Well, it was only 2 days ago now that I had begun to have felt a bit nausea and abhorrent. Then it was today, where an intolerable migraine has sporadically popped up. Which kind of caused me to lay in bed for 2 hours. Oh dear, not such a delightful surprise. Though I couldn't quite figure out what would have been the source of it as I had felt perfectly healthy (well, for the most part) up until then.

It's that type of adversity that makes me want to stave off into sleep.... or [i]anyone[/i], for that matter. So, uh, yeah, it sucks, and I'm feeling better now, I suppose, and I'm sorry for the brevity of this entry.

Just a filler.

That's correct, people. LORD OF THE RINGS. COMPLETE SCORE.

Well then, I'm inert... in a optimistic way. And yet addled... in not such a good way. Yes, it was only two days ago that I finally received the 4-disc set of the *COMPLETE*, finally *COMPLETE* with every single last durable bit of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring musical score, even the newer tracks from the Extended Edition, in the mail, which I happened to have ordered from www.amazon.com over a week ago. This, however, was released about one month, one full week, and two days ago.

So, what's the rundown? This 4-disc set is brilliant, yet it pries me to disparage it at the same time. The problem is, the folks behind this set palpably packaged it with blithe, it's just shoddy, because the effort to tidy it up wasn't very swell; it's clearly not very sturdy and liable to breakdown with ease. It may not look that way judging from these images:

But, in real life, the case is quite disparating.

Anyway, onto the actual 4-disc set. The complete score has been divided into 3 seperate, standard music CDs, from the very first choir cue to "The Road Goes Ever On" with lots of familiar orchestrated tracks, such as the "Fellowship" and the "Shire" cues, at the very end of both the Theatrical Edition and Extended Edition's credits. They even sardined in a special DVD audio optical disc accumulation of all 3 CDs - remastered in 24-bit Dolby Digital 5.1 Superior Surround Sound with an output rate of 48 kHz. This is just for a more crisp listening experience, of course. The animated DVD menus are excellent and well constructed, as always. Here's a sample from them:

Not bad, and that's just one of the static menus. Anyway, the whole complete score itself is just utterly blissful to listen to. Howard Shore really knew what he was doing, what an unblemished composer. His music is nothing short of incredible, and the texture of the music alone really suits the film.

All the music heard in the movie is right here on disc, and it simply couldn't be more soundly with unprecendented clarity. It's too bad the packaging was drecked, not to mention that it was overpriced ($50, holy smokes). Every note, and I mean [i]everything[/i], from "The Nazgúl" to "Moría" to "Khaza-dúm" (the latter two being some of my top favorites, just listen to the impact of that fiery Russian chorus).

Just as Peter Jackson's contemporary adaptation of the books is wonderful, this 4-disc set is just as worthy, it's a must-purchase for any LOTR or J.R.R Tolkien fan, but they probably have got it in their clutches, likely a month ago. If the subpar packaging and high price is engulfing you in a shrewd of doubt, don't let it do so any longer. This COMPLETE score is worth it, regardless of its undermining (not so minor) quibbles. Roll on The Two Towers and Return of the King COMPLETE score, which are actually longer-winded scores than this one.

I just can't imagine what the grandiose of it will be, whenever it's finally out of the works and ships, which will *hopefully* (fingers crossed) be later this year, if not next year, but, based on [b]my[/b] preminitions, it really shouldn't take such an interminable amount of time. Still, they will be just as awesome, and count me in.

With that said, for those who haven't given this score a chance, don't riddle yourself with follies - it [u]is[/u] worth it, mark my words.

And, yep, that pretty much wraps up this blog entry, to those who literally care and are actually reading this, on an ending note.

Indeed, likewise.

So, yep, Merry X-mas to everyone, and I wish only identical gaiety betides you in the case of this holiday!

Just like last year, I'd just like to wish everyone a jovial X-mas eve tonight.... hope your X-mas eve, looking both inward and outward in afooting it, will be as enjoyable as optly possible.

Review:

King Kong.... hail to the King, baby. Is it Movie of the year? Read on....

My reactions? I'm beguiled. Blown away. Stupefyed, even. King Kong is simply scintillating in every aspect possible, while retaining the brilliance of the novelty crammed 1933 smash hit. The movie was casted to utmost PERFECTION (those who are skeptical when it comes to Jack Black, well, don't worry, and even Andy Serkis make more than just cameo appearances!), no one could have executed this better than Peter Jackson. Period. It's revolting enough that this film didn't sweep the Oscars or Golden Globe Awards, let alone wasn't nominated to a satisfactory level. Yawn.

Anyway, from beginning to end, King Kong is an adventure that certainly is not to be missed. Sure it starts needing to get up to its eyes, but that's because it's establishing something called the vibe of the movie..... the characters, you know, character development? Some open spaces for humour that far exceeds the pathetic attempts stabbed by the LOTR trilogy, even if some parts of the film are intentionally humourous, while not quite funny IMO.

I think the movie opened brilliantly, with the zoo, the depression, and Ann Moss..... I was doubtful, but she just nailed down the part. As did that movie producer guy. Once they hop on that boat and begin their journey, the movie trudges in a whole different direction. A broodier direction, as not 100% stern the movie staves itself to be, it's actually a very ominious and frightening tale of courage, epic proportions, apprehension. Another thing is that the movie just FEELS so realistic - so gritty - and has that attribute that was also very apparent in the LOTR trilogy - it's the perfect collaboration of emotion, action, CGI digital special effects, superb acting, themes and deeper meanings, and a whole lot more, all coupled into a 3+ hour film narrative. Infact, the movie flew by so quickly that it felt more like a 2 hour movie to me. There's just so many sheerly intense, yet narly moments that are both full of chuckles and poignant shifts, many of them actually parallels to the LOTR trilogy, namely those large arachnid predators, that to Shelob, but that's just Peter Jackson being himself, 80s style grotesque stuff, y'know?

Oh, and did I mention that the relationship between King Kong and Ann is nothing short of extraordinary? Peter Jackson certainly knows how to convey on screen now naïve, yet heartfelt monstirous creature is really, no differentiated than humanity, and the fact that humanity simply refuses to inure that other life is much closer to us than we consider in our minds. The nigher the end of the movie comes, the more you realize that it's [i]man[/i] and their synthetic weapons of destruction that's the real monster here, not harmless (in a sense, at essence) savages and species, and the like. That's the thing though - the movie actually has a [i]heart[/i] - a [u]soul[/u], something that is sorely lacking in most CGI boasting movies these days.

Hmm, onto the CGI digital effects. They blended it in, in a compositing sense, a lot better than they did in the trailers, probably because the Super 35mm 2:35:1 transfer was less clear, with what's probably going to be a cleaned up transfer in terms of colour rendition, MPEG-2 compression and artifacts/postersation, black/green/other colour levels, edge enhancement, and etcetra. So they weren't as cutted and pasted as I originally anticipated, and this is even more mutually beneficial and fulfilling considering the fact that CGI is integral in this movie.

Is the CGI digital model of King Kong the breakthrough that it's been raved to be? In my opinion, no, although it's a fine digital actor that reaches a level of emotion that you can actually [i]feel[/i] and relate to, and as the physical presence of a live, actually [i]existing[/i] entity and a digital entity detection can be discriminated due to the sensitivity of the human eye, I'd say it's still quite easy to tell that it's CGI. The raytraced reflections in his eyes, yet the eyes alone, were done very well though, even if it's really not as groundbreaking as the Gollumn model from LOTR, or the Yoda/Grevious model from ROTS, or Harry Potter's, err, little revolutionary creature in his digital model glory that I can't remember the surname of, not that I really am all that enthralled by Harry Potter anyway. Sorry to stray off-topic there. Anyway, yes, the effects are more than just decent.

Speaking of the effects, it's minature speaketh time! Peter Jackson and his Wingnut/WETA digital team certainly managed to keep their flair for awesome loads of humongous, stupendous minatures, they're all over the place (in a great way, that is), on Skull Island, the ship, and so on and so forth. On from the effects, I held high hopes for the musical score to succeed as well as it would had Peter Jackson accepted Howard Shore's probably incredible effort. However, James Newton Howard still did an excellent job. I look foward to picking the score up, sooner than later, too.

That being said, I think that pretty much rounds up my review. King Kong is a masterpiece, folks - a fantastic film that won't, in all likelyhood, disappoint. It's definitely Movie of the Year, at least in my opinion, and quite easily rivals LOTR, not that it's really in a position to, and that both movies are quite a deviation from eachother, even if they [i]do[/i] have a similiar feel due to being crafted by the same people. I walked into the theatre with nearly impossible expectations that I didn't assume to be met - yet I was gobsmacked, regardless. And yes, when I say Movie of the Year, I mean better than Batman Begins, which was a fabulous flick. So do yourself a favor, and go see it. ASAP. The critics aren't mendacizing. Nor are the biased boneheads on IMDB. You won't regret it.

Overall Verdict:

Pros - Great acting, nifty story, beyond adequate effects, magnificently thrilling moments, and an ultimately poignant adventure, and ultra-lengthy enough (3 hours and 7 minutes!!!) to fill my tastes!

Cons - Sometimes not funny when attempted to be, CGI could be integrated a bit better, and a bit more elaborate. And ummmm.... ummm, yeah, I'll get back to you on the rest of the cons some other time.

Score: [b]9.4/10.0[/b]

Yes, tommorow happens to be my 17th birthday, and I've finally found time to write this blog post.

I never precongnited that this day would come so abruptly. Not that it's a grievance to have by any means, but, still.... how was 16? Knowing there is no redemption in that aspect now, 16 was, in short: crap. Yet every new year never ceases to degrade in retrospect, so it's something that I should anticipate and embrace for now on.

16 was no centre of emblem age to naturally reach, but 17 is most certainly a more substantial jump. I'm nearly an adult now, and unlike the past three years, I actually [i]feel[/i] that I am an adult. I feel like I've blossomed from a much less rudimentary stage of a ardently perplexed, yet enthralled rebel to someone who's finally discovered who he is - and finally has a clear idea of his approximated aspirations and audacious ambitions (that will [u]not[/u] be left unfulfilled, this time around, Hook, Line, and Slinker.... restless... simple), at last, a true idea of what he holds in value and what he's been carelessly blinded to irresponsibly take pride for.

I know 16 could have been better, and that I was prone to making many mistakes, which, I did, but I've learnt to no longer hold [i]any[/i] expectations - or planning. It is not the future or the past that will gain my mad lust - it is NOW that I will infinitely, well, not cherish, but cheerfully live, in the moment, and concentrate on what I've probably failed to realize, all transcending the unpenetrateable laws and constraints; all set in a higher level of reality.

It has been a difficult life - yet a prevailing life - and no longer will I arrogantly inquirer. Now, I will take what it as stake, what it is at hand, but not what is merely tantilisingly fixed in grain. But what [i]I[/i] can be decisive over. It is time for me to step up, mature into the man who I truly am under-the-hood, and give things a decent sort out - whether it is a selfish or selfless act, I will allow it to happen. And I will be here.

Despite any antagonizing shift in life to come upon me; I will look inward, look outward, but always recall to look, be, and feel. And then accept. Not as a fixed-function slave amongst slaves, but as a set free spirit who is aware of truth.

Only then, I will know.

So it is.

Link: http://www.xbox360degrees.com/

The new era is finally here.

In a rather ordain matter, of course.

Improbably, I'll somehow slyly manage to miraciously attain it today.

...

[i]Realistically[/i], on the *OTHER* hand.... I'll pry myself to patiently wait a month or so for the first or second shipment.

Yes, I'm after the premium. Can't bear without the detachable 20GB HDD.

Oh well. Not cool.

....until my 17th birthday (oh and 6 days to the release of the Xbox 360, not that I'll be recieving the inaugurated and foremost shipment anyway, I'll have to cope with the second or third one in a month or two if I even happen to be lucky , although that's a bit off-topic, sorry for the derailment folks...). Yep, I just *couldn't* resist the inevitable temptation of posting that particular (and probably in the unknown) fact here.

Not that I really have any time on me to velvetly manage this blog anyway. I apologize for the lack of updates people, for numerous reasons including a newly arisen family crisis that's a bit confedential...

Let's just hope this year ends on a lighter note than the year prior.

Oh dear.

Well, I suppose it's been a decent summer (to say it's been 'nice' is to sound wimpy IMO). It is, of course, the quickest summer of my life. It just didn't elapse slow enough. Nothing particularly special has happened though.

Back to the rather intoxicating community, thousands of classrooms, hundreds of rows of seats and desks, and oh joy, you know it, awesome class and homework that adds on to my life in a not so preferable way, as well as the countless punks and you know whaters, plus the know-it-all teachers that dwell quite excessively there. Until June, what, 22nd, 2006? Not precisely something I'm looking foward to returning to.

Time for my 2nd to last year of high school. Time to step into the realm of the Juniors. You do the math.

Yes, I'm awfully young, aren't I? To be 17 on December 16th, as you may well know.

Bye.

Link: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/r/?page=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_story.php(que)id=123639

Epic Games have revealed that Unreal Engine 4, if Unreal Engine 3 wasn't incredible enough with its utterly glorious and vast array of DirectX 9 Shader Model 3.0 (and all the techniques possible with it) and etc driven feature set and timespan of Gears of Wars, Unreal Tournament 2007, all to be on Xbox 360 and the PC, all to be unleashed in the next few years, and just so much potential to be kindled, so Computer and Videogames are already ahead of the ball game:

With work on the previously unheard of Unreal Engine 4, now revealed to have begun over two years ago. "Unreal Engine 4 will be totally groundbreaking and the way games will be done in the future," Rein continued. I don't expect it to be staffed up as a full team for several years. But when people come to work at Epic, they can come here with the knowledge that we're always keeping one eye on the future and they're going to be helping to shape the future of the videogame business" continued Rein.

You could only imagine and dream to the greatest possible extent of what could feasible with Unreal Engine 4, or [i]would[/i] be:

But Unreal Engine 4? Our minds veritably boggle at the prospect. God alone knows what Epic are cooking up there, but if it's the generational leap forward that Unreal Engine 3 is, then world look out. Rein hinted that it's designed for the next next generation of hardware. Epic feels they got a two to three year headstart on this generation when they started Unreal Engine 3 and aimed it for hardware that was only in the planning stages at the time. Their gamble paid off when Microsoft and Sony chose that level of hardware to power their upcoming next-gen consoles. Rein says the focus for Unreal Engine 4 is getting a leg up on the competition for the next major paradigm shift in computing hardware that is likely to see the light in future PCs and console systems that are mere concepts today.

Or is CVG just bluffing and making claims that simply aren't true?

Who knows for sure, but it sounds like we have a bright future to look forward to, regarding the gaming and technology industry, aside from the increasingly growing masses of employees that will be enforced to work together in order to achieve their goal in bringing true next-generation games to the table.