Now Streaming: STRANGER THINGS, BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI, THE BALTIMORONS

Our weekly guide to new and noteworthy indie and international genre fare.

Stranger Things: S5 V1
The first four episodes are now streaming on Netflix.

"With Hawkins under lockdown, El in hiding and danger lurking at every turn, the entire party unites with a single goal: to hunt and kill Vecna."

Even after watching the first episode of the new (and final) season, I have no idea what's happening nowadays in the small town of Hawkins, somewhere in the nostalgia-swamped Midwest U.S. To be fair, my interest in the series waned during Season 2 -- in 2016! -- and during the intervening eight years, I was never motivated to watch either Seasons 3 or 4.

Still and all, total respect to The Duffer Brothers -- evidently a human entity -- who created the series and continue to ride the reins over a series that will conclude around Christman. I can see why people raised in the 1980s would really dig the show, and total respect to them and all the slaves fans who like it too.

Staying with the nostalgia theme, we head back to the 60s for another blast from the past.

The Beatles Anthology
All nine episodes are now streaming on Disney Plus.

The series began life as a feature film by Neil Aspinall in 1971, and later expanded into a six-part series on UK television and a three-part series on US television. The following year, it was expanded into eight parts for its home video release.

What makes the new release "new"? According to the press notes: "Beautifully restored by Peter Jackson's Park Road Post in Wellington, New Zealand, the illuminating series includes a new ninth episode featuring previously unreleased footage of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr during the creation of the original 1990s Anthology series and music project."

I can't recall watching the series back in 1995, but I've watched the first three episodes on Disney Plus and the visual quality is quite invigorating. The series goes all the way back to the Fab Four's childhood and charts how they came together, and then how their career took off like a rocket. I've added to my watchlist for whenever I need to feel sad and nostalgic over my lost youth.

Let's go to China for yet another series that looks at the past.

Blossoms Shanghai
The first three episodes of the 30-episode series are now streaming on the Criterion Channel. Three subsequent episodes will debut weekly, every Monday at 20:00 EST.

Wong Kar-Wai comes a cropper. To be fair, only three episodes have played so far, hope springs eternal, blah blah blah. I'm more than willing to give one of my favorite filmmakers a few more hours of my life.

When you've had your fill of nostalgia for the day, here are two, newly streaming movies from the independent film world that are both set in the present day.

Left-Handed Girl
The film is now streaming on Netflix.

This is a very good slice of Taipei night market life that reveals itself to be something much deeper and more meaningful. See my review for more: Recommended!

Returning to the U.S., here's a film that -- warning! -- is Christmas-themed. But it's from Jay Duplass, so it's not the usual usual.

The Baltimorons
The film is now streaming on Sundance Now via AMC Plus.

On Christmas Day, newly sober Cliff cracks a tooth and meets a dentist. They have one adventure after another, and kinda fall for one another. It's a romantic comedy, which is not my favorite vibe. Even so, Jay Duplass brings his usual off-beat twist on a standard plot, so it might be something good for you and your Significant Other to argue about.

Krypto Saves the Day!: Package Pandemonion
The newest episode debuts today. All three episodes are now streaming on HBO Max.

The third in a series of four animated comic short films is another joyful jolt, and is the perfect way for me to close this weekly roundup.

Now Streaming celebrates independent and international genre films and television shows that are newly available on legal streaming services.