I’ve now moved this site to a new web address: mmo-notepad.com

Yes, I know, it isn’t creative. But, meh, it was either “aselin-mmo” when I don’t use “Aselin” in every MMO I’ve played so far, or “alternate-persona” and get it confused with the Persona series of video games.

So, it’s mostly an amalgam of “Aselin’s MMO Notepad” (the old site title) with “Aselin” lopped off. Now that tax season is over and I’m in the middle of finding a job either here in California or in Massachusetts, I have a lot of free time to spruce up this website and give it what it deserves.

The old address– aselin.octoberasian.com– still works in case anyone goes there.

Biggest news other than the trailer is this: My favorite band from Japan is doing the theme song– L’arc en Ciel. <3

I will do anything just to see them in concert.  I can’t wait for both the movie AND soundtrack to come out now.

*gets giddy with excitement*

Regardless of the reviews about this movie, I highly recommend watching it even if just for the action sequences, the visual effects and imagery, and, most especially, the music. It’s the equivalent of a two hour music video with a story that pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the ride is over.

Not considering Pixar-Disney films, the last great Disney film in the traditional 2D-sense was The Lion King.  Since then, Disney has been lacking in terms of creativity and making something engaging and entertainging for the audience.  There were several very good movies since then– Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan and Tarzan.  Then there were just the simply good but not great movies– Atlantis, Lilo & Stitch, and Treasure Planet.  And Treasure Planet was the last Disney animated movie I watched.  Since then, it was either 3D animated films from Pixar or some 2D and 3D Dreamworks movies last.

So, in a sense, I “miss” Disney.

Tangled is what I would consider a very good start, a return, to the Disney “I knew and loved.”  The movie is based on the fairy tale of “Rapunzel” about a young girl alone in a tower who is rescued by a handsome young man by letting her hair hang down so that he can climb up to rescue her.  That’s the basic gist of it.  However, what Disney has done is take that absolutely short fairy tale and give it “meat” and expanded it to have an original story.  And, I thought Disney ran out of fairy tales to animate, but it seems they didn’t.  Somehow, they used the creativity I knew they’ve always had it in them and somewhat lost between Lion King and now to create a slightly predictable but very original story.  After watching it and if I did not know of Rapunzel beforehand, I surely would have considered this the original story of the fairy tale.

The characters– Rapunzel, Eugene, Maximuss, and Pascal– are both engaging, interesting, and something you can relate to past Disney characters easily.  They are also entertaining and with personalities unique to them.

The music is really, really good.  This is a Disney music soundtrack again even if the words to some of the songs can’t be resung.  From the orchestration to the vocal songs, it really does sound like the Disney of yore.  The characters don’t just bust out in song all of a sudden, everything is gradual and fitting to the scene they are in.  And, of all the scenes in this movie, the one that sticks out the most is the duet sung by Mandy and Zachary, “I See the Light,” past the halfway point of the movie.  You have a duality here, each singing their points of view until their voices come together and you can sense and know what they’re feeling.  It was both powerful and moving, and very much romantic.  Add to that the very moving background of the floating lanterns behind them, the entire scene and music just pulls you in.  I’d have to admit I was in tears at this scene; it was beautiful.

Thus, lastly, we come to the animation and artwork.  Regardless whether you are in the 2D-camp or the 3D-camp, this movie is the best example of giving 3D movies the feel of a 2D film without resorting to faux cel shading that is very familiar in some video games in the past five years.  The background behind Rapunzel’s tower looked as if it was painted on a canvas yet is fully animated in 3D.  The city and the castle that has been looking for their lost princess for years stands out to be panoramic, grand, and colorful.  It, again, truly felt like a 2D scene but isn’t.  Disney has once returned to what they were good at and that was their art direction and artwork as evident in this movie.  Rapunzel has the wide-eyed, adorable look on her.  Eugene his toughness and masculinity.  Max his comic and shifting facial expressions… on a horse no less.  And, Pascal being the ever-changing, believable chameleon pet of Rapunzel.  Oh, let’s not forget the animation.  Between Toy Story 1 and Tangled, 3D animation surely has advanced, especially when you consider non-Disney 3D animated films like Final Fantasy The Spirits Within.  The animation is smooth, organic, and alive.  This is even more impressive when you see Rapunzel’s hair (or anyone’s hair in this movie) animated.  It looks and moves like real hair.  It has weight, density, and is alive.

In the end, I have just one thing to say about this movie: Welcome back, Disney.  I hope to see more from Disney at this level again, especially a non-Pixar based film from Disney.

Recommendation: Buy the movie when it comes out on March 29, 2011.

1. I’m on another break (yes, another one…) from FFXI due to work and classes.  Hopefully, my time will free up a bit after April 15 so I can get some AF3 done.
2. On the other hand, I confess… I started playing Rift. ><  (Don’t hate me. LOL)  I find time for an hour or thirty minutes after work and after class.  Why Rift and not FFXI?  Well, compared to FFXI, I could get more done in Rift in an hour than I could in FFXI, plus it’s been a blast (literally) lately to level 20.  I’m a level 20 Saboteur/Ranger with zero-skill Riftstalker.  (Though, I may switch that later as I do more testing.)  Yes, yes, I’m a “bomber,” but it’s SOOO fun. XD
3. I have practically stopped playing FFXIV due to lack of interest in it.  I may play it again when AND if SE improves it more.  Performance in the cities and camps are still an issue.  Gameplay mechanics still need improvements.
4. I still play EVE Online though at the moment I’m just chucking skills into the queue.  As of today, I should be two days away from Torpedoes V then I’ll switch to getting all shield resistances (EM, Therm, Kin, and Exp) from IV to V.

Ok, now a lot of you must be wondering what the hell happened to my website.

I am again redoing the website.  All the old posts are deleted and if you’d like, can find them on my Livejournal page– http://aselin-bismarck.livejournal.com.

Updates will come slowly when I find time in-between class, work, and Rift.

- Aselin