Major Focker

there are clear hologram decals from either Hasegawa, Wave or GSI Creos. good luck with applying them though

how about this one: Surprise Attack

i've never had that experience myself, even for very large or very expensive orders. actually, sometimes when my SAL shipping charge goes north of 4k i actually wish they would upgrade it to EMS since the incremental would be small but i'll get my package faster. for small parcels like this BD, i find it unlikely they will send it via EMS if you've specified SAL. unless of course you've bundled it with a ton of other stuff

cool! i'd like that on a VF-27 but it'll probably too tough to micronize. so i'll settle for an upgrade set for the 1/3000 SDF boom cannons

Like I said, might be a good idea for them to re-cut LOTR as a 6-part mini-series (plus maybe an epilogue). I hear there's still a bit of material not included even in the extended versions and that some original scenes got cut to make room for the additions. There's usually at least 2 battles anyway, one in the middle and another at the end, which provide convenient cut-off points for an episodic treatment. Or if they want to be naughty, they can end each episode with a cliff hanger, say for example, when Helm's Deep was about to be overrun, cue credits. Can't agree with you more. I wish there was a way to make your own selection of individual scenes (original and added) before hitting the play button. Can't recall now if this was possible (at least to some degree) in the DVD extended versions. I've recently bought the bluray set but had to give it away still in shrink wrap. Picked it up in Heathrow on an impulse since it was 40% cheaper than Singapore prices. It was only on the plane that it dawned on me that it was Region B It sucks really. I've just gotten the bluray (the latest/much better transfer) but I still can't let go of my DVD set because of those documentaries. I do appreciate the option to select theatrical vs. extended. To me, that should be the minimum standard for alternate releases. edit: now I'm really curious to check out Brazil. haven't seen either version but i think i have DVD of it somewhere.

Can't help but notice that most of the examples are Ridley Scott films. So either many of you are fans or RS is just notorious Anyway, fully agree on Kingdom of Heaven. The studio did the film a disservice with the theatrical cut. Can't recall any other movie that benefited so much from a director's cut, but despite this many still dismiss the film citing historical inaccuracies or a "wandering moral compass". Well, I don't think a re-cut can ever address the first, and as for the second charge, I think they're missing the whole point. To a lesser extent, Troy DC was also an improvement. Too bad a re-cut can't change some of the really bad dialogue. Haven't watched Alexander DC yet, but from what I've read, I shouldn't get my hopes up, even if I'm thinking that similar things have been said about KoH DC. Shame really, it was a very good subject. As for Gladiator, I can appreciate why RS had to put in a disclaimer on the extended version. As you watch this version, RS appears at the start explaining that it is an extended version but not the director's cut (which is the theatrical release). By the time I finished watching, I could understand why. Some argue the added scenes enriched the characters or even the sense of place (or "sense of Rome" as some put it). I liked some of the additions, but for most I felt it was too much hand holding and it really mucked up the pacing. Same thing for LOTR, although I did find that it had a better ratio of good additions vs. bad. The problem is that they are already very long films. Some say that the side stories and/or character development scenes that were added really enriched the film and brought the films much closer to the books. But I haven't fully read the books so I don't know what I'm missing, and from what I could discern, the original versions weren't particularly lacking in terms of plot and character development. Sure, it's a nice world to delve into and expound further, but it has to be in manageable chunks for the chosen medium (ie. perhaps it might have been better as a 6-part mini series), and not at the expense of pacing. I distinctly recall an instance where the insertion of an added scene utterly derailed the momentum of an ongoing battle. I have no complaints about the expanded battles themselves, but having said that, I would rather watch them in stand-alone viewings ie. when I have some time to kill, grab a beer, select a battle scene, play that and maybe another one. Alternatively, I would like a version where they keep the expanded battles, leave out the pace breakers, and take generous liberties in cutting the Sam-Frodo bromance Leon/The Professional is a strange one. What some are marketing as extended or complete edition is actually the original international version (and is the DC). The US release had a "lolita" scene taken out supposedly due to the censors' view of american sensibilities. That scene does enrich the film, but it's deletion doesn't break it. I prefer the original of course, but it's a great film regardless of versions (well, unless they make a version with a plot twist at the end that Matilda is a boy). And the recent bluray transfer is fantastic. Similarly for Highlander, I find that what was omitted in the theatrical release wasn't really critical. While I appreciate the addition of Rachel's history, I felt the pace stumbled because of it. And in the scheme of things, she wasn't that important of a character. I would rather have had more background on why Kurgan decided to become evil, or how Macleod met Heather, a more plot significant character (was she an outcast too?), or maybe some history between Ramirez and Kurgan (and maybe explaining why Ramirez sought out Macleod specifically). I like the idea of Deckard being a replicant, but I haven't gotten around to watching the workprint or the final cut versions included in the ultimate release (which I agree should be the standard for such kind of releases). So I'll reserve judgement until I see if the re-cuts make a plausible argument. As it stands, I see Deckard as human in the versions I've watched thus far. Underworld had an unrated version where the director also put a disclaimer that the theatrical release was the director's cut. There was just a love scene added and very little else, so not sure what he was so paranoid about. I bought the bluray anyway on account of Kate Beckinsale. I'll likely use the same logic to get the BR unrated release of Ultraviolet (edit: SuckerPunch too) A few other films I intend to get DC versions of as I upgrade my collection to bluray: Watchmen, T2, Bourne (?), Pitch Black, Hero, Alien/s, Crash (hope people can recommend more). Wondering if there's appetite for a separate thread on recommendable (or at least interesting) films that didn't get a wide release.

was having a lazy sunday and chanced upon a 4 episode clutch of Darker than Black on Animax. i've seen a few earlier episodes to know what was going on but never really got around to following it religiously. well, this tail end of the series (ep.20-23) really grabbed me and ended up watching the remaining 2 episodes online (3, if you count the epilogue of sorts), and then after that watching the 4-episode gaiden OVA. so my lazy sunday ended up stretching to the early hours of monday, but it was well worth it. looking forward to starting on season 2

that scene of yuki dodging missiles and fighters reminded me of hikaru in the first battle at the start of DYRL where he was evading laser fire before calling out to max. and when yuki maneuvered the missiles into the enemy ship, i had flashbacks of ozma weaving around vajra capital ships in the final battle of the MF series. when i first heard of a possible live action Robotech movie, i dismissed it as a bad idea. but after watching this yamato movie, i'm now a little more optimistic that a live action macross movie can be done, and certainly warming up to that possibility.

don't know anything about the series, but they may be technically correct. lead oxide is added to molten glass to make lead crystal or lead glass which has much more sparkle than normal glass and used for stuff like chandeliers or glass sculptures

couldn't find an HD version that had the subtitles, whether 720p or 1080p. so settled for one that said it was a BDrip, but at 1.6gb, it probably wasn't, and it only had 2ch stereo. can a kind soul please PM and point me to an HD eng-sub version? having just watched it, i now truly regret missing the opportunity when it played briefly in singapore theatres (and subtitled to boot!). i am totally blown away by this movie. perhaps i'm exaggerating, or maybe it's because i'm still reeling from my disappointment with the latest Transformer movie. but this movie was really an unexpected pleasure. i wasn't anticipating it while it was being made, heck i even skipped it at the theatres. i only watched yamato (starblazers, actually) when i was kid, and never got to see the whole series. i was too young then to really know the story, so unsurprisingly my motivation for watching this is just for the space battles. turns out, that on its own it's a well-told story, good pacing (though it did tend to really milk the drama scenes a tad too much), and of course, amazing visuals and score. it felt like the "right" ending. not one i would've preferred nor expected, but certainly quite an ending. i must be in-tune with japanese women then for some reason this movie got me teary more times than i care (or be willing) to admit i blame it on the musical score.

To be fair, the movie did have a storyline anchored around a handful of plot points, most of which are the major action sequences, as one would expect. i would daresay that had they fleshed these out better and took out the random scenes in between, we would've had a decent and enjoyable 90min movie.

i don't want to dampen your enthusiasm so i'll spoiler tag what i think. but the short answers to your questions: yes and no. as to the human element: Limbo, on top of your list my issues are:

just saw it, and was immensely disappointed. quite easily one of the worst films i've watched. they should rename the title to Trans-random, because everything in the movie is just beyond random. it's like the editors just stuffed the workprints into a blender and called it a day. channel surfing would be more coherent. honestly, i did as instructed and checked my brain at the door, and prepped myself for a couple of hours of mindless, robot bashing glee. but the cuts and jumps are just so jarring and non-sensical, it's hard to ignore. and at 2.5 hours, i think easily a full hour should've ended up on the cutting room floor. the poor editing and the terrible script made the whole movie tedious to watch, and sapped the fun from the few portions that were good. oh, the robot battles were good, and actually easier to follow than in previous movies. but i think the best way to enjoy them is through youtube clips. because as they are in the movie, each 2-minute action sequence, spectacular as they are, really struggles to connect with the last and the next couple of minutes.

oh yeah! do you mean X-9 or the TV version? prefer the X-9 but i'll happily take either. i also hope the commanchero gets re-popped.

http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/shop/index.cfm/product/2204/11000-unspacy-oberth-class-frigate.cfm

just to add, before you place order2, you need to wait until you get the order confirmation email from hlj. if you place order2 before that, it'll still get lumped with the first and considered one order

fantastic work on that QQ! i can only hope that a bigger version is on your shortlist of future projects. perhaps 1/8000 to be in scale with one of the old SDF kits and the Britai flagship done by Scale Solutions.

i don't recall that. but that's as good an excuse as any to re-watch what are your thoughts on what that last scene suggests?

agree, Besson would've been perfect for this. i've been hankering for my next fix of NOIR for nearly a decade now. i thought MADLAX would do it, but not quite. strangely KARA NO KYOUKAI sated me a bit even though it was a different genre. heard about CANAAN and REQUIEM for PHANTOM but i'm wary of being disappointed again.

i saw this from that link above: when did captain make this? and what scale? more importantly, can i still get one? or is this one of the small ARII kits? the base looks awfully familiar...

the glass shield of the bridge and the "chin" though are one piece and molded in clear. so the chin will need painting. it's a very small part though so some can opt to ignore it.

there's nothing wrong with the figure. as anime52k8's link explains, i failed the marshmallow test by not being able to wait until the first figure was shipped to me, so now i have two. mods, apologies for derailing this thread. it was wreckless of me to post an oblique remark like that. i'll put it up in a proper sale thread when i've made up my mind about the spare.

so i was in HK the past few days and stumbled upon the sheryl geisha figure. in a stroke of stupid impulsiveness i picked her up even though i already have one in transit. talk about failing the marshmallow test. big time. i guess i'll be displaying one in kimono and the other in bikini. that is, unless someone would be interested in assuaging my buyer's remorse by taking one off my hands.. still haven't found any trace of the black kimono version. losing hope that it'll ever pop up on yahoo auctions.

have to echo what 3.14 said, it's organization that will be key. the screws is an example of that and another is the sprue layout for the bridge section. for such a tiny section, the parts come from 4 separate sprues containing other unrelated parts. granted that one of the parts is clear, so deservedly in a separate sprue, but 3 separate sprues for something half the size of a thumb? and there is one part, just one, that's in a sprue that itself is a mixed bag for other sections. i was hoping to open just a couple of bags at a time, because as with most model kits crammed in a box, sprues you've taken out rarely fit into the box again until you're halfway through but if you could get over these little annoyances, the parts themselves build in a very instinctive way, almost like a snap kit.

mine just arrived and my initial reaction was: damn, what have i gotten myself into?! couldn't resist though and dry-fitted some sections (i gotta say, the ARMDs are just so sweet). seems to go together well enough, making me a bit more confident that i can do this. now if only i had the patience for sanding and puttying... if i'm successful, will likely sell my built SDF-1 which has remained unopened all these months. but for now it stays, as insurance.