EX Area

This is one excellent combo video by the Cool Soul team. It seems that this is some newly formed group, or at least I think this is their first video as a group. And yeah, it’s a video on kof98.

Though kof98 has been pretty thoroughly “researched”, this team still manage to introduce some new elements in their combos, including the use of bugs and exchange of hits (need some research into frame recovery/execution) in coming up with new ways of linking various moves.

I’m not sure if any external tools were used to aid them in co-ordinating the moves, but either way, many of the combos have quite a few number of conditions to fulfill in order to bring out the desired effect as shown in the video. Much effort has been put into researching and probably testing. Not an easy task. Though some set-ups may seem kinda repetitive, it’s actually different in its own way. Go take a look if you’re a player of this awesome 2D fighting series. =D

However, the editing isn’t as fantastic as some of the editors out there. Oh well, just enjoy the awesome set-ups and combos and think about them. I’d take a look at it again to further understand the game =D (Yes, I still have much to learn.)

You can download it here. It’s a webpage, so don’t go saving target as or throwing the link into your flashget/other download managers. Hosted by KOFUnion. This video is 224mb in size, and 17 minutes 50 seconds long. And yes, it’s rmvb format.

Anyway, there’s also a preview to their kof96 video, and it already shows some juicy stuff. I’m looking forward to their next masterpiece. Hope you like this video too =)

The New Challenger

Wow, this is one big production. A massive collaboration across many, many online KOF communities all over the world. Let’s see, the main project director group would be Ultracombos, with groups such as Art of Fighting Database, Akumacombos (the one I’m representing), Battlepage, Cyberfanatix, Endless Fight, KOF Destiny, KOF BR Team, KOF Furious, KOFDOM, KOFHITS2002, Phoenix Force, RobKOF, SFTeam, Y-AV and other individuals. Can’t seem to find the website links for KOF-Destiny and Phoenix Force. Ah well.

I vaguely recall the time when they were asking for people to join in this major international project. Yes, it’s international because there’s people from Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Middle East (if I’m not mistaken), Korea, Singapore (only me lah) and probably some other countries I missed out ‘cos I don’t know every single participant in the video. It was quite a few months back, so even the latest, nicer combos back then would have become less than impressive right now. But it doesn’t matter, there’s still quality combos in there.

The editing’s pretty nice at parts. Personally I found the “intermission” style quite interesting, though some people might find it time-wasting. Certain recordings of combo are quite obviously already compressed prior to the actual editing; “veteran” viewers like me surely can tell the difference. Heh. Anyway, the overall feel is also quite good, though I was looking out for what kind of combos the other famous KOFers submitted for this major project. Turns out there are quite a few nice ones, maybe I’ll try to experiment and imitate when I do have the spare time (erm well… hehe). Many games were showcased, not just KOF, though the focus is still on SNK games lah. After all, most of the communities that participated specialise in KOF/SNK games.

Clearly, the 1 combo I submitted isn’t very impressive, but it’s still presentable, lol. Just part of me trying to be thick-skinned and represent the community (and maybe the country? lol. yah right.). Hahaha. Anyway, I’ve long given up trying to join the ranks of many of the participants of the video, so now I’m just making combos to my best abilities and enjoying the process of doing so. Doesn’t matter if most of them are some sort of imitations. Haha.

File info: 347mb
Duration: 29 minutes 19 seconds
File format: MKV
Resolution: 608 * 448

I know it’s kind of big, but do take a look if you are a fan of fighting games. Hehe.

Download links:
1) Ultracombos hosted (copy url and paste into address bar)
2) 4Shared: Link 1 | Link 2 | Link 3 | Link 4 | Link 5 (split into 5 parts)

p.s. wah, adding all the links is quite a task leh. 19 links =__=”

兄弟/Brothers

Running time: 105 minutes
Rating: PG
Opens: 18 October 2007, Now Showing

Quite an impressive cast, considering many of them are well-known figures in their own right. I guess that’s one of the main selling points of this movie. Anyway, this movie is another of those with its opening scene as something that’s kind of near the “conclusive” scenes of the movie. Noticed quite a few movies with Raintree Pictures involved being like that (eg Protege, coincidentaly Andy Lau was in that one too).

Surprisingly, Andy Lau isn’t playing a very central role in this movie as I thought he’d be. Of course, his role as the leader of the investigation team is still a somewhat important one, the focus is definitely not on his character, though there are still some areas where you can try to understand his character a bit more.

The story’s about these 2 brothers, and how a “prediction” by some fortune teller comes true in the very end through all the events that take place etc. Each of the main characters are given chance to develop and portray their characters on-screen, and given some of the veterans in there you can expect some decent acting and drama in the movie.

Some of the violent scenes seem quite unreal. Like in the beginning part of the movie where a finger is cut off, the finger looks amazingly plastic and un-human like. And of course the wounds and bleeding seem a little suspicious. Haha. Another thing would be the dubbing. I still don’t really like the way HK movies are being dubbed. Lol, but it’s not like there’s much that can be done about it. Bear with it I guess.

As for mistakes, I didn’t manage to spot very much, probably cos I was quite tired already while trying to remember stuff to review for Stardust as well. Anyway, the ending scene didn’t really correspond to the opening scene. I remember the elder brother lying face down in the opening, but is face up in the ending (probably more dramatic that way), and Andy Lau seemed to have bled more in the opening scene. Not sure if I’m right about this one, but the gun Eason is holding is also different (sorry lah, really tired liao =_=). Oh ya, there’s one more. A pregnant lady was supposed to have been shot dead, but when lying on the ground, her eyes blinked once! (spooky!!) and her breathing is still quite obvious. Lol. Even Clarence spotted that, so you can just imagine how obvious it is.

As for “easter eggs”, I’m not sure it was done on purpose or what, but towards the end of the movie, Andy Lau walks past this stall hanging a signboard with a 字谜 on it. Too bad the lighting and angle isn’t really that good for me to be able to read the traditional chinese characters fast enough and to think of an answer to that. I wonder if anyone can tell me the question and answer siah. Haha. I wonder if that has any significance in the movie. Hehz.

My take: 6.5/10. Pretty good acting by the cast. Has some twists, though it isn’t very much. Decent storyline considering it’s set in yet another triad based plot, and of course the idea of Brothers is put across in the story. It’s imo better than Stardust though I think some people may think otherwise.

Stardust

Running time: 128 minutes
Rating: PG (some violence)
Opens: 1 November 2007, Sneaks now available

IMDB Profile
Wiki article
MovieMistakes

So it’s a fantasy movie, based on a novella of the same name, and a quick glance through that wiki article, it would seem that there are 4 books. Perhaps that’s why I felt that the movie was kinda like jumping or skipping at parts, since it has to cover quite a lot of material in this 2 hour show. Quite bad and irritating imo, to watch a movie in this fashion, but then again, I don’t think it’s very possible to split it into 2 movies without making it worse. Maybe they could simply made the movie a little longer, and try to connect certain scenes a little better.

The storyline is more or less summarised in the wiki article already, so you guys can just read it for yourself and enjoy all the spoilers. Haha. The story’s pretty simple too, probably due to the way they presented the content. Oh well, quite a lot of special effects were used in the movie as you would expect of a fantasy-based movie, but some effects look really badly done. Lol. Those who watch it probably will understand what I’m referring to.

Anyway, this movie also has its good side. Some parts of the movie is quite funny, like the comments/expressions of the princes’ spirits and also the part about Captain Shakespeare. Oh and also the 2 “slaves” of Lamia during the fake lodging part. All these probably “saved” this movie from getting a worse rating from me since it provided some kind of entertainment value. They did give me a good laugh though sometimes it’s bordering on being lame, so don’t go in expecting too much either. Hah.

Now for my “favourite” section of the review. Spotted 1 mistake with the subtitles. Probably the fault of whichever company in charge of it. During the part at the fake lodging, Lamia clearly said “massage” but the subtitles repeatedly showed 信息, which probably is more suited for message. Lol, kinda sad siah. This kind of errors, unforgivable =P In other areas, Lamia’s old age effects seem to be on and off at different scenes, it’s kinda impossible for me to pinpoint exactly which scenes, but some scenes you can see her hand isn’t “old and wrinkled” when it’s supposed to be that way. Watch closely and you should be able to spot that on a few occasions.

My take: 6/10. Quite an okay storyline but the presentation is a little “problematic”. Don’t quite like the jumps here and there. Perhaps I had expected too much from a fantasy movie, thinking that it’ll be quite nice and all. Go watch it if you want, though you can happily pass on this too.

p.s. the 2 guys sitting behind very noisy siah. plenty of lame and stupid comments from them. i don’t wanna quote them. it’s too embarrassing to do so. sian man, such people spoil the movie viewing experience. grrr…

Never End Vol 2

My YouTube hunting spree continues. It’s quite hard to recall all the nicer videos I’ve watched since I watch like so many of them. Well, this one is edited by Kyorex, a member of KOF Destiny and is another great editor in the KOF community. Can learn a trick or two from seeing the way he edits the video even if you can’t master most of the stuff in there. Hehz.

By the way the video’s quite old so some of the things may seem a little old for those who play this game enough. Anyway just enjoy it though the video quality is once again a little disappointing (youtube version).