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The Goonies (1985)

DVD Cover (Warner Brother)
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Overall Rating 76%
Overall Rating
Ranked #642
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Connections: The Goonies

The peaceful community of the coastal Goon Docks in Oregon faces imminent foreclosure to make way for a new golf course. However, when a band of local childhood friends who call themselves the "Goonies", find unexpectedly the notorious pirate "One-Eyed" Willy's old treasure map riddled with hints and clues to his fabled loot, an opportunity to save their homes will emerge. Before long, a race against time and the criminal family of the Fratellis will begin; one that will lead the Goonies to an underground maze of dangerous booby traps, all designed by Willy himself to protect his fortune. Are the Goonies worthy of their reputation, moreover, is the treasure real? --IMDb
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Review by bluemeanie
Added: May 31, 2008
If you ask most people to name the director of "The Goonies", their response is likely going to be the incorrect answer -- "Steven Spielberg". In fact, Richard Donner was the director of "The Goonies", though you can just feel Spielberg's influence all over the picture. During my childhood, there were three films that I would consider to be highly influential and highly pivotal in my life affair with cinema. One would be "Stand By Me". Another would be "A Nightmare On Elm Street". The final film in the trilogy would absolutely be "The Goonies". This is a film I can watch today with the same wide-eyed wonder as I did twenty years ago. It's a film that appeals to kids because of the adventure elements, and to adults, thanks largely to this film being created during a time when kids were given credit for being able to handle more kinds of material than they are today.

At the beginning of the film, we learn that a parcel of land in the city of Astoria is about to be torn down and turned into a golf course. This is disastrous news to the families that live there, and their children, who are best friends and call themselves 'goonies'. Mikey (Sean Astin) is the leader of the group, inhaler and all; his big brother, Brand (Josh Brolin) is constantly watching out for his little brother and his friends. Chunk (Jeff Cohen) is the chubby friend who loves the Truffle Shuffle and can never stop eating Rocky Road. Mouth (Corey Feldman) is just what his name suggests, and also an expert Spanish translator. Data (Jonathan Ke Quan) is always inventing some sort of gadget and speaks very staggered English. In an attempt to save their houses, 'the Goonies' find a lost treasure map that leads to One Eyed Willie's treasure. They decide to go after the treasure and save their homes, but are pursued by three escaped convicts (Anne Ramsey, Joe Pantoliano, Robert Davi) all the way. Chunk meets up with a disfigured giant named Sloth (John Matuszak) who helps them along the way.

That summation of the film does not do it justice. "The Goonies" is about a lot of things. It's about friends coming together to help one another out. It's about the underdogs winning. It's about all the things that make childhood so imaginative and so exciting. Everyone I knew wanted to be a 'goonie' when I was a kid. Hell, I'm 28-years-old today and I still want to be a 'goonie'. What producer Steven Spielberg, writer Chris Columbus and director Richard Donner created was an original world somewhere within our own, where kids are just as capable and just as crafty as adults; where kids, in fact, have more creativity and imagination than adults. "The Goonies" is a world where you can do anything you can imagine and be anything you want to be.

This film also launched the careers of some very talented actors. Sean Astin would go on to a successful film career, including the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Josh Brolin would also have a successful film career, a career which skyrocketed in 2007 with roles in "No Country for Old Men" and "American Gangster". Corey Feldman would continue as a child actor and then fall onto hard times, but is now back in action. But, not one single performance makes this film so great. It's all of them. From Anne Ramsey's hard-assed Ma Fratelli to Martha Plimpton's bull dyke in training attitude -- all the performances entertain. If I had to single out a favorite character in the film, it would have to be Sloth. How many don't consider Sloth to be their favorite?

As Chad mentioned earlier -- some films don't need to be reviewed anymore, and this is one of them. I grew up on this film and love every second of it. And it still holds to this very day. It's a classic.

10/10.
Tristan #1: Tristan - added May 31, 2008 at 10:02pm
It's about time someone got to it. One of my favourite childhood movies. 10/10 is indeed in order
Nirrad #2: Nirrad - added May 31, 2008 at 10:43pm
While not one of my childhood favourites, it's still a great movie. God knows why I haven't picked it up yet. 8/10 for me.
Lucid Dreams #3: Lucid Dreams - added February 21, 2010 at 9:33pm
Loved this movie and still do. I wish they would make more movies like this. 10/10
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