The Underground — Issue #42
Everything you need to know about in this weekly series: Watch The Last Of Us as a film, the 5 best Triumph the Insult Comic Dog bits, and understanding of the refugee crisis, a definitive list of women that got away in horror films, and the most scientific ways to study.
At Social Underground we go beyond the mainstream stuff and see what’s underneath the surface. What should we get into, listen to, read, eat or watch? If there is something in our culture that needs attention that’s our job: Show you the underground things that you need to know about: Books, music, television, movies, comedians, art, and whatever else we can find to get you into something you never knew about. That’s The Underground.
1. The Last Of Us game edited as a film shows us that we don’t need a cinematic version. I have to be honest: I don’t really play video games anymore. I do enjoy watching other people play video games that have amazing stories, however. Good video games are basically novels or lengthy TV series that takes a long time to read or watch. When a movie is made that’s based on a video game… well, have you really seen a movie based on a game that wasn’t a trainwreck? Silent Hill was probably the closest thing I’ve seen the capturing the feel of the game, but it was still a loose adaptation that ended with a guy behind me in the theater asking, “Wait, what? It’s over? Oh hell naw!”
This brings me to The Last Of Us. It’s a game that I would probably play, but would rather watch someone else play. It has one of the best stories a game has ever had. It starts with a little girl and her father, but then a plague starts to show itself in their city. This sets up one of the best opening sequences to a zombie-type story that has even been created. I loved the opening scene of the remake of Dawn of the Dead, but it got muddled after it. When I want zombies, I want them in suburban areas. I want them in a place that you could picture as a neighborhood you live or lived in. It makes it more realistic. The Last Of Us does this perfectly. I’ve shown this video below of the game to my Dad, and he just responded, “This is a f*cking game?!” And this is a Vietnam vet that hates all animation. I mean HATES animation. I don’t know why, but the opening scene hooked him.
Below is the full edited movie of cut scenes that include gameplay to make a full movie version of the game. If you already played the game, you know the story, but if you don’t want to buy a $500 box and a $60 game just to see it, just watch the best game to come out in a decade below. I know 6 hours is long, but… Lord of the Rings on TNT is practically an entire day with commercials. And you still watch it on a Saturday afternoon.
2. The very best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. If you have been reading The Underground (*shakes fist*) and you better, you’ll know that I love Conan’s remote segments, but when Triumph shows up, he obliterates everything on television that week. No matter how many times you watch a segment with him in it, you will never not laugh at his ability to improv with any person he talks to. He can be incredibly insulting to whomever he’s interviewing, but he’s so funny that they just laugh because they can’t respond to him.
Below is my top 5 picks of Triumph The Insult Comic Dog doing his thing. I won’t judge you if you sink into a rabbit hole of watching even more. Trust me, I know.
Jack McBrayer & Triumph Visit Chicago’s Weiner’s Circle
Triumph Visits The Real Housewives Of Atlanta (Kinda wish he woulda just set the house on fire, but I don’t want to be picky)
Triumph The Insult Comic Dog Hits The Final Presidential Debate
Triumph Visits The Great American Beer Festival
A comment on this one… all of the people at this festival need to do a nose dive into a volcano after taking a dip in a cat of gasoline. I love beer. I love microbrewed beer. I love craft beer. I dislike hearing people talk about how hoppy their IPA is. No one gives a shit about your beer. Same thing with wine tasting: No one cares and no one wants to admit that the $5 bottle at 7/11 tastes better. Sure, the more expensive 6-pack is tastier than the garbage Pilsner with the special can, but does that prevent you from pissing on the floor at 4am? No. Calm down.
Triumph The Insult Comic @ Occupy Wall Street
3. Understand the refugee crisis with this informative video. If you haven’t been paying attention, ISIS has been causing havoc across the middle east and the leader of Syria is a jackass. As you would suspect, people are fleeing these countries to other countries. The thing is that these countries can’t afford to house them. You know the country of Jordan? 25% of their population is refugees. 25%! There is even flack coming to politicians in America about letting some come here. Gosh, imagine the thought of refugees coming to America. It almost sounds like. you know, how America was founded.
Check out the video below to understand what these people are going through. After you watch it, take a look around and be thankful.
4. A definitive infographic on the “final girl” cliche in horror films. Let’s be honest: You’re sitting there watching a horror film, and the end is coming up where a super attractive woman has to confront whatever antagonist is put before her. Some versions are amazing (Alien), but others are, well, every girl in the Friday the 13th films.
This infographic below shows the women that bested the killer in the film and got away. Oh, yeah, spoiler alert if you haven’t seen some of the movies on the list… but if you haven’t seen Alien and prefer watching “horror” films like Saw, well, I don’t like you.
5. Learn how to study like a pro instead of cramming the night before like a dolt. Everyone that crams the night before a test usually does pretty badly unless they have previously spent time looking over the material before. My trick was using note cards and going over them for a few weeks before a test. How did I do? Fantastic. The trick is not to put studying off until right before the test. Book reports? That’s a different story. I usually let Future Jeff worry about that, and he did a remarkable job on writing a 40-page report in 8 hours.
The video below shows you the best ways to study scientifically. Trust me, high school is a breeze compared to some of the lunacy you have to deal with in college. Accounting and statistics being taught by a guy who spoke English as a THIRD language is just bad hiring.
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Jeff Sorensen is an author, writer and occasional comedian living in Detroit, Michigan. You can look for more of his work on The Huffington Post,UPROXX,BGR and by just looking up his name.
Contact: jeff@socialunderground.com