Definitely and outstanding film, and why I included it. It has this very interesting quality to me. Although I'm a die hard Goonies fan, there is something very coming of age in ND for sure! Thank you for reading and commenting.
It’s interesting, because there is a reference to the internet in Napoleon Dynamite, and yet it seems very 80s. My take is that it takes place in the 90s in a laid back town that is slightly behind the times, which is cool, in my opinion.
I'm trying to remember if they say "internet," or "online." If they say "online," then it could totally be 80s, on a BBS or something. But even the word internet starts gaining currency by the late 80s, per Google ngram viewer.
That being said, it was The Goonies for me and it took less than 5 seconds to decide. I saw it when I was 10, almost 11, and it hit me at the perfect time in my life. A time when I still really believed that an amazing adventure like that could actually happen to kids. Plus, I live on the NorCal coast about an hour from the Oregon border, so Astoria just reminded me of home.
Yes, white bread was our everything growing up, too. When we didn’t have anything to put on our sandwiches we just added mayo and had mayonnaise sandwiches. White on white.
(Lol. I keep editing and adding to this.)
I’ve been reading comics on my iPad for a while now and, while it isn’t the same as actually holding the book in my hands, I still enjoy it. I’ve been able to find issues I had as a kid and catch up on comics I wanted to read but missed.
Thinking about reading comics reminded me of something that happened to me a long time ago.
It was Friday, July 14th, 2017 and I was sitting in the waiting room of a local cardiology office. My wife, Kelly, was in getting a cardiac stress test (she’d been very sick for a long time and the local docs were grasping at straws) and I had lots of time on my hands.
An unformed story idea had been bouncing around in my head for a while, and, bored, I started thinking about how to make it work. The more I thought about it, the more the ideas flowed in and the more excited I got. I opened the Notes app on my phone and started writing feverishly. As I wrote it down, I realized that it wasn’t a book idea- it had to be a graphic novel. I could see exactly how the characters should look too!
By the time Kelly came out, I had written introductory scenes for all of the main characters and was buzzing with creative energy. I tried telling her all about it but she was understandably exhausted, so we went home and ate dinner.
I don’t remember much about the next day (Saturday). The only thing that is stuck in my head, is that I let the cats out in the backyard (they’re indoor cats) and took pictures of them exploring everything. I still have the pictures and look at them sometimes.
The next day, July 16th, 2017, Kelly passed away at the age of 40. We’d been married for 22 years.
That put everything in my life on hold for a while. Honestly, I’m still trying to recover. It put the graphic novel idea so far on the back-burner that I don’t even remember when I next thought of it.
Lately, I’ve been mulling it over and plot points are starting to percolate to the surface. I bought a few “how to” sell/create graphic novel books from Amazon and have it in my head that it will happen.
Someday.
So, that leaves me with most of a graphic novel’s worth of a story on my phone and in my head. Now all I need is an amazing artist to collaborate with, someone to believe in me and bankroll it, and the motivation/energy/time/desire to work on it again. Shouldn’t be too hard…😂😫🤔😳
The Goonies is the purest choice for sure. It's definitely one of the greatest. My favorite childhood film (I also believed adventures like that could happen in real life).
I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting back into reading comics and graphic novels recently (even if they are digital). I have around 20 long boxes and a dozen short boxes, but I've read most of those books and I don't have the energy to go digging to find the ones I haven't yet, lol I've also gotten into watching dudes talk about comic books on youtube! lol
I'm sorry to read about your wife, Gary. I can't even imagine the pain of her lose. It sounds to me that the graphic novel idea might be something great for you to pursue. It's definitely an endeavor. I wrote a comic some time ago that I was going to pitch to Dark Horse. I hired an artist that painted the first two issues. Ultimately, I didn't wish to continue as the artist was constantly met with delays and it was driving me crazy. I wish I could illustrate my own work! That said, there are amazing artists all over social media looking to collaborate. It might be worth connecting with someone there once you've got most of the project worked out. I say pursue it and make it happen if it brings you joy!!
I think The Goonies can still be considered a coming-of-age film because, beneath the pirate maps and booby traps, it's really about a group of kids confronting the edge of childhood. Unlike introspective teen films like The Breakfast Club or Stand By Me, The Goonies externalizes its growing pains, giving them treasure hunts and a cause to save their neighborhood instead of heart-to-hearts maybe. And by the end, each kid has faced fears, challenged authority, and discovered something about themselves. It’s less about soul-searching and more about action-driven growth, but the result is the same I believe. They’re not quite the same kids they were when they left home. At least that's why I included it in here :)
I agree, there are so many aspects to that film that make it enjoyable. My Sons were born in 2004 & 2008, but they say it later and enjoyed it. Also I was doing a fair amount of guitar teaching during the time ND came out, and many my younger students really connected with it. It brought that 80s sentiment to the 2000s generation. Got to love the ex football star Uncle. 😂
I’m Breakfast Club age, but I have to go with Napoleon Dynamite. Such an outstanding film. The unreality of it allows it to get closer to the truth.
Definitely and outstanding film, and why I included it. It has this very interesting quality to me. Although I'm a die hard Goonies fan, there is something very coming of age in ND for sure! Thank you for reading and commenting.
It also has a timeless quality. None of it is obviously not set in the 80s.
It’s interesting, because there is a reference to the internet in Napoleon Dynamite, and yet it seems very 80s. My take is that it takes place in the 90s in a laid back town that is slightly behind the times, which is cool, in my opinion.
Totally agree, and well said!
I'm trying to remember if they say "internet," or "online." If they say "online," then it could totally be 80s, on a BBS or something. But even the word internet starts gaining currency by the late 80s, per Google ngram viewer.
Oh okay interesting, thanks. It would be a little dramatic to say I’ve been losing sleep over that one, lol, but I kinda wondered.
Thank you
"The Breakfast Club" hands down, no contest.
Certainly a great coming of age movie. Absolutely love this flick!
If you put The Sandlot on just about any list, I'm picking it.
Certainly a great choice, one of my favorite films of all time!
Same here. I watch it just before MLB Opening Day every year. A tradition I now share with my own sons.
Why do you hate us?? :)
🤣🤣🤣 I don't hate you guys, I promise, but you have to admit these are fun. The results sometimes surprise me and the comments are fantastic!
Agreed!
"...Totally?"
"Totally."
You’re killing me with that poll, John.
That being said, it was The Goonies for me and it took less than 5 seconds to decide. I saw it when I was 10, almost 11, and it hit me at the perfect time in my life. A time when I still really believed that an amazing adventure like that could actually happen to kids. Plus, I live on the NorCal coast about an hour from the Oregon border, so Astoria just reminded me of home.
Yes, white bread was our everything growing up, too. When we didn’t have anything to put on our sandwiches we just added mayo and had mayonnaise sandwiches. White on white.
(Lol. I keep editing and adding to this.)
I’ve been reading comics on my iPad for a while now and, while it isn’t the same as actually holding the book in my hands, I still enjoy it. I’ve been able to find issues I had as a kid and catch up on comics I wanted to read but missed.
Thinking about reading comics reminded me of something that happened to me a long time ago.
It was Friday, July 14th, 2017 and I was sitting in the waiting room of a local cardiology office. My wife, Kelly, was in getting a cardiac stress test (she’d been very sick for a long time and the local docs were grasping at straws) and I had lots of time on my hands.
An unformed story idea had been bouncing around in my head for a while, and, bored, I started thinking about how to make it work. The more I thought about it, the more the ideas flowed in and the more excited I got. I opened the Notes app on my phone and started writing feverishly. As I wrote it down, I realized that it wasn’t a book idea- it had to be a graphic novel. I could see exactly how the characters should look too!
By the time Kelly came out, I had written introductory scenes for all of the main characters and was buzzing with creative energy. I tried telling her all about it but she was understandably exhausted, so we went home and ate dinner.
I don’t remember much about the next day (Saturday). The only thing that is stuck in my head, is that I let the cats out in the backyard (they’re indoor cats) and took pictures of them exploring everything. I still have the pictures and look at them sometimes.
The next day, July 16th, 2017, Kelly passed away at the age of 40. We’d been married for 22 years.
That put everything in my life on hold for a while. Honestly, I’m still trying to recover. It put the graphic novel idea so far on the back-burner that I don’t even remember when I next thought of it.
Lately, I’ve been mulling it over and plot points are starting to percolate to the surface. I bought a few “how to” sell/create graphic novel books from Amazon and have it in my head that it will happen.
Someday.
So, that leaves me with most of a graphic novel’s worth of a story on my phone and in my head. Now all I need is an amazing artist to collaborate with, someone to believe in me and bankroll it, and the motivation/energy/time/desire to work on it again. Shouldn’t be too hard…😂😫🤔😳
The Goonies is the purest choice for sure. It's definitely one of the greatest. My favorite childhood film (I also believed adventures like that could happen in real life).
I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting back into reading comics and graphic novels recently (even if they are digital). I have around 20 long boxes and a dozen short boxes, but I've read most of those books and I don't have the energy to go digging to find the ones I haven't yet, lol I've also gotten into watching dudes talk about comic books on youtube! lol
I'm sorry to read about your wife, Gary. I can't even imagine the pain of her lose. It sounds to me that the graphic novel idea might be something great for you to pursue. It's definitely an endeavor. I wrote a comic some time ago that I was going to pitch to Dark Horse. I hired an artist that painted the first two issues. Ultimately, I didn't wish to continue as the artist was constantly met with delays and it was driving me crazy. I wish I could illustrate my own work! That said, there are amazing artists all over social media looking to collaborate. It might be worth connecting with someone there once you've got most of the project worked out. I say pursue it and make it happen if it brings you joy!!
All but the Goonies
😲🥺
I think The Goonies can still be considered a coming-of-age film because, beneath the pirate maps and booby traps, it's really about a group of kids confronting the edge of childhood. Unlike introspective teen films like The Breakfast Club or Stand By Me, The Goonies externalizes its growing pains, giving them treasure hunts and a cause to save their neighborhood instead of heart-to-hearts maybe. And by the end, each kid has faced fears, challenged authority, and discovered something about themselves. It’s less about soul-searching and more about action-driven growth, but the result is the same I believe. They’re not quite the same kids they were when they left home. At least that's why I included it in here :)
Breakfast Club, although Napoleon Dynamite is a close second for me.
Amazing films... and ND has this great quality to it. I think it's highly underappreciated!
I agree, there are so many aspects to that film that make it enjoyable. My Sons were born in 2004 & 2008, but they say it later and enjoyed it. Also I was doing a fair amount of guitar teaching during the time ND came out, and many my younger students really connected with it. It brought that 80s sentiment to the 2000s generation. Got to love the ex football star Uncle. 😂
My oldest was born in 2008 and loves the film. Uncle Rico's still got it! 🏈😆
It's a runaway. But really, did you expect otherwise? :)
The Sandlot!!