The same thing happened for me during "Deadpool and Wolverine". My wife was all about seeing it, I like Wolverine stuff, so I went. But I was completely confused by the whole TVA thing, until my son told me that that company is in "Loki". I watched the first season of that show, but stopped after the first episode of season 2 because I had no idea what other superhero stuff they were putting in that show. "Deadpool and Wolverine" was fun as well, but I was still scratching my head during the plot points of that movie. And I am just assuming that this will be the case for "Doomsday". I'm sure I will go see the movie in the theaters with my family. I'm sure I will have a good time. I'm sure my son will be hyped afterwards. And I'm sure that it will further confuse me as to which lore they use from the MCU. That's all well and good if the movie entertains me. But if someone asks me about why so and so did such and such, I'll just shrug and assume it must be something from past comic books.

Now this all may sound crazy to anyone that knows anything about "Dune", but I have made the effort to read and research and try my best to understand the lore of "Dune". I've read the books. RD and I have talked about it on the podcast before. I have watched pretty much everything related to "Dune". This is because this whole world and story fascinates me. I love the whole idea of spice and riding worms and battling and everything associated within this world. And I know, if given the choice, I'd pick to see the newest "Dune" movie ten times out of ten over any superhero movie. I prefer the way the story is told. I am a humongous Denis Villeneuve fan. I love the way he directs and he has been able to make not only "Dune" accessible, but he made a proper sequel to "Bladerunner", with "Bladerunner 2049". He is a wonderful maker of movies. And, even with him popping off at the mouth about everything lately, Timothee Chalamet can act. He has crushed pretty much every role he has taken on as of late, and he is Paul Atreides. I no longer give Kyle McLachlan the title of Paul. It is just Chalamet. And then I look at the cast for the new "Dune" movie, which I mentioned when talking about the recent trailer. These are people I trust when they pick a project because I know they're going to bring their A game.

So when it comes down to which blockbuster movie to see this summer, especially if these two are opening on the same day, I'd pick "Dune: Part 3" every single time and I'm not mad about that fact at all. 

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 "Dune: Part Three"

The trailer for "Dune 3" was released yesterday. I watched it because I am so very stoked for this movie to come out.

I have seen every iteration of "Dune" to this point, and Denis Villeneuve has been the best to bring this story to life. The first "Dune" movie that was made was dull and boring and lifeless. Most people don't like it. I know RD has an affinity for it, but he is few and far between. I watched the show that was on HBO Max. It was fine, but slow as well. But the first two Villeneuve movies have been awesome. I watched the first one on HBO Max because it was still pandemic in this country. It was everything I wanted the other movies to be. I loved it. I would have loved it more had I seen it on a big screen, but the times made that impossible for me. I did see the second movie in the theaters, with my dad, and we both walked away thrilled. It was such a good movie. Everything in it worked so well, they furthered the story properly and I was all in. So, when this trailer was released there was no way I wasn't going to watch. I have been amped for the third installment, the final one from Villeneuve, since I left the theater after seeing the second one. And the trailer only deepened my desire to see the third movie.

The trailer has everything I want in the final movie. Chalamet and Zendaya are back and they are about to have a kid. I cannot wait to see what kind of warrior they have. Anya Taylor Joy is back and, spoiler alert for the last movie, she looks as badass as she did while being not even born yet in the last movie. She looks to have a much bigger and much more important role in this movie, and I am stoked to see what she has in store for us. Rebecca Ferguson is back and she still has all the writing on her face. She looks to still be pushing the whole Paul as the savior thing, but she also looks a little more subdued, maybe tired, in this new movie. I get it, as a parent, how exhausting it would be to be pushing a narrative like that for your child's whole life. Florence Pugh is back and she is back for revenge. She needs to fight for her father's honor after Paul cut him down to size in the last movie. We are also getting Josh Brolin and Jason Mamoa back. Brolin is right by Paul's side, helping him fight the war. As for Mamoa, he was helping Paul learn to fight in the first movie, gone in the second, and now seems to be maybe, possibly, fighting for the opposition. That would be a dope ass heel turn from him, and I would love to see how that all would play out. Javier Bardem is here, and I'm hoping he does some more of the comedy stuff he did in the second movie. He did have his dramatic moments, as one would expect, in the last movie. He was also funny and had jokes and it brought a little much needed break from all the war and drama from the first two movies. I'm sure Stellan Skarsgard will be back and evil and gross. And we have Robert Pattison, with bleached eyebrows and hair, and he looks as villainous as he ever has. He is such a great actor, takes on cool roles and adding him to this cast was perfect. He looks so creepy and menacing and I am so amped to see what he brings to this epic movie. I loved Austin Butler showing up in the last movie, and I feel like Pattison will do even better in this one.

I cannot wait for this movie to come out. I know it isn't coming until December, but I can wait. And until then I have this trailer and the first two Villeneuve "Dune" movies to tide me over until then. I'm so happy they got someone who could do this book justice on the big screen, and the conclusion is going to be awesome. I am so pumped now. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the Oscars

Tomorrow I will do a men's NCAA tournament preview. Today I want to talk about the Oscars.

RD and I just did a podcast where we talked about past Oscar winners, what we thought should have won and gave our predictions for this year. We got some wrong and some right, like most. But, unlike our recent pod, I have no real issues or complaints about any of the major winners last night. I feel like the Academy, for once in its existence, got it pretty spot on. When we recorded, we both talked a lot about "Sinners" and "One Battle After Another". They were the big winners last night as we expected and as it should have been.

I was so stoked for Michael B Jordan winning best actor. When we made our predictions he was my pick. Not only did he play two roles, but he played them exceptionally. He was also two totally different characters in those two roles. It felt like I was watching two different actors playing Smoke and Stack. He did that dual role such wonderful justice and he was rewarded for his hard work. This is going to go down as one of the better performances to win an Oscar. The only person I thought that had a shot to take the award from him was Timothee Chalamet in "Marty Supreme". Both actors did great work, but I will say this forever, Michael B Jordan was two totally different people and he was amazing. I'm very happy for him and for "Sinners".

"Sinners" also got best original screenplay, as it should have. We are talking about a horror/vampire/musical. That is unlike any other thing out there right now. When my wife and I saw "Sinners" we were shocked it wasn't adapted from something else. But this was all Ryan Coogler and his team that made up this wonderful and engaging story. "Sinners" has an originality that a movie like "Everything Everywhere All at Once" had. This was a totally original and totally awesome idea for a movie and Coogler and crew brought it to life perfectly.

"One Battle After Another" took home a ton of hardware. That's great. It was my number 1 movie of 2025 afterall. All of the accolades and awards for "OBAA" are more than deserved. Paul Thomas Anderson finally got his Oscar. I still like "There Will Be Blood" a bit more, but "OBAA" ranks right up there. And even if this is a lifetime achievement thing for him, and the Academy surely expects Coogler to be back, PTA earned this award last night. "OBAA" was so wonderfully and expertly directed. The movie flowed excellently. Each story connected with the whole big story. The car chase scene was one of the coolest and most intense things I've ever seen put to film. And PTA got the best out of each and every actor that was onscreen. Kudos to him for a job well done. Sean Penn won for supporting actor, as I predicted. Never have I been more frightened and nervous when his character was on screen. He was a horrible racist in this movie and he was shockingly good at what he did. I know Penn isn't like this in real life, which makes his performance all that much better. I was pulling for Delroy Lindo, but in the end I think we all kind of knew Penn was going to win and this was a much deserved Oscar for him. And to wrap up their night, "OBAA" won best picture. You'll get no argument from me here. "OBAA" was my top movie of the year and it has every claim to win best picture. "Sinners" and "Marty Supreme" were right there for me, but in the end, "One Battle After Another" is a well deserving best picture winner from 2025.

As for the other awards, we all knew Jessie Buckley was going to win best actress. That has been in the making for sometime now. I haven't seen "Hamnet" to this point, and don't know if I will see it. I did see "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You", and Rose Bryne would have gotten my vote. She was tremendous in a movie where she was on screen for pretty much all of it. But Buckley is a fine winner. I was so happy for my daughter because "K-Pop Demon Hunters" won best animated feature. That movie rules, the music is incredible and that movie deserves all of the accolades and talk it has garnered to this point. "Golden" also won for best original song, as it should have won. "Sinners" deserved the original score, and when Miles Canton and crew performed "I Lied to You" it took me back to that scene in the movie and it was amazing. Go watch that performance if you haven't yet.

The best for me last night was Amy Madigan winning for playing Aunt Gladys in "Weapons". This is awesome on so many levels. Madigan is a consummate professional that everyone seems to love working with and she took home her first Oscar. "Weapons" is an independent movie directed by a former comedic actor, Zach Cregger. This is akin to when Jordan Peele won an Oscar for "Get Out". Independent horror movies made by former comedians don't get the accolades they deserve, but they kind of rectified that last night. But in the end, Madigan embodied probably the most evil villain any movie has seen in some time. She is barely on screen for "Weapons", but when she shows up she steals that movie. She was amazing, her performance was amazing, "Weapons" is an indie with smaller actors in it and Madigan was rewarded for her amazing work. It’s about time a movie like "Weapons" and an actor like Amy Madigan got some well deserved praise.

As I said at the top, I have no complaints about the winners. Everyone got what they earned and I'm happy for them all. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and this is a year where the Academy did the correct thing and gave the awards to deserving people. Nice work. 

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 "Predator: Badlands"

While I am admittedly last to the "Predator" game, I didn't see the original until the beginning of the pandemic, but I, to this point, have seen most of the movies that have been released. My personal favorite is "Prey". I just love the whole backstory and how quiet and confident that movie was when I saw it. My son has finally seen the original, and he loved it, and yesterday I sat down and watched "Predator: Badlands".

I tried to see the movie in the theaters, but the timing got away from me. I heard plenty of people, people whose movie suggestions I trust, say it was good enough, but no one really went any further on the movie. Then I heard someone recently talking about it on a podcast, and that energized me to finally watch it. It's nice that it is streaming on Hulu as well, a service which we subscribe to. So I sat back while everyone was out yesterday and tuned in.

I really enjoyed this movie. It is one of the more fun versions of "Predator". The original movies were supposed to be kind of scary, or that was what I thought when they were released. That's not the case anymore, and those are just straight up action movies. The stuff in the middle, like "AVP" and stuff of that ilk, I have avoided. I heard those are not good, not even fun good, so I'm going to skip them. I did see the more recent one with Adrien Brody and Topher Grace, and I thought it was fine, but they took it too seriously. That version was missing the fun from the Arnold movie. Then "Prey" came out and changed the game for me. With "Prey" I felt that they were finally telling us some stories from the actual Predator's viewpoint.

"Predator: Badlands", for all intents and purposes, is an origin story about a Predator. Sure, this movie has some adult themes in it, the whole opening act is brutal, but the movie plays out like a videogame when the Predator gets to Genna and starts to work with Thia, played by Elle Fanning. Fanning is really good in this movie by the way. She plays dual roles, as Thia and Tessa, and she does some solid work. She is playing two totally different characters too, and she brings levity to both. Thia is way cooler and more fun than Tessa, but Tessa has her moments too. I like the whole idea of her being two robots that were given feelings. They act on feelings, and to do that with robots makes this movie make sense.

But don't get it twisted. This movie is all about Dek's journey. From start to finish, Dek is onscreen with us. Dek is the younger brother of a pretty excellent Predator, and he just wants to follow in his footsteps, and maybe prove that he is not the runt of the litter and a worthy fighter. And we get a ton of action after the opening sequence, which is filled with action as well when their dad shows up. Throughout the movie we get some kick ass video game action sequences that are fun to watch. When Dek lands on Genna it is immediately on for him. He has to fight the elements while looking for the biggest trophy he can think of. This planet they created for the movie is dope. Everything can be used for battle. The trees attack Dek. There's plants that can paralyze you. The grass is as sharp as razor blades. The animals are big and ruthless and some can regenerate. Even the nice animals, one in particular who joins Dek and Thia's fight, have some vicious fangs and awesome fighting skills. I'm not usually a fan of slow motion in movies, but it works so well in this one. It is almost needed. Dek is such a fast fighter that the slow motion actually helps you see what he is doing. I like when slow mo is used properly, and they do it great justice in this movie.

I mentioned Fanning earlier, and when she shows up the movie kicks into gear. This is essentially building a team type of movie, and they do that pretty wonderful here. They have their trials and tribulations, but in the end they're there for one another and that makes the climatic scene even better.

So while I think "Prey" is a better overall movie, I had a blast watching "Badlands".  It was fun, had jokes, cool fight scenes and made me want to know more and more backstory on Predators past and future. I would definitely recommend checking this movie out. 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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Better Never Than Late on "The Whale"

I had been putting it off for sometime now, but since it is about to leave HBO Max, I sat down and watched "The Whale". Let’s discuss.

I wanted to see it when it came out, but I never got around to it in the theaters. I kind of forgot about it, but then Brendan Fraser won the Oscar for best actor when the movie came out. I then forgot about it again, until the podcast "Doughboys" started talking about it. The stuff they said about the movie piqued my interest one more time. I still took my sweet time to watch it, but "Doughboys" kept bringing it up and I just had to watch.

So I did watch the movie, and I was not a fan of this movie. I get it. I get why people liked this movie, why Fraser was nominated and why he won. I understand the work that Fraser put into this role and he acted his ass off. But this movie was not for me.

First off, I'm not crazy about movies that are adapted from plays. Plays are their own thing. They're performed on stages for a reason. They are quiet and take their time telling you the story. When you go to a play you're prepared for that. When you go to a movie, it, for me, just feels boring. The moments of silence that work on stage don't work the same for me watching a movie. I have never really enjoyed my time watching a movie adapted from a play. It doesn't work for me.

I also found this movie to be melodramatic. It hit all the cliche notes one could want from a story like this. Fraser never left his house because he felt he would be judged for how he looked. And when people saw him, they judged him. The pizza delivery guy scene near the end frustrated the hell out of me. When he finally saw Fraser, the face the actor made was disgusting and offensive. When his students finally see him their jaws drop and they start to pull their phones out to take pictures. I don't get this. There are plenty of people who may be overweight or obese that are out in the open everyday. To be honest, my wife and daughter enjoy the show "1000 LB Sisters", and Fraser's character in this movie is smaller than the family on that show at their heaviest. Sure, Fraser is big. He needs a walker and anchors to help him get in bed. But I have seen plenty of people bigger than Fraser out in the public on the daily. I also kind of despised how they treated the female characters in this movie. First off, Hong Chau is the only female character I felt was written properly, but she still had moments where she was out and out mean. She yells at Fraser about chewing properly when he almost chokes. That is a totally normal thing to happen, but the way they had Chau go into him made me angry. I actively disliked Sadie Sink in this movie. She was mean, angry at the world, plotted against everyone and acted like an entitled moody teenager. Maybe that is how the character is in the play, but in this movie she was mean and nasty all the way to the end. I was rooting against her the whole time. And Samantha Morton, who plays his ex wife, is in one scene and I felt like she was just there to yell and scream and be mad that her daughter isn't who she wanted her to be. She is loud and angry. Her mood switches at  the drop of the hat. She walks on screen and storms off after a blowout with Fraser. The writing for women in this movie was not great in my opinion.

As for Fraser, I said I understand why he won, but his performance was not otherworldly to me, He portrayed an obese person very well, but I also felt it was kind of hammy. The binge eating scene was gross. The constant coughing was distracting. He never got angry or frustrated at all of the people who yelled at him or made faces at him. It was a soap opera-esque performance to me. I also kind of hated the sound in this movie. You could hear every crunch and chew of food. You could hear the wheezing. You could hear everything and it was as rough to listen as it was to watch.

Darren Aronofsky is really hit or miss with me, and "The Whale" was a big fat miss for me. I'm a chubby guy myself, and I felt like this movie was about fat shaming Fraser. I get all the jokes "Doughboys" have been making now too, which is going to make future listens even better. I'd skip "The Whale" if you want my recommendation. It is melodramatic nonsense. 

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 "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You"

I finally watched "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You". I have wanted to see this movie ever since Rose Bryne started to get all the accolades and nominations. That is literally the only way I heard about the movie to be honest with you. I had no idea that this was even a thing until the recognition started.

I went into this movie not knowing much about it either. I knew about Bryne's performance, that ASAP Rocky was in the movie and that it was intense. All of those things were true.

The movie focuses on Bryne's character, who is a working mother who may or may not be going through a nervous breakdown. She has a daughter that has a feeding tube in her stomach, her husband is away on business and her apartment gets flooded in one of the first scenes. The movie just takes off from there. All of the talk, the recognition, the accolades, it's all well deserved. Rose Bryne is incredible in this movie. I have only seen a bit of her work prior to this, and all of those movies have been comedies. She is great in those roles as well. This movie is not a comedy. It is very  far from a comedy. But Bryne is more than up to task. Her portrayal of this mom covers every emotion. I'm a parent to two kids, and some days are harder than others. This movie puts Bryne's character in all of the most messed up situations one could imagine and she has to deal with all of this while raising her daughter alone. Her husband is away on business, and we mostly only hear his voice in the movie. All the while, Bryne has to deal with the flooded apartment, living with her daughter in a hotel, a horrific ordeal with a hamster, her daughter's illness, a support group she hates, her patients at her practice, her own therapist, the younger adults that work at the hotel and an angrier than normal parking lot attendant. She handles each and every situation with a different emotion and it is masterful work from her. All throughout I felt her pain. I also felt her annoyance. I love and adore my kids more than anything, but they can be annoying from time to time. The daughter in this is sick and constantly complaining and scared. That can get to a parent. That can be a struggle. I felt for her when she just wanted some alone time. Sometimes being alone, as a parent, is the best feeling in the world. It's quiet and no one is asking you for anything or telling you a story. It's glorious. I understood her just wanting to get away near the end of the movie. Everything came to a head and she just wanted out. Bryne portrayed that excellently. She is more than deserving of the awards she has already won, and the Oscar nomination makes way more sense to me now.

I do want to point out the solid work from Conan O'Brien and ASAP Rocky. Conan O'Brien plays the Bryne's therapist, and he is doing zero comedy in this movie. He is greatly cast as the level headed therapist opposite Bryne. He has his stuff figured out and all he is trying to do is help Bryne. She doesn't see it that way, but that is what he's doing. I was stunned by O'Brien's work here. ASAP Rocky was a revelation. He is nice and tries to help Bryne. He wants to show her how to properly relax. He tries to get her to just have a good time with him. And when he gets hurt, the anger is palpable and believable. He gets screwed over by Bryne in this movie, and ASAP Rocky does a solid job acting this character out properly, He definitely has a budding future as an actor.

When I finished the movie I sat back and thought about it. The movie is okay with a tremendous performance. The movie is also really difficult and really intense. They deal with some heavy stuff here. That was to be expected as the movie played out, but it is hard to sit through more than once. I won't be revisiting the movie, but I'm glad I watched. Performances like Bryne's don't come around too often, and a chance to watch an actor knock it out of the park is worth the watch when it comes around. That is exactly what Bryne does here. I would say watch this movie only once just so you can bear witness to one of the better performances of last year. Rose Bryne is amazing and worth the watch. 

Ty

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

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Better Late Than Never on "Bring Her Back"

I've been on a kick of watching movies from A24 lately. Lucky for me HBO Max has a whole category dedicated to this particular production company. I've gone back and rewatched some of my favorites, but I just finished "Bring Her Back".

I understand that the brothers who directed this also directed "Talk to Me", which I haven't seen just yet but is on my list. I picked "Bring Her Back" because I heard that Sally Hawkins gives an amazing performance, and since Amy Madigan was excellent in "Weapons", I wanted to see another actor I like play a very villainous villain. That was the main draw for me, and according to the minimal reviews I read, she is wonderfully heinous in the movie. So I turned it on and sat down and was traumatized, in a good way, by what I saw.

Right off the bat, this movie is not for the faint of heart. This is a tough movie with some heavy themes being dealt with. The whole crux of the movie is, a foster brother and sister's dad passes away and they are sent to live with Hawkins character. There's another young man living in the house with them, and this kid seems a little off. The brother is clearly going through some awful stuff, and the sister, who is legally blind, needs him to help her get around. The young man living with Hawkins is mute and left in locked rooms during the day. We come to find out that Hawkins is dealing with grief all her own. Her daughter, who was afflicted with the same eye disease the new girl has, died after being left alone by the house pool. She hit her head, fell in and did not make it. As the movie unfolds it gets more and more sinister and chilling. And Hawkins is at the forefront of every problem. She, after taking the children to their father's funeral, encourages the young kid to drink alcohol to deal with the pain. After their night of drinking, Hawkins makes the kid believe that he has wet the bed, a problem from his past trauma. But it is Hawkins who puts the wet spot on his pants. We see that. After Hawkins and the daughter go shopping, the two young boys living at the house have, or try to, a conversation. This is where the movie gets gross, and starts to explain itself. After the older boy gives the younger boy a piece of fruit, still on the knife, we hear some clanking metal sounds. The older one turns and sees the younger one trying to eat the knife. His face is all cut up, and as one would expect, Hawkins freaks out. The movie only gets crazier from there. Hawkins continues to torment the older boy, making him think he is crazy, that he hit his sister in his sleep and that he is the problem and needs to leave their house. The older boy doesn’t believe he is doing any of this, and even comes to find out that maybe the younger boy living in the house has been kidnapped. This is proven to be true. Before that was proven, we come to find out what Hawkins is truly up to, and it is upsetting/ Spoilers ahead. I mentioned that Hawkins' daughter has passed away. Well, she has kidnaped this young kid and had him possessed. He eats all the stuff in the house, knives and tables included, because the possessor is hungry. This boy is there to eat the "soul" of Hawkins' deceased daughter so it can purge it into the new foster daughter. Hawkins' character has made this plan and she is trying to set it in motion. She truly goes too far. She kills the older brother and his caseworker, her friend, when they find out the plan. She tells the new daughter what she is going to do. She is on the way to completing the plan until the new daughter actually calls her "mum", just so she will release her. The movie concludes with the daughter getting away, the kidnapped kid, who is badly hurt, getting rescued and the mom and her deceased daughter laying in a pool of water with police barreling down on her.

As I said before, this is a tough movie with gruesome themes. But I felt that the directors and writers did a very good, and unique, job of showing how far some will go when dealing with grief. They did dedicate the movie to a friend of theirs that unexpectedly died while they were making the movie. But the reason I would recommend this movie, and steer people towards it is Sally Hawkins' performance. She is so evil and so mean but she is also understated about it in the best possible way. She is sinister, but you also start to believe her at certain points. The things she does are truly awful, but then she will talk about her daughter and that makes you stop in your tracks. I think next to Madigan's performance, Hawkins' is the next best villain in a movie from 2025. If you do watch, it is a tough movie to get through, but you will also be rewarded with a tremendous performance from Sally Hawkins. 

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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Is the New "Animal Farm" Movie for Kids?

I wrote about the movie "GOAT" that I saw with my son earlier this week. Before the movie we had some previews and one stood out to me, and I fear it is for the wrong reasons.

"GOAT" is clearly a movie for kids, so the previews were movies geared towards kids. During one of the trailers I saw a bunch of animals talking and acting like animals from the book "Animal Farm". But I figured that couldn't be the case. "Animal Farm", the book, is pretty bleak. I've read it a few times and it gets bleaker the older I get. I need to say, I love the book. I think everyone should read it once in their life. I feel it is very relevant to society today. I mentioned to my son multiple times during the preview that I think he should read the book to get the true idea of its meaning. So the whole idea of turning this very important, very bleak story into a kids movie rubbed me the wrong way.

As the preview rolled out it almost seemed like they were trying to make it a comedy. The preview had the beats of the book, but it was all being told in a goofy, funny tone. The pigs were making jokes. The other animals were laughing and goofing off. The animation made it look very child-like. They even had the line, "two legs bad, four legs good". But it sounded as if they had a child say it in voiceover.

That is not the lesson I got from the book when I read it. The book is all about standing together to overthrow the bad guys, but then turning into said bad guys when you get power. It is the good and bad of having power. The book tells that story and tells it very well. The pigs are, spoiler alert, the bad guys. They start the revolution, but when they are given the power they get too fat off of it. The book shows you the downside of being in total control. This preview makes a joke of all of that in my opinion. I have mild optimism because Andy Serkis is directing, and the voice cast is great, led by Seth Rogan. But I got a very weird vibe from what I saw. I just can't wrap my head around it.

I've wanted an "Animal Farm" movie for a long, long time. But I want it to stay true to the book. I don't care if it is animated or live action either. Animated might be better since the animals speak to one another throughout the book. But this version has thrown me for a loop. I am kind of hopeful that the preview is just a misdirect. I doubt it since they showed it before a kids movie. And that is what has me most pessimistic. I don't think studios would have attached this to the movie "GOAT" if they weren't going for the same audience. "Animal Farm" should fall into the category of "Heavy Metal" or "Fritz the Cat". You can make animated movies for adults. It has been done in the past. And that is what they should be doing with "Animal Farm". They can have this same cast. As I mentioned, I love that Andy Serkis is directing. He has made one hell of a career for himself, but he is doing more drama/action stuff. Serkis doesn't seem like the type to do kids movies. But I am a little worried that they're going to sully the greatness that is the book. I could just choose to not see the movie. I don't have to even go to the theater. But I like all of the people involved, and it is one of my all time favorite books. Like I said before, I hope they are not revealing much of anything in these early previews, and they are going to make a more true to the book movie.

Time will tell. but right now I'm a little concerned that they're going to take this excellent book, about the corruption of power, and try to make a joke out of it. That would bume me the hell 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 "GOAT"

My kids had school off yesterday and my son has been asking to go see the new animated movie "GOAT". He was asking my folks to take him, but they didn't have the time. With my daughter being homebound since she is sick, my son and I were stir crazy, so I decided that was the perfect time to take him.

I did not know a lot about the movie, but one of my older brother's did tell me that he thought my son would enjoy it. He was correct. This review will be as spoiler free as possible, but a few spoilers may slip here and there. Forewarning. "GOAT" takes place in an alternate world where animals play a version of professional basketball called Roar Ball. Roar ball has, for the most part, bigger animals that play. We have pumas, rhinos, ostriches, grizzly bears and horses, among others. The sport is tough for smaller animals to play because it is, especially for a kids movie, pretty violent. The courts are also susceptible to the elements, since most games are held outdoors.

Early on we meet the main character, Will, and his mom. Will is a goat and he dreams of playing for his local town's team, the Thorns. He also wants to play with his favorite player of all time, Jett. He goes to a game with his mom and vows to become a pro one day. We fast forward 10 years and Will still has hoop dreams, but he is still small. His mom has also, unfortunately, passed away. Will works as a delivery guy for a diner, but he always finds time to play Roar Ball, mostly by himself. Meanwhile the Thorns and Jett are having a tough season and Jett looks to be getting passed by as the best to ever play. There is a new player in town, a horse named Mane Attraction. Mane Attraction is brash and bold and a top notch hooper. He is on the internet talking trash all the time and he knows how good he is. One day he goes to the Vineyard, this is where they play pickup ball, and he is taking on anyone willing to play him. Will gets his shot and breaks his ankles. Mane Attraction eventually wins the game, but Will's friends upload the video of his breaking ankles. This video goes so viral that the owner of the Thorns signs him. Jett doesn't care for this, but they need a sixth player, and Will is chosen for the job.

From here on out the movie follows the typical sports stereotypes. Will doesn't play at all and he cannot get through to his teammates. Jett is a ball hog and a loner. Eventually they come together as a team and start winning. Then the team gets sold before the semifinals. Will overhears a conversation between the owner and Jett and Jett reverts to her old ways. They all apologize and get back together and eventually win it all. And one of the players on the team is able to buy it from the owner and they don't have to move. They set up a sequel in the closing credits and, after 100 minutes, we were out of the theater.

This is your typical kids sports movie. It hits all the cliches. You can tell what is going to happen beat by beat. That being said, I found myself enjoying what I was watching, but not for the reasons I used to like sports movies. Will is all well and good to watch, and I liked the basketball adjacent game they played, but I enjoyed the hell out of the coach in the movie. Patton Oswalt voiced the coach, and when he was given full control of the team, I was all in. His message was all about teamwork and how teams, not individuals, win rings. He championed defense, teamwork and togetherness as ways to win. I have been saying this since I started coaching my son six years ago. I loved that this was the ringing message throughout the movie. And the only way they end up winning it all is by playing as a team. I loved that.

Outside the coach, my favorite part, this was a solid cast doing nice voicework. Caleb McLaughlin voiced Will and he was great. He was full of energy and optimism and I was there for it. Some other people lending voices were Gabrielle Union, Steph Curry, Aaron Pierre, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Nick Kroll and Jennifer Hudson, among others. Everyone is doing solid work and seems to be having a good time doing it. The movie had a great message and the cast put that on blast. The animation was cool, the movie was short, the action was fun and I was never bored watching it.

I recommend any parents with young kids who play basketball go to see this movie. It is neat and cool and tells a positive and nice story. My son and I enjoyed it, and I think young basketball players will like it too. 

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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Remember "The Angry Birds Movie"?

My daughter has been home sick for two days, she has a mild fever and a cough, and today she wanted to watch a movie. I let her pick and she landed on "The Angry Birds Movie".

I have to admit, I had totally forgotten that they even made one of these. It seemed unnecessary at the time of its release, and I had completely let it leave my mind that this even existed. I also remember reading some reviews, and as to be expected, the movie was panned by the major critics. I had very low expectations going into this movie.

That being said, I did find some stuff that made me laugh while watching, I thought the animation was cool, but all in all, this movie doesn't even need to exist. It was not great. My daughter loved it. Let me say that. She was laughing through some sniffles and when the movie ended she told me she had a good time. I watched it from an adult and critics point of view, be that necessary or not. Like I said, there were a few gags that got genuine laughs from me, and the movie looked like a much better version of the game. But all in all this was clearly just a cash grab. I don't know when or why Angry Birds the game became humongous, but the fact of the matter is that it is one of the bigger phone games, and I'm sure movie corporations saw that and jumped at an opportunity to make some more money. They even got a solid voice cast, including people like Jason Sudeikis, Maya Rudolph, Peter Dinklage and Danny McBride among many others. But those people didn't have a whole lot to do in their roles. Sudekis was there to be aloof and make one liner jokes, which he excels at doing. But the jokes here, for the most part, land flat. You can tell this was written for a children's audience. Sometimes these movies are made for kids, but the people involved write jokes for the parents that are watching. That wasn't the case here. These were jokes for kids, maybe even written by kids. Danny McBride felt subdued, Maya Rudolph was only there to act like a hippy and Peter Dinklage, who got the laughs out of me, was barely even in the movie at all.

As for the story, it was simplistic, which can be fine, but they went way too simple here. The game goes that the birds need to protect their homes from the pigs. That was exactly what the movie did, but they added eggs, which I don't even remember if that is in the game or not. The eggs were the crux of what the pigs were doing. And it wasn't until the pigs stole the eggs did we even get to see the birds do what they do in the game. And that was the climax of the movie. This was the point where the animation was at its best, but it felt too little too late. I did enjoy how nefarious the pigs were, and Bill Hader voicing the main pig was great casting. But anyone could tell the pigs were evil the moment they stepped on screen, even if you've never played the game before. When they did finally show up the tricks the birds could do, it came and went so quickly that I had to ask my daughter who did what, and we had to rewind a few times to figure out who was causing what damage. Seeing the birds do destruction to the pigs town was cool because that is what the game is all about. But, again, it was the end of the movie and it was only about a five minute scene. The rest of the movie was filled with corny jokes, for the most part, a story of why birds should and should not be angry, the main bird being picked on as a kid and the town turning and then regarding the main bird. You see, very simple stuff. But, my daughter liked it and the movie made more than enough money to garner a sequel.

Herein lies my issue with this movie overall, there's hardly any original ideas anymore. Every other movie seems to be based off a property that gained enough fame to justify the cash grab that is the inevitable feature length movie. Hell, a studio made an "Emoji" movie. That should tell you all you need to know. I will say, if you have a kid who's interested, you should turn it on for them. But for the adults in the room, it won't do all that much for you. 

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 "Opus"

Last week I watched the movie "Opus". Let’s discuss.

Once I saw that Ayo Edebiri was going to be in a horror/comedy from A24 I was all in. I enjoy her work on "The Bear". She is the heart and soul of that show for me. I didn't finish "I Love LA", but I did see her small role as a European pop icon and I thought she played it perfectly over the top. I like her voice work on "Big Mouth", and now i'm stoked that she is getting more and more work.

As I found out more about "Opus", I got even more on board. John Malkovich was cast as a superstar pop icon. He was going to be playing one of the best singer/songwriters in the world. He also seemed to have a creepy aura about him, and you could see that from the trailers. From what I read, "Opus" was about Malkovich's popstar inviting people from the world of pop culture to hear his new record and then some flagrant stuff was going to go down. The two people I knew cast, and the premise were more than enough for me to want to watch.

Then some reviews came out and "Opus" kind of got panned. That bummed me out. That was when I decided to wait for it to come to streaming. It took me a bit, but I finally saw it and I have some thoughts. I do want to say, this review will have spoilers in it. Just a heads up.

So, this movie was not great. I want to start with that. It goes kind of nuts and off the rails in the final act. The stuff leading up to the climax was good and scary and thrilling, but you could tell what was going to happen from the jump. The rest of the cast was really great though. Besides Malkovich and Edebiri, we have Murray Bartlett, Juliette Lewis, Tony Hale and Amber Midthunder, among others. Whoever cast this movie did a wonderful job, and I don't necessarily blame the actors for the movie kind of unraveling the whole way through. Malkovich is good and creepy. I also appreciate that he actually sang the songs in the movie. Edebiri is great as the young and hungry journalist. She is a great actor and she did such a wonderful job in a co-starring role. Bartlett is funny, Lewis brings a solid veteran to the cast and Midthunder is downright terrifying. Tony Hale is barely in it, but he brings it for his two scenes in the whole thing.

For people who may not know, "Opus" is about a former pop star making a new album and inviting some people to his compound to be the first to listen. The compound is creepy. The people working and living there are clearly up to no good. The place is too pristine and too well manicured and taken care of. The invited guests, besides Edebiri, don't seem to see what is going on, and when they do, it is far too late. Look, while the movie is not great, it did keep my attention. Sure, it was easy to figure out what was going to happen beat by beat, but that did not take away from my viewing experience. Malkovich really brought it and he is scary to begin with. I didn't like the way they had him reveal his plan so quickly and abruptly, but again that is not his fault. And even in the end, when Edebiri finally gets to interview him, I could not take my eyes off his performance. Malkovitch is a good and dependable actor and you know he is going to bring it when he is cast in a movie. My biggest nitpick with the movie is the turn after the puppet show. This is when the whole plan is revealed and this is when they go way, way too gory. The kills were merciless and brutal. I felt like they took it a bit too far for my taste. The getaway was easy to spot. The wrap up from Malkovich in prison talking about how the survivors of his cult were still out there was way too easy to see coming. But I was still locked in the whole time. I think the better idea would have been to just keep the movie within the compound and slowly reveal the plan. That was the best part of the movie. When they let tension sit there and made the viewer think about what might happen, that was when the movie worked. They didn't let us sit in that long enough in my opinion.

I say one more time, the movie was watchable. So while not very good, I do think it is worth a viewing. Just go in knowing that the end product isn't great, but you will see some solid performances. 

Ty

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

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A "Blade Runner" Experience Like No Other

Last night I had a movie going experience for the first time in my life. I have seen the original "Blade Runner" dozens of times. It is one of the best movies ever made and it happens to be one of my favorites. I find new things to enjoy with each new watch. I grow to like it even more as I get older. It is truly a masterpiece. And I have seen every version of the movie that has been made available. But last night it was a totally new, totally different viewing.

A while back I saw that a local venue was going to show the movie on a humongous screen in 4k Ultra. That would have been enough for me to go, but this showing also had a live band playing the score of the movie as it was playing. I've heard of this before, but I've never been privy to a screening. My wife a few years back saw "The Muppet Christmas Carol" with a choir and orchestra, which she loved. But this was different. This was not a choir or an orchestra. This was a band playing along with the movie. They had three keyboard players. There was a person who played guitar and bass. They had two electric violin players. There was a person playing an electric harp. They had one singer and a person playing a humongous drum. And they played the score of "Blade Runner", which is more of an electronic, new wave type score. It was akin to something that Daft Punk would do nowadays. It was kind of like their score to the second "Tron" movie Disney did years ago.

This showing was cool as hell though. I didn't really know what to expect when I went into the venue. It was playing at The Factory here in Saint Louis, which is a decent sized spot. I got second row seats, and when I walked in, there were probably about 200 to 300 people. That is definitely the biggest crowd I have been with to watch a movie. I do wish I got seats a few rows back, I had to tilt my head up to watch the movie, but that's neither here nor there. I was also surprised to see the diversity in age at this movie. Most people were my age, or just a little bit older. But there were some younger kids, it was an 18 and over show. There were some people in their 20's, but there were also people who are my folks' age, and that made me happy. That means this movie has continued to gain fans year after year. The greatness of "Blade Runner" knows no age limits. That's dope. I love the movie, so that was no surprise to me that it still holds up incredibly well. It is a classic. But having that band added such a nice extra incentive to watching this movie. From the opening credits to the end credits, the band was on it. They hit every beat. When the drums needed to come in, they came in with a literal bang. The keyboards, probably the most essential part of the score, were banging. The players were on it, they had the right tone and effects and it was amazing to listen to. The violins added to the eeriness of the movie and the score. The electric harp was one of the cooler live instruments I have ever heard. The lady who sang the parts that needed singing had a beautiful voice and hit all the right notes. And the bassist/guitar player added the little extra that those instruments add to this movie's score. There were times when I knew that drums were coming, but they were so much louder that it made me jump in my seat. I made my way out of the venue in the middle of the rolling of the end credits and I could clearly hear the music outside while walking to my car.

This was a very wonderful way to see this movie. It was new and unique and interesting. I will for sure be going to more and more of these type showings, as long as they aren't wildly expensive. I highly recommend seeing a movie you love in this fashion. It adds a whole lot that I didn't even know was possible. This is a memory I will hold for the longest 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 Smashing Machine"

A few months back I saw a trailer for the movie "The Smashing Machine". It piqued my interest at the time, but I never got around to seeing it in the theaters. It is now streaming on HBO Max and I had some time last weekend to watch it.

I recently wrote about my affinity for sports movies and "The Smashing Machine" is most definitely a sports movie. The sport is not one I watch or know much about, MMA fighting, but I've watched plenty of sports movies that feature sports I'm not a fan of.  I was most intrigued by what I saw Dwayne Johnson doing in the trailer. Johnson usually only plays roles in action movies where he can be the hero. That's all well and good and he seems to excel at such roles. He has done some different stuff, like "Southland Tales" for example. But he is usually the nondescript hero. This role in "The Smashing Machine" seemed much different. This is a more dramatic take. He had to go to darker places I felt. He had to do some real "acting" if you will. And I felt like he was up to the task here.

My quick initial review of the movie was okay. It was a bit melodramatic and overlong. I usually love Emily Blunt in her movies, but here it felt like she was directed to be an emotional over the top mess. She did that just fine but it was a cliched take on a girlfriend who felt scorned and not relied upon. There is an entire scene where she threatens to kill herself and I just didn't buy it. It felt very after school special. And as the Safdie's like to do, Benny Safdie had some real people and very green actors perform roles in the movie. It was fine, but it did not come close to the work that his brother Josh Safdie got from the same people in "Marty Supreme". you could tell the non actors in "The Smashing Machine" were not actors. I do want to point out the guy that played Johnson's buddy, Ryan Bader, did a fine job. This is his world, I read he is a former MMA fighter, and all he had to do was play a version of himself with a different name. The fighting sequences were cool and solidly acted and directed. But I just kind of got a hollow feeling after watching it because it was too sad and sappy for my taste when it comes to sports movies.

But, Dwayne Johnson was pretty great. He was the lone standout of this movie. He brought his A game. This was a role that had me realizing that he can be a solid actor when called upon to do something new and different. He was the titular Smashing Machine, Mark Kerr. I had no idea who he was prior to this movie, but I learned a lot about him from Johnson's portrayal. I guess Kerr was a pioneer of the sport and a pretty big reason why it has become as popular as it is today. Johnson also transformed his body for this role. He has always been a big dude, he was a college football player turned professional wrestler. But he had to build up his muscles even more for this movie. I read that Kerr was a pretty devout weight lifter and took his lifting very seriously. There is a part when Johnson turns his back to the camera and he had so many muscles on his back. I had no idea that one could have that many muscles and have them on one's back. Dwayne Johnson got absolutely ripped for this and he more than looked the part. Back to his acting for a moment. As I said, this movie was melodramatic, and in a melodramatic sports movie, the main character always seems to have a drug problem. Kerr was no different. He was addicted to opioids, namely pain relief drugs. But the way Johnson portrayed his addiction, he did it very well. You could see he was an addict, but he was able to hide it for a bit. And when he couldn't hide it, it reared its ugly head and Johnson did this very well. I especially liked the scene where he was in Japan at a fighting tournament and the strongest pain reliever he could get was Advil. Johson portrayed Kerr's addiction perfectly here. You could tell he was angry, but he didn't go over the top. But you could see him seething deep down which only furthered his addiction. And when he needs to get clean, him trying to stay sober with an enabling girlfriend was also very well acted by Johnson. The fight scenes were done very well by Johnson. It had to help that he was a professional wrestler and he has been doing stage fighting most of his adult life. I also enjoyed his arc throughout the movie and the ending was done very well.

Dwayne Johnson is the reason to watch this movie if you are thinking about checking it out. His performance is dynamic and it was the reason I was able to get through the more melodramatic stuff. So if you're on the fence, watch it for Johnson. His performance is worth the two hour runtime. 

Ty

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

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R.I.P. Catherine O'Hara

I was going to write about a movie I recently watched, but a very unfortunate thing happened as I was driving home this afternoon. I got a new update on my phone and checked when I got to a stoplight. I read that Catherine O'Hara had passed away at 71.

I was shocked. I didn't want to believe it at first. I thought that it may have been some misinformation that got wrongly released. I truly did not want this news to be true. Unfortunately it is true. Catherine O'Hara has died at 71 years old. She was too young and still had so much more work left to do. No reason for death has been made public, but the stuff I have read said that she had a brief illness. I am stunned.

O'Hara has literally been on my tv and movie screens since I was a kid. "Home Alone" was the first movie I can remember watching dozens of times. It was my favorite movie for a long, long time. "Home Alone" came out in 1990. I was 8. That was the start of my love for movies. O'Hara was the second lead, at least in my opinion, of that movie. She is the mom hell bent on getting back to her son. As a kid I sided with Kevin, as an adult and parent, O'Hara's foible and persistence to get back home hits so much harder. And again, I was 8 when I first saw that movie. She was in the next two "Home Alone" movies, which I obviously watched. But it wasn't until I was about 15 or 16 when my brother, RD, showed me the movie "Waiting For Guffman". Again, O'Hara has a memorable and major role in this movie, but this was also my first Christopher Guest movie. I began to heavily follow Guest's work after "Waiting For Guffman". This also meant that I was going to see a ton more Catherine O'Hara. Guest and O'Hara worked a bunch together after "Guffman". In "Guffman" she and Fred Willard are a hilarious couple who think they are the biggest actors in a small town in Missouri. It's a shame that both of them have now passed. After "Guffman" she did "Best In Show" with Guest. This is probably my favorite role of hers. She is so funny and gets to do her thing in this movie. I loved her limp, her backstory and the relationship she had with Eugene Levy in this movie. She is the star of this movie. She carried it, and this is a great movie with a wonderful cast. O'Hara steals the show and every time I go back and watch I find something new she does that cracks me up. In a break from Guest's work, she was in the very underrated comedy "Orange County", playing Colin Hanks' mom. She's great as the absent minded divorcee that is just trying to keep her youngest son home with her. In 2003 she returned to work with Guest in "A Mighty Wind". I mean, right next to "Best In Show", this is a powerhouse performance. She gets paired up with Levy again, but this time it is a totally different dynamic and O'Hara is more than up to the task. Her voice is also beautiful and I love when she sings in the movie. For three years she did a whole bunch of voice work before teaming up with Guest again in "For Your Consideration". I like this movie, regardless of what the critics said about it. The work she did with Guest was my favorite work of hers and she was always up for each and every job. I would be remiss if I didn't mention her work in "Beetlejuice". This is a great performance that was a joy to watch. I loved her work in a comedy/horror type movie. Her style was rad as well. And when they sang "Day-O", her mannerisms and facial acting was simply divine. She nailed it yet again in the sequel, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" She and Winona Ryder were such a great mother daughter duo in those movies. She was tremendous in her one episode of "Curb your Enthusiasm". She is the crazy Funkhouser and boy oh boy does she put on an absolute show. She is great as the "mom" in "Where the Wild Things Are".

Then, as a full fledged adult with a wife, kid and a house, I found "Schitt's Creek". I mean come on, Moira Rose is an all time character. This is one of those roles that will go down in history. The voice she used was perfect. Her performance was perfect. She was paired up with Eugene Levy again and the two of them continued to make magic. "Schitt's Creek" is a show that everyone needs to watch and O'Hara's performance is one for the ages. Since then she has continued to do voiceover stuff and, from what I have read, I have not seen either yet, she was tremendous in season two of "The Last of Us" and in the first season of "The Studio". This should show everyone how beloved and what a joy she was to work with.

Catherine O'Hara is one of a kind. She had her own comedy dynamic and she was unique. I'm still kind of in shock that she is gone. Like I said up top, I have been watching her content since I was 8 years old. That is 35 plus years now. I'm going to miss her and anything new she may have been working on. At least I have "Home Alone", her movies with Christopher Guest and "Schitt's Creek" to look back on.

Rest In Peace Catherine O'Hara. I hope you are making people laugh wherever you may be right now. I'm going to miss you. 

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.