AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 8:49 p.m. EDT

Venice Film Festival, by the numbers: From standing ovations to Campari spritzes

VENICE, Italy (AP) — From a record-breaking standing ovation to the ever-present Campari spritzes to even on-screen subtitles, the 2025 Venice Film Festival was a bounty of interesting numbers. After 10 days and dozens of red-carpet premieres, the 82nd edition came to a close Sunday. While cinema is focused on the qualitative, a quantitative look can tell a story of its own. There are, after all, plenty of fascinating figures beyond the celebrity kind to be found on the Lido. From 1,936 feature films submitted, only 21 films made the cut for the main competition. The shortest of those was 90 minutes and the longest, 156.

Sydney Sweeney lands a knockout at TIFF with ‘Christy,’ stoking Oscar buzz

TORONTO (AP) — Sydney Sweeney came to the Toronto International Film Festival wanting to talk about her film “Christy,” not her American Eagle ad campaign. After a rapturous response to the movie, she’s getting her wish. The 27-year-old, Emmy-nominated actor landed immediate Oscar buzz for her performance in David Michôd’s biopic of the boxer Christy Salters Martin. For the role, Sweeney transforms into the female boxing trailblazer who emerged out of West Virginia as the “Coal Miner’s Daughter” to rise to the top of her then-nascent sport.

How romance and a road trip led to the purchase of the world's oldest drive-in theater

OREFIELD, Pa. (AP) — In a romance and adventure worthy of the big screen, a Pennsylvania couple is preserving the past and forging a future as the owners of the world’s oldest drive-in movie theater. Matt McClanahan and Lauren McChesney bought Shankweiler’s Drive-In in Oreland, Pennsylvania, in 2022 after learning the property might be sold to developers. They supplemented their own savings with a $1 million small business loan. The theater’s original owner, Wilson Shankweiler, was a prominent hotel owner and movie buff. He opened what was then called Shankweiler’s Park-In Theatre on April 15, 1934. It was Pennsylvania’s first drive-in and only the second in the nation. The business has succeeded by offering year-round operations and special events.

Music Review: Justin Bieber has more to say about love on 'Swag ll'

NEW YORK (AP) — If it wasn’t clocking to you before, it should be now. Justin Bieber is doing whatever he wants. Friday's “Swag ll” follows the July release of “Swag.” In a review, The Associated Press music writer Maria Sherman says “Swag ll” is an obvious companion piece, not only in name but also in sound, theme and zeal. Collaborators repeat. There are songs about his wife and references to his religion. But Sherman says there is also a kind of lightness to “Swag ll.” That is likely because Bieber spends less time considering how he is depicted in the media on this release. Sift and find gold.

Julianne Nicholson gets acting Emmy for 'Hacks' and 'The Penguin' wins 4 at Creative Arts ceremony

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Julianne Nicholson and the craft crew behind “The Penguin” have emerged as early winners at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Nicholson won her first Emmy for best guest actress in a comedy for her role in “Hacks.” The HBO Max series “The Penguin” claimed four early awards for makeup, costumes, and hairstyling. The Creative Arts Emmys, a precursor to the main ceremony, focus on behind-the-scenes achievements. The event hands out nearly 100 trophies over two nights. Big names like Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé are nominated for Sunday’s reality and variety TV categories.

Giorgio Armani leaves a legacy as 'the master of luxury ready-to-wear'

MILAN (AP) — For Giorgio Armani, it was always the clothes. And his clothes all started with the fabrics. While other fashion empires make their money on handbags and footwear, Armani’s appeal has always been in the apparel, the core of his $10 billion empire. After his death Thursday at the age of 91, Armani has been remembered for softening the 1980s power suit, decades of fruitful Hollywood collaborations and as a defining figure of Italian luxury ready-to-wear. But he was also a keen businessman who maintained his independence in an era of consolidation, an innovative communicator and a boss who was in charge of every aspect of his business.

This year’s song of the summer is a ballad, not a banger. Here's what that says about us

NEW YORK (AP) — Every summer, one song emerges as the inescapable summer anthem. It's a phenomenon so reliable it's earned its own term in the media zeitgeist. But this year, the typical song of the summer seems to have gone missing. In its place is the slow, romantic ballad “Ordinary” by Alex Warren. But why? Listeners are gravitating toward nostalgia, favoring older hits from the “recession pop” era and streaming fewer new releases. Experts also suggest the appeal of “Ordinary” reflects the state of the world and the well-being of listeners in general.

Long in the shadows, a new generation of songwriters gain recognition and success as artists

New York (AP) — A new generation of songwriters are stepping into the spotlight, gaining recognition alongside the artists they write for. In recent years, figures like Muni Long and Julia Michaels have emerged as successful performers in their own right. This shift is partly due to fans' growing interest in the creators behind their favorite songs. Platforms like TikTok and artists acknowledging their collaborators have also played a role. Songwriters are releasing music under their own names, seeking creative autonomy and financial benefits. Despite challenges, this trend highlights a new era where songwriters are celebrated for their talents, so says Amy Allen, Julia Michaels and PYNK BEARD.