Hey You Guys: 5 Movies Inspired By The Goonies

 

The 40th Anniversary of The Goonies is this week. This 80's classic had kid's of all ages and generations pondering if there is treasure somewhere they could search for. Yearning for some type of adventure, and an opportunity to shout this classic line. Even today's kid's who have been introduced to the film, love it for the cheesiness and the wild stuff the kid's get into in search of a treasure. Since the film is legendary and provided inspiration to generations, I'm bringing you 5 movies inspired by it somehow. Let's get to it.

5. Small Soldiers

Let me go on record and say, we were robbed of a Small Soldiers franchise. A cartoon, a comic book, a sequel or something. There was so much potential for the story of soldiers vs gorgans to be told more in depth. Now that that's out the way. This 1998 film on the surface doesn't seem like it has much in common with The Goonies. Directed by Joe Dante, who directed the Gremlins films, The 'Burbs, and The Explorers amongst other films. Set in a small middle America town, the film features a group of pre-teens saving the town and potentially the world, from the chaos of some destructive action figures. An adventure in itself that was made for 90's kids much like The Goonies was for 80's kids.

4. Finding 'OHanna

Finding 'OHana has The Goonies embedded in it's DNA. It's truly a love letter to the film, released in early 2021 on Netflix it's The Goonies for a new generation. Set in Hawaii, the film follows a brother and sister duo and two friends on a treasure hunt. After hearing a legendary tale of the island, and a trusty diary by their side they set out on a adventure. Sounds familiar? the film also has Ke Huy Quan who played Data in the '85 film with a supporting role. What's paying tribute more than that?

3. Gold Diggers: Secret Of Bear Mountain

This 1995 film starring Anna Chlumsky and Christina Ricci set out to prove girls can be adventurers too. Set in 1980, in a small town in Washington State the film follows a new resident in town played by Christina Ricci, who befriends the local "troubled" girl played by Anna Chlumsky. Both going through their own growing pains of being pre-teens and not fully being accepted by other's in town. They set out to visit Bear Mountain for gold, following the foot steps of a mythical female miner named Molly Morgan.

2. The Monster Squad

Small Soldiers the kid's saved the town from homicidal toys, 1987's The Monster Squad saves the town from classic horror monsters. Released two years after The Goonies, this film absolutely was riding the wave of kid's getting into an adventure. Here a group of pre-teens who essentially are a film club idolizing the classic Universal Monsters. Get's a chance to face off against them, when they cross over into our world. 

1. Holes

While technically the film is based on the novel, both the book and film tone has some Goonies seasoning peppered in. Released in 2003 and starring Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, and Jon Voight. The film follows a group of youth's assigned to a juvenile detention camp, who spend their days aimlessly digging holes. Until through a little bit of trouble, small bit of research on the camp's history , and a little bit of sleuth work. The youth's realize they are digging so deep to aid some particular folks in search of a treasure. Definitely Goonies for the Millennials in the early 2000's.

Read More

7 Best Halloween Movies Where Kids Saved The Day

 

An overlook film genre for spooky season are the family friendly movies, you know the one's when kid's save Halloween. During my routine Halloween movie viewings, I was watching Monster House and thought about other movies where kid's were the main protagonist who made Halloween safer for everyone else. With that, here are 6 of the best Halloween movies where kids saved the day.

7. Ernest Scared Stupid

Jim Varney's famous character Ernest P. Worrell was featured in television special and nine films, they barely had any plot and mainly used to highlight slapstick humor. My favorite Ernest movie is 1991's Ernest Scared Stupid, the film features a town overran by trolls released from a curse due to Ernest's negligence. When Ernest can't take on the trolls himself, he enlists the aid of neighborhood kids to help him in the battle.

6. Spirit Halloween

2022's Spirit Halloween: The Movie is an unfortunate victim of poor promotion by it's distributor. I remember hearing about the film, but absolutely do not remember one single commercial promoting the film. I also think audience members hearing the title weren't sure how to receive the film, but it is a underrated gem. It follows a group of friends who decide to intentionally get locked in a Spirit Halloween store overnight, and must battle haunted animatronics and merchandise in the store. Led by a corrupt real estate developer (Christopher Lloyd) who has been trapped in a curse for decades. 

5. The Curse Of Bridge Hollow

Another 2022 film, this time courtesy of Netflix The Curse Of Bridge Hollow starred Priah Ferguson of Stranger Things fame. Alongside Marlon Wayans and Kelly Rowland, with Rob Riggle , Nia Vardalos and other character actors rounding out the cast. The film follows Priah's character Sydney and her parents moving to the small town of Bridge Hollow which has an obsession with Halloween. Sydney basks in it, while her father Howard (Marlon Wayans) who is a scientist detests it. They soon must team up as a family to save the town when a old curse from Stingy Jack brings all the decorations to life.

4. Spaced Invaders

This 1990 film follows a quintet of Martians receiving a signal from a Halloween broadcast of War Of Worlds and mistake it for a real occurrence. They head to Earth to join in the "fun" but finding no invasion, try to find out what is going on. They are confused for kid's dressed in Halloween costumes and befriend a young girl named Kathy (Ariana Richards, Jurassic Park fame) and Brian. Soon they realize Earth is truly under distress by another alien race the Martians have been in battle with, the Emperor Drones from Arcturans. It's campy, it's 90's, and it's a fun ride. 

3. The Monster Squad

                                   

Clearly inspired by other 80's film's like The Goonies, Gremlins, and E.T.. This 1987 cult classic opened the door for later films where kid's save the day. It follow's a group of horror film loving kid's dubbed The Monster Squad, who must battle Universal Classic Monsters when Dracula awakes and set's out to take over the world (classic trope). The kid's must not let that happen before midnight when Dracula will pretty much be invincible. 

2. Goosebumps

2015's Goosebumps was based on the R.L. Stine children's books of the 90's. Character's from various Goosebumps books led by Slappy the dummy come to life and take over a small town with no intent of ever returning to the world their books. Jack Black stars as a fictional version of R.L. Stine who must work with his daughter and some neighborhood kid's to save the day. 

1. Halloweentown

This 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie is a childhood classic. It follows a group of siblings who learn their come from a lineage of witches and warlocks, and travel to a place where Halloween exists year round. And it's inhabitants are all variations of creatures associated with spooky season, skeletons, ghosts, trolls etc. They must save the town from a mysterious demon who is intent on destroying it and the other side, the "mortal" world. 

Read More