The Moon's Dark Secrets

Our favourite warring autonomous robotic organisms are back as we take a third dive into the movie-verse world of Transformers in Dark of the Moon. The previous instalment of the franchise was seen as a bit of a mixed bag among critics and fans, and director Michael Bay has taken the blame, citing the movie as a writers’ strike casualty. He then assured that his team has put together a leaner, darker and better film than its predecessor. I certainly must say he wasn't kidding.



The film opens up with an epic 3D sequence that is worth the admission price alone. Bay finally gives the fans what they want to see - warring robot factions battling it out on Cybertron during the final days of the war. Through the voice of Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) we are introduced to the Autobot ship, the Ark - said to be carrying a secret cargo and their final hope to end the war only to see it lost into the vastness of space - and presumably ages later - onto the dark side of our moon. The film then cuts to the space race of the 1960s, where it is revealed that President Kennedy commissioned NASA to put a man on the moon as a cover-up to the fact that they needed to investigate the crashed vessel. What secrets does this vessel hold and will the Autobots figure it out before the Decepticons do?



The gang is back for more as we see our beloved team of robots and humans (sans Megan Fox) try to figure out what the Decepticons are up to. Adding to the already stellar human cast are newcomers Frances McDormand as Director Mearing...



...Alan Tudyk as Simmon's assistant Dutch....



...John Malkovich as Sam's boss Bruce Brazos...



...Patrick Dempsey as Dylan Gould and Ken Jeong as Jerry Wang. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on the other hand, plays Sam's new love interest Carly Spencer (Carly was Spike Witwicky's blonde girlfriend and eventual wife in the cartoons).



Joining the fun this time are Decepticon fan favourites Laserbeak, Shockwave (Frank Welker)...



...and more screen time for Soundwave (also voiced by Frank Welker) in a kick-ass earth alt mode. On the Autobots' side we have Mirage/Dino (Francesco Quinn)...



...Wheeljack/Que (George Coe), Brains (Reno Wilson) and the Wrecker team consisting Leadfoot (John Di Maggio), Roadbuster (Ron Bottitta) and Topspin.



To put the cream on the cake, we have Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy playing Sentinel Prime, the former leader of the Autobots and mentor to both Optimus Prime and Megatron (Nimoy also played Galvatron in the 1986 Transformers animated movie).



And oh, they even threw in Buzz Alrin (the second man on the moon) in too, just because they can!

The storyline this time around is considerably darker than previous instalments of the franchise, and has a better structured plot with conspiracies, betrayals and revelations. I must admit it was certainly unpredictable with numerous twists in the story as the movie goes.



In keeping with the darker theme, the stakes are higher we see cities being destroyed, numerous people getting blasted into bits and a number of character executions.



It might come as a shocker at first but I believe it added to the realism of the war. Transformers fans would immediately notice key elements in the story were taken from the cartoons and comics, which I believe was a neat touch and nice nod to the franchise. Stuff like the Matrix of Leadership...



...Optimus Prime's trailer...



...and a certain scene of Megatron (Hugo Weaving) sitting in the Abraham Lincoln statue's chair had members in the audience cheering.



In fact, the core of the story seems taken from G1 episodes "The Ultimate Doom" and "Megatron's Master Plan".



The addition of new characters (both human and robot) also added some depth to the story and it seems there is more overall interaction this time around.



Finally you feel the Transformers were actual characters instead of mere eye-candy. Soundwave and Laserbeak were scene-stealers and I really never saw it coming (not gonna spoil it for you). And surprisingly Wheelie (Tom Kenny) and Brains make a funny and cool duo.



Nimoy was simply stellar as Sentinel Prime and Cullen was at his prime (pun intended) voicing Optimus. Having big names like Malkovich, McDormand and Dempsey was a good thing too, as they had such enjoyable acting.



Huntington-Whitely was not bad as well, considering it was her acting debut. Sure she might not be as hot as Megan, but she carries herself with such class and has that killer British accent you'd just forgive everything (not to mention how freaking hot she looked stepping out of a Mercedes Benz SLS AMG).



I just wished they'd explain Mikaela Banes' disappearance better. I mean, after all the trouble she went through in Revenge of the Fallen, would she simply dump Sam like that? C'mon!!



Now about the use of 3D... I've mentioned it before and I'll say it again, Transformers was a movie franchise PERFECT for 3D. Filmed using similar Cameron-Pace 3D fusion camera systems as used in Avatar, the 3D effects of this film are among the best I’ve seen yet.



Bay didn’t hold back with his new ‘toy’, we see dust, shrapnel, liquid, sparks, robot parts and even Soundwave’s sonic blasts fly off the screen!



Battling bots are thrown into the audience, ships weave in-and-out of tight spots and transformations with shifting plates of screeching metal look simply insane in the third dimension.



Mark my words, very often you will find yourself yelling "whoa!" or "oh shit!" out loud during the movie. And do I have to mention how sexy cars look in 3D?



I must say Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz joining the fray is certainly most welcome as their shiny vehicles stole every scene they were in. This movie has to be seen in 3D, no exception. And that much-talked about climatic showdown in Chicago? Well, let’s just say only a director like Michael Bay can get away with having an hour’s worth of non-stop cinematic destruction on the big screen.



The amount of detail that goes into the effects this time round is beyond belief. It's amazing how clearly you could make out expressions on the robots' faces.



You could see stuff like little kinks in the bots’ armor as they battle...



...the seamless-ness of them morphing into their vehicle modes...



...and the absolutely astounding way the filmmakers destroyed Chicago. No longer were the Transformers having mere battles. This time it was an all-out alien robot invasion. Massive swarms, spacecraft, motherships, the full works... It was a no-holds-barred war.



Having given the snub twice at the Oscars, I believe Industrial Light and Magic gave their absolute best for Dark of the Moon in retaliation. The level of realism was first class and I believe there will be outrage if they do not nab the ‘Best Visual Effects’ award next year.



Worth mentioning too is the soundtrack of the film. Steve Jablonsky once again provided the magical touch and while it carries certain elements from previous instalments of the franchise, the overall sound and mood has a distinctly different feel to reflect the different tone of the movie. It adds a lot to how certain scenes were played; you feel the pain during sad moments, fear whenever Shockwave is around or joy when there is a moment of triumph.



Perhaps one of the most memorable is the theme that plays from the Ark chase up to the moon discovery at the beginning of the film. Linkin Park on the other hand provides the theme ‘Iridescent’ which like Jablonsky’s work has a different sound for Dark of the Moon.



On the complaints side, there were still a number of lame jokes, although I must say most have been toned-down a notch. Even Simmons (John Turturro) is less crazy as before, in keeping with the seriousness of the movie's theme.



The worst example was possibly Jerry Wang, which was unnecessarily creepy and disturbing. At the same time, it does feel like Bay might have cut some parts of the movie (possibly to decrease the length?). Stuff builds up at Chernobyl and you know Shockwave (with friggin' huge driller) is set to have a huge battle with Optimus (who has his energon sword and shield up) and the next thing you know, he's gone. I'm very sure I heard a few "ehhh?"s among the audience. Another gripe would be too much emphasis on humans instead of the robots (just like the previous instalments), but I believe the balance is a little better this time. And if you've been following developments, you'd know that the 'twins' Mudflap and Skids were originally in the script but were cut out. However in one short scene you could actually spot their Chevy Spark alt modes.



Michael Bay has repeatedly stated that Dark of the Moon will be his final Transformers movie. If indeed this is the final movie, I believe it ended quite abruptly and still had quite a number of loose ends, which is a pity, given how well crafted the opening was. It felt as if too many characters were written-off, some had no conclusion and perhaps more could have been done to close the chapter on one of the most technologically breathtaking movie franchises of recent times.



While he did attempt to make it real tough for any other director to continue the franchise, I doubt this will be the last we see of Transformers in the big screen.



Overall, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is quite the cinematic experience it promises. Combining cutting-edge visuals, emotional drama and the right amount of nostalgia, it certainly has raised the bar for action movies. So whatcha waiting for? Rush now to the nearest cinema and catch in 3D, and if you already have, go for repeats. Trust me, you’ll discover something new each time due to the immense amount of detail.

This is the reason we watch 3D summer blockbusters, and they certainly don’t come better than this!

4 ½ Stars

Monaco Switch

I admit I was never a fan of Selena Gomez (aka Bieber's girlfriend). So when I heard of this new movie that she's acting in I was naturally gonna avoid it like the plague. But you know what? I'm kinda glad I didn't.



You have to thank the trailers for that, which made me realise this could be kinda fun. Loosely-based on Jules Bass' Headhunters novel, Monte Carlo tells a tale of three young girls on a trip to Paris and somehow getting tangled in an identity mix-up. Grace (Selena Gomez) is an unpopular student working as waitress while waiting for her graduation. She looks forward to her holiday trip to Paris with the money she's saved up during those torturous years of study in college. Accompanying her was her BFF Emma (Katie Cassidy) and much to her dismay, her step-sis Meg (Leighton Meester).



Their initial excitement over their trip of a lifetime is quickly dimmed as it turns out they picked possibly the worst tour in all of the French capital. The hotel is a rat-hole and their tour bus seemed like it wanted to speed off without them. And hey, it eventually did! But the fun begins after, as in the mess they stumbled across wealthy socialite Cordelia Winthrop Scott (also played by Selena Gomez), who looks exactly like Grace, albeit more snobbish and spoiled.

 

In a funny twist of events, Grace gets mistaken as Cordelia and gets carted off to Monte Carlo (and oh, the other two get tagged along as well) for a charity ball. What follows is an entertaining mix of drama, comedy and romance as the three girls get tangled with royalty, first love and impersonation.



I must say that Gomez surprised me. I expected to be annoyed but she was quite likable.



While her character Grace was more of a girl discovering herself (perhaps a lil similar to her actually), it was her role of Cordelia that really shone. With her snobbish British accent, stuck-up attitude and constant fits, you could tell she was having a ball of a time with her role. Cassidy was crazy as the wild, fun-loving opportunist who eventually learns a thing or two about reality away from boyfriend/fiance Owen (Cory Monteith).

 

On the other hand Meester's character starts off annoying but ends up being rather charming, especially after she meets Australian backpacker Riley (Luke Bracey).



Without spoiling you on the details, I'll just mention that there's loads of fun, some heartbreak, and plenty of lessons learnt (not to mention landing in hot soup!).

Unfortunately, a film with a cliche central plot is eventually going to follow the inevitable predictable chick-flick route towards the end. And it's a sad thing really, as the characters were quite likable.



However, the movie has quite a number of twists and good messages that keep it from being a total cliche. And there were also some scenes that just dragged on way too long and could've been trimmed shorter.

But fear not as every hilarious scene of Cordelia with her bitchy, snobbish self compensates for any setbacks this movie has. In fact I believed there should've been more of her!



And you'll find yourself laughing whenever the girls get into various sticky situations throughout the movie. The filmmakers also spared no time showing the beauty of Paris and Monte Carlo. It was such a joy watching the gorgeous cities and lush scenery.

So what's there to not like? A tale of three pretty girls, with three equally pretty guys (it's ridiculous when you think about the possibility of so many gorgeous people falling for each other!)... I mean, even the prince looked like a model!



I found myself laughing along and actually enjoying it. And yeah, you'd probably learn a thing or two as well. As for Selena Gomez, I guess she's not so bad after all... :P

3 Stars

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night...

The summer superhero onslaught continues with the live-action adaptation of DC's The Green Lantern.



Here we see Ryan Reynolds donning the famous green suit in which some may ask, "Ryan as a superhero?" Well, I guess many have already erased from their minds his previous superhero stint as the awful adaptation of Deadpool (oh God!) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.



Anyways the Green Lantern might be less-known than DC's more famous stars like Superman and Batman, but anyone familiar with comics and the Justice League should know about this chap. The film adaptation marks a serious attempt by DC to pit their superheroes (other than the famous duo) against Marvel's Avenger movie onslaught.

The film is essentially an origin story and sees how fighter pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) gets chosen by the ring and becomes the Green Lantern.



We are also introduced to the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic group of beings (all chosen by rings) who help defend the galaxy from evil. You see, times are bad and the galaxy is in peril because of an escaped entity of fear called Parallax, a powerful being once imprisoned by the great Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison). With the Corps seemingly unable to defeat Parallax without Abin Sur (who before his death sent his ring to find a successor, which turned out to be Hal Jordan), all hope seems to lie on our little new Green Lantern (who also happens to be the first human to get this privilege).



And oh, I forgot to mention that the ring enables its user to turn any thought as a weapon.



If this all sounds like a lot to swallow, well, it is. The movie tries to cram most this within the the first 15 minutes of the movie and it might be an overwhelming information overload for those unfamiliar with comic characters or superheroes in general. But it's still quite a ride. The action is entertaining and there are plenty of neat details like how Hal's suit seems 'alive' and glowing. The various weapons he uses are also real cool, although occasionally bordering on the cartoonish. The filmmakers also did a splendid job on the Corps home planet of Oa, which appears rich and vast. And boy did they do a good job showing the diversity among the Lanterns.



You could see plenty of budget was spent on the effects and action scenes for the movie. However you might wish that more attention be spent on the plot and characters. The motivation for lead guy Hal for instance, wasn't really fleshed out much and some might even wonder why the ring chose him.



Indeed there are parts like how his dad's death while flying affects him but I felt he needed a more concrete reason to rise up and be the green hero everyone needs.



But Reynolds does a decent job portraying a conflicted reluctant hero who rises to the occasion and also brings in good laughs (some were unnecessary though).

The film has quite an assortment of other characters that add color to the story as well, like the great Corps leader Sinestro (Mark Strong), fellow Lanterns Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush) and Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan).





While nicely adapted (an voiced) for the big screen, I couldn't help but feel they weren't fully utilised. And 'The Guardians' reminded me of Mojo Jojo for some reason. Peter Sarsgaard on the other hand, did quite well as Hector Hammond, the revolting creepy guy who has quite a disturbing obsession over Hal's love interest Carol Ferris (Blake Livey).



And oh, Lively makes nice eye candy, but is terribly under-used.



Parallax however, looked like space diarrhea and reminds everyone why super-villains like these don't work well on the big screen (Galactus in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer anyone?). But to give him some credit, scenes of him sucking the fear out of his victims was disturbing and nicely done.



Overall The Green Lantern might have its flaws, but it isn't a bad movie. In fact it's quite entertaining. Just treat it like what it's meant to be (a summer flick), grab your popcorn and you'll have a fun ride. It's just a little unfortunate that it comes out right after X-Men: First Class. Don't watch expecting it to be the next The Dark Knight and you'll enjoy it.

PS: Stay back after the credits until the movie title appears for an extra scene that fans will certainly be able to associate with.

3 Stars