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!
This month has been a doozy. Netflix has put a big shining light on society, and quite literally not allowed you to look away. What I mean by this is that Adolescence has made its name truly staking its place as one of the most talked about pieces of pop culture for 2025, and for good reason.
Creating commentary on the manosphere, modern masculinity, and scaring the daylights out of every parent who watches, while also fascinating our brains due to its single-shot episodes, is enough to hail this as an important exercise in creativity and media.
So it makes sense that we look at the themes and conversations sparked by the show, and then look at other things that you could fill your brain with if you’re still being kept up at night by everything this show has said, and done, to all those who have watched.
So, without further ado, we begin…
Book: Not All Dead White Men by Donna Zuckerberg
What do you get if you take a historian, sociologist, and sister to one of the most infamous figures of modern society? An author deciding to break down the role of men in the classics era — I’m talking ancient civilization classics — and how they’ve been twisted and re-interpreted today.
Donna Zuckerberg (yes, she is related to the other one), presents a provocative exposé that shines a light onto our modern way of thinking, as well as how we’re being influenced. Much like Adolescence, the book decides to look at an alternative direction in looking at the basis of all of the conversation happening now around modern masculinity, as well as its influence by the societies of yore, revealing how these ancient sources are being co-opted by alt-right men’s groups to support antifeminist and white supremacist ideologies.
While the topics being explored in this book are inflammatory at best, controversial for some at worst, Zuckerberg analyses them in a factual tone and dispassionate manner, allowing the reader to take in the information without worrying about being influenced by a biased take.
It really is an interesting crossover between ancient myth and modern propaganda. So if you’re a history nerd, or politically inclined in any way, this is the book that might just give you some more of what you’re looking for.
Movie: Mass
Adolescence doesn’t just focus on the son at the center of the story, but on the adults surrounding him, and how their own behaviors and decisions have influenced him. A great film that also does this is Mass.
Released in 2021, the film follows four parents that meet at a church following an unspeakable tragedy. One couple just lost their child to a school shooter, the others’ son was the said perpetrator. What follows is 111 minutes of some of the most brutal tension and authentic portrayals of emotion that have ever been put to screen — that is until Adolescence came about this year.
Coming out in Oscars season, this one unfortunately didn’t make its way above the radar as it should have. In fact, it very much flew underneath it, so not many people have actually gotten a chance to witness what is a masterclass in both acting, and writing.
There isn’t much else to say here, as it’s something you should go into with the least knowledge possible. But just trust me: If you were hooked by the Netflix series we’re talking about today, you’ll be hooked by this.
Album/Podcast: Science Vs.
Now that you’ve been given what is possibly an emotional overload, it’s probably time for me to insert some levity into the conversation. Just because learning and critical thinking are important, doesn’t mean that it has to do nothing but weigh people down. That’s where Science Vs. comes in.
Hosted by scientific journalist. Wendy Zukerman, Science Vs. takes fact and humor, and combines them into a myth-busting podcast that takes controversial and/or hot-button topics, and unpacks them using research, citations, and interviews with experts. It’s known for taking a stand on the spread of misinformation, and has garnered popularity and interest through its lighter tone learning.
In a world where we’re constantly assaulted by everyone’s opinions, it’s nice to have some quick 30- to 40-minute bites that can inform us further on topics that we’ve all questioned, but never bothered to actually look into.
With some of her recent episodes focusing on elements like ADHD, microplastics, and the Keto diet, there is certainly an episode to pique any podcast enjoyer’s interest, and have them flicking through the other ones in no time. Before you know it, you’ll be full of fun facts to combat the misinformation you hear in your own social circles, and feel good about it too.
Video Game: LISA: The Painful
Even with some levity, these have been all quite information-heavy, so it’s time to change pace to something that lives heavily in the metaphorical, and in the interactive.
LISA: The Painful goes heavy on the dark comedy, as well as on the emotional journey — but before we get to that, I’ll explain a little of what to expect. Not made for the faint of heart, players find themselves in the twisted RPG wasteland of Olathe. Having to make decisions that may or may not result in sacrifice, loss of limb, moral decay, and many other quandaries, the game helps you to discover where your boundaries lie exactly. Haunting, unforgettable, and low-key a bit goofy, this 64-bit stylized exploration into what it means to be human is a great way to assess a little more of your own character in a fun, video-game way.
On top of that, as with Adolescence, the game is a unique deep-dive into the facets of masculinity, and looks into how it can greatly affect, and defect a person’s character.
Another kind of darker month of recommendations. We really deep-dived into the harrowing and the intellectual there. However, hopefully it helps feed the hole left inside by Adolescence’s horrors, and now you can move on to greener, slightly happier pastures. I’ll return in May with what the fourth month of the year brings to our shores. 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