What can I say except for - "You know this was coming". No way I can pass on writing about the Transformers movie. <<<Here be Spoilers>>> so don't go any further if you can't take hearing about the details.

The "Prep"

I went opening day - I did not go to a midnight screening, I did not take a day off from work. I am a total nerd/fanboy but man I have to be employed. However it seemed like all the stars were aligned for me NOT to see the movie. Here's everything that happend to me on the way to the theatre:

1. Left work at 6 instead of at 5 like I planned to - was finishing up on some work that delayed me for 1hr.
2. On the Train home the train stalled for 30 mins because they could not figure out why the doors were not opening/closing
3. Went to KFC thinking it was quick but it took them 20 minutes to fill an order for 4 peices of chicken
4. My showtime sold out - waited for the next one
5. Finally got into the theatre and the preview reel gets messed up and they have to fix it.

I didn't get home until 1:30 AM. I am glad I saw it - I hated all the "comedy" parts but overall it was good. By the way - I DID wear my Optimus T-Shirt to the theatre.

The Commentary:

I read this on the news this morning - and ABC totally scooped me before I got a chance to write about this:

Read the full article here: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Movies/story?id=7930007&page=1

I totally agreed with the commentary in the article. It might have been done in fun but at people's expense. There's a part in the movie with Cybertronian symbols and Shia LaBeouf asks them to read them and one of them says something along the lines of not being able to read. I was a little offended because those 2 robots were obviously characterized to play to stereotypes. I didn't like the script making them react negatively to literacy . The "Wheelie" robot was another one which was modeled on a shady "Mob/Goodfellas" type. Ironhide has a British accent.

The Nerd Commentary.

Hated it:

I hated the Twins in the movie, Skids and Mudflap. The real "Twins" are supposed to be Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, both Lambhorginis but transformed different from each other. Sideswipe was in the movie but it wasn't really "Sideswipe" they should have called that one "Tracks" because of the Corvette.

I hated the Mom Witwicky parts. Her part in the movie was just too amazingly over the top. I didn't like how Megan Fox didn't serve a lot of purpose, just kind of ran around and was along for the ride. I didn't like how a lot of the move Shia LaBeouf was screaming at John Tuturro and the roomate.

I really disliked the Decepticon characters and it bothered me a lot because I would not tell the difference between Megatron, Starscream (for some scenes), Blackout, Soundwave who spent the entire time in space, and some of the soldiers close to the end of the movie. They all had the same coloring and voice. Granted historically they were like this too, but they came in different colors and their characters were very different.  

I also got confused when all the Constructicons merged into Devastator but then in subsequent screens a few of them were unmerged.

Loved it:

I loved the scene when Optimus fought Megatron, Starscream, and Blackout at the same time - Even thought I could not tell one from the other. I'm like "Wow he killed Megatron halfway through the movie!" Then the next scene he was back?.

I liked Ravage and how it even shot out of Soundwave like a pod.

The Overall arc about the Fallen and the Primes was entertaining. I liked the parts that stuck to the original series: The Jetfire arc and how he got trapped on earth. The Matrix bringing Prime back to life. I thought it was cool because the Matrix is supposed to go to the Leader of the Autobots, which results in an upgrade. I liked how the movie stuck with that indirectly and made the movie worth watching.

I bought the ROTF Optimus figure the evening after I saw the movie thinking there was going to be a Jetfire upgrade kit - and low and behold - I was correct.

Another night at 12 spend not in bed but in thought... Lately I haven't been sleeping well since I've just been totally stressed out at work. I dread going to work - when I get off the subway at 5th, I stand on the long ass escalator all the way up while everyone else is on the chipper up ready to start the day. Work has become the equivalent of mixing concrete with a twig. I had some suggestions on how to make my project better today. My boss was like "Look, you can't solve world hunger." Fuck.

I think it all started thinking about my cousin's wedding - it's going to be in Poland, and I feel like I really wanted to be there for her, seeing how I was never in Hong Kong for any of her other anythings. In the end it just turns out I don't have the cash for that trip. I also thought of this guy I met at work, he's like 23 and he's kind of like a nomad. He pretty much travels the globe then for a summer he stops at any large firm and just does a bang up job so well that he just stops working and goes off to his next adventure. I know I couldn't live with that kind of instability. At 23, I was working 2 jobs, a 9-5 then a 10-2 and living with my parents just to make ends meet. I just feel like i've been working all this time and it's really getting me nowhere.  

There's once side of me that really just wants to get another job or go into another field because of complacency and apathy towards the world. I keep thinking "When is it my turn" and "Man life is so hard". I want an easy out of a bad situation. The other side of course is saying man I can't give up, if I get another job I have to start all over again. I struggle with this a lot lately. I'm trying to find a way to stay focused.

I remember watiching this video someone posted on facebook, with the guy from Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe, and he said something along the lines of how our generation was of taught to follow your passion. He said that maybe that's wrong, and that maybe we're just meant to go in and do the work and get out. The business of getting it done comes first. Talking about Grandfather stuff.  

I thnk it matters to me a lot that I'm not just living for myself now, I have responsibility to Joanne our home and my parents in case they need me. Honestly I think this may be the most challenging time in my career, it doesn't feel right just quitting on my own accord. That's my other source of motivation, not failing for family. Gah - just have to stick it out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRVdiHu1VCc