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Tickets are now on sale for Captain America: Brave New World, and Marvel has dropped a new trailer to celebrate.

SEE ALSO: 2025 movie preview: All the films you'll want to know about

This trailer — which mostly revisits moments from other teasers and first looks — reminds us of the threats Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) will face in the fourth installment of the Captain America franchise. These threats kick off after a meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) goes horribly south. Now, Sam finds himself at the center of a global conspiracy that only he can put a stop to.

The new trailer gives us further glimpses of Giancarlo Esposito's (Maxxxine) villain Sidewinder, as well as Joaquín Torres (Danny Ramirez, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) taking up the mantle of Falcon. He and Sam make quite a pair, zipping around the dead Celestial from Eternals in a bombastic action sequence that involves chopping plane wings off with their own wings. On top of that, the trailer concludes with another look at Ross' transformation into Red Hulk. Witness it for yourself above.

Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters Feb. 14.

SAVE $250: As of Jan. 17, the Apple MacBook Air M3 15-inch is on sale at Amazon for $1,249. That's a 17% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air M3 15-inch $1,249.00 at Amazon
$1,499.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal

If you're looking for a new laptop, look no further than the 2024 MacBook Air M3. As the name suggests, it's built with Apple’s impressive M3 chip so it's a speedy and impressive laptop. It was even named one of Mashable's best laptops of the year in 2024.

And as of Jan. 17, this MacBook is reduced by $250 to $1,249 at Amazon. This price is for the 16GB RAM model with a 512GB SSD capacity without AppleCare+. You can choose from the colors midnight, silver, space gray, and starlight.

But why the M3 instead of the cheaper M2? Well, according to thorough Mashable testing, the M3 chip proved to be about 20 percent faster than the previous generation M2 chip. It also boasts an 18-hour battery life, great for working or studying away from home when you don't have access to a charging outlet.

This model has all the usual impressive stats that you'd expect from a MacBook Air, including a backlit keyboard, Touch ID, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3 for faster wireless connectivity. Not to mention, the 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display supports a whopping 1 billion colors.

Weighing just three pounds and measuring under 0.5 inches thin, this MacBook truly is amazing for slipping in your tote bag and working on the go.

Head to Amazon now to grab this limited deal.

SAVE $30: As of Jan.17, the Apple AirTag four-pack is on sale at Amazon for $69.99. This deal saves you 29% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 4-pack Apple AirTag $69.99 at Amazon
$99.00 Save $29.01 Get Deal

The Apple AirTag is nothing short of a genius invention. A handy little tracking device that can be attached to almost anything: your keys, luggage, passport. Anything you misplace on the regular, attach an AirTag to it. Of course, an Apple product comes with a price, but with Amazon's Daily Deals, you can stock up now while they're reduced.

As of Jan. 17, this Apple AirTag four-pack is reduced to just $69.99, saving you $30.

Never used one before? The setup couldn't be easier, simply attach it to your item of choice and track it in the Find My app. It even has a small built-in speaker, so you can trigger a sound from the Find My app on your Apple device, making it easier to find the AirTag if it's nearby but out of sight, like under a cushion or in a bag.

Confused about the battery life? Well, according to Apple, all AirTags are designed to have a one-year battery life, with regular use. They use a standard CR2032 coin cell battery, which is user-replaceable. When the battery is running low, you’ll receive a notification on your iPhone, giving you plenty of time to replace it.

It even has an IP67 water resistance rating, meaning it can cope with a maximum depth of one meter for up to 30 minutes.

Head to Amazon to score this deal.

SAVE $170: As of Jan. 17, the Roborock Q5 Max+ is on sale for $279.99 at Amazon. That's a 38% savings on its list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: roborock Roborock Q5 Max+ $279.00 at Amazon
$449.00 Save $170.00 Get Deal

If 2025 is the year you take the plunge from manual vacuuming to robotic, Mashable is here to help. Robot vacuums are our thing (just check out our top picks for 2025) and we're always on the hunt for new deals and discounts — like this latest Amazon deal on the Roborock Q5 Max+.

As of Jan. 17, this vacuum is reduced by 38% to just $279. And you're getting a whole lot for your money with this one.

As the name suggests, this model is equipped with a DuoRoller system, meaning it can pick up dirt, dust, and pet hair easily, whether it's on carpet or hard floors. It boasts a 5,500 Pa HyperForce suction power, meaning it's a solid dirt lifter.

But our favorite feature is how low-maintenance it is — not only does it self-empty, but the dustbin has a 2.5-liter storage, so you'll only need to empty it around every seven weeks. The voice controls are also a big plus. Whether you use Alexa, Google Home, or Siri, it'll work for them all.

For moving around your house it uses the PreciSense LiDAR. This means it cleverly maps out your rooms so it can move around without bumping into any obstacles.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so don't waste any time.

SAVE $60: As of Jan. 17, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS+Cellular) is on sale at Best Buy for $739. This is $60 off its list price of $799.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS+Cellular) 49mm Titanium Case with Black Ocean Band - Black - (2024) $739.00 at Best Buy
$799.00 Save $60.00 Get Deal

An Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a great investment for those who love to adventure outdoors. Whether you enjoy running, swimming, or hiking, this rugged smartwatch is the perfect partner to keep you updated on your progress. It's even better when you can score one on sale, and thankfully, Best Buy's got an offer at the moment on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 that's worth checking out.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS+Cellular) is currently marked down to $739, $60 off its list price of $799. This deal is part of a four-day sale at the retailer that ends on Monday, so if you've been hoping to pick up an Ultra 2 now's a great time. It also comes with a couple of bonus offers: four months of Apple Fitness+ for free and up to three months of Apple Music for free.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

Alongside the usual health and safety features that come with an Apple smartwatch — such as a heart rate monitor and sleep tracker — the Apple Watch Ultra 2 boasts advanced features and metrics for athletic individuals so you can have the greatest insights into your workouts. In our comparison of the Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Ultra 2, writer Alex Perry says, "Ultra 2 is definitely made with outdoorsy adventuring types in mind. It's for people who might feasibly get lost in the woods or need to measure depth while diving in the ocean."

Its rugged design makes it a great fit for outdoorsy individuals too, boasting a 49mm corrosion-resistant titanium case. It also has a fantastic battery life that can last up to 36 hours with normal use and 72 hours in Low Power Mode.

Again, this deal only lasts until Monday so act fast to save on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 at Best Buy.

Looking for even more Apple deals? There are plenty worth checking out at the moment. You can also save on Apple AirPods Pro 2 right now and the 2022 MacBook Air with M2 chip is also on sale at Amazon.

SAVE $30: As of Jan. 17, the Apple Pencil Pro is discounted to $99 at Best Buy. This is $30 off its list price of $129.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Pencil Pro - White $99.00 at Best Buy
$129.00 Save $30.00 Get Deal

Best Buy's started off the year strong with some excellent deals so far. At the moment, the retailer is holding a four-day sale on a variety of items, including some Apple products. If you're an iPad owner who's been itching to get an Apple Pencil to pair with it, you can score a very nice deal there on the Apple Pencil Pro right now.

At the moment, the Apple Pencil Pro is marked down to $99. This is $30 off its list price of $129. You also get quite a few bonuses with your purchase, and what's better than that? Best Buy includes three months free of Apple TV+, three months of Apple Fitness+ for free, up to four months free of Apple Arcade, and up to three months of Apple Music for free.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

The Apple Pencil Pro is a precise little tool that's perfect for those who love to take detailed notes or doodle away on their iPad. This version of the pencil offers more advanced features as well, including squeeze and barrel roll features. In our hands-on review of the Apple Pencil Pro, you can read more details about these new additions and what we thought of them.

As mentioned earlier, this deal only lasts until Monday as part of Best Buy's sale, so don't miss out on $30 off the Apple Pencil Pro.

There are quite a few more Apple deals worth exploring right now, too. Right now you can also save on Apple AirPods Pro 2 and the Apple Watch Series 9 has gotten a very nice discount at Walmart.

SAVE $80: As of Jan. 17, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are on sale at Best Buy for $349. This is $80 off their list price of $429.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones - Lunar Blue $349.00 at Best Buy
$429.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal

For the next four days, Best Buy is throwing a little sale event on a wide variety of items. If you've been hoping to pick up some new headphones this year, they've got an excellent selection on sale. This includes the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, which we believe to be "the most comfortable pair of headphones you can buy right now," according to our review.

At the moment you can pick up the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $349. This is $80 off their list price of $429 and even comes with a bonus offer of YouTube Premium for free for three months. That's a very nice discount to take advantage of, and we think these headphones are worth every penny, too.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

As mentioned previously, these headphones have a very comfortable fit. Our review says, "If you're wearing headphones from the beginning of your commute, all throughout the workday, and until the moment you get back home, these are a worthy investment for comfort, not to mention battery life." They also offer noise-cancelling features that give you the option to be completely tuned into what you're listening to or more aware of your surroundings.

This discount won't stick around for long, so act fast to save on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones at Best Buy.

If you want to see even more headphone and earbud deals, there are quite a few worth checking out at the moment. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are currently discounted at Amazon and Sony's WH1000XM4 headphones are also discounted at Best Buy.

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 17, the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB) is on sale for $229.99 for Amazon Prime members. This is 18% off its list price of $279.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32 GB) $229.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

Revealed last October, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is a sleek new e-reader that lets you enjoy all of your favorite novels and comics in color. It's an exciting new addition to the Kindle lineup, and if you're an Amazon Prime member you can even score a nice little discount on it right now.

Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB) is currently marked down to $229.99 for Prime members. This is 18% off its list price of $279.99, allowing you to pocket $50. If you've been hoping to upgrade your e-reader or want to start building a digital library, this Kindle is a great option to invest in.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

The main highlight of this Kindle is its colorful display, which is an excellent upgrade from previous black and white Kindle models. Its screen is also glare-free with an auto-adjusting front light, so no matter the time of day you can settle into your favorite books or comics with ease. Another great feature is that you can highlight text in yellow, orange, blue, and pink, which is perfect for those who like a little organization. And with 32GB of storage, it's ready to take on your digital library.

If you're an Amazon Prime member, don't miss out on this excellent deal on Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB).

If you're an avid reader or know someone else who is, there are a few more deals worth exploring at Amazon. A refurbished Kindle Scribe is also on sale at the moment, and if you prefer audiobooks, you can still take advantage of Audible's offer of three months free of its Premium Plus plan.

Following a series of blatantly false summaries of headlines and severe backlash from journalists and newsrooms, Apple has paused its AI-generated news summary push notifications...for now.

"With the latest beta software releases of iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3, Notification summaries for the News & Entertainment category will be temporarily unavailable," an Apple spokesperson told Mashable via email.

SEE ALSO: How to identify AI-generated text: 7 ways to tell if content was made by a bot

The Apple Intelligence feature, which was introduced in 2024, really kicked off with the release of iOS 18.2, and launched in the UK on Dec. 11, was supposed to sum up news headlines in short push alerts. These are delivered to Apple devices compatible with iOS 18.1 and later including the latest iPhone 16 and 16 Plus.

In December, BBC News accused Apple's AI of sending a false push notification attributed to the news outlet reporting that Luigi Mangione, arrested for the murder of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, had died by suicide. It was not Apple's only false BBC News headline summary, nor was it the only publisher represented by inaccurate Apple AI-generated news outlines.

Apple reportedly didn't respond to the BBC's complaint until January, when, as the news outlet reported, the company "said it was working to clarify that summaries were AI-generated."

In January, the National Union of Journalists and journalism body Reporters Without Borders publicly urged Apple to remove the generative AI feature, the latter criticising "the inability of AI systems to systematically publish quality information, even when it is based on journalistic sources."

On Thursday, an Apple spokesperson told the BBC the company was "working on improvements and will make them available in a future software update."

As MacRumors points out, Apple has updated the Notification Summaries feature in the Settings app with a warning, reading that the feature "may contain errors". Also, Notification Summaries that fall outside the News and Entertainment category will still appear, but in italics for now.

“This is truly one of the funniest and most unexpected stories of the young year so far.”

If you were worried at all about the state of the movie industry, then fear not: Donald Trump has a plan to make Hollywood great again.

In the Jimmy Kimmel Live! clip above, the host shares the incoming president's recent Truth Social post announcing that Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone will serve as his "special envoys" to the industry. All three men have previously endorsed or supported Trump. Gibson has faced a litany of allegations over his career, including anti-semitism, homophobia, and domestic violence, while Stallone has been accused of sexual assault.

"Wow, Braveheart, Rambo and the Midnight Cowboy: He summoned the three horsemen of the Apocalypto to save us. In other words Trump saw The Expendables 3 on his plane last night and was like, 'Hmm, I need those guys to help,'" says an unimpressed Kimmel. "And who better to be Trump's eyes and ears than 86-year-old Jon Voight?"

In just a matter of days, the lights will switch off on the app that has almost dominated, and certainly defined, the United States in the last five years. TikTok — the second most downloaded app in the country in 2024, and with 170 million active American users — is going to shut down in the U.S. following a law passed last year that requires Bytedance, TikTok’s parent company, to either sell the app to a U.S. company or shut down operations. 

Despite several attempts to stall this, hopes of saving TikTok for American users is fast diminishing — and as they clamour to bid their final farewells on our For You Pages (FYPs), something we should be asking ourselves is: will this affect those of us living outside the U.S.?

From a tech standpoint, non-U.S. residents are totally unharmed; no lights are turning off for us, and it will feel like business as normal. But it is likely not a technological interruption we should be worried about. You will be far more affected by the sudden disappearance of new content from American users and creators if they have played an important part in your TikTok experience. If you speak English, it is almost certain that they have done, and as a content creator myself, I see it as a mass extinction event of Anglophone creativity and information. But before I bring up my personal theories, I’ll tell you what other people I trust have said first. 

I see it as a mass extinction event of Anglophone creativity and information.

Chris Stokel-Walker, journalist and author of TikTok Boom: China's Dynamite App and the Superpower Race for Social Media, believes it is worrying for non-U.S. users because of the precedent it sets. "Not only do we lose 170 million people posting on the app," he said, "but it demonstrates that the U.S. remains deeply uncomfortable with anyone but a Silicon Valley tech company dominating the social media space."

It is true that the ban, running under the legislation titled "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act," has run on the grounds that the app poses "a national-security threat of immense depth and scale," according to the U.S. Justice Department. 

SEE ALSO: As TikTok faces a ban, creators brace for an uncertain future

When President Donald Trump first tried to ban it in 2020 with an executive order (that was blocked by a judge and dropped), the order had said "this data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information − potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”

But these fears have never quite been backed up. "There hasn’t been any concrete evidence presented by the U.S. government that the app is a national security risk at the level they claim," Stokel-Walker said. Many believe it is far more likely that many in the U.S. simply hated the taste of another country’s app rivalling Silicon Valley. Meta and Google, who stand to benefit immensely from the app being banned because it will bring attention and ad money to its TikTok rivals Reels and Shorts, spent millions lobbying government specifically about this legislation.

So, it isn’t good for any of us who like a diversified social media ecosystem that is decentralised from America, and from the overreach of big tech manipulation under Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk; theoretically, this legislation could affect us any time a good app is developed in a country the U.S. decides is an adversary. But for a lot of us, the direct and immediate impact will be cultural.

V Spehar, the American journalist and content creator known as @underthedesknews, told Mashable that “the American-based TikTok provides a lot of new music, trending sounds, access to the American music library. You’ll have an end to American first-person reporting and news the way you were used to.”

The ban, which is believed to affect any Bytedance tool, would also ultimately see an end to the Bytedance-owned editing tool Capcut in the U.S., which has turned many video novices to internet stars with its simple interface. Spehar thinks that this means American users will struggle to pivot to other platforms. "Even someone with millions of followers is used to using that," they said. "The reason why this is so catastrophic is that if the Washington Post closes, you can just pick up the New York Times. Users are losing all the editing tools that they rely on. There’ll be a big blackout because a new tool is such a learning curve."

SEE ALSO: Biden reportedly won't enforce the TikTok ban. This doesn't mean much.

From a content creator perspective, lots of us stand to lose a considerable amount of engagement. Depending on the kind of content I make, recent videos have had anything between a 5 percent and a 20 percent watch rate from the United States. Where will those views suddenly go now; will my content be seen by more viewers in other countries, or will its reach simply be cut, sorn off like a tree branch?

Steph Black, who is based in London and creates TikTok content about her work as an archeologist, wonders if the ban will generate more opportunities for non-U.S. content creators. "I do wonder if U.S. brands will completely do away with advertising on TikTok, or if they will be more interested in working with non-U.S. creators to sell on TikTok," she said. She can also remember how TikTok features would be rolled out first in the U.S. in the past before in Europe, such as the opportunity to get monetised. "I’d like to see more opportunities for non-U.S. creators."

But for creators with a big U.S. following — and brand partnerships — opportunities may dry up. Content creator Max Klymenko has a third of his audience on TikTok in the U.S. "The fact I won’t be able to reach them on TikTok means we have to find each other on other platforms," he said. "It’s easy to say you just go to other platforms — but modern social media doesn’t work like this. It’s feed-based. Whoever the creators you love are, they go on your feed, and they’re going to be the ones you watch."

"I think there is a narrative that it doesn’t matter for us, what’s the big deal, the world doesn’t revolve around the USA. I think it will matter a bunch."

More widely, he believes that YouTube Shorts will benefit from an uptick in activity, as it did in India following the TikTok ban there. "I think there is a narrative that it doesn’t matter for us, what’s the big deal, the world doesn’t revolve around the USA. I think it will matter a bunch. The U.S. is the market with, historically, a lot of content creation innovation. Some of the top creators in the world are American. It’s a huge market and community to use."

"Me, I work with some American brands. I think there will be concerns around the ability of foreign creators to reach an American audience. It’s no secret they’re one of the highest paying with big consumer purchasing power. I think the impact on non-American creators and users is actually going to be pretty big. I think it will change the platform.” 

Whether you are a user or a creator, it’s likely that a major part of your content experience on TikTok will change. For one thing, there won’t be another Renegade dance, girl dinner innovation, or Wes Anderson trend for a while; the vast majority of trends, neologisms, and content styles we consume and regenerate have all been gifted to us by American content creators. As the TikTok ban begins, the first thing we will lose isn’t so much content, but connection.

"I have seen more of the world through TikTok than Americans ever get to see," Spehar said wistfully. “And I’ve made relationships that I never would have been able to do through YouTube and Instagram algorithms. I’m going to miss a lot of those people. I pray we’ll be back.”

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, January 17, 2025:

AcrossOwner of a shop called The Bun Also Rises, most likely

• The answer is Baker.

Kind of oil served with bread

• The answer is Olive.

Throw in the ___

• The answer is Towel.

"Fine" dishware for a dinner party

• The answer is China.

Very quick

• The answer is Hasty.

DownBungle, as plastic surgery

• The answer is Botch.

___ State, nickname for Hawaii

• The answer is Aloha.

Fuzzy fruits or flightless birds

• The answer is Kiwis.

4 x 400-meter race, e.g.

• The answer is Event.

4 x 400-meter race, e.g.

• The answer is Relay.

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.

With the court signaling it will release a decision on Friday, lobbyists for the app pushed lawmakers to shift course.

Airlines have been increasingly outsourcing repair and upkeep work to other countries, but experts and consumer groups disagree about its impact on safety.

Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube are getting ready behind the scenes to welcome TikTok users, should the Chinese-owned app be banned from the United States.

Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube are getting ready behind the scenes to welcome TikTok users, should the Chinese-owned app be banned from the United States.

The Andromeda galaxy is a colossal marvel in our sky, hosting over 1 trillion stars.

Now, astronomers have used the Hubble Space Telescope to capture hundreds of detailed images of our vast galactic neighbor, creating the largest-ever photomosaic of the galaxy. It took over 10 years to create.

"Photographing Andromeda was a herculean task because the galaxy is a much bigger target on the sky than the galaxies Hubble routinely observes, which are often billions of light-years away," NASA, which operates Hubble with the European Space Agency, explained. "The full mosaic was carried out under two Hubble programs. In total, it required over 1,000 Hubble orbits, spanning more than a decade."

SEE ALSO: Webb telescope just solved the 'universe-breaking problem'

The image below shows the complete mosaic. Beneath that is a selection of intriguing sights within the mosaic, labeled A through E:

• A: Star clusters in Andromeda, foreground stars in our Milky Way galaxy, and two background galaxies far beyond Andromeda (shown in yellowish-orange).

• B: A bright star cloud in Andromeda called NGC 206.

• C: A star-forming region in Andromeda with young blue stars.

• D: A satellite galaxy known as M32. It could be the leftover core of a galaxy that once collided with Andromeda, the European Space Agency explains.

• E: Dust lanes amid an enormous number of stars, which brilliantly light up the Andromeda galaxy.

The largest-ever photomosaic of the Andromeda galaxy. Credit: NASA / ESA / B. Williams (U. of Washington) Annotated details of the expansive Andromeda galaxy. Credit: NASA / ESA / B. Williams (U. of Washington)

Andromeda, at some 2.5 million light-years away, is relatively close in space terms (though that's still an enormous distance; a light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles). This cosmic proximity allows us to understand our own spiral galaxy, on which we occupy a spot on one of the spiral arms.

"Without Andromeda as a proxy for spiral galaxies in the universe at large, astronomers would know much less about the structure and evolution of our own Milky Way," NASA said. "That's because we are embedded inside the Milky Way. This is like trying to understand the layout of New York City by standing in the middle of Central Park."

Our galaxy, while not small, isn't nearly as big as Andromeda. We harbor some 100 to 400 billion stars. One day, however, the two galaxies may collide, forming a giant, egg-shaped elliptical galaxy. But that great merger won't happen for billions of years.

Lawrence Lamont’s One of Them Days is a feel-good buddy comedy just when we need it the most: in the middle of a gloomy January.

Dreux (Keke Palmer) is having one of those days when the universe seems to be conspiring against her. On the day of a big job interview, she learns that her longtime friend and roommate Alyssa (SZA) gave her good-for-nothing boyfriend their rent money believing he would do the right thing. Instead, he squandered their money on one of his hairbrained side hustles and skipped out to pursue another woman. Their merciless landlord threatens them with eviction if they can’t come up with the full amount by the end of the day. Now Dreux, a waitress with dreams of managing her own franchise, and Alyssa, a struggling artist with questionable judgment, must come up with the money and solve a few more problems along the way. 

The movie delivers a slew of silly hijinks and physical comedy with an equal amount of heart as the two mismatched characters lean on each other to get through a notoriously bad day. One of Them Days also serves as a love letter to Los Angeles — hitting even more powerfully given the recent wildfires — highlighting the neighborhoods where residents continue to dream big and work hard, far beyond the tourist spots. 

One of Them Days follows in the grand tradition of the hangout movie

One of Them Days feels like a throwback in the best way possible. It’s a hangout movie —  films in which well-meaning goofs just try to have a good time or fall in love — in the tradition of Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke, the Kid ‘n Play-led House Party, and the Wayans' Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. Lamont’s film even channels a bit of John Landis’ 1978 Animal House with its chaotic spirit, large ensemble, and updates on each of the characters at the end.

But perhaps the greatest thematic connection is to F. Gary Gray’s ‘90s comedy classic Friday, which centers on two friends who need to settle a debt before a short deadline, or they will die. The dynamic between Ice Cube and Chris Tucker gives Friday its emotional grounding while its many, many jokes and quips (including the line you've heard way too many times since, "Bye Felicia!") have kept the film alive in the pop culture.

One of Them Days involves two friends with a similar dynamic chasing after a goal, but Dreux and Alyssa go about it in a different way, attempting to use their entrepreneurial skills to come up with the money in just a few hours' time.  

One of Them Days is fresh and fun Credit: Courtesy Sony Pictures

Those earlier films have something else in common: They focused on men, with women playing supporting or bit parts, if they factored in the narrative at all. One of Them Days, then, breaks ground, delivering feel-good laughs with its jokes about women behaving badly, falling into hilarious shenanigans, and expressing their deep support for one another. (In so doing, it brings to mind the no-holds-barred camaraderie of Girls Trip, which also shook up the formula to great success, and the 1997 cult classic B.A.P.S., in which two friends head to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams and finance their salon-soul food business.) 

One of Them Days is produced by Insecure actor and writer Issa Rae, who has satirized social issues in previous works. The film continues the trend, tackling negligent landlords, gentrification, bad credit scores, and predatory payday loans. Writer Syreeta Singleton, who also wrote for Insecure and Rae’s comedy TV series Rap Sh!t, gives us a movie that tips its hat to the past while making it uniquely her own. Lamont, a fellow Rap Sh!t alum, sets the comedy tone of the movie with exaggerated camera work (think zooms and dramatic angles) and details like a countdown clock to emphasize the time slipping away for our heroes.

One of Them Days also shares a connection with another Issa Rae-related production, A Black Lady Sketch Show, in the way quirky characters are introduced in skit-like encounters before our heroines move on — or run away from — the strangers they meet.

Keke Palmer and SZA are a match made in movie heaven Credit: Anne Marie Fox

They tease each other, they support each other, they fight and make up. Like Issa and Molly in Insecure, Dreux and Alyssa go through the highs and lows of sticking together, and they help each other mature through this stressful, silly day. They’re so charming, it’s impossible not to root for Alyssa’s bad plans to work out and Dreux’s nonstop ambition. Singleton has written them to be witty and endearing if imperfect, making them pretty relatable in their struggles. Plus, Lamont makes them look amazing, even in ridiculous clothes and situations.

But the bulk of the credit belongs to the movie’s stars. Palmer is so incredibly charismatic, she commands the screen even when her character is embarrassing herself, like when she awkwardly loses her words in the presence of her crush. SZA brings a completely different presence to the film as an unflappable Internet Age artist who is almost calm to a fault yet doesn't have enough foresight to avoid sending a text message she will regret. Their delivery is spot-on; their reactions are outsized and boisterous. Together, they have incredible fun making the best out of terrible situations, like taking a pair of vintage Air Jordans off telephone wires to bankroll their rent by polishing up the old shoes and staging them with flowers; jumping into a fight to defend a friend; or surviving a medical emergency, then sprinting out of the back of an ambulance to avoid the pricey medical bill. 

The pair are joined by a sizable cast of offbeat characters, including an unlucky man named Lucky (played by legendary comedian Katt Williams). Janelle James of Abbott Elementary shows up briefly as a failed phlebotomist; Lil Rel Howery crashes the party as a weird, weepy shoe collector; Maude Apatow waltzes in as a bright-eyed symbol of gentrification named Bethany. There’s also Patrick Cage as Dreux’s dreamy love interest, Maniac; Joshua David Neal as Alyssa’s bad news boyfriend, Keshawn; and Aziza Scott’s fiery “Big Booty” Berniece as the villainous bully taking Dreux and Alyssa’s day from bad to worse.  

One of Them Days is a refreshing take on a well-worn comedy premise. With a résumé largely featuring music videos and, most recently, Rap Sh!t, Lamont has a cool directing style that results in scenes that are vibrant and sleek, full of high-octane needle drops to match. He and cinematographer Ava Berkofsky make the characters look like they’re popping off the screen through close-ups, action shots, and eye-catching costumes. There is always movement and motion, even if it’s as subtle as a side-eye or raised eyebrow. With that kinetic background, Palmer and SZA bring the heart and soul to a unique buddy comedy that feels fresh and timely.

One of Them Days is now in theaters.

Forget death and taxes. The one certainty in life is that when you hit middle age, teenagers will roll their eyes at you and find you woefully uncool. Even celebrities and rock stars share stories on talk shows about how their brood are comically unimpressed with them, because parents — arbiters of bedtime and screentime — are lame. But what these kids just don't understand (to paraphrase a Will Smith classic) is that we were cool once and have the potential to be cool again! Or at least this is the fantasy that plays out at the heart of Back in Action, a rousing action-comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. 

This Netflix original kicks off with Diaz and Foxx as a pair of sexy spies, transporting a digital key on a secret mission. But when a devious double-cross forces them to fake their deaths, they go into hiding to save not only their lives but also that of their baby, who Emily (Diaz) has just learned she's carrying. Cut to 15 years later, and she and Matt (Foxx) have settled into a cozy suburban life, where they have a big, lovely house and two teen children, who think they know everything, from how to sneak out with a fake ID to how to make the most out of their handheld tech. But when a surly threat to their daughter pitches Emily back into action hero mode, their cover is blown and this family of four must go on the run.

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Imagine the scene in Spy Kids where Juni and Carmen learn the truth about their parents' jobs, but for a whole movie, and the kids are just supporting characters. Truly, the core of Back in Action is watching two devoted parents reclaim their cool and their identities as more than mom and dad — and winning their kids' respect because of it.

Back in Action shows a lot of '90s love.  Credit: John Wilson / Netflix

The first act of Back in Action plays like a '90s rom-com with an espionage twist, like what if Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks did Sleepless in Skyfall? As couple-up spies Diaz and Foxx have a bright and cozy chemistry reminiscent of this splendid era of the genre, where the banter was bouncy and the soundtrack was determinedly old school. As such, Dean Martin's "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" plays as the jaunty backdrop to a hand-to-hand combat sequence that pits the pair against sneering mercenaries.

Of course, as both Diaz and Foxx (and by extension Emily and Matt) are firmly Gen X, there are also songs on the soundtrack that hit the '90s-ish nostalgia spot, like Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It." The latter gets a special moment in a family road trip singalong, where the parents revel in knowing every lusty word, while their kids look on in shock and embarrassment. And fret not, gang, Diaz may have taken a decade away from appearing in movies but her dance moves are just as we remembered from The Sweetest Thing — confident, dorky, and adorable. 

As the female lead, Diaz herself feels a bit of a throwback in the role, not only because of her time out of the public eye but also because Back in Action is exactly the kind of movie she's best in. The actor has always had a dazzling screen presence and comedy chops — made clear as early as 1994's Jim Carrey vehicle The Mask and 1997's My Best Friend's Wedding. But her gift for physical comedy expanded masterfully into action choreography in delightful movies like A Life Less Ordinary, Charlie's Angels, and Knight and Day. It's a pleasure to see her back in action, making the most of every cheeky close-up, ass-kicking witticism, and sharp turn from winsome smile to ferocious sneer. Foxx proves Diaz's perfectly paired partner, matching her high energy and ability to switch seamlessly from game goofiness into sleek spy chic. Together, they offer an action-comedy that cruises on charisma. 

Back in Action gives Gen X a fantasy of espionage action and parent-child acceptance.  Credit: John Wilson / Netflix

As Matt and Emily battle determined foes — including her very uppity English ex (Andrew Scott) — and make uneasy allies — like Emily's snooty mother (Glenn Close) and her dopey boytoy (Jamie Demetriou) —  their kids have a backseat view of all the action, being forced to see their parents beyond the bland boundaries of mom and dad. This is especially poignant for Alice (McKenna Roberts), whose teen angst has been souring her relationship with her mom. Given a newfound awareness of her mother's past struggles, Alice can see how she and Emily are alike, despite their differences. 

There's a tender tale of reconnecting across a generational divide here, and while it's admittedly a bit easy, that's part of its charm. Amid a slew of spectacular action scenes (that make me wish Netflix did proper theatrical releases), Back in Action offers a simple but satisfying thread about parents re-claiming who they are outside of their family obligations — without losing their connection to their kids. In a sweet way, Back in Action becomes a story about trust, as secrets are exposed and hard truths swallowed along with some tears.

Admittedly, this narrative gets a bit overshadowed in a stunt-stacked climax that involves a speedboat chase, hacking a dam, and the aforementioned McGuffin. But that's just to be expected from an espionage movie. And sure, there are plot holes in this movie — like why would a former MI6 spy have security cameras that record an army rolling in, but don't sound alarms? But it's hard to be too bothered when the whole thing is just such a blast overall. 

Don't overthink it. Turn on Back in Action, and allow the star power and nostalgia for the heyday of '90s rom-coms, the peak of Cameron Diaz fame, and the fun of all that wash over you. Or watch it with the kids, and maybe drop some hints on how hard you relate to Emily and Matt. Because sure, we might have Etsy shops and sourdough starters now, but back then? These kids don't even know. 

How to watch: Back in Action debuts on Netflix on Jan. 17.