the movieGOOMBA

CLASSIC GOOMBA

In lieu of The Goonies sequel rumors, especially the latest one, The Goonies: An Animated Sequel (::shudders::), and because I haven't seen any new movies this past week, I thought a review of the 80's cult classic would be fun.

First released in 1985, The Goonies centers around 7 teenage misfit kids who find themselves in the middle of a treasure hunt that will save their family homes from building developers. Along the way they encounter the Fratellis, a family of thugs who hitch a ride on the coattails of the underage treasure hunters, a friendly giant, and pirate captain, One-Eyed Willie.

Shot in Portland, Oregon, The Goonies holds a certain kind of magic. It's like Halloween. On that night, the only thing that matters is the friends you're with, the adventure you share, and the bootie that you acquire. On that one night, kids rule the world, and adult rules do not apply. The Goonies has mystery and charm, and it manifests every kid's treasure hunt fantasy onto the silver screen without reminding us once that its only a movie . . . well maybe during the Chunk-Sloth scenes . . . and maybe during the parent-kid reunion scene . . . but other than that this movie is good to go. It's got the rough fun of Indiana Jones, but tame enough for kids.

This movie may seem hokey to those who don't embrace the 80's teen/family film culture, though it is arguably the best period in family and teen cinema. However, nothing can beat a great story, and its no surprise that Steven Spielberg, the master story-teller wrote and produced this film.

The Goonies never say die, so a sequel may be inevitable. Please God, just don't let it be animated. But no matter what happens, don't let whatever crap the sequel brings affect your judgment on the timeless tale of Mikey, Brand, Stef, Andy, Data, Mouth, and, of course, Chunk.