Stranger Things

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Re: Stranger Things

Postby 82_28 » Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:20 pm

Nordic » Sun Jul 24, 2016 1:04 pm wrote:I just binge-watched it this last week while I was banned. :yay

Earlier I wasn't interested in this because if seen a trailer and Winona Ryder looked so annoying it completely turned me off. But when I saw there was a thread here I decided to check it out and I got hooked.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was surprised at the subject matter, and when the girl 11 showed up I was hooked. She was GREAT. Seriously she was the glue of the show. Conveying that poor character while barely saying a word, doing it all with her eyes, just great. The other characters were hard to really care about very much. The kids were annoying, the teenage girl was annoying, Winona Ryder was almost unbearable but I kept thinking of how unbearable I might be if my son disappeared. I would lose my fucking mind. But still ...

The girl made it for me. I think she's gonna be yuge. She's English and apparently quite a ham. She has her own YouTube channel where she sings. She's a good singer too. I kind of want to check out the other show she was in, it looks like a similar kind of show actually.

The flashback scenes with her in the lab were extremely creepy. Made my stomach literally feel tight and kind of nauseated. Maybe because we all know that shit ain't fiction.

And like Wombat said we've all most likely had dreams of "the upside down". I've had more than dreams about it. I've experienced it a little more than is comfortable. That's why I'm here (one reason anyway)

I really thought that these guys must have read Jeff's work and ran with it.

The episodes "The Duffer Bros" directed weren't as good as the others. Who are these guys? Isn't Shawn Levy a director who's done family comedies in the past? Like "Yours Mine and Ours"? I'll have to look that up.

Anyway I really got into it. Maybe my life is just boring right now (it is) but I enjoyed it immensely in spite of its flaws.

The other show the girl did is called "intruders":

"A TV series centered around a secret society devoted to chasing immortality by seeking refuge in the bodies of others."

Her name is Millie Bobby Brown.


Yeah. I noticed each episode had a different writer.
There is no me. There is no you. There is all. There is no you. There is no me. And that is all. A profound acceptance of an enormous pageantry. A haunting certainty that the unifying principle of this universe is love. -- Propagandhi
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Nordic » Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:23 pm

82_28 » Sun Jul 24, 2016 4:17 pm wrote:I think people who criticise it are missing the point. There is much to be criticised but I think the criticism is meant to happen. They didn't go through all that trouble to make a piece of shit. They took kinda sorta piece of shit films that we all love still because we grew up then and can identify and threw in paranormal and laboratory testing etc which we had no iota of back then. I noticed this right away. It seemed cheesy at first glance but as the story unfolded it became compelling. Ryder's performance was absolutely believable and I "enjoyed" it. Her character was what I would expect to see in a real mom in the throes of confusion and fear. Her chain smoking was also a nice touch. It's set in the motherfucking 80s guys. It captured the era perfectly.


I agree, I just didn't like her very much. I never thought she was a fantastic actress anyway, I was more in love with her looks back in the day. But yeah the fact that she had lost her kid certainly justified the performance. Could you imagine? I lost a dog once I couldn't find (and never did) and it nearly drove me nuts. Just for a damn dog. I would be driven into a manic phase unlike any other manic phase of my kid disappeared.

Honestly I thought some of the casting could have been better. It was spotty. From fantastic to just acceptable. I think that might be what is turning some people off.
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Nordic » Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:27 pm

Just looked up Shawn Levy who produced and directed some of the episodes (the better ones). He's known for directing such family products like Big Fat Liar (2002), Just Married (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), The Pink Panther (2006), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Date Night (2010), Real Steel (2011), The Internship (2013) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

Kind of a change of pace for him. He's Canadian too. Like Jeff!
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby brekin » Sun Jul 24, 2016 6:10 pm

Yes, the 11 actress really carried the show. Could have been a really generic performance for the generic story, but she really brought immense depth and helped to convey the human cost.
If I knew all mysteries and all knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing. St. Paul
I hang onto my prejudices, they are the testicles of my mind. Eric Hoffer
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Col. Quisp » Sun Jul 24, 2016 7:09 pm

When in the final episode, one of the kids rolled the dice and yelled out the number (which I forgot), that's when it struck me that Eleven was just part of the D&D game and they were so into it that it appeared real to them, like it did to kids at the time. And like those Pokemon chasers feel when they catch a Pokemon. I predict that next season (if it is indeed renewed, and due to the rave reviews will be), it will be revealed that this season was all just a D&D game.
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Novem5er » Sun Jul 24, 2016 7:32 pm

I have to disagree, Col. Quisp. I think TV writers learned from the Bob Newhart fiasco that viewers don't like it when an entire show ends up just being make believe (of make believe). See, also, the last season of Roseanne.

Nordic, welcome back! I'm glad you liked the show. I'm planning to get banned, myself, as soon as House of Cards rolls back around :)

It's funny about the kid actors in this show, that people either love them or hate them; but I think this is true of kid actors in almost every show or movie. One thing to consider about the kids dialogue and behavior is that this was an 8 episode show with limited screen time for each group of characters. Normal teens (they looked like pre-teens to me) absolutely have long moments when they are quiet, when they are polite to each other, and generally are boring to observe. But this is television! They aren't going to waste screen time with a bunch of kids sitting quietly in a room having or walking silently down the road. No, there has to be some kind of joke, some conflict, and some characterization. Every. Single. Scene.

Think Pirates of the Caribbean. I'm sure Captain Jack Sparrow had moments where he just stood quietly at watched the horizon or gave simple orders to his crew without a lot of fuss . . . but they aren't going to waste screen time without him doing something Jack-sparrow-y.
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby brekin » Sun Jul 24, 2016 7:57 pm

I should say I thought the child actors, all of them, did a good to great job. It's that most of their characters, scenes, dialogue, etc were pretty predictable, annoying, grating. Even one kid character, who I just found insufferable, the actor seemed to be pretty talented and courageous.

Kind of the same with Modine, he def seemed more than up to the task, it's just the task was "play the father type MKultra soft spoken white coat guy", which comes across interestingly as a Lyle Lovitt impression.
If I knew all mysteries and all knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing. St. Paul
I hang onto my prejudices, they are the testicles of my mind. Eric Hoffer
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Novem5er » Sun Jul 24, 2016 8:12 pm

Hah. I didn't even recognize Mathew Modine. I knew he was in the show, but it wasn't until episode 3 that I looked up on IMDB to see who he was; and I was shocked that he was Dr. Brenner. He just . . . didn't look like his old self (haha why would he?).

Did you like the Dustin actor (the kid with missing teeth)? He seems to be the one that has charmed the Internet (that and Millie Bobby Brown aka 11). Again, it's personal taste. I wont lie - I am VERY forgiving when its a show or subject matter that I enjoy. I think it's rare for a whole project to click on every level, so I just enjoy what I can.

People here have mentioned Winona Ryder's performance. I had similar thoughts where she just grated on my nerves at a certain point, but then I thought . . is it the acting or is that just the role? Shouldn't a manic, and hopeful, but grieving mother grind on my nerves? Shouldn't she make other people uncomfortable to be around? So I just went with it.

Besides, Winona was my first girlfriend, so I'll forgive her anything <3 <3
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Nordic » Sun Jul 24, 2016 8:59 pm

Col. Quisp » Sun Jul 24, 2016 6:09 pm wrote:When in the final episode, one of the kids rolled the dice and yelled out the number (which I forgot), that's when it struck me that Eleven was just part of the D&D game and they were so into it that it appeared real to them, like it did to kids at the time. And like those Pokemon chasers feel when they catch a Pokemon. I predict that next season (if it is indeed renewed, and due to the rave reviews will be), it will be revealed that this season was all just a D&D game.


That crossed my mind right at the end of the show. But if that is the case I'm gonna be PISSED. Jacobs Ladder all over again.

As far as Modine I have never liked him very much in his younger roles but I thought he was wonderfully creepy in this.
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Jerky » Sun Jul 24, 2016 10:26 pm

Okay, so now that I've seen it, I can relay my opinion.

Stranger Things is a great example of how far perfect casting, beautiful acting, and a ton of "fan service" can take an adequate script and a mediocre concept.

It's Insidious times Poltergeist divided by E.T. with a Stephen King font title sequence, not the re-invention of the supernatural drama.

I could have pointed out the blatant Tangerine Carpenter soundtrack, but that falls under fan service.

With that said... I enjoyed it.

And the main kid's mom was a real MILF!

J
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Luther Blissett » Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:32 pm

I may or may not have had dreams of the Upside Down. I have recurring dreams of a future version of my city, that much is for sure. They're either utopian or…other, and when they're "other" the city does tend to have a sick green pallor and appear quite empty, or nearly empty. Though the format and story of the dreams change, the settings of each individual neighborhood is always adjusted in exactly the same way.

There are basically three neighborhoods that always appear as the Upside Down, and one is basically a stone monument garden, if that wasn't already creepy enough.
The Rich and the Corporate remain in their hundred-year fever visions of Bolsheviks taking their stuff - JackRiddler
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby brekin » Wed Jul 27, 2016 4:49 pm

I think it is hard to get hard data on viewership from Netflix about Stranger Things, but anecdotally it seems a lot of people have heard about it, have watched it, or are gearing up to. Seems like it is poised to be in the True Detective canon as far as mass appeal and interest. I think it may even surpass it because it deals with those similiar dark themes but in a more cutesy, nostalgic like way. True Detective was a cartoon for adults that definitely mined the material and presented it in a very stylistic, over-designed way: bite size conspiracy and philosophy for the twitter age, simple mental tattoos, straight from your computer screen to your calf:

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Stranger Things is Disney's Epic Mickey to True Detectives Batman in Arkham Asylum and feels more like a kids cartoon for adults.

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Secret of Nimh actually feels more mature and dark as far as secret government medical experimentation on innocent subjects:

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I'll of course, probably catch Season 2. But just wondering if the style and delivery doesn't dilute and prettify the content? I see the Duff brothers leaning more towards Spielberg than King, especially with the ultimate ending. I don't expect Stand by Me, It, Carrie, or Firestarter costs, even with those stakes, but a more Goonies, E.T., Close Encounters, and Poltergeist wrap up. Its like the most horrible crimes caused against its own citizens ultimately get rethread to become pop culture entertainment for them.

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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Novem5er » Wed Jul 27, 2016 6:45 pm

I wanted to say something on that topic earlier in this thread (maybe I already did). Great references, though, to True Detective, Epic Mickey, and Nihm. I loved Epic Mickey for its dystopian portrayal of a beloved children's institution. Nihm is almost too dark for me to watch, even now!

But, yes, several people have criticized Stranger Things for making light very serious aspects: namely mind control abuse.

I totally get that. I think the problem is that most people don't think its "real" or if it is, it happened so long ago that surely it can't be a problem now. Most of us here at RI would disagree with that, but the wider public? It's just like aliens . . . a very serious subject that got turned into a pop culture entertainment vehicle. Now, one could say that bringing awareness to a larger audience is a good thing. Project Willow even said some scenes in Stranger Things felt validating.

It's a fine line to walk, I think, when making an entertainment product. Look at Indiana Jones, which features Nazis as the main villain in two movies. Indiana Jones is a campy adventure flick, filled with humor and over the top action. The Nazis are clearly villains, but are they treated with the gravity they truly deserved from history? Not at all. A person could make the argument that Indiana Jones takes a very serious subject, the Nazi conquest of Europe and beyond and uses it as a backdrop for a campy popcorn flick . . . and they'd be right. But I love Indiana Jones! So, damn.
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby 82_28 » Wed Jul 27, 2016 10:03 pm

The jury is not out on this. Stranger Things was good. A far more lame series could have been made. I've said it before and I will say it again. It was clearly made to seem campy. The meticulous detail could not have come cheap. There is great difficulty in making a film that is entirely set in a time period. No 2010 Hondas caught in the background accidentally etc.
There is no me. There is no you. There is all. There is no you. There is no me. And that is all. A profound acceptance of an enormous pageantry. A haunting certainty that the unifying principle of this universe is love. -- Propagandhi
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Re: Stranger Things

Postby Novem5er » Wed Jul 27, 2016 10:48 pm

I really loved it! I think it was well-crafted, even if that craft was intended to recreate campy movies from back in the day (which it was). I'm just saying I can see why people would be displeased for making camp out of a serious subject.

I think it's been very popular, too. Most of my friends independently watched it. It's got good buzz on the Internet, with new articles and interviews every couple of days. It's without a doubt going to be renewed for a second season.
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