Season 2 of Stranger Things is upon us. The good news is that most reviews point to an entertaining sophomore season that expands the mythology and makes good on the promised premise set down in Season 1. Our own Allison Keene called it "a delightful return" with "a smartly written and cleverly-plotted script" from the Duffer Brothers; you can read the full review here. But much like early detractors called the first season derivative and unoriginal, you can expect to hear similar criticisms levied against Season 2. Personally, I think the Duffers' references, nods, and homages to pop culture icons that have shaped their creative vision and act as nostalgic touchstones for generations of people are some of the traits that make Stranger Things so darn likable and buzz-worthy.

But not everyone grew up in the 70s, 80s, or even the 90s, so it would be impossible to expect audiences' viewing experience to be the same across the world. Some people simply did not experience the thrills, chills, and spills of Friday night at the movies in the summer of 1984. The good news is that, thanks to the modern era of technology, you can still get caught up on the source material for the many, many references scattered throughout this season. (Heck, you can even read a book about them!)

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Now some films carry over from Season 1 as far as thematic inspiration goes. These include The GooniesEvil DeadIT (pick whichever version you want to watch), FirestarterAlienA Nightmare on Elm StreetPoltergeist, and even Akira. If it's character inspiration you're looking for, pick just about any Indiana Jones movie to get a sense of Chief Jim Hopper's characterization, as played perfectly by David Harbour. If it's "humans vs monsters" action that you're into, you'd be in good company watching JawsPredator, or even Jurassic Park to get in the mood. These all have their part to play in the creation and continuation of Stranger Things, whether it's a big dose of thematic resonance or just a scene-specific bit of cinematic DNA. And if you think you're already an expert on all the movies that have gone into Stranger Things, do yourself a favor and cue up Metallica's 1983 album "Kill 'Em All" to complete the aesthetic as you read our list of suggested movies below:

Ghostbusters

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Image via Netflix

This should be a pretty obvious suggestion considering the Hawkins kids have already been seen in their excellently done Ghostbusters Halloween costumes. But since Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd have final say over how their property is handled, the Duffers had to give the pair a call to get permission to use the logo, gear, and costume. Thankfully, they obliged!

But other than an overt reference to the beloved classic of the Summer of 1984, there's not a lot of plot pulled from the spectral comedy to influence that of Stranger Things. Sure, you can expect some other-worldly creatures and a little bit of tech thrown in while the foursome go about their adventures, but Ghostbusters exists squarely in the world of Stranger Things, so it'd be pushing it to include both obvious and oblique references to the film in the script. Besides, there's plenty of 70s/80s/90s film history to pull from, as you'll discover below.

Aliens

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Image via 20th Century Fox

While James Cameron's sequel to Alien should also be a no-brainer, it's worth revisiting Aliens for a number of reasons. First of all, it's an awesome movie. Secondly, Stranger Things kicks their references up a notch in ways I won't spoil here but which provide delightful little cultural touchstones while watching the season in its entirety. What Stranger Things does best is to pepper in references to pop culture that will easily be picked up on by fans of the properties in question but won't impede the viewing experience of someone who's not as tuned in. And honestly, Season 2 of Stranger Things is a bigger, more intense, action-packed version of the show's introduction, a parallel that works just as well for Alien and Aliens; it makes sense that this sci-fi classic gets a ton of references in the new episodes. Finally, you should watch Aliens again for one of Paul Reiser's most notable roles outside of Mad About You, acting as a perfect primer for your viewing experience since Reiser joins this season as Dr. Owens.

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Creature Features: Gremlins, Critters, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Tremors

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Image via Sunset Boulevard

Things get a little more general here, but since Stranger Things deals with otherworldly creatures that interact with our Earthbound heroes in a variety of ways. 80s creature classics like Gremlins walked a precarious line between horror and comedy, a line that Season 2 of Stranger Things plays with from time to time. Steven Spielberg's 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was way on the cute and kinda cuddly side of this divide while films like the 1986 creature feature Critters and 1990's franchise-starter Tremors were decidedly on the other side. Stranger Things takes little bites from each of these movies to flesh out the denizens of the Upside Down. If you only have time to revisit Gizmo and his Gremlins, that'd be time well-served.

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80s Dramas: Stand By Me, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and The Karate Kid

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Image via Columbia Pictures

Sure, Stranger Things is known for its telekinetic protagonist, the horrific creatures from the Upside Down, and the mad science of the local laboratory, but its heart is in the relationships among the kids, teenagers, and adults that carry the story along. And as well known for horror as Stephen King is, and rightly so, some of his most well-received adaptations are dramas like Stand by Me. This film has its fingerprints all over Stranger Things as the Hawkins kids get together and traipse across the countryside (sometimes on a railroad track), similar to the adventures of Gordie, Chris, Teddy, and Vern. It's a rule, nay, a law that all 80s homages have to this 1986 favorite.

Another name that often crops up in talks of 80s dramas is John Hughes, whose masterful understanding of teenage drama and social cliques helped to bring some of the decade's most beloved and formative films to life. You'd better believe that Stranger Things plays with these conventions as well, so it'd be worthwhile to brush up on films like The Breakfast ClubSixteen Candles and Weird Science. And though it has nothing to do with Hughes, you might want to pop that 1984 classic Karate Kid VHS in the VCR as a refresher, just for fun.

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Child-Centric Horror Films: The Exorcist, The Omen, Rosemary's Baby, and The Shining

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Image via Warner Bros.

Oh did I mention that Stranger Things is also a straight-up horror show? Because, yikes. Season 2 amps things up across the board. More people than ever before will be impacted by the horrors emerging from the Upside Down, and in more ways than you might initially expect. Sure, there's the overt creature horror mentioned above, but there's something much more personal going on in Season 2 as well.

With that in mind, it might behoove you to revisit a few decades' worth of the best child-centric horror films ever to grace the silver screen. The best of the bunch is arguably the 1973 classic The Exorcist, but there's a lot of storytelling territory to mine in films like 1976's The Omen, 1968's Rosemary's Baby, and even 1980's The Shining. I mean, it's Halloween, so you should be watching these anyway, but there's a presence in Stranger Things Season 2 that can only be enhanced by watching these flicks.

Season 2 of Stranger Things arrives in its entirety Friday, October 27th, so get watching!

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Image via Netflix