Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Admittedly, I was not planning on doing a report of the first half of 2023, but obligation did kick in, so here we are.

It has always been no secret that the first half of a calendar year is not as strong as the second half, but that is not the fault of the films that are actually good.

With that in mind, here is a brief look back at what we have gotten so far this year…

Proof the Rom Com is still alive:

Streaming on Hulu, Rye Lane is a brisk 82 minute flick full of 21st century heart and laughs. I truly would not mind if this film lasted a little longer.

Proof that coming-of-age dramadies are still alive:

I never read the book, but I can only imagine this was a breath of fresh air to those who grew up adoring Judy Blume’s classic Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret. Abby Ryder Fortson is a true gem, and this is honestly the best I have seen Rachel McAdams in years.

Best based on a true story about a product:

A tie between Air and Blackberry, both equally enthralling films in their own right.

How to properly end a franchise (potentially):

Despite its run time and refusal to give us time to breath, John Wick: Chapter 4 did bring a fitting end to an action saga in the likes of which we have not seen before.

How to not end a franchise (potentially):

While not a horrible film, you don’t end this franchise with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. You end it the way it always should have ended: with Indy and company riding off into the sunset after the last crusade.

Best Villain of the year so far:

As memorable as Jack Black was as Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, no villain has made a better lasting impact than that of Jonathan Majors’ Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Here is hoping all works out for him in his personal life that he can stay on the MCU roster.

Best Comic Book/Animated/Sequel/Action/Multiverse Film of the year so far:

Duh.

I mean, no offense to the other films that fit this description, but come on: ain’t no way it would not be Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Worst Comic Book/Animated/Sequel/Action/Multiverse Film of the year so far:

I know what you are thinking: “Mark, The Flash was not animated!”

True, but it may as well have been, because that is how horrendous the CGI was.

Between this and Nefar i ous, I am struggling over which is the worst of the year so far.

Best of the Year so far:

While other films like How to Blow Up a Pipeline were spine tingling in its own way, nothing stole my breath like Past Lives. Believe the hype you have been hearing about the film: It is that good.

I know I was not alone in catching up with the other Indy films before the latest would drop.

A quick overview:

Raiders of the Lost Ark: One of the very best adventure movies ever made.
The Temple of Doom: Fun (thank you Short Round), despite its dark themes and cultural depictions.
The Last Crusade: One of the best father-son duos in cinematic history.
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Honestly, some decent moments and set pieces (despite falling completely flat at the conclusion).

Despite how you rank the films, one thing is universal: the role of Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. should only be played by Harrison Ford. To recast him would indeed seem nothing short of sacrilegious, meaning we “needed” at least one more Indy film as Ford is now an octogenarian.