タイトル『 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 11"x17" Framed Poster >
>
price：$29.99
Pop Culture Graphics
『This 11"x17" framed poster is from "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" (2001)』 タイトル『 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 11x17 >
>
price：$18.00
Popular Images
『Title: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Artist: Unknown. Image Size: 11.00in. x 15.54in. Paper Size: 11.00in. x 17.00in.
Popular Images has an unparalleled selection of both vintage and modern prints, posters, art prints, photographs and framed imagery. Our selections are ideal for both the office and home and we have over 400,000 images available for search or browsing. Your print is presented on premium, high grade paper and all framed selections are custom made to order. Orders are shipped to both domestic (US) and international locations. Decorate in style with our tasteful selection of modern and historic imagery.』
タイトル『 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within by Unknown. Size 11.00 inches width by 15.54 inches height. High Quality Art Poster Print >
>
price：$19.42
OnlineWall Art and Framing
『Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within by Unknown.Total Size : 11.00 inches width by 17.00 inches height.This is the Highest Quality Art Print Reproduction of the Original Work. Fully Authorized by the Artist. OnlineWall is the worlds best quality art print, poster and framing store with over 25 years custom framing experience our quality of art prints cannot be beat .』 タイトル『 Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version >
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A time machine made of musical notes.) 『Wow, I had wanted this for a while. I had forgotten about it. I went to buy, but it was too much money. I got it off iTunes. Let me say it is amazing. I can remember the parts of the game the music is from. It kind of makes me sad to listen to this because when I was playing my parents were getting divorced. Also, the guy I played with died in 01. He was only 15 or 16. But, not everyone will have things like this to remember. If you have played the game you will probably remember each song and what you were doing the day you heard it in the game. Seriously, it's that incredible. If you have never played the game, that's fine. You will probably still enjoy this soundtrack. It has 4 disks that consist of 85 songs. iTunes has this for less than 30 dollars. If you want to spend more or know a place to get the CD for less then go for it.』 『Composed, Arranged&Produced by Nobuo Uematsu. Was first released in 1997. Yes, ten years ago. A great collection for Final Fantasy fan.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great cd1) 『Love it. Very soothing versions of some of the better songs from the game soundtrack.』
(A very love and enjoyable soundtrack) 『I have come across final fantasy piano soundtracks just a few years ago and I enjoy them very much. As a piano player, I only used to practice classical music but since I have bought these I have expanded my repertoire. They are very lovely to hear and enjoyable to practice. Each time I play them I develop more and more attachments towards the characters and appreciate the people who made them possible.』
(Good) 『Most of the songs on the CD are beautifully played. However, many of the songs have excessive notes in them. It makes the songs too "frilly". For the most part, however, the songs are excellent.』
(Beautiful piano music from a beautiful game) 『Final Fantasy X is one of my favorite games of all time. The music is some of the best in the series and the piano renditions of those songs are lovely. Zanarkand is included here as well as other favorites like Besaid Island, Via Purifico, Rikku's Theme, etc. There are no other instruments but the piano playing on this collection so do not expect an orchestra. Sometimes even simple things play volumes.』
(THANK YOU) 『I would like to thank the seller for the great quality and the fast shipping :) i really liked your service』 『Japan only. Full title, 'Final Fantasty X, Piano Collections'. 12 tracks performed by Aki Kuroda.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (final fantasy) 『if you see that i gave it only a 4 stars, it's because i feel it's just a next step up. remember vhs to dvd.
don't get me wrong i love the movie, but when you have a home collection with more then 1,000 dvd, and now you have to replace them with blu-ray. and it has taken me about 12 yrs to collect. i just hope they don't come out with another format, then i have to start all over again lol.』
(Convoluted story with an ambiguous ending) 『This is a very dark animated film, in which a remnant of humans are fighting aliens - and each other - to survive. On the one hand, you have a band of idealists, who believe that the Earth has a spirit that can be used to fight the invaders (whose true nature remains a mystery). They seek spirit essences of some sort, which when united might save humanity. On the other hand, there are militarists who see no reason to believe any of this; their ultimate weapon threatens to destroy the Earth's spirit, Gaia.
From this somewhat promising premise, the story becomes both a confusing shootout (it is unclear if the enemy aliens die and how to fight them) and a political struggle that becomes extremely deadly. At least for me, I could not quite forget that I was watching something made up - I never suspended my disbelief and gave myself over to it. The risks and ambitions just get bigger and bigger, the scenarios more outlandish and desperate and ultimate. By the end, it had nearly completely lost me.
One thing that is good, in my view, is that the outcome remains unexplained and ambiguous. The viewer is not told what happened and what it means, which is nice in that it leaves a lot to the imagination, which is the mark of all quality sci-fi. However, I found the characters boringly two-dimensional and the plot unoriginal, in spite of the good special effects. I assume that the product shoudl stand on its own, as I am not a gamer, and for me it barely did.
I would not recommend this except to those who like this world because of their familiarity with the game or because they want a simple adventure. It is not for hard sci-fi fans.』
(CGI Animation Done Right!) 『Long before James Cameron started pimping his Avatar epic, Square Pictures pioneered the world's first full-length photorealistic CGI animated movie. This was based on the hit video game franchise of the same name, although the movie took a more sci-fi approach as apposed to the more high fantasy that most of the earlier games.
Taking place on a post-apocalyptic Earth(that's right, not Ivalice!)in the mid-21st Century, Aki Ross is a scientist who is trying to collect eight seperate spirits, which when combined will create an energy field that will rid the planet of an alien force. The invaders are creatures referred to as Phantoms, which are ghostlike monsters that literally suck the souls out of people. This happened after a meteor crashed on Earth decades earlier, and the Phantoms spread throughout the world and killed off most of the humans. The survivors live in specially shielded cities, who have built a giant oribiting cannon to blast the alien meteorite and save the planet. But Sid, the scientist who created the special Phantom-proof shields, realizes that this might cause the aliens' spirit to take over the Earth's spirit known as Gaia, which would destroy all life. Sid along with Aki are enlisted the help of the special military squad of Deep Eyes, the commander of which is Aki's old boyfriend, Gray. They try to find the remaining spirits, however the vengeful General Hein is plotting to destroy the Phantoms at any cost.
The Spirits Within was the precursor to several other computer animated films that attempted to have the characters(human or otherwise)appear as real as possible, such as Beowulf, Kaena: The Prophecy, Resident Evil: Degeneration, and Negadon. The animation was virtually years ahead of its time, which might have worked towards its disadvantage as some people were possibly just not ready for that kind of advancement in cinema. Granted, it might seem pretty common by today's standards, but when this came out in 2001 it was groundbreaking, and even busts the chops of some of the more recent digital animation.
Of course the biggest gripe most people had was that it had very little to do with any of the actual Final Fantasy games. Most fans of the series expected guys with gravity-defying hair riding on Chocobos and swinging colossally huge swords around. However, the movie offered a compelling sci-fi/action/drama which managed to incorporate most of the better attributes that the games had, mainly brilliant character development and a compelling plot. It truly is an exceptionally great film, and worth a second look for those who are willing to see past the fanboy hatred.』
(MAGNIFICENT AND BREATH-TAKING 9.5 OUT OF 10) 『It's a shame that this film didn't do as well as it should have. It didn't do very well in terms of critical response (44% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and a 49 out of 100 on Metacritic), it was a box office bomb to the point of where Square Enix kicked the film's director and producer Hironobu Sakaguchi (The creator of the Final Fantasy game franchise) to the curb, and some people have been popping up who proclaim it to be "the worst video game movie ever!" Surprisingly, one of the biggest defenders of the film was film critic Roger Ebert who I hate greatly for a number of reasons. Roger Ebert handed the film a 3.5 out of 4-star rating and didn't believe people would understand the film. I believe Square Enix reacted a little too quickly to fire the creator of Final Fantasy, which I believe was a big mistake. And to those of you who think this is the worst video game film ever, clearly you've never sat through an Uwe Boll travesty, have you? Not to mention, most scores on different sites that I've researched, beg to differ on such a proclamation. I loved this film, it was an amazing cinematic accomplishment in terms of CGI and sci-fi action films. It may not have the most original storyline, but it does pull you in to a certain extent. WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Year: 2065, thirty-four years previously, a mysterious alien forced called Phantoms invaded the Earth and destroyed most of the life on Earth by stealing the spirits of their victims. Now the planet is overrun with the Phantoms. Dr. Aki Ross is a woman struggling with a Phantom parasite inside of her body and suffers from strange dreams she cannot explain. She goes around the planet trying to find eight spirits which, when all eight are collected, will destroy the Phantoms. With the help of the Deep Eyes Squadron and her mentor, Dr. Sid they search the planet to find the seventh and the most important eight spirit. But they face troubles with the military, and the military unknowingly is about to destroy Gaia (Earth's spirit) and let the planet become overrun with the Phantoms. Now Aki and the team must stop this from happening and destroy the Phantoms at their source. MUSIC: This music is simply amazing. It fit the mood well and was extremely well-written and composed. I have absolutely no gripes with this area at all, the music is stunning to put it bluntly. ACTION: This film a feast for the eye. The CGI is staggering and beautiful in every way... and this film came out eight years ago! Nothing competes with this film's CGI, not even Pixar films! The action scenes are wonderful and totally awesome in every regard. The film starts off slow, but then the film goes off with a bang and doesn't stop till the end. It gets the blood and adrenaline pumping and refuses to let go. This is how a Star Wars animated flick should be, not the disastrous Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Widescreen Edition) (Let's just try and pretend that never happened). Quite simply, this sci-fi flick is kickass. ACTING: Although not all these actors are recognizable, their performances are really good, even though there are some moments of questionable dialogue. This film may not have the most compelling characters, but they do their job well and they do move the storyline along quite well. Overall, this area is really good. OVERALL: If you love sci-fi flicks, CGI films, or just love awesome films in general, you must see this film because it will blow you away in just about every way. THE GOOD: Stunning CGI animation, awesome action scenes, good acting, and great music. THE BAD: The storyline doesn't quite live up to the potential and there are moments of awkward dialogue.』
(Definitely a gamers' movie) 『Beautiful colors and brilliant animation with excellent voicings.
That's it. That's about all you can say about this rewarmed pot-boiler. Hackneyed plot, nonexistent character development, unsatisfying conclusion.
This is a film that will appeal to gamers and fans of anime. Everyone else can find better use for their ticket money.』 『Earth is a desolate wasteland inFinal Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Humanity has been decimated by an invasion of Phantoms, insubstantial aliens that extract and devour the spirits of living things. The few remaining humans have retreated to a handful of cities that are protected by massive bio-energy shields. The beautiful Dr. Aki Ross (voiced by Ming-Na) and her mentor Dr. Sid (Donald Sutherland) have discovered that the energy signatures of eight key Earth spirits can cancel out and destroy the Phantoms. With the help of Captain Edwards (Alec Baldwin) and his band of marines, they must scour the globe for the last two remaining spirits before General Hein (James Woods) manipulates the refugee government into attacking the aliens with an orbital laser that may also destroy the Earth.
Hironobu Sakaguchi's film is taken from the popularFinal Fantasyvideo game franchise, which is particularly well suited to film adaptation with its series of original stories, but the movie features entirely new characters and settings. And likeToy StoryandShrek,Final Fantasy: The Spirits Withinis completely computer generated. Unlike those cartoon comedies, though,The Spirits Withinis a serious science fiction drama with astonishingly human digital actors. Aki, the female lead, appeared in a full-page spread inMaximmagazine's Hot 100 list--and was indistinguishable from the real-life models. The setting and conflict make for incredible action, but it's the larger issues, character interaction, and human elements that really make the movie shine.The Spirits Withinis not simply a science fiction movie, in the same way thatCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonis not simply a kung fu flick. The result is a fantastic summer movie with better action and more emotion thanPearl Harbor, and actors more lifelike than those in that other video game movie,Tomb Raider.--Mike Fehlauer』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The Best) 『I suppose I'm lucky I hadn't read this in book form prior to seeing it on HBO in the 70's. My daughter and I must have watched it 10 times. It is crazy-fun, whacky, so silly and charming, yet dark - Clockwork Orangeish mixed with Dr. Strangelove but not. Michael Moorcock is one of my favorite sci fi authors and this film (though I gather he hates) really captures how funny he is in the most unexpected of ways. If you love the odd, get it.』
(A DVD ZONE LSD) 『Wow ! Look at these colours : green, blue, yellow all over the screen. And look at Mrs. Brunner's hair : deep red. We're in the beginning of the 70's for sure. With a zest of English humour, a little sex (we know now that Jenny Runacre and Sandy Ratcliffe are real red-headed women), with interesting guest stars as Patrick Magee, Sterling Hayden or Harry Andrews and a little gore (after all, director Robert FUEST was responsible for the Dr. Phibes movies), THE FINAL PROGRAMME, also known as "The Last Days of Man on Earth", is a curiosity that deserves at least a rental.』
(Light fun) 『It's better than nothing and it does give hints of the novel. It's mostly fun. I can't help feeling, however, that Moorcock deserved better. The cast too. Jon Finch, who plays Jerry, was an excellent Macbeth in Polanski's Macbeth. Jenny Runacre, who plays Miss Brunner, has ample presence.
The worst departure from the novel may be the Cornelius Brunner that appears at the end. Moorcock had written in the novel "A tall graceful being stepped out." and "It was hermaphrodite and beautiful". Somehow the movie thought an apeman would be better. Maybe there was a sale on Abominable Snowman costumes.
Throughout, Moorcock's sexual ambiguities seem ill-served by this film with, apart from a brief episode involving Miss Brunner, a decidedly heterosexual flavor. The psychic vampirism of the novel seems replaced by Miss Brunner's sexual "appetite".
Similarly, one wouldn't suspect Moorcock's many cool conversations from the limited banter in the movie.
It is fun to see Jerry come to life except it isn't so much Jerry and this film isn't so much alive. Anyone with an adequate imagination will find the novel vastly more fun and alive.
Nevertheless if you are a fan of Jerry Cornelius, in the mood for visuals and not feeling critical, you might find this movie entertaining. See Professor Hira, the needle gun, Catherine's demise, Frank in need of a fix, DUEL in its cave. Some of the coolness of the novel does find its way into this movie.
Maybe someday some director will due justice to the novel. Until then, watching this, which seems like a hurried made-for-TV movie, may entertain you while making you wish, like I do, for the richer treatment that Jerry Cornelius and Moorcock deserve.』
("A very tastey world!") 『What can you say about a film that, opening scene onwards, you either love or loathe? It's fantastically dated, and that's what makes it fantastic. From the London Red-Bus Movie music, the bizarro pseudo-science, the biting dialogue, and the (almost) Cast of Thousands, "Final Programme" is one of my favorite films ever. I've almost worn out my copy.
The plot's incidental, but what the hey. Jerry Cornelius (Jon Finch) is a Nobel Laureate living on Bell's scotch, pills, and chocolate digestives in a chaotic world where Trafalgar Square is a vast dump, arms dealers operate in basements across from the National Gallery, and Amsterdam's now "25 square miles of white ash--for once the Americans got it right." Jerry's dad, mad-scientist and founder of the Cornelius line, was working on something weird in Lapland when he died, but that's not Jerry's problem now. He's more worried about his crazy brother Frank (the wonderful Derek O'Connor), who is holding their sister Catherine hostage in the Family Manse and is, if possible, more strung out than Jerry.
But Lapland returns to haunt him in the form of Miss Brunner (Jenny Runacre) and three Magritte-like scientists. They need Jerry to help them get his dad's microfilm, the last piece of The Final Programme---a project staggaring in conception and quite, quite funny. The microfilm is locked in the house with Frank, and as the old family retainer tells Jerry,"There's another problem--it's that house. You know what that old house is like." "I haven't forgotten" says Jerry.
That "old house" is a super-modern fortress, of course, complete with lights of simulate "pseudo-epilepsy", booby traps, poison gas, and a pantheon of James Bondish dangers. Along the way to the microfilm, it becomes apparent there's something very odd about Miss Brunner, and that Frank's not the fool he seems.
I know it's dated and I don't care. I don't care if the continuity is bad. I don't care if the budget could've been bigger. I don't care if the "science" is Junk with a capital "Juh". I'm oblivious to it all, because this is such an entertaining movie. For one thing, Jon Finch is incredible. He's the perfect Jerry, and Prince could only PRAY to wear a Goth/New Romantic suit as well as Finch does. For another, Jenny Runacre's Miss Brunner was feminist before there was a common understanding of what that word meant. And the versatile Derek O'Connor's greasy, desperate Frank is brilliant.
You'll need to have your finger on the "rewind" button--the dialogue comes fast and urbane. You'll keep recognizing British character actors, and let's face it, if you're female,you'll enjoy watching Finch, who's easy on the eyes. And the visual jokes--watch for "LOVE" embroidered on the vampirical Brunner nightie in the "climactic" final scene!
A warning, though: this really does deserve its R rating. Hustle the kiddie-winks to bed first--then enjoy!』
(Planet Weird) 『This film is based on the original Michael Moorcock story of the same name. I have read the Moorcock version and I genuinely have to say that the film seems to be better. It is an existential romp through conscienceness. It takes you to a weird alternate reality of planet earth. In the end it leaves you with more questions than it answers (what can be better than that). You get to sit back and decide. A film that really makes you think.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great SciFi) 『A modern aircraft carrier is somehow transported back to December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Very well done film. A family oriented film.』
(Time warp) 『This is a very interesting film and it deals with time travel. Imagine this..you're on one of the most powerful aircraft carriers of present day and you get whooshed back in time to just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. I won't spoil it for future viewers, I'll just say I really enjoyed it! Kirk Douglas and Michael Sheen are excellent and add their own quirks to the film. A must see. What would you do??』
(Great Sci Fi) 『This has traditionally been on of my favorites. An older film this boasts a very good cast and a what if scenario, if history could be changed. If you like military films and Sci Fi you may well enjoy this film.』
(One for a remake) 『The Final Countdown has always been one of my favourite what if movies. I purchased it on Blue Ray and was surprised at how well it turned out. Most of the time when they take an older movie like this and put them on BR and you watch them on a large screen TV 50 inches or better it is still like watching a VHS tape on a big screen. The BR Copy I bought was like a VHS upgrade to DVD. By no means as clear as BR should be but much much better than I expected to get. Hats off to the remastering team that did the work on these disks. BR and DVD.
Lastly. Would it not be cool for a good director and production team to remake this movie. And not ruin it with PC garbage or turning it in to a global warming commercial, or turning it in to a liberal anti war propaganda reel. Wouldn't it be cool if it was done right with today's effects?
What if』
(Modern Classic) 『This movie has always been a favorite of mine. The special effects were good enough for the time and still do not take away from a very entertaining movie. The Blu-ray clarity has added a wonderful aspect to all the flight operations. This movie was made the cooperation of the Navy and everything is actual footage and not computer generated. The F-14s and the Confererate Air Force Zeros performed amazing maneuvers together. The cast is first rate and made the movie work. As an added enjoyment, watch the interviews with the "Jolly Rogers". Naval Aviators always have something fun to say and don't worry about being politically correct.』 『With a tantalizing "what-if?" scenario and a respectable cast of Hollywood veterans,The Final Countdownplays like a grand-scale episode ofThe Twilight Zone. It's really no more than that, and time-travel movies have grown far more sophisticated since this popular 1980 release, but there's still some life remaining in the movie's basic premise: What if a modern-era Navy aircraft carrier--in this case the real-life nuclear-poweredU.S.S. Nimitz--was caught in an anomalous storm and thrust 40 years backwards in time to the eve of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor? Will the ship's commander (Kirk Douglas) interfere with history? Will the visiting systems analyst (Martin Sheen) convince him not to? Will a rescued senator from 1941 (Charles Durning) play an unexpected role in the future of American politics? Veteran TV director Don Taylor doesn't do much with the ideas posed by this potentially intriguing plot; he seems more interested in satisfying aviation buffs with loving footage of F-14 "Jolly Roger" fighter jets, made possible by the Navy's generous cooperation. That makesThe Final Countdowna better Navy film than a full-fledged time-travel fantasy, but there's a nice little twist at the end, and the plot holes are easy to ignore. James Cameron would've done it better, but this popcorn thriller makes an enjoyable double-bill withThe Philadelphia Experiment.--Jeff Shannon』
price：$194.99
CBS Paramount International Television
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (The original series is simply the best) 『Despite a somewhat lackluster third season (which was still very enjoyable) the first two seaons of ST: TOS are the greatest of the Star Trek scifi saga. Bill Shatner is super talented and appealing as (of course) Capt. James T. Kirk and though he could have been the sole central character and carried the show he gets good help from excellent supporting player Leonard Nimoy as (naturally)cool, mostly unemotional Mr. Spock, the second most important man on the ship and show. The stories themselves are usually full of what is called spatial spookiness. And it all has a wonderful 60's feel to the whole thing (from the hairdos to the mini-skirts). It also isn't too heavyhanded with seriousness. Of the supporting cast DeForest Kelley shines as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Kelley's role expanded as the show continued). Him and Spock are often at odds with each other and this tension between them adds to the show and gives it great zest (in the first TV series sequel Star Trek: The Next Generation there was no tension between the characters like on TOS and that later show was all the much blander for it).』
(Star Trek: TOS Seasons 1-3) 『I believe this product to be one of my best investments. I only recently became a Star Trek fan after seeing Star Trek XI and at the request of a friend, I rented Seasons 2 and 3. I instantly loved it. I bought all three seasons and haven't regretted it. All three seasons still have the grainy imaging, which I think makes it authentic. Plus, you can't beat the acting. :) I recommend this product to anyone looking for any kind of entertainment. Even though it is a science-fiction show, it still has humor, love, etc.』
(STAR TREK THE ORIGINAL SERIES-THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1-3) 『TO BAD THERE WERENT MORE SEASONS YOU GET STARTED WATCHING AND YOU WANT MORE.CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT TO START. KIRK ,SPOCK,MCOY,AND ALTHE REST WAS VERY GOOD CARETURSES.』
(Please, Paramount/CBS...Reissue this set!) 『I hate it when "They" muck up a good thing.
Why cant well enough be left alone? Why does everything have to be redone, to be made shiny and new?
Star Trek is a TV Classic. It was a child of it's time, cheezy special effects and all. It's as if the Borg Collective reached back into the Paramount offices, and took over, saying, "You must upgrade... you must conform...We will assimalate you".
Star Trek does not need to be assimilated, updated, remastered, or fooled with. Fans of the show love it for what it is, an OLD TV show and the warts be dammned. The TOS of Star Trek IS TV history.
So please, Paramount/CBS: Reissue this set, and allow new fans to see TOS as it originally aired. Don't be like the Borg, and bury a true slice of American TV history for the new and shiny.』
(star trek) 『i have been a trekkie since the begining. now if we can get star wars to make a complete set like this. thank you gene rodenbury.』 『Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. The First Officer is Mr. Spock from the planet Vulcan. The Chief Medical Officer is Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy. With a determined crew the Enterprise encounters Klingons Romulans time paradoxes tribbles and genetic supermen lead by Khan Noonian Singh. Their mission is to explore strange new worlds to seek new life and new civilizations to boldly go where no man has gone before.System Requirements: Running Time 4117 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES&SEQUELS Rating: G UPC: 097360553871 Manufacturer No: 055387』 『The facts have become legend.Star Trek, the NBC series that premiered on September 8, 1966, has become a touchstone of international popular culture. It struggled through three seasons that included cancellation and last-minute revival, and turned its creator, Gene Roddenberry, into the progenitor of an intergalactic phenomenon. Eventually expanding to encompass five separate TV series, an ongoing slate of feature films, and a fan base larger than the population of many third-world countries, theStar Trekuniverse began not with a Big Bang but with a cautious experiment in network TV programming. Even before its premiere episode ("The Man Trap") was aired,Star Trekhad struggled to attain warp-drive velocity, barely making it into the fall '66 NBC lineup.
The series' original pilot, "The Cage," featured Jeffrey Hunter as U.S.S.Enterprisecaptain Christopher Pike--a variation of the role that would eventually catapult William Shatner to TV stardom. Filmed in 1964, the pilot was rejected by NBC the following year, but the network made a rare decision to order a second pilot. "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was filmed in 1965, and only one character from the previous pilot remained--a pointy-eared alien named Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy), whom Roddenberry had retained despite network disapproval. The second pilot was accepted, and production onStar Trekbegan in earnest with the filming of its first regular episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver."
Never a ratings success despite a growing population of devoted fans,Star Trekwas canceled after its second season, prompting a letter-writing campaign that resulted in the series' third-season renewal. It was a mixed blessing, since Roddenberry had departed as producer to protest the network's neglect, andStar Trek's third season contained most of the series' weakest episodes. And yet, the show continued to "to explore strange new worlds…to seek out new life and new civilizations…to boldly go where no man [a phrase later amended to "no one"] has gone before."
There were milestones along the way. The first interracial kiss on network primetime TV (between Shatner and series co-star Nichelle Nichols) furthered a richly positive and expansive view of a better, nobler future for humankind. The series offered a timelessly appealing balance of humor, imagination, and character depth. And at least one episode (Harlan Ellison's "The City on the Edge of Forever") ranks among the finest science fiction stories in any popular medium. Beloved by long-time fans in spite of its cheesy sets and costumes, and the now-dated trappings of late-1960s American culture, "classicTrek" has aged remarkably well, and its sense of adventure and idealism continues to live long and prosper.--Jeff Shannon
The three 2004 DVD sets collect all 79 episodes of the show, including "The Cage" in both a restored color version and the original, never-aired version that alternates between color and black and white. Each set is supplemented by over an hour of featurettes incorporating new and old interviews with Shatner, Nimoy, other cast members, and producers, and there's also some vintage footage of Gene Roddenberry. Accompanying the 20-minute seasonal recaps ("To Boldly Go...") are a number of interesting featurettes: "The Birth of a Timeless Legacy" examines the two pilot episodes and the development of the crew; "Sci-Fi Visionaries" discusses the series' great science fiction writers; Nimoy debunks various rumors in "Reflections of Spock"; "Kirk, Spock&Bones: The Great Trio" focuses on the interplay among Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley); and, in what is probably his lastStar Trekappearance, James Doohan (Scotty), slowed by Alzheimer's but still with a twinkle in his eye, recalls his voiceover roles and his favorite episodes. As they've done for many of the feature-film special editions, Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda provide a pop-up text commentary on four of the episodes filled with history, trivia, and dry wit. It's the first commentary of any kind for aStar TrekTV show, but an audio commentary is still overdue. The technical specs are mostly the same as otherTrekTV series--Dolby 5.1, English subtitles--but with the welcome addition of the episode trailers. The plastic cases are an attempt to replicate some of the fun packaging of the series' European DVD releases, but it's a bit clunky, and the paper sleeve around the disc case seems awkward and crude. Still, the sets are a vast improvement both in terms of shelf space and bonus features compared to the old two-episode discs, which were released before full-season boxed sets became the model for television DVDs.--David Horiuchi』
price：$1.49
Lions Gate
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (It looks like an overlong episode of The outer limits) 『Cheap production,weird story, good atmosphere and two competent actorsin a film wich should last no more than 70 minutes. A man who wakes up in a strange place not knowingwho and where he is surely is a cliche, but here the cliche becomes intriguing.The movie has three distinct parts. the first one,when the viewer, probably a sci-fi fan like me, thinks he has just made a mistake watching it, because really it does not look a scifi movie. The second part, where the viewer gets caught in a mysterious situation(is the guy really in the future?Is this really a worls devastated by a plague?Are the guys in the hospitalsome kind of survivors?)and knows this IS a good scifi plot. The third partwith the surreal ending confuses the viewer...is it or is not a scifi movie? Watch it and decide...It should have been made in black and white, in less than 70 minutes.It would be a very good episode of the original The outer limits...』
(Save the best for last) 『I didn't really know what to expect from this movie, as I hadn't read much of the reviews. The beginning is kind of slow and boring, but one feels intrigued to see what is going to happen. It is an interesting movie, although a bit sad. The 4 stars are because , as I said, the beginning could be a little more enticing. All in all, would recommend it.』
(Slow but interesting) 『After discovering Denis Leary's awesome acting in Rescue Me, i decided i should try and find a few more.
I was pleasantly surprised with Final. Where other films have been completely panned, this one, thought the same might be critically said, i thought this film was quite interesting.
Though it can be confusing in places, there are some great moments in the movie. Denis Leary is quite good in this movie, i would say that it is one of my favorites. A highly underrated actor, Leary pulls off the frustration that would come with people told that the world as he knows it, no longer exists.
A slow moving film, but quite engaging.』
(More like a play than a movie) 『Maybe I was mislead by some of the raving reviews here, but after watching the movie I was somewhat disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I don't need the typical Hollywood "FX loaded but no story" kind of movies to feel entertained. But this one was a bit too minimal or "independent" for me. Especially, since I didn't expect that after reading the amazon description and the reviews for the movie.
Since the whole movie just took place in maybe four or five different locations (in the same building), it reminded me more of a theater play than a movie. Which isn't bad per se, but again not what I expected when reading something about a "great SciFi movie".
Last but not least I found the ending kind of disappointing. Although Denis Leary had his hero moment, to me it was left too unclear, if his sacrifice had lead to a success for human mankind or not. The sister of his doctor had died, before they could help her. Ok, bad for the doctor, but what did that mean exactly for the rest of the world??? No help for nobody? Or just bad luck for the doctor?
Anyhow, if you don't hang your expectations too high, are a big fan of Denis Leary or like the minimal SciFi approach, you might have a nice time watching this movie. 』
(Denis Leary is good) 『Coincidentally, I watched Resolution #9 a few days prior to watching this one. That movie showed a man descending into paranoia-- believing everyone is out to get him and conspiring against him for some type of experiment. This one also has a hero in a similar situation. However, here, there is doubt as to whom to believe.
Denis Leary is great in this role and the movie is interesting, although it's not a perfect film by any means.
He wakes up one morning in a mental hospital believing it is 400 years in the future. He believes he went into the hospital to do a cryogenic experiment on his finger 400 years ago and that he was put into a cryogenic sleep against his will. He believes that he overhears the hospital staff talking about giving him his "final" injection that will kill him.
He tries to enlist the aid of his doctor (played without emotion by Hope Davis) who he begins to trust. As he begins to trust her, he starts doubting his own beliefs.
This movie has a great premise and almost delivers in its execution. Actually, it does, but it's not too satisfying. It's a good movie, but could have been a bit better had Hope Davis' character been a bit more emotional. The movie would have been better served had her character just been a bit less flat.
Recommended with some reservations. If you like the genre, you'll like the movie.』
price：$0.95
Sony Pictures
Usually ships in 1 to 2 days Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (final fantasy 7 advent children review) 『this is a amazing movie with so beautiful graphique, event wall disney can't do better.』
(NO ZACK ANIMATED FILM!) 『I have seen this movie like a 1000 times, it is beautifully made, if not a bit confusing plot wise (I have played the game like 1000 times too, so my confusion is not for lack of understanding of the FFVII universe)
But this is not what this review is about. I am reviewing the BluRay and lack of respect to us fans. I got the BluRay today and was VERY disappointed to find out the Zack animated short is not included AGAIN! I thought this thing would have EVERYTHING. If Transformers' 2 BluRay can have 6 hours of special features... well. Instead we only get the new Danzel short and a disappointingly short list of the same stuff we got on the DVD... no Zack short though, to me this feels like an excuse to squeeze more money out of us.
I previously bough the two disc DVD, in which of course, since there was a SPECIAL "Limited Edition Collector Set" whatever they call it, edition coming out at some point (which sold/sales for $49.99) wasn't included either. It was only reserved for those who forked out the cash. I thought, that by now, SquareEnix know that they got just about all they can from the DVD sales, so they should have included BOTH shorts in the BluRay plus whatever other incredible footage and revised scenes they claim to have, is not lack of space (neither was on the DVD) is just pure disregard for the fans who follow them even though they are the KINGS of delays and overrated hype. It disappoints me to see whoever decides what was to be included in the special features (or not), holding out on us fans like this. What, are they going to release a BluRay special edition with some fancy cover and charge $100 bucks for it just to get a 20 minute short film!? Do they really expect us to buy every release they put out there? I Guess I should just buy the most expensive one and shut up, but that is not the point.
I rate this a 3 because the movie is enjoyable and you do get the 1080p HD experience, but that's it. If you have the DVD, save your money, or buy another BluRay you don't have...like Transformers 2 lol.
』
(Now It's a Movie) 『I kept track of the evolution of this movie. At first it was just going to be some 45 minute OAV, then what i call a Disney-length movie (about 72 minutes), and I never took it seriously as a movie. I thought it was just a sad attempt at making money off the fans. Then they extended it out to a full-length movie, and i got excited. I saw it. It was a fun ride, but it kinda left me dazed and confused. I knew the story of FF7 (though i had never finished the game), at least enough to know what was going on in general, but this story seemed like an excuse for the action that took up more than half the movie. It was rushed, the whole movie looked very gray and depressing, the transitions were very rough, and a bunch of other small nitpicky things annoyed me. I think i gave the original cut 5 stars at the time, but in retrospect, it was more of a 4. High marks for the animation being far beyond what we get in America for direct-to-DVD, and for the action being so wonderfully insane that it made my eyes tired.
This release deals with the big issue that kept the original cut from being a real movie and not just a movie for FF7 fans. The story. They really fleshed it out, and instead of trying to pick up where the game left off and continue that story, the additions have served to finally give this its own story (and one that fits the title much better). And like any decent movie based on a story told in another media (Serenity), you don't have to know what happened before, but there are obviously things that will be more significant to those that do, but mostly in a nostalgic sense. The pacing is also a lot better, so it doesn't feel so rushed.
They've added more than just talking though. Many of the action sequences have been extended and revamped, including the final duel (which definitely pushes this above the PG-13 rating of the original cut). There are a few more location shots here and there which are easy to miss, but help with the pacing. And this cut seemed more colorful. It's still pretty gray, but things like Cloud's shirt looking blue, and Vincent's cape now being bright red seemed to pop out at me. It also seems like the characters actually look beaten, bruised, and dirty during the fights, and i don't remember it being done quite so obviously before.
The only thing that bugged me about this is that it's only on Blu-Ray (i just got a PS3, so i finally got to see this) and that you can tell how old some of the sequences are (early in the movie's development, after they decided to do a full-length movie, new footage for Complete). But that's because they've been working on this for so long. I noticed that in the original cut. But unless you're as visually picky as me, it won't bug you too much.
So with all the additions, big and small, and even with it's shortcomings, Advent Children is finally a real movie to me. And it now earns a full 5 stars from me beyond all doubt.』
(fantasic movie) 『new scenes helped make the movie flow much better. visually stunning on 1080p tele. a bit sparse on extras beyond the film. overall a very solid addition to your sci-fi blue ray collection. and def a must for final fantasy fans.』
(Nice) 『Great images, great sound and a nice movie for gamers and Blu-Ray lovers! Have Fun!』 『The question facing any viewer of the Japanese CG featureFinal Fantasy VII: Advent Childrenis: do you have to know the games on which it's based in order to understand the film? And the answer is: it certainly helps. But even complete novices (i.e., most parents) in theFinal Fantasyworld will find some entertainment in its wealth of fantasy-based action, and the animation never fails to astonish. Picking up two years after an epic battle between the forces of good (represented by brooding soldier Cloud) and evil (Cloud's former general, Sephiroth),FFVIIopens in the devastated city of Midgard, whose youthful occupants suffer from a ghastly disease known as Geostigma. A trio of brothers arrives with what appears to be a cure for the plague, but their gesture conceals a more sinister purpose: to revive Sephiroth and bring about the end of the world. Cloud and his companions must once again rise to the occasion to stop the siblings and the revived Sephiroth from unleashing total destruction. Complex and self-referential to the point of occasional incomprehension,Final Fantasy VIIwill definitely be most appreciated by fans of the game series, but if others can look past the numbing dialogue and frenetic action (which is a bit too intense for very young children), the film offers a carefree and action-packed viewing experience. The two-disc set contains the original Japanese language version of the film as well as an English-dubbed edition (Rachel Leigh Cook and Christy Carlson Romano, among others, provide the vocal talent) and a version edited for the Venice Film Festival. A 30-minute featurette that recaps theFinal Fantasystory up toVII, as well as a making-of documentary, deleted scenes, and promotions for futureFinal Fantasy VIIgames and products round out the extras.--Paul Gaita』 『Two years after the events in the video game Final Fantasy VII the ruins of Midger stand as a testament to the sacrifices made in order to bring peace. However the world will soon face a new menace. A mysterious illness is spreading fast. Old enemies are astir. And Cloud who walked away from the life of a hero to live in solitude must step forward yet again...System Requirements:Running Time: 101 MinFormat: UMD Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 043396117952 Manufacturer No: 11795』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Tifa Lockheart Cosplay Costume) 『This costume was great! Everyone loved it, and I got tons of pictures taken of me! Thanks!』 『You are bidding on 1 set of Brand new Tifa Final Fantasy VII HANDMADE Costume It is for Cosplay wearing.This Auction includes Tifa COSTUME SET:1 white T-Shirt /1 black vest / 1 black skirt / 1 short pants
Here's the measurement chart:
size XL
Black waistcoat and White vest---
Bust: (108 cm /42.5 inch); Length(46 cm/18.1 inch); Breeches----- Waist:(88 cm/34.6 inch);Buttocks(118 cm/46.5 inch);Length(68 cm /26.8 inch);Skirt---Waist:(87 cm/34.3 inch);Buttocks(114 cm/44.9 inch);Length (101 cm/39.8 inch);Crinolette(119cm/46.9 inch)』
タイトル『 COMPLETE Gunner Yuna Costume Cosplay from Final Fantasy size L >
>
price：$52.49
OEM
『COMPLETE Gunner Yuna Costume Cosplay from Final Fantasy X-2!(L)
A custom creation from Fantasy Cart studio by award-winning cosplayer Lucy Sachiko.
You will be the most beautiful heroine Yuna in this custom creation from Fantasy Cart studios. This costume is brand NEW and never worn, made by new fabric material in smoking free environment.This costume includes everything you need for a complete Gunner Yuna costume (without boots and Tiny Bee prop guns only). Jewelry,belt and hair tail etc are also included!
It's just for size L.
DETAIL:Bust35";Waist27";Hipsadjustable.』 タイトル『 COMPLETE Gunner Yuna Costume Cosplay from Final Fantasy size XL >
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (super cute - but not real durable) 『We were pleased with the timliness and packaging of our order. The product itself was as promised. If it was to sit upon the shelf, or even simply be passed about, I'm sure it would last a while. Anime fans like to play-battle occasionally, however, and the chap is sure to be tossed about. Day one, his sword broke and his outfit has come apart in a few small spots at the seems. So he's probably not intended for any degree of rough-housing. But he is cute =)』 『Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Cloud 12-inch Plush』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A GREAT purchase for any Final Fantasy fan!) 『Keep in mind that I bought this figure set for display purposes and do not intend to play with it as a child would. This review is more from a collector's perspective with note given to the big-spender parents and grand parents at the end. With that in mind, I hope this review can answer some questions you may have about the product that the product description might not be able to answer. I'll break it up into two parts, the figure and then the bike and then wrap it all up at then end with an overview.
The Cloud Figure The figure itself is of great quality plastic and a near perfect "real-life" representation of the old Tetsuya Nomura artwork that he did for Cloud (you can even pose him to the likeness of that picture!). The figure is also very poseable with points of articulation at his wrists, elbows, shoulders, head, hips, knees and even the bottoms of his boots to allow for that extra poseablity! His sword is just as it looks in the Nomura-san artwork with weathering and cracks throughout - a great highlight of the figure for myself. Cloud also comes with a couple sets of hands as well (clenched fists and open hands for both arms). The paint job on this figure is fantastic as well just like the other figures in the Play Arts collections. The figure also comes with a waist-holder body prop-up just like you'd find in the other Play Arts figures. It stays hidden pretty well for it's size, though I would have liked a different color for the waist clench than the bright silver exposed metal. From what I can tell, this figure is exactly like the no.001 Cloud figure that you can purchase separately.
Now, to the real reason collectors will be buying this figure set:
The Hardy-Daytona Bike
What can I say that the picture cannot? Well, for starters it's actually even better looking in person. The gear shafts, wheels and even the kick-stand are all a sight to see. The wheels really do move and it would seem they have very good bearings to make them move as smoothly as they do. The paint job is fantastic for this kind of mass-produced figure set as well. My only real gripes with the bike are that: 1. While you can 'move' the handle bars left and right to steer the bike, they do not move very much. In fact, their range of movement is so small it's hardy noticeable until you actual try to 'drive' the bike around your desk. 2. The bike can be a bit of a bother to balance correctly, especially with Cloud mounted on top of it. A bigger kickstand or even a stationary holder made especially for the bike would have been a welcomed addition.
The only real negative I still have with the set is that I would liked to have seen this figure come with the "Hardege" sword that he wielded when you played the mini-game version of his motorcycle chase in the Golden Saucer in addition to his Buster Sword. It's a very minor quip but it would have made the set that much more perfect (you can, however, purchase the Play Arts Final Fantasy VII Arms Weapons Set for around $24.99 which has the Hardedge sword in it!). It's also worth noting that the packaging that the set comes in is perfect for display as is. The box is well made and the plastic window where the figure is seen through is clear enough for you to see the contents of the box.
For the parents out there looking to buy this for their young children I would warn you that Cloud's hands are small and can be lost or swallowed very easily. I wouldn't recommend this figure to any child under the age of 5 for that reason alone. Also, this is a very expensive toy to be throwing around like a G.I. Joe, wouldn't you say? :D
In summary, this is a great collector's item for the price. Most display statues are much more expensive to have and this is a fine and economical way to obtain a cherished video game memory made touchable. If you're a die-hard Final Fantasy fan who happens to be a collector of action figures or other curios then you deserve to purchase and own this great figure set of a hero and his "stolen-and-used-one-time" motorcycle.』 『A Square-Enix Japanese import! Produced by the SHINRA Motor Company for use by the SOLDIER division, the HARDY DAYTONA is the ultimate vehicle from the Final Fantasy universe! This deluxe box set includes the CLOUD STRIFE PLAY ARTS Action Figure in addition to the motorcycle itself. Developed with the full cooperation of original character designer Tetsuya Nomura, the Daytona is an incredible work of engineering, as no detail is missing from the bike - rotating tires, movable steering and forks, and even working shocks! The cycle measures approximately a foot long, and is perfectly in scale with the Cloud action figure (8" tall). You've waited for this set for ten years, and now it is finally a reality!
- Movable steering and forks! - Real rubber, rotating tires! - Center mounted, locking kickstand! - Detailed, working shocks! - Incredibly poseable action figure!』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Likely best for collectors) 『This would probably have a five star rating if it was made with die-cast metal as it's title suggests. My item was completely made out of plastic, but it's not all that bad. The detail is perfect and it has a plastic display stand. The barrels turn and you pull the hammers back, although I can't say I'm thrilled about it. I would handle it carefully because since it's plastic and only around 7 inches long, it's likely to be fragile. Bottom line, it's a good display and accurate replica.』
(98% plastic junk) 『This item is not as described. It is 98% plastic. Is described as "primarily die cast metal". I agree the detail is good and the chamber&trigger mechanism nice but was expecting at least 50% die cast metal. If you want this replica and don't mind it being plastic you will like it. If expected the discription then you will be disappointed like me.』
(Replica Vincent Valentine Cerberus pistol) 『Its a lot smaller than I imagined! But still around 4-5 inches long, it has great detail. The chamber opens and you can examine the detail. The bullet chambers turn, and you can work the hammer. The trigger also articulates. It comes with a clear plastic stand which looks reasonably good. A nice piece! Fragile, for display only.』 『A Square Enix Japanese import! For the first time ever, the weapons of the FINAL FANTASY and KINGDOM HEARTS universes are being made available as prop replicas! Each replica is faithfully crafted based on the original designs used in creating the video games. They are 1/6th scale and made from a variety of materials, but primarily in die-cast metal, along with abs&pvc plastic. Each high quality, iconic MASTER ARMS replica comes with a display stand, and is packaged in a deluxe collector's box. From FINAL FANTASY VII: DIRGE OF CERBERUS Approximately 6' long As of ADVENT CHILDREN, VINCENT VALENTINE has a triple-barrel revolver named CERBERUS, reflected in the silver charm that hangs from the hilt of the gun as well as the detailng showing the dogs heads on the side of each barrel. The Cerberus handgun is scheduled to have opening&spinning cylinders, a triple-hammer that can be cocked, and working trigger.』
price：$6.99
Spectra
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Publisher hampers book with no text to speech) 『Be careful buying this book. I did not pay close enough attention to see that the text-to-speech feature was not enabled. I use my kindle almost exclusively in the car.
SHAME ON THE PUBLISHERS for disabling this feature.』
(Fantastic conclusion to a superb trilogy) 『The Final Sacrifice by Patricia Bray is the third novel in the Chronicles of Josan trilogy. The first two novels are; The First Betrayal (The Chronicles of Josan, Book 1) and the second book The Sea Change (The Chronicles of Josan, Book 2). This is a series that may be overlooked by many readers simply because it is not getting a lot of publicity. I first stumbled upon Ms. Bray's work due to Amazon.com recommending it to me one night. I gave it a shot and was hooked within fifteen pages. While it is a fantasy novel, it is not your typical hack-n-slash type fantasy. It is a much more cerebral take on the genre. I was so pleased with the first book that I listed it as one of my top reads of 2007. Here are my thoughts on this novel.
The plot of this book picks up after the events of the second book with a slight gap in between. There are a couple of main plots in this book, however, the main plot focuses on the failing health of Emperor Lucius and what needs to be done to heal him. Due to the illness of the emperor certain factions within the city hold out hope that upon his death they can take over and rule. Political undertones (and overtones) are one of Ms. Bray's strong suits. She does a fantastic job at not only showing the reader what is going on, but also explaining the myriad of reasons and fears people hold. Another of the subplots is the threat to the nation of Ikaria by a mysterious band of pirates who are posing as the Ikarian navy for nefarious reasons. There are a couple other subplots scattered throughout the book, but those I briefly talked about above are the ones that fans will be most interested in. As I said before, this book, and trilogy for that matter, is not the typical quest/ monster filled fantasy novel. This is a deeply political, character driven novel that will surprise many fantasy fans.
The characters in this novel are largely the same characters from the first two books. You can expect to see; Josan, Emperor Lucius, Ysobel, Burrell, Zuberi and many more. The true greatness of this series is in the characters. They are all multi-faceted, they all have flaws and different motivations as well as holding individual loyalties. For lack of a better way of stating it, the characters in this book seems so real. Their dialogue is almost always spot on and flows seamlessly as well as providing each character with a distinctive voice. There is also a great deal of character development in this book, particularly with Lucius. From where he starts the novel to where he ends it is a rather profound transition. Lady Ysobel does not have as much character development as she did in the first two books, but she plays a smaller part of this novel so that is somewhat understandable. Rarely have I been captivated by so many characters in a book before. Usually it is just one or two characters that really hold my interest. With this book, and series really, I was captivated by a handful of characters. It's uncanny how well they are written. It's a credit to Ms. Bray that she can write so many quality characters. I simply didn't want the book to end.
A couple minor criticisms about this novel:
1 - The lack of a resolution with a certain Brother. There are a couple hints about his involvement, but there is now concrete resolution. Above all else, that is the one thing that I wish was done differently with this novel.
2 - The culmination of the battle at Vidrun. There is a great deal of build-up and emotion going into the battle and how it was portrayed was very under stated. I would have liked to have seen a view of what was occurring on land and how the people were reacting and dealing with the barrage that was occurring.
Some things I liked about this novel:
1 - I honestly believe that Ms. Bray writes some of the best prose in the genre right now. It is both fluid and expressive. When an English teach explains the `show don't tell' philosophy they should simply give an example of Ms. Bray's work.
2 - I enjoyed the fact that this book isn't a typical fantasy novel where a hero goes on a quest, slays a monster, and reaps the rewards. This is a deeper novel on so many levels. It's refreshing to read a book like this at times.
3 - I appreciated the subtleness of this book. There are several plot lines intermingled that could have been blown out of proportion purely for the sake of over indulgence. However, Ms. Bray takes the path of being subtle with many of the plot lines and it works remarkably well. This book was simply a joy to read.
When all is said and done, it is a shame that this series will be overlooked by so many readers who would no doubt appreciate this trilogy. If you are a fan of deep engaging plots, with complex characters, then you could certainly do worse than picking up this trilogy. If you are a fan of characters running around and mindlessly killing monsters to rescue the damsel, then this is not a series you will enjoy. In my eyes, Ms. Bray has cemented herself as someone to watch in the years to come. If this book is any indication of the quality of fantasy she can produce we, as readers, are in for a treat. This is certainly a series I will be recommending to many people. Do yourself a favor and pick up the first book in the trilogy and you won't look back. 』
(Good ending) 『Good ending to a solid series. Obviously, this book shouldn't be read without having read the first two in the series. However, I couldn't remember many of the names, characters, and events from the first two books, so sometimes I struggled with it. I made it through without being overly confused most of the time, so hey, maybe you don't need to read the first two. Is it groundbreaking? No. But it is well written with characters I came to care about and respect. Their This book was entertaining and a pleasure to read. A very good end to a solid series.』
(Not lovin it......) 『I am a huge Patricia Bray fan and was pleasantly surprised to find these books by her that I had originally missed. Unfortunately going back is not always good, I think she has grown so much as an author that these books couldn't hold my interest. I think I got through the first book (barely) and had to stop. I kept them on my bookshelf though and I am hoping to go back and give them another try.
Try buying her newer releases and you will positively love them.』
(Excellent character driven epic) 『Brother Nikos leader of The Learned Brethren arranged for a spell to transfer dying monk Josan's soul into the body of the heir apparent to the Ikarian Empire Prince Lucius. The spell failed when a decade after it was cast, the soul of Lucius returned to his body. Both inhabit the body of the Lucius body and they are both now the emperor.
Josan and Lucius may share a body, but they are totally opposite in personalities. The former focuses on just rule of the empire; the latter chooses to ignore responsibility to return to his playboy prince days. Josan concludes the relationship must end with Lucius alone in the body; he starts traveling to Xandropal where the Learned Brethren possess the largest book collection in the Empire. Sendat spy Lady Ysobel knows who he is, but both change their plans when what look like Ikarian ships attack Federation vessels; the assault armada are from Vidrun disguised as Ikarians. Vidrun wants their neighbors at war with each other so they as "neutral" can become the victors. In Ikaria, civil war is imminent as two adversaries want the emperor declared dead.
THE FINAL SACRAMENT, the final book in the Ikarian Empire trilogy (see THE SEA CHANGE and THE FIRST BETRAYAL), is a character driven epic that can be read alone. However it behooves newcomers to obtain the previous tales to better understand what led to Josan's current predicament. The action is somewhat limited, as the heart of this entry is Josan a scholar who has become a compassionate ruler caring for his people. Lucius compares unfavorably as he rightfully angry as he lost his body for a decade and now shares what is rightfully his. Josan gives up his goal to right the wrong to Lucius because of a greater need than either of their lives or souls. His willingness to sacrifice himself turns Lady Ysobel from enemy to admirer as she looks at her soul and feels inadequate. Readers who appreciate a deep look at people in charge will relish this entry in a strong saga.
』 『In one man, two souls fight for survivalâand for mastery of an outlaw magic that could save a kingdom.
It was a fate Josan once considered preferable to death. Cast by dark sorcery into the body of Emperor Lucius of Ikaria, the scholar-monk struggled to make peace with a mind that regarded him as a hostile intruder. But now, as simmering rivalries threaten to plunge the kingdom into a bloody civil war, Josan is faced with the most difficult choice of all. For the uneasy truce between him and Lucius is unraveling in a form of madness that is destroying the body they share. Thereâs only one hope for a cure.
Disguised, stowing away as a common traveler, Josan/Lucius will make the hazardous journey to Xandropol. There in the great library of the Learned Brethren, Josan hopes to find the forbidden magic that will counter the spell that yokes him and Lucius. But an old antagonist is already on their trail: the Lady Ysobel follows them to what she realizes is the scene of her and Josanâs fateful first meeting. But not even she divines the reason for this final pilgrimage: that Josan has returned to sacrifice his life.』
price：$6.38
Citadel
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Master of the twist ending) 『This is the first volume of a 3 volume collection of Robert Bloch's short stories. However it is NOT complete. I have a 1960s collection of his short stories and none of them are in any of these three volumes. Still--this is probably as close as we're going to get:)
These are the early Bloch stories--from 1939 to 1956. He was a very good writer. His stories are direct and to the point. He doesn't waste time on descriptions or details. He gives you just what you need to know and goes full speed ahead. Not all of the stories are that great anymore. Some are cliched but you have to realize he INVENTED the cliches! None are bad at all--just a few are familar. Still they're quick, easy reads and always had a macabre twist at the end. The twist endings are just great--some you'll see coming but others come out of left field. Also it's fun to read these stories and remember how they were used for episodes of "The Twilight Zone" and movies. ALL the stories for the 1972 film "Asylum" are in this collection! They're slightly different though. An excellent thorough enjoyable collection. Highly recommended.』
(Fantastic literature at its best) 『Most people only know Robert Bloch for 'Psycho', but his career is way beyond that. He was a prolific writer, and the youngest member of the so-called Lovecraft Circle. This collection encompasses some of his best works, some of them heavily influenced by H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. I'd suggest this tome to anyone who is into the Mythos or any kind of fantastic literature and fiction. I enjoyed it quite a lot, and I'm sure you'll do too.』
(A Bloch Party) 『Robert Bloch's first volume of complete stories is gruesome fun. Some of his most famous and chilling short stories can be found in this collection. Many of these stories were translated into either film by Amicus productions (The House That Dripped Blood, Asylum, Torture Garden, Tales from the Crypt, etc.) or made into a radio play. Among the great stories contained are "Mannikins of Horror" where an insane nueroscientist plays god and breathes life into clay; "Frozen Fear" tells of a Cajun curse that will chill you to the bone; "The Man Who Collected Poe" is a fantastic tale of a man's obsession going beyond the mortal realm; and "I Like Blondes" deals with an individual's taste in women. This collection contains 27 stories, all of which are a blast to read. If you enjoy horror short stories without all the ambiguous endings that seem to plague the current market, this is the collection for you.』
(Bloch's brilliant stories are required reading.) 『Despite being famous for a novel, Robert Bloch's greatest contributions to genre literature were arguably in the short story format. Whether writing for the pulps or the slick professional magazines, Bloch could be counted on delivering a unique and addictive blend of twisted shock and sarcastic black humor. These volumes are pretty much required in any genre fans library. Highly recommended.』
(Very Interesting Book) 『This book is very interesting. Robert Bloch is able to write a suspensful story. When you read this book, you will be in for a surprise. There are many shock endings to the stories. Most of them are horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. Sometimes he weaves two of them together. Overall, I thought that this was an excellent book.』 『Best known as the author of "Psycho", Robert Bloch is world-renowned for his stories of horror, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. Many of the 25 stories in this first volume of "The Complete Stories of Robert Bloch" have been unavailable for decades. The stories are in his classic style of gripping suspense, science fiction and fantasy.
As Bloch writes, "These stories in this collection have a common theme; they deal with monsters. Some of the monsters are human, some are not-- but all of them embody, in one way or another, the fears common to us in our dreams. We call these monsters by many names-- ghosts, vampires, extraterrestrials, changelings. But we recognize them for what they are; manifestations of the secret dreads and desires which lurk beneath the surface of consciousness."
"Bloch has become a virtual fixture on the popular culture landscape." --Publishers Weekly
"If you're not familiar with Bloch's short fiction, find someone to borrow this from; if you already are familiar, you know that you want to own these volumes." --Locus』
price：$6.99
Wizards of the Coast
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (pretty good ending) 『my problem with this whole series was that the villans were under powereed compared to the heroes read it and i think u will agree overall it was a good story though』
(not great) 『this whole series was not great. not terrible either, but not great.』
(Very Good Story = B+) 『This is a very good book, and the conclusion of one of the best of the forgotten realms series. The first two books are even better than this one, the series as a whole gets a solid "A". This Book seemed a bit rushed and lacked some of the color a vividness of the first two books. The writing style is very readable, the author paints for the most part a rich and vivid story, the dialogue works well, and the plot is fast paced!
The only thing I did not care for in this series was the over powering use of super numbers of super villains, the elves have to not only fight the horde of magical half elf / half demons, but thousands of devils and real demons as well. Just too much, it took away from the believability for me, just too many "Oh come on's" for me.
(Fantastic Conclusion to this Trilogy) 『Final Gate by Richard Baker is the third and final book in the Last Mythal trilogy. The other two books are The Forsaken House and Farthest Reach. This book is the culmination of several plots coming together in a climatic conclusion, one that will have a profound impact on the realms, in particular the area of the Dales. If you have not read the first two books in this trilogy and are thinking about reading this one, I highly recommend reading the first two; otherwise you will be quickly lost in the story and miss the overall picture of some of the events that occur.
The plot of this book was very well written and Mr. Baker did a fantastic job of tying up loose ends as well as giving depth to the story. There are several plots going on at the same time in this book which almost forces the reader to keep reading to find out what is going to happen next. Mr. Baker also does a fantastic job of combining multiple elements, magic (and a great deal of magic there is), politics, intrigue, large scale battles, and personality. I have often been a critic of large scale battles in the past, however, the large scale battle in this book seems appropriate and `fits' within the context of the story. Whereas some other books add the large scale battle just to have one. If you are a fan of magic use, this trilogy is one you will surely enjoy. There is plenty of large scale magic use, but all done in such a way that give the reader the impression that it is something special and not everyone can work magic like that. Truly a well told story and one I enjoyed.
The characters in this book have been developing over two books so for the most part we know what to expect from them. Some authors forgo character development in the final book of a trilogy, but Mr. Baker continues on with his superb development and even throws a twist or two in to make sure the reader is paying attention. There is a subtleness about the character development in this book, it is not a `in your face' type of development, rather it is a development through actions and words that we see small shifts in each characters behaviors. It was truly a joy to read that type of development.
Overall, this series as a whole if one that I am sure the vast majority of people will enjoy. There are elements in this story that will appeal to a broad range of fans. This is a Realms Shaking Event meaning that there will be repercussions for the Forgotten Realms with the conclusion of this story, so if you are a fan of the Realms you really need to read this trilogy. I think most fantasy fans will enjoy this book as well. In fact I may even recommend this trilogy to people who are looking at getting into the fantasy genre. This is one of the better trilogies to have been released by Wizards of the Coast in a couple of years. Don't hesitate to pick these up today. 』 『In the hands of an elf high-mage, the fabled mythals are Faerûn's most potent sources of magical power. But in the hands of a demon princess from a forgotten epoch, they're the most powerful weapons imaginable.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Great Turn-based Videogame for everyone) 『If you enjoy turn-based dungeon exploring wrapped in a cute package, then this game is for you! I haven't played the previous version, which is probably the reason I may have enjoyed it more then the other's that rate this game down. Another thing is, I have played "Azure Dreams" a videogame for the Playstation made by Konami, which is undeniable that some of the people who worked on that game made this(I don't know if that is true, but the games are almost identical). I very much enjoyed playing "Azure Dreams" and would recommend that as well if you do not mind some dated graphics.
The game is packed full of voice acting and clever dialogue, Fun minigames and stategic dungeons. Although, the main dungeons seemed to be VERY easy, but the side-quests were more challenging and somtimes unbeatable if you weren't prepared. I could tell that this game is gear towards children who have never played this kind of genre before.
I enjoyed the game, and im not a Final Fantasy Fanatic. Personally, I didn't even think I would have like the game until I found out it was like Azure Dreams, a game I played as a young teen. So, if you enjoy Role-Playing games, turn-based action or maybe even pen and paper games, then this game is for you! It's worth the price they ask for the game. This is because I thought I was going too fast through the game only to find out I wasn't even half-way done (I take my time to re-explore a few dungeons). If you find the game too childish, just smile and laugh at the game in realization you are a Chocobo! Step away from today's realistic and movie like games and enjoy a fantasy.』
(I don't know whats the deal with all the detracters) 『This game is amazing. I picked it up during Circuit City's closeout for $10 and I would have happily paid $40+ for it knowing what I know now. First off, the design is adorable. The hero, Chocobo, is really cute but don't let that fool you, he can be tough. The music is great, really interesting and catchy. The story is interesting (while there are some nagging plot holes) and different than other RPGs. The mini games are really fun and relaxing - as good mini games should be. The side quests are fun too, and benefit the main game. It's just hard enough so you don't get frustrated. I've played this game in its entirety twice and I want to play again. I have been searching for RPGs like this one to no avail. I would recommend this to anyone, adults and kids.』
(final fantasy fables: chocobo's dungeon) 『I bought this game for a 19 yr old (girl) and she really likes it. They play all the final finasy games and enjoy them all!』
(Too Much Story) 『Overall the game is Okay. There is too much story and not enough play. Litterally, 75% of you time is spent clicking through conversations. I lost interest in about an hour.』
(Lots of depth hiding behind the cutesy look) 『Despite the kiddy look, Chocobo's Dungeon is a roguelike RPG with quite a bit of depth. Many jobs (or classes) to use as the dungeon contexts change; dozens of items to discover, customize, and equip. The JRPG translations and some of the voice acting can be a little grating, but the bottom line is this is a fun game with several dozen hours of content.
If you're looking for a solid turn-based RPG on Wii with a respectable level of difficulty, Chocobo's Dungeon is a good deal.』 『Final Fantasy mainstays Chocobo and Cid find themselves in a mysterious town. Whenever the clocktower bell rings, people lose their memories. . It's now up to Chocobo to journey into the dungeons and retrieve people's memories. But Chocobo is well-equipped for this task, as he is able to train in any number of classic jobs from Final Fantasy games. Chose the right job for each task, and level up to defeat the evil that dwells in the dungeons.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Tame Version of Final Fantasy Tactics) 『This game is very different from Final Fantasy Tactics, for better or worse. It's more forgiving (most of the time) when characters "die" in battle. The ability system also has more in common w/ Final Fantasy IX's ability system than with Final Fantasy Tactics' ability system. I could go on w/ the changes, but I'll let the players find out for themselves. It's really fun though, despite the changes. Newbies will enjoy it too since it has NOTHING to do w/ the original Final Fantasy Tactics either. Highly recommended.』
(Great SRPG!) 『As many people are aware, FFTA came before FFTA2 and after FFT. As such its difficulty level lies in betwixt the 2 games; not too hard but not too easy. Plays like FFTA2 rule-wise (laws in effect) however some abilities play out like FFT while others are FFTA2-ish. can be used to unlock the Libra clan privilege in FFTA2 by placing it in the DS or DSI while FFTA2 is present ad loading or starting a new game.』
(Dissapointing sequel to the original FFT) 『So when I heard this game was coming out, I got really excited as there are few good tactics games, and the PS1's Final Fantasy Tactics was spectacularly great. It was a mature, well written, well balanced game. The battle system was addicting, the story was engaging (patterned after the history of the war of the roses), and the characters were mature.
This is not that game.
The battle system was literally the only thing that had any thought put into and because of it the new law system superimposed on the traditional tactical engine all role-playing strategy games use seemed nothing more than random annoyances than vehicle for creating more challenging battles. And with a referee in the game to watch you and pull you out of battle for X number of turns if you break the 'laws' of the battle it trivialized the already weak storyline even further.
Gone are the battle hardened warriors, wizards, generals&engineers and instead you have fluffy little cutesy animals given a humanoid form to help a little boy find his way back to his world.
This game is to Final Fantasy Tactics what the 1960's Batman movie with Adam West is to The Dark Knight, except that FFTA came after the first Tactics set the bar for all other role-playing strategy games.
What a waste of money this game was.
I suppose this game would be good if you're a ten year old... But if you want a more mature RPS try Vandal Hearts.』
(WARNING- BE CAREFULL WHICH EDITION YOU BUY.) 『I have two copies of FFTA in my personal collection and Ive been wanting to get another CAUSE ITS JUST THAT GOOD. Problem is that there are two versions of this game. One is the first year of production edition, the next is the reprint second edition.
The first editions run beautifully and Ive NEVER had a problem with them, but every one of the second edition Ive bought (all used cause its near impossible to find a reasonable priced new copy nowadays) have been prone to deleting save games and not being able to save AT ALL. And with a game like FFTA that has a close to an hour long unskipable opening sequence, that is a terrible thing. Not to mention that the cartridges themselves seem of second best quality, fitting together improperly.
There are two ways you can tell the difference, but both are found on the sticker on the front of the cartridge. The first ed. games cartridge sticker is only black and white with only the title on the front and has the product code (found on the bottom right corner) AGB-AFXE-USA. The second ed. cartridge sticker has a picture of the group of main characters on the front and has the product code AGB-ATKE-USA. So AFXE is a first ed. while ATKE is a second.
Now I'm not saying EVERY SINGLE ATKE copy of FFTA is broken, but that has been my experience. So if you plan on buying a copy, CONTACT THE SELLER AND FIND OUT WHICH VERSION IT IS. And make sure they have TESTED IT, AND I MEAN REALLY TESTED IT. Just turning it on to see if the title screen pops up isn't going to cut it because the problems don't show up until at least an HOUR into gameplay (the first time you get to save).』
(Mixed feelings) 『I rate this game 3 out of 5 stars. It's more different from the other FF games that I played, but its not all bad. The jobs are fun to play with, and the storyline is interesting.
However, the time it takes to build jobs for promotion is frustrating, as well as having to equip weaker items just to teach skills. The endless battles and the arbitrary rules (I EFFING HATE THE EFFING RULES) are what dampen a game with a lot of potential.』 『FInal Fantasy Tactics Advance for GBA』
price：$19.99
Square Enix
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (do yourself a favor...) 『and do not buy this game! please don't! i wasted 20 dollars on this game, and i regret it so much! i got this a few years ago...and it was just awful. only good thing i could say about it is its graphics. ok, you have that one.
but seriously. the plot is trash. i remember one part of the game where it TOLD you the storyline was cliche...and boy it is.
i dont have any friends who play this game. so they can't play it with me! to be honest...i found this game difficult too. and im talking about playing with yourself. it gets so boring and lonely with that stupid animated pixel carrying around that jar....dear god. by the second stage i quit because it became frustrating. not really, but it became boring and uninteresting. don't get this game.』
(doesn't deserve the crap it gets.) 『many people say this game doesn't live up to the final fantasy name, which i really wouldnt no because im not a huge final fantasy fan, but this actually was the one that turned me on to the series, and some of the final fantasy games disapoint me when i compare them to this game.
the plot development is slow and subtle but thats not really a bad thing, its not like you start out "your going to be the one to save the world!" your just helpin your village.
some people say your character is without personality, thats because YOU make your character so you see your character the way you want to, which i think you can flow with the game better with anyway.
as for fighting, its fun, i use a yuke (the spellcaster race) so i dont attack very much, but there are combo moves and you can stack spells to make stonger spells. the boss battles are always interesting, and when you revisit a boss itll have some thing new like a spell or attack, so it always interesting.
i wouldnt recomend this game to people looking to play another final fantasy because it is drasticly different, however id recomend this to anyone just lookin for a fun long game.』
(not FF7) 『I bought this because I thought it might be like FF7. It wasn't. I think it was intended for an audience younger than I am. It's not a bad game, there's just too much competition in the market now to recommend an average game like this.』
(Just a Great game) 『This game probably won't sell very well since they put Final Fantasy in the title. This game is nothing like FF, so if your a huge fan of FF don't get your hopes up.
But that does not mean that this game is not incredible. I bought this game the year it came out and I play it today. So if you own a Gamecube, and you like playing older games, please get this game today.
NOTE: I didn't say anything about the game play because there's no point of repeating. Just look at what the other people who put 5 stars said.』
(one of my top favs.) 『the game is good. i have to say i didn't think i would like it but i found myself seeking the best items, collecting all of the artifacts and bringing friends to journey with me. the final boss reveals all. in game controls are well programed, and the story manages to thrill you while keeping you in the dark like a good mystery.』 『Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for Gamecube』
The scallop of large satisfactory ! northern countries and - [ of how much ] botan shrimp are ! tightly.
getting to know the technique of motorbike expensive sale -- Ta -- if -- -
>
>
>
