Search
Search results
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) in Movies
May 26, 2020 (Updated May 26, 2020)
Old Indy: Nuke The CGI Refrigeror
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull- is the fourth indiana movie. I wish their didnt make a fourth movie, cause in my opinion and others the trilogy as a whole was and is perfect. The third movie was called, "The Last Crusade", so it should of been the last, but nope. Over 20's year, their had to make anethor one. Thanks Steven, George and Harrison, cause we really needed anethor one. With CGI Gophers, Monkey's, Aliens, and also Indiana surviving a atomic bomb test by hiding in a refrigator and surviving. Ya, no. He should be dead. Relying on to much CGI, pointless charcters, plot and a terrible ending. This movie doesnt live up to the oringal trilogy.
The plot: It's the height of the Cold War, and famous archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), returning from his latest adventure, finds out his job at Marshall College is in jeopardy. He meets Mutt (Shia LaBeouf), a young man who wants Indy to help him find the legendary Crystal Skull of Akator, and the pair set out for Peru. However, deadly agent Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) is searching for the powerful artifact, too, because the Soviets believe it can help them conquer the world.
I mean the action was good, the adventure was good and Cate Blanchett was good as the villian, everything else was bad.
But at the same time though its always good to see Indiana and his adventures. To see Indiana back after all these years, did put a smile on my face. Old Indiana.
Though in my opinon, just watch the oringal trilogy, its 10x better than this garbage. I mean this bomb. Atomic Bomb, boom got them. Seriously, dont watch this one, its bad.
The plot: It's the height of the Cold War, and famous archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), returning from his latest adventure, finds out his job at Marshall College is in jeopardy. He meets Mutt (Shia LaBeouf), a young man who wants Indy to help him find the legendary Crystal Skull of Akator, and the pair set out for Peru. However, deadly agent Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) is searching for the powerful artifact, too, because the Soviets believe it can help them conquer the world.
I mean the action was good, the adventure was good and Cate Blanchett was good as the villian, everything else was bad.
But at the same time though its always good to see Indiana and his adventures. To see Indiana back after all these years, did put a smile on my face. Old Indiana.
Though in my opinon, just watch the oringal trilogy, its 10x better than this garbage. I mean this bomb. Atomic Bomb, boom got them. Seriously, dont watch this one, its bad.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated CSB Worldview Study Bible in Books
Nov 4, 2019
The CSB Worldview Study Bible features extensive worldview study notes and articles by notable Christian scholars to help Christians better understand the grand narrative and flow of Scripture within the biblical framework from which we are called to view reality and make sense of life and the world. Guided by general editors David S. Dockery and Trevin K. Wax, this Bible is an invaluable resource and study tool that will help you to discuss, defend, and clearly share with others the truth, hope, and practical compatibility of Christianity in everyday life.
Features include:
Extensive worldview study notes
Over 130 articles by notable Christian scholars
Center-column references
Smyth-sewn binding
Presentation page
Two ribbon markers
Two-piece gift box, and more
General Editors: David S. Dockery and Trevin Wax
Associate Editors: Constantine R. Campbell, E. Ray Clendenen, Eric J. Tully
Contributors include: David S. Dockery, Trevin K. Wax, Ray Van Neste, John Stonestreet, Ted Cabal, Darrell L. Bock, Mary J. Sharp, Carl R. Trueman, Bruce Riley Ashford, R. Albert Mohler Jr., William A. Dembski, Preben Vang, David K. Naugle, Jennifer A. Marshall, Aida Besancon Spencer, Paul Copan, Robert Smith Jr., Douglas Groothuis, Russell D. Moore, Mark A. Noll, Timothy George, Carla D. Sanderson, Kevin Smith, Gregory B. Forster, Choon Sam Fong, and more.
The CSB Worldview Study Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the BibleÂs original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with ScriptureÂs life-transforming message and to share it with others.
This is a wonderful Bible that not only gives us God's word but teaches through credible editors about the Christians view of the world. There are articles that show us the Biblical view of that issue; such a: the Biblical view of music, Personal Finances. Ther is an article on how Christians should relate to the government along with various other interesting articles.
This is a great study Bible for new believers, for discipling, for those interested in how God's word relates to issues around us today. How we as Christians should respond to a world that is turning against Christians.
This is a beautiful Bible, that is easy to read and has full-color maps. This will be a great addition to anyone's library.
CSB Worldview Study Bible
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade CommissionÂs 16 CFR, Part 255 : ÂGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.Â
Features include:
Extensive worldview study notes
Over 130 articles by notable Christian scholars
Center-column references
Smyth-sewn binding
Presentation page
Two ribbon markers
Two-piece gift box, and more
General Editors: David S. Dockery and Trevin Wax
Associate Editors: Constantine R. Campbell, E. Ray Clendenen, Eric J. Tully
Contributors include: David S. Dockery, Trevin K. Wax, Ray Van Neste, John Stonestreet, Ted Cabal, Darrell L. Bock, Mary J. Sharp, Carl R. Trueman, Bruce Riley Ashford, R. Albert Mohler Jr., William A. Dembski, Preben Vang, David K. Naugle, Jennifer A. Marshall, Aida Besancon Spencer, Paul Copan, Robert Smith Jr., Douglas Groothuis, Russell D. Moore, Mark A. Noll, Timothy George, Carla D. Sanderson, Kevin Smith, Gregory B. Forster, Choon Sam Fong, and more.
The CSB Worldview Study Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the BibleÂs original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with ScriptureÂs life-transforming message and to share it with others.
This is a wonderful Bible that not only gives us God's word but teaches through credible editors about the Christians view of the world. There are articles that show us the Biblical view of that issue; such a: the Biblical view of music, Personal Finances. Ther is an article on how Christians should relate to the government along with various other interesting articles.
This is a great study Bible for new believers, for discipling, for those interested in how God's word relates to issues around us today. How we as Christians should respond to a world that is turning against Christians.
This is a beautiful Bible, that is easy to read and has full-color maps. This will be a great addition to anyone's library.
CSB Worldview Study Bible
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade CommissionÂs 16 CFR, Part 255 : ÂGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.Â
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Mary Poppins Returns (2018) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
A valiant attempt to recreate a masterpiece.
How do you repaint a masterpiece: the Mona Lisa of childrenâs fantasy cinema? Some would say âYou shouldnât tryâ.
As Iâve said before, Mary Poppins was the first film I saw when it came out (or soon afterwards) at a very impressionable ageâŚ. I was said to have bawled my eyes out with âTHE MAGIC NANNY IS GOING AWAY!!â as Julie Andrews floated off! So as my last cinema trip of 2018 I went to see this sequel, 54 years after the original, with a sense of dread. Iâm relieved to say that although the film has its flaws itâs by no means the disaster I envisaged.
The plot
Itâs a fairly lightweight story. Now all grown up, young Michael from the original film (Ben Whishaw) has his own family. His troubles though come not singly but in battalions since not only is he grieving a recent loss but he is also about to be evicted from 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Help is at hand in that his father, George Banks, had shares with the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. But despite their best efforts neither he, his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer) nor their chirpy âstrike a lightâ lamplighter friend Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) can find the all-important share certificates. With the deadline from bank manager Wilkins (Colin Firth) approaching, itâs fortuitous that Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) drops in to look after the Banks children â John (Nathanael Saleh), Anabel (Pixie Davies) and Georgie (Joel Dawson) â in her own inimitable fashion.
Songs that are more Meh-ry Poppins
I know musical taste is very personal. My biggest problem with the film though was that the songs by Marc Shaiman were, to me, on the lacklustre side. Only one jumped out and struck me: the jaunty vaudeville number âA Cover is not the Bookâ. Elsewhere they were â to me â unmemorable and nowhere near as catchy as those of âThe Greatest Showmanâ. (What amplified this for me was having some of the classic Sherman-brothers themes woven into the soundtrack that just made me realise what I was missing!) Richard M Sherman â now 90 â was credited with âMusic Consultantâ but I wonder how much input he actually had?
The other flaws
Another issue I had with the film was that it just tried WAAYYY too hard to tick off the key attributes of the original:
âMary in the mirrorâ â check
âBottomless carpet bagâ â check
âInitial fun in the nurseryâ â check
âQuirky trip to a cartoon landâ â check
âDance on the ceiling with a quirky relativeâ â check
âChirpy chimney sweepsâ â check (âEr⌠Mr Marshall⌠we couldnât get chimney sweeps⌠will lamplighters do?â âYeah, good enoughâ)
Another thing that struck me about the film â particularly as a film aimed at kids â is just how long it is. At 2 hours and 10 minutes itâs a bladder-testing experience for adults let alone younger children. (Itâs worth noting that this is still 9 minutes shorter than the original, but back in the 60âs we had FAR fewer options to be stimulated by entertainment and our attention spans were â I think â much longer as a result!)
What it does get right
But with this whinging aside, the film does get a number of things spit-spot on.
Emily Blunt is near perfection as Poppins. (In the interests of balance my wife found her bizarrely clipped accent very grating, but I suspect P.L. Travers would have approved!). Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda also does a good job as Jack, although you wonder whether the âsociety of cockney actorsâ must again be in a big grump about the casting! I found Emily Mortimer just delightful as the grown-up Jane, although Ben Whishawâs Michael didnât particularly connect with me.
Almost unrecognisable was David Warner as the now wheelchair-bound Admiral Boom. His first mate is none other than Jim Norton of âFather Tedâ Bishop Brennan fame (thanks to my daughter Jenn for pointing that one out)!
Also watch out (Iâd largely missed it before I realised!) for a nice pavement cameo by Karen Dotrice, the original Jane, asking directions to number 19 Cherry Tree Lane.
What the film also gets right is to implement the old-school animation of the âJolly Holidaysâ segment of the original. Thatâs a really smart move. Filmed at Shepperton Studios in London, this is once again a great advert for Britainâs film technicians. The London sets and the costumes (by the great Sandy Powell) are just superb.
Some cameo cherries on the cake
Finally, the aces in the hole are the two cameos near the end of the film. And they would have been lovely surprises as well since neither name appears in the opening credits. Itâs therefore a CRYING SHAME that they chose to let the cat out of the bag in the trailer (BLOODY MARKETING EXECS!). In case you havenât seen the trailer, I wonât spoil it for you here. But as a magical movie experience the first of those cameos moved me close to tears. He also delivers a hum-dinger of a plot twist that is a genuinely welcome crossover from the first film.
Final Thoughts
Rob Marshall directs, and with a pretty impossible task he delivers an end-product that, while it didnât completely thrill me, did well not to trash my delicate hopes and dreams either. Having just listened to Kermode and Mayoâs review (and it seems that Mark Kermode places Poppins on a similar pedestal to me) the songs (and therefore the âPlace Where Lost Things Goâ song) just didnât resonate with me in the same way, and so, unlike Kermode, I mentally never bridged the gap to safely enjoying it.
But what we all think is secondary. Because if some three or four year old out there gets a similarly lifelong love of the cinema by watching this, then thatâs all that matters.
As Iâve said before, Mary Poppins was the first film I saw when it came out (or soon afterwards) at a very impressionable ageâŚ. I was said to have bawled my eyes out with âTHE MAGIC NANNY IS GOING AWAY!!â as Julie Andrews floated off! So as my last cinema trip of 2018 I went to see this sequel, 54 years after the original, with a sense of dread. Iâm relieved to say that although the film has its flaws itâs by no means the disaster I envisaged.
The plot
Itâs a fairly lightweight story. Now all grown up, young Michael from the original film (Ben Whishaw) has his own family. His troubles though come not singly but in battalions since not only is he grieving a recent loss but he is also about to be evicted from 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Help is at hand in that his father, George Banks, had shares with the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. But despite their best efforts neither he, his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer) nor their chirpy âstrike a lightâ lamplighter friend Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) can find the all-important share certificates. With the deadline from bank manager Wilkins (Colin Firth) approaching, itâs fortuitous that Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) drops in to look after the Banks children â John (Nathanael Saleh), Anabel (Pixie Davies) and Georgie (Joel Dawson) â in her own inimitable fashion.
Songs that are more Meh-ry Poppins
I know musical taste is very personal. My biggest problem with the film though was that the songs by Marc Shaiman were, to me, on the lacklustre side. Only one jumped out and struck me: the jaunty vaudeville number âA Cover is not the Bookâ. Elsewhere they were â to me â unmemorable and nowhere near as catchy as those of âThe Greatest Showmanâ. (What amplified this for me was having some of the classic Sherman-brothers themes woven into the soundtrack that just made me realise what I was missing!) Richard M Sherman â now 90 â was credited with âMusic Consultantâ but I wonder how much input he actually had?
The other flaws
Another issue I had with the film was that it just tried WAAYYY too hard to tick off the key attributes of the original:
âMary in the mirrorâ â check
âBottomless carpet bagâ â check
âInitial fun in the nurseryâ â check
âQuirky trip to a cartoon landâ â check
âDance on the ceiling with a quirky relativeâ â check
âChirpy chimney sweepsâ â check (âEr⌠Mr Marshall⌠we couldnât get chimney sweeps⌠will lamplighters do?â âYeah, good enoughâ)
Another thing that struck me about the film â particularly as a film aimed at kids â is just how long it is. At 2 hours and 10 minutes itâs a bladder-testing experience for adults let alone younger children. (Itâs worth noting that this is still 9 minutes shorter than the original, but back in the 60âs we had FAR fewer options to be stimulated by entertainment and our attention spans were â I think â much longer as a result!)
What it does get right
But with this whinging aside, the film does get a number of things spit-spot on.
Emily Blunt is near perfection as Poppins. (In the interests of balance my wife found her bizarrely clipped accent very grating, but I suspect P.L. Travers would have approved!). Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda also does a good job as Jack, although you wonder whether the âsociety of cockney actorsâ must again be in a big grump about the casting! I found Emily Mortimer just delightful as the grown-up Jane, although Ben Whishawâs Michael didnât particularly connect with me.
Almost unrecognisable was David Warner as the now wheelchair-bound Admiral Boom. His first mate is none other than Jim Norton of âFather Tedâ Bishop Brennan fame (thanks to my daughter Jenn for pointing that one out)!
Also watch out (Iâd largely missed it before I realised!) for a nice pavement cameo by Karen Dotrice, the original Jane, asking directions to number 19 Cherry Tree Lane.
What the film also gets right is to implement the old-school animation of the âJolly Holidaysâ segment of the original. Thatâs a really smart move. Filmed at Shepperton Studios in London, this is once again a great advert for Britainâs film technicians. The London sets and the costumes (by the great Sandy Powell) are just superb.
Some cameo cherries on the cake
Finally, the aces in the hole are the two cameos near the end of the film. And they would have been lovely surprises as well since neither name appears in the opening credits. Itâs therefore a CRYING SHAME that they chose to let the cat out of the bag in the trailer (BLOODY MARKETING EXECS!). In case you havenât seen the trailer, I wonât spoil it for you here. But as a magical movie experience the first of those cameos moved me close to tears. He also delivers a hum-dinger of a plot twist that is a genuinely welcome crossover from the first film.
Final Thoughts
Rob Marshall directs, and with a pretty impossible task he delivers an end-product that, while it didnât completely thrill me, did well not to trash my delicate hopes and dreams either. Having just listened to Kermode and Mayoâs review (and it seems that Mark Kermode places Poppins on a similar pedestal to me) the songs (and therefore the âPlace Where Lost Things Goâ song) just didnât resonate with me in the same way, and so, unlike Kermode, I mentally never bridged the gap to safely enjoying it.
But what we all think is secondary. Because if some three or four year old out there gets a similarly lifelong love of the cinema by watching this, then thatâs all that matters.
Sarah (7799 KP) May 26, 2020
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) May 26, 2020 (Updated May 26, 2020)