Cannes standout 'My Father's Shadow' marks a historic first for Nigeria

CANNES, France (AP) — Akinola Davies Jr.' s “My Father’s Shadow” is making history in Cannes as the first Nigerian film in Cannes’ official selection. Akinola and his brother Wale were both toddlers when their father died. Many years later, they began thinking about an idea for movie: What if they had gotten to spend a day with him? In the film, the Davies brothers pay tribute to the father they hardly knew in a shattering father-son tale and one of the clear standouts of the festival.

Movie Review: Tom Cruise goes for broke in ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’

Tom Cruise returns to the role of Ethan Hunt in “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” in theaters Friday. The eighth installment of the series is long and ambitious, tying threads together from the past 30 years as Hunt and his team try to beat the AI enemy known as The Entity. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr writes that this possibly final installment is a little too self-serious, but that there are two showstopper stunts that make it worth the trip to the theater. “Mission: Impossible,” a Paramount release, is rated PG-13.

'Sesame Street' moves in with Netflix, but will stay on PBS

NEW YORK (AP) — Netflix has thrown “Sesame Street” a safety net with a new streaming deal. The deal announced Monday offers the popular children’s staple a broad reach while keeping it on its long-standing home, PBS, at the same time. Starting later this year, new episodes will run on Netflix, PBS and the PBS Kids app on the same day. No specific premiere date was immediately announced. The change for the more than 50-year-old show comes after Warner Bros. Discovery last year decided not to renew its deal for new episodes on HBO and Max. Episodes will remain there until 2027.

It’s the end of the world and the Cannes Film Festival does not feel fine

CANNES, France (AP) — As much as the Cannes Film Festival basks in the Côte d’Azur sunshine, storm clouds have been all over its movie screens at the festival, which on Monday passed the halfway point. Portents of geopolitical doom are everywhere in a lineup that’s felt unusually in sync with the moment. Tom Cruise, in “Mission: Impossible – Final Awakening,” has battled AI apocalypse. Raoul Peck, in “Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5,” has summoned the author’s totalitarianism warnings for today. Even the new Wes Anderson film “The Phoenician Scheme” is about an oligarch. If the French Riviera has often served as a spectacular retreat from the real world, this year’s Cannes abounds with movies urgently reckoning with it.

Singer Dawn Richard says Sean 'Diddy' Combs threatened her with death after she saw him beat Cassie

NEW YORK (AP) — Singer Dawn Richard has resumed her testimony in the sex trafficking and racketeering trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, saying he threatened her with death if she told anyone that she saw the influential hip-hop promoter beat his longtime girlfriend, the singer Cassie. Prosecutors were using the testimony from Richard on Monday in Manhattan federal court to show that Combs used violence and threats to control others as he leveraged his fame to get what he wanted. He has pleaded not guilty and his lawyers say prosecutors are showing proof of domestic violence, but not the federal crimes with which he's charged.

With a whirlwind stop from Denzel, Spike unveils 'Highest 2 Lowest' in Cannes

CANNES, France (AP) — Denzel Washington sandwiched a whirlwind trip to the Cannes Film Festival in between Broadway performances for the premiere of Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” on Monday. Cannes flipped around some of its scheduling to accommodate Washington’s speedy France trip, which came on his lone off-day while performing “Othello” in New York. “Highest 2 Lowest” premieres Monday night in Cannes. And while the festival’s photo calls usually happen the following day, Cannes hosted one for “Highest 2 Lowest” earlier Monday. Washington, playfully posing with Lee and co-star ASAP Rocky, showed no signs of jet leg.

CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon quits amid potential Trump lawsuit settlement

CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon says she's quitting. It's the latest fallout at the network as its parent company considers settling a lawsuit with President Donald Trump over “60 Minutes.” McMahon said in an email message to staff that it has become clear that she and the company do not agree on the path forward. McMahon has made clear she opposes settling with Trump, just like former “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who announced his resignation last month. Trump is potentially in settlement talks with Paramount Global over his lawsuit claiming “60 Minutes” edited an interview with Kamala Harris to benefit her.

Curtain coming down after 30 years at 'Inside Edition' for Deborah Norville

NEW YORK (AP) — At a time of constant change for the television news industry, Deborah Norville was a beacon of stability. She's anchored the syndicated newsmagazine “Inside Edition” for 30 years, but is stepping down from that role later this month, at age 66. Norville says she's looking forward to a long vacation then trying something new — in this case, hosting a game show. In an interview, Norville says she's proud of building a connection with the audience and making a solid show in a genre once belittled as tabloid television. And she says she got her most important job right.

Jennifer Lawrence stirs Oscar talk in Cannes for 'Die, My Love'

CANNES, France (AP) — Last year, the Cannes Film Festival produced three best actress nominees at the Oscars. This year’s edition may have just supplied another. In Lynne Ramsay’s “Die, My Love,” Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson play a married couple with a newborn who move into an old country house. In Ramsay’s messy and moving marital psychodrama, Lawrence plays an increasingly unhinged young mother named Grace whose postpartum depression reaches darkly hallucinatory extremes. For Lawrence, the 34-year-old mother of two, making “Die, My Love” was an intensely personal experience.

‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ tops box office while The Weeknd’s movie falters

“Final Destination: Bloodlines” has topped the domestic box office charts this weekend. According to studio estimates Sunday the film earned $51 million in ticket sales from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. It's the latest hit from Warner Bros., which also had the third and fourth biggest movies of the weekend in “Sinners” and “A Minecraft Movie.” Disney's “Thunderbolts” placed second. Opening outside of the top five was The Weeknd's experimental thriller “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” which failed to connect with audiences. Next weekend sees two big films hitting theaters in “Mission: Impossible 8” and “Lilo & Stitch.”