The summer after Barbenheimer and the strikes, Hollywood charts a new course

The summer after Barbenheimer and the strikes, Hollywood charts a new course

“ Barbenheimer ” is a hard act to follow. But as Hollywood enters another summer movie season, armed with fewer superheroes and a landscape vastly altered by the strikes, it’s worth remembering the classic William Goldman quote about what works: “Nobody knows anything.” Four decades later, that still may be true. Yet one thing Hollywood … Read more

Rom-com author Emily Henry knows the secret to having a healthy relationship with love

Rom-com author Emily Henry knows the secret to having a healthy relationship with love

NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — “Nothing forces you to face your demons like falling in love.” And it’s almost always worth it, Emily Henry says during a recent interview ahead of Tuesday’s release of her latest novel, “Funny Story.” She would know, having churned out a new bestselling romance read every year since … Read more

What to stream this week: A Bon Jovi documentary, Idris Elba in ‘Knuckles’ and ‘Anyone But You’

What to stream this week: A Bon Jovi documentary, Idris Elba in ‘Knuckles’ and ‘Anyone But You’

The Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell romantic comedy “Anyone But You” hitting Netflix and an album by Brazil superstar Anitta are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Everyone’s favorite dancing … Read more

‘Civil War’ continues box-office campaign at No. 1

‘Civil War’ continues box-office campaign at No. 1

NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — “Civil War,” Alex Garland’s ominous American dystopia, remained the top film in theaters in its second week of release, according to studio estimates Sunday. The A24 election-year gamble, the indie studio’s biggest budgeted film yet, took in $11.1 million in ticket sales at 3,929 theaters over the weekend. … Read more

Playwright Christopher Durang, a Tony winner for ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,’ dies at 75

Playwright Christopher Durang, a Tony winner for ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,’ dies at 75

NEW YORK — Playwright Christopher Durang, a master of satire and black comedy who won a Tony Award for “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist with “Miss Witherspoon,” has died. He was 75. Durang died Tuesday at his home in Pipersville, Pennsylvania, of complications from logopenic primary progressive … Read more

George Carlin estate settles with podcasters over fake comedy special purportedly generated by AI

George Carlin estate settles with podcasters over fake comedy special purportedly generated by AI

LOS ANGELES — The estate of George Carlin has agreed to a settlement with the media company it sued over a fake hourlong comedy special that purportedly used artificial intelligence to recreate the late standup comic’s style and material. In the settlement agreement filed with a federal court Monday, and a proposed order from both … Read more

Book Review: ‘Glorious Exploits’ turns classical history into an endearing comedy about tragedy

Book Review: ‘Glorious Exploits’ turns classical history into an endearing comedy about tragedy

Best friends Lampo and Gelon are potters by trade, but their souls are filled with poetry. It’s 412 B.C. and the city of Syracuse doesn’t know what hit it when these two hatch up the best worst idea: They’ll put on a play using the Athenian prisoners of war who are starving to death down … Read more

What to stream this week: Beyoncé, Steve Martin, J-Hope, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Nighy and ‘Madu’

What to stream this week: Beyoncé, Steve Martin, J-Hope, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Nighy and ‘Madu’

Beyoncé’s country album and a documentary about a Nigerian boy who dreams of being a professional ballet dancer are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Bill Nighy plays an English … Read more

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is No. 1 with $45.2M, Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Immaculate’ lands in fourth

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is No. 1 with .2M, Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Immaculate’ lands in fourth

NEW YORK — Ghost busting is still a good business. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” collected $45.2 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing Sony Pictures the studio’s first No. 1 film since last summer. The opening weekend for “Frozen Empire,” in 4,345 theaters, was nearly exactly the same as the … Read more

Movie Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ clears a low bar

Movie Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ clears a low bar

Forty years after “Ghostbusters” and following a string of sequels that never measured up to the 1984 original — beginning all the way back with 1989’s “Ghostbusters II” — it’s fair to wonder, well, who else ought we to call? It may be time to, if not give up the ghost entirely, at least give … Read more