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!
Oh, July was a big one, wasn’t it? As we move toward the end of August, and look to the colder months for our near future, it’s time to now take a moment and think about all the magic, grand energy, and exciting superhero content that managed to be delivered with huge punches to boot. This can be said of many releases, but especially of the generally successful reboot of the DC universe with Superman,helmed by none other than James Gunn.
Considered by many to be a return to form, this movie was the definition of hope in a time where that is severely lacking amongst the masses. Whether it’s a bright-eyed hero who inexplicably still seems to have ideals, some great music, or a genuinely enjoyable storyline that seems to have appeased the masses.
Although it’s still very much going strong, we must look to the break in between this and future movies, so to keep you occupied until then, here’s some recommends…
Book: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
Many say that what made Superman great wasn’t just its showcase of the high-powered heroes, but also the way it looked to the normal folk in the story as well, giving them a chance to shine.
Keep that train of thought, then, with a novel that takes that idea, and literally makes it the whole point of the story.
In The Rest of Us Just Live Here, strange things are constantly happening around our main character Mikey. Zombies, soul-eating ghosts, aliens, and now yet another world-ending disaster. The good news is there are heroes out there ready to stop the bad guys and save everyone. The bad news? All this excitement makes it really hard to just get through high school.
You follow Mikey as he tries to go through the events of a normal coming-of-age story. However, his plans for prom, graduation, and just getting to his exams keep getting blown up — literally.
Considered to be a refreshing, sardonic alternate perspective to what it must be like growing up in these perilous worlds of super-events, this young-adult novel looks at the Chosen One trope, and then smacks it in the face.
A definite book to enjoy for anyone looking for something different, but not so different it’s just depressing.
TV Show: Extraordinary
Similar thought process, but more adult, more comedic, more sitcom-y. Take the humorous elements of Superman,and then make it a little more grounded, and you have Extraordinary.
In this world, everybody has superpowers. Whether mundane or world-altering, once a person matures, they’re gifted with a supernatural ability no matter what… except for Jen. An otherwise ordinary 20-something, she has somehow managed to not develop a power, which means we follow her increasingly ridiculous attempts to find out why, and see if she can unlock that part of her.
This is funny, and it’s simple. Its episodes are around 20 minutes, yet filled with enough heart to connect any audience member to the story and cast of characters. It’s also filled with enough British humor that the weird factor makes it oddly charming — something one could definitely say the same of when it comes to the new Man of Tomorrow movie as well.
Highly rated, and loved by fans, this series did unfortunately get cancelled after Season Two; however, that means there is a solid amount to enjoy, without the pressure of catching up before new episodes come out.
Album/Podcast: Soft Machine by the Teddybears
This was an obvious one. With how bonkers the final needle drop of the Superman movie has become in its popularity, it’s definitely important that people revisit the album this track actually comes from, and enjoy the rest of its great hits.
“Punkrocker” ended the movie on a high, taking off on socials faster than anyone would have expected an almost 20-year-old song to ever do so. However, since then, it’s been playing on everyone’s playlists for the last few weeks, and it’s probably high time to add to those a few more songs.
In 2006, the Teddybears, a Swedish alternative rock band, released their fifth studio album, Soft Machine, with 13 tracks — one of which was their now infamous collaboration with one Mr. Iggy Pop. This was a different album for them, as it felt like an evolving from their past, given that all (bar one or two) its tracks were in fact re-recordings of their original songs from older lists.
Given that this was also the first album to be released under their rebranded name of the Teddybears, it’s unsurprising that they wanted to kind of reintroduce themselves to their audience with more refined, symbolic versions of their previous music.
That’s what makes this such a great choice for Superman fans, as like this reboot, both were a chance to reset a previously established identity that wasn’t quite right for the modern listener/viewer — depending on the medium — but do so in a fun, familiar way.
Video Game: Braid
So there’s been a lot of talk about heroes here. The good guys, the ones who bring hope or heroism, or even just the ones who are trying to get through the day.
So it’s probably high time to look at something a little more different for the gaming recommendation. In fact, it might be good to look at something that those who connected with Lex Luthor might resonate with a little more.
Braid is an award-winning platformer that focuses on the player having to solve subtle puzzles in each level in order to travel through a series of strange, interconnected worlds to find a princess who keeps slipping through the main character’s grasp.
With the ability to manipulate time, you’ll soon find yourself also on a trip down memory lane that might just unveil something kept hidden for a long time.
Considered by many to be a piece of art, as well as a game, this isn’t your ordinary platformer, and is likely to keep even the most seasoned of players on their toes, especially once they get to a specific part of the story at the end. The unveiling of the past, and redirection of character future, will keep any gamer locked in their seats until they’ve finished so that they can know what one earth is happening.
So a hopeful month for all… hopefully. Lots of different ways to experience people who are, want to be, or simply live their lives around or against the heroes of the world. It’s also been one of reinvention and reintroduction at a time that is less expected.
August has been an interesting one so far, and is sure to bring about a column for the colder months. However, 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