Da-du-da-da, da-du-da...

So… the latest installment of Indiana Jones opens tomorrow. I don’t want to talk too much about it, especially since I – obviously – haven’t seen it yet, but I feel the need to acknowledge how something from my childhood is being resurrected. I know I will see it in the theaters, but I have mixed feelings about it. I mean, it’s been NINETEEN years since The Last Crusade and out of the three flicks, it’s by far my favorite. In fact, it would be in my Top 5 movies of all time.

I just loved Indy 3 for a few simple reasons… First, I saw it in the theater with my Dad. Now that Dad is gone, I feel that something will be lacking when I go to the theater. Second, the chemistry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. Really, I know there’s only 9 years age difference between the two men, so the father-son possibility is impossible in real life, but the banter between the two of them was truly inspired. Finally, Marcus Brody saying, “Follow me, I know the way!” and then riding out of the canyon with the quip, “Didn’t he get lost in his own museum?” right on his heels before they all rode into the sunset... it just gave me the most satisfying end to the franchise.

I thought I had closed that book, not knowing that it was actually only the end of the chapter.

But… They did bring back Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood. Let me tell you, I have been watching the Indy marathons the past few weekends and while I like Temple of Doom much better than I did back in the day, I still am not the biggest fan of Kate Capshaw’s character, Willie. And while I like Last Crusade best, Elsa is more like background than anything else.

People have been whispering that there are rumors of a cameo by Sean Connery. I am not holding my breath. I mean, we haven’t seen him since League of Extraordinary Gentlemen came out, so I would think any filming of the esteemed Sir Sean would produce not just whisperings, but rumblings.

So, Karen Allen is back. Talk of Sean Connery being back. Can’t bring Denholm Elliott back as Marcus Brody, as he passed away in 1992. Discovering that made me very sad at first, but even though his character was amusing in Last Crusade, it was a vast deviation of how he was portrayed in Raiders.

I wanna know, will Sallah be in it?

But, deep down, I’m sorta, kinda, almost glad that they’re reviving the franchise. And I'm sorta, kinda, almost looking forward to going to see it. In fact, to quote the wise words of my dear friend Sallah, “Oh, my friends. I'm so pleased you're not dead.”

I might even have to get a massively large popcorn. I mean, Dad always did.
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A Crosshatch On The Wall

I meant to post Friday night and sometime yesterday, but time got away from me. Just means a double post today – or so I hope.

Friday was the completion of my first week and as the CEO said, the first week in the many years of service to come.

As part of my training, I had to attend a class outside of work dealing with child sexual abuse. I work in a faith-based organization and anybody who knows me finds that just as amusing as I do. Not to say that I don’t believe in God and all that, but I’ve been moving farther and farther away from organized religion. I feel enough guilt over every single action in my life that I don’t need other people to add to it. And that’s my viewpoint on religion – other people make me feel bad over my actions, not God. If I’m sorry for something I’ve done, God forgives me. Enough said.

But this class was two and a half hours long and on my own time. I gladly went – and found it quite insightful – but I never want to sit through it again. Kinda like ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘Schindler’s List.’ I feel that I’m a better person for having seen them. I’m just trying to figure out how child abuse factors into my job. But I probably don’t want to.

To celebrate one week down, Barry and I went and saw ‘Iron Man’ Friday night. Was kind of spur of the moment. And rather than regale you with superlatives of the movie that everyone else has already spewed, I will tell you that I’m now crushing on Robert Downey Jr. Big time.

Sadly, this made me realize that I’m not all that discriminate in my crushes. Not that he isn’t a beautiful man, but I watch a movie or television show and I’m pretty much easily smitten. Although I do tend to be loyal.

Right now, here’s my Top Ten List, in no particular order:

1) Christopher Meloni
2) Benecio del Toro
3) Joaquin Phoenix
4) Gerard Butler
5) Jeffery Dean Morgan
6) David Tennent
7) Jack Davenport
8) Kevin Smith
9) Hugh Laurie
10) Robert Downey Jr.

Okay, maybe I'm not so loyal because half of the list has been added in the past five or so years. And these are only actors. Don't get me going about other types of crushes. Like rock stars and the like.

But it was a nice way to kick off the movie summer season.

All of my friends are cinemaphiles, but there aren’t too many movies that I’m waiting with baited breath to see. Hellboy is at the top. LOVE that movie. Don’t know why. The plot was a little weak, but the dialogue was fast and witty and sarcastic. Love it when sarcasm is done well. And it rocks in Hellboy. Plus, those washboard abs? Is it possible to crush on a non-human comic book character?

And, of course, Indiana Jones. I have mixed feelings about the movie. ‘The Last Crusade’ is one of my most favoritest movies ever. I just don’t know if revisiting after all this time is a good idea. But you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll see it in the theater. Probably several times.

As it is, right now I’m watching ‘The Last Crusade’ – in all its editing glory – on TV. I just can’t get enough of it. But watching the movie, and writing this post, ain’t getting the chores done. And since I’m still getting used to the work week schedule, they won’t get done during the week.

Here’s hoping your week is excellent. Here’s hoping mine is, too.
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Celluloid Comfort Food

A friend of mine, M., recently sent me a link of movies that are being REMADE. Movies. Not T.V. shows that are being revamped for the big screen. But previously made films that are perfectly good, generally beloved, films that have already been released into the wild. She was very upset that 'Near Dark' was on the list, a movie that I have never seen and somehow feel my life is lacking for it considering how outraged M. was. She then asked which listing ticked me off the most.

This was my response:

"Alright. I want you to know that this list has disturbed me greatly. And I keep bouncing between outrage over Footloose (What?!? Who could do it better than Kevin Bacon and John Lithgow? I mean really. Love me some John Hughes flicks, but this is the essential 80's flick for me. Call it celluloid comfort food, if you will), Escape From New York (Because it's freakin' Escape from New York! Despite it's flaws, I don't think it gets much better than Kurt Russell and filming in parts of St. Louis. A cult classic for a reason...) and The Evil Dead (Not my favorite film by far, but it's such a part of the American horror film lexicon. The idea of remaking this, even by it's own director, should cause rioting in the streets -- it's such an icon as well as cult classic.)

So thank you M., for causing angst inside this head of mine. Of course, if you didn't share, I wouldn't know to start petition drives to nip these ideas in the bud."


M. was completely tickled by the 'celluloid comfort food' comment. But it's true! Films become such a representation of our lives. We watch movies to escape from our lives. We love certain films for how they reflect our lives. Either we relate to the film or we want our lives to be like that on the screen. I tend to like films that are happy. Either they are funny or they are inspiring. But I generally like to leave a film feeling good about myself.

One notable exception in the movie 'No Country For Old Men.' I am glad I didn't drive when I left the theater because I might have driven my car into a wall. But the movie totally, totally blew me away. Despite being the antithesis of "feel good movie of the year."

But there are movies that you watch over and over again for certain qualities in them. And those certain qualities make you happy, whether the film is a happy one or not. My friend Tom and I recite lines from 'Heathers' as a part of our regular conversations. He talks about his "watt-ah-melon-ous" -- or his heat -- that came from watching 'The Birdcage.' I regularly chase my cat around the house, saying "Kitty!" a la Boo from 'Monsters, Inc" and my husband and I frequently advise each other to "Have fun storming the castle," taken from 'The Princess Bride.'

And these movies aren't always on your list of favorite films. But they are the ones you pop into the DVD players while you're wrapped up in a blanket on the couch eating soup when you feel kinda crappy. Others might call them guilty pleasures, but that has an implied air of embarrassment about it. Me, I have no shame...

1) Heathers

2) The Princess Bride

3) The Birdcage

4) Monsters, Inc (Noticing a trend here?)

5) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

6) A League of Their Own

7) Ghostbusters

8) The Blues Brothers

9) The Sound of Music

10) Clerks

These movies make me feel good. Some of them I would consider favorites, most I would not. I think it's due to their quotability factor. Why quote a movie you don't like and if it's not quotable, then maybe it's not worthy of multiple viewings.

But notice that none of them are on the list of remakes. Not all the movies on the list make me happy, nor have I seen all of them. But I do know that nearly all of them are indelibly marked in the cinematic history as being classics or, more aptly, cult classics. And there's a reason for that.

And apparently the very reasons that make them the classics they are, are the same reasons to remake them. Or so people who make a lot more money than I'll even see have decided.

If any from my list were to be remade, I must say that the world would be a little less bright. A little less happy.

And yes, I love 'Footloose.' It just isn't on my Top 10 List because it's not the most quotable film I've watched. But it is my youth. And had one of the best movie soundtracks next to 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' (which was never released as far as I can tell). And was simple and wholesome and reminds me off days when you tried to "beat the man" rather than just trying to tread water in the real world. And a remake will make me wonder, what's next? A relaunching of 'The Electric Company?'
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