Age of Extinctinction

[blueshift]

Oh come on, being an extra on a film is a competition prize as old as time.

One of the guards from the animated eps of Reign of Terror was a competition winner, remember! And I bet you all forgot that!

[Deleted]

I'm probably going to get killed for saying this but I didn't actually know that existed until you mentioned it. I'm kind of clueless when it comes to Doctor Who.

Also I hate the current oversaturation of reality TV so I'm probably biased.

I'd rather see actors get picked for parts because they're professional actors, not because they won a televised contest.

But hey, this is Michael Bay's Transformers. I guess I'm not terribly surprised, just disappointed they've sunk even lower.

[The Doctor]

They'll probably just be extras who or may not even be in shot. It's not uncommon to have promo competitions for someone to get on set on films and telly shows (sometimes even to be drawn into a panel in a comic!). I can't see anything to get annoyed about at all, really.

-Ralph

[legios]

Indeed - I doubt that these will be more than one- or two- line cameo parts that will result from this. So I don't really see the harm. And given the size of China as a developing market for American movies it makes sense to do what they can to get additional sideways advertising makes sense to me.

Karl

[Bogatan]

It can also be done REALLY REALLY BADLY, there was an episode of bones where about 4 or 5 times different really uncomfortable looking people wandered in and had one of the leads sign a form. It had nothing to do with the story, it was just terrible.

But for every one that is that bad theres probably dozens of competition winners on shows or movies every week that you never even notice. Veronica Mars the Movie is going to be full of them thanks to Kickstarter backers.

I might be mad but I'm looking forward to TF4.

[Deleted]

I'm aware their roles will probably be minor, but it's the principle of the thing. I'm stubborn like that.

And don't get me started on Kickstarter. >_< For every legitimate cause there's someone else who looks at it as an easy way to leech money out of fans. I swear some of the projects on there don't NEED help from Kickstarter, but they do it anyway because they can save money I guess.

[The Doctor]

I'm with you on Kickstarter! The signal to noise ratio there is a tad unbalanced.

-Ralph

[Bogatan]

My only exposure to kickstarter is the Veronica Mars movie which I'm fully in favour of so I cant be too critical of it, though the few other things I've looked it does seem that basically backers are preordering products. Certainly is the case with VM as I and almost everyone else backing it will receive a digital download of the movie at the same time as it is released at cinema.

[Hero]

A bit of news from Comingsoon.net.
www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=103521

Meanwhile, Bay is gearing up to take the directing reins on Transformers 4, starring Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor, Nicola Peltz and Stanley Tucci.

"You know there are a couple of historians of Transformers," Bay continues. "I would do my designs of the robots and they’re like, 'What if you just add a little bit more ears to Optimus?' But they’re really hands off. We’ve redesigned them in 'Transformers 4,' and there’s some really cool s-t in it. I’m literally redesigning every character, top to bottom. There’s a reason why they’re redesigned, but it’s also to keep it new and fresh to me. I think the fans will appreciate some of this new stuff we have in the movie and some of the new characters."

[kayevcee]

Don't hold yer breath, Mike.

Karl, you're absolutely right about the importance of the Chinese market for cinema. I read... somewhere (so it must be true) that the Chinese government has expanded the number of foreign films that can be shown in their cinemas each year, and that China's current middle class is roughly the same size as the US' total population. That's a lot of seats, and a lot of bums.

-Nick

[legios]

Yep, and it looks like Hollywood are going after that audience full-bore. I wonder if TF4 will go the same route as IM3, which - according to what I've heard - has an entire bonus character (apparently he is glimpsed in a surgical mask for about two seconds in the Western release, but has a couple of full scenes in the Chinese-release print. The trade-off is apparently that Ben Kingsley loses some of his screen time for make room). I'll be curious to see if more films go down this "localised version" route to the same degree.

Karl

[The Doctor]

Not that much different from comics/novels being altered for different markets (word and title changes, some edits,etc).

-Ralph

[Shockprowl]

Hey! I just realised, does it have a name? Am I hearing 'Age of Extinction' around the place?


Transformers 4: Age of Extinction. Sounds, er, Dinoboty.

[blueshift]

The lack of any Easter egg called 'Age of EGGstinction' is really really depressing

[The Doctor]

I too am now depressed.

-Ralph

[primenova]

Is there anymore news on that stuff about they are filming TF5 at same time as TF4 which they have finished - or was this all mis-information before they started filming?

[kayevcee]

I don't think it's misinformation so much as Bay running a tight ship- his company is pretty good at information control and I can see why they wouldn't want to leak set footage from TF5 before TF4 is even out.

That or they've just changed their plans. We'll find out in due course I suppose.

-Nick

[Hero]

It is possible some footage which could be worked into TF5 for maybe flashbacks or continuity editing was shot. You never know.

[primenova]

Just added in the title for this being a comment based on reading a US review of the film - but I'm not really giving any film plot away.

SPOILER: Click to show

Just that near the end we have about 50 Decepticons turn up. I have not seen a image of this scene but which 50 Decepticons [minus the ones we know of ie Galvatron etc] do you think Hasbro might release these as? With no image you don't know what the characters look like so that can be tricky - but which are your top Decepticon names - or should some of them become Autobots with only being 4 bots & the Dinobots around.

My top con names -
Deadend, Vortex

i'm guessing that the character are going to be cars & jets mostly. This thread is more like what characters name you like the most rather than reveals for the film.

[primenova]

I think Hasbro could do something where they can use the same names then repaint the Dinobots too

So Rampage, Tantrum, Razorclaw, Laserbeak

all being car/jet then Dinos.

[Philip Ayres]

And thank you for those of us reading in recent posts Pete ! NOT HAPPY!

[Toph]

This is a SAFE POST. I will reveal no plot details outside of a spoiler tag.
But if you don't even want an opinion, skip it.

Saw it.
I make no secret of how much I loathe the bayverse.

I LOVED IT. It is soooo much better than the first three. They took every problem I had, and made drastic improvements!
The transformers are treated as actual characters. They are given actual personalities, and meaningful lines.
The human characters are also improved. They are relatable.
The humor is completely out of the gutter. It's also toned down to where it's no longer over the top ridiculous, but it's still very present, and done when appropriate.

For primenova 's comment:

SPOILER: Click to show

They're not all cars, but most of them are. We also saw that garbage truck we've been seeing the toy of.
None of them are named beyond Galvatron and Stinger. And most have stinger's robot mode.
Though there is a two-headed dude.

[primenova]

That's going back to the character from the first 3 films & expect they might be like that or just like the one from ROTF. It doesn't state what happens to them in this film. Just that they are there then the review goes to another event. They might just all get killed like in ROTF. But i'm sure Hasbro will use them for toy repaints.

[primenova]

Sky One 6/7/14 900 - 930 TF AOES

[Stomski]

Urgh.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}
Prime kills Frasier.
2nd half of the film is relentless action. I got bored.
It reuses plot devices from previous films.
Where did Prime get his jetpack? Why didn't he use it to take the seed out of the city?
The way the human made TFs transform is even more ridiculous than the normal transformations in bay films.
Galvatron's alt-mode is clearly Motormaster, at least they get an easy toy repaint.
Dinobots have no characterisation.

At least it has a decent political message about US Foreign Policy and man on the street right wing immigration paranoia, even if it is probably by accident.

[Pinwig]

Have been trying to decide since leaving the cinema yesterday whether I liked it or not. Part of me is thinking, come on, what were you expecting, there were some great moments there; part of me was really deflated by it - moreso than the last three. I knew if I started trying to write what I was thinking down I'd be there for hours; maybe bullet points like stomski is the way to go.

[The Huff]

I was ready to sit through another turd last night, but actually really enjoyed it. A vast improvement over the last three films! I never thought I'd say it, but well done Mr Bay!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}The only faults I felt were a couple of plot holes, like Primes jetpack (why not show him leaving in Lockdowns ship or something?) and the Dinobots suddenly being there - but I guess we can blame the writer for that.
It felt that there was a genuine threat this time around and the deaths were addressed with emotion.

[primenova]

I've picked up the free DVD with the star today at toysrus. Don't know whats on it yet not watch - but should be trailer & 1 ep of TFP.

[Bogatan]

I've never hated the films, but my cinema viewing gives a good guide to my opinion of them. 2007 I saw at least 5 times, ROTF 1 time DOTM maybe 2 times probably just once. I'm pretty sure I'll be rewatching this at least once and hopefully will get the chance to watch at an Imax.

Spoiler free thoughts.

Humour, they ditched the dick joke stuff and replaced it with likeable funny characters.

Characters, the new characters are likeable. Humans and transformers.

Transformers, the new Transformers have personalities, even the bad guys. It makes all the difference.

Plot, it does recycle material from the previous three, but not in a bad way and it mostly makes sense.

SPOILER: Click to show

Spoiler
John Goodman, I mean Hound might be my favourite movie bot. His running commentary throughout the fight sequences are brilliant. And make such a difference. Back in 2007 the final battle has Ratchet and Ironhide defending the humans. Goodma... Er Hound has the same role here, but Ratchet and Ironhide are just weapons in the background they could be a tank or other weapon thing, they aren't characters. Goodman is the polar opposite working with the humans talking to them and never just sat around in vehicle mode.

Drift and Crosshairs are both fun too.

Lockdown is by far the best Decepticon/bad guy so far.

Prime is still movie Prime and so his mental breakdown continues for much of the film. As does his efforts to kill everyone, everywhere. While I know many dont like this I personally think its one of the better elements of the first 3 films. But yeah holy crap Optimus Prime just killed Fraiser! Thankfully the absence of Sam and family eventually sees him regaining his sanity somewhat.

One factor that must add to Prime state is the knowledge that almost every Autobot who answered his call at the end of the first movie is dead as are all but Bumblebee from the original party. After losing his home hes now inadvertently caused the deaths of many of the survivors. Happily the only (onscreen at least) survivor from movies 2 or 3 is Brains who I genuinely liked first time around and still like here.

The faces are now much less freakish, but the bot modes are becoming increasingly human shaped. It's not really a bad thing but after Ratchet was gone (poor Ratchet) I missed the more blocky robot forms.

The human cast works very well, though there probably a few more than seem to be needed.

Deaths: Theres actually fewer deaths here than most of the previous ones, but they all have more impact.

Story wise there are gaps, but this time it's clearly part of a larger story so at least some of those gaps are likely to be filled in. But really would it have hurt just to show Prime picking up a rocket pack on board Lockdowns ship when he got the Dinobots.

Not really a fan of the human made tranformers transformations.

[Stomski]

To be honest... I was actually really enjoying it up until...

SPOILER: Click to show

the raid on KSI. And then it just divulged into plot devices being used to generate scenarios for big robot fights and destruction and it ruined the whole experience for me.

Best bit was Bumblebee using a John Goodman clip from The Big Lebowski.