Latest news with #WatchtheSkies
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
AI-dubbed Swedish sci-fi movie 'Watch the Skies' came about after the director had coffee and tarts with a local UFO chaser group (interview)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. When XYZ Films' Swedish sci-fi adventure movie "Watch the Skies" has its American debut on May 9, 2025, Hollywood and fans will also get a remarkable look at its AI-driven TrueSynch 'visual dubbing' administered by the British startup firm Flawless AI. This nostalgic feature film is set in 1996 and focuses on a small town teenage girl named Denise, whose father mysteriously vanished one night years ago while investigating a flying saucer sighting in the nearby forested hills. Determined to unravel the reality behind his disappearance, the feisty girl bonds with a group of antisocial enthusiasts at a local UFO club called UFO Sweden, who aid her in searching out the truth about her dad in true "The X-Files"-like fashion. Directed by Victor Danell for his Crazy Pictures production shingle, "Watch the Skies" will be the first flick to demonstrate this immersive technology, where the film's original Swedish-speaking cast has re-recorded their lines in English for AI tools to match lip movements. Once foreign films leave their home territory, an immediate language barrier exists. This pioneering new AI technology of "visual dubbing" opens up a whole new way to release and introduce their Swedish film (and countless others) to a far wider audience and helps retain the actors' screen performances. Part of the movie's originality and warmth comes from the natural inclusion of cultural customs unique to the Swedish people, and that means the obligatory communal sipping of coffee and munching on tarts. "It's a traditional Swedish thing that we do called Fika, where you have kind of a coffee break," Danell explains to "Especially in these types of volunteer associations, what you do is have meetings where you're drinking coffee and having Fika and eating buns and tarts. And that's something we wanted to bring into the movie, because it's a bunch of outsiders that want to solve this big mystery, but they also just want to be together having Fika, coffee, and tarts." The misfit UFO cult that forms "Watch the Skies"' core is based on an actual flying saucer society in the country called UFO Sweden, giving the project an engaging authenticity. "We all grew up in the '80s and '90s with these old-fashioned sci-fi movies as our base in our filmmaking," he adds regarding project influences. "Who doesn't love early Steven Spielberg and films like that? So we were inspired by those movies and we heard about this group in Sweden, a real association called UFO Sweden. We saw a documentary about them and knew we had to look them up. Are they for real? What we found out is that UFO Sweden is based in our hometown called Norrköping. "Not only that, but their headquarters are across the street from my apartment. So we just went down the street and knocked on the door and asked if we could come in to learn about their work. So we all sat down for Swedish Fika and they told us that they're a UFO investigation group and if you see something in the sky you can call them and they'll help find out what you saw. They're gathering an archive of UFO sightings from around the world in their basement and it's the largest UFO archive in the world. They showed us around and when we left their headquarters we knew that this was our next movie. We just needed to find a story that could take these lovely guys out on an adventure larger than they usually went on." "Watch the Skies" is imbued with a heartfelt reality even though its story is rooted in paranormal events, and its striking cinematography enhances a certain retro appeal. "The cinematographer is Hannes Krantz, one of our partners in Crazy Pictures. Actually, I built the lenses for this movie myself. It's a mix of old Contex still photography lenses with the anamorphic block off an old projector combined together. It's kind of nerdy but the look of the movie is a big part of making the audience feel like this is an old nostalgic throwback to the '70s and '80s. It was hard work making that look. "Sweden doesn't do a lot of genre movies. We went into this thinking it would be quite hard to make a Swedish science fiction movie. It actually wasn't. I think the Swedish audience also is ready for one so it went quite easily. But it's still hard to make a good sci-fi movie. We're so excited to see what will happen with this movie. We released it in Sweden and now it's coming out in the U.S. and we're so thrilled to see how it will go." "Watch the Skies" stars Inez Dahl Torhaug, Eva Melander, Jesper Barkselius, Sara Shirpey, Håkan Ehn, Isabelle Kyed, Niklas Kvarnbo Jönsson, and Mathias Lithner.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
At The Box Office: ‘Watch the Skies'
COLCHESTER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – This week on 'At The Box Office', Julia Swift discussed 'Watch the Skies', a Swedish movie that follows a teen and a UFO club. One of the strongest aspects of this film is that we follow club characters 'that we really grow to care about,' according to Swift. She describes the first half of this experience as 'charming'. Swift also notes that the main actress is strong and has a good dynamic with the cast. While the second half sort of 'falls apart', Swift says that this film still remains 'unabashedly sincere', which makes it worth seeing. Behind the scenes, 'Watch the Skies' was made by a five-person collective, meaning there is not one single director. The movie also tried some new technology for dubbing, and attempted to use computer models to aid in matching lips with the actors' translated lines. Those interested in checking out 'Watch the Skies' can see it at AMC theatres. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
What's the best time to see the Aquarids meteor shower? When and how to watch
The ETA Aquarids, one of the most anticipated meteor showers known for sending fiery balls of space debris flying across the sky, is set to peak this week. The Aquarids (also sometimes spelled Aquardiis) meteors are created by debris left behind by the famous Halley's Comet that then fall to Earth, creating "shooting stars" that leave long glowing trails behind. The meteor shower is one of the best astronomical viewing events of the year and can be seen across the globe, though those in the Southern Hemisphere are treated to the best view. Luckily, the event can still be seen from every U.S. state, giving stargazers one final chance to watch a shower until the next expected one in July. Here's what to know about the ETA Aquarids meteor shower, including what time to look up. The Aquarids, which first became active April 19, are due to peak between May 5 and May 6 as Earth passes through the densest part of Halley's cosmic debris, according to the American Meteor Society. While the meteors won't be as bright or dazzling after the peak, stargazers should still be able to catch some of the light show until about May 28. Like all meteor showers, the Aquarids are best viewed during the dark hours between midnight and dawn. According to NASA's Watch the Skies blog, the best time to view the peak starts at 2 a.m. on May 6 and lasts until dawn. Time and Date also provides detailed information about where and when to see the phenomenon based on your specific location. The Aquarids should be visible around the globe, anywhere in the sky, assuming clouds and a bright moon do not obscure the view. However, the meteors are best seen from the Southern Hemisphere. This is because the meteors seem to emerge, or radiate, from the constellation Aquarius, which is higher up in the sky in the Southern Hemisphere than it is in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, ETA Aquarid meteors appear as what NASA refers to as "Earthgrazers," or long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon. Some more tips for getting a better look from and include: Find a viewing spot away from cities' light pollution and street lights. Get there in advance to settle and give your eyes time to adjust, which can take 15 to 30 minutes. Lie down on the ground and look at the sky. You can use Date and Time's Interactive Meteor Shower Sky Map or the table above to find the direction of the radiant to look towards. Bring a blanket, chair, comfortable clothes and maybe some snacks or drinks. Catching a meteor shower can be a waiting game. If the moon is out, look at areas of the sky away from the moon to prevent its light from washing out the show. Know the peak time and how many meteors you can expect to see per hour. You can check EarthSky's meteor guide for that information. Most meteor showers are the result of Earth passing through debris left by comets, explains NASA. These broken-up meteoritic materials fall to Earth and burn up in Earth's atmosphere, creating what we know as "shooting stars." This happens daily (NASA scientists estimate that 48.5 tons of material fall on Earth each day), and if you watch closely, you should be able to see a few per hour on an average night. When the number of meteors entering Earth's atmosphere increases significantly, that's what's called a meteor shower. Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation closest to where the meteors appear in the sky; in this case, Aquarius. The debris that makes the ETA Aquarids meteors come from Halley's Comet, which can only be seen from Earth once every roughly 76 years (the next time will be 2061). When it returns to the inner solar system, it leaves behind the rocky dust that eventually creates the ETA Aquarids meteor shower each May and the Orionids every October. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's the best time to see the meteor shower? How to watch Aquarids
Gizmodo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
All the Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, and Genre Movies to Care About This Summer
For movie fans, it's the most wonderful time of the year. The summer movie season is here and with it, the promise of exciting popcorn films that could become future classics. Now, does that usually happen? No. Of course not. We're lucky if each year one or two films jump out and become those certified, all-time crowd-pleasers (like Barbie or Top Gun: Maverick in recent years). But that doesn't stop studios from trying, or from audiences hoping, each time they buy a ticket and the lights go down. Here are all the sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and superhero movies that could be contenders this summer. Will any make the grade? What movies are coming out in May 2025? Thunderbolts (in theaters now) You may have already seen this one as it's currently in theaters but, we have to say, it's a strong start to the summer. Not as epic as some of Marvel's previous early May films, but entertaining nonetheless. Watch the Skies (May 9) Drawing inspiration from Amblin films of the 1980s, this Swedish film is about a young woman who teams up with some UFO nuts to try and find her missing father, who she believes was abducted by aliens. Clown in a Cornfield (May 9) The title pretty much says it all, does it not? Final Destination Bloodlines (May 16) As you can already tell, horror is big this summer and maybe the biggest out of those is the sixth film in the Final Destination series. This time, the idea of death following a group of unintended survivors gets taken up a notch as it trickles down to an entire family. We've seen it, and can assure you it's a gruesome, hilarious blast. Hurry Up Tomorrow (May 16) Popular musician the Weeknd stars in, came up with the story for, and did the music in this mysterious, trippy thriller co-starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan. A Breed Apart (May 16) Hayden Panettiere co-stars in this indie about a group of influencers invited to an island, who then have to survive and hunt man-eating dogs, or get eaten themselves. Lilo & Stitch (May 23) One of Disney's most popular modern animated films joins its growing list of live-action remakes. However, unlike this year's earlier release, Snow White, audiences seem extremely excited for this one. We expect it to be one of the biggest hits of the summer. Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning (May 23) Picking up the story from 2023's 'Dead Reckoning,' Tom Cruise returns as secret agent Ethan Hunt in what may be his final Mission film. Expect big stunts, big stakes, and a story that brings all of the other films in the franchise together. Fear Street: Prom Queen (May 23 on Netflix) The latest film in Netflix's series of R.L. Stine adaptations, Prom Queen follows a young woman who decides to go up against the popular girls trying to win the crown. But then, those girls all start disappearing. Karate Kid Legends (May 30) Taking place after the events of Cobra Kai, but not an official sequel, Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio star as two senseis who work together to train a new Karate Kid. Will this live up to the original trilogy of films or the hit Netflix show? We'll find out soon. Bring Her Back (May 30) The directorial team behind the hit Talk to Me, Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, are back with another new horror film. This one features Sally Hawkins leading a house where, we think, she resurrects dead children? We aren't quite sure, but we can't wait to find out. What movies are coming out in June 2025? Dogma (June 5) Yes, Kevin Smith's 26-year-old (they missed the 25th anniversary) film is coming back to 1,500 screens this summer. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon play angels who attempt to disprove the word of God. It's a weird, dated movie, but still lots of fun. Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye (June 6) Yes, your favorite anime is coming to the big screen for a limited event. It will 'screen last season's start of the 'Evil Eye' arc, along with the first three episodes of the new second season, in addition to an exclusive interview with series co-directors Fuga Yamashiro and Abel Gongora.' Ballerina (June 6) Officially titled From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, the film follows another killer assassin—this time played by Ana de Armas—on her journey through Wick's world. The action looks right on par with the previous films, and Keanu Reeves himself even makes a cameo. The Ritual (June 6) Who doesn't love a good exorcism movie? Especially one that stars—and this is real—Al Pacino! It's based on a true story and co-stars Dan Stevens too! The Phoenician Scheme (June 6) The latest, and maybe weirdest yet, movie from Wes Anderson follows a wealthy man (Benicio del Toro) travels the world setting his affairs in order as he prepares to leave his fortune to his estranged daughter. It co-stars Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Benedict Cumberbatch, and many, many, many more. The Life of Chuck (June 6) Based on the Stephen King story of the same name, Tom Hiddleston and multiple other actors play a man named Chuck in the story of one man's life told backwards. Frequent King collaborator and fan Mike Flanagan directs, and after winning some big film festival awards, we expect it to be something special. Dangerous Animals (June 6) Sometimes the official description does all the heavy lifting. 'When Zephyr, a rebellious surfer, is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer and held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.' Yup. In. How to Train Your Dragon (June 13) Not a shot-by-shot remake, but close at times, this live-action film aims to recapture the magic of its 2010 animated original. And, guess what? It does exactly that. If you love the story of Hiccup, Toothless, and the Berk crew, you are going to love seeing them in a whole new way. 28 Years Later (June 20) Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle returns to one of the franchises he helped bring to prominence with this first film in a planned trilogy taking place, you guessed it, 28 years after the original. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes star in the new zombie tale. Elio (June 20) A new original film from Pixar centers on a young boy who travels to space as the mistaken representative of the planet Earth. Fingers crossed it can live up to its Pixar legacy. M3GAN 2.0 (June 27) The bitch is back. Literally. After a new AI based on M3GAN threatens to really mess things up, the killer doll AI is brought back to life with a bunch of new upgrades. If it's half as wacky as the original, we're in for a real treat. What movies are coming in July 2025? Jurassic World Rebirth (July 2) The first trilogy is over. The second trilogy has, mercifully, concluded. So what's next for the world of Jurassic Park? Well, it's the seventh film in the series, starting a whole new tale focused on characters played by Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, and others. Gareth Edwards, director of Rogue One and Godzilla, is at the helm. Superman (July 11) It all comes down to this. Though James Gunn's take on Superman is literally the first film in a whole new DC Universe, it feels like it has the weight of the world on it. The expectations are insane but, if any character can take those on, it's the Man of Steel. We have high, high hopes. I Know What You Did Last Summer (July 18) Look. If you live in Southport, North Carolina, and you and your friends accidentally kill someone, please own up to it. Maybe if that happened, there wouldn't be so many more brutal killings in the aftermath. It happened in 1997 and now it's happening again, blending the cast of the original film (Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.) with a brand new generation. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25) Much like Superman kicks off a new era for DC, Fantastic Four starts a new era at Marvel. The first family of the brand is finally part of the cinematic universe and we expect them to play a very, very big role moving ahead. So, hopefully, this first film will make us want to see Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Thing, and Human Torch again and again. Happy Gilmore 2 (July 25 on Netflix) This isn't technically a genre film (though no one can really hit a golf ball like that) but we are just so excited to see Adam Sandler back in one of his most iconic roles, and with the whole gang back together too. Together (July 30) Real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie play a couple who encounter a supernatural force that begins to fuse their bodies together. Literally. It looks absolutely bonkers. What movies are coming in August 2025? The Bad Guys 2 (August 1) Summers are usually overflowing with major animated films but, this year, that's not the case. You've got Elio and you've got this sequel to the hit 2022 film about bunch of villains who team up for a heist. This time, the bad 'guys' meet their match when they run into the bad 'girls.' The Naked Gun (August 1) While there's plenty of humor this summer, there isn't a lot of comedy, especially in theaters. The biggest exception is this reimagining/sequel to the classic 1990s franchise, this time featuring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. It looks utterly ridiculous, and we can't wait. Freakier Friday (August 8) This body-swapping sequel to the 2003 remake brings back the mother-daughter team of Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, and makes this freakier by adding in another, younger generation. The film will surely be a nice, late summer blend of family-friendly humor and nostalgia. Weapons (August 8) With Barbarian, director Zach Cregger set a high bar for himself. One that says he makes original horror movies with huge concepts and lots of twists. And, he seems to have lived up to that with Weapons, his sophomore film which stars Julia Garner and Josh Brolin. It tells the tale of what happens when a single classroom of students mysteriously disappears. Nobody 2 (August 15) The first Nobody was one of the biggest surprises to come out during the pandemic and so it rightfully got a sequel. Now we get to see the full, theatrical might of Bob Odenkirk kicking ass when someone does wrong by his family. Which is the plot this second time around. Witchboard (August 15) Director Chuck Russell made cult classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Eraser, and The Mask; he's back with a new film in that same tone. It's about a witch who is mistakenly released and wreaks havoc in New Orleans. The Wizard of Oz (August 28 in the Sphere) This is kind of a cheat but we figured it was worth mentioning anyway. Starting this summer, one of the best movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz, will become the first Hollywood film to play in the Sphere in Las Vegas. You thought IMAX was big? It's got nothing on this. It should be insanely epic. The Toxic Avenger (August 29) What better way to end the summer with a super disgusting, offensive remake of one of Troma's finest creations? Peter Dinklage stars as the titular hero, who kills people with a radioactive mop after being thrown into toxic waste by his evil boss, played by Kevin Bacon. Abraham's Boys (Date TBD) Based on a short story by Joe Hill, Abraham's Boys follows two boys who soon realize their father (named, you guessed it, Abraham) has a mysterious history with Dracula. Oh, their last name is 'Van Helsing.'
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
What time can you see the Eta Aquarids meteor shower? See peak days, Ohio weather forecast
Roughly two weeks after the most recent meteor shower of 2025, shooting stars will again streak across the skies over Ohio. And the peak night to view them is here. The third meteor shower of the year behind the Lyrids in April and the Quadrantids in January, the Eta Aquarids (also spelled "Aquariids") peak in early May each year. And they're spawned by perhaps the most famous comet of them all — Halley's. While they're best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, according to NASA, the Eta Aquarids will still put on a show across the United States, if the weather cooperates. But with Ohio being Ohio, Mother Nature may not. Here's what to know. The biggest astronomical events in 2025: Every eclipse, comet, meteor shower to see in Ohio The Eta Aquarids will peak the evening of May 5 into the pre-dawn hours of May 6, according to NASA. According to NASA's Watch the Skies blog, the best time to view the peak starts at 2 a.m. May 6 and lasts until dawn. "Expect to see at most 10–15 meteors per hour just before dawn on the morning of May 6,' Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, told the blog. The moon, however, will be about 60% full, and its light may block some of the show. 'The light from the waxing Moon will wash out the fainter meteors this year," Cooke said. The moon might not be the only thing to dampen the meteor shower during its peak. Rain is in the Ohio weather forecast for May 5 to 6. According to the National Weather Service forecast for Akron, there's an 80% chance of showers, and a 50% chance of thunderstorms on the evening of May 5, which continues into May 6, with a 40% chance of showers that morning. In Columbus, there's a 60% chance of showers the evening of May 5, which grows to an 80% chance of May 6. Cincinnati may have the best chance of cooperative weather, with only a 30% chance of showers overnight May 5 continuing into May 6. Active from April 20 to May 21, per NASA, the Eta Aquarids appear to originate from the constellation Aquarius, giving the meteor shower its name. The meteors are known for their speed, and they can leave glowing "trains" — bits of debris in their wake — that can last for up to a full minute. They originate from debris left behind by Halley's Comet, which returns every 76 years and was last seen in 1986. Halley is often called the most famous comet because it marked the first time astronomers understood comets could be repeat visitors to the solar system, according to NASA. Scientists have now linked its appearances to observations dating back more than 2,000 years. Before Edmond Halley, an English astronomer who lived from 1656 to 1742, comets were believed to make only one pass through the solar system. In 1705, Halley used Isaac Newton's theories of gravitation and planetary motions to compute the orbits of several comets. He found similarities in the orbits of bright comets reported in 1531, 1607, and 1682. Halley suggested that they were a single comet making return trips. Halley correctly predicted the comet would return in 1758. History's first known "periodic" comet was later named in his honor. The big show every year is the Perseid meteor shower, which this year will peak from Aug. 12 to 13 with 50 to 100 meteors per hour, according to NASA. The Perseids appear to originate from the constellation Perseus and are considered to be the best meteor shower of the year, according to NASA. At their peak, the Perseids can generate up to 100 meteors per hour. These meteors originate from comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun every 133 years and was last seen in 1992. Swift-Tuttle is large, with a nucleus measuring 16 miles wide. According to NASA, that's nearly twice the size of the object thought to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: When Eta Aquarids meteor shower 2025? Peak days, Ohio weather forecast
