Book Recommendations Science Fiction Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor but not before theyve found their way into science fiction! By James Davis Nicoll | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Credit: NASA Comment 41 Share New Share Credit: NASA The history of science is filled with beautiful hypotheses slain by ugly facts. The tendency of the universe to disregard the professional needs of hard-working scientists is something about which little can be done1. In fact‚ disproof is a vital and necessary element for scientific progress‚ no matter how vexing it must have been to Thomas Gold2. However‚ in that interval between hypothesis and disproof‚ a sufficiently enticing model can inspire intriguing science fiction stories.Dont believe me? Here are five science fiction works based on since-discredited science.PolywaterRussian scientists suggested that under certain conditions‚ water could be polymerized. Subsequent experimentation revealed that under certain conditions‚ water could be contaminated‚ and the results wildly misinterpreted by Russian scientists.In the context of the Cold War‚ the possibility that Russia had access to a novel form of water was sufficient to spark fears about a polywater gap. This may have helped inspire Wilson Tuckers decision to incorporate polywater as a key component to the time machine that plays a central role in Tuckers The Year of the Quiet Sun(1970)‚ in which a politically‚ militarily‚ and racially torn America attempts to secure its destiny by dispatching time travelers to map out the near future. Can America be saved with foreknowledge of its unalterable timeline? The answer not only won a Campbell Memorial Award‚ but the book also won the award in a year other than that in which The Year of the Quiet Sun was published. Time travel!Memory RNAJames V. McConnell and others believed they had evidence suggesting that memories could be transferred via RNA from one planarian to another. Attempts to reproduce McConnells results failed and the model fell out of favor‚ as models without support do.Chemically-transferred memory is a wonderful plot enabler. Thus‚ it was no surprise to see memory RNA appear over and over. Take for example‚ Larry Nivens A World Out of Time (1976)‚ in which the memories of a dead 20th-century American‚ Jerome Branch Corbell‚ are transferred into the body of a condemned man. The state that rules the Earth of tomorrow requires a specific mindset for its interstellar starships‚ which the late Corbell appeared to possess. The states assessment is incorrect‚ as the state realizes once Corbell hijacks his spacecraft for a tour of the distant future.In fact‚ A World Out of Time features a number of intriguing but wrong ideas‚ one of which isBussard RamjetsPhysicist Robert W. Bussards 1960 proposal transformed major challenge to relativistic star flight into an asset. He theorized that the thin interstellar medium of hydrogen through which starships would plow could be used as fuel. One could use magnetic fields to divert the hydrogen into a fusion rocket and thus obtain endless fuel and reaction mass. Star farers would not have to worry about being bombarded with relativistic particles and at one gravity forever‚ the whole galaxy was within reach3!Too bad that the math does not work and Bussard ramjets‚ if built‚ could work far better as brakes than as propulsion systems.Bussard ramjets were wonderful plot enablers for relativity-curious SF authors‚ so it was no surprise that ramjets showed up in numerous SF works. Take for example‚ Lee Killoughs SF procedural The Doppelgnger Gambit (1979)‚ whose plot is kicked off when conniving Jorge Hazlett bilks would-be space colonists by selling them a subpar Bussard Ramjet‚ with lethal results. Rather than face justice for negligent homicide‚ Hazlett decides to kill his way to safety with premeditated murder. Of course‚ it is so hard to stop with just one murder‚ even in a panopticon state.Quicksand Moon DustPrior to space probes landing on the Moon‚ the precise nature of the lunar surface was unknown. Among the contending models was Thomas Golds4 proposal that the lunar surface could be covered in a layer of fine dust. Depending on the properties and the depth‚ the layer might act like quicksand5. As it happens‚ the lunar surface is dusty‚ but visitors do not have to worry about sinking into it. That is the only good news. Lunar dust is actually much nastier than Gold envisioned. Abrasive lunar dust is a hazard to machines and humans alike.Arthur C. Clarks A Fall of Moondust (1961) embraced the most extreme case of Golds model. Deep dry dust seas are traversed by lunar boats conveying tourists. A mishap strands a boat deep beneath the lunar surface. Will rescuers locate and retrieve the tourists in time‚ or will they smother or be boiled in their own body heat6?The Destruction of Planet VThe region between Mars and Jupiter is filled with a myriad of small bodies. That is not controversial. The Belts origin‚ however‚ has been the subject of various competing theories over the years. In 1972‚ M. W. Ovenden proposed that the Belt is the remnant of a large planet that exploded about sixteen million years ago. Subsequent evidence did not support this model* (imagine an emoticon of extreme disappointment inserted here). [*Note to the editors at Reactor: please use a this is an extreme understatement font for did not support this model.]This is not a huge surprise‚ given that it would take a phenomenal amount of energy to disrupt a 90-Earth-mass planet7‚ not to mention the total lack of evidence found on Earth for such massive disruption of a nearby world8.Despite what was even at the time overwhelming reason to be skeptical about Ovendens model‚ there was at least one Disco-era SF novel that incorporated the model in a plot-significant way. In fact‚ Ovendens hypothesis may be the least bonkers thing about Charles Sheffields Sight of Proteus (1978)‚ in which advanced biofeedback enables form change‚ which amounts to shape-shifting. Exposure to fragments of the exploded world prove to have unexpected effects on form change. What these effects are will surprise and delight readers.Just because a hypothesis may be eventually disproven does not mean it cannot be inspirational before that comes to pass. Indeed‚ some ideas linger in SF long after they have been discarded by the scientific community. The above is only a small sample of a large field. I may have missed some of your favorite examples. In fact‚ I hope I have. Please entertain us all with other suggestions in comments below.Trust me‚ you dont want to go down the what Lysenko says is science and true path. Trust me‚ this is very funny‚ for reasons that will become apparent In the reference frame of the traveler. Yes‚ the same Thomas Gold as in footnote 2. Gold had a talent for being brilliantly wrong in a wide variety of fields. Sometimes he was brilliantly right. Gold correctly identified the source of Jocelyn Bell Burnells mysterious repeating signal as a pulsar. His success rate was high enough that even his outr suggestions could not be dismissed out of hand. The fact that theres never been a Thomas Gold Inspirationally Incorrect Hard Science Fiction anthology is one of SFs great injustices. It is impossible to fully sink in quicksand. I do not recommend quicksand for your body disposal needs. The struggle to save the tourists is reminiscent of the efforts to save the Apollo 13 crew‚ although‚ since the novel preceded the Apollo mishap‚ it cannot have been inspired by it. Even with perfect efficiency‚ it would take a full weeks worth of the suns output to disrupt the Earth. One tends to think of planets as effectively isolated from each other‚ aside from gravitational perturbation. This is not always the case. The formation of Mercurys Caloris Planitia about four billion years ago may have deposited up to sixteen million billion tons of debris on Earth. The post Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories appeared first on Reactor.

News Heroes: Eclipsed Heroes May Be Reborn Again We dont need another Heroes By Molly Templeton | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Surely they can find another cheerleader to save. Deadline reports thatyears and years after the factHeroes may get a third chance at life. The original Heroes‚ created by Tim Kring‚ ran from 2006-2010‚ and is infamous in my house for its very awkward product placement (Nissan Versa!). A limited sequel series‚ Heroes Reborn‚ was set years after the original‚ and ran for a single season.The original run of Heroes was charming‚ for a time‚ but went off the rails fairly quickly. An entry into the ordinary people get superpowers category‚ it tried not to be the X-Men‚ but did not always distinguish itself. It did have a generally quite appealing cast‚ including Hayden Panettiere (as the superpowered cheerleader)‚ Milo Ventimiglia‚ Masi Oka‚ Zachary Quinto‚ Sendhil Ramamurthy‚ Ali Larter‚ Adrian Pasdar‚ Jack Coleman‚ and Greg Grunberg. Some of these people went on to greater fame (hello‚ Spock!) and some did not. The shows writing staff also includes a few familiar names: Bryan Fuller (Hannibal)‚ Jesse Alexander (also Hannibal)‚ Aron Eli Coleite (The Spiderwick Chronicles)‚ comics writer Jeph Loeb‚ Michael Green (Blue Eye Samurai)‚ and Misha Green (Lovecraft Country).The new series will be called Heroes: Eclipsed‚ and Deadline says it is set years after the events of the original series as new evos are being awakened and discovering powers that will change their lives. Featuring familiar villains and new enemies who once again will be attempting to suppress this next step in human evolution‚ it will be up to this new group of heroes to save the world.No casting has been announced. Kring is writing the series‚ and executive producing it. Deadline says that it has been pitched to NBC‚ the original shows network‚ as well as streamersbut no one has bitten. Yet. [end-mark]The post &;lt;i&;gt;Heroes&;lt;/i&;gt; May Be Reborn Again appeared first on Reactor.

Column Mark as Read Can a Book Really Be For Everyone? What makes a book for everyone? Is it the presence of universal themes? Approachable prose? By Molly Templeton | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Children Reading by Pekka Halonen (1916) Comment 0 Share New Share Children Reading by Pekka Halonen (1916) Last week‚ I went to see Gabrielle Zevin speak in a very‚ very large and very‚ very fancy theater. It was the first time in decades that I went to a book event that was in the kind of room that plays host to symphonies and dance troupes and Bianca Del Rio. I kind of gaped‚ to tell you the truth. Most book events that Ive been to have been in cramped bookstore basements‚ sweaty bars‚ or‚ on occasion‚ a spacious store with chairs for everyone. This was the kind of place where you want to take pictures of all the lighting. It was a reminder‚ and a much needed one‚ of how much bigger a book can make the worldsomething you read alone‚ weeping gently on the sofa‚ transformed into something hundreds‚ maybe thousands of your neighbors have also experienced.Zevin was speaking because Tomorrow‚ and Tomorrow‚ and Tomorrow was Portlands Everybody Reads pick‚ and this was the culminating event. It was my first such event‚ and everything‚ including the cheering high school students‚ was new. Zevin was a delight (how could I not immediately warm to someone who admits they had been mispronouncing Oregon Trail for two years straight?) and gave a talk that seemed half polished and half off the cuff in the best possible way.And she spoke in a way that was clearly meant for everyone. She talked about video games‚ as is inevitable with that book‚ but she talked about grief and disability and time and failure and love and the importance of stories where love between friends is powerful. She talked about her life and she talked‚ tartly and rightly‚ about elder statesmen of literature who turn up their noses at contemporary writing. Her book was an inspired pick for a community read; there are so many ways into that story‚ and so much to take out of it. Most of all it is a book about two people who communicate most clearly in the unexpected medium of video games. Only connect‚ Zevin said‚ quoting E.M. Forster.Lately‚ I have been reading a lot of books that are probably not for everyone. Generation ship novels in verse‚ novels about pacifism and war‚ novels about novels that change their stories every time someone new picks them up. None of these things are inherently not for everyone; I think any book can be for any reader under the right circumstances. But we so rarely know‚ really‚ if were finding a book under the best or worst circumstances. They turn up‚ we read the back‚ and we keep reading or move on. I might not have finished Oliver K. Landmeads Calypso on a different day‚ but I started reading it in a dim hotel room on a chilly evening‚ and it transported me. I wanted to keep being transported. Sometimes I put off reading a book for years. Im always in search of that right moment.Listening to Zevin‚ I thought about what makes a book for everyone. I dont mean everyone in a bestseller list waywho knows how many of those celebrity-book-club‚ nonfiction-trend‚ famous-person memoir books ever get read? I mean the kind of book that can draw packs of teens‚ writers‚ parents‚ readers‚ and everyone else in a community into a theater on one rainy Thursday afternoon. Is it the presence of universal themes? Approachable prose? Intergenerational narratives? A certain sense of transparency‚ like you can see what the author is doing even as you appreciate it?Portlands Everybody Reads picks are all over the map: fiction‚ nonfiction‚ young adult novels. A Tale for the Time Being; Evicted; There‚ There; The Book of Delights; Good Talk. Its a really wonderful list. And if I were being forcedor forcing myselfto figure out what connects them‚ I might say that they are‚ generally‚ wise books that offer so much to talk about.But its more than that‚ isnt it? Helen Oyeyemi‚ for example‚ writes wise books with so much to talk about‚ but they are tricky and open to interpretation (her latest is‚ essentially‚ about that very subjectivity). Some readers (me) cant get enough‚ while others bounce off‚ hard. I likeI lovea lot of books that I would never try to convince any group of everybodies to read‚ sometimes for plot or theme reasons‚ and sometimes precisely because I dont want to talk about the book with a stranger. There are books that feel like theyre meant to be shared‚ and books that you hold close to your heart. Sometimes the reading experience is meant to be shared‚ to be shouted about. Sometimes its just for you.Most good books probably fit the bill of being wise and discussable. But the everyone bookstheres something else‚ something ineffable‚ something I genuinely dont know if I ever want to put my finger on.I suspect‚ though‚ that a lot of SFF readers have thought about this‚ or about a topic in this general vicinity. Who hasnt found themselves trying to explainwith a mild to severe level of exhaustion and/or frustrationthat not all SFF is like the one disagreeable book a friend read and did not like‚ causing them to back away from the genre forever? Who hasnt heard a genre skeptic say‚ I dont usually like fantasy‚ but I liked this book? Havent we all tried to find just the right book‚ the one that would demonstrate to a doubter exactly why the genres we love are so big‚ so brilliant‚ so compelling? And what a task that is. Do they want happy stories or stories that spring from a deep well of trauma? Ensemble casts or chosen ones? Secondary worlds or magic at home? Hot villains or trustworthy paladins? Should we make a survey‚ try to figure out what the best book to convert someone to SFF is? Is there one true SFF novel for everyone? (I kid. Mostly.)I have already spent a lot of time thinking about Tomorrow‚ and Tomorrow‚ and Tomorrow‚ a book that feels like it has one foot in the SFF section even though its entirely about real life. (Perhaps its the games that Sadie and Sam create‚ which are sometimes magical.) Is that part of its broad appeal? That it doesnt transcend so much as bring in genres‚ drawing them into one big‚ wise embrace? Its not for us‚ but its also for us. Its for so many kinds of us that there were all those people in that big‚ fancy theater‚ all one big us‚ an everybody I never expected. I read that book like it was for me‚ personally‚ and then I experienced it like it was for everyone else‚ too. What a dream for a book. What a dream for a reader.[end-mark]The post Can a Book Really Be For Everyone? appeared first on Reactor.

News Speak No Evil James McAvoy Is a Very Bad Host in the Trailer for Speak No Evil Beware doctors offering vacation homes By Molly Templeton | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Its all fun and games‚ kids‚ until you make James McAvoy mad. In Speak No Evil‚ James Watkinss remake of the 2022 Danish film‚ McAvoy plays Paddy‚ a doctor (maybe?) who‚ along with his much younger wife (Aisling Franciosi)‚ invites another family to his sprawling country home for a weekend getaway. Louise (Mackenzie Davis)‚ Ben (Scoot McNairy)‚ and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) are delighted to accept. (ed note: hello‚ unexpected partial Halt and Catch Fire reunion?)And then everything goes wrong‚ starting with an unsatisfactory dance performance by the children. Also‚ whats with Paddys son‚ who doesnt talk? This is explained as the boy having trouble communicating‚ but that trouble might have come from‚ uh‚ outside. (The trailer is really not subtle at suggesting what might have been done to this poor child.) The horror takes a while to fully appear‚ in this trailer‚ but it appears in McAvoys eyes: He is alarmingly good at going dead-eyed and murdery at the bat of an eyelash. Hes so charming! Just kidding‚ he wants to kill you. Or do something very bad to you‚ at least.Speak No Evil is written by director Watkins (The Woman in Black)‚ based on the original screenplay by Christian Tafdrup and Mads Tafdrup. Its in theaters September 13th. Which‚ yes‚ is a Friday. [end-mark]The post James McAvoy Is a Very Bad Host in the Trailer for &;lt;i&;gt;Speak No Evil&;lt;/i&;gt; appeared first on Reactor.

Movies &;amp; TV Star Trek: Discovery The Game Is Afoot Star Trek: Discoverys Jinaal This week‚ the Discovery crew is off on a game-style quest. By Keith R.A. DeCandido | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Credit: CBS / Paramount+ Comment 9 Share New Share Credit: CBS / Paramount+ If there was any doubt whatsoever that the fifth season of Discovery is a role-playing-game-style quest narrative‚ Jinaal beats those doubts to a pulp. Weve definitely got ourselves a goal that will be found by our heroes being clever‚ by getting through traps‚ by figuring out riddles‚ and so on.And its fun. Trek hasnt really done this sort of straight-up game-style narrative before‚ certainly not on this scale‚ and while you can practically hear the dice rolling with each scene‚ its fun‚ dangit.It helps that the episode does something that the Secret Hideout shows have been much better about than the previous wave of Trek TV shows‚ and thats embracing the history on the microcosmic level as well as the macrocosmic. I love that they do things like last weeks use of the Promellians. The first wave of Trek spinoffs would have just made up an alien species rather than re-use one‚ but theres no reason not to use one thats already established. Especially since Booby Trap made it sound like the Promellians were a well-known extinct species‚ yet were only mentioned in that one TNG episode.While this tendency can sometimes go overboard into the fan-wanky territory (cf. the third season of Picard)‚ Discovery has generally made it work. This episode in particular makes very good use of Treks history‚ particularly the Trill both as developed on DS9 and also as seen on this show‚ particularly in Forget Me Not. And we also get some background on why the Progenitors technology was classified.The clue on Trill is held by a joined Trill named Jinaal‚ whose current host is still alive on the world. Its been eight centuries‚ and both host and symbiont are near the end of their livesindeed‚ theyre clinging to life in part because nobody has approached them for their clue yet.Credit: CBS / Paramount+Discoverys arrival is met with a riddle to prove that they figured out the clue on the Promellian necropolis last timein particular that it initially appeared to lead to Betazed. Once Burnham provides that right answer‚ Jinaals current host is willing to talk to them‚ but the host who actually was there eight hundred years ago wants to talk directly to the Discovery crew. So they perform a zhiantara‚ first seen in DS9s Facets‚ where prior hosts personalities can be temporarily downloaded into another person. The Guardians (including Gray‚ still apprenticing as a Guardian) perform the ceremony on Jinaal‚ transferring the older host into Culber.As with Facetsand indeed every other science fiction story that involves characters getting a temporary new personality‚ a well Trek has dug into any number of times‚ from the original series Return to Tomorrow and Turnabout Intruder to TNGs The Schizoid Man and Masks to DS9s Dramatis Personae and Our Man Bashir to Voyagers Infinite Regress and Body and Soul to Enterprises The Crossing and Observer Effectthis is at least partly an acting exercise for Wilson Cruz. And‚ to his credit‚ Cruz nails it‚ creating a fully realized character in Jinaal‚ who is crotchety‚ enigmatic‚ and more than a little manipulative.He was a scientist who worked with the Romulan whose scout ship was found last week‚ along with a bunch of other scientists‚ after the Romulan found the Progenitors technology. This all happened at the height of the Dominion War‚ whichas we know from DS9was a time of significant paranoia in the Alpha Quadrant. Because of that‚ and because of how dangerous the technology had the potential to be‚ the scientists all agreed to hide it and only have it be findable by someone who can figure out the clues and who could be counted on to use it for good.Having this all happen during the Dominion War was very clever‚ as that was a time when worry about things like Changeling infiltration was at its height. And its remained a big secret since then simply because nobody knows where it is without the Romulan journal.Besides his initial riddle and his general questioning of Burnham and Book about the state of the galaxy in the thirty-second century‚ theres one final test. Jinaal claims to have hidden the next physical puzzle piece in a canyon occupied by a nasty predator animal that can cloak itself. Eventually‚ Burnham and Book realize that it isnt just a big nasty creature attacking them‚ its a mother protecting its eggs. Once they realize that‚ they back off‚ which is what Jinaal was waiting for.Having passed the compassion test‚ he gives them the final doodad. Culber then gets his body back and Jinaal can rest.Credit: CBS / Paramount+There are also three character-based subplots‚ two of which work nicely. Back at Federation HQ‚ Saru and TRina are about to announce their engagement‚ but Sarus new career as an ambassador complicates matters for TRinas chief aide‚ who advises Saru to convince his boss that they should postpone the engagement announcement. Saru goes along with this‚ thinking hes protecting his fiance‚ but TRina wastes no time in whupping him upside the head on that score. The NiVar President understands her staffs need to be politically acute‚ but she refuses to let political concerns interfere with her personal lifea very logical decision‚ though logic and politics so rarely mix. Its a nice little subplot‚ elevated‚ as usual‚ by brilliant performances by Doug Jones and Tara Rosling and their picture-perfect chemistry‚ as well as the script by Kyle Jarrow &;amp; Lauren Wilkinson‚ which illustrates the conflict potential when Sarus compassion clashes with TRinas logic.On Discovery‚ Burnham charges her new first officer with getting to know the crew. Rayner resists thishes read their service recordsbut Burnham thinks theres no substitute for talking to people. Rayners solution to this is to give each crewmember twenty words to tell him something about themselves that isnt in their service record. It takes Tilly whupping him upside the head to remind him that his command style on the Antares isnt going to work on Discovery. Mary Wiseman is particularly good here‚ showing us how far Tilly has come. (Shed better damn well be one of the stars of the upcoming Starfleet Academy series)The third character bit doesnt quite work‚ mostly because it feels like some scenes are missing. Adira and Gray are reunited‚ and they apparently havent hardly talked since Gray went to Trill. Given the ease of holographic communication over absurd distances in the thirty-second century‚ this is surprising‚ but there it is. Gray and Adira are still obviously in love with each other and still are thrilled to see each otherbut then they have a conversation that ends with them deciding to break up because the distance thing isnt working. Theyre both incredibly happy where they are. And yet‚ in the very last scene‚ theyre still hanging out on Trill‚ the mission itself long over. So are they broken up or not? It feels like theres a scene or two missing thereIn that last scene‚ we find out that Mol‚ contrary to Discoverys report that she and Lak are on another world‚ is on Trill‚ having infiltrated the Guardians. That doesnt bode well[end-mark]The post The Game Is Afoot &;lt;i&;gt;Star Trek: Discovery&;lt;/i&;gt;s Jinaal appeared first on Reactor.

News Dark Matter Would You Like an Alternate Reality? The Dark Matter Trailer Has Plenty to Go Around Where in the worlds is Jason Dessens real life? By Molly Templeton | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share First‚ clarification: This is not Syfys Dark Matter. This is Apple TVs Dark Matter‚ which is not about a spaceships amnesiac crew‚ but about a guy who kidnaps himself from another reality. If you did not watch the other Dark Matter‚ this wont be confusing at all. The rest of us will just suffer‚ mildly.The new Dark Matter is based on the novel by Blake Crouch. It stars Joel Edgerton as Jason Dessen‚ who has a nice life with his wife (Jennifer Connelly) and son (Oakes Fegley). He does mysterious science work and seems happy enough‚ until one night he is abducted and wakes up in a world thats very‚ very different. The summary spells it all out:Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade‚ Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Joel Edgerton)‚ a physicist‚ professor and family man who one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities‚ he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying‚ unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.The series also stars Westworlds Jimmi Simpson and A Murder at the End of the Worlds Alice Braga. Crouch himself is the series writer and showrunnerhis third time working on an adaptation of his own work (he co-created Good Behavior with Chad Hodge‚ and was a writer for Hodges adaptation of Wayward Pines).Get into the alternate-reality box on May 8th on Apple TV+. [end-mark]The post Would You Like an Alternate Reality? The &;lt;i&;gt;Dark Matter&;lt;/i&;gt; Trailer Has Plenty to Go Around appeared first on Reactor.

News Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Were Getting an R-Rated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Because What Is Reality Anymore? Its time to order a pizzaof vengeance. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share During their CinemaCon panel today‚ Paramount Pictures burdened us with the news that an R-rated live-action film based on the comic run Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is in the works. The movie will be solidly in the adults-only camp‚ which means it will be chock full of violence‚ gore‚ and death! I feel bad for the parents‚ however‚ who miss the memo that these turtles aint for kiddos and take their eight-year-old to see it.Granted‚ the original TMNT comics were darker‚ grittier affairs than the animated and live-action adaptions weve gotten on screen. But the average moviegoer doesnt know that. The Last Ronin is also a more recent comic seriesit ran from 2020 to 2022 and was penned by TMNT creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. According to Variety‚ Eastman and Tom Waltz (writer of two TMNT video games: 2014s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and 2016s TMNT: Mutants in Manhattan) penned the script adaptation.Heres the synopsis‚ per Variety:Set in a bleak‚ dystopian future in which Oroku Hiroto‚ the grandson of the Turtles arch-nemesis‚ Shredder‚ rules New York City as a totalitarian despot. Hiroto has killed all but one of the Turtles‚ as well as their mentor‚ Splinter; the remaining Turtle seeks revenge by wielding all four of their signature weapons.Uh oh‚ everyones dead! And to my uninitiated eye this premise reads like fanfic of the more family-friendly fare most people know‚ which I admit makes me more intrigued.No news yet on who will play the surviving Turtle or when the film will go into production‚ much less make its way to a theater near you. [end-mark]The post Were Getting an R-Rated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Because What Is Reality Anymore? appeared first on Reactor.

Column Close Reads Considering the Perfect Knits of Coraline Have you ever contemplated the effort it takes to make an iconic costume? By Michelle Jaworski | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Credit: LAIKA Studios Comment 2 Share New Share Credit: LAIKA Studios Welcome to Close Reads! Leah Schnelbach and guest authors will dig into the tiny‚ weird moments of pop culturefrom books to theme songs to viral internet hitsthat have burrowed into our minds‚ found rent-stabilized apartments‚ started community gardens‚ and refused to be forced out by corporate interests. This time out‚ Michelle Jaworski breaks out the knitting needles (and possibly some extra buttons) to talk about Coralines amazing tiny sweaters.Have you ever contemplated the effort it takes to make that famous and immediately eye-popping sweater or knitted garment that appeared on the screen (and just became your new obsession)?Sometimes‚ a film or TV shows costume designer mightpurchase itbefore purposely ruining it to illustrate a characters utter disregard for taking care of their things. Sometimes‚ a knitter willmake it by hand‚ putting care into items that populate a lived-in world or turn into themost iconic part of a characters costume. Sometimes‚ the inclusion feels so effortless and invisible that nobody else seems to appreciate it how you do.And then theres sometimes an instance where a film is so painstakingly crafted with such detail‚ care‚ and precision before you even consider the knitwear that it blows your mind when you finally get around to it. A film like LAIKA Studios 2009 stop-motion animated classicCoralinefrom stop-motion legend Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas‚Wendell &;amp; Wild) and based on the 2002 novel by Neil Gaimanand its perfectly tiny‚ hand-knitted sweater might do that to you.Introduced about 45 minutes into the film‚ Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning)‚ the 11-year-old heroine ofCoraline‚ sneaks through the hidden door in her new home to another world‚ one which offers affectionate parents‚ presents‚ delectable food‚ and instant entertainment. Her Other Mother (Teri Hatcher) and Other Father (John Hodgman)‚ who look and sound just like her real parents save for the black buttons sewn into their eyesockets‚ arent home. But her Other Mother left Coraline a gift: A new outfit made just for her‚ and an invitation to visit their neighbors after lunch.Whats in the box? A bright and sparkling blue sweater imbued with silver stars that catch your eye in the light‚ black corduroy pants‚ and boots much closer in hue to Coralines iconic blue bob. After donning this outfit‚ Coraline witnesses the full spectacle of this other world with a showstopping performance‚ as well as the Other Mothers cruelty. She learns the truth of what the Other Mother plans to do with her with the only light coming from the glow of the sweaters stars and the three young ghosts who fell victim to the Other Mother before her. And even as Coraline and Other Wybie (Robert Bailey Jr.) are captivated by the show Coralines neighbors put on‚ you cant keep your eyes off that sweater.Credit: LAIKA StudiosAs a knitted piece of clothing‚ Coralines sweater is deceptively simple. Its a pullover that limits itself to a single combination of thread (compared to the multi-colored striped gloves Coraline tries on in a store in our world) and doesnt contain flourishes like cables; the stars were attached after the fact. Coralines costumes often stand out with whichever world shes inhabitingshes usually the most colorful person in the room in the real worlds gloomy atmosphere and appears to dim the more time she spends in the fantastical Other Worldand the chameleonic nature of the sparkly thread used to knit it further amplifies that. The stars also glow in the dark‚ making it look even cooler.Coralines sweater was captivating enough in its own right that as part of the films marketing‚ Jenn Jarvis was tasked with creating a human-sized patternwith both children and adult sizes includedgeared toward fans who wanted to make a sweater of their own; Jarvis pattern is no longer officially online‚ but you can find it if you know where to look.Its Althea Crome‚ a fiber artist whos been making conceptual knitted garments (meaning without a set pattern) on a miniature scale for decades‚ who is responsible for creating that original starry sweater and Coralines striped gloves; shes listed as Knitwear Creator in the films credits. According to a 2009 interview with The Oregonian‚ Crome said that LAIKAs costuming department contacted her about making knitted pieces for the film‚ which involved weeks of searching to find the right combination of threadsa mix of holographic and polyesterto match what LAIKA had in mind. Once Crome got the go-ahead to knit the sweater‚ she was sent a version of Coralines body to make it fit on the puppet; she eventually made 14 sweaters and six pairs of gloves for LAIKA.But that doesnt begin to cover the scale of it. Its one thing to hear or read about it. Its another to view Cromes documentation of her work on Coraline‚ which includes photos of the threads she used or photos of what it looks like for her to knit something on that scale. Its another to watch Crome fully in her element‚ which we can do courtesy of a LAIKA behind-the-scenes video where she discusses her miniature knitting.I think knitters are often fascinated by the fact that I use such tiny needles‚ Chrome says in the video. Some of the needles are almost the dimension of a human hair.Um yes?Im in awe of what Crome has created not just because‚ as she put it‚ she shrunk a craft or skill into something so tiny it asks the viewer to imagine how it was done. Ive been knitting for about seven years‚ so even before you shrink a hand-knitted garment‚ the wheels turn to calculate what goes into making something like a sweater or pair of gloves. My eyes are straining from the sheer thought.But Cromes work only amplifies that. To put it in perspective‚ the smallest set of knitting needles I own is a US 0‚ which has a diameter of 2mm; I might use them to work on a pair of socks or gloves. Its kind of easy to misplace them‚ or accidentally break one of those needles if its made of a material like wood. Crome knits with needles so thin that she compared their fineness to human hair.Credit: LAIKA StudiosCromes needles are much smaller‚ the thread much thinner‚ and the scale is on a minuscule level (the entire span of the sweater is about four inches). One of Coralines gloves‚ measured from cuff to fingertip‚ isnt much bigger than one of our fingernails. I can see Crome knitting on needles small enough to be used for sewing or embroidery‚ and I see what the result of that is on the screen‚ but all this time later‚ my mind still can barely comprehend it.Its that level of fine detail that makes Coralines world of stop-motion come to life. Even if youre not thinking about the sweaters as often as I might be‚ its the kind of element that feeds into making Coralines more nightmarish elements feel that much more real.[end-mark]The post Considering the Perfect Knits of &;lt;em&;gt;Coraline&;lt;/em&;gt; appeared first on Reactor.

News Star Trek Star Trek Origin Film Is Finally Happening! Gets 2025 Release Window So many possibilities! By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Star Trek is finally going to boldly head back to the big screen! During the Paramount Pictures panel today at CinemaCon (via /Film)‚ news broke that a new Trek movie‚ which has been framed as an origin story‚ will be helmed by Toby Haynes. Haynes previous credits include directing episodes of Andor as well as the Black Mirror episode USS Callister‚ a brutal riff on the Star Trek franchise that explores the toxic side of the fandom. The writer for the film is Seth Grahame-Smith‚ whose previous credits include the underrated Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and The LEGO Batman Movie.Even more exciting is the news that this origin film is officially happening in the near future (or a least is a much surer thing than the fourth movie starring Chris Pine as Kirk seems to be). Production on the film is set to start later this year and will premiere in theaters sometime in 2025. This prequel cant help but raise questions about how it will affect the canonical Star Trek timeline(s). Will this story tie into the Star Trek: Enterprise series? As such‚ will Scott Bakulas Jonathan Archer (pictured above) make an appearance‚ perhaps as one of the first presidents of the Federation? Or will this film completely rewrite the timeline/create a new one just like J.J. Abrams did with his films starring Pine as Kirk?Time will tell! And it looks like well get our answers sometime next year. [end-mark]The post Star Trek Origin Film Is Finally Happening! Gets 2025 Release Window appeared first on Reactor.

Book Recommendations Nordic Visions Nordic Visions Provides a Unique Overview of Contemporary Nordic SF‚ Fantasy‚ and Horror A recent anthology celebrates a broad range of short stories‚ from ghost stories to fairy tales to alien planets By Rowdy Geirsson | Published on April 11‚ 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Nordic Visions is an anthology of speculative fiction stories written by Nordic authors and edited by Margrt Helgadttir. Released by Solaris Books in the fall of 2023‚ the books sixteen short stories are drawn from all of the Nordic nations and the Faroe Islands‚ an autonomous territory of Denmark. Taken as a whole‚ the anthology presents a compelling cross-section of original sci-fi‚ fantasy‚ and horror originating in a part of the world best known internationally for crime fiction and childrens books.Helgadttirs introduction provides an informative overview of Nordic speculative fiction as a whole and positions the genre within the broader context of the Nordic literary tradition‚ while also delineating some of the cultural and historical differences found in each of the countries comprising the region. The short stories themselves are organized by country and they cover a wide range of themesreaders will encounter ghosts‚ far-flung planets‚ dystopian societies‚ mythological characters‚ fairy tale enchantments‚ and more. While covering a broad range‚ the selection of stories leans a bit heavier towards science fiction than fantasy‚ and some entries are‚ naturally‚ stronger than others (as is generally the case with any collection or anthology). Buy the Book Nordic Visions edited by Margrt Helgadttir The Best of Nordic Speculative Fiction Buy Book Nordic Visions edited by Margrt Helgadttir The Best of Nordic Speculative Fiction The Best of Nordic Speculative Fiction Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget Nonetheless‚ Nordic Visions provides an excellent introduction to writers of speculative fiction from a region that tends to be overlooked in the genre. Most of the authors featured have also written full-length novels‚ many of which have been translated into English. A short bio of each author is provided at the end of the book‚ which serves as a useful guide for anyone who might wish to check out more of the selected authors other works. And if youre interested in seeking out longer works of Nordic speculative fiction‚ be sure to also check out my earlier piece on Exploring Nordic Speculative Fiction in Five Novels.Without further ado‚ heres an overview of some of the many highlights found in Nordic VisionsShe by John Ajvide LindqvistA very clever little story that opens the anthology after Helgadttirs introduction. Written by the only author in the collection to have made a bit of a splash in English language literature (Lindqvist is the author of Let the Right One In)‚ She is essentially a ghost story centered around the haunting of a new house built by a married couple in Sweden. As tends to be Lindqvists habit‚ he subverts the usual tropes of his chosen genre‚ in this instance by connecting the narrative to the horrors of World War II and shining some light on the darker side of modern Swedish history in the process.Sing by Karin TidbeckSing is a futuristic story set on the former mining planet of Kiruna (anyone familiar with Sweden should appreciate the name) thats dominated by a parasitic ecosystem. The story follows the companionship of Aino‚ an outcast tailor‚ and Petr‚ a temporary visitor to Ainos tiny village. Petr cant communicate in the planets native singing language and as he digs deeper into how he might learn it‚ the disturbing nature of the planets ecosystem is revealed. Sing originally appeared on Reactor (then Tor.com) in 2013 and can be read here.The Cormorant by Tone AlmhjellThe Cormorant is Nordic Visions ode to the fairy tale‚ and is in fact based on one from the early 20th century by Regine Normann‚ who was something of a Norwegian Hans Christian Andersen (thus the tale is a modern age original story rather than a Grimm Brothers- or Asbjrnsen/Moe-style record of a much older one). The Cormorant follows a mother and daughter who live apart in isolation from the rest of their coastal village until an innocent but pivotal act triggers a chain reaction that upends their lives. A thickening sense of mystery propels the story forward towards a very effective‚ magical‚ and somewhat unsettling conclusion.A Bird Does Not Sing Because It Has an Answer by Johanna SinisaloJohanna Sinisalo‚ the author of Troll: A Love Story and the original story behind the film Iron Sky‚ is a highly original sci-fi writer and A Bird Does Not Sing Because It Has an Answer is no exception. This story is set in a future with very few wilderness areas remaining and focuses on a single character who is responsible for using advanced electronics to study the behavior of birds but of course‚ things dont go quite as they should. This one is very compelling and ends on a wonderfully twisted note of cynicism.The Wings That Slice the Sky by Emmi ItrantaThe Wings That Slice the Sky is a splendid little retelling of The Kalevala‚ the Finnish national epic and primary source of Finnish mythology. It starts with a description of the painting The Defense of the Sampo by Akseli Gallen-Kallela‚ which visually depicts Louhi‚ the storys first-person narrator‚ as she is typically portrayed: a wicked‚ winged monster. The following pages then proceed to tell Louhis side of the story. The Wings That Slice the Sky is basically Finlands answer to Genevieve Gornichecs retelling of Norse mythology in The Witchs Heart‚ only provided in short story form rather than a full-length novel.[end-mark]The post &;lt;i&;gt;Nordic Visions&;lt;/i&;gt; Provides a Unique Overview of Contemporary Nordic SF‚ Fantasy‚ and Horror appeared first on Reactor.