Y2K’s Jaeden Martell Shares The ‘90s Reference That Went Totally Over His Head

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As a millennial gamer who grew up in the late ’90s and early 2000s, I can wholeheartedly say that Kyle Mooney’s masterpiece, Y2K, is a must-watch for anyone seeking a wild ride through the chaos of the impending Y2K bug. The film’s cast members perfectly capture the spirit of the era, with Jaeden Martell, who was born in 2003, adding his own unique twist to the nostalgia.

Among alt-history comedy-horrors set in 1999, none surpasses Kyle Mooney’s retro adventure Y2K, released in 2024 (or any other year). The movie’s cast members were either born right before the Y2K event or in its aftermath. For instance, Jaeden Martell, who was born in 2003, admitted that he wasn’t acquainted with every ’90s reference used in the film, citing one of his biggest knowledge gaps to TopMob.

In our interview with director Kyle Mooney, co-writer Sarah El-Mahmoud, and stars Jaeden Martell and Julian Dennison, they discussed the quirky scenes in Y2K, including the notorious port-a-potty scene. The conversation also delved into various amusing moments from the film. During the chat, we inquired about any ’90s jokes or references that might have eluded the cast, and Martell confessed his ignorance regarding a significant figure in entertainment censorship and U.S. political families. To quote him directly:

I didn’t know what Tipper Gore was. Yeah, I didn’t know what it was. Yeah, that shows…

It could be that Martell’s use of “what” instead of “who” to refer to Tipper Gore suggests he may not fully grasp her influence on media or recognize her as a person, though I’m merely speculating since someone from the Internet and streaming era might find it less relevant to follow figures who advocated for content censorship.

As a gamer, I couldn’t help but chime in, highlighting how that specific reference was indeed older than the 1999 timeframe we were discussing. If Tipper Gore, who was significant for much longer than many of the trends mentioned, hadn’t been around at that time, it might have spared Martell from unnecessary sorrow. In other words, I believe acknowledging the pre-existing nature of that reference could have made a difference.

It seems to me she’s linked with the ’80s due to her significant role in the creation of the Parental Advisory Label, which is placed on CDs. She was quite vigilant against explicit content in music and initiated this movement. However, during that time, Al Gore was running for president. We can discuss it further at a later time.

Mooney is just as dryly hilarious in real life as his characters are zanily hilarious on the screen. I’d watch an entire movie about Tipper Gore if he was the one behind it (with Y2K co-writer Evan Winter also welcome to pitch into this hypothetical mess). Thankfully, he doesn’t sound like he’ll be hopping right on that…unless that’s what he meant by “talk about it later.” No, that’s just dumb.

Sadly, Y2K didn’t fare well in its initial weekend at the box office. It wasn’t surprising that a film like this, catering to a niche audience, couldn’t outshine a big-name sequel such as Moana 2. However, movies of this moderate budget and comedic nature are becoming increasingly scarce these days, leaving audiences with fewer options in this genre. The absence of figures like Tipper Gore who once advocated for more responsible filmmaking isn’t the reason for this scarcity now.

Right now, “Y2K” is showing in cinemas, so don your preferred Mudvayne t-shirt and wallet chain, and head there straight away! While you’re waiting for the previews to begin, take a look at all the other intriguing A24 films that will leave audiences puzzled soon.

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2024-12-12 03:38