The Goonies (A or 4/4 stars)
In the mood for some movie magic? I wholeheartedly suggest Steven Spielberg-like action/adventure flick, 'The Goonies' (directed by Richard Donner). Mikey & Brand Walsh (Sean Astin, Josh Brolin) are teenage brothers whose family is sadly preparing to move away because greedy property developers want to build a golf course in the place of their cozy suburban neighborhood (in the Pacific Northwest).
So, unless enough $$ is raised to stop the construction of said golf course, it's doubtful that the boys get to keep their home. But when Mikey stumbles upon a hidden treasure map of the famed "One-Eyed" Willy's fortune, Mikey, Brand, & their misfit friends "Chunk" (Jeff Cohen), "Mouth" (Corey Feldman), "Andy" (Kerri Green), "Stef" (Martha Plimpton), & "Data" (Jonathan Ke Quan) - calling themselves The Goonies – they set out on a quest to find the mysterious treasure in hopes of saving their neighborhood. The treasure winds up being in a spectacular underground cavern, but the entrance lies directly beneath the decrepit house of murderous thief Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey) & her outlaw sons Jake, Francis, & the hideously disfigured, but kind-hearted "Sloth" (John Matuszak).
Sloth ends up befriending the Goonies & decides to help them as they try to avoid booby traps, rickety bridges, & treacherous passageways en route to "one-Eyed" Willy's long-lost pirate ship full of gold. With the race/hunt for the treasure on ... mayhem, danger, and a hell of a lot of fun ensues.
I LOVE this movie. There are few movies where I can unabashedly just ... say that. Is it perfect? Well, no. But it's one of those films that can stand the test of criticism because it's got that 'movie magic' quality that I touched upon earlier. The treasure hunt demonstrates great crossover appeal (kids will eat it up, but parents should also have a ball). When considering 'The Goonies' - think Indiana Jones for a slightly younger demographic. That's the best way to describe it. Thanks to the playful direction & the lively writing (by Chris Columbus), the movie really moves at a crisp pace. There is spectacle (appealing locales, wow-worthy sets, elaborate traps, winding waterslides, bats, cobwebs, skeletons, pirates, ghost ships, gold, etc). And the musical score really lends to the already engaging story.
Sure, the female characters have little to do; but they are likeable. Yes, there are archetypal plot strands everywhere. But that's nitpicking. Like Indiana Jones (and films like 'Gremlins'), Richard Donner knew how to weave an involving motion picture for kids, and for kids-at-heart. I wanted to BE one of the Goonies. i.e., the dreamer of the group, Mikey (well-played by Sean Astin). I wanted to KNOW those kids. i.e., "Chunk" or "Stef" (I have a strange attraction to Martha Plimpton, haha). I wanted to embark on their adventure. I had a blast watching 'The Goonies'. And I could watch it all over again ... that's the power it has.
So, unless enough $$ is raised to stop the construction of said golf course, it's doubtful that the boys get to keep their home. But when Mikey stumbles upon a hidden treasure map of the famed "One-Eyed" Willy's fortune, Mikey, Brand, & their misfit friends "Chunk" (Jeff Cohen), "Mouth" (Corey Feldman), "Andy" (Kerri Green), "Stef" (Martha Plimpton), & "Data" (Jonathan Ke Quan) - calling themselves The Goonies – they set out on a quest to find the mysterious treasure in hopes of saving their neighborhood. The treasure winds up being in a spectacular underground cavern, but the entrance lies directly beneath the decrepit house of murderous thief Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey) & her outlaw sons Jake, Francis, & the hideously disfigured, but kind-hearted "Sloth" (John Matuszak).
Sloth ends up befriending the Goonies & decides to help them as they try to avoid booby traps, rickety bridges, & treacherous passageways en route to "one-Eyed" Willy's long-lost pirate ship full of gold. With the race/hunt for the treasure on ... mayhem, danger, and a hell of a lot of fun ensues.
I LOVE this movie. There are few movies where I can unabashedly just ... say that. Is it perfect? Well, no. But it's one of those films that can stand the test of criticism because it's got that 'movie magic' quality that I touched upon earlier. The treasure hunt demonstrates great crossover appeal (kids will eat it up, but parents should also have a ball). When considering 'The Goonies' - think Indiana Jones for a slightly younger demographic. That's the best way to describe it. Thanks to the playful direction & the lively writing (by Chris Columbus), the movie really moves at a crisp pace. There is spectacle (appealing locales, wow-worthy sets, elaborate traps, winding waterslides, bats, cobwebs, skeletons, pirates, ghost ships, gold, etc). And the musical score really lends to the already engaging story.
Sure, the female characters have little to do; but they are likeable. Yes, there are archetypal plot strands everywhere. But that's nitpicking. Like Indiana Jones (and films like 'Gremlins'), Richard Donner knew how to weave an involving motion picture for kids, and for kids-at-heart. I wanted to BE one of the Goonies. i.e., the dreamer of the group, Mikey (well-played by Sean Astin). I wanted to KNOW those kids. i.e., "Chunk" or "Stef" (I have a strange attraction to Martha Plimpton, haha). I wanted to embark on their adventure. I had a blast watching 'The Goonies'. And I could watch it all over again ... that's the power it has.