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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

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

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

• The answer is Baker.

Kind of oil served with bread

• The answer is Olive.

Throw in the ___

• The answer is Towel.

"Fine" dishware for a dinner party

• The answer is China.

Very quick

• The answer is Hasty.

DownBungle, as plastic surgery

• The answer is Botch.

___ State, nickname for Hawaii

• The answer is Aloha.

Fuzzy fruits or flightless birds

• The answer is Kiwis.

4 x 400-meter race, e.g.

• The answer is Event.

4 x 400-meter race, e.g.

• The answer is Relay.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One of Them Days is now in theaters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TL;DR: Live stream Charlotte Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls in the NBA with FuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.

The Charlotte Hornets head to United Center to face the Chicago Bulls in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Hornets are 9-28, which puts them in 14th place. The Bulls are 18-23, which puts them in 10th place.

The Hornets have lost four of their last five games, and are coming off a loss to the Phoenix Suns. The Bulls have lost three of their last five games, and are coming off back-to-back losses to the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings.

When is Charlotte Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls?

Charlotte Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls in the NBA starts at 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 17. This game takes place at United Center in Chicago.

How to watch Charlotte Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls

You need to choose a streaming service to watch the NBA without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Hornets vs. Bulls basketball game.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo TV FuboTV Pro plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Most live sports: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV $49.99/month for your first two months (save $46) Get Deal

YouTube TV's base plan is $49.99 per month for two months for new subscribers ($72.99 per month regularly). The base plan includes over 100 live TV channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and NBA TV.

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling TV Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

Sling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBA TV, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

How to watch Hornets vs. Bulls from anywhere in the world

If you're traveling outside of the U.S. during this game, you might need to use a VPN to unblock this live stream. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server, meaning you can unblock live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Charlotte Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming app

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

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 gain access to live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Charlotte Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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 includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Charlotte Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls in the NBA with ExpressVPN.

There's a delicious surprise in Night Call, a Brussels-set action movie that plays out over one brutal night shift. And it's just how plausible every moment feels. Forget high-flying superheroes, Force-wielding Jedis, or car thieves who defy the laws of physics. There's good fun to be had in such movies, for sure. But filmmaker Michiel Blanchart makes his directorial feature debut with a lean and brilliant thriller that is uniquely thrilling because of how devotedly grounded it is. 

The screenplay (written by Blanchart and Gilles Marchand) begins simply enough, following twentysomething Mady Bala (Jonathan Feltre) through the routine of his night job as a locksmith. He gets a call, checks for proof of ID, cracks the lock, and gets paid cash. Easy. That is, until a cute brunette who calls herself Claire (Natacha Krief) lures him into a heist. Next thing Mady knows, his routine is in the rearview mirror as he races to survive a night where he's enraged a ruthless gangster with a band of skinheads at his beck and call. To live, he'll need to get the girl — or at least the cash. 

Racing across Brussels, from its high-rise apartments to its bumping nightclubs, seedy brothels, and claustrophobic basements, Blanchart puts Mady through the wringer, and we get to be his captive audience. 

Night Call's violence hits harder because it feels real.  Mady (Jonathan Feltre) is caught in the middle of a protest in "Night Call." Credit: Mika Cotellon / Magnet Releasing

The first taste of action comes in the apartment Claire claimed was hers. Left alone, Mady silently takes in the living room's layout, the Nazi memorabilia prominently displayed, and the hulking stranger who has just found an intruder in his place. Before Mady can explain, he's attacked. And scrambling to fight back against a brute who would turn his face into a fire — with an assist from the lit stovetop — Mady has to think fast. He smashes a plate, turning its shards into a knife, perfect for a quick stab to the gut. 

While this might sound like a masterful improvisation of weaponry, Feltre's performance is one of terror and bewilderment. His limbs fly in defense powerfully, but not confidently. He's not Jason Bourne, conveniently trained to best any adversary. He's just a guy trying to get through the night. And this scramble makes all the violence inflicted by and on him hit like a gut punch. The stakes feel real as Mady wriggles away from the neo-Nazi on a rampage. And even as this scrappy locksmith bests him with a lucky blow to the neck, he's not ready for the fallout. Specifically, Mady gags at the sight of blood burbling from his fallen foe's neck. 

In one swift and brutal action sequence at the film's top, Blanchart keenly establishes the life-or-death stakes and the gritty reality of this action movie. The broader details of the gangsters and their crimes are kept smartly vague, as none of that matters in the urgency of Mady's dilemma. And it's absolutely enthralling to see this slim everyman in a bulky jacket, obscuring his ripped physique — as opposed to a jacked-up Wolverine — take on the hell that is the night ahead of him.

Night Call delivers exhilarating twists and superb performances.  Credit: Mika Cotellon / Magnet Releasing.

Not versed in how to commit murder, much less covering one up, Mady is soon in the hands of a scowling kingpin (French actor Romain Duris, The Beat That My Heart Skipped), who turns him over to two cronies assigned to the task of recovering the loot that clever Claire stole. No one cares that Mady was an unwitting accomplice. Reason and rationale are a luxury Mady is not granted, and so he must look for any opportunity to best his captors. 

Night Call veers from Mady being pushed around to him defiantly breaking free in ways small and large, changing his fortune with impulse or ingenuity. It's thrilling to see where his story will go next, because it's impossible to predict. Blanchart and Marchand reject action movie tropes by having their hero be a true underdog, who must rely not only on the kindness of strangers (or in this case, Black Lives Matter protesters) but also the femme fatale who set him up to survive. But even as Night Call turns into film-noir territory with Claire, the screenwriters refuse to keep her an easily evil figure. Instead, the film twists into emotionally intelligent terrain that makes its climax incredible in more ways than one. Not only does Night Call defy genre expectations, but it also plays to reality without feeling like a letdown. 

Credit: Mika Cotellon / Magnet Releasing

Props to an impeccable cast. Feltre is a riveting leady man, committing convincingly to the fight choreography without losing Mady's wide-eyed shock at his circumstances. Opposite him, Duris — whose previous movies range from Jacques Audiard's neo-noir Beat to rom-coms like Heartbreaker and the dreamy Mood Indigo — is harrowing as a snarling gangster. As a young tough, Jonas Bloquet is both intimidating and intriguing, while Natacha Krief as Claire is so deeply charming that it's easy to see how Mady fell for her ruse. All down the line, the performances in Night Call are distinctive, dark, grimy, and even sometimes grimly funny, making the underbelly of Brussels a place that's sinister but sensational. 

Combine these crackling performances and the savagely smart script with cinematographer Sylvestre Vannoorenberghe's smooth sensibility, which thoughtfully pushes and pulls audiences through the labyrinth that is Mady's mad night, and this movie is an absolute stunner. In the end, Blanchart's first film is as electrifying as it is surprising. An action movie that's daring, dark, and distinctly wild, Night Call is not to be missed. 

Night Call opens only in theaters Jan. 17. 

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What do you do when your dream is yanked out from under you? And, to make matters worse, the hand doing the yanking belongs to the colossal, omnipotent entity that is the U.S. government?

This could be the reality for the TikTok creators who’ve built entire careers on the app — a platform that has transformed what it means to be an influencer. For many, being a social media star is, in fact, a dream job — 57 percent of Gen Z say they want to be influencers.

But now, that dream, for some, is at risk of being abruptly snatched away. TikTok is facing a deadline of Jan. 19 — this Sunday — when it could be banned in the U.S. over concerns about its Chinese ownership.

As it stands, it appears the ban could at least be delayed. The Associated Press reported Thursday, citing an anonymous official, that President Joe Biden would not enforce the ban before he leaves office next week, effectively leaving the decision in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump.

Folks in Trump’s orbit have already expressed opposition to the ban, indicating the administration could at least stall the ban process. But that still leaves content creators who’ve built followings – and income streams – on the app preparing as best they can for what’s next.

For creators like Brandon Edelman, known to hundreds of thousands on the app as the chaotic and entertaining Bran Flakezz, the looming deadline feels like an existential threat. What if everything they’ve built disappears in a flash?

"This ban is so irresponsible and reckless," Edelman told Mashable, emphasizing the countless people who rely on the app for their livelihoods.

"If this app is banned, I'll use it every single minute I have until it goes away,” Edelman said. "I’m living in delusion, I guess. I won’t stress about it until I open the app, and it won't open."

The reactions from creators are as varied as the content they produce: some are frantic, others are unfazed, but all are left navigating a sea of uncertainty. Scroll through TikTok, and you’ll see creators urging followers to find them elsewhere, emotional farewells, and some who are practically indifferent to the possibility of the app's demise in the U.S.

"There’s a range," said Michael Berkowitz, co-founder of the Greenlight Group, a talent agency representing digital creators. "Some creators are extremely concerned and in a bit of a panic. Others? Not concerned at all. They don’t think the ban is actually going to happen."

TikTok changed everything. But what if it disappears?

Here’s the bottom line: nobody knows if the ban will happen, and even if it does, it’s unclear what kind of impact it will have.

"I don’t think we’ll see a full ban — where TikTok just vanishes from the face of the Earth — being a reality," Doug Landers, co-founder of Greenlight Group, told Mashable.

Some reports have suggested that TikTok was preparing for a radical and unprecedented step: a full-scale shutdown in the U.S. This would block access entirely, with users attempting to open the app being met by a pop-up redirecting them to a website with details about the ban. The move would effectively lock users out of the platform, marking a dramatic escalation in the app's ongoing battle for survival.

In a less extreme scenario that had long been expected, TikTok could simply be removed from app stores. While current users would still have access, the app would likely begin to degrade over time due to a lack of updates and maintenance.

But now it appears the decision could be in Trump's hands, which might mean TikTok sticks around. Alternatively, TikTok could also be sold to someone like... well, Elon Musk, and keep running in the U.S. (Mashable reached out TikTok for comment and did not receive a response.)

Even with all the "what-ifs," the threat of TikTok’s disappearance feels very real to creators. Users are already flocking to other platforms, and creators are scrambling to direct their followers elsewhere. For creators, the looming shutdown represents another crisis in an industry defined by its volatility.

Credit: Mashable

Take Jordan Howlett, for example. You probably know him as @jordan_the_stallion8 — he’s the guy who went from chasing his pro baseball dreams to amassing nearly 14 million followers on TikTok. If you’ve scrolled your For You Page lately, you’ve likely seen him leaning into the camera and telling you to "come here" as he explains the latest viral moment.

"There was never a moment where I was like, 'Oh, I can do this for a living' because I come from a very traditional background where a 9-to-5 job was what stability truly meant," Howlett told Mashable.

But TikTok turned that notion on its head. "It has allowed me to wake up daily and figure out [how I can] express some kind of creativity," he said. The platform has given him a space to set goals and pursue them. "If I have a goal, I can try to achieve it."

For Howlett, that's meant collaborating with the likes of Kevin Hart, Donald Glover, Halle Berry, and Method Man — all thanks to his decision in 2020 to post up to eight videos a day as a creative outlet.

Or there’s Rebecca West-Remmey, half of the married duo behind Devour Power, a channel chronicling viral food mostly in the NYC era. For her and her husband, Greg Remmey, TikTok arrived long after they'd already built large followings on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.

Back in 2012, when "food porn" became a cultural catchphrase, they started posting mouthwatering videos of crispy, greasy, often over-the-top meals that made you hungry just watching them. After quitting their day jobs a decade ago, they became full-time creators, with TikTok becoming an increasingly important part of their income.

"It is a big platform for us, I'm not gonna lie," West-Remmey told Mashable. Since joining the platform in 2018, their account has amassed more than 4 million followers.

But even as TikTok’s rise has been meteoric for creators like her, the prospect of it disappearing doesn’t feel like the end of the world. In the world of digital media, nothing is certain. “Social media is the Wild West,” West-Remmey said. "You do not know what's going to happen. I don't know if Instagram is going to shut down tomorrow. There is a lot of uncertainty."

Instagram, YouTube, RedNote: Time to diversify

As the clock ticks down, creators are scrambling to take action. The basic steps are the same across the board: download your videos, alert followers where to find you next, and diversify your presence as much as possible.

But the situation looks different for everyone. For Devour Power, TikTok's possible disappearance won’t upend their entire business. A big chunk of their revenue comes from their media arm, which manages social media for dozens of restaurants. If TikTok vanishes, it simply means a change in strategy, not a collapse.

"Our restaurants are a little bit worried about TikTok being banned," West-Remmey said. "Our thought behind that is, if it is [banned], there are so many other directions that we can take that second platform space."

Other social media platforms, such as Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Facebook, and even RedNote — a Chinese app gaining international traction just days before the proposed ban — offer alternatives. With the advantage of time and significant effort, Devour Power has successfully expanded its presence across multiple platforms.

The outlook is more uncertain for smaller creators or those who built their following on TikTok. Take Avery-Claire Nugent, for example. With roughly 80k followers, Nugent took off by posting about girls who "cluster" tiny, precious objects in their homes.

Still juggling her full-time fashion job in New York City, she's already shifted part of her following to the Girls Who Cluster Instagram page, which functions as the brand's HQ, and recently launched a YouTube channel where she shares vlog-style videos about her day-to-day life.

But for Nugent, the ban presents a potential opportunity to step back and reassess.

"I'm going to take some time to touch some grass for a little bit, to really, you know, chill out," she told Mashable. "And then we'll see how the strategy goes for the rest of social media."

For now, TikTok is a valuable financial supplement to her 9-to-5 e-commerce gig, even if she'd one day love to go full-time with social media and Girls Who Cluster.

However, the landscape looks drastically different for creators like Edelman. He left his corporate job two years ago, and in the first summer after quitting, he earned double his previous annual salary.

Credit: Mashable

Edelman quickly gained a following on TikTok because of his comedic content about Philly nightlife. He still cracks jokes about life in the city, but his range has expanded to include mental health, friendship, and, of course, the Eagles. For him, TikTok’s potential disappearance feels deeply personal.

"It's devastating," he said. "The amount of people who have found a voice and been able to tell their stories and have their lives changed...like myself, a 24-year-old gay guy from Philadelphia who was making $41,000 a year. My whole life transformed through this app."

Edelman isn’t overly concerned about his long-term future. He can pivot to Instagram, YouTube, his podcast, or whatever comes next. But losing TikTok would still be a major financial blow in the short term. Between TikTok's Creator Fund and brand partnerships, he estimates that TikTok accounts for about a third of his income — hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Creators who rely on TikTok Shop or affiliate links would be hit even harder.

But the real question looms larger: What happens to the smaller creators, the ones still building their careers on TikTok? Or to the behind-the-scenes teams — accountants, assistants, videographers — who depend on social media's booming ecosystem to make a living?

Still, if TikTok is banned, the ad money creators depend on will likely flow to other platforms.

"Influencer marketing is not going away, and marketing dollars are not going to stop flowing into the creator economy," Berkowitz said. "But if TikTok is banned, they'll certainly shift that spend to other platforms. Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat will probably benefit the most."

Berkowitz noted that Greenlight has been adding clauses to brand deals to allow advertisers to redirect their content to other platforms should TikTok vanish. They’ve worked closely with their clients — including creators like Howlett — to identify the platforms that will work best for their content.

The founders of Greenlight see TikTok’s rise as the dawn of a new kind of influencer: one that’s more relatable and more personal. That parasocial bond won’t disappear overnight.

"The creators who have a tight-knit community will be able to more successfully transition their followers onto other platforms," Berkowitz said.

So... What now?

In short, the clock could be ticking on the clock app, even if it may have just gotten an extension. To paraphrase a modern digital philosopher, no one is planning to log off. 

"If TikTok goes away, the passion I [feel] from doing those things — that doesn't go away," Howlett told Mashable. "I'm going to keep going until it's either not fun anymore or I found a different way to express [myself]... If TikTok is gone, it's not going to stop me [from] wanting to make videos."

When you're as big as Howlett — he's got 12 million followers on Instagram and 4 million on YouTube — the audience and income will likely follow. But what replaces TikTok? That's anyone’s guess. And in the world of viral content, it might not be just one app that takes its place. Things move fast.

Credit: Mashable

For West-Remmey, the rise and fall of platforms is a game they’re used to. In fact, after years of being an afterthought, Snapchat is now a major part of their strategy again.

"You can't have all your eggs in one basket," she said. "It's a lot of work to manage multiple platforms. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's easy."

For creators who thrive on TikTok’s creative freedom, the idea of it disappearing is a hard pill to swallow. Nugent, whose "Girls Who Cluster" trend gained a devoted following on the app, will mourn the community TikTok cultivated.

"What I will miss the most is the people on TikTok," Nugent said. "Those are my OG girls; those are my girls who have given me everything I have today, all these opportunities."

Those girls, that community, landed Nugent in the pages of major magazines. It’s a bond that, for many creators, feels impossible to replace.

But this is the social media game. If your job is online, you’ve learned to pivot. Remember Vine? Remember Tumblr at its peak? Hell, remember Twitter? Ban or no ban, TikTok creators are already considering their next steps. For someone like Edelman, despite some jokes to the contrary, he's not planning on letting the doors that TikTok have opened close once again.

"I can support my parents now, who are retired. I can buy them a new oven next month because they won't buy it for themselves," he said. "I can take my mom and get her sneakers when her fucking big toe is hanging out the front because my parents are poor, for lack of a better word. I've been able to change their lives."

TikTok might soon be gone — but the void it leaves behind might be an opportunity for creators to shape the next big thing.

There could not be a more mismatched pair of subjects than Shakespearean tragedy and rocket launchers fired at police choppers by men in silly hats. However, Grand Theft Hamlet explores this unique combination of past and present while revealing new and unexpected narrative layers at every turn. The animated documentary follows two actors’ ill-advised attempts to stage a full-length production of Hamlet in a video game world; the result is riotously funny and surprisingly moving.

The winner of this year’s SXSW Grand Jury Award in the Documentary Feature category — disclosure: This critic was one of the jurists — Grand Theft Hamlet also happens to be a COVID lockdown piece, one that captures the absurdity of isolation in a way few recent movies have. It’s as much a story about video games as it is about community and finding new avenues of emotional connection, and it runs the emotional gamut while exploring these ideas.

SEE ALSO: How 'Grand Theft Hamlet' evolved from lockdown escape to Shakespearean success

A unique synthesis of form, it creatively tackles the topic of artistic frustrations while reflecting on mortality in the silliest possible ways. It’s thoughtful and brash in equal measure, and by the end of its mere 89 minutes — brevity is the soul of wit, after all — the movie works despite all odds, proving to be a complete and utter blast.

What is Grand Theft Hamlet about?

The film begins as a run-of-the-mill "Let’s Play" — i.e., footage presented from within the game while other people play it — focusing on a pair of casual gamers passing the time by committing violent crimes and evading the police, as is encouraged in Grand Theft Auto. As much as watching other people play video games has become a streaming cottage industry, it may not seem like the most interesting way to make a feature film. However, Grand Theft Hamlet quickly dispels this notion. 

The concept behind the movie is ludicrous at its core, harkening back to the days of Red vs. Blue, the popular (and still ongoing) sci-fi web series that began in 2003 and is animated entirely in the world of first-person-shooter Halo. However, Grand Theft Hamlet’s appeal is hardly limited to the hardcore gaming crowd. Its initial footage serves to introduce non-gamers to the goofy hyper-violence of Grand Theft Auto, as a pair of lively, out-of-work English stage actors, Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen — fellows of infinite jest — stumble upon an amphitheater within the game (the “Vinewood Bowl,” modeled off the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles). Before long, inspiration strikes, and they decide to see what it would take to stage an entire production of Hamlet within this shared online metaverse.

What seems, at first, like a disposable YouTube sketch becomes quickly engaging, as the movie begins chronicling its subjects’ attempts to hold auditions and rehearsal within Grand Theft Auto Online (the MMORPG component of Grand Theft Auto V; emphasis on “RPG”). All the footage featured in the movie is captured within the game itself. Shot from a multitude of angles that swing around freely, untethered from physical space, the film is co-directed by Crane and his romantic partner, the filmmaker Pinny Grylls, who not only functions as observer and digital archivist, but enters the game as a character alongside Crane and Oosterveen. Eventually, she becomes one of the movie’s main subjects herself.  

After the leading duo puts out numerous calls on digital message boards, they finally find a handful of potential collaborators — whether other eager performers, novice gamers looking to keep busy during lockdown, or curious onlookers who don’t quite understand what they’re attempting, but go along with it anyway. The simple task of staging a performance and drawing viewers and participants proves hilariously difficult, given the nature of the game. As they gather fellow actors within this digital space, with each one performing soliloquies over headsets as their avatars repeat a series of limited gestures, in-world cops and other online players often disrupt Crane and Oosterveen’s peaceful gatherings. Grand Theft Auto is an inherently hedonistic world, and there’s nothing stopping some random third party from showing up, guns-a-blazing (or fists-a-swinging) just for the thrill of it. These frequent interruptions lead to resigned sighs from the accidental Rosencrantz and Guildenstern pairing each time they die and have to respawn in some inconvenient, far-flung location before making their way back to the digital stage.

It’s Theater Camp meets Punisher: War Zone, a bizarre, farcical blend of good-natured creativity and cartoonish hyper-violence that places a number of unique logistical roadblocks in the actors’ paths. 

Grand Theft Hamlet is a truly unique lockdown film.

Shot mostly in early 2021, as London was undergoing its third major COVID lockdown, Grand Theft Hamlet traces the evolution of its central concept from a product of boredom to a sincere and sprawling passion project. Over several months, the resultant attempts and misfires to stage this production take increasingly frustrating forms, not only thanks to the in-world logistics — how do you craft a peaceful community experience in a space dedicated to bullets and bombs? — but also due to real-world logistics.

Anyone with even minimal high school stage experience will likely recognize the complications therein, and the ways in which Crane and Oosterveen — disembodied voices emanating from the mouths of digital avatars — politely navigate each problem. From turning down prospective performers who show up to audition at the Vinewood Bowl to trying to convince people of their vision to balancing people’s real-world schedules when deciding on times and places to practice in-game, Grand Theft Hamlet ends up a shockingly accurate depiction of the many hurdles that arise in the amateur theatre world, albeit with the added drawback of mischievous interlopers crashing rehearsals just to shank the actors or blow them to smithereens. That part isn’t quite so familiar to the performers, and it keeps them on their toes, while also making the whole exercise feel like cabin fever-induced madness.

The further Crane and Oosterveen get into their staging, the more complicated it becomes. Soon, it becomes a traveling production within the world of the game, as curious audience members are asked to follow the actors between a multitude of dangerous locations, like atop a floating blimp, a creative ambition that’s sure to result in self-sabotage, as the actors’ avatars die mid-performance courtesy of side-splitting accidents. However, the more time they spend trying to spice up their version of Hamlet, the more the real world begins to creep in through the corners of the frame. 

Society wasn’t going to remain at a standstill forever, and their actors were bound to be pulled in different directions as soon as circumstances changed. However, a key element of the drama is also the relationship between the play’s two directors, and how their differing personal lives (Crane is a family man; Oosterveen is more of a loner) intersect with the movie’s premise. The pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns affected people in different ways, but what Grand Theft Hamlet manages to capture is how people emerged from the pandemic mindset at different times, and how this discrepancy may have strained relationships in the process.

The romantic relationship between Crane and Grylls is a key fixture of the movie too, and Grylls seemingly stages key conversations between them within the world of the game, even though they live in the same household. It’s hardly naturalistic, but it uses the same creative logic as modern reality television, where real tensions and interpersonal dynamics are heightened for an audience’s gaze. The key difference is that this bit of relationship drama also ends up at the mercy of the game’s mechanics, in piercingly funny ways that blur the lines between public and private moments.

However, these mechanics also provide a unique contrast to the subject matter at hand.

Grand Theft Hamlet is a surprisingly poignant reflection on death.

Between the movie’s pandemic premise and its subjects ruminating on one of Shakespeare’s heaviest texts, Grand Theft Hamlet echoes the idea of mortality in several quiet ways — the idea of what it means “to be, or not to be” — all while blaring explosions keep interrupting the actors’ attempts to rehearse.

There is perhaps no more surreal a space in which to reflect on dying than inside a video game where violence is so common and cartoonish that one becomes desensitized to death, since it’s a little more than a repetitive annoyance as bodies are flung in different directions. However, this casually brutal backdrop also forces the play’s macabre themes of vengeance and cosmic inevitability to the surface, via farcical depictions of deadly violence that — intentionally or otherwise — function as heightened re-enactments of the text.

If anything, the medium of Grand Theft Auto ends up the perfect spoonful of sugar for Shakespeare’s enduring, contemplative medicine. This constant unfurling of the play’s subtext turns the movie into an inadvertent act of arts criticism in the process, one where ostentatiously customized player avatars, with brightly colored hair and superhero outfits, function both as de facto philosophers and as deeply personal externalizations of the actors’ personas and neuroses.

One character in particular, a North African immigrant unfamiliar with the play, auditions with a Quran verse instead, while appearing in the form of a bright green alien. It’s as though he were both disguising himself and creating a cartoonish manifestation of the way he feels as a newcomer to English society, and it ends up being one of the film’s most touching reflections on the human experience.

The film maintains a razor-thin line between life and death, not only thanks to how easily the game’s digital avatars are turned into bloody pulp, but also because of the way these violent images are thrown headfirst into textual analysis and repetition each time the actors rehearse. The very act of performance — of channeling emotions and turning them into art — is one of the most vivid, human, and alive processes of which we’re capable. So, to be able to perform despite being robbed of traditional performance spaces is practically defiant, spitting in the face of a deadly plague in the most uproarious way. There’s nothing quite like Grand Theft Hamlet.

Grand Theft Hamlet is now playing in theaters.

UPDATE: Jan. 17, 2025, 9:23 a.m. EST Grand Theft Hamlet was reviewed out of SXSW 2024. The article has been republished with updated release information.