‘Sheer outrageousness’: writers on their favourite LGBTQ+ movie characters

From gritty criminals to teens coming to terms with their identity, Pride month sees Guardian writers on their most beloved queer characters

‘Allowed me to accept my own taste’: why Bridesmaids is my feelgood movie

The latest in our series of writers highlighting their comfort films is a look at an endlessly quotable antidote to bro-focused comedies

Shadows of Willow Cabin review – secrets fester beneath horny hookup in low budget horror

Two men’s romantic getaway turns creepy in a talky elevated chiller about escaping the binds of the past

The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine review – scavenger’s story reveals a rich seam to mine

Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza’s absorbing documentary about an ageing Chilean gold panner is meticulously detailed and doubles as its own act of visual prospecting

The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI by Cory Doctorow review – the real price of artificial intelligence

A vivid and entertaining polemnic on the economics of the tech revolution, filled with righteous ire

Thirsty and power hungry: Australia is in the middle of a datacentre boom – but are they good for the economy?

They’re a key part of the digital and AI economy but they come at a high environmental cost and offer few operational jobs

Superfood or sweet treat? 17 delicious ways with popcorn – from snack bars and choux buns to salads and soups

High in fibre and polyphenols, popcorn has been touted as the perfect snack for the health-conscious. It’s also the ideal vehicle for salt, sugar, butter, bacon fat …

Condemned to plutocracy? The relentless rise of US inequality

Elon Musk is a beneficiary of America’s lopsided prosperity – does the country have any appetite for redistribution?

Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media

Investigation finds AI content that purports to show genuine customers, prompting calls for greater transparency

Suppliers unable to chase fees after film producer’s 50 companies are struck off

Removal of Alan Latham’s firms means there is no longer an entity for creditors to make claims against

To the tablet and beyond: does Toy Story 5 go hard enough on technology?

The animated sequel sets up a tug-of-war between physical and digital play for children but is still eager not to be an anti-tech screed

Texas environmentalists lose bid to block Musk’s SpaceX from closing beach

Ruling means Boca Chica Beach, located near sprawling Starbase site, likely to close during future rocket launches

‘Once my tummy stopped shaking, I was absorbed by the scale, spectacle and wonder’: your Steven Spielberg film favourites

We’ve already listed our writers’ all-timers, now Guardian readers get their say on the seminal director’s best blockbusters

Key Trump allies and Musk on leaked list for secretive Peter Thiel retreat

Figures including Jared Kushner and Scott Bessent named in directory of Dialog participants that was exposed online

Social media bans are trending. But it’s too late for my son and me

We’re both addicted to our screens. But at least we’re watching together – it’s dystopian bonding for the modern age