Monday, April 16, 2012

The Goonies, Airplane

In between a holiday (which we travelled for), a birthday, and the mounting (haha) obsession still going on, by me, over Game of Thrones, there hasn't been much time for film posting lately. Sorry about that. I haven't been to the theater in weeks, but I have been reliving my last experience of 21 Jump Street often, since I pretty much laugh every time I think of it (or every time I watch the trailer, which is often). Anyway, if you're really yearning for reviews, here are the meager two I wrote last month for Examiner:

The Hunger Games

21 Jump Street

So moving on, we've come to two especially meaningful films for me from my younger years, The Goonies being my first ever theater experience and Airplane being probably one of the most repetitive from high school. I am still entertained by Airplane, and notice new, different things each time I watch it (this time around it was the stroke books on the magazine rack in the airport having the label, "whacking material,").


The Goonies 1985, directed by Richard Donner.
Starring: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen.

"A group of kids embark on a wild adventure after finding a pirate treasure map." (IMDB)

I'm sorry to say this did not have exactly the same appeal for me as an adult, although I still think it's mostly cute, and I'll take my boy Josh Brolin at any age, any day of the week. I watched it with my kids, and wondered if they'd see through it the way I did (Data's ridiculous contraptions, Mikey's cheesy monologues, Andi's transparency, cringe-worthy sappiness, and incompetence as a piano player whose mother owns a Steinway? I kind of wanted to punch her in the face, like, a lot.) They didn't, of course, they loved it. Here's what they had to say:

Q (8): "It's about these seven kids going into a pirate ship to look for gold and other treasures. They wanted to be rich and show their fathers they could do things on their own. The struggle is the kids trying to get away from these bad guys and then this pirate, One-Eyed Willy, sets up an obstacle course because he wants them to have to work to get his gold. The best parts were when Chunk got stuck in the freezer with all the ice cream and when Andi had to play the piano.

M (6): "It's a movie about finding treasure; the kids were all worried that their house would get chopped down. The best parts were the wishing well and finding the treasure at the end."

B (4): "I liked the skeletons inside the pirate ship. And the big water slide."


Airplane, 1980. Directed by Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, David Zucker.
starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen

"An airplane crew takes ill. Surely the only person capable of landing the plane is an ex-pilot afraid to fly. But don't call him Shirley." (IMDB)

Some people might get exhausted by this kind of comedy where virtually everything is a gag, but not me. I think I was sold with, "Listen, Betty. Don't start up with your white zone-shit again . . . " but there are very few quotes or situations in this film that don't make me giggle.

The music. It's just outlandish and funny.

"What a pisser," Ted Striker, as he looks directly into the camera.

There is Only One River, and the entire display of antics by both mother and daughter passengers. Flight Attendant Randi, nailing each aisle-seated passenger's head with the guitar after she acquires it from the nun.

"Why is it doing that? The automatic pilot---it's deflating!" Also Dr. Rumack (Nielsen) performing what, a pelvic exam WITH SPECULUM as this is happening?

"How 'bout some coffee, Johnny?" "No thanks!"

The entire scene where the crazed dog nearly rips apart the messenger at Rex Kramer's place as he gets ready and his wife stands by, oblivious ("Shep! No!")

"It's an entirely different kind of flying, altogether!" "It's an entirely different kind of flying."

"It's a damn good thing he doesn't know how much I hate his guts!" "It's a damn good thing you don't know how much he hates your guts."

Captain Over's wife (who sleeps with a horse).

And so on. It's a lot of fun, and one I'll never tire of watching.









5 comments:

Donald said...

If I were to count down my top 25 or so favorite lists, The Goonies would be on there. It's brilliant, and it still holds up for me as an adult than it did when I first saw it in the theater all those years ago. Love it.

I also love Airplane. I even love Airplane 2.

Dave said...

I really want to show my four year old son The Goonies but I'm afraid he will be too scared. How did your youngest handle the more intense scenes?

By the way, GOONIES NEVER SAY DIE!!

Great post. These are lifetime favorites of mine.

Anna said...

they all kind of got weirded out by the Fratellis more than anything inside the cavern, and B (the 4 year old) was like a deer in headlights when Sloth first started yelling, but it all worked out it in the end.

I also love Airplane 2.

Jennifer Blattner said...

You know my thoughts on Airplane. LOVE! There is only on river! And the tube pops out... Buddy doesn't appreciate it nearly as much.
Hayden has actually watched most of Goonies and said he liked it.

Justin Garrett Blum said...

I'd like to watch The Goonies again someday. I haven't seen it in many, many years, but I loved it quite a lot as a kid. Maybe it's more of a boys' movie, though.

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