#Indiana jones franchise

[stellanslashgeode]

I feel what we need to put arguments from the "Fandom Menace" and other bad-faith Disney Star Wars critics into context are longitudinal studies of other 40-50 year old film-first franchises. So, Star Trek is off the table here. Let's see how other contemporaries of Star Wars are doing?

Alien: Wow, you've had a few miles of rough road behind you! Had a bunch of edgelord Dark Horse comics in the 90s? Put out a critically and fan critical prequel series that tried to do something different? But none but a few defenders actually like? Got a few announced entries that were dragged behind the barn and unceremoniously shot? Well, give it a few years. You're still and ongoing concern, and you're a Disney product now so I'll check up in a few years. You might be the most Star Wars on this list.

If Alien is the mother of Sci-Fi action movies, how is the fun drunk uncle doing?

Predator: Wow! Damn! You okay there, bro? Fuck, dude... Your best and latest release was straight-to-Hulu because of the pandemic? Damn. What's that you say? The director of your most celebrated entry went to jail, and not movie jail actual jail jail? Get well soon, buddy.

Horror movies are generally long running and have die-hard fans. Let's see how a few of those are doing?

Hellraiser: Damn, bud! Same thing as Predator with the straight-to-Hulu thing, eh? Well, tell Jamie Clayton I love her. Sense8 forever. Looks like you went into straight-to-DVD hell for a long time there, too! And you've got a genuine ashcan sequel you swept under the rug just to keep the rights? What's that I see? An actual Alan Smithee film? Fuck, dude. Via con Dios.

Okay, Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street, how you doing? 2010s weren't kind to you? Okay, next.

Terminator: Woah, there! Looks like you need to take a long nap. You got rode all night and put back wet. You've got more failed reboots than anyone on this list! Mabe there is actually no fate but what we make, and we need to not make Terminator films for a bit. (Low key, tho? Dark Fate kind of ruled. Love you. You're like good edgy fanfic. Not the movie I wanted but the one we deserved at the time.)

Maybe we need to get back to Lucasfilm for a bit.

Indiana Jones: Hey there, buddy. Are you okay? Maybe you need to take a rest? Stretch out on the lazy-boy grandpa, you deserve it.

Willow: What the fuck? Not renewed and then DELETED? Is there a physical release? No? Fuck! Are you saying you mostly exist as Tumblr gifsets now? Jesus Christ!

[ljones41]

I just realized something. Not only did "Skeleton Crew" reminded me of movies like "The Goonies" and now, some of the old Indiana Jones flicks. It also reminded me of an old Disney Studios television movie from 1962 called "Mooncussers", which was about how pirates lure sailing ships to their destruction along the New England coast, to take their cargo.

[stuckasmain]

My favorite part of Temple of doom is how perfectly Shortie has indianas stict down. When he fights he copy’s him almost perfectly, he knows what and when and how. He knows the morals of everything too. It’s a shame we don’t get to see him (or even hear about him)in later movies. He loves Indy so much, that’s his dad man 😭

[cantstoptherecs]

this series is so good so far 😊

Temple of the Forbidden Eye (2)

Indiana Jones x OC

Series Summary: The relationship between student and teacher is strictly professional, or at least it should be. He’s never met his match in archeological intelligence, and if he ever does, it might drive him to do something stupid. 

A/n: The amount of people who actually read the first chapter veery much surprised me because Indy barely gets enough love anymore but bro I’m so happy y’all liked it and I love this man so I will fr try and update this more often.

Warnings: i don’t even know what counts as a warning for this series tbh… old fashioned ways of thinking i suppose??

(Co-written by the lovely @theatrelove3000 you guys should go give her a follow)

There was a warm wind that swept through her hair as she rounded the corner of the block. She looked back down at her note, tucked into the top of her book. This was in fact the correct street, but it looked so different than how she imagined. Her old mentor described the great Indiana Jones as the world’s most accomplished archeologist, and for all the daring and adventurous stories she’d been told, she couldn’t possibly imagine him living in a quaint neighborhood like this, all lined with picket fences and well maintained front lawns. 

She read the mailboxes, seeing the iron letters hanging on each one, signifying each house’s address, finding the one next to the end of the cul-de-sac and checking the small paper slip once more to confirm that this was the right house. It was older looking, more warm and inviting than the others. It didn’t appear as perfectly manicured as the other cookie cutter houses. It looked lived in. Like a home. the corners of the walls had chipped paint, and water lines from rain. 

Class today had gone the same as always, her professor hadn’t even stopped her on the way out, or in the hall as he was leaving the building. It was just another day for him, as it should be for her. She couldn’t help her nerves though, as she strode up to the front door, ready to knock. Hesitation was only momentary, as a deep breath was inhaled, and she laid three firm raps on the door. 

While waiting for the occupant of the house to open said door, she turned and looked around her on the porch. There were some interesting looking plants that she didn’t recognize as being from this country, or any she’d heard of thus far. They must be exotic, small reminders of his work in the field. She smiled at the thought of his worldly travels, it all seemed so exciting, and she was enthralled to one day embark on such journeys.

Her head whipped back to the door as the old creaking hinges brought her back to reality. Still nervous, she was smiling wide, but her hands were shaking. Calm down, she had to think to herself. This is just a part of your work.

“Hi,” she said in a released breath, holding her hands together to quell their rapid movements. He gave a slight chuckle and smirked. She seemed far less confident here than in the classroom setting. Maybe when she was there she felt the need to prove herself. “I hope I’m not too late, I got a bit lost on the way.”

“You walked here?” he tilted his head, looking around behind her to see if there was at least someone to drop her off. Not a car in sight, or even another person for that matter. She was completely alone… which to him didn’t seem quite safe. 

“Yes, I like walking places,” she mentally cursed herself for such a stupid sentence to come from her lips. She had been working for years to get here, she’d hoped it all wouldn’t be ruined by a few airheaded remarks. Professor Jones did not share the sentiment. Though he thought it sweet and endearing that she enjoyed something so simple as taking walks, he also saw the signs of her nerves the second he opened the door, and figured she’d be more calm once the work began inside. 

“Well, you’re not late at all, in fact,” he held the door open for her to follow him in, shutting it behind her when her feet were on the hardwood floors. You took a moment to look around the entranceway before he stepped forward. “I just got everything set up in the office.”

You looked at the unique pieces in his living room, all from different cultures and dynasties. They were very interesting, but you noted that not one piece in the room was real, only a copy of something he had found in the past. He believed that all precious artifacts belonged in a museum, and he’d be damned if he went along in hypocrisy and kept a rare treasure for himself. That wasn’t part of his job, he didn’t take trophies. 

“See something you like?” he noticed her slowing down behind him, only turning when in his peripheral she wasn’t there. He took in her studious look of curiosity, watching as she gazed from one item to another. “Bet you can’t tell which one is real.” 

She looked at him with a surprised look. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Of all the days in her life to be flustered and speechless, this should not have been the day. She opted instead not to say a word, but to close her mouth and get closer to the pieces in the room. All she had to do was take into account one thing, and then she was sure. 

“This map,” she pointed to it on the encasing table in the corner of the room, turning back to him with a straight face. 

He nodded, seemingly impressed with how quickly she figured it out. Perhaps she had been earlier trained in detecting markings on old parchment, or maybe she’d learned how to differentiate aged ink from reprinting, she may have possibly even known the map from-

“It wasn’t that hard, it’s the only thing in here covered in glass.”

Well, so much for that. He supposed deductive reasoning was also a good skill, and she was quick on her heels to notice it so fast. He chuckled, smiling genuinely at her now confident and forward demeanor. She was very sure of herself, almost like that of his colleagues. 

“Huh,” he shook his head, letting whatever thought that entered his mind to pass when he did. It wasn’t a bad thought, a very true one, actually. She used common sense to do something that every other student in his classroom would take hours to figure out. She was  intelligent in her studies, but she was also just smart. Possibly a gifted mind like his. He hoped he’d soon unravel all her hidden talents and abilities, as he knew she was already more than just a student in his class. She was dedicated, and confident in her studies like no other boy in his class had ever been. 

“Something wrong?” She asked, her head tilted slightly as her brows furrowed in confusion. She didn’t know if he was impressed, or if she had upset him in some way. She knew better than to speak so plainly with a man in this field, but she couldn’t help but feel more comfortable to do so around his presence. The others would shoot her down, remind her of her place, but he had encouraged her, so why shouldn’t she?

“No, nothing’s wrong,” he shook his head, not sure if he should explain himself or not. It didn’t seem that important, and there was work to be done, so he continued down the hall again, calling out for her to come with him. “Follow me.”

As soon as she entered the room she was filled with a ghastly surprise. The sacred office and workspace of the great Indiana Jones, where he conducted business as well as studied ancient artifacts… was a complete mess. Papers in stacks all across the room, with folders opened to random pages and thrown half-hazardly in different spots. There were even large books, the texts in which broke down great historical landmarks, maps, and hidden treasures of the world. There wasn’t exactly a pattern to which they had been pulled from the shelves, as they didn’t seem to connect with one another at all. 

Her face scrunched up with slight disgust, not expecting to see that her favorite professor was in fact, a slob.

“The plan is to find my paper on Degas Painting. I’ve already started organizing different reports into separate categories; and I think if we work for a few hours we can make some decent progress on finding it.” 

He journeyed further into the room, careful not to step on any papers on the floor. She was still at a loss for words. It was only when he looked up and met her eyes that she had something to say. 

“How can you work with such a mess around you?” She laughed, disbelief covered her expression, and he saw her mind turning the gears within her head. What was she thinking about?

“It may look that way to some, but I know where everything is.”

“Except for your paper on Degas Painting.”

-

Thirteen minutes. He had left her alone to search for only thirteen minutes. There was an important phone call that he simply couldn’t miss, and it lasted for a duration of thirteen minutes. How in that time could she have managed to do this? When he hung up the phone, he walked back into the room, assuming she’d be right where he left her. No, she was not, and how could he have been so foolish as to think that the most intelligent student in his very prestigious class would have sat there clueless without him? 

His eyes were wide, and his jaw was nearly slack as he scanned the room. Not only were all the papers filed away in their respective folders, but they were organized on the desk. Every little thing had been put away, he assumed in orderly fashion. Hell, he took a few steps into the room and saw the paper he was looking for laying by itself on the desk. The bolded letters ‘Degas Painting’ in black ink were clear as day. He’d been searching for it for days, going through stacks and stacks of files to try and recover it for his class. He looked up to you in the corner, scanning the bookshelves as you placed books back where they went. The most noticeable thing he saw? His hat had been removed from his desk, and she wore it on her head. He had half a mind to walk across the floor and take it back, without even saying a word. 

He wasn’t angry, but somewhat irritated that she’d moved all his things, which he’d spent days looking through. He also found it somewhat annoying that his new apprentice was already better at the job than he was. But she’s never been in the field, he reminds himself. 

He huffed a long breath, placing his hands on his hips as he narrowed his eyes at her. She finally turned around, having seen that he came back, and there was a sweet smile laid widely across her face. She was clearly proud of the work she had accomplished, and he’d hate to negate the good work, but there was still the matter of his prized high-crowned sable fedora. 

“That’s my hat,” he pointed to it, his tone more firm, but not aggressive. She would moreso describe it as possessive. 

She was quick to take it off of her head, holding it gently within her hands in an attempt to ease his mind. 

“I’m sorry,” she suddenly felt the need to explain herself, looking around the room in an attempt to avoid looking at him. He got this upset over a hat? “It’s just that, it took up space on the desk, and I didn’t really know where to move it.”

He came up to where she stood, snatching away the hat and placing it on his own head. It wasn’t done spitefully, in fact, she almost laughed at the comedic way he adjusted it after. He must really like his hat, it seemed like his most important possession. He wore it well, she noted that right away.

“You found the paper,” he crossed his arms, nodding slightly to her in thanks, but not giving too much recognition away. “And you cleaned my office.” 

She wasn’t sure if he was still upset about the hat, or if he was genuinely offended by the fact that she had gone outside of her instruction and done what she wanted. She’d hoped he might be pleased with her efforts, but of course, she was probably just assuming too much of her favorite professor… again.

“I promise I put everything away as it was organized, I even put the books back in alphabetical order,” She defended, walking two steps back to the bookshelf and letting him see for himself. This was the best his office had looked in years, with everything being in perfect order like he’d never gotten around to maintaining it before. “I’m sorry that I didn’t ask, I just thought that it might be easier for you-”

“You did good, kid,” he smirked, getting her to stop her mindless rambling. His small nod of approval made her smile, her nerves fading away again as her chest filled with pride. 

He thought she had done good, and with that she was pleased.

-

The small sofa against the wall of his office was practically sunken in by how long the weight had been placed upon the cushions. It had been many, many hours since they sat down to go through the paper and yet neither of them seemed to notice. The sun had gone down ages ago and they had needed to turn on lamps to continue.

At some point in the evening, she had gotten hungry. When she asked if he had something to eat, he responded, "I eat when the work is done." Which… wasn't very comforting as given the state of his office when she arrived, he was clearly never 'done working.' 

Professor Jones had given her permission to go check his kitchen to find some food, but his kitchen was arguably worse than his office. It was perfectly clean, that wasn't the problem. The problem was the lack of food he has. He has a total of three cans of soup, one half of a loaf of sliced bread and a jar of peanut butter.

"Professor?"

He hummed in acknowledgement, not looking up, though she required his attention.

"Are you dead? Or… undead or something?"

That got his attention, "Um… what?"

"Undead. Are you actually alive?"

Doctor Jones was genuinely baffled for a second or two. He’d been surprised by her antics nearly all day, and yet, there was still more to her that came with every word she said. Her joking tone obviously indicated she was mocking him for something, but he was unsure of the reason this time around.

"You're not making any sense,” he paused, finally glancing up from his work to respond with effort. “What are you even talking about?" He sounds a little annoyed now..

"You have nothing to eat," she says, gesturing in the direction of the kitchen. She was sure he’d known this, or at least hoped he did, otherwise her jokes of the ‘undead professor’ may not seem so far-fetched.

"Sure I do."

Lies. She searched high and low in every cabinet and corner of that kitchen. It wasn’t hard to deduce that there wasn’t anything there. It was quite clear to anyone with a half decent set of eyes. 

"No, actually… You don't. You don't have any food. So are you?"

He rolled his eyes, but knew she was probably right. He never went into that kitchen, and barely even remembered to shop for food on a regular basis. He’d always get food from the cafeteria of the University, or better yet, any new place he found on the walk home that looked suitable to his picky taste. 

"Miss Ledger-"

"I know that you said you don't eat until the work is done, but based on the state of your kitchen, I'm assuming that you just don't eat… Ever," she crossed her arms, trying to think of how he could possibly get along on his own. He didn’t seem to be married, or have a roommate, and she highly doubted he found himself in the company of his peers while at home. 

He huffed a bit and tossed the paper on the coffee table in front of him. He looks over at Scarlett, watching her for a moment. She's more… for lack of a better word, mouthy than most women he's met. It's actually nice. Refreshing, even. Not even the male students he's worked with would speak to him like this. It's clear that she knows her value and is happy to be herself, even around authority. Though sometimes annoying, especially right now, he would do his best to encourage that the attitude stays the same, as it would do well for her if she were to continue in this industry. 

"Yes, I do eat. No, I'm not an undead individual. More often than not, I get food in a restaurant or at school. I don't go shopping for it very often," His tone is calm, though dripping with sarcasm at the beginning, "If you are that hungry, I can go get something, but I'm about ninety percent sure there is at least a can of soup in there."

"So you only eat soup when you're at home?"

It was funny to try and imagine him, the world renowned Professor Jones, hovering over a small pot at the stove whilst he stirred a batch of soup from a can in his pantry. She didn’t know why, but it amused her. 

"Or a sandwich."

"Yes, because that's so much better," Her tone matched his, impressing him yet again. There were few people in the world that could keep up with his wit and never-ending sarcasm. She reminded him of himself, so much it almost frightened him.

He sighed a little. Dropping his head to hide the smile, he shakes his head slightly. "I'll eat if you make enough for both of us, since it bothers you so much."

She was almost satisfied… but there was still one fact of the matter that continued to reign true.

"That still leaves the problem of you having no food," her pointed look was enough to make him smirk. He really was impressed with her demeanor. She was relentless, now that she’d been given his approval. He wondered if she would be so forward now, if he had been so reassuring to her efforts before. 

"Just make the soup, there's enough in there. I know that for a fact."

She huffs and turns on her heel, calling over her shoulder, "fine. But I'm going to make you go grocery shopping so you have at least something with protein to eat."

He laughs quietly, going back to his work. When she returns, she has a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a piece of bread for each of them. They continue to work while they eat, and though the silence is deafening, it’s comfortable, and welcomed. 

A few hours later, he catches a movement out of the corner of his eye. She was resting with her head in her hand, arm propped up on the back of the sofa. He turns back to the paper but she moves again. He turns to look at her fully this time and notices her eyes are half closed. Interesting. The movement he was seeing was her nodding off and waking herself back up. He wondered if he had kept her for too long, or if she might be upset that there was so much work to be done. He thought about how dedicated she was, though, and knew she was probably just tired from a long day of work.

Turning back to look at the clock across the room, he realized what time it was. As he went to wake her up, he remembered that she had walked there. He may live in a better neighborhood but that didn’t mean it was safe for a young woman to walk alone at night, and he didn’t have a clue as to where she might live. After thinking about his options for a moment, and taking stock of his own wakefulness, he decided that it was too late for him to drive her home. He set the papers he was holding down, and leaned over to take the ones she had out of her hand. The feeling of papers falling woke her again and she tried to tighten her hold on them, but they were already in her professor's grasp.

“I have a guest room. I’ll walk you up there. Do you need something more comfortable to sleep in?” His voice sounded raspy and tired, even to his own ears. His offer was rushed out, and hadn’t been thought through completely, but she understood well enough in her dreary state.

“I’m sorry, what’s happening?” She reaches up to rub the sleep out of her eyes, sitting up straight again. The sweet and quiet tone she held was such a contrast to her bellaring complaints of his lack of food from earlier. It made him smile to see yet another side of his favorite student. He’d realized by now that she was.

“You are dozing. It’s too late for me to, in good conscience, allow you to walk home alone and I am not in any state to drive you. You are going to stay here for the night.”

As harsh as it sounded, he was right. It wasn’t safe, nor was it in her best interest to even leave the walls of this house at this hour. She, of course, had other thoughts on the matter, having walked home in far worse conditions before, though it was foolish in anyone’s book.

“Oh- No, Professor, it’s alright. I don't mind going home, I don't want to intrude."

"You aren't intruding. I'm offering,” he insisted, taking the papers she tried to retrieve from the table. It was by far the time to call it a night.

"Professor-" She seemed mildly uncomfortable at his suggestion, though it was more of a demand. He doesn’t want anything from her and she could tell based on his demeanor. He just wanted her to be safe and get a decent night's rest. There was no harm in it by any means, but based on how it might look in the eyes of others, she still had to think it through. These may be modern times but there were societal norms and expectations. A young woman staying the night in her professor’s house would not be considered acceptable by any means.

"Miss Ledger, have you ever heard the phrase 'nothing good ever happens after two a.m.?'" He asked with a slanted look on his face, brows raised in suspicion. He made it up on the spot, but still asked for the heck of it, and to hopefully lead her to agree with him faster.

"No but-"

"In my experience, it's very true. It's now two-thirty.You're staying here,” The tone of finality in his voice was more than clear. He wasn’t going to back down and gave no other option than for her to agree. He wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing he allowed his best student to walk across town in the middle of the night, while barely keeping her eyes open from the exhaustion that weighed on her shoulders.

She looked at him, then at the clock, and with a heave of her shoulders, she’d decided it was probably best that she stay where it is guaranteed she will be safe. He was renowned worldwide for being a grand explorer, surely he was a better option than the streets after midnight.

“Alright,” she conceded, nodding to him firmly. He noticed she seemed more comfortable now that the subject was put to rest.

“Thank you. I don’t have the energy to argue with you about your own safety right now,” He smiles gently and stands up off the sofa, offering his hand to help her up. His smile, even in her barely awake state of mind, was warm and genuine. She didn’t think he could smile like that, as she’d witnessed too many smirks and side eyes from the man in the last several hours to consider it as a possibility.

She smiled back and took his hand. “To be entirely honest, neither do I.” 

That made him grin. He likes her, more than he would care to admit. She not only reminded him of himself, but also offered opposite attributes. He couldn’t wait to work alongside her on a project, for he felt their personalities and skills would compliment the other perfectly. 

Gesturing with his arm for her to go first, he let her walk out of his office then led her through the house. He opened the door to the guest bedroom, which she saw was perfectly clean, if not a little dusty. He leaves her for just a moment and comes back with an old shirt and pair of sleep pants he hadn’t worn in a long time. He gives directions to the restroom before bidding her goodnight and heading to bed himself.

When he woke up the next morning, he had hoped to bid her a good day, but the door to the guest room was open, and peeking in, he saw no sign of her, but the bed was perfectly made and the clothes he gave her were folded and sitting on the end. She had even dusted off the surfaces. 

He was only slightly upset to find that she had left so early, for the signs of her being there were clear, and he felt he could get accustomed to the look of it.

-

Tags: @justanothersadperson93 @sparklytoaster

[fortunaegloria]

Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan in Patriot Games (1992) dir. Phillip Noyce (2/2)

[beesqvp]

I OPENED TUMBLR LIKE 20 MINUTES AFTER WAKING UP BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF NOTIFS AND THIS IS WHAT I SEE

@blaineskindagay THANKS FOR THE SPAM BUT WHAT WERE U EVEN DOING THAT FAR ON MY PAGE ARE U PLANNING TO INAVDE MY HOUSE OR SOMETHING

[whaleiumsharkspeare]

*Raiders of the Lost Ark comes on TV*

Me: *immediately clicks on it*

[courseyoulovemeyoudontknowme]

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

08/01/2025

[alpaca-clouds]

It is not "Superhero Fatigue"

Okay, let me quick rant about something that is bugging me a lot lately. There is a lot of talk about "Superhero Fatigue" going around for years now, but especially this year with both DCU movies not breaking 300k at the international box office and even with Marvel the only movie that actually did really well was Guardians of the Galaxy, aka the movie that is the least "superhero" out of all the Marvel movies.

Buuuuuut... Honestly I do not think it is Superhero Fatigue. I think it is "Franchise Fatigue".

Let me explain.

First of all let me say: I am not really a fan of the MCU. There are some movies in there near and dear to my heart (like the Guardians movies), but all in all I am too much of an anarchist to like those movies. Meanwhile DC has put out some of my favorite stuff of the last few years... But also those absolute duds like The Flash lol

But I do not think it is superheroes. Because... The Superhero movies were not the only ones that underperformed in the box office. The new Transformers movie underperformed, so did Indiana Jones and the new Mission Impossible.

In general studios have so often recently staggered to understand, why one certain movie did good and another did bad.

And I think part of it is just... Franchise fatigue. I think a lot of people are just not interested in the bajillionth sequel to some franchise. People are ready and willing to watch some new movies. I mean, while the Barbie movie was attached to an existing IP, it was not a franchise movie and it did phenomanally well.

See, the issue in recent times is, that the studios are a) all chasing the MCU, trying to make their own MCU, without understanding what made the MCU work (tbh, I doubt by now that even Marvel understands this), and b) think the only way to make money is existing IPs.

But here is the thing. A lot of those existing IPs started off as original movies. Not even ones based on something else. Star Wars, Indiana Jones or even the Fast & Furious movies were once original IPs, that someone took a shot with.

But as things are going right now, there is just not gonna be another Star Wars, Indiana Jones or Fast & Furious, because the studios do not want to invest into new ideas. They do not want to invest in something risky. Or rather into something that in their mind is risky.

So, instead they invest into those existing franchises, not even caring when those movies stop making back their money (at the box office, that is).

To me, there is a reason, why I am watching a lot of Indie movies lately. Because those movies might at times only have a budget of 30 million - but they do original shit. And god, I am here for it

[templeofgloom]

Well, the worst thing was that the Antikythera could only go to the siege of Syracuse. It would've been better if it actually worked like they thought. Then they could also have fought across time. Maybe then the storyline about Indy's grief about Mutt could also have gone somewhere? He could have failed to save Mutt, or something could've meant he can't try (Antikythera overuse bad, for the user, the device, or reality???)... I don't know.

Sallah and/or Marion could've been in it more. Maybe Sallah should have come with Indy and perhaps have been killed by Voller, instead of that random new guy introduced as Indy's old friend? Or would that be a bad idea?

(I've seen some people saying Indy should've gotten to stay in the past, but i wouldn't do that because he would propably have died soon from his battle wounds because ancient medicine sucked. Also not sure what i'd do with Marion then, i can't just ignore her in this)

I think Marion being pretty absent is a pretty big issue overall since we don't get her POV. But given how I wasn't that big of a fan of how Indy/Marion was written in the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull either...

I actually think the way they included time travel was smart and fitting for the franchise. The supernatural elements in the IJ movies are beyond human control and the actual plot is always more about Indy's character arc than actually having to save the world; The mechanism actually being just a trick that was always gonna be useless to the Nazis and that is related to a mystical phenomenon we don't get a clear rules for fits for an Indy movie.

Having more free time travel could work well in a fic but not in an actual Indiana Jones movie.

Indy's arc makes sense to me. It's literally him being dragged to reconcile with Marion after realizing you can't dwell in the past. You can make the argument he should have been more active but it worked for me.

[geminiagentgreen]

I sometimes think that Lucasfilm ought to just have their flagships rebooted, but I can't decide if I'd prefer soft or hard.

Then I think it's all a moot point so long as Disney still owns them and Kennedy is in charge.

[msclaritea]

Why I won't be watching Captain America. Disney should have recast, when they had the chance, unless this is what they want to push. The Gay Mafia wants to see this perversion onscreen. The rest of the world doesn't.

[puella-1n-somn10]

anyway, i am. SO frustrated with Magi//Reco's lack of proper representation (we only have ONE dark skinned magi out of the TENS we got???), orientalism, lack of gender identity exploration, and inability to expand upon the rules of magic established by PMMM. I'd make a whole essay about it if it weren't for the fact that my headspace is in complete and utter shit atm.

[stuckasmain]

What do Temple of Doom and Kingdom of the Crystal skull have in common? More than you think.

I recently did a marathon of all four  previous movies in preparation to see the fifth. While rewatching a surprising similarity between these two films popped into my mind, to my knowledge they’re also the two worst received of the four.

Before I go on to explain this similarity I want to point out that I think Crystal skull and dial of destiny both got so much pushback and hate out of the gate purely from how much time it’s been. Crusade to Crystal skull was a 19 year gap and Skull to dial was 15 years. That is a hell of a lot of time to build up a movie and an idea in your head to the point nothing you’re given is satisfying! Also broadly people who aren’t as into the movies sort of forget that the movies were always a bit cheesy and campy? They’re made in the style of old adventure movies that’s sort of the point! Yet when people see a bit of cheese now they loose their minds. This is not a argument against actual well made criticism, just food for thought.

Too big, now what?

Despite temple of doom being a prequel to Raiders the movie cranks up all elements to eleven. Bigger, longer, more shock! More thrill! It’s not the longest film in the franchise (that belongs to dial of destiny because It’s a modern film and their generally averaging at two hours). But to me it feels like the longest, I think this is due to them dragging out fight scenes to the longest they possibly can. Crystal skull also has this problem where the movie drags out it’s action scenes to the extent you’re over it half way through only to  immediately toss you into a chase if not another fight. They forget at their core Indiana Jones movies are more about character connections and adventure- traps, conversations etc. While yes these films still do have character work and a story to them it feels like they take the way side to the action - as the elaborate chases and fights had taken priority over the actual story of the movie. (The chase complaint can also be said for Dial or destiny as it’s 70% chase scene/car chase that go on a minute too long).

But hey! Need to pad out that run time somehow, right?

Cgi is a fun killer

This pertains purely to Crystal skull but the amount of CG in this movie compared to physical set and effects is honestly laughable. Part of the reason this movie sticks out like a sore thumb is the main jungle portion of the film as it is the fakest shit I’ve seen in my life I’m sorry. It also sticks out so bad as Indy is a franchise known and beloved for huge crammed sets and miniatures that absorb you into the universe, it’s grain and dust are what make the franchise! It’s about physical grit and real sets. Kingdom of doom set to the usual Spielberg/Lucas miniatures and insanely detailed set moments.

It’s a newer movie and it SHOWS. The shots are to clean, the camera is too high Def, the world has no dust or dirt to it what so ever. It’s like when they make movies set in the 80s and it feels wrong because there’s no fuzz and it’s too neat looking- none of that old movie feel. They very much have access to filters and fake dirt I’m sorry… that being said I’m not asking for real man eating giant ants but just that this film in particular relies a bit to heavily on CGI when it’s made by guys known for the opposite.

The successor

Shorty is a particular stand out in his movie, he’s a adorable, hilarious and beloved sidekick who is a bright spot compared to the movies love interest. He’s like a son to Indy and years down the line there’s a older, still wisecracking son who gets the exact opposite treatment. He’s so negatively received in fact, we never see him again. Why? I might be in the minority here but I like mutt, especially after finally rewatching Crystal skull and realizing…it’s actually not that bad.

Now comparing the two is being mean to mutt as a character who, on the surface really shouldn’t have gotten the hate he has. Tough greaser who rejects learning and attempts to be cool only for him to actually be extremely interested in the stuff he scoffs at and very emotionally vulnerable. To me Shia sold it too, maybe it’s because he’s just freshly introduced out of nowhere but honestly… think about it. Indy and Marion sleep together at least twice during and in the short period together after Raiders. He leaves. It’s the 30s and there’s not exactly protection in the middle of nowhere, honestly It’d be more shocking if they didn’t have a surprise kid… I mean come on!

I think the hate this character gets is more of a “how dare you stand where he stood” than any actual character critique but I digress. The real comparison of characters is between him and a certain blonde (which is a post coming soon!”

* also before anyone gets onto me , I still think aliens are a fucking wild thing for them to go for especially when the last movies were based in historical founding and cultural respect. I’m fine with their being something other than God/Gods power but I think when really does the movie in is them SHOWING the alien. Everything else sans the cgi was relatively solid and tied together in a “okay, I’ll follow” way but personally I would’ve kept it a mist or a just out of frame “this creature cannot be perceived” way than shown head on.

[canonicallysoulmates]

I thought people were exaggerating about the last Indiana Jones movie being bad, or that maybe they were being too harsh in their criticism but now that I've seen it, I get it. It had good moments but the writing could have been better, for example, and I feel like this is going to be so unpopular, the ending didn't feel earned. The reason Indy almost lost his marriage was because he was consumed with his grief over losing his son and I just don't feel like the story properly explored this, we don't see him process his grief or go through a journey mentally or emotionally that leaves him in a more hopeful or optimistic place even at the very end he didn't think he had a reason to go back to the modern world. This movie would have been so much better if this subplot had been left out, and this had been just a fun, little adventure movie.

[fortunaegloria]

Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan in Patriot Games (1992) dir. Phillip Noyce (1/2)