6.09.2008

our date with harrison ford

Last weekend Ashley and I went to see the latest Indiana Jones installment. Harrison Ford has aged well, perhaps attributable to a love interest 22 years his junior.

While he's not in Han Solo shape, he still moved about pretty well and one thing I liked about the film is that they kept the continuity of the feel of the film, primarily with the sound-effects. The classic indiana jones "punch" sounds was rife throughout the film.

I've heard that some people were displeased with the turn the plot took (aliens and such). To those people I say, "what were you expecting? Did you watch the previous films?"

Raiders of the Los Ark - had the ark of the covenant - supernatural powers and what not.
The Temple of Doom had man jamming his hand through another man's chest. Not only does that defy human anatomy (the man had no sternum?), it's completely crazy.
The Last Crusade had lazer beams shooting out of statues eyes and invisible bridges that could only be traversed by faith. Does any of that seem like its grounded in reality? C'mon.

All I can say about Shia LaBeouf is that he didn't distract from the film, and Cate Blanchett played a formidable, militant Ukrainian.

We saw the movie at our new favorite theater in LA - The Pacific Culver Stadium 12. It's just a short little jaunt from our house by bike... and there's convenient bike parking to boot.

Did you guys see the latest Indiana Jones? What did you think?

post script:
We really liked Iron Man. We have such distinguished taste in film, I know...

10 comments:

ToddS said...

I have to disagree with your review. Supernatural was the exception in the first three films, with the majority of the action occuring between the forces of good and evil (Nazis, Thugees, Nazis/traitors). This time it was a big time overdose of the bizarre, as opposed to a few climactic scenes. Why does George Lucas keep ruining my favorite childhood films?

Blythe said...

We all liked it. I especially liked that Marian was back, because neither of the other two could hold a candle to her.

Of course it was a little cheesy; they all are. Anyone who doesn't think so need to rewatch Temple of Doom. Take special note of how Willie's hair starts out vaguely 1930's looking, then quickly regresses to the 80's look of the time.

Also, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell everyone (because it's one of my favorite stories) that when David saw Temple of Doom has was really tiny - tiny enough to be sitting my lap. I dutifully held my hand over his eyes during the heart ripping out scene, so that he wouldn't be scarred for life. It appears to have worked.

Alex Thompson said...

Hey hey! That bridge could be traversed by people without faith, so long as they stepped out on the bridge = it was cleverly disguised stone. All they had to do was have faith in humanity that this faith thing was a bunch of nonsense designed to keep out faithless intruders.

Ryan said...

I totally agree with you David and my wife and I were saying the exact same thing having seen Temple of Doom the weekend before.

I also loved Iron Man...please tell me you stayed after the credits for the last scene. If not you missed out on a REALLY cool hint for the next Iron Man.

Matt and Jennae Porter said...

Haven't seen it yet, but my husband Matt has a major man crush on Shia LeBouf, so I'm sure we will love it as well!

Anonymous said...

I remember the spontaneity of being a newly married couple! One of these days we’ll make it back to the big screen to see a great movie before it comes out on DVD =) The boring side of me wants to reserve our babysitting favors for emergencies LOL

David said...

tk - i think you are vastly simplifying some of the major tenets of the previous three films. they all vastly expounded on what is physically possible in the earthly realm. lets be clear on that. the fourth simply had the technology and budget to go way beyond extraordinary. i didn't think it was that big of a thematic jump.

blythe - i vaguely remember that. thanks for protecting my innocence

alex - you are a faithless heathen and thus could never have made that journey. fail. faith - want! ;)

ryan - yes, we did stay after the film... because we were told to. however, i find that the hint for the next film was kind of all bark no bite. if you make me wait... make it really good, like dwight making out with angela good.

ya heard?

matt & janae - you guys will like it and shia does a great job

jeremiah & hillary. if you only knew how UN-spontaneous going to the movies is for us. it's as intricately planned as a guard exchange at the tomb of the unknown soldier. i leave nothing to chance. i'm not kidding.

MF said...

Finally, someone who understands. I've been having these fights with people since I saw the movie opening night.

Hooray for the things that you mentioned (Timeline details, common elements from past films, etc).

I can say, without feeling badly, that it was not my favorite Indy movie, but it was fun. I think it may be that people who were incredibly hyped to see this childhood favorite may have been too hyped (ala M.C. Hammer, who is a dancing maCHINE!)

Liz said...

I saw this movie on opening night, aka we're losers with nothing better going on.

But... we really liked this movie! Harrison surprised me, I thought he would look like he was trying too hard to look/act young, but he seemed to be in surprisingly good shape and I appreciated that he acknowledged in the film that he had gotten older, it wasn't going to be as easy as it used to be, etc.

The whole alien thing bothered me at first a little, too, but then Scott and I watched this show on the history channel on the real life crystal skulls, and it somehow made it all a lot more believeable to me.

All in all, a really great action movie. With all the classic Indiana-type lines in there.

That's my 2 cents, for what it's worth.

ashley said...

Liz--I totally agree with you. I was so nervous that Harrison Ford would look like he did in What Lies Beneath. I remember that being the first time it occurred to me that he was getting old. He looked like he had worked way to hard to look younger... lots of weight lifting, etc. I think he looked great in this movie-- older but more natural. I get sick of all the fake-young people I see in LA. It just looks weird.

It was a fun movie--glad we saw it on the big screen.