Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I am thoroughly prepared to enjoy Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. So prepared, in fact, that Jessica and I have tickets to tonight’s Ziegfeld premiere at midnight. A lot of friends and people on the net have prejudged an aging Indy who fights Stalinists instead of Nazis. Be that as it may, it is a natural progression. It is also a chance to break out of the mold of two of the other three Indy films. I see an opportunity to update a character without updating a character. It’s a chance to look in on an old friend and find what he has been up to since his AARP card was issued. Consider all the updates James Bond have gone through or the upcoming Star Trek and you will understand why this film will actually feel fresh in its acknowledgement of aging and mortality. In the end, I’m not writing the movie off until I have seen it and if it is as good as Temple of Doom, my least favorite, I will be ecstatic.

And the biggest thing I am most looking forward to: No onscreen advertising. In a day when we are so used to seeing Burger King, Nike, Windows etc., I am excited to see a film set when none of these franchises existed and can not possibly show up in the movie. Even if the movie sucks, at least I won’t have to watch Mr. Ford drinking a Grande Mocachino while eating a Gordito and complaining about Simon Cowell.