Early on in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, our hero Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) are warped into a quantum-level universe. It’s filled with alien biology and vistas that wouldn't be out of place on distant planets. But while that sounds like the perfect setup for a fun sci-fi romp, I never bought it. And, unfortunately, the actors didn't appear to buy it either. The backgrounds looked like psychedelic screensavers, and, similar to the Star Wars prequels, there was an uncanny disconnect between the live humans and their mostly digital surroundings.I found the aesthetic so viscerally ugly, it made me fear for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and for anything else made with ILM's StageCraft technology (AKA “the volume”). That realization surprised me, since I've mostly enjoyed how that tech helped make The Mandalorian's unique worlds come alive. The volume is a series of enormous LED walls that can display real time footage. Together with interactive lighting, it makes actors seem like they’re actually walking around artificial environments. Another plus? It also helps the lighting look far more realistic, something that was particularly noticeable on Mando's polished armor.So what the hell happened to Quantumania? Its artificiality seems partially intentional, as it's trying to evoke pulp fantasy and even a bit of Star Wars. But somewhere along the line, director Peyton Reed forgot to ground its fantastical visuals with... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2023-02-23 13:00:36 UTC ]
Here are 10 books that feature magical veterinarians in science fiction and fantasy settings, ranging from YA to adult books. Start with Super Extra Grande by Yoss, translated by David Frye. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-06-28 10:31:00 UTC ]
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Apple is borrowing a marketing tactic from Twitter pirates. The company made the unusual move of uploading the entire first episode of its series Silo to the social platform, allowing anyone there to watch the opening installment for free. The gambit follows Twitter’s move to allow longer video... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-06-27 18:24:03 UTC ]
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The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-06-26 13:58:21 UTC ]
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Despite our intrinsic distrust of AI in space taught to us by movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey ("I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave"), it offers large advantages to both manned and unmanned missions. To that end, NASA is developing a system that will allow astronauts to perform maneuvers, conduct... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-06-26 08:19:03 UTC ]
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The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-06-19 13:54:50 UTC ]
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Netflix just dropped the first reveal trailer for the forthcoming 3 Body Problem science fiction series at its Tudum fan event, along with a premiere month of January. This is a short delay for the anticipated series, as it was originally supposed to air this year.If the name of the show sounds... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-06-17 21:39:27 UTC ]
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Before I dedicated my life to taking pot-shots at the nature of the universe—I mean, before I became a science fiction writer—I was a frightened child. Death scared me, but living was the constant terror. My father told me I had chosen this. I had come to him in a dream before I was born […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-06-14 08:53:04 UTC ]
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The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-06-12 14:20:37 UTC ]
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The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-06-05 13:33:24 UTC ]
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With the rise of AI language models and tools like ChatGPT and Bard, we've heard warnings from people involved, like Elon Musk, about the risks posed by AI. Now, a group of high-profile industry leaders has issued a one-sentence statement: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-05-31 11:15:45 UTC ]
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World Literature Today Announces 2023 Student Translation Prize Winners News and Events [email protected] Tue, 05/30/2023 - 09:42 Katie Kassam and Vala Thorodds, winners of the 2023 Student Translation PrizesWorld Literature Today, the University... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2023-05-30 14:42:03 UTC ]
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Whether you're looking to belly laugh, contemplate the future of humanity, or dig into conspiracy theories, I have a sci-fi read for you! Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-05-30 10:34:00 UTC ]
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Japan and JAXA, the country’s space administration, have spent decades trying to make it possible to beam solar energy from space. In 2015, the nation made a breakthrough when JAXA scientists successfully beamed 1.8 kilowatts of power, enough energy to power an electric kettle, more than 50... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-05-28 21:43:38 UTC ]
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New novels by Fonda Lee, Martha Wells, Nick Harkaway, Kelly Link and Emma Törzs. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-05-26 15:30:50 UTC ]
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A new book skewers the publishing industry's race issues, the author of 'Eragon' returns to science fiction, and two new nonfiction titles take an alternate view of history on this week's bestseller list. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-05-22 14:34:53 UTC ]
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There’s a chance our understanding of biology is radically incomplete. Imagine using your cellphone to control the activity of your own cells to treat injuries and disease. It sounds like something from the imagination of an overly optimistic science fiction writer. But this may one day be a... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2023-05-18 01:04:00 UTC ]
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The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of American (SFWA) has announced the winners of the 2022 Nebula Awards, one of SFF’s most prestigious honors, “given to the writers of the most outstanding speculative fiction works released in 2022.” Here are the winners: NOVEL R.F. Kuang, Babel, Or the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-15 15:28:38 UTC ]
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The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-05-15 14:15:32 UTC ]
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The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-05-08 13:34:09 UTC ]
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