Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - The Movie

PRIDE and PREJUDICE and ZOMBIES

The story follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice, but places the novel in an alternate universe version of Regency era England where zombies roam the English countryside. Described as the "stricken", "sorry stricken", "undead", "unmentionables", or just "zombies", the deceased ancestors of England are generally viewed by the characters as a troublesome, albeit deadly, nuisance. Their presence alters the original plot of the story in both subtle and significant ways: Messages between houses are sometimes lost when the couriers are captured and eaten; characters openly discuss and judge the zombie-fighting abilities of others; women weigh the pros and cons of carrying a musket (it provides safety but is considered "unladylike").

Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters live on a countryside estate with their parents. Mr. Bennet guides his daughters in martial arts and weapons training, molding them into a fearsome zombie-fighting army; meanwhile, Mrs. Bennet endeavours to marry the girls off to wealthy suitors. When the wealthy and single Mr. Bingley purchases a nearby house, Mrs. Bennet spies an opportunity and sends the girls to the first ball where Bingley is expected to appear. The girls defend the party from a zombie attack, and attraction sparks between Mr. Bingley and the eldest daughter Jane Bennet. Elizabeth clashes with Bingley's friend, the haughty monster-hunter Fitzwilliam Darcy.

It's "Back to the Future" Day!

"Back to the Future" Day has finally arrived!

(CNN) - In "Back to the Future Part II," Marty McFly travels to October 21, 2015, to save his children, yet to be born in "Back to the Future's" 1985.

The plot gets tangled -- by fixing one thing, McFly and Doc Brown (and the villainous Biff Tannen) create a number of new messes -- but what remains is the film's vision of a year that was still more than a quarter-century away when the movie was shot and released in 1989. The entire trilogy is even being rereleased Wednesday, so you can see for yourself.

The film's record isn't bad, given that director Robert Zemeckis wasn't pleased with setting part of "Back to the Future II" in 2015.

"I always hated -- and I still don't like -- movies about the future," he says in a new book, "Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History." "I just think they're impossible, and somebody's always keeping score."

What 'Back to the Future' got right about 2015

In the Internet age, Zemeckis has grounds for concern. Over the past few years, Photoshopped images of "Future's" DeLorean time machine have popped up on the Web, insisting that TODAY is "Back to the Future Day." And now that the day has actually arrived, there have been countless articles (like, frankly, this one) and videos about what the film and its screenwriter, Bob Gale, got right about 2015.

What did 'Back to the Future II' get right?

As with other movies dealing with the future, such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" (set in the early 2000s) or "Blade Runner" (set in 2019, which will be here before you know it), the predictions of "Back to the Future II" are hit or miss: big-screen TVs, yes, Mr. Fusion, no; virtual-reality goggles, yes, "Jaws 19," no.

Coincidentally, perhaps the most important invention in the film is one behind the scenes: the VistaGlide motion-control system, a computer-operated camera operation that enabled Michael J. Fox to seamlessly share all those scenes with himself. The software was written by an Industrial Light & Magic developer, Bill Tondreau, specifically for the movie and was a milestone in moviemaking technology.

Still, it says something about the popularity of the trilogy that here we are, 26 years after the release of "Back to the Future II" (and 30 years after "Back to the Future"), and we care enough to "keep score." Even "Back to the Future" stars Fox and Christopher Lloyd discuss the topic in a new Toyota ad.

There's one prediction that could be aced in the next couple weeks. According to the film, the Chicago Cubs win the World Series in 2015 (over Miami, a city that didn't have a baseball team in 1989).

As of "Back to the Future" Day, those Cubs are in the National League Championship Series, one step short of the big prize.

If they do go all the way, perhaps the Chicago-born Zemeckis won't mind a little score-settling.

STAR WARS: The Force Awakens Official Trailer!

In theaters December 18, 2015...

Official 'Force Awakens' Poster Revealed

The new piece of artwork fits right in line with the Star Wars posters previously created by Drew Struzan, who created the prequel posters, the "special edition" re-release artwork, as well as that D23 poster from earlier in this year.

Next Club Meeting is October 24, 2015

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

"Come on in! What are you afraid of?..."

Wood Dale Public Library

520 N. Wood Dale Road

Wood Dale, IL  60191

Main Meeting Room

Saturday, October 24, 2015

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 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) 

Back To The Future In ACTUAL 2015

BACK TO THE FUTURE IS NOW

[Source: blastr.com] If you're paying attention to anything happening in the nerdscape, it's impossible not to hear and/or talk about the fact that we're living in 2015, aka the year in which Back to the Future II is set. And while, yes, we have brilliant satire for Doc and Marty in the form of the deliciously disturbed animated series Rick and Morty, it's still fun to imagine what would happen if the real Doc Brown and Marty McFly found themselves in our real present-day 2015.

Valkyrie Drive

V A L K Y R I E   D R I V E

Valkyrie Drive is a new project made by Marvelous. It will include a TV anime (Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid), PS Vita game (Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni), and social game (Valkyrie Drive: Siren).

Each of the series revolves around girls who have been infected with a mysterious virus known as the A Virus (Armed Virus). These girls are divided into two classes; Externes (エクスター Ekusutā^?), who can transform into weapons when sexually aroused, and Libérateurs (リブレイター Ribureitā^?), who have the power to wield the Externe' weapon forms, known as Liberator Arms. These girls are brought to separate islands, which each of the series is named after. Mermaid follows an Externe named Mamori Tokonome who forms a partnership with the Liberator Mirei Shikishima. Bhikkuni follows two sisters, Rinka and Ranka Kagurazaka, who are infected with a variation of the A Virus known as the V Virus.

Concrete Revolutio: Superhero Fantasy

C O N C R E T E   R E V O L U T I O

The stage is set in "another Japan" as a banquet of diverse superhumans unfolds...

In an imaginary "age of gods" about 20 years after the war, Japan has grown and developed by leaps and bounds. What if all the superhumans ever written about in fictional stories existed at the same time? Superhumans who came into existence through different circumstances, and who are special in different ways—Titans from outer space, lifeforms from a mystical world, phantoms and goblins from ancient times, cyborgs created by scientists, relics that rose out of the ruins of ancient civilizations, and the list goes on. One segment of these superhumans makes no secret of their existence and has gained popularity in society. Others cloak their identities and fight in secrecy.

There are enemies of superhumans as well, organizations that operate in the shadows.

The Japanese government has taken many measures to secure peace and order.

One is the establishment of an organization under the Ministry of Health and Welfare—the Overpopulation Research Laboratory, a.k.a. the Superhuman Bureau.

Their mission is to identify and approach superhumans, then oversee and safeguard them. One member of the Superhuman Bureau, Jirou Hitoyoshi, is protagonist of this series.

S T A R   W A R S :   R E B E L S

Season Premiere! 

(Disney XD) Wednesday, 9:30 PM - "The Lost Commanders"

At least until The Force Awakens arrives, Rebels is our clearest connection to the Star Wars universe of the future, and it will hopefully reaffirm that this week with the official Season 2 premiere, in which the Rebels will embark on increasingly dangerous missions. Over the course of Season 1, the show provided a powerful contrast between the old and the new, often blending them together in seamless ways, and this season the show will go even deeper, with no less a villain than Darth Vader on the heroes' trail.

TOKYO TRIBE Live-Action Movie

T  O  K  Y  O     T  R  I  B  E

In a futuristic Japan, territorial street gangs form opposing factions collectively known as the Tokyo Tribes. When one of the gang leaders breaks the fragile peace, it triggers a brutal street war for supremacy. Based on a popular Manga series and told almost entirely in rap verse, TOKYO TRIBE is an ingenious mash-up of Yakuza gang violence, martial arts action and hip-hop musical. DIRECTED BY: Sion Sono (Shion Sono)

IN THEATERS, VOD AND iTUNES: October 23, 2015

Best Cosplayers at New York Comic-Con

Comic-Con is just as much about the cosplay as it is about the panels and celebrity appearances, and New York Comic-Con 2015 was no exception. 

From Stormtroopers to Wonder Woman and Magenta and Columbia from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," this years' fans were everything from creative to stunning — and even scary. 

Scroll down to see some of the best cosplayers at NYCC 2015.

Click HERE to see all 65 Cosplay Pics

Disney Movie Release Dates Announced

Disney announced all its movies coming in the next 4 years. Here's what you have to look forward to...

[Source: Business Insider] With Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Pixar under its watch, Disney is more ambitious than ever.

The company just released everything it plans to release through 2019.

Its lineup includes reboots, superheroes, a few animated movies, and multiple trips to desert planets in a galaxy far, far away. 

Among the newest announcements is the much-anticipated "Incredibles" sequel. It will be out on June 21, 2019. Also, "Cars 3" has a June 2017 opening. And "Toy Story 4" has been moved from June 2017 to June 2018.

Additionally, Disney has announced four “Untitled Disney Fairy Tale (Live Action)” movies for December 22, 2017; November 2, 2018; March 29, 2019, and November 8, 2019. 

Here is everything you can expect to see from Disney from now through 2019:

In an alternate world, dinosaurs never went extinct. Arlo, a dinosaur who lost his father when he was young in a tragic accident, gets lost and befriends a caveboy.

"The Good Dinosaur" will be in theaters on November 25, 2015.

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"The Force Awakens" will take place after the events of "Return of the Jedi." This time, the forces of good must deal with a new villainous character, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). 

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will be released December 18, 2015.

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"The Finest Hours," which stars Chris Pine, takes place in 1952 and is based off the true story of a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod following the destruction of two oil tankers. The mission takes place during one of those notorious New England blizzards. Eric Bana and Casey Affleck also star. 

"The Finest Hours" will be released January 29, 2016.

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"Zootopia" will follow a fox (Jason Bateman) who must go on the run after being framed for a crime he didn't commit. At D23, it was revealed that pop star Shakira would voice the animated movie's gazelle.

"Zootopia" will be in theaters March 4, 2016.

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Picking up where "Age of Ultron" left off, "Captain America: Civil War" follows the new team of Avengers led by Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). A major incident results in a huge rift between Rogers and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). 

It will be released on May 6, 2016.

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Fans got a first look at "Alice Through the Looking Glass," the sequel to Tim Burton's 2010 take on the classic story, at D23.

In "Alice Through the Looking Glass," Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp return along with Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter. This time, Alice (Wasikowska) must travel back in time to save the Mad Hatter. Sacha Baron Cohen will join the cast as "Time."

"Alice Through the Looking Glass" will be out in theaters on May 27, 2016.

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A live action "Jungle Book" will follow the adventures of Mowgli, a young boy raised in the jungle. The film will star Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyong'o, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, and Christopher Walken.

It will be out on April 15, 2016.

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In "Finding Dory," Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is reunited with Nemo and Marlin (Albert Brooks). This time, Dory takes the spotlight, as they embark on a search for her past.

You can catch the underwater adventure in theaters June 17, 2016.

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In "The BFG," Bill Hader will star as a giant alongside the young Ruby Barnhill as Sophie.

The movie will be released July 1, 2016.

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"Pete's Dragon" will be a remake of the 1977 Disney original in which a young orphan seeks the help of a giant dragon. This version will star Wes Bentley, Robert Redford, and Karl Urban.

"Pete's Dragon" will be released August 12, 2016.

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We don't know many details about the film yet, but Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a failed surgeon who is given a second chance after a sorcerer trains him to fight evil.

The film will be released October 26, 2016.

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"Moana" will be centered around a teen who sets out on an adventure to find a fabled island in the South Pacific. Demi-god Maui (Johnson) will join in on her adventure.

Producer Osnat Shurer and directors Ron Clements and John Musker showed off exclusive footage of the upcoming "Moana."

"Moana" will be released November 23, 2016.

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"Star Wars" spinoff "Rogue One" takes place before the events of "A New Hope." It follows a group of rebels who try to steal the plans for the Death Star. "Rogue One" is directed by Gareth Edwards ("Godzilla"). 

"Rogue One" will be in theaters December 16, 2016.

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In 2017, Disney will bring us a live-action adaptation of the animated classic "Beauty and the Beast" in which Emma Watson and Dan Stevens will star. Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, and Josh Gad will also star.

"Beauty and the Beast" will be released March 17, 2017.

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Details of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" are still scarce. The main cast, including Chris Pratt, is expected to return.

The "Guardians" sequel will be released May 5, 2017.

 _________________________________

Disney exec Alan Horn reminded the D23 crowd that there would be an eighth installment of the "Star Wars" franchise. This episode, which still has no title, will be directed by Rian Johnson.

The eighth "Star Wars" movie will be released on May 26, 2017.

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Sequel, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," follows down-on-his-luck Jack Sparrow as he faces a terrifying ghost ship led by his old nemesis Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem). After skipping out on the most recent "Pirates" movie, Orlando Bloom plans to return for "Dead Men Tell No Tales."

"Dead Men Tell No Tales" will be released on July 7, 2017.

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"Coco" follows a 12-year-old Mexican boy who discovers an old family mystery intertwined with El Dia de los Muertos. 

"Coco" will be released on November 22, 2017.

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Co-director John Lasseter revealed at D23 that "Toy Story 4" would be a love story between Woody and Bo Peep. 

 

"Toy Story" will be out in theaters in June 2018.

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Not much is known yet about the plot for "The Incredibles 2," the upcoming adventures of a family of superheroes. 

"Incredibles 2" will hit theaters on June 21, 2019.

"Force Awakens" Toys at NYCC 2015

[Source: blastr.com] 'Twas the night before New York Comic Con, and all through the house, there were toys. Hasbro held its annual NYCC party last night, and -- amidst the colorful cocktails and tiny hors d’oeuvres with themed names (the Jem truly outrageous drink and BB-Ate hot dog pretzel ball) -- unveiled new toys from its Star Wars Black, Marvel Legends, and Transformers: Prime Wars lines for late 2015 and 2016.

The biggest news came out of The Force Awakens. A new 6-inch Han Solo figure from the Black line revealed what the former smuggler would look like in the new movie. What I refer to as the “Chewie, we’re home” figure is nicely sculpted and shows off a graying, weathered Harrison Ford. Also of note was a BB-8 figure that showed the little droid sporting a shock arm as well as a buzzsaw. That’s right, everyone’s new favorite character is weaponized.

On the dark side of things, there was a new General Hux figure and a very cool Kylo Ren wearable helmet with electronic sound effects. The Black series Titanium line was also on display, which features metal sculpts of vehicles (a Jakku Landspeeder, Imperial Shuttle, etc.) and miniature helmets (Phasma, First Order trooper, Ren).

In the Marvel Legends 3 ¾-inch series, Hasbro displayed new figures of Carol Danvers Captain Marvel, comic-book Yondu, Classic Iron Man, Ulik, Triton and a Spider-Man Noir. Spider-Man Noir, from the alternate Marvel universe where the heroes are introduced in the 1930s, was the coolest surprise from the line. But seeing Carol in the Legends line ranked pretty high. 

The 6-inch Legends line, meanwhile, featured Sharon Carter, Mockingbird, Scourge, Whirlwind, Cottonmouth and Taskmaster. There will also be a classic Captain America figure with an alternate Cap Wolf head, and a Rogue figure with an Onslaught helmet. Speaking of Onslaught, the build-a-figure from this wave will be a Red Skull Onslaught!

In the world of Transformers, Hasbro announced that, in 2016, Transformers Generations would transition from Combiner Wars to the new theme of “Titans Return.” Titans will actually be part two of the massive “Prime Wars” cross media storyline currently running through comics, videogames and the Machinima digital series. The Hollywood Reporter provided a breakdown of what all this means, if you wish to know more. The Titans Return line includes Leader, Legends, Titan Masters, Deluxe and Voyager classes of figures. 

The Transformers Robots in Disguise series of toys will get new additions with Warrior Class Megatronus, Fracture, Thunderhoof, Quillfire, Optimus Prime in an arctic update, arctic Drift and Bumblebee in a stealth update. There will also be a Legions Class Ratchet and Blizzard Strike Optimus. 

Check out the gallery from the event last night, along with some shots courtesy of Hasbro.