Feed aggregator

2024 has been a long year filled with viral moments aplenty. In the clip above from The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon breaks out his guitar to round them up.

The song is only two-and-a-half minutes long, but he still manages to squeeze in everything from "very mindful, very demure" to Jacob Elordi's beard.

SAVE $45: As of Dec. 19, Amazon's Echo Show 5 is on sale for $44.99. That's 50% off its list price of $89.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Show 5 $44.99 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $45.00 Get Deal

It's not too late to pick up some gifts for the holidays. Amazon is offering an excellent variety of last-minute deals right now, including on its own tech. The Echo Show 5 has a fantastic discount at the moment and will even ship to you before Christmas. What could be better?

Amazon's Echo Show 5 is on sale for $44.99 right now, 50% off its list price of $89.99. And as mentioned before, Amazon notes above the 'Add to Cart' button that this little smart display will arrive at your doorstep before Christmas so there's no need to worry about any delays.

SEE ALSO: The Apple iPad (10th Gen) is at its lowest-ever price — better than Black Friday and Cyber Monday

The Echo Show 5 is smaller in size than the Echo Show 8, making it a great fit for a desk or bedroom, and it can serve as a hub to control compatible smart devices. In our comparison of Amazon Echo Show 5 vs. Echo Show 8, writer SaVanna Shoemaker said "If video calls and Zoom meetings aren’t your concern, then the Echo Show 5 is still a great choice — like the 2nd gen Echo Show 8, the new Echo Show 5 boasts many of the same expanded Alexa functions, like home monitoring and motion detection routines."

Amazon also notes on the deal page that this is a limited-time deal. So, act fast to take advantage of 50% off the Echo Show 5 before the discount disappears.

If you're looking for even more gift ideas, it's worth it to have a look at Amazon's top 100 holiday gifts. This collection has a little something for everyone in it, and Amazon will note on each page whether or not it'll arrive ahead of the holidays so you can be prepared.

The stock market may be having a bit of a wobble, but Stephen Colbert is feeling cool as a cucumber.

"Anybody have money in the stock market? Not anymore, because today the Dow plunged more than 1,100 points — and that is a lot of...Dow units," says Colbert in the Late Show clip above. "Despite this turbulent market you don't see me shaking, because I've taken all my money and placed it safely in memecoin. I'm fine. For instance, I put it in the very real cryptocurrency called Fartcoin, which is – and this is true – today surged to a nearly $1 billion market cap.

"But I'm not here to brag about my good fortune, OK, that's the thing about Fartcoin: It's silent but wealthy."

Of course, if you're thinking of following in Colbert's footsteps, it's worth remembering that all memecoins are a massively risky investment that could dump at any time.

Martin Short is co-hosting SNL this week, and in the promo above he asks the castmembers for help wrapping gifts for his celebrity friends.

"Now, this book is for Colin Jost. It's called How to develop a Personality," says Short, holding up the various presents. "Now this baby rattle is for Al Pacino. Not his baby, it's actually for Al. And of course this suntan lotion is for Steve Martin. It's SPF infinity, because let's face it, Steve is whiter than a Coldplay meet-and-greet. His blood type is mayonnaise."

Finally, Short holds up two signed photographs of himself. "And these are for my kids," he says.

SAVE $180: As of Dec. 19, Best Buy has Beats Studio Pro headphones discounted to $169.99. That's $180 off their list price of $349.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Pro $169.99 at Best Buy
$349.99 Save $180.00 Get Deal

Even after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Best Buy is still offering up some great deals leading up to the holidays. If you're doing some last-minute shopping, you can save on numerous items there right now, but one of our favorite offers at the moment is on the Beats Studio Pro headphones.

The noise-canceling Beats Studio Pro have had a $180 price drop at Best Buy, from $349.99 to $169.99. That's an excellent deal for high-quality headphones, and made even better by the fact your purchase comes with bonus offers of Apple Fitness+ for three months and up to three months of Apple Music for free.

SEE ALSO: Save $250 on the 2024 MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip

The Beats Studio Pro are worth every penny, with a comfortable fit and active noise canceling to keep you fully immersed in your favorite music, podcasts, audiobooks, and more. In our review, writer Alex Perry said "just as the Beats Fit Pro are the easiest earbuds to recommend, it's hard to find a pair of over-ear headphones with a better all-around experience than Beats Studio Pro."

There's still time to scoop up these discounted headphones, so don't miss out on $180 off the Beats Studio Pro at Best Buy.

Best Buy's last-minute savings event is full of even more discounts that are worth exploring. From home goods to laptops to gaming consoles, there are plenty of items still on sale that you can stock up on before the holidays kick in.

SAVE $450: As of Dec. 19, the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ PC (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is on sale for $899.99, $450 off its list price of $1,349.99 as part of Best Buy's Deal of the Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ PC $899.99 at Best Buy
$1,349.99 Save $450.00 Get Deal

The holidays are right around the corner, and if you're still looking to save on some gift ideas before the big day, Best Buy's here to help. It's Deal of the Day program spotlights an exciting new deal each day, and today's discount on a Microsoft Surface Pro is one that's definitely worth checking out.

For today only, you can save a whopping $450 on the Microsoft Surface Pro, dropping its price from $1,349.99 to $899.99. That's not all, though. This is a bundle that comes with a keyboard as well so you can set it up right away. As a bonus, it also comes with a one month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership and a Trend Micro Internet Security + Antivirus (three-device) six month subscription with auto renewal.

SEE ALSO: Save $250 on the 2024 MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip

The Surface Pro Copilot+ PC features a 13-inch, 2880 x 1920 display with a 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM. It's also powered by the Snapdragon X Plus processor and offers up to 14 hours of battery life, making it a great fit for both work and play.

Act fast to save big on the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro before the discount disappears.

Best Buy's offering up even more deals right now as well. Its last-minute savings event features great deals on everything from speakers to gaming consoles to home goods so you can stock up on items ahead of the holidays without breaking the bank.

Just on the outskirts of a supermassive black hole roughly 4 million times more massive than the sun, a pair of stars locked in a dance is thriving. 

Astronomers discovered the duo orbiting Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way galaxy's central supermassive black hole, using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile. The binary system, the first ever found in the vicinity of an enormous black hole, is dubbed D9.

Black holes are some of the most inscrutable phenomena in space. They don't have surfaces, like a planet or star. Instead, they have a boundary called an "event horizon," or a point of no return. If anything swoops too close, it will eventually fall in, never to escape.

The new discovery, published in Nature Communications, may help astronomers better understand how stars can survive in regions of the cosmos with extreme gravity. The finding also leads scientists to wonder whether such a pair, forming and coexisting near an enormous black hole, could also host exoplanets. 

"Black holes are not as destructive as we thought," said Florian Peißker, one of the researchers at the University of Cologne in Germany, in a statement. 

SEE ALSO: He found a Milky Way black hole 50 years ago, and finally got to see it A binary star system, dubbed D9, was discovered close to the Milky Way's supermassive black hole. Credit: ESO / F. Peißker et al.

Black holes were little more than a theory 50 years ago — a kooky mathematical answer to a physics problem — but even astronomers at the top of their field weren't entirely convinced they existed. 

How the supermassive kind form is even more elusive. Astrophysicists believe these invisible giants lurk at the center of virtually all galaxies. Hubble telescope observations have bolstered the theory that they begin in the dusty cores of starburst galaxies, where new stars are rapidly assembled, but scientists are still teasing that out.

Now black holes are getting their pictures taken by a collection of enormous, synced radio dishes on Earth. Humanity saw a clear view of the Milky Way's own central black hole, Sag A* for short, for the first time in 2022. It is about 26,000 light-years away from Earth.

The James Webb Space Telescope, a collaboration of NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies, is also doing its part to reveal how these mysterious behemoths form in the first place.

The research team found D9 in a dense cluster of stars orbiting Sag A*. Within this group are so-called "G objects," mysterious things that act like stars but look more like clouds of gas and dust. In their paper, the scientists propose that G objects might be a combination of other binary stars and leftover material from other pairs after they've merged, due to the strong gravitational clutch of the nearby black hole. 

That's right: Astronomers suspect the two stars in D9 will soon merge into a single star because of the close-by gravity. They are estimated to be only about 2.7 million years old — for comparison, the sun is 4.5 billion years old — and they'll likely only have another 1 million years or so before they ultimately smash. 

Though no one checked the D9 stars' driver's licenses for their ages, co-author Michal Zajaček, a researcher at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic, said astronomers can tell the pair is young by the gas and dust around them. Other young stars, though not binaries, have been found in this region before.

Save $250: As of Dec. 19, 2024 Apple MacBook Pro with M4 Pro chip is available for $1,749 at Amazon. That's a 13% discount off its usual price of $1,999.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 2024 Apple MacBook Pro $1,749.00 at Amazon
$1,999.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal

2024 Apple MacBook Pro isn’t just a laptop — it’s a creative and productivity beast. And right now, you can snag the 14-inch model with the M4 Pro chip at Amazon for $1,749, saving $250 off its original price of $1,999.

This MacBook Pro packs Apple’s latest M4 Pro chip, delivering blazing-fast performance for demanding tasks like coding, video editing, and rendering 3D content. Whether working on complex workflows or enjoying a Netflix binge, this laptop handles it all without sweat. And thanks to Apple Intelligence, you get an intuitive personal assistant that enhances productivity while keeping your data safe.

SEE ALSO: Save $50 on the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) at Amazon

The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is a visual masterpiece, featuring 1600 nits of peak brightness, 1,000,000:1 contrast, and lifelike colors. It’s perfect for professional creators and casual users, making every image, video, and document look its best. The all-day battery life ensures you can take this power on the go without constantly hunting for outlets.

Compatibility is seamless — this MacBook Pro works like magic with your other Apple devices. Features like iPhone Mirroring, universal clipboard, and FaceTime integration make switching between devices effortless. If you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem, this is the laptop that ties it all together.

For connectivity, the MacBook Pro boasts three Thunderbolt 5 ports, MagSafe 3 charging, an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, and a headphone jack. The M4 Pro model supports up to two external displays, while the M4 Max configuration handles up to four.

Need to hop on a call? The 12MP Center Stage camera keeps you perfectly framed, while three studio-quality mics and six speakers with Spatial Audio deliver crisp sound. Whether it’s Zoom meetings or music, you’ll look and sound amazing.

At $1,749, the 2024 MacBook Pro is a steal for anyone needing cutting-edge tech with unparalleled performance. Don’t miss this chance to own Apple’s latest and greatest at a rare discount.

Save $180: As of Dec. 19, Samsung Q-series 3.1ch Dolby Atmos soundbar is available for $199 at Walmart. That's a $180 discount from its original price of $379.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Q-Series Soundbar $199.00 at Walmart
$379.00 Save $180.00 Get Deal

If your TV’s built-in speakers aren’t cutting it, the Samsung Q-series 3.1ch Dolby Atmos soundbar saves the day. And the best part? It’s now available at Walmart for $199, a sweet $180 off its original price of $379.

With Dolby Atmos on board, this soundbar doesn’t just play sound — it creates a full-blown audio experience. Think of it as your favorite shows, movies, and songs, but with the audio depth and clarity they deserve. Thanks to Q-Symphony, your Samsung TV and soundbar team up to deliver perfectly synchronized sound, giving you a fuller, more immersive listening experience.

SEE ALSO: How 'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' adapts two pages of Tolkien lore into a whole movie

The 3.1 channel system ensures you don’t miss a single detail. At the same time, Adaptive Sound Lite dynamically optimizes audio for whatever’s on screen, enhancing dialogue clarity and background effects. Whether action-packed explosions or quiet conversations, the audio always feels just right.

Gamers, this one’s for you, too. The Game Mode feature ensures perfectly synced directional audio, so you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of the action. With Bluetooth Multi-Connection, you can pair two devices simultaneously — no more unpairing to switch control. Streaming music? Tap your phone to the soundbar with Tap Sound for instant playback.

HDMI eARC seamless connectivity passes advanced audio from your TV to the soundbar with a single cable. The included One Remote controls your Samsung TV and soundbar, keeping your setup clean and clutter-free.

Designed by the sound gurus at Samsung Audio Lab, this soundbar delivers an audio experience worthy of your favorite entertainment. It’s Wireless Surround Sound compatible, so you can easily upgrade to a full surround setup with optional Samsung speakers.

At $199, this soundbar is a serious steal. The Samsung Q-series soundbar will take your home audio to the next level, whether gaming, bingeing Netflix, or hosting a movie night.

SAVE $300: As of Dec. 19, Bose Smart Soundbar 550 is available for $199 at Walmart. That's a $300 discount from its regular price of $499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose Smart Soundbar 550 $199.00 at Walmart
$499.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal

Looking to upgrade your TV’s audio without blowing your budget? The Bose Smart Soundbar 550 is the answer, delivering top-tier sound in a sleek, compact package. Even better, it’s currently on sale at Walmart for $199, a whopping $300 off its original price of $499.

This soundbar transforms your audio. With Dolby Atmos and Bose’s exclusive TrueSpace technology, the Smart Soundbar 550 creates a surround sound experience that feels like stepping into the action. While Dolby Atmos works its magic on compatible content, TrueSpace ensures that everything gets up-mixed to an immersive multi-channel experience. Think crystal-clear dialogue, perfectly separated instruments, and sound effects moving around the room and above it.

SEE ALSO: How 'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' adapts two pages of Tolkien lore into a whole movie

Despite its compact frame, this soundbar is a powerhouse. Inside, you’ll find five transducers, including two upward-firing ones, working together to bounce sound off your walls and ceiling. The result? Rich, room-filling audio that makes your living room feel like a private theater.

Streaming options? You’re spoiled for choice. The Bose Smart Soundbar 550 connects to Wi-Fi for built-in music services and internet radio access, or you can stream your favorites via Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, or Spotify Connect. It’s flexible, seamless, and tailored to your entertainment habits.

Voice control is also available, thanks to compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Adjust settings, play your favorite playlist, or check the weather. Pair it with the Bose Music app for even more customization and effortless control.

At just $199, this deal is an audio upgrade waiting to happen. Whether you’re hosting a movie night, gaming, or just vibing to your favorite playlist, the Bose Smart Soundbar 550 delivers sound that hits differently at a price that’s music to your ears. Don’t miss out on this steal; it’s not likely to last long.k up.

Honda is about to reveal two new electric car prototypes, and judging by an early teaser, they'll look like something that came out of Blade Runner.

The company shared a teaser on X, showing silhouettes of two 0 Series EVs without revealing many other details.

Tweet may have been deleted

That one picture is not much to go on, we know. Honda's 0 Series ideas aren't a complete unknown, though — the company revealed the first 0 Series prototypes in January 2024, during this year's CES.

The Saloon. We're guessing Honda will think of a better name ahead of the 2026 launch. Credit: Honda

The two cars are (tentatively, we hope) called the Saloon and the Space Hub, with the first one being an elongated sedan, while the second is more of a family-hauling minivan. You can find out more about the current prototypes here.

Finally, a family hauler that looks like a spaceship. Credit: Honda

As for the new prototypes, we'll learn more about them at CES 2025, as the company has scheduled an event for 10:30 a.m. PT on January 7. Honda will also tell us more about a new System on Chip as well as a proprietary vehicle operating system, which will run on the 0 Series cars. We'll also learn more about the company's new automated driving tech. All of these have to do with the "wise" bit in the company's 0 Series motto of "Thin, Light, and Wise."

SEE ALSO: Nissan and Honda could merge to compete in the EV market

Honda plans to bring these cars to market in 2026, so the new prototypes are particularly interesting as they're being shown fairly close to launch. But there's currently no word on the rest of the cars' specs, such as battery, powertrain, and range.

The news comes shortly after reports that Nissan and Honda are in early talks to merge in order to strengthen their position in the EV market.

At a time when a vital public good like the U.S. Postal Service could be privatized, a film about going above and beyond to deliver mail ought to hit different(ly). Unfortunately, The Six Triple Eight hits the same as most sentimental dramas that treat war as a postcard. A story about an underestimated battalion delivering long-delayed mail to soldiers on the front lines, it's a decent watch with some intriguing historical tidbits about the United States' only World War II Army Corps made up predominantly of Black women: the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. However, when it comes to material requiring a deft dramatic hand, writer/director Tyler Perry rarely answers the call of duty.

This Netflix original also is (or rather, should be) a film about just how the the 6888th managed such a gargantuan achievement, but it seldom finds a balance between the "what" and the "how" of its own subject matter. If The Six Triple Eight  excels — and it seldom does — it's because of the movie's cast, who do their best to bring a sense of lived reality to the proceedings, if only to craft a lukewarm, passive experience for a couple of hours. You could throw on in the background this Christmas without too much fuss, though the women on screen might deserve better. 

The Six Triple Eight begins with an underwhelming romance. Credit: Laura Radford / Perry Well Films 2 / Netflix

That little of The Six Triple Eight unfolds on the front lines is a mercy. Its opening prologue, however, does, making war seem like a hoot, with cartoonish explosions right out of a Quentin Tarantino film, or the Italian war and Western movies that inspired him. Alas, pure entertainment is the last thing on Perry's mind in this scene (ironically set in Italy in 1943), which culminates in a pilot being shot down, and a bloody letter being retrieved from his pocket.

The earnest drama then flashes back a year prior, to the blossoming Pennsylvania romance between young Black teenager Lena (Ebony Obsidian) and her white, Jewish boyfriend Abram (Gregg Sulkin), an interracial pair whose free-spirited frolic is looked upon with derision. Their broad, soap-opera dialogue suits the warm tones of this flashback setting, though this in turn steeps the film in a bizarre (if unintended) wistfulness. The opening text touts it as being based on the recollections of still-living battalion members, and this bright palette fits awkwardly with the many reminders of Jim Crow laws and socioeconomic segregation. Lena, for instance, works as a server at Abrams' going-away party before he's to be shipped out, and he asks her to wait for his return.

However, news of Abram's demise months later hits her like a freight train, and propels her to enlist. The film never quite loses its nostalgic glow, even in moments the camera gazes upon with disgust, like when white soldiers openly admonish Lena and her fellow Black female cadets. The group she spends time with are a lively bunch, but it isn't until we meet their commanding officer, Major Charity Adams (Kerry Washington), that The Six Triple Eight gains a sense of weight and occasion, en route to its tale of their corps being tasked with sorting through a 10-month backlog of mail in Scotland. 

Kerry Washington leads an impressive ensemble. Credit: Laura Radford / Perry Well Films 2 / Netflix

The variety of personalities in the movie's ensemble makes it mostly watchable. Obsidian, for instance, shows great care in her approach to Lena, whose grief prevents her from accepting the advances of a handsome soldier (Jay Reeves) or diving headfirst into the banter and camaraderie of her makeshift friend group. Among them are the voluptuous, foul-mouthed Southerner Johnnie Mae (Shanice Shantay) and the uptight preacher's daughter Elaine (Pepi Sonuga), whose friction is amusing. Meanwhile, mixed-race cadet Dolores (Sarah Jeffery) becomes a headstrong standout, for the kind support she offers. However, no matter how committed the cast is to their interpersonal dynamics, the writing seldom affords most of them the chance to expand beyond the broad archetypes with which they're saddled. In the process, they feel cordoned off from the movie's larger drama, and from the time period itself — which is where Major Adams comes in.

As soon as Washington appears, she lights the screen ablaze with her poise and commitment. Immediately, she appears like the only actor who was allowed to explore the dramatic boundaries of The Six Triple Eight. It's a war film first and foremost, and while Adams' battalion never sees action, the character is locked in battle with larger forces from the moment we first glimpse her. It's a wonder the film wasn't entirely about Adams, whose story involves the delicate tightrope walk between holding back her anger towards white superiors who dismiss her and paving a path for women like herself to be treated as equals.

The task of sorting through tens of thousands of letters (both to and from homesick infantrymen) comes her way as a challenge, courtesy of a side plot in which big-name actors show up for a scene or two. The movers of history, like President Franklin Roosevelt (Sam Waterston), First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (Susan Sarandon), and her friend and Black Cabinet leader Mary McLeod Bethune (Oprah Winfrey) have minutes of what feels like purely nominal screen time, as their characters set the wheels for the 6888th in motion. Their relatively minor roles help create the sense that these heavy hitters of the screen are ceding space for the younger cast.

Of course, a story about racism would be incomplete without its racists, and Breaking Bad's Dean Norris makes for an especially detestable presence as General Halt, whose de facto purpose is throwing wrenches in Adams' operation. The movie never needs to offer an explanation for his actions, since the bitter indignance with which Norris carries Halt speaks for itself.

Unfortunately, an aspect of its story the film could've been more overt about is its actual plot mechanics, i.e. the immense logistical operation the 6888th had to undertake.

The Six Triple Eight doesn't work as a film about the mail. Credit: Laura Radford / Perry Well Films 2 / Netflix

What makes a challenge cinematically interesting is seeing how it's overcome. The Six Triple Eight is primed for the kind of observations and montages that make films about complex undertakings — heists, journalism, or the inventing of Facebook — such a sensory delight. The film's leading women are quick to improve the material conditions with which they're saddled, via a slick montage of them cleaning and fixing up a bombed shelter as soon as they arrive in Europe. However, the same approach is rarely applied to them decoding, sorting through, and delivering letters to keep up morale.  

Several scenes and dialogue exchanges stress the importance of their task, from mothers and other relatives back home awaiting long-delayed communication, to Lena herself lamenting how little she heard from Abram while he was deployed. In fact, the film's central thesis on racist mistreatment boils down to how well (and how ingeniously) the women of 6888th can overcome the particular challenges of tracking down mail recipients from smudged addresses, or even clues as minor as fabric threads in family care packages. Whether or not they're capable of connecting loved ones becomes intrinsically tied to proving their worth.

Unfortunately, they seem to solve these problems largely off-screen. Most of their methods don't even come to light until after they've been implemented and are being shown off to their white inspecting officers. It's nominally validating that they can prove naysayers wrong, but the joy of seeing how they do is robbed from the audience. Perry, though he seems to understand the strife his characters face, isn't as interested in cinematic pleasures as he is in gestures toward conquering bigotry and adversity.

For instance, when Adams first reacts to the monumental piles of letters, stored in a hangar, that she and her troupe will have to sort through, the camera rightly stays affixed to her shocked expression. But the film never actually cuts to what she's looking at. It never affords the viewer the chance to experience Washington's gradual realization about the immensity of the mission before her. Even in a film about the eponymous squad, Perry keeps us at a distance from the rigors of their duties. 

This is, by and large, the movie's approach to all drama. It renders its audience as mere observers, rather than participants in its story. Despite the tremendous efforts of its cast, it leaves us to look upon the 6888th as artifacts of history, rather than real flesh-and-blood people with enormous hurdles thrown in their paths.

The Six Triple Eight premieres on Netflix Dec. 20.

Off the back of a stressful election cycle, an ongoing cost of living crisis, and winter cutting our sunshine short, anxiety and restlessness are common right now. So it's no surprise that the latest trend in wellness is all about scoring the perfect night's sleep.

It's been labelled "sleepmaxxing." 

With nearly 125 million posts on TikTok, sleepmaxxing is a catch-all rebranded term for maximising your sleep potential through all sorts of existing hacks ranging from the unusual to the eccentric, like wearing blue light glasses and weighted sleep masks, eating kiwis before bed, and even pineal gland meditation — a breathing exercise that promises to put you to sleep in under 10 minutes. 

SEE ALSO: Why the best sleep tracker is one you already own

But does sleepmaxxing really work? I spoke to a sleep expert and a sworn sleepmaxxer to find out.

What is sleepmaxxing? Credit: Rudzhan Nagiev / iStock / Getty Images Plus

"Sleepmaxxing is a current social media trend for optimising sleep quality and quantity by focusing on (and obsessing!) about products, techniques and strategies to help you to get more restorative sleep," sleep expert and physiologist Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan tells Mashable.

"It's a growing viral trend because, although innately our physiology is perfectly designed to enable us to get good sleep, the way we are living our lives is very contrary to the way we are actually designed to live," she explains. 

A survey of 2,000 adults by Norwegian health site Helsestart found that more than one in five U.S. adults suffers from insomnia, a disorder that makes it difficult to fall or stay asleep, and a shocking 50 percent of adults experience insomnia once a month or more. Separately, research from the CDC in 2020 has found 14.5 percent of U.S. adults had trouble falling asleep, and nearly 18 percent had difficulty staying asleep. Online searches for "insomnia symptoms" are trending upward over the last five years, with notable peaks each January, according to Google Trends data.

"Sleepmaxxing is a current social media trend for optimising sleep quality and quantity..." - Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan

This sleeplessness phenomenon is a combination of factors keeping us awake at night, according to Ramlakhan: too much city light, mental stimulation, anxiety, fear, and — of course — unlimited access to our mobile phones and social media, resulting in a 24/7 online culture that makes it nearly impossible to disconnect before bedtime. And not everyone likes using dark mode.

"People are obsessed with getting a good night's sleep and are looking for solutions," said Ramlakhan. And that's where sleepmaxxing comes in — prioritising sleep through tech, luxury products, and unconventional lifestyle changes.

Are sleep hacks legit? Credit: Rudzhan Nagiev / iStock / Getty Images Plus

There's an almost endless list of long-existing sleep hacks and techniques now trending as sleepmaxxing, including avoiding liquids for two hours before bed, using wearable sleep trackers, sipping herbal teas with magnesium or melatonin, light therapy lamps, special pillows, guided breathwork sleep companions, smart bed frames, noise machine apps, smart pyjamas, lettuce water and more. Sleep stories are big business for mindfulness apps like Calm and Headspace, audio streamers like Spotify have whole Sleep sections, and there are entire podcasts dedicated to making you fall asleep. 

Featured Video For You Researchers created a sleep-tracking device designed to alter dreams — Future Blink

Perhaps the oddest of all sleepmaxxing methods involves placing skin sensitive tape over your mouth before sleeping.

After hearing about the benefits of sleepmaxxing, Rachel Carrell, aged 44 in London, decided to try mouth taping because it's easy and cheap — though the science on the benefits of mouth taping is limited (more on that below), and you should check with your doctor before trying this.

"I have three kids and I run a childcare startup — I was exhausted all the time. I'm always looking for ways to optimise my sleep because I don't get very many hours," Carrell said. "I decided to give mouth-taping a go. From one day to the next, I felt an incredible difference. I felt like there was this fire and energy inside of me that would last all day."

After forgetting to use mouth tape a couple of nights in the last several months, Carrell immediately felt a difference waking up the next day. "I felt so groggy. I could instantly tell that I had forgotten to do it and so for me, it's been the most life-changing thing I've ever done." 

A 2022 study found that during sleep, mouth taping improved both snoring and sleep apnea amongst mouth breathers with mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), though the sample size was low (20 patients). Another study of 30 mouth breathing patients with OSA found that their snoring and sleep improved when wearing a patch on their mouths. While Carrell has seen success with mouth taping, this is one anecdotal case. 

Credit: Rudzhan Nagiev / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Some sleepmaxxing methods have been researched — somewhat, but remember, tech moves faster than regulation so health and wellness companies can make broad claims. A 2021 study on white noise found it improved sleep quality for people struggling to sleep with city noise. Research has also suggested a link between magnesium and sleep quality, as well as exposure to blue light, although there's more research needed to draw definitive conclusions on all these methods.

"There are definitely sleep aids and techniques that work," Ramlakhan says. "Often sleep problems are created by underlying issues such as fear, anxiety, not feeling in control or safe in your body, past traumas or relationship challenges. While sleepmaxxing might help for a time, the deeper work lies in finding inner safety and settling the nervous system," she explained.

"I recommend magnesium glycinate [a supplement that increases your magnesium levels], white noise for those who wake at the slightest noise, having a simple fan in your bedroom, reducing exposure to blue light in the evening and I do believe that there can be some value in mouth taping," she said. 

Carrell hasn't experienced any side effects of sleepmaxxing and intends to mouth tape for the rest of her life. She's even noticed changes to her breathing patterns during other activities. "Now when I walk up a steep hill, I don't have to puff through my mouth. I'm breathing more through my nose during exercise. I've even tried spin class with my mouth taped, just to see what happens," she said.

The downside of sleepmaxxing

There is a word of caution though, for anyone determined to optimise their sleep.

"While it is good and healthy to prioritise and value your sleep, there is the danger of becoming so obsessed with measuring your sleep, finding your next sleep aid and creating the 'perfect sleep' that this in itself creates anxiety about sleep — and ends up keeping you awake," warned Ramlakhan.

And it's important to take a holistic view of your health, instead of zooming too far in on your sleep alone. "The occasional poor sleep is normal and while sleep is really important, we also need to look at all of the other factors that impact our health, happiness, and energy levels: food, hydration, the way we breathe and move, our relationships, and doing things that bring us joy and purpose," she said.

"While it is good and healthy to prioritise and value your sleep, there is the danger of becoming so obsessed with measuring your sleep..." - Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan

Yet when it comes to getting good quality sleep, it's often about what you don't do, rather than what you do. "The biggest hindrance to getting good sleep is our obsession with our phones and in my extensive experience, there is no one product out there that can ameliorate the effects of constant usage of phones and our obsession with social media," said Ramlakhan.

She shared her five top tips to truly sleepmax for a good night's sleep – no kiwis involved:

1. Eat a nutrient rich breakfast everyday within 30-45 minutes of waking up. This helps to stabilise your blood sugar levels, reduces morning cortisol levels and alleviates anxiety, which are all important if you're experiencing sleep problems, according to Ramlakhan.

2. Avoid caffeine and don't use it as a substitute for food.

3. Hydrate for optimal brain function, including regulating your body temperature and to help produce sleep hormones like melatonin. Drink ideally 1.5 to 2 litres of water everyday.

4. Get to bed earlier, ideally around 9.30pm. Read something relaxing, meditate or journal before falling asleep.

5. Cultivate a healthier relationship with technology. Most crucially, don't keep your phone in your bedroom. Create an electronic sundown at least one hour before getting into bed and don't look at your phone during the night.

Mashable has more tips for getting a good night's sleep, if you're still in need of a little help.

NASA's preparing to put astronauts on its new moon-bound spacecraft. Every system is being rigorously tested.

The space agency released footage of engineers assessing the Orion craft's essential launch abort system, wherein a cover must blast off the crew capsule before parachutes deploy. NASA also tested Orion's response to lighting strikes and other extreme abort conditions at its Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio.

"These tests are absolutely critical because we have to complete all of these tests to say the spacecraft design is safe and we’re ready to fly a crew for the first time on Artemis II," Michael See, a manager for the Orion Program, said in a statement.

Artemis II, scheduled for April 2026, will send four astronauts on a voyage around the moon. They won't, however, land on the chalky lunar surface — that'll happen during Artemis III, set for mid-2027.

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

During Orion's launch to space, if an anomaly or emergency occurs, the craft may have to rapidly propel away from the Space Launch System rocket. Such launch aborts aren't common, but they do happen: In 2018, a Soyuz rocket's emergency abort system blasted the crew capsule away from the damaged rocket, likely saving the lives of NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin.

The slow-motion view below, posted on X, shows the last part of Orion that must eject (called the forward bay cover) before the spacecraft's parachutes can open. An abort is an intense event.

"The safety of the astronaut crew depends on this test campaign."

"This event would be the maximum stress and highest load that any of the systems would see," said Robert Overy, the Orion Environmental Test Article project manager. "We’re taking a proven vehicle from a successful flight and pushing it to its limits. The safety of the astronaut crew depends on this test campaign."

Tweet may have been deleted The launch abort system installed on the Orion capsule at NASA's Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. Credit: NASA / Jordan Salkin

This energetic test occurred inside the Armstrong Test Facility, built with a simulation chamber that can fit full-sized spacecraft. "The facility is unique because there’s no other place in the world capable of testing spacecraft like this," Overy explained.

When astronauts do eventually land on the moon later this decade, they'll land in the moon's south pole region, a place where the sun barely rises over the lunar hills. It's a world of profoundly long shadows and dim environs. One of the primary missions, over the course of a week, will be to look for invaluable water ice and collect surface samples to bring back to Earth. Eventually, if the ice is confirmed, such exploration will pave the way for harvesting lunar ice on a moon base.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television within each one!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services trying to determine what to watch! We've got your back whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, animation, and more.

But if you're seeking something brand spanking new (or new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

SEE ALSO: The best Netflix TV shows of 2024

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're looking for some sci-fi silliness, vampires running amok, nerve-rattling horror, a heartwarming historical drama, thought-provoking crime thrillers, or the best and sexiest movie 2024 has to offer, we've got you covered.

Here's what's new on streaming, from worst to best.

7. The Six Triple Eight

Writer/director Tyler Perry shines a light on the priceless contribution the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a battalion made up entirely of Black women, made in the war effort of WWII. Letters between soldiers and their loved ones were a vital lifeline, not only for the morale on the front lines but also for the families back home. The women of this eponymous squad did much more than make sense of the mess of mail, they delivered hope in one of America's darkest hours.

In his review for Mashable, Siddhant Adlakha praised Kerry Washington, whose turn as Major Charity Adams "lights the screen ablaze with her poise and commitment." However, while their story is remarkable, Perry's approach to the material is lacking. "[The movie] renders its audience as mere observers, rather than participants in its story," he wrote. "Despite the tremendous efforts of its cast, it leaves us to look upon the 6888th as artifacts of history, rather than real flesh-and-blood people with enormous hurdles thrown in their paths."

Starring: Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Moriah Brown, Gregg Sulkin, Susan Sarandon, Dean Norris, Sam Waterston and Oprah Winfrey

How to watch: The Six Triple Eight debuts on Netflix Dec. 20.

6. Laid

You loved Academy Award-nominee Stephanie Hsu as the multifaceted daughter in the multi-verse family comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once. Now, enjoy her fresh and funny spin in this high-concept series about love, sex, and the death of exes.

Shu stars as singleton Ruby, who's doing her best in the dating world to find the man of her dreams. But it seems like every guy is casually bringing up cannibalism or is bad in bed, you know? However, her love life gets comically tragic when she discovers that her ex-boyfriends are dying off at an alarming rate. So, now she's on a quest to track down her surviving exes and warn them — like when you have to call your previous sex partners about an STI, but way way more awkward.

Offering a barrage of handsome guest stars and a ride-or-die bestie in Girls' Zosia Mamet, Laid is a star vehicle for Hsu that has Crazy Ex-Girlfriend potential. Basically, this romantic heroine is a hot mess, but we're obsessed with her.

Starring: Stephanie Hsu, Zosia Mamet, Michael Angarano, Tommy Martinez, Ryan Pinkston, Sumi Lu, Finneas O'Connell, and Chloe Fineman

How to watch: Laid premieres on Peacock on Dec. 19.

5. What We Do in the Shadows: Series Finale

After six seasons, the documentary crew of What We Do in the Shadows is packing up their gear and wrapping production on the location in Staten Island where a houseful of vampires have frolicked, fucked, and sucked blood for ages. And if you're not ready to say goodbye, well, you're not alone. Human familiar turned bodyguard turned fledgling vampire turned non-vampire Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) is having a breakdown about the news of this conclusion. Maybe he worries the confessionals will rob him of the one place he felt safe to vent his frustrations about his dunderheaded master Nandor (Kayvan Novak), the lascivious Laszlo (Matt Berry), the wrathful Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), and the gleefully boring Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). But more than that, maybe he worries that this ending means closing the book on his time with the vampires.

Well, the vampires aren't worried. But not for the sentimental reasons of their human companion. In this finale, each beguiling bloodsucker will get one last moment to shine as bright as the moon, flashing their strengths and their insecurities with equal magnificence. The show will even get weird and meta in the middle with a bit of hypnotism. But in the end, this goofy undead tale will deliver a final punchline that hits the jugular. And man, it drives home like a stake in the heart how much we'll miss them.

Starring: Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch, and Kristen Schaal

How to watch: What We Do in the Shadows is now streaming on Hulu.

4. Star Trek: Lower Decks: Season Finale

After five silly and sensational sci-fi seasons, Star Trek: Lower Decks is setting off for the finale frontier. Aboard the janky but beloved starship Cerritos, four plucky Starfleet ensigns battled alien foes, curious caves, inner demons (and repressed memories), and many a socially awkward situation. They got promoted, demoted, probed, imprisoned, praised, and occasionally trapped in strange new worlds. But it was always a good time. So how do you bring all this to an end?

The series created by Mike McMahan (Rick & Morty), actually manages to offer one last big, cinematic mission for its final episode, fulfilling a tradition it established back in Season 1. There will be explosions, engineering, surprises, and lots of shenanigans from Starfleet's funniest crew. But ultimately, there will be farewells. The Cerritos' shipmates will move onto new adventures, and with the series coming to a close, we'll be left behind. But props to McMahan and his team for coming up with a farewell that's fittingly funny and a bit tear-jerking to boot.

And if you somehow haven't fallen for the charms of this animated sci-fi adventure office comedy series, all 5 seasons are awaiting you on streaming. Binge watch and prosper.

Starring: Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, Gabrielle Ruiz, Dawnn Lewis, Jerry O'Connell, Fred Tatasciore, and Gillian Vigman

How to watch: Star Trek Lower Decks is now streaming on Paramount+.

3. Cuckoo

One of our favorite horror films of 2024, Tilman Singer's movie about a teenager being stalked by a stranger in the mountains was described by Siddhant Adlakha as "a fun midnight genre romp that works despite its goofiest elements" in his Mashable review.

"A mountainous horror film reminiscent of The Shining — albeit with far more overt body horror — it follows the travails of a family of four as they take up residence near a fancy lodge in an isolated corner of the German Alps," he wrote. "When strange sounds emanating from nearby forests begin to have bizarre bodily effects on some of the guests, moody 17-year-old Gretchen (Hunter Schafer of Euphoria) ends up stumbling upon an ongoing investigation into something both silly and sinister. With its tightly wound atmosphere and an impeccable ensemble that throws everything at the wall, Cuckoo emerges as a largely unique work despite its many familiar elements, thanks in part to its increasingly twisted implications surrounding gender and biology. It's incredibly strange and deviously fun."* — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor

Starring: Hunter Schafer, Jan Bluthardt, Marton Csokas, Jessica Henwick, and Dan Stevens

How to watch: Cuckoo is now streaming on Hulu.

2. Juror No. 2

22 years after they played mother and son in the charming British comedy About a Boy, Toni Collette and Nicolas Hoult face off in the Clint Eastwood-directed courtroom drama Juror No. 2. He stars as Justin Kemp, a model citizen, family man, and journalist, who turns up for jury duty with an open mind and an eye toward justice. A hard-nosed prosecutor (Collette) believes she has the accused murderer pegged, beyond a reasonable doubt. But when Justin realizes he's had a part to play in this case, the paths of right and wrong become much harder to navigate.

Boasting a star-studded cast, this courtroom drama delivers solid thrills, asking the audience to consider how they themselves might handle Justin's precarious situation. In his review for Mashable, Siddhant Adlakha cheered, "Clint Eastwood paints Juror #2 with subtle, masterful brush strokes," adding, "Deep-seated symbols and ideas become fluid, making space for captivating drama that both pays homage and paves its own path: a constant tussle between old and new."

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough, and Kiefer Sutherland.

How to watch: Juror No. 2 is now streaming on Max.

1. Anora

2024 was a year in cinema defined by desire, from horny comedies like Lisa Frankenstein and Drive-Away Dolls to heralded thrillers like Love Lies Bleeding, Challengers, and Babygirl. But the best of the bunch — also beating out a slew of movies that weren't remotely salacious — is Sean Baker's Anora, a dramedy that Mashable proclaimed a "triumph" out of its TIFF premiere.

In a star-making turn, Mikey Madison (Scream 5) stars as a sex worker whose professional relationship with a young Russian client swiftly swings into a quickie wedding in Vegas. But Baker, who's made a career out of compelling films centered on the rich inner lives of sex workers, isn't offering a sloppy retread of Pretty Woman. When cronies come banging on the mansion door, it's up to Anora to fight for the future she wants. And along the way, Madison and a crackling ensemble deliver not only lip-biting tension but also jolting laughs that never make its eponymous heroine the butt of the joke. Everyone from Mashable who saw it was wowed.

Beautifully captured, beguiling spirited, "Anora offers a glorious thrill, as bold as it is brilliant." And so, it's the best film of the year.*

Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, and Aleksei Serebryakov

How to watch: Anora is now available for purchase on Prime Video.

Gia Coppola's The Last Showgirl is a spellbinding film about aging, made with tremendous texture and soul. The wistful Vegas drama follows a fifty-something burlesque dancer in her career twilight, played by '90s sex symbol Pamela Anderson — her ostensible comeback role. It's one of just several strokes of smart meta-textual casting, resulting in an ensemble that grounds the movie's visual chaos in distinctly human melodies.

At a mere 85 minutes in length, it zips by in the blink of an eye. However, it remains so captivating that by the time the credits roll, the film practically embodies the sensation of looking back at one's life and wondering where all that time went. It's a story steeped in regret, but one that reckons with past mistakes as a common, perhaps even necessary experience, especially the life of an artist.

What is The Last Showgirl about? Credit: Roadside Attractions

The Last Showgirl opens on Shelly (Anderson) about to audition with a provocative dance routine, as she lowers the brim of her bedazzled police hat and lies about her age (she claims to be 36). The camera remains tethered to her hesitant expression, awash in spotlight and surrounded by the darkness of an empty stage as though she were unmoored from time and space, and up against not just some phantom director but the entire world. When and where this brief framing scene occurs is irrelevant, at least at first. It comes back around eventually, but here, it serves as a gateway into the character's dueling self-doubt and persistence before the movie begins in earnest.

The movie's world — its chintzy glitz and glamor — comes pouring through the screen all at once as we enter Shelly's daily routine in a lengthy, propulsive take backstage at her nightly job as a showgirl, at the low-rent Vegas revue Le Razzle Dazzle. She and several younger dancers pour in and out of their collective dressing room to make quick costume changes. It's brisk but humdrum, a mechanical energy the movie immediately punctuates with overlapping dialogue that gets lost in the shuffle. Much of it, however, is delivered by Shelly.

During scenes like these, Shelly either complains, reminisces, or rambles, and is looked upon by her novice peers with both adoration and saintly patience. They love her. They put up with her. She's a mother figure who's been at this job since the '80s, so she knows the ropes, but she has an inflated opinion of what she does — or at least, that's how she frames it to other people, if only to convince herself that her lifelong sacrifices have been worthwhile.

After hours (which is to say, during the day), she usually catches up with her work friends, including former burlesque co-dancer Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), now a waitress at a casino. During one fine off-the-clock hangout, she's joined by two of the younger showgirls, Mary-Anne (Brenda Song) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka), as well as Le Razzle Dazzle's curt stage manager Eddie (Dave Bautista), who comes bearing bad news about the revue's future.

This gathering not only illuminates the ensemble's delightful interpersonal dynamics, but it creates a domino effect through which we, the audience, learn more about each character as the film goes on, since they're forced to reckon with their respective prospects. In the case of Shelly, she decides to check up on her estranged daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd), a fraught relationship whose fissures seem to grow deeper each time the mother-daughter duo interacts.

With the show's closure looming, the characters' pasts and futures begin to fade into focus. It essentially becomes a point of crisis, given how the revue (and their collective camaraderie) have formed a fragile new normal for them to take shelter from whatever they're each escaping. With that normalcy threatened, they're left with little choice but to reflect on what their lives might become without this temporary safety net, leading to a film whose plot is unmoving on paper, but whose underlying anxieties and ruminations are gently expressed through the dazzling aesthetic flourishes, as Coppola presents alluring portraits of women at pivotal moments in their careers. 

The Last Showgirl is visually stunning. Credit: Roadside Attractions

After her middling debut Palo Alto and her disastrous sophomore effort Mainstream, Gia Coppola has levelled up with The Last Showgirl in a way few American directors have — at least not since her grandfather followed up Finian's Rainbow with acclaimed New Hollywood breakthrough The Rain People, and soon after, with The Godfather. The film is immediately captivating, thanks in no small part to Loki cinematographer (and longtime Gia Coppola collaborator) Autumn Durald Arkapaw, whose images aren't just sensational but sensory, weaving thoughts, dreams, and memories into the frame's very shape and texture.

The movie's use of 16mm celluloid yields film grain that dances, especially in low-lit interiors and against the backdrop of Vegas' bright neon signs, making the movie feel alive whenever the characters are captured in close quarters. The flaws in the film stock don't just feel like artifacts but gemstones, akin to the ones sewn into the showgirls' clothes. It’s as if they were at one with the picture, or we were viewing them not as objects on the other side of a lens but as elements within the lens itself, bringing them closer to our gaze.

Coppola makes the intriguing story decision to omit the characters' actual dance performances for much of the runtime. In seldom revealing them on screen, she prevents the casting of judgement (by the camera, or by the audience) on what they do until she can ensure just the right circumstances in which to present them on stage — the right emotional context, once the movie's drama has dispensed with every possible argument about what Le Razzle Dazzle is or isn't. Is it a job between jobs? A cheap nudie show? Or something refined, descended from Parisian artistic tradition? It depends on who you ask — Shelly believes it's the latter — but all these opinions and more end up colliding when the show is finally revealed, and "what" it is pales in comparison to what it means to each dancer.

In the meantime, the frame dances and sways to capture their movements through cramped spaces like narrow backstage corridors and solo rehearsals, but this isn't just achieved through the camera's physical motion. The lenses themselves — anamorphic Ultra Panatar — curve the plane of focus, warping and wobbling as the camera pans. They provide distinct blurs around the edges of the frame, not unlike the painterly flourishes Roger Deakins brought to the modern Western The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Here, Coppola's Wild West is the heightened cultural un-reality of the Las Vegas strip with its fake Eiffel Towers and the like. It's the last frontier of possibility, after which it feels like someone can travel (or fall) no further.

No matter where the characters turn for help — be it financial or emotional — they're all up against a wall, just as the idealism of showbiz cast in the city's bright lights is constantly confronted by its façade. These dueling realities and artificialities are also embodied by the movie's impeccable cast, on multiple narrative levels. The actors deliver immensely thoughtful work, and Coppola, in casting each performer in their respective parts, pulls something fundamental from them too, using their star power to magnify her narrative tenfold.

Pamela Anderson leads an incredible ensemble. Credit: Roadside Attractions

Anderson, having once been a near-ubiquitous celebrity, feels like the most overt and obvious of the movie's tongue-in-cheek casting choices, but this doesn't mean she's ineffective. On the contrary. Her life as a woman in the spotlight, someone who's been both elevated and embarrassed by it, seems to inform her relationship to the camera, and  how much she opens up and closes herself off to it at any given moment. But make no mistake: This isn't a case of Anderson playing a version of herself. Shelly is a richly formed, often rankled, frazzled character, whose constant verbal diarrhea may as well be a symptom of insecurity.

This year, The Substance was lauded for its depictions of aging women in entertainment, and while its various genre metaphors were too scattered to be coherent, Demi Moore's role (and her private, vulnerable moments) left an impact. For instance, the moment in which Moore's character furiously wipes off her lipstick before a date and decides to stay home. Anderson belongs in that same conversation, for the sustained manner in which she lives in that exact mode of self-loathing, constantly on the precipice of breakdown. What's more, upon crossing that threshold, Shelly's vulnerabilities are distinctly ugly. Her breakdowns make her deeply unpleasant to those around her, especially her friends, making Anderson's performance all the more stunning in its honesty.

Each supporting character is cast with a similar eye for real-world experience too. Curtis, a long-time entertainer and "final girl" progenitor — once defined by her youthful innocence — found recent Oscar success as a wildly different character in Everything Everywhere All At Once: a frumpy, pouty old woman who couldn't seem to find happiness. And yet, in nailing that role, she appears to have found a comfortable new niche, making her appearance here as someone who has escaped the life of a showgirl feel oddly radical, if only because she plays a woman who, on some level, misses being the center of attention. Does being a cocktail waitress come with more dignity? Perhaps on occasion, but she still lives and works at the mercy of a misogynistic Vergas entertainment industry that can — and in the movie's case, does — turn on her on a dime.

Coppola similarly casts former child stars Song and Shipka (of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Mad Men fame, respectively) as young performers whose bodies are constantly on full display. Song's character, Mary-Anne, is a mediator of sorts, and often tells things like it is whenever Shelly rambles too long, while Shipka's Jodie is much more of a quiet observer, though in her own vulnerable moments, she feels (and fears) quite deeply. Both end up at the mercy of how interchangeably and disposable they're viewed by the world of live entertainment. Jodie especially feels the isolating brunt of being a young entertainer, in her subplot of being rejected by loved ones and searching for a maternal substitute in Shelly.

Shelly, meanwhile, is preoccupied with trying to win back Hannah, whose bitter rejections pierce and hurt Shelly's sense of self and femininity. Hannah looks down on what her mother does, but her anger comes from a place of abandonment. For Lourd, whose own mother was a huge part of show business — Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame — being the daughter of an entertainer and struggling to comprehend both her mother's desires and her sacrifices feels equally charming and challenging, a wink at the audience that also pushes the actress to uncomfortably bitter places with her accusations.

Credit: Roadside Attractions

However, perhaps the movie's sharpest commentary alongside casting Anderson is Bautista's role as Eddie, the awkward, soft-spoken producer with a flowing mane; he looks out for Shelly and the other showgirls, though he's separated from them socially and structurally. He's afforded relative safety despite the show's potential closure, the way people in more traditional jobs might be (compared to most entertainers), and as a man, he isn't necessarily exposed to the same rigorous judgements as his female counterparts. Eddie is someone who seems to quietly understand all this, despite occasionally putting his foot in his mouth. 

Bautista brings not only an engaged thoughtfulness to the role, through sensitive eyes that seem to want to reach out to those in pain, but he brings the baggage of his past life as a wrestler too, a former WWE headliner whose own body (and bodily changes) have been the topic of media conversation. Having similarly had a physically demanding job with an expiration date — and one with all the camp and showiness of Le Razzle Dazzle — simply placing the actor in this environment creates a relationship to it for the audience, one Bautista seizes upon through stray and wordless glances.

As all these warring perspectives collide, Shelly is pushed slowly over the brink, as Anderson portrays a woman outliving her perceived usefulness — as a mother, as a friend, and as a physical entertainer whose youth and agility are paramount. The more The Last Showgirl goes on, the more it feels like she's been covering up deep wounds with constant, nonsensical conversation, to the point that she can no longer honestly express herself without exploding. It's a masterclass in naturalistic performance, as Anderson dives into some of the heaviest emotional material of any actress this year — perhaps alongside Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Hard Truths — creating meaning out of lifelong pain, while teetering on the edge of obsolescence.

The Last Showgirl opens Dec. 13 in Los Angeles, and nationwide Jan. 10.

TL;DR: The NanoPhone packs essential smartphone features into a tiny, portable design for 50% off at $99.97 (reg. $199).

Opens in a new window Credit: Mutant Design Lab NanoPhone $99.97
$199.99 Save $100.02 A Miniaturized Smartphone Packed with Mega Features Get Deal

Sick of lugging around a phone that’s practically the size of a tablet? If you’re someone who values portability without sacrificing functionality, then the NanoPhone could be exactly what you need.

This little powerhouse — on sale for $99.97 — includes the smartphone features you need into a device so compact, it could practically disappear in your pocket.

Despite its small size, which is literally the size of a credit card, the NanoPhone doesn’t skimp on the essentials. It comes equipped with a clear, responsive touchscreen that makes navigation a breeze, whether you're scrolling through your contacts or browsing the web. The intuitive interface is designed to keep things simple, so you can easily manage calls, texts, and apps without the bulk of a standard smartphone.

The NanoPhone also includes a built-in camera, perfect for capturing those on-the-go moments when you don’t have your full-size device handy. Plus, it supports Bluetooth connectivity, so you can pair it with wireless headphones or a smartwatch for a seamless experience.

Battery life won’t be an issue either. The NanoPhone is designed to last throughout your day, whether you’re making calls, streaming music, or checking your emails. And with expandable storage, you can carry all your essential apps, photos, and files without compromise.

Whether you’re hitting the gym, going for a run, or just want to travel light, the NanoPhone is a practical solution that could fit your lifestyle. Small in size and big on features, it's ready to go wherever life takes you.

For a limited time, you can get the NanoPhone miniaturized smartphone on sale for $99.97 (reg. $199) through Dec. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Supplies are limited, so act while you still can.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a wireless CarPlay and Android Auto in your car for just $89.97 (reg. $149.99) through Dec. 22 and enjoy safer, smarter drives in the new year.

Opens in a new window Credit: RochasDivineMart Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Wireless Adapter with Streaming Service Support (2024 Edition) $89.97
$149.99 Save $60.02 Get Deal

Long drives or quick commutes, your car is your mobile command center. But fumbling with cords or outdated tech can make even a short drive a hassle. What if you could ditch the cables and make your ride smoother and smarter?

The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless adapter is here to simplify your drive, turning your car into a tech-savvy hub without the headache — on sale for $89.97 (reg. $140) through Dec. 22.

This compact adapter lets you connect wirelessly to CarPlay and Android Auto, making it easier than ever to access your favorite apps, maps, and music. No more plugging in your phone every time you get in the car — just start the engine, and you’re connected. It also supports streaming services and has built-in apps, giving you more entertainment options on the road.

Safety is another big plus. By cutting out the clutter of cords and offering seamless smartphone integration, this adapter helps you keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. It's compatible with a wide range of car models and smartphones, making it a versatile upgrade for almost any vehicle. Plus, with added storage, you can save your favorite playlists or navigation routes right on the device.

This wireless adapter is designed to make your driving experience smarter, safer, and more enjoyable. Whether you’re a daily commuter or weekend road tripper, it can help you make the most out of your car.

Through Dec. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can upgrade your ride in time for the new year and get this Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless adapter on sale for $89.97 (reg. $140).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: On sale for $514.99 (reg. $1,499), you can own a refurbished MacBook Air M1 that’s good for your budget and the planet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished Apple MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) $514.99
$1,499.00 Save $984.01 Get Deal

Looking to upgrade your tech without draining your bank account or adding to e-waste? A refurbished MacBook Air M1 2020 that's been marked down 65% to $514.99 could be the answer to all your eco-friendly, budget-saving dreams. This isn't just about owning a sleek Apple device; it’s about making a choice that’s good for you and the planet. After all, why buy new when you can save money and help reduce waste with a high-quality refurbished model?

With Apple’s powerful M1 chip under the hood, this refurbished Apple MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) is more than just good looks. It handles everything from streaming and editing to multitasking like a champ. Plus, it’s so lightweight, you can easily toss it into your bag without feeling weighed down. This is the laptop you’ll be proud to bring to the coffee shop, work remotely, or simply flex at home — all while knowing you’ve made a sustainable choice.

Score a great deal on a powerful MacBook without that “new” price tag. You still get all the Apple cred and performance, but you’re saving cash and cutting down on waste by giving a refurbished device a second life. It’s a win-win. And with an "A" refurbished rating, you might not even notice it's been used before.

So, why not save the planet (and some money) with this refurbished 2020 MacBook Air? You’ll be doing good while looking good.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: With lifetime access for Mac or PC users, Microsoft Office 2024 Home (the latest version) is an ideal last-minute digital gift, available for $119.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time Purchase $119.97
$149.99 Save $30.02 Get Deal

If you’re scrambling for a last-minute gift idea that’s practical, thoughtful, and ready in an instant, look no further than Microsoft Office 2024 Home.

Available for just $119.97 (reg. $149), this one-time purchase provides lifetime access to the latest version of Microsoft’s trusted productivity suite. No shipping is required, so you can purchase it today and have it delivered immediately. This is a unique gift option for those on your list who need help staying organized, creative, and productive in the new year.

Not every gift needs to be wrapped in paper. Office 2024 is an ideal last-minute solution for family members, students, or remote workers who rely on tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote to manage their tasks. Whether it’s for building a family budget, crafting a school project, or making stunning presentations, this digital gift is both practical and empowering.

This latest version of Office is packed with features designed to make work easier and more efficient. The user-friendly design means tools are intuitive and accessible, while AI-powered features like intelligent text suggestions and formatting assistance help users create polished documents effortlessly. Excel’s dynamic arrays take data handling to the next level, streamlining everything from budgets to analytics.

For collaborative households, Office 2024 makes teamwork much more efficient. Real-time co-authoring allows multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously, while built-in chat and commenting tools simplify communication and feedback.

Unlike subscription-based services, this is a one-time purchase. That means no recurring fees — just reliable access to the tools you (or they) need, year after year.

Get Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac or PC for just $119.97 (reg. $149) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.