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!
With some major properties having come out in August, its surprising that Free Guy, a movie about an NPC who becomes aware of his life as a video game character became by and far the most successful movie of the month. Talked about everywhere and enjoyed by most everyone, it seemed like the natural choice for which to give further recommendations. So did you like the video game inspired movie? Did you feel attuned to the meta nature of its narrative? Did you enjoy the oozing positivity in a world that is maybe lacking it?
Well then, do I have some suggestions for you…
TV Show: Ted Lasso
I would liken this TV show to a well brewed cup of tea, made by someone you love when you’re sick. Watching it is like being comforted in the most gentle and nourishing way, especially when you’re not feeling 100%.
The Apple property follows an American football coach, Jason Sudeikis’ Ted Lasso, who heads to the U.K. to manage a struggling London football team in the top flight of English football.
From the outset, this may not seem like the most appealing show, especially if you’re like me and have less than zero interest in sport. However, where this one truly succeeds is in its character work. From Lasso himself, to all the people he meets and interacts with, you see how even the smallest of considerations and acts of kindness can affect significant change.
Honestly, everything about it is just nice. You see real human growth that is timely and realistic, and allows viewers to begin developing some faith in humanity again. Honestly, a show like this couldn’t have come soon enough, and it all hinges on our title character who oozes positivity from every pore of his being.
However, this is not done in a way that is ‘schmaltzy’, and over-the-top. No, in fact there are quite a lot of tender moments that illustrate how life is seldom perfect and oftentimes will try and knock you down when you’re already falling. But what this show does is, depict that it’s all about how you approach these moments, the way in which you decide to face your day, and how sometimes the goal you were aiming for is not the one that needed to be achieved.
Well, that’s enough with the superlatives and gushing, but if what really attracted you to Free Guy was the unerring positivity, then Ted Lasso is a show you most definitely should check out.
Find it on Apple TV+ with season two streaming now.
Video Game: The Stanley Parable
When it comes to fourth wall breaking video games, there are a litany of titles to choose from. There are ones that base their stories around the mechanic, ones that pepper in elements here and there, and ones that hinge on references being picked up by the player.
But none are quite as unsettling or successful in the true exploration of this theme as The Stanley Parable.
The best way for me to describe it is to just allow the game to speak for itself. It’s a first person exploration game. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will follow a story, you will not follow a story. You will have a choice, you will have no choice. The game will end, the game will never end.
Part interactive novel, part indie simulator, this is a game that is designed to challenge the player to think beyond the typical. Confronted by an ever-knowing voiceover, it will cause you to question everything, as well as what you might come to try and expect when entering a game of this nature.
Am I confusing you? Good. This is the mindset to have when you begin your play through of this game. It’s not a shooter, it’s not a platform, and it’s not an RPG. The point is that it’s uncategorizable (I just made that word up, but it works), and honestly, it’s probably the most effective way that you can replicate feeling like Guy after watching his adventures on the big screen.
A PC game, available on Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux, this is one that you’ll want to settle yourself in for, and possibly allow some time for your mind to catch up once you’ve finished.
Book: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Now let me be very clear: while the movie isn’t bad, the quality of this story is most definitely to be found in the book. Full of ’80s nostalgia, Easter eggs galore, and a rather compelling story, this is honestly such a great world to get lost in.
For those of you who don’t know, the story follows Wade Watts, a teen living in a dismal 2044, who uses the virtual world to escape his depressing reality. He’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past, and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.
Again, I consider the movie to be pretty good, and reckon that it did a fine job of adapting this crazy world into a narrative format. However, it wasn’t quite able to capture the magic that was present within its physical pages. Not the least because some of the challenges weren’t depicted in the way that they occurred in the book, which, considering the constraint of selling a visual story, makes sense but still would have left book readers like me wanting more.
I’m thinking of the second challenge specifically, where our main character, Parzival, has to perfectly quote the opening scene to the 1983 classic WarGames in order to find the next clue. Repeated again later with Monty Python’s The Holy Grail, this was honestly one of the most charming parts of the book that added a lot to the overall world-building, without it being too ham-handed.
Its moments like those that were lost in the movie and are truly rewarding when you dive in head first into the original story. So if this sounds like something that could interest you, I highly recommend you check out the book by going to your favourite bookseller, library, or audiobook platform, and checking it out.
Comic: Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe
Now, how can we possibly recommend anything against a Ryan Reynolds property, without mentioning the character that helped him smash his way to the top. The best way to really get your bearings with the character is to go back to a comic series that allowed him to go all out. No limits, no sides, just the pure insane ruthless nature that has always set Deadpool apart from other characters.
Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe asks the question: what if everything you thought was funny about Deadpool was actually just disturbing? What if he decided to kill everyone and everything that makes up the Marvel Universe? And what if he succeeded?
Remarked as one of the most horrific, comedic, and disturbing graphic novels in comic history, this is a saga that is sure to entice and excite its readers in a way that will leave you feeling curious about the whole thing. It’s a perfect way of diving into the character head-first and allowing the borders between fantasy, reality, character, and personage to be obliterated, let alone blurred.
I don’t want to say any more, as you really should go into this with the clearest mind possible. But if you enjoy Ryan Reynolds’ whole persona, you enjoy a good superhero story, and enjoy seeing disruption, and destruction take place in a gleeful and fantastical manner, then I would recommend seeking this comic out.
Find it to purchase on Amazon now.
So here we have it: an eclectic list of recommendations for those of you that couldn’t quite get enough of Reynolds’ new adventure, Free Guy.
Whether you’re wanting to dive deeper into meta storytelling, video game narratives, or just want some positivity in your lives, there’s something here for everyone. I’ll return in October and throw some new suggestions based on what ends up on top this month!
Until then, thank you for visiting SiftPop’s One Stop Pop. We hope to see you again soon!
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