Film Influencer 2025 - 28 Years Later

28 Years Later is the third instalment in the 28 Days Later film series, following 28 Days Later (2002) and 28 Weeks Later (2007).

Featuring Killing Eve's Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, & Ralph Fiennes.

Plans for a third film began shortly after the release of 28 Weeks Later. The project had numerous delays over the years regarding conflicts over the franchise film rights, stalling it into development hell.

Development gained traction in 2024, when series producer Andrew Macdonald bought the rights to the first film back from Searchlight Pictures, which he then sold to Sony Pictures on the provision the studio agreed to fund sequels. 

28 Years Later marks the returns of Boyle, Garland and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle to the series, all of whom worked on the first film, with original star Cillian Murphy also serving as executive producer. 

It was shot back-to-back with its sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, set to be released in January 2026.

28 Years Later has received positive reviews from critics and has grossed $73.6 million worldwide against its budget of $60 million. So that is a rare profit at the cinemas these days!

So what is 28 Days Later about? It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. 

One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

It is slightly gory, it feels at times like a video game, but it's actually gone some heart behind it.

Young Alfie Williams was excellent. I was impressed by this film after maybe missing the sequel, 28 Weeks Later, however I am sure I have seen the OG film.

I will look forward to the sequel film coming in January next year.

If you need to escape the school holidays madness, this gets a solid 3.5 stars.

Film Influencer 2025 - M3GAN 2.0

So after after a week or so off the cinema, I'm back and so is the murderous doll who captivated pop culture in 2023.

The original creative team behind that phenomenon—led by horror titans James Wan for Atomic Monster, Jason Blum for Blumhouse and writer-director Gerard Johnstone—reboot an all-new wild chapter in A.I. mayhem with M3GAN 2.0. 

Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous rampage and was subsequently destroyed, M3GAN’s creator Gemma (Allison Williams) has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of A.I. Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady (Violet McGraw), now 14, has become a teenager, rebelling against Gemma’s overprotective rules.

Unbeknownst to them, the underlying tech for M3GAN has been stolen and misused by a powerful defense contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno; Ahsoka, Pacific Rim: Uprising), the ultimate killer infiltration spy. But as Amelia’s self-awareness increases, she becomes decidedly less interested in taking orders from humans. Or in keeping them around. 

With the future of human existence on the line, Gemma realizes that the only option is to resurrect M3GAN (Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) and give her a few upgrades, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal. As their paths collide, the original A.I icon is about to meet her match.

Also starring the wonderful lead of the English Teacher, Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jen Van Epps as Gemma’s loyal tech teammates, Cole and Tess, and new characters played by Aristotle Athari (Saturday Night Live, Hacks), Timm Sharp (Apples Never Fall, Percy Jackson and the Olympians) and Grammy winner and 11-time Emmy nominee Jemaine Clement (Avatar: The Way of Water, What We Do in the Shadows). 

So is this camp, Chucky meets Terminator any good for a second time? Well my partner hated it, Rotten Tomatoes gives it a score in the high 50's. But for me...

I liked it. It is no longer a horror film, more an action-comedy.

M3GAN has some seriously brilliant one-liners. The action scenes look fairly well done with CGI.

This film honestly gives a full Kylie or Madonna era change with the genre bending (and body bending, dancing) M3GAN. It is not going to win any awards, get critics loving it, but take it for what it is.

A fun little escape from the 24/7 news headlines.

M3GAN 2.0 gets a solid 3 Stars.

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - We Were Liars - Miniseries

We Were Liars is the latest teen psychological/thriller series based on the 2014 novel of the same name by E. Lockhart. 

This is yet another Amazon Prime Video original, that landed earlier this month. I'm listing this as a miniseries. There is a clear conclusion at the end of the series.

So what is We Were Liars about? The eight episodes, follows Cadence Sinclair Eastman and her tight-knit inner circle, nicknamed ‘the Liars,’ during their summer escapades vacationing on their grandfather’s New England private island. On the surface the Sinclair family is known for their good looks, generational wealth, and close familial bond, but after a life-altering accident, everyone, not just the Liars, seems to have something to hide.  

Starring Emily Alyn Lind as Cadence Sinclair Eastman,  Shubham Maheshwari as Gat Patil, Esther McGregor as Mirren Sinclair Sheffield, Joseph Zada as Johnny Sinclair Dennis; alongside Caitlin FitzGerald as Penny Sinclair, Mamie Gummer as Carrie Sinclair, Candice King as Bess Sinclair, Rahul Kohi as Ed Patil and David Morse as Harris Sinclair. 

So how'd it end? Maybe you read the book from ten years ago? If not SPOILERS BELOW! However this was an easy binge, if you start it, you just push through and finish it.

In episode eight, My Friends Are Lying in the Sun, though Cadence remembers the fire, she still does not know how the summer of 2016 ended. 

For her 18th birthday, Harris gifts her the black pearl necklace, which triggers an episode of flashbacks.

The Liars arrive to comfort her, but Cadence confronts them about abandoning her after the accident. 

Reluctantly, the Liars tell her the truth, that the three of them died in the fire and that she has been speaking to their ghosts. Horrified, Cadence tries to return the necklace to Harris, but he calls her entitled and tells her that he lied about the cause of the fire to protect the family. 

Instead of indulging his wishes and speaking to a reporter for a puff piece about their family, Cadence leaves the island, stating that she was once a Sinclair, but will always be a Liar.

OK sounds random? Well it was. It gives Gossip Girl, I Know What You Did Last Summer, any other teen drama with rich kids vibes. However it was a very simple watch. The Liars island and house is incredible. Of course they are all good looking, with one looking a lot like Sabrina Carpenter.

Maybe not Amazon's best series. But an OK watch all the same. Maybe the last Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' post for the series, happy EOFY!!!

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - Sullivan's Crossing - Season Three

Sullivan's Crossing just concluded with a double episode Monday evening.

The Canadian romantic drama series, From CTV, streams exclusively on Stan in Australia. It is a popular little series, very similar to Virgin River on Netflix. There are reasons behind this. Both shows are based on different series of novels by Robyn Carr, set in small towns, and feature female protagonists in the medical field who move to those small towns to process the trauma of their past – and, along the way, find love.

Earlier this month, the series was renewed by CTV for a fourth season! Praise be!

Season three of Sullivan’s Crossing picked up where season two ended with the fire at Rob's (Reid Price) diner and Maggie (Morgan Kohan) losing the baby.

Season three has placed a big focus on Rob rebuilding his life and Maggie getting over her grief to grow closer to Cal (Chad Michael Murray) - but not without tension. 

As for Cal, he finally made peace with his past, and his father. Elsewhere in the town, new romances were kindled with Sully (Scott Patterson) striking up a love connection with Helen (Kate Vernon), and Lola (Amalia Williamson) finding a potential match in Jacob Cranebear (Joel Oulette). 

Spoilers ahead if you didn't get to finish both episodes this Monday. Which to be honest I wasn't expecting a second episode this week. However after some research, it appears the trend is always ending on a double episode finale.

 

With a shocking cliffhanger that will obviously be the big storyline of Sullivan's Crossing season four. 

No one knew that Maggie had a husband - not even, it seems, her own father. Surely, had anyone else known, it would have come up previously. It's especially odd considering the fact that Maggie had been engaged to Andrew for the first two seasons and is now in love with and living with Cal in Sullivan's Crossing season three.

It seems as though this man, Liam, was someone to whom Maggie had been married briefly, and perhaps she didn't even know they technically were still married. S

he had mentioned earlier this season that he was just a summer fling, so maybe it was a wild night in Vegas she doesn't remember. It sure seems like it's something she should have mentioned to Cal before, though. Liam's sudden appearance is bound to cause problems. Likewise, there are those aforementioned questions about the other relationships.

It also seems as though Sullivan's Crossing season four may see a bit of a time jump. 

Nothing has been confirmed yet, however, it's hard to imagine the show without Scott Patterson's Sully being around. So, unless the upcoming season splits storylines between Timberlake and Ireland, it seems most likely that season four will pick up after he returns from his trip. 

My mum was completely shook at the finale. I thought the husband was her American ex, so it took me to reading an episode recap to figure out what the big shock was!

Either way, all is well that ends well is usually the case at Sullivan's Crossing. Yes there is drama, however, a resolution is always just around the corner!

Until next time, the Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' series is almost done and dusted! Seeya soon, bye!

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - The Walking Dead: Dead City - Season Two

The Walking Dead: Dead City is the first sequel to The Walking Dead television series, and the fifth series in The Walking Dead franchise

Airing on AMC in the USA, and Stan back home, The Walking Dead characters Maggie and Negan return to slay more zombies and meet fucked up humans along the way. Also a bear this season WTF. 

OK season one was better, season two has been a trainwreck. Like I mean the last few seasons of the Walking Dead & Fear the Walking Dead bad!

Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprise their roles as Maggie and Negan from the original series.

Joining them in this eight episode slog, Kim Coates, Keir Gilchrist, Dascha Polanco, Jake Weary, and Pooya Mohseni were added to the cast for the second season.

There is no news on a third season yet, which may not be good news. As fellow spin-off The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon has announced its return in September. Watch out for the spoilers below.

In the eight episode, The Dama and Hershel convince Maggie to finally kill Negan in order to finally move on; the Dama reveals that she had faked her death in the fire. 

Joined by a reluctant Perlie, Bruegel's gang attempts to ambush the Burazi, only to fall into a cleverly laid trap by Negan. 

Everyone aside from Bruegel and Perlie are killed by the Burazi and a herd unleashed by Negan. 

Negan captures the pair and brutally executes Bruegel after playing a game of eeny, meeny, miny, moe similar to the one that Negan played before killing Abraham and Glenn. 

Maggie stabs Negan to save Perlie, but is stopped from finishing the job with Lucille by the discovery that Ginny has died of her infection and reanimated. 

A devastated Negan puts the girl down while Maggie finally accepts that she needs to let go of her revenge and move forward. 

In the aftermath, Hershel remains with the Dama to continue her plans while a second wave of New Babylon forces arrives and is led to the methane by Benjamin Pierce. 

Maggie, Negan and Perlie vow to build a better future, recognising that the only way forward is together.

The ending and dying moments monologue is either setting us up for a third season or seeing the spin-off disappear into the sunset. I have a feeling the Walking Dead is totally running out of lives. Including zombie lives.

Tomorrow we will stay with Stan for the Sullivan's Crossing third season finale.

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - The Ex-Wife - Season Two

Yet another another English trashy series, about missing kids, scandal, drama, this miniseries ended up continuing, it's The Ex-Wife, season two.

The British drama/thriller based on Jess Ryder's book of the same name, streams on Paramount+. 

The series stars Céline Buckens, Tom Mison, Jordan Stephens, Clare Foster, Adam Drew, Sam Hoare & with Katie McGrath replacing Janet Montgomery.

Again the second season consisted of four episodes. 

Again the series revolves around, Tasha (Buckens), Jack (Mison) & Jen (McGrath). 

The Stolen Girl was super trashy with this being equally almost as trashy.

The nicest thing about the second season is, it mostly revolves around Cyprus.

After three UK short series back to back, it's time to return to some US programming and hopefully find another Aussie series to watch. With Mixtape being a bit of an Aussie/Irish co-pro, it doesn't super feel like a regular local series. Can Channel Seven just hurry up and screen the third season of RFDS?

Like the second season finished early October 2023! Also the third season was filmed last year!

Anyone all eight series of The Ex-Wife now stream on Paramount+, alongside the brilliant MobLand, 1923, Tulsa King and Landman.

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - The Stolen Girl - Miniseries

The Stolen Girl is trashy little UK miniseries based on the 2020 novel Playdate by Alex Dahl.

Starring Denise Gough, Holliday Grainger and Ambika Mod. With Aussie Xavier Samuel starring the handsome, Marcus Turner.

The five episodes dropped on Disney+ in mid-April.

Elisa (Gough) allows her daughter Lucia to go for a playdate with her new friend Josie. Josie’s mother Rebecca/Nina (Grainger) is charming, affluent, and her house is spectacular – Elisa instantly feels at ease and agrees to Lucia staying overnight for a sleepover. 

The next morning, when she goes to pick her daughter, she finds the house empty with no sign of Nina, Josie or Lucia. What started out as her daughter’s first ‘playdate’ turns into every parent's worst nightmare.

SPOILER ALERT! In the fifth episodes, we get a flashback to five years earlier, Turner and Elisa are shown starting their affair. She explains her difficult upbringing in the commune and that her father is now terminally ill. 

They agree to visit him together with Lucia. At the visit, it is revealed that Elisa suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her father when young and in an angry confrontation, he falls down the stairs and dies. The collision is then shown: Nina and Josephine had got out of the car because Josephine was ill and the Range Rover driven by Turner to the commune earlier is seen hitting the Thibault's parked car and then driving away. 

In the present the UK police are now aware that Selma and Elisa have flown to France, who are in Toulon and searching for where Nina lives. They start looking around the local schools for Josephine but realise that she is likely to be homeschooled and go to the Mayor's office to find out, where they find Nina's address. Nina gets the fake passport but has been spotted and reported to the local police. 

Lucia opens Nina's lockbox and sees photos and that they had been artificially altered. She leaves the house and discovers the well containing Matkovic's body. She meets a neighbour on the way back, whom she asks for help, but they are intercepted by Nina. 

Lucia runs out of the house again, then Elisa and Selma arrive. Nina and Elisa meet and argue; it is revealed that it was Elisa, not Marcus Turner, who was driving the car which killed Nina's daughter and husband, and Turner had taken the blame because Elisa was pregnant with George, their son. 

Elisa searches for Lucia and finds her safe and well. Nina and Josephine are seen driving away together.

Three months later Fred and Elisa meet at and discuss her pending sentencing; she has told him about George. Elisa is sentenced to six years in prison for her crimes.

It all wraps up nicely, after the we start to see Elisa as maybe not the innocent victim we thought she was from the earlier episodes.

Rebecca AKA Nina also has a very different side. This was an easy, yet forgettable watch. One more UK miniseries to go before I move onto to something new. Enjoy the weekend, stay warm dear readers!