Find The Impostors And Movie Traitors Among Us

Every once in awhile I’ll come across a game like Among Us. A social deduction game, or a party game, if you will, that will inspire me to look outside the box. Indeed the majority of my writing posts are about sim games, so when I stumble on something different and fun, I intent to grab it.

Now, Among Us blends two separate things nicely, I might add. Space and investigations. Let me explain. I’ve tacked plenty of space themed games before. Most recently Spacebase Startopia which was a cool assignment, I must say. But Among Us is a rather different game. Yes, it’s set in space, but it has nothing to do with space exploration.

So, What Does Among Us Entail?

First and foremost, Among Us, takes place in a space-themed setting where players each take on one of two roles. Most being Crewmates, and a predetermined number being Impostors. However, the goal for the Crewmates is to identify the Impostors and eliminate them. But, the Impostors’ goal is to kill the Crewmates without being identified. Which group will prevail? It’s up to you.

Fun fact. Both Among Us and Fall Guys have become increasingly popular party games during the ongoing GOVID-19 global pandemic. The popularity of the game started in South Korea and Brazil but eventually made its way into the English-speaking world as well. For instance, Bromander stated that Mexico, Brazil, and South Korea are even more popular locations for the game than the United States. Hey, I even saw it popping on my Facebook feed. I guess my friends are obsessed with it as well.

Which Movies Go Well With Among Us?

Granted, the impostor/traitor theme is the key theme in Among Us, so I’ll make sure to focus on that, more on the Si-Fi setting of the game. So, that being said. Which movies do go well with Among Us? When I thought about the impostor/theme the first thing that came to my mind was Judas, in practically every biblical movie. But I was going for something modern, and contemporary. Not so much on a 2000 years old story. So, my first pick would be…

The Thing

John Carpenter’s masterpiece indeed. And his personal favorite I might add. It’s true, look it up. Quite similar in the premise with Among Us, except it’s not based in space. No. It’s on a research station in Antarctica, but pretty much everything else is more or less the same. A shape-shifting alien (or humanoid alien if you will) has found there, and it’s doing exactly that. It imitates living organisms and then absorbs them with the slightest of ease.

So, the entire movie turns into a tense yet compelling battle to find out where the alien is. Which body has been consumed by him and where it is so the remaining team can kill it? The Thing that is.

And I might even put in my top five John Carpenter movies of all time. Right behind, In the Mouth of Madness, Starman, Escape from New York and They Live. I loved the claustrophobia and the bleak dark atmosphere of the snowy, cold setting. Which of course, just amp the paranoia to the max. Oh, man how I adore this movie. If you haven’t seen it by now, I urge you to watch it. You’ll thank me later.

Godfather 2

“I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!”

Speaking of traitors, it’s always tough when the traitor is someone in your family. Betrayal left a bad taste in Michael’s mouth, and that kiss at the party in Havana was basically the kiss of death for Fredo. Fredo is a dead man from that point, and he knows it. Not even Michael would have mercy on his brother like he showed no mercy for him. Oh, and what followed was probably one of the most serene and tense execution scenes ever. The scene on the lake is probably one of the best-executed death scenes in all of Godfather Part 2 movie. And it just goes to show that the sequel is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. Probably my all-time favorite mafia movie and probably the only movie I can’t find fault with. It’s god damn perfect.

Oh, fun fact:

Robert De Niro was able to appear on-screen with three of his “children” in other films. He appeared with Al Pacino in Heat (1995), Righteous Kill (2008), and The Irishman (2018); John Cazale in The Deer Hunter (1978), and Robert Duvall in True Confessions (1981). Cool right? I thought so too.

LA Confidential

Let’s just all agree that the Dudley Smith character is a traitor to the entire police force? LA Confidential Is an incredible noir movie that had the misfortune to be released in the same year as Titanic. But if you ask me it deserves a lot more recognition even today. It’s incredibly written, well-acted and all-around fantastic movie about honor, betrayal and doing the right thing.

And just how good was James Cromwell in this role? Incredible I’d say. But I loved the idea of this movie. That the traitor could be the seemingly squeaky clean captain of the LA police. The man who’s supposed to be a model for justice is in fact a corrupt, deceiving and dangerous man. Additionally, a man who will think of nothing to kill, bribe, or blackmail. Yup. The farmer for Babe! It just goes to show how versatile and talented actor James Cromwell is.

I mean, The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, and Kim Basinger; and three Oscar nominees: James Cromwell, David Strathairn, and Danny DeVito. And let me tell you. I was quite happy when he met his match and eventually his own downfall. Brilliant film, with incredible actors. I highly recommend it.

Oh, you remember this form the movie?

Capt. Dudley Smith: Would you be willing to shoot a hardened criminal in the back, in order to offset the chance that some…lawyer…
Sgt. Ed Exley: No.
Capt. Dudley Smith: Then, for the love of God, don’t be a detective. Stick to assignments where you don’t have to make those kinds of choices.

Oh, how he was wrong about him.

The Departed

Traitors are born and bred? Or is it circumstantial?

That’s the question that The Departed asks even at the start of the movie. The grooming of Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) to be a mole (a snitch if you will), and therefore a traitor to the entire police force is the main theme here. And I loved it. As I loved the Billy Costigan character too. The clashing of two ideologies, two vastly different career paths for two characters’ could not have been different. And that’s the beauty of it.

But The Departed just shows that both the impostors and the honest cops get hurt in the end. If you ask me, The Departed is Marty’s long-awaited masterpiece of a movie. And of course, a study of well developed, well-acted characters. Not to mention there’s a killer cast in the supporting roles as well, but also a fantastic soundtrack. The Departed is one of those movies that I can never get tired of, not just because I’m a lifelong fan of Leo (OK and Jack Nicholson, let’s be real).

And speaking of Jack… Jack Nicholson says he joined the cast because he was looking for a “nice juicy bad guy to play.” In true Jack Nicholson fashion, don’t you think.

No. I can never get tired of The Departed is because it’s a story of loyalties. Two very different perceptions of loyalty, lots of grey areas and moral ambiguity. I guess, these lines sum it all up.

When you decide to be something, you can be it. That’s what they don’t tell you in the church. When I was your age they would say we can become cops or criminals. Today, what I’m saying to you is this: when you’re facing a loaded gun, what’s the difference?

Among Us

Tell us in the comment section. We’d love to know all about your favorite movie traitor/impostors. Which ones would you add here? We’d love to know all about them.