After spending season one in the salad days of 1983 (Salad Days was actually the name of a TV movie released in 1983. That’s a fun fact for you if you have a very loose definition of fun), Stranger Things 2 picks up in the fall of 1984. That’s almost a whole year of movies that could have had an effect the lives of our heroes, young and less young. We know our boys loved Ghostbusters; El presumably identified with Firestarter; Steve was probably really into Police Academy; Jonathan definitely went to some arthouse theater to check out Paris, Texas; and Tommy and Carol, I don’t know, they just watched videos of puppies being kicked or something because they’re the worst.
Ugh. Those two.
As we gear up for an intense binge session–or a slow, steady intake for those of you with restraint–here are some of the 1984-iest movies you can rent or stream online right now and get you in the mood for Stranger Things 2.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension
This cult classic follows Buckaroo Banzai — a neurosurgeon, musician, race car driver and nuclear physicist — as he takes on an alien invasion.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, iTunes
Amadeus
The Best Picture Oscar winner tells the tale of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his relationship and rivalry with Antonio Salieri.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Beverly Hills Cop
This story of a Detroit detective in Beverly Hills shot Eddie Murphy to superstardom.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Blood Simple
The Coen brothers’ debut film is a neo-noir crime thriller that remains among their best.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Children of the Corn
Based on a Stephen King story, this is the ultimate creepy evil kid movie.
Stream it on Hulu, Netflix; rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Dune
David Lynch’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel is an absolute mess, a work of art or a little bit of both, depending on who you ask.
Stream it on Hulu (with a Showtime subscription); rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Firestarter
Thanks to weird medical experiments, a little girl (played by Drew Barrymore) can destroy stuff with her mind. Sound like anyone we know?
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Footloose
There’s gymnastics and dancing and fighting the system and a lot of Kenny Loggins. It’s an ’80s classic.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Ghostbusters
Like I need to describe it for you.
Rent it on YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Gremlins
A seminal film about the importance of proper pet care.
Stream it on Netflix; rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
The second Indy movie isn’t the best of the series but it’s still super enjoyable.
Stream it on Hulu; rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Johnny Dangerously
One of those movies that was on cable for what felt like the whole of the late ’80s and early ’90s, Johnny Dangerously is an underrated bit of Michael Keaton’s pre-Batman glory.
Stream it on Amazon (with Starz subscription)
The Karate Kid
Our Stranger Things boys could use a Mr. Miyagi in their lives. Their town is filled with Cobra Kai-esque bullies.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
The Last Starfighter
A teenage boy finds out that his favorite arcade game has actually been a recruitment tool to fight a space war.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
The Muppets Take Manhattan
Yes, it’s a children’s movie about securing financial backing for a Broadway show but it totally works.
Stream it on Hulu; rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu
The Natural
Not all of 1984 was arcade games, ghosts and space battles. The Natural was one for the sporty types, following Robert Redford as a baseball player with dramatic ups and downs.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
The NeverEnding Story
A boy goes into a book to save a mystical world, and the rest of us grow up to be adults still really sad about Artax.
Stream it on Hulu; rent it on YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Yes, 1984 was the first time ever we saw Freddy’s face. It’s also where we first found Johnny Depp, until he got eaten by a bed.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Paris, Texas
If you haven’t seen this Cannes Palme d’Or winner, you owe it to yourself and the late great Harry Dean Stanton, who plays an amnesiac looking for his son and missing wife, to check it out.
Stream it on Filmstruck; rent it on Amazon, iTunes
Police Academy
It’s absolutely every bit as dumb as you remember, but Michael Winslow makes cool sounds.
Stream it on Netflix; rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Purple Rain
This Prince classic features the best soundtrack of all time.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Red Dawn
Teens led by Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen save the day after World War III starts in their backyard.
Stream it on Hulu; rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Revenge of the Nerds
A band of geeks takes on douchey frat boys.
Stream it on Starz
Romancing the Stone
This comic adventure, featuring Kathleen Turner as a romance novelist and Michael Douglas as a real-life adventurer, remains a delight.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Sixteen Candles
While some elements may not have aged particularly well, this John Hughes comedy helped usher in the age of the Brat Pack and the girl-led teen rom-com.
Stream it on HBO Go; rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Splash
A young Tom Hanks falls in love with an actual mermaid played by Daryl Hannah. It’s still one of Ron Howard’s best movies.
Stream it on Hulu (with a Showtime subscription); rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Starman
John Carpenter’s sci-fi romance follows Jeff Bridges as an alien who inhabits the body of a widow’s (played by Karen Allen) recently dead husband.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu
Stop Making Sense
Jonathan Demme and the Talking Heads give us the ultimate concert film.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
Supergirl
Long before the CW show, Helen Slater donned the super skirt as Clark Kent’s cousin Kara.
Rent it on Amazon, Vudu, iTunes
The Terminator
The classic tale of a man, a woman, a cyborg and a great big circle of time travel logic introduced us to Sarah Connor and made Arnold Schwarzenegger a movie star.
Stream it on HBO Go; rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
This Is Spinal Tap
The Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest masterpiece remains the best mockumentary of all time.
Rent it on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes
