IN $117 MILLION AT THE US BOX OFFICE ON OPENING WEEKEND

By David Goldman, CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire

es before, including its 1997 remake of “Cinderella” with Brandy, a Black actress.

Audiences were far more pleased with the film, with 95% giving it a thumbs up on Rotten Tomatoes. But IMDB, which also tracks audience reviews, said it had to adjust some of its ratings overseas after it found the movie was a victim of review-bombing.

“The Little Mermaid” remake has been the subject of controversy in right-wing media and on some social platforms — with users posting racist tropes — because Disney cast Ariel with a black actress. The trailer for the film made its debut earlier this year, setting off a debate about whether Ariel should be Black or White.

Rob Marshall, the film’s director, called critics’ complaints about casting a Black actor “small-minded,” in an interview with Vanity Fair. Many have argued that casting a Black actress in the role helps Black children feel represented in popular culture. Disney first introduced a Black princess in 2009, with Tiana in “The Princess and the Frog.” But Disney has recast characters originally portrayed as White with actors of different rac-

Despite the controversy, the movie was among the most successful films ever to debut on Memorial Day, Box Office Mojo reported. Last year’s “Top Gun Maverick” tops that list with $160 million at the US box office over the long holiday weekend. “The Little Mermaid” was also bested by 2007’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” ($140 million), 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” ($127 million) and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand” ($123 million).

Disney’s live-action remake of “Aladdin” also debuted on Memorial Day weekend in 2019. That came in a hair lower than “The Little Mermaid” with an opening weekend haul of $116.8 million.

Including international ticket sales, “The Little Mermaid” brought in $185.8 million over the weekend. CNN. com

In a truly iconic moment, the incomparable Beyoncé, flanked by her musical dynasty, took center stage at the majestic Stade de France, France’s eminent national stadium situated just a stone’s throw north of the captivating city of Paris in the serene commune of Saint-Denis. This sprawling colosseum, boasting a staggering seating capacity of 80,698, solidifies its reputation as the illustrious sixth-largest stadium throughout all of Europe.

On the momentous eve of Friday, May 26, 2023, the dazzling songstress, accompanied by her esteemed family in- cluding the legendary Tina Lawson and Mathew Knowles, the ingenious Jay Z, and the enchanting Blue Ivy, graced the world with an unforgettable performance as part of her spellbinding Renaissance World Tour and Bey-Good activities.

Brimming with anticipation, Beyoncé commanded the stage with unwavering grace and unleashed a magnificent symphony of soul-stirring melodies, trans- porting the audience into a realm where her latest musical triumph, the resounding album Renaissance, held sway. This splendid opus, a harmonious fusion of pop, disco, and funk, emerged triumphantly in the sonic landscape of July 2022, ensnaring the hearts of millions, and cementing its legacy as an unparalleled success in the annals of musical artistry.

An unexplained rise in colorectal cancer rates among younger adults is leading more people – including physicians – to get screened for the disease early, sometimes far ahead of the recommended age of 45 for those at average risk.

Scientists racing to find clues toward understanding why cases of colorectal cancer are climbing among younger people. Some suspect factors driving this increase are environmental, while others wonder if they are dietary.

One new study, to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in June, suggests that a young adult’s microbiome – the collection of microbes, such as bacteria, fungi and viruses that naturally live in human bodies – may play a role.

The research has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal, but an abstract posted online describes how researchers analyzed data on 36 colorectal cancer patients who were diagnosed before the age of 45 and 27 patients who were diagnosed after the age of 65. The researchers found “significant differences” in the bacterial and fungal species detected in