'Peanuts' - New CGI Movie Coming Soon!

For the first time ever, Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang we know and love from Charles Schulz's timeless "Peanuts" comic strip will be making their big-screen debut; like they've never been seen before in a CG-Animated Feature film in 3D.

Malaise - Animated Short Film

"MALAISE"

Check out this fantastic CGI animated short film by the talented Daniel Beaulieu! This is his final project from Vancouver Film School's 3D animation program.

"With Malaise I wanted to do a project that was both visually exciting and a demonstration of my abilities as an animator. The look of the piece was influenced by an array of old sci-fi classics ranging from Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris to Jean-Claude Forest's Barbarella. For the feel and tone of the film it was to Ridley Scott's Alien franchise that I drew inspiration from. I wanted to pursue a slightly more realistic route for the animation so I researched live action movie footage, live reference as well as more recent CG efforts from America and Japan to help achieve to type of movement I desired. This project was a labor of love and I thank everyone who helped bring it to the screen. Enjoy the show!"

New Trailer for Disney's MALEFICENT!

From Disney comes "Maleficent"—the untold story of Disney's most iconic villain from the 1959 classic "Sleeping Beauty." A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land's fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal—an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king's successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom—and perhaps to Maleficent's true happiness as well.

Next Club Meeting is this Saturday, March 22, 2014

Take the Express Train

To the Animatrix Network!

Wood Dale Public Library

520 N. Wood Dale Road

Wood Dale, IL  60191

Main Meeting Room

Saturday, March 22, 2014

10:15 AM - 5:00 PM

Map
Public Transit Options

Our next club meeting will be at the Wood Dale Public Library, 
Main Meeting Room (on your right as you enter the front doors), 
on March 22, 2014, 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) 

Drink with Japanese monsters at Kaiju-themed bar

The newly opened Kaiju Sakaba, located in Kawasaki, is actually dedicated to the classic Japanese series Ultraman. It hosts theme meals and drinks, and it's got action figures and memorabillia galore, but most importantly, it's got people wearing ridiculous rubber monster costumes.

There's even a research area where kaiju can further study mankind, their heroes and their weapons, all in an effort, I'm choosing to assume, to make peace.

Check out the gallery below and, if you're a poor westerner such as I, wish that, someday, you will make your way to Kaiju Sakaba, where every monster knows your name.

'BOB' - Animated Short Film

Make sure to watch the film past the credits, enjoy!
After running on over 100 festivals BOB finally reached Vimeo with his little running wheel. We would like to thank everyone who enjoyed the film, voted for us on festivals and gave us a laugh during the screenings. It's an incredible feeling to make people happy. This was the first time we created a 3d animated movie during our studies at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg and we never thought that it would become as successful as it is now. There are a lot of things we would have done differently nowadays but for a small team, six months and almost no knowledge of the software, we are proud with the result and finally want to share it with everyone.

Credits:
BOB: Tom Zahner
student producer: Anna Matacz
director: Jacob Frey & Harry Fast
script: Jacob Frey & Stefanie Ren
character design: Harry Fast
lighting & rendering: Michael Lederhuber
music: Karol Obara
sounddesign: Marco Manzo

For further info check out www.bob-film.com and leave us a comment in our guestbook.

'Trickster' - Short Film set in the Matrix Universe

Hot on the heels of hints that a new Matrix Trilogy is in the mix, here's a killer fan short called Trickster in which a lone female resistance soldier armed with one badass lightning cannon fends off a fierce Sentinel out to strip her spine. This indie fan short was written, produced and directed by filmmaker Felix Joleanes and packs a serious dose of Matrixy charm and excellent special effects. 

Here's what the creator had to say about his little tribute project:

"Trickster is a small Live-action short film based on the Matrix movie, it's a fan-made film to see how far we can go with our skills in Film making and Visual effects. This is a non-profit project produced solely for the personal enjoyment of our team. The project was born in 2013 when Antonio, a friend of mine, suggested to make a video with a Sentinel 3D model that i made some time ago for fun. I was hooked since the beginning with the idea, i wrote a small synopsis and then a 3 page script, the project started to grow more than i expected. At the beginning we only thought of making a small visual effects integration video and then we ended up with a 3 minute live action short film."

Afflicted

This terrifying horror thriller follows two best friends who set out on the trip of a lifetime around the world. Their journey, documented every step of the way, soon takes a dark and unexpected turn after an encounter with a beautiful woman in Paris leaves one of them mysteriously afflicted. Winner: Best Picture (Horror), Best Screenplay (Horror), Best Director (Horror) at Fantastic Fest, and recipient of awards of recognition from the Toronto International Film Festival and the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival. AFFLICTED is one of the most suspenseful and original action horror debuts in a generation.

- In Theaters April 4th -

Lost Short Film 'Black Angel' Now Found

Long Lost 'Star Wars' Pre-Show Film

'Black Angel' Found and Restored

'Black Angel,' 1980 (from Athena Studio)

[Source: YahooNews] Well, here's a hot-ticket panel we'll probably be seeing at "Star Wars" Celebration next year.

A long time ago, in our own galaxy, there were short films screened before features. One such short film, a 25-minute fantasy epic called "Black Angel," was shown before certain overseas prints of "Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back" (1980).

And then, inexplicably, it was gone, with no trace of a negative or bootleg VHS copy to be found. Lost to legend, obscurity, and the occasional reference at fan conventions.

Until now.

'Black Angel,' 1980 (from Athena Studio)

"Black Angel" was commissioned in 1979 by "Star Wars" mastermind George Lucas as a short film to accompany "The Empire Strikes Back." According to Esquire, Lucas ordered 20th Century Fox to create something that would complement the tone of the darker, more mature "Star Wars" sequel.

The gig ended up going to Roger Christian, who had won the Oscar for Best Art Direction — Set Decoration for his work on "Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope" (1977). Christian was one of Lucas's trusted friends and colleagues, having found creative and cost-efficient ways to make the first "Star Wars" film look a lot more expensive than its tightly strapped $4 million budget.

Christian had finished working on set decoration for Ridley Scott's "Alien" (which also earned Christian an Oscar nomination) and was looking to take on directing. He wrote a script called "Black Angel," a fantasy film about a knight from the Crusades who's transported to a magical realm where he must rescue a princess from the title villain.

Roger Christian, right, on 'Black Angel' set in Scotland in 1979 (from Athena Studio)

A chance meeting with Sandy Lieberson, head of Fox Studios in London, during post-production sound mixing sessions on "Alien" allowed Christian the chance to pitch "Black Angel." The script got to Lucas and it was greenlit two days later with a budget of $50,000 and on two very Lucas-ish conditions: Lucas would be the first person to see the final cut, and Christian should be granted complete creative freedom.

"And that's George," smiles Christian during a recent interview at Urban Post Production House in Toronto.

Christian and his crew of 11 were then off to Scotland to make a movie with some leftover rolls of 35mm film from the "Empire" shoot and access to Eilean Donan castle. The director himself admits he spent most of the budget on "proper huge heavy horses."

'Black Angel' (from Athena Studio)

Hey, at least he didn't have to make the exterior of a certain Corellian ship out of airplane scrap metal again.

Christian's knack for low-budget troubleshooting proved to be helpful during post-production when he was informed by his editor informed that there wasn't enough footage to meet the 25-minute contract. To lengthen the film, they implemented a process called "step-printing," in which a slow-motion effect is created by printing one frame repeatedly.

Lucas was so impressed with this process that he used the technique himself in the surreal nightmare sequence in "Empire" in which Luke confronts a vision of Darth Vader on Dagobah.

Lucas liked the rest of the film, too, and showed it to his pal Steven Spielberg, whom, per Christian, said it was "one of the most enigmatic films he'd ever seen." "Black Angel" was then screened with "The Empire Strikes Back" in parts of Europe and Australia, as the U.S. was no longer showing short films with features by then.

And then it got lost... somehow. Christian had an original negative and print copy that he kept at London's Boss Film Studios, but when the facility went bankrupt in the '90s, it got tossed. Fox lost its copies as well when its storage facility, U.K. Studio Rank, shut down around the same time. Lucasfilm Archives didn't seem to have a copy, either.

Then, in December 2011, Christian got a call from an archivist at Universal who claimed he had a negative. How a copy of "Black Angel" ended up at the rival studio is anyone's guess, but word got around, and last year Christian got a call from David Tanaka, a visual effects editor at Pixar, and Brice Parker, a producer at Athena Studios, who wanted to digitally restore "Black Angel" and screen it at the 36th Mill Valley Film Festival in California.

Restoration artist works on 'Black Angel' (from Athena Studio)

Thirty-three years after its debut, "Black Angel" returned to theaters last October as the closing film of the Mill Valley fest. It was also screened last week at the Glasgow Film Festival in Scotland.

So... are "Star Wars" fans going to be able to see this anytime soon? Christian says he plans on releasing "Black Angel" later this year, possibly on Netflix and iTunes or perhaps on a DVD re-release of "The Empire Strikes Back."

"I would like it to be with 'Star Wars,' because it's history. It belongs there," he said.

Well, hopefully it's better than Christian's other sci-fi fantasy film... "Battlefield Earth" (2000).

Titanfall Has Arrived for Xbox One and PC

Your Titan is Now Ready

Respawn Entertainment and EA Launch Titanfall Today

The Most Anticipated Video Game of 2014 is Available Now in North America Exclusively for Xbox One and PC

Watch the Official Titanfall Launch Trailer Here:

VAN NUYS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and independent videogame developer Respawn Entertainment announced that Titanfall™ is now available at retail stores across North America exclusively for Xbox One®, the all-in-one entertainment system from Microsoft and on Origin.com for PC. Since its unveiling last June, Titanfallhas seized the attention of gamers around the world with its exhilarating first-person action gameplay centered on the dynamic between elite assault pilots and agile, heavily-armored, 24-foot titans. The game has been praised by critics and fans for delivering a unique, fun and thrilling experience while setting a new bar for online multiplayer gameplay. GameSpot claims "Titanfall is a leap forward for shooters", while Rolling Stone calls Titanfall "the most anticipated next-generation videogame of the year".

"Creating Titanfall has really been an incredible journey for our team at Respawn and we're excited to be able to finally get the game we've been making into everyone's hands," said Vince Zampella, a Co-Creator of CALL OF DUTY and Co-Founder of Respawn Entertainment. "We're a small, tight-knit team, and I'm proud to have come together with them over these last few years to create something that we think pushes the boundaries and is above all else fun."

"Titanfall is the result of an amazing partnership between Respawn Entertainment, the Xbox team at Microsoft and EA," said Patrick Soderlund, Executive Vice President, EA Studios. "Combining the talent and vision of the developers at Respawn with the power of Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Compute infrastructure and EA's global publishing reach, Titanfall is going to deliver a truly incredible new experience to gamers."

"At Xbox we have a long history of bringing blockbuster multiplayer games to our fans that have redefined what it means to play games with friends and others around the world," said Yusuf Mehdi, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, Devices and Studios at Microsoft. "Leveraging the power of Xbox One and in close collaboration with our partners at Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts, Titanfall is poised to be one of those breakthrough games that ignites the potential of this generation."

Set in the near future on a distant frontier torn apart by war, Titanfall drops players in the middle of a conflict between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation (IMC) and the Militia. The action is rapid and varied - featuring parkour-style wall running, massive double jumps and the ability to hijack titans. The freedom to shift back and forth between pilot and titan allows players to change tactics on the fly, attacking or escaping depending on the situation and extending the action vertically to new heights.

Titanfall will be available on Xbox One and PC in Europe beginning March 13, 2014 and in the UK on March 14, 2014. The Xbox 360 version, developed by Bluepoint Games, will be available beginning March 25, 2014. For gamers looking to extend the fight on the Frontier, the Titanfall Season Pass will deliver three content packs as soon as they become available. The Titanfall Season Pass is available at a one-time price of $24.99 and can now be purchased for the Xbox One here and on Origin for PC here. The Titanfall Season Pass for Xbox 360 will be available starting March 25. For more information on the game, please visit www.titanfall.com. Join the conversation on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/titanfallgame and #Titanfall, or on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/titanfallgame. 

Check out these Gotham-inspired designer outfits

[Source: Blastr] Last week, we showed you some elegant Star Wars-themed gowns from Rodarte's New York Fashion Week event. Now dynamic Big Apple fashion duo the Blonds -- David Blond and Phillipe Blond - strike back with their comic-book-inspired fall and winter 2014 collection displayed at the same New York Fashion Week. Conjured up from costumes painted on by Catwoman in comics, movies and the iconic TV show Batman, the Blonds' upcoming line of gowns, jackets and leggings would blend right into the criminal jungle of Gotham City. Black boots, sexy bodysuits, spikes, whips, stiletto heels and spangled smiles helped depict some of Gotham's most notorious villains like the Joker, Poison Ivy and the Riddler.

"This is a collection we wanted to do for some time now," designer David Blond told Billboard. "Selina Kyle (Catwoman) is a strong, powerful woman who was both sexy and smart."

Hike up your sweatpants and take a stroll through this sleek lineup of high fashion ... Gotham-style!

CHI-FI the Sci-Fi/Geek Convention March 29, 2014

Chi-Fi is here!

A geek convention in downtown Chicago

Chi-Fi is a convention celebrating geekdom. Whether you were a geek since long before it was "cool" or are only now discovering your inner geek, we welcome you at Chi-Fi. We know that there are many different varieties of geek out there. No matter what kind of geek you are, there is a place for you at Chi-Fi.

Our inaugural event, Chi-Fi 0, will take place on March 29, 2014 from 3PM to 3AM at the historic Palmer House Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago. There will be fantastic guests including Jason Carter (Marcus from Babylon 5), musicians SJ Tucker, Kieran Strange, the great Luke Ski, Time Crash, and more! There are exciting panels including cosplay, Homestuck, geek culture, After Dark, and gaming. Bristol Ren Faire will be on hand to entertain. There may even be a surprise or two. Registration is only $15. Register now!

In mid-March 2015, we will return for our first full-weekend convention. We are bringing you even more exciting guests, engaging panels and after dark entertainment. Support Chi-Fi by pre-registering for Chi-Fi 2015 today and gain free admission to Chi-Fi 0!

Register now!

Transformers: Age of Extinction Teaser Trailer

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Earth is scarred by the events of the past three movies, but is moving on after all the giant robots disappeared. Cade Yeager, an inventor, discovers a buried Transformer, which sets the stage for the return of the Autobots and Decepticons.

New clips from Netflix's final season of Clone Wars

[Source: Blastr] The debut of Netflix’s final season of Star Wars: Clone Wars is on March 7, and two new clips have arrived to get us ready.

The new footage shows off Master Yoda, who is always a welcome presence, and we get a look at some clones who come to Kamino. Considering the fact that it’s been a long time since we saw any new footage from this series, it’s nice to finally get a peek at the 13 new episodes.

In addition to the final season of Clone Wars, it sounds like Netflix will also be getting a lot more Star Wars goodness in the years to come. USA Today is reporting that the streaming service will become Disney, Marvel and Pixar’s exclusive first-run, live-action and animated movie home online starting in 2016. So, if you’re not already a subscriber, the service should be even more compelling in a few years.

While we wait for “The Lost Missions” to arrive and a boatload of binge watching to begin, enjoy this sneak peek below.

Batman: Arkham Knight Trailer - "Father to Son"

In the explosive finale to the Arkham series, Batman faces the ultimate threat against the city he is sworn to protect. The Scarecrow returns to unite an impressive roster of super villains, including Penguin, Two-Face and Harley Quinn, to destroy The Dark Knight forever.

Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady's uniquely designed version of the Batmobile, which is drivable for the first time in the franchise. The addition of this legendary vehicle, combined with the acclaimed gameplay of the Batman Arkham series, offers gamers the ultimate and complete Batman experience as they tear through the streets and soar across the skyline of the entirety of Gotham City.

Batman: Arkham Knight is based on DC Comics' core Batman license and will be available exclusively for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC. The game is scheduled for release worldwide in 2014.

Idina Menzel Sings FROZEN at the Oscars

'Let It Go' from Disney's FROZEN

Wins Oscar for 'Best Original Song'

[Source: BroadwayWorld] 'Let It Go' from Disney's FROZEN was the recipient of the 86th Annual Academy Award for 'Original Song,' with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. The film also won the Oscar for 'Best Animated Feature Film' earlier this evening. The major win for the song, performed by Idina Menzel in the film, also makes Robert Lopez the twelfth member of the exclusive 'EGOT' club.

'Let It Go' beat out 'Alone Yet Not Alone' from ALONE YET NOT ALONE with music by Bruce Broughton and lyrics by Dennis Spiegel; 'Happy' from DESPICABLE ME 2 with music and lyrics by Pharrell Williams; 'The Moon Song' from HER with music by Karen O and lyrics by Karen O and SPIKE Jonze; and 'Ordinary Love' from MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM with music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen and lyrics by Paul Hewson.

With a stage adaptation in the wings, FROZEN's soundtrack recently became the longest-running No. 1 film soundtrack since 2003. The movie has passed THE LION KING as Disney's highest-grossing animated film to date, with $865 million worldwide. FROZEN just won four 2014 Annie Awards, as well as the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film, and the ACE Eddie Award for Best Edited Animated Feature.

Walt Disney Animation Studios, the studio behind "Tangled" and "Wreck-It Ralph," presents "Frozen," a stunning big-screen comedy adventure. Fearless optimist Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) sets off on an epic journey-teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven-to find her sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

Oscar Selfie Crashes Twitter

This image released by Ellen DeGeneres shows actors front row from left, Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Ellen DeGeneres, Bradley Cooper, Peter Nyong’o Jr., and, second row, from left, Channing Tatum, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong’o and Angelina Jolie as they pose for a "selfie" portrait on a cell phone during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 2, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ellen DeGeneres)

"Short Peace" to Run in US Starting March 3

Eleven Arts and Sentai Filmworks will be bringing the “Short Peace” anime anthology to U.S. movie theaters starting on March 3, 2014. The anthology of four short films will include Shuhei Morita’s Oscar-nominated short film “Possessions,” along with Otomo’s “Combustible,” Hiroaki Ando’s “Gambo,” and Hajime Katoki’s “A Farewell to Arms.” As of press time, the anthology will screen at theaters in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Virginia. [Source: ElevenArts]

Synopsis
In 1995, Katsuhiro Otomo’s epic anthology MEMORIES showcased the work of upcoming superstars of the anime world. Now, Otomo’s spotlight shifts to a fresh generation of master creators with an all-new anthology of visionary films: A lone traveler is confronted by unusual spirits in an abandoned shrine in the 2013 Academy Award® nominated POSSESSIONS (TSUKUMO), directed by Shuhei Morita (COICENT, KAKURENBO). A mysterious white bear defends the royal family from the predations of a red demon in the brutal GAMBO, directed by Hiroaki Ando (FIVE NUMBERS!) from REDLINE’s Katsuhito Ishii’s original story with character designs by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (NEON GENESIS EVANGELION). The focus shifts from supernatural to science fiction for the action packed A FAREWELL TO ARMS (BUKI YO SARABA), as MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM designer Hajime Katoki helms Otomo’s tour-de-force saga of men battling robotic tanks in apocalyptic Tokyo, while grandmaster Otomo himself assumes the directorial reigns for a spectacular tale of love, honor and firefighting in ancient Japan with the multi-award winning COMBUSTIBLE (HI-NO-YOUJIN). Prepare your senses for the animated films that are taking the critical world by storm as a new era in anime is ushered in with Katsuhiro Otomo’s SHORT PEACE!

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POSSESSIONS
The Academy Award® Nominated animated short film
Written and Directed by Shuhei Morita
Original Story/Concept Design by Keisuke Kishi
Character Design by Daisuke Sajiki

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COMBUSTIBLE
Written and Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo
Character Design by Hidekazu Ohara

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GAMBO
Directed by Hiroaki Ando
Original Story and screenplay by Katsuhito Ishii
Original Character Design by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

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A FAREWELL TO ARMS
Directed by Hajime Katoki
Original Story by Katsuhiro Otomo
Character Design by Tatsuyuki Tanaka

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