Episode 110 — Send Help

Title: Send Help
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O'Brien, Dennis Haysbert, Chris Pang
Genre: Survival Thriller / Dark Comedy / Psychological Horror

In this episode, Michael and David examine Sam Raimi's Send Help, a survival thriller about two corporate survivors stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. What begins as a struggle for survival turns into a psychological battle for power, identity, and control. The discussion focuses heavily on Linda's transformation — whether the island reveals her true nature or corrupts her — and what the film suggests about power, resentment, and human nature.

Send Help explores what happens when social hierarchies collapse and survival becomes the only currency. The film questions whether power corrupts or merely reveals what was already present within a person. Linda's journey suggests a darker possibility: that the oppressed may replicate the very systems that once diminished them.

• Starts as overlooked, competent, underappreciated worker

• Gains survival power → shifts into control and manipulation

• Film asks: Was this always Linda, or did the island create her?

• Corporate hierarchy collapses on the island

• Linda becomes capable / Bradley becomes helpless

• Echoes Triangle of Sadness: oppressed gaining power

• Linda mirrors the cruelty she once suffered

• The film may betray the "underdog triumph" trope

• Ending suggests survival ≠ moral growth

• Mix of dark humor, physical horror, and thriller tension

• Use of Raimi-cam and kinetic physicality

• Balance between comedy, brutality, and psychological tension

• Narrative is minimal: two people, one island, shifting dominance

• Rachel McAdams' performance carries emotional and thematic weight

• Film remains engaging through physical tension and character conflict

David: 4 / 5
Michael: 3 / 5

Strengths:

• Performance (McAdams)

• Physical humor and tension

• Raimi stylistic energy

Weaknesses:

• Thin premise

• Murky ending

• Uneven CGI realism

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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026)

Episode Summary:
In this episode, Michael and Dave dissect 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the most visually ambitious and thematically rich installment in the iconic 28 Days Later franchise. They explore the film's eerie cult narrative, psychological undercurrents, and the shifting horror dynamics that turn humans into the real monsters. With Nia DaCosta in the director's chair and Alex Garland returning as writer, the film blends horror, satire, and surprising moments of hope. A rich conversation for fans of speculative horror and social allegory.

• Director: Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels, Little Woods)

• Writer: Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men, 28 Days Later)

• Cinematographer: Sean Bobbitt (12 Years a Slave, Widows, Hunger)

• Key Cast:

  • Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Ian Kelson – a monument builder and reluctant scientist

  • Alfie Williams as Spike – a returning survivor struggling with identity

  • Jack O'Connell as Jimmy Crystal – the chilling, charismatic cult leader

  • Chai Lewis-Perry as Samson – a towering infected in the midst of transformation

• The Jimmies as Symbol & Horror:
  The gang discusses how the Jimmies reflect societal decay, inspired by the real-life figure of Jimmy Savile. Their cultish behavior and unflinching cruelty mirror deeper fears about manipulation, lost innocence, and the rot at the core of community leadership.

• Samson's Redemption Arc:
  A standout element of the film, Samson's transformation from infected monster to near-human symbolizes the potential for recovery even in corrupted bodies and minds. His scenes with Dr. Kelson evoke tenderness, contrast with the Jimmies' savagery, and challenge the notion of what makes someone "monstrous."

• Human Evil vs. Infected Violence:
  The conversation explores how the infected, though dangerous, follow instinct—while the Jimmies choose cruelty. This blurs the line between traditional "monster" narratives and moral horror, echoing themes from Lord of the Flies and The Road.

• Visual Juxtaposition of Horror and Beauty:
  Bone temples, lush landscapes, and surreal moments (like cloud-gazing while high) create a strange harmony. These sequences ask whether beauty can exist in a world of collapse and whether healing is possible amid trauma.

• Cultural Legacy & Genre Evolution:
  Dave and Michael reflect on how the 28 franchise redefined the zombie genre, and how Bone Temple may mark a new phase—one that values emotional depth and psychological horror as much as jump scares.

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Films: Candyman (2021), Widows, Red Dragon, Gangs of London, Deluge (1933)

• Cultural Figures: Jimmy Savile, Mr. Rogers

• Literary/Genre References: Lord of the Flies, The Walking Dead, Mad Max, Godzilla

Connect with Us:
Website: https://mindframesfilm.com

• Title: Looking to 2026: The Future of Cinema

• Focus: Industry trends, cultural anxieties, and the most anticipated films of 2026

• IMDb: N/A (discussion episode)

In this episode of Mindframes, Michael and David look ahead to 2026 and ask a deceptively simple question: what kind of year will it be for movies? Coming off what they consider a creatively rich—but commercially uneven—2025, the conversation explores the tension between artistic vitality and economic uncertainty. From box office struggles and bloated marketing budgets to shifting audience habits and global cinema's rising influence, the hosts balance cautious concern with genuine excitement for what's coming next.

Theme 1 – Cinema Thriving Creatively, Struggling Economically
While 2025 delivered exceptional films and performances, many acclaimed movies failed to connect with large audiences. The episode interrogates whether this gap reflects streaming habits, rising costs, marketing excess, or deeper cultural fatigue with the theatrical model.

Theme 2 – Event Movies vs. Personal Cinema
The hosts contrast massive IP-driven releases (Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part Three, Toy Story 5) with filmmaker-driven projects from auteurs like Nolan, Villeneuve, Gerwig, Eggers, Spielberg, and Iñárritu—questioning whether spectacle alone can sustain moviegoing culture.

Theme 3 – Hope Through Global & Generational Shifts
Despite storm clouds, there are signs of renewal: Gen Z showing renewed interest in theaters, international films breaking through, and genre cinema thriving on modest budgets. The episode argues that cinema isn't dying—it's recalibrating.

• Michael Cockerill

• David Canfield

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