Transformers 4: Chronilogical Age Of Extinction

You will find some movies where it is best to shut your mind off and away to enjoy them. Michael Bay's Transformers: Chronilogical age of Extinction is certainly one of these. A pseudo-reboot that has much of the identical aspects of the very first Transformers trilogy but none of them of their established human figures, the 4th entry within this franchise is bloated with plotlines, figures, and action sequences that push its running time for you to 165 minutes of nonsensical madness.

The good thing is you no longer need to possess seen the very first three films that will help you understand Transformers: Chronilogical age of Extinction. It truly will not help much.

The fundamental things you should know are re-established within the first act. Autobots are great, giant changing alien robots. Decepticons can be harmful, giant changing alien robots. But after their fight in Chicago laid waste towards the metropolis, the U.S. government is disregarding this distinction, and hunting all Transformers lower. When one scrappy but battling inventor (Mark Wahlberg) stumbles across a battered and damaged Optimus Prime, the federal government finder's fee is tempting. But Cade Yeager is our hero, and thus won't ever betray his new extraterrestrial buddy ? regardless of what utter destruction it brings into his existence.

If only Bay had some incentive to chop lower his Transformers movies, but because audiences have clustered for them even while they become longer and longer (144 minutes to 150 to 154 to 165), he's didn't have cause. Still, this can be a very lengthy film that feels very lengthy. It jumps in the central story of Optimus Prime and crew versus all of the human-disliking Transformers, to Cade's domestic drama together with his obnoxious teen daughter (Nicola Peltz), to Kelsey Grammer and Stanley Tucci's plot of Transformer looking for homeland security, to some grander, undeveloped plot of Optimus Prime's mysterious roots. Such as the Transformers themselves, the most recent follow up is filled with fancy moving parts, but a lot of it's for show with little function.

Because of so many figures, Bay struggles to produce heroes we love them about. Okay, Wahlberg's inventor is quickly likeable ? simply due to the star's innate affability and simply while he is to establish like a kind-hearted underdog who aims to assist others even if he's frantically broke themself. But regrettably, Cade's plotline is bogged lower by his grating daughter and her snotty boyfriend (Jack Reynor), who're so useless and unexciting they might have easily been combined into one character or eliminate completely. Daughter Tessa is lovely to check out ? and Bay's leering camera frequently reminds you of the fact ? but she does nothing more than lecture her father and scream for help. She's not really a character she's just a motivation for Cade to depart his humble existence behind and play hero. She also serves this function to her rally vehicle racer boyfriend, whose primary function within the plot would be to shove in Cade's face that his daughter is growing up, and to take part in a tedious pissing contest with him.

Both of these harbingers of monotony are ultimately what soured me on Transformers: Chronilogical age of Extinction. The overstuffed plot I possibly could handle, but investing a lot time using these irritating enthusiasts was greater than I possibly could take. Fortunately, you will find vibrant spots within the cast. T.J. Burns will get some early laughs as Cade's surfer bro buddy and business partner, while Kelsey Grammer and Titus Welliver play well harsh government heavies. Chinese star Bingbing Li will help Transformers: Chronilogical age of Extinction generate the desired China market, but she also provides a little but sharp turn that's clever and fun. The actual standout is Stanley Tucci, who plays Transformers's form of Jobs: a billionaire tech guru who nowadays has got the finest responses to Transformer-related mayhem. Tucci inhales humor and quirk into this fatuous summer time movie, and makes its extended finale fun together with his screams of terror, snide asides and extremely ill-timed flirtations.

The Transformers themselves acquire some added flare by means of a brand new batch of Autobots. Bumblebee has returned without any reference to his buddy Mike. Optimus Prime is bitter following an effort on his existence, however in fighting form which will have fans from the franchise entertaining. A new comer to the crew is Hound, a bearded, cigar-chomping, pot-bellied good old boy, voiced by John Goodman. To put it simply, he's The Large Lebowski's Walter Sobchak ? with PG-13 language ? in robot form. Gleam clich?d British gangsta' Transformer, filled with metal duster coat, a samurai, and--as taunted within the trailer--dinobots. Plus they all unite to clash with bad robots chaotically over and over and again.

The narrative manages to lose major momentum once the human heroes squirm aboard a hanging villain spaceship. (I'd say that's in hour 5 or 6). I am sure you will find some which will revel over every moment of Transformer fighting, but before long it simply used on me. Through the final hour, I had been wishing every action sequence will be the last. It simply started to become blur of CG metal, falling apart structures, and mounting human casualties. While I am all for that periodic mindless action movie, Transformers: Chronilogical age of Extinction wasn't fun for me personally. Ultimately, it simply felt lengthy, in no small part because Bay repeats themself healthy and performance again and again again.

You can also make a consuming game from camera moves (skillfully performed) that swirl round the heroes from the low position, of lustful shots of youthful Peltz naked legs, as well as moments shot at miracle hour. However the greatest problem would be that the stakes of Transformers: Chronilogical age of Extinction feel irrelevant. Every movie it is the same factor. Optimus Prime attempts to save humanity ? the jerks ? in the large bad Transformers. He may win the fight, however the war rages so on as well as on (no surprise a number of mankind is starting to consider we will not be secure until both Autobots and Decepticons leave Earth permanently). This repetition just starts to feel monotonous and also the battles extraneous, which left me looking for pleasure and excitement within this film wherever I possibly could. Thank heavens for Tucci and it is truly laughable dialogue like, "I understood you'd a conscious because you are an inventor much like me!Inch Without one, Transformers: Chronilogical age of Extinction might have left me without a penny to hang on to.

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EXCLUSIVE: Peter Cullen Talks Transformers: Dark of the Moon Blu-ray

Sep 30, 2011 by Brian Gallagher

Transformers: Dark of the Moon took movie theaters by storm this summer, earning over $1.1 billion at the box office worldwide. Like the first two movies before it, Shia LaBeouf is certainly the face of the franchise, but Peter Cullen is undoubtedly the voice. The actor lends his legendary vox to Optimus Prime in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which hits the shelves on Blu-ray and DVD today, September 30.

I recently had the chance to speak with Peter Cullen over the phone about Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and here's what he had to say below.

I know how the process of voicing an animated character works, but how does it work on a live-action movie like this? How early in the process are you coming in to do the voice? Can you talk about how that process works?

Peter Cullen: Well, the difference between the animated version, going back to Generation One, and the action version, the human involvement is highlighted and Optimus finds himself communicating on a human level more than ever before. Not that he didn't before, but it's much more obvious now. Certainly in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, he begins to show more human emotions than he ever did before, including anger. These are all factors that create new challenges.

Are you ever on the set when they are shooting this, or when do your recording sessions come into play?

Peter Cullen: Our recording sessions are usually in the studios with the engineers. I did have the opportunity to work with Frances McDormand and Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson on set. It was a very exciting moment for me because normally, as a voice actor, you're stuck in a small room. I had the opportunity to join them in an airplane hangar down in Long Beach. It was really fun. I even had my own chair (Laughs).

Was that the first time you had done that in this series? Had you done that in the first two movies?

Peter Cullen: No, not at all. This was unique. It came about in a funny way, Brian. (Director) Michael Bay wanted Frances McDormand to have a more one-on-one relationship with Optimus Prime, so she could get a better idea of him, rather than talking to a balloon attached to a crane 45 feet up in the air. So we did our scene together, several times. I had a ball working with her. I have great respect for her as an actress. My God, she's one of the greatest, going back to Fargo and things like that. It was great to be with her and look right into her eyes, and it gave her a better sense of what Prime was, on an acting level. Then she could go about talking to the crane, and that made more sense. I wanted to be in the movie myself, at that point (Laughs). I didn't want to go home. It was in the back of my brain. I was saying, 'Gee, I want to play.'

I could imagine. It's hard to top the first two, but the scope of this one was so immense and incredible. I can't imagine to get a little taste of the set like then and then have to leave. That must have been torturous.

Peter Cullen: Yeah, it was kind of torture, it was. It's like watching a game of pick-up football and nobody chose you. You're standing on the sidelines (Laughs).

As Optimus has evolved throughout these three movies, are there things you wanted to do different with the voice, this third time around?

Peter Cullen: No, not really. The most important thing to me is to maintain the character traits and be true to them, as I have in the past. I'm never really presented anything that conflicts with those. There might be questionable areas, like the first time where they wanted Optimus Prime to be funny. I said, 'Well, how do you do that?' You can do it with words or an expression of some kind, but everything is really carved in stone. These are his traits, these are his qualities, this is what he stands for, this is who he is. I don't have to fight very hard for that. The fanbase made that pretty clear from the very beginning. They gave that a thumbs up and I honor that. It's certainly one of the easiest things for me to do, to honor Prime's traits.

Can you talk a bit about the recording process itself? Are you shown any footage during these sessions, or do you go off other things?

Peter Cullen: Well, I see varying forms of animation, from pencil sketches on a big screen, all the way to a finished product, depending on where they are in production. I'm always privy to what is happening, so I can have an idea of the character before or what's going to come after, so the lines can be read with continuity and interpretation to the plot. To answer your question, I have seen just small pencil sketches that are displayed in front of me, and they'll give me the idea of whats going on, pretty much the way it is when I record in a studio for the animated series. We don't have any pictures to look at, we just have descriptions of what the action is. And, I might add, when I see a finished product and I'm standing in front of a microphone, beats would go on in my earphone and I would miss my opportunity to speak because I would be so awed by what I just saw. It would probably take me two or three visual passes before I would be able to speak, because I would just be overwhelmed by the visual experience. As you could understand after seeing the finished product, there are so many moments where your jaw just drops.

I got a chance to see a little bit of it early, and when I saw the finished product, it was really mind-blowing. Michael Bay really upped his game in ways that, I think, a lot of people didn't expect. It was really phenomenal to watch.

Peter Cullen: I think the DVD and Blu-ray... I don't have a Blu-ray player so I just watched it on my DVD player, but even that was a phenomenal experience for me. I'm not a high-tech guy by any means, but I think I'm going to go out and buy a Blu-ray player now.

This movie is definitely one you should experience on Blu-ray, with all of the visuals. That's really the way it was meant to be seen.

Peter Cullen: I've seen a little bit of it on Blu-ray, and that was a great experience for me. I was asked earlier why people should pick up the Blu-ray or DVD and, I don't think I was being commercial at all by saying this, but I said, 'Because Optimus Prime wants you to' (Laughs).

Can you talk about working with Michael (Bay) throughout this trilogy?

Peter Cullen: It's been a unique experience and completely unforgettable. I have to pay tribute to the writers and the creative people behind this, every person behind a monitor or electronic device that they use, right down to sound, every department. It's just an amazing process and to be a part of it from my point of view, has been a huge pleasure and honor, which I will never take for granted, and I'll have for the rest of my life. Hopefully there will be another one, and I can partake in it again, but the memories are there forever and I'm genuinely pleased that a character like Prime has made a difference. It certainly did in my life.

There is a lot of talk about where the future of this franchise will go. I talked to Tyrese Gibson a few weeks ago, and he believes that everyone will come back, but it might take a couple of years, to get some other projects done. I don't think anyone will be able to let this franchise go. Is that how you're approaching the future of this franchise?

Peter Cullen: It's so great to hear Tyrese say that. It was such a pleasure being with him, he's such a great guy. I think they need a two-year rest. These guys work very hard. They can all use a rest, but I would hope that Tyrese's words come true, and I hope for the same thing. It's a unique opportunity to work with a successful trilogy like this, and lets hope it goes to four. I would love it.

Finally, I know it was such a phenomenal success in theaters, but what would you like to say to the four or five people who didn't see Transformers: Dark of the Moon in theaters about why they should pick up the Blu-ray or DVD today?

Peter Cullen: Well, if I'm overwhelmed, I know they'll be overwhelmed. It's an entertainment experience. I can't wait to get a Blu-ray player. I'm going to buy it today.

Thanks so much for talking to me, Peter. It was a real pleasure.

Peter Cullen: Brian, it's been a great pleasure talking to you, sir. Thanks a lot, Brian.

You can check out Peter Cullen as the legendary voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which hits the shelves on Blu-ray and DVD today, September 30.

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Transformers: Dark of the Moon Blu-ray and DVD Hits September 30th

Sep 9, 2011 by Brian Gallagher

Spectacular action, stunning visual effects, non-stop thrills and fan-favorite characters including Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Sam Witwicky rocketed Transformers: Dark of the Moon into the stratosphere, with the latest installment of the wildly popular Transformers franchise surpassing its predecessors to earn over $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office. From Paramount Pictures in association with Hasbro, the breathtaking film redefines the scale, scope and emotional impact of what a blockbuster can be with the ongoing epic story of the mighty Autobots in a thrill-packed adventure that the whole family can enjoy. Distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment, the film will debut in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo with a digital copy and on standard DVD on Friday, September 30, 2011, followed by a deluxe Blu-ray and DVD release, including a Blu-ray 3D, in the coming months.

"For fans who can't wait, the Blu-ray release in September will deliver an awesome ride with the movie in stunning 1080p high definition and a 7.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack that was personally overseen by our phenomenal supervising sound mixer just for the Blu-ray," said director Michael Bay. "As you know, we put a lot of effort into the 3D experience for the theatrical release and I want to make sure we get it right for home viewing-and that process takes time. So stay tuned for an even more incredible release that will include the film on Blu-ray 3D and loads of bonus features."

From director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg, in association with Hasbro, Transformers: Dark of the Moon explodes with high-octane action when a mysterious event from Earth's past erupts into the present day threatening to bring a war to Earth so big that the Transformers alone will not be able to save us. Stars Shia LaBeouf (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Josh Duhamel (Life as We Know It), Tyrese Gibson (Four Brothers) and John Turturro (The Good Shepherd) have returned along with a host of new stars including Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy), Frances McDormand (Fargo) and John Malkovich (Beowulf). The film also features the voices of Leonard Nimoy(Star Trek) and Hugo Weaving (Captain America: The First Avenger) and introduces newcomer Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

The Transformers: Dark of the Moon Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD and-in a first for Paramount Home Entertainment-English 5.1 Discrete Dolby Digital and English 2.0 Discrete Surround Dolby Digital tracks, each of which was individually mastered to ensure optimal sound for the home entertainment experience. The disc additionally features French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

The DVD in the Combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, English 2.0 Discrete Surround, French 5.1 Surround, Spanish 5.1 Surround and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The digital copy is presented in English 2.0 Stereo with no subtitles.

The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, English 2.0 Discrete Surround, French 5.1 Surround, Spanish 5.1 Surround and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

The Transformers: Dark of the Moon Blu-ray and DVD debut will be supported by a massive marketing and promotional campaign befitting the mega-hit status of the franchise. In addition to a multi-million dollar advertising blitz spanning television, print, radio and online, a stellar array of allies has joined forces with Paramount Home Entertainment to transmit the Autobots' message to all inhabitants of the globe.

Hasbro will host a "Roll Out In Prime Style" sweepstakes in the U.S. giving entrants the chance to "Win a Ride to School" with the Autobots! The grand prize winner will be picked up by Bumblebee and transported to school where Optimus Prime will be waiting with Transformers toys and products in his trailer. Details are available at TransformersPrimeStyle.com.

Also in the U.S., Hostess will feature Transformers images on millions of packages and will have thousands of displays in grocery and convenience stores across the country. The company will also host a branded "Transform Your Treat" sweepstakes that gives consumers the chance to win a variety of valuable prizes. Additionally, Hostess will offer consumers a $4 rebate on the purchase of Transformers: Dark of the Moon Blu-ray or DVD with purchase of two (2) Hostess products (additional details available at HostessCakes.com). Energizer will offer coupons good for $5 off the Transformers: Dark of the Moon Blu-ray or DVD at retailers throughout the U.S. via special displays and packaging.

In Canada, 250,000 Kernels Popcorn Shakers have been outfitted with Transformers: Dark of the Moon promotional branding in support of a consumer sweepstakes tied to the home entertainment release. The Popcorn Shakers will be available at major retailers across the country.

A mysterious event from Earth's past threatens to ignite a war so big that the Transformers alone will not be able to save the planet. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and the Autobots must fight against the darkness to defend our world from the Decepticons' all-consuming evil in the smash hit from director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon was released June 29th, 2011 and stars Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Julie White, Kevin Dunn, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Alan Tudyk, John Malkovich. The film is directed by Michael Bay.

Sources: Paramount Home Entertainment

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Transformers DVD Review

What is the formula for a summer blockbuster? Car chases - check. Explosions - check. Shootouts - check. Pretty girls - check. Loveable (read marketable) characters, menacing bad guys, noble good guys - check, check, check.

"Transformers" is a true-to-form summer blockbuster. Based on an already successful toy and TV cartoon franchise, "Transformers" recreates in the big screen the same awe inspiring imagination that many of us who grew up watching them on TV experienced. Maybe because Peter Cullen voiced Optimus Prime, the same guy who voiced Optimus Prime in the cartoons. I'm not gonna dwell on the plot, it's basically Autobots vs. Decepticons on Earth, duh.

But many familiar guys are here. Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Jazz, and Ironhide for the Autobots. Megatron, Starscream, Barricade, Devastator, Bonecrusher, and Blackout for the Decepticons. Bumblebee is updated. He used to be a VW bug. He's a Camaro now. Megatron is a jet with a big gun. He used to be just a big gun, often fired by Starscream. I remember Ratchet as an ambulance. He's someting else in this movie. Devastator was the Constructicons combined into one. He's his own Decepticon in this movie as a tank. Barricade was a racing car, but not one of the original Decepticons. He's a Ford Mustang police squad car in this movie. Soundwave, my favorite Decepticon is missing. I liked him primarily because of his Cylon Raider-like voice. Yes, that's the Cylons from old school Battlestar Galactica.

The action is fast and furious and, often, very hard to appreciate in one sitting. Too many things flying off and exploding. In the city street fight scene, Ironhide performs all sorts of acrobatic moves that I didn't catch in the big screen. You have a 60 ft robot cartwheeling and tumbling on the streets to avoid incoming missiles. But it took me several loops to fully appreciate the scenes. All I remember from the theater was that it was a cool fight.

Another scene worth several views is Starscream jacking up the F-22's. This scene really shows you how much more powerful the Transformers are from the human-made machines.

"Non-biological extraterrestrials. Try and keep up with the acronyms"

Aside from geeking out from the Autobots and Decepticons, one actor stood out for his comedic scenes, John Turturro as Agent Simmons of Sector 7. As the main representative for the secretive government department, John Turturro has the duty of retrieving Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) because of Sam's dealings with the NBE's (the Transformers). A summer blockbuster is not complete without funny parts. And Agent Simmons has the goofy scenes reminding you that this movie is not to be taken seriously and is all for fun.

RL Aguirre runs a tribute blog to pop icon action figures, Art of Pop Hero Figures [http://popherofigures.blogspot.com], and is a writer / producer for Mid Valley Sports Central

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Bill Gibron is a veteran film critic from Tampa, Florida.Apparently the first two installments were mulligans. That's right, after four years and $550 million in practice, Michael Bay has finally figured it out. Transformers: Dark of the Moon is the movie that fans have waited for, critics have complained about, and box office receipts are ripe to reward.  Sure, it's still big and bloated, made even more elephantine by the spectacle savant's new love affair with 3D, but it works. The story is simplified and consistently moves forward. The characters -- even the robots -- are given depth and dimension, and the last act decimation of Chicago will be the Summer of 2011's "must see" moment. It's no classic, but it sure is a crowd pleaser.

Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is now a recent college grad, jobless and living in Washington DC with his new hot honey of a girlfriend, Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley). She has a high profile position with entrepreneur Dylan Gould (Patrick Dempsey) and holds down the financial fort while our hero rediscovers his purpose in life. Locked out of the government's control of the Autobots -- even with his friend Lt. Colonel William Lennox (Josh Duhamel) in charge -- he is desperate to get back in the game.

Sam's chance comes when a high level employee (Ken Jeong) at his new boss's (John Malkovich) business confronts him, offering information regarding the US space program in the '60s, the discovery of a Cybertron ship on the dark side of the Moon, and the recovery of some crucial artifacts. Naturally, Megatron (Hugo Weaving) wants these items, and is willing to take on Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and old nemesis, Sentinel Prime (Leonard Nimoy) to get them. Sam, on the other hand, must convince 'retired' Agent Simmons (John Turturro) and new government hothead Charlotte Mearing (Frances McDormand) to let him help his machine friends.

Considering the incomplete feeling of the original Transformers and the awfulness of Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon is an epiphany. It's almost like someone else stepped in and reimagined the series while Bay and Executive Producer Steven Spielberg weren't looking. Granted, original franchise scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are MIA this time around, leaving the second installment's helper Ehren Kruger to step in and straighten things out. Gone is the hackneyed mythology that made little or no sense. No more All Spark. No more Matrix of Leadership. Instead, we get the set-up for an all out war, a reason why Earth is the location, and then...CHAOS!

Chicago gets its Midwestern metropolis butt kicked in the last hour of this film. Buildings blow up, bend and crumble. Flying alien spacecraft slam into famous landmarks while the Loop looks like a body-strewn war zone. Bay stages this finale brilliantly, bringing everything in his over the top arsenal to the table.  Yes, there is still the forced patriotism and irrational moments when characters, including 30 foot tall mutating metal extraterrestrials, speak of freedom and duty, but this time around, we don't mind. Since Bay has already confronted and confused us with his various creative choices, nothing seems out of bounds now, not even the complete and utter destruction of the famed Windy City.

As for the cast, everyone shows up to cash their check and no one really embarrasses themselves. Newcomer Huntington-Whiteley is no better or worse than the curt Kewpie Doll she replaced, even if her British accent gives Carly an air of intelligence that her otherwise vacant stare negates. Similarly, some of the important players from previous installments are pushed aside to make room for solid scenery chewing from McDormand and Malkovich. Even the knucklehead level of comedy comes off as an integral part of the overall process.

Ultimately, Bay manages the near-impossible: he makes us wonder what's next for this billion dollar bonanza. As long as he follows the formula he finally discovered here, it will be another implausible piece of pure popcorn entertainment.

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