Indiana Jones-Dial of Destiny

 

Indiana Jones-Dial of Destiny

I saw Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981. I was thirty years old, five pounds lighter and combed my hair. It was magical: the  huge round bolder rolling down, fighting Nazis and watching them melt when they open the Ark of the Covenant. This being the fifth iteration of the Indy franchise it is nostalgic but worth watching.

Jones is still cantankerous, teaches at Hunter College and lives on Eldridge street. He is still fighting Nazis past and present. A hallmark Indiana Jones  films are chases, automobile and other wise. The chases in this movie are clever and unique. For Ford the Indy character is like a second skin. In some scenes he is vulnerable and melancholy. The film has all the props, the hat the whip and a clever variation on snakes.

Mads Mikkelsen, a former Nazi scientist, is Indy’s nemesis . Mikkelsen is type cast as a villain and rightfully so. His cold eyes and menacing  voice are perfect for his character. He does not do much of the  fighting but leaves it to his henchmen.

 Phoebe Waller-Bridge is Helena Shaw , Indiana’s goddaughter. She is a scamp and duplicitous. She sees artifacts as items for auction rather than museum pieces. She does provide some comic relief.

Antonio Banderas has a brief appearance as an old friend. The role did not require his talent. Toby Jones is an archaeologist and  friend of Indiana Jones. He is also pursuing the Dail of Destiny. John Reys Davies is Indy’s’ Egyptian friend from Raiders of the Lost Ark who was a resourceful ally. Instead of riding camels now he drives taxis. Binding all five films is John Williams iconic movie score.

At times the film feels like one chase scene after another: some better than others. From the title  of the film, you may deduce the plot, but it has a nice twist.

Regrettably the film is a financial flop. It cost between $295m-$400m and to date earned $260m. The 18-35 year old male cohort off 1981 are now in their 60’s and 70’s. Gen z/x’s are more fascinated by their video games than watching melting Nazis.

 

Blade Runner 2049

Blade Runner 2049                                                                                                          October 6, 2017

Blade Runner 2049 (a.k.a. 2049) and the original Blade Runner are more like siblings than twins. They share DNA but are uniquely different. The original Blade Runner is classic film noir with gloomy rainy Los Angles of the future (2019) and murderous replicants hunted by Blade Runners. 2049 is a journey to find answers dating back to the original Blade Runner. At the heart of both movies are the perils and evolution of artificial intelligence.

 It is not necessity to see the original Blade Runner before watching 2049. 2049 is a sophisticated standalone sci-fi movie with a solid plot. Parts of the original Blade Runner are referenced in 2049 so seeing the original film will give a more holistic experience.

The movie is exhausting with a run time of 163 minutes (the original master piece is 117 minutes). There are some slow parts and surgical editing would have been welcomed.

Ryan Gosling is the replicant Blade Runner working for the LAPD. He is named K but is later called Joe. He shows some human tendencies making him reluctant to perform his duty. Gosling performance for the most part is monotone. A sadness permeates his performance. He is more introspective than Deckard (Harrison Ford).

His LAPD boss is Lt. Joshi played by Robin Wright. Wright gives her usual frosty performance. She is abusive treating Gosling like a disposable non-human. She tasks him with a secret mission.

K has a hologram girlfriend named Joi (what else) played by Ana de Armas (Cubana). When they have sex (very safe sex) another female is used as a proxy and melds with Joi. Not a critical plot point, but interesting to watch.

Jared Leto plays Niander Wallace. He takes over the failed Tyrell corporation and manufactures replicants. Eventhough, he looks like Jesus, he exudes evil. His screen time is unfortunately short but his performance is effective. Wallace’s replicant henchwoman in named Luv, played by Sylvia Hoeks (Dutch model). She beats the crap out of Gosling with round house kicks to the head. Aside from her physically she gives a very effective and surprisingly tender performance.

In last 30 minutes Harrison Ford finally shows up. He is best be described as grizzled.  Ford is in hiding in an abandoned Las Vegas like city. He gives an excellent performance. This is where parts of the original movie come into play. This is the crux of the movie. He and Gosling have great chemistry.

The director of 2049 is Denis Villeneuve director of “Arrival”. His directorial style is decidedly different from Ridley Scott’s. Both films are moody. The original is heavy with darkness and endless drizzle. 2049 is less damp but the mood is anticipatory of something profound to come.

In fear of my life I will not comment of the movie’s plot but I will say it is an intriguing extension of the original film. Philp K. Dick would have approved.