Transform... and roll off into the sunset

So yeah,  Dreamworks are chucking out yet another Transformers flick by Michael Bay, and it is pretty safe to say that it will be just as much of a cacophony of incorrect characterisations,  poor referencing of the source materials,  and overexposure of Hollywood's less appealing or talented camera fodder (except Kesley Grammer... Why are you doing this man... WHY??)

In other related news,  which most folks who lack a geek urge for cybertronians would be aware of: The Hub's CG Transformers Prime series ends this month after 3 seasons and a feature length finale (which I am just itching to see), and I am currently left thinking that this just doesnt make sense?!

Don't get me wrong, I agree that every show should end on a high point before it has outstayed it's welcome, and even the original 80's series (now forever known as Generation One) had clearly dropped in quality for both season 3 and it's final 3 part story (season 4 kinda i guess).  But this 7 time Emmy award winning show is just way more interesting and better scripted than all 3 of it's big screen, big budget counterparts to date, and again will no doubt be superior to T4: Age of Extinction when it's released next year.

It just ticks all the boxes for a good TF franchise that a modern young audience and old fanboys like me will both enjoy:

• It uses characters from previous versions of the franchise, reimagined for this continuity (classic Wheeljack design was cool, and Megatron is a merger of G1 and Bay's mess which is hugely successful... hell, even the use of the Bay Bumblebee is well done).
• It includes mythos and weaponry/ artifacts from past continuities, and gives it's own take on them.
• Not only do you get Peter Cullen as Prime, but Frank Freakin' Welker is Megatron just like the good ol days (this excited me so much it was verging on ridiculous.. the man's a VO God).  Plus Steve Blum.. AND Jeffrey Combs for Re-animator/ Star Trek DS9 fans.
• Megatron is a Badass again, and a really intelligent one.  Not that Michael Bay understands that.
• It's dark; the stakes are genuinely high and when a character is a risk you believe it.. or they die.
• It ties in all and any plotlines and threads from earlier in each season, and it all makes sense.
• There NO lame toy based gimic like powerlinx or cybertron keys or such; like Generation one each charcter is unique, and well rounded.  Even the "Beast Hunters" rebranding for season 3 was painless (and actually kinda pointless as we only see one Predacon until the Finale.. this bit was a toy sale ploy clearly)

Trailer for finale "Rise of the Predacons"

As the wife would say... "Huff!!"

Seriously, I can count all the negatives about this show on 3 fingers:

• Miko: annoying Asian teen girl rebel character who quite frankly should have been killed off by now, given all the hassle she causes, gets into.  This use of pre teen/ teen human characters started happening in the late 90's, and it has always sucked.  Thankfully Miko is the ONLY problem here; Jack and Raf are alot better.
• The fact that the episodes are released in chunks of 5-6 eps during each season (with gaps of a couple of months between blocks) due to the time needed to animate CG.
• No Grimlock.. sorry- lame obvious one, but I'd have loved to have seen a TF Prime version of Grimlock, especially disappointing as "Beast Hunters" got alot of people hoping. 

Long blog short..  I am gonna miss this show.  It was a shame enough when they condensed 2 years of planned plots into season 2 (though to be fair that was a good season), and I really hope the finale is a fitting end to the continuity, especially given how good the majority of previous episode "Deadlock" was (you can find it on youtube, but seriously watch everything else first to really appreciate it).

Meantime folks; remember to run away screaming when T4 is released!

(Sigh)..  Why don't they release this on R2 DVD?  That's it, I've had enough of this BS- I'm getting a Blu-Ray player!

Cheers all!

M.x

Theatrical Winks *updated*

So..  

Not much has generally occurred on the acting front yet since I arrived in Wellington: got myself an agent, although apparently I chose a poor time to "follow the on screen dream" in Wellington as things are supposedly on a downturn.  
Add to this the interesting fact that agents don't really get involved in the theatre scene here, and it's meant to be a notoriously small bubble... a case of networking and who you know/ who knows you.  Particularly as the line between Am & Pro theatre worlds appear to be blurred in Wellington.  With this in mind I've emailed several of the more professional theatres companies seeking an "in", but as of yet little fruit has been found there.

The need is clearly to get my face seen and keep plugging away at it.  I'm chuffed to say that particular phase may be starting to work out as I've now attended 2 auditions for theatrical productions (with a 50% success rate so far), and I have another one next week for a Summer Shakespeare production of Macbeth (to be performed in February... gotta love this upside down country)

So yeah, first play in New Zealand, and almost exactly 1 year since I did "Drowsy Chaperone" with Lyric, I will be playing Henry VIII in Stagecraft's production of Anne Boleyn by Howard Brenton.  Folks at the auditions were all nice, and hopefully I'll get to meet some people who can point me in the direction I want to go in.

Mind you, it'll also just be good to be on stage again; manic (but amazing) year but I have missed it!  Mrs T has too; she's just itching to get up on stage in a musical and stretch her singing muscle.

Anne Boleyn's show run is 6th -16th November, and first rehearsal is this Sunday.  Already got my script so work has officially begun :o)  Which is handy as we'll be back in the UK for 3 weeks from 29th September for Pete & Heather's wedding and visiting family/friends; tickets are booked!  Flying Emirates; our apparent mission to test every long haul airline to see who is king is continuing!

*There is another option currently developing which may also help: gained a new mate while we've been out here.  He's been heavily involved with local music and at times theatre in Wellington; produced a couple of small productions here in town which have then toured.  Long story short, we're working on putting on an Amy Rosenthal play in Wellington next year.  We know which play & venue, we're now just seeking out our preferred director.*

Gonna say it.. plain and simple; I like Wellington.  It's a city that's small enough for me to handle; there are hills and forests a 10min drive away, and the lagoon with it's harbour is just on the other side of the road.  There is culture all around, good food, the ferry and airport are both no more than a 10 minute drive from our front door.  Mind you, they're all a bit exercise happy here which I normally can live without though fear I may very well get sucked into.

Keep looking at Yoga websites, and staring as treadmills... (shudder).

Mind you, I still eat like a pig so that'll balance it... did I mention the good food?

Cheers all, M. 

Tiddy...GRIMLOCKSQUISH!!!

Only two Squishes in, and it's been invaded!

Seriously though; the continuation of Michael Bay's TRANSFORMERS film franchise is just depressing.. and now it looks like it's the Dinobot's turn for a bit of character assassination in exchange for crappy rock tunes, blasé storytelling, mild racism,  and lingering thigh rubbing old man camera shots of a heavily oiled, slack mouthed & vacant staring early twenty something girl "actor" (c'mon please really??) who probably could write a better script if you shut her in a dark room with a typewriter for 48 hours and told her that at "hour 48 and 1 minute" a really big tiger would be chucked in there with her.

URGH.. at least that Shia person has gone elsewhere.. 

Seriously, this is a director who clearly was getting so bored with these films that he just started reusing stock footage from his earlier movies to save time, cost and energy.

I don't understand why Steven Spielberg hasnt gone through and hidden the fact his name is in the credits as well... especially when he went to all that effort to remove guns from soldiers hands (?) in his anniversary release of ET, to protect some sensibilities.

...and now I'm shouting inside...  dammit!

Laters. M.

#Sketchsaturday with @martintidy

Keep your eye out on Twitter for an opportunity to receive a free B&W illustration of the comic character of your choice.

As soon as you see me tweet #sketchsaturday this weekend coming; tweet right back with the hero/villain of your choice. First reply I get wins, and before Monday comes you'll have a pic to start your week!

Hat's off to the fastest two folks from this last fortnight: @atlantayeatman (Wonder Woman) & @HGanderton (Poison Ivy). Who will be next? 

Cheers all!


M.