Ready Player One
Ready Player One’s moral is that it’s okay to play games as long as you take time out for the real world and real people. It’s one hell of a ride, but I couldn’t help noticing that the male protagonist, Wade, got over the death of his aunt lickety-split and got right back to the game.
I guess life in the “Stacks” turns you into a good little soldier, making it easier to internalize life’s little tragedies and move on quickly. As a viewer, I too am willing to brush aside the loss of a familial character and get onto what’s important, looking for clues, and playing the game.
The game for any pop culture fanatic is picking up on all the film references. With this entry to the Spielberg oeuvre, he may have out done George Lucas, Joe Dante, John Landis, Brian De Palma, and Woody Allen. Does this make Spielberg the Master of Hommage?