VOD (1)
Seasons(5) / Episodes(42)
Videos (18)
Reviews (14)
Just as Tarantino does not limit himself to mere quoting, but distils the essences of marginal genres and creates extreme pastiches, the Duffer brothers take an identical approach to eighties horror movies, teen flicks and children's adventures in order to mould a perfect fantastical story that allows viewers to feel the wonder of childhood, the anxieties of adolescence and the fears of parenthood, all at the same time.
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After the third season, it’s clear to me that this is awesome. Whether we're talking about the cast, the direction, the cinematography, the script, the costumes, the humor, or the soundtrack, it's basically perfect. I admire that the filmmakers aren't afraid to be a little evil at times and that you never know what's coming. I can't wait for the next season.
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In the first four episodes, total engrossment and enthusiasm. In the second half, (only) satisfaction with the gradual revelation of what’s going on, but the initial fascination waned. All those comparisons to the 1980s, Spielberg, Carpenter, King and others are totally fitting. The characters and the casting are great, and I’m looking forward to going back to that world in the second season. 2nd season: In terms of plot, more of the same. But the charm of a small town in the 1980s, the cute interactions among likeable characters and the fear of the unknown are gone and replaced by fooling around with a herd of digital monsters. At times I had the impression I was watching some fucking animation instead of a horror series.
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Nostalgic Things... Authentic 80s King style (children's level) Carpenter style (horror level) Spielberg movie (adult level) par excellence, in other words Super 8 done absolutely right. It can't be more retro. You will recognize (among countless others) for example Stand by Me, E.T., Poltergeist, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Cocoon, Nightmare from Elm Street, Peanuts, The Monster Squad (simply put, the production of Amblin at the time) and... And not surprisingly, even if everything in it (like really everything, a s mall town, an unbelieving self-grown sheriff, a high school, etc.) is purely overseas 80s, so it doesn't seem like a nostalgic copy, a parody of itself or in any way contrived (namely there are two allusions per every minute of the running time), on the contrary, it stand firmly on its feet. In other words, this one doesn’t pretend to be 80s. IT IS 80s in terms of visuals, Carpenter's-tangerinedream musical undertones, mood and generally by atmosphere. And by far the best part is that all of the above is just a foundation for a graduated, mysterious, captivatingly disturbing and deliberately insight into a intentionally second-rate cliché story, which is also enhanced by acting performances, including those of children (after all, you can see on their cast how much it is faithful at the time, none of the children is nice or cute), and everything is dependent on their performance (what such Millie Brown can play only using her eyes, her much experienced, awarded and older colleagues can only envy her, because in spite of everything it is mainly and above all a children's (but not childish) expedition for adventure. If the 80s shaped you, so using the words of Charlie Sheen... What's not to love? | S1: 5/5 | S2: 5/5 | S3: 5/5 |
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I remember an ancient New Year's Eve scene where a composer had to compose a hit on the spot. He began using fragments of well-known melodies from various genres, explaining that before the listener recognizes it, the creator must jump somewhere else. Stranger Things does not address this problem. On the contrary, it proudly embraces its origins in the form of audience-familiar genres of the 80s and an atmosphere filled with mystery and paranormal phenomena reminiscent of Spielberg's spectacles. And unsurprisingly, it works. Enthusiastic viewers exchange information about how many film and TV references they recognized in each episode. I have rarely been carried away by nostalgia, and honestly, the Spielberg 80s motifs like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial no longer affect me today - when I attempted to watch the film years later, I choked on the over-sweetened and naive family spectacle and gave up halfway through. I consider Stranger Things as reasonably well-made popcorn viewing that mechanically adopts the 80s style and favorite motifs from sci-fi adventure spectacles rather than creatively working with them. It is undoubtedly a decent spectacle but clearly tailored for a child audience and those driven by nostalgia. Winona Ryder's character, who captures viewers' emotions, was just as annoying to me as the wife of Walter White in Breaking Bad was to fans of that show. Furthermore, as the series progressed, I felt that the plot was heading in a different direction than I had hoped for and appreciated. Personally, I would have liked the series to only work with hints and expectations and not explicitly show the monster from another dimension. I give it three stars because the rest of my family found the series much more likable, and the sense of belonging when everyone gathers around the TV from time to time is not to be underestimated. However, I would seriously not be able to watch the second season. Overall impression: 55%.
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