Late night double feature picture show
May. 24th, 2008 11:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tardis_stowawayI saw Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Iron Man in a double-feature at the drive-in. I couldn't manage to rally any friends to go, but being alone in my car allowed me to talk back to the screen to my heart's content so all was well. Here's some thoughts.
In conclusion, next time I go to the drive-in I'm cleaning the really stubborn bug spatters off my windsheild first. Also, there ought to be fanfic crossing over the Doctor with Indiana Jones for a different "Smith and Jones." Perhaps it could include Martha, in which case it would be entitled "Smith and Jones and Jones." Throw in Ianto and you get "Smith and Jones and Jones and Jones."
Iron Man was excellent. I've never seen the sex appeal some people find in Robert Downey Jr., but he did a very nice job with the character. The transformation from spoiled, selfish brat to a man with a heart but still some bratty tendencies was well handled. I liked how the first viewing of the prototype suit was shot a bit like a monster movie with him as the monster, showing that he wasn't exactly a white knight. Gwyneth Paltrow was also adorable, even if I do hate the Hollywood notion of the incredibly capable assistant girls who fall for their extremely irritating bosses. I think my favorite part was the deadpan computer. Stark clearly related better to machines than people.
Indiana Jones was a long way from bad, but I still kind of wish it hadn't been made. The trilogy was complete as it stood. (It was called The Last Crusade for a reason, people!) This film was completely unnecessary, and while a lot of fun it wasn't quite good enough to justify itself. There were too many of George Lucas's panderings to tiny kids like we saw in the Star Wars prequels, like most appearances by animals. The prairie dogs at the beginning were stupid, but the monkeys teaching Shia LeBeouf to be Tarzan made me want to swing my vine into a tree. And let's not get started on the snake being used as a rope. Poor snake!
Mostly, I think the aliens/crystal skull mythology of this latest film feels manufactured and lacks the power (at least for people in our Western culture) of the Holy Grail and Ark of the Covenant myths we saw in the first and third movies. (It's been so long since I saw Temple of Doom that I can't say much about it, other than that it's my least favorite Indiana Jones movie.) Yes, the earlier films modified myths nearly to the point of unrecognizability. Nevertheless, the scenes in Last Crusade when Indy strives to reach the Grail through the test of faith traps and then picks the true Grail have a resonance that nothing in Crystal Skull even approaches. Crystal Skull seemed to construct a lot of sequences based on how well they would translate into a Disneyland ride. Also, I miss the 1930's setting. The 50's felt like just window dressing. Early on, the film touched on the dark side of the era's bubblegum righteousness with the nuclear test on the model dream town and the accusations of communism against Indy, but then it never followed through this potential.
I did like a lot about the film. Cate Blanchett appeared to be having a great time chewing up the scenery with her outlandish accent and crazy eyes. I clapped my hands in delight at the blink-and-miss-it appearance by the Ark in the warehouse. The fight in the jungle on the cars was a really good amusement park ride. The relationship between Indy and Shia Lebeouf's character (who I thought during the movie was called Mud, but apparently is supposed to be Mutt) toed the line between cute and irritating, but I ultimately decided I approved based on the "You're a teacher?" "Part time" exchange. As much as I missed the 30's and younger Indy, I appreciated that the film acknowledged the passing of time in its world and its stars. I really enjoyed Indy's old love interest. Her name was Marion, but within five minutes I decided that she reminded me of Sarah Jane and I henceforth had trouble keeping her name straight. She was feisty and seemed very together, acquainted with regret but not crippled by it. The way she and Jones rediscovered each other was touching. (But Indy married? Not quite as weird as it would be for Bond to marry, but odd nevertheless.)
Mostly, I think the aliens/crystal skull mythology of this latest film feels manufactured and lacks the power (at least for people in our Western culture) of the Holy Grail and Ark of the Covenant myths we saw in the first and third movies. (It's been so long since I saw Temple of Doom that I can't say much about it, other than that it's my least favorite Indiana Jones movie.) Yes, the earlier films modified myths nearly to the point of unrecognizability. Nevertheless, the scenes in Last Crusade when Indy strives to reach the Grail through the test of faith traps and then picks the true Grail have a resonance that nothing in Crystal Skull even approaches. Crystal Skull seemed to construct a lot of sequences based on how well they would translate into a Disneyland ride. Also, I miss the 1930's setting. The 50's felt like just window dressing. Early on, the film touched on the dark side of the era's bubblegum righteousness with the nuclear test on the model dream town and the accusations of communism against Indy, but then it never followed through this potential.
I did like a lot about the film. Cate Blanchett appeared to be having a great time chewing up the scenery with her outlandish accent and crazy eyes. I clapped my hands in delight at the blink-and-miss-it appearance by the Ark in the warehouse. The fight in the jungle on the cars was a really good amusement park ride. The relationship between Indy and Shia Lebeouf's character (who I thought during the movie was called Mud, but apparently is supposed to be Mutt) toed the line between cute and irritating, but I ultimately decided I approved based on the "You're a teacher?" "Part time" exchange. As much as I missed the 30's and younger Indy, I appreciated that the film acknowledged the passing of time in its world and its stars. I really enjoyed Indy's old love interest. Her name was Marion, but within five minutes I decided that she reminded me of Sarah Jane and I henceforth had trouble keeping her name straight. She was feisty and seemed very together, acquainted with regret but not crippled by it. The way she and Jones rediscovered each other was touching. (But Indy married? Not quite as weird as it would be for Bond to marry, but odd nevertheless.)
In conclusion, next time I go to the drive-in I'm cleaning the really stubborn bug spatters off my windsheild first. Also, there ought to be fanfic crossing over the Doctor with Indiana Jones for a different "Smith and Jones." Perhaps it could include Martha, in which case it would be entitled "Smith and Jones and Jones." Throw in Ianto and you get "Smith and Jones and Jones and Jones."
