While the idea of rendering LEGO bricks into 3D animation is still on the basis of having to see to believe, the bandwagon phenomenon with these 90s toy figures may be getting a bit overplayed at this time. It is reminiscent of the Marvel Superheroes string of movies. They may earn millions in box office sales but in the long run this trend ends up scraping the barrel of the reservoir.

So will a LEGO movie continue the bandwagon of 90s toys or will it be the start of its downfall? Of course it still depends on the treatment of the movie. Content is always king with films and if it stands its own guard with the rest of the movie releases during their time, it just might stand a chance.

The LEGO movie, understandably and expectedly, is harnessing the demographic of wholesome family viewers to earn their dough. This may be a given but it should be noted that the LEGO brand has been used for hardcore action video games involving Batman, Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

Warner Brothers is reported to be in the running to produce the film revolving around building blocks. The brand of LEGO has been widely documented to fiercely resist offers from Hollywood to create movie properties around LEGO but this time they are turning a bit mellow.

The script for the film has been assigned to Dan and Kevin Hageman who are also the writers for Hotel Transylvania, a 3D animated film which will put Frankenstein, the Mummy, Dracula and the Werewolf together for a powerhouse cast. Because the concept for the LEGO film is still in its early stages, there are no directors and cast assigned to the project yet.

This will likely be a mix of live action and 3D animation and somehow we can’t envision seeing actors doing their mojo together with LEGO bricks. But if it works, then it might be worth a try.

Don’t look now but it seems this bandwagon will not stop with LEGO bricks alone. There are way more other character properties which are being tapped as a movie. We have He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Monopoly, Stretch Armstrong, Max Steel and Hot Wheels, among others. Now you saw it as well. Isn’t it a bit too much?

The thing with Hollywood is that it doesn’t know when to stop. As long as it earns money like a well-oiled machine, a film idea, trend or franchise will keep on going and going like a mascot bunny of a famous battery brand.

So we hope these companies don’t sucker in the time and money of many people who will come in and fulfill their 90s nostalgia. We are optimistic that the film developers will respect the good taste and movie comprehension of its viewers.

Lego, officially trademarked LEGO, is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a company based in Billund, Denmark. The company’s flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, mini figures and various other parts. Lego bricks can be assembled and connected in many ways, to construct such objects as vehicles, buildings and even working robots. Here is a sample short video featuring LEGO bricks:

Now Jolt or the 2011 Chevy Volt as GM calls the brand is now back in the limelight after their announcement that their new car model can run 230 miles per gallon in city driving. This adds up to about $2.75 for electricity per 100 miles.

This is huge for an electric powered car because for very long, these car models have been laughingstocks for their practical yet ugly designs. With these recent car models of the struggling GM, no one is laughing.

If these car models become successful, they might not only save General Motors from the pitfalls of recession, they can also contribute well against the fight with global warming. Here are a few qualifying details on this upcoming car model we first saw in Transformers Revenge of the Fallen:

- The Volt can log up to 40 miles using a single electricity charge;
- The overall range will be at 300 miles when partnered with a fuel engine;
- The optimum recommended times the car should be charged should be once a day;
- Gas free mileage will depend on cargo, distance, air conditioning use and number of people in the car.

So now that GM has pulled away the curtains of this marketing hype for their new car, let’s review how virtual communities reacted when this car was first shown as a simple print ad showing the numbers 230 against a green electrical background:

Many perceived this number as the voltage required to run this car. This generated confusion because there are only two choices as far as electrical outlets are concerned: the 110 or the 220. Others speculated that this was the number of days left before General Motors file for bankruptcy once again.

But it generated a buzz and attention in online social communities such as Facebook and Twitter. It had its own Facebook group and some Twitter users posted tweets about seeing the hyped 230. But we doubt social media alone can save GM alone from a bad product. The Chevy Volt should show us that they are the real deal. But judging from the qualifying details we outlined a while ago.

In the Michael Bay movie featuring the return of the Autobots and the Decepticons, the Jolt was just an eye-candy, not playing a major role. Jolt was equipped with electrical whips to highlight its electric car nature.

We are optimistic that the electric car models being promoted by General Models will go past the company survival stage and be a major force in the pro-environmental advocacy front. There will be struggles but we know that everything is awkward in the beginning. After all, didn’t we all start with huge radios and cassette tapes before the Western civilization graduated to mp3 downloads and iPods. It will not be easy but at least we are getting there.

As for General Motors, we hope they get past the automobile industry difficulties to continue with their environmental pursuits. With their showing in the film Transformers Revenge of the Fallen, things are hopefully on the upswing for GM especially for their four other models seen in the film: a stylized Corvette vision concept vehicle, the Chevy Beat, the Chevy Trax and the Chevy Camaro.

Not only that we will see some 3D animation magic up close and more personal with the dramatics of the IMAX theatre. The movie will be up for screening today July 15, 2009 in many parts of the world. People in the Philippines, Mexico and India will get to watch the IMAX version simultaneously this July 16 while the rest of the world will have to wait until July 29 to enjoy the IMAX view.

Blame Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen for this delay. IMAX had a previous commitment.

So on to the meat of the matter and with no pun intended, expect to see lots of hormones in the latest movie. After a decade of battling evil wizards and all sort of magical monsters and obstacles, the kids have grown up right in front of our eyes.

And with that romance is in the air.

There will be a lot of snogging (Hogwarts term for kissing), flings, affairs, and heartbreaks in this latest movie. Of course, there is also the growing threat of the evil wizard Voldemort which can be lost at times.

So imagine the seriousness of the Star Wars or any deep movie you can think of and bundle that together with Sweet Valley High or 90210. That’s what people should expect in a nutshell.

But this does not mean that the movie should be judged without actually seeing it. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is the sixth book in a collection of seven; this is why the progress of the movie is building up for the climax of the story’s entire arc.

So let’s recap the events before the Half Blood Prince. Harry Potter has just seen the demise of his godfather Sirius Black. Hated professor Severus Snape also implied that he will have to protect Draco Malfoy because he is on a very important and deadly job. We then are introduced to the concept of Horcruxes.

Of course, a Harry Potter film will never be complete without its main cast which has ushered in many children into their teens. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) all reprise their roles and they have really grown together their characters. They have matured considerably and this contributes to the outpour of hormones in the upcoming film.

Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Michael Gambon (Dumbledore), Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall) and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) return to round up the cast. Joining them are Helen McCrory (The Queen) who will play the mother of Draco Malfor (Narcissa).

Jim Broadbent is the most notable addition as Professor Slughorn. Other new characters are Jessie cave as Lavender Brown, Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the 11-year-old Tom Riddle and Frank Dillane as the 16-year-old Voldemort-to-be.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince runs for two and a half hours of pure magical fun. With maturity and a darker theme at the forefront, Harry Potter fans will likely enjoy this latest installment – especially the ending which is very exciting to see how it unfolds in the silver screen.

Once you have watched the film, come in and discuss the things you’ve liked and hated. Of course, remember to warn people of spoilers in your comments ?

There are spoilers so I hope you’ve watched the film before reading.

Let’s go back to the first film which was a respectable blockbuster back in 2007. Because the budget was a bit limited, there were only a few robots which were showcased. But it compensated with a tight narrative and some compelling emotional interaction between the Autobots and humans.

Fast forward to today’s sequel, the Revenge of the Fallen tried to improve on what it lacked – and tried to forsake everything else. It gave us a staggering forty-six Autobots and Decepticons with some fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping CGI sequences. But it seemed to have a loose plot and a lack of human touch.

But let’s first give credit where credit is due. The 3D animation models used here for the robots were very top-notch. It really had no problem convincing people that the robots were in the actual environment, complete with shadows and physics-obedient silky smooth movement.

Apart from the 3D models, the choreographies of the action sequences are nicely executed. You’d think that these Autobots and Decepticons are so heavy because of their hulking figures. But they were made to appear as though they were smooth-moving ballerinas.

We do however have reservations with the way certain animation sequences were inserted into the entire plot. A Decepticon disguised as a woman? Is this Terminator? Didn’t Bumblebee even detect the radiation signature of the lady when he rode with Sam Witwicky, the lead star of the film as played by Shia La Beouf (this actor’s surname has all the vowels in it).

This is not to act all obsessive-compulsive and debate with realism and the likes. This is after all a science fiction film – but the best science fiction films frame the outrageous concepts of their movies in a realistic environment. Plus, some of the antics are just slapstick.

Moreover, most of the disappointment with the film seems to be with the way the story was built – if ever there is a story to speak of. In a narrative device to create a reason for a sequel, director Michael Bay with the permission of executive producer Stephen Spielberg allowed the dead Megatron to be resurrected, essentially debunking the first film.

This would be good and all if there was a consistent thread to tie up the entire story. No, it relied on the suggestive foxiness of Megan Fox and slapstick humor to keep us going. As for the plot, it was a bit robotic, so to speak. The performances of the actors are just go-with-the-flow motions which fail to register one memorable scene.

Yes, I don’t know if you can consider memorable when John Turturro showed his briefs and behind in front of the camera.

It seems the entire point of the movie was to showcase the 3D animation grandeur of transforming robots. It seems the priority here is the action-packed fight scenes. With the success of Transformers Revenge of the Fallen in the box office, even with the negative views of critics, well I guess that was indeed the priority.

It was nice seeing Optimus Prime speak in his cartoon voice and to see my childhood robots come to life again. But the problem with sequels is that it can easily break down into a tried and tested formula to cash in profits. I believe that is what happened in this film.

Bets are high that it is Megan Fox.

Understandably, these rumors are strongly fueled by the recent box-office blockbuster success of Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. But there can be more to the film than meets the eye regarding the selection of Fox. Here is a test for your own eyes:

Fox is being called in the media as an Angelina Clone, Angelina Jr., or Angelina 2.0. She is truly a deadringer for Jolie with the frame, the sex symbol status, and the attitude. Fox can even match up a bit in the luscious lips category. Angelina Jolie is the most influential person according to Time Magazine so that’s not a bad point of comparison for Fox.

Probably one of the more noticeable bases for the comparisons lies in the tattoos of the two celebrities so let’s take a look:

Jolie has about thirteen known tattoos. It includes the Tennessee Williams quote “A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages.”She also has the Latin proverb “quod me nutrit me destruit (what nourishes me destroys me).”

On the other hand, Fox has the Shakespeare quote “We will all laugh at gilded butterflies” besides a poem she composed “There once was a little girl who never knew love until a boy broke her heart.”

On to the more intimate tattoos, Jolie has geographical coordinates on her upper left arm to indicate where her children and adopted ones hail from. For her part, Fox has an imposing Marilyn Monroe tattoo on her left lower arm.

Rumors state that Angelina Jolie is not really happy about the news on the casting decision. A source from The Sun states: “Angie was intent on reprising her role. She feels it’s something she helped define and feels robbed that it looks likely to be handed to someone who she considers less capable than her.”

Of course this did not come from Jolie herself so we should not take this as gospel. For all we know, these are just wild speculations and controversy stewing by tabloids in Hollywood. But it is at least an indication that conflict seems to be brewing.

As for Fox at least she does not lack in the humility department.

“I think it’s a lack of creativity on the media’s part. Because I have tattoos and dark hair and I was in an action movie? That’s as far as the similarities extend. I’m not the next anyone.”

Furthermore:

“I haven’t had the opportunity to meet her and I try to avoid that because I’m afraid,” and “She’s a powerful person and I bet she would eat me alive,” Fox remarks, “I’m sure she has no idea who I am. But if I were her, I’d be like, ‘Who the f*** is this little b*llsh*t brat who was in Transformers that’s going to be the next me?’ I don’t want to meet her. I’d be embarrassed.”

The way we see it: Angelina Jolie is so beautiful and influential that she can still play the part even though she is already on the young side of thirty. But since the third film is planned to be a prequel of the 2001 initial release, Megan Fox can give it a go to try to show younger looks.

However, if you can have the real thing, why not? Here is to hoping Angelina Jolie returns.

Here is the official update from director Michael Bay:

Hey everyone,

In Japan today. After a month and half seven days a week most days going till midnight me and my crew have just about finished Transformers. I have never seen such a level of dedication from every crew member in a movie before.

Even today after the press in Japan and right before the premiere tonight, I have to sneak out to a digital house to approve the last few effect shots.

It has been a long hard road, but really fun one to travel. What you will notice that is strikingly different than Transformers 1, is the level of animation detail. The robot characters (42 in all), you really can feel empathy for them. What is also very different is the sheer scale of the movie. We have been very tight holding back much of the best imagery in commercials and trailers.

The way to see this movie is on IMAX. Never before has there been 4k rendered character animation shot on full IMAX 70 mm film. This is a first and the results are stunning. You will see Optimus Prime in a few shots where he is actually perfectly to scale on the IMAX 50 foot tall screens.

For IMAX, I created a slightly longer cut with more robot fighting. Four scenes were shot on IMAX cameras so the screen will fill the full IMAX screen for these scenes.

Haters beware.

Michael

I’m sure there are a lot of people waiting for another Megan Fox treat. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is slated for a showing date of June 24, 2009 in North America. Michael Bay is working closely with executive producer Steven Spielberg.

Activision Publishing, Inc. has assembled an all-star cast for the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen videogame, including the film’s leads Shia LeBeouf and Megan Fox, who will reprise their starring roles in the game, and fan favorites Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, the voices of Optimus Prime and Megatron from the original animated series. In the new game, developed under license from Hasbro, players will join the battle to defend Earth from a Decepticon attack that threatens mankind.

In addition, Mark Ryan (Bumblebee), Jess Harnell (Ironhide), Charles Adler (Starscream) and Robert Foxworth (Ratchet) reprised their film roles for the game. Voice-over veterans John Di Maggio (Sideways) and James Arnold Taylor (The Fallen) also join the roster.

The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game is based on the upcoming live-action feature film from 3D animation studio DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures in association with Hasbro, which opens nationwide on June 24, 2009. The game lets players take on the role of their favorite Autobots or Decepticons — each with their own distinct abilities and weaponry. Set in unique environments across the globe such as Cairo and Shanghai, the game allows players to instantly switch between vehicle and robot modes as they drive, fly, fight and blast their way through intense, pressure-packed levels. After engaging in single player action, players for the first time ever will be able to go online and battle friends in all-new multiplayer modes.

Here is the latest theatrical trailer for Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen in theaters July 26, 2009: