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Now Playing: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

The Bone Temple picks up where the previous film left off.

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When 28 Years Later came out last year, it disrupted the traditional flow of zombie films. Contrary to expectations, the third film in an ongoing series did not see the sudden breakdown of an uninfected group of survivors. Rather, it’s a coming-of-age story wrapped a zombie-flavored coating. It’s a revolutionary reimagining of Danny Boyle’s classic zombie series. Now, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple completes the franchise’s transition into something else entirely different.

The Bone Temple starts off almost immediately after the events of the previous film. Spike (Alfie Williams) joins an eccentric group of survivors called “the Jimmys,” who all dress up like Jimmy Saville. It quickly takes a turn for the worse when Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), the gang’s leader, shows off a sadistic streak towards the gang’s members and other survivors.

In the meantime, Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) continues his peaceful mission to memorialize the dead. However, after taking care of Spike’s mom in the previous film, Kelson decides to embark on a tougher mission: curing Samson, an Alpha zombie who resides near Kelson’s camp.

Zombies, begone

28 Years Later confirmed that the zombie pandemic was successfully isolated to the British Isles. Since it’s literally 28 years after the first outbreak, the Isles aren’t as inundated with zombies anymore. In the previous film, zombies were a present threat, but they didn’t always lead to an entire horde stampeding over survivors.

In The Bone Temple, zombies are even less of a danger, especially when compared to the more brutal Jimmy gang. Except for an occasional attack, none of the human characters were really scared of zombies. In fact, the traditional rules of fighting zombies have seemingly gone out the window. Characters shout and make noise with no regard for zombies, for example.

Strangely, the franchise’s transition away from the chaos of zombies works. After all, how many times can movies rehash the tired trope of a society collapsing because of an infection? The Bone Temple isn’t about zombies anymore; it’s about what happens after, when society devolves into absurd factions and personalities.

A compelling cast of characters

The previous film had some reactions complaining about the shift away from zombies. If you came into The Bone Temple looking for a straight-up zombie story, you will also leave disappointed.

However, if you stick around, The Bone Temple features a superbly interesting suite of characters for a post-apocalyptic setting. Both Jimmy Crystal and Dr. Kelson aren’t run-of-the-mill survivors grumbling about the difficulties of a postapocalyptic world. Both know what to do and know what they must become. It’s compelling to see how they reach their goals or, in some cases, their comeuppance.

Jimmy Crystal sees himself as the son of Old Nick, an old euphemism for Satan. He wants to sow discord and terrorize other survivors. To him, the zombie outbreak is a religious one, a result of Satan bringing forth demons to the world. He treats death as his duty, especially when done through violent means.

In contrast, Dr. Kelson believes in science. He bathes in iodine to stave off infection. In fact, he believes that the zombie virus is curable or, at the very least, manageable. For him, death is a fact of life but one that needs to be respected. His monument, or the titular Bone Temple, is a testimony that everyone who died was a human being, not a mindless zombie.

It’s these drives that make The Bone Temple so engaging. You will want one to succeed, and the other to get his just desserts.

A bombastic finish

When you watch Jimmy and Dr. Kelson work their way through the film, one thing becomes apparent: Both ideologies are set for a collision course against each other. A meeting between the two feels inevitable, but you just won’t know how yet.

Now, some things are better off being experienced. Though, like the previous film, The Bone Temple starts more methodically and more deliberately, it will all lead to one of the craziest endings I’ve seen in modern cinema. Even if you’ve watched the film’s trailers, you’re bound to still gape in awe of what it has in store. All I’ll say is, even in this messed up future, Iron Maiden is still an icon of heavy metal.

In its insanity, which shall not be named in this review, The Bone Temple proves that the franchise wants to be something more than just another zombie flick. And, after all’s been said and done in this clash of ideologies, the promise of hope remains, along with the expectation of an even grander conclusion in the upcoming third movie in the 28 Years Later trilogy.

Entertainment

One Piece: Into the Grand Line unveils final trailer ahead of premiere

All 8 episodes dropping on Netflix this March 10

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Courtesy: Netflix

Netflix has revealed the final trailer for One Piece: Into the Grand Line, exactly one week before its March 10 premiere.

The clip opens with a monologue from Monkey D. Luffy, reminding the Straw Hat crew of how far they’ve come to make it to the gates of the legendary Grand Line.

He mentions that it is time for the pirates to see what’s in store for them in the legendary stretch of sea.

Of course, that’s the treasure they’re seeking albeit encountering bizarre islands, new enemies, and unpredictable danger.

The clip then again features the larger-than-life scale of Season 2, including the towering Red Line, giant whale Laboon, Little Garden’s dinosaurs, and the giant, Brogy.

For a brief moment, the protagonist is also shown in an encounter with Smoker. Tony Tony Chopper, shown in the official trailer, once again made a quick appearance.

Just as action-packed as previous trailers, this 1:44 clip then culminates with more combat. There’s Zoro defending the crew at Whisky Peak.

Wapol and his metal-transforming Munch-Munch powers was shown in the end against Monkey D. Luffy.

The entire trailer is also set to an upbeat remix of “Come Sail Away” in the background, continuing the excitement from Season 1.

All eight episodes of One Piece: Into the Grand Line will be made available by March 10.

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ITZY’s YUNA is Infinix’s first ever global brand ambassador

Infinix is in with YUNA in the scene

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Infinix is entering a new era — and the brand is bringing one of K-Pop’s most sought-after stars along the ride.

A first for Infinix

In line with the launch of the latest NOTE 60 series, Infinix has also named YUNA of ITZY as its very first Global Brand Ambassador. The company calls this a bold step forward for both innovation and style.

For the record, this is the first time Infinix has tapped a global ambassador — and the choice makes sense. YUNA is known for her confidence, vibrant energy, and unapologetic self-expression. These qualities align closely with Infinix’s “Joy Tech, Beyond Limits” philosophy.

In a statement, YUNA shared her excitement about the partnership. She said she’s looking forward to connecting with fans in a new way and creating meaningful stories together with the brand.

For Infinix, this collaboration is more than just a celebrity endorsement. It signals a shift in how the company wants to position itself globally — not just as a smartphone maker, but as a lifestyle tech brand for expressive, tech-savvy youth.

The more, the merrier

The partnership goes along the debut of the NOTE 60 Series, further fueling Infinix’s move toward a more premium smartphone experience.

Like YUNA, the NOTE 60 line also brings notable names in the table:

  • Powered by Snapdragon from Qualcomm
  • Design collaboration with Pininfarina
  • Audio tuned with JBL

It’s a clear attempt that Infinix wanted to elevate both performance and design by blending in flagship-level specs, more refined aesthetics, and immersive sound altogether.

Infinix says this launch also marks its expansion into more premium international markets.

With YUNA as the face of the brand, the company hopes to strengthen its appeal among younger users who want both powerful hardware and a device that matches their personality.

Rather than focusing purely on specs, Infinix is leaning into storytelling — highlighting how technology can spark creativity, joy, and individuality.

With the NOTE 60 Series and YUNA front and center, Infinix appears ready to redefine its brand identity on a global scale.

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Now Playing: Iron Lung

The premise will leave you wanting for more.

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I’m starting to think that cosmic horror is near-impossible to adapt to the big screen. Often, the point of this subgenre of horror is to showcase the unfathomable, a horror so unknowable that it’s impossible to describe. Now, for a medium that thrives on “show, don’t tell,” a full-length movie doesn’t seem like the best format for this type of horror. I’ve seen so many cosmic horror films, and a majority of them fail to land the satisfaction of a more traditional horror film.

Iron Lung, directed by and starring Markiplier, takes a stab at this elusively complex genre.

After the sudden disappearance of stars and planets in the universe, a lone space station explores a nearby moon to search for a way to save humanity. The catch is that the entire moon is covered in an ocean of blood. A convict, played by Markiplier, is tasked with exploring the moon in a one-man submersible, in exchange for his freedom.

Naturally, an ocean of blood isn’t the best place to be. The moon’s ocean hides mysteries and monsters beneath all the gore.

On the impossibility of cosmic horror

Though a movie is all about showing and not telling, Iron Lung navigates through these intricacies by not showing anything.

Because everything is just blood outside, the submarine needs a special camera that takes only grainy photos directly in front of the submersible. There’s always a sense of claustrophobic dread. What’s outside the submarine? What were those sounds? Did the camera really take a photo of something alive?

The film’s premise alone is a perfect source of horror. This is where cosmic horror thrives: on the questions, on the tiny sneak peeks of a monster lurking around the corner.

But, then again, this is also where the subgenre can paint itself into a corner. Eventually, audiences ask for more. They need to see and know the beast for real. Think Cloverfield, when the massive alien finally shows its face, or The Nun with… well, The Nun.

It’s an unwritten rule in horror films that the monster must make an appearance. It becomes a paradox for cosmic horror because the beast must also be unknowable.

When the beast finally shows up in Iron Lung, the audience never learns an understandable reason why it’s stalking the submarine. It’s not hungry, it doesn’t want revenge, and it doesn’t want to take over the world. It just is.

Is that a satisfying enough conclusion? If you’re a fan of cosmic horror, then it’s par for the course. However, if you’re more used to the more traditional horror film, it might leave you wanting more.

On madness

A mysterious monster isn’t the only thing that cosmic horror is known for. It’s also about madness and how the protagonist goes insane after seeing the unknown.

It’s apropos, then, that the convict starts hallucinating right after seeing a glimpse of the ocean’s beast. He starts to lose track of what’s real and what’s not.

In other movies, madness is an effective tool in subverting expectations and amplifying the horror. For example, in The Lighthouse, Winslow, the protagonist, also loses his sanity and questions reality. The film is all about this descent into madness and the questionable actions as a result from it. In Shutter Island, madness is a punchline, a plot twist that invites the audience to revisit the entire film and question their own perception.

Iron Lung, however, is neither a complete descent nor a plot twist. Rather, it’s a clear third act stemming from the convict’s encounter with the monster.

Since it’s clearly delineated in the third act, it’s hard to empathize with the convict’s plight. There’s a sense of vertigo moving from a creature feature into, in the convict’s own words, “alien shit” where you’re not sure of what’s real. Likewise, it’s not a plot twist either. You don’t reevaluate whether the entire movie was a hallucination.

Madness is understandably a major plot point of the original game that the movie is based on. However, its translation into film isn’t the smoothest. It’s both too short and too long.

But is it a good film?

Despite its struggle with the format, Iron Lung is still a spirited attempt at a one-room horror film. Markiplier melds into his role and doesn’t just showcase his on-screen YouTube personality.

The premise is, at once, frightening. It’s eerie and creepy. There is always a pervasive need to figure out what comes next. That’s pretty much what you want from a movie anyway. Yes, the ending might be polarizing, especially to those more used to the usual horror film, but the journey is still worth the price of admission.

And, at the very least, the film got me interested in watching Mark’s original playthroughs.

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