Dunnn-dun. 🦈
Dunnn-dun. 🦈
Happy 50th birthday, "Jaws"! You're still looking good and still freaking people out.
Steven Spielberg's killer shark movie celebrates a big anniversary today, and if there's going to be a party, it might as well be a Watch Party. It's time to revisit that classic in a major way, plus reconnect with another throwback: "28 Years Later" is here to continue the post-apocalyptic carnage that started in 2002's "28 Days Later." And for youngsters, plus those who can't handle rage-filled ghouls or deadly fish, Pixar's "Elio" takes audience to space for a tale of a lonely boy meeting his new alien bestie.
Now on to the good stuff:
Celebrate 50 years of shark-chomping cinema with Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws'
When it comes to Hollywood, there was everything before the first time John Williams' two-note theme hit and then everything after that great white went to town on the populace of Amity Island. "Jaws" was the original blockbuster, which captured the public's mind and sent people flocking to theaters to see it for themselves. My bud Marco della Cava wrote a piece about how Spielberg's classic scared folks senseless and some still are not over it, while I went ahead and ranked the biggest blockbusters of every summer since 1975. (So "Jaws" gets some serious competition from the likes of not one, not two but five "Star Wars" movies, plus some Batman flicks and "The Avengers.")
And we're not scared. We've dove in on all things "Jaws," from shark movie rankings, 50 facts you need to know about the movie, star Richard Dreyfuss' memories of making the film and a look at how "Jaws" paved the way for every blockbuster that came afterward. And if you need to watch or revisit "Jaws" and its three sequels – the second one's not terrible! – they're all streaming on Peacock, FYI.
Revisit the post-apocalyptic world of '28 Days Later' with '28 Years Later'
Zombie movies and TV shows wouldn't have reached the popularity they've had over the past 25 years were it not for the success of "28 Days Later." Ironically, the victims of a rage virus in the U.K. have been called "fast zombies" for their sprinting abilities rather than usual undead lumbering, though director Danny Boyle doesn't love the "z" word. But I am happy to report that the new sequel "28 Years Later" is meaty indeed, a revisit to that post-apocalyptic world almost three decades later where the infected have evolved and so has the movie's thematic depth.
I talked with Boyle and writer Alex Garland, the original "28 Days" creators back for the follow-up, about how the sequel echoes the original movie and introduces interesting new characters like Ralphie Fiennes' Dr. Kelson. Because he covers himself in iodine, this guy "looks very strange and lives surrounded by bones," Garland says, "but actually turns out to be completely compassionate and reasonable, counter to your expectations."
Have your heart warmed by Pixar's sci-fi adventure 'Elio'
If your family's not into hungry sharks or not-really-zombies, perhaps Pixar's new sci-fi adventure is more their speed. A lonely 11-year-old boy named Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) has had it with Earth and wants to be abducted by aliens. He gets his wish and is introduced to a wide variety of strange creatures who all think he's the leader of the planet. Like other Pixar jams, friendship is at its center – Elio becomes BFFs with the blobby Glorgon – but it also tackles loneliness. Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña, who voices Elio's aunt, told me about how when she's had tough moments in her life, she's reached out to others in the arts. 'I was able to realize that, one, I wasn't alone," she says. "And two, there's nothing wrong with me."
"Elio" is a sweet, thoughtful homage to a lot of kid-centric 1980s sci-fi movies, though it's pretty middling for a Pixar outing – which, given the animation's storied history, is not too shabby. I've updated our Pixar movie rankings to show how "Elio" stacks up against the studio's best.
Even more goodness to check out!
Got thoughts, questions, ideas, concerns, compliments or maybe even some recs for me? Email btruitt@usatoday.com and follow me on the socials: I'm @briantruitt on Bluesky, Instagram and Threads.
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Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
See '28 Years Later' in theaters, rent 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' and 'Friendship,' stream 'A Minecraft Movie' on Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
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AP WAS THERE: 'Jaws' and the parental debates it set off
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Business Insider
an hour ago
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A sequel to '28 Years Later' has already been filmed. Here's what to know about 'The Bone Temple'
Horror fans rejoice, the sequel to the long-awaited " 28 Years Later," "The Bone Temple," has already been filmed and is due out in theaters next year. 2002's " 28 Days Later" became a cult classic by taking a fresh bite out of the zombie movie genre: instead of a supernatural threat, the undead are infected by the Rage Virus. "28 Years Later," out Friday, is the start of a new trilogy from the director and screenwriter of the original film, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. It tells the story of 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) who leaves the safety of the island where his family live to find a cure for his sick mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), on the UK mainland. By the end of the film, Isla lets the mysterious Doctor Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) euthanize her after he diagnoses her with metastatic brain cancer. Spike then roams the mainland instead of returning home, and in its final scene crosses paths with a man who calls himself Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell). The strange cult leader who has long blond hair are, as Boyle and Garland confirmed to Business Insider, dressed like Jimmy Savile, the infamous British TV presenter and prolific sexual abuser. The film ends as Spike chooses to go with Jimmy. Here's what to know about "The Bone Temple." The cast of '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' includes Cillian Murphy, Alfie Williams, Jack O'Connell, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson The plot for "The Bone Temple" is unknown, but presumably it will explore Jimmy's past after he escaped the Rage Virus following the initial outbreak, as seen in the violent opening scene of "28 Years Later." His Savile-esque appearance raises an intriguing question: The Rage Virus outbreak started in 2002, meaning Savile's numerous sexual crimes may not have been made public in the film's timeline. In real life, the allegations were made in 2011 onwards, after Savile died. Garland told BI that the story will examine how misremembering key events can drastically change the world."We are living in a time right now which is absolutely dominated by a misremembered past," he said. Williams and O'Connell will return for "The Bone Temple" alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who plays Spike's father, Jamie. Boyle also confirmed to BI that Cillian Murphy will return as Jim, the main character from "28 Days Later." '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' is due in 2026 "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" will be released on January 16, 2026, so there isn't long to wait after that surprising ending. This is because "28 Years Later" and "The Bone Temple" were filmed back-to-back in summer 2024. Boyle didn't direct the second film, but he did return as a producer. Nia Da Costa directed the sequel with a script from Garland. Da Costa has previously helmed movies like "Candyman" and "The Marvels," as well as episodes of "Top Boy" and "Ms. Marvel."
