AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 12:23 a.m. EDT

Independent bookstores are multiplying, although many people still think they're dying out

NEW YORK (AP) — Allison Hill, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, often hears people express sympathy for her role, assuming bookstores are disappearing. However, independent bookstores are actually thriving. Membership in the association grew by 540 over the past year, reaching 3,417 stores. This is nearly double from a decade ago. The growth includes various types of stores, from traditional to mobile and pop-up shops. Hill notes that people are seeking realignment with their values, driving this resurgence. Despite challenges like high costs and budget cuts, the independent bookstore scene remains vibrant, though Hill describes it as “precarious.”

The Chicks announce intimate 'Taking the Long Way' 20th Anniversary Tour. 'This is our lives'

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicks are taking their 2006 album “Taking the Long Way” on tour this fall. The Texas trio of Emily Strayer, Martie Maguire and Natalie Maines will perform in intimate theaters across the U.S. They will play the album in full. The record marked a major comeback after the country music industry turned its back on them in 2003. During a London show, Natalie Maines criticized then-President George W. Bush, leading to backlash. The album, featuring the hit “Not Ready to Make Nice,” won five Grammy Awards. The tour starts Sept. 30 in Detroit and ends Nov. 2 in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale June 4.

Matthew Perry's assistant gets more than 3 years in prison for central role in his ketamine death

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matthew Perry's personal assistant has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison for his role in the drug death of the “Friends” star. Sixty-year-old Kenneth Iwamasa received the sentence in a Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday. Iwamasa The assistant was at Perry’s side through the final days of his life in 2023. He injected Perry with the fatal dose of ketamine and found him dead in his Jacuzzi. He would eventually become prosecutors’ most important informant. Iwamasa was the last person sentenced of five who pleaded guilty in connection with Perry's death at age 54.

In ‘Pressure,’ the story of the meteorologist who helped save D-Day

The film “Pressure” explores the tense 72 hours before D-Day, highlighting the crucial role of Scottish meteorologist Capt. James Stagg. He advised Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Allied leadership to delay the invasion due to bad weather. This decision changed the course of the war. Brendan Fraser plays Eisenhower, diving deep into research to portray the general's humanity. Andrew Scott plays Stagg, focusing on the character's integrity. Director Anthony Maras uses colorized archival footage to present a fresh perspective on D-Day. The film emphasizes leadership and the importance of listening to expert advice, resonating with today's challenges.

What to know about the 5 people convicted in connection with Matthew Perry’s death

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The prosecution of five people involved in the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry has come to a close. They've all pleaded guilty for their various roles in supplying the actor with ketamine, the drug that was the primary cause of his 2023 death at age 54. On Friday, his personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, received more than three years in prison for facilitating his ketamine use. Two doctors, an addiction counselor and an admitted drug dealer prosecutors say was known as “The Ketamine Queen” were previously sentenced.

Music Review: On Paul McCartney's 'The Boys of Dungeon Lane,' an ex-Beatle reminisces

NEW YORK (AP) — For Paul McCartney, “The Boys of Dungeon Lane” is a trip down memory lane. The 83-year-old ex-Beatle reminisces about bus rides with George Harrison, his parents and a long-ago crush who once lived in his neighborhood. He duets with Ringo Starr on a tune about rough surroundings that he didn’t notice because, as the title says, it was “Home to Us.” With the help of producer Andrew Watt, McCartney plays almost all the instruments himself. The pop-rock disc is “pleasant in spots, inoffensive in others,” writes reviewer David Bauder for The Associated Press.

Movie Review: 'Backrooms' goes from internet meme to the big screen

What evil lurks in the drabbest of interiors? The meme-rooted “Backrooms” is the latest movie to pull its mounting horrors out of liminal spaces. It's based on a meme that began as an anonymous 4chan post. But “Backrooms” struggles to retrofit a compelling story to match its disquietingly banal imagery, writes Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle. Directed by 20-year-old YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Kane Parsons, the movie is a fitfully unsettling nightmare that never convincingly builds beyond its creepy, dated-decor premise. A24 releases “Backrooms” in theaters on Friday.

Movie Review: In D-Day tale ‘Pressure,’ Andrew Scott is a forecaster with news nobody wants to hear

The story of D-Day has been told countless times. But “Pressure” tells a tale that is relatively little known and weather plays a starring role. Andrew Scott plays a Scottish meteorologist whose job was to prepare a forecast for Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. His forecast was an unpopular one, but it ultimately forced postponement of the invasion and saved the day. Playing opposite Brendan Fraser as a physically opposing, blustery Ike, Scott gives a terrifically layered performance, writes Associated Press critic Jocelyn Noveck in her review. Focus Features releases “Pressure” in theaters Friday.

Many National Spelling Bee contenders pursue mastery. For a few, it's more about memorization

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many kids who've won the Scripps National Spelling Bee have taken a comprehensive approach to their preparation. They use private coaches, pay for word lists and study guides and compete in online bees. They seek a mastery of roots and language patterns that will help them figure out words they've never heard before. But sometimes a speller comes along who does it differently. Sarv Dharavane finished third last year, and he's a finalist again this year. He says he just reads the dictionary, makes his own word lists and remembers them. Several former champions and coaches say memorization is important, but no one can memorize every word.