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apiratecalledav · 2 years

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As requested, my Stranger Things season 4 thoughts. Spoilers, obviously.

Overall, I think it’s pretty awesome and the strongest season since the first, but there’s some worrying things plus a bit that I’m really peeved about.

The Good:

I’m digging the longer episodes. I normally hate over an hour (Thank you, ADHD) but I’ve been desperate for content for so long, that it’s just been glorious. The finale is supposed to be over two hours, though. That might be a bit rough.

I was worried they were going to try to redeem Brenner or retcon that he’s always been disgusting but I think I like the direction it’s going. I do hope they reveal how he survived though.

Every time El called Hopper “my dad” added a year to my life. Millie continues to knock it out of the park.

El, Jonathan, and Will being sibs. My heart is full. I hereby dub the Hopper/Byers clan as The Hyers family.

Dr. Owens is back! I adore Paul Reiser. I like that he’s a dash more morally gray than most of our protagonists but is ultimately still very decent. The way he tracked down El was straight up epic.

Argyle is funny as fuck but also a pure soul. I was a little apprehensive about “Jonathan becomes a stoner” but I think they’re pulling it off well. I definitely get why he’s stressed and depressed. Not being able to count on Hopper to step it up while Jonathan went off to school is not something I considered. Also, super different for Charlie acting wise and he’s nailing it.

I adored Chrissy! I love that she wasn’t some bitchy Barbie but super sweet and just a little bit goofy. The poor angel never had a chance.

Gah, those absolute badass agents trying to protect El and the Byer Boys. 😭

Suzie’s family being complete Cheaper by the Dozen chaos was unexpected yet so fitting. Plus comedy gold. “I will repent later.”

So happy to see Powell and Callahan again.

Steve’s face is still intact. Please keep it that way. That shit is so, so old and tired.

Everyone screaming “DRIVE” in unison gets me every time. Probably fav running gag.

The satanic panic stuff is good. I like that Jason has a sympathetic streak and believes his intentions are good. It makes him more interesting and makes it easier to get why others join him.

In general, I liked seeing that the jocks weren’t all just brainless meatheads and/or bullies. Bonus points for them always wearing their monogrammed jackets so I can remember their names! 🤣

I’ve been waiting a long time for all the parents to get together and realize their kids have been lying their asses off for years. I always imagined Joyce being there and awkwardly trying to explain while not actually explaining. But Erica was a good alternative.

And oh, Erica. Still hilarious, to no one’s surprise. I just love that she’s not the typical “precocious girl” archetype. She likes math, politics/current events, instead of being a bookworm or a techie and confident and outspoken and not a wallflower.

Her shutting down Jason and threatening Lucas with whatever is under his bed slayed me. “The whole couch is on fire” is my new way of saying “that’s bullshit.”

Joyce and Murray. I’m enjoying their dynamic and their adventure. A good, blend of mystery, suspense, action, and some charming zaniness. Murray as Yuri. My sides.

Yes, some of “Hopper the zek” stuff was a bit slow but they payoffs with his first escape and fighting the demogorgon were incredible. Not even getting into to his reunion with Joyce. Just. So. Precious and perfect.

Also, love Tom Wlaschiha since his Jaqen days. How many languages does that dude speak?? I’ll be so sad if he doesn’t get back to his little boy! They already got Alexei! They can’t have Dmitri, too!

Eddie was kinda cringe at first in the cafeteria scene and seemed like the new Billy but dang, did that turn around. I loved him in the woods with Chrissy and he’s only gotten better. I’m so here for the way he’s just an unapologetic weirdo instead of The Cool Guy or the Bastard.

Robin in Nancy’s clothes. I feel so seen. My sister would put me through that crap all the time when I was little.

Also thought it was nice that the hospital director admired Robin’s passion.

I’m liking Robin and Nancy being friends. It felt a lil forced at first but their field trip was everything I never knew I needed. Also, it’s nice we’re getting to see different characters interacting more.

The new cast/cameos/homages are delightful. ‘Specially Freddie Krueger as Victor Creel. Loved the initial Hannibal Lector vibe of the scene.

I am cautiously putting Mike and El here because they are long overdue to have some issues. But I hope things resolve between them because their relationship is a central part of the series to me.

Max writing a goodbye note for Steve. I don’t know why but I think that’s so adorable. I guess ‘cause it means he does hang out with the kids (besides Dustin) when the world isn’t in danger and he’s absolutely the big bro she deserves.

I straight up lost it when Dustin told Steve he was missing his collarbones but not his eyes. 🤣.

Hopper’s cabin getting a cameo.

I’ve started watching a second time (tagging along for my parents first viewing) and the foreshadowing is damn good.

It is so poignant that Will’s project was on Alan Turing. A gem of an Easter egg, for sure.

I thought we’d get a quick visit from Billy/Dacre and it was well done. I’m glad it wasn’t a flashback because there wouldn’t have been a good way to do it, imo. A happy memory would feel like romanticized bullshit and we didn’t need any more unhappy ones.

I saw some people complaining that Max mourned him at all but he was her brother. And despite being a colossal asshole, he did choose to die as a human being instead of “living” as a monster. There’s nothing wrong or unrealistic about how Max feels right now.

I cackled like a freaking loon when Lucas said, “when did Steve get so hairy?” Because I said the exact same thing the other day when rewatching season 3. For the first time, I noticed quite a bit of hair trying escape that Scoops Ahoy uniform and was a little shocked. 😂

On a more serious note, I always feel better seeing actors allowed to have body hair. Waxing is, like, borderline inhumane and since I’m not from the Capitol in The Hunger Games, people suffering for others’ entertainment makes me super uncomfortable.

The symmetry/parallels or whatever with Hopper and Brenner with El.

The Creel house. The first proper journey to the Upside Down (get them hazmat suits stat!) and their escape. Creepy, trippy, weird, and fascinating.

Max. Lucas. Need I say more? Prolly not, but I’m gonna: I think they’ve been the MVPs so far this season. Their separate storylines have been amazing but together? My heart!!! They might be promoted to OTP. What I initially liked about these two is they were so normal and lighthearted compared to Mike/El and Jonathan/Nancy. But this storyline has been so incredibly, believably, gorgeously told with stellar performances by Sadie and Caleb. The end of Dear Billy in particular is so, so beautiful. I hoped Running Up that Hill would feature this season and to actually have it be a plot point… 🥹 I listened to my favorite cover by First Aid Kit this morning and had a good cry.

I want to be pissed about how retcony the other numbers feel— Kali/Eight in season 2 definitely implied Brenner collected the kids from all over the world/they all had very different powers. But it’s done so well, I’m giving it a pass. I kinda dig that El is a middle child. Makes it feel different from “aha, the chosen one at last!” trope.

Vecna is a refreshing change of pace. I actually wish he was the Mind Flayer’s boss/the ultimate big bad. I think having him once be human makes him scarier and eviler. But I dunno, maybe they ARE all one thing he created? They’re building up to Dustin being wrong about something, I think. Which brings me to—

Holy shit, One. I don’t think I need to say more. I connected certain dots separately but not all of them together, if you get what I mean. Loved it. Plus, Jamie Campbell Bower is always good value.

The Bad

I’m disappointed with El thinking she’s a monster again. I think the bullying resurfacing some repressed memories was pretty good but... the storyline feels… kinda late? Especially since it’s a season long arc. I’d have liked it better if they told her straight off she wasn’t the one behind the attack. It’d be more interesting to me if her journey was about her learning to see past her mistakes and discovering why she’s heroic.

My boy Doc Owens not warning El that she was about to be reunited with assface. Dude, come on. Wtf. Redeemed himself some by chewing him out.

Will’s technically catching a break so far this season, which actually highlights how hellish his life has been. Obviously he wasn’t as close to Hopper as El was, but Hopper was also his (step)dad— Owens even acted like Hopper and Joyce were both Will’s parents in ST2– then he got dragged away from his home/friends; helplessly watched his sister suffer; his brother is becoming unrecognizable; he has a thing for his BFF, which is already complicated and painful enough without the fact that said BFF is also his sister’s boyfriend.😭 But hey, seven episodes in a row without a monster trying to eat him!

I totally get Robin changing a tad this season from being more comfortable/less guarded because of Steve. But here and there she seemed jarringly different (like how she’s suddenly no longer capable of “playing it cool”) and a few of her comic relief lines fell flat (the compass, earthquakes, attic.). It’s obvious she’s only here because we like her. Which brings me to…

I am starting to get nervous about how far things are starting to tilt towards fan service. Elements of it have been present since season two but alarm bells are ringing for me. I’d hate for this show to go the Glee route— pandering to (usually toxic) shippers, not wanting to change “the winning formula” which lets characters/situations get stale, etc. Sigh. At least we’re close to the end.

I don’t mind Jonathan and Nancy having problems, in fact, I’d probably find it ridiculous if they didn’t. But why THIS way? I loved in season 3 that they had real discussions, even about the ugly stuff. They hashed things out, opened up each other’s minds. I went from “yeah, they’re pretty cute” to “Hell, yeah, I ship it!”

It sucked to see that all go out the window. Obviously, they’re still kids, so I wasn’t expecting anything super mature. But both of them avoiding/ignoring their problems felt lazy. At the very least, why couldn’t they have been taking a break? Which brings me to—

The Ugly

Steve and Nance having romantic tension again. Barf.

I was somewhat prepared— that weirdly intimate scene in the trailer combined with the complete lack of a potential love interest for Steve among all the new characters. But still. Just… why.

I see some bearable avenues they can take with this but I don’t think it’s necessary and it makes Nancy look awful: Like a serial cheater or that she only wants what she doesn’t have and like still doesn’t grasp how shitty Jonathan’s situation is. She grew up so much, especially last season, and they’re just… pissing all over it??

It’s a little easier to swallow on Steve’s end but I felt like he also really regressed in the early episodes— still so desperate for female attention and just doing the dating equivalent of “throwing it all at the wall and see what sticks.” If they had to have him make heart eyes at Nancy again, then he should’ve still had girls treating him like a townie loser who peaked in high school.

I thought Dustin cheerleading R/S when he barely knew Robin was juvenile writing but at least Dustin was young. Robin practically encouraging Nancy to cheat? Ew. Eddie, who’s probably 20 as a third time senior, declaring what is “true love” between two perfect strangers?

Holy fuck, if it’s not intentionally paralleling Dustin being “ wrong” about Steve and Robin then it is so painfully amateurish that I do not have words. Only Murray can get a pass on that kinda thing because he’s been established as borderline clairvoyant from early on.

Also, a couple of the effects aren’t on par with most of them. One’s transformation and the demobat battle were silly looking. Normally I’m very forgiving of tv show budgets but with how great everything else looked, it was a bit jarring.

TL;DR most of it is awesome, with Max, Lucas, and Lumax being the best. But I fear they’re relying too heavily on fan service and I’m scared it could be the show’s downfall. Also, my tolerance for bullshit love triangles was obliterated about a decade ago.

#av answers #sorta #stranger things #max mayfield #steve harrington #lumax #lucas Sinclair #Jim hopper #will byers #el hopper #Erica Sinclair #anti stancy #Sam owens

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mlobsters · 4 months

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supernatural s12e14 somewhere between heaven and hell (w. davy perez)

something to be said that they've managed to make me dislike the british mol plotline in new and exciting ways

SAM Yeah. Dude, why don’t you take a shower and change your clothes. You’ve been wearing the same pair of boxers for four days. DEAN Okay, one, weird that you know how much underwear I packed. SAM That’s what’s weird about this? DEAN And B, it’s two and two. Doesn’t count if you flip ‘em inside out.

okay, gross, dean-o. but also, sam, he's got you there, that is in fact weird.

goddamnit davy. i was willing to let it die that i couldn't figure out what paul reiser uses in mad about you (1->B or A->2) because even after literally watching several full episodes and handfuls of clips i couldn't find an instance of it but now i'm gonna end up doing it again. reminded me though i had forgotten about the occasional crossovers with friends it had, via phoebe/ursula (mostly). and also i love helen hunt

SAM Same as the others. I-I made a computer algorithm that scrapes data from police scanners, emergency calls, uh, local news sites, and then it puts everything through a h--

[Dean stares at Sam] SAM The computer told me. DEAN Computers. Monsters, porn. Is there anything they can't do?

i'm staring at sam for different reasons -_- stupid lies, stupid bmol

DEAN I'm using that fancy shampoo you keep hidden from me.

should make a tag for all the things that i thought were fanon but turn out to be canon

cas with the tabloid giving the goofy xfiles vibes, following up with the manager and the reptilian alien theory

HERB Most sheeple can't handle the truth. But not me. I'm woke. It's why I don't use, uh, new tech. Anything past '96, it's a trap. You know…Palm Pilot. It's more like Tracking Device. Am I right?

made me laugh out loud. another blast from the past. i tried to use an old first generation palm pilot but i just couldn't get the swing of putting shit down anywhere because i didn't use an organizer on paper either. wasn't until my memory went to (even more) shit and i could put things in my calendar and have my phone scream at me about it did i really appreciate it

they've been giving them better fitted suits lately, both lookin sharp

DEAN Tell her what? No, seriously, Sam, what are you gonna say? “Hi, my name is Sam Winchester. This is my much handsomer brother Dean. We hunt monsters. Oh, and that guy you were banging? We're pretty sure he made a deal with a demon, so a hellhound came and dragged his soul to Hell. But you? You're cool. And since there's nothing around for us to kill, peace out.”

much handsomer :p

it's funny how i have zero faith in crowley's ability to keep lucifer locked up. maybe that's the point. but it's kind of sad :p i like how clever and wily crowley can be, but they've done a good job building up lucifer (to me, and i basically ignore what he did jumping around meatsuits recently 🤪)

they're sure doing a thing with these two

did this hellhound get out and go rogue because crowley's too busy playing with lucifer?

ah funny, this angel kelvin is in the boys too - 32 episodes! as black noir

CROWLEY Right after God said, “Let there be light,” he -- he made a whole bunch of things -- posies, koalas, hellhounds. He wanted The Creator's best friend, but the hounds were too vicious. So he planned on having them all put down, until along came our favorite fallen angel. He rescued one of the hounds -- a pregnant bitch named Ramsey. DEAN Why don't you just tell her to heel? CROWLEY I can't control her. No one can. She's loyal only to Lucifer.

the snort of derision i just made. so ridiculous

DEAN Great. So we have a hellhound who's gunning for revenge, and it's personal. Ah. Just when I thought this gig couldn't get any weirder… CROWLEY Oh. It can always get weirder.

-_-

DEAN You tend to ride the brakes. SAM Dean, I know how to drive. DEAN I'm just saying. Okay, just imagine she's a… a beautiful woman. SAM Oh, come on. Get out of here. DEAN A beautiful, beautiful woman. SAM I'm done. DEAN Sam… CROWLEY Ew.

somewhere someone surely has kept track of how many times sam has driven baby because it's been a decent amount :p like leaning into a fandom trope

CASTIEL Joshua. I thought he stepped aside. KELVIN He did. But like I said, all hands on deck situation. Imagine it, Castiel -- free to come and go as you please, part of your family, your true family, again. Look… the Gardener's got a plan. All we ask is that you hear us, hear him out. For the greater good.

(another person who says castiel how i expected it to be said, CASStiel as opposed to castiEL) ok more heavenly politics i'll forget but i like this guy more at least and cas being healthily and visibly skeptical helps. joshua, gardener, ok. like the dude they talked to in heaven in s5? 🥴

DEAN Yeah, well, I guess we've all changed. I got predictable. You got soft. I mean, a few years ago, who'd have thought you'd be helping us save the girl of the week? CROWLEY I don't care about her. DEAN Yeah, well, maybe we rubbed off on you. CROWLEY Don't flatter yourself. DEAN You saved Cas.

took an absurd amount of scraping through memories to figure out what that was. i was like oh when crowley gave him the grace that he was dying from lack of? no that was a long time ago, surely there's something more recent. oh right, snapping the .... lance of michael? to stop cas from rotting all of *checks notes* 3 episodes ago in 12x12

CROWLEY Just to spare myself the Winchester Manpain-- you lot moping about like a bunch of schoolgirls. DEAN Well, I just wanna say thank you. CROWLEY Or…a few years ago, who would've thought you'd be working with the King of Hell? Maybe you've rubbed off on me. Maybe I've rubbed off all over you.

deflect from being called out on doing something good by being gross, of course :p also a move in dean's repertoire

GWEN I… I don't think I even know what “okay” means anymore. Marcus… going camping was my idea. I took him out there even though I knew. I knew it was over. I liked Marcus. He was sweet and kind. And he loved me. More than I ever loved him. More than… If I'd just told him… If I… Why couldn't I just tell him the truth? SAM Gwen… GWEN Yeah, but I didn't. [Voice breaking] I lied. I lied to make things easier. I… I'm sorry. I… We should go.

not sure what the point of that was other than an excuse to have them pulled over and not moving, give her another emotional scene

hopefully pretty girl of the week will feel less guilty since she saved sam from the hellhound long enough that he could kill it

CROWLEY You make me your dog, I'll make you my slave. That chain around your neck? Was nothing. A stylish accessory. This vessel… That's your true prison. It's been warded with runes and spellwork from the Cage, carved into every molecule. In there? I own you.

CASTIEL She’s with Dagon, Prince of Hell.

answers my princess question

are you making good choices, castiel? 🧐 going to heaven without telling sam and dean what's going on doesn't seem like the best choice but what do i know

DEAN Mm, is that your computer talking to you again? SAM Uh… No. Um… It's, uh… Mick Davies. DEAN What? SAM Dean… I don't have a computer program feeding me cases. I-I, uh… Gwen? Every job we've worked in the last two weeks? They've come from the British Men of Letters. DEAN Really? SAM Yeah. I didn't tell you 'cause I know how much you hate them. DEAN No, we hate them. Us. Together.

have heard the we/us thing

SAM I-I get that. Yeah, I do. But -- but… Dean, because of Mick and his guys, the Alpha Vampire is dead. They get results. I don't like them either, but-- but if-- if we can save people, then it… Either way, I-I shouldn't have lied to you. And… I'm sorry, man. I-I… DEAN Well, okay. SAM Okay? DEAN What do you want me to say? Do I like it? No. Do I trust them? Hell, no. But you're right. We work with people we don't trust all the time. I mean, hell, I just Liam Neeson'd it up with Crowley. So if you wanna give this a shot, then… [ Scoffs ] Fine. But the minute-- and I mean the second-- something feels off, we bail. SAM Yeah. Of course. Deal.

look at them, they're so mature now! talking things out almost right away, apologizing for the lying, dean being reasonable in listening to sam's argument and agreeing with him despite the strong feelings. so proud

#supernatural #spnwatch #spn 12x15 #davy perez #mad about you #spn canon not fanon

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giraffeonstrike · 11 months

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Imagine cruising Tumblr and finding out one of your wife's childhood crushes was Paul Reiser. Not a Hanson brother or some other youthful entity of yore...a fully grown ass man.

Bless her, she's been committed to nerdy older Jewish guys all her life...

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confessionsofabingefreak · 4 years

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youtube

The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)

Impression: ridiculous movie that I could not stop watching! So funny!

Collection: for now, yes

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Concept: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Story: ⭐️⭐️1/2

Storytelling: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Casting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Visually: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Score/Soundtrack: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Entertainment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Best: that it is ridiculously over the top but takes you by surprise and hooks you

Worst: that it is ridiculously over the top... go figure 😆

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this-is-a-love-story-isnt-it · 2 years

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I found Mad About You scripts on Ebay, and the ones that are not autographed are like way cheaper than I expected them to be. Someone in an interview one time asked Paul Reiser how much final say he has over the episodes as the executive producer, and he said a lot- he has final say. Basically someone writes the script and brings it in on Monday, the cast does a table read, the writers and producers decide what works and what doesn’t, the writers room gets together with Paul as the producer and tweeks some stuff and basically they go through this process all week- rehearsing and tweaking the script- until they have the final script on Thursdays, I think, and then they film the episodes in front of the audience on Fridays. So I wanted to get my hands on an early version of a script to see how much it changes from the point of still being in-progress until the final aired version. I bought one for the episode “The Handyman” in season 5, and it says “3rd mimeograph copy” on the front- it doesn’t have different colored page inserts for revised pages like a lot of scripts, and I think I know why… i read the script as I was watching the episode and literally the only scenes that made it to the final aired version are Lisa’s scenes. This script was almost entirely rewritten by the time it aired on TV. I’m gonna read it on its own because I was busy flipping through and being like, “this scene isn’t here… where is it… what is this scene in the script I’ve never seen before?” It’s like, how can you even put a single writer’s name on an episode if it was almost entirely rewritten through collaboration with the writers room including Paul Reiser as the producer, over the course of a week?Super fascinating. I’m going to keep checking ebay for more scripts. Pretty much the only ones up there now are autographed and cost like $250. And those are also final aired versions of the scripts. I want these early drafts.

So knowing how much input he has on every script, it makes sense why his old standup material ends up in episodes where he doesn’t have writing credit for. Also he has a couple of phrases that I always hear in the episodes he’s written that sometimes show up in other episodes, like “dopey” and “get organized” lol.

So anyway, it seems like episodes are basically entirely rewritten by the writers room by the end of the week.

Imagine writing a script, bringing it in on Monday, and then having almost every part of it rewritten by the writers room and show producer by the end of the week 😂

#mad about you #tv scripts #paul reiser

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hawkinsschoolcounselor · 3 years

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I saw this post on reddit

And it got me thinking, could the next season possibly have this horror movie slasher type plot happening?

Oh, god, Reddit...

I wouldn't trust that place as a source, but the idea in this post isn't totally unreasonable. I would imagine that there would be at least slasher references with Robert Englund involved. Keep in mind, though, that basically all the famous 80s actors (aside from the main cast) have had their iconic 80s roles subverted. Cary Elwes (Princess Bride) played a sleazy politician instead of a suave hero. Paul Reiser (Aliens) was a good-hearted scientist (so far, anyway) instead of a devious executive. Sean Astin's (Goonies) was well-meaning and idealistic, but he wasn't able to overcome the odds this time. I honestly expect us to find out that Victor Creel isn't actually guilty of the murders he was institutionalized for.

Of course, there's always the fact that Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge came out shortly after the Byers moved away...

No! Bad, hawkinsschoolcounselor, bad!

#stranger things 4

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lightsandlostbells · 5 years

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so, overall, what did you think of season 3 of stranger things?

It took me a while to answer this question because I had to sort out how I felt about this season! I guess if I had to narrow it down to an overall opinion: enjoyable, but very messy. Had some of the series’ best moments but also, while I was watching, I had far more grumbles and gripes than the previous two seasons.

I’ve never really been hung up on whether this show is derivative or plays too into nostalgia or w/e. Plenty of media does that. And despite all the time I’ve spent dissecting micro-expressions and weighty silences in European teen dramas that are filmed for the cost of a candy bar … I am way into genre films and TV shows. I love monsters and superheroes and spectacle! I watched Stranger Things the weekend it premiered because I love ‘80s movies about kids on bikes having adventures, I eat that shit up. So I don’t expect this show to be a hardcore deconstruction and re-imagining of those tropes (though that sounds like a pretty great show), I’m fine with it being what it is: a solid, spooky sci-fi/horror throwback series. What matters most is whether the story and characters work. Personally, I would say whatever criticisms you can make of S1 and S2, they had heart, and unfortunately I think some of that heart was missing from S3. Much of that, IMO, comes from sidelining some of the familial relationships that were at the center of the narrative in S1 and S2, like the Byers family and Hopper & Eleven, and to some degree the important friendships like the party, although there were other friendships introduced in this season so that wasn’t as glaring. It’s not a surprise that one of the best-received parts about this season, Steve and Robin’s friendship, is also responsible for one of the most heartfelt scenes Stranger Things has ever done.

There was also a way larger emphasis on comedy in S3. Comedy is probably my favorite genre, and I did laugh at a lot of humorous moments in this season. But I also felt like there was more comedy for comedy’s sake, like long sequences created intentionally to make the audience laugh. Whereas in S1 and S2, I can’t remember any scenes like that? The comedy was more understated and came from character personalities and relationship moments rather than joke set pieces. That’s perhaps another reason why S3 felt like it had less heart.

My hope for season 4 - and I am assuming there is a season 4, because apparently this show did mega ratings for S3 - is that they don’t add more major new characters (except love interests for the gay characters, go ahead with those, lol) and instead focus on the existing cast, which is already a very strong ensemble, yet many of the characters have gotten pushed to the sides. I would love if they added to the episode count: a lot of Netflix series drag out their seasons, like they have enough story for 10 episodes but have to stretch it out to 13, but Stranger Things has the opposite problem. I feel like if they had 10 (or 11, ha) episodes they could have more time for breather moments and more space for character arcs. This season was really fast-paced in my opinion, and although that’s a positive in many respects, I missed a lot of the down time.

Also, I think every season has taken place over like a week maximum, not including the epilogues, and like … you can make the story last longer than a week! Not everything has to go to hell in like a day or two.

Some more specific opinions underneath, obviously lots of spoilers.

First of all, I gotta say, I feel like a weirdo, because so many of the reviews for this season are like A RETURN TO FORM AFTER A DISAPPOINTING SECOND SEASON and UP THERE WITH SEASON 1 NOT THAT CRAPPY SEASON 2 THAT NO ONE LIKED and uhhhh … I liked season 2 just fine? It’s probably my favorite. There are things I don’t like about it, but the stuff I love is stuff I really, really love. Hopper and Eleven’s relationship, for instance. Steve and Dustin teaming up and Steve Harrington becoming a guardian to four children. Those are not just great elements to the series, but directions that I think only a second season could have taken - Hopper and Eleven’s bond wouldn’t have had half the weight if they weren’t established as traumatized, broken people in S1. Steve Harrington becoming a babysitter would not be nearly so delightful if we had not known him as the popular douchebag stereotype from S1 - if he were just a cool dude hanging out with kids from the get-go, the impact wouldn’t be as great. After S1 used Will Byers as a MacGuffin in S1, S2 gave Will a much larger role and that little actor acted his ass off. His performance generated a lot of genuine suspense and chills. There was Sean Astin being lovable! Paul Reiser’s character being a surprisingly good guy! Yeah, there are big flaws in the season, and you can argue it’s too much of a repeat of S1, but to me it was a version of S1 that made the characters more specific and interesting. I’m just … genuinely baffled by how it’s supposed to be demonstrably worse than the others. Because of the Kali episode? I didn’t think that one was terrible, either. I think it broke up the momentum of the chaos at Hawkins Lab, and Kali’s friends were obnoxious, it’s certainly not the greatest writing of the series, but as a whole the episode is like. Fine. It’s fine. It’s mediocre, not atrocious. It’s not the worst thing ever. It doesn’t ruin anything about the story or direction or the series. Most importantly it’s easy to ignore or skip on a rewatch if you don’t like it. The backlash was way overblown.

My biggest disappointment with season 3 was Hopper. Whaaaaaaat. Whaaaat did they dooooo.

Hopper in previous seasons is a flawed, messed-up human being, but I always knew where he was coming from. When he yelled at Eleven in S2, I still got why he did it. In this season he felt cartoonish. The overprotective paternalistic dad trope is annoying BUT I might have been less bothered had they connected it more to Eleven’s lack of experience with the world, less RAWRRRR KEEP BOYS AWAY FROM MY GIRL. Or if Hopper had not demonstrated like, actual rage toward Mike and we just saw him fuming about it to himself or venting to Joyce, if he was trying to keep that shit under control. (I did laugh at him singing “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” in the car, I gotta admit.)

But his attitude toward Joyce was what really bummed me out. I’m not into this show for shipping reasons, but I low-key enjoyed the possibility of Joyce and Hopper hooking up based on previous seasons. This season felt like they were writing a completely different dynamic for them, one that was much more aggressively obnoxious. I think their intentions were clear - they were going for a Sam-and-Diane relationship, something that was referenced early on in the Bob flashback - but the problem is that their relationship was not like that at all in S1 and S2. When I think of Joyce and Hopper from those seasons, I think about him supporting her after Bob died, or listening to her concerns about her son, or working together to find Will. They didn’t have this combative dynamic! Frankly watching giant-ass Hopper yell at tiny Joyce was viscerally unpleasant. (Side note but in the first trailer there was a shot of Hopper running at the Fun Fair with someone else who I assumed was Eleven, but no, turned out to be Joyce, Winona Ryder is just that tiny next to David Harbour.)

Also, considering this season ended with his death (and we all know he’s not really dead but OK) it’s such a waste that there were few Hopper&Eleven moments! Only the finale brought some quality content on that front. But otherwise their relationship was out of sight, out of mind for almost the whole season, which wasn’t a great choice, both to maximize the emotional impact of the ending, and to expand upon their situation post-S2. I mean, it’s been months since then, how has their relationship changed now? Hopper’s letter talked about the stuff he enjoyed doing with his daughter - why didn’t we see any of that on screen this season? It could’ve helped with the Mike angle, too, like show Hopper and Eleven watching TV together and laughing and having a good time, and then the phone rings and it’s Mike and suddenly Hopper’s watching TV alone as Eleven’s now focused on her boyfriend, we see his disappointment, etc.

Scoops Troop - Now they were a delight. They had such a ludicrous story but for the most part it worked due to the characters playing off each other and because the writing/acting/directing embraced the silliness.

Steve Harrington is easily one of the best characters on this show. I fucking love that guy. He’s consistently entertaining, he’s had possibly the best character growth out of anyone in the series, he’s evolved from a stock ‘80s asshole stereotype into someone who’s funny and sympathetic and likable. He’s this amazing blend of the ridiculous with the heroic. Steve and Dustin were great together, as they were last season, and I’m cackling that Steve acquired YET ANOTHER CHILD under his supervision without even trying. But the MVP of the season was the Steve & Robin friendship. Holy shit do I love that relationship. Holy SHIT.

Robin herself is a terrific new character, smart and funny and once you know she’s half-Uma, you can’t unsee it. I was loving her already and then the bathroom scene happened and I YELLED. I was so utterly overjoyed. If they had made Steve and Robin hook up, honestly … I would’ve been fine with it, like this show doesn’t need more heterosexual romance but at least they had a fun dynamic, but man, the friendship angle was so so superior. It’s a type of relationship that media is lacking, and the specific circumstances of this friendship made it genuinely moving to me. I keep wanting to write like a meta post devoted to just this relationship because I just have so many emotions about it! But they play well off each other as a comedic duo and as an odd couple friendship, and they’re really what each other needs, IMO. Steve needed this close friendship more than he needed a girlfriend; in this season he’s clearly adrift and we’ve seen the kind of shitty friends he had in like season one, is Dustin the best pal he had at this point? And I love Steve & Dustin but Steve needed a good friend his own age. Robin is a lesbian in small-town Indiana in the ‘80s, and she was clearly full of fear that Steve would hate her if he knew, and for him to accept her so easily, not even making a big deal about it? That’s kind of life-saving, really. I can’t wait to see more of them, if Netflix wants to make the half-hour Clerks-esque spinoff about them working in a video store and shooting the shit, I would be 100% down for that.

I have some mixed feelings about Erica because I think she could have benefited from getting the same humanization as the other kids (and I’m going to leave the discussion of racial tropes gently by the side at the moment but … yeah). The other child characters are played more like actual people with vulnerabilities, which has been part of the show’s appeal since the first season, and Erica was more like the sitcom kid who always has a snarky quip ready; however, she did make me laugh and I like that they tapped into her being a nerd, I wish they’d explore that in future seasons with the character. “I’m ten, you bald bastard” was one of my favorite lines of the season, I lost my goddamn mind.

Billy - Lmao, so Billy in S2 was the woooorst. This dude had ZERO redeeming qualities. His abusive dad creates a smidgen of sympathy, I guess, but Billy goes so far beyond normal teenage assholery that it didn’t make a dent in my opinion of him. You can redeem someone like Steve Harrington, first of all because Steve actually feels regret and works to correct his mistakes, but Steve also didn’t go to a point of no return in the first place. Billy did, for me. Physically and verbally abusing his younger sister? Attacking a black middle-schooler for the crime of being in the same room as his white sister? What a piece of shit.

With that in mind - I have no problem focusing on him as a villain this season, I really don’t. It justifies his inclusion in S2 other than as a human antagonist who’s ultimately not really connected to the main plot, as it retrospectively establishes him as an even greater threat in this season. I also think the actor did a good job with the material he was given. However, ultimately this dude’s arc was underwhelming. The thing is … I can tell they were trying to show Billy struggling with the Mind Flayer, but Billy is so lacking in any positive qualities that it’s kind of like, where does that struggle even come from? Yeah, even the worst people aren’t going to be wild about having a monster from another dimension hijack your body and use it to collect people for spare parts, but this is the same dude who was about to run over Mike, Lucas, and Dustin on their bikes last season for absolutely no reason. He beat Steve to point of unconsciousness and could’ve put him in the hospital. He assaulted Lucas. So I really need some evidence of Billy’s moral compass because it is not inherent and there’s in fact plenty of evidence that it doesn’t exist. I’m not very enthusiastic about redeeming a racist, abusive creep, but I also think if you’re going to go for him helping Eleven at the end … you have to show some current potential for goodness, not just “used to be a nice kid.”

A really glaring omission: the lack of any family/home scenes with him, Max, and their parents this season. We left off last season with Max telling him to leave her and her friends alone. How is their relationship since then? Is there still a lot of friction? Is there a tense peace? Has their relationship improved in any way? We really needed to see that follow-up. I get that Max crying over Billy this season makes sense in that he’s still her family and we can still have love for those who hurt us … but I also feel that we needed something between them to justify her pain, like even just the potential of their relationship being a fraction better, or the suggestion that Billy used to be OK to Max before he went full asshole. And I think we really needed to see Billy’s dad being currently abusive in this season - tbh, missed opportunity that the dad didn’t get flayed like, out of revenge (which would have been both satisfying and horrifying), missed opportunities for suspense when we think Billy might serve up Max and her mom to the Mind Flayer, etc.

Another missed opportunity: drawing parallels between Billy and Will. Both are possessed by the Mind Flayer. Both had shitty dads calling them homophobic slurs. Both could be read as gay (I’m not hungry to claim Billy as LGBT representation or invested in this interpretation but his scenes with Steve in S2 admittedly have that sweaty homoerotic dick-measuring vibe, if you want to take it there). Their names are both William, FFS. The difference is that Will is a sweet and gentle kid surrounded by loving family and friends who fought to save him, and Billy is a violent, cruel dude who probably doesn’t have any real friends, just shallow connections. You could show how the Mind Flayer could more easily possess and manipulate someone like Billy, but that wasn’t really explored.

Also, is anyone going to dwell on the fact that like … Max is living with an abusive man as her stepfather? He’s shown hurting Billy’s mom. Does that not concern anyone that he is very likely to attack either Max or her mom?

Oh, and thank God they didn’t take the Billy/Karen thing all the way. In retrospect, even weirder considering Billy’s mommy issues.

Joyce - I get that it’s a big leap downward in emotional investment to go from “must save my son” to “fucking magnets, how do they work” but I liked that she had her own investigation that wasn’t full of emotional turmoil. Winona forever.

Mike - Everyone is ragging on him but I think he was less terrible than people are making him out to be. He was bratty in a teenage way, but he wasn’t the worst kid ever. I didn’t take his now notorious line to Will (“It’s not my fault you don’t like girls”) as something intentionally cruel or homophobic, just something that came out wrong and that he instantly regretted, and he and Lucas did seem genuinely apologetic over the D&D game and went over to Will’s in the rain out of concern. And the reason he lied to Eleven was because SCARY ASS HOPPER threatened him??? Also, his concern over Eleven overexerting herself was not misplaced, lmao! It really took that long for anyone to go, “Hey, should we be worried about the amount of blood coming out of her nose? Should we be concerned about the effects on her brain?” Sure, Eleven has the final say in whether or not she uses her powers, but tbh… she didn’t have a normal upbringing and her view of her powers is probably skewed. Like, would Eleven have enough basic medical knowledge to be worried about brain damage or nosebleeds, or would that just be the norm to her? Is she making these decisions with a full grasp of the potential consequences? Anyway, I don’t have a more negative opinion of Mike after this season.

Eleven - I loved Eleven a lot in this season. I don’t know if it did a ton for her character arc, but it’s nice to see her slowly develop into more of a normal girl. And the season was rough for her in terms of getting her ass kicked, she goes through so much mental and physical pain! In the end she loses her dad and her powers!

Of course one of the bright spots was her and Max becoming friends! Not gonna lie, there was something a little … simplistic about some of that depiction of friendship for me - just that so much of it was SHOPPING and GIGGLING and BOY TALK, girls being GIRLS, when Max has been portrayed as a tomboy and Eleven is a telekinetic kid raised in a lab, that maybe their interactions shouldn’t have fit the mold quite so much - but it doesn’t truly bother me because they were so sweet and fun. I loved them tracking down Billy together and I appreciate that their friendship carried throughout the season, that Max was the person shown carrying an injured Eleven along with Mike, Eleven comforted Max after Billy died, etc. That was a definite sore spot of S2, the girl-on-girl jealousy and Eleven flat-out rejecting Max’s friendly introduction, and I do think they took that feedback into account for the better here. I also like that Eleven was clearly taking cues from Max, the more “worldly” of the two about boys and clothes and teenage attitudes in general - it gave their friendship a more specific shape.

I cannot WAIT to see her living with the Byers family next season. Like if they don’t spend significant time on that dynamic, it will be the biggest disappointment. There could be 8 episodes of just boring mundane Byers domestic scenes and I would love it, please inject it into my eyeballs, Duffer bros. I want to see her bonding with all of them, trying to fit in at school, attempting the most normal life she’s ever had. Also lmao, she and Will can finally have a goddamn conversation??? I hope they’ve been withholding that relationship because they were planning to go all out with those new sibling vibes in S4. They are the two characters who have been most traumatized by the Upside Down, we deserve to see them connect.

On that note, I have a lot of thoughts about Will in this season! Mainly - underused as FUCK. After all that trauma of being possessed by the Mind Flayer last season, they barely utilize this connection in the second half of S3. Even his Spidey sense hardly came in handy??? Now that was really weird, IMO, because the least they could do was have that feeling alert the others or be useful, but lmao it was practically pointless.

It’s weird because I’m not sure if they just don’t know what to do with Will if he’s not being a victim (which is stupid because there’s plenty you could do with him), but at the same time, he has one of the most poignant subplots of the season. From the reactions I’ve seen, Will feeling rejected and left out as his friends move on really resonated with a lot of viewers. But then this thread is abandoned after episode 3, for the most part. Will cries and destroys the place that represents his childhood, a place that was created specifically in response to trauma (mentioned in S2 that he and Jonathan built it after their dad left), this is very rich emotional territory … and then the show’s just like ehhhhhh moving on. He’s just hanging out in the background and touching his neck for the rest of the season.

And now I gotta talk about that other thing with Will.

I am so confused by what the Duffer brothers are trying to accomplish with Will’s sexuality, because on the one hand it seems like they have a really clear idea about it and on the other hand they’re just like¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The thing is … it seems very obvious they have always thought of Will as gay. This is blatant from the original pitch from the show as well as one of the S2 scripts (the only one that’s available publicly, so who knows what else they’ve written). I accept that people have different interpretations, but The Line this season is far from the only textual support for Will being gay, and I think it makes for a much, much stronger narrative if you read Will as gay in addition to not wanting to grow up as fast as his friends and being stunted from trauma - that is an entire meta post in itself, though.

What gets me about the ~ambiguity is that the Duffer brothers planted the gay hints in the first place! They are absolutely not there by accident! Like I’m not speaking for the teenage actors but lmao, the adults involved in the writing and directing of this series absolutely fucking knew how that “not my fault you don’t like girls” scene would be interpreted, especially considering fans were debating Will’s sexuality from the beginning, based off the many homophobic comments leveled at him in S1. There have been TV shows where fans latched onto gay “subtext” that was likely unintentional, but this isn’t one of them.

IDK, man, it’d just be nice to have some confidence in where this is going. I loved Robin and the bathroom scene made me think that yeah, they might do a decent job with Will’s sexuality, something I might have doubted before. Under no circumstances do I expect a Skam S3-style coming out arc for Will, but I’m also uncertain if I should expect anything from the show on this front at all or if they’ll play it coy to the bitter end. Though I guess I’d still take the ambiguity over giving him a female love interest after everything. Lol, that would be a giant oh-fuck-no.

Real talk, though, let’s discuss what an utter waste it would be to not write a scene where Joyce tenderly accepts her son when he comes out to her. You really aren’t going to bring that instantly iconic moment to life, assholes? You’re not going to provide that for Winona Ryder’s and Noah Schnapp’s Emmy reels? MAKE IT HAPPEN, BASTARDS.

Nancy and Jonathan have a reputation for the most boring plots but they’re fine, w/e. I’m not deeply invested in their romance but I don’t want to fast forward their scenes or anything. Nancy is an underrated character; she’s extremely proactive and always has been, and I enjoy watching her shoot things. I think the best thing they could do for both characters, though, is to separate them next season, not just physically but storyline-wise. Jonathan would be best in a subplot involving his family, because he’s at his most likable as a son and brother, and Nancy should either go off with Mike (a sibling relationship that is VASTLY undeveloped), or she should team up with Robin. I mean it, Nancy and Robin would be a power pairing, let me show you my manifesto. Both are smart young women who are good at solving mysteries. Would Robin think Nancy is a priss after Nancy unloads several rounds into the latest demogorgon chasing them? Would Nancy find Robin a refreshing alternative to the crushing suburban conformity that she claims to want to avoid? Oh, the possibilities. Meanwhile, Steve tags along in the background, all like OH SHIT, my lesbian BFF and my ex-girlfriend are in cahoots!

Lucas and Max were playing relationship counselors to Mike and Eleven through much of the season. Max still had a fair amount to do, but Lucas needs a meatier subplot next time. I feel like they’re not sure what to do with him? I would like to see him and Erica interact more since their dynamic so far is one-note.

There is one hell of a conversation to be had about the Evil Russians of this season, but I’m really not the person to do it.

Also about the depiction of capitalism this season. That’s more thinkpiece-y than I am equipped to do right now.

The product placement is something that should bother me more but I’m just like … shrug. Except that New Coke bit because that was an actual mood-breaker.

Could have done without Russian Terminator guy. That was a blatant ‘80s homage so I get why he was there, he just wasn’t all that interesting. And was that guy supposed to be superpowered or something? Was he getting jacked on Upside Down steroids??? What was his deal???

Alexei/Murray was the true OTP of the season, let’s be real.

The trend of lovable, doomed minor characters continued with Alexei. Props to that actor for making you root for the guy. He even made me kind of love Murray? I was very WTF over that guy encouraging two teenagers to fuck in S2, and I’m still not into his habit of telling people to bang even when they’re adults, but I guess he just needed a sympathetic Russian buddy to win me over.

There were a ton of moments where I felt like the characters made stupid choices as opposed to earlier seasons. Will getting dragged into the Upside Down in the first 10 minutes of the series is an impressive example of a horror movie character doing everything right and making good decisions - a 12-year-old, no less. And he was still overpowered by the demogorgon so it’s not like making good decisions will always save you! Whereas this season I was like LORD some of these characters are drinking dumbass juice.

There was also so much silly stuff happening, like things that are even more far-fetched than previous seasons, but I just kind of went with it. Yeah, of course there’s a secret Russian base under a shopping mall. Sure.

This season is objectively disgusting in terms of gore and yet I was fine with it? And I’m someone who was repulsed by Barb’s corpse in S1. The Mind Flayer being made of people was some nasty shit but effective horror. I felt bad for the poor little rats :( Oh, and the flayed humans, too. Some of them. Was sad to see Mrs. Driscoll bite it but FUCK those cartoon misogynists from the newspaper.

Visually beautiful! Starcourt Mall is an amazing set and I’m rather sad that the mall was destroyed, although that was basically a foregone conclusion. Some great cinematography, too. On a purely aesthetic level I had a great time just blasting this season into my retinas.

I have had the motherfucking NeverEnding Story theme song in my head for almost two weeks and I’m suffering.

#lillypedalsxx #replies #stranger things #also they referenced my university this season so i dug that thx 4 the shoutout

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dcbicki · 4 years

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I just had this horrible irrational thought that the Duffers are going to take inspiration from The Wonder Years and have El and Mike grow up and realize they're not meant to be, just like the characters Winnie and Kevin. It's such a dumbass idea but honestly game of thrones s8 killed me so much with "subverting expectations" that now I'm paranoid the duffers would try to do something similar just to make things more true to how most childhood relationships go.

OK so admittedly, I’ve never seen The Wonder Years and I only know those characters by name, but I’m fairly certain Stranger Things exists in a whole other realm — meaning the style of show is completely different and ST is not going to stick around for as many episodes as TWY did anyway. Whereas that was a coming of age age story though-and-through, Stranger Things is more of a coming of age story intermingled with some science fiction and horror; in te last season especially, they focused more on the story than they did on actual character work. Really, I don’t think you can compare the two.

If you’re simply writing about teens just growing up and learning (and realising that sometimes relationships aren’t meant to be) then that’s one thing. But if you’re writing about all of that while throwing in a very specific set of circumstances, tons of trauma, and child abuse... then the coming of age story you’re trying to tell gets a little more complicated — which is where Mike and El differ from the likes of Kevin and Winnie, or Cory and Topanga (Boy Meets World). Both of those couples are comparible to Mileven in age, but that’s about it. They don’t have a normal childhood relationship, and never have, so they definitely don’t compare to “most”. Besides that, they‘re gonna be like 15/16 now so it’s not even like they’re still in that *puppy love* phase of their relationship that a lot of older, younger teen-oriented shows liked to focus on.

I do get what you mean about Game of Thrones and the writers throwing everyone through a loop in that last season, but I honestly still don’t think they subverted any expectations with that last run. They built up a reputation of doing that back when they still had the books, when they could still surprise people who weren’t familiar with the source material, but everything that happened afterward was predictable as hell — just because it was badly written and hurried doesn’t make a difference. Everything that happened in the end made sense when you think about it; it’s just how they got there that made no sense (and should be what people were disatisfied with.)

And, I’ll be honest, the Duffers have yet to subvert a single expectation. The closest they got was turning Steve into a “good” guy and into a dorky babysitter, but he was never “bad” in the first place; he was just a cliché. Or casting Paul Reiser as a protagonist when he was mostly known (to ST audiences) as the prick from “Aliens”. But everything else they’ve done has been fairly predictable, or trope-ish, or just lifted right out of an old movie. Nothing so far has been shocking to me, so maybe I’m biased but I really don’t think they’ll ever subvert expectations because, imo, it’s such a cheap move. And, yeah, they’ve pulled some cheap tricks before but shocking the audience purely for the sake of it — which is what the general viewer seems to think GoT did when they didn’t — hasn’t really been their go-to thus far, and I can’t imagine them starting now.

Basically, Mike and El are practically a sure thing unless one of them dies.

#anon #answered

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douxreviews · 5 years

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Aliens (1986) Review

[This review contains spoilers.]

Aliens is a perfect sequel, if there is such a thing. It's bigger, glossier, a bit longer, and it did an exceptional job building on the original story.

There are a number of parallels to the original. The story begins with Ripley waking up, and ends with the survivors going into cold sleep. The characters are again only known by their last names; even Newt has a very non-little-girl nickname. There's a huge explosion at the end, but the alien still manages to make it aboard the "lifeboat" to wreak more havoc. There's an android on board who ends up in pieces. Best of all, like Ridley Scott did in the original, James Cameron spends an entire hour setting up the story, and successfully pays it all off during the rest of the movie.

There are a number of differences, of course. Instead of "truckers," we have a crew of badass marines. There are many aliens instead of just one. The cast is twice as big and the stakes are higher, too, since there were sixty-some families on the "shake-and-bake" colony.

But we still have Ripley, and she is several levels of awesome. This is the movie where Sigourney Weaver proved to the world that a woman could be an action hero. She was terrific in scene after scene, from her tirade in the conference room at the beginning, to the pulse-pounding Ripley-in-the-loader versus the alien queen battle at the end. I've always loved the way she took over and drove the tank to the rescue, and the sequence in the lift where she loaded up with many, many, many weapons on her way into the queen's lair to rescue Newt. Sigourney Weaver was nominated for best actress for this movie, and she absolutely deserved it.

I also loved Michael Biehn as Hicks. He and Ripley were on the same wavelength throughout the movie. I particularly enjoyed the "nuke the planet" exchange, and the one where he showed her how to use that massive assault rifle. Ripley and Hicks were made for each other. I really wanted Ripley, Hicks and Newt to end up together as a family, maybe with Bishop as the weird uncle who sleeps on the couch. Maybe in Alien fanfic. Is there Alien fanfic?

Paul Reiser gave a wonderfully slimy performance as the Company rep. Very smart, casting a comedian, since this is a character that we expect to be evil, but the fact that it's Reiser makes us think we might be wrong. Bill Paxton is wonderfully annoying as the cowardly Hudson, and I loved that he went out in a blaze of glory. Newt is likable and has courage; she's not a cutesy kid at all, and Carrie Henn certainly had a greater acting range than Jonesy the cat. And I always liked that Bishop turned out to be the opposite of Ash, since we expected him to be just as bad. Especially since he was played by the master of evil, Lance Henriksen.

My favorite supporting actor in this one, though, is Jenette Goldstein, who is a standout as Vasquez. Hard to remember so long ago, but when this movie came out, women didn't serve in combat. Vasquez made a very strong impression on me. And I loved that Gorman redeemed himself by going back for Vasquez. Their scene in the air duct always gets to me.

Unlike most of my favorite movies, I saw Aliens in the theater. It was an unforgettable movie experience, literally edge of your seat. I remember actually feeling mildly nauseous. (That's when you know they got you – when your audience wants to throw up.) Aliens doesn't hold up quite as well as Alien does, in my opinion, but it's still an outstanding movie. I always watch them together. Like I said, pretty much the perfect sequel.

Bits and pieces of androids:

— The action takes place 57 years after the original. The planet got a name, or more accurately, a designation: LV426.

— Alien and Aliens always makes me think of two of my other favorite movies, Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. It's not surprising, since the two franchises share James Cameron and some of his favorite actors: Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein and Bill Paxton.

— Bishop explained that Ash was a Hyperdyne Systems 120-A2 model, and a bit twitchy. (You'd call what Ash did in the original movie "twitchy?") And that the more recently manufactured androids are subject to Asimov's rules. Hyperdyne always makes me think of Cyberdyne.

— There are several shots of Ripley's feet and she's wearing Reeboks. Really fun product placement that didn't detract from the story at all. I usually hate product placement.

— James Horner's music is memorable, and effectively heightens the tension. Like it needed more heightening.

— Dan says that Alien is a cold movie, and Aliens is a hot one. I thought that was an interesting observation.

— While looking up quotes, I discovered that James Remar (Dexter's father) was originally cast to play Dwayne Hicks, and was later replaced by Michael Biehn. I hadn't known that. I can't imagine this movie without Michael Biehn. I absolutely loved him in the first Terminator movie.

— As with Alien, there is an extended version. I prefer the theatrical release. But the extended version gives more weight to Ripley's need to save Newt; Ripley had a daughter.

— For me, the story ends with this movie. I'm not fond of the other sequels. One of our writers has offered to review them, though, and if he does, I'll very much look forward to reading them.

Quotes:

Ripley: "Did IQs drop sharply while I was away?"

Gorman: "Look, we can't have any firing in there. I want you to collect magazines from everybody." Hudson: "Is he fucking crazy?" Frost: "What do you expect us to use, man? Harsh language?"

Ripley: "I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure." Burke: "Hold on a second. This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it." Ripley: "They can bill me."

Ripley: "Look. No bad dreams there." Newt: "Ripley, she doesn't have bad dreams because she's just a piece of plastic." Definitely Carrie Henn's best line. And she delivered it beautifully.

Newt: "My mommy always said there were no monsters, no real ones. But there are." Ripley: "Yes, there are, aren't there?" Newt: "Why do they tell little kids that?" Ripley: "Most of the time it's true."

Ripley: "You know, Burke, I don't know which species is worse. You don't see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage."

Ripley: "Get away from her, you bitch!" I remember the audience cheering that one.

A worthy sequel to an excellent movie. Four out of four M41A pulse rifles, ten millimeter with over-and-under thirty millimeter pump action grenade launchers,

Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

#Aliens #Ellen Ripley #Dwayne Hicks #Hudson #Vasquez #Bishop #James Cameron #Doux Reviews #Movie Reviews #something from the archive

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yourluxegirlthings · 3 years

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2020: December Gift Guide

Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa, Cayman Islands

https://www.seafireresortandspa.com

Christmas Punch from Will Cook For Smiles

https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/christmas-punch/

Le Creuset Classic Whistling Kettle

https://www.lecreuset.ca/en_CA/classic-whistling-kettle/CA-Q3101.html

Roasted Garlic Rosemary Leg of Lamb from the Wooden Skillet

https://thewoodenskillet.com/roasted-rosemary-garlic-leg-of-lamb/

Miu Miu Patent Hiking Boots

https://www.holtrenfrew.com/en/Products/Womens/Womens-Shoes/Boots/Ankle-Booties/MIU-MIU-Patent-Hiking-Boots/p/20149372008?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2PO03ZKz7QIVj-DICh0fywQtEAQYAyABEgLEPPD_BwE

Balenciaga Allover Crewneck Sweater

https://www.balenciaga.com/ca/knitwear_cod14038858ex.html#/Search/Index

Smeg Retro 10-cup Coffee Maker

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/smeg-drip-coffee-maker/

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/9781782494720-item.html?s_campaign=goo-Shopping_Smart_Books&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxJuippSz7QIVAqCzCh1TlgQcEAQYAiABEgKF0PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

HELLO DECEMBER, GOODBYE 2020!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Don’t dwell on the things we can’t change this holiday season. Instead, let’s celebrate the fact that 2020 is almost over and we survived it when so many others didn’t. We challenge you to make your holidays as amazing as possible just because you can.

See our annual holiday gift guide for inspiration on the perfect gifts to show your loved ones some much-needed appreciation.

The KIMPTON SEAFIRE RESORT & SPA is the perfect escape to the Cayman Islands. It’s situated on the famous Seven Mile Beach and the resort is consistently on Travel + Leisure’s ‘World’s Best Resorts’ List. The Kimpton is also certified as a four diamond award resort, making it a dream come true for the foodie in your family. Take advantage of the huge savings and book your trip for next year right now. If you need more space to accommodate your party, take advantage of the stunning beachfront bungalows.

Perfect for: large families, foodies, beach lovers

If your budget is a little tighter this December, know that you’re not alone. One of the most inexpensive and well-received gifts is a homemade meal or cocktail, or both. This month, we’ve featured recipes for CHRISTMAS PUNCH and ROASTED GARLIC ROSEMARY LEG OF LAMB. Alternatively, use them as substitutes to the traditional turkey or ham Christmas dinner.

Perfect for: the luxie on-a-budget

Grab mom and dad either the LE CREUSET CLASSIC WHISTLING KETTLE or the SMEG 10-CUP RETRO COFFEE MAKER. These small kitchen appliances are as highly-reviewed as they are stylish. Imagine the looks on their faces!

Perfect for: tea and coffee lovers

For the high-fashion lover in your clan, we recommend MIU MIU’S PATENT LEATHER HIKING BOOTS. Add an edge to every outfit without sacrificing comfort. For a high fashion substitute to the traditional Christmas sweater, gift this BALENCIAGA’s ALLOVER LOGO CREWNECK SWEATER. It’s too beautiful and requires zero explanation. Moving on...

Perfect for: the fashionistas

Pick up a copy of SCANDI CHRISTMAS for that relative who’s looking for their next decor project. It’s packed with 45 Scandinavian-inspired holiday projects and do-it-yourself decorations. On second thought...maybe gift this one to yourself too. Since we’re going to be spending the holidays at home, might as well make them as beautiful as can be.

Perfect for: the interior-designer in your family (self-dubbed or otherwise)

Our TV Retro throwback this month is the charming 90s sitcom, MAD ABOUT YOU. Few on-screen couples had as much chemistry as Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser. They played newlyweds navigating through the first crucial years of marriage in this hilarious and relatable comedy. The show was recently rebooted in January of this year, and the reboot did not disappoint longtime fans. Even better, grab some hot cocoa and watch it with the fam over the holidays.

Perfect for: Retro-tv lover, 90s sitcom junkie

Finally, there’s no Christmas album like the King’s. It doesn’t get more classic than a Vinyl copy of ELVIS’ CHRISTMAS ALBUM. It truly is the perfect soundtrack to your socially-distanced festive celebrations. Turn on the fireplace, grab a blanket, and crank up your Victrola...because we’re truly feeling nostalgic about pre-COVID times.

Perfect for: the music lover, Elvis-fan, Vinyl-fan

We get it! 2020 was rough. You haven’t been alone. We have been with you through the ups and numerous downs of this year. However, it’s time to look forward to 2021 with a newfound hope.

We wish you a year of health, joy, success, and all the luck in the world. As always, thank you for supporting our little blog for another year. We can’t wait to return to blogging in 2021.

XX YourLuxeGirlThings

*Note: we do not take credit for the photos, or are paid for promoting the products featured on this blog. Please support the businesses, people and artists featured. Links have been provided where possible.

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smokeybrandreviews · 4 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Bill Me

A few months back, i gushed about one of my all-time favorite films, Alien. I followed that up with a look at Predator. These films are on completely opposite ends of the the spectrum, but i love them both. Don't misunderstand, i adore Alien much more, it’s a much better film in almost every respect, but Predator appeals to the reptile brain in mean. So what happens when you combine that atmospheric, claustrophobic, dread with the balls-to-the-wall, macho-machismo, of an 80s action film? You get the sequel to Alien; James Cameron’s Aliens. The second outing to LV-426 was a truly interesting one as, while the same world is explored with these two films, Aliens is a very different take on the mythos. So much so, the one might even say it's a better view of that world. Aliens is one of the few sequels that has a solid argument to being better than the first. That is rarefied air. To be held in such high esteem as The Godfather part II and The Empire Strikes Back is ridiculous but, here we are.

The Outstanding

Out the box, I need to immediately recognize Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley. Holy sh*t, is this woman dope in this role. I loved Riley in the first film, coming into her own, learning how to survive, ultimately taking the reins of her own destiny. Her run in Aliens? Complete and total bad-ass. This is the Ripley every one talks about, the version of her that is entrenched in the cultural zeitgeist. This is Ellen Ripley made whole and Weaver executes that visage with such precision and passion, that it earned her an Oscar nomination. That is huge praise considering the type of film Aliens is and the types of films the Academy likes to snub.

Lance Henricksen's Bishop was a true experience. It was weird seeing such a performance on display in an action film. Henricksen imbued Bishop with this childlike naivety, that was all but infectious. His wry humor painted the bleakness of our heroes' plight. Bishop was never over the top, just quietly hilarious when necessary. I was surprised by how endearing that character turned out to be, definitely a credit to Henricksen's overall ability.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Bill Paxton as William Hudson. Dude is the second best thing about this film. Rest in peace to one of the greatest actors, ever. Hudson was a goddamn quip machine. His one-liners are some of the best to ever make it to film and I love the fact that Paxton delivers them with such extreme fervor. Seeing him completely lose his sh*t was an outstanding watch.

The entire cast is actually pretty great. I love Vasquez, even if they did paint up Jenette Goldstein in brown face instead of actually hiring a Latina actress. It was the 80s. Sh*t like that happened all of the time. Hicks was a little dry for my tastes but I wasn't mad with how Michael Biehn portrayed him. Dude basically did Kyle Reese but not so high-strung and that sh*t works marvelously. Apone was awesome. Al Matthews captures that smarmy, over-the-top, military brass energy perfectly. Paul Reiser's Burke exudes this sleazy corporate scumbaggery like every 80s cliché should. These cats are these characters and the comradely they demonstrate is palpable. The only flaw to this movie is the performance from the little girl that plays Newt. She's awful but she's a kid so that stands to reason. I don't really count her performance against the overall movie because of that fact, but it can be very distracting at times.

James Cameron is in fine form with this sequel. I always joke around, referring to him as the 1980s version of Michael Bay, but it's not far from the truth. Dude is one of the most skilled, technical, directors in the game today and he's been like that since the beginning of his career. The scope of his imagination and the tenacity to find a way to capture that on film is not only rare, but f*cking amazing. Cameron has a way with spectacle, taking a little and turning it into a lot. You see that in his early work with Roger Corman and beautifully displayed with the first Terminator but in Aliens? Mans pulled off a miracle with Aliens. This f*cking thing is gorgeous. It fits together so tight, you'd never know the entire shoot was a slog filled with unwieldy puppets, incomplete props, and constant insubordination from the crew. This movie is a miracle of direction and roved that James Cameron is truly belongs in the discussion as one of the greats.

While I'm on Cameron, I just want to acknowledge hos contribution to the mythos of the Alien lore, overall. He was the one that injected Space Marines and everything that came along with that. The Sulaco, the dropship, the APC; All of that was Cameron. However, the crown jewel of his film is definitely the Queen. That was all him. The reproductive system of the Xenomorph was displayed in the first film, sure, but it was Cameron that gave us the answer to the question everyone asked; Who was laying the eggs?

The writing in Aliens is absolutely amazing. The actual plot is about as deep as a puddle but how everything is presented turned out to be absolutely stunning. This is a war movie. This is an escape film. This is at home with The Dirty Dozen or Cool Hand Luke, on paper. This is a story of survival, framed with a splattering of inter-species violence. I imagine this script was a pleasure to read, even if it's rather straightforward.

I referenced this a little before, but the one-liners and dialogue are top notch. These interactions feel real. These characters feel like people, like they've been on missions together for years. I buy the Marines as soldiers and I buy Ripley as the final girl. The genuine nature of this film is unassailable, which is kind of a miracle, because it's a narrative about space marine fighting xenomorphs! To be so immersed in a world that fantastical is quite incredible.

This film is gorgeous. It too that retro-futuristic aesthetic from the first, and ramped it up to one hundred. This colony, even though it's been sixty years or whatever, fits in the world established by Scott perfectly. The look, the tech, the feel; All of it calls back to the claustrophobic halls of the Nostromo, but blown up to the size of that Space Jockey ship.

While I'm on the general aesthetic, I need to praise these practical effects. Everything is tangible and real in this film. There are no computer fakes or puppet composite shenanigans. Everything is in-camera and real. The Xenos are men in suits, the guns are physical props, and the starships are all miniatures. The Queen is a puppet built to scale and so is the Power Loader. All of that lends itself to the beauty of this movie and it's longevity. I watched this thing today and it holds up against any blockbuster made in the last forty years, beating out most of them with ease.

I touched on this a little bit when I was talking about Cameron's deft direction but these shots are f*cking stunning. You can take any single frame out of this thing and mount it on your wall. This movie is that gorgeous. The cinematography, the scale, the composition of shots; all of it is just so goddamn adept and lovely to see.

The pacing is kind of dope considering you don't see an alien for almost an hour of run time. I'm actually reviewing the directors cut of version of this flick on the Blu Ray because I, personally, like that one more, but, theatrical moves at about the same rate. There is a lot of character development in that first half, much needed I think, but you never feel impatient about it. You're never chomping at the bit to see the action promised on the horizon. Aliens walks that line perfectly. It's great at building your anticipation to the first clash then its all mania and body count after that.

Bro. But this sound design, tho. Bro!

The Verdict

Aliens is actually one of my all-time favorite film, no surprise there. I think the tidbits Cameron added were paramount to growing the world that Scott and O'Bannon birthed. Indeed, it was he who gave us the Queen and hive system. It was Cameron that chose to make the sequel an allegory for the Vietnam war, establishing the Space Marines as a force in space ways. Aliens did more to world build than it did with characterization, and that's saying the most because this is where Ripley becomes Ripley. We caught glimpses of her potential with Weaver's performance in the first outing but she's in full force here, establishing Ellen Ripley as the archetype for the female badass that every one in Hollywood has been chasing since. The practical effects are too dope for words and hold up to this day, while the overall film, itself, is gorgeous. For a feature that heavily makes use of miniatures and matte painting, Aliens is one of the most beautifully shot, cinematic, experiences, ever captured on film. Now, to answer the poignant question at hand; No. I don't think Aliens is better than Alien. I definitely prefer the more intimate horror of the first, rather than the bombastic action of the second. I think Aliens is the perfect action movie, just behind Terminator II, but I think Alien is as close to perfect film making, period, as you can get. That's not to take anything away from the sequel. Aliens is f*cking incredible and definitely stands on it's own. I can't sing this thing's praises enough. It's an outstanding action film, moonlighting in as a sci-fi thriller, while telling one of the best character arcs in history. Aliens is excellent and deserves that aforementioned debate of superiority, even if I, personally, dissent. It should be required viewing for anyone claiming to love cinema. If you've never seen this film, fix that sh*t immediately. F*cking love yourself more.

#Smokey brand Movie Reviews #Aliens

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smokeybrand · 4 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Bill Me

The Outstanding

Bro. But this sound design, tho. Bro!

The Verdict

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