Review: 'A Star Is Born' is dizzyingly wonderful

It’s hard not to go into ” A Star Is Born ” without a lot of prejudgments. Even if you haven’t seen the other three versions, the mere fact that they exist, and with such formidable talent, is enough to make anyone scoff at the fact that Hollywood keeps dusting off this well-worn story about fame and love and addiction….

Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper show off their chemistry in 'Shallow' music video

Our first taste of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s musical chemistry is here. “Shallow,” their duet from “A Star Is Born,” was released today.In the official video for the song, we see snippets from the scene in the movie where the two sing the song together on stage for the first time. Bradley’s character, established musician Jackson Maine, invites Gaga’s…

Japanese actor Koji Yakusho says his is a solitary craft

His film roles range from police officer to serial killer, dashing characters to self-destructive losers, a samurai warrior to an ordinary “salaryman,” as Japanese office workers are called. But through all his work in Japan and Hollywood, Koji Yakusho has found what he must do as an actor remains surprisingly the same.”It’s lonely,” he said recently. “You’re before a camera,…

BTS just made history at the UN: Here are 5 things you need to know about the group

Jeff Benjamin is a Billboard contributor who writes the site’s K-pop column.At this point, it’s nearly impossible to ignore the growing impact of BTS. The South Korean–based boy band is making their debut on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, Sept. 26, coming through with a hurricane of exciting activities as they hit New York City.Whether or not you’ve kept track…

20 movies, TV shows, books and more to check out this week

Fall has begun and with it comes a slew of new and returning TV shows.Season 27 of “Dancing With the Stars” kicks off on Monday, along with “The Good Doctor,” “The Voice” and “The Big Bang Theory.” It’s also a big week for series premieres, with ABC debuting “A Million Little Things” and “Single Parents,” and CBS rolling out its…

Breakout Games enters virtual reality

Breakout Games unveils the first virtual reality escape room in the U.S. through their partnership with Ubisoft. With two or four friends, you can enter and play “Escape the Lost Pyramd”. There’s even a chance for you to join a competition to win prizes by getting the best time. Watch to learn about that, and also see Troy and Sam,…

Vladimir Putin poses with new Kalashnikov sniper rifle

Russian state media has released video of President Vladimir Putin showing off with a new Kalashnikov sniper rifle in the latest stunt intended to burnish his macho image.In the video, Putin is seen staring down the scope of the SVCh-308 rifle and shooting at targets at a range in Kubinka, close to Moscow. The semi-automatic compact rifle is the latest…

Demi Lovato's mother relives moment the singer overdosed: 'My heart just dropped'

Demi Lovato’s mother is speaking out for the first time after her daughter received treatment at a Los Angeles-area hospital for a suspected opioid drug overdose.In a Tuesday interview with Newsmax TV, Dianna De La Garza described the moment she heard the shocking news.”It’s still a really difficult thing to talk about,” De La Garza admitted. “I literally start to…

School shootings inspire new Bacharach song

“Music softens the heart, makes you feel something if it’s good, brings in emotion that you might not have felt before,” he told The Associated Press during a recent telephone interview. “It’s a very powerful thing if you’re able to do to it, if you have it in your heart to do something like that.”The celebrated songwriter has collaborated with…

Olivia Newton-John reveals she has cancer for third time

Legendary singer and actress Olivia Newton-John has revealed that she’s living with cancer for the third time.Speaking to the Australian show “Sunday Night,” the “Grease” star said the tumor is at the base of her spine.When asked if she was scared, she responded, “No, I don’t go there.””There are moments, I’m human,” she added. But she stressed that “I believe…

#NotInvisible: Why are Native American women vanishing?

The searchers rummage through the abandoned trailer, flipping over a battered couch, unfurling a stained sheet, looking for clues. It’s blistering hot and a grizzly bear lurking in the brush unleashes a menacing growl. But they can’t stop.Not when a loved one is still missing.The group moves outside into knee-deep weeds, checking out a rusted garbage can, an old washing…

Here's the story behind that viral high-kicking taekwondo video

A video of an incredible taekwondo performance in South Korea has gone viral in recent days, with athletes flying through the air, smashing panels and twisting through mind-boggling new moves.The video — versions of which have racked up tens of millions of views — shows a South Korean team wowing a crowd with numerous large-scale kicks as the athletes are…

Detroit saying farewell in royal fashion to Queen of Soul

Aretha Franklin had admirers the world over, but there’s no doubt the flame burned brightest in Detroit — the place she was raised and remained for most of her life.It’s difficult to separate the singer from the city, so you better think that her town is saying farewell in royal fashion to its Queen of Soul, with a concert, public…

In Uganda, a pop star takes on a president, at his peril

In his red beret and jumpsuit the Ugandan pop star Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, better known as Bobi Wine, leads cheering campaigners down a street, punching the air and waving the national flag.That image has defined the unlikely new political phenomenon — and possibly now put him in danger as an opposition figure taking on one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.Once considered a…

Russia enlists action star Steven Seagal as a special envoy to the US

It’s one of the oddest, if not the toughest, roles he has ever played.Steven Seagal, the 1990s action movie star, has been enlisted as a special envoy by Russia’s foreign ministry to help promote “cultural and humanitarian links” between the country and the United States.Russia’s foreign ministry announced the appointment in a post on its Facebook account, saying Seagal would…

11 new TV and film releases to check out this week

It’s a huge week for reality TV shows. “The Bachelorette” is coming to a close and “Bachelor in Paradise” and “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” are making their triumphant returns.Of course, if you’re a fan of scripted shows (or just heading to the movies), there’s something for you too.The staff at “Good Morning America” compiled some of this week’s most…

Review: YA hodgepodge 'The Darkest Minds' whiffs on story

Kids under the age of 18 are being persecuted by adults for their special powers in ” The Darkest Minds ,” an adaptation of book one of Alexandra Bracken’s young adult trilogy that’s about five years and 15 movie dystopias too late to feel the least bit fresh or interesting.And it’s not for lack of trying. Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson…

Have you heard about Twitch Prime?

If you have Amazon Prime and your kids use it, chances are they have access to Twitch Prime. It’s a program that allows people to get free games, and the offers are different each month. So what exactly is it, and what games are offered this month on Twitch Prime? Sam, our favorite professional gamer, is here to answer all…

Has sunken ship said to contain billions in gold really been found off South Korea?

Seoul – Shinil Group which claimed to have found a Russian Navy warship that sank more than a century ago containing $13 billion in gold bars backed off on Thursday, saying they cannot say the for certain that the infamous ‘steel boxes containing gold’ exist.CONFUSING PRESS CONFERENCEThe company gave mixed messages at a press conference on Thursday causing confusion and…