Latest news with #Kelson
Cosmopolitan
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Breaking Down the ‘28 Years Later' Ending
The apocalyptic pandemic coined the 'Rage Virus' in the 2002 hit 28 Days Later is still with us, 28 years later. The not-so-subtly named illness is a social mutation and a metaphor for our own fractured times. 28 Years Later, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland's long-awaited return to this cinematic universe, is set exactly 10,228 days after the original outbreak. There is no word count large enough to recap what has happened IRL in the last 28 years, but in this world, society has quarantined, rewilded, and brutalized. In the words of Bo Burnham, 'there it is again, that funny feeling…' The new film, the third in the series, opens on the 'Holy Island' of Lindisfarne, where survivors of the virus have built a rustic dystopia. If you're a fan of The Last of Us, Lindisfarne is Jackson, but with a spooky Yellowjackets oeuvre; masked hunters, primitive rituals, and the like. Jamie (Aaron Taylor‑Johnson) puts his son Spike (Alfie Williams) through the coming-of-age rites of manhood through a hunting excursion off-island. Armed with a bow and arrow, the pair face evolved infected on the mainland – a tense chase sequence through marshfields, filmed using iPhones, drones, and even a goat-mounted camera. They see that this group of infected seem to be led by an Alpha, showing that the ever-evolving virus is becoming stronger and smarter. They spend the night in an abandoned cottage, observing a bonfire in the distance, before returning to Lindisfarne. The source of the fire, they later learn, is a spooky survivor Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). The community of Lindisfarne fears Dr. Kelson, fueled by rumors that he ritualistically burns bodies like a freak. Now is a good time to mention Isla (Jodie Comer), Jamie's wife and Spike's mother. Our girl Isla is sick as a dog, terminally so. Spike wonders of Dr. Kelson might be able to help his mother, and after discovering Jamie's cheating ass with another woman, he says 'to hell with it' and returns to the mainland with his mom. Meanwhile, a group of Swedish NATO soldiers have been washed ashore with a sunken boat. They are almost no match for the infected, leaving one sole survivor – a soldier named Erik, who soon crosses paths with Isla and Spike. The trio band together and continue their search for Dr. Kelson. In a tense scene involving an infected pregnant woman—again, welcome back The Last of Us season two—Erik is killed by an Alpha, who is subdued by Dr. Kelson, who arrives seemingly from nowhere. Dr. Kelson brings Spike, Isla, and the aforementioned woman's now-infected newborn to his sanctuary of sterilized bones. Dr. Kelson confirms that Isla's cancer is terminal, and upon her request, euthanizes her with a morphine dart. He cleans her skull and hands it to Spike, who places it atop Dr. Kelson's boneyard shrine. Let's fast forward through another close encounter with the infected, bringing us to Spike's return to Lindisfarne. He places the baby at the gates of the village with a note addressed to Jamie, promising to return when he's ready. A fitting number of days later (read: 28), Spike is rescued from a pack of infected by a cult-like group of survivors led by Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell). This sudden tonal swerve—neither horror nor satire, but an unsettling mix—sets up the next chapter. Spike's alignment with Jimmy's cult, at the film's close, sets a collision course: the grieving, virus-scarred reality of Spike met with Jimmy's cultic salvation. So, it looks like we're in for another film. We're just left with one question, what titles are left? We kid. It's called 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and it's already scheduled for January 2026.
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Spoilers! Who is that mystery man at the end of '28 Years Later'?
Spoiler alert! We're discussing important plot points and the ending of '28 Years Later' (in theaters now), so beware if you haven't seen it yet. The horror sequel '28 Years Later' introduces several new characters into the post-apocalyptic world director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland envisioned in 2002's '28 Days Later.' And the most fascinating personality is the first person we meet in the new movie who we don't get to see again until the very end. '28 Years' centers on a quarantined U.K. three decades after a rage virus broke out and infected habitants, turning them into zombie-like people. In an isolated survivor community on Holy Island, 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) is taken to the mainland for the first time by his dad Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) to kill an infected. Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox Spike learns of a mysterious doctor named Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) so, with his mother Isla (Jodie Comer) ailing from an unknown disease, he returns to the mainland to find him. There, Spike runs afoul of the muscular infected Alpha known as Samson and witnesses his mom help an infected woman give birth. (The baby, shockingly, seems healthy, though its mom dies.) They then are saved by the odd but compassionate Kelson, from whom Spike gets an important lesson on life and remembering death. Let's dig into the biggest spoilers and lingering questions, including who that bad guy is in the film's final moments and what fans should expect in the next installment, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' (out Jan. 16): What happens in the ending of '28 Years Later'? Kelson examines Isla and discovers she has breast cancer − it's spread to other parts of her body and is terminal. He helps to end her life, burns the body and returns the skull to Spike so he can place it atop Kelson's extremely tall Bone Temple, which memorializes the dead. Kelson helps Spike and the baby to escape another attack but Samson follows Spike to the island, where the Alpha is killed. But instead of staying, Spike leaves the baby with his dad to be raised on the island while he decides to live his life on the mainland. In the final scene, Spike is attacked on a road by a bunch of infected but is saved by a group of blond-haired strangers, and that's where the unnerving Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) introduces himself. In the movie's opening, Jimmy is seen as a child at the outbreak of the virus, watching 'Teletubbies' before infected family members attack each other. His preacher father is scarily happy to see God's Day of Judgment come, and he gives his son a cross, which as an adult Jimmy wears upside down on a necklace. Jimmy and his cult – with names like Jimmima and Jimmy Ink, and a violently amusing air a la Alex and the Droogs from 'A Clockwork Orange' – feature "very heavily" in 'Bone Temple,' Boyle promises. 'The first film is about grief and the nature of family. And these Jimmies are one of the families that it sort of looks at. But the second film is about the nature of evil.' Garland adds that Jimmy is "someone genuinely frightening, but we understand how he got to be how he is. And the most interesting interaction for me is what happens when Kelson meets Jimmy.' What is the secret website in '28 Years Later'? If you visit the fictional 'dark web' page it fills in the blanks about what's happened in the U.K. since the rage virus broke out, maps that show the geography of this part of Europe after three decades, and other interesting world-building elements. (Need the password? It's "mementomori" – Kelson's favorite phrase.) What is Cillian Murphy's role in '28 Years Later'? Murphy, who won a best actor for 'Oppenheimer,' was the main star of '28 Days Later' playing bicycle courier Jim, who wakes up in a hospital after a traffic accident to find an empty London and an infected England. His main role in '28 Years Later' is actually as an executive producer: He doesn't appear on camera but Boyle has said that Murphy will appear at the end of 'Bone Temple' and play a central part in a planned third movie. Wonder if Jim will have something to do with Jimmy and the Jimmies? Does '28 Years Later' have a post-credits scene? It does not, but the ending hints at where things might go and who they'll involve, from Kelson to that little baby. And 'plenty of challenges' await Spike in 'Bone Temple,' Boyle teases. (Garland wrote the next movie but Nia DaCosta will be in the director's chair.) 'It's not going to be easy what he will have to overcome in the second film.' Boyle believes 'Bone Temple' is 'the most original piece of screenwriting since 'A Clockwork Orange.' There were lots of people saying, 'Oh, we should change this, we should cut this. It's too disturbing.' And it is disturbing and it is risky. 'The first film stands alone and the second film will stand alone,' he says, 'but they are umbilically connected in a way that will enrich the experience eventually.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The BCRF Hot Pink Party Breaks Fundraising Records
A crowd bedecked in every shade of pink gathered at The Glasshouse in New York City yesterday evening for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)'s annual Hot Pink Party, raising more than $11 million—a new record for the event. The BCRF is the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide, and has raised more than a billion dollars since its founding by Evelyn Lauder in 1993. The evening celebrated the immense progress made by researchers in those three-plus decades, with breast cancer death rates falling more than 40 percent. But with diagnoses increasing in young women and federal funding for science threatened, the message was clear: Private philanthropic giving to the cause has never been more important. Jersey Mike's founder and CEO Peter Cancro and his wife, Tatiana, received the Evelyn Lauder Spirit of Philanthropy Award, given to 'a visionary individual, family, or organization whose altruistic impact profoundly improves the lives of others.' In September, Jersey Mike's sponsored a national advertisement in support of BCRF and donated 20 percent of sales over the course of two days, raising $4.4 million. From the stage, the couple stunned BCRF President and CEO Donna McKay with the surprise gift of another $2 million. (Guests also went home with a free Italian sub from Jersey Mike's, in the event of any post-gala munchies.) Kate Williams, a lawyer and breast cancer survivor, was honored with the Roslyn and Leslie Goldstein Unsung Hero Award for her support of Marcella Kelson, who was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer only four months after the birth of her second child. Williams, who had been through a similar diagnosis but never met Kelson in person, provided unwavering support by phone and text as Kelson went through 16 rounds of chemotherapies, 14 rounds of immunotherapy, 20 rounds of radiation, and a lumpectomy. Both friends are now cancer-free. 'Let's not lose sight of the fact that both of us are here to raise our kids and enjoy all this beautiful life has to offer, because of research,' Williams wrote in an Instagram post about the honor. The night was hosted by actress and model Elizabeth Hurley, who attended with her son Damian, and also featured remarks from BCRF Scientific Director Larry Norton, M.D. and actress Toks Olagundoye. (The Frasier star shared her breast cancer story with ELLE last October.) Other attendees included Imaan Hammam, Vera Wang, Nia Long, Misty Copeland, Katie Thurston, Gloria Estefan, and Tokyo Rose, who manned the DJ booth. ELLE editor-in-chief Nina Garcia served as a co-chair of the event. The evening concluded with an intimate performance of songs and stories by Sting. The singer and musician spoke movingly of his mother, a nurse who died of breast cancer in 1988. 'She was only 54; she wasn't diagnosed until it was too late. At the time, there was so much fear and inexplicable sense of shame around this disease that women were paralyzed to inaction,' he said, before announcing a $250,000 BRCF endowment for research in his mother's name. 'I am so pleased, as she would be as a nurse, that something in her name would help other women avoid the tragedy that overtook her.' You Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)
CBS News
08-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Which tax deductions reduce your tax bill the most? Experts weigh in
With the April 15 tax filing deadline right around the corner, millions of Americans are finalizing their 2024 tax returns with one goal: reducing what they owe. Proper planning can save you thousands of dollars on your federal income tax bill, after all, and the right deductions might even turn your payment into a welcome tax refund. Not all tax deductions apply to everyone, however. Homeowners, business owners and those with specific healthcare costs qualify for different write-offs. Below, industry professionals break down the most powerful ones available this filing season. They also share insights on when utilizing a tax relief service might be worth considering. Find out how to get more help with your IRS tax debt . "For many taxpayers, contributing the maximum amount to their tax-deferred retirement accounts will likely reduce their tax bills the most," advises Jeffrey Kelson, partner and national tax co-leader at EisnerAmper, a tax and business advisory firm. The current maximum contribution is $23,500 in 2025, but if you're over 50 years of age, you can contribute an extra $7,500 per year. Taxpayers between the ages of 60 and 63 can make catch-up contributions of up to $11,250. Experts also recommend exploring three other deductions to lower your tax bill: "For most homeowners who use their home as a primary residence, the largest and most common immediate tax deductions are property taxes and the home mortgage interest deduction," says Sarah Gaymon, a certified public accountant (CPA) and director of tax services at Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors + CPAs. Property taxes are currently capped at $10,000 under SALT (State and Local Tax) limitations. To benefit from these deductions, you must itemize on your tax return. Beyond traditional write-offs, "home improvement expenses toward energy-efficient homes can yield significant savings," notes Ran Harpaz, founder and CEO of Lettuce Financial, a company offering tax services for solopreneurs. The Residential Clean Energy Credit provides up to 30% of the cost for qualifying improvements such as solar panels. Learn what your IRS tax relief options are here . "The Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction [is] one of the biggest deductions for small businesses," says Kelson. This allows eligible self-employed taxpayers to reduce their taxable income by up to 20% of their qualified business earnings. Under the QBI, business owners can deduct the following expenses: If you're a high-earning self-employed individual, Harpaz suggests exploring S Corporation status. With it, you pay yourself a reasonable salary subject to self-employment taxes (15.3%). "After [that], the rest of the profits aren't subject to [these] taxes," he says. This structure can save six-figure-revenue business owners thousands in self-employment taxes annually compared to a sole proprietorship. Though it requires a high-deductible health plan, "an HSA (Health Savings Account) has a triple tax benefit," Kelson points out. "You get a tax deduction in the contribution year. It can accrue interest tax-free, and if you distribute it for qualified medical expenses, you don't pay taxes on those contributions." Many employers also match HSA contributions. Don't have an HSA? Medical expenses can still provide tax benefits. If you itemize your deductions, "health-related expenses are deductible if they exceed 7.5% of [your] adjusted gross income," says Gaymon. Here are examples of eligible expenses: Gaymon notes that some states have different income limits and rules for deductibility. This means taxpayers who don't itemize federally may still be able to do so at the state level. While maximizing deductions helps reduce your tax bill going forward, many Americans have existing tax debt from previous years. Using a tax debt relief service could be beneficial if you owe taxes exceeding $10,000. Tax relief professionals can "[negotiate] more favorable settlements [such as] Offers in Compromise, [halt] enforcement actions and [secure] penalty abatements," explains Chad Cummings, a certified public accountant and attorney at The Law Office of Chad D. Cummings. However, Kelson cautions that not all tax relief companies are reputable. "Do due diligence as some charge high fees and aren't always successful," he advises. Look for firms with licensed tax attorneys and certified public accountants. Finally, check online reviews before signing any contracts. Before claiming any deductions, compare them against the standard deduction. "Do the math — if your SALT limit of $10,000, plus mortgage interest, and charitable contributions are more than the standard deduction, then you should itemize," Kelson suggests. For 2024, the standard deduction is $14,600 for individuals, $29,200 for married couples filing together and $21,900 for heads of household. Unsure which deductions apply to your situation? Consult a tax professional. They can identify tax-saving opportunities you might miss and ensure you're maximizing your refund or minimizing what you owe.
Axios
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Why law school applications are spiking in Minnesota
Minnesota's law schools are seeing a surge in applications this year. The big picture: While the high interest may be good news for local programs, it means more competition among those who want to pursue — or pivot to — a career in law. What's happening: A presidential transition, changes to the LSAT exam, and more attention being paid to the law and courts are leading more people to apply to law school across the nation. Applications to nearly 200 programs jumped 20.5% compared with last year, The Wall Street Journal reports. By the numbers: University of Minnesota Law School Dean William McGeveran told Axios that applications are up 40% so far this year at the nationally ranked program. Mitchell Hamline School of Law's year-over-year spike is in line with the national trend, spokesperson Ally Roecker told Axios. She declined to share exact stats, saying the schools keep that data "internal in order to remain competitive among peer institutions." University of St. Thomas School of Law spokesperson Carrie Hilger said the school's increase is "higher than the national average." Context: Law school applications routinely rise amid recessions and tough job markets, according to the WSJ. A second "Trump bump," inspired by high-profile legal battles over the administration's policies, may also be driving the trend this year, the paper reports. Zoom in: Both of those considerations were factors for Caleb Kelson, a 25-year-old St. Paul resident. Kelson, who majored in Spanish as an undergraduate, knew he wanted to go to grad school to help land a stable career after several years of working odd jobs. But the legal fights over the administration's immigration crackdown and separation of powers in general propelled him through the grueling application process. "It made me realize it's relevant, and how the Constitution is interpreted is really important to me," Kelson, who plans to attend St. Thomas in the fall and hopes to go into immigration law, told Axios. Between the lines: Some law school hopefuls told the WSJ that the removal of the logic games section from the LSAT this cycle helped raise scores, which could result in more applicants, especially to top-tier programs. Kelson said he saw a slight bump in his LSAT score after that change. What we're hearing: Mitchell Hamline vice president of enrollment Annie Gemmell told Axios that while it's "too early to say what factors are driving the increase," the influences cited by the WSJ's report "make sense." A survey of LSAT takers conducted on behalf of hundreds of law schools after the admissions cycle is done will give schools a better sense of motivations, she added. The bottom line: The total number of applicants nationwide remains below record highs seen in the 1990s, per the WSJ, but the year-over-year jump still means fierce competition for aspiring lawyers.
