How to Live on Mars

MARS the Next FRONTIER

The HASSELL design for a Mars Habitat has reached the final 10 of NASA’s 3D Printing Centennial Challenge. This NASA competition sought perspectives from outside the traditional aerospace industry, to explore how a human habitat could be designed and delivered on Mars using autonomous 3D printing technologies. HASSELL partnered with Eckersley O’Callaghan to design the external shell which could be constructed entirely by autonomous robots using Mars’ natural regolith. Final film has been made in collaboration with the team at LightField London.

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Anime Viewing Schedule for December 21, 2019

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
Saturday, December 21, 2019

Fountaindale Public Library

VIEWING SCHEDULE

                    11:15 - 12:05   Golden Kamuy 19-20
                    12:05 - 12:55   Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 17-18
                    12:55 - 1:20     Club Meeting / Announcements
                    1:20 - 2:10       Dororo 18-19
                    2:10 - 3:00       The Rising of the Shield Hero 15-16
                    3:00 - 4:35       Black Fox [TV Premiere]

"This is what we think of George's Ideas for the new movies."
                                                  - Disney Co.


Fountaindale Public Library
300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Board Room on Second Floor

From 11:15 AM to 5:00 PM

All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.

 

Don't miss the exciting anime series: Dororo and Golden Kamuy

ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW

STEAM SPEED

The Great Steampunk Race! 

Only the best of the best race steam trains have reached the final. Red Arrow accept a challenge of Iron Shark. Black villain is ready to do everything just to get to the finish line first. But his opponent is brave and courageous. 

Steam up your engines, gentlemen!

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GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE Official Trailer

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2020) is the new science fiction movie starring Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Paul Rudd. Release Date: 30 Jun 2020.

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The refreshing awfulness of Rick and Morty

RICK and MORTY

[Source: yahoo!News] In the most recent season of the hit Adult Swim animated series Rick and Morty, the mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his teenage grandson Morty Smith face off against one of Rick's deadliest creations: a sentient super-robot that has synthesized the plots of every twisty heist movie ever made. The out-of-control "Heist-o-Tron" can predict — and out-maneuver — nearly any attempt to defeat it, with maximum efficiency. At one point, it executes an especially clever con as an evasive maneuver, and in the process obliterates an entire planet.

That's one grimly funny gag — like slapstick comedy on a global scale. But it's not wrong to consider the joke horrifying, too. It's an example of what the critic Jonathan Rosenbaum once called the trend in post-Star Wars action movies toward treating human beings (or aliens, in this case) as "garbage to be gleefully fed into a garbage disposal," as the plot demands.

Then again, the push-and-pull between no-holds-barred comedy and all-consuming nihilism is (pardon the pun) what animates Rick and Morty. This astonishingly imaginative, ruthlessly hilarious science-fiction parody — which airs the mid-season finale of its fourth season this Sunday — has always framed flippancy as a kind of enlightenment.

Co-created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, Rick and Morty had its origins in one of Harmon's pop culture incubator projects, Channel 101. Initially conceived as a filthy, juvenile parody of the movie Back to the Future, the show's concept was refined once Roiland and Harmon drew interest from Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming bloc. The writers developed it into a savvy, smart-aleck riff on classic science-fiction themes, steeped in knowing cynicism.

It's the "knowing cynicism" that has sometimes gotten Rolland and Harmon into trouble. The series is ostensibly about Rick's casually monstrous selfishness, as he drags his grandson across time and space, often over the objections of Morty's mother Beth, who's never quite recovered from growing up with a warped genius for a dad. Rick embarks on these missions in part just for the hedonistic pleasure of using science and technology to dominate others, and in part to persuade Morty that life is meaningless.

Rick and Morty fans differ on what message Roiland and Harmon expect viewers to take away from the heroes' picaresque misadventures. For some, this series is just a font of especially edgy humor, not meant to be taken too seriously. But for others, it represents a coherent and reasonable worldview, one which implicitly rebukes any "social justice warriors" who want genre fiction to advocate for real-world change.

The creators have pushed back against the faction of their fan base that has embraced Rick Sanchez as a truth-telling antihero. In an interview with GQ last year, Harmon called that phenomenon "a huge bummer," adding, "Once the title of your show becomes a way of describing a demographic, that is toxic."

Still, it's hard to argue that the lead character is intended to be a bad example or to embody a critique of anything in particular. Rick and Morty stories by design push familiar science-fiction and fantasy plots to their logical ends. They're grand "what ifs." What if the most powerful man in the universe was a bored old man, with no particular moral code and no overtly villainous inclinations?

Roiland and Harmon haven't backed away from their show's central premise, no matter how much they've been criticized for fostering a "nothing matters" attitude — and at perhaps the worst possible time in the world's history, too. Global warming, spreading economic disparity, the rising tide of authoritarianism: To Rick and Morty, loss and misery are just inevitable parts of existence, so why do anything?

This perspective isn't just potentially damaging to impressionable Adult Swim viewers, but — in a way — to storytelling itself. So many Rick and Morty plots (including the aforementioned heist parody, credited to writer Caitie Delaney) are like that famous scene in the movie WarGames where a super-computer rapidly runs through simulations of tic-tac-toe, chess, and global thermonuclear war, until it realizes none of these "games" are winnable.

Roiland and Harmon and their talented writing staff keep running their characters through new scenarios and coming to the same conclusion: that the universe is cruel, and that heroism is more or less a waste of time. The Rick and Morty creative team will keep following its cranky muse, so long as it results in entertaining, popular television. (Which, I should reiterate, it does.)

Harmon has been here before. He created the cult-favorite NBC sitcom Community, which started as a kooky college comedy and then became more sophisticated and self-aware, commenting on the mechanics of network television itself. And at a certain point in the show's run — not long before Harmon was fired — it took a turn from playfully meta to somewhat despairing, as the characters pondered the limitations and even the ultimate pointlessness of TV. It's like Harmon can't stop his mind from wandering in this direction.

Granted, Harmon and Roiland haven't shied away from Rick's destructiveness or his vulnerabilities. Superman can be bested by Kryptonite and magic; Rick Sanchez's mental acuity is affected by his alcoholism and by his need to keep Morty as a sidekick. Many of the duo's missions start with Morty wanting to try something cool he read about in an old pulp fantasy novel, which Rick goes along with because he gets desperately lonely without his grandson tagging along.

In a more conventional TV show, Rick's dependence on Morty would soften him, allowing him to see the wonders of the universe with fresh eyes. Here, the opposite happens. Rick indulges Morty's whims in hopes that the boy will see firsthand that the awesome things he wants to do aren't really worth doing. Rick and Marty is the kind of show where an episode opens with a friendly alien getting shot through the brain while helping Morty retrieve a rare artifact for his grandfather, who then tosses the object aside because it wasn't quite what he wanted. Perhaps the best word to describe this is "pitiless."

Even in the heist episode, it's eventually revealed that everything that happened — from the activation of Heist-o-Tron to the demolition of an entire world — has been part of Rick's elaborate plan to burn Morty out on the very concept of heists, so he won't abandon Rick to follow his dream of becoming a screenwriter. That is bleak. If this show weren't so great, it'd be awful.

All of that said, it's undeniably refreshing for a television comedy to have such a confident and consistent point of view — and especially one that's so unapologetically dispiriting. Too much popular entertainment panders to its audience's desire for comfort. Rick and Morty stubbornly refuses to do so.

That's what makes this show so fascinating: the extremes to which Roiland and Harmon will push their premise, even at the risk of exposing their own weaknesses ... or of inspiring a generation to be smugly apathetic. They've constructed an astoundingly intricate machine, and they've set it in motion, knowing full well what it may destroy.

Next Club Meeting is December 21, 2019

 A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K

Yeah! Let's Celebrate! The Holidays are Here!

Fountaindale Public Library

300 W. Briarcliff Road

Bolingbrook, IL  60440

Board Room (2nd Floor)
 

Saturday, December 21, 2019

11:15 AM - 5:00 PM
 

Our next club meeting will be at the Fountaindale Public Library, 
Board Room (Second Floor), 
from 11:15 AM to 5:00 PM.

 

A Viewing Schedule will be posted soon.

 

Hope to see you all there!

(Click below for maps)

POV Experience of Galaxy Edge's Newest Ride

STAR WARS

RISE of the RESISTANCE

Here's the FULL Ride-Through of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Walt Disney World's Star Wars Galaxy's Edge on opening day, December 5, 2019.

The attraction is located in the area of Galaxy's Edge known as the ancient ruins on the outskirts of Black Spire Outpost, which includes a Resistance encampment. Its entrance is marked by a turret that leads guests — acting as new recruits — to a path heading into ancient caves that house a Resistance control center where they are given a mission by BB-8 and a hologram of Rey. The briefing also includes Poe Dameron, Nien Nunb, and Mon Calamari Lieutenant Bek, all appearing on video screens. Guests then walk past ships, including Dameron's X-wing fighter, and board a transport ship for the first portion of the ride. Onboard, Bek speaks to guests as Nien Nunb pilots the ship, which is escorted by Dameron and other X-wings. Dameron is forced to go for help when the transport and fighters are attacked by a First Order Star Destroyer which appears to capture the guests' ship and pull it inside a hangar bay filled with stormtroopers. The recruits then are brought into a cell where Kylo Ren and Armitage Hux discuss their interrogation. Then with help from Finn, disguised as a stormtrooper, the recruits board a hijacked First Order Fleet Transport (an eight-seat ride vehicle) piloted by an R5 unit to travel to an escape pod.  

The ride begins with Finn explaining how to get to the escape pods. The two transports exit the loading station where they pass two other empty transports heading into the loading station, with Bek speaking to the riders through the vehicles' radio. They enter another room where a probe droid nearly spots them. However, when about to reach two lifts, two stormtroopers do. The stormtroopers attempt to blast at the transports but fail as the transports escape. They enter the next room which includes two AT-ATs. The door leading out of the room closes before the transports can pass through. The stormtroopers spot the transports again and attempt to blast at them. An audio-animatronic Finn in a stormtrooper suit helps the guests as the transports split up and enter two lifts. Finn tells them to go down, but they go up instead. One of the vehicles is spotted by an AT-AT pilot and is almost blasted. 

In the next room, Kylo Ren and General Hux are seen atop the ship's bridge discussing the situation. Suddenly, a Resistance ship fleet appears and Kylo notices the transports. The riders attempt to escape, but Kylo jumps down in front of them and ignites his lightsaber as the transports enter two lifts, though the doors close in front of them before he can get to them. As the lifts go down, Kylo's lightsaber suddenly cuts through the ceiling as they escape. The riders then enter a room with three cannons firing at the Resistance, which they pass under and make it into the next room where Kylo uses the Force on the transports, demanding that they tell him the whereabouts of the Resistance Base. Suddenly, a hole is blasted into the wall, which attempts to suck Kylo into space as debris falls over him. The transports enter the next room and enter the escape pods, where the ride turns into a motion simulator. After seeing two other pods ejecting, the riders' pods drop and escape back onto Batuu. The transports exit the simulator and enter the hangar, where an animatronic Bek is seen in his escape pod, having just crash-landed in the base. They then enter the unload station where the ride ends.

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▶ Full Attraction Experience

The Boys Season 2 - Official Teaser

THE BOYS - SEASON 2

The Boys is an irreverent take on what happens when superheroes, who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as Gods, abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. It's the powerless against the super powerful as The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about "The Seven", and their formidable Vought backing.

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Wonder Woman 1984 Trailer

WONDER WOMAN 1984

Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big-screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah. 

With director Patty Jenkins back at the helm and Gal Gadot returning in the title role, “Wonder Woman 1984” is Warner Bros. Pictures’ follow up to the DC Super Hero’s first outing, 2017’s record-breaking “Wonder Woman,” which took in $822 million at the worldwide box office. The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as The Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta.

Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Stephen Jones are producing the film. Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Marianne Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo, and Wesley Coller are the executive producers.

Patty Jenkins directed from a screenplay she wrote with Geoff Johns & David Callaham, story by Jenkins & Johns, based on characters from DC. Joining the director behind the scenes are several members of her “Wonder Woman” team, including director of photography Matthew Jensen, Oscar-nominated production designer Aline Bonetto (“Amélie”), and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy”). Oscar-nominated editor Richard Pearson (“United 93”) is cutting the film. The music is by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (“Dunkirk,” “The Lion King”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Atlas Entertainment/Stone Quarry Production, a Patty Jenkins Film, “Wonder Woman 1984.” Set to open in theaters on June 5, 2019, in 2D and 3D in select theaters and IMAX, it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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René Auberjonois Dies at Age 79

René Auberjonois

(June 1, 1940 - December 8, 2019)

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ and ‘M*A*S*H’ Star, 

Dies at 79

[Source: yahoo!news] René Auberjonois, star of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” the “M*A*S*H” movie, and “Benson,” died of lung cancer at age 79 on Sunday, according to the Associated Press. He was 79.

Born in New York City in 1940, Auberjonois began his acting career in theater in the 1960s, eventually finding his way to Broadway in 1968 with roles like the Fool in a production of “King Lear” and starring alongside Katherine Hepburn in the Coco Chanel play “Coco.” His performance in the latter as Sebastian Baye, the first-ever openly gay role on Broadway, won Auberjonois a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He would go on to earn three more Tony nominations over the course of his career.

In 1970, Auberjonois made his first appearance in a film from director Robert Altman, starring as military chaplain Fr. John Mulcahy in the iconic “M*A*S*H” The actor ended up providing one of the most famous lines from the films in an exchange between Mulcahy and Margaret Houlihan about Dr. Hawkeye Pierce.

“I wonder how such a degenerated person like that could reach such a position of responsibility in the Army Medical Corps,” said Houlihan, to which Mulcahy responds, “He was drafted.”

Later in his career, Auberjonois added his voice to the long history of Disney movie songs as Chef Louis in “The Little Mermaid,” singing the song “Les Poissons” as the chef chops up a fish while a horrified Sebastian looks on.

He joined the cast of “Benson” in 1980, playing the role of Governor Gatling’s snobby chief of staff Clayton Endicott III. He received the first of his three Emmy nominations for the role.

But Auberjonois’ most famous role came in 1993 when he joined the cast of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” In it, he played the gelatinous changeling Odo, who served as the head of Deep Space Nine’s security. For five years, Auberjonois played the ornery officer who was required to return to liquid form in a bucket to rest, becoming a key character in the show’s third season when Odo discovers that he is related to the leaders of the Dominion, the regime that the Federation wages war with over the course of the series.

Auberjonois is survived by his wife, Judith, and their two children, Tessa and Remy.

Caroll Spinney, Muppeteer for Big Bird, has Died

CAROLL SPINNEY

(December 26, 1933 - December 8, 2019)

The Muppeteer for Big Bird & Oscar the Grouch

has Died at Age 85

[Source: abcnews] The longtime puppeteer behind beloved Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, Caroll Spinney, has died at age 85, the Sesame Street Workshop announced in a statement.
 

Spinney spent five decades with Sesame Street, working with legendary puppeteer Jim Henson at the start of his career.
 

"Caroll Spinney gave something truly special to the world. With deepest admiration, Sesame Workshop is proud to carry his memory – and his beloved characters – into the future," the workshop announced in a statement. "Our hearts go out to Caroll’s beloved wife, Debra, and all of his children and grandchildren."

While Spinney himself may not have had the widespread recognition of his characters, his portrayal of the 8-foot yellow bird and trash can-dwelling Oscar, skyrocketed both characters to global fame. Big Bird has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, his likeness on a U.S. postage stamp and was named a "Living Legend" in 2000 by the Library of Congress.

"Those of us privileged to work alongside him and call him friend saw first-hand that he cared so deeply about what these characters represented and how they could truly create change," the Jim Henson Company said in a statement.

"Caroll Spinney’s contributions to Sesame Street are countless. He not only gave us Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, but he also gave so much of himself as well. We at Sesame Workshop mourn his passing and feel immense gratitude for all he has given to Sesame Street and to children around the world," said Sesame Street co-founder Joan Ganz Cooney in a statement.

Spinney, who retired from Sesame Street in 2018, had been living with Dystonia -- a chronic disorder that makes muscles contract abnormally -- for some time and died at his home in Connecticut. He leaves behind his wife Debra, children, and grandchildren.

Spinney was asked what his “most meaningful interaction with a child” during the filming of Sesame Street has been. Before answering, Spinney warned that his story was “very sad,” but I’m going to warn you again: IT’S VERY SAD and involves a child with cancer.

I got a letter from a fan who said his little boy, who was 5 years old, his name was Joey, he was dying of cancer.

And he was so ill, the little boy knew he was dying.

So the man, in his letter, asked if I would call the little boy. He said the only thing that cheered him at all in his fading state was to see Big Bird on television.

So once in a while, he wouldn’t see Big Bird on some days, because he wasn’t necessarily in every show. So he asked could I telephone him, and talk to the boy, tell him what a good boy he’s been.

So I took a while to look up a phone, because this was before cell phones. And they got a long cord to bring a phone to the boy.

And I had Big Bird say “Hello! Hello Joey! It’s me, Big Bird!”

So he said “Is it really you, Big Bird?”

“Yes, it is.”

I chatted a while with him, about ten minutes, and he said “I’m glad you’re my friend Big Bird.”

And I said “I’d better let you go now.”

He said “Thank you for calling me Big Bird. You’re my friend. You make me happy.”

And it turns out that his father and mother were sitting with him when the phone call came. And he was very, very ill that day. And they called the parents in, because they weren’t sure how long he’d last.

And so his father wrote to me right away, and said “Thank you, thank you” - he hadn’t seen him smile since October, and this was in March - and when the phone was hung up, he said “Big Bird called me! He’s my friend.”

And he closed his eyes. And he passed away.

And I could see that what I say to children can be very important.

And he said “We haven’t seen our little boy smile in MONTHS. He smiled, as he passed away. It was a gift to us. Thank you.”

The Wonderland - Official US Trailer

THE WONDERLAND

On the day before her birthday, young Akane meets the mysterious alchemist Hippocrates who brings her through a basement and into a fantastical world full of magic and color. He reveals that this world is in danger, and as the "Green Goddess" it is her destiny and responsibility to save this world. The only problem? Akane just wants to go home.

          Director: Keiichi Hara 

          Character and Visual Designer: Ilya Kuvshinov

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Dear Baby Yoda: A Love Song | The Ringer

♪♫ DEAR BABY YODA ♫♪

Baby Yoda has captured the hearts and minds of everyone on the internet. So much so that Ice2Ice has written a love song dedicated to the true star of Disney's 'The Mandalorian' based on 'Dear Theodosia' from Hamilton. Will Baby Yoda survive the brutal 'Star Wars' universe and make it to Season 2? One can only hope (and sing).

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Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back ANIME

STAR WARS ANIME

Enjoy this awesome anime-style opening for STAR WARS: The Empire Strikes Back.

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JAMES BOND 007: No Time To Die Trailer (2020)

James Bond: No Time To Die

Starring Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, & Helena Bonham Carter.

In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

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BLACK WIDOW Trailer (2020)

BLACK WIDOW

Set after the events of "Captain America: Civil War" and before "Avengers: Infinity War", the standalone movie will explore the background story of Natasha Romanova (aka Black Widow) and will showcase what happened in Budapest. Black Widow (2020) is the new action movie starring Scarlett Johansson, David Harbour and Florence Pugh.

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Baby Yoda VS Darth Sidious

The Epic Battle We've Been Waiting For...

Check out the final chapter of this epic fight which started in the previous video "Baby Yoda VS Darth Sidious"! Witness the final battle between the baby and the boomer and see which one will be victorious! 

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CGI 3D Animated Short: "The Archivist"

T H E   A R C H I V I S T

A little girl called Eva and her dad are hunting in a post-apocalyptic world. Eva slips away from her father and ends up stumbling into an underground library, where she makes a curious encounter...
 

Directors: Inès Bourie, Robin Froissart, Fiona Lynch, Nicolas Morel, Pascaline Perez, Thomas Rouquette
Music: Logan Berdah, Jonas Siry, Vincent Blanot 
Sound: José Vicente, Yoann Poncet, Sébastien Fournier – Studio des Aviateurs 

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Cinderella Monogatari - The Animated Series

Cinderella Monogatari

Cinderella Monogatari (シンデレラ物語 Shinderera Monogatari, lit. The Story of Cinderella) is an Italian-Japanese 1996 anime television series based on the fairytale of the same name by Charles Perrault and The Brothers Grimm. It was produced by Tatsunoko Production and Mondo TV. The series originally aired from April 4 to October 3, 1996, comprising 26 episodes.

"Considered to be one of the BEST versions of the Cinderella tale."
"★★★★★"
- anim8trix

The Story of Cinderella opens as Cinderella's life changes for the worse when her widower father leaves on a business trip. No sooner is he out of sight than Cinderella's stepmother has unceremoniously moved her two own daughters into Cinderella's room, thrown out her things, handed her a servant's dress, and put her to brutal harsh menial labor. The series covers Cinderella's trials and tribulations as she tries to adapt to her new life while suffering the abuse of her stepmother and her two stepsisters. All the while, her fairy godmother, Paulette, subtly watches her and tries to influence events to fix Cinderella's life without her noticing. One of her first acts in this is to grant several of the animals of the house the power of speech, thus giving Cinderella companions in her dog Patch, a pair of mice named Chuchu and Bingo, and a bird named Pappy. The animals provide her company as well as help with her chores. The biggest twist in the series is that Cinderella meets her Prince Charming early - except here he's the roguish Prince Charles, who has a habit of sneaking out of the castle and meets Cinderella by accident while disguised as a commoner. The two have a few misunderstandings before becoming friends and start having adventures together. Meanwhile, the villainous Duke Zaral plots against the royal family throughout the story, at times working Cinderella into his plots and machinations. The series eventually culminates in the ball in which the fairy tale ends, but with its own unique twist. 

▶ Watch Episode One

Cinderella came from a noble family. She is the only daughter of a wealthy and widower duke who has remarried to provide her with a stepmother and two stepsisters. Cinderella's mother died due to illness when she was still a young girl, leaving her with a doll, favorite dress, and a pair of glass slippers.