This week I wanted to revisit something a little lighter.

When I am not chasing a specific theme or piece of film history, I almost always find myself back in the ’80s or early ’90s. I was a child of the ’80s, so these movies are not just entertainment to me; there is a language I grew up speaking.

As I was perusing my shelf, going through possibilities, I noticed something that connected so many of my favorite family films from that decade. I looked at titles like The Explorers, Flight of the Navigator, and The Last Starfighter, and eventually I landed on SpaceCamp. What struck me was not just that these movies were about space, but how hopeful they were.

In the ’80s, we were still riding the momentum of the space race. In fact, SpaceCamp was filmed right before the Challenger exploded. We were not disillusioned yet. A whole generation of schoolchildren had not watched a space shuttle explode on its way to space yet. In my childhood, that tragedy was the first real moment of disenchantment.

In 1993, I climbed onto a bus with the other kids at camp in Merritt Island, and we drove to Playalinda Beach to watch Endeavour launch. The excitement was still there, but after Challenger, so was the fear that something could go wrong. When the shuttle cleared the tower and disappeared into the sky, you could feel the relief wash over the beach. Everyone was cheering. We were still willing to dream.

NASA represented the possibility. Space was not just somewhere to go; it was where the imagination lived. Advances in visual effects finally allowed filmmakers to put audiences among the stars in ways they could not before, and Hollywood embraced that optimism.

What really makes these films so special is who gets to have the adventure. In Flight of the Navigator, an ordinary boy returns from an impossible journey through space and time. In The Last Starfighter, a teenager finds out that the arcade game he has mastered is actually a recruitment tool for an interstellar war. In The Explorers, a group of kids builds a spaceship from scraps, powered more by curiosity than by engineering. Finally, in SpaceCamp, a group of kids accidentally gets launched into orbit and has to find their way home. The details are wildly different, but the feeling is the same.

These movies believed that young people were capable. They believed that curiosity mattered. They believed intelligence, teamwork, and courage could solve impossible problems. They were not cynical; they were not trying to deconstruct childhood, and instead, they celebrated it.

Looking back now, what I miss most is not the practical effects or the John Williams-inspired scores; it is the optimism.

The future felt exciting. Adults believed we could keep reaching further, and movies reflected that belief. They invited kids to dream bigger than their own neighborhoods, their schools, and even Earth itself. There is something beautiful about that kind of storytelling. Maybe that is why these films still feel like home to me.

Rediscovering SpaceCamp

I recently watched SpaceCamp as an adult for the first time in years. It is sad to say, but it has been sitting on my shelf for almost my whole life. There were so many wonderful, complex things I noticed this time around that I never caught before.

First off, consider the score. John Williams did the music for SpaceCamp. My mind was blown by that realization, but it makes complete sense because the music is beautifully executed.

This film also boasts a great cast reminiscent of Red Dawn, where everybody in the ensemble is already famous or about to become a star. We have Joaquin Phoenix back when he was going by Leaf, who would grow to be one of the most interesting actors of our generation. You also have Lea Thompson, Tate Donovan, Kelly Preston, Larry B Scott, and Tom Skerritt. What surprised me most, however, was the character of Andy. I had never put together that she was played by Kate Capshaw because I was so used to seeing her as a blonde.

The great thing about this movie is that these are five very smart kids in their own unique ways, and they are not expected to be anything other than what they are. They all have their strengths, and they play to their strengths. Because Andy is actually in the space program herself, she takes teaching these kids very seriously. She does not want to be there at first, but she never treats the campers like children. She treats them like future astronauts. She expects them to learn, to think, and to rise to the moment. That faith is contagious. By the time they are stranded in orbit, they believe in themselves because she believed in them first.

The moment Andy realizes that things are going sideways, she makes Kathryn get out of the pilot seat and tells NASA to light the other rocket or they are going to explode. This is a woman who has trained for this moment her whole life, and she is prepared.

This movie had the potential to become very campy very easily, but it avoided that trap. Despite a highly unrealistic plotline, the film took itself completely seriously, and it is much better for it.

The Final Verdict

• Does it still hold up? It does. There is a sense of wonder to it that is just great.
• Is it worth revisiting? For sure.
• What surprised me this time? It was not campy at all; it was a solid film. Sure, it feels dated, but that did not take anything away from the experience.
• What did adulthood help me notice? These kids handled the crisis because Andy had faith in them. She knew they were smart and highly capable.
• Would I recommend it to someone who did not grow up with it? Yes. This is a great family movie that parents can enjoy as well.
• Would today’s kids connect with it? My own kids enjoyed it. If you can get them to suspend their disbelief for a minute, they will get caught up in the adventure.

Did this movie make me want to look up?

I always want to look up. I have had a telescope since I was a kid, and I still find myself standing outside on clear nights wondering what is out there.

• Does it still hold up? It does, there is a wonder to it that is just great. 
• Is it worth revisiting? For sure. 
• What surprised me this time? It wasn’t campy, it was a solid film. Sure it was dated but that didn’t take anything from it. 
• What did adulthood help me notice? These kids handled things because Andy has faith in them, she knows they are smart and very capable. 
• Would I recommend it to someone who didn’t grow up with it? This is a great family movie, parents can enjoy as well. 

• Would today’s kids connect with it? Mine enjoyed it. I think if you could get them to suspend their disbelief for a minute they will get caught up in it 

Did this movie make me want to look up?

I always wanna look up. I’ve had a telescope since I was a kid, and I still find myself standing outside on clear nights wondering whats out there.