Stranger Things has become one of if not the most popular TV shows in recent years, with each season becoming more of an event. With the newest season premiering in just a few days, it is time for more crazy 80s adventures in the town of Hawkins. But one of the reasons that Stranger Things has become so successful is its homage to the 1980s. Throughout the first two seasons, the show creators The Duffer Brothers have pulled from various 80s films such as to help create characters as well as story lines. Now that Season 3 is on the horizon, there are more films for fans to check out that may play into how certain events will unfold in the coming season.
5. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Whether we like it or not, the loveable Stranger Things cast of kids are growing up. It was inevitable. Season 3 will see main characters Mike ( Finn Wolfhard), Dustin ( Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas ( Caleb Mclaughlin), Will ( Noah Schnapp), Eleven, and Max in high school. We've seen these kids fight demons and at times each other, but we have not really seen them deal with he things normal teenagers do. Until now." Fast Times At Ridgemont High" is a great movie to watch before the new season because it deals with all of that in a way that is not too dramatic but can still be entertaining at the same time. Everyone has to grow up and for some it could be more of a struggle than others. Even though Eleven has killed demagorgons with her mind almost effortlessly, high school is a completely different animal.
4. The Shining
While Stranger Things from the gate has dealt with otherworldly threats, one of its main antagonists introduced in Season 2 came in the form of a human. This human Billy Hargrove ( played by Dacre Montgomery) was very unstable form the gate. The guy seems nice enough on the outside, but on the inside he is a horrible person. Part of this goes to Montgomery revealing that he wanted to base the character on Jack Nicholson's Jack Torrance from the 1981 classic "The Shining", based on the book by Stephen King ( who was also an inspiration for the show)". We knew Billy knew was pretty unhinged from the moment he almost purposely ran over Mike, Dustin, and Lucas to teach his sister Max a lesson. So expect to see Billy become a lot more unstable and violent as his character arc continues. Bad news for the characters. But "The Shining" is a great film that everyone should check out.
2. The Princess Bride
Action, romance, fantasy, and Andre the Giant. "The Princess Bride" is another classic 80s film that more and more people are starting to overlook, but it really is a gem. Don't expect rescuing this season, but "The Man in Black" himself Cary Elwes will be playing the mayor of Hawkins. Not the kind of horror / suspense that some "Stranger Things" fans would expect, but the romance and adventure will likely keep you watching.
1. The Goonies
You knew it was coming. The film that put adventures acting as coming of age stories on the map. Before "The Goonies", there were not many films that took kids and had them act like actual kids in a movie. They are gong on this larger than life adventure, but throughout the spectacle of the film they remain their quirky human selves. Like "Stranger Things", "The Goonies" is a story that can at times seem very out there but stars kids that people can relate to and root for. Many films and TV shows fail to achieve this but this film pulls that off perfectly. If "The Goonies" did not come out, it's hard to tell if Stranger Things Things would even exist. The star of "The Goonies" Sean Astin even had a role in the second season as Joyce Byers nerdy new boyfriend ( Winona Ryder) Bob.
"Stranger Things" owes it all to the 1980s, its tone, characters, and setting. These are characters that viewers can relate to and go on adventures with like parents did with "The Goonies" or the kids at Ridegemont High. Instead of just ignoring the past, it is nice to see The Duffer Brothers take it back to arguably the best decade of film and what inspired them to start this journey in the first place. Now, with all the 80s references and pop culture, fans have the opportunity to experience the same greatness as past generations. It's no fault that the show has lasted as long as it has, while everything else on Netflix gets cancelled. The show truly does bring people together.
