IT General

If you've seen Heretic, chances are high you'll never see Hugh Grant the same way again. 

This ominous, brazenly academic, and complex A24 horror film from co-writers/co-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place) quite literally traps you in a maze of unspoken threat, religious debate, and blueberry pie, with Grant's horribly hospitable Mr. Reed proving one of the more surprising villains in modern horror.

SEE ALSO: What to watch: Best scary movies

But how about that ending? What actually happened with the big reveal, and what was with that final moment? We're going to dig into the unsettling details of the ending of Heretic, so consider this your massive spoiler warning.

What's Heretic about? Credit: A24

On a dark and stormy afternoon, Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are assigned to visit addresses who've previously signed up for further information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Next on their list is Mr. Reed (Grant), who invites them in on the socially appropriate premise that his wife's baking in the next room.

Mr. Reed seems quite charming at first, engaging the pair in a deep conversation about faith and how "religion isn't at the centre of culture anymore." But it soon becomes apparent that there's something off; for example, this self-described scholar of religion may brandish a "hubby" mug, but his wife is nowhere to be seen. It's not until Mr. Reed reveals his more sinister methods of testing one's faith and enlightenment that the two women realise they're in real danger. In order to leave the house, Mr. Reed insists they choose one of two doors, one labeled "belief" and one labeled "disbelief." But where do they lead?

What happens at the end of Heretic? Credit: A24

The end of Heretic is a whirl of tense debate over belief and reality, gut-churning reveals, and violent ends. But it's also simply a man craving ultimate control over women, and masking his homicidal desires with long-winded lectures on the pitfalls and catches of modern religion.

After a terrifying ordeal and a vicious attack on Barnes, Paxton adopts her friend's strategy to "challenge" Mr. Reed, changing her tact from survival-based politeness to one of a more aggressive exchange. She debates the concept of belief with him, before accusing him of being a charlatan — the "miracle" they were forced to watch in Mr. Reed's basement was a ruse. Paxton figures out there has to be another entrance into the basement to test her theory, and finds a trapdoor. She's encouraged yet again by Mr. Reed to test her faith and decides to climb down into it, though she really has no choice at this point.

There, she finds the nucleus of Mr. Reed's sinister operation: a tunnel emblazoned with sinister occult symbols that leads to a freezing cold room. Here, she discovers multiple women imprisoned in cages, in extremely poor health and starving. Paxton was right. Every time Mr. Reed traps a woman in his maze-house, he poisons another via pie to "demonstrate" the miracle to the newly trapped, replacing them with one of the women in the cages. The macabre switcheroo lets him seemingly play God over and over again — while taking notes. Mr. Reed probably signs up for "more information" to lure religious representatives to his home, and the whole thing works like clockwork; the lights are timed, the locks are automatic, and the script is set.

Paxton is "allowed" to find these women by Mr. Reed so he can gleefully declare the true religion: control. He follows her through another door into the caged area for his "a-ha!" moment. But she stabs him with her concealed letter opener and uses his exit to escape. However, she gets lost in the maze-like house, retreating to the basement. There, Paxton is stabbed by a suddenly reappearing Mr. Reed, who took the tunnel. Bleeding, she does one thing he did not expect: She prays. As she does, Barnes suddenly stabs Mr. Reed with the nail board in her final act. Paxton musters the strength to return to the study where she uses Mr. Reed's wooden house map to find a small vent to crawl out through, and she stumbles through the woods to freedom. Finally, a butterfly lands on her finger, then disappears.

What's Mr. Reed's actual motivation here? Credit: A24

Earlier in the film, when they're first invited in, Mr. Reed asks the missionaries their thoughts on one big question: "What is the one true religion?" It keeps coming up over the course of the film, with Mr. Reed confessing he's tried "every sect, cult, and doctrine" out there looking for the answer, trawling ancient history and modern religions, and eventually coming to one conclusion: Control is the one true religion. Essentially, Mr. Reed is practicing contrived experiments in his macabre basement theatre to "prove" this, after lengthy mansplaining monologues about Monopoly, Jar Jar Binks, and Radiohead to bolster his arguments.

Mr. Reed has built a maze-like trap for faith-driven women, one that manipulates them into doubting their beliefs as a distraction from the fact that they're being held captive by a homicidal man. "It's easy to control someone who's lost everything," he says. The number of women under Mr. Reed's control also nods to the very first question he asked of Barnes and Paxton in the living room: "How do you feel about polygamy?" It's a foreshadowing you may have glossed over, but an uncomfortable opener nonetheless.

At the end of the day, this is a man who wants to exercise power over women. Ultimately, it's not about religion, and it's not about faith; it's about violent, male control. From the moment Barnes and Paxton entered Mr. Reed's metal-lined, deadlocked house, he knew he had a literally captive audience for his findings.

However, they outwitted him, with Barnes making a final sacrifice to save her friend.

What's the deal with the butterfly? Credit: A24

At the very end of the film, we see Paxton stumbling through the woods in her final escape from Mr. Reed's house. In the final frames, a butterfly lands on her finger, then disappears.

It's likely the butterfly is a representation of her fallen friend, Barnes, who was present in an earlier scene when the three discussed what happens when we die. Paxton had said she would like to be reincarnated as a butterfly, and that she'd land on the tips of the fingers of her loved ones to make sure they knew it was her. Barnes may have been trying to let Paxton know she was with her. 

Alternatively, Paxton just had a near-death experience, so perhaps the butterfly is a representation of herself, on another plane of existence, checking in. 

As the butterfly disappears almost immediately, we're left in an ambiguous state of whether Paxton saw what she wanted to see (affirming that believing is seeing) or not. Was her hallucination proof of belief or a fabricated vision?

Heretic is now streaming on Max.

UPDATE: Mar. 5, 2025, 3:19 p.m. EST This was first published on Nov. 9, 2024. It has been updated to reflect streaming options.

What would happen if any of Hugh Grant's famed rom-com characters — think William from Notting Hill or the prime minister from Love Actually — trapped you in a house of horrors? That's not too far off from what you'll get in Heretic, the latest horror offering from writer-director duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place, 65).

Yes, Grant has leaned further into villain archetypes in the past few years, from Paddington 2's egotistical Phoenix Buchanan to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' roguish Forge. But no film has weaponized his talents to as frightening an extent as Heretic. Here, you'll witness Grant both as you've never seen him before (downright terrifying!) and exactly as you've seen him before (charming with a side of self-deprecation). The combination is downright bone-chilling, with Grant's performance providing nonstop terror even as Heretic's theological frights remain fairly surface level.

SEE ALSO: Hugh Grant will scare your socks off in exclusive 'Heretic' clip What's Heretic about? Hugh Grant in "Heretic." Credit: A24

Grant plays Mr. Reed, a seemingly friendly man who opens his door to Mormon missionaries Sister Paxton (The Fabelmans' Chloe East) and Sister Barnes (Yellowjackets' Sophie Thatcher). The pair have already had a rough day of lugging their bikes up and down steep stairs, getting made fun of by local teenage girls, and weathering the beginnings of a gnarly rainstorm. After all that, Mr. Reed's genuine interest in the Mormon Church is just the pick-me-up they need. And while mission rules forbid them from being alone with him without a woman present, he insists that his shy wife is just in the kitchen whipping up a marvelous blueberry pie. That's all the confirmation Paxton and Barnes need to enter his home and start teaching him about their faith.

Once inside, though, the red flags start piling up. Turns out Mr. Reed knows quite a bit about Mormonism. Look no further than his heavily marked-up copy of the Book of Mormon. ("More like Mr. Read," Paxton jokes, desperate to land her first baptism.) Then there are his pointed probes about Mormon founder Joseph Smith and polygamy. At first glance, these could just be mistaken for run-of-the-mill religious skepticism. But when coupled with personal questions about the death of Barnes' father, it's clear something more sinister is afoot. From here, all Heretic needs is one push — in this case, the reveal that "Mrs. Reed" is nothing more than a blueberry-scented lie — to send Paxton and Barnes hurtling into hell.

SEE ALSO: 25 of the best Christmas horror movies to haunt your holiday

"Hell" of course being the back section of Mr. Reed's house, which includes a chapel he built himself, as well as two staircases — one marked "belief," the other "disbelief" — leading down into the darkness. These staircases become the focal point for a religious battle of wits, as Mr. Reed tests the Sisters' faith to its limit.

Heretic's religious horror is not the scariest thing about it. Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher in "Heretic." Credit: A24

Most of this battle of wits plays out in conversation, with Heretic quickly cementing itself as the chattiest horror movie of the year. (While introducing Heretic at this year's Fantastic Fest, Beck and Woods said they created it as the inverse to A Quiet Place, which created scares without any dialogue.) As Mr. Reed lures Paxton and Barnes deeper into his web, each conversational turn and cutting question become cause for more and more dread. Yet that's less due to the actual content of the conversations, and more about Beck and Woods' claustrophobic direction of this three-hander. Tight close-ups on Mr. Reed, Paxton, and Barnes' faces keep us locked into their discussion, while the single-location setting reminds us that there is no escape.

Ostensibly, the theological debate that this trio engages in is meant to be the meat of Heretic's horror, as Paxton and Barnes reckon with their relationship to God in a time of crisis. But the film's religious discourse is mostly skin-deep — albeit fun.

SEE ALSO: 10 terrifying religious horror movies you can stream right now

Take, for example, a show-stopping monologue from Grant, delivered like a sermon from his own pulpit, about the iterative connections between everything from religion to Monopoly to Lana Del Rey. (A Jar Jar Binks impression makes its way in there too, and Grant makes a delightful meal of it, as he does with everything else in the film.) The actual messaging about religion being nothing more than an elaborate marketing farce isn't particularly groundbreaking — you could just as easily find these ideas on any atheist message board. It's the way Grant delivers it, with all the panache of a smarmy debate bro, that really sets your teeth on edge.

That's because Heretic mines its greatest scares not from its questions about religion, but from the age-old truth that it's just really terrifying to be a woman alone with a strange man. Especially when that strange man combines the mannerisms of rom-com Hugh Grant with the trap-loving sensibilities of Saw's John Kramer.

Hugh Grant in Heretic is some of the best horror casting in recent memory. Hugh Grant in "Heretic." Credit: A24

The root of Heretic's true horror begins with Grant's performance. Here, the actor is fully in what'd we consider to be his rom-com mode, employing the tricks he uses in his romantic roles. Mr. Reed is all affable grins and shrugs, politely tripping over his words, then mugging apologetically when he mixes up names or asks an uncomfortable question. He seems almost sorry to be asking Barnes and Paxton to head into his creepy basement, when in reality he's in total control.

That knowing lack of acknowledgment of his control carries over into Beck and Woods' script. While some of Heretic's religious musings can feel overwritten, Mr. Reed's social manipulation of the Sisters is spot-on. He claims, time and time again, that he isn't pressuring them — never mind the fact that he's locked them in his house. He accuses Barnes and Paxton of getting too worked-up, discounting their very valid fears about him. Who can stay calm when a man is, once again, coercing them into his basement?

East and Thatcher play Paxton and Barnes' reactions perfectly, with the pair attempting to defuse the situation without upsetting Mr. Reed. Their discomfort comes through at first in small ways. Thatcher's firmer Barnes refuses a drink from Mr. Reed, while East's sweet, more unsure Paxton responds to most of his questions through awkward giggles. But as the cracks in Mr. Reed's façade begin to show, the panic becomes ever clearer on the Sisters' faces, even as they try to remain polite. Repeated questions to meet Mrs. Reed become shorthand for terror. Paxton and Barnes invent excuses to try to extricate themselves. Later, they dull down their intelligence and beliefs in an attempt to appeal to what they think Mr. Reed wants from them — Paxton even thanks him as she begins her descent downstairs. It's a stomach-churning, yet all-too relatable moment of panicked nicety in a film full of them. How do you push away a man who won't allow you to remove yourself from his vicinity? A man who wants to use his religious beliefs to control and mold you to his will — again, sound familiar?

These scenes of Paxton and Barnes diminishing themselves make the moments when they fight back all the sweeter. They choose to meet Mr. Reed on his own intellectual turf, challenging him on his clearly well-rehearsed points. And whether or not you agree with Mr. Reed's religious beliefs or the Sisters', each rebuttal of theirs hits hard by virtue of them facing down their captor.

Heretic's dialogue — no matter how high school debate-y it threatens to get — is delivered with such malevolent fun by Grant and such ferocity by East and Thatcher that by the time the film falls into more traditional slasher mode, it's a shame to part with these conversations. Frightening reveals and boatloads of religious and occult iconography (much of it delivered in impressively crafted statues and images throughout Mr. Reed's house) certainly get the blood pumping. But they're something you could see in any religious horror movie. What really sets Heretic apart is Grant, the absolute monster of a man he plays, and just how awfully familiar that man is.

Heretic is now streaming on Max.

UPDATE: Mar. 5, 2025, 3:15 p.m. EST This review was first published on Nov. 8, 2024. It has been updated to reflect streaming options.

The second feature by Zambian-Welsh director Rungano Nyoni, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is a brilliantly wry film of funeral traditions and familial idiosyncrasies. Tackling dark familial secrets with acerbic wit, it explores a culture of silence around sexual abuse. The result is a fiercely feminist tale filled with powerful observations, told through the eyes of a woman struggling with her commitment to community, as she’s backed into corners by social norms.

While the movie's humor and visual form verge on surreal, a deceptively withheld lead performance by Susan Chardy — who plays Shula, a woman visiting her Zambian hometown after many years abroad — helps ground it within social realism. Nyoni, who was similarly born in Zambia but raised in Britain, strikes this visual and tonal balance with an expert hand right from her opening scenes, which follow the surprising discovery of a dead body on an isolated road.

From there on out, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl sweeps through its mere 99 minutes with clamorous force. Implications eventually give way to revelations, but the story remains rooted in burning questions of how best to challenge a foundational status quo without breaking the bonds of family, recalling films like Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding, but blazing a unique path. 

What is On Becoming a Guinea Fowl about? Credit: Chibesa Mulumba / A24.

The movie's strange but revealing contrasts emerge minutes into its runtime, as Shula drives home from a costume party and discovers the corpse of her uncle — her mother's brother, Fred (Roy Chisha) — lying by the roadside. Dressed in a baggy black outfit reminiscent of '90s Missy Elliot, and wearing a bedazzled helmet that recalls Phantom of the Paradise, Shula exacerbates this visual disconnect with her icy, sardonic expression. When she calls her father (Henry B.J. Phiri) to relay the news, Fred's death isn't even the first thing she brings up.

While her response initially seems mysterious, one of the movie's fleeting hints of surrealist imagery wordlessly unveils what might be going on. As though she were having an out-of-body experience, she briefly sees her younger, adolescent self (played by Blessings Bhamjee) standing over Fred's body with a stern expression, wearing the very same ridiculous costume. It's bizarre, droll, and heartbreaking all at once, hinting at a character stuck in time, unable to move past something.

While the film eventually goes on to detail the reasons for her muted response, it isn't all that hard to put two and two together, especially when her inebriated cousin Nsansa (Elizabeth Chisela) shows up and pokes fun at her deceased relative as he lays nearby, referring to him as a "pervert." Their humor may seem cruel at the outset, but Shula and Nsansa's eyes suppress a lingering anguish that neither of them wants to discuss — or perhaps can't bring themselves to address.

As the days go by, and Fred's extended family arrives for his last rites, Shula reluctantly goes along with the various funeral traditions that involve the subservience of younger women, both to their older aunts — whose collective voice and physical presence envelopes the younger characters — and to the men of the family. It's her duty to cook, for instance, no matter her own emotional state, and she and several other women walk around the house on their knees or on all fours as part of their ritualistic duties, as more relatives gather and scenes grow more cacophonous.

However, as Shula and Nsansa fetch their younger cousin Bupe (Esther Singini) from her college dormitory, the latter's pained demeanor, and a video confession she records, make it all the more urgent for Shula to try and convince her family of who Fred really was, and the things he may have done to his younger female relatives on more than one occasion.

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl creates drama through implication. Credit: Chibesa Mulumba / A24

While the details of Fred's past eventually come to light, Nyoni trusts her viewers to use inference and imagination. In the process, she paints a stark picture of the kind of memories that might be swirling in Shula's mind, as she balances being physically present for the funeral — and being there for her family — while being mentally checked out much of this time for the sake of her sanity.  

The movie's harsh, upsetting soundscape (courtesy of composer Lucrecia Dalt) goes a long way toward crafting its atmosphere, creating an imposing space from which the younger women in the family have to constantly escape in order to breathe. More often than not, Shula, Nsansa, and their friends find themselves hidden away in a closet or pantry in order to steal swigs of alcohol and speak openly about Fred, in ways they cannot in front of the film's extended cast.

It's also worth noting that, while the structural impositions placed on Shula and her cousins are distinctly patriarchal, the men of their family rarely feature on screen. Instead, the constraints placed around the women are the focus, and the audience discovers each as it first appears in matter-of-fact fashion. These cultural curtailments are entirely self-evident, self-perpetuating, and widely understood, but they also serve logistical functions. For example, Shula is made to cook for Fred's young widow, Chichi (Norah Mwansa); someone has to.

The women of Shula's family all gather under one roof and sleep packed like sardines, making it hard to find moments of respite — especially when mourning Fred becomes a collective, at times performative, act. Shula's mother (Doris Naulapwa) cared deeply about her late brother, but the more mourners who gather, the more the lines between genuine affection and the demands of tradition begin to blur, and the more Shula’s extended family becomes concerned with keeping the peace, rather than acting on complaints about their loved ones.

When Shula tries to take a moment for herself, her numerous, yammering aunties yank her back into thick of things, usually at night, though she returns and re-settles into the family’s rhythms without a fuss. She knows this is what she must do, even though what she really wants is to scream from the rooftops about the type of person Fred really was.

Susan Chardy delivers a quiet, powerhouse performance. Credit: Chibesa Mulumba / A24

The first time we see Shula's face — when she removes her bejeweled costume — Chardy's eyes are immediately striking. Her hair is frayed, which compliments the way she embodies a sense of exhaustion and repression. Nyoni's screenplay, which withholds information pivotal to the plot (and to Shula’s emotional state) for lengthy stretches, simply would not work if the movie's lead performance weren't so consistently captivating. 

Chardy's approach to creating Shula is distinctly top-down, from stillness that disguises subtle movement (and movement that overcompensates for a desire to stay still) to her accent work and code-switching. Much of the movie is in Bemba, but for its English-language dialogue, whether Shula speaks with Chardy's natural English accent, or a Zambian accent, or a mix of the two, usually depends on who she's talking to, and with how much emotional force.

Shula is, effectively, a person in flux, who feels as though she has worked hard to escape her hometown — not just physically, but emotionally and socially — but is constantly drawn back into its orbit. Like Nyoni, Chardy was born in Zambia and raised in Britain, and together, they pour their emigrant anxieties into Shula, a woman who floats through the world buoyed by despondent fury at her inability to change the past, or the future.  

To challenge an existing structure isn’t a logistical act, but a deeply human one, and Nyoni unfurls the distressing, amusing, and wholly enrapturing results of engaging with this necessary transformation. Through biting observations, careful camera movement, and performances that flesh out the hidden contours of every scene (and every character dynamic), On Becoming a Guinea Fowl bursts to life in unassuming ways. Though perhaps just as surprising as the movie’s simple visual conception is the complexity with which it arrives at its most powerful scenes, which center on the thin line between complicity and self-preservation, and on the rigid realities of belonging to a community while trying to re-shape it from within. 

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl opens in limited release on March 7, 2025.

UPDATE: Mar. 5, 2025, 4:03 p.m. EST "On Becoming a Guinea Fowl" was reviewed out of its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival. This review was first published on Oct. 10, 2024, and it has been updated to reflect theatrical viewing options.

Plenty of horror films have moments that stay with you, but there aren't many with final images as disturbing as Starve Acre's.

The entire last act of Daniel Kokotajlo's movie — based on Andrew Michael Hurley's novel of the same name — is intense, so much so that you may be struggling to make sense of what in the rabbit-nurturing heck you just witnessed.

To try and help piece together the final happenings of this '70s Yorkshire-set horror, we've broken down all the key questions below, from the legend of Dandelion Jack to what really happened to that poor little boy.

SEE ALSO: The 13 best horror movies of 2023, and where to watch them What's Starve Acre about?

After their young son Owen (Arthur Shaw) dies from an asthma attack, Richard (Matt Smith) and Juliette (Morfydd Clark) both experience strange happenings while struggling to deal with their overwhelming grief. On a sabbatical from the university where he teaches, Richard digs in a nearby field to try and uncover the remaining roots of a legendary tree written about in his abusive father's diaries.

While digging Richard discovers the skeleton of a hare, which he boxes up and takes home — only to find that the creature seems to be slowly regenerating itself whenever he looks at its remains alone.

Juliette, meanwhile, is haunted by depression, guilt, and visions of her son, leading her to be open to a visit from local medium Mrs. Forde (Melanie Kilburn).

A troubled family. Credit: BFI What happens at the end of Starve Acre?

The remains of the hare completely regenerate, and the now-living creature comes back to the house after Richard and Juliette try to release it into the wild. Juliette becomes obsessed with it, believing it to be the manifestation of a Pagan spirit the locals called Dandelion Jack.

Richard, meanwhile, uncovers the remains of the perfectly preserved "Whistling Tree" that his father was obsessed with. His colleague Steven (Robert Emms) comes to help him dig, but Juliette has a vision that Steven has come to take the hare away from her. She takes a knife and murders Steven, before persuading Richard that Dandelion Jack has come to give them a second chance after their son's death.

In the final moments of the film, Richard kills Juliette's visiting sister Harrie (Erin Richards), providing Dandelion Jack with the third sacrifice needed to complete the legend and cross over from the spirit world.

What's the local legend about Dandelion Jack?

Hang on a minute — who's Dandelion Jack? And what exactly is this local legend? We get glimpses of the story in the writings of Richard's father Neil, but the most concise explanation comes from Richard himself when he tells his colleague what the Whistling Tree is meant to be.

"The womb of nature," says Richard. "The pagan's entrance to the spirit world."

One of these spirits is Dandelion Jack. The legend goes that three human sacrifices are needed to open the doorway and let him in: a child, a woman, and a man. In this case Owen is the first sacrifice, then Steven, and then finally Harrie.

What really happened to their son, Owen?

Before he dies, Owen speaks about Dandelion Jack, using the spirit's other name, Jack Grey. He says Jack Grey has been "whistling" to him. The implication is that Dandelion Jack's spirit is able to influence and communicate with members of Richard's family in an attempt to free himself from the spirit world, first telling Owen to do bad things and then causing his mother not to intervene while he's having an asthma attack.

"When Owen had the asthma attack, I didn't freeze up," Juliette tells Richard towards the end of the film. "I had a moment of clarity that we'd be better off without him. And that was thanks to Jack."

It seems as though Dandelion Jack's spirit was pulling the strings all along, with the goal being to make Owen his first sacrifice.

Juliette treats the hare like a new child. Credit: BFI What's the deal with the hare?

The hare seems to be a physical manifestation of Dandelion Jack. Richard discovers the remains while digging near the buried Whistling Tree (the doorway to Jack's spirit world), and the hare regenerates after Owen — the first sacrifice — has been made.

Whether the hare is Jack's final form is unclear. The film ends at the moment when all three sacrifices have been made, and Juliette has just begun to "nurture" (ick) the hare like a child.

Maybe it's for the best that we don't stick around to find out what happens next.

Starve Acre is now streaming on Shudder.

UPDATE: Mar. 5, 2025, 3:29 p.m. EST This was first published on Sept. 6, 2024 It has been updated to reflect streaming options.

TL;DR: A wide range of online courses from Harvard University are available to take for free on edX.

edX is the best place to find online courses from some of the top educational institutions in the world. And this list of famous schools includes Harvard University. It doesn't get much better than that.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Harvard University Harvard University Courses Free at edX Learn More

With President Donald Trump back in the White House, all kinds of media and art will feel like it's commenting on him and his supporters. Some of it will be subtle; Bong Joon Ho's Mickey 17 is not. 

The celebrated director of the scathing satire Parasite returns with a parable set in a future where Earth is a man-made global disaster. There, a failed politician, who has a penchant for pursing his lips when he makes proclamations, launches a spaceship, stocked with many of his devoted followers. They don red baseball caps embroidered with his motto and hope to create a "pure planet" in the stars. 

It's blunt. And honestly, the similarities to America under Trump might hurt any hope for escapism. But notably, Mickey 17 isn't named for the narcissistic billionaire that is its villain. This heart-wrenching and inventive adventure is named for the average Joe who dumb-lucked himself onto a spaceship and into a massive change of fate. 

Robert Pattinson brings Jackass appeal to Mickey 17.  Robert Pattinson is a human printing in "Mickey 17." Credit: Warner Bros.

The backdrop to Mickey 17 is one of global politics, economic inequality, and fearmongering as a recruiting tool. But the core of the story is a good-hearted doofus named Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson). Fleeing a merciless loan shark, Mickey takes any job he can to get off-planet, signing up to be an "expendable" without reading the fine print on his contract. What he's consented to is to become the space colony's one-man crash test dummy. He'll be killed over and over in the name of science, only to be printed out again, with all his memories (of life and death) intact. 

Despite dying being a pretty common part of his routine, Mickey builds a life with the live-wire soldier Nasha (Blink Twice's Naomi Ackie). But after a mission gone weird, he returns to their bed to find not just his lover but another him. Mickey 18 (also played by Pattinson) was printed because the crew assumed Mickey 17 was dead. More bad news: "Multiples" have a bad reputation, which means their simultaneous existence could lead to them both being killed for good, with no more human printings. 

Like Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow (aka Live Die Repeat), Pattinson plays the clown in a daffy death montage, softening the blow of his repeated demise with a mix of physical comedy and a playful score of plinking piano and swooning strings. But where Cruise's army PR man was a cocky son-of-a-bitch, Pattinson's Mickey 17 is a real Jackass. 

In an interview with Empire, Pattison said that he'd attempted to mimic Jackass star Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville in his dual roles of Mickeys 17 and 18, but Bong shot the idea down. Still, fans of the stunts-and-shenanigans franchise might well still hear Steve-O in Pattison's raspy but open-hearted tone. And it's a smart allusion, subtly calling Generation X and millennials to remember the lovable goofball who'd risk his own neck (or nutsack) to please others. It's not that Mickey thinks of himself as noble in his human guinea-pigging. He's just happy to be of use, having little thought he's good for much else. By contrast, Mickey 18 is abrasive and volatile, less inclined to bend a knee to the powers that be. To survive, they must either join forces or turn on each other. And their decisions causes an electrifying upheaval in their space colony.

Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette give Trump with a hint of Okja.  Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette play Kenneth Marshall and his wife Ylfa in "Mickey 17." Credit: Warner Bros.

The two critically acclaimed performers are smartly paired as the braggadocious Kenneth Marshall and his right-hand wife Ylfa. Where the spaceship's inhabitants eat rationed gray sludge and wear uniforms to match, these two relish their lofty status and obscene wealth, dressing in flashy suits bedecked with shiny rivets or dresses so snug and violently colored they're a visual ambush. Like he did in the sci-fi thriller Snowpiercer and the fantasy caper Okja, Bong draws a dramatic contrast between the haughty haves, who feel their desires are exactly what they are owed no matter the human cost, and the gruff but lovable have-nots, who are expected to endure on sludge and scraps. 

Ruffalo embraces the buffoonery of this political performance, wearing distractingly white veneers as he mimics Trump's signature sneer and mercurial nature. Collette's Ylfa is less obviously tied to contemporary American politics. However, her fixation on luxuries — like ornate furnishings and exotic sauces — reflects the consumeristic colonialism that Bong openly condemns across his work. There's a willful lunacy in these heightened portrayals, where the caustic couple urges each other to grisly acts of violence in the name of their planetary conquest. And yet, for as far-flung in the future as Mickey 17 is set, it doesn't feel that far away.

Mickey 17 isn't a playbook of resistance but a parable of hope.  Robert Pattinson and Naomi Ackie play lovers in "Mickey 17." Credit: Warner Bros.

When cultures clash in Bong's movies, they often do so with dark humor and some juicy genre spectacle, a kind of candy-coating to make the medicine go down more easily. Mickey 17 himself is a sugary-sweet hero, whose softness is outright derided by more cynical members of the crew. Yet, this cavalcade of clashing crew mates — including Ackie, Steven Yeun, and Patsy Ferran — bring their own tasty charms through scenes involving kinky sex, party drugs, and animal noises. Then all this is folded into an alien world, where the natives are a compelling cross between pill bugs and elephants, soft and scurrying yet potentially powerful. Unexpectedly, they become a clever mirror of Mickey 17, underestimated but ultimately extraordinary. And in that is the lesson.

Mickey 17 is not hard or smart or even particularly special. He's an average dope who has been snookered by one bad deal after another. But in Mickey 17, he is the hero, thrown into an extraordinary circumstance that challenges him to adapt or die. But adapting doesn't demand becoming hard like 18. And in that Bong offers a ray of hope for those opposing a brutal authority.

The journey Mickey goes on is winding and wild, bucking the conventional flow of a sci-fi action movie, by being only gently sci-fi and barely action. Instead, Mickey 17 plays as a political comedy with cross-genre flare, ultimately urging the audience to see the similarities, and perhaps find our own inner Mickey 17. 

Mickey 17 premieres only in theaters on March 7, 2025.

Now that Lady Gaga has finished sing-narrating the lives of her SNL colleagues, it's time to prepare for Saturday's show with a series of the usual promo skits.

In the video above she joins Bowen Yang for some jokes about everything from Timothée Chalamet to Coachella, ending with a bit where Yang shows her his "Alejandro" tattoo — the Alejandro in question being Alejandro Mayorkas, "the seventh United States secretary of Homeland Security."

"Keep up," says Yang.

SAVE $90: As of March 7, the Apple iPad (10th Generation, 64GB, Wi-Fi) is available for $259.99 at Amazon. That’s 26% off its usual price of $349.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad (10th Gen, 64GB) $259.99 at Amazon
$349 Save $89.01 Get Deal

Fancy a brand new iPad without the Apple tax? According to the listing, the 10th-generation iPad has dropped to $259.99 at Amazon, its lowest price in 30 days. The usual price is $349, so this deal knocks it to something much easier to justify. If your current tablet is lagging, cracked, or outdated, this could be the upgrade you've been waiting for.

The 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display makes everything look sharp and colorful. Watching videos, scrolling through social media, or attempting to get some work done? The screen keeps things crisp. True Tone automatically adjusts brightness based on your surroundings, so you won't get blinded by a too-bright display when checking an email at night.

SEE ALSO: The roborock Qrevo Edge robot vacuum is down to its lowest-ever price

Performance is powered by the A14 Bionic chip, the same one used in the iPhone 12. It's not the latest processor, but it handles day-to-day tasks without a problem. Browsing, streaming, note-taking, and even some light gaming all run smoothly. It's not meant to replace a laptop, but it does the job well for casual use.

This model supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, making it a good choice for students, casual artists, or anyone who prefers handwritten notes. It also works with the Magic Keyboard Folio, which adds a detachable keyboard and a protective back panel. Of course, both accessories are sold separately because Apple loves to keep things interesting.

• Price: $259.99 $349

• Retailer: Amazon

• Display: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina

• Processor: A14 Bionic chip

• Storage: 64GB

• Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6

• Battery Life: All-day battery

• Security: Touch ID

• Pencil Support: Apple Pencil (1st Gen)

• Keyboard Support: Magic Keyboard Folio (sold separately)

WiFi 6 speeds up browsing and streaming, while Touch ID keeps things secure. The battery lasts all day, though that depends on how you use it. A mix of web browsing, video calls, and social media should get you through without needing to charge. A long binge-watch session might be a different story.

At $259.99, this is a great price for a reliable iPad that can handle everyday tasks. These discounts don't always stick around, so now's a good time to grab one if you've been thinking about it.

FREE LEGO: On March 9, build a Lego Steering Wheel model at participating stores and take it home with you for free. Find participating stores here.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego: Free Steering Wheel Learn More

Lego has been particularly generous lately. On Feb. 9, customers had the opportunity to build a Lego Valentine's Day Heart and then take it home with them for free. We made a lot of noise about that free giveaway, mainly because it seemed like the sort of thing that wouldn't happen again for a long time.

How wrong we were.

On March 9 from 12-2 p.m., Lego is running a Steering Wheel make-and-take event intended for participants aged 6+ years. The Lego Steering Wheel model (Formula 1 Collection) will be available on a first come first serve basis at participating locations in the U.S. and Canada, and only while supplies last. Participants are limited to one build each, which seems fair. You can't just turn up early and load up on hundreds of freebies before anyone else.

SEE ALSO: 'Piece By Piece' review: Pharrell Williams finds his happy place in Legoland biopic

What makes this free giveaway extra special is that the Steering Wheel model is not available for purchase. So by taking part, you're getting your hands on an exclusive item for free. That sounds like a pretty good deal to us, particularly for the Formula 1 fans out there.

Build and take home an exclusive Lego Steering Wheel for free on March 9.

Ever since her introduction in Severance's Season 2 premiere, new Lumon hire Miss Huang (Sarah Bock) has been bombarded by a storm of fan theories. Is she a robot? A clone? Why else would a child be on the Severed Floor unless something truly dastardly was going on?

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2, episode 8 drops a game-changing twist about Ms. Cobel

Now, viewers can put their theories to rest, because "Sweet Vitriol," the eighth episode of Severance Season 2, finally confirms why Miss Huang works at Lumon. And while the answer isn't as sci-fi-heavy as robots or clones, it's still fairly sinister.

Miss Huang is basically a Lumon intern, just like Harmony Cobel once was. Sarah Bock in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

"Sweet Vitriol" focuses on Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette), so we actually don't see Miss Huang at all in this episode. However, we do hear a phrase that links the two. On Jan. 22, the Lumon LinkedIn page congratulated Miss Huang for being "this quarter's Wintertide Fellow." Those words pop up again in episode 6, "Attila," when Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) tells Miss Huang, "You cannot graduate from this fellowship until I have deemed you Wintertide material."

Based on the word "fellowship," the exchange with Milchick implies Miss Huang is some kind of intern at Lumon, while "Wintertide" is the standard she must aspire to. But Severance leaves the specifics of Lumon's fellowship up in the air until episode 8.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' creator Dan Erickson breaks down Gemma's 'nightmarish' experience at Lumon

In "Sweet Vitriol," Cobel's Aunt Sissy (Jane Alexander) mentions Cobel's own Wintertide Fellowship as a badge of honor bestowed by Jame Eagan (Michael Siberry) himself. Later, as Cobel looks through her yearbook for the Myrtle Eagan School for Girls, she finds a photo of her accepting the Wintertide Fellowship from Jame. The text below the image states, "Harmony Cobel's outstanding dedication to the Nine Core Values has earned her the distinguished honor of being selected as the Year of Wiles Wintertide Fellow."

So there you have it. When it comes to Miss Huang, there are no clones or robots at play. Just a highly prestigious Lumon internship for people who have been brought up within the cult of Eagan and Lumon, like Cobel was.

That reality is disturbing in and of itself, though. If Miss Huang's upbringing was anything like Cobel's was before she landed the Wintertide Fellowship, she would have essentially been raised by Lumon, molded to fit their standards. Plus, there's the constant reminder that this is "child fucking labor," as Cobel's old flame Hampton (James Le Gros) so aptly describes his and Cobel's time in the ether factory.

SEE ALSO: Can consent exist in 'Severance'?

(The ether mill is also where Kier Eagan and his twin Dieter worked as children according to the story told in "Woe's Hollow," meaning child labor is just another messed-up pillar of Lumon Industries.)

Seeing the way Lumon manipulates children with systems like the Eagan schools and the Wintertide Fellowship serves as a stark reminder of its insidious reach throughout the world. The company isn't content just controlling adults: It has to get its hooks in future generations too. With Miss Huang, we could be seeing a future Cobel — but look at Cobel's life now. Look at how Lumon chewed her up and spat her out. Please, someone break Miss Huang out of Lumon's grasp so she doesn't end up the same way. Let her go play her theremin in peace!

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+, with a new episode every Friday.

After a revelatory episode 7, Severance Season 2 takes a frigid turn in episode 8, "Sweet Vitriol." The episode focuses solely on Harmony Cobel's (Patricia Arquette) icy homecoming to the town of Salt's Neck. Once home to a Lumon ether factory, the town has since deteriorated after the company drained it dry.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' creator Dan Erickson breaks down Gemma's 'nightmarish' experience at Lumon

The Salt's Neck factory is just one of the many puzzle pieces that make up Cobel's history, which we learn about in greater depth throughout all of "Sweet Vitriol." The episode dives into her family life, introducing her fanatical Kier-worshipping Aunt Sissy (Jane Alexander) and touching on her late mother Charlotte, who never bought into the cult of Kier. "Sweet Vitriol" also reveals that Cobel took part in the prestigious Wintertide Fellowship, the very same fellowship Miss Huang (Sarah Bock) is completing at Lumon.

Most importantly, though, Severance drops a major bomb: Cobel is the true inventor of the severance procedure.

Harmony Cobel is the real inventor of severance. Britt Lower and Patricia Arquette in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

In the final scenes of "Sweet Vitriol," Cobel retrieves the very thing she came to Salt's Neck to find: an old notebook. Its pages contain graphs of brain waves — including "standard pre-severed brain waves" — as well as sketches of the severance chip. 

"Mine! My designs!" Cobel yells at Sissy as she leafs through the book. "Circuit blueprint, base code, Overtime Contingency, Glasgow Block. All of it."

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2, episode 8 finally confirms Miss Huang's whole deal

With that, it's clear: Jame Eagan (Michael Siberry) isn't actually the inventor of severance, as Lumon would have the world believe. Instead, it was none other than Cobel, who may have even started work on the concept of severance in her days as a Wintertide fellow. Yet the cult of Kier forbade her from taking ownership of the invention.

"It was told Kier's knowledge is for all," she tells Sissy. "If I sought credit, I would be banished."

So not only does Lumon torture its employees, it also plagiarizes children! What new lows will the company stoop to next?

Cobel inventing severance explains why she was so obsessed with Mark and Gemma. Patricia Arquette in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

"Sweet Vitriol" sets up a fascinating arc for Cobel going forward. Not only does she seem to be willing to help Mark (Adam Scott) and Devon (Jen Tullock) with Mark's reintegration, she also has left Salt's Neck with her old notes. Could she be trying to claim the credit she's owed, decades down the line?

But even more fascinating is how the severance invention reveal re-contextualizes Cobel's earlier obsession with Mark and Gemma/Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman). Throughout Season 1, she found ways to push them together, like having Ms. Casey observe the MDR workers. Cobel was clearly trying to study if either remembered the other from their Outie lives. As a married couple, they were the perfect test subjects to see whether emotions or relationships could bleed through the severance barrier. Her adopted persona, Mrs. Selvig, was another opportunity to see whether Outie Mark's life had changed since his Innie reconnected with another version of Gemma.

SEE ALSO: Can consent exist in 'Severance'?

Cobel could have just been carrying out this strange experiment in the grander service of Lumon, but knowing that she created the severance procedure itself adds a deeper personal stake to it. She was really trying to see if her invention could hold up under the most rigorous tests, if the procedure she created — and can't take credit for — has limits, or if she's created something impenetrable to even love and grief. Has she played god, or is she fallible?

That reasoning is also why reintegration scares her so much. Reintegration risks spilling Lumon secrets, but more than that, it risks undermining her life's work.

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+, with a new episode every Friday.

Episode 8 of Severance Season 2 takes us away from the Lumon factory for a fairly grim trip down memory lane, with Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) heading back to her childhood home to retrieve something important.

The house itself is cold, barren, and unwelcoming, but it does contain a few props and details that help shed more light on why Cobel is the way she is.

From Lumon plaques to old school annuals, we've rounded up some of the things you may have missed.

What clues are there in Harmony Cobel's childhood home?

The first thing we see as Harmony rushes upstairs is a Lumon plaque on the wall. This reads:

Quarterly Striver
4th quarter
Year of Vision

Youth Apprentice Matron
Celestine "Sissy" Cobel

"Sissy" Cobel is presumably Harmony's elderly relative — possibly an aunt? — who's less than happy about her sudden arrival. The wider implication is that Harmony has very much grown up in a Lumon family. The company has always been a part of her life, because it's been part of the lives of the generation above her.

This is emphasized even more in the next room Harmony searches, which contains a shrine to Kier Eagan similar to the one we saw her sitting in front of in Season 1. At the top of the shrine are four statue heads representing the four tempers: woe, frolic, dread, and malice. There's also a news cutting titled "Jame Eagan Assumes Role as Lumon CEO," a poster titled "Work-Life Balance," and cards showing "Lumon's Core Principles." Behind the image of Kier, meanwhile, is a card that reads "YOU MUST BE CUT TO HEAL." All of these things act as a reminder that Lumon is every bit as much of a religious cult as it is a company.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' finally reveals what Lumon is doing to Gemma. It's terrifying.

Finally, when Harmony goes outside to the store, she finds a book titled Annual Reminiscences. The logo at the top is "ME," which apparently stands for the "Myrtle Eagan School for Girls." Inside are photos of a teenage Harmony Cobel with a hockey team, a photo of her as class valedictorian, and finally a picture of her above the heading "Jame Eagan Wintertide Fellowship."

Are any of these small details going to be the key to unlocking Severance's deeper mysteries? Probably not. But they go some way to showing just how deep Lumon's roots go, and how much of an impact the company has had on local communities and the families within them. Episode 8 gives a clear insight into why Harmony is the way she is; she's essentially been groomed by Lumon from a very young age, with the company dominating everything from her education and working life to her religion and home life.

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+, with a new episode every Friday.

MAX BUNDLES: Max is offering a few different bundle deals so you can stream from its library without making a massive dent in your wallet.

The best Max deals and bundles in March 2025: Best Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle $16.99/month with ads, $29.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best Student Discount Max Student Discount Students save 50% on Max Basic With Ads plan Get Deal Best Bundle with Hulu Hulu with Max Add Max to your Hulu base plan from $9.99 per month Get Deal

Some of the most prestigious shows and films live on Max's streaming service. From Game of Thrones to Dune: Part Two and so much more, Max is worth the investment for those looking to dive into the most talked about pieces of entertainment. And with highly-anticipated upcoming shows like the second season of The Last of Us on the horizon, there's no better time than now to start looking at plans and bundles.

The good news is that Max has a few different bundles available at the moment that are worth checking out, including the big bundle with Disney+ and Hulu. With streaming prices on the rise, a bundle like this can be a great way to save some cash while getting access to your favorite services.

SEE ALSO: The best Hulu deals and bundles in March 2025

Alongside that deal and a couple more, we've also broken down Max's standard plans in case you're just interested in its service on its own.

Best Bundle Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Max Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle $16.99/month with ads, $29.99/month ad-free Get Deal Why we like it

The Max, Disney+, and Hulu bundle is a top-tier choice for those looking to have access to some of the biggest streaming services around. Starting at $16.99 per month, this bundle grants you access to Hulu, Disney+, and Max's streaming services for a much lower price than what you'd pay for them on their own. If you've already got Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions, this bundle is worth every cent. If you're interested, there are two plan options to choose from:

• Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle (with ads) — $16.99 per month (save 43%)

• Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle (no ads) — $29.99 per month (save 42%)

Max Student Discount Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Student Discount Students save 50% on Max Basic With Ads plan Get Deal Why we like it

It's always nice when streaming services have a deal for students, and Max's offer is definitely worth taking advantage of. Students who can verify their status with UNiDAYS are eligible to get the Max Basic With Ads plan for just $4.99 per month. That's a 50% discount off its usual price of $9.99 per month. After verifying your status, you'll receive a unique code that can be used to redeem the discounted plan on Max.

• Max Student Discount — $4.99 per month (save 50%)

Best Bundle with Hulu Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu with Max Add Max to your Hulu base plan from $9.99 per month Get Deal Why we like it

If you're not interested in the Disney+, Hulu, and Max mega bundle, you can just get Hulu and Max together if you already have a Hulu base plan, which starts at $9.99 per month. Max (With Ads) can be added onto your plan for $9.99 per month, or you can splash out on the Max (No Ads) plan for $16.99 per month.

• Hulu with Max add-on — from $9.99 per month

Max's monthly plans

Max offers a few different subscription plans. If you don't mind having to sit through ads, Max's Basic With Ads plan starts at $9.99 per month or you can get the annual plan for $99.99 per year, which ultimately saves you $19. If you can't stand ads and don't mind throwing down a bit more cash, the Standard plan will cost you $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year, which saves you $33. If you really want to go big on a Max plan, you can spring for the fancy Premium plan, which costs $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year.

Below we've broken down what comes with each of these plans, per Max's website, so you can know a bit more before you buy.

Basic With Ads — $9.99 per month, $99.99 per year (save $19)

• Stream on two devices at once

• Full HD 1080p resolution

Standard (Ad-free) — $16.99 per month, $169.99 per year (save $33)

• Stream on two devices at once

• Full HD 1080p resolution

• 30 downloads to watch on the go

Premium (Ad-free) — $20.99 per month, $209.99 per year (save $41)

• Stream on four devices at once

• 4K Ultra HD video quality (as available)

• Dolby Atmos immersive audio (as available)

• 100 downloads to watch on the go

If you're wondering where to start once you've set yourself up with a Max subscription, we've got an excellent selection of recommendations to point you in the right direction. Looking for a great TV show to kickstart your next binge-watching session? Have a look through our roundup of the 20 best TV shows streaming on Max. Or if you prefer movies, we narrowed down the 25 best movies on Max to make your next movie night a spectacular one.

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, March 6, 2025:

AcrossWhat "OOO" can mean

• The answer is Hugs.

"You've Really Got ___ on Me" (1962 hit)

• The answer is Ahold.

Indian currency

• The answer is Rupee.

What "III" can mean

• The answer is Three.

Call of Duty: Black ___ (video game series)

• The answer is Ops.

DownRoxie ___, lead character in "Chicago"

• The answer is Hart.

"Nope"

• The answer is Uhuh.

Camera attached to a ski helmet, perhaps

• The answer is GoPro.

What "ZZZ" can mean

• The answer is Sleep.

The middle of "middle"

• The answer is Dees.

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 the latest Mini Crossword.

As a [weather](https://www.noaa.gov/) and [Home Assistant](https://www.home-assistant.io/) enthusiast, I've been looking for a way to integrate my [Davis Vantage Vue](https://www.davisinstruments.com/pages/vantage-vue) weather station with Home Assistant. After some research and purchasing the [Davis WeatherLink Live](https://amzn.to/4iy0OYr) radio receiver, I've come up with a custom integration that...

Poorna Jagannathan, who plays crime boss 'Lucky' in the new Hulu series, Deli Boys, may have just carved out a new corner of the crime boss trope. She and the cast chat to contributing reporter Sucharita Tyagi about how this immediately iconic character came to life.

Deli Boys is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

If you've ever engaged with the "cyberpunk" genre in books, movies, and video games, you might have run into the fictional concept of a "cyberdeck", but there's a subculture of geeks who just can't live in a world where cyberdecks aren't real, so they're making them a reality.

A 15-foot-tall spacecraft had an imperfect landing on the moon.

The NASA-funded mission to the moon, operated by the Houston space exploration company Intuitive Machines, touched down on March 6, but engineers are still uncertain about its orientation and overall condition. Is the spacecraft, for example, lying on its side?

Though the robotic craft, called Athena, performed excellently on its flight to and around the moon, this landing mishap comes a year after Intuitive Machines' first government-supported attempt resulted in the spacecraft landing hard, breaking a leg, and settling on its side.

"I think we can agree, particularly today, that landing on the moon is extremely hard," Nicola Fox, who leads NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said at an agency news conference on March 6. 

SEE ALSO: Why landing a spaceship on the moon is still so challenging

Athena fired thrusters to brake at speeds of some 4,000 mph during its final descent. Intuitive Machines is confident the craft landed on the towering Mons Mouton, a lunar mountain near the moon's south pole rising 20,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. It's unclear, however, how far Athena may be from its intended landing site within Mons Mouton. This southern region is rich in water ice, and is relatively close to where NASA intends to bring astronauts in mid-2027.

Athena is currently charging on the lunar surface — meaning some sunlight is reaching the craft. It's communicating with Intuitive Machine's engineers, too. But much of the mission now remains in limbo. 

"We think we've been very successful to this point," Steve Altemus, the chief executive officer of Intuitive Machines, said at the press conference. "But we don't think we're in the correct attitude on the surface of the moon again."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. An artist's conception of an Intuitive Machines' spacecraft landing upright on the moon. Credit: Intuitive Machines

Crucially, the lander is equipped with a NASA drill, called PRIME-1, to investigate south pole resources in anticipation of astronauts returning to the moon. The instrument is designed to drill some three feet below the lunar surface, and another instrument, called a spectrometer, looks for water and other materials. It remains unknown if the drill will be able to function in a non-optimal orientation, but NASA and Intuitive Machines will discern that capability in the coming weeks. 

The drill is important. Harvesting water ice, the space agency has emphasized, is crucial for making drinkable water, oxygen, and fuel for rockets. Over eons, comets and meteors striking the moon could have transported bounties of water to the moon's surface. Other sources could be water vapor that naturally seeped out of the lunar underground, or chemical reactions between oxygen in the lunar soil and the relentless solar wind.

But without finding and mining this ice, the U.S. cannot establish a permanent presence on the moon, a pivotal part of its Artemis program.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

In a sign of burgeoning commerical space exploration in the 21st century, Athena (however impaired) joins the Blue Ghost lander, built by Texas-based Firefly Aerospace, which successfully touched down on the moon's near side on March 2. That craft is also part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which consists of robotic technical and science endeavors that support looming crewed lunar missions.

"The risk will always be there."

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 Intuitive Machines' spacecraft Odysseus sustained damage while landing awkwardly in 2024. The same year, a Japanese craft landed upside down, on its head.

Athena also carried both a small rover and hopper, designed to test moon exploration technologies in a crater-blanketed world. We'll soon find out if these machines can depart Athena, and bound over the lunar surface.

Such robotic landing missions are high-risk and high-reward endeavors, NASA's Fox emphasized.

"The risk will always be there," she said.

Over the years, I've collected a large bundle of items that accompany me every time I head out stargazing. Starting with astronomy-specific tools and finishing with items that will keep you comfortable, here's a checklist of essentials that will help you optimize your stellar experience.

NVIDIA's RTX 5000 launch hasn't been its best. Amid issues with the company overpromising on its GPUs' performance, it also turns out a whole lot of graphics cards are defective. NVIDIA wants to assure you that this is not the case for its laptop GPUs, though.