Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

George Lucas has had an idea for a fourth Indiana Jones movie for more than a decade now, but Spielberg and Ford wanted nothing to do with it. Eventually he wore them down and the result is Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It’s easy to see why Spielberg and Ford were hesitant to make it.

Indiana’s survival is now the stuff of utter fantasy. Sure the tight spots he made it out of in previous movies stretched the bounds of believability, but now those bounds have been broken, snapped, and tossed straight out the window. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does that in the first fifteen minutes, when Indy survives something so ludicrous that it’s right out of a bad, 1950s, sci-fi serial; which of course is what Lucas and Spielberg are using as inspiration.

He may be more grumpy and he may not be much of a dresser, but the glimmer hasn’t entirely gone out of Harrison’s eyes. We’re reacquainted with Indy in the midst of intrigue involving Russians. It’s the 50s, the Nazis have been defeated, and that means Indy must now fight communism. The Reds are led by an army officer named Irina Spalko, played by Cate Blanchett.

From the outset she’s no match for Indiana Jones, and Cate’s take on the character seems to involve a lot of gaping and staring. Spalko is after an American secret and she drags Indy out to a certain spot in the Nevada desert, where our adventure begins, offset by comedic gophers which seem to have wandered over from the set of Caddyshack. From Nevada it’s off to South America, where the gophers are replaced by monkeys, and jungle clue chasing with Indiana and his friends can begin in earnest.

But you’re here for adventure and there’s plenty of that. The movie soars in several character driven action sequences, and sags in others. Indiana has another one of those genius “shoot the sword guy” moments which alone makes Kingdom of the Crystal Skull worth the price of admission. Most of the effects are good, and it’s all well staged. Unfortunately, sometimes perhaps a little too well staged. This Indiana Jones feels less organic than any of the other movies. It feels more choreographed. Of course it’s all choreographed, but some of the action sequences in this one seem more like dance numbers than truly dangerous, rock-em-sock em Indiana Jones action.

Even though old age should mean he’s more fragile, I never truly felt like Indiana was in trouble, and I’m not sure he ever did either. Maybe it’s because some of it goes so far over the top that it crosses that believability line I mentioned earlier. Or, and I hate to keep harping on this, maybe it’s Harrison’s age. There’s no way a guy this grey could pull any of this off, and so when he does, it’s harder than ever to buy into any of it.

The idea of a fourth Indiana Jones movie is better than the reality, and a few years from now I guarantee fans will find themselves more likely to re-watch Temple of Doom than to revisit this entertaining, yet past its prime Indy entry.

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Ledger to be honoured at SAGs

Monday, February 4th, 2008

Star power makes a welcome return on Sunday as the Screen Actors
Guild hands out its annual awards in the glitziest ceremony of a
season clouded by a bitter industry strike.
Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe are
among the celebrities expected on the red carpet at the Shrine
auditorium in Los Angeles in the only awards show so far this year
that resembles traditional Hollywood glamour.
Forecasts of heavy rain, the sudden death of promising actor
Heath Ledger last week and the strike cloud hanging over next
month’s Oscars may dampen some of the enthusiasm at Sunday’s party.
Organizers have erected a vast tent over the arrivals area because
of the rain.
But the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards gives actors, producers
and studios an opportunity to celebrate after three months of a
strike by screenwriters that has crippled movie and TV production
and led to a star boycott of the Golden Globe and People’s Choice
Awards earlier this month.
The striking Writers Guild Of America allowed its members to
write for the SAG awards show and said it would not mount protests
outside the event because actors have been strong allies of the
writers in their dispute with studios over better payments for work
distributed over the Internet.
No such deal has been reached for the Oscars on February 24
although talks resumed last week between the WGA and major studios
after a six-week break marked by growing hostility.
Winners at SAG are normally seen as key contenders for an Oscar
since actors make up the biggest group of the 6,000 Academy Award
voters.
But this year, SAG appears out of sync with the Oscars in the
best picture race. British war romance “Atonement” and the greed
and power drama “There Will Be Blood,” which won eight Oscar
nominations, are missing from SAG’s nominees for its top prize of
best cast ensemble.
Instead the true-life wilderness story Into the Wild,
which was written and directed by actor Sean Penn, leads the SAG
field with four nominations. It received a disappointing two Oscar
nods.
Joining the list of nominees for best ensemble cast is musical
Hairspray, western 3:10 to Yuma, crime thriller
American Gangster and the latest Coen brothers movie,
No Country for Old Men.
Britons Daniel Day Lewis, who plays a malicious oil entrepreneur
in There Will Be Blood, Julie Christie, who plays a woman
with Alzheimer’s Disease in Away From Her, and France’s
Marion Cotillard, who played singer Edith Piaf in La Vie En
Rose, are front-runners for SAG’s best actor and actress
awards after winning Golden Globes and Oscar nominations.
Spain’s Javier Bardem is the man to beat in his supporting role
as a cool-headed killer in No Country For Old Men. But
less predictable is the supporting actress category, which includes
Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, Tilda
Swinton for the legal thriller Michael Clayton and Amy
Ryan for Gone Baby Gone.
The Screen Actors Guild also hands out television awards.
The Sopranos, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, The Closer and
Mad Men are competing for best TV drama ensemble cast.
Entourage, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, The Office
and Ugly Betty are nominated for best comedy cast.
Reuters

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Ledger to be honoured at SAGs

Friday, February 1st, 2008

Star power makes a welcome return on Sunday as the Screen Actors
Guild hands out its annual awards in the glitziest ceremony of a
season clouded by a bitter industry strike.
Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe are
among the celebrities expected on the red carpet at the Shrine
auditorium in Los Angeles in the only awards show so far this year
that resembles traditional Hollywood glamour.
Forecasts of heavy rain, the sudden death of promising actor
Heath Ledger last week and the strike cloud hanging over next
month’s Oscars may dampen some of the enthusiasm at Sunday’s party.
Organizers have erected a vast tent over the arrivals area because
of the rain.
But the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards gives actors, producers
and studios an opportunity to celebrate after three months of a
strike by screenwriters that has crippled movie and TV production
and led to a star boycott of the Golden Globe and People’s Choice
Awards earlier this month.
The striking Writers Guild Of America allowed its members to
write for the SAG awards show and said it would not mount protests
outside the event because actors have been strong allies of the
writers in their dispute with studios over better payments for work
distributed over the Internet.
No such deal has been reached for the Oscars on February 24
although talks resumed last week between the WGA and major studios
after a six-week break marked by growing hostility.
Winners at SAG are normally seen as key contenders for an Oscar
since actors make up the biggest group of the 6,000 Academy Award
voters.
But this year, SAG appears out of sync with the Oscars in the
best picture race. British war romance “Atonement” and the greed
and power drama “There Will Be Blood,” which won eight Oscar
nominations, are missing from SAG’s nominees for its top prize of
best cast ensemble.
Instead the true-life wilderness story Into the Wild,
which was written and directed by actor Sean Penn, leads the SAG
field with four nominations. It received a disappointing two Oscar
nods.
Joining the list of nominees for best ensemble cast is musical
Hairspray, western 3:10 to Yuma, crime thriller
American Gangster and the latest Coen brothers movie,
No Country for Old Men.
Britons Daniel Day Lewis, who plays a malicious oil entrepreneur
in There Will Be Blood, Julie Christie, who plays a woman
with Alzheimer’s Disease in Away From Her, and France’s
Marion Cotillard, who played singer Edith Piaf in La Vie En
Rose, are front-runners for SAG’s best actor and actress
awards after winning Golden Globes and Oscar nominations.
Spain’s Javier Bardem is the man to beat in his supporting role
as a cool-headed killer in No Country For Old Men. But
less predictable is the supporting actress category, which includes
Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, Tilda
Swinton for the legal thriller Michael Clayton and Amy
Ryan for Gone Baby Gone.
The Screen Actors Guild also hands out television awards.
The Sopranos, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, The Closer and
Mad Men are competing for best TV drama ensemble cast.
Entourage, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, The Office
and Ugly Betty are nominated for best comedy cast.
Reuters

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Ledger to be honoured at SAGs

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008

Star power makes a welcome return on Sunday as the Screen Actors
Guild hands out its annual awards in the glitziest ceremony of a
season clouded by a bitter industry strike.
Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe are
among the celebrities expected on the red carpet at the Shrine
auditorium in Los Angeles in the only awards show so far this year
that resembles traditional Hollywood glamour.
Forecasts of heavy rain, the sudden death of promising actor
Heath Ledger last week and the strike cloud hanging over next
month’s Oscars may dampen some of the enthusiasm at Sunday’s party.
Organizers have erected a vast tent over the arrivals area because
of the rain.
But the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards gives actors, producers
and studios an opportunity to celebrate after three months of a
strike by screenwriters that has crippled movie and TV production
and led to a star boycott of the Golden Globe and People’s Choice
Awards earlier this month.
The striking Writers Guild Of America allowed its members to
write for the SAG awards show and said it would not mount protests
outside the event because actors have been strong allies of the
writers in their dispute with studios over better payments for work
distributed over the Internet.
No such deal has been reached for the Oscars on February 24
although talks resumed last week between the WGA and major studios
after a six-week break marked by growing hostility.
Winners at SAG are normally seen as key contenders for an Oscar
since actors make up the biggest group of the 6,000 Academy Award
voters.
But this year, SAG appears out of sync with the Oscars in the
best picture race. British war romance “Atonement” and the greed
and power drama “There Will Be Blood,” which won eight Oscar
nominations, are missing from SAG’s nominees for its top prize of
best cast ensemble.
Instead the true-life wilderness story Into the Wild,
which was written and directed by actor Sean Penn, leads the SAG
field with four nominations. It received a disappointing two Oscar
nods.
Joining the list of nominees for best ensemble cast is musical
Hairspray, western 3:10 to Yuma, crime thriller
American Gangster and the latest Coen brothers movie,
No Country for Old Men.
Britons Daniel Day Lewis, who plays a malicious oil entrepreneur
in There Will Be Blood, Julie Christie, who plays a woman
with Alzheimer’s Disease in Away From Her, and France’s
Marion Cotillard, who played singer Edith Piaf in La Vie En
Rose, are front-runners for SAG’s best actor and actress
awards after winning Golden Globes and Oscar nominations.
Spain’s Javier Bardem is the man to beat in his supporting role
as a cool-headed killer in No Country For Old Men. But
less predictable is the supporting actress category, which includes
Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, Tilda
Swinton for the legal thriller Michael Clayton and Amy
Ryan for Gone Baby Gone.
The Screen Actors Guild also hands out television awards.
The Sopranos, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, The Closer and
Mad Men are competing for best TV drama ensemble cast.
Entourage, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, The Office
and Ugly Betty are nominated for best comedy cast.
Reuters

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Ledger to be honoured at SAGs

Monday, January 28th, 2008

Star power makes a welcome return on Sunday as the Screen Actors
Guild hands out its annual awards in the glitziest ceremony of a
season clouded by a bitter industry strike.
Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe are
among the celebrities expected on the red carpet at the Shrine
auditorium in Los Angeles in the only awards show so far this year
that resembles traditional Hollywood glamour.
Forecasts of heavy rain, the sudden death of promising actor
Heath Ledger last week and the strike cloud hanging over next
month’s Oscars may dampen some of the enthusiasm at Sunday’s party.
Organizers have erected a vast tent over the arrivals area because
of the rain.
But the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards gives actors, producers
and studios an opportunity to celebrate after three months of a
strike by screenwriters that has crippled movie and TV production
and led to a star boycott of the Golden Globe and People’s Choice
Awards earlier this month.
The striking Writers Guild Of America allowed its members to
write for the SAG awards show and said it would not mount protests
outside the event because actors have been strong allies of the
writers in their dispute with studios over better payments for work
distributed over the Internet.
No such deal has been reached for the Oscars on February 24
although talks resumed last week between the WGA and major studios
after a six-week break marked by growing hostility.
Winners at SAG are normally seen as key contenders for an Oscar
since actors make up the biggest group of the 6,000 Academy Award
voters.
But this year, SAG appears out of sync with the Oscars in the
best picture race. British war romance “Atonement” and the greed
and power drama “There Will Be Blood,” which won eight Oscar
nominations, are missing from SAG’s nominees for its top prize of
best cast ensemble.
Instead the true-life wilderness story Into the Wild,
which was written and directed by actor Sean Penn, leads the SAG
field with four nominations. It received a disappointing two Oscar
nods.
Joining the list of nominees for best ensemble cast is musical
Hairspray, western 3:10 to Yuma, crime thriller
American Gangster and the latest Coen brothers movie,
No Country for Old Men.
Britons Daniel Day Lewis, who plays a malicious oil entrepreneur
in There Will Be Blood, Julie Christie, who plays a woman
with Alzheimer’s Disease in Away From Her, and France’s
Marion Cotillard, who played singer Edith Piaf in La Vie En
Rose, are front-runners for SAG’s best actor and actress
awards after winning Golden Globes and Oscar nominations.
Spain’s Javier Bardem is the man to beat in his supporting role
as a cool-headed killer in No Country For Old Men. But
less predictable is the supporting actress category, which includes
Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, Tilda
Swinton for the legal thriller Michael Clayton and Amy
Ryan for Gone Baby Gone.
The Screen Actors Guild also hands out television awards.
The Sopranos, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, The Closer and
Mad Men are competing for best TV drama ensemble cast.
Entourage, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, The Office
and Ugly Betty are nominated for best comedy cast.
Reuters

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Blanchett misses out at SAGs

Monday, January 28th, 2008

CATE Blanchett has missed out in both the categories she was nominated in at the Screen Actors’ Guild awards ceremony.

Blanchett was overlooked for her role as Bob Dylan in the biopic I’m Not There and was also empty-handed after the best actress category, in which she was nominated for her performance in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. The supporting actress category was won by 83-year-old Ruby Dee, who also beat Tilda Swinton in the legal thriller Michael Clayton and Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone. The best actress award was taken out by Julie Christie for her performance in Away From Her.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem and mob drama The Sopranos took early movie and television awards at the ceremony in Hollywood’s first full-scale awards show in a season marred by a bitter industry strike.

Bardem won for his supporting actor role as a cold-blooded killer in No Country For Old Men at a star-studded dinner at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles preceded by a red carpet parade that even wintry rain failed to dampen.

The Sopranos, which ended after six seasons in June 2007, took the top TV drama prize for best ensemble cast. Stars James Gandolfini and Edie Falco won the SAG award for best actor and actress in a TV drama.

Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Eva Longoria and Tom Cruise provided some much-missed star power at SAG in a three-month ongoing strike by Hollywood screenwriters that led to celebrities boycotting the Golden Globes and People’s Choice Awards earlier this month.

%26quot;The entire town has been going through a very difficult time. So to be able to celebrate something is a wonderful thing,%26quot; former Will %26amp; Grace star Debra Messing said.

The Writers Guild Of America allowed its members to write for the SAG awards show and said it would not protest outside the event because actors have been strong allies of the writers in their bid for higher payments for work distributed over the Internet.

The strike also threatens the February 24 Oscars, the movie industry’s biggest showcase, although hopes have risen for a settlement after informal talks resumed last week between the WGA and major studios.

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Heath Ledger honoured at SAGs

Monday, January 28th, 2008

AS film and television stars remembered Australian actor Heath Ledger at the annual Screen Actors Guild awards in Los Angeles, anti-gay protesters picketed outside over his role in Brokeback Mountain.

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Glamour makes a comeback at SAGs

Monday, January 28th, 2008

STAR power has made a welcome return as the Screen Actors Guild hands out its annual awards in the glitziest ceremony of a season clouded by a bitter industry strike.

Cate Blanchett is up for two individual honours - best actress in a lead role for Elizabeth: The Golden Age and best actress in a supporting role for I’m Not There.

Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe are among the celebrities expected on the red carpet at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles in the only awards show so far this year that resembles traditional Hollywood glamour.

Forecasts of heavy rain, the sudden death of Heath Ledger last week and the strike cloud hanging over next month’s Oscars may dampen some of the enthusiasm at Sunday’s party. Organisers have erected a vast tent over the arrivals area because of the rain.

But the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards gives actors, producers and studios an opportunity to celebrate after three months of a strike by screenwriters that has crippled movie and TV production and led to a star boycott of the Golden Globe and People’s Choice Awards earlier this month.

The striking Writers Guild Of America allowed its members to write for the SAG awards show and said it would not mount protests outside the event because actors have been strong allies of the writers in their dispute with studios over better payments for work distributed over the Internet.

No such deal has been reached for the Oscars on February 24 although talks resumed last week between the WGA and major studios after a six-week break marked by growing hostility.

Winners at SAG are normally seen as key contenders for an Oscar since actors make up the biggest group of the 6000 Academy Award voters.

But this year, SAG appears out of sync with the Oscars in the best picture race. British war romance Atonement and the greed and power drama There Will Be Blood, which won eight Oscar nominations, are missing from SAG’s nominees for its top prize of best cast ensemble.

Instead the true-life wilderness story Into the Wild, which was written and directed by actor Sean Penn, leads the SAG field with four nominations. It received a disappointing two Oscar nods.

Joining the list of nominees for best ensemble cast is musical Hairspray, western 3:10 to Yuma, crime thriller American Gangster and the latest Coen brothers movie, No Country for Old Men.

Britons Daniel Day Lewis, who plays a malicious oil entrepreneur in There Will Be Blood, Julie Christie, who plays a woman with Alzheimer’s Disease in Away From Her, and France’s Marion Cotillard, who played singer Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose, are front-runners for SAG’s best actor and actress awards after winning Golden Globes and Oscar nominations.

Spain’s Javier Bardem is the man to beat in his supporting role as a cool-headed killer in No Country For Old Men.

But less predictable is the supporting actress category, which includes Blanchett playing Bob Dylan, Tilda Swinton for the legal thriller Michael Clayton and Amy Ryan for Gone Baby Gone.

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Related posts

Heath Ledger honoured at SAGs

Monday, January 28th, 2008

AS film and television stars remembered Australian actor Heath Ledger at the annual Screen Actors Guild awards in Los Angeles, anti-gay protesters picketed outside over his role in Brokeback Mountain.

Tags:

Related posts

Ledger to be honoured at SAGs

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

Star power makes a welcome return on Sunday as the Screen Actors
Guild hands out its annual awards in the glitziest ceremony of a
season clouded by a bitter industry strike.
Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe are
among the celebrities expected on the red carpet at the Shrine
auditorium in Los Angeles in the only awards show so far this year
that resembles traditional Hollywood glamour.
Forecasts of heavy rain, the sudden death of promising actor
Heath Ledger last week and the strike cloud hanging over next
month’s Oscars may dampen some of the enthusiasm at Sunday’s party.
Organizers have erected a vast tent over the arrivals area because
of the rain.
But the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards gives actors, producers
and studios an opportunity to celebrate after three months of a
strike by screenwriters that has crippled movie and TV production
and led to a star boycott of the Golden Globe and People’s Choice
Awards earlier this month.
The striking Writers Guild Of America allowed its members to
write for the SAG awards show and said it would not mount protests
outside the event because actors have been strong allies of the
writers in their dispute with studios over better payments for work
distributed over the Internet.
No such deal has been reached for the Oscars on February 24
although talks resumed last week between the WGA and major studios
after a six-week break marked by growing hostility.
Winners at SAG are normally seen as key contenders for an Oscar
since actors make up the biggest group of the 6,000 Academy Award
voters.
But this year, SAG appears out of sync with the Oscars in the
best picture race. British war romance “Atonement” and the greed
and power drama “There Will Be Blood,” which won eight Oscar
nominations, are missing from SAG’s nominees for its top prize of
best cast ensemble.
Instead the true-life wilderness story Into the Wild,
which was written and directed by actor Sean Penn, leads the SAG
field with four nominations. It received a disappointing two Oscar
nods.
Joining the list of nominees for best ensemble cast is musical
Hairspray, western 3:10 to Yuma, crime thriller
American Gangster and the latest Coen brothers movie,
No Country for Old Men.
Britons Daniel Day Lewis, who plays a malicious oil entrepreneur
in There Will Be Blood, Julie Christie, who plays a woman
with Alzheimer’s Disease in Away From Her, and France’s
Marion Cotillard, who played singer Edith Piaf in La Vie En
Rose, are front-runners for SAG’s best actor and actress
awards after winning Golden Globes and Oscar nominations.
Spain’s Javier Bardem is the man to beat in his supporting role
as a cool-headed killer in No Country For Old Men. But
less predictable is the supporting actress category, which includes
Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, Tilda
Swinton for the legal thriller Michael Clayton and Amy
Ryan for Gone Baby Gone.
The Screen Actors Guild also hands out television awards.
The Sopranos, Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, The Closer and
Mad Men are competing for best TV drama ensemble cast.
Entourage, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, The Office
and Ugly Betty are nominated for best comedy cast.
Reuters

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