So what's the consensus on the latest Mummy movie? I'll be taken brother and his family to the movies tomorrow, and that's the only one that I don't think they've already seen that I'd be willing to go to. If I can, I'm going to try and talk them into Dark Knight at the IMAX instead, but most of them have already seen it twice, so that might not be an option. (I still haven't seen it once, so I hope they go with it!)

Speaking of Westerns, I just watched She Wore a Yellow Ribbon this weekend. Mostly as prep for my trip to Monument Valley, but also because it's mentioned in the mise-en-scène sample chapter in my next book.

I like that one pretty well, myself. Along with, uh, Fort Apache and Rio Grande (I think? Were those from right around that time? I'll have to look it up. Soon...), it's sort of an ur-Western and a great example of the brilliant/cheesy dichotomy that made John Ford such a weird genius.

So what's the consensus on the latest Mummy movie?

I have not heard good things. Even my aunt and uncle, who don't have the most refined tastes, thought it was inferior to the first two.

Kathy, while I really dug Maria Bello's Evie, I hated the fact they aged her and Rick, marginalized them and tried to shift focus for the derring do to their soap-opera-method suddenly adult son and some random girl (who isn't, but the payoff wasn't sufficient, for me). The movies are about Rick and Evie, and Jonathan. The kid is ancillary. And they should never make one of these things without Oded Fehr, whether the action goes anywhere near the African continent or not.

I loved Michele Yao, but she wasn't given enough to do. The movie was mindless fun, but it didn't hang together well enough, and once the popcorn was gone and we were blinking in the sun, it left a little bit of a bad taste, for me at least.

I actually enjoyed Journey to the Center of the Earth more.

Well, I figured it'd be inferior. I'm just wondering if it's sufficient for a late-August movie viewing with a bunch of kids who just want action and adults who don't want their brains to leak out of their ears.

soap-opera-method suddenly adult son and some random girl

That definitely doesn't sound good!!

I actually enjoyed Journey to the Center of the Earth more.

That's still at the theater--this might be a better option.

Well, Journey isn't great art, but I thought it was fun, and we didn't even see it in 3D.

Despite being popcorn movies, the Mummies have always delivered on the action and the funny, so I had expectations. There were few expectations for Journey--it's obviously a kid's movie. But it managed to hold my interest. M3...missed. I love Fraser with all my heart, and it hurts to say it, but M3 tanked, for me.

If you can find Journey in 3-D that's for sure the way to go.

God, which one is Rio Grande ? Is that with Monty Clift? Or is that Red River ? I remember liking Fort Apache (although I always mentally add "the Bronx" after it).

Rio Grande is cavalry, Apaches, estranged wife, dramatic friction with estranged son (not Monty Clift). Red River is cattle drive, Apaches, dead girlfriend, dramatic friction with adopted son (Monty Clift).

So much high-soapiness from the Duke!

(ETA: and it's not just you with Fort Apache: The Bronx.)