Movie Review: A weird 'Superman' is better than a boring one

Writer-director James Gunn’s “Superman” was always going to be a strange chemistry of filmmaker and material. Gunn, the mind behind “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “The Suicide Squad,” has reliably drifted toward a B-movie superhero realm populated with the lesser-known freaks, oddities and grotesquerie of back-issue comics. But you don’t get more mainstream than Superman. And let’s face it, unless Christopher Reeve is in the suit, the rock-jawed Man of Steel can be a bit of a bore. Much of the fun and frustration of Gunn’s movie is seeing how he stretches and strains to make Superman, you know, interesting, writes Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review. This “Superman,” at least, has a pulse.

Video game performers vote on contract that could end nearly three-year-long battle over AI

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Union members have until July 9 at 5 p.m. Pacific to vote on a tentative contract between video game performers and their employers. If the agreement is ratified, it would formally end a nearly three-year-long effort between the union and major video companies to settle on artificial intelligence protections. A spokesperson for the video game producers involved in the deal said the new contract secured “industry-leading” AI protections. Union leaders say the 11-month strike was a “grueling and excruciating” process, but necessary to ensure safe working conditions for the nearly 3,000 union members covered under the contract.

'Lord of the Rings' director backs long shot de-extinction plan, starring New Zealand's lost moa

WASHINGTON (AP) — Filmmaker Peter Jackson's fascination with a large extinct New Zealand bird has led to an unusual partnership with a biotech company known for its grand and controversial plans to bring back lost species. Colossal Biosciences on Tuesday announced an effort to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the extinct South Island giant moa with $15 million in funding from Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh. Outside scientists say the idea of bringing back extinct species onto the modern landscape is likely impossible, although it may be feasible to tweak the genes of living animals to have similar physical traits.

'Hostage,' Eli Sharabi's memoir about life in Hamas captivity, is coming to the US

NEW YORK (AP) — An Israeli man’s memoir about being held captive by Hamas is set for U.S. release. Eli Sharabi's *Hostage," originally written in Hebrew, has already become a bestseller in Israel. Harper Influence announced Tuesday that the English edition will be published on Oct. 7, marking the two-year anniversary of the 2023 attack. Sharabi, released in February, shares his harrowing experience of abduction and captivity in Gaza. The memoir details his bond with fellow hostages and how his faith helped him endure. Sharabi hopes his story sheds light on life in captivity and inspires humanity.

Asian American, Pacific Islander comics are the main event in an LA comedy and cuisine festival

For one weekend, Belly Laughs is mounting an unprecedented gathering of 30 AAPI stand-up comics — from headliners to newer scene-stealers — in downtown Los Angeles. There will also be 20 food and beverage vendors set up in the spirit of a Taiwanese night market. The L.A. Live entertainment complex will be a playground where ticketholders can watch marquee names like Kumail Nanjiani and Margaret Cho while simultaneously enjoying anything from biriyani to boba. With recent federal immigration crackdowns, festival participants — most of who come from immigrant families — are being thoughtful about striking the right balance of politics and humor.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sentencing set for Oct. 3 after split verdict in federal sex crimes case

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs will be sentenced in his federal criminal case on Oct. 3. A judge confirmed the schedule on Tuesday after probation officials rejected the defense and prosecution’s plan to move the date up by about two weeks. Combs remains jailed after a split verdict last week. The hip-hop mogul’s lawyers had been urging Judge Arun Subramanian to sentence him as soon as possible. Combs’ lawyers want less than the 21 to 27 months in prison that they believe the sentencing guidelines recommend. Prosecutors contend that because of Combs' violent history, the guidelines call for at least four to five years in prison.

Raphael Saadiq talks upcoming one-man show tour, Beyoncé’s work ethic and his work on 'Sinners'

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Raphael Saadiq has always admired the boldness of stand-up icons like Dave Chappelle and Eddie Murphy who commanded the stage alone with only their stories. Now, the three-time Grammy winner is taking a similar leap, stepping into the spotlight solo for his own one-man show tour. The intimate tour called No Bandwidth will pull back the curtain on Saadiq’s life and music, weaving never-before-told stories with performances spanning Tony! Toni! Toné!, Lucy Pearl and his solo catalog. The tour kicks off in Sacramento on Sept. 7, marking a return to the stage that began with a recent limited four-city sneak peek in New York, Los Angeles and his hometown of Oakland.

Armani couture channels black as maestro misses Paris bow for 1st time, days from 91st birthday

PARIS (AP) — Armani Privé opened under an unmistakable shadow. For the first time in the 20-year history of his couture house, Giorgio Armani was not present in Paris to take his traditional bow. Days from his 91st birthday and following doctors’ orders after a recent hospital stay, Armani reportedly oversaw the Paris couture week show remotely from home — a moment of absence that lands heavily for a designer who has shaped every one of his brand’s collections since its founding. The show’s theme, “Seductive Black,” played out with literal and symbolic force on the runway: black in myriad forms, from liquid velvet and lacquered silk to pavé crystals and flashes of gold.

The Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed in the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years

LONDON (AP) — The Bayeux Tapestry depicting the Norman conquest of England will be displayed in the U.K. for the first time in almost 1,000 years. Officials said Tuesday that the 11th-century artwork will be on loan from France and arrive next year at the British Museum. The loan was announced during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the U.K. The tapestry will star in a blockbuster exhibition from September 2026 to July 2027. In return, the British Museum will loan treasures from the Sutton Hoo collection and the Lewis Chessmen to France.

Video game actors are voting on a new contract. Here’s what it means for AI in gaming

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A tentative agreement passed by the union board in June could put video game performers back in action after a nearly year-long strike. Union leaders say the new contract secured necessary artificial intelligence protections that had previously left large game companies at a standstill during negotiation efforts. Members had raised concerns that unregulated use of AI could displace them. The agreement centers on consent, compensation and transparency, which union leaders say are key elements needed for the industry to keep moving forward. About 3,000 striking union members now have until Wednesday evening to vote on the contract's ratification.