1985. 114 minutes. Rated TV-14.
Quote: Goonies never say die….
It never gets old. It never gets tired. It’s never boring. You neverremember everything that happens, and you always sing Cindy Lauper’s The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough. (I listened while I wrote this, so maybe you should listen while you read it) Cause Goonies never say die.
Where to begin? There is just so much in here. Famed movie men Steven Spielberg and Richard Donner teamed up to bring this tale of adventure to kids everywhere. In the wake of two Indiana Jones films, The Goonies follows the adventures of a rag tag group of blue collar dreamers. Faced with eviction they go out to do something I’ve always wanted to do… they go search for buried treasure.
With an old pirate map in hand, one older brother, two girls with no idea what they’ve gotten into, and a pack of criminals on their tail, the Goonies head into the depths of their hometown Astoria, for one last mission, to try and stay together.
Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, and Corey Feldmen would go on to have big careers in film, but it all began for them with this gem. It was the first film for Astin and Brolin, while Feldmen had a few other roles. They never looked back (well Feldmen probably did…HA).
THE LIST:
1. The Characters
Great characters all around. Some of the people in this movie really let you get to know them. We learn a lot about the Goonies in a short amount of time. We really get to hear important information about them in almost every line, as they talk about the reality of losing their homes to foreclosure.
Very quickly we are able to feel for them, and be brought into the relationships they have with each other.
There is pretty decent acting from these kids. The drama is dramatic, the action is action packed, and the comedy is, well…
Everybody feels for Chunk but wants to help make fun of him. Everybody thinks Mouth is hilarious, everybody hates Brandt, and everybody thinks Mikie is just like them.
The Goonies honestly just stays with you. I can remember emulating a small, small number of people as a child. I mean like running around in the back yard pretending.
Let’s see if I can get them all:
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
WWF Wrestling
Zorro
and The Goonies!
These guys were a part of my childhood. I watch that movie now, and I feel like those are my old friends. Is that sad?
2. The Quotes
I mean really. Are the quotes non-stop or are they non-stop? So now. A mini list. My ten favorite. No order.
- Shame shame. I know your name.
- Hey, if you hit the wrong note, we’ll all “B flat!”
- Okay, Brandt. Michael Jackson didn’t come over to my house to use the bathroom. But his sister did.
- The marijuana goes in the top drawer. The cocaine and speed go in the second drawer. And the heroin goes in the bottom drawer. Always separate the drugs.
- I’m gonna hit you so hard that when you wake up your clothes will be out of style!
- It was a retropactum!
- Hi mom. Hi dad. I guess we’re in big shit now right?
- Do you remember the time we were going to get your teeth fixed and we spent all of the money on Francis’ toupee?
- You know your voice is kind of nice when your mouth isn’t screwing it up.
- This is my wish, and I’m taking it back. I’m taking them all back.
3. The Legacy
The Goonies has a kind of staying power that is undeniable. I have a copy of it in my Young Adult film collection at the library, and it’s constantly checked out. People love this movie, and if you meet someone who’s never seen it… you lose your mind. How could they have missed this one?
(end of THE LIST)
Many of you reading this are friends of mine, and I know many of you have KIDS. This is a movie you can show them. They will like it, and you will like it. If you have never seen it, the time is now. If you have… it’s time to watch it again.
