Walking onto the stage in his three-piece black suit, super cool shades and gold microphone in hand, Robin Thicke put on one hell of a performance Tuesday night. The sex appeal and energy oozing from the rotating stage is what the Houston Rodeo is all about, Thicke quickly learned.
He began his 11-song set fairly coy, keeping his shades on and his hand in his pocket as he belted out lyrics with extreme ease. The American-Canadian singer-songwriter even kept a towel handy to wipe his sweaty brow during songs — a sure sign he was performing his heart out.
He threw in Michael Jackson and Al Green covers for good measure, proving he did not need Miley Cyrus to make fans go wild for him.
"This is my first rodeo and I'm having a blast," the pop icon said in front of the 61,191 in attendance. "I've been making music since I was 11-years-old and it's such an honor to be here at the Houston Rodeo."
Of course he sang his most popular songs, including, of course the smash, "Blurred Lines," but threw in Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" and Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" covers for good measure, proving he did not need Miley Cyrus to make fans go wild for him. It takes a brave man to cover MJ and Al in front of such a massive crowd, but it seems Mr. Thicke brought his big-boy pants to Reliant.
Ending the show with Blurred Lines, Thicke took the customary lap around the dirt, taking more selfies (which has officially become a thing) and even letting fans sing into the mic before climbing the piano middle stage allowing the fireworks to truly end the night with a bang.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams in 28 Years Later.
The 2000s brought two of the best zombie movies ever made in 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. Both films, despite being made by different filmmakers, featured intense action with fast-moving zombies, harrowing sequences, and real emotional connections with their main characters. Now the original director and writer — Danny Boyle and Alex Garland — have returned with the first of a possible three sequels, 28 Years Later.
The rage virus from the first two films that turns humans into insatiable monsters has successfully been contained to the United Kingdom, and one group of survivors has managed to band together on a small island off the coast of England. We’re introduced to the group through Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), his wife, Isla (Jodie Comer), and his son, Spike (Alfie Williams).
Isla is sick with an unknown illness, while Jamie is set to take the 12-year-old Spike on his first trip to the mainland to hunt zombies. That trip not only gives Spike an education as to the different types of feral zombies that now populate England, but also a clue that other people have survived there. When he discovers that one of them may be a doctor, he makes plans to take his mother there in hopes of finding a cure for whatever ails her.
While the first two films were notable for their brisk pace that kept the potency of the stories high, Boyle and Garland almost go in the opposite direction for much of this film. The first 90 minutes are relatively slow, with only a couple of sequences that raise the blood pressure. The final half hour or so go a long way toward filling that void, so it’s clear that the filmmakers were biding their time for the story to come in the sequel. A bit more balance in this film would have served them well, though.
What they do show involves some weird, wild stuff that is objectively upsetting, even for fans of the genre. The zombies have evolved in strange ways, giving them a variety of body shapes and abilities to suit the environment in which they live. These storytelling choices may thrill some and have others scratching their heads. Another human character living on his own (played by Ralph Fiennes), appears to have gone the way of Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, with a revelation that is bone-chilling.
Boyle, who’s directed everything from Trainspotting to Slumdog Millionaire, doesn’t have a signature style, and he makes some choices in this film that test your patience. He occasionally employs an odd technique in which the film stutters, for a lack of better term. It’s a bit jarring, especially since it doesn’t seem to improve the storytelling. He also inserts scenes from older films involving medieval warfare that emulate the bow-and-arrow weaponry used by characters in this film, but the exact connection he’s trying to make is unclear.
The young Williams has a lot put on his shoulders in the film, and he proves to be up to the task of carrying the story. He isn’t precocious or annoying, instead reacting almost exactly like you’d expect a boy of his age to do when faced with extreme situations. Taylor-Johnson and Comer are good complements for him, drawing him out with their polar opposite characters. Fiennes makes a huge impression in the final act of the film, while Jack O’Connell makes a very brief appearance, teasing a bigger role to come.
It’s difficult to fully judge 28 Years Later because it’s designed to only give you part of the story; part 2, The Bone Temple, is due in 2026, while a third film will follow if the first two do well. This film has its moments and winds up on the positive side of the ledger, but it’s also a frustrating experience that could have used a more stand-alone story.
