Podcast 12: Transformers

To celebrate the DVD and Blu-ray release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Jeff, Joel, Lucas and Will discuss all things Transformers. From the original 80’s cartoon and comics to the toys and the recent live-action films we’ve got our giant shape-shifting alien robot bases well covered.

Download: Dork Shelf Podcast 12 (29 MB, MP3, 42:30)
Subscribe: Dork Shelf Podcast RSS Feed
Listen:  

Programme:

• 0:00 — Segue from the last podcast
• 0:30 — “Another Life” by Kano
• 1:30 — Transformers movies, comics, TV show
• 28:15 — “Theme from Transformers” by Russell Lieblich
• 29:00 — More about Transformers
• 41:45 — “Flaming Heart” by Meat Puppets

Discussed:

• Nothin’ but Transformers

How Transformers 2 Should Have Ended

The folks over at How It Should Have Ended are best known for their hilarious animated alternate endings to popular films.  They have finally tackled the cinematic abomination that was Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, showing the many different ways the film probably should have ended.

The HISHE team clearly has a love for Transformers, Michael Bay could learn a thing or two from them.

Via /Film

Review: Transformers Revenge of the Fallen

I had been debating whether or not I should even bother reviewing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen; the new Transformers film has been almost universally panned by critics, but is doing gangbusters at the box office.  Should people even try to critique a film like Transformers 2?  It is a film almost entirely bereft of any redeeming qualities whatsoever.  With a completely nonsensical plot, Transformers is a loud, racist, misogynist explosion fest; My every sense and sensibility was offended.  But others have already stated this, for the most part I share their opinion that Transformers 2 is a genuinely unpleasant experience most of the time.  However, as much as I wanted to hate the movie, the ridiculously amazing robot battles (of which there are many) always brought out that 10 year old boy in me.

Like most boys born in the 1980’s, I grew up watching Transformers and playing with the toys.  I still have many of my original Transformers proudly displayed on my dork shelf to this day.  The toy commercial… I mean cartoon was an indelible part of my childhood;  Optimus Prime was a childhood hero to me.  The kid in me is really happy to see these characters brought to life on the big screen, and it’s even more awesome to hear Peter Cullen (the original voice of Prime) reprise his role as the iconic big bot.

Michael Bay’s obsession with the United States military really shines in this film.  Bay shoots fighter jets and tanks like he shoots the women in the film— like he’s performing a sexual act on them with the camera.  Bay makes the film feel downright pornographic at times.  I’m pretty sure the guy sitting behind me at the theatre was performing a sexual act on himself during the film; every time Megan Fox was on the screen he would either cat-call, yell her name or say something along the lines of, “Look at those tits!”.  Yes, nearly every shot of Megan Fox is either her bending down or running in slow-motion, but keep it in your pants sir!  While I agree that Fox is very nice to look at, such lewd behaviour from the audience pretty bad; a tribute to Michael Bay’s filmmaking I suppose.

The Good

If there is one good thing I can say about the new Transformers film, it is that it really delivers the goods when it comes to robot-on-robot battles.  They fight and they fight often.  The fights are always absolutely brutal, the film would easily be rated a hard R if this were human-on-human violence, but since they’re robots it’s okay.  Industrial Light & Magic is to be commended for their amazing work, the Autobots and Decepticons have real size and weight to them, the true scale of these massive robots is conveyed very well.  My childhood self would have gone into convulsions had I beheld such awesomeness.

The robots are also better characterized this time around.  I was never confused as to which bot was which—with the exception of the generic proto-form Decepticons that show up at the film’s finale, mainly to provide ample cannon fodder.  Fans of Megatron and Starscream bickering will not be disappointed, as the two have several scenes together.

Shia LaBeouf,  I just can’t hate this guy.  He’s genuinely entertaining to watch and manages to hold his own against giant alien robots.

The Bad

Far be it for me to expect any semblance of verisimilitude from a summer blockbuster—or a Michael Bay film dealing with giant alien robots that turn into vehicles for that matter—but some of the leaps Bay expects the viewers to accept are just unbelievable.  I have been to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, many people have.  What I do know for a fact, is that there is no desert resembling Arizona out behind said museum.  I also know that one cannot run in the span of five minutes from the ruins of Petra in Jordan to the Great Pyramids in Egypt.  Nor are Ivy League schools populated entirely by aspiring model/actress types, with nary an ugly or even average looking person in sight.  I really need to remember that I’m talking about a Michael Bay movie though, and not take it so seriously.

The IMAX version of the film uses the IMAX cameras to great effect in several sequences; notably Optimus Prime’s battle against the Decepticons in the forest.  However, during the films finale, Michael Bay’s shoot from the hip style of filmmaking really makes the IMAX feel awkward.  The aspect ratio would quickly change from a normal 35mm anamorphic to the 1.44:1 IMAX ratio between shots and then back again.  This made it a very disorienting and distracting experience for the audience, having the screen size almost double for a split second and then revert back to normal.  <cite>The Dark Knight</cite> did it right; only using IMAX for establishing shots and extended sequences.  Michael Bay really needs to learn how to apply IMAX more effectively.

The story is non-existent and logical plot points are thrown to the wayside so the director can include another sexy shot of Megan Fox, a robot or some heavily armed piece of military hardware.  Don’t even bother to try and follow the story: robots fight and stuff explodes, that’s all you need to know.

The Unforgivable

Skids and Mudflap; the twin robots are meant to provide comic relief in the film.  What they instead provide is a horrific racial stereotype of African-Americans.  Both have exaggerated ears and lips, one has a gold tooth, and when they’re not jive-talking for comedic effect they’re constantly bickering and fighting with one another over inconsequential things. It’s totally inappropriate, and no one seems to want to take responsibility for these blatantly racist depictions. Michael Bay has argued that because the characters are robots, they are exempt from any kind of racial connotations. Judge for yourself if you see the film.

Maybe this is reading too much into the film, but the movie literally ends with the entire might of the United States military; all of their latest weaponry and best soldiers, being used to blow up the Great Pyramids — arguably the best known symbol of the Middle-East. I’m probably giving Michael Bay too much credit, but there are clear allegorical implications to this visual. But hey, the movie had tits, robots and explosions… why should that matter?

Transforminators Trailer

Director’s Michael Bay and McG have been exchanging words over whose giant robot movie will come out on top this summer: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen or Terminator Salvation. At one point McG even challenged Michael Bay to a penis-measuring contest to settle the argument once and for all.

Can’t we all just get along guys? I know this war of words helps build buzz for your respective movies, but if you’d just put aside your egos and made a killer robot movie together we wouldn’t be in this situation. If only a Transforminators movie existed, it might look something like this.

I would go see that movie.

My Little Pony Live-Action Film Trailer

With live-action iterations of Transformers and G.I. Joe both hitting theatres this summer, it’s easy to forget the other 1980’s cartoon/toy-line adaptation that will be coming to a theatre near you in the coming months.  I am of course referring to My Little Pony: Reign of Buttercup Sprinkles.

What a delicious little send up of Michael Bay and company.  Sadly this is not a real film(SHOCK!), but in a few years when the studios start to run out of 1980’s kids cartoons to defile, I’m sure we’ll eventually see a My Little Pony movie.

Transformers 2 Trailer

The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer made its debut on the internet today, featuring more robot-on-robot violence than you can shake a stick at and even more gratuitous shots of a scantily clad Megan Fox.

Transformers 2 Trailer 20 City Sneak Preview

On April 29th, Paramount Pictures will be presenting special one-time screenings of Michael Bay’s 2007 Transformers film in cities across North America.  Attached to the film will be the new trailer for Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.  Toronto will be getting the IMAX version of the film and trailer because we’re lucky enough to be one of the top 5 markets in North America.

But don’t just show up to The Paramount…*ahem* Scotiabank Theatre at 7pm on April 29th since you’ll need a ticket. Paramount has posted an email address for each city where you can RSVP for tickets on a first-come-first-serve basis.  Update: Click Here To Get the RSVP email address.

Torontonions RSVP To: Marketing_Interncda@paramount.com

Transformers Screening Locations and Times

Los Angeles: 7pm at The Bridge Cinema De Lux, in IMAX
New York: 8pm at AMC Loew Lincoln Square in IMAX
San Francisco: 7pm at AMC Metreon in IMAX
Chicago: 8pm at Navy Pier in IMAX
Toronto: 7pm at Scotiabank in IMAX
Philadelphia: 7pm at UA King of Prussia in DIGITAL
Washington DC: 7pm at AMC Georgetown in DIGITAL
Dallas: 7pm at Cinemark Movies 17 in 35MM
Boston: 7pm at AMC Boston Common in 35MM
Phoenix: 7pm at Harkins Tempe Marketplace in Tempe in DIGITAL
Seattle: 7pm at Cinerama in 35MM
Atlanta: 7pm at Regal Atlantic Station in 35MM
Miami: 7pm at AMC Sunset in South Miami in 35MM
Detroit: 7pm ar Emagine Novi in Novi, MI in DIGITAL
San Diego: 7pm at Regal Edwards Mira Mesa in 35MM
Denver: 7pm at UA Colorado Center in 35MM
Sacramento: 7pm at UA Market Square in 35MM
Orlando: 7pm at Premiere Fashion Sq Mall in DIGITAL
Minneapolis: 7pm at AMC Southdale in Edina in 35MM
Baltimore: 7pm at AMC White Marsh in 35MM

Transformers 2 ShoWest Footage Online

Director Michael Bay has posted the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen footage he presented at ShoWest 2009 on his aptly named official site MichaelBay.com. The footage includes an extended clip of Sam and Bumblebee as well as a montage of robot-on-robot action from the film, including our first look at Devastator.

Hit the HD and Fullscreen buttons for explosions, giant robots fighting and gratuitous shots of Megan Fox running in slow-motion.

ShoWest is an annual film and television convention for the industry.  Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen hits theatres on June 24th.

Bay Pursuing Frank Welker for Transformers 2

Fans of the original Transformers cartoon were up in arms when director Michael Bay passed up Frank Welker for the voice of Megatron, the role he originated in the 80’s cartoon. Instead the role of Megatron went to actor Hugo Weaving, with Welker reprising his role only in the Transformers video game that accompanied the film.  The only original voice actor who did return was Peter Cullen, voicing Autobot leader Optimus Prime.

Welker fans rejoice because Michael Bay has stated on his personal message board that he will be pursuing Frank Welker for the role of another Decepticon he voiced on the original cartoon: Soundwave. Yes, everyone’s favourite evil transforming boom-box will be featured in Bay’s upcoming Transformers sequel.  I for one cannot wait to hear Soundwave’s distinctive electronic voice on the big screen.

Michael Bay on Frank Welker @ Shootfortheedit.com