Stranger Things

Lumpy · January 25, 2018, 04:20:36 AM

In every modern movie or show set in the 80s time period, it seems like the characters always listen to 'cool' new wave music. Whereas really, most teens were listening to Journey, Styx, Foreigner, Rush, Van Halen, ZZ Top, etc. A small town in Indiana? Come on...

RacerX · January 29, 2018, 10:09:37 AM

I was outta high school in '79, but the 80s were NWoBHM, early thrash, and some proto-Black/Death metal for me & my buds.

Lumpy · January 29, 2018, 12:22:15 PM

In season 2 there's a character who listens to hard rock and metal. He's even got a Tank poster in his room!

BTW the writing on season 2 is kinda weird - they introduce new characters in the first week, then don't show them again until episode 6. The whole episode is about them, which is a huge distraction form the other plotlines. There are two new characters (Billy and Max) with no apparent purpose... etc.

Still pretty good, but getting a teeny bit tired of the formula and characters. I've never really followed a TV series for very long, but with the modern technology I can see it's a little easier than it used to be.

Lumpy · January 31, 2018, 03:43:56 PM

sub-reddit "open directories" has links to download shows.

RacerX · January 31, 2018, 07:01:51 PM

Quote from: Lumpy on January 29, 2018, 12:22:15 PM
In season 2 there's a character who listens to hard rock and metal. He's even got a Tank poster in his room!

BTW the writing on season 2 is kinda weird - they introduce new characters in the first week, then don't show them again until episode 6. The whole episode is about them, which is a huge distraction form the other plotlines. There are two new characters (Billy and Max) with no apparent purpose... etc.

Still pretty good, but getting a teeny bit tired of the formula and characters. I've never really followed a TV series for very long, but with the modern technology I can see it's a little easier than it used to be.

Cool skate-chick's big bro? I did not notice the Tank poster.

Lumpy · February 01, 2018, 08:04:40 AM

It's kind of half-hidden, maybe behind the open door(?) Something's partially blocking it.

Dylan Thomas · March 04, 2018, 10:10:50 AM

Quote from: Lumpy on January 29, 2018, 12:22:15 PM

BTW the writing on season 2 is kinda weird - they introduce new characters in the first week, then don't show them again until episode 6. The whole episode is about them, which is a huge distraction form the other plotlines. There are two new characters (Billy and Max) with no apparent purpose... etc.

I agree. Episode 6 was total filler. There's literally no point to it in my mind. None. I could have skipped that episode and not missed anything plot-wise. Sure, it develops a side of Eleven's character that we haven't seen before, and that was pretty much an afterthought. There are so many other ways that writers could have expressed that in a more convincing and cohesive manner.

I like Billy and Mad Max though, they shake things up a little. A little. I mean, they're both caricatures, the token girl in the boys' club and the unabashed 80's bully, and those are tried and true tropes from decades of "coming of age" movies and television shows.

sleestak · March 04, 2018, 12:59:45 PM

I feel like episode 6 was just an avenue to make a new season with new characters in a new town.

Lumpy · March 04, 2018, 06:25:01 PM

Yeah it could be a way to introduce characters for Season 3, but they did a good job weaving different threads in Season 1, and a terrible job on episode 6.

They also had some gratuitous new characters, like Sean Astin. The divorced 1st husband could have played that whole role.

Kind of over-analyzing I guess, since it's pulp TV (or whatever you'd call it) and pays homage to a lot of garbage movies and culture (Children of the Corn reference, anyone?)

Quote
I like Billy and Mad Max though, they shake things up a little. A little. I mean, they're both caricatures, the token girl in the boys' club and the unabashed 80's bully, and those are tried and true tropes from decades of "coming of age" movies and television shows.

Agreed. Even the cheezey or awkward elements, bad acting, etc. are period correct. (It doesn't suck, it's retro!)

Has there been any Phantasm references? (I actually never saw Phantasm, just excerpts).

Dylan Thomas · April 02, 2018, 04:07:31 PM

Oh man, you totally should see Phantasm. And Phantasm II. After that they get a bit hit or miss, it's a different kind of absurd cheese. The first two are pretty unfuckable with in terms of lack of coherence and continuity. They're glorious messes.

Jor el · April 02, 2018, 04:16:36 PM

PHANTASM is a thing of Beauty

Lumpy · April 02, 2018, 05:35:08 PM

Okay, but have there been PHANTASM references in Stranger Things yet?

renfield · July 25, 2018, 10:47:36 PM

This show is cute and it's nice to see children played by children and portrayed as the intelligent people that they actually are. But, I can't help but feel like it's second hand smoke. If I want real 80s underground sci fi worship i'll reach for BEYOND THE BLACK MIRROR

Lumpy · July 26, 2018, 03:26:35 PM

Half of Season 1 episodes was Winona Ryder screaming and crying. Still, there were enough little payoffs to keep me engaged. This is the first TV series where I've watched every episode.

QuoteThis show is cute and it's nice to see children played by children and portrayed as the intelligent people that they actually are. But, I can't help but feel like it's second hand smoke. If I want real 80s underground sci fi worship i'll reach for BEYOND THE BLACK MIRROR

Wait, there is a series "Black Mirror" (haven't seen it) and a movie "Beyond the Black Rainbow" (highly recommended). Which one...?

Lumpy · July 10, 2019, 05:27:19 PM

I watched the first episode of season 3, which reminded me - it's kind of terrible at times, in a period-correct B movie kind of way.

Lumpy · July 10, 2019, 05:30:13 PM

Dude was playing a metal song is his Camaro (or whatever car that was) which I didn't recognize... probably some NWOBHM.

sleestak · July 10, 2019, 06:29:48 PM

I enjoyed it but it fuels itself on nostalgia almost exclusively so I don't think it's all that fair, but I enjoyed it.

renfield · July 10, 2019, 11:09:59 PM

You want to hate on it because you recognize the massive praise it receives is undeserved and due to member berries or whatever.

(not YOU, the general "you")

It's okay. Dark is way fuckin better

Lumpy · July 10, 2019, 11:38:18 PM

Quote from: renfield on July 10, 2019, 11:09:59 PMmember berries or whatever.

I don't get it.

renfield · July 11, 2019, 12:40:20 AM

South Park had an ongoing subplot about how everybody became addicted to "member berries"; talking grapes that waxed nostalgic about the sort of era Stranger Things or Ready Player One is built around.

It started as a joke about how Star Wars 7 actually sucked, but we were all so happy to see Chewie and actual puppet aliens and stuff that we overlooked its flaws. Everybody in South Park became addicted to these "member berries" and it led to the election of trump.

Lumpy · July 11, 2019, 01:27:37 AM

:thumbs up:

Josh · July 13, 2019, 01:37:59 AM

I really enjoyed S1 and thought S2 was decent. I'm hesitant to jump in to S3. I want it to be good, but I'm worried it's going to feel played out and only made because it's been so successful. I respect the people who made great movies and shows who knew when to call it quits and move on to something else, like The Americans, Mr. Robot, ect. Kubrick never made a sequel.

RAGER · July 13, 2019, 09:16:09 AM

The monster is a moving blob of over sauced pulled pork.

sleestak · July 13, 2019, 11:02:06 AM

Spoiler alert.

Lumpy · July 31, 2019, 04:17:46 PM

Made it through season 3, I had to tough it out a little. I hope it's over for good. I'm tired of the characters and the story and the stylistic approach. Yes, stereotypical characters, bad acting, bad clothes, bad scenes are all period correct 80's crap, but why do we need to torture ourselves? It wasn't bad, this season had some highlights (maybe the same amount as the other seasons?) but the novelty was kind of gone. I'm not saying it's not worth watching, but let it die already. I don't want to see Stranger Things: The College Years.

[spoiler]Why did the monster die when they closed the gate? Didn't make any sense. Maybe they explained that before, and (because I took my time in-between episodes) I forgot the explanation. I mean, I don't really care what the explanation is. But that part must have flew past me.

I loved the car crash scene in the last episode. Not enough surprises like that.

They left it open for Season 4. I kind of hope they don't do it.
[/spoiler]