Entertainment
Blue Origin launches an all-female celebrity crew with Katy Perry, Gayle King and Lauren Sanchez
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launched his fiancee Lauren Sanchez into space Monday with an all-female celebrity crew that included Katy Perry and Gayle King. It was the latest wave in space tourism, where more of the rich and famous than ever before — or lucky and well-connected — can enter… Read
'Minecraft Movie' holds top spot at North American theaters
"A Minecraft Movie" easily held on to the top spot in North American theaters this weekend with estimated ticket sales of a solid $80.6 million, analysts said Sunday. That was roughly half the total of its huge opening last weekend. But with $281 million in domestic ticket sales to date,… Read
Indonesia's horror movie industry rises from the grave
Crunching popcorn and screaming, Indonesians are flocking to watch homegrown horror films in cinemas that draw on the country's penchant for ghost and monster stories. The genre now dominates Indonesia's theaters after this folklore helped the industry rise from the grave at the start of the century, when almost no… Read
Beijing bites back at U.S. tariffs by curbing Hollywood imports
China said on Thursday it would immediately restrict imports of Hollywood films in retaliation for President Donald Trump's escalation of U.S. tariffs on imported Chinese goods, though analysts say the impact is likely to be minimal. After three decades during which China annually imported 10 Hollywood movies, its National Film… Read
Russia bans Elton John AIDS Foundation to defend 'spiritual and moral values'
Russia's general prosecutor on Thursday banned the activities of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, accusing it of taking a negative stance towards countries like Russia that protect "traditional spiritual and moral values". The prosecutor's office said the ban applied specifically to two non-governmental organizations, one registered in the United States… Read
Actor Val Kilmer dies at 65
Val Kilmer, the California-born, Juilliard-trained actor who starred in films including "Top Gun," "The Doors," "Tombstone" and "Batman Forever" and earned a reputation as a Hollywood bad boy, has died, the New York Times reported. He was 65. The cause of death was pneumonia, the paper said, citing his daughter… Read
South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun denies underage dating accusation
South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun on Monday denied allegations that he dated the actress Kim Sae-ron when she was underage, breaking down in tears as he said he could not "admit what is not true." Brands including Prada have cut ties with the actor amid the controversy over his relationship… Read
Studio Ghibli announces new anime short in production, now recruiting staff to make it
We’re coming up on two years since the release of "The Boy and the Heron," the most recent Studio Ghibli theatrical anime. Since that time the studio has been silent regarding what, if any, plans it has for new animated projects, which is entirely in keeping with its philosophy of making anime when… Read
'One Piece' to become late-night anime next month, changes time slot for first time in 18 years
For nearly two decades, being a dedicated fan of the "One Piece" anime in Japan has meant you need to get up early on Sundays. That’s because since October of 2006, broadcaster Fuji TV has aired new episodes of "One Piece" in the Sunday 9:30 a.m. time slot. As of next month, though, even the… Read
Singer-actress Ayumi Ishida dies at 76
Singer and actress Ayumi Ishida, known for her hit song "Blue Light Yokohama," has died, her agency said Monday. She was 76. Ishida died of hypothyroidism on March 11, her agency, Izawa Office, announced on its official website. Her agency said in the statement: “The funeral was held only with… Read
