Miller Sanford

General Acacius (Pedro Pascal), left, and Lucius (Paul Mescal) in “Gladiator II.” (Aidan Monaghan / Paramount Pictures) Like its predecessor, “Gladiator II” is inspired by history. That doesn’t mean it’s bound by actual historical facts, however. Now in theaters, Ridley Scott’s follow-up to his 2000 epic “Gladiator” follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), the son of Russell … Read more

Kendrick Lamar’s “GNX,” released Nov. 22. (Dave Free) Everyone suspected a new Kendrick Lamar album was coming soon — between a Super Bowl halftime show slot next year and a haul of Grammy nominations for “Not Like Us,” the time was as ripe as could be. Yet fans woke up Friday to the startling release … Read more

Animals ride rising waters in a boat in the animated movie “Flow.” (Festival de Cannes) Animal welfare becomes the responsibility of the animals themselves in the gorgeous, hypnotic Latvian animated feature “Flow,” in which a solitary cat encounters a catastrophic flood and, along with a dog, a bird, a capybara and a lemur, learns about … Read more

Comedian Jim Gaffigan at the Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) Jim Gaffigan is experiencing a major glow-up lately. He’s looking slim, trim and well-styled in a hip suit and glasses on a recent morning in a posh room at the Peninsula hotel. His vibe is a lot different from the hefty, … Read more