AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 5:23 p.m. EDT

Movie Review: Dwayne Johnson has never been better in 'The Smashing Machine,' but the movie dodges

Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine” would seem to bear all the hallmarks of something grittier, darker and more disturbing than it is. But despite its grainy, VHS aesthetics, “The Smashing Machine” is a surprisingly conventional and oddly untroubled movie, albeit one that gives Dwayne Johnson an indie-film platform for one of his finest performances, writes Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review. It's captivating to see his so thoroughly settled into a character like he is in “The Smashing Machine” while totally shorn of his charisma.

PBS 'Masterpiece' series ‘The Gold’ explores Britain’s biggest heist in history

NEW YORK (AP) — PBS's “Masterpiece” series “The Gold” explores Britain's biggest robbery, the 1983 Brinks-Mat heist. Thieves stole 26 million pounds worth of gold bars near Heathrow Airport. “The Gold” traces the crime's ripple effects, moving from a local search to infiltrating an international money laundering cartel. Showrunner Neil Forsyth says the drama is inspired by real events but allows creative freedom. Actor Hugh Bonneville plays Brian Boyce, the lead investigator determined to combat police corruption. The series highlights the clash between new money and the aristocracy in Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Britain and the complexities of greed and ambition. “The Gold” airs Sunday.

Mugler reopens playbook with underground debut show in Paris

PARIS (AP) — The fashion industry is buzzing with changes this Paris season, and Thursday's spotlight is on Mugler's debut. Miguel Castro Freitas, a Portuguese designer with a background at Dior, has taken over the iconic brand known for its bold silhouettes. Mugler has recently attracted stars like Beyoncé and Zendaya. The show took place in a dramatic venue that matched the brand's futuristic style. Freitas embraced Mugler's 1980s legacy with exaggerated shoulders and daring designs. His debut was a confident statement, blending classic Mugler elements with a modern twist. It wasn't a complete reinvention, but it left people talking.

Daniel Day-Lewis, pulled out of retirement by his son, finds his acting fire still burns

NEW YORK (AP) — It’s been eight years since Daniel Day-Lewis announced his retirement from acting and said he wanted to “explore the world in a different way.” But the big-screen absence of the actor many would peg as the greatest one alive ends with “Anemone,” a new film directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. The two of them wrote it together. What began as something small, with no real ambitions, grew until a feature film and Day-Lewis’ long-awaited return to movies. In an interview alongside Ronan, Day-Lewis discussed the misunderstood mythology surrounding him, how “Anemone” reawakened his hunger to act and why he liked starting from scratch so much.

Morgan Wallen denied throwing chair off bar roof to police in 2024, footage shows

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Police video obtained by The Associated Press shows country music star Morgan Wallen denied throwing a chair off a Nashville bar roof before and after his 2024 arrest. Two weeks later, he accepted responsibility on social media, and later pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment. The Metro Nashville Police Department released footage of Wallen’s arrest, which shows officers reacting to a broken chair near their cruiser. Witnesses claimed Wallen threw the chair, and police cited video evidence. The video shows Wallen on the phone with bar proprietor and fellow country star Eric Church. He also sings along to a Thomas Rhett song in a police cruiser.

Stephen King is the most banned author in US schools, PEN report says

NEW YORK (AP) — A new report on book bans in U.S. schools finds Stephen King as the author most likely to be censored. PEN America’s “Banned in the USA,” released Wednesday, tracks over 6,800 instances of books being pulled for the 2024-2025 school year. This number is down from over 10,000 in 2023-24. Around 80% of these bans originated in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Meanwhile, states like Maryland and New Jersey have laws limiting book removals. According to PEN, King’s books were censored 206 times, with “Carrie” and “The Stand” among the affected works. Reasons for bans often include LGBTQ+ themes and depictions of race.

Beloved 'Reading Rainbow' returns after nearly 20 years with new host Mychal Threets

The beloved children’s series “Reading Rainbow” returns after nearly 20 years, now on the KidZuko YouTube channel. The first of four episodes, hosted by librarian and literacy advocate Mychal Threets, will be released Saturday at 10 a.m. Eastern. The other episodes will air on subsequent Saturday mornings. Celebrities like Adam DeVine, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen will make appearances. Threets announced the reboot on social media. He steps into the role originally held by LeVar Burton. The original show, which aired from 1983 to 2006, inspired children to love reading and won numerous awards. The reboot is co-produced by Buffalo Toronto Public Media.

Movie Review: In ‘Orwell: 2+2=5,’ a powerful portrait of the author and his still relevant writings

Filmmaker Raoul Peck examines the prophetic messages of George Orwell in “Orwell: 2+2=5.” A Neon release in select theaters Friday, the film connects Orwell's writings to modern totalitarianism. “Orwell: 2+2=5” is loosely structured around Orwell’s time on the Isle of Jura, in Scotland, where he wrote what would be his last novel, “1984” while his health was deteriorating from tuberculosis. AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr writes that Peck's film artfully blends images from films, news reports and documentaries and makes a powerful case that 75 years later, Orwell's writings and warnings remain relevant. The film has not yet been rated.

Movie Review: Bleak family drama 'Anemone' brings the great Daniel Day-Lewis back in from the cold

Eight years ago, the great Daniel Day-Lewis said he was finished with acting. Luckily for us all, he seems to have been exaggerating. It took son Ronan Day-Lewis to bring his father in from the cold with “Anemone,” directed by Ronan and co-written by father and son. The movie is a bleak, sober family drama that is sometimes frustratingly opaque, writes Associated Press critic Jocelyn Noveck in her review. But Day-Lewis has lost none of his brilliance in playing a bitter hermit who has removed himself from his family due to wartime trauma that slowly reveals itself. Opens Friday in theaters.