Look, I’m all about being an American, but if there’s one other place on this planet I’d want to live, it’s Australia. Not only is the country beautiful, but it’s given us KugelHopf, a Mary Kate and Ashley movie, Kangaroos and, of course, some very delicious eye candy.

And as today, January 26th, is Australia Day, it’s our duty to honor the land of Oz. But since we can’t hop on a plane, fly 24 hours and present the country with balloons and a cake, we’ll do the next best thing: ogle our favorite Aussies. And embarrass ourselves misusing Aussie slang.

G’day mates!

5. You gotta see it in order to believe what great shape Harrison Ford is in at age 65.

4. Rather than drawing on widely known and overused Biblical mysteries to supply the core of its plot, this Indiana Jones movie deals with a truly unique and very interesting archaeological mystery.

3. Even if you’re not an Indy fan, the movie is incredibly satisfying and really fun to watch. The stunts are hardcore (especially during a remarkable swordfighting scene that takes place in several moving vehicles) and the pace is breakneck. It’s pretty much impossible not to be entertained by this movie.

2. Cate Blanchett’s amazing pixie haircut and pure look of evil make her one of the most convincing (and well-styled) movie villains we’ve had in a long time.

And the number one reason to see Indiana Jones is…

1. Shia LaBeouf. Would I ever like to tap that.

Best Date Movie (on DVD)

Cloverfield released 01/18/2008

A going away party abruptly ends when a monster launches an attack on New York City. The movie is told from the perspective of character Hudd’s video camera (think Blair Witch Project) as he and his friends try to escape the monster’s wrath.

No doubt you’ve heard of this movie already—it made massive waves when it hit theaters in January—but perhaps you didn’t realize it’s full potential as a date movie. For starters, watching it as a DVD means that most likely it’ll be just you and your date curled up in front of the screen, in which case a bit of suspense and thrill are definitely pluses. Also, Sci-fi flicks always make great icebreakers—there’s something inherently goofy about the plot no matter how freaky it may be.

In case you really get into it, the DVD also boasts several bonus featurettes, four deleted endings, as well as two alternative endings.

If You Must…

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull released 05/21/2008

Twenty years after he rescued his father from Nazi clutches during WWII (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) returns to the big screen in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. This time the whip-cracking archaeologist battles cunning KGB agents led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) as he attempts to return the Crystal Skull to its rightful place.

It’s a Lucas-Spielburg extravaganza oozing with special effects and bad acting. But let’s face it, as an Indiana Jones enthusiast you really don’t care about the plot’s fluidity nor do you necessarily give a hoot about minor character development… your only fear is that this movie will harm the Indiana Jones triumvirate. Well rest assured, my fellow nerd, the Indiana legacy is safe. This is a movie that should be watched by uber fans and lukewarm converts alike.

Best Movie Ever!

A Jihad for Love limited release 05/21/2008

A featured documentary filmed in twelve countries and nine languages by Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma. From Pakistan to Turkey, South Africa to France, and Iran to India, Sharma examines the complex lives of homosexual Muslims who refuse to abandon their faith even when at times their faith seems to have abandoned them. The movie’s website says it best, “The international chorus of gay and lesbian Muslims brought together by “A Jihad for Love” doesn’t seek to vilify or reject Islam, but rather negotiate a new relationship to it. In doing so, the film’s extraordinary characters attempt to point the way for all Muslims to move beyond the hostile, war-torn present, toward a more hopeful future.”

The US theatrical premiere of this film is taking place now from May 21-June 4 at the IFC Film Center in New York City. Check out First Run Features for a full list of upcoming screenings. Hopefully it will be released more widely soon.

The CC Movie Review comes out every Friday.

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