Tag:

Battle

‘One Battle After Another’ Takes $8.8 Million Opening Day

by jummy84 September 27, 2025

written by jummy84

Warner Bros.‘ “One Battle After Another” took $8.8 million across Friday and previews from 3,634 locations in North America. That haul includes grosses from advance fan-first screenings on Tuesday, which played premium large-format auditoriums.

The studio didn’t pinch on pennies for Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio‘s hyper-contemporary action epic, spending more than $130 million before a global marketing campaign. To the director’s credit, Anderson delivered the goods. “One Battle After Another” already has the stature of a modern classic among critics, instantly positioning itself as an awards season heavyweight. On top of that, it’s playing like a crowdpleaser, with moviegoer survey firm Cinema Score polling a superb “A” grade. Compare that the “C” grade that Anderson’s now beloved “Boogie Nights” was dealt in 1997. It’s also DiCaprio’s highest score from the service since “Titanic” landed an “A+” in that same year.

All that prestige hype matches the film’s uniquely ornate theatrical rollout, which includes Imax and other premium large-formats. There are also showings on 70mm, Imax 70mm and even four venues projecting in the long-dormant format VistaVision, which Anderson shot the film on. Each of those options comes with luxury ticket prices, boosting grosses.

For now, “One Battle” is on pace to land within pre-weekend tracking for an opening between $20 million and $25 million. Best case is glowing reviews and great buzz buoy the film’s relevance among moviegoers for one week after another. But with a light debut, “One Battle” has to string together a word-of-mouth phenomenon, plus a significant overseas draw, to turn a profit in theaters.

At least it won’t take much for the film to finish as the biggest theatrical release ever for Anderson, who showed awareness with a crack about being “box-office challenged” in an August interview at Esquire. The writer-director’s top hit ever is his 2007 critical darling “There Will Be Blood,” which finished with $40 million domestic and $76 million worldwide. For Warner Bros., the studio is coming off seven consecutive films opening above $40 million domestic — a historic first in Hollywood. “One Battle” comes as a box office heat check, with significant costs.

In a true contrast of counter-programming, Universal is opening the G-rated “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” in 3,500 locations, eyeing a second place debut after earning $4.3 million across Friday and previews. Projections are now at a $13.6 million opening, landing between pre-weekend tracking for $12 million to $15 million. The DreamWorks Animation production is looking for a theatrical hit in adapting the popular animated pre-K Netflix series “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” which has wracked up 11 seasons since debuting in 2021. The big-screen version, which blends live-action and animation elements, cost $32 million to produce. It’ll want to stick around in theaters, though it’s playing great for its audience, with an “A+” grade from Cinema Score.

Also opening this weekend, Lionsgate is bowing “The Strangers: Chapter II,” the middle entry in what is supposed to be a contained, Renny Harlin-directed trilogy for the horror property. The home invasion continuation earned $2.4 million across Friday and previews from 2,690 locations, with projections for the three-day opening now around $5.6 million. That’d be less than half of the $11.8 million debut that “The Strangers: Chapter I” earned back in May 2024.

The first installment wasn’t a hit with critics and reviews are just as bad for the follow-up, even after a producer told ScreenRant that the sequel did significant “enhancement” reshoots after the release of “Chapter I.” Audiences aren’t impressed either, with Cinema Score turning in a rough “C-” grade. Still, the film cost a light $8.5 million to produce. Lionsgate has plans to release “Chapter III” sometime down the line.

After topping domestic charts for two weekends, Sony and Crunchyroll’s “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” is sliding to third place after earning another $1.8 million on Friday. It’s looking at a $6.8 million third weekend, down 61%. These grosses are largely a cherry on top for “Infinity Castle” after its historic fan-driven opening weekend. The epic-length film is looking to hit a $117.8 million domestic total through Sunday, currently ranking as the 15th-highest grossing North American release of 2025 — a stature that seemed unthinkable for an anime film for decades.

Warner Bros. is also vying for bronze, with “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” which cast out another $2 million on Friday, down 46% from its daily total a week ago. The New Line horror sequel looks to hit $161 million through its fourth weekend of release — a terrific result against its $55 million price tag. While “Last Rites” marketed itself as the final chapter for paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, it’s difficult to imagine the property is finished after delivering its biggest theatrical hit ever.

Also of note, Universal’s football horror film “Him” is losing a lot of ground in its sophomore outing, plummeting hard with a projected 71% drop after bad reviews. It looks to hit a $20.9 million domestic total through its second weekend — a less than desirable result against a $27 million production budget. Sony’s “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” is fading fast too, eyeing a $1.2 million sophomore outing after cratering in its opening. The projected 10-day domestic haul is $5.9 million for the $45 million project.

September 27, 2025 0 comments

Hollywood

Review: PTA’s ‘One Battle After Another’ Vivid Tale of Revolutionaries

by jummy84 September 26, 2025

written by jummy84

Review: PTA’s ‘One Battle After Another’ Vivid Tale of Revolutionaries

by Alex Billington
September 26, 2025

The new Paul Thomas Anderson lands in theaters right at the right time in America’s history. To say this is a “timely” movie isn’t really accurate – this story has been building in PTA’s mind for years. He just finally got the script together, and somehow got Warner Bros to give him over $100 million to make it, and they went out and shot it last year, and now we’re treated to an astonishing movie. To say it’s too soon to judge if it’s an “American classic” isn’t really accurate either – this movie is unquestionably an instant classic that will be loved by movie fans all over the world. And with time it will earn its place in cinema history, even though most of us who write about movies professionally can see the writing on the wall already. One Battle After Another totally rocks. This movie kicks so much ass. But using such a banal, trite phrase to describe it is a disservice – this sprawling, pristine, energetic, visceral modern movie deserves much more careful analysis & deeper intellectual appreciation. Not only entertaining, it’s the movie of the moment in that it represents the zeitgeist perfectly. It may be amusing satire, but it’s also pretty darn realistic if you really break it down.

Written and directed by master filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson as his 10th feature film, One Battle After Another is officially inspired by the novel “Vineland” by Thomas Pynchon. Clearly not an adaptation, PTA gives Pynchon credit in the movie anyway, as the ideas within the book provide some basis for the ideas in the movie. In one of his best modern roles, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Bob Ferguson – a member of the “French 75” revolutionary group who falls in love with Perfidia Beverly Hills, played by Teyana Taylor, another member. The movie is the story of American activists / revolutionaries through time, a tale of one family and how fighting American oppression & racism is passed on to the next generation. Though it’s also a comedy, a satire about Stoner Dad Bob getting older. Most of the movie takes place when Bob’s daughter Willa, also known as “Charlene Calhoun” (her cover name), is a teen disinterested in anything her parents did. Chase Infiniti plays this role with a real “let me introduce myself” pizzazz that is instantly endearing and badass all at once. She represents Gen Z and their vibes / feelings / choices. But she also needs to learn about how the world really works & is quickly introduced to this truth when Bob’s past catches up with him.

Bob’s past is depicted in the form of one Col. Steven J. Lockjaw, nemesis of the French 75, a military fascist asshole who is forever on the hunt for Bob and his ilk. Sean Penn takes on this fascinating role as Lockjaw and nails this performance so profoundly perfectly, understanding and depicting the reality of this kind of person so precisely, that his on-screen villain character is as enigmatic and as iconic as the greatest movie villains of all-time. He’s up there with Anton Chigurh & Hans Gruber and all the others. And the funny thing is that way too many people will watch this movie and get upset that he’s portrayed as the bad guy. Too bad! Lockjaw is the epitome of every broken, hateful, violent, evil American jackass – right down to the authentic depiction of a guy who has to repress his own love for Black woman just so that he can get a corner office in the White Supremacist Group’s regional branch. PTA wants to ruffle some feathers, rattle the cages, and tell a story that evokes the truth about America, with all its nitty gritty details. All of what he shows is accurate, even if it’s shown through the lens of $100M+ satire: the police state all Americans exist within, the racism, the white supremacy, the xenophobia, the oppression; which remains despite years of activism & resistance.

Like pretty much everyone else, I totally loved PTA’s One Battle After Another. Easily one of the best movies of 2025, easily deserving of any/every award it’s going to get during the awards season, easily deserving of all the love it’s receiving from movie fans everywhere. PTA used that Warner Bros to also tweak the movie through test screenings and make sure the story – above all – soars and glides. It’s going to stand the test of time, it’s going to get even better on every repeat viewing. It’s not just the tale of these revolutionaries that I enjoy being pulled into, it’s also the pristine filmmaking, the riveting pacing, the off-the-charts magnificent performances galore: Stoner Dad DiCaprio, Saint Benicio Del Toro, Unforgettable Chase Infiniti, Bastard Lockjaw Sean Penn, a Defiant Regina Hall; and everything else going on in this. Featuring yet another all-timer evocative score by Jonny Greenwood, utilizing his sound for an effective emotional layer on top of all that we’re seeing on screen. Of course, everyone knows PTA is one of the best filmmakers out there, his technical knowledge is irrefutable. But it’s all about how that knowledge comes together to work in service of the story & this time it’s cinematic synergy at its best. And man oh man do I vibe with Stoner Bob in this.

My most intriguing theory about this movie is that it’s pretty much a PTA autobiography. Taking us through his life when he was a more rebellious youngster whipping out his first movies (Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love) up to his current Stoner Dad era trying to pass along his rebellious spirit to his child (he has 4 children with actress Maya Rudolph). While One Battle After Another is an immensely inspiring & amusing portrayal of American revolutionaries, it’s also a heartfelt tale of a father and daughter. These activists are just regular people, too – trying to live their own lives and raise a family and take care of each other. And Bob’s lesson to Willa is that she needs to recognize that her family is a line of fighters and she’ll join the fight, too – whether she likes it or not. There’s always more work to be done. One battle after another, they must keep fighting the evil assholes like Lockjaw and the Christmas Adventurers Club. They’re relentless haters. But there’s also hope in the idea that PTA is passing on his revolutionary spirit, reminding us that even when you get older and start to forget things, there is hope in the next generation taking flight and heading out in the world to make a real difference and pick up where you left off. And this is real hope.

Alex’s Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Follow Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing

Find more posts in: Discuss, Review

September 26, 2025 0 comments

Music

Every song on the ‘One Battle After Another’ soundtrack

by jummy84 September 26, 2025

written by jummy84

Paul Thomas Anderson’s much-anticipated One Battle After Another has arrived in cinemas, but what songs are included? Find the full list below.

The acclaimed director, known for films such as There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights, Phantom Thread and Magnolia, has made his name with his liberal use of needle drops throughout his career, and this 10th film is no different.

The film is inspired by the 1990 novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon, who Anderson has previously adapted with his 2014 film Inherent Vice.

It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob Ferguson, a washed-up ex-revolutionary who leads a team in the attempted rescue of the daughter of one of their own. Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti and Alana Haim co-star.

In a four star review of the film, NME wrote: “Operatic in its intensity and lush in its visuals (Anderson shot with old-school film format VistaVision), it’s a sometimes ragged, unwieldy experience. Like the recent Eddington, it’s another throw-it-against-the-wall-to-see-what-sticks movie. Some of it doesn’t. But thank the lord this $130m barmy blockbuster exists. From a pregnant Perfidia firing off rounds from her machine gun to an unforgettable finale on the undulating desert roads, it’s a mad stir of America’s melting pot on the cusp of boiling over.”

Every song on the One Battle After Another soundtrack

This is the sixth Paul Thomas Anderson film in a row to feature an original score from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, after There Will Be Blood, The Master, Inherent Vice, Phantom Thread and Licorice Pizza.

Beyond that, the film includes tracks from the likes of Steely Dan, Jackson 5, Gil Scott-Heron, Ella Fitzgerald, Tom Petty and Survivor.

See the full list here:

Jon Brion – ‘Bunker Bumper’
Jonny Greenwood and The London Contemporary Orchestra – ‘Mean Alley’
The Shirelles – ‘Soldier Boy’
Steely Dan – ‘Dirty Work’
The Ramsey Lewis Trio – ‘What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve’
Sheck Wes – ‘Mo Bamba’
Travis Scott – ‘Goosebumps’ (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
Walk The Moon – ‘Shut Up And Dance’
El Fantasma – ‘Vengo A Aclarar’ (ft. Banda Los Populares Del Llano)
Survivor – ‘Eye Of The Tiger’
Ella Fitzgerald – ’Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’
Jackson 5 – ‘Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide From Love)’
Los Panchos – ‘Perfidia’
Jon Brion – ‘Global Bully’
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – ’American Girl’
Gil Scott-Heron – ’The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’
Ella Fitzgerald – ’God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’

September 26, 2025 0 comments

Celebrity News

bitchy | “PTA’s ‘One Battle After Another’ is apparently a masterpiece” links

by jummy84 September 26, 2025

written by jummy84

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is a masterpiece? [Pajiba]
Oooo look at Julianne Moore’s Bottega Veneta bag!! [RCFA]
Kim Kardashian celebrates Skims’ collab with Nike. [JustJared]
Maggie Gyllenhaal directed The Bride, and this is the first trailer. [LaineyGossip]
What’s Jordon Hudson up to these days? [Jezebel]
Sadiq Khan bashed Donald Trump. [Buzzfeed]
Chord Overstreet’s Playgirl shoot never saw the light of day. [Socialite Life]
Jennifer Lopez still hangs out with Ben Affleck’s kids. [Hollywood Life]
Joe Jonas & Krispy Kreme. [Seriously OMG]
Dylan Efron jiggles. [OMG Blog]

September 26, 2025 0 comments

Bollywood

Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ brings revolution to the (very) big screen

by jummy84 September 25, 2025

written by jummy84

LOS ANGELES — Paul Thomas Anderson spent about 20 years writing “One Battle After Another.” After two decades, it’s never felt more relevant.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ brings revolution to the (very) big screen

The epic action thriller, inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s “Vineland,” hits theaters Friday. With a running time of 2 hours and 50 minutes, “One Battle After Another” wastes no time immersing audiences in its politically charged world.

The revolution will not be televised, but it will be placed at the front and center of Anderson’s film. The director isn’t there to make his audience comfortable, star Teyana Taylor says, as he zeros in on themes of immigration, racism and systemic corruption showcased at their most absurd.

“I feel like PTA calls out a lot of things that are trying to get swept under the rug,” Taylor told The Associated Press, referring to the director by his nickname. “And that’s what I respect. This is really waking, shaking and baking some s -. Like, you gotta shake the table.”

Taylor’s character, Perfidia Beverly Hills, is a member of the Weather Underground-inspired French 75 revolutionary group. From the film’s first scene, we see the French 75 take matters into their own hands, liberating undocumented detainees, destroying corrupt political offices and launching their own form of justice, one right after the other. The group is peppered with members portrayed by musicians-turned-actors like Dijon Duenas, Alana Haim, and Shayna McHayle and notable actors like Regina Hall and Wood Harris.

“I mean, this movie is based on some of the revolutionaries and anarchists of the late ’60s, the Weathermen that were fighting for civil rights, environmentalism too at the time, capitalism, Vietnam,” star Leonardo DiCaprio told the . “But it’s about the implosion of that too, about the extremes that people go to for their own ideology.”

DiCaprio portrays Bob Ferguson, known in the French 75’s initial scenes as Ghetto Pat, known for his knowledge of explosives and undying devotion to both Perfidia and the revolution. Together, Perfidia and Pat seem unstoppable, until the racist and xenophobic Col. Steven Lockjaw sets out end the group to fuel his rise to power.

“And this is a movie, fast-forward, in today’s day and age, where you see this sort of systematic breakdown that comes from it, if it’s not done with grace and purity and consistently, the whole sort of— our revolution is dismantled and our past comes back to haunt us,” said DiCaprio. “So that’s what I love that Paul did. He shows extremity on both sides of the spectrum and how no one seems to be communicating or getting things done in the right way nowadays.”

The film jumps 16 years into the future. Perfidia has disappeared and DiCaprio’s character lives under a new alias in a sanctuary city as a paranoid, stoner dad with his teenage daughter, Willa . Everything is seemingly mundane until Lockjaw reappears, forcing the father-daughter duo on the run.

“There’s a lot of moments where I was like, I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to do this, but thankfully I had amazing scene partners and a great support system to kind of assure me that I was here to do my job and I knew exactly that I could do it,” Infiniti said.

“One Battle After Another” is Anderson’s most expensive project to date and shot entirely in VistaVision — a decades-old format that’s been revived in recent years by movies like “The Brutalist.”

Benicio del Toro, who plays karate instructor Sensei Sergio St. Carlos, says blending improv scenes with DiCaprio and shooting in the antique format forced the actors and Anderson to have unwavering faith in each other’s decisions, knowing they only had a limited amount of takes. His character, also the head of an undocumented migrant hideaway, hopes his storyline will be an example of showcasing compassion beyond political affiliation.

“I wouldn’t be pompous enough to say movies change people. But it might just open a door that leads to another door that leads to a hallway to another door,” he said.

DiCaprio says portraying Bob Ferguson is his own version of freedom of speech, allowing him to “shine a light on certain issues about humanity and different subject matters.”

“I’m always searching for a movie that doesn’t necessarily have meaning but is thought-provoking, that holds a mirror up to who we are as a society, as people, of humanity,” said DiCaprio. “And that’s what I think the heart of this movie is, is how to find humanity in a world that is incredibly divided. … It’s not a film where there’s a specific sort of ideology that Paul is putting into it. It’s saying this is who we are, this is the world we live in.”

For Taylor, the 20-year-old script’s relevance is evidence of American history continuing to repeat itself.

“It didn’t need a change; it didn’t need to be updated because it was all still so relevant,” said Taylor. “It’s time to wake up, and it’s time to shed light on the necessary conversations.”

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

September 25, 2025 0 comments

Music

One Battle After Another Review: A Nerve-Racking Masterpiece

by jummy84 September 24, 2025

written by jummy84

One Battle is primarily a film about race. The French 75 is largely Black: Beyond Taylor’s Perfidia, operatives and allies are played Wood Harris, Regina Hall, Starletta DuPois, and the musicians Dijon and Junglepussy, among others. During his time as an active member, Bob was known as “Ghetto Pat,” and retains a penchant for calling people “homie”; when he and Perfidia are making out in the back of a sedan as it speeds away from the detention center, he’s goaded into saying just how much he loves “Black girls.” Lockjaw, who spent years lusting after Perfidia, is so ideologically committed to white supremacy that when he seeks initiation into the Adventurers, he plans to find and kill Willa for fear that she’s his daughter. The math here is clear: The fetishization of Black women spans the entire political spectrum, from those sincerely seeking Black liberation to those who would like to see Black people killed en masse.

But this observation is only a starting point. One Battle shows solidarity across lines of race and class, but also the friction inherent to those alliances. When, during the siege, Bob is taken in by his daughter’s martial arts instructor, Sensei Sergio (Benecio del Toro), the latter’s unflappability is played for laughs. But Sergio’s cool efficiency as he directs dozens of undocumented children to safety makes Bob’s panic over the whereabouts of his daughter, confirmed to be safe with people he trusts, seem at least a little solipsistic. Bob’s almost tearful lament, from later in the film, that he can’t properly do his daughter’s hair, is heartbreaking.

Elsewhere, characters wield whatever power race gives them—however uneasily. Lockjaw imprisons and murders people with impunity, but is made insecure around the Adventurers by the fact he’s been sexually fixated on those they, and he, have deemed impure. A monologue about Black power is fearfully made manifest by a gunshot in a bank robbery. And, in the wrenching sequence where Perfidia leaves Bob and Willa, she expresses disgust at the way white revolutionaries have to be coddled and carried along. It has the sting of truth—but is undercut by the sorrow Taylor masterfully layers below Perfidia’s rage.

We are, in fact, living in an age of “identity politics,” but in the sense that people are shunted into camps, jails, or coffins based on the color of their skin. And so it’s truly ingenious that one of One Battle’s tensest sequences sees a portable paternity test deployed in a chapel. The myopia required to derive true meaning from such a thing—barely more sophisticated than phrenology—is staggering. But it’s the logical endpoint of the belief that some people are chattel and others are entitled to use them as they please. Later, after Willa screams at Lockjaw about her mother (“She was a rat!”), he’s practically salivating when he responds: “She was a warrior.”

Infiniti is asked to play the put-upon daughter of a man-child father, a scared child, a phony among true believers, and eventually, a reluctant killer. She acquits herself unbelievably well. The adrenaline-soaked shriek she lets out after shooting and killing the IZOD-clad Adventurer who had been pursuing her in a superb highway chase sequence is nearly on par with Jena Malone’s yelp of joy that serves as the thesis at the end of Anderson’s Inherent Vice. DiCaprio, as the father who loves her more than anything but is aware of the limits of his use to her, has never been better.

A moment after that scream, Bob comes across the wreckage of the chase. When he sees Willa coiled behind a sign at the side of the road, he’s overcome with relief. But she can’t relax: she raises the pistol toward him and asks him to repeat back the code phrases. He doesn’t. Instead, he reasons: I’m your dad. The gun comes down. She believes him—he is.

September 24, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

‘Chief of War’ Finale Battle Scene Explained by Cinematographer

by jummy84 September 24, 2025

written by jummy84

The “Chief of War” finale, Episode 9 on the Apple TV+ series, is called “The Black Desert.” And director Jason Momoa does not hold back when it comes to just how “black” and “desert”-like that setting is for the show’s climactic, 30-plus-minute battle between the forces of Hawaii and Maui.

The clash sees Cliff Curtis’ spurned chieftain Keōua, now high on his own supply as the chosen of the volcano Gods, on the one side; then, Kaina Makua’s reluctant, good-hearted king Kamehameha, and Jason Momoa’s vengeful chief of war Ka’iana on the other. The massive armies square up on a desolate lava field, which is not exactly the kind of place you’d want to fight with very sharp spears and minimal padding.

Protestors outside 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' following ABC's indefinite suspension of the program at Hollywood Blvd on September 18, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

It’s also not necessarily the kind of place you’d want to drag a film crew for eight days of shooting intense crowd and stunt sequences. But series cinematographer Matthew Chuang told IndieWire the location the “Chief of War” team found was simply undeniable as the place for the battle where the Kingdom of Hawaii truly came into being.

“We were scouting possible locations for this, and we came across this lava field — this huge lava field on a cliff by the side of the water. I don’t know if you’ve ever been on a lava field before, but it’s like walking on the moon,” Chuang said. “It’s so jagged, and the ground has these peaks and cracks, and it’s really sharp. If you put your hand on the lava, you could cut yourself.”

It took the location scouting team about 30 minutes to walk into the spot around Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park where they would eventually film, in fact, because the ground was so sharp. But Momoa especially pushed for them to find solutions to work and get power to the location safely, so that the show could visually underscore the importance of the battle in Hawaiian history. “He wanted to shoot that on Hawaiian land, you know?” Chuang said. “So they got geologists to come in and looked [at the location], with production, at how we could get our gear in there, and they kind of made it possible.”

Te Ao o Hinepehinga getting ready to throw a stone with the ocean behind her in 'Chief of War' — ‘Chief of War’ Apple TV+

With geological information about the safest places to film and how to get gear in and out, though, Chuang and Momoa still had to test a lot of camera and, especially, lighting equipment to ensure that they could withstand the marathon, all-day, and into-night battle sequence. Chuang made the correct story decision for the show to embrace a naturalistic style overall, building frames that continually envelop the characters within the landscape or set them starkly against it. But it meant that during the battle shoot, the production had to really divide and conquer in order to get the coverage they needed.

“We had five units going at the same time. Jason brought in [the other ‘Chief of War’ directors] Brian Mendoza and Justin Chon to help him direct certain sequences. We sectioned off the lava field for different areas to have the forces stand off, then colliding, then a section for certain characters to use, and we split it off that way,” Chuang said. “It was a huge undertaking.”

Momoa, who leads Kamehameha’s forces from the front, had to balance spearing and pummelling his way through Keōua’s army on camera with coordinating other units following other characters through the bloody scrum. You’d expect this to require a huge amount of planning and communication between the camera and stunt teams, and it did. But, reflecting on the experience, Chuang was struck by how getting the scale of the battle right took a full-court press from the entire “Chief of War” crew.

Jason Momoa throwing a spear in a line of spear and musketmen in 'Chief of War' — ‘Chief of War’ Apple TV+

“It was all planned out, but at the same time, incredibly crazy. Everyone on the crew, from costumes to makeup to stunts, were all happening all along the same time. All the PAs and transport — everyone needed to come together to make this possible. Sometimes, we would start at 3 in the morning and prep at night. Then, as the sun was coming up, we’d start shooting all those sequences.”

The brutality of the black desert is a big part of what makes the sequence feel so visually distinct; it sharpens as the light changes, then grows dark and fiery and almost infernal as night falls, and as the combatants have to wail at each other by the glow of lava coming forth from the Earth. Chuang said that when it comes to the lava-work, visual texture allows the camera and the action to breathe a bit — to not need the kind of shaky-cam or quick movement that forces a sense of intensity. Instead, it comes from the environment and the actors onscreen.

It’s a visual approach Momoa responded to even before Chuang got the job. “The key [to shooting the lava] is to have fog and smoke and atmosphere to light. One of my biggest influences in general is this photographer, Todd Hido. His stuff is this quiet, moody, memory-based work. When I was talking to Jason about coming to shoot the show, we’d just met for the first time over Zoom, and I mentioned Todd. He was like, ‘Oh, I love Todd! He’s a friend.’” Chuang said.

Cliff Curtis standing, arms outstretched, on the edge of an active volcano, like one does, in 'Chief of War' — ‘Chief of War’ Apple TV+

Todd Hido was not the only friend of the show on “Chief of War.” Just as the Apple TV+ series was gearing up to shoot the Episode 9 battle sequences, Mokuʻāweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa, erupted for the first time since 1984. The production needed to halt for a day to make sure the air quality was safe and it would be safe to film.

“We went out there and started scouting anyway, and it was actually a really great prep day because everyone could get there and settle. But yeah, that volcano hadn’t exploded in like 40 or 50 years, and then the day that we finished [shooting], it stopped erupting,” Chuang said. “Jason and the Hawaiians thought it was a sign from the Gods, like a blessing, you know? So that was really amazing.”

“Chief of War” is available to stream on Apple TV+

September 24, 2025 0 comments

Celebrity News

Zuza Beine Dead at 14 After Cancer Battle

by jummy84 September 23, 2025

written by jummy84

‘1000-Lb. Sisters’ Star Katie Slaton Dead After Cancer Battle

The world has lost a bright star.

Zuza Beine, the influencer known for showing her courageous battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), has died. She was 14.

“It is with broken hearts that we share that Zuza died yesterday morning,” a statement written by members of her family read on a Sept. 23 Instagram post, alongside a picture of the teen smiling on the beach. “She lived 11 of her 14 years with a relentless cancer, yet lived more fully and gratefully than most. Her being changed us forever, and her dying will too.”

“It is no coincidence to us that the last video she made captures what she was grateful for—a testament to a life filled with both beauty and suffering,” the post continued. “More than anything, she wanted to be a normal, healthy kid. But what made her life so beautiful was how she learned to face the hardest circumstances, like her disease, and still live fully.”

September 23, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Leonardo DiCaprio on ‘One Battle After Another’ Chase Infiniti and PTA

by jummy84 September 23, 2025

written by jummy84

Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson‘s knack for casting is one of his (many) strong suits as a creator. From recognizing the dramatic brilliance of someone like Adam Sandler, consistently finding new dimensions of repeat stars like Julianne Moore and John C. Reilly, and discovering brand-new stars like Alana Haim, PTA has one hell of an eye for star power (and all credit to his long-running partnership with casting director Cassandra Kulukundis, who has cast nine of 10 ten films).

For his latest, “One Battle After Another,” PTA again assembles an enviable cast: Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, and continuing collaborator Sean Penn, plus Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall making their PTA debut, and breakout star Chase Infiniti. The film is Infiniti’s first — TV fans have already been treated to her work in “Presumed Innocent,” and she will next lead the “Handmaid’s Tale” spin-off series “The Testaments” — and it’s a hell of a debut for the actress.

(from left) Horned Fanatic (Maurice Greene) and Cam (Tyriq Withers) in HIM, directed by Justin Tipping.

As IndieWire’s own David Ehrlich noted in his glowing review of the film, Infiniti is “magnetically self-possessed” and an “instant movie star.” (Having seen the film yesterday: when he’s right, he’s right.)

After a special screening of the film in VistaVision held in New York City on Sunday afternoon, DiCaprio, Taylor, Infiniti, del Toro, Hall, and Penn stuck around to chat about the feature in a wide-ranging Q&A. In the film, Infiniti plays the daughter of DiCaprio (as the bomber Ghetto Pat, who eventually goes undercover as “Bob Ferguson”) and Taylor (as the revolutionary leader Perfidia Beverly Hills). DiCaprio shares plenty of screen time with the young star and was eager to talk about her performance, both on and off the screen.

“It was beautiful to watch Chase come into an ecosystem like this, because I remember my first feature-length film and trusting so much in the director, the director is literally everything to you, and that bond started immediately with the two of them,” DiCaprio said.

DiCaprio’s first role was — and this is true! — in the direct-to-video sequel “Critters 3,” but he quickly followed that up with roles in two still-signature films for him: “This Boy’s Life” (directed by Michael Caton-Jones) and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” (directed by Lasse Hallström). And it seems that the actor still keenly remembers what it was like on those early sets.

“Benicio likes to say it was like watching a great boxer with the boxing coach, and they gave each other small signals and nods, and yeses and nos,” DiCaprio continued. “And they continued on. They had this sort of unspoken relationship that was beautiful to witness. It reminded me of when I was younger and my first film.”

Asked about her experience, Infiniti was quick to note the support she received from everyone, which engendered a level of trust that seems common on a PTA set.

“I think that the strongest thing that I felt was just love from everybody,” she said. “From Leo and Teyana and Sean and Regina and Benicio, not to mention Paul, I was just surrounded by so much love and support from day one. … Having that, and an overall understanding of trust, and knowing that Paul trusts me, I trust Paul, and then I trust every single one of my scene partners, I think that the love and the trust more than anything made me feel confident to play and thrive in the environment. It was a bit scary walking into, but in the end, it was the best experience.”

Warner Bros. will release “One Battle After Another” in theaters on Friday, September 26.

September 23, 2025 0 comments

Ladakh Beckons: Salman Khan's Battle Of Galwan Team To Shoot Key Sequences In Stunning Locations | Glamsham.com

Lifestyle

The Real Reason Behind Salman Khan’s Sudden Departure From Battle Of Galwan Sets Revealed | Glamsham.com

by jummy84 September 20, 2025

written by jummy84

Having completed a difficult shoot in Ladakh, Salman Khan will start the second schedule of his action drama Battle of Galwan next week in Mumbai. Apoorva Lakhia directs the film, which dramatizes the 2020 Galwan Valley skirmish between Indian and Chinese forces—a fierce hand-to-hand battle that turned the tide of recent Indian military history.

As per Pinkvilla, the Mumbai schedule will be among the most important in the film and comprise both intense action sequences and emotional scenes. One source shared that Salman and the team shot in extreme conditions in Ladakh, where temperatures went as low as 10°C and oxygen levels didn’t rise beyond being dangerous. Though Salman had some minor health issues, the actor persevered to finish his portion of work in the 45-day Ladakh shoot schedule, working 15 days on the set.

The next schedule will witness the cast switching over to controlled sets, where they can concentrate on the patriotic action as well as the emotional core of the film. Salman has taken a brief halt to recuperate before going back to work.
In July, fans saw Battle of Galwan for the first time through a motion poster that gave Khan a rugged, battle-hardened appearance. With blood on his face, a stern moustache, and resolute eyes, the teaser promised a performance based on strength, sacrifice, and country pride—against the background of a tense military environment.
Also Read: Ladakh Beckons: Salman Khan’s Battle of Galwan Team to Shoot Key Sequences in Stunning Locations
The movie hopes to be a moving tribute to India’s military forces, bringing attention to an unusual and heart-wrenching incident in contemporary military history. Although the release date has not been announced, the hype surrounding Battle of Galwan indicates that it will be one of Salman Khan’s most gripping and significant performances to date.

September 20, 2025 0 comments

Newer Posts

Older Posts