Autobots, Transform, and Roll Out!

Indeed, Optimus Prime's voice just rings so true in my head... ahem... I guess you can already tell I've watched the new Transformers live-action movie. Yeah, can't keep me far away from something like that! :P

Anyway, I've got quite a bit of expectations to fulfill when it comes to my favorite childhood toys/animation, so here are my rants/raves of it (minor spoilers warning!):

• The Transformers were animated well... major kudos to the guys who worked on it... only issue is that sometimes I can't figure out heads from shoulders (nor can my wife, who has only a vague recollection of the G1 TFs) - maybe I was a little overwhelmed, coz I was watching it from a iMAX sized screen!
  
• So maybe this was more tuned in for non-fans, y'know, folks who never watched the TF G1 (Generation One - the first seasons of the TF cartoons) series, or THE original '86 TF Movie, don't know Optimus from Rodimus, Megatron from Galvatron... but what was wrong with the original idea of the good 'ol Cybertronian Matrix of Leadership, Bay? I mean, AllSpark? Is that the best they could do? When I read about him talking abt it, it wasn't too bad... but seeing it for myself, well, I kinda felt let down that a beautiful thing like the Matrix of Leadership is replaced by... a black cube. Sigh.
  
• TOO MUCH CLOSE-UPS in combat scenes!!! Gawd dammit if I am gonna watch a movie about gigantic robots duking it out I wanna watch some of the action from a spectator's view, not from the CHARACTERS' view... I mean a few pan-ins to the characters is fine, but stop swinging your camera around the battles as if you are holding a damn hand-held camcorder!
  
• Megan Fox is hawt!!! :D
  
• Ok, so we all agree that Megan Fox looks smokin' hot, but I could do without the corny jokes and romantic blah-blah inserted. Stick to the original formula of having the humans as "compatriots" to the Transformers than being the "Chosen One" to defend humanity. I'm here from the 'bots, not your replacement for Sparkplug/Spike/Daniel (the -very different- WitWicky family featured in the original G1 cartoons)
  
• Sometimes one simply cannot sense a 3-storey-tall robot - no, make that FOUR 3-storey-tall robots - stomping around the backyard... :P
  
• Wished there was a kick-ass money-shot sequence... like Optimus' run thru the Decepticons during the "Assault of Autobot City" on Earth.
  

[END RANT/RAVE]

So... what are you waiting for, huh? Stop worrying about what a little kiddy-w00t-mad-fan like me have to say abt the movie and GO WATCH IT for yourself! NOWWWW!!!

btw, here's a nice CGI visualization of what Optimus might have looked if they stuck to the original G1 Toy's Cab-over design... looking at where his hands are supposed to magically slide out, I guess it would still involve some redesigning for Optimus to look like our favorite toy, and yet keep the reality aspect of it intact. Nonetheless, this design + video is the amazing work of an independent animator (and most-likely TF fan), so give him kudos by checking out his official site after watching the video!

VT shooting: Student victims - R.I.P

Since it's at the top headline of every news outlet in the whole wide world, I thought I'd toss my 2 cents on this matter as well...

/rant-on

First of all, it don't matter if the gunman was White, Black, Hispanic or Asian. He's a mentally disturbed kid. A real narcissist with false perceptions of bravado. Disturbing is also how he meticulously set each step of his attack... even chaining the double doors on the first floor.

I was watching the news about his "manifesto"... that whole line of BS talking about the Columbine killers being martyrs? Or how you wanna die like JC? You're kidding, right? Pffft. You know what, buddy? You're GREAT at throwing excuses for your own problems... problems that you don't wanna face and don't wanna find help for. It's like over-using your credit cards coz you know ya gonna die and don't wanna worry about handling the bills. Geez, I mean if you wanna sh*t yourself into a hole, go on ahead... just don't believe that your 'Hey, check it out I'm the Dual-Pistol Killer' plot of living forever in the minds of people will work as you think.

From now on, your face, your image will be marked as the worst sign of mental & emotional weakness.

From now on, your family will be shamed with failing to address your personal issues. Your parents will be blamed for your upbringing.

From now on, your plot will be known as the plan for a stoopid person who decided to go on a shooting spree for some selfish and immature personal reasons. No better than some misguided suicide bomber.

I'm glad you blew your own face away coz you don't deserve to face anyone of your victims. You better hope and pray that your parents and family members will be able to find peace in all of this fiasco, for many many many years to come...

/rant-off

To the victims, may you rest in peace - you will be missed. To their families and close friends, I hope you will find peace after the storm, and slowly comprehend that this one event truly is nothing anyone could have possibly imagined happening. Our prayers are with you all.

AP photo courtesy of CNN