Just got back from a screening at Paramount, I thought Michael Bay out did himself, my only problem was that there were to many people intoduced and they did not get enough screen time, but the action was great and so was the CGI, I love Bumble Bee.I will go see it again after the rush.

I've been to the theater three times in 8 days. I've seen Spider-Man 3, Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer, Live Free Or Die Hard, Knocked Up, and now Transformers. I saw Pirates 3 when it came out. Without a doubt, Transformers is the best of the bunch. It's really not even close, Die Hard had its moments, but Transformers delivered exactly what a big summer movie should.

Like many others, I didn't hear about the Monday opening until Sunday evening. I talked to a friend, and he had bought tickets to a 9:30 showing, and he picked up one for me, so everything was set. We ended up meeting at 6 at the theater, as he thought there would be lines to get in.

There was definately confusion all around, as there were only 3 people waiting in line for the 8PM showing. So my friend, his girl, and myself went and had some dinner. We got back to the theater at about 8:30, and headed in. There weren't many in the screening room for our show, and with so long of a wait ahead, I suggested that we peek in at the 8:45 show, and see how many seats were left. That room, just 5 minutes before the show was to begin, happened to have plenty of empty seats. So we stuck around and saw the show early.

After the show, there were people trickling in for the midnight showing, or even later, but really there wasn't much action around. The 8:45 wasn't empty, the seating was close to full, but it wasn't sold out by a long shot. We'll see if Dreamworks knows what they were doing, as all this confusion could pay off. This film is going to have great word of mouth, unlike many of the other blockbusters of '07.

Now, if The Simpsons Movie turns out to be decent...

L.A. Premiere personal pics are up on my site. The site is on my sig. Yes, I took a pic with everybody's new hero: Michael Bay. No, I didn't take a pic with Megan Fox because I didn't see her at the after party.

Got home from watching @ ArcLight and I was surprisingly impressed with the movie, though i did come in with low expectations. Michael Bay did outdo himself. I did think the first half was kinda slow but it got better later on but damn they use ALOT of quotes in the movie.

What an awesome movie. Hell, what an awesome time at the theater. This movie was <b>BADASS</b>, plain and simple.

My friends asked me last week if I wanted to see Transformers on opening night. I said no. Then today, they said they'd bought me a ticket anyway. So I went with a bunch of friends and expected nothing from the movie, but to have a good time with the guys.

I'll say it:

Transformers is the best movie I've seen this year.

It might be one of my favorite action movies of all time, and I'm an action junkie. Shit was banannas. Crazy. The CGI was perfect. I'm not a fan of the Transformers...I mean, I saw the animated cartoon when I was little, I had a few of the action figures, but I was a G.I. Joe fan at heart. This movie surprised the hell out of me and might have been the most fun I've ever had at a theater.

Watch this movie.

= J

Michael Bay For the win!
 

Just got in from seeing this with my co-workers, and one of them was'nt even a fan and loved it! Awesome, awesome movie. Going again tomorrow night.

I've been wondering the same thing myself. This movie was LOADED with SFX. And they were incredible.

I thought the movie rocked, but some parts sorta irked me. When .

It didn't feel as tight as The Rock in terms of pacing. It was a little too unfocused at some parts, but the movie really picks up in the second/third acts.

And Shia LeBeouf does really well for someone talking to a bluescreen.

I just got back from a 12:01 show that was added late after the 12:00a SOLD OUT. :up: All 5 showings sold out at this particular theater.

The crowd was TOTALLY into the movie and that made an already kick ass movie even better. They laughed at every joke, even the corny ones. I can't believe how great the Robots looked onscreen. The freeway tackle scene with Prime and other robot on the big screen was awesome. They did a great job of making it look crisp, clear, and amazingly realistic. There was plenty of clapping, yelling, and Hoopin' and Hollerin' almost everytime the robots transformed. Bumblebee upgrading his look got a -huge- response and you could tell there were lotsa "Car geeks/guys" in the crowd. I swear, Megan Fox's bare belly and short skirt seemed to get almost no response, but when she raised Bumblebee's hood and they showed his engine, a bunch of guys went nuts. The new robot designs worked on many levels and I loved seeing the all the moving parts and INCLUDING PRIME'S FUCKING LIPS.

The story was perfect for the TF franchise because it was simple and entertaining. The Jokes, even the corny ones, were great because actors really looked like they were having fun.

I loved this movie!

i love it ! BUT i thought there were a few too many characters. The blonde scientist hottie and the funny black guy were surplus characters

and the autobot v decepicon hand to hand combat scenes were just too fast moving and blurred to enjoy. Camerawork was also a bit too kinetic at times.

Overall though great action movie which i couldn't imagine being made even 2 years ago, the FX were mindblowing. The secretary of defence was a good character, not the typical bumbling dick. Megan Fox is da hot but i've appreciated her since Hope and Faith. Damm i still can't believe Brian fucin Austin Green has nailed both her and Vanessa Marcil !

Watching one of your favourite childhood cartoons come to life is very special indeed

Oh and in the opening few scenes we had Prison Break, Las Vegas and the OC all represented :)

saw it again last night with the midnight crowd... everyone was going crazy... seeing the movie again just makes it better...

this might be the surprise movie of the summer...

The ID4 comprison is pretty good but it makes me wonder if, unlike ID4, this movie will hold up well in the long run.

But you're right about this movie delivering. It made me feel like I was 8 again. I can't even imagine how an 8-year old feels watching this.

And 24!

i think the rating for this movie was pretty much for the true transformer fans...

I think I was the only one chuckling at the added sound effects to the DreamWorks intro and the flying stars of Paramount intro.

Anyone else see the HBO First Look at Transformers? Michael Bay was laughing a lot on the set as things were getting blown up, or the actors pulling off the funny in their scenes. Can't wait to see the behind-the-scenes stuff on the upcoming DVD release (or hi-def release).

As to why the movie "only" cost $150 million, it's probably has to do with many of the explosive shots are live shots, not predominantly CGI'd. Plus, I didn't see too many actors on the screen that demanded $20 million to show up on the set. That budget was fully spent on what we saw in the film.

What I find interesting was that the TVGuide.com podcast reviewers totally disliked the film for being too long and disjointed. I think they missed the point of the film, that is just the movie was designed as a "summer movie," not something up for Oscar consideration (though I think the special effects will get an Oscar nomination).

Thats fine, but agreeably Summer movies should have a cohesive plotline as well. It doesn't have to be great or oscar worthy, but it should flow.

And I agree with this problem. Everytime the movie cut to Jon Voights segments the movie felt like it came to a grinding halt.

2 people from 24 in this movie. I marked for both of them!

= J

Um I thought this was mind numbingly mediocre.

Robot fights and the CGI were amazing, everything else, especially the military stuff was just weakly done.

Typical Bay. Great action, weak story and dialogue. Voight and Turrtoro were campy as all hell.

Yes, some of the robot dialogue was horrible. Had the most potential of the summer films but wasted it on crap like, his ebay thing, and Anthony Anderson.

Grade: C

when your actor budget isn't $75 million for a bunch of primadonnas you have a lot more money to spend on SFX. Same thing in Star Wars, Indiana Jones, LOTR and others where tier 2 and 3 actors made a great movie

And remember that Michael Bay, like Spielberg, shoots FAST, keeping the schedules down. Less shooting days = less money.

I believe Spielberg shot War of the Worlds rather quickly before moving on to Munich. WOTW's budget ($132 mil) is very low compared to this year's bloated numbers of some films. And that has an A-list actor who commands mega-bucks.

No great robot dialogue = No sale! :D

You could apply the same for one Clint Eastwood. I remember reading that most of Eastwood's recent films were done in under six weeks for each film.

But getting back on topic :) , I do think the movie will do extremely well in the box office. US$160-US$170 million from Monday night to this coming Sunday night may not be so far-fetched.