Sure, the summer movie season has been rough. But there’s no need to belabor the point when the likes of Netflix are capturing the zeitgeist with shows like “Stranger Things,” the streaming service’s much discussed, massively popular homage to Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, John Carpenter and so much more.
That’s what myself and co-host Joe von Appen talk about on most of this latest episode of Adjust Your Tracking. We start with a brief chat about Brady Corbet‘s austere, slightly unhinged directorial debut “The Childhood of a Leader,” a visually/aurally stunning piece of work that, while it’s barely received a theatrical release, is worth seeking out on VOD. Essentially the origin story of a fictionalized future dictator, it’s the rare modern American indie film that plays by its own rules while also clearly highlighting Corbet’s love for certain arthouse directorial styles.
That ties in nicely when we dig into the fun of watching “Stranger Things,” which for the most part pulls off its mashup balancing act. It’s entertaining as hell, well-crafted and reminds us that ’80s nostalgia is not totally played out quite yet. At the tail end of the episode, Joe announces his next pick for HOLD UP: Richard Linklater‘s “SubUrbia.” Check back in on our next installment to hear us talk about that film.
All episodes of Adjust Your Tracking are part of The Playlist Podcast Network and can be found on iTunes and Soundcloud. You can stream or download the podcast via the Soundcloud embed below or up top. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get them on the regular. Leave us a review and rating there if you’re so inclined. Thanks for listening!