| The Fall of the Revengers |
[28 Jun 2009|12:29pm] |
|
From Roger Ebert’s Journal --
The day will come when "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" will be studied in film classes and shown at cult film festivals. It will be seen, in retrospect, as marking the end of an era. Of course there will be many more CGI-based action epics, but never again one this bloated, excessive, incomprehensible, long (149 minutes) or expensive (more than $200 million). Like the dinosaurs, the species has grown too big to survive, and will be wiped out in a cataclysmic event, replaced by more compact, durable forms.
Oh, I expect the movie will make a lot of money. It took in $16 million just in its Wednesday midnight opening. Todd Gilchrist, a most reasonable critic at Cinematical, wrote that it feels "destined to be the biggest movie of all time." I don't believe "Titanic" and "The Dark Knight" have much to fear, however, because (1) it has little to no appeal for non-fanboy or female audiences, and (2) many of those who do see it will find they simply cannot endure it. God help anyone viewing it from the front row of a traditional IMAX theater--even from the back row. It may benefit from being seen via DVD, with your "picture" setting dialed down from Vivid to Standard.
The term Assault on the Senses has become a cliché. It would be more accurate to describe the film simply as "painful." The volume is cranked way up, probably on studio instructions, and the sound track consists largely of steel crashing discordantly against steel. Occasionally a Bot voice will roar thunderingly out of the left-side speakers, (1) reminding us of Surround Sound, or (2) reminding the theater to have the guy take another look at those right-side speakers. Beneath that is boilerplate hard-pounding action music, alternating with deep bass voices intoning what sounds like Gregorian chant without the Latin, or maybe even without the words: Just apprehensive sounds, translating as Oh, no! No! These Decepticons® are going to steal the energy of the sun and destroy the Earth! The hard-pounding action music, on the other hand, is what Hollywood calls Mickey Mouse Music, so named because, like the music in a Mickey Mouse cartoon, it faithfully mirrors the movements on screen. In this case, it is impatient and urgent. I recommend listening to it on your iPod the next time you have difficulty at the doctor's office filling the little plastic cup.
( More... )
|
|
| RPG with a transformers theme |
[06 May 2009|10:45am] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
 rushed |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Weidorje |
] |
My friend Keith at work runs a site called The-USH. He said they’re doing an RPG with a Transformers theme. Apparently you can create your own Bot and join the Autobots or Decepticons.
He says the game hasn't started yet, and people are still signing up. There is a lack of Decepticons as of yet if anyone is interested.
“Just log onto www.the-ush.com and go to the Thunderdome, then the RPG section and checkout the Transformers RPG Signups thread.”
I told him I’d pass this along in case anyone was interested. Have a good week!
-- Briphoon
|
|
| Heathrow T5 security tackles Transformers t-shirt threat |
[06 Oct 2008|06:55pm] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
 amused |
] |
Rediculous, and sad.
From http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/02/transformers_t_shirt/ --
You can't board wearing that, IT consultant told
By Lester Haines
An IT consultant who attempted to board a British Airways flight to Dusseldorf at Heathrow's T5 wearing a Transformers t-shirt was told to take off the offending apparel or else, The Sun reports.
Brad Jayakody, 30, was travelling with four colleagues and ill-advisedly decided to sport an image of Optimus Prime wielding a menacing cartoon gun.
He explained: "My mate set off the alarms and was searched. But then the guy told me to stop and said ‘you cannot get on the plane because there is a gun on your t-shirt’."
Jayakody then asked to see the security chief, but didn't get the attack of common sense he was expecting. He continued: "I was flabbergasted. I thought the supervisor would come over and see sense, but he didn’t. After I changed he said if I changed back I would be arrested."
He added: "It’s a cartoon robot with a gun as an arm. What was I going to do, use the shirt to pretend I have a gun?"
( More... )
|
|
| Transformers 2 Details Revealed |
[25 Jul 2008|06:39pm] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
busy |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
The Muffs: "Ethyl My Love" |
] |
From SCI FI Weekly --
Transformers 2 Details Revealed
Roberto Orci, co-writer of Michael Bay's upcoming sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, told SCI FI Wire that the movie will feature more of the giant robots and more of a science fiction storyline.
"The humor will be similar, but the structure of the movie is a little bit more like many sequels, which is, the stakes are a little higher and the tone is a bit more sci-fi," Orci said in an interview at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., on July 14. "It's got a little more of a sci-fi element. ... The bad guys are little more coherent in terms of what their plan is and what they're attempting to do. So it feels like more of a sci-fi battle."
The sequel will also offer a better balance between humans and robots, added Orci, who was promoting his upcoming Fox SF series, Fringe. "Maybe there's less humans," he said. "The first movie was predicated on the structure of a mystery, at which point, at the midpoint, the Transformers are revealed. This movie is structured differently in that you now know there are Transformers in the world, and therefore you can get right to them. As a result, there's kind of more Transformers throughout the movie."
Orci, who co-wrote the first movie and the sequel with partner Alex Kurtzman, remained coy about what new Transformers audiences will see. Arcee, the female Autobot who transforms into a motorcycle, "was in an early draft of the first movie, and she may make an appearance," he said. "We'll see."
But expect to see Soundwave, the Decepticon who was cut out of the first film. "Yes," Orci said. "Soundwave's in it." It's unclear whether he will transform into a tape deck, as in previous incarnations, or into something else.
Orci also declined to comment on rumors that the film will spend a bit more time on the Transformer homeworld of Cybertron.
But Orci promised that fans won't be disappointed. "If you liked the first one, you'll like this one," he said. "But if you were a genuine fan of what Transformers was and felt a little bit left behind by the first one, I think this one's going to be more for you." Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is in production now with an eye to a June 26, 2009, release. --Patrick Lee, News Editor
|
|
| TRANSFORMERS 2: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN |
[20 Jun 2008|03:23pm] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
amused |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Supreme Beings of Leisure: "Sublime" |
] |
Kind of sad, really...
From comicbookresources.com --
TRANSFORMERS 2: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
Actress Megan Fox talked to MTV about rewrites on the script and plans for the sequel. "As big as the first movie was, this is 10 times as big, 10 times as many set pieces, explosions, and acrobatic stunts," she said. "Shia and I make out a little bit; I don’t know if anyone wants to see that. You know, we’ve been having script meetings, and we’ve been reworking the script, because they wrote it fast because of the writer’s strike. And, we’ve just been going through and trying to do some character stuff for Shia and myself in the middle of this crazy world that they’re in." What's Fox's direction from Michael Bay? "His main note to me is just to look hot; so I try my best."
That Michael Bay -- he's a real actor's director, isn't he? *snerk*
|
|
| Mission Failure on Mars |
[27 May 2008|12:37am] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
 distressed |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Vsag & Andrew K: "Fossil (Kosmas Epsilon Remix)" |
] |
Group: Autobot
Title: Mission Failure on Mars
Blaster appears on-screen, covered in fine red dust. He appears to be on one of the Autobot shuttles, and electronic music can be heard in the background, along with Snoop's voice exclaiming, "There's scratchy when I move arms and legs and tail and head!" He glances away from the camera and smiles, shaking his head slightly, and then opens his mouth to speak.
"This is Blaster, reporting from the Autobot Shuttle Veracity." Typhoon's voice can be heard in the background; Blaster gives a look off-camera, and then goes back to his report. "Earlier today Metroplex detected a Decepticon shuttle taking off from Decepticon City. Typhoon and I picked up Cuffs and Snoop and gave chase to see what the Decepticons were up to."
Snoop jumps up on Blaster's lap and says into the recorder, "Yeah! We went to space and there was big mean guy, but they chase me back in fly ship." Blaster glances down at Snoop, and smiles. Scritching the dinotape, he continues, "Uh, yeah. We followed the ship to Mars, and lo and behold, it was Megatron himself. He'd landed near the Phoenix touchdown site, and apparently was trying to prevent the humans from finding something he didn't want found. We engaged him in battle, but Cuffs and the shuttle sustained heavy damage, and we were forced to retreat." Blaster frowns.
"Something is wrong with Cuffs. I repaired most of his physical damage en route, but he's still exhibiting strange symptoms that may have something to do with the power failures he'd been experiencing before. Doc Aid, if you could have a look at him when we get back, it'd be a groove -- and not your fellow Protectobot. Also, 'Jack, you might want to have a look at the Veracity. Megatron did a number on it, and it's a miracle that Typhoon has got us this far. If we crash before we land, be sure to recycle my remains in a rockin' club somewhere. Blaster, out."
He signals and the recording ends.
(Cross-posted to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) tfumux)
|
|
| GI Joe Movie |
[06 Mar 2008|03:12pm] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
 curious |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
The Prodigy: "Fuel My Fire" |
] |
So, what do you guys think of the cast list so far for the upcoming GI Joe movie?
Cast (in alphabetical order)
|
|
| Three actors on assignment in "G.I. Joe" |
[26 Dec 2007|01:05am] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
full |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Information Society: "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy) [CKB Remix]" |
] |
Three actors on assignment in "G.I. Joe"
By Carly Mayberry
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The "G.I. Joe" brigade is growing larger. Rachel Nichols ("P2"), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ("Lost") and Said Taghmaoui ("The Kite Runner") will join Sienna Miller and Ray Park in the live-action movie based on the popular military doll and its comic-book and cartoon series spinoffs.
Stephen Sommers is directing "G.I. Joe," which is slated for an August 2009 release via Paramount Pictures.
The cartoon series featured military soldiers fighting a terrorist group called Cobra, with characters like the mute ninja Snake Eyes (Park) on the side of the good guys.
( More... )
|
|
| Transforming Costumes |
[21 Oct 2007|02:11am] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
amused |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
White Lion: "Transformers Theme" |
] |
Awesome!
|
|
| Dinobot in Transformers Movie? |
[16 Oct 2007|11:05pm] |
|
from http://movieblog.ugo.com/index.php/movieblog/more/dinobot_in_transformers_movie/ --
I caught this in a CHUD message thread and had to post it: is there a dinobot making a cameo appearance in Michael Bay’s “Transformers” movie? Man, what a blast that would be to hear a “Me Grimlock!” belting out in Digital Dolby sound up on the big screen.
The image in question comes from the Sector Seven website which is part of the official “Transformers” promotional campaign. Enter the code “codeblack” and this image appears.
So, is this big metal dinobot guy in the movie or what?
( More... )
|
|
| G1 Transformers for sale |
[07 Sep 2007|10:31pm] |
|
If any of y'all are collecting G1 Transformers via E-Bay, here's a link to my collection:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200150143810
I sent it to one of those I sold it on E-Bay stores, which I'm kind of regretting, because of misspellings and they just pilled them up w/o showing what's really there (G1 Optimus Prime, Grapple, Soundwave, Galvatron, Dirge, Hot Shot, Onslaught, Wreckgar, Motorhead, Blades, Bumblebee Pretender, Bombshell, and a few others). I'll admit they have been played w/ when I was a kid, but they've sat in a box in my closet for more than 10 years now. Most of the pieces are there, but some I picked up at garage sales, so Soundwave is missing a hand & gun, Grapple too. There's also G2 & MTMTE series Transformers too. There's also a few G1 stamps in there too (not mentioned in description). But it looks like it'll be a good deal for whoever gets it. I at least want it to go to someone who will appreciate what they're getting.
|
|
| Robots in Disguise |
[11 Jul 2007|10:25am] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
geeky |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
The Music of Japan: "Lotus Blossom" |
] |
SciFi.com author and scientist Wil McCarthy gives his take on Transformers and Transformers. (geeky squee!)
From http://www.scifi.com/sfw/column/sfw16063.html --
Robots in Disguise
By Wil McCarthy
The "Golden Age" of science fiction is a creative period in American and British history that began around 1935 and ended (depending on whom you listen to) either in 1955, with the cancellation of seminal TV shows like Tom Corbett Space Cadet, Captain Video and Space Patrol, or in 1957, with the astonishingly science-factual launch of Sputnik (the first artificial satellite), or sometime in the early '60s, when the rise of beatnik flower power inspired a new wave of humanistic science fiction called, appropriately enough, the New Wave.
( Continued at SciFi.com... )
|
|
| TF Movie Review |
[05 Jul 2007|04:41pm] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
amused |
] |
Yesterday ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) icespark, hotarugirl and I went to see the new Transformers movie. As expected, I was under-whelmed by character development, but enjoyed the movie nonetheless. They did a good job of including the humans in the story in a meaningful way, which has been absent in a lot of TF stories to date (most of the time I’m thinking, “Just ditch or kill the annoying humans and get on with it”). In this movie, however, the humans have a reason to exist and be involved, which was a nice surprise.
They also establish pretty well why Bumblebee would be interested in the Witwickys, and although it bordered on creepy/silly, gave a damn good reason why Sam (this movie’s Spike) would care what happened to Bumblebee as well. They took more time developing the friendship between Bumblebee and Sam, so it didn't feel like, "These are the first humans we met, so we adopted them at pets for the next several years."
The action scenes and special effects were incredible, as expected. Some of the plot holes were big enough to drive Optimus Prime through, but that didn’t seem to matter, since a lot of what characters did was to move from one action set piece to the next – “Giant evil robots coming? Let’s move to a highly populated area for no reason other than the spectacle of massive urban destruction!” Humans did factor prominently into the finale, which took a bit away from the Autobots’ efforts, but at least gave the Earthlings a reason to be there.
Alas, character development for any Transformer besides Bumblebee, Optimus, and to an extent, Megatron, was lacking and weak (though Ironhide did get in a few funny lines, and Frenzy was entertaining in a mostly non-verbal way). Jazz and Starscream, some of the most memorable characters in the original G1 line, barely registered as personalities, though they were pretty bad-aft in fight scenes. The humans got character, so it’s not like there was no time. I guess rendering Transformers was too expensive to have them standing around arguing or doing anything else to distinguish themselves besides witty one-liners.
Overall, I’d recommend it as an action movie, if for nothing else than the extremely cool fight and transformation scenes. The Transformers do look real, which is good, and the new designs don’t look so bad in motion, although more could have been done to differentiate one Transformer from the other – too many are “the dark spindly one.” The action and humor are entertaining, and I’ll probably see the movie again. I can only hope that the sequel, not having to reinvent the wheel, will have more time for actual character.
“Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.” - Optimus Prime
|
|
| Michael Bay |
[03 Jul 2007|03:40pm] |
|
*snicker*
From http://www.scifi.com/sfw/news/ --
Transformers' Turturro Aped Bay
John Turturro, who plays a preening government agent in Michael Bay's Transformers movie, told SCI FI Wire that it was easy getting Bay to go along with his outlandish performance: He simply based it on Bay.
"I kept looking at him, and I was thinking, 'Well, maybe I should do it more like Michael Bay, you know?'" Turturro said in an interview in Beverly Hills, Calif. "At least a little bit. And I would say, ... 'Well, I was doing you.' He'd say, 'Well, that was really funny.' ... He's such a narcissist.[laughs]. 'You're in love with yourself,' I said, 'so you're just seeing me through you, ... but you're better-looking, so it's OK.'"
In Transformers, which is based on the 1980s toy and TV franchise, Turturro plays Agent Simmons, a top-secret operative who tracks down Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) because he may hold the key to the ancient war between factions of giant alien robots that is playing out on present-day Earth.
Turturro wasn't shy about saying that the famously prickly action director has an ego. "I lay it right out there," the character actor said. "He knows he's in love with himself."
Turturro added that he found the key to unnerving the commanding Bay on his own set. "Trying to talk to the director's mother, this is my new theory about acting," he said. "When she showed up on the set, I talked to her at length, and she said he was always good in school, he always drew, he made these little films and he always loved baseball. ... She had a lot of nice things to say about him. Of course, he was a nervous wreck that I was talking to his mother. Trying to find his weak spots." Transformers opens July 3. —Patrick Lee, News Editor
|
|
| Transformers Movie |
[29 Jun 2007|12:12pm] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
excited |
] |
elbanditorojo got to see a sneak preview of the new Transformers movie last night (lucky bastard) and posted a review. Sounds like it might be a fun movie after all!
|
|
| Transformers movie Q&A |
[19 Aug 2006|03:58pm] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
dorky |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Todd Bowie: "Ride" |
] |
Did everyone see the live Q&A yesterday with the writers of the new Transformers movie? I feel a little more confident about the movie after listening to them talk – while most of the characters are going to be reinterpreted, it really sounded like the writers had a good grasp on the important elements of each personality. With luck we’ll get Bryan-Singer- X-Men-like faithful-to-spirit reinterpretations of our favorite guys.
According to the annoucement yesterday, the following Transformers will be in the new movie –
Autobots:
Optimus Prime (of course) – noble hero, voiced by Peter Cullen
Bumblebee – Camaro - brave little scout, closest bond to humans
Jazz – Ultra-cool, stylish Autobot. They paraphrased his quote. B^)
Rachet – new altmode (firetruck?), but still Medical/Science guy – smartest ‘Bot
Ironhide – Muscle of team, Prime’s oldest friend. Crusty and rugged.
Decepticons:
Megatron – “Survival of the fittest” type – they plan to flesh out his evil viewpoint
Starscream – Backstabbing toady. Going for same great Megs/SS dynamic
Brawl – Pissed-off heavy hitter (Presumably represents Combaticons)
Bonecrusher – Represents Constructicons. Hates everyone (except Megs)
Barricade – Cop car, and unrelenting hunter of Autobots
Scorporok – Animal altmode, represents Beast Wars/Predacons
Frenzy – Small spy con. Reworked Soundwave/Soundbyte concept.
Blackout – First attack/EMP-type; transport
The writers said that the reason Bumblebee is a Camaro is so that he would be THE car that Sam/Spike would want as a teenager, to push that human/Bot bond. The reason the Cons outnumber the Bots is so the Bots can be desperate and have to work together to survive, etc. Unused characters from this movie will, with luck, show up in the sequel(s). Otherwise, these guys just really seem to be fans of the show, and claim that Michael Bay is listening to them as they try to keep the project on track.
Sounded pretty cool to me… B^)
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
|
|
|
|
disappointed
sick
bouncy