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 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!
Ah October, the spooky month. The one where all the silly, scary skeletons come out to play, and the horror movies really get their chance to shine. So of course, it was a no-brainer for me that when it came to what film to recommend we would look to no further than the obvious: Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.
Yes, that’s right. We’re turning our heads away from the horror, and toward the glamour. Coming in at a whopping 169 minutes, this concert movie continues the absolute revelation that Swift is bringing to the modern pop culture gamut with her recent singing outing. Hugely successful, immensely singable, and full of pure enjoyment, let’s look at some other methods of entertainment that you could turn to if you’ve exhausted all your Swiftiness.
Book: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Now I’m not just going to be obvious and just recommend media that is telling Taylor’s story or playing her music. Come on, I’ve gotta be a little creative here. So with our very first recommendation, we’re going to look at a book that focuses on a theme that is all over Taylor Swift’s musical oeuvre: past relationships.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid,is a fictional memoir that recounts the life of the titular Hollywood starlet. As she recounts her tale to an ingenue journalist, we learn about the many dimensions that make up her character, and uncover secrets long held in the dark.
This book is simply marvelous. It’s a beautifully intimate portrayal of a woman’s life, in all its facets — good and bad. Its authenticity makes it feel like a real story that we’re somehow getting a true peek into.
Reid manages to perfectly weave a tale of love, loss, and a lifetime of lies in a way that is so intriguing, you’ll be avidly flicking from relationship to relationship to see how the woman in front of us came to be.
Much like our favourite singer, this exploration of past relationships, and how it affected our main character, is one of the most interesting ways to provide insight into a life. Use the scandal, use the intrigue, and hit home with some truly emotional beats.
Album: Emails I Can’t Send bySabrina Carpenter
So I said I wouldn’t talk about music made by T Swift herself, as chances are that if you’re enough of a fan to go see the concert film, you’ve probably listened to her entire discography at least three times.
So instead, let’s look at her opener, Sabrina Carpenter. A Disney Channel alum, like many before her, Carpenter saw her future in music. Then she happened to date the wrong guy at the wrong time — something Ms. Swift can certainly relate to — and was suddenly thrust into the villain role by many a fan of fellow
Disney-alum-turned-popstar, Olivia Rodrigo, in her smash hit debut, “Driver’s License.”
This brings us to her new album, Emails I Can’t Send. After having been made voiceless by a mass fandom, and turning away from the spotlight for a small amount of time, Carpenter came back with this intimate yet lovely set of melodies providing insight into this starlet’s innermost thoughts.
With that context in mind,“Because I Liked a Boy”is a song to pay particular attention to, particularly the hurt that is communicated through its medley of notes. It’s a story told through a series of vulnerable lyrics, and a heart laid open before its fans.
TV Show: The Summer I Turned Pretty
As romance has been a through line in this column — and Swift’s life — it makes sense that the television series I recommend is an already iconic romance series that uses plenty of music from her repertoire to drive its story home.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is an Amazon Original based on the popular books by Jenny Han (yes, the same author behind To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before).The show tells the story of a love triangle involving our main character, Belly (Lola Tung), and her two potential beaus, brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno).
Hosting such Swift songs in its soundtrack like “Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” “False God,” “Sweet Nothing,” “Cruel Summer,” and “Lover,”this viewing experience is almost like experiencing a love letter to the songstress herself through it’s wanderlust-inducing storytelling, and its absolutely adorable aesthetic.
It’s one of those feel-good romances that will allow you to harken back to your younger days, where the most important element of your life was your crush and whether they liked you back.
Video Game: Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
Especially with her albums Evermore and Folklore, you can tell that TayTay is a fan of the cozy girl aesthetic.So of course I had to recommend a cozy game for people to enjoy in tandem to their album listening party.
Illustrated in collaboration with the legendary animation studio, Studio Ghibli, Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery, has players work to create a painting through puzzles and guided brush strokes so that our main aspiring artist can complete her masterpiece. Amongst this is her curmudgeon neighbor and his pesky cat, who will try and distract from your work. However, as you work, you’ll also uncover an emotional tale behind unrelated yet familiar moments.
This is one of the coziest games I’ve come across, and it is especially perfect to play on a cold winter’s day, or when the rain is just beginning to patter against your window. It’s definitely one to snuggle up with as the chillier months begin to arrive, while you imagine a world of artistry, magical realism, and chances not taken.
Atmospheric in its presentation, this game is one for those of us who like to live in the world of a game a little longer. Who imagine that imagination is one of the greatest elements of a person to flourish, and enjoy letting it soar.
Well hasn’t this been a dreamy month? A nice way to counteract all the death and decay that normally surrounds October, and leans more into the comforting hold of the holidays. I’ll return next month with what is heating us up in November. But until then, thank you for visiting SiftPop’s One Stop Pop. We hope to see you again soon!
You can read more from Alice-Ginevra Micheli, and follow her on Instagram and Letterboxd