TRAILBREAKER... There’s no word that this Autobot will show up in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (whose production has entered a temporary hiatus due to a potential Screen Actors Guild labor strike, which may happen by July 8 as speculated by other Blogs), but this fan art is so darn friggin’ cool that it needs to be posted anyway. It was first posted by Jolin on Michael Bay’s official message board:


Courtesy of JesterPictures.com

Here are kick-ass, fan-made images of Hound, Cliffjumper and Scavenger as well:


Courtesy of JesterPictures.com


Courtesy of moron2themax


Courtesy of JesterPictures.com

WALL-E... I saw the film yesterday, and Pixar has done it again. Even though the title character isn’t the most original-looking (Short Circuit, anyone?), Pixar did an excellent job making him a character you can definitely root for. Not to sound sissy-ish or anything (I’ll watch the Angelina Jolie assassin flick, Wanted, some other day), but even as a dude I couldn’t help but feel for the ‘bot whenever he had that sad droopy look in his eyes. Okay, nevermind— That did sound sissy-ish. But it was interesting how WALL-E and Eve communicated with each other by only saying the other robot’s name. Whenever they said each other’s name, it meant something else [WALL-E: "Eeeve!" (Translation: "I miss you and want you to be with me.") Eve: "WALL-E!" (Translation: "I miss you too, and wanna get laid by you, robotically.") Just kidding about that last part]. In terms of the other characters, that robot (named M-O) that had to clean the dirty tracks left behind by WALL-E onboard the spaceship Axiom was cool...but is that cockroach immortal or something? If roaches could survive being squashed that many times in real life, we're f*cked.



Fred Willard’s live-action cameo in an animated film was funny...but if the movie were to take place in real life (for some odd reason, I like bringing up real life in this journal entry), the future of humanity would be screwed as we know it (at least I didn't use the "F" word this time). Mankind’s existence depends on a bunch of fatasses (who have been living in space for 700 years) recolonizing the Earth! That's a drag. Famed Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt did a great job on the audio for the film (and also did the voice for WALL-E and M-O). That is all.



More screen shots from the film:

SEND YOUR NAME TO THE MOON... Today is the last day you can submit your name (or names) to be placed on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft. Click on the banner at the top of this page (or just go HERE) to do so. In case you’re wondering why this project is significant, it’s because LRO will be scouting out future landing sites for astronauts when they eventually return to the Moon (hopefully around 2020), as part of NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration initiative that began in 2004. LRO is scheduled to launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on November 24, 2008.

1.6 million names have been submitted since this opportunity began in early May.

A NEW DECEPTICON... On Tuesday night, the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog posted this image of a puppet "attacking" Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox and Transformers 2 newcomer Ramon Rodriguez inside a car at New Jersey's Princeton University (where production had been filming since Monday). Who is the puppet of, I don’t know. Seeing as how Frenzy supposedly died in the first film, could this be one of Soundwave’s minions? Take your pick: Ravage, Rumble or Laserbeak? That puppet does have a beak, or something similar to it.

On his official message board, Director Michael Bay—now back home in Miami since filming for Revenge of the Fallen has begun hiatus in preparation for a potential Screen Actor's Guild labor strike starting next Monday, had this to say about the puppet today:

"What that picture is - that is not a complete Transformer. We use detailed puppets for effects for sizing and color - the real effects are later completed but the robots are much more complicated.

I will post soon to tell you all about the shoot.

Michael"
Cool.

I'M SHAQ... PHOENIX COULDN'T DO IT WITH ME. I'm Shaq... Phoenix couldn't do it with me... If he's gonna tell it like it is, then maybe the Big Diesel—I mean, the Big Cactus—should next time rap about how he cost the Suns whatever chance they had at winning a title. Unless of course, they got Shawn Marion back.

By the way, before you mention the Miami Heat's first and only championship in 2004, that was all Dwayne Wade. So do you have the doctor who did the vasectomy on ya listed on your Fave 5, Shaq?

LAST NIGHT, I worked a marketing screening with Sue...and brought up the incident that took place last week with that security guard during the press screening. It’s kinda interesting—and fortunate—that I did mention it to her. I originally didn’t want to...as I was thinking that maybe Sue wanted to give him her number after all, and she was glad that the guard talked about her at that screening. Nope, that definitely wasn’t the case. Sue had misgivings about this guard when he lied to her about not having a girlfriend (he did), and tried to sow mistrust in her about her boyfriend. It’s a long story...but let’s just say that she was on the brink of ending her relationship with her BF, and it had to do with him being upset that she didn’t have time for him over the past couple of months (this was her last semester at Long Beach State, and she had tons of projects to work on). It got to the point where her BF was hangin’ out with other people and didn’t tell Sue where he was...prompting that security guard to tell her that she was being cheated on. I’d say more, but I think I’m getting myself in hot water if Sue eventually stumbles upon this journal entry! Haha.

Some of you are probably wondering why I thought it was fortunate that I mentioned this situation to her. It’s because of what I just mentioned above. Sue and I had a pretty deep conversation because of this, and I’m surprised that she actually came this close to leaving her BF...as recently as last month. If you saw the photos of her and her BF that she posted on her MySpace page, it seems like they were truly meant to be together (as painful as it is for me to type that). I was amazed at how close that came to not being true. Anyways, another reason why it was fortunate that I mentioned that press screening incident was because I gave Sue yet another hint about how much I care about her. I told her that I was unwilling to give her digits to that guard because she might get mad at me...but the main reason was stated in the link I provided at the beginning of this entry: That I totally like Sue, and there was no way in hell I’m gonna give another guy the opportunity to call and make a move on her. That’s all.

JETFIRE... Jolin of JesterPictures.com posted up this totally kickass fan-made image on the message board of Don Murphy...who is one of the producers on the live-action Transformers films. It is of Jetfire, the Decepticon-turned-Autobot whose vehicle mode will be an SR-71 Blackbird in Revenge of the Fallen. If the actual robot mode of Jetfire looks at least half as cool in the movie as in this artwork, we’re set.



Courtesy of JesterPictures.com

UPDATE: Found more cool fan-made artwork...


Courtesy of Ra88's deviantART page

REVENGE OF THE FALLEN Update... It has been 18 days since the start of filming for Transformers 2, and I thought I’d post up some pics that were taken over the course of the shoot. But first, here’s an article about Megan Fox talking about next year’s summer blockbuster that was posted on MTV.com yesterday:

When Michael Bay got behind the camera for his most recent film, he chronicled a lot more than just automobiles transforming into robots from outer space. Millions of fans also watched then 21-year-old Megan Fox transform from an obscure actress best remembered for a Lindsay Lohan movie into one of the most desired hotties on the planet.

Now, the Transformers star is back on the set with Michael Bay – and true to the director’s favorite word, she says he’s making an awesome sequel.

"As big as the first movie was, this is 10 times as big, 10 times as many set pieces, explosions, and acrobatic stunts," she told us about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. "Shia and I make out a little bit; I don’t know if anyone wants to see that."

Something tells us that Shia LaBeouf wants to see it.

Regardless, Megan insisted that the blossoming romance between Sam and Mikaela is only one of the many plotlines Bay will be juggling for the June 2009 flick. But according to the actress, some last-minute scrambling has been taking place to make sure their romance can hold its own among all those Autobot vs. Decepticon showdowns.

"You know, we’ve been having script meetings, and we’ve been reworking the script, because they wrote it fast because of the writer’s strike," she explained. "And, we’ve just been going through and trying to do some character stuff for Shia and myself in the middle of this crazy world that they’re in."

"I can tell you that we’re on locations in some really exotic places," she added. "It’s just going to be a badass movie. It’s just going to be a popcorn-visual-spectacle, summer film."

As for Michael Bay’s main directorial input to his lead actress, Megan had this to say: "His main note to me is just to look hot; so I try my best."


The 8 photos below, though not in chronological order, shows filming that was done in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.; and various locales across Philadelphia. Principal photography for Revenge of the Fallen will last for around 84 days...with filming also taking place in New Mexico, Arizona and New York. Even if a SAG strike occurs at the end of this month, Paramount/Dreamworks has placed a built-in hiatus in the production so filming won’t be affected should a labor walkout occur. Anyways, onto the pics:




For more info, go to this Transformers Movie Blog.

While working a private film screening in Hollywood last night, one of the security guards helping out our staff asked me if I had the phone number of Sue...who apparently had a conversation with the guard during a screening she worked the week before. At first, I told the guard that I did have her number, but it was at home. Obviously, this was a lie...as the digits were safely stored on my cell phone (I promptly saved it the minute Sue gave me her number through a message she sent me via MySpace more than a year ago)...which was undoubtedly tucked inside the business suit I was wearing that time. Eventually, I told the guard the truth: That I really like Sue and there’s no friggin’ way in hell I’m gonna give her digits to some dude I hardly know so he could call her up (not my exact words, of course).

One of my co-workers told me he was there last week when Sue had a chat with this guard, and that his request to get her number or give her his number was a legitimate one. BUT COULD I CARE LESS. Even if the request to call her is for a business-related reason, do you really think I’m gonna put this guy in the position to make a move on Sue if she ever breaks up with her current boyfriend (that is, after the guard somehow gets word of it)? HEELLLL NO! Sorry buddy... If you want Sue’s number, then wait to see her again at a screening and ask her in person. I’m the last dude you should be asking about her.

BTW, I don't sound like a paranoid ass, do I? Haha, don't answer that (not that I'd know if you did). Just thought I’d vent.

ON SUNDAY, I was finally able to upload a video I put together using footage I shot at Planetfest 2008, which was held at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel on May 25 to celebrate the Phoenix Lander arriving at Mars. TOUCHDOWN: PHOENIX Lands On Mars would’ve been uploaded about a week earlier, but I had to reformat my computer on Sunday after almost three years worth of installing new programs and saving useless files (RE: smut. Haha) caused me to run out of RAM (Random Access Memory, for those of you non-computer-savvy folks here)...and thus preventing me from saving the video on Windows Movie Maker, which I used to edit the project. The video is now on Youtube and MySpace, but only the Youtube version is embedded here. Enjoy! Hope you guys have a T1 line or at least high-speed Internet cable, ‘cause the clip is 9-minutes long.




PHOENIX Blog Entries Archive:

May 8, 2007
July 28, 2007
August 3, 2007
August 4, 2007
August 8, 2007
October 25, 2007
April 11, 2008
April 25, 2008
May 1, 2008
May 11, 2008
May 18, 2008
May 24, 2008
May 25, 2008
May 27, 2008

Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE / Getty Images

ON THE PLUS SIDE FOR THE LAKERS, they won as many games against the Celtics this postseason as...the Detroit Pistons (2 games to Boston’s 4 in the Eastern Conference Finals). On the downside for the Lakers, they didn’t win as many against the "C’s" as...the Atlanta Hawks (taking Boston to 7 games in the first round of the playoffs). Next year, Lakers. Next year...

By the way, do you think Paul Pierce will celebrate winning the NBA title by hangin’ at a nightclub tonight? If you’re a die-hard NBA fan, you’d know what I was talking about. And know how tasteless that remark was. Oh well.

THE DOWNSIDE of trying to constantly maintain a good mood: When something that puts you in a really crappy mood pops up in your head, it hits you like a locomotive. Truly sucks. That’s all.

AS PER TRADITION on this Blog page (in case you’re a regular visitor and haven’t noticed, which you most likely didn’t), here are two images of the International Space Station in its most recent configuration. Added on this current shuttle flight (which should end tomorrow morning with Discovery landing at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center) is Japan's Kibo science lab. The station’s appearance won’t change again till early next year, when the last set of solar panels are launched with Discovery on next February’s STS-119 mission. That’s all.

Garrett Ellwood / NBAE via Getty Images

UP BY 24 FRIGGIN’ POINTS, for cryin’ out loud! On the plus side from this NBA Finals debacle (if you’re an LA fan), there’s a moral victory for the Lakers even though they are now down 3-1 in this series. Though I’ll be damned if I’m in the mood to write about it come Sunday...or next Tuesday...if the Celtics for some odd reason lose Game 5 at STAPLES Center on Father’s Day, and clinch it at Boston in Game 6.

Damn it.

REVENGE OF THE FALLEN... I was bored and just thought I'd Photoshop this image of Megatron into the demonic Transformer known as Fallen...who is rumored to be in next year's Transformers sequel (hence the new subtitle for the film):

AND THE OFFICIAL TITLE for Transformers 2, according to the official Hasbro website and Michael Bay's homepage, is:

ABOVE: The green line marks the path traveled by the New Horizons spacecraft as of
3:00 AM, Pacific Daylight Time, on June 8, 2008. It is 843 million miles from Earth.
Click here to view the official webpage showing where New Horizons is in space.
(AU stands for Astronomical Units, in case you're wondering.)

NEW HORIZONS Update... NASA's Pluto-bound probe passed the orbit of Saturn today...and is now the farthest spacecraft from Earth that hasn’t yet reached its primary destination (it reaches Pluto in July of 2015). Cassini had the previous honor; having orbited Saturn since July of 2004 and still going strong. Cassini will end its primary mission next month—and will begin an extended tour of duty soon thereafter. Cool.

NEW HORIZONS Blog Entries Archive:

September 26, 2005
December 19, 2005
January 7, 2006
January 17, 2006
January 19, 2006
April 12, 2006
June 15, 2006
February 27, 2007
October 22, 2007
June 8, 2008

10 YEARS AGO TODAY, I graduated from high school. Just thought I’d share this oh-so-important tidbit with y'all...despite the fact much of my high school memories have been tarnished in one way or the other over the years. Later.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Have there ever been times for any of you where you're afraid to see a certain someone in person 'cause you're afraid you might make a bad impression to them (even though you've known that person for quite some time now)?

When you do see that individual in person, things actually start off on a great note, but during that time you're near them, you unwittingly do something to make yourself look like an ass to 'em? And what you feared in the beginning becomes true? Yea, that really sucks.

It sucks so bad that even though that person acts like nothing happened (and in fact seems like they quickly forgot about that incident) and genially says 'bye' to you before departing, you still feel like crap 'cause of that little screw-up half-an-hour before? And you dwell on it on that long drive home... Yea, that really sucks. Pretty frustrating.

Just thought I'd get this out of my system. Don't worry, I'll get back to Transformers 2 news in no time.

THE FIRST DAY OF SHOOT! There have been rumors that filming began in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, but today is officially the start of principal photography for Transformers 2! Production is currently taking place at the steel mill in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania...which is substituting for a Chinese city in the sequel. In terms of locations that will be used for TF2, Pennsylvania, numerous sites in Arizona (such as Sedona and the U.S. Air Force's 'Boneyard'), Washington D.C. and even the country of Jordan are reported to be places where Michael Bay will film for next year's summer blockbuster.



In terms of actors and actresses who are returning or will be playing new characters in TF2, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Jon Voight and Megan Fox (Thank God! She won a Spike TV Scream Award for 'Sci-Fi Siren', by the way... Yesterday, Transformers won the 2008 MTV Movie Award for Best Movie) will be reprising their roles along with Shia LaBeouf in the film. Rainn Wilson (from Juno and TV’s The Office) will be making a cameo as a college professor in the movie. Matthew Marsden (from Rambo and Black Hawk Down) will play a British Special Forces soldier who teams up with Tyrese Gibson and Josh Duhamel's characters. Isabel Lucas—who apparently is replacing Rachael Taylor as the hot blonde Australian chick in TF2—plays a female character named ‘Alice’.



There are also rumors that Jazz is returning for Transformers 2! Cool. There are reports that 20 robots (10 each for the Autobots and Decepticons) will be featured in the sequel. And lastly, here’s hoping the Screen Actors Guild doesn’t screw things up come June 30. If a union walkout occurs by that time, then I guess Optimus Prime and robotic Co. will be the only ones working this summer, haha. Sorry Megan. I still love ya.



UPDATE (June 3): For more info, go to this Transformers Movie Blog. Someone who was lucky enough to drop by the Bethlehem film set last night sent this video over to Superherohype.com. Pretty cool.