This is a very hands on Camp...

 

Space Camp (1986)

Directed by Harry Winer

Back in 1985 a group of producers got together and thought to themselves, "Goonies kicked ass what else can we do with kids?" Ladies and gentlemen we bring you Space Camp! I grew up in the 80's and I'll be honest...space was pretty cool back then. Being a astronaut was a pretty sweat gig. I knew everything about space and going to a camp all about space sounded like the bee's knees. So I guess in hind sight it was a good idea to base an entire movie around space camp. One small thing happened on the way to the Oscars...the Challenger exploded and let's just say that Space Camp became a nightmare to release. That and the movie is totally unbelievable... like Tate Donovan can ever be in anything good.

The plot of this masterpiece is a bunch of teenagers get shot off to space, by mistake and by a robot for that matter, and they have to get back using their wits. If I was one of these kids my wits would get us killed in about a second. Especially if I was stuck in space with Tate Donovan; the horror.

The group of fiesty teenagers are played by Tate Donovan as the cool hip kid that only goes to space camp so he can have a jeep. When my child gets older that's how she'll get her car, "sorry honey gotta pick a camp". We also have Lea Thompson as a brainy girl who thinks she has all the answers, pretty much that same character she has ever played. My personal favorite Lamar from Revenge of the Nerds, played by the guy that played Lamar from Revenge of the Nerds except not so gay. Kelly Preston, Mrs. John Travolta, plays the dim witted blonde who is actually smart. Joaquin Phoenix, before going bat shit crazy, plays Max the youngest of our Goonies...I mean space campers.

 

We have to have adults who are played by Mrs. Spielberg, Kate Capshaw and the always amazing Tom Skerritt. They play husband and wife astronauts; one of whom have been on the moon and the other is jealous; guess who is who. 

I almost forgot the greatest character in the movie; Jinx the Johnny 5 like robot who puts this whole adventure into motion. Jinx is best friends with Max and is considered a $27-million handyman. I thought NASA wasted money but holy shit talk about pissing your money away.

This movie is so cookie cutter it is amazing. The kids all have flaws that they all over come by the end of the greatest adventure of our time. The one flaw that is not over come is the fact that Tate Donovan is in the movie. You think NASA would just leave up there to die along with the rest of this stellar cast.

Space Camp is one of those movies that you can watch once and realize that Hollywood has a new remake they need to fast track.

So please walk don't run to watch SC again, that's what the cool kids call it, or watch it for the first time. You'll laugh you'll cry but mainly you'll cry because you're watching SC. Till next time...

5/10