Next Club Meeting: April 20, 2024, at the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Animatrix Network is an anime & manga fan club located in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. We usually meet on the third Saturday of each month (except when holidays or conventions coincide). The meetings are free and open to the public. Join us for a day filled with anime.

This site provides news, reviews, commentaries, and previews of the world of anime and everything it inspires, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Poe Dameron & Padme at World's End


A N N I H I L A T I O N
Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s best-selling Southern Reach Trilogy, Annihilation stars Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny and Oscar Isaac. It was written and directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later). Starring Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac. 
In theatres 2.23.18

Friday, September 29, 2017

The Force is with Toy Story


Darth Vader vs Buzz Lightyear
The ultimate battle between good and evil. Toy Story meets Star Wars.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Trailer for the Third Maze Runner Movie


MAZE RUNNER: The Death Cure
In the epic finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze. 
In Theaters January 26, 2018

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Blade Runner Anime

BLADE RUNNER Black Out 2022
The final prequel film for Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 hit the web. It’s called Blackout 2022, directed by Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo showrunner Shinichiro Watanabe. It’s scored by Flying Lotus (and, luckily, it’s not as graphic as Kuso), and might be the most essential out of all the short films released so far to understanding the world of the new film.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Bow Wow! Finally! Stop-motion Dogs!


I S L E   of   D O G S
ISLE OF DOGS tells the story of ATARI KOBAYASHI, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When, by Executive Decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.

Monday, September 25, 2017

A Zombie Christmas Musical Miracle

Anna and the Apocalypse
[Source: Syfy] The first teaser trailer for the upcoming zombie Christmas musical Anna and the Apocalypse has shambled its merry way online — and if you’re a fan of Shaun of the Dead and musicals, this one’s for you.
 
Directed by John McPhail (who also helmed the award-winning comedy movie Where Do We Go From Here?), Anna and the Apocalypse is in competition at this week’s Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, where it will have its world premiere. The movie stars Ella Hunt (Our Robot Overlords) as the titular heroine, Mark Benton (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) as her dad, Tony, and Game of Thrones alum Paul Kaye as the movie's wicked big bad Savage. Rounding out the cast are newcomers Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins and Marli Siu.

Based on the 2010 BAFTA-winning short Zombie Musical directed by the late Ryan McHenry (McHenry shares a writing credit with Alan McDonald) — which you can also watch below — Anna and the Apocalypse follows a group of high school friends as they try to stay alive (all the while fighting, dancing and singing) during a zombie apocalypse (at Christmas, no less) while an undead horde is in pursuit.

While making their way to the only safe place they know: their high-school, they soon discover that being a teenager is as difficult as surviving the end of the world… and it looks like the perfect movie with which to spread some good old fashioned holiday cheer to all genre fans out there.


[Below] The short film that started it all. This film got us a feature film deal with Black Camel Pictures (OUTPOST franchise, SUNSHINE ON LEITH), and won us a BAFTA. It's three years since we filmed it and we've moved on a lot as film makers, but with the feature in very late development we can finally show this to the world!

Sunday, September 24, 2017

CGI Animation of Love and War


The Song of The Rain
This is the first animation short film of Hezmon Animation Studio. The film is based on true story which happened in China 80 years ago. We made this film in honor of the people who contributed their efforts to the fight in WW2. Thanks for watching.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

First Tomb Raider trailer starring Alicia Vikander

T O M B   R A I D E R
The fate of humanity rests in her hands. Alicia Vikander is Lara Croft. 

Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared. From Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Tomb Raider is the story that will set a young and resolute Lara Croft on a path toward becoming a global hero. 

The film stars Oscar winner Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl) in the lead role, under the direction of Roar Uthaug (The Wave), with Oscar-winner Graham King (The Departed) producing under his GK Films banner. The film¹s production begins on the heels of the 20th anniversary of the wildly popular videogame franchise from Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal. Tomb Raider also stars Dominic West (Money Monster, 300), Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained) and Daniel Wu (AMC¹s Into the Badlands).

Friday, September 22, 2017

World Destroyer - A 2D Animated Feature Film

W O R L D   D E S T R O Y E R
World Destroyer is a 2D animated film made by Nominous Animation. Through funds raised on Indiegogo we hope to finish the rest of the film.

World Destroyer is a tale of two siblings living in the aftermath of their parents’ separation. Enrique is shy and passive, but can be pushed out of his comfort zone by his eclectic and rebellious sister Nadine.

The kids are introduced to a half-formed planet named Nor when a mysterious rabbit-like creature pays them a visit. Following not too far behind is Prince Exoxeneph of Nor, leader of a race of humans called the Ipheris. It seems the Ipheris have known about Earth’s existence long beforehand and are already preparing for its conquest. 

Our movie will be entirely funded by backers, fans, and grants. How much of the film that gets completed is contingent on the amount of funds raised. We are asking for $300,000 USD so that we can work on the film full-time and hire help for animation production, the heaviest and most labor-intensive part of the movie.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Anime Viewng Schedule for September 23, 2017

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Wood Dale Public Library
"The last days of Summer are fleeing by us!" 
Main Meeting Room, 10:15 am to 5:00 pm

10:15 - 11:05    Gamers! 5-6
11:05 - 11:55    Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World 24-25 (End)
11:55 - 12:45    Knight's and Magic 3-4
12:45 - 1:35      Princess Principal 5-6
1:35 - 2:15        Club Meeting / Announcements
2:15 - 2:40        Little Witch Academia (2017 TV series) ep 12
2:40 - 4:40        Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale

All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.
 
Start watching the exciting anime series: Made in Abyss and Princess Principal!
ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Last Trailer for Jackie Chan's THE FOREIGNER

- T H E   F O R E I G N E R -
THE FOREIGNER, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, is a timely action thriller from the director of “Casino Royale.” The film tells the story of humble London businessman Quan (Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love -- his teenage daughter -- is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism. In his relentless search for the identity of the terrorists, Quan is forced into a cat- and-mouse conflict with a British government official (Brosnan), whose own past may hold clues to the identities of the elusive killers. In Theaters October 13, 2017

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Next Club Meeting is September 23, 2017

 A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
It's been a while! Stop by for a little anime refresher
just to get back into the game!

Wood Dale Public Library
520 N. Wood Dale Road
Wood Dale, IL  60191
Main Meeting Room
Saturday, September 23, 2017
10:15 AM - 5:00 PM
 

Our next club meeting will be at the Wood Dale Public Library
Main Meeting Room (on your far right as you enter the front doors), 
from 10:15 AM to 5:00 PM 
(until the library closes).

There is public transportation available. 
A Metra train-stop is located within walking distance. 

Please note: If you are driving, please park your car 
on the south side of the building (not the front) in order to 
make room for other library patrons.
 
A Viewing Schedule will be posted soon.
 
Hope to see you all there!

(Click below for maps

Monday, September 18, 2017

New Gaming Terror Arrives in October

THE EVIL WITHIN 2
[Source: Syfy] The Evil Within 2 is poised to become one of the most frightening video game offerings this Halloween season, filled with mutated monsters, crawling creatures, and decaying undead.
 
Bethesda Softworks' scream-inducing sequel to Shinji Mikami's (Resident Evil) 2014 survival horror game, The Evil Within, is stuffed to the exploding eyeballs with logic-defying carnage and senseless slaughter of the tentacular type.

Here's the official synopsis:
As Sebastian Castellanos, you will face unimaginable terrors as you fight to find your daughter within the nightmare of STEM and get her out safely before the entire system crumbles around you. On top of the hideous creatures that roam the streets, you’ll also have to contend with the likes of Stefano and Theodore – twisted individuals who have made their horrific homes inside of STEM and are warping the weakened world to suit their wills. Should the world be completely destroyed, there won’t be any escape for Sebastian or Lily.

Open the door into the mouth of madness in the latest gameplay trailer below and let us know if you'll be brave when The Evil Within 2 arrives on October 13 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Saturday, September 16, 2017

First look at David Harbour as HELLBOY

Here's our first look at Stranger Things' David Harbour under the red makeup for Neil Marshall's reboot of HELLBOY.

Friday, September 15, 2017

New Trailer for Disney•Pixar's Coco

On Course to CursedCoco
When aspiring musician Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez) ends up in the Land of the Dead in Disney•Pixar’s “Coco,” his family takes him to the Department of Family Reunions where a busy clerk (voice of Gabriel Iglesias) informs him that he’s cursed. To return to the Land of the Living, Miguel will need a magical marigold petal and the blessing of a family member—but, according to the clerk, the family member can include any condition she likes—even forbidding music forever.

Directed by Lee Unkrich, co-directed by Adrian Molina and produced by Darla K. Anderson, Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” opens in U.S. theaters on November 22, 2017. 

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Dragon Con 2017 Cosplay

D R A G O N   C O N   2 0 1 7
[Source: Syfy] For the wild and wonderful cosplay community, the place to be over Labor Day weekend this year was Atlantla for Dragon Con. What better way to say goodbye to summer than by heading down to Georgia and dressing up as your favorite sci-fi/fantasy characters? Check it out!

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

A New Way of Living Under the Sea

The Space Between Us
Watch this amazing **Award-Winning** sci-fi short film called "The Space Between Us" as we find the world choking on pollution, and needing oxygen masks to survive. However, the key to humanity's survival may be held by a captured sea-creature named "Adam"! 

We follow Juliette, a cleaning lady in a research institute called Beacon. The world of Beacon is a desolate place where the remainder of the human race is forced to use oxygen masks to survive because of severe air pollution. In their search for finding a new way of living they manage to capture a sea creature, they name Adam that could prove vital in mankind̢۪s salvation. The short film explores the theme self-sacrifice in a fast paced action, sci - fi setting. The main selling point is the VFX done by a crew of 10 students at The Netherlands Film Academy. A solid pipeline was set up which ensured a coherent workflow across various disciplines. Most of the indoor action was shot on an extensive location at a concrete factory. The outdoor scenes were shot with the actors on a green screen set and composited with fully rendered backgrounds. The Netherlands Film Academy first ever high - profile CG creature Adam was a big achievement for the small team. FX was also an integral part of the film as a large chunk of the action takes place underwater. The film has received a lot of positive feedback from audiences during the screening at Eye Film Museum. The film has won four awards at the 2015 edition of the Scifi Film Festival in Australia.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars Episode IX

RETURN of the J.J.
[Source: Yahoo!News] Disney and Lucasfilm are going with a familiar name to close out the new trilogy of Star Wars films.

The currently untitled Episode IX will be directed by J.J. Abrams, who previously directed and co-wrote The Force Awakens. This time around, he'll be writing the script with Chris Terrio (who won an Oscar for Argo, then worked on Batman v. Superman and Justice League).

Episode IX's previously announced director, Colin Trevorrow, departed the film last week, with Lucasfilm saying, "We have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ." Trevorrow was just the latest of several directors — Josh Trank, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, plus Gareth Edwards, who was sidelined during reshoots on Rogue One — who appear to have been fired from Star Wars directing gigs.

All of them were relatively inexperienced when it came to live action blockbusters, so it's not surprising that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy decided to go with a known quantity this time around, especially when Episode's IX's release date of May 24, 2019 is less than two years away (maybe Abrams will talk Lucasfilm into pushing the date back, as he did with Force Awakens).

Abrams, meanwhile, has been active as a producer, but he hasn't signed on to direct a new film since The Force Awakens was released. This will make him the first director after George Lucas to direct more than one Star Wars movie.

Commentary: So if JJ's Episode 7 was basically "A New Hope 2.0," then we can expect to see Ep 9 as "Return of the Jedi 2.0."  Abrams has no original ideas. His Star Trek films were simply ideas ripped off from better movies. STAR WARS deserves better.

Monday, September 11, 2017

Shrinking humans down to size

D O W N S I Z I N G
When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to over-population, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Moviegoers are getting into "It"

Some Are Very Committed to Making 'It'
Screenings as Creepy as Possible
[Source: Gizmodo] The new It reboot has been filling seats and breaking box office records, nabbing the biggest opening weekend for a horror film. And as you might expect, people are getting really into it. For example, several Alamo Drafthouse theaters held “Clowns Only” screenings (surprisingly not pissing off the same guys who freaked out over the Wonder Woman version). Then, of course, you’ve got fans eager to out-freak each other out.

At the Alamo Drafthouse in Phoenix, Jackson Robert Scott (who plays Georgie Denbrough) got into character when stopping by for a screening of It. The theater nabbed a few photos of Scott eerily chilling in the empty theater, balloons and all, presumably before a bunch of moviegoers shit their collective pants at the sight of Georgie himself warning them they’d soon be floating too.

As terrifying as it might be to share a theater with the kid who’s simultaneously screaming nightmares in your face onscreen, it’s nothing compared to one man’s harrowing experience in England, where he was greeted by the very thing that will take over your nightmares this evening. You’re welcome.

He struck up a conversation with the Dead Clown Walking and, according to his Twitter, it turns out “he’s actually all right.” Later on, a woman named Hannah took credit for the stunt, saying she’d done the guy’s makeup the day prior.

Let us know in the comments if you’ve had any creepy sightings when you’ve gone to see It in theaters. If you haven’t seen It yet, consider yourself warned.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

The Dream of Space Travel

A Pilot Remembers Why She Dreamed of
Space Travel in This Lovely Animated Short
In Cécile Carre’s short Burn Out, an intergalactic repairwoman makes an emergency landing on a planet that appears deserted—except for an oddly familiar little girl, who helps her remember why she wanted to blast into the stars in the first place. The meaning is obvious, but the execution is rather beautifu.
B U R N   O U T

Friday, September 8, 2017

LES PIONNIERS DE L'UNIVERSE


During the 1960’s USSR space race, Macha, and Vassily secretly build a rocket of their own.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Netflix's Dark Crystal Revival

Design Your Own Creature
for the New Dark Crystal Series
[Source: Syfy] The Jim Henson Company is holding a contest to find the right design for a small, woodland creature.
If you ever thought, “Gee, I’d love to build a Muppet-like creature, but I have neither the time nor the talent,” today is a good day to be you.

The Jim Henson Company, creators of beloved films and TV series such as Sesame Street, Labyrinth, and Farscape, is making a Netflix series based on its 1982 movie The Dark Crystal. Known as The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, it will be a prequel about the world of Thra and its many creatures, lovely and otherwise.

Potential designers can submit a new creation to The Jim Henson Company. The winner—who may or may not be chosen by Brian Froud, conceptual designer of The Dark Crystal—gets $500. Better yet, your concept will be built by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. And they ain’t promisin’ nothin’, but there’s a good chance your character will make an appearance in the show.

Details include:
This small, woodland creature must be a brand new concept – it cannot be a variation of an existing species, e.g., Skeksis, Mystic, Podling. All ideas are welcome, as long as they feel true to the world of The Dark Crystal, without being a variation of an existing Brian Froud drawing. Please include at least a front and side view of your new creature. In addition, please provide a paragraph of 50–100 words about your new creature, including a name, brief back story and characteristics of the creature.

So if your scribbles and sketches include fantastical furry critters, you have until November 22 to polish them up and enter.

Remember, you have a chance to have your design built by the same people who make Muppets. And Farscape's Rygel. It’s not just a good day to be you: It’s a great day.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Stranger Things Retro Game Recap

Game on, Season 1
SPOILER WARNING: Spoilers for
Stranger Things Season 1 below!
 
[Source: Syfy] Stranger Things just leveled up, and Season 2 hasn’t even crawled out of the dark yet.

For all of us impatient to know why Jonathan had something in his throat before last season vanished, we still won’t find that out until nearly Halloween, but Netflix is keeping us entertained (and making us really nostalgic for the era of huge glasses and bad fashion) with this Season 1 recap that plays out like an ‘80s video game.

Everything from the bleep-blip-bloop sounds to the pixelated prompts and icons are reminiscent of retro arcade games. It even has that power bar at the top that goes from green to yellow to red, depending on how much danger you're in. And when you level up, the previous level fades out in megapixels.

Like the show, there's an awesome element of humor here, especially if you remember playing games like this on Atari, or on your classroom’s Apple 2e. Remember how some games would tell you how many icons of something you needed with a plus-whatever, and then add them at the bottom of the screen? So does this one, except with Eggo waffles. The more Michael sneaks into his backpack for Eleven, the more “Inventory” goes up. Same goes for when the boys discover Eleven’s epic stash of chocolate pudding.

The "game" also adds or subtracts points for paranormal actions or incidents that could twist events one way or the other. When Dustin and the others try to get Eleven to levitate the Millennium Falcon, "Use your powers, OK?" types on the screen in a familiar 8-bit font ... until she gives them The Look and is awarded a "Sass Bonus."

Later, the game player is prompted to choose between "attack" and "surrender" when a van almost flattens Will’s junior high detective party. But upon the "attack" command, Eleven sends all three tons soaring overhead. A +500 bonus is then awarded when she takes down a bully in the most embarrassing way ever. And when Lucas hits the Demogorgon in the … I wouldn’t exactly call that a face ... but whatever it is, he nails it with his slingshot, and the move scores thousands of points.

While this recap is definitely a bonus, we still can't wait till Stranger Things 2 creeps up on Netflix on Oct. 27. Marathoning it in the dark may just be the best excuse ever not to have to deal with trick-or-treaters.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Some Crazy Things Only Possible in Japan


ONLY in JAPAN
You won’t believe what sort of things are waiting for you in the Land of the Rising Sun! It is like a whole other world full of unbelievable phenomena and seemingly weird, yet fascinating traditions.

Monday, September 4, 2017

BLOODY BUNNY the First Blood


BLOODY BUNNY
Here comes all episodes of Bloody Bunny the first blood together all-in-one, in full HD official VDO.  In the future, the world belongs to the dolls, but not everything is cute and fuzzy. One bunny is out for bloody revenge!

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Force Friday Reveals LEGO's Largest Play Set

How Much That Insane Millennium Falcon
LEGO Set Will Actually Cost You
[Source: CinemaBlend] When it comes to LEGO, Star Wars pretty much has everyone else beat. The franchise is very well represented in the LEGO aisle of your local toy store, with sets spanning across all the movies and various TV shows. LEGO recently unveiled the largest set it's ever constructed: a new Millennium Falcon that totals a whopping 7,541 pieces. That's a bit more than just an afternoon of work, and it should come as no surprise that this set has a huge price tag attached to it. The Millennium Falcon set will be setting collectors back $800.00.

The new Millennium Falcon set is up on the LEGO website, but it won't be available to purchase until October 1. When that day comes, LEGO fans will have to shell out $800 to build the most iconic spaceship ever. LEGO sets have never exactly been the cheapest, but considering the amount of materials at work here it's easy to see why this new set is so expensive.

The new Millennium Falcon set measures over 8 inches high, 33 inches long, and 22 inches wide once fully completed. This set beats out the previous record holder (a 5,992 Taj Mahal set) by more than 1,000 pieces. Not only does the Millennium Falcon boast a detailed interior filled with movie accurate intricacies (it even has Dejarik!), but the exterior is customizable as well. Depending on your preference, you can make the ship reflect the original trilogy or its appearance in the newer batch of films like Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The set also comes complete with seven minifigures of characters ranging from all across the franchise. Buyers will find Han Solo, Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and C-3PO from the original films, while Rey, Finn, and older Han Solo represent the new series. The set also includes BB-8, 2 buildable porgs (the cute puffin-like aliens from Star Wars: The Last Jedi), and the worm-like Mynock from Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back.

$800 is still pretty steep, so be aware that there is an older, smaller Millennium Falcon set available for $125 -- that's an easier sell to your conscience buying a giant (but beautiful) toy for $800. Besides, the Millennium Falcon is a garbage ship anyway. You can buy your own ship for like 10,000 credits.

We all want to own a Millennium Falcon, but if you don't have the money to spare maybe just seeing one is good enough. You can see Star Wars: The Last Jedi when it lands in theaters later this year on December 15, 2017. I wager that the Falcon will feature a bit more prominently in the Han Solo spinoff, which is currently scheduled to release on May 25, 2018.