I know I already gave a shout out to Jon when he pointed me in the direction of the soundtrack to my beloved "Final Fantasy VII". Well, now Jon has helped me to expand my little iPod mini's musical vocabulary. Quite a bit. To the point where I could probably go to the gym for several weeks without repeating anything whatsoever. Now there is some stuff on here that likely won't be accompanying me to my workouts. (And I probably could have led a perfectly happy life without ever hearing William Shatner's cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man".) But the majority of what I've listened to or found so far is pretty awesome, and that definitely includes the orchestral Super Mario Bros. Theme.
So thanks, Jon. I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoyed the food and "God of War".
Monday, May 30, 2005
Saturday, May 28, 2005
The "Revolution" Starts at an Undetermined Date in 2006
E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo, I believe), the video game industry's big shindig to show off shwag, is over. Has been for a while, in fact. Granted I haven't followed every update or kept up with every revelation. But what I did see was pretty interesting. There's a lot of games coming out, like "Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess, Final Fantasy XII, Kingdom Hearts 2, Nintendogs, and a bunch of other games that I'm either very interested in or definitely going to buy someday.
But of course, the big news was the next generation consoles. The first story to break was the XBox 360, followed by the PlayStation 3. And last but hopefully not least, there was Nintendo. Along with a new iteration or two on the GameBoy, Nintendo gave the public a preview look at its new system, codenamed the Revolution. Now it doesn't seem like the Revolution is quite as far along in development as its competitors; fans mostly got a looks at the box and a few tantalizing bits of info about what it's going to be able to do. From what I've seen and read, this has the potential to be a big step in the right direction for Nintendo, but there's still a few things that may end up holding it back.
The Good:
Backwards compatibility, All the way backwards - In what may be their smartest move with the Revolution, Nintendo announced that not only will the new system be able to play GameCube discs, it will also give you access to N64, SNES, and NES games. Through the Revolution's online capabilities, players will be able to download older games to play on their new system. Nintendo is reportedly even talking to other companies in an effort to get non-Nintendo titles made for the old systems into the library of available games. There's no word yet on what, if anything, this service will cost. But if Nintendo can keep the price reasonable, it'll help to take a big bite out of the emulator market.
It's Online - The GameCube really got left behind when it came to online gaming, with essentially only one title to make your modem worthwhile. But no more. The Revolution will be able to go online and the only title announced for its launch - a new version of "Super Smash Bros." - will make use of this feature. (Kim, if we both get the system and this game, we can play "Smash Bros." together all the time!!!
Normal Sized Discs and DVD - finally. The shape of their software was another problem that held Nintendo back in the console wars. While the first PlayStation doubled as a CD player and the PS2 and XBox could both handle your DVDs as well, Nintendo brought up the rear with cartridges and mini-discs. Now Nintendo has shown that the Revolution will take full sized discs and - with the aid of a separately purchased peripheral - be able to play DVDs as well.
Wireless Controllers - This looks like it's going to be the standard for next-gen systems; XBox 360 is definitely wireless out of the box and it looks like the PS3 will be as well. But after Nintendo missed out on so many opportunities in the past, it's nice to see them getting in on the ground floor with their competitors.
It's Cheaper (Maybe) - One of those most tempting tidbits about the Revolution is that Nintendo is going to try to launch it at under $200 retail. This could give the system a major boost if the 360 and the PS3 debut at higher prices. I'm not going to hold my breath on this one, but it'll be pretty cool if they can make it happen.
The Bad:
Timing - XBox 360 us due out sometime this November. PlayStation 3 is supposed to come out in March of next year. The Revolution . . . well, we're not quite sure yet. Like I said, Nintendo's newest system still seems like it has a ways to go before it's really ready for the public. So it's a good guess that the Revolution will be the last of the next-gen consoles to debut. If gamers decide that they want a new system sooner rather than later, Nintendo could get burned.
The Dumb Hint about the Controller - probably the biggest mystery surrounding the Revolution is its as yet unseen controller. Nintendo says this is the feature that will really make the Revolution revolutionary. But details on what makes it so special are few and far between. Which is fine. But Nintendo's on hint about the new controller strikes me as kind of dumb. They're saying we should think about the fact that it needs to be able to play games from all of Nintendo's past consoles. Well guess what? I can already do that on my GameCube controller! So it's hardly a helpful hint. (Andrew however, has made a guess that it's going to be an LCD touchscreen that can show any number of different button configurations. Just a guess, since neither of us know anything more than the general public.)
It's a Smaller System - By Nintendo's own admission, the Revolution is just not going to be as powerful as its competitors. It's designed to be a smaller, more affordable system that's accessible for the whole family. If Nintendo can keep the price low at launch, this might work out for them. But still, potential buyers may be tempted away by the 360 and PS3.
So that's my layman's view of the Revolution, from what's been said so far. There's a lot of factors that are still up in the air that could tip the scale in one direction or the other: launch titles, prices for downloading old games, third party support, and what that mysterious controller ends up being. I'll keep you informed if I hear anything new. But for now, the Revolution is looking interesting at the very least.
But of course, the big news was the next generation consoles. The first story to break was the XBox 360, followed by the PlayStation 3. And last but hopefully not least, there was Nintendo. Along with a new iteration or two on the GameBoy, Nintendo gave the public a preview look at its new system, codenamed the Revolution. Now it doesn't seem like the Revolution is quite as far along in development as its competitors; fans mostly got a looks at the box and a few tantalizing bits of info about what it's going to be able to do. From what I've seen and read, this has the potential to be a big step in the right direction for Nintendo, but there's still a few things that may end up holding it back.
The Good:
Backwards compatibility, All the way backwards - In what may be their smartest move with the Revolution, Nintendo announced that not only will the new system be able to play GameCube discs, it will also give you access to N64, SNES, and NES games. Through the Revolution's online capabilities, players will be able to download older games to play on their new system. Nintendo is reportedly even talking to other companies in an effort to get non-Nintendo titles made for the old systems into the library of available games. There's no word yet on what, if anything, this service will cost. But if Nintendo can keep the price reasonable, it'll help to take a big bite out of the emulator market.
It's Online - The GameCube really got left behind when it came to online gaming, with essentially only one title to make your modem worthwhile. But no more. The Revolution will be able to go online and the only title announced for its launch - a new version of "Super Smash Bros." - will make use of this feature. (Kim, if we both get the system and this game, we can play "Smash Bros." together all the time!!!
Normal Sized Discs and DVD - finally. The shape of their software was another problem that held Nintendo back in the console wars. While the first PlayStation doubled as a CD player and the PS2 and XBox could both handle your DVDs as well, Nintendo brought up the rear with cartridges and mini-discs. Now Nintendo has shown that the Revolution will take full sized discs and - with the aid of a separately purchased peripheral - be able to play DVDs as well.
Wireless Controllers - This looks like it's going to be the standard for next-gen systems; XBox 360 is definitely wireless out of the box and it looks like the PS3 will be as well. But after Nintendo missed out on so many opportunities in the past, it's nice to see them getting in on the ground floor with their competitors.
It's Cheaper (Maybe) - One of those most tempting tidbits about the Revolution is that Nintendo is going to try to launch it at under $200 retail. This could give the system a major boost if the 360 and the PS3 debut at higher prices. I'm not going to hold my breath on this one, but it'll be pretty cool if they can make it happen.
The Bad:
Timing - XBox 360 us due out sometime this November. PlayStation 3 is supposed to come out in March of next year. The Revolution . . . well, we're not quite sure yet. Like I said, Nintendo's newest system still seems like it has a ways to go before it's really ready for the public. So it's a good guess that the Revolution will be the last of the next-gen consoles to debut. If gamers decide that they want a new system sooner rather than later, Nintendo could get burned.
The Dumb Hint about the Controller - probably the biggest mystery surrounding the Revolution is its as yet unseen controller. Nintendo says this is the feature that will really make the Revolution revolutionary. But details on what makes it so special are few and far between. Which is fine. But Nintendo's on hint about the new controller strikes me as kind of dumb. They're saying we should think about the fact that it needs to be able to play games from all of Nintendo's past consoles. Well guess what? I can already do that on my GameCube controller! So it's hardly a helpful hint. (Andrew however, has made a guess that it's going to be an LCD touchscreen that can show any number of different button configurations. Just a guess, since neither of us know anything more than the general public.)
It's a Smaller System - By Nintendo's own admission, the Revolution is just not going to be as powerful as its competitors. It's designed to be a smaller, more affordable system that's accessible for the whole family. If Nintendo can keep the price low at launch, this might work out for them. But still, potential buyers may be tempted away by the 360 and PS3.
So that's my layman's view of the Revolution, from what's been said so far. There's a lot of factors that are still up in the air that could tip the scale in one direction or the other: launch titles, prices for downloading old games, third party support, and what that mysterious controller ends up being. I'll keep you informed if I hear anything new. But for now, the Revolution is looking interesting at the very least.
Friday, May 27, 2005
But It's So Pretty!
Okay, so I bought something today. Two somethings. And they're not exactly inexpensive either. But this was one of those rare opportunities that doesn't come around all that often. And I think I'd be kicking myself if I hadn't taken it.
I bought this:
Also this:
Now really, how often am I going to have the chance to buy original artwork from "Gargoyles", my very favorite animated TV show? Not many, I'd say. There were quite a few other cels and drawings to choose from and it was not an easy decision. (To my very slight credit, these are nowhere near the most expensive they had.) What I like about this cel is that it's a multi character composition and they're all on model, but it's not too perfect like a sericel. (Sericels are those limited edition cels depicting popular scenes from movies and TV shows or sometimes simply groups of characters. Production cels are the real deal; cels that were actually used in the animation process.) It also shows them breaking out of stone, which is something unique to this show and its characters. The drawing (which is either a storyboard or a layout drawing, I'm not sure yet) may not be a perfect match to the cel, but it's definitely the same scene. And I really love Angela turning and smiling at Bronx, even if it's not in the final scene.
So now I own artwork from "Gargoyles" and all that's left is to atone for having spent the money. I have promised myself and Andrew to lay off the big ticket purchases. But I should probably think about selling some stuff as well. Or maybe I could fast.
I bought this:
Also this:
Now really, how often am I going to have the chance to buy original artwork from "Gargoyles", my very favorite animated TV show? Not many, I'd say. There were quite a few other cels and drawings to choose from and it was not an easy decision. (To my very slight credit, these are nowhere near the most expensive they had.) What I like about this cel is that it's a multi character composition and they're all on model, but it's not too perfect like a sericel. (Sericels are those limited edition cels depicting popular scenes from movies and TV shows or sometimes simply groups of characters. Production cels are the real deal; cels that were actually used in the animation process.) It also shows them breaking out of stone, which is something unique to this show and its characters. The drawing (which is either a storyboard or a layout drawing, I'm not sure yet) may not be a perfect match to the cel, but it's definitely the same scene. And I really love Angela turning and smiling at Bronx, even if it's not in the final scene.
So now I own artwork from "Gargoyles" and all that's left is to atone for having spent the money. I have promised myself and Andrew to lay off the big ticket purchases. But I should probably think about selling some stuff as well. Or maybe I could fast.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Gray Days
I know, complaining about the weather is pretty pointless, as there's very little you can do about it. Yet, here we are. If you happen to live in Massachusetts (and most of the people I know to be reading this do), you know that the weather has just been really lousy lately. It's cold, it's gray, it's wet, and it's not going away. The odd thing is that I often like rain, though not necessarily being in it. I especially like thunderstorms (part of the inspiration for my blog's title). But this is just several days of thick clouds and little showers here and there. Nothing really dramatic; just kind of depressing. The kind of weather where you'd rather just stay in bed in the morning because anything you have to do seems pointless and too hard. (I skipped the gym today, on Andrew's suggestion. Probably going tomorrow.)
So what did we do on our dreary Wednesday? After work, Andrew picked me up and we went to get comics. Later on, we had dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, which just opened near us. I am slightly addicted to cheesecake, so going to a place with possibly the world's widest selection of cheesecakes is somewhat dangerous. We both had sandwiches and each took half home. I finally settled on a slice of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cheesecake (I think that's the order it went in) which was the longest name on the menu and extremely tasty. The prices weren't too bad either, so we had a good time.
Oh, and we watched some of the commentary on the Batman DVD last night. Fun stuff, as usual. The commentary for "Read My Lips" included Michael Reaves, one of my favorite TV writers who's been all over television animation, including "Gargoyles". Oftentimes, Andrew and I get into a minor dispute because he like going straight to the commentary track for TV shows we've seen before and I like to watch them straight first to refresh my memory. But I saw these Batman episodes so many times they're pretty much ingrained in my head, so I didn't object to watching the commentary right away,
The march of DVDs continues. It looks like "Danger Mouse: Seasons 1 and 2" is coming out next week. How am I going to watch all these DVDs? Where will I put them? Is this really a problem I should be complaining about? Probably not.
So what did we do on our dreary Wednesday? After work, Andrew picked me up and we went to get comics. Later on, we had dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, which just opened near us. I am slightly addicted to cheesecake, so going to a place with possibly the world's widest selection of cheesecakes is somewhat dangerous. We both had sandwiches and each took half home. I finally settled on a slice of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cheesecake (I think that's the order it went in) which was the longest name on the menu and extremely tasty. The prices weren't too bad either, so we had a good time.
Oh, and we watched some of the commentary on the Batman DVD last night. Fun stuff, as usual. The commentary for "Read My Lips" included Michael Reaves, one of my favorite TV writers who's been all over television animation, including "Gargoyles". Oftentimes, Andrew and I get into a minor dispute because he like going straight to the commentary track for TV shows we've seen before and I like to watch them straight first to refresh my memory. But I saw these Batman episodes so many times they're pretty much ingrained in my head, so I didn't object to watching the commentary right away,
The march of DVDs continues. It looks like "Danger Mouse: Seasons 1 and 2" is coming out next week. How am I going to watch all these DVDs? Where will I put them? Is this really a problem I should be complaining about? Probably not.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
In Brief
Got home from visiting Tim and his kitties a little late, so I'm kind of beat. The iPod works great at the gym. "Demon Days" seems pretty good so far. I'm just about to head upstairs to watch my Batman DVD. I wish this rain would stop so I can go get comics tomorrow.
Tuesday Anticipation
With a title like this, you can tell it's been a slow day.
But regardless, Tuesdays are often pretty cool. New DVDs, music, and video games all tend to come out on Tuesday. And this week looks like it's going to be a lot of fun for me. Two items I've been eagerly anticipating are coming out. Specifically...
I wish I could find a picture to go with this that I felt OK about snatching; I'm probably overly cautious about taking images off the web without explicit permission. Anyway, Gorillaz is probably completely unique in that I enjoy the visual aspects of the band's products as much as - if no more than - their music. Don't get me wrong, I really like the songs too and "Feel Good Inc." gets stuck in my head for about three days every time I hear it (in a good way). But it's the illustration and animation that really gets me jazzed. If you haven't seen the video for "Feel Good Inc. yet, I suggest you stop reading this immediately and go see it now. It's some of the best animation I've seen in quite a while.
Also...
(Linking to IMDB because Warner Brothers' Batman:TAS site is pretty craptacular.)
This - it seems - is the last of the episodes of this spectacular show's run. (I'm 99% certain some of them were run under the "Adventures of Batman and Robin" name, but it's still all before the move to WB and the style change for "The New Batman/Superman Adventures".) Quite simply, for me, this IS Batman. Forget Michael Keaton, forget Val Kilmer, and please for the love of all that is good, forget George Clooney. (Well, not entirely. Just in that movie.) At this point, I can't even remember if I saw any of the movies before I saw this show or not, but no matter. This is what shaped my view of who Batman is and what he's all about. Granted, this particular box set contains the worst Batman: TAS episode ever ("The Terrible Trio"), but it also has some of the best, like "The Demon's Quest", "Sideshow", "Showdown", "Harlequinade", and "Harley's Holiday". (I'll be happy to summarize these episodes for anyone who might be curious.) Plus, the DVD has sweet, sweet commentary, including a video commentary that I'm looking forward to. All in all, the nostalgia shall be heavy in the air.
So if I don;t get a post done tomorrow, you'll know why.
But regardless, Tuesdays are often pretty cool. New DVDs, music, and video games all tend to come out on Tuesday. And this week looks like it's going to be a lot of fun for me. Two items I've been eagerly anticipating are coming out. Specifically...
Gorillaz - Demon Days
I wish I could find a picture to go with this that I felt OK about snatching; I'm probably overly cautious about taking images off the web without explicit permission. Anyway, Gorillaz is probably completely unique in that I enjoy the visual aspects of the band's products as much as - if no more than - their music. Don't get me wrong, I really like the songs too and "Feel Good Inc." gets stuck in my head for about three days every time I hear it (in a good way). But it's the illustration and animation that really gets me jazzed. If you haven't seen the video for "Feel Good Inc. yet, I suggest you stop reading this immediately and go see it now. It's some of the best animation I've seen in quite a while.
Also...
Batman: The Animated Series - Volume 3
(Linking to IMDB because Warner Brothers' Batman:TAS site is pretty craptacular.)
This - it seems - is the last of the episodes of this spectacular show's run. (I'm 99% certain some of them were run under the "Adventures of Batman and Robin" name, but it's still all before the move to WB and the style change for "The New Batman/Superman Adventures".) Quite simply, for me, this IS Batman. Forget Michael Keaton, forget Val Kilmer, and please for the love of all that is good, forget George Clooney. (Well, not entirely. Just in that movie.) At this point, I can't even remember if I saw any of the movies before I saw this show or not, but no matter. This is what shaped my view of who Batman is and what he's all about. Granted, this particular box set contains the worst Batman: TAS episode ever ("The Terrible Trio"), but it also has some of the best, like "The Demon's Quest", "Sideshow", "Showdown", "Harlequinade", and "Harley's Holiday". (I'll be happy to summarize these episodes for anyone who might be curious.) Plus, the DVD has sweet, sweet commentary, including a video commentary that I'm looking forward to. All in all, the nostalgia shall be heavy in the air.
So if I don;t get a post done tomorrow, you'll know why.
Monday, May 23, 2005
iPod!
iPod!
iPod iPod iPod! iPod iPod iPod! iPod iPod iPod, iPod!!
iPod! (mini)
So if you've been keeping up since my LiveJournal blog, you know that I had a deal with Andrew, where if I went to the gym regularly and stuck with it, I could get an iPod. As you've probably guessed, I have been very good and gone to the gym at least twice a week, usually three times. So today, we went out and I bought an iPod mini. I went with the smaller mini as it's less expensive and I don't atnicipate needing more than 1,000 songs or so with me at any one time. I put the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack on it to test it out and it only took up a teeny bit of the iPod's total capacity. (I'll probably take most of it off eventually. I don't really need every track with me all the time.)
After that, I spent the evening importing CDs I like into iTunes for future listening. I imagine it will bring me closer to my CD collection, which I don't normally listen to that often. It's also helped me to notice a few boxes without discs in them. (Have you seen my copy of the "Kill Bill Vol. 2" soundtrack?)
Anyway, the iPod seems to work quite well, though I haven't tried out all of its features yet. The earphones appear to be staying in when I shake my head around, so I'm hoping they'll stay in through my workout. I'll keep you posted once I've taken it for a "field test".
Friday, May 20, 2005
Random
Sorry about the lack of post yesterday. We ended up going to a midnight showing of "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" so between that, work, going to the gym, and visiting Les, I was not home much. And when I did get home, I just wanted to collapse. My post for today was going to be about Episode III, but Andrew requested that I post something I said today. So . . .
"The worst kind of chocolate croissant is one where you bite into it and realize that all the chocolate is kind of solidified in one corner and the rest is just hollow and empty inside and then you feel hollow and empty inside."
Thank you.
"The worst kind of chocolate croissant is one where you bite into it and realize that all the chocolate is kind of solidified in one corner and the rest is just hollow and empty inside and then you feel hollow and empty inside."
Thank you.
Sitting Through "Sith": A Review
As I said last time around, we went to see "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" at a midnight showing. We weren't planning on doing this; in fact we waited and saw a midday showing of "Attack of the Clones" a week or so after it came out. But due to a snafu, our friend Tim had two tickets that weren't attached to anyone. So we went.
Now before I get into the actual movie, I would like to say that going to the midnight show was actually a very pleasant experience. When we did the same thing with "Phantom Menace" back when we were living in Savannah, it was much less so: huge throngs of people, hot, bright spotlights from the news crews, and all kinds of complaining from the audience. The audience we saw it with was much more pleasant. Sure, there were people in costume and guys with lightsabers, but no one was being obnoxious or anything. Plus, movie theater employees brought popcorn and drinks in while we were waiting in the theater, for a dollar each no less. I'm glad that seeing the first showing of the last Star Wars film was such a good experience atmosphere-wise.
OK, the movie. So the verdict is . . . I'm really excited for "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe".
Yeah, I know, I've stalled long enough. But it is kind of tough to sum up how I felt about "Sith". If I had to choose between "I liked it" or "I hated it", I'd say I liked it. It's definitely the best of the three prequels, though that isn't saying a lot. But sadly, there are still some pretty big flaws.
Visually, this is definitely the strongest of the three prequels. We get a nice big space battle in the beginning and the CG works pretty well for the most part. Pretty much all the battle scenes are fun to watch. This also delivers on being the very dark movie we were promised. Most of the Jedi we've been introduced to through the past two movies die onscreen and though it isn't actually shown, it's made very clear that Anakin slaughters the children in the Jedi temple. Some of the acting has improved from the previous two films. The script actually surpassed my expectations in some places. I had been concerned that Anakin would come off as rather stupid and side with Palpatine before figuring out who he really was, not understanding the truth until it was too late. So I was pleasantly surprised that Anakin actually uncovers Palpatine as the Sith lord prior to joining with him. The clueless role then falls, unfortunately, to Padme. Oh, and there's almost no Jar Jar.
Poor Padme seems to be at the root of a lot of "Sith"s problems. Unfortunately, the romantic dialogue hasn't improved any. You believe that these characters are in love largely because you have to. Even the hardcore midnight showing audiences still laughed at all the Anakin and Padme scenes. Padme's role and strength as a character has been reduced to almost nothing. Her main concerns now are with starting a family and trying to pry information from her troubled husband. (On a side note, I really don't want to hear a Star Wars character talk about "fixing up the baby's room". It just seems so mundane. The scene could have conveyed Padme's excitement about the baby's impending arrival just as well without the line.) I wasn't expecting her to take up a lightsaber and start slicing up clone troopers. But in the previous films, she was an active participant in the battles. And she's still a senator. In the scene where Palpatine ends the republic and establishes the empire, she has a little line about democracy ending to the sounds of applause, but we don't see her standing up and protesting formally or anything. By the end of the movie, her unwavering love for Anakin just seems pathetic.
Andrew and I were discussing after the movie how "Star Wars" is in the rather unique position of having characters and concepts built up by its merchandise. The big example of this backfiring was Darth Maul, who was on virtually every piece of Episode I product and gained an aura almost as big as Darth Vader. But when the actual film premiered, Maul really didn't have the presence or the lines to back up the status he had gained. While there aren't any characters in Episode III for whom perception and reality are that greatly different, the same thing is going on. Take General Grievous for example. There's tons of merchandise featuring this alien cyborg and building up his reputation as a killer of Jedi who takes their lightsabers as trophies. And if you happen to watch the "Clone Wars" cartoon explaining the events between Episodes II and III, you get to see him in all his vicious glory. But in the actual movie, he's introduced with a vaguely Russian accent and a lingering cough. He's looked on by the Jedi as a coward who's constantly running away. He just never really rises to the level you expect him to. Same thing goes for the wookies in general. You'd think from the merchandise and advertising that they have a pretty big role in the film. But they actually have a pretty minor role and their inclusion seems to be more about getting a Chewbacca cameo into the movie.
If you enjoyed Episodes I and II, I imagine you'll love "Revenge of the Sith". If not, it is an improvement, but it doesn't make the first two films any more worthwhile. It's an OK flick, but it's deeply flawed movie that still lacks the charm and wonder of the original trilogy.
Now before I get into the actual movie, I would like to say that going to the midnight show was actually a very pleasant experience. When we did the same thing with "Phantom Menace" back when we were living in Savannah, it was much less so: huge throngs of people, hot, bright spotlights from the news crews, and all kinds of complaining from the audience. The audience we saw it with was much more pleasant. Sure, there were people in costume and guys with lightsabers, but no one was being obnoxious or anything. Plus, movie theater employees brought popcorn and drinks in while we were waiting in the theater, for a dollar each no less. I'm glad that seeing the first showing of the last Star Wars film was such a good experience atmosphere-wise.
OK, the movie. So the verdict is . . . I'm really excited for "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe".
Yeah, I know, I've stalled long enough. But it is kind of tough to sum up how I felt about "Sith". If I had to choose between "I liked it" or "I hated it", I'd say I liked it. It's definitely the best of the three prequels, though that isn't saying a lot. But sadly, there are still some pretty big flaws.
Visually, this is definitely the strongest of the three prequels. We get a nice big space battle in the beginning and the CG works pretty well for the most part. Pretty much all the battle scenes are fun to watch. This also delivers on being the very dark movie we were promised. Most of the Jedi we've been introduced to through the past two movies die onscreen and though it isn't actually shown, it's made very clear that Anakin slaughters the children in the Jedi temple. Some of the acting has improved from the previous two films. The script actually surpassed my expectations in some places. I had been concerned that Anakin would come off as rather stupid and side with Palpatine before figuring out who he really was, not understanding the truth until it was too late. So I was pleasantly surprised that Anakin actually uncovers Palpatine as the Sith lord prior to joining with him. The clueless role then falls, unfortunately, to Padme. Oh, and there's almost no Jar Jar.
Poor Padme seems to be at the root of a lot of "Sith"s problems. Unfortunately, the romantic dialogue hasn't improved any. You believe that these characters are in love largely because you have to. Even the hardcore midnight showing audiences still laughed at all the Anakin and Padme scenes. Padme's role and strength as a character has been reduced to almost nothing. Her main concerns now are with starting a family and trying to pry information from her troubled husband. (On a side note, I really don't want to hear a Star Wars character talk about "fixing up the baby's room". It just seems so mundane. The scene could have conveyed Padme's excitement about the baby's impending arrival just as well without the line.) I wasn't expecting her to take up a lightsaber and start slicing up clone troopers. But in the previous films, she was an active participant in the battles. And she's still a senator. In the scene where Palpatine ends the republic and establishes the empire, she has a little line about democracy ending to the sounds of applause, but we don't see her standing up and protesting formally or anything. By the end of the movie, her unwavering love for Anakin just seems pathetic.
Andrew and I were discussing after the movie how "Star Wars" is in the rather unique position of having characters and concepts built up by its merchandise. The big example of this backfiring was Darth Maul, who was on virtually every piece of Episode I product and gained an aura almost as big as Darth Vader. But when the actual film premiered, Maul really didn't have the presence or the lines to back up the status he had gained. While there aren't any characters in Episode III for whom perception and reality are that greatly different, the same thing is going on. Take General Grievous for example. There's tons of merchandise featuring this alien cyborg and building up his reputation as a killer of Jedi who takes their lightsabers as trophies. And if you happen to watch the "Clone Wars" cartoon explaining the events between Episodes II and III, you get to see him in all his vicious glory. But in the actual movie, he's introduced with a vaguely Russian accent and a lingering cough. He's looked on by the Jedi as a coward who's constantly running away. He just never really rises to the level you expect him to. Same thing goes for the wookies in general. You'd think from the merchandise and advertising that they have a pretty big role in the film. But they actually have a pretty minor role and their inclusion seems to be more about getting a Chewbacca cameo into the movie.
If you enjoyed Episodes I and II, I imagine you'll love "Revenge of the Sith". If not, it is an improvement, but it doesn't make the first two films any more worthwhile. It's an OK flick, but it's deeply flawed movie that still lacks the charm and wonder of the original trilogy.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Animation Talk: Sure To Be the First of Many
Take the Last Exit to Springfield for all your Simpsons needs.
As of today, I've got a good sized chunk of animation stuff to talk about. So let's get going, shall we?
First on the agenda is "The Simpsons". I know there's been a lot of talk already about whether the show is just past its prime or really going downhill at top speed. Putting that aside, I want to talk about something that I noticed on Sunday night. For anyone who hasn't been watching FOX lately, the network has a new block of Sunday night programming known as "Animation Domination" which launched just a few weeks ago. "Animation Domination" consists of two episodes of "The Simpsons", the revived "Family Guy", and new series "American Dad". ("King of the Hill" is currently separated from the Domination by "Malcolm in the Middle" for some reason.) So last Sunday, I was checking the info on the latest episodes, and what do I see? The second "Simpsons" is the season finale!
Now granted, "The Simpsons" may no longer be the anchor for FOX's Sunday night lineup. But what could the programmers have been thinking? Now they're either going to have to make a change to the "Animation Domination" lineup scant weeks after its premiere or treat us to a double dose of reruns every Sunday. Prior to the new lineup's launch, we got maybe two or three new "Simpsons" episodes in a row with reruns and movies filling the weeks between. But once the new animation block debuted, FOX seemed all too happy to race through its limited supply of remaining new episodes. This seems like an extremely dumb move that will only weaken the lineup's appeal. Maybe what we're seeing is the beginning of the end. Maybe FOX realizes that the show's golden years are behind it and is getting ready to call it quits. But even if that's the case, this move seems like it will hurt the lineup FOX has put so much effort into promoting.
Groupshot from Station 8 Gargoyles
All right, how about some happier news? After a somewhat underpromoted release of its first season on DVD, it looks like "Gargoyles" may be getting a second season DVD. A representative of 3oh!5 Creative - a company that Disney uses for DVD production - started showing up on the boards of "Gargoyles" fan sites asking what fans wanted to see for special features on a Season 2 DVD. Greg Weisman (one of the series' creators who answers fans' questions over at Station 8) confirmed that this guy was legit and the show's fans collectively jumped for joy. Mind you, there's been no official announcement from Disney, so nothing's set in stone (sorry) yet. But this little revelation means the chances for "Gargoyles" - Season 2 on DVD are looking very, very good.
Finally, I've been looking at the special features on the "Pocahontas" DVD Andrew got me recently. I'm well aware that this is not many people's favorite Disney film for numerous reasons, many of which I don't disagree with. But the movie does have one big thing going for it, that being GLEN KEANE. My first favorite animator not only did supervising animation on the main character (and if you try to tell me that the animation on Pocahontas isn't good . . . well, I'll just tell you you're wrong. 'cause you are.), he also worked on the film's storyboards. The result was some beautiful pen and ink sketches and tons of spectacular charcoal drawings, which is what I'm enjoying on the DVD at the moment. If you've never had the pleasure of seeing the concept art for this movie, you should check it out. Beautiful stuff.
I really wanted to have a nice Glen Keane drawing to go with this part of the post. But there don't seem to be many online, my coffee table book is too big to scan, and I can't capture from my DVD here. So instead, here's an interesting little story by my boss (of sorts) about how and why the development of "Pocahontas" started out very differently and then took a sudden U-turn, resulting in the film we have today.
Thanks for indulging my long-windedness. I'll try to do something short tomorrow.
Monday, May 16, 2005
And Now, The Bunnies
Andrew requested that I write something about our rabbits. And since I do find them an interesting topic of conversation, I'm obliging.
For about a year and a half, we've shared our home with two bunnies. Their names are...
Larry
and
Blitz
Much like cats, rabbits tend to be happiest living in pairs (or sometimes larger groups). They're very social creatures and enjoy having a friend to interact with when their people are away or busy. Larry and Blitz were already a bonded pair when we adopted them from the House Rabbit Network, which saved us the trouble of having to introduce two bunnies. They're very sweet to each other (most of the time) and a lot of fun to watch.
Larry and Blitz live in a large dog crate in our kitchen. The kitchen was the easiest room in the house to clean and to shut off from the rest of the house. The big dog crate gives them a home base with plenty of room to lounge around, as they're demonstrating in this photo. It also makes sure that they stay safe and out of trouble while we're out of the house or sleeping. They are litterbox trained and are pretty good about remembering to use it. We give them lots of cardboard and other fun toys to keep them busy in and out of the cage.
Both of our bunnies were named before we got them. Larry has two brothers who were at one time known as Curly and Moe. Larry is a dwarf rabbit, which is why he's significantly smaller than Blitz. This also makes him much easier to pick up, a fact that he sometimes resents. Once you're actually holding him though, he's generally well behaved. Sometimes he even enjoys sitting with people and shows his appreciation with bunny kisses. Larry is definitely the more adventurous of the two. If we leave the kitchen door open, he's almost always the first to hop out. If he's in the right mood, he'll perform a dance in the front hallway.
Blitz is a pretty grey rabbit with a bit of an attitude. She absolutely hates being picked up and tends to struggle and nip if you try to hold her. But she's also more receptive to pats than Larry, especially when she's in the cage. Blitz usually prefers to stay close to the back of the kitchen, but she'll sometimes venture out into the living room with Larry. She's very good at getting on top of the cage. She loves getting treats and Andrew was able to teach her to go "up" and "down" with voice commands for a raisin reward.
Check out the House Rabbit Network website for more about rabbits and rabbit care.
For about a year and a half, we've shared our home with two bunnies. Their names are...
Larry
and
Blitz
Much like cats, rabbits tend to be happiest living in pairs (or sometimes larger groups). They're very social creatures and enjoy having a friend to interact with when their people are away or busy. Larry and Blitz were already a bonded pair when we adopted them from the House Rabbit Network, which saved us the trouble of having to introduce two bunnies. They're very sweet to each other (most of the time) and a lot of fun to watch.
Larry and Blitz live in a large dog crate in our kitchen. The kitchen was the easiest room in the house to clean and to shut off from the rest of the house. The big dog crate gives them a home base with plenty of room to lounge around, as they're demonstrating in this photo. It also makes sure that they stay safe and out of trouble while we're out of the house or sleeping. They are litterbox trained and are pretty good about remembering to use it. We give them lots of cardboard and other fun toys to keep them busy in and out of the cage.
Both of our bunnies were named before we got them. Larry has two brothers who were at one time known as Curly and Moe. Larry is a dwarf rabbit, which is why he's significantly smaller than Blitz. This also makes him much easier to pick up, a fact that he sometimes resents. Once you're actually holding him though, he's generally well behaved. Sometimes he even enjoys sitting with people and shows his appreciation with bunny kisses. Larry is definitely the more adventurous of the two. If we leave the kitchen door open, he's almost always the first to hop out. If he's in the right mood, he'll perform a dance in the front hallway.
Blitz is a pretty grey rabbit with a bit of an attitude. She absolutely hates being picked up and tends to struggle and nip if you try to hold her. But she's also more receptive to pats than Larry, especially when she's in the cage. Blitz usually prefers to stay close to the back of the kitchen, but she'll sometimes venture out into the living room with Larry. She's very good at getting on top of the cage. She loves getting treats and Andrew was able to teach her to go "up" and "down" with voice commands for a raisin reward.
Check out the House Rabbit Network website for more about rabbits and rabbit care.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Final Fantasy VII: And So the Madness Began
Image from Final Fantasy Shrine
Listening to the soundtrack to Final Fantasy VII over the past few days has me on a nostalgia trip. Hard to believe that it's been almost eight years since my very favoritest video game had its US release. I didn't get it right away; not for a while in fact. At the time, I didn't even own a PlayStation. I had played FFII and owned FFIII, but much as the movie trailer-like ads for the new game intrigued me, I didn't see myself shelling out for anew system. I figured I'd just stick with my Super Nintendo and let the next generation of consoles pass me by.
This plan fell apart around Christmas. Andrew and I had been dating for about a year then and he apparently felt that what I needed in the way of a present was a PlayStation and Final Fantasy VII. He was, of course, right and from the very beginning I was completely enthralled. While I already liked the Final Fantasy series, this was the game that solidified my addiction.
The fact that FFVII was the first PlayStation game I ever played may be part of the reason I loved it so much. But I did have a freebie demo disc of various other games and none of them seemed to come close to what FFVII provided. Square was clearly king at the time when it came to graphics. And by this point, I think I was developing a preference for the RPG. I still like various other game genres and every now and then I need to take a break and have some mindless fun (hence "God of War"). But I love the depth of story that the RPGs provide and the fact that your reward for completing a task is either story progress or beautiful cutscenes, or even both. FFVII provided deep story and incredible visuals in spades with the added benefit of chocobos.
Time is not kind to video game visuals. What is groundbreaking for its time often becomes primitive and clunky in the space of a few years. Still, the original impact of Final Fantasy VII's graphics has stayed with me. And the story remains on of the best loved narratives in the entire series. It's a fact that Square-Enix clearly realizes, given the upcoming release of Final fantasy: Advent Children, a direct to DVD sequel to FFVII. As for me, I'm surprised how easily the score of FFVII can take me back to specific moments in the game, from the house full of cats in Wutai to Red XIII stumbling around in his soldier disguise to chocobo racing at the Gold Saucer. While I'm always excited by new advances in video game technology and ever more stunning graphics, Final Fantasy VII will always have a place on my video game shelf.
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