I'm going to the Australian Preview of Final Fantasy!!!

***Cloverfield*** · #1 07-20-2001, 04:44 AM

I can't believe this happened. This morning I found out that I won first prize in a Final Fantasy competition over here. I entered hoping to win a ticket to the preview.

Now I'm never very lucky w/ competitions... but this package arrived this morning... and I had won first prize which was 20 passes to the preview and a bunch of totally awesome FF movie stuff.

I still can't believe that I won... it is totally awesome! I can't wait... it's on Monday... which I guess isn't too much earlier than the Thursday release date, but I'll be one of the first to see it in Australia!

Abe Babe...

BigBroSig · #2 07-20-2001, 06:27 AM

Hey! that's pretty cool! I've Already seen it. It was a really good movie. what kinda stuff didja get?

Naxos · #3 07-20-2001, 09:46 AM

COOl, your so lucky Abe Babe, man I would do nearly anything to get those tickets, but guess I'll have to wait.

So did you get the movie sound track with that stuff?, my friend said it sounds really cool.
Oh well anyway, congratulations.

LuxoJr · #4 07-20-2001, 10:27 AM

Congratulations! Was that one of the TV promotions or the Emag one?

Sydney · #5 07-21-2001, 12:21 AM

Wow, fantastic! Congratulations, we know how much you love Final Fantasy. It looks like it will be phenomenal with those graphics.

P.S. Why do I never see you on ICQ anymore?

***Cloverfield*** · #6 07-23-2001, 02:47 AM

It's on tonight!!!

I'm counting down the hours... 3 1/2 hours to go!!!

I won...
- 20 tickets to the preview
- Soundtrack CD (it's awesome!!!)
- T-shirt
- Poster
- Limited edition Final Fantasy watch

The watch is based on the one that Aki (main character from the movie) wears.

It was through a TV magazine over here called TV Week.

Abe Babe...

P.S. Sydney, I haven't been online too much at home lately... I mainly just get online at work. However I was online most of yesterday... I was hoping you'd be around, but I didn't see you.

beezle · #7 07-23-2001, 03:36 AM

Hey Abe Babe

Congrats with your Great Prizes
Hope u enjoy the Movie, But that wouldnot be A Big Problem I Think, enjoy

No release Date of that Movie here in Holland, Cant wait to see it, Yesterday I downloaded A New Trailer of That Movie, Man that movie is Awesome, I really have to see it

C Ya

Joe the Intern · #8 07-24-2001, 03:18 AM

i think they should make a game out of that movie. i think it would make a great game.

***Cloverfield*** · #9 07-25-2001, 03:35 AM

It's actually a couple of days ago now... but I saw it!!!

IT WAS AWESOME!!!

I won't say too much because lots of people haven't seen it yet (would you believe that Australia even got the movie before Japan)... but it is totally stunning. The CG are awesome, and in many cases there is little difference between a real actor and the CG ones that are in Final Fantasy.

Not to mention it has a very interesting storyline which is easy to follow but also has the complexities that Hironobu Sakaguchi's stories always have (the director and writer of the film also has written the stories for the games).

There is another preview on tonight (a public advance screening, you don't need to get an exclusive pass) which I might be going to... otherwise it is released officially here in Australia tommorow... and I have a day off work. So I'll be going again either tonight or tommorow and I'm sure many times in the upcoming weeks.

Oh yeah... anyone who hasn't seen it, this is a must see movie!!!

Abe Babe...

Sydney · #10 07-25-2001, 03:58 AM

Good for you Abe Babe! It sounds good from what I've heard, although some reviews say it has a weak storyline. Others say all of it is good.

Not being interested in Final Fantasy, I might wait until it comes out on video. Then again, those special effects are quite tempting.

Sl'askia · #11 07-25-2001, 04:07 AM

its on my list of 'To see' movies! Along with JP3!

LuxoJr · #12 07-25-2001, 04:57 AM

It won't be another Iron Giant, I'm pretty sure, but the visuals alone are worth $10. Can't wait to see it on Friday.

Still, I'd prefer an amazing story and average visuals over the opposite...Final Fantasy should be amazing if it combines both.

***Cloverfield*** · #13 07-26-2001, 01:16 PM

5 times today!!! Just got back from 3 times STRAIGHT in a row... as in it finishing in one theatre and going into the next just as it started!!!

I've seen it seven times now, and each time is just as good as the last. Although I may take a break from it until the weekend. I think I saw it so many times today as it was the opening day here.

I'm sure everyone is thinking I'm crazy... but the movie is awesome!!! Although I am getting to know the dialogue!!!

Sydney... you should see the movie. Just because you don't like FF much... the movie has nothing to do with the games, it is just written by the same guy. It is more sci-fi than fantasy anyway.

And for anyone interested in CG and animation... it is a must see. To see what realisim can be created from CG, this movie should be seen to be believed. Never before has anyone created such realisim with a movie. And no, I'm not just saying it cause I am a FF fan... you only have to compare other CG movies to realise the difference.

Also, never trust a movie critic unless you see it yourself. OK, I love the storyline... but I may be bias. But so too can movie critics... like if someone is reviewing the movie and they hate sci-fi, then they are going to say it didn't have a good storyline just because they hate the genre. I've seen that happen many times before.

Anyway... time to get to bed... I've been watching too much of the big screen for one day!!!

Abe Babe...

DarkHoodness · #14 07-26-2001, 03:19 PM

Yeah, they said something about the FF movie on Tomorrows World (TV program about science shown in the UK - VERY interesting).
It looks outstandingly cool, with all the animated characters and such.

This might be a movie worth viewing, and I don't watch too many movies at the cinema. I'll probably see it when I have the chance.
- DH

LuxoJr · #15 07-27-2001, 11:15 AM

Body motion of the characters wasn't really animated...Square used motion capture (as with all their CG work) to transpose real actors' motions into the film's digital cast.

I've seen some reviewers point out that the characters seem like mannequins; mainly because the hand animated faces don't compare to the realism of the motion-captured bodies.

Supposedly Doctor Sid is almost perfect, but I'd still say that any 'animated' film where part of the motion isn't believable sinks in realism - no matter how photorealistic the image seems.
www.monstersinc.com shows the trailer for Pixar's upcoming film whose focus is still on non-human creatures. It may not be realistic, but Pixar's track record of flawlessly believable animation and effective storytelling might outweigh the millions of dollars Square threw into Final Fantasy's R&D accomplishments.

Best humans ever animated: The Tweedies in Chicken Run. Square? Bah...they didn't even get the right shape for their logo.

[ July 27, 2001: Message edited by: LuxoJr ]

***Cloverfield*** · #16 07-27-2001, 02:04 PM

Talk about picky... worrying about the shape of a company's logo!!! Luxo, it's no wonder Steel Shark used to get into arugments with you. I would too on this, but really, I just can't be bothered tonight.

I love the movie, and I don't care if there are descrepencies... of course it's not going to be perfect... after all ... it is the first movie to do this kind of thing. It will only improve with time.

Abe Babe...

LuxoJr · #17 07-28-2001, 08:11 AM

I sort of assumed that anything I wrote after saying 'bah' wouldn't really be taken seriously... Square's ironic logo doesn't bother me at all - but I was disappointed with the movie.

Most posts about the film here have been positive, and in some ways I agree. The artistic design was amazing, the texturing was incredible and I couldn't believe how realistic Donald Sutherland's character behaved.

But I didn't really find it a good sign when people in the cinema laughed during Aki's story about the 7 year old girl. I doubt the story or dialogue were memorable enough to last once the technology dates. Something like The Iron Giant isn't technologically brilliant, but the story makes it thought provoking and entertaining. The characters in Final Fantasy all seemed lifeless, dull and unoriginal like the story itself.

If it comes across that I'm nitpicking, well, that's not what I intended. It's just that Final Fantasy, to me, could have been a lot more than a technological marvel. Good films tell a good story and do it well. The technology behind a film should enhance the storytelling process, not replace it.

glukkon_daniel · #18 07-29-2001, 02:04 AM

Whatever, man. I thought the movie was awesome. I'll probably buy it for DVD when it comes out. They said they'll have a special feature for PS2 users where you can change camera angles in certain parts of the movie as well as some other cool stuff.

And as for the character movement and how the characters looked, I think they looked real, but not QUITE real enough. And, as Roger Ebert said, that was part of the whole experience. After all, if they looked 100% real, that would be no fun. And, as Roger Ebert also said, I loved it.

It is definitely worth seeing.

LuxoJr · #19 07-29-2001, 10:34 AM

Roger Whobert?

Steel Shark · #20 07-29-2001, 08:01 PM

Luxo,Luxo,Luxo,..... well I just won't say what i'm thinking. (But I bet you can quess?)

Abe Babe I'm happy for you,but I really wish you could have given up one of those free passes to me,I waited and waited,but no sign of a free pass. You know I'm just kidding right???

I'm in the Cg industry,it is a great love of mine,I own my own studio and am in pre-production of my own full-length CG movie. And my opinion on the movie is that it is a marvel of technology and an overall very good movie.

Go figure we disagree again Luxo.

And finally Abebabe, how many times you going to see it? And I quess you'll be getting the DVD in time as well,so you can play the movie on your new shiny XBOX. See ya.....

LuxoJr · #21 07-30-2001, 12:26 AM

:

And my opinion on the movie is that it is a marvel of technology and an overall very good movie.

And that's as valid as my belief that it wasn't a good movie. If you disagree with what I think about the film, fine - but don't start patronising me for an opinion that's different from yours. I gave reasons for why I didn't enjoy Final Fantasy; I didn't condemn it irrationally.

That said, I would be interested in seeing what you liked about the movie, and how you think it compares to upcoming CG efforts. Blue Sky is trying something completely different with the caricatured Ice Age, but it still looks amazing.

[ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: LuxoJr ]

Steel Shark · #22 07-30-2001, 03:24 AM

Hello Luxo, well it looks like we have something we agree on,Ice age is something to look forward to. And as a peace offering I would like to give you or anyone here 3 sites with short but sweet animations of there up-coming work or projects.

http://www.lotsofrobots.com/nmenuFrameSet.htm
It's worth the download.
http://www.rustboy.com/rustweb.htm
Short but sweet.
http://www.anibyte.com/gallery2.htm
Full length movie from a hot new Spanish full length CG movie,plus nice screens of there work.The two clips of the movie are fun.

Well Luxo or anyone else who may not of seen these if you are into CG shorts or movies they are pretty cool.

I'm finishing pre-production on my full-length Cg movie soon, and if there is any interest here I'll put up some of the work,concepts,sets,characters,creatures,etc... Anyway keep cool....

LuxoJr · #23 07-30-2001, 04:50 AM

Don't forget Victor Navone's brilliant Alien Song,
www.navone.org

work done by Angie Jones (who worked with Oddworld Inhabitants)
http://www.spicycricket.com/hello.html

and Anzovin Studio's Puppet. The work is even more amazing once you realise how old Raf Anzovin is.
www.anzovin.com

[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: LuxoJr ]

Steel Shark · #24 07-31-2001, 09:00 AM

Thanks Luxo, I hope my links were ok as well. Here's one more from a Spanish team,it's a full-length CG movie coming real soon.They have some fine clips,in Spanish,but the visuals are universal.Here's the link: http://www.elbosqueanimado.com/2000/html/trailer.htm

Sexy Slig · #25 07-31-2001, 12:55 PM

Thats eh...eh...cool Abebabe,brill Abebabe......You Evil PIG......sorry got a bit carried away!!!

Molluck · #26 07-31-2001, 03:40 PM

DON"T BE MEAN TO POOR ABEBABE!!!!!!!!

glukkon_daniel · #27 07-31-2001, 04:37 PM

Sexy Slig, you're kinda ****ed up, aren't you?

Sexy Slig · #28 07-31-2001, 07:24 PM

I agree, i am a bit f****d up,I was just jealous thats all!

PinkHaired Mudokon CWR · #29 07-31-2001, 07:27 PM

You guys, sexy slig was just joking. If she's lucky, she's just lucky.

Abebabe, I would pay you like ten bucks for the soundtrack!!!!!

Lampion · #30 08-13-2001, 08:45 AM

I watched Final Fantasy on the big screen yestearday, and it was truly amazing! Probably I'll watch this movie several times again, in DVD.

Doctor Sid is perfect, he almost seem to be alive. I can't understand why they didn't put the same effort to animate other characters like that.

I also liked the camera movement, so realistic that you could almost feel sorry for the virtual cameraman when he had to follow Aki as she runs away from the monsters, jumping over crashed cars and walking through ruined buildings. In another part of the movie, when the deep blue squad is fighting the monsters, the camera shakes every single time that a big explosion can be heard, as if the poor cameraman is scared to death, in the middle of the battle.

Aki's hair is something wonderful. It is true that its animation did cost alone 9 million dollars?

The storyline, well... In my humble oppinion, it is somewhat weak, full of "mambo jambo", just to quote one of the characters. It has a great potential, the whole idea is realy interesting, but you know, it's just the way they tell the story that I didn't like.

That's why I like Oddworld games so much, and still play them, because they have a strong and well developed story.

Final Fantasy:the spirits within ---> 9.0/10.0 (only due to storytelling)