Latest news with #Wildfire
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Storm Team 3: Sunshine continues for the first day of Meteorological Summer and Hurricane Season
Happy Meteorological Summer and Happy *or not* Hurricane Season! We are once again going to be seeing nice and comfortable weather to end your weekend this Sunday. A hazy sky continues due to Canadian Wildfire smoke, but we're not expecting this to affect our air quality drastically, since it stays high in our atmosphere. Highs stay in the mid to upper 80s along with comfortable humidity levels. Highs along with moisture increase a little bit more for the start of your work week. We'll be closer to the low 90s for Monday and Tuesday along with a mix of sun and clouds. Moisture continues to increase into Wednesday and the end of the week. This is thanks to a cold front that develops to our west and begins to slowly make its way closer to our region. This allows for the chance of isolated rain and storms for Wednesday until the end of the week when it moves through. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Geek Vibes Nation
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'The Andromeda Strain' (1971) Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review - A Science-Forward Thriller From Michael Crichton
Before he created Westworld and Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton first blurred the line between science fiction and science fact with his breakout success The Andromeda Strain. Two years after the novel's publication, Robert Wise (The Haunting) directed the film adaptation, a nail-biting blend of clinically-realised docudrama and astonishing sci-fi visuals that ushered in a new subgenre: the 'killer virus' biological thriller. A government satellite crashes outside a small town in New Mexico – and within minutes, every inhabitant of the town is dead, except for a crying baby and an elderly derelict. The satellite and the two survivors are sent to Wildfire, a top-secret underground laboratory equipped with a nuclear self-destruct mechanism to prevent the spread of infection in case of an outbreak. Realizing that the satellite brought back a lethal organism from another world, a team of government scientists race against the clock to understand the extraterrestrial virus – codenamed 'Andromeda' – before it can wipe out all life on the planet. Aided by innovative visual effects by Douglas Trumbull (2001: A Space Odyssey, Silent Running) and an unforgettable avant-garde electronic music score by Gil Melle (The Sentinel), Wise's suspense classic still haunts to this day, and is presented here in a stunning, exclusive new restoration from the original negative. For thoughts on The Andromeda Strain, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality Arrow Video presents The Andromeda Strain with an exquisite 2160p transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. This restoration was handled by Arrow Films with a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative restored and graded in 4K HDR10/Dolby Vision. The previous Blu-Ray release from Arrow Video in 2019 was derived from the same base master, but we do not have that release to compare directly. By all accounts, that was also stunning release, but this transfer displays it to its full potential and expands the color space. The benefits of Dolby Vision for increased color output are obvious despite this not being an overly vivid film. You find great nuance in the black levels with nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights are firm with no signs of blooming. The complex lighting schemes and the uniforms make the most of the technology with more depth than ever. The striking compositions within the frame are a delight to observe with this disc. The sterile shades of the lab and the earthy qualities of the vacant town are presented with the appropriate delineation. This restoration preserves the stunning natural film grain as it resolves perfectly without a trace of clumping or swarming. Everything is completely authentic with no lingering print damage or stray specks. The movie looks exceptional with more subtle details on display than you can believe. The texture present in the uniforms and within the production design is astounding. When it comes to encoding, there are zero digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or other such nuisances. Even bright, open skies avoid any spiking or other stray encoding issues. This presentation from Arrow Video is everything you could want. Audio Quality The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of the film comes with an LPCM 1.0 mono track that is everything it should be and more. The label has not stumbled a bit by ensuring the original theatrical audio is presented without any obvious flaws. Dialogue comes through clearly without being overwhelmed by the sound effects. The film bypasses a traditional score in favor of some repeating noises orchestrated to escalate the tension of the situation. The largely mechanical soundscape creeps through to provide some unsettling ambient details. Moments of breathless tension are thrilling without becoming a sonic mess, as everything is distinguished with precision. All of the various sounds in the mix seem accurately rendered so that nothing ever feels inauthentic. Everything is presented with an ideal fidelity that never stumbles. This presentation is free of any hiss, distortion, or other age-related wear and tear. Arrow Video should be proud of what they pulled off. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided. Special Features Audio Commentary: Film critic Bryan Reesman provides a great commentary track in which he discusses the career of Michael Crichton, the influences of his medical background on his work, the cinematic history of contagion films, the production of this film, the recurring themes in his work, the background of the performers, the science within the film, and much more that is well worth a listen. A New Strain Of Science Fiction: A 28-minute interview with critic Kim Newman on the origins of plague dramas, how The Andromeda Strain changed up the genre, metaphors within the genre, how the film fares in terms of scientific accuracy, and more. Making The Film: A 30-minute featurette from 2001 that features interviews with director Robert Wise, screenwriter Nelson Gidding, author Michael Crichton, and more. This piece delves into the creation of the screenplay, the casting of lesser-known performers, the addition of women into the story, working from storyboards, and more. A Portrait of Michael Crichton: A nearly 13-minute piece from 2001 that focuses on the early life and career of the author, his inspiration for writing The Andromeda Strain, his work in medical school, the reception of his debut, and more. Cinescript Gallery: A gallery is provided that allows you to view the script for the film. Theatrical Trailer (3:18) TV Spots (1:50) Radio Spots (1:49) Image Gallery: Galleries are provided for Production Still and Poster & Video Art Booklet: The Limited Edition release of the film comes with a multi-page booklet featuring writing by Peter Tonguette and an archival discussion guide for teachers and students created for the film's release. Final Thoughts The Andromeda Strain is a somewhat unusual but eerily effective science fiction movie that shows how gifted Michael Crichton was as an author from his earliest days. Director Robert Wise and company play things deathly serious, forcing the audience not to succumb to the ironic detachment brought about by so many modern productions. As evidenced by the last half decade, the scenario is not so far-fetched, and the focus on scientific research as genuine action works like a charm. There are those who might become too restless with only high-pressure exchanges and laboratory testing to perk things up, but those with a little patience will be completely riveted. Arrow Video has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a fine assortment of special features. If you are a fan of the film, this release is not to be missed. Recommended The Andromeda Strain will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on May 13, 2025. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Metro
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Amazon Prime fans have hours to binge 'addictive' drama from 20 years ago
Clear your evenings, you have just hours to binge-watch all 52 episodes of the iconic 00s TV show Wildfire. The teen drama series, currently on Amazon Prime Video, ran from 2005 to 2008 and follows troubled teen Kris Furillo (Genevieve Padalecki), who has a second chance at life after being released from a juvenile detention centre. She joins Raintree Farm as a stable hand and quickly forms a special bond with a failed racehorse called Wildfire. As love troubles, family drama and internal insecurities rage around her, Kris navigates the ups and downs of life with her trusty steed at hand to 'achieve the impossible together' which 'creates the hope and strength to face a challenging future.' There has been plenty of praise for this four-season show from fans over the years. 'Wildfire is addicting, lots of excitement, drama, true life happenings, The love between Kris and Juniro [Ryan Speck] is magical, felt like it was real, love after all the trials of ups and downs that through it all, you hope they find each other. I cried several times [while] this binge-watching show,' Sonya wrote on Google reviews. 'This TV series was one of the best ones I have watched in years!!! The plot to every episode and the way things went from 1 to 10 in a minute, truly my family looked forward to watching Wildfire and we are sad that season 4 ends it… but perfectly!!!!' Donna Wearing echoed. Over on X, user enjiio_ wrote: 'It hurts my soul to see how underrated Wildfire is !! like the love, the family, the ships, the horses, the vibes, the songs, the actors ??????? such an immaculate and heartwarming show.' 'If you're craving or a fan of beautiful storytelling , horses and found family… one of my favorite shows ever Wildfire,' @thesweetestt echoed. The star of the ABC show Genevieve – married to Supernatural star Jared Padalecki – opened up about what attracted her to the series in 2008. More Trending 'I read the script probably in 2004 and was immediately attached to it because my character, Kris Furillo, rides up Mount Diablo, and it's about the Bay Area. I grew up riding up Mount Diablo. 'I really got the geography and got where she was from, and she reminded me of my mom. My mom is a really cool, independent, free spirit. I understood where [Kris] was coming from. 'So I started immediately getting back on horses and training before I even knew I had a chance,' she said about the lead-up to the audition. View More » Wildfire is available to stream on Amazon Prime until the end of April. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Amazon Prime fans have days to binge 'best sci-fi series in years' MORE: Amazon Prime viewers have just days left to binge 'absolute masterpiece' TV series MORE: Netflix's bizarre reason for Twister's rating and 9 other odd trigger warnings
Extra.ie
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
'I can't not get emotional' - Barry McGuigan reflects on life and loss 40 years after Pedroza bout
Forty years ago, a 24-year-old man from Clones in Co Monaghan, just 5ft6 tall and weighing 8st 13lb 12oz, stepped into the boxing ring in Loftus Road, home of football team Queen's Park Rangers. There were 27,000 people there to watch him take on Panamanian Eusebio Pedroza, 13,000 of whom had travelled from Ireland, north and south. Back home, in the days before the television viewing audience was fragmented by satellite and streaming options, a staggering 19 million across Ireland and Britain tuned in to watch a bruising 15-round contest. Pedroza had been world featherweight champion for seven years, defending his title a record 19 times, but his opponent, nicknamed the Clones Cyclone, beat him in a unanimous decision by the judges, and gave Ireland one of the great sporting moments in its history. Barry McGuigan. Photo: ITV. On June 8, the exact 40th anniversary of the bout, Barry McGuigan's triumphant night will be remembered at a special gala lunch in the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan, when he will reminisce about not only the fight, but also about his life in the intervening years. He was back in Monaghan recently to announce details of the commemoration and spoke not only about that defining night in 1985, but also about the challenges he has faced since, notably the premature death of his daughter Danika 'Nika' McGuigan from bowel cancer in 2019, at the tragically young age of just 33. Last year, when he was a contestant on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!, Barry achieved something of note. In openly displaying his still raw grief, he did a valuable service to men everywhere, showing that even for the toughest, there is nothing to be gained by bottling up feelings. In the Monaghan County Museum on the town's Peace Campus, he explains why that is important. 'Every time I talk about her, I get upset, because of the way her life ended so tragically,' he says. 'I can't not get emotional about it, because, you know, she's gone. All of the years that we nurtured her and brought her along and loved her, and she loved us, it's the saddest thing that's ever happened. 'I lost my dad when he was 52. I lost a brother to suicide when he was 34, after he broke up with a girl and couldn't cope. Many of my friends are gone. It a sad time in life.' Promoter Barry McGuigan celebrates after Carl Frampton retained his IBF Super-Bantamweight World Title in Belfast in 2015. Pic: Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE It all seems doubly tragic because Nika overcame childhood cancer. 'It's great if people get their three score and ten and have a normal life,' Barry continues, 'but my girl didn't. She had leukaemia as a child, and we thought she was over it. 'Then, suddenly [in 2019] she had pains in her tummy. She had started an acting career and was doing amazingly well. She had finished making the movie Wildfire but she didn't even get to see the premiere. The pains were excruciating, and it was a case of go in [to hospital], and then all hell breaks loose. They said she was terminally ill, there was nothing they could do, and she had five weeks to live. 'Suddenly, all of your hopes for her are gone. Indescribable sadness.' There was one small consolation, when Nika was posthumously awarded Best Actress in the 2020 Irish Film and Television Academy awards, which underlined the loss for the industry in general. Barry's mother Kate will be 89 the day before the Monaghan event, though in many ways she is lucky to have reached the milestone. The night he won the fight, she left a candle burning and the house caught fire. Luckily, she and her sister escaped unharmed, though the house was badly damaged. They were the only ones in the family who hadn't travelled to London, because she never saw her son fight. 'She would go out and potter around the shops, or play classic music in case I got hurt – that was her way of getting through it,' Barry says. 'She had own way of processing the whole thing, but Dad was there until 1987, which was the good part of my career.' Those of a certain age will remember that his father Pat, who spelled the surname McGeegan, represented Ireland at the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest in London with the song Chance Of A Lifetime. So why the spelling change? Barry McGuigan. Pic: The Late Late Show/RTE One 'They couldn't pronounce his name,' Barry laughs. 'He was sick to his back teeth correcting people. It was just his way of simplifying it. 'I'll never forget when he was coming home from Eurovision. I was seven and there was a bonfire in the town, and loads of people there, and I ran out with all of them to meet him coming in the Monaghan road. Then someone said he was coming in the Cavan road, and I raced back that way, and then thought, 'Why am I doing this? I'm going see him in half an hour in the house anyway'. There was so much excitement.' One of the most memorable aspects of Barry's career was the way he drew together people in both communities at the height of the Troubles, not least because boxing, just like golf, rugby and some other sports, is run by an all-island governing body. He was raised Roman Catholic, and his wife of 44 years, Sandra, née Mealiff, was Protestant so there were, inevitably, some death threats over the years, and even Garda and RUC protection at times, but never with anything manifest. 'The Troubles were raging, and people were dying every other day,' Barry says.'It was just a shocking time. I remember there were certain sectors of the community that would have wanted me to wear colours that singled me out one way or the other and I was very adamant that I wasn't going to do that. 'I wore the United Nations flag of peace on my shorts and the dove of peace on my collar. I wanted to unite people. I wanted them to come and see me and feel relieved, rather than feel stressed, because there was enough stress all around us.' Barry McGuigan. Pic: James Gourley/REX/Shutterstock Many sportspeople over the years have converted a similar ability to unify into political careers. Was he ever tempted – or even approached? 'I studiously avoided politics,' Barry says. 'I'm a Catholic married to a Protestant. I broke over the religious divide and I wanted to stay away from all of that. 'There were enough politicians and enough opinions. It was a cantankerous and a nasty time and I didn't want to get involved in that. If anything, I wanted to try to put a calmness on things. They all loved their boxing and boxing is united maybe more so than any other sport, so I wanted to keep that going. 'Barney Eastwood [McGuigan's promoter] and I fell out at the end of my career, but he was a great man, and he was very good at how to balance the people, because he'd spent a lot more time than I had in that sort of fraught situation. 'We wanted to create harmony, and the one thing they had in common, all these people, was that they wanted to see me get to the top. So that was a very special time.' STRICT EMBARGO – NOT FOR USE BEFORE 22:30 GMT, 18 Nov 2024 – EDITORIAL USE ONLY Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/REX/Shutterstock (14919198av) Beangate – Barry McGuigan 'I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!' TV show, Series 24, Australia – 18 Nov 2024 Many years ago, Barry and his family moved to Whistable on the north Kent coast, 100km from London. He has three sons, Shane, Jake and Blain, and seven grandchildren, whose names he proudly rattles off – Tadhg, Orla, Art, Leah ('who's the only one who does't have an Irish name,' he smiles), Caelan, Finlay and Cashel. 'They all love their names because they're among the most exotic Irish names,' Barry says. 'It's important to let them know where we come from.' So, does anyone ever call Barry by his birth name, Finbar? 'My mum does when she's annoyed with me,' he laughs. 'My wife does when we're out shopping and she doesn't want anyone to recognise us.' He and Sandra are pillars of support for each other, before and after Nika's death. 'You deal with the circumstances that you exist in, and we don't try to shy away from anything,' Barry says. He was dealt another blow last month, when his dear friend Eddie Jordan died. Eddie Jordan celebrates receiving an OBE in 2012. Pic: Dave'I rang his wife Marie,' he says. 'I wasn't sure if they were in Monaco or South Africa when he died. Eddie lived ten lives in his 76 years – he was incredibly busy and he loved to have fun, always the life and soul of the party. 'He was a very kind and extremely generous man, and they're a lovely family. We spent loads of time with them, and Sandra and Marie were very, very close as well.' The couple have a holiday apartment near Port de Pollença in Mallorca, though he admits that getting there can be an issue. 'I spent my life travelling, so if there's anything I regret it's that I didn't have enough time with my kids,' Barry says. 'If I could have magicked something up and got to these places without having to spend time in airports, it would have been great. We might get out there every three or four years, and we rent it out the rest of the time.' So, what about I'm A Celeb – how was that? Has he put the weight back on? 'I lost 16lbs,' he says, 'but yes, I have.' He agreed to do the show for a reason you might not have expected from someone so engaging. 'You constantly think, 'am I actually a f***ing bore?'' he candidly states. 'You live such a solipsistic life as a boxer. It's all in a bubble. 'You can't use other team members, and I thought I'd better get on and make sure I can still communicate with people. 'I knew I was going to be under pressure, and be lacking in food – that was the thing I I really underestimated. I don't drink, I don't smoke. I've never touched it, ever, so the thing I love is food. Bearing in mind, as a fighter, you've got to really be disciplined to get your weight down, so my lifelong issue has been with watching food. 'I thought that should be OK, but it was different, because as a fighter, you can still eat and then you train it off. In the jungle, you were left with beans and rice, and it was like, oh my god, please give me something that tastes good!' That won't be a problem at the lunch in his honour. It's unlikely that any of the courses will consist of just beans and rice.
Irish Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Books in brief: Hermit; Flower; Spring is the only Season
Hermit by Chris McQueer (Wildfire, £18.99) Following up his short story collections HWFG and Hings, Chris McQueer's debut novel Hermit charts teenage Jamie's descent into incel subculture. While McQueer brings a distinct, compassionate style to the narrative, the novel struggles to fully engage with the complexity of online radicalisation. By presenting Jamie as a largely innocent protagonist, pulled into inceldom almost by accident, the story risks flattening the more insidious dynamics of toxic online communities. Despite moments of tender insight, the novel's approach occasionally sidesteps the deeper, more uncomfortable truths about how hatred festers and spreads. McQueer offers a nuanced portrait of isolation, but ultimately pulls his punches when confronting the novel's central darkness: so many of the 'incels' you hear about on the news do not get a happy ending. Liz MacBride Flower by Ed Atkins (Fitzcarraldo, £12.99) The first thing you wonder after finishing Flower by the British artist Ed Atkins is whether it was written by a robot. The sequel to A Primer for Cadavers (2015) and Old Food (2019), this self-described 'anti-memoir' proceeds like ChatGPT malfunctioning. 'In speech my sentences will taper to wordless implore,' reads one word salad. All, however, is not what it seems: published to coincide with his retrospective at Tate Britain, Flower is an extension of Atkins's art, playing with artifice and authenticity. Here, two 'Ed Atkins' emerge: a 'real' one, who's grieving his father; and a 'fake', who claims to be 'cyborg'. Thus, in this satire on literature in the age of AI , the reader is given a glimpse of a future where some authors use software to write, while other writers don't even exist. Huw Nesbitt READ MORE [ Books in brief: William Alister Macdonald; A Visit from the Banshee; Waste Wars; The Carrion Crow; Vietdamned; Assembling Opens in new window ] Spring is the Only Season by Simon Barnes (Bloomsbury, £18.99) Simon Barnes 's career as a sportswriter gives him a unique edge as a wildlife writer – the winner-takes-all, high stakes energy of sport is remarkably similar to that of the natural world. This book illustrates aspects of spring in 23½ chapters, reflecting the degree change that transforms the seasonal countries of the northern hemisphere when winter's chill gives way to spring's glorious riot of birth and growth. It is a wonderfully entertaining discussion of the influence that plants and creatures of all stripes have had on art, literature, mythology and music for centuries. Barnes also considers the frighteningly serious impact of humans on the natural world and the changes he has noticed in his own lifetime. A real treasure of a book. Claire Looby
