Thoughts on TF:DotM
First off: Happy Independence Day! Please celebrate safely and don't add to the stereotype of stupid Americans. <3
Next up: Will and I went to see TF3 on Saturday. SHEER AWESOMESAUCE I SAY. I'm going to put more detailed thoughts below a cut here. If you do not want spoilers, do not read, because I am not holding back. K?
THOUGHTS ON DARK OF THE MOON
~100 million times better than Revenge of the Fallen, hands down. Just... so much less filler, not nearly as much awkward/fanservice-y stuff (lalalala that scene in the stall never happened I can't hear you lalalalala), many many more gut- and heart-wrenching moments.
~Soundtrack, as always, is beautiful and adds so much to the movie. Needs to be out for purchase NAO. That reprisal of "Arrival to Earth"? GUH. Nearly brought me to tears all on its own.
~Can we please stop with the love interest already? I did not come to see Sam getting frisky with a British almost-model. I came to see giant robots and epic battles and unrealistically big explosions. Not romance and sappy sh!t. (And this is a female making these statements.)
~At first I thought the whole job search subplot was going to be more filler, like the "let's visit Sam's college!" in the last movie. Instead, it turns out to be a rather important plot point (the company he ends up working for has several ties to the plot and the 'Bots/'Cons conflict) with a decent bit of humor thrown in. Nicely played.
~LALALALA THAT SCENE IN THE BATHROOM STALL NEVER HAPPENED LALALALA
~I don't know what that raptor/wyvern/condor assassin thing is, but it is SWEET. Also, the hood thing makes Megs look much cooler.
~Okay. I have to say, quite possibly my favorite part of the movie was when they say they're going to introduce Optimus to Buzz Aldrin (of the moon landing) to tell him what really happened, the hangar doors swing open, and THE ACTUAL BUZZ ALDRIN WALKS ON SCREEN. HOLY HELL. And then Optimus kneels and very humbly and honestly tells him what an honor it is to meet him. Aaaaaaaah cannot process the amazing.
~Chernobyl is FREAKY AS HELL. Like. I already knew what went on there, but actually seeing it (even a replication on screen) gave me chills. That little child's carousel just made it all the more horrifying. There were families and children and real people there when it all happened. Not just faceless Soviet scientists. I turned to Will in the theater and very quietly commented "I wonder how many ghosts haunt that place, even now."
~Shockwave officially controls a Cybertronian sandworm. Trufax.
~IRONHIDE. WHAT THE FRAGGING HELL WHERE DID THAT COME FROM I DON'T EVEN.
~Again. The farewell scene with the quiet, sad piano/orchestral version of "Arrival to Earth"? Tearjerker. Majorly. Especially when Sam is forced to ask that betraying question and Optimus still calls him a true friend and Bumblebee and aaaaaaaah. ;_; And what happens after is just... God. I have the first two OSTs, and I still can't listen to "Bumblebee's Capture" without tearing up (like, I won't even put it on my mp3 player). I have a feeling this track will be the same.
~Ah, Simmons. You're an obnoxious bastard, but I loved that line you had just before liftoff.
~The destruction of Chicago was just terrifying. I knew something like that was probably going to happen, but I wasn't ready for the sheer level of devastation portrayed so realistically. It's not like in the first movie where cars are able to skid to a stop and most people probably get away. You see fleeing human beings vaporized on-screen. Also, the robots now leak fluid (that I'm guessing is energon) when they're seriously hurt, and it's colored red. THIS IS NOT A MOVIE FOR KIDS, PEOPLE. I wouldn't take anyone under 14 to see it, period.
~Even though I knew it had to happen, when Sam and Epps are under fire and Optimus pulls a Big Damn Heroes to save them, and all the other Autobots come screaming in to join them while that triumphant piece plays? I about stood up and cheered in the theater.
~Starscream. WTF was up with him? The other two movies he actually did stuff, and in this one most of his scenes consist of grovelling before Megs. I will say though, that scene with the paratroopers where he takes out all the cargo planes was pretty impressive.
~Speaking of which, Lennox and those paratroopers in the "flying squirrel" outfits were SO COOL. I don't agree with all their policies, but the military has some damn awesome stuff.
~BUMBLEBEE. He's hands-down my fave Autobot (though I flip-flop between "He is EPIC" and "OMG I want to cuddle him" and the others run a close second). Seeing him captured in the first movie was heart-wrenching (see above comments). Seeing him captured and on his knees at gunpoint in this one was pretty hard to take. But watching him get shoved/dragged forward to be executed? Especially after that other Autobot (Cube? something like that) was begging for his life and got shot? And he just stands there quietly with his wide blue eyes and says "We had a good run", and then silently waits to die. No begging, no bargaining. Like a true warrior. I had both hands over my mouth and was close to tears at that point.
~I'll say it flat-out. I think the end of that battle was out of character for Optimus. I can kind of see why he would refuse a truce with Megs. To me, it sounded like an offer to team up and take down Sentinal Prime; and even though Sentinal betrayed them, I don't think Optimus would ever turn on his mentor like that. (Apparently this offer is presented differently in the novelization.) Plus by this point, Optimus has put up with three movies' worth of shenanigans from Megs; I don't think even he would trust that Megs would truly change. But to shoot Sentinal like that, while he's begging for his life? Without even offering forgiveness or anything? I'm a newbie to the TF fandom, and my first reaction was "Optimus Prime would not do that." Again, I can kiiiiinda understand why (if someone that close to you betrays you that badly, I don't know if the trust could ever be rebuilt), but the way it was scripted and carried out seemed a bit poorly done to me.
(Will and I disagree on this one. He thinks both killings were OOC. But then, Will has been into TF since G1 and has a better, more rounded feel for Optimus' character, whereas I only have the movie-verse to draw from. However, we both like the novel ending better than the movie, so take that as you will.)
All in all, a ripping good film and a definite improvement over the last one. I give it 9/10 stars and will definitely be getting the DVD when it comes out.
Thing the next (I lost count): fanfics, not mine. Good ones, too. Youngling, Little Brother, and Sparkling (unfinished, it seems). Nightmare is also entertaining, and mentioned in the others on occasion. All of them involve little!Bumblebee (who is made of adorableness and squee) and his interactions with the other 'Bots. Youngling is the longest and most extensive, as well as involving the most characters (Grimlock and the other Dinobots make an appearance, as do some 'Bots and 'Cons I don't recognize). Little Brother is set during the first Bay movie, while the 'Bots are hauling tail towards the Hoover Dam. Sparkling precedes Youngling by a bit. Nightmare is set during the early bit of Youngling and is hysterical ('Bots watch scary movie in the same room as Bee. Bee gets nightmares. Solution: Everyone gets to beat the ever-loving crap out of Sideswipe. It makes sense in context). Go read them, NAO. They're probably the best TF fics I've read and have shaped a good bit of my headcanon towards the series.
...I have work in the morning, so that's it for now. Hope everyone had a good weekend.
Next up: Will and I went to see TF3 on Saturday. SHEER AWESOMESAUCE I SAY. I'm going to put more detailed thoughts below a cut here. If you do not want spoilers, do not read, because I am not holding back. K?
THOUGHTS ON DARK OF THE MOON
~100 million times better than Revenge of the Fallen, hands down. Just... so much less filler, not nearly as much awkward/fanservice-y stuff (lalalala that scene in the stall never happened I can't hear you lalalalala), many many more gut- and heart-wrenching moments.
~Soundtrack, as always, is beautiful and adds so much to the movie. Needs to be out for purchase NAO. That reprisal of "Arrival to Earth"? GUH. Nearly brought me to tears all on its own.
~Can we please stop with the love interest already? I did not come to see Sam getting frisky with a British almost-model. I came to see giant robots and epic battles and unrealistically big explosions. Not romance and sappy sh!t. (And this is a female making these statements.)
~At first I thought the whole job search subplot was going to be more filler, like the "let's visit Sam's college!" in the last movie. Instead, it turns out to be a rather important plot point (the company he ends up working for has several ties to the plot and the 'Bots/'Cons conflict) with a decent bit of humor thrown in. Nicely played.
~LALALALA THAT SCENE IN THE BATHROOM STALL NEVER HAPPENED LALALALA
~I don't know what that raptor/wyvern/condor assassin thing is, but it is SWEET. Also, the hood thing makes Megs look much cooler.
~Okay. I have to say, quite possibly my favorite part of the movie was when they say they're going to introduce Optimus to Buzz Aldrin (of the moon landing) to tell him what really happened, the hangar doors swing open, and THE ACTUAL BUZZ ALDRIN WALKS ON SCREEN. HOLY HELL. And then Optimus kneels and very humbly and honestly tells him what an honor it is to meet him. Aaaaaaaah cannot process the amazing.
~Chernobyl is FREAKY AS HELL. Like. I already knew what went on there, but actually seeing it (even a replication on screen) gave me chills. That little child's carousel just made it all the more horrifying. There were families and children and real people there when it all happened. Not just faceless Soviet scientists. I turned to Will in the theater and very quietly commented "I wonder how many ghosts haunt that place, even now."
~Shockwave officially controls a Cybertronian sandworm. Trufax.
~IRONHIDE. WHAT THE FRAGGING HELL WHERE DID THAT COME FROM I DON'T EVEN.
~Again. The farewell scene with the quiet, sad piano/orchestral version of "Arrival to Earth"? Tearjerker. Majorly. Especially when Sam is forced to ask that betraying question and Optimus still calls him a true friend and Bumblebee and aaaaaaaah. ;_; And what happens after is just... God. I have the first two OSTs, and I still can't listen to "Bumblebee's Capture" without tearing up (like, I won't even put it on my mp3 player). I have a feeling this track will be the same.
~Ah, Simmons. You're an obnoxious bastard, but I loved that line you had just before liftoff.
~The destruction of Chicago was just terrifying. I knew something like that was probably going to happen, but I wasn't ready for the sheer level of devastation portrayed so realistically. It's not like in the first movie where cars are able to skid to a stop and most people probably get away. You see fleeing human beings vaporized on-screen. Also, the robots now leak fluid (that I'm guessing is energon) when they're seriously hurt, and it's colored red. THIS IS NOT A MOVIE FOR KIDS, PEOPLE. I wouldn't take anyone under 14 to see it, period.
~Even though I knew it had to happen, when Sam and Epps are under fire and Optimus pulls a Big Damn Heroes to save them, and all the other Autobots come screaming in to join them while that triumphant piece plays? I about stood up and cheered in the theater.
~Starscream. WTF was up with him? The other two movies he actually did stuff, and in this one most of his scenes consist of grovelling before Megs. I will say though, that scene with the paratroopers where he takes out all the cargo planes was pretty impressive.
~Speaking of which, Lennox and those paratroopers in the "flying squirrel" outfits were SO COOL. I don't agree with all their policies, but the military has some damn awesome stuff.
~BUMBLEBEE. He's hands-down my fave Autobot (though I flip-flop between "He is EPIC" and "OMG I want to cuddle him" and the others run a close second). Seeing him captured in the first movie was heart-wrenching (see above comments). Seeing him captured and on his knees at gunpoint in this one was pretty hard to take. But watching him get shoved/dragged forward to be executed? Especially after that other Autobot (Cube? something like that) was begging for his life and got shot? And he just stands there quietly with his wide blue eyes and says "We had a good run", and then silently waits to die. No begging, no bargaining. Like a true warrior. I had both hands over my mouth and was close to tears at that point.
~I'll say it flat-out. I think the end of that battle was out of character for Optimus. I can kind of see why he would refuse a truce with Megs. To me, it sounded like an offer to team up and take down Sentinal Prime; and even though Sentinal betrayed them, I don't think Optimus would ever turn on his mentor like that. (Apparently this offer is presented differently in the novelization.) Plus by this point, Optimus has put up with three movies' worth of shenanigans from Megs; I don't think even he would trust that Megs would truly change. But to shoot Sentinal like that, while he's begging for his life? Without even offering forgiveness or anything? I'm a newbie to the TF fandom, and my first reaction was "Optimus Prime would not do that." Again, I can kiiiiinda understand why (if someone that close to you betrays you that badly, I don't know if the trust could ever be rebuilt), but the way it was scripted and carried out seemed a bit poorly done to me.
(Will and I disagree on this one. He thinks both killings were OOC. But then, Will has been into TF since G1 and has a better, more rounded feel for Optimus' character, whereas I only have the movie-verse to draw from. However, we both like the novel ending better than the movie, so take that as you will.)
All in all, a ripping good film and a definite improvement over the last one. I give it 9/10 stars and will definitely be getting the DVD when it comes out.
Thing the next (I lost count): fanfics, not mine. Good ones, too. Youngling, Little Brother, and Sparkling (unfinished, it seems). Nightmare is also entertaining, and mentioned in the others on occasion. All of them involve little!Bumblebee (who is made of adorableness and squee) and his interactions with the other 'Bots. Youngling is the longest and most extensive, as well as involving the most characters (Grimlock and the other Dinobots make an appearance, as do some 'Bots and 'Cons I don't recognize). Little Brother is set during the first Bay movie, while the 'Bots are hauling tail towards the Hoover Dam. Sparkling precedes Youngling by a bit. Nightmare is set during the early bit of Youngling and is hysterical ('Bots watch scary movie in the same room as Bee. Bee gets nightmares. Solution: Everyone gets to beat the ever-loving crap out of Sideswipe. It makes sense in context). Go read them, NAO. They're probably the best TF fics I've read and have shaped a good bit of my headcanon towards the series.
...I have work in the morning, so that's it for now. Hope everyone had a good weekend.