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This is a review of “EA Sports College Football 25” for the Sony PlayStation 5.

It’s cliche to say but college football is back. And it only feels trite to say, because at this point, despite all the hype, the memes, the teasers, and the trailers — none of this feels real. For the first time in 11 years, there is a college football game and it’s called EA Sports College Football 25.

All 128 NCAA Division-1 FBS teams are in the game, and for an unprecedented first, this year’s version of college football also features current players. It’s a massive grab and statement for EA Orlando, which has been diligently working on the long-awaited successor to NCAA Football 14 since the 2021 announcement.

With the game launching across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on July 19, two of Mashable’s biggest CFB fans took cracks at the game to find out if it was worth the wait. The biggest takeaway from our time playing is that CFB 25 gets the vibe of college football just right, even if the entire package could use some work. After all, it’s still an EA game.

College Football 25 gameplay

Section written by Chance Townsend

Playing CFB 25 is a smooth and crisp experience. Of course, it’s gonna play better than its 11-year-old predecessor, but there’s a level of fluidity in here that even puts Madden to shame. This shines within the running game, which is ultra-fun, crisp, and doesn’t feel too animation-heavy. Although there were times when hitting the open hole I felt like the animation was sucking me into a tackle. Running is the bread and butter of the CFB 25 experience, and honestly, it shows.

That doesn’t mean the passing game didn’t get some love, though. New to this version of the game is “revamped passing,” which shows a meter above the receiver’s head during a throw. This meter determines the accuracy, power and placement of a pass. Hit the golden spot in the meter, and make the catch, but if you misjudge it, you’ll end up putting your receiver in a bad spot. It’s very satisfying to use compared to Madden’s placement and accuracy, though it lacks the precision of that option. However, if you like Madden’s interpretation of passing or love to stick to the classics, both options are available to choose from.

The passing game in general is harder than in years past. There’s a frustrating amount of dropped passes by receivers at the slightest bit on contact, which makes for a troublesome gaming experience — while probably true to life, its not fun to play with. So if you thought you could spam 4 Verts like you could in NCAA 14 for easy gains, well tough noogies buddy, get ready to learn how to RPO.

Speaking of the run-pass option, it’s busted as hell. If you can’t immediately make a decision when passing, you’ll get an illegal man downfield penalty 90 percent of the time.

On top of that, the new two-part kick meter may also cause some yelling. Which, again, in real life, these things are difficult, but it doesn’t make for a fun video game experience.

Defense, however, is not fun. On higher difficulties like All-American and Heisman, stopping anything felt impossible. To be fair, the last Frostbite Engine-era football game I played was Madden 18, so maybe I just suck ass, but I don’t think Troy should realistically be dropping 35 on the Longhorns.

College Football 25 presentation and vibes

Section written by Alex Perry

College football holds a special place in my heart, probably unreasonably so. America’s second-favorite version of its most popular sport is unlike any other. The games are often sloppy to the point of hilarity, intensely weird things happen all the time, and one time, a guy got so mad about a game that he poisoned historic trees on the opposing team’s campus and called into a talk radio show to admit his guilt.

This colorful menagerie of nonsense, naturally, produces fantastic vibes. Every school has various ancient rituals the players or fans do before, during, and after games. Notre Dame players tap a sign that says “PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY” in the pregame tunnel. Nebraska fans unleash red balloons after the first scoring play of every home game. Everyone, no matter who they’re rooting for, turns and waves at a children’s hospital that overlooks the stadium during every Iowa home game.

Without meandering even more, I’ll get straight to the point. Pretty much all of those things are present and accounted for in College Football 25. Nearly all that makes college football a compelling TV product, from boisterous marching bands and drumlines to nuclear-powered crowd noise, are represented in the game. The latter point actually affects gameplay, as receiver routes and icons will become misleading or confusing to read while an opposing crowd is bearing down on you. That’s not new to football games, per se, but it’s still very cool to feel the pressure of driving for a touchdown as the away team at Ohio State.

Sure, there are some typical jerky or unnatural-looking animations (as there have been in every 3D football game ever), but on the whole, College Football 25 nails the look of college football, too. Every in-game stadium, from Michigan’s Big House to North Texas’s DATCU Stadium, is stunningly rendered. Crowds look voluminous and energetic, too.

The game gets big points from me for also altering the colors and theming of the main menu depending on which school you choose as your favorite team. In particular, I love that every school’s main menu screen features a ticket stub to a legendary real-life game from that program’s history. Remember the time in 2011 when Iowa State upset Oklahoma State in overtime? No? Well, I do, and so did the developers of this game — and that’s what matters.

There are really only a couple of minor criticisms I have of College Football 25‘s presentation. First up is the commentary, which is made up of various big names in the world of college football broadcasting like Chris Fowler, Rece Davis, and Kirk Herbstreit. Those guys are all pretty much fine, if a little flat at times. The play-by-play guys like Fowler and Davis will occasionally throw in school-specific references, which is cute. I enjoyed hearing some “Rock Chalk Jayhawk” while playing a game at Kansas, for example.

Unfortunately, the game also includes David Pollack on color commentary. I don’t like David Pollack very much, for reasons that are not entirely relevant to this review. I also just find his commentary annoying and inane most of the time. Beyond that, any stadium rituals that involve licensed music are touch-and-go at best. Virginia Tech can potentially lay claim to the greatest pregame intro in all of sports, but since it uses Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” it’s not accurately presented in this game. Bummer.

Still, you’ll occasionally hear “Sandstorm” blaring over stadium speakers between plays in any given game, so it still feels enough like college football to me.

College Football 25 Dynasty Mode

Section written by Alex Perry

College Football 25 has two primary modes that dominate most of the attention outside of online exhibitions and microtransaction trading card nonsense. The first is Dynasty, a returning mode from the NCAA games of eld that casts the player as a made up head coach or coordinator for the school of their choosing.

I have to admit, I was never the biggest Dynasty guy back in the day — and I still may not be. But the version of the mode that’s present in College Football 25 seems to have nearly everything you could want. Your coach or coordinator can have as many or as few responsibilities as you want. If you want to be meticulous about recruiting talent, you can do that. If you want to focus on gameday tactics and actually playing football (which is really more of a fun treat you get to occasionally do in this mode), you can do that, too.

Speaking of recruiting, that particular side of College Football 25‘s Dynasty mode is funny. It more or less works the same as it always did, as you have limited resources for player recruiting and the players’ decisions are not entirely in your hands. It’s been updated for modern times, though, as one of the resource-consuming activities you can do to court a player is to DM him on social media.

Yes, there is a button that just says “DM player” in the Dynasty menu. I laughed a lot when I saw that.

Aside from that, though, Dynasty is impressively flexible and accommodates many different styles of play for something that, from the outside, would seem to be the most hardcore mode in the game. I pretty much only like playing offense in football games, so I made an offensive coordinator and only call offensive plays now. Easy! That’s what I like to see. If I’m good enough at it, maybe I’ll get a mediocre head coaching job, flame out in three years, and cause an entire community in Tennessee or whatever to hate me for eternity. That’s what college football is all about.

College Football 25 Road to Glory

Section written by Chance Townsend

Gone are the glory days of playing in high school with this year’s version of CFB 25. In previous games, players could simulate high school games to garner interest from potential schools and commit to them. However, that feature got cut in favor of a more limited, streamlined Road to Glory (RTG) experience.

Instead, players can pick from one of four options, starting as an elite five-star talent to a lowly two-star underdog. Your decision will determine your player overall, your choice of schools, and your place on that program’s depth chart. For example, a five-star will have their top of top-level programs like UT-Austin or Michigan. But a two or three-star will have their pick of fighting for starting spots at lowly programs like Air Force or Eastern Michigan. You can walk on to any school in the game, but you’ll be starting from the bench and it’s hard to get rise up the depth chart.

I started my RTG at Memphis, which promised my created QB the second-string position. Once the creation and recruitment process is done, you’ll be taken to the main hub where you can play or sim that week’s game, participate in practice drills, and spend energy points on your weekly agenda. You have the choice to put your energy into academics, leadership skills, recovery, training, or brand building. These each come with pros and cons that affect each other. For example, putting points into brand building will drop your academic bar; training causes increased injury risk; and low leadership skills create a passive loss of coach trust points until you’ve invested a certain amount of energy into that agenda.

Additionally, there are fun choose-your-adventure style scenarios that pop up throughout the season. You’ll occasionally get messages from your academic advisor, your coaches, teammates, and even classmates that’ll put you in scenarios that could increase your brand, GPA, and coach trust, or vice versa. In one instance, a classmate asked me to party the night before a game, and when I said yes, my coach caught me and I lost trust points.

You can gain a coach’s trust through practice and playing games, but if you’re sitting on the bench, you’ll have a hard time getting points cause the drills you can play are really short and your success depends on how well the AI is at giving you plays you can work with.

Limitation is pretty much the theme of playing RTG. Since you’re not really in control, while playing games, you’re at the mercy of the AI from everything like playcalling to the actions of your teammates on the field. Playcalling is repetitive and conservative. Going 3 and Out will cause an unskippable cutscene as you fade back into the super sim screen and the AI will only allow you to call hurry up on 4th down during the last few minutes of each half — when the situation determines that going for it “makes sense.”

Receivers drop open balls like they have grease on their hands and handing the ball off to the running back is like watching an AI programmer teach their LLM how to navigate a maze. So when I finally got to start at Memphis in my second season, I started 0-4 before finishing the season with a conference championship and a 7-6 record. That conference championship, by the way, did not have a special trophy presentation. Instead, I got the same victory cutscene that you get after every other game during the regular season.

If you’re surprised my 7-6 Memphis Tigers even made the conference championship, that’s because the sim engine is busted. This is partially due to the overall of the teams in the game being so evenly rated despite the huge gaps between teams like Akron and Alabama. Despite going 2-10 in 2023, the Akron Zips are a 73 overall team. Kennesaw State, a team that is about to have its first season in Division 1 Football (D-1 FBS), is a 73 overall team. Mid-level Power 4 schools like Texas Tech, Miami, A&M, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Utah, and Florida State are all within the 85-88 OVR range. Thus, what’s been created is a level of college football parity that has never existed in real life. There are no haves and have-nots because even the fake cupcake FCS teams can beat a Power 4 school with ease.

This creates weird situations that see 6-6 Memphis play 7-6 Rice in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship because #4 ranked Tulane dropped its last two conference games to UTSA and Charlotte. In the first season, my alma mater, the University of North Texas, made the 12-team College Football Playoff despite only having three winning seasons since 2010. That season also saw Texas A&M win the National Championship — a true real immersion breaker because the real-life A&M has yet to make an appearance in the SEC Championship.

Unlike Dynasty, the happenings of the world around you don’t have much to do with you since you don’t have to deal with things like recruiting and roster management. Plus, historically, RTG has been a rather shallow experience. However, thanks to the addition of the transfer portal, you can change your team at the end of every season to create some interesting scenarios in your career.

CUT and best of the rest

Section written by Chance Townsend

What’s left to cover in this review is the Ultimate Team mode or CUT (College Ultimate Team). While I’ve never cared for Ultimate Team in any game, this version of EA’s favorite money collector isn’t as in your face as its other offerings like EAFC or Madden. We didn’t play around much with CUT during our play testing, so our review is limited, however, it must be said that for those new to the Frostbite Engine era of EA sports games, CUT is the perfect place to start.

Not because that’s where EA wants you to spend money, but because the offering of solo challenges is an excellent way to get used to the different playbooks and schemes that can be used in other modes like Dynasty. It’s the perfect training ground to get a feel of what kind of style you’d want to play for whenever you decide to take the reigns at a bottom-barrel MAC program. Each playbook offers different challenges, like the Air Raid that asks you to use a hurry-up offense and pass for five straight plays.

Is College Football 25 Worth It?

To keep things brief, if you love college football, this game you’re waiting for. As a pure gameplay experience, CFB 25 is both challenging and rewarding in ways that Madden and 2K aren’t. However, it’s not the game we’ve waited 11 years for. Dynasty lacks a lot of depth and quality-of-life changes that were present in NCAA 14, alongside a mind-numbingly inane UI and drumline menu songs.

EA Orlando promised fans that this is the college football game they deserve, and considering it has all the trappings of an EA sports game, they weren’t lying. But if you can look past that and just focus on what’s in the game, you’ll have a fun time.

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Live stream the 100m final at Paris 2024 online for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream Noah Lyles at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Paris 2024 Olympics is just around the corner and athletes from around the world are gearing up to compete. The athletics will kick off on August 1, and there are some pretty big names hoping for a chance at a gold medal. Including USA’s Noah Lyles. Competing in several races, here’s everything you need to know if you want to watch Noah Lyles at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world.

When is Noah Lyles competing at Paris 2024?

Noah Lyles is set to compete in three events at Paris 2024:

Men’s 100m

Men’s 100m Round 1 — 5:45 a.m. ET on Aug. 3

Men’s 100m Semi-Final — 2:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 4

Men’s 100m Final — 3:55 p.m. ET on Aug. 4

Men’s 200m

Men’s 200m Round 1 — 6:50 a.m. ET on Aug. 5

Men’s 200m Semi-Final — 4:02 p.m. ET on Aug. 7

Men’s 200m Final — 4:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 8

Men’s 4 x 100m Relay

Men’s 4 x 100m Relay Round 1 — 5:35 a.m. ET on Aug. 8

Men’s 4 x 100m Relay Final — 1:45 p.m. ET on Aug. 9

How to watch Noah Lyles at Paris 2024 for free

The Men’s 100m and 200m events at Paris 2024 are available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but athletics fans from across the globe can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

Visit BBC iPlayer

Live stream the Men’s 100m and 200m events at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream the Men’s 100m and 200m events at Paris 2024 (plus all the other events) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including the UK

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

Fast connection speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the Men’s 100m and 200m events at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

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Live stream Josh Kerr at Paris 2024 online for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream Josh Kerr at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The athletics are just one of many exciting sports to keep track of at the Paris 2024 Olympics. It’s set to be an incredible two weeks, with the world’s best athletes all hoping for a chance of a gold medal. The impressive list of athletes also includes none other than Team GB’s Josh Kerr.

The Scottish athlete will be returning for his second Olympics after making a strong debut in 2020 in Tokyo, taking home a bronze medal in the 1500m.

When is Josh Kerr competing at Paris 2024?

Josh Kerr is set to compete in one event at Paris 2024:

Men’s 1500m

Men’s 1500m Round 1 — 5:05 a.m. ET on Aug. 2

Men’s 1500 Semi-Final — 15:15 p.m. ET on Aug. 4

Men’s 1500m Final — 14:50 p.m. ET on Aug. 6

How to watch Josh Kerr at Paris 2024 for free

The Men’s 1500m at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

However, BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK. But fans elsewhere in the world can catch Josh Kerr and access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

Visit BBC iPlayer

Live stream the Men’s 1500m event at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream Josh Kerr’s race at Paris 2024 (plus all the other events) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including the UK

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

Fast connection speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the Men’s 1500m event at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

Read More 

Live stream the Men’s Marathon at Paris 2024 online for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream Eliud Kipchoge at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are many exceptional athletes to keep track of at the Paris 2024 Olympics, but marathoner Eliud Kipchoge might be top of the list. The Kenyan runner will be aiming to win his third consecutive Olympic marathon gold. If successful, he’ll be the first marathoner to achieve this.

If you want to watch Eliud Kipchoge at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Eliud Kipchoge competing at Paris 2024?

Jakob Ingebrigtsen is set to compete in one event at Paris 2024:

Men’s Marathon

Men’s Marathon — 2 a.m. ET on Aug. 10

How to watch Eliud Kipchoge at Paris 2024 for free

The Men’s Marathon and other events at the Paris Olympics are available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but Eliud Kipchoge fans elsewhere can access this free streaming platform and stream the Marathon by using a VPN. VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

Visit BBC iPlayer

Live stream the Men’s Marathon at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream the Men’s Marathon at Paris 2024 (plus all the other events) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including the UK

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

Fast connection speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the Men’s Marathon at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

Read More 

Live stream the 1,500m final at Paris 2024 online for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream Faith Kipyegon at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It’s going to be an exciting one for Faith Kipyegon at Paris 2024, having just beaten the 1,500m world record at the Paris Diamond League. The Kenyan athlete ran an impressive 3:49.04 and will be looking to secure a gold medal in the 1,500m events at Paris 2024.

If you want to watch Faith Kipyegon at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Faith Kipyegon competing at Paris 2024?

Faith Kipyegon is set to compete in one event at Paris 2024:

Women’s 1,500m

Women’s 1,500m Round 1 — 4:05 a.m. ET on Aug. 6

Women’s 1,500m Semi-Final — 1:35 p.m. ET on Aug. 8

Women’s 1,500m Final — 2:25 p.m. ET on Aug. 10

How to watch Faith Kipyegon at Paris 2024 for free

The Women’s 1,500m at Paris 2024 will be available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

However, BBC iPlayer is a streaming platform that is geo-restricted to the UK. To access this free streaming platform from elsewhere in the world, you’ll need the help of a VPN. VPNs hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

Visit BBC iPlayer

Live stream Faith Kipyegon’s race at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream Faith Kipyegons at Paris 2024 (plus all the other events) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including the UK

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

Fast connection speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the Women’s 1,500m at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

Read More 

Tanner Buchanan, Peyton List, Jacob Bertrand, Mary Mouser and Gianni DeCenzo reveal who they would pick as their ultimate Sekai Taikai squads.

Tanner Buchanan, Peyton List, Jacob Bertrand, Mary Mouser and Gianni DeCenzo reveal who they would pick as their ultimate Sekai Taikai squads.

Read More 

With “Twisters,” “Minari” director Lee Isaac Chung offers a cast that includes Anthony Ramos, Katy O’Brian, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Daryl McCormack, Tunde Adebimpe, and Kiernan Shipka. But is it worth the price of popcorn? Review.

Before I saw Twisters, I wondered what merited a sequel to the 1996 smash hit Twister. Surely there’s got to be more to it than the box office records smashed by that Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton vehicle, which awed audiences with a compelling ensemble and groundbreaking visual effects — including an iconic flying cow. Perhaps a new angle on the story? A fresh embrace on what natural disasters mean in our current climate crisis? Or a worthwhile spin around the tornadoes with mind-snapping visuals? 

Nope. 

Though Twisters boasts heralded Minari director Lee Isaac Chung, rising stars Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos, and a big budget that dwarfs that of its predecessor, this disaster film is a wobbly ride that leaves disappointment in its wake. 

Is Twisters a Twister sequel? 

Sure, technically. Do these two movies have any characters in common? No. Does this new one acknowledge the plotline of the 1996 hit? Only in the most cursory of ways. 

Remember the research gadget that Dr. Jo Harding (Hunt) and Bill Harding (Paxton) were trying to send up into a tornado so they could improve weather warning systems? It was named Dorothy, and that device — inspired by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s TOTO (TOtable Tornado Observatory) — pops up here, accompanied by some newfangled tech similarly named after The Wizard of Oz. Otherwise, the script by Mark L. Smith (The Boys in the Boat) steals so heavily from the plot of the previous movie that he owes its screenwriters, Anne-Marie Martin and Michael Crichton, a thank-you card, if not royalties. 

Remember how Twister began with its female storm-chaser’s tragic origin story, in which an F5 tornado ripped her farmer father right out of their storm shelter? Well, Twisters takes that plot and applies Scream’s slasher rules to it: bigger, deadlier, higher body count.

Weather scientist Kate Cooper (British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones with a very dodgy Southern-ish American accent) is testing her own experimental tech with a batch of colorful friends, all with the hope to “tame the twister!” But just as we get into the groove of this rowdy crew’s journey, they all get sucked away from the story, leaving behind a blandly traumatized heroine and her furrow-browed pal Javi (Hamilton‘s Anthony Ramos in a thankless role). 

Cut to five years later: Kate has given up twister-chasing for a tame life in meteorology. But like Paxton’s character in the original, Kate is drawn back for one last job. Just as in Twister, sneering but well-funded scientists are regarded with open hostility, while the scrappy crew using homespun gadgets and instinct are upheld as heroes. Chief among the latter is Hit Man‘s Glen Powell as Tyler Owens, a YouTube star famous for his cowboy persona and twister-chasing bravado. A romance will inevitably spark between Kate and Tyler, because that’s what Hollywood demands.

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell don’t click. 

Edgar-Jones won praise for her performance on the BBC drama series Normal People and previously headlined the American mystery movie Where the Crawdads Sing. But here, she’s out of her depth. Part of the problem is the script’s spin on her backstory makes her tragic tornado more recent, so our heroine is still fairly deep in the throes of grief and survivor’s guilt. Kate’s nowhere near as plucky or as engaging as Hunt’s storm-chaser was in Twister. But even when Kate eventually lightens up — her flirtation with Tyler has her trade her white mock turtlenecks and scowl in for a red T-shirt and clumsy smile —  she still feels like a bore next to the other quirkier chasers. 

Swaggering in a ten-gallon hat and a Tom Cruise grin, Powell better shoulders his heroic duty. As Tyler, he relishes the intensity of the chase and the risks of their DIY doodads, and that joy is contagious. Unfortunately, these thrills are short-lived, for a number of reasons. First, Twisters is burdened with a subplot about survivors left hurt and homeless by the storms, making for a series of scenes that are egregiously maudlin for a summer popcorn movie. Plus, the romantic subplot feels forced, highlighting Tyler’s good-guy gestures until it seems like he just wears her down. They’re a hard couple to root for. She’s dull, and he’s aggressively one-note; together, they’re a cardboard cutout of a cowboy and the wet blanket who loves him. 

Twisters wastes its best assets. 

Between the sweeping scenes of tornado-related action and the hackneyed romance plotline, there’s little sense of Chung’s vision as a director. The connections to Minari become clearer in the moments of community, like when Tyler takes Kate to a local rodeo. Footage of strangers crowding into the stands and riders getting ready to take to the arena exude Chung’s love for the American South and its people. Likewise, Tyler’s rowdy crew of misfits shines with the chaotic but passionate bond seen in Chung’s rightfully heralded family drama. 

The character actor lineup in Twister was (and is still) absolutely astonishing. While there were plenty of “That Guy!” faces like Alan Ruck, Joey Slotnick, and Jeremy Davies, the group also included future Academy Award–winner Philip Seymour Hoffman and Todd Field, who would go on to write and direct critically adored dramas like In the Bedroom, Little Children, and Tár. 

To Chung’s credit, Twisters is suitably stacked in its own right. Brandon Perea, who played the camera-savvy Angel in Jordan Peele’s Nope, plays Tyler’s right-hand cameraman, Boone. Sasha Lane, who broke through as the captivating unknown in Andrea Arnold’s road trip drama American Honey, brings her exuberance to fearless drone operator Lilly. Tunde Adebimpe (Rachel’s Getting Married, She Dies Tomorrow, Spider-Man: Homecoming) manages to deliver the inevitable movie-science exposition with an earnest enthusiasm that is undeniably charming. Katy O’Brian, who elated critics earlier this year as Kristen Stewart’s brawny co-lead in the gnarly thriller Love Lies Bleeding, brings her kinetic charisma as mechanic Dani. 

Elsewhere, Kiernan Shipka and Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) entice with their very presence. Unfortunately, they’re all given too little screen time. As in the original movie, this ensemble is far from the focus of the film. But unlike Twister, its sequel clearly forgets just how fun it is to watch a band of thrill-seekers do their thing! The hangout vibe of these eccentric storm-chasers has always been a major part of Twister‘s appeal, whereas Twisters is too eager to flee the party. 

Sure, Twisters throws plenty of storm action at audiences, pitching in fireworks, flames, and even ripping a movie theater to shreds for good measure. But none of this touches down if you don’t feel invested in the characters. Edgar-Jones’ and Powell’s characters are too two-dimensional to hook us. Ramos is kicked to the sidelines with a haphazard sinister business subplot. And the most dynamic characters are treated as little more than window dressing for a plot that’s so close to the original Twister I marvel it was (re)made at all. 

In the end, Twisters is big and flashy, but not fun or frightening. There are better movies — even better popcorn movies — out there. So, don’t waste your time with this tiresome retread masquerading as a stale sequel. 

Twisters is now in theaters.

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Answers to each clue for the July 19, 2024 edition of NYT’s The Mini crossword puzzle.

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.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT’s The Mini for Friday, July 19, 2024:

Across

“Blue Ribbon” brewery

The answer is Pabst.

Put at ease, as fears

The answer is allay.

Sound heard at a ramen restaurant

The answer is slurp.

Slight trace of color

The answer is tinge.

Starts a pot, in poker

The answer is antes.

Down

Popular meal the night before a marathon

The answer is pasta.

100% committed

The answer is allin.

Untactful to a fault

The answer is blunt.

Boot camp boss, informally

The answer is sarge.

Goes tap-tap-tap in a texting app

The answer is types.

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

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The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.

If you’re reading this, you’re looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: And the Oscar goes to…

They are class acts.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The clues are the last names of Oscar winners in acting categories.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today:

Today’s spangram is BestActing.

NYT Strands word list for July 18

Field

Bridges

Stone

BestActing

Berry

Swank

Phoenix

Hunt

Looking for other daily online games? Find one you might like – or hints for another game you’re already playing – on Mashable’s Games page.

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Here’s the answer for “Wordle” #1126 on July 19, as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.

Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.

If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for July 18’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.

Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:

Subtly mention someone.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are 2 letters that appear twice.

Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter R.

The Wordle answer today is…

Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today’s Wordle…

REFER.

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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