1993 - Back to the Future Part III

As mentioned I did in fact revisit this.  This film far more capture the spirit of the original - the second one almost has too much going on that it’s constantly having to deal with the exposition of the situation where this one and the first are simpler, they can allow us to just really enjoy the situation.  The western genre is a welcome addition here, and there’s a lot of nice callbacks.  The one thing they did well was really have the 2nd film set-up this grande finale.  Having Buford being a gun toting madman is a nice evolution of the Biff character from the original as well.  Part of me hopes that they never mess further with this franchise, but part of me wonders what else could be done with it especially if it’s expanded into something like a series.  I could be interested in that.  Needless to say, if you’ve never seen this trilogy you really owe it to yourself.  I can’t wait to introduce it to my kids.

1991 - Back to the Future

What can I saw about this film that hasn't already been said?  Like Groundhog Day it's just a great example of high concept done super well.  I can't wait to show this film to my kids when they're older - I assume it'll hold up - and it'll be funny to see how dated it is with them.  I'd write a lot more about this film, but I'm just doing this as a short break from stuffing packages.  If you've never see this, and you're a film lover at all, you should be ashamed!

1743 - Super 8

I missed this in the theatres.  In truth I was on my way to see it one night and then decided to see The Dark Night (again).  Now that I've seen this, I made the right choice.  This isn't a bad film at all, it's just not on par with TDK in any way.  What JJ Abrams does REALLY well here is capture the feeling of an 80's film, the look, music, shots, etc… he nailed it.  What's missing is the emotion and the genuine nostalgia.  There's an irony at play here in that the film starts off with a teenage filmmaker telling his best friend that he read an article that explains how you get people to care about your story by getting them emotionally involved - sadly, that never happened in the film itself. 
Now granted, I was packing boxes while watching this on Netflix, but the third act kind of confused the hell out of me and everything felt a tad convoluted. 
Didn't love it, didn't hate it.  A good rainy day popcorn flick, I think...

1603 - Cowboys & Aliens

After a week filled with working on side-projects at night I decided to treat myself to a big-old film.  Like most I thought this title was pretty damn ridiculous, but at the same time I was mighty intrigued - especially as they started assembly the cast - pretty high standard stuff going on here in regards to that.  We need to be reminded that Jon Faveau is the man who wrong and starred in Swingers, one of my all-time favorites, and is now behind a series of this big fun summer films. Not to set the context, I'm going to poach part of Roger Ebert's review:

Here is a movie set in 1873 with cowboys, aliens, Apaches, horses, spaceships, a murdering stagecoach robber, a preacher, bug-eyed monsters, a bartender named Doc, a tyrannical rancher who lives outside a town named Absolution, his worthless son, two sexy women, bandits, a magic bracelet, an ancient Indian cure for amnesia, a symbolic hummingbird, a brave kid with a spyglass, and a plucky dog who follows the good guys for miles and miles through the barren waste and must be plumb tuckered out. This is not a satire. Nor is it a comedy.

Believe it or not but this film is played completely straight - and it's all the better for it.  It's a real story (well...) with real stakes.  The aliens have come and, in spectacular fashion, take away the kin of these here cowboys, and so it's up to this unlikely group to go and get them back.  This is what going to the movies is all about, and it's the kind of film that I can't wait to be able to start taking my son to.  It's big and it's fun - it's smart with how it organically fuses the western and sci-fi genres.  Is it perfect?  No.  If you really want to you can start picking holes into it - but come on - it's called Cowboys & Aliens - are you really looking for the reality-sandwich-of-the-year with this one?  Even though it's a big summer film I'm not sure that this is one that you absolutely have to see in the cinema - but if you're curious you shouldn't hold off.  I quite enjoyed this.
I liked this film a lot, I liked that each character had an investment in the film and that these talent actors had stuff to do, they were just standing around looking good in front of special effects.  I think this film is getting less-than-stellar reviews because it's not as hooky as people would expect - but to me, that's what makes it exceptional. 

1491 - The Goonies

This is one of those films that is just so entwined in the childhood and anyone who grew up in and around the eighties. I was only four or five when the film was first released so I discovered it on VHS and television. I think what was unique about this film over others of that time was that it felt like every time I saw it on television there was a different version, things taken out, things added in (Octopus, etc...) it was like there was never a definitive version of it. My mother-in-law bought my the Bluray boxset for my birthday (it has a board game that comes with it!) and so I wanted to revisit it - the disc itself is full of features that I'm looking forward to checking out as well.
It's really nice to see how well a lot of the cast has done following this film. Many of which are still working in or around the industry in strong capacity. Just doing a little research I noticed that the actors that played Sloth and Mama Fratelli both died just a few years after the film released.
What's amazing about this film, that you don't see in other "kid's films" these days. First off, the kids feel like kids - they swear a little, they talk over one another - they feel and act like real kids. I just don't know if we make movies like this anymore. Maybe it's just that I don't rewatch films the way that I did in my youth or something. Either way, it still stands up today - and I can't wait to show it to my own kids.
Here's the thing I never understood... how and why were these people being kicked out of their houses - I know someone was trying to build a country club - but did I miss something? Were all these people working for some plant that closed down and they, collectively, couldn't pay their mortgages or something? If someone could explain that to me it would be awesome.

1261 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Despite the fact that I had this poster on my wall for years as a teenager, this is the first time I've ever seen this. Had to watch something while bringing footage for the film in, and this was on the pile. Gotta be honest. It was just a little 'meh'. It's hard to judge something thirty-years later. And it's not really fair to. I mean, in terms of technique and effects it stands up. I just felt that the film was a bit sluggish and I'm not quite sure that I got the point of it. That we're not alone, that we have to follow our instincts? Perhaps.

I wish I'd seen this when I was young, I could give it a better chance. I'm sure there's something there that I missed, but I found myself nodding off during that long end sequence with the ship landing. Oh well. Can't love 'em all!

1059 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

If you've been reading this blog at all you know that I've been gearing up for this movie for the last little bit, rewatching the old films (could never get into the Young Indy tv series), humming the song almost non-stop, etc... I have to say that the only problem that I had leading up to this film was all the people that were just waiting for it to be bad, the people who weren't going to like it just because it plan and simply existed. The haters. You know if you're one of them.

I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to spoil anything, but if you're looking for a fun popcorn flick, you've found it. Were there over-the-top moments? Shit yes. But that's nothing new for Indy. You're not going into this film wondering if he's going to make it out alive or not, it's not that kind of film and I think you know it going in.

Marion's back, and my only complaint is that I wish she got to show off her distinct personality a bit more. It's not that she doesn't have a function in the plot, it's just that she's just such a unique character, but she's not used to her fullest abilities.

The theme of this film is returning. Returning us to an Indy film. My favorite thing about this film, and I don't think I'm ruining anything, isn't that Indy is looking for something, but he's trying to return something - which I thought was unique to the series, and I really enjoyed it. You get a little more detail on some of Indy's past through conversations with other characters, again I won't ruin the fun for you.

Speilberg has said in the past that he had seen this series as five films. I for one would enjoy another outing, especially if I think it's going to be a passing the torch film.

When I re-watch this on DVD I'll comment more indepth on some of the specific details I liked, but for now I'll just let you know that it's well worth the price of admission.

1058 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

I have a soft spot in my heart for this one. I probably watched it the most as a kid. I don't know if it's my favorite of the older ones, but it's at least a tie with 'Raiders'. If nothing else I think that this installment is easily the most fun. It's got Sean Connery! I mean, come on. And he's great in this as the father of Indiana Jones (nice nod to James Bond).

The set and action pieces are really creative and smart, from the train at the opening, to the catacombs, the tanks, they're all really smart and well thought out. I mean, you always know that Indiana is going to get out of a jam, but the real joy is in watching him do it.

Some fantastic scenes, there's Harrison doing his Scottish accent, the Hitler autograph....

I'm going to go into the new one (hopefully tomorrow night) and just expect to have nothing but fun. I'm gonna get a big bag of popcorn, sit back and hope it takes me away.

1052 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Still gearing up for the newest Indiana flick. Like Raiders I haven't watched this film in I don't know how long. I remember that when I was a kid I had this taped off of T.V. and the tape ran out when they were in the tunnel at the end, just as the water was coming towards them. I guess for me they always ended in that tunnel. It wasn't until I was in my teens that I finally saw the actual ending. Gotta be honest, I don't remember being that blown away.

Having just come off of re-watching Raiders and being really excited to re-watch Last Crusade I think this is my least favorite of the series. Not to dis it, it just feels... different. In a bad way? I don't know. We don't see a lot of voodoo dolls or blood drinking potions in the other installments, nor people ripping hearts out of people's chests with them still alive. I realize that there is a not quite realistic feel to the whole series, but this one's just a tad over the top. Don't get me wrong, it has great set pieces. I love the opening with the plane and the raft, love the oriental 'Anything Goes' dance number. In fact, the beauty of this being the first film (if you're thinking in chronological terms) Indy does have the biggest arch in this film in terms that he starts off as a selfish treasure hunter after glory and riches, and ends up realizing that artifacts actually mean something to people.

First time I ever noticed that the club at the beginning is called "Club Obi Wan", or that Dan Akroyd appears at the airport in the films first reel.

So although I don't think it's the best of the series, it still has a special place in my heart.

And come on, who doesn't love Short Round?

1051 - Raiders of the Lost Ark

Am I gearing up for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? Hell's yes! Again, like Ghost Busters it's been forever since I've seen this film and I'm looking forward to watching the other two in the upcoming weeks. I almost bought the new DVD set today but then I stopped myself knowing that I'll just eventually pick up the blueray set (when I break down and buy a blueray player, that is).

First off I was surprised to recognize Alfred Molina as the guy at the beginning that tries to double cross Indy and gets a spear through his head. If I did my research correctly this was his first role. Also apparently Danny DeVito was originally cast as Sallah. I can't imagine anyone other than John Rhys-Davies in that role.

This film is just a lot of fun and there's no surprise that it's turned into the franchise that it has. Especially this installment. When I was a kid we used to go to MGM as Disneyworld and watch the live action stunt show that had them recreate several scenes from this film live. The opening, the market place, and the plane/Nazi Bully scene where the guy gets cut up by the chopper. Watching those scenes never fails to bring me back to those vacations. Ahhh memories...

I love Karen Allen in this and I'm really excited to see her in the new film. It makes me happy that they're bringing her back.

I love how this film ends, it's a really unique statement in a way. That giant room with all those boxes and you just can't help but wonder what's in all of them, what adventures brought them into here? What secrets are they hiding???

It's also interesting when you think about what else was going on at the time. Both Ford and Lucas were splitting their time between Indiana Jones and Star Wars with the two series both making films one after another. I think I always just assumed that Indiana Jones came way later, but by the time the sequels kicked in the films were almost simultaneous.

Ho hum. Two more weeks to go until the new Indy...