What to Watch/Read/Play After "Stranger Things"

So you've finished binge-watching the first season of Netflix's Stranger Things, which felt like the love child of 80's Stephen King and Steven Spielberg, keeping your full attention throughout its current 8-episode run. Now you have to wait probably an entire year until the most-likely-to-be-happening second season appears. What do you do to pass the time?

I've compiled a short list here to help with that insatiable hunger of a movie to watch, a book to read, and a video game to play.

#1 Watch - Super 8

Easily one of my favorite movies, Super 8 follows the tale of a group of kids trying to put together a short film with an 8mm camera (hence the title). However, when they're in the middle of filming a scene by a railroad, a train passes by and wrecks right next to them, releasing a monster that silently threatens the town. The kids are trying to solve the mystery, as well as the sheriff, and the government has come in to intervene. Sound familiar? This movie has a similar tone and atmosphere as Stranger Things, also being a modern take on the 80's era.

#2 Read - "Firestarter" by Stephen King

I mentioned earlier that Stranger Things has a bit of a Stephen King element to it. Out of all the King books I read, Stranger Things really reminded me of Firestarter. Why? Firestarter follows the story of a girl and her father on the run from the government. They both have psychic abilities, the father being able to manipulate the mind and the daughter possessing pyrokinesis, the ability to start fires with her mind. This book is a gripping, heartbreaking, dark, and satisfying piece of literature and I cannot stress enough about how much I love it. If you haven't read Stephen King before, this is a great one to start out with.

#3 Play - Alan Wake

Once again, another favorite of mine. Told in a TV show format split into 6 episodes, Alan Wake follows crime thriller author Alan wake trying to cure his writer's block by going on vacation with his wife. However, a mysterious dark force has kidnapped her and Alan is thrusted into danger has the dark force possesses nearby citizens. As he progresses, Alan finds pages of a horror manuscript he has no memory of writing and it's becoming a reality. The tone of the game and the pacing of it all will satisfy fans of Stranger Things and show just how good of storytelling video games are capable of!

There are plenty more out there to enjoy and this list is just a starting point. Also, if you haven't seen the movies Stranger Things pays homage to, like The Goonies, E.T., and Poltergeist, you should definitely give those a shot!

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