mashable-rss

Númenorean nobleman Kemen (Leon Wadham) reaches full punchable villain status in “The Rings of Power” Season 2, episode 5.

Middle-earth may be crawling with orcs, Balrogs, and Dark Wizards, but the worst villain in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is none other than Kemen (Leon Wadham).

Kemen was a somewhat minor presence throughout The Rings of Power Season 1, albeit an unmistakably slimy one. As a rising politician, he worked with his father Ar-Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) behind the scenes to turn the people of Númenor against Queen Tar-Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). He even tried his hand at some sneaky arson in order to stop the Númenorean forces going to Middle-earth.

But now that Pharazôn is king, Kemen is able to operate in the open, with all the authority of Númenor behind him. That kind of unchecked power leads to some seriously nasty, entitled behavior. In just the fifth episode of Season 2, Kemen goes on quite the evil tear, cementing himself as one of the biggest threats to Middle-earth — and the most punchable character in the series.

Kemen’s reign of terror begins with a task from his father: Strip the members of the Sea Guard of their ranks. That includes Captain Elendil (Lloyd Owen), whose loyalty to Míriel and faithfulness to the Valar constitute as treason in Kemen’s eyes.

As Elendil hands in his sword, his former sailors salute him in an “O Captain! My Captain!” moment straight out of Dead Poets Society. Of course, Kemen interrupts the proceedings with the snotty comment, “He’s nobody’s captain now.” Shut up, man! Isn’t it enough you’ve turned Elendil’s daughter Eärien (Ema Horvath) against him? Leave the bratty remarks at home!

Kemen only gets worse as the episode goes on, waltzing into the oldest shrine to the Valar in Númenor and breaking up a memorial service for the soldiers who died in Middle-earth. Hey, wasn’t one of the biggest reasons people hated Míriel because she let soldiers go to Middle-earth in the first place? The hypocrisy is off the charts! The least you could do is let people grieve these losses in peace before you start condemning their shrines.

But Kemen isn’t into doing the least evil. He’s here to do the absolute most, whether that’s pettily smashing a Valar relic, poking at Elendil’s strained relationship with Eärien, or smirking like there’s no tomorrow. Serious props to Wadham for selling Kemen’s infuriating self-satisfaction so hard. He somehow manages to make a seemingly innocuous statement like “It’s in the way of the new aqueduct” the most enraging line in the entire show.

Thankfully, Elendil must have heard my pleas for someone to haul back and punch Kemen in the face, because the legend smacks the living daylights out of him. Remember when Tyrion slapped Joffrey in Game of Thrones? Yeah, I felt the exact same levels of hype here.

The ensuing brawl doesn’t end well for Elendil’s men, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t rock to see Kemen get absolutely bodied by former Sea Guard member Valandil (Alex Tarrant), though he’s ultimately too honorable to finish Kemen off. But you know who doesn’t have any problem being dishonorable? That’s right, Kemen. Númenor’s biggest twerp stabs Valandil in the back, and just like that, I need him to get decked in the face again. Too bad Elendil’s being thrown in jail; otherwise I know he’d follow through.

Kemen’s rage-inducing behavior throughout this episode is not only proof of him being an all-around bad guy — it’s also proof of the corruption of Númenor, and the Men who live there. No wonder this episode also focuses on Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) efforts to convince Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) to make Rings of Power for Men. He knows that people like Kemen exist, and that they’d do anything for power.

Truly, if Kemen ever comes to Middle-earth, he’s a prime candidate for one of the nine rings for Men. Lord of the Rings fans know how that would turn out: with ultimate corruption, and transformation into a Ringwraith. According to Pharazôn, Kemen’s late mother did prophesy that he would come to an “ill end,” and I’d say becoming a Nazgûl falls under that umbrella. (Getting punched again would also qualify, and it would be more than welcome!)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is now streaming on Prime Video, with a new episode every Thursday.

Read More 

Spider One’s “Little Bites” trailer has dropped, teasing a mother who feeds the monster in her basement in order to protect her daughter.

Spider One’s “Little Bites” trailer has dropped, teasing a mother who feeds the monster in her basement in order to protect her daughter.

Read More 

Stephen Colbert has shared his thoughts on Taylor Swift’s Kamala Harris endorsement post, including some clear Easter eggs.

Stephen Colbert has shared his thoughts on Taylor Swift’s Kamala Harris endorsement post, including some clear Easter eggs.

Read More 

“The Daily Show” host Jordan Klepper has broken down Trump’s reaction to the presidential debate.

“The Daily Show” host Jordan Klepper has broken down Trump’s reaction to the presidential debate.

Read More 

Pharrell Williams finds his happy place in Morgan Neville’s Legoland biopic, “Piece by Piece.” Review.

2024 is proving a sensational year for the revival of the music biopic. Sure, it started off weak with the bog-standard One Love and the infuriating Back to Black. But summer brought the brazen rebellion of Kneecap, which played like an early Guy Ritchie crime romp. And the Toronto International Film Festival brought the wowing double act of Better Man, which reimagines British pop star Robbie Williams as a literal dancing monkey, and Piece by Piece, in which American rapper/songwriter/producer/fashion designer Pharrell Williams spins his life story into a Lego movie. 

Even when the stories hit familiar beats of a rags-to-riches arc, both of these remarkable reinventions make their material stand out through style. But where Better Man embraces a warts-and-all approach, Pharrell Williams — with the collaboration of heralded documentarian Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?) delivers an inspirational animated biopic for all ages. 

Glossing over the low points of Williams’ journey earned the film mixed reviews out of its debut at Telluride Film Festival. But the more I mulled over what this movie does offer, the more I was won over by its playful, glossy approach. 

Piece By Piece turns America’s biggest hip-hop stars into mini-figs. 

To find the arc of Williams’ story, Neville interviewed the multi-hyphenate star, his wife Helen Lasichanh, and a dazzling array of collaborators and colleagues, including Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, The Neptunes’ Chad Hugo, Gwen Stefani, and many more. In an interview with Mashable, Williams revealed many of these interviewees had no idea their contribution would be filtered through a Lego lens, and only discovered they’d been transformed into mini-figs when the first trailer hit. 

Neville’s visual translation of these interviews includes amusing flourishes, like turning Snoop Dog into a Lego Doberman, and making metaphors about bakeries literal, with Lego Pharrell selling sweet treats the way he sold hit beats. In one instance, the idea of blowing one’s mind with a sick bit of music is illustrated by having a smiling mini-fig’s head pop right off its base in amazement. These choices bring a playfulness into the film that not only is sure to delight fans of The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie, but also reflects the tone of Williams’ hits, like “Happy” and “Get Lucky.” 

More than this however, by turning himself into a plaything, Piece by Piece gives Williams a creative distance to reflect on his own life as if it is one of his many media projects. Through warm narration, he opens up about his childhood in the Atlantis Apartments in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The colorful blocks not only reconstruct his humble home but also a more fantastical version of Atlantis, where an Afro-wearing baby Pharrell swims about with a giant goldfish as Poseidon looks on. This charming spectacle showcases Pharrell’s imagination manifesting big, surreal scenarios, which becomes a recurring theme — down to dreaming up a Lego music biopic. 

Piece by Piece is a Little Engine That Could tale that kids will relish.

After this whimsical dip into brick-made oceans, Williams admits he was considered an oddball by others, confessing, “It broke my spirit.” But weird kids out there (or the weird adults they became) might find solace as little Pharrell finds his crew, each of whom also revels in making music. From there, Piece by Piece becomes a story of succeeding by staying true to yourself and putting in the work to build your dream, brick by brick. Along the way, Neville laces various hits that Pharrell has contributed to, from “Hot in Herre” and “Shake Ya Ass” to “Hollaback Girl” and “Blurred Lines.” (Parents, don’t fret. Some of the racier lyrics have been delicately plucked out.) 

While it’s initially fun to indulge in the nostalgia as Neville recreates iconic music videos with mini-figs, this device begins to get old as the story of his rise makes for a lot of name- and track-dropping. Pardon the pun, but things get a bit one-note. Then when it comes to a low point — a necessity for any biopic or story for that matter — Williams pulls back. 

Piece by Piece can’t commit to its big swing. 

Rosy memories of childhood troubles is one thing, but sharing why his career took a dip is a Lego bridge too far. Instead of probing questions, Neville paves a path with platitudes about how his subject’s greatest weakness is he has too many ideas. Colleagues speak vaguely about some business missteps or shameless yes-men who gave Williams bad advice, and these unnamed negative influences are imagined as a trio of gray-skinned ghouls wearing smiles and business suits. 

Here the film suffers. Even with the mask of the mini-fig, Williams can’t let his audience into the dark moments. (On the other hand, this is where Better Man positively thrives.) Swiftly, Williams has reconnected with his pure inspiration, and the third act becomes a rousing celebration of song, dance, and Lego bits humorous and heartfelt. But this fumbled beat undercuts the movie’s message. Being true to yourself isn’t a one-time battle; it’s ongoing. But with a community — like the mini-fig friends and family in Piece by Piece — one might get their block knocked off and still rebuild. 

Even with help from an on-screen avatar, can Williams not admit the ugly truths of his own story? Or did he and Neville fear self-doubt in anything but the briefest mention might bring down the joy of their movie? To that, I’d point to the other Lego movies, where the Lego universe and Lego Gotham are brought to the brink of utter destruction without us losing faith in their mini-fig heroes. Heck, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part even made the dark side of its happy hero the mini-fig villain! 

This wobble aside, Piece by Piece is a winsome reinvention of the music biopic. Animation is enthusiastically employed to bring the audience into the experience of being Pharrell Williams. The colorful blocks not only allow the construction of musical beats to become a physical act rather than an abstract idea, but also give a Ratatouille-like understanding of how this art form affects its hero. His synesthesia is showcased in waves of color as the beat bounces. 

While this colorful concept means Piece by Piece can be a hit with kids, it’s easy to wish the movie dared to delve a bit more into the problems of being a grown-up. But all in all, Piece by Piece is a delight that could well have audiences dancing in the aisles. 

Piece by Piece was reviewed out of its International Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The movie will hit theaters Oct. 11.

Read More 

Answers to each clue for the September 12, 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 Thursday, September 12, 2024:

Across

Hair with mascara on it

The answer is Lash.

Emotion in “Inside Out 2” who opens up a “sar-chasm” in Riley’s mind

The answer is Ennui.

One finding work for an actor or author

The answer is Agent.

Looks behind couches and curtains, say

The answer is Seeks.

Makes a mistake

The answer is Errs.

Down

Renter’s agreement

The answer is Lease.

Emotion in “Inside Out” who blows flames out of his head

The answer is Anger.

Mocking smile

The answer is Sneer.

Beefcakes

The answer is Hunks.

“___ all I ask …”

The answer is Its.

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

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.

Read More 

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.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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: This could be right up your alley

These words are as much about the journey as the destination.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers all relate to types of paths.

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 Thoroughfare.

NYT Strands word list for September 12

Lane

Street

Road

Avenue

Highway

Boulevard

Thoroughfare

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s Games page has more hints, and if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Read More 

Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The End” starring Tilda Swinton polarized the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Film review.

Among the most polarizing of the movies shown at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival was The End, a two-and-a-half-hour musical about humanity’s last days on Earth. 

Far from the show-stopping spectacle of apocalyptic action movies like The Day After Tomorrow or even the razzmatazz of modern American movie musicals like The Greatest Showman, director Joshua Oppenheimer embeds his audience in a bizarre bunker a half-mile underground. There lives a wealthy industrialist family who has turned a blind eye to the dying world above them. That is, until a survivor finds her way to their doorstep. Will her unexpected arrival upset their delicate psychological equilibrium? You bet.

What follows is certainly not for everyone. Some critics I spoke with at TIFF complained that Oppenheimer’s musical is indulgent in its runtime, ugly in its relentless blue-gray palette, and even infuriating in its plotting. Others see the length, the dismal colors, and that frustrating plot to be precisely the point, and embrace it as such. I am in the latter camp, finding this mournful and fanciful musical utterly captivating, jarringly funny, and savagely profound. 

The End is doomsday prepping by way of Downton Abbey.

Forget what you think you know about bunkers. Deep, deep underground this family — whose names are never uttered — has built something not metal and cold but very old-money. Housed within a cavernous salt mine with spiraling walls and noisy ventilation systems lies their home away from apocalypse. It contains crown molding, classic works of art in gilded frames, a wood-paneled library, a grand dining room, a complicated model train set-up, an inexplicably endless food supply, and above all, pristine order down to the paper-flower bouquets arranged in delicate vases.

Here, a 25-year-old man born in the bunker (George MacKay) has only ever known his doting mother (Tilda Swinton), his chummy father (Michael Shanon), their devoted butler (Tim McInnerny), a cheeky chef (Bronagh Gallagher), and a dour doctor (Lennie James). And despite possibly being the last people on Earth, they seem happy enough, singing songs of gratitude for their circumstances. Well, when they’re not conducting dramatic emergency drills, that is. (You can never be too careful.)

The absurdity of their profound privilege is made all the clearer when an above-ground survivor (Moses Ingram) stumbles upon them. Understandably, she is utterly bewildered by all they possess while people on the surface scrape and starve. The political commentary only gets more overt as this young Black woman hears the selective history the white son’s been taught, like how the oil industry that made its fortune definitely didn’t contribute to the climate crisis that forced the family underground as they left everyone else to burn! With a cocked eyebrow and a patient tone, she not only pushes back on this propaganda but also brings a dry humor to the household. 

The End offers a bleak view with winsome song and dance.

While the son is in awe of the stranger, who speaks openly about her own regrets and urges the others to do the same, a raw tension emerges between her and the mother, who would rather the family’s skeletons stay neatly tucked away in the closet, thank you very much. Anxieties rise as a romance blooms between the son and the stranger. Happily for us, this leads to a charming duet and a dance number where salt is kicked about the mines, which sit cold and unimpressed by the pair’s passion. Such energy surrounded by the towering, uncaring setting echoes West Side Story. But with nowhere to escape but a dying world above, where can this story go? 

Oppenheimer and co-writer Rasmus Heisterberg mire the audience in the push-and-pull between the mother’s strategic repression and the stranger’s emotional outbursts. Reflecting her character’s emotional strain, Swinton sings in a shrill falsetto, as if her mother might crack at any moment. MacKay has a Broadway-bright performance style, while Ingram delivers soulful ballads of loss and hope. Shannon and McInnerny join in with vaguely vaudevillian numbers of tap and banter, but the jocularity of this bit is undercut by the father cruelly reminding his butler buddy of his rank.

‘The End’ traps us in a ruthless loop, where its core family risks change or growth, only to deny it.

Trapped in this beautiful bunker under unblinking blue light, they are all specimens trapped under glass. Here are the last people on Earth, preserved but without purpose, objects in a museum of their own making. Still, there are moments where it seems these characters might just break out — not of the bunker but from the pretty molds they’ve built to survive in the guise of civility. A brutal verbal battle in the parents’ bathroom gives Shannon’s signature intensity a place to explode. Swinton’s eyes, bright and on the brink of tears, show the deep hurt hiding behind this mother’s practiced smile. MacKay, with a frantic enthusiasm that trembles into nerve-rattling, seems often on the brink of breaking this cycle of deranged self-mythologizing. But then Oppenheimer will quick-cut to some time later, when the drama has passed and routine has reasserted itself. The tension is bled out, and we bleed with it.

The End traps us in a ruthless loop, where its core family risks change or growth, only to deny it. Both those who liked and loathed the film agree this cycle makes for a very frustrating viewing experience. But this feels intentional. As he did in his two Oscar–nominated documentaries, The Look of Silence and The Act of Killing, Oppenheimer is itching his way under our skin with incredible artistry to expose the revolting reality of human capabilities — not just what horrors we can do to each other, but also what we can ignore to maintain even a fragile sense of civility. 

In The End, even as the director presents us with people who have done horrible things, Oppenheimer doesn’t lose empathy for them. While their lies are abundant, this incredible cast makes their pain feel real, so even in spite of our vexations or political opinions, you might well ache for the mother who fears she’s losing her son. And yet — as absurd as this sounds — the most devastating line in the whole movie is about cake. Literal cake. 

Defying expectations of genre, both musical and apocalypse narrative, The End is a challenge thrown down to audiences. The songs and dances are not glistening perfection, but occasionally clunky or tinny. But this works because each instance is a reflection of that character, and where they fall short of their projection of perfection and happiness. The suffocatingly dull colors bleach the rosiness out of flushed cheeks, making everything feel vaguely dead, or maybe even embalmed. The film’s plot leads to a place that is well earned and yet hard to bear. Yet it’s thrilling to see a musical take so many risks, especially when movie studios seem afraid to even promote that a movie is a musical. (See trailers for Mean Girls, Wonka, and Wicked, all of which hide the actual singing.) Frankly, it was refreshing to be this surprised and emotionally wrecked by a new musical. 

All in all, The End is a gutsy film that is thrillingly unnerving, raw, and original. 

The End was reviewed out of its Canadian premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. It opens in limited release Dec. 6.

Read More 

Live stream Dolphins vs. Bills in the NFL for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Miami Dolphins are taking on the Buffalo Bills in the next round of Thursday Night Football, and you can watch all the action without spending anything. That’s great news for fans, because this matchup could go either way. Both sides won their first game of the new season, and will be looking to build some momentum with a midweek victory.

If you’re interested in watching Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills for free, we have all the information you need.

When is Dolphins vs. Bills?

Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills takes place at 8:15 p.m. ET on Sep 12. This fixture will be played at the Hard Rock Stadium.

How to watch Dolphins vs. Bills for free

Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills is available to live stream on Prime Video in the U.S., but you don’t need to be subscribed to Amazon Prime to watch this fixture. Instead, you can watch Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills (plus more Thursday Night Football fixtures) for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

Fans from outside the U.S. will need to use a VPN to watch the NFL for free on Prime Video. This process is straightforward:

Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you’re not already a member)

Subscribe to 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 U.S.

Watch Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills for free from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but top VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can access free live streams of the NFL without actually spending anything. It’s a short-term solution, but this gives you enough time to watch select NFL fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, 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 always secure

Fast connection speeds

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently available for $99.95. Within this limited time deal you’ll get an extra three months at no additional cost, a whole year of unlimited cloud backup for free, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Dolphins vs. Bills for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Read More 

Watch New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings in the WNBA for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Watch New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings in the WNBA for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The WNBA season continues and next up it’s the New York Liberty taking on the Dallas Wings. The New York Liberty have already claimed their postseason spot, but sadly it’s all over for the Dallas Wings who have been eliminated from playoff contention.

If you want to watch New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings in the WNBA for free from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out how.

When is New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings?

New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings in the WNBA starts at 8 p.m. ET on Sept. 12. This fixture takes place at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

How to watch New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings

New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings is free to watch on Prime Video in the U.S. If you’re not subscribed to this platform, don’t worry, you can still watch this latest fixture for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video in the U.S.

For fans not in the U.S., don’t worry — to watch the WNBA, just use a VPN to stream for free on Prime Video. The process couldn’t be easier, just follow the below steps:

Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you’re not already a member)

Subscribe to 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 U.S.

Watch New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings for free from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch the WNBA on Prime Video without committing with your cash. This isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select WNBA games before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

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

Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

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.

Stream New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings in the WNBA for free with ExpressVPN.

Read More