Mashable

Elijah Wood got to build his enigmatic 'Bookworm' character from the ground up. Here, he goes into detail on what elements were most crucial they got right.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Many people resist the urge to get a decent VPN for their Android phone or tablet. Why bother with an extra app just to get online?

Over time, however, the scenarios in which you might need a VPN become more common. You could need to check what a site looks like from another geolocation, or test something that isn't available in your country. What often acts as the final straw is being unable to watch some of your favourite TV shows while travelling.

What is a VPN?

VPNs provide protection for your data and identity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address. All of your activity is untraceable and secure because everything passes through an encrypted tunnel. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside is protected against online threats.

Do you need a VPN for your Android?

Investing in a VPN is one of the best ways to ensure your safety and anonymity online. VPNs are important tools in the fight against scammers and cybercriminals, meaning you can use your Android device safe in the knowledge that you're secure from these threats.

VPNs can also be used to unlock streaming services from around the world, including the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. All you need to do is open up your preferred VPN, connect to a server from another country in order to spoof your IP to another address, and then head to your preferred streaming site. This process tricks the site into thinking you are based in another country, meaning you can watch all that great content that is normally blocked. If you stream on your Android, you could benefit from a VPN.

Should you use free VPNs?

The good news is that there are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs out there, plus free trials with full access to everything you get with a premium plan. The bad news is that there tends to always be a catch.

With free versions of popular VPNs, you normally get limited data usage. These plans will work fine if you aren't really online, but if you're going to be streaming or downloading anything, this simply isn't going to work. Free trials come with everything you get in a paid plan, but don't tend to last very long. So you'll be all set for a short time, but this isn't really a long-term solution.

What is the best VPN for Android?

Choosing a VPN provider is both easy and incredibly difficult. There are a lot of options to consider, but it's very hard to test how reliable they are in different scenarios. So below, you'll find a list of some VPNs that are just plain good. We've checked out everything on offer and highlighted a selection of the best providers, including popular names like PureVPN and CyberGhost VPN.

These are the best VPNs for Android in 2024.

Sport dominates the lives of millions of people around the world, and fortunately most of it is available to watch on one platform or another. That is unless you are abroad.

If you are travelling, you might find yourself blocked by your favourite streaming platforms. If you want to keep up to speed with all the action when abroad, you need to invest in a VPN. A VPN relocates your IP address back home and bypasses those pesky geographical restrictions. This means that you don't need to put your security at risk with some sketchy stream that regularly cuts out and fills your screen with risqué adverts.

What is a VPN?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide protection for your data and identity when you're online by creating a private network that hides your real IP address. This means that all of your activity is untraceable and secure. Try thinking about VPNs as encrypted tunnels through which all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware.

Can you use free VPNs for streaming sport?

Yes, there are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs out there, plus free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan. Alternatively, you can pay for a VPN. So which option is best for you and your lifestyle?

You get what you pay for with VPNs. There tends to always be a catch with free versions, and it's normally in the form of limited data usage. If you're just an occasional user, these plans will work fine. But if you're going to be streaming or downloading, this isn't going to work. Free trials are a little bit different: they come with everything you get in a paid plan, but obviously they don't tend to last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution.

How do you watch sport with a VPN?

All you need to do is open your VPN of choice, connect to a secure server located back home, and enjoy undisturbed coverage of your preferred sport platform. It's that easy. The only difficult aspect is actually selecting a VPN service to use. That's because there are so many great services out there, offering different sets of features that will suit some users more than others.

What is the best VPN for sport?

A VPN could provide access to games that would usually be out of reach. We have made choosing a service as easy as possible. We have tracked down the best VPNs for speed, security, simplicity, and much more, so you can make an informed decision.

These are the best VPNs for watching sport in 2024.

"The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert unpacks Kamala Harris' interview with Bret Baier on Fox News.

SAVE $20: As of Oct.18, the Ninja PB051SG Coffee Maker is on sale for $79.99 on Amazon. That's 20% off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja PB051SG Coffee Maker $79.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

Barista-quality coffee when you wake up is every coffee lover's dream. And this dream can very well become your reality.

Before you go planning an early morning coffee run in your pajamas, why not try out the Ninja PB051SG Coffee Maker? Take-out quality coffee, from your own home. And as of Oct. 18, this coffee machine is reduced to $79.99 at Amazon, saving you $20 on list price. It even has a built-in milk frother, so if a super-dry cappuccino is your drink of choice, you'll be well served.

But our favorite thing about this coffee machine is in the name, you can use both ground coffee and pods. With most machines making you choose one, we like that this Ninja model lets you pick from a wide range of coffee brands and different levels of convenience.

SEE ALSO: Upgrade your morning brew with this heavily discounted Nespresso Vertuo coffee machine

It has a super slim and stylish design, so it won't stand out in your kitchen. And if you like your countertops clear, it's nifty enough to be hidden away in between uses. The colorways are stylish too, and fitting for most kitchen designs. Sage Green, Glacier Blue, Black, and Stone are all available at this discounted price.

Ready to drop your instant coffee? This is a limited-time deal on Amazon, so don't waste any time.

Apple's iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro boast much-improved battery life, but for some users, the opposite has been the case.

According to a pretty large number of posts on Apple's official forums and Reddit (via MacRumors), battery life has been pretty abysmal for some iPhone 16 and 16 Pro owners running iOS 18. The complaints actually started earlier, while iOS 18 was still in beta, but the issue apparently hasn't been fixed, bringing a new wave of dissatisfied users now that iOS 18 is widely available.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: How are they different?

Most users who experienced the issue say their phones have simply drained very fast while being idle, or while doing fairly undemanding tasks like playing music. "Listened to music for the first 2.5 hours of my day (with less than 45 minutes screen time) and realized my battery was at 68 percent," said one user on Reddit. "I’m comparing my activity to my previous iPhone 14 I have to my girlfriend. She is at 78 percent while I’m at 45 percent. Something not going right here," said another.

Featured Video For You 5 reasons iPhone 16 is the best upgrade for you

It's worth noting, however, that some users aren't experiencing these problems, and some (but not all) said that upgrading to the iOS 18.1 beta remedied the issue.

Fortunately, this type of bug is quite common with new iOS releases; we've seen similar issues resolved after a software update. Now it's up to Apple to look into this one and fix it.

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there's no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you're done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 18 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Friday, October 18, 2024:

AcrossStadium souvenirs

• The answer is Caps.

Animated mermaid

• The answer is Ariel.

Buzz off

• The answer is Leave.

Bowling alleys

• The answer is Lanes.

Boys, to men

• The answer is Sons.

DownPoker declaration

• The answer is Call.

Regions

• The answer is Areas.

"Sing us a song, you're the _____ man"

• The answer is Piano.

Lucky number

• The answer is Seven.

Amount to make do with

• The answer is Less.

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.

SAVE $135: As of Oct.18, the Garmin Venu 2S is on sale for $264.99 on Amazon. That's 34% off the list price, and the lowest it has been at Amazon in almost a year.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Venu 2S $264.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $135.00 Get Deal

A deal on Garmin is always worth considering, and this latest deal on the Venu 2S smartwatch is perfect for anyone looking for a watch that blends lifestyle features with fitness tracking.

As of Oct. 18, this Garmin watch is on sale for $264.99 on Amazon, saving you 34% on list price. This is also the lowest price it has been available for in 11 months.

The Venu 2S is the perfect tracker for someone who enjoys a range of fitness activities as well as lifestyle tracking. Health features include heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and even stress level feedback. Plus, it offers built-in GPS, so you can track your outdoor activities without needing to take your phone with you.

SEE ALSO: Fitbit vs. Apple Watch: Putting smartwatches and fitness trackers to the test

The Venu 2S also comes with music capabilities. Download up to 650 songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer, and connect with wireless headphones. Another reason to leave your phone at home.

The screen is AMOLED, meaning it's bright, colorful, and incredibly vibrant. And if battery life is important to you, the Venu 2S is seriously impressive, lasting up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and up to 7 hours in GPS mode with music.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so act quick so you don't miss out.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Extremely

SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 18 Hurdle Word 1 answer

ULTRA

Hurdle Word 2 hint

More than a friend.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 18 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

LOVER

Hurdle Word 3 hint

The sleep version of this has treatment available.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 18 Hurdle Word 3 answer

APNEA

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Otherwordly being.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 18 Hurdle Word 4 answer

ALIEN

Final Hurdle hint

Also known as a pic.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

PHOTO

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

With a clever premise and a taste for violence, Parker Finn's feature debut, Smile, has earned many fans since its release in 2022. Now, the highly anticipated sequel, Smile 2, takes the previously established creepy grin curse from the first film — which passes from person to person after someone witnesses a horrific death — and adds the elements of fame and the entertainment industry to the mix. What would happen if a pop star was haunted by a malevolent spirit in front of countless cameras? 

Bringing in elements from movies like It Follows and The Ring, the original Smile centered on a psychiatric doctor named Rose (Sosie Bacon), who witnessed the gruesome, self-inflicted death of one of her patients. Soon after, Rose began to lose track of reality as increasingly strange things happened around her, including the recurrence of the chilling smile that's this franchise's namesake. The movie's finale was tantalizingly open-ended, leaving the door ajar for even more mayhem. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch: Best Scary Movies Smile 2 is even more fun and gory this time around.  Naomi Scott in "Smile 2." Credit: Paramount Pictures

Picking up just days after the original left off, the movie's latest victim is former good cop Joel (Kyle Gallner), who remains haunted by the immolation death of his girlfriend Rose. Joel tries to pass the smile curse to another unlucky recipient, but he soon dies a terrible death anyway, passing this paranormal plague to a drug dealer named Lewis (Lukas Gage). Lewis in turn passes it to pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), who is still reeling from a devastating car crash that injured her and killed her boyfriend. As in the first film, Skye begins to see and hear things others can't, time slips through her fingers in a blink, and nightmares start to take over her reality. 

To match his superstar heroine, Finn goes all in on creating an unpredictable narrative that's full of jump scares, creepy imagery, and spine-tingling sound effects. There are even more violent injuries, body horror, and bloody deaths to make an audience recoil, and plenty of upsetting details, from Skye's compulsive hair-pulling habit (aka trichotillomania) to a group of smiling backup dancers chasing Skye through her apartment in choreographed formation. These scares can feel delightfully over the top, almost like a carnival ride, but they're as creative and horrific as the best parts of the Final Destination series. 

Finn builds up Skye's story so that she's the perfect victim for this curse. She's battling her own demons and memories even before she's surrounded by those damned unnerving smiles. Skye struggles with the trauma of the car accident, as well as frayed relationships damaged by her struggles with addiction; others hold her history of addiction against her, assuming her current public meltdowns are nothing more than a relapse. As Skye, Scott is marvelous as our doomed heroine, acting out like a diva at her wit's end — yet one who’s resourceful enough to fight back against her omnipresent enemy. She performs the hell out of Cristobal Tapia de Veer's songs for the film, screams often and wildly, and wades through the bloodiness of her nightmares and worst moments of her life with equal amounts of fear and sadness. 

Keeping relationships can be just as scary as the movie's recurring rictus. Lukas Gage smiles in "Smile 2." Credit: Paramount Pictures

As with the original, the monster's style of gaslighting damages the main character's relationships with those around her, further isolating her until there really is no escape. And as in the horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street, some of these fateful visions have a way of affecting the real world. Given Skye's public profession, Smile 2 finds time to explore the trappings of fame and how even beloved artists can feel alone in the entertainment industry. Before her performance, Skye meets several fans, including one obsessed devotee who wants her to be more than just a parasocial relationship. The scary encounter disturbs her even after he's escorted away by security. As Skye's condition deteriorates, her momager (Rosemarie DeWitt) pushes her to stay on track for her tour and often brushes aside her objections because she's more worried about pleasing other industry folks, like music exec Darius (Raúl Castillo). 

Smile 2 delivers the thrills and chills of its predecessor with an even more pronounced funhouse feel.

Skye's saving grace is her estranged friend Gemma (Dylan Gelula), who steals almost every scene she's in and brings in-jokes to break up Skye's increasingly bewildering situation. They're longtime friends who split over a year ago, and their estrangement has weighed heavily on Skye. In her moment of need, Gemma is the only person she can count on, and yet the thought of reaching out terrifies Skye almost as much as being left alone. Their relationship is one of the forces inspiring Skye to face her problems, but it's also one of her many sources of heartache. 

Smile 2 expands on what the original movie got right. Rosemarie DeWitt, left, and Naomi Scott star in "Smile 2." Credit: Paramount Pictures

It's not often that a sequel exceeds its original, but Smile 2 delivers the thrills and chills of its predecessor with an even more pronounced funhouse feel. The twists and turns of Finn's script can be just as shocking as many of the jump scares, defying expectations multiple times in a scene. The body horror dial feels a bit more turned up, with less time spent on explanations since the movie operates with the understanding that audiences have seen the original. Instead, Finn's script leads Skye through various deceptive paths at a swift pace, each one more outrageous than the previous, knowing that nothing is as effective at unnerving its audience as showing off that creepy toothy grin for an uncomfortable amount of time. 

Finn and his cinematographer, Charlie Sarroff, also have fun visually turning the movie on its head — sometimes literally. For example, several iconic shots of New York City, where Skye is supposed to kick off her grand tour, are flipped upside down, emphasizing that something is very wrong with our character. In another scene when Skye is lying in bed next to Gemma, the camera is tilted on its side, once again playing with perspective to show their close proximity to one another. If you watched the original, you'll know to expect the gore and the jump scares, but Finn has more surprises in store all the way to the credits, subverting some of his own story beats and keeping the audience in suspense even if they're already fans of Smile.

Smile 2 opens in theaters Oct. 18. 

Dating app Hinge is known for its prompts — so much so that other dating apps have started implementing them, too. Gone are the days of bare profiles and a few photos of you that are filtered to death. Today's singles want to know more about someone before sending a "like."

SEE ALSO: TikTok's retro dating dance trends harken back to the days of courtship

While Hinge revealed its top 25 prompts in 2023, Mashable asked which ones reign supreme going into this year's cuffing season. Here are Hinge's top 25 prompts based on how frequently they lead to conversations, as of October 2024:

1. I go crazy for — the new #1 prompt, up from #3 last year

2. My simple pleasures

3. The way to win me over is — was #1 last year

4. Together, we could

5. Typical Sunday — entered the top 5, was #9 last year

6. This year, I really want to

7. A life goal of mine

8. I'm looking for

9. Dating me is like — now in the top 10

10. We'll get along if

11. My most irrational fear — no longer in the top 10 like last year

12. I'm convinced that

13. My greatest strength

14. I want someone who

15. Unusual skills

16. My Love Language is

17. I'm weirdly attracted to

18. The key to my heart is

19. What if I told you that

20. I recently discovered that

21. The one thing you should know about me is

22. I'll fall for you if

23. I won't shut up about

24. I geek out on

25. All I ask is that you

"I geek out on" is a new addition to the list, bumping off last year's #25, "I bet you can't."

Last year, Hinge's director of relationship science Logan Ury told Mashable that prompts allow potential matches to see your silly and vulnerable sides. They're an opportunity to share your values and interests and show your quirks.

Don't write one-word answers! If you're serious about finding a partner — whether short or long-term — put some more thought into it. It can lead to an in-depth conversation. And if the prompts do lead you to meet someone offline, here's a guide to fun first dates this autumn.

TL;DR: Identify plants for life with Plantum’s premium plan — only $14.97 through October 27 for unlimited access.

Imagine walking through a garden or forest and being able to name every plant you see. With Plantum AI Plant Identifier’s premium lifetime subscription on sale for $14.97, you’ll have access to a powerful plant identification tool that makes every nature walk an adventure. Just snap a picture, and Plantum will instantly tell you the species, care tips, and fun facts about your leafy find.

Perfect for both plant newbies and green thumbs, Plantum uses AI to recognize thousands of plant species, offering detailed insights right on your phone. This app isn’t just for wild plants — it’s great for identifying houseplants, too. Whether you’re unsure about that new succulent or just curious about a flower you spotted, Plantum has the answers.

And with a lifetime subscription, you won’t need to worry about monthly fees or renewals. You get unlimited access to plant IDs, plant care guides, and a personal plant collection feature. Plus, with Plantum’s accurate care tips, you can keep your houseplants thriving without having to guess their needs.

This tool is a great gift for anyone who loves the outdoors (including yourself!), wants to learn more about the plants around them, or simply wants to take better care of their indoor garden. So, whether you’re on a hike, at the park, or just browsing your local nursery, Plantum makes plant identification fun and easy.

Until October 27 at 11:59 p.m., take advantage of this sale on a lifetime subscription to a Plantum AI Plant Identifier Premium Plan for $14.97 (reg. $59).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Plantum - AI Plant Identifier Plantum - AI Plant Identifier Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription (For iOS Only) $14.97
$59.99 Save $45.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: Get a refurbished 2020 MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) on sale for just $514.99 (reg. $1,499).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 2020 refurbished Apple MacBook Air, 13.3-inch (M1, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) $514.99
$1,499.00 Save $984.01 Get Deal

You're ready to upgrade your laptop, but not quite ready to drop $1,500. We've got you.

Right now, you can get a refurbished 2020 MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) on sale for just $514.99 (reg. $1,499). It's grade-A refurbished, which means it's in near-mint condition and may have very minimal to zero amounts of scuffing on the case

What you can expect from your MacBook Air:

• Apple’s M1 chip delivers fast and efficient performance, perfect for multitasking, streaming, and everyday use

• 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone technology provides vibrant colors and clear visuals for any task

• Lightweight and portable at just 2.8 pounds, making it ideal for students, travelers, and on-the-go professionals

• 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD ensure quick boot times, seamless app performance, and plenty of storage for essentials

• Top-tier refurbished quality: Minimal wear on the body with no visible damage, a pristine screen, and a keyboard in great shape.

  • Battery holds at least 80% of its original capacity, ensuring reliable performance

• All-day battery life up to 18 hours keeps you powered through work, entertainment, and creativity without constant charging

Upgrade to this refurbished 2020 Apple MacBook Air M1 on sale for $514.99 and enjoy premium Apple performance at an incredible price.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

You might not expect the minds behind 2020 horror comedy Come to Daddy to produce one of the sweetest family-friendly films of 2024, but Bookworm is full of such wonderful surprises.

SEE ALSO: 42 movies you'll want to see this fall

With Bookworm, director Ant Timpson has teamed back up with Come to Daddy screenwriter Toby Harvard and star Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings, Yellowjackets) for another story of a child bonding with their estranged father. Only this time, Timpson and Harvard swap Come to Daddy's meat cleavers and flaming crossbows for magic tricks and outdoor adventuring. The result is an endearing treat anchored by great performances from both Wood and Nell Fisher (Evil Dead Rise) alike.

What is Bookworm about? Nell Fisher and Elijah Wood in "Bookworm." Credit: Vertical

The titular, self-described "card-carrying bookworm" is 11-year-old Mildred (Fisher), whom we first meet constructing an elaborate trap to ensnare her cat. Don't worry, she doesn't mean any harm! She's just fine-tuning her methods for catching the Canterbury Panther, a real-life New Zealand urban legend. The first person to capture proof of it will receive $50,000, and Mildred hopes to secure that money for her and her single mother Zo (Morgana O'Reilly). That money becomes extra necessary when Zo winds up in an exploding toaster-induced coma.

Enter Strawn Wise (Wood), Mildred's biological father and a full-time magician. (Although much like Arrested Development's Gob Bluth, he'd prefer the term "illusionist.") He's flown all the way from America to help her out, so imagine his surprise when he finds that Mildred wants nothing to do with him. She scoffs at his card tricks, pokes holes in all his illusions, and gives him such a thorough verbal dressing-down that you'll wonder how Strawn doesn't hang up his (comically large) hat right then and there and head home.

SEE ALSO: 'The Apprentice' review: Donald Trump biopic's secret weapon is Roy Cohn

Instead, Strawn decides to finally step into his role as a father and take Mildred on a camping trip to find the Canterbury Panther. Cue the adorable explorers' outfits, gorgeous landscape shots — as a diehard Lord of the Rings fan, it's great to see Wood adventuring through New Zealand again — and moving father-daughter bonding.

Bookworm delivers a heartfelt father-daughter story. Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher in "Bookworm." Credit: Vertical

That bonding doesn't come right away, nor does it come easily. Mildred understandably has trust issues when it come to her absentee father, issues that one simple camping trip won't fix. But Bookworm doesn't take the too-easy route of portraying Strawn as a totally deadbeat dad. Instead, Timpson and Harvard take care to explore his awkward attempts at connecting with Mildred — a David Copperfield–related mix-up is in the cards — and his own worries of failure, both as an illusionist and as a father. Wood is wonderful here, delivering a performance that runs the gamut from goofy to deeply melancholy. From fart jokes to contemplative monologues, he can do it all, managing to turn the wildly dressed Strawn — again, it's hard to get past his big hat — into a flesh-and-blood human.

Mildred, too, defies any possibility of just being another precocious child in film. Yes, she sasses her dad and is able to spout an alarming number of nature facts, but Timpson, Harvard, and a charming Fisher imbue her with so much more than a sharp mouth and wit. These things act as a shield for her loneliness, and were also borne out of it: A scene where Mildred laments her mother's overprotectiveness — comparing it to being wrapped in bubble wrap and cotton wool — is particularly effective thanks to Fisher's contemplative, deeply felt work.

The combination of Wood and Fisher's performances is pure magic, not only in scenes where they work through Strawn and Mildred's complicated relationship, but also in Bookworm's more adventurous sequences, which balance physical comedy and genuine danger on a knife's edge. Here, Timpson and cinematographer Daniel Katz craft moments that call to mind great adventure films of yore — including one scene on a rope bridge that feels undeniably Indiana Jones–inspired — while still keeping Bookworm grounded in Mildred and Strawn's personal journeys. Boasting elements that parents and kids alike will adore, Bookworm is proof that the live-action, family-friendly adventure genre is still alive and kicking.

Bookworm was reviewed out of its US premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024. It hits theaters Oct. 18.

TL;DR: Upgrade to wireless CarPlay with an adapter that plugs into your car’s USB port for 50% off, now on sale for just $44.97 (reg. $89.99) through October 27.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ottocast OTTOCAST U2-AIR Wireless CarPlay Adapter 2022 Edition $44.97
$89.99 Save $45.02 Open Box Get Deal

We all have those mornings when we’re rushing out the door, juggling coffee, keys, and a bagel (if we’re lucky). The last thing you want to do is fumble with a cord to use CarPlay on the way to work, but it’s a necessary evil to jam to your playlist. But why not go wireless?

Instead of plugging your phone into CarPlay every day, plug this OTTOCAST wireless CarPlay adapter into your car once and forget about it. Then, when you hop into your car, your phone will pair automatically. It’s on sale for $44.97 (reg. $89.99) through October 27 — that’s 50% off.

It's time to go wireless

The OTTOCAST pairs your phone to CarPlay in as little as seven seconds. By the time you set your coffee down and get your seatbelt on, you’ll be ready to queue up your morning playlist.

But there are more perks to making your CarPlay wireless:

• No cords means you can pass your phone around the car and let your friends be the DJ

• It’s easier for passengers to pair their phones

• You’ll be able to see your phone’s battery life on the CarPlay screen

Wait, is it hard to set up?

Not at all. As long as your 2016-2024 car has factory-wired CarPlay, just plug this adapter into its USB port and pair your iPhone. It’s probably one of the easiest car upgrades on the market.

This is an open-box model, so you’re actually saving extra on top of the sale price. This just means the product is new but has imperfect packaging. 

Buy your wireless CarPlay receiver while they’re on sale for $44.97 (reg. $89.99) until October 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed for this 50% discount.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Save 68% on Microsoft Office for Mac, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and three other apps.

I have a confession: I’ve never had to pay for my own Microsoft Office apps. I used Google Workspace in high school, and my college gave us Microsoft 365. Now that I can’t live without Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on my Mac, they up and canceled my subscription — probably since I graduated. 

Those subscription fees are shocking…$69.99 every year? Yeah, I’m not paying that. Instead, I found this Microsoft Office lifetime license that was only a one-time $69.97 payment (reg. $219.99), coming out to less than $12 per app.

I scored the deal of a lifetime

I tried to use Apple’s iWork suite — Pages, Numbers, and Keynote (their dupes for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) — but it just wasn’t the same. There’s nothing like Word's familiar, comforting interface when I have to type articles, Excel when I’m checking prices, and PowerPoint when presenting new ideas to my manager.

This Mac Office suite also included OneNote, Outlook, and Teams. I honestly didn’t use these much prior, but I think they may be handy for my day job.

Digital delivery and download

When I tell you I was eager to get these apps on my Mac, it’s an understatement. Before buying, I made sure that my MacBook had at least macOS Monterey, 4GB of RAM, and 10GB of free space.

Within minutes of my purchase, I got an email that contained the download link and software activation key. After about twenty minutes, I opened Word and started writing this article.

Download Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac while it’s on sale for $69.97 (reg. $219.99) through October 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed to get this price.

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When it comes to streaming options, the list goes on and on: Hulu, Netflix, Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at their vast libraries of movies and television within each one!

It can be overwhelming. So, Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, animation, and more. But maybe you don't know what you want beyond something new and entertaining. No worries. 

Mashable's Entertainment Team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to best — or least to most watchable. Whether you want nail-biting horror, heartwarming comedy, chilling true crime, or a binge-worthy new series, we've got you. 

SEE ALSO: What to Watch: Best Scary Movies 10. Woman of the Hour

Netflix has become a reliable place for true-crime devotees, offering a wealth of stirring documentaries, shocking series, and trashy adaptations. Now into this sea of suspenseful stories comes Woman of the Hour, a drama about the horrifying true story of the Dating Game Killer. And we'd say skip this one.

The real story behind murderer Rodney Alcala is not the focus of Pitch Perfect star Anna Kendrick's directorial debut. Instead, she casts herself in the title role as an aspiring actress who has an uncomfortable brush with death when she accepts a questionable TV appearance. Beyond The Dating Game set, the screenplay by Ian MacAllister McDonald ping-pongs across Alcala's timeline to recreate several heinous murders, but spends very little time on his victims, and concocts a purely Hollywood finale.

SEE ALSO: 'Woman of the Hour' review: Anna Kendrick's directorial debut spotlights the Dating Game Killer

As I wrote in my review, when the film premiered at TIFF in 2023, "Far from the thought-provoking narrative within Promising Young Woman, Woman of the Hour plays to preconceived notions without complication: All men are bad, ranging from rapists and killers to creeps or incompetent cops to disappointing boyfriends and failed allies. Women, on the other hand, are victims, gossips, or witnesses.

'What are girls for?' Cheryl playfully asks her bachelors, who mostly flub their replies. Kendrick's film fares no better answering that query."

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, Tony Hale, Kathryn Gallagher, Pete Holmes, and Autumn Best

How to watch: Woman of the Hour premieres on Netflix Oct. 18.

9. Rivals

Hankering for a steamy, prime-time soap opera? Then you'll appreciate the throwback vibes of Rivals.

Set in 1986, this new UK series follows the trysts, twists, and betrayals in the aptly named English county of Rutshire. There, the upper and upper-middle classes live in grand rural estates, throw lavish dinner parties, and start affairs with heady abandon. And snobby class conflict thrives. The rivals at the center of this show are hunky TV personality Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and TV station head Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant). But thrown into the war between them is a heralded journalist, a hard-headed American producer, bored and horny trophy wives, and a new neighbor oft blistered in lust and frustration over the devilishly charming Campbell-Black.

If you miss the sultry theatrics of Grey's Anatomy, 90210, or Dallas, you'll likely relish Rivals. Full of terrible people, snarling drama, and rampant sex, it's a great binge-watch for cuffing season.

Starring: David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Lisa McGrillis, Alex Hassell, Emily Atack, and Danny Dyer

How to watch: Rivals premieres on Hulu Oct. 18.

8. MaXXXine

First came the ultra-violent slasher X, then its twisted prequel Pearl. Now, horror auteur Ti West and his menacing muse Mia Goth unleash the third film in their kinky trilogy with MaXXXine, which follows the foul-mouthed Final Girl from the first movie to 1980s Hollywood. There, Maxine (Goth) is an established adult entertainer who seeks to go mainstream as the lead in a gory new movie. But a bizarre string of murders could trip up her rise to stardom.

SEE ALSO: 'MaXXXine' cast and creator reveal which character they want to see get the next origin story

While reviewing for the film's theatrical release, I praised West's atmosphere as "vibrant in sleaze, satire, and shocking violence." However, as boundary-pushing as his X trilogy has been, this third (and final?) chapter fails to impress with a third act that feels more confounding than exciting. "MaXXXine was on the brink of being the best West and Goth have made yet. But a bungled ending leaves a sour taste."

Starring: Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon

How to watch: MaXXXine debuts on Max Oct. 18.

7. Hysteria!

Don't mistake this new TV series for something it's not. Sure, Hysteria! may star horror-comedy icon Bruce Campbell as a sheriff combatting fear of Satanic Panic in the cozy 1980s suburb of Happy Hollow. However, this isn't anything like Ash vs Evil Dead. Hysteria! creator Matthew Scott Kane is playing the scares straight in this creepy mystery series, which begins with a masked intruder attacking a pair of canoodling teens.

When a popular jock goes missing, suspicion turns to a trio of misfits who are in a heavy metal band. Feigning as Satanists could bring them the attention they've so long craved from the cool kids. But it might also earn the ire of the local police and the fear of parents desperate to keep their own homes safe — whatever the cost. Playing out with teen drama, twisted turns, and a timely message  — both in spookiness and the political power of fearmongering — Hysteria is a pitch-perfect binge for this very moment.

Starring: Bruce Campbell, Julie Bowen, Emjay Anthony, Chiara Aurelia, Kezii Curtis, Jessica Treska, Nikki Hahn, Anna Camp, Nolan North, Garret Dillahunt, Elijah Richardson, and Milly Shapiro

How to watch: All episodes of Hysteria premiere on Peacock Oct. 18.

6. It's Florida, Man

The Florida Man meme has been a reliable — albeit mean-spirited — source of laughs for internet ages. Now, the producers who brought us The Righteous Gemstones are digging behind the headlines that had us giggling to interview the real people who lived through these scandals with It's Florida, Man.

Premiering this Friday on HBO and Max, It's Florida, Man combines true crime docuseries elements like talking head interviews and re-enactments with comedy guest stars performing those re-enactments. In our review, I wrote, "From episode to episode, the tone can shift radically, as the team behind It's Florida, Man seems uneasy in turning everything into comedy fodder. But overall, there's something undeniably charming about these Florida men and women who refuse to be defined by internet snark and 15 minutes of infamy."

Starring: Anna Faris, Randall Park, Jake Johnson, Juliette Lewis, Simon Rex, Ego Nwodim, and Sam Richardson

How to watch: It's Florida, Man debuts on HBO Oct. 18 at 11 p.m. ET, and will also be available to stream on Max. New episodes air weekly.

5. Shrinking Season 2

From the minds that brought us Scrubs, Ted Lasso, and the 2011 charmer The Muppets comes the second season of this delightful Apple TV+ series. Jason Segel stars as therapist and widowed dad Jimmy Laird, who is grappling with grief by switching up how he interacts with his patients. The results are often healing, hilarious, and sometimes explosive. Along for the ride are his gruff but lovable mentor (Harrison Ford), his chipper and well-hydrated friend (Jessica Williams), and his teen daughter (Lukita Maxwell).

Mashable UK Editor Shannon Connellan cheered this ensemble comedy series's Season 2, writing in her review of the first two episodes: "Whether its characters are learning to understand their triggers or trying to process their frustrations with one another, Shrinking arms you with a collection of common sense, usable advice for your own complicated stuff. Honestly, it feels great to be reconnected with such flawed, vulnerable, hilarious characters, all of whom are simply trying to figure it out day by day.

Shrinking, one of TV's best-written comedies, returns to cut to the deep shit among the regular shit, without judgment and with a lot of laughs. Consider us prescribed."

Starring: Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, Michael Urie, Luke Tennie, Lukita Maxwell, and Ted McGinley

How to watch: Shrinking Season 2's first two episodes are now streaming on Apple TV+, with a new episode every Wednesday.

4. Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara

The Canadian indie pop duo Tegan and Sara have been beloved by fans since their rise in the early 2000s. Since then, they have expanded their work into a tender memoir and its charming TV adaptation, High School. But behind the scenes of their growing success, toxicity was creeping into their fandom, and in its depths hid a curious catfish.

From Erin Lee Carr, the documentarian who brought us Britney vs Spears and Mommy Dead and Dearest comes Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara. The critically heralded director sits down not only with Tegan and Sara Quin, but also with several fans who've been conned by a catfish who posed as Tegan online, as well as one of their suspects for the strange personal invasion.

Out of our TIFF review for the doc, I wrote, "Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara is a fascinating film because of the balance in empathy between the stars and their fans. When fandom goes toxic, both sides of that equation suffer. Carr shows that through thoughtful interviews and also interactions between the real Tegan and Fegan's victims, brought together to pick up the pieces of this bizarre betrayal of trust." The result is a poignant and provocative film that speaks to parasocial relationships, stan culture, and cyber security with equal passion.

Starring: Tegan Quin, Sara Quin, and Erin Lee Carr

How to watch: Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara begins streaming on Hulu Oct. 18.

3. I'm Not a Monster: The Lois Riess Murders

Also directed by the prolific Erin Lee Carr, I'm Not a Monster is a two-part documentary that follows the strange and shifting story of convicted killer Lois Riess.

Even if you recall this murderous Minnesota native being the focus of a nationwide manhunt — and the killer grandma headlines central to the coverage — you'll be shocked at the twists and turns of this true crime tale, which involve embezzlement, fraud, gambling addiction, murder, and more.

What sets Carr's true crime docs apart from much of the genre's more questionable corners is the ardent empathy she has for just about everyone involved. As such, perpetrators, victims, witnesses, police officers, and everyone in between is given a chance to show their true character, be it despicable, vulnerable, or deeply quirky. Carr's thoughtful portraits of Riess, her heartbroken family, her frightened friends, and even her righteously furious victims create a complex and fascinating narrative that's as riveting as it is ultimately humane. You'll gasp in horror. You'll cry in sympathy. Occasionally, you'll laugh, but not at these people, more at the absurd and unexpected collisions that make up the best and worst of human nature. But what to make of Lois Riess and her side of this disturbing story? Carr won't give you an easy answer there.

Starring: Lois Riess, Erin Lee Carr

How to watch: I'm Not A Monster: The Lois Riess Murders is now streaming on Hulu.

2. MadS

Seeking something scary? Then this French zombie thriller is sure to satisfy that creepy craving.

Writer/director David Moreau spins a wild night among teens into a freshly biting tale of terror through a blend of sex, drugs, contagion, and blood — all shot as if in one 88-minute long take. It all begins when rich 18-year-old Romain (Milton Riche) runs across a mysterious woman dressed only in bandages and yowling incoherently. He can't imagine what this grisly chance encounter will lead to, but fans of this rotting horror subgenre will have some idea. As MadS shifts from Romain's story to that of his girlfriend (Laurie Pavy) and her bestie Julia (Lucille Guillaume), it only gets wilder and more harrowing.

SEE ALSO: 'MadS' review: A zombie thriller told through one continuous take? New horror level unlocked!

In my review for the film's streaming release, I cheered Moreau's use of its ambitious cinematography, writing, "MadS' one-take device binds us to these characters, allowing us to experience the claustrophobic frenzy and fear at their sides. No cutaways will offer an escape to another location or from the tension. Doggedly, we follow them as they run, bike, and clamor for salvation. We watch helpless as they are as they transform from frivolous to ferocious, their teeth gone from points of pride to pointed weapons. And we share in their horror as the world around them goes from glowing and full of thrills to wretchedly caked in gore and rife with terror."

Starring: Lucille Guillaume, Laurie Pavy, and Milton Riche

How to watch: MADS debuts on Shudder Oct. 18.

1. The Wild Robot

One of the most buzzed-about animated movies of the year is now available to watch from the comfort of home! From Chris Sanders, the co-writer/co-director of Lilo & Stitch and the voice of Stitch, delivers a heartfelt adaptation of Peter Brown's novel, named for the curious android at its center.

Lupita Nyong'o lends her voice to Roz, a helper droid intended for domesticity but stranded on an island populated only by wild animals, like a cunning fox (The Last of Us's Pedro Pascal), a sassy opossum (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's Catherine O'Hara), and an orphaned gosling (Heartstopper's Kit Connor).

In her review out of the film's Fantastic Fest premiere, Belen Edwards praised the fish-out-of-water story as well as the visual splendor Sanders paints. She writes, "Pristine forests and tidal pools bloom to life on screen, their blue and green hues a sharp contrast to Roz's metal-gray plating and blinking lights. Flocks of geese take flight in a dazzling airborne montage. Roz's bright lights slash through a driving snowstorm. Each image is a marvelous snapshot on its own. But together, they create something wholly incredible, making The Wild Robot an unforgettable viewing experience and a perfect capstone to celebrate DreamWorks' 30th anniversary."

SEE ALSO: How Lupita Nyong'o and filmmaker Chris Sanders designed 'The Wild Robot'

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames

How to watch: The Wild Robot is now available to rent or purchase on digital.

For more viewing suggestions, check out Mashable's Watch Guides for the latest and greatest movies and TV shows now streaming. 

You know that thing where you pick up a mysterious party drug from your dealer's place, snort it, and then, while driving your dad's cool-ass convertible back to his posh pad, you accidentally drop a joint in your lap and have to pull over real quick? But while checking on those luxurious leather interiors for scorch marks, a battered woman dressed only in bandages clamors into your car, groaning, flailing, and bleeding all over you? 

SEE ALSO: What to watch: Best Scary Movies

Okay, so maybe the start of MadS, a French zombie thriller new to Shudder, isn't exactly relatable. But through its ambitious cinematography, this freaky thriller keeps us bound to its oblivious heroes, who are on the brink of an undead apocalypse.

Shot as if all in one continuous 88-minute take, MadS gives its audience no chance to escape. This reflects the plight of the film's characters: a group of hard-partying teens who set out for a night of drugs, sex, and dancing, but find only betrayal, violence, and horror. Within this frenzied setup, writer/director David Moreau delivers a uniquely chilling film, emotionally harrowing with a throbbing undercurrent of political commentary. 

What's MadS about? Milton Riche as Romain in David Moreau's "MadS." Credit: Philip Lozano / Shudder

After his bizarre vehicular encounter, 18-year-old Romain (Milton Riche) rushes home to clean up. The mansion around him is cold, modern, and expensive. As the panicked young man tumbles into the shower, we witness the shock of this gruesome encounter wash over him like the water. You get the sense that the privilege of the wealth and status in which he was raised means he has been pretty much untouchable until now. A phone call from his father confirms this, sobering up Romain enough to pull himself together, feign at being fine, and get dressed for a night out with friends. It's as if he fears his surly father more than the inexplicable horror that just went down in the car. 

Soon, Romain is reluctantly scooped up by his friends, and driven to a house party where music thumps, teen drama brews, and he begins to twitch uncontrollably. Is it the drugs? If so, his fiery girlfriend Anais (Laurie Pavy) and her chic bestie Julia (Lucille Guillaume) have reason to worry beyond a romantic rivalry that's testing their bond. As the night goes on, the camera will move from Romain to Anais to Julia. And with each chapter, Moreau sinks his teeth deeper into tension and agony. Sure, soldiers begin closing in to contain the mysterious contagion that's turning our frolicking youths into rampaging ghouls. But more terrifying in MadS is the transformations that play out right before our eyes. 

Laurie Pavy and Lucille Guillaume ramp up the twisted exhilaration of MadS.  Lucille Guillaume as Julia and Laurie Pavy as Anais in David Moreau's "MadS." Credit: Philip Lozano / Shudder

Often in zombie movies, the turn from human to mindless monster is quick —maybe even a jump scare involving a slathering of pale make-up, bags under the eyes, and a slouched posture before a deadly lurching attack. In MadS,  Moreau makes a meal of this change, unfurling it sickeningly slowly. It begins with dilated eyes, twitching movements, and emotional outbursts. But these are so subtle that the victim and even those around them might write these effects off as the impact of a bad drug trip. This ignorance only makes what follows all the worse, all the scarier. 

With Rachel Sennott-style wild child energy, Laurie Pavy stomps through the streets of this French city, on the hunt for a fight or a fuck. Her mouth opens wide in provocation, her body winding into a manically sexual strut. In some moments, it seems she's enjoying the rush of adrenaline the contagion seems to cause. However, when she batters a random man to steal his bicycle, a jarring disconnect is made apparent. Even as she assaults him with a grin, she's crying out in panic, "It's not me! It's not me!" All at once, you can see the exciting freedom of the contagion and the terror of losing yourself to its influence. Things only get more intense as Pavy's Anais comes across Julia, desperate for reconciliation after a frantic fight. 

In an American movie, Guillaume, in her sharp silhouette and dazzling sequined mini-dress, might be a third-act heroine. Perhaps Ready or Not-style, she'd strap on a gun and blow away any threat, including the encroaching military forces. But Moreau is telling a story of privilege and the horrid, unforeseen consequences of it. So, MadS won't offer anything but a glimmer of hope before a conclusion that is absolutely gutting — and eerily beautiful. 

MadS will fuck you up.  Laurie Pavy as Anais in David Moreau's "MadS." Credit: Philip Lozano / Shudder

Throughout the bloody mayhem of MadS, Moreau laces subtle visual pleasures: the sleek design of a classic car, the shimmer of Julia's dress under streetlights, the radiance of Anais' smile, the pulsing lights of a rocking house party, the glittering lights of a city at night, even the shine of a metal necklace lying across a bared chest. Each of these elements is rebelliously beautiful, forcing us to see the splendor amid the horror. And in this way, Moreau underlines what is being lost. For as the night goes on, all of these things will be ruined or covered in blood. 

Chasing his trio across this wild night, Moreau doesn't fill their mouths with impassioned speeches to bestow meaning onto their suffering. Instead, their dialogue feels achingly natural, being about parties, personal insecurities, secrets, and posturing. The sociopolitical subtext can be found in how their night unravels. A rich boy, craving thrills with no sense of what they could cost, means no harm. Yet his intentions don't matter a good goddamn to his supposed loved ones, who will suffer the consequences of his actions all the same. Some mistakes can't be undone, even if your daddy is intimidating, rich, and powerful. And even as longtime horror fans might scoff at the naive choices of these flailing victims, we can't shake off the terror of how much one bad call can matter.

Throughout the film, MadS' one-take device binds us to these characters, allowing us to experience the claustrophobic frenzy and fear at their sides. No cutaways will offer an escape to another location or from the tension. Doggedly, we follow them as they run, bike, and clamor for salvation. We watch helpless as they are as they transform from frivolous to ferocious, their teeth gone from points of pride to pointed weapons. And we share in their horror as the world around them goes from glowing and full of thrills to wretchedly caked in gore and rife with terror.

In short, MadS is a viciously enthralling thriller you don't want to miss. 

MADS debuts on Shudder Oct. 18. 

With MaXXXine, the latest in their X trilogy, Ti West and Mia Goth are charting a curious course as horror's most fascinating new duo. 

It was little more than two years ago that the writer/director and actress/producer unleashed the ultra-violent slasher X upon a giddy SXSW audience prior to a successful theatrical release. Then, just four months later, they unveiled the prequel Pearl, which not only unfurled the tormented origin story of the first film's villain, but also offered a tone so wildly different that it left critics and audiences dizzy with deranged delight. Where X was dripping with lurid sex, vicious shame, and a mean sense of humor plumbed from Tobe Hooper's seminal 1974 slasher, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Pearl was a campy ode to winsome Technicolor children's movies like The Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins, but with a dark undercurrent that reflected the devilish potential behind its titular antiheroine's wide-eyed ambition. 

The two films formed a festered fairy tale, where the princess of one becomes the wicked queen of the other. So what does all this mean for MaXXXine, the sequel that follows X's sole survivor to 1985 Los Angeles? Like its predecessors, it's rooted in a tale of sex and murder. But this time West's influences lean into the film-noir classics set in L.A., like Roman Polanski's iconic 1974 hit, Chinatown. The result is a film that starts off familiar but strong, tapping into the seedy pleasures of peep shows and surreal realities of studio backlots. But something gets lost as West and Goth hurtle toward a climax that feels undeserving of the movie that leads up to it. 

What's MaXXXine about? 

Set six years after X, MaXXXine l finds its titular sex worker, Maxine Minx, a successful porn star hoping to make the leap to legit moviemaking in Hollywood. Convinced the sequel to a popular, gory horror movie called The Puritan is her ticket to the big time, she throws her all into the audition. But getting the part won't be nearly as difficult as surviving the leather-gloved stalker who's been picking off her friends one by one. 

SEE ALSO: Ti West owed us Pearl dancing for farm animals

A Final Girl in full, Maxine is not one to be easily scared. Not by the sneering ego of her director (Elizabeth Debicki), the intimidation tactics of a pair of LAPD detectives (Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale), or a Southern-twanged private eye (Kevin Bacon), whose white suit, wide-brimmed hat, and busted nose make for the movie's most explicit Chinatown reference. But when these murder investigations threaten her fledgling career, Maxine is determined to face off against the mystery killer, with a dark glare and her mantra: "I will not accept a life I do not deserve." 

Mia Goth is once again great under West's direction.  Credit: A24

The baby-voiced British actress has worked with an array of acclaimed filmmakers, including Lars Von Trier (Nymphomaniac), Gore Verbinski (A Cure for Wellness), and Luca Guadignino (Suspiria). Yet it might well be West who has best showcased the doll-faced actress, giving her much more to play than the tragic while beautiful gamine. 

With X, she pulled double duty, portraying the uninhibited and ambitious Maxine as well as the desperately horny (to the point of homicidal rage) Pearl. With Pearl, she threw herself into a parody of an ingenue tale, giving a performance as jarring and enchanting as it was hysterically vulnerable. With MaXXXine, she locks away the insecurities of Pearl, leaning into Maxine's borderline dangerous delusions of grandeur. Witnessing Maxine swaggering onto a studio lot and trash-talking her competition without breaking stride, her unchecked confidence gives a thrill. But as the film lurches into its final act, Maxine threatens to become more clichéd than compelling. 

MaXXXine is at its best when it's a showbiz satire.  Credit: A24

West and Goth are wickedly clever in how they depict Hollywood here. On one front, the film-within-the-film The Puritan II looks destined to be gory, goofy trash. Yet its director — with a lofty English accent — speaks of it like it will rival The Godfather. In the audition for the role of a possessed 1950s housewife, it's not enough for Maxine to cry on cue. She's also expected to bare her breasts, and she does so matter-of-factly, as if being asked to hand over her headshot. 

Such shrugging absurdity comes to a head in a chase sequence through the actual Universal Studios back lot. Here, Bacon's dick chases Goth's starlet from the Old West sets, through a false Manhattan, and up to the stairs of the Bates Motel. It's a knowingly silly sequence that draws attention to the facades of Hollywood and fame, while also showing how mastering the landscape of such agreed-upon lies can help one survive — and even thrive — in Hollywood. It's a point that West drives home with the film's finale. But getting there is a bloody battle. 

MaXXXine loses the courage of its convictions with a frustratingly unsatisfying climax.  Credit: A24

For much of MaXXXine, I was on the edge of my seat, a big goofy grin on my face. West and Goth were chiseling out a film-noir story of a femme fatale who, having survived one attempt on her life, is determined to let no one get the better of her now that she's closer to her dream than ever before. There's a horrid determination in Maxine, who will not be slowed down by the bodies stacking up on the morgue, her grief, or the slaughterhouse secrets she ran from in Texas. To her, Los Angeles is a place of heat and promise. West paints his setting accordingly, framing Maxine as a goddess, tall and untouchable among the squalid backdrops and the blaring evening news reports of the (real) serial killer known as the Night Stalker. 

While outwardly, Maxine can be stoic in the face of death and condemnation, the movie quivers with the energy of an animal running for its very life. Neon lights, leather pants, spurts of blood, and snorts of cocaine piece together an atmosphere so thick you can practically smell the sweat and hairspray. And Goth's supporting cast — which also boasts enthralling turns from Giancarlo Esposito, Moses Sumney, and Halsey — fleshes out this world with attitude, moxie, sneers, and screams. 

But when it comes time to pull back the curtain and reveal the real villain, screenwriter West makes the least interesting — indeed downright predictable — choice. A big, splashy sequence in the Hollywood Hills has action, graphic violence, and plenty of dramatic pronouncements. But after all the possibilities set up in its noir plot, the clunky conclusion feels out of place with the intoxicating satire that led to it. Instead of following the noir-inspiration points to a justly cold and harrowing end (think Sunset Boulevard), MaXXXine seems to abruptly remember its slasher sequel and thus piles on fresh lore, tiresome monologuing, and the requisite higher body count expected as a franchise expands. 

It's a shame. Vibrant in sleaze, satire, and shocking violence, MaXXXine was on the brink of being the best West and Goth have made yet. But a bungled ending leaves a sour taste. 

MaXXXine is now playing on Max.

UPDATE: Oct. 15, 2024, 2:56 p.m. EDT This review was originally published on June 26, 2024. It has been updated to reflect the latest viewing options.

The harrowing story of Dating Game Killer Rodney Alcala boasts a depressingly long list of victims, a series of infuriating failures of the police, and a conclusion that is grim and far from satisfying. Suffice to say, it's pretty shocking that his crimes are the subject that Pitch Perfect's Anna Kendrick has chosen for her directorial debut, Woman of the Hour.

Pulling double-duty on the film, the comedic actress brings her plucky persona to one of the lead roles, playing the unwitting Dating Game bachelorette who peppers the undiscovered serial killer with bawdy questions — much to the delight of a nationwide audience also oblivious to his horrid homicidal streak. 

The script by Ian MacAllister McDonald presents plenty of on-brand scenes for Kendrick, from a humiliating audition with a pair of comically bored casting directors to a deeply awkward interaction with a sex-pest neighbor, to a chance to dazzle under the studio spotlights of a popular TV game show. But how does Kendrick's brand of humor connect with the grisly tale of the Dating Game Killer? 

It doesn't. 

What's the buzz about Woman of the Hour? 

Kendrick's directorial debut premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival amid a wave of other actor/helmer productions, ranging from Taika Waititi's fumbled sports comedy Next Goal Wins, Michael Keaton's mind-bending thriller Knox Goes Away, Viggo Mortensen's somber Western The Dead Don't Hurt, Patricia Arquette's wobbly drama Gonzo Girl, and Chris Pine's bellyflopped comedy-noir Poolman (just to name a few!) Critics out of the first screenings of Woman of the Hour were spreading the word that Kendrick's true crime adaptation was a must-see and maybe the best of this particular crop of movies. Then again, considering the mixed to negative reviews of the aforementioned films, that's not saying much.

Some have compared Woman of The Hour to Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman, a darkly comedic thriller that earned its writer/director an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. However, the similarities between the two films are superficial: Both deal with rape culture, involving a plotline in which women are sexually assaulted and/or murdered by men within a patriarchal society that aims to give the latter the benefit of the doubt, whatever the cost. (Spoiler: The cost is women's lives.) Both films are directed by women. (Only Promising Young Woman is written by one.) End of list. 

Where Promising Young Woman offered a stylish and provocatively twisted revenge fantasy, Woman of the Hour delivers a wobbly retelling of a true crime story with a thread of showbiz comedy. The former film centers its plotline on an angry avenging angel who lures in her predatory prey with a drunken demeanor or smeared lipstick, visually critiquing the victim-blaming tropes survivors encounter in real life. By contrast, Woman of the Hour doesn't have a central heroine but divides itself among a handful of victims presented as genre tropes: a scrappy teen runaway (Autumn Best), a traumatized witness (Nicolette Robinson), a too-trusting flight attendant, and aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick). While the film zips back and forth across Alcala's terrible timeline, Cheryl readies to go on the Dating Game not to look for love but to score her big break. Could her professional ambitions get her killed? Kendrick's film seems to ask.

Woman of the Hour is two movies clumsily stitched together. 

Cheryl's thread follows her throughout her frustrations as a struggling actress in Los Angeles, ducking the spirit-crushing remarks of men in power, dodging unwanted kisses, and battling back against sexist bullies using only her wit and a smile wielded like a shield. In such scenes, Kendrick seems at home. As a performer, she's walked the line of chipper yet biting comedy from Pitch Perfect to Into The Woods and A Simple Favor. And it's wicked fun to watch her face off with a surly Tony Hale as a combative Dating Game host. 

A gruesome cold open shows from the start how Alcala operates. So, while Cheryl deals with annoying but relatively harmless threats from men around her, the audience knows what she does not: Doom looms. The call for The Dating Game gig is not one of opportunity but bad fortune.

Perhaps Kendrick purposely put herself into this familiar role so that audiences could understand how even the quirky heroine of a comedy might be caught up in the trap of such a deceptive serial killer. Through this thread, Kendrick shows how Alcala hid in plain sight. However, this section of the film doesn't convincingly connect to the other women's narratives, in part because those characters are so barely developed that their scenes play like something on Investigation Discovery: a swift setup of sweetness before being savagely killed.  

To the credit of Autumn Best, while her pugnacious runaway is thinly sketched on the page, her screen presence is undeniably mesmerizing. You root for her even as the movie gives you every reason to think hope is pointless. However, the other women depicted in the last hours — or even minutes — of their lives are given even less-caring characterization. All of them fall into the same aesthetic framework of '70s beauty, with long hair, vaguely bohemian babe vibes, and an attitude that is tentatively self-empowered. They are introduced long enough to be shown as lovely, before their smiles are perverted to screams under the glare of Alcala's menace.

Anna Kendrick fumbles in true crime storytelling.

Kendrick has no distinctive voice in depicting violence. In Zodiac, David Fincher stoically depicted detailed scenes of slaughter to display to his audience the cold-blooded nature of the attacks. Though there is little gore and much of the assaults happen off-camera in Woman of the Hour, Kendrick indulges in close-ups of the women screaming, their hands bond tightly, their feet kicking helplessly. Far from distinctive, such scenes play like something out of any random slasher film, with shots of yowling victims being dragged out of frame and to their annihilation. It's a sickening spectacle.

Vexingly, by favoring these cliched setups of introducing sexually attractive and confident young women, only to show them slaughtered for letting a male stranger into their lives, Kendrick's approach reduces these sisters in suffering — some of whom are based on real people, like Cheryl herself — into cautionary tales. Don't hitchhike! Don't let a stranger into your home! Don't follow a creep to a second location!

As true crime media evolves, there's been a push from activists and audiences to focus on the victims or the heroes over glamorizing the killer. To be fair, Kendrick doesn't seem interested in Alcala's motives or background. Actor Daniel Zovatto offers a low-boil portrayal of the smirking serial killer, revealing how a bit of kindness might be a hook. Woman of the Hour doesn't fall prey to treating Alcala as special or especially clever, mostly just bold enough to trust in institutional misogyny to not only ignore all his red flags but also the women who would speak out against him. However, the script cherry-picks his story to package a concise yet grisly thriller with that oh-so-marketable true crime edge. Yet it tells us nothing new — about rape culture, police apathy, or even Alcala and his victims.

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Worse yet, Woman of the Hour manufactures a fictional climax whole cloth in a sweaty bid for a satisfying ending. With so much of this story being stranger than fiction but still true, audiences may well assume this conclusion is fact. Yet McDonald has dreamed up a fantasy finale that isn't even believable within the world he and Kendrick have built. In a film where police are repeatedly presented as impotent and uncaring, it's outrageous to show them victoriously sweeping in, sirens blazing, to save the day. This creation provides a solace the real story does not, and an ending that feels cheap and even insulting.

Far from the thought-provoking narrative within Promising Young Woman, Woman of the Hour plays to preconceived notions without complication: All men are bad, ranging from rapists and killers to creeps or incompetent cops to disappointing boyfriends and failed allies. Women, on the other hand, are victims, gossips, or witnesses.

"What are girls for?" Cheryl playfully asks her bachelors, who mostly flub their replies. Kendrick's film fares no better answering that query.

Woman of the Hour is streaming on Netflix.

UPDATE: Oct. 14, 2024, 5:01 p.m. EDT "Woman of the Hour" was reviewed out of its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. This article, originally published on Sept. 22, 2023, has been updated for the film's Netflix debut.