Puntabulous

Indiana Jones – When Nostalgia Fades

Now that a few months have gone by, have you had proper time to roll Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull around in your heads? Have you thought to yourself: “Hmmm, was it really as good as I thought?” Believe me, I’ve been there with just about every Star Wars prequel. I’d come out of the theater proclaiming it was the BEST! MOVIE! EVER! and then each subsequent viewing on DVD makes me realize how terrible (okay, fine, not good) they really are. If this review (written at the time of release) is any indication, I might end up feeling the same way about the new Indiana Jones adventure. It’s long and extremely thorough, but a very enjoyable read that I highly recommend. CHECK IT OUT!

MOVIES, REVIEWS | Craig | September 11, 2008 5:33 am

35 Comments

By Îž_Heather, September 11, 2008 @ 7:08 am

Fun review! I liked the movie better than the reviewer [I liked the explanation of different kinds of quicksand, for example, and it's still Indiana Jones throughout] but was disappointed in the ending. We went to see it again this weekend and I think I enjoyed it more on the second go-round: I was prepared for the parts I didn’t like, and caught some stuff I’d missed. IT was worth seeing in theaters a second time, and I can pretty much guarantee we’ll own it within a week of it coming out on DVD.

Incidentally, we watched the first three on DVD this summer and it was the first time I’d seen them in, like, decades. I found Raiders didn’t hold up quite as much as I’d expected, Temple of Doom was mildly better (because I found it so horrific in the theater that I couldn’t remember a single redeeming quality it had), and Last Crusade was just as good as I’d hoped.
By Craig, September 11, 2008 @ 7:25 am

Îž_Heather: I actually had the opposite effect with this movie. The first time I was just going along with everything because I was so caught up in it and loved it. But the second time, I was totally annoyed with certain aspects like the whole scene about halfway through where they actually find the skull in that lame crypt, and the ending. Oh the horrible horrible ending.

Last Crusade is definitely the best one in my opinion. A perfect blend of action and comedy.

PS – Regardless of my opinion, I too will surely have this on DVD when it comes out. I’m a sucker.
By Tam, September 11, 2008 @ 7:44 am

I confess, I haven’t seen it. (Will you take away my Puntabulous card now?) My daughter went with her Dad so I never bothered. She didn’t like it much. We do have the first 3 though. I will have to finish reading the review later, work beckons but I LOVE that prairie dog video he references. I could watch that thing over and over.
By TwoPi, September 11, 2008 @ 7:56 am

I thought Chris Carter’s work on “IJ and the Crystal Skull” was fantastic.

What Îž_Heather didn’t mention was that after a summer of Indiana Jonesing, we now have two children who sing the theme music as their own personal soundtrack to almost every activity and game they play. For me, that makes it worth spending so much time watching these cheesy movies…..
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 7:56 am

I’m still working my way through the review, but that guy needs to lighten up just a tad. And ease up on the fucking profanity.

It’s Indiana Jones, for pete’s sake — they’re *always* stretching things to make them work.

And, yeah Craig, I didn’t like the X-Files ending to the movie either. But the rest of the movie was a hell of a lot of fun. Maybe I’m just not enough of an intellectual to hate the film…
By Craig, September 11, 2008 @ 8:08 am

Dave S: I know that feeling you’re going through. “Itâ€™s Indiana Jones, for peteâ€™s sake â€” theyâ€™re *always* stretching things to make them work.”

This is classic excuse making. I went through the same thing. “Jar Jar wasn’t so bad! It’s for the kids!”

But Jar Jar *was* bad. And stretching things in an Indiana Jones movie is one thing. Heck! The reviewer let the nuked fridge slide! I think that proves he’s being fair. But the leaps in logic he discusses are inexcusable.

TwoPi: Okay, that’s pretty adorable. Possibly adorable enough to melt my cold cold heart.
By john, September 11, 2008 @ 8:26 am

I’ve seen all 4 but don’t own any of them. Raiders is my favorite followed by Crusade, Crystal Skull and Temple.

Crystal Skull had plenty of flaws, all of which have been mentioned above, but when I left the theater I left having been entertained. I didn’t love it, but I’ve seen far worse movies.

Interestingly, I saw Clone Wars Tuesday and felt pretty much the same. Not good, but it had redeeming qualities.
By David, September 11, 2008 @ 8:41 am

The question to be asking me is, now that a few months have gone by, have I actually gotten around to seeing the movie. And the answer would be “no.” Yeah, I can’t believe it either, but that’s my life in a nutshell.
By polt, September 11, 2008 @ 8:42 am

Havent seen the movie, I’ve never really been a fan of the Indy movies. And as for the Star Wars prequels, they’ve only withered over time, in my opinion. Oh, except for the scene where Yoda bounced all over the place fighting with Dukoo…that freakin rocked! And still does!

HUGS…
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 10:11 am

I finally got through the entire article!

What a stupid movie.
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 10:12 am

I do have to say that I was never one that was a huge Indiana Jones fan by any means. Fun movies and all, but I don’t think I’ve seen any of them more than once.
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 10:20 am

Ever get the impression you’re talking to yourself?
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 10:20 am

Dave S.: No, not really.
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 10:21 am

Oh.
By Tam, September 11, 2008 @ 10:38 am

I’ll talk to you. No more e-mail culling for me. I quit.

I did read the whole article and I got completely distracted by all the steak and restaurant references at the end. But I don’t need to see the movie now since pretty much every minute of it was documented for me. Save me $6 at Blockbuster.
By David from Brazil, September 11, 2008 @ 10:46 am

You know, in terms of amusing movies that you just go, enjoy yourself then forget everything in a matter of hours, I had a nice time with Hellboy2. It’s not a work of art by far, but it’s enjoyable. And with the amount of work i’ve been doing lately, I really can’t be bothered to think much at a movie.
By Craig, September 11, 2008 @ 10:48 am

David from Brazil: I wanted to see Hellboy 2, but missed it while it was in theaters. Looked good.
By David from Brazil, September 11, 2008 @ 10:58 am

Shame, cause it is exactly that, good looking, which means much is lost in the translation to a home DVD watching session. Hmm. Another movie I liked recently was Shortbus. It has sex, cute guys and it’s funny. Not as good as Hedwig (from same director), which was a blast, but still good. I think to me, good movies need to entertain, and that’s where my not-so-holy triad comes into the picture. A good film needs blood, sex and laughs. Usually not all three at same time (gross)
By David from Brazil, September 11, 2008 @ 11:02 am

Well, violence/action would be a better word than blood. Blood is icky. I don’t mind the fake stuff on TV/movies, but once I took my cat to the vet, and they had to take a blood sample. I didn’t feel to well – I didn’t faint, but I wasn’t that far from it. Man, i’m such a pussy.
By Craig, September 11, 2008 @ 11:08 am

I saw Shortbus and enjoyed it as well. I actually know someone who was a “sextra” in it and was excited to be able to see them naked.
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 11:10 am

I really liked Shortbus. It definitely wasn’t what I expected. And though funny at times, it’s by no means a light-hearted romp. Good flick though. Never saw Hedwig. Or Hellboy II.

I’m going to go see “Burn After Reading,” which looks mildly awesome.
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 11:11 am

“Sextra” — what a great word.
By David from Brazil, September 11, 2008 @ 11:16 am

Dave S, with your love for music, you really need to watch Hedwig. I think you’ll really enjoy it. Saw it many years ago and I can still hum the songs. And yeah, Sextra rocks.
By Dave S., September 11, 2008 @ 11:26 am

Hedwig is one of those movies I keep meaning to see at some point, but it just never seems to happen… :-/
By john, September 11, 2008 @ 12:28 pm

I’ve also seen HellboyII and Short Bus. Hellboy was beautiful and fun for what it was. Short Bus was really interesting and fun. I wish I knew someone who was a sextra.

Haven’t seen Hedwig yet, I may have to remedy that soon.
By polt, September 11, 2008 @ 1:05 pm

I’ve seen Hedwig, in fact it was the first DVD I ever owned, given to me as a Christmas present by the same friend who got me my first DVD player. Didn’t enjoy it much. Frankly, it bored me. Shortbus, however, was an incredible movie.

Missed Hellboy2 in the theaters as well…defiinitely will get it on Netflix.

HUGS….
By Bernd, September 11, 2008 @ 1:06 pm

The guy who wrote the review needs to get a life and work on world-peace. We would have it in no time. Then he could apply himself to hunger. Indy 4 was a let-down. Mildly entertained while watching it, but the action-scenes were totally paint-by-numbers, waaaaaaaaaaaaay to long, way to much excess. Why the hell did they shlepp all those ‘characters’ from one location to the next?
Friends of Indy need to die within 5 min so he can hate the badies;
colleagues of Indy are only interesting dead, so Indy can succeed where they died,
Children of Indy belong on TV so they can sell Happy Meals and I can fast forward through the ads.
Not looking forward to Indy 5: Indiana Jones 2.0 and the lost pacifier
By Craig, September 11, 2008 @ 1:08 pm

I saw Hedwig live with my cousin and occasional guest blogger Michelle and family. It was a lot of fun! That’s gotta count for something!
By David from Brazil, September 11, 2008 @ 1:08 pm

Well, can’t say I’m surprised, given your addiction to young male flesh, polt, that you’d far prefer Shortbus to Hedwig.
By Michelle, September 11, 2008 @ 2:36 pm

I actually liked the Star Wars prequels better the more time went on. In the theater I came out slightly disappointed. When my expectations weren’t as high, I enjoyed them more. I loved Indy when I saw it but it did lose a little of it’s shine after seeing the Dark Knight this summer.

Hedwig was much better live than the movie, imho. Also even though John Cameran Mitchell created Hedwig& was great, Michael Cerveris was the absolute best. Though I may be biased.
By polt, September 11, 2008 @ 2:40 pm

I think Hedwig might have been more fun had I been watching it with a cousin and occastional blogger. Then we both could have ragged on it.

And yes, the young male flesh in Shortbus was very appealing, but I though the whole “feeling alone and lonely even in a large city surrounded by a lot of people” kind of angst was very insightful and interesting as well. Being unable to connect with people even though you’re surrounded by them, seemed to be a theme in it, and that was well thought out, written and acted.

So even though my eyes were feasting on the young male flesh, my ears were feasting on the dialogue and my whole mind was feasting on the entirey of the situations in the movie.

HUGS….
By David, September 11, 2008 @ 6:16 pm

I know you can see beyond that polt, just teasing ya. And hey, being addicted to something that good can’t be wrong, right?
By Tracy, September 11, 2008 @ 7:16 pm

Thanks, Craig, for posting this most awesome review! It inspired me to FINALLY finish my post about MY feelings about IJATKOTCS. See here http://sangsterrific.blogspot.com/2008/05/indiana-jones-and-kingdom-of-suck.html

(Sorry, I’m not sure how to post a link in comments.)
By Chris, September 12, 2008 @ 1:17 am

I didn’t see the latest I.J. movie, so I can’t comment on the movie or that review. But I did see Hedwig, and I thought it was a lot of fun. My favorite song was Origin of Love. I love Rock Operas! I also saw Shortbus. It was bold, and it had some depth to it. However I thought that there were parts that tried too hard to be silly. I would love to see J.C.M. work on another Rock Opera.
By cb, September 12, 2008 @ 4:17 pm

Dude— Kingdom of the Crystal Hip was just about the worst movie I’ve ever seen in recent history.

Mamma Mia was, of course, the worst.