Shape of things to come

Each spring I start to get inexplicably excited for the summer blockbuster season, despite the fact that I almost always end up disliking the big-budget popcorn movies that litter the theater. Maybe it's psychological inertia, with the good will that winter films have generated giving me undue optimism; this year is no exception, as Volver, Pan's Labyrinth, The Fountain, Children of Men, The Queen, and Notes on a Scandal have all been excellent, giving me hope that this summer's slate will be up to snuff.

From the sounds of it, Spider-man 3 is mediocre (haven't seen it yet), but I have to admit that I am, against my better judgment, anticipating the Transformers movie. Call me a fool, but I really want to see big robots on the movie screen, and some of the designs that have come out are better than I expected. This somewhat silly one, in particular, has me salivating: