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The Pacific accurately portrays the heroic story of John Basilone, showcasing his bravery from fending off Japanese soldiers to receiving the Medal of Honor. The events of Basilone's story at Guadalcanal are slightly bloodier than shown in the series, but he did manage to hold off Japanese forces with a machete and annihilate them almost single-handedly. Basilone's fame as a national hero and his reluctance to be a celebrity, as depicted in The Pacific, closely mirrors his real life, and he eventually re-enlists in the Marine Corps before tragically dying at Iwo Jima.

With its predecessor Band of Brothers being praised for its authentic look at World War II, many fans wonder how accurate is The Pacific, especially in regards to the story of John Basilone (John Seda). First premiering on March 14, 2010, The Pacific acts as a rousing companion piece to HBO's Band of Brothers, instead focusing on the United States Marine Corps...

The British Commonwealth Forces update for Hell Let Loose is expected to be the game's first major update for 2023, ringing in a new year of content with the addition of a significant faction. The scope of everything that lies beyond this addition, however, remains unclear. Another year of Hell Let Loose means another year of far-reaching possibilities, but there are certain expansions that would make perfect follow-ups to the British Forces.

Hell Let Loose already has a long update history, with 13 numbered updates behind it at the end of 2022. After spending its first two years in Early Access on Steam, the game officially released in the summer of 2021 but continued to receive regular updates. The scale and complexity of World War 2 have provided many avenues for Hell Let Loose to explore, with various additions bringing new maps, weapons, vehicles, and more. The most recent update, Burning Snow, expanded winter warfare...

Classic rock has played a prominent role in Showtime’s “Billions,” not just in songs synched on the show — tracks by Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, Sly & the Family Stone, AC/DC and Van Halen can be heard — but in the T-shirts worn by lead character Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) bearing the logos of Metallica, Black Sabbath, Motorhead and other hard rock bands.

The heavy-hitting placements continue this season, the series’ fourth, with songs by U2 (“New Year’s Day”) and Jackson Browne (“These Days”), both used on the most recent May 26 episode. But creators/writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien are quick to point out that the show’s music finds a balance between the familiar and the lesser-known, with such acts as Lucy Darcus, Fred Eaglesmith and Kevin Morby also soundtracking this season.

Indie rock bands like Guadalcanal Diary, The Replacements, Pylon and The Pixies make the “Billions” playlist...

Battleground

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1949 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 118 min. / Street Date January 10, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring: Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, Marshall Thompson, Don Taylor, James Whitmore, Douglas Fowley, Leon Ames, Guy Anderson, Denise Darcel, Richard Jaeckel, James Arness

Cinematography: Paul Vogel

Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons, Hans Peters

Film Editor: John D. Dunning

Original Music: Lennie Hayton

Written by: Robert Pirosh

Produced by: Dore Schary

Directed by William A. Wellman

“The Guts, Gags and Glory of a Lot of Wonderful Guys!”

— say, what kind of movie is this, anyway?

Action movies about combat are now mostly about soldiers that fight like killing machines, or stories of battle with a strong political axe to grind. WW2 changed perceptions completely, when a mostly civilian army did the fighting. With the cessation of hostilities combat pictures tapered off quickly, and Hollywood gave the subject a break for several years.