Save $50: As of Sept. 13, the Samsung’s 37" 4k curved gaming monitor is 17% off, coming in at $749.99, down from its original price of $899.99 on Amazon. Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 37” Odyssey G7 4K Curved Gaming Monitor $749.99 at Amazon $899.99 Save $150 Get Deal If you have been wanting to invest in a new monitor for your gaming setup or start building a monitor-based gaming setup, this Samsung 37" Odyssey 4K Curved Gaming Monitor is $150 off this weekend. At 37", this monitor is huge, but the curved screen keeps the picture more in your direct field of vision for better, more immersive gameplay. On top of that, the 4K UHD resolution renders in 165 Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time for an immaculate picture at a granular level. This monitor also features VESA DisplayHDR, which is designed to deepen darker colors and create richer lighter colors. This screen is LED, so it doesn’t offer the level of visual richness that a QLED would, but this model comes nearly as close as LED can. Additionally, the monitor comes with HDMI cords, and reviews praise the heavy, well-made base of the monitor that limits shaking and wobbling. If you have a different stand that you’d like to use, it does come with a VESA mounting pattern for your choice of stand.Immerse yourself in your favorite RPG, FPS, or classic platformer with the Samsung 37" Odyssey 4K Curved Gaming Monitor, and if you spring for one this weekend, you can save $150.

Apple is losing one of its top AI minds, according to Bloomberg.Robby Walker, who had been the senior director of Apple's Answers, Information, and Knowledge team since earlier this year, is reportedly set to leave the tech giant next month. Walker had previously been in charge of Siri prior to moving over to AI development. This is on top of Apple losing other high-level AI employees to Meta back in July, also reported by Bloomberg. SEE ALSO: Apple gets the green light for Hypertension Notification feature The report doesn't give an explicit reason for why Walker or the other employees have left the company, but it certainly doesn't paint an entirely positive picture of Apple's AI development from the outside looking in. The company's Apple Intelligence suite of AI features has notably lagged behind competitors like Google. One very noteworthy example is that Google's Gemini Live naturalistic chatbot has been up and running for a while, even as Apple's long-awaited AI-powered Siri upgrade has been reportedly delayed into next year. It remains to be seen whether or not all of this AI business is a bubble just waiting to burst or something that's truly here to stay, but at the pace Apple is moving, one might get the impression that the company is betting on the former.

Save $350: As of Sept. 13, the Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop is 40% off, ringing in at $549.99 down from its list price of $899.99 on Amazon. Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop $549 at Amazon $899 Save $350 Get Deal Vacuuming and mopping aren't super neutral chores, it seems. You either love them or you hate them. And, if you're the latter, there's excellent news for you this weekend. The Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop is a steal right now, coming in on Amazon at 40% off. It's an excellent first foray into the world of vacuum-mop-robots, and the price is super low this weekend. Let's get into why this particular model from Roborock… rocks.The Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop is more than just a bland attempt at combining vacuum and mopping features. Numerous robot cleaning devices on the market appear to be working, yet often leave your floor as dusty as when you began (or even dirtier). This model from Roborock features an all-in-one smart dock with warm air drying, which is designed to vacuum, empty itself, and then mop and dry the floor after completion.What's even better is that you don't have to approach the dock of the Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop in a hazmat suit because it just transfers the mess on your floor to a mess in its tank. Instead, this model is made to efficiently empty dust into a 7-week storage bin, wash its own mops, and use specially engineered hot air drying to prevent odor buildup. You get all of this plus the baseline benefits of a robot vacuum, like customizable paths, schedules, app connectivity, and smart-home compatibility.

If you used Facebook at any time during a 15-year period, keep an eye on your bank account.Settlement payments related to the several-years-old Cambridge Analytica data breach scandal are starting to roll out this month, per CBS News. A court filing cited by CBS News says the average payment amount will come out to around $29 per person, with the maximum going all the way to $38.36. The first payments will be sent in September, with the rest going out over the course of 10 weeks. Anyone who is getting a payment should get an email a few days ahead of time. The total settlement amount came out to $725 million. SEE ALSO: Facebook is bringing back the poke (again) for the youths Those who are eligible for these payments are people who used Facebook between 2007 and 2022 and remembered to file a claim before the deadline in Aug. 2023. Apologies to those who forgot or never heard about it until now. This money is related to a court settlement Facebook reached regarding the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which a British data firm of that name was accused of scraping data from more than 50 million Facebook users without their knowledge or consent. Cambridge Analytica was employed by the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign, and took some credit for Trump's victory in that election due to its recognition of demographic shifts that the campaign took advantage of.Approximately $30 per person may not feel like enough to compensate for...all of that, but hey, it's something.

I dream of having a huge garden, but I also refuse to live outside of a city (at least for now). So that backyard garden is a bit of a pipe dream. However, I’ve found a great alternative that allows me to harvest fruits, veggies, herbs, and flowers while living in an apartment.Gardyn is an indoor hydroponic garden that uses a water tank and bright grow light to foster plant growth in indoor conditions that wouldn’t be typically conducive to garden life. I’ve been using the Gardyn Studio in my apartment for about three months, and I love it. SEE ALSO: The 2025 guide to recycling electronics, beauty empties, and clothing Gardyn vs. other indoor smart gardensWhat drew me to Gardyn over, say, AeroGarden or Click & Grow is the sheer size and number of plant slots. My Gardyn Studio holds up to 16 plants and measures 1 foot 5 inches W x 1 foot D x 4 feet 6 inches H. It fits nicely in a corner of my apartment and takes up about the same amount of space as my snake plant.Gardyn also has a Home version, which has a larger footprint and holds up to 30 plants. This would be a great option for families or households that are trying to be self-sufficient and rely less on grocery store produce. I like Gardyn’s options more than the typical countertop size of other indoor gardens because they feel like I can actually harvest real amounts of food, rather than just snipping some herbs now and then. The Gardyn Studio has 16 slots for plants. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable How Gardyn worksSetup is fairly easy and straightforward, if a little bit time-consuming. I assembled the posts and popped each yPod into place. There is a handy guide for each starter kit that shows which yCubes each plant should go in. The Gardyn Studio fits nicely in the corner of my living room. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable After placing all of my plants on the Gardyn, I filled the tank with water and plant food, and it’s been relatively self-sufficient since then. I’ve been using Gardyn’s AI assistant, Kelby, which creates schedules for me. So my Gardyn regulates its own light and water schedules. I just have to refill the tank, occasionally clean the tank, maintain roots, and trim/harvest the plants.I saw growth within a few daysThe Gardyn app says to expect sprouts within seven to 21 days, depending on the plant. I saw sprouts for most of my plants within three days, with a couple of stragglers coming past the seven-day mark. This was taken three days after I set up the Gardyn Studio. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable I received the Budding Florist starter kit that includes seven greens, three herbs, and six flowers. Each plant grew at a different rate, but after two months, my entire Gardyn was bursting with life.At the three-month mark, I’ve had to frequently harvest and trim back my plants to avoid them growing out of control. Not everything in the starter kit is something I’d eat, so I got a little lazy with my harvesting. But if I were growing only flowers, fruits, and veggies that I like, the abundance would be incredible.The Gardyn app hosts a wide selection of plants you can buy to swap into your Gardyn. And if you pay for a membership, you get five free shop credits each month to use toward new plants.Harvesting the plantsMy leafy greens grew faster than the rest of the plants, so for my first harvest, I simply grabbed some butterhead lettuce to go on top of some burgers I grilled. As the rest of my plants have matured, I’ve been experimenting with different salads and adding chopped bunching onions and purple basil to dishes for some extra flavor. (They were particularly good on a baked potato and lasagna soup, respectively.)I have to confess, I am historically not a big salad eater. I hate the crunchy white parts of romaine, so most salads from restaurants or grocery stores just aren’t my cup of tea. However, the butterhead and green salanova lettuce from my starter kit are the perfect leafy greens for my tastes. I make a little honey lemon dressing and croutons from homemade sourdough to create a refreshing side salad with my dinners throughout the week. The butterhead lettuce I grew made for the perfect burger topper. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable Side salad and bunching onions courtesty of my Gardyn. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable The produce from Gardyn tastes so fresh, and it feels good knowing exactly where my food came from — and that it’s pesticide-free. The flowers have been a little more difficult to harvest, just because their stems are so short. But I’ve made some mini bouquets, and I also just love the brightness and color they add to the corner of the room where my Gardyn sits. Gardyn also sells a vase that accommodates yPods that would be a great option to let the flowers shine on their own. I grew a whole freakin' sunflower in my living room! Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable Like I said, sometimes I get lazy with pruning my plants, but after everything is full-grown, you will definitely need to manicure the Gardyn to avoid overcrowding. If I neglect my plants for a week, they’re fighting each other for space.Kelby is my new best friendGardyn users have the option to pay for Kelby, which is Gardyn’s AI assistant. A one-year membership costs $22 per month (or $264 per year), and a two-year membership costs $19 per month ($228 per year). It’s super helpful to be so hands-off and let things happen automatically. But you could definitely get by without Kelby if you don’t want to dish out that kind of money — especially if you already have some experience taking care of plants.Kelby set my watering and light schedule for me, and I’ve been able to make adjustments as needed — I shortened my light schedule and adjusted the brightness during certain hours because having a bright light blasting in my living room at 11 p.m. simply was not in the cards for my journey.The reminders to clean my tank or add more water have been really helpful. I don’t need to pay too much attention to the device itself since I get these alerts directly to my phone.Vacation mode was nice when I went on a week-long lake trip with my family. I knew my plants wouldn’t die while I was gone, but they also wouldn’t grow out of control.A Gardyn membership also includes the five monthly store credits, free shipping monthly, exclusive member-only plants, 60% off all plants and plant food, vacation mode, and unlimited timelapse videos.Is Gardyn worth it?As someone who lives in a city and has no plans to move somewhere with a yard anytime soon, the Gardyn feels totally worth it. I can’t count the number of times I’ve frustratedly thrown out produce from the grocery store that I swore I would eat before it went bad. Being able to just snip what I need from my Gardyn lets me eat fresh produce whenever I want and cut down on food waste.I also have such a sense of accomplishment harvesting food and flowers that I grew by myself — made even more satisfactory by how little work it’s actually required from me. If you just want to grow a few herbs and maybe some cherry tomatoes, you’d probably be better off with a smaller (and cheaper) tabletop hydroponic grower. Yes, Gardyn is pricy, but if you truly want to commit to a garden but don’t have the outdoor space, it’s a worthy investment. Where to shop Gardyn Amazon Gardyn Studio $499 Shop Now Gardyn Gardyn Studio $499 Shop Now The Home Depot Gardyn Studio $499 Shop Now Amazon Gardyn Home $899 Shop Now Gardyn Gardyn Home $899 Shop Now The Home Depot Gardyn Home $899 Shop Now

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media. SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:Yellow: VitalGreen: ExclusiveBlue: MoneyPurple: A city in upstate New York Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categoriesNeed a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:Yellow: ImportantGreen: Intimate and undisclosedBlue: Global currenciesPurple: Buffalo ___Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.Drumroll, please!The solution to today's Connections #825 is...What is the answer to Connections todayImportant: CRITICAL, KEY, MAJOR, PRINCIPALIntimate and undisclosed: INNER, PERSONAL, PRIVATE, SECRETGlobal currencies: DOLLAR, POUND, STERLING, WONBuffalo ___: BILL, NICKEL, SOLDIER, WINGDon't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 2, 2025 Are you also playing NYT Strands? If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace. SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 2, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Better than goodThe words are excellent.Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words are ways to describe exceptional things.NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is They're Great. Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for September 13ExpectationsPlainsThey're GreatAuntsLakesMindsApesLooking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N. What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers. Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though. SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:The lowest point.Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no recurring letters.Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter N. SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.Drumroll please!The solution to today's Wordle is...NADIRDon't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands. SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 2, 2025 Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025:AcrossGive away a secretThe answer is Blab.A, B, C or D, but not EThe answer is Grade.Rhimes who created "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal"The answer is Shonda.Many posts by Instagram influencers, informallyThe answer is Sponcon. "Look, here's the thing ..."The answer is Listen.Performed in a playThe answer is Acted.ClutterThe answer is Mess.DownLiterary sisters behind "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights"The answer is Brontes.Poked with a knight's weaponThe answer is Lanced.Extra featureThe answer is Add On.Edamame or chickpeaThe answer is Bean.Abruptly stops textingThe answer is Ghosts.Valuable substance in the "Dune" universeThe answer is Spice.Word after grand, body or poetryThe answer is Slam.If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more. Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

Marshall, the iconic UK-based guitar amp company, has finally taken the leap from wireless headphones, earbuds, and Bluetooth speakers into the world of TV audio with its first soundbar. And it’s a Dolby Atmos and DTS-X doozy.The Marshall Heston 120 is big, brash, and has a price to match. That makes the Heston more expensive than soundbar heavyweights like Sony, Bose, and Sonos, which means that Marshall can’t rest on the power of its brand — the Heston 120 must deliver a powerful home theater experience to be ranked among the best soundbars.Spoiler: It does. It may not be perfect, but if you’re in the market for a simple yet high-performance TV speaker, the Heston 120 should be on your shortlist.Marshall Heston 120 review: Design Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable Take a look at literally any of Marshall’s audio products, and you will see the company’s guitar amp heritage proudly echoed for all to see. And despite the fact that the Heston 120 is a soundbar, not a dedicated music speaker, I’d argue it’s one of the most authentic-looking Marshall home products so far.Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on your taste.I’ll be honest, when I first unboxed the 43-inch wide Heston 120 and found myself staring at its many gold-tone accents — especially those unique top control knobs — I worried it would prove too visually distracting. After all, when you’re watching a movie, the screen should be the only thing you’re looking at.One month later, I’m still aware of the tops of those knobs, but I’ve also become quite fond of seeing the Heston in front of our TV, whether we’re watching content or not.The black cabinet, with its faux-leather construction, distinctive Marshall logo, and salt’n’pepper fabric grille (which Marshall insists on calling a ‘fret’) — it’s not just a soundbar, it’s a conversation piece. Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable At three inches tall, it looks great sitting on a surface (and it probably won’t block the bottom of your screen), but you can also wall-mount it with an optional set of brackets that Marshall sells separately.I don’t tend to get very physical with my soundbars, but if you’re concerned about how the Heston deals with rough handling, apparently, the fret, end caps, drivers, and even the circuit boards are all replaceable.Those top-mounted controls really help evoke the guitar amp vibe, and I love the red LED ring indicators that surround them. But having them as the only visual indicator for things like source, volume, and tone might not be the right call. When seated on our sofa, they’re invisible, and the Heston 120 doesn’t have a front-facing alternative.Marshall Heston 120 review: Set up Unboxing the Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable Getting the Heston set up couldn’t be easier. Once you plug the speaker into your TV via an HDMI cable and then plug it into the wall with the power cord (both included in the box), you’re pretty much good to go, at least for TV sound. You can control the volume using your TV’s remote.But don’t stop there.Download the Marshall app (iOS/Android) and let it walk you through the quick process of getting the Heston connected to your Wi-Fi network. Doing so will enable Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and a variety of other handy features, including the soundbar’s built-in room correction process, which takes less than two minutes to complete.Because the Heston doesn’t ship with its own remote, the app is also the way you’ll control the speaker’s source (TV/HDMI/Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/Aux-in) and sound mode (music/movies/night/voice) from your sofa.Marshall Heston 120 review: Connections and ControlsAround the back of the Heston 120, you’ll find one of the most extensive collections of ports I’ve seen on a soundbar at this price. In addition to the standard HDMI-eARC port, you get an HDMI input (with HDMI 2.1 including Dolby Vision and 4K/120Hz passthrough), a set of analog RCA inputs, and a mono subwoofer output. Seriously, so many ports. Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable The HDMI input is very handy—it helps to offset the HDMI port on your TV needed for the soundbar’s connection. But it’s the subwoofer output and stereo inputs that deserve a special call-out. Sony, Bose, Sonos, Samsung, and LG — these brands all offer subwoofers for their soundbars, but you’re limited to the wireless models that they manufacture. With the Heston 120, you can use any subwoofer with a wired input.Those other brands occasionally include an optical input — great for connecting a CD player or network music streamer — but an analog input is a rarity, and it’s more flexible, letting you connect those digital devices as well as a purely analog source like a turntable (if you have a preamp).There’s also a USB-C port, but this is just for power. Why is it there? A stick-style streamer like the Amazon Fire TV Stick could occupy the HDMI input and draw its power from the USB-C port, for a super-clean installation.On the networking side of the equation, the Heston supports both wired Ethernet (10/100) and Wi-Fi 6. With Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, UPnP, Tidal Connect, and Spotify Connect, the Heston can play almost any source of music you have access to, at very high resolutions.Finally, you also get Bluetooth 5.3 with support for SBC, AAC, and LC3 codecs for ad-hoc audio streaming from a mobile device.As I said earlier, the Heston’s controls are aesthetically beautiful. They’re also a joy to use, with a delightful knurled finish and the sort of precise tactile feedback I’ve come to expect from Marshall’s excellent wireless speakers. The three main knobs (volume/tone/source) are accompanied by three preset buttons and a sound mode button (more on these later). Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable Their proud, highly visible presence on the speaker’s top surface hints at the fact that Marshall places an equal emphasis on music listening.There’s no way to mute the volume, but the source knob doubles as a playback control, with a single click to play/pause, a double click to skip forward, and a triple click to skip back.Like many soundbars these days, there’s no power button. Once you plug it in, the Heston is effectively on all of the time, though it hangs out in a low-power standby mode when it hasn’t been actively used in a while.Marshall Heston 120 review: Great for movies and TV shows Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable Under the hood, the Heston 120 sports 11 discrete drivers and amps. And though that’s fewer than you’ll find in the Sonos Arc Ultra ($999, 14 drivers/15 amps), Marshall’s soundbar can easily compete with the Ultra for raw power and emotion.With frequencies that get as low as 40Hz, the two built-in subwoofers generate the kind of deep low-end that lends itself to both movies and music. They provide a decent level of power — Max Rockatansky’s opening monologue in Mad Max: Fury Road comes across as deep and gravelly, as it should —  though it stops short of the Arc Ultra’s impressive low frequency energy. My other go-to Dolby Atmos test clips from No Time To Die, Dune, and Unbroken proved that the Heston 120 is a capable spatial audio speaker, with good width, depth, and height. In Movie mode, dialogue clarity is strong and gets clearer when you use the dedicated Voice sound mode. Once again, the Arc Ultra proved more agile, with better definition for surround sound effects.The Marshall app is commendable for its simplicity. Most of the settings are all accessible from the homescreen, but I found myself wishing for a few more adjustments. A notable omission is the lack of individual channel levels, especially for the height drivers. To get the most out of the Heston’s Dolby Atmos capabilities, I had to drive it loud. At 50 percent volume, the virtual surround channels and height effects lacked oomph. At 75 percent, they roared to life. With more control over these channels, I suspect I could have heard them better, even at a lower overall volume. Credit: https://mashable.com/review/sonos-arc-ultra-soundbar As you might expect, adding a wired sub improves the whole experience. In my case, with an Energy S8.2 sub, it added significant power to the lows. The soundbar diverts all frequencies lower than 50Hz to the sub, a setting that Marshall says will be adjustable with a future firmware update. Curiously, when you connect a sub, the app doesn’t prompt you to recalibrate the room correction — possibly because it doesn’t really control any of the sub’s parameters other than the frequencies it receives.It’s worth noting that the Heston 120 also supports DTS-X, a Dolby Atmos competitor. I tried a few DTS-X demo clips, and they sounded amazing. However, DTS-X fans may want to double-check the specs on their favorite DTS-X movies. While the Heston had no trouble decoding Dolby Atmos at up to 9.1.6 channels, its DTS-X decoding proved to be more limited.Marshall says it will downmix DTS-X 7.1.4 to 5.1.2, but when I ran a channel-by-channel test, the soundbar skipped the rear height and side surrounds.Marshall Heston 120 review: For MusicI’ve reviewed a lot of soundbars, and it’s rare for them to do as good a job with music as they do with movies. The Heston 120 is one of those rarities: Listening to streaming music is a blast. I credit the Heston’s built-in subwoofers for the sound, which has a warm tone when using the default Music mode. It can get remarkably loud, with no noticeable distortion, even when playing tracks like Billie Eilish’s bad guy — a torture test for low-end fidelity. Marshall doesn’t discuss how it processes two-channel stereo, but I’m fairly certain there’s some upmixing happening to take advantage of the soundbar’s multiple drivers. Instead of getting a phantom center channel, it’s a much more expansive soundstage. I happen to like it, but if you don’t, there’s no way to alter it.Your best bet is to use the lossless, Wi-Fi-based Google Cast protocol from apps like Amazon Music or Qobuz on an iPhone. Alternatively, if you’re on Android, you can also Google Cast Apple Music. Tidal users can leverage the Tidal Connect system from either platform.Equally good are music apps on a connected streaming device like an Apple TV or Nvidia Shield.Finally, if you don’t mind a lossy connection, Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth are also available.If you’ve never heard Dolby Atmos Music on a speaker system, you’re in for a treat. Fire up a track like M.I.A.’s Marigold, or the excellent Atmos version of The Doors’ classic, Riders On The Storm, and I suspect you’ll seek out Atmos content at every opportunity.The only downside to Atmos on the Heston is the way the speaker handles volume levels. For some reason, Atmos content plays much quieter than two-channel mixes. If you’re listening to an entire Atmos album (say, Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms), it’s no problem. But bounce between Atmos and stereo, and you’ll be wishing Marshall had included a remote control to help you stay on top of the volume changes.Those preset buttons (both on top of the speaker and in the app) are handy, but limited. You can program with any radio station from the Marshall app’s built-in Airable Internet radio service, or any Spotify station or playlist. Unfortunately, the Spotify integration didn’t work for me while using a free subscription, and there’s no way to use the presets with other services like Apple Music, Tidal, or Amazon Music.Marshall Heston 120 review: Sound adjustments Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable Like most soundbars at this price, the Heston 120 has built-in room calibration. The effectiveness of this feature can depend on a lot of factors, like room shape and size, furniture placement, the capabilities of the soundbar, and the algorithms used to do the calibration. In my case, the Heston’s calibration helped to reduce some bass muddiness while increasing high-frequency definition.If you’re not happy with the calibration, you can repeat the process or disable it entirely. Either way, you’ve also got two more options to fine-tune the sound.The speaker’s sound modes deliver an instant change of emphasis, and each input (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc) will remember the last mode you applied. Movie mode boosts lows and highs for more cinematic punch. Music mode keeps things balanced for a more neutral presentation. Night reduces dynamic range, so you’re less likely to bother neighbors or family members, and Voice de-emphasizes lows and lower-mids while boosting the frequencies that belong to dialogue.However, each sound mode can be further tweaked by using the bass/treble knob. Push it once to swap between these adjustments, then spin the dial.If you really want to get granular, the Marshall app lets you manually tweak a five-band equalizer. These changes can be done per mode (different tweaks for Music vs. Movie, for instance), but they can’t be saved if you try different combos.Marshall Heston 120 review: Untapped potential Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable Most high-end soundbars either come with their own wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer (LG, Samsung, JBL) or they’re designed with expansion in mind (Sonos, Bose). At the moment, the Heston 120 offers neither, but Marshall says that will change soon.A dedicated wireless sub is on the way, and the plan is to let users expand the Heston via Marshall’s line of third-gen Homeline portable Bluetooth speakers — all the way from the tiny Emberton III to the Woburn II.I didn’t get to test this capability, so I can’t say how it performs compared to existing solutions. Marshall says it will use Bluetooth Auracast as its wireless protocol for these add-on speakers, which is an industry first for a soundbar. Time will tell if it’s as reliable and effective as Wi-Fi.Is the Marshall Heston 120 worth it?Yes. Considering its price, design, features, and performance, the Heston 120 is an excellent choice for a single-speaker home theater sound system. While not as precise or immersive as the Sonos Arc Ultra for movies, its support for DTS:X, HDMI input, and wired subwoofer output make it a more versatile choice. It’s also a superb music speaker that offers the highest quality wireless streaming protocols (like Google Cast), so you can get up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution from your music, something the Arc Ultra can’t do.Enthusiasts may wish for more control, especially around two-channel stereo and individual channel levels, but if you’re among the set-it-and-forget-it crowd, I doubt you’ll mind this at all.Finally, there’s the potential for discrete surround and subwoofer additions via Marshall’s range of existing Bluetooth speakers. It’s always a bit iffy to buy a product for its promised features, but if this comes to fruition, it could make the Heston 120 one of the most compelling soundbars on the market. Opens in a new window Credit: Marshall Marshall Heston 120 soundbar $999 Learn More Marshall Heston 120 review: Just the specsDimensions: 43.3 x 5.7 x 3.0 inchesWall-mountable: Yes, wall-mount sold separatelyRemote included: NoNumber/type of drivers: 11 (2 tweeters, 5 full-range, 2 mid-woofers, 2 subwoofers)Number/power of amps: 11 class D (2 x 50 watts, 9 x 30 watts)Channels/configuration: 5.1.2Ports: HDMI eARC, HDMI IN (Pass through), RCA Stereo, RCA Mono (Sub Out), USB-CVideo specs/formats: HDMI 2.1 eARC, 4K 120 Hz, Dolby Vision, HDCP 1.4Wired/Wireless networking: Bluetooth 5.3/Wi-Fi 6, Ethernet (10/100)Wi-Fi streaming platforms: Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal ConnectBluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, LC3Audio codecs: MPEG-4, ALAC, FLAC, LPCM, Ogg, Vorbis, WMA, WMA9 Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS-XExpandable: via Auracast (future update)In the box: soundbar, HDMI cable, power cable, Quick-start guideColors: Black

With the launch of the iPhone 17 and the Apple Watch Series 11, it is officially update season for Apple fans. While iOS 26 has received most of the attention, the entire Apple hardware family is about to get a new operating system refresh. So, even if you don’t buy the latest gadgets from Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ event, you still have some fresh stuff coming, including the Liquid Glass makeover. Apple has updated its OS naming scheme to make sure the OS version numbers match one another, which will make everything a lot simpler for consumers moving forward. Thus, we have iOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and visionOS 26 coming through the pipes. If you own one of the devices that will get those updates, here are all the compatible devices and release dates.How to download watchOS 26The latest rendition of watchOS comes with a Liquid Glass design, new features, and four new watch faces. It will launch to the public on Sept. 15, 2025. Per Apple, it’ll be compatible with every Apple Watch from the Series 6 onward, along with all models of the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE 2 and 3. You may receive a notification to install the update when it finally drops. If not, follow these steps:On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app. Head to the General section and then Software Update.The app will check for the update manually. You may need to enter your iPhone or Apple Watch passcode. From there the update will download and install. Note: You’ll want to keep your Apple Watch on the charger or have it charged to at least 50%. How to download iPadOS 26iPadOS 26 is very similar to iOS 26 in that many of the same features will be around, including the Liquid Glass design. In addition, Apple has invented something called “Windows” that allows your iPad to run apps in windowed form. In any case, this update is coming on Sept. 15 as well and will be compatible with the following devices. iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)iPad Air (3rd generation and later)iPad (8th generation and later)iPad mini (5th generation and later)iPad Pro M2iPad Pro M4iPad Air M2iPad Air M3iPad (A16)iPad mini (A17 Pro)And here’s how to install it:Go to your iPad’s settings menu.Navigate to General, and then Software Update.From there, your iPad will check manually for updates. Once the watchOS 26 prompt appears, hit “Update Now.”After that, the update will download. Once done, tap “Install Now.” You’ll have to input your passcode to continue. Note: Keep your iPad on a charger or have it mostly charged first. How to download macOS 26 TahoeAs with the other updates, macOS 26 Tahoe will include Apple’s Liquid Glass design along with a slew of other cool features. As with the others, macOS 26 Tahoe will release on Sept. 15 as a free update. The update is compatible with the following Macs. MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019 model)MacBook Pro (13-inch model from 2020 with four Thunderbolt ports)iMac (2020 and later)Mac mini (2020 and later) Mac Studio (2022 and later)Mac Pro (2019 and later)And here are the installation instructions:Click the Apple Menu button in the top corner of your screen. Select System Settings.Once the window opens, tap General in the left sidebar. From here, you’ll see the Software Update option in the main window. Tap the Update Now button to begin your installation process. You’ll have to enter your admin password before it’ll actually install. The update will download and install. Note: Apple advises not to close the lid on your MacBook or let your Mac go to sleep. Just leave it and let it update. How to download tvOS 26Like the others, tvOS 26 is coming with plenty of updates, including Liquid Glass and the ability to use your iPhone as a microphone during karaoke night. It’s also launching on Sept. 15. In terms of compatibility, all Apple TV models are getting this update. However, some of the features, like the Liquid Glass UI, will only appear for the 2nd and 3rd generations of the Apple TV 4K.Here’s how to install it:Go to the Settings menu.Navigate to System and then Software Update.The device will check for updates. If there is one, hit “Download and Install.”Your Apple TV will download and install the update. Note: Apple says to leave your Apple TV plugged in and on during this process. How to download visionOS 26Finally, we come to visionOS 26. Apple has struggled to move these off of store shelves, with the huge price tag being the main culprit. In any case, for those few who do have it, the update comes on Sept. 15 with plenty of cool goodies to look forward to. As you may have guessed, it is compatible with the only Vision Pro that Apple currently sells. And the installation instructions are as follows:Open your Settings menu. Navigate to General and then Software Update. It’ll check for updates and display the visionOS 26 update. When you’re ready, tap the “Download and Install Now” button. You may need to enter your Apple Vision Pro passcode at this step. Once the update is ready, you’ll be told by the Vision Pro to remove the headset.From here, the update progress can be seen on the front of your device. Updates galore are coming soonThose with a lot of Apple devices will have a busy Monday ahead of them. Most of these updates are bringing the same general redesign with platform-specific features, so there’s a ton to look forward to. Good luck with those installs.

Not to be confused with the dog in a haunted house movie also titled Good Boy, this English thriller brings dark humor to a setup that is absolutely the stuff of trashy true crime shows. Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough star as a married couple who, at a distance, might seem to have a blissful life in rural England. On their remote estate, a strong metal gate keeps the mad modern world at bay. Their big home has room enough for a master bedroom with a towering canopy bed, space for their young and lovely son nicknamed "Sunshine," a guest room for a live-in maid, and a roomy basement, perfect for doing laundry and crafting special projects. However, what former cop Chris and his fragile wife Kathryn are working on in the basement is anything but charming. Helmed by Polish filmmaker Jan Komasa, Good Boy has plot points in common with Pedro Almodóvar's disturbing psychological thriller The Skin I Live In, with the comedic cheek of a midnight movie. The result is something gnarly, but not quite great. Wait, what's Good Boy about? As teased in the film's first promo image (up top), Good Boy follows the rehabilitation efforts Chris and his family inflict on Tommy (Anson Boon), a 19-year-old hooligan who's been exposing his reckless exploits on social media with no apparent consequence. Before we meet Chris' cozy and unconventional family, Good Boy thrusts us into Tommy's chaotic lifestyle. Across a night of partying, the blonde party boy indulges in clubs, drugs, public sex, and violence with a devil-may-care attitude that's less exhilarating and more nauseating. As he limps home, wobbly from embracing damn near every vice, a car lurks behind him, and someone dashes out to grab him. From there, Good Boy leaps to another figure who'll fall into this family's realm. An immigrant from Macedonia, Rina (Monika Frajczyk) is considering taking a cleaning job at Chris' home, even though his questions for her include whether or not she has any "distinguishing marks." A flash in her eyes acknowledges this red flag, but her willingness to brush over it suggests she's got little other choice. From the moment she arrives at Chris and Kathryn's home, she becomes the audience surrogate, guiding us through the house and its more curious aspects, like the boy chained up by his neck in the basement.Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.Anson Boon is fascinating as the eponymous good boy. There's a trace of Trainspotting in Tommy, specifically his "choose life" attitude that embraces debauchery over civility. Though chained up like a bad dog, he won't make it easy on his captors. Where Rina could be an ally, he's quick to spook her, which sparks a stern talking to from Chris. Who Tommy is to Chris and Kathryn is not immediately made clear. Their mission, however, is to break the boy until he's "good." Their methods range from the horrific to the comical. Sometimes Tommy's training involves watching videos about good etiquette created by Chris and his Sunshine (Kit Rakusen). Other times, violent means like a stun gun are brought into play. Acting as if he's being electrocuted is just the edge of the physicality demanded by Boon's role. And he gives every moment a feral intensity.  As the family grows to trust in Tommy's slow but steady progress, they begin to literally lengthen his leash. This means Boon is sometimes battling the bondage, and other times finding ways to make it work for him. There's an alertness to his eyes that reveals he's not yet broken, even when he's playing nice to appease his captors. Tommy is ferociously alive, and through this, he influences all in the house to embrace something wild in themselves, be it rediscovering their sex drive, their joy, or their curiosity of a world beyond the gates. Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough make an odd couple forged in hell. Graham is a fantastic bit of casting, as the English actor has played an array of tough guys in productions like Gangs of New York, This Is England, Public Enemies, and A Thousand Blows. More recently, however, he wowed critics and audiences by playing the heartbroken and volatile father in Netflix's harrowing crime mini-series Adolescence. Now, in Good Boy, Graham is doggedly gentle — until he's not. Chris certainly prefers the carrot to the stick when it comes to discipline. But the very casting of Graham warns the audience that wielding the stick is inevitable. This threat of violence is echoed in the trembling eyes of his son, whose cheerfulness can snap to terror like a light switch. What's happened in this house before Tommy's arrival may not be spoken, but through the interactions of father and son, it's clear enough. Yet Riseborough's role is even more unnerving. At the film's start, she has a boy in her basement and a young woman cleaning her family's mess while she stares out a window, silent and dressed like a Victorian ghost in long, silky white nightgowns. But as Tommy progresses, she blooms like belladonna, donning more modern attire, speaking up, and even delivering her own brand of parenting in soft but stinging tones. So, none of this sounds all that funny, right? Well, Good Boy's sense of humor is determinedly dark. Its laughs come mostly from where the absurdity of Chris' plan collides with Tommy's no-fucks-to-give attitude. On the whole, the film's more funny as in strange than funny as in humorous. This becomes a bit of an issue as Komasa approaches the film's wild resolution. The ending, while properly disturbing, feels frustratingly unearned, perhaps because the restrained approach to its visual style doesn't support such an outrageous outcome. The wardrobe and look of the family and their house are tweaked slightly from standard to seem almost a caricature of a happy family. Chris' hair is meticulously combed, his shirt buttoned, jeans pressed, glasses unsmudged, even as he's just directing the delinquent in his basement. Kathryn's attire, meanwhile, gives a sense of Grey Gardens without the funky whiff of decay. Subtle visual clues hint that this family is freaky. But if Komasa had pushed their strangeness more in visuals, his twisted ending might have felt better suited, instead of a bit of a cheat. Still, if you're seeking funky and fucked-up entertainment, Good Boy should scratch that late-night movie itch. Good Boy was reviewed out of its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. 

Americans love the story of a charming con man. From Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to The Talented Mr. Ripley, Paper Moon to Catch Me If You Can, there's an undeniable appeal to witnessing a man make a fortune by outsmarting others. Underneath the surface of these seductive stories is the sly suggestion that the American Dream is rigged, far easier to achieve if you have money to begin with. And so inherently, the con-man story is one of an underdog who survives by his charm and wits alone. What is Derek Cianfrance doing making a con-man comedy? The American writer/director has built his career with daring dramas, like the brutal breakup movie Blue Valentine, the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines, and the romantic offering The Light Between Oceans, starring serious leading men like Ryan Gosling and Michael Fassbender. Yet his latest is a romantic comedy starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst that is inspired by a real-life con man and convicted criminal whose crime spree coverage labeled him "Roofman."  SEE ALSO: 11 best true crime docs about scammers, con artists, and deadly deceptions The issue is not that such a switch-up in genre is unexpected from Cianfrance, though it is. It's that Roofman is utterly confounding in its execution. After days of mulling it over following the film's Toronto International Film Festival premiere, I can't decide if Cianfrance has failed in making a con-man comedy that stands up to the greats, or if he's succeeded in creating a shrewd entry in the genre that condemns its core concept. Roofman reveals the true story of serial cat burglar Jeffrey Manchester. Credit: Paramount Pictures Between 1997 and 2005, the former U.S. Army Reservist turned his attention to a spree of robberies of fast food places and big retail stores, breaking in through their roofs. Through voiceover, Jeffrey (Tatum) confesses he'd hit 45 McDonald's before he was arrested. But in the film's opening robbery, he's not just an armed robber; he's a nice armed robber. Before forcing three McDonald's employees into the walk-in, where they will be held captive until police arrive, he suggests they put on their coats. Hell, he even lends one to the shift manager (Tony Revolori in a nothing role), because the poor guy didn't plan on being held hostage in a fridge that day! Through voiceover, Jeffrey pleads his case to the audience — he was doing all this to support his ex-wife and three young kids — coolly glossing over the trauma that even a nice intruder with a gun might cause his victims. From there, Roofman practically races the first act of Jeff's arrest, conviction, and first few years in prison. The inciting incident of the film is when he breaks out of jail in an admittedly amusing escape sequence that involves gumption, cleverness, and some criminal crafting (needle, thread, and spray paint). From there, he's a fugitive, considered armed and dangerous. So naturally he breaks into the roof of a Toys "R" Us to hole up for months.  Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.It's a preposterous premise that's mostly true. Also true: While on the lam, Manchester made new friends, including a church-going girlfriend who knew him under the alias John Zorn. Cianfrance, who writes and directs Roofman, therefore channels the second act into firm romantic-comedy territory. An attractive and nonthreatening leading man woos a beautiful and kind woman — in this case, single mother of two Leigh Wainscott (Dunst). They share clumsy but cute flirtations, good sex, and heart-to-hearts about what it means to be a good parent and a good person. But in this story, something sinister slithers. Is Roofman absolving or evaluating Jeffrey Manchester? Credit: Paramount Pictures With his goofy smile and ease with physical comedy, Tatum is a smart choice to play Manchester. Beloved for roles in everything from Magic Mike to Logan Lucky and 21 Jump Street, he's generally cast as the good guy, who, even when he's doing wrong, has his heart in the right place. For much of Roofman's runtime, an affable Tatum plays that part. As John, Jeffrey easily charms Leigh, her daughters, and her group of church friends, which includes a very out-of-his-niche Ben Mendelsohn as a cheery pastor and Uzo Aduba as his chipper wife. But much of what Jeffrey says to win them over includes outright lies about who he is, what he does for a living, and, naturally, where he lives. Of course, plenty of rom-coms dating back to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night have a lie exposed as the low point sure to threaten a happily-ever-after. But few of those rom-com lies involve glossing over a 40+ string of violent criminal offenses. As Roofman chugged along, I grew increasingly uneasy about Jeffrey's superficial charm and how he'd rationalize away his lies and crimes by insisting he's a good guy at heart. The way his actions impacted others was not something his dialogue or voiceover touched on. Instead, within the film, he tries to create a balance by donating toys (that he stole) to a charity or stealthily changing things around the toy store to help out his oblivious girlfriend. As I watched, I wondered what Cianfrance was trying to tell us about the real Manchester, and by extension, our own American fascination with the con man. Could this Jeffrey be redeemed? Or would he be exposed as a liar so good he fooled even himself? Roofman takes a dark turn that fans of the bouncy ad campaign won't see coming.  Credit: Paramount Pictures For much of the second act, the romance with Leigh suggests that all Jeffrey needs is a second chance to make the right choice. But reconnecting with an old criminal pal (LaKeith Stanfield) and tracking the movements of the cranky Toys "R" Us manager (Peter Dinklage) suggests that Jeffrey might just go on the run again. The cops are closing in. Time is running out. So Jeffrey makes a decision that can't be so easily written off as nice and is instead vicious and selfish. A prolonged climax fitting Cianfrance's reputation for breath-snatching drama tears down the con-man facade of the "polite" robber. And yet, Roofman's resolution seems to backpedal with something softer as Leigh resurfaces.  As I left the theater, I wondered if Cianfrance got into an artistic battle with producers about how dark this star-fronted crime comedy could get. Was the end a feel-good compromise that muddled the writer/director's intentions? Or was this weirdly warm resolution meant to excuse the character's crimes in the name of a good time, as so many con-man movies have done before? After much reflection, I think it might be a third, more complicated option, inspired by the churchgoers represented in Roofman. Over the film's end credits, Cianfrance includes footage of the real Leigh and the real pastor, among others, talking about the John Zorn they knew. Within these brief clips, the lines between sin and crime get blurred, and a message not so much about redemption but about forgiveness arises. Perhaps, while Jeffrey is the center of this movie, he's not its hero as much as the focus of its fable. Credit: Paramount Pictures If so, Cianfrance uses the con-man conceit much as Jeffrey uses John Zorn, as a ruse to lure people in so he might pursue another agenda. Roofman is not another tale of a crafty and enviable slippery con man who gets off scot-free, generally to the excitement of the audience. Instead, this intriguing filmmaker muddies the narrative by exploring the hopeful perspective of redemption alongside a frank depiction of how such an ideal might be abused.  In the end, Roofman is not a charming romantic comedy or the winsome crime caper promised by its trailer and sunny yellow posters. It's something darker, more mercurial and dense. What it has to say about con men in general or Jeffrey Manchester specifically is left in the hands of the viewer, as Cianfrance himself rejects giving this twisty tale of crime, love, and big choices a simple conclusion. Which is to say, Roofman is a frustrating watch, refusing to fit into the genre expectations. But that might be precisely the point. Roofman was reviewed out of its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie will open in theaters Oct. 10.

It’s the most wonderful time of year — if you’re an iPhone-head, that is. OK, maybe "most wonderful time of year" is an overstatement, but it is so fun when the stars align with your phone plan, your bank account, and new iPhone releases. I personally love peeling off the tape from that little white box that you end up shoving in a drawer for the next six to 12 years. It seems like when I am due for a new iPhone, my current phone heaves its last dying breath and suffers a mortal tumble on the sidewalk. I’ve since learned my lesson and always hunt for the best phone case. If you also keep your phone protected — or if you're among those who don't love the iPhone 17 Pro design — we've rounded up some of the best iPhone 17 Pro cases. SEE ALSO: Which new iPhone should you buy? Comparing iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 vs 17 Pro and Pro Max I would be remiss if I didn’t give my current phone case a shoutout. When I picked up a bespoke phone case from Memor, I was mesmerized by their different “genres” of aesthetic: Venus, adastra, nautilus, starlet, musette, and intaglio. I personally chose the category Venus, which Memor says “blends the romantic allure & poetry of Botticelli’s 'The Birth of Venus' with the decadent, whimsical world of Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette." I always get so many compliments on my phone case, and if I had a dollar for every time it sparked up the conversation about our phone’s potential to be part of our outfits, I’d have enough dollars to buy two more cases (which I am dying to do). Pssst, they have preorders open for iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro phone cases. If you’re in the market for a new case for your iPhone 17 Pro, here’s a list of some solid options.RingkeStarting our list strong, we have this iPhone 17 Pro case with a built-in card holder. This minimalist case can hold just one card so it’s perfect if you have Apple Pay on your phone and want to carry your ID (or Costco gold membership card). This case supports wireless charging and touch-to-pay functions. It also has strap holes for easy accessorizing. Opens in a new window Credit: Ringke iPhone 17 Pro Max case $20.99 at Ringke Shop Now OtterboxIf you’re looking for style and durability, this iPhone 17 Pro case is great for you. Embroidered cactus leather features decals of Paris or flowers, stitched with premium thread. The case is designed to withstand daily drops and comes with MagSafe compatibility.  Opens in a new window Credit: Otterbox Symmetry Series Cactus Leather Embroidery iPhone 17 case $79.99 at Otterbox Shop Now CasetifyCasetify has so many excellent options when it comes to picking up a new case for your phone. This brightly colored case features a fun design and 11.5-foot drop protection. Its cases are wireless charging compatible and made from recycled plastic. Opens in a new window Credit: Casetify Pink Wavy Border on Orange compact case $50 at Casetify Shop Now BurgaIf you want a pop of pop culture iconography, you could pick up an iPhone 17 Pro case from Burga. The printed tin of sardines is vivid and meant to last. Opens in a new window Credit: Burga Burga Gourmet iPhone 17 Pro case $54.95 at Burga Shop Now Armor-XArmor-X has this excellent iPhone 17 Pro case that delivers on all fronts for people who want a phone case that is downright tough. Its cover is shock and waterproof, and it even features a carabiner mount. It’s also fully submersible in up to six feet of water for nearly two hours. The crystal-clear built-in screen protector is compatible with surgical gloves, and the case extends slightly, protecting the cameras from getting scratched. Opens in a new window Credit: Armor-X MX-IPH-17PRO iPhone 17 Pro case $69.99 at Armor-X Shop Now CasecoSo maybe you want something sleek and trustworthy, but it does not need sardine tins or extreme sports durability. In that case, this silicone MagSafe black iPhone 17 Pro case from Caseco is an excellent option. It comes in at $34.99 and feels extra soft to the touch. Opens in a new window Credit: Caseco iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case With MagSafe $34.99 at Caseco Shop Now OtoflyThis silicone case from Otofly has a flat-back design for a seamless grip and fit in your phone. It has drop protection up to seven feet. Opens in a new window Credit: Otofly iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case with MagSafe $29.99 at Otofly Shop Now Urban SophisticationAnother fashion-forward phone case for the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max is this puffer coat-style case from Urban Sophistication. I personally love a statement accessory, even with my phone. It comes in many bold colors while remaining light and squishy and still offering excellent protection for your device. Opens in a new window Credit: Urban Sophistication The Puffer Case $80 Shop Now MousMous offers phone cases and packages that deliver on all fronts. This package from Mous for iPhone 17 Pro features sleek, muted colors, 360-degree screen protection, and a removable magnetic wallet for your cards. Opens in a new window Credit: Mous iPhone Starter Kit $127.27 at Mous $149.97 Save $22.70 Shop Now Velvet CaviarAnother style-forward option includes this stardust glitter iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max case from Velvet Caviar. Velvet Caviar specializes in offering extensive matching sets of related products. For example, you can get a case, strap, and purse all in the same pattern if that’s your jam. On top of style options, its cases hold up to wear and tear, have scratch-resistant coating, and a 10-foot drop test certification. Opens in a new window Credit: Velvet Caviar Stardust Glitter iPhone Case $40 at Velvet Caviar Shop Now

In a remote part of the galaxy, a giant young star is firing off two streams of hot gas in opposite directions at hundreds of thousands of miles per hour.The star, known as S284p1, is about 10 times the mass of the sun and still growing. Its jets span roughly 8 light-years across — about double the distance between the sun and the next-closest star system. Astronomers spotted S284p1 with the James Webb Space Telescope, a joint partnership of NASA and its European and Canadian counterparts. Though hundreds of baby stars' beams — aka "protostellar jets" — have been seen before, they're mainly powered by small stars. Observing such large jets coming from an enormous star is rare and suggests the scale of the jet correlates with the size of the developing star, scientists said. The discovery provides new insight into how giant stars take shape — and how similar processes may have worked in the early universe. The new findings have been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal."We didn’t really know there was a massive star with this kind of super-jet out there before the observation," said Yu Cheng, lead author of the paper, in a statement. "Such a spectacular outflow of molecular hydrogen from a massive star is rare in other regions of our galaxy." SEE ALSO: How rare runaway dead stars are tricky clues for a cosmic mystery The new observations may mean that these stars can grow in calm and orderly ways, even in harsh conditions. Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration S284p1 sits at the edge of the Milky Way about 15,000 light-years from Earth. As superheated gas falls onto the star, it gets redirected as narrow beams, confined by powerful magnetic fields. The jets shoot outward — 180 degrees apart — into surrounding dust and gas. Not only are the jets surprising, but the star's location adds to the intrigue. S284p1 lies in Sharpless 2-284, a region brimming with dense gas clouds and clusters of young stars. But the area contains few elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. Many scientists had predicted that giant stars developing in this environment would form in a sloppy manner because heavier elements help gas cool and clump together. That doesn't seem to have held back this star.  "I was really surprised at the order, symmetry, and size of the jet when we first looked at it," said Jonathan Tan, a co-author from the University of Virginia and Chalmers University of Technology, in a statement. Scientists didn't expect to find such signs of smooth star formation: Heavier elements are known to be instrumental to the process, helping gas cool, break apart, and collapse. In the absence of those materials, experts have thought the process should look much different, perhaps happening in sporadic bursts. The new observations may mean that these stars can grow in calm and orderly ways, even in harsh conditions.Most of the chemicals in the universe come from exploded stars, so scientists have long thought that the very first stars were made almost entirely of hydrogen and helium, the primitive material that emerged from the Big Bang. Over time, as stars died, they blasted out heavier elements, which astronomers refer to as "metals." Those supernova dispersals seed new generations of stars and planets, but scientists admit they still have much to learn about how it works.Massive stars like S284p1 have important influences on the evolution of galaxies that scientists want to better understand, said Cheng, who works for the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. "We can use this massive star as a laboratory to study what was going on in earlier cosmic history," Cheng said. 

TL;DR: An exclusive StackSocial deal gets you lifetime access to Babbel Language Learning (14 languages, 10,000+ hours) for $159 (MSRP $299). Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $159 $299 Save $140 Get Deal If you’ve ever thought about learning another language (or 14), there’s no better time to start. Thanks to a limited-time StackSocial promotion, you can get lifetime access to Babbel Language Learning (all languages) for less than the regular cost. A one-time payment of just $159 (reg. $299) gets you a lifetime of learning.Unlike no-name apps that promise fluency without substance, Babbel was developed by over 100 expert linguists and backed by researchers from Yale University. It’s designed to help you actually speak a new language with confidence — whether you’re prepping for a trip abroad, connecting with family, or hoping to boost your career. SEE ALSO: Google Translate is using AI to help users learn languages You’ll get access to 14 languages and 10,000+ hours of high-quality content. Lessons are short and made to fit into even packed schedules — just 10 to 15 minutes — and available on desktop or mobile, with progress synced across devices. You can even download lessons to practice offline, whether that’s on a flight or in a WiFi dead zone on the subway.Here’s part of what makes Babbel a standout:Real conversations: Lessons focus on practical topics like dining, shopping, transportation, and more.Speech recognition: Built-in tools help you perfect pronunciation and avoid awkward slip-ups.Personalized learning: Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, you’ll find lessons that match your level.Expert design: A proven method that emphasizes conversational skills over rote memorization.And with lifetime access, you’re free to hone in on one language or explore all 14 — on your schedule, forever.Pick up a lifetime Babbel Language Learning access for $159 (reg. $299) with this limited-time exclusive offer from StackSocial using code LEARN through Oct. 2.StackSocial prices subject to change.

Deep in the crevices of sports TikTok, hiding in a spider hole, is a new trend that you've perhaps come across. Thinking back on heartbreaking games of the past, have you ever thought, "Wow, that guy absolutely terrorized my team"?With both the NFL and English Premier League back in action, fans are dredging up painful memories of players who have ruined their weekends time and again. This genre of meme has an unofficial name — "football terrorist" — and it’s being made literal in the kind of darkly absurd memes only TikTok could deliver. These SportsTok edits splice together lowlight reels of those players with clips of former Iraqi president and dictator Saddam Hussein. Yes, this is very real. The edits don’t just splice in Saddam clips — they’re also set to a nasheed called "Al Qawlu Qawlu Sawarim" by Abu Ali, released back in 2000. Nasheeds are traditional Islamic a cappella-style chants, and this one, based on translations, was meant as a battle hymn. Sports TikTok has reimagined it as the soundtrack to your team’s worst nightmares.The "football terrorist" label generally falls into two buckets. First are the athletes or teams who inflict pain through sheer incompetence — think Eli Apple getting burned in coverage, Andre Onana gifting goals at Manchester United, or the eternal misery of Cleveland Browns fans. Then there are the players so dominant against certain opponents that they might as well own them: Aaron Rodgers torching the Bears, Tom Brady steamrolling the AFC East for two decades, or the entirety of Alabama college football from 2008-2023. And this isn’t just football. The NBA got its own taste during the 2024 playoffs when Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers went on a Cinderella run powered by comeback wins and last-second daggers. NBA Twitter christened him "The Haliban," complete with inappropriate memes with a turban photoshopped onto his head. Even coaches aren’t immune — Baltimore Ravens’ John Harbaugh was meme’d into Osama Bin Laden after coughing up a 34–19 lead against the Bills on Sunday Night Football. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Given that we’re nearly 24 years removed from the start of the U.S.’s so-called "War on Terror," it’s not exactly shocking that its cast of characters — Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, even George W. Bush — have drifted into the surreal meme-space of sports TikTok. What was once deadly serious geopolitical imagery has, in certain corners of fandom, been reworked into gallows humor.It also speaks to how the culture of the early 2000s, when Islamophobia was normalized (and often played for laughs in mainstream media), has curdled into something stranger amid our Y2K cultural revival. For younger fans who didn’t live through the 9/11 era, the imagery feels like a detached artifact rather than real history. Thus, remixing it into a meme about a placekicker ruining your Sunday or a striker blowing an easy save. It's absurd, offensive, and — depending on who you ask — really, really funny.Case in point, one comment under a Tom Brady X Saddam edit reads, "As a kid growing up in NY during the 2000s, these two were considered equally evil men back then."

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $29.99 per month for 1 year (save $15) Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99 per year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month (save $30) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $76.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Season Pass $329 for 5 months (save $50.95) Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 3 months (save $99) Shop Now There are a number of really interesting matchups in Week 3 of the new college football season, including Georgia Tech vs. Clemson. The Yellow Jackets have lost the last nine games against the Tigers, but they're coming into this contest with a lot of confidence. Could this be their moment to end that painful run of defeats?If you want to watch Georgia Tech vs. Clemson for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.When is Georgia Tech vs. Clemson?Georgia Tech vs. Clemson takes place at 12 p.m. ET on Sept. 13. This game takes place at the Bobby Dodd Stadium.How to watch Georgia Tech vs. Clemson for freeGeorgia Tech vs. Clemson is broadcast on ESPN. Fans can live stream this game on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $29.99 per month for 1 year Shop Now Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNXESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $29.99 per month, but for the first year, new subscribers can secure a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu for the same price.Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99 per year Shop Now Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten NetworkFox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $40 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a seven-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CWFuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and provides the opportunity to watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters for seven days before you make any sort of commitment. Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $76.99/month Shop Now Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CWHulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $76.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). The included access to ESPN+ provides bonus access to even more college football games on top of live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $329 for 5 months Shop Now Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC NetworkSling is a comprehensive sporting service that offers a whole host of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue packages give you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and more in local markets, but for access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more, you'll need the Sports Extra package. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CWYouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.How to watch Georgia Tech vs. Clemson from anywhere in the worldIf you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.Live stream Georgia Tech vs. Clemson from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.Sign in to your favorite streaming serviceWatch Georgia Tech vs. Clemson from anywhere in the worldExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and moreStrict no-logging policy so your data is secureFast connection speeds free from throttlingUp to eight simultaneous connections30-day money-back guaranteeA one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee). Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

So you've found yourself longing for some sinister cinematic intentions. You've caught yourself daydreaming about erotic rides of the rollercoaster sort. That's right, you're in the mood for a psychological thriller, and who could blame you? Looks like dangerous women in red dresses and the men who love them and/or turned them dangerous in the first place are on the movie menu tonight. Narrowing down all the psychological thrillers now simmering across all the streaming platforms was a challenge. But we've sorted out just the stuff for when you want to turn the lights down low and live vicariously though bad people with even worse intentions. After all, it's best to scratch this kind of itch before it gets out of hand — you could be kidnapping people like Anne Hathaway or robbing banks like Tony Leung any minute if you don't submit. And take my advice: It's good to submit to Harris Dickinson whenever possible.Here are 10 of the best psychological thrillers now streaming, and how to watch them. Babygirl Credit: A24 Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman) has it all. She's the high-powered, silk-bloused CEO of a robotics company in New York City. She's married to a hunky and loving theater director (Antonio Banderas). And she has as many wonderful daughters as she does multi-level homes (two!). And yet something's not quite getting her there — and by "there," we mean "to an orgasm," of course. Enter Samuel (Harris Dickinson), a new intern at her company who saves her from a street dog attack and immediately begins whispering sultry, inappropriate somethings into her ear at the office. What's a woman in charge to do but jump right on that? SEE ALSO: 'Babygirl' finally shows us what subspace feels like Dutch actress turned director Halina Reijn (who worked with Paul Verhoeven in Black Book and therefore knows all about how hot under the collar moral quandaries can get) coaxed one of Kidman's greatest performances out of the always-great actor in this 2024 thriller that blurs the line between business and pleasure. Deeply vulnerable while also thrumming with barely repressed desires that she has no idea what to do with, Kidman's Romy is, in the words of David Byrne, a real live wire. And Dickinson is just the right man — excuse me, just the right babygirl — to tap that. How to watch: Babygirl is now streaming on HBO Max.Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.The CellMaking the "psychological" in "psychological thriller" literal, this sumptuous cinematic feast from writer/director and visual fabulist Tarsem Singh (Immortals, The Fall) takes us inside the outrageously avant-garde dreamworld of a serial killer in order to save his next would-be victim  in this 2000 chiller. Jennifer Lopez stars as an empathetic psychologist named Catherine who's mastered the ability to use a new technology that allows two people to share brain space – basically, she can beam straight into their subconscious and, like a mechanic, treat their mental issues from the inside. Then the cops come a-knockin' (led by Vince Vaughn) after another girl gets kidnapped by a killer named Carl Rudolph Stargher (Vincent D'Onofrio). See, Carl's unfortunately fallen into a coma before they could get her whereabouts, so it's up to Catherine to step inside his haunted palace of a mind and somehow find the clues to save the girl. That's a lot of plot to describe a movie that's 100% about the visuals, and my God, what visuals. Borrowing from modern surrealists like Damien Hirst and Odd Nerdrum, Singh delivers a (excuse the pun) mind-blowing phantasmagoria of scary unreality for Lopez to wander through, all while wearing one extraordinary costume designed by the legendary Eiko Ishioka after another. How to watch: The Cell is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video.Watcher Credit: Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight release. Actor and low-key scream queen Maika Monroe continued her roll of picking exquisite thrillers to star in (see also: It Follows, The Guest, Longlegs) with 2022's Watcher, the most underrated and dare I say best of the entire Maika bunch. In writer/director Chloe Okuno's feature-length film debut, Monroe plays Julia, an American who's just moved to Bucharest with her distracted husband, Francis (Karl Glusman), for his job. Unable to speak the language and feeling lost and purposeless, Julia begins wandering about the city aimlessly — when she's not sitting at home staring at the enormous wall of windows across the street, anyway. And like Rear Window before her, a load of trouble comes raining down when Julia spots somebody over there watching her back. Awash in icy atmospherics and a strain of tension that slowly closes around your throat, Watcher truly does the term "Hitchockian" justice. How to watch: Watcher is now streaming on Netflix and Shudder.EileenAn adaptation of Ottessa Moshfegh's delicious 2015 novel, Eileen stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eileen, a mousy secretary at the local prison in 1965 who spends her downtime taking care of her alcoholic asshole of a retired cop dad (Shea Whigham). Dreary doesn't come close to covering it. And so when a pop of color in the form of prison psychologist Rebecca St John (Anne Hathaway, chewing the scenery with camp aplomb) sweeps into the same slushy Massachusetts burg, Eileen becomes obsessed — as do we all.As Rebecca discovers there may be more to one inmate's story than initially thought, a fire is lit in her belly to find justice for the wrongly imprisoned man. Dragging Eileen into a scheme that Eileen can't embrace fast enough, everything goes spectacularly sideways real fast, well beyond Rebecca's wildest imaginings. Like the seedier cousin to Todd Haynes' Carol, Eileen is the full-on lesbian noir that Haynes only flirted with; Eileen director William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth) fully embraces the pulpiness, and all of his actors are committed to the high melodramatic wavelength. A nastily under-appreciated little gem. How to watch: Eileen is now streaming on Hulu.ComplianceBefore his work became synonymous with Kate Winslet saying "wooder" in Mare of Easttown, director Craig Zobel gifted us with 2012's Compliance, the movie that turned Ann Dowd from notable character actress to full-on name recognition. Based on a real-world incident that happened in 2004, Dowd plays Sandra, the manager of a fast-food restaurant who receives a phone call one day from a man claiming to be a police officer. He tells her that one of her employees has stolen from a customer, and it's Sandra's job to detain said employee until the cops can arrive to arrest them. Using the vague information the officer tells her, Sandra quickly surmises the person at fault has to be young employee Becky (Dreama Walker). And thus begins a nightmare for Becky, as Sandra and the other employees decide it's their duty to do whatever this stranger's voice on the telephone tells them to do, even as each demand becomes more and more disturbing. (Look out for a profoundly upsetting turn from Philip Ettinger, later from First Reformed, as one of Becky's co-workers tasked with "security." Shudder.) A horrific fable about our blind faith in institutions and how easily weaponized our self-assuredness can be, Compliance couldn't be more timely as we watch our own neighbors' intentions curdle around us.How to watch: Compliance is now streaming on Netflix.Infernal AffairsBefore Martin Scorsese remade it into his Oscar–winning film The Departed, there was Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's 2002 crime saga masterpiece Infernal Affairs.  And if we're being honest, we might even think it's better than what Marty came up with. On one side you've got Andy Lau as Lau Kin-ming, a criminal who gets sent to become a mole in the police department. And on the other, you've got Tony Leung as Chan Wing-yan, a cop who's gone undercover in the same crime syndicate Lau's from. Neither is aware of the other at first, but over the course of the film it becomes their job to sniff the other out. And before long, our idea of who's the good guy and who's the bad guy couldn't get more twisted. What follows is a tightly wound aria of suspicion and Hong Kong action wizardry — it simply doesn't get any better than this. (And the two sequels are pretty great too!)How to watch: Infernal Affairs is now streaming on HBO Max.Femme Credit: Fantasia International Film Festival Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping's fleet, 99-minute thriller begins with Jules (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) being brutally beaten by a gang of drunken homophobic thugs one night after performing in drag at a club. Soon thereafter, once he's recovered physically if not mentally, Jules bumps into the leader of the aforementioned thugs when they're both cruising a gay sauna. His attacker's name is Preston (George MacKay), and he doesn't recognize Jules out of drag, and so Jules seizes onto the opportunity. Unfortunately, what that opportunity is and what Jules wants from it becomes as confused as Preston's own closeted ass. As the two tumble into a rough (and, it must be said, extremely hot) sexual relationship, Femme benefits from the fact that it's never clear where the film is going. Not until it gets there, and even then it's all twisted up. Jules and Preston's murky desires, exquisitely rendered by both actors, make the both of them into two of the most complicated and deeply realized queer characters put on-screen this past decade. How to watch: Femme is now streaming on Hulu.Red RoomsCalling Red Rooms a "courtroom drama" doesn't even come close to capturing how incredibly disturbed and disturbing this 2023 movie is, even though on its surface it is mainly just that. From Quebecois director Pascal Plante, it stars Juliette Gariépy as a fashion model named Kelly-Anne who's obsessed with the ongoing criminal trial of an accused serial killer. In Gariépy's truly unforgettable performance, Kelly-Anne begins camping out early every day so she can sit in the courtroom and listen to the gruesome details of the case, which seem to have very little effect on her. Instead, she seems more intent on staring the creep directly in the eyes. But for what reason? Gariépy gives away very little and the film follows suit, so Kelly-Anne's icy fixation becomes the movie's true horror show the longer that we're forced to stare at it. Befriending another serial killer obsessive (Laurie Babin) and harassing one of the victim's mothers is just the beginning of Kelly-Anne's slide into psychological sadism. Red Rooms is a truly provocative take on the true crime genre.How to watch: Red Rooms is now streaming on Shudder.Fair Play Credit: Sergej Radovic / Courtesy of Netflix A throwback to the heyday of '90s thrillers about sexual politics like, well, anything that starred Michael Douglas for about a decade, writer/director Chloe Domont's 2023 film stars Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor as Luke and Emily, a pair of cutthroat hedge-fund analysts who've been having a secret affair when they go home at night. Although "secret affair" makes it sound more diabolical than it appears in practice — really, they've just been keeping their romance to themselves since it's not 100% in compliance with HR  to be dating a co-worker.They find out why that's the case when Emily gets the big promotion that Luke had been gunning for, as his bruised ego leads to everything at home and in the office having a spectacular unraveling. Ehrenreich and Dynevor each turn in terrific work, weaving through the thorny complexities of male-female power imbalances in the wake of #MeToo, especially Dynevor, who keeps finding ways to muddy up our inclination to root for Emily in this situation she's found herself in through no real fault of her own. Fair Play turns out to be an incisive excavation of the hetero here and now.How to watch: Fair Play is now streaming on Netflix.SaltburnAt Oxford on a scholarship, Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan in a naked-dancing, bathtub-water-slurping, star-making turn) wants everything that popular rich and beautiful Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) has. It's not hard to see why; Felix is a 6-foot-5-inch, aristocratic stud with an estate the size of a small country. Luckily for Oliver, worming his way into the entire Catton family — which includes  Rosamund Pike as mother Elspeth Catton, Richard E. Grant as dad Sir James, and Alison Oliver as sis Venetia — proves riotously easy. As Six Degrees of Separation taught us, all rich people want is a fancy pot of jam. And Oliver is fancy jam incarnate. SEE ALSO: 'Saltburn' seduces us with '00s nostalgia. Why does it affect us so much? One of the funniest and meanest black comedies to be gifted to us in recent years, writer/director Emerald Fennell's follow-up to Promising Young Woman ruffled as many feathers as did her debut. Nobody seemed to be able to suss out Saltburn's intentions: Was it a class satire made by a member of the upper class? To say Fennell delights in smashing all her hands on all our buttons at once is the understatement of the century. But when it makes for this much horny, hateful fun, I say smash, smash away. How to watch: Saltburn is now streaming on Prime Video.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine. There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle. If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered. SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintA foolish person. SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerNINNYHurdle Word 2 hintWinded. SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerCURVY Hurdle Word 3 hintA collection. SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answerGROUPHurdle Word 4 hintA large animal found in Alaska. SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answerMOOSEFinal Hurdle hintWhere one lives. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerHOMEIf you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.