The Big Summer Review

Time at a premium? Looking for some help in deciding which avenues of summer entertainment are worth your time? Not sure which movies your kids will sit through without making you want to choke yourself to death on popcorn?

I understand your plight and I want to help. Enter, Transformer Generation Dad, your favorite blog (say it’s your favorite, SAY IT!), to help you choose the right path.

Below, I review a movie, a video game and three books. Included are the pros and cons of each and suggestions on who might enjoy each product. Let’s begin, shall we?

TGD Movie Review
Toy Story 3

I entered this movie skeptical of how it might stack up against the previous two installments. I’ll have you know that it did not disappoint. I quickly felt that this may be the best of the three Toy Story movies. Let me break it down to pro and con so you see how it works.

The Pros:
The characters were at their best. The funniest scenes of this film were not spoiled by the commercials. Spanish speaking Buzz had me laughing hysterically despite expecting it. Mr. Potato Head’s need to find alternate food items to poke his parts into also proved more elaborate than what’s been seen on TV. During the numerous amazing action scenes Pixar did a great job not putting too much on the screen at one time. And, of course, there were plenty of heartwarming scenes to make you and the family turn to each other and go, “Awwwww.”

The Cons:
Pixar seems prone to a bit of dark story telling lately. There have been a few moments in movies like Up, Finding Nemo and Wall-E where things seem a bit too weighty and depressing for a child to grasp. These scenes can be sort of scary to wee people and cause a few cries of dismay to be heard in a crowded theater. Toy Story 3 has a handful of these. Nothing that will permanently scar any of your children, but you may want to be aware if you’re planning on attending with very little ones.

Who will like it?
Everybody. Unless you’re a complete cynic and curmudgeon, old fans and new fans of all ages and backgrounds will enjoy Toy Story 3.

TGD Video Game Review
Super Mario Galaxy 2

The sequel to the amazing Super Mario Galaxy brings Yoshi into the action and introduces new mushrooms that transform Mario into even more previously unseen forms.

The Pros:
This is not the same old game with new levels. You have to learn new skills. The enemies are engaging and the bosses are downright intimidating. The challenge level steps up from the previous game. Even the map and level navigation has been changed. Plus, after a certain point, you can choose to play any level as Luigi. How cool is that?

The Cons:
This game is tough enough to leave younger fans in the dust. I know it’s Mario, but there have been a handful of times where I have wanted to throw the Wii remote, nunchuck and all, through the screen. Riding Yoshi is not an easy task, but worth it once you become more familiar with his mechanics. I’m not going to even touch on the power-up mushrooms as a metaphor for drug use thing.

Who will like it?
Adults who enjoy Mario games will love this latest installment. Kids who can play the original Super Mario Galaxy and enjoy being challenged. Any youngsters who have trouble with New Super Mario Brothers Wii, might benefit from a little practice on the original Mario Galaxy first.

TGD Book Reviews
#1 – Mike & Mike’s Rules for Sports & Life

Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, the “Odd Couple” hosts of ESPN’s morning radio show have created a book together. It reads like a transcript from their show, but covers more broad ranging topics. In their daily morning shows, they are forced to deal with day to day occurrences, occasionally being able to relate them to big picture ideas. This book allows their imagination and arguments to roam free.

The Pros:
These two are funny. They don’t change that here. They amuse their readers with anecdotes and insults. Their arguments allow you to agree with one of them for several pages and immediately switch your allegiance in the next chapter. They had a commercial whose slogan was, “What makes them different makes them great.” That still describes them, but I’d like to add that while their many differences are entertaining, their similarities (their passion for sports, their ability to discuss various sides of an issue and their willingness to at least hear one another out) is what makes them great.

The Cons:
As I said above, the book reads like a transcript of their show. Each line is preceded by “Greeny” or “Golic” so you know who is talking. This can be a little frustrating. I got over it about forty pages in, but I can see how some may not like this.

Who will like it?
Guys who like sports. And girls who like sports (I’m so sexist). If you’re a fan of their radio show, you’ll love the book. If you are not inclined to enjoy sports at all, steer clear. I don’t think I needed to tell you that.

#2 & #3 – Spider-Man: Noir & Wolverine: Noir

Marvel often releases alternate universe or “What if?” versions of their popular characters. These allow readers to see what their favorite super heroes might be like had they existed in a different era or lived under different circumstances. In their Noir collection, Spider-Man and Wolverine were each placed in the Depression and depicted in a crime novel style.

The Pros:
Good characters like these keep your interest. Even though you know Spider-Man, you’re still interested to see him struggle to do the right thing. In this version, the Noir Spider-Man is more of a hardened vigilante than the average Peter Parker. It makes for a good read. Wolverine’s tale is one of being pushed to the limits of humanity closer to animal and seeing if you can return. The art in both books is unique to the characters but consistent with the genre and well done. Spider-Man’s mask, adapted from his Uncle Ben’s old military gear, is cool and menacing and probably the artistic highlight of both books.

The Cons:
Both are dark, but that should be expected. I found myself wishing they had changed a few more details about Spidey’s life. Oppositely, Wolverine seemed to depart a bit too much. I was even left in doubt about whether he was endowed with any special powers at all.

Who will like them?
Marvel comics fans who don’t need to see the same character in the same story. Not at all for kids. Dark and bloody. The more graphic panels are not for the faint of heart.


Hope this helps you figure out how to spend some free time. I’ll take this opportunity to pass on another web-site that I found helpful. I often wonder about certain PG and PG-13 movies being appropriate for my sons. This site has proven useful for explaining what is in the movie that influenced its rating and helping me know what to expect without giving away plot secrets. It is www.commonsensemedia.org and it details what you might see in movies, books and video games and what you might hear in music. It seems to just report facts and not be judgmental so helicopter parents can avoid any possible reference to alcohol or eating carbohydrates while more laid back parents like me can be prepared to come up with an innocent reason as to why the two characters went into the airplane bathroom together and came out with their clothes messy.

Now go! Watch, play, read!