Second Trailer Released for 'Transformers: Age of Extinction'

Courtesy IMDB

So much action. So many 'splosions. So...Michael Bay! The second trailer for "Transformers: Age of Extinction" promises quite a ride and features more unseen footage and the ominous message that it's not war they're dealing with, it's human extinction. The Dinobot breathing fire is pretty damn cool too and Mark Wahlberg looks like he's quite comfortable in the hero role. Do you agree? Will you be heading to theaters for this installment? Check out the new trailer and let us know what you think.

"Transformers: Age of Extinction" heads to theaters on June 27.

IMDB Synopsis:
An automobile mechanic and his daughter make a discovery that brings down the Autobots and Decepticons - and a paranoid government official - on them.



-Larissa Mrykalo

Transformers anniversary to include new 'fan built bot' character

Will a fan-made character be a prime draw for
the toy collector?

According to a press release from Hasbro, fans of Transformers will get to celebrate the "robots in disguise" 30th anniversary by creating a new Transformer character.

The "Fan Built Bot" poll, kicking off today and running through May 5, will introduce a character that will become an action figure in Hasbro's upcoming "Thrilling 30" toy line and appear in Transformers comics.

The release says the Pawtucket, Rhode Island, toy company is opening up voting to give "kids and fans the opportunity to make the 'Fan Built Bot' character with votes determining everything from being an AUTOBOT or DECEPTICON — to its vehicle or other mode, color, personality and more."

This is a first for Transformers since their beginning in 1984, so it is obviously the kind of promotion to get people excited. Hasbro also announced that fans would have a voice in naming the character, though those details will emerge at a later point.

"This is the perfect way to kick off our anniversary celebration and the 'Thrilling 30' line of special edition figures," said Jay Duke, vice president of the Transformers brand at Hasbro. "It will be tremendous fun for everyone to keep track of the entire process from the designing of the character; leading up to its introduction as a toy."

The results of the poll will be announced by Hasbro at this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, as part of the official kick-off to the "Thrilling 30" anniversary celebration. Kids and fans will be able to purchase the “Fan Built Bot” character as a toy and will see the new character appear in official Transformers comic books.

-Aaron Sagers

Paranormal Pop Column: I'm mad as hell about movie tickets

BY AARON SAGERS

I love movies, and I also see movies as part of my job. But I’m mad as hell and I won’t take it anymore.

Let me explain: Each week I’ll attend a few press screenings of big studio movies. I get into these screenings for free because it’s part of the symbiotic relationship between filmmakers and film writers; they want us to talk about the movies so people will see them, and we need to see the movies to have something to talk about.

And yet, because I love movies, I still attend regular showings of other films throughout the week that I haven’t screened in advance. Or I will go back and watch movies I’d already seen with friends excited about the new blockbuster or Oscar bait.

That means paying for a ticket.

That, in turn, means taking out a mortgage on my house, accepting bids on a kidney or selling my firstborn child. If I want a soda and snack, it may be necessary to auction off my mortal soul. And now that we’re knee deep in the summer movie season - a time when the public takes to the theaters the most for a couple hours of air conditioning and escapism into massively marketed 3D super hero/sequel vehicles – it means I may have to pull off a massive art gallery or casino heist just to afford the trips to the multiplex.

According to National Association of Theatre Owners, the average U.S. ticket price in 2010 was $7.89, up 5% from $7.50 in 2009. The Los Angeles Times reported in January 2011 that the fourth quarter ticket costs in 2010 were around $8.01, a 5% increase from the same quarter in the previous year. Meanwhile, the cost of tickets where I live in New York City: $13 for an evening ticket or about $18 for 3D movie, but you’ll need to tack on another $1.50 for a “convenience fee” if you want to buy online through Fandango.

And this is during a time of serious economic hardship. So, can we call it? Can we now pronounce “dinner and movie” as a cheap date idea officially dead? A family trip with the kids to the cinema is DOA, right?

This is madness.

I understand how ticket prices work. A majority of the astronomical ticket cost goes, not to the theater, but the studio. Aside from expensive talent, to create a movie means enlisting a crew of hundreds from high profile gigs on down to the gaffers, caterers and animal wranglers. But when the budgets for the latest adventure of a hero with a power ring ($200-plus million for Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern) or robots in disguise ($400-plus million for Paramount Pictures’ Transformers: Dark of the Moon”) keep rising, ticket costs will also continue to increase so studios can turn a profit – or at least break even – from their bigger productions.

Mega comic crossover pits zombies vs. pop legends

To boldy go where no walking dead has gone before?
A real American zombie?
We ain't 'fraid of no reanimated corpses?
Undead robots in disguise?

Now I must warn you fellow geeks, clamp your mouth shut and try to prevent drooling (it's hell on keyboards) because Captain Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, G.I. Joe, the Ghostbusters and the Transformers are all joining together in an epic comic book crossover event to battle zombies.

Comic publisher IDW announced the crossover, entitled Infestation, will launch January 2011 with Infestation #1 set in the Zombies vs. Robots universe. So says the press release:

This initial 32-page story begins in IDW’s own ZOMBIES VS. ROBOTS universe, where something goes terribly wrong and ultimately infests  the worlds of TRANSFORMERS, STAR TREK, G.I. JOE, and GHOSTBUSTERS with zombies and infected robots. From there, the story spins ferociously into each of the four properties throughout February and March, and culminates in April’s bombastic finale, INFESTATION #2.

In February, TRANSFORMERS: INFESTATION #1-2 and STAR TREK: INFESTATION #1-2 will ship bi-weekly. The TRANSFORMERS title will also be written by Abnett and Lanning, with fan-favorite Nick Roche handling the art. STAR TREK will be written by mainstay writers Scott and David Tipton and illustrated by Casey Maloney (Zipper).

March will see the release of the bi-weekly G.I. JOE: INFESTATION #1-2 by writer Mike Raicht and artist Giovanni Timpano, as well as GHOSTBUSTERS: INFESTATION by Erik Burnham (THE A-TEAM: WAR STORIES) and Kyle Hotz (Marvel Zombies).

No doubt such a high-concept crossover will be hard to pull off, but I'll certainly be reading. Of course, we can all safely assume anyone named Snake Eyes, Venkman, Optimus and Spock will survive the zombie attack, but I sure wouldn't want to be a Red Shirt in that world.