I actually had forgotten about the drunken idol theft scene until you mentioned it, but now I do specifically recall cringing when I read that portion.

Yeah this has always bothered me. The overall tone is so mean, but then all the jokes are basically Merrie Melodies gags. That whole monkey brains scene is just kind of embarrassing. Or even the overly self-referential bit with the two swordsman and Indy goes for his gun, but surprise! He doesn't have one! Raiders…

He has suggested that he's not super happy with Crystal Skull before, too; saying Temple of Doom is the one he's least happy with isn't an automatic defense of Skull. It just means he thinks Doom is worse. Also, Spielberg has certainly made a few films that are intellectually and morally complex, particularly by the…

Sure, but it was called out at the time of release, too. And some things have aged better than others, surely? Not every film from 1984 is quite as ugly as Temple of Doom, just as not every film from the 1910s is quite as ugly as Birth of a Nation.

Eh, I read it and would have to disagree. The later changes definitely made it worse, but the original script still has what I think is the big achilles heel of the film, which is that there are just TOO MANY characters surrounding Indy at all times (at least after he meets up with his son and Marion and the rest of…

They both were. Lucas divorced, and Spielberg broke up with his longtime girlfriend who he had been talking publicly about marrying and having children with.

The comparison to the truck chase in Raiders also doesn't help. I think that's my favorite action sequence in any film, period. It's exciting and fast-paced but also deceptively simple. The jungle chase seems to want to evoke it, but there's just….too much going on. Shia swordfighting with someone from another truck…

This is honestly the thing I most dislike about it. Some of it is funny, but a joke like the guy in the library thinking his stamper is making the loud "clang" sound from Indy trying to break open the X on the floor is just so cornball and cartoony in a very specific way that the original film was not. Raiders is so…

When the only two groups are the insane cult and the impoverished backwards villagers, I think it's understandable that someone without a lot of knowledge of India or Indian culture might feel it is reasonably representative, yeah. (Obviously with the caveat that the fantasy parts are, well, fantasy, but it's not like…

Oh it definitely does. For me it's just kind of a given that Crystal Skull sucks, but I could still understand Temple of Doom being considered worse because there's just SO much wrong with it and a lot of it comes down to the uncomfortable and meanspirited tone throughout it. (At least with Crystal Skull it's more…

Honestly, I really go back and forth on it. I'm not kidding, there have been times over the years where I'll finish watching it and go "ugh, this movie sucks," but then a few years later I'll be in an Indiana Jones mood and watch it again because why not, there are only so many of these films to watch, and I'll find…

Though I don't like Crystal Skull, I'd have to admit the hate the fridge scene got always confused me a little bit. It's a perfectly fun and exciting scene, and in keeping with the overall tone of the series. I don't really get why people think that's too ridiculous but hanging underneath a truck and then dragging…

My assumption is that he doesn't mean specific scenes (obviously, they are his, otherwise he wouldn't put them in the film), but more the overall tone of the film. The overall feeling of the film is just endless darkness and sadness, without a lot of sense of fun. It doesn't have much sense of fun or whimsy. This is…

Honestly, though I don't agree, there really is a case for this. Raiders of the Lost Ark is possibly my favorite film, so I don't say any of this lightly. And while I don't necessarily expect the most cultural sensitivity from an Indiana Jones film, especially given what they are paying tribute to, there are some…

Oh for sure. What's funny is that in my experience, a lot of people on the further left were skeptical of Bernie and had to be won over (and occasionally they weren't), so they were still able to have a sense of humor about him certainly, but the most die-hard supporters weren't quite able to do that, even as Bernie…

Sure you can. I'm not saying they should NEVER do him mind you. Just to diversify the topics a bit. As they themselves said in the panel, The Daily Show would sometimes go a whole week without really doing much on Obama at all. Surely there are other systemic issues that could be discussed sometimes? Which isn't to…

As someone who, to be frank, spent most of Obama's presidency angry at him for his imperialist foreign policy and total failure (if you want to call it failure rather than wilful negligence) to seriously prosecute any of the corporate crime that led to the 2008 market crash and ensuing recession, among a lot of other…

Fair enough. I think my reading of your comment was along the lines that you thought I was blaming the Democrats while abdicating responsibility of the Republicans or something, but I think I see what you meant now. Indeed, Newt was definitely a big driving force of the increased polarization through the '90s and the…

Do I, as someone who stated that I'm further to the left than both parties, seem like someone who would like Newt Gingrich of all people? I really don't see what your point is supposed to be. Of course I hate him and consider him part of that process.

Yeah I mean, I'm not being totally literal. And I'm of course referring to actual political comedy and comedy about current events. There's other funny stuff out there even now. But I do find MOST (not all) political satire right now to be weak sauce, and I say that as a longtime junkie for this stuff. And it's…