mashable-rss

Osgood Perkins (“Longlegs”) directs an adaptation of Stephen King’s short story “The Monkey,” starring Theo James and Tatiana Maslany.

Osgood Perkins (“Longlegs”) directs an adaptation of Stephen King’s short story “The Monkey,” starring Theo James and Tatiana Maslany.

Read More 

John Oliver has mocked JD Vance for his unusual laugh on “Last Week Tonight”.

John Oliver has mocked JD Vance for his unusual laugh on “Last Week Tonight”.

Read More 

Breaking down the alleged drama between “It Ends With Us” stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively.

It’s a tale as old as time: boy directs movie adaptation of best-selling novel, boy hires girl to play lead role, boy and girl have creative differences, boy and girl promote the movie together while pretending the other one doesn’t exist.

That’s a simple summation of the perceived drama brewing between It Ends With Us leads Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. The pair have been attending premiers of the movie — which opened this weekend — separately and rumors are swirling about how the stars went from playing lovers in the movie to avoiding each other IRL.

What is It Ends With Us?

It Ends With Us is a movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 No. 1 New York Times best-selling novel of the same name. The novel follows Lily Bloom, a florist, and her romantic relationship with Ryle Kincaid, who becomes physically and sexually abusive. The story is loosely based on Hoover’s own mother. In 2020, Baldoni first announced he’d be developing and directing the film, and in 2023, in a video posted to Instagram, Hoover announced that Blake Lively would play the lead role of Bloom and Baldoni would play Kincaid.

The movie began production in May 2023 and opened Aug. 9. Lively is a co-producer on the film.

Why are Baldoni and Lively supposedly at odds?

The Hollywood Reporter says it spoke to sources who reported that there had been “a fracture among the filmmakers in the postproduction process” that led Lively to commission a cut of the movie from editor Shane Reid, who worked with her on Taylor Swift’s “I Bet You Think About Me” music video. But other sources that The Hollywood Reporter spoke with said it was no uncommon for a film to have multiple edits made in post-production.

Still, online sleuths say they’ve found several forms of evidence to back up the rumored bad blood between co-stars. For example, none of the cast follows Baldoni on Instagram. (As of publishing, Baldoni follows Hoover, Lively, and It Ends With Us actress Jenny Slate on Instagram. None of the three women follow him back).

Baldoni has also not appeared in any of the film’s red carpet photos with Lively, Hoover, or the rest of the cast, instead opting to walk the carpet on his own or with his wife.

In one red carpet interview, Slate dodged a question about what it was like to work with Baldoni as both a director and scene partner, telling Deadline, “What an intense job, to have to do so many things. I just felt myself being like, ‘Wow I really just want to have one job at once.'”

Tweet may have been deleted

Some have speculated that a creative power struggle is to blame for the awkwardness, especially after Lively told E! News that her husband, Ryan Reynolds, stepped in to help write a pivotal scene from the movie despite not having any formal involvement in its development. Reynolds has also participated in the movie’s promotion, bringing Deadpool & Wolverine co-star Hugh Jackman to the New York City premiere of It Ends With Us and interviewing one of Lively’s character’s love interests (notably, not Baldoni).

On Aug. 9, Page Six reported that, according to insider sources, Baldoni made Lively feel “uncomfortable” about her postpartum body during filming and created an “extremely difficult” workplace environment on set.

What have Baldoni and Lively said about each other?

Lively has been pretty quiet about her thoughts on working with Baldoni, opting instead to praise the support of her husband throughout production. But, like Slate, she chose to dodge a question posed to her Yahoo Entertainment about working with Baldoni, talking instead about the character of Ryle and Hoover’s depiction of him in the novel.

Baldoni, for his part, has been publicly gracious about Lively and hubby Reynolds, telling Today, “You can’t summarize Blake’s contribution in a sentence because her energy and imprint is all over the movie and really, really made the film better, and from beginning to end. Ryan (Reynolds) was so generous… he’s a creative genius… His gift is levity, and her gift is levity.” When asked if he would work with the pair again, he said, “If they’d have me.”

Earlier this week, Baldoni told Entertainment Tonight that, when it comes to directing the sequel It Starts with Us, “I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively is ready to direct.”

What else is the film under fire for?

The film’s team, including Lively, have been criticized for their light-hearted promotion of what is ultimately a depiction of domestic violence. Lively has used the film to promote her brand Betty Buzz by selling “Betty Blooms,” a limited series of bouquets housed in Betty Buzz bottles, as a tie-in to her character’s love for flowers. Lively’s red carpet and street styles have taken inspiration from the character, too; Lively has consistently stepped out in colorful, floral, frilly dresses befitting the interests of her character, yes, but perhaps not the seriousness of the role.

These choices have been part of what Rolling Stone’s CT Jones calls a “glossy marketing campaign is proving that Hollywood hasn’t found a respectful way to market movies about domestic violence.” Instead, “It’s prioritized selling a romance by covering up the themes of abuse at almost every opportunity.”

Read More 

Answers to each clue for the August 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 Monday, August 12, 2024:

Across

Throws in the mix

The answer is Adds.

Plant life

The answer is Flora.

Chef’s garment

The answer is Apron.

Informal term for avid supporters of Kamala Harris

The answer is KHive.

Simplicity

The answer is Ease.

Down

Letter before beta and gamma

The answer is Alpha.

Pulitzer-winning historian ___ Kearns Goodwin

The answer is Doris.

Did some chauffeuring

The answer is Drove.

All there, mentally

The answer is Sane.

Like a designer bag with the company name misspelled

The answer is Fake.

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

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.

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: Everybody cut footloose!

The hint for the theme is they are great for TikTok.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers are related to different dances.

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 DanceMoves.

NYT Strands word list for August 12

Floss

DanceMoves

Twerk

Moonwalk

Vogue

Hustle

Pirouette

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.

Read More 

Here’s the answer for “Wordle” #1150 on August 12, 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 12’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:

A small vessel perfect for calm, shallow waters.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter F appears twice.

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

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter S.

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…

SKIFF.

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.

Read More 

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 12’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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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: Metals

Green: Beds

Blue: Toilet slang

Purple: Types of Knives

Here are today’s Connections categories

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

Yellow: Metal Elements

Green: Mattress Sizes

Blue: Slang for Toilet

Purple: Kinds of Knives

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 #428 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Metal Elements: GOLD, LEAD, MERCURY, TIN

Mattress Sizes: FULL, KING, QUEEN, TWIN

Slang for Toilet: CAN, HEAD, JOHN, THRONE

Kinds of Knives: BOWIE, BUTCHER, BUTTER, BUTTERFLY

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.

Read More 

Here’s how to livestream the closing ceremony for the Paris Olympics.

The 2024 Olympics may end, but Paris still has one more show: the closing ceremony.

On top of featuring French bands like Air and Phoenix, the closing ceremony will also see Paris hand its Olympic hosting duties off to Los Angeles, where the 2028 summer games will take place. Expect to see an aerial stunt from Tom Cruise in the LA-themed portion of the ceremony, as well as musical performances by Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Snoop Dogg (who’s been the ultimate Olympic hype man).

Here’s how to watch the spectacle live:

When is the 2024 Olympics closing ceremony?

The closing ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics kicks off at 3:00 pm ET.

Unlike the opening ceremony, which took the Olympians on a trip down the Seine, these closing ceremonies will take place at the Stade de France.

Where can I watch the 2024 Olympics closing ceremony?

You can live stream the closing ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games on Peacock, the Peacock app, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, and the NBC app.

If you miss the action live, you can catch the replay of the closing ceremony on Peacock, or during prime-time coverage on NBC.

Read More 

Answers to each clue for the August 11, 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 Sunday, August 11, 2024:

Across

Part of a Batman or Spider-Man costume

The answer is Mask.

“What are you ___ today?”

The answer is Up to.

Soup eater’s onomatopoeia

The answer is Slurp.

The “dial” in “Don’t touch that dial”

The answer is Tuner.

“Don’t move, Fido!”

The answer is Stay.

Down

Simply have to

The answer is Must.

Best possible grade

The answer is A Plus.

Backflip in an action movie, e.g.

The answer is Stunt.

Its currency is the won

The answer is Korea.

Ask some personal questions

The answer is Pry.

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

Read More 

First impressions of the closed beta of ‘Marvel Rivals’ on PS5

Ever since Overwatch took over in the gaming mainstream, it seems every company wants its piece of the pie within the hero-shooter genre. That’s how we’ve arrived at NetEase Games’ Marvel Rivals, the latest live-service hero shooter from the Diabolo Immortal developers.

I was recently invited to the game’s closed beta that ran from July 23 to August 5. Featuring a who’s who cast of Marvel Comics characters, Rivals is the physical embodiment of a Disney executive going around asking why the company doesn’t have its own version of Overwatch. (I’ll be mentioning this game a lot, fair warning). However, the twist here is that Rivals is quite fun if you don’t mind it being a ripoff of other, better games in the genre.

What is Marvel Rivals

Let’s start with the basics. Marvel Rivals is a 6-vesus-6, third-person multiplayer hero shooter in a similar vein to Battleborn or Gigantic. Like other games in the genre, players can choose between a cast of 20+ Marvel Comics characters split into three classes: Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist. Vanguard is your classic tank — beefy builds that soak up and deal heavy amounts of damage. This is one of the smaller groups in the game comprising The Hulk, Thor, Venom, Groot, Peni Parker, and surprisingly Doctor Strange and Magneto.

Duelists are assault-type characters focused on combat and mobility. You’ll find the most characters in this group to play around with — the most common I saw in my playthrough being Black Panther, Iron Man, Magik, The Punisher, Spider-Man, and Storm.

Finally, we have the strategists, who are your classic support characters either dealing out health and buffs to their teammates or debuffs to opponents. During the closed alpha testing, there were only four support characters: Loki, Luna Snow, Mantis, and Rocket Raccoon. But with this closed beta, Adam Warlock and Jeff the Shark were added to the roster.

Once your team of heroes and villains is chosen, you’ll take this colorful cast of truly well-designed characters and compete in three game modes: Convoy, Convergence, and Domination. These are the same modes from Overwatch to a tee, minus Domination which is ripped from Call of Duty and Battlefield. Convoy has you either defending or attacking an objective as it travels on a set path to an endpoint.

Convergence is a best 2-of-3, King of the Hill-style battle as teams duke it over control of a single point that changes location. And then, I don’t have much to say about Domination cause I could never find enough people to play it, but allegedly teams face each other for control of multiple points on a map.

Playing Marvel Rivals

I think a lot of the fun I had playing the beta is that it’s extremely polished. It helps that NetEase had a template to work from, since Rivals is unashamedly an amalgamation of all that came before it. Even the maps feel like Overwatch and I haven’t played that game in over six years. So imagine the déjà vu I felt loading up Rivals and immediately feeling like I had somehow downloaded the wrong game.

However, the game falters when it comes to hero kits. The sets of weapons and abilities in the game can be poorly matched to their characters and unappealing. Magneto, for example, is a tank class with a telekinetic shield and mind-controlled rocks, which feels off for his character, and is boring to play. Bruce Banner transforms into the Hulk, but once transformed, his abilities are limited to smashing and shooting gamma rays.

Some characters do fit their hero kits well. Iron Man as a duelist/assault class hero with rockets and an ion beam makes sense, as does the Punisher with his guns, and Spider-Man with his swinging and punching. But Doctor Strange as a shield character is both unfaithful to his character and dull in gameplay.

The inconsistent hero kits seem like a compromise aimed at multiplayer balance, yet this comes at the cost of fun and character fidelity. There’s clearly a tightrope NetEase is trying to walk by making the game enthralling to newer players while trying to be faithful to the characters they’re dropping into its sandbox. It can be fun at times, but it doesn’t make for an interesting gameplay experience.

A standout feature in Marvel Rivals is team-up abilities, where certain character combinations yield in-game benefits. For instance, Rocket Raccoon and Punisher together gain “Ammo Overload,” giving Punisher infinite ammo and faster firing within Rocket’s attack buff.

However, some team-ups lack coherence. Black Panther and Magik, who rarely interact in the comics, gain a portal-travel ability already available to Doctor Strange. Magneto and Scarlet Witch make sense as father-daughter mutants and Guardians of the Galaxy characters have logical team-ups. Yet, pairings like Thor/Storm (lightning abilities) or Namor/Luna Snow/Jeff the Shark (water abilities) are only marginally logical.

So at the moment, having played around 10ish hours of Marvel Rivals, I can say that while it boasts polished gameplay and intriguing team-up mechanics, its hero kits and character balance often undermine the fun and authenticity.

With the beta having closed at the time of this writing, I’d say check this out if you like a good hero shooter that you can pick up and play and not feel obligated to overthink the right way to play. NetEase doesn’t have an official release date for this yet, but rumors suggest the game will be released sometime next year.

Read More