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.

'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.

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.

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.

Oprah Winfrey's latest book club pick, 'Culpability,' delves into AI ethics

NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey has selected Bruce Holsinger's novel "Culpability" as her latest book club pick. The story explores the ethics of artificial intelligence through the lens of an American family. Winfrey praised the book on Tuesday, the day it was published, calling it timely and riveting. Holsinger, an English professor at the University of Virginia, expressed gratitude for the honor, noting his long admiration for Winfrey's book club. The announcement continues Winfrey's partnership with Starbucks. Her interview with Holsinger was filmed at a Starbucks in Seattle. It's available on her YouTube channel and podcast platforms.

Chanel marks 110 years with style — and stars — by supersizing its couture salon in a palace

PARIS (AP) — Chanel has marked 110 years of its haute couture by recreating its atelier inside the freshly restored Grand Palais for Paris Couture Week. The fashion world meanwhile counts down to the debut of Chanel’s new designer Matthieu Blazy. Tuesday's show by one of the world’s most powerful luxury houses was intimate yet monumental. Old World yet futuristic. Front-row regular Naomi Campbell said that "there’s warmth, intimacy, nostalgia. Chanel can recreate anything, and it works.” The studio team is holding the fort after Virginie Viard’s abrupt and unceremonious exit last year. It anchored the show in classic codes but played with wit and lightness.

Music Review: English post-punks Wet Leg level up on sophomore album, 'Moisturizer'

A few songs into the second studio album from buzzy English post-punks Wet Leg, singer Rhian Teasdale yells “level up!” And level up they have. The alt-rock group took their time to complete their sophomore release, titled “Moisturizer.” It was worth the wait, says The Associated Press' Jim Pollock in his review. The album is a terrific soundtrack for a long, hot summer. The band’s sound is built on Teasdale’s deadpan delivery and guitarist Heather Chambers’ chunky, jagged bursts. On “Moisturizer,” they have greatly expanded their skills and range. But they have also retained the raunchy, goofy energy that gained them an adoring audience in the first place.

Stéphane Rolland lets couture speak for itself with space-age glamor

PARIS (AP) — Stéphane Rolland went back to what he does best on Tuesday: unadulterated couture. This season at Paris Couture Week, Rolland stripped away gimmicks and let the clothes do the talking, unveiling a dazzling palette of ivory, black, and red — with giant spangles shimmering like stardust or cosmic fish scales. A live string orchestra set the mood as Rolland’s signature silhouettes reshaped the female form: mermaid gowns hugged the body, giant tulle trains trailed behind, and severe white dresses with razor-sharp shoulders brought a surreal, intergalactic edge. Space-age references ran throughout, from pointy shoulders to jewels worn as talismans — adorned on gowns or set on the forehead like interplanetary insignia.

Cierra Ortega exits 'Love Island USA' villa following backlash over resurfaced racial slur posts

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Love Island USA” says contestant Cierra Ortega has left the show “due to a personal situation” during Sunday’s episode, just a week before the finale will air. Her departure follows weeks of uproar from viewers after old social media posts in which Ortega used a racial slur against Asian people resurfaced. The show, which is on its seventh season, didn’t provide a direct reason for her departure and a spokesperson declined to comment Monday. Ortega’s family posted to her Instagram story Sunday evening following the departure announcement asking the public for compassion, patience and “basic human decency.”