BlueYoshi

[color=teal]After a much deserved wait, I finally got round to watching True Romance. It's not what you'd normally expect for a QT film, considering his reputation and all, and it drastically differs to PF and RD, so one might call it a conversion of his more violent works. It's funny, even if he was credited for it, you'll immediately be able to tell that he wasn't in control, simply because the directorial work wasn't up to his standard, and you'll notice this if you watch any other of his films. Back to True Romance, a celebration of a film. It wallows in every possible corner of its mixed genre, and ironically, I found it shameless in its exploitation of excessive violence, because believe it or not, none of it is actually meant to be humorous this time round, though I did endeavour the odd chuckle every now and then, heh. QT, as I'm sure everyone knows, wrote the story, but it is the execution where this film really shows off its talent, namely the director, Tony Scott, though with that, I think QT may have done a better job. I honestly can't complain about the lead actors' roles. Alabama (Patricia Arquette) was stylised very maturely, but at the same time, you feel that she's still a child at heart as a result of her odd behaviour. Slater on the other hand, is a level deeper than Arquette, and contemplating his roles in other films, it really is a change. Also, the amount of cameo roles are unbelievable; Samuel L. Jackson, Val Kilmer, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, Dennis Hopper, and many more. Some may have longer scenes than others, but seriously, you can hardly recognise them in appearance, especially Kilmer. One way or another, I'm going to watch Jackie Brown, and when I do, I'll post my thoughts on it, but right now I'm concentrating on seeing films where QT was only credited for the script before anything else, because I want to make a proper, chunky analysis of [i]all[/i] his films.[/color]

[color=teal]Well, since Alan is such a moron, I'm gonna give this a try. [b]Name:[/b] BlueYoshi [b]Magic Type:[/b] Earth [b]Type:[/b] Rock [b]Picture:[/b][/color] [url= http://www.wingnuttoons.com/thing.jpg][u]Click[/u][/url] [color=teal][b]Colour:[/b] Blue [b]Moves:[/b] [u]Interment:[/u] An attack that causes the ground to lift above air in huge and dense masses as they venture towards Blue's opponent to bury them in an impenetrable wall of rock hard earth. [u]Mach:[/u] For the next two moves, Blue will be able to enter hyper speed to evade any sort of physical attacks his opponents may throw at him, however, during Mach, what strength Blue has will decrease, making Mach purely a defensive skill. Strength -10.[/color]

[color=teal]New Screen:[/color] [img]http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/519/519073/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-20040526102136973.jpg[/img] [color=teal]There are a few others as well, but they only look like loading screens so they aren't really that important right now. Also, if you check out IGN you'll find a chunk of new, and old, information on San Andreas that came from the official site. It sheds light on a few other characters, runs through the very small list of guns and vehicles as of now, and states that bosses and characters from GTA 3 may make their appearances. Oh and, the voices haven't been confirmed yet; what you've heard are just rumours, heh:[/color] [quote][b]Q: What actors can we expect contributing talent to the game?[/b] Current rumours suggest that Dave Chappelle or Ice Cube may be voicing Carl Johnson, but then we could start a rumour that says it's going to be Mary Kate and Ashley Olson. There's just no way of telling for sure right now. Rockstar is adamant about not selling a game based on recognizable celebrity. Their goal is to find actors who fit the roles, not big names that happen to have an open schedule. Basically, it could be anyone. The only known actor is Frank Vincent, returning as Don Salvatore Leone from GTA III who, as we mentioned earlier, stated on his personal website that he had been commissioned to reprise his role for San Andreas. That statement has since disappeared without formal retraction, but he remains credited on IMDB.com.[/quote]

[color=teal]Two new screens. No GT characters so far, but it looks like King Kold and Brolly are definitely in. So yeah, I suppose we can expect more than just those from the series.[/color] [img]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2004/screen0/920505_20040624_screen001.jpg[/img] [img]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2004/screen0/920505_20040624_screen002.jpg[/img] [color=teal]I really like the cel-shade in this one; it looks really crisp and captures the essence of the actual characters from the movies/series very well. I'm not expecting the world here, in terms of a profound fighter that is, but on a fan base scale Budokai 3 looks like its doing well for itself. One issue that I'd raise though is whether or not they'll bring back [spoiler]dead[/spoiler] characters such as Zarbon or Dabura. Honestly, it would be stupid if they reappeared to the scene in place of other potentially new ones, it'll just be a waste. Other than that, I can't wait to see where Dimps go with the Fusions and whatnot, heh, they were frustratingly fun in Budokai 2. ^_^[/color]

[color=teal]This is one game that I'm actually going to buy so I can play over and over like I did with some FF games, as opposed to usually renting. I'm looking forward to the battle system most of all; mainly because I've never seen anything like it and it bids to make it a whole lot more chaotic, especially that you only get to control your own character. With that, obviously there'll be a much wider sense of tactical gaming and stuff like that because the rest of your squad's down to the AI, though ultimately you're the one who chooses their demeanours and abilities. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a god-sim, it definitely isn't one in terms of gameplay, but it endorses that only the fruit of your training will let you prevail. In a way, I'm kind of glad that Namco have rephrased from letting multiplayer mode have anything to do with the GBA connectivity deal. For them to pull a stunt like that could very well crush the aesthetic interest that fans have, namely so, they won't enjoy it as much as they did with previous Tales games, I know I wouldn't if it was any bad. Some games are made for it, and some aren't, and when those games that aren't made for it actually have that feature, then it's widely just a ploy that has no concern for the adaptability the game may or may not have.[/color]

[color=teal]To me, the LoZ games were always just fleshed out puzzlers. LttP was a unique addition for the SNES because there weren't enough games like it that concentrated on reinstating such levels of depth and analysis. I'm thankful to Nintendo for deciding to follow in their own footsteps and continue to produce the series in the same manner, but other attempts really have been a constant let down when compared to their old-school counter parts. I can't complain about the graphics. I know that whatever is thrown into the muddle can only be good or bad, but graphics add its own sense of flair, and is not really a principle that I'd care to moan about, especially when there are other more pressing issues. A good example is Resident Evil. RE always did show off a nice detail of graphics and realism, and despite it being a survival horror, it's genuinely part puzzler too. However, that certain element has become distort within the series because of the over-hyped visuals it displays; Capcom's predominant battle plan in down to earth terms. Sadly, RE fell into that trap, which is something I'm hoping won't happen to the new Zelda game. Besides, with the capabilities that the GameCube holds, how can you not want to take advantage? Many undiscovered possibilities are still locked away, and that's what makes me feel bad. Nintendo aren't really committed enough to preserving a decent game that enacts all the critical points any gamer would look into.[/color]

[color=teal]Do you guys really think it deserved that award it won recently? Apparently, there's an argument against it saying that it was the political content of Fahrenheit 9/11 that attracted the judges to pick it and was nothing to do with the actual directional talent involved at all.[/color]

[color=teal]I've got a gut feeling that the dual screen is really just a gimmick marking the release of the Nintendo DS. I can foresee what the compatible games would be like; just generally a wave of 'fillers' to support its affiliation. In its market venture, I can almost guarantee that the DS will be considered as just another portable system. To play a game that actually absorbs the concept of the DS is well and good, but how long is it before you start seeing games that operate on a sole basis, completely leaving that second screen out? We may get one or two good titles a year that really bring out the spark of the dual screen function in the same way that we only have two good GBA connectivity games, and while I agree that GBA connectivity wasn't the main attraction of the GameCube, it certainly was a big thing. Loading will be a problem, though. Classic GBA titles like Pokemon and LttP all required at least three pushes of a button in order to save almost instantly, in fact, the GameCube was like that too; very swift and down to earth. Sony's predicament is what gamers will notice judging by their past experiences, namely the GTA games and other large titles. Good graphics are the core of advertising, and nobody can deny that. FSA will only be popular amongst the substantial gamers who know of Nintendo's capabilities in the LoZ department, other level-headed guys will obviously choose the likes of Metroid: Prime simply because the visuals look a lot prettier. As of now, neither the PSP or DS have managed to impress me, I've had moments where I was naturally drawn towards one, but to me, like many others, it's the line-up of games that are set for it's release that tends to put me off. Those games just aren't me, I'm more into sophisticated RPGs than anything else, and I fail to see how a dual screen would compliment it effectively other than a character menu or a map since the DS is far more capable of expanding its horizons in a much versatile way.[/color]

[color=teal]Yeah, it is a compelling piece; good in its own ways, that sort of thing. Personally I see it as the confessions of a Judas, with the fact that the bulk of it is told in the first person perspective and then the first paragraph in normal text, or Alan himself, suddenly switches to the second. That's interesting and all the more puzzling. ^_^ If I was to comment on the actual rhymes themselves, then I'd pretty much be echoing what Pawn114 said, heh. 'Whatnot' just doesn't cut the physique of this type of poem, it brings it down, especially that this is considered to be more on the intellectual side than just a bunch of words (to me anyway). Other than that, I like it.[/color]

[img]http://tarantino.webds.de/tarantino/movie/gloriousbastards/bastards.jpg[/img] [color=teal]Have you guys heard of QT's new film, Inglorious Bastards? I think this is the one he decided to scrap for Kill Bill, but it looks like he's back in it again. Again, IB is written and directed by QT with production being a joint effort of him and Lawrence Bender. Nothing has been said about the plot-hole as of now, only a brief statement from everythingtarantino.com that's more of a synopsis: "During the time of WWII, U.S. soldiers who are about to be executed, are offered a chance at reprieve. Despite some rumours, this film is not a remake of the 1977 Bo Svenson movie also titled Inglorious Bastards (that particular movie was also known as Counterfeit Commandos, Deadly Mission, G.I. Bro, and Hell's Heroes)." I'd like to see how a WWII film would glimmer in his collection of gangster models, and if we'll get the chance to see the same gore galore detail as in those films. The film should be released in cinemas in the closing section of 2004, so a DVD release would be in order for the first/second quarter of 2005, hopefully. As usual, Michael Madsen will make an appearance, so will Bo Svenson, and someone new to the scene... Adam Sandler. o.O It may have something to do with the fact that QT attended his wedding, or he could very well be a prop to add to his streak of dark humour in hope of him complimenting it. Seems promising all in all; one and a half QT films in one year, his quickest yet. Can't wait.[/color]

[quote name='Desbreko][color=indigo']And yeah, I can imagine a 3D Four Swords game being fun, but it would lose the charm of simplicity that Four Swords Adventures has. Because really, that's one of the main reasons I prefer most 2D games to their 3D counterparts.[/color][/quote] [color=teal]I agree. The medieval style or a cel-shade would look pretty and all, but that would just complicate the matter because other things like split-screens would have to be introduced. That would slaughter every bit of the simplicity you were on about, especially the freedom that FSA enables. To me, LoZ was always about puzzles and making the player think. I always saw the monsters and stuff as distractions to add a challenging effect and to prevent boredom, so with that in mind, combat isn't really all that important, thus there's no need for fancy combos and command lists... only the odd three or four slashes every now and then, heh.[/color]

[quote name='Alan][font=Arial][size=1][color=Indigo]That Weak Imp of Weakness had it coming.[/color][/size'][/font][/quote] [color=teal]I know. What kind of a retard would go out on prom night? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Hands down this series beats that flash video Black Belt vs. Black Mage on Newgrounds. I like episode four the most, the other's were good too but that one makes the most of the sudden randomness. Everything's so... organised, too. The character profiles are precise and definitive -- no more, no less -- and it seems you've really captured the attention of the viewers, which pretty much makes it a nice, short, successful sitcom that you can watch to swing moods and stuff. Keep at the good work. ^_^[/color]

[color=teal]Heh, I can recognize that. It's the scene were Mia and Vincent return to her house after their date at that 50's style restaurant, right? It shows that Vincent genuinely enjoyed his night out as opposed to having been forced to doing it by his boss, hence when he walked through the door in a waltz position with Mia. Short but sweet. ^_^ Funny that you made the comparison to The Matrix. QT was told that the scene where The Bride massacres The Crazy 88 was very similar to Neo's fight with the horde of Smith's. I don't think he can emphasize enough that Kill Bill was inspired mostly by Hong Kong cinema and had absolutely nothing to do with The Matrix. Also, the fact that every member of The Crazy 88 wore black suits, just as the Smith's do, shouldn't make The Matrix open for discussion anyway. QT said that when he thinks of the black suits, he thinks Reservoir Dogs (Mr. White, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Orange, etc), he thinks Pulp Fiction (Vincent and Jules). Don't know about Jackie Brown, heh, sorry. Of the many things I love about his films, one's got to be the Mexican stand-offs. They're one of the many areas that you can find the comedic value of the violence. Love 'em. Reservoir Dogs... [img]http://www.pg.ru/dogs/images/res26.jpg[/img] Pulp Fiction... [img]http://www.gorenight.com/movies/pulpf/data/pf8.jpg[/img] True Romance...[/color] [img]http://www.hometheaterforum.com/ronsreviews/true12.jpg[/img] EDIT: Found the True Romance pic. ^_^

[color=teal]It's debatable whether or not Metroid Fusion, or any other Metroid game for that matter, is a RPG styled game. It fits under the genre adventure/platformer officially, but I think it shares many qualities that you'd find in any reputable RPG. Here's my analysis: The health packs [I]are[/I] HP, and you will only gain an increase as you progress further on. The style may differ from traditional RPGs since experience points and constant battles are required to grow stronger in them, but it's not like you're expected to reach level 50 at the beginning of the game, is it? Missile expansions bare a resemblance to MP. Like the health packs, they'll increase as you go further, increasing your capabilities with missiles as well as the quantity you can store. Now the different abilities you gain and new, more powerful lasers and such can be seen as 'spells'. Some RPGs require an amount of AP before you ascend to a stronger version of the previous mediocre spell, and that makes Metroid no different; the basics are available at the beginning and as you progress and you'll find that as the monsters become harder you'll advance to the heavy stuff. That's the basis that most RPGs meet at, right? The story may lack and won't live up to those of RPGs, but that's not what counts. Gameplay is a solid factor these days, and Metroid Fusion makes use of that. Metroid: Zero Mission is also one to look out for. I haven't played it so I wouldn't know what it's like, but being a Metroid game I'd expected it to live up to its standards? it's safe to get someone else's opinion though. ^_^[/color]

[color=teal]I guess so. This is mainly coherent to Kill Bill and you have to remember that QT [I]strongly[/I] condemns violence. I wouldn't prefer to see the blood and gore as melodrama if anything, I feel there's a much stronger sensation to it than that. As you may already know, some critics tend to find the amount of violence in QT's films as obnoxious. When I watch these films though, I don't get disturbed by the level of black humour, because that's essentially what it is; most of the time I found myself laughing during the violent parts as I always detected a hint of comedy deep down in them. I could enumerate each one if you like, but the list would go on forever. I don't want to criticize the mass-violence featured in his films, nor do I think it's sensible to do so. You have to look at the directional work that has been fulfilled if you want to grow to love and understand his methods. It took QT one year to write one specific fight scene in Kill Bill and the scene where The Bride takes on The Crazy 88 took eight weeks to shoot. How can you complain about that? If a man takes his work to heart, whatever concept it may reveal or mask, then it can't be kosher to drag him down. "I wanted to make the most exciting sequence in cinema." -- QT about Kill Bill? If violence is what it takes to do this then so be it. After all, it's not only a job, but a form of expressionism, like art and just the way Pulp Fiction was.[/color]

[color=teal]I'll do that. So far the only QT films that I remember and can interpret are Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Kill Bill -- we're aware of how violent they can get already. I'm going to need a bit more knowledge than that to put up a fair argument, or one that seems idealistic at least. I own True Romance but haven't seen it yet, and I feel obliged to watch Jackie Brown once more after five years. I'll rent/watch as many QT films as I can this weekend, then it would be safe to say what's on my mind, eh?[/color]

[color=teal]Greece beat France!!! O_O Ruudi Voeller resigned as Germany's manager the other night following their defeat against the Czechs; he claims to have become unhealthy as a result of the pressure played on him. As of now a replacement hasn't been found, but the leading candidate is said to be one Ottmar Hitzfeld. He was sacked as Bayern Munich coach at the end of last season and looks to be one evil mofo who precisely stresses discipline and punishment. [img]http://www.suaramerdeka.com/harian/0201/02/sm3hitzfield2.jpg[/img] Just look at that face. Beautiful.[/color]

[quote name='James][color=#707875]And with Mia, you could say that when she snorts heroin, she's being taught a lesson about careless drug-taking. I remember when I saw that part of the movie, I actually thought to myself "Wow, that'll discourage [i]anyone [/i']from taking drugs".[/color][/quote] [color=teal]That's interesting. I never put much thought into [i]why[/i] Mia was punished in the sense of snorting heroine; she certainly wasn't a derelicious character and besides actually snorting she was fairly innocent throughout the film. Remember, the couple's date took place after Jules retired, and before [spoiler]Vincent was killed[/spoiler], which should state that Vincent was [i]already[/i] in the process of abandoning God's side. So in theory, Mia was punished for vulturing an independent man in the form of an over dose -- I thought she was lucky to have been alive, and if you fit that into context then you could say that she was given a second chance, with the first being a kind of warning. I think that what I've rendered above fits conclusively, but part of it doesn't prove its own point to me. It was Marcellus who ordered Vincent to take his wife Mia out, meaning that Marcellus put his wife's hands in the temporary possession of a man who's not with God -- why would he do that? Maybe he was unaware of the consequences that awaited him, therefore paying them by suffering at the hands of the rapists... I'm still a bit weary on that subject. Swiftly moving along, guess what? I watched Pulp Fiction [i]again[/i] a few nights ago and this time I was really into it. I paid attention to every little detail, I even subtitled the dialogue and read everything twice... I didn't miss a thing. And now, I've come up with yet another Biblical theory that's all relevant. Diverging from the briefcase matter, I've decided to call Pulp Fiction an "indirect translation of Ezekiel 25:17". Here's why: "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee." -- Ezekiel 25:17 Above is the original passage. Now, fork your mind and provide it with a comparison to the film in total. It should look something like below. Note that it's not in linear order regarding the events that took place in PF and is more in correlation to the Bible passage itself, but with a close eye it's a decent interpretation. [spoiler]"Shepherds the weak" -- This occurs when Butch returns to Zed and Maynard with the intention of saving Marcellus. Marcellus was weak in his position because he was bound and beaten, even if he was the most powerful man in Inglewood he had nothing to back his cause. "The finder of lost children" -- This refers to Jules. When the diner is stood up, Pumpkin and Honeybunny have basically thrown their lives away because Jules isn't the type of guy you'd want to mess with, his occupation speaks for himself, but the divine intervention that took place that morning made him think otherwise. As a result, he didn't kill them, instead he saved them and set them in the right direction. Above all, he gave his money away to them. "And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers" -- Vincent. His attempt to kill Butch back-fired and he ended up as the victim. With Butch being the shepherd I don't think he was supposed to die, and so, his life was switched for Vincent's, the man who turned against God. This happened before the incident with the rapists however, thus Butch wasn't yet the shepherd but he was still entitled to his life.[/spoiler][/color]

[color=teal]Germany and Czech always end up together. Euro 1996 they were in the same group and then met later on in the final, where Germany won might I add, so that pretty much explains why they're my second choice. I really hate situations where the outcome of one match all depends on the status of the other; it was like that for Italy and Germany and didn't work out in either's favour regardless of how well they played. Kuranyi can't head the ball for beans, by the way. I believe that Portugal played a lot better than England though. Their control of the ball and the one two passes were enough to put them in possession down their neck of the field. Campbell's goal was acceptable in my opinion, Terry may have been obstructing him a little, and it can be said that if it weren't for him then England would've won, but Ricardo really had no chance with those odds. It's ironic how both teams each had one of their best players taken off and substituted, I don't think Rooney's injury was so bad that he had to be withdrawn from the game, and Figo really wasn't himself last night -- come on, I've seen the free-kicks he's taken for Real Madrid. It all adds up to make the tournament a tad bit more interesting, methinks.[/color]

[color=teal]The Way of the Samurai 2 also lets you take control of the bad guys in a very similar way to KOTOR, as Charles said, but you're deemed to choose between three characters as opposed to creating and customising your own. You, as the player, will have the opportunity to shape your characters personality for good or evil in-game. The gestures you manage and your overall behaviour will take an impact on the type of missions you'll be able to take and will implement what the residents of the town your in think of you and your natural ethics as a whole, bringing them to respect or fear you. Another retrospective game would be Command and Conquer. Traditionally, the C&C games would offer you the choice of the good guys or the bad guys, straight up. However, recent releases have been a little less subtle than that. C&C Generals would be a good example; Generals consists of many different armies and squads for you to choose from and each has a separate story or goal that make it hard to distinguish who's righteous and who's not.[/color]

[color=teal]Of course the tabloids parading this kind of media is just as bad as the [i]murder[/i] itself; as Heaven's Cloud said, it must be awful to repeatedly witness the pain and suffering of someone you're close to, and it's certainly not an issue that has been deeply taken into consideration by the papers and news companies. Hell, to them these events must seem like gold mines, and that's what I find so irritating about it. By merely broadcasting the executions of these so-called enemies of Islam the press are simply doing the dirty work for them; terrorists want you to know that they're in control, that's the main reason for their inhuman acts, and thanks to the them their message has been effectively distributed. If I was running a country the last thing I'd want is my people to see the death of a fellow citizen, especially in that manner, as both a means of maintaining stability among them and to restore lost fate relating to the well-being of the soldiers that were sent in. I'm a Muslim myself, but don't practice the religion at all, I never have and I don't think I ever will. However, regardless of one's beliefs and morals, these chains of events have been insanely wrong, including the voyage of invading Iraq in the first place.[/color]

[color=teal]What I find so great about this sort of banner is the originality that derives from it; it's so unique compared to the type that represent anime or video game characters--not that there's anything wrong with them. In my eyes, text can't resemble one another because there are just so many different ways they can be expressed. One thing I've noticed about a lot of them though is the message they carry. I can understand your version in this context Emme888, but others are seemingly inspiring as well, and it just goes to show how deep some artists are willing to dig in order to find that sense of creativity in themselves. Art isn't about the coolest graphics or the most detail. It's about expressionism, and your piece accomplishes that with flying colours.[/color]

[color=teal]Just wondering, is that an automated process or do you actually put the membership in yourself?[/color]

[color=teal]Yesterday's match with Italy and Bulgaria was the first one I actually sat down and watched all the way through. It was such an intense game and Italy played really well. It's a shame they didn't make it through, though, I really felt for Cassano when he scored his goal in the [i]last[/i] minute; it must have been like a dagger in his heart when he found out that Italy couldn't go to the quarters, full stop. I watched his face drop in awe and was quite surprised to be honest because he was taking it pretty well. What was up with Bulgaria yesterday? They spent half the match on the floor falling over, faking injuries, while the other half consisted of them getting up... ridiculous, especially as they had no chance of going any further. Oh and, poor England. Their quarter-final match will be against Portugal, France's match will be against Greece. In all fairness I think it should be the other way round, but that's life. Kudos to England for making it this far though, I really wasn't expecting them too.[/color]

[color=teal]My favourite international actors are tied between Kitano 'Beat' Takeshi and Sonny Chiba. Sonny Chiba was great in Kill Bill. His concealed restaurant owner act really got to me; I would never have thought that he was [spoiler]Hattori Hanzo[/spoiler]. I don't know if it's his great acting skills that let him pull off those sorts of roles or if it's the fact that he's just use to them, which is always a bonus in that sense. When his character in Kill Bill was arguing with his partner you could tell that it bared some relevance to the story, and not something that was just there to fill up the hole as to what critics referred to as a 'blood-fest'. Heh, Tarantino's determination with dark comedy is too much. You will always notice whether or not an international film has been put together by 'Beat' Takeshi because of his on-going tendency to steal the lead roles in them, but that's not a problem to me. I have to say, I much prefer his directing rather than his acting; the repetition of his twitching eye is hilarious but I don't understand why he's chosen to do that. In a way, his appearances in his films have led me to believe that that's his actual attitude in real life because not once have I seen him laugh or smile in any film... then again that face doesn't really suit it, lol.[/color]