Raiders of the Lost Ark

This is my second favorite of the Indiana Jones movies but I think it is really the best. The action has just the right mix of comedy to it so as not to bore anyone watching it. And of course how can you not like Dr./Indiana Jones?
All the characters do a very good job in this movie. Harrison Ford as archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones delivers not only his serious but also his comic lines with superbness. Karen Allen fills in nicely as the love interest/damsel in distress. She gives off a lot of attitude which is a nice change of pace from most damsels. An occasional punch in the face and the ability to drink anyone under the table make her almost a heroine rather than a damsel.
The plot follows a religious theme that re-occurs throughout the Indiana Jones trilogy. Dr. Jones is trying to find the Lost Ark of the Covenant while staying one step ahead of the Nazis who are also on a quest to find it. Along the way he gets into several capers like being trapped in a pit of snakes. (which i can now see the window in between him and the cobra when re-watching it). And his valiant efforts to rescue and re-rescue Karen Allen. I think one of the best parts of the movie is the evilness that the Nazi characters show. It gives you a creepy feeling about them and allows you to get more attached and start pulling for Jones to overcome.
I recommend anyone to watch this movie. The great thing about the "Jones" movies is that you don't have to watch any one to understand the other. They are completely individual of each other. But make sure you at least watch Raiders of the Lost Ark because it is the most entertaining of the three.