• 5Jul 09

  Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Review

  For as long as I can remember Transformers has been a cultural icon, spawning numerous toylines, comic books, TV Shows, and most recently a series of hit movies, the second of which, Revenge of the Fallen has stormed into theaters with mixed reviews, loved by the audiences who have seen it, but slammed by movie critics. Having just seen the movie this past weekend, I feel it is time for me to write a review of my own.

  Overall Revenge of the Fallen is a fantastic edition to the Transformers Universe, the film marks the return of many of the characters from the first movie, and introducing new characters, including fan favorite Decepticons Soundwave, Ravage, and the Constructicons and their combined form Devistator. However the biggest new character is the Fallen, the only remaning member of the Orignal 13 Transformers and until this point had only appeared in the comic book: War Within Dark Ages, making his TV/Movie debut.

  Plotwise, the movie is typical Transformers. Picking up two years after the end of the first movie, the Cybertronian Civil War continues to rage across the cosmos, and threatens to spill over into the Human World. To make matters worse, the Decepticon leader, Megatron has been resurected by the Constructicons and has begun his quest for revenge, under the direction of his mentor, a former Prime known only as the Fallen, who seeks to unleash a devistating weapon capable of destroying the Earth's Sun. However during the course of the movie, the film makers made the mistake of rushing through the plot.

  One of the best things they did, was making the Human Characters a lot more realistically and helpful then they were in the orignal cartoon, showing everything from understanding the Autobots purpose on Earth, protecting all life, to fearing them and blaming them for bringing their war to Earth. The film also makes the Autobots a lot more three demensional as well, hinting at tensions between some of the Autobots, particuallry Ironhide, and their Human Allies. However in the climatic battle, we see Humans and Autobots fighting side by side against an advancing Decepticon Army, something that was rarely if ever shown in the orignal cartoon.

  Through out the course of the film, there are two scenes that are particuallry well done, the first being the Death of Sam Witwicky, who is critically injured by a shell burst from Megatron and his meeting with the Ghosts of the orignal Transformers. While not as emotional, as the original 1980s movie, Revenge does a fantastic job of recreating the 80's movie's most infamous scene: The Death of Optimus Prime, showing him fighting single handedly against a horde of Decepticons, only to be stabbed in the back by Megatron, this scene also shows just how cruel and ruthless Megatron really is, because the first film showed that Megatron and Prime were brothers, and the idea that Megatron would destroy his own brother in his quest for power and in service of his master shows just how far Megatron has fallen.

  However, one of the most disappointing moments of the movie occurs during the climatic final battle, which is probably the best scene of the movie, showing Human Armies, the Autobots, and the Decepticons engaged in a full on battle royale. During the battle, Optimus Prime, having been resurected, unites with the wounded Seeker Jetfire, in order to confront the Fallen. The entire battle feels as though it was rushed, instead of a three on one brawl between Optimus, Megatron, Starscream, and the Fallen, Megatron is knocked out in the first few minutes, and Prime defeats the Fallen, who through out the entire movie is played up to being a vicious and amazing warrior, in the space of a few minutes, with out taking any damage himself.

  All in all, Revenge of the Fallen is probably the best film so far this year, and probably one of the best Transformers movies ever made, with lots of action and suspense to keep the audience entertained, and will most definatally please many fans of the Transformers series.

  • Posted Jul 5, 2009 3:42 pm PT
  • Category: Opinion
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• 1Jul 09

  The Passing of Michael Jackson

  I know it's been a week since the King of Pop's death, I've tried for a long time now to express my thoughts on the end of an era, and the loss of an icon.

  In many ways the only good thing that has come from MJ's death is that his suffering is finally over. Every time I saw one of his videos or saw him on the news I couldn't help but wonder if this was simply a cover for a man who was running from his past, or trying to have the childhood he lost so long ago.

  Here was a man who was on top of the world, and looked as though his story and legacy would be one of triumph, instead he was reduced to a laughing stock by the media who saw fit to publish any news about him, be it true, rumors or out right lies. In his later years, I can't help but feel that the world was taking pleasure from MJ's pain, and that we wanted him convicted simply because he was rich and famous, not because he was guilty or innocent, and now I can't help but wonder if we're shedding crocodile tears, because we no longer have Michael Jackson to make fun of.

  The saddest part of all of this is that Michael was never able to reconcile with his father, his ex-wife,or his brothers, and in a sad way he died as he lived:aloneand misunderstood.

  • Posted Jul 1, 2009 12:11 am PT
  • Category: Opinion
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• 21Jun 09

  Project: NATAL

  I've been wanting to write about Microsoft's upcoming Project NATAL for a while now, but I've been trying to do so in a way that doesn' make me sound like a fan boy. From what I've seen so far of NATAL, the concept has potential, but I still have my doubts, and NATAL has raised a few questions in my mind.

  1. Price: From what MS has shown of NATAL at E3, it looks like something that may carry a hefty price tag, until the actual price is annouced, this question is still up for debate.

  2. Games: This is another thing that has thrown up a red flag about NATAL is how MS will deal with the 360s game library. NATAL has the potental to greatly improve 360 fighting games like Street Fighter IV and MK vs DC Universe, but I also wonder if they will pull a Nintendo and release a completly seperate line of games, designed to specifically to work with NATAL, similar to what Nintendo did with the Zapper, Power Glove, and ROB the Robot .

  3. It's been tried before: In real life, my area of expertise is in History, and on the side I study the history of Video Games and three companies have tired NATAL-like devices in the past:

  Atari had the Mind-Link, an unreleased controller for the 2600 that would've interprited the movements of the player's head muscles into game commands http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/2600/mindlink.html

  Sega had the Activator, an octogonal shaped controller that used infrared light to interperate the player's movements, which required it's own power adaptor, instead of being powered by the Genesis/Mega-Drive itself.

  Nintendo of course had the Power Glove and the U-Force, both of which rarely worked, and required complicated codes in order for every game, and the Power Glove required recalibrating and recentering when simply changing a program for the game you were playing.

  Of corse this is just my opinion.

  • Posted Jun 21, 2009 11:23 am PT
  • Category: Opinion
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