Transformers

Anticipation for this film was building up so much in so many of us who grew up with Optimus, Soundwave, and all the rest of the Autobots and Decepticons that built our youth. It was such an exciting thing to hear, that this movie was even being made! Well, I've got to say that Michael Bay delivers a visually stunning fast-paced film that lived up to the legacy! He really delivers, right down to the transforming which actually seems almost plausible as you watch it somehow happening right before your eyes! Seeing the old heroes and villians "live" on the big screen was also a real treat!

One problem I felt this movie had, though, was it just seemed a little to "heavy" on people. I went to this movie and I was so pumped up about seeing the Transformers transforming and doing their thing. It felt like forever until we actually got to see some of them and see them doing something. There was just so much with all of the human characters that felt a little bit unnecessary, considering how impressive the Transformers look, even if they're just standing around. Don't get me wrong, though, as the Transformers definitely make their presence known on screen and there was never any doubt that Bay would deliver some amazing on-screen battles for us, but it just felt like we had to wait around until things finally got moving. Once the movie picks up, things really start to flow and it really draws you into the movie more.

The only other problem I had, which was a very minute issue, was that the movie surely seems like a commercial for GM. The cars were definitely nice and I'm sure many people will not have necessarily noticed, but I couldn't help but see that it was one after another GM auto rolling on-screen. Of the GM cars, though, that new Camaro, which I'm hoping will be the talked-about rebound of the Camaro, is a beautiful piece of machinery.

The big positive is definitely the graphical art that is on-screen. The Transformers look so real and transforming isn't a matter of some obvious CGI work, but a more organic-looking sort of show that is really impressive. The story is good enough, albeit a bit corny at times, to keep you there anticipating the next big action scene, that is surely right around the corner.

This is one film I'd definitely recommend to every person who remembers Transformers from back in the day and for those that don't, the storyline and the human aspect in the film is enough to keep you in the movie. I guess I'd imagine that's a big part of that aspect of the movie, is for those that weren't already pumped up by just hearing, "Transformers".

Eagle vs. Shark (Part II)

So, I saw Eagle vs. Shark last night... This was a great coming-of-age comedy directed by Taika Waititi that I already talked about in the blog just prior to this. This starred Loren Horsley and Jemaine Clement as a pair of not-so-lovable social misfits, Lily and Jarrod. Lily works the counter at a local fast-food restaurant and Jarrod works at a video game store. Not exactly the glamorous life to begin with... Well, it gets better as their personalities seem as dull as their jobs, yet there's passion behind these apparent personality woes. Well, Lily likes Jarrod and pursues him and therein develops a relationship as they go through the relationship problems that we all suffer yet never see on the big screen. Horsley and Clement really play their roles well and you can really feel their awkwardness at each turn.

This movie had a few moments when the pace started to slow (which seems weird, considering the pace of the movie) and the animated bits felt somewhat unnecessary, but all in all, I'd say it's a very watchable hilarious romantic comedy! I've already recommended it to friends, but the humor can feel a little subdued, so I thought about who I was recommending it to. David Fane has a great small role in the movie and really delivers in it. I like how this movie doesn't try to "cash in" on the beauty and environment of NZ, rather focusing mostly on drab scenes and smaller towns that aren't so aesthetically appealing. I think Taika Waititi really delivered in this film and you may have to search to see if it's playing in your town, as it was only playing in one theatre in Seattle, but it's worth the hunt!

Eagle vs. Shark

One more post that has a relation to Jemaine Clement... Eagle vs. Shark is a new movie directed by Taika Waititi. He is a New Zealand native and as a real piece of random trivia, he was actually in the movie Tongan Ninja, playing one of the dancers in the kitchen dance scene as one of the chefs with the big pot. Weird, aye? Well, Eagle vs. Shark is a comedy about a couple of social misfits (Jemaine Clement and Loren Horsley) who awkwardly move towards love while dealing with all of the same problems facing everybody in love, such as its interference in plotting revenge on old high school bullies. This film has already been nominated for and won some number of awards including Best Comedy at the Newport Beach Film Festival and has been compared to Napoleon Dynamite in comedy style. It is currently playing in the states in select locations and is supposed to open in NZ sometime in August. I'll be trying to view this in Seattle later this week and give my own review of it, but I'm excited to see it!

Just one more clip to illustrate the great comedic value of the Flight of the Conchords!

Flight of the Conchords

Although I didn't get a chance to see these two when they were in Seattle last weekend (tickets were sold out when I even first heard of the show), I am a big fan of the Flight of the Conchords. Flight of the Conchords is Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, a comedic folk duo from New Zealand. I first heard of these guys because I knew of Jemaine Clement because he had the one of the leading roles in one of my favorite movies, Tongan Ninja. When I heard he was in a comedy folk band, I was already interested. When I heard a few of their songs, I was laughing like crazy and couldn't wait to play them for my friends, especially those who had enjoyed Tongan Ninja (for the instant recognition and similar humor styles). They are really on the move up becoming more recognized and have even gotten their own show on HBO now, just called The Flight of the Conchords, that just started about a month ago. They are definitely worth listening to and their show is good for some laughs.

A gorgeous start to Seattle's summer!

Wow, how about an amazing "start" to summer yesterday, with the 4th of July in Seattle seeing no clouds and temperatures in the mid-80's! What a beautiful day! I rode from Edmonds to Kirkland and encountered many others enthused about utilizing the trails on such a beautiful day! It was great to see so many people out enjoying the weather and great to see the weather finally giving in and allowing us a rain-free 4th of July for once! It looks like things are remaining the same for a while now, so summer seems to definitely have bloomed for us here! Usually on the 4th, I like to rationalize that the rain decreases the likelihood of fireworks-related fires, but no need this year! It looks like Seattle might be having one of the best summers right now, compared to a lot of the country. All over Southern Cal are high temperatures, Vegas at 116 degrees (!), Texas is still suffering from heavy rains and flooding, Montana and Colorado with bad heat waves... I think we've got things all right...