Ty Watches "I Love Boosters"

Over the weekend I went and saw "I Love Boosters". Let’s discuss.

I was primed and pumped for this showing. I'm a big Boots Riley fan. Ever since one of my older brothers introduced me to his music, he raps in a group called The Coup, I was on board. I have always liked how politically charged his lyrics were and still are. I like that he has something important to say. I like that he has some of the best guest features on their albums. I loved Pa the Funkstress, may she Rest in Peace. I then saw that he was making a movie before the pandemic. "Sorry To Bother you" is one of the most unique movies I've ever seen. I was instantly in love with that movie. I told everyone I know to go see it. I took my dad to watch and had my wife watch it with me as well. They had their opinions, but this was a movie I wanted to share with everyone I knew. I have heard from friends that I recommended it to, and they have said they liked it. It was such a good take on the ills of wealth and the lengths people will take to get there. I have not yet watched "But I'm a Virgo". I actually plan on starting that later this afternoon. And then we have "I Love Boosters". Boots Riley and crew have been promoting the hell out of it since they announced a release day. I watched all of that with bated breath. I saw early reviews, and thankfully they were praising the movie. It was widely released last Friday, and the internet was abuzz with people giving it its flowers. I tried to see it on Friday, but the timing didn't work. Fortunately for me my son's basketball game didn't start until 6pm on Sunday, so I was able to see it Sunday afternoon.

I loved this movie so much. It is so Boots Riley to an absolute T. From the jump I knew I was in for a ride. The Tune Yards are back doing the score for this movie, they also scored "Sorry to Bother You". The score for this movie was carnival-esque. I read after watching the movie that the members of the band decided to try instruments they had never played before, like a mouth harp or an accordion. That comes across tenfold when listening to the score. I also love that the Tune Yards sing during the score. They say simple stuff, like "Hi Ho", but man does it work for me. We then have the cast, and they crushed this movie. The Velvet Gang, these are the Boosters, more on that in a moment. Keke Palmer is the star and she nails it. I hung on her every moment. I loved every look she wore in the movie. I thought her plans were the best. She was dynamite. The rest of the gang is filled out with Naomi Ackie, killing it as a mom who is trying best to get the best for her kids, and Taylour Paige, who seems a little dimwitted, but when it comes down to it, she knows what she's doing. Poppy Liu shows up about halfway through the movie, and I loved her backstory and reasoning for why she was doing what she was doing. LaKeith Stanfield is so awesome as a love interest for Palmer, who may have a secret. Demi Moore plays a tremendous villain. I grew to despise her as the movie went on. She also has the wildest office I've seen in a movie. Don Cheadle is in this movie, but you would have to look it up to see who he plays. He is awesome in this role too. Jason Ritter and Jermaine Fowler have bit parts that are very memorable. And this movie has a great story to go along with the great cast. Boosting is stealing clothes from a store and selling it at a lesser price to the people who truly want the clothes. The Coup actually have a song about it on their excellent record "Pick A Bigger Weapon". But this movie has so much more to tell. We have the boosting, but we also have striking workers, poor work conditions, tons of comedy, some of the most vibrant and cool looking clothing in a movie, a great story about friendship and family and some wild stuff that happens, that I don't want to spoil, in the final act. The movie also has a hopeful tinge to it, and makes me feel good when I'm watching it.

I stood up and clapped when the movie was over. Others joined in with me. "I Love Boosters" is so good. I want Boots Riley to continue to make movies because he has the most unique voice in directing right now. Go see this movie and see it in a theater full of people if you are able. It is so good and so fresh. We need more movie makers like Boots Riley. 

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.

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

Ty Watches "Mickey 17"

Last Friday my dad and I went to see "Mickey 17". I was going to write about it right after seeing it, a quick reaction, but I decided I wanted to sit on it and give the movie more thought. I wanted the weekend to sit with it. I'm glad I did.

Right off the bat, I really liked the movie. I'm a Bong Joon Ho fan. I love "Snowpiercer" and "Parasite". The love for those movies put me in a pretty good head space heading into "Mickey 17". What I enjoyed the most about "Mickey 17" was the humor. This is a funny movie. There's jokes and some of the things Robert Pattinson does as his version of each Mickey made me laugh out loud. Speaking of Pattinson, he is truly wonderful in the movie. He gets to do a ton and he nails it. With each new Mickey there are subtle changes and Pattinson brings all of them to life. The two main Mickey's, 17 and 18, are who we spend most of the time with and Pattinson plays both. Each Mickey is totally different and that is fully due to his performance. I thought he was amazing and he has become a better actor with each movie. He has upped his game, picks cool projects and I want to see what he is going to do next.

The other cast members are solid too. Naomi Ackie plays Nasha, Mickey's partner. She is badass and super cool. She knows this whole society they live in is nuts and she lets everyone know. She gives a great performance. Steven Yeun is Mickey's buddy, and he is an asshole. He is only out for himself. He will do anything to get ahead no matter who he has to screw over. Yeun is so reliable and so good as an actor and I am a fan. Mark Ruffalo is over the top in the best possible way. He is putting on a show as the villain and I grew to despise his character pretty quickly. I have to believe that was the point. He was so annoying and so stupid and Nasha lets him know it. Toni Collete plays his wife and she is equally despicable. She makes "sauces" and is always in her husband's ear. She is always telling him what to do in a way that will only benefit the two of them. And then we have the "creepers". These are the alien creatures that live on the planet they are travelling to in the movie, Nilfheim. They have a pretty great turn in the movie and it makes it all come together in the end.

Along with the acting, the story is great. This is clearly an allegory for how messed up the US is under this current "administration". Ho made his own version of it and set it in the near future. He kind of nailed it when it comes to what a trip on a spaceship away from a rotting Earth would feel like. It looked truly miserable. But Ho made it funny, made it work and made it a blast to watch. And I love the stuff he did with the "creepers".

This is a very good movie that I want more and more people to see. It is a fast two hour and seventeen minutes. And Pattinson is so good in his role. I highly recommend it. And go to a theater if you have the chance. The movie deserves to be seen on a big screen. 

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.

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