Thursday was Hari Raya Adiladha, and it was the perfect opportunity to watch the latest instalment of the Indiana Jones series.
Considering Harrison Ford turns 81 on July 13, it is no surprise that certain action scenes were a little cumbersome and slow, but the thrill of seeing the original ‘man in the hat’ was as exhilarating as we remembered the first time we saw him during our primary school days.
By we, I mean the home minister and I. And we were not alone. Though it was a morning show, there were many Indy fans, two of whom, we later noticed, were an elderly couple.
The man needed a walking stick, but we could see the joy on his face, even in the dark hall, as he and who we assumed was his wife started walking down after the final, brilliant scene.
They stopped several times on the way down, not to catch their breath but to look at the screen and point out familiar names as the credits rolled.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is not the best in the series, but it captured lots of the magic of the original trilogy – Raiders of the Lost Ark – released in 1981, Temple of Doom (1984) and Last Crusade (1989).
The four of us – our daughter and her friend followed us – enjoyed the roller-coaster ride. The home minister laughed out loud several times.
She even grabbed my arm a little too tightly on more than one occasion, marvelling at the action sequences.
The thrill of recognising old characters made the movie even more enjoyable, although it would have been better if they had more screen time.
Mads Mikkelsen deserves mention as the chief villain.
But the leading lady, Phoebe Mary Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw, was a delight and stood up being paired with Ford.
There is talk of a future television series, although Ford said he would no longer play the role. Perhaps a spinoff featuring Helena Shaw instead?
All the Indiana Jones movies are available for streaming on Astro (RM6 per adventure), or for free if you have Disney+. If you have not watched Dial of Destiny, go catch up on them first.
NO MORE MANDATORY FACE MASKS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT, HEALTH FACILITIES
Malaysia’s Health Ministry announced on Thursday that it would do away with the mandatory wearing of face masks on public transport and health facilities from July 5.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the elderly, those with low immunity and chronic diseases and pregnant women, should continue wearing face masks in crowded areas.
MUSIC FROM MOVIES & MUSICALS
Music from Movies & Musicals – 65th Anniversary Charity Concert (MMM65) mixes some of the finest show tunes of the modern period while spinning a sparkling story.
The Selangor Philharmonic Society, a live band and 80 singers from all walks of life will perform songs and revues from stage and screen from Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jersey Boys, Oklahoma, A Chorus Line, James Bond, and favourites like The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Love Changes Everything and What I Did for Love.
The concert is on July 28. Ticket prices are RM 100, RM 150 and RM 200. All proceeds go to the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation National Centre.
CILANTRO-LIME SHRIMP WRAPS
If you want something healthy, why not try this cilantro-lime shrimp wraps recipe.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, INDY
As we bid goodbye to Ford’s days as Indiana Jones, we end this week’s Diary with the theme from that film series, courtesy of John Williams.
Thanks for the memories, Henry Jones, Jr.
Until next week, stay safe.
