Release Dates May 20 2008 @ 09:14 pm
Theater Release for May 22nd, 2008
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Okay kids, here’s your reading comprehension exam: Name two things weird about my post’s title this week. Give up? Okay, here we go: First off, like last week, “release” is singular. And second? The date is the 22nd instead of the 23rd - i.e., Thursday instead of Friday. Following the lead of other recent blockbusters like The Lord of the Rings, Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford are releasing their magnum opus a day early. Why? To give the fanboys plenty of time to see it - as many times as they can - opening weekend. This is genius, really: with Memorial Day, this is a three-day weekend already; adding Friday and Thursday showings makes it a five-day weekend for Indy; and with the inevitable midnight showings on Wednesday night, you may as well call it a six-day weekend (by the way, this is why this post is so early this week, in case you were wondering). With this kind of timing, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get everyone and their grandmother in and out of the theater before anyone has had a chance to warn anyone else that the movie sucks. Which brings me to the inevitable question: Does it suck? Well, it’s got two big strikes against it: First, it’s been getting primarily bad reviews in advance screenings; and second, George Lucas was involved. But hope springs eternal with me - I’m going, and it’s gonna be good, dadgummit! If any movie was ever critic-proof, this one is probably it. Well, this one and those awful Star Wars prequels. In any case, now there are four great choices in theaters - this one, Iron Man, Speed Racer, and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - so you really have no excuse not to get out and go see a movie. Get to it. There will be a test.
Recommended if you can still imagine Harrison Ford without a bingo card, a shuffleboard cue, or an early bird special coupon in his hand…
on May 21 2008 @ 7:39 am 1. Phillip Johnston said …
Woot! Counting down the hours!
And the advance reviews don’t seem to be too bad. Ebert gave a 3.5/4 and RT clocks in at 79%. I’m hopeful.
on May 21 2008 @ 7:58 am 2. Evan Derrick said …
I’m going with fear and trepidation. Most of the reviews I’ve scanned have said the film is a mess, but it’s good to see Indy again. It seems as if overwhelming goodwill for the character is swamping any problems the film has (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing).
Fingers crossed, but all the talk of aliens has me wary.
on May 21 2008 @ 8:00 am 3. Luke Harrington said …
Phillip, it’s not really fair to cite Roger Ebert. That guy likes everything.
on May 21 2008 @ 8:01 am 4. Evan Derrick said …
Yeah, that is kind of true as of late. I love the guy to death, but it is almost a given to take any of his praise with a grain of salt.
on May 21 2008 @ 8:06 am 5. Phillip Johnston said …
I think after his health disaster, he’s just happy to see images on a screen again. That’s the only way to explain his 4/4 review of The Golden Compass. I think he may be out of that phase now.
Maybe.
Ebert has always been the most unpretentious of critics. He still likes to have fun.
on May 21 2008 @ 8:15 am 6. Evan Derrick said …
He is more of the ‘everyman’ critic, but the more and more I read, the less and less I enjoy his perspective. I’m looking for more depth and insight and (yes) even pretension in the critics I read now.
on May 21 2008 @ 8:18 am 7. Luke Harrington said …
I do enjoy Ebert every now and again…I can definitely respect a man who simply loves movies and is willing to judge films based on what they are - not what he wants them to be.
on May 21 2008 @ 8:56 am 8. Colleen said …
The 79% on Rotten tomatoes can be misleading. In theory it would be possible to get a very high percentage on rotten tomatoes, yet have a star rating of 5.5. I perfer to read the Tomatoes review clips than either the stars or percentage.
I think the whole Indy4 thing has been spoilt for me. After seeing Raiders: the Adaptation, I feel let down seeing any real Indy films.
on May 21 2008 @ 9:02 am 9. Evan Derrick said …
I generally feel that the RT meter is a good indication of a film’s overall quality, but reading the snippets is definitely important.
Where did you see Raiders: The Adaptation Colleen, and where can I get a copy of it?
on May 21 2008 @ 9:37 am 10. Colleen said …
Raiders: the adapation played Vancouver,BC about a month ago.
Lucus films have given the three kids (adults now) permission to screen their version of raiders on a charity screening basic only. There are no legal copies of it anyware. Only three prints exsist(I think Chris said three). If you want to see it, You’ll have to get a charity screening in your town. It was FANTASTIC.
http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders_adaptation/screenings.php
thats a link to theraider.net film site. Its worth checking out the whole section on the adaptation.
I’ll shut up now..(whipping the foam from mouth)
on May 21 2008 @ 9:40 am 11. Daniel said …
Dang. The Adaptation is playing here this weekend and I’m afraid I’m going to miss it.