The Teen Choice Awards 2008!

“Heroes” and “Smallville” are vying for Choice TV Show: Action Adventure. Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes) and Tom Welling (Smallville) are among a few going for the Choice TV Actor: Action Adventure. In the female category, Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), Ali Larter (Heroes), and Kristen Kruek (Smallville) have nods for Choice TV Actress. Best Villain for television include Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville) and Zachary Quinto (Heroes). Hayden Panettiere is also nominated for Choice Female Hottie and Red Carpet Fashion Icon Female

In the movies category, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull“, “Iron Man” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” vie for the top award for action adventure.  Unfortunately, the other summer flicks and possibly blockbusters “The Incredible Hulk” and “The Dark Knight” didn’t get included since the movies are too late for the list.

The event is hosted by teen sensation Miley Cyrus at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City , CA and will air on Monday, Aug. 4 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Starting today, fans ages 13-19 can vote once each day for their favorite TEEN CHOICE 2008 nominees at www.TeenChoiceAwards.com. “Gossip Girl” leads the pack with 14 nominations. Host Miley Cyrus scored 4 nominations, Chris Brown has 9, and Justin Timberlake, the reigning TEEN CHOICE champ, has 3 nominations.

(UPDATE: My apologies to everyone who thought that nominations for the Teen Choice Awards are still open. They are not. The nominees have been chosen as listed below. Voting is now ongoing.)

Following is the list of categories and nominees for Wave One of TEEN CHOICE 2008. (PDF).

source: Fox press release

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Director Steven Spielberg is known for keeping a tight lid on advance reviews of his films. But as early as May 10, the New York Times reported that an theater executive, who had seen an advanced screen of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull “, only had harsh criticisms for Spielberg’s latest Indian Jones. To quote –

“This is the Indiana Movie that you were dreading.”

Now that the movie is finally here, I’m reading reviews from news networks everywhere and the reviews have been a mixture. Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews, gave it only a 79%. I would have expected more from a Spielberg-Lucas tandem.

Melbourne Australia’s Herald Sun wrote that the fans will not be disappointed with Indiana Jones’ return to the big screen… “However, they will not be absolutely dazzled, either.” The UK’s Telegraph thought the movie was great until about halfway, when it seemed that the writers hurried the story along. Several other reviewers expressed the same tone. Is the appeal of Indiana Jones wearing thin?

Indiana Jones himself – Harrison Ford – is a little worn down, and he admits that in the film too. He’s a little slower, but to his advantage still as quick-witted as when he was younger. Now I’m not sure if it would have been better to play up his age a little more, maybe to add humor (?), but certainly address his long absence. Now Indiana Jones has never been about his love, and this one isn’t either. In fact, I wasn’t sure why the character Marion Ravenwood was revived at all… well, except for one thing maybe.

Steven Spielberg was quoted as saying he didn’t want too much computer graphics on this movie, because he wanted it to have the same feel as the previous films. Unfortunately, the movie goers’ tastes have dramatically changed since Indy ruled the screen in the 1980s. I don’t know that we’ve become necessarily sophisticated, but we definitely have bought into CGI so much that we want an action/adventure movie to feel like the IMAX, like we are part of the movie and not just watching it. We don’t mind that the plot was in the 1950s, we just don’t want it to feel like we’re watching a ’50s movie.

Still, when it comes down to money, MarketWatch writes that the fourth Indiana movie could still come home a winner, if moviegoers come back to it after the Memorial Day holiday.

Have you seen the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? How do you rate it?

Photo Credit: David James
™ & © 2008 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Used under authorization.

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Well, now, we do have a winner of the LEGO set.. Chosen by random drawing..

#361 Mary Otis!

Congrats, Mary, and I’ll be emailing you instructions for claiming your prize!

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When we last saw Indiana Jones on screen, it was 1938, and the world stood on the brink of war as Dr. Jones chased down evildoers to find the Holy Grail (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).
Nineteen years later to 1957, Indiana is cracking his whip again, and many things have changed … but some have remained the same. For one, he still has the same fedora hat!

As before, the world is at a precipice with the Cold War and the threat of nuclear annihilation by the Red Menace (aka Soviet Union).

The Russians not only want world domination, they are also after a precious, mysterious object. And Indy’s struggle is once again to ensure that the treasure remains safe from those bent on destroying humanity.

And again, Indiana brings a few friends along – his assistant Mutt (not the dog) Williams and an old flame Marion Ravenwood.

And the adventure continues!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is directed by Steven Spielberg and co-written by George Lucas. Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones (is there any other?), with co-stars Shia LaBeouf (Mutt Williams), Cate Blanchett (Agent Irina Spalko), and Karen Allen (Marion Ravenwood).

Photo Credit: David James
™ & © 2008 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Used under authorization.

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The action and thrills are everywhere. There are puzzles and maps, and the quest for a treasure that everyone wants to get. Oh, and there is almost always some kind of chase, right?

Like in the river scene for the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), his sidekick Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) and old flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) are chased by Cate Blanchett as the villainous Irina Spalko.

So, LEGO ‘immortalized’ that river chase scene with this set of bricks.

This is one of the four sets based on the movie, launching in May.  In a daring escape, Indy and Marion race off in an amphibious vehicle.  But the enemy is close behind in a boat of their own, and are trying to recapture the pair with a net trap.  Set includes 4 minifigures, including Marion and Indiana Jones.

And I’m giving one (1) set away!

How to join:

1. In the comments, just share what your favorite scene is from the pervious Indiana Jones films. OR, what you like about Indiana Jones.
2. Additional entry will be given to those who link this contest post on their site!
3. Eligibility – one entry per person per email daily (so you get more entries if you come back tomorrow, but rules #1 (different item/bag) and #2 above apply for each entry.
4. It’s open to residents of the US only. If you have a blog, do post your URL as well, as I love to visit my readers’ sites and catch a conversation.

The contest ends 12:00 midnight EST May 21, 2008 in time for the release of the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. One (1) winner will be randomly chosen and notified by post and email. I will post the winner on May 22.  

UPDATE: THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. A winner has been chosen HERE.

(I have more contests lined up at Online-Sweepstakes)

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Indiana Jones comes back larger-than-life in this new adventure to find the Crystal Skull, a human skull made of pure gold and guarded by the half-dead. And though Indiana Jones is much older, he is still quick-witted and as quick to get into trouble as he gets out of them.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is directed by Steven Spielberg and co-written by George Lucas. Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones (is there any other?), with co-stars Shia LaBeouf (Mutt Williams), Cate Blanchett (Agent Irina Spalko), and Karen Allen (Marion Ravenwood).

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There is something about that Indiana Jones movie, beginning with the musical score! Add the charisma of Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones and you got yourself a full adventure/comedy/action classic movie!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is directed by Steven Spielberg and co-written by George Lucas. Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones (is there any other?), with co-stars Shia LaBeouf (Mutt Williams), Cate Blanchett (Agent Irina Spalko), and Karen Allen (Marion Ravenwood).

Now I’m itching to dust off those old Indiana Jones movies and watch them again!

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Indiana Jones is not your typical superhero – the one in tights and flies. But he is a classic hero, by all counts. Although certainly much older, Indiana is still the timeless adventure hero. And, he is just too ’super’ for this fan to pass over. So, in time for the fourth installment of Indiana Jones, I will cover the new Indiana Jones movie as much as I can.

It literally has been 19 years since the last adventure, and Harrison Ford is back as Indiana Jones in the new Lucasfilm Ltd. feature “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull“. This time, Indy is a much older, if not wiser man, but who still craves adventure as if it were his first.

When Harrison Ford returned to the role, even director Steven Spielberg caught the excitement and nostalgia of the classic.

“To see Harrison walk on the set, pick up the whip, snap it and wrap it around one of the bad guys was pretty incredible,” he says. “It was amazing to see how fast Harrison was with it – and then be on the set to see Indy’s rucksack and his other props … well, it wasn’t just nostalgia. That was when I realized that we were bringing this character and everything he’s about back to the audience that grew up with him, as well as to new audiences.”

And this new film IS dedicated to the fans. We all thought we had seen the last of Indiana when he rode off into the sunset in the third movie, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” But Ford called Spielberg and executive producer co-writer George Lucas about doing one more film. That certainly got the ball rolling, but it took 19 years, and Indiana getting older, before the script could be perfected – one that was up to the standards of the first three movies.

So we can very much expect that “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” will be filled with the same great adventures.

Catch the “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” adventure on May 22, 2008.

Photo Credit: David James
™ & © 2008 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Used under authorization.

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