Transformers

Michael Bay on Transformers 3, Haiti

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Michael Bay is hard at work on Transformers 3, which is scheduled to go into active production this summer.  I’m excited for it, although I have some hopes that after Michael Bay’s Transformers 3, Hasbro pulls a Spider-Man and reboots the series.  I have a feeling that someone like J.J. Abrams would do a great job with it, though two of his writers were the primary writers of Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

The third film is written by the third part of the writing team from the second film.  Alone.  So who knows… Michael Bay fills us in on both the feel of the script for the third film, as well as his work to help out Haiti:

Hello everyone,

Busy scouting – Chicago, Detroit, and Washington D.C. for Transformers last week. Things are going well. The script is feeling very different from the other two. I ended my scout down in Miami this weekend to load my plane with 14 Florida Surgeons, specialists in various fields and flew them down to Haiti. We then returned with a planeload of a team of exhausted Miami Fire rescue. It is proving very difficult for these volunteers to get back home.

They say the news hardly gives the true scope of what really happened. They really feel about 500,000 probably died. One of the worst stories I heard from people down there – because of the huge lack of education in Haiti – when the earthquake struck – everyone ran inside buildings most likely to their graves. The state of Florida is really pulling their weight in this massive effort.

Michael

So, he’s scouted for locations in Chicago, Detroit and Washington D.C.  Nice.  I live about 3 1/2 hours from both Chicago and Detroit, so even though I don’t think I’ll have time, I’d love to try to be an extra in the film, if he settles on it.  He did shoot in Detroit on the first film, and I think Washington D.C.  Not sure about Chicago, though.

One thing that I really loved about it, though: “The script is feeling very different from the other two.”  I hope this is different in a positive direction.  For example: focus more on the robots.  It’s called “Transformers.”  Not “Humans, with special guests, the Transformers!”  I have heard that they’re cutting it back to a movie about a boy and his robot, which is fine with me, so long as Bumblebee can speak this time around.  I’m also hoping that they take the time to actually build up the Autobot characters as well as the Decepticons.

I’d also appreciate a less vulgar film than the second one.  It’s based on toys for kids, it should be MARKETABLE toward kids.  A film that full of innuendo, cursing and all that is not.

I have to hand it to Michael Bay for helping with Haiti, though, regardless of his sense of humor and swearing habits.

You can see pictures from Michael Bay’s trip on his blog.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Review, and my TF2 Wish List

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

I still need to decompress what I’ve just witnessed.  While I don’t appreciate, or approve of, Michael Bay’s sense of humor, I do think he finally got something right: he let the Transformers hold actual conversations with each other.  The Autobots spoke more, and the Decepticons definitely spoke a lot more this time around.

I would shave a bit off of the beginning of the movie.  Anyone that’s seen it will probably agree: the Pretender, and the first conversation between Sam and Mikaela weren’t really necessary.

Anyway, there are a lot of things that I would like to say about the movie, but I want to bring up something I wrote in 2007: My wishlist for Transformers 2.

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My Most Anticipated Movies of June 2009: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Land of the Lost

Monday, June 1st, 2009

This month features my choice for my potential favorite film of the year. With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen hitting on the 24th, it’s the date that I am looking forward to the most. Land of the Lost also launches this month, but it’s only a side trip on the way toward the biggest movie release of the year.
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The Transformers – The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition

Monday, April 13th, 2009

The Transformers - Season 1: 25th Anniversary EditionIt’s about time they re-released this.  No offense to Rhino, but the first release of this cartoon was just not up to par. It was a good and noble effort, but it was nothing to really write home about. The menu system left much to be desired, and the features seemed equally slapped together. Not to mention that the menu was so poorly designed, that it wasn’t until months later that I discovered some features that I didn’t even know were actually on the set.

This edition is from a different DVD studio called Shout! Factory. And they’ve pulled out all of the stops on this release. Not only that, but one of the features that they list for the set makes it well worth the upgrade if you’ve already got it: Restored to the original broadcast versions with a new stereo soundtrack created from the original audio.

Other features:

  • Triplechanger: From Toy To Comic To Screen: The Origins Of The Transformers
  • Printable Transport to Oblivion Script
  • Rare PSAs
  • Archival Hasbro toy commercials
  • Limited Edition Autobot magnet inside

The release date for this set is June 16, 2009.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Robot List, IMAX scenes, and Megan Fox

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

I’ve just found the list of the robots that will be in the film on both sides of the war. If you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read it. For the rest of us that could care less about who appears in it, and just would like to know, read on. I think there are some pretty great ones.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Robot List

Autobots – Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Arcee, Jetfire, Jolt, Skids & Mudflap (The Twins)

Decepticons – Starscream, Sideways, The Fallen, Scorponok, Soundwave, Ravage, The Doctor, Wheelie, Demolishor, Devastator (Scavenger, Scrapper, Hightower, Longhaul, Rampage, Overload, Mixmaster)

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Frank Welker to voice Soundwave in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

SoundwaveIn a turn of events that I had not expected, another Transformers veteran is set to return to the fold. Joining Optimus Prime’s voice actor Peter Cullen is Frank Welker. Frank Welker gave voice to Megatron and Soundwave among other characters in the original Transformers animated series. Fans have spoken up about bringing him on board and Michael Bay responded:

I think I’m going to pursue Frank on Soundwave.

Michael

A very succinct and exciting proposition. This movie just gets bigger and bigger all the time!

My Most Anticipated Movies of 2009

Sunday, February 15th, 2009

I figured that, since we’re getting closer to the summer movie schedule, now would be as good a time as any to post my list of movies that I anticipate seeing over the course of 2009. It’s definitely a truncated list, based on what I knew was coming out at the end of 2008. All release dates are subject to change, and additions to the list are a definite possibility.

The list of films is grouped by month. It starts out with April and goes to December. At the beginning of each month, I’ll be posting a new entry more information about each of the movies for that month, including (if available) a trailer for the film. I’ll also be expanding on my reasons for wanting to see the film, and whatever else strikes me at the time.

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First Images from Transformers 2 reveal: more of the same?

Sunday, December 28th, 2008

Well, the first images have been released for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. It is due for release at the end of June, 2009. That will be two years since the first one, and I am extremely excited for it. It’s rumored to, this time, be a good fifty-fifty mix of robot-human screentime. Hopefully the third one is then 75/25 robot/human.

Anyway, today, Empire Online has released three pictures from the set. One of those features Megan Fox and Shia LeBeouf running away from danger, another features an action sequence with a van either flying through the sky, or it could be an unfinished shot with a decepticon holding onto it. The third is in Egypt, with a pyramid.

For now, it leaves me wondering if the scenes in Egypt are going to mirror the ones from the first film. They were my least favorite sequences that time around. But if it features the establishment of a base for either side, where they actually gather to form plans: that is all the better and will surprise me in a good way.

Lookin’ forward to this one!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Shooting IMAX sequences

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

This is one of the most exciting things that I have heard in some time. My favorite movie of 2007 was Transformers, primarily because I grew up watching Transformers. That and Peter Cullen, the original voice of Optimus Prime, returned to reprise his role.

The movie was fun and, every time the Transformers appeared, I was blown away. There just wasn’t enough time with the Transformers. They were only on screen for about 25% of the film, if that.

For movie 2, I created a want list for the sequel that I’ll be posting again after seeing the sequel, along with my analysis of how I feel they did, and how much they may have met my expectations or not.

Now, thanks to the inspiration of The Dark Knight, Michael Bay is joining the crowd of those that are filming sequences with IMAX cameras. These are films that deserve to be seen on IMAX, and Michael Bay is the right man for the job.

Read the full press release after the break.

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