These days with the boys I don’t do a whole lot of toy collecting.  The vast majority of my collection (Joes, Star Wars, Transformers, etc.) went to the garbage heap long ago without me knowing about it (thanks Dad).  There are just too damn many Star Wars figures for me to get into that line, but a few years back I ran across some new G.I. Joe figures in the stores.  I bought my first one (I believe the first one I got was Duke) and  I was hooked.

Fast forward a couple of years and this line (now known as The Pursuit of Cobra) has now come to an end.  There are 36 figures in the line put together in 6 “waves” that were released.  In addition, there are 2 figures that were Toys ‘R’ Us exclusive figures.  I was sad to find out today that with the advent of the 30th Anniversary line of Joe figures the Pursuit of Cobra line is over and done with.  This bums me out more than I can tell you, but it does mean that I’ve got the complete line.

Above is a quick walk through of the 18 G.I. Joe figures from this line.

Followed by a quick review of the 18 Cobra figures. 

And finally a discussion of just how many accessories are included.

So now the question becomes… what’s next?  As I said previously I just can’t get behind the money grubbing machine that Star Wars has become and I’m not a huge fan of the other Joe lines out there.  Thinking I’ll either pick this style up with the 30th Anniversary line or go back to my put on hold original Joe collection.

I loved the flick the first time around and the second time was no different.  In fact, I think I may have enjoyed it more the second time, but I don’t really think it was due to the 3D.  I have a feeling going into it the second time, I was able to pick up on more of the subtleties in the flick (if there are such things in a Michael Bay flick) and really got to sit back and enjoy the story a bit more.

I will say that this was the best use of 3D that I’ve ever seen in a movie.  And yes, that includes Avatar.  Michael Bay uses 3D the way it was intended to be used… to provide a little bit of depth.  I was worried that with the way Bay makes movies the added dimension of 3D would just be too much.  I’m happy to say that I was wrong.  The 3D really does add to the movie experience and with the exception of a few scenes really just blends in as part of the experience rather than the gimmick that it is.

All of that being said, I’m still not sold on 3D.  For me it just doesn’t add enough to be worth the extra ticket price.  I won’t say that I’ll shy away from 3D but give the choice between the two I’d probably go with the “regular” experience.  In all likelihood the next time I see a 3D flick will be when Star Wars returns to theaters (again) to get even more of my money.

Before we get started I want to remind readers that I’m a big Transformers geek so this may be a bit biased.  If you want to get a historical perspective you can check out my reviews of the first two flicks in the franchise here:

• Transformers (2007)
• Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)

Note that I’m one of the few that didn’t completely rip to shreds The Fallen

The Humans

Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the bat.  Megan Fox did not reprise her role as Mikaela Banes this time around.  While that really bummed me out when I first heard about I’m happy to report that the role of “love interest” for Shia LeBeouf’s Sam Witwicky has been more than adequately filled by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley playing Carly Spencer.  Good god is this woman hot.  Oh yeah… and she can ACT!  I was sorry to see Fox gone but very happy to see how she was replaced.

LeBouf turns in an outstanding performance once again.  Not sure what this guy did to become Speilberg and Bay’s goto guy, but he’s making the most out of his opportunity and really shining.  Also reprising their roles are Josh Duhamel (Colonel Lennox), John Tuturro (Agent Simmons), Kevin Dunn & Julie White (Sam’s parents) and Tyrese Gibson (Airforce Chief).  Tuturro and Gibson’s roles are somewhat smaller than they have been in previous films and I’m happy to report that Dunn & White’s roles aren’t nearly as “silly” as they were in Revenge (though they’re clearly in there for a bit of levity).

There are three noteworthy additions to the human cast (aside from the aforementioned P.O.A. Rosie).  Patrick Dempsey, Frances McDormand and John (effing) Malkovich.  Dempsey plays an art collector turned traitor who helps the Decepticons.  I’ve never seen an episode of Grey’s Anatomy so to me he’s still Randy Bodek from Loverboy.  McDormand plays the U.S. Secretary of Defense that I could have done without.  John Malkovich (playing Sam’s boss) is absolutely BRILLIANT in a supporting role.

The Transformers

The old standbys are here: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Ratchet, Sideswipe, Megatron and Starscream. In addition, we get some new folks that really make this film stand out:

• Sentinel Prime – voiced by Leonard Nimoy this dude is a BAD ASS.  He’s basically an ancestor of Optimus.  Too bad he turns on the Autobots, kills Ironhide and nearly destroys the planet.  At least he gets what’s coming to him.
• Dino/Que – new Autobots that don’t do a whole lot.  Que (who apparently is Wheeljack) is essentially assassinated by Soundwave near the end of the film.  I have to say that was a pretty intense scene.
• The Wreckers – this Autobot commando unit isn’t in the movie for very long but they are AWESOME.
• Soundwave – sure he was in the last flick but now he’s on Earth and kicking ass.  Truly an awesome treatment of one of my all time favorite characters.  Especially when they introduce Laserbeak… WOW.
• Shockwave – the big purple gun from G1 is back as a mix between Megatron and the centennials from The Matrix.  This guy is cool.

The Story

I won’t do a full summary here but I’ll give you the gist.  Sentinal Prime and his ship crash landed on the dark side of the moon years ago.  We knew this which is why humans ever wanted to go to the moon to begin with.  Optimus goes to the moon and revives Sentinal who subsequently turns on the Autobots and sets into motion a plan that he and Megatron had put into motion long ago on Cybertron.  Chicago is the play land for the final fight and the “takeover” by the Decepticons is nothing short of incredible.  The Autobots and humans fight back, shit blows up, people and robots die and we fade to black.

I would have liked to have seen more from Megatron here but I love the fact that they stuck with continuity and his head/face is still messed up from the last flick.  You can tell that they’ve really turned things up a notch when Ironhide dies halfway through the movie.  And when Starscream goes down it’s a very fitting end to his character.

As with any action movie you really need to check your common sense at the door and this one is no different.  I have to say though that not once was I really “taken out” of the movie.  Get your popcorn, sit down and prepare to be entertained.  Don’t look for outstanding and airtight storytelling.  Even though this has a running time of 155 minutes (2 and a half hours +) I never looked at my watch once.   That says good pacing to me.

3D Or Not 3D

Personally I’m not a big fan of 3D movies and for that reason I didn’t see Dark of the Moon in 3D.  They look OK but for me it’s just not worth the extra money (I already paid $9 for a Wednesday evening movie).  Everyone always points at Avatar as the end-all-be-all of 3D movie making.  This isn’t a review of Avatar so I won’t go into it other than to say that movie looked great but sucked balls.  The “novelty” of 3D wore off rather quickly for me and then I was left with a supremely sub-standard movie… but I digress. In fact, with the style of movie making that Michael Bay employs, I’d suggest that the 3D experience may actually be too much.  It’s already an assault on the senses and I’m not sure stuff flying AT me would help my enjoyment of the movie.  I’ve seen quite a few reviews that say you simply MUST see this in 3D.  Personally I don’t care.

Recommendation

It really seems to me that Michael Bay actually LISTENED to the critics of his last flick.  Sure it made a shit ton of money but even fan boys weren’t happy with Revenge of the Fallen.  There are no robot balls, humping, or overly terribly acting.  The “dick and fart” jokes have been cut down on quite a bit.  The dialog is snappy and witty as ever and I’m not sure if it was just me but I could follow the action (between robots) MUCH better here than I ever could in the past.  That may be due to some color changes of the Transformers but I think it had just as much to do with camera work.  Kudos to you Mr. Bay.

Is this going to win any Oscars?  Probably not, but when I go to the movies I go to be entertained.  This was FAR superior to the 2nd entry in the franchise and I’d probably also put it above the 2007 entry into the series.  The robot on robot action was good,  the human acting was a step above anything we’ve seen before, we get new characters (both robot and human) that are a pleasure to watch, the action was as intense as any Bay flick I’ve ever seen and the story held together better than the previous incarnations.  Go see this flick.

It focuses on figures from the first 4 waves of the current G.I. Joe line called Pursuit of Cobra and also includes Voltron, Star Wars and Transformers toys.  What’s in your collection?

1. I’m part of the @clevelanddotcom Twitter Twenty! #CLE20
2. I live in Cleveland but I’m a Steeler fan. In my defense, I grew up in Pittsburgh.
3. I chewed tobacco for 17+ years. When I quit I started http://www.killthecan.org/ to help others quit.
4. I’m adopted. So is my brother but we’re not biological brothers. Still love him to death.
5. I once left a brand new grill in its box in my garage for over a month. @MikeHumphries was not happy about it.
6. I’m starting to think that doing this 100 facts list was a bad idea.  (Please note that I was only up to #6 before I started having second thoughts…)
7. Even though this list was a bad idea once I start something I’m uber stubborn. I will complete it.
8. Prime example of #7? The WrestleMania Project – http://wp.me/pj6R5-j7 First post in Sept 09 and still going.
9. I’m married to my high school sweetheart.
10. I’ve got two kids. I enjoy playing with their toys probably more than they do.
11. I have a blog at http://406northlane.com/ where I tend to act much younger than my age.
12. I have what some would consider “a potty mouth”. I freely admit it and don’t think it takes away from my character.
13. I blame @Ken_Diesel for giving me the crazy idea to do this list.
14. For some strange reason, I wasn’t even following @Ken_Diesel from this account. It’s been remedied.
15. All of these tweets will be compiled into a blog post. (You’re reading it now)
16. Sometimes I’m scared that I put too much of myself “out there”. Then I realize no one cares anyways.
17. I’m trying to be considerate and not flood people’s Twitter feeds. But its noon and I’m only 17/100. #GoTime
18. Robert B. Parker is my all time favorite author. I read his works over and over again. He passed away last year RIP
19. I wonder… does Twitter keep ALL of my tweets? Can I see every single one I’ve ever made?
20. I should pass 2,500 tweets during this exercise.
21. Megatron was my first Transformer. But I have to say Soundwave was probably my favorite.
22. I live in Ohio and I’m not a Buckeye fan. Sue me – I went to another Big Ten school. Don’t worry not Michigan.
23. I’m Polish. I enjoy Polish jokes. Anyone who gets bent out of shape over stuff like that is wound too tightly.
24. There are 2 topics I rarely talk about: religion and politics. It’s pointless. People have their minds made up.
25. I can no longer drink “regular” – diet all the way regardless of brand.
26. My family is the most important thing in the world to me. This should have been fact #1
27. I will be watching #WrestleMania 27 next Sunday evening. It will be awesome.
28. #WrestleMania 28 has already been announced to be in Miami, FL next year. I was hoping for #Cleveland
29. My all time favorite baseball player is Jim Thome. Got to meet him a couple weeks ago. Turned into a little girl.
30. I am fascinated by #tattoos but don’t have any… yet. I’ve got 3-4 designed in my head.
31. I just destroyed Taco Bell for lunch.
32. I will not tweet something that I won’t say to your face.
33. I’m convinced that there is a movie quote perfect for every situation.
34. Just bought this tremendous Voltron t-shirt: http://twitpic.com/4cu0ww
35. I’m pretty sure that this “Internet thing” is here to stay.
36. I truly do hope that I’m doing this slow enough to not spam up people’s feeds. I’d hate to piss people off.
37. Growing up I was a Leo. Not sure if that’s still the case or not.
38. I prefer Target to Walmart. It’s more “upscale” (though that’s not saying much).
39. I prefer Burger King to McDonalds. Their fries are FAR superior.
40. I was a competitive swimmer for 17 years. Amazing the difference between 8 miles/day and 8 beers/day #college
41. I’m pretty sure I’m addicted to fast food. Seriously.
42. IMHO there is only one “Trilogy”
43. I have some incredibly “pretty” Twitter followers.
44. Cleveland gets a bad wrap nationwide, but I will defend her to the death. It’s a GREAT place to live.
45. I love being a dad. Even though the kids are a pain sometimes, it’s totally worth it when they greet me at the door.
46. Though I’m being optimistic, I do not have high hopes for my beloved Cleveland Indians this year.
47. I stayed away from Twitter for a long time cause I thought it was silly. I still think it’s silly. #HereToStay
48. I’m starting to get worried that I’m going to get to #100 before the end of the day.
49. I promise to tweet less tomorrow. I recognize that this is ridiculous.
50. I am half way there. I am in fact, living on a prayer. #BonJovi

At that point, I made the following tweet:

I’m making the executive decision that 50 #100factsaboutme is more than enough…

And just like that… I was done.

So… to that end, I’ve been cleaning up the basement, organizing, throwing away, etc.  During this exercise, I ran across a trunk full of my Transformers from when I was a kid.  After some digging and some searching on the Internet I managed to put him back together in all his glory.  I can’t say that all of his joints are as tight as they were 25+ years ago, but all his parts are there and he now enjoys a prime spot on the top of my TV (conveniently out of the reach of the boys).

I’ve missed you old friend… welcome back.

This will contain spoilers – if you want to know nothing about the movie before you see it skip this post and come back after you’ve seen it.

If you’re like me you heard very bad things about this flick.  I heard that it was the worst previewed movie in history, that the director had been fired halfway through, that they weren’t going to allow official movie reviews, etc.  Since most people are going to go into it with the “it sucks” mentality I’ll start off with the bad stuff.

THE BAD STUFF

1. The CGI – it’s fucking terrible.  There are quite a few times where it’s was so bad that it took me out of the movie.  Planes don’t fly accurately, characters do shit that wouldn’t be remotely possible (even when you suspend disbelief) and there are some scenes where you can almost see the green screen technicians standing in the background.
2. The outfits – not so great.  I can’t really put my finger on it but the Joes just don’t look “authentic”.  They’ve got a Starship Troopers look to them… if that makes any sense.  The military folks in The Transformers look much more realistic.
3. Cobra – so the movie is called “The Rise Of Cobra” and you don’t get much of that until the last minute of the movie.  Should have/could have done more.

THE CHARACTERS

• Snake Eyes – Ray Park is a bad ass and he looks great with one exception – he’s got a mouth.  Terrible.  Looks nothing like the original character and there’s not even a “movie” reason for the change.  Not good.
• Baroness – SMOKIN.  Sienna Miller is incredible in this role and looks amazing.  I’ve always thought of Baroness as a bit “matronly” and there was none of that here.  I didn’t dig her back story but I can deal with it.
• Duke – really looked the part but I’ve always thought of Duke as an “older” Joe.  Every time Channing Tatum was on screen I couldn’t help think of WWE superstar John Cena.
• Destro – you don’t see him plated until the end which is fine.  The actor is a little too thin for my liking but definitely plays the cerebral Destro to perfection.
• Ripcord – I really thought Marlon Wayans would get on my nerves.  He didn’t.  Well done Marlon.
• Scarlett – PERFECT casting.  Rachel Nichols captures her character and plays her to a T.  Oh… and she’s HOT!
• Storm Shadow – I preferred the comic version where you didn’t know really who he was and rarely saw him out of ninja gear but I’ve got no problem with this treatment.
• Hawk – Dennis Quaid was a perfect choice for Hawk.  Not a big role in this flick but needed an actor that could pull it off.
• Heavy Duty – bad choice of an actor.  Based on his appearances in Lost and Oz I just couldn’t see Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in this role.
• Breaker – I’ve got a certain affinity toward this character as he was my first ever figure.  I’m not a huge fan of changing him from American to Moroccan but I was happy with the way he was portrayed.
• Cobra Commander – what… the… fuck.  The back story is wrong, the outfit is terrible and for a flick called “The Rise of Cobra” he’s got no screen time.  You simply cannot have Cobra Commander without the faceplate or the hood.  Awful.
• Zartan – happy to see him in the film and REALLY looking forward to what they do with his character in the sequel.  Nothing like the comic/figure but that was to be expected.

THE GOOD STUFF

1. Action – make no mistake – this is an action movie.  It’s not a retelling of the comic and it’s certainly not the “made for TV nobody gets shot when there’s a milion bullets flying” stuff that you got with the cartoon.  The Paris sequence is great and the attack on the Pit was a treat to watch.
2. Nostalgia – I’ve been waiting for this flick for nearly 30 years.  To finally see the Joes on the big screen was awesome.  I was naturally comparing it to the cartoon/comics but I can honestly say that I was completely entertained the entire way.
3. The origins – I’ve said a couple of times that I don’t like the back story that they’ve given the characters.  This is partially due to MY history with the characters so I can overlook that.  That said, this doesn’t feel like an “origin movie” which it clearly is.  The story moves along quite well and the back stories are told through a series of flash backs in a way that doesn’t detract from the plot.
4. The setup – based on the limited previews that I saw I thought I’d hate the storyline for this flick (what the hell is a nano-mite anyways?)  I was pleasantly surprised that I really found myself caring about the plot.  The ending was tight and totally left some great jumping off points for a sequel.

RECOMMENDATION

In a previous post I bitched about how my childhood was being raped.  Honestly I’m really happy to finally see this flick on the big screen.  I can understand why there have been a slew of negative reviews but if you’re a child of the 80′s like me I’m guessing you’re going to enjoy watching this.  Go into expecting the same characters and plots that you got in the 80′s and you’ll be disappointed.  Go into expecting a fun popcorn action movie and you’ll be happy.  Recommended movie for fans of the G.I. Joe universe.  I was able to overlook the bad stuff and walked out of the theater entertained and looking forward to more G.I. Joe and Cobra.

Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Transformers, Halloween, Friday The 13th, Tron… I could go on and on.  It seems as if Hollywood is completely devoid of any original ideas these days.  Don’t get me wrong – some of these movies are great.  I completely enjoyed Transformers as well as the sequel Transformer 2: Revenge Of The Fallen.  I have yet to see G.I. Joe but I’m sure that I’ll enjoy that one as well purely based on nostalgia value… and therein lies the problem.  Since I’m enjoying them it means OTHER people are enjoying them.  It means they’re making money.  It means that the cycle will not stop anytime soon.

I’ve ranted here about my feelings on the current state of the Star Wars universe so I won’t bother rehashing it.  But the more I think about these remakes, reboots and re-imaging I just get this feeling of “something’s not quite right”.  My memories of playing with those toys, watching those cartoons, and having those adventures are precious to me.  Now I’ve got to assimilate all of this new information into those memories and I simply cannot process it.  I have less of a problem with the Transformers  and G.I. Joe’s of the world – those are merely being told in a new media.  It’s kind of cool actually to see a “real life” Optimus Prime or Storm Shadow.  What really gets me is these reboots.  It’s a story that has been told (successfully I might add)… STOP THE MADNESS.

Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween – these are three of the most well known horror franchises of all time.  They’re good cause of what they are.  Please leave them alone.  The fact that Rob Zombie’s Halloween was a good retelling doesn’t change the fact that it should never have been made.

Tron – seriously?  Were there really people out there clamoring for a retelling of Tron?  Go back and watch it… it’s a clever story but it’s already been retold.  It was called The Matrix.

Robocop – again… the idea is played out.  I don’t need another version of an ass-kicking cyborg.

Ghostbusters – please God… do not allow this to happen.  Especially after all these years.  The first movie is a classic and the second is pretty damned good too.  We do not need a follow up to this.  Didn’t we learn anything the Indiana Jones experiment?

I’m begging Hollywood to please allow my childhood to stay intact.  Please give my kids their own movies, toys and properties to love.  There’s no reason they have to enjoy the same stuff that I did when I was growing up.  You want to really get sick?  Here’s a list of stuff that’s currently in the works:

• Romancing The Stone – I don’t see how this one could be made better.
• Back To School – talk about getting no respect… Rodney I’m sure is rolling in his grave.
• Conan – haven’t we seen enough bad Arnold franchises try to come back?
• The Karate Kid – with none other than Will Smith’s son Jaden in the lead roll.
• Footloose – staring… Zac Effron.  Fuck me.
• Short Circuit – this is one that I like but let’s be honest… it sucked the first time around.

Pissed off yet?  I could go on and on.  You know what REALLY upsets me?  I’m going to see each and every one of those movies thus continuing this sad trend of recycled garbage.  Ughh.

The Transformers

More of the same goodness that we got in the first movie.  Optimus Prime kicks MAJOR ass in this flick.  At one point he roars “I’ll take you all on” and I literally got goose bumps.  That was of course until he went and got himself “killed”.  Silly Optimus.  Megatron is back from the depths of the ocean in this one and he’s still a bad ass.  Making their first appearances in live action are Soundwave and Ravage.  If you remember them from the cartoons Soundwave was the little tape player and Ravage was one of the cassette tapes that went in him.  For obvious reasons they don’t take on these forms in a movie set in present day (as they’d have to be antiques in order for it to make any sense).  Soundwave is used very well and Ravage is AWESOME in his action sequences.

The title of the movie takes its name from another new Decepticon: The Fallen.  Think of him as the main bad guy.  In fact, he’s the guy that made Megatron bad to begin with.  Without going into too much of his back story he was one of the original 13 Transformers also known as the “Dynasty Of The Primes”.

Two other new bots of note are Jetfire and Devastator.  Jetfire is a geriatric Decepticon turned Autobot who has been in hiding at the Smithsonian in Washington for decades.  Devastator is a Decepticon who is formed out of multiple bots to form one super bot capable of “eating” anything in its path.  Both of these characters had cartoon versions and seeing them on the big screen was super cool.

Finally I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention “Alice” played by Isabel Lucas.  She’s originally introduced as a dorm mate of Sam at college who has the hots for him.  It turns out she’s actually a Decepticon posing as a human.  This is one of the big problems I had with the flick.  I have not problems suspending disbelief but this was a bit much for me.  For what it’s worth… Isabel Lucas is smokin.

The Humans

More of the same here.  If you enjoyed Shia LaBeouf (Sam Witwicky) and Megan Fox (Mikaela Barns) in the first film you’ll enjoy them here.  Shia talks like he’s on speed the entire movie and Megan wears outfits that should probably be banned.  If possible Megan Fox is hotter in this flick than she was in the last.  Wow.  Back again are Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson playing U.S. special forces and John Tuturro as former agent of Sector 7.

Sam’s mom and dad are once again played by Kevin Dunn and Julie White.  These characters are given an over the top treatment in this flick culminating with mom mistakenly eating pot brownies while visiting Sam at college.  While kind of humorous, it’s this type of stuff that could have been left out.

Ramón Rodríguez plays Sam’s roommate Leo Spitz who runs an Internet site all about conspiracy theories.  Of course he’s got a ton of information about the events of the first film which Sam denies.  His character is included more from a slap stick humor perspective as opposed to a true plot-driver.

The Backlash

This film was pretty much universally destroyed by critics.  Based on that I went into it with pretty low expectation but as I said in a previous post I was still really excited to see it.  After seeing it I really don’t know what all the uproar is about.  The problems that I had with the first one are still present here:

1. It’s difficult to tell who’s who when the robots are fighting one another.
2. The human dialog is WAY too fast and tries to be too witty.
3. Most of the time the Autobots / Decepticons aren’t really introduced

Again, these are things that I had problems with in the first one.  Michael Bay is known for being an ACTION director.  If you’re expecting Hamlet you’re going to be disappointed… but shame on your for expecting Hamlet.

I do have a couple of issues with the film outside of what I’ve outlined above.

1. The Fallen – he’s supposed to be some supreme bad ass and Prime kicks his ass relatively quickly.  I know this is a minor thing but I thought I’d point it out.
2. The whole “human into robot” thing described above.  I know it’s a movie and I’m supposed to give some leeway but this was a bit much for me.
3. Sam going “into the Matrix”.  While it was COMPLETELY AWESOME to see the Matrix Of Leadership on film it was kind of crazy for a human to die, go into the Matrix and gain knowledge from it (A la Optimus in the Red Dust episodes from the cartoons).

Recommendation

All of those bad points aside you really should see this flick.  If you enjoyed the first film I don’t see how you can’t enjoy this one… it’s more of the same stuff PLUS you get quite a few new characters.  The bottom line is this – as long as Michael Bay is making movie about big robots that talk and transform I’m going to be in line to see them.  As of this writing, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen has grossed $339 Million.  That to me sounds like an equation for more Transformers movies in the future.  Get out there and see it!

For those that don’t know, The Transformers are robots that morph (transform) into vehicles and other objects to blend in to their surroundings.  The property first came to us in the mid 80′s as a cartoon and has since spawned three (as of last night) theatrical releases, comic books, toys and and episodic television show.  I’m a child of the 80′s.  I lived for the Transformers.  It was my favorite show to rush home from school to watch.  I had the toys, I went to the movies, I pretended to be my favorite characters.  That’s why I’m going to this movie… cause I have great memories of this franchise and Michael Bay knows it.

The first movie had its flaws for sure.  I couldn’t tell what was going on when robots were fighting other robots.  The human dialog was kind of sappy.  I wasn’t a big fan of the hand held camera views.  But you know what?  I loved it!  I loved the fact that these robots from my childhood were being brought to life on the screen.  I loved the fact that Megan Fox is in there (just cause I think she’s completely beautiful).  I loved the fact that it didn’t try to be anything but what it was – a balls to the wall action movie.  Many of the reviews of Revenge Of The Fallen that I’m reading are bitching about those same things.  If I could get past them in the first film I’m sure I’ll be able to get past them in the second.

Transformers isn’t the only 80′s franchise that’s going to get my money this summer.  G.I. Joe is getting a big screen treatment of its own later this summer.  I’ve been excited about seeing a live action G.I. Joe flick for years and ever since the first trailer showed up during the Super Bowl this year I’ve been counting down the days.

Unfortunately the early reviews of G.I. Joe – The Rise Of Cobra have not been good.  Reports of the worst test screening in the history of the studio, fired directors, rewritten scripts, etc. have been circulating for a while now.  All I can tell you is this: the trailer was awesome and I’ll be there when this one hits the theaters.  G.I. Joe (like The Transformers) defined who I was when I was growing up in the mid 80′s.  I remember going to the theater to see the original G.I. Joe movie and wondering what the hell Cobra-La was.

These movies get made for one reason: Money.  The movie houses KNOW that there are folks out there like me that will flock to the flicks no matter what kind of garbage is put to screen.  Throw in a couple of toy lines to hook the younger kids and you’ve got yourself a billion dollar property.

This geek simply can’t wait.  Autobots… roll out!  Yo JOE!!!