Category Archives: Thriller

28 YEARS LATER (2025): The Things I Liked…

28 Years Later (2025), Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, Sony Pictures Entertainment
28 Years Later (2025), Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, Sony Pictures Entertainment

Having only watched 28 Days Later (2002), the first movie in the trilogy that includes 28 Weeks Later (2007) and now, 28 Years Later (2025), just a few weeks ago, I had high hopes for the latest instalment. How could I not after the memorable trailers starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer and Alfie Williams?

Written by Alex Garland of Ex Machina (2004) and directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Years Later is my favourite of the three films set in a United Kingdom that has been taken over by a mysterious and incurable zombie virus, leaving just a handful of survivors.

It’s the great pacing, musical score, performances (by Comer in particular), visual effects, shooting style, cinematography and editing that places 28 Years Later at number one, for me. I appreciated the editing so much that for the first time in all my years of loving film, I took note of the editor’s (Jon Harris) name. 

I’m glad that even though 28 Years Later is partly a horror film, I didn’t see anything that resulted in nightmares. And, truth be told, Sinners may still be my favourite film of 2025, so far, but I’d say that 28 Years Later is at least in the top five. 

Watch Garland and Boyle’s latest for all the reasons above, and one more: the stunning alpha chase sequence. You know how much I enjoy a well-choreographed chase sequence.

Happy Film loving,

G

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025): New Trailer Starring Benicio Del Toro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor…

One Battle After Another (2025), Leonardo DiCaprio,  Warner Bros.
One Battle After Another (2025), Leonardo DiCaprio, Warner Bros.

The second trailer for the latest Paul Thomas Anderson-written/directed movie is here.

One Battle After Another, the action/drama/thriller about the rescue mission for the 16-year-old daughter of an ex-revolutionary, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor.

Considering the stellar cast, I’m excited to see all the thrilling drama and action. I’m also looking forward to watching how things unfold for a daughter of ex-revolutionaries. In the meantime, I’m trying not to project my wish for a super bad-ass young lady onto Infiniti’s character too much. I’m barely succeeding.

I’m glad to be sensing a very satisfying chase sequence coming, and, knowing how much I love those, I’m beyond ready. What are you thinking after seeing this second trailer?

D.W. Moffett, Shayna McHayle, John Hoogenakker, Regina Hall, Aladria Brown, Chase Infiniti, Wood Harris, Alana Haim, Jose Rico and Raymond Ruiz also star.

One Battle After Another Release Dates: September 26th, 2025 (US & UK)…

Happy Film Loving,

G

JURASSIC WORLD – REBIRTH (2025): The Things I Liked… 

I’m not a big enough fan of the Jurassic World films to have a favourite, but I did enjoy Jurassic World Rebirth. The biggest highlight for me was Scarlett Johansson as the leader in charge of keeping everyone physically safe.

Directed by Gareth Edwards, this instalment of the Jurassic World franchise is a movie that proved most exciting in the last third. The scares, monster special effects, and the action sequence were good. The latter, even more so whenever Johansson was at the centre of it all in her more than capable mercenary mode. 

Based on the trailers, I’d expected the dialogue in Jurassic World Rebirth to be memorable. Yet, outside of Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey’s) lines about intelligence, which I enjoyed quite a bit, I’d classify the dialogue in Edwards’s film as okay to good enough. My classification of the directing and story/script is similar.

I must admit that Bailey’s American accent was a tad spoty in parts. But, thankfully, nothing like Don Cheadle in Ocean’s Thirteen (2007), where the Cockney accent is butchered/ obliterated like never before. I tried to find a clip to share here, but YouTube sadly did not deliver. 

As for the all-important (to me) question that no one asked about: As stories about humans going where they don’t belong, into jungles occupied by monsters, do I like Jurassic World – Rebirth or Kong – Skull Island (2017) more? It’s simple. Which one stars Tom Hiddleston?

Watch Jurassic World Rebirth if you’re curious. It is quite the entertaining summer blockbuster. 

Happy Film Loving,

G

THE RUNNING MAN (2025): New Trailer Starring Glen Powell, Lee Pace, Jayme Lawson, Colman Domingo…

The Running Man (2025), Glen Powell, Paramount Pictures
The Running Man (2025), Glen Powell, Paramount Pictures

Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, Jayme Lawson and Lee Pace are the stars of The Running Man, a new sci-fi/action/thriller directed by Edgar Wright (Baby Driver (2017).

Based on a novel by Stephen King, Powell plays a desperate man who joins a game show. One where contestants can go anywhere in the world, while pursued by people hired to kill them.

At first, I feared this might be too similar to previous movies like John Q (2002) and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Ambulance (2022). I’m pleased to see I was mostly wrong.

In fact, as someone who loves well-paced chase sequences, this looks quite promising. Perhaps I’ll finally have a favourite Glen Powell movie. Which one’s yours?

I’m now also wondering which will be better, this retelling or the original 1987 movie of the same name starring Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Josh Brolin, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, David Zayas, Emilia Jones, Karl Glusman, Sean Hayes, Katy O’Brian, Sophie Simnett, George Carroll, Joey Ansah and Daniel Ezra also star.

The Running Man Release Dates: November 7th, 2025 (US & UK)…

Happy Film loving,

G

SOVEREIGN (2025): New Trailer Starring Jacob Tremblay, Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid…

Sovereign (2025), Jacob Tremblay, Nick Offerman, Briarcliff Entertainment
Sovereign (2025), Jacob Tremblay, Nick Offerman, Briarcliff Entertainment

From writer/director Christian Swegal, Sovereign is a crime/drama/thriller about a manhunt involving father/son anti-government extremists and the police.

Jacob Tremblay, Nick Offerman and Dennis Quaid are the key cast.

Offerman in a full-blown dramatic role is something to see. Fans (me included) of his great work as Ron Swanson on hit comedy series Parks and Recreation (2009–2015) will no doubt be intrigued, if the top YouTube comments for this trailer are anything to go by.

It’s always sad to see a child pulled into his unhinged parent’s shenanigans. As heavy as the premise is, I’m curious to see the ever-talented Tremblay continue to do great work.

I wonder if the story will explain what led to Offerman’s character’s current predicaments.

Are you ready for a fully snapped Swanson?

Megan Mullally, Kezia DaCosta, Ruby Wolf, Chris Greene, Jade Fernandez, Buddy Campbell, Bobby Gilchrist and Terry J. Nelson also star.

Sovereign Release Dates: July 11th, 2025 (US)…

Happy Film Loving,

G