Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (James Mangold, June 30 2023)

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Depends on if he's still interested in making The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara.  Personally, I'm very interested to see Spielberg make a 19th-century Vatican-set film.  But then again I'm looking forward to The Post and think Ready Player One will be a trainwreck.

[crumbs 14,319]

I feel like Mortara was too far down the garden bath to just abandon entirely. Firstly, you don't throw Tony Kushner scripts in the bin! They'd setup a production office in Italy, secured work permits and extras, locations and actors (granted, Isaac dropped out very late and they hadn't found a child actor for young-Mortara) and were only weeks away from production-start.

Maybe that's all small change for Spielberg but, unlike Robopocalypse (where he pulled the plug close to production for third act rewrites), Mortara was only abandoned because the stars aligned for his anti-Trump Oscar-bait.

[Arpy 4,145]

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

I think it's unfair to take the motivations of CEOs/executives and project them on the incredibly passionate artisans who actually make the movies.  And I'm including a hell of a lot more people than just Williams.

Every person who worked on TFA is, I'm sure, incredibly proud of their creative efforts from actors to CG artists.

(Not saying movies should be free from criticisms, I've just never found "it was only made for the money" particularly effective as one)

Oh, I'm an artist and I love all the concept art and design and the production behind the film, I love the films too (to a certain extent), my criticisms of the motivational reasons the films were produced in the first place is simply the crass, corporate, transparent nature of these big studio productions that is becoming more and more apparent. Most films are made with financial motivations, Star Wars however has always exploited the talent of artists to produce films that are devoid of any creative agency in the ideation phase going in. These aren't films that come from a creative desire to tell a story, they're films bent on making more money that piggy-back on the artists, writers and creative talent. It's not surprising Kennedy et al. went for indie directors to bring a creative edge and that directors and artists instead weren't pining to create these films in the first place. Where's the vision, where's that creative force? 

 

 

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I dunno.  I like The Force Awakens.  Good movie.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

32 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

I dunno.  I like The Force Awakens.  Good movie.

This!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

It's alright.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Ugh.

[Brónach 1,302]

I think I would just recast the character. If it's well done, it shouldn't be that big of a deal. I'm more worried on a basic screenplay level anyway

[Disco Stu 15,495]

16 minutes ago, Sally Spectra said:

It's alright.

We were all waiting on this.  Thanks for obliging.

Just now, Brónach said:

I think I would just recast the character. If it's well done, it shouldn't be that big of a deal. I'm more worried on a basic screenplay level anyway

Well all Koepp confirmed is that Ford will play Indiana Jones in the film.  I think it's pretty much a lock that there's going to be a "handoff to the next generation" aspect to the movie, just like in TFA.

[Arpy 4,145]

Harrison Ford will die again! Shia LaBeouf won't be there to stab him with a lightsaber with a laser crossguard though

[Brónach 1,302]

On 27/10/2016 at 11:42 AM, BloodBoal said:

There was some gory stuff in the POTC trilogy (throats being slit, Davy Jones' heart, Mercer's death...), and these were Disney movies.

The sort of creativity and darkness displayed there would make for a rather entertaining Indy movie, actually.

[crumbs 14,319]

Like Temple of Doom? That film gets incredibly dark! And it's definitely one of its strengths. The Pirates films, despite being bloated, do a commendable job carrying the torch for that kind of visceral horror/violence that Spielberg used to enjoy, even in his "family" movies.

Unfortunately he doesn't have the cajones to indulge in violence anymore, least of all in an Indiana Jones film. These films are for kids! Think of the kids! They can't be exposed to violence.

[Arpy 4,145]

We'll never get hearts being ripped from chests whilst the victim is alive anymore

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The elements that define an Indiana Jones film are violence, brutal murder, drinking, sexism and womanizing. Temple had all of this, but amped it up so that we were blown back from the screen like Marty McFly by Doc's inexplicable giant speaker. The booze was turned to blood, hearts were ripped out, Indy killed more guys than the Death Star and punched a lady in the face, and Willie Scott screamed like an idiot while her nice boobs jiggled around.

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

1 minute ago, Evil-Lyn said:

The elements that define an Indiana Jones film are violence, brutal murder, drinking, sexism and womanizing.

what about the music

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Oh, yeah. That too.

[Wojo 2,453]

32 minutes ago, Arpy said:

We'll never get hearts being ripped from chests whilst the victim is alive anymore

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

People think I'm joking around like I'm trying to be funny when I say a movie was "alright". But haven't you guys ever watched a movie that's so in the middle, it neither moves or upsets you, rather it just exists? It's competently made, probably lavishly produced, but you just simply have no notable response to it. That's how I feel when I say "It was alright/okay" or "not bad".

I've even had weird responses to my "alright" reaction in real life that were hysterical overreactions like "You mean you didn't like it?! WHY NOT??!"

Bizarre.

[Fancyarcher 350]

To me an "alright" film is a movie I watch, that looks fine, maybe I enjoy it, but I forget it an hour after I see it. I could see plenty of people viewing a film like that as actually being worse then a bad movie that "upsetted them greatly", just because they had no real reaction to it. 

[Amer 2,119]

On 9/5/2017 at 5:18 PM, Evil-Lyn said:

The elements that define an Indiana Jones film are violence, brutal murder, drinking, sexism and womanizing.

Sounds like a James Bond movie!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Well, yeah!

[Arpy 4,145]

Jurassic World and the Avengers films are a few that I would say left me feeling empty after having seen them, a middle of the road, apathetic response. Competent, visually diverse and big films, but I just didn't feel anything, in fact with JW after a while of lifelessness, that void was filled with disappointment and anger that after twenty something years THAT was what we got! 

Part of the reason I love TFA is that although it didn't have an original story, it gave us interesting and fresh-faced characters that were enough to entertain me for an hour or two. After the franchise had begun to fade away, TFA was this bright, bold thing that had heart and was everything the franchise needed - a resuscitation.

[crumbs 14,319]

You can tell JJ's primary focus on that film was characters filled with life and energy. It's the main reason, in a lonnnng list of reasons, the prequels are such miserable, soulless chores.

Arguably he went too far with Finn and his boundless energy but he nailed Rey.

[Quintus 5,399]

6 hours ago, Sally Spectra said:

People think I'm joking around like I'm trying to be funny when I say a movie was "alright". But haven't you guys ever watched a movie that's so in the middle, it neither moves or upsets you, rather it just exists? It's competently made, probably lavishly produced, but you just simply have no notable response to it. That's how I feel when I say "It was alright/okay" or "not bad".

I've even had weird responses to my "alright" reaction in real life that were hysterical overreactions like "You mean you didn't like it?! WHY NOT??!"

Bizarre.

You talking about Force Awakens? It is alright, I agree. I'll possibly never watch it again, unless it's on the telly in the background or something.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

On 05/09/2017 at 5:59 PM, crumbs said:

Unfortunately he doesn't have the cajones to indulge in violence anymore

?

[Incanus 5,716]

Cajones make for a great improvised weapon. Just pull out a drawer and whack! Wham! Bazzau!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

17 hours ago, Sally Spectra said:

People think I'm joking around like I'm trying to be funny when I say a movie was "alright". But haven't you guys ever watched a movie that's so in the middle, it neither moves or upsets you, rather it just exists? It's competently made, probably lavishly produced, but you just simply have no notable response to it. That's how I feel when I say "It was alright/okay" or "not bad".

I've even had weird responses to my "alright" reaction in real life that were hysterical overreactions like "You mean you didn't like it?! WHY NOT??!"

Bizarre.

It's because they thought TFA was the nerd second coming. They loved it before they even saw it. They think people like you and I are trying to be ironic or intentionally go against the status quo because we're indifferent about something or don't enjoy it. The praise for TFA was ridiculous. It's refreshing to see people finally admitting to that. Give it a few years after this trilogy is concluded and we'll have a wide selection of "10 reasons The Force Awakens actually sucked" articles all over the internet.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

12 minutes ago, Evil-Lyn said:

It's because they thought TFA was the nerd second coming. They loved it before they even saw it. They think people like you and I are trying to be ironic or intentionally go against the status quo because we're indifferent about something or don't enjoy it. The praise for TFA was ridiculous. It's refreshing to see people finally admitting to that. Give it a few years after this trilogy is concluded and we'll have a wide selection of "10 reasons The Force Awakens actually sucked" articles all over the internet.

And that's how things seemed to be scaled on the internet. Everthing is either untouchable or it's a travesty. It's all binary. Everthing is either 10/10 or 0/10. When people rate movies like this, it may as well just be either 0/1 or 1/1. The idea of something being just okay seems too foreign an idea to the new wave of smartphone, wrist strain reviewers.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

They want to feel like their generation is contributing something to history, so every Christopher Nolan movie that comes out is a masterpiece and The Force Awakens is actually better than the original movies etc. Or maybe this stuff appears to be relatively great. I can't figure it. But I'm not duped.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

It's your generation too.  You're a millennial whether you like it or not!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Or it's just those really vocal SW lunatics who collect everything with the brand name on it, from aftershave kits to car air freshners shaped like BB-8, to lunchboxes, to T-shirts two sizes too small for them, and even all the fast food tie-in junk. They seem to be compulsively unable to break this self-destructive habit of wedding every possible facet of their lives to this one franchise. It guides their lives and informs their sense of existence so much, the mere idea that any of these movies is bad or mediocre is too difficult a concept to comprehend. Such a sad and pitiable existence.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Let's not forget how people need several years to cool down. When the Nolan Batman films were in full swing, everyone was bashing the older movies even though many of them obviously loved them. Now, everything is not only back to normal and the '89 movie is once again a respected beloved comic book movie, it seems more and more people love Batman Returns!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

And for so many years, it seemed everyone hated the 1960s Batman show, but since the blu-ray set came out, suddenly everyone loves it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Batman (1989) really hasn't aged well.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

BOOOOOOOOO

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

People keep saying that but they're always unable to elaborate why. And even when they do, their reasons seem more nitpicky than anything.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The look of the film is what holds up best about it.  The Prince songs are still fantastic.  The Elfman score is still fantastic.  Kim Basinger was the weak link then and now, so that hasn't changed.  Anyway, I hate this idea of a movie being "dated."  If anything an older film being reflective of its contemporary pop culture endears it to me more.  It gives me a sense of the time when it was made.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I liked Vicki. She was a great screamer.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Highlight of her performance.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

She and Willie Scott are definitely the best I've ever heard.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You love to hear women screaming!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

What's wrong with that?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

6 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

If anything an older film being reflective of its contemporary pop culture endears it to me more.  It gives me a sense of the time when it was made.

 

People seem to be repelled by that by default for some reason, as if every film should be future-proofed to always look like it was made yesterday.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The majority of present-day films made in the noughties and early 2010s are now horribly dated because everyone is using flip phones. The older films with no cell phones aren't dated at all.

[Quintus 5,399]

Today, Batman '89 feels like brethren to Batman and Robin. They're both garish overblown pantos.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

One of my favorite things to see in an 80s movie is a car phone.  Or fax machines!  I love it!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

1 minute ago, Evil-Lyn said:

What's wrong with that?

You fantasize causing them...pain?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Oh, yeah.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

He should watch Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. Women inflicting unspeakable pain on one another.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I'd rather women inflict pain on me. But they always get it wrong. I mean physical pain, not the unspeakable emotional kind. God damn women can't do anything right.