Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Saw it this afternoon - not a fan. Enjoyed the first one, but 2 and 3 just fell apart for me.

Also couldn't help but notice a score cue used in one of the big battle scenes towards the end (not sure exactly where it was, all kind of blurred together in an emotionally-devoid mush, but during/shortly after the wingsuits) was incredibly familiar.

See if you can place it (the first 2 minutes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4__qLubgb0s

 
I find it incredibly ironic that there is so much hate for Bay, when his emo counterpart Nolan is worshiped on this site.
 
Untitled04 said:
I find it incredibly ironic that there is so much hate for Bay, when his emo counterpart Nolan is worshiped on this site.
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That statement needs a helluva lot of qualifying on a few levels. Beyond the unsubstantiated (by you) comparison, if you think Nolan's work hasn't faced any criticism on this site, I deduce that you haven't been here very long.
 
I don't see how you can even compare Bay and Nolan, just objectively, not taking into account personal opinion of their films. They have totally different visual and narrative styles. It's like comparing Spielberg to Ridley Scott. Calling them counterparts is a baffling statement.
 
Batutta said:
I don't see how you can even compare Bay and Nolan, just objectively, not taking into account personal opinion of their films. They have totally different visual and narrative styles. It's like comparing Spielberg to Ridley Scott. Calling them counterparts is a baffling statement.
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Well, see, they both make movies.
 
This a review over in the UK from my favourite critic Mark Kermode who has some valid criticism about the sexualisation of a children's toy.

 
Batutta said:
One of the things that depresses me about internet and fanboy culture is that people feel they need to put on extreme attitudes in order to distinguish themselves. Something is either the greatest thing ever or it sucks, and if you don't agree you're an idiot. Maybe it's because people don't want to think any more deeply than this, because, I don't know, thinking is for fags or something. But one of the reasons I come to a forum like this is so I can discuss things in a deeper way then just giving a thumbs up or down. I personally don't care what anyone's superficial opinion of a movie is. That does me no good. I hope that with an intelligent discussion of why something worked for you or didn't, I can learn something of value.
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ahh come on guys! No rebel nonsense here, I'm just poking fun, maybe even doing a bit of light trolling..I enjoy MB movies and Nolan movies just as much as I enjoy Scott movies.It might also be a tiny bit hypocritical laying into Bay, calling anyone who likes his stuff a fan boy and then climbing on your soapbox with this kinda speech.I'm on set at the moment trying to make a really fun musical for kids and its days like today where I really appreciate the skill involved in what those big Hollywood blockbuster directors employ! Its bloody hard to tell a story with simultaneous dazzling visuals. Anyhoo, we all differ in what we enjoy, no doubt there. P.S. Typing this out on my BB so typos might abound.
 
Batutta said:
I don't see how you can even compare Bay and Nolan, just objectively, not taking into account personal opinion of their films. They have totally different visual and narrative styles. It's like comparing Spielberg to Ridley Scott. Calling them counterparts is a baffling statement.
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I am simply pointing to the idea that I feel Post Memento Nolan is just as empty and meaningless as Bay. Just because Nolan is "darker" and supposedly "deeper" he is overrated to the point of people calling him the greatest filmmaker of our times. Honestly, I dislike both of them, but I prefer Bay because he does not pretend to be anything more than he really is.

Funny thing is that we are all critiquing Transformers 3. That to me in and of itself is ironic.
 
Tom Shortridge said:


Also couldn't help but notice a score cue used in one of the big battle scenes towards the end (not sure exactly where it was, all kind of blurred together in an emotionally-devoid mush, but during/shortly after the wingsuits) was incredibly familiar.

See if you can place it (the first 2 minutes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4__qLubgb0s
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I dont know that tune; but it sounds very similar to the music in "The Dark Night" and "Inception" (and a little bit like the music in "Tron: Legacy" which in turn sounded like the previous two).
 
Oh goodie gumdrops, another Transformers movie. As I was watching Shia Ladouche beat Dr. McDreamy with a concrete encrusted pole, I kept thinking to myself, "Wow Mr. Bay, nice of you to show up late to the party, April Fools Day was three months ago". This film literally left me speechless. Usually, you'll need duct tape and chloroform to get me to stop talking about the film I just watched but I honestly had nothing to say to my peers as I walked back to my car. What could I say? This is what we call entertainment in this day and age. This is what happens when you give $250 million to a child. I take that back, calling Michael Bay childish would probably be an insult to most children.

Watching Transformers 3 is like watching some nut unveil a large scale model of the Empire State Building constructed out of uncooked pasta. The final product is technically impressive and the sheer level of insanity is admirable but you can't help but say to yourself, "Wow, this guy just spent three years of his life building a model out of pasta, what a moron." I am not sure if I should condemn Bay or give him a round of applause for creating possibly the biggest cinematic joke ever spewed out from the bowls of Hollywood. I think I will go with a round of applause. Well done Mr. Bay, well done.

You know what toy line Bay should tackle next with his signature winning combination of schlock and grotesque amounts of money? Dino Riders, F%#* Yeah! Who wouldn't want to see that in glorious IMAX 8K 4D? I smell box office gold.

dinowar-1.jpg
 
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Untitled04 said:
I am simply pointing to the idea that I feel Post Memento Nolan is just as empty and meaningless as Bay. Just because Nolan is "darker" and supposedly "deeper" he is overrated to the point of people calling him the greatest filmmaker of our times. Honestly, I dislike both of them, but I prefer Bay because he does not pretend to be anything more than he really is.
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Well I couldn't disagree more. I think it's pretty easy to see the meaning in a film like The Dark Knight or Inception. Nolan is a deeper filmmaker and it's not because he tackles 'darker' material. He actually bothers to develop his stories with a theme in mind and a genuine point of view, and he shoots his films with more consideration than just thinking about ways to make it look like a car commercial. I don't think he's "the greatest filmmaker of our times" any more than you do you but, I don't base my opinion off a reaction to other people's hyperbole. Bay may not pretend to be anything more than he really is, but then neither does a truck stop hooker, and like a hooker all he's concerned with is getting you off and taking your money in the most direct and sleazy manner possible.
 
shorty15 said:
Oh goodie gumdrops, another Transformers movie. As I was watching Shia Ladouche beat Dr. McDreamy with a concrete encrusted pole, I kept thinking to myself, "Wow Mr. Bay, nice of you to show up late to the party, April Fools Day was three months ago".
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Then . . . why did you go see it?
 
Wilbur Eddings said:
maybe even doing a bit of light trolling
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Yeah. Don't do that.

It might also be a tiny bit hypocritical laying into Bay, calling anyone who likes his stuff a fan boy and then climbing on your soapbox with this kinda speech.
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Well, that's what happens when you provoke it with "light trolling," and part of the reason we don't want you to do it.
 
Batutta said:
Well I couldn't disagree more. I think it's pretty easy to see the meaning in a film like The Dark Knight or Inception. Nolan is a deeper filmmaker and it's not because he tackles 'darker' material. He actually bothers to develop his stories with a theme in mind and a genuine point of view, and he shoots his films with more consideration than just thinking about ways to make it look like a car commercial. I don't think he's "the greatest filmmaker of our times" any more than you do you but, I don't base my opinion off a reaction to other people's hyperbole. Bay may not pretend to be anything more than he really is, but then neither does a truck stop hooker, and like a hooker all he's concerned with is getting you off and taking your money in the most direct and sleazy manner possible.
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You're not following. I'm saying Nolan is not deep enough, or better yet he is "seemingly" deep. I think the same reason Nolan is revered is the same reason movies like Transformer 3 get made. Yea, they aren't exactly the same, but both Bay and Nolan sell crap. Now if you really want to argue over the quality of crap, I'm not going to go there. Crap is crap. Ultimately, the blame should be on US, as viewers. It's been a slow deterioration in the quality of films. What can you expect though? How you going to convince child-like audiences (child-like in terms of their experience with challenging films) that the slow, lyrical, thoughtful images of Terrence Malick (only using him as an example, since he's a masterful director who has only recently come into the limelight to mainstream audiences, haven't seen Tree of Life yet, but basing my opinion on Days of Heaven, Badlands, Thin Red Line, and The New World) are more exciting than exploding robots?

Anyways, to go along with your analogy, Nolan is a high class escort who caters to New York City bankers. I guess Nolan is hotter, but he's still in the business of selling his body.
 
Untitled04 said:
You're not following. I'm saying Nolan is not deep enough, or better yet he is "seemingly" deep. I think the same reason Nolan is revered is the same reason movies like Transformer 3 get made. Yea, they aren't exactly the same, but both Bay and Nolan sell crap. Now if you really want to argue over the quality of crap, I'm not going to go there. Crap is crap. Ultimately, the blame should be on US, as viewers. It's been a slow deterioration in the quality of films. What can you expect though? How you going to convince child-like audiences (child-like in terms of their experience with challenging films) that the slow, lyrical, thoughtful images of Terrence Malick (only using him as an example, since he's a masterful director who has only recently come into the limelight to mainstream audiences, haven't seen Tree of Life yet, but basing my opinion on Days of Heaven, Badlands, Thin Red Line, and The New World) are more exciting than exploding robots?

Anyways, to go along with your analogy, Nolan is a high class escort who caters to New York City bankers. I guess Nolan is hotter, but he's still in the business of selling his body.
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Well, this is just a matter of taste. My taste can include movies like The Dark Knight and Transformers I, as well as a Badlands or Barry Lyndon. I get something out of all those films, even if they are very different things. You seem to be dismissing Nolan's post Memento work out of hand because they are blockbusters with explosions in them without truly examining them. And I will never put Nolan and Bay in the same category. With Nolan, I always have the feeling that everything he does is in service to his story. With Bay, I feel like if he thinks of story at all, its as a means to an end, as a way to find new ways to blow stuff up and put Victoria Secret models in his casting couch. Nolan's films are like a girl I could have a relationship with beyond sex...and I think we better stop with this analogy before it gets any weirder.
 
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