I find it interesting that when actual rock stars of the 70s (i.e. Foreigner, the Doobie Brothers, Blue Oyster Cult and just about anybody else participating in 93.7 FM’s Arrowfest on Sunday at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion) get together to relive the halcyon days, the younger generations write it off as “Geezer-fest.” But when a bunch of good-looking Australian kids like Wolfmother grow their hair out, strap on arena rock guitars and belt out recreations of the music they loved (i.e Foreigner, the Doobie Brothers, etc.)… that’s a rock and roll revolution!
(sigh) The beauty of rock n’ roll is what’s old always become new again… eventually.
Regardless of how it evolved, Wolfmother is back and its new album, “Cosmic Egg” works the power chord, extended jam and shriek for all its 70s glory. The band has a new and expanded line-up that allows singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale do what he does best: scream like a banshee until all are screaming along with him.
First single, “Back Round,” stamps Stockdale as the next great rock falsetto, following in the footsteps of Robert Plant and Chris Cornell.
“New Moon Rising,” the latest radio track, is a string anthem that demonstrates what new rhythm guitarist Aidan Nemeth adds to the band and will make live music junkies pine for Wolfmother to get back out on the road.
After rumors that Wolfmother might be breaking up swirled last year, it appears the band is back on the track that earned it international acclaim and a Grammy award three years ago.
It’s not often that a return to a franchise after years of no activity results in an actual good movie, but 2025’s 28 Years Later proved successful by reuniting director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, who made the original 28 Days Later. Another sequel, The Bone Temple, was filmed back-to-back with last year’s film, with Nia DaCosta taking over for Boyle in the directing chair.
The movie picks up soon after the end of the first film, with the young Spike (Alfie Williams) now an unwilling member of a group called the Jimmies, which are led by a man who calls himself Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell). Unlike the main group in the first film that was just looking to survive the zombie apocalypse, the Jimmies are a bloodthirsty bunch who gleefully attack any zombies they find and brutalize other survivors they come across.
The story also returns to Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), whose solitary time at his self-built bone temple is interrupted by a massive zombie he has dubbed Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Against the odds — and with the help of some morphine — Kelson is able to bond with Samson, giving Kelson some strange but welcome companionship. But with the Jimmies lurking nearby, any peace he’s found may soon be shattered.
DaCosta, working from a script by Garland, ably steps into Boyle’s shoes, putting the emphasis on the story rather than trying for lots of stylistic flourishes. That’s not to say that she doesn’t do great work, however. The creepiness and sadistic nature of the Jimmies comes through loud and clear under her direction, and she brings out the campy comedy that comes from the unexpected pairing of Kelson and Samson.
Like the first 28 Years Later, the story is somewhat of a slow burn. The film doesn’t have many plot developments over its 109 minutes, and so DaCosta must get by on mood rather than action for the most part. But when things do get ramped up, they can get very uncomfortable as the film does not shy away from extreme gore. The damage inflicted by Samson and other zombies is one thing, but when it’s sentient humans going savage, it becomes even more difficult to look at the screen.
The juxtaposition between the chaos of the Jimmies and the quiet existence of Dr. Kelson works well for the film. Their separation for the bulk of the story gives them plenty of time to have the characters come into their own. Sir Jimmy Crystal is the ringleader, but Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman) gets her own showcase. Samson was already a (literally) big presence from the first film, but this film gives him a degree of humanity that gives the story more depth.
O’Connell made a big impression as the lead vampire in Sinners, and he’s just as interesting/intimidating here. Fiennes plays a character where being over-the-top is the natural reaction, and yet he keeps Kelson grounded in a number of ways that make him much more than one-note. Lewis-Parry was likely cast for his physique, but he brings out more from a zombie than you’d ever expect. Williams fades into the background a bit after his starring role in the first film, but he’s still strong.
Releasing The Bone Temple in January was not a great sign given the month’s reputation as a dumping ground for bad movies, but it actually proves to be a great choice. With most other releases being Oscar hopefuls or truly awful films, it stands out for being another compelling entry for the franchise, one that will make anticipation high for whenever the third film in the 28 Years Later series comes out.
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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple opens in theaters on January 16.
