I liked Oceans 11. The chemistry among the actors was great and I liked it for having a lot of clever action scenes compared to oceans 12. Andy garcia is totally relegated to some small role in 12 and many others were not utilized at all.
Oceans 11(nice entertainment) - **
Oceans 12(boring) - no stars

You're better off renting it. Half of the theatre had little kids who didn't understand the term "shut up".

Transformers
Directed by Michael Bay

When I was growing I use love Transformers, but never liked the idea of a live-action movie. I went to see this last night because my friends forced me to go against my own will! I wish I had stayed home and hadn't wasted $9.

The film is about Sam Witwicky who buys his first car, which turns out to be Autobot Bumblebee. Bumblebee defends Sam and his girlfriend Mikaela Banes from the Decepticon Barricade, before the other Autobots arrive on Earth. They are searching for the Allspark, a giant...cube. The Autobots are the good guys and the Deceptions are the bad guys.

If you've seen a few of Michael Bay's films (The Rock, The Island, Bad Boys II, etc) you know what to expect. It's low on story, lame dialouge, and confusing action sequences.

Jon Voight and John Tuturro looked out of place in this film. Shai LeBeouf isn't half bad as the male lead, but everyone else is wooden. Like all Bay films everyone woman is smokin'!

Some of the scenes were beyond ridiculous and after a while I really couldn't take the film seriously. Other than some cool action scenes and the hot women the film was a major dissapointment.

Verdict: D-

You're better off renting it. Half of the theatre had little kids who didn't understand the term "shut up".

I hate that. I had the same problem during FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER. That's another reason why I hate some of these movies having such lax ratings. Sure it gets more people into the theater, but how many of them are actually able to enjoy it? I'm almost dreading HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX next week for that very reason. Although, the kids in TRANSFORMERS behaved for me (thank Heavens). And speaking of the movie, again, I didn't grow up watching the cartoon. I'm not sure if that had anything to do with my extreme enjoyment of the film but I did love it.

Is Transformers meant to be taken seriously?

BDuff, you are my homey for life.

What, you loved the PG-13 DIE HARD 4. Hate to say this, but its our fault.

I swore I'll never give Bay my money again after ARMAGGEDON and guess what? I'm faithful to that vow.

TRANSFORMERS really is like Bay trying his best to make a human story this side of BATMAN BEGINS or CASINO ROYALE.

Of course, BAD BOYS was Bay trying to make LETHAL WEAPON, ARMAGGEDON was Bay trying to make an action movie out of a 1970s disaster movie, THE ISLAND was Bay trying to make an action movie out of a 1970s Sci-fi movie (hell, he did! CLONUS!) and now....

Better yet, TRANSFORMERS is Bay trying to make himself a Spielberg theme park spectacle this side of JURASSIC PARK. Unbelievable CGI creatures dominating the landscape, with the humans playing set-up for these beasts.

As for the "Human Story," Bay could have told a tale about a kid growing up into a man. Not this p****-emo angst about trying to hit up with a hot girl or Bay's continuing disturbing fetish-love for cars....but you know, about a kid learning that there is a world outside of his doinky little town in the middle of no where.

If anything, TRANSFORMERS is like the clusterf*** $200 million version of THE LAST STARFIGHTER. Same basic set-up, except with that Nick Castle 1980s picture, you buy the kid wanting to escape...wanting to fly the stars...and happening to be damn good at the trailer park video game consule. When he does end up having to save the universe, you eat up its goofy but charming tale.

With TRANSFORMERS, you just want to slap Shia Lebouf around. The fact that he's playing the son of Harrison Ford in the next INDIANA JONES film, makes me wonder what in the world is Spielberg thinking.

Bay should have had the "human story" be about a younger kid who happens to discover these Transformers. Now thats a adolescent fantasy that seems more believable of a hook than a teenager wanting a car.

Anyway, Bay continues his money-wasting over-the-top spectacle-but-not-that-impressive, and if it wasn't for two reasons, I would have given this movie the same rating as I gave ARMAGGEDON and PEARL HARBOR....a Bomb score.

The two reasons?

(1) The CGI. I tell ya, while the cast didn't give a damn, Bay certainly didn't bother to bother, ILM hauled ass with the CGI. In a way, I feel bad for those guys. They work hard to create eye-popping CGI robots fight...and all for a crappy film. Its BLACK HOLE all over again. I give half-a-star as consolation to ILM.

(2) The editing. Indeed, the usual Bay fare would have, on paper, the most AMAZING sequences shot for film, but which would be completely undone by Bay's ADD-induced editing narrative which cuts and jumps all the place to the point that you lose interest and get bored.

But only 15% of the film reportedly was cut by Bay, and the rest of the film cut by Spielberg and his editors is......manageble.

Yet even the best editing of Bay-shot footage can't salvage maybe the one thing that annoyed me more than anything else about TRANSFORMERS. The humor.

I once said that there is nothing worse than a completely unfunny comedy. For a movie where robots are supposed to duke it out, I don't want a stupid PANTS joke.

People who've seen the earlier are correct. The humor is designed to cool off the "serious" drama....but there is nothing serious about TRANSFORMERS...and when certain shots are supposed to make us care or give a damn....we instead are angry at the little kids that won't shut up (thank God for bootleg!)

When Bay's best film is one that Spielberg had to salvage and recut himself...Bay is a hopeless cause. Make him bunk beds with Uwe Boll.

TRANSFORMERS (2007) - *1/2 - Fuck Michael Bay

Couldn't have said it better, Ronnie!

I love to go to mid-day, mid-week movies, all by myself. It's really the only way I can enjoy a movie anymore. As it is, I live in the Bronx, so I have to drive up to Westchester to avoid a very obnoxious crowd.

It really doesn't matter now with all the kids being out of school. They're EVERYWHERE

...and you're right there with 'em watching the Transformers. Way to go, Elias!

The Big Lebowski **
While I was watching this movie, I was constantly reminded of Pulp Fiction and Lock Stock. This comedy is definitely not mainstream, you will enjoy it if you have a taste for movies such as the ones I listed. I found it ok.

Hara-Kiri **
This is a BW japanese movie. I like the way the drama builds up tension and sustains interest till the end. It is definitely not big on action. Visually appealing and a great ending. Thanks Irish for the recommendation.