Tag: Danny Boyle

Two men in period clothing stand face to face in an office-like room with a gridded window behind them.

“Ink” from Danny Boyle at CIFF Is Terrific

On October 21, 2026

Danny Boyle directs a fast-paced insightful film, “Ink,” based on the 2007 play “Ink,” written by James Graham. The plot traces the rise of Rupert Murdoch and the downfall of professional journalism. It documents the coarsening of the culture and gives us a look backward at the forces that would combine and conspire to give us Donald J.Trump. As a Journalism major on a full ride Ferner/Hearst Scholarship at the University of Iowa near the 1969 starting point of this film I remember the pre-Murdoch days . It helps that I remember what journalism used to be and can rue the changes that have occurred.

CAST

Jack O’Connell as Larry Lamb and Guy Pearce as Rupert Murdoch absolutely nail their roles and the dramatic tension they create is riveting. This Netflix feature is more the story of Murdoch’s accomplice, Larry Lamb, well-played by Jack O’Connell (“Unbreakable”). Think of it as focusing on Steve Miller rather than Donald J. Trump. Claire Foy has a great supporting role as Jules Davies, who joins O’Connell and his band of upstarts at “The Sun.” Jules Davies was a composite character whose original model was Eve Pollard, the first woman in journalism to design an entire page for the upstart “Sun” newspaper who went on to a substantial career with other papers.

CLAIRE FOY

A centered studio portrait of a blonde woman with blue eyes against a dark background, wearing subtle makeup and a black top.

Claire Dall (Sun Girl in “Ink:).

There’s a line in the James Graham screenplay where Claire Foy’s character (Jules Davies) says, “It’s like choosing to watch someone walk into the fire.” She’s commenting on the downward spiral that she is part of, culminating in the publication of nude shots of nubile young girls (Sun Girl is Claire Dall.) Jules quits soon after that remark, abandoning her principled stand against misogyny.

INK Q&A at TIFF 2026 | Danny Boyle, Jack O’Connell & Guy Pearce
byu/JDOExists inoscarrace

“DAILY MIRROR” EDITOR

The actor playing Hugh Cudlipp, head of the “Daily Mirror” in the film, is Bertie Carvel, who played the lead role of Rupert Murdoch in the play version of “Ink.” He won a Laurence Olivier as Best Supporting Actor for his performance, (his second such award. Cudlipp gets a great scene at a journalism awards dinner where he takes the children’s nursery rhyme “Mary Had A Little Lamb” and uses it quite effectively to belitte the brash newspaper upstart that “The Sun” represents. He feels secure that his industry leader paper has nothing to fear from the low-brow, crass upstart “The Sun.”

But low-brow crass upstarts unite behind the “Sun” as it pushes the envelope of previously acceptable journalistic standards and norms, just as a large contingent of followers bordering on zealots (wasn’t it Hillary who dubbed them “a basket of deplorables”?) elevated a brash upstart to most powerful man in the world In each case, the world can see how THAT turned out!

CAST

A smiling man in a white dress shirt and black bow tie, shown outdoors with blurred greenery in the background.

Jack O’Connell (“Unbroken) .

Jack O’Connell (“Unbroken,” 2014) as Larry Lamb and Guy Pearce (“Memento,” 2000; “The Brutalist,” 2024) anchor the outstanding cast. The supporting performance of Claire Foy as Jules Davies is also pivotal.

The dramatic climax of the film occurs in 1969, when Muriel McKay (Lucy Russell), the wife of Murdoch ex-Executive Alick McKay (Jonathan Hyde), was kidnapped by people who thought she was Murdoch’s wife Anna. The moral question of whether or not to publish the details of Muriel’s kidnapping shows us the lengths the ambitious duo will go to to achieve their goal of surpassing the “Daily Mirror” in circulation. Should the “Sun” publish a letter that Muriel’s husband, Hugh, receives from Muriel in captivity? The pro and con discussion hinges on whether the publication of details about the kidnapping could lead to finding Muriel and rescuing her, or whether it is grossly capitalizing on her plight to sell papers. As one line from the script puts it, “Just because you can make something public doesn’t mean you should.”

Scotland Yard weighs in: “We are embarrassed that the publicity has compromised the investigation.” They tell Larry Lamb that there hasn’t been a kidnapping of this sort in 800 years. Does the hard-charging Murdoch agree with his hand-picked editor, Larry Lamb, that it is hypocritical to publish articles about others, from the Queen on down, that are sensational and will, therefore, attract readers, but not try to use their forum to rescue Muriel?

DEBATE

It is with debates like that one that the philosophical underpinnings of the film’s message emerges. Trying to improve the success of the news business is one thing. Is appealing to the lowest common denominator a good thing for society? The script quotes the boss man, “If it sells, just do it, but I’m not going to like it,” which seems to somewhat absolve Murdoch from blame. Or does it? Ultimately, as the paper goes further and further into tabloid territory, this truth is stated: “You’re not the first to peddle this shit. You’re just the first to not care about the consequences.”

MUSIC

The soundtrack for the film, which David Pemberton scored and Iain Croke sound supervised, is upbeat, fast-paced and features everything from the real theme song from David Frost’s interview show to “War.” Boyle said during a TIFF interview that he always shares a playlist with his editor (Fin Oates), something which he learned from observing Martin Scorsese’s films. The pacing and excellent cinematography from Alvin H. Kuchler, Director of Photography, contribute mightily to the overall effect of the film and, of course, there are headlines and front pages of actual papers of the time.

A.I.

There was a flap at TIFF when an audience member objected to the use of A.I. shots (30 seconds of rats), which Boyle defended, saying, “We tried to be very responsible.” He noted that the A.I. was not used to replace any human actors. The director also defended the reality of A.I. in the industry in VFX usage, going forward.

CONCLUSION

Guy Pearce and Jack O’Connelll in “Ink” at the 62nd Chicago Internationa Film Festival.

This was a movie that provided real food for thought. For me, a journalism major and current member of the (National and) Illinois Women’s Press Association it resonated. Remember when the “equal time” rule prevailed on network television? No? Well, it was a good idea that we should re-consider in the interests of national unity. For that matter, do you remember what a force network television used to be? Because I do.

While acknowledging that focusing on Lamb rather than Murdoch seems to be aiming the spotlight in the wrong direction, both men are seen as the architects of today’s scourge of “alternative facts.” Whether Murdoch seems a tad less eager to wallow in the mud isn’t the point. The point is that, like the man Murdoch’s Fox network helped elevate to the presidency, each man cared mostly about the cash. Norms. Scruples. Manners. Etiquette. All were simply stodgy terms to be ignored. The Mark Zuckerberg mantra “Move fast and break things” was articulated in 2009. It now seems to be U.S. national policy.

RELEASE DATES

“Ink” premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2026, and is scheduled for a staggered global rollout in select theaters and on Netflix over the coming months: It will be released in select cinemas on December 11^th, 2026, followed by its streaming debut on Netflix on January 8^th, 2027.

“28 Years Later: The Bone Temple:” Never Boring, But Very Bloody

By Connie Wilson

On January 19, 2026

In Movies, Pop Culture, Reviews

(The voice-over on the trailer is Arthur C. Clarke from a BBC Horizon program, September 21, 1964.)

“28 Days Later: The Bone Temple” is directed by Nia DeCosta, who was the first Black woman (and also the youngest) to direct a Marvel Studios film. Also known for this year’s “Hedda,” 2021’s “Candyman,” and 2018’s “Little Woods,” DaCosta is in hot demand. She was the recipient of a Black Perspective Achievement Award at the 61^st Chicago International Film Festival (October19, 2025).

DaCosta said, “My big pitch when I was talking to the producers, including Danny and screenwriter Alex Garland, before I came on was, ‘I’m going to make this my own. I’m not going to try to make a Danny Boyle movie. That’s impossible to make. He’s so special. And it didn’t really interest me.'” Apparently DaCosta’s vision means blood and lots of it. Be warned.

The film was originally announced as part of a planned trilogy, with Alex Garland (“Civil War”) serving as screenwriter for all three. In January 2025, Danny Boyle confirmed that he would direct the final film in the trilogy. Cillian Murphy, from the original film, makes an uncredited appearance in a tacked-on ending that is obviously a Trump era warning, utilizing references to the Weimar Republic.

A quote is used in a scene between Jim (Cillian Murphy) and his daughter Sam, whom he is instructing in history. The quote “Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it” is attributed to Winston Churchill in 1948. Investigation makes it unclear whether it is really original to Churchill or, instead, to George Santayana and/or Edmund Burke. Maybe that’s what happens when you are forced to teach history to your daughter (Sam) in a country over-run by infected humans. (Home schooling does better with more resources—like the Internet.)

CAST & PLOT

The story of humans infected by a virus that turns them into bloodthirsty zombies with superior physical powers first came out in 2002, directed by Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting,” “Shallow Grave”). It was entitled “28 Days Later.” Its plot was described this way: “Four weeks after a mysterious incurable virus spreads throughout the United Kingdom, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.”

In 2005 in “28 Years Later” the story introduced us to Spike and his family, well-played by young Alfie Williams. Alfie is a sweet boy and a brave one. At the end of that film, which was shot back-to-back with this new film, Spike is orphaned and falls into the clutches of Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), who lost his vicar father to the infection at age 8 and now rules as the totally evil son of Satan. Or so he tells his apostles, the Fingers, claiming to be the son of Old Nick, his term for Satan.

“28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” is a return to the screen of the character Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), a doctor who has survived for 28 years alone in the wilderness of Northumbria and Newcastle, creating what he dubs a memento mori, a memorial to the dead, made of the bones of victims of this viral plague. Ralph Fiennes holds the film together. He is always reliably good. The scenes with Jimmy Crystal in conversation with Dr. Kelson are excellent.

Chi Lewis-Parry does an impressive job as Samson and makes Jason Momoa look like he needs to hit the gym.

Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) isn’t just evil; he seems to be totally without human compassion. In appearance, he is modeled on Jimmy Savile (1926-2011), a British pedophile who was Emcee of the “Top of the Pops” music show on the BBC, a program I remember from my days as a UK People-to-People exchange student. Savile, late in his career, was found to have molested more young people than perhaps any other pedophile in British history.

Shortly after being rescued by the Fingers gang, Spike is initiated into the group by being forced to fight to the death against one of the Jimmies, Jimmy Shite (Connor Newall). The opening scene is brutal, bloody and absolutely horrifying. Spike wins, but you know from this opening scene that this is going to be a stomach-churning horror film.

Sir Jimmy renames Spike “Jimmy,” in keeping with his practice of giving all Fingers variations of that name. There is Jimmy Ink, well-played by Erin Kellyman, who shows a tiny bit of compassion to the young Spike. In addition, there are Jimmy Jones (Maura Bird), Jimmy Snake (Ghazi Al Ruffai), Jimmy Jimmy (Robert Rhodes), Jimmy Fox (Sam Locke) and the sadistic Jimmima (Emma Laird.)

As the plot progresses, Dr. Kelson has success in befriending Samson and develops a theory about a cure that seems promising. Dr. Kelson’s ability to befriend Samson is a result of morphine, among other drugs of choice. The plot developments that follow Ralph Fiennes’ dance as the devil provide a unique “surprise” ending and plot twist.

SETS

The sets for the bone temple are incredibly intricate. Production designers Carson McColl and Gareth Pugh used 5,500 skulls and 100,000 bones to construct 1,000 upright columns. Bravo! There is an aerial shot that shows the bone temple amidst the forested lands. It is but one of many breathtakingly beautiful bits of cinematography from Sean Bobbitt. There is also the intricate underground lair where Dr. Kelson retreats to be safe. Wonderful attention to detail is shown in designing both spaces and the forests and sunsets of the area are breathtakingly beautiful, but to be afoot in the area is to risk one’s life. One character (Jonno, played by Gordon Alexander) finds this out the hard way.

MUSIC

When Jimmy and the Fingers stumble upon Dr. Kelson, who is red from the iodine he uses to protect against the infection, Jimmy talks Dr. Kelson into impersonating the devil. That gives us a truly great scene with Fiennes performing to Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast.” The music, throughout, is unique, with Hildur Gudnadottir (“Joker,” “Sicario: Day of the Soldado”) composing and features a song over the credits entitled “In the House in a Heartbeat.” The song was originally written for “28 Days Later.”

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

The critic for Roger Ebert, Robert Daniels, did not like Alex Garland’s script very much and said, “The hardest part to stomach about “28 Years: The Bone Temple” is its meaninglessness.” That review also said the film was “The second part of a planned trilogy, or I guess the fourth film of a quintet.” [Not helpful.]

I disagree with the ‘hardest part to stomach” remark.

The hardest part to stomach is the unremittingly bloody gore.

It’s well-done, well-acted, with good cinematography and music (although using adjusted camera angles to give the infected humans erratic motion I could have lived without.) For me, the script was fine. The plot made its point, although the gore moved into overkill. But the music, cinematography, acting, production design and overall impact have yielded $15 million at the box office since the film’s release on January 16th. It will be interesting to see if the extreme gore attracts viewers or repels them. (“Different strokes for different folks.”)