At The Movies: Leonardo does “Battle”
BY PAUL WILLISTEIN
pwillistein@tnonline.com
Oscar nominees are hitting the big screen.
Unreel, Sept. 26:
“One Battle After Another,” MPA rated R; 2 hours, 41 minutes. Paul Thomas Anderson directs Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro, Chase Infiniti, Alana Haim, Regina Hall and John Hoogenakker in the Crime Comedy Action film. A group of ex-revolutionaries rescue one of their own daughters.
The film’s director Paul Thomas Anderson (director, “There Will Be Blood,” 2007; “Boogie Nights,” 1997) has five Oscar nominations for “Licorice Pizza” (2022) and “Phantom Thread” (2018).
DiCaprio is a five-time Oscar nominee (“Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood,” 2020; “The Wolf of Wall Street,” 2014; “Blood Diamond,” 2007) and Oscar winner (“The Revenant,” 2016).
Penn is a five-time Oscar nominee (“I Am Sam,” 2002; “Sweet and Lowdown,” 2000; “Dead Man Walking,” 1996) and two-time Oscar winner (“Mystic River,” 2004; “Milk,” 2009).
Del Toro is a two-time Oscar nominee (“21 Grams,” 2004) and Oscar winner (“Traffic,” 2001).
“Eleanor the Great,” MPA rated PG-13; 1 hour, 38 minutes. Scarlett Johansson directs June Squibb, Erin Kellyman and Chiwetel Ejiofor in the Drama War film. An elderly woman recounts a story of war.
Johansson is a two-time Oscar nominee (“Marriage Story,” 2020; “Jojo Rabbit,” 2020) “Eleanor the Great” is Johansson’s theatrical feature movie directorial debut.
Squibb is an Oscar nominee for “Nebraska” (2014)
Ejiofor is an Oscar nominee for “12 Years a Slave” (2014).
“Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie,” MPA rated G: 1 hour, 32 minutes. Ryan Crego directs Laila Lockhart Kraner, Kristen Wiig, Carla Tassara, Tara Strong, Sainty Nelsen, Gloria Estefan, Kyle Mooney and Fortune Feimster in the DreamWorks Live Action Computer Generated Imagery Animation, Fantasy Comedy. Gabby and Grandma Gigi’s road trip takes an unexpected turn when Gabby’s dollhouse must be retrieved.
“Bau: Artist at War,” MPA rated PG-13; 2 hours, 10 minutes. Seam McNamara directs Emile Hirsch, Inbar Lavi and Yan Tual in the Drama, Romance, Comedy, War film. Joseph Bau, an artist, forged documents to help hundreds escape concentration camps. The movie is based on a true story that was mentioned in the movie, “Schindler’s List.”
“The Strangers: Chapter 2,” MPA rated R; 1 hour, 36 minutes. Renny Harlin directs Rachel Shenton, Gabriel Basso, Richard Drake and Madelaine Petsch in the Horror Slasher film. A couple on a cross-country road trip stops at an Airbnb where they are terrorized by three strangers.
Movie opening date information from Internet Movie Database as of Sept. 21 is subject to change.
Theatrical Movies Domestic Weekend Box Office, Sept. 26-28: “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle - Part 1: Akaza Returns” continued at No. 1 two weeks in a row with $17.3 million in 3,342 theaters, $104.7 million, two weeks. The Japanese anime fantasy action film is the all-time top-grossing anime movie, according to Hollywood Reporter.
2. “Him,” starring Tyriq Withers, Marlon Wayans, Julia Fox and Tim Heidecker, an Allentown native, in the Horror film, $13.5 million in 3,168 theaters. 3. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” dropped one place, $12.9 million in 3,413 theaters, $151.1 million, three weeks. 4. “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” dropped one place, $6.3 million in 3,711 theaters, $31.6 million, two weeks. 5. “The Long Walk” dropped one place, $6.3 million in 2,845 theaters, $22.7 million, two weeks. 6. “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” starring Colin Farrell, Margot Robbie, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Billy Magnussen, Kevin Kline and Jennifer Grant in the Fantasy Romance Drama, $3.5 million in 3,300 theaters, opening. 7. “The Senior,” starring Michael Chiklis as Mike Flynt, who in the true-story based Sports Drama at age 59 tries out for his alma mater’s college football team, $2.7 million in 2,405 theaters, opening. 8. “Toy Story,” 30th anniversary re-release,” $3.5 million in 2,375 theaters, $5.8 million, two weeks. 9. “Sight & Sound Presents: NOAH Live,” the filmed version of Sight & Sound Theatres, Lancaster, Lancaster County, 30th anniversary season production, $1.3 million in 933 theaters, opening. 10. “Weapons” dropped four places, $1.2 million in 1,186 theaters, $149.7 million, seven weeks.
Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Sept. 21 is subject to change.