IT General

In The White Lotus Season 3, Natasha Rothwell's character Belinda is spooked by the appearance of a monitor lizard.

Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in the interview above, Rothwell shares a behind-the-scenes clip of meeting her green co-star – and it's clear that she didn't have to do too much acting to appear nervous around the scaly beast.

Maybe she'd have been more comfortable joining co-stars Sarah Catherine Hook and Sam Nivola on their road trip to meet Moo Deng.

SAVE $116: As of Feb. 27, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are on sale for $263.99 at Best Buy. This is 30% off their list price of $379.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sennheiser Sennheiser Momentum 4 $263.99 at Best Buy
$379.99 Save $116.00 Get Deal

Whether you're looking for headphones or earbuds, there have been some great deals on Sennheiser products lately across various retailers. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are also included with a nice little discount at Best Buy, saving you over $100 off their list price.

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are currently marked down to $263.99 at the retailer, which is $116 off their retail price of $379.99. If you've been looking for a headphones upgrade, this is a discount worth taking advantage of. On top of the deal itself, you can also score YouTube Premium for free for three months with your purchase if you're a new subscriber, which is a great way to test out your new headphones on new music and videos.

SEE ALSO: The 9 best noise-cancelling headphones we use and love

Sennheiser headphones are well known for offering excellent sound quality, and these headphones are no different. This is all thanks to the 42mm transducer system and aptX Adaptive feature, but they also have noise-canceling features that blocks out any outside noise to keep you fully immersed in what you're listening to. And for when you want to be more aware of your surroundings, there's also a Transparency mode.

These headphones also rank as the best for quality audio in our roundup of the best headphones in 2025 because, "sound doesn't get much better than you'll get with these: Big, nuanced, and full of character. They pick out details within a rich, full-bodied soundscape. The audio is further bolstered by high-end codecs and the souped-up ANC."

Don't miss out on this great deal on the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones at Best Buy, saving you over $100.

There are quite a few more headphone deals worth exploring right now as well. If you're an Apple owner looking to pick up new headphones, the AirPods Max (USB-C) are also on sale at Best Buy. Or, if you'd like to stay within Sennheiser's range, you can also save on the Sennheiser HD 599 headphones at Amazon.

Govee’s Mini Panel Lights encourage expression and ingenuity, maybe even more so than the hexagonal panels or intricate gaming wall lights. The most difficult part is deciding on a design, though an ingenious installation method allows you to change things up with ease.

SAVE $50: As of Feb. 27, the Beats Studio Buds are on sale at Best Buy for $99.99. That's 33% off their retail price of $149.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Buds $99.99 at Best Buy
$149.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

Looking for new earbuds but don't want to shell out a ton of cash? Best Buy's here to save the day with a great deal on the Beats Studio Buds. These sleek little earbuds are currently $50 off their retail price, which is a very nice deal to take advantage of while it's still available.

This has dropped the price of the Beats Studio Buds down to $99.99. Normally they retail for $149.99, so this is a great opportunity to score some high-quality earbuds for under $100. Not to mention, your purchase also comes with Apple Fitness+ for three months for free if you're a new subscriber and Apple Music for free for up to three months for new or returning subscribers to get you started.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best earbuds to buy in 2025 from Bose, Apple, and more

These earbuds boast powerful sound and noise-canceling features to either tune out the world around you or stay a bit more aware of your surroundings while listening. Our review had very high praise for them as well, with writer Alex Perry saying, "I'm a sucker for strong bass, and with the additional support of spatial audio, these earbuds create a hell of a listening experience for an agreeable price. Add top-notch comfort and nearly identical feature sets across iOS and Android, and you've got a good excuse to never use regular AirPods again."

If you're looking for earbud upgrades, don't miss out on $50 off the Beats Studio Buds at Best Buy.

There are plenty more earbud and headphone deals worth checking out right now alongside this one, too. Also at Best Buy, you can save $50 on the over-ear Apple AirPods Max (USB-C), and for more earbud deals, the Sennheiser Accentum true wireless earbuds are marked down under $100.

SAVE OVER $30: As of Feb. 27, the Garmin Forerunner 55 fitness tracker is on sale at Amazon for $169.50. That's 15% off its list price of $199.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 55 $169.50 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $30.49 Get Deal

If you're someone with an active lifestyle, a fitness tracker can be a wise investment to help track your progress and stay on top of your goals. For runners, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is a great pick that even ranks in our list of the best fitness trackers as the best pick for running.

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is currently on sale for $169.50. This is 15% off its list price of $199.99, which is a nice deal to jump on while it's still available. If you've been looking to up your running game, this tracker will help you get where you want to go. And at this price? It's worth every cent.

SEE ALSO: The best smartwatch for every wrist

Garmin's Forerunner 55 features a heart rate monitor and GPS so you can track how far you've gone and how fast you're travelling. It also has an excellent battery life, lasting up to two weeks in smartwatch mode and up to 20 hours in GPS mode. We consider this the best fitness tracker for running in our roundup of the best fitness trackers and the best for new runners in our best Garmin roundup.

In our roundup of the best fitness trackers, we note that "We hasten to call it a beginner’s watch, though it is perfect for new starters. It’s also packed with so many features, it’s sure to suit runners of most levels. Indeed, unless you’re a super serious runner with very specific goals, this smartwatch is a winner. It’s also very affordable in the grand scheme of premium-level fitness wearables."

Don't miss out on 15% off the Garmin Forerunner 55 at Amazon.

Another great Garmin deal that's worth checking out right now is on the Garmin vívoactive 5, which is over $60 off at Amazon. And if you're looking to spend a little extra to upgrade to a full on smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 10 is back down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

Toxic Town, a new four-part Netflix drama out today, is a based on a sadly true story. Written by Jack Thorne (Enola Holmes, His Dark Materials), the limited series traces the child poisonings of Corby, Northamptonshire, and the long legal battle led by the families, primarily mothers, of children born with deformities caused by toxic dust from the former British Steel factory, closed in 1979.

In a heartbreaking video by Netflix, Toxic Town stars Jodie Whittaker and Aimee Lou Wood spoke to mothers Susan McIntyre, Tracey Taylor, and Maggie Mahon about their experiences, growing up in Corby, and the seemingly endless fight for their day in court — as well as how their story was represented in the Netflix series.

"All the years of fighting then finding out that, yes, that the judge believed us mums and we were right, was such a big sense of relief because we didn't do anything and it wasn't our fault," says Taylor. In 2010, Corby Borough Council was found negligent for waste management at the steelworks.

In the show, Whittaker plays McIntyre, Wood plays Taylor, and Bridgerton's Claudia Jessie plays Mahon. There's a deeply moving moment between Taylor and Wood, which honours Taylor's daughter Shelby Anne, who died at just four days old. "What you have done for her I am in debt to you, because you have done her justice, and you have done us justice and we will be forever grateful," says Taylor.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'Toxic Town' trailer traces one of the UK's biggest poisoning scandals

Whittaker described being part of Toxic Town as "a huge honour," and championed the women who lived through the series' very real events.

"For me and Aimee Lou, we had lots of scenes together that were within the hospitals, so we could appreciate without ever knowing what you've been through, what it must’ve have been like to go day in day out in those environments. And then for someone to question the validity of your claims is unimaginable, and completely unacceptable," she said.

"This will bring attention to something incredibly shocking, incredibly heartbreaking and totally avoidable."

Toxic Town is now streaming on Netflix.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 27 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 27 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Living large

These words are large, physically or the idea of it.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The words are things that follow the word big.

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 BigStuff.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for February 27

• Spender

• PIcture

• Leagues

• Break

• Foot

• Bird

• Cheese

• BigStuff

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 today's Strands.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games 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 today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 27 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Ways to reach someone over the phone

• Green: Essential car components

• Blue: Building blocks of living organisms

• Purple: References to measurement

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Contact via Telephone

• Green: Parts of a Car

• Blue: Levels of Biological Organization

• Purple: Ending with Units of Measure

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 #627 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Contact via Telephone: CALL, DIAL, PHONE, RING

• Parts of a Car: BELT, HORN, MIRROR, WHEEL

• Levels of Biological Organization: ATOM, CELL, ORGAN, TISSUE

• Ending with Units of Measure: BIGFOOT, COMPOUND, INSTAGRAM, THERMOMETER

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 27

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

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 today's Connections.

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 today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for February 27 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.

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 was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 27, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A place to stay in the woods.

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 L.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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...

LODGE.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 27

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

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 today's Wordle.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, February 27, 2025:

Across"Good one!"

• The answer is Hah.

Messages to the office staff

• The answer is Memos.

Exclamations accompanied by nervous gulps

• The answer is UhOhs.

Calculator key

• The answer is Minus.

___ Grand (Vegas casino)

• The answer is MGM.

DownPronoun pair

• The answer is HeHim.

In the midst of

• The answer is Among.

So-so

• The answer is HoHum.

Not saying a word

• The answer is Mum.

Sound of a sizzling steak

• The answer is Sss.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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 today's Mini Crossword.

SAVE $60: As of Feb. 27, the Nespresso Vertuo Plus is on sale for $139.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 30% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nespresso Nespresso Vertuo Plus $139.98 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $59.97 Get Deal

Delicious, hassle-free coffee every morning. Sounds good, right? Well that's exactly what you get with the Nespresso Vertuo Plus. From the simple touch of a button you can have your favorite coffee or perfect pulled espresso.

And as of Feb. 27, you can buy this luxe machine for 30% less, now down to just $139.98 at Amazon. This deal is for the machine only option and colors black and ink blank.

SEE ALSO: I finally have an excuse to upgrade my Apple Pencil now that the Pro is $30 off

If you love good coffee but don't want an overly complicated process, this is the machine for you. The coffee comes from high-quality pods to make anything from americanos to rich espressos. You get a perfect cup every time, with no fuss. The machine heats up in just 25 seconds, ideal for when you're rushing out the door in the morning. And the 60oz water tank means you won't have to fill it up with every use.

And to get you going, each machine comes with a complimentary starter set of Nespresso capsules.

Convinced yet? Head to Amazon now to secure this low price.

TL;DR: Live stream Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Deportivo Saprissa hold a 2-1 lead over Vancouver Whitecaps in their Concacaf Champions Cup first-round matchup, but now the action heads to Canada. Can the Whitecaps come from behind to secure their spot in the second round? It's going to be a fascinating contest between two talented sides.

If you want to watch Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa?

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on Feb. 27. This fixture takes place at BC Place.

How to watch Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa for free

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

This free live stream is available in most locations around the world, but not in North or Central America. Fortunately, fans in these excluded territories can still access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK (or somewhere else with access), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK (or somewhere else with access)

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on YouTube, 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 Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Over a half-century after astronauts walked on the moon, landing remains a daunting endeavor.

On March 2, Texas-based Firefly Aerospace will attempt the ambitious feat, as it will direct its robotic Blue Ghost spacecraft to land in Mare Crisium, a lava-covered basin on the moon's near side. The company has shared some of the mission's final views before descending to the lunar surface, showcasing the "magnificent desolation” NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin witnessed in 1969.

In the clip below, sped up by 10x, you're seeing the crater-blanketed moon from 62 miles above, with the craft's thruster at top center.

SEE ALSO: A dramatic total lunar eclipse is coming. You don't want to miss it.

"That feeling you get when you look out the window and realize you're almost home! T-4 days until we land [on] the Moon," Firefly Aerospace posted on X on Feb. 26.

The 6.6-foot-tall lander, funded by NASA as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, is carrying a suite of instruments and experiments for the space agency as NASA prepares to establish a permanent presence on the moon. This includes radiation-tolerant computing tests and sampling of the lunar regolith.

But landing on the moon remains daunting, largely because it's a world with virtually no atmosphere to slow spacecraft down. A craft must plummet to the surface perfectly, as thrusters fire to slow its descent onto a surface teeming with pits and craters. Although Chinese and Indian craft have had recent landing successes, the U.S. commercial spacecraft Odysseus sustained damage while landing awkwardly in 2024. The same year, a Japanese craft landed upside down, on its head.

If all goes as planned, Blue Ghost's looming descent will take just an hour. If it lands without damage, the craft is expected to perform science operations for 14 days.

Crucially, human spaceflight is expected to follow these robotic missions. NASA currently intends to fly astronauts to the moon in mid-2027, wherein they'll spend a week exploring the dark, shadowy craters of the moon's south pole.

Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.

For small business owners, tax time will never be easy, per se, but there are ways to make it less painful. Chief among them is using good bookkeeping software to keep track of the business's finances throughout the year.

Scrupulous bookkeeping means you'll have a record of your business's financial history for the year: what goes in, what comes out, and what financial condition the business is in. Whether or not you're ready to hire a bookkeeper, then the right accounting tool can do a chunk of this work automatically, keeping your records accurate and your ducks in a row for tax time. Here are our picks, which we've made with the help of the real experts: actual small business owners.

SEE ALSO: These tax deductions for small business owners may surprise you What is the best bookkeeping tool for small businesses?

Our overall pick is QuickBooks: It's time-tested, flexible, safe, and has an easy-to-use, pleasant user interface. It's also not perfect: The price isn't low, and its advanced features can be difficult to master. But for most small business owners, it's the best bet — and if it's not, one of our other picks will likely suit your needs.

On Wednesday, Amazon revealed to the world that the long-awaited AI-powered upgrade to its Alexa voice assistant is almost ready for primetime.

Alexa+ drops for certain early-access customers starting in March for the standalone price of $19.99/mo or for free with an Amazon Prime subscription. Crucially, any Alexa-enabled device you already own can run Alexa+, and that list will soon include web browsers and a new phone app.

The event where Amazon announced Alexa+ was not livestreamed to the public, but I got a chance to attend and see the new chatbot in action in limited hands-on demos. Here are five new features that stood out to me.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's AI-powered Alexa+ is real and it's coming this year 5 things Amazon Alexa+ can do for you

It would be easier to list the things Alexa+ can't do, but that's not as fun.

Hold a conversation

By far, the most noteworthy thing about Alexa+ is how easy it seems to talk to. Anyone who has used an older-style chatbot like the previous version of Alexa or Siri knows that you have to alter your way of speaking most of the time to get what you want. You typically can't talk to these things like you would talk to another person, or else they get confused.

That doesn't seem to be the case with Alexa+, at least based on the demos I saw. It's remarkably conversational, able to sift through a somewhat rambling voice prompt and find the relevant info it needs to complete a request...most of the time. I saw Alexa+ give a public speaking pep talk on how to present a new tech product to 250 journalists, offer analysis of the Boston Red Sox offseason, and even remember dietary preferences and restrictions for someone in the user's contacts.

SEE ALSO: 7 chores to unload on Alexa

I paid close attention to how Alexa+ receives voice prompts, and what stood out to me the most was that even if it got a name, word, or phrase wrong, it was almost always still able to logically respond to the prompt in question.

Draft and send messages to people

Amazon focused heavily on agentic AI features for Alexa+, including the ability to draft and send text messages and emails to contacts. This is not especially new or revolutionary given the recent agentic AI explosion in the tech world, but it's still worth talking about.

At the presentation, Amazon was quick to point out that tons of third-party apps, like Uber, work with Alexa+. As an example, a live stage demo was conducted where the presenter was able to make a restaurant reservation, arrange an Uber ride from the airport to the restaurant for someone he was planning to meet, and then send a text message with details about the reservation and Uber ride to the person in question. Of course, these are things you can do manually in just a few minutes, but Alexa+ gives you the ability to do it in seconds via voice prompts.

Just, you know, don't rely on that too much. Your friends want to text you, not a robot.

Receive and analyze documents

One feature that really makes Alexa+ stand out is its ability to work with documents. For instance, you can upload a PDF of your kid's soccer schedule to Alexa+, and the voice assistant can retain information from it, as well as reference that information in voice prompts later. "Alexa, when and where is my daughter's soccer game this weekend, again?" should give you a usable answer if you've uploaded the schedule.

In a live stage demo, a presenter uploaded a long, arcane list of rules from her homeowner's association. She asked Alexa+ if she could legally install solar panels on her home, and instead of having to search through pages of legalese, she was able to get that information in seconds. That seems really useful — until it gets something wrong. I didn't see that happen in person, but it's inevitable.

Find music and movies for you

Do you vaguely remember some details about a song you heard once or a movie you saw years ago but nothing else? Alexa+ can help out.

In one demo, a presenter was able to pull up "Shallow" from the most recent adaptation of A Star Is Born by simply asking for something like "that one duet song Bradley Cooper sings." In another demo, a different presenter was able to get a list of artists and songs that sample Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight." The A Star Is Born demo had an especially flashy moment where the presenter asked to be taken to the scene in the movie that the song is from, and it instantly loaded the movie in Prime Video, right at that scene.

Again, this is something you can do relatively quickly if you're good at using Google, but it's nice to have options.

Raise your kids?

It's easy to see the utility in all of the above features, even if some of them arguably encourage laziness and remove the fun of finding things on your own. This one, if I may be frank, is a little bit troubling.

Put simply, Alexa+ can do some of the things that parents traditionally do with their kids. Specifically, it can automatically generate bedtime stories based on voice prompts, complete with AI-generated art that looks really ugly in the way all AI-generated art usually looks. There was also a sizzle reel of kids asking Alexa+ the kinds of random, curious questions they usually ask their parents out of nowhere, like, "Do fish get lonely?"

I don't know about all of that. One could argue that there are real benefits to raising your children yourself instead of asking a chatbot to do it. But if that's how you want to live, Alexa+ can handle it.

The Big Island is home to one of the most lively volcanoes on Earth. And you can see why.

Hawaii's youngest and most active volcano, Kilauea, has been erupting lava for decades, adding hundreds of acres to the island since 1983. A recent eruption episode inside its sizable pit crater, Halema'uma'u, shows how lava can vigorously erupt from the volcano, located on the southeastern shore of the island of Hawaii. United States Geological Survey researchers with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory filmed impressive fountains of lava shooting from the ground — indicative of Kilauea's dynamic volcanism.

"This one went to 11...," the USGS Volcanoes account posted on X.

SEE ALSO: What will happen when the next supervolcano erupts, according to NASA

"This clip shows a view of 600-foot-high lava fountains from episode 11 of the ongoing eruption of Kīlauea," the USGS said. "The episode started at 6:26 p.m. HST on February 25, and paused at 7:06 a.m. HST on February 26. Make sure you have the volume turned up..."

Tweet may have been deleted A map showing the location of Hawaii's Kilauea and its past lava flows. Credit: NPS / USGS

This latest eruptive episode, occurring atop the volcano's lava-blanketed summit inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, began on Dec. 23, 2024. The volcanic episodes have lasted from 13 hours to over 8 days. They're naturally awesome and intense, but relatively normal for Kilauea. Today, 90 percent of the volcano is covered in lava that's less than 1,000 years old.

The source of magma (underground lava) for Hawaiian volcanoes like Kilauea is a stationary "hot spot," a place underneath Earth's crust where rocks melt and then regularly ooze out, flowing up to the surface through subterranean channels. You can watch Kilauea's roiling volcanic activity live on a USGS webcam, day and night.

And future denizens of Earth may witness Kilauea's even younger sibling, Lo'ihi, which currently erupts lava thousands of feet beneath the surface, in the Pacific Ocean. It, too, may one day spray stunning fountains of lava into the air.

Here's hoping this year's tax refund hits hard and soon: Preorder listings for over three dozen Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 Series gaming laptops from Asus, HP, Lenovo, MSI, and Razer are now live across the web.

Some models' release dates weren't available at the time of writing, but the ones that were showed shipping timelines in late March to late May. Even more models are in the pipeline, according to a Nvidia press release.

The launches come a little over a month and a half after Nvidia announced its latest graphics cards with new Blackwell architecture during a CES 2025 keynote, including the RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, and 5070, promising "game-changing performance" and the ability to "power transformative AI experiences." An RTX 5060 Ti is rumored to be coming but hasn't been confirmed yet.

Among the current selection of RTX 50 Series laptops, prices range from $1,899.99 to $3,199.99 for a 5070 Ti model, $2,499.99 to $4,999.99 for a 5080 variant, and $3,999.99 to a staggering $5,999.99 for a 5090 machine. (Jump scare!) The preorder listings for the sole two 5070 laptops I spotted were still marked as "coming soon," but they'll go for $1,599.99 and $1,999.99.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops of 2025 no matter your budget

As things currently stand, the average price of a newly or soon-to-be available RTX 50 Series laptop is just under $3,500. Savvy shoppers might consider deferring to a 40 Series model to save some cash, or putting their money toward a nice desktop gaming PC instead — at least until these fresh configurations start going on sale.

That said, tariffs could push their prices even higher down the road. As our sister site PCMag reported earlier this month, the online tech retailer Newegg cited President Donald Trump's 10 percent tariffs on goods from China as the reason for its price hikes on standalone RTX 5090 and 5080 graphics cards. (Nvidia itself has declined to comment on potential tariff-induced price hikes, per PCMag.) I'll be keeping a close eye on RTX 50 Series laptops' pricing and availability during and after their preorder phase.

Read on for an ongoing list of all the models that are now available for purchase in Asus, HP, and Razer's online storefronts, and at retailers like Antonline, Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Newegg.

Asus The Intel-powered variants of the Asus ROG Strix G18 have full-surround Aura RGB lighting that looks pretty rad. Credit: Asus

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,499.99, ships in late April

• Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,699, ships April 30

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,799.99, ships in late April

• Asus ROG Strix G18 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,999.99

• Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,299.99, ships March 31

• Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,399.99, ships March 31

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,399.99

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,599.99, ships in late March

• Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,299.99, ships May 26

• Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,499.99, ships May 26

HP HP's new Omen Max 16 is plugged as the company's "most powerful gaming laptop ever." Credit: HP

• HP Omen Max 16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,699.99, ships March 13

Lenovo The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has been redesigned for 2025 with a new cooling system, including chunky rear exhaust vents with RGB lighting. Credit: Lenovo

• Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, Gen 10 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,649.99, ships May 26

• Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, Gen 10 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,299.99, ships April 15

• Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, Gen 10 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275X, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $3,399.99, ships May 26

• Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, Gen 10 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275X, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $3,999.99, ships May 26

MSI MSI's Titan, Raider, Vector, and Stealth series of gaming laptops all now feature 16- or 18-inch size options. (Pictured here is the 18-inch MSI Titan 18 HX AI.) Credit: MSI

• MSI Vector 16 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 16GB RAM, 512 GB SSD) — $1,899.99, ships April 30

• MSI Vector 16 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,499.99, ships March 31

• MSI Vector 16 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,599, ships March 30

• MSI Vector 16 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,749.99, ships April 30

• MSI Vector A18 HX (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,899.99, ships April 30

• MSI Stealth 18 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nviida GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,999.99, ships April 30

• MSI Vector 16 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,199

• MSI Vector A18 HX (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,399.99, ships March 31

• MSI Stealth A18 AI+ (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,899.99, ships March 31

• MSI Stealth 18 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,999.99, ships March 31

• MSI Raider A18 HX (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,099.99, ships March 31

• MSI Stealth 18 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,399.99, ships March 31

• MSI Raider 18 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,499

• MSI Stealth A18 AI+ (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,599.99, ships March 31

• MSI Raider 18 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,899

• MSI Titan 18 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 96GB RAM, 4TB SSD) — $4,999.99, ships March 31

• MSI Raider A18 HX (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $5,099.99, ships March 31

• MSI Titan 18 HX AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 96GB RAM, 6TB SSD) — $5,999.99, ships March 31

Razer Razer claims its new Blaze 16 is "the thinnest gaming laptop ever designed." Credit: Razer

All Razer Blade 16 preorders come with a Razer USB-C Dock and an X-Ray Chroma Razer Skin (a $179.98 combined value) for free. Shoppers who preorder the Razer Blade 18 will receive a free Razer Laptop Stand Chroma and a free X-Ray Chroma Razer Skin (a $194.98 total value).

• Razer Blade 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,799.99, ships April 30

• Razer Blade 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $3,199.99, ships April 14

• Razer Blade 18 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $3,199.99, ships April 30

• Razer Blade 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,499.99, ships April 14

• Razer Blade 18 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $3,699.99, ships April 30

• Razer Blade 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,199.99, ships April 30

• Razer Blade 18 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,499.99, ships April 30

• Razer Blade 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 4TB SSD) — $4,599.99, ships April 30

• Razer Blade 18 (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 4TB SSD) — $4,899.99, ships April 30

Other models coming soon

Shoppers can sign up for availability notifications on each model's product page.

• Asus TUF Gaming A16 (AMD Ryzen 9 270, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,599.99

• Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,799.99

• Asus ROG Strix G16 (AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,899.99

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,999.99

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,199.99

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,399.99

• Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,849.99

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,199.99

• MSI Raider A18 HX A9W (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,899

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,399.99

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,599.99

• MSI Raider A18 HX A9W (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,899

In Running Point's second episode, Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) faces a major problem. She's just been named president of the Los Angeles Waves basketball team, taking over for her brother Cam (Justin Theroux) while he's in rehab. But the revelation of Cam's drug misuse has led the Waves' biggest sponsor, the conservative (and fictional) Snoozepedic Beds, to drop their support.

SEE ALSO: 'Running Point' review: Mindy Kaling's latest combines 'Ted Lasso,' 'Succession,' and basketball

Now, it's up to Isla to secure a new sponsor. And by the episode's end, she's turned to a very real company to get the job done: Sephora.

The way Isla sees it, having Sephora as the Waves' primary sponsor will be a nice break from the "typical dude bro brands" that usually back men's professional basketball teams. Plus, she points out that it's a solid marketing tactic for the Waves' female audience.

"Our analysis shows that women make up one-third of all basketball viewers," Isla tells the Sephora CMO. "That means, on any given night, say we have six million people watching a game, that's two women who all want to have glassy skin and a tight eyebrow game. And they're gonna see your logo every night. You have the ability to tap into a market that's never been touched!"

The Sephora deal ends up going through in Running Point, resulting in some initially misogynistic reactions from some of the Waves players. But Running Point isn't the only place where Sephora has thrown its weight behind professional basketball. In real life, the makeup brand serves as the official beauty partner of Unrivaled, a professional women's three-on-three league that kicked off its inaugural season on Jan. 17, 2025. Unrivaled features big-name players like co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, as well as Angel Reese, Sabrina Ionescu, and more.

On top of running ads during games and having on-court signage, Sephora equips Unrivaled's glam room. Plus, their logo is featured prominently on the referees' uniforms, earning them the nickname of "Sephora refs" on social media.

The basketball and Sephora crossover doesn't end there! On Jan. 9, 2025, Sephora Canada also announced that it would the first founding partner of the Toronto Tempo, Canada's first WNBA team, which begins play in the 2026 season. Sephora's presence in both the WNBA and Unrivaled is proof of brands seeing the monetary potential in women's basketball, especially following the WNBA's record-setting 2024 season. (Further proof lies in Unrivaled's extensive list of sponsorships, which includes big names like Samsung Galaxy, State Farm, and Sprite.)

Running Point was shot in 2024, well before any of these deals were announced, meaning it basically predicted the future — just for the wrong league! But maybe seeing one of the show's plotlines play out in real-time in women's sports could encourage co-creators Mindy Kaling, Elaine Ko, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen to incorporate a storyline about women's basketball in future Running Point seasons.

Running Point is now streaming on Netflix. Unrivaled airs on TNT and TruTV and streams on B/R Sports on Max.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each one!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, animation, and more.

But if you're seeking something brand spanking new (or new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

SEE ALSO: The best Netflix TV shows of 2024

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're looking for a crypto heist movie, a Lord of the Rings anime, a ghost-centred haunted house tale, or a look at the role that could win Timothée Chalamet an Oscar, we've got something just for you.

Here's what's new on streaming, from worst to best.

Featured Video For You 'A Complete Unknown' cast talks Dylan, Suze Rotolo, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger Honorable mention: The Oscars

It's here! The the 97th Academy Awards will take over the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, with Hollywood set to celebrate the biggest films of the year. With Conan O'Brien set to host, the ceremony will see Oscar nominees including Best Picture hopefuls Anora, The Brutalist, Nickel Boys, A Real Pain, Dune: Part Two, Wicked, Emilia Pérez, Conclave, A Complete Unknown, The Substance, and I'm Still Here yearning for that iconic gold statue. And yes, you can watch it without cable. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

How to watch: The 97th Academy Awards are streaming live on ABC.com or the ABC app via your pay TV service provider, but the ceremony will simultaneously stream on Hulu.

7. September 5

The 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis and massacre is rendered in docudrama form in September 5. Director Tim Fehlbaum presents the events — in which 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and later murdered by Palestinian militant group Black September, demanding the release of 236 Palestinian prisoners — from the perspective of an ABC sports broadcasting team covering the situation in real time.

As Siddhant Adlakha wrote in his review for Mashable, "An unremarkable real-world thriller, September 5 fails on numerous fronts: both as a film re-telling the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis, and as a journalistic retrospective about TV broadcasting. It arrives with renewed relevance in light of constant, harrowing news from Palestine, but the movie's narrowed focus — almost entirely confining the plot to the real-time developments within ABC's Munich newsroom — is a blinkered approach that ends up saying little about the events either in retrospect, or as they unfolded in the moment." — S.C.

Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch, Zinedine Soualem, Georgina Rich, Corey Johnson, Marcus Rutherford, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Adeosun

How to watch: September 5 is streaming on Paramount+ Feb. 25.

6. Cold Wallet

Who needs to steal cash in the age of cryptocurrency? Steven Soderbergh presents a chilly heist movie about a motley band of thieves looking to hijack a "cold wallet," the super cyber-protected hoard of a deceitful tech billionaire.

Far from Ocean's Eleven, Billy (Raúl Castillo) and his crew aren't slick master criminals. They're Redditors who bought into what crypto kingpin Charles Hegel (Josh Brener) was selling. So when they feel robbed, it only feels fitting to plot a home invasion to retrieve what's theirs. But this weaselly hostage proves a lot to handle. Studded with slapstick humor and suspense, Cold Wallet is a timely thriller with a raw appeal. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Raúl Castillo, Melonie Diaz, Tony Cavalero, Josh Brener, and Zoe Winters

How to watch: Cold Wallet is available for purchase on Apple TV+.

5. Strange Darling

A one-night stand goes horrifyingly sideways in Strange Darling, a serial killer cat-and-mouse game from director J.T. Mollner. Told in a series of nonlinear chapters, the sumptuously shot film is an intriguing puzzle where nothing is really as it seems. For that reason, it's best to go in with as little knowledge as possible and experience Strange Darling's twists and turns for yourself. Whether you'll find them rewarding or predictably played-out (as I did) is a toss-up, but Strange Darling's intriguing structure, as well as strong leading performances from Willa Fitzgerald (The Fall of the House of Usher) and Kyle Gallner (Smile), make this indie horror movie worth checking out. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Barbara Hershey, and Ed Begley Jr.

How to watch: Strange Darling is streaming on Paramount+ March 1.

SEE ALSO: The 22 best horror movies of 2024, and where to watch them 4. Running Point

Running Point feels like the love child of Ted Lasso and professional basketball — with a little bit of Succession's billionaire family dysfunction sprinkled in for good measure. Created by Mindy Kaling, Elaine Ko, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen, the series centers on the Gordon family, owners of the Los Angeles Waves (a fictionalized version of the Los Angeles Lakers). When president Cam (Justin Theroux) has to step down, he appoints his sister Isla (Kate Hudson) in his stead. The only woman in the very competitive Gordon family, Isla has long been pushed aside despite her basketball knowledge. But can she rise to the occasion and turn around a failing team?

What follows is a delightful comedy led by Hudson's powerhouse performance and bolstered by a winning ensemble that includes Brenda Song, Drew Tarver, and Scott MacArthur. As I wrote in my review, Running Point is "a sharp comedy that skewers both professional basketball and dysfunctional families with glee. Here's hoping it joins Never Have I Ever as another multi-season Kaling Netflix series. It has all the right pieces, and with a little more time, it could cement itself as an absolute slam dunk." — B.E

Starring: Kate Hudson, Brenda Song, Drew Tarver, Scott MacArthur, Fabrizio Guido, Toby Sandeman, Chet Hanks, Max Greenfield, Jay Ellis, and Justin Theroux

How to watch: Running Point is streaming on Netflix Feb. 27.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Middle-earth gets an anime makeover in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, this epic prequel takes us 183 years into the past to a war-torn Rohan, where King Helm Hammerhand (voiced by Brian Cox) and his daughter Héra (Gaia Wise) must defend the Rohirrim from the Dunlending lord Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) and his armies. Their fight for survival will take them back to the Hornburg for one mighty last stand.

While The War of the Rohirrim contains its fair share of Easter eggs tied to Peter Jackson's original trilogy, it works best when it takes risks in order to separate itself from the pack of J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations. As I wrote in my review, "It's the ways in which The War of the Rohirrim stands out from Jackson's films — like the use of anime and the psychologically-focused siege sequence — that allows The War of the Rohirrim to truly carve out its own space in onscreen portrayals of Middle-earth." — B.E.

Starring: Miranda Otto, Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino, Lorraine Ashbourne, and Shaun Dooley

How to watch: The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is streaming on Max Feb. 28.

2. Presence

Seeking something uniquely unnerving? Then let Presence into your home viewing. 

Director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp, who made the tech thriller Kimi and the upcoming spy thriller Black Bag together, re-teamed for a haunted house story not quite like any we've seen before. Presence is told from the perspective of the ghost at its center, with Soderbergh operating the camera as the unseen resident of a suburban home full of turmoil. While the family of four who lives there argues, the ghost listens in, dying to be heard. But what happens when the presence makes contact will awe you.

In my review of Presence, I called it "a remarkable union of a clever concept and a superb execution…Soderbergh's steady hand is so mindful in its performance that you can practically feel the expressions of a face you cannot see. The cast expertly builds a believable and complex family bond while effortlessly completing choreographed blocking. And Koepp delivers a final act that is stomach-churningly tense yet tender. All of this collides to make a sublimely realized ghost story that is easily one of the best films of the year." — K.P.

Starring: Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland, and Julia Fox

How to watch: Presence is available for purchase on Prime Video.

1. A Complete Unknown

Ahead of the Oscars, James Mangold's eight-time Academy Award nominated biopic about the enigmatic Bob Dylan is available on digital. So you can enjoy Timothée Chalamet's SAG Award-winning performance from the comfort of home. But turn up the volume to truly allow the '60s soundtrack of rebellion and heartache wash over you.

In my review for A Complete Unknown, I praised Chalamet's "irritating" performance, as well as how writer/director Mangold held space for other major figures in folk, like Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) and Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro). I wrote, "Each of these performances masterfully fleshes out these figures so they exist beyond their connection to Dylan. You can see how they tie together, how it hurts when he cuts that tie, but also that each is a tapestry even without him. This, above all else, makes A Complete Unknown remarkable, setting it apart from countless dramas about an abusive (and always male) creative genius whose bad behavior is effectively shrugged off as the cost of art." — K.P.

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, and Scoot McNairy

How to watch: A Complete Unknown is available for purchase on Prime Video.

* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list.