Stranger Things

[Kirsty]

Anyone caught this new Netflix Original?

 

It's only 8 episodes and I binged 5 of them over the weekend. Very hard to put a genre on it but it's a real mix of sci-fi / supernatural / nostaglia set in the 80s about a kid who disappears in a small town. If you liked Super 8 and don't mind mainly kids leading it (though it does have Winona Ryder too) it's a very spooky tale worth watching. As I said, haven't watched the final few episodes yet so don't know how well it ends.

 

I don't think these trailers do it justice for the type of story it's telling, but if you're interested in the premise then watch the first episode and you'll know if you'll like the rest. I love the score and soundtrack, just listen to the opening and you'll know what I mean when I say nostaglia.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPDZkbq0Zp8

 

[Creed Bratton]

I'm on episode 7 as I'm typing this. I'm very curious how it will end so I'll probably watch the last episode immediately. It's really not easy to pin down the genre. But it feels like it draws a lot of inspiration from Stephen King with a tiny bit of H.P. Lovecraft, but it's not as dark as either. Definitely more children friendly. The 80's vibe is really its strongest suit.

[Creed Bratton]

My final thoughts on this are that it is very entertaining but definitely not without significant issues. Sometimes it just feels like it doesn't know what it wants to be. A serious sci-fi horror or a teen drama or a children's scary story. It also feels like the creators were holding back. Like perhaps they couldn't get away with more horror and violence but they really wanted to.

 

If I had to put a number on it I guess I'd give it a 6.5/10, but I don't really like doing that. It's definitely above average but not really as groundbreaking as IMDB rating seems to suggest. I wouldn't mind a second season though. But I'd prefer an anthology approach like Fargo. Shared universe and shared stories, but with new locations and new characters. The show failed to make me care about these characters completely.

Edited July 19, 2016 by The Yokel

[AZAZEL]

I watched the first two episodes last night, and count me impressed. Love the heavy Spielberg vibes, the soundtrack really amplifies the at times tense atmosphere, and I feel that it has just the right amount of comic relief, without getting ridiculous. Also reminded me a bit of an M. Night Shyamalan movie, especially the pacing and cinematography of Signs. Love it.

[esmittystud101]

I'm going to start this as well. I love strange and weird. Maybe thats why I like the Souls series so much.

[Mister Pink]

Man, this is a great throwback to Spielberg. It's very nostalgic. I love the setting, it's one of those things that as I child what I'm watching is pleasing in a "I would like to live there, I wish I had a house like that, a basement to play in with my friends, a BMX with a big light, some cool woods to play etc." Some directors miss that point. Although it's supposed to show a normal every day small town I think every effort is made to tap in to a comforting and cosy place. It taps in to a childhood nostalgia that Speilberg films were so good at doing. Everything from the little treehouse in the woods to riding a BMX to school.

 

I've only watched the first episode but was very very impressed. I can't wait to see more.

[AlienTwo]

I saw this and it's Stephen King esque letters and it caught my eye, and then I saw this thread and decided to go for it. But, I had to finish the project I had just started: The Shannara Chronicles. Well, I got to episode 5 and gave up... which was 4.75 episodes too long.

 

I'm only through episode one, but damn, this is awesome! Really feels familiar, so 80's, so my childhood, so Spielberg.

[uNi]

it just feels like it doesn't know what it wants to be.

 

This, I've finished the season to see if it'd go somewhere and because it's only a few episodes, but they really need to do something more specific for a next season, if there's one?

[Zoobz]

Started watching this with no expectations (didn't watch any trailers for it), some friends suggested it and I found it pretty good. Binged the first 3 episodes last night and it's definitely something different. I do love the sci-fi 80s vibe it has going on. Only real gripe with it so far is that it has a lot going on in different parts but I do love how it's starting to intertwine and make sense as the episodes going on.

 

Going to watch ep. 4 now before I head to bed.

 

Edit: Ended up watching ep 4 and 5, and boy oh boy is it picking up. Probably watch 6 and 7 today then finish 8 tomorrow.

Edited July 23, 2016 by Zoobz

[Girish]

Darn good show. Me and the wifey loved it! Finished it off in a couple of sittings. It was gripping throughout, no dragged out scenes and even the non-action scenes weren't boring. All in all, an excellent first season. Looking forward to the next season, if there's going to be one (the ending suggests there could be a second). Although, it'd be an uphill task to top the first one.

[Kirsty]

Binged through the last few episodes at the weekend. Sure it didn't really have any specific purpose or meaning or even any answers really, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story it told. The little actors were great and Winona Ryder doesn't look like she's aged in 20 years. I felt really sorry for El after all that, she never got to find out her real name. Definitely looking forward to the next season, even if it doesn't carry on with the same people, but it's left a few things open for sure.

[RogerWho]

I watched this over the weekend and I'm conflicted but mostly disappointed. That said, this should be teaching material for new moviemaking students about how even a lame story can be made worth watching. Really great acting and directing, overall just well done stuff. The first half of the series was sweet, with all the suspense and buildup. But then the actual resolution to the story took over and it kinda ended up being lame.

 

I mean,

 

So they have this psychic girl and a parallel demon dimension

 

and all they do with this premise is

 

they bring an apparently unintelligent carnivorous predator that's attracted to blood.

 

Like, that's it? Was it even worth it, doing all that science, for this? Meh.

 

Also they went quite a bit overboard with cliches frankly, such as

 

the kids saving the world

 

and

 

the Area 51 guys being incompetent buffoons who can't catch a bunch of kids or take care of a small town cop

 

and especially

 

the hysterical mother trope, that sh*t was annoying by the end, no matter how amazing Winona is.

 

 

I'm ranting too much, but I was disappointed with the second half of the season. If they had a better premise/story they'd probably be able to make an amazing show.

 

BTW it reminded me of a game but I can't remember what it was... Also something to do with a

parallel demon world where everything was the almost same but kinda gooey and nasty.

No I don't mean

Silent Hill.

What other games did that? Must have been some sort of a 3D FPS/TPS thing or similar, and it's definitely been a few years, probably 10 at least.

[Creed Bratton]

BTW it reminded me of a game but I can't remember what it was... Also something to do with a

parallel demon world where everything was the almost same but kinda gooey and nasty.

No I don't mean

Silent Hill.

What other games did that? Must have been some sort of a 3D FPS/TPS thing or similar, and it's definitely been a few years, probably 10 at least.

Constantine perhaps? Based on the 2005 movie based on the comic books.

[AlienTwo]

Just finished the show, man... I think it was excellent from the start to the end. Winona got annoying, but ... she was freaked out, it all made enough sense to me. I'm torn, because I loved these kids so much I would LOVE to hear another story about them, but on the other hand, an anthology series without any connection between seasons might be incredibly cool as well. Either way, 8 hours of my life well spent.

[RogerWho]

Constantine perhaps? Based on the 2005 movie based on the comic books.

No, that's not it. I'm thinking whether my mind is not playing tricks on me, combining Clive Barker's Undying, Giana Sisters and the gooey effect Species 8472 had on people in Star Trek Voyager. Because what I seem to remember seems to be a mix of these things.

[feckyerlife]

i watched the first ep last night, made me feel like i was watching the goonies mashed up with super 8. pretty good episode

[Erik Decimus]

​The show is fantastic. There were a few flaws in the performances in a couple episodes.. but nothing major.

 

​Looking forward to Season 2.

[Mister Pink]

Yeah, I think Winona Ryder's performance is way to hammy. I mean I know it's a traumatic event she's experience but people mostly don't react like her. Maybe in the 90's they would get away with it I do like her in general but I wish she had toned it down.

 

Overall, good show and I've a few episodes left!

[feckyerlife]

Yeah, I think Winona Ryder's performance is way to hammy. I mean I know it's a traumatic event she's experience but people mostly don't react like her. Maybe in the 90's they would get away with it I do like her in general but I wish she had toned it down.

 

Overall, good show and I've a few episodes left!

well it does take place in 83 lol

Edited August 9, 2016 by feckyerlife

[Erik Decimus]

​I didn't have a big problem with Winona, a couple of the kids at certain points exaggerated a line though or delivered one like it was the end of a long shooting day and they didn't give two sh*ts about getting it right.. but it wasn't enough to make me mentally tune out.

 

​The music is phenomenal.

[feckyerlife]

​I didn't have a big problem with Winona, a couple of the kids at certain points exaggerated a line though or delivered one like it was the end of a long shooting day and they didn't give two sh*ts about getting it right.. but it wasn't enough to make me mentally tune out.

 

​The music is phenomenal.

I read an article about the directors and creators. about the kids part. They said they had over 600 kids audition for the 4 roles. They said only 10 were qualified for the part. because kids these days are so out of touch with the world we use to live in and majority are so absorbed by social media and being digital.

[Erik Decimus]

 

​I didn't have a big problem with Winona, a couple of the kids at certain points exaggerated a line though or delivered one like it was the end of a long shooting day and they didn't give two sh*ts about getting it right.. but it wasn't enough to make me mentally tune out.

 

​The music is phenomenal.

I read an article about the directors and creators. about the kids part. They said they had over 600 kids audition for the 4 roles. They said only 10 were qualified for the part. because kids these days are so out of touch with the world we use to live in and majority are so absorbed by social media and being digital.

 

​I can appreciate that. They did very well for the most part.. and the actress that played Eleven was great casting.

[ciel]

Stranger Things S2 trailer dropped today.

 

[AmyJones]

Thanks for posting that video. I wonder if the story is going to branch off at a certain point. I watched the entire first season and love the sh*t out of it. Just the way it's filmed looks 80s instead of the high definition setting with generic 80s like sets. Really well put together program overall. I read somewhere this was the same people who were turned down to remake the TV series "IT" which looks like they would have done a damn fine job of doing.

Edited September 2, 2016 by AmyJones

[Watain]

The best non-80's thing I've watched in years, and I'm a real 80's fanatic. Absolutely loved this as it reminded me of some 80's horror classics. The best horror flicks came out back then, I believe.

[otachi]

Does this series talks about montauk project?

 

 

 

 

It's actually true,young children were getting kidnapped to do some weird experiments on them.

 

[No Use For A Name]

As a huge horror movie fan, I was excited about this. The band who does the score is from my hometown.

 

It was exactly what I thought it was. Predictable but highly entertaining. A great homage to a time when horror was still worth a damn.

 

When I finished, I started looking for other shows that might interest me. I found a Canadian tv program called Slasher. The last Canadian horror show I watched (Darknet, also on Netflix) kicked ass so I figured I'd give this a shot. It's AWESOME. Genuinely scary, well acted, and some weird ass plot twists. If you like Stranger Things, give it a shot. Through 5 episodes, it's way better than Stranger Things

[Arlarse]

Binged watched it from start to finish and have to say it's excellent. The score is on point throughout and you can definitely see the Spielberg influence in the way the horror is delayed. It harks back to the old school films where you were given doses of horror and everything around that was then to reference or play up the inevitability of the horror moment so that when it hits you end up truly feeling it's impact. Too often we see these days that the horror is constant throughout films and quite often it desensitises you to any climactic moment in a film/show.

 

Winona was hammy at times but by the standards you see these days with actresses playing distressed mothers I feel she at the very least aiding in conveying the emotional distress to the viewer.

 

It's a great first season, and I'm really looking forward to the next one. As far as where it rates I'd give it an 8.7/10.

Edited September 16, 2016 by Arlarse

[TheGodDamnMaster]

Just binged this from beginning to end over the past two nights. "Phenomenal" is what comes to mind when reflecting on my viewing experience. I was elated to hear that season 2 will be a direct continuation of the first because there are still a few unanswered questions, mainly surrounding what the f*ck Will experienced in the bathroom and why the chief was leaving food out in a box for El.

[darthYENIK]

Just recently watched it, myself. I kind of wish it just ended. No chance of season two being disappointing that way.

 

I love the atmosphere of the show. The synth soundtrack is great. Right out of a good 80s B-movie.

 

I really enjoy the character of Steve. He starts out like an asshole, but he's not two dimensional. When push comes to shove he isn't a bad guy, and that was refreshing.