Bumblebee lets Sam play with Indy this time

eh, this picture isn't up to par, but my batteries are dying.

Thoughts on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (spoilers)

Pretty good movie. Not as good as original three, but that was expected. I had a good time, which is what Indiana Jones movies are all about. I think Roger Ebert said something like Indiana Jones movies are in a class by themselves so they can do whatever they want. I guess I will do this the easy way and list things I liked.

1. Car hitting Marcus Brody Statue, Mutt thinks its funny, Indy not so funny (just like last crusade father son stuff on the bike but in reverse.
2. Arc shown in a crate box at warehouse. (I new from the first time they rolled the trailer that darn arc would make an appearance) Too bad the other two Shankara stones weren't in the treasure room in the end.
3. The fight between the jocks and the whatever group you would label Mutt in.
4. "I Like Ike"
5. The Jungle Chase looked less fake then I thought it would
5. The fact that once again Indy gets a bunch of goof balls to follow him to the end.
6. Did Mutt really need to bring his bike?
7. Rocket Car scene aftermath
8. Library lesson by Dr. Jones
9. Shaky comb scene in the cave
10. Just the fact that Harrison Ford was in a movie that was fun again.

I think I would give the movie seven to eight My Little Ponies out of ten. I didn't want to say three and a half ponies, because if you cut one in half it might cause certain doom.

As for the MUSIC... (thought you could get away from this rant did ya?). Ok, some of the themes are starting to grow on me a little, HOWEVER! Back in the day, it seemed like Spielburg intentionally made moments for Williams to go all out. I didn't find that here at all in this movie. The Indy theme was used waaaaay too conservatively. I know, the hero is established, and the music doesn't always need to accompany in every thing he does. But, where was the plane into the sunset theme after the first five minute adventure--It thudded. Why was it so subdued on the plane ride to South America? Why no roaring accomplishment after the Jungle Fight? Mutts theme didn't match his character at all. The soundtrack is good, but just doesn't match the other three in Indiana Jones-ness.

But don't worry. Some genius was able to get the complete version of Last Crusade's "Belly of the Steel Beast" up on You Tube. Listen to it, and discover the power of this fully armed and operational John William's action theme.

Church Drawings

With no disrespect intended, I find it hard to concentrate at any length without doodling mindlessly while listening to anything. Today during church I became fascinated with Elevator Action. I remember playing it on my Nintendo in the mid eighties. I wonder why this game hasn't been given the modern day treatment of video games? Can you just imagine the complexities of a 3D realm of Elevator action in online detail, with thousands of elevators and buildings, and fully orchestrated music, and rich polygonal rendering with shaded lobby shrubberies? That would be great!

Don't be afraid to magnify this picture, and then scroll up and down real fast. The results are Elevating!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Original Motion Picture Score Composed and Conducted by John Williams

Okay, I cheated, I listened to the music before I saw the movie. From my first spin I would say its a little bland. Not on par with any of the other Indy scores. A few new themes, but like many of John Williams recent stuff, no power punch like he used to deliver. There was ten seconds towards the end of track 10 'The Jungle Chase', that could have been amazing had it been developed into eight minutes. That little power theme could have competed well with Raiders 'Desert Chase' and Last Crusade's 'Belly of the Steel Beast'. There was no new Williams signature power 'march' action chase music in the Crystal Skull soundtrack (read carefully, there was action music-just not in a traditional 'march' like the previous scores). Bummer.

It was strange hearing some stuff from Raiders being reused, Marion's theme (that's okay since she's in the movie), and 'The Map Room' theme returns which I guess now makes the Arc searching music the same as the Crystal Skull searching music (don't worry the Crystal Skull also has its own theme and is kind of spooky). I don't like reassigning music, but maybe it makes more sense in the movie, I don't know yet (We all remember when Jones pointed at an Arc picture in the Rat cave in Last Crusade that had the Arc music play along with it). Maybe there was some music confusion, Williams did use Yoda's theme for Anikin's in the Droid Factory scene in Attack of the Clones, which was very disorienting (that or Lucas's last minute music editing messed things up) ANy one confused yet?

I'm sure I will warm up to the score after a few more listens, and after I see the movie. I was hoping the 'whip crack' sound that has been inserted in all the trailers, previews, and commercials would work its way into the Raiders March, but did not. But did work in the new Indiana Jones Toy Whip that I found (to be seen on a future post of course) Williams did do some funky stuff to the Raiders theme in the final 30 seconds of the 'finale' music which was the only few seconds that reminded me of the glory days of the spunk the Temple of Doom had.

I give this score three out of Five My little Ponies. (which is kind of a bummer, since that the other Indy Scores all got Five My Little Ponies even before the first listen on tape cassettes.)

Iron Man

I just came home from seeing Iron Man. I'm surprising myself by saying that movie was stupid. I don't know why, but all of a sudden realism is important to me in watching a movie (At least today). Come on Dan, this is from a comic book, its not real!!! Yet every time Iron Man crashes into a wall, or dodges an extremely lethal explosion and doesn't even break every bone in his body I rolled my eyes. I don't care that Tony is an expert in weapons and has all that money and equipment, he still isn't going to build that suit in the limited time he had. At least Batman spent years training, gaining skills, studying, and all that stuff before he started his gig. And whats with Gwyneth paltrow's horrible acting? Most disturbing is why, WHY would you want a Burger King burger after three months in a cave? Well maybe he wanted this toy I got in my Kids Meal.

Stuff I did like about the movie;

1.) Jeff Bridges new hair cut.
2.) Tony's loyal pet robot building arm.
3.) Scene where Iron Man is Desuiting with all those arms.
4.) Stan Lee Cameo.

I give the movie 2 out of five My little Ponies.

The moment I feared has come...

I didn't sleep well last night. I could have sworn I heard Serpentor yelling "Cobra LA-LA-LA-LA-LA!" from the other room.

All talks between the GI Joe's and Cobra over the figure count controversy has deteriorated quickly into smoke.

Cobra Commander defiantly fortified the Toy Museum's trademark couch.


Cobra then transformed it into an illegal Terror Couch Drome fort!


Dreadnoks fortified the bathroom toilet, which is an immediate problem.


And the GI Joe's, who I hope are on my side, seem to be constructing HQ, in this top secret night vision picture!


Now I just hope and pray things calm down, or total in house war is imminent.

Immediate Controversy

Well I feared this might happen. Cobra AND the GI Joe team have both hit me with formal complaints that the figure counts were inaccurate. Cobra claims that a clearance figure can not be counted as a full figure, and therefore the Duke count should be dropped down to eight. Duke meanwhile, is furious that 'just a head of Cobra Commander' can be counted as a figure and that count should be dropped to eight. Duke went even farther saying that the legs and arms of the damaged commander might not even be his, but a common troopers appendages mixed into the bag of old damaged GI Joes.

To make matters worse...

The Toy Museum some how forgot to count Iron Grenadier Destro in the Destro figure count. Destro wants to have that immediately corrected in the official counts, where as Snake Eyes claims that the official count has passed, and that Destro must wait ten full years until a recount post series is made.

Then there is the other issue of Firefly, Beach head, Flint, and General Hawk all wanting their own figure counts. They claim that they are on par with the Zartans, and its not fair if Zartan gets his own post.



Today's a nice day outside. I think I better go there.

How many Dukes do you own?

I apparently own nine at this moment! Well at least nine Dukes can take on nine Cobra Commanders. Those two Dukes that look similar are actually different. One Duke is like a regular GI Joe figure, the other Duke has a kicking leg attack. Big Duke talks and has freaky weird real life skin on his face. Sigma Six Duke is the best articulated figure. And is that a clearance Duke, what store would clearance a Duke, thats crazy!

How many Cobra Commanders do you own?

I apparently own nine at this moment! I thought I only had seven Cobra Commanders, but he kept upping the ante, when rumors that the Duke count was also at nine. This situation could explode at any moment!

And is that a destroyed mail away Cobra Commander with a hood?! What Tragedy!

How many Snake Eyes do you own?

I apparently own six at this moment. Six? Six?! DO I really NEED six Snake Eyes? Maybe if they all chipped in and cleaned the house from time to time, or mow the lawn, I could use six Snake Eyes. They just sit around on a shelf all day holding the same silly pose.

Snake Eyes doesn't even speak! Can you imagine six non speaking action figures?! Well, -not that any of my other action figures speak to me. Ha-ha ha... Thats rediculous... Ha-ha-ha....

My favorite Snake Eyes toys are the ones that come with the dog of course.