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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Heard Jurassic World Dominion Was Bad, But I Would Watch It Over Any Other Jurassic Sequel
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. SPOILER WARNING: The following article gives away, just about, the entire plot of Jurassic World Dominion. If you have not yet seen the 2022 Jurassic Park movie, act like Owen Grady holding up his hand to magically neutralize a dinosaur, and proceed with caution as you read on. With Jurassic World Rebirth hitting theaters soon, I figured it was about time that I do something I had been reluctant to do: catch up with the full franchise and watch Jurassic World Dominion. Considering the beastly reviews from critics and audiences, I was braving the worst, but, to my surprise, I thought it was far from it. To be clear, I would not call Colin Trevorrow's sequel a good movie. I think it suffers from a pitifully lazy script, sleepy acting, and throwing out the previous film's setup for a dinosaur-ridden dystopia in favor of, echoing Eric Eisenberg's Jurassic World Dominion review, two bland, disparate plotlines that have little to do with, ya know, dinosaurs. However, I do not at all regret watching it and would choose to watch it again over most sequels to Steven Spielberg's 1993 classic, which I realize may come as a shock to many Jurassic fans. Well, allow me to explain… In previous articles of mine, such as my reaction to the recent sci-fi thriller Companion, I have made it clear that I am a staunch technophobe who fears how dangerously technology's advancement could, or already has, affected our society. However, there is one fear of mine that I have been a bit less vocal about in my writing until now: bugs, especially ones of unusual size. So, you might be able to imagine how I felt when the genetically engineered locusts appeared on the screen. Now, I will agree with the widely shared opinion that a Jurassic Park movie focusing its plot on a non-reptilian prehistoric creature is a mistake, but said creatures did manage to get my adrenaline going faster than any of the dinosaurs that appear in Jurassic World Dominion. That being said… Whenever a dinosaur would appear on screen in Dominion, I found it nothing short of impressive. The special effects, boasting the classic blend of practical animatronics with some of the best CGI Hollywood has to offer, were so convincing, I am surprised there was not more praise about that aspect, at least. Aside from their visual effects, I felt that the action sequences involving dinosaurs are genuinely some of the best that the franchise has ever seen. I recall, in particular, being thoroughly riveted by a scene taking place in Malta, when Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) is chased on a motorcycle through the city by Atrociraptors. I had to stop and think to myself, Wow, I am actually having fun with this movie, and it did not stop there. Some have said the extended edition of Jurassic World Dominion is better than the theatrical version, but you can get both on a Blu-ray and 4K UHD set from Amazon for nearly half off the regular price!View Deal The one reason I had to be somewhat optimistic about finally watching Dominion was the one aspect that I had heard positive rumblings about: DeWanda Wise as Kayla Watts. I could not agree more with my colleague Sarah El-Mahmoud that the daredevil pilot is the best character from the Jurassic World trilogy for her bravery and quick wit, and for just being a badass. If there are any downsides to Kayla, I would say that she makes most of the other newer characters (including Mamoudou Athie's Ramsay Cole and even Pratt's Grady) look weaker than I already believed they were, and that she should have been introduced to the franchise earlier. With all due respect to Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali, a part of me wishes that she were the focus of the upcoming 2025 movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, instead. Despite my harsh words about the newer Jurassic characters, I have to admit that I really enjoyed seeing them finally interact with Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum). In fact, I don't think I was ever amused by the OG heroes' return until that moment, as the parameters of their reunion and the moments the trio shared never felt particularly natural. And don't get me started about the random callbacks to the first film, like Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott) somehow possessing the fake Barbasol canister and displaying it in his office. What?! Anyway, I can't say that 'natural' is a word I would use to describe Grant, Sattler, and Malcolm's meeting with Grady, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), and others in the final act either. The events that lead them to each other are far too convenient (like many other aspects of the plot), and much of their dialogue feels egregiously forced. Yet, there was something about seeing them all gathered together and relying on one another to survive against the prehistoric wildlife that left me wishing the movie had dedicated more time to bringing them together. Of course, any Jurassic Park fan knows that the real draw of this franchise is not the meat, but the meat-eaters, and the one who rules them all is the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Any return by that big behemoth in these movies, no matter how convoluted the reasoning may be, is warmly welcomed by me, and its appearance in Dominion was no exception, especially since it was not alone. I actually really dug how the T-Rex was treated as a hero, Godzilla style, in the film's final act, when it teams up with a Therizinosaurus to bring down the Giganotosaurus. Watching the T-Rex throw the Giganotosaurus onto the Therizinosaurus' claws, fatally impaling it, made for a more satisfying final battle than the Indominus Rex showdown in 2015's Jurassic World, if you ask me. I don't see a future in which I ever boot up my Peacock subscription to watch Jurassic World Dominion again, unless I get curious and decide to check out the extended edition, which I hear is an improvement. Yet, I can't say I feel that I wasted my morning watching it the other day, which is something I can't say about most of the follow-ups to the original '90s movie classic, and that calls for a modest roar of applause in my book.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists discover rare planet at the edge of the Milky Way using space-time phenomenon predicted by Einstein
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astronomers have used a space-time phenomenon first predicted by Albert Einstein to discover a rare planet hiding at the edge of our galaxy. The exoplanet, dubbed AT2021uey b, is a Jupiter-size gas giant located roughly 3,200 light-years from Earth. Orbiting a small, cool M dwarf star once every 4,170 days, the planet's location is remarkable — it is only the third planet in the entire history of space observation to be discovered so far away from our galaxy's dense center. Yet perhaps more exceptional than the planet's location is the method used to discover it. The effect, known as microlensing, occurs when the light of a host star is magnified by the warping of space-time due to a planet's gravity. The researchers published their findings May 7 in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "This kind of work requires a lot of expertise, patience, and, frankly, a bit of luck," study co-author Marius Maskoliūnas, an astronomer at Vilnius University in Lithuania, said in a statement. "You have to wait for a long time for the source star and the lensing object to align and then check an enormous amount of data. Ninety percent of observed stars pulsate for various other reasons, and only a minority of cases show the microlensing effect." Nearly 6,000 alien worlds beyond our solar system have been discovered since the first exoplanet was detected in 1992. The two most common detection methods, called transmit photometry and radial velocity, detect planets through the dimming of host stars as they pass in front of them, or from the wobble that the planets' gravitational tugs impart upon them. A rarer method, known as microlensing, is derived from Einstein's theory of general relativity and is produced by massive objects as they warp the fabric of the universe, called space-time. Gravity, Einstein discovered, isn't produced by an unseen force but by space-time curving and distorting in the presence of matter and energy. Related: James Webb telescope discovers its first planet — a Saturn-size 'shepherd' still glowing red hot from its formation This curved space, in turn, determines how energy and matter move through it. Even though light travels in a straight line, light traveling through a curved region of space-time also travels in a curve. This means that when a planet passes in front of its host star, its gravity acts as a lens — magnifying the star's light and causing its brightness to spike. "What fascinates me about this method is that it can detect those invisible bodies," Maskoliūnas said, essentially by measuring the bodies' shadows. "Imagine a bird flying past you. You don't see the bird itself and don't know what color it is — only its shadow. But from it, you can, with some level of probability, determine whether it was a sparrow or a swan and at what distance from us. It's an incredibly intriguing process." RELATED STORIES —James Webb telescope zooms in on bizarre 'Einstein ring' caused by bending of the universe —James Webb telescope uncovers 1st-ever 'Einstein zig-zag' hiding in plain sight — and it could help save cosmology —Stunning 'Einstein engagement ring' from the early universe is one of the oldest ever discovered AT2021uey b's cosmic shadow was first spotted in 2021 in data taken by the European Space Agency's Gaia telescope, revealing its presence by a momentary spike in the brightness of its host star. The astronomers then took detailed follow-up observations using Vilnius's Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, from which they calculated its source as a planet 1.3 times the mass of Jupiter. Its host star burns at about half the temperature of our own, and the gas giant sits four times farther than Earth's distance from the sun. According to the researchers, the planet's discovery so far from the Milky Way's central bulge, in a region that is comparatively sparse in heavier elements needed to form planets, offers a fresh hint of the unlikely places where planets can be found. "When the first planet around a sun-like star was discovered, there was a great surprise that this Jupiter-type planet was so close to its star," Edita Stonkutė, another Vilnius University astronomer and leader of the microlensing project that found the planet, said in the statement. "As data accumulated, we learned that many types of planetary systems are completely unlike ours — the solar system. We've had to rethink planetary formation models more than once."
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
iPadOS 26 just made the iPad a true Mac replacement
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Apple's WWDC 2025 event is a chance to get a sneak peek at what's coming to its products later in the year, both new and current in the form of software updates. It's also often a hint to what we might see product-wise and shows the direction the company is going. No more so than with the upcoming iPadOS 26. Now adopting a unified number relevant to the year (instead of what would have been iOS 19), all of Apple's devices will run a '26 version in 2026. That goes across the iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro, Apple Watch and Mac – though the MacOS also gets a new name of Tahoe. iPadOS has previously aligned itself closer to the iPhone OS than anything else. However, in recent years as the iPad has become faster and more frequently used with a keyboard, it has developed more Mac-like features. The iPad Air and iPad Pro devices now run Apple silicon chips (M3 and M4), making them as powerful as MacBooks. This has allowed you to use them for serious video and audio editing, illustration and gaming with ease. However, for general use, it has never been as easy to operate as a Mac – at least with a keyboard and mouse. Changes this year might seem relatively small on the surface. The iPad already has a task bar and using Stage Manager, the ability to have multiple windows open at once. Now, though, in iPadOS 26, on top of the new liquid glass design language, it features a new windows system, allowing you to resize and place windows anywhere, or even tile multiple windows on your screen. This works in much the same way as windows do in MacOS, with the three coloured dots in the top left of each window, to close, minimise or resize, plus the ability to drag the bottom right corner of the window too. You can run background tasks when you switch to a new window, which hadn't been the case before, and it now features the Preview app. Preview is easily one of the most useful tools on the Mac for previewing images and PDF, as well as editing, resaving and signing documents. iPad OS 26 also gets an open with command and the enhanced Files app, allowing you to colour-code folders, add emojis to them, and even drag them to the dock for easy access. Something that Mac users will be used to. While I still love to use the iPad as a handheld touchscreen device, I more regularly use it with a keyboard these days, so these features feel really helpful. I think with these additions, it will make using the iPad instead of a Mac even more achievable. I've always liked the idea of the iPad offering two modes – one for simple touchscreen operation, and another for more Mac-like operation. With this update, that dream feels almost realised. The choice between an iPad Air, iPad Pro, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro becomes much tougher. I do wonder how much longer it will be before we see a MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, especially if macOS can adopt some features from iPadOS. In the meantime, we could see a foldable iPad that bridges that gap even more. For me, though, 2026 is definitely the year of the iPad.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
I've skipped several iPad generations, but this iPad Pro M5 feature could be what I'm waiting for
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Quick Summary Apple could switch the display tech for future iPad Pro devices, introducing processes to allow for slimmer bezels and potentially smaller tablets. It's not known whether this will be in time for the iPad Pro M5 or if we'll have to wait a bit longer. Apple is considering a display technology that could give future iPad Pro models slimmer bezels, and therefore more screen real estate without increasing their physical size. Alternatively, it could even see its best iPads shrink to be lighter and more manageable, while retaining the same display size. It is reported (by The Elec via MacRumors) that the company could switch the display drivers for its iPad Pro OLED panels from Samsung's to those manufactured by LX Semicon. It would also then adopt LG Innotek's CoF technology, too. This latter tech enables display driver hardware to be attached to panels using heat compression on flexible film. This is how signals can be sent to the OLED panel to drive individual pixels. It is also a process that allows for the edges of the panel to run tighter to the enclosure – thereby potentially reducing bezel sizes. Apple has already made significant strides in reducing the frame around the screen in recent times, it also jumped to OLED for its current model – the iPad Pro M4 – which improved already excellent picture performance to another level. There's also the option for nano texture glass on spec'ed up models, to reduce glare and create a more paper-like feel. However, it's the shrinking of the bezels that attracts me most to a possible future purchase. Having owned an 11-inch M2 iPad Pro since its launch in 2022, I've not had the inclination nor need for a replacement. However, it's fairly heavy, and I'd happily swap it in for something lighter and a touch smaller. Alternatively, I'm all up for a larger screen with no physical trade-off. Especially considering the new MacBook-like features coming with iPadOS 26. The only issue is whether Apple will sign a new display supply deal before the iPad Pro M5 is due in stores. It might just be I'll have to wait a bit longer. Ah well, I'm a patient chap.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'I Don't Want To Sound Woo Woo': Ted Lasso's Brett Goldstein Drops An F-Bomb While Explaining Why He Warmed Up To The Idea Of Making Season 4
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. About two years after Ted Lasso's Season 3 finale and the presumed ending of the Apple TV+ comedy, it was announced that the series will indeed be returning. It's unknown when, and we don't know who will be part of it yet, but the fact that Season 4 is actually happening is cause for celebration. For a while, it was hard to tell if another season was possible, but luckily, fans won't have to wonder any longer. Now, Roy Kent himself, Brett Goldstein, is revealing why he eventually warmed up to doing another season, and his explanation obviously included an f-bomb. Not only is Goldstein part of the Ted Lasso cast as Roy Kent, but he is also a writer on the show. So he's part of the team that's making decisions about where this next story will go. Now, while talking about Season 4 of Ted Lasso on Vulture's Good One podcast with Jesse David Fox, the Emmy winner opened up about why he warmed up to the idea of returning to Richmond, saying: I think it's to do with the people and the characters and the actors. You have this plan, but then this world starts to build in front of you, and you fall in love with things you didn't know you'd fall in love with. I don't want to sound woo woo, but I do mean this. You still have to stay open to the signs. You always have a plan, but the plan will change because someone is different and what everyone brings. So yes, we've stuck to that plan, but there's so many new, wonderful things within it, that it's like, 'Oh, we could [do more]. I think, I don't know, do you want to hang out in that world anymore? And if so, it's only worth doing if you're going to do it as well [as you've done] if not better.' For a while, it was assumed that Season 3 of Ted Lasso was it, but even though some stories were wrapped up, it was clear that the door wasn't fully closed, and there was potential for a fourth installment or spinoffs. Not only was there still interest within the cast, but fans probably kept their hopes up, too, that something would happen, no matter how much time had passed. Now, even though not much has been shared about what exactly Ted Lasso Season 4 will consist of, it's clear that there are some exciting ideas churning, and Goldstein dropped an appropriate f-bomb while explaining it: When the idea is there, if you remain open to it and the idea comes, you're like, 'Oh! That's a good one.' But then you're like, 'Fuck! Maybe there is more.' Apple TV Plus: 7-Day Free TrialBELIEVE it, people, you can get Apple TV+ for one week for free, which gives you enough time to binge the first three seasons of Ted Lasso. Then, make sure to keep it around for $9.99 per month so you can watch Season 4 whenever it comes out. View Deal When previously asked about returning for Ted Lasso Season 4, Goldstein used an analogy about a dead cat coming back to life, and it was weirdly fitting. You have to move on, but you still hope and pray that somehow it gets brought back to life because a part of you knows this shouldn't be the end. In the case of the cat, it wasn't dead. And in the case of Ted Lasso, even after saying goodbye, they still returned for another round. Now, the wait for Season 4 could be a long one, but fans have already been waiting for almost two years for news on a fourth season. So, waiting a little bit longer for it to actually come out shouldn't be too painful. Additionally, more news about the new season is expected to be released as they continue developing it, so hopefully, we'll learn more about the cast and the plot sooner rather than later. Ted Lasso continues to be one of the best shows on Apple TV+, so it's not surprising that it's finally coming back. It's unknown when it will eventually return, but for now, fans can watch the first three seasons with an Apple TV+ subscription.
