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It's cliche to say but college football is back. And it only feels trite to say, because at this point, despite all the hype, the memes, the teasers, and the trailers — none of this feels real. For the first time in 11 years, there is a college football game and it's called EA Sports College Football 25.
All 128 NCAA Division-1 FBS teams are in the game, and for an unprecedented first, this year's version of college football also features current players. It's a massive grab and statement for EA Orlando, which has been diligently working on the long-awaited successor to NCAA Football 14 since the 2021 announcement.
With the game launching across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on July 19, two of Mashable's biggest CFB fans took cracks at the game to find out if it was worth the wait. The biggest takeaway from our time playing is that CFB 25 gets the vibe of college football just right, even if the entire package could use some work. After all, it's still an EA game.
College Football 25 gameplay Credit: EA OrlandoSection written by Chance Townsend
Playing CFB 25 is a smooth and crisp experience. Of course, it's gonna play better than its 11-year-old predecessor, but there's a level of fluidity in here that even puts Madden to shame. This shines within the running game, which is ultra-fun, crisp, and doesn't feel too animation-heavy. Although there were times when hitting the open hole I felt like the animation was sucking me into a tackle. Running is the bread and butter of the CFB 25 experience, and honestly, it shows.
That doesn't mean the passing game didn't get some love, though. New to this version of the game is "revamped passing," which shows a meter above the receiver's head during a throw. This meter determines the accuracy, power and placement of a pass. Hit the golden spot in the meter, and make the catch, but if you misjudge it, you'll end up putting your receiver in a bad spot. It's very satisfying to use compared to Madden's placement and accuracy, though it lacks the precision of that option. However, if you like Madden's interpretation of passing or love to stick to the classics, both options are available to choose from.
The passing game in general is harder than in years past. There's a frustrating amount of dropped passes by receivers at the slightest bit on contact, which makes for a troublesome gaming experience — while probably true to life, its not fun to play with. So if you thought you could spam 4 Verts like you could in NCAA 14 for easy gains, well tough noogies buddy, get ready to learn how to RPO.
Speaking of the run-pass option, it's busted as hell. If you can't immediately make a decision when passing, you'll get an illegal man downfield penalty 90 percent of the time.
On top of that, the new two-part kick meter may also cause some yelling. Which, again, in real life, these things are difficult, but it doesn't make for a fun video game experience.
Defense, however, is not fun. On higher difficulties like All-American and Heisman, stopping anything felt impossible. To be fair, the last Frostbite Engine-era football game I played was Madden 18, so maybe I just suck ass, but I don't think Troy should realistically be dropping 35 on the Longhorns.
College Football 25 presentation and vibes Mike the Tiger has never looked so good. Credit: EA SportsSection written by Alex Perry
College football holds a special place in my heart, probably unreasonably so. America's second-favorite version of its most popular sport is unlike any other. The games are often sloppy to the point of hilarity, intensely weird things happen all the time, and one time, a guy got so mad about a game that he poisoned historic trees on the opposing team's campus and called into a talk radio show to admit his guilt.
This colorful menagerie of nonsense, naturally, produces fantastic vibes. Every school has various ancient rituals the players or fans do before, during, and after games. Notre Dame players tap a sign that says "PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY" in the pregame tunnel. Nebraska fans unleash red balloons after the first scoring play of every home game. Everyone, no matter who they're rooting for, turns and waves at a children's hospital that overlooks the stadium during every Iowa home game.
Without meandering even more, I'll get straight to the point. Pretty much all of those things are present and accounted for in College Football 25. Nearly all that makes college football a compelling TV product, from boisterous marching bands and drumlines to nuclear-powered crowd noise, are represented in the game. The latter point actually affects gameplay, as receiver routes and icons will become misleading or confusing to read while an opposing crowd is bearing down on you. That's not new to football games, per se, but it's still very cool to feel the pressure of driving for a touchdown as the away team at Ohio State.
Sure, there are some typical jerky or unnatural-looking animations (as there have been in every 3D football game ever), but on the whole, College Football 25 nails the look of college football, too. Every in-game stadium, from Michigan's Big House to North Texas's DATCU Stadium, is stunningly rendered. Crowds look voluminous and energetic, too.
The game gets big points from me for also altering the colors and theming of the main menu depending on which school you choose as your favorite team. In particular, I love that every school's main menu screen features a ticket stub to a legendary real-life game from that program's history. Remember the time in 2011 when Iowa State upset Oklahoma State in overtime? No? Well, I do, and so did the developers of this game — and that's what matters.
There are really only a couple of minor criticisms I have of College Football 25's presentation. First up is the commentary, which is made up of various big names in the world of college football broadcasting like Chris Fowler, Rece Davis, and Kirk Herbstreit. Those guys are all pretty much fine, if a little flat at times. The play-by-play guys like Fowler and Davis will occasionally throw in school-specific references, which is cute. I enjoyed hearing some "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" while playing a game at Kansas, for example.
Unfortunately, the game also includes David Pollack on color commentary. I don't like David Pollack very much, for reasons that are not entirely relevant to this review. I also just find his commentary annoying and inane most of the time. Beyond that, any stadium rituals that involve licensed music are touch-and-go at best. Virginia Tech can potentially lay claim to the greatest pregame intro in all of sports, but since it uses Metallica's "Enter Sandman," it's not accurately presented in this game. Bummer.
Still, you'll occasionally hear "Sandstorm" blaring over stadium speakers between plays in any given game, so it still feels enough like college football to me.
College Football 25 Dynasty Mode Everyone's goal. Well, unless you coach Texas A&M. Credit: EA SportsSection written by Alex Perry
College Football 25 has two primary modes that dominate most of the attention outside of online exhibitions and microtransaction trading card nonsense. The first is Dynasty, a returning mode from the NCAA games of eld that casts the player as a made up head coach or coordinator for the school of their choosing.
I have to admit, I was never the biggest Dynasty guy back in the day — and I still may not be. But the version of the mode that's present in College Football 25 seems to have nearly everything you could want. Your coach or coordinator can have as many or as few responsibilities as you want. If you want to be meticulous about recruiting talent, you can do that. If you want to focus on gameday tactics and actually playing football (which is really more of a fun treat you get to occasionally do in this mode), you can do that, too.
Speaking of recruiting, that particular side of College Football 25's Dynasty mode is funny. It more or less works the same as it always did, as you have limited resources for player recruiting and the players' decisions are not entirely in your hands. It's been updated for modern times, though, as one of the resource-consuming activities you can do to court a player is to DM him on social media.
Yes, there is a button that just says "DM player" in the Dynasty menu. I laughed a lot when I saw that.
Aside from that, though, Dynasty is impressively flexible and accommodates many different styles of play for something that, from the outside, would seem to be the most hardcore mode in the game. I pretty much only like playing offense in football games, so I made an offensive coordinator and only call offensive plays now. Easy! That's what I like to see. If I'm good enough at it, maybe I'll get a mediocre head coaching job, flame out in three years, and cause an entire community in Tennessee or whatever to hate me for eternity. That's what college football is all about.
College Football 25 Road to GlorySection written by Chance Townsend
Choose how you want your RTG career to go. Credit: EA OrlandoGone are the glory days of playing in high school with this year's version of CFB 25. In previous games, players could simulate high school games to garner interest from potential schools and commit to them. However, that feature got cut in favor of a more limited, streamlined Road to Glory (RTG) experience.
Instead, players can pick from one of four options, starting as an elite five-star talent to a lowly two-star underdog. Your decision will determine your player overall, your choice of schools, and your place on that program's depth chart. For example, a five-star will have their top of top-level programs like UT-Austin or Michigan. But a two or three-star will have their pick of fighting for starting spots at lowly programs like Air Force or Eastern Michigan. You can walk on to any school in the game, but you'll be starting from the bench and it's hard to get rise up the depth chart.
This is from a separate running back save Credit: EA OrlandoI started my RTG at Memphis, which promised my created QB the second-string position. Once the creation and recruitment process is done, you'll be taken to the main hub where you can play or sim that week's game, participate in practice drills, and spend energy points on your weekly agenda. You have the choice to put your energy into academics, leadership skills, recovery, training, or brand building. These each come with pros and cons that affect each other. For example, putting points into brand building will drop your academic bar; training causes increased injury risk; and low leadership skills create a passive loss of coach trust points until you've invested a certain amount of energy into that agenda.
What do you mean I have exams??? Credit: EA OrlandoAdditionally, there are fun choose-your-adventure style scenarios that pop up throughout the season. You'll occasionally get messages from your academic advisor, your coaches, teammates, and even classmates that'll put you in scenarios that could increase your brand, GPA, and coach trust, or vice versa. In one instance, a classmate asked me to party the night before a game, and when I said yes, my coach caught me and I lost trust points.
You can gain a coach's trust through practice and playing games, but if you're sitting on the bench, you'll have a hard time getting points cause the drills you can play are really short and your success depends on how well the AI is at giving you plays you can work with.
Limitation is pretty much the theme of playing RTG. Since you're not really in control, while playing games, you're at the mercy of the AI from everything like playcalling to the actions of your teammates on the field. Playcalling is repetitive and conservative. Going 3 and Out will cause an unskippable cutscene as you fade back into the super sim screen and the AI will only allow you to call hurry up on 4th down during the last few minutes of each half — when the situation determines that going for it "makes sense."
Receivers drop open balls like they have grease on their hands and handing the ball off to the running back is like watching an AI programmer teach their LLM how to navigate a maze. So when I finally got to start at Memphis in my second season, I started 0-4 before finishing the season with a conference championship and a 7-6 record. That conference championship, by the way, did not have a special trophy presentation. Instead, I got the same victory cutscene that you get after every other game during the regular season.
I lost this game by the way. Credit: EA OrlandoIf you're surprised my 7-6 Memphis Tigers even made the conference championship, that's because the sim engine is busted. This is partially due to the overall of the teams in the game being so evenly rated despite the huge gaps between teams like Akron and Alabama. Despite going 2-10 in 2023, the Akron Zips are a 73 overall team. Kennesaw State, a team that is about to have its first season in Division 1 Football (D-1 FBS), is a 73 overall team. Mid-level Power 4 schools like Texas Tech, Miami, A&M, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Utah, and Florida State are all within the 85-88 OVR range. Thus, what's been created is a level of college football parity that has never existed in real life. There are no haves and have-nots because even the fake cupcake FCS teams can beat a Power 4 school with ease.
This creates weird situations that see 6-6 Memphis play 7-6 Rice in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship because #4 ranked Tulane dropped its last two conference games to UTSA and Charlotte. In the first season, my alma mater, the University of North Texas, made the 12-team College Football Playoff despite only having three winning seasons since 2010. That season also saw Texas A&M win the National Championship — a true real immersion breaker because the real-life A&M has yet to make an appearance in the SEC Championship.
Unlike Dynasty, the happenings of the world around you don't have much to do with you since you don't have to deal with things like recruiting and roster management. Plus, historically, RTG has been a rather shallow experience. However, thanks to the addition of the transfer portal, you can change your team at the end of every season to create some interesting scenarios in your career.
CUT and best of the rest Booooooo! Credit: EA OrlandoSection written by Chance Townsend
What's left to cover in this review is the Ultimate Team mode or CUT (College Ultimate Team). While I've never cared for Ultimate Team in any game, this version of EA's favorite money collector isn't as in your face as its other offerings like EAFC or Madden. We didn't play around much with CUT during our play testing, so our review is limited, however, it must be said that for those new to the Frostbite Engine era of EA sports games, CUT is the perfect place to start.
Not because that's where EA wants you to spend money, but because the offering of solo challenges is an excellent way to get used to the different playbooks and schemes that can be used in other modes like Dynasty. It's the perfect training ground to get a feel of what kind of style you'd want to play for whenever you decide to take the reigns at a bottom-barrel MAC program. Each playbook offers different challenges, like the Air Raid that asks you to use a hurry-up offense and pass for five straight plays.
Is College Football 25 Worth It?To keep things brief, if you love college football, this game you're waiting for. As a pure gameplay experience, CFB 25 is both challenging and rewarding in ways that Madden and 2K aren't. However, it's not the game we've waited 11 years for. Dynasty lacks a lot of depth and quality-of-life changes that were present in NCAA 14, alongside a mind-numbingly inane UI and drumline menu songs.
EA Orlando promised fans that this is the college football game they deserve, and considering it has all the trappings of an EA sports game, they weren't lying. But if you can look past that and just focus on what's in the game, you'll have a fun time.
SAVE $50: Today, July 19, the Theragun Mini massage gun is on sale at Amazon for 25% off. This brings the massage gun's price down from $199 to $149.
Opens in a new window Credit: Theragun Theragun Mini $149.00 at AmazonPrime Day is over, but the deals are not. Today at Amazon, Prime members can grab the formidable Theragun Mini massage gun at a reduced price.
As of today, July 19, the Theragun Mini massage gun is on sale at Amazon for $149. This brings the list price of $199 down by 25%, saving you $50 if you choose to buy. While this isn't the Theragun's lowest price we've seen, it makes the premium fitness device a little more budget-friendly.
According to Theragun, the Theragun Mini is 20% smaller and 30% lighter than the regular Theragun, making it ultra-portable and easy to toss into your gym bag. Made for travel, the Theragun mini gives you access to deep tissue massage relief wherever you are. Even though it's small, it's still super versatile. Three different foam attachments let you tailor your massage to your body's needs, and it also has three massage speeds to choose from.
Take advantage of today's Prime deal at Amazon and save $50 when you shop the Theragun Mini.
GET $50 OFF: As of July 19, the Govee floor lamp 2 is available at Amazon for $99.99, down from $149.99. That's a 33.33% discount of $50.
Opens in a new window Credit: Govee Our pick: Govee floor lamp 2 $99.99 at AmazonPrime Day has ended, but that hasn’t stopped the deals from continuing to roll in. Now, dozens of Prime-exclusive deals, ranging from tech products to home goods, are flooding the deals page on Amazon.
If you want to upgrade your smart home setup, the Govee floor lamp 2 is available at Amazon for $99.99, down from $149.99. That’s a $50 discount and a pretty sweet deal for such a groovy lamp.
SEE ALSO: Amazon's Echo Show 10 is one of our favorite smart home devicesThis smart lamp is 60 inches tall and has 80+ preset scene modes and a customizable DIY feature that lets you create your own lighting effects. You can connect it to other Govee smart devices within a 30-meter range and sync music lighting to your favorite tunes. It also features voice control via Homekit, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
With 1725lm brightness and adjustable 2200k-6500k warm/cool whites, this RGBIC floor lamp can make any room feel instantly cozier or more vibrant. Whether you’re reading a book, watching a movie, or having friends over for a party, this lamp can set the perfect mood.
GET $20 OFF: As of July 19, the Soundcore by Anker Life Q30 noise-cancelling headphones are $55.99 on Amazon, down from $79.99 — a 30% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Our pick: Soundcore by Anker Life Q30 noise-canceling headphones $55.99 at AmazonPrime Day may be over, but some deals are still lingering. Discounts are still available on a variety of products, including cell phones, monitors, and headphones.
One deal worth looking into is the Soundcore by Anker Life Q30 noise-cancelling headphones, currently 30% off ($20 off the listing price) on Amazon for Prime Members.
SEE ALSO: I flew 3,440 miles on a plane with Apple AirPods Max and Sony XM5: Which has better noise cancellation?These noise-cancelling headphones have more than 70K reviews and a 4.5-star rating, so they’re popular and well-regarded. They feature advanced noise cancellation technology with three modes: Transport, Outdoor, and Indoor. Each mode is designed to optimize noise cancellation for different environments, whether you’re on a plane, walking outside, or working in an office setting.
With up to 40 hours of music playtime on a single charge (60 hours without noise cancellation), these headphones have enough battery life to last you through even the longest of flights or workdays. Bonus: The fast-charge feature will give you an extra four hours of listening time after just a 5-minute charge.
TL;DR: Live stream Noah Lyles at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Paris 2024 Olympics is just around the corner and athletes from around the world are gearing up to compete. The athletics will kick off on August 1, and there are some pretty big names hoping for a chance at a gold medal. Including USA's Noah Lyles. Competing in several races, here's everything you need to know if you want to watch Noah Lyles at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world.
When is Noah Lyles competing at Paris 2024?Noah Lyles is set to compete in three events at Paris 2024:
Men's 100m
Men's 100m Round 1 — 5:45 a.m. ET on Aug. 3
Men's 100m Semi-Final — 2:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 4
Men's 100m Final — 3:55 p.m. ET on Aug. 4
Men's 200m
Men's 200m Round 1 — 6:50 a.m. ET on Aug. 5
Men's 200m Semi-Final — 4:02 p.m. ET on Aug. 7
Men's 200m Final — 4:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 8
Men's 4 x 100m Relay
Men's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1 — 5:35 a.m. ET on Aug. 8
Men's 4 x 100m Relay Final — 1:45 p.m. ET on Aug. 9
The Men's 100m and 200m events at Paris 2024 are available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but athletics fans from across the globe can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream the Men's 100m and 200m events at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream the Men's 100m and 200m events at Paris 2024 (plus all the other events) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream the Men's 100m and 200m events at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Faith Kipyegon at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
It's going to be an exciting one for Faith Kipyegon at Paris 2024, having just beaten the 1,500m world record at the Paris Diamond League. The Kenyan athlete ran an impressive 3:49.04 and will be looking to secure a gold medal in the 1,500m events at Paris 2024.
If you want to watch Faith Kipyegon at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Faith Kipyegon competing at Paris 2024?Faith Kipyegon is set to compete in one event at Paris 2024:
Women's 1,500m
Women's 1,500m Round 1 — 4:05 a.m. ET on Aug. 6
Women's 1,500m Semi-Final — 1:35 p.m. ET on Aug. 8
Women's 1,500m Final — 2:25 p.m. ET on Aug. 10
The Women's 1,500m at Paris 2024 will be available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
However, BBC iPlayer is a streaming platform that is geo-restricted to the UK. To access this free streaming platform from elsewhere in the world, you'll need the help of a VPN. VPNs hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream Faith Kipyegon's race at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream Faith Kipyegons at Paris 2024 (plus all the other events) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream the Women's 1,500m at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Eliud Kipchoge at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
There are many exceptional athletes to keep track of at the Paris 2024 Olympics, but marathoner Eliud Kipchoge might be top of the list. The Kenyan runner will be aiming to win his third consecutive Olympic marathon gold. If successful, he'll be the first marathoner to achieve this.
If you want to watch Eliud Kipchoge at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Eliud Kipchoge competing at Paris 2024?Jakob Ingebrigtsen is set to compete in one event at Paris 2024:
Men's Marathon
Men's Marathon — 2 a.m. ET on Aug. 10
The Men's Marathon and other events at the Paris Olympics are available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but Eliud Kipchoge fans elsewhere can access this free streaming platform and stream the Marathon by using a VPN. VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream the Men's Marathon at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream the Men's Marathon at Paris 2024 (plus all the other events) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream the Men's Marathon at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Josh Kerr at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The athletics are just one of many exciting sports to keep track of at the Paris 2024 Olympics. It's set to be an incredible two weeks, with the world's best athletes all hoping for a chance of a gold medal. The impressive list of athletes also includes none other than Team GB's Josh Kerr.
The Scottish athlete will be returning for his second Olympics after making a strong debut in 2020 in Tokyo, taking home a bronze medal in the 1500m.
When is Josh Kerr competing at Paris 2024?Josh Kerr is set to compete in one event at Paris 2024:
Men's 1500m
Men's 1500m Round 1 — 5:05 a.m. ET on Aug. 2
Men's 1500 Semi-Final — 15:15 p.m. ET on Aug. 4
Men's 1500m Final — 14:50 p.m. ET on Aug. 6
The Men's 1500m at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
However, BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK. But fans elsewhere in the world can catch Josh Kerr and access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream the Men's 1500m event at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream Josh Kerr's race at Paris 2024 (plus all the other events) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream the Men's 1500m event at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
Over 1,000 flights have been cancelled, with others delayed, following a global Windows outage, reportedly caused by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Friday.
As computer systems crashed around the world, people not only came face to face with Microsoft's BSOD (the "blue screen of death") but businesses including airlines saw their systems go down. Reports of delays at airports from Los Angeles to Bangkok, London to Hong Kong, Mumbai to Madrid, Singapore to Melbourne, Berlin and more are pouring in on social media and through direct messages from the airlines.
SEE ALSO: CrowdStrike outage impacting flights globally. See the latest.While Microsoft and CrowdStrike have acknowledged the outage and are reportedly working on it, there's the colossal issue of thousands of travellers wondering whether their flight has been cancelled or not.
The official X (formerly Twitter) account of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration posted on Friday morning it was "closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines" and suggested people monitor the FAA's website for updates.
Tweet may have been deletedHere's a list of affected airlines and their latest update. Check your email for any direct updates from the airline.
Which airlines are grounding flights today for the Microsoft outage?Aegean AirlinesGreek airline Aegean posted on X on Friday saying the airline was relatively unaffected, however "due to the problems affecting the global chain and support systems, certain services on our site have been affected. Additionally, our flights to airports whose operations have been impacted may be subject to changes. Our passengers can be informed through all official company channels."
Tweet may have been deleted Air FranceFrance's major airline posted on X on Friday, "Following a global IT issue notably affecting several airlines and airports around the world, our operations are disrupted. Flights already en route are not affected. Access to the Customer relations call centers may however be disrupted. The Air France app and the http://AirFrance.com websites work normally."
Tweet may have been deleted AllegiantCNN and the New York Times reported U.S. airline Allegiant has warned of problems with check-ins, bookings and boarding passes, however there are no statements from the airline on social media.
Akasa AirlinesIndian budget airline Akasa Airlines reported issues on Friday morning on X. "Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence request passengers with immediate travel plans to reach the airport early to check-in at our counters."
Tweet may have been deleted American AirlinesAmerican Airlines posted on X on Friday morning of "a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5:00 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation."
Tweet may have been deleted BinterSpanish airline Binter posted an update on Friday morning on X, flagging information from airport operator Aena in the post. "A worldwide technical incident is affecting all airport systems. According to information from AENA, all airports are operational, but in some processes they operate more slowly. If you are going to fly today, check the status of your flight."
Tweet may have been deleted DeltaAt 3:54 a.m. ET, U.S. airline Delta posted a statement on its website reading, "All Delta flights are paused as we work through a vendor technology issue.
"Any customers whose flights are impacted will be notified by Delta via the Fly Delta app and text message. Customers should use the Fly Delta app for updates."
FrontierU.S. budget airline Frontier briefly grounded its flights on Friday morning but lifted the pause 35 minutes later, according to the New York Times. The airline posted on X, "Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted."
Tweet may have been deleted IndiGoIndian budget airline IndiGo posted on X on Friday of "a network-wide issue with Microsoft Azure, causing delays at airports. Check-ins may be slower and queues longer."
Tweet may have been deleted JetstarAustralian budget airline Jetstar posted on X on Friday it was "currently impacted by a global software issue that’s impacted airlines and other businesses around the world. We’re working with our providers to resolve the issues as quickly as possible."
Tweet may have been deletedIn a statement on Jetstar's website, the airline wrote in more detail:
"As a result of the outage, all Jetstar Airways flights have been cancelled until 2am local time Saturday 20 July. The IT outage is impacting multiple Jetstar systems, including the system we use to contact customers and we sincerely apologise for the frustration this is causing," the statement reads.
"Our teams are working on recovery options and we will contact customers with updates as soon as our systems are back online. If you’re due to travel today or tomorrow, but no longer wish to travel, we’re offering free moves (+7 days from date of travel) or voucher refunds. Please contact us via LiveChat to discuss your options."
KLMDutch airline KLM posted on X it had been one of the airlines "affected by a global computer outage, making flight handling impossible. We realise that this is very inconvenient for our customers and staff, particularly in the midst of the summer holiday season. We’re working hard to resolve the problem. Until then, we will have to largely suspend operations."
Tweet may have been deleted QantasAustralian airline Qantas announced flight issues on Friday and pointed travellers to the website, posting on X, "Some Qantas flights have been delayed due to a global software outage that has impacted airlines and other businesses around the world. We're working with our providers to resolve the issues and get our customers on their way as quickly as possible.
Tweet may have been deleted RyanairEuropean budget airline Ryanair also posted an update on Friday morning to travellers letting them know of service disruption and advising that those checked in could still access their boarding passes.
Credit: Rachel Thompson / Mashable"We’re currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a Global 3rd party IT outage which is out of our control. We advise all passengers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before their scheduled departure time," the airline tweeted. If you're due to travel today and have not already checked-in for your flight, you can do so at the airport."
Tweet may have been deleted Singapore AirlinesSingapore Airlines posted on X on Friday that "services at the ION service centre in Singapore and our reservation hotlines are currently experiencing technical issues due to a global IT system outage. There is currently no impact on SIA flights, which are operating as scheduled." A few hours later, the airline tweeted that the services and phone lines "are now back to normal."
"Customers who wish to make a new flight booking or amend an existing flight booking are advised to do so via the SIA website or SingaporeAir mobile app," the first post recommended.
Tweet may have been deleted SpiceJetIndian airline Spicejet posted on X of the outage, and it was "ensuring that all its flights scheduled for today will depart. We are working closely with airports and relevant authorities to minimize disruptions and ensure the safety and comfort of our passengers."
Tweet may have been deleted Sun CountrySun Country posted on X on Friday morning, "One of our information vendors is experiencing a global outage affecting multiple airlines. As a result, some of our services are temporarily unavailable."
Tweet may have been deleted Swiss InternationalSwiss International Air Lines posted on X of "flight operations are affected due to IT disruptions at partner organizations and air traffic control" and directed passengers to the website to check flight status.
Tweet may have been deleted TAP Air PortugalPortugal's TAP Air posted on X on Friday of the outage, writing, "TAP alerts its Customers to possible consequences of this situation on air traffic and airports."
Tweet may have been deleted Turkish AirlinesTurkey's major airline tweeted news of cancelled flights on Friday morning and directed travellers to the Turkish Airlines website to check flight status: "Due to the global technical issue, some of our flights have been canceled. Our passengers can follow the status of the flights via our website and mobile application."
Tweet may have been deleted UnitedU.S. airline United Airlines posted that "some flights are resuming" after the outage caused delays, and the company had "issued a waiver to make it easier to change your travel plans at http://United.com or the United app".
Tweet may have been deleted VuelingSpanish budget airline Vueling posted on Friday on X of the outages and directed passengers to the website to check their flights, "We inform you that, due to the global outage of computer systems, our operations are being affected. We are working to minimize the impact on our customers. If your flight is affected, we will inform you by email...We recommend not going to the airport in case of cancellation and waiting to receive all the information by email."
Tweet may have been deleted Wizz AirEuropean airline Wizz Air posted on X urging customers to arrive three hours early at the airport, though systems appear working.
Tweet may have been deleted Which airports are totally closed?While most airports are still open, just experiencing major delays, there are some that have completely or partially closed in the U.S. including Boston Logan International Airport, Aspen Airport, Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, and more. You can keep track of airport closures through the FAA's website.
When will flights resume?While we don't know exactly when the flights will resume, it seems a few have already seen operations back on track. We'll update the above airlines when more information is available, and you might get direct emails from the airline if you're a passenger.
This story is developing...
A global Windows outage, reportedly caused by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, has impacted businesses including airlines, health services, banks, media broadcasters, schools, and supermarkets, among others.
Not just a worldwide Blue Screen of Death for Windows users, the crash has seen over 1,000 flights cancelled, the BBC reports, citing aviation analytics firm Cirium. Reports of delays at airports from Bangkok to Los Angeles, London to Berlin, Barcelona and more are pouring in.
SEE ALSO: Microsoft outage: What is CrowdStrike and why users are getting Windows blue screens Travellers wait at a check-in counter at Berlin Airport on Friday. Credit: Sean Gallup / Getty ImagesThe official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Federal Aviation Administration posted it was "closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines" and suggested people monitor the FAA's website for updates.
Tweet may have been deletedAmerican Airlines posted on X on Friday morning of "a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5:00 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation."
Tweet may have been deletedUnited Airlines posted that "some flights are resuming" after the outage caused delays, and the company had "issued a waiver to make it easier to change your travel plans at http://United.com or the United app".
Tweet may have been deletedEuropean budget airline Ryanair also posted an update on Friday morning to travellers letting them know of service disruption and advising that those checked in could still access their boarding passes.
Credit: Rachel Thompson / MashableReports of handwritten tickets, long waits, and technical difficulties have been circulating on social media.
Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deletedAir traffic tracking company Flightradar is currently posting flight info on X.
Tweet may have been deletedMeanwhile, other major services worldwide have been affected by the outage. UK's National Health Service was also affected, declared a "regional incident" with affected services including the NHS app and GPs. Emergency services continue to be available.
Train services in the UK including Southern Railway were also affected by the outage.
Tweet may have been deletedThe issue is reported as related to CrowdStrike's Falcon Sensor, software designed to prevent cyber attacks.
"CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor," the cybersecurity company wrote in an alert confirming the outage at 1:30 a.m. ET on Friday. Just before 6 a.m. ET, the company issued another statement, per the BBC:
"Crowdstrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organisations ensure they’re communicating with Crowdstrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of Crowdstrike customers."
"We're aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming," a Microsoft spokesperson told the BBC on Friday.
This story is developing...
Numerous Windows PCs and computer systems across the world are down, affecting businesses like airlines, supermarkets, broadcasters, software providers, and more.
The issue stems from a faulty update in the Falcon Sensor software from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, and it's causing BSOD – the "blue screen of death" – for a lot of people.
SEE ALSO: Windows PCs crashing worldwide due to CrowdStrike issue SEE ALSO: CrowdStrike outage impacting flights globally. See the latest.Initially, the outage was only mentioned in a CrowdStrike update to customers, with both CrowdStrike, and Microsoft -- whose Windows systems are the ones affected -- staying silent on the matter. Now, both companies have acknowledged the issue.
"We're aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming," a Microsoft spokesperson told the BBC.
"Crowdstrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," CrowdStrike said in a statement to BBC.
SEE ALSO: CrowdStrike outage impacting flights globally. See the latest."We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organisations ensure they’re communicating with Crowdstrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of Crowdstrike customers," the company said.
George Kurtz, the President & CEO of CrowdStrike, also issued the following statement on X:
"CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers."
Bring out your Blue Screens of Death — you're in good (and cursed) company.
If you're a Windows user, you may have come face to face with Microsoft's dreaded blue error message, often referred to as the acronym BSOD. Microsoft introduced it in Windows 3.0 in 1990, and it's been a dastardly rampallion ever since — most recently rearing its cerulean maw in a global Windows outage.
SEE ALSO: CrowdStrike announces Microsoft outage workaround. How to deal with the Blue Screen of Death.But what exactly is a BSOD, and what can you do about it? We're here to help, so you don't have to gaze into the azure abyss for long.
What is a Blue Screen of Death?The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is an error message that appears when something goes awry on Windows devices, with the details described on a bright blue background — a hue that will send you straight into seven circles of Hell. Your computer might shut down or restart, or remain on the BSOD.
Microsoft added the wicked, lazuline error screen over 30 years ago, and it's plagued Windows users ever since (we'll forget about that time Microsoft temporarily made the background black in 2021). As Mashable's Stan Schroeder writes, "When a serious error stops Windows from working, a blue screen appears, detailing what happened and driving users crazy as it typically shows up at the worst possible moment."
Why are people suddenly talking about BSODs a lot today?There's been a global Windows outage, reportedly caused by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, prompting a wave of BSODs on Windows PCs and a haze of bright blue chaos.
What can I do to fix a BSOD?If you're specifically looking for a BSOD fix related to the CrowdStrike issue, we've got a whole guide here for you.
If you're reading this at a time when it's not a CrowdStrike issue, there's a few options. BSODs can be caused by software or hardware issues, so this could vary from device to device. Plus, it might be malware, so make sure you've got yourself covered.
Have you tried turning it off and on again?
Your IT department will thank you for trying this first. Simply restart your computer in Safe Mode to see if it fixes the issue (when signing back into Windows, press and hold Shift at the sign-in screen while selecting Power then Restart).
Make sure all hard drives are disconnected too.
Try the "Get Help" app.
Microsoft recommends opening the "Get Help" app. When you're in there, type "Troubleshoot BSOD error" in the search bar for a walkthrough.
Try the Microsoft support page.
Pop over to support.microsoft.com/windows (on a device that isn't showing the BSOD) to see if you can find some answers. You can also try contacting Microsoft Support.
Check the "stop code"
Your issue might depend on the "stop code" appearing in the BSOD error message. Microsoft says most stop errors are caused by third-party driver code.
"When Windows encounters a condition that compromises safe system operation, the system stops," a post explains. "Examples include something failing that could compromise security or lead to corruption of the operating system (OS) and/or user data. When the machine stops in order to prevent the operating system from moving forward in these conditions, it is called a bug check (or bugcheck). It is also commonly referred to as a system crash, a kernel error, a blue screen, a blue screen of death (BSOD), or a stop error."
Microsoft has an advanced guide to help if you're seeing a stop code — including how to download the Microsoft Safety Scanner.
Deep breaths, you'll get through this. 💙
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Opens in a new window Credit: phigolf PhiGolf World Tour Edition: Special Sensor with 38,000+ Actual, Real Golf Courses (Refurbished) $159.97 at The Mashable ShopGolfers, here's something that might just take your game to the next level without ever leaving your home. The refurbished PhiGolf World Tour Edition, available for a limited time at $159.97, brings the world's most famous golf courses right to your living room.
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Opens in a new window Credit: Matt's Flights Matt's Flights Premium Plan (Lifetime Subscription) - Save up to 90% on Domestic & International flights $79.97 at The Mashable ShopTL;DR: Only through July 21, you can get this Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 high-speed flash drive with 1TB storage capacity on sale for $74.97 (reg. $109.99).
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Before I saw Twisters, I wondered what merited a sequel to the 1996 smash hit Twister. Surely there's got to be more to it than the box office records smashed by that Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton vehicle, which awed audiences with a compelling ensemble and groundbreaking visual effects — including an iconic flying cow. Perhaps a new angle on the story? A fresh embrace on what natural disasters mean in our current climate crisis? Or a worthwhile spin around the tornadoes with mind-snapping visuals?
Nope.
Though Twisters boasts heralded Minari director Lee Isaac Chung, rising stars Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos, and a big budget that dwarfs that of its predecessor, this disaster film is a wobbly ride that leaves disappointment in its wake.
Is Twisters a Twister sequel? Credit: Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Amblin EntertainmentSure, technically. Do these two movies have any characters in common? No. Does this new one acknowledge the plotline of the 1996 hit? Only in the most cursory of ways.
Remember the research gadget that Dr. Jo Harding (Hunt) and Bill Harding (Paxton) were trying to send up into a tornado so they could improve weather warning systems? It was named Dorothy, and that device — inspired by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's TOTO (TOtable Tornado Observatory) — pops up here, accompanied by some newfangled tech similarly named after The Wizard of Oz. Otherwise, the script by Mark L. Smith (The Boys in the Boat) steals so heavily from the plot of the previous movie that he owes its screenwriters, Anne-Marie Martin and Michael Crichton, a thank-you card, if not royalties.
Remember how Twister began with its female storm-chaser's tragic origin story, in which an F5 tornado ripped her farmer father right out of their storm shelter? Well, Twisters takes that plot and applies Scream's slasher rules to it: bigger, deadlier, higher body count.
Weather scientist Kate Cooper (British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones with a very dodgy Southern-ish American accent) is testing her own experimental tech with a batch of colorful friends, all with the hope to "tame the twister!" But just as we get into the groove of this rowdy crew's journey, they all get sucked away from the story, leaving behind a blandly traumatized heroine and her furrow-browed pal Javi (Hamilton's Anthony Ramos in a thankless role).
Cut to five years later: Kate has given up twister-chasing for a tame life in meteorology. But like Paxton's character in the original, Kate is drawn back for one last job. Just as in Twister, sneering but well-funded scientists are regarded with open hostility, while the scrappy crew using homespun gadgets and instinct are upheld as heroes. Chief among the latter is Hit Man's Glen Powell as Tyler Owens, a YouTube star famous for his cowboy persona and twister-chasing bravado. A romance will inevitably spark between Kate and Tyler, because that's what Hollywood demands.
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell don't click. Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Amblin EntertainmentEdgar-Jones won praise for her performance on the BBC drama series Normal People and previously headlined the American mystery movie Where the Crawdads Sing. But here, she's out of her depth. Part of the problem is the script's spin on her backstory makes her tragic tornado more recent, so our heroine is still fairly deep in the throes of grief and survivor's guilt. Kate's nowhere near as plucky or as engaging as Hunt's storm-chaser was in Twister. But even when Kate eventually lightens up — her flirtation with Tyler has her trade her white mock turtlenecks and scowl in for a red T-shirt and clumsy smile — she still feels like a bore next to the other quirkier chasers.
Swaggering in a ten-gallon hat and a Tom Cruise grin, Powell better shoulders his heroic duty. As Tyler, he relishes the intensity of the chase and the risks of their DIY doodads, and that joy is contagious. Unfortunately, these thrills are short-lived, for a number of reasons. First, Twisters is burdened with a subplot about survivors left hurt and homeless by the storms, making for a series of scenes that are egregiously maudlin for a summer popcorn movie. Plus, the romantic subplot feels forced, highlighting Tyler's good-guy gestures until it seems like he just wears her down. They're a hard couple to root for. She's dull, and he's aggressively one-note; together, they're a cardboard cutout of a cowboy and the wet blanket who loves him.
Twisters wastes its best assets. Credit: Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Amblin EntertainmentBetween the sweeping scenes of tornado-related action and the hackneyed romance plotline, there's little sense of Chung's vision as a director. The connections to Minari become clearer in the moments of community, like when Tyler takes Kate to a local rodeo. Footage of strangers crowding into the stands and riders getting ready to take to the arena exude Chung's love for the American South and its people. Likewise, Tyler's rowdy crew of misfits shines with the chaotic but passionate bond seen in Chung's rightfully heralded family drama.
The character actor lineup in Twister was (and is still) absolutely astonishing. While there were plenty of "That Guy!" faces like Alan Ruck, Joey Slotnick, and Jeremy Davies, the group also included future Academy Award–winner Philip Seymour Hoffman and Todd Field, who would go on to write and direct critically adored dramas like In the Bedroom, Little Children, and Tár.
To Chung's credit, Twisters is suitably stacked in its own right. Brandon Perea, who played the camera-savvy Angel in Jordan Peele's Nope, plays Tyler's right-hand cameraman, Boone. Sasha Lane, who broke through as the captivating unknown in Andrea Arnold's road trip drama American Honey, brings her exuberance to fearless drone operator Lilly. Tunde Adebimpe (Rachel's Getting Married, She Dies Tomorrow, Spider-Man: Homecoming) manages to deliver the inevitable movie-science exposition with an earnest enthusiasm that is undeniably charming. Katy O'Brian, who elated critics earlier this year as Kristen Stewart's brawny co-lead in the gnarly thriller Love Lies Bleeding, brings her kinetic charisma as mechanic Dani.
Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Amblin EntertainmentElsewhere, Kiernan Shipka and Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) entice with their very presence. Unfortunately, they're all given too little screen time. As in the original movie, this ensemble is far from the focus of the film. But unlike Twister, its sequel clearly forgets just how fun it is to watch a band of thrill-seekers do their thing! The hangout vibe of these eccentric storm-chasers has always been a major part of Twister's appeal, whereas Twisters is too eager to flee the party.
Sure, Twisters throws plenty of storm action at audiences, pitching in fireworks, flames, and even ripping a movie theater to shreds for good measure. But none of this touches down if you don't feel invested in the characters. Edgar-Jones' and Powell's characters are too two-dimensional to hook us. Ramos is kicked to the sidelines with a haphazard sinister business subplot. And the most dynamic characters are treated as little more than window dressing for a plot that's so close to the original Twister I marvel it was (re)made at all.
In the end, Twisters is big and flashy, but not fun or frightening. There are better movies — even better popcorn movies — out there. So, don't waste your time with this tiresome retread masquerading as a stale sequel.
Oddity begins with an impossible choice. A woman alone in a remote country house hears a knock at the door. There, a strange man with panic in his stare declares she must let him in. He claims to have seen someone sneak into her home, and tells her she is not safe. She doesn't have her phone with her. And was the creak upstairs an intruder? Or just an old house settling? Dare she stay inside with an unknown threat? Or go outside with a disheveled stranger whose presence is as alarming as his appearance?
Writer/director Damian McCarthy hooks viewers from the start with this scary scenario. But then he takes a radical turn. Instead of following this poor woman named Dani (Carolyn Bracken) through a night of terror and threat, he leaps to a full year later, where her sister Darcy (also played by Bracken), a blind medium who owns an oddity shop, is seeking to understand exactly what did go down that terrible night. (Spoiler: It was nothing good.)
SEE ALSO: 'Oddity's Damian McCarthy reveals the origins of his Wooden ManThis nonchalant temporal leap pitches viewers off-balance, like when a roller coaster abruptly tilts to the side, precise and perturbing. As he did with his stellar feature directorial debut, 2021's Caveat, McCarthy doesn't play by the cliched rules of horror. So, a slasher setup spins into a tale of ghosts, witchcraft, a murder investigation, and grim vengeance. Atmospheric and unpredictable, Oddity is a rare treasure.
What's Oddity about? Credit: Courtesy of Colm Hogan / IFC and ShudderThe main thrust of the plot follows Darcy as she intrudes on the renovated home of her sister and the renovated life of Dani's uptight widower, Ted (Gwilym Lee), and his new girlfriend, Yana (Caroline Menton). On the one-year anniversary of Dani's death, Darcy pays an unexpected visit and brings an unusual family heirloom. As in Caveat, a creepy handmade figure plays a central role in McCarthy's haunted house tale. There, it was a festering rabbit toy that banged cymbals. (Eagle-eyed viewers might spot it on display in Darcy's shop!) In Oddity, the creepy craft is a full-sized man, carved out of wood, his mouth agape in a silent scream.
Understandably, Ted isn't keen to keep this eerie thing around. But he's got work at the asylum to get back to, so he awkwardly excuses himself, leaving his flustered girlfriend home alone with Darcy and her demented bauble. It's not long before unnerving things begin to happen around the house. Is Dani's ghost haunting the place? Is Darcy toying with this surviving couple out of a twisted sense of retribution for so swiftly moving on? Is the wooden man really moving on his own? As magic and mental illness play a part of the story, anything is possible, which is precisely what makes Oddity so thrilling.
Damian McCarthy builds an expanding horror universe with Oddity. Credit: Courtesy of Colm Hogan / IFC and ShudderNods to Caveat aside, the stranger at the door is named Olin Boole (Tadhg Murphy), a fellow with a prosthetic eye and a tragic backstory that was unfurled in McCarthy's short film "How Olin Lost His Eye." Beyond a crossover of props and characters that may not be explicitly bound, McCarthy is brewing a brand of horror that's mind-bending, menacing, and so putrid with decay you can practically smell the rot. Like poor Dani, the hero of Caveat (played by Jonathan French, who also pops up in Oddity) was also put in a curious position at the film's start: a job offer that might seem bizarre, but is desperately needed. So what's a set of shackles between paychecks?
In Oddity, rather than a house in ruins, Dani's home is a historic old home being carefully renovated. A collision of coarse stone walls and modern paintings pinned upon them shows not only the contrast of old and new, but also the past of Dani colliding with the present of Yana, her youthful, smirking replacement. McCarthy smartly accentuates this dynamic in his use of color. Cool tones like the blue-grey stone or Yana's shiny navy blouse present a world of seeming civility, entitlement, and order. But splashes of stark red blood or the bright yellow of the pup tent in which Dani once slept stand out, driving home the dissonance of random acts of violence in this supposedly reasonable world. There's an elegance amid this eeriness, even in the design of the wooden golem, plugged up with bobs of blood, hair, and family photos. He is at once gorgeous and horrific; clearly static, yet so lifelike that when Yana irreverently pokes her hand into his open mouth, your body may well rattle with the anticipatory fear of a gnarly bite!
Every twisted turn is smoothly made, thanks not only to McCarthy's skill in honing tone, but also courtesy of an ensemble cast that delivers performances grounded yet edged with intensity. Pulling double duty, Bracken gracefully switches from the easy-breezy Dani to the dubious Darcy, her physicality growing tighter as her broad smile tightens to sharp grin. Lee brings surly irritation as the widower, playing Ted like a pretentious schoolmaster tired of lecturing children that there are no monsters under their beds. Murphy and French fold in layers of fear and panic in small but pivotal roles, while Menton delivers a sophisticated snottiness that makes her a sharp foil to the scheming Darcy. All in all, it's a cast of characters at each others' throats, and utterly mesmerizing.
Oddity is a savage original. Credit: Courtesy of Colm Hogan / IFC and ShudderIncredibly, McCarthy weaves in elements of many horror genres. The remote setting and ghostly possibilities lean into haunted house territory. But Darcy's wooden man was made by a witch (so she says), skewing the plot into dark magic. Dani's sequence, with its isolation, intrusion, and bloody result, plays out like a slasher. Then, the central conflict between the could-be newlyweds and Darcy strums at the core of folk horror, in which educated city folk come to a rural village and sneer at believers (Darcy) and superstition to their detriment. Yet Oddity does not feel like a pastiche. Instead, McCarthy takes each of these elements and uses them as a hue in his distinctive palette of horror. He blends them beautifully and harrowingly, pulling us in with their mystique and making us howl with their darkest revelations.
Watching Oddity, I briefly worried there's no way the movie could maintain this ferocious momentum. It's not that the film is frantically paced, more that it strides. When McCarthy sets up a familiar beat, he knows you know what will come next. A woman alone in a big, spooky house will be attacked. A sister-in-law discouraged from dropping by absolutely will at a most inopportune time. And by moving to these beats so quickly, McCarthy leaves us no room to breathe or anticipate where the story will swerve next.
Other filmmakers might have us slog through a trilogy for all the story he weaves into one 98-minute film. Soon, the focus is not so much about who killed Dani, but how Darcy's quest for understanding will play out for anyone remotely involved. And the ending — I'm elated to report — is as sick as it is satisfying. Not just because of how this plot unravels, but also because of how McCarthy, after racing us around timelines and subgenres, takes his time to deliver a final beat that brings a major blow.
In a word, Oddity is awesome.
Oddity opens in theaters July 19.
UPDATE: Jul. 18, 2024, 2:05 p.m. EDT This review was first published on March 9, 2024, as part of Mashable's SXSW 2024 coverage. It has since been updated to reflect its theatrical premiere date and ticketing options.
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.
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