Bumblebee

Right, well the one and only reason for me sitting down to watch "Bumblebee" was because the rest of the family wanted to, so I gave in and joined them.

Which, I must admit, that I am actually glad that I did. Because this spin off on the "Transformers" live action movies was actually the best in the entire franchise. Who knew? A spin off movie putting every other single "Transformers" movie to shame and outshines them by a mile.

The story in "Bumblebee" was good, it had something for the entire family, because it contained action, comedy, love, and good vs evil. Everything that was required to entertain everyone in the family.

What also worked in favor of the movie was the fact that they had acquired a proper cast for the roles - well, with the exception of John Cena, as I can't really claim that he fit the role in this movie. But everyone else was really cast nicely for their respective roles and characters.

There is a good abundance of action in the movie, and it is done with elegance, whereas some of the movies in the actual main franchise seemed to focus more on just random destruction and violence, And the fact that there actually was a proper underlying storyline and plot to supported by the action just made it all the more enjoyable.

It is difficult not to get drawn in and be swooped away by Bumblebee himself in this movie, whereas I didn't have quite the same feeling or reaction in the countless previous movies.

This is actually how they should have started the entire franchise off, instead of giving us a continuous array of explosions and CGI bedazzlement. If you, like me, grew up watching the "Transformers" cartoons in your childhood, then you definitely should take the time to sit down and watch the 2018 "Bumblebee", because director Travis Knight really nailed it right on the head here.

I have never played with the toys or read the comics, but I watched all of the Transformers movies. When Bumblebee came out I was fatigued and frankly disgusted with the quality of the franchise, so I just gave up. But after a comment from a blogger, saying that the film is not directed by Bay and that it's one of the best Transformers movies, I've decided to watch it. The verdict: a return to form. The action is set in the 80s, the effects look more mechanical and less CGI and the main character is a young girl. I find it befitting to what the franchise should have been from the very start.

However, because of the timing, this is too little and too late. A lot of people did like I did and just flat out skipped the film, while others did not like it because they were coming for big explosions and special effects. Plus, to be honest, it wasn't that original or inspiring, using the same tired "kid finds friendly alien" plot and starring Hailee Steinfeld, who is very cute, but kind of one track when it comes to acting. Also the character of the neighbor was completely unnecessary.

Bottom line: this should have been, perhaps, the first film in the franchise. It's not the best, but clearly a lot better than the latest movies in the series. Not sure where they will go from here, though.

Steps outside the Transformer series really well to be a successful standalone entry.

Provides all the fantastic shinny things the movies are renowned for but has a much better story than the later Transformer movies.

Very enjoyable movie that will keep most moviegoers entertained :)

In 2007, Michael Bay showed the world that today's technology could bring the famed Transformers to life on the big screen. Sadly, he has the finesse of a brick to the face as his subsequent films for the most part are rusted pieces of scrap due to his crude style of filmmaking, lack of focus, and narrow demographic, leaving fans with only the 80s animated movie as the true "good one", that is until now.

Plot: Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld), a teen girl struggling to move on after her father's untimely death, encounters the fugitive Autobot Bumblebee and the two form a heartfelt bond, which will be tested as they are hunted by both the secretive Sector 7 and a couple of Decepticons.

Knight knows what makes a film truly stick with people and that is in the story and how one tells it, something he excels at. He gives his films heart, thus the relationship between Charlie and Bumblebee feels natural. The central focus is this friendship with many scenes that are charming, funny, and hit hard in the feels. Unlike the stuttering and super uptight Sam Witwicky, Charlie has a lot of spunk and pathos. While having a predictable character arc, John Cena did a nice job with his role. I love that this film is not only set in the 80s (when the show came out), but lives and breathes pop cultural references and classic songs from that era (including a great callback to Stan Bush). While Bay's action focuses on huge zany explosion-fests that push believability and heavily involve the human military, here the action is smaller and much more personal, strictly Autobot vs Decepticon as it should be since it was what the franchise was built on. In fact, the portrayal of the Decepticons has improved; not only can I tell them apart this time thanks to their varied designs and color schemes, but they're given more personality and actually live up to their name.

The only thing that has me puzzled is the continuity as there's confusion over whether or not this is a reboot or a prequel given some conflicting elements. That being said, this is, in many ways, the Transformers movie I've been itching to see for a long time. I'd like to see more directors present their takes on the franchise and go to places both familiar and new as long as Bay stays out of the directing chair. To sum it up, Bumblebee's got the Touch.

Just like Hailee Steinfeld sings in the end credits song, Transformers has been brought back to life. The 80s nostalgia is definitely fun, but what really makes this film is the heart and connection between Charlie and Bumblebee. Charlie is easily the most realized character in the franchise. I enjoyed the lower key approach of this film and actually being able to see what was happening during the action scenes. This was a much needed reset for the series and hopefully this level of quality will continue.