What Should I Do?

Our lives are filled with tough decisions relating to how we get the most out of our entertainment time. We all have limited time, but more and more access to entertainment entities. Think of it this way- every day more media exists. We can listen to a song written in the 1600s or written today! We also have access to a plethora of platforms to consume these media. So… What the heck should I do today?

We all get suggestions from friends or family, sometimes they are great, sometimes they are duds. My goal here is to help you all out. Instead of simply giving you a movie or a show based on your enjoyment of another movie or show, I want to suggest what I am going to call an entertainment bundle. This will include some suggestions from several different media types. The intent is- if you enjoy this- then you will probably enjoy all of these things.

Bundle 1: Recommendations based on a show:

The Show: DARK (2017-2020)

For anyone unfamiliar with Dark (I'm sure many of you are familiar with it), it is a German Sci-Fi series. It ran for 3 seasons on Netflix (maybe others, Netflix is where I saw it). It was intriguing, disturbing at times, obscure, addictive, and an absolute blast as far as I am concerned. I always found myself wanting to watch more. It’s complex narrative, thematically touched on time travel and interdimensional travel. The show did an excellent job of maintaining an air of mystery. So, while I am at it, if you haven’t watched Dark, that is my first recommendation. Watch it!

The Movie Recommendation: The Butterfly Effect (2004)

I know this one might be controversial due to the fact that the critics didn’t love this movie. While I fully understand their criticisms, and there is certainly validity to them, I found that I still enjoyed it. Like Dark, it deals with time travel in a dark way (pun intended). It has copious amounts of mystery and I legitimately wanted to keep watching the film so I could find out what was going to happen. So while I certainly wouldn’t say the Butterfly Effect is on the same level as Dark, in my opinion, it is worth a watch if you haven’t seen it.

The Song Recommendation: Iron Man by Black Sabbath (1970)

When Black Sabbath released this song in 1970 they were ahead of their time and coincidentally the song has to do with time travel. It is also rife with creepiness and thematically bleak. To break down the song- a man goes into the future and sees what is in store for humankind; the apocalypse. He returns to his own time to warn everyone, but he is turned into iron. He is unable to move or communicate with the people of his time. They start to mock what they don’t understand, and he grows more and more angry. He decides that he needs to seek vengeance. In a villainous act of revenge, Ironman destroys the world causing the apocalypse that he saw in the future. If you have seen Dark, you will know there is some serious parallels here. So, check out this song. Not only does it have an eerie theme, it is by one of the most influential hard rock acts of all time, and dare I say the first heavy metal band ever (get outta town Led Zeppelin).

The Video Game Recommendation: Dark Souls Series (2011, 2014, 2016)

Maybe it’s cheating to include an entire series, but I’m the one making the rules here, and this series is emphatically superb. How does it tie in with Dark (well besides the title)? The narratives in the Dark Souls series are quite cryptic and well hidden, but once you decipher them there is a lot of emphasis on time and space. While not quite time travel, there is a definite connection to time and its cyclical nature, as well as events repeating in slightly different ways. When you play multiplayer, you can enter someone else’s world as a phantom; hello multiverse. So there are some serious parallels here. Beyond that I indicated that I felt that Dark “was intriguing, disturbing at times, obscure, addictive, and an absolute blast as far as I am concerned”. Dark Souls is every single one of these things in my mind. Just for the record, the Souls series is my favorite, ever, and everyone should be legally obligated to play it (I’m Kidding of course, but PLAY IT!) .

Bundle 2: Recommendations based on a movie:

The Movie: Outbreak (1995)

This bundle is going to be a little more topical. Outbreak was released over 25 years ago, but it seems its theme and content have become more relevant during the Covid-19 pandemic. The disease in the movie is more serious, but the fear represented and the political machinations may seem almost predictive in retrospect. If you take all the aspects of this movie and tone them down you can get fairly close to what we are all experiencing now. As can be seen so often in stories about pandemics, often the real enemy is the people, not the virus. It has a star-studded cast and is a legitimate entertaining watch. You may want to pretend Kevin Spacey is someone else though.

The Show Recommendation: To the Lake (2020)

To the Lake is a Russian TV series based on the novel Vongozero, written by Russian Novelist Yana Vagner. The series is exciting, thought-provoking, and genuinely interesting. Moscow is infected with a deadly virus and the story follows the protagonists escaping and trying to find safe refuge. They run into numerous obstacles during their trek, and surprise surprise, their biggest challenges are related to other people. The ending is sorrowful and impactful. If you are trying to escape the thoughts of the current pandemic, this may not be the right fit, but if you want to explore the themes of disease and human nature, you are in for a treat.

The Song Recommendation: Preaching the End of the World by Chris Cornell (1999)

This song is from Chris Cornell’s solo effort Euphoria Morning (which was later released as Euphoria Mourning- which is the title he wanted from the start). The song starts out with the haunting lyric “Hello, I know there’s someone out there who can understand and who’s feeling the same way as me. I’m twenty-four and I’ve got everything to live for, but I know that it wasn’t meant to be.” I have to admit, this song is quite possibly not about disease or a pandemic, but it certainly is open to that interpretation. The entire package (i.e. lyrics and music) have a melancholy vibe and the end of the world is imminent. It is up to you to decide what the catalyst is. So, due to the current geographic situation I am going to choose a pandemic as its theme. “So call and I’ll get right back. If your intentions are pure, I’m seeking a friend for the end of the world.”

The Video Game Recommendation: The Last of Us (2013)

The Last of Us is a ground-breaking game in many people’s eyes. I mean, the gameplay, visuals, music, etc. are all quite good, but it was really praised for its story. Its story transcended what most thought possible in a video game. As is the theme in this bundle, the world has been infected by an outbreak (in this case fungal as opposed to viral). People are making do in a post-apocalyptic world, but as per usual there is an authoritarian government, infected “clickers” (read: zombies), and other bad people to deal with. The story is full of grey areas with a protagonist that isn’t clearly good or clearly evil. The game is full of twists and turns and is extremely fun and emotion provoking. One of the best video games ever. It really is worth the time to play. By the way; there is a sequel as well.

Bundle 3: Recommendations based on a song:

The Song: The Song: The Encounter by Evergrey (2001)

If you haven’t ever listened to Evergrey, you should really give them a shot. They are a metal powerhouse, and this song is so good. From the blistering intro to the powerful lyrics, it delivers in a serious way. The song is about alien abduction. There are not too many songs about alien abduction and this is the best in my opinion. With lyrics like “I hear them, they’re coming quickly through the hallway. The door opens- helpless again” and ending out with “They’re coming only to leave me in shame, simply leave me.” It really hits home for the subject matter. It’s also catchy as hell.

The Show Recommendation: The X-Files (1993-2018)

This show should need little introduction. A stand-out show with amazing acting, writing, direction, and filmography- a true all time great. Not all the story threads throughout the series are related to abduction, but it certainly is a common recurring theme. The writers manage to spin up a web of mystery including conspiracies, the unknown, and the supernatural. So get to watching/re-watching one of the best shows ever and “Trust No One”.

The Movie Recommendation: The Fourth Kind (2009)

The Fourth Kind might be a miss for some people and there are some valid criticisms including found footage purported to be real and a lot of unanswered questions. However, this is one of the few movies I have watched over the years that actually kept me up at night. I had legit trouble sleeping. The line “It wasn’t an owl” has stuck with me over the years and still makes my skin crawl. The story of a remote Alaskan city and alien abduction, the fourth kind lives up to its namesake. I would recommend it if you feel like getting seriously creeped out.

The Video Game Recommendation: South Park: The Stick of Truth (2014)

Now to lighten things up a bit. South Park: The Stick of Truth is a brilliant video game. The main theme is more Dungeons and Dragons than alien abduction, but there is a whole section of the game related to aliens and abduction. You even have to escape from the space ship. If you like South Park, you will love this game. The RPG game play is deep enough to satisfy, but also simple enough for non-RPG fans to access and have a lot of fun. The game is also hilarious. I think that they put as much effort into the story and jokes as they did for the show and the movies. So play this. Also play The Fractured. But. Whole. while you are at it.

Bundle 4: Recommendations based on a video game:

The Video Game: Mass Effect Trilogy (2007, 2010, 2012)

The Mass Effect Trilogy (I know cheating again with a trilogy) is a set of awesome games with a space opera storyline. It is quite reputable due to its RPG mechanics and excellent world building. There is a lot of content and dialogue if you are looking to uncover an interesting space story. Now before I go too far, I know, everyone hated the ending. Still worth it, in my opinion. If you haven’t played the trilogy, the good news is that there is a legendary edition coming up May 14th that will include all three games and their DLC in a remastered format. It is absolutely worth a go.

The Show Recommendation: Final Space (2018-)

Final Space may not be for everyone, but I for one, enjoyed the odd humor and space inspired story. It kept humming along and I kept enjoying it. I found a satisfying mix of funny bits and clear space opera influence in an animated format. Not too serious, but fun to watch.

The Movie Recommendation: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

So here it lies- this is the classic Space Opera: Star Wars. For many, myself included, this is the best episode. This is the movie where the now famous Yoda was introduced (long after he was a baby). It has the action and story to keep you on the edge of your seat and the twist, oh the twist! “Luke, I am your Father” (please note: the line is actually “No, I am your Father”). This is the golden standard for light sabers and blasters and a heavy influence on the other recommendations in this section.

The Song Recommendation: Cygnus X-1 by Rush (1977, 1978)

Rush is great Canadian rock/prog rock band that has stood the test of time. The three of them are all super-talented musicians and for a long time (and probably still), many were claiming that Neil Peart was the best drummer in rock music. This recommendation is for their two-part song series- set in space! The song is based on the first black hole ever discovered. In the song the Rocinante (the name of the space ship), heads towards the black hole. Now, it isn’t really a good idea to fly into a black hole- “All who dare cross her course, are swallowed by a fearsome force”. It may or may not go without saying, but the song doesn’t end well for the space explorers. “Sounds and fury drowns my heart, every nerve is torn apart”. Wicked song though.

So, if you are feeling like a multi-media theme-based stroll, take on each of these bundles. Grab some popcorn and watch the movie. Stretch the show out over a couple of weeks or binge watch it all at once. Put on the songs and give them a listen with the headphones on and the lights low. Finally fire up your computer or console and get lost in a thrilling video game world. This should help you figure out exactly what to do. It is your entertainment dousing rod.