News

Eli Noyes, the pioneering stop-motion animator who scored an Oscar nom for his short film Clay, or The Origin of Species and worked on the MTV series Liquid Television and HBO’s Braingames among other credits, has died. He was 81.

His death was announced by Ralph Guggenheim, Noyes’ partner at Alligator Planet for more than 20 years. No other details were provided.

Born on October 18, 1942, Noyes specialized in stop-motion using clay and sand, and an early student film made while he was at Yale university earned him an Academy Award nomination. Clay, or the Origin of Species was an innovative if primitive black-and-white short that traced the rise of life on Earth from its earliest existence. Watch it above.

His next film was Alphabet, which this time used the manipulation of sand as the medium. It won a Special Jury Award at the 1967 Annecy International Animated Film Festival and was used...

Eli Noyes, the Oscar-nominated animator who revolutionized stop-motion filmmaking with his innovative use of clay and sand, has died. He was 81.

Noyes died Saturday of complications from prostate cancer at his home in San Francisco, Toy Story producer Ralph Guggenheim told The Hollywood Reporter. The two formed Alligator Planet in 2003 to create film, print and media works.

As an undergraduate student at Harvard University, Noyes received his Oscar nomination for his 8-minute animated film Clay or the Origin of Species (1965), which established clay stop animation as a genre and would influence the work of Wallace and Gromit creators Peter Lord and David Sproxton.

For two other short films, he employed sand animation for Sandman (1973) and pixelated stop motion for Peanut Butter and Jelly (1976).

Noyes later shaped the look and spirit of children’s programming in the early days of cable TV, especially for Nickelodeon. The rebranded network’s first show,...

Vin Diesel's Riddick movies are an unusual franchise, driven by Diesel's love for the character and a desire to explore his world with series director David Twohy. Each entry is wildly different from the others, spanning different genres and even mediums, with a short detour into animation for "Riddick: Dark Fury." Riddick himself is a fun sci-fi creation, the last surviving member of an alien warrior race called Furyans, with reflective eyes that see in the dark. But where should newcomers to the franchise start, and what order should they watch the "Riddick" flicks in?

Thankfully the answer is fairly simple, dear reader, though which entries work best might vary from viewer to viewer. "Pitch Black" seems to be fairly universally beloved, but the other "Riddick" entries received more mixed receptions yet have their own cult followings. The movies are possible to enjoy on their own but might be a little confusing,...

Clockwise from upper left: Baywatch (Paramount), Land Of The Lost (Universal), Star Trek Generations (Paramount), The Last Airbender (Paramount)Graphic: AVClub

In the 1996 movie Mission: Impossible, the team concept from the TV show it was based on was quickly jettisoned, with most of the team getting killed off early in the film,...

"Æon Flux" might not be as well-remembered as its contemporary "Neon Genesis Evangelion," and the 2005 live-action movie adaptation starring Charlize Theron is remembered perhaps even less, but Peter Chung's animated sci-fi series still holds a special place in the heart of many. Now, "Æon Flux" fans have a new opportunity to return to the '90s by taking a sound bath in composer Drew Neumann's remastered soundtrack for the show.

Waxwork Records is releasing the complete "Æon Flux" Original Series Soundtrack Box Set, marking the first time that the soundtrack has been officially available in any format. To make up for lost time, there are three different ways of listening: a deluxe box set comprised of six vinyl LPs, priced at 195; a multi-disc CD set, priced at 35; and for those of you who reject physical media entirely, it's also available across all digital streaming services. The box sets...

Insomniacs of the MTV Generation will have no trouble remembering the network’s late-night animated anthology show Liquid Television. Home to various animated shorts, Stick Figure Theater, Dog-Boy, and the antics of Office Space‘s Milton Waddams, the Heavy Metal-like series also featured Aeon Flux, a sexy science-fiction story with a radical approach to action and intrigue. In 2005, Paramount Pictures pooped out a dreadful adaptation of Aeon Flux starring Charlize Theron, Frances McDormand, Marton Csokas, Johnny Lee Miller, and more. Directed by Karyn Kusama, the movie was panned by critics, flopped at the box office, and Theron knew the project was doomed to fail before it hit theaters.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Theron waxed rhapsodic about how appearing on Arrested Development helped save her career after starring in Aeon Flux. “It was one of the scariest things, to walk onto a set of a show that’s so developed and so brilliant.

If you’re a fan of Vin Diesel, or if you’re a fan of the Riddick series. But the question is have you seen all of the movies in the Riddick franchise? If not, don’t worry – we’re here to help. We’ve put together a list of the Riddick movies in order so that you can catch up on this action-packed series before the next one comes out.

Vin Diesel has played the titular character in the Riddick series. The first movie, “Pitch Black,” was released in 2000. The audience loved the film’s unique blend of science fiction and horror.

This success led to a sequel, “The Chronicles of Riddick,” released in 2004. While it didn’t perform as well at the box office as its predecessor, the sequel is still considered a cult classic among fans.

The 2000 film character was created by brothers Ken and Jim Wheat,...

Japan Society is pleased to announce the launch of Monthly Anime

The rarely-screened Matrixanthology film The Animatrix—featuring works by Cowboy Bebop’s Shinichiro Watanabe, Vampire Hunter D’s Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Akira animator Koji Morimoto—screens in 35mm on May 27, 2022. Masaaki Yuasa’s The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, a Japan Cuts 2018 selection and Tomihiko Morimi adaptation, screens on June 17, 2022. Finally, to commemorate 25 years since its 1997 release, Hayao Miyazaki’s mystical epic Princess Mononoke screens in 35mm on July 22, 2022.

Tickets: 15/12 students and seniors /5 Japan Society members. Lineup and other details are subject to change.For complete information visit japansociety.org.

Screening Schedule

The Animatrix – Friday, May 27, 2022 at 7:00 Pm

Dir. Peter Chung, Andy Jones, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takeshi Koike, Mahiro Maeda, Koji Morimoto, Shinichiro Watanabe; 2003, 102 min., 35mm, color, in English. With Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Clayton Watson.

A straight-to-dvd classic, the anime companion to The Matrix series received a...

Japan Society is pleased to announce the launch of Monthly Anime on April 15, 2022, which will kick-off with a screening of Mamoru Oshii’s seminal cyberpunk classic, Ghost in the Shell. Offering an eclectic range of classic, underseen, and contemporary visions from Japanese animation, Monthly Anime explores the widely influential legacy of anime. Tracing the lineage of anime from modern-day digital animation back to the days of hand-drawn cel animation, this program aims to uncover the multifaceted and remarkable variety of stylistic, technological, and generic possibilities that have kept the medium at the forefront of popularity not just in Japan, but worldwide.

Following Ghost in the Shell in April, the rarely-screened Matrix anthology film The Animatrix – featuring works by Cowboy Bebop’s Shinichiro Watanabe, Vampire Hunter D’s Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Akira animator Koji Morimoto – screens in 35mm on May 27, 2022. Masaaki Yuasa’s The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, a...

Long before What If…? or Star Wars: Visions, there was The Animatrix, a collection of nine animated short films set in the world of The Matrix. Released in 2003, between The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, The Animatrix told nine (mostly) distinct stories only tangentially related to the ongoing plot of the Matrix series proper, and Lana and Lilly Wachowski did it by collaborating with some of the best directors working in Japanese animation at the time. I would say that The Animatrix walked so What If…? and Star Wars: Visions could run… except for the fact that The Animatrix fucking soared.

What is The Animatrix?

The Animatrix is comprised of nine short films, with stories ranging from a “historical file” of how the Matrix was created out of the war between humanity and machines in two-parter “The Second Renaissance” to the minimalist black-and-white noir of “A Detective Story” to...

” All you people are so scared of me. Most days I’d take that as a compliment. But it ain’t me you gotta worry about now.”

Vin Diesel in an extras-packed new Blu-ray of Pitch Black is currently available from Arrow Video.

There S A New Reason To Be Afraid Of The Dark.

When an intergalactic transport ship crashes on a remote desert planet with no sign of help on the horizon, the survivors, led by Fry (Radha Mitchell), band together to find a way back home. Among the passengers is Riddick (Vin Diesel), a convicted murderer being transported by marshal Johns (Cole Hauser) and now freed of his chains and on the loose. But as a solar eclipse plunges the planet into total darkness, a threat even worse than Riddick reveals itself, and the last humans standing may have to form an uneasy truce with the cunning fugitive...

Arrow Video has released its first ever titles in 4K Ultra HD – two sci-fi classics, the superb space shocker Pitch Black, starring Vin Diesel. This definitive, and stunningly-presented edition, restored in 4K with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), is just the start of Arrow Video’s journey into a dazzling hi-definition world that offers viewers astonishing, pin-sharp resolution, bringing film favorites to life like never before.”We are proud to announce that we have decided to launch our first 4K Ultra HD titles,” says Francesco Simeoni, Arrow Video’s Director of Acquisitions and Business Development. “At Arrow we have always sought to have the best standards in home video presentation so it seemed a logical step that we would embrace this new format, to present you with the best versions of the finest cult and classic films.”

It is available for pre-order now on Amazon and will be released on September 1, 2020. https://www.

If reading Monte Yazzie's insightful Class of 1980 retrospective on Flash Gordon made you want to revisit the space opera or experience it for the first time, then you're in luck, because Arrow Video is releasing the cult movie on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD in both limited and standard editions on August 18th, alongside a new Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD release of David Twohy's Pitch Black, and we have the full lists of special features for both sci-fi films.

You can check out the complete release details and cover art for the new home media releases of Pitch Black and Flash Gordon below, and to learn more, visit Mvd Entertainment Group's website.

This August, Arrow Video releases its first ever titles in 4K Ultra HD - two sci-fi classics, the superb space shocker Pitch Black, starring Vin Diesel, and the beloved and brilliantly timeless Flash Gordon,...

The full list of nominations for the 39th Hong Kong Film Awards has been revealed. However, the dates are still unknown; the mid-April event in fact, will be probably postponed due to the Covid-19 (a.k.a. coronavirus). So for now let’s just have a look at the nominees.

This year’s edition sees Derek Tsang Kwok-Cheung’s “Better Days” leading the competition with an amazing 12 nominations, followed at close range by Heiward Mak’s “Fagara” with 11 nominations and Wong Hing-Fan’s “I’m Livin’ It” with 10. Moreover, Wilson Yip’s “Ip Man 4: The Finale” bagged 9 nominations, including Best Director and Best Action Choreography.

Read the full list of nominations below:

Better Days by Derek Tsang

Best Film

Better Days by Derek Tsang

Suk Suk by Ray Yeung

Fagara by Heiward Mak

I’m Livin’ It by Wong Hing-fan

The New King Of Comedy by Stephen Chow

Best...

Aeon Flux may be returning to MTV. The Viacom-owned network is developing a live-action reboot of the 1990s animated series, from Jeff Davis and The Walking Dead/Fear The Walking Dead’s Gale Anne Hurd, Deadline has confirmed.

Written by Davis, the live-action series is set in a future dystopian state and revolves around a young assassin who teams with a group of biohacking rebels to save humanity as she becomes the hero known as Aeon Flux. Davis will executive produce with Hurd, who produced the 2005 feature starring Charlize Theron.

The original series, created by animator Peter Chung, first aired on MTV in 1991 as a six-part sequence of shorts that was featured in its Liquid Television experimental animation series, followed in 1992 by five individual short episodes. In 1995, a season of ten half-hour episodes aired as a stand-alone series.

The 2005 feature starring Theron and co-starring Frances McDormand...

Former Teen Wolf executive producer Jeff Davis is returning to MTV to put another fresh spin on a classic title.

Davis will write and Ep a live-action reboot of Aeon Flux, an animated series that originally aired on MTV from 1991 to 1995, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Set in a distant dystopian future, Aeon Flux follows a nimble young assassin who aligns herself with a group of “biohacking rebels” to give humanity a fighting chance.

Check out the original animated series’ trailer below:

Gale Ann Hurd (The Walking Dead) will also serve as an executive producer.

Of course, this isn’t...

MTV is rebooting “Aeon Flux.”

A live-action version of the ’90s animated series that ran on the Viacom-owned cable network is currently in development, a person with knowledge of the production tells TheWrap.

The TV reboot will be written and executive produced by “Teen Wolf” showrunner Jeff Davis. “The Walking Dead”s Gale Anne Hurd — who produced the 2005 feature film version of the story, starring Charlize Theron and Frances McDormand — will also executive produce.

“Aeon Flux” is set in a future dystopian state and revolves around a young assassin who teams with a group of biohacking rebels to save humanity as she becomes the titular hero known as Aeon Flux.

I'm sure many of you remember MTV's animated sci-fi series Aeon Flux from the 90s. It ran for three seasons then was eventually adapted into a live-action film in 2005 with Charlize Theron. I enjoyed the animated series; the movie... not so much. 

Now MTV is developing a new live-action reboot of the animated series, which was originally created by animator Peter Chung, and Teen Wolf showrunner Jeff Davis will be writing and executive producing it. Walking Dead producer Gale Anne Hurd is also attached as an executive producer. She was a producer on the original film. 

The live-action series is set in "a future dystopian state and revolves around a young assassin who teams with a group of biohacking rebels to save humanity as she becomes the hero known as Aeon Flux."

I don't watch a lot of shows on MTV, but as a fan of the original animated series,...

All hail Cathy Yan – the writer-director of 2018’s Dead Pigs and just announced to helm Birds of Prey, D.C.’s spin-off of their box office smash, Suicide Squad, featuring that film’s break-out character, Harley Quinn (played by Margot Robbie).

There’s been some commentary touting Cathy as the first female Asian/Asian American to direct a big-budget super hero film – but we can’t forget the path-breaking director and Tfh Guru Karyn Kusama, who in 2005 served up Æon Flux, an adaptation of Korean American animator Peter Chung’s sci-fi thriller about a supercharged action-heroine played by Charlize Theron (who continues to wage war against over-the-top comic villainy in Mad Max: Fury Road and Atomic Blonde).

We wish Ms. Yan great success with her new film . At the same time let’s not forget St. Louis born Karyn Kiyoko Kusama’s pioneering efforts in a mighty tough arena.

Twenty-five years ago Thursday, Rugrats, Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show premiered on Nickelodeon. It's hard to believe, but just seven years prior, the network was a huge failure, operating at a $10 million loss in 1984. By 1985, they'd launched Nick at Nite; in 1988, the Kids' Choice Awards and Nick Jr.

So when the network opened Nickelodeon Studios within Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, all eyes were on them. And it didn't disappointment, launching three soon-to-be iconic original animated series – Rugrats, Doug and Ren & Stimpy – all on the same day: Aug. 11, 1991. Since the cruel passage of time is all that unites us these days,...

Twenty-five years ago Thursday, Rugrats, Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show premiered on Nickelodeon. It's hard to believe, but just seven years prior, the network was a huge failure, operating at a $10 million loss in 1984. By 1985, they'd launched Nick at Nite; in 1988, the Kids' Choice Awards and Nick Jr. So when the network opened Nickelodeon Studios within Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, all eyes were on them. And it didn't disappointment, launching three soon-to-be iconic original animated series - Rugrats, Doug and Ren & Stimpy - all on the same day: Aug. 11, 1991. Since the cruel passage of time is all that unites us these days,...

Twenty-five years ago Thursday, Rugrats, Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show premiered on Nickelodeon. It's hard to believe, but just seven years prior, the network was a huge failure, operating at a $10 million loss in 1984. By 1985, they'd launched Nick at Nite; in 1988, the Kids' Choice Awards and Nick Jr. So when the network opened Nickelodeon Studios within Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, all eyes were on them. And it didn't disappointment, launching three soon-to-be iconic original animated series - Rugrats, Doug and Ren & Stimpy - all on the same day: Aug. 11, 1991. Since the cruel passage of time is all that unites us these days,...

With Riddick (Blu-ray review) now available in stores, we've gotten hold of an imagining of our favorite Furyan's universe in an easy to use, interactive star map. Each of the planets on the map has hotspots that contain facts, images, and other content that gives fans a more in-depth look at the setting of the trilogy.

While the map doesn't reflect every aspect of the Riddick universe - and we certainly wouldn't advise it as a navigational tool - it definitely presents a jumping-off point for fans to discuss their favorite characters, scenes, and moments from the action-packed sci-fi franchise!

Blu-ray Combo Pack Description

Debuting an Unrated Director’s Cut with even more intense, heart-pounding sequences not shown in theaters and an alternate ending, the Blu-ray Combo Pack includes bonus features that reveal the behind-the-scenes secrets of the heart-stopping thriller’s incredible cast, uniquely talented crew, and cutthroat characters. In addition,...

Vin Diesel's Riddick is slashing his way to home video on the 14th, and right now you... yes, You... have the opportunity to check out the film's opening here! Got a few minutes to kill? This is a damned fine way to do so!

From the Press Release

Vin Diesel returns to the larger-than-life role that made him a global superstar as Riddick blasts its way onto Blu-ray™ Combo Pack including Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet™ on January 14, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The film will also be available on Digital HD December 17, 2013. The third feature film installment of the blockbuster series returns to its hardcore action roots with an all-new, no-holds-barred adventure from writer and director David Twohy, creator of the hit franchise.

Debuting an Unrated Director’s Cut with even more intense, heart-pounding sequences not shown in theaters and an alternate ending, the Blu-ray Combo...

With Riddick heading to Blu-ray and DVD next week, Universal Home Entertainment has released the first ten minutes of the movie online and we have it for you to watch right now:

“Vin Diesel returns to the larger-than-life role that made him a global superstar as Riddick blasts its way onto Blu-ray™ Combo Pack including Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet™ on January 14, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The film will also be available on Digital HD December 17, 2013. The third feature film installment of the blockbuster series returns to its hardcore action roots with an all-new, no-holds-barred adventure from writer and director David Twohy, creator of the hit franchise.

Debuting an Unrated Director’s Cut with even more intense, heart-pounding sequences not shown in theaters and an alternate ending, the Blu-ray Combo Pack includes bonus features that reveal the behind-the-scenes secrets of the heart-stopping thriller’s incredible cast, uniquely talented crew and cutthroat characters.

Whether you saw it in theaters of not, you’ll never have gotten the full experience of Riddick, directed by David Twohy and starring Vin Diesel, until you’ve obtained and watched it in your home entertainment center. Here are all the details in the official press release below.

Vin Diesel Returns As The Most Wanted Man In The Universe In A Stunning New Chapter Of The Explosive Sci-fi Adventure Franchise Riddick Be The First To Own It On Digtal HD December 17, 2013 Never-before-seen Unrated Director’S Cut With Alternate Ending Coming To Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack Including Blu-Ray, DVD & Digital HD With Ultraviolet™ January 14, 2014 Also Available: Riddick: The Complete Collection Including Riddick, Pitch Black And The Chronicles Of Riddick Plus The Chronicles Of Riddick: Dark Fury “One Hell of a Thrill Ride.”—Joel D. Amos, Moviefanatic.Com

Universal City, California, November 12, 2013— Vin Diesel returns to the larger-than-life role...

Did you miss Riddick when it was released back in September? If so, for shame! You need to fix that wrong like right now, and thankfully your opportunity is coming as the flick is heading home.

From the Press Release

Vin Diesel returns to the larger-than-life role that made him a global superstar as Riddick blasts its way onto Blu-ray™ Combo Pack including Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet™ on January 14, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The film will also be available on Digital HD December 17, 2013. The third feature film installment of the blockbuster series returns to its hardcore action roots with an all-new, no-holds-barred adventure from writer and director David Twohy, creator of the hit franchise.

Debuting an Unrated Director’s Cut with even more intense, heart-pounding sequences not shown in theaters and an alternate ending, the Blu-ray Combo Pack includes bonus features that reveal the behind-the-scenes secrets...

It has been announced that we’ll see a Riddick Blu-ray / DVD release in January. Here’s the official press release from Universal that includes the list of bonus features:

“Vin Diesel returns to the larger-than-life role that made him a global superstar as Riddick blasts its way onto Blu-ray™ Combo Pack including Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet™ on January 14, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The film will also be available on Digital HD December 17, 2013. The third feature film installment of the blockbuster series returns to its hardcore action roots with an all-new, no-holds-barred adventure from writer and director David Twohy, creator of the hit franchise.

Debuting an Unrated Director’s Cut with even more intense, heart-pounding sequences not shown in theaters and an alternate ending, the Blu-ray Combo Pack includes bonus features that reveal the behind-the-scenes secrets of the heart-stopping thriller’s incredible cast, uniquely talented crew and cutthroat characters.

Sneak Peek: Peter Chung’s Vision of a Species

These drawings are by Peter Chung (Aeon Flux), who is directing an Amazon Studios test movie for Origin of a Species, the story of an ex-cop who must find it in himself to save a town that’s being terrorized by rabid dogs — his dogs — while his wife carries on with one of her students.

We’re huge fans of the script, by Matthew Gossett, and of Peter’s work. From the Amazon Studios production team: “We wanted to work with Peter because he’s capable of bringing a lot of nuance to the character acting, and in a movie that’s all about what’s going on behind the eyes, it was imperative that we worked with a director who knew how to show the interior lives of characters who are hiding feelings from each other.”...

Another "Zeno Clash" game is cooking in the mad laboratories at developer Ace Team, and to prove it, they've released a batch of screens for the first-person action/adventure game.

"Weird" is typically my easy out when describing something like "Zeno Clash," but it's not really fair to the vision of the artists and behind it who want you to see the body (human or otherwise) as a potential site of ruin or divine horror-comedy. "Zeno Clash" is what would happen if the non-human characters from something by animator Peter Chung made their way into a video game, with environments from a "Myst"-era point and click adventure.

Anyway, behold the new screens as well as last year's teaser trailer. "Zeno Clash II" will be making its way to the 360, PC, and PS3 and a downloadable title.

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Resident Evil: Retribution

Written by Paul W.S. Anderson

Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson

USA/Canada/Germany, 2012

In returning to direct Afterlife, a fourth franchise installment following two mostly thrilling sequels to his Lewis Carroll-inspired “Resident Evil” adaptation (both of which he still had a hand in writing and producing), the commercially controversial Paul W.S. Anderson displayed a love for the characters and stories he’d injected in to the source video game’s lore. For those of us predisposed to liking the director’s work and particularly the stylized escapades of Milla Jovovich’s Alice & co., Afterlife is a revelation in action filmmaking – a redefinition of its series and a soaring high for Anderson that does new 3D the way it’s meant to be seen. The speedy leap back to the Umbrella-controlled world after a pitstop in spectacle-infused Alexandre Dumas territory with The Three Musketeers makes for the...

For fans of tough-guy third-person shooters, Christmas Day falls on May 15 this year. That’s because Max Payne 3, the long-awaited follow-up to the saga of the titular NYPD homicide detective who’s prone to killing sprees of his own, is finally set to be released. Rockstar Games has made a bunch of changes to the shoot-’em-up, employing the Euphoria physics engine for even more realistic bullet-time splatter of blood and viscera. And this time, there won’t be any load screens between cutscenes or game maps, making for a completely continuous environment.

But the more things change, the more they stay the same.

The release of BioShock Infinite, one of the most anticipated games of 2012, has been pushed back from Oct. 16, 2012, to Feb. 26, 2013, according to a message posted on developer Irrational Games’ website. “We’ve come to realize that some specific tweaks and improvements will make Infinite into something even more extraordinary,” wrote game director Ken Levine. “I won’t kid you: BioShock Infinite is a very big game, and we’re doing things that no one has ever done in a first-person shooter.”

Sadly, that means we’ll have to wait four extra months before being able to visit Columbia, the game...

What are the most anticipated sequels of 2012? The Dark Knight Rises? The Bourne Legacy? No question. But no such list would be complete without Diablo III. The long-awaited third installment of Blizzard Entertainment’s fire-and-brimstone role-playing game will debut May 15, and gamers everywhere are clearing their schedules for the days — nay, weeks! — of intense game play that’s sure to follow.

Blizzard’s senior vice president of creative development, Chris Metzen, a living legend in the gaming world for his efforts designing the stories and worlds of StarCraft, Warcraft, and, yes, Diablo, is well aware of your excitement. So to...

Sure, some of the animation is a tad wonky (I mean, what, is everyone standing on stilts or something? And what’s up with the long, tentacle-like arms? That’s just creepy, man. Reminds me way too much of Peter Chung’s creepy ass “Aeon Flux” show.), but I guess I can dig it. The show premieres on Disney Xd in June of this year. Yes, Disney Xd. That means you might get caught watching a kid’s channel. Hey, it’s just the risk you’ll have to take if you wanna get a daily dose of Tron coolness, I’m afraid. The new series stars Beck (Wood), a young program who leads his family and world in revolution against the tyrannical Clu and his No. 2, General Tesler (Henriksen). Fortunately, Beck has been trained to fight by the top warrior in all of this digitized world, Tron (Boxleitner). Featuring the voices of Elijah Wood,...

I'm sure most of us have played that game where we say, "man, that [insert movie, TV show, or book] would make an awesome game!" Leaving aside the over-use of the word "awesome (seriously, cut that out), we keep doing that because we might latch onto what the characters do in the series and assume that it would articulate into interesting gameplay. I'd venture this isn't too far off from the process game studios and TV networks go through when they greenlight a game based on an IP that ultimately sinks to the depths of licensed horrors.

With that in mind, I decided to try and come up with a few of my own. More than anything else, this is an exercise on my part to see if I could a.) articulate what was good about the show through a gameplay idea and b.) see if I could avoid the licensed property trap of thinking something...

With a little Peter Chung (Aeon Flux) flare, the fabulous duo behind the incredible scifi short Afterville return with a graphic novel entitled The New World. They've sent along some exclusive pages and told us this was the original Afterville story which was heavily modified before being turned into the incredible piece which ended up on the 2008 International watch list. Created and written by Fabio & Fabio, the story revolves around rebuilding the world after a devastating war with aliens. The two are publishing this comic in the hope they can get it turned into a feature, tv show or a video game. It's drawn by Alessandro Balluchi with colouring done by Marco Patrucco.

Continue reading...

Winners in the Creative Arts categories for this year's Emmy Awards were announced last night, with Boardwalk Empire leading the way.

Remember to visit TV Fanatic on the night of September 18 for a live blog of the Jane Lynch-hosted ceremony and check out the full results are below.

Outstanding guest actress in a drama series: Loretta Devine, "Grey's Anatomy"

Outstanding guest actress in a comedy series: Gwyneth Paltrow, "Glee"

Outstanding guest actor in a comedy series: Paul McCrane, "Harry's Law"

Outstanding guest actor in a comedy series: Justin Timberlake, "Saturday Night Live"

Outstanding reality series: "Deadliest Catch"

Outstanding reality host: Jeff Probst, "Survivor"

Governors Award: John Walsh, "America's Most Wanted"

Outstanding casting for a drama series: "Boardwalk Empire"

Outstanding casting for a movie or miniseries: "Mildred Pierce"

Outstanding casting for a comedy series: "Glee"

Outstanding prosthetic makeup: "The Walking Dead"

Outstanding makeup for a movie or miniseries (non-prosthetic):...

The television academy honored the behind-the-scenes artists and technicians -- along with a few on-camera stars -- at the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday (Sept. 10). Here are the winners of the Creative Arts awards:

Outstanding guest actress in a drama series: Loretta Devine, "Grey's Anatomy"

Outstanding guest actress in a comedy series: Gwyneth Paltrow, "Glee"

Outstanding guest actor in a comedy series: Paul McCrane, "Harry's Law"

Outstanding guest actor in a comedy series: Justin Timberlake, "Saturday Night Live"

Outstanding reality series: "Deadliest Catch"

Outstanding reality host: Jeff Probst, "Survivor"

Governors Award: John Walsh, "America's Most Wanted"

Outstanding casting for a drama series: "Boardwalk Empire"

Outstanding casting for a movie or miniseries: "Mildred Pierce"

Outstanding casting for a comedy series: "Glee"

Outstanding prosthetic makeup: "The Walking Dead"

Outstanding makeup for a movie or miniseries (non-prosthetic): "The Kennedys"

Outstanding makeup for a single-camera series (non-prosthetic): "Boardwalk Empire"

Outstanding makeup for...

Nucky Thompson was the one to beat on Saturday night in Los Angeles at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony, where HBO dominated with 15 total wins — including seven for Boardwalk Empire alone.Discovery’s Deadliest Catch and History’s Gettysburg followed with four wins apiece, while Freedom Riders (PBS), Mildred Pierce (HBO), Saturday Night Live (NBC), So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) and The Kennedys (ReelzChannel) each netted three.

ReelzChannel will air the Creative Arts Emmy Awards next Saturday, Sept. 17, while the Primetime Emmy Awards proper will air Sunday, Sept. 18, on Fox.

What follows is a list of most...

North Hollywood, CA, September 7, 2011 – The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced today the juried winners for the 63rd Primetime Emmy® Awards in the category of Individual Achievement in Animation and Costumes for a Variety/Music Program or a Special. These awards will be handed out during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday, September 10th. The 2011 juried winners include: Individual Achievement in Animation Community: Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas ∙ NBC ∙ A Harmonious Claptrap production in association with 23D Films, Inc. Drew Hodges, Character Animator Disney Phineas And Ferb ∙ Wizard Of Odd ∙ Disney Channel ∙ Disney Television Animation Jill Daniels, Background Painter Disney Phineas And Ferb ∙ Wizard Of Odd ∙ Disney Channel ∙ Disney Television Animation Brian Woods, Background Design Firebreather ∙ Cartoon Network ∙ Cartoon Network Studios Peter Chung, Character Design Firebreather ∙ Cartoon Network ∙ Cartoon Network Studios Sung Chang, Character Animator Lilac Wine ∙ drmartens.com ∙ Blind, Inc. Vanessa Marzaroli, Production Design Young Justice ∙ Independence Day...

Firebreather

Blu-ray | DVD

Directed by Peter Chung

Starring Dana Delany, Jesse Head

Cartoon Network

Release date: March 22, 2011

Firebreather is a new movie/TV pilot which was on Cartoon Network around Thanksgiving of last year, but is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Firebreather is based on the Image comic by Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn and it follows the adventures of a teenager named Duncan (Jesse Head), as he moves to a new school and deals with the normal high school stuff.

The only difference is that his dad is a 150-foot lizard monster named Belloc (Kevin Michael Richardson). Duncan’s dad is the king of the Kaiju, a race of giants who threaten mankind. Duncan, however, is half kaiju and half human, so while most of the time he looks fairly normal, in times of stress he will get all scaly, grow wings, and breathe fire. As the future leader of the kaiju,...

What should have been a cool homage to the Godzilla legacy mixed in with an after school special ends up being a dreadful mess that combines unimpressive animation with sloppy writing to tell a standard beat-em-up monster movie.

The original Firebreather comic by Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn is a kind of silly story aimed at a teen audience, supplied with plenty of kitschy angst. Our hero Duncan (Jesse Head) is a troubled kid who has a hard time adjusting in high school because of his different appearance and whose divorced parents share custody of him, forcing him to divvy up his week between them. The twist being that his mom (Dana Delany) is human while his dad is Belloc (Kevin Michael Richardson), King of the Kaiju, a race of giant monsters from Monster Island (basically a Godzilla stand-in).

For the Cartoon Network original movie, at the purpose of aiming it to their younger demographic,...

By Michael Pellegrini

Firebreather, Cartoon Network's animated film adaptation of the Image comic, hit the shelves on DVD and Blu-ray this week.

Directed by Peter Chung (Aeon Flux) and based on the book series by Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn, Firebreather promises "fierce action in the clash of two worlds where monsters roam the Earth and past secrets are exposed."

At the heart of the tale, a teenage boy named Duncan struggles to find his place as half-dragon and half-human. His mom wants him to pay more attention to his homework, while his dad - a 120ft, fire-breathing Kaiju from the depths of the Earth - wants him to follow in his monstrous footsteps.

Duncan faces trials by fire from two worlds: in one, overcoming his father's challenges to prepare for the Kaiju throne; in the other, coping with life in a new high school. Firebreather is a story...

The Annie Awards, Animation's Highest Honor, went all the way for DreamWorks Animation's "How to Train Your Dragon!" The fun, animated film, originally received 15 nominations and won 10 trophies including Best Animated Feature.

Given by the International Animated Film Society, the 38th annual Annie Awards was not without controversy. Apparently, Disney and Pixar announced they would no longer participate in the annual awards because of their concerns over how the event is judged.

The studios claimed the Annie Awards have always been slighted towards DreamWorks Animation. And this year, both DreamWorks film ("How to Train Your Dragon") and TV ("Kung Fu Panda Holiday") topped the Annie Awards.

"Dragon," featuring the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, Jonah Hill, and Craig Ferguson, beat Annie contenders such as Universal's "Despicable Me," Disney's "Tangled," Sony Pictures Classics' "The Illusionist," and Pixar's "Toy Story 3" for best animated feature. (Check out...

On Wednesday afternoon (February 2), two amazing worlds collided. Following the announcement (care of the cast of "Skins") that legendary animated duo "Beavis and Butt-head" would be returning to the MTV airwaves some time this summer, Justin Bieber took to his Twitter feed to share his excitement with the rest of the world.

"Solid day in NYC," he wrote. "Played hoops and just went to the MTV Upfronts ... Beavis and Butthead are coming back!!!" (The tweet was something of an understatement, as Bieber also unveiled his new film "Never Say Never" and watched the New York Knicks fall to the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden.)

Bieber's enthusiasm for the duo is a little strange, especially considering that it began airing on MTV a full year before the 16-year-old Canadian singer was born. But his excitement shown through on the red carpet for the premiere of "Never Say Never."

Back in...

With awards season is underway comes the 38th Annual Annie Award nominations, which recognize the year’s best work in animation. Since the creation of the animation-specific Oscar category in 2001, the Annies have predicted the Academy Award winner every year except 2006 and 2008.

Unfortunately, the award has been tainted by controversy after CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg reportedly bought each DreamWorks Animation employee a membership in the International Animated Film Society, Asifa-Hollywood, skewing the voting in the studio’s favor. This likely resulted in a surprise sweep by DreamWorks Animations’ Kung Fu Panda at the Annies in 2008-2009 over Pixar’s eventual Oscar winner, Wall-e.

Disney Studios has since pulled its official support of the event and submissions for the awards, though individual animators are able to submit their films themselves. As a result, the rules were changed for individual achievement categories, but Disney sought a neutral committee of animators from every studio to propose and approve guidelines.

The contenders of the 38th Annual Annie Awards have just been announced. In TV category, "The Simpsons" grabs four nominations, including a nod for Best Animated Television Production along with "Futurama", "Kung Fu Panda Holiday", "Scared Shrekless" and "Star Wars: The Clone Wars". The Simpson is nominated for episode "The Squirt and the Whale", and "The Clone Wars" is nominated for episode "Arc Troopers".

Next, the "Simpsons" leads Bob Anderson vying for Directing in a Television Production, thanks to its "Treehouse of Horror Xxi". Anderson is facing off Peter Chung ("Firebreather"), Duke Johnson ("Frankenhole: Humanitas"), Tim Johnson ("Kung Fu Panda Holiday") and Gary Trousdale ("Scared Shrekless").

The "Simpsons" music worked for "Elementary School Musical" by a team consisting of Tim Long, Alf Clausen, Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement gets nominated for Music in a Television Production, and scribe John Frink is up for Writing in a Television Production for...

The International Animated Film Society, Asifa-Hollywood, announced nominations today for the 38th Annual Annie Awards™ recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation including best animated feature, television production, commercials, short subjects, video games and outstanding individual achievements.

Two years ago, Kung-Fu Panda swept the awards over Wall-e pushing Disney and Pixar to withdraw from the organization and making everyone else wonder if there is any point in caring anymore about the ceremony. Toy Story 3 and Tangled did get Best Picture nominations, but DreamWorks (who pretty much run the show) lead the nominees.

According to /film, Disney’s reason for withdrawing was rooted in the organization’s very loose membership requirements and the fact that DreamWorks seemed actively working to stack the deck in the studio’s favour. Disney-Pixar president Ed Catmull said earlier this year,

“After more than a year of discussions with the Asifa board,...

The full list of nominations for the 38th Annie Awards were announced today with Dreamworks’s How to Train your Dragon gathering up the majority of nominations including Best Feature, Animation, Character Design and Voice Work for Gerard Butler and Jay Baruchel, as well as Directing nominations for Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois.

Pixar’s Up took home the Best Animated Feature earlier this year at the 2009 awards and when the awards are announced next February Lee Unkrich and his team are up from a number of awards, along with Disney’s Tangled, but the recent decision of Disney to withdraw support for the awards may go some way to explaining the relatively few number of nods.

It has been a great year for animation as the films on the list below attest, and it’s nice to see Sylvain Chomet’s enchanting film The Illusionist scoring a point against the domination of CG here.