Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

[GoldDustOrphan]

I sat through a press screening yesterday. While it was great to see Karen Allen back, the movie is missing any "wow" moments. Media was invited to bring family to the noon-time screening, so the theater was mostly non-press and the general reaction was: well-made, but nothing out-standing. Cate Blanchett's wig and ridiculous accent got the most chuckles.

My favorite scene comes very early in the movie and it involves Indy and a refrigerator.

Tonight (Monday), there are promotional screenings all over the country, so get ready for an onslaught of advance reviews.

Right after Indiana Jones, I went to see Prince Caspian, which wasn't a good idea. I was I had been "fresher." Still, Prince Caspian was superior to Indiana Jones.

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

Taking the kids to see it next week

[mylittledemon]

I sat through a press screening yesterday. While it was great to see Karen Allen back, the movie is missing any "wow" moments. Media was invited to bring family to the noon-time screening, so the theater was mostly non-press and the general reaction was: well-made, but nothing out-standing. Cate Blanchett's wig and ridiculous accent got the most chuckles.

My favorite scene comes very early in the movie and it involves Indy and a refrigerator.

Tonight (Monday), there are promotional screenings all over the country, so get ready for an onslaught of advance reviews.

Right after Indiana Jones, I went to see Prince Caspian, which wasn't a good idea. I was I had been "fresher." Still, Prince Caspian was superior to Indiana Jones.

i am so sad right now.

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

i am so sad right now.

I never trust any critic's review other than my own (no offense meant to anyone). :)

It will be awesome...it's Indy and Indy is always awesome!! ;) I am kind of an huge fan though.

[DavidMn]

I never trust any critic's review other than my own (no offense meant to anyone). :)

It will be awesome...it's Indy and Indy is always awesome!! ;) I am kind of an huge fan though.WHat did you think of The Temple Of Doom? I head that one was real bad.

[GoldDustOrphan]

I think it's always best for everyone to decided for themselves. If one is compelled to see a film - see it, regardless of reviews.

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

WHat did you think of The Temple Of Doom? I head that one was real bad.

I don't think I have ever heard anyone refer to it as "real bad" (maybe just not around me :laugh:) ...just darker. I personally liked it...not my favorite of the original 3 but it had some great action and humor in it. Saying that, I love Indiana Jones...the character is my favorite movie hero so I'm probably a tad biased. :nod:

[wondergirl9847]

I'm not going to read this thread, since I haven't seen it yet, but I am going to see it this Wednesday in Los Angeles. I'm going to the Moonlight Convention this weekend, but leaving tomorrow to go do some tourist stuff. Going to Disneyland on Wednesday, seeing Indiana Jones, doing a Warner Brothers tour, etc.

CANNOT WAIT.

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

I'm not going to read this thread, since I haven't seen it yet, but I am going to see it this Wednesday in Los Angeles. I'm going to the Moonlight Convention this weekend, but leaving tomorrow to go do some tourist stuff. Going to Disneyland on Wednesday, seeing Indiana Jones, doing a Warner Brothers tour, etc.

CANNOT WAIT.

You will have a blast!! I love Disneyland...don't miss the Indiana Jones ride!! It's so fun! :nod:

[mylittledemon]

WHat did you think of The Temple Of Doom? I head that one was real bad.

yeah, it's not my fave either, but I still enjoy it. It's not a bad movie.

[Villavic]

I liked Raiders and Temple a lot. Last Crusade was not my fave, though I read better critics. So.. as you guys said, each one has its own opinion, preference, etc.

I already read some critics and they didn't like it, but it's not a surprise. I think it will be like the latests Star Wars episodes. If you compare it with the phenomenom of the first movies, you may be dissapointed. It's like expecting a Beatles reunion with new songs (of course if 4 were alive).. It would never be the same "magic".

Everything is different now, we, they, the movies.. etc.. I was 16 when I saw Raiders. Now I'm almost 42.. will I react the same way?? I don't think so. Will I like that movie the same way I liked Raiders, after watching Titanic, Matrix, Troy, , Lord of the rings, 5th Element, the Jurassic movies, etc.. ?? I don't think so.

I just hope I'll enjoy Crystal skull, trying not to compare it with my favorite Indiana old movies.

[Villavic]

. While it was great to see Karen Allen back, .

She looks almost the same as in 1981, as I saw the pic at the official website!!

[GoldDustOrphan]

Thankfully, Karen Allen has chosen to age gracefully and she still looks good. The fact that she was returning to the franchise was the element I was most looking forward to. She doesn't disappoint.

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

Thankfully, Karen Allen has chosen to age gracefully and she still looks good. The fact that she was returning to the franchise was the element I was most looking forward to. She doesn't disappoint.

That's great to know! I was very excited that she came aboard for this project. She was the best damsel not in distress (as Harrison Ford puts it) throughout the series.

[Miss Vicky]

I thought the movie was pretty good. Didn't quite have the magic of the original three, but was cheesy and fun. Pure entertainment.

As for the notion that Temple Of Doom was a "bad movie," I thinks that's crap. I always found it to be the most fun of the original trilogy and has always been my favorite (and Raiders Of The Lost Ark was always my least favorite). Yes, some of the elements of the film - like human sacrifice - are a bit dark, but I always felt that it was done with enough humor to keep it from being even remotely disturbing and definitely not dull.

But I suppose everyone is entitle to their opinion, even when they're wrong. :p

[DavidMn]

A critic for our local Paper here absolutely ripped it. Gave it 1 out of 4 stars! What a jerk!:mad: Sometimes I think these critics are nothing more than failures at whatever they're reviewing and have some axe to grind.

[mylittledemon]

I just saw it and enjoyed it. I wish they would have fleshed out the Marion/Indy thing a bit more. But I enjoyed the nods to the previous films. Probably the only downside are some fairly obvious "surprises" thruout...and the ending was, yes, kind of corny. I found myself laughing a lot, and smiling thru most of the movie. I'd give it a 3 out of 4.

[Phoenix]

That's great to know! I was very excited that she came aboard for this project. She was the best damsel not in distress (as Harrison Ford puts it) throughout the series.

AGREED. She was the best, and it is really cool getting to see her and indy together again. the way it should be. The movie is very entertaining. a good solid adventure movie. I have missed movies like this. where no matter what, you really are still rooting for the characters cause you love them. Critics wont think this movie is "Complex" (read: boring and/or hard to follow) or "Exotic" (read: foreign. )or "thought provoking" (read: disturbing) But who freekin cares, life is hard, and i deserve to be entertained for a little while.:laugh: and this totally does that. as long as your not COMPARING also. But i thought it was great. Good times.

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

LOVED IT!! :thumbsup:

Lots of laughs and lots of adventure...I'm happy.

[GoldDustOrphan]

I forgot to mention...I love that the movie poster is classic artwork. See story below.
And Harrison Ford and Karen Allen are on The View right now.
Karen Allen needs to be in more movies.
________________________

What do Indiana Jones, Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter and the Muppets have in common? A creator of iconic images.

By Tom Russo, Special to The Times
May 22, 2008
At its best, the art of movie poster illustration conveys a tangible sense of adventure. There are few sharper contemporary examples than the imagery crafted by veteran artist Drew Struzan for "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" back in the summer of 1989. Arresting, iconic likenesses of Harrison Ford and Sean Connery anchored a montage that also featured Indy on horseback, charging determinedly ahead, pistol pointed like he was about to blast out the fourth wall. Calculatedly random paint spatter represented sand kicked up by his wild ride, while just over his shoulder, pursuing Nazi forces trailed off into the textured swirl of a cruel desert sun. The poster alone was enough to make us wish it wasn't Indy's last crusade, as it very much seemed at the time.

With the release, finally, of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," Struzan's painting is again proving to be a key ingredient to a vintage recipe. His posters for the new movie are as much a throwback as is Ford's again donning that famous fedora, or George Lucas and Steven Spielberg getting their geek on for more Saturday matinee fare of yesteryear.

Long a favorite of Spielberg and Lucas, Struzan has employed his transporting brand of heightened realism to create memorable posters for a whole gallery of blockbusters and cult classics going back decades. A shortlist includes multiple "Star Wars" episodes, the "Back to the Future" trilogy, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the various Muppet movies, "Hook," Rambo's debut in "First Blood" and John Carpenter's "The Thing."

[Josh2003]

I loved loved loved it!

I was a bit disappointed with the prominent use of CGI, especially since I had read that Spielberg had said that he did NOT want to use CGI as much as possible, in order to keep the same "feel" as the originals. Smells to me like George Lucas once again couldn't keep his LucasArt boner under control (ruined the new Star Wars movies, in my opinion).

I also HATED the monkey scene. HATED!

Other than those two tiny complaints, I loved the movie. I loved the "B-movie" feeling (which I initially thought I would hate). I loved the "supernatural" plot. I loved the references to the previous movies.

I think I want to see it again.

[mylittledemon]

I loved loved loved it!

I was a bit disappointed with the prominent use of CGI, especially since I had read that Spielberg had said that he did NOT want to use CGI as much as possible, in order to keep the same "feel" as the originals. Smells to me like George Lucas once again couldn't keep his LucasArt boner under control (ruined the new Star Wars movies, in my opinion).

I also HATED the monkey scene. HATED!

Other than those two tiny complaints, I loved the movie. I loved the "B-movie" feeling (which I initially thought I would hate). I loved the "supernatural" plot. I loved the references to the previous movies.

I think I want to see it again.


Yeah the monkey scene was ridiculous. There was also no reason for "Mac" to even be in the movie. I guess they wrote him in when Sean Connery bowed out or something. I also thought the "history" of what happened between indy and marion was rushed.

[Phoenix]

I loved loved loved it!

I was a bit disappointed with the prominent use of CGI, especially since I had read that Spielberg had said that he did NOT want to use CGI as much as possible, in order to keep the same "feel" as the originals. Smells to me like George Lucas once again couldn't keep his LucasArt boner under control (ruined the new Star Wars movies, in my opinion).

I also HATED the monkey scene. HATED!

Other than those two tiny complaints, I loved the movie. I loved the "B-movie" feeling (which I initially thought I would hate). I loved the "supernatural" plot. I loved the references to the previous movies.

I think I want to see it again.

Me too! In fact, i think ill go today.:lol: :thumbsup:

[David]

A critic for our local Paper here absolutely ripped it. Gave it 1 out of 4 stars! What a jerk!:mad: Sometimes I think these critics are nothing more than failures at whatever they're reviewing and have some axe to grind.You haven't been reading the great critics, Dave. :thumbsup:

[David]

I was a bit disappointed with the prominent use of CGIThat means I'll avoid it. I can't stand all that stuff.

[Steviefan49]

LOVED IT!! :thumbsup:

Lots of laughs and lots of adventure...I'm happy.

Me too! I was really pleasantly suprised!! :thumbsup:

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

The monkey scene wasn't my favorite at all but it didn't kill the movie for me or anything.

I'm going to see it again!! :woohoo:

Love me some harrison ford...:nod:

[Steviefan49]

The monkey scene wasn't my favorite at all but it didn't kill the movie for me or anything.

I'm going to see it again!! :woohoo:

Love me some harrison ford...:nod:

Yeah... I wasn't too fond of that monkey scene either, but yep.. Harrison ROCKS! I thought he was still as good in this one, as he was in the others! :thumbsup:

[mylittledemon]

Ok, well I've seen it twice now. I enjoyed it, again. The only thing they should've cut out was the STUPID MONKEY SCENE. I hope when the DVD is released that will get deleted. What were they thinking? "huh huh...this will be cool...huh huh..." Didn't one single person have the guts to man up to Lucas or Spielberg and say "Umm...that's awful, let's leave that out."..?

That being said...people still need some Indy! I read in the news it raked in over 300 million bucks in worldwide gross.

[wondergirl9847]

Okee. Saw it at the midnight showing. I was half dead from lack of sleep so kept closing my eyes, the popcorn at the theater made me ill, and we had to sit in the damn second row due to so many people being there, but I enjoyed it. Didn't care for some of the scenes...like the monkey scene (WTH?!) and Cate Blanchett (didn't even know it was her until the credits) reminded me of Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle with her stupid accent. :rolleyes: Also, the supernatural thing...come on Lucas, get a grip! We don't need Indy meets Star Wars. Sesly dude.

I need to watch it again because I LOVE Shia. When he was on the motorcycle...yeah. YUM. LOL I'm officially, a cougar, everyone. :laugh:

[JWS]

I wore an Indiana University T-shirt and Jones hat at Fiesta Hermosa on Memorial Day. Surprisingly, there was a guy wearing a red INDIANA T.

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

Okee. Saw it at the midnight showing. I was half dead from lack of sleep so kept closing my eyes, the popcorn at the theater made me ill, and we had to sit in the damn second row due to so many people being there, but I enjoyed it. Didn't care for some of the scenes...like the monkey scene (WTH?!) and Cate Blanchett (didn't even know it was her until the credits) reminded me of Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle with her stupid accent. :rolleyes: Also, the supernatural thing...come on Lucas, get a grip! We don't need Indy meets Star Wars. Sesly dude.

I need to watch it again because I LOVE Shia. When he was on the motorcycle...yeah. YUM. LOL I'm officially, a cougar, everyone. :laugh:

All the Indiana Jones films have been about supernatural things though...;)

[mylittledemon]

All the Indiana Jones films have been about supernatural things though...;)

Yeah a couple of my buddies were complaining about it...I was like, OK...HELLO...the ark of the covenant burns all the Nazis up in the first movie...and in the 2nd one they fall from an airplane on a life raft and manage not to get hurt! Come on! They are all cheesy! That's what makes them fun.

[#1LiddyBuckFan]

Yeah a couple of my buddies were complaining about it...I was like, OK...HELLO...the ark of the covenant burns all the Nazis up in the first movie...and in the 2nd one they fall from an airplane on a life raft and manage not to get hurt! Come on! They are all cheesy! That's what makes them fun.

Exactly, the Ark, the Shankara Stones, the Holy Grail...all supernatural and "out there" ideas. That's the point. People forget what Indy is all about I think...it's just a fun adventure!! :thumbsup:

[ontheEdgeof17]

I hated it. :cool:

It was the worst acting I have ever seen. Shia needs to hide under a rock and stay there.

[David]

Exactly, the Ark, the Shankara Stones, the Holy Grail...all supernatural and "out there" ideas. That's the point. People forget what Indy is all about I think...it's just a fun adventure!! :thumbsup:I get chills just thinking about the Ark of the Covenant in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

The scene in question always reminds me of the extraordinary part in Exodus:

And unto Moses He said: 'Come up unto the LORD, thou, & Aaron, Nadab, & Abihu, & seventy of the elders of Israel; & worship ye afar off; & Moses alone shall come near unto the LORD; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him.' [Exodus 24:1-2]

But what happens? The uncanny -- the awesome -- happens:

Then went up Moses, & Aaron, Nadab, & Abihu, & seventy of the elders of Israel; & they saw the God of Israel; & there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, & the like of the very heaven for clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand; & they beheld God, & did eat & drink. [Exodus 24:9-11]

Earlier in Exodus, threats are made & boundaries drawn:

And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, & many of them perish. And let the priests also, that come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.' And Moses said unto the LORD: 'The people cannot come up to mount Sinai; for thou didst charge us, saying: Set bounds about the mount, & sanctify it.' And the LORD said unto him: 'Go, get thee down, & thou shalt come up, thou, & Aaron with thee; but let not the priests & the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest He break forth upon them.' [Exodus 19:21-25]

[Phoenix]

I hated it. :cool:

It was the worst acting I have ever seen. Shia needs to hide under a rock and stay there.

OMG!! Where Have YOU been!:wavey:

[totallycait]

Personally, I loved it. I enjoyed it way more than Last Crusade, and maybe more than Temple Of Doom. (I can't be objective about Temple Of Doom, it's a movie I'm very sentimental about.)

There's no way it could've touched the first one, and I didn't expect it to. I think Raiders is almost perfect and it's one of my favorite movies, ever. The bad reviews seemto be from people who wanted to be wowed like that one again. Not gonna happen, kids.

I wasnt crazy about the monkeys but I hated the rolling gong in TOD more.

[ontheEdgeof17]

OMG!! Where Have YOU been!:wavey:

I was kidnapped by 13 crystal aliens, but I'm back. :D

[Lee]

I saw this movie on my 15th wedding anniversary (last Wednesday) because my husband knew that I really wanted to see it. I liked it though I thought the ending was weird & sometimes the plot was hard to follow. I didn't think it got interesting until Karen Allen made her appearance. (I really like her.) I hate ants, so the "ants" part got me. :laugh:

Lee :)