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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Danny Boyle and Alex Garland redefined Zombies with Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later
'28 Days Later' brought a horrific genre back: the zombies. The movie was two decades ago and starred Cillian Murphy as Jim, who was a bicycle courier guy. He discovers that he is among the survivors of an incurable virus that has wiped out the U.K. after he wakes up from a coma. How did the idea come to reinvent the genre? Garland was a fan of George Romero's 1968 'Night of the Living Dead' when he was young. The idea was pitched when he was getting pizza with Andrew Macdonald about the running zombies in London. Garland tells 'THR' that 'There were five drafts where it was just me working with Andrew, and then eventually Andrew said, 'OK, now I'm going to show this to Danny.'' The writer has said that fast-moving zombie dogs in the 1996 video game 'Resident Evil' were a disclosure: 'That's the thing that gave the idea of a zombie movie, but where the zombies move quickly.' Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, and Christopher Eccleston rounded out the cast for the film that got released theatrically on June 27, 2003. It collected 74 million dollars globally at that time, and a 'THR' story about its legacy noted that the project 'uses the idea of these living dead to explore the collapse of society.' Producer credits Danny Boyle , the director, and Alex Garland , the screenwriter, only had producer credits on the 2007 sequel of '28 Weeks Later,' but the June 20 follow-up of '28 Years Later' sees the return of Boyle as director and Garland as writer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Over the years, Boyle has attended anniversary screenings for '28 Days Later' and informed Garland when they're packed with fans. 'I think it's the idea and the manner with which we did it,' Boyle has said about the first movie's appeal. 'That led us to think, 'Could we actually investigate this further?'' The OG cast The sci-fi thriller had Cillian Murphy as Jim, Naomie Harris as Selena, Brendan Gleeson as Frank, Megan Burns as Hannah, Christopher Eccleston as Major Henry West, Noah Huntley as Mark, Stuart McQuarrie as Sergeant Farrell, Ricci Harnett as Corporal Mitchell, Leo Bill as Private Jones, Luke Mably as Private Clifton, Junior Laniyan as Private Bell, Ray Panthaki as Private Bedford, Sanjay Rambaruth as Private Davis and Marvin Campbell as Private Mailer. Additionally, Alex Palmer, Bindu De Stoppani, and Jukka Hiltunen portray the animal liberation activists, while David Schneider portrays a scientist at the laboratory. Christopher Dunne and Emma Hitching appear as Jim's parents, and Toby Sedgwick plays an infected priest encountered by Jim.
Spectator
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The politics of horror
Everyone forgets the actual opening scene of 28 Days Later, even though it's deeply relatable, in that it features a helpless chimp strapped to a table and forced to watch doomreels of ultraviolence until it loses its little monkey mind and eats David Schneider. But it's eclipsed by the famous sequence that follows where Cillian Murphy wakes in a hospital bed to find that he has slept through a deadly pandemic and the ensuing collapse of civilisation. As Murphy drags his not-yet-world-famous cheekbones through an eerily abandoned metropolis, we see Piccadilly plastered with the names and faces of the missing and the dead. Audiences in 2002 were reminded of the recent World Trade Centre attacks, which happened in the middle of filming. Unfortunately, it was about to get a lot more prescient. This week, as the long-awaited last instalment of Alex Garland's zombie trilogy hits cinemas (reviewed in this issue), it's worth looking back on the first two films – the second, 28 Weeks Later, premièred in 2007 – which feel like a 'coming up next' montage for two decades of economic collapse, climate breakdown, civil unrest, carnage and chaos. There's the theatre of quarantine, the masked soldiers swabbing holding pens of survivors. There's Naomie Harris, the original exposition ninja: 'It started as rioting and right from the beginning you knew this was different. Because it was happening in small villages, market towns, and then it wasn't on the TV any more, it was on the street outside… By the time they tried to evacuate the cities it was already too late. The infection was everywhere.' Decent horror does a lot more than scare the audience. It asks us to think about what frightens us, and why. The big three monsters of mass culture are vampires, werewolves and zombies, in descending order of sexiness. I apologise to everyone whose doctoral theses I'm about to comic sansify but, in brief, the big three are essentially ego, id and superego: vampires are about power, exploitation and the nasty suspicion that, given the chance, you, too, might be prepared to hurt other people if it meant getting to flounce about for ever in a mansion. Werewolves are about the monster inside you, about the fear that one day you'll lose control, tear up your life and wake up in the woods with a weird headache and wearing the wrong trousers. But zombies are the most obviously political. Zombies are all about our fear of other people. Terror of the unstoppable mob has been baked into the genre from the beginning. In the 1960s, George Romero's Living Dead franchise caught the mood of the mass protest and played into polite society's fear of the civil-rights movement. In the intervening decades we've been served every flavour of shambling undead, and all of them, even Resident Evil, offer us what looks like a reassuringly simple moral choice. The horde has ceased to be sentient and cannot be reasoned with; there is no way to have a productive debate with someone who actively is trying to chew out your pituitary gland. Which is upsettingly relevant to the recent experience of representative democracy. Garland's ravenous, man-eating mobs of 'infected' are not, technically, undead – they're just very, very cross. The virus spreading unstoppably across the nation is, simply, 'rage'. If you'd pitched that in 2020, it might have felt too on the nose, but Garland has already explicitly told us 28 Years Later is more about Brexit than it is about Covid. Zombie movies aren't just about fear of the mob – they're also about the horror of having to tolerate other people. They're about the price we pay for the notional protections of civilisation, and they're rarely subtle about it, which is fine, because nobody watches monster movies for delicate analogy, and personally I prefer my Hobbesian dilemmas served up with dishy actors dressed mainly in other people's blood panting, screaming and swinging baseball bats. 'Are we the baddies?' is hardly an original thought, but the question will remain relevant until western society comes up with an answer. In the final act of 28 Days Later, it turns out that there are more frightening things than the mindless mob: there is power wielded with ruthless efficiency. There's the cold logic of institutional violence, made flesh in Major Henry West, played with appalling composure by Christopher Eccleston, who shelters our heroes in the apparent safety of his military compound. But West has a problem: his men are despairing, because they have the means of survival, but nothing to hope for. Without women, he explains, there is no future. West's simple solution is to kidnap women and forcibly breed them in exchange for protection from the mob, and while going right to institutional gang-rape might have seemed like a wild escalation in 2002, these days he would be just one YouTube ethno-fascist among many. I suspect we'll be coming back to this theme in the final film, purely on the basis of the trailers, where a suspiciously monochromatic crowd of survivors seems to be doing some sketchy religion on Lindisfarne. Alex Garland is famously genre-queer – skipping provocatively from big-budget disaster movies to contemporary tech thrillers to murder mysteries in space – but he has certain predictable tropes. Something disgusting will always happen to a priest. Someone will be overwhelmed by the implications of technology and have an existential breakdown. There will be a scene full of bristling symbolism, where someone will run through a forest while a hypnotic soft-metal soundtrack plays. A bloviating, overpowered alpha-male type will play god; a brave lady with an edgy short haircut will try to stop him; and a sensitive young man will have to pick a side. Over and over again, in action and science fiction and folk horror, Garland grapples with how men are meant to make women love and serve them. It's the driving issue of Ex Machina and of Men, the 2022 low-budget surrealist horror where Jessie Buckley gets hunted through the woods by far too many Rory Kinnears. And over the course of the century the question has become far less academic. In this age of universal catastrophism, where we all at least get to choose our own apocalypse, some people are far less troubled by plague, famine or financial meltdown than they are by the collapse of certain social norms. Immigration. The active presence of gay and transgender people trampling all over our tidy traditions. And women who don't need men. I was 14 when I watched the final, controversial scenes of 28 Days Later, where the women in Murphy's party are stripped and prepped for their first session with the lads. For these soldiers, women's agency is a luxury that a post-collapse world cannot afford – along with cappuccinos and subtle analogy. A surprising number of new-right doomsayers are anticipating the fall of civilisation on that very basis. The logic of the manosphere teaches us that when the dung hits the Dyson, society will revert to a natural order where men are real men, women are grateful, and most problems can be solved by shooting at them. But the world only works like that in the movies. In fact, as we learned in the Covid years, an actual collective crisis doesn't call for tough guys who shoot first and ask questions never. The real heroes are doctors, nurses and first responders, and when things fall apart, people don't just start eating each other. They start feeding each other.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Onimusha 2 – Samurai's Destiny Remastered review: Sharpness of sword saga softened by superannuated systems
Games are not like movies in that old favourites often can't be played on newer consoles due to the inexorable march of technology. Yet a remaster is no little undertaking and so publishers must have a strategy as to which to give the makeover. Is it based on enduring popularity or the need for a marketing assist? Capcom's Japanese hack'n'slash franchise Onimusha shone briefly in the early 2000s with four entries in the series selling well. Each instalment followed a samurai and his allies pursuing the supernaturally evil warlord Nobunaga and his hordes of demons. But diminishing returns left Onimusha dormant until a remaster in 2019 was politely if unenthusiastically received. So why then six years later do we have this redux of the second in the series, albeit the best-selling episode? It probably hopes to stir interest in the big-budget series revival Onimusha: Way of the Sword – due in 2026. For now, Samurai's Destiny Remastered gives us a glimpse into the past of a different mindset in game design – one that makes the player suffer unnecessarily. Digging out my own review of the 2002 version from more than two decades ago, my biggest complaint was about the awkward tank-style controls that overcomplicated combat. Capcom wisely fixed that issue for the remaster by adding more sensible left-stick controls. But it presumably would have been much harder to address the non-scrolling level design where your character flicks from screen to screen as he reaches the edge. The concept was inherited from Capcom's Resident Evil but made more sense there in a slow-moving survival horror. Here in fast-moving Onimusha 2, it's a design flaw that becomes a frequent frustration when enemies attack from off-screen. Worse still, your samurai regularly bamboozles your sense of his direction with a sudden, sometimes involuntary shift in camera angle as the level unfolds. It affords your foes too many cheap hits and confounds your internal compass. All of this undermines what remains an enjoyably batty adventure blessed by an intricate combat system intersecting with some fabulous monster designs. The high-def glow-up papers over the game's PS2 origins and Capcom supplies a decent amount of bonus content in the form of artwork galleries and the like. If nothing else, it whets the appetite for next year's big Onimusha revival, so perhaps that's job done after all.
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Over 1,000 FREE movies and TV shows added to popular Fire Stick app with hits including Death Becomes Her and The Purge
You can easily sign up for free to access their catalogue of 40,000 films and TV episodes DREAM STREAM Over 1,000 FREE movies and TV shows added to popular Fire Stick app with hits including Death Becomes Her and The Purge A POPULAR streaming app has added over 1,000 movies and TV shows to its catalogue - and they're all free. It even includes cult classics like Resident Evil, Death Becomes Her and The Purge. 2 The Tubi app can be easily added to your Fire Stick or mobile device Credit: Getty 2 The streamer is free and boasts a catalogue of over 40,000 movies and TV shows Credit: Alamy Tubi offers a free ad-supported video-on-demand library which is compatible with Fire Sticks and mobile devices. Since launching in the UK in July 2024, the streamer has expanded to include more than 40,000 movies and TV episodes. The latest additions to the platform's extensive material comes from its deals with major distributors like AMC Networks, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, New Regency and Sony Pictures. It includes films like Baby Driver, Zombieland, The Purge, and Mama - as well as a range of TV shows. Ross Appleton, General Manager of Tubi's UK service, said: "Since launching nearly a year ago in the UK, Tubi has doubled its library size, cementing its position as offering the biggest collection of free movies and TV series in the UK. "With rising costs and fragmentation in streaming, Tubi will continue to offer viewers extensive content choice and a highly personalised viewing experience. All for free." Sam Harowitz, SVP of Content Acquisitions and Partnerships at the company said they had looked at performance data to help them choose which genres to focus on. He said: "With these latest studio library deals we have further invested in robust existing partnerships and doubled down on providing fandoms with a deep catalogue of movies and TV series across top performing genres such as horror, action, thrillers, and comedies." In addition to its licensed content, the streaming service has also produced more than 300 exclusive originals. This includes the adult animation The Freak Brothers which was met with positive reviews. Roku reveals brand new streaming stick TV device packed with free channels With a star-studded cast including Woody Harrelson, John Goodman and Pete Davidson, the show followed three Freak brothers and their cat as they adjust to life in 2020 after a magical strain of marijuana put them to sleep for 50 years. If you're looking for a more family-friendly show, viewers can enjoy the popular animated series RoboForce which boasts a 9.2 / 10 star rating on IMDB. The streamer has also debuted an extensive list of original documentaries for those looking for a more hard-hitting TV show. Housing the largest collection of on-demand content, with 275,000 movies and TV episodes, the popular streamer has amassed a fanbase of 97 million monthly active users. With a range of foreign language films, and availability in countries including Ecuador, Mexico, Canada and Australia, it's no wonder the platform has amassed such a global viewership. The service was founded in 2014 as a revolutionary stand out in the streaming sector. Instead of a subscription-based model, the company relies on ads to provide a free service to its millions of users. Platforms like this have become increasingly popular as the cost of living has gone up and households have cut down on the number of services they pay for. All you need to do to access the seemingly endless free content is sign up to an account online. You can then download the app across a range of compatible devices - including Fire Sticks and mobile phones - to make the most of their content, wherever you are. The streamer is also running a competition for indie filmmakers that could launch their career. In a collaboration with Kickstarter, their FilmStream Collective gives filmmakers the opportunity to access funding with guaranteed distribution on the platform.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Over 1,000 FREE movies and TV shows added to popular Fire Stick app with hits including Death Becomes Her and The Purge
A POPULAR streaming app has added over 1,000 movies and TV shows to its catalogue - and they're all free. It even includes cult classics like Resident Evil, Death Becomes Her and The Purge. Advertisement 2 The Tubi app can be easily added to your Fire Stick or mobile device Credit: Getty 2 The streamer is free and boasts a catalogue of over 40,000 movies and TV shows Credit: Alamy Since The latest additions to the platform's extensive material comes from its deals with major distributors like AMC Networks, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, New Regency and Sony Pictures. It includes films like Baby Driver, Zombieland, The Purge, and Mama - as well as a range of TV shows. Advertisement Read more Tech Ross Appleton, General Manager of "With rising costs and fragmentation in streaming, Tubi will continue to offer viewers extensive content choice and a highly personalised viewing experience. All for free." Sam Harowitz, SVP of Content Acquisitions and Partnerships at the company said they had looked at performance data to help them choose which genres to focus on. He said: "With these latest studio library deals we have further invested in robust existing partnerships and doubled down on providing fandoms with a deep catalogue of movies and TV series across top performing genres such as horror, action, thrillers, and comedies." Advertisement Most read in Tech In addition to its licensed content, the streaming service has also produced more than 300 This includes the adult animation The Freak Brothers which was met with positive reviews. Roku reveals brand new streaming stick TV device packed with free channels With a star-studded cast including Woody Harrelson, John Goodman and Pete Davidson, the show followed three Freak brothers and their cat as they adjust to life in 2020 after a magical strain of marijuana put them to sleep for 50 years. If you're looking for a more family-friendly show, viewers can enjoy the popular animated series RoboForce which boasts a 9.2 / 10 star rating on IMDB. Advertisement The streamer has also debuted an Housing the largest collection of on-demand content, with 275,000 movies and TV episodes, the popular streamer has amassed a fanbase of 97 million monthly active users. With a range of foreign language films, and availability in countries including Ecuador, Mexico, Canada and Australia, it's no wonder the platform has amassed such a global viewership. The service was founded in 2014 as a revolutionary stand out in the Advertisement Instead of a subscription-based model, the company relies on ads to provide a free service to its millions of users. Platforms like this have become increasingly popular as the cost of living has gone up and households have cut down on the number of services they pay for. All you need to do to access the seemingly endless free content is sign up to an account online. You can then download the app across a range of compatible devices - including Fire Sticks and mobile phones - to make the most of their content, wherever you are. Advertisement The streamer is also running a competition for indie filmmakers that could launch their career. In a collaboration with Kickstarter, their
