Lakers star Luka Doncic will not play in the team’s two preseason games this weekend, the team announced after its shoot-around Friday.
Doncic will sit out against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert and against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night in San Francisco.
The Lakers said it was a collaborative decision made with L.A.’s performance team because of his time playing for the Slovenian national team in the EuroBasket tournament this summer.
The Lakers said the plan is to be smart with Doncic in the long term as he ramps up for the regular season that opens Oct. 21 against the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.
LeBron James, Marcus Smart (achilles tendinopathy), Maxi Kleber (quad) and rookie Aduo Thiero (knee) also won’t play against the Suns.
Doncic played in his last game with Slovenia about a month ago, a game in which he scored 39 points but his squad was eliminated by Germany in the EuroBasket quarterfinals.
After practice Thursday, Doncic talked about easing his way into training camp while getting ready for the regular season after playing at peak level for Slovenia.
“Yeah, obviously probably take it a little bit slower than the usual,” Doncic said. “ I had a busy summer. I think month, month-and-a-half I was with national team. So, it was kind of a lot. But that got me ready for the preseason and obviously regular season. So, for me, I think it really helps.”
The Irish golf star had stood up for himself amid verbal abuse and other inappropriate behavior from some American fans during the Ryder Cup this weekend at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.
After helping Team Europe fend off a massive U.S. rally for a 15-13 victory Sunday, McIlroy had plenty more to say about what he witnessed from fans during the three-day event.
“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said during his team’s post-tournament press conference. “I think golf should be held to a higher standard than than what was was seen out there this week.
“Golf has the ability to unite people. Golf teaches you very good life lessons. It teaches you etiquette. It teaches you how to play by the rules. It teaches you how to respect people. And, you know, sometimes this week we didn’t see that.”
McIlroy went 3-1-1 during the event while enduring boisterous jeers and insults from members of the crowd who were doing their best to disrupt him while he lined up to swing or putt. At one point Saturday a cup of beer appeared to sail out of the crowd and hit the brim of a hat worn by McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, who was walking next to her husband.
The reigning Masters champion didn’t take such treatment quietly, clapping back at times with profanity or gestures of his own.
At one point during foursome play Saturday morning, McIlroy told some boisterous Americans to “shut the f— up.” He then proceeded to send his shot to within three feet of the hole, setting up Tommy Fleetwood‘s putt to clinch the European pair’s win.
Asked Sunday how satisfying that particular set of events was, McIlroy replied, “Very f— satisfying.”
On Monday morning, U.S. golf legend Tom Watson congratulated the European team on their win in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The four-time Ryder Cup player and two-time captain also wrote: “More importantly, I’d like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage. As a former player, Captain and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened.”
In general, McIlroy said, “we shut them up by our performance and how we played. You know, I chirped back a few times because it got to me a few times. [But] we tried to handle everything that came our way with class and poise and for the most part I felt like we did that.”
The amount of security and police present at the tournament was increased as the weekend went on, a step McIlroy didn’t think was necessary.
“The police out there and the amount of the security presence was insane,” McIlroy said. “It’s not like — nothing was going to happen. There wasn’t really going to be any sort of physical altercation or anything like that. … There was a lot of language that was unacceptable and abusive behavior, but look, it’s a minority of the crowd. It’s not the majority. The majority of people here are true golf fans and are respectful and [hope] that both teams have the same chance to hit the shots and play a fair contest.”
McIlroy added that he hopes those respectful fans are the ones who show up at the next Ryder Cup, which will be held in his homeland.
“We will be making sure to say to our fans in Ireland in 2027 that what happened here this week is not acceptable.”
That said, McIlroy and his European teammates did appear to take part in a little playful taunting of their own after their win Sunday. President Trump posted a video on Truth Social that showed the group hoisting their trophy and singing, “Are you watching, Donald Trump?”
Trump, who attended the Ryder Cup on Friday, wrote in response: “Yes, I’m watching. Congratulations!”
Leonardo DiCaprio can still draw audiences to movie theaters.
His latest film, “One Battle After Another,” landed in the top spot at the box office this weekend, hauling in $22.4 million in the U.S. and Canada. Globally, the film made $48.5 million in its opening weekend. Industry analyst estimates had pegged the film’s debut at $20 million to $25 million, though some had predicted $30 million or more. Studio sources expected the film to bring in $20 million in its domestic opening.
Written and directed by auteur filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” tells the story of a one-time revolutionary, played by DiCaprio, who must band together with old friends and community members to rescue his daughter from a former enemy. The film, which is loosely based on a Thomas Pynchon novel, also stars Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro and Regina Hall. Its budget was $130 million.
“One Battle After Another” had strong interest from Hollywood cinephiles, but there were questions about whether it would connect with more casual moviegoers, particularly since early marketing was more ambiguous about its genre. In addition, adult dramas have not performed at the box office as they did before the pandemic, as older audiences have been slower to return to theaters. Fans of DiCaprio, who may have followed his career since his turn in 1997’s “Titanic,” fall into that group.
But the film notched a solid 98% approval rating on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and has benefited from buzz about its awards potential.
“One Battle After Another” marks the latest win for Warner Bros. The studio has had a string of success at the theaters starting with April’s “A Minecraft Movie,” which has grossed a total of $957 million. That streak continued with Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” James Gunn’s “Superman,” Zach Cregger’s “Weapons,” and the latest installments of franchises like “The Conjuring” and “Final Destination.” It’s been a remarkable turnaround for the studio and its film chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, who earlier this year were reportedly on the hot seat for under-performing films.
At that time, “One Battle After Another” was seen as an especially risky bet for De Luca and Abdy, but the success of the rest of the year’s lineup has reduced the pressure on this film, said Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics at Fandango and founder of site Box Office Theory.
“They’re in an envious position right now because they don’t need this movie to over-perform,” he said. “‘One Battle After Another’ is a little bit of a cherry on top.”
“Gabby’s Dollhouse” came in second place at the box office this weekend, grossing $13.5 million. “Demon Slayer,” “The Conjuring: Last Rites” and “The Strangers: Chapter 2” rounded out the top five.
When I was in high school in the 1990s, I worked the box office at Tucson’s sole art house, the Loft Cinema. My favorite shift was Saturday night when a parade of true characters began lining up for the weekly midnight screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
The shadow cast arrived before the audience, a ragtag group of aspiring and established actors and fans, costumes in hand. They’d decamp in the bathrooms on either side of the lobby without regard for who was in the women’s or men’s, and proceed to cake on makeup and rib each other in delightfully uncouth terms.
The actors would wait by the theater doors to make their appointed entrances beneath the screen after the film began, and soon the theater was a sweaty mess of wild hair, dripping foundation, torn fishnet stockings, smeared lipstick, thrown popcorn, spilled soda and ribald song and dance.
There was no doubt in my 16-year-old mind that this was underground musical theater at its finest. At that time — when one of my best friends was struggling with how to come out as gay, fearing fierce social backlash — the topsy-turvy sexuality of the show, with its outlandish, cross-dressing lead, felt deliciously subversive. This was not “Grease” or “Godspell,” it had more in common with the stage shows in “Cabaret.”
Week after week, the same shadow cast arrived, treating the show as its professional run. If someone was out sick, an eager understudy would step in. This was one small art theater in Tucson. The “Rocky Horror” phenomenon, with its live shadow casts, has been ongoing around the world for decades now. That means thousands of shadow casts in thousands of cities beneath thousands of screens — each engaging in their own form of participatory community theater.
As the film honors its 50th anniversary this year with special engagements and talks across the country (see below for an Academy Museum screening), star Tim Curry is being celebrated for breaking boundaries with his onscreen portrayal of the eccentric, cross-dressing scientist Frank-N-Furter. But it’s important to remember that the show began as a stage musical in London in 1973 — with Curry originating his role upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre. The musical then moved to L.A.’s Roxy Theatre for an electric yearlong run.
“Rocky Horror” is now known as as the longest continuous theatrical release in cinema history. But thanks to the talent and dedication of its legions of shadow casts — it just might be the longest continuous piece of live musical theater too.
I’m arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt, inviting you to do the Time Warp. Here’s this week’s round-up of arts and culture news.
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Wei Wang and Max Cauthorn in Liam’s Scarlett’s ballet “Frankenstein.”
(Erik Tomasson)
Frankenstein San Francisco Ballet brings Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic horror story to life in a three-act production of British choreographer Liam Scarlett’s “Frankenstein.” The ballet originally premiered at the Royal Ballet in 2016 and has gone on to become a modern classic with a score by Lowell Liebermann and stage design by critically acclaimed ballet and opera artist John MacFarlane. – Mark Swed 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Oct. 3; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4;and 1 p.m. Oct. 5. Segerstrom Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scfta.org
Brittany Adebumola, left, and Dominique Thorne in a New York production of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” in 2023.
(Matthew Murphy)
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding Playwright Jocelyn Bioh (“School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play”) captures the camaraderie and competitiveness, solidarity and rivalry of workplace relations in this entertaining comedy about the African immigrant employees of a Harlem hair salon earning their daily bread as they work their fingers — and mouths! — to exhaustion. The play is wildly amusing, but Bioh isn’t just kidding around. By familiarizing us with the workday rhythms of these flamboyant women, she makes us feel all the more acutely the threats that accompany their marginal status in a not-always-welcoming America. Whitney White, who directed the impeccably acted Broadway premiere, helms this much-praised co-production. — Charles McNulty Wednesday through Nov. 9. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. centertheatregroup.org
Laufey performs Driday and Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Laufey This young pop-jazz singer from Iceland shot a concert movie last year at the Hollywood Bowl; now she’s doubling down with two adopted-hometown shows at Crypto.com Arena just as her album “A Matter of Time” is garnering substantial Grammy buzz. — Mikael Wood 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Crypto.com Arena, 1111 S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A. cryptoarena.com
The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
“Something Else No. 61,” 2020, by Edith Baumann. Acrylic on canvas, 60 x 60 inches.
(Alan Shaffer)
🎨 Acts of Surface A three-artist show featuring works by Edith Baumann, Chip Barrett and Vincent Enrique Hernandez that explore the literal and emotional facets of surface as a repository for memory, transformation and abstraction. Noon-5 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Friday or by appointment, through Oct. 23. 7811 Gallery, 7811 Melrose Ave. 7811gallery.com
📷 Corita Kent: The Sorcery of Images A trove of more than 15,000 35mm slides from the archive of the activist nun offers a peek into her artistic practice, her life as a teacher at Immaculate Heart College and the world she lived in between 1955 and 1968. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, through Jan. 24. Marciano Art Foundation, 4357 Wilshire Blvd. marcianoartfoundation.org
🎤 Tate McRae The main pop girls have been expanding their portfolios of late. After showing off a limber pop sound on 2023’s “Think Later” that made full use of her dance gifts, McRae proved her staying power with this year’s “So Close to What,” which topped the Billboard 200 by pulling from a rich seam of Y2K R&B and club jams. Yet she scored her first No. 1 single with the Morgan Wallen collab “What I Want.” Whatever you think of Wallen — and McRae’s young, queer fan base had thoughts — the song showed that McRae’s Alberta roots could drop right into a pop-country setting. (August Brown) 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Nov. 8. Kia Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood. thekiaforum.com
🎭 Parallel Process Writer-director David Kohner Zuckerman’s drama stars Alan McRae and Tom Jenkins as brothers facing down a 50-year divide over the Vietnam War. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday, through Nov. 2 (except Oct. 26). Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. parallelprocesstheplay.com
🎞️ The Rocky Horror Picture Show Shiver with anticipation as star Tim Curry, producer Lou Adler and a shadow cast performance alongside a 4k screening of the movie mark 50 years of delectable decadence. 7:30 p.m. Friday. Academy Museum, David Geffen Theater, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
🎼 🎹 Daniil Trifonov One of the most impressive pianists of his generation, the 34-year-old Daniil Trifonov, who starred in a Rachmaninoff week with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl in August, opens the Soka Performing Arts fall series at Soka University in Aliso Viejo with a recital program that features seldom heard solo piano works by three early 20th century Russian composers — Taneyev, Prokofiev and Myaskovsky — along with a Schumann sonata. In the meantime, Deutsche Grammophon recently released a stunning new Trifonov recording of overlooked, intimate solo piano works by Tchaikovsky. (Mark Swed) 8 p.m. Friday. Soka University Concert Hall, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo. soka.edu 7 p.m. Wednesday. UC Santa Barbara, Campbell Hall, campuscalendar.ucsb.edu
SATURDAY 🎭 Anthropology Prolific and popular playwright Lauren Gunderson gravitates toward brainy subjects. Here, she delves into a fraught philosophical question: Can AI substitute for the human comfort we need, or are we only hastening the demise of our species by depending on digital simulations of people who actually care about us? John Perrin Flynn directs the North American premiere of a play by a dramatist whose work (“I and You,” “The Book of Will”) is as thought-provoking as it is emotionally resonant. (Charles McNulty) Through Nov. 9, check specific dates. Rogue Machine at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave. roguemachinetheatre.org
🎞️ Dazed and Confused Vidiots’ third annual celebration of Richard Linklater’s 1993 coming-of-age classic includes screenings, a takeover of the Microcinema with games on freeplay, a unique commemorative T-shirt, giveaways, food and drinks, all-vinyl DJ sets from KCRW’s Dan Wilcox and Wyldeflower and more. Close out the festivities with the period-appropriate 1976 Led Zeppelin concert film “The Song Remains the Same” at 9:30 p.m. 3 and 6:45 p.m. Saturday. Vidiots, Eagle Theatre, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd. vidiotsfoundation.org
🎭 Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol The artistic collective’s “Centroamérica” tells the story of a Nicaraguan woman on the run from Daniel Ortega’s dictatorship, exploring history and the present to discover the region’s diversity, conflict and resilience. 8 p.m. UCLA Nimoy Theater, 1262 Westwood Blvd. cap.ucla.edu
Installation view, “Echoes,” at 839.
(Vanessa Wallace Gonzales/839)
🎨 Vanessa Wallace-Gonzales “Echoes,” a solo exhibition by the multiracial Black and Mexican artist originally from Southern California, now based in New York, features cyanotypes, sculptural vessels and a multimedia installation in a hybrid home/gallery. Noon-6 p.m. Saturday or by appointment, through Oct. 18. 839 Gallery, 839 N. Cherokee Ave. 839gallery.com
🎼 Quintessential Classical The Colburn Orchestra opens its season with conductor Nicholas McGegan, clarinetist Minkyung Chu and masterworks from Bach, Haydn and Mozart. 7 p.m. Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. colburnschool.edu
TUESDAY
“The Buddhist Deities Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi,” Tibet, circa 15th century; pigments on cotton.
🎨 Realms of the Dharma Gallery Tour LACMA conservator Soko Furuhata and curator Stephen Little discuss preservation and highlights from the exhibition of pan-Asian Buddhist art created across centuries. 7-8:30 p.m. LACMA, Resnick Pavilion, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. lacma.org
Writer Roxane Gay is the guest Tuesday at Oxy Live!
(David Butow / For the Times)
📘 Oxy Live! Occidental College’s speaker series kicks off a new season with a new host, artist Alexandra Grant, and bestselling author and feminist icon Roxane Gay. Future guests include Taylor Mac and Robin Coste Lewis. 7 p.m. Occidental college Thorne Hall, 1600 Campus Road. oxy.edu
WEDNESDAY
Alex Hernandez, left, and Marlon Alexander Vargas rehearse for “Littleboy/Littleman” at the Geffen Playhouse.
(Jeff Lorch)
🎭 Littleboy/Littleman Nicaraguan brothers have different ideas about the American dream in the world premiere of playwright Rudi Goblen’s drama, which mixes poetry, live music and ritual. Alex Hernandez and Marlon Alexander Vargas star for director Nancy Medina. Through Nov. 2. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Westwood. geffenplayhouse.org
THURSDAY 🎼 The Rite of Spring with Dudamel In an online note, the conductor writes, “if the LA Phil has a signature piece, it’s The Rite of Spring. Stravinsky shocked the world when it was first performed more than a century ago, and even today, it still feels bold, modern, and full of energy — just like this orchestra.” The evening also includes John Adams’ “Frenzy” and Stravinsky’s “Firebird.” 8 p.m. Thursday and Oct. 4; 2 p.m. Oct. 5. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Culture news and the SoCal scene
Ken Gonzales-Day, “The Wonder Gaze, St. James Park (Lynching of Thomas Thurmond and John Holmes, San Jose, 1933),” 2006, digital print on vinyl
(USC Fisher Museum of Art)
Times art critic Christopher Knight reviewed “Ken Gonzales-Day: History’s ‘Nevermade’,” a poignant retrospective at USC’s Fisher Museum of Art. The show features a mural-sized photograph titled, “The Wonder Gaze, St. James Park (Lynching of Thomas Thurmond and John Holmes, San Jose, 1933),” which shows the scene beneath a tree used to lynch two men accused (but not convicted) of kidnapping and murder. To create the image, Gonzales-Day photographed the original photo of the brutal scene and digitally removed the ropes and the victims, leaving only a bare tree and the many humans milling about beneath it. “What’s left is a spectral scene, ghosted by the limitations of old black-and-white photographic technology and further heightened by the uneven glow generated by the camera’s flashbulb. The mob has become the subject,” Knight writes.
A trio of vibrant 99-seat theaters are in the spotlight of Times theater critic Charles McNulty’s newest column, which features reviews of Tennessee Williams’ “The Night of the Iguana” at Boston Court; the West Coast premiere of Brian Quijada’s play, “Fly Me to the Sun,” at the Fountain Theatre; and Rogue Machine Theatre’s world premiere production of “Adolescent Salvation” by Tim Venable. McNulty was particularly taken by the fine production of the not-often-revived “Night of the Iguana,” writing, “Williams is the humane, humorously defiant playwright we need when authoritarianism is on the march.”
Earlier this week, I got to spend the morning in the company of artist Jeff Koons as he arrived at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to install the celebratory first planting of a diminutive succulent in his monumental topiary sculpture, “Split-Rocker,” which is set to anchor the east side of LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries when it opens in April of next year. LACMA CEO and Director Michael Govan was also on hand, and the two men walked into the not-yet-finished building to regard the sculpture from the floor-to-ceiling windows above. “It’s an outdoor sculpture and indoor sculpture,” Govan said.
Museums across the country are feeling the chill from the Trump administration’s push against DEI, as well as its pressure campaign against the Smithsonian Institute for what it calls “divisive, race-centered ideology.” This hasn’t stopped the Getty from continuing to ramp up a growing slate of programs and grants aimed at preserving and strengthening Black arts and cultural heritage in Los Angeles and across the country. I spoke with a variety of curators, researchers and administrators at Getty about the institution’s efforts.
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A statue depicting President Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands is seen near the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 23 in Washington, DC. A plaque below the figures states “In Honor of Friendship Month.”
(Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)
A 12-foot-tall statue showing President Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands while engaged in a gleeful dance was removed from the National Mall earlier this week — a day after it was first erected there. The statue, created by an anonymous group that received a permit to place it on the mall, was titled “Best Friends Forever” and featured a plaque that read, “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.” The National Park Service removed the sculpture before it was scheduled to be taken down, saying it was “not compliant with the permit issued.”
LA Opera is staging its annual free simulcast on Saturday — this time for “West Side Story.” Per usual, one simulcast will take place on the Santa Monica Pier (bring a blanket, it will get chilly), but for the first time, a second simulcast will take place at Loma Alta Park in Altadena. The community event comes as fire recovery efforts continue, and excitement is building with a variety of local performers and vendors expected to take part in pre-show events, including “the Jets” from JPL.
George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, which awards fellowships to artists and curators worldwide, is being targeted by President Trump’s Justice Department as part of Trump’s efforts to crack down on what he calls the “radical left.”
— Jessica Gelt
And last but not least
Take a break from doomscrolling to read this delightful story by Deborah Netburn about how a shoemaker in East L.A. ended up with shoe forms for some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
A defining image of the horrors of slavery has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the Trump administration’squest to root out what Trump has called “divisive, race-centered ideology” from the nation’s museums and national parks.
Earlier this week, the Washington Postbroke the news that the administration had ordered the removal of signs and exhibits related to slavery at multiple national parks, “including a historic photograph of a formerly enslaved man showing scars on his back.”
The photo in question — “The Scourged Back,” 1863 — is among the most famous images of the Civil War era and has been credited with driving home the brutality of slavery to the masses in what would become a turning point for the abolitionist movement. The image, which appeared in the political magazine Harper’s Weekly the day after the battle of Gettysburg, showed the deeply scarred back of an escaped slave-turned-Union soldier referred to as “Gordon,” but whose real name may have been “Peter.”
The photo was copied and distributed far and wide in pamphlets and on cards, eliciting shock and raising awareness wherever it appeared. Today, the image is housed in the collections of major museums including the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Art, as well as at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The New York Timesreported that the copy of the photo the administration has targeted for removal is on display at Georgia’s Fort Pulaski National Monument, which was a Union-captured Confederate stronghold that served as a prisoner-of-war camp. The story notes that a spokeswoman for the Interior Department wrote in an email that “all interpretive signage in national parks is under review”; she also “accused media outlets of spreading ‘false claims’ and ‘misinformation’ about the review, although she did not specify what information was incorrect.”
The review of signage, monuments and display materials at national parks, as well as at the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, stems from a March executive order titled “Restoring truth and sanity to American history.” In the order, Trump wrote that the Secretary of the Interior would work to identify “improper partisan ideology” at properties within its jurisdiction.
In August, Trump made it clear in a post on Truth Social that focusing on the country’s history of slavery was unacceptable. He criticized museums for being the last bastions of “woke” in the country, and zeroed in on the Smithsonian in particular for exhibits that discuss “how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.”
It’s unclear if the indelible photo of Peter will remain on display in national parks, but one thing seems certain: The controversy surrounding the way we engage as a country with our shared history is likely to rage on for quite some time.
I’m arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt, looking back to make sense of the present. Here’s your arts news for the week.
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Lee Byung-hun in the movie “No Other Choice.”
(Neon)
Beyond Fest The event “proves once again why it has become much more than a genre festival and is now the best film festival in L.A.,” says Times film writer Mark Olsen, ”playing movies straight from Sundance, Cannes, Venice and Toronto with guests including Conan O’Brien, Al Pacino, Luca Guadagnino and John Carpenter.” The award-winning “No Other Choice,” Park Chan-wook’s adaptation of the Donald Westlake thriller “The Ax,” opens the festival, 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Aero. Through Oct. 8. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd.; Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave. americancinematheque.com
Gustavo Dudamel performs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall in April.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Gracias Gustavo Gustavo Dudamel’s farewell season as the Los Angeles Philharmonic‘s music and artistic director begins as all his 17 seasons in Walt Disney Concert Hall have begun — with a world premiere. Ellen Reid’s “Earth Between Oceans,” a co-commission between the L.A. Phil and New York Philharmonic (which Dudamel will take over in 2026), evoking nature’s command of the four elements (earth, air, fire and water) as they operate in both cities. In our case, that involves contending with fires and our swelling oceans but also the promise of a future of unity through celebration of our multicultural communities. The opening program also includes Richard Strauss’ nature-saturated “Alpine Symphony.” — Mark Swed 8 p.m. Thursday-Sept. 27 and 2 p.m. Sept. 28 Where: Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Francesca Zambello’s staging of “West Side Story.”
(Todd Rosenberg / Lyric Opera)
West Side Story L.A. Opera turns to Broadway for this Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim-Jerome Robbins masterwork, which was originally conceived as an opera. James Conlon conducts the orchestra in such classic songs as “America,” “Somewhere” and “I Feel Pretty” as director Francesca Zambello utilizes Robbins’ original choreography in a “maximalist” production. Through Oct. 12. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laopera.org
The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
The cast of South Coast Repertory’s production of ”Million Dollar Quartet,” includes Chris Marsh Clark as Johnny Cash, JP Coletta as Jerry Lee Lewis, Armando Gutierrez as Carl Perkins and Rustin Cole Sailors as Elvis Presley.
(Scott Smeltzer / SCR)
🎭 🎶 Million Dollar Quartet On a December night in 1956, music legends Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins gather to jam on “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “Who Do You Love?” and more in this jukebox musical written by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. Through Oct. 11. South Coast Repertory, Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scr.org
🎥 Mysterious Skin The Academy Museum presents a 4K screening of Gregg Araki’s haunting 2004 coming-of-age drama. In his review, Times critic Kevin Thomas wrote, “It’s hard to imagine a more serious or persuasive indictment of the horrors inflicted on children by sexual abuse.” Oscar-winning filmmaker Sean Baker will moderate a Q&A with Araki, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and novelist Scott Heim. 7:30 p.m. Academy Museum, Geffen Theater, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
SATURDAY 🎥 Born in East L.A. Cheech Marin’s 1987 comedy about a third-generation Chicano who is inadvertently deported following an immigration raid is a chilling reminder that this type of behavior from the government isn’t new, just more flagrant. Filmmaker Jorge R. Gutierrez will moderate a Q&A with Marin. 7 p.m. Academy Museum, David Geffen Theater, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
Derek Fordjour “Nightsong,” a solo exhibition that combines painting, sculpture, live performance and video to create an immersive, multifaceted experience. 6-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, through Oct. 11. David Kordansky Gallery, 5130 W. Edgewood Place. davidkordanskygallery.com
🎭 Go Play! Three strangers meet for the first time at a dog park, while their four-legged companions — a flamboyant show poodle, a pampered Yorkie and a scrappy rescue — offer a running commentary in writer-director Barra Grant’s new stage comedy. 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday, through Nov. 2. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. GoPlayOnStage.com
🎨 Habitat: Making the California Environment Period landscape paintings depict the radical change in the region between the state’s late-19th century genocide of Indigenous people and the urbanism that erupted in the 1920s. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Langson Institute and Museum of California Art, UC Irvine, 18881 Von Karman Ave. imca.uci.edu
🎥 🎶 La La Land in Concert Moonlit screening of Damien Chazelle’s Oscar-winning 2016 romantic musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling with a live concert conducted by the film’s composer Justin Hurwitz. Food trucks and local vendors offer gourmet fare, and themed cocktails will be available from a full bar. 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, door opens 4:30 p.m. Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St. streetfoodcinema.com
💃 San Pedro Festival of the Arts Eighteen dance companies perform a wide variety of styles including modern, ballet, Indian, jazz and flamenco. 1 p.m. Peck Park near the Community Center, 560 N. Western Ave. triartsp.com
🎨 Manoucher Yektai A survey of early paintings of the Iranian-born artist and poet, “Beginnings” charts the first decades of his career and early experimentation with genre, color, shape and form. 6-8 p.m. Saturday, opening reception; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday, through Nov. 1. Karma, 7351 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. karmakarma.org
THURSDAY Carol Bove The industrial heritage of Cold War-era Los Angeles is evoked in “Nights of Cabiria,” a new exhibition that incorporates the artist’s sculptures into the architecture of the gallery. 6-8 p.m. Thursday, opening reception; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday, through Nov. 1. Gagosian Beverly Hills, 456 N. Camden Drive gagosian.com
🎨 The Other Art Fair Larger than ever, the quirky event presents affordable works from more than 150 independent artists alongside immersive installations, performances, DJs and and a fully stocked bar. 6-10 p.m. Thursday; 5-10 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. 7 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica. theotherartfair.com/la/
📷 Paul Outerbridge The exhibition “Photographs” celebrates the work of the provocative artist (1896–1958), presenting a rare selection of Carbro prints, silver gelatin photographs and platinum prints. 7-9 p.m. Thursday, opening reception; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, through Nov. 8. The Fahey/Klein Gallery, 148 N. La Brea Ave..faheykleingallery.com
📷 Matthew Rolston A multi-venue Los Angeles exhibition of the photographer and artist’s latest series “Vanitas: The Palermo Portraits,” in which he uses “expressionistic lighting” to document dozens of 500-year-old mummified remains in Sicily’s Capuchin Catacombs, accompanying the release of a special limited-edition monograph from Nazraeli Press. 7 p.m. Thursday, opening reception; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, through Nov. 8. Fahey/Klein Gallery, 148 N. La Brea Ave. faheykleingallery.com; 6 p.m. Saturday, opening reception; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Nov. 9. ArtCenter College of Design (South Campus), Mullin Transportation Design Center – Oculus Space, 2nd Floor, 950 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. artcenter.edu; 1 p.m. Oct. 26, Opening reception, artist talk and book signing; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday, through Nov. 2. Leica Gallery, 8783 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood. leicagalleryla.com
Culture news and the SoCal scene
Roxana Ortega in “Am I Roxie?” at Geffen Playhouse, directed by Bernardo Cubría.
(Jeff Lorch)
The fall theater season is in full swing and Times critic Charles McNulty has been busy seeing as much as possible. First up this week: his review of the world premiere of Groundlings Theatre alum Roxana Ortega’s world-premiere, one-woman show, “Am I Roxie?,” which has the actor exploring what it was like being the caregiver for her mother as she suffered from the increasing effects of dementia. “The show is more of a personal essay composed for the stage than a deeply imagined performance work. Ortega’s approach is friendly and wryly conversational,” McNulty writes.
McNulty was effusive in his praise for the concert version of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” in Yiddish, which staged its West Coast premiere at the Soraya. He begins his review with one word, “Magnificent,” and the plaudits keep coming from there. If you were not in the audience for the show’s three performances, reading McNulty’s words will make you very sorry indeed.
“Eureka Day,” a comedy that skewers the vaccine-mandate debate at a liberal private school in Berkeley, is making its L.A. premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse. In many ways, the play is more topical than ever given the current “anti-science” moment of the Trump era, but it was first performed in 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic. “The production, directed by Teddy Bergman, has a field day with the woke-run-amok ethos of Eureka Day, where kids at the school cheer the other team’s goals at soccer games,” McNulty writes.
Gustavo Dudamel officially stepped into his role as the New York Philharmonic’s music and artistic director designate on the 24th anniversary of 9/11, and Times classical music critic Mark Swed was there to take stock. The New York orchestra, Swed writes, “is basically his baby now.” From here on out, Dudamel will increase his presence on the East Coast while winding down his work with the Los Angeles Philharmonic during his final season in L.A. Read Swed’s review of Dudamel’s inaugural performance, here.
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Big news for L.A.’s gallery scene as Venice Beach’s L.A. Louver, established in 1975 by Peter and Elizabeth Goulds, announced that it’s winding down its public exhibition program in order to “shift to a new model that embraces private art dealing, artist support, consulting, and projects.” As part of that move, the gallery said it is donating its archive and library, including correspondence, photography, publications, records, objects, graphics and related ephemera, to the Huntington by 2029. “Until that time, L.A. Louver and Huntington archivists and librarians will collaborate to process and prepare the collection to facilitate its transfer, and optimize access and use,” L.A. Louver said in a news release.
School children’s access to the Getty Museum received a significant boost with the establishment of the Mia Chandler Endowment for School Visits — a $12-million gift from the Camilla Chandler Family Foundation in support of the Getty Museum’s Education Department and its engagement with the city’s students and educators. The money will go toward the Getty’s free bus service for field trips to both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa. The gift is the largest financial contribution received by the organization since J. Paul Getty’s original bequest, the Getty says. Camilla “Mia” Chandler Frost died in 2024 at the age of 98; she was the granddaughter of Harry Chandler and daughter of Norman Chandler, former publishers of the Los Angeles Times.
A new one-hour PBSdocumentary on theGetty’s 2025 PST: Art and Science Collide, which, according to a news release, “highlights collaborations between artists and scientists in Southern California to address some of humanity’s most urgent challenges, from climate change and space exploration to biodiversity and environmental justice,” is scheduled to air Friday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal and at 10 p.m. on PBS stations nationwide. It will also stream on PBS.org and the free PBS App.
— Jessica Gelt
And last but not least
Spooky season is just beginning, and features columnist Todd Martens checks in with a creepy séance at Heritage Square Museum called “Phasmagorica.”
The dinosaurs are coming this holiday season. The South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes Estates will host “Dinosaurs Around the World,” bringing 13 lifelike animatronic figures to the green space.
Running Nov. 1 to Jan. 31, the exhibit will feature a broad array of reptiles, ranging from the 6-foot-long Australovenator to a nearly 30-foot-long Tyrannosaurus rex. Guests can see the dinosaurs on two walking trails. One is a short loop designed primarily for young children, which will feature a little more than half of the dinosaurs, while the other is a full jaunt around the garden.
All the dinosaurs will move, some will roar and none will bite.
The South Coast Botanic Garden host 13 animatronic dinosaurs this winter, including a Neovenator.
(Imagine Exhibitions)
On weekends, South Coast will run a separately ticketed, eight-passenger tram dubbed the “Pangaea Express” that will include a tour of the exhibit with dinosaur and garden facts. The goal, in part, is to highlight the so-called “living fossils” of the South Coast Botanic Gardens.
“Specifically, we have a Dawn Redwood that we’re going to be talking about a bit,” says Claire Griswold, the garden’s learning and engagement manager. “We have a really great collection of Ginkgo trees as well, and Sago palm cycads.” A living fossil is a term for a species that was once known only from its fossil record and was later discovered in living form, apparently preserving the physical features from long-gone ancestors.
“Dinosaurs Around the World” is a touring exhibit from creative experiential firm Imagine Exhibitions. It was developed in conjunction with paleontologist Gregory M. Erickson, currently a member of the faculty of Florida State University.
Griswold hopes the exhibit is a way to marry some of the wonder and technology of a theme park with the natural awe of an 87-acre botanical garden.
‘Dinosaurs Around the World’
“Whether or not you learn something, you still get to have a great experience in nature and do something outside of the ordinary,” Griswold says. “And what’s more fun than dinosaurs, really?”
The Los Angeles area is blessed with numerous gardens that will host seasonal events this fall and winter. Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge, for instance, will be bringing back its Halloween-focused Carved, while the Huntington in San Marino will host its otherworldly-focused Strange Science for a weekend in late October.
Ahead of a 50th anniversary screening of “Jaws” this month at the AMC Theatres in Century City, even the trailers were nostalgic.
Moviegoers saw previews of Marty McFly taking flight in a DeLorean in 1985’s “Back to the Future,” the Von Trapp family sharing a musical picnic in the Austrian hills in 1965’s “The Sound of Music” and Tom Hanks launching into space in 1995’s “Apollo 13.”
And those are just a few of the movies that are returning to theaters this year to celebrate landmark anniversaries.
The box office shows there’s a demand to be met, as many classic titles outearn various new releases during opening weekends.
Over Labor Day weekend, “Jaws” came in as the second-highest-grossing movie with a domestic opening of $8.2 million, behind Zach Cregger’s horror hit “Weapons.” Steven Spielberg’s breakout blockbuster was shown in 3,200 theaters and made around $15 million worldwide. Earlier this year, the 20th anniversary screening of “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith” also ranked second with $25 million for its opening weekend, under Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.” It raked in about $55 million worldwide, bringing the title’s total gross box office to more than $900 million.
It’s almost as if movie studios, filmgoers and theater owners alike are pining for a time when the movie business, now struggling more than five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, was the center of popular culture in the U.S. Before social media and Netflix dominated people’s attention.
David Berger, who owns the Ojai Playhouse, a 111-year-old theater with one screen and 200 seats, finds that when studios come to him with a digitally restored classic, he’ll probably see strong attendance. On Sept. 10, he played a 40th anniversary screening of “The Breakfast Club” and sold 125 tickets.
“It’s about getting away from streaming and taking a break from your phone and the world — really just letting the magic of movies do its thing,” Berger said. “So, we book a lot of nostalgic repertory anniversary films, and they do really well. Sales overall are really up.”
Studio executives and moviegoers offer competing theories about why older titles are getting traction on the big screen. Some see it as an anniversary year coincidence. Others look at it as a way to cushion theaters’ thin movie slates, which have not recovered from the pandemic. Some think it’s a way to keep movie theaters in business, as these screenings tend to happen in the middle of the week and help maintain steady crowds.
By the end of 2025, there will have been roughly 100 anniversary and re-release showings brought to screens around the country, according to Comscore. In 2019, Comscore shows that there were a little over 60 re-release and anniversary screenings.
Before the pandemic, most such screenings were for one or two days and were hosted by specialized distributors, such as Fathom Entertainment. Re-releases and anniversaries weren’t often screened as traditional releases from major studios. That’s been changing ever since.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, says audiences should expect an uptick of re-releases whenever a year ends with a 0 or a 5.
Titles with loyal fanbases, like 2005’s “Pride & Prejudice” ($6 million), 1990’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” ($4 million) and 1975’s “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” ($1.1 million) have capitalized on this market. These films didn’t have a chance to celebrate in 2020, when theaters were closed because of COVID-19.
The rising interest has boosted the business of Fathom, which for more than 20 years has specialized in bringing oldies back to theaters, as well as various documentaries, performing arts shows and faith-based content. Chief Executive Ray Nutt has also noted an increased interest in the area. Anniversary showings of these “classics” tend to make up between 20% and 40% of Fathom’s annual revenue, equating to $20 million or more.
“I’m proud to say that over the last two years, we’ve increased our revenue by 45% and 48% respectively,” said Nutt. “We’ve had record-breaking years, and classics have been a really important part of that.”
Fathom and Lionsgate are gearing up for the return of the “Twilight” saga to theaters for its 20th anniversary. All five films, along with roundtable footage with author Stephenie Meyer, will be screening around the country from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2. Kevin Grayson, Lionsgate’s head of distribution, said the series is slated to screen in about 1,000 theaters. But with strong presales, he said the footprint will probably expand to 1,500 to 2,000 locations.
“‘Twilight’ has been out for a long time,” Grayson said. “But after seeing the significant ticket sales it has already brought in, you can tell people want that communal experience.”
Executives say these showing are good for business and come with little downside.
Studios can dust off a movie they already own and create hype through marketing. The screenings may appeal to fans who may have never seen the movie on the big screen before. While they’re not as profitable as a massive new blockbuster, the additional revenue makes them worth the effort.
“We make a real business out of [these screenings] every single year,” said Jim Orr, Universal Pictures’ president of domestic theatrical distribution. “Everyone understands that the best way to experience a movie is truly on the big screen.”
Even with re-releases, franchises come out on top.
Disney had a 30th anniversary screening of “Toy Story” over the weekend, ahead of the new “Toy Story 5” hitting theaters next year. The studio is also presenting a re-release of “Avatar: The Way of Water,” a few months before the newest installment, “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” arrives in December.
“It’s expensive to market a movie on a global basis,” said Andrew Cripps, Disney’s theatrical distribution head. “When you’ve got an established franchise and you’re building on something that’s had an audience in the past, it’s a lot easier to build your campaign on top of that, rather than starting from scratch.”
Last year, there were indicators that demonstrated the audience’s growing demand to see older movies on the big screen. “Interstellar” earned $15.2 million for its Imax re-entry, and “Coraline” achieved $34 million to commemorate its 15th anniversary.
Many moviegoers attending an evening screening of “Jaws” said they wanted to see the movie “the way it was intended,” embracing the communal experience of fear and laughter in the theater.
“I haven’t seen ‘Jaws’ in years, and seeing it on the big screen felt ceremonial in a way,” said Culver City-based Ella Paseua, a recent subscriber to AMC’s Stubs A-List subcription program. “I could watch it at home. But these anniversary screenings are meant for the community. People were applauding when the shark was caught. You don’t get that at home.”
SAN FRANCISCO — The Dodgers have gotten back to the basics this week, preaching the importance of the little things in daily hitters’ meetings, in-game dugout conversations and even simulated drills in early batting practice sessions.
After a 2 ½ month slump over the second half of the season, they were searching for a more dependable style of offense. Like simplifying their approach at the plate. Shortening up swings and using the big part of the field with two strikes. Capitalizing on situational opportunities with runners on base. And making sure that, amid a resurgence from their rotation, they were finding ways to more consistently manufacture runs.
This weekend in San Francisco, they finally enjoyed the fruits of those labors, blowing out the Giants 10-2 on Sunday to win a three-game series and remain 2 ½ games up in the National League West standings.
“Quality of at-bat, winning pitches, using the whole field, not punching [out] — I think all those things, you know it’s in there,” manager Dave Roberts said, after the Dodgers racked up 18 hits, worked six walks and scored in six of their nine trips to the plate.
“We’ve seen it. Maybe not with the consistency we would’ve liked. But when you’re facing really good arms, to see us do what we did… it’s certainly encouraging.”
Indeed, coming off a 13-run outburst Saturday night, the Dodgers picked up right where they left off at Oracle Park on Sunday afternoon, slowly sucking the life out of a recently resurgent Giants team trying to sneak into the playoffs.
Teoscar Hernández continued a recent surge with a team-high four hits, making him 11 for his last 24. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Michael Conforto each had three knocks, with Conforto’s day getting his batting average back to .200. As a team, the Dodgers combined for a whopping 16 singles while forcing 207 pitches from the Giants’ staff of arms. And most amazing, they did it with Shohei Ohtani reaching base only once, and that didn’t even happen until his sixth at-bat in the top of the ninth.
“It’s quality at-bats, quality outs, moving guys over, getting sac flies, bringing defenses in if you move them over,” Freeman said. “It creates more traffic, more things that are able to happen on the baseball field. Just think the quality of at-bats have been really good over the last week.”
The onslaught started in the second inning, when two walks and a Freeman single loaded the bases, setting up Kiké Hernández for a sacrifice fly. It continued in the third, when a pair of productive outs (plus a bobbled ground ball from San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman) turned singles from Betts and Teoscar Hernández into another hard-earned run.
Then, in the fifth, it all culminated in a four-run rally, one that knocked Giants starter Robbie Ray out of the game, and turned a low-scoring affair into a series rubber-match rout.
Freeman lined a double to right field, after Betts walked and Teoscar Hernández again singled. Conforto came off the bench for a two-run, pinch-hit, bases-loaded single that he managed to slap past a drawn-in infield. A run-scoring balk from reliever Joel Peguero added to the deluge, which included a pair of walks from Tommy Edman and Ben Rortvedt.
In the sixth, what was already a 6-1 lead was stretched a little further, with Miguel Rojas’ two-run single — with the bases loaded once more — putting the Dodgers’ sixth win in seven on ice. The Dodgers nonetheless added more runs in both the eighth and ninth, giving them their first back-to-back double-digit run totals since all the way back at the end of April.
The Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow pitched into the seventh inning on Sunday to pick up his second win in as many starts.
(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)
“It’s definitely the kind of baseball we want to be playing down the stretch and for the rest of the season,” Conforto said. “I think we’re doing a lot of the little things right. That’s kind of been the theme as we finish up here.”
It all represented a new look from the Dodgers’ star-studded offense, with only one of their 23 runs the last two days requiring a ball to go over the fence.
For much of the year, the team has been overly reliant on home runs, scoring via the long ball at the fifth-highest percentage in the majors (45%) at the end of play Friday. During their second-half slide, that dynamic had prevented them from working around injuries and mechanical flaws from much of the lineup, or finding alternative ways to build big innings and hang crooked numbers.
Hence, their recent re-emphasis on more dependable fundamentals — allowing them to paper-cut an opposing pitching staff to death in a way that is typically for success in October.
“When you can be able to do it, and know you can do it, as we’re leading up to that point [of the playoffs], it definitely is a big confidence booster,” Freeman said. “We don’t have to rely on the two-run, three-run home run all the time. I think that was just big. The last week, [this is] what we’ve been trying to do. And we’ve been able to actually do it in the games.”
The offense wasn’t the only positive sign Sunday.
On the mound, Tyler Glasnow was able to settle down after looking frustrated with his command early, when he walked four batters (and hit another) in his first three innings. At a point he has so often spiraled in his up-and-down Dodgers tenure, the right-hander instead found a rhythm by retiring 10 in a row, managing to pitch into the seventh in a 6 ⅔ inning, one-run outing.
“It’s encouraging,” said Glasnow, who has a 3.06 ERA on the season and a 2.66 mark since returning from a shoulder injury in July “Since I got back from the IL, it’s been easier to kind of put [those kind of struggles] out of my head and go compete. If my stuff sucks, it’s kind of whatever. Just compete, try to get in the zone, get some weak contact. It’s helpful.”
It led to the kind of performance the Dodgers are banking on from their rotation in the playoffs. This is still a team that, at its core, will have to be carried by its pitching.
The only way that strength will matter, however, is if the lineup can find some long-awaited consistency. This weekend, signs of it finally arrived. Everything the Dodgers had been preaching at last came to fruition.
“As we come down to the end [of the season, we’re] just kind of recognizing what it is that really puts us in the right spot to win games,” Conforto said. “It’s go time now, and we got to do all those things if we want to get to where we want to get to.”
An anime film slayed its Hollywood competition at the box office this weekend.
“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle,” already a big hit in Japan, was the highest-grossing movie domestically, beating new films “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” “The Long Walk” and “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.”
The film distributed by Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll opened with a better-than-expected $70 million in ticket sales from the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates, making it the biggest anime opening ever. It’s also the highest-grossing domestic debut of the year so far for an animated film.
Its global weekend for Sony, which owns the Crunchyroll anime brand and streaming service, totaled $132.1 million, which includes 49 international markets.
Globally, “Demon Slayer” had already made more than $272 million in box office revenue, with $213 million in Japan alone, according to data from Box Office Mojo.
The success of “Demon Slayer” is a relief to theater owners at a time when other genres are struggling, including superheroes, comedies and original animation. It’s the latest evidence of anime’s growing global clout.
The new “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” is part of a larger popular anime franchise.
It’s the first installment of a planned trilogy that will span the final showdown between the Demon Slayer Corps and the monstrous creatures the secret organization was created to defeat. A previous theatrical film, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Mugen Train,” was a box office hit in 2020.
The new “Downton Abbey” film from Focus Features launched with $18.1 million in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada, which was good enough for third place behind the second weekend of New Line’s “The Conjuring: Last Rites.” Lionsgate’s “The Long Walk,” based on a Stephen King novel, opened in fourth with $11.5 million domestically.
“Spinal Tap II,” a sequel to the 1984 mockumentary comedy classic, opened with a weak $1.7 million.
IF you’ve managed to end this summer with a lush green lawn, and no unexplained bald patches or a depressing brown sheen – then well done you.
The majority of people I’ve spoken to have been left with grass that’s definitely looking a bit under the weather (literally).
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Jonny Hincks is a self-taught gardener and fireman with 2m instagram followersCredit: SUPPLIED
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Jonny’s four step plan to transform your lawn will see it flourish for the AutumnCredit: Charlotte Wilson
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Johnny’s lawn in full splendour at the end of this summerCredit: SUPPLIED
But fear not.
One of Britain’s biggest shorts-wearing lawn lovers has got some golden rules for Sun Gardening to whip that outside space back into shape.
Jonny Hinks – AKA @gardenwithjonny on social media – describes himself as a self-taught gardener, firefighter and full time garden obsessive from Warwickshire.
And with nearly two million followers on instagram alone – it’s not just his comedy videos that have caught the attention of garden lovers everywhere.
His lawn is spectacularly well maintained – and even in the midst of one of the hottest summers on record, it still managed to look a lot better than most.
“It’s nice and moist, the soil is warm from the summer. So in terms of germination for grass seed, it’s just the perfect conditions.
“And it’s also a good time because the grass is still growing and if you get it all sorted now – the roots will be established enough to take the Winter cold that’s on its way.
“Everyone’s lawns have been suffering and turning brown from all the sun – and although it will come back if it hasn’t already, there’s a few things you can do now to help it along.”
FEEDING
“Be careful you buy the right feed. What you need now is high potassium Autumn feed, which helps the grass improve its root strength.
How I transformed my lawn and why now is the time to do it
And low nitrogen – as you don’t want too much leaf before Winter as there’s a risk if it’s too leafy it will be prone to disease.
SCARIFY
“This is like exfoliating your face. Basically you just need to take off all the moss and thatch, which is a layer of dead grass and roots – and too much of it prevents water and nutrients from reaching the grass.
It lets the lawn breathe, which is so important. I use a battery-powered scarifier, but there are manual ones, or you can use a rake.
Go diagonally in one direction and then again in the other direction. It’s a great work out
AERATE
“This is when you create air pockets within the lawn which reduces compaction, and like scarifying, allows water and nutrients to penetrate the earth.
“This makes for better root systems. I don’t like using a fork or aerating shoes for this – that just spreads the soil apart.
“Instead I have a tool a bit like a fork, but with hollow tines, that takes plugs out the lawn.”
TOPSOIL AND SEED
“As soon as I’ve finished all these jobs – I scatter a covering of grass seed over the area – and then cover with a thin layer of topsoil.
“I have been known in the past to do a mix of both together, but I’ve found this way works well. And then water, of course.”
Also in Veronica’s Column this week…
Top tips, Gardening news, competition and Plant of the Week
FOR more gardening content, tips, news and competitions, follow me @biros_and_bloom
PLANT OF THE WEEK! Nemesia Melody Morello Ice – still bringing colour to your garden now – this lovely Nemesia is totally hardy, with masses of dark green foliage, flowers from March to October, perfect for filling baskets, containers, beds and borders and has a sweet scent. Grow in moist well drained soil in sun or partial shade.
JOB OF THE WEEK! Prune climbing and rambling roses, remove any leaves covering pumpkins to get them ripe for halloween, if you’ve got rotten apples on the tree, remove them to prevent disease.
TOP TIP! It can be confusing as to which bulbs should be planted when – so here’s a few tips. This month – September – you can go for early spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths and crocus. Especially daffodils – as it will help with their root establishment. You can also get hardy summer flowering bulbs like Alliums and Lillies in now as well. None of the above mind the soil still being warm. But wait until November for Tulips – as they much prefer the colder soil to get them going. Always plant bulbs in groups to get a better display. And they like the warmth and sun – so keep that in mind. Try and plant them three times the depth of the bulbs – this is when a sturdy bulb planter comes in handy.
TOP TIP! If you’ve noticed dead patches, loose turf and even holes appearing in your lawns, you could be under attack from Leatherjackets – the destructive larvae of crane flies, AKA daddy long legs. They feed on grassroots and seedlings, and can also attract birds, badgers and foxes that dig up turf in search of a snack, adding to the damage. But there is help at hand. Nowadays you can basically water in a beneficial nematode – called Steinernema feltiae – which are basically microscopic worms that naturally target and kill leatherjackets. They enter the grubs body and then release bacteria that kill the pest from within. Sounds grim, but it works. There aren’t many brands on the market – I’ve used Nemasys, which was great – but you can also find them from Dragonfli and Dobies online.
TOP TIP! Clean out old pots to make sure they don’t have old compost/bits of dead plants – that can hide pests and diseases over winter and check online to see if you’ve got local recycling – some garden centres take them.
NEWS! Great Comp Garden’s Bulbs N Things Autumn fair has doubled in size this year. Taking place at the seven-acre Kent garden, it will have a huge range of unusual bulbs, including dwarf iris, crocus, anemone, hyacinth, erythronium, fritillary, hermodactylus, leucojum, muscari, puschkinia, scilla and more. There will also be gardenware, handmade gifts, rare and unusual plants and curated sellers at the two day event October 11 and 12.
WIN!! Two lucky winners will receive a Westland Autumn Lawncare bundle worth £100 each – including feed, seed, a scarifying rake and aerator. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/WestlandAutumn or write to Sun Westland Autumn Lawncare competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. September 27, 2025. T&Cs apply
Callum Makin had to settle for a bronze medal at the World Boxing Championships after a semi-final defeat in the men’s 75kg division.
The 21-year-old middleweight was beaten by Rami Kiwan at the M&S Arena in Liverpool on Friday – the judge scoring all five rounds to his Bulgarian opponent.
Makin’s fellow Liverpudlian Odel Kamara is one of five other British fighters already guaranteed bronze before their semi-finals at the weekend.
Kamara faces Torekhan Sabyrkhan of Kazakhstan on Saturday in the men’s 70kg semi-final after his win over Mongolia’s Byamba-Erdene Otgonbaatar.
Teagn Stott is through to the semi-finals in the men’s 85kg following a second-round stoppage against Semion Boldirev of Bulgaria and will now take on Ukrainian Danylo Zhasan.
Elsewhere, Chantelle Reid will square up against Natalya Bogdanova in the semi-finals of the women’s 70kg after beating Mengge Zhang.
Emily Asquith beat Turkey’s Elif Guneri in the women’s 80kg to secure a last-four meeting with India’s Pooja Rani.
CLUB football is back for the Premier League this weekend after the international break.
After the last round of fixtures, a chaotic transfer deadline day followed as clubs splashed out £375million on new talent to take the overall spending for the window to over £3BILLION.
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Alexander Isak is in line to make his Liverpool debut at the weekendCredit: Reuters
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Nick Woltemade, Newcastle’s record signing, will have big boots to fillCredit: Getty
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Alejandro Garnacho could play for Chelsea this weekendCredit: Getty
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Harvey Elliott completed a move to Aston Villa from LiverpoolCredit: Getty
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While Jadon Sancho was a deadline-day loan arrivalCredit: Instagram @avfcofficial
And with that wave of new arrivals, including emergency loans, the conclusions of blockbuster sagas and shrewd deals, there will be several new faces for fans to watch.
SunSport has taken a look at stars who could make their debuts this weekend, including two club-record signings.
Kicking off the team in goal is new Manchester City star Gianluigi Donnarumma, who arrived on deadline day from Paris Saint-Germain for £26million.
New £18m Manchester United star Senne Lammens could have been selected just as easily, but they can let their goalkeeping do the talking during the Manchester Derby on Sunday.
Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m sale from Man Utd to Chelsea, was not a deadline day switch but was only announced after the Blues’ most recent game at Stamford Bridge – meaning he will be in line for his debut this weekend.
The 23-year-old German looked impressive during the Under-21 Euros this summer, while he scored 17 for Stuttgart last season.
But he – alongside fellow new Toon ace Yoane Wissa – will have big boots to fill following Alexander Isak‘s record-breaking £130m departure to Liverpool.
Isak’s saga dragged on all summer and was on and off and then on and off again, before possibly the move of the summer was finally put to bed on deadline day.
Elsewhere, there are the likes of Kevin, Fulham‘s own £35m record-breaking arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk, Jaydee Canvot at Crystal Palace and Brian Brobbey at Sunderland who could also make first appearances for their new clubs at the weekend.
The sun had just begun its descent when the Mane Street Band took the stage for their weekly Honky Tonk Sunday set at Pioneertown’s Red Dog Saloon. Young adults in hiking gear sipped beers beneath chandeliers shaped like wagon wheels as old timers with gray ponytails and cowboy hats chatted with a tattooed bartender. Outside, a group of parents sat around long picnic tables, ignoring their kids who were messing around in the dirt.
It wasn’t easy to tell who was local and who was just visiting the high desert town founded nearly 80 years ago as a permanent movie set for western films. The warm, neighborly scene felt like further proof of what locals had been telling me all weekend: The fake western town that Hollywood built has finally morphed into an actual western town with an identity of its own.
The Red Dog Saloon in Pioneertown serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is a gathering place for locals and visitors alike.
(Simone Lueck / For Time Times)
“This is not Knott’s Berry Farm,” said JoAnne Gosen, a local shopkeeper and goat farmer who moved to the area 21 years ago. “This is a real town and it’s our town.”
After years of upheaval that included skyrocketing home prices, a pandemic-fueled Airbnb boom, a failed proposal for a multi-use event space and a false claim by a reality TV star that she singlehandedly owned the town, residents of this small unincorporated community say Pioneertown is settling into a new equilibrium. The tumultuous era at the town’s landmark roadhouse and concert venue Pappy and Harriet’s appears to have ended as new management repairs relations with the surrounding community. Established businesses like the Red Dog Saloon and the Pioneertown Motel are offering stable employment to locals and transplants alike and more buildings on Pioneertown’s western-themed “Mane St.” are being converted to small, locally run shops.
Locals dance at the Red Dog Saloon in Pioneertown.
(Simone Lueck / For The Times)
Pioneer Bowl in Pioneertown, California.(Simone Lueck / For The Times)
Visitors will also find there’s much more to do than wait two hours for a table at Pappy and Harriet’s. Weekend tourists can grab a taco at the Red Dog Saloon, browse locally made natural bath products at Xeba Botanica, bowl in a historic bowling alley or explore the Berber-meets-cowboy store Soukie Modern. If you’re there on a Sunday morning, you can even pick up a dozen hand-boiled New York-style bagels if you order ahead.
“It can be difficult for us old-timers to see all the changes,” said Gosen, who spins goat fiber into yarn outside her soap shop on Mane Street most weekends. “I don’t love all the Airbnbs and the residents who can’t afford housing. But at the same time, we’re here on the farm by ourselves most of the week and on the weekend we’re fortunate enough to go into town and meet the most amazing people from all over the world.”
Hey bales are scattered on the main street in Pioneertown, cheekily known as “Mane Street.”
(Simone Lueck / For The Times)
Developers, beware of the ‘Curtis Curse’
Pioneertown has always been a strange, hybrid place: half fake, half real.
The community was founded in the mid-1940s by a consortium of entertainers that included Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and the Sons of the Pioneers, a popular singing group at the time that lent the town their name. It was conceived and led in its early years by Dick Curtis, a 6-foot-3 actor who appeared in more than 230 movies and television shows in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Curtis dreamed of creating a permanent western movie set against the rugged backdrop of the Sawtooth Mountains that would also function as a working town with businesses that catered to film crews and residents. The Pioneertown Corp. broke ground in 1946. Among its first buildings were a land office, a beauty parlor, a motel, two restaurants and a feed store — all with Old West facades.
Filming in town mostly stopped in the 1950s, but the area continues to offer visitors and residents a unique mix of fantasy and function decades later. Some buildings like the General Store, the Saddlery and the Post Office house businesses. Others, like the jail, the livery and a barber shop are just facades — great for selfies but little else.
Over the years, people with big dreams and limited understanding of the challenges of building in this particular stretch of desert have tried and failed to bring major developments to the town, which today has about 600 residents. In the ‘60s, a car salesman from Ohio bought the Pioneertown Corp. and proposed plans to create a massive desert resort with townhomes, apartments, lakes and golf courses. He predicted it would eventually draw a population of 35,000. (The business went bankrupt instead.) During the pandemic, a mountain guide and supervising producer for Red Bull Media scared locals with a plan to convert 350 acres into an event space with residences, a recording studio, and an amphitheater that would hold up to 3,000 people. The project was eventually downgraded to a pricey Airbnb and by the time it was completed, he was no longer part of it.
The Film Museum in Pioneertown offers a curated look at the movies and films shot on the Hollywood set turned Western town.
(Simone Lueck / For The Times)
Curt Sautter, who helps curate Pioneertown’s small film history museum, believes the town has been protected from major development by what he calls the Curtis Curse. “You can be successful in Pioneertown, but if you get greedy or you try to do something that messes with the environment or the community itself you will fail,” he said.
Locals know that growth in Pioneertown is inevitable, but they also point to its limitations: the meager local water supply, the lack of a fire department and that there is only one road into and out of town.
“The community wants slow growth that preserves the western character of the town and is compatible with the desert environment,” said Ben Loescher, an architect and president of Friends of Pioneertown, a nonprofit that supports the community.
Richard Lee of 29 Loaves sells freshly baked bagels outside the Pioneertown Motel on Sunday mornings.
(Simone Lueck / For The Times)
What to do in Pioneertown: Bowling, bagels, bingo and more
Today you’ll find signs of measured growth everywhere you look in Pioneertown, making now a great time to visit. Pioneer Bowl, a perfectly preserved 1946 vintage bowling alley with the original murals by a Hollywood set designer on its walls, has just resurfaced its lanes and extended its hours. It’s now open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. A game will cost you $25 and is first come, first served. It used to be impossible to find breakfast in town, but now you’ll find breakfast burritos, tacos and quesadillas at the Red Dog Saloon, which opens everyday at 10 a.m. On Sundays from 8:30 am to 9:30 a.m., Richard Lee of 29 Loavesdelivers his fresh baked bagels to those who ordered them in advance outside the Pioneertown Motel. (The cinnamon-date bagels are especially recommended).
Locals at the Red Dog Saloon in Pioneertown, California.(Simone Lueck / For The Times)
Kids and selfie seekers will enjoy the Pioneertown Petting Zoo where $10 will buy you 20 minutes with chickens, turkeys and a small horse. There is also a little history museum to explore and two old western reenactment groups — Mane Street Stampede and Gunfighters for Hire — who seem to be entertaining themselves as much as they are the audience. (Check their websites for up to date show times.) If you plan ahead, you can also book a hike with goats with Yogi Goats Farm for $95 a person.
Visitors might also consider subscribing to the Pioneertown Gazette, a free weekly newsletter that Pioneertown Motel co-owner Matt French began publishing online in 2023. In it he compiles listings for dozens of concerts, performances, yoga classes and other events happening across the high desert. A personal favorite is Desert Bingo at the Red Dog Saloon 6:30 p.m. on Monday nights, where locals, visitors and transplants gather for a good-natured, foul-mouthed bingo game with a live DJ. One bingo board will cost you $10 and the proceeds benefit a local charity.
Pioneer Bowl in Pioneertown was built in 1946 to entertain film crews. It has recently expanded its hours.
(Simone Lueck / For The Times)
Whether you’re planning to visit for an afternoon or considering moving to the area, you’ll find that this Hollywood movie set, turned ghost town, turned tourist curiosity, turned actual western town offers more to entertain locals and visitors than it has in decades, without sacrificing the western vibe that drew its founders to the area nearly 80 years ago.
“It’s the landscape, and that weird western mythology,” said Loescher. “It’s always been full of individuals who are a little iconoclastic and don’t do things the normal way.”
And no matter how many people come along who dream of changing Pioneertown, the challenging desert environment — and the Curtis Curse — will likely keep it that way.
The TV star told fans that her Talking Royals podcast is now being turned into a weekly TV show that will air on Sunday mornings on ITV and ITVX.
The show has proved popular as a podcast and revisits historic moments from royal history, alongside discussing the headlines of the day.
An excited Charlene shared the news that the show was now going to be on TV, and told fans: “Some work news… ITV liked our @itvnews Talking Royals podcast so much, it’s heading to Sunday mornings on ITV1 and ITVX from Sept 21st at 12.30pm.
“It’s a modern take on a centuries-old establishment. Join me @chris.ship.itv @lizzierobinsonitv and a mix of incredible guests for debate, updates, and analysis.
“And since flags are having a moment .. do notice that our backdrop represents the Commonwealth countries, of whom the King is also head. A fact often forgotten in the current climate.”
Fans immediately rushed to congratulate Charlene, one fan wrote: “Well done! Can’t wait to watch!”
Another added: “Awesome news Charlene!”
This one said: “Brilliant news, congratulation!”
Hailing from Greenwich in South London, Charlene’s journalism career began as a reporter on Radio 1’s Newsbeat and its sister digital station, BBC Radio 1Xtra back in 2002.
Loose Women’s Charlene White breaks down in floods of tears and comforted by co-stars in heartbreaking moment on air
Charlene got her big break into TV six years later, when she landed a job as an ITN newsreader.
In 2014, she became the first black woman to present ITV News at Ten.
Speaking at the time about joining the show, she said: “This is rather exciting, isn’t it?
Regular Loose Women panellists
Katie Piper – Former Strictly Come Dancing star, activist, model and author
Sunetra Sarker – A former Strictly Come Dancing star, and known for her role in Casualty
Kaye Adams – Scottish journalist and one of the original Loose Women
Christine Lampard – ITV presenter
Ruth Langsford – Presented Loose Women on and off since 1999
Jane Moore – Sun columnist and former I’m A Celebrity contestant
Coleen Nolan – Became known for her family girl band called The Nolans and went on to compete on Celeb Big Brother
Nadia Sawalha – Former EastEnders star and Celebrity MasterChef winner
Stacey Solomon – Known for her reality show Sort Your Life Out and winning series 10 of I’m A Celeb
Janet Street-Porter – A journalist and president of the Ramblers’ Association
Brenda Edwards – Came fourth on The X Factor and went on to become a pop star and act in hit musicals such as Hairspray
Charlene White – Lead presenter at ITV News London
Kelle Bryan – Former EastEnders star and was in girl group Eternal alongside her sisters. Also starred in Hollyoaks
Olivia Attwood – Love Island star who joined the cast of The Only Way Is Essex
Frankie Bridge – Participated in Strictly Come Dancing and came third on I’m A Celeb in 2021
Judi Love – A stand up comedian and radio presenter, who has also made a variety of TV appearances in shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity MasterChef, and Taskmaster
Linda Robson – Played iconic character Tracey Stubbs in Birds Of A Feather
Denise Welch – A soap queen, she starred in Coronation Street, Waterloo Road and Hollyoaks. Also the mother of Matt Healy, the lead singer of pop rock group the 1975
Gloria Hunniford – TV presenter who’s appeared on The Masked Singer and Strictly
Penny Lancaster – Model who is married to Rod Stewart
Dame Kelly Holmes – Double Olympic gold medallist in the 800m and 1500m
Myleene Klass – Member of pop group Hear’Say and classically trained musician
Ayda Field – American actress who is married to Robbie Williams
Sue Cleaver – Known for playing Eileen Grimshaw on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street
Kelly Brook – Model who found fame on The Big Breakfast with Johnny Vaughan
Mariella Frostrup – British-Norwegian journalist and presenter
“I am very happy, thank you so much for having me, ladies.”
Charlene added: “I am, I’m officially a Loose Woman! I am honestly absolutely stoked.
“I have been buzzing all this time to be able to reveal that I am the latest and the newest Loose Woman.”
Away from Loose Women and ITV news, Charlene has also dipped her toe in reality TV.
It’s no mistake that Trump’s ‘Apocalypse Now’ parody, ‘Chipocalypse Now,’ sounds more like a quippy Doritos ad than a declaration of war on an American city. Subterfuge is the point.
“Chipocalypse Now.” When the slogan rolled out Saturday, it sounded like a campaign for Chipotle’s latest rebrand of the humble burrito. The reality was less savory. It was a declaration of war, on an American city, by a sitting president, under the guise of a harmless meme.
Referencing the 1979 film “Apocalypse Now,” President Trump’s Truth Social account posted an AI-generated image of the 79-year-old as the much younger Lt. Col. William Kilgore (Robert Duvall’s character in the film). It was captioned, “‘I love the smell of deportations in the morning…’ Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” a parody of a famous quote from Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece. (The original line: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”)
The image, meant to look like a movie poster, was emblazoned with the words “Chipocalypse Now” and showed Trump’s image in front of the Chicago skyline, replete with helicopters, flames and a plume of smoke. As for the “Department of War” reference, Trump signed an executive order Friday to rename the Department of Defense, alleging that its old moniker is “woke.” Your tax dollars at work …
Trump’s post generated all manner of concern and outrage, as it should when the White House threatens a military operation on American soil. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker blasted Trump’s meme via X. “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal,” he wrote. “Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who spoke to reporters while attending Mexican Independence Day celebrations in Chicago over the weekend, called Trump’s post “disgusting.”
It’s no mistake that “Chipocalypse” sounds as innocuous as a bag of Flamin’ Hot Doritos, but subterfuge is the point. The “I’m kidding but not really” tactic has been referred to as memetic warfare, where everything in a manufactured ecosystem like Trump’s appears to be a harmless joke. MAGA has mastered the art, deploying pop culture-inspired memes that feature an AI-generated Trump as Superman, a Jedi or Sydney Sweeney posing seductively for a denim ad. How can such a playful fellow have dictatorial aspirations?!
Trump wasn’t jokey or fun Sunday when NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor asked him about the meme on the South Lawn of the White House. He was condescending when he called her “darling” and referred to her question as “fake news.” When Alcindor attempted to respond, Trump snapped back.
“Be quiet, listen! You don’t listen! You never listen,” he said. “That’s why you’re second-rate. We’re not going to war. We’re gonna clean up our cities. We’re gonna clean them up, so they don’t kill five people every weekend. That’s not war, that’s common sense.”
If sense of reason were part of his crime-fighting quotient, his troops would be invading the metro areas with the highest number of murders per capita — New Orleans first, then Memphis, Tenn., and St. Louis. Yet he has left those red-state cities off his list in favor of places run by Democrats.
Trump has talked for weeks about sending ICE, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other enforcement agencies to Chicago. The president claims it’s to combat out-of-control crime rates and to execute mass deportations. He’s already targeted Los Angeles and Washington. D.C., which like Chicago are under Democratic control.
“The president’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution, we must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote on social media.
Trump’s Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that it was launching a surge of immigration law enforcement in Chicago. They came up with another slogan: “Operation Midway Blitz.”
Nothing says “awards season” like a fall film festival. The Times’ reporters, critics, videographers and photographers are on the ground at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, bringing you all the news from TIFF’s 50th edition. Our coverage includes our TIFF Daily newsletter, along with photo and video highlights from the Los Angeles Times Studio.
Bookmark this site and revisit all weekend to see new actors, directors, documentarians and international icons who couldn’t wait to say hi to us. And be sure to check out our complete coverage of TIFF 2025 throughout the festival.
Elle Fanning from the film “Sentimental Value.”
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
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1.Back row left to right, Nadia Latif and Willem Dafoe. Front row left to right, Anna Diop and Corey Hawkins from the film “The Man in My Basement.”2.Anna Diop.
Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst and Derek Cianfrance from the film “Roofman.”
Back row left to right, Anita Afonu and Ben Proudfoot. Front row left to right, Nana Adwoa Frimpong and Ghanaian Brandon Somerhalder from the film “The Eye of Ghana.”
Pete Ohs from the film “Erupcja.”
Left to right, Lisa Barros D’sa, Glenn Leyburn and Eanna Hardwicke from the film “Saipan.”
Director Oliver Laxe from the film “Sirât.”
Kirsten Dunst from the film “Roofman.”
Stephen Amell, left, and Sean Astin from the film “Little Lorraine.”
Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgard from the film “Sentimental Value.”
than Hawke from the film “The Lowdown.”
Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia from the film “Hamlet.”
Left to right, Thomas DeGrezia, Director Eif Rivera, Brad Feinstein and Christina Weiss Lurie and Diego Boneta from the film “Killing Castro.”
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1.Jay McCarrol.2.Matt Johnson from the film “Nirvana: The Band – The Show – The Movie.”
Connor O’Malley, Vanessa Bayer, Kate Berlant, Claudia O’Doherty, Eric Rahill and John Early from the film “Maddie’s Secret.”
Channing Tatum from the film “Roofman.”
Left to right, Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, seated, and Adam Carter Rehmeier from the film “Carolina Carolina.”
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1.Samara Weaving from the film “Carolina Carolina.”
Left to right, Idan Weiss and Agnieszka Holland from the film “Franz.”
Left to righy, Chris Candy, Jennifer Candy and Colin Hanks from the film “John Candy: I Like Me.”
Potsy Ponciroli from the film “Motor City.”
Back row, co-Director Tom Dean and Emilia Jones. Front row, co-Director Mac Eldridge and Nick Robinson from the film “Charlie Harper,”
Left to right, Megan Lawless, Cooper Tomlinson, Curry Barker, Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette from the film “Obsession.”
Back row, Chandler Levack and Juliette Gariepy. Middle row, Stanley Simons and Barbie Ferreira. Front row, Devon Bostick from the film “Mile End Kicks.”
WHERE to start? It’s a ‘wow wee woo’ weekend of hardcore racing with a host of exciting horses strutting their stuff.
Take your pick from Group 1 sprinters, Arc contenders and star milers. And that’s not to even mention belting handicaps at Ascot and Haydock.
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Chappers previews a huge weekend of racingCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd.
Let’s start with a huge 24 hours for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, headed by Kalpana at Kempton and a host of sexy perfomers lining up for trials at Longchamp tomorrow.
Kalpana is the defending champion in the Group 3 September Stakes, and she will be expected to see off a decent line-up that includes the Hong Kong victor Giavellotto, no mug.
Andrew Balding’s stable star is generally 6-1 market leader for the Arc on October 5, and she will need to score in style to consolidate that position live in front of the ITV cameras.
The daughter of Study Of Man comes into this race on the back of a second to Calandagan in the King George VI at Ascot. A polished performance is needed and Juddmonte’s retained rider Colin Keane misses many other tasty prizes this afternoon for this one.
A spectacular card on Sky Sports Racing tomorrow at Longchamp sees three more Arc trials. The Prix Foy numbers Sosie (last year’s fourth and a 16-1 shot this time) and Los Angeles, the former Derby third.
The Prix Vermeille has Arc runner-up Aventure (16-1 for 2025 redemption) and Oaks placed Whirl, while the Niel has another Derby third in Tennessee Stud.
Also at Longchamp is the Group 1 Prix du Moulin, in which Rosallion goes again in desperate need of a win after placed efforts in the Queen Anne and Sussex Stakes and then a disappointing fourth in the City Of York.
Matt Chapman’s Saturday tips
Haydock
1.15 Checkandchallenge each-way
1.50 Bow Echo
2.25 Fantasy World each-way
3.00 Caballo De Mar each-way (NAP)
3.35 Kind Of Blue each-way
Kempton
1.35 Kalpana
2.05 Dragon Icon each-way
Ascot
2.40 Native Warrior
3.15 Tenability
Jacques le Marois third Dancing Gemini will be a huge player for Roger Teal with some juice expected in the ground, while Lockinge winner Lead Artist also returns.
The one to beat for me is Henri Matisse, the French Guineas hero who was third in the Sussex but who for me was not at his best. He was previously second to Field Of Gold in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Back to today, and the feature race is the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock, with seventeen runners expected to go to post.
All eyes will be on favourite Lazzat, who was superb when landing the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Royal Ascot but who was beaten into second by Sajir in the Prix Maurice de Gheest when an extra half a furlong should not have been an issue.
Lazzat can win, but it’s his owner-companion KIND OF BLUE (3.35) that interests me, despite the fact that very high draw numbers at Haydock are not always the place to be and James Fanshawe’s ace is in box 19.
Kind Of Blue was back in form at the Curragh last time and should have his ideal conditions to run a big one under Danny Muscutt. The Wathnan purchase has been poor in 2025, having ended last term with success in the Group 1 success in the mud at Ascot.
The third, though, to Bucanero Fuerte was finally a step in the right direction and he might just be a horse who is better in the Autumn when some are deteriorating. James Doyle has ditched him for Lazzat which is totally understandable. But Kind Of Blue was second in this last year and has a brilliant each-way chance.
It’s great to see Kieran Shoemark pick up the ride on Commonwealth Cup hero Time For Sandals, who found 5f a bit sharp at Goodwood but who is improving all the time. Shoemark is in terrific form.
The major betting race at Ascot is the Schweppes Handicap over 7f. It’s hard to think there is a better jockey booking out there than Jamie Spencer for NATIVE WARRIOR (2.40) — and not just because Spencer rides this straight track so well.
Native Warrior was a fine third to the re-opposing and admirable Great Acclaim at Glorious Goodwood. Bumped at the start and slow into stride, the lightly raced four-year-old was short of room a furlong out before keeping on and being hampered again close home.
Basically he was very unlucky and he goes from the same mark here of 95. He’s run well at this track before when third in a Britannia and his come-from-behind style is what Spencer loves.
I’d need another 1,000 words to write about all the other highlights. A weekend to sit back and enjoy. Yeeehaaa!
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If you’re thinking of booking a long weekend away in the UK to make the most of autumn, there’s one beautiful canal that is well worth having on your radar
Autumn is fast-approaching
Temperatures are dropping, cosy jumpers are being dusted off and pubs are preparing for hearty roast season; autumn is nearly here and it’s the perfect excuse to plan an idyllic staycation.
While some people mourn the end of summer, others are already embracing the cooler months and readying themselves to enjoy that crisp autumnal air and peak walking season thanks to the leafy landscapes and beautiful trails.
If you’re thinking of making a long weekend of it, a canal boat can be a great way to spend a few weeks leisurely exploring some of the UK’s prettiest scenery, with plenty of brilliant pubs and villages to discover along the way.
One canal that needs to be on your radar? The Calder & Hebble in West Yorkshire. Measuring 21.5 miles and boasting 28 locks, this beautiful route is part of the South Pennine ring along with the Huddersfield Broad and Narrow Canals and the Ashton Canal.
The Calder and Hebble Canal has been tipped as a must-visit for autumn(Image: MEN Media)
It once served the heart of an industrial region and so has a reputation for being more of a transit route, but in fact its countryside location means that there are a few beautiful spots to explore along the way, not to mention that it’s tipped to be one of the more ‘peaceful’ spots for those who want to enjoy the autumn views.
The canal also makes for a great base from which you can go exploring the Pennines, whether you want to take on one of the countless walking trails, or fancy a spot of fishing. For canal enthusiasts, there are some unusual lever-operated locks (in fact, you’ll need a handspike as well as a windglass to operate them!).
Canalside towns include Brighouse and Sowerby Bridge where you’ll find plenty of local shops, restaurants and cosy pubs. The area also boasts heaps of cycling paths, conservation areas and walking routes whether you want to while away an hour or so, or fancy donning your hiking boots to take on a challenge.
It’s therefore no surprise that the experts over at Drifters Waterways Holidays have named it one of the best leafy canals to cruise along this autumn.
Their team explained: “The 21-mile long leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation links Wakefield with Sowerby Bridge. On a short break from Drifters’ base at Sowerby Bridge, canal boat holiday-markers can cruise to Shepley Bridge and back. The route takes boaters through wooded valleys and the historic towns of Elland and Brighouse. The journey there and back travels 22 miles, passes through 32 locks (16 each way) and takes around 16 hours.”
It’s worth noting that the canal is subject to the changes in water level so there can sometimes be certain canal restrictions. You can find out more about these and the Calder & Hebble navigation in general on canalrivertrust.org.uk.
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CHICAGO — Eight people were killed and 50 others were wounded over the Labor Day weekend in dozens of shootings in Chicago, where President Trump has seized on crime to try to justify a greater federal role on the city’s streets.
The toll highlights Chicago’s persistent struggle with gun violence and reveals a grim reality: spikes in shootings during summer holiday weekends, particularly on the South and West sides. The violence this time was deadlier than the last Labor Day, when seven people were killed and more than 20 were wounded.
Asked by reporters about sending National Guard troops to Chicago, Trump said, “We’re going in,” but added, “I didn’t say when.”
“We have the right to do it,” he said.
Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, both Democrats, have repeatedly said there’s no reason for Trump to send the National Guard, which is on the ground in the District of Columbia, targeting crime, immigration and homelessness.
“We’ve got crime on the streets,” Pritzker acknowledged last week. “Any person that gets killed or hurt is a victim of crime, is somebody that we ought to be addressing the challenges for. And we’re doing that every day. But the way to do it is with police officers, not with troops.”
Between Friday night and Monday night, 58 people were shot in 37 separate shootings in the nation’s third-largest city, according to preliminary information from police. Most survivors were in good or fair condition, but several were listed in serious or critical condition, including a 17-year-old boy. In most cases, no suspect was in custody.
Separately, the Trump administration is expected to expand immigration operations in Chicago. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed plans for a greater presence of federal agents.
Johnson over the weekend signed an order declaring that Chicago police will not collaborate with military personnel on police patrols or civil immigration enforcement.
Police will not be “deputized to do traffic stops and checkpoints for the president,” said the mayor, adding that the Trump administration is “out of control.”
Violent crime has dropped in recent years in Chicago, population 2.7 million, but it remains a persistent problem in some neighborhoods. Some with the highest homicide rates have 68 times more homicides than those with the lowest rates, according to the University of Chicago Crime Lab.
Last year, the city had 573 homicides, or 21 per every 100,000 residents, according to the Rochester Institute of Technology. Other cities had a higher rate in 2024. Chicago’s rate was down 25% compared with 2020.
Chicago police post weekly crime stats online. The department says there were 278 murders so far this year, through August, a 31% drop compared with the same eight-month period in 2024.
Wells is one of England’s most charming cathedral cities where you can browse markets, drink cider in cosy pubs and wander the cathedral’s gorgeous grounds
Wells is one of England’s most charming cathedral cities where you can browse markets, drink cider in cosy pubs and wander the cathedral’s gorgeous grounds(Image: ValeryEgorov via Getty Images)
Nestled in Somerset lies one of England’s most picturesque cathedral cities, Wells, where you can explore markets, sip cider in quaint pubs and stroll around the stunning grounds of the cathedral. Wells is situated on the southern fringe of the Mendip Hills, with the imposing figure of Wells Cathedral at its heart, reports the Express.
Constructed between 1175 and 1490, Wells Cathedral has been hailed as the most poetic of the English Cathedrals, and it’s not hard to see why. It holds the distinction of being the earliest English Cathedral built in the Gothic style and enjoys an international reputation.
This grand cathedral is worth a visit for its architecture alone, but it also houses over 300 sculptures, Britain’s oldest functioning mechanical clock, and offers daily tours to delve into the city’s rich history.
Wells was the backdrop for the fictional village of Sandford in Hot Fuzz(Image: Allan Baxter via Getty Images)
The city itself gained international recognition after serving as the filming location for the fictional village of Sandford in the cult film Hot Fuzz, featuring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and a host of other renowned British actors.
Many of the film’s most memorable locations such as the Swan Hotel, the corner shop where the characters purchase Cornettos and the marketplace where the epic gunfight occurs are actual places you can visit.
Wells is also home to Europe’s oldest residential street. Vicars Close boasts beautiful stone houses, cobbled streets and a breath-taking view of the cathedral, perfect for capturing memorable photos of your weekend getaway.
Take a sneak peak inside the cathedral(Image: Getty)
The marketplace in front of the cathedral opens on Wednesdays and Saturdays where you can buy fresh produce, treats and homemade crafts – perfect for a lazy day of mooching around before stopping in to one of the city’s many pubs and enjoying a pint of Somerset cider.
According to Tripadvisor, one of Wells’ finest boozers is the Sheep and Penguin, which serves up a cracking Sunday roast.
One punter raved: “The choice of beer was excellent and the bar manager’s knowledge and enthusiasm was great. We then returned for more beer and a meal. The beer remained delicious and the meal was fabulous. If we lived anywhere near, we would be enjoying the delights on a frequent basis.”
