@Anil: Wow you felt that way about ROTS too? Everyone I’ve met loved it. I could tell they thought I was an idiot. It had big action scenes and it was HIGHLY epic but to me it felt like the character performances were a bit lackluster. And what was Obi-Wan vs. Anakin on Mustafar? FUCK! He as much admitted in ROTJ that he tried to turn him back from the Dark Side (I think it was in the novel…. or not) and yet in ROTS all he did was lecture and preach and basically give off the impression “I’m no here to argue. I’m going to provoke you then hope you attack me thus giving you reason to launch an offensive.” And seriously, Anakin could go from being Hero of the Republic, Light of the Jedi, Hope of the Galaxy, to baby-killer in just ten minutes flat?! Yes I admit he could probably kill the Jedi but I don’t think he was THAT far gone to go THAT far. In the book Rise of Darth Vader it says he killed them because he rationalized that they were orphans and better off. It would have been better for them to SHOW that in the movie.

Whoa. Now I’m rambling. Anil, my MSN messenger is ghostfalcone@live.com. If you want, we can talk more about this there. Ciao!

Styles and designs have changed over time as the brand targeted new audiences and customers. And why shouldn’t the transformations be complicated? It’s a freaking movie.

I expected as much, but never it being quite as bad. I mean Mega Fox is eye candy, but to put her in the first seconds of her screen time, on a bike, glossed lips, colouring (yes I am British)…she might as well have been playing with herself…it was too obvious and to be honest crude. Her lips were constantly glossed in this movie. Good luck on that future oscar Megan…

My main beef is that as a 80s fanboy, who knows still to this day a little too much about the mythology than he should, these movies were always going to fall short. The transformations are too complicated, for heavens, didnt Bay look at the toys for inspiration at all?

The script stank. Apart from the really human elements such as Sam wanting to lead a normal life, relationships, the Fallen was just there to add menace. Back stories, in the same vain as AVP are not strong enough, anyone can make shit up about what happened 3000 years ago, then bury it in Petra (there you go Jammer, from the Last Crusade, well spotted). Like Revenge of the Sith, I felt disappointed, I tried not to be…but I was. Maybe I was expecting too much, but whats wrong with wanting something to be done well???

Michael Bay has spoilt this franchise, its now a money maker, pure and simple, Like the Matrix (film), the subsequent sequels seemed to have been churned out to make money, with a story a distant second.

The Transformers themselves needed to be somewhat similar to the toys, it could have been done, but it wasnt. Optimus has a mouth, WTF! Megatron looks like a bashed in fireplace. When this much thought went into the 2 leaders, what hope is there for the rest of the characters. Case in point, at the end of the film we are introduced to Devastator, having introduced the concept of the Fallen, then the Matrix of Leadership, we are now given the Gestalts, 5+ tranformers combining to form a bigger one.

Fantastic in the cartoons, but Devastator, who designed him? A child? He looks like crap and when he was destroying stuff (yes thats the best way I can describe his reason for being) I heard Megatron scream his name…”DEVASTATOR!!!” Why? Why Megatron? Did Michael Bay tell you to do that off camera, so we the audience would know that Devastator had a reason for being there?

And yes the Fallen was defeated far too easily. Optimus was given magic dust from Jetfire (I am still having issues with the speech/voice given for him) and slaughtered the poor Fallen.

Game Over.

“I am Optimus Prime!” (We know that, we saw the first film)

I also can’t wait for the season 5 Blu-Ray. I’m hoping to get more insights on how Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse managed to put such a complex season together.

I must say, this is the way to watch a serialized TV series, and it’s probably a much different experience than watching it unfold over the course of several years. Instead, I’ve seen most of it over the course of a few weeks.

Maybe I’ll do a Lost thread with some general thoughts at some point later this summer, or before next season. One thing I will say now is that I didn’t know beforehand that the show was as deeply character-driven as it is. I was surprised and impressed as I learned that.

Lost is phenomenal. I really hope you enjoy it. I watched the first four seasons twice now and it was even better the second time around. I’m planning on a second viewing of the fifth season sometime this summer. Will you do a review of the show? I think it would be cool if you wrote a separate review for each season. I would much rather a review of Lost as opposed to the rest of TNG. Here’s hopin’!

Doubtful. Probably won’t see it until DVD or later, and by then, no one will care.

I also agree that Tony Scott should not be placed anywhere near Mr. Bay. Tony may not be as talented or good as his older brother, but he’s made some pretty respectable movies.

@Lizard: “Lost.”

What is the TV show that you are currently mass-viewing? Just curious.

I still hold Enemy of the State and Man on Fire in high esteem for all there faults, because there can be genuine character development and soul to his movies.