Shibuya 109

I saw this episode of South Park, I’m not sure if I’m alone here but I doubt it, lol. Well, I decided to talk a little bit about my thoughts because of an article I read:

But was continually — and graphically — having Spielberg and Lucas violently rape Indiana Jones too far? “He’s gonna do it right there!” shouts a cartoon Spielberg in one scene, holding back Indy’s hands over a pinball machine. Or was seeing a storm trooper completely defiled still easier to swallow than having to watch Shia Labeouf swing like a monkey, or worse, inserting aliens into the film? READ MORE HERE

I don’t think they went too far, I think people are way too sensitive these days. South Park, as always, is hilarious though (as Trey and Stone’s own characters once put it) ‘preachy and up it’s own ass’. They’re in the billionth season, they’re running out of things to bitch about, lol.

Personally, I really liked Indy 4, I think people are being too hard on the film which to be honest very closely matches the first three. In fact, I’d put it at a tie with Holy Grail in both silliness and realism – that’s right, I said it! Granted, you’ve never sung through the trees on a vine like so much Grape Ape, but when was the last time you downed a Nazi plane with a flock of seagulls or healed your dying father with magic Jesus water? Oh, yesterday? Sorry, I didn’t know.

Well, even with your magic powers, I have to say that I think Shia LaBeouf was dead right, I think it *is* the viewer that’s changed, not the film style.

People are overly critical of any new additions to already beloved franchises – for example, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a horrible, depressing and violent film that strayed so far from the point that Roald Dahl ( the author of the book, Genius ) didn’t even give them The Great Glass Elevator because they screwed his book up so much on the big screen.

Tim Burton’s Charlie, however, is stylized ( as is Burton’s way ) but far closer to the original, more entertaining and more endearing than the original adaption and yet there’s a huge slice of the population that refuse to watch it just because it’s not what they remember. If that film had come out instead of the original adaption back in the 70s, there would have been no descussion about it. It would just be considered the superior version no matter how many others were released – even if they were better.

I really don’t get the Mutt Williams hate, either. I don’t understand how someone can watch this guy acting just like Indy has for the last 20 years in every scene he’s in and go, “I love Indiana Jones but I hate this new guy.” – maybe they’re seeing something I’m not? Let’s fess up, kids, we all know it’s not Mutt – it’s LaBeouf. Nobody likes this guy, people find him annoying somehow – and yet like Hayden Christiansen, so figure that one out.

I get the feeling that, unlike during his rise when everyone was astonished and wanted to know who this talented, charismatic kid was, now people are so pissed that LaBeouf became such a quick A-Lister that they’re likely to always see him as miscast and annoying. Not that I didn’t think he was adorable, but I don’t remember Short Round being called annoying and he really should have been if we’re going to throw stones.

A lot of quick A-Listers get this treatment – Zac Efron, Nikki Blonsky and Kelly Osbourne all come to mind. Two of those things are kinda the same, though, and Zac Efron’s not like the others so let’s chuck him out the window. Crap, I screwed up my own point, lol.

At any rate, while I do think Lucas and Speilberg have a tendency to push a good thing until they O.D. and choke on their own vomit, I don’t think Indy 4 is an example of this. I think they had to progress in time to fit Harrison’s age. I think the progression in time’s movement from Nazis to Commie’s, the use of Area 51 and the maguffan and Indy’s new role as a father were all updated nicely. Did they go overboard at times? Of course they did, does anyone here even remember any of their other films? You can’t be surprised by that.

Overall, I think South Park did a great job, it turned out hilarious and I enjoyed the episode as I always do. It’s not the first time, by far, that I’ve disagreed with Matt and Trey but that shouldn’t stop you from laughing at something funny. People are too touchy these days. As for the Indy 4 hate, well we’re just not going to see eye to eye. I mean, I remember all the bad reviews the second and third films had gotten when they first came out, and now they’re considered classics. You won’t have long to wait until Indy 5 comes out and Mutt finds Elvis and the Loch Ness Monster, then Indy 4 will be the blue eyed child, lol.

So the next time you’re thinking, “Flesh eating ants? Really?” do yourself a favor and get into a mine car chase or run away from a giant, perfeclty round prop boulder. It’ll take your mind off your worries. I should point out that if you know anything about the Amazon, then flesh eating ants shouldn’t surprise you all that much.

Tagged as Indiana Jones, Indy 5 + Categorized as Reviews