Indiana Jones - I believe this is worthy of its own thread.

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Just got back. I liked it, but definitely can see why some don't. Was I disappointed? .... hard to say. I don't think so. I don't think it's nearly as good as any of the 3 previous films, but I wasn't expecting it to be.

I did think it was fun, and CGI animals aside, the only thing that had me rolling my eyes was the refrigerator thing. That's the bit that I couldn't buy into. A throwaway bit for sure, and I liked the idea of the nuclear test site given where the movie opened and what year. But come on.

I agreed with a fellow movie-goer I walked behind while leaving: good idea to have the bit with Area 51 at the beginning. It lets the audience know in advance: hey, this is going to involve aliens. Don't say you weren't warned.

I met someone last night at a barbecue who thought it sucked, and hated the idea of Indiana Jones and aliens together in one film. It didn't bother me at all. Indiana Jones meets The X-Files - what's not to love?

The appeal of Shia LeBeauf (or whatever it is) is completely lost on me. And one of the previews was for an upcoming thriller he's starring in. Completely uninterested in him or the movie, I have to say.
 
For me it felt like it would be unAmerican not to like the film

so after viewing it on opening day in a phenomenal theater (80 foot screen) with over 1000 people, I told myself it was a C+


I went to movies again last night

and I watched the first 20 minutes again at a typical multi-plex theater
it did not even hold my interest

I watched Speed Racer and enjoyed that a heck of a lot more than this Indy mess
 
For me it felt like it would be unAmerican not to like the film

so after viewing it on opening day in a phenomenal theater (80 foot screen) with over 1000 people, I told myself it was a C+


I went to movies again last night

and I watched the first 20 minutes again at a typical multi-plex theater
it did not even hold my interest
Yeah, it was awful. I haven't been a fan of Indiana Jones since the last film came out and enjoyed the first one last time I saw it years ago, but this was painfully bad.

The action was awful -- very stylized and cutsey. I never had a sense the characters were in peril, except by the natives, and that was only for a short while. And the humor was so awful and self-conscious. Maybe I was a lot younger, but I remember being terrified of certain elements of previous Indiana Jones films, and whatever mystery they were uncovering felt more intricate and interesting and even plausible until the end when some paranormal stuff happens -- at least in the first and third films. The fighting was so poorly done, and the plot was formulaic in the extreme; just substitute Soviets for Nazis, except less threatening.

The drama was incredibly lame, too. I went into this, hearing about references to McCarthyism that supposedly resonated with our times, and all we got was a lame 2-minute scene that felt so cliche. Nothing even explored the folly of the Cold War or humanized the Soviets in any way at all. There was nothing of substance here.

It was more like Goonies than Indiana Jones, but even less believable than Goonies. Awful film!

They've been talking about making this film for 5 years. I remember there was disagreement on the story idea and who should write it. I can't remember who Spielberg wanted, but Lucas wanted the obvious, simplistic Frank Darrabont who did "Shawshank Redemption" and "the Green Mile" (which are fun if you're 13, but not dramatically subtle or realistic at all) and Harrison Ford wanted the playwrite Tom Stoppard. The guy they ended up with did a horrendous job.

This just proves what over-rated film makers Spielberg and Lucas are. Even when trying to inject some element of political commentary, they fail miserably because it's so unrelatable and silly. Maybe the Nazis weren't realistically done, either, but this was ridiculous. It just proves what heroes people like Ira Steven Behr and Ronald D. Moore are in writing smart, politically-insightful fiction and even pulling off the drama and action far better than these commercial, already-rich cowards! Hollywood has its priorities all wrong and so do these relatively free film makers!

Shameful!
 
I liked Temple of doom the best and Harrison Ford and his old man looks in any movie, I was hoping this one would be good of course but I haven't seen it yet and I liked the Goonies too.
 
I liked Temple of doom the best and Harrison Ford and his old man looks in any movie, I was hoping this one would be good of course but I haven't seen it yet and I liked the Goonies too.

You might like it, then. I can barely remember Temple of Doom. It was on a special access cable channel when I was 8, and I had trouble sleeping because I kept imagining eels crawling around my legs. It's amazing that scared me more than people having their hearts plucked out. I liked Goonies when I was 7 or 9, but it's not the kind of self-conscious Americana I'm into; you know, where the hero is the cool kid with the pretty girlfriend on one arm and skateboard in the other who can't stop causing mischief, but always does the right thing; in the '80s, he'd have a mullet or rat-tail. I hate that fake image.

Anyway, I hope I'm not too much of a downer. Enjoy! :)
 
It's not that Indy's supposed to be a pulp action hero based on '30s serials or anything, I think you can give the realism a break here.
 
Here's some socio-political commentary on the condition of the Nazis in the 1930s:

vraiders12.jpg


Ira Steven Who?
 
Just saw it yesterday. Can't say I didn't like it, but I can't say I loved it. Of course, that's exactly what I'd expected----couldn't go in with high hopes, and so I can't say it let me down. The issues I had were the same as those others had had---the CGI animals, a few lame dialogue spots, etc. I'd also add that Indy never seemed to really get dirty. Sure, he got beat up a few times, but he never looked as ragged as he has in other films. As an Indy jacket aficionado, I was suprised to see that it never got torn or rarely even dusty.

Honestly (and I know laz will come to his defense :wink: )--to me, the film was classic modern-day Lucas. Let me explain. I get the feeling that he's oversimplified the goals and ambitions he had when he first made Indy & SW. He consistently talks about how he's always wanted to make films like the B-movies he'd see on a Saturday afternoon as a small boy. This was perfectly achieved with the original SW trilogy and with the Indys. But at those times, he still had the ambition of a young filmmaker and combined that Saturday matinee feel with impressive, deep movies that achieved more entertainment-wise and had long-lasting cultural and filmmaking impact. Now, it's as if he's stuck only on the Saturday matinee for an 8-year-old boy concept. Hence the friendly monkeys, the Jar-Jar Binks, the Tarzan swinging and the two-car-splits. Obviously, he still has more potential--the hokiness of the latter SW prequels decreased as their complexity and depth increased. It's as if he's so overwhelmed by boyish excitement when first returning to a 20-year-old series that he takes a while to calm down and make a great film. Perhaps we'd see some really great Indy movies if they decided to make one or two more. :hmm:

Another example of his narrowness--the idea that a film set in the 50s had to be of the same genre as 50s movies. Like the person cori mentioned, I can't say I'm a massive fan of the combo of Indiana Jones and aliens. The earlier films were set in the 30s but didn't need to have an era-specific macguffin. Moreover, they kept some mystery about them---the macguffin may have had to do with God, but you never saw God materialize, look the bad guy in the eye, and then flutter off to heaven (the materialized alien and the saucer were a bit much for me...though the shot of Indy watching the saucer take off was pretty impressive). Knowing the macguffin months ago lessened the impact; I can't say how I would've felt if I didn't know ahead of time then saw Indiana Jones mix it up with E.T.

Also, I understand the desire to make Indiana Jones an American hero. But he already was--without requiring him to have served in the military during the war and to have "spied on the Reds." We know he hates Nazis (and, I suppose, Commies), but I can't really see him taking part in a war. I see him more as having some steadfast values, but also some wavering ones--and as much more non-commital and aloof much like he is with his relationships. I guess you can say that so many American men fought in WWII and that he probably couldn't escape it, but I just don't see it really fitting with the Indy character of the OT.

Like Lance, I, too, was surprised by the amount of CGI. What happened to the Spielberg quote about avoiding all of that in order to keep the gritty feel of the original series?? (Perhaps it went the same way as Ford's quote about being the only son in the series...). I totally agree that there were many uncessesary uses of CGI---aside from the silly animal and refrigerator bits, how about the New Mexico background of the opening scene? How much better and realistic would that have looked if they had actually had a real background when they pulled Indy out of the car? Did they really have to use CGI just to make the sky grey? To me, the opening scene's blue screen, combined with the crispness of Cate Blanchett's wig and the unruffled smoothness of the Commies' uniforms just added up to give too clean and synthetic of a feel right from the start.

As I said, though, it's not that I didn't enjoy the movie. One thing I particularly liked was how Indy showed signs of becoming so much like his father. The look of disdain as Marcus Brody's head fell off the statue; the reading advice to the student during the library motorcycle chase; the quicksand lecture; and the abrupt change in attitude toward Mutt once he found out he was his son---all very Henry Jones, Sr. and very funny to see.

I think the difference between KOTCS and Phantom Menace is that while both had the hokiness of a welcome-back Lucas film, at least KOTCS had the familiar feel of a character that we've long known, played by the same actor, in the same outfit, etc. And even though there were the obvious changes of time (couldn't they have at least had Karen Allen watch Raiders before she left her sweater shop?), there were plenty of parts that definitely felt like the Indiana Jones of old.

Funnily enough, I think I'll still always view Crusade as the official end of the series, with KOTCS as kind of a bonus. While it wasn't magnificent, I never expected it to be, and that's not necessarily even the point. It was great to see Indy on the big screen for the first time. It was great to get wrapped up in all the excitement leading up to the movie. And it's great to still be wrapped up in it and remain in Indiana Jones mode for the time being. :D
 
I once, long ago, saw a standup comic talk about reggae and how he was getting sick of every song having a reference to Jamaica in it. He thought some reggae act would do cover songs and still manage the feat: "You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain, your kind of love drives a man insane...you broke my will, oh what a thrill, good gracious....I love Jamaica". So, I picture Mopefeld one day discussing the Declaration of Independence, deriding Thomas Jefferson for letting the preamble be too concise while writing too wordy of an indictment....while, somehow, being not politically relevant, thus proving what heroes Behr and Moore are. So help me, if forced to bet on what was more likely, a Mopefeld post mentioning those two or the Sun rising in the East, I'd have to think about where to place my money.
 
Funnily enough, I think I'll still always view Crusade as the official end of the series, with KOTCS as kind of a bonus. While it wasn't magnificent, I never expected it to be, and that's not necessarily even the point. It was great to see Indy on the big screen for the first time. It was great to get wrapped up in all the excitement leading up to the movie. And it's great to still be wrapped up in it and remain in Indiana Jones mode for the time being. :D

Yes, it felt like a reunion with the character. I think they can let him retire now. Even with the dubious ending I don't think they should push their luck with increasingly ageing Ford, and definitely not use the junior as the lead.

On second thought, the movie picks up once Indy and the kid enter the jungle. "come on, genius" was my favourite line in the entire movie. Only Indy can get away with that refrigerator scene. (as for unrealistic, how about that huge drop out of a plane in a inflatable boat in Doom?)
 
Yeah, it was awful. I haven't been a fan of Indiana Jones since the last film came out and enjoyed the first one last time I saw it years ago, but this was painfully bad.

The action was awful -- very stylized and cutsey. I never had a sense the characters were in peril, except by the natives, and that was only for a short while. And the humor was so awful and self-conscious. Maybe I was a lot younger, but I remember being terrified of certain elements of previous Indiana Jones films, and whatever mystery they were uncovering felt more intricate and interesting and even plausible until the end when some paranormal stuff happens -- at least in the first and third films. The fighting was so poorly done, and the plot was formulaic in the extreme; just substitute Soviets for Nazis, except less threatening.

The drama was incredibly lame, too. I went into this, hearing about references to McCarthyism that supposedly resonated with our times, and all we got was a lame 2-minute scene that felt so cliche. Nothing even explored the folly of the Cold War or humanized the Soviets in any way at all. There was nothing of substance here.

It was more like Goonies than Indiana Jones, but even less believable than Goonies. Awful film!

They've been talking about making this film for 5 years. I remember there was disagreement on the story idea and who should write it. I can't remember who Spielberg wanted, but Lucas wanted the obvious, simplistic Frank Darrabont who did "Shawshank Redemption" and "the Green Mile" (which are fun if you're 13, but not dramatically subtle or realistic at all) and Harrison Ford wanted the playwrite Tom Stoppard. The guy they ended up with did a horrendous job.

This just proves what over-rated film makers Spielberg and Lucas are. Even when trying to inject some element of political commentary, they fail miserably because it's so unrelatable and silly. Maybe the Nazis weren't realistically done, either, but this was ridiculous. It just proves what heroes people like Ira Steven Behr and Ronald D. Moore are in writing smart, politically-insightful fiction and even pulling off the drama and action far better than these commercial, already-rich cowards! Hollywood has its priorities all wrong and so do these relatively free film makers!

Shameful!

This has to be a joke right?

I mean I cannot begin to imagine any sincerity behind a post that could only be viewed as a brilliant satire or continuation of a running joke, some light-hearted or well-thought self-deprecation perhaps.

Unfortunately, down in my heart of hearts I know this to be untrue, mere wishful thinking. Now I weep a moment for humanity.
 
This is an entirely serious question that I am about to pose to you guys, and it might not be the right thread for it, but fuck it:

Is Interference the greatest convergence of minds on the Internet?

When a forum like this features consistent postings by articulate and outspoken characters such as Corianderstem, Lazarus, No Spoken Words, LanceMc, Deep, etc....does that mean that we've stumbled upon the nexus of Internet thought and conversation???

It's a beautiful thing, really.

Is Interference the best message board on the Internet???
 
I feel proud to be lumped in with those other fine minds of Interference. But you're too kind. I'm articulate only on a good day. :wink:

Most days, it's all I can do to put together a somewhat-coherent, snark-filled post full of knee-jerk reactions and crankiness.
 
This is an entirely serious question that I am about to pose to you guys, and it might not be the right thread for it, but fuck it:

Is Interference the greatest convergence of minds on the Internet?

When a forum like this features consistent postings by articulate and outspoken characters such as Corianderstem, Lazarus, No Spoken Words, LanceMc, Deep, etc....does that mean that we've stumbled upon the nexus of Internet thought and conversation???

It's a beautiful thing, really.

Is Interference the best message board on the Internet???

I'm a complete fucking dolt, so, by virtue of my participation alone, interference is rendered a haven for morons.
 
This is an entirely serious question that I am about to pose to you guys, and it might not be the right thread for it, but fuck it:

Is Interference the greatest convergence of minds on the Internet?

When a forum like this features consistent postings by articulate and outspoken characters such as Corianderstem, Lazarus, No Spoken Words, LanceMc, Deep, etc....does that mean that we've stumbled upon the nexus of Internet thought and conversation???

It's a beautiful thing, really.

Is Interference the best message board on the Internet???

You forgot Screwtape.
 
While it wasn't magnificent, I never expected it to be, and that's not necessarily even the point. It was great to see Indy on the big screen for the first time. It was great to get wrapped up in all the excitement leading up to the movie. And it's great to still be wrapped up in it and remain in Indiana Jones mode for the time being. :D

I hear where you are coming from.

I was 25 when the first Raiders film hit the big screen.

Now, that was something special and fun.

It was a throw back to the Saturday Afternoon Cliffhangers, "The Perils of Pauline" from the 30s and 40s.

I think a lot of young people just wanted "one last chance" to kind of feel that magic.

As I said before, sitting in a theater on opening day, 7 pm showing, watching it on the largest screen, west of the Mississippi's (what even that means?) I did enjoy it, only ok.

But, two days later, when I watched the opening 20 minutes on a typical multiplex size screen with a 2/3 full theater. The perceived "magic" was nowhere to seen. The cgi, was amateurish, the writing was full of holes, and skips. The so-called copycats, The Mummys, Tomb Raiders, National Treasures, are all much better films.

I still think Spielberg is capable of making good films.
here is a recent list:

# Munich (2005)
# War of the Worlds (2005)
# The Terminal (2004)
# Catch Me If You Can (2002)
# Minority Report (2002)
# Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)


I did not see Tom Hanks in "The Terminal"
It was not very good the first time, when it was set on an Island.

But, the rest is a list of some good to excellent films.

Spielberg better do some good work soon. This film could have been done by Uwe Boll.
uwe_boll_170805.jpg
 
Uwe Boll should direct a script by Ron Moore and Ira Steven Behr. Now that'd be something.
 
You forgot Screwtape.

that is what the etc. was for

some people are just too cool, to list



anyways, GirlsAloudFan

thanks for a kind word,
I often get the other kind
and that's cool, too

I think this is a great board and almost everybody makes their own positive contributions

we come from different places
and more important, different times

it is not likely a 52 year old and a 15 year old would sit down at a Starbucks and have an honest and civil conversation, without someone alerting the authorities


this is a great venue for those types of exchanges
 
You guys sound like an old married couple. Oh, wait...


The false modesty on both sides is frankly nauseating.

Some of us have no problem displaying pride in our genius. :wink:

Who has better chemistry? Crarky and I, via the fucking internet whilst being divorced, or Indiana and Marion in Indy IV?

Laz, you really are Lance's Father.

And, Deep, well said about the positive benefit of this site.
 
Ha!

I wish Marion had been given more to do than first tell off Indy, and then be left to smile goofily after him like a lovesick bonehead.

But how refreshing to see an actress aging gracefully, looking good, and given a role in a giant blockbuster.
 
Yeah, after watching Raiders for the millionth time yesterday, it's amazing how much they wasted an Indy-Marion reunion.
 
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