Tech / Technology

‘The Curse’ review: Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder, and Benny Safdie are here to break your brains

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“The Curse” stars Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder as a couple with an upcoming HGTV show, and Benny Safdie plays their producer.
A man and woman smiling in front of a mirrored house; a boom mic hangs over them.

From the bizarre business schemes of Nathan for You to the mind-melting experiments of The Rehearsal, Nathan Fielder has always had a knack for interrogating the “reality” behind reality television. Now, he teams up with Benny Safide — co-director of nail-biting films like Uncut Gems and Good Time — to continue breaking our brains with the new scripted series, The Curse.

SEE ALSO:

‘The Curse’ trailer shows Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone as HGTV-style house flippers

Starring Emma Stone, Fielder, and Safdie, and produced by A24 and Showtime, The Curse defies easy categorization. It’s the perfect storm of wince-worthy comedy, HGTV spoof, and surreal (and possibly supernatural?) drama, with plenty of commentary on everything from race to social media thrown in for good measure. As tough as it can be to watch at times — I dare you to go five minutes without cringing — there’s no doubt that The Curse is one of the funniest, strangest, and most unsettling shows of the year.

What is The Curse about?

A man and woman are interviewed by a news crew.

Nathan Fielder, Emma Stone, and Tessa Mentus in “The Curse.”
Credit: Richard Foreman Jr. / A24 / Paramount+ with Showtime

Stone and Fielder play Whitney and Asher Siegel, a married couple at the center of an upcoming HGTV show awkwardly titled Flipanthropy. (Say it three times fast.) Their goal is to build eco-friendly homes in the city of Española, New Mexico, and “revitalize” the community by bringing in upscale coffee chains and jeans stores. It’s textbook gentrification, but Whitney and Asher want to distance themselves from that label. In Whitney’s perfect world, these new businesses will only employ locals, everyone will buy her passive homes, and she and Asher can subsidize any higher rent Española’s current residents may face. “Everybody’s a winner,” Asher tells a local reporter (Tessa Mentus) when she brings up the dreaded “G word.”

Of course, Asher’s blithe statement couldn’t be farther from the truth. The new businesses are more a front for Flipanthropy than they are new staples in Española, and Whitney’s plan to subsidize rent is just a Band-Aid lazily slapped on America’s much bigger issues. Then there are the passive homes themselves, with their garish mirrored facades that Whitney proudly says, “reflect the community.” If anything, the constant reflection is more of a visual nuisance for Asher and Whitney’s neighbors. It doesn’t help that the deceptive mirrors lead to the deaths of birds who fly smack dab into the walls. When bird corpses are a common occurrence around your house, maybe it’s time to rethink whether it’s as environmentally friendly as you claim it is.

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Capturing Whitney and Asher’s so-called service work on camera is their producer Dougie Schechter (Safdie). He’ll try anything to make the show as entertaining as possible, no matter the ethics. Take the very first scene, which sees him pouring water on a woman’s face to create the illusion of a tearful response. It’s just one of many exploitative tricks he’ll use on his subjects in order to shape a new reality for the camera. Whitney and Asher are initially put off by these methods, unable to see that they, too, are exploiting the residents of Española.

One of Dougie’s filming plans leads us to The Curse‘s titular malediction. When he sees a young girl named Nala (Dahabo Ahmed) selling sodas in a parking lot, Dougie tells Asher to give her some money, thinking it’ll make good B-roll for the show. Asher hands her the only cash he has on him — a $100 bill — and immediately tries to take it back once they’ve stopped filming. Nala, understandably upset by this turn of events, proceeds to fix her gaze on Asher and deliver three fateful words: “I curse you.”

From there on out, things are… off with Asher, Whitney, and the production. There’s conflict with potential home buyers, complications with Asher and Whitney’s plans to conceive, and even discord in their marriage. Are all these bumps in the road Nala and the curse’s doing? Or were these problems always there, and did Asher and Whitney only start to notice them with the threat of a curse hanging over their heads? (Notably, the two also argue about whether it’s racist to assume Nala is even capable of cursing them.)

The Curse skewers reality TV with surreal stylings and a tinge of horror.

A camera crew discusses how to film something in a parking lot.

D.J. Arvizo, Nathan Fielder, Benny Safdie, and Oscar Avila in “The Curse.”
Credit: Richard Foreman Jr. / A24 / Paramount+ with Showtime

The Curse plays with just how real Nala’s curse is over the course of its 10 episodes. Strange events on the set of Flipanthropy are commonplace, yet they could just as easily be attributed to human error as to magic. However, The Curse doesn’t rule out the supernatural outright. Horror-adjacent imagery appears throughout, from the dead birds to long shots tracking characters’ movements that would be right at home in a slasher. Discussions of troubled pregnancy invoke the subgenre of motherhood horror, and composer John Medeski (working with music producer and frequent Safdie collaborator Daniel Lopatin) crafts a soundscape that wrings unease out of even the most mundane moments.

The ambiguity of the curse plays into the show’s larger fascination with how we engineer and interact with false narratives. Reality TV serves as the prime source of artifice here, with Asher and especially Whitney crafting how their marriage and their work comes across onscreen. If enough people believe the fantasy they’re being sold, does that make it true? And if you spend your relationship living for the camera, how can you tell what’s real or not?

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To further hammer home these ideas of warped reality, The Curse makes liberal use of mirror shots and distorted mirror imagery. It pairs these with shots of conversations framed in windows or doorways, or filmed from a great distance, lending the show a voyeuristic quality. What are we truly meant to be seeing?

The Curse‘s main characters will make you cringe and laugh (but mostly cringe).

A woman in a white T-shirt and green bucket hat walks in front of a mirrored house.

Emma Stone in “The Curse.”
Credit: Richard Foreman Jr. / A24 / Paramount+ with Showtime

The Curse‘s preoccupation with artifice manifests itself most in Whitney. She cares so much about her self-image that she forces Asher to recreate their cutest moments beat-for-beat for her Instagram followers. Her activism is a facade as well — although she may not be self-aware enough to realize that. She fervently claims to support Española’s residents, including the Pueblo people of New Mexico. However, she frequently uses and tokenizes the Native Americans she meets, like her artist friend Cara Durand (Nizhonniya Luxi Austin). In a show full of moments that make you want to crawl out of your skin, Whitney’s interactions with Cara are among the most horrifying.

Asher is no stranger to fantasy either, with The Curse relishing unpicking his self-imposed ideas of masculinity. Between jokes about penis size and being called Whitney’s “jester” instead of her “king,” Asher goes through the humiliation gauntlet with a brave face that is always seconds from slipping. Then there’s Dougie, whose sleazy producer persona masks a deeper sadness and some wildly unhealthy coping mechanisms.

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With these three characters and their conflicting senses of self firmly in place, The Curse simmers with an at-times unbearable awkwardness. Will you feel a combination of embarrassment and disgust toward Whitney, Asher, and Dougie’s actions? Yes. Will you occasionally recognize yourself in them? Horrifyingly, also yes. When broader moments of comedy arise — like the aforementioned penis jokes — they come as a welcome, tension-breaking relief. Yet The Curse refuses to let you get comfortable for long. Often, these laugh-out-loud jokes will resurface down the line in an even more squirm-worthy scene, as if The Curse is wielding your own prior comfort against you.

Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder, and Benny Safdie make for an excellent trio in The Curse.

A man and woman sit on a white couch, while another man stands up and shows them something on TV.

Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder, and Benny Safdie in “The Curse.”
Credit: Richard Foreman Jr. / A24 / Paramount+ with Showtime

The Curse wouldn’t work half as well as it does without the total commitment of Stone, Fielder, and Safdie, who make for an unlikely (but well-matched) supergroup. Stone has already proven her comedic chops ten times over with films like Easy A and The Favourite, but The Curse may be her funniest turn yet. Whitney’s eco-influencer jargon is gold in Stone’s hands, but she blends it with a discomfiting sense of artificiality completely in sync with the tone Fielder and Safdie have created. It’s pitch-perfect work, and when paired with the release of Poor Things, it helps mark a banner year for Stone.

In a departure from shows like Nathan for You and The Rehearsal, Fielder is not playing a version of himself but rather an entirely new character. Still, you’ll recognize elements of his prior performances in Asher’s awkward deadpan. He’s a total punching bag for the show, with Flipanthropy focus groups wondering why Whitney would even marry him. That disbelief makes it all the funnier — and uncomfortable, naturally — when Asher inevitably loses his cool. Prepare yourself for some angry, desperate rants from Fielder that will leave you speechless, and some especially inspired physical comedy in later episodes.

As Dougie, Safdie is slippery and scummy, the ideal contrast to Whitney’s earnest(ish) idealism. While shooting Flipanthropy, he reads as a dirtbag Machiavellian schemer looking to get the perfect shot — even at the expense of people like Asher. But in his personal life, he’s a flailing mess. Here, Safdie must shoulder some of The Curse‘s most painful revelations, resulting in tragi-comic scenes like a first date gone off the rails.

These three off-the-wall performances combine with The Curse‘s ambitious genre-bending to make for one of 2023’s most original TV series yet. It’s densely layered with bizarro comedy, bold set pieces, and pertinent social criticism. Yes, Asher, Whitney, and Dougie’s convictions may be hollow, but The Curse is filled to the brim with things to say — and some absolutely wild ways to say them.

The Curse premieres on Paramount+ with Showtime on Nov. 10.

Tech / Technology

Best dating sites for men Nov. 2023: Find love or a hookup

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Find your perfect match on the best dating sites for men, updated as of Nov. 2023. Whether you’re looking for casual flings or committed relationships, we’ve got you covered.
man swiping right

Meeting someone organically, or “in the wild” as some call it, is a challenge these days. Unless you’ve got a strong case of main character syndrome or are literally the star of a romantic comedy, you’re more likely to meet someone through online dating.

But online dating isn’t always easy. It can be tough to keep up a conversation with someone you don’t know anything about, especially if you’re only basing your opinion on their looks. And that’s if you can even find someone worth chatting to in the first place (a.k.a. someone who doesn’t immediately give you “the ick.”)

The best dating apps for men are a good place to start when you’re ready to put yourself out there. Read on for tips on how to navigate online dating and our tried-and-true recommendations for the best apps.

Why is online dating so hard?

Online dating poses a challenge for both men and women, but in different ways: If it’s a lady you’re pursuing, chances are she’s received more than a few unsolicited messages already. For women, maneuvering around the bounty of creeps is often more work than it’s worth.

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I’m a straight guy who never dated. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Knowing what to say when you’re first messaging someone can feel impossible. You don’t want to come across as weird or too overeager, but you also don’t want to seem uninterested. It’s a fine line to walk, and with the added competition, a seemingly unfeasible challenge. Here are a few tips to help you get the conversation started, and help you move past that first message writer’s block:

Be yourself and respect boundaries

The internet is plagued with tales of nasty messages and absolutely whack opening lines from men. Avoiding the creep factor with someone you just matched with shouldn’t be hard — simply don’t be pushy about sexting, getting a phone number, or meeting up in person. (Just don’t be pushy about anything, really. It’s as simple as that.)

As for devising an opener that’ll blossom into a nice conversation, it’s important to remember that even the most harmless intent to be funny or flattering can quickly go south.

For men who are a little rusty or generally shy about messaging first, choosing the right dating app can make all the difference. Bumble, the app where only women can make the first move, is an obvious safe choice for the latter.

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Here’s a good rule of thumb: Be yourself. There’s no magic formula for finding the perfect match, but being yourself is your best bet to find someone who shares your interests and values. It also doesn’t hurt to look at their profile before you start chatting. This will help you get a better idea of who they are and what they’re looking for.

Seeing someone’s hobbies, favorite movies, career goals, or even political views before talking to them opens up a wealth of clever icebreakers.

Be honest about what you want

Tinder can be the right app for some singles, but it’s not the only option. If you find yourself constantly deleting and re-downloading Tinder every other month, it might be time to try a different dating site.

Think about what’s not working: Is it too entrenched in hookup culture? Is it not focused on hookups enough? Do you find yourself mixing intentions with people not looking for the same thing? Each dating site serves a different purpose, and things are a lot easier when you’re mingling with people who want what you want.

What are the best dating sites for men?

The answer to this question isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, but we’re here to help you pick the best option based on what you’re looking for.

From fling-based apps to dating sites that cater to more serious relationships, here are the best dating sites and apps for single men — whether you’re looking for a date, movie buddy, friend with benefits, or love and commitment.

Tech / Technology

The best movies on Peacock for when you need some wild fun

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From Harry Potter to Fast & Furious and “Bridesmaids,” Peacock has the hits you need to see (again).

Some days, it feels like there are too many streaming services and too many options. How can you possibly choose what movie to watch next?

For those of you who have Peacock (and why wouldn’t you? Their TV offerings are stacked!), we’re here to help. We’ve combed through the streaming service’s catalog to bring you the funniest comedies, the most moving dramas, the most suspenseful thrillers, and the all-around best movies for your viewing pleasure. All you need to bring is the popcorn!

1. Asteroid City

Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks talk on the phone in "Asteroid City."


Credit: Focus Features

The most “Wes Anderson” of Anderson’s prolific and twee oeuvre, Asteroid City is not for everyone. If you’ve never found meaning in the stylistic artifice of an Anderson film, then you might feel similarly baffled here. But if Anderson’s whimsy has spoken to you in the past, then take comfort knowing this most recent offering might be his most intricate and affecting film to date. 

Existential and gentle, Asteroid City is a movie about a show about a play, a nesting doll artistic endeavor keenly interested in the nature of storytelling. Is it about an alien encounter in a fictional desert town or the playwright and actors who brought the fictional desert town to life? Or is it about Anderson himself, an explainer on his hyper-specific body of work? The answer is all of this and more. Asteroid City is a fanciful, emotional triumph, popping off the screen with vibrant technicolor and a stacked cast of familiar faces and vibrant newcomers. A must-see film for Anderson-fans. — Kristina Grosspietsch, Freelance Contributing Writer

How to watch: Asteroid City is now streaming on Peacock.

2. Bridesmaids

Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Ellie Kemper in "Bridesmaids"


Credit: Suzanne Hanover / Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock

If you haven’t seen Bridesmaids, written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, we’re so sorry that you’ve obviously been trapped in a siren’s cave for the last 11 years — because there is simply no other excuse. Bridesmaids was an era-defining film. In 2011, there were still prominent male comedians claiming women couldn’t be funny! Bridesmaids put an end to the debate.

Wiig stars as Annie, a wayward thirtysomething who feels out of step with her best friend Lillian (a perfect Maya Rudolph) when she meets the other women in Lillian’s bridal party. What follows is both romantic comedy and buddy flick, stuffed to the brim with punchlines, physical gags, and a repulsive and unforgettable gross-out scene. The entire cast here is flawless: Rose Byrne is delightfully haughty. Jon Hamm is perfect as a hot idiot. Chris O’Dowd is a swoon-worthy love interest, and Melissa McCarthy was nominated for a dang Oscar for her scene-stealing performance as another misfit bridesmaid. Please escape the siren’s cave and see this legendary comedy — for your own good! — K.G.

How to watch: Bridesmaids is streaming on Peacock.

3. John Wick

Keanu Reeves in "John Wick."


Credit: David Lee / Thunder Road / Lionsgate / 87eleven / Mjw / Summit / Kobal / Shutterstock

Currently, all John Wick properties, including the so-so prequel series, The Continental, are streaming on Peacock. This highly stylized and violent neo-noir thriller franchise tells the story of John Wick (Keanu Reeves), the best assassin there ever was, who gets drawn back into the underworld after a personal tragedy leaves him set on revenge. Wick’s body count is prodigious and creative, but his cause is just. You can’t help but root for the quiet, brooding antihero. He wanted out of the game — but the game won’t let him say goodbye that easily. John Wick is a nonstop action spectacular with stunning cinematogaphy and positively mesmerizing fight choreography. — K.G.

How to watch: John Wick is now streaming on Peacock.

SEE ALSO:

‘The Continental’ review: Just watch ‘John Wick’ instead

4. The Outfit

Mark Rylance and Zoey Deutch in "The Outfit."


Credit: Focus Features

This cleverly twisted crime film was written and directed by Graham Moore, who won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of The Imitation Game in 2015. The incomparable Mark Rylance stars as a soft-spoken British tailor who makes beautiful, bespoke men’s suits in 1950s Chicago. Unfortunately, most of his clientele are ruthless mobsters. The majority of the movie takes place in the span of one shocking and breathless night when his gangster clients seek shelter in the shop after an unexpected shootout from a rival organization.

The Outfit is a sophisticated and constantly surprising thriller. As Rylance’s assistant, Zoey Deutch is as charming as always, and Johnny Flynn thrives while playing against type as a no-good ’50s gangster. It’s an absolute gem of a film that will keep you guessing the whole way through. — K.G.

How to watch: The Outfit is streaming on Peacock.

5. Dayveon 

Kordell Johnson, Devin Blackmon in "Dayveon"


Credit: Mama Bear Studios / Kobal / Shutterstock

Devin Blackmon stars as Dayveon, a young kid in Arkansas struggling in the aftermath of his brother’s death. Unmoored and spending his days listlessly wandering the little town he lives in, he is increasingly drawn to the sense of belonging he finds in a local gang. Directed by Amman Abbasi, with a script by Abbasi and Steven Reneau, Dayveon is a sophisticated and deeply intimate film made even more incredible by the fact that its cast is primarily composed of non-actors. It’s a moving and beautifully shot story that feels wholly, heartbreakingly real. — K.G.

How to watch: Dayveon is streaming on Peacock.

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13 Best shows on Peacock for when you need a break or a binge-watch

6. Girls Trip

Tiffany Haddish in "Girls Trip."


Credit: Michele K Short / Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock

2017’s raunchy comedy about a group of friends traveling to New Orleans for the Essence Music Festival made Tiffany Haddish a household name. And once you watch the scene of her zip-lining above a partying crowd on Bourbon Street, you’ll know why. Written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver, Girls Trip is boisterous, outrageous, and ridiculously lovable. The jubilant cast, starring Haddish, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Queen Latifah, is clearly having so much fun celebrating female debauchery, it’s hard not to be on board with Girls Trip. — K.G.

How to watch: Girls Trip is now streaming on Peacock.

7. Trainwreck

Amy Schumer, Bill Hader in "Trainwreck"


Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

The mid-2010s brought us ombre hair, planking, and #YOLO, but its most enduring cultural addition was a wave of movies about imperfect women. More female-led films at the box office meant there was finally enough space for leading ladies who didn’t have to meet every standard to which we hold the modern women. Movie theaters were flooded with bad moms, antiheroines, and the sloppiest drunks you’ve ever seen in your life. Enter Trainwreck, a hilarious and irreverent rom-com directed by Judd Apatow and starring Amy Schumer in a role that’s basically her hot mess stand-up persona come to life.

In this hysterical comedy, Schumer and Bill Hader are surprisingly charming together as opposites attract. Plus, John Cena and LeBron James both add an unexpected sparkle to a fun and cheeky romance. — K.G.

How to watch: Trainwreck is streaming on Peacock.

8. Ip Man

Donnie Yen in "IP Man 3."


Credit: Dreams Salon Culture / Pegasus Motion / Kobal / Shutterstock

Ip Man is an exciting Hong Kong martial arts biopic about the extraordinary life of the Wing Chun grandmaster who was Bruce Lee’s martial arts teacher. The film tracks Ip Man’s journey from the Southern Chinese village where he was well known as a skilled martial artist to his family’s displacement during the Japanese occupation of the Second Sino-Japanese War, his eventual rise as a fighter, and his establishment of a school in Hong Kong.

Starring the skillful Donnie Yen, Ip Man doesn’t skimp on character development; it’s an electrifying rumination on philosophy, power, and honor in addition to its stunning action. Ip Man is a deeply influential film in the martial arts genre and, to everyone’s delight, has inspired three equally stirring sequels, all of which are available on Peacock. — K.G.

How to watch: Ip Man is streaming on Peacock.

9. Harry Potter (the entire series!)

And now the franchise that needs no introduction: Harry Potter. The original eight-movie series starts as a charming coming-of-age tale about a boy wizard learning about magic and ends as a serious and emotional allegory about fighting fascism and the lengths we will go to protect the people we love. J.K. Rowling notwithstanding, Harry Potter is our hero, Ron Weasley our goofy best friend, and Hermione our actual hero, because duh.

The quality of the movies vary based on the different directors at the helm and the age of the young leads, but the strength of the source material — paired with the prodigious gifts of the many, many storied British actors who fill out the sparkling supporting cast — assure a satisfying watch. Most agree that the final two movies, each covering half of the last book in the series, are the most enthralling in the group — but you’ll have to watch them all to get what’s going on. So, you might as well start with number one, The Sorcerer’s Stone, and go from there. Poor you! You’re about to have a really great time! — K.G.

How to watch: Harry Potter is streaming on Peacock.

SEE ALSO:

‘The Secrets of Dumbledore’ review: Time to put ‘Fantastic Beasts’ out of its misery

10. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Henry Thomas in "E.T."


Credit: Patrick Rideaux / Shutterstock

You haven’t seen E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, yet? So you’ve been politely laughing along every time someone has said “E.T. phone home” for the last 50 years?! It’s time to get on it already. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a beloved family movie classic for a reason — it’s simply fantastic.

Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece tells the story of Elliott Turner, a 10-year-old who finds an alien in his backyard. With his siblings, he must help his new friend get back home or risk his being turned over to the government. It’s an exciting, heartwarming adventure that makes you feel like a kid again and inspired a half-century of copycats and homages (Stranger Things, anyone?). Despite being filmed five decades ago, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has not lost an ounce of its charm and emotional punch, a testament to its enduring quality. If you haven’t seen it, put E.T. at the top of your queue, immediately. — K.G. 

How to watch: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is now streaming on Peacock.

11. Long Way North

This absolutely stunning, hand-drawn film hasn’t garnered as much attention as, say, Pixar’s latest, but that’s no reason to skip this immensely affecting French-Danish tale. Sasha (Christa Théret) is a 15-year-old aristocrat living in 19th-century St. Petersburg, Russia. Determined to find her missing grandfather, a famed explorer, and clear her family’s name, she locates a vessel and sets off with a motley crew into the unforgiving Arctic landscape.

Directed by Rémi Chayé, Long Way North is both an epic adventure and a human drama, exploring themes of empowerment and empathy. What truly makes this 80-minute movie special, though, is its unique artistic style. The snow-covered landscape might be stark, but Long Way North makes the icy world feel both beautiful and alive. — K.G.

How to Watch: Long Way North is streaming on Peacock.

12. Melancholia

Part of Lars von Trier’s “Depression Trilogy,” (which includes Antichrist and Nymphomaniac), 2011’s Melancholia is an artsy, atmospheric sci-fi thriller about the end of the world. A rogue planet is due to collide with Earth, and everyone must come face-to-face with the inevitable nothingness ahead of them. The cast is magnetic (Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, and more) and the cinematography is unforgettable. A memorable, piercing rumination on grief that stands alone in its category. — K.G.

How to watch: Melancholia is now streaming on Peacock.

13. Back to the Future

Michael J. Fox in "Back to the Future."


Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

There’s no way you haven’t heard of 1985’s Back to the Future, the comedy science fiction romp — and honest-to-god American classic — that made the world fall in love with Michael J. Fox. Fox is Marty McFly, a bored teenager who befriends an eccentric scientist (Christopher Lloyd) and finds himself transported to the 1950s, where his presence threatens to wreak havoc on the future. Marty has to make sure his parents still fall in love, or he’ll be wiped from history forever. It’s a fantastic premise that somehow never feels absurd thanks to the Fox’s aching humanity and Lloyd’s charisma. From the very first utterance of “Great Scott!” we’re along for the ride on a journey where we won’t need roads. — K.G.

How to watch: Back to the Future is now streaming on Peacock.

14. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Jason Segel in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."


Credit: Apatow Productions / Kobal / Shutterstock

Jason Segel is Peter, a television soundtrack composer whose life revolves around his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (a deliciously bratty Kristen Bell). That is, until she abruptly breaks up with him. While he’s naked. Cue the full-frontal sobbing!

To get his mind off of her, Peter takes a trip to Hawaii, but turns out, Sarah is vacationing at the same resort with her new rock star boyfriend, Aldous Snow (unfortunately played by Russell Brand). Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a sweet and raunchy breakup rom-com full of characters that are flawed, idiosyncratic, and incredibly human, including Mila Kunis as Peter’s cool new love interest and Paul Rudd as a hippie-dippie surf instructor. And let’s not forget the singing vampire puppets! — K.G.

How to Watch: Forgetting Sarah Marshall is streaming on Peacock.

15. Emma

A sumptuous and charming adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, 2020’s Emma is unique among Emma iterations because it leans into a secret truth: the heroine, Emma Woodhouse, is kind of a brat. She floats above everyone else, pulling strings to set up matches that serve her purposes instead of what her friends actually desire. Clueless always understood this — and now, thanks to director Autumn de Wilde, we can watch the naive and loveably self-centered character face her comeuppance while sporting the dazzling Regency-era costumes she was made for. Anya Taylor-Joy hits all the right notes as Ms. Woodhouse herself, and Johnny Flynn is magnetic as Mr. Knightley, her prickly neighbor who sees through her act. But it’s Josh O’Connor as a delightfully offputting Mr. Elton, a nightmare suitor, who steals every scene he’s in. — K.G.

How to watch: Emma is now streaming on Peacock.

16. Frankenstein

Most of pop culture’s most enduring monsters — Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Wolf Man/Werewolf — got their first screen time in Universal Studios films made between the 1930s and 1950s. These incredibly influential classic horrors are the reason we all picture a square-headed Frankenstein and a Dracula with an indulgently high collar. The first impression is the one that sticks. 

Peacock is still home to most of the Universal Classic Monsters, including The Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man Returns, Werewolf of London, Phantom of the Opera, and more. None are as iconic, however, as 1931’s Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff as Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. The story, adapted from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, is one so well-known it does not need repeating, but if you were wondering where the almost-full century of film and TV jokes about little girls befriending villains came from, look no further. This is the movie that turned a monster into a legend. — K.G.

How to watch: Frankenstein is now streaming on Peacock.

17. Man on Wire

In 1974, Philippe Petit walked a high wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. Petit was later arrested for the stunt. In 2008, documentarian James Marsh made Man On Wire, a moving, awe-inspiring chronicle of Petit’s audacious feat, based on Petit’s own book about the event. Suspenseful, mischievous, and paced like a heist movie, Man On Wire is a riveting watch sure to keep even the most ardent documentary-avoider on the edge of their seats. — K.G.

How to watch: Man on Wire is now streaming on Peacock.

18. How to Train Your Dragon

Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) doesn’t quite fit into his dragon-fighting viking village of Berk. The seasoned warriors, including his father, the chief (Gerard Butler), think he’s too much of a weenie to fight their fearsome dragon enemies. But Hiccup has a secret: He’s found a wounded dragon who has quickly become his best friend. Will his village change its mind about dragons, or will Hiccup and his dragon be forced to hide for the rest of their lives? It’s a fun family romp that makes the incredibly smart choice of giving dragons the eager, earnest personalities of everyone’s favorite family dog. It doesn’t matter how old you are, Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon is a total treat! — K.G.

How to watch: How to Train Your Dragon is now streaming on Peacock.

19. Traffic

The movie that won Steven Soderbergh the Academy Award for Best Director, Traffic is a complex, captivating exploration of drug trafficking in the USA and Mexico. Following multiple intersecting storylines, audiences watch the effects of illegal drugs ripple in all directions, from manufacturers and distributors to the politicians trying to combat them and the users who are hooked. Shot like a documentary and including multiple cameos from actual U.S. congresspeople, Traffic is a riveting, powerful piece that feels utterly real. 

What’s more, the cast is stellar, with Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Luis Guzmán all at the top of their game, and Benicio Del Toro in particular winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a Mexican police officer. — K.G.

How to watch: Traffic is now streaming on Peacock.

20. The Northman 

Alexander Skarsgård plays a viking in "The Northman."

Alexander Skarsgård plays a viking in “The Northman.”
Credit: Focus Features

Written and directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse), The Northman is a dark, suspenseful retelling of a Scandinavian myth that also happens to have been the direct inspiration for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Alexander Skarsgård is Amleth, a young prince who swears revenge after his uncle murders his father and marries his mother. Years later, now a berserker Viking, Amleth has an encounter with a seer that convinces him the time to collect on that childhood promise is nigh. 

SEE ALSO:

How accurate is ‘The Northman’ to Viking history? Well, it’s a Robert Eggers film.

The Northman is a tense, atmospheric, and brutal historical thriller, told as if it were a story recounted around a medieval Scandinavian fire, grounded in an ancient point of view. This visually-stunning but bloody revenge saga also stars Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and Björk, obviously.* — K.G.

How to watch: The Northman is now streaming on Peacock.

21. Point Break

Point Break is an iconic and insane ’90s movie in which Keanu Reeves plays rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah, who has to — and we’re not kidding here — infiltrate an L.A. “surf gang” suspected of robbing banks. Very little in this movie makes any sense (the large reason Utah is assigned the undercover role is because he used to play football in college?), which is exactly why it’s so dang wonderful. You’ve got Patrick Swayze as the enigmatic leader of a surfing cult, Gary Busey as Reeves’ gruff veteran partner, and again, Keanu Reeves plays a former college football star named Johnny Utah who has to learn to surf as a matter of life and death. Point Break is ludicrous, magnificent, and fantastically, perfectly ’90s. Vaya con dios, baby. — K.G.

How to watch: Point Break is now streaming on Peacock.

22. Fast X

Jason Momoa is the villain of "Fast X."


Credit: Peter Mountain / Universal Pictures

If loving Fast & Furious is wrong, we don’t want to be right. Across 11 bonkers movies that scoffed at physics and grunted about the importance of family, this franchise hasn’t slowed down. Not only has it raised the bar on out-of-this-world action, but also, it’s grown the Fast family by leaps, bounds, and long-lost siblings. So what could Fast X possibly do to keep this momentum going strong? It went hard in every way fans demand.

In the tradition of its predecessors, Fast X retcons to bring a new ferocious foe into the fray. Jason Momoa stars as the flamboyant, fashion-forward, and gleefully anarchistic Dante, who’s seeking revenge against Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and all of his extensive family. Momoa is wild fun as a villain who is Dom’s polar opposite in attitude and outfit choices. That alone is enough to enjoy this ride. But Fast X also includes gonzo fight scenes with the likes of Brie Larson, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Sung Kang, and many, many more. There are also jaw-dropping cameos and a climax that had fans shocked and cheering. The only thing not to like about this one is how it left us hanging, waiting for whatever Fast and Furious 11 might bring.* — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor

How to watch: Fast X is now streaming on Peacock.

(*) denotes writeup came from a previous Mashable list.

UPDATE: Oct. 31, 2023, 2:18 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to reflect Peacock’s current streaming selection.

Tech / Technology

‘Gen V’s finale has a Homelander problem

Posted on:

A visit from Homelander in “Gen V”s Season 1 finale cheapens an otherwise great first season for Amazon’s “The Boys” spinoff.
Two college students looking worried at a desk in a large office.

Gen V Season 1 ends not with a superpowered bang, but with a forced, The Boys-centric whimper.

That whimper comes courtesy of the arrival of Homelander (Anthony Starr) on the Godolkin University campus. He’s there to quell the violent murder spree started by Cate (Maddie Phillips), Sam (Asa Germann), and the freed prisoners of the Woods — at least, in theory.

SEE ALSO:

‘Gen V’ review: ‘The Boys’ goes to college in this fun, gory spinoff

In reality, Homelander takes out the four God U students trying to stop Cate and Sam from murdering every non-supe in their path: Marie (Jaz Sinclair), Emma (Lizze Broadway), Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh), and Andre (Chance Perdomo). The surprising switch-up occurs when Homelander sees that Marie has blown up Cate’s arm. He compares her to an animal, asking, “Do you like attacking your kind?” Without giving her a chance to respond, he lasers her in the chest. So much for not attacking your own kind!

When Marie wakes up, she finds that she, Emma, Jordan, and Andre are trapped in a mysterious research facility. Turns out, they’ve been blamed for the Godolkin massacre, and Sam and Cate are being hailed as the new Guardians of Godolkin. These developments make for a fascinating set-up for Gen V Season 2, but they come at a major cost: the show’s individuality. And really, Homelander’s finale appearance is to blame.

What’s wrong with Homelander popping up in Gen V?

A blonde man in a blue and red supersuit stands in front of a large image of himself.

Anthony Starr as Homelander in “The Boys.”
Credit: Jasper Savage

The problem is simple: Homelander is a staple of The Boys, but he is not a staple of Gen V. Yes, the two shows take place in the same world, but up until the finale, Homelander and the rest of the Seven have mostly been kept offscreen, reduced to the occasional reference. This lack of focus on them — or on any major character from The Boys — helped Gen V cement its identity as The Boys‘ college-aged sibling with its own messed-up crew of supes.

Throughout its first season, Gen V made wise use of its few cameos from The Boys cast, including Vought employees Ashley (Colby Minifie) and Adam (P.J. Byrne). Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) showed up briefly, but only as a figment of Cate’s imagination (one who offers up some wild descriptions of masturbation). These cameos served less as major plot points than as flavor for the world of the show.

That began to change in Gen V’s penultimate episode, when we learn that Dean Shetty (Shelley Conn) hates supes because her family was on the flight Homelander let crash in Season 1 of The Boys. We also find out that Marie and Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) have the same powers. Suddenly, the characters of The Boys and Gen V were colliding in more significant ways — although the show still showed some restraint, like not flashing back to the plane scene from The Boys.

SEE ALSO:

‘Gen V’ episode 7 reveals 2 bombshell connections to ‘The Boys’

Any restraint flies out the window when Homelander actually shows up in the flesh. As a supe, he is so much more powerful than any of the God U students. They don’t stand a chance against him: It’s like expecting a stick of dynamite to stand up to an atomic bomb. Take Marie — she just barely survives one encounter with Homelander’s trademark laser eyes.

So by throwing Homelander into the mix in its final stretch, Gen V is basically robbing its own main characters of any agency. The show sends a near-unstoppable outside force to provide a neat-ish solution to the massacre on God U’s campus, instead of giving Gen V‘s actual characters an opportunity to solve the mess on their own. Sure, having Marie face off against Homelander demonstrates the power she and her friends are up against. But to end the season like that makes for unsatisfying storytelling. What’s the point in getting invested in Gen V‘s bloody battles when Homelander can just swoop in and resolve them at any minute?

Gen V‘s Homelander problem recalls other spinoff issues.

Three college students in a forest.

Chance Perdomo, Jaz Sinclair, and Derek Luh in “Gen V.”
Credit: Brooke Palmer/Prime Video

Homelander’s appearance in Gen V is a textbook spinoff problem, where a spinoff relies too heavily on its flagship show instead of forging its own path. Recent examples include almost every Disney+ Star Wars show. Take the disappointing Easter egg frenzy that was Ahsoka, or the cameo fest that was The Mandalorian Season 3.

Most egregious of all these Star Wars examples — and most similar to the Gen V and The Boys issue — is how the spin-off show The Book of Boba Fett was used to resolve a major plot point from The Mandalorian. The former saw the reunion of Din Djarin and Grogu with little fanfare or forethought as to how shunting such a key event to an entirely different show would cheapen The Mandalorian itself.

Now, Gen V faces a similar problem — ironic, given its many digs at Disney (including a pointed WandaVision reference) throughout Season 1. Will it try to maintain its own specific identity, even in the shadow of The Boys? Or will it succumb fully to that shadow and just become the Homelander and the Seven show 2.0?

The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke told Entertainment Weekly that Gen V‘s Season 1 finale would function as a “handoff” to Season 4 of The Boys, which would, in turn, tie into Season 2 of Gen V. His comments suggest that the shows will likely remain further intertwined, at least in their respective finales. Billy Butcher’s (Karl Urban) brief appearance in a mid-credits scene in the Gen V finale further confirms this.

The obsession with plot interconnectedness is an unfortunate direction to take — as if the purpose of each season of TV is only to tease another. Like in the MCU or Star Wars, and now in The Boys universe, no TV show can be allowed to stand alone. Everything is building to some unknown payoff, with plenty of fan service along the way — but far less confidence in a show to speak for itself.

Gen V Season 1 is now streaming on Prime Video.

Tech / Technology

Best Black Friday laptop deals 2023: Dell, Lenovo, more

Posted on:

We’re keeping a running list of the best Black Friday laptop deals as holiday sales begin at Best Buy, Dell, and Lenovo.
a close-up of a person typing on an HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c-cd0053dx at a wood table

We’re keeping a running list of the best Black Friday laptop deals as holiday sales begin to trickle out at various tech retailers.

A quick look at the best early Black Friday laptop deals so far:
Best laptop deal at Best Buy

HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c-cd0053dx (Intel Core i3-1215U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)

$379
(save $320)

the HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c-cd0053dx

Best laptop deal at Dell

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7630 (Intel Core i7-13620H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

$999.99
(save $450)

the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7630

Best laptop deal at Lenovo

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

$549.99
(save $380)

the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5

Unlike video game consoles, headphones, certain LEGO sets, and cheap TVs, laptops aren’t the sort of products you have to worry about selling out early on in the holiday season. Whether you’re after one of the powerful new Apple MacBook Pros or a basic Chromebook for schoolwork, most shoppers can comfortably wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to scoop one up at a serious discount.

That being said, those who want to get their shopping out of the way ahead of schedule (and avoid the post-Thanksgiving chaos) can already peruse a number of early Black Friday laptop deals at major tech retailers: Best Buy released an initial wave of doorbusters in late October, and Dell and Lenovo were both hosting Black Friday Sneak Peek sales in early November.

SEE ALSO:

Black Friday sales are already live. Here are the best early deals we’ve found so far.

Below, we’re keeping a running list of the early Black Friday laptop deals worth adding to your cart. Check back often, as we’ll be updating our picks regularly in the lead-up to the actual holiday on Friday, Nov. 24.

Early Black Friday laptop deals at Best Buy


the HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c-cd0053dx

Credit: HP


Our pick: HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c-cd0053dx

$379 at Best Buy (save $320)

Why we like it

Google’s new Chromebook Plus line is a series of elevated (but still affordable) ChromeOS laptops with built-in Google apps, Full HD IPS displays, and 1080p+ cameras with AI features. This 14-inch HP Chromebook Plus x360 is a 2-in-1 model that has a 12th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, and Best Buy’s impressive early Black Friday discount takes it down to just $379. (A 46% discount on a laptop that’s barely a month old is genuinely wild to see.) It’s a compelling choice for anyone hunting for a capable budget laptop.

2-in-1 laptop deals at Best Buy

Early Black Friday laptop deals at Dell


the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7630

Credit: Dell


Our pick: Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7630

$999.99 at Dell.com (save $450)

Why we like it

Sporting a 16:10 display with a 120Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics, Dell’s Inspiron 16 Plus is basically the affordable lovechild of a desktop replacement laptop and a gaming PC. (Our sister site PCMag gave it an “Excellent” 4/5 rating and recommended it for users who want a “16-inch laptop with a little more visual oomph than average.”) This particular configuration has a 13th-gen Intel Core i7 H-series CPU, a GeForce RTX 3050 GPU 16GB of memory, and a terabyte of storage. You can get it on sale for $999.99 via Dell’s website during its Black Friday Sneak Peek event, which works out to a 31% savings.

Traditional laptop deals at Dell

2-in-1 laptop deals at Dell

Early Black Friday laptop deals at Lenovo


the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5

Credit: Lenovo


Our pick: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5

$549.99 at Lenovo.com (save $380)

Why we like it

Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 5 is a solid mid-range pick for multitasking that has a 1080p webcam, a nice backlit keyboard, and a 16-inch, 16:10 display (albeit with a very average 60Hz refresh rate). This configuration Lenovo is on sale for $549.99 (or 41% off) during its own Black Friday Sneak Peek event, and is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U CPU with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which are relatively rare specs in the sub-$600 price range.

Traditional laptop deals at Lenovo

Chromebook deals at Lenovo