That 80s Blog

Updates on Season 4 of Stranger Things

It's going to be split into two parts!

While season four of Stranger Things will not be the final season--that will now be season five--it will be split up into two parts due to its massive size. We also have dates for these two volumes: Volume 1 will air on May 27, while volume 2 will be on July 1, just in time for summer. It looks like there will be a total of nine episodes, so we will see a few in May and another few in July. Who thinks the May volume will feature a gripping hangover?

As I type this, "Should I Stay or Should I Go" just came on. I think we're in for a BIG cliffhanger, folks.

Even more exciting is the fact that the Duffer Brothers say that they don't see this as an end to this world, but to Eleven's story. Those who follow the comics and books know that there are already lots of other stories in this world and the Duffers could use any of that or create completely new stories to check out. The list of Stranger Things season 4 episodes is here. Who else is super stoked about another nod to the X-Men Phoenix Saga with that first episode title, The Hellfire Club?

Do you have a binging of all three seasons planned for May? I know I do! How are you planning on celebrating and watching? Share your plans and predictions in the chat!

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Entertainment

Television

The Best 80s Cult Movies

Which cult film is your favorite from the 80s?

The 80s are bigger than they may have ever been lately, with various shows, movies, fashion, and even songs nodding back to the decade. Even Gen Z is getting in on the 80s love, and given the fact that Stranger Things will be returning this year, we may see an even bigger surge of 80s support. The biggest theme that seems to be circulating right now is 80s cult classic films.

Most people are quite familiar with favorites like The Goonies, The 'Burbs, Neverending Story, and of course Evil Dead, but many fans are diving deeper, trying to find more obscure, lesser-known titles to try out. Paperhouse is one example that many folks have never even heard of, which is full of psychological turmoil and yes, horror. Diane Lane and William Defoe starred in another lesser-known film, Streets of Fire, that has a solid cult following. The list has several other films that 80s lovers will want to check out.

What are your favorite 80s cult classics? Are you a fan of favorites like The Lost Boys, or something a little lesser-known like Flight of the Navigator? Maybe you like coming of age films in space, like Explorers. Share your favorites in the chat.

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Lifestyle

Entertainment

Film

Totally 80s Valentine Ideas

Share your own in the chat!

Do you plan on having a totally rad Valentine's Day this year with your single self, your bestie, your partner(s) or even your kiddos? An 80s-themed Valentine's Day is just what we all need to keep it chill but fun while we still navigate the waters of this pandemic and try to have fun safely. There are lots of ways to do this!

First of all, you have to dress up and have the right soundtrack. Big, poofy hair and Madonna? Yes! Next, you need the perfect food, snacks and gifts. Pasta salad, sloppy Joes and Tang come to mind for your menu! How about some Aqua Net as a gift? Hey, it fits the theme! But if you want to go with candy, why not try a box of 80s candies to sample together or to give to your Valentine(s)? For your activities, aside from dancing, how about some Atari or old school Nintendo? Singstar 80s has a great collection of songs to sing karaoke-style, too!

Are you planning on having a totally 80s party this year? How about any 80s-themed gifts on the horizon? Share them in the chat!

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Holidays

Weather Pattern Changes Since the 80s

How has it changed where you live?

Today in the Midwest we were hit with a winter storm that really wasn't as big as it had been hyped up to be, but was still enough to disrupt school, traffic and plenty of commutes. People were commenting on how school wasn't canceled when they were young in the 1980s unless the snow was much deeper, but really the coldness counts, too--especially when it comes to the bus routes.

Still, there is no denying that the weather has definitely changed since the 1980s. As a kid in that time, I remember having snow on the ground for much of winter where I live in Missouri; now we get a few snow days per month during the winter months at best. Apparently in the U.K. spring is now arriving an entire month earlier than it used to, which seems like an extreme change in the weather in just a few decades.

How has the weather changed where you live since the 1980s? What has changed the most from how you remember it back then compared with today? Share your thoughts and experiences in the chat.

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Weather

Science

Golden Girls Puppet Parody

Sitcom show to debut at Lincoln Theater

Fans of the Golden Girls are still mourning the loss of everyone's favorite delight, Betty White, who played Rose Nylan on the show. Now a quartet of puppets will bring the sassy ladies to life on stage in a puppet parody of The Golden Girls. Something tells me that the original actresses would likely love the idea of this adaptation of their work.

The show will take place in February at the Columbus Association of Performing Arts. The show will be closing permanently soon, so folks who want to catch it should make an effort to come out and see it soon before it's over. It features lines and plots from three different episodes so fans may find themselves quoting the show!

Have you ever seen a parody of an 80s program with puppets or otherwise? What did you see and how was it? Share your impressions in the chat.

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Entertainment

Favorite 1980s Couples

Who were your favorites?

When it comes to iconic couples from the 1980s, most people have at least one favorite. Whether that favorite actually remains together today or broke up along the way is an entirely different matter. My favorite 80s couple who wed the year I was born, the incredibly talented Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito, just split up a few years ago, although they are still best friends.

Out of my other two favorite couples, one remains together today, and that's Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Goldie is just adorable and I love so many movies that she's in, and while I like Kurt as an actor fine, together they seem really cute. Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, my other favorite, ended up splitting up a few years back, too.

Some of the celeb couples from the 80s that many people love were problematic for me by the time I learned about them, even if I found many of them cute. Honestly I'm surprised that anyone can find some of them favorable after what they did to their partner.

Which celebrity couple from the 80s is your favorite? What are they up to now, and are they still together? Share your thoughts in the chat.

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Culture

Lifestyle

Gen Z Loves The 80s

Doesn't everybody? Not quite...

The patterns, styles and trends of the 80s have made comebacks over recent years, and these days Zoomers are really digging the 1980s. It's not as if those styles are more on point than today's looks; it's more of a yearning, many say, for easier times when all of the modern tech, viruses and pressures didn't yet consume everyone.

Is this nostalgia well-earned? Yes and no. The 80s were a much easier time for many folks, especially in terms of modern-day pressures. But for people of color, queer folks and many other people, moving backwards is never good. Having your gender labeled as an illness, for example, isn't something to long for. The wish for much more slow time and days at the arcade without wearing masks? That's totally valid, dude.

Which parts of the 80s do you long for today? How could we incorporate those vibes into our lives safely for a bit of fun while being mindful of the pressures we continue to face? Maybe there's potential for infusing 2022 with lots of color, side ponytails and acid-wash jeans for some fun this year. What do you think?

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Culture

Society

New Stranger Things Legos Revealed

Check out El and the demogorgon

It's been agony to wait for the next season of Stranger Things to be released on Netflix, which will surely make it all the more exciting when we do finally get to binge watch it this year. As we wait for the release, there have been plenty of spoilers and gossip to keep us following updates, but today's fun Stranger Things news is about a new product!

LEGO has two new BrickHeadz of the most iconic characters of the show--Eleven and the demogorgon! They aren't released just yet, but they're coming at a great time since the Upside Down set--an incrediblhy detailed full LEGO set complete with minifigs--is retiring. As someone more partial to those LEGOs, I'm not a huge fan of El in the new BrickHeadz form, but I think the demogorgon looks really cool. I'd love to have one for my desk!

What about you? What do you think of the new designs, and have you seen any other Stranger Things products released recently? Share them in the chat!

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Entertainment

Television

Man & Witch to Pay Homage to 80s Fantasies

Who else is excited to see this?

While Man & Witch doesn't have a release date yet, and we barely know anything about the film, it's probably the movie I'm most excited about in 2022. According to IMDB, the synopsis is as follows: "A heartwarming homage to the lo-fi fantasy films of the 80s and a comic adventure that both fulfills and subverts the expectations of what a fantasy universe can be." This frankly sounds incredible, but that's also because of the cast.

We are talking Sean Astin, Rhea Pearlman, Christopher Lloyd, Jennifer Saunders, Eddie Izzard and many other favorites. The Childlike Empress from The Neverending Story herself, Tami Stronach, is set to play the titular witch! Sean Astin IS the 80s fantasy poster child and there are so many people in this cast that it would have to try to not be amazing.

Are you excited to see Man & Witch? What do you think it will be about, and do you have any predictions for the film? Share your thoughts in the chat!

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Film

Entertainment

80s Child Actors: Where are They Now?

Do you know what happened to your favorites?

Child actors grew exponentially in the 80s, and much of that growth was rather unhealthy for the kids put into those positions. While some of our favorite child actors grew into adult actors, many of many beloved child stars from film and TV series that quit the business to escape some of the pain and suffering they experienced in Hollywood. Some unfortunately did not make it to adulthood.

That's true for one of my favorite child stars, River Phoenix. Phoenix was almost a decade older than me and I swooned hard for the boy who played young Indiana Jones and Chris Chambers in Stand by Me. His death, like many other young stars, was an absolute tragedy. Many child actors fortunately found other careers that they enjoyed once they left Hollywood, some for good.

Most people agree that Hollywood needs to better protect children, but some argue that real children shouldn't even be in films anymore. Now that CGI exists, it could save lots of children from traumatic experiences. Do you think that could be a solution?

What happened to your own favorite child stars? Are they still acting today? Share what you've learned in the chat.

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