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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Los Angeles Times
34 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Why a boutique video label is taking over L.A.'s theaters, plus the week's best movies
Hello! I'm Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies. Among this week's new releases is '28 Years Later,' the third film in the series that dates back to 2002's '28 Days Later.' The new project reunites the core creative team from the first movie: director Danny Boyle, screenwriter Alex Garland, cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle and producer Andrew Macdonald. This time out the 'rage' virus that turns people into crazed cannibal monsters has been isolated to the U.K., which has been quarantined from the rest of the world. A small community of uninfected survivors live on a coastal island and make their way to the mainland to hunt and for supplies. A teenage boy (Alfie Williams), having made one expedition with his father (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), goes back with his ailing mother (Jodie Comer) in search of a doctor (Ralph Fiennes) rumored to be able to help them. In her review of the film, Amy Nicholson wrote that it 'has a dull central plot beefed up by unusual ambition, quirky side characters and maniacal editing. It's a kooky spectacle, a movie that aggressively cuts from moments of philosophy to violence, from pathos to comedy. Tonally, it's an ungainly creature. From scene to scene, it lurches like the brain doesn't know what the body is doing. Garland and Boyle don't want the audience to know either, at least not yet.' '28 Years Later' is the first film in a planned trilogy, with the second film, directed by Nia DaCosta, having already been shot. I spoke with Boyle, Garland, Mantle and Macdonald for a feature story that will be in print on Sunday. Whereas the original '28 Days Later' was notable for its use of consumer-grade digital video cameras, this time the production used modified iPhones to capture most of its imagery. The result is a fresh and distinctive look with both a sense of immediacy and an unexpected beauty. 'What was great about the script is that although you were inheriting some DNA from the original film, it was a completely original story,' said Boyle. 'And deserved to be treated like that.' This week the boutique home video label Cinématographe is participating in screenings all over town, further cementing the evolving relationship between physical media and the local revival scene. Curated and produced by Justin LaLiberty as an offshoot of the Vinegar Syndrome label, Cinématographe is among a handful of companies that create releases meant to look as nice on your shelf as they do onscreen. With beautiful restorations presenting the titles as optimally as possible, the releases come with many extras highlighting their production and what makes them special, alongside new critical essays on the films. Among the titles released by the company so far are John Dahl's 'Red Rock West,' Paul Schrader's 'Touch,' Robert Altman's 'Thieves Like Us' and Martha Coolidge's 'Joy of Sex.' 'Cinématographe has a very specific kind of curatorial approach,' said LaLiberty in a Zoom call this week from his home in Connecticut. 'And it also has a mission in that it's trying to shine a light on these movies that have fallen into obscurity for one reason or another.' Working in conjunction with the local screening collective Hollywood Entertainment in pulling together some of the local events, LaLiberty got a sense of the current repertory scene in L.A. and hopes that putting on Cinématographe screenings here is something that can become a regular occurrence. 'What I like about L.A.'s cinema scene, without being there, is seeing how the spaces cater to different audiences,' said LaLiberty. 'It happens in New York to an extent too, but I've noticed it a lot more with L.A. where I think just by virtue of geography, those theaters have to build a community that's a lot more specific to whatever their mission may be or whatever audience they're trying to cultivate is. So that's what I tried to do with these screenings is kind of hone in on what demographic those spaces are going to reach and what film made the most sense for each one.' On Sunday at Brain Dead Studios there will be a restored 4K screening of the exuberant 1983 remake of 'Breathless' with director Jim McBride in person. That will be followed by the Los Angeles premiere of the 4K restoration of Bob Saget's 1998 comedy 'Dirty Work,' starring Norm MacDonald, in its newly created 'Dirtier Cut,' which restores the film to a version screened for test audiences before it was chopped down to earn a PG-13 rating. Co-writer Frank Sebastiano will be in attendance. On Monday, LaLiberty will be at a pop-up at the Highland Park video store Vidéotheque, selling discs from Cinématographe, Vinegar Syndrome and affiliated titles from OCN Distribution — including some that are out of print. (Discs will be on sale at all the events too.) On Tuesday at Whammy Analog Media, 1994's essential lesbian rom-com 'Go Fish' will show in a 4K restoration with director and co-writer Rose Troche in person. On Wednesday, there will be a 45th anniversary screening at Vidiots of the 4K restoration of Ronald F. Maxwell's 1980 'Little Darlings,' starring Tatum O'Neal and Kristy McNichol as two teenage girls having a private competition at summer camp to lose their virginity. On Thursday, in conjunction with Cinematic Void, the Los Feliz 3 will host a showing of John Badham's 1994 action-thriller 'Drop Zone' starring Wesley Snipes, with the director in person. And while it may seem counterintuitive for a home video label to be encouraging people to go see movies in theaters, for LaLiberty the two go hand in hand. 'My ultimate mission is for these films to find an audience,' LaLiberty said. ''Little Darlings' is one of those movies that was out of circulation for so long that now that it's back and people can find it — to me that's the work. The end goal is that these films are brought back and that they're available for people to see and talk about and share. Theaters can play them and have them look great. I don't see it as cannibalizing. I see it as just being a part of the job.' The American Cinematheque is launching a series looking at films from Southeast Asia made around the turn of the 21st century and shot through with the energy of specific Y2K anxieties. These were films that felt cutting-edge and of the moment when they were released, but now perhaps function at least in part as memory pieces of their time and place. This is a sharp, smartly put-together series that contextualizes a group of films and filmmakers. Kicking off with Wong Kar-wai's 1995 'Fallen Angels,' the series also includes Hou Hsiao-hsien's 2001 'Millennium Mambo,' Tsai Ming-liang's 1992 'Rebels of the Neon God,' Fruit Chan's 1997 'Made in Hong Kong,' Shunji Iwai's 2001 'All About Lily Chou-Chou' Jia Zhangke's 2002 'Unknown Pleasures' and Lou Ye's 2000 'Suzhou River.' Writing about 'Fallen Angels' in 1998, Kevin Thomas called it 'an exhilarating rush of a movie, with all manner of go-for-broke visual bravura that expresses perfectly the free spirits of his bold young people. … Indeed, 'Fallen Angels' celebrates youth, individuality and daring in a ruthless environment that is wholly man-made, a literal underworld similar to the workers' realm of 'Metropolis' — only considerably less spacious. Life proceeds at a corrosive rock music beat.' 'Dogtooth' in 4K Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos' second feature, 'Dogtooth,' was his international breakthrough, winner of the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes and nominated for an Oscar. Yet even its most ardent admirers at the time would likely never have imagined Lanthimos would become the maker of commercially successful, Oscar-winning (and still weird) films such as 'The Favourite' and 'Poor Things.' A new 4K restoration of 'Dogtooth' will screen at the American Cinematheque at the Los Feliz 3 on Saturday, Tuesday and Sunday the 29th. The story feels abstracted and fractured, as a family lives in comfortable isolation, creating their own rules and language as the parents attempt to keep their children, now young adults, in a state of arrested development. When it was first being released, 'Dogtooth' struggled to find screens in Los Angeles. In my January 2011 review, I referred to it as 'part enigma, part allegory and even part sci-fi in its creation of a completely alternate reality.' When the film had its local premiere as part of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival some seven months earlier, I spoke to Lanthimos, who perhaps pointed the way to some of his future work when he said, 'It's much more important to me for the audience to be engaged and to think about things themselves. If they miss any information, I'm OK with that instead of explaining every little detail and telling everyone what they should be thinking and how exactly things are.' Lanthimos added, 'People ask me if the film is about home-schooling or if it's political, about totalitarian states or the information we get from the media. And of course all those things were not in our minds as we were making the film, but it was intentional to make the film so people can come in and have their own thoughts about it.' 'The Seven Year Itch' 70th anniversary On Wednesday the Laemmle Royal will present a 70th anniversary screening of Billy Wilder's 'The Seven Year Itch' introduced by film writers Stephen Farber and Michael McClellan. Starring Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, 'Itch' was written by Wilder and George Axelrod, an adaptation of the hit Broadway play that also starred Ewell. Though the movie does include the iconic scene of Monroe standing over a subway grate, it deserves to be remembered for much more than that. It's a bracing satire of midcentury masculinity, with Ewell playing a mild-mannered family man who lets himself be taken away by fantasies of what may happen while he is on his own for a summer with a young single woman living upstairs from his New York apartment. Writing about the movie in June 1955, Edwin Schallert said, 'This picture is nothing for the moralists, though it may not quite satisfy the immoralists either, whoever they are.' Tom Cruise, Dolly Parton among honorary Oscar recipients This week the motion picture academy announced four honorees for the Governors Awards in November. Dolly Parton will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, while honorary Oscars will go to actor, dancer, choreographer and director Debbie Allen, production designer Wynn Thomas and actor and producer Tom Cruise. As always, it must be noted how disappointing it is that these awards will be bestowed at an untelevised ceremony and not as part of the Academy Awards telecast itself. The idea of giving an award to Tom Cruise, who has recently refashioned himself as nothing less than an international ambassador for movies and Hollywood in general, and not putting it on TV is just beyond reason. Here is hoping that Cruise will perhaps be able to do what his co-star in 'The Color of Money' Paul Newman once did, which is win a competitive Oscar after already being given an honorary one.
Geek Vibes Nation
39 minutes ago
- Geek Vibes Nation
Celebrating 50 Years of 'Jaws': A Cinematic Milestone That Redefined Fear
On June 20, 1975, a mechanical shark named Bruce and a haunting two-note score unleashed terror on audiences worldwide, forever changing cinema. Jaws, directed by a then-28-year-old Steven Spielberg, celebrates its 50th anniversary , marking half a century as a cultural juggernaut and the blueprint for the modern blockbuster. This article honors the film's monumental accolades, its transformative impact on the thriller and horror genres, and its enduring influence on filmmakers and audiences alike. Jaws was a critical and commercial titan upon release, earning over $470 million worldwide against a $9 million budget, making it the highest-grossing film of its time until Star Wars surpassed it in 1977. Its critical acclaim matched its box-office dominance, securing three Academy Awards in 1976: Best Film Editing (Verna Fields), Best Original Score (John Williams), and Best Sound. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, a rare feat for a genre film, though it lost to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Beyond the Oscars, Jaws earned a Golden Globe for John Williams' iconic score and was later inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2001 for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. The American Film Institute ranked it 56th on its '100 Years…100 Movies' list and second on its '100 Thrills' list, cementing its status as a cinematic touchstone. These accolades reflect not just the film's technical brilliance but its ability to resonate across generations. Redefining the Blockbuster and the Thriller Genre Jaws is widely credited with inventing the summer blockbuster. Before its release, summer was a slow season for theaters, but Universal's aggressive marketing—national TV ads, a wide release on 409 screens, and tie-in merchandise—set a new standard for Hollywood. The film's success proved that high-concept, mass-appeal movies could dominate the box office, paving the way for franchises like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Within the thriller and horror genres, Jaws redefined how suspense was crafted. Spielberg's decision to show the shark sparingly, due to mechanical failures during production, heightened tension and forced audiences to rely on their imaginations—a technique now synonymous with effective horror. John Williams' minimalist, pulse-pounding score became a character in itself, its duh-dun motif evoking primal dread. This less-is-more approach influenced countless filmmakers, from Ridley Scott in Alien (1979), which used sparse visuals to build terror, to John Carpenter's Halloween (1978), where a simple piano riff amplified suspense. The film's character-driven storytelling also set it apart. The trio of Chief Brody (Roy Scheider), oceanographer Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) grounded the horror in human conflict and camaraderie. Their dynamic inspired ensemble-driven thrillers like The Thing (1982) and Predator (1987), where interpersonal tension amplifies external threats. Influence on the Creature Feature and Beyond Jaws birthed the modern creature feature, spawning a wave of 'nature strikes back' films. The late 1970s and 1980s saw a flood of imitators, from Orca (1977) and Piranha (1978) to Alligator (1980), each attempting to replicate Jaws' formula of a predatory beast terrorizing humans. While few matched its artistry, these films cemented the subgenre's popularity. Even today, low-budget shark thrillers like The Shallows (2016) and 47 Meters Down (2017) owe their existence to Jaws, as does the tongue-in-cheek absurdity of Sharknado (2013). Beyond creature features, Jaws influenced aquatic horror and survival thrillers. Films like Open Water (2003) and The Reef (2010) echo its primal fear of the ocean, while Crawl (2019) channels its blend of natural disaster and predatory menace. Spielberg himself revisited the template with Jurassic Park (1993), swapping sharks for dinosaurs but retaining the awe, terror, and human drama that made Jaws timeless. The film's impact extends to technical filmmaking. Spielberg's use of point-of-view shots, particularly the shark's underwater perspective, became a staple of horror, seen in everything from Friday the 13th (1980) to The Blair Witch Project (1999). His innovative use of the dolly zoom to convey Brody's shock on the beach inspired directors like Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright to experiment with visual storytelling. A Lasting Legacy Fifty years later, Jaws remains a masterclass in suspense, storytelling, and innovation. Its influence is evident not just in cinema but in pop culture—theme park rides, memes, and even shark conservation efforts spurred by the film's demonization of great whites. While it inspired countless imitators, few have matched its balance of terror and humanity. As we celebrate this milestone, Jaws reminds us why we fear the ocean and why we keep diving back in. It's more than a movie; it's a primal scream, a technical triumph, and a testament to Spielberg's genius. Here's to 50 years of keeping us out of the water—and glued to our screens. Note: All box-office figures and award details are sourced from historical records and industry databases like Box Office Mojo and the Academy Awards archives.
Geek Vibes Nation
39 minutes ago
- Geek Vibes Nation
'28 Years Later' Review - Grim Sentimentality Meets Gruesome Rite Of Passage
Synopsis: It's been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well. Whether society unscrupulously crawls towards its own demise or technology continues to overtake every facet of daily life, it's important to keep a physical record of our history, traditions, recipes, and way of life. If movies or our current political climate are any indication, cultism and factions are an almost certain outcome. While I don't think any of us wants a hopeless future, the hubris and greed of those in charge, and who harbor most of the wealth, take us down paths that affect us more than them. Stay informed, stay vigilant, stay woke, and stay together. 'The more you kill, the easier it gets.' If left to fend for yourself, do you end up like Jimmy, Spike, or one of the rage-riddled infected? I guess you'll have to watch to find out. From the enigmatic minds of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, 28 Years Later is grim sentimentality meets gruesome rite of passage. The highly anticipated third installment in the cult film franchise is thought-provoking, mystifying, potent, and the precise jolt the evolution of this universe needs to propel forward. While certain artistic and narrative choices are unusual or bizarre when compared to Days and Weeks , it's clear that a new direction is being taken. As every feature is connected by region and outbreak of the Rage Virus, like its predecessor, 28 Years Later is a standalone sequel. However, unlike its predecessor, this story and its characters will directly connect to its forthcoming sequel. Residing in a rebuilt future within a small, barricaded, makeshift community, those left behind and forgotten from the mainland have found a way to continue as a society. As subliminal flashes of vintage medieval footage permeate various sequences, we are reminded of how far these people have fallen, as the rest of the world outside Britain remains unblemished. Moreover, as we are taken through the secluded isle, the tight-knit population teeters on cult as 'Fail we may, but go we must' dominates a banner. As this tribe attempts to grow and thrive in less-than-ideal conditions, the story unfolds into a family-driven narrative intertwined with topical geo-politics. What begins with a traditional and transcendent adolescent rite of passage to the mainland to get a first kill soon turns into dysfunction, fear, and a coming-of-age journey of sorts. 'Memento mori.' As terror lurks behind every tree, over every hill, and swings a massive meat stick, there's no help in sight. It becomes evident that, like disasters and tragedies that take place outside of our purview, death and suffering persist as the rest of the world looks away or just moves on. While horror and trippiness endure, the focus on humanity rivals the first film. Highlighting the preservation and evolution of rituals, the moments are both beautiful and absurd. Alive with a pulse-pounding score and visceral cinematography, the film loses its footing with a sluggish middle and an abnormal climax. The ending, which sets up the planned sequel, feels like Robert Rodriguez crafted its tone and mood. 'Superman': DC's $225M Gamble To Save The DCU If you're looking for a fast-paced zombie massacre, this is not the movie for you. While it has its fair share of brutal kills and share-worthy moments, this post-apocalyptic allegory is more think piece than fright flick. Before the franchise's potentially exciting future is entertained, there is definitely plenty to unpack as it ponders and postulates life, death, and love. Its rewatchability is medium. Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) in Columbia Pictures' 28 YEARS LATER. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Pace & Pop Contrary to what the poster or trailer may have led you to perceive, the film is much more of a slow burn than expected. While the first act delivers both shock and surprise, as the journey delves into its humanity, it slows to an exploratory creep. However, the threat of infection or violent death remains immediate. What popped for me was the creative chances Boyle took. The fever-dream flair, paired with the moments that would stimulate the inebriated, adds a clever splash of artistic panic to an already dire situation. Spike (Alfie Williams), Isla (Jodie Comer) and Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures' 28 YEARS LATER. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Characters & Chemistry Starring: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams and Ralph Fiennes Anchored by strong emotional outings by some of the biggest names, young Alfie Williams delivers a standout performance. While Jodie Comer's Isla represents love and comfort, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Jamie depicts strength and deceit, Williams' Spike displays independence, courage, and bravery. Dr. Kelson, portrayed by Ralph Fiennes, is the voice of reason, calm, and connection to the past. Jack O'Connell gives a glimpse of the future as Jimmy. And lastly, we all get really familiar with Chi Lewis-Parry as Samson. 28 Years Later gets unleashed in theaters on June 20, 2025. Stay safe and look out for Samson's alpha. Rated: R Runtime: 1h 55m Director: Danny Boyle Writer: Alex Garland Producers: Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, Bernard Bellew, Danny Boyle, Alex Garland Executive Producer: Cillian Murphy Director of photography: Anthony Dod Mantle ASC, BSC, DFF Editor: Jon Harris Production & Costume Designers: Gareth Pugh and Carson McColl Score: Young Fathers Casting: Gail Stevens CDG and Rebecca Farhall
