Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/'Watchmen' Trailer's Spielberg-Homaging Easter Egghttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/17/watchmen-trailers-spielberg-homaging-easter-egg/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/17/watchmen-trailers-spielberg-homaging-easter-egg/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/17/watchmen-trailers-spielberg-homaging-easter-egg/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



Earlier today, you saw the trailer for one of the most anticipated adaptations of all time (no, not that one, this one). And it was amazing. Well, I thought so, anyway, and I'm one of the few people who said "ehh" after reading the graphic novel. Anyway, some of you bigger fans probably watched the new Watchmen trailer over and over and over again, forward and backward, in slow-motion and sped-up to compare the film with the panels in the book. But did you notice the odd lack of continuity in the sequence shown above? Unless you read MTV Movies Blog, or unless you were looking really hard for something like last year's 300 trailer surprise, there's a good chance you missed it. Fortunately, for you, I've done my best to highlight the anomaly after the jump.

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]]>300e.t.e.t. the extra terrestrialE.t.TheExtraTerrestrialsteen spielbergSteenSpielbergwatchmenzack snyderZackSnyderChristopher CampbellThu, 17 Jul 2008 22:01:00 ESTA Peek at the First Poster for 'Eagle Eye'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/16/a-peek-at-the-first-poster-for-eagle-eye/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/16/a-peek-at-the-first-poster-for-eagle-eye/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/16/a-peek-at-the-first-poster-for-eagle-eye/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Even though the inevitable backlash against Shia LaBeouf has already begun, you have to respect a guy who made his start in flicks like Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd and made his way to the coveted spot of Spielberg's go-to leading man. Plus, he has a way of making me enjoy films that I normally wouldn't plunk down my hard-earned dollars for. Trust me when I say that it took a lot of restraint not to throw things at the screen during Transformers, so, I really hand it to the guy. Hopefully some of that magic will rub off on the Dreamworks action thriller, Eagle Eye. JoBlo now has the first look at the poster and Mr. LaBeouf seems to really be working the 'intense look' this time around.

LaBeouf plays Jerry Shaw, a slacker who returns home after the mysterious death of his successful twin brother -- gee, do you think there will be a case of mistaken identities? Along with a single mother played by Michelle Monaghan, the two are framed as terrorists, and are threatened into becoming members of a cell plotting to assassinate a politician. Joining in on the fun are Rosario Dawson, and Billy Bob Thornton as the two government agents that are a step behind.

Eye reunites LaBeouf with Disturbia director, D.J. Caruso, in an action thriller that was originally on Spielberg's to-do list. Now that we got a better look at the film, the longer trailer helped ease some of my concerns that instead of Rear Window, Caruso and company were looking to rip-off North by Northwest this time around.

Eagle Eye hits theaters on September 26.

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]]>billy bob thorntonBillyBobThorntond.j. carusoD.j.Carusoeagle eyeEagleEyemichelle monaghanMichelleMonaghanrosario dawsonRosarioDawsonshia labeoufShiaLabeoufJessica BarnesWed, 16 Jul 2008 11:03:00 ESTVideo of the Day: Indy Shot First!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/07/video-of-the-day-indy-shot-first/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/07/video-of-the-day-indy-shot-first/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/07/video-of-the-day-indy-shot-first/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Fans of Raiders of the Lost Ark might want to look away right now as what you're about to watch could cause serious damage to your soul. A brief snippet from the upcoming Raiders of the Lost Ark Special Edition DVD has leaked online and, in it, there seems to be a little update from George Lucas. I kinda like the small touches added and think fans will get used to them after awhile. Yup, don't worry ... they'll just blend into the background. I mean, really, who cares about this old flick anyway? It's so ... 1981-ish. That said, I'm sure folks are already in the process of creating an "Indy Shot First" t-shirt. Check it out up top, then let us know what you think? Should we start a petition? Has Lucas lost his mind? And how could Spielberg agree to something like this? Sound off ...

[Thanks Matthew]

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]]>cinematicalgeorge lucasGeorgeLucasindiana jonesIndianaJonesindy shot firstIndyShotFirstraiders of the lost arkRaidersOfTheLostArksteven spielbergStevenSpielbergErik DavisMon, 07 Jul 2008 12:32:00 ESTSteven Spielberg Finds '39 Clues'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/steven-spielberg-finds-39-clues/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/steven-spielberg-finds-39-clues/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/steven-spielberg-finds-39-clues/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

I've come to the conclusion that Steven Spielberg must not need any sleep. Because Variety is reporting that he's just added another project to his busy plate: 39 Clues, a multiplatform adventure series that will launch September 9th and run for two years. It spans a series of ten books, collectible cards, and an online game. The game will actually be designed around a contest, where young participants will try to solve the mystery scattered throughout the books, with a chance to win $10,000. Whew! Just typing all that makes me tired, I can't imagine sorting through it to make a movie.

39 Clues does have a neat, Indiana Jones feel to its storyline -- it centers on the most powerful family in the world, the Cahills, who boast Houdini and Napoleon among their relatives. The adventure kicks off in the first book, Maze of Bones, when the death of the Cahill's matriarch, Grace, sparks off a race for the inheritance. She hasn't made it easy, you see: Her last will offers her descendants the choice between $1 million, or a clue. Scattered around the world and throughout history, the clues will reveal the source of the family's secret powers. Spielberg is contemplating taking the director's chair, and aims to have a screenwriter attached in the next few weeks. And the first book hasn't even hit Barnes and Noble yet!



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]]>39 Clues39CluesMaze of BonesMazeOfBonesSteven SpielbergStevenSpielbergElisabeth RappeWed, 25 Jun 2008 09:32:00 ESTNew 'Eagle Eye' Trailer Onlinehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/new-eagle-eye-trailer-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/new-eagle-eye-trailer-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/25/new-eagle-eye-trailer-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


When we last saw a (teaser) trailer for Eagle Eye - the forthcoming thriller that reunites star Shia LaBeouf with Disturbia director D.J. Caruso and Transformers executive producer Steven Spielberg - I commented with something along the lines of, after "reading the synopsis, I've always thought that Caruso and company were following their Rear Window re-do with North by Northwest 2.0."

...which I then followed up with "Whether that's the case or not, I'm a sucker for a chase movie, and more so for [co-star Michelle] Monaghan. Count me in." Well, judging from the new trailer up at Yahoo! Movies, I'll be having a modest amount of crow for lunch later today, as there now seems to be enough distinct differences between that Hitchcock classic and this paranoid techno-thriller that it'll likely excite on its own merits (fingers crossed).

Sure, we seem to have another one of those incredibly elaborate plans on behalf of the baddies that already appears to have too many variables for its own good, but you know what? So long as the thing moves, I'm not above setting aside brains in favor of brawn.

With a cast that also includes Rosario Dawson, Billy Bob Thornton, and Michael Chiklis, Eagle Eye hits theaters on September 26.

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]]>actiond.j. carusoD.j.Carusoeagleeyemichelle monaghanMichelleMonaghanshia labeoufShiaLabeoufsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergWilliam GossWed, 25 Jun 2008 09:02:00 ESTGeorge Lucas NOT Directing 'Red Tails'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/19/george-lucas-not-directing-red-tails/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/19/george-lucas-not-directing-red-tails/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/19/george-lucas-not-directing-red-tails/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just to clear up, George Lucas is not directing his first non-Star Wars movie in 35 years. I repeat, George Lucas is not returning to the director's chair. Once again ... never mind, I think you've got it.

Two days ago there was an AP story about Lucasfilm's Tuskegee Airmen film, Red Tails -- perhaps you caught my post -- but it didn't note what Lucas' involvement would be. As I wrote, the article seemed to assume that he was directing the project. A number of sites around the web also treated the news (more like an update) as if it claimed that Lucas was indeed helming the WWII-set picture. Others speculated that he was taking the reigns. Well, he's not. He's merely serving as executive producer. There is no director signed on yet.

Continue reading George Lucas NOT Directing 'Red Tails'

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]]>charles floyd johnsonCharlesFloydJohnsongeorge lucasGeorgeLucasjohn ridleyJohnRidleylucasfilmred tailsRedTailsrick mccallumRickMccallumsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergtuskegee airmenTuskegeeAirmenChristopher CampbellThu, 19 Jun 2008 09:32:00 ESTParamount Boasts Billion Dollar B.O. Overseashttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/paramount-boasts-billion-dollar-b-o-overseas/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/paramount-boasts-billion-dollar-b-o-overseas/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/paramount-boasts-billion-dollar-b-o-overseas/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Over the weekend, Paramount Pictures International went over the $1 billion mark, reportedly thanks to the success of its distribution of summer blockbusters Iron Man ($210 million), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ($350 million) and Kung Fu Panda ($41 million), as well as earlier releases The Spiderwick Chronicles ($91 million), Cloverfield ($90 million) and No Country for Old Men ($86 million). Paramount is the first studio to reach a billion bucks in international grosses this year, and it did so faster than in 2007, when it didn't top the figure until late July.

But is it really fair for Paramount to be bragging so much? On her Variety blog, Anne Thompson weighs in on the news, pointing out that all three of the studio's summer blockbusters were produced outside the main studio. Indiana Jones was Lucasfilm; Iron Man was Marvel; Panda was DreamWorks Animation. Of course, Paramount deserves a lot of credit for the marketing of these films, but Thompson wonders what it will be like if DreamWorks really does break away soon. Fortunately it has a good looking slate for the next few years, thanks to next year's toy-based titles Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. Joe, and then the next four or five Marvel Studios releases in 2010 and 2011.

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]]>indiana jones and the kingdom of the crystal skullIndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkulliron manIronMankung fu pandaKungFuPandaparamount pictures internationalParamountPicturesInternationalthe love guruTheLoveGuruChristopher CampbellTue, 17 Jun 2008 11:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Stan Winston's Greatest Achievementshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/cinematical-seven-stan-winstons-greatest-achievements/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/cinematical-seven-stan-winstons-greatest-achievements/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/cinematical-seven-stan-winstons-greatest-achievements/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Make-up, animatronics and effects legend Stan Winston passed away on Sunday at the too-young age of 62. In memoriam, Cinematical humbly presents this list of the man's most enduring achievements.

Some of my most treasured movie memories -- childhood and otherwise -- are courtesy of Stan Winston. What impressed me about this list as I was making it was that Winston specialized in realizing the imaginations of our greatest filmmakers -- directors like Burton, Spielberg, Cameron. Winston was a genius himself, of course, but he also facilitated genius, and that's just as important. Those guys owe him so much.

He had many accomplishments beyond the ones I've listed. That's what the comment thread is for.


1. Jurassic Park's Dinosaurs.

It's hard to describe the impression Jurassic Park made back in 1993. I was 9 years old, which was just old enough to be properly amazed. This was the new generation of popular cinema: perfect, lifelike wonders on the screen as if it were the most natural thing on the planet. Earlier technicians did a lot with simple puppetry, stop-motion and miniatures, but now all bets were off, and all barriers seemed lifted. Once you accepted the scientific goofiness of the film's premise, no further suspension of disbelief was necessary. Winston opened the gates to a whole new cinematic playground.

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Stan Winston's Greatest Achievements

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]]>a.i. artificial intelligenceA.i.ArtificialIntelligencealiensbatman returnsBatmanReturnsdanny devitoDannyDevitoedward scissorhandsEdwardScissorhandsjames cameronJamesCameronjohnny deppJohnnyDeppjurassic parkJurassicParkpredatorstan winstonStanWinstonsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergterminator 2 judgment dayTerminator2JudgmentDaythe terminatorTheTerminatortim burtonTimBurtonEugene NovikovMon, 16 Jun 2008 22:15:00 ESTDid Darabont's 'Indiana Jones' Script Leak Online?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/11/did-darabonts-indiana-jones-script-leak-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/11/did-darabonts-indiana-jones-script-leak-online/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/11/did-darabonts-indiana-jones-script-leak-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Well, this is an interesting find, Dr. Jones. Apparently, a PDF document claiming to be Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods, as written by Frank Darabont, has found its way online. There's no word yet on whether it's the real deal, and I haven't had the time to read through the whole thing, but it might be worth a look. To recap: Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) wrote an early draft of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Legend has it Steven Spielberg really liked his draft, but George Lucas did not. Thus, Darabont eventually left the project -- one he'd worked on tirelessly -- time went by, and David Koepp finally wound up with it.

But what happened to Darabont's unused script -- the one Spielberg apparently loved? Who knows. Some people say aliens took it one night when Darabont wasn't paying attention, while others believe it was buried with one of them rare crystal skulls in the mountains of Peru. Regardless, folks are saying it's now online and you can read it right here. I'd do it fast, though, because someday a crazy wild-eyed scientist or a kid (or an angry studio) might show up lookin' for that there script (which includes both Papa Jones and Marion, by the way).

Again, it could be an elaborate fake. Nevertheless, I suppose you now have something to read while on the shi .... ahem.

[Thanks IHoM]

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]]>cinematicalfrank darabontfrank darabonts indiana jones scriptFrankDarabontFrankDarabontsIndianaJonesScriptindiana jonesindiana jones and the city of the godsIndianaJonesIndianaJonesAndTheCityOfTheGodsErik DavisWed, 11 Jun 2008 19:00:00 ESTInterview: M. Night Shyamalanhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/10/interview-m-night-shyamalan/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/10/interview-m-night-shyamalan/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/10/interview-m-night-shyamalan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,



He goes by "Night," but it's hard to dispute his sunny disposition. Just a few minutes into a conversation with M. Night Shyamalan in a New York City hotel room yesterday, it was obvious to me that the director has managed to occupy such a unique niche in the Hollywood landscape because he's immediately likable. Of course, a little movie released in 1999 called The Sixth Sense didn't hurt, either.

After landing two Oscar nominations and international acclaim for his masterful ghost story, Shyamalan continued to market himself as a brand. Since then, the results have been mixed. Signs was an indisputable hit. Unbreakable has its supporters. Lady in the Water? Not so much. But that failure hasn't prevented the filmmaker from dealing with audacious material: His latest movie, The Happening, finds a married couple (Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel) thrust into a world where people inexplicably become suicidal after getting struck by an ominous, unseen toxin. Forces of evil usually remain unseen in Shyamalan's films, and The Happening is no exception to that rule. I spoke to the 37-year-old Philadelphia resident about the personal philosophies guiding his career choices, the polarized reactions to his work, and what the future will bring.

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]]>avataravatar the last airb...avatarsAvatarTheLastAirb...blogsdarren aronofskyDarrenAronofskyjames cameronJamesCameronlady in the waterLadyInTheWaterlast airbenderLastAirbenderm nightm night shyamalanmanoj shyamalanManojShyamalanmark wahlbermark wahlbergMarkWahlberMarkWahlbergMNightMNightShyamalannewsweeknight shyamalanNightShyamalanphiladelphiaschindlers listSchindlersListsignssouth parkSouthParksteven spielbergStevenSpielbergthe happeningthe last airbenderthe villageTheHappeningTheLastAirbenderTheVillageunbreakablewoody allenWoodyAllenzooey deschanelZooeyDeschanelEric KohnTue, 10 Jun 2008 22:02:00 ESTInconvenient Measures to Combat 'Indiana Jones' Pirateshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/28/inconvenient-measures-to-combat-indiana-jones-pirates/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/28/inconvenient-measures-to-combat-indiana-jones-pirates/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/28/inconvenient-measures-to-combat-indiana-jones-pirates/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,



The nomadic DVD peddlers in Chinatown and other urban areas seem virtually unstoppable, but that hasn't kept Hollywood studios from launching various attempts to prevent movie piracy. Boing Boing reports on the rumor that at least one theater has been silencing the soundtrack in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull throughout the film in order to mess with potential bootleggers trying to record the thing. If true, it's got to be one of the most brain dead attempts at security since the rise of quart-sized bags. When you really get down to it, most two-bit criminals with camcorders in their laps don''t really care if the quality of the movie they're recording suffers, since the resulting product will already feature lo-fi video, the overlapping sounds of laughter and other audience reactions, and silhouetted cameos from patrons venturing to the concession stands or taking bathroom breaks. With all that, the intermittent exclusion of music doesn't sound like a major concern for the bad guys.

Studio anti-piracy measures are notoriously ill-conceived. Premieres and all-media screenings often force critics and even the filmmakers themselves to undergo intense evaluations before they're allowed to enter the theaters, while films open to the public, where pirates are more likely to show up, don't take any precautions. Granted, multiplexes wouldn't help their business if attending them felt like entering an airport terminal, but that doesn't mean there isn't a better way to prevent the crimes from taking place. Anyone care to offer some ideas?

[Via Movie City News]

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]]>boing boingBoingBoingbootlegbootleggerbootleggingcriminalcriminal intentCriminalIntentcriminalsharrison fordHarrisonFordillegalillegal downloadsIllegalDownloadsindiana jonesindiana jones 4indiana jones and th...IndianaJonesIndianaJones4IndianaJonesAndTh...indyindy2008movie city newsMovieCityNewsmultiplexpiracypiracysolutionsquart sized bagsQuartSizedBagssecuritysecurity breachsecurity cameraSecurityBreachSecurityCamerasteven spielbergStevenSpielbergEric KohnWed, 28 May 2008 21:32:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Things That, Thankfully, Didn't Happen in 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'.http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/27/cinematical-seven-things-that-thankfully-didnt-happen-in-ki/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/27/cinematical-seven-things-that-thankfully-didnt-happen-in-ki/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/27/cinematical-seven-things-that-thankfully-didnt-happen-in-ki/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



Warning: This post does contain lots of Crystal Skull spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Whether you loved Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or hated it, dreaded its arrival or could barely sleep at night in anticipation, I think we can all agree there are some things that we're really glad didn't happen. With George Lucas' oft-quoted desire for "wackiness," and with his Star Wars prequels being rife with mythology rewrites and well, "wackiness," there was cause for concern. I'm one of the individuals who didn't care for the film, but upon leaving, I knew it could have been a lot worse. My friends, who varied between loving, liking, and hating, agreed -- there could have been so many horrible things. For example, the much-maligned monkeys and prairie dogs could have broken out in a spontaneous and extended dance number, and the aliens could have appeared as Indy's father. So, this Cinematical Seven is the result of our roundtable rantings -- and, as always, I am anxious to hear your own ...

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Things That, Thankfully, Didn't Happen in 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'.

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]]>cinematical 7cinematical sevenCinematical7CinematicalSevenfeaturedIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullIndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkullindy2008Elisabeth RappeTue, 27 May 2008 23:02:00 ESTMemorial Day Poll: Should They Continue the Indiana Jones Franchise?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/26/memorial-day-poll-should-they-continue-the-indiana-jones-franch/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/26/memorial-day-poll-should-they-continue-the-indiana-jones-franch/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/26/memorial-day-poll-should-they-continue-the-indiana-jones-franch/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone! While I've been spending most of the weekend out at my imaginary mansion in The Hamptons, the rest of you were busy reserving just over two hours of your time for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. We've already asked you what you thought of the film (and we'll be asking again later to catch up with those who saw it at the end of the weekend), so now it's time to jump ahead and ask ourselves whether we want this franchise to continue.

Both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have said they'll continue making Indiana Jones films if the fans want them. Since Harrison Ford is getting up there in age, one imagines a fifth film would involve handing the franchise over to Shia LaBeouf, though we don't know that for sure. What say you? Is it time to retire Indy once and for all? Did this latest installment prove there's not much gas left in this tank? Or, did you absolutely love the film, wonder why it took so long for a fourth one to hit screens and immediately ponder a wonderful future with lots more Indiana Jones-related films?

Sound off ...

View Poll

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedgeorge lucasGeorgeLucasharrison fordHarrisonFordindiana jones 5indiana jones and the kingdom of the crystal skullIndianaJones5IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkullindy2008shia labeoufShiaLabeoufsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergErik DavisMon, 26 May 2008 12:02:00 ESTCinematical's Friday Night Double Feature: Damsels Not in Distresshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/23/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-damsels-not-in-distre/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/23/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-damsels-not-in-distre/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/23/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-damsels-not-in-distre/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



I wanted to continue this whole week of Indiana Jones, but we've already given you movies reminiscent of the classic adventure series, and we've already given you retro reviews for each of the three films. So, I started to think about what I like about Jones and my favorite of the three, Raiders of the Lost Ark. One of the best gems of that film is Marion Ravenwood.

So, in celebration of how much Ravenwood rules, I wanted to celebrate women who are more than just damsels in distress. The might find themselves captured. They might get beaten down. But they don't wallow -- they fight back. And even better -- they're both old-school. One comes from the '90s, and the other first kicked butt on the big screen 31 years ago. I give you: Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia in Star Wars.

Continue reading Cinematical's Friday Night Double Feature: Damsels Not in Distress

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]]>Carrie FisherCarrieFisherCinematicaldouble featureDoubleFeatureLinda HamiltonLindaHamiltonMarion RavenwoodMarionRavenwoodPrincess LeiaPrincessLeiaSarah ConnorSarahConnorStar WarsStarWarsT2Terminator 2Terminator 2 Judgment DayTerminator2Terminator2JudgmentDaytough women in moviesToughWomenInMoviesMonika BartyzelFri, 23 May 2008 20:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Favorite 'Indiana Jones' Momentshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/cinematical-seven-favorite-indiana-jones-moments/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/cinematical-seven-favorite-indiana-jones-moments/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/cinematical-seven-favorite-indiana-jones-moments/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Indiana Jones is a franchise of moments. Some die-hard fans may recall the precise steps the hero took to locate and procure the Ark of the Covenant (i.e. the plot), but damn near everyone remembers "Snakes... Why did it have to be snakes?" The series is defined and embodied by individual flourishes, images and icons that stubbornly refuse to leave fans' minds, and sometimes even get stuck in pop culture as a whole. As for which ones, well -- that may be different for different people. This is a list of moments that represent Indiana Jones for me: the moments that always evoke a knowing smile or elevate the pulse; the moments I look forward to every time I watch. Some are obvious, some are not, and some of the obvious ones are missing -- but hey, make your own list.

1. Raiders: "Start the engine!"

Oh sure, most people would probably list Indy and Satipo navigating the booby traps of ancient temple to retrieve the golden idol in Raiders' deservingly legendary opening sequence. And yes, that's cool. But what I love even more is a moment that comes a few minutes later: with Rene Belloq and the Hovitos on his tail, Indy comes barreling across a plain, hollering at his companion to "START THE ENGINE" of a waiting seaplane. It's intense, absurd, exciting, funny: everything everyone loves about the series, in the span of a few seconds.

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Favorite 'Indiana Jones' Moments

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]]>featuredIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullIndiana Jones and the Last CrusadeIndiana Jones and the Temple of DoomIndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkullIndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusadeIndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoomindy2008Raiders of the Lost ArkRaidersOfTheLostArkEugene NovikovThu, 22 May 2008 22:02:00 ESTInterviews: Indiana Jones's George Lucas, Shia LaBeouf and Cate Blanchetthttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/interviews-indiana-joness-george-lucas-shia-labeouf-and-cate/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/interviews-indiana-joness-george-lucas-shia-labeouf-and-cate/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/22/interviews-indiana-joness-george-lucas-shia-labeouf-and-cate/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



In the Carlton Hotel at Cannes, a small group of journalists have navigated the maze-like hallways, made it through a series of security checkpoints and eventually brought to a suite to sit in rows and hear Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf and George Lucas talk about the making of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Despite the bizarre timing of the interviews -- Paramount scheduled the press day before the press screening of the film -- rendering the experience slghtly awkward, LaBeouf, Blanchett and Lucas were relaxed and charming as they took hypothetical questions, general inquiries and wild guesses about the film. Cinematical was there to hear George Lucas talk about the politics of Indy, LaBeouf explain why his switchblade skills needed work and Blanchett talk about being directed by her children, and much more; Cinematical's questions are indicated.

George, was it really important to have the space alien element to the story? The legend about this movie is that it was held up because you wanted to have the Area 51 segment in there. Is that true, and why is it so important to have the aliens in there?

George Lucas: Well, these movies don't work without an object that they're going after that is supernatural and that is a real object that people believe in - whether it's actually true or not true - whether it's the Ark of the Covenant, whether it's the Holy Grail, these are things that are mythological artifacts that have real mythology. It's not made-up Hollywood, by me or by anyone else, it's the real deal. So I had to have something that would be the real deal. When we finished the third film, we didn't know if we were gonna make (a next) movie. ...

Continue reading Interviews: Indiana Jones's George Lucas, Shia LaBeouf and Cate Blanchett

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]]>Cate BlanchettCateBlanchettGeorge LucasGeorgeLucasIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullIndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkullindy2008Shia LaBeoufShiaLabeoufJames RocchiThu, 22 May 2008 12:01:00 ESTJeffrey M. Anderson's 400 Screens 400 Blows - How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Spielberghttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/jeffrey-m-andersons-400-screens-400-blows-how-i-learned-to-s/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/jeffrey-m-andersons-400-screens-400-blows-how-i-learned-to-s/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/jeffrey-m-andersons-400-screens-400-blows-how-i-learned-to-s/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Since it's Indiana Jones week, I wanted to do something Indy-themed for my column this week, perhaps something along the line of "Indy indies," but I kept coming back to an idea that has been gnawing at me for some time: a recently re-discovered appreciation for Steven Spielberg, flaws and all. As a kid, I was treated to Spielberg's childlike fantasies, including E.T. and Raiders of the Lost Ark, and, to a lesser extent Poltergeist and The Goonies. He, along with George Lucas, seemed to be able to tap directly into the universal fantasies of boys (and some girls, too) everywhere, thereby discovering a gold mine.

But he eventually felt the need to grow up, not because he wanted to, but because he yearned for the acclaim that goes with making more grown-up movies. His first attempt, The Color Purple, was oddly, almost uncomfortably childlike, but he eventually made the leap with Schindler's List. At least three times he has jumped back and forth between childhood and adulthood in a single year: 1993 (Jurassic Park and Schindler's List), 1997 (The Lost World and Amistad) and 2005 (War of the Worlds and Munich). It's only natural, then, that fans and critics began to see this as a kind of betrayal, or worse, inconsistency. Not to mention that his gargantuan success, both financial and critical, tends to breed contempt in others.

Continue reading Jeffrey M. Anderson's 400 Screens 400 Blows - How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Spielberg

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]]>cinematicalfilmindiana jonesindy2008movieraiders of the lost arkRaidersOfTheLostArkJeffrey M. AndersonWed, 21 May 2008 23:02:00 ESTBox Office: Jonesing For Indianahttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/box-office-jonesing-for-indiana/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/box-office-jonesing-for-indiana/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/box-office-jonesing-for-indiana/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Well, the Prince is certainly no pauper, but some expected the latest installment in The Chronicles of Narnia to have a more auspicious debut. Prince Caspian fell about $10 million short of the opening weekend figures for 2005's The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Still, the fantasy adventure was enough to knock Iron Man down a peg after two weeks in the number one spot. Here's the top five:

1. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: $55 million
2. Iron Man: $31.8 million
3. What Happens in Vegas: $13.8 million
4. Speed Racer: $8.1 million
5. Made of Honor: $4.7 million

Just one movie coming out this week, people, but it's going to be a doozy.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
What's It All About: Indiana who? I kid, I kid. Nearly twenty years after the last installment in the series, Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas join forces once again to regale the world with an adventure from the character who may damn well be the ass-kickingest action hero to ever grace the silver screen. Karen Allen also returns as Marion Ravenwood, a character we haven't seen since 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Indy's young sidekick is played by Shia LaBeouf.
Why It Might Do Well: The film scored 79% at Rottentomatoes.com, Cinematical's own Scott Weinberg gave the film his seal of approval, and this is Indiana Freakin' Jones, people! I don't know about you, but last weekend's Indiana Jones marathon on the Sci-Fi Channel got me pumped and I am DYING to see this one.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The Connecticut Cadre of Kate Capshaw Kibitzers are threatening to boycott the film because Ms. Capshaw will not be reprising her role from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but aside from them I think everyone's going.
Number of Theaters: 3,900
Prediction: $105 million

Continue reading Box Office: Jonesing For Indiana

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]]>CinemaCinematicalIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullIndiana Jones and the Temple of DoomIndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkullIndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoomMoviesRaiders of the Lost ArkRaidersOfTheLostArkMatt BradshawWed, 21 May 2008 18:02:00 ESTIndiana Jones and the Talk of the Internethttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/indiana-jones-and-the-talk-of-the-internet/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/indiana-jones-and-the-talk-of-the-internet/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/indiana-jones-and-the-talk-of-the-internet/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

While we here at Cinematical continue to pump out a series of Indy-related stories this week in honor of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, here's some of what else is being said about Dr. Jones around the web:

Over at Moviefone, you can partake in a pretty nifty Indiana Jones quiz. Not only that, but they've also got a bunch of groovy quotes from the Indy cast at Cannes, as well as 20 fun facts about Indiana Jones. Think you know everything about the man? Well, head on over and see if there's still more to learn.

Right now on Rotten Tomatoes, they take a look at the best of Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg's best-reviewed films and the super career of George Lucas.

Spout ponders why almost every early review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull includes a huge BUT in the first paragraph.

MTV Movies Blog has photos of an odd Crystal Skull projector that teaches you about archeology, as well as a remote control giant ant (see image to right). Yeah, for those times when that remote control Hummer is just too ... not creepy enough. (And when you see how the ants play into the new film, you'll be creeped out even more.)

Who wants a limited edition Indiana Jones Xbox 360?

Finally, Movieweb has a great piece up on the top ten '50s films that influenced Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

And for all of our coverage from Cinematical Indy Week, just click right here.

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]]>cinematicalgeorge lucasGeorgeLucasindiana jonesindiana jones and the kingdom of the crystal skullIndianaJonesIndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkullsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergErik DavisWed, 21 May 2008 16:32:00 ESTDiscuss: The Women of Indiana Joneshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/discuss-the-women-of-indiana-jones/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/discuss-the-women-of-indiana-jones/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/21/discuss-the-women-of-indiana-jones/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



If there is one thing I want to learn from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull -- one damn thing -- it's why the hell Dr. Henry Jones Jr. didn't end up married to Marion Ravenwood. Was she just too much for him? Or did she dump him, fed up with a man who was not only a scattered academic, but a fly-by-night adventurer? Really, that has to be a tough combo when you just want him to take you out to dinner.

With Kingdom of the Crystal Skull not only bringing back Ms. Ravenwood, but introducing the domineering Irina Spalko, I think it's high time we discussed Indy's women. Where would Dr. Jones be without the ladies? Without Marion, he probably would have been in an early grave, without Willie Scott and Elsa Schneider, he may have been spared a few extra scars.

I don't really need to sing the praises of Ms. Ravenwood here. We already know how she was the coolest sidekick of all, the sort of kickass chick who was not only unusual in 1981, but still pretty rare today. She rivals Princess Leia as one of George Lucas' finest characters. (It's rather sobering that the man who gave us Leia, Marion and Sorsha could only conjure up the broken-hearted Amidala years later. Seriously, Lucas, you burned your geek girl cred on that one.) I give Lucas the credit because my gut says it is owed him. When it comes to his action-adventure movies, Spielberg never quite spent the kind of time on his heroines like Lucas did. But he gets major props for the way his moms shine -- Spielberg knows that when you have kids, you don't immediately become a screeching moron -- even if your kids do surprise you with an extra-terrestrial.

Continue reading Discuss: The Women of Indiana Jones

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]]>Elsa SchneiderElsaSchneiderfeaturedindiana jones 4indiana jones and th...IndianaJones4IndianaJonesAndTh...indy2008marion ravenwoodMarionRavenwoodWillie ScottWillieScottElisabeth RappeWed, 21 May 2008 12:02:00 EST