TRANSFORMERS 2 Update... Well, this isn’t really an update. I’m just talking about what will most likely be one of MANY supposed treatments for the sequel that you’ll see online between now and 2009 (when Transformers 2 is scheduled for release). Sources for this treatment are too numerous to mention (actually, I’m just too lazy to create links to them here. Well okay, here's the main source), but the story goes that two unrepresented writers with Hollywood ties were responsible for coming up with this treatment. Unfortunately, it never reached Michael Bay or any other folks involved in the production...and in fact, a new writer was ACTUALLY hired for the sequel around the time this treatment was submitted [the real screenplay is being written by Ehren Kruger (The Ring, Scream 3) and the team of Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (the first Transformers, Alias, Star Trek 11)]. Anyways, read on...



"Now that MEGATRON is out of the picture, STARSCREAM returns to CYBERTRON to take over the DECEPTICONS and become their leader, which most are cool with; MEGATRON was getting a little too tyrannical for their tastes.

With the ALLSPARK destroyed, CYBERTRON is headed toward certain doom. An energy source has been located on Earth that can save their world...and STARSCREAM and his DECEPTICONS are determined to rob Earth of it.

MEGATRON still has a loyal faction with SOUNDWAVE as the leader who are determined to resurrect MEGATRON, head off STARSCREAM and get the energy source for themselves.

There is a spy amongst them. HOT ROD gathers intel and returns to Earth to report to OPTIMUS PRIME and the AUTOBOTS about the plans of the two DECEPTICON factions.

SOUNDWAVE and his army gain control of the NEMESIS and escape the battle with STARSCREAM. They head to Earth.

Back on Earth, SAM WITWICKY has gone off to college in New York with BUMBLEBEE in tow. MIKAELA is still in California with Prime and the other AUTOBOTS.

SOUNDWAVE and the NEMESIS arrive on Earth and plunge into the ocean. An aircraft carrier is capsized from the force and the NEMESIS scans and transforms into a carrier with the DECEPTICONS on board transforming into various military vehicles.

SOUNDWAVE is a high priest in MEGATRON’s court and is a healer of sorts and will be the one to bring his lord MEGATRON back to life. They find him in the ocean’s depth and the resurrection begins.

HOT ROD has returned to Earth, he gives PRIME and the others the lowdown on the plans and tells them the coordinates of the secret energy source located on Earth. It’s none other than Las Vegas.

After a quick street race, with BUMBLEBEE and SAM being the winners (of course), SAM is notified of the imminent invasion and heads to Las Vegas. SAM’s Asian dorm roommate named SHIGE, who is with him, is unknowingly in for the ride of his life!

We are given some background on the First Seven here…who were introduced in the first film. Apparently, they managed to harness the energy of the ALLSPARK into a secondary source that will provide energy for generations. This energy orb is located underground spanning from Las Vegas to the Hoover Dam. This is what the DECEPTICONS are after.

In Las Vegas, MIKAELA finds Agent SIMMONS at the Luxor, the access point for the energy orb located beneath it. An evacuation plan is put into action for Vegas and the military is called in. They meet up with ELLISON, a descendent of one of the original seven who knows more than he should.

Next, we are given some details on how the giant robots are brought to life. The ALLSPARK gave them their life but something called The MATRIX gave the robots their soul. That’s why the cell phone little robot (the "Nokiabot") in the first one was evil to begin with, it hadn’t been given a soul after coming to life. It has been passed down through the years with the ORDER OF THE PRIMES and OPTIMUS is the one currently in possession of it in his chest.

Though SOUNDWAVE has brought MEGATRON to life, he needs the energy of The MATRIX to make his resurrection complete. For now, MEGATRON is dependent on SOUNDWAVE for his energy.

SAM, BUMBLEBEE and SHIGE are the only ones headed West-bound to Vegas as people are pouring out due to the evacuation. Up ahead are six construction vehicles that begin to transform. They fit together to form one, DEVASTATOR. This monstrous robot begins to chase after SAM and his crew.

Help arrives in the form of ULTRA MAGNUS and his team, who help SAM get away and get to Vegas where the other AUTOBOTS and the US military have gathered to stop the invasion.

STARSCREAM and his army are seen dropping to Earth. They are headed off by some AUTOBOTS in the sky. They fall to the ground fighting.

The DECEPTICONS continue to attack and they have a new force field around them that the military's high-heat sabot rounds have no effect on.

ULTRA MAGNUS, SAM and the team arrive in Vegas. Magnus and his crew join the fight. SAM heads down into the bunker where MIKAELA, SIMMONS, ELLISON and others are hiding.

SKORPONOK returns and burrows his way into the underground tunnels/bunker where they are hiding. This is also where the energy orb is located.

The military is awaiting reinforcements, and they arrive in the form of jets and what not. The pilots are about to start dropping bombs when their aircraft begin to transform. They have been compromised and MEGATRON and his loyal army are on the move.

With the war turning badly for the AUTOBOTS, ELLISON and SIMMONS know there is only one thing left to do. Atop the Stratosphere is a Sector Seven EMP that is waiting to be activated in times just as these.

ELLISON and the EMP team, escorted by AUTOBOTS, are headed to the EMP to activate it. SOUNDWAVE intercepts the plans and heads out to stop it. The EMP team is struck down and only ELLISON is left. But he is in no condition to get to the top of the tower. SAM and MIKAELA go it alone; getting instruction via walkie-talkie from ELLISON.

A DECEPTICON tries to stop SAM and MIKAELA and creates a gap that SAM cannot get over; MIKAELA must go to the top by herself. MEGATRON then unleashes a missile attack on the Stratosphere and there is a huge explosion. MIKAELA and everything including the EMP are gone.

SOUNDWAVE lets out a pulse that blows everyone to the ground, including OPTIMUS PRIME, and quickly rips Prime’s chest open to unveil the MATRIX. He takes it and heads to MEGATRON. MEGATRON is given the MATRIX and the resurrection is now complete. MEGATRON turns his sights to STARSCREAM who needs a serious ass kicking.

Robot on robot action at it’s best, jet on jet, MEGATRON vs. STARSCREAM. MEGATRON quickly defeats STARSCREAM and makes an example of him by dragging him through the streets by his wires and crucifying him for all to see...all the while he narrates a call to STARSCREAM loyalists to come and avenge him and fight MEGATRON’s army.

AUTOBOTS are on the retreat. STARSCREAM loyalists on CYBERTRON rocket off to fight MEGATRON on Earth and the DECEPTICONS surround the energy orb. Things are looking really bad.

SAM blames PRIME for MIKAELA’s death and is shattered. Prime is being carried on ULTRA MAGNUS’ trailer...alive, barely. HOT ROD, feeling the blame, heads back to the Stratosphere to see if there is anything salvageable. Luckily... When MIKAELA fell, she fell on top of a DECEPTICON and his force field, which saved her. As he dies and the field goes away, she wakes up and sees the destruction. The journey has just begun..."

****

Hmm. This sounds somewhat similar to the treatment I posted here.

TOMORROW, Steve Jablonsky's music score for the hit film Transformers will finally get released...after three months of waiting and signing online petitions by the fans. Can't wait!



WHERE’S STEVE JABLONSKY?? Part I
WHERE’S STEVE JABLONSKY?? Part II
WHERE’S STEVE JABLONSKY?? Part III

UPDATE: A review by Chris Knight, who created the petition above, can be found here. Great stuff! Looks like the wait was well worth it.

UPDATE #2 (October 10): Like my review for the movie, I give the film score 5 OUT OF 5 stars! Well done, Steve Jablonsky! Most of the tracks, most notably "Autobots" (Track 1) and "Arrival to Earth" (Track 12), sound a whole lot better than they do in the movie (and the versions in the movie already sound great). A chorus was added to parts of the music where there weren't any in the film, and it gives the tracks a haunting and beautiful feel. You gotta hear 'em. And the most intense track, "Skorponok" (Track 10), sounds just like it does in that memorable action scene in Transformers. Definitely as fast-paced and catchy as "Duel of the Fates" in The Phantom Menace and "Battle of the Heroes" in Revenge of the Sith. That's a good thing. No need to change what already works.

Another noteworthy track is "Optimus" (Track 6)...which employs the flute/panpipe at the beginning of the piece, which gives the music a serene feel. What’s kinda ironic is that Optimus, as well as "Bumblebee" (Track 7) have a romantic tone to their music...and it, for me at least, sounds more appropriate dealing with the relationship between Sam and Mikaela more than it does the two Autobots the tracks are named after. "All Spark" (Track 3), Optimus and Bumblebee sound so significantly different from their cinematic equivalent that these themes could probably be used again in the movie’s sequel (due for release in 2009). If that were the case, only people who didn’t buy this film score wouldn’t recognize that the sequel’s music was from this current album, haha.

A lot of people say that the Transformers score sounds familiar in most parts to the music in Batman Begins. Maybe so...but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery (if you want me to go one further, parts of the TF score also reminds me of the music played during the climax in Last of the Mohicans. That’s a good thing). Steve Jablonsky is one of Hans Zimmer’s protégés. I could care less if the music is reminiscent of someone else’s work—just so as long as it sounds good. The Transformers score sounds good, and what Jablonsky presented not only fits nicely with what we see in the movie, but it adds depth to it too. Music has obviously been around a lot longer that movies, folks. If something hasn’t been tried yet, in either music OR cinema, it’s because it was a completely moronic and ridiculous idea that only an insane person or someone experimenting would deal with. That is all.

TODAY... A MUCH BIGGER big-screen reincarnation of Transformers gets released in theaters, and so does Jessica "I’m-so-clumsy-I’m-FREAKIN’-HOT" Alba’s newest film Good Luck Chuck. Speaking of Ms. Alba, I could’ve friggin' met her at San Diego Comic-Con last July!! She showed up unexpectedly to promote Chuck. Son-of-a... French poodle. Ah, screw it—that was lame. BITCH. Anyways, where was I? Oh yea... You can’t accuse me of wasting cash on seeing Transformers in IMAX when I wasted so much money on seeing it multiple times at the regular cineplex throughout the summer. Hah! Can’t wait to see what those two extra minutes in the IMAX version consist of, haha. By the way, I was thinking about showing that poster where an ice cream cone is melting in one of Alba’s hands, but I decided to post this more modest pic instead. Very subtle, eh?

SO ACCORDING to various online news reports (who in turn got the news from Shia LaBeouf, who will play the archaeologist's sidekick in the upcoming film, at last Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards), that's the new title of the fourth Indy installment. When I first heard about it, I was thinking, "Um, isn't that title a little long?" But then I thought about Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and thought, "Nope, it's not". It's catchy...and obviously fits in with The Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade. Now hopefully The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be just as good as these previous sequels (or at least The Last Crusade. I didn't really like Temple of Doom). We'll see... If Rocky Balboa and Live Free or Die Hard are any indication, there's a good chance Indy IV just might deliver. *Crosses fingers*

3:10 TO YUMA... I saw the film this weekend, and all I have to say is...it was good! Russell Crowe as captured outlaw Ben Wade kicks ass!! The last time I rooted for Crowe in a movie was as Maximus in Gladiator. Not to spoil the film or anything, but how interesting that it was he who was the actual hero (or should I say, anti-hero) in the story. Not gonna tell you why that’s the case, since I would have to ruin the ending for ya'll to do so. Christian Bale did a great job, and Ben Foster was a bad-ass as Wade's second cowboy-in-command Charlie Prince. A great villain. Again, not to give anything away, but Charlie is so ruthless that you definitely root for Wade when he and Charlie clash in the climax. I have the sudden urge to watch other Western films now, haha. Still haven’t seen Unforgiven or Tombstone... One more thing: I could’ve SWORN that that was Luke Wilson who was part of the posse overseeing the construction of that railroad... I know it's him. Rhetorical comment.



I also watched Shoot ‘Em Up this weekend. WAAAY over-the-top...unless you think it's possible to easily punch a carrot stick through a guy's throat. The only thing I understood from the story was something about bone marrow and gun control. And I'd hate to be that toddler who was being "protected" by Clive Owen and Monica Bellucci. Is it just me, but Owen might be typecast as the typical anti-hero in an eccentric action film (RE: Sin City)? Paul Giamatti was definitely over the top in this film (obviously intentional... I should compare his performance in this movie to his role in Sideways, haha)...and Ms. (Mrs?) Bellucci, sadly, isn’t being treated that kindly by age. Not to sound like a punk or anything. Or it could possibly be that her role as a hooker was surprisingly not a turn-on in this movie? She was HOT in The Matrix sequels (one of the only reasons why those films are worth watching) and Brotherhood of the Wolf. But Shoot ‘Em Up? I like the constant depiction of breast-sucking throughout the film, though. I’ll end this Blog now.

TRANSFORMERS: THE DVD... Days after word got out that Steve Jablonsky’s original film score for Transformers will be sold in stores starting October 9, news has been released that the movie itself will be coming out on DVD a week later! Woohoo! Can’t wait... Transformers will be released on standard DVD and HD DVD versions. Those of you who want a Blu-Ray copy of the movie will be left hanging...as Paramount and Microsoft made a deal a few weeks ago to have Paramount movies released exclusively on High Definition for at least the next 18 months. This originally prompted director Michael Bay to get peeved at the "one format only" approach and threaten to walk out on helming Transformers 2, but had a change of heart after watching the movie 300 on HD DVD. Sigh... What a relief. For those of you who want Bay to come back for the sequel, haha.



TRANSFORMERS: ON IMAX... On September 21, the sci-fi blockbuster will be briefly released on 70mm theatrical projection...complete with two extra minutes of new footage! Either it’ll be a prolonged version of Sam and Mikaela making out on top of Bumblebee’s hood, or we’ll finally get to see what happened to Barricade (the Decepticon cop car) towards the end of the film. Like I said... Can’t wait!

WHERE’S STEVE JABLONSKY?? Part III: In retail stores, that's where he'll be...or at least his film score. About a week ago, word broke out online that the Transformers music score will be released on October 9. FINALLY!! Details can be seen on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. Of course, if you want to ensure that Warner Bros. Records doesn't change its mind and delay the score's release (Is that possible? Don't wanna know), you can sign a petition here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/tfmjabcd/petition.html (5,478 signatures as of this Blog)

Can't wait till October 9!!



WHERE’S STEVE JABLONSKY?? Part I
WHERE’S STEVE JABLONSKY?? Part II

Track Listings:

1. Autobots
2. Decepticons
3. All Spark
4. Deciphering the Signal
5. Frenzy
6. Optimus
7. Bumblebee
8. Soccent Attack
9. Sam at the Lake
10. Skorpinok
11. Cybertron
12. Arrival to Earth
13. Whitwicky
14. Downtown Battle
15. Sector 7
16. Bumblebee Captured
17. You're a Soldier Now
18. Sam on the Roof
19. Optimus vs. Megatron
20. No Sacrifice, No Victory

WAR... The film is surprisingly good. Obviously not good as in 300 good, but the plot was actually interesting. There was a nice twist during the story. Although...the ending left something to be desired. Sure, it was ambiguous, but still— I think a happy ending would've actually sufficed here. [SPOILER: Another nice twist would be for Jason Statham and Jet Li to team up at the end after Statham finds out Li was his "long-dead" partner all along (which was the actual twist in the movie)...and they become one Triad/Yakuza ass-kicking duo.] Oh well.

SUPERBAD... For those of you who haven’t seen the film yet (and are planning to), I just couldn’t resist the urge to list some of the most hilarious lines in the movie. So DON’T read on! Unless you want to be spoiled. Note: These are the lines that stood out to me after watching the movie (twice last weekend... The second time was for free). Only one of these quotes were looked up online, as I didn't know the exact wording.

-Seth (after Evan’s mom walks away): "I am truly jealous that you got to suck those tits when you were a baby."
-Evan: "Yea well, at least you got to suck your dad’s dick."

-Seth: "Look at those nipples."
-Evan: "They're like little baby toes. It's just not fair that they get to flaunt that stuff, you know...and like, I have to hide every erection I get."

-Seth (commenting on Fogell's vest): "You look like Pinocchio."
-Evan (to Fogell): "Take that vest off. You look like Aladdin."

-Officer Michaels (as he, Officer Slater and Fogell watch surveillance footage of Fogell getting punched by a thug who robbed the liquor store Fogell was trying to buy booze at): "You took that hit like a champ!"

-Seth (talking about Jules to Evan): "She wants to fuck me. She wants my dick...in and around her mouth!"

-Seth (to Evan): "You know how girls say 'Oh, I shouldn't have gotten shit-faced and fucked that guy at that party', we can be that mistake!"

-Jules (after she asks Seth if he could buy her booze for her party): "You scratch my back. I scratch yours."
-Seth: "Well the funny thing is, Jules, my back is located on my cock."

-Evan (commenting on Fogell's fake ID): "McLovin? What kind of name is that? Are you trying to be an Irish R&B singer?"

-Seth: What? "Making her tits small is like slapping God across the face for giving her a great gift!"
-Evan: "She got back problems, man."

-Officer Slater (to Fogell after checking his fake ID): "You're an organ donor. My wife wanted me to become one."
-Officer Michaels: "It's just like a woman... Even when you're dead, she wants to tear your heart out."

-Officer Michaels (to Fogell regarding a comment made about the TV show "CSI" and semen): "If the man ejaculated before he punched you in the face, we'd have a really great shot at finding him."

-Seth: "No one's gotten a handjob in cargo shorts since 'Nam."

-Officer Michaels (after he and Officer Slater raid Jules’ house party): "Prepare to get fucked by the long dick of the law."

-Officer Michaels (to Officer Slater after he breaks into the room where Fogell is getting laid): "You cock-blocked McLovin!"

-Officer Slater (to Fogell): "I am truly sorry that I blocked your cock."

-Becca (straddling Evan in bed while wasted): "You have such a smooth cock."
-Evan: "Thanks. If you were a man, yours would be too."

-Becca: "I'm so wet."
-Evan: "Yeah, they told us that would happen in health class."

-Becca (after getting frustrated that Evan doesn’t want her to do him ‘cause she’s drunk): "Why are you being such a bitch?"

(You would understand the magnitude of that question if you saw that scene and realized how crazy Evan was for turning down Becca’s numerous “propositions”.)

-Fogell (as Nicola starts sucking on his finger in bed): "I have a boner."

-Jules (after Seth, completely wasted, stumbles forward and headbutts her before collapsing to the ground): "Whaaat the fuuuck??"

-Becca (the day after she got wasted at Jules' party): "I didn't vomit on you, did I?"
-Evan: "No, it went past me. I was like, stay away!"

And last, but not least:

-Fogell: "I AM McLovin. Chigga, chigga YEA!"

There are A LOT more hilarious lines in the movie, but I won’t ruin those for you...

WHERE’S STEVE JABLONSKY?? Part II: Continuing from this previous journal entry on the Transformers music score... There’s an online petition asking Paramount/Dreamworks to release composer Steve Jablonsky's work on compact disc ASAP. Rumors of its release date are all over the place—ranging from it being released this month to possibly coming out around Christmas.

Anyways, if you enjoyed the film's music like I did, here’s the petition (3,838 signatures as of this Blog):

http://www.petitiononline.com/tfmjabcd/petition.html