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Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Feathered raptors and swimming spinosaurs: Hollywood is catching up with dinosaur reality
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT 'Jurassic World Rebirth' is not a particularly good movie. As Globe film critic Odie Henderson But while they may not be revolutionary filmmaking compared to the original 'Jurassic Park,' the new movies are evolutionary in portraying some of their prehistoric cast with greater scientific accuracy. It's part of a recent resurgence of depictions in documentaries, museums, and more that are collectively updating dinosaurs' popular image to better align with the latest fossil evidence — while still leaving room for Hollywood license. 'We're easily in what I would call another dinosaur media renaissance,' said Kiersten Formoso, a Rutgers University paleontologist who consulted for one recent documentary, the Apple TV+ series ' Advertisement 32 years in the making When 'Jurassic Park' premiered in 1993, its portrayal of dinosaurs as active, fast-moving, and social animals redefined them in the public imagination. But with new discoveries, other depictions have aged poorly. T. rex, for example, probably had lips to hide its banana-size fangs and didn't sound anything like the films' iconic roar, instead emitting low rumbles or hisses. The raptors? They were fully feathered, looking more like giant deadly birds than scaly monsters. Advertisement The latest sequels have revised some of the older films' more dated depictions. Take Spinosaurus, the sail-backed villain of the third movie who chased the protagonists around a tropical island. In the latest film, it's portrayed more accurately as a lithe, crocodilian swimmer with a paddle-like tail, short legs, and webbed feet that spent most of its time in water. The series has also The later films have also introduced newly discovered species like Dreadnoughtus, a long-necked plant eater whose fossilized remains one of Gold's friends helped unearth. 'It's not even just witnessing our general field being brought to life,' she said. 'It's my colleagues specifically, across the field, who get to see their own discoveries brought to life.' A prop for Dolores the Aquilops, a dinosaur species that made its cinematic debut in "Jurassic World Rebirth." Jamie McCarthy/Getty Other reimagined dinos can be found in documentaries, like an updated version of the BBC's ' Still evolving Most dinosaur media, though, still pits scientific fidelity against entertainment value. 'I think the newer movies are trying, sometimes successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully, to thread the needle,' Gold, the Suffolk paleontologist, said of the 'Jurassic' films. The results can be mixed. The latest movie's mosasaur — a giant seagoing lizard — looks and acts more like a whale, said Formoso. But the films have accurately depicted its fluked tail, lighter-colored belly, and extra set of teeth. Still, most of the raptors remain featherless. The T. rexes still roar, a bit of cinematic exaggeration that Gold can forgive (it's her ringtone). Advertisement The pace of discovery has also challenged museums, whose murals, placards, and life-size dinosaur models are harder to update. 'Depictions like that, they're out of date the day that they open,' said Mike Horvath, director of exhibits at the Boston Museum of Science. The museum plans to revamp Yet even extinct depictions can spark interest. Outside the Museum of Science is The relationship between science and popular depictions can also be symbiotic. Gold is on the board of Advertisement 🧩 5 Down: 80° POINTS OF INTEREST Players circle up at the end of a practice for the New England Junior Roller Derby League at Roller World in Saugus, Mass. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Roll on: At this roller derby bootcamp in Saugus, every kid — no matter their background, body type, or skill level — can lace up Preempted care: Newport Hospital, owned by Rhode Island's largest health system, ICE: Agents used information from a pro-Israel website Prisoner reentry: Josh Kraft, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's main challenger, unveiled a plan to find housing, jobs, and mental health support. Harvard: The university took down websites Watch out: A venomous snake, believed to be a rare copperhead, Whistleblower: A fired former Justice Department lawyer says Trump officials pressed subordinates to mislead judges. The administration denies it. ( Church and state: The IRS is letting churches formally endorse political candidates without risking their tax-exempt status. 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( 🏊♂️ Easy strokes: The Charles River Conservancy's 8th annual City Splash at the Esplanade Saturday is a controlled swim to show that the river is getting cleaner and could be open to unfettered swimming some day soon. ( 💘 Blind date: He likes to run and play sports; she likes to run and cook. 🦸🏻♂️ Super letter: The 'S' on Superman's chest looks a bit different in the latest film being released today. That logo has changed 12 times since 1938, and its symbolism has switched as well. ( Advertisement 📺 Streaming: Speaking of films, there's a hit thriller, and 'Jaws' documentary, and more movies and TV shows to 🎾 'Tenez!' Whether you're part of the recent resurgence of tennis or are watching the Wimbledon finals this weekend, you may wonder how the sport started. Apparently, we can thank the French. ( Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? 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Boston Globe
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
The Oscars begin soon. Follow along for live updates.
pinned Read more from the 2025 Oscars: .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied Photos: See all the stars hit the Oscars red carpet Everything you need to know about tonight's ceremony — 5:00 p.m. Conan O'Brien hosts the 2025 Oscars. Disney/Andrew Eccles/Disney By Matt Juul, Globe Staff The most anticipated night of awards season arrives on Sunday as the Oscars return to Hollywood's Dolby Theatre. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has already rolled out the red carpet for the 97th Academy Awards, with this year's ceremony promising to be another star-studded affair. From how to watch to who's presenting, here's everything you need to know about the 2025 Oscars. Who will win, who should win, and who shouldn't be here — 4:50 p.m. By Odie Henderson, Globe Staff Will 'Conclave' get the vote? Will Timothée Chalamet score? Is Demi Moore finally due? Our film critic casts his bets. Oscar nominees with New England ties — 4:45 p.m. Still from 'Anuja,' a nominee for the 2025 Academy Award for best short film, live action. ShortsTV By Matt Juul, Globe Staff From a musical biopic to a vampire horror flick, here are all the films and stars with connections to Boston, the Bay State, or the wider New England region that are nominated at the 97th Academy Awards. What our film critic thought about each best picture nominee — 4:30 p.m. By Globe Staff Globe film critic Odie Henderson reviewed every movie nominated for best picture at the 2025 Oscars. Catch up on his reviews. Oscar nomination snubs and surprises, according to our critic — 4:15 p.m. By Odie Henderson, Globe Staff Unlike the suspenseful race for pope that powered best picture nominee 'Conclave,' this year's choices are mostly unsurprising, writes Odie Henderson. See the full list of nominees — 4:00 p.m. Karla Sofía Gascón, right, and Zoe Saldaña in a scene from "Emilia Pérez." Shanna Besson/Associated Press By Matt Juul, Globe Staff Leading the 2025 crop of nominees is the Spanish-language musical Advertisement Matt Juul can be reached at
