My Big Fat Greek Wedding | Welcome To The Basement

[@nevet1212]

You two have the best chemistry out of any duo KZbin team.

[@fugithegreat]

I remember loving this movie when it came out and laughing myself to tears. I can see how it may not have been the most balanced or nuanced portayal of culture, but the cartoonishness and good-heartedness of the film won over a lot of people.

[@alexanderforbes1452]

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is relatable, that's why it was so huge. It's honest and a bit ernest, it's nice and unchallenging, but the biggest thing is you can see yourself in it, especially if you're a young woman, the biggest audience for these kinds of movies. Your parents want you to get married but not to the guy you like, they want you to do something safe with your life but you want to do something (relatively) exciting, and whether justified or not you feel frumpy and undesirable at least some of the time. Most hollywood movies cast beautiful people as all the main cast, especially in a romantic comedy, but most people don't relate to super models and Adonises. Most people are average looking and even though everybody likes looking at pretty people it's nice to see real people sometimes, Ian's probably the most attractive person in the movie and he's not even uncommonly good looking. It was a refreshing change of pace from the usual hollywood fair which casts people like Gugu Mbatha Raw or Ryan Reynolds as astronauts and shit. People could see themselves when they watch this movie and it reminded them of their own lives.

[@AdaWongLover5]

"You taste like cucumbers and dill." *DEAD* from laughter

[@LadyDecember]

My family considers My Big Fat Greek Wedding to be a documentary. We are Portuguese, but they are similar to the Greeks in this way-our cultures are different, but I recognize all these mannerisms in my own family! We adore this movie. Once or twice a year we'll gather, pull it out of the DVD pile, and bust our guts laughing together. I love it.

[@JackOfNone97]

“Muppet Fiddler on the Roof” is my favorite Muppet movie

[@DefGoldblumComedy]

I remember enjoying this movie with a few viewings when it first came out and over the years. Now, whenever I feel that nostalgic pull, I watch this. It hits all the charm, and I get to enjoy it with you guys.

[@galkrimerman7872]

The commentary during the movie was hilarioussss

[@jackalackb17]

Matt looks like he just now stopped being Mr. Hyde.

[@cristerowarrior1450]

I just saw a copy of my big fat Greek wedding in my local thrift store. Matt is psychic

[@bluemonkjd]

Not titling the sequel MY BIGGER FATTER GREEKER WEDDING was and remains a crime. (And the sequel itself was crime enough!)

[@stanstorm]

Years later and this is still one of my favorite series on KZbin. Thank you so much! My friends and I watched Dark Star this week and that wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for you.

[@aestevalis0]

Just column down, Craig. The puns will come.

[@justincoleman3805]

He needs to take a chiller pillar.

[@mikecronis]

Being Greek, I approve of this review. Greeks are indeed like Italians, except have more "agape' ". Cartoonish, but like Fargo, genuine for the culture. Fargo was not a comedy, it was accurate, having been there 2 years. This movie was accurate, though not really in the details, but in the generalizations. Culturally similar and cartoonish, in real life, Italians are more show, Greeks are more genuine.

[@bbqplatypus318]

I've always thought that the key to doing a good impression of somebody is not to sound exactly like the person you're imitating, but to sound MORE like them than the actual person does. In that sense, I can say as a Saint Paul native that Fargo is a great impression of Minnesota. It's not realistic because even Minnesota isn't that Minnesotan.

[@LoveNeko64]

This is one of my favorite movies. I love the lump story and recite it along with all the other lines. It's so simple and yet so crazy that I can see parts of my family among the characters.

[@MattTheSpratt]

why does matt look like he was marooned on a desert island for 36 seconds

[@katelynnemcdougall5760]

YES! I love this movie so much! I literally just quoted this movie tonight!

[@Calamity_Jen00]

I think a lot of what makes MBFGW funny is the realness of it all, especially if you know any Greek people. I took a trip to Greece with my sister in 2003, where I met her in-laws. There are so many parts of the movie that ring true. The mother feeding Ian even though he said he wasnt hungry is spot-on (it totally happened to me with my sister's MIL), and practically everyone being named Nick is fairly accurate as well.

[@grkpektis]

This movie always embarrasses me because all the characters are exactly like my Greek family (I swear I am not joking)

[@leradoms]

I haven't laughed so much since tough guys don't dance. So good!

[@therojowo]

Something I've noticed recently is that the plot of the 1936 play You Can't Take It with You by George Kaufman and Moss Hart has been reworked into quite a few different projects without it really being advertised as such. Indeed, it may not even be intentional, but the similarities remain. Two notable examples would be the Addams Family Musical as well as this film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. All three focus on romances between a man and a woman, where the woman has a large, "crazy" family who's ultimately loving, and the man has a small family (really just his parents) who are comparatively normal, but cold, and through their interaction with the woman's family, whom they initially dislike, they learn to grow and become more loving and accepting. Maybe this plotline precedes all three, I don't know, but the earliest example I can find is You Can't Take It with You. Anyway, all that to say, I find it really interesting that this same plot has been reused nearly in its entirety without people really talking about the fact that it has been.

[@EliteSmorechannel]

Did..did i see one of the guys from N'Sync?

[@Saichen]

yep, Joey Fatone delivered the best line in the movie, "Hey, Ian, We're gonna kill you! Oppa!"

[@justincoleman3805]

He’s the FatOne.

[@emilyeisenheim2630]

Nice episode guys! This weekend I'm hitting the theatre to see Shape of Water.. let's see what it turns out to be. By the way, have you guys ever considered doing a welcome to the basement live streaming clever in your own way reaction to the oscars? I would definitely join!

[@CaptChrispy]

The Shape of Water, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, shot in Toronto, about a plain girl who finds love, others disapprove of her love. a fish-out-of-water story.

[@alexanderpaschalis4795]

Nice to see Greece represented in W.T.T.B. As a greek ,i really liked your comments guys!Have you seen The Killing of a Sacred Deer,by greek director Yorgos Lanthimos,or any of his other work?

[@markh2960]

I remember watching this in 2003, because of all the hype, and was happy I watched it but never felt a want or need to watch it again

[@DC90]

The Snowbeast bit had me laughing so much I had to stop the video so I could calm down.

[@CujoBD.]

I met Andrea Martin last year when I was catering a new movie she's in called "Little Italy". She was super nice.

[@cambrodia3189]

Best show. Not so best movie. Keep up the great work, guys (and Tona)

[@terr777]

I love Lainie Kazan...and my favorite part she plays is Benji's mother in "My Favorite Year" SEEN IT? Based on Mel Brooks time as a television writer and Peter O'Toole is amazing.

[@masonallen3961]

Hey, I was wondering if you had seen the movie Moonstruck with Cher and Nicholas Cage. It's kinda similar to this movie in a way that it has to do with the daughter of an immigrant family who's getting married despite the objections of her family members but is much better because the characters are more complex and the story throws you for a surprise when Cher doesn't end up with the guy she was originally planning to marry. I definitely recommend it.

[@slorge2012]

Something/Anything...one of my faves!

[@SQ91]

Funny that Craig mentions the coming out thing. Joey Fatone's character comes out in the sequel. However they do have one surprise in it in that it's not about the daughter's wedding (she was high school aged) but the official marriage of Tulia's parents.

[@eliotmccann2589]

I enjoyed this channel and your discussions, but now I see the copy of Rundgren's masterpiece "Something/Anything" in the background I am a die-hard fan. Figured you gents had terrific taste!

[@masonallen3961]

How have you guys never seen this movie?

[@tomservo5007]

as a teen, I found a bottle of Ouzo in the closet -- along with some Canadian whisky (parent's stash) --- oh god, I was so sick. Is ouzo usually taken straight?

[@michaellafferty6364]

Seen it? Lilo & Stitch

[@Iseeisees]

Lost it at the "Cucumber and Dill" 😂

[@caffeineadvocate]

No need to Apollo-gise for your lack of column puns, Craig... (I falafel about that one)

[@scrofulaeggula]

I pita you.

[@Replicaate]

The Eastern European kids in my school loved this movie, it was practically considered a documentary.

[@zonday76]

Have any of you guys seen *batteries not included

[@madison78man]

In regards to your question as to why this movie made so much money, I believe I recall that this movie was hyped up big time. I remember this being talked about a lot on daytime shows like the Today Show when it came out. People stopped talking about it when the hype was over.

[@tazmon122]

i think this film did so well just out of pure European immigrant culture. at the least 2nd-3rd generation Americans see a big family rich with heritage and culture and tradition, and it's completely relatable. sure Greek works better, but that cultural exchange of "oh, yeah. i have the crazy grandmother that curses everything, and my mother is a strong supportive partner to a neurotic father" or "every Easter my family gets together and it's a massive party with more food and people than my house can handle" from Irish to German. cultural exchange isn't too far off. that's why it's so easy to relate to Fievel and his family in An American Tail, even though they're Polish. Matt got it square on the head with thrift shop stories. the other thing in literally every thrift shop is Tigerlily by Natalie Merchant.

[@drparnassus2867]

"Is this the wedding?" That was a good one.

[@keitheiler8545]

One thing that this movie suffers from, in a slight way, is that some things are funnier when they're described vs when they're acted out. You see this a LOT in early Woody Allen comedies because he came from writing jokes and short stories. In MBFGW, it was originally a one woman show and the jokes that killed because the word structure was funny didn't translate to being as funny when "shown". Seeing it feels fake, but hearing about it is hilarious.

[@masonallen3961]

I know what you mean when they talk about women's appearances at awards shows. Just recently my mom complained that Francis McDormand didn't wear enough makeup at the Golden Globes.

[@annaheff7332]

I just watched a short documentary, The Trader, on Netflix. It was incredibly touching and well done. I hope you guys will watch it and maybe give us your impressions on Seen It if you do!

[@Xsuprio]

A couple invited me to watch this movie in the theater in 2002. I still remember her leaning over to him and say... "There sure is a lot of cursing in this movie". I think that was after someone said "damn" for a second time. Of course, they were uptight Christians and she couldn't even read out loud what Mary rode in on in the bible. She had to replace ass with donkey.

[@PokerJoker811]

The zeitgeist angle on Three Billboards does make me worry a little. Specifically, it makes me worry that they might give it to The Post. That would be too much of a blunt instrument.

[@scrofulaeggula]

White people drive a car like this, Greek people drive a car like *this*

[@NinjaDimes]

I watched this at the movies when it came out, and being Italian, it resonated a lot with me actually; despite the fact that the cultures are different, I saw a lot of my Dad in Toula's Dad, and his obsession with odd remedies and word etymology. We thought it was a cute, fairy-tale-esque ugly duckling story, with a nice message and there were some really funny bits. Of course, being the odd Italo-Australian outcast growing up, I identified with Toula's plight a lot too. It was also nice to see a protagonist female who wasn't perfect Hollywood. Toula felt real. At the time, pairing her with the 'hot' guy was pretty unheard of. I imagine this also had a part in the success of the time. But I rewatched it a couple years ago, and the biggest thing I noticed is that it dates pretty hard. With age, the two-dimensionality of the characters is more obvious. It's almost a pantomime in how much it's caricature, and I get that's the point of the movie, but in the end it makes it decidedly more cringey than it was at the time it came out. Back in the 90s-2000s, I feel it was acceptable to paint these broad strokes of culture division, and today we see it as lazy and simplistic. That's why you can't really compare The Big Sick to this-- a movie like The Big Sick, is multi-layered and much more realistic and three dimensional, and that's only possible today. And keep in mind, if someone made a cultural movie about Indians or Pakistanis along the lines of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it would be super stereotypical and racist. Vardalos doesn't have to worry about race when she makes this, whichis probably why her jokes CAN be so broad. Back then, right or not, it felt like jokes had to be sledgehammered over the head. Look how WASPy they are! They just say 'Bundt'! etc. A lot of 2000s movies feel like this. Ultimately (sorry for the essay, hah) I agree with Matt about it. It's cute. I think Craig was being a bit harsh though; holding the movie to today's standards of writing and progression isn't really fair.

[@charles_van_doren]

John the Baptist routineeeee

[@joelthefirst]

I'm with Craig about the pressure on women regarding their look on the red carpet. Given that most people want to look good, but it is kind of ridiculous how much their appearance will be judged.

[@alexanderforbes1452]

It's women judging them though, eh? I've never met a guy that cares what the big name actress of the week wore to some event. After all it was Joan Rivers that had a show making fun of people for their clothes. It's not as if no guys make what other people wear their business but the perceived pressure for women to dress extravagantly and always have something new to wear comes from other women.

[@joelthefirst]

Alexander Forbes i didn't mention men, you did.

[@joelthefirst]

Michael Anderson so women can't put pressure on other women? Stop the fake outrage about liberals, and read what I wrote again, goofball.

[@joelthefirst]

Michael Anderson such a goofball. Go back to whatever infowars video you came from.

[@erniemiller1953]

I married a Greek. Unlike other cultures I am familiar with, they maintain their culture for more generations. It is no until the third or fourth generation that the kids become Americanized. I believe that is because the matriarchs are so dominant.

[@melothecat6662]

I love how Matt shut down Craig’s dream of becoming a rapper

[@jan_loathlove]

I agree with you two on The Shape of Water. I wanted and expected it to be amazing. It was good, but it wasn't amazing. There's a lot that could be looked at to try and figure out why that is, but for me I expected a romance and I didn't get one. It wasn't a romantic film. I wanted it to be cute, and it wasn't cute at any point throughout. I wanted to watch two people fall in love, and all I got was one woman wanting to feel less broken possibly taking advantage of a fish-man? The creature, which we never even learned a name for (possibly contributing to the problem) never emoted strongly one way or another that hinted at it being anything more than a prop. It didn't construct any tangible character to empathize with.

[@leedent4105]

Do you guys know about any not very well known Gangster Movies that would be interesting too watch?

[@blamesocietyfilms]

American Gangster with Denzel was pretty good.

[@leedent4105]

BlameSociety just rented it thanks, keep up the good work guys

[@CaptChrispy]

Nice Tom Hanks! Shot in Toronto. I absolutely hate when they use Sigma as an E. Nice Taxi Driver/Windex joke. A musical may have been good for this. Nick being an artist is the Greek gay.

[@adamjg4]

My neck lump had a spine - WTF.

[@johnegancomedy]

Great ep.

[@charlesmcguffy]

Did Matt get caught in the rain?

[@Saichen]

If you thought this movie was "fine" I think you would find My Life in Ruins objectionably "good". Nia has a good comedy background and the Greek culture is, as described, strange enough to keep it interesting, but I think Richard Dreyfus kept it afloat enough to make it a movie I don't mind rewatching every year or two.

[@avatarkc]

I just realized that when she mentions "no one has ever gone out with a non-Greek before" it's probably because they're first-generation immigrants. If they lived in Greece before coming to America, who else would they marry?

[@chobitsai1]

they are looking at another sequel....

[@Hexus13th]

Not since Song of the South has racism against the other been so funny.

[@katawatenshu]

you're good boys

[@Kit_down_on_it]

Ouzo, nectar of the Zeuses

[@FemiNerd225]

Seen It: Strictly Ballroom, Shall we Dance? or Rock of Ages? Strictly Ballroom being a Baz Luhrman-ized love story and look at the Australian ballroom circuit; Shall we Dance? being the japanese counterpart with a much more serious and subdued tone; and lastly Rock of Ages for shits and giggles, and because ironically the best performances were delivered by real life messes Russel Brand and Tom Cruise, and everyone else just playing "Celebrity Metal Karaoke: The cleaned up Disney version"

[@marleyobrien12]

Yay Todd Rundgren gets his spot!

[@CaptChrispy]

The reason this movie did so well is because the star was an ugly, older girl who was able to look much better and was able to get a guy that was out of her league.

[@NinjaVampireCyborg]

Michael Shannon in Shape of Water is basically the villain from Pan's Labrynth over again.

[@Book-noob]

Finally Modest Mouse is mentioned in a episode!

[@glemmstengal]

I remember watching this as a 16 or 17 year old dude because of all the buzz.. it was alright

[@venomousspiderwookie]

I'm Orthodox, and my old priest HATED this movie.

[@lyricsfromsweden]

I wish that guy was played by Edward Burns instead.

[@charles_van_doren]

Souvlaki, tzatziki, ooh I wanna be Greeky

[@tonyb7615]

you sir, can do no wrong. it's baffling, it actually drives me nuts. i'm wrong all the the time. blamesociety opens their mouth and whelp, sucks to be me

[@KatiCleo]

I always found this movie embarrassingly accurate, especially when it comes to Greeks who have emigrated. They do tend to get stuck a lot more on the culture I think compared to Greeks who live in Greece, to the point that they become a hyperbole of themselves. As a Greek girl raised in Athens living abroad and with family in Florida, it's so embarrassing how on point this film is, especially whenever someone makes an awkward joke asking if Greeks really are like that and you oh so badly want to say they are wrong! (but, that would be a terrible lie) As to why it was so popular, I have no idea.

[@aestevalis0]

They're like some sort of... milk toast.

[@Nebuloid1]

barcrawl, BARCRAWL

[@tomatoso27]

Theoretical carpentry

[@aestevalis0]

Wars & triage?

[@JaredOnYT]

I. HATE. DUNKIRK. The interchangeable nature of the protagonists is what made me hate it so much. Not only could I not connect with any of the characters, but I I couldn't keep track of them. Like (spoilers) when the one character is revealed to be not who he seems, I thought he was the first guy we met in the film and not the second guy, and I was more confused than hooked by the twist. Also, the way it was shot, you never got the scale of Dunkirk. There were thousands and thousands of men on that beach, but in the movie it looked like dozens or at best hundreds. Interstellar, which I avoided because people I know hated it, turned out to be far more compelling than Dunkirk. I dunno, just really disappointed with it. Blade Runner 2049 was leaps and bounds better than this film, yet it gets snubbed. Curse thee, Academy Awards!

[@dinnercow]

has mattrick always had a slice across his nose/eyebrow? its rad tho

[@blamesocietyfilms]

Ever since that accident when I was a young boy.

[@robinmaibals1193]

Picked that line for this episode, and you didn't bother to find out it's horse and carriage. This I tell you brother. You can't have one without the other.

[@blamesocietyfilms]

I know it's "horse and carriage", IT WAS A JOKE.

[@robinmaibals1193]

Looks like I caught a big one. Pa, get the polaroid camera and the scrapbook!

[@undpaul]

The middle of Matt's face looks weird o___o

[@blamesocietyfilms]

Oh, and I suppose the middle of YOUR face is perfect.

[@aestevalis0]

Most successful rom/com of all time? Even more successful than Titanic or Twilight?

[@SamMartinez1992]

The Fluffy Gentleman I don't think either of those qualify as romantic comedies. Romance, yes, but I don't think too many people were laughing during Titanic. (Maybe Twilight, but that wasn't the filmmakers intention.)

[@aestevalis0]

Joke. Razor's head.

[@SamMartinez1992]

The Fluffy Gentleman My bad. I guess I'm used to jokes that are funny.

[@tomservo5007]

I find 'frumpy' women a turn on. I can not tell them that. I wonder what percentage of men find that a turn on too? Since we can not voice our opinion without insulting our mates.

[@13shivan]

Big sick is too good to be compared with mbfgw

[@WyldJezter]

My name is Ian Miller, and I hate this movie.

[@barrybadranath]

You taste like cucmber and dill... I shat meself.

[@floraposteschild4184]

Ah, the red carpet -- such oppression! Dressing up (often for free) several times per year for big events.True, occasionally the pressure is ridiculous, but for the most part, people are just looking for an attractive and tasteful version of you, not a perfect fashion model. It's far worse that the women are pressured to be thin, and the men to be lean yet artificially pumped up --and that's 365 days a year.

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

This movie is just bland garbage.

[@geoffreydavis2570]

First