Dan Van Winkle
- Information and Communications Specialist, NC Office of State Human Resources
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Comms Specialist @Work4NC | Animator @ProjectMGame | RT = the strongest man ... in the world | he | SW-1391-5219-1814
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Articles by Dan Van Winkle
Dreamworks' 'Wild' Sci-Fi Movie Looks Ready To Cap Off a Stellar Year
Having kicked the year off with the delightfully subversive Orion and the Dark before closing in on entry number four of the widely acclaimed Kung Fu Panda franchise shortly after (which looks all but ready to follow in the footsteps of its predecessors), DreamWorks looks to be in the midst of a year for the books. And it looks like the storied animation studio has been cooking up quite a feast for their closing film of 2024’s slate in The Wild Robot, a sci-fi drama heading to theaters this fall.
Is ‘One Piece’ Dubbed on Crunchyroll?
One Piece is one of the most popular, expansive Japanese manga and anime series, created by Eiichiro Oda and currently working its way towards an ending decades in the making, as it’s been running consistently since 1997. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew of pirates as they search for the legendary treasure known as the “One Piece.” If you prefer anime over manga and dubs over subtitles, you may be wondering: Can I watch One Piece’s English dub on Crunchyroll?
Innovations in spend management: Insights and actionability are key to supporting customers
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Innovations in spend management: Insights and actionability are key to supporting customers
This article is part of a VB Lab Insights series paid for by Capital One. In the digital world, it’s easier than ever to spend. Thanks to tools like digital wallets and other online payment options, you can buy gifts from a favorite online retailer, pay a utility bill or secure last-minute concert tickets en route to the venue, all with a few swift taps on your smartphone or laptop.
Nintendo Direct Mario Bros. Movie Trailer: Internet Having a Moment Over Chris Pratt's Mario Voice
After the Sonic the Hedgehog movie made its debut a few years back and somehow, against all odds, wound up a success—after the internet cyberbullied the studio into fixing its godawful Sonic design—it was kind of inevitable that Mario would finally make his way back into theaters. Then, that inevitability was confirmed, and everyone lost their minds—though not necessarily for the best reasons. Now, the Mario Bros. movie trailer has finally been revealed in today’s Nintendo direct.
Holy Crap! Ryan Reynolds Confirms Hugh Jackman Will Play The Wolverine Again—Alongside Deadpool!
Well, after a few teases of the X-Men, mutants, and even Wolverine himself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe lately, we finally know where to expect to see the character first, but that’s not all! Ryan Reynolds dropped a video confirming that Hugh Jackman himself will return to the role! Check out the tweet for yourself: [Updating …] Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Netflix’s 'All of Us Are Dead' Season 2: Release Date, Cast, Characters, and More
It’s safe to say that K-Dramas—specifically of the romance and horror variety—have been some of the only programming keeping the lights on at Netflix headquarters. Released in September of 2021, Squid Game became the most watched show in Netflix history, accumulating 1.65 billion watch hours in the first 28 days after its release.
7 Lord of the Rings Characters Who Should've Been Nicolas Cage
We would watch 25+ hours of Nic Cage's Lord of the Rings. By Dan Van WinkleApr 19th, 2022, 12:24 pm Did you know that Nicolas Cage was going to be in Lord of the Rings, but he turned down the opportunity? “I can’t even imagine what that would have been like,” you say in awed wonder. Don’t worry; we’ve done some imagining for you with seven characters who should’ve been played by Nic Cage.
The Mary Sue Is Joining GAMURS Group!
By Kaila Hale-Stern and Dan Van WinkleDec 3rd, 2021, 3:23 pm Hello, Mary Suevians! We, The Mary Sue’s managing editors, are excited to announce that The Mary Sue is now a part of GAMURS Group, a rapidly growing online media company where our new sister sites will be the likes of Dot Esports, Gamepur, and more.
Now Jared Leto Has Thrown His Support Behind a Suicide Squad "Ayer Cut"
By Dan Van WinkleNov 20th, 2021, 2:00 pm Fans of Zack Snyder’s version of DC’s cinematic uni(multi?)verse scored a big win when Warner Bros. eventually released Zack Snyder’s Justice League—the famed “Snyder Cut” of the movie that was decidedly not what replacement director Joss Whedon gave us in theaters—on HBO Max. Now, there’s a push for similar treatment of David Ayer’s Suicide Squad film with an “Ayer Cut,” and the movie’s Joker himself, Jared Leto, has now joined in.
Chloë Grace Moretz Fights the Robot Apocalypse in Mother/Android Trailer
By Dan Van WinkleNov 20th, 2021, 6:00 pm Despite how much we all need a break right now, the last few years’ run of dystopian fiction hasn’t seemed to slow down much lately, and we’ve all seen our fair share of zombies at this point. That’s not to say that a robot apocalypse hasn’t been done before, but something about the trailer for Mother/Android, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, feels a little bit like a blend of the two, to me.
The Downton Abbey: A New Era Trailer Really Knows We All Need a ****ing Break
By Dan Van WinkleNov 15th, 2021, 4:09 pm As we’ve discussed many times on this very website, there’s pretty much always a sh*tstorm of suckitude in the world, to say the very least, as we’ve always been pretty far off from any utopian ideals, but the past few years have seemed particularly relentless in feeling like we’re not only not making progress, but sliding backwards.
Things We Saw Today: Melissa McCarthy Reflects on Ghostbusters Backlash
By Dan Van WinkleNov 13th, 2021, 6:30 pm Later this month, a new Ghostbusters movie is on the way that will continue the story of the original movies in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but as that approaches, it’s hard not to think about the modern Ghostbusters sequel we already got—in part because of the toxic fandom uproar around it. It’s now been over five years since then, and in a recent interview, star Melissa McCarthy briefly discussed the backlash.
Marvel Somehow Got Me Excited to See Spider-Man Origin AGAIN
I blame What If...? By Dan Van WinkleNov 13th, 2021, 3:25 pm Yesterday was Disney’s “Disney+ Day” event, where the company announced its plans to continue the monopolization of entertainment with an onslaught of content on its dedicated streaming service.
Anti-Vaxxers Forced by Mandates Try to “Undo” COVID Shots
By Dan Van WinkleNov 13th, 2021, 2:00 pm The COVID-19 pandemic has been politicized in many upsetting ways, but perhaps the worst part of it all is the way it’s turbocharged the already frustrating anti-vaccine movement. That politicization has also led to some pretty wild “miracle cure” fads among the science-averse, but the latest home remedy takes things in an unexpected new direction: “undoing” vaccination.
I Am Not Encouraged by Early Cowboy Bebop Live-Action Impressions
By Dan Van WinkleNov 13th, 2021, 12:30 pm When what you’re adapting isn’t just popular but regarded as an absolute classic work of art, as is the case with Cowboy Bebop and Netflix’s attempt at a live-action version, there’s vanishingly little room for error. The concern about Netflix’s remake isn’t necessarily that it’ll be bad, but that it’s been set up for failure if it’s anything but perfect.
Challenger Approaching: Are We Getting a Super Smash Warner Bros.?
And sisters? By Dan Van WinkleOct 29th, 2021, 5:43 pm Now that the final character has been added to Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, we’ve apparently moved on from theorizing which characters would join the roster to theorizing which companies would be making their own platform fighter. Next up … Warner Bros.?
Wait, Where Are We Going to See Marvel's "What If...?" Characters Pop Up?
By Dan Van WinkleOct 29th, 2021, 4:27 pm Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has dropped another hint that animated Disney+ series What If…? may not stay in its own sandbox. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been doing a lot of dancing around the idea of the multiverse lately, but the most adventurous of those offerings so far is probably What If…?
Every Smash Bros. Game From 64 to Ultimate, Ranked
Let's settle this. By Dan Van WinkleOct 4th, 2021, 4:54 pm The latest installment in Nintendo’s Smash Bros. crossover fighting franchise, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, will reveal its final downloadable fighter tomorrow, bringing its new additions to a close, and with that comes a sense of the game finally nearing completion despite launching almost 3 years ago.
Nintendo Already Expanding Mario Theme Park With Donkey Kong
Just keep adding new characters/sections. Super Smash Land when? By Dan Van WinkleSep 28th, 2021, 4:48 pm No matter how many gamers want to feel like Mario is too kid-oriented for them, the childlike joy his games harness is exactly what makes them worth playing—and such an obvious choice for an entire theme-park, especially considering he’s one of the world’s most recognizable fictional characters in any medium.
Netflix's Top 10 Most Popular Movies and TV Shows
By Dan Van WinkleSep 28th, 2021, 4:21 pm Netflix is known nearly as well for its secrecy around how many people are actually watching its shows as it is for being the streaming service to beat as the competition heats up. Whether it’s to figure out why your favorite show was inexplicably canceled in its second season or just to help decide what’s a safe bet to watch tonight, viewership data can be helpful, and we recently got a new look into that information.
Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Sticking to Theaters-Only Release
By Dan Van WinkleAug 13th, 2021, 5:14 pm As the COVID-19 pandemic worsens once again, at an alarming rate, with the new Delta variant of the virus, we’ve all been thrown into confusion as to how that will affect the entertainment industry. Apparently, for Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, set to release on the rapidly approaching date of September 3, the answer is … not at all. The movie is sticking to its movie theater exclusivity.
Smash Bros. x Nickelodeon Was Practically Designed to Be a Meme
By Dan Van WinkleJul 15th, 2021, 5:32 pm Earlier this week, Nickelodeon announced that its characters would get their own crossover fighting game in the vein of Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. franchise—a bunch wildly different characters coming together to knock each other into the abyss below floating platforms.
How to Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower, One of the Year's Best
Meatier shower? By Dan Van WinkleJul 15th, 2021, 12:08 pm If you live somewhere particularly dark, or at least have access to somewhere like that relatively nearby, it’s much easier to catch sight of some meteors throughout the year, but for many of us, as light pollution continually increases, it’s mostly the big meteor showers when we catch our chance, and that’s why the start of this year’s Perseid meteor shower is so exciting.
Nickelodeon Cartoons Are Getting Their Own Smash Bros. With Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
By Dan Van WinkleJul 13th, 2021, 5:30 pm Everybody wants in on Nintendo’s massive crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros., but with only one more character addition planned for its current edition, the door is closing on that possibility—not to mention that, at least so far, it’s only open to characters who hail specifically from video games in the first place. So what is everyone else to do? Make their own, as Nickelodeon seems to have done with Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.
The 2021 Emmy Nominations Are Full of Our Favorites, From I May Destroy You to WandaVision
There’s recognition for Michaela Coel’s tour de force I May Destroy You (overdue after the Golden Globes’ snub), Pose, and more, as well as genre fare we’re particularly fond of around here, like Marvel’s WandaVision, Amazon’s adult-themed superhero series The Boys, and Star Wars’ foray into live-action TV with The Mandalorian.
Tennessee Republicans Are Trying to Remove Ruby Bridges From School. In 2021.
Time is a flat circle. By Dan Van WinkleJul 9th, 2021, 5:03 pm With 2020 often spoken of as the time of a “racial reckoning” in America, it’s no surprise to anyone who knows this country that there would be a strong pushback against such a thing making any real progress.
Nintendo Fans Are Joking About Their "Switch Pro" Disappointment
Easing the pain with humor, a Nintendo fan tradition. By Dan Van WinkleJul 6th, 2021, 4:16 pm This morning, Nintendo finally officially announced its long-rumored upgrade to the Switch system, but the officially, bafflingly titled “Nintendo Switch (OLED Model)” fell short of the improvement a lot of fans were hoping for, and the venting of their frustrations online may just be the most fun part of the whole thing.
Nintendo Casually Drops New Switch Model With Larger Screen
By Dan Van WinkleJul 6th, 2021, 10:15 am In the lead up to this year’s E3 video game show last month, rumors flew (even more than usual) about a new model of the Nintendo Switch being announced, featuring 4K video output in TV mode, possibly even before the show.
Disney's New Retractable Lightsaber Looks Amazing
An elegant weapon. By Dan Van WinkleMay 4th, 2021, 11:25 am A few weeks ago, news got out that, at “A Special Look Inside Disney Parks” press conference, Chairman of Disney Parks Josh D’Amaro had pulled a lightsaber hilt out of a small box and then turned it on, with a thin, apparently movie-accurate blade (in appearance, at least) rising from it in a way that had never been pulled off before without special effects.
The Mary Sue Is Hiring an Editor for Our Books Section!
By Dan Van WinkleApr 23rd, 2021, 5:34 pm It’s true! The Mary Sue is searching for a Books Editor! What does the job entail?
T-Shirt Design Seemingly Fills in Falcon and the Winter Soldier Plot Details for Sharon Carter
By Dan Van WinkleFeb 8th, 2021, 12:25 pm **Possible spoilers for Marvel and Disney+’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier.** Marvel Studios has confirmed Emily VanCamp will reprise her role as Sharon Carter in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but what exactly she will be doing in the series is still largely shrouded in mystery.
Trump's Disgraceful Message to Capitol-Storming Supporters: "We Love You. You're Very Special."
By Dan Van WinkleJan 6th, 2021, 5:30 pm As a mob of Donald Trump’s supporters, some of them armed, stormed the Capitol today to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election results, Trump himself spent his time tweeting about how Mike Pence was failing him by saying he’d follow the law and preside over Congress’s proceedings without trying to somehow unilaterally throw the election to Trump. Pence was then rushed out of the Capitol to protect him from the mob’s wrath.
With WandaVision and Loki, I Need Marvel to Commit to Getting Weird
By Dan Van WinkleDec 25th, 2020, 9:55 am I’ll say it: I was disappointed by Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame. Even before its predecessor, Infinity War, hit theaters, theories ran wild as to just what surprises Marvel had in store for the grand finale of the first overarching storyline of its cinematic universe, but when it came, it was fairly straightforward in comparison to the expectations.
I Can’t Decide If Samantha Bee’s Grinch Mitch McConnell Is Better or Worse Than the Real One
By Dan Van WinkleDec 18th, 2020, 3:26 pm I guess, technically, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee’s Grinch version of Mitch McConnell is worse than the real one, if only because she went to great lengths to detail, in rhyme, all the awful things about the real Republican Senate Majority Leader and ascribe them to the Grinch version, with the help of Georgia Democratic Senate candidate John Ossoff.
Everyone Looks Exactly the Same in the Saved by the Bell Reunion, so Why Am I so Old?
Time out. By Dan Van WinkleFeb 5th, 2015, 10:43 am Without direct side by side comparison, it’s really hard to tell this apart from the original show that ended more than 20 years ago. How did The Tonight Show get a time machine and why are they hiding this technology from the rest of us? Are you following The Mary Sue on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, & Google +? Have a tip we should know?
Joe Biden, Kamala Harris Projected to Win 2020 Election: This Is Only the Beginning
By Dan Van WinkleNov 6th, 2020, 9:20 am Well, that’s it. It looks like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have won the 2020 presidential election, and Donald Trump will no longer be the president of the United States in just a few short months. The election has been an agonizing, days-long affair for most of us, with news outlets now finally making the projection as Biden pulls into the lead in Pennsylvania (and Georgia!) and holds onto his leads in Nevada and Arizona.
Trump Biden Race Too Close to Call
By Dan Van WinkleNov 4th, 2020, 3:10 am As anticipated, despite our hopes to the contrary, election night 2020 has gone without a clear presidential winner. Of course, after a brief message from Joe Biden reassuring everyone that all votes would be counted and that he believes he can come out on top, Donald Trump has reacted exactly how everyone (including him) predicted.
Competing With Biden's Town Hall Did Not Go Well for Donald Trump
The difference between having a normal one and A Normal One. By Dan Van WinkleOct 15th, 2020, 10:05 pm Tonight was supposed to be the night of the second debate of the 2020 presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, but we were mercifully spared another one of those when Donald Trump refused to participate remotely amid uncertainty over his COVID-19 status.
Yup, This Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court Confirmation Hearing Sure Is Happening, I Guess
By Dan Van WinkleOct 12th, 2020, 11:05 am Today is the first day of Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings for the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.
VP Debate: "I'm Speaking," Lies, Flies, and Pink Eyes
By Dan Van WinkleOct 7th, 2020, 11:33 pm The 2020 vice presidential debate concluded earlier, and while it wasn’t the awful spectacle that the first presidential debate of the race turned out to be, and Kamala Harris delivered exactly what we were all looking forward to seeing from her, it was still a mess in its own way—and, once again, the most memorable parts didn’t really have anything to do with actual policy. First, there was Mike Pence’s literal pink eye.
Court Rules Trump Must Turn Over Tax Returns. He Appeals to Supreme Court (Again).
Here we go again. By Dan Van WinkleOct 7th, 2020, 3:42 pm Donald Trump’s tax information has been the subject of a lot of scrutiny ever since he bucked tradition by refusing to release them during the 2016 election, with various excuses and assurances that he would eventually release them that still haven’t resulted in anything.
The Only Way to Watch Tonight’s Vice Presidential Debate: Bingo Card In-Hand
By Dan Van WinkleOct 7th, 2020, 10:15 am Once again, because it’s much safer for all of us than a drinking game, we’re turning tonight’s vice presidential debate, between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence, into a cursed game of Bingo we can all play together. The debate is scheduled for tonight from 9–10:30PM EDT, with networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, and more all carrying coverage, as well as streaming on YouTube.
Donald Trump’s Video Message Not to Fear Coronavirus Draws the Mockery It So Deserves
By Dan Van WinkleOct 6th, 2020, 10:40 am Donald Trump made his way back to the White House last night after a short stint in the hospital with COVID-19, and of course, he couldn’t resist spinning the fact that the virus hasn’t killed him personally into propaganda. He, once again, took off his mask to deliver a videotaped statement along the lines of the awful preview tweet he sent out beforehand, and it seems that all he’s done is open himself up to even more mockery.
Facebook Mistakenly Bans Fictional Fallout 76 “Militia” Group, Still Failing Spectacularly
By Dan Van WinkleOct 5th, 2020, 4:34 pm There’s been a lot of talk about “militia” groups lately, with the term being used as an extremely charitable way to describe bands of people roaming the streets with guns and shooting others over some property damage that’s resulted from overwhelmingly peaceful Black Lives Matter protests.
Supreme Court Justices Signal Desire to Strike Down Marriage Equality Ruling
The fight is never over. By Dan Van WinkleOct 5th, 2020, 12:56 pm News broke today that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to weigh in on the case of Kim Davis, who, a few years ago, tried to use religious freedom as an excuse to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples—though it was her government job to do so as a former Rowan County, Kentucky clerk—even after the court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges made same-sex marriage a constitutionally protected right.
Donald Trump’s “Roid Rage” Tweets Prompt Jokes That He’s Campaigning for Biden
By Dan Van WinkleOct 5th, 2020, 10:26 am Donald Trump is still holed up at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after his COVID-19 diagnosis at … some unknown point last week, but he’s not letting that stop him from campaign misadventures, from comically staged photos claiming he’s hard at work signing blank pieces of paper to drive-by waving at his supporters that unnecessarily endangered those around him.
Pandemic Irresponsibility Still Rampant in the Midst of Trump’s Positive COVID-19 Test
Wear a mask. By Dan Van WinkleOct 2nd, 2020, 11:21 am News broke late last night that Donald and Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19, following news earlier in the evening that Hope Hicks, an adviser who had been in close contact with him over the preceding days, had tested positive.
Can’t Believe This Has to Be Said: That’s Not a Condemnation of White Supremacist Groups and Violence, Donald Trump
By Dan Van WinkleSep 30th, 2020, 12:02 pm At the first presidential debate of the 2020 election last night, moderator (and Fox News anchor) Chris Wallace asked Donald Trump to do a simple thing: condemn white supremacists and militia groups and tell them to stand down instead of instigating violence.
Here's What 2020's Socially Distant Emmys Were Like
By Dan Van WinkleSep 20th, 2020, 11:08 pm The 2020 Emmy Awards ceremony aired live tonight, and after last year’s no-host show, things were back to normal on that front while being completely upside down in every other way, as we’ve become accustomed to lately. Above, you can see Jimmy Kimmel deliver his monologue, which began in kind of a jarring way, though not quite in the way you might expect. I’ll let you give it a watch to see for yourself if you haven’t yet.
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