Season 5 ‘Volume 1’ of the wildly popular sci-fi series Stranger Things premiered last month, shattering Netflix viewership records and leaving audiences chomping at the bit to find out what lies in store for the residents of Hawkins, Indiana. With fans forced to wait until the season resumes on Christmas Day, J.J. Abrams’ 2011 Super 8 is the perfect movie to tide them over, thanks to its blend of sci-fi mystery and fun-filled nostalgia.
Released to critical acclaim, its coming-of-age drama, retro aesthetics, otherworldly threat, and endearing humor will feel instantly familiar to those who have fallen in love with the immersive world of Stranger Things, crafted and shaped by the Duffer Brothers since its premiere in 2016. Dripping in nostalgia and featuring a slew of impressive performances from its predominantly teenage cast, including an award-winning turn from a young Elle Fanning, Super 8 arrived on Disney-owned streaming platform Hulu earlier this year.
‘Super 8’ Is a Nostalgic Homage to Spielbergian Sci-fi
Set in a small town in Ohio in 1979, Super 8 follows a group of young teenagers who witness a bizarre train derailment while attempting to shoot their own amateur ‘Super 8’ movie. Over the following weeks, strange occurrences begin to ripple through their hometown, leading the group to come to the realization that a dangerous, otherworldly force had been unleashed as a result of the catastrophic train accident. What follows is a perilous race to uncover the truth and save their town, capturing what they can on film whilst facing government goons, alien adversaries, and, of course, the trials and tribulations of navigating teenage life.
The plot, tone, and atmosphere have been favorably compared to classic coming-of-age adventure movies like The Goonies, Stand by Me, and Steven Spielberg’s definitive sci-fi family masterpiece, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. This revelation becomes less surprising after learning that Spielberg, himself, served as an executive producer for Super 8. Director J.J. Abrams has reported that he worked closely with Spielberg to develop the plot and that the legendary filmmaker would regularly attend shoots and even lend a helping hand in the editing room when structuring the film. It was this support that Abrams feels gave him “licence” to so openly embrace Spielberg’s signature style. From its child-centered storytelling and sense of awe and wonder to its suburban American setting and focus on shadowy government forces, the movie is steeped in Spielberg’s DNA and is all the better for it.
It’s this same loving sense of Spielbergian nostalgia that is so endearing about Stranger Things, and why Super 8 makes such a fine companion piece. While both benefit from an intricately woven tapestry of intrigue, atmosphere, horror, and humor, it’s the central performances of the leading children that are so crucial to these types of shows and movies — grounding the extraordinary events around them with their innocence, vulnerability, and sense of wonder. Just as millions around the world have reverted to their own childhoods, experiencing the wonders of Hawkins and the dangers of The Upside Down through the same wide-eyed intensity as Eleven, Dustin, Max, and the gang, viewers will share a similar experience with Super 8‘s scrappy group of resourceful protagonists.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Will Continue With Volume 2 on Christmas Day
After waiting for what seemed like a lifetime since the explosive ending of Stranger Things season 4, three long years ago, fans were treated to the first 4 episodes of the final season, collectively referred to as Volume 1, on November 26. It achieved a staggering 59.6 million views in its first five days on the platform, making for the best premiere week for an English-language series ever on Netflix. Delivering some of the most spectacular and cinematic visuals ever seen on a television show, Volume 1 has generally been well received by critics and fans alike, achieving an impressive 84% on both the ‘critic’ and ‘audience’ scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Noticeably darker in tone than prior seasons, it ended on a heart-pounding cliffhanger, setting up a huge confrontation for Volume 2, leaving viewers waiting with bated breath to see how their favorite characters will fare. It has been confirmed that Volume 2 will premiere with a further 3 episodes on Netflix on December 25th, followed by The Finale, which is a single episode hitting Netflix on New Year’s Eve.
Since its inception, Stranger Things has been pushing the boundaries of television, redefining what is possible for the medium, with recent episodes feeling every bit as immersive and grandiose in scope as any blockbuster movie.
All evidence points to this trend continuing, with The Finale reportedly clocking in at just over 2 hours in length. In fact, so confident in its quality, Netflix will release the episode — Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up — in roughly 500 theaters timed to its global December 31 premiere on Netflix at the same time, running through January 1, allowing fans to experience the episode on the big screen in all its cinematic glory. While a few Netflix movies have been released theatrically in the past, mainly as qualifying runs for awards contenders like this year’s Frankenstein, this will mark the first time one of its television episodes has found its way onto the silver screen.
- Release Date
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June 10, 2011
- Runtime
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112 minutes