Transformers: Age of Extinction

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Recently, Peter Cullen asked Michael Bay to return for TF5 after Bay showed his reluctance of continuing the series.


Although I really want to see a decent Transformers movie directed by another director who truly loves the franchise, I have to agree with Peter Cullen here. Bay has butchered many amazing characters in his films. He prefers blowing things up than doing some real character development. But still, he's the one who started this new trilogy. He has a responsibility to end it properly. It's only 2014 now and the next movie is coming out in 2017, so it's possible that Bay will change his mind again.


Speaking of TF movies, it's been three months since I saw TF4 in theater. I assume most people who frequently visit this page have already seen it, so I'll simply post my review here like the way I did for TF3. If you still haven't seen TF4 yet and you want to avoid all kinds of spoilers, please skip this journal entry.




WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS. DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HATE SPOILERS!







THINGS I LIKED ABOUT TF4 . . .

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1. Music

The soundtracks and film scores were amazing. Every time the main theme of Battle Cry started playing in the background, I couldn't help but shiver a little because the music was so perfect. If the CD ever comes out here in Taiwan, I'll definitely purchase a copy.


2. Lockdown

The best villain in Bay's Transformers movies so far. He was a cunning, capable hunter who would do his job well no matter how much he despised the idea of working with humans. His indifference and sharp, witty comebacks made him a very charming bad guy. I was amused when he told Attinger, "I also have a saying: 'I don't care.'"

Man, that was priceless. Too bad he died in this movie. We need more cool baddies like Lockdown. Seriously.


3. Cade Yeager

Mark Wahlberg did a wonderful job on Cade's character. I loved the single dad image he portrayed, and the way he interacted with Optimus made me smile. After spending so much time with a squeaky, paranoid Sam Witwicky, it was refreshing to have a mature human character like Cade as the male lead.


4. The New Autobots

I could barely remember most of the Autobots in ROTF and DOTM, so it was hard for me to really like them. This time I really loved the Autobots in TF4. Drift was an adorable dork. Crosshairs was a sexy jerk. Hound could be rough, but he could be kind and caring when people needed him.

And this time we got to see the violent side of the Autobots. I especially loved the scene when they broke into that KSI building after seeing the video feed of Ratchet's dismantled body. For some reason the display of such violence was quite satisfying to watch.


5. Sexy Cars

We got plenty of car chase scenes here. And these hot wheels were sexy as hell. Sometimes I really wished these robots could stay in their alt modes longer...





THINGS I DISLIKED ABOUT TF4 . . .

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1. Plot

The movie was okay in the beginning. I really loved the dark theme, especially the way Optimus struggled when many of his comrades were killed by a sentient race he had vowed to protect for all these years.

Then everything became weird and absurd when the main characters went to China. So many plot holes, so many loose ends that didn't get tied up properly. We didn't know anything about the Dinobots and the Knights until the movie was about to end. It was like watching two completely different movies in one go.


2. Tessa and Shane

Honestly, these two should have had less screen time. I liked Cade, but I really didn't like his daughter and that boyfriend. I didn't know why they wanted to emphasize on the "Romeo and Juliet" law like it was a big deal, since Shane was still guilty of statutory rape under Texas law. What was the point of stating this "Romeo and Juliet" thing when the information didn't help the situation at all?


3. Robot Designs

The Cybertronians looked too organic for my liking. The robots looked fine in the 2007 movie. Then they were more and more like organic creatures in these sequels. They hatched eggs in ROTF. In DOTM, Starscream spat everywhere like a mad dog. Red fluids gushed out when the Dreadbots got killed. Some bots simply had beards and strange looking hairs for no reason.

I thought Que's facial features in DOTM were scary enough. So yeah, you can imagine my horror when I first saw Drift's face on big screen. Why did he have to look like a real human? Crosshairs was cool, but his face always reminded me of those White Walkers from Game of Thrones. Optimus was fine until he got an upgrade. He was supposed to look nice and shiny, but for some reason his chest plates looked too much like a woman's boobs or some colorful bra to me.

And Galvatron... oh dear. He looked horrendous. His optics were too big, and the chest design looked like a ripoff of Gipsy Danger from Pacific Rim. I wanted to look away whenever his face showed up because I just couldn't look him in the eye. Some people liked his armor design, but I still felt uncomfortable whenever I saw his scary face.


4. Geography Mistakes

Things got very ridiculous in China. In reality, it takes at least one day (and it will be even longer if you need to stop over for drinks/meals/bathroom breaks) to drive from Beijing to Hong Kong. There's no such wilderness near Hong Kong. The beautiful valley where Autobots crashed their stolen ship is located in Sichuan, and it's far away from Hong Kong.

Some people might not be able to notice these facts. However, these mistakes are impossible to ignore when a big part of Paramount's target audience is from Asia. Use Google Maps or look up the country/region first before you start writing story about it, writers. No one can take your works seriously if you can't even do a research right.


5. The Ending

It was too rushed. After the epic battle, Optimus simply left his Autobot comrades to the humans' mercy and went after the "Creators" who could be floating anywhere in outer space. And guess what, he could fly. Why he didn't use that ability when he fought against Lockdown was never explained in the movie.

Also, the Autobot leader just dropped the Dinobots in Hong Kong like it was totally okay to let a bunch of wild animals/killing machines running along near a densely populated city. Hong Kong was already crammed with human residents. How was the city supposed to accommodate those giant metal dinosaurs? And who could control the Dinobots when they lost control?

And the issues between KSI and the U.S. government wasn't over yet. No one could guarantee the Autobots' and the Yeager family's safety. What about China? If some folks were pissed off about the casualties during Chicago battle, imagine the fury from the Chinese people after they found out what had happened to Hong Kong. No one would want to have giant alien robots and giant metal dinosaurs for neighbors. 





THINGS IN TF4 THAT CONFUSED ME . . .

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1. Missing Human Allies

NEST no longer existed. Cemetery Wind took over and hunted down every Cybertronian they spotted. Many familiar Autobots disappeared. So did Sam Witwicky, Will Lennox, and all the other familiar human faces we've known since the 2007 movie. And the Autobots never mentioned their former human buddies when they were with the Yeager family.

Letohatchee has an interesting theory about the Witwicky family being absent in TF4. Judging from the way Cemetery Wind handled things, it's highly possible that Sam and his family/friends were all killed by those government secret agents. Maybe that's why Bumblebee never mentioned his good friend Sam. The pain must be too much for the young scout.


2. Dinobots' Origins / Knights' Purpose

I was confused by the timeline and events. We saw those weird alien creatures called "Creators" (probably Quintessons) kill the dinosaurs when they bombed the planet with that Transformium thing, then we found out that the Dinobots were ancient creatures when Optimus found them on Lockdown's ship. And suddenly Optimus realized he was a Knight and he wanted to challenge the "Creators" because of all the nasty things the Quintessons did to Earth.

So many things happened since then, and I got a painful headache when I tried to piece every fragment of information together to form a logical conclusion. I had no idea what was going on on the big screen anymore. Maybe we will get to know more about the Dinobots, the Quintessons, and the Knights when Transformers 5 comes out?





Okay, that's it. Before the next live-action movie, a new TF cartoon series will come out in 2015. Guess that will keep us busy for a while.


Hope everyone is having a good time in autumn!  









FEATURE: CONTEST WINNERS (I)

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Congrats to the winners of 's Mini-Contest!





. . . . . [ ART SUBMISSIONS ] . . . . .


1st Place Winner:




Other works by this artist . . .






2nd Place Winner:




Other works by this artist . . .






. . . . . [ LITERATURE SUBMISSIONS ] . . . . .


1st Place Winner:

Knight With the Stars (part 1)
I started this a long time ago but this contest has given me an excuse to finish it. I hope you like it. It is a Knight Rider (2008) and Transformer’s Prime crossover but it does have my OC Scrap in it.
For those who don’t know who Scrap is, she was a deaf human who got kidnapped/adopted by the Decepticons. This takes place after the end of my ‘Scrap’ story and before Transformers Prime Predacons Rising (AKA Optimus is still alive).
I think I’ve written it in a way that even if you don’t really know Knight Rider, you can still make sense of this story but you might need to know ‘Scrap’ to understand a few points it. It’s told from Mike’s side of the story but I hope you enjoy.
Also, I am sorry Jazz, I did try to shorten it but I just couldn’t bring myself to delete anything. If it’s too long for the contest (I think it will be as its two documents) then just throw it out, I don’t mind, at least the


Other works by this artist . . .





2nd Place Winner:

:thumb455277496:


Other works by this artist . . .

:thumb450565592: :thumb445238269: :thumb423223162: :thumb440234535: :thumb470785394: :thumb461391159:





And here're some lovely art/literature works from all the other participants . . .

:thumb455231963: Woge and Roll Out (Transformers Films/Grimm)“Wait a minute. This truck came out of nowhere and ran down the police car on the road, but neither had a driver?”
“That’s what Wu said.”
The men approached the semi slowly, looking up. It seemed almost majestic sitting against the bridge despite the minor crumpling on its front end. Something about it gave Nick the creeps, though he couldn’t identify what. Was it the red and blue flames sparkling in the noon sun, like a toy truck at the flea market? Was it the perfect aim the seemingly driverless vehicle had used to mow down a police car in broad daylight?
“It’s probably got some kinda invisible Wesen driver,” Hank announced. “They could still be around watching the investigation.”
Nick rolled his eyes. “Oh, you think an invisible guy’s watching us, so you just announce secret Wesen stuff for him to hear?”
“Round here, Wesen stuff doesn’t stay secret for long.”
Smiling back at his par ScreamGate
ScreamGate
Stargate x Transformers cross over for Cybertronian’s Club contest entry.
Cast:         Dr. Rodney McKay, Colonel John Sheppard, Commander Starscream, (brother) Sunstorm, Commander Shockwave
Rating:     PG
Pairings:   none
****
   Stomp, stomp, stomp  
   “Where the PIT is my BROTHER!”  The Air Commander comes stomping into the genius’ lab with his null rays warmed up and leveled ready to fire.  Just to punctuate how furious he is, shoves a table full of tools skittering into a wall.
   “Brother?”   The violet helm whips away from the monitor and console of the currently active space bridge.
  “Yes, my brother Sunstorm!   What have you DONE with him?!”
  Warrior that he is, Shockwave activates his own cannon in defense.   “I don’t know what you are speaking of, but I warn you not to discharge your weapon in this What Yours Knows So Well (Transformers/Pokemon)He kept his head down as he blew across the field with the wind, bare toes pounding the hard-packed dirt so hard he almost pitied the earth. He dared not think about the quality of footprints he left behind him, or the trainers who might follow them. The hail rained down on him like tiny bullets as he ran. They would leave marks, even if they couldn’t piece his cloak or skin.
What an inconvenience.
He fought the urge to to visualize clear skies and will them into being. Mewtwo took a little comfort in knowing that he could end the storm, but that comfort sloughed off with the hail as he remembered the attention such a choice would bring.
Finally he reached the shelter, a little truck depot outside the latest city he had taken to haunting. He ducked under a sign that promised “last stop until the bridge,” then emerged onto the pavement. The worry of footprints slipped temporarily from his mind.
The hail, however, pursued him, and he saw no end to it in sight. Aching br The Fake ManFor the Cybertronian Mini-contest - Depict a scene (whether art or literature) that includes at least one canon Transformer and one canon character from another fandom/universe.
I decided to go with the BBC Sherlock and Transformers Prime. Hope you enjoy.
The Fake Man
Sherlock Holmes and John Watson were busy walking around London having had an ‘interesting’ dinner at a local café that had left John swearing for the millionth time that he would never take Sherlock out for a meal again.
The ‘consulting detective’ had been asked by a waitress if he wanted anything from the homemade desert trolley. Then the ‘brilliant’ Sherlock Holmes had gone on to list several facts about the why he did not want anything from the dessert trolley, including how the same products could be found at any supermarket for a far lower price just without some last minute slapdash additions and the chief was fooling no one into thinking they were homemade. The chi In The Beat Of The Night  CONFIDENTIAL
  APRIL 23, 1987
Rain sprinkled in the air as police cars, fire engines and ambulances rushed to the scene: a man had been murdered. Dabney Quimby I, police chief in Metro City, to be exact. Among the investigators: Nightbeat, the Autobot detective, who was deployed at Miami Police Department's HQ in Miami, Florida. But soon, a while after his DNA had been scanned to identify him, an unexpected visitor arrived, driving a custom white 1977 Chevrolet Chevelle. Out stepped Jonathan Brown, alias "The Inspector", head investigator at Metro City Police Department. He wore a gray trenchcoat, black boots, and a gray hat in 2 different shades. "You, there! Stop!" Nightbeat shouted to the man after transforming. John did as told until Nightbeat walked over. "What the hell kind of business do you think you have here!? All of the required officials have arrived and this area is blocked off for the next 2 miles. So, tell me, sunshine: what are you doing here?"
The Inspector








FEATURE: CONTEST WINNERS (II)

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Congrats to the winners of 's Color Swap Mini-Contest!




1st Place Winner:

Pink is the New Black (Transformers [Movie-Verse])
Pink is the New Black

A Transformers One-Shot
For the Cybertronians Mini-Mini Contest

   
     “What in the…what have you done to yourself, Hound?”
    The off-road vehicle flashed its lights at the disturbed green mech and drove a circle around the mech. From the back of their current hideout came a calm chuckle that was largely ignored by the disturbed Autobot watching his comrade circle him. “Ya like it? Thought it would help blend in a li’l more. You know, look more ‘civilian-like.’”
    Crosshairs simply stared while Hound did a few more circuits around him. On the mech’s fourth lap, Crosshairs turned to face the last Autob


Other works by this artist . . .

(Transformers) Pint Sized: Prologue -The Past
DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of the Transformers franchise as it belongs to Hasbro. This disclaimer applies to all chapters of this story.
Pint Sized
Prologue
The Past
    "Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, will kick Megatron's ass once and for all!"
    A gasp came from inside the little tent made of throw blankets and bed sheets. "You said a bad word!"
    A sigh followed the little girl's voice. "Vicky, I'm a big boy! Big boys get to say grown up words."
    There was a pause, and the bed sheets fluttered in the wind produced by the ceiling fan. "When will I be big enough to say grown up words?"
    "I don't know; girls age slower than boys."
    There was the crack of a slap followed by a giggle and an exclamation of pain. The blankets parted, and a small giggling girl ran out from under the tent followed by an angry older boy. "Get Til All Are Drunk (TF: MTMTE)
“I can’t believe they just dumped me like that!”
Swerve sagely nodded from behind his counter before taking the empty glass sitting beside Rodimus’ folded arms and refilling it to the brim with a vibrant yellow engex. The young ‘bots head immediately shot up from where it lay on his arms to ingest the small glass of liquid. “I get it. Kicked to the curb— discarded —replaced. You got the short end of the stick, Roddy.”
“Exactly!”
“Wanna another glass?”
“Hit me!”
The bar-mech graciously refilled the ex-captain’s glass. There was a shout from the other side of the bar—likely from the highly intoxicated Trailcutter—and Rodimus whipped around to drunkenly join in the ruckus. Swerve resisted the urge to laugh at the young Autobot’s actions. He admirably hid his grin with a grim frown when Rodimus turned back to him.
“I was a great captain!”
“Sure were.”
(Transformers Parody) Dealing with Fangirls
Summary: "Because every Decepticon needs to know how to deal with these vile creatures..." -brief excerpt provided by the great and glorious Megatron. [A completely pointless one-shot]

Slight warning! Um...OC death and slightly crude humor.
Time Units
Groon: ~1 hour
Megacycle: 2.6 hours
Stellar cycle: ~7.5 months
A Decepticon's Guideline to Dealing with Fangirls
A Transformer/Beast Wars One-Shot
Universe: G1
Megatron glowered down from his throne at his incompetent followers. Except for Soundwave. Soundwave was a very competent pawn, who followed his every order because of his undying loyalty to the sexy mass of grey Cybertronian sitting on his wonderful throne.
Megatron was so convinced by his thoughts that he didn't even notice said loyal Decepticon, who stood beside his throne, flinch and take a slight step to the side. Oh, the woes of being a mind reader.
"I will not ask this again. What made you believe that I would care about that…thing The Traveler (Original Short Story)
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.”
― Alburt Camus
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    The road stretched on for miles. It cut through the barren land like a blackened blemish, aiming straight for the high mountain on the edge of the horizon. The heat of the mid-day sun bounced off the tarmac to create visible waves, and the shriveled shrubs that dotted the rocky terrain swayed in the sparse wind that managed to counteract the harsh temperature. A small reptile that seamlessly blended in with the rocks around it scuttled across the dirt, escaping from the dark shadow that flew high above it. An almost eerie silence blanketed the desert.
    Except for the muted clicks of a pair of boots against the asphalt.
    Her red patterned skirt swayed in the sparse breeze as the young woman strolled down the side of the road. A worn



2nd Place Winner:




Other works by this artist . . .





3rd Place Winner:




Other works by this artist . . .









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