Transformers: More Than What Meets The Eye

I completely disagree with the Transformer reviews I’ve been reading. As the good little geek that I am I saw the movie last night. The movie is fantastic from start to finish with spectacular special effects and a great sense of humor. I especially liked the fact that Transformers was not made out to be a cheezy special-effects only movie. They developed the story starting with a geeky teenager and his first car to the initial dramatic transformation that lets you soak up the full glory of what a Transformer is -- later you see the awesome power of their capabilities.

Along with thousands of other 80’s kids, you just know that Michael Bay was one of those kids that held a Hasbro transformer in his hand and went off to fight Megatron leader the Decepticons. All grown up, Bay sends his transformers into the air twisting, turning, and shooting, while they transform into gigantic, rock-em-sock-em, battle-ready robots.

The explosions are fabulous, the alien creatures transform themselves in ways that leaves you gawking like a six year old and humans are not completely helpless. The supporting characters surrounding the Transformers and the main characters do what they’re supposed to do and they do a great job of it. However, I will agree that one character (and only this one character) was just an annoyance and was really unnecessary.

The fight actions with the big bangs and ‘BOOM” in the movie was thrilling and I loved every single one of them. They were exceptionally coordinated and my movie making fantasies images that the stunt drivers and animators had a blast blowing shit up. The visual effects were so stunning that they might as well not nominate any other films for this year's FX Oscar.

Throughout the movie grown-ups can see the little details that will make them giggle and the kids will be screaming “Oh my god! Did you see what he just did?” Oh wait that was me.

Peter Cullen’s reprisal as Optimus Prime’s voice made my inner child giddy. Pay that man whatever he asks. Hugo Weaving’s awesome character voice fit in perfectly for Megatron and Shia LaBeouf made a great geek.

“I AM MEGATRON”

A boy only movie? Definitely not. There are so many girls that love the same thing boys do so why should the movie be classified as a boy’s obsession? It strikes different obsesses for every (geeky) pre-teen - cars, robots, aliens, guns, explosions, and the hottest (most popular) girl at school.

In regards to the bad reviews out there, I just don’t understand them. The 80’s cartoons was quirky why shouldn’t the modern movie be just as quirky? This is a fun movie for those who love fantasy; good verses evil and love to see the underdog win. It’s shows us that the people in the military are genuine people that the most popular girl in school can be just like us geeky girls and outer-galactic robots can be hip. It was never supposed to be a Terms of Endearment romantic drama, it’s an action film. Were we complaining that Die Hard wasn’t a romantic action thriller dramatic storyline? It’s fun and it’s entertaining.

Hasbro sales of Transformers toys are going to explode! There will be Transformers everywhere and Halloween night will be a sea of Megatron, Optimus Prime and Bubble Bee. Kids will see and remember the movie and say, “I want to do that” which will usher in a new generation of animators, computer artists and moviemakers. I for one am looking forward to what they bring when I’m pushing a flame painted walker and cheering right along side the other kids.

Optimus Prime: Autobots, transform and roll out!

Contest: Create 15 to 90-second animated film

Source: Media Post Publications
by Les Luchter,


DIPPIN' DOTS, WHICH SELLS ITS frozen beads of ice cream, yogurt, sherbet and frozen ice in thousands of franchise stores and other locations, has partnered with Santa Monica, CA-based branded entertainment production firm matrixx Productions on a user-generated online contest called the "Adventures of Packy Movie Mash-Up Challenge."

Contestants will use a matrixx-developed, Web-based game tool at Dippin Dots to create 15 to 90-second animated films starring the Dippin' Dots' mascot, Packy. Dippin' Dots said users will be able to easily select various background scenes, animations, props and soundtracks, and they will also have the ability to add bubble-text dialogue similar to a comic book.

The emerging media group at matrix created the content tool in Flash 8 AS2. Following the contest period, the application will live on as a playable game on dippindots.com, and matrix has also seeded social networking profiles on MySpace and Facebook with links to the game.

The Dippin' Dots contest started Friday, with entries due by August 7. A panel of company judges will then select the top five films based on visitor ratings and number of views, as well as creativity and originality.

The selected movies will next be voted on by fellow contest entrants during a two-week period, with the top vote-getter receiving $2,500 and Dippin' Dots for a year.

Following that, Dippin' Dots will post the five finalists on YouTube for another couple of weeks; the most viewed entry there will win a "wildcard" prize of $1,000 and a six-month supply of Dippin' Dots ice cream. Dippin' Dots is based in Paduch, KY.