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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: Is this some kind of joke?

These words are good for a laugh.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers are related to types of funny people.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today’s spangram is YoureKidding.

NYT Strands word list for August 15

Clown

Comic

Fool

Buffoon

Prankster

Jester

YoureKidding

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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Watch Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Watch Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Washington Mystics and Minnesota Lynx are having very different campaigns, so most fans will be expecting a comfortable win from Minnesota Lynx in this matchup. But you never know what will happen in the WNBA. There is always the chance of an upset.

If you want to watch Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx?

Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA starts at 8 p.m. ET on Aug. 15. This fixture takes place at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

How to watch Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx

Fans can live stream the 2024 WNBA season from anywhere in the world with WNBA League Pass, including the fixture between Washington Mystics and Minnesota Lynx.

Something to note is that WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams’ local areas. Fortunately, fans can bypass these geo-restrictions with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations, so you can bypass blackouts to watch every WNBA League Pass game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video).

Access every WNBA League Pass game by following these simple steps:

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 a location with no broadcast deals for the WNBA

Log in to WNBA League Pass

Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)

What is the best VPN for the WNBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries

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

Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

Fast connection speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

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

Stream Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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Here’s the answer for “Wordle” #1153 on August 15, 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 August 15’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:

Popular nut for squirrels.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

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

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter A.

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 is…

ACORN.

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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Connections is a New York Times word game that’s all about finding the “common threads between words.” How to solve the puzzle.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 15’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: Distance

Green: Companion

Blue: Brewskis

Purple: Words that start with “Pay”

Here are today’s Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:

Yellow: Breadth

Green: Other Half

Blue: Beers, Familiarly

Purple: Words After “Pay”

Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today’s Connections #431 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Breadth: EXTENT, RANGE, REACH, SCOPE

Other Half: COMPLEMENT, MATCH, MATE, PARTNER

Beers, Familiarly: BUD, NATTY, SIERRA, STELLA

Words After “Pay”: CHECK, DIRT, PAL, PHONE

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

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday’s Connections.

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

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Facehuggers, chestbursters, Xenomorphs, and more! Is this too much of a good thing? A review of Fede Álvarez’s “Alien: Romulus.”

A confession: Long before Alien: Romulus, I’ve not been much for Fede Álvarez’s brand of horror.

His reboot of Evil Dead was so grisly that I saw a colleague who deeply loves a good scary movie flee the theater in revulsion. His Texas Chainsaw Massacre was likewise dripping with buckets of blood and viscera, as was his 2016 original thriller Don’t Breathe. It’s not the gore alone that put me off, but more how it heightened a bleakness so intense it might well steal your breath. It seems he revels in seeing his heroes suffer, providing little hope to his audience they’ll find a way out of it. That knocks the fun out of horror for me.

This suffocating grimness soured me on Álvarez’s work. Frankly, I approached his spin on the Alien franchise with dread, even though I’ve relished this freaky franchise’s blend of body horror and alien terror for decades. But I was wrong to doubt him. To his credit — and to producer Ridley Scott’s as well — Álvarez’s signature stomach-churning violence and deeply dark attitude are perfectly suited to Alien: Romulus. Moreover, his style suits the franchise’s haunting message, in which the real villain is not the “perfect organism” that runs amok on remote spacecrafts but the inhuman corporation that exploits human suffering for profits. It’s a capitalism critique that remains as relevant now as it was in 1979, when Scott first took us aboard the Nostromo. Here, Álvarez finds a fitting vessel for his darkest side. 

There’s no sign of Ripley in this curious prequel, which is set between Alien and its 1986 sequel Aliens. However, fans of the franchise will relish the return of such harrowing space critters as the facehugger, the chestburster, the queen Xenomorph, and more. Alongside these iconic extraterrestrials is a crackling ensemble cast, comprised of Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Aileen Wu, and Spike Fearn. But amid fresh faces, new twists, and a standout star, this entry flounders in a desperate frenzy of climactic fan service.

Alien: Romulus plays like Aliens meets Don’t Breathe. 

Álvarez and co-writing/producing partner Rodo Sayagues love a story about a group of young friends, brash and dangerously naive, who go on an ill-considered quest, be it vacationing in a remote cabin in a creepy forest, creating influencer content in a notorious ghost town, or breaking into a reclusive war vet’s house with plans to burgle him and get out alive. Alien: Romulus aligns most closely to the last of these, as like Don’t Breathe, its setup involves a sketchy heist. 

Cailee Spaeny (Civil War, Priscilla) stars as Rain, an indentured worker on a Weyland-Yutani space colony, where disease and industrial accidents have made her and her synthetic “brother” Andy (David Jonsson of Industry and Rye Lane) orphans. So when her situationship-mate Tyler (Archie Renaux) proposes a heist that could get them to a nice space colony — one where sunshine actually exists — she’s eager to sign on, whatever the cost. 

The plan is for Tyler, his pregnant sister Kay (Isabela Merced), his aggro cousin Bjorn (Spike Fearn), and Bjorn’s chill girlfriend Navarro (Aileen Wu) to burgle a derelict space station floating above their colony, snatching the equipment they need to fly far, far away. But this is an Alien movie, so their plans are complicated when they come across some otherwordly pests.

Álvarez and Sayagues’ soft spot for impulsive (and criminal) youth plays well in the sandbox Ridley built. Like Ripley’s crew, Rain’s is a motley bunch; they know how to operate this highly specialized space tech, but they’re essentially blue-collar folk with simple ambitions and all-too-human impulses. They are in no way prepared for the horrors that lurk in deep space. The first act of Alien: Romulus revels in character work, like the best of the Alien movies, embedding us with people so their pain becomes our own.

For Spaeny, this means much frowning and some tough choices about loyalty and risk. For the others, franchise-familiar friction sparks over Andy’s involvement, as Weyland-Yutani’s artificial persons have a reputation for betraying their human colleagues when it comes to benefitting the company. But Andy isn’t like the snarling Ash (Ian Holm), the stoic Bishop (Lance Henriksen), the wide-eyed Annalee Call (Winona Ryder), or even the scintillatingly strange David (Michael Fassbender). And that’s exciting.

David Jonsson steals this movie. 

Spaeny is put in the Ridley-like role of the hardened heroine who’s destined to fight back against a towering and terrifying queen. But her character is perhaps too much an echo of Ripley, with the rough edges of spurting rage smoothed out. Andy, however, is an interesting new spin on AI in the Alien series. Programmed by her dad, Andy’s directive is to “do what’s best for Rain,” and that includes delivering lovably lame dad jokes. For instance: Did you hear about the claustrophobic astronaut? He needs space. (Buh-duh-dum!)

These jokes might be a bit cringe, but they’re undeniably endearing. Where the rest of the cast shoulders the angst and terror demanded of this high-tension franchise, Andy is a breath of fresh air because he can experience neither. This brings some warmth into Álvarez’s movie, which creates a sharper contrast: a ray of hope amid the darkness. Andy is essentially the well-meaning little brother, exerting a guilelessness that is so rare in this franchise that it shines bright like a diamond. Eventually, plot twists will complicate matters, giving Andy a glitch in his programming and Jonsson room to show his range. Without giving away spoilers, suffice to say he is absolutely riveting across this journey. 

Props to the ensemble as a whole, which rattles with raw emotion, be it wrath, hope, or horror. But by rights, Alien: Resurrection should elevate Jonsson to movie star status. 

Alien: Romulus is revoltingly frightening and savagely entertaining.

Literally, this movie had me dry-heaving.

It’s not just that Álvarez leans hard into H.R. Giger’s visual designs, which are a nauseating mix of genitals, generous glop, and hard, glossy exoskeletons. Though make no mistake, this movie’s monsters are so sensationally rendered you can practically smell their musk. But what takes the scares here to the next level is a sound design that is loud, enveloping, and absolutely brutal — sometimes to the point of losing dialogue to it.

Props to composer Benjamin Wallfisch for a score that is nostalgic, tapping into past Alien movies with love and care, while creating an orchestral soundscape that raises goosebumps with its trills and stings. Yet the sound team, led by Lee Gilmore, owes me a good night’s sleep after the hellish sounds they made echo through my skull. You can get a taste of it in the teaser. The roar of jet engines rattled me in my seat, making me physically feel like a part of this mission. The screech of relentless aliens left my spine tingling. The auditory memory of the fleshy skittering of too many legs down a hallway still makes me gag. The hiss of acid blood cutting through metal and flesh still rings in my ears. You don’t just watch Alien: Romulus; you are absorbed into it. Brace yourselves.

Combining this immersive soundscape with the mindful use of Xenomorph monsters makes Alien: Romulus sensationally scary and well worth the price of admission. Unfortunately, the filmmakers fumble this marvelous build-up with a climax that is a sloppy burst of fan service.

Alien: Romulus bungles its finale with too many callbacks. 

If you thought Deadpool & Wolverine went hard on fan service, well, you’re right. Alien: Romulus doesn’t hit those degrees of pandering, but it does fall prey to the seemingly studio-mandated checklist for sequels.

The first half of this prequel elegantly blends the signatures of Álvarez’s horror films with the well-established lore of the Alien movies, lacing in Weyland-Yutani’s impact, familiar terms like “artificial person,” and of course the Xenomorphs. It’s all world-building; it works to establish Romulus while charting its own course. But as Alien: Romulus barrels to a conclusion, it begins to feel less like a fresh and thoughtful new adventure in this space (where no one can hear you scream), and more like a clumsy clip show of franchise highlights.

There’ll be some familiar lines, and while some are subtle, one feels so forced that it sparked guffaws from the audience. Memorable shots are replicated, like the human heroine coming face-to-mouth(s) with the vicious alien queen. Plot points from previous films are reenacted with little to no innovation, so the tension of Romulus’ final act becomes derailed by predictability. The character logic and action-scene geography suffers under the need to be like the other Alien movies, for better or worse. To that end, what will likely be most polarizing among fans of these films is the resurrection of a particular character who, while crucial to the plot, feels more like a cheat code than considerately included. 

As Rain races to her final moments on-screen, audience may get a bit beleaguered by her, because she’s no longer forging her own path. She’s doggedly following Ripley’s. We’ve seen that movie before, and it’s a great movie! But it’s time for something new and as daring as the group of reckless goofs this film drew us in with. Alien: Romulus won’t be sunk by its flimsy final act, but some of the thrill is lost amid the clutter of callbacks. Still, this is a movie that demands to be seen in theaters, where the volume can gobble you up like so many alien maws.

Alien: Romulus opens in theaters Aug. 16.

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Vince Vaughn, Zach Braff, Michelle Monaghan, Natalie Martinez and Ronald Peet join Bill Lawrence in breaking down how unique the ‘Bad Monkey’ set actually was.

Vince Vaughn, Zach Braff, Michelle Monaghan, Natalie Martinez and Ronald Peet join Bill Lawrence in breaking down how unique the ‘Bad Monkey’ set actually was.

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As of August 14, save on games like ‘Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’ and more with the best gaming deals of the week.

School may be in session, but that doesn’t mean the fun and games have to come to an end — video games, at least. Whether you just sent the kids back to school or you’re taking classes yourself, gaming is a great way to unwind after a long day of learning. And there are plenty of awesome deals to take advantage of right now in the best gaming deals of the week.

You can save big on huge Nintendo Switch hits right now, like the recently released Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, bringing the hype all the way back from its GameCube debut to new audiences. There’s also the sprawling Final Fantasy XVI for PlayStation gamers, and Xbox fans can look forward to adventuring with the Prince in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

No matter which platform you play on, there’s a deal for you. Check out our favorite picks of the week below.

Best PlayStation deal

Why we like it

The darkest Final Fantasy yet is a massive, cinematic adventure that shouldn’t be missed. Final Fantasy XVI digs deep into its roots and comes away with a new twist on the series with a dark fantasy. Journey to the continent of Valisthea and take on the role of Clive Rosfield, who finds his kingdom destroyed, his brother Joshua missing, and a mysterious drought known as Blight taking over the land. This gritty twist on the normally plucky series is a stark departure, but an excellent one that fans won’t want to pass up, especially at this price.

More PlayStation deals

Games

Assassin’s Creed Mirage Deluxe Edition — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)

Cyberpunk 2077 — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

God of War Ragnarök — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)

Hades — $12.49 $24.99 (save $12.50)

The Last of Us Part II Remastered — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth — $45.49 $69.99 (save $24.50)

Madden NFL 25 (preorder) — $69.99 + free $10 Best Buy gift card

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 — $49.69 $69.99 (save $20.30)

Octopath Traveler II — $24.99 $59.99 (save $25)

Red Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition — $29.99 $99.99 (save $70)

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Deluxe Edition — $44.99 $89.99 (save $45)

Consoles and accessories

Sony INZONE H3 — $78 $99.99 (save $21.99)

Sony INZONE H5 — $129.99 $149.99 (save $20)

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P — $159.99 $179.99 (save $20)

Seagate Game Drive PS5 NVMe SSD (2TB) — $199.99 $259.99 (save $60)

Sony INZONE H9 — $229.99 $299.99 (save $70)

PlayStation 5 (Slim) — $459.99 $499.99 (save $40) with College Football 25 purchase and Target Circle

Best Xbox deal

Why we like it

The Prince is back in this Metroidvania that introduces a new protagonist: Sargon. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown finds Sargon running, dashing, and jumping through the cursed city of Mount Qaf to rescue Prince Ghassan. A member of The Immortals, a warrior clan, Sargon is a skilled adventurer that you’ll love taking control of, especially if you love to zip through challenging levels that’ll have you stretching your parkouring muscles. And the fresh coat of paint for the Prince of Persia series isn’t half-bad, either.

More Xbox deals

Games

Assassin’s Creed Mirage — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Gold Edition — $19.99 $99.99 (save $80)

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)

Far Cry 6 Deluxe Edition — $19.99 $79.99 (save $60)

Madden NFL 25 (preorder) — $69.99 + free $10 Best Buy gift card

Skull & Bones — $27.99 $69.99 (save $42)

Consoles and accessories

Xbox Series X Console Wrap (Mineral Camo or Arctic Camo) — $22.50 $44.99 (save $22.49)

Xbox Wireless Controller (Carbon Black or Robot White) — $43.91 $59.99 (save $16.08)

Xbox Wireless Controller – Sky Cipher Special Edition (preorder) — $69.99

Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 — $144.99 $179.99 (save $35)

Xbox Series S — $268 $299.99 (save $31.99)

Xbox Series X — $448 $499.99 (save $51.99)

Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race Wheel & Pedal System — $499.99 $649.99 (save $150)

Best Nintendo Switch deal

Why we like it

This Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door takes the 2004 GameCube cult classic and gives it a fresh coat of paint for a new generation of players. It includes updated graphics and animation, music, and additional quality of life changes to help keep it in line with modern releases, as well as a new fast travel system and additional boss encounters. Meanwhile, the story is still the same: Mario and Princess Peach find themselves searching for a lost treasure and Peach is kidnapped (surprise). Mario has to set off on a journey to save Peach from aliens called X-Nauts while seeking out a piece of that treasure, too. If you loved it back on the GameCube, it’s even better now. If this is your first time, you’ll have a blast.

More Nintendo Switch deals

Games

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — $39.99 $59.99 (save $20)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — $49.95 $59.99 (save $10.04)

Princess Peach: Showtime! — $44.99 $59.99 (save $15)

Super Mario Bros. Wonder — $44.99 $59.99 (save $15)

Super Mario Party Jamboree (preorder) — $59.99 + free 3-month Nintendo Switch Online membership

Trombone Champ — $8.24 $14.99 (save $6.75)

Accessories

PowerA Wireless Controller — $34.99 $44.99 (save $10)

PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller — $38.99 $59.99 (save $21)

Hori Split Pad Pro — $42.99 $49.99 (save 7)

Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe — $94.99 $109.99 (save $15); extra $6 off with paid My Best Buy membership

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Channing Tatum, Naomi Ackie, Christian Slater, and more star and startle in Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, “Blink Twice.” Review.

Who among us hasn’t dreamed of being whisked away from our humdrum lives to an exotic island, populated by beautiful people and lush with luxury? This is the dream come true for Blink Twice‘s heroine, a cater waiter named Frida (I Wanna Dance With Somebody‘s Naomi Ackie), when dashing tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) offers her a private plane ride to his equally private island. But in this place of poshness and privilege, something heinous hides in plain sight. 

For her directorial debut, actress turned co-writer/helmer Zoë Kravitz brings in a star-studded cast that includes Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Adria Arjona, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, and Kyle MacLachlan. Together, they deliver a gnarly thriller about power, betrayal, and desire that’s sure to leave audiences rattled, yet wearing a crooked grin.

Blink Twice is diabolically cast. 

Even from the trailer, female viewers might raise an eyebrow at Frida’s decision to fly off with no notice to Slater’s private island, where she swiftly surrenders her phone to his fiercely chipper assistant (Davis). But the script by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum builds in unspoken assurances: Frida’s bestie Jess (Shawkat) is coming along, for starters. Plus, there are other women who will there, like astrology-loving app developer Camilla (Liz Caribel), chess-savvy pothead Heather (Trew Mullen), and Survivor Babes reality TV star Sarah (Arjona). Yet it’s not just that the presence of other women makes Frida feel safe about following a billionaire to a second (and remote!) location. These women have an enviable confidence and fun-loving vibe that is intoxicating — even before the party drugs are offered. 

So, when things go from sublime to surreal, it’s hard to point the finger and proclaim undeniably that we’d know better. Plus, who could resist the allure of these men? Kravitz casts Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, and Haley Joel Osment — an array of actors who’ve been celebrity crushes, sex symbols, and dreamboats. It’s easy to imagine saying yes to this fantasy of fame, fortune, and rich, hot, and famous men. Still, Kravitz’s female characters are self-aware enough to second-guess their choices as the fancy and fun facade of the island begins to crack.

When Jess goes missing, Frida is mortified to realize that no one else seems to remember her being there at all. But who could forget that freckled spitfire, the sort of friend who always has a lighter when you need one? As Frida grows suspicious, her investigation will lead her into surprising alliances, dark conspiracies, and heart-wrenching revelations. 

Kravitz smartly gives her thriller space to breathe. 

The premise of a private island that’s not actually paradise might sound cliched, but Kravitz and Feigenbaum give their story time to develop and envelop. A grubby bathroom scene in Frida and Jess’s apartment swiftly establishes their shared intimacy and humble circumstances. The gala, where they strategically swap their cater-waiter uniforms for slinking cocktail dresses to sneak in among the affluent guests, is explored from the crowded kitchens to the swanky ballroom. However, it’s on the island itself where Kravitz wisely takes her time, developing the heady routine of pleasure-chasing, which involves an endless supply of drugs, booze, cuisine, and bright, white attire for every occasion. 

Sure, Jess will joke that the female guests all being provided the same white bathing suits, the same white dinner dresses, and the same accessories seems “cultish.” But it’s a detail easy to forget in the haze of pot smoke and budding romance. Frida’s keen to spend every moment she can with Slater, and Tatum is a master of playing the romantic lead. His warm smile, concentrated stare, and soft, husky voice is a smooth seduction. And all this sultriness and sumptuousness invites us to live vicariously through Frida, with Ackie’s wide eyes and enchanted smile reflecting our own. This cozy setup makes the jagged punctures of this dream world hit all the harder, because you might even forget you’re not watching a romance but a thriller.

Kravitz crafts a crackling and satisfying thriller. 

I don’t need to share spoilers to celebrate Blink Twice‘s second half. Simply put, Ackie handles the turn from besotted to terrified with a visceral aplomb. Tatum makes a surprisingly sensational villain, while the rest of the supporting cast bursts with energy, whether playing malicious or manic. Christian Slater in particular seems to relish the chance to sink his teeth into Kravitz’s juicy revelations, practically spitting through an unnerving smile. 

Elsewhere, Rex (who earned critical acclaim for 2021’s Red Rocket) and Haley Joel Osment are happy to play a pair of fools, while Caribel and Mullen dazzle with brat summer charm. Arjona proves a standout though, shifting from Frida’s romantic rival to something far less archetypal and far more complex — and even surprisingly funny. 

Perhaps the greatest surprise of Blink Twice is just how slyly humorous it is. The material gets dark, but Kravitz and her cast lace in an absurdity that keeps us at the edge of our seats, instead of buried behind our hands. The defiant comedy amid the horror here urges us to keep hope alive, even when things look bleak, much like Radio Silence’s 2019 hit Ready or Not. That film feels like an influence here, in terms of some plot and aesthetic details, and these similarities — as well as visual nods to movies like I Spit on Your Grave — might have some viewers snarking that Blink Twice is derivative. But Kravitz uses familiar pieces to build her foundation, then crafts a freshly exhilarating adventure that feels of its time. Rather than an imitator of these movies, it feels a kindred spirit, using its screams to deliver a message that is achingly timeless. 

Which is all to say, Blink Twice is a knockout. 

Blink Twice opens in theaters Aug. 23.

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