The Big Picture: Untransformed

[Aureliano]

The problem with the content of movies made for broad audience appeal (read: demographics not usually interested in whatever element of the movie) is that they mainly consider 'what will offend this group of people?'

Did the original script call for a interestingly written gay character? Do you want Republicans/hardcore Christians to watch your movie? Then take it out, give the character a smaller role or make him or her a stereotypical parody of the gay character. Are the romantic leads too heterosexual for the tween set you want to go see the movie to handle? Shove 'em in the closet! Script too smart for the dumb people whose money you want? Make the plot more simple and take out references to anything you wouldn't have seen on network news or the E channel in the last 2 years.

People like going to the movies, but they're largely stupid and easily scared, so they choose the thing that will least likely offend anyone. And that ends up being Transformers, or Avatar, or whatever. And those things are the ones that make the money. And this is why raising people to basically be cattle is bad for smart people.

 

[madwarper]

MobieBob: You realize how close we probably came to a bad version of Lord of the Rings?

I am confuse.

Please define "close", "probably", "bad" and then show me a good version of Lord of the Rings.

MobieBob: You or I may care about getting the characters right or respect for the material or being a good movie.

You realize that Jackson obviously didn't care when he made the movies... Right?
The wholesale removal of all the story elements that didn't revolve around the main plot of Fordo or Aragorn's subplot, the adding of the irrelevant Aragorn/Arwen romance to each movie to pad time, etc. I'd continue, but if you haven't heard all the gripes the fans of LotR had about the movies [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_film_trilogy#Reactions_to_changes_in_the_films_from_the_book], you've had your head in the sand for the past decade.

Was I expecting a bit much for a LotR movies to be good? Perhaps. But, you can't pretend that the changes made weren't to make it appeal to the wider, dumber audience. You know, the exact same reasons you gave for why Bay's Transformers movies sucked and will continue suck.

 

[Wulfclaw]

Wow, bob insulting people who happen to not agree with him.

If I didn't know better I would think he was an average forum goer!

If the Transformers movies are involved, he does it every time. Every one who watches the movies should not operate heavy machinery bla bla bla blaergh... it's his Shtick (or whatever you want to call it). He gets grumpy and all worked up about the fact - That he can argument or tell intelligent but reduces himself to an idiot over one or two little things is kinda funny.

 

[artanis_neravar]

This is why you have to lower your expectations and just be thankful for the parts they get right.

Alternatively, don't reward them for making shit films.

But how can you truly know it will be a shit film? Critics aren't always trustworthy when it comes to suggesting movies, lets take Movie Bob for example, I know that if he says a movie was good, then it is probably a must see for me, but if he says it's bad, well that doesn't mean I might not still enjoy it.

I will admit I saw all 3 transformers movies, the first one I went to hopeful, the second one I was paid to go see, and the third one I went to see for the pew pew pew. Going into these I didn't know what type of movie it would be and the only way I could truly find out was going to see it.

So find a critic whose tastes reflect your own, and if the first two films in a trilogy are shit, it should be enough of a clue to not go and see the third one.

I'm sure you're able to exercise some level of judgement as to what a film will be like.

Star Wars Episode III was infinitely better than I and II, so there is always the chance that it could be good. and I've tried there is no critic with the same tastes as me, at least not one that will admit it

 

[Woodsey]

This is why you have to lower your expectations and just be thankful for the parts they get right.

Alternatively, don't reward them for making shit films.

But how can you truly know it will be a shit film? Critics aren't always trustworthy when it comes to suggesting movies, lets take Movie Bob for example, I know that if he says a movie was good, then it is probably a must see for me, but if he says it's bad, well that doesn't mean I might not still enjoy it.

I will admit I saw all 3 transformers movies, the first one I went to hopeful, the second one I was paid to go see, and the third one I went to see for the pew pew pew. Going into these I didn't know what type of movie it would be and the only way I could truly find out was going to see it.

So find a critic whose tastes reflect your own, and if the first two films in a trilogy are shit, it should be enough of a clue to not go and see the third one.

I'm sure you're able to exercise some level of judgement as to what a film will be like.

Star Wars Episode III was infinitely better than I and II, so there is always the chance that it could be good. and I've tried there is no critic with the same tastes as me, at least not one that will admit it

Well then I suppose you're stuck going to see every film ever released, just in case.

 

[artanis_neravar]

This is why you have to lower your expectations and just be thankful for the parts they get right.

Alternatively, don't reward them for making shit films.

But how can you truly know it will be a shit film? Critics aren't always trustworthy when it comes to suggesting movies, lets take Movie Bob for example, I know that if he says a movie was good, then it is probably a must see for me, but if he says it's bad, well that doesn't mean I might not still enjoy it.

I will admit I saw all 3 transformers movies, the first one I went to hopeful, the second one I was paid to go see, and the third one I went to see for the pew pew pew. Going into these I didn't know what type of movie it would be and the only way I could truly find out was going to see it.

So find a critic whose tastes reflect your own, and if the first two films in a trilogy are shit, it should be enough of a clue to not go and see the third one.

I'm sure you're able to exercise some level of judgement as to what a film will be like.

Star Wars Episode III was infinitely better than I and II, so there is always the chance that it could be good. and I've tried there is no critic with the same tastes as me, at least not one that will admit it

Well then I suppose you're stuck going to see every film ever released, just in case.

That was indeed my plan

 

[Sylveria]

From 2 to 3.. we did get less stupid comedy and more action. Was the stupid comedy gone? No, but we got to see that guy from The Hangover get killed by Laserbeak.

Then there was the action.. which the entire second half of the movie was basically a non-stop action sequence and all I've heard about it is people bitching that it was too much action.

Here's the kicker, all the people who ***** about how dumb the Transformers movies are.. you still paid to go see them. Maybe, just maybe, if you think they're so horrible you should, I dunno, stop going. Is it going to put some huge dent in the box-office gross? Probably not, but who knows and you get the added bonuses of not wasting your time and money on a movie you know going in you're going to hate AND not feeling compelled to make videos about how much you hated that thing you knew you were going to hate and berating the people who liked it.

It's quite simple, if it hurts, don't do it. If it sucks, don't watch it.

 

[Symbio Joe]

NO BOB! NO! STOP TELLING ME THE TRUTH... *runsuptohisroomcrying*

 

[psiho333]

I wouldn't have gone to the cinema from the 2nd Transformers onwards even if they paid me. Didn't see the second one, but gave the 3rd one a chance on DVD. Couldn't stand watching it to the end. This is just plain ... No. Actually, it's not even worth those words.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

This is why you have to lower your expectations and just be thankful for the parts they get right.

Alternatively, don't reward them for making shit films.

Or that works too. Either way shut up and stop whining, it certainly has no impact on them and only serves to make you and everyone else miserable. And speaking on behalf of the 'everyone else' we don't appreciate it.

 

[The Great JT]

It's funny you mention Men In Black, Bob, seeing how...no. You already know what I'm going to say, ergo I'm going to stop right here.

Also, I get the whys of Bay helming the Transformers flicks, but that doesn't exactly mean he should let them suck. And yes, I know the screenwriters are just as guilty as Bay is for writing what Bay shot, but that doesn't make it sting any less.

 

[SAMAS]

Personally, I liked the first two movies. Some people (Bob, for example) don't like what they did, but I honestly believe they did a good job of what they set out to do.

Dark of the Moon, on the other hand, seemed to fail at that. I think it was mostly a bunch of small changes (Mikaela gone, the guns are hand-held now) that together just broke the continuity to me.

 

[Rad Party God]

The only Transformers background that I had in my infancy was Beast Wars and Beast Machines, so I really don't know the "source material" (aka, the campy 80's cartoon) so I really don't care about what Michael Bay has done with the movies, but, if it counts, I still think they're all pretty "meh", nothing more, nothing less.

I only watched the first movie on TV and I just didn't want to watch the other ones.

 

[Casual Shinji]

"Grow up."

I was referencing that. Think about it.

"but because Bob didn't find it too bad it's suddenly not worthy of being hated on as much by the general audience."

The point of the video was: "Is The Phantom Menace the film-equivalent of the Anti-Christ, and is it worth 13 years of venomous spite?" The answer - in his opinion, and I'm hoping I don't have to tell you how hard it is for someone to supposedly contradict themself when every single factor in the equation is subjective - was no. He didn't say people should love The Phantom Menace, he said it's not fucking worth it after all this time.

I'd imagine he'd actually say the same for the Transformers films if that were the case. But since Transformers is NOW and since it's making astronomical sums of money NOW and since people are defending this mindless shit NOW, it is worth encouraging people to get up in arms about it.

The thing he keeps going on about in regards to the Transformers movies is how all the people that like it are supossedly retards. Just as his whole hissy fit about The Expendables taking in more money than Scott Pilgrim, and blaming everyone that saw the former in theaters for the downfall of cinema.

When has it become the general assumtion that someone's taste is in direct connection to their inteligence? Bob himself is a rather smart fellow, yet he likes movies such as Sucker Punch. Does that mean he's an idiot who shouldn't be allowed to operate vehicles? No, it means he's a guy who likes the occasional crap film. He's no different from the people who happen to like the Transformers movies.

 

[Bujiraso]

Good show!
nice turn on the old "are weird" joke ^^

 

[him over there]

Alright I have never watched any of the transformers movies. Just a disclaimer.

I just want to say that not following the canon isn't a bad thing, the fact that a movie has no semblance of quality or effort makes it suck. The movies were an adaption, you know what that means? It means that it has a differnt audience and a different intention so it is adapted for other audiences and cultures. Transformers was for little kids and nerds, if they wanted to make money then they probably would try to market to a larger audience. So strip out the intricate canon but keep the culturally iconic characters and gimmicks plus a slight modernization will bring people, guaranteed. That's fine, just make sure that it's a quality movie.

 

[anthony87]

"Grow up."

I was referencing that. Think about it.

"but because Bob didn't find it too bad it's suddenly not worthy of being hated on as much by the general audience."

The point of the video was: "Is The Phantom Menace the film-equivalent of the Anti-Christ, and is it worth 13 years of venomous spite?" The answer - in his opinion, and I'm hoping I don't have to tell you how hard it is for someone to supposedly contradict themself when every single factor in the equation is subjective - was no. He didn't say people should love The Phantom Menace, he said it's not fucking worth it after all this time.

I'd imagine he'd actually say the same for the Transformers films if that were the case. But since Transformers is NOW and since it's making astronomical sums of money NOW and since people are defending this mindless shit NOW, it is worth encouraging people to get up in arms about it.

The thing he keeps going on about in regards to the Transformers movies is how all the people that like it are supossedly retards. Just as his whole hissy fit about The Expendables taking in more money than Scott Pilgrim, and blaming everyone that saw the former in theaters for the downfall of cinema.

When has it become the general assumtion that someone's taste is in direct connection to their inteligence? Bob himself is a rather smart fellow, yet he likes movies such as Sucker Punch. Does that mean he's an idiot who shouldn't be allowed to operate vehicles? No, it means he's a guy who likes the occasional crap film. He's no different from the people who happen to like the Transformers movies.

Ah but Sucker Punch is different and quirky and alternative and whatnot. Therefore it's great!

C'mon dude, we all know that the best films out there are the ones Bob likes and the ones that he doesn't like must be total shit.