With the fourth installment of the adventure series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, hitting theaters in a week, there’s too much debate going on as to the real-life relevance of Dr. Jones. Is he a crook, as was suggested last month? Or is he a model archaeologist, enough to be granted leading membership into the Archaeological Institute of America? Apparently Indiana Jones portrayer Harrison Ford has been elected to the AIA’s board of directors, as a way of honoring the fact that his iconic character has “played a major part in stimulating interest in the field of archaeological exploration.”
Yet in the same week, ABC News has another report on how archaeologists view the guy most associated with their profession. And somehow one member of the Archaeological Institute is quoted as contradicting the organization’s inclusion of Ford as a member. Mark Rose, AIA’s online editorial director, told ABC, “There are codes of ethics in archeology and I don’t think he would be a member. Not in good standing, anyway.”
Variety says Steven Spielberg and co. are strenuously aiming to avoid what we’re apparently calling “The Da Vinci Scenario” –– so named because a “jet-lagged, overtired, cynical mob of critics and executives decimated The Da Vinci Code when it debuted [at Cannes] two years ago”––with this weekend’s debut of Indiana Jones vs. King Shia LaBeouf. Some of their defense tactics: journalists will only be allowed to interview the cast and filmmakers before the press screening, and they won’t be invited to the film’s after party. Because limited access *always* ensures positive pres coverage!
Daniel Day-Lewis is in talks to replace Javier Bardem in Rob Marshall’s feature adaptation of Nine, a musical sort of based on Fellini’s 8 1/2. Because men who win Oscars for playing mad men are apparently interchangeable when it comes to casting musicals!
Joe Dante––who we love––has signed on to direct an indie horror flick called Bat Out of Hell, about “a red-eye flight from L.A. to New York during which hijackers confront the monstrous cargo.” Because the last semi-intentional camp thriller set on an airplane did so well!
The first official press screenings for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skullaren’t for another ten days, but as long as Aint It Cool Newsexists, you can count on early reactions from the amateur critics. One such person, going by the alias “ShogunMaster,” has a spoiler-filled review that is unfortunately quite negative. Claiming it lacks tension, employs extremely fake-looking props and sets, and features a “horrible” performance from Shia “LaBeef”, the reviewer at least puts some of it into perspective:
Anyway, I don’t want to rant on forever, as it doesn’t matter what I say, you will see this movie regardless. And even though it’s not as bad as Allan Quartermane, it’s definitely not a good Indy Movie. But for those of you that feel that the new Star Wars Movies robbed your childhood, expect some molestations from Uncles’ George and Steven…
Indiana Jones’ adventures may be both work-related and dangerous, but you know he’s having fun. And now you can experience some of that fun thanks to Expedia. The travel company has planned ten different vacations inspired by the four Indiana Jones films, including this summer’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, of course, plus the series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. It’s doubtful that you’ll run into any Nazis or booby traps or any other sort of trouble, but considering you’re not Indy, you’re better off as safe as possible.
Expedia has itineraries in nine countries, including the U.S., in which a trip to the Southwest is tied into the Young Indy prologue of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Other vacations related to Last Crusade include Italy (specifically Venice) and Jordan. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles inspired a trip to Mexico, Raiders of the Lost Arkhas inspired trips to Peru, Egypt and Nepal, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doominspired trips to India and China, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull inspired a slightly different trip to Peru.
With each Indiana Jones film comes the obligatory discussion of the title character’s merits relative to his field. So, in anticipation of the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, there’s a story from NPR’s All Things Considered program that calls into question Indy’s heroic deeds. Is he a true archaeologist or is he nothing more than an adventuring thief, no better than the baddies he means to thwart? Real-life archaeologist Winifred Creamer appears to think the latter:
“You could say Indiana Jones is the worst thing to happen to archeology, because Indiana Jones has no respect for anybody and anything. Indiana Jones walks a fine line between what’s an archaeologist and what’s a professional looter.”
If the rumors (or are they predictions?) are true that Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones dies at the end of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time George Lucas completed a franchise by killing off a returning character. But would it actually mean the end of the series?
While there has been additional speculation that Shia LaBeouf could continue the franchise as Indy Jr., there is now the possibility that Ford would actually return for a fifth film, if asked. In an interview in USA Today, the actor says he’d consider it, as long as it doesn’t take another 20 years. So, no death for Indy, then?
We have less than three weeks until Iron Manopens in theaters, but the way people are talking about the film today, that might be too long. Regardless of how subversive the comic book adaptation may be (check out Paul’s thoughts from yesterday), or otherwise how intelligent a blockbuster it is (according to an exhibitor, quoted here by Anne Thompson), or how “pretty darn amazing!!!!!” it is to a more mainstream, don’t-care-if-it’s-intelligent-as-long-as-it’s-awesome crowd (such as includes those who send reactions to AICN), the fact of the matter is that we may have already accepted the movie as all these things well before even seeing the whole thing. The big, hairy guy from Ireland, Karl Hungus, sums up his feelings of saturation, sparked by this latest hero-becomes-familiar-with-his-powers clip, on his blog (via IMDb):
The problem is, with all this cool stuff being flung at us, is there going to be any cool left to blow us away when the film finally hits? I know, this isn’t the first time I’ve said this, but there’s just so many new promo shots and trailers/TV spots being published, the main villain being revealed, the clips with the tank, battles being shown and now a lot of the development of the armour as well, my worry is growing that the final product will be ruined.
Roger Ebert, who underwent his third cancer-related surgery in January, has posted a letter on his web site announcing his intention to return to reviewing films for the Chicago Sun-Times after the 2008 installment of his Overlooked Film Festival. Ebert says that another operation would be required in order to restore his ability to speak, but he’s holding off for the time being. “I am still cancer-free, and not ready to think about more surgery at this time,” he writes, “I should be content with the abundance I have.”
According to TimeOut London, Pedro Almodovar will be blogging throughout the production of his next film, Broken Hugs. The blog will allegedly live here, but when I go to the page all I get is a sea of blackness.
Chris Thilk approves of the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull SuperPoke Facebook application, and he explains why: “I would be willing to bet there were more than a few people saying the studio needed to build their own “Whip Your Friends” application. But instead they decided to add functionality to an existing one, one that has a decent adoption rate already.”
At Twitch, Peter Martin offers a list that looks like it has the potential to become a giant meme: his Top 5 Experiences with New Cinema, or “the initial excursions into unexplored territory, the tentative expanding of boundaries and possibilities and new ways of looking at the world, all things that came about only when I broke down barriers I had set for myself and sampled various types of new cinema.”
Of the few thousand moviegoers polled for Fandango’s report on the ten most anticipated summer movies of 2008, I wonder if any were children. Missing from the list, which named Indiana Jones the Kingdom of the Crystal Skullas highest and Sex and the Cityas lowest (though tied percent-wise with Speed Racer), are such animated tentpoles as DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Pandaand Pixar’s Wall-E. The latter is even more shockingly absent due to the consideration that most Pixar films are enjoyed by adults as much as children. It’s definitely one of my top five movies to see this summer, and I’d bet its box office that it outperforms all of the movies listed below the Chronicles of Narnia sequel, Prince Caspian. The only dark horse I can see in there is Speed Racer, which could also be a huge hit with kids. The fact that it’s so far down on Fandango’s list either means really bad things for the Wachowskis or it’s just more reason to believe the poll is ignoring the significance of youth in the market of movie tickets.
Also excluded, though a bit more appropriately so, are less-blockbuster comedian comedies like You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, The Love Guru, Meet Dave, Step Brothers, Tropic Thunderand, surprisingly, Hancock, which is the latest in the traditional July 4th-weekend-released sci-fi/action comedies from Will Smith. Is this a sign that people think it looks like Smith’s worst summer movie since Wild Wild West? Or were those moviegoers that were polled even allowed to make selections other than the ten listed?
Two of the biggest stories populating the movie blogs this week have to do with George Lucas. Well, the Fanboyscontroversy has less to do with the Star Warsdirector, but obviously he’s connected in some way. The other story has to do with Lucas’ statement that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skullis (gasp) just a movie. Here is the quote, from USA Today, that’s putting fear into the minds of movie geeks throughout the galaxy:
“When you do a movie like this, a sequel that’s very, very anticipated, people anticipate ultimately that it’s going to be the Second Coming,” Lucas says. “And it’s not. It’s just a movie. Just like the other movies. You probably have fond memories of the other movies. But if you went back and looked at them, they might not hold up the same way your memory holds up.”
Yes, he goes on to reference the reception of The Phantom Menace, which is obviously fair, but also a bit unbalanced. Certainly our disappointment with the Star Wars prequels had enough to do with their stand-alone quality (or lack thereof), in addition to but separate from them coming with such high expectations.
Some movies are violent, some are disturbing, and others are just plain wrong. Paul W. S. Anderson’s Death Race is a fun ride with some gnarly crashes, but it can’t hold a candle to its demented predecessor, Roger Corman’s Death Race 2000 (1975).
Cinema’s favorite weirdo, Cripsin Glover, is taking his film across the country, personally [...]
Variety says Steven Spielberg and co. are strenuously aiming to avoid what we’re apparently calling “The Da Vinci Scenario” –– so named because a “jet-lagged, overtired, cynical mob of critics and executives decimated The Da Vinci Code when it debuted [at Cannes] two years ago”––with this weekend’s debut of Indiana Jones vs. King Shia LaBeouf. Some of their defense tactics: journalists will only be allowed to interview the cast and filmmakers before the press screening, and they won’t be invited to the film’s after party. Because limited access *always* ensures positive pres coverage!
Of the few thousand moviegoers polled for 
