Latest news with #scifi
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NEWS OF THE WEEK: Severance leads 2025 Emmy nominations
The sci-fi workplace drama scored 27 nominations this year, including Outstanding Drama Series and various acting categories for Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro and Zach Cherry. It was followed closely by The Batman TV spin-off, The Penguin, with 24, including Outstanding Drama Series and recognition for lead actors Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti, among others. Seth Rogen's Hollywood industry satire, The Studio, and The White Lotus, came close behind with 23. Several stars made history with the nominations.
CNET
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
This Dark and Atmospheric '90s Flick Is a Sci-Fi Classic, and It's Streaming Free on Tubi
The '90s were the heyday of techno-noir movies, flicks that combine the cynical atmosphere and jaded perspectives of film noir with the dystopian settings and altered reality of science fiction. Though movies like The Matrix may have exploded the popularity of the genre, there were also films that didn't get the attention they deserved on release. One of my overlooked favorites is Dark City, a mind-bending techno-noir thriller that explores the idea of identity against the backdrop of a city swathed in darkness. Released in 1998, the underrated gem preceded The Matrix by a year, and it's streaming for free on Tubi right now. Watch on Tubi I've been a fan of techno-noir vibes since my first time watching Blade Runner, and the '90s delivered a spate of excellent options that let me feast my eyes on beautiful sets, amazing stories and worlds that felt real and gritty in the best of ways. Dark City delivers a futuristic city swathed in shadows, with vibes from the 1950s like automats, or the costume design, and it's a style I can't get enough of. A man wakes up in a bathtub with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Almost immediately, things go off the rails. There's a dead woman in the next room, a cryptic phone call telling our unknown protagonist to get out of there, and a mystery that begins to unfold in the dark streets of the city. John Murdoch figures out who he is slowly through a series of clues, like his name in a ledger at the motel and his briefcase. As he tries to figure out what happened, he's beset on two sides. Police Inspector Frank Bumstead is trying to unravel a case of dead prostitutes that's leading him toward John. And then there are the mysterious "strangers." The strangers Jasin Boland/New Line Cinema Tall, pale men who seemingly have the ability to change reality via "tuning." John is cornered by these strangers, but in a moment of desperation manages to alter reality and escape their clutches. Soon after, the clock strikes midnight, and John watches as every person in the city falls asleep, and the strangers use their mysterious abilities to change the architecture of the city itself. As John tries to recover his memories, he remembers he is from a small town outside the city called Shell Beach. However, any attempts to reach it end in failure. At this point, John is apprehended by the inspector, who believes him when he explains that something strange is going on in the city and uses his ability to tune to prove it. The atmosphere, set design, and overall cinematography in Dark City make every frame worth noticing. The 100-minute length is infused with mystery, drama and more questions than answers. The strangers stalk John and the inspector, a local doctor who has information about the strangers and where they came from, and the city continues to change and trap everyone within its alleys. I won't spoil the third act for you when you find out what the strangers are really after, and the methods they employ to find answers. When John begins to unravel the mystery he woke up inside of, things go from weird to truly out there. The murders, the amnesia and the city are all linked by the strangers, and once you find out what happened, there is no going back. Dark City reached cult classic status with good reason. While it might not have been a box office hit, it's still an amazing watch 27 years later. It's one of those sci-fi movies that gets me every time, and the cast delivers a top-notch performance. Sream it for free on Tubi, and discover the mystery for yourself.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Netflix uses generative AI in one of its shows for first time
Netflix has confirmed its first use of generative AI in a production, the Argentinian sci-fi series The Eternaut, to create visual effects. Co-chief executive Ted Sarandos stated that AI was used to depict a building collapse, completing the visual effect ten times faster than traditional methods. Sarandos highlighted that AI enables creators to make films and series better and more affordably, allowing small-budget shows to achieve convincing effects that would otherwise be unfeasible. He also sought to allay fears about AI replacing industry roles, emphasising its benefits in production, pre-visualisation, shot planning, and visual effects. The use of AI in film and TV has been a significant topic of debate, notably during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, which secured protections for actors regarding AI technology.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Netflix says it used GenAI in Argentine TV series
Martin Oesterheld holds an English version of sci-fi comic, "The Eternaut," written by his grandfather Hector Oesterheld, during an interview in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) LOS ANGELES -- Netflix said on Thursday that it used generative artificial intelligence to produce visual effects that appeared for the first time on screen in one of its original series, employing a technology that has been a source of anxiety throughout Hollywood. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos hailed AI as 'an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper.' Sarandos offered the example of Argentine science-fiction series 'El Eternauta (The Eternaut),' where the creators wanted to show a building collapsing in Buenos Aires -- a visual effect that would have been beyond the project's budget. The creative team partnered with Eyeline Studios, a production innovation group within Netflix, to make the dramatic scene with the aid of AI. 'That VFX sequence was completed 10 times faster than it could have been completed with visual traditional VFX tools and workflows,' Sarandos said during the company's second-quarter investor call. 'And also the cost of it would just wouldn't have been feasible for a show in that budget.' Sarandos said the sequence is the first GenAI final footage to appear on screen in a Netflix original series or film. AI has become a flashpoint in Hollywood since the labour unrest of 2023, which resulted in new guidelines for the use of the technology. The main concern is that AI could replace the work of humans. Co-CEO Greg Peters said Netflix may find other ways to leverage generative AI to improve the user experience -- including offering viewers the ability to use spoken words to find something to watch. 'Saying 'I want to watch a film from the '80s that's a dark psychological thriller,' (and getting) some results back ... you just couldn't have done in our previous experiences,' said Peters. 'So that's super-exciting.' Advertising represents another opportunity for generative AI, Peters said, as brands and marketers seek to create compelling content. 'We think these generative techniques can decrease that hurdle iteratively over time and enable us to do that in more and more spots,' said Peters. By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Tron: Ares' Trailer: Jared Leto Is an AI Villain in Latest Installment of the Iconic Jeff Bridges Franchise
Jared Leto is continuing being a franchise baddie. After starring as antihero Morbius in the MCU, plus playing the controversial WeWork founder, the actor is now joining the 'Tron' digital universe as the titular villain of 'Tron: Ares.' Joachim Rønning ('The Young Woman and the Sea') directs the third franchise film, which is written by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne ('Adolescence'). Original lead Jeff Bridges returns, with Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Greta Lee, Arturo Castro, Hasan Minhaj, Cameron Monaghan, and Gillian Anderson co-starring. The official synopsis reads: ''Tron: Ares' follows a highly sophisticated program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind's first encounter with AI beings.' More from IndieWire Neon Wants to Pay for Your Wedding with 'Together' Contest Fred Hechinger and Sebiye Behtiyar Are a Vet and an Immigrant in Love in 'Minding the Gap' Director Bing Liu's 'Preparation for the Next Life' - First Look The sci-fi franchise began in 1982 with Bridges playing a video game programmer who becomes trapped in the digital world. The sequel 'Tron: Legacy' was released in 2010 with Garret Hedlund playing Bridges' onscreen son; Joseph Kosinski directed. For the third film, director Rønning told Empire that he views the process of making 'Tron: Ares' as the 'the Holy Grail of computer graphics,' especially with the famed Grid becoming even more paramount to the plot. Rønning added that 'Tron: Ares' will 'elevate' the world and take it 'to the next level,' especially due to the motion-controlled camera movements on The Grid. Rønning said he worked to have the camera shots designed as though the lens was being operated by machine. 'The concept was that a program is filming a program,' the 'Young Woman and the Sea' and 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' director said. 'So it's shot by a robot.' Original 'Tron' creator Steven Lisberger added to Empire that the franchise is all about pushing tech to the next level. 'Something comes out, and it's too avant-garde at the time. And then the real world catches up with it,' Lisberger said. '[The Grid in 'Tron'] has become a symbol of our riding this technology that is going faster than we ever imagined. We've integrated into it, and the speed of it is mind-boggling. And in 'Ares,' it's a metaphor for the fact that this technology is moving through every part of our reality.' 'Tron: Ares' has a score by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The Grammy-winning band dropped the soundtrack album's first single, 'As Alive As You Need Me To Be,' with the trailer. This is the first official music from the band in five years. (They recently have scored Luca Guadagnino's 'Challengers,' 'Queer,' and 'After The Hunt'). The 'Tron: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)' will be released on September 19 via Interscope Records. 'Tron: Ares' is produced by Leto, Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Emma Ludbrook, and Steven Lisberger, with Russell Allen serving as executive producer. Disney will release 'Tron: Ares' in theaters October 10. Check out the trailer below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
