Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, as the third episode in the series, is my second-favorite Indiana Jones movie (not a hard choice since the first movie is unassailably excellent, I may never watch the much-reviled second movie, and I won't see the new fourth movie until tomorrow). Last Crusade has a passle of Indiana's feats of derring-do but they are slightly less adrenaline-inducing than his take-no-prisoners stylings in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Nazis are back as villains (fronted by a phone-it-in femme fatale) as Indy seeks to obtain the magical Holy Grail before they do. The best part is the pairing (and near parting) of Sean Connery and Harrison Ford as Senior and Junior Jones, father and son. Their comedic interaction is understated and satisfying with sufficient plot twists and turns. Though more contrived and less organic than Raiders, the discovery and recovery of the Holy Grail is a ripping good yarn as it goes -- esp. since a healf-hearted attempt is made to explain how "only the penitent man shall pass." (Ultimate supernatural power is not obtained when man's might makes right but when God accords grace and mercy.) "Choose wisely!" 4 stars.