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Day: August 8, 2009

Transformers was easy, at least GiJoe would be a challenge

I strongly disliked the Michael Bay “Transformers” movie.  So much so that I didn’t crack the DVD my Mother in Law got me for Xmas.   It’s sitting up on my Random Crap shelf with some tea lights and Mr. Skull.  I hated the way the source material was just “character names, object labels and places” then the rest was just drek.  G.i. Joe:Rise of Cobra may not be the Museum Quality reproduction of the source material that say “Sin City” was; but it’s no Wing Commander (AND I LIKED WING COMMANDER).

They do in fact toss out “Yo, Joe!” on occasion, there is some fist pumping when “good things” happen for the “good guys”.  The Joes are pretty much and inoffensive, well-armed and proactive UN NATO strike team (mostly staffed and led by Americans).  It loses the “American Hero” aspect but gains some credibility, in a “near future” world, post Iraq and Afghanistan, would NATO allow the Americans to concentrate and recruit the best and most quirky soldiers from their ranks?  Probably not, but from a secret base in a Torture friendly nation, sure!

I’m going to try and dance around the movie a bit; as I want to encourage at least one other G.i. Joe fan to see it before the week is out.  I’ll break it down like this; if you liked the Original Mummy and don’t mind a bunch of clunking dialog (“you said that knowing is half the battle”) then this movie is for you.  There’s a couple of really great fight scenes, a great car chase and the “accelerator suits” give some of the best acrobatic run and gun sequences in the movie (they made it awesome, haters)

The concept of how Cobra is coming to “rise” is fairly believable; having the backing of the worlds largest arms manufacturer.  No prizes for guessing his identity.  I walked into the movie knowing who would turn out to be Cobra Commander; but I have to admit that the movie threw me a rope-a-dope on the big reveal, the only early Cobra character left out of this movie was “Major Bludd” who I guess we’ll see in a later movie if this weekend goes well.

I’m struggling with how to portray this movie as a “good” movie without giving away the plot.  Everything that was set up by the general consensus as “this too will suck” really didn’t suck.  It was charming.  The plot is just a way to get from fight A to chase B and on to explosion C.  There are thudding lines like “you and what army?  My ARMY” cue giant vehicle and surrounding allies.   It’s hokey and obvious and that is why it is a positive thing.

This is a movie based upon an unabashed boys toy that was simply a series of flashy space-age weapons with ever-more outrageous features.  This movie accurately captures that idea, super weapons and overpowered soldiers slamming into each other for goals that are outrageous; but not overtly national in their scope.

I strongly recommend this movie; if only for the spectacle and I promise no urine or genital jokes at all.

Twitter Updates for 2009-08-08

  • Oh God, dragged out of bed just after sunrise! Had to drive into the office to fix connectivity issues. Now What? #
  • What was the name of the song that had a video of a girl dating a cardboard standup of a boy (she takes him to the fair and stuff)..Canadian #
  • Elected Republicans: big Quitters all around, unless they are actually criminals and philanderers, those folks stick like herpes. #
  • Yup, those teaparty folks, nothing but "Ladies" and "Gentlemen" http://bit.ly/6y2A9 #
  • @Shoq You really want to interview my parents, my mother has an artifical hip, survived cancer (twice) and my dad had prostate cancer zero $ in reply to Shoq #
  • @chairboy Don't Miss Shermer. in reply to chairboy #
  • @RevNathan It might actually be warm here this weekend, I'm so excited! in reply to RevNathan #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-08-08

  • http://twitpic.com/ceumk la mentirosa to the tune of la Bamba mellow man ace ftw #
  • Idaho smells of Sewage and Onion and now another reason to hate it; Sarah Palin is originally from Idaho, the state that keeps on barfing! #
  • This is Hardball Politics http://bit.ly/jrlrz
    … Right? #
  • http://twitpic.com/ck159 umm ladies fedora long duster and mr bojangles walk, check? #
  • http://twitpic.com/clibg This is the meaning of life! #
  • Dragged from sleep earlier today to fix a server in Chicago; got it done then watched "Last Crusade" nice start to the day! #
  • When did GOWAN join STYX? #
  • RT @pandagon Why are the health care protesters being treated with more deference and respect than the Iraq War protesters? #
  • Hey Eugene Folks: http://bit.ly/19FKYu
    There's an O'reilly camera crew there #
  • The Woman introducing this video describes the people outside as peaceful "Where's your cheat sheet Dana"? #
  • Then you see the video on the inside and hear the peaceful protesters yelling http://bit.ly/dAWgh #
  • Dana's video: "Peaceful" http://bit.ly/2fZcC2 #
  • Make your own Kenyan Birth Certificate http://kenyanbirthcertificategenerator.com/ #
  • played a bit with moveable type, still not really into it, dropped in a backup and restore of my WP site, found that it worked REALLY well #
  • Dear Dick Morris; Please travel more http://bit.ly/wKWN6 #
  • Welcome Back Twitter… hmmm…. Two Blogs no tweets…I'll post them in a minute. #
  • Nice Summer? http://bit.ly/1VXKU #
  • Wes Anderson: your Muse | http://bit.ly/jEewo #
  • This is what those "tea party riots" are defending http://sickforprofit.com/ceos/ The Status quo is Sick and Twisted in the USA #
  • Floated my Blog out and back in order to clean up the database; it's running much faster now, great! #
  • RT @ThatKevinSmith John Hughes, the man who spoke for geeks way before anyone else did. http://tinyurl.com/lg7bly (RIP) #
  • Why are Americans, collectively willing to accept a royal shafting all the time in the name of "capitalism" (really feudalism) #
  • I wish I still had the number of the attack mice service, I really do. The office would have a squishy mouse carpet of trained death mice. #
  • John Waters better not die soon. I have Roman Polanski next in my "director death pool" and if John goes first I miss the Trifecta. #
  • 私のようなピザ! #
  • This is AWESOME! http://translationparty.com/tp/ #
  • 私はカメのように! #
  • Oh God, dragged out of bed just after sunrise! Had to drive into the office to fix connectivity issues. Now What? #
  • What was the name of the song that had a video of a girl dating a cardboard standup of a boy (she takes him to the fair and stuff)..Canadian #
  • Elected Republicans: big Quitters all around, unless they are actually criminals and philanderers, those folks stick like herpes. #
  • Yup, those teaparty folks, nothing but "Ladies" and "Gentlemen" http://bit.ly/6y2A9 #
  • @Shoq You really want to interview my parents, my mother has an artifical hip, survived cancer (twice) and my dad had prostate cancer zero $ in reply to Shoq #
  • @chairboy Don't Miss Shermer. in reply to chairboy #
  • @RevNathan It might actually be warm here this weekend, I'm so excited! in reply to RevNathan #

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