Next Club Meeting:October 17, 2026,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 in today's pop culture, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.
Disney has unveiled its newest princess and she’s Polynesian. Although not slated to hit the big screen until November 2016, Disney was super excited to preview Moana at their annual D23 expo.
Set on the islands of the South Pacific and adjoining seas, directors Ron Clements and John Musker describe the Polynesian princess as a “born navigator.” Setting sail on a voyage of self-discovery, Moana hopes to find a mythical island in a region called Oceania. The Rock will also lend his voice as the character of Maui, whom Moana meets during her travels.
While Moana isn’t the first Disney princess to break the fair-skin mold (Tiana and Mulan), it is great to see minorities being portrayed more in more in film, especially an animated one that children from all walks of life will enjoy.
[Source: blastr.com] Get ready! Executive producer Gale Anne Hurd and the diabolically fiendish minds behind AMC's The Walking Dead are plotting to hit east Los Angeles with their zombie apocalypse, and it's not going to be pretty. AMC's Fear The Walking Dead is a “companion” series that promises to fill us in on how the zombies took over and explore new territory beyond The Walking Dead.
The series, which premieres Sunday on AMC at 9/8C, follows high school teacher Travis and his blended family, including financee Madison, her two teenage children, and Travis's teenage son in east Los Angles as they try to survive what we as viewers know will be a zombie apocalypse that will threaten to destroy human race. Fear comes from Hurd, Dave Erickson, Robert Kirkman, Greg Nicotero and David Alpert; and stars Cliff Curtis, Kim Dickens, Frank Dillane, and Alycia Debnam Carey.
Unlike the original series, which the comic book series, Fear has all new characters and a new location. AMC has ordered a six-episode first season and picked up the series for a second season that will air in 2016.
I spoke with Hurd recently in an exclusive interview with Blastr about what we can expect from Fear The Walking Dead, how the new series is different and why she wanted to take on this new project.
What's the set up of the new series?
We start with the very early stages of the zombie apocalypse. In keeping with The Walking Dead, this is a grounded representation of what would happen to a family as the world is collapsing around them because of this contagion. We started The Walking Dead almost a month in as Rick wakes up from his coma. So this series is full of the confusion that everyone has, the average person has, law enforcement, the military, the government who really doesn't know what's going on and there's no precedent for it.
We're dealing with a blended family, one that's coming together like many families, not only in America, but throughout the world. They're coming to terms with what that means, which is hard enough without finding out that something devastating is going on.
Tell us about the location and why you chose it.
This is in LA and it's a part of LA that we haven't seen very much in films or television in east Los Angeles. It is multicultural. It's very diverse like Los Angeles is. It's working class. …
It's not the Santa Monica. It's not the Hollywood. It's not the Beverly Hills. Nor the downtown. It's north and east of downtown.
We wanted to show an area that was not only representative of Los Angeles, but also representative of many urban communities throughout the United States. These are people who both work in a local high school. They're not upper class, and they're not in law enforcement. They don't come to this with the skills that a Rick Grimes or a Shane Walsh had as we started The Walking Dead.
What themes will be explored in the series, and how will they be the same or different than The Walking Dead?
The thing that remains constant is “Who would you be if this were to happen?” That is something that we examine with an entirely new cast of characters on the series. The difference is in The Walking Dead, Rick was trying to find his family only to find his best friend in the world has lied to his wife and said that he's dead. This is a family that is struggling to survive together. … So that's very different.
We are following a family. Travis and Madison are in a newer relationship. They both have children from previous marriages that they're trying to blend together. You've got all of the conflict and friction in this new relationship that's forming when society is collapsing. So that's once again something quite different.
What challenges have you had with Fear The Walking Dead?
Remembering that we are dialing it back and that the characters in this world don't know the rules, so you have to go back and say, "Okay. It's not like Rick could sit down at dinner and eat at Morgan's in the pilot in the first episode of The Walking Dead and have someone explain the rules to him." It's important to not get too far ahead of our storytelling.
Dave Erickson and Robert Kirkman in the writers' room have crafted really compelling trips that are going to take you, the viewers, into worlds you have not experienced before. Some are really morally complex. Each person is going to approach this based on their own view of the world and their interpretation of what's going on, and they're going to come to different conclusions.
What's surprised you most so far?
Fresh walkers... They are frightening. They are so close to the humanity that they had that they are shocking on a whole different level.
Gale, you've done The Terminator, Aliens, Alien Nation, Tremors, T2, Armageddon, and The Walking Dead, to name a few. What's special about Fear The Walking Dead for you?
I'm dealing with an entirely new cast, both in front of the camera and on the crew, and that is what keeps me interested. Those are really remarkable and talented people. You want to see where the next day goes. You're on a journey and that's what's so great about serialized storytelling. It's really pulling back the layers of these characters as they go deeper and deeper into a world that is unlike anything that they have experienced before and for which they don't have the skillset.
Why should people tune in on Sunday?
This series stands on its own and I think it would be just as compelling because of the world and the characters even if The Walking Dead never existed.
Fans attending New York Comic Con on Thursday, October 8th will receive an exclusive sneak peek of what’s to come in the second season of Star Wars Rebels with a panel featuring special guests plus a preview screening of two new episodes from the series.
As the second season of Star Wars Rebels opens, the crew of the Ghost is now considered a very real threat to the Empire and has caught the attention of Darth Vader himself. Undeterred, the rebels seek out old friends and add powerful allies to their cause, forming the beginnings of a more formidable alliance against the Empire. To stop them, Vader will dispatch new agents to hunt down their growing coalition, determined to snuff them out before they can ignite a galaxy to rebellion.
The Star Wars Rebels panel will take place on the Empire Stage from 1:30-2:30 p.m. and will be followed by an exclusive screening of two new episodes later on the same stage, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. These all-new episodes will feature the series debut of Captain Rex, Captain Gregor and Commander Wolffe - three clones from the previous Star Wars animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. They join another fan favorite from The Clone Wars – Ahsoka Tano – who made her Star Wars Rebels debut in the final episode of season 1.
Star Wars Rebels returns with new episodes this fall on Disney XD.
[Source: blastr.com] A lack of girl-friendly superhero fare has been a constant refrain in recent years, and now DC is getting ready to make an ambitious push to address the issue.
As part of a partnership with Mattel, the company has announced a full-fledged superhero universe designed for girls that will encompass comics, TV specials, children’s books, toys and apparel. If you’re a female fan of DC heroes (or the parent to an aspiring Wonder Woman), this should be right up your alley.
DC Super Hero Girls is being aimed at girls 6-12 years of age and will feature young versions of female heroes and villains from across the DC universe as they are still discovering their powers. DC is touting that Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Bumble Bee, Poison Ivy, Katana and “many more” characters will be involved, all reimagined in a new kid-friendly art style.
"DC Entertainment is home to the most iconic and well-known Super Heroes including Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl,” said Diane Nelson, President of DC Entertainment. “DC Super Hero Girls represents the embodiment of our long-term strategy to harness the power of our diverse female characters. I am so pleased that we are able to offer relatable and strong role models in a unique way, just for girls."
The project is set to launch this fall, and it sounds like DC is aiming for something truly ambitious. Considering the dearth of content out there for young girls, this could be the perfect way to create and nurture fans who’ll go on to be lifelong fans of everything from Batgirl to Wonder Woman.
This is going to be a multi-pronged effort, and the company says TV specials, made-for-videos, toys, apparel, books and other products should hit by 2016. Here’s hoping DC’s push turns out to be a huge success, and now there’ll finally be ample Batgirl and Wonder Woman toys out there to fight alongside Batman and Supes.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy follows the newly-formed team who finds a strange artifact keyed only to the DNA of Peter Quill. Upon opening it, Quill unleashes a treasure map leading to a powerful weapon known as the Cosmic Seed which is capable of giving birth to the next universe. It’s up to the Guardians to find, protect and ultimately destroy the Cosmic Seed in order to keep it out of the hands of those who would abuse its power, from galactic big boss Thanos, to the conniving brothers the Collector and the Grandmaster, to a resurrected Ronan, to the ultimate trickster, Loki, in order to save the universe.
[Source: blastr.com] Yvonne Craig, who we knew and loved as Batgirl in the 1966-1968 Batman TV series, has died of breast cancer. She was 78 years old.
Craig was introduced in the final season of Batman to attract new viewers, with the benefit of adding a touch of much-needed girl power to the show. Craig’s charm and athleticism were a natural addition to our dynamic duo: She was the youngest member of The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Three years of touring with a Russian ballet company would likely make any stunt work she did for the show seem like a cakewalk.
According to NBC News, “After stage and screen, she enjoyed a second career as a real estate broker and also went into the prepaid phone card business …” In addition, she did philanthropic and charity work.
Craig’s other appearances include The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Star Trek (Marta in “Whom Gods Destroy”) and The Six Million Dollar Man. From 2009-2011, she provided the voice of Grandma in Nickelodeon’s Olivia.
The character of Batgirl has evolved from crimefighter to member of the house of representatives, to paraplegic, to information dealer. But when many of us think of Batgirl, we think of Yvonne Craig.
During the Walt Disney Studios presentation, Disney CEO Bob Iger made the surprise announcement of Star Wars Land coming to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland including a Millennium Falcon ride, Cantina, and more.
In summary, an explosion in Stamford by the villain Nitro causes the US Government to introduce Superhero Registration Act. Those not adhering to it are deemed unregistered and rogue superheroes. Tony Stark and Dr Reed Richards lead the side of the pro-registration superhero. Captain America leads the anti-registration side. Spider-Man, initially with Tony Stark, eventually joins the team of Captain America. Goliath is killed by the pro-registration superheroes. Many super-villains join the Government in hunting down superheroes.
[Source: blaster.com] Lara Croft has been one of our favorite female videogame characters since 1996, when she first appeared on the original PlayStation. But our tomb raider had a reboot in 2013, and in that game she didn’t find adventure so much as adventure found her. Now, in 13 minutes of gameplay for the upcoming videogame Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara is actively pursuing an oasis in a war zone. Unsurprisingly, she finds much more than she is looking for.
For an archaeologist in the middle of Syria, Lara needs more than a trowel and a water canteen. She needs to scramble, jump and climb—as well as shoot and/or incapacitate.
According to GameZone, “Rise of the Tomb Raider is going to have new options … that are going to directly impact how each individual person experiences the game. Players will be able to choose whether Lara takes a stealthy approach and quickly incapacitating her enemies or going guns a blazin’ with full on, straight forward attack.”
GameZone also mentions that Rise of the Tomb Raider will be three times larger than the 2013 Tomb Raider. Hey, it worked for Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City.
The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world. Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including Kaulder, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful Queen Witch, decimating her followers in the process. In the moments right before her death, the Queen curses Kaulder with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today Kaulder is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones. However, unbeknownst to Kaulder, the Queen Witch is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.
In THE HATEFUL EIGHT, set six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Bichir), who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…
[Source: Esquire] Updates about Star Wars: The Force Awakens have arrived in a steady drip, but a new release of 12 photos and information in the new Entertainment Weekly is one of the biggest drops yet. The issue offers some new plot details on the long-awaited film, including that Leia is given Luke's lightsaber that was lost during the duel in The Empire Strikes Back.
Here's some of what we get a look at in the new batch of images.
[Source: Yahoo!News] Harry Potter fans are freaking out about a new theory that's been circulating on Tumblr. The theory will make you feel more wary about the Albus Dumbledore fans came to know and love.
Here's what you need to remember, before we tell you the theory.
The whole theory stems around the Tale of Three Brothers, a fairy tale told to Potter during the seventh and final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
To jog your memory, here's how the tale goes:
Three wizard brothers come to a river that's too treacherous to cross, so they make a bridge with their wands. But as they're crossing they're met by a hooded figure, Death, who is upset they've “cheated” him.
But Death, being cunning, acts like he's impressed. He offers them each a prize for outwitting him. The first brother asks for an extremely powerful wand — and so he is given the Elder Wand.
The second brother asks for the power to bring people back to life and is handed the resurrection stone.
The third brother, who senses that Death may have ulterior motives, asks for something that will allow him to move forward without being followed by Death himself. And so Death hands him an invisibility cloak that hides the wearer from even his own gaze.
For two of the three brothers, the story doesn't end well. The first brother is murdered over the Elder Wand. The second brother kills himself after a woman he brings back to life returns differently and he decides to join her in the void. The third brother lives to be an old man, then hands the cloak to his son, and "greets Death as an old friend."
Harry Potter fans have long assumed that the three brothers represent Lord Voldemort (the brother with the Elder Wand), Severus Snape (the brother with the resurrection stone) and Harry Potter (the brother with the invisibility cloak).
But who is death?
Death is Dumbledore, according to this new theory. Here's the evidence.
During the first book, Dumbledore gives Harry Potter an invisibility cloak, just like Death in the fable.
In the first book of the series, "Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone," headmaster Albus Dumbledore gifts Harry an invisibility cloak, which belonged to Harry's deceased father, James. The gift included a note: "Your father left this in my possession when he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well."
Dumbledore also gives Harry the Resurrection Stone.
During the first book, Harry Potter catches a Golden Snitch by swallowing it during his first Quidditch match. Later, Potter discovers Dumbledore hid the resurrection stone within that snitch. After Dumbledore's death, his will leaves the resurrection stone-containing snitch to Harry.
"To Harry James Potter, I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill," his will reads.
For a while, Harry is unable to open the snitch. A sentence merely appears on the golden sphere, "I open at the close."
But at the end of the final book when Potter is walking to his death match with Lord Voldemort, he's finally able to open the snitch by whispering "I am about to die." Inside, he finds the resurrection stone, the stone that was part of the Tale of Three Brothers. Harry is then able to see all of his deceased family members before what he believes is to be his final fight with Lord Voldemort.
And what about the third brother's Elder Wand? Dumbledore had that in his possession too.
Dumbledore acquired the Elder Wand's powers during a famous duel before the books take place. During his demise, the power of the wand shifts from himself to Draco Malfoy accidentally, and then ultimately to Harry Potter, who defeats Malfoy in a duel.
So with all that knowledge, here's the theory that's floating around Tumblr. The theorist also notes that Dumbledore first met Harry Potter at King's Cross and that he was ultimately behind/involved in the deaths of Severus Snape and Lord Voldemort.
