The Transformers Movie is awesome. To keep myself intellectually sound I could say that perhaps it was my low expectations being exceeded due to foreknowledge of Michael Bay films, but no. This movie is better than I thought any live action Transformers movie could be.

First off it’s funny. Very funny, especially in the first half when the main character Sam encounters the Autobots. The throwbacks to the catch phrases of the cartoon also get a thumbs up.

In the second half of the movie the comedy gives way to opening a can of whoop ass. Optimus gets to be more of a badass, while still keeping his noblity intact. That was really the only thing I was slightly worried about, that they would turn Prime into something he is not, but I think the movie really made him more of what he should have been all along.

Decepticon fans might feel a little short changed as there’s not that much time given to them. They avoided making Starscream into the pansy he was in the TV show, which is both awesome and a little disappointing since his whining in the cartoon was always kind of funny. Starscream was probably my favorite character as a kid, so it was cool to see him do badass stuff in the air. I’ll have to watch it again to sort out who did what in the battle as I had a harder time telling which one was Starscream and which one was Megatron in some of the fast cuts in the action. Megatron could have been more menacing. They didn’t really give him enough time to sink in.

I bet this movie totally helps the image of the Camaro. It’s the first time I’d seen the new Camaro and I must say that it looks pretty sweet.

Also, happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans.

I just got a Sony VAIO notebook computer on Tuesday, so now I can be one of those twits who goes to Borders and hangs out at the cafe while playing on their notebooks.  It’s cool though.  One of the things that happens with me is I get bored very quickly and can’t pay attention to anything for more than half an hour without my head starting to spin.  So yeah, being able to pick up and go is way convenient if I actually want to work on something for more than half an hour a day.  Though hell, I’m spending a lot of money on freaking coffee lately.

I was in Borders last night getting some books and while I was waiting in line an attractive female employee was walking behind the registers carrying a Playboy girls of whatever magazine.  My friend and I noted that was somehow appealing, seeing a hot chick with porn.  Why I don’t know, she was only holding it to process it as lost/damaged stock.

Otakon was such a blast this year, especially the late night voice actor panel on Saturday night.  That would definitely be the highlight of the convention for me.  Even if you aren’t a fan of English dubs, I recommend the late night panel and just watching these entertainers go off.  It’s a riot.

Other highlight was getting to see four episodes of Haruhi, which was actually shown at Otakon.  Initially the schedule said what would be shown in the theatre was Haruhi, but was changed to Kodokawa Presents or something like that.  However, we went anyway figuring Haruhi was a Kodokawa show and it just might have been a request from Kodokawa to change the name of the event.  If that’s what happened it was a mistake on their part as the theatre would have been filled, but whatever reason, a lot of people who would have seen it didn’t get to because of the event name change.  Word got around, but the theater was only about a third full.

Haruhi has received a bucketload of hype.  It lives up to it.

Liscencing news from Otakon has already filtered out, so I won’t repeat it here, but I was really excited to see Funimation get School Rumble.  I don’t know much about the show actually, but I was thrilled to hear it liscenced anyway.

Spent too much in the dealer’s room again, spending almost $100 just on key chains and pins/charms alone from Fate/Stay Night, Disgaea, Fullmetal Alchemist, Tsubasa, and Mai-Hime.  Picked up four artbooks and one figure (GSC’s Henriatta from Gunslinger Girl).  The coolest thing I got though was a prize for answering a trivia question about the upcoming Paradise Kiss at the Geneon panel.  It’s the butterfly hairclip that George makes for Yukari.  Apparently, a boutique in Japan had recreated many of the costumes and jewelry from the Paradise Kiss manga.  It’s gorgeous.  Makes me wish I was a girl so I could wear it.  I could be selfish and keep it in a display case unused to display like I display figures.  Part of me really wants to keep it for myself because I love that scene, but it should be worn by someone.  I’ll post pictures of it later.

I had not been to a Red Lobster in like fifteen years.  A couple of days ago, one of my friends got a gift certificate to Red Lobster from his job, so off we went.  The best part of the meal were the cheesy biscuits.  That’s not meant as a slight to the food, which was decent for a family chain restaurant.  These biscuits just totally rock and they give you as many as you can stuff in your face.  So I ate six.  I’d go back again for the biscuits.  They’re that good.  Seriously.