Top Ten: Transformers the Movie

I did something out of character this weekend. I saw a movie...Transformers, the Movie to be exact. That's not too much out of character. What really makes it out of character is that I saw it three times in one weekend. Friday 3:30pm. Saturday 12:10pm. Sunday 9:40pm... Wow, I really need to get a life. Actually, my life is in the Ukraine...

I have to blog on this somehow, so please let me present to you a Top Ten.

Top Ten reasons I love Transformers the Movie:
10. Product Placement: Since we have Tivo, we rarely watch commercials anymore. I sat through a 2:33 movie which had major product placement for GMC Cars (specifically Chevrolet, Cadillac, Pontiac), Apple, eBay, Yahoo, Microsoft, Dance Dance Revolution, Nokia, and Mountain Dew.

9. Toy Commercials: Let's be honest, the original TV series and comic books was nothing more than an 30 minute commercial to buy the toys (Transformers is owned by Hasboro, THE toy company). Nothing has changed, and we will all be seeing Transformers on MANY children's Christmas lists this year.

8. Soundtrack: Anytime I get to hear Linkin Park these days makes me happy.

7. Deja vu: I read this storyline in a comic book like six years ago when I was living in Texas. As I recall, it was an "independent comic book" (not official Marvel/Hasboro). I got it from a comic book store that was going out of biz. Now, it's a Major Motion Picture storyline. Good for the guy that wrote it.

6. Excellent dialogue: Come on, you know you'd be inspired too when the hot chick says to you..."No matter what happens, I'm glad I got into that car with you."

5. Peter Cullen: The original voice of Optimus Prime (and other macho cartoon characters like Winny the Pooh's Eeyore) returns in the live action remake. Seriously, though, Cullen's voice is the definitive characteristic of the Transformers Experience. Props to the producers for bringing Cullen out of retirement for this!

4. Transformers Expert: I get to flex my Autobot/Decepticon knowledge. Glad those years of studying comic books are finally paying off. Plus, I got to say "I had that toy" a lot.

3. Suspending logic: The storyline had more holes in it than Unicron did after the cartoon version of "Transformers the Movie" in 1986. Come on, it's a sci-fi flick for kids (and grown up kids at heart)... Check your brains at the door and enjoy the explosions!

2. Movies imitate real life: Dorky kid saves the world, gets a hot chick and a cool car. Definitely real life here. I remember when that happened to me (all except saving the world, that is...)

1. For seven hours and thirty nine minutes this weekend I got to forget about everything in my life and be a kid again. No work, bills, invoices, employees, bosses, schedules, computers, calendars, responsibilities... I got to go back to the third grade and say things like "ooohhh cool", "awesome", "wow". Transformers the Movie, for me, was the ultimate escapism.

Thank you, Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay, for bringing my childhood back to me in such a vivid way.

Can anyone say Transformers: the Sequel opening Summer 2009?

Comments

[Kathleen Finley]

I saw it too and it was awesome! I have to say that movie is on my top favorites list now! so cool!