Topic: Transformers

[Hexx]

Cool

Very Very cool.

Although I must again be upset that I *never* had a girl like that in any of my 11th Grade classes.

Thought they went a little too far in trying to make the Transformers look "human" (what with eyes/lips/noses (?) but still...

Very cool

Best Action of the summer so far.

[Electric Eye]

I have not seen it yet, but I love the trailers.

I too never had a girl like that in high school, but believe it or not, in 97 when I enrolled in Automotive technology classes, there was a redhead that fit that bill! She was definitely not afraid of getting her nails dirty and she knew her stuff, from dad of course!

[Hexx]

**Very Minor spoilers**


Actually the more I think about it the more I find wrong with it- Transformer's really aren't developed, aside from Prime and Megatron (and frenzy-who's very cool)
they never develop much in the way of personality. Which is kinda weird- Megatron is in it for, maybe 20 minutes but come across strong, some of the otehrs are in for 2 hours and you're like " who's that again?"

Special effects are great, but- when i think about it- WAy too much time is spent on the humans (imo) rather than on the Transformers.
Including some very extraneous dialogue- ( guy finds out girl has a jeuvy record, seems upset that she didn't tell him, doesn't seem to realize they've known each other MAYBE an hour or two by this point)

Stil well worth seeing thoughl- I'll be watching the sequel on opening day.

[Electric Eye]

Like "Look at my biceps" clip?  Yes, I have all trailers and special videos from Yahoo and I guess I already saw the movie. 

[Hexx]

Well- that one kinda works in- and it's not (imo) a bad acting job- and to be honest a whole movie of Transformers would probably have cost like 10x as much- but it's just kinda upsetting....


Still I'd highly recommend seeing this in the theatre if you're at all interested.


Maybe the next one will be a 2 hour battle royale with just the Transformers..

[yochenhsieh]

Like "Look at my biceps" clip?  Yes, I have all trailers and special videos from Yahoo and I guess I already saw the movie. 

No. It's more than meets the eye.

You must see the movie in theater, it's far better than all trailers and videos on the internet. Many people in Taiwan have already seen it for at least two times.(We have the movie in theater since June 28.)

[Electric Eye]

You are from Taiwan? Kudos for being here man! When I play the Transformers game online, most people forfeit when I throw some armor piercing at em, but not the Asians! They stay and "fight."

Reminds me of SFC 2 EAW in the early days, we had people from all over the world playing on the servers at one time.

BTW peoples, this is no offense from me at America, it's just real life on a video game. Seems most Westerners are concererned about their "points" where even when you have lag (It's there sometimes), the Asians will try to kick your arse!

[Iceman]

***Spoilers abound, and I suck with tags, so watch out!***


I loved the movie, I actually saw it twice because I had promised to take a friend and I forgot about it. But I loved it both times.  I thought the characters (transformers) were pretty well developed.  Devastator and Bonecrusher weren't, but they were apparently just cannon fodder.

Bumblebee was the Knight/Warrior
Ironhide was a soldier/warrior, all business
Jazz was the LT who could carry a beat.
Ratchet was the Doc
Prime was the Leader.

Those were the "roles" I thought they filled best.

The Deceptions weren't really paid much attention to, which was unfortunate.  I agree though that Megatron's presence was HUGE. When he was onscreen and active it felt like he was a force to be reckoned with, and he was!  I really wanted to see more of Starscream, but oh well. Barricade was really great (maybe I just like Mustangs/Saleen too much).


I'm not sure about you guys, but in the theater I saw it in, when the first chase happened with Barricade/Bumblebee, people actually cheered and clapped.  There was just such a build up, until that point, it was truly an amazing moment, and was as "moved" as I've been in the theater in recent memory. Just seeing the culmination of 20+ years of story and legacy and fun put into that one chase was....wow. I loved it, even though it was over quick.

All in all I'm very happy with the way things turned out, and couldn't have done it any better myself.

[Electric Eye]

Steven Speilberg rules once again.

I want to see it. Too bad the decepticons got ruled out, it's that way on the server too. 

[Electric Eye]

A bit of trivia for ya Hexx and Iceman, did you know the voices for Optimus Prime and Megatron were due to the fans saying they wanted those guys to do it or else? You look at them in real life and say "Jeez, you are the voice?" You can catch it on the yahoo Transformers videos and interviews.

Kudos for the fans!

[TheJudge]

The movie was enjoyable, but I'd have loved to have seen a LOT more development on Sam's relationship with Bumblebee, and a LOT less of the SecDef and Sector 7 goons.  A little more develoment on Jazz too would have been good, especially for his solo act with Megatron. 

I always loved the Starscream/Megatron interactions, and although we had the one scene with them, more would have been good too. 

The Bumblebee/Barricade fight over Sam was just fantastic.  The theater I was in cheered when Bumblebee transformed and went after Barricade (loved the little humor on his police car "To punish and enslave" instead of "To Protect and Serve").  I REALLY like how Bumblebee was portrayed here.  Faithful, endearing, and dedicated to the 'right' thing. 

[Death_Merchant]

That chick was amazing......
Absolutely stunning.....

What's this about robots? I don't remember robots.
Oh wait, in one scene she was pulling something in a tow truck. Was that one of those "Transformer robots"?

[Electric Eye]

LMAO @ DM, good to see you BTW. That would have been bumblebee I imagine, and I've yet to see the movie!

Gotta love all those yahoo video premieres and specials. 

[Death_Merchant]

Here ya go bud.
This is a scene from the above mentioned movie that is allegedly involving "robots".
Wish that hood or plate or robot part or whatever wasn't screwing up the photo.

[Electric Eye]

Hahahahahaha, cool J, I like their humor. "To punish and enslave." 

[Lepton]

Pretty terrible movie I thought.  We don't actually see a Transformer that we might recognize until an hour into the film and then that is merely Bumblebee (I timed it).  Optimus and the other autobots do not show much until quite a bit later and it is nearly the end of the film before we even see Star Scream. 

Let me sum up the first hour of the film this way.  First and foremost the first hour is a propaganda film for the US and especially the US Army.  <Army Recruiter Voice> "Son, don't you wanna be a soldier?  Optimus Prime says our mission in Iraq is about freedom.  Don't you wanna meet a Transformer, son?"  </Army Recruiter Voice> Second, the first hour and thereafter is an advertisement for GMC trucks and cars.  Third, the first hour of the film might as well be some teen film about a guy trying to get laid.  So I would write off the first hour.

The second hour continues the strength and honor BS with the Secretary of Defense that looks a lot like Rumsfeld leading things giving orders (where's the president?  who knows?) and shooting at things, while that US Army and Air Force kick butt.  USA!! USA!!  We're number one!!  We're number one!!

You might ask, "So, where are the Transformers in all of this?"  They are barely to be seen.  Like I said, they are a virtual no-show through the first hour and might be on the screen for a total of 20 to 30 minutes in the second hour.  Do they look cool?  Yes.  Do they fight cool?  Yes.  Do we know anything else about them other than the skimpy, skimpy backstory?  No.

And look, we came to see things fight and blow up right especially robot to robot stuff, right?  What we all came for is jammed into like the last half-hour of the film.  And as I said, what we also came to see, frigging cool robots, are barely in the damn film.  Don't you think a movie called "The Transformers"  should have a Transformer on the screen most of the time?  This film is totally human action centered.  The Autobots quest is totally ancillary to all human drama (what there is of it) and action.

Best part of the film is in the picture above.  The chick is hot bending over the car.  If you can, I'd come in for the last half of the film.

I also think the film is a tad racist.  The black characters in the film are pretty much the comedy relief, clowns yucking it up for the white folks.  Pretty distasteful, not unfunny, but when you look at it, not very nice.

[Electric Eye]

Awesome review Lepton, straight up and to the point! 

[Electric Eye]

They are paying for the shoddy backstory work at the box office BTW, Transformers really should have grossed it in already, but it hasn't.

Heck, I got more out of the background of the Transformers from the movie website and Wikipedia! 

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

My main bitch is the 'All Spark'.... is it just me or does the thing make nothing but evil automations?

It is supposedly the life giver but it only kills and creates evil?

And yes... more of the brunette and the blonde would have been much better than more S7.

The undershirt with S7 on it was just way too hokey for me....

Also, several scenes were WAY too drawn out... especially the 'Hide so my parents don't see you' bit....

Just b/c the CGI is practically seamless doesn't mean you need to throw it in needlessly to show how flexible an Autobot can be....

[Electric Eye]

Hmmmmm, maybe I should just rent Inframan instead?

[Hexx]

I agree with Lepton on a few of his points- I've heard otehrs say it's a "Yay USA" movie- honestly I didn't see it that way.
I have (as the week's gone on) thought more and more that there's just too many things going on, and (as I kinda mentioned above, seconded by Lepton) I didn't think there were enough of the robots.
The intro when they show up is literally Prime saying who each guy is  (He's the cool one, he's the old warrior, he's the doctor") and then...nothing as far as development goes whiile they go on some story about Section 7 (or whoever) And some of the stuff with the parents- I think supposed to be for laughs just kinda runs on- how do you miss a 30' several tonne robot standing in your back yard?

Now -guys on Aint itcool are suggesting they'd have liked a "Boy and His Car" movie- personally I think I wouldn't have liked that either.
But really- they should have done alot more development with the Transformers- and it's not completely a poor writing thing- I completely believed (and recognized) Megatron's personality even though he really only soeaks for the last 20-30 minutes or so.

They are (unless this completely bombs) doing a sequel- so hopefully they'll deliver it a bit better.

And include Soundwave.
You need Soundwave.

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

don't forget Hot Rod and Alpha Trion (even though Bumblebee did his type of talking in the new movie)

[Iceman]

Just a quick point, there were no US Army personnel, just Air Force, in the film.

[marstone]

  Got to remember that the average amarican idgit cannot tell the difference between the services by sight.  Heck, watch Tobi Keiths "American Soilder" video.  It was filmed in an aircraft hanger, with all airforce personnel.  It takes a vet.

[Electric Eye]

I noticed from the trailers that their BDUs were out of whack. Can't Hollyweird get it right? They sure did for "Saving Private Ryan."

[Vipre]

Too bad about Megatron. Prime without Megatron is like Batman without the Joker and he's barely in the movie.

Liked the references to the original series though with the VW Beetle at the car lot and those plates that slid over Primes face in one battle scene giving him the classic look for a moment. Would have liked to seen a more Gen1 look to Starscream though since the F-22 and F-15 are somewhat similar in shape. I always liked the way the canopies sat on their chests.

Also loved the lines between Prime and Megatron in their final fight, sounded like they were lifted intact from the original Transformers movie and the outcome correcting what I thought was an injustice done in the original.

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

My favorite part occurs when Megatron, in the final battle, recovers himself up from a fall with Prime...

*SPOILER*

He sees a human running away and flicks it with his finger saying, 'Disgusting human!'.

Considering I did the same thing to an ant the other day.... I thought it was very poetic...

And if they were all USAF personnel... why do I swear I saw BDU's with the name over one pocket and ARMY over the other?

[Iceman]

It was Air Force rank insignia. At least, the enlisted folks were. Maybe the Captain (the main military soldier guy) was army? I dunno.

[Javora]

I just saw the Transformers Movie and really liked it.  I think I understand why they did what they did with the first part of the movie.  It looked to me like they were going for the whole "Robots in disguise" bit.  I thought it was well done if anything they didn't go far enough.  I think this movie was more of a primer movie for a sequel.  I loved it.

Well out of time...

[Lloyd007]

I'm kinda ticked that they killed off Megatron in the first movie in a really poor manner. It actually played out a whole lot like a 2 hour episode of the cartoon though so it was pretty good nonetheless but it's true Prime without Megatron is like Batman w/o Joker, Holmes w/o Moriarty or Prof X w/o Magneto it just doesn't feel right at all especially considering Starscream is the comic relief of the Decepticons!

I give it a B the fight scenes were absolutely incredible and carried the movie. Plot was pretty bad but I wasn't expecting much. There needed to be a lot less 'govn't is trying to figure it all out' exposition when the audience already knows what's going on. There needed to be more banter between Prime and Megatron. Nuber one thing that brought it down a grade tho was Megatron dying in a terrible manner.

[Sirgod]

A LETTER TO
OPTIMUS PRIME
FROM HIS GEICO
AUTO INSURANCE
AGENT.
BY JOHN FRANK WEAVER
- - - -

Dear Mr. Prime,

We have received your accident-claim reports for the month of June—they total 27. I regret to inform you that GEICO will not be able to reimburse you for any of those repairs. I feel that I have sent the same letter to you once a month for the last six months, and I am now sending it again.

Since becoming a GEICO customer in January of this year, you have reported 131 accidents, requesting reimbursement for repairs necessitated by each one. You have claimed not to be responsible in any of them, usually listing the cause of the accident as either "Sneak attack by Decepticons" or "Unavoidable damage caused by protecting freedom for all sentient beings."

The only repairs for which you were reimbursed were the replacement of a cracked fender and a headlight, required after a Mr. I. Ron Hide backed his van into your truck; these cost $1,286.63. Our own investigation concluded that you were not at fault and that Mr. Hide had been drinking prior to the accident. Though police were unable to test his blood-alcohol level—Mr. Hide claimed that it would be impossible for police to examine his blood-alcohol content with a Breathalyzer, because he "doesn't breathe"—under Washington-state law, refusal to take a Breathalyzer test is equivalent to returning a result above the legal level.

But, I repeat, those were the only repairs for which you have been reimbursed, and it was a very minor accident in comparison to your other claims. I mention a few to illustrate the larger trend:


$379,431.34 requested reimbursement for repairs to your truck cabin. You claimed the damage was caused by attacking fighter jets.

$665,789.11 requested reimbursement for repairs to your trailer. You claimed the damage was caused by a giant mechanical scorpion, which I can only assume is some amusement-park ride, although I question the wisdom of bringing your mobile home so close to such dangerous equipment.

$6,564,239.44 requested reimbursement for repairs to a truck part called the "Autobot Matrix of Leadership." You stated this occurred in "an ultimate confrontation between good and evil," with a Ms. Meg Atron and a Mr. U. Nicron causing the damage in question. Mr. Prime, I have checked every known car- and truck-part catalog published in the United States and have found nothing even resembling that part, never mind any part so expensive. Whatever disagreements you had with Ms. Atron and Mr. Nicron, I suggest that next time you either settle things peaceably or leave your Autobot Matrix of Leadership at home so it doesn't break. GEICO does not cover Autobot Matrix of Leaderships.
And the list goes on. Mr. Prime, I am going to remind you again: Your policy with GEICO only reimburses you for accidents that occur while you are engaged in the reasonable use of your truck and trailer. As I told you when you originally purchased the policy, GEICO does not offer Megatron coverage, Starscream coverage, Soundwave coverage, Decepticon coverage, or Energon-blast coverage. Those are just not the types of damages we would expect from reasonable use.

To sum up, GEICO has been unable to reimburse you for any repairs, but due to the high number of accidents you have been a party to this month, combined with the many accidents you have had in the preceding five months, your premium has increased to $235,567.50 per month. While that may seem like a lot, I remind you that it is a savings of $137 over Progressive and $98 over State Farm. Please have your check into our main office by the end of July.

Regards,

Simon Furman
GEICO Agent

[Hexx]

  +1 !