by Alice-Ginevra Micheli, Contributing Writer
We all have that feeling. You know the one: you finish watching a movie and something about it hits you in just the right spot. Whether it was the theme, the story, or even the characters, there was a quality about it that almost makes you want to turn around and go back a second, third, or even fourth time!
Bar the reality of living in the movie theater for the rest of your days, you turn to the rest of pop culture and start to look for other avenues where you can find that same feeling.
Well I’m here to make this plight easier for all. Each month, I will take a piece of pop culture that was prevalent in the social consciousness — whether it is a movie, tv show, or something else — and then recommend other forms of media for those who want to stay in that world a little bit longer.
Welcome to your One Stop Pop, internet!
Is it just me, or does it seem like every major release that Netflix comes out with very quickly becomes the most streamed film the platform has ever seen? It might call into question the validity of such a statement. However, with that quick thought experiment aside, Red Notice is the latest in this series of highly successful (some would say slightly average) Netflix action comedy releases that became a huge hit almost overnight.
But I digress, you’re not here to listen to me share my opinion for the film, you can check out the official SiftPop stance here, written by Kristin Ciliberto. No, you’re here to get some recommends for other forms of media that might go hand in hand with the most recent entrant in the heist genre, and so, without further ado, let’s get started.
Video Game: Payday 2Part of the reason that heist films are so enjoyable is because of second-hand adrenaline and excitement you feel whenever the plan is being enacted. You enjoy the stress of whether the characters will succeed, and the danger of them being found out. Well, you know what’s better than that? When you’re the one making those decisions!
In Payday 2, the Payday crew heads to Washington, D.C. to perform a heist spree across the district. You, as the player, take control of one of the gang’s 22 members and can perform heists alone, or in a co-op format with up to three teammates.
There are a number of heists and missions you can take part in, including, but not limited to, robberies of banks, shops, and armored cars. You can also produce, buy, and sell narcotics — what fun!
So to answer the question I’m sure is on many of your minds, no, this isn’t a game for the morally minded, or the lawfully driven. This is essentially one step up from the infamous title, Grand Theft Auto. However, this is much, much more enjoyable.
The interactivity of the gameplay makes every mission take you by surprise, as you never quite know how your “teammates” are going to behave. You will often have to wriggle out of unwarranted consequences due to someone else’s very bad decision.
It’s fast-paced, adrenaline pumping, and very high energy. On top of that, much like our focus title this month, Red Notice, you can’t necessarily trust the partner you’ve been assigned.
Sound like your kind of good time? Check it out pretty much anywhere including: PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Switch.
Book: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Some of you YA fantasy nerds might recognize this title from its infamy in “BookTube” circles. Some of you might not be that deeply into books, but might recognize this as part of another recent Netflix success, Shadow and Bone. All of you would understand its place on this list, even though it’s not obvious.
Six of Crows follows criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker and his crew. One night, Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. Seemingly the only ones standing between the world and destruction, there’s both money and salvation standing at the other end of its success, as long as the crew don’t kill each other first.
This book is widely reputed to be one of the best examples of YA fantasy. The characters are rascals, but lovable, the setting is sprawling, yet enticing, and the plot is exciting, yet still vastly imagined. Bardugo manages to somehow package one of the best stories of her career into a spinoff duology from her previously most successful series, and she did it with flair.
Again, similar to Red Notice, you have your dastardly, yet engaging characters, and your seemingly impossible heist. Only this time, there’s an element of actual world-ending danger that will definitely have you reading until the twilight hours to see what happens, and then desperately searching online for the next, and final installment!
Also quick aside: as a companion duo to the Shadow and Bone series, you do not have to have read them first to read these two, so go nuts!
Check it out at your local library, or bookstore!
TV Show: Money Heist
Before there was Squid Game, Money Heist, was the foreign language series that could. Still sitting as the number three most watched series in Netflix history, I don’t think I have to dive too deeply into why I’m recommending this as a pairing for Red Notice. I mean ‘Heist’ is literally in the title.
If you somehow haven’t heard of this, this Spanish-produced show follows a scrappy group of robbers as they attempt to carry out the most perfect robbery in Spanish history — stealing 2.4 billion Euros from the Royal Mint of Spain.
It’s still baffling to me that this simple concept has managed to spur forth not just one, but five seasons. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good baffled, like when you dip your fry in your milkshake, and enjoy the taste.
Captivating is definitely the word here. Absolutely captivating. This is an exercise in suspenseful television making that has resulted in one of the most popular foreign language properties in recent memory.
I don’t really want to say much else here, as this is one you’d want to avoid spoilers for with an iron fist, but just give the first season a go, and if you hate it, feel free to @ me.
Find it on, you guessed it, Netflix! Streaming now.
Comic: 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank
Okay, had enough heists? Had enough of antiheroes that steal your heart before they steal valuable jewels. Well, too bad! Here’s another one for you, in comic book form this time!
4 Kids Walk Into A Bank is the darkly comedic story of four burgeoning child criminals and their elaborate plans.
That’s it. That’s all you get. This is another one you want to go in with the least amount of information possible. I knew almost nothing when I started, and I ended up having one of the most enjoyable reading experiences in my adult life.
Throughout this 208 page volume, you will experience all the forms of emotions that your little heart can handle. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll throw your book across the room in shock. Trust me, it’s one worth investing in, if only for the visual presentation of the story, which, as you can imagine being a mostly pictorial medium, is very important.
An excellent addition to any comic or graphic novel enthusiasts’ shelf, if you enjoyed Red Notice, you’ll definitely enjoy what these less-than-moral characters get up to on their marked adventures.
Similar to the book above, find it at your local library, or favourite bookseller!
This is definitely an OSP where I went all in on the core theme and plot device of the movie. But if you’re anything like me, every time you see something involving the intricate planning, and specific excitement of a heist, you finish it desperately wanting for more.
While, yes, there are plenty of films you could turn to, such as Logan Lucky, The Oceans series, or even Home Alone, I wanted to give you alternative options, should you want to focus on another form of medium after your film binge.
I’ll be back next month with whatever blew up the internet in the final month of the year! But until then, thank you for visiting SiftPop’s One Stop Pop, and we hope to see you again soon!
You can follow Alice-Ginevra Micheli on Instagram and Letterboxd