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  #73  
Old June 19th, 2008, 02:18 PM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I saw it this past weekend and loved it. Ridiculous? You bet. But it's all homage to the old serials, and you can't be more homage then the vine-swinging, crazy monkey part. Yep, some parts were very CG, but show me one Indy movie with perfect special effects. I liked it very much overall. I found the end (with Blanchet and the you-know-what) to be underwhelming and unnecessary, but a minor gripe to be sure. When it first started I kept thinking, "I don't know about this..." and by the end I was cheering.
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  #74  
Old June 19th, 2008, 03:35 PM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I found it hard to judge this film. Is it as good as 1 or 3, no. Is it a fun film to see without the history? Definitely!

having Indy slowing down and having him caught in the red scare were great. The protesters with the better dead than red were excellent.

Enjoy it for what it was a very good "B" movie. Not a great one like raiders, but still very good.

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  #75  
Old June 27th, 2008, 12:01 PM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

OK, here is my thoughts on the film:

Pros
  • Old Indie- Yes, I thought Harrison did an amazing job playing old Indiana Jones. Honestly, I think it had to be one of the best acting jobs Ford has ever done. Ever.
  • Russians & Miss Dull Eyes- They were fun. I wsh they had more screen time though. It seems that they were pushed out by some of the more unsavory elements of the film.
  • The first half of the film- I think the introduction scene here is the beats everything but the one in Raiders. In addition, I love the Princeton (that is Indy's college, right?) chase scene; it probably IS the best in the series.

CONS
  • CGI- I really think the CGI scenes ruined a lot of the film for me. It is not so much that I think they shouldn't use CGI, and more that I think they shouldn't use CGI if they could not have filmed the exact same scene with the technology they had back when they made the other three. The ants are probably the best example of this; they were so totally ridicolous that you NEEDED CGI to pull it off. And really, if something is that ridicoulous, it doesn't belong in the film.
  • Marion- Well, I realize this is an unpopular opinion these days, but I felt that Marion's presence didn't add, well anything, to the film. There was potential, but it just didn't stack up.
  • The second half of the film- There lots of little problems (Peruvian Ninjas and mini-Tarzans for example) but overall, I just didn't like the overall "theme" of the second half of the movie. It really did feel to much like a rip off of National Treasure 2.* I never really felt like any body was in real danger (much less the entire world) and the plot seemed to slide from fun to philosophical.("Their greatest treasure was knowledge.") Furthermoore, the ending was both overblown and underwhelming.

    *I have an intense hatred for this movie.

So, in sum, I say this: I liked the movie. It was fun to watch, and it will certaintly end up in my house once it comes out on DVD. With that said, it was easliy the worse than both Crusaders and Doom. I really can't see how those movies have been put behind this one.

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Up, lad: when the journey's over / There'll be time enough to sleep!"
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  #76  
Old June 27th, 2008, 01:22 PM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chimpy View Post
The ants are probably the best example of this; they were so totally ridicolous that you NEEDED CGI to pull it off. And really, if something is that ridicoulous, it doesn't belong in the film.
Have you seen the other movies? Indian's practicing voodoo? A floor that falls away if you step on the wrong space (though underside shots of the floor reveal that non of the tiles are supported by anything)? Planes with open cockpits that don't whip hats off when you fly?

I think ant swarms that are so powerful they eat you from the inside out (or take you home for leftovers) are great for Indiana Jones.
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  #77  
Old June 27th, 2008, 01:42 PM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Well, again, part of it was the CGI- they just looked grossly unrealistic. You can't say that for all of your other examples.

Besides, the voodoo and the floor also didn't bother me. After all, the Gods can do pretty much anything, right? As for the hat: well, I never thought about tha before now. But that kinda proves my point, doesn't it? If I can go through the entire movie and not think about that hat falling off, it really isn't at the same level of absurdity as the ants happen to be.

~Chimpy

"Clay lies still, but blood's a rover; / Breath's a ware that will not keep.
Up, lad: when the journey's over / There'll be time enough to sleep!"
~"Reveille", A.E. Housman

Last edited by Chimpy; June 27th, 2008 at 05:41 PM.
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  #78  
Old June 27th, 2008, 02:44 PM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I didn't like how Indy survived in the opening scene. Just too cheesy (tough to write this without spoiling it). It's too bad they wasted such a good opening scene with 1) the cheesy escape and 2) failing to take the storyline and advance it further. I really wish the cold war aspect had been played up more.

I actually wasn't that bothered with the ants being CGI. No other way to do it.

I also didn't overly care for the last half of the movie. I guess i just didn't get wrapped up in the story like I did in 1 & 3. I'd put it above 2, however (that one did nothing for me...)

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  #79  
Old June 27th, 2008, 09:15 PM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chimpy View Post
With that said, it was easliy the worse than both Crusaders and Doom. I really can't see how those movies have been put behind this one.
This makes me curious what you think is so great about Last Crusade. I've heard and read a lot of people put this one in third (or even fourth) place for the series, and personally I've never thought Last Crusade was better than ho-hum.

I was particularly bothered by the way the Holy Frickin' Grail could just as easily have been the Fountain of Youth or any other life-bringing supernatural artifact and the movie would have been exactly the same. If you're going to have the Holy Grail in a movie (other than a Monty Python movie), you'd darn well better do something to give it some meaning. That poor schmuck of a knight was there alone guarding the Grail for hundreds of years, and for what? So Indy and his dad and the Nazi chick could come along and drop it down a hole?

Anyway, I'd be more than happy to hear someone's perspective on what makes Last Crusade better than Crystal Skull.

Also, lol to everthing Fezzik said.
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  #80  
Old June 27th, 2008, 11:53 PM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Quote:
Originally Posted by jaques View Post

Anyway, I'd be more than happy to hear someone's perspective on what makes Last Crusade better than Crystal Skull.
It is funny that you ask that, as I just got done reading a review (well, actually a comment on a review) that did exactly that:

Quote:
I’m willing to accept that my hatred for Indy IV is not shared by all, but there’s no way in hell that it’s on par with Last Crusade. In the vast majority of categories, LC is far superior, even if it’s no Raiders.

Harrison Ford: sharp, mid-80’s Harrison vs. bored, Ally McBeal Harrison. (His acting in IV is appalling.)

Intro: River Phoenix vs. gophers and an Area 51 guarded by three people.

Sidekick: Sean Connery vs. Sam Witwicky (he’s not bad, but he ain’t Marlon Brando).

Villain: Nazis, Donovan, Elsa vs. Russian Girl (Blanchett simply has no idea how she’s supposed to play the role).

Supporting characters: Salah, Marcus Brody vs. Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent (great actors all, but they are **** poor in this movie).

Object: Holy Grail vs. X-filesian, plastic skull.

Fights: Tank chase vs. CGI monkeys.

Critters: Rats vs. CGI man-eating ants.

Love interest: Elsa “Zis is how ve say goodbye in Austria” Schneider vs. Marion “The Grin” Ravenwood.

Improbabilities: The German plane in the tunnel vs. the waterfalls.

Mysterious character: Grail knight vs. Gray.

Challenge: The 3 challenges vs. sweeping the floor of John Hurt’s cell.

Locations: Venice vs. green screen.

Music: Grail Theme vs. ?
Now obviously I don't agree with everything the commentator says- after all, I loved Ford's acting in Skull. However, I think he gets the gist of it rather well.

"Clay lies still, but blood's a rover; / Breath's a ware that will not keep.
Up, lad: when the journey's over / There'll be time enough to sleep!"
~"Reveille", A.E. Housman
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  #81  
Old June 28th, 2008, 12:20 AM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I saw a while back and I thought is was good. Not as good as the originals but still good. HOwever I had a few gripes. Without spaoling I'll say what I hated Refrigerator, vines, ant, end, and "the greatest treasure is knowledge." I don't mind CGI but it is only good in small doses such as LOTR.
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  #82  
Old June 28th, 2008, 10:12 PM
jaques jaques is offline
 
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chimpy View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaques View Post

Anyway, I'd be more than happy to hear someone's perspective on what makes Last Crusade better than Crystal Skull.
It is funny that you ask that, as I just got done reading a review (well, actually a comment on a review) that did exactly that:

Quote:
I’m willing to accept that my hatred for Indy IV is not shared by all, but there’s no way in hell that it’s on par with Last Crusade. In the vast majority of categories, LC is far superior, even if it’s no Raiders.

Harrison Ford: sharp, mid-80’s Harrison vs. bored, Ally McBeal Harrison. (His acting in IV is appalling.)

Intro: River Phoenix vs. gophers and an Area 51 guarded by three people.

Sidekick: Sean Connery vs. Sam Witwicky (he’s not bad, but he ain’t Marlon Brando).

Villain: Nazis, Donovan, Elsa vs. Russian Girl (Blanchett simply has no idea how she’s supposed to play the role).

Supporting characters: Salah, Marcus Brody vs. Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent (great actors all, but they are **** poor in this movie).

Object: Holy Grail vs. X-filesian, plastic skull.

Fights: Tank chase vs. CGI monkeys.

Critters: Rats vs. CGI man-eating ants.

Love interest: Elsa “Zis is how ve say goodbye in Austria” Schneider vs. Marion “The Grin” Ravenwood.

Improbabilities: The German plane in the tunnel vs. the waterfalls.

Mysterious character: Grail knight vs. Gray.

Challenge: The 3 challenges vs. sweeping the floor of John Hurt’s cell.

Locations: Venice vs. green screen.

Music: Grail Theme vs. ?
Now obviously I don't agree with everything the commentator says- after all, I loved Ford's acting in Skull. However, I think he gets the gist of it rather well.
Thanks for posting this. I have to say I disagree with pretty much all of it, but it does a good job of cementing for me that the relative worth of these movies is almost wholly a matter of personal taste.

Also, lol to everthing Fezzik said.
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  #83  
Old May 16th, 2009, 08:10 AM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Mmm... I havve sucked the blood of this thread! Arise, my minion! Join the ranks of the Living Dead Threads!

Demerge Disney And Marvel!!!
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  #84  
Old May 16th, 2009, 09:35 AM
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Re: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

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Originally Posted by Disposable Hero View Post
Mmm... I havve sucked the blood of this thread! Arise, my minion! Join the ranks of the Living Dead Threads!
Dude, This whole "This forum is dead because I said. And by killing it, I revived it" thing, you need to knock it off. You've done this with at least six other threads besides this one. Resurrection old threads without having anything to say about the topic at hand, I think it could get you into a bit of trouble, and possibly de-reped (if someone is willing to do it.) This isn't a threat, just a warning of consideration from a fellow 'Scaper.
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