• Categories

Vanilla 1.1.4 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

 
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMay 23rd 2008
    BhelPuri wrote
    What worked for me in the previous films was that I was excited to see what Indy had in store for him at every twist and turn. Here I just didn't care.


    I've been thinking about this, and up to a point I agree: I felt a lot of the script was FAR too linear. There were few (if any) surprises as Indy and his entourage just kept moving from one obviously pre-cooked plot point to another. Really at the end of the day it's the biggest issue I had with Lucas' Star Wars prequel trilogy as well: it's just not all that interesting! The overall plot idea is just fine. great even, but Lucas doesn't write incidents, interaction or dialogue well...and it shows!

    It's really the actors and the fun they're having with the material that makes Crystal Skull to my mind.
    And there's more than enough marvellous set pieces and more than enough Sturm und Drang to keep me entertained, but my personal Indy favourites list would look like
    (1) (very lonely at the top) Raiders Of the Lost Ark (one of a kind)
    (2) (way below that) Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (OK storyline, good interaction, OK script)
    (3) Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Phantom Clone (excellent story, good interaction, quite poor script)
    (4) Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (OK storyline, poor interaction, OK script)

    Purely based on mindless, entertaining action scenes my preference list would look different, but I feel Indy is bigger than merely an action hero: we actually care about what he's doing and why (contrary to, say, James Bond or so).

    The ending makes Mission to Mars seem like a classic slant


    Ohhhh, come on! I have a lot (and I mean a LOT) of gripes with the full finale, but the actual...erm... let's say "departure" (it's SOOOOO hard to avoid spoilers! biggrin ) was absolutely fine with me, and looked COMPLETELY in style! punk
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeMay 23rd 2008
    Talos wrote


    I have a question for some "insiders"... who were those grave people wearing skull masks, acting like they were possessed or something? Were they guards, protecting the remains / secret of that Spanish explorer? Anyone knows?

    Anyway... I liked it very much! (and I am a BIG fan... not joking)


    They were some sort of zombies or something, they were referred to in the beginning of the movie when Indy talked about the legend that it was guarded by "the living dead".
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMay 23rd 2008
    They're not zombies, silly!
    Several things happen to 'em that show they're not dead, undead or indeed supernatural at all! (blow pipe, mask).
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeMay 23rd 2008
    Whatever, the same thingy to me wink
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorRalph Kruhm
    • CommentTimeMay 23rd 2008 edited
    Well, whoever has to spend his time "living" in those ruins, is certainly more than dead upstairs.
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMay 23rd 2008
    Martijn wrote
    They're not zombies, silly!
    Several things happen to 'em that show they're not dead, undead or indeed supernatural at all! (blow pipe, mask).


    Including getting machine gunned down by the Russkies.
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
    •  
      CommentAuthorErik Woods
    • CommentTimeMay 23rd 2008 edited
    I'll try to be brief. Try but I won't. wink

    I had fun watching it. Great to see Indy on the big screen. But I think what we all really enjoy is the nostalgia factor. Seeing references to the first three films we love. Indy doing and saying things that referenced the other films. Anything that felt like the other three films we loved... am I wrong? And IMHO, I think this is what Spielberg and company were going for. But I had issues with sooooo many things in this movie which makes it the worst of the bunch. Everything from bad special effects, to stupid dialog, NO SUSPENSE WHATSOEVER, and the ordinary nature of the script. The story was good... I really think they had a winner there and I would love to read Darabont's version... but the middle portions of this film drags EVERYTHING down with it. And some of the humor was waaaaaaaaaaaaay off. For example, the terrible Snake Pit sequence. ARGH!

    SPOILERS

    Things I did like... the opening sequence... but the action bits should have been longer. And I wish we had the action material from that scene on the soundtrack - without the tracked Indy Theme. The was so wrong and so many levels.

    The motorcycle chase. Very well done.

    Indy hypnotized.

    Portions of the Jungle Chase... take out the AWFUL sword fight and the swinging monkey and you would have something. Also, the falling over the waterfall was beyond bad.

    The "departure." Wow! Just wow!

    The final moments of the film after the ceremony. IMHO, the most emotional moment of the movie had me literally in tears. I guess it was the nostalgia factor, the father/son element and the me wanting to be Mutt Williams character at that moment... for me that was gold!

    And Williams' score, IMHO, really worked. Would love to have that complete The Jungle Chase cue... even though I still think that the inclusion of the lighthearted Mutt's Adventures doesn't work at all and the other goofy music could also be scrapped.

    ----

    Anyway, there is more I want to say but I should just leave well enough alone. Again, fun but far too many faults. It's easy for me to separate this film from the original trilogy. IMHO, this is just one big, expensive fan film.

    -Erik-
    host and executive producer of THE CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO PODCAST | www.cinematicsound.net | www.facebook.com/cinematicsound | I HAVE TINNITUS!
    •  
      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeMay 23rd 2008 edited
    Martijn wrote
    BobdH wrote
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    BobdH wrote
    The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a film that plays with the fact it's a legendary hero on its return...

    Do you mean that it's referencing the previous movies in a way that's saying "look Indy's back, he was great then and you (the audience) thought he was great and now he's back?"


    You could say that, yet I never felt it like that. It's just having fun with it wink


    Oh, *I* would think so, though!
    There are numerous references to Raiders (and a few to Last Crusade, though none to Temple Of Doom I could discern), including two scenes that were almost shot-by-shot remakes!
    I *did* enjoy that! I felt it was a well-deserverd wink to the source!


    Ah... I read it in a negative way. "You loved him so love him now" in a cocky way, or something like that. I was tired shame

    But, yeah, I spotted all the references as well (or, at least I think I did). (As soon as they entered the warehouse, I went to my friend, going all excited "that's where the arc is!!". Pretty cool to find out the arc was, all that time, stored at area 51!).
    •  
      CommentAuthoromaha
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    I saw it wednesday at midnight... so maybe I should just say thursday.
    I'm a huge Indy fan, HUGE!
    I found the film very entertaining plus just loved the return of the hat and whip.
    However, a few negative scenes really ruined it for me.
    I loved the parallels to the previous films.

    *****SPOILER*****





    The tarzan scene just pissed me off.

    I love the look Indy gives Mutt at the end of the motorcycle scene. Just like the look Connery gave him after he jousted with the Nazi off the motorcycle.

    I want to see it again in theaters when I won't be so tired. Perhaps I will enjoy it more.

    Film Ranking
    1.Raiders
    2.Crusade
    Deciding between Temple and Kingdom. My love for the temple of Doom has really been going up the pass couple of years.
    •  
      CommentAuthorBhelPuri
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Martijn wrote
    I've been thinking about this, and up to a point I agree: I felt a lot of the script was FAR too linear. There were few (if any) surprises as Indy and his entourage just kept moving from one obviously pre-cooked plot point to another.

    Yes, that's probably it! It followed Indy all the time.

    It's really the actors and the fun they're having with the material that makes Crystal Skull to my mind.
    And there's more than enough marvellous set pieces ...

    I'll agree about the set-pieces... some of them were staged very well. It was just that the sillyness quotient was cranked way up that made it hard for me to enjoy it.


    Ohhhh, come on! I have a lot (and I mean a LOT) of gripes with the full finale, but the actual...erm... let's say "departure" (it's SOOOOO hard to avoid spoilers! biggrin ) was absolutely fine with me, and looked COMPLETELY in style! punk

    LOL! See, Mission to Mars had that awesome cue (Where) playing during the 'departure'. That totally obscured the inanity that the special effects were. In Indy, the departure scene is cool but those aliens on the thrones, and merging into one was pure LOL-ness!
    •  
      CommentAuthorNautilus
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008 edited
    I saw Indiana Jones and Crystal of the skull the past night.

    God, What they has done with Indy!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the f_ck!!!!

    In the bad side: almost everything.
    Lucas and his childish ideas, and Lucas and his CGI!!! They has ruined Indy franchise!

    It looked more like Sky captain 2 than Indy.

    A lot of Green Screen, scenes like when Indy scapes from the atomic test, Mutt and the monkeys...the waterfall and the tree....etc....has ruined my nostalgic feelings for this character.

    Januz Kaminslky cinematography was annoying. out of place.

    What happened with Harrison Ford Eyes????

    Dude, I'm very , very sad. I can't believe that.

    In the good side:
    it's a really entertaining movie.Moments like, Spielberg has created a really complex set pieces, the jungle chase and the motorbike chase are awesome, the city of Gold c is what an adventure movie needs and "the departure" is impressive CGI moment.

    Special note to : indy and marion chimestry, and the snake pitt sequence. Very funny!
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    A lot of unrealeased Music from Williams. Like in "revenge of the sith" soundtrack, Indy 4 soundtrack is with no chronological order and it misses some really good actiont tracks. Specially the reprised of "desert chase", "marion's theme" and "sangreal's theme".

    I wait for a complete realease.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Im agree with Erik's thoughs. I can separate this movie from the original trilogy.
  1. So... you didn´t like it...? spin
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    BTW did anyone else noticed any deliberate odd stuff in the sound mix of the film as in changes of sound's frequency (notably the music jumped up and down at some places) due to 'old school' effects or was it just the system of the cinema i went that was probably f*cked up?
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Anyone notice Jordi talks like a Lolcat? biggrin

    Oh, and:

    Nautilus wrote
    Indiana Jones and Crystal of the skull


    biggrin
    •  
      CommentAuthorMarselus
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Steven wrote
    Anyone notice Jordi talks like a Lolcat? biggrin

    lol
    In fact he is a lolcat, I can tell you tongue

    But the thing is I agree with him. I´d say more, the film is BAD (sorry for the nostalgics, but the film could have been directed by Jon Turteltaub and nobody would have noticed it). The only thing missing was Nicolas Cage and his hair cut from National Treasure.
    Let´s see: the waterfall scene (come on.....), the ants (was it a really necessary sequence? confused ), the flying fridge, the lame villain (with less charisma than a boiled potato), boring and uninspired action sequences, the photography (what the hell!), the monkeys, the lighting of all the underground sequences (was it an underground cavern or Las Vegas?)....

    I liked one thong though: when Marion tells Indy that Mutt is his son while they are in the sand thing. Hilarious but funny.
    Anything with an orchestra or with a choir....at some point will reach you
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Marselus wrote
    Hilarious but funny.


    Kinda like sexy but hot?
    •  
      CommentAuthorMarselus
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Steven wrote
    Marselus wrote
    Hilarious but funny.


    Kinda like sexy but hot?

    tongue
    I´ll say it more clear then: Ridiculous but funny.
    Anything with an orchestra or with a choir....at some point will reach you
    •  
      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008 edited
    Marselus wrote
    (sorry for the nostalgics, but the film could have been directed by Jon Turteltaub and nobody would have noticed it). The only thing missing was Nicolas Cage and his hair cut from National Treasure.


    I strongly disagree; you can argue about the script of what's on display, but in the direction, photography and everything, this is clearly a Steven Spielberg film of high quality. Look at the details (the diner scene at the beginning); the way he sets up a scene (the opening sequence); the little jokes; the choreography of the Jungle Chase, and how John Hurts bewildered character is kept in the middle of it: it's sheer genius that only Spielberg can direct and it has his signature all over it. John Turtletaub lacks all this and delivers flat and uninspired action scenes without an inkling of a signature, as do basically all the modern action directors. Say what you want about the script and CGI, but you won't see any better set pieces this summer.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008 edited
    It was indeed a genuine Spielberg film in all aspects, every single bit of it. The lame monkey sequence could have easily been left out instead but aside that, it screamed Spielberg and good ol' fun all over it.

    Having also read some posts over at fsm and moviemusic.com, i am almost convinced that some people won't let themselves enjoy anything these days just to go online and rave the 'i told you so's' and 'this sucks'-isms. Their loss.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008 edited
    Christodoulides wrote
    Having also read some posts over at fsm and moviemusic.com, i am almost convinced that some people won't let themselves enjoy anything these days just to go online and rave the 'i told you so's' and 'this sucks'-isms. Their loss.


    No doubt. Look over at the IMDB message boards: nothing but people furiously bashing Indy 4, often just trying to be 'as controversial as possible' in their hatemessages in making it 'creative' (like we've never heard 'Close Encounters of the Turd Kind' before), just to generate reactions (which is often more important than just giving their opinions). They're probably all spoiled 12 year olds. It's at times like this that I'm almost ashamed of the human race rolleyes
  2. I loved the original National Treasure movie a lot and had high expectations for the sequel, but found it to be worse on almost every aspect. If you compare Indiana Jones IV to National Desaster 2 directly, Indiana Jones wins on each and every level possible (though I am rather fond of Diane Kruger and enjoy her sight a bit more than Karen Allen´s constant "look I am back too" grinning).
    •  
      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Ralph Kruhm wrote
    (though I am rather fond of Diane Kruger and enjoy her sight a bit more than Karen Allen´s constant "look I am back too" grinning).


    Well, I give you that: Karen Allen looked like a 'house-mom' who returned with outdated acting abilities, just because she played Marion years ago wink
    •  
      CommentAuthorRalph Kruhm
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008 edited
    On the other hand, I found her dialogue with Indy was worlds ahead of that crumpy dialogue between Nick Cage´s "parents" in NT 2.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Christodoulides wrote
    It was indeed a genuine Spielberg film in all aspects, every single bit of it. The lame monkey sequence could have easily been left out instead but aside that, it screamed Spielberg and good ol' fun all over it.

    Having also read some posts over at fsm and moviemusic.com, i am almost convinced that some people won't let themselves enjoy anything these days just to go online and rave the 'i told you so's' and 'this sucks'-isms. Their loss.


    I hate people like that, I really do!
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Steven wrote
    Christodoulides wrote
    It was indeed a genuine Spielberg film in all aspects, every single bit of it. The lame monkey sequence could have easily been left out instead but aside that, it screamed Spielberg and good ol' fun all over it.

    Having also read some posts over at fsm and moviemusic.com, i am almost convinced that some people won't let themselves enjoy anything these days just to go online and rave the 'i told you so's' and 'this sucks'-isms. Their loss.


    I hate people like that, I really do!


    Agree!

    There were many parts I didn't like, Mutt doing a Tarzan, that "tree", the waterfall, some cheesy dialogue. But most importantly I WAS ENTERTAINED! cool

    Jordi wave

    What do you mean about Harrison Ford's "eyes"?
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    Probably the scene where he is strapped to the chair and Irina puts the skull in front of him?
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    BobdH wrote
    Christodoulides wrote
    Having also read some posts over at fsm and moviemusic.com, i am almost convinced that some people won't let themselves enjoy anything these days just to go online and rave the 'i told you so's' and 'this sucks'-isms. Their loss.


    No doubt. Look over at the IMDB message boards: nothing but people furiously bashing Indy 4, often just trying to be 'as controversial as possible' in their hatemessages in making it 'creative' (like we've never heard 'Close Encounters of the Turd Kind' before), just to generate reactions (which is often more important than just giving their opinions). They're probably all spoiled 12 year olds. It's at times like this that I'm almost ashamed of the human race rolleyes


    Ah, why bother mate. Imdb is full or rubbish. I just visit for their 'movie encyclopedia' function and always stayed away as possible from their boards. Same thing can also - almost, be said about fsm? wink
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008 edited
    Btw, the alien element was SO thrilling and entertaining, it really sickens me to read all the 'i hated the aliens' comments all over the place! Are people NUTS?! Have they forgotten who Spielberg is and what he's done all those yearS?

    The alien element is both essential in his career but specifically, in the new Indy is so very well done, mystically thrilling and driving the story around, it kicks ass plus we don't get any WOTW junk like some rain killing them instantly despite having been living underground which is wet and full of waters...Yes, it adds to the nostalgia factor that no such movies are being made anymore but i don't think anything's wrong with that, the movie ROCKED.

    Yes, the movie had flaws but who careS? I can't remember the last time i had been genuinely* entertained as such and for that i am grateful.

    *(genuinely meaning without having to go through the usual 'U.S PRESIDENT versus terrrrrrrrrrrrists that keeps driving me nuts for the last 10 years or so)
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008
    I loved the whole aliens thing, more so than the hokey-pokey religiousness of the previous film (though don't take that the wrong way, Raiders is still my favourite Indy movie).

    I wanna see it again!
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMay 24th 2008 edited
    Steven wrote
    I loved the whole aliens thing, more so than the hokey-pokey religiousness of the previous film (though don't take that the wrong way, Raiders is still my favourite Indy movie).

    I wanna see it again!


    Again, I'm with everyone who liked the whole aliens thing.

    If they did another Indy, what do you think he'd search for next? JFK's brain?? , Lord Lucan?? wink
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt