Everyone who has been around The Movie Blog for any period of time knows that my most anticipated film in the world right now is Transformers. Yes, it’s almost an unhealthy obsession. Some uneducated and unwashed heathens made up of low quality genetic material will try to tell you the Transformers suck… to which I quote the mighty Elias from Clerks 2: “Oh no they don’t. They’re more than meets the eye”. BooYa!!! :)
So here my international friends are the 5 main reasons why Transformers will rock.
Reason #1) Because they’re the fucking Transformers that’s why
Reason #2) Michael Bay
Ok, I know what most of you are thinking right now. Having Michael Bay attached to a film is usually why someone will say the movie will NOT be good. And while it’s all the rage for people to slam on Bay, the fact of the matter is that the dude has dome some fun flicks (as well as some horrible ones admittedly). But the point here is that he was the perfect choice to direct THIS TYPE of film. Everyone will tell you that no director does pure action better than Bay (you may not agree with that statement, but you have to at least admit he’s damn good at it). And let’s face it… this isn’t The Merchant of Venice here… it’s the Transformers. Boom! Pow! I’m not looking for the underlying juxtapositions on the moral struggle… I’m looking for giant robots kicking the living crap outta each other. And as odd as is it to say it… Michael Bay is the right man to do that.
Reason #3) Industrial Light and Magic
Brining these guys to life is going to be one of the biggest visual effects challenges in history. So who better to do the VFX than the De Facto very best Visual Effects company on the planet to do it. Industrial Light and Magic is in a league all their own. They are the best at what they do and no one in the business is better for the job of bringing the Cybertonians to the screen. Rhythm and Hughes are very good. WETA is great. ILM is King.
Reason #4) Sweet Nostalgia
This one is clearly more personal and not everyone will share it. But I grew up playing with the Transformers more than any other toy. Nothing other than Star Wars made my imagination more active. Now, to see these guys brought to the big screen is more than nostalgic for me… as sad as it sounds it’s something of a dream come true for me (and yes… it does sound sad). The designs have changed (great new designs by the way) but that was 100% required in order to do the film right. What is important is that the producers assured me the spirit and essence of who these robotic characters are is still 100% intact.
Reason #5) The Focus Is On The Transformers
During my visit to the Transformers set a few months back, one quote stood out to me the most… and made me the most happy. Josh Duhamel (The star of the TV show Las Vagas) told me as we were standing around in between takes: “Make no mistake, this is the Robot’s movie… not ours”. This was a sentiment reflected by just about everyone, cast and producers, on set. The focus of this film is on the Transformers. Humans are there clearly… and they have their part to play in the story… but as Josh said, “Make no mistake, this is the Robot’s movie… not ours”.
So there you have it. The five reasons why Transformers will rock. I already have a deep emotional connection to the Transformers so I’m not embarrassed to admit I’m biased, so obviously take all my transformers opinions with a grain of salt (which you should do all the time anyway). But I’m honestly stoked as hell… and the above are just some of the reasons why. Joy! This is why I love the movies! :)
Age has nothing to do with it Alfie.
Because I guarantee you that I’m older than you.
His films are just not your cup of tea, and that’s fine.
Dont try to write it off as an age thing, or maturity since that’s what you really meant. Dont worry, I didnt take offense, but it was your underlying meaning. We all appreaiate a good story, but the thing is, a lot of people think Bay delivers a good story. Nobody here is under the impression that Bay is a Merchant Ivory film maker, but I dont think he’s the McRib of directors either. For me, he directs movies with enjoyable stories, likable characters, humor, sometimes a little romance, and killer action. That’s a wonderful combination as far as I’m concerned. It makes for movies that I, personally, remember for a long time. I know you’re not saying that I shouldnt like his films, but I just dont understand what you think they should be. What would have been acceptable at that point in the movie. Should they have just said good-bye with big smiles on their faces and skipped off and go about their merry way? I’m just trying to figure out what Alfie would have done to bring “real human emotion” to that scene. Is crying over saying good-bye to your dad for the last time not a real human emotion. Is it just the way he shoots those scenes or what? I’m not saying you cant like it but at least give an example of what would have made it NOT so cringeworthy, because I just didnt get that from that scene. I felt that scene was right at home and completely neccessary.
Maybe I’m just an easy mark. Maybe I’m just more easily entertained, but I think Bay directs (some) really good films. I think he’ll put heart, humor, cool characters, emotion, a good story, and great action into the Transformers. If I am of the opinion that he has done that in most of his other films, why am I expecting too much to think that he’ll do the same for this movie?
(The last question is rhetorical. I pretty much know your what your answer would be. Relax)
Wow never seen a thread with so many frakkin’ novels in it. Regardless of how the movie turns out, many of you have become so emotionally invested in it, turned it into a crusade, that I doubt any of you will be able to take in the movie as it is. Your preconceptions have tainted the upcoming viewing experience beyond repair.
In closing, a point to consider – brevity is the soul of wit.
well gio the rock is the one film I admit i like..it is a good film
….but he certainly does do it in armageddon – the film is full of the exact things I am talking about and the entire premise and point of a story like the island is a perfect example. the idea of the film was just something that he was just not a good enough storyteller to pull off……he actually starts off o.k. but then it is like he shit his brain out half way through the film “durrr thats enough words n stuff lets blow some shit up now durrrrr”
it isn’t that I mind scenes like the one from armageddon you mentioned jay – I have no problem with there being stuff like that films…that stuff is important and makes sense…I have no problem in trying to evoke some real emotions in what are essentially fantasy films ..I don’t mind it at ll – in the hands of a person who is aware of what a real human emotion is … bay is like some kind of souless hollywood machine..he is like the fucking T200 of movie making…he just does not know how to bring a real emotion to the screen…all he does is make them cringeworthy and ridiculous….like the scene with liv tyler and her dad…all of a sudden after all the far fetched ridiculous shit he has just spent the last hour doing we are meant to get all teary eyed?? it takes this serious turn and when i saw it I was not the only person laughing….
not as much laughter as there was during pearl harbor – that things is fucking comedy gold….it is fucking hilarious….
he is a master of unintentional comedy – all of his films are riddled with it…..
all I have ever said is if he would just embrace the fact he is a cheese wad eye candy action director hack then he would probably make some of the best films around but he thinks he is more than that – go and find his episode of the show The Directors – he takes himself so seriously and his films..you would think he was curing cancer. he is completely unaware of how ridiculous the plotrs to his films are and totally humorless and like his films has some great unintentional humour in it.
look I am not trying to say you should all hate this film or bays films.
I think he makes some of the worst films around. I think he is the epitome of what is wrong with modern films today. not one of films so far is anything you would consider a classsic…and I am not saying every directors has to be but his films to me are the movie equivalent of mcdonalds…..forgotten about an hour after you’ve had it….just disposable junk and as a fan of transformers i wish the property had been given to someone who can do more than pretty pictures … because we know it is not going to be 2 hours of wall to wall action..that would be fine…but there has to be human interaction, a story something for us to connect too and for me bay has never pulled that part off..he is a superficial and shallow director whose films are sterile and souless..
i guess I am at an age where explosions and effects aren’t enough for me anymore..when it comes to storytelling i want to be told a good story not just given a paint by numbers bunch of crap that is merely an excuse to get from set piece to set piece….
I wish I could be excited about this film the way you all are – well for the same reasons anyway – once I heard about the dog pee and the slapstick well I am extremely excited now as that sounds to me like it is straying into so bad it’s good territory.
plus you guys talk about him like he is the only guy who can direct an action sequence…..yes he is good but there are guys out there who can do decent set pieces but at least make everything surrounding the explosions more than trite, hollow shallow pieces of exposition…..
The thing is, and I hope I’m not speaking out of turn, in Alfie’s opinion Bay has done that in every one of his films.
Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.
Wait, Alfie did like The Rock.
All but one of his films.
I, personally, think that Bay knows exactly what kind of film he makes and in my opinion he has scored everytime but once.
Pearl Harbor sucked, no argument there but for the most part I think Bay puts in his films exactly what is neccessary. I just wish I could understand how you see what you see in Bay’s attitudes towards the type of films he makes. If you have a movie where a girls father is going into space to stop an asteroid and said father is going to die, why would you not include a scene where the aforementioned father and daughter have an emotional exchange concerning the approaching events. It makes sense to me. It would be odd NOT to have that scene and yet Alfie thinks it’s melodramatic.
i don’t think so Alfie,
Bay didn’t do that in The Rock, or Armaggedon, or The Island.
He HAS done it before… but it’s not as “always” as some people make it out to be.
if only it were that simple will but it won’t be. bay will over reach as always and ruin what could have been an enjoyable flick by stuffing it ideas that are beyond him and that are just unneeded in a film like this….
Maybe John can get all of us a canadian pirated copy of Transformers
to watch earily.
Just joking Paramount…….
ive decided that im just sorry for whoever was not excited by the trailer for this movie. i really thought it was outstanding. and i think the idea of transformers in a real life setting, like the movie, is so dumb, but i think the way michael bay is going to handle it will honestly make it ok. because its going to be real, but at the same time have some humor about itself. -from what ive heard and read so far.
as crazy as it might sound, i wouldnt trust this movie in the hands of anyone else. bay will make this movie acceptbale to the general action movie audience, and that is huge, because they are the majority of the people who will see this movie. hell, im one of them i guess since im not a transformers fan at all.
and i can also say right now that i wont be let down by this movie, even though im incredibly pumped, because i know exactly what to expect. michael bay is what to expect. incredible action, and some enjoyable humor, as well as the incredibly hot megan fox.
i know what im gonna get from bay, and i like that predictability.
summer 2007 will own us all. the end.
well I did post once in a moment of madness that I hoped it sucked and that you were all bummed out but even at the time I apologised…..I hope I am wrong too!!
I don’t want to be right but I from what I see I fear that I will be
I never waver harvey…….
and that will hopefully be the last of the Mega-Posts.
it’ll be the last one for me, anyway
Great debate, guys.
Yes,
It would be very boring to sit around and just do nothing but agree with each other.
And Peter Cullen as Optimus is something that no one can argue against. Thank god there is at least one thing that we agree on. It’s always nice to have at least some common ground.
Yes,
Everyone’s point is completely valid.
Except for those people that would call others mindless idiots for not sharing their opinions. I’m not talking about you Alfie. You know who I’m reffering to.
I know you’re going to think it’s all just a bunch of Hooey, but I truly dont believe I am expecting something that is unattainable. I dont think my levels of hype are so high that they cant be met. Remember, I like Michael Bay movies and I know what to expect from them. I dont think this movie is going to change cinema or anything like that. I do think the effects are going to awesome and on a level that we may not have seen before, but that’s mainly due to the subject matter. My expectations for this movie pale in comparison to my expectations for the Phantom Menace. That movie had 25+ years and 3 other movies that had been romantisized to the point of perfection. This movie is just based on a toy and a cartoon that I really liked. Plus, I learned my lesson on Superman Returns about the danger of unattainable expectations. So believe me when I say that even though I appreciate your intended concern, I really dont think what I expect from this movie will be too far off from what I get. I cant speak for others. I’m not inside their head and have no idea what they expect to get from this movie. I’m vigorous in my defense of this movie but that’s because I truly do greatly appreciate what I’ve seen so far. Not because I expect it to be perfect. I dont think I’ve ever said it was going to be perfect. Awesome and perfect are not the same thing.
It saddens me that you dont see what i see just as much as I’m sure it confuses you that I dont see what you see. I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again, I love having it out with you concerning this issue. It’s not because I just like to argue and it’s not because I dont think you have a point. It’s because I DO respect you. It’s because you put actual thought into your answers and make me really have to think about my response. It’s because you have passion for your point of view and it comes through in your posts. Some people are ridiculously easy to disect as their arguments are silly, insult riddled drivel. Yours rarely are so… shall we say, mindless.
There was a time when I thought you actually wanted people to be let down so you could say I told you so, but I dont think that anymore. Honestly, I havent thought that for quite some time, but I do however think that saying that people should curb their enthusiasm, no matter the intention, is an attempt to get people to think about the matter at hand in a different way. I’m not saying you’re doing it to be spiteful, but I do think you’re doing it. I also believe that in your heart you want this movie to be good but you have seen nothing to make you think that it will be. I get it. I’m sorry you feel that way but I’m not sorry that I dont. I love the fact that I have really liked everything I’ve seen so far. I love the fact that I am not upset and disappointed.
I hate to put it this way because I know how much I’ve rallied against this type of behavior, but…
I hope you are wrong. That sounds mean, but like you say, it’s not my intention. It’s NOT because I want to be right, because the only way I could be “right” is if I personally enjoy it, but because I truly do hope you end up liking it. I want you to have a good time at the theatre because I know how much the material means to you. You probably wont, but I dont think it makes me a bad guy to wish happiness upon you, does it?
Hey Alfie, way to stick to your guns after coming under serious attack. Who knew that Transformers was the second coming? Ha!Big smile ya’all. Anyways,the 300 is coming out soon and I have a strong inclination that is going to rock, and I do agree with John on this one, so if I’m let down by TF, oh well. Spiderman 3 looks to be shaping up nicely as well, so the summer won’t be too much of a let down if TF ends up being what I fear. Good debate you guys, keep it up.
Harvey is right….I love that they have got cullen – There is one thing I like!
lets face it though wouldn’t it be boring if we were all just writing about how much we love everything?
Wow you guys! this is getting to be a pretty funny blog. What a shitstorm all this has become.
Everyone has a point. Everyone has an opinion. All Equally valid.
Hey John, good job on starting a great debate. that is why this site is great.
The only props I’ll give to this production? Peter Cullen as Optimus. that decision is truly excellent. This movie will make tons of money no matter what it’s final form. It’s not a personal attack on all us 80’s children, just a vehicle to make tons of cash. So who cares. Enjoy it or don’t. Time will tell all.
Del-Rey, Penquin, Roc, Tor, all good publishers looking for new
books to sell. Rub some Bengay on your sore finger joints before
carpel-tunnel kicks in. So much for smaller posts.
All kidding aside, sometime the point is lost, like seeing the
forest through the trees.
So, per John’s original topic post that started this chain:
TRANSFORMERS RULE! GO-BOTS DROOL!
yes I don’t want to see people disappopinted jay but what I mean is that if you all like a film and I don’t that does not make me like it or feel lesslet down does it now….
I am not a killjoy hoping it sucks and that you all have a bad time..I said it once a long time agoin a silly moment but I seriously hope this film is all you want it to be….but you keep saying I can’t accept people have a different opinion to mine and john keeps telling me how much people like the footage and the designs and all I can say is the fact that other people like them does not make them look abny better to me.
Jay warning you to keep your expectation levels down is hardly telling you what to think…
I sincerely mean it in a nice way..
by all means be excited about this film but I am seeing hyperbole being thrown around here that this film is going to be so awesome it could change cinema…and things like johns claim thatit is going to crush every opening record ever….wild claims like that are unfair on any film…because when that kind of thing starts getting traction and people assume it is a forgone conclusion that it will do these wild things then when it doesn’t it can wind up being perceived as a failure or a disappointment because people don’t get what they thought they were going to get….
raising expectations to the level they are hitting for this film could lead to disappointment…..surely we have all learned that lesson from phantom menace…..and that is all I am saying jay
I mean is it really that rare that big budget over hyped films disappoint aye? I know you are going to say that you are not over excited and that as long as there are big robots fighting etc etc you will be happy but there are people who I think personally might be getting there hopes up a little too much. and agin not just on transformers – I would say this about any film that is brinign the states of frenzy this one seems to in people…..
I am not saying don’t get excited – I would never have the nerve or the balls to tell people how they should feel but sincerely some of you are so excited I feel no film could ever live up to it…..
I would warn this about film when the hype reaches the type of levels it can almost certainly not reach….
Chris, I know what you meant.
But the altenate meaning is no less true, certainly not from age 13 to 18. I waxed that mother so many times I could’ve surfed on it. HA!
To much information?
I can never tell.
It’s not about whether or not you give a shit about anyone else’s tastes and desires, it’s about the idea that you should accept the fact that there are people out there who like what they see and not just dismiss it as blindness caused by excitement. Am I excited? Of f**king course I’m excited, but do you honestly think I’m so stupid that if I saw something that I didnt like I would just ignore it and continue to preach as if nothing has bothered me? Do you really think that little of me?
Of course I’m not telling you to like it because a lot of other people do but it sure as heck seems like you’re telling people that they need to temper their enthusiasm simply because you dont like what you see. Where did I say even once that you should just tell your self that these scenes are there for general audiences and you should just be Ok with it? Where did I say that? Where did I even insinuate it? Nowhere, that’s where. I gave the reasons that I gave because it’s what I believe to be true. For general audiences acceptance, not so YOU would accept it. It’s like words are just being put in my mouth. I give reasons why I think a scene exists and suddenly I’m telling people that dont like the scene to accept it as a good thing. How does that work? How does someone reach that conclusion?
You say you are not trying to convince anyone of anything but you say things like You Guys Better Watch Your Excitement Levels Because You’re Gonna End Up Disappointed. How is that NOT trying to convince someone of something? How is that NOT you trying to make people see what YOU see and think the way YOU think? So obviously you do indeed care about what people like or dislike or otherwise you wouldnt be asking them to change the way they are looking at everything. If you didnt care then why on Earth would you worry about our excitement levels. C’mon Alfie, Dont make statements that are so easily proven false. I know for a fact that you are better than that.
Other people have asked you why you keep trying to convince others that this movie isnt going to be amazing so it’s not just me that thinks this is happening.
If you want to get annoyed, then get annoyed. I have absolutely no problem with that. Knock yourself out with annoyance. Go home pissed off and beat your girl. Choke your dog. Punch a hole through one of your walls because you got so mad at a movie that you cant see straight. It’s all fine by me. I have never and probably will never share in that anger and disappointment.
Why is someone in need of having their enthusiasm tempered because they really, really like what they see but someone who is just as completely convinced that the movie is going to be bad has every right and reason to feel as such? I’ll tell you why, because opinions are personal and that’s all any of us have. Our own personal opinion as to how this movie looks to be shaping up.
Your side of the argument seems hell bent on convincing people that their side is right and all other opinions and feelings and wants and desires are merely the blind ravings of mindless, dumd, idiots who cant see what’s coming. Because as has been stated on your side of the argument it’s a clusterf**k and it’s “going off the tracks, we can all see it”. Hmmmm… strange that what “we can all see” doesnt actually represent what we all think. Strange to make that argument in a post full of positive feedback and thoughts. If we all see that it is indeed going to suck then why are so many of us saying we like what we see.
Oh, that’s right… it’s because we are all just idiots blinded by our own excitement. Sometimes I forget what an idiot I am, what with all these free thinking ideas floating around inside my head.
In the end, I truly am only voicing my opinion.
I havent called anyone an idiot. I havent called anyone blind, mindless or dumb. If you go back and actually read what I wrote and dont assume you know what I meant you will see that my posts are about why I like what I like. They are about why I feel certain scenes are neccessary, and they are about my not understanding why anyone has to resort to name calling to prove their point. Juvenile tactics such as that are the last resort of the weak-minded who realize that they cant get their point across without such silly, schoolyard tactics. In fact, If you’ll notice I even said that me resorting to such tactics would only serve to prove how ignorant I am.
By the way, I am not calling anyone weak-minded, I am merely suggesting that you may be using the tactics of the weak-minded.
And yes, these boards are for debate, but if you run out of steam just simply say agree to disagree. I understand what that means. Dont ask silly things like do I mean that just because everyone else likes it you should too. You know full well that’s not how I debate and you know full well that’s not what I meant. Dont say you are not trying to convince anyone of anything after saying on countless occasions that you think we should all watch our excitement levels. What possible other reason could you have for saying that other than to try and convince people that their excitement levels are unwarranted. And if your excuse is that you just dont want to see people disappointed then that just serves to prove that you DO care about what people think. Which is it, Alfie. On which occasion were you lying, because you cant have it both ways.
Whether you want to hear it or not, I actually agree with you about the lying celebrities issue. They were all talking to the geek press of the internet. What do all the geeks want to hear? That the movie focuses on the robots. Could it be a lie? Of course it could be a completely scripted and planned out statement, but it could also be something that he believes to be true. You have your feelings and John has his. Do either of you know if you are right? NO, because neither of you have seen the movie. Neither of you have any concrete idea as to who the movie is going to focus on. The script we all read is 4 to 5 drafts old so no matter how much you may believe you are right, the fact is, you dont know it for sure.
Personally, my money is on the idea that everyone knew who they were talking to and acted accordingly, but it’s just a hunch. I could be just as wrong as anybody else who has a theory.
Why is everyone trying to publish a book on this web page?
Everyone give your fingers a break already.
.
I also want to know what BIG SAMPSON was posting about….
.
Transformers rule.
Jay you seem to think I give a shit about other peoples tastes and desires….why on earth would I?
Other people enjoying it doesn’t help me enjoy it…
I don’t sit in a cinema and wait until the film is finished and look around the room and see what everyone else thought
“Oh well everyone else liked it I should just be happy with that” is that what you mean???
Now I know they are not making the film just for me but no matter how many dog pee jokes and slapstick scenes they put in for to help give it wide appeal that doesn’t help my enjoyment of it does it? I am not going to watch those things and not get annoyed or put off by them from telling myslef “its only there to give it appeal and help us idenitify with the robots”
I don’t care if it makes a trillion dollars – all I care about is whether or not I like it and socome on far I haven’t liked anything. everything about this film right down to its producer works against me….
I am only voicing my opinion here..I do not claim to be all knowing I have never said anyone is an idiot for liking it….In future just remember that when I type something I speaking for myself and myself only. I am not trying to change anyones minds. Only voice my opinion because that is what these boards are for…
However gio I am still waiting for a reply about the lying celebrities thing……
wait that didn’t come out right…my bad
jay you are a master of debate
peace…
damn you guys are typing some long ass posts, gio i think you have the BIGGEST DEBATE EVER…and jay you are a master debater..
peace….
Open your ears, JaySmack and listen to all the people that like what they see. Theirs are legimate opinions as well.
I’ve never said your complaints werent legitimate for that matter.
They are legitimate and worthwhile to YOU, inside YOUR mind. That’s the only place that an opinion truly holds any weight. Inside the mind of that particular individual. I have never once called anyone a mindless idiot for not liking what has been revealed so far. Not once. In fact, I’ve always said that everyone has the right to be concerned about the changes or dislike them if they want to, all I ever did was say why I liked what I liked and desired the right to think the way I think without being whittled down to simply being a mindless, blind idiot.
For the most part, you defend you point of view very well, but it will always only be YOUR point of view.
I need to “grow up” and what… see everything the way you do?
I’m an immature, mindless, blind, idiot because I dont think the way you think? Wow, brother, you should become a therapist with ideas and feeling like that. Someone would come to you with severe depression and you could fix them by saying “STFU and just get happy. You have absolutely NO reason to be upset because I’m not upset or sad. Dont you see that I’m not depressed. Why cany you just be like me? I’m right and it’s so incredibly obvious why I’m so right, so just be like me. You brainless, immature idiot”.
Man… think of all the people you could help.
Is it silly for me to make that staement?
Why?
You seem to think everyone who doesnt see all the “mistakes” this production has made are mindless idiots simply because we dont see it the same way. We are wrong to be excited and hopeful simply because you are not. Simply because our God given right to free will leads us to a different conclusion than the one you have been led to.
Saying someone is mindless for having the opinion that they have is just another way of saying they are wrong. So I’m wrong to like what I see? I’m wrong to like the changes that have been made? I’m wrong to be elated? I’m wrong to be eagerly anticipating this movie because I truly believe it’s going to be really good?
Here’s a question for you,
Besides the designs what are the so called bastardizing changes that have been made? I get the whole too much human story and too much love story. In reality though, there have always been human elements in the story of the Transformers. Spike has always played a role in their lives on Earth. And I think that Spike even had a girlfriend at some point. The transformers movie has to put 20 years of history into 2 hours. You dont think Spike (Sam) should play a role in that? You dont think the humans and the effects these giant alien robots have on them should play a role in this film? I get that you think it’s too much so we can move on from that.
What are these drastic changes to Transformer lore that you speak so adamantly about? Besides the design, What is this bastardization that you speak of.
We’ve covered the too much human involvment and story think but that’s just a element of the story being told, that has nothing to do with adaptation of the Transformers story.
I’ll give you another one that we can take off the table. Cheesy humor. Clumsy robots in one scene involving a sight gag with a dog and his pee. Yeah… because the junk robots singing a song and dancing wasnt cheesy or stupid. Hey, they’re both just one scene out of an entire movie. You THINK the entire movie is going to follow this tone all the way through. I THINK it’s one scene that will add some humor and help endear the robots to those in the audience that dont already have love for them. You know, all those people that will see this movie that either only played with them as kids and have since moved on or all the people that have no real affection of history with the transformers and are merely going to see a fun action movie and need some scenes like that to develop an affinity for the good guys. Whether you believe it or not, those types of scenes do accomplish that goal for general audiences. And in all acutuality, they also appeal to people out there who have a definable history with the Transformers. Even if you find that impossibly hard to believe, it’s still true. News Flash! Not everyone has the same wants and desires as you.
So minus those 3 things, what is it about this movie that has completely changed the Transformers? What are these bastardizing changes that have been made that make them no longer even resemble the source material?
Again, I’m not saying that your misgivings arent legitimate, I’m merely asking you to explain your point of view. And remember, the design changes arent the problem. You’re words, not mine.
and that should have been 300 million not 300 billion.
My bad.
Hey Jim,
I think he was trying to say that hating is wrong by giving statistics concerning all the hate crime that happens in America.
He was showing that hate begats nothing but hurt and anger so we should all just stop with the hate.
In essence, Haters suck and they should just stop hatin’.
I think that was his point, so I hope that helps.
Why cant people who think the movie is going to be bad just accept the FACT that not everyone sees it that way?
Why cant people who dont like the changes that have been made accept the FACT that there are some (note: a lot) people out there who do like them?
Why cant some people accept the FACT that no matter much they see this film going “horribly wrong” there are people out there who think it’s going awesomely right?
Just because you believe it doesnt make it fact. It just makes it your opinion. Why cant you listen and heed the statements of all those people that are telling you that it looks great? I’ll tell you why, it’s because you dont see it that way? Well guess what, the people who disagree with you just dont see it your way either. No matter how much you say the movie is a train wreck. No matter how much you site the designs as straying so far from the source material that they no longer bear any resemblance at all to what they were adapted from. No matter how much you think we are all just a bunch of fools headed towards a bitter disappointment, we just dont see it the same way you do.
No reason that we give will ever suffice. And we’ve given many a reason.
No explanation will ever make you see what we see. And we have explained ad nauseum.
There is no way that you will ever understand why we like what has transpired so far, so why do you continue to try to make us explain why we like it? Why do you continue to try and change our minds by TELLING us that we obviously are just unaware of how awful this movie is going to be?
Obviously we CANT all see what a cluster fuck this movie is going to be because obviously there are plenty of people out there that are under the impression that it’s going to be great. Why cant you accept that? Why do you have to belittle people by saying ridiculous things like we’re “mindless”? I’m mindless because I like what I see. We’re all mindless because we dont share your view. We’re mindless because we dont think the way you have decreed we should think. You may be the most egotistical person I have ever come across.
And are you kidding me about the love angle thing?
Wolverine being in love with Jean Grey and the triangle it formed with Scott played a large role in those movies.
And the entire underlying theme of the movie was a human one. Descrimination of Gays, racism and hate in general. The whole movie was an allegory for the struggles we as mere humans face. That’s part of the reason that the movie was relatable to so many.
In Spiderman, Peter’s relationship to Mary Jane has played a huge role in both of the films. HUGE.
You want to talk about an argument that doesnt hold water…
And are you honestly trying to tell me that the costumes were the ONLY change the X-Men movie made to their source material? Really?!?
What about the chronological inconsistencies? What about the fact that there were people complaining about the idea of an actor that wasnt 5’3″ playing Wolverine? I remember those people being irate and proclaiming that the movie was going to suck because of it. Where are those people now? I’ll tell you what happened to them, they were converted by the end result. An opinion they formed based on parts was changed by the sum of the whole. Will that happen for you concerning the Transformers? I have no idea, and I’m not saying it will. My “crap” about the costumes was a perfect comparison. What are the outsides of the robots if it is not their clothes?
And you bring up cartoons to prove your theory about unneccessary human elements? Cartoons? In comparison to a live action movie? Wow… if you dont understand that a live action movie and a cartoon dont operate by the same rules then… wow, I just dont know what to say to that.
You keep asking us how much change is too much change.
You say people are avoiding the question. Well here, I’ll answer it to the best of my ability but I guarantee that it will not help you understand why I dont feel the same way you do.
More than what’s been done. Way more that what’s been done.
I’ll still see robots called Autobots and Decepticons from Cybertron. I still see that they came to Earth looking for Energon Cubes. I still see an affection between the humans and the Autobots and I still see that the Decepticans still hate us. I see Prime as a leader. Willing to sacrifice for the humans and his fellow Autobots. I still see Megatron hell bent on destroying all the Autobots and any insignificant life-form that gets in his way. I sill see Starscream itching to be the boss. I still see all the major beats of the Transformers story wise.
I still SEE the Transformers when I look at the new designs.
Just as much as you dont understand how I can make that statement, I dont understand how you have so much animosity concerning them. I see better, more believable transforming robots than I have ever seen before. I see a Prime that instill me with so much confidence that I cant wait to see him kick Megatrons ass. I see a cool ass robot that does nothing but remind me of Optimus Prime and the Transformers in general. Megatron… I see a Megatron that I think looks better than any incarnation of him that has ever existed. I see an evil alien robot mother-fu**ker that has nothing but mayhem on his mind. I absolutely love it. You can say I’m a mindless defender til you’re blue in the face, but it doesnt make you right. No matter how many insults you throw my way, I will 1) never stoop to your level and 2) I will never see it your way. Why is that so hard for you to understand. Again, I’ll tell you why, because it’s not an opinion that you share and therefore you will never understand it.
And please stop pulling the “We dont expect an exact GI reproduction” card. I havent said that anywhere in this post. My defense of the look of the robots is just that, my defense of why I like the changes that have been made. If you see that as me saying you want GI then that’s a personal issue and obviously there is something there that you need to deal with. I’m reminded of Shakespeare when you guys say that as many times as you do, “Methinks thou doth protest too much”.
You’ve already decided you know the tone of the entire film based on 2 scenes.
Could you be right. Of course you could. Of course you COULD be right, but that doesnt mean you ARE right. And I’ve already explained at length about what it means to be right or wrong when it comes to the quality of film. You are only “right” or “wrong” inside your own mind. It is not an indisputable fact, it is merely your opinion. Just like it is merely your opinion that the movie is going off the tracks. It is merely your opinion that the movie is going to involve too much love story and too much of a human element. It is merely your opinion that the movie is going to be cheesy crap because of sight gags and stupid humor. All just your opinion, brother. Not facts. Facts are indisputable, and obviously everyone does not see it the same way you do. You can write it off as being mindless or simply due to being blind as to what’s right in front of us. You can dismiss our points of view with as many hurtful and needlessly abusive comments as you so desire but at the end of the day it hasnt accomplished anything. It hasnt made anyone see the error of their ways. You havent converted anyone over to the “this is crap” camp. You havent done anything but showcase your own egoticity and your incredible belief in your own infalibity. If that was your desire, then mission accomplished. If it was your desire to MAKE all people look at this movie the exact same way you do, then it was an utter waste of time. You do understand that taste, likes and dislikes, and film itself are subjective, right? You do understand that with almost 300 billion people in America alone that there are going to be people out there that disagree with you? Do you really consider anyone that doesnt look at things the precise and identical way that you do to be mindless? Really? Are you really that conceited?
In the end, brother, just accept the fact (and it is a fact) that everyone does not see the unmitagated disaster that so vehemontly want us to. Not everyone sees the clusterf**k that you see. And I’m sorry to have to explain such an obvious concept to you but just because we dont see what you see doesnt make us mindless, blind defender. We are simply people who have an opinion that differs from yours. That’s all. Neither right nor wrong, just different. This is a grade school concept. Why is it so difficult for you to grasp?
Ummm.. can anyone give my the ‘Cliff’s Notes’ version of what Bigsampson is/was trying to say?
I want to address some of the dumb assertions that have been put forward by the folks who defend this film sight-unseen, even though all the classic warning signs that this will be a world-class turd are obvious to us all. Pay attention.
1.) I love the idiots who say, “The movie NEEDS the adle-brained teen-romance subplot (which we all know is going to be THE plot of the movie) to help the audience ‘connect’ with the story.” Let me get this straight: the makers of this film are hitching the movie’s ability to get audiences to connect with the ROBOTS on whether two KIDS are making out? Why not just ditch the robots and make a teen-love story? Two Kids and a Car, they could call it. They sound like some sorry filmmakers if they can’t write a script good enough to make me care about the robots based on the ROBOTS behavior, independent of the humans. It’s called TRANSFORMERS for a reason people! Then again, Orci and Kurtzman wrote The Island (which was not “underappreciated” Gio, it was overrated). A good sci-fi script makes you identify with aliens or robots or whatever, by focusing on them and showing you their deep character. How THEY are like you, not how their human companions are like you. It is a popular rhetorical crutch some use, but did the love story angle make Armegeddon any better? Or Gigli? Or Daredevil?
How prominent was the love-story angle in X-Men again, I keep forgetting? Or Spider-Man, Batman Begins or Blade or even Pirates of the Caribbean? Love-story crap shouldn’t be in any sci-fi or action movie, but if it is, then it shouldn’t occupy more than 5-percent of the movies running time. How much do you want to bet we’ll be seeing these two teens clumsy attempts at making out for most of the film? The forced injection of a teen story into every sci-fi movie is what’s wrong with the genre today. It’s a crutch damn near every sci-fi film uses, and it hasn’t made even one sci-fi film better. So get off that horse already.
Some accuse people like me of “nostalgia” because we want to see big robots from an 80’s cartoon. I think the real nostalgia is those who are desperate to relive their own awkward teen years fantasies through a movie. Look, please go get your therapy in a doctor’s office, not a movie theater, and don’t force the rest of us to suffer through your neuroses while you demand every movie have a love story so you don’t feel quite so much like the weirdos you are.
2.) “You just want them to look EXACTLY like the cartoon!” First of all, NOBODY (not even the most irrational hardcore TF fan, like me!) has EVER said that, so please, put down the stupid juice and get off that horse.
And so what if they looked like the cartoon? If the classic designs are such a turn off to you then it sounds like you didn’t like Transformers to begin with. It takes more than a design to make or break a film -isn’t that the argument you use to defend the design changes? Nobody who objects to the way this film’s shaping up has said, “I won’t see it because of the new designs.” We ALL know that movie adpatations make departures from the core material, we expect it. So you don’t sound movie-wise or smart by talking to critics as if this is some truth that you and only you know. We ALL know it, Gio.
There are no purists here. Nobody’s saying, “Prime has flames on the front -heresy! They’re ruining everything” Stop going from 0 to 60, and acting like the slightest criticism means instant hate. Recognize that people like me have misgivings, and they’re based on what we’re actually SEEING (as opposed to the defenders who keep saying “Well, we know it looks bad, but let’s wait and see!”) and the attitude of the filmmakers toward the material they’re adapting. Everyone, even the critics, are being patient, we’re all giving it a chance, but it’s clear these guys are making just another robot movie, not Transformers. Example: they transform as a form of disguise and even camoflage, so don’t you think that brightly painted flames draw attention, not to mention just look stupid? Did the filmmakers even think about that or were they too caught up in how clever they thought they were being? But I’m sure Gio will just say I’m being a literalist again. Listen, the design changes aren’t the problem.
All anyone has said is, if they’re making departures this radical it seems as if they’ve got contempt for the core concept. And Bay has not once said ANYTHING in praise of the cartoon -all he’s said is how he’s “taking it seriously” and “doing ir right” and “making it better.” Prime gets peed on by a dog, Bumblebee is reduced to the role of a robot-matchmaker and Megatron looks like he got put through a trash compactor. Yep, that sure sounds better than the cartoon to me.
Those who defended this film originally are finding themselves on the defensive the more we find out about this movie, with less and less to say in it’s defense each time the more we see of it. So Gio, is it still so unreasonalbe to ask if these the best guys to be doing this film? Open your ears Jay and you’ll see these are legitimate complaints. Don’t let your enthuisiasm to see yet more summer special effects cloud common sense. If you’re going to make a movie adpatation then you don’t throw out most of the material you’re adpating. There were those who months ago said I was demanding too literal a translation. As we get more an more information about the movie we see that I was right all along. This isn’t an adpation it’s a bastardization.
3.) Transformers can either be about the robots or the human, it CANNOT be about both. When you do that kind of writing the film winds up trying to tell three or four stories, and accomplishes none of them. Is this movie about robots kicking butt, or kids making out? X-Men didn’t focus on mutants relationships with humans, it was about mutants fighting other mutants. The “we need someone the audience can identity with” argument sounds and smells like horseshit. Toy Story (a kids movie, if I recall) didn’t focus on humans, nor did Cars or Happy Feet and they were blockbusters.
There will have to be humans, because it will be impossible to avoid them, but if you want to see kids making out go see another movie. Transformers hardly needs a “human element” to sell it. Perhaps they need better writers who can get us to identify with robots, rather than using the crutch of the ingenue teens in love.
4.) Finally, mindless defenders of this film, PLEASE STFU with that crap about, “Wolverine would look stupid in yellow and blue spandex? or “Batman wouldn’t have been a hit if he’d worn gray and blue spandex.” Spider-Man wore red and blue spandex and NOBODY thought that was stupid. Daredevil wore red leather and NOBODY said it was unnecessary or stupid. Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider etc. The Phantom (way back in ’95) wore purple spandex, but nobody said that was why they didn’t go see it. They said they didn’t see it because it was a bad movie. If you want to use the “costume would look stupid” argument, please make sure you actually have an arugument first.
This film is already going off the tracks, we can all see it. I’m sure many defenders of this film like to think of themselves as open-minded, but there’s a fine line between open-minded and just mindless. I turn my brain off when I’m actually sitting in a movie theater, not before.
Gio, I think the world of you, but seriously you need to listen when folks (who like Transformers as much, if not more, than you) are screaming that this flim is going horribly wrong. Falling back on puns about “trigger-dick” robots may sound clever, but it’s simply a way of sidestepping the issue: this movie bears little resemblance to what it allegedly is about.
Nobbody is claiming this movie MUST be a live-action replica of the cartoon, right now to that weird-looking cannon on Soundwave’s shoulder that he never used. People like me are simply asking the question (and you seem to want to avoid it) How many departures can an “adapatation” make before you’re willing to admit it no longer bears a resemblance to the source material?
And those who try to brag that X-Men made wild changes need to find another hook to hang their arument on. The ONLY change they made was to make all the costumes black -THAT’S IT! Wolvering still had the funky hairdo, and yellow stripes on his outfit. Storm still had a cape. Makig all the costumes uniformly black is NOT a wild change. What Bay’s done to Transformers is. He’s changed so much of it it’s not even the same. And you cheer this?
It’s obivous to me Bay and co wanted to make a summer blockbuster to bring in some cash. Rather than do quality work they wanted some idea to strip-mine and dump a bunch of big special-effects onto…kind of like how they did Pearl Harbor, as you’ll recall.
Those folks defending what we can all see is already a cluster-fuck of epic proportions need to grow up. If this were ANY other property you’d be all over it telling us how bad it was sure to be. John/Gio’s certianly panned many films without even having seen them beforehand! Ghost Rider anyone?
You’re hoping against hope that this movie will be good when we can all see the clumsy, corporate, market-tested, focus-group all-thumbs hand of the studio on it. This is going to be a piece of corporate crap with tons of flashy effects dumped on top. Spectacle without even a hint of creativity or even value.
OH! But it had two teens making out in a Yellow Camaro.
Guess we’ll have to wait another 20 years for somebody with some sense to make the live-action movie right. Hoepfully, some of the “open-minded” folks on this board will realize in order to adapt a movie you HAVE to stick (and stick closely) to the core material it’s based on. Notice they nothing about the actual PLOT of the movie. You want to see a film and they wont’ evne tell you what it’s about? Sound to me like we’ve already found out. Teen make out sessions and dogs peeing on robots. Genius.
Look, here’s the truth according to me. As much as we will all bitch and moan, majority of this country’s asses will be in theater seats when this thing opens, mine probably included. We can’t definitively say it’ll suck/rock, but I haven’t been overly impressed with the info that I’ve been hearing. I’m too young to be an original TF fan, but when I see a trailer that makes the flick look dark and nasty, and then I read a report from a toy fair that talks about scenes showing dogs pissing on Optimus Prime, I don’t get a good feeling.
As much as I’d LOVE to let myself expect otherwise, I’m expecting mediocre.
I have no dought this movie is going to be astounding. I also believe it can change the way people look at movies forever. Much like Star Wars did or Lord of the Rings. Like John said, films like this are the reason we love movies so much.
I think the TransFormers look great, in my mind it is the way living alien machines are suppost to look like in the real world. I had a little dought about Michael Bay directing at first, but that was long ago, I think he’s going to do an awsome job.
I can’t wait for July 4th and one way or the other, it’s going to truly be a day to remember.
dude that is the best post
U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division
Uniform Crime Reports
HATE CRIME – 1995
Preliminary figures show 7,947 hate crime incidents were reported to the FBI during 1995. The incidents were reported by more than 9,500 law enforcement agencies in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Participating agencies covered 75 percent of the U.S. population.
Tabular Reports of Incidents, Offenses, Victims and Offenders
State Agencies
Bias Motivation
Offense Category
Race
Table 1. – Agency Hate Crime Reporting by State, 1995 Participating
States Number of Participating Agencies Population Covered Agencies Submitting Incidents Total Incidents Reported
Alaska 1 253,500 1 8
Arizona 87 4,095,027 25 220
Arkansas 190 2,476,091 5 7
California 744 31,575,724 215 1,751
Colorado 228 3,740,318 34 149
Connecticut 94 2,686,092 44 87
Delaware 51 716,612 8 45
District of Columbia 1 554,000 1 4
Florida 411 14,214,968 60 164
Georgia 3 404,337 3 49
Idaho 116 1,154,533 26 114
Illinois 1 2,749,811 1 146
Indiana 164 3,234,261 14 35
Iowa 232 2,832,372 14 29
Kentucky 513 3,839,698 25 81
Louisiana 146 2,681,595 5 7
Maine 130 1,234,660 14 75
Maryland 148 5,041,200 41 353
Massachusetts 202 4,563,851 88 333
Michigan 480 7,471,391 132 405
Minnesota 66 2,222,490 66 285
Mississippi 51 619,465 3 6
Missouri 157 3,440,651 14 135
Montana 6 146,201 4 11
Nevada 35 1,528,846 3 68
New Hampshire 2 80,401 1 24
New Jersey 568 7,948,721 243 768
New Mexico 70 1,213,889 7 24
New York 520 17,607,895 50 845
North Carolina 59 2,319,608 24 52
North Dakota 74 495,888 3 3
Ohio 321 7,531,175 51 267
Oklahoma 7 924,403 5 37
Oregon 243 3,129,911 25 152
Pennsylvania 1,134 11,842,573 38 282
Rhode Island 45 990,000 8 46
South Carolina 293 3,666,417 15 26
South Dakota 38 301,872 3 5
Tennessee 104 1,401,961 12 25
Texas 914 18,659,819 96 326
Utah 116 1,908,800 28 107
Vermont 19 309,236 8 10
Virginia 175 3,330,876 22 51
Washington 229 5,292,420 54 266
Wisconsin 337 5,120,215 18 45
Wyoming 59 457,505 3 19
Total 9,584 198,011,279 1,560 7,947
Table 2. – Number of Incidents, Offenses, Victims, and Offenders by Bias Motivation, 1995 Bias Motivation Incidents Offenses Victims Known Offenders
Race 4,831 6,170 6,438 5,751
Anti-White 1,226 1,511 1,554 2,032
Anti-Black 2,988 3,805 3,945 3,099
Anti-American Indian/Alaskan Native 41 59 59 38
Anti-Asian/Pacific Islander 355 484 496 380
Anti-Multi-Racial Group 221 311 384 202
Ethnicity/National Origin 814 1,022 1,044 958
Anti-Hispanic 516 680 698 685
Anti-Other Ethnicity/ National Origin 298 342 346 273
Religion 1,277 1,414 1,617 437
Anti-Jewish 1,058 1,145 1,236 350
Anti-Catholic 31 35 53 8
Anti-Protestant 36 47 65 12
Anti-Islamic 29 39 41 26
Anti-Other Religious Group 102 122 196 36
Anti-Multi-Religious Group 20 25 25 4
Anti-Atheism/Agnosticism/etc. 1 1 1 1
Sexual Orientation 1,019 1,266 1,347 1,273
Anti-Male Homosexual 735 915 937 1,031
Anti-Female Homosexual 146 189 191 131
Anti-Homosexual 103 125 182 80
Anti-Heterosexual 17 19 19 13
Anti-Bisexual 18 18 18 18
Multiple Bias 6 23 23 14
Total 7,947 9,895 10,469 8,433
Sixty-one percent of the incidents were motivated by racial bias; 16 percent by religious bias; 13 percent by sexual-orientation bias; and 10 percent by ethnicity/national origin bias. The 7,947 incidents involved 9,895 separate offenses, 10,469 victims, and 8,433 known offenders.
Crimes against persons accounted for 72 percent of hate crime offenses reported. Intimidation was the single most frequently reported hate crime offense, accounting for 41 percent of the total. Damage/destruction/vandalism of property constituted 23 percent; simple assault, 18 percent; and aggravated assault, 13 percent. Twenty persons were murdered in hate-motivated incidents. (See Table 3.)
As in previous years, hate crimes in 1995 were most frequently directed at individuals. Individuals comprised 83 percent of all reported bias crime victims for the year. Businesses, religious organizations, and varied other targets comprised the remaining 17 percent.
DONT F’ ING HATE ….U R …..A…HATER GIO IS RIGHT …U SUCK HATERS
WHAT STATE R U FROM U HATER TRANSFORMRS AWESOME
got to hand it to you gio…you know how to spark a debate. the number 1 reason is enough for me. what i find funny is that i agree with alfie on a lot of points but your ass will be in the seats opening day just like me.
peace…
Sigh…
Wow. People going all off on each other, and there’s still 4 and a half months to go (ish). Relax people, and consider this:
To anyone that says that the new designs of the TF’s suck – why don’t you tell us what an alien robot race should look like?
To anyone that says the director isn’t good enough – why would Speilburg waste his time and resources to stand with Bay on this movie? What other director would be better (and if anyone says Peter Jackson, you’re an idiot, but that’s just a personal opinion)?
To anyone that thinks there shouldn’t be a “human / love story” – please, tell us how you would relate a movie to as many people as possible, but keep true to a storyline?
To anyone that bitches about this movie not being true to its storyline – how would you update this movie from the series and movie that date back over 20 yrs? Please, tell us what hasn’t changed in the last 20 yrs too, while you’re at it.
I can understand people wanting to express an opinion, but make sure you back up your statement. Stop bitching about something just to bitch. If you have an opinion, tell us how you’d make things better. Wouldn’t that help the business overall?
well when you put it that way john I get it..I mean none of these people have anything to gain from this film being a hit..tad hamilton doesn’t care if this is a hit..its not like the producers or anyone would say something, anything to sell this film..
I mean they all said the exact same thing…the exact same thing – shit if you were cynical you might think it was a nifty catch phrase thought up and scripted especially for press day…but surely the cast and crew of a hollywood film like this wouldn’t do that would that??
I am hardly reaching john…
you’re the one said they are all liars and we should never believe them but the rule seems to be now unless they work on transformers….
i just see a bit of a double standard thats all but thats cool…..you are totally in love with every single aspect of this film..nothing they produce is going to dim your optimistic view of the film and that cool
I know I am repeating myself but don’t I have every right to do that?? i mean this entire article is just a bunch of reasons why you think this film will rock…everything you have put are the same things have you have said over and over…its your blog and its your right but you do have it set up as an open forum so I am just rebutting your blind optimism…which I admire and believe me maybe if bay wasn’t directing I would be a bit easier on it but I just don’t think he has a great film in him…..
Oh, one more thing Alfie,
Make sure to call into the show Friday night (totally shamless plug) to voice your opinion. :)
Oh wow alfie… you’re really stretching now.
Actors are ego maniacs. The dude has nothing to gain from saying he’s not the star of the show. He has something to gain by saying “this movie will be amazing”. But nothing can or should be read into an actor saying “This movie isn’t about me”. Besides, you convieniently left out the fact that I specifically mentioned that EVERYONE on set said the same thing… about the actors taking a serious backseat to the robots… not just Josh.
Also, all you’re doing is repeating the same thing over an over again as if they were facts. They’re not.
You say: The designs look crap
well… that’s all fine and good that you say that. I say something differnt. Some agree with you… some agree with me. You’re going to just have to accept it and let it go.
From everying I’ve read from the people who saw the footage in questions.. .they loved it. But, you’re free to speculate on something you haven’t yet seen yourself. fair enough.
The designs of the TF’s are fantastic, realistic and a perfect adaptation for live film. You don’t agree. fair enough. The trailer was amazing. The VFX test shots have been mind blowing, and Bay IS the right man for the job. You don’t agree? fair enough. I get it.
Why “especially jay”?
I’m no more kooky about this movie than anyone else that defends it.
Am I?
Geez…
Maybe I am, but it’s a great place to be.
Color me KooKoo for CacoaPuffs, because this movie is going to deliver exactly what I think it will. Pure, unadulterated awesomeness. Aba-dee, Aba-dee, Aba-dee, that’s all folks.
Are you seriously asking me to show you where someone said that “if you think Bay is right for the job, then you are stupid” or “If you like the designs then you just dont have any taste”?
Honestly, Alfie?
You think I’m gonna waste 2 hours of my day looking through old posts trying to find an instance of this when you know as well as I do that it’s been said, or something to that effect. C’mon dude, dont waste my time with fool’s errands.
You have a higher probability of being right?
According to who?
According to the fact that you think it’s gonna be bad and in the end it probably will be bad to you, in your opinion. Just because you may eventually be disappointed doesnt mean you were “right”. Not from my point of view, anyway. Because from my point of view, I’m also probably going to be “right”. I think I’m going to enjoy it, if in the end I do enjoy it and it does live up to my expectations then that means I was “right”. But only according to ME. Not in the broadest sense of the word. Not in the sense that the movie was indeed good across the board and indisputable, but in the sense that I did enjoy it. Just like I thought I would. No one is “right” or “wrong” about the quality of film in any place other than their own mind. How can I be “right” in thinking that it was good and you be “right” in thinking that it was bad?
And it’s about how stupid and ugly you THINK they look.
There’s a huge segment of people out there who THINK they look very cool. Are those people wrong, Alfie? And if you’ll notice, I never claimed that you wanted an exact copy of the cartoon design. My “20 year love affair” comment was a generalization about story aspects, characterization, and look. My intention was not to suggest that you wanted a perfect reproduction of the cartoon, it was to show that not everyone has been daydreaming about the day when the Transformers finally make it to the big screen and those people would need scenes like the “herbie Date” scene. They would need a pronounced human story to feel connected to the digitized pixels, because they havent spent the last 20 years still thinking about them.
You want to talk about being sensitive, nowhere did I say that you wanted the exact G1 look and yet you continue to play that card.
And if you dont want G1 then what do you want(That’s rhetorical, Alfie. I have a feeling I know what you want so dont be silly and tell me what you dont want), because when I look at Prime, or any of the other robots for that matter, I dont see anything but a pure, real world Transformer. I see a robot that could believably transform into a vehicle. I see a robot that has made use of every part from the aforementioned vehicle. I see exactly what I always thought a real life Transformer would look like.
And Bay’s movies sell tickets. Evidently there are a lot of people in this world that dont agree with you that Bay is terrible. I’m not suggesting that ticket sales equal quality. I’m suggesting that for a director to make as many movies as Bay has and each one of them has grossed over 100 million dollars, most well over 200 million, hell some over 300 and even 500 million, then I would think that means that a heck of a lot of people think Bay knows what he’s doing.
So like Will said, You, my friend, are in the vast minority when it comes to what you expect from a Transformers, summer, popcorn action, giant alien robot movie. It may indeed suck to have to come to that realization, but it is true.
And I’m am in no way upset or angry, so dont worry about whether or not I’m taking this too personally. I’ve said it a thousand times, though I may be passionate about the material and I may defend it vigorously, I do not in any way let anyone on the internet get to me. That being said, if I think someone is acting inappropriately then I will call them on it. But just because I call them on it doesnt mean they upset me or offended me personally with what they said. My offense comes in the general sense that I dont think people should talk to each other that way and should be able to conduct themselves with a little more maturity and class. My exuberant defense of the designs and the changes that Bay has made come from my love of the material and my genuine affection for the overall approach. Make no mistake about it, I am a bona fide, honest to goodness, dyed in the wool, lifelong Transformers fan. I adore them. They are one of my most treasured childhood memories. I still buy the DVD’s. If I ever run across that Ultimate Bumblebee or the Master Class Starscream (or whatever you call it) I will buy them. And ya know what else, I cant wait for 7/4/07, because I’m going to have a tremendous time at the movies.
Any way…
Ya gotta admit that nothing sparks debate quite like the transformers.
God, I love havin’ it out with you when it comes to these things.
I still got nothin’ but respect for ya.
Even if you do belittle me a bit and act a twinge condescending.
It’s all good, brother.
oh gio…..the whole point john is I do care.
thats the problem. I want to see a good transformers film not a forgettable serving mcdonaldsmovies which is all bay is capable of.
all I am doing is restating my reasons because people don’t seem to have an exact handle on what it is I don’t like…
prime being peed on is jar jar binks level crap…..autobots being clumsy and slapsticky sounds painfully awful
but one thing gio I need to you to answer….one of the reason this is going to rock according to you is because what one of the actors said when you were on set…..
how come the actors on this film say something you believe them when only a couple of months ago but you told us all celebrities are liars and say whatever they have to say to get you to fall in line with the crap they are selling and that we should never believe them??
but tad hamilton gets a pass????
hhhmmmm giovanni?? come on explain yourself…
i only want to help guys like you andf will..and jay especially jay…i see you on a one way road to disappointment valley and that aint no place you want to be heading without the protection I am trying to supply you with
Oh Alfie,
i will never cease to be amazed at how much time and energy you spend to try to convince people TF won’t be amazing.
I mean, I do it because I care about it. But dude… you spend more time on it than me. :P
jesus christ you guys don’t read what I actually say – my whole problem with bay is he doesn’t just make a straight up action film…i don’t expect more from him but he always tries to go further than his abilities allow and his films wind up being self important hokey humourless pieces of crap that he has tried really hard tomake something more out of. What you accuse me of complaining about is the exact opposite of what I am complaining about. he doesn’t just make a thril ride…. .if he did I wouldn’t care and I would probably like his films…
but he pours on sap and melodrama where it isn’t needed….he thought he was really making something emotional out of armageddon when it should have been just a fucking great b-movie but no – thats not good enough for this guy…..he tries to make it all heavy like this shit could actually be happening and we should be really sad about this stupid love story and bruce willis sacrificing himself…..fuck that.
even in the rock which is his best film he lays it on thick with the melodrama..
the guy is not a good enough storyteller or director to handle anything bigger than a car chase or an explosion and you would have thought he learned his lesson with that pile of shit pearl harbor but no he goes and makes the ridiculous island.
His films have no soul..they are all clinical and sterile. there is no heart to them – its all about the money shot…..his attempts at depth are totally laughable and you casn tell the guy takes himself very seriously.go and watch his episode of the directors. its hilarious how serious he takes himself.
that is just how I feel….I don’t deny he can direct a good action set piece but everything else he touches outside of pretty pictures is dreadful…..there are much better directors out there who can direct a nice set piece but also handle everything else that bay fails at time and time again.
I am not after anything else from transformers – I am not complaining that I want transformers to be deep and meaningful..the exact opposite…bay will ruin transformers by trying to make it more than what it is…there will be some kind of bullshit iraq metaphor shit in there – the love story which is totally unneeded and just takes valuable time away from the giant robots fighting…that is what I want. I want great action but not surrounded by scenes full of acting and dialogue that makes me cringe and ruin all the great action scenes so that I ultimately hate the film…that is what bay does everytime.he adds crap that just doesn’t need to be there..and this film looks and sounds to be no different.
If there was a “Movie Premiere League” then 2007 will belong to “300” when it comes out…not Transfomers, Spiderman3 or even shitty Potter.
alfie
so if you dont want them to look like the G1 cartoon either, then whats wrong with making them look like a realistic version of a car that has stood up on 2 legs in a robot mode? i mean they are making these transformations completely realistic in the sense that all the parts on the robot come from an actual piece of metal on the car and whatnot. thats what ive read anyways, and the 2 second clip in the trailer of optimus transforming looks so complex, and i feel that it needs to be that way. the small pieces are good, they add detail, complexity that makes it more beleivable i suppose.
and honsetly, about bays movies, i dont know what you guys expect from your summer movies about an asteroid headed towards earth. seriously. its summer, its an action movie. armageddon was exactly that, and it was entertaining.
its your own damn fault if you go into a bay movie and expect anything more. take it for what it is. damn.
BAY IS PERFECT for this. i promise. because if you want something more than an alien invasion flick with incredible action and a really hot chick from the transformers, then you are in the vast MINORITY of the people who will be paying to see this movie. that might suck, but its true.
i’m keeping an open mind on this movie. i’ve never been a transformers fan. the website looks cool.
again I have not seen anyone say they want them to look exactly like they did 20 years ago. no one. I have yet to read any quotes on these boards of people saying they have to look exactly like they used to. I know I have never said that….but you guys always revert to that old argument “the old cartoons would look silly in a live action film” and knowing is denying that…..I totally agree with but I just don’t understand how anyone can look at that squiggly stupid megatron and say it looks bad ass…..he looks comical.my problem is that I think the new designs are fucking ugly. it isn;t the fact they have changed them of course they have to update them I just don’t know whay they got someone with parkinsons to do the them
This isn’t about changing the designs – its about how stupid and ugly they look.
and I already pulled harvey up on calling will pathetic jay. I said we were doing the exact same thing – only we have a higher probability at being right in this matter – because bay is fucking terrible.
plus who has called anyone stupid for liking them? can you please provide me with all this abuse you seem to be seeing heaped on you guys? you seem to take this awfully personal sometimes jay…I worry about your blood pressure.
You too, brother
I just hate it when people insult others for doing something and then turn around and do the same thing.
As for the scenes that have been shown, I completely agree with you.
The dog pee scene is a little cheesy but I dont mind a little cheese. It’s one, maybe two scenes out of an entire movie. Especially considering the fact that everyone who saw the footage had almost nothing but extremely positive things to say about what they saw. This movie is going to rock. I say that as someone who likes Michael Bay movies and as someone who knows exactly what he’s getting and is absolutely fine with that. I know the movie is gonna have “Michael Bay Dramatic Moments”. I know the movie is gonna have “Michael Bay Humorous Moments”. I know the movie is gonna have incredible action and adventure involving robots AND humans. I’m fine with all of these things. I know what this movie is going to be and I cant wait to see it.
Ask Alfie,
I’ve loved everything I’ve seen so far and it’s not because I’m blinded by my excitement. That is so condescending and egotistical. To believe that the only way someone could actually like what they’ve seen is because they are simply “blind’ to the fact that everything has been shitty. I mean really, to believe so whole-heartedly in the infalibility of your own opinion that you can belittle someone else’s opinion as merely being “blinded” by their own excitement. Having nothing to do at all with a persons right and ability to see things differently than others.
Does everyone like the color blue? Is it everyone’s favorite color?
Of course not, and nor should it be. If everyone liked the same thing then there would be one of everything. There is too much diversity in the world for people to believe that everyone should like what they like. Making statements like Anyone who thinks Bay is the right man for the job is an idiot, or Anyone who likes these designs or any of the changes that Bay and crew have made are just stupid just proves how narrow minded and egotistical that person is. Why is your opinion “right” and my opinion is “wrong”. Why am I pathetic and blinded because I like it? Can the same, or worse, not be said about people who dont like the designs? Could I not ridicule you for being a bitching fanboy who’s determined to find fault in everything that they see because they are actually so pissed off at life and the world in general that the only way they can make themselves feel better is by ragging on someone else’s creativity? Of course I could, but what would that do? What purpose would that serve other than to prove how ignorant and immature I am and showcase what little reasoning power I have. If you cant defend your side of the argument any better than that then you shouldnt be allowed to speak. Saying someone is pathetic simply because they dont share your opinion on movie robot designs merely proves how pathetic and you are.
I dont insult people who dont share my opinion, I simply state my side and offer theories as to why I believe what I do.
If everyone on the internet behaved that way then maybe internet fans would get a little more respect. But for me to say that everyone SHOULD behave that way would make me no better than them. My way is not THE way.
Think what you wanna think. If you want to hate what you’ve seen, go ahead and hate it. If you want to spend the next 5 months puking and moaning about everything that Bay does, go ahead and moan.
As for me, I’m going to spend the next five months doing the same thing that I’ve done for the last year. Eagerly anticipate a movie that I think looks awesome.
Oh and the comment that everyone loved Armageddon was priceless. Almost lost my coffee over that one.
I hope for the fans the movie turns out well. I am curious though I can never get past the stigma the this is series that turned toys into marketing machines.
John,
Don’t be embarrassed about your love of the Transformers. Man, i’m right there with you. The Transformers were a major part of my childhood and I can’t explain, any better than you did, how excited I am about this movie. The fact that Michael Bay and ILM are involved in this project just makes it all the more exciting for me.
I’m right there with you man.
Jay,
touche. well said man.
alfie and harvey,
what i meant by dark and badass was basically based on the trailer, hwich was ultimatly only trying to sell the fact that this is not a kids movie. and yes i realize that kids are going to eat this thing up, but since it takes itself seriously enough, so will older action fans. with that said, its a damn good thing they are going to lighten it up with humor, because the concept is ridiculous. but if the robots look beleivable enough, which im sure they will, and the movie has a good balance of humor but not so much that it takes itself too lightly, it will work great. a hard task, sure, but regardless, the action will be what people go for.
what i love about this movie that is what, 5 months away?, is that it is very predictable. no i havent and dont plan on reading the script, and no we havent really seen anything of the movie yet, but michael bay makes michael bay movies, and we are getting one with cars and robots and explosions. thats what im loooking forward to, and you would think thats what all the older tformer fans are looking for also, seeing as how they have grown up and are not 10 years old anymore.
also, everything ive read about the 4 scenes they have shown has been incredibly positive, especially the visuals and the blackout transformation. that makes me very excited because really im excited for this movie because it will be so easy ont he eyes.
Hey Harvey,
You better tell Alfie he’s pathetic too, because he hasnt seen the movie yet and he’s already convinced it’s gonna suck.
Oh wait… I guess somebody is only pathetic if they have an opinion that differs from yours. My bad, dude.
But the question can be reversed, Why put down something you havent seen? And dont give me the “We’re only putting down what we’ve seen” crap.
Alfie is convinced that the movie is gonna be a letdown based on what he’s seen. A lot of other people are convinced it’s gonna be great based on what they’ve seen. If one is lame then so is the other.
I happen to love the new designs. I love the complication. I think it adds realism and believability to them.
I absolutely LOVE the fact that Michael Bay is directing this film. I think this because A) I like almost all of Bay’s movies. Obviously I dont like Pearl harbour, but I really like the rest of his flicks. I think he has an eye for action that is unmatched by any other director working. I like his style of story-telling and his (in my opinion) appropriate use humor and heartstrings. I think he understands his place and stlye perfectly.
I love the fact that there will be a human element to this story. I am looking forward to seeing Shia’s character grow over the course of the movie. Specifically his interacting with girls. I think it will help to endear Bumblebee to the audience. I think it will give the relationship between he and Shia weight and therefore give each character a reason to fight for each other as well as the rest of the “good-guy” humans and the Autobots. Let’s not forget that the VAST majority of the audience for this movie will NOT be lifelong, fanatical, obsesive Transformer fans like the few of us here and elsewhere around the internet. Need I remind everyone of how much effect the internet fans had on Snakes on a Plane. Internet fanboys are not as numerous as some of you may think. This movie has to appeal to more than just what fanboys want. Amovie about nothing but robots would not appeal to a mass audience. General audiences want someway to feel connected to the events of this film and having a human element as well as a romantic element will help service that need. General audiences will not have the 20 year history fresh on their brain. They will not already know about the connection between the Bumblebee and Sam. They will need things like the “herbie date” scene to help sell the relationship. Humor helps endear characters. Having scenes that let us laugh at the robots in a non-condescending way will help with our affection for them. Since we laughed with them, we will care more about them when they are in danger.
This movie isnt for fanboys alone. This movie is also for the people who havent carried on a love affair with the Transformers for the last 20 – 25 years.
“We all lose out”
Yeah…
Like when we “lost out” when we didnt get to see Wolverine in yellow and blue spandex. Or when we didnt get to see Batman in a light blue and gray fabric costume. Both of those things would have looked ridiculous in the reality of movies. Thank god the producers and directors and studios had the sense to think they knew what would work better in the medium of film. I think they have made some excellent changes and needed improvments to the source material. Thank god Bay understands the fact that what works in cartoons and comic books doesnt always translate well into the real world environment of a movie.
I believe this movie is going to be fantastic.
You dont agree, that’s fine, but if someone is pathetic for thinking it’s going to be good then you’re pathetic for thinking it’s going to be bad.
Pearl Harbor was a glorified episode of the Maury Povich show.
your fear is well justified because it is going to be there you can count on it
PLEASE DON’T SUCK! PLEASE DON’T SUCK! PLEASE DON’T KILL PRIME, DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.
Transformers always a hot topic.
I fear a stupid romance like Pearl Harbor had.
7-4-7, muthafuckers! May is going to have three big movies, but Transformers is going to eat up the scraps!
Btw people, repeat after me: PLAESE DON’T SUCK! PLEASE DON’T SUCK! PLEASE DON’T KILL PRIME, DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
just to add to my previous comment….Michael Bay is the reason why the movie will not rock…..I hope he doesn’t fuck it up coz I am really looking forward to this movie…..
Hey wasn’t Michael Bay supposed to direct Aquaman 2 and Ari broke the news to Vinny as if it was a bad thing…..and their response was ” Oh Hell No….”….so yeah he definitely sucks….the only reason bad boys 1 and 2 were user appreciated is because as far as I remember every movie Will Smith is in opens at the top of the box office….so he was the reason why people liked those movies….not Michael Bay…..everything else he’s done was a grand dud
terrance can you show me who has said that they want to see the transformers look exactly like they did in the cartoon?
Because I keep seeing that accusation made against people who hate the new designs but I have yet to see anyone say what it is you are accusing them of.
I haven’t seen anyone say that. What I have seen and what I have said myself is why they had to change every single thing until the in no way resemble the classic transformer look at all.
I agree megatron as a gun would be silly but he also looks silly as the fucking giant-spikey-squiggly-man that he is going to be in this film.
I think boxy robots would look silly but I think the designs they have gone with are overly complicted ugly looking things.
The changes are just way too drastic obviously changes had to be made but just like you guys probably think I am just going to hate anything they do just because I hate it so much I really believe some of you are just going to like anything they dish out and that you are blinded by your excitemnt. I hope you are not let down but some of you are already reaching unobtainable levels of hype…….
be careful….
Hey Alfie, true enough, PC is on the side of Will, except that all our comments are based on what has been released so far, designs, script, scenes, the directors filmography, not some vague judgement on something nobody has seen. but point taken.
In the end, I just like to see people( i.e. Hollywood) respect the original creators vision for whatever film and not try not to make it more “cool” or “current”. Adaptations done well? LOTR…check, Spiderman 2… check, Batman Begins…check, Serenity…check. the list is huge for both sides of the argument.
Later
Fucking right John! Or Gio. Whatever.
This movie looks amazing so far. The designs are perfect updates for the REAL world. It’s sad how many of you still pine for trigger crotches and boxes for arms. sad.
I understand upgrading and changing thungs to go with the times but those robots just look ridiculous to me. They do not look like transformers at all…..did the changes really have to be so totally drastic…
but in all fairness to will harvey we are doing the exact same thing as him only theopposite opinion…it just so happens that ours is more than likely the right one!
Hey Alfie, I am on your page man. Why make the Transformers at all if you are going to change everything.
And Will, your pathetic. You have not even seen the movie and you are commenting that this movie is all dark and badass. Sounds lame to me after what they showed at the toy fair. Why stick up for something you have not even seen? And there are people out here who are not fanatical fanboys, we just want to see things done right and with respect.
Stick to the source material, when producers, directors, and writers think that they have better ideas than the original, we all lose out.
Kristina, well done in giving actual lame reasons why this movie will suck. I read a preview of the script on the net and it read like a bad Fox t.v. sitcom.
will I just read you rpost…a darker film?
Hey I would love that but that trailer will in no way reflect what this film will be because if you think they are not going to be targetting 8 year olds with the final product you are crazy.
have you read the report from the 20 minute screening at the toy fare??
Optimus is peed on by a dog…they have a slapstick scene where the autobots are all clumsy and come across like johnny 5….and then there is bumblebee playing match maker with the kid and his lady..
That sounds really dark….
John…you’ve lost your mind
i with you on the fanboy thing john. transformers the movie was the first movie i saw in the movie theaters and the first movie i cried in. DAMN YOU MEGATRON!! that alone will get me into the theaters. but the scenes i read about seem corny and stupid. the last thing i want to see is the bastardization of characters i love. the autobots are smart don’t make them into robot ninja turtles. give me intelligent, strong prime. give me inexperienced, but dependable bumblebee. and starscream better be the backstabbing asshole we know and love (dont fuck up the voice)
i dont care about who the girl is, i dont care who’s in the military. the only humans i care about is spike and sparkplug. i really hope this comes out good. pleace michael bay DONT FUCK THIS UP.
peace….
if transformers was the bush administration this site would be its fox news.;P
bay is not the perfect director for this.
he would be if he knew his limitations but that is his problem. he doesn’t he thinks he is a better storyteller and director than he is. he thinks he makes important films. if he just embraced the fact that he is a b grade hack who can shootamighty actuion set piece I wouldn’t hate him so much but he thinks he he can produce tears in a film as fucking ridiculous as armageddon. he stuffs melodrama into films that do not need it.I fucking bet you anything that he does it here too….I bet he stuffs it with ridiculous shit that doesn’t need to be there…not to mention he is completely humourless about himself and the films reflect that.plus does the report from the 20 minute screening held last week not worry any of you? goofy clumsy transformers involved in slapstick comedy schtick for cheap laughs? a dog peeing on one of them? fucking bumblebee playing herbie and helping the kid on his date???
Nostalgia is nice but when they change the property and its characters to a point where they in no way resemble their original counterparts how do you get nostalgic about that? again I understand changing the looks..the originals would look silly but they in no way shape or form look like transformers. and the designs are fucking hidious.
I am sure the effects will be nice but lets face it – effects are so rampant these days that this film is notoging toblow minds effects wise like say jurassic park or gollum. Big steel robots..big deal…steel is easy. skin., fur – real things looking real is hard if you know what I mean. plus if effects are all I needed I would just watch someones showreel..I need more and bay will be unable to give that.
The trailer was not amazing. It was not mind blowing. It was par for the course for this type of film. If you were not interested in seeing this film that trailer would hardly change your mind…..I am not saying it was bad but it lookedlike a generic summer action film.
and as for what tad hamilton said about it being the robots movie not ours….well, wasn’t it you john who once said never believe a thing that comes out of any celebrities mouth because they arre all dirty liars????
you told us they say that type of shit when they are selling you something…I believe thats what you told us on the audio edition…..is that foreveryone or just everyone except people involved in transformers??
you know I love getting into this film with you campea…..trust me I want it to be good.
like you more than any other toy transformers was king for me. but to see it in the hands of a souless hack like bay bums me out. and people don’t hate him because “its all the rage” we hate him for bad boys, armageddon, pearl harbor (especially pearl harbor), the island and bad boys 2. yes the rock was good. in fact the rock was great but one out 6 is not a good record. and it was what 10 years ago???
I wish it was in the hands of someone where we wouldn’t know exactly what we are going to get but in all honesty do you think he is going to have any surprises in there?? of course not. he is bay.I czan almost picture the entire film in my head right now and I bet when I see it I had 95% of it right.
anyway it cannot come soon enough. I really hope I am wrong and I hope I come here and have to apologise to all of you but my gut tells me I won’t be.
Dog pee jokes, clumsy robots, bumblebee the matchmaker -not good signs……
One reason why Transformers might suck
SHIA LEBOEUFEUEWS
And have you read that report fom the Toy Fair about certain scenes that were showed? Man, it sounds ridiclulous! Optimus Prime getting pissed on by a dog? Bumblebee in car mode playing Sexual Healing so Shia’s character can get it on with that hot chick? Yikes.
matt,
the trailer sucked? really? i dont beleive you for one second. if you have a pulse, you know how badly that trailer kicked your ass. you can hate on this movie all you want for other reasons(all of which i think are incredibly stupid and mis-informed) but theres no way you could have been let down by the trailer.
also, i think the advertising for this movie is going to drive me crazy. they arent gonna give us any good looks at a robot or a transformation until opening night —i think that is brilliant, by the way— but its still going to make me go crazy.
and John, youre correct, Bay is perfect for this. and thank god they’ve made changes, because if they didnt this movie would be a huge laugh. its risky enough to have these badass robots being able to speak english and interact with humans, and some of you want the original cartoon transforming noise, box like designs, and all of this other madness that would make a very very stupid movie. thank god bay is too smart to allow any of that.
you would think the fans would have grown up by now, and would be looking forward to this darker badass movie, but it seems you all want a movie for 8 year olds. fanboys drive me crazy.
anyways, im pumped for 747
I appreciate the enthusiasm that you show for this project John, and I check your site nearly every day for the exceptional comments and viewpoints on movies that I enjoy watching, but I have to disagree with you on this one. I would love!! to see a good adaptation of Transformers. I imagine I am nearly the same age as you, so I grew up with the Transformers consuming my child life completely. So this is why I am to the point of not wanting to see this movie at all. This movie is being made almost entirely for nostalgia reasons, and if this is why they made this movie, why change all of the transformer designs along with the original story and characters? Might as well just make a giant robot movie that has nothing to do with the original transformers. the only reason to call it Transformers… is to get the older folks coming in who were fans of the original.
Micheal Bay? The Island was decent. Everything else Bay did pretty much sucked to the point that no special effects could make me enjoy the movie. Corny, hamfisted, cheese. Hey Bay, look to Christopher Nolan and Peter Jackson on how to adapt a beloved cultural icon.
ILM? Revenge of the Sith is a prime example that only relying on good special effects cannot save a movie. I cannot even sit through any of the new star wars films the acting, dialogue, story, etc is so attrocious. Nearly every movie out today has good special effects. I feel that Firefly’s effects were as good as any space scenes in the new star wars trilogy.
I know this is just a pop culture film, but as far as this movie living up to low expectations? Call me not impressed… as far as a good representation of the cartoon we all loved.
HAHA… I was wondering how long it would take someone to try to make a “5 reasons the movie will suck list”. Ok Matt:
1) The Rock is amazing. Bad Boys is pretty highly user rated (although i didn’t like it myself), I thought The Island was really undreappraciated.
BUt you’re missing the point. He is the right guy for THIS project. Your’s point doesn’t address this at all.
2) The trailer was pretty much universally praised by everyone. You’re entitled to your opinion though. I respect that.
3) no one is strong in that cast??? By “strong” do you just mean “big name”? Besides… this movie isn’t about the hman characters.
4) No one said nostalgia equals greatness. But it’s a factor, when accompanied by others, does.
5) This is your personal preference, so i can’t debate it.
I thought everyone liked The Rock, and Con Air, and Armageddon, and Bad Boys 1&2…hmm… o well, i guess i was wrong
5 Reasons Why The Transformers will suck!
1. Michael Bay is directing – seriously, his career is filled with terrible movie after terrible movie. How can anyone be excited about seeing the director of The Island helming this?
2. Trailer was terrible – come on, it was.
3. The cast – Hardly a strong actor/actress in the whole bunch, worrying sign indeed for such a big movie.
4. Nostalgia doesn’t equal greatness… just look at The Phantom Menace.
5. It’s the Transformers – ok maybe i’m being biased now because I was never a fan of the series, but a movie about big stupid robots doesn’t do anything for me!
After seing 371 episodes of Transformers i am getting pretty psyched for this smovie, that is for sure
HAHA! Must’ve been a slow start to the week, eh John??? Or do I really have to call you Gio now?
Anyways, I’m always willing to talk TF, and I think I drove my theatre manager friend insane enough to the point to actually FINALLY give me a poster (YA BABY) but “le creme de la creme” will be when I bust into the midnight showing the night before to watch it with him and his staff!
BOO YA! Can’t wait! 7-4-7
I’ve been sold on this movie since I heard that it was being made. Who cares if Michael Bay is directing it, as long as its a good, fun, film, filled with robots beating the hell out of each other? And John, Gio, whatever you’re going by these days, I too need to agree with Larry and Jagmir, not only is your enthusiasm contagious, you’ve also covered all the bases in your post. Cant wait for the live show on Friday!
I dont understand what everyones beef with Micheal Bay is, I love his style!
Your enthusiasm is infectious. You’ve managed to actaully make me excited for a Michael Bay movie. Hell must be getting cold.
What will we do after we see the premier.
I will be praying for “T-2” and 1 hour of extra footage added to
the Transformers DVD.
Ok, I’m not nearly as sold on this movie as you are Gio, but I just wanted to drop in here and say your enthusiasm and love of movies is what brings me to The Movie Blog, and this post sort of epitomizes that. I hope it does indeed rock.
hold on….need adult diaper…..
OK..I can’t add anything to what John has written. I’m sold! This movie will definitely rock. Even if the plot sucked, with Industrial Light & Magic, the effects themselves will save this flick.
Thats why I have hope that the Halo movie will do ok, even if IL&M doesn’t touch it. Current special effects technology just keeps getting better and better…