Saturday, December 31, 2011

Alien Anthology [Blu-ray]

  • Condition: New
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • AC-3; Box set; Dolby; DTS Surround Sound; Dubbed; Subtitled; Widescreen
Brace yourself for a whole new breed of Blu-ray: Four powerful films...eight thrilling versions...in dazzling, terrifying, high-def clarity with the purest digital sound on the planet. Two bonus dics and over 65 hours of archival and never-before-seen content, including the totally immersive MU-TH-UR mode feature, makes this definitive Alien collection!Review of Alien
A landmark of science fiction and horror, Alien arrived in 1979 between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back as a stylishly malevolent alternative to George Lucas's space fantasy. Partially inspired by 1958's It! The Terror from Beyond Space, this instant classic set a tone of its own, offering richly detailed sets, ominous atmosphere, relentless suspense, and a flawless ! ensemble cast as the crew of the space freighter Nostromo, who fall prey to a vicious creature (designed by Swiss artist H.R. Giger) that had gestated inside one of the ill-fated crew members. In a star-making role, Sigourney Weaver excels as sole survivor Ripley, becoming the screen's most popular heroine in a lucrative movie franchise. To measure the film's success, one need only recall the many images that have been burned into our collective psyche, including the "facehugger," the "chestburster," and Ripley's climactic encounter with the full-grown monster. Impeccably directed by Ridley Scott, Alien is one of the cinema's most unforgettable nightmares. --Jeff Shannon

Review of Aliens
Aliens is one of the few cases of a sequel that far surpassed the original. Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley, who awakens on Earth only to discover that she has been hibernating in space so long that everyone she knows is dead. Then she i! s talked into traveling (along with a squad of Marines) to a p! lanet un der assault by the same aliens that nearly killed her. Once she gets there, she finds a lost little girl who triggers her maternal instincts--and she discovers that the company has once again double-crossed her, in hopes of capturing one of the aliens to study as a military weapon. Directed and written by James Cameron, this is one of the most intensely exciting (not to mention intensely frightening) action films ever, with a large ensemble cast that includes Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, and Michael Biehn. Weaver defined the action woman in this film and walked away with an Oscar nomination for her trouble. --Marshall Fine

Review of Alien 3
The least successful film in this series was directed by stylemaster (and content-underachiever) David Fincher. Ripley, the only survivor of her past mission, awakens on a prison planet in the far corners of the solar system. As she tries to recover, she realizes that not on! ly has an alien gotten loose on the planet, the alien has implanted one of its own within her. As she battles the prison authorities (and is aided by the prisoners) in trying to kill the alien, she must also cope with a distinctly shortened lifespan that awaits her. But the striking imagery makes for muddled action and the script confuses it further. The ending looks startling but it takes a long time--and a not particularly satisfying journey--to get there. --Marshall Fine

Review of Alien Resurrection
Perhaps these films are like the Star Trek movies: The even-numbered episodes are the best ones. Certainly this film (directed by French stylist Jean-Pierre Jeunet) is an improvement over Alien 3, with a script that breathes exciting new life into the franchise. This chapter is set even further in the future, where scientists on a space colony have cloned both the alien and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who died! in Alien 3; in doing so, however, they've mixed alien DNA wit! h Ripley 's human chromosomes, which gives Ripley surprising power (and a bad attitude). A band of smugglers comes aboard only to discover the new race of aliens--and when the multi-mouthed melonheads get loose, no place is safe. But, on the plus side, they have Ripley as a guide to help them get out. Winona Ryder is on hand as the smugglers' most unlikely crew member (with a secret of her own), but this one is Sigourney's all the way. --Marshall Fine

Dirt 3

  • DiRT 3 delivers mud, sweat and gears the world over: from the intense weather-beaten rally stages of Europe, Africa and the US
  • The game boasts more cars, more locations, more routes and more events than any other game in the series
  • Rally returns with more than double the amount of the content.
  • Gamers can test their car control to the very limi and drift, spin-dry and jump their way to stardom in all new Gymkhana events.
  • For the first time in the Dirt series, players will enjoy the unique and exhilarating spectacle of racing on snow.
  • Multi-stage rallyes are set at classic locations from the traditional rally heartland of Scandinavia to to the jungles of Kenya
Dirt 3 (PS3)

Dirt 3 is a popular rally racing game for PlayStation 3 that combines the feel of fast-paced arcade style racing action across multiple surfaces and enviro! nments with realistic features found on real off-road circuits. The third release in the acclaimed off-road racing franchise, Dirt 3 features a range of racing and driving disciplines at spectacular locations, more than 100 routes, the finest selection of licensed action-sports racing cars, multistage rallies set at classic locations, exhilarating snow racing action and mesmerizing Gymkhana race events.

DiRT 3 game logo

More Cars, More Locations, More Everything

Dirt 3 boasts more cars, more locations, more routes and more events than any other game in the series, including over 50 rally cars representing the very best from five decades of the sport. With more than double the track content of 2009's hit, Dirt 3 will see players start at the top as a professional driver! , with a topflight career in competitive off-road racing complimented by the opportunity to express themselves in Gymkhana-style showpiece driving events. As players race to elevate their global standing, Dirt 3 delivers mud, sweat and gears the world over: from the intense weather-beaten rally stages of Europe, Africa and the US, to executing performance driving showcases and career challenges where car control is pushed to spectacular limits.

Rally racing in an urban environment in DiRT 3
The third release in the Dirt series contains more cars, more locations, more everything.
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Key Game Features

  • Be a Pro - Dirt 3 puts players in the racing ! boots of a professional motorsports athlete. The beaten up RV of Dirt 2 is a thing of the past as gamers compete against stars including Ken Block and Kris Meeke across a range of racing and driving disciplines at spectacular locations across the world.
  • More, More, More - Dirt 3 boasts more cars, more locations, more routes and more events than any other game in the Dirt series. There are now 100+ routes in the game compared to Dirt 2's 41. Dirt 3 offers the finest selection of licensed action-sports racing cars available and the largest line up to feature in any Codemasters racing game, including cars that represent 5 decades of rallying from classics like the Mini Cooper and Audi Quattro to Ken Block's rally spec Ford Fiesta.
  • Rally is Back - After consulting fan-feedback, reviews and performing exhaustive data mining, the standout event from Dirt 2, Rally, returns with more than double the amount of! content. Multistage rallies are set at classic locations from! the tra ditional rally heartland of Scandinavia to the jungles of Kenya and the forests of Europe and the USA, taking players to the most dramatic, inhospitable and exciting terrain on the planet where only the most fearless drivers race.
  • Express Yourself with Gymkhana - The 15 million-plus YouTube phenomenon pioneered by Ken Block now powerslides into to Dirt 3. Gamers can test their car control to the very limit and drift, spin-dry and jump their way to stardom in all new Gymkhana events. Set in specially created arenas packed with props, players can practice their skills, chain together moves, complete challenges or hang out online with friends in this spectacular video game first.
  • Let It Snow - For the first time in the Dirt series, players will enjoy the unique and exhilarating spectacle of racing on snow. A highly advanced particle and physics model powers snow that builds up on the track, wheel tread and the car as it falls more h! eavily throughout the race. As players drive they will feel the change in the handling as the snow compacts at different rates depending on your speed, angle and cornering. This best-in-class feature delivers truly jaw-dropping visual and performance effects.

Additional Screenshots

Racing in the snow in DiRT 3
A franchise first, snow racing.
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A Gymkhana event from DiRT 3
Unique Gymkhana events.
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Split screen multiplayer functionality from DiRT 3
Split-screen functionality.
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A multiplayer race screen utilizing cockpit view from DiRT 3
Multiplayer madness.
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