"New Divide” by Linkin Park, Friday, September 22, 2023
In 2007, despite being toward the end of the second Bush term and being in the middle of a war and high gas prices, the world felt more optimistic than today. It was a simpler time when you thought you could trust the summer blockbuster. But then we learned 1) Michael Bay is obsessed with close up details that disorient the audience. 2) While Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox ’s performances were comedically entertaining, neither actor could carry the weight of a 2 hour 24-minute film, and coupled with Bay’s action sequences felt ten times as long. 3) that not every movie based on a nostalgic toy produces a fond memory. While the American public loved Transformers , Hollywood was entering its “exploit the sequel” phase, bombarding us with the same formula two years later. GIVE ME REASON TO PROVE ME WRONG. Meanwhile, in 2007, Linkin Park had not released an album since their 2003 critically acclaimed sophomore album Meteora . The lead single from their third album, Minutes to Midnight , “