SummaryBrief-Entertainment

Kirkus Prize winners include a novel on identity, a history of Iran and an ode to belly buttons

NEW YORK (AP) — Kirkus Prize judges have announced their winners for this year, awarding 50-thousand dollars in each of three categories. Lucas Schaefer’s novel “The Slip,” about a man’s search for his missing nephew, won for fiction. Scott Anderson’s “King of Kings,” which explores the Iranian Revolution, took the nonfiction prize. Thao Lam’s picture book “Everybelly,” celebrating belly buttons, won for young readers’ literature. The prizes, established in 2014, are overseen by Kirkus Reviews. Editor-in-chief Tom Beer praised the winners for their messages on community, self-transformation, and history. Finalists included works by Angela Flournoy, Nicholas Boggs and Arundhati Roy.

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Bad Bunny’s music streams soar since Super Bowl halftime show news

NEW YORK (AP) — Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s music catalogue has seen a jump in streams since his 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance was announced last week. That’s according to the industry data and analytics company Luminate. They found that Latin music is primarily consumed via streaming. And Bad Bunny saw a 26 percent increase in on-demand streams in the United States when comparing the week before the announcement to the week that followed. That’s a bump of nearly 50 million streams. He earned 173 million streams from September 19th to 27th. After the announcement, it jumped to 218.5 million streams from September 28th to October 6th.

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Dolly Parton responds to concerns about her health: ‘I’m not dying’

NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton says not to worry, she “ain’t dead yet.” That’s what the country superstar shared in a video on social media on Wednesday, following public speculation about her health. Late last month Parton postponed her first Las Vegas residency in 32 years, citing “health challenges.” She was scheduled to perform six shows in December. Her dates have been moved to next year, in September 2026. She did not provide additional details. On Tuesday, a Facebook post shared by her sister, Freida Parton, escalated concerns around Parton’s health when she wrote that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.” Dolly Parton has clarified that her doctors say she is dealing with nothing major.

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Movie Review: ‘After the Hunt’ is less hot-button farce than tragedy

In Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt,” Yale academics go at each other on everything from Foucault to feminism in a psychological battle set across a #MeToo minefield. That, at least, is the promise of “After the Hunt.” But Guadagnino’s dour and languid film only fitfully coheres as the conversation piece it aspires to be, writes Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review. Its plot turns can be rash and implausible, and the movie increasingly feels like ideas and set pieces strung tenuously together. It offers Julia Roberts one of her most complicated roles, but saps her of her charisma.

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In ‘A House of Dynamite,’ Kathryn Bigelow explores 18 minutes that decide the fate of civilization

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Kathryn Bigelow’s new film, “A House of Dynamite,” explores the chilling reality of nuclear annihilation. The film delves into the crucial 18-minute window U.S. leaders have in the face of an imminent nuclear strike. Releasing in theatres Friday and streaming on Netflix on October 24th, it takes viewers inside the White House Situation Room and U-S Strategic Command. Bigelow, known for her work on military and geopolitical themes, collaborated with journalist Noah Oppenheim to create a story from multiple perspectives. The film aims to humanize the abstract and terrifying scenario, emphasizing the importance of non-proliferation.

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The Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced on Thursday

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Nobel Prize in literature will be announced on Thursday. The winner joins a prestigious list that includes Ernest Hemingway and Toni Morrison. The prize has been awarded 117 times to 121 winners. Last year, South Korean author Han Kang won for her works confronting historical traumas. The literature prize follows this week’s announcements in medicine, physics, and chemistry. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is to be announced on Friday, with Donald Trump considered a long shot. The final Nobel, in economic sciences, is due to be announced on Monday. Nobel ceremonies are held on December 10th, marking Alfred Nobel’s death anniversary.

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In C-B-S role, Bari Weiss goes from critic of mainstream news to one of its gatekeepers

NEW YORK (AP) — Bari Weiss has been unflinchingly critical of mainstream news outlets. Now, she’s set to run one. The 41-year-old founder of The Free Press site was named this week as C-B-S News’ editor-in-chief. That Weiss has risen to take the helm of the type of traditional news source she has so often maligned is as confounding to some as the fact that nearly all her experience is in expressing opinions and none of it is in T-V news. Weiss calls herself a centrist, but most often rankles those on the left.

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Movie Review: Tonatiuh dances away with ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’

Filmmaker Bill Condon takes on “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in a new adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical. In theatres Friday, the film stars Jennifer Lopez as the fictional screen siren Ingrid Luna, whose fictional film is the thing that bonds two polar opposite cellmates in 1983 Argentina. Diego Luna and the other newcomer, Tonatiuh, play one each. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr writes that while the M-G-M styled movie within a movie sequences are dazzling, Tonatiuh steals the show from the confines of a dreary prison cell. “Kiss of the Spider Woman” is rated R.

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Music Review: Khalid bounces back with complex look at love in ‘After Sun Goes Down’

Khalid has released a new album, “After the Sun Goes Down,” showing a vibrant shift from his previous work. The 17-track collection, out Friday, explores love in its many forms, from lusty to defiant. Khalid embraces his identity, bringing a fresh directness to his music, says Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy. Tracks like “Momentary Lovers” and “Medicine” highlight his confident and passionate style. Collaborations with Tove Lo and Julia Michaels add depth, while producers like Darkchild and Ilya enhance the sound. Khalid’s love of car culture remains, but his new openness makes falling for his music hard to resist.

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Elton John, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, Questlove, Twenty One Pilots, and Raye to present at Rock Hall

NEW YORK (AP) — A star-studded lineup of music icons is set to present at this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Elton John, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat and others will be part of the event. The induction ceremony will include Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden, The White Stripes and more, and will take place in Los Angeles on Nov. 8, streaming live on Disney+. Additional presenters include Beck, Brandi Carlile, and David Letterman. Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon will receive the Musical Influence Award. Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins and Carol Kaye are also being inducted.

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