FF ramblings

[ria_oaks]

I happened to check Rpgamer.com a few minutes ago and noticed that FFIII:DS comes out today (I haven't really been keeping track...). I'm probably just being too over-emotional, but this day feels rather historic in the RPG world - the last Final Fantasy that wasn't released in the US is finally here. I checked, and it's been approximately 16.5 years since FFIII was released in Japan - well, better late than never, I guess. XD I mean sure, I played it years ago on a translated ROM and I won't be buying this version anytime soon (lack of a DS... and lack of time to play. woe.), but it's still cool to think that it's here. It's sort of a pity that the original version of the game will never make it here, most likely (how hard would it have been to include the orignal version in the new game, really...?), but the new version looks pretty spiffy. Hopefully I'll get to play it someday.

3 FF games in the past 2 weeks, 2 of which are new to the US (FFXII and FFIII:DS) and one of which only ever made it here in a mangled fashion (FFV Advance) - makes me miss the days when I could play all the time... I haven't really been into gaming as much the last few years, largely because of a. lack of time during school, b. other interests take up my free time, and c. i'm lazy., but I still get excited hearing about games and still want to play when I get the chance. I'm way behind on all the games I'm playing, but I still plan to ask for either FFXII or Disgaea 2 for Christmas (leaning towards the latter - FFXII will be easy enough to find for years to come, and it'll get cheap fairly quickly, whereas Disgaea 2 will start disappearing soon...). I am sorely tempted by FFXII, though - it's been getting fantastic reviews, and hell, it's FFXII! We've been waiting for this game for years, and it's finally here... and I really can't justify the time or money to get it. Part of me, too, is still a bit uncertain about it - but most of the reviews have said that the game is nothing like (and much better than) anything we've seen of it to this point, including the demo. I plan to give it a chance eventually, but can't do it yet.

And... I'm procrastinating. Back to my Farscape paper... it's due tomorrow at 9, so I need to get moving. Up to 5 pages, need about 12 - and I'm still blathering on about the context, haven't even gotten to analysing the series itself! Ehehehe. baaack to work.

Comments

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

I'm v. excited for tonight after reading an interview about it - sounds totally off-the-wall and awesome. I generally love these kinds of episodes, when they're done right. Always thought Angel should have done an ep in this vein - would have been perfect what with the whole 'film noir' aspect the show had going on.

Top 15, awesome.. it's been averaging higher than last year and beating 90210, though SV and Gossip Girl tend to do better. Still, it's def one of the CW's strongest shows - esp considering its competition. Ratings dropped a bit after the premiere, but the show has still managed to hold its own pretty well against GA, The Office, and now CSI which have all premiered now. So go SPN. :)

[bk635.livejournal.com]

LOL at the opening. Fuck, and I wanted to write my report while watching. This looks awesome.

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Dude this is fucking awesome. :) The opening credits were win. As are the scene changes and the music and the fake outdoor sets...

And Dean's a virgin again. HEEEEE. Sam, you better do something about that... ahem.

[bk635.livejournal.com]

I don't know how he can tell.

The vampire's "good evening" was so awesome.

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah. And the shot of the light falling across his eyes, loved that. And Dracula on a motorcycle! FTW! And Intermission! Even more FTW! This is such a ball. The mummy was hilarious, too - loved the shots of it coming out of the sarcophagus.

Only prob is, my TV is crap and has a reddish tinge to it. I don't really notice anymore (though when Mom was over the other day she said it looks terrible; guess I'd gotten used to it), but with the black and white it's rather noticeable.. irritating. Oh well.

Aaand we're back.

[bk635.livejournal.com]

I honestly think they should have applied a grainy filter to the image, with black vertical lines and that oval spot that periodically appears in the upper right corner during old movies. Full effect.

Lol, X-Files reference. Didn't see that coming. I wonder which one is Scully. >.>

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Heh, that would've been awesome..

Gotta say, anyway - the cinematography and lighting and such is fantastic. Kinda wish all eps were shot like this, albeit without the b&w normally.When it's not going for the campiness (which is equally awesome, granted), it looks really well shot in terms of the composition of the shots, the camera angles, and the shadows/lighting and such. Some of it's from the b&w, but it's also the directing style they're going for.

See, that shot right as the commercials ended? With the light coming through the cathedral-like window? Awesome shot.

Lol at The X-Files ref - "No, the X-Files is a TV show. This is real."

And Sam would be Scully, of course. ;)

[bk635.livejournal.com]

I love how the setting keeps bouncing back and forth between modern times whatever period.

lol, pizza

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Heh yeah.

I love... everything about it. Dracula answering the door and the pizza boy being all "eyeroll, what a freak", the pizza on a silver platter, the fake sets (he built a fake Dracula set in his basement! And he has a totally normal modern house upstairs with a computer and everything!), the long drawn out death scene, the over-done "i'm going to kill you! for real! any moment now! I'm going to pull the lever to electrocute you, really!" scene...

oh, we're back.

[bk635.livejournal.com]

What was Dean's move pick at the very end?

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

I'd never heard of it... sounded like he said "Porkies 2"? Not sure.

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Oh, and reading some comments made me forget something else hilarious - Dracula with a pizza coupon. LOL. That just about killed me.

Best filler episode ever. Hell, one of my favourite eps of the series. I love these kinds of eps, and it was so clever and pseudo-cheesy and awesome... so much love for Dracula-guy...

[bk635.livejournal.com]

I might rewatch it again later since I am multi-tasking currently. It was pretty funny though; I'm also hoping that someone will compile a list of references.

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'll watch it again, too, and not on my red-tinged TV. o.o I'm hoping it'll look okay if I transfer it to my computer or watch it on another TV, since my TiVo records directly from the cable input - the TV's picture quality shoudn't affect it. I don't think. Anyway, I think my parents will like this ep - Mom likes the show to some extent and occasionally watches it, and Dad loves old movies (and enjoyed the one ep he fully watched, which was last year's Christmas one). So may take it over there and watch with them...

On another note - did you want to go see Burn After Reading this weekend? If so, when?

[bk635.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you should definitely show it to your parents. Your Dad will probably like it a lot; I always saw him watching away at TCM.

Hm. Yeah, I'd like to get around to seeing that sometime. I'm not sure when though; Sunday, probably. I'd prefer going to one of the local theaters for this movie.

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Okay, yeah, sure, Sunday. I'm prob coming down for the weekend, maybe doing something w/ Mom on Saturday, so I'll let you know bout Sunday. No plans at the moment, so should be okay.