Strangers and Aliens: Science Fiction & Fantasy from a Christian Perspective

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION (Summer Movie Series) — SA131

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tformersBen is joined by Matt Anderson of The Sci-Fi Christian and Daniel Butcher of Welcome to Level Seven & Between Disney to talk about the latest in the Transformers franchise!

What deep theme did Ben find in the movie? What totally offended Daniel? What was Matt’s favorite line from the movie? And do any of them recommend it? Indeed, what one specific person does Daniel recommend it to?

Find the answers to all this and more, as three guys tackle the Michael Bay summer blockbuster TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION!!!

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3 responses to “TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION (Summer Movie Series) — SA131”

  1. Alan Avatar
    Alan

    Interesting discussion on whether these movies should be “for the kiddies” or not. Personally, I am not a fan of handcuffing a creator to a “kids only” storyline just because some drone in the marketing department has made licensing deals that maybe they shouldn’t have. To me, the PG-13 warning and explanation is enough information for a parent to decide whether or not to see this particular movie with their 9-year-old.

    Transformers has always fit into the category for me of Batman, the Turtles, and Planet of the Apes, in that aspects of those franchises are marketed to kids, but not everything in those product lines are for the 10-and-under crowd. And that’s OK with me. — Professor Alan

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    1. Ben Avery Avatar
      Ben Avery

      I hess the difference between Planet of the Apes and Transformers is this:

      Transformers started as toys, went to cartoons, and then back and forth until you have this movie, based on toys and cartoons that are marketed to children and have been for thirty years.

      Planet of the Apes, in spite of its G-rating, was a movie that was made because they had a great script. Say what you will about the sequels and how it was kiddied up (really, it wasn’t until the FINAL sequel that they did that, and even then a child was murdered . . . just in a very vague way).

      Transformers? There is ONE reason it’s not for kids. PG-13 movies make more money, theoretically, than PG movies. There is NO reason an artful, fun, engaging Transformers movie couldn’t be made with a PG rating. Except if it is rated PG people will think it’s not as good. Because OBVIOUSLY it’s FOR kids and kids alone.

      It can be done, it has been done, and there is no reason NOT to do it with Transformers.

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  2. thimblerigsark Avatar
    thimblerigsark

    I disagree, Alan. This movie was not just marketed for kids, Hasbro is one of the production companies behind the thing! It was a big, giant toy commercial, and they were all four inappropriate films for kids to see – and not because of the action scenes. Masturbation jokes? Cursing? Lingering shots of the female leads? I would say it’s less like the properties you mentioned, and more like Star Wars.

    Along those lines, read my plea to J.J. Abrams here: http://thimblerigsark.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/j-j-abrams-please-keep-the-sex-out-of-star-wars/

    If they’re going to make Transformers for adults, then they shouldn’t have entire sections of the toy department in Walmart and Target dedicated to the toys. To me, it’s just a big Hollywood sign of how lost our culture has gotten, morally.

    Cheers, Nate

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