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Memorable Pop Culture Smiles
[Image by Kranich17 on Pixabay]
“You’re never fully dressed without a smile!” cheers the eponymous song from Broadway’s Annie, and pop culture is certainly filled with memorable characters who just can’t stop cheesin’. Some smiles are broad, others quiet and mischievous. Some smilers are clever tricksters and others are insecure middle schoolers, but regardless of style, we’re rounding up all of the most memorable mandibles in pop culture!
Mona Lisa, Leonardo DaVinci
The Mona Lisa is perhaps one of the most well known and beloved portraits ever created, and the most entrancing thing about her is the subtle smile she wears. Historians, novelists, conspiracy theorists, and art lovers alike have all speculated on what the significance of her quirked smile, though the truth may remain forever a mystery. Either way, no one can talk about memorable smiles without thinking of this classic masterpiece.
Cheshire Cat, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
If there ever were a grin that exemplified kookiness and smugness in one sinister smile, it would be the toothy smirk of the Cheshire Cat from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. “We’re all mad here,” is his teasing refrain as he teleports from branch to branch, offering so-called wisdom, all the while confusing poor Alice more and more.
The Grinch, How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Grinch’s malevolent, Christmas-stealing-smile is perhaps one of the most GIFed images on the internet. It’s slow and sinister upward curl is iconic in the truest sense of the word. The only thing more impressive than this animated heart-freezing grin is the fact that Jim Carey, who played the Grinch in the live action version released in 2000, can actually make the face in real life!
The Joker, Batman
“Let’s put a smile on that face!” cackles the Joker in almost every adaptation of the classic character, another example of a crazed smiler. The nefarious clown has more backstories for his smile than he does teeth, but the ambiguity of his smile doesn’t make it any less terrifying. Whether he’s frustrating and bamboozling Batman in the movies or on the page, this comic criminal is one of our favorites.
Pac-Man
If you’ve ever played an arcade game in your life (and even if you haven’t) you’ve probably seen the incredible chomping jaws of Pac-Man racing towards a blue and white ghost, or perhaps a juicy bonus fruit. When you’ve got a smile that takes up half your face, you’d want to show it off too! Pac-Man has been grinning and gaming since the 1980’s and is still going strong with more than thirty licensed game appearances to his name.
Stanley Ipkiss, The Mask
Stanley Ipkiss is the average-Joe banker who stumbles across a supernatural mask that grants its wearers superpowers in The Mask series of comics and movies. The mask in question gives its wearer not just superpowers, but also an enduring smile that leers at the viewer, no matter the tone of the scene. This is also another nod the incredible facial muscles of Jim Carey, as he played the hapless-turned-hokey Ipkiss in the 1994 film adaptation.
Raina Telgemeier, Smile
Not everyone has a perfect smile… especially in middle school! Adolescence can be one of the hardest times to find a reason to smile, especially when your front two teeth are accidentally knocked out! Luckily, Raina Telgemeier’s award-winning graphic memoir Smile exists to help kids going through their own dental woes love their smiles too.
Toothless, How to Train Your Dragon
Nothing is cuter than Toothless from the How to Train Your Dragon movies. His smile is a little different from most of the others on this list, because instead of a mouthful of shiny choppers, he’s as gummy as his name suggests. But don’t let his adorable smile fool you – mess with him too much and his fangs will come out!
Which smile is your favorite? Tweet us at @quirkbooks to let us know!
Posted by Hannah Frank
How Katniss Everdeen Would Do in Other Dystopias
As Katniss Everdeen hits the big screen for a final time, here at Quirk, we wondered how the Girl On Fire might fare in other dystopian settings. (Spoilers ahead!)
Posted by Hannah Frank
If the Founding Fathers Joined a Book Club…
The Founding Fathers of the American Revolution are pretty near and dear to our hearts. Even today, their names are invoked in political debates, philosophical discussions, and theological throwdowns. Now we’re looking to these revolutionaries to imagine what their reading tastes might look like 239 years after declaring independence from the British and then setting off some fireworks. That’s how it happened, right? Definitely fireworks. Especially the ones shaped like cowboy hats.
Posted by Hannah Frank
Worst-Case Wednesday: How To Keep Beverages Cool In The Desert
Every Wednesday, we offer advice and strategies to survive all of the most dire and urgent circumstances, as well as some of the more common scenarios we all deal with.
This week we've got an excerpt from The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors. Mad Max and Imperator Furiosa may live in a waterless desert, but that's no excuse for letting their beer get tepid! If only they had known these tricks for keeping beverages cool, maybe they could have just tipped back a few cold ones with Immortan Joe and talked out their issues. Well, probably not. At least you can beat that summer heat if you ever find yourself in the Sahara with a six-pack!
Posted by Hannah Frank
Worst-Case Wednesday: How to Survive Playing Catch
Every Wednesday, we offer advice and strategies to survive all of the most dire and urgent circumstances, as well as some of the more common scenarios we all deal with.
This week we've got an excerpt from The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting. Father's Day is just around the corner, and what's more essential to the "dad experience" than playing catch with your kids? So fire up the grill, break out the mitts, and have a blast not getting smacked by rogue baseballs.
Posted by Hannah Frank
Worst-Case Wednesday: How to Survive an Encounter with a Bigfoot
Image via www.coolinterestingstuff.com
Every Wednesday, we offer advice and strategies to survive all of the most dire and urgent circumstances, as well as some of the more common scenarios we all deal with.
This week we've got an excerpt from The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors. School is ending, summer is starting, and camping season is up and running. Any good woodsman (or woman) knows that preparedness is key. We all know how to deal with bear attacks and long car trips, but what about the real threat out there in the wild? What about… BIGFOOT?! Hopefully this guide will save you from becoming a Little Splat under a Big Foot.
Posted by Hannah Frank
