Goonies Never Say Die.

The Goonies, Amblin Entertainment & Warner Brothers Pictures, 1985

I've been having terrific luck at the gym on weekends. With TV-equipped treadmills, I tend to watch all sorts of gems I might never even know was on. I remember seeing The Goonies for the first time when I was in 6th grade. It was a sort of group date deal that involved all the boys sitting a few rows behind us at Curt's Theatre and throwing popcorn at the girls. All VERY exciting. My love of the movie wasn't limited to that experience and soon The Goonies became an iconic film for 80s kids like me. When I think of The Goonies I think of... slick shoes, the truffle shuffle, a mini statue of David, Baby Ruth, Hey, you guys! Each of these things represents a key moment in the film.

Everyone loves an underdog and this film was about a whole group of them--kids who call themselves the Goonies. The main characters, Mikey and Brandon Walsh, are brothers whose family is preparing to move because developers want to build a golf course in the place of their neighborhood -- unless enough money is raised to stop it.

When Mikey stumbles upon a treasure map of the famed "One-Eyed" Willy's hidden fortune, Mikey, Brandon, and their friends, Chunk, Mouth, Andy, Stef and Data set out on a quest to find the treasure in hopes of saving their neighborhood.

Following the directions on the map leads the kids to an old house used by the Fratelli gang where they keep "Sloth," the disfigured Fratelli brother chained in the basement.

Narrowly escaping capture by the Fratellis, the kids find an underground passage and the search is on for the treasure and a way to save their homes.

At one point the kids have a chance to be rescued by rich kid, Troy, whose father is behind the golf course project. Frightened and tired, they are ready to give up until Mikey rouses the gang with an inspiring speech.

"Don't you realize? The next time you see sky, it'll be over another town. The next time you take a test, it'll be in some other school. Our parents, they want the best of stuff for us. But right now, they got to do what's right for them. Because it's their time. Their time! Up there! Down here, it's our time. It's our time down here. That's all over the second we ride up Troy's bucket. "

What follows is a series of booby traps, clues, water slides, and even an instance of "walking the plank." Of course, it all works out in the end.