I was rummaging around Digg.com for the random odd-ball news story which got me over to a very interesting post on The Geeks of Doom site. Apparently, the folks doing the next Batman flick decided to give us a really cool trailer. There's really nothing to see, but there is a lot to hear!
Anticipation
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Why the Michael Vick Saga Should Bother Us...no matter what
I want to take this moment to offer a warm hug to my friends who are VT grads & to dog lovers everywhere. Michael Vick is a bad man.
How involved was Vick? Does that matter? Well, yeah. If I lend my friend my car and they go run people down, is it my fault? No. What if I knew my friend was on drugs, feeling homicidal or simply had their license suspended? Now, we're getting somewhere.
If Vick knew even a sliver about the dog-fighting, even if it was only a hunch, then he's deserves everything that's coming: suspension, infamy, lost endorsement contracts and potential criminal charges.
There is a difference between abandoning friends and allowing them to destroy your life. Vick's freedom and livelihood are in jeopardy either because of an utter lack of good judgment or because he himself is an evil bastard. Either way, he's a failure. Either way, all the wanna-be AI's and Vicks out there should pay attention. Success in life means taking personal responsibility. It also means holding your friends accountable for their actions. Men like Vick's co-defendants aren't anyone's friends. And Vick, by his actions or in-action is no longer a friend to the city of Atlanta or the NFL or to animal lovers everywhere.
Vick should be ashamed. All of Atlanta is ashamed. You know that the NFL is ashamed. So much for friendship.
PS. Emmit Smith gets my vote for moron of the year award.
How involved was Vick? Does that matter? Well, yeah. If I lend my friend my car and they go run people down, is it my fault? No. What if I knew my friend was on drugs, feeling homicidal or simply had their license suspended? Now, we're getting somewhere.
If Vick knew even a sliver about the dog-fighting, even if it was only a hunch, then he's deserves everything that's coming: suspension, infamy, lost endorsement contracts and potential criminal charges.
There is a difference between abandoning friends and allowing them to destroy your life. Vick's freedom and livelihood are in jeopardy either because of an utter lack of good judgment or because he himself is an evil bastard. Either way, he's a failure. Either way, all the wanna-be AI's and Vicks out there should pay attention. Success in life means taking personal responsibility. It also means holding your friends accountable for their actions. Men like Vick's co-defendants aren't anyone's friends. And Vick, by his actions or in-action is no longer a friend to the city of Atlanta or the NFL or to animal lovers everywhere.
Vick should be ashamed. All of Atlanta is ashamed. You know that the NFL is ashamed. So much for friendship.
PS. Emmit Smith gets my vote for moron of the year award.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
File Under WTF
So, I'm really excited by the concept of MLBtv. I'm really happy to watch Phillies games. And for the most part, I'm pleased. Sadly, the moronic blackout restrictions have been frustrating.
1) All Nationals, Reds, Braves & Orioles games are blacked out. I can listen, but not watch. Now, the Braves games make sense to me. This is Braves country. I can be in Atlanta in a few hours. They are shown regularly on our TV. But as I type, the Phillies are playing the Nationals. That game is not on our local tv. The rules don't even let me watch the recordings of these games. Why not? What purpose does it serve to restrict my access to an already finished game?
2) Weekend restrictions: Saturday afternoon & Sunday night games are blacked out...period. It doesn't matter that Phillies games are rarely shown here. They are still blacked out. This is an "exclusive rights" agreement.
1) All Nationals, Reds, Braves & Orioles games are blacked out. I can listen, but not watch. Now, the Braves games make sense to me. This is Braves country. I can be in Atlanta in a few hours. They are shown regularly on our TV. But as I type, the Phillies are playing the Nationals. That game is not on our local tv. The rules don't even let me watch the recordings of these games. Why not? What purpose does it serve to restrict my access to an already finished game?
2) Weekend restrictions: Saturday afternoon & Sunday night games are blacked out...period. It doesn't matter that Phillies games are rarely shown here. They are still blacked out. This is an "exclusive rights" agreement.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Mortality
I mentioned that I had lots of content from my trip north. This post comes from my thoughts while driving through Allentown on 4 hours sleep on my way to say goodbye to my grandmother. This is the morbid, un-fun post. I thought I'd just get it out of the way.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first time I really came face to face with my own mortality was on my 12th birthday. My cat, Tinkerbell had just been struck by a car. My cat was dead. Although I remembered my great grandmother's funeral, this was my first real experience with death. I realized that someday I too would die.
This death pales in comparison to the most traumatic and live-altering death of in my life: The death of my Aunt Grace. I learned that accidents and old-age were not the only causes of death. We can die slowly, at our own hands, through smoking. To this day I abhor smoking. I still have family that smoke and I bristle with anger at them for risking premature death as they do. I admit to myself that I see smoking as slow suicide. Yes, smoking is an addiction, I tell myself. I think of the unnecessary risks I take in my life and call myself a hypocrite. Yet, it all seems so weak and selfish. So, when I consider my own addictive tendencies and how to avoid them, I think of that young man crying in desperation in his dorm room 16 years ago.
Last week I faced a completely different kind of reality when my Grandmother passed away. It was a reality I saw from my father's eyes. He (and my mother) had no parents left. They were like "orphans" (a word Dad used in passing during my visit.) It struck me harder than my grandmother's death. My father, like me, had a wonderful relationship with the in-laws. One of the great blessings of marriage is that I not only gained a wife and partner, but that I have 2 sets of loving parents. I have two dads to get advice on leaky faucets and mangled shutters. I have two moms to tell my problems to when I don't want to burden Slick. Someday, they will all be gone. Isn't that a kick in the teeth?
I think about the deaths of family & loved-ones. I wonder why these three deaths are so much more significant to me than the others. It wasn't the relationships, but the experiences of their deaths. I remember the grave-digger from Hamlet and I think of the certainty of death. I also think of the lessons of death and in turn focus of the power of life.
This is where, if I'm not careful, this post either turns into a sermon or a lament. Sermons are for preachers & laments are for people who feel trapped by mortality. I am neither. I am thankful for life and the lives of the people around me. Instead of focusing on the tomorrow that will eventually come, I'm taking joy from today. The point of this post then is this...
Carpe Diem! Oh, and call your mother(s)!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first time I really came face to face with my own mortality was on my 12th birthday. My cat, Tinkerbell had just been struck by a car. My cat was dead. Although I remembered my great grandmother's funeral, this was my first real experience with death. I realized that someday I too would die.
This death pales in comparison to the most traumatic and live-altering death of in my life: The death of my Aunt Grace. I learned that accidents and old-age were not the only causes of death. We can die slowly, at our own hands, through smoking. To this day I abhor smoking. I still have family that smoke and I bristle with anger at them for risking premature death as they do. I admit to myself that I see smoking as slow suicide. Yes, smoking is an addiction, I tell myself. I think of the unnecessary risks I take in my life and call myself a hypocrite. Yet, it all seems so weak and selfish. So, when I consider my own addictive tendencies and how to avoid them, I think of that young man crying in desperation in his dorm room 16 years ago.
Last week I faced a completely different kind of reality when my Grandmother passed away. It was a reality I saw from my father's eyes. He (and my mother) had no parents left. They were like "orphans" (a word Dad used in passing during my visit.) It struck me harder than my grandmother's death. My father, like me, had a wonderful relationship with the in-laws. One of the great blessings of marriage is that I not only gained a wife and partner, but that I have 2 sets of loving parents. I have two dads to get advice on leaky faucets and mangled shutters. I have two moms to tell my problems to when I don't want to burden Slick. Someday, they will all be gone. Isn't that a kick in the teeth?
I think about the deaths of family & loved-ones. I wonder why these three deaths are so much more significant to me than the others. It wasn't the relationships, but the experiences of their deaths. I remember the grave-digger from Hamlet and I think of the certainty of death. I also think of the lessons of death and in turn focus of the power of life.
This is where, if I'm not careful, this post either turns into a sermon or a lament. Sermons are for preachers & laments are for people who feel trapped by mortality. I am neither. I am thankful for life and the lives of the people around me. Instead of focusing on the tomorrow that will eventually come, I'm taking joy from today. The point of this post then is this...
Carpe Diem! Oh, and call your mother(s)!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Reflections on my 1.5 Weeks North
Here are reflections, observations, remembrances from my trip to the Keystone State and New England...in no particular order...
- Some Starbucks close before 10:30pm. Imagine my shock and frustration to learn this at 10:40pm while on i81N in VA.
- Even if you missed the sign, you can still tell when you've crossed over into Pennsylvania. Damn roads still suck.
- Eastern PA is still the best place in the world to play the Alphabet game. Thank you Amish Quilts!
- There are few things more frustrating than needing a "J" while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Kutztown with the words Left, McDonalds, Next, Open, & Pork all in visual range.
- The "road to nowhere" actually goes somewhere now! This is the highway in Reading, PA that just stopped in the middle of nowhere for the longest time.
- Sheetz kicks ass and takes names, but WaWa is like an old friend.
- Driving through PA is like driving from construction zone to construction zone. I had forgotten this.
- When approaching a lane merge in heavy traffic, Pennsylvanians still "encourage" one another to fall-in-line. They do so with military precision and upto a mile before the merge.
- Driving through your old college-town on the way to bear witness to death with only 4 hours of sleep is an "interesting" experience.
- The Charlotte, NC region has done an incredible job cutting back on smoking areas. I know this because of the shock I felt in PA & CT at the size and prominence of smoking areas.
- They make Turkey Scrapple. I'm not sure what's in it, which disturbs me.
- The best wine/liquor store I've ever seen is right down the street from my parents. This stands in stark contrast to the crap-selections available throughout PA.
- People who've never shopped at Costco have no idea about their insane consumer electronics department.
- Some friendships are renewed the moment you see the other person.
- My 8 year old niece may be the smartest member of the family. Be afraid! Be very afraid!
- I must learn to make Ratatouille.
- If you like scifi audiobooks, look online for "The Secret World Chronicles." It's free and simply awesome! It's also long enough to listen to for 14 hours straight!
- Never drink Full Throttle energy drink. I don't care how late it is or how tired you are. Don't do it. You've been warned!
- Never eat a Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles. I don't care if it's 10AM and you've been on the road since 6AM! Don't do it! Go find some fruit!
- If you need coffee:
In the Philly suburbs: drive on any major road for 1 mile to find Starbucks.
In New England: drive on any road for 0.5 and find 3 Dunkin Donuts.
In VA: It's old, stale gas station coffee for you!
- There are some really stupid people in the world and I'm apparently related to a few of them. Yes, there are some good stories here and no I'm not going to share them.
- 100.5 years is a good run.
- Home is where the heart lies. Mine currently resides in North Carolina. :-D
- Some Starbucks close before 10:30pm. Imagine my shock and frustration to learn this at 10:40pm while on i81N in VA.
- Even if you missed the sign, you can still tell when you've crossed over into Pennsylvania. Damn roads still suck.
- Eastern PA is still the best place in the world to play the Alphabet game. Thank you Amish Quilts!
- There are few things more frustrating than needing a "J" while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Kutztown with the words Left, McDonalds, Next, Open, & Pork all in visual range.
- The "road to nowhere" actually goes somewhere now! This is the highway in Reading, PA that just stopped in the middle of nowhere for the longest time.
- Sheetz kicks ass and takes names, but WaWa is like an old friend.
- Driving through PA is like driving from construction zone to construction zone. I had forgotten this.
- When approaching a lane merge in heavy traffic, Pennsylvanians still "encourage" one another to fall-in-line. They do so with military precision and upto a mile before the merge.
- Driving through your old college-town on the way to bear witness to death with only 4 hours of sleep is an "interesting" experience.
- The Charlotte, NC region has done an incredible job cutting back on smoking areas. I know this because of the shock I felt in PA & CT at the size and prominence of smoking areas.
- They make Turkey Scrapple. I'm not sure what's in it, which disturbs me.
- The best wine/liquor store I've ever seen is right down the street from my parents. This stands in stark contrast to the crap-selections available throughout PA.
- People who've never shopped at Costco have no idea about their insane consumer electronics department.
- Some friendships are renewed the moment you see the other person.
- My 8 year old niece may be the smartest member of the family. Be afraid! Be very afraid!
- I must learn to make Ratatouille.
- If you like scifi audiobooks, look online for "The Secret World Chronicles." It's free and simply awesome! It's also long enough to listen to for 14 hours straight!
- Never drink Full Throttle energy drink. I don't care how late it is or how tired you are. Don't do it. You've been warned!
- Never eat a Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles. I don't care if it's 10AM and you've been on the road since 6AM! Don't do it! Go find some fruit!
- If you need coffee:
In the Philly suburbs: drive on any major road for 1 mile to find Starbucks.
In New England: drive on any road for 0.5 and find 3 Dunkin Donuts.
In VA: It's old, stale gas station coffee for you!
- There are some really stupid people in the world and I'm apparently related to a few of them. Yes, there are some good stories here and no I'm not going to share them.
- 100.5 years is a good run.
- Home is where the heart lies. Mine currently resides in North Carolina. :-D
Thursday, July 19, 2007
I have returned
OK, so I'm not MacArthur and this isn't the Philippines, but I am home. I've had access to the internet while I was away, and I could have easily blogged. Heck, I've been storing up a ton of content ideas. I really just don't know where to begin. So, I'm going to start by crawling into bed with my wife and sleeping in my own bed. I'll start my many wondrous tales* tomorrow.
*edited based on feedback. Never write when you're exhausted and your friends are grammar police.
*edited based on feedback. Never write when you're exhausted and your friends are grammar police.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Phillies Do the Right Thing
Did anyone catch the highlights from the Rockies v Phillies rain delay from last night?
High winds during the rain delay last night were pushing grounds crew members around. At least one man became caught under the tarp. That's when the Phillies bench cleared to help. There's video of it here.
Highlights
After lossing 2-3 from both the Mets & Rockies, it's a good way to go into the All Star Break. At .500 they are in the right position to make a 2nd-half run at the play-offs. They have the best bats in the NL & they've hit bottom with their pitching. Hopefully, there's nowhere to go but up.
High winds during the rain delay last night were pushing grounds crew members around. At least one man became caught under the tarp. That's when the Phillies bench cleared to help. There's video of it here.
Highlights
After lossing 2-3 from both the Mets & Rockies, it's a good way to go into the All Star Break. At .500 they are in the right position to make a 2nd-half run at the play-offs. They have the best bats in the NL & they've hit bottom with their pitching. Hopefully, there's nowhere to go but up.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
When I get to heaven
My sister posted in her blog today that she is going to take on the issue of sexuality with her parishioners. Anyway, this got me thinking about the nature of Sin and about the nature of Grace. I know, a hug subject shift from the post on the MLB All-Star Team, but bear with me.
My prospective of the nature of sin has always been it's pervasiveness. I believe that every act is tainted by sin. I don't believe in the human capacity for true & unconditional altruism, at least, not without divine intervention. Perhaps this sounds pessimistic to you, but it's not. In fact, I've always seen it as one of the cornerstones to my belief in God. At my most loving and selfless moments, I still fall short of God's grace, yet I'm loved by God anyway. From this giant leap of hope and faith comes the other side of that stone, the belief in a God that can love in the face of our most hateful & selfish moments.
The promise of Christ is a promise about the people I hope to meet in heaven. I hope to meet the most hated and vilified people in history. I don't want St Peter welcoming me. I'd rather have Judas there to tell me that the forgiveness of sins knows no bounds. This is the hope with which I greet the world.
Anyway, this brings me back to my sister's quest. Christians spend so much time focusing on the nature of sin that they loose sight of the nature of Grace. If there's room in heaven for Judas, maybe there's room in the Church for everyone. I guess that's where I'd start her discussion...With Grace.
My prospective of the nature of sin has always been it's pervasiveness. I believe that every act is tainted by sin. I don't believe in the human capacity for true & unconditional altruism, at least, not without divine intervention. Perhaps this sounds pessimistic to you, but it's not. In fact, I've always seen it as one of the cornerstones to my belief in God. At my most loving and selfless moments, I still fall short of God's grace, yet I'm loved by God anyway. From this giant leap of hope and faith comes the other side of that stone, the belief in a God that can love in the face of our most hateful & selfish moments.
The promise of Christ is a promise about the people I hope to meet in heaven. I hope to meet the most hated and vilified people in history. I don't want St Peter welcoming me. I'd rather have Judas there to tell me that the forgiveness of sins knows no bounds. This is the hope with which I greet the world.
Anyway, this brings me back to my sister's quest. Christians spend so much time focusing on the nature of sin that they loose sight of the nature of Grace. If there's room in heaven for Judas, maybe there's room in the Church for everyone. I guess that's where I'd start her discussion...With Grace.
All-Star Roster Comparison
So, how did my picks work? With 14 of my 16 picks going to the All-Star game, I'm really pleased with my choices. I apparently can't pick short stops. You'll also note that I didn't make pitcher selections. That's because I know squat about pitching and what makes a good pitcher.
Anyway, I'm really glad that Matt Holiday & Aaron Rowand both made it as reservists. Both of them are having great years. I'd much rather see them than Barry Bonds.
AL
1B: D Ortiz, BOS - Starter!
2B: B Roberts, BAL - Reserve!
SS: O Cabrera, LAA - Not on the team. :-(
3B: A Rod, NYY - Starter!
C: J Posada, NYY - Reserve!
OF: I Suzuki, SEA - Starter!
OF: M Ordonez, DET - Starter!
OF: V Guerrero, LAA - Starter!
NL
1B: A Pujols, STL - Starter!
2B: C Utley, PHI - Starter!
SS: J Rollins, PHI - Not on the team. :-(
3B: M Cabrera, FLA - Reserve!
C: R Martin, LAD - Starter!
OF: M Holiday, COL - Reserve!
OF: A Soriano, CHC - Reserve!
OF: A Rowand, PHI - Reserve!
Hopefully, some of the All-Star events will be on MLB.TV. The stupid "exclusive" rights rules are confusing and stupid. I don't get playoffs and I'm in the potential black-out regions for the Braves, Reds, Orioles & Nationals.
Anyway, I'm really glad that Matt Holiday & Aaron Rowand both made it as reservists. Both of them are having great years. I'd much rather see them than Barry Bonds.
AL
1B: D Ortiz, BOS - Starter!
2B: B Roberts, BAL - Reserve!
SS: O Cabrera, LAA - Not on the team. :-(
3B: A Rod, NYY - Starter!
C: J Posada, NYY - Reserve!
OF: I Suzuki, SEA - Starter!
OF: M Ordonez, DET - Starter!
OF: V Guerrero, LAA - Starter!
NL
1B: A Pujols, STL - Starter!
2B: C Utley, PHI - Starter!
SS: J Rollins, PHI - Not on the team. :-(
3B: M Cabrera, FLA - Reserve!
C: R Martin, LAD - Starter!
OF: M Holiday, COL - Reserve!
OF: A Soriano, CHC - Reserve!
OF: A Rowand, PHI - Reserve!
Hopefully, some of the All-Star events will be on MLB.TV. The stupid "exclusive" rights rules are confusing and stupid. I don't get playoffs and I'm in the potential black-out regions for the Braves, Reds, Orioles & Nationals.
Friday, July 06, 2007
I can watch LIVE Phillies games! w00t!!!
My mother-in-law got me a subscription to watch MLB games live on the computer. I watched some footage from the Phillies game from Wed and it looked good. Tonight, will be our first chance to see it LIVE when the Phils take on the Rockies. The package she got includes the ability to watch upto 6 games at once & has a player tracker. That's very cool! I'll let you know how it goes.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Transformers
One of my favorite childhood addictions grew up this week with the release of Transformers the Movie. As as a red-blooded American boy growing up in the 80's, Transformers was a must. Being a complete geek, many of my childhood heroes followed me into adulthood: Luke Skywalker, Batman, Spiderman, but not Optimus...Until now.
Let me jump right to the point and say that Transformers delivers as promised. It is a Michael Bay summer block buster in the grand tradition of the Rock & Armageddon. As with the other Bay works, there are plenty of dizzying action-sequences with huge explosions all encapsulated in an un-freakin'-believable plot that almost holds up...well, mostly. In other words, a perfect excuse to escape the heat with an over-priced bag of popcorn in one hand & a slushy in the other! (Yeah, I got water...damn this diet!)
OK, onto some actual points about the movie.
Successes:
Opening sequence:
Perhaps I've seen one too many James Bond movies, but I'm a firm believer in the power of the opening sequence to make or break a film. By the time the opening sequence is over, you know that this isn't a kid's cartoon anymore. You also know that a single one of these big bad robots is nasty enough to wipe out an entire U.S. military base. Dear Mr Bay, "You had me at Kaboom!"
Decepticons:
As a whole, the Decepticons were so much more interesting than the Autobots. They truly lived up to their name. Time and again, I found myself doing double-takes when I saw a helicopter or jet. Thanks to Blackout's (helicopter) opening sequence, I spent the entire film afraid of military choppers. Is that him? No, whew...Wait, what about that one? No...whew. And Frenzy (Boombox) was their MVR (most valuable robot.) The tiniest of them was the most dangerous. The success of the Decepticons as a film element was the building process. Each time we were introduced to a Decepticon, it was a ratcheting-up of the danger. In this way, the final emergence of Megatron was something to truly fear!
Bumblebee:
Thank goodness for Bumblebee. Yes, they turned him into a Camaro, but it really worked. Bumblebee gave the Autobots soul. The bonding between Bumblebee & Sam was great. Unlike the Decepticons, the Autobots were introduced to us as Bumblebee's friends. All of Sam's trust in Optimus Prime (18-wheeler) was based completely on his trust in Bumblebee. Thankfully, it worked.
The Voice of Optimus Prime:
This was my "Fan-Boy" moment. The voice of Peter Cullen saying "Autobots, transform--and roll out!" His voice and the character of Optimus was nearly unnecessary for the success of the plot, but essential to the box-office. His voice on that robot is what we, the fans went to hear.
Sam Witwicky
I've been really confused why Hollywood seems to have a chubby for Shia Labeouf. Yet, he was the perfect stand-in for all of us one-time awkward teenagers who dreamed of being a hero and getting the girl! I'm no longer dreading him as Indiana Jones' son.
Note: Holy Megan Fox Batman!
Disappointments:
One big "Go Army" movie:
Our beloved armed forces should show this movie during every recruiting drive. They should see if Josh Duhamel will stand in for Uncle Sam. Seriously, I'm also a military history & movie junky, but it may have been just a tad over the top. They should really show this on the 4th of July or somethi...Oh wait...Good call!
Note: Michael Bay's a life-saver. Now I don't need a G.I.Joe film!
On the subject of monumentally stupid decisions:
How do we turn our aforementioned poster-boy for Army recruitment into the ambassador for the incredibly stupid? Let's have him lead an insanely big, genocide-seeking, megalomaniac robot into the heart of a densely populated city for our climatic fight-sequence. Nobody has a problem with this? Clearly, this is an example of a scripting after deciding on the fight sequence.
Autobots:
As I mentioned earlier, Bumblebee was the saving-grace for a completely under-developed collective of comic relief and cannon-fodder. When the heroes take out a Decepticon it's cause for celebration, but when an Autobot falls nobody but a total fan cares. (I am and I didn't.) This is the real disappointment of the film. Without being a Transformers fan, you don't feel anything for Optimus Prime or any of the others.
On the subject of even more monumentally stupid decisions:
What kind of sick, twisted parents bring 4 & 5 year-olds to see a PG-13 movie? The theater was packed with them. It was violent. It was REALLY violent. People were blowing up left and right. Seriously, I know this has nothing to do with the actual movie, but WTF? Wait, this is a movie review, not a soap box!
In conclusion:
If you're willing to suspend your disbelief and watch some robots in disguise, then Transformers is the movie for you.
Let me jump right to the point and say that Transformers delivers as promised. It is a Michael Bay summer block buster in the grand tradition of the Rock & Armageddon. As with the other Bay works, there are plenty of dizzying action-sequences with huge explosions all encapsulated in an un-freakin'-believable plot that almost holds up...well, mostly. In other words, a perfect excuse to escape the heat with an over-priced bag of popcorn in one hand & a slushy in the other! (Yeah, I got water...damn this diet!)
OK, onto some actual points about the movie.
Successes:
Opening sequence:
Perhaps I've seen one too many James Bond movies, but I'm a firm believer in the power of the opening sequence to make or break a film. By the time the opening sequence is over, you know that this isn't a kid's cartoon anymore. You also know that a single one of these big bad robots is nasty enough to wipe out an entire U.S. military base. Dear Mr Bay, "You had me at Kaboom!"
Decepticons:
As a whole, the Decepticons were so much more interesting than the Autobots. They truly lived up to their name. Time and again, I found myself doing double-takes when I saw a helicopter or jet. Thanks to Blackout's (helicopter) opening sequence, I spent the entire film afraid of military choppers. Is that him? No, whew...Wait, what about that one? No...whew. And Frenzy (Boombox) was their MVR (most valuable robot.) The tiniest of them was the most dangerous. The success of the Decepticons as a film element was the building process. Each time we were introduced to a Decepticon, it was a ratcheting-up of the danger. In this way, the final emergence of Megatron was something to truly fear!
Bumblebee:
Thank goodness for Bumblebee. Yes, they turned him into a Camaro, but it really worked. Bumblebee gave the Autobots soul. The bonding between Bumblebee & Sam was great. Unlike the Decepticons, the Autobots were introduced to us as Bumblebee's friends. All of Sam's trust in Optimus Prime (18-wheeler) was based completely on his trust in Bumblebee. Thankfully, it worked.
The Voice of Optimus Prime:
This was my "Fan-Boy" moment. The voice of Peter Cullen saying "Autobots, transform--and roll out!" His voice and the character of Optimus was nearly unnecessary for the success of the plot, but essential to the box-office. His voice on that robot is what we, the fans went to hear.
Sam Witwicky
I've been really confused why Hollywood seems to have a chubby for Shia Labeouf. Yet, he was the perfect stand-in for all of us one-time awkward teenagers who dreamed of being a hero and getting the girl! I'm no longer dreading him as Indiana Jones' son.
Note: Holy Megan Fox Batman!
Disappointments:
One big "Go Army" movie:
Our beloved armed forces should show this movie during every recruiting drive. They should see if Josh Duhamel will stand in for Uncle Sam. Seriously, I'm also a military history & movie junky, but it may have been just a tad over the top. They should really show this on the 4th of July or somethi...Oh wait...Good call!
Note: Michael Bay's a life-saver. Now I don't need a G.I.Joe film!
On the subject of monumentally stupid decisions:
How do we turn our aforementioned poster-boy for Army recruitment into the ambassador for the incredibly stupid? Let's have him lead an insanely big, genocide-seeking, megalomaniac robot into the heart of a densely populated city for our climatic fight-sequence. Nobody has a problem with this? Clearly, this is an example of a scripting after deciding on the fight sequence.
Autobots:
As I mentioned earlier, Bumblebee was the saving-grace for a completely under-developed collective of comic relief and cannon-fodder. When the heroes take out a Decepticon it's cause for celebration, but when an Autobot falls nobody but a total fan cares. (I am and I didn't.) This is the real disappointment of the film. Without being a Transformers fan, you don't feel anything for Optimus Prime or any of the others.
On the subject of even more monumentally stupid decisions:
What kind of sick, twisted parents bring 4 & 5 year-olds to see a PG-13 movie? The theater was packed with them. It was violent. It was REALLY violent. People were blowing up left and right. Seriously, I know this has nothing to do with the actual movie, but WTF? Wait, this is a movie review, not a soap box!
In conclusion:
If you're willing to suspend your disbelief and watch some robots in disguise, then Transformers is the movie for you.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
We is All Stupid
As you are probably aware, the city of New York is banning trans-fat oils from restaurants. Let me link just one of the many articles about this story. I'm all in favor of everyone cooking with Olive or Canola oil. But have you stopped for a moment and looked at the focus for a moment? Let me key you in on some of the buzz-words from these articles: French Fries, Donuts, Deep Fryers...
Has anyone stopped to ask how much trans fat is required to build up "bad cholesterol" and clog arteries? If I'm eating enough French fries, donuts and generally deep fried foods to blame my problems on trans fats, am I not already overwhelming my body with high concentrations of bad calories? Sure, I've cut back on the "bad" stuff, but I'm still obese and a candidate for adult onset diabetes.
Yes, the banning of trans fats will also help in nutritional values of meals that don't include deep fryers, but the articles I've read still suggest that we are all focused on the symptoms and not the real cure. Instead of changing our bad behavior, we simply make changes to the process and pretend we're improving things.
Man, I could go for some French fries right now...
Has anyone stopped to ask how much trans fat is required to build up "bad cholesterol" and clog arteries? If I'm eating enough French fries, donuts and generally deep fried foods to blame my problems on trans fats, am I not already overwhelming my body with high concentrations of bad calories? Sure, I've cut back on the "bad" stuff, but I'm still obese and a candidate for adult onset diabetes.
Yes, the banning of trans fats will also help in nutritional values of meals that don't include deep fryers, but the articles I've read still suggest that we are all focused on the symptoms and not the real cure. Instead of changing our bad behavior, we simply make changes to the process and pretend we're improving things.
Man, I could go for some French fries right now...
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