See The Goonies this weekend on the big screen

I’ve always wanted to be a Goonie ever since I saw The Goonies when I was a kid. Whenever I watched it I always felt part of the gang and I was right there with them as they went off in search of One-Eyed Willy’s treasure, hoping to get further than Chester Copperpot and take home the booty. It’s one of those movies that I watch now and can relive my childhood. And I’m not alone. There are plenty of fan sites on the internet, run by grown-ups like me who loved the movie and want to relive the Goonies’ adventures. You can find out all the background information about the movie and the characters, visit Astoria where the movie was filmed, and there was even a 25th anniversary celebration in Astoria last month.

If you’re like me and you haven’t left your childhood behind, Hoyts are showing The Goonies on the big screen this weekend. I’ve already got my tickets but if you want more information go to the Hoyts website. If you can’t get there, we also have The Goonies on DVD in the library.

Lyttelton Navals – Image of the week

The Lyttelton Naval Artillery. 1889.

Do you have photos of Christchurch? We love donations.

Also contact us if you have any further information on any of the images. Want to see more? You can browse our collection.

Te kupu o te rā: Kihu pāraoa

Each day during Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, we’ll be bringing you te kupu o te rā – the word of the day, complete with audio so you can hear the word said aloud and read in a sentence.

Today’s word is : Noodles – kihu pāraoa

The noodles are hot.

He wera ngā kihu pāraoa.

Te reo Māori resources

• Māori Language Week — Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori homepage
• Te Reo Māori — our page of Māori language resources
• Our beginner’s kete — basic phrases and the Māori alphabet
• Te reo Māori study books at your library

It should be a movie: Guardian of The Dead

Karen Healey is coming here for the Christchurch Writers Festival in September, and I can’t wait to hear her read.

I’ve recently finished her book Guardian of the dead. Set mostly in a moody, misty, musty winter Christchurch, it comes alive with recognisable places and believable characters  then effortlessly warps into a kind of magical realism, with lots of Māori mythology – patupaiarehe, taniwha, rituals and more.

Healey’s writing is slick and pacy, and has been honed to a fine finish.

I was also struck how all the elements for a classic movie are there – goodies, baddies, mystery, drama, intrigue and a big finale – so someone, quick, call Peter Jackson! Oh, and get your diary out for the festival – it’s not far away.

Given the opportunity, which of the books you’ve read recently would make a great film?