Does anyone remember the 1985 American Adventure comedy film “The Goonies”? Well here is a similar reference and it takes place in Hawaii or in otherwise what we like to call “paradise”.
Summer in rural Oahu takes an exciting turn for two Brooklyn-raised siblings when a journal pointing to long-lost treasure sets them on an epic adventure with new friends and leads them to reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage.
Directed by Jude Weng from a script by renowned comic book writer Christina Strain, the movie follows siblings Pili (Kea Peahu) and Ioane (Alex Aiono) who are visiting their grandfather in Oahu for the summer. They’re both struggling to adjust to life on the island when they suddenly learn that their grandfather is on the verge of losing the family home. Pili discovers an old journal that tells them the location of a legendary hidden treasure, and she and Ioane set out to find it and save their grandfather’s house. They’re joined by some other plucky kids, as is the way with these films, and have to outwit elaborate traps and possibly some angry ghosts on their way to claiming the loot.
It wears its clear Goonies influence on its sleeve, including a scene recreating the classic film’s iconic poster and actually having Ke Huy Quan in the cast. (Quan played Data, the Goonies’ excitable inventor.) Although the movie was inspired by the Goonies, Finding Ohana has its own unique identity, shining a light on the culture and heritage of Hawaii and unifying the people we call Ohana, no matter how far apart we live in the world.
Finding Ohana is set to air on January 29th on Netflix, so get your popcorn and your Ohana and be sure to check it out.
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