IT General

It's fair to say that I am a lifelong Windows user. Pretty much everywhere I’ve worked has required me to use a Windows PC. More recently, I've begun to rely on Linux. At first, it was a way to extend the life of my old Windows 10 machines, but the more I used it, the more I realized there was very little keeping me on Windows. My favorite Linux distros are the ones that are closely modeled after Windows. While the underlying operating systems may work differently from Windows, they have a look and feel that works for me.

TL;DR: The Pokémon Center just launched its 2026 Winter Night Sky holiday collection, packing over 400 festive items spanning tree toppers, knit sweaters, plushies, and kitchenware. Every order from the drop placed before Dec. 25 includes a free sticker sheet while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Center Pokémon Center Holiday Collection 2026   Shop Now

The Pokémon Center just dropped its official 2026 holiday collection, and this year’s Winter Night Sky theme leans into pastel auroras, starry night aesthetics, and Pokémon getting up to festive winter activities.

With over 400 new items hitting the digital shelves, trying to scroll through the entire drop can get overwhelming fast. However, any purchase from the holiday lineup made between now and Dec. 25 comes with a free Winter Night Sky sticker sheet at checkout, while supplies last.

What I loved while digging through this collection is just how accessible it is — almost everything sits around $40 or well under. Plus, whether you’re looking to grow an existing Pokémon stash, deck out your tree, or just add a subtle charm to your kitchen counter, there’s a piece tailored for every corner of your home.

If you want to deck out your home or score a few gifts early, here is a look at what is floating around in this year's lineup.

Tree decor and living room upgrades

Mew is taking center stage as this year's literal star. The Mew tree topper puts the Mythical Pokémon right at the peak of your Christmas tree, complete with a matching Mew Winter Night Sky stocking if you want to keep the theme going.

If you prefer classic tree ornaments, there are new individual pieces featuring Piplup, Amaura, and Slowpoke, as well as a particularly cute Pikachu and Munchlax cookie treat two-pack. For broader tree coverage, you can grab themed multi-packs like the Winter Wonders globe ornaments twelve-pack or tie everything together with the Winter Night Sky tree skirt.

Credit: Pokemon Center Holiday village figures and display pieces

For mantelpieces or desk setups, The Pokémon Center added fresh display options to its Holiday Village figure line. Three new additions — Town Hall Greetings, Meloetta Majestic Theatre, and Yamper Snowy Scamper — bring little snow-covered scenes to life. If you want a larger centerpiece, the Aurora Sighting figure depicts Pikachu watching pastel lights dance across the sky.

Cozy apparel and cold-weather gear

If you are looking to stay warm this season, there are plenty of sweater and accessory options. Heavy knit sweaters feature detailed character art, including the Hisuian Zorua moonlight turtleneck, Arcanine flames sweater, and Wooloo winter wonderland sweater.

For smaller pieces or easy stocking stuffers, beanies like the Snom knit beanie or Espeon purple knit beanie are effortless add-ons. There are even touchscreen-friendly gloves like the Charizard chill touch screen gloves, so you can use your phone outside without freezing your fingers off.

Credit: Pokemon Center Plushies, kitchenware, and holiday hosting

It would not be a Pokémon Center drop without a pile of festive plushies. A few fun picks this round include the Sylveon holiday wishes plush, Gardevoir holiday wishes plush, and the smaller Piplup and Mantyke undersea holiday plush.

If you like subtle holiday touches in your kitchen, you will find everything from a Wooloo mug and a six-pack of Pokémon cookie cutters to a four-pack of Winter Woodland pasta bowls. To settle in for a cozy night, you can also grab a Winter Woodland fleece throw blanket or a 1,000-piece holiday puzzle featuring Pikachu, Piplup, and friends under the northern lights.

Credit: Pokemon Center

Shop the full Winter Night Sky holiday collection at The Pokémon Center, and get a free sticker sheet with your order through Dec. 25.

Starbucks is teaming up with Disney for a 20-piece Starbucks x Winnie the Pooh collection celebrating 100 years of the Hundred Acre Wood. The limited-edition lineup drops on Oct. 20, delivering honey-drip cold cups, ceramic beehive mugs, and plush Bearista keychains.

It's an incredibly cute collection that is bound to cause a stir, but there's a catch. We hate to break it to you like this, but the collection is exclusive to the Asia-Pacific region.

Credit: Starbucks / Disney What’s in the Starbucks x Winnie the Pooh collection?

The 20-piece range mixes aesthetic drinkware with lifestyle accessories:

• Hunny Pot Tumblers and Cold Cups: Cold cups with honey-drip lids, golden-yellow straw toppers, and Pooh illustrations.

• Ceramic Beehive Mug: A textured, beehive-shaped ceramic mug featuring Pooh stuck in a honey pot entry.

• Bearista Costume Keychains and Phone Straps: Collectible Starbucks Bearistas dressed in plush costumes of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger.

• Packable Tote Bag: A reusable Hundred Acre Wood tote that folds into its own matching pouch.

Credit: Starbucks / Disney

We want everything, but here's where it gets complicated.

How to buy this collection?

If you live in North America or Europe, you won't find these on local Starbucks shelves.

On launch day (Oct. 20), the collection will be available at participating Starbucks coffeehouses in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Unfortunately for collectors elsewhere, the secondary market is going to be your best bet.

Exporters will begin listing inventory from Oct. 20, but you should expect a significant markup over retail prices on high-demand pieces like the ceramic beehive mug and plush Bearista straps. Head over to eBay and good luck.

If you desperately want official Disney x Starbucks drinkware without paying reseller markups, the Disney Store regularly stocks collaboration tumblers that ship directly to U.S. and UK addresses. In fact, we've spotted a cute Winnie the Pooh tumbler going for $27.99.

Shopping for networking gear is an ... interesting experience, to put it mildly. You can spend $10 on an Ethernet adapter and get wild returns on your investment, but you can also throw away a good chunk of change on gear that's essentially a waste of your time and resources.

Writing a new cover letter for every job application gets tedious, especially when you're repeating the same points about your skills and experience. AI tools may seem like an easy way out, but you can end up with a letter that doesn't sound like you. Instead, I turn to an underappreciated old-school tool: mail merge.

Samsung has started rolling out One UI 9, introducing a bunch of new features to Galaxy users. While the rollout is still pretty limited, more devices in more regions are slowly but surely getting the update. There are some new features, however, that are so hidden, that even some people who have been using One UI 9 for a little while now still haven't found.

TL;DR: Watch Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace in the Europa League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Europa League always feels like a winnable competition for Premier League sides. Crystal Palace won the Conference League last season, so they've got recent experience of winning a European trophy. The opposition will be much stronger this time around, and Olympique Lyonnais will pose a tough test at the Groupama Stadium.

If you're interested in watching Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace in the Europa League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace?

Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace in the Europa League kicks off at 12:45 p.m. ET on Oct. 15. This fixture takes place at the Groupama Stadium.

How to watch Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace for free

Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace in the Europa League is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Europa League?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Olympique Lyonnais vs. Crystal Palace for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Celta Vigo vs. Juventus in the Europa League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are a number of really interesting Europa League fixtures taking place this week, including Celta Vigo vs. Juventus at the Balaídos Stadium. Juventus are coming into this fixture at the top of the standings after winning their opening game 5-0. Celta Vigo narrowly lost their first game, but they'll come into this clash with the belief that they can secure three points.

If you're interested in watching Celta Vigo vs. Juventus in the Europa League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Celta Vigo vs. Juventus?

Celta Vigo vs. Juventus in the Europa League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Oct. 15. This fixture takes place at the Balaídos Stadium.

How to watch Celta Vigo vs. Juventus for free

Celta Vigo vs. Juventus in the Europa League is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Celta Vigo vs. Juventus for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Celta Vigo vs. Juventus for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Celta Vigo vs. Juventus for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Celta Vigo vs. Juventus without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Europa League?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Celta Vigo vs. Juventus for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Off-grid mesh networking is something that I've never really thought a whole lot about, but it has gotten much more intriguing to me lately. You can actually do a lot with off-grid mesh networking, way more than just messaging. Here are some projects that you can build with mesh-capable microcontrollers, and the third one definitely is my favorite.

TL;DR: Watch RB Salzburg vs. Milan in the Europa League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Europa League showcases some really interesting fixtures this week, including RB Salzburg vs. Milan. The Italian side lost their opening game in this competition, so the pressure is on Ruben Amorim's side to get a result at the Red Bull Arena Salzburg. The home team are sitting on three points after beating Levski Sofia in their first-round fixture.

If you're interested in watching RB Salzburg vs. Milan in the Europa League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is RB Salzburg vs. Milan?

RB Salzburg vs. Milan in the Europa League kicks off at 12:45 p.m. ET on Oct. 15. This fixture takes place at the Red Bull Arena Salzburg.

How to watch RB Salzburg vs. Milan for free

RB Salzburg vs. Milan in the Europa League is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream RB Salzburg vs. Milan for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream RB Salzburg vs. Milan for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch RB Salzburg vs. Milan for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch RB Salzburg vs. Milan without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Europa League?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream RB Salzburg vs. Milan for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Where to preorder 'GTA 6': Amazon GTA 6 $79.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Best Buy GTA 6 $79.99 at Best Buy Pre-Order Here GameStop GTA 6 $79.99 at GameStop Pre-Order Here Target GTA 6 $79.99 at Target Pre-Order Here Walmart GTA 6 $79.99 at Walmart Pre-Order Here

It's the last call for your "we got X before GTA 6" memes. Preorders for Grand Theft Auto 6 are live ahead of its Nov. 19 release. The highly anticipated game is available in two editions for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S: an $80 standard edition and a $100 Ultimate Edition. Both come with a slew of preorder bonuses if you purchase them before launch.

Physical copies of GTA 6 are available for preorder at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart. Digital copies are available through the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, and Rockstar Games Store.

What does the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition include?

The $100 GTA 6 Ultimate Edition features "an exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and action," according to a press release from developer Rockstar Games. It's previewing these extras on its website, which include:

• A ’95 Grotti Cheetah vehicle

• Hawk & Little Morgan Revolvers

• Personalized sidearm variants

• Exclusive outfits and tattoos

• Exclusive hairstyles, makeup, and nail art

• Jason's Safehouse vehicles

• A Vapid Ganado modkit

• Access to two exclusive vehicle mod shops and a clothing store

• A Shitzu Squalo boat

• A '67 Vapid Dominator Buggy vehicle with a garage

• A raid mission for the PTT Youngin$ Illegal Goods Store, a gang compound

• A side mission to find and restore classic cars

The GTA 6 Ultimate Edition is only available for preorder on digital through the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, and Rockstar Games Store.

GTA 6 Ultimate Edition $99.99 at PlayStation Store
  Preorder at PlayStation Store Preorder at Xbox Preorder at Rockstar Games What are the benefits of preordering GTA 6?

All players who buy GTA 6 before Nov. 20 will get a bonus Vintage Vice City Pack, which Rockstar describes as "a collection of items that flash back to when the neon burned brightest." There's a yellow ’55 Vapid Stanier vehicle with its own garage; special outfits and hairstyles for Jason and Lucia, the game's two protagonists; and a palm tree weapon pattern.

Those who preorder digital copies will also get a free month of GTA+, a membership service that unlocks GTA Online bonuses and a library of older Rockstar titles. It normally costs $7.99 per month.

Here's a look at the exclusive outfits included in "GTA 6's" preorder-exclusive Vintage Vice City Pack. Credit: Rockstar Games Is it better to buy GTA 6 on digital or physical?

You'll only get the free month of GTA+ if you preorder the digital version of GTA 6. Physical copies of the game just come with a download code in the case instead of an actual disc, so the biggest reason to buy that version instead is if you want to collect the box art.

When will GTA 6 preorders arrive?

Players who preorder a digital copy of GTA 6 will be able to preload the game on their consoles starting Nov. 12. All major retailers plan to ship physical copies, which will also arrive on Nov. 12 and can be preloaded ahead of launch day.

When is GTA 6 coming out?

GTA 6 is set for release on Thursday, Nov. 19. Don't forget to submit your PTO request.

Why was GTA 6 delayed?

The game was announced in December 2023 and was originally supposed to launch in late 2025, but Rockstar delayed it to May 2026 and then again to this fall. Both times, the company said more time was needed in order to deliver "the level of quality" and "polish" that players "expect and deserve." Hey, what's a couple more months after 13 years?

This boat is exclusive to the "GTA 6" Ultimate Edition. Credit: Rockstar Games Is GTA 6 a multiplayer game?

Rockstar told IGN that GTA 6 will be "a single-player experience," but it seems likely that the game will eventually get a multiplayer mode given the massive success of GTA Online. (That's the multiplayer side of 2013's GTA 5, the most recent installment of the Grand Theft Auto franchise.) It could come in the form of a free update or a separate purchase; Rockstar added GTA Online to GTA 5 two weeks after its release, then made it available as a $20 standalone title in 2022.

Twitch CEO Dan Clancy told Bloomberg in September that he expects Rockstar to add multiplayer to GTA 6 next year, but Rockstar itself has yet to confirm that.

When is GTA 6 coming to PC?

GTA 6 is reportedly launching on PC in early 2027, according to the gaming business site GamesBeat.

We regret to inform you that the president has been posting AI videos again.

In the late night clip above, Jimmy Kimmel recaps Trump's latest slop post of himself chasing and wrestling a tiger, before appearing to befriend it.

"To me the most unrealistic part of that video is him running," says Kimmel. "I guess maybe he's bored? How can you be president and be bored? If you want to know how brave he really is around wild animals, this is from a photo shoot he did with an eagle."

Cue some (real) footage from 10 years ago of Trump flinching away from a bald eagle during a photoshoot. "He would definitely suplex a tiger," says Kimmel.

The AI video is bizarre when viewed by itself, but it gets worse when you add in context. Prior to sharing the AI footage, Trump posted a clip of a British man, William Chapman, inside a tiger enclosure — video that was taken moments before he was killed on Saturday. Chapman's family has called the circulation of the footage "deeply offensive", and said it's causing them "severe distress".

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

SAVE UP TO $150: Secretlab is offering tier-based savings up to $150 off on eligible chairs, desks, and accessories through Nov. 12. Apply the relevant promo code at checkout to unlock your discount on orders of $885 or more.

Opens in a new window Credit: Secretlab Secretlab Sale Save up to $150 sitewide on premium gaming chairs, standing desks, and setup gear with tiered promo codes. Get Deal at Secretlab

If your current desk chair is doing your back no favors, Secretlab is running a spend-tier promo across its U.S. store through Nov. 12. By applying specific discount codes at checkout, you can save anywhere from $100 to $150. Discounts depend on how much you spend and what you add to your cart.

Whether you’re building a new desk setup from scratch or upgrading to an ergonomic chair for long workdays, here's how to claim the discount codes and what you need to know before checking out.

SEE ALSO: When will 'GTA 6' launch on PC? We may have good news. The Secretlab discount codes

Secretlab uses three separate promo codes depending on your order total and the types of items in your cart:

• Save $100 on orders over $885 — Your order must include an eligible Secretlab TITAN Evo chair. Use promo code SLEV-MINC7LTO26 at checkout.

• Save $120 on orders over $1,640 — Your order must include an eligible desk. Use promo code SLEV-MIND7LTO26 at checkout.

• Save $150 on orders over $1,999 — Applies sitewide across eligible products when your cart hits $1,999 or more. Use promo code SLEV-MINSW7LTO26 at checkout.

Terms, conditions, and fine print

Before building your setup, keep a few key terms and conditions in mind:

• Promo Window — The sale runs through Nov. 12 at 12 a.m. PST (or while supplies last).

• Code Stacking — Minimum-spend promo codes cannot be combined or stacked with other coupon codes.

• Excluded Chairs & Collections — Special collab editions like the TITAN Evo T1 Edition, Oracle Red Bull Racing Edition, Marvel Spider-Man Edition, Monster Hunter Zinogre Edition, Automobili Lamborghini Collection, and McLaren Collection are excluded from the promo.

• Excluded Accessories — Certain add-ons like the SKINS Lite Pokémon Collection, World of Warcraft Murloc Lumbar Pillow, Max Verstappen #3 Lumbar Pillow Pro, On-Stage Standard MAGPAD desk mats, EasyFold armrests, digital gift cards, and spare parts do not qualify.

If a Secretlab upgrade has been sitting on your wishlist, now’s the time to build out your setup and grab the savings before the codes expire.

SAVE OVER $9: As of Oct. 15, select colors of the new Apple HomeView smart display are available to preorder for $289.99 at Amazon, which is $9.01 cheaper than Apple's list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple HomeView $289.99 at Amazon
$299 Save $9.01   Get Deal at Amazon

Apple is officially jumping on the smart display bandwagon. During the company's recent "Welcome Home" launch, it revealed the new Apple HomeView smart display, which is set for release on Nov. 13. If you're excited to get your hands on it, don't head to Apple to preorder, as Amazon actually has it for a little bit less right now.

As of Oct. 15, select colors of the Apple HomeView — rose pink, silver, and space gray — are available to preorder for $289.99, down from the full list price of $299. That's nearly $10 in savings ($9.01, to be exact), which may not be a lot, but we'll certainly welcome any kind of preorder discount when tech prices just keep climbing.

SEE ALSO: Apple TV 4K: Where to buy the 4th generation of Apple TV

The HomeView has Siri AI built in and a 7-inch Liquid Retina display. It also comes with speakers that support Spatial Audio for immersive sound, and you can easily use it to FaceTime people, send messages, make calls, and more. Of course, you can also customize its main display screen with your favorite photos or a calendar.

The HomeView can recognize up to six people in a household. Each user can have a personalized setup, which is a fun bonus.

There's no telling how long this offer will stick around. Save about $10 on the Apple HomeView at Amazon.

Shop the Stoney Clover Lane x New Heights collection: Stoney Clover Lane New Heights Patch $24 at Amazon Shop Now Stoney Clover Lane Clear Fanny Pack in Sand $75 at Amazon Shop Now Stoney Clover Lane Clear Pouchette Crossbody Bag $89 at Amazon Shop Now Stoney Clover Lane Large Pouch in Noir $117 at Amazon Shop Now

Whether you’ve been tuning in every Wednesday since day one or joined the 92 percenters fandom right along with the Swifties, tailgate season just got a serious style upgrade. Jason and Travis Kelce officially linked up with Stoney Clover Lane to drop a stadium-friendly Stoney Clover Lane x New Heights collection, designed to get you past security guards without ruining your game day fit.

The launch coincides with a new "Outta The House" hub on the Kelce Clubhouse site, where the brothers are hosting IRL events — starting with a tailgate that Jason is throwing at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 18 ahead of the Chiefs game.

SEE ALSO: Baggu’s new MoMA collab puts Van Gogh, Monet, and Mondrian on its bags — your tote just got cultured

If you aren't making the trip to Kansas City, you can grab the full drop online. If you just want to customize something you already own, the Stoney Clover Lane New Heights Patch comes with a heavy-duty 3M peel-and-stick backing. So you can press it straight onto your favorite jacket, tumbler, or bag without pulling out an iron or needle and thread.

If you're heading straight into a stadium or concert venue this season, you know the clear-bag policy pain is real. The Stoney Clover Lane Clear Fanny Pack in Sand solves that without making your outfit look like a security afterthought. It’s clear vinyl, fits your phone, keys, and lip balm, and has an adjustable strap so you can wear it across your chest or around your waist. Plus, it comes pre-patched with "We Gotta Talk About It," which is pretty much guaranteed to get a nod from other listeners in line.

SEE ALSO: Crocs and Touchland teamed up again to turn your hand sanitizer into a bag charm

If you like a bag with a bit more structure, the Stoney Clover Lane Clear Pouchette Crossbody Bag gives you that elevated, polished look. It pairs clear vinyl with faux-leather trim and a top handle, so it feels more like an actual purse while still getting you straight past security guards. Naturally, it features a front-and-center "92%ers" patch.

And if you just need something to keep your bigger essentials from rolling around inside a game day tote, reach for the Stoney Clover Lane Large Pouch in Noir. It's a fully lined nylon travel case that keeps everything organized, finished off with the show's iconic "92% of the Time Everytime" patch.

Head on over to Amazon to explore and shop the full Stoney Clover Lane x New Heights collection.

It's been a tough year for e-readers (and all tech) with prices on the rise, so we finally needed some good news. On Oct. 1, Amazon released a redesigned collection of Kindles that we simply couldn't wait to try out. The first to be released is the flagship Kindle. It's the entry point into Amazon's e-readers and the most affordable.

The Kindle (2026) now features a flush-front design with either a plastic or an aluminum backing, and in this new batch of Kindles, Amazon is embracing color with the e-reader available in ube, graphite, alpine sky, and seaglass green. So I got my hands on the newest Kindle to experience the design changes and put it to the test.

What's changed between the Kindle 2024 and 2026 models The 2026 Kindle (right) has some notable design changes from the 2024 Kindle (left). Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

There weren't many changes between the 2022 and 2024 Kindles, but this launch brings much bigger changes that you can actually see.

The 2026 Kindle now has a flush front compared to the 2024 model's raised border around the screen. This provides a uniform look across all Kindles from the basic model all the way up to the Scribe.

In addition to a flush front, the design team behind the Kindle moved its power button. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

A smaller change, but one that I'm more than thrilled to see, is that the design team moved the power button on the Kindle to the side of the device. While it's just a small detail, my colleague Stan Schroeder pointed it out in his Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2021) review, and I did the same in my 2024 Kindle review.

Otherwise, many of the e-reader's specs are the same between generations. The device still has a six-inch screen with 300 ppi resolution and a built-in front light. It has up to six weeks of battery life, but it is not waterproof, nor does it have an adjustable warm light.

It's unbelievably lightweight

The first thing I noticed about the new Kindle is just how featherlight it is — I almost thought the box was empty. Luckily, it was not. Amazon dropped the weight of the basic Kindle by 18 grams (.66 ounces). While it doesn't seem like much, it's a noticeable difference when holding the device.

The 2026 Kindle is lightweight and easy to tote around in any bag, Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

This lighter weight makes all the difference, especially when traveling. My first weekend with the Kindle, I packed it in my carry-on bag, and it barely added any weight. It tucks nicely into small pockets, too. While it isn't quite palm-sized like a trendy Boox Palma or Xteink X4, it's Amazon's smallest e-reader and still extremely portable. Plus, you can hold it for hours at a time without your arm aching.

Kindles keep getting faster and faster You can't beat the clear, crisp screen on the 2026 Kindle. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Every time Amazon releases a new batch of Kindles, it claims the new e-readers are faster than the previous generation. The 2026 Kindle is supposedly 30 percent faster than the 2024. While I can't verify that exact amount, I can confirm that these are speedy devices. Books open quickly, and pages turn swiftly. Since I spent so little time waiting for things to load on the Kindle, I had more time to read, which was smooth and easy on the eyes.

The front light on the Kindle is clear and bright (though I do wish it had adjustable warmth like the Paperwhite), and the display responds quickly. When I changed the font size, it took less than a second to adjust. The screen is responsive and definitely seems to open faster than previous models, especially when tapping through the options along the bottom of the screen to adjust your progress status.

What it's missing I still wish the Kindle had a warm light display and a waterproof rating. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The new Kindle is a really seamless reading experience. While I don't have many complaints, two things could make it a perfect e-reader. Since this is the entry-level Kindle, Amazon keeps affordability top of mind, which does mean there are sacrifices. There's no warm light on the basic Kindle, which would reduce blue-light strain on the eyes. Plus, I wish it were waterproof. I'm a beach reader, so the basic Kindle certainly won't be a summer companion for me, as I wouldn't want to put it near a splash zone.

However, adjustable warm light and waterproofing are both features on the Paperwhite, so we really can't fault the base model for not having them. If those are non-negotiables for you, upgrade to the Kindle Paperwhite.

Is the 2026 Kindle worth it? While the 2026 Kindle isn't an essential upgrade, it's an improvement over previous generations. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Amazon's latest Kindle is an exceptional e-reader. It's lightweight and compact, quick and responsive. Sure, it has a couple of misses, like no warm light or a waterproof rating, but those are for the sake of affordability, according to Amazon. At $149.99, it's Amazon's cheapest e-reader. It's also the same price as the 2024 model, so if you're deciding between the two, go for the new 2026 Kindle.

However, if you're looking to upgrade from another Kindle model, I don't think you necessarily need to run out to grab it, especially if you have a 2022 or 2024 model. However, if you want to use the Kindle Click, you will need to upgrade to a 2026 (or 2024) Kindle.

Amazon Kindle (2026) $149.99 at Amazon
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When you think of the Friday the 13th franchise, you think of Jason Voorhees, his hockey mask, and his perpetually bloody machete. But never forget that the original slasher in the first Friday the 13th was actually Jason's mother, Camp Crystal Lake cook Pamela Voorhees.

Now, Pam takes center stage in Peacock and A24's prequel series Crystal Lake, in which she's played by Emmy winner Linda Cardellini.

SEE ALSO: 2026 fall TV preview: Every show you should know about What's Crystal Lake about? Credit: Matt Infante / Peacock

Crystal Lake revisits classic moments of the Friday the 13th mythology through Pam's eyes. We witness firsthand her grief at Jason's (Callum Vinson) drowning, and the rage that sparks her later killing spree. Notably, showrunner Brad Caleb Kane (IT: Welcome to Derry) moves the timeline up so that Jason drowns in 1971 as opposed to 1957.

Much of Crystal Lake will feel familiar to anyone who's watched Friday the 13th. The series mimics the film's title sequence, POV killer shots, and score, while also managing to capture the summery vibes of Camp Crystal Lake. However, it also conjures up an entirely new backstory for Pam, one that begins to come to light when two strangers show up at her house, ready to ask her questions about her past and spirit her away. Of course, Pam fights back, resulting in the first of many bloody kills for Mama Voorhees.

It's an invigorating sequence, complete with a gnarly set piece I can only describe as "blood balloon." Yet Crystal Lake doesn't follow through on the intrigue of Pam's past — at least, not until its penultimate episode, which appears to be the industry standard for where TV shows cram all their flashbacks nowadays. In the meantime, Crystal Lake follows Pam as she tries to find Jason, whose body was never found. She attends an abrasive self-help summit, develops an obsessive attachment to Jason's friend Grace (Gwendolyn Sundstrom), and yes, stacks up more bodies. All the while, the show emphasizes that there's a hidden darkness to her that she needs to unleash, but Crystal Lake's examination of that feels more like a generalized stab at "female rage is empowering!" than an actual dissection of Pam's psyche.

Linda Cardellini and glorious kills make Crystal Lake a fun watch. Linda Cardellini in "Crystal Lake." Credit: Peacock

While Crystal Lake's story is thin and familiar, there are some saving graces in the form of Cardellini's performance and the bloody havoc Pam wreaks across Crystal Lake.

From Dead to Me to DTF St. Louis, Cardellini elevates every series she's a part of, including Crystal Lake. Here, she is a ball of righteous fury and grief. In one scene, after camp counselor Claudette (Danielle Kotch) confesses that she and Barry (Phoenix Parnevik) left Jason unsupervised at the lake to go have sex, Cardellini's reaction is one of wordless multitudes. Though she's killed prior to this confession, this moment is when she becomes the vicious Pam we see in the original Friday the 13th.

Crystal Lake also excels on the gore front, cooking up tremendous kills. From the aforementioned blood balloon to a literally eye-popping demise, the series finds new and inventive ways to send many of its ensemble members out with a bang. (There's some classic machete action in there as well.)

Overall, Crystal Lake does deliver on the fronts we expect anything Friday the 13th-related to deliver on: its main villain and its violence. It's just a blood-splattered shame that the story holding it all together isn't quite worthy of its main star.

Crystal Lake is now streaming on Peacock.

When much of the world looks at Andrew Garfield, they see a hero. Not only has the charismatic English actor played Spider-Man, but he's also been the noble protagonist of The Uprising, Under the Banner of Heaven, Silence, and tick, tick…Boom! Yet when Italian film director Luca Guadagnino looks at Garfield, he sees that the actor's potential as a villain lies in his charms.  

Last year, with After the Hunt, Guadagnino employed Garfield's sex appeal to set up a flirty academic who is then accused of sexual assault. The audience's presumed appreciation for Garfield scratches us in this role, as we're asked to consider if such a beguiling man could be a rapist. Now, with Artificial, Guadagnino weaponizes Garfield's charms more extensively. Together, they portray OpenAI cofounder Sam Altman as a cult leader, and by extension the artificial intelligence industry as a cult desperate for all of us to, if not join, then at least submit. 

SEE ALSO: 'The AI Doc' director says ‘F*ck you’ to AI companies stealing artists’ IP Artificial centers on the rise of OpenAI, but not Sam Altman.  

The controversial AI exec is a sly antagonist in Artificial. The film itself follows Ilya Sutskever (Anora's Yura Borisov), a Soviet-born computer scientist who was making waves with his research in Canada when Altman came knocking. 

In Ilya, Artificial presents an idealist who is drawn in by Sam's argument that OpenAI is not a company built to prioritize profits over the well-being of mankind. Together, they dream of changing the world. But Ilya, who never lies, is confounded by the double-talk Sam performs, making false promises and schemes as easily as breathing. Artificial is the story of Ilya's disillusionment, as he battles Sam for the future of AI — and mankind. 

SEE ALSO: Review: 'The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist' is a panic attack, in a good way Elon Musk is a clown in Artificial.

Guadagnino sets up the main figures of his film as a study in contrasts. Where Ilya is unflaggingly honest, generally stoic, and endlessly eager, Sam is deceptive, breezy, and relentlessly strategizing. Then there's Elon Musk. 

Played here by comedian Ike Barinholtz, Musk is portrayed as an egomaniac who bosses around his underlings, turns up hours late for a dinner he's hosting, and eats McDonald's on a private jet while grumbling about his business rivals. Which is all to say, screenwriter Simon Rich delves as shallowly into a critique of Musk as your average Saturday Night Live sketch. 

Musk's main role in Artificial is to establish the baseline for tech bro behavior, post-The Social Network. In that David Fincher hit, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was memorialized as a smug Harvard student who flexed his power by wearing dorm wear as business casual. Here, Musk's macho posturing and brashness are positioned as the new normal. In real life, this enhanced machismo in the tech space led to threats of a real fight between Zuckerberg and Musk. Sadly, that was another false promise from Musk, like the time he said he'd end world hunger. 

Andrew Garfield is a shrewd villain in Artificial. 

Artificial lacks the teeth to dig into any of this toxic masculinity, instead showing how Altman may have set himself apart by seemingly rejecting it. In the movie, where Elon swaggers and snarls, Sam swans about in skinny jeans, impishly sits on tables cross-legged, and speaks in a gentle, cajoling voice, even when he's being dastardly and manipulative. He's slight and non-threatening with a jaunty bounce in his step, even as he trots down to his hidden bunker, meticulously stocked with doomsday supplies, including a John Wick-level firearms cache.

Through this depiction of Altman, Guadagnino begs us to look past the enchanting facade. Resist Garfield's smile. Don't trust his entreating tone, reminiscent in some regard to Jack O'Connell's alluring vampire Remmick in Sinners, as he pled with song and smile to be let into Smoke and Stacks' juke joint.

In this way, Artificial leans away from its historical-drama expectations and toward a horror movie vibe, despite its atypical setting. The gorgeous streets of San Francisco are picturesque, as are the hiking trails that look adoringly down on the Golden Gate Bridge, or the lush green vineyards of Napa Valley, where OpenAI employees go on retreats. But when Sam goes home, there are dark caverns that lead to his bunker. When his position is threatened, Artificial shows him in a shadowy, posh penthouse, overlooking an urbanscape, lit with neon like his secret armory. 

These visual cues add depth that Rich's screenplay lacks, as much of the dialogue turns into computer scientists and capitalists talking in circles about the potential pros and cons of AI. Guadagnino's supporting cast, which also boasts Monica Barbaro, Mark Rylance, Cooper Hoffman, and Jason Schwartzman, brings verve to these sections. But even collectively, they can't save Artificial from feeling like a finger-wagging parable that doesn't seem to fully understand the tech it's critiquing. 

Maybe that doesn't matter, though.

Perhaps it's enough that Garfield makes Altman a movie monster, as Robert Pattinson does with Primetime. Rejecting the bland salesman pose that Altman most often presents to the public, Garfield makes our skin crawl with Sam's melodic lies. His smile becomes a sickening smirk. In framing OpenAI's story as a collective with good intentions being steadily corrupted by a self-appointed savior, Artificial aims to urge its audience to question the truth rather than giving in to Altman and the temptations of AI.

Artificial was reviewed out of the New York Film Festival, and will open in limited release on Dec. 25.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO 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 streamer!

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, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

20. Hallowarrior

Postapocalyptic survival meets home invasion survival in Ben Sottak's Hallowarrior, which follows Pumpkin (Milly Shapiro of Hereditary fame) as she struggles to get by in a plague-ravaged world. The really bad news? Her Halloween is about to be made even worse by the arrival of a gang of violent raiders. This one looks like a much, much more brutal version of Home Alone. — Sam Haysom, General Assignment Editor, UK

Starring: Milly Shapiro, Ajani Russell, A.J. Bowen, Shannyn Sossamon, Vic Plajas, Taylor Valentine Lupini, Logan Beveridge, and Bobby McFarlane

How to watch: Hallowarrior debuts on Shudder on Oct. 16.

19. The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable

If you're a Wu-Tang Clan fan, love a good music documentary, or just want to watch something unique, The Disciple hits Netflix this week. Directed by Joanna Natasegara, this RZA-produced film follows Dutch Moroccan rapper and producer Tarik Azzougarh (aka Cilvaringz) and how he ended up collaborating with the iconic New York rap collective. Notably, Cilvaringz helped the group create their notorious 2015 album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Only one copy was ever made (and was once owned by Martin Shkreli), and the path it took is the stuff wild documentary dreams are made of. — Shannon Connellan, Senior Editor

How to watch: The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable debuts on Netflix on Oct. 16.

18. Clown Panic

From The Trouble with Mr Doodle documentarian Ed Perkins comes Clown Panic, a feature doc that explores that bizarre time in 2016 where scary clowns seemed to be coming out of the woodwork.

Perkins sits down with police officers, witnesses, and one good clown to make sense of this weird phenomenon that lead to a full-on clown panic. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Clown Panic is now streaming on Hulu.

17. Instadocs: AI Gone Wild

Netflix's Instadocs series is made up of documentaries that were created with a quick turnaround so they can delve into recent headlines. In new entry AI Gone Wild, Instadocs takes a look at this year's cyberattack on open-source AI platform Hugging Face, which was conducted by AI agents created by OpenAI. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Instadocs: AI Gone Wild is now streaming on Netflix.

16. Kate Berlant: Parmesan

Looking for a laugh this weekend? You'll certainly find one in Kate Berlant: Parmesan, the first HBO stand-up special from comedian and actor Kate Berlant. Known for her absurdist comedy and her frequent collaborations with John Early, including this year's Maddie's Secret, Berlant is an undeniable comedic force. In Parmesan, she dissects modern life, social media, and even stand-up itself. — B.E.

How to watch: Kate Berlant: Parmesan debut on HBO Max on Oct. 16.

15. Buddy

The horror comedy that got a lot of buzz out of Sundance is now coming home.

Directed by Casper Kelly (Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell, Too Many Cooks) and co-written by Kelly and Jamie King, Buddy imagines what might happen if Barney the dinosaur were a cult leader who kills anyone breaking the rules of his seemingly wholesome world. Sure, the orange unicorn named Buddy looks fluffy and friendly. But there's something sinister beneath his stitched-on smile.

This is a solid pick for spooky season, but be warned: It's rated R for graphic violence. — K.P.

Starring: Cristin Milioti, Delaney Quinn, Patton Oswalt, Clint Howard, Michael Shannon, Topher Grace, and Keegan-Michael Key

How to watch: Buddy is now available for rental and purchase on digital.

14. Tulsa King, Season 4

Sylvester Stallone returns as Dwight "The General" Manfredi for another season of mafia drama.

Created by Taylor Sheridan, Tulsa King imagines what might happen if a New York gangster set up shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And in the show's fourth season, Dwight is battling to protect his empire from corrupt politicians and some deadly new foes. The hits are coming fast and hard. How will the king handle it? — K.P.

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Andrea Savage, Martin Starr, Jay Will, Max Casella, Domenick Lombardozzi, Vincent Piazza, A.C. Peterson, Garrett Hedlund, Dana Delany, Tatiana Zappardino, Annabella Sciorra, Neal McDonough, Frank Grillo, Chris Caldovino, McKenna Quigley Harrington, Mike Walden, Beau Knapp, Robert Patrick, Bella Heathcote, Kevin Pollak, and Gretchen Mol

How to watch: Tulsa King Season 4 premieres on Paramount+ on Oct. 16.

13. The Strangers: Chapter 2 & The Strangers: Chapter 3

Chapters 2 and 3 of The Strangers franchise are hitting streaming together this week, which is splendid news for anyone who likes their horror films heavy on masked killers. It's a bit confusing, but these are actually the third and fourth movies in the series. Bryan Bertino's 2008 psychological slasher The Strangers introduced the concept of a couple terrorised by three masked strangers invading their home, while the more recent trilogy has brought in a new set of faces — while keeping the masks and murder the same. — S.H.

Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, Ella Bruccoleri, Richard Brake, Rachel Shenton, and Pedro Leandro

How to watch: The Strangers: Chapter 2 and The Strangers: Chapter 3 are now available on 4K digital.

12. Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald

Netflix is rolling out one comedian doc after another! Last week, we got one on Martin Mull. Next week will see the debut of Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story, and this week we get Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald.

The Saturday Night Live alumni died in 2021. However, his life, work, and influences are explored by director Judd Apatow in this documentary, which pulls together some of his famous colleagues and a treasure trove of archival footage. — K.P.

Starring: Norm Macdonald, Adam Sandler, and David Spade

How to watch: Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald debuts on Netflix on Oct. 16.

11. Hollywood Arts, Season 1

If you grew up watching Victorious, get ready for a blast of nostalgia from sequel series Hollywood Arts. The series reunites us with Trina Vega (Daniella Monet), whose one-woman show Trina! single-handedly changed the way I say "Chicago." Now a struggling actress, she returns to Hollywood Arts High School as a substitute teacher, where she'll teach the next generation of young artists. Also returning from Victorious are Eric Lange as Sikowitz, Yvette Nicole Brown as Principal Helen Dubois, Matt Bennett as Robbie Shapiro, and Jake Farrow as the voice of Robbie's puppet, Rex. — B.E.

Starring: Daniella Monet, Alyssa Miles, Peyton Jackson, Martin Kamm, Emmy Liu-Wang, and Erika Swayze

How to watch: Hollywood Arts Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

10. Sacrifice

Celebrity, fashion, and eco-activism collide in Sacrifice. Written by Will Arbery and Romain Gavras and helmed by the latter, this movie folds in comedy, drama, action, and adventure to create a star-studded spectacle sure to lure in Netflix viewers.

Chris Evans stars as Mike Tyler, a big-name movie star who's already on the brink of an existential crash out when he turns up at a charity gala being held on a Greek island. Then, a gun-wielding radical (Anya Taylor-Joy) crashes the party with a bold plan to save the world. She wants to sacrifice three of these wealthy, famous folks to a nearby volcano. Forget eating the rich; Sacrifice is taking it to the next level. — K.P.

Starring: Chris Evans, Anya Taylor-Joy, Vincent Cassel, Sam Richardson, John Malkovich, and Salma Hayek

How to watch: Sacrifice debuts on Netflix on Oct. 16.

9. Katseye: Wild Hearts

Let's go, Eyekons. Katseye: Wild Hearts hits Disney+ and Hulu this week, a behind-the-scenes documentary that takes you into the world of pop powerhouses Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung. Directed by Nadia Hallgren (Becoming), the film features interviews with the members of the global girl group about everything from their Dream Academy beginnings to latest EP Wild, as well as plenty of footage of their live shows and their dedicated fans. Pinky up, indeed. — S.C.

Starring: Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung

How to watch: Katseye: Wild Hearts debuts on Hulu and Disney+ on Oct. 16.

8. Tenzing

Plenty know the story of Sir Edmund Hillary, who summited Mount Everest. But fewer know of Tenzing Norgay, the Nepalese Indian sherpa who got him there.

Director Jennifer Peedom has previously helmed documentaries Sherpa and Mountain, and now brings that awareness of mountaineering and Norgay's legacy to Tenzing. Genden Phuntsok stars as the eponymous historical figure, while Tom Hiddleston plays Hillary. Do you want to see the emotional heights they'll reach together?* — K.P.

Starring: Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe, Caitríona Balfe, and Thinley Lhamo

How to watch: Tenzing debuts on Apple TV on Oct. 16.

7. Love of Your Life

Seeking romance? Then you'll want to watch Love of Your Life.

Written by Julia Cox and directed by Rachel Morrison, this romantic drama stars Margaret Qualley as Maya, a young woman who has some enviable highs and awful lows in her love life. When she was 26, she was a nurse in Boston, and madly in love with Charlie (A House of Dynamite’s Gabriel Basso). They got married, but their happily-ever-after was ruined when the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world. Fleeing to Europe for a fresh start, Maya isn't looking for love. But then she meets Felix, played by the dashing Aaron Pierre.

After great loss, will Maya be brave enough to allow intimacy back in her life? Watch and see. — K.P.

Starring: Margaret Qualley, Aaron Pierre, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Basso, Catherine Keener, Tamara Lawrance, and Corey Johnson

How to watch: Love of Your Life is now streaming on Prime Video.

6. Practical Magic 2

It's been 28 years since Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman played lovelorn sister witches, and now they're back with a sequel sprinkled with magic, sexual chemistry, and romance.

Based on Alice Hoffman's The Book of Magic, Practical Magic 2 follows Sally Owens (Bullock) on a quest to rescue her headstrong daughter (Joey King) from the influence of dark magic. Naturally, her sister Gilly (Kidman) is by her side, but so is a towering, tattooed male witch (Lee Pace) who might have more than magic in mind.

In my review, I wrote, "Practical Magic 2 is more than a good time; it's a source of inspiration and hope in dark times for women." — K.P.

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing, Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, and Xolo Maridueña

How to watch: Practical Magic 2 is now available for rental and purchase on digital.

5. VisionQuest

Marvel gets mind-bendy in the upcoming show VisionQuest.

Billed as the conclusion to the "Wanda trilogy," which also includes WandaVision and Agatha All Along, the series picks up with everyone's favorite philosophical android, Vision (Paul Bettany). He's dealing with a serious identity crisis after getting resurrected in WandaVision, and he's communicating with other Marvel AI in order to figure out who he is. Among them? Avengers villain Ultron (James Spader), appearing in a human avatar.* — B.E.

Starring: Paul Bettany, James Spader, Ruaridh Mollica, Todd Stashwick, T'Nia Miller, Lauren Morais, Orla Brady, Diane Morgan, Henry Lewis, Polly Frame, Jonathan Sayer, Emily Hampshire, and James D'Arcy

How to watch: VisionQuest episodes 1 and 2 are now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes weekly.

SEE ALSO: 'VisionQuest': Your guide to every AI character in the MCU's newest show 4. Crystal Lake

While Jason Voorhees and his hockey mask are the most memorable iconography from the Friday the 13th franchise, Camp Crystal Lake's first killer was actually his mother, Pamela (Betsy Palmer in the very first Friday the 13th). Now, Pamela gets her own origin story in Peacock's prequel series Crystal Lake, from A24 and showrunner Brad Caleb Kane. (Kane is no stranger to horror prequels, also serving as showrunner on IT: Welcome to Derry.)

Crystal Lake stars Emmy nominee Linda Cardellini as Pamela, who is still grieving the loss of her son, Jason (Callum Vinson). The arrival of two strangers inquiring into her past sets a series of disturbing events in motion, with Pamela at their heart. Get ready for gory kills and an exceptional performance by Cardellini, even if Crystal Lake's story doesn't always land.* — B.E.

Starring: Linda Cardellini, Will Catlett, Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins, and Gwendolyn Sundstrom

How to watch: Crystal Lake debuts in full on Peacock on Oct. 15.

3. The Diplomat, Season 4

Take a break from real-life political drama with some fictional political drama courtesy of The Diplomat. The Emmy–winning series returns for its fourth season this week, and the stakes have never been higher. The U.S. has stolen Russia's deadliest nuclear weapon, the Poseidon, putting the whole world at risk and placing diplomat Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) in an impossible position. Add to that the fact that President Grace Penn (Allison Janney, fresh off an Emmy win for Season 3) worked with Kate's husband, Vice President Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), on the plot, and you're looking at a juicy web of politics and deception heading into Season 4. — B.E.

Starring: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, Allison Janney, and Bradley Whitford

How to watch: The Diplomat Season 4 debuts on Netflix on Oct. 15.

2. Hope

You're not ready for Hope. Written and directed by South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin (The Wailing), this sci-fi epic clocks in at 156 minutes, and they breeze by like the galloping monsters at its center, fast and ruthlessly violent.

SEE ALSO: 'Hope' review: Na Hong-jin's savage and smart monster movie is a must-see

Hwang Jung-min stars as a small-town sheriff who is looking into the bizarre slaughtering of a cow near the forest. Soon enough, he'll come face to face with the killer creature, but only after a barrage of building-shattering, bone-snapping action that makes up the film's first act. You won't believe what comes next, but spoilers: It's epic.* — K.P.

Starring: Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender

How to watch: Hope is now available for rental and purchase on digital.

Best of streaming this week: The Lowdown, Season 2

If you haven't watched Season 1 of The Lowdown yet, I need you to run and do that now, please. Then, once you've witnessed its perfection, I've got great news for you: Season 2 is here!

Created by Reservation Dogs' Sterlin Harjo, The Lowdown is the perfect combination of gritty mystery and hangout comedy. It centers on Tulsa citizen journalist Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke), a roguish "truthstorian" with a heart of gold and a knack for getting into nasty situations. In Season 1,  he uncovered a sinister conspiracy at the heart of Tulsa. In Season 2, he's back on the case, this time investigating the mysterious disappearance of a prison inmate. The Lowdown's first season was one of 2025's absolute best shows, and given Harjo's track record (and the arrival of incredible stars like Betty Gilpin and Tommy Lee Jones), it's no surprise that Season 2 is just as great.* — B.E.

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Keith David, Kaniehtiio Horn, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Macon Blair

How to watch: The Lowdown Season 2 is now streaming on Hulu.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

The glory days of online dating could be over. According to a survey by Forbes Health, almost 80 percent of Gen Z daters reported feeling swipe fatigue. And what about dating IRL? That seems to be dying a death too, with fewer people now willing to risk asking someone out — you know, the way your parents used to date people — so what is a single person supposed to do in 2026? 

If you're over hookup apps but don't see yourself going to a singles bar anytime soon, there are online alternatives to consider. AdultFriendFinder, for instance, is an example of a legacy hookup site that dates back to way before the days of the Tinder-led swipe app phenomenon. It's old school, and it still works.

Indeed, legacy sites such as AFF tend to have robust communities and more extensive personal bios, which make them a worthwhile alternative to the swipe-based mechanics on other dating apps. 

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for more discreet chats in 2026

AdultFriendFinder was founded back in 1996, so it has three decades of hookup history. That experience is invaluable for connecting like-minded people seeking spicy fun. So, if you're burned out or striking out with apps, AFF is worth a closer look.

Let's get you started with a list of the pros and cons of AFF. If you're a Gen Z'er, this could swing it for you.

Pro: Built-in communities

Modern dating apps can be isolating. We all know the feeling: you're putting in the hours of swiping and liking, but you're just not getting anywhere. In other words: no matches. You might be carefully taking your time to assess compatibility with potential partners, only to find that all your attention hasn't been noticed or reciprocated. It's a total downer.

Thankfully, there are alternatives to this doom cycle. AFF cracked this code long ago: spaces where singles can meet in groups, have organic chats, and assess attraction more slowly and carefully, either through words, images, or webcam feeds. 

AdultFriendFinder has a Community tab, prominently displayed on the top-center ribbon, where you can interact with other users in public spaces such as blogs, contests, polls, stories, and interest groups. In addition, there's a Live Action tab where you can either broadcast your own webcam feed to attract interested viewers or join someone else's live feed if you catch their eye.

In all these cases, AFF has created pathways to connection that transcend the swipe, making it a great option for Gen Z daters dealing with app burnout.  

Con: Age distribution

One thing that's immediately striking upon logging into AdultFriendFinder is that the site hosts a wide range of ages, from the early 20s to the mid-60s and beyond. AdultFriendFinder has not responded to our requests for specifics about their age demographics, but past estimates have placed the majority demographic somewhere in the 30-38 age range, which means Gen Z, who are still not in their 30s, are not widely represented. 

In one sense, that's a definite con: you'll have a hard time meeting people your age. On the other hand, if you're not opposed to dating cross-generationally — and there's evidence that singles are becoming more open to this — this can work in your favor.

Pro: A site-only dating experience

Because it hosts nudity, AdultFriendFinder has never been allowed to offer an app in either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, and while there is a sneaky workaround for those who really want a phone experience, the truth is that a huge contributing factor to dating app burnout is the omnipresent nature of dating apps. If you can swipe on public transit, in between work sessions, at the gym, or on the toilet, you're never really away from the app. On the other hand, a dating website that requires a computer or tablet to access is a lot less accessible. 

If you can self-diagnose as suffering from swipe fatigue, compartmentalizing your dating life from, well, the entire rest of your existence is a good first step on the journey to recovery. It's also a good way to insist on taking the whole process seriously. It's easy to be casual about an app, especially one you can access anywhere, but navigating a dating site requires time and intention, both of which are the antidotes to the app burnout plaguing Gen Z. 

Con: Paid memberships are a necessity

In general, younger daters spend less on dates these days, so it's no small hurdle to ask them to drop precious cash on a monthly dating app subscription when there are other, totally free alternatives, but AdultFriendFinder offers some enticing, member-only perks, chief among them the ability to actually message people one-on-one. 

If you want to restrict yourself to a free membership, you can totally get away with it in public areas, where it's easiest to start conversations with strangers. But if you do happen to meet someone you vibe with, it will frustrate you that you can't take that conversation private. 

Subscription costs vary by location and the length of your commitment, but expect to pay between $20 and $35 per month for the Gold membership. It's not cheap, sure, but it's also a small sum to conquer swipe fatigue and give you a more community-based dating experience.

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