Thursday Movie Picks: Treasure Hunt: Wandering through the Shelves hosts a weekly movie challenge in which you choose 3-5 movies based on that Thursday’s theme and explain why you chose those movies. Today’s theme is Treasure Hunt so here are my choices!
Fool’s gold (2008)
Funnily enough, I just watched Fool’s Gold and reviewed it. I was not a big fan. But, it fits the theme as Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey play an estranged married couple who find clues to a sunken ship that’s said to carry a treasure. It has a fun premise, but it’s a mess of a movie.
the hobbit trilogy (2012-2014)
While clearly not as good as the LOTR trilogy, I did enjoy The Hobbit trilogy even though I think it relied way too much on CGI. Bilbo Baggins is recruited by Gandalf and a group of dwarves to travel to the Lonely Mountains to reclaim the treasure taken from them by the dragon Smaug. There’s no reason why this adaptation needed to be three movies, but money is money, and New Line knew they could profit from dragging the story out.
indiana jones and the last crusade (1989)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is my favorite Indy film. Harrison Ford and Sean Connery are pure magic together. It’s a hell of a fun premise too – searching for the hottest of all treasure, the Holy Grail. Action, romance, and so much humor… I adore it.
Joel
August 19, 2021Raiders of the Lost Ark is my favorite of the series but Last Crusade is thisclose to matching it. I agree that Ford and Sean Connery are magic together but where this one falters as did the mediocre second one is the absence of Karen Allen’s plucky Marian. The female character in this one is totally forgettable. Still it’s a great ride.
Fool’s Gold is a mess not saved by its stars who share little chemistry. Kate Hudson did not inherit her mother’s golden sparkle. The movie wasn’t painful to watch but I forgot about it two seconds after it was over.
I loathed all the LOTR movies and you couldn’t pay me to watch The Hobbit.
I love treasure hunt films and have seen so many it was a bit hard to narrow down. I decided to shine a little light on my first two. My last, which was a pretty terrible movie, I just happened to see within the last week-using it seemed like a way to make the time I wasted watching not seem like a total loss!
Green Hell (1940)-A group of fortune hunters lead by Keith Brandon (Douglas Fairbanks Jr) including David Richardson (Vincent Price) and Forrester (George Sanders) head deep into the South American jungle in search of rumored Incan treasure. Shortly after Richardson is killed by natives his wife Stephanie (Joan Bennett) arrives. Despite his loss she decides to stick it out and look for the booty but as the months tick by tempers and passions flare as the local heathens become increasingly hostile.
Plunder of the Sun (1953)-Down on his luck and short on funds insurance adjuster Al Colby (Glenn Ford) makes a deal with Thomas Berrien (Francis L. Sullivan), a crooked collector of antiquities to travel by ship to Oaxaca, Mexico smuggling a small package. During the voyage Berrien dies, Colby opens the package finding three parchments and a stone medal. Contacted by rival archaeologist Jefferson (Sean McClory) Colby discovers the parchments are a key to hidden treasure and the search is on!! Filmed in Mexico at the Zapotecan ruins of Mitla and Monte Alban.
Beyond Atlantis (1973)-When a fisherman wants to trade in his pearls for cash pimp Fast Eddie (Sid Haig) smells a fortune to be made and embarks on a treasure hunt to locate more. Joining with scuba driver Logan (John Ashley), adventurer Vic (Patrick Wayne, The Duke’s son) and Dr. Kathy Vernon (Lenore Stevens) they head to the island. Upon arrival they are met by a tribe of half fish/half humans led by Neraus (George Nader) and his beautiful daughter Syrene (Leigh Christian) who only seems to possess a skimpy bikini. The gang are looking for loot, but Syrene is looking for a chance to propagate for the good of the tribe! A real piece of Roquet Cheese!!
Sara
August 19, 2021I just watched Seems Like Old Times with Goldie Hawn and she definitely has an on-screen presence that Judson did not inherit.
I’ve only heard of Beyond Atlantis in your picks but I absolutely agree that Karen Allen was missing from the Indy sequels (not counting Crystal Skull). She’s such a great character and would have made Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade so much better.
Joel
August 19, 2021Oh I ADORE Seems Like Old Times!!! It’s my favorite Goldie movie (followed by Cactus Flower, Overboard, Foul Play and Deceived) and she shimmers with that star powered radiance that I was referring to. She also shows her expertise with dialog making simple lines like “Why did I get up this morning?” and “Are we….alive?” hilarious by her delivery. As good as she is she’s surrounded by a fellow cast of expert comedic performers all firing on all cylinders. I’m not always fond of Chevy Chase but he’s enormously appealing here, same for Charles Grodin and I LOVE their housekeeper Aurora!
Brittani
August 19, 2021I never saw Fool’s Gold, I only remember the poster lol. Of these, the Indiana Jones movies are my favorites.
Sara
August 20, 2021The poster is probably the most memorable thing about the movie, so don’t bother. LOL
Kat Impossible
August 21, 2021All excellent choices! I’m not much of a Kate Hudson or Matthew McConaughey person, but Fool’s Gold was nice.
Sara
August 22, 2021I have a love/hate relationship with McConaughey, to be honest. I like a lot of his stuff but some others? Meh.
Birgit
August 22, 2021I just can’t get myself motivated to watch Fool’s Gold because it looks stupid. I agree with you about The Hobbit series and am beginning to dis like CJI because they rely on it too much. I am not a fan of the Indiana Jone films except for this one with Sean Connery.
Sara
August 22, 2021Fool’s Gold IS stupid! You’re not missing anything lol
I agree with the reliance on CGI. It’s becoming a bit too much, if you ask me.
ThePunkTheory
August 23, 2021I can’t believe I didn’t think of Indiana Jones, it’s the perfect pick!
Sara
August 24, 2021Definitely some of the better treasure hunt films I think!
Sonia
August 25, 2021I also picked The Hobbit (the first one) and The Last Crusade as it’s my favourite Indiana Jones movie. I haven’t seen Fool’s Gold in years but I remember enjoying it back then (I had shitty taste in movies haha) and I almost picked it myself.
Sara
August 26, 2021Fool’s Gold isn’t great but it fits the theme! lol. I think any Indiana Jones movie could have worked but like you, The Last Crusade is my favorite.
Wandering through the Shelves
August 26, 2021I can’t stand The Hobbit…it is a thin book made into three long movies…pointlessly
Sara
September 2, 2021I might have enjoyed it more had it only been one movie!