Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be released on DVD this week and I'm curious whether, with a little distance, you're feeling warmer or colder to it, or totally the same. There was a lot of excitement when it was first released over the Summer, but now that some time has passed, do you feel differently? Are you thankful for this addition to the franchise or do you think Spielberg and gang should have left well enough alone?
Photo courtesy of Paramount
There's a lot to enjoy about this fourth installment of Indiana Jones. It's fun, silly, adventure-filled and completely entertaining in ways we don't always get from movies these days, with the greatest parts coming straight from the marvelous imagination of Steven Spielberg. Plus, it's a summertime blockbuster that doesn't totally rely on CGI which feels practically old-fashioned — and I mean that in the best way possible. The performances are strong and overall it's a sequel that doesn't embarrass itself or the whole franchise. It's refreshing and, honestly, it's a relief.
Sure, there are aspects I didn't like about it, but the experience of seeing this movie with a theater full of fans and happy moviegoers pretty much trumps any quibbles I have. The story finds our beloved Indy caught up with a group of Soviets (led by one fierce Irina Spalko, played by Cate Blanchett) trying to find the secrets behind ancient crystal skulls which are said to have been shaped by some kind of higher power (or other-worldly power). They need Indy's mad archaeologist skillz (and wide base of experience) to do this and one way of luring him in is via Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), who they've taken captive. Marion gets in touch with Indy through her son Mutt (Shia LaBeouf). That's the basic gist of things but I wanted to leave plenty for you to discover at the theater, so for more of just my thoughts, read more
When I headed back to the theaters this weekend to see Iron Man a second time, I noticed something about the oh, 30 minutes of previews that ran before the feature. There's an excellent, spine-tingly new trailer for The Dark Knight which, if I already weren't completely anxious to see that film, I certainly would be now. While it's heartbreaking to see Heath up there onscreen as The Joker, it's also totally mesmerizing. That movie is just going to be so good.
However. We also got a new full-length trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and I'm not trying to be a downer here, but I was shocked by how lackluster it was. There's no real tension and little excitement. Not even Cate Blanchett seems to be able to light up the screen with any passion. The signature music is fun, but that's about it. I'm not so precious about the previous Indiana Jones movies that I needed Spielberg, Lucas and Co. to "not screw this up." Mostly I just want it to be a good movie in general. The trailer has me a little worried.
Did you catch these two in the theaters this weekend? To watch them again and tell me what you think, read more
It's here! Superfans rejoice! The teaser trailer for the fourth Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has arrived. And it's . . . cute. I'll be interested to see a full-length trailer someday soon, as this is just a little taste. Still, we get to see old Indy back in action, we get to hear that familiar triumphant theme music, and we're sort of introduced to a young new hero, Mutt (Shia Labeouf). I can't wait to see more scenes with Cate Blanchett's character, too, as she is looking fierce.
Indiana Jones hits theaters May 22. To get your first look at the movie, read more
According to Slashfilm.com, the studio heads at Lucasfilm are deciding between the following titles for the next Indiana Jones movie. These films are legendary, and the title is a pretty big deal. Which one do you think is the best?
Comic-Con is now in full swing down in San Diego, and Team member Phasekitty is blogging from the scene — be sure to check out her great reports from the convention floor. She already told us about "Lost," and here are some highlights from the other panels:
A bunch more, including Neil Gaiman's appearance, so read more
Photo copyright 2007 ABC, Inc.
Thanks to Steven Spielberg, we have our very first look at Harrison Ford back in his Indiana Jones costume on set filming the 4th installment due out next summer. Let me just say, he looks a little older, a little wiser and has a few more buttons done on his shirt, but still pretty great in that trademark khaki. It's no secret that the world is excited to see Indy back in action, especially alongside plucky up-and-comer Shia LaBeouf, and this finally makes it real. So what do you think -- is a little bit of grey becoming on our beloved Indiana Jones?
To see a bigger version of 2007 Indiana just read more
After seeing Disturbia, I've become a Shia LaBeouf fan overnight. Apparently, I'm not the only one, because the young actor seems to be everywhere these days. Today, the AP reported that, after much conjecture, LeBeouf will indeed star in Indiana Jones 4. The fourth installment, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett, will start production in June with an eye on a May 2008 release date.
I'm interested to see LaBeouf, who has an incredibly comfortable screen presence, act alongside Blanchett, who is another very natural actor. The pair could rescue what at first sounded like a wholly unnecessary sequel.
LaBeouf, who is probably most famous for the Disney show "Even Stevens," also appears in the new Transformers movie, and he's also hosting "Saturday Night Live" this weekend. I'm glad I like this guy, because it seems like he's going to be hard to escape for a while.
