HEY YOU GUUUYS: "Goonies" Celebrates 29 Years

Take Richard Donner, add one part Steven Spielberg, and another part Chris Columbus and together you have created a timeless and well-crafted tale that brings excitement and adventure far past its 1985 theatrical release. 

"The Goonies," one of the most beloved films of the 80's, debuted on June 7^th, 1985 alongside big name Brat Pack films as well as the first installment of "Back To The Future," if you're wondering what a timeline of events looks like. The performance of young Hollywood loveables combined with witty jokes and Truffle Shuffles made this film a true contender among its '85 competitors and deservingly so.

"Goonies" captured everything one could want in a coming-of-age adventure film- there is motive to save or protect what matters most (the goondocks), a band of misfit locals whose imaginations tend to stretch the truth, the occasional offside or misconstrued romance, and a race against time to offset the trail from the Fratelli's (insert unrelated Chelsea Dagger reference here). You are transported from a creepy attic to a secret hideout which takes you on a cavernous journey only to internally discover what true heroes due in the face of danger: They Never Say Die.

It is a story of bravery and blind faith, to believe so strongly in your fight to save something so dear that you'd risk life, death, jewels, and Baby Ruth candy bars to see that you can succeed. If not for the courage of asthmatic and wide-eyed Mikey Walsh, how could anyone have believed our Goonies could defeat the loser jock? Dodge the preserved and sensitive booby-traps? Accept the help of a disfigured giant? But really, how?

Although there is talk of a Goonies sequel, it would seem like there is no better time for it to happen than now. Some may argue that a sequel is unnecessary, a potential flop. Others privy to the idea. Perhaps, as standards may be rather high, if the entire cast returned and Spielberg was involved, it could make for an entertaining time. For several of the cast members, "Goonies" probably jump-started a lot of their careers, namely those of Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, and Martha Plimpton, whose work in film and television continue to thrive. A sequel would undoubtedly make for some exciting 30th anniversary news, but for now, let us take the time to remember what the Goonies have done for us after 29 years.

I Give It '2 Horns Up'

Forget what you know of Disney's 1959 "Sleeping Beauty." "Maleficent" is every bit as enchanting and magical as its predecessor with a strong overarching alternative to true love and its modern, glamourous makeover of the title character - cheekbones sold separately.

The iconic lineup of classic princesses all revolve around happy endings and hunky arm candy with minimal knowledge of how our antagonists came to be. What seems to be most captivating about this film is the focus of true love and a changed heart from someone whose love was once horrifically betrayed. From an apathetic sorceress to a gentle and courageous fairy, Maleficent learns to embody the value of humility in all of its finest forms, a trait seldom found in any Disney villain.

Maleficent, played by Angelina Jolie, makes her Disney debut in this cinematic masterpiece that, in my opinion, places well among other live-action greats such as 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Enchanted.' The ageless and hauntingly stunning Jolie made this role not only one that showcases her ability to constantly emote fear and beauty simultaneously, but she takes the archetype of villain and puts an otherworldly twist on it.

This incarnation of the classic fairytale digs deeper into the past of its characters and sheds new light on the tale we know so well. I wouldn't be surprised to see several mini versions of Maleficent in a sea of Elsa's and Anna's this Halloween. 

It's An Honor Just To Be Nominated

After reading countless articles and reviews of last night's Oscar ceremonies, I sadly say that I agree with too much of what's already been said, beginning with the overarching theme of the evening being just "Good." It was a standard "Good." For more reasons than not, I'll need to elaborate on this as the post goes on.

Now I was nowhere as up to speed with seeing the Best Picture nominees this time around as I have been in years past. But I saw Frozen! And that was pure joy. I did, however, invest time in the Globes and the SAG Awards to get somewhat of an idea of what the Oscars would bring, and I wasn't far off with my predictions at all. 

Ok, Gina, who are you to give your two cents about the Oscars if you didn't even see these films?

An excellent point, snarky know-it-alls. Sure, I didn't see these films. But I can read good, real real good. And I do an exceptional job with keeping myself up to speed with film culture as well as what the HFPA (Hollywood Foreign Press Association) and the Academy look for when nominating films. I would HATE to have that job, though. How could I possibly narrow my decision down to 1 person, 1 film, 1 director, etc.? I'd be the one who suggests everyone gets a participation ribbon because I'd feel bad that you might've gone home with nothing. 

The timeline of the evening (unaware that it would actually run for 3.5 hours...*cough GRAMMYS cough*) began with the iconic red carpet showcasing; the epitome of Hollywood glam.

Best Dressed:

Women

Sandra Bullock

Charlize Theron

Kerry Washington

Jessica Biel

Men

Bradley Cooper

Jason Sudeikis

Matthew McConaughey

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Granted there were many others who looked absolutely stunning, these folks stood out to me the most. Even Lady Gaga toned it down, and that's saying something.

As the ceremony portion took off, I had high hopes for what would be a cakewalk for someone like Ellen Degeneres. Unfortunately, most of the delivery was missed. Whoever wrote her lukewarm jokes with slow comedic timing did a 'good' enough job, and in hindsight, she should've written her own material. All in all it was really just so-so. A lot of improvisation on her end, especially the pizza bit leading into the infamous selfie that broke Twitter for a some amount of time. 

I will say though, that Ellen made the best of what she had to work with. The Glinda costume switch, hilarious. Jokingly calling the voters racist if 12 Years A Slave didn't win anything, uncomfortably funny. I can foresee her hosting again, maybe after Billy Crystal has another swing at it, and maaaaaaybe handing the opportunity over to Team Fey-Poehler? Yes? Ok?

And the Oscar Goes To:

It was clear the favored Lupita Nyong'o and Jared Leto would take home both Supporting Role Oscars.  'Gravity' earned everything it possibly could've for technical work, which is fair because...um..well..it takes.. place in outer space. Ha..ha...h. 

Nothing about the flow of the rest of the evening made it seem spectacular or whimsy, just 'good.' Other than those presumed wins, I didn't have a clue as to how the rest of it would pan out. Best Picture was still up in the air as well as Director and Actress. And although there were so many other categories in-between, it was clear that no movie was going to sweep every major award. This was Matthew McConaughey's first Oscar win (and he's been in the game about as long as Leo...awkward) and from all the hear-tell of his performance in 'Dallas Buyers Club,' you can guess that I'll probably be renting it in the Redbox future. Other winners like Cate Blanchet (who I don't particularly care for but LOVED in Blue Jasmine) and Alfonso Cuaron ended up received awards for Best Actress and Best Director. 

Most of the films nominated this year rushed to be in the nominating pool. It seemed like a majority of them were all released in late November through December just to make the voting cut. Logistics aside, I'm sure anyone who has ever attended the ceremony with purpose has genuinely said at one point that it's simply,

"An Honor Just To Be Nominated."

Even though actually receiving an award is considered the highest honor, you still earn a place in history just for being nominated, like being chosen to represent your country at the Olympics. YOU, made an impact somewhere in your craft and many people noticed it and want to recognize you for it. YOU, worked very hard for X amount of months, maybe years, on a production that may have kept you away from family and friends. YOU, did your homework by taking the time to research your character, or the time period, or understanding the technology it would take to better that film. 

The point of any awards show is not a matter of who won what, but who was chosen to have their name on the ballet. And that merit alone, is worth it.

Recap of Grammy Night 2014

I spend about half the time explaining cultural references to my parents before and during every award show that airs throughout the first 6 weeks of the new year; the Grammy's are no exception. Mom gets most of them, or claims she's heard most of the songs that are nominated. Dad simply jabs at ugly outfits and boys that need hair cuts (he is definitely NOT a fan of the Macklemore, that was made very clear).

For those of you who have bravely decided at one point or another to follow me on Twitter, you'll notice that I have a knack for live-tweeting televised events including award shows or SNL episodes and the occasional sports game. It's a public service, really. I live for Award Season. I pay extra close attention to who wins, who wears what, who showed up with who, and I make sure you all know too. If you could care less about the SAG awards or if Drake hosted SNL, that's honestly okay. Just accept that I'm going to flood your newsfeed with what I find necessary and informative and we'll all have a good time.

Here are some of my personal thoughts and highlights from last night's show:

I have to give HUGE props to Daft Punk- not only for co-writing one of the catchiest songs of the year but also for expanding such an extreme image. I mean, think about it. Imagine the conference meeting they had with their producer when first deciding they wanted to make an album:

"Uh, well, we'll wear helmets, like ALL the time. And have matching gloves, obviously. But the biggest thing is, we'll never have to talk...ehh?"

What a fascinating concept. You literally never need to worry about responding to anyone, like paparazzi or Ryan Seacrest, and they HAVE to accept that. Last night was probably the most we've ever seen of Daft Punk since their music video for "Harder Better Faster Stronger," and I hope we continue to see more of them in the daylight.

Now, robots aside, I'm always intrigued as to how the nominating committee discusses their choices and categories. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but a "Pop Duo or Group" should be 2 separate categories, and giving other artists a chance to win in their respective catagories. Don't start being stingy with your Grammy's now, committee, you should've thought about that when you tried to put Macklemore in the Pop section, another foolish error you dodged. Yeah, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were allllmost declared Pop before a higher-up committee voted that out. Because apparently- these committees are made up of people who have never actually listened to the music that's being nominated. Jeeez.

It goes without saying that Beyonce is going to have a very successful Grammy night a year from now, but how can she top herself after she released a secret album and sultry opening Grammy number? Maybe she'll clone herself? That hasn't been done before, right? Don't be taking my ideas now, Madonna, you sooo could've done so instead of choosing to mack with Britney on live television. And look at her now, she too, is a robot. 

My biggest surprises of the night were on 2 separate occasions when neither Justin or Taylor took home any award that was televised, or in Tay's case, anything at all. Even though Justin wasn't there in person he still earned the well-deserved Grammy for his collab on Holy Grail. It was later noted that he earned a Grammy for his Suit and Tie video as well as Best R&B song for Pusher Love Girl. Now Taylor, who's stage performance last night was worth a trip to the chiropractor's, didn't earn herself a single Grammy. Although she's high up there with the most nominations of all time, Lorde and Daft Punk shoed her away with Royals and Random Access Memories. I personally am not a fan of T-Swizzy, but she had a pretty solid year of hits, much like Macklemore- one radio hit after another. 

People We Didn't Miss Seeing At The 2014 Grammy's:

Miley

Justin

Kanye

Gaga

For an awards show that took 3+ hours long, I'm confused as to why more awards weren't given out during that allotted time. Sure, the live performances were really strong and once-in-a-lifetime deals, but how many Grammy's were given out in those 3 hours? Like, 10? Is 13 too generous? 

In the long run I'm quite thankful for the reunion of McCartney and Starr, who haven't aged in the past 10 years, and Stevie Wonder, for bridging a generation-crossing performance with Nile Rodgers, Pharell, and Daft Punk. 

Do I really need to talk about Pharell's hat choice? 

Poor thing. That man has zero friends.

A real friend would've said "Yo P- stop. That hat is whack and it's disproportionate to the rest of the world. Here, wear this." *hands him nothing

Before the 1-4

 I can confidently look back at 2013 and declare it a phenomenal year, just a real stellar time. It's amazing to think of all the things you've accomplished or seen or experienced in 365 days- blows your mind sometimes. The past year brought endless amounts of joy and laughter and worries and what if's and I hope that proves true for 2014. 

"Let us not forget what the year did for us, but what we can do for the years to come"

                                                   -(possibly) Abe Lincoln

Top Highlights of 2013- in no particular order

College Graduation. My 8 month internship with Northlight Theatre. Wedding Season '13. Concert Season '13. Living in Chicago. Paul Rudd and Jimmy Fallon as SNL Hosts. Being hired on as an admissions counselor at TCC. Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup. Feeling 22. Catching Fire. Maternal grandparent's 65th Anniversary. The Breaking Bad Series Finale. Paternal grandfather's 90th Birthday. The 20/20 Experience.

Excited for what's to come in 2014

Flying cars

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Tina and Amy hosting the Golden Globes

Justin Bieber's retirement

Sochi Winter Olympics

Grandma Doris' 90th Birthday Rager

My 5000th tweet

March Madness

The ban of ALL cell phone usage while driving in Illinois

Late Night with Seth Meyers

NHL Playoffs

Mockingjay Pt. I

The return of disco

Lollapalooza

What I hope will disappear upon the new year

NOW That's What I Call ___cd's.

The hashtag "smh" 

Facebook bitstrips

Driver seat selfies 

The phrase 'Let's get weird'

Folks that yipe about Obamacare

Avicii

Bad grammar from 20-somthings

Unreasonable gas prices

Anything that rhymes with Biley Fryus

(Note how I'm not really wishing for a lot here, I'm sure a fair amount of you are nodding 'yes' to a few of these anyway).

And so, here's to another year gone, and to wherever the new year takes you next. Maybe it's to a different job, or starting a family, a new hairdo, or finally attempting that one hobby you don't think is lame but your friends have assured you is definitely lame. May time be on your side and you make time for others. Make an effort to send out good vibes in all you do.

Two Thousand Thirteen

It was fun while it lasted.

Mom we're out of milk.

                       -Gina, age 23 



Recap of Wedding Season 2013

It has been one month to the date since the last wedding I attended.

This seemed like decent timing.

I've never really been the kind of girl who has dream after dream about what her wedding will be like, my brain can't think that far ahead. But getting to experience such a day with friends who have worked so hard to make their weddings perfect and unique is dreamlike enough. Within 7 months I had the privilege to see 6 amazing couples from all over the country pledge themselves before God and each other through unending love and commitment. All of these wonderful people and I became friends at some point in college and have made some kind of positive impact in my life. It's probably best to break down the year and introduce you to the newlyweds, eh?

Karley and Sam Staal
May 25th, 2013

I became friends with Karley during sophomore year. We had a good handful of mutual friends and  we would all hang out from time to time. By junior year, my close friends and her close friends would always gather for fun get-togethers or movie nights or Super Bowl parties; you name it, Karley probably planned it. This is also how I got to meet Sam and his group of friends as well. Together Karley and Sam bring energetic conversations and stories that always make you smile or laugh, and are always worth requoting.

The wedding day was nothing short of awesome. The ceremony was full of familiar faces from school and both families were large and well-attended. The reception was a hoppin' time full of food, candy, photoboothing, and every blue candy imaginable! Constant dancing (even choreographed routines by her side of the family) from what seemed like almost all the guests made the night one to remember. I left with mounds of blue candy and sore feet, but wouldn't have traded it for anything. It was most definitely a memorable way to start my summer.


Kayla and Dan Thayer
June 28th, 2013

Dan and Kayla are like 2 peas in a pod. I knew Dan all throughout school, and we were both heavily involved with theatre and campus leadership and had several classes together as Comm majors. I first met Kayla my sophomore year through FYF, Trinity's freshman orientation program. Kayla has such a fun energy about her and Dan matched it flawlessly. Getting to know them separately allowed me see just see just how compatible they were when they would be together.

Making the trip out to the beautiful state of Washington for their wedding was an adventure in itself. The farthest west I'd ever been prior to the wedding was Iowa..I think...gahh that's sad. I diiiid however get to see friends from the area that I hadn't seen in months and was able to spend time near the touristy parts of the bay scenes as well. When the wedding actually started I remember thinking how vibrant the front of the church looked with all its fun summer colors and flair.  The ambiance of the reception was no exception. Mountains. EVERYWHERE. From the view of the bay on the balcony to the stunning chandeliers above the dance floor, everything looked amazing, not to mention the newly married Kayla and Dan.


Kerianne and Jordan Malm
August 17th, 2013

Kerianne and I first became friends sophomore year when we spotted each other in Dick Cole's Psych 121 class as the only people each other knew. She later introduced me to her roommates (who later became my good friends) and we hung out all throughout the rest of college. She is now one of my closest friends and probably the only lab partner who could ever put up with me. I'm just so blessed to have her in my life. I first remember meeting Jordan when they started dating our senior year and thinking "Kerianne's gonna marry him. He talks a lot. This is great." It was clear that they brought out the best in each other, because it was smiles all around, especially when he proposed.

Picture the perfect summer day in mid-August: this sets the stage for the Malm wedding. The ceremony brought me to tears as I witnessed one of my closest friends walk down the aisle and recite her vows to her husband-to-be. As the other guests and I sent them away on a boat with the rest of their wedding party, we made our way across the lake to the reception hall and beautiful patio area on the lakefront. The reception itself was, for lack of a better word, fabulous. I drank 3 mojitos and my hair actually held its curl for once- all good things. From the wedding party speeches to the last call for alcohol, my friends and I were there to send off our newlywed friends on their honeymoon in style, with a spirit-finger tunnel. Every couple's dream, amiriight?


Jenna Rae and Jason Stoit
October 5th, 2013

I was partially intimidated by Jenna Rae when I met her. She was this petite, spunky girl who really held her own and certainly knew how to act and deliver characterization in a given moment, just because she could. Getting to work with her in several college theatre productions made our friendship fun and spontaneous, which rolled over nicely when we both acted together on Trinity's improv team in its early years. I got to know Jason through summer holiday parties and random hang-outs that Jenna would host. These two are so goofy. Jenna knows the right punch to every joke and Jason gives the best responses. Never fails. They're so great.

Although Mother Nature found it in her best interest to bring a little rain to the ceremony, it didn't stop us all from having a ragin' time. It's always neat to see a different friend group at a given wedding and I'm happy to have had the chance to catch up with people that I've fallen out of touch with in the past year. Aside from the guest list, this day breathed class: the dress, the church, the reception, et al. We danced, took 100 too many selfies, and danced some more. The happy couple, surrounded by family and loved ones partied with us all night until they kicked us out, but not before sending us away with to-go boxes of leftover desserts. Hashtag yum.


Jacquelyn and Kevin Drenth
October 19th, 2013

I met Jacquelyn freshman year during the annual black and white "jazz night" on campus. We talked about where we went to high school and shared our love for dance. This soon evolved into a shameless love for Kristen Wiig and Bud Light Lime and that will probably never change. Of our core group of friends, she is the one with a killer fashion sense. And though she be but tall, she is fierce. I didn't meet Kevin until Junior year-ish, just because sometimes that's how life is. But he and Jacquelyn are so fun to be around and I don't see that changing, ever.

The night of their wedding was out of this world. I literally thought MTV was going to walk in and start shooting 'My Super Sweet Wedding: Drenth Edition' at some point, or maybe there would be entrance elephants somewhere. I didn't know, but I wouldn't have doubted it at the time. Invite all of your friends and family to a gorgeous ceremony and a long night of dancing and drinks and midnight hour tater tots and you've concocted a successful party. Per always, it was so great to see friends from out of state and be reunited with them for the time being and to have all us girls together again was the proverbial cherry on top. Plus I caught the bouquet like a BOSS.

Nicole and Brian Clark
November 2nd, 2013

Nicole and I secretly should've been roommates freshman year instead of suite mates, we laugh about it now...but that's the truth. Nicole is a friend who is not afraid to speak her mind, which I totally admire. Always a bright and beautiful individual who is a natural leader. If I needed to watch Tangled for the 3rd time in a single day, she would encourage it. Tangled's a great film, y'know? Thrice is nice, or something. Brian and I had a handful of classes together and pretty much kept each other sane during Senior Seminar. Kid's got some great one-liners, that's for sure. Always gotta keep an ear out for the quiet ones.

This wedding was, much like most of our beloved Disney go-to flicks, an absolute fairy tale. In a dress hand-made by her grandmother, Nicole had never looked more stunning. Assisting in the hair and makeup department for her bridal party was a huge honor, and to be around Nicole and her girls was such a memorable time, even getting to chill exclusively with Brian and Nicole's wedding party behind-the-scenes was honor enough! After the lovely ceremony the guests of honor met up with us at a ZOO (Ya, a zoo, a. zoo.) for food, slideshows, toasts, photoshoots and corny wedding dance moves. That wedding was the perfect bookend to the now complete season.

So many weddings,

So slow to blog about it,

I need to sleep now.

                                                                         -Gina, haiku, age 22

The Little Graduate That Could

Since the dawn of time, man has developed routine as a means to work and live consistently without pauses or breaks in between. Man built muscle memory to strengthen such routine: when the sun rises, a new day starts. Food must be gathered, water restored. Animals tended to. Man of the modern age, as we know, has little to nothing in common with his predecessor. The sun rises, a new day starts. Smart-phones are thoroughly checked. Coffee prepared. Newspaper read. Then and only then can the day begin and work accomplished. 

I am and will probably forever be a creature of habit. Sure, I can adapt easily to most things, but usually retreat back to what I know. I know I prefer Pacific Cooler Capri Suns, but will drink whatever flavor is offered. I know I can tolerate the country music my friends listen to, although I wouldn't be caught dead listening to it out of my own free will. See? Adaptable. But for a while, I found myself stuck in a rut, and pondering the elite life rules of Club Adult. I know if it were up to me, I'd be an eternal student. Thus:

What would life after finishing 16 years of schooling do to my routine? 

Maybe I was bluffing about being well-adjusted, because school has always been severely important to me. Being involved mattered a great deal. Getting to know as many people as I could was a long term goal. The thought of having to seek out a big-girl job after college still seemed way too 'by the book,' but summer was ending, and student loans would soon start charging in quicker than I could say 'FAFSA.'
Fast forward to present day. I was fortunate enough to find a job after college, at my college, and in my major. Not that any of those factors mattered in the hunt, but I'm not complaining. I'm the newest addition to the Admissions family, and although I've only been on the job for 10 days, it feels like 11. I'm substituting 8am classes for 8 hour work days. Replacing mid-day naps with mid-day meetings. Growing up is the BEST! Well, almost. I could still use the naps. Tiger naps, specifically. Cat naps aren't worth it.