The Underground — Issue #83
Everything you need to know about in this weekly: One of the best new shows on Netflix, an honest trailer for one of the years biggest let downs, some crazy looking new life found in the deep ocean, and a band from the UK that you need in your ears ASAP.
At Social Underground we go beyond the mainstream stuff and see what’s underneath the surface. What should we get into, listen to, read, eat or watch? If there is something in our culture that needs attention that’s our job: Show you the underground things that you need to know about: Books, music, television, movies, comedians, art, and whatever else we can find to get you into something you never knew about. That’s The Underground.
1. Stranger Things is the best TV throwback to Goonies, E.T., Firestarter, Stand By Me, IT, Close Encounters, The Gate (movie gave me nightmares for years), and so many more.
When I first heard of Stranger Things, the only thing I really knew was that it starred Winona Ryder and it was supernatural. That’s it. I pretty much ran out of any shows on Netflix that I really wanted to see, so I thought I might as well give this show a shot.
Premise: In a small town where everyone knows everyone, a peculiar incident starts a chain of events that leads to the disappearance of a child – which begins to tear at the fabric of an otherwise peaceful community. Dark government agencies and seemingly malevolent supernatural forces converge on the town, while a few locals begin to understand that there’s more going on than meets the eye.
This first episode, no, the first few scenes grab you. If you think you remember the 1980’s, this show will slap you hard in the face to realize that you don’t remember as much as you think. If I could sum up this show in one sentence: What J.J. Abrams tried to do with Super 8. Everywhere that movie failed, this TV succeeds. It takes from so many nostalgic concepts and makes them work. It borrows from the music, the way kids acted, the cinematography, how you think on this will happen it twists. You think it’s going to go that cheesy way, however, but it never does. There are parts that legit scared me. There were parts that were hilarious. Most importantly, there were parts I didn’t see coming.
If you loved that 80’s for its fun, scary and supernatural movies, then this show is definitely for you. If you’re a fan of supernatural TV shows that rests on the hands of a great supporting cast, this is for you. What really makes it different? The kid actors. Usually they’re all terrible except for a few child actors, but all of these kids act like they are literally best friends in reality. It helps suspend disbelief because they do it so well. The adult actors (especially Ryder) all play their parts amazingly.
Stranger Things is only 8 episodes in length, but it’s the perfect length. If they made this into a 2 hour movie, well, you might get Super 8. Have a look at the trailer below and then dedicate some time this weekend. There is a heatwave coming, so you might as well crank up the A/C and watch some great TV and a soundtrack that you will have playing in your head for days.
2. The Honest Trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is absolutely devastating. We reviewed it, went into it even further, and then just went on with our business because this movie should’ve never happened this way at all. I don’t want a Superman who mopes around and looks like he is sitting down with a hemorrhoid every time he has to save someone. Wonder Woman was great, but she didn’t really do anything. When she did, it was awesome, but sort of confusing. Batman was awesome, but also stupid in a lot of ways. Luthor? He was a nightmare to the entire movie. He was quite unnecessary if you really think about it. There was enough in the film to happen where he could’ve been written out, and after you see both versions of the movie, he definitely should’ve been written out.
Anyway, this honest trailer really takes this movie out to the woodshed. You may even look away at times because you missed one of the dozens of bad moments in the film. If you loved the movie… this may be an egg of knowledge dropped on your head. After this movie, DC better try to do a better job. Remember, Batman on his own can be dark and moody, but having Superman come in a pout is a bit odd. At leas the universe on television is expanding soon to include Superman, Batman, Batgirl and The Oracle. At least they won’t f*ck this up… right? RIGHT?!
Watch the VERY honest trailer below:
3. Check out these unseen creatures in the Marianas Trench. Ever since I saw the movie The Abyss, I pretty much promised myself that I would never swim in the ocean. Maybe walk a foot or two in from the beach, but never jump off a boat where I have no idea what’s below me. Just the other day I saw a video where someone put their camera in the water and a gigantic Whale Shark just happened to be going by. NOPE. But that doesn’t stop other people from exploring the ocean, which is still largely an undiscovered gold mine.
In the video below, some strange new creatures are swimming around that like they’re out of an alien movie.
4. Stereophonics is a band from the UK that you need to get into if you love great rock and a one-of-a-kind voice.
It was probably back in 1999 where one of my favorite bands Our Lady Peace was going on tour in the US, UK and Canada. Touring with them was a band called Stereophonics. Right off the bat, I thought the name was cool. I took a look around for some of their songs and was floored by the lead singers voice and the music. I asked around people I knew, but no one has ever heard of them. In typical fashion, they were huge everywhere else in the world except for the US. Reminds me of the band Muse a decade ago when they played little places here, but now they can sell out multiple dates at Madison Square Garden.
Since 1997, they’ve released nine albums:
- Word Gets Around (1997)
- Performance and Cocktails (1999)
- Just Enough Education to Perform (2001)
- You Gotta Go There to Come Back (2003)
- Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005)
- Pull the Pin (2007)
- Keep Calm and Carry On (2009)
- Graffiti on the Train (2013)
- Keep the Village Alive (2015)
I urge you to check out their singles and then branch out from there like most people do. Or, you can check out this recent kickass show they played in Rio Lisbon:
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Jeff Sorensen is an author, writer and occasional comedian living in Detroit, Michigan. You can look for more of his work on The Huffington Post, UPROXX, BGR and by just looking up his name.
Contact: jeff@socialunderground.com