Movie #311 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
2008 - Rated PG-13 - 2 hr 2 min
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Cate Blanchett, Shia LeBeouf, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent

Nearly twenty years after Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lucas and friends thought it would be a good idea to relive the glory days with a brand new adventure.  Indiana's middle-aged now, still getting into trouble, and dealing with getting old and losing friends and his dad. 

I have to admit - especially after seeing the Rocky Balboa, a similar attempt - I had my reservations.  My initial reaction? "This is gonna suck."  But my love of Indiana drew me to the theater anyway and I tried to give it a chance.  Despite a short nap somewhere in the middle, I saw it.... and hated it.
Lots of the jokes felt rehashed and recycled.  Everyone had wrinkles. (Not a problem, except when you're not using to seeing these characters like that.) And the whole Shia LeBeouf thing could've been better than it was.... I mean, what kind of name is Mutt? Is that a weak play on "We named the dog Indiana" and now your son has a dog name too?  That's stupid, George Lucas. Stupid.

Mike insisted on buying this DVD to complete our quartet and so I had to watch it again.  Them's the rules.  So for the first time since that horrific day in the theater, I watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. This time, I did not fall asleep. And I really did give it a fair shot.

So here's my new impression.  **SPOILER ALERT** The first 3/4 of the movie aren't any worse than Temple of Doom.  There's a clear adventure in the works, and assorted curve balls get Indiana on his way.  The whole Karen Allen and her son subplot is worked in well, so it's not too jarring when you find out about that.  Actually, you kind of guess it. 

But then you get to the end.  ALIENS? ALIENS, GEORGE? WHAT THE HELL?! The ending ruins everything.  I might even take the aliens if it weren't for the whole "They're not from outer space, they're from and interdimension, the space between spaces" bull crap.  I call shenanigans.  And then the "space ship" or whatever the heck it is, lifts up and creates a giant rock tornado - that SOMEHOW does NOT kill anyone standing two feet away from it - and goes up and away into not space, but "inter space." WHAT THE HELL, GEORGE LUCAS?  All of a sudden, Indiana Jones is a sci-fi.  I hate this so much.

I really wanted the movie to be better the second time. And I managed to stomach the lame rehashed jokes and wrinkles this time. I even laugh when Indiana teases Marion for getting captured.... again (see my Raiders review).  But I can't accept the aliens. I just can't.

Movie #273 - Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz
2007 - Rated R - 2 hr 1 min
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy, Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent
UNCREDITED appearances: Cate Blanchett, Steve Coogan, Peter Jackson

Who doesn't love a good Simon Pegg movie now and again?  In Hot Fuzz, he plays a straight-laced, do-good cop with an amazing record of arrests that put his colleagues to shame. He gets promoted, but only if he leaves the bustling city of London to work as a Sergeant in a tiny podunk British town.  Of course, he never expects that the crime levels there will rival London's... or that he'll uncover a tangled web of disturbing conspiracies.

His partner (played by Nick Frost) gets to play the funny guy.  A cop following his father's footsteps, or trying to at least, who's more interested in police movies than police work.  The two make an unlikely pair, yet they manage to overcome their differences to work together.

I really like this one.  I think the characters are entertaining, the plot line is just complicated enough to be interesting (but not too convoluted), and the cameos sprinkled throughout keep you paying attention.  A fun one to watch again.

Movie #262 - Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince
2009 - Rated PG - 2 hr 39 min
Director: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Bonnie Wright, Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Gemma Jones

The end of this movie still gets me.  And every time, I remember reading the end of this book in my hotel room in Italy and looking at Mike and saying, "WHAT?! Are you KIDDING ME?!"

JK Rowling wasn't kidding, despite the various websites that sprung up between books 6 and 7 arguing the contrary. 

And although the end of the movie is different, it's nice that it doesn't leave the same ambiguity as the book.  No Fawkes flying into the sky imagery. No confusing colors of light deployed from Snape's wand to throw you off track.  Honestly, read it.  You'll see what I mean.

Of course, this movie has to cut out lots as well, since it's too large to comfortably fit everything into a film adaptation.  I think this is one of the better ones, but I'm always biased because I've read the books so I know what's going on.  If you watch this without reading the books, I can't promise you'll catch everything.

I guess what I'm saying is, go read the darn books already.

Movie #110 - The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe
Walt Disney Pictures
2005 - Rated PG - 2 hr 23 min
Director: Andrew Adamson
Starring: Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Liam Neeson

I was pretty psyched when I found out they were making a live-action version of this book - one of my personal favorite stories as a kid. I looooooooooooved the animated version so, of course, I had to see this in the theater and then own it on DVD. Of course.

Fortunately for me, this is a worthy incarnation of the classic tale.  In my opinion, the kids are perfectly cast, plus Liam Neeson as Asland rocks. And Tilda Swinton is my girl. So creepy too.

Anyhow, there's nothing earth-shatteringly wonderful about this movie. It's pretty to look at and it follows the book, more or less.  The casting is great, the sets and costumes and effects impressive.  There's not much to say but that it's a great big-budget production of a time-honored classic.  And just to be totally cheesy, I'll also add that the "entire family will love it."  That's probably true.

Movie #95 - Bridge Jones: The Edge of Reason

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Miramax
2004 - Rated R - 1 hr 48 min
Director: Beeban Kindron
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent

In case you didn't get enough Bridget the first time, she's back!  I know Renee Zellweger annoys some people, but I just think she's adorable in this role.  Watching her try to ski? Priceless.

Anyway, most chick lit novels will stop once boy and girl get together.  But in this sequel, it clearly becomes evident that Bridget will 'foul up' just about anything she touches, so it's worth a second look at her and her budding romance with Mark Darcy.  Fielding writes lots more awkward scenarios into which she thrusts this lovable character, including a great scene where Bridget tries to buy a pregnancy test in Germany...without knowing any German. 

I'm glad that the sequel ends... and that's it... because dragging this on any further would have been overkill.  But this sequel is almost as fun as the first, so its worth a watch.

Movie #94 - Bridget Jones's Diary

Bridget Jones's Diary
Miramax Films
2001 - Rated R - 1 hr 37 min
Director: Sharon Maguire
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Shirley Henderson

Oh God, I love this movie.  I was so happy to see something so fun and light after the last few movies on the wall.  Go, Bridget, go!

Helen Fielding (author of the book) is a goddess, the 'mother' of modern chick lit, and a personal hero.  This book is hysterical, the movie is even better.  Renee Zellweger is the perfect blend of hopeless and lovable, cuddly and awkward.  When you watch this movie, you love her so much, it's easy to see why two hotties like Colin Firth and Hugh Grant would be so smitten with her charming, blundering ways.

Zellweger's total committment to this role, from the horrible wardrobe to her mishaps with a fireman's pole, are what makes this movie so enjoyable.  This is definitely one of the best book-to-movie transitions I've seen yet, and all because she does so well interpreting this character.

Movie #33 - Art School Confidential

Art School Confidential

Sony Pictures Classics

2006 - Rated R - 1 hr 42 min

Director: Terry Zwigoff

Starring: Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent, Ethan Suplee, Anjelica Huston

Here's a weird one for you. This movie takes a satirical look at just how far art students will go to please their teachers, sound really smart, and be the next big thing. John Malkovich is great as the over-the-top, triangle-painting art teacher. Max Minghella is the perfect suburbanite turned ambitious art student. And Jim Broadbent is just a crazy, depressed, has been. There's even the official art groupie girl who gets passed around by artists like an old, rusty paintbrush.

If you've ever made fun of modern art, you'll take some comfort (and get some laughs) from this flick. But don't let the lighthearted approach fool you. This movie takes some dark turns that might surprise you. I love this one - it's a fun watch.