Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (a review)

This movie was awesome. I can't stop thinking about it, and I'm debating going back to watch it. Just like I went back (not really) to see Star Trek and Terminator Salvation.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is just like its prequel. Explosions and action up the kazoo, a laugh in every scene, and the occasional corny joke for those who saw or know the old television show. And just like its prequel, this movie shall be overplayed and still highly enjoyed. I can't wait until it's on DVD, personally.

The movie takes place two years after the first movie. Captain Lennox and his team lead a government division known as NEST. In league with the Autobots, NEST hunts down the Decepticons still running around Earth.

Meanwhile, Sam and Makaela are still together. Sam is leaving for college when we first see him. Shortly after his arrival, fellow freshman Allison sets her eyes on Our Hero to his displeasures. And Leo, Sam's roommate, is a conspiracy theorist running a website up-to-date on all the alien stuff happening throughout the world.

And while trouble brews in our young hero's life, the Decepticons are on the move. Optimus Prime receives an ominous message saying "The Fallen shall rise again." Now NEST must try to stay ahead of the Decepticons, a feat easily said than done. Who are the Decepticons after? Sam Witwicky, who started seeing the symbols of the Cybertron language.

This isn't the best movie in the world, I admit, but it's damn well interesting enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. And Michael Bay finally made it to the Guiness Book of World Records for Largest Explosion in a Movie with Actors Present. We knew he could do it eventually.

When I saw this movie, the theater was packed, we waited an hour before it started, and I walked out thrilled and excited and wanting more. Great movie. Go see it. Highly recommended if you need something to spike your fun level. But don't expect a great drama to play out. This movie is more fun than anything.

I have to say, I fell in love with the title song: New Divide by Linkin Park.

Action and Transformers

I am absolutely in love with action movies. When things go boom, I am happy.

And Michael Bay delivered things that go boom very well in Transformers in 2007. Two years later, I'm anticipating the same things -- but with better robot fights. I still put a Transformers wallpaper on my desktop to celebrate opening week of the movie. Unfortunately, I cannot go at midnight, but I can go the Wednesday it opens! ph34r m3 ph0r I $h@11 k0nqu3r!!!

As a tribute to action movies, please visit this link.

And now, I shall revisit the world of Optimus Prime to get pumped. This week shall be gloriously mechanic! *manic laughter*

A story is good, but the Ending rocked my socks!

There are times while venturing through a good story where I fall head over heels for the ending. That's right, the ending. The rest of the story can me whatever it wants to be, but my heart stops for the final moments, the conclusion, the resolution. And I will summarize two endings for which I easily melt, however, I will not name these stories by title.

I don't want anyone mad because I ruined anything. If you happen to discover the titles as you read, I'm sorry. I tried my best not to name anything directly. My apologies if I ruined a good story for you.

Ending #1:

Our Hero, through circumstances within his control, uses his brains and resources to eventually take control of the world. This is bad, because he becomes a tyrant and uses his Super Ability to get people on his side. In cahoots with him is His Friend, who gains a title almost as high as Our Hero's. You hear cryptic conversations between them occasionally. A red flag should be raised.

In what was supposed to be a final battle, Hero's Friend is caught in an explosion and the good guys leading the rebellion against Our Hero's tyrannical reign are captured. While they are being paraded about before their execution, a Symbol appears and assassinates Our Hero, thus sparking a street riot to free the good guys.

It turns out, and I think this is brilliant, that Our Hero and His Friend staged this assassination to unite the world. Before that, the world was split into separate beliefs involving the giant superpower government and what-not. In order to really bring peace between the different factions, they all had to be united under a common enemy. And Our Hero sacrificed himself to achieve that. Adding to the brilliance is the fact that Our Friend didn't really die, he becomes the Symbol that assassinates Our Hero!

I saw that, flipped, and watched it again because I loved it so much! Oh, the brilliance!

Ending #2:

Over the course of five years, Our Hero battled Stereotypical Villian so he can both save the world(s) and return to the life he had. He finally learns that now that the battle is over, he can't return to his previous life. But he's assured he will gain by going to this new life rather than lose. Our Hero states to his Mentor that it seems unfair to fight for something, and then never find out what would become of it. Mentor agrees that it's unfair.

Turn page, and we are greeted by the life Our Hero led as if he didn't spend five years crossing the universe. We see him on his death bed (or close to it), and Mentor comes in with a box of scrolls stating he has a story Our Hero has to read. Our Hero wrote those scrolls, documenting his adventure those five years.

I just sit and mull that over again and again. I love that ending too.

Do you like endings, Dear Reader? May I hear of them?

Vacation

There's a quaint peninsula in my state untouched by Wal-Marts and commercialism.  There is a Piggly Wiggly, but you have to give them some credit.  This place is known for cherries, beautiful sunsets on the water (weather permitting), and more shoppes and restaurants than should be allowed.  At least five hotels in a single unincorporated town, long stretches of highway, and the occasional homemade candy shop also add to this fabulous place.

(Sunset at hotel - Day 2)

My family usually spends about a week up there.  We stay at this little resort with an outdoor heated pool that reaches six feet, a bonfire pit, boats and bikes to rent out, and a water view for every room.  Lovely place.  I love it up there, but only for so long.  Unfortunately, once you explore all the peninsula, there's not really anything to do.  Unless you do something you've never done before (like go horseback riding or see a production of the Peninsula Players - which we've never done, I might add).  

(At park in Sister Bay - Day 3)

I'm happy to be home, but I do kind of miss it.  But only a little.  You can only be cut off from society for so long before you just want to go home.  You want to visit the library to see if they actually bought anything recent while you were gone.  There's only so much shopping you can do before you want to go to a store that you actually enjoy, like Forever 21 or Target.  

(Twilit colors driving home - last day)

It's a wonderful place, don't get me wrong.  But vacations are only a small reprieve from life.  I have to admit, it's nice to see the changes that happen at home after being gone for so long.  It's like not really adjusting to life previously, but mere adapting to the changes that happened in your absence.  It's what makes coming home from college so fun.  

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Good Stories plus Recommendations

I'm a fan of good stories. Not necessarily in a specific medium, but good stories in general. I've played a fair few video games (RPGs, mostly) that have some gripping plotlines. They snatch your heart and force you to continue playing until the end. And when you finish, when you beat that last boss, you breath a sigh of relief and watch the credits roll with a satisfied feeling in the pit of your stomach. It's the same feeling you get when you watch a particularly good movie, or finish that great book you've been reading all afternoon. You know it's a good story when you feel like you've just been on an adventure, and you don't regret going one bit.

When you open a book and it takes you away in those first couple pages, you know you nailed a good story. Or when you start a game or television show and you can't think of anything else until it's done. If a movie has you hooked from the opening credits, and you spend the end credits sitting in the theater trying to mull everything over. These are tell tale signs, but you can get the same feeling from stories that just really excite you.

So here is my multi-medium list of good story recommendations. Please note that this list is not extensive and limited to favorites of that particular medium. They do not reflect everything I have ever

experienced. I tried to limit the list to those that were particularly good instead of those that I just really liked on a personal level. It hasn't been a grueling process, but it did take time.

Perhaps I'll blog reviews on all these recommendations. Keep a sharp eye for them. They'll be scattered thoughout the archives once they start to build up.

Recommendations

Anime

Full Metal Alchemist

Death Note

Gundam Wing

Books

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

The Inheritence Cycle by Christopher Paolini

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Anything by Tamora Pierce

Manga

Mars by Fuyumi Soryo

Nana by Ai Yazawa

Movies

Castle in the Sky

Princess Mononoke

I Am Legend

The Dark Knight

The Back to the Future Trilogy

Star Trek (2009)

The Notebook

Star Wars

The Whole Nine Yards

The Princess Bride

Robin Hood starring Kevin Cosner (please tell me if I butchered his name)

Juno

V for Vendetta

Wall-E

District 9

Musicals

The Phantom of the Opera

Wicked

Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical

TV Shows

Firefly

Video Games

Kingdom Hearts

Final Fantasy X

Recommendations of your own? Post them in the comments!

The Chair

When I was little girl visiting my best friend, I always enjoyed a big, unique chair in their basement.  It was shaped like a bowl, hard to get in and out, but remarkably comfortable.  I could sit in that chair and watch television for hours.  Unfortunately, there was playing to be done, and I had to leave the chair.

In high school, I recalled that chair and it's comforming feeling.  I remember visiting that friend and watching Back to the Future in that same chair.  It wasn't until years later, as I was finishing my senior year in high school, that I vowed that I will buy a similar chair.  This chair would start my collection of furniture as I headed forth into the world.  It would be the start of something.  What that something is, I still don't know.  But it started something.

And so I bought this chair.  I learned that what I called a Bowl Chair was officially named a Papasan Chair.  And it came with a foot stool, a feature my friend's chair did not have.

My Chair is not named, beyond The Chair or My Chair.  It's a wooden frame, beige-ish colored cushion.  During the first two semesters of college, it accumulated a vast range of snack crumbs and a small rip in the seam.  There may be a print of my body on it, but I don't see it.  Usually covered in half-clean clothes and pillows, the Chair isn't getting much use now that I'm home for summer.  Beyond storage, that is.

I am sitting in it now, a few pillows at my shoulders and head.  It's comfy.  The twilit evening echoes through the open window.  My computer plays Rie Fu.  And my eyes are being burned by the brightness of the screen.  But it's peaceful.  I can easily fall asleep right now.  

Good night, random surfer.  Keep on the look-out for when I figure out how to get a story up here.  I await the day with joy.

First Time Blogger

Hello random surfer!  It is I, a being you may refer to as Morike.  My sincerest apologies if this bores the hell out of you, but fear not.  Return, and you shall be entertained my whimsical fantasies!  Perhaps you'll read a tale of great adventures.  Maybe you will hear how crappy my day has been.  Or maybe you're just here because you're my friend and I bugged you to visit.  

Fear not.  This blog will serve more of a purpose!  Until next time, I bid thee farewell.  I await your second coming with much excitement and anticipation.