'Babadook', Britain's Prince Harry,Oscar,Michael Moore: Entertainment news round-up

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

'Babadook' director returns with revenge odyssey in colonial-era Australia

Jennifer Kent, who made her name with horror "The Babadook", returned on Thursday with a revenge thriller set in 1825 Tasmania, a penal colony where the abuse meted out to convicts is surpassed only by the cruelty suffered by the Aborigines. With the brutal violence that would be at home in a Quentin Tarantino movie, "The Nightingale" plays like a bleak Western, but one set in a lawless Australian frontier land, where the indigenous people are enslaved and lynched.

UK's Prince Harry and Meghan attend mental health charity concert

Britain's Prince Harry and his new American wife Meghan - the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - attended a gala music evening on Thursday to mark the centenary of the end of World War One. The one-off concert was an evening of music and reflection in aid of three charities working to support military veterans facing mental health challenges; Help for Heroes, Combat Stress and Heads Together – The Royal Foundation's campaign and mental health initiative.

Oscar organizers retreat on 'popular film' category after backlash

The Academy of Motion Pictures said on Thursday it would not go ahead with its proposed new "popular film" Oscar category at next year's awards ceremony. The proposal, announced just a month ago, was met with a huge backlash from the movie industry and film reviewers who said it would create a two-tier system of popular and unpopular films.

Cranberries singer O'Riordan drowned due to alcohol intoxication: inquest

A coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death on Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of Irish rock group The Cranberries, after hearing on Thursday she had died by drowning due to alcohol intoxication, media reported. The 46-year-old singer was found submerged in the bathtub in her London hotel room in January after drinking an excessive amount of alcohol, expert witnesses told Westminster Coroner's Court, Ireland's RTE television and Britain's Sky News reported.

Sprinter Lyles moves fast to a different beat

Noah Lyles has a little project in mind once his athletics season ends this weekend and while sprinting may have a part to play, this one moves to a very different beat. The specialist 200 meters runner wants to offer his fans a taste of another of his favorite pursuits - rapping.

Michael Moore compares Trump to Hitler in new documentary

Filmmaker Michael Moore compares U.S. President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler in his provocative new documentary, "Fahrenheit 11/9" that got its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday to a sold-out audience. The documentary examines the forces Moore believes contributed to Trump's election victory in November 2016, drawing parallels with the rise of Hitler in 1930s Germany.

Zhang Yimou unleashes Shakespearean martial arts epic in Venice

Zhang Yimou, the Chinese director of "The Great Wall", "The House of Flying Daggers" and "Raise the Red Lantern", brought a Shakespearean martial arts epic to Venice on Thursday where he was awarded for his contributions to filmmaking. Set in a royal court of ancient China, "Ying" ("Shadow") is the story of a man who acts as a body double for the king's military commander as he must choose whether to keep the peace or declare war on a rival city state.

Hollywood star and 1970s sex symbol Burt Reynolds dead at 82

Burt Reynolds, whose good looks and charm made him one of Hollywood's most popular actors as he starred in such films as "Deliverance," "The Longest Yard" and "Smokey and the Bandit" in the 1970s and '80s, died on Thursday at age 82. Reynolds, who was set to appear next summer in the all-star cast of director Quentin Tarantino's next film, died in the morning at a hospital near his South Florida home, according to his manager, Erik Kritzer.

Han Solo jacket, Marty McFly hoverboard for sale at movie props auction

Fancy wearing Han Solo's jacket? Or perhaps donning Indiana Jones' fedora hat? Or how about a trip on Marty McFly's hoverboard? Movie buffs have a chance to get their hands on a treasure trove of memorabilia from fan favorites such as "Star Wars", "Indiana Jones" and "Back to the Future II" in an auction of film props and costumes in London this month.

Monsters of film: del Toro hands David Cronenberg lifetime award

David Cronenberg received a lifetime achievement award at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday for a 50-year career directing scary movies. Guillermo del Toro, the "Shape of Water" director who began in the horror genre, handed Cronenberg the special Golden Lion at a ceremony in Venice where the Mexican heads this year's jury.