Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

Cast
Shia LaBeouf
Megan Fox
Josh Duhamel
Tyrese Gibson
John Turturro
Isabel Lucas
Rainn Wilson
Screenwriters
Alex Kurtzman
Roberto Orci
Ehren Kruger
Director
Michael Bay
Running Time
150 minutes

Sam Witwicky again joins with the Autobots® against their sworn enemies, the Decepticons®. (Paramount Pictures)

I had very high expectations, basically the opposite of last week, because the first one was so great. I really wanted to love it but was disappointed, which isn't to say there aren't some good bits, there are but overall sadly it's an amorphous mess. It's too long having numerous unnecessary scenes/characters and therefore not allowing the important ones enough development. There were gaps within sequences, for instance the campus fight jumped to a forest fight without seeing them convincingly moving between the two places. The roommate was pointless and annoying who only seemed to exist so that you could have jokes where they complain about him being pointless and annoying which is kind of mad. The mother and father characters worked surprisingly well in the first film but I suppose because of that they were given too much time here, basically it would have been better not to have seen them again after the leaving home scene. Turturro's character who kind of worked in the first one, just, should have been left out or had one brief scene. My biggest problem is that the two leads weren't given anything much to do other than run away like in the first film, surely there should have been some kind of progression in their roles [I know from some comments I've read, rabid fans of the cartoon don't really want them to be in it at all just the robots. Having not really seen them I can't share that but I can appreciate that point of view as having merit because I suppose it is difficult to integrate people as equal combatants in a giant robot war]. The plot has mcguffins coming in thick and fast which is just not needed, it's enough that the two sides are sworn enemies and fight to the death you don't need anything else. Despite the amazing effects, although they had less effect on me than the original, the global attack idea was never really shown at all other than them just hanging around on top of buildings almost like that was cut out. Bay's style works if the story is gripping but when it's not the slow motion worms-eye view close-up shots of actors faces against the sky only accentuates the fact that it's not.

Terminator Salvation

Cast
Christian Bale
Anton Yelchin
Sam Worthington
Bryce Dallas Howard
Common
Jadagrace
Moon Bloodgood
Helena Bonham Carter
Screenwriters
John D. Brancato
Michael Ferris
Director
McG
Running Time
114 minutes

Judgment Day has come and gone. The artificial intelligence network Skynet controls the army of Terminators that roam the post-apocalyptic landscape, killing or collecting humans where they hide in the desolate cities and deserts. Only one man saw Judgment Day coming. One man, whose destiny has always been intertwined with the fate of human existence: John Connor. Now the world is on the brink of the future that Connor has been warned about all his life. But something totally new has shaken his belief that humanity stands a chance of winning this war: the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger from the past whose last memory is of being on death row before awakening in this strange, new world. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

A merit of having gone in with low expectations is that even though it was only really slightly better than I expected I was pleasantly surprised. It's a big budget all action movie starring Christian Bale with the added trappings of a Terminator film basically similar to what was done with the Star Trek reboot. It's much more serious than the third movie but doesn't have the nihilistic tone of the first two. [Spoiler] The Marcus character being a cyborg was given away in clips and trailers although the reveal doesn't happen for a long time so it's a pity that it was but the Arnie appearance (sort of) surprised me. Overall I enjoyed it.

September Comics

Newsarama has the new Marvel and DC solicitations for September.

This is the stuff I'm thinking about in addition to my regular pull list.


MAGOG #1
Written by Keith Giffen
Art and variant cover by Howard Porter & John Dell
Cover by Glenn Fabry
Introducing the latest member of the Justice Society of America to break out into his own monthly series! Tired of chafing at the restraints that being a member of the JSA put upon him, Magog decides to take justice into his own hands and track down who’s behind the dealing of high-tech arms to lowlife scum around the DC Universe! Be here as the hunt starts Magog on the path to discovering his own unavoidable destiny thanks to writer Keith Giffen (JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL, DOOM PATROL) and artists Howard Porter and John Dell, the acclaimed team behind JLA!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 10 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Glenn Fabry), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Howard Porter & John Dell). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale September 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US


RED TORNADO #1
Written by Kevin VanHook
Art by Jose Luisí & J.P. Mayer
Cover by Ed Benes & Mariah Benes
Think you know everything there is to know about the mighty Red Tornado?
Well think again!
This miniseries shines a new light on the true origin of Red Tornado, the Justice League of America’s resident android Super Hero! You’ll not only discover a crew of characters new to the DC Universe, if Red Tornado has his way, you’ll also uncover the hero’s true android family! But will it cost him the love of his adopted human one?
Get caught in the whirlwind of this exciting new series from writer Kevin VanHook and artist Jose Luisí!
On sale September 2 • 1 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

How good either of these will be I don't know but the supporting characters in JLA and JSA interest me enough to get them.

Last Chance Harvey

Cast
Dustin Hoffman
Emma Thompson
Eileen Atkins
Kathy Baker
Liane Balaban
James Brolin
Richard Schiff
Screenwriter
Joel Hopkins
Director
Joel Hopkins
Running Time
92 minutes

New Yorker Harvey Shine goes to London for a weekend to attend his daughter’s wedding but promises his boss that he'll be back on Monday morning to make an important meeting. Harvey arrives in London only to learn his daughter has chosen to have her stepfather walk her down the aisle instead of him. Doing his best to hide his devastation, he leaves the wedding before the reception in hopes of getting to the airport on time, but misses his plane anyway. When he calls his boss to explain, he is fired on the spot. Drowning his sorrows at the airport bar, Harvey strikes up a conversation with a woman named Kate, and finds himself energized by her intelligence and compassion. The growing connection between the pair inspires both as they unexpectedly transform one another’s lives. (Overture Films)

It was good and was helped tremendously by great performances. The mother sub-plot other than an explanation of why Kate kept getting calls was unnecessary and cut back to her too many times, the clip during the credits seemed entirely superfluous. [Spoiler] It has the same ending as practically all romantic comedies which always seems the most formulaic and contrived parts but that's how they end. 

Drag Me To Hell

Cast
Alison Lohman
Justin Long
Lorna Raver
David Paymer
Fernando Romero
Screenwriters
Sam Raimi
Ivan Raimi
Director
Sam Raimi
Running Time
98 Minutes 49s

Christine Brown is an ambitious L.A. loan officer. Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr. Jacks, and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home. In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas to save her soul from eternal damnation. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: how far will she go to break free of the curse? (Universal Pictures)

Brilliant but perhaps slightly too goofy which I realise is his horror style and a question of taste but for me making the horror elements seem daft undermines their power. Bruce Campbell's acting style gelled well with Raimi's approach but because Lohman is playing it straight the whole thing doesn't quite fit perfectly.