krpalmer: (mst3k)
[personal profile] krpalmer
If it hadn’t been for Mike Nelson and Conor Lastowka recording a comedically critical look at the novel Ready Player One, I would have just kept steering past the book, pushed away at first just by gloom at the thought of another lip-smacking anticipation of inescapable dystopian collapse but then by complete leeriness at the awareness that dark setting was just the wrapping for an obsessive, uncritical embrace of the pop culture surrounding the 1980s and now remembered just perhaps because people took it in when they were young. One thing that led to them taking on the book, though, was its impending adaptation into a Steven Spielberg movie. They did record a special episode about the movie, but I didn’t quite feel like taking that in “instead of” the movie; at the same time, I didn’t want to pay money to see it in a theatre or to buy a Blu-Ray. When I sorted out there were discs of it at the library to borrow, though, I finally decided to take a chance.

I’d understood from the trailers and a review or two the movie wasn’t quite the same as the novel, but to be honest the movie started giving me a sense something had gone right for once writing the script. “Unending study of movies, TV shows, and video games” didn’t show up very much, and the riddles that pointed through the treasure hunt seemed to have more to do with grasping the regrets of the deceased creator of the virtual reality world than just happening to hit on the right specific yet vaguely referenced property and then have it memorized. Perhaps, too, when things are on screen to be recognized or not instead of being listed as names it’s easier to just let them wash by. (However, there was a bit of a kick for me seeing the original Gundam still managed to be licensed...) I suppose it would still be easy enough to criticize the movie, and right now I’m not all that sure I want to hear whether Mike and Conor made efforts at that, but there is an odd satisfaction to finding enjoyment through lowered expectations.
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