Unlike the rather complex Donnie Darko, you only need half a brain to enjoy our last film of the day. So if you’re thinking of watching Transformers then turn on your TV and switch off your brain for some mindless robot on robot action. The film follows a high school student whose mediocre life becomes fantasy when his old Camaro transforms into Autobot Bumblebee: The boy’s guardian in a war against the evil Decepticons. The film is non-stop entertainment from start to finish with some very cool robot fighting footage seen throughout this action adventure. The graphical imagery was all pretty impressive and it all seemed very real. It's amazing how much attention to detail they have put into making it look this good. Although most of it was composed with CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery), Spielberg encouraged Bay to restrict the use of CGI to the robots and background elements in the action sequences which, I think, gave the film more of a realistic feel. At times the robot fight scenes were extremely close-up and in your face which made the super-sonic action a bit difficult to keep up with. I hope Bay will hit the minus button a few times on the 'zoom' front where the next film is concerned!My favourite performances of the film are delivered from the Autobots themselves. They all have their own personalities which make them all the more loveable and amusing to watch. It avoided any opportunity where you would be calling any one of them an “it”. Peter Cullen, the voice behind Optimus Prime's character was wise and worldly and he was quite paternal which made him appear extremely comforting and an all round good leader. Did you know that Cullen once was the voice of Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh?
Bumblebee was just a gesturing genius. Despite having lost his voice during battle, his actions throughout the film suggest more than words ever could. He is a man's best friend and is there definitely more than what meets the eye through his yellow and black exterior (don't forget to notice the bee hanging on Bumblebee's windscreen which reads "Bee Otch"- check that attitude!) As for the humans in the film, I'm not entirely convinced. Shia LaBeouf (pronounced SHY-uh luh-Buff) in particular I thought was generally ok if a little flawed in his role as Sam Witwicky.
There were moments in the film where I felt his reaction wasn’t quite the appropriate or believable for the scene at hand. It may be an opinion many may not share with me, but I'm afraid he just doesn't do it for me (sorry ladies... oh and Ian hehe). As he’s a current Hollywood favourite, I’m hoping he will change my mind someday. The rest of the characters deliver a promising performance. This film's an all round entertainer- a definite recommendation for anyone who enjoys some straightforward action-packed Sci Fi madness. Bay’s next chapter from the franchise is just around the corner- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is due to be released in the summer of ’09- can't wait!
For Ian's take on Transformers, click here.
Thanks for your patience with our slightly extended version of Sci-Fi Day. I hope you guys enjoyed our line-up and will equally enjoy our upcoming genre which will be announced in the near future so watch this space.
Beeeeee Goooood!
Some would say that Donnie Darko is like marmite, either you love it or you hate it. Well, I’ve just seen Donnie Darko for the first time which has secretly left me asking for more (which is more than I can say about marmite!) Unlike the sticky dark-brown paste, the film leaves you with a curious aftertaste and a relentless fascination that stays with you for a while. Most of this fascination stems from the film’s ambiguity. Richard Kelly’s Sci Fi psychodrama poses many thought provoking questions where fate, destiny, time and the existence of God are all put under the spotlight. The film oozes so much depth that it is impossible to absorb it all from a first time viewing. It’s a film that’ll give you something new to think about each time you watch it.Donald J. Darko, our spiritual superhero, is played by the very talented Jake Gyllenhaal who delivers a memorable performance as the troubled teenager who sets off to uncover the truth about time travelling after being told by a vision dressed in a menacing bunny suit that the world will come to an end in exactly 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds (which is weird considering the film was made in exactly 28 days- spooky!). Gyllenhaal added a very dark, satirical element to his character which I thought worked really well for the film and its general idea. There were some very poignant and creepy moments which could also categorize the film as a horror/suspense thriller. The Film is about overcoming the fear of dying alone; it’s about a man who saves the world and most of all, its a meaningful love story unlike any other I’ve seen. A lot of things in the film are left unexplained- things we may never be able to explain. It questions life and the essence of our being. It makes us wonder about the bigger things in life which is what I think makes this film so amazing.For Ian's take on Donnie Darko, click here.
What makes this film an all time classic is how it manifests a blend of four extremely well done genres into one successful viewing for all the family. In other words, E.T. is so much more than just your average Sci Fi film- it’s also a children’s fantasy, a family drama as well as a Sci Fi adventure film which serves a treat for all. Nearly three decades later, the film still manages to preserve these genres well while the sentimental value of the film still remains powerful as ever, making it one of the greatest tearjerkers of all time- (yes, I did find myself fighting back the tears even now!).All this is achieved from some spectacular performances from our child actors, Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore who really made us laugh and cry in all the right parts- (something many adult actors have failed to accomplish!). We could argue that child actors are the best kind of actors, after all, children aren’t as experienced as adults and so their only resources would be their real reactions and emotions to things they encounter in the scenes. They express this sense of truth in their performances which has managed to win us over so well. Drew Barrymore as the mischievous Gertie was my favourite performance of the entire film. How can a seven year old kid (who is just so adorable by the way) possess sarcasm and wit as traits? (and why can’t all kids be like that?!) With an amazing performance from Barrymore at such a young age, we are anything but surprised at how successful her acting career has been as an adult (which we’ll be seeing very shortly with Donnie Darko). The alien is naturally very cute with sympathy evoking features which represents a child’s imaginary friend that comes to life.E.T. was the film of my childhood- a film that I never got tired of watching over and over again. It had been some years before I ventured back to it once again for Sci Fi day and I’m really glad I did- it brought me back to a time when life was a little more carefree and magical. E.T. is a wonderful timeless tale about friendship and an all round great Spielberg Sci Fi family film.
For Ian’s take on E.T. click here.
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