The 68th annual Cannes Film Festival wrapped up over the weekend with the French drama “Dheepan” winning the Palme d’Or. In a festival filled with artistic works commenting on modern social issues, director Jacques Audiard’s film tells the story of three Sri Lankan refugees who form a family-of-convenience while fleeing to France in hopes of a better life.

Anne Thompson, Editor-at-Large for Indiewire, joins us to discuss the highs and lows of this year’s Festival de Cannes, which include many of the films that took home awards, not to mention a 3D porno. But as Thompson explains, many of the big buzzworthy films were Hollywood titles screened out-of-competition; “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “Inside Out” come to mind.

Time Warner Cable meanwhile, fresh from having broken up with their previous suitor, Comcast, may now be acquired in a $56.7 billion deal. Though this move was widely expected, it is an indicator of how the market is attempting to stay ahead of the fast changing ways by which audiences consume television content.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including the David Letterman’s signs off the “Late Show” one final time, Jennifer Lopez is taking up residency in Las Vegas for a string of shows next year, and multi-hyphenate Barbra Streisand is penning her memoirs.

Memorial Day Box Office Worst Since 2001

http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/26/media/memorial-day-box-office/

Cannes Closing Night Awards Are In

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/cannes-closing-night-awards-are-coming-in-live-stream-20150524

Anne Thompson’s 2015 Cannes Coverage

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/tag/cannes-2015

Cannes: 21 Films That Stood Out at the 2015 Festival

https://variety.com/2015/film/columns/cannes-21-films-that-stood-out-at-the-2015-festival-1201504524/

Fox to Be First Studio to Create All Movies in High Dynamic Range, Ultra HD for Home Viewing

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/fox-be-first-studio-create-796952

Letterman Finale Ratings: Show’s Fourth Largest Audience Ever

https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/letterman-finale-ratings-letterman-retirement-1201501845/

New York Times Cuts Movie Reviews in Blow to Independent, Documentary Films

http://www.thewrap.com/new-york-times-cuts-movie-reviews-in-blow-to-independent-documentary-films/

New York Times Changes Film Review Policy, Can’t Guarantee Coverage

It is impossible to see all the films at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, but halfway through the 68th edition at least three films have scored some positive buzz, all of them about tortured souls. Director Todd Haynes is leading the pack with “Carol” a film about repressed sexuality set in the 1950s, the Hungarian entry “Son of Saul” set in a Nazi concentration camp and “Amy” a powerful and moving documentary about the life of singer “Amy Winehouse”.

From the official screenings to the behind-the-scenes press conferences, we give you all the ins and outs of this year’s Cannes, including the world premiere of Pixar’s “Inside Out” which wowed attendees. Join us for our annual trip to the south of France.

Meanwhile, back in the United States, television networks have been busy selling advertising for next season’s lineup at the upfronts. We’ll tell you which shows got canceled, which new series got picked up and whether the television season has become year round.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including the BAFTA TV Awards, David Lynch heads back to “Twin Peaks” again and “American Idol” sings its final note.

The Cannes Film Festival Has A History of Telling Tales

https://medium.com/@sperling/the-cannes-film-festival-has-a-history-of-telling-tales-4e4c078314d1

Selections from J. Sperling Reich’s Cannes Film Festival Coverage

http://www.sperlingspeaks.com

‘Pitch Perfect 2’ crescendos past ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ to $70.3 million

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-mn-box-office-pitch-perfect-2-20150517-story.html

Can Hollywood Stop Its Sexist Assumption That Women’s Stories Don’t Sell?

http://www.salon.com/2015/05/18/pitch_perfect_…/

Evening News Ratings Grew in 2014, Even as Cable Shrank

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/evening-news-ratings-grew-2014-792197

David Lynch Says ‘Twin Peaks’ Showtime Revival Is Happening

https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/david-lynch-says-twin-peaks-showtime-revival-is-happening-1201498131/

‘Mindy Project’ Moving to Hulu After Fox Opts Out

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/mindy-project-hulu-fox-opts-793757

Bill Simmons and ESPN Are Parting Ways

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/sports/bill-simmons-and-espn-are-parting-ways.html

‘Sherlock,’ ‘True Detective’ Among BAFTA TV Award Winners

Content owners seem to be locked in a never-ending game of legal Whac-A-Mole in an attempt to thwart technologies that enable copyright infringement. Last week record labels managed to shutter the music streaming service Grooveshark and movie studios were granted a court ordered injunction against Popcorn Time, which has been dubbed the Netflix of Piracy. Yet now entertainment companies are concerned about audiences live streaming television shows and movies from their mobile phones using social media apps such as Periscope.

That’s exactly what happened on Saturday during the welterweight title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Some viewers took it upon themselves to beam video of the boxing match by transmitting the pay-per-view broadcast through their phones.

Meanwhile on Broadway, this year’s Tony Award nominations were announced, recognizing the best and brightest new live theatre productions. We’ll give you a rundown of who was nominated and why walking off with one of the prestigious prizes can mean big profits at the box office.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including the gigantic opening of “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, a remake of “Roots” and how “Seinfeld” is earning big bucks on subscription video-on-demand.

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Nabs $191.3M In Domestic Debut

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-avengers-age-ultron-793000

Disney Crosses $1B At International Box Office; Propelled By ‘Ultron’, ‘Cinderella’

http://deadline.com/2015/05/disney-international-one-billion-box-office-avengers-ultron-cinderella-big-hero-6-1201420079/

‘Furious 7’ Becomes Highest Grossing Film Ever In China

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-box-office-furious-7-china-20150428-story.html

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’: Did Major Sports Events Hurt the Box Office?

https://variety.com/2015/film/news/avengers-age-of-ultron-mayweather-pacquiao-kentucky-derby-box-office-1201486386/

2015 Tony Award Nominations

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/28/theater/theaterspecial/2015-tony-award-nominations.html

Downton’s Fellowes Adapting Anthony Trollope Novel for TV

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32472056

Periscope Piracy Sets Up Grudge Match: Hollywood vs. Twitter

https://variety.com/2015/digital/opinion/periscope-piracy-sets-up-grudge-match-hollywood-vs-twitter-1201486298/

Live Nation Entertainment Buys Controlling Stake In Bonnaroo Festival

When theater owners and film distributors from around the world convened last week for CinemaCon in Las Vegas they were presented with a slate of upcoming blockbusters and cutting edge innovations which forecast an optimistic future for the industry. After ending last year with the most depressed box office returns in recent memory, 2015 is shaping up to break all records with at least four films potentially grossing more than a billion dollars.

Adding to the optimistic outlook are emerging technologies that enhance the experience of going to the cinema. Upgrades such as immersive sound, laser projection and high dynamic range may help lure certain demographics back to theaters. Teenagers and young adults, for instance, have seen declining attendance since 2007 as the number of on-demand entertainment options began expanding.

Meanwhile, cable giant Comcast called off its $45 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable after government agencies informed the company they would actively work to block the merger. Regulators believed the deal, which many feared but felt would ultimately be approved, might allow Comcast to dominate not just cable television, but more importantly high speed Internet access.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including the end of “Sabado Gigante”, how WikiLeaks got involved in the Sony cyberattack and Netflix just keeps growing.

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’: Hundreds of German Theaters Boycotting Marvel Film

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/avengers-age-ultron-hundreds-german-791473

Trailer Report: ‘Star Wars’ Soars to 30 Million Views in First 24 Hours

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/trailer-report-star-wars-soars-789764

Could ‘Star Wars’ Open at $500 Million? The Force Is Strong

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/could-star-wars-open-at-789889

CinemaCon Shows Moviegoing Is Getting Luxurious for Whole Family

https://variety.com/2015/film/spotlight/moviegoing-gets-luxurious-for-whole-family-1201471451/

‘Spider-Man’ Animated Movie Coming in 2018

https://variety.com/2015/film/news/spider-man-animated-movie-coming-in-2018-1201477933/

CinemaCon: Dave Hollis Delivers International Keynote Address

http://celluloidjunkie.com/2015/04/21/cinemacon-dave-hollis-delivers-international-keynote-address/

CinemaCon: David Hancock Delivers Digital Cinema Update

http://celluloidjunkie.com/2015/04/27/cinemacon-david-hancock-delivers-digital-cinema-update/

WikiLeaks Posts Sony Pictures Documents,

Even in the best of times being a Hollywood talent agent has never been an easy job.  The dog eat dog nature of the agency business has never been more apparent than during the last few weeks when 11 agents suddenly defected from Creative Artists Agency, one of the industry’s leading agencies, to become partners at a rival firm, United Talent Agency. Following in the footsteps of their agents were A-list clients such as Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianiakis, Ed Helms, Melissa McCarthy and Chris Pratt.

This isn’t the first time big shot agents have deserted their agencies for greener pastures and taken their clients with them, nor will it be the last. In fact, CAA was founded in 1975 when Michael Ovitz along with Ron Meyer and several other agents, abruptly departed the William Morris Agency to form their own firm. The now legendary Ari Emanuel did the same thing 20 years later to start Endeavor.

Meanwhile, changes are also afoot in how television networks want advertisers to pay for commercial time. Two major conglomerates, Time Warner and Viacom, are moving away from Nielsen ratings and offering to let advertisers pay for the “impact” their ads have through metrics such as increased brand recognition, increased loyalty program registrations and consumer engagement on social media.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including Jay-Z makes a streaming media play with Tidal, filmmaker David Lynch backs out of “Twin Peaks” reboot, and NBC selects “The Wiz” as its next live televised musical.

Will ‘Furious 7’ Become Universal’s First Billion-Dollar Baby?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-furious-7-become-universals-786448

DreamWorks Animation Stock Rises as ‘Home’ Opening Exceeds Expectations

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dreamworks-animation-stock-rises-home-785262

Time Warner, Viacom Back Away From Nielsen Guarantees For Ads

https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/time-warner-viacom-nielsen-tv-advertising-upfront-1201471240/

‘The Wiz’ Set as NBC’s Next Live Musical

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/wiz-set-as-nbcs-next-785343

Alabama Officials Find Harper Lee in Control of Decision to Publish Second Novel

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/alabama-officials-find-harper-lee-in-control-of-decision-to-publish-second-novel/?_r=0

Digital Audience Ratings: ‘Corden’ Hits Huge Debut;

https://variety.com/2015/digital/news/digital-audience-ratings-corden-hits-huge-debut-10-years-of-greys-makes-top-10-1201462670/

Jay Z, Kanye, Rihanna Throw Support Behind Streaming Service Tidal

Thanks to the success of new shows like “How To Get Away With Murder”, “Black-ish”, “Fresh Off The Boat”, “Jane the Virgin” and, of course, “Empire”, Deadline Hollywood reports this year’s pilot season is experiencing an explosion of minority casting. Networks are now writing roles specifically for ethnic actors and demanding series pilots feature a diverse cast. Though long overdue, the suggestion that the “pendulum might have swung a bit too far in the opposite direction” ruffled a few industry feathers.

In less controversial news, the Library of Congress announced the 25 recordings it will be adding to the National Recording Registry this year. Among them are classics by The Doors and Radiohead, Broadway cast albums and hits by The Righteous Brothers and Johnny Mercer. There are even a few historical wax cylinder recordings dating all the way back to the 1890s.

And just when you thought the awards season was long over, the New York Independent Film Critics held their annual meeting to select the IRA Film Awards. Our host Michael Giltz was on hand to argue, discuss and vote for the best in movies from last year with a prestigious group that believes they have better taste than all those other awards shows. We’ll go over the list of winners.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including who will replace Jon Stewart as host of “The Daily Show”, the popular television series “Downton Abbey” calls it quits as does Zayn Malik, a now former-member of One Direction.

IMDb Preserves Legal Win Over Revelation of Actress’ Age

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/imdb-preserves-legal-win-revelation-784985

2014 IRA Film Award Winners

http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2015/03/2014-ira-film-award-winners-iras-are.html

IRA Awards Best Films of the 1960s

http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-ira-awards-best-movies-of-1960s.html

Steve Martin, The Doors and Radiohead Albums Named to National Recording Registry

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steve-martin-doors-radiohead-albums-783734

Sorry Wrong Number Radio Play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r5GZral6zs

Vernacular Wax Cylinder Recordings

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/homewax.php

Trevor Noah Will Succeed Jon Stewart At ‘Daily Show’

https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/trevor-noah-will-succeed-jon-stewart-at-daily-show-1201462430/

The Onion Reviews The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

http://www.theonion.com/video/the-onion-reviews-the-hunger-games-catching-fire,34637/

Zayn Malik Quits One Direction

Cord-cutting has been a growing fear of the television industry for many years. The terrifying possibility that consumers will give up their expensive cable bundles in lieu of online streaming is quickly becoming a reality as numerous services have sprung up to provide over-the-top options. Unfortunately none of these services offers access to all the major networks forcing viewers to spend just as much, or even more, to see all their favorite programs.

When you start adding up the cost of subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu along with newcomers such as Dish Networks Sling TV and HBO Now, cutting the cord may not be the cost savings everyone has been hoping for.

Meanwhile, the music industry has been undergoing its own struggles as existing revenue models have been upended by digital distribution. Last year marked the first time that streaming music earned more than the sale of music on compact discs. This has led to a rallying cry from industry trade groups for artists to be fairly compensated regardless of the platform on which their music is accessed.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including how female moviegoers are driving this year’s box office, why John Williams won’t be scoring Steven Spielberg’s next movie and the new math formula determining whether Madonna’s recent release is the top selling album of the week.

At the Box Office, It’s No Longer a Man’s World

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/23/business/media/at-the-box-office-its-no-longer-a-mans-world.html?_r=0

China’s Huayi Bros. Signs 18-Movie Deal With Secret U.S. Company

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/chinas-huayi-brothers-sign-18-movie-deal-with-secret-u-s-company-1201454003/

Universal Music Settling Big Class Action Lawsuit Over Digital Royalties

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/universal-music-settling-big-class-783096

‘We Need to Limit Free’: Major Labels Begin to Question Spotify Model

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/major-labels-question-free-model-20150320

RIAA Report Shows Streaming And Vinyl On The Rise In US While Recording Industry Dips

http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2015/03/streaming-and-vinyl-on-the-rise-in-us-while-recording-industry-dips.html

Cary Sherman on RIAA’S New 2014 Music Revenue & Shipment Data

https://www.riaa.com/news_room.php?content_selector=riaa-news-blog

On the Charts: ‘Empire’ (Barely) Reigns Over Madonna

http://www.rollingstone.