spielberg...lucas...ford...how can this NOT kick all sorts of ass!!!! woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!

did you see the 4th

well yes... but only THIRTY-SEVEN TIMES!!

now this post, i liked

Prediction: this thread will be better than the movie.

Well, but maybe look at it this way -- there's nowhere to go but up

And I actually don't much mind LeBeouf staying in the franchise at this point, I mean I'm not thrilled about it, but it alone won't ruin it for me, I'm relatively "okay" with it as long as they never make the transition for it to become his franchise, that he's only ever kept in a supporting, sidekick role.

i didnt/never will intentionally see the 4th indy. i dont even count it, really. it was born in a time when movies mean less, and have a larger number of idiots they need to impress. when art/storytelling/etc become important to the filmmakers again, maybe ill give a shit.

Well and think about it: it's now become VERY much the norm for not just summer blockbusters, but relatively "big" movies coming out all year round to have their official release date (even 2 or more years ahead) announced before the script has even been started on (or at least before a 1st draft is handed in). That's just 9 different kinds of sad

After seeing Indy 4, nothing will shock or disappoint me.

Unless George Lucas has been living uner a rock for the last year, he will know that the last Indy movie was a monumental letdown. I seriously, seriously hope that he's learned something from the experience.
I will take happily a 2 hour character piece for Indy 5. Tone down the tacked-on bullshit for the next movie - Indiana Jones deserves more.

I'm not entirely sure we can necessarily count on that theory. After all, didn't many people think Attack Of The Clones was just as poor (if at best just marginally better) than Phantom Menace?

Then again, perhaps you can't fairly compare the two, as those were part of a larger predetermined story fleshed out long in advance.

Attack of the Clones was far better than Phantom Menace, save Hayden Christensen's shit acting. The last 30 minutes were worth the price of admission, and really got my hopes up for epsiode III.

And you're right about the larger predetermined story ... I really hope that the whole wedding scene with Shia trying on Indy's hat wasn't foreshadowing the 5th installment. I can't be bothered to write up an essay on everything that was wrong with that horrible fucking movie.

Well I have no doubt the hat gag at the wedding was a little wink to the idea of Shia taking over, but even with all the missteps Lucas has taken over the last several years, I just have to believe that he's got to know the general public would be so against the idea, no matter how likable and good of an actor Shia might be, to the point where it wouldn't be worth making the film, certainly at that usual kind of budget. Just too many fans will never accept anyone but Ford leading the franchise, I mean obviously this isn't like the Bond franchise.

See, you and I think that way - but Lucas' track record with his franchises over the last 10 years has convinced me that he's gone batshit crazy. I picture him sitting in his rubber room at Skywalker Ranch, figuring out how to sell more Star Wars/Indy toys to kids whose parents weren't old enough to see Last Crusade in the theatre without an adult.

The last 30 minutes of Phantom Menace were pretty good too. All the prequels failed where it matter most: plot and character.

The fact is that Spielberg needs an emotional or weighty hook these days to make the movie special. He was uninspired for Indy 4, and it showed big time, because from a story and character standpoint it SUCKED. He truly was a director-for-hire for this one. But, it did make a lot of money, and that's all Lucas looks at these days: the box-office.

three words:

HAN SHOT FIRST!!!

Lucas just doesnt care what the public or fans think... he's such a self absorbed control freak he wont give a shit about what the general public thinks