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Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie William - 28 Years Later
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams in 28 Years Later (2025)
28 Years Later
(In Theaters June 20)
In 2002, director Danny Boyle popularized zombies that ran and chased down their victims. Five years later, the franchise released 28 Weeks Later, and now, 23 years after the original, 28 Years Later. As before, the zombies are more lethal. One group of survivors remains safe by holing up on a small island, hundreds of feet from shore. Needing supplies, a male survivor decides to search the nearby mainland with his girlfriend’s 12-year-old son. Shortly after the pair arrive, they are caught between a horde of zombies and a group of well-armed militia. Set in England, writer Alex Garland and Danny Boyle deliver a screenplay taking unexpected turns. Much of the footage was shot using the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and with rigs containing up to 20 cameras spanning 360 degrees. Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell, this film kicks off a trilogy. Boyle and Garland hope that good story-telling and expanded mythology will reinvigorate the genre. (Lisa Miller)
Bride Hard
(In Theaters June 20)
Those jonesing for a mash-up of Bridesmaids meets Die Hard will be disappointed that director Simon West fails to fully deliver on that elevator pitch. Rebel Wilson appears as Sam, a successful secret operative, and failed best friend. Having bungled her maid-of-honor duties for Betsy (Anna Camp), Sam tries to redeem herself when a group of robbers (led by Stephen Dorff) invade the wedding. While most jokes fall flat, sequences featuring Sam using wedding props as weapons, do better. Justin Hartley earns props as an egotist who imagines himself to be a badass. The dialog trots out all the cliches, save Anna Chlumsky as Betsy’s uptight, passive-aggressive future sister-in-law. Additional bridesmaids are played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Sherry Cola and Gigi Zumbado, each of whom looks as ridiculous as any woman stuck in a bridesmaid dress. (Lisa Miller)
Burning Dog
(Arrow Video Blu-ray)
Director Yoichi Sai was an unpleasant man by some reports, a Korean living in Japan bristling under bigotry. According to the commentary accompanying the Blu-ray release of Burning Dog (1991), his angry outsider status permeated the film without any specific reference. The movie concerns the perennial theme of crooks cheating each other, and a grim protagonist who won’t let them get away with it. Much of Burning Dog was shot on Okinawa near a U.S. base whose corrupt commander becomes part of the game. Burning Dog puts no varnish on violence, just gobs of fake blood. (David Luhrssen)
Elio
(In Theaters June 20)
Elio (voice of Yonas Kibreab) is a lonely 11-year-old orphan living with his overwhelmed Aunt Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldaña). Feeling alone and outcast, Elio dreams of being abducted by aliens ... so he is thrilled when a tractor beam whisks him off to the Communiverse. Numerous alien species that live there harmoniously, mistake little Elio for Earth’s leader. The boy makes a friend in the worm-like Glordon (Remy Edgerly), whose peaceable temperament runs afoul of Glordon’s warmongering dad Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett) who seeks to conquer the Communiverse. Glordon by his side, Elio teams up with blue gelatinous OOOOO (Shirley Henderson), a shape-shifting marvel to defend his new home. Rendered in muted neon tones, the landscapes are non-threatening eye-candy. Described as an intergalactic buddy comedy, Pixar’s “Elio” explores the desire to belong somewhere, make that anywhere, in the universe. (Lisa Miller)
