The Netflix original series “Stranger Things”, returning with a third season later this year, was set in a small American town in the 1980s, perfectly capturing the zeitgeist of the era and triggering feelings of nostalgia in many of its viewers. The critically acclaimed series was a major success among viewers and has triggered a wave of retro movies and TV shows – many of them unworthy replicas of the original, and even more of them failing to capture the atmosphere of the era in a meaningful way. Making a retro movie is not an easy task – many filmmakers have tried and failed in the process. But there were some who have succeeded: here are a few of them that are worth watching at any time.
Super 8 (2011)
A wonderful coming of age story combined with an alien monster flick, with an amazing cast and a captivating storyline, set in the rural America of 1979. It tells the story of Joe, a 14-year-old kid from a small town, who tries to make it through puberty while mourning his mother who passed away in a workplace accident. His modeling skills come in handy for Charlie, who tries to make a low-budget zombie movie shot with a Super 8 camera, with the help of their friends Preston, Martin, Cary, and Alice, with whom Joe ultimately bonds. The shooting they planned for a night is disrupted by the derailment of a train caused by a truck driving in front of it on the tracks – it is driven by their science teacher who reveals that there’s something mysterious going on in their town. Unknown to them, a fearsome alien creature escapes the ruins of the train, causing strange events across town.
Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
Anurag Kashyap’s epic crime drama “Gangs of Wasseypur” tells the story of the coal mafia (Mafia Raj) of Dhanbad and the feud of three crime families, spanning across several decades of history, between the 1940s and the 1990s. The film is massive – its runtime is 319 minutes – so no Indian movie theater agreed to screen it in one sitting: it was split into two parts upon its release.
The movie was well-received by critics and it was a commercial success and obtained cult status as well. It was screened with success at various film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival in 2013, and collected a series of prestigious awards in the process.
Haseena Parkar (2016)
Haseena Parkar (initially called “Haseena: Queen Of Mumbai”) is a biographical crime movie telling the story of the sister of Dawood Ibrahim, a Mumbai mobster, and drug dealer. The title role is played by Shraddha Kapoor, at her first lead role, and the crime lord is played by her brother, Siddhanth Kapoor. The story tells how Haseena, who had deep feelings for her brother Siddhanth, transformed from an innocent wife into the “Godmother of Nagpada” after one of her brother’s enemies killed her husband.
