Street spirit: Building up blockbusters

The summer blockbuster season has officially begun. There was one for the boys ("Iron Man"), one for the family ("Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull") and this weekend is one for the girls ("Sex and the City").

After hearing all the hype surrounding the new Indiana Jones movie, I knew one thing: It was bound to either really thrill the viewer or totally disappoint. And, like I thought, Indiana's latest adventure has gotten polar reviews, even from this publication. Bart Elfrink loved it; Blake Heuring, well, read for yourself.

The story and characters were long gone after Indy rode the horse into the sunset in "Last Crusade." A nearly 20-year vacation, and bam! they're back.

Whether you liked it or not, that movie did what summer blockbusters are supposed to do: It made money.

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" has grossed more than $313 million and is still packing theaters.

Indy was a multigenerational attempt at a family adventure film.

The children wanted to see it because of the fast-food cups and toys. The 20- and 30-somethings wanted to see it because most of us remember the originals — if we don't still have the originals in VHS form. The older you get, Indiana Jones moves from a hero to a hunk to a peer etc.

The more people it can reach, the more money it can make, and did.

I can only guess the problem was that it was gone for so long that the memory and expectation became too much for the story, cast and crew. Any questions about that whip-wielding adventurer weren't answered, but muddied up with dropped hints at possibly false subplots.

It seems half the people who saw it liked the new movie and half didn't. For the latter group, Hollywood's got you covered. On tap to be released this summer: another Mummy movie in August, a Ben Stiller/Jack Black collaboration called "Tropic Thunder," an "X-Files" and a "Hellboy" sequel, some more comedies and on the girlie side, "He's Just Not That Into You" and, oh yeah, "Sex and the City."

I myself have built up this particular movie into an event. I've got a dress picked out, but I still need to go shopping. I simply can't go to the movie without another pair of shoes.

Like other women I've talked to, some friends and I are going out, going to the movie and going home to discuss life, men and possibly the answers to all our "Sex" questions.

But I have to wonder, would we be happier making up our own ending?