Transformers 3 Longer Trailer Out!

The longer version of the Transformers 3 trailers is now out:



I have to say that it actually looks promising. Loads of action, interspersed with that awesome pounding sound effect. Plus, a lot of face time for Optimus and the rest of the Autobots and Decepticons. When Optimus Prime says "From here, the fight will be your own", I actually went "ooooh".

I thought the second movie was total crap so I hope this one really redeems the franchise.

There's a lot of talk about Megan Fox not being in this new movie. Some are complaining, some are saying who the frak cares if she's gone or not. Just to set things straight: Megan said she left the movie of her own volition. How true that is, we don't really know but I wouldn't blame her if she did. She was treated like crap in Movie 2, almost like a prop herself. Then again, Michael Bay says she's a prima donna to work with so I guess it's up to you to decide what really went down.

Bottom line is though that Megan Fox, or the new eye candy girl they chose, is a super tiny part of the movie, and we shouldn't even be dwelling about that. The show should focus on the Transformers (because DUH that's the title of the movie anyway). This trailer seems to be an indication that they are doing that for the Transformers 3, so I'm pretty happy and hopeful.

Did 21st Century Technology Kill the Con Movie Genre?

Just a few weeks ago, I watched The Sting again for the umpteenth time. And the incredible thing is that I still enjoyed it. On the complete opposite end, however, I can never imagine myself staying in front of the tube and watching Ocean's Eleven again, even though I've only watched it once.

Before I even continue on with this debate, let me first state that I am not some old timer who starts all her sentences with "Back in the good, old days". The Sting was produced years before I was born so I would like to say that it is my unbiased opinion that the technologies we have in modern times have squashed the spirit of a well, good old con game movie.

Ideally, I think the con genre should focus more on wits rather than new-fangled inventions or super computer hacker geniuses but this ideology becomes increasingly harder to do because of said inventions. For instance, in The Sting, the scam was to fool a very rich man into thinking that he is in a legit horse betting place, with foolproof betting tips from the owner's (Paul Newman) assistant (Robert Redford). They were able to do so with little gadgets, and lots of clever acting.

Then again, one might say that a con in the old days was easier due to less security measures. For example, in The Sting, there was no TV yet, so horse betting updates were broadcast via radio. This meant they simply had to hire a con artist who can do a very good radio voice to dictate the results. Fast forward to today. With the TV and the Internet, the victim of the scam could have easily verified whether or not his bets were real! Not to mention it would be hard and expensive to tape horse races for their scam!

It's a double edged sword then. Due to 21st century technology, the con can either be harder to execute or painlessly easy to implement, if you had all the important machines with you. The challenge is to create a movie that walks through the thin line between both, and doesn't drown the viewer in technology jargon. Certainly, you wouldn't want the viewer to simply swallow the idea that you can realistically edit a security video footage under a short few minutes (Leverage), or that a drill that can move the earth can be easily acquired (Ocean's Thirteen).

Everybody's Fine... The Movie's More than Fine

When I first heard about this movie, and found out Robert De Niro was the one starring in it, I got the notion that the movie was going to be either a slapstick type comedy a la Meet the Fockers or a dry drama-comedy like The Royal Tenenbaums, both of which I wasn't jumping up and down about when they were released.

However, once Everybody's Fine started, I immediately realized it was going to be a poignant journey into the lives of a group of children and their relationship with their father, Franke Goode, played by Robert De Niro, who hoped and expected nothing but the best from his 4 kids.



When Franke Goode's wife passes away, he decides to hold a family reunion, but at the last minute, all of his children cancels on the reunion, prompting him to take a bus and go to meet each of his children, who live lives in different parts of the US - from the very successful Amy, who holds a very posh position in an ad agency (Kate Beckinsale) to bubbly Las Vegas dancer, Rosie (Drew Barrymore).

What happens thereafter is Franke's very touching realization about his high expectations and about learning to let go of them, and showing his kids that he loves them just as they are, with all their inadequacies and skeletons in the closet.

I cannot get over just how absolutely simple and yet deeply poignant this movie is. The movie turned a normal road trip into a series of life lessons, extremely emotional scenes, and a lot of tears. Whenever Franke meets up with one of his children, Franke lets out a trademark whistle, then smiles wistfully and nostalgically as the camera pans towards a younger version of his child before the scene fades back into the present time. It's a seemingly small video effect, certainly not worthy of any Academy Award nominations for cinematic effects, but it spoke in such volumes, and really set the mood for the movie.

Later in the movie, you'll see how the title really wraps the whole movie up. This is certainly a good movie to have as a DVD, if you would like to get in touch with your emotions. Make sure you have a large box of tissue beside you.