Feeling nostalgic as of late, I’ve spent the past few weeks going back and watching some of Michael Bay’s best movies. After watching classic action flicks like The Rock and revisiting end-of-the-world disaster films like Armageddon, I’ve noticed a common thread through the divisive director’s filmography. And no, it doesn’t involve Bay’s love of explosions, gritty film filters, or his signature 360-degree shot.

Instead, it involves JFK. That’s right, John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, who was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. So, what does a former president who died 30 years before Michael Bay directed his first movie have to do with one of the most stylish directors of the ‘90s? Let me explain…

I First Noticed Michael Bay's Fixation With The JFK Assassination While Watching The Rock

Revisiting The Rock was a wild, crazy, and all-around enjoyable experience. Nicolas Cage is the perfect amount of over-the-top-ness with his portrayal of Stanley Goodspeed, the late Sean Connery knocks it out of the park with his take on John Mason, and the action is just too good. But I completely forgot about this 1996 box office smash hit’s ending, or at least the final shot of the movie, long after Goodspeed and Mason saved the day.

Before they depart and go their separate ways, Mason tells Goodspeed that if he fancies a journey, he recommends Fort Walton, Kansas, before handing him a note describing the location of a mysterious treasure. And you know what it is? None other than a microfilm revealing who actually killed JFK more than 30 years earlier.

Next, I Noticed The Conspiracy Came Up Again In Armageddon

A few weeks later, I showed Armageddon to my kids and discovered yet another JFK reference in this 1998 disaster flick. In the scene when Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) is going over his crew’s demands before going off into space to save the world by blowing a massive asteroid in two, the lead driller says that in addition to not having to pay taxes after the mission, they also want to know who really killed JFK.

I know, I know, the JFK assassination was all the rage back in the mid-to-late 1990s, but I couldn’t stop laughing as I thought about Michael Bay’s fascination with the “granddaddy of them all” when it comes to conspiracy theories.

And Who Appears In Transformers: Dark of the Moon? You Probably Already Know

Though not the best Transformers movie, 2011’s Dark of the Moon was a fun time and a nice change of pace from its disastrous 2009 predecessor. And you know who shows up in this wild and action-packed summer blockbuster? John F. Kennedy, or at least a digital recreation of the 35th president.

In the opening scenes of the movie, Kennedy, upon learning that a spacecraft from Cybertron crashed on the lunar surface, authorizes a mission to put man on the Moon as a cover operation so they can research the alien ship. Though different than the other two examples above, it was still a fun “ah ha” moment.

Michael Bay Even Made A Super Bowl Commercial Involving JFK

There were a lot of big Super Bowl LIX commercials that caught the world’s attention this year, and one of those was a Secret Service ad directed by none other than Michael Bay. The extended ad, which dives into the history of the Secret Service and everything it has done over the years, features a number of shots of different presidents, including John F. Kennedy. However, this time, it’s less about conspiracies and focuses more on his famous “Don’t ask what your country can do for you” speech and then a shot of his motorcade from the 1960 campaign.

I would love to find out if Michael Bay has a particular interest in John F. Kennedy or if this is just some random series of occurrences. Until then, I guess I’ll keep watching his movies…

For the past 40 years, the Transformers brand has been a major part of the lives of millions around the world, be it the highly successful toyline from Hasbro and Takara Tomy or the nearly dozen movies that have hit the big screen. The franchise has made a ton of cash at the box office, and while it's arguably led to some of the worst movies based on toys ever made, the Transfomers movies have been a lot of fun for the most part.

If you’ve ever wanted to go back and re-watch all the various Michael Bay movies and their prequels, as well as those awesome animated movies, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s break down the Transformers movies in order, both chronologically and by release date.

The Live-Action Transformers Movies In Chronological Order

You can see all of the Transformers movies in order by release date at the bottom of this article, but for now, we’ll focus on the live-action film series and how to watch those seven movies chronologically. With the Michael Bay films and the two prequels respectively directed by Travis Knight and Steven Caple Jr., this series takes you through decades of the fight between the Autobots and Decepticons.

Bumblebee (2018)

Though one of the most recently released films in the franchise, 2018’s Bumblebee takes place in San Francisco back in 1987, two decades before the events of Transformers. In this box office smash hit, Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld) finds and befriends B-127, aka Bumblebee (voiced by Dylan O'Brien), after the friendly Autobot lands on Earth and transforms into a yellow Volkswagen Beetle.

Battling the Decepticons and a secret government agency known as Sector 7, the unlikely duo rely on each other to save both of their worlds before it’s too late.

Stream Bumblebee on Paramount+.

Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts (2023)

Though Transformers: Rise of the Beasts was a mixed bag for longtime Beast Wars fans, the 2023 action flick still had a lot going for it. Set between the events of Bumblebee and the first entry in Michael Bay’s series, Rise of the Beasts finally brought the Maximals into the fold and had them team up with the beloved Autobots to protect a powerful artifact sought after by the Terrorcons.

With its 1994 setting that allowed for so much good music, this big-screen spectacle starring Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback as the humans caught between the ancient fight was a lot of fun and could lead to a G.I. Joe crossover.

Stream Transformers: Rise of the Breasts on Paramount+.

Transformers (2007)

Though the prologue is set in the late 19th century, the vast majority of Transformers takes place in the mid-2000s. More than a century after coming to earth in hopes of finding the AllSpark, a device that could restore life and order on Cybertron, the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) team up with Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), a seemingly normal teenager who helps them retrieve the powerful object before the Decepticons can use it for evil.

It's the movie that turned LaBeouf and co-star Megan Fox into big screen superstars, and introduced the world to that signature Transformers soundscape.

Stream Transformers on Paramount+.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)

Often viewed by franchise fans and otherwise as the worst Transformers movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen still ended up being one the most successful entries in the franchise. At least in terms of box office receipts, if not Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Set two years after the events of the first film, Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) once again find themselves caught in the fight between the Autobots and Decepticons. However, this time, they have a new threat, the Fallen (Tony Todd), who wishes to destroy all life on the planet.

Stream Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on Paramount+.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (2011)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which made more than $1 billion at the box office, is set after Revenge of the Fallen and sees Sam and his new girlfriend Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) getting caught up yet again in the longstanding fight between the Autobots and Decepticons, who have teamed up with the villainous Sentinel Prime to recreate Cybertron on Earth.

Massive in scope and scale, this 2011 blockbuster turned up the action and stakes for the franchise, and those beloved (and hated) characters that populate it.

Stream Transformers: Dark of the Moon on Paramount+.

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

Set several years after the “Battle of Chicago” that took place in Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Age of Extinction follows Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), a single dad and down-on-his-luck inventor as he unknowingly revives Optimus Prime and fights alongside the Autobot leader as he takes on new foes, both human and machine.

With the fate of Earth and Cybertron in the balance, the forces of good attempt to save the day before it’s too late. And considering the franchise didn't suddenly end right after this one, I think we all know how it went.

Stream Transformers: Age of Extinction on Paramount+.

Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)

Following the events of Age of Extinction, Wahlberg's Cade Yeager and the Autobots find themselves in a race against time in Transformers: The Last Knight when a brainwashed Optimus Prime is sent to Earth to carry out a plan to steal the planet’s energy core.

However, with some new allies (both human and machine), the heroes stand a chance at saving the planet and Optimus Prime from the clutches of evil.

Stream Transformers: The Last Knight on Paramount+.

The Animated Transformers Movies In Chronological Order

In addition to the all-time great animated series, there have been two animated Transformers movies over the years. Here’s how to watch them in chronological order.

Transformers One (2024)

Released in September 2024, Transformers One centers on Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) going from miners and best friends to powerful Transformers and mortal enemies.

The earliest-set movie in the franchise to date, this decorated underperformer at the box office throws audiences into the middle of the civil war that would shape the rest of the franchise.

Stream Transformers One on Paramount+.

Transformers: The Movie (1986)

Released in 1986, Transformers: The Movie takes place years after the events of the O.G. animated series of the same name, and follows the next stage in the seemingly never-ending battle between the Autobots and Decepticons.

With Peter Cullen having already cemented his status as the ideal voice of Optimus Prime, the hero returns from his latest battle with Megatron gravely injured, and his allies find themselves being hunted by an evil and powerful force known as Unicron.

Buy Transformers: The Movie on Blu-ray on Amazon.

All Of The Transformers Movies By Release Date

As promised, here are all the Transformers movies by release date. If you want to watch all of the movies in the order they were released in theaters, this is going to do the trick.

• Transformers: The Movie (1986)
• Transformers (2007)
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
• Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
• Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
• Bumblebee (2018)
• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
• Transformers One (2024)

Well, this should help you watch all of the Transformers movies in order (both chronologically and by release date). And while the future of the franchise isn’t known at this point, there are still plenty of promising upcoming sci-fi films on the 2025 movie schedule.

There are movies out there that will surprise you to learn they earned over that magic number of $1 billion. No one is shocked to see Avatar: Way of the Water or Titanic on the list, those movies are well known for their monster success, but then there are dozens of movies who have hit that number, mostly in the 21st Century, and some of them are really surprising. So here is our list of those, with the numbers reported by Box Office Mojo.

Zootopia

Disney's Zootopia didn't feel like it was going to be a billion-dollar franchise. Sure, the trailer was great and the movie was fantastic, but if you were placing bets on which Disney movies released in 2016 would earn more, Zootopia or Moana, most people would have guessed the latter. But it's the former that far outearned Moana, bringing in just over a billion dollars.

Aladdin

Disney has taken a lot of grief from some of the movie-going public for their live-action remakes, but the House of Mouse has consistently proven their critics wrong, at least in terms of box office revenue. Will Smith's Aladdin is one such example, as it brought in just north of a cool billion upon release in 2019. 

Finding Dory

Say what you want about Disney, but they are good at building many of their franchises. Finding Nemo was a huge hit, but its sequel, Finding Dory, smashed Nemo's box office numbers, bringing in more than a billion, beating its big brother by more than $500 million. 

Joker

Oppenheimer took the world by storm in the summer of 2023 and quickly became the second-highest-grossing rated R movie at the time. As well as it did at the box office, it couldn't top Todd Phillips' Joker. Joker became the first adult-only movie to top $1 billion in 2019.

Toy Story 3

It's probably not all that surprising that a Toy Story movie made a billion bucks. What is a little surprising is that it took until the 3rd installment of the franchise to become the first to do it. After nearly a decade since Toy Story 2 Pixar hit it big, both critically and financially, with 2010's Toy Story 3. Good things come to those who wait. 

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

There are probably still people out there that are surprised by the monster success of the Michael Bay Transformers movies. Critics loathe them, but fans can't get enough, and that shows when they earn over a billion despite terrible reviews, like Transformers: Dark Of The Moon.

The Lion King

A year after releasing the hugely successful Aladdin live-action remake, Disney followed up with another live-action remake of one of their beloved '90s cartoons, The Lion King and it too went wild at the box office, earning more than $1.6 billion. 

Jurassic Park

This is arguably the most surprising on the list. No, not that a Jurassic Park movie raked in over a billion, each of the three released between 2015 and 2022 did that. No, what makes this entry so surprising is that it came out in 1993! It's by far the oldest movie on this list and it's astounding that it's earned over a billion. It was all earned in the '90s, of course, it's been re-released multiple times, but it just keeps crushing it whenever it is. 

Skyfall

Amazingly, it took 23 movies before the James Bond franchise had its first billion-dollar+ release. 2012's Skyfall, which CinemaBlend ranks in the middle of the pack of the Daniel Craig era was the first movie about the super spy to bring in over a billion. 

The Fate Of The Furious

Sometimes franchises just prove the critics wrong over and over. The Fast franchise is the poster child of this. While film reviewers and movie snobs often scoff at the franchise, the fans keep flocking, and The Fate Of The Furious is one huge example, as it earned more than $1.2 billion at the box office. 

Aquaman

Never underestimate the power of Jason Momoa. While it's never surprising to see superhero movies earn tons of money, the DCEU never quite kept up with its rival, Marvel. Despite mixed reviews and some bad press, 2018's Aquaman still crushed at the box office, raking in more than $1.1 billion. 

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

No one is surprised by the success of the Harry Potter movies. Most of the series earned just under a billion, but only just. It's also not surprising to learn that the highest-grossing movie of the franchise was the final one, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, released in 2010. What is very surprising is that number two on the list is the oldest, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, released way back in 2001. It has benefitted from re-releases, but it's still pretty shocking. 

Minions

One could argue that Minions is really a spinoff more than a prequel to the original Despicable Me and as such, you wouldn't expect it to be one of the most successful releases in the very popular series. the 2015 release earned over $1.1 billion, far out earning the main installments in the franchise. 

Alice In Wonderland

This may be the most surprising movie on the list. Tim Burton's 2010 release, Alice in Wonderland earned just over a billion dollars at the box office, which is more than all but two of Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It's just remarkable. How did this oddball movie earn so much? Well, Johnny Depp was one of the biggest stars in the world at the time, but that still doesn't fully explain it. We may never know. 

Inside Out 2

In 2024 Pixar proved it's still a force to be reckoned with when Inside Out 2 earned over $1.2 billion at the box office. Released nine years after the first movie, Inside Out 2 crushed at the box office and proved the Disney animation studio has more up its sleeve than we ever realized. 

Beauty And The Beast

Beauty And The Beast was the first '90s Disney animated movie to get the live-action remake treatment. Released in 2017, it was an instant success, packing theaters and printing money to the tune of over $1.2 billion. It paved the way for later success like Aladdin and The Lion King. 

Incredibles 2

it's never really a huge surprise when a Disney-animated movie makes a ton of dough. What makes Incredibles 2 so surprising is just how much that was. The 2018 sequel made more than $1.2 billion, ranking only below Frozen as Disney's most successful animated movie at the time. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie got crushed by many critics. Audiences completely ignored them, however, and generally loved it. That paid off at the box office in a big way, to the tune of more than $1.3 billion. Huge numbers. 

Despicable Me 3

After the huge success of Minions, Despicable Me 3 was released in 2016 and followed the success of its spinoff, earning just over a billion at the box office. It was followed up 8 years later with Despicable Me 4 in 2024 which wasn't a hit with critics, but still made a ton of money. 

Top Gun: Maverick

1986's Top Gun is a cultural touchstone to anyone who grew up in the '80s. It was wildly popular, and while people were skeptical of a sequel getting released almost 40 years later, the movie makers proved it was the correct decision. Top Gun: Maverick "saved" cinema, according to some, as it was the first monster release after the pandemic, bringing in almost $1.5 billion. Just incredible. 

Captain Marvel

It might not be surprising that an MCU movie would earn over a billion, lots of them have. Captain Marvel, however, was a bit of a surprise. Not only did some overzealous fans scoff at a female lead in a superhero movie, it came sandwiched between the two monster Avengers movies. Brie Larson and Marvel proved their critics wrong when the movie brought in $1.1 billion and change. 

Frozen II

Anyone who has had a kid in the last 20 years knows how huge Frozen was. Its sequel, however, was less well-received by fans and critics alike. That didn't stop fans from flocking to theaters to see it, however. It made an amazing $1.4 billion. 

Rogue One

A few Star Wars movies have made over a billion, but Rogue One is the only one outside of the main trilogy of trilogies to earn that distinction. It's also one of the best Star Wars movies since the original three. 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy was a monster success. His follow-up, the Hobbit trilogy wasn't as successful, but the first one, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, still managed to crack the billion-dollar mark. The only one of the three to do so. 

The Dark Knight

Okay, we'll be honest, this one isn't all that surprising. Not only is The Dark Knight arguably the best superhero movie ever made, it marked Heath Ledger's most electrifying performance before we lost him far too soon. Still, for a movie as dark as it is, it's surprising it was as successful in theaters as it was. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

By the time Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean series was released, it seemed like the franchise was running on borrowed time. The box office receipts proved that wrong in a big way when it earned more than a billion and became the second most successful movie in the Johnny Depp-led series at the time. 

The Dark Knight Rises

Another dark entry in the superhero genre is the third film in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy. It did not have auspicious opening weekend when a gunman killed 12 people at a midnight screening of the movie. It was a tragic moment, but the box office rebounded and The Dark Knight Rises still earned over a billion.  

Barbie

While it wasn't a surprise that the Margot Robbie-led Barbie became a hit, but the absolutely huge impact of the movie took almost everyone by surprise. When it was all said and done, Barbie was the highest-grossing movie of 2023, earning more than $1.4 billion. 

Toy Story 4

It's always risky to release a sequel a decade after the previous installment of a franchise, much less decades after the original, but Toy Story 4 proved that the world truly loves the franchise as much as any other Disney has ever created. It just topped its predecessor with over a billion dollars earned in 2019. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Everyone knows that The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a massive success, but still, the fact that a movie released in 2003 earned north of a billion is very surprising. That's exactly what The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King did when it was released, right before it cleaned up at the Oscars. 

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Critics continue to slam the Transformers franchise, but fans don't care. The 2014 release, Transformers: Age of Extinction, proves just how much the fans don't care as they flocked to the theater, handing over a collective $1.1 billion. 

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Only three movies released in the 1990s have ever earned over a billion dollars. Titanic, of course, is the top earner. Jurassic Park is the second. The third, is maybe not as surprising, as it's a Star Wars movie and it was the first one in almost two decades. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace may not be a fan favorite today, but in 1999 fans couldn't wait. It destroyed box offices all over the work, raking in an impressive one billion dollars. It far outpaced its sequels and that mark was not reached by the franchise again until 2015's Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.

When we see recasting in major franchise movies, it’s usually for some completely unavoidable reason, like when Michael Gambon took over the role of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies following the death of Richard Harris. When recasting does happen in a big movie, it’s big news, as was the case when Megan Fox was seemingly fired from the Transformers franchise by director Michael Bay. 

Fox used some inflammatory language to describe the experience of working on a Michael Bay set. The words used were so bad that Bay indicated he had no choice but to fire Fox, indicating the decision wasn’t his, but rather that of producer Steven Spielberg, but that’s not the whole story.

What Megan Fox Said About Michael Bay 

The story begins back in 2009. The second Transformers film, Revenge of the Fallen had been released and would go on to become the fourth highest-grossing movie of the year worldwide, and number two in the U.S., despite not being the best Transformers movie. A third film had already been announced. In September, Megan Fox gave an interview in Wonderland Magazine. She was asked what it was like to work with Michael Bay. 

The actress's comments weren’t kind. While she suggested that she was actually holding back her true feelings, she painted Bay as a directorial tyrant, invoking the name of Hitler as a comparison...

Fox’s comments went viral. The use of Hitler’s name specifically was seen as perhaps a step too far. Repercussions would be incoming. Fox would end up not being cast in the third Transformers movie, with the female lead instead played by model, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, current fiancee of Jason Statham, with Fox's character being written out.

What Michael Bay Said Happened Next 

There have been conflicting reports about exactly what happened behind the scenes following Megan Fox’s controversial comments. For her part, Fox claims she is the one who chose not to return for the third film. Considering she clearly didn’t enjoy being directed by Bay, that’s not necessarily impossible.

Of course, the commonly held belief was that Fox had been fired by an irate Michael Bay who didn’t take kindly to what the actress said. In an interview for GQ (via UPI), around the release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Bay has his own harsh words. He criticized Fox’s work ethic but claimed he didn’t take her comments personally, saying instead that the decision to remove Fox had been made by producer Steven Spielberg. Bay said…

It wouldn’t be that shocking if Steven Spielberg, the Jewish director of Schindler's List, took particular exception to using Hitler’s name like that. However, there’s a bit more to the story. 

What Seven Spielberg Actually Said 

Following Michael Bay’s interview in which he laid responsibility for the firing of Fox at Steven Spielberg’s feet, the director and Transformers producer was asked by EW about it. Spielberg denied telling Bay to fire Fox, saying simply…

So exactly what happened here is far from clear. Perhaps Fox’s claim that she left voluntarily is the actual truth. Fox would eventually apologize for making her comments public, though not for the comments themselves. Fox and Bay would reconcile, resulting in the actress being cast in the Bay-produced live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies. 

Toy brands have had interesting relationships with the film and TV mediums over the last several decades. Many have served as the basis for some notable productions, each of which has found varying degrees of success. Some of those offerings are held in high regard by much of the public, like The Transformers, Clue and the critically acclaimed Barbie, which was even nominated for Best Picture. However, some of the projects that have been inspired by playthings are quite lackluster, even living in infamy in some circles, and we’re going to discuss a number of them.

Pound Puppies (1986-1987)

In the ‘80s, Tonka’s Pound Puppies toy line was popular enough to spawn an animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera. The show, which has two seasons, centers around the adventures of a group of talking dogs, who lived at a pound and befriended a human girl. All in all, the stories are relatively basic, and the characters aren’t as endearing as others birthed by H-B Productions.

Rainbow Brite And The Star Stealer (1985)

Inspired by Mattel’s Rainbow Brite brand, The Star Stealer is a motion picture that in no way justifies its existence. The less-than-stellar animation and the somewhat choppy storytelling are just two reasons why this film is far from a must-see today. It doesn’t even surpass its TV show counterpart in terms of quality, which honestly isn’t saying much, as that isn’t a high bar to clear.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)

You really shouldn’t be surprised to see a ranking of the Transformers films and find Revenge of the Fallen at the bottom of it. The second installment in Michael Bay’s blockbuster franchise is a discombobulated piece of work that has an overstuffed story, underdeveloped characters, and countless clichés (even for a Bay production). The copious amount of Autobot and Decepticon fights can’t even redeem it.

Challenge Of The GoBots (1984-1985)

Challenge of the GoBots has a following, but it certainly hasn’t reached the pop culture heights that Tonka likely envisioned for it decades ago. It’s a mostly generic piece of work with by-the-book stories and stock characters and, back in the day, it was ultimately outdone by its direct competitor, The Transformers.

Battleship (2012)

Peter Berg’s box office bomb Battleship is an empty sort of blockbuster that doesn’t even provide a thrilling spectacle to make up for its lack of a compelling narrative. What’s unfortunate is that it doesn’t take a cerebral approach, which is what’s needed to play the Hasbro board game of the same name. This likely isn’t what fans were expecting for the toy property or Rihanna’s feature film debut.

Dungeons & Dragons (2000)

In the lead-up to Dungeons & Dragons’ release in 2000, fans had long hoped for a live-action film adaptation that captured the essence of the beloved role-playing game. That final product is a poorly written and cheap-looking film that’s mostly dull. You’re better off carving out some time and watching 2023’s critically beloved Honor Among Thieves.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)

People may debate the merits of the G.I. Joe animated series inspired by Hasbro’s action figures, but it’s hard to argue against the notion that the first live-action film adaptation, The Rise of Cobra is weak. There are flashes of fun, but not even Channing Tatum can save it from being a nonsensical action flick.

C.O.P.S. (1988)

We’re not talking about the reality docuseries on Fox, but the ‘80s animated series C.O.P.S, which is based on Hasbro’s action figures of the same name. This program, set in the year 2020 and centered on law enforcement officials, simply lacks the fun, true thrills and endearing characters many of its peers possess. 

Masters of the Universe (1987)

He-Man, his cohorts and enemies feel like characters born to be on the big screen but, unfortunately, the live-action Masters of the Universe film doesn’t come close to doing them justice. This Dolph Lundgren-led action flick is hastily put together, poorly directed and fails to capture the energy and fun of the OG animated series.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)

The moderate success of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra in 2009 is what led to the sequel, Retaliation, in 2013. Led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson this time around, the movie is somewhat more polished than its predecessor, but it’s even more ludicrously over the top.

The Glo Friends (1986-1987)

Few people probably remember The Glo Friends, an animated series born from segments on My Little Pony 'n Friends and adapted from Playskool’s IP of the same name. Centered on a group of small, glow-in-the-dark insects and their adventures, this short-lived, by-the-numbers show is a shining example of how not to adapt a toyline.

Playmobil: The Movie (2019)

One could certainly assume that Playmobil: The Movie was (at least partially) made to get in on the success of 2014’s The Lego Movie and other toy-based adaptations. Unfortunately, this flick isn’t nearly as well-written, beautifully animated or funny as Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s masterpiece.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (2011)

While Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a step up from its 2009 predecessor, Revenge of the Fallen, the third installment in Michael Bay’s saga of massive robots still has its issues. Among them are a contrived screenplay, underdeveloped (new and returning) characters and a series of disorienting action sequences.

Bobbleheads: The Movie (2020)

You may find this hard to believe but, yes, Bobbleheads: The Movie does exist. And, yes, this poorly animated, generic film about a group of bobbleheads seeking to fend off human threats to their existence is just as bad as you’d imagine. After watching this flick, you’ll be left shaking your head just like the titular protagonists.

M.A.S.K. (1985-1986)

Syndicated ‘80s cartoon M.A.S.K. does have a solid following and has some appeal for younger viewers. However, getting older is realizing that beneath the Kenner toy-adapted show’s weapon-based action, there’s no true substance to the proceedings.

Ouija (2014)

The name Ouija is trademarked by Hasbro, and I’m not sure how they feel about the abysmal 2010s horror flick that bears that name. What can be said is that the production merely offers one-note characters, a tired story and a lack of strong scares. Those who would like a more entertaining offering from this franchise, though, can check out Mike Flanagan’s 2016 prequel, Origin of Evil.

Rubik, The Amazing Cube (1983)

A Rubik’s Cube is meant to serve as a way for young people to stimulate their minds in a creative way. On the other hand, ABC’s Rubik, the Amazing Cube – which is about kids who befriend the titular Rubik and help him fend off an evil magician – is mostly mind-numbing. The sole bright spot is that it was one of the first major animated series to feature Hispanic or Latino characters in mostly prominent roles.

My Little Pony: The Movie (1986)

My Little Pony: The Movie doesn’t hit the right notes like some of the other adaptations of Hasbro’s famous toyline. And even more disappointing than its less-than-spectacular animation and limited appeal is the fact that it’s so blatantly designed to sell products.

Sky Commanders (1987)

Running for only 13 episodes, Sky Commanders – which is inspired by Kenner’s toys of the same name – is a military action series that doesn’t quite stack up to some of its contemporaries. The main characters may be soldiers fighting an evil general but, given how basic it is, they might as well be civilians. 

Max Steel (2016)

The Max Steel franchise from Mattel was incredibly successful in the 2000s, thanks to the awesome toys and fun show on Kids’ WB. But the 2016 feature film adaptation, which melted at the box office, is a truly uninspired superhero tale that lacks the fun, excitement and adventurous spirit that's historically associated with the titular hero.

Robosapien: Rebooted (2013)

One certainly can’t forget that WowWee has also contributed its fair share of memorable toys, with one of those being the robot Robosapien. The live-action/CGI film, Rebooted, was released less than a decade after the toyline launched, and one can’t help but think that this idea needed more time to percolate. It’s a slow drama film that won’t delight young kids or intrigue adults in any way.

The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)

Films based on card-based games can be very hit or miss, and The Garbage Pail Kids Movie very much falls into the latter category. It’s crude and unfunny in all the worst ways, and the puppetry utilized to create the eponymous bunch may give some kids nightmares.

Potato Head Kids (1986)

TV critics lament the existence of shows like The Flintstone Kids and Tom & Jerry Kids, but those shows and others don’t hold a candle to the misfire that is Potato Head Kids. It sees Mr. Potato Head serve as an adult-type mentor to a bunch of impressionable spuds. Narrative and animation-wise, there’s nothing truly spectacular about this production. You’re better off just watching Mr. and Mrs. P in the Toy Story films (which we’ve ranked).

Bratz (2007)

The live-action Bratz movie released in the 2000s ultimately underperformed, which may be surprising given how popular the brand was at the time. Those who’ve seen the film – and how it underserves its cast with a clichéd story with weak characters – you may understand why.  

Pound Puppies And The Legend Of Big Paw (1988)

Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw isn’t much of an improvement on the TV show on which it’s based, as it has many of the same flaws. Another attempt to capitalize on Tonka toys, this TriStar-distributed motion picture bombed.

G.I. Joe Extreme (1995-1997)

Of all the various entries in Hasbro’s military-based media franchise, G.I. Joe Extreme is probably one of the most easily forgotten, and that’s understandable. While it places the main heroes in the future and pits them against a new enemy, the S.K.A.R. organization, it doesn’t really add anything truly interesting to the lore.

The New Adventures Of He-Man (1990)

Mattel’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is arguably one of the greatest animated series ever to hit the small screen, and its impact on pop culture is immense. That’s why it’s so disappointing that its spiritual successor, The New Adventures of He-Man, only (and barely) improves upon it when it comes to animation style.

The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017)

The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie are strong feature film efforts, which blazed a solid trail for The Lego Ninjago Movie. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t feel nearly as inspired as its predecessors and can’t hold a candle to the action-packed and humorous energy of the Ninjago animated series.

Jem And The Holograms (2015)

The critically derided Jem and the Holograms strips away most of what made the Jem show of the ‘80s so endearing. Director John M. Chu trades out high-energy storytelling for a bland drama while also mostly ignoring the technological elements that made the series so inventive. And, above all else, the songs – unlike the ones on the show – are mostly forgettable.

Visionaries: Knights Of The Magical Light (1987)

A very short-lived TV program, Visionaries: Knights Of The Magical Light focuses on the Spectral Knights in their quest to fend off the evil Darkling Lords on a distant planet. This feels like an odd mixture of Dungeons & Dragons and Transformers. Unfortunately, it doesn’t possess the action and sense of wonder that those franchises offer.

Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)

The critically panned Transformers: The Last Knight, Michael Bay’s fifth directorial effort in the franchise, sees the polarizing filmmaker give into all of his worst tendencies. There are one or two interesting ideas, such as Optimus Prime coming face to face with the extraterrestrial beings that actually brought the Autobots to life. However, the long-winded plot, which relies heavily on exposition, and repetitive action sequences leave much to be desired. 

Dino-Riders (1988)

Dino-Riders toys from Tyco may have seemed cool, but the cartoon created to promote them isn’t all that interesting. It offers a somewhat contrived concept about time-misplaced humanoid beings, who end up in the prehistoric era and forge telepathic bonds with dinosaurs to fight off enemies. It’s mostly generic – and not nearly as exciting as how the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers would command dino-inspired vehicles just five years later.

It should be said that these productions don’t truly represent the totality of toy adaptations movie and TV viewers have received over the years. As previously mentioned, there are plenty of excellent ones to check out. You can, however, still seek these out and watch in case you want to try to give them a chance.

Over the course of the past decade-and-a-half, the Transformers franchise has given us some of the biggest, baddest, and loudest big-screen explosions. These massive spectacles that combine high-quality visual effects with old-school practicality have gotten audiences to come back time and time again to see how Michael Bay (and later, Travis Knight) found new and inventive ways to make things go BOOM!

As part of our partnership with AMC Theatres, where you can now purchase tickets to see the new story unfold between the heroes and villains, along with whatever explosion scenes might be featured in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, we’ve put together a rundown of our favorite scenes in the previously released movies in the franchise that live rent free in our heads years after the concussive action left us trembling in our seats.

Blackout’s Base Attack - Transformers

The opening scene in Transformers is one of those quintessential Michael Bay moments that we’ve come to expect from the director over the years, and it doesn’t disappoint. Of course, we’re talking about Blackout’s attack on the U.S. military base that kicks off the 2007 summer blockbuster. Before the whole scene goes to hell in a handbasket and gives us one of the most awesome explosions in the franchise, we are treated to a scene that is similar to NASA engineers discovering a big rock is headed towards Earth in Armageddon. 

Blackout’s transformation from a large military helicopter to a destructive Decepticon is brilliant, tense, and epic, as he starts to run roughshod over anyone in his way. And then comes the massive concussive blast that takes out a chunk of the base with one of the coolest sound effects in the franchise.

Mission City Battle - Transformers

Okay, the final battle between the Autobots and Decepticons at the end of Transformers is sweet from start to finish, and features some incredible action that still looks great 16 years later. And while the battle gets epicly intense when Optimus Prime and Megatron have their big duel to end the Mission City battle, there’s a great and more low-key moment earlier in the sequence where Starscream lays down a barrage of missiles from the sky, leaving the heroes battered and confused.

But the beauty of this explosion comes before and after the big blast. While the army awaits reinforcements to collect the Allspark, we get this classic Michael Bay shot where the camera swings from behind Sam (Shia LaBeouf) and Mikaela (Megan Fox) that really sets the tone for the ensuing chaos. There’s a similar, slow-mo moment immediately following the blast that’s incredibly emotional.

Egyptian Bombardment - Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

Though it isn’t the best entry in the franchise, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has some of the better action sequences, including the epic battle in Egypt. When the surviving Autobots and NEST’s forces go to Egyptian ruins to find a way to bring Optimus Prime back to life, they have an epic fight with the Constructicons that leads to what is perhaps the most ridiculous explosion in any of the movies. Of course, we’re talking about the air raid to wipe out the evil robots.

The shot of ruins being carpet bombed by jets is a sight to see and remains as intense now as it was 14 years ago, thanks to Michael Bay’s seeming obsession with constantly outdoing himself when it comes to blowing things up. We get loud, concussive blasts, slow-mo running, dramatic music, and an unforgettable cinematic moment.

Chicago Invasion - Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

Over the years, Michael Bay has brought widespread destruction to cities like New York, Paris, Miami, and San Francisco, and in 2011’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon, he added Chicago to the list. In the epic final act of the franchise’s third installment, the Decepticons invade the “Windy City” as part of their plan to enslave humanity and bring their home planet of Cybertron to the solar system. And boy, is it epic!

The shot of buildings along the Chicago River being bombarded by missiles in the twilight is a visual that is just too good to pass up, and it’s hard not to think about it whenever visiting the city.

Lockdown’s Grenades - Transformers: Age Of Extinction

Released in 2014, Transformers: Age of Extinction is another intense and action-packed installment in the franchise, one that introduced a whole new cast of human characters as well as some new Transformers as well. One of those, a Cybertronian assassin with an arsenal of impressive weapons, also gives us one of the movie’s – and franchise’s – best explosions.

Though Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) and a few other survivors make it out of their encounter with Lockdown partway through the movie, his friend Lucas (T.J. Miller) isn’t as lucky, getting turned to metal after being caught in the blast. It was sad to see the character go, but that explosion was just so ridiculously awesome.

Medieval Warfare - Transformers: The Last Knight

Transformers: The Last Knight didn’t waste any time getting the action started. In fact, the first explosions featured in the 2017 sequel are incorporated into the Paramount Pictures logo from the jump, creating a cool and eye-catching effect. Unlike previous installments, this movie starts in medieval England where King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table partner with a group of Transformers known as the Knights of Lacon.

In addition to old-school weaponry and warfare, we also get to see Dragonstorm, a three-headed robot made up of the Knights, unleash a wave of fire on the Saxon forces, creating a fun and unique action sequence for the franchise. It’s like Braveheart meets Game of Thrones meets Transformers.

The Battle Of Cybertron - Bumblebee

Travis Knight’s 2018 Transformers prequel Bumblebee starts off in spectacular fashion with the intense battle of Cybetron sequence, which sees the Autobots try in vain to defeat the Decepticons. When it becomes certain that Optimus Prime and his forces won’t win this bitter civil war, he sends Bumblebee to set up a new base of operations while he stays back to buy his friend some time.

In the final moments of this intense scene, the Decepticons unleash an onslaught of firepower on the Autobots base, bringing the massive structure down the surface of the planet. The scale of the structure, and destruction that turns it into a pile of metal, is awesome in every sense of the word.

We can’t wait to see what Steven Caple Jr. brings to the table when he takes over the franchise for a movie that will blend classic Transformers and Beast Wars characters for another addition to the franchise. But the only way to know for sure is by watching Transformers: Rise of the Beasts when it debuts in theaters nationwide on June 9th, so go ahead and purchase your tickets before it’s too late.

While some may know Michael Bay best for blockbusters like Bad Boys and Armageddon, there are plenty of people who mainly associate him with the Transformers movies. Bay directed the first five installments in the robots in disguise’s film series, and while all those movies each pulled in more than $500 million worldwide, critical reception ranged from mixed to undeniably negative. In hindsight, Bay now realizes he should have followed Steven Spielberg’s advice and not made as many Transformers movies.

After delivering the Ryan Reynolds-led 6 Underground for Netflix in 2019, Michael Bay is back on the theatrical scene with Ambulance, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. It arrives five years after Bay’s last Transformers movie, The Last Knight. During an interview with Unilad, Bay acknowledged that while his Transformers movies were moneymakers, he spent too long in the director’s chair with this franchise, saying:

So if Michael Bay had listened to Steven Spielberg, he would have called it a proverbial day with 2011’s Dark of the Moon, Granted, it and 2009’s Revenge of the Fallen weren’t nearly as well received as the first live-action Transformers movies, but they were bigger moneymakers, so Bay could have left on a general high note. But as Bay mentioned, Paramount asked him to stick around for Age of Extinction and The Last Knight, and because he had a good time making cinematic Transformers tales, he obliged.

While Age of Extinction ended up being the first Transformers movie to cross the $1 billion mark, neither it nor The Last Knight impressed on the critical front. Furthermore, The Last Knight is the worst commercially performing entry in the main film series, with only the 2018 spinoff Bumblebee trailing behind it. Michael Bay also said that he’s “passionate” about any movie he does, so it’s not like he slacked off with the later Transformers movies. Still, it would be interesting to see where the franchise would be now if Bay had listened to Spielberg and stepped aside for someone else to take the helming reins on entry #4.

Although Michael Bay’s time directing Transformers movies is done, he was credited as a producer on Bumblebee, and the same goes for next year’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. So while he does still have a hand in the Transformers franchise’s creative process, he’s no longer the person leading the directorial charge. Kubo and the Two Strings’ Travis Knight succeeded Bay on Bumblebee, and Creed II’s Steven Caple Jr. was tapped to direct Rise of the Beasts, with both movies taking place long before Shia LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky met Optimus Prime. 

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will hit theaters on June 9, 2023, and is one of several upcoming Transformers movies on the docket. Meanwhile, you can see Michael Bay’s Ambulance on the big screen starting April 8.

Any way you look at, few film franchises have been as successful in recent years as Transformers, which Michael Bay kicked off. Since 2007, we have seen six total films in the Transformers franchise, and those six films have grossed nearly $5 billion worldwide. It's the sort of money-printing film series that you expect to keep going until the heat death of the universe for the success that it has had. And yet, we haven't seen a main entry in the film series since 2017, and exactly what the future of Transformers on the big screen is far from clear right now.

There will be new Transformers movies; that's not really a question. But that piece of information is about all we know for sure. Many of the details are clouded in mystery. There was a time when we knew what to expect from Transformers, but today we have far more questions than we have answers. With that in mind, are the biggest questions we have about the future of the Transformers franchise.

Which Announced Transformers Project Will We See First?

The problem with Transformers right now as a franchise isn't that we don't know where it's going, but rather that it seems to be going in several different directions at once. In fact, there are no less than three types of Transformers movies that are in some form of development right now. In January, we were told that there were two different projects on the horizon. One was an adaptation of the Beast Wars side of Transformers, which sees the robots in disguise transform into animals rather than vehicles. The other potentially was set in the same universe as Bumblebee, the last live-action movie we saw.

Then in April, it was revealed that Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley had been poached from Pixar to work on an animated Transformers "prequel" film. Even more recently, we were told that a new Transformers film is currently slated for release on June 24, 2022. However, we don't which of the various projects is the one that's expected to land on that date. It's even possible the date is being held for yet another project that hasn't been revealed.

Will We Ever See A Proper Sequel To The Michael Bay Movies?

If there's a single question that shows just how far the Transformers film franchise has come, it's this one. There was a time when the answer to this was an obvious yes. And yet, it's been almost three years since Transformers: The Last Knight, and none of the talk about future films seems to be about Transformers 6. The film was on Paramount's schedule for 2019, but before the release of Bumblebee, it was pulled off the calendar has never returned.

The Last Knight certainly ended with an expectation that another movie would follow to answer its lingering questions. In fact, several more movies in the main franchise were planned once upon a time, but now it's far from clear if we will ever see them. It seems likely that if one of the forthcoming Transformers projects was planned to continue the main franchise, that fact would be promoted since it would likely jumpstart excitement in the franchise again.

Will We Ever Get a Bumblebee Sequel?

If the question regarding a sequel to the main Transformers franchise is without an answer, then what about a sequel to the last Transformers movie we got, the spinoff movie Bumblebee? That was a prequel to the main series and also, potentially, a soft reboot that could have taken the franchise in a new direction. Director Travis Knight said he had ideas for a sequel if he was given the chance to make one, so there's at least some interest there.

Of course, when it comes to box office, Bumblebee didn't set the world on fire. It did well at the box office, to be sure, but it wasn't anywhere close to what the main franchise had done even at its previous lowest point. The fact that Bumblebee was the best reviewed film in the franchise didn't seem to help matters. One of the reported Transformers projects in development is said to take place within the "Bumblebee universe," but it's not being called a sequel. That would seem to make the odds of such a movie less likely, but who knows for sure?

Is Michael Bay Really Done With Transformers?

When Michael Bay finished Transformers: The Last Knight, he told us he was done with the franchise and would not be directing the next movie. The thing is, this wasn't the first time he had said he was done making Transformers movies. Originally, Bay had no plans to make that movie either, but he eventually changed his mind. So knowing that, can we be 100% certain that he won't be back?

It would be far from shocking if Michael Bay was a little tired of making movies about giant robots after the first four, nevermind five, but he made them the first time around for some reason. He must have liked doing it enough to keep returning. And the fact that the franchise is in the middle of a break might be a good thing. Bay has made several other films in recent years, so maybe it's possible to entice him back now that he's had some time away. It seems quite likely that Bay's involvement would help the franchise as a whole. It might be what's needed to give the green light Transformers 6.

Could We See Previous Transformers Actors Returning?

Whether we call a future live-action Transformers movie a sequel, a spinoff, a reboot or something else, the possibility of a future movie tying into the existing franchise is almost a necessity in order to keep the fan base that made the previous films so successful from ignoring future installments. But how will we see that work?

Shia LeBeouf has certainly made his peace with Transformers and seems unlikely to return. Mark Wahlberg, who took over the role of franchise lead following LeBeouf's exit, was always planning to leave after The Last Knight even before the sequel was shelved. John Cena and Hailee Steinfeld have both expressed willingness to reprise their roles from Bumblebee, but that only really works in a movie that's chronologically located close in time to that movie, as Bumblebee takes place decades prior to the main films. The one place where we might see continuity is in voice acting. Peter Cullen is the voice of Optimus Prime, and it's hard to imagine anybody else taking on that role.

Will We Ever See The Transformers/G.I. Joe Crossover?

If you're a child of the '80s whose tastes ran to action-adventure in your toys and cartoons, then you were likely a fan of both Transformers and G.I. Joe. Since both were Hasbro toy lines, they've always been linked together and have even met each other in the pages of comic books. But every once in a while, the idea of seeing them join forces on the big screen pops up. So is there any possibility this could happen?

While there have apparently been actual attempts to make it happen in the past, it largely seems like this one is a pipe dream that will never really happen. The timing never seems to be right. At the same time, the G.I. Joe franchise is also looking to find its footing with a new film as well, and as long as there are fans of both Transformers and G.I. Joe, it seems unlikely this idea will ever truly die. So maybe someday.

Do Enough People Still Care About Transformers?

Of course, all these other questions could be moot depending on the answer to another: is the audience still there? The last Transformers movie was, for whatever reason, the lowest performing at the worldwide box office. Maybe that's simply because it was a spinoff that didn't include major fan favorite characters, or maybe it's just because the franchise isn't as popular as it once was. Transformers: The Last Knight also saw the lowest box office take of the main series.

With so many major franchises competing for audience attention, we can't follow all of them with dedication. Is anybody truly dying to see Transformers 6 or Bumblebee 2? I'm not saying nobody cares, but it's unclear if Transformers will truly continue to be the billion dollar franchise it once was, even if the major blockbusters of years past actually happen.

With a new Transformers movie of one kind or another planned for just over two years away, we can be sure that some of our questions about the franchise will start to be answered. Will we see a continuation of the stories and characters that have already been created, or will something new take its place? Of course, depending on what comes next and how successful it is at the box office, we could find ourselves back in this same place once again asking these very same questions.

It’s almost hard to believe it’s been over a decade since the Transformers movies started taking the world by storm back in 2007. With director Michael Bay overseeing the first five films as director, the franchise has quite an identity it’s made for itself with those five entries. His tenure saw him direct Transformers through Transformers: The Last Knight, with Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon, and Age of Extinction filling the middle.

But, with the most recent movies, Bumblebee and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, the franchise has seemed to switch tactics. While Bumblebee didn’t start a new Transformers universe like we thought, the shift in tone does make ranking the franchise itself all the more exciting. There’s plenty to talk about when comparing the tone between the original franchise run and the new era of all-audiences adventure, and that’s definitely going to come up in this rundown of the franchise so far.

Ranking them in order from the bottom of the bots to the Optimus Prime entry in the Transformers saga, we’ll run the table through all seven entries currently present in  Hasbro’s legacy toy brand canon, and describe what makes them great or not so great. Let’s roll out, and start with what is arguably the worst picture in the bunch.  

7. Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)

When pressed to give a reason why Revenge of the Fallen was as unimpressive a sequel as it was, director Michael Bay basically blamed it on the hoops he and the series’ writers had to jump through in order to complete the film before various industry strikes took place.

It certainly feels like they had trouble, as the second of the Transformers movies is an absolute mess in every way. Taking Shia LaBoeuf’s Sam Witwicky for a second ride, our hero found himself saddled with cosmic knowledge that could swing the war between Autobots and Decepticons in favor of the villains. But, of course, what Transformers movie would be complete without zany comedy?

With a story that felt as incomplete as it was offensive in some places, the rush to keep the series up and running definitely showed in this second bite at the apple. If there was more time and attention paid to the story, it could have been a pretty interesting follow-up, especially with legendary genre actor Tony Todd playing The Fallen, a rogue member of the Prime order.

6. Transformers 5: The Last Knight (2017)

Considering how much of a breath of fresh air Age of Extinction was when it arrived, the Transformers movies would find themselves dipping in quality yet again with the fifth and final Bay-directed film, The Last Knight.

Doubling down on the “secret history” of humans and Transformers, this adventure would see Mark Wahlberg’s Cade Yeager returning on his own, with some new sidekicks in tow. Throw in a heel turn for Optimus Prime, an evil Transformers sorceress trying to resurrect Cybertron and a sassy robot butler that knows the words to “Move, Bitch,” and you basically have the gist of where this one went wrong.

For all of the care that was taken in laying down the mythos of the warring machines and their lost home of Cybertron in the previous films, Transformers: The Last Knight  became one hell of a slap in the face to fans, squandering that work for a disinteresting “finale.” It’s at least consistently dull, which gives it a leg up on Revenge of the Fallen.

5. Transformers 3: Dark Of The Moon (2011)

After the writer’s strike of 2007-2008 interfered with the writing process of Revenge of The Fallen, the series had lost a good amount of the wind that was once in its sails. Then, Transformers: Dark of the Moon happened, which showed that while it had definitely taken a hit, the series wasn’t out of the game just yet.

The third and final film in the trilogy focused on Sam Witwicky, Dark of the Moon had a hell of a secret weapon to help tell the story. On the downside, the race against time between Autobot and Decepticon forces trying to recover an artifact from the moon, in hopes of ending their conflict for good, does depend a bit too much on the “secret history” angle. Moon landing conspiracy theorists may have even rejected this crazy twist. 

That said, even when things started to sag with this third film, it did have a show-stopping battle in Chicago, and an impressive turn by Leonard Nimoy as the villainous Sentinel Prime. For a moment, this movie got pretty dark and grim, and experimenting with that sort of tone this far into a series does score some style points.

4. Transformers 4: Age of Extinction (2014)

Sometimes, a soft reboot is all you need to boost a series that needs a pick-me-up, and that’s what Transformers: Age of Extinction did in the series’ fourth outing. With a pretty much completely new human cast, led by Wahlberg’s protective father-turned Transformers crusader Cade, the possibilities for the series opened pretty wide.

By reintroducing some of the human element that would go missing in the two Sam Witwicky sequels, Age of Extinction gave the franchise a new lease on life, as well as room for a new trilogy dealing with an Earth that no longer ignored the presence of Transformers, but in some cases wanted to hunt them down and destroy them for good.

Capped off with the addition of Grimlock and other Dinobots entering the fray, this was more fun than most sequels get to be in a series that spans over three entries. The fact that The Last Knight squandered this promise so hard makes me appreciate this one a bit more every time I think about it.

3. Transformers (2007)

Out of all of the Bay-directed Transformers movies, the closest his series has ever come to setting the same sort of tone that Bumblebee did was with that first hit-making entry. As LaBeouf’s Sam shares a similar relationship with Bumblebee to the one that particular Autobot shared with Charlie in the ‘80s, the core of human and Transformer co-operation is its strongest in this particular Bay-fueled story.

The action is definitely a stand out when comparing 2007’s movieto Bumblebee, as there’s tons of frenetic heroism to enjoy in this more modern-paced blockbuster. Quite frankly, this film probably works the best because it’s where the entire franchise started, allowing this particular movie to be a little more experimental in what it wanted to do.

It takes a while to get to the actual gigantic action of Autobots and Decepticons fighting each other in public, which is actually best in hindsight, as it gave Transformers more time to really build its human component. But by time things take off, it’s full steam ahead for the rest of the film, as well as the franchise at large.

2. Bumblebee (2018)

There are so many things that Bumblebee gets right about being a Transformers movie. With an '80s setting that allows fans to get a bit of era-appropriate nostalgia mixed in with robot action, the stage is pretty well set for 2018’s kinda/sorta reboot to take flight.

What's even better is the fact that the breakout star actually takes his original form of a Volkswagen Beetle. Crafted as a film to warm the hearts of Transformers die-hards, going back to his original look was more than wise. However, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to what makes this particular film work.

At the heart of Bumblebee’s entire effort to do something new is a story of Haliee Steinfeld’s Charlie, and her friendship with Bumblebee himself. Considered the most personal story in the series at the time, while also including a ton of Transformers movie action, another new day seemed to be dawning for robotic revelry.

1. Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts (2023)

Yes, I’m totally going to go out there and say that the 2023 movie release, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, is the best entry in the canon so far. Rather than waste the work that was done in Bumblebee before it, director Steven Caple Jr’s chapter in Autobot history actually doubles down on the charm shown previously.

What’s even better is the fact that the seventh Transformers movie has compelling characters in both the realms of machines and humanity. People like Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) and Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) made the flesh and blood components of this story the most compelling in series history.

Plus, continuing to roll out new Autobots like Mirage (Pete Davidson) just added to the colorful cast of mechanized friends that can be explored in sequels, and with firm ties to Michael Bay’s Transformers movies.

Of course, you don’t have to take my word on that claim. Now that Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is streaming with access to a Paramount+ subscription, it’s easy to catch the latest adventure in the comfort of your own home. Also, if you want to know what our favorite Transformers movie explosions happen to be, that information is also free and available to those who seek it.

The new car chase spectacle Ambulance marks the return of Michael Bay. Some people will meet that news with a shrug of indifference, while others will instantly be overjoyed that Bayhem is about to come back to the big screen in all of its glory.

The former are wrong, the latter are right. More than $5 billion in box office receipts shows just how popular the director is. Michael Bay is what blockbuster spectacle is all about. In fact, even in his worst films there is still something to fawn over and be blown away by. While, at their best, his frenetic, action-packed features never give you a moment's rest and are pure escapism.

But which Michael Bay film stands above the rest as the best example of his divisive brand of cinema? Let's take a look at every Michael Bay directed film to see which is the true master of Bayhem.

15. Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

The worst edition of Michael Bay’s Transformers universe, Revenge Of The Fallen, might only be the second instalment of the franchise, but, somehow, everyone involved already seems tired and out of ideas. Even the robots. Everything that made Transformers so good is gone, with Michael Bay leaning too heavily special effects and a complete lack of humanity as the film tries to outdo its predecessor with huge, outrageous set-pieces that count for nothing because we’re not invested. It wasn’t all Bay’s fault, as the 2007-2008 Writers’ Strike left the director and Paramount scrambling to put a script together. Which doesn’t really explain why it still clocks in at the mind-numbing 149 minutes.

14. Pearl Harbor

Michael Bay’s most famously egregious film, Pearl Harbor suffers mostly because of its needlessly long 183-minute run time. It doesn’t help that Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale’s love triangle is so dull and turgid. Pearl Harbor also struggles simply because of its bastardisation of one of America’s most traumatic moments, as Bay and his team go overboard with their use of artistic license, despite the fact that there were apparently many Pearl Harbor survivors of the set of the movie. Still, even in this mess there are some truly stunning action sequences, especially the attack on Pearl Harbor itself. It’s just a shame that it’s sandwiched between an awful script and a tepid love story.

13. Transformers: The Last Knight

What will almost certainly be Michael Bay's final Transformers film, though far from the final Transformers film overall. This wasn't his worst effort in the franchise, but it was far from his best. While Transformers: The Last Knight avoided the cringeworthy human subplot of "Adam and Eve laws," it was otherwise complete gibberish. It created all sorts of crazy new lore that seemed more designed to build its own cinematic universe than to actually make a decent film in its own right. The robot fighting action was maybe some of the best in the franchise, but it's hard to remember what they were fighting about.

12. Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

Here’s where the Transformers franchise’s dire reputation overshadows what is actually a decent blockbuster, which, while still failing to match the efforts of the original, more than makes up for the horrors of the first sequel. Once again, Michael Bay’s love of a long running time means that Dark Of The Moon’s final act borders on the unbearable, but the hugely impressive special effects and its use of 3D all make the action sequences truly captivating. There’s also a semblance of a good story in there, too, and the appearances of John Turturo, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Alan Tudyk, and Ken Jeung keep you warm even in the darkest moments.

11. The Island

Probably Michael Bay’s most ambitious film, The Island is a sci-fi action thriller that pays homage to the likes of THX 1138, Fahrenheit 51, and Logan’s Run. It also pairs Ewan McGregor with Scarlet Johansson, who form an impressive leading team, while Michael Clarke Duncan and Sean Bean offer formidable support. Unfortunately, Bay’s ambition gets the better of him, and it was roundly acknowledged that The Island is basically two films in one; one half is a sci-fi adventure with attempted existential themes, while the other is the rollicking action film that we expect from Bay. Each are OK on their own, but together it doesn’t quite work.

10. Transformers: Age Of Extinction

With Shia LaBeouf deciding to move onto new artistic pastures, the Transformers franchise continued on with Mark Wahlberg, something even Michael Bay now admits was maybe not the best idea. In the leading role in Age Of Extinction, and the Pain & Gain actor actually brings a fresh new dynamic to the series. Instead of LaBeouf’s whiny and, by the end, annoying Sam Whitwicky, Wahlberg is much stronger and forthright, with his overbearing protection of his daughter actually giving more weight to Bay’s usual brand of CGI-heavy spectacle. This is also improved upon by transporting the final third to China, and proves every film ever should really include Stanley Tucci.

9. Bad Boys

Released just a year before Independence Day, Bad Boys proved that Will Smith was going to be a big deal, and it shines because of his contagious camaraderie with Martin Lawrence, which is bromance at its most glorious. Michael Bay deserves recognition for basically throwing out the dialogue of the original script and encouraging Smith and Lawrence to improvise, all of which adds to the genuine affection between the pair. Sure, Bad Boys features many of the same traits as other buddy cop films, but Bay’s visceral style perfectly meshes with Lawrence and Smith’s dynamic to make it unique. The only thing lacking was a coherent story, but it still delivers exactly what it sets out to achieve.

8. 6 Underground

6 Underground isn't a great Michael Bay movie, nor is it a terrible one. It absolutely is a Michael Bay movie in all its glory, with all the action and spectacle that comes with that, and it opens with a pretty solid car chase sequence. After that, unfortunately, it just feels a bit more "by the numbers," like Bay is just providing what he knows is expected of him. Ryan Reynolds is almost always fun, and that's certainly the case here, but you know what you're getting from him here as well.  

7. Pain & Gain

After three Transformers films in a row, Michael Bay left Megatron, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee behind for Pain & Gain, and the tremendous leading trifecta of Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, and Anthony Mackie, with Rebel Wilson, Tony Shaloub, and Ed Harris supporting superbly. Unfortunately, while Pain & Gain gets off to a raucous start, and even ends strongly, it sags badly in the middle. Thankfully, there’s enough in its opening and closing to stop it from being a total catastrophe, while the supreme cast constantly keep it captivating and funny. But without action set pieces to fall back on, a more violent than usual Bay seems a little lost.

6. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi

With another Transformers film done and dusted, Michael Bay's 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi proves that he can create much more affecting action sequences with humans rather than robots. Bay also shows restraint by not sexing up or glamorizing this real-life war story, and the chaotic nature of the Benghazi debacle actually lends itself to his own fast, frenetic, and borderline incoherent direction. But Bay still makes sure that there is enough spectacle and action for audiences to adore, and his entertaining and gregarious style is sprinkled throughout the film. He also takes advantage of the R-rating in gory and gritty fashion.

5. Bad Boys 2

Released to overwhelmingly negative reviews from cinematic purists back in 2003, Bay Boys 2 is mindless, over-the-top Michael Bay fun at its very, very best; this is high-octane, deafeningly loud, and so fast you’ll feel sick trying to keep up. Its triumph is in just how proudly exaggerated and overblown it is. It’s too long but never boring, ridiculous but still enthralling, and extremely funny when it needs to be, with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence immediately back on form in the leading roles. Bad Boys 2 is everything that blockbuster Hollywood cinema should be, and the most clear cut bit of evidence yet that Michael Bay makes sure you get your money’s worth.

4. Ambulance

Michael Bay's newest movie is perhaps one of his best. It's a much smaller scale action story than what we're used to getting from the man, but the movie never skimps on the action. While the Ambulance cast is absolutely tiny compared to many Bay movies, it's still one of his strongest with heavy hitters like Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II leading the charge. Nearly the entire movie is a car chase, but the excitement never lets up, leading to one of Michael Bay's most thrilling movies.

3. Armageddon

Released just 2 months after Deep Impact, Armageddon became the highest grossing film of 1998 and its success in the face of the more scientifically accurate asteroid-impact film proves just how in sync Michael Bay is with a mainstream audience. Credit to the pitch-perfect casting, because the team of Bruce Willis, Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Clarke Duncan, Owen Wilson, Will Patton, and Steve Buscemi each sell the fact that the world is on the cusp of ending. Meanwhile, Michael Bay seemingly forgoes coherent scientific explanation to ramp up the emotion, terror, and tension of the situation, and the gung-ho nature of the film’s 16-week production actually dovetails nicely into the finished film. It's rollercoaster cinema, with ups and downs on a track that you can see unfolding far off in the distance, but it's still one heck of a ride. However, it turns out maybe Michael Bay's plan for blowing up asteroids wasn't that crazy after all. 

2. Transformers

Michael Bay once proudly told Slate Magazine that he makes movies for teenage boys. Anyone looking for evidence of what he means simply needs to be pointed in the direction of Transformers. Shia LaBeouf is perfect as the kooky, funny, and under-appreciated kid that we all think we are, who is able to land the impossibly sexy Megan Fox through his charisma and personality alone. Plus, LaBeouf’s Sam Whitwicky is thrown into an adventure with robots disguised as gorgeous cars an ends up saving the world. Michael Bay’s Transformers direction is Spielbergian, as the story’s point of view is resonantly told firmly through LaBeouf’s gaze, while he also keeps the geography of his action scenes simple for the audience to digest while still making sure they’re genuinely spell-binding. Transformers’ stunning visual effects make all this possible, and while its plot is still firmly by-the-book you’ll be having too much fun to care.

1. The Rock

Michael Bay’s finest achievement as a director so far, The Rock, is right up there with Speed, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, The Matrix, Con Air, and Heat as the best action film of the 1990s. In just his second go as director, Michael Bay was able to transfer the frantic, frenzied pace of his music videos and commercials to the big-screen in a slick and truly thrilling style. Working from a tight, funny, and well-rounded screenplay, which was rewritten by both Quentin Tarantino and Aaron Sorkin, Bay creates a captivating rhythm and directs with a coherent panache that is sadly missing from some of his later work. The Rock is also buoyed by another Bay trait, impressive special effects, while Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage are dynamic as the leading pair. Hollywood blockbuster cinema at its very best, and the ultimate proof that Michael Bay really does deserve to be celebrated.

With 15 feature directorial efforts, Michael Bay hasn't made nearly as many movies as some, but nearly all of his films end up being memorable. He almost certainly is far from done as a director, so we can be confident that more over the top action is on the way. Where it will all rank among Michael Bay's best, we'll have to wait and see. 

Shia LaBeouf won me over this week. Like most of you, I’d grown tired of the once-popular actor’s public stunts, from the paper bag on his head at a world premiere to the screaming of motivational phrases at random audience members. Enough was enough. But the #AllMyMovies project, which let us watch Shia watching all of Shia’s movies, was just interesting enough to lure me back into LaBeouf’s web of crazy… especially because the experiment revealed that he hates the Transformers movies as much as we do.

Part of the fun of watching Shia LaBeouf watch his movies was to gauge his reaction as you played along from home. Sometimes, as when he watched The Even Stevens Movie, he appeared to be having the time of his life. However, during the screenings of Michael Bay’s Transformers trilogy – of which Shia LaBeouf played an integral part – the actor didn’t stay stone faced. He physically squirmed and tried to hide his eyes.

It didn’t get any better as the 2 hour and 37 minute monolith dragged on. Shia was present for the filming of Michael Bay’s Transformers sequel, and yet, his reactions suggest that he really can’t believe how bad it is:

Several tracking LaBeouf’s movements believe that he tapped out of Dark of the Moon to catch some Zzzzzzzzs.

While others caught Shia sleeping in his chair during one of the three Transformers movies because LaBeouf don’t give AF.

It’s fairly obvious what needs to happen next, right? Michael Bay needs to film himself watching all of the Transformers movies, so he can live stream it on the Internet. Something tells me the theater would explode.

I won't pretend to be excited that The Faculty has become available on Netflix Watch Instantly, but only because doing so might imply that I didn't already own the 1998 alien-invasion film on DVD, which might not be entirely true. ("Crash and burn, Casey.") The Elijah Wood starring body snatchers teen sci-fi-horror is just one of a few movies that's been added to Netflix's Watch Instantly. Check out the list ahead to see what's newly available or coming soon to the subscription-based streaming video service.

Those looking to take a break from using their Netflix subscription to marathon through a TV series might want to keep an eye out for what's arrived and what's coming among the movie selection at Netflix Streaming. Apocalypse Now Redux, Look Who's Talking Too, The Cable Guy, The Cider House Rules and Life is Beautiful are all available as of today. Meanwhile, Immortals, 12 Monkeys and Donnie Brasco are among the movies set to become available this July. As is A League of Their Own ("There's no crying in baseball!") And there's more…

These aren't the only films set to make their way onto Netflix Watch Instantly in the coming weeks. The list we posted last month, contains other movies arriving on Netflix next month, and some of the upcoming titles that will be available later this month, including Goon which will be available June 28, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (arriving June 30).

Update: The July 1 date mentioned for Memento and Chasing Amy in the above list appears to be an error. At present, it looks like those are currently available.

It was horrifying to hear back in 2010 that an extra in a car scene of Transformers: Dark of the Moon had been seriously injured when a cable carrying a stunt car snapped and cracked the windshield of her car. The woman, Gabriela Cedillo, was left with permanent brain damage, and as you might expect, opted to sue Paramount for negligence. Today that court case has been settled, and according to TMZ Cedillo and her family have been awarded an $18.5 million settlement.

Paramount and DreamWorks Studios, who produced the film, had offered to pay Cedillo's medical bills, which added up to $350,000 and then some. Then, according to the lawsuit, the studios did "everything they could to avoid payment," which on top of the clear negligence in the stunt definitely doesn't do much to help their case. To put the $18.5 million award in perspective, it's less than 2% of the $1.123 billion Paramount and DreamWorks made on Transformers: Dark of the Moon at the global box office, and probably an amount the studio is happy to pay in order to avoid boycott from actor's guilds, or any other extras who might consider participating in a giant action movie.

We hear of accidents among the crew and stunt people on major films fairly frequently-- a cameraman on The Dark Knight even died filming a shot-- but it's rare to see an extra injured so badly, and so permanently. Hopefully this huge settlement will help avoid something as catastrophic from happening to anyone in the name of what's really just entertainment.

Movies? On the fourth of July? When there are burgers to be grilled, ice cold beverages to be enjoyed, and fireworks to be set off and watched?

The fact that the holiday falls on a Monday helped boost sales a bit on this Independence Day, but overall sales were still only slightly bumped up from usual summer weekday numbers.

While Transformers: Dark of The Moon broke the record for biggest Independence Day opening, overall numbers for the holiday weekend were sluggish compared to recent past. Compare last year's four-day Independence Day weekend totals where the top ten earned $238 million to this year's top ten which only banked $223 million. It's a continued slump for the box office this year which is still 8%-9% behind in sales compared to this same time last year.

But, while there may not be many fireworks at the box office, there are plenty in the sky tonight. Enjoy, and happy 4th!

For the full four day Independence Day weekend top ten totals, check out the chart below:

This will blow your mind. If you see Transformers: Dark of the Moon you’ll probably be impressed away by the movie’s massive special effects. You’ll likely be impressed with the movie’s 3D too, and the filmmakers claims that the movie was shot in 3D. Don’t be. A lot of the movie’s special effects weren’t even created for the movie, apparently at least some of them were created for the little seen 2004 Michael Bay movie The Island and, oh yeah, that movie definitely was not shot in 3D.

The Island does a lot of things wrong, but one of the things it did right was a pretty spectacular freeway chase sequence involving massive car crashes and bouncing debris. Transformers: Dark of the Moon contains a similarly impressive highway scene but, oh wait, it’s not just similar it’s the same scene.

The following video provides pretty damning visual evidence that Transformers: Dark of the Moon repurposes portions of The Island. Watch and prepare to be shocked.

Very few people saw The Island, so maybe Bay thought he could get away with this. But it seems clear that, for the Transformers highway sequence at least, someone just hopped on their computer and digitally inserted a bunch of robots running around in the chase sequence from The Island. That also explains why while watching it, the 3D in that sequence might seem a little less impressive than it does in other parts of film. If it does, it’s less impressive because that scene wasn’t shot in 3D. It was shot seven years ago, back when no one was shooting anything with 3D cameras.

We’ve come to expect a lot of things from Michael Bay, but one thing you don’t normally expect, is for him to skimp on special effects. Apparently, he does. It is perhaps worth noting that an extra was critically injured, and left paralyzed, while filming one of the movie's big, highway driving stunts. It's possible that this could be the scene in question and, rather than run the risky stunt again, Bay decided to re-use old footage.

Whatever his reasons for doing it, The Island footage is there. Do you care? Let us know in the comments below.

By now you know that Transformers: Dark of the Moon is not your average 3D movie-- or at least, that's what Michael Bay wants you to think. After famously calling the technology "a gimmick" Bay came around to the other side to shoot the third Transformers movie, using 3D cameras and just this week writing to theater owners to make sure they project the movie brightly enough so you can see all the 3D robot madness the way he intended it.

So was it worth it? Does his final installment in the Transformers franchise really demand that you see it in the third dimension? To answer that burning question, we're back with our regular feature To 3D Or Not To 3D, in which we weigh all the pros and cons of strapping on the glasses and let you know exactly where your movie ticket money ought to go this weekend. This isn't a review of the movie itself-- you can go here for that-- but a specific focus on what 3D adds to the experience of watching robots whale on each other while destroying a great American city in the process.

Does It Fit?

The general rule of thumb is that 3D works well for animated films but not live-action. More than virtually any other live-action film you'll see this summer, though, Transformers: Dark of the Moon blurs that line, relying so heavily on the all-CGI Autobots and Decepticons and the digitally enhanced havoc they wreak. That plus the fact that Bay used 3D cameras and has significantly altered his rapid-cut shooting and editing style to accommodate the technology means this is probably the best-suited live action film for 3D since Avatar.

Planning & Effort

As previously mentioned, Michael Bay used special 3D cameras to shoot much of the film, and now that he's best buds with James Cameron, presumably had all the good advice he could possibly need. Even though there's some post-conversion 3D in the mix as well, the conversion process was started nearly a year ago, and is blended in with a lot of action scenes shot on the best 3D cameras they have out there. You could argue that Michael Bay's filmmaking technique of shooting quickly, editing rapidly and swerving the camera all over the place wasn't great preparation for the deliberate style needed for 3D, but for this particular film, he seems to have put in the effort to make up for it.

Beyond the Window

We think of 3D as the technology used to pop things out of the screen and into your face, but it's used more often these days to create a sense of depth, as if you're peering into a window into the many dimensions of space beyond it. Michael Bay has always done this in his films, cramming the screen with as much as action as you could handle watching-- and sometimes more-- and in Transformers 3 he does it even better with the 3D to help him. Granted, that's pretty much only in the action scenes, and the first half of the movie has a lot of scenes between people or Autobots indoors where there's no significant sense of depth. But when the action starts on the streets of Chicago at the end of the film, the devastated city streets and collapsing buildings seem to stretch on forever, an awesome use of the technology and probably the best reason for the movie to be in 3D.

Before the Window

This is where we talk about that aforementioned traditional appeal of 3D, where robots or blood and guts or whatever else comes flying at you, seemingly going beyond the frame of the screen. Live-action movies typically aren't very good at this, and while Transformers: Dark of the Moon doesn't use it that well, it has a handful of good moments, including an opening sequence featuring all Autobots and some truly vertigo-inducing scenes on top of Chicago's skyscrapers near the end. It doesn't lean on the trick enough to seem gimmicky, but that's kind of what you have to do to score high here. There's enough that they don't seem to be wasting the technology, but maybe not as much as they could have gotten away with.

Brightness

As we've been hearing so much lately, including from Bay himself, this score may depend a lot on your local movie theater-- 3D projectors have to be cranked up extra bright to compensate for the darkening effect of the 3D glasses themselves, and a lot of theaters aren't willing to burn through their bulbs quickly enough to get the proper effect. If Transformers: Dark of the Moon is projected correctly, though, it will look terrifically bright. As a director Bay loves shooting at sunset but rarely at night, so all the action scenes in the movie are lit brightly and clearly, half the time without any shadows to be seen. The indoor scenes are well lit too, mostly taking place in fluorescent lit offices or giant military hangars, but the 3D matters less in these scenes. You really need that brightness in the fast-moving action scenes, and it delivers spectacularly there.

The Glasses Off Test

At the very end of Transformers: Dark of the Moon I took off my 3D glasses to get ready to leave, only to snap back to attention on the screen when a bonus scene popped up-- a bonus scene I couldn't make out at all because it was so blurry. When you take your glasses off in a 3D movie you usually see the images in a blur thanks to the two camera lenses it takes to create the 3D image; the blurrier the images, the deeper and often more effective the 3D. That particular credits shot was probably one of the best examples of deep 3D in the film, but there were a few other ones too, particularly in the "wingsuit" sequence where military men soar like birds through downtown Chicago. When I took my glasses off in all the character and dialogue scenes, which there are a lot of in the first half of the film, it didn't really make a difference. But in the action sequences, which is clearly all that was actually important to Bay and probably anyone who wants to see the movie, the 3D went deep and the picture went blurry without the glasses.

Audience Health

I expected to feel violently ill thanks to the collision of camera-flying, quick-editing Michael Bay-- if the action sequences in Transformers 2 made me feel a little woozy, what on earth would a 3D version be like? I'm happy to report I had no nausea issues following the action onscreen, though it did take a little time to get used to like most other 3D movies. Apparently I'm the lucky one though-- Head Honcho Josh Tyler, known to have a slightly weaker stomach for 3D anyway, reported feeling a little ill when he walked out. And if you've had trouble with 3D nausea in the past, the sheer amount and intensity of the action in Transformers 3 may give you the urge to get some fresh air, even if the 3D isn't used nearly as violently as I expected.

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Final Verdict: Transformers: Dark of the Moon is definitely the best live-action 3D I've seen since Avatar, and given where the 3D trend is headed, it might be the best example we ever get to see. Bright and energetic and engaging without making you feel (too) ill or overwhelmed, it's the first action film this summer that actually feels worth seeing in 3D. Whether or not you think the movie is worth seeing is another question, of course, but if you find yourself at the ticket booth and only 3D screenings of Transformers are available, know that you'll get your money's worth of 3D technology up on the screen.

For more 3D analysis, visit our To 3D Or Not To 3D archive.

The box office has a little for everyone this week. Tom Hanks returns to the directing chair so he can hook up with Julia Roberts, Michael Bay brings us more Autobots and Decepticons, and Selena Gomez gets the tweeners all worked up. Whatever your fancy.

Just remember, I'm not reviewing these movies, but rather predicting where they'll end up on the Tomatometer. Let's take a look at what This Rotten Week has to offer.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

There are two kinds of dining experiences. The times you head out to La Bernardin, order the langoustine with mescolun salad, have a sommelier recommend the perfect wine pairing and get a check for a few hundred bucks if you decided to go on the price fixe menu. But can you complain? The food's divine and no critic would disagree. Then there's Dave and Busters. You order a burger and fries, get a Budweiser on tap, and drop a couple hundred on video games while trying to decide on ordering an extra side of potato skins. Which kind of dinner night would you say the Michael Bay experience is most analogous to?

See I like a guy who knows who he is. He likes boom booms. He adores crappy dialogue. There's never been a one-liner he doesn't want to throw in on top of another explosion. Dude can even make fun of himself for it, because he's selling you on a surface experience rather than on the award-winning striped bass with watermelon radish carpaccio. And there's something to be said for that. I think.

Would any critic walk into Dave and Busters and write anything positive? Would any critic even go to a Dave and Busters to begin with? (We loved the flavor development on the Cheddar Cheesy Fries! Five stars!!!) Of course not. But it doesn't stop folks from heading out to experience it. Hell, the Transformers series is over the $1.5 billion mark in box office sales and critics have generally crushed them. (Transformers - 57%, Revenge of the Fallen - 20%). Dark of the Moon looks much the same. Wall-to-wall action, very little acting, a suspect script, more crap blowing up, robots everywhere, and a hot chick or two. It's the Michael Bay experience! I'll take an order for two with a large Coke please! The Rotten Watch for Transformers: Dark of the Moon is 36%.

Larry Crowne

I'm a perpetual optimist. Meaning, literally, my optimism rolls on in infinity. The glass is always half full. The sunrise is forever beautiful. I always get up on the right side of the bed. Kittens are cute. Things will always turn out okay. Life is amazing! And that part of me wants to watch a movie like Larry Crowne and assume, beforehand, the product is transcendent, uplifting, life-changing, hell some kind of combination between Castaway - Pretty Woman in which the protagonists hook us from the jump and make the viewers *gasp* forever emotionally invested in their less-than-spectacular on-screen lives (these two have done it to us before and that was a lot of hyphens).

But here's the thing. (and remember, I'm the optimist in the bunch, kittens and all), what are critical expectations here? Because when a movie poster says Hanks and Roberts (and directed by Hanks, oh my); all of a sudden the level of what's “supposed to happen on screen” jumps to some Academy Award winning level. And man that's a real bitch.

Because behind a trailer filled with “moments” and a catchy soundtrack is a movie critics won't necessarily latch on to. See, there are certain movies, which capture our hearts. And then there are others that want so freaking badly to capture our hearts, but don't. This flick looks like the latter. Hanks (directed That Thing You Do - 92%) looks like he's trying pretty hard to make the perfect romantic comedy-ish flick. I don't think critics will agree. The Rotten Watch for Larry Crowne is 49%.

Monte Carlo

It was close. Almost made it through the whole trailer for this mess, but when Selena Gomez knocked a polo ball into a table of champagne causing the bubbly to go everywhere, it was check out time. That was the 1:31mark. See if you can do better.

A little case of mistaken identity is never a bad idea for a film I guess, but is there anything for a person over the age of twelve to get excited for here? Nope, and I just spent a solid fifteen seconds thinking about it. Director Tom Bezucha has The Family Stone (52%) on his resume and I'd be lying if it didn't get a tad bit misty in the Norrie household for that flick. But that's all he's done in the last decade.

Gomez's resume isn't bad (Ramona and Beezus - 69%), but that one movie is all we're really working with here. That and the dream of all pre-high school girls (and women in general I suppose) to end up living the life of luxury with sparkly things, closets full of shoes, butlers, handsome men on horses, new dresses and whatever else comes with being a heiress. Monte Carlo still looks dreadful. The Rotten Watch for Monte Carlo is 30%.

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Recapping last week:

Bad Teacher (Predicted: 44% Actual: 46%) was awfully close to the mark. Damn fine prediction. When the trailer for a comedy doesn't have me laughing at least four times, I know something is amiss.

Cars 2 (Predicted: 75% Actual: 33%) was Pixar's first real stinker. And in a critical sense, it bombed. I want to believe this is just pothole in the road, and that Pixar will rebound nicely. But for a studio that cranks out critical darlings, falling 41% lower than their next lowest film (Cars - 74%) is something to keep an eye on.

Next week bad bosses get their comeuppance and Kevin James trades in his mall security uniform for a zookeeper outfit. It's going to be a Rotten Week!

I have good news for all those that still have faith in Michael Bay to make a quality Transformers movie: Dark of the Moon is almost here. Earlier today we posted a new TV spot from the movie that (unfortunately) featured the leg-humping robot from Revenge of the Fallen, but now we have a new still that's considerably more badass.

Paramount has sent over a new image from the film featuring the new baddie Shockwave. Now, you might say that this is quite similar to a previously released image, what with the same angle and all, but there is a key difference here: this one includes a couple of those cool-looking snake robots that cut down the skyscraper in the trailer (which is a pretty damn awesome moment). We haven't seen too much of Shockwave in action just yet, but you can be certain that come June 29 he will probably be moving quite a bit.

Check out the image below or click on it to see it full size.

For more on Transformers: Dark of the Moon, be sure to head over to our Blend Film Database.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is all but guaranteed to be one of the biggest hits of summer 2011, and just like all major blockbusters these days, it will be presented in 3D. Though hesitant to move towards the format at first because of how the technology would affect his style of filmmaking, director Michael Bay says that he now fully embraces the movement and a big reason behind that acceptance is James Cameron, a man whom many see as the patron saint of the third dimension.

Earlier this evening I was granted an invitation to attend a moderated conversation between Bay and Cameron while they discussed flaws, benefits and importance of 3D in today’s cinema. The footage of said conversation will be available on this coming Friday, but I am writing this article now because the evening had another surprise: the opening sequence of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which I am more than happy to recap for you right here on Cinema Blend.

For those that want to enter the new Transformer film knowing nothing about the plot, I suggest you turn away now as the first five minutes are jam packed with exposition that sets up the film’s entire story line. This is your final warning as the…

Synopsis Starts Here

Following the title sequence, the camera floats through space until it lands on the planet Cybertron which is littered with giant metal constructs. From afar we witness the great battle-between Autobots and Decepticons as Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) begins his voice-over. Describing the interminable battle on the planet’s surface, an airship flies by which Optimus reveals has cargo that could have saved them.

The airship with the precious cargo begins to fly away from the planet’s surface just when Decepticon ships successfully blow it up. We're then transported to 1961 New Mexico where the surface of the moon is being analyzed. We then see the Autobot ship crash land and scientists detect the impact. Knowing that they need to see what’s going on, a call is made to Washington and a CGI version of John F. Kennedy is shown discussing America's need to beat the Russians to the moon in order to figure out exactly what’s going on. We then watch archive footage of JFK’s famous address in which he stressed the importance of getting a man on the moon.

More archive footage of Apollo 11’s launch is shown as well as Walter Cronkite’s news coverage of the event. Finally we see Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land on the lunar surface, with Armstrong proclaiming that “The Eagle has landed,” before giving his famous line, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” After this quote, a man at mission control turns a knob and the signal feed is cut. Even some NASA scientists have no idea what’s going on. Speaking to the astronaut on a private feed, one of the insider’s says “Neil, you are dark on the rock. Mission is a go. You have 21 minutes.”

Neil and Buzz then travel across the moon’s surface to the location of the crashed ship, which is enormous in contrast to the size of the humans approaching it. Arriving at the edge of the ship, Neil kneels down and the dust sinks down to reveal a giant metal face. Reporting the findings, Neil then says that the ship has suffered a great deal of damage and that they won’t have time to explore the entire ship. There are no signs of life, but what the astronauts witness is not lost on him. “We are not alone, are we?” Mission control says into the radio. “No we are not,” Neil responds.

We then watch archive footage of President Richard Nixon as he praises the efforts of NASA in getting a man mission successfully to the moon. The command module Columbia flies safely into the Pacific Ocean and the entire mission is viewed as a success, with the general public having no idea about their actual motives. As the heroes are arriving back on land, a metallic suitcase is placed into a trunk labeled “Top Secret.” Back on the moon the camera flies into the inner bowels of the ship where we see a giant transformer – to later be identified as Sentinel Prime – whose eyes suddenly begin to glow, suggesting that he is still active. Flying into the robot’s pupil, moving machinery forms the film’s title: Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Synopsis Ends Here

Fitting with the theme of the evening, the first thing I’ll talk about is the use of 3D, which I think looked fantastic. As with many 3D action films, it did occasionally prove to be a distraction, but for the most part it was used effectively. While the technology will probably prove itself to be an even bigger factor when it comes to on-the-street battles between giant robots, I will say that the extra dimension did add a grandiose element to both the war on Cybertron and the scenes on the moon, but this leads me to my next point.

The first minute or so shows off an absolutely epic battle, filled with potential that, if the marketing is any indication, won’t be explored in the rest of the film. It’s truly impossible to create an opinion about a movie having only seen a few minutes of it, but human-removed robot-versus-robot fighting has been something that fans of the original animated series have been clamoring for since Bay’s first Transformers film came out in 2007. It’s entirely possible that this summer we're in for a huge flashback sequence that takes full advantage of the Cybertron war, but if the previous films are any indication we are going to be stuck with Earth-bound battles and useless humans running around robotic feet.

The first 3D cut of the Transformers: Dark of the Moon trailer is set to launch with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides this weekend and be sure to look out for the Michael Bay-James Cameron conversation on Friday.

Hot on the heels of the movie’s first, full trailer… here’s a brand new poster for Transformers: Dark of the Moon. The trailer made it clear that this is basically an alien invasion flick. Think Battle: Los Angeles except set in Chicago and with robots fighting on our side instead of just Aaron Eckhart. Also, unlike Battle: LA this movie actually has an effects budget. That means Michael Bay gets to blow things up, and apparently fold skyscrapers in half.

Here’s the new Dark of the Moon poster:

There’s a lot going on here, but most of it should make sense if you’ve seen the trailer. I’m pretty sure that pile of parts laying at Optimus’s feet is his flying gear. Yeah, Optimus Prime can fly now. That was in the trailer, though it went by so fast you might have missed it. We have screencaps of his high-flying antics here and here.

Just in case you missed the trailer, here it is again, embedded below:

If you've seen the first two Transformers movies you know that a there is a ton of metal and fire flying all around the screening that prevents you from taking everything in. Naturally, this goes for the trailers as well. The theatrical promo for Transformers: Dark of the Moon has just gone online, but there are some frames that the human eye is just not going to be able to process at the right speed. That's why we're here to help.

Below you will find a gallery of 105 images taken directly from the new Michael Bay trailer. Browse the whole thing, but here's a couple of specific highlights we Transformers fans should be interested in:

Optimus Prime can fly! image 1 & image 2

Is this Laserbeak? image 1 & image 2

Bumblebee pulls of an amazing catch. image 1 & image 2

Note the structure behind Optimus in this one. Omega Supreme? image

Get going and browse through the entire batch of amazing images...

As announced last week, the first theatrical trailer for Transformers: Dark of the Moon will be released this week. To celebrate the run-up to the extended spot, Paramount has teamed up with Apple to deliver one new Transformers still a day. Today we get still number one.

Delivering our second look at the character, the image provided is another shot of Shockwave, a Decepticon making his debut in the series' second sequel. While the picture does show off the bad guy's single eyeball, the character's other most distinctive feature is sadly cut off: the giant laser cannon that he has for a right arm.

Check out the image below or in super high-res over on Apple.

In 1974 the second Godfather film became the first major feature to use "Part 2" in its title, an effort to usher in an era of simplicity in sequel titles, when you could just announce yourself as the next installment in a story and move on with it. It was an elegant choice that very few blockbusters have emulated since; setting aside the occasional Iron Man 2 or Lethal Weapon 4, most sequels try to cram in the name of the franchise, some jazzy new title to set it apart from the first one and maybe even a number to appease those of you keeping track.

?? Sometimes it works just fine and we're allowed to look past the clutter-- Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan rolls right off the tongue, and no matter how much George Lucas may insist on Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope, we all know there's just a two-word title needed. But for some reason these days the studios are getting tripped up between their own attempts at brand identity and a smidgen of creativity, resulting in movie titles that are horrible mashups of words and numbers and ideas that wind up meaning absolutely nothing, even to the audiences that supposedly love these franchises.

?? With yesterday's announcement that a forthcoming prequel will now be called Rise of the Planet of the Apes, we decided to take a look at the linguistically horrifying movie titles coming our way in 2011… and the results were even more depressing than we thought. Including Apes there are eight major franchise movies coming out this year with straight-up awful titles, whether thanks to greedy corporate branding, lazy reliance on cliche, or one unfortunate punctuation decision made in the 60s. Check out our list of the worst franchise movie titles in 2011, and come to terms with the fact that at this point, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a title that seems downright elegant.

Hoodwinked Too!: Hood Vs. Evil

April 29

If you’re a movie executive trying to develop a title and you think that a rhyming pun is the best place to start, please go stick your hand in a fire for thirty seconds. While the idea that we’re going to see a sequel to Hoodwinked is entirely ridiculous in and of itself, this title is a complete mess. When changing “Two” to “Too” (see what I did there?), you are going from a number to a word that means “also.” This change has absolutely no context. Then there’s the change from the word “good” to “hood.” While this actually does make contextual sense, it really isn’t funny to anyone over the age of three. This is a miserably stupid title.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

July 1

This was the title that really got the conversation going behind the scenes here at Cinema Blend, when it was first announced back in October. We even have a running contest that makes the person who accidentally writes “Dark Side of The Moon” pay for it dearly. But Pink Floyd is only half of the issue here. Say what you will about Revenge of the Fallen as a movie, but at least the name on the poster is straightforward and refers specifically to the plot. I get that the plot of Dark of the Moon has something to do with Apollo 11 and the first moon landing, but that's no excuse for leaving an important noun out of your title. When crafting a title, clarity is important. Dark of the Moon is nonsense.

Captain America: The First Avenger

July 22

Admittedly this is probably the best title of the eight featured in this article, but it certainly has its sins. Let me draw up a quick list: Spider-Man. Iron Man. X-Men. Hellboy. Thor. Noticing a pattern yet? These are all superhero movies that do just fine without the addition of a stupid tagline. But what makes this worse than titles like X2: X-Men United or Hellboy 2: The Golden Army? The bit after the colon doesn’t have anything to do with the movie at all, instead just serving as a way for Marvel to pimp next year’s The Avengers. That and to find a way to market the film overseas to countries that hate us and don’t want to see a movie with “America” in the title.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

August 5

Finally we get to the title that spawned this list. Let’s get one thing straight first: I understand that all of the previous Planet of the Apes movies included the original title somewhere and that this isn’t even the first time an Apes film has repeated the phrase “of the” (that dubious honor belongs to Conquest of the Planet of the Apes). But precedent isn’t the same thing as reason or good sense. For starters, the movie is about the Apes rising to power, not the planet, so the whole thing is already complete nonsense. Next is the dreadful repetition, which is so clunky that it could cause a speech impediment. But above all else, this title’s biggest problem is that it devolved from a much better one. Rise of the Apes was clean, made logical sense, and could even be understood by those with massive head injuries. The mess they turned it in to? Not at all.

?

Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World

August 19

The Spy Kids franchise has never exactly been known for the grace of its titles, but All the Time in the World reaches a strange new low. It seems almost sarcastic, something you say to a kid you're waiting to put on his shoes and get to school-- "Oh, don't worry, you have all the time in the world before the bus gets here." At the very least it doesn't exactly suggest the urgency of the latest mission for the titular spy kids, who according to Wikipedia are being called to "join hands with [stepmother] Marissa to put their differences aside to save the world." It's another one of those titles that sounds fancy in familiar, but becomes utterly meaningless when you look at it for even an extra second.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

November 4

All the basic elements here are just fine-- Harold and Kumar are back, the "very" in the title suggests a play on a classically cheesy Christmas special, and even the tiresome 3D fad seems like a great idea when used to make giant clouds of marijuana smoke pop off the screen. But the assembled title is more like a sandwich that sounds delicious only to a stoner, a bunch of things that sound great separately but congeal into mush when slapped together between pieces of bread. You'll probably eat this sandwich and maybe even enjoy it, but in between every bite you'll live with the shameful knowledge that you can do better.

Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol

December 16

I don't even know where to begin with this one. Let's start with the punctuation nightmare that's been part of all of the Mission: Impossible movies, because what started as a clever name for a TV series in the 1960s has morphed into a veritable grammar gauntlet. It was tricky enough putting the number after the title-- you mean the name of the mission is "Impossible 3"?-- but adding an entire phrase afterward means you've got a colon and a dash, punctuation marks that, let's be honest, don't belong in a movie title at all. As for the "Ghost Protocol" part, I can give the benefit of the doubt and assume it ties into the movie in a meaningful way; but for now, when it comes to selling a new franchise film 8 months before release, it makes me think Ethan Hunt will be climbing into the Mystery Machine and investigating haunted mansions.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

December 25

??This one of those times that a simple "2" would have sufficed-- it worked for Robert Downey Jr. last time in Iron Man 2, didn't it? We know nothing about the plot of this film just yet that would give meaning to the Game of Shadows title, but be honest with yourself-- you know that title's not going to mean anything once the movie comes out either. It's another one of those generic, vaguely mysterious sounding titles-- there are lots of those on this list-- that add perceived weight to a franchise film without signifying anything at all. It looks great on a poster but adds more noise to a movie market already crammed with meaningless sequels.

Today at the New York Toy Fair, toy manufacturer Hasbro held its annual event for the press, revealing all the new action figures, toys and games that will tie in with some of the biggest movies coming out this year. Representing toys for Marvel, the Star Wars franchise and the Hasbro classics G.I. Joe and Transformers, they basically have your entire childhood on a single showroom floor. Among the toys they unveiled were several Autobots who will be making their first appearances this summer in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, including Topspin, one of the NASCAR-inspired Wreckers who will be joining the Autobots this summer. They also had a play set version of the Autobot Ark, which you can see parked on the moon in the film's teaser trailer

Below you can see the first look at Topspin, plus my shot of the Autobot Ark and what's inside it; in the gallery below that you can see all the other toys I snapped at the Hasbro event, including Captain America in a number of comics-inspired getups, the Nerf Thor hammer that you're dying to have, and the life-size Mack Truck Optimus Prime that was parked outside on the street. The Marvel toys didn't contain any scoops about the plot of Thor or Captain America, but it was interesting to see the "Avengers Assemble" logo used for the entire toy line, featuring only Iron Man, Cap and Thor. They're not yet revealing the presumably giant line of toys they'll have for The Avengers in 2012, but it does seem like poor Hulk ought to feel left out right now.

Anyway, below the Autobots check out the entire gallery of toys galore; we'll have some official photos from Hasbro and more reporting to add tomorrow.

The Super Bowl is regularly the biggest television event of the year, and, as a result, a huge target for advertisers. But interspersed amongst all of the commercials for beer and boner pills, movie studios like to put in trailers for upcoming major films and this year is no different.

THR has gotten its hands on a list of all of the trailers to be shown during this year's Super Bowl, and it is quite a doozy, containing everything from this summer's two big Marvel movies (including our first look at Captain America: The First Avenger), J.J. Abrams' Super 8, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Battle: Los Angeles and more. The full list of trailer being shown before, during and after the big game includes:

• Super 8
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon
• Thor
• Captain America: The First Avenger
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
• Cowboys & Aliens
• Limitless
• Just Go With It
• Battle: Los Angeles
• Priest
• The Eagle
• Rango
• Kung Fu Panda 2
• Take Me Home Tonight

Even if you don't care about sports in the slightest, this is one hell of a movie lineup and a pretty great example of how 2011 should shape up. On February 6, prepare to watch some really great football, laugh at the monkey wearing a tuxedo, and get a first look at some of the biggest movies of the year.

Last month, an image of a Transformers toy came online and the wide spread belief was that it was a small, plastic version of what Megatron will look like in this summer's blockbuster, Transformers: Dark of the Moon. If that toy is indeed Megatron, then we now have our first look at the real deal.

Inside Line has posted three new set photos from the third film in the Michael Bay-directed franchise, and while it appears to be a lot dirtier than the toy version and the tattered cloth is in the wrong place, one can assume that the pictures below are of the evil leader of the Decepticons. Check out two of the images below as well as a comparison image of the toy, and head over to Inside Line to get a new look at one of the Autobots known as Wreckers.

The first trailer for Transformers: Dark of the Moon debuted just a few moments ago and, though it didn’t reveal much else, at least now we know what the movie’s title means. If you haven’t watched the trailer yet, get moving and watch the whole thing right here and then head back to this page for a more in-depth, frame by frame look at what you just saw.

We’ve gone through the entire Dark of the Moon trailer and taken high-res screencaps of key moments in Michael Bay’s new threequel. Get a closer look at that astronaut in the helmet. Does he really look like Neil Armstrong? Stare into the eyes of the mysterious robot at the end. Is that really Alpha Trion as people are theorizing? Answers may be found in the screencaps below. Browse:

Some pretty big news dropped in the industry throughout this week, including brand new footage of Rockstar’s upcoming drama-thriller, L.A. Noire. Activision and Hasbro announced that a new Transformers: Dark Of The Moon game and Transformers: War for Cybertron 2 title is on the way, however one won’t be due out until 2012. GamersFirst did the unthinkable…well, not really, but they picked up the North American publishing license for All Points Bulletin, which will be free-to-play starting in the first half of 2011. OnLive also confirmed an official release date for the MicroConsole, which will be made available beginning early December, and THQ honed in a release date for HomeFront. These stories and more in this November 20th, 2010 edition of the Gaming Blend Weekly Recap.

Sunday

Mafia II Joe’s Adventure Trailer Goes Bada Boom. Bada-bing, bada-boom, right?

3D Gaming Getting Too Costly? Contour Introduces Energy Saving 3D Batteries. Because everyone needs batteries for something…even active shutter 3D glasses.

HomeFront Screenshots Released For Xbox 360, PS3 And PC. Lots of Korean oppression going on in these new screenshots.

Capcom Unveils MotoGP 10/11 Debut Trailer. It’s not a rip-roaring trailer, but it is sexily cool.

Pinball FX2 Review. Is this Live Arcade pinball title worth the few hundred MS points?

Transformers War for Cybertron 2 Coming 2012. It’s a long wait but well worth it.

Monday

Sly Cooper 4 Trailer Revealed. Because usually collection games are actually a stepping stone for announcing a new game.

Call of Duty Black Ops Review. Pete Haas tells it like it is for Treyarch’s attempt at doing CoD better than Infinity Ward.

Hexen: Edge of Chaos Now Available And Free-to-Play. As long as you still have Doom 3, that is.

Fable III Understone Quest Pack Announced. Already finished with the Fable III quests? I don’t think that’s likely so soon after launch, but regardless a few extra more are on the way.

Fight Night Champion Coming March 2011 For PS3 And Xbox 360. Move support and Kinect capabilities would make this own soooo much.

Ministry of War Launching in North America This Week. By the time you read this the game

Tuesday

GamersFirst Picks Up APB; Going Free-to-Play In 2011. A really big step for a free-to-play MMO publisher.

Need for Speed Shift 2: Unleashed Coming Spring 2011.

Asskickers Announced; White Collar Bankers To Get Beat Come 2011. Yeah, let’s kick some white-collar tail for causing the crappy economy!

One Million Kinects Sold For Xbox 360 In Just 10 Days. One week on the North American market and the thing is already a huge hit.

Samurai II Vengeance Gameplay Media Blowout. Check out some new footage of the iPhone mobile game.

Activision May Sell Bizarre Creations. Despite having a nicely reviewed 007 Blood Stone game, Activision isn’t really digging the company that excelled at making Project Gotham Racing.

Wednesday

Budcat Creations Shut Down. They didn’t fare as well and Activision is cutting the cord on the company.

Witcher 2 Collection Edition Revealed. High quality content for a high quality game.

Prince of Persia Trilogy Coming To PSN. Grab the entire thing for a budget price on PSN.

HomeFront Release Date Revealed. The invasion of the USA begins in other countries sooner than you think.

BioWare Next Game Revealed At 2010 SpikeVGAs. It has something to do with science fiction…and guns. That’s all I know. Really.

Daft Punk Invades TRON Evolution Soundtrack. Fusing electronic beats with a…uh…electronic game. Yeah.

2010 Spike VGAs Nominees Announced. It’s like the Oscars for gamers. Did your favorites make the list?

Thursday

OnLive Game Console Release Date Pre-Orders Pricing Detailed. It’s a lot cheaper than you may have been expecting.

Call of Duty Black Ops Sets Five Day Sales Record. Ensuring that Activision continues to laugh on their way to the bank.

Lego Pirates of the Caribbean Announced. New game is on the way to coincide with the release of the new movie.

Achivements Trophies List Revealed for Nail’d How high do you have to fly to nab a platinum? Click the link to find out.

LA Noire Screenshots and Story Details Released. Find out what’s going on in this noire crime thriller.

Section 8 Prejudice Four-Player Co-op Walkthrough Trailer. A complete walkthrough of the new Skirmish mode added to Section 8.

Friday

Mafia II Avatar Clothing Hits Xbox Live. Want to dress gangster? Well, it’s now an option for your Avatar.

Portal 2 Delayed April, 2011. Valve calls it a small delay and I think I concur.

R.U.S.E. Manhattan Project Pack DLC Announced. Still playing this RTS? Well, good news for you then. New DLC is on the way.

Dreamland Online Heads Into Closed Beta November 21st. The arcade, side-scrolling MMO is already in beta by the time you read this…more than likely, anyway.

Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard Announced. Additional content coming out for the Lord of the Rings Online, which is now F2P by the way.

Natural Selection 2 Heads Into Closed Beta. Gamers looking to blast the crap out of evolutionized aliens can now do so…sort of.

Bungie Seeking Beta Testers For Next Game. Curious about their new project? Well, click on the link to find out how to be a part of it.

Saturday

Yet Another F2P Shooter Coming; Project Blackout Set For Release In December. Standard-fare deathmatch at its best?

Call of Duty Black Ops Wii Patch Coming Soon. Fixing things that should have been patched pre-release.

DC Universe Online Screenshots Get All Fiery And Explosive. A few fireballs leading up to one giant fiery explosion.

GuWange Japanese Bullet Hell Review. The arcade classic from the early 00s gets released on XBLA.

EVGA Has Super Cheap GeForce GTX 460 SE Available In Time For The Holidays. Half the cost of a GeForce 7X on eBay…and that’s no joke.

Haunted House Not That Scary. A review of the XBLA horror game that forgets to bring the scares.

Five Things We Want To See In Left 4 Dead 3. A great way to end the weekend…with a Top 5 from Stick Skills.

We close out this week’s recap with the official Japanese debut trailer for Tecmo Koei’s seventh installment in the long-running hack-and-slash series, Dynasty Warriors. See if you can spot some of your favorites or recognize any of the new faces in the trailer below. Enjoy.