Mashable

By no means a fast-paced film but one rich with detail and strong performances, Train Dreams weaves one man's life through a rapidly changing American West in the early 20th century.

Based on Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella of the same name, it's a steady, meditative, and at times devastating journey with many a conversation around the fire. Train Dreams sees Sing Sing collaborators Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley reunite — this time with Bentley in the director's chair — to explore delicate themes of love and loss amid this fading frontier, sitting on the cusp of industrialisation. It's a slow-going, sombre film at times, an historical essay at others, and it won't be everyone's cup of sarsaparilla.

SEE ALSO: 'Hamnet' review: Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley burn in William Shakespeare tragedy

However, the true heart of this moving film is a subtle, sensitive performance by Joel Edgerton, one immersed in Bryce Dessner's meticulous score and Adolpho Veloso's lush cinematography, and concluded with the unmistakable spirit of Nick Cave.

What is Train Dreams about? Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones in "Train Dreams." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Beginning in 1917 and running through to 1968, Train Dreams follows a man's search for meaning as the 20th century arrives. The Wild West days are over. The American frontier is transforming. And Edgerton leads as devoted family man and stoic railroad worker Robert Grainier, who works for the Spokane International Railway in Idaho. He builds transient bonds with his fellow lumberjacks and pines for home. He's also a man riddled by guilt for his complicity watching the racist murder of a Chinese immigrant worker during a railroad job, perpetually haunted by the memory. Here, the script diverges from the novella: In the latter, Robert physically helps in hauling the worker to a tall bridge, but in the film, Robert simply doesn't intervene.

Despite this shockingly casual event, the film spends most of its time tracing Robert's life. After a brief courtship with his soon-to-be wife Gladys Olding (Felicity Jones), in the small village of Meadow Creek, Robert builds a simple, idyllic home with her among fields of wildflowers and beside a babbling brook. The pair map out their single-room cabin with river boulders and soon welcome the arrival of their daughter Kate. It's an almost overwhelmingly romantic existence, hammered home in near-saccharine montages and Dessner's tender score, and one Robert yearns for when torn away for months on dangerous railroad-building projects. The job's perils are emphasised in both Johnson's novella and Bentley's film, with injury or death from the felling of colossal trees a common workplace risk for 20th-century lumberjacks. Veloso's POV shots of these ancient giants falling prove the point, and several scenes show how risky this business of pillaging the natural landscape was.

Featured Video For You NYCC Recap, Good Boy's Oscar Plea, and Best Book Adaptations from BFI LFF

At one tragic point, in a devastatingly shot and enacted sequence, Robert's world is upturned forever. He's left desperately searching for meaning in it all, feeling obsolete and expecting "a great revelation to arrive about his life." Edgerton delivers a solemn, raw performance — and with everything that happens, we're not mad that he's surrounded by fluffy stray puppies for a large chunk of the film. Giving Edgerton's character room for deep conversation and reflection, Bentley and Kwedar expand characters from Johnson's book, including Robert's friend Ignatius Jack (a wonderful Nathaniel Arcand), a Kootenai store owner who helps him rebuild, and forest service worker Claire (Kerry Condon), who bonds with Robert down the track.

Train Dreams is a journey of solitude and American history. Joel Edgerton in "Train Dreams." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Though it's not necessarily a history lesson, Train Dreams subtly meanders through stories of the American West and where these unsung railroad workers fit within it. Through an omniscient narrator (voiced by Will Patton) and conversations between characters, the script pieces together fragments of the past. As in Johnson's novella, mentions of the American Civil War, American Indian Wars, and World War I arise organically. In particular here, William H. Macy is a highlight as Arn Peeples, a harmonica-playing explosives expert and "gadabout of unknown origin" who befriends Robert. As in the novella, Arn's the character most reflective on American history, lamenting his younger peers' disconnection to it.

Like Arn, Patton's narration lends a certain grandfatherly energy, describing locomotive mechanics, the construction of the Robinson Gorge Bridge, and "the cost of progress" in the same tone as he describes Robert's existential crisis. Nonetheless, it gives the film a steadfast emotional consistency. Additionally, his narration gives the film's present an awareness of the future, as we learn what will become of things.

William H. Macy in "Train Dreams." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Train Dreams also takes pains to capture a specific tension between tradition and modernity through the work of production designer Alexandra Schaller. From the handcrafted elements of the Graniers' cabin to the changing technology of the logging sites from rudimentary tools to machinery, Schaller's team craft a detailed picture of life in the American West from early to mid century. But there's one crucial element that pulls all the elements of Train Dreams together.

The simmering engine of Train Dreams is Bryce Dessner's score. Joel Edgerton and Kerry Condon in "Train Dreams." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Adding to his lauded catalogue of modern film scores from The Revenant to We Live In Time, The National's Bryce Dessner once again flexes his atmospheric composer skills in Train Dreams. At once a whimsical, romantic ode to potential and a hypnotic, reflective accompaniment to loss, Dessner's score drives the emotional engine of Train Dreams. Edgerton's Robert is characteristically stoic and interior in his emotions, allowing Dessner to draw out the brilliant subtleties of his performance. Meanwhile, it's the perfect partner to Veloso's gorgeous shots of Robert engulfed by the Idaho landscape, immersed in the beauty and history of the American wilderness.

Worth staying through the film's end credits for, Dessner teams up with the ever-iconic Nick Cave (no stranger to a lyrical exploration of love and loss) for the haunting original song "Train Dreams." This brooding ballad essentially encapsulates the film's narrative and emotional tone in a few minutes, marking a sublime conclusion to the film.

Train Dreams takes its time, relishing in conversations about grief, loss, feeling obsolete and overwhelmed by both nature and modernity. This slower pace can feel a little engulfing at times, but Edgerton's performance, Dessner's score, and Veloso's balance of handheld and static photography kept me hitched on the ride.

Train Dreams was reviewed out of BFI London Film Festival. The film will hit select U.S. cinemas on Nov. 7 before streaming on Netflix worldwide on Nov. 21.

I spend way too much time staring at screens. When I wake up, I reach for my phone first. In addition to the eight hours a day I spend typing away at my computer, my phone is always there, tempting me to open it and scroll through Instagram rather than getting my work done. When I'm unwinding with a TV show in the evening, my phone is there again, pulling my attention away from the screen. And before falling asleep, I'm once again scrolling through TikTok when I could be reading.

I'm not particularly proud of my screen time numbers or my need to be constantly stimulated. I've created time limits on my most distracting apps and set designated downtime schedules. But honestly, it still hasn't been enough — getting around those limits is as easy as hitting the snooze button.

Ironically, as I tried to lower my screen time, I was targeted with Instagram ads for The Brick, which promises stricter screen time controls to actually curb my phone usage. After testing the Brick for several months, I'm thrilled to say that it helped curb my screen time — cutting it in half — and finally taught me to be bored again.

Opens in a new window Credit: Brick The Brick $59 at Brick
  Shop Now How does The Brick work? The Brick app before, during and after Bricking your phone. Credit: Samantha Mangino

Screen time management apps can be great for ensuring you only spend a certain amount of time on social media a day, but there's a big issue — they're easy to bypass. Using my iPhone's built-in app limits, I quickly fell into the habit of sneaking in one more minute of TikTok, which then became another hour. Brick is also an app, but it adds a physical component, too, which takes away the easy bypass.

The Brick works by locking certain apps when you tap your phone to the Brick. To unlock your phone, you have to tap it against the Brick again. However, if you're in a pinch and really need to access your blocked apps without getting up to tap your phone, the Brick app has five emergency un-Bricks available in total. A word of caution, though, once you've used up these emergency un-Bricks, you have to factory reset your device to make them available again, so use them sparingly.

Previously, the Brick was only available on iOS devices; however, it's now also available on Android smartphones. Multiple devices can be used per Brick, too. My wife and I use the same Brick, keeping it on our refrigerator for easy access.

It's the only thing to truly get my screen time down I keep The Brick on our refrigerator, forcing me to get out of bed or off the couch if I want to un-Brick my phone. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Having the physical component of the Brick means that if you want to access your blocked apps, you can't just press a button. You have to get up and go to your Brick to tap your phone.

And let me tell you, that small physical element makes a world of difference. When I'm lounging on the couch in the evening and want to scroll through Instagram, even though I'm already watching a show, knowing I'd have to get up to un-Brick my phone is enough to deter me from scrolling. My favorite use of Bricking my phone is before bed, as it ensures social media isn't the first thing I see when I wake up and forces me to get out of bed if I do want to look at it.

Plus, the Brick has given me my attention back. When I Brick my phone, it takes away the distraction so I'm not watching my phone when I should be watching TV. But the Brick is even great when I'm not trying to focus on something else. With all my most distracting apps blocked, I'm finally bored again. When I have some downtime, rather than defaulting to scrolling, it motivates me to spend more time reading or finally tackle those errands I've been putting off.

It cut my screen time in half What my screen time looks like when I'm not using Brick. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable What my screen time looks like using Brick. Credit: Samantha Mangino

So what was the result of my using the Brick? It cut my screen time in half.

The best way to quantify the effectiveness of the Brick is through numbers. Before using the Brick, I was averaging about six hours of phone screen time a day. I didn't set out to limit my screen time by a certain number or percentage; I just wanted it to be less. So I was shocked when using the Brick cut my screen time down to an average of three hours a day. Yup, a whole 50 percent less.

Additionally, my whole household has adopted the Brick to limit screen time. I work from home, so I have to exercise a little discipline when I don't have in-person coworkers around. But even my wife, who teaches every day, Bricks their phone before heading to school every morning.

You can create different modes All the different modes I've created for Bricking my phone. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Bricking your phone isn't an all-or-nothing decision. The default setting allows you to block all apps — including your texts and video calls — making it essentially a dumb phone that only allows you to make standard phone calls. However, that's not your only option. You can create different modes, hand-selecting which apps to allow or which to block.

I've created some modes that make my phone similar to a dumb phone — except I do allow for video calls and texts. However, other modes I've created just block the apps that are my biggest distractions: Instagram, TikTok, X, Pinterest, and even Chrome. I also have a light version of this, which helps me stay distraction-free during work but still allows me access to Chrome in case I need to look something up.

Be careful about what apps you select

My only word of caution regarding the Brick is to check which apps get blocked. If you select the option to block all apps, that can end up preventing you access to apps that you might actually need. One time, I Bricked my phone before heading to the gym, only to realize that it was blocking my gym's app, which has my membership card. Another time, my Brick was blocking the Amazon app, which I needed to scan at Whole Foods to get extra savings.

Luckily, that's where Brick's emergency un-Bricking feature helps. Unfortunately, I've already used up two of the allotted five.

I wish it set app limits You can even keep track of how much time you've spent in Brick mode on the activity tab. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

One thing I do like about Apple's built-in screen time is that you can set app limits. Unfortunately, you can't set app limits with Brick. Instead, you just block all apps to try and cut back on your overall screen time. While I quickly adapted to Brick's system, I occasionally missed the app limits that would give me a cue that it was time to ditch social media for the evening.

It's a bit of an investment

Going from using a free screen time feature on my iPhone to paying $59 for The Brick is a little tough to stomach. That being said, it really works. It's the only system that's been able to effectively decrease my screen time. Plus, it's a one-time price to pay.

Other popular screen time apps, like Opal, have free versions, but to access all features, you'll need to pay $99.99 per year.

Is the Brick worth it? Opens in a new window Credit: Brick The Brick $59 at Brick
  Get Deal

The Brick is absolutely worth it. I've been raving about The Brick for months, ever since I started using it and recommending it to everyone I know. If you've been looking for a system to reduce your screen time and have found that built-in app limits aren't enough, the Brick is my favorite option.

The physical limitation of the Brick adds an extra barrier, making it especially effective at preventing you from overriding your screen time and staying truly distraction-free.

Back in March 2025, OpenAI rolled out image generation to all free users. This gives everyone a chance to sit down and make and edit images using AI. In fact, when we sat down to compare the best AI image generators, ChatGPT came out on top (though Google's Nano Banana is giving it a run for its money lately). And if you want to get started making fun photos with ChatGPT, you just need to know the right ChatGPT photo prompts.

Image generation in ChatGPT — and most other AI models — falls into three categories. You can create images out of nothing using natural language (known as text-to-image generation), you can upload an image and have the AI transform it in some way, or you can upload an image and have the AI edit the photo to your specifications. 

There are a lot of permutations of each option, and it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start. So, here are some of our favorite ChatGPT image prompts you can use to create neat stuff. You can also check out Mashable's guide to the best Nano Banana and Gemini photo prompts for more inspiration.

Blend pictures together An AI-generated image of the author and his dog. Credit: Joe Hindy/ChatGPT

One of the best examples of AI image generation at work is to blend pictures together. To make it work, simply upload two images to the ChatGPT chat with instructions on what you want to do. For this example, I took a headshot of myself and a picture of my dog with his nose on the table, and asked ChatGPT to put my head in the image with the dog. The goal was as you see above, to have a picture of my dog and I together. 

The first time I tried it, it took my head and not my shoulders, so I had a real Futurama thing going where I was just a head floating there, so I had ChatGPT rerun the generation with specific instructions to also include my shoulders. The above popped out, and while it doesn’t look exactly like me (and the dog doesn’t look exactly like my dog), it’s close enough to call a success. 

Turn yourself (or your pets) into trading cards ChatGPT added fun details to Luna's playing card (AI-generated image). Credit: Joe Hindy / ChatGPT

This one was really fun to do. I used a picture of my dog Luna, who sadly passed away last year. I had ChatGPT create this playing card for an imaginary fantasy role-playing game, which I’ll use as a cute social media post eventually. I uploaded a photo of my dog and used a prompt detailing what I wanted.

"This is a good dog named Luna. Please create a playing card featuring Luna for an imaginary fantasy role-playing game. The card should feature details on HP, attack name and effect, weaknesses (tennis balls, peanut butter), and a very brief description of Luna's abilities. Before completing the card, double-check that all words, text, and numbers appear correctly without any mistakes or typos."

These make for delightful little images that you can share, and my wife got a giggle out of it. There are a ton of variations to this prompt. You can also have ChatGPT create sports trading cards or whatever your heart desires.

Add details to existing images ChatGPT added details of the aurora borealis into an existing picture (AI generated image) Credit: Joe Hindy/ChatGPT

ChatGPT can also add stuff to images to make them pop more. Google Gemini can do this with Nano Banana as well, as Mashable editor Timothy Werth added some dolphins to an image of him on a boat. So, I thought I’d try it out. Last year, the U.S. saw a crazy week where the aurora borealis reached as far as Texas. I caught a picture from my front yard, but as I was in the suburbs, and I wasn’t able to get those cool details that others did. 

So, I sent the picture to ChatGPT and asked it to add in some of those aurora details. In the image above, ChatGPT added basically all the green parts to the sky. The more subtle green notes right above the trees and houses are perfect, but I thought the more obvious green waves were a bit much considering the lighting and color tones of the rest of the photograph. Either way, it still looks good, and it illustrates the effect. 

For prompts like this, be as specific as possible. Remember, with ChatGPT image prompts, specificity is key!

Claymation, building blocks, and puppets, oh my! My guitars and amps but in the style of toy building blocks (AI-generated image) Credit: Joe Hindy/ChatGPT

Claymation was a big trend a while back, and ChatGPT users have even created custom tools in the chatbot to help you make your own claymation images. So, if you’ve ever wanted to turn yourself into a Robot Chicken-like character, this is your chance. Upload an image of yourself and ask ChatGPT to do the rest.

"Use this picture and create a clay animation photograph. The subject should be sitting in a cozy living room with comfy furniture. Vivid lighting enhances the happy scene. HD quality, vivid style, bright colors."

Ask ChatGPT to help you fine-tune your prompt if you don't like the initial results:

Claymation isn’t the only transformation effect that ChatGPT can do, of course. Users have also had a lot of fun turning themselves into Lego-style characters and puppets.

Turn your pets into people

The ability to turn pets into people exists somewhere between super cool and weirdly unsettling. We covered this ChatGPT photo trend when it first went viral, and it's still a lot of fun. The process is simple enough. Upload an image of your pet to ChatGPT and then ask it to imagine your pet as a human. You can add additional prompts like clothing choice, facial expression, background imagery, and all of that. ChatGPT will then turn your pet into a human. However, it's also fun to keep this prompt extremely simple and see how ChatGPT interprets it: "Turn my pet into a human."

Do not, under any circumstances, ask ChatGPT to show you what your dog would look like as a human. It will haunt you and permanently alter your relationship with your pet.

[image or embed]

— Thomas Frampton (@tframpton.bsky.social) April 10, 2025 at 8:46 AM

Lmao I asked #chatgpt to make a human version of my dog. Not only did it deliver but turns out he’s a pup either way 😁 #aiart #funny #pet

[image or embed]

— Sindel Sloan | Siren Switch of the South (@sindelsloan.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 10:45 AM

In most examples, the change isn’t too dramatic, but some of them can be a little unsettling to look at. You can have ChatGPT create images that are realistic or in whatever art style you choose, which can change the output substantially. This trended on social media for a while, so you can find tons of examples on Reddit, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, and other places. 

Have ChatGPT replicate an image 100 times The original image... Credit: Timothy Beck Werth/ChatGPT ...and the final result (AI-generated image) Credit: Joe Hindy/ChatGPT

When Mashable's tech editor asked ChatGPT to replicate an image of himself 100 times, the results were... bizarre. For this trend, most people stick with a very simple prompt: "Create an exact replica of this image, don't change a thing."

You would think it would just spit out the same image 100 times, but you would be wrong. Every time you run an image through ChatGPT, it changes slightly, even if you tell it not to change anything. Repeat this a bunch of times, and you can get some really interesting end results. Word of warning: This one does require a bit more know-how, as the easiest and fastest way is to it is by using OpenAI’s API. The everyday AI chatbot may even refuse to participate in a replication request.

Reddit

One of the most famous examples of this ChatGPT image trend is one where a Redditor ran Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's picture through the chatbot 101 times. The Rock slowly morphs from himself into someone who looks totally different, and ends up looking like something out of Picasso’s nightmares.

Turn yourself (or anything else) into an action figure

Remember the ChatGPT action figure trend? Earlier this year, ChatGPT users were using the chatbot to turn themselves or their favorite characters into action figures, complete with packaging, plastic wrap, and accessories. For best results, add some details to your prompt about the packaging details and the sort of accessories you'd like to see to further customize the final result.

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

If you need some help, check out the examples generated by X users Artedeingenio and Seinfeldism1. As per usual, the better your prompt, the better your final product will be.

Turn your Reddit username into a picture This is what ChatGPT came up with for the username "beachedwhitemale" (AI-generated image). Credit: Reddit / beachedwhitemale

I’ve been on Reddit for about 12 years now, and I’ve seen some wacky usernames. Some of them would be fun to see in image format, and ChatGPT can do just that. In the above example, Redditor beachedwhitemale generated an image of a beached white male. Kudos for accuracy, ChatGPT. 

Like the others, you can change how this presents by tweaking your prompts. For instance, one Redditor opted for a more artsy look rather than realistic, and some folks even asked ChatGPT to make the opposite of what their username would be, with interesting results. How absurd or cool this is totally depends on your Reddit username, so hopefully you picked an interesting one. 

Check out the Trend Image tool A ChatGPT Trend Image relating to some science news (AI-generated image). Credit: Joe Hindy/ChatGPT

If you want to create images or cartoons based on trending news, one ChatGPT-er has built the Trend Image function, which mines the headlines of the day for image prompt ideas. For example, you can create a webcomic based on the latest tech news or animate an interesting science story for your kids.

My own attempt at this trend is... fine. (Why are the quantum scientists arguing with a coffee maker?) With some fine-tuning and dialogue suggestions, I think you could create something a lot better.

Have ChatGPT image prompt ideas of your own?

ChatGPT is still one of the best AI image makers (though Google's Nano Banana is probably the best image editor at the moment), so if you have a weird or quirky idea, you might as well give it a shot. Feel free to drop your own ChatGPT prompt ideas into the comments, or share them with Mashable on social media.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Women and horror movies make for strange bedfellows — yet also simultaneously one of the most fruitful marriages in all of film.

For a long time, horror across all mediums was very exclusionary, both in terms of gender and race. It most often still is, despite the fact that many marginalized people gravitate toward horror because the genre allows us to process trauma from the safe distance of fiction.

Increasingly, horror films are proving themselves to be a perfect genre for social commentary, to understand the Other rather than demonize them.

Until we allow a fuller spectrum of women to be both the creators and subjects of horror films, we cannot truly say that feminism has reclaimed the genre from all its gatekeepers.

So in the spirit of Halloween, we've compiled an exhaustive (though undoubtedly incomplete) guide to the best feminist and women-centric horror films of all time. But our comprehensive list comes with a million caveats.

Namely, giving these titles the moniker of "feminist" is imperfect at best when so many of them continue to marginalize queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, and other women of color's experiences — along with propagating ageist, fatphobic, racist, and ableist tropes.

Not only is the filmography of feminist horror dominated by straight, white, thin, cis able-bodied feminism, but a lot of the movies are still written and/or directed by men. To the genre's credit, though, it does often give more women and marginalized filmmakers opportunities than, say, more "respected" genres. Also, a lot of feminist horror, especially those directed by women, were held back by the Hollywood machine, sometimes resulting in more muddled messaging than creators intended.

That said, feminist films do not have to be perfect to do great things (nor should we expect them to be). Holding them to higher standards doesn't mean we can't appreciate what progress they do make, either. But until we allow a fuller spectrum of women to be both the creators and subjects of horror films, we cannot truly say that feminism has reclaimed the genre from all its gatekeepers.

1. Prevenge (2017)

This cheeky UK indie masterpiece is truly the mother of all horror-comedies. Ruth, a very pregnant and grieving single mom, commits violent murders at the behest of her killer fetus. With salient commentary on motherhood and society's misogynistic expectations of pregnant women, Prevenge has it all. Oh, and did we mention that writer-director Alice Lowe also starred in it when she was in her third trimester. Read our full review here.

Where to watch: Prevenge is streaming on Shudder.

2. Us (2019)

As a seminal director of the modern renaissance in socially-conscious horror, Jordan Peele's Us simply had to make it onto our list. While less explicitly about feminist themes, experiences of womanhood are embedded in its protagonist's journey, with Lupita Nyong'o bringing endless layers of complexity to the character of Adelaide/Red. Read our full review here.

Where to watch: Us is now streaming on Prime Video and Hulu, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

3. Ginger Snaps (2001)

While this beloved classic shows its age more than others on this list, it would be a sin to exclude it. For many Gen Xers and millennials, Ginger Snaps was our awakening to what lady-driven horror could do. The werewolf-as-puberty metaphor is a well-mined one, but the iconic goth sisters of this film capture something undeniably relatable in using it specifically to explore experiences of girlhood.

Where to watch: Ginger Snaps is now streaming on Peacock, Shudder, AMC+, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

4. Raw (2016)

A girl’s gotta eat, but Raw takes the term "man-eater" to a whole new level. This striking art house coming-of-age horror from writer-director Julia Ducournau explores the complex relationships women have with sexuality, food, consumption, and each other. It's not for the faint of stomach, but it's more visually arresting than needlessly gore-y if you ask us. (Side note: If you're already starting to notice a running theme of cannibalism on this list, buckle up.)

Where to watch: Raw is now streaming on Shudder, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

SEE ALSO: Cannibalism is consuming pop culture. What does it all mean? 5. The Stepford Wives (1975)

The quintessential horror-as-feminist-theory allegory, the original Stepford Wives was a seminal influence on socially conscious horror, with Jordan Peele naming it as a major inspiration for Get Out. The more shlocky Nicole Kidman reboot comes with its own fun, but you'll lose a lot of what made the 1970s one such a culmination of the second-wave feminist movement.

Where to watch: The Stepford Wives is now streaming on Tubi for free with ads.

6. Eve's Bayou (1997)

A groundbreaking, gorgeous southern gothic, the ever-present loom of sexism and racism haunt the women protagonists of Eve’s Bayou — though they find a way to embody Black girl magic anyway. Legendary writer-director Kasi Lemmons (who earlier won an Oscar for The Silence of the Lambs) grounds the film in Black women’s experiences, particularly through the young (now Emmy award—winning) Jurnee Smollett as she wrestles with memories and traumas, both personal and communal.

Where to watch: Eve's Bayou is now streaming on Peacock and Prime Video, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

7. Revenge (2018)

The directorial debut of Coralie Fargeat, Revenge does not shy away from depicting the true horrors of rape and its aftermath. The horror genre is, if anything, the originator of the rape revenge fantasy, through titles like I Spit on Your Grave. But Revenge subverts the worst of its exploitative past. Read our interview with the director on what makes it an evolution in Hollywood depictions of rape here.

Where to watch: Revenge is now streaming on Shudder, AMC+, MUBI, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

8. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)

Writer/director's Ana Lily Amirpour's feature-length debut that she also stars in is described as, "the first Iranian Vampire Western ever made." But that doesn't begin to capture the heart of this exceptional, subversive, arresting masterpiece, which turns every genre trope it's in conversation with on its head. On top of everything, the vampiric protagonist gave us one of the best skater girl icons of our generation.

Where to watch: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is now streaming on Shudder, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

9. We Are What We Are (2013)

One of the more unknown titles on our list, We Are What We Are is an American adaptation of the 2010 Mexican original (which we, unfortunately, could not get access to). Trading in biblical allegory, it tells the story of sisters Iris and Rose surviving the literally horrific abuses of their cultish, overbearing patriarch.

Where to watch: We Are What We Are is streaming on The Roku Channel and on Tubi, both for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

10. Goodnight Mommy (2015)

The breakout film of Austrian writer/directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala walks a tightwire of tension, paranoia, and Freudian mommy issues. While the twin boys are technically the protagonists, it's their "monstrous" mother trying to recover in peace from reconstructive surgery that truly earns the empathy of moviegoers.

Where to watch: Goodnight Mommy is now streaming on Prime Video, Kanopy, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

11. Under the Skin (2014)

Despite Scarlette Johansson's highly suspect gender politics, we felt compelled to include Under the Skin as an oft-underrated piece of experimental cinematic horror, evolving the monstrous feminine trope with riveting subversion.

Where to watch: Under the Skin is streaming on Shudder, Kanopy, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

SEE ALSO: The best movies on Shudder that you can't stream anywhere else 12. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

Seemingly a more traditional coroner's office horror, this thriller flips the script on the beautiful female victim narrative in the most delicious way possible. We debated where to include a film where the woman with the most time on screen is dead the whole time. Ultimately, though, it's a cathartic and enjoyable experience that still wrestles with women's trauma — not to mention that the Jane Doe in question deserves an Oscar for Most Emotive Corpse Ever.

Where to watch: The Autopsy of Jane Doe is now streaming on Showtime via Peacock, AMC+, Shudder, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

13. Audition (1999)

This Japanese masterpiece is a mainstay of most GOAT horror lists, and we won't spoil any of the experience by saying too much on why. All you need to know is that it follows the journey of a man who auditions a bunch of women to find the perfect subservient wife — and he gets much more than he bargained for.

Where to watch: Audition is now streaming on Shudder and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

14. Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019)

Spotlighting exactly what is so lacking in the popular conception and understanding of horror, this essential documentary based on Robin R. Means Coleman's book lays out the centuries-long intersection between Blackness and horror. From the Black-made horror films that have been all but erased from public access to re-framing Birth of a Nation as part of the genre, it shows how Black people (especially women) are a much bigger part of horror's greatness than the white mainstream gives them credit for.

Where to watch: Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror is now streaming on Shudder and AMC+, and is available for purchase on Apple TV.

15. The Love Witch (2017)

The "well, actually" horror fans will likely want to challenge characterizing Love Witch as a horror movie. But that might be because writer/director Anna Biller bucks any form of conventionality, presenting a sumptuous vision of the woman's gaze rarely allowed to flourish in film, horror, or otherwise. An homage as much as a subversion, The Love Witch is also a more subtle example of comedic horror than others on this list. Read our interview with Biller on the film's feminist lens here.

Where to watch: The Love Witch is streaming on Peacock and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

16. Under the Shadow (2016)

Mixed in with magical surrealism but set in the reality of post-revolution Tehran, Under the Shadow tells the story of a doctor who is suddenly forbidden from practicing under the new regime. As the world becomes more and more unrecognizable, she fights to protect her daughter from the constant threat of bombings as well as a more ephemeral monster hellbent on capturing her child.

Where to watch: Under the Shadow is now streaming on Netflix, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

17. Drag Me To Hell (2009)

An early horror-comedy from the renowned Sam Raimi, Drag Me to Hell starts off with a Lean In workplace situation gone awry (lol). It's as much a delightful ride as it is scary, with hidden layers of meaning — including hints of battling an eating disorder — that make this supernatural creeper well worth your time.

Where to watch: Drag Me to Hell is now streaming on HBO Max, Peacock, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

18. Suspiria (2018)

Opting for the Amazon Original reboot rather than the original will probably be considered a sin by most cinephiles. In all honesty, I haven't seen the original, but felt captivated enough by Luca Guadagnino's recent remake starring Tilda Swinton to include it as a wonderful ballet of the grotesque, beautiful, and feminine.

Where to watch: Suspiria is now streaming on Prime Video, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

19. Swallow (2020)

The psychosexual undercurrent of this movie is undeniable, with an oral fixation as great as its protagonist. Betty Friedan's seminal Feminine Mystique book absolutely drips off the screen, almost to the point where references are a bit overdone. But ultimately Swallow is saved by a spectacular performance from Haley Bennett, a fantastic sense of cinematic tension, and an abundance of visual sumptuousness.

Where to watch: Swallow is now streaming on Hulu, MUBI, AMC+, and Shudder, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

20. Starry Eyes (2014)

2014's Starry Eyes is not revolutionary as far as horror tropes go. But it's certainly ahead of its time as a film about the systemic sexual abuse of women in Hollywood released years before the bombshell allegations against Harvey Weinstein brought mainstream attention to the #MeToo movement.

Where to watch: Starry Eyes is streaming on Shudder, AMC+, Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

21. I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)

This gothic arthouse ghost story is a masterpiece of uncanny disquiet. A live-in nurse arrives at a house haunted by the rot of feminine beauty. Visually stunning and tensely atmospheric, it's a slow burn straight to the heart. To quote our review, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House is "one of Netflix's most daring experiments, and one of the most evocative atmospheric horror films exploring the female psyche since Polanksi's Repulsion... The film's dream-like narrative emerges through the disparate yet intertwined lives (and deaths) of three women, all colliding under the same roof." You can read our full review here.

Where to watch: I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House is streaming on Netflix.

22. Teeth (2007)

One of many examples of early feminist horror that was at first maligned, only to later become appreciated as a cult classic, Teeth is considered seminal to the subgenre. Transforming the psychosexual Freudian concepts of penis envy and vagina dentata into rape revenge power fantasies, we honestly just love to see it.

Where to watch: Teeth is streaming on Prime Video and Tubi for free with ads.

23. The Perfection (2018)

Let stars Allison Williams and Logan Browning take you on one wild, wild ride — and spoil yourself as little as possible with The Perfection. All you need to know is that this campy trip is all about two women seeking artistic excellence. They're also pitted against each other through the predatory systems that gatekeep said excellence.

Where to watch: The Perfection is streaming on Netflix.

24. The Witch (2015)

Like many of the entries on this list, The Witch complicates the typical, trope-y feminist empowerment horror narrative. The more powerful feminist reading of it (in this writer's opinion) is not as a tale of empowerment, but surviving complete disempowerment, immersing viewers in the oppressive religiosity that is the origins of America.

Where to watch: The Witch is streaming on HBO Max and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

25. Always Shine (2016)

Another exploration of the struggles of being a woman in Hollywood, writer/director Sophia Takal focuses on how the industry creates an atmosphere that makes female camaraderie nearly impossible. Again, some might argue it falls more under the "thriller" than "horror" category, but we don't really acknowledge those hair-splitting distinctions.

Where to watch: Always Shine is streaming on Shudder, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

26. Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Another largely panned movie after its original release in 2009, Jennifer's Body enjoyed a recent revival as an overlooked feminist horror classic. Through ahead-of-its time subversion of the male gaze, exploration of women's desires, a queer kiss, or metaphors for eating disorders, people have found a lot to love about writer/director Karyn Kusama's film. However, it's important to note that star Megan Fox has a complicated relationship to it as an exemplar of all the films that hypersexualized her from this time.

Where to watch: Jennifer's Body is streaming on Hulu, Disney+, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

27. Carrie (1976)

Believe us when we beg you to watch the original Carrie over its 2013 remake. While Kimberly Peirce's reboot tries to imbue more overt feminist messaging into it, the result is a loss of so much of what made Brian De Palma's 1976 version a reigning masterpiece of women-centric horror power fantasies.

Where to watch: Carrie is streaming on AMC+ and MGM+, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

28. Cam (2018)

From entertainment reporter Alison Foreman's full review: "Set in the cyber space of virtual sex work, CAM chronicles the nightmarish ordeal of Alice, an internet model or 'cam girl,' who one day logs on to discover she has been replaced by a mysterious doppelgänger. As her many fans obsess over the menacing substitute, Alice fights to regain control of her image, freedom, and physical safety... More than a disturbingly sexy Unfriended, CAM uses its adult setting to indirectly address feminist themes and motifs in a way that is not only nuanced, but also highly effective."

Where to watch: CAM is streaming on Netflix.

29. The Craft (1996)

If you were young when The Craft came out, you either desperately wanted to start your own coven or have no business reading this list. While a modern-day watch brings some of its treatment of socioeconomic differences into question, it was surprisingly progressive for its time thanks to the iconic role of Rochelle. While being one of the very few feminist horror movies to bother including a Black woman's experience, though, that achievement is severely undermined by the IRL racist treatment of actress Rachel True, who has been repeatedly left out and erased from its legacy.

Where to watch: The Craft is streaming on Paramount+, Prime Video, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

30. Ready or Not (2019)

Ready or Not isn't winning any "elevated horror" awards, but it doesn't need to. It's well-written, cathartic fun with not only a feminist but also socioeconomic bent. Also, who can beat that torn-up wedding dress with an old-timey gun holster and black high tops look?

Where to watch: Ready or Not is streaming on Hulu, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

31. Midsommar (2019)

As much a cathartic break-up movie as it is a scary one, as joyful as it is terrifying, Midsommar is a gorgeous grotesquerie that thrives through contradiction. Like many on this list, it complicates the trope-y female empowerment horror film narrative by not painting it through rose-tinted glasses, and is relatable to any woman who's suffered through grief and dating a shitty dude. Read our full review here.

Where to watch: Midsommar is streaming on HBO Max, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

32. The Babadook (2014)

The Babadook has become a staple of not only feminist but general best horror movie lists for a reason. The directorial debut of Jennifer Kent, it's not only brutally honest about the struggle of single motherhood, but produced one of our generation's greatest gay horror icons.

Where to watch: The Babadook is streaming on Hulu, AMC+, MUBI, Shudder, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

SEE ALSO: 'The Babadook' filmmaker Jennifer Kent on how her character became an LGBTQ+ icon, and why we will never see a sequel 33. Alien (1979)

Where do we even begin? Alien is feminist horror 101, leading to decades of scholarly analysis into its psychosexual undertones. All we'll say is that it essentially entails about two hours of Sigourney Weaver surviving like a boss while fighting to save her pussy (protect Jonesy at all costs). Aside from being revolutionary for its time, few other classics from the genre have aged quite as gracefully, making it as gripping and evocative now as it was in the 1970s.

Where to watch: Alien is streaming on Hulu, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

34. You're Next (2011)

Similar to Ready or Not, You're Next is a great (if not the GOAT) horror movie that adds class commentary to the more typical female empowerment horror movie narrative. We dare you to watch it and not give out a guttural "FUCK YEAH!" at least once thanks to Sharni Vinson's stellar performance.

Where to watch: You're Next is streaming on The Roku Channel and Tubi, both for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

35. The Descent (2013)

All-female casts are always a great start, but throw in a cave-vagina metaphor (complete with lots and lots of blood) and you've got yourself a bonafide feminist horror movie must-watch. Even without the allegory, though, The Descent is awesome horror because of how it gives those women characters and their relationships full personhood, which is rarer in this genre than you'd think!

Where to watch: The Descent is streaming on Kanopy, The Criterion Channel and Prime Video, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

36. The Lure (2015)

Something about The Little Mermaid continues to enthrall our collective unconscious century after century, and it has a lot to do with its gender politics (for better and for worse). This Polish horror-musical genre-bender is closer to the darker original Hans Christian Anderson folktale than the Disney version. Depicting two mermaid sisters as carnivorous sirens rather than fantasies of the male gaze, director Agnieszka Smoczyńskait's inspired vision nails the monster sympathy film.

Where to watch: The Lure is streaming on The Criterion Collection and HBO Max, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

37. The Girl with All the Gifts (2017)

One of the few horror films in history to ever feature a young Black girl as the hero, The Girl With All the Gifts is a British zombie movie that bucks many of the subgenre's tropes. While the lead character was not written with any race specified, the captivating Sennia Nanua adds groundbreaking layers of social commentary. After all, it is the story of an Other who is seen as a monstrous threat, and thus caged, abused, and made to conform to a social system built only to serve the more dominant population. Like a lot of nascent feminist horror film representations on this list, not every aspect of its Black feminist reading lands. But the film's raw power is inarguably elevated by the representation of a gifted young Black girl's desire to belong and struggle to survive an apocalyptic world hellbent on destroying her.

Where to watch: he Girl With All the Gifts is streaming on Kanopy and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

38. Halloween (2018)

To quote our deep dive into the gender politics of the recent reboot, "With 2018's Halloween and the return of the most prototypical final girl, Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode has ushered in a new kind of slasher flick for the horrors uncovered by #MeToo... The timeliness of the new Halloween lies in how it speaks to a real-world moment of women coming together for a similar reckoning. As survivors everywhere seek to end decades of victimization, Laurie finally confronts her own predator, drawing strength from the solidarity and shared experience of trauma with other women in her life." You can read our full review here.

Where to watch: Halloween is streaming on Hulu and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

39. Hush (2016)

People with disabilities often get a really raw fucking deal in horror movies, appearing mostly through tropes that turn them into inhuman evil grotesqueries. While protagonist Maddie does not have a visible disability, she is deaf, and set up to appear as the perfect helpless victim for a predator. But as we and her assailant quickly learn, she certainly fucking is not.

Where to watch: Hush is streaming on Peacock, Prime Video, AMC+, Shudder, and Tubi for free with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

40. Relic (2020)

On its surface, Relic seems to deal in the misogynistic horror trope of older women's bodies as inherently grotesque, disgusting, or evil (looking at you, The Witch and more egregiously, The Shining). But first-time writer/director Natalie Erika James' debut film brings a previously unseen tenderness that subverts it, exploring the true horror of aging as having little to do with a woman's body. With one of the best final scenes in any horror movie, we highly recommend checking it out.

Where to watch: Relic is streaming on Shudder, AMC+, and Prime Video, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

Honorable Mention: Lovecraft Country (2020)

We know, we know. Lovecraft Country is a show, not a movie. That technicality is the only reason it doesn't qualify for our official list. But as one of the rare horror anything's to not only be spearheaded by a Black woman but that also centralizes Black women's perspectives across many ages and social circumstances, Misha Green's Lovecraft Country is a long overdue, vital leap forward in the feminist reclaiming of the horror genre we need to see much more of. Read our full review here.

Where to watch: Lovecraft Country is streaming on HBO Max.

UPDATE: Oct. 23, 2025, 12:25 p.m. This list was first published on Oct. 16, 2020. It has been updated to reflect streaming options.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

To ruin.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

WRECK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Abrupt.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TERSE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Used to keep the neck warm

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SCARF

Hurdle Word 4 hint

What a student attends.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

CLASS

Final Hurdle hint

A pink flower.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

PEONY

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

After nights of little visibility, the moon is finally putting on a show tonight. Keep reading to find out what you can see.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Saturday, Oct. 25, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent. There will be 14% of the moon lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

After nights of too little visibility, the moon is finally big enough to see some features on its surface. Without any visual aids you should be able to see the Mare Crisium and the Mare Fecunditatis. With the addition of binoculars or a telescope you'll also catch a glimpse of the Endymion Crater.

As we've surpassed the new moon, these will be visible on the right side of the moon now. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, it'll be the left side.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.

The next full moon will be on Nov. 5. What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases, like Waxing Crescent, are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit. The cycle occurs when the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth change. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle.

The eight main moon phases are:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

In the age of the smartphone, everybody's an amateur photographer. We have a camera on our person, tucked away in a pocket, pretty much all the time. But what about taking things a step further photography-wise? Why not buy a real camera and take a step towards going pro? You'll be amazed and the difference in image quality.

But what type of camera? In case you didn't know, you can choose from a "DSLR", "mirrorless", or "point-and-shoot" camera. We recommend a DSLR. After all, you already have a point-and-shoot camera on your phone. And a mirrorless, an increasingly popular choice, might be a bit tech-heavy for beginners.

Overall, it’s important that you buy a camera that allows you to grow and gain confidence in your photography skills. Ultimately, the best camera is the one that feels right in your hand. Not to mention a camera that you can actually use and isn't too complicated. Many amateur photographers start with DSLR cameras because DSLRs have multiple options, lenses, and classic handling. If it's all a bit new to you, here's some useful information and a selection of the best DSLR cameras for beginners.

What is a DSLR camera?

DSLR stands for digital single-lens reflex. DSLRs are popular because of how easy they are to use and the multitude of lenses available. DSLRs have a mirror in the lens which reflects the optical image into the camera's viewfinder — the photo is then captured on an SD card. Just to clear up any potential confusion: The difference between a DSLR and an SLR is mainly that SLR uses film while DSLR is all digital.

Is mirrorless better than DSLR?

As always, it's less about what's better and more about what suits you best — though the current trend does seem to be towards mirrorless, which is the more popular type of camera at the moment. Mirrorless cameras tend to be smaller and more compact (that's one of the big selling points). And though DSLRs are bulkier, they tend to have better battery life for this reason. Reviewers also talk about the "handling" of DSLR cameras — the classic feel of a chunky, grippable, easy-to-use camera.

The other differences to note are that DSLRs have a classic optical viewfinder, whereas mirrorless cameras have an electronic viewfinder or sometimes no viewfinder at all — they prioritise an LCD monitor for "live view" shooting instead. DSLRs have also implemented these monitors on the rear side, though that means DSLRs have two different autofocus systems for both viewfinder and monitor.

One benefit of DSLRs is the sheer number of lenses available, particularly from manufacturers that have been in the DSLR game for years, such as Canon and Nikon.

Do DSLR cameras shoot video?

One of the big differences between DSLR and mirrorless is that mirrorless cameras are better for shooting video. So, if video is a big priority for you, it might be worth picking up a mirrorless camera instead. However, the DSLRs in this roundup all shoot video — and some even capture 4K — so they're not exactly slouches on the video front.

Are DSLRs good for beginners?

DSLRs do have some advantages over mirrorless cameras. One thing worth noting is that because the mirror covers the sensor, it's protected against dust and dirt when you remove or change lenses. This makes cleaning a lot easier for beginners. And while DSLR cameras are bulkier and heavier than the new mirrorless options, pros and newbies alike will prefer the beefier construction and easy-to-use tools.

How much does a DSLR camera cost?

DSLR cameras with a built-in viewfinder are the cheapest option within this category, and you can expect a basic set up complete with camera, zoom lens, and carrying case to run you anywhere from £300 to £2,000.

What is the best DSLR camera for beginners?

We've checked out everything on offer for beginners, and lined up the very best DSLR cameras from top brands. There should be something for everyone and every budget in this list. You just need to pick the model that best fits your requirements.

These are the best DSLR cameras for beginners in 2025.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you love historical films.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

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

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

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 24, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: To con

• Green: Found on a timepiece

• Blue: To bestow

• Purple: Oscar winners

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

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

• Yellow: Swindle

• Green: Digital watch features

• Blue: Confer

• Purple: Best Actor-winning biopics

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #867 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Swindle: FLEECE, HOSE, HUSTLE, SHAFT

• Digital watch features: ALARM, DATE, LIGHT, STOPWATCH

• Confer: ACCORD, AWARD, GRANT, VEST

• Best Actor-winning biopics: CAPOTE, LINCOLN, MILK, RAY

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 24, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love a reformation.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 17, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Quite a transformation!

The words are related to changing.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe creatures that change.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Shapeshifters.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 25

• Skinwalker

• Vampire

• Shapeshifters

• Changeling

• Werewolf

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're good at guessing.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 17, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To estimate.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter G appears twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

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

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

GAUGE

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 24, 2025

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

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is simple if you understand basketball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Injury relief

• Green: Beaver state nicknames

• Blue: Soccer players

• Purple: In the air

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

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

• Yellow: Worn After an Injury

• Green: An Oregon Athlete

• Blue: First Names of USWNT Players

• Purple: Air___

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #397 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Worn After an Injury - BRACE, CAST, SLING, SPLINT

• An Oregon Athlete- BEAVER, DUCK, THORN, TIMBER

• First Names of USWNT Players - LILY, ROSE, SAM, TRINITY

• Air___ - BALL, BUD, FORCE, HOCKEY

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

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

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Has Yorgos Lanthimos' Bugonia left you questioning your very reality? Don't worry, you've come to the right place.

SEE ALSO: 'Bugonia' review: Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos' gnarly black comedy is far from their best

Lanthimos' dark comedy about a conspiracy theorist who kidnaps a high-powered CEO comes with its fair share of twists and turns. Its ending in particular seems designed to shock, although Lanthimos and screenwriter Will Tracy do plant their fair share of hints at what's coming. Let's break it down.

How does Bugonia end? Aidan Delbis, Jesse Plemons, and Emma Stone in "Bugonia." Credit: Atsushi Nishijima / Focus Features

Based on the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!, Bugonia sees beekeeper Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin Donny (Aidan Delbis) take pharmaceutical CEO Michelle (Emma Stone) hostage. They believe that she is an Andromedan alien who was sent to infiltrate humanity and make them subservient to alien rule. By Bugonia's end, Lanthimos reveals that Teddy was right... kind of.

That's right: Michelle is actually an Andromedan. More than that, she's the Andromedan empress.

SEE ALSO: 'Bugonia' trailer: Emma Stone swears she's not an alien in Yorgos Lanthimos' latest

The revelation comes on the night of the lunar eclipse, which is when Teddy believes the Andromedan mothership will arrive near Earth. Michelle manages to get Teddy to the headquarters of her company, Auxolith, where she claims that the closet in her office is actually a transporter that will beam the pair of them to the mothership. Things quickly go awry when Teddy shows Michelle that he's wearing a suicide vest as insurance. Moments later, the vest detonates in reaction to his body heat.

If you believe that Michelle is a human, the entire Auxolith scene feels like her stalling for time in order to get help from outside authorities. However, in the chaos that follows Teddy's death, it turns out that that isn't the case at all. Michelle drags herself from an ambulance back to her office, where she does, in fact, get transported to the Andromedan mothership.

What did the Andromedans want with Earth? Emma Stone in "Bugonia." Credit: Atsushi Nishijima / Focus Features

So yes, Teddy was correct about Michelle being an Andromedan. He was also correct about her hair being how she could communicate with her ship, and about her being a member of the imperial bloodline. (Of course, he missed that she was the actual emperor.) Still, he was far off on the reason the Andromedans were truly on Earth.

Right before Michelle and Teddy head to Auxolith for the last time, Michelle discovers Teddy's experiments on dead bodies, some of whom were Andromedan, some of whom were human. At this point, Michelle quits pretending to be human (or pretending to be a human claiming she's an alien in order to satisfy her captor) and tells Teddy the story of the Andromedan race. They arrived on Earth millions of years ago, accidentally killing dinosaurs in the process. From there, they created humans in their own image. That prompted the creation of the ancient civilization of Atlantis.

SEE ALSO: 2025 fall movie preview: Every upcoming film you ought to know about

However, as humans turned on one another and engaged in devastating wars, the Andromedans grew horrified at their own offspring. According to Michelle, Auxolith's experiments — including the drugs that put Teddy's mother Sandy (Alicia Silverstone) in a coma — were intended to find a way to help humanity and continue their evolution. However, those experiments ended up failing. Ironically, in the end, by trying to save humans from aliens, Teddy actually dooms them, as his kidnapping and torture of Michelle prove to be the last straw for the aliens' patience. Michelle, now back on the mothership (and sporting a massive hair headpiece), decrees that humans cannot be saved. With one pop of a bubble encasing the Andromedans' model of Earth, she wipes out every human on the planet. It's a bleak conclusion for humans but not for Earth: In the film's final moments, bees begin to flourish again.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Wait, is Bugonia saying that conspiracy theorists are right? Aidan Delbis and Jesse Plemons in "Bugonia." Credit: Atsushi Nishijima / Focus Features

Bugonia's reveal that Michelle has been an Andromedan all along gives the film killer rewatch value, especially when it comes to Stone's performance and the many layers of deception Michelle is balancing. However, does it also risk legitimizing extremist conspiracy theorists like Teddy by proving his theories correct?

Not really! Bugonia still highlights how dangerous Teddy is. He tortures Michelle, coerces Donny into chemical castration, murders cop Casey (Stavros Halkias), and is so out of touch with reality that he believes the antifreeze he kills his mother with is actually a miracle cure. In no way does Bugonia validate these actions.

The film does acknowledge that Teddy's conspiracies stem from real problems, though — and no, I'm not just talking about the aliens. His theorizing is rooted in legitimate issues: wealth disparity, environmental collapse, the broken healthcare system. Michelle has ties to all these evils, from her involvement in Sandy's coma to Auxolith's connection to declining bee populations. Because of this, she becomes the perfect embodiment of all of Teddy's suffering. That she is actually an alien adds an extra layer of veracity to Teddy's true complaints about the state of the world, although he's twisted the truth of the Andromedans' involvement on Earth entirely.

Still, the biggest question Bugonia poses isn't "Is Michelle actually an alien?" It's whether humanity is worth saving in the first place, even with dangerous conspiracy theorists like Teddy or soulless corporate figureheads like Michelle harming the people around them. Bugonia's final montage of dead humans collapsed in a variety of situations, from clubbing to prayer, highlights that there's so much more to humanity than the polar opposites we've been following for the whole film. No one person can truly encompass it all.

Bugonia is now in select theaters, and opens wide on Oct. 31.

SAVE UP TO $52: Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2 open earbuds and the Soundcore C30i open earbuds are both down to their best prices ever at Amazon. The Aerofit 2 are down to $77.99 from $129.99, while the C30i are just $34.99 instead of $69.99. That's 40% and 50% in savings, respectively.

Anker Soundcore open earbuds deals: Best ear hook design Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2 open earbuds $77.99 (save $52) Get Deal Best ear clip design Anker Soundcore C30i earbuds $34.99 (save $35) Get Deal

The most popular earbuds aren't always the best ones for you. Tech is not one-size fits all. If you're someone who wants to actually stay in tune with the world around you and/or finds in-ear designs uncomfortable, open earbuds might be a good pick for you. And it's a good time to try them out, as two of Anker Soundcore's open earbuds are on sale for their best prices ever.

As of Oct. 24, the Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2 open earbuds are on sale for just $77.99 at Amazon. That's 40% off their $129.99 list price. If you'd rather go for an even more budget-friendly pick, the Anker Soundcore C30i open earbuds are also on sale for just $34.99 at Amazon — a 50% discount from their $69.99 list price. Both pairs have hit their lowest prices on record.

Besides the price, these two earbud options vary vastly in design. The Aerofit 2 open earbuds feature an ear hook design with four adjustable angles. Mashable's reviewer Bethany Allard called them "the most comfortable (and snug) open-ear hook buds we've tried so far." The C30i earbuds, on the other hand, feature a clip design more like Bose's Ultra Open earbuds. They attach to the outer edge of your ears like a cuff and stay in place with the help of attachable ear grips.

We've actually tried out the Aerofit 2s and they earned a spot on our list of the best open earbuds. Allard writes, "If you want open earbuds that are excellent for workouts, still great for daily use, and don't cost a ton, you want the Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 earbuds." At 40% off their list price, they're an incredible value. If you're unsure whether open earbuds are right for you, the C30i might be the better choice, as they'll only set you back $34.99. With either option, you can rest assured you're getting the best possible price.

SAVE $20: As of Oct. 24, get the Renpho Scale for $59.99, down from its usual price of $79.99, at Amazon. That's a discount of 25%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Renpho Scale $59.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal

Looking for a quick and easy way to track important health metrics on your fitness journey? A fitness tracker is a good idea, but a smart scale is an even better one. Not only can they help you figure out where you are in terms of getting to where you want to be, but they can help you track all the data you capture when you step on the scale, far beyond your body weight. And you can get an excellent one right now for under $100 at Amazon.

As of Oct. 24, get the Renpho Scale for $59.99, down from its usual price of $79.99, at Amazon. That's $20 off and a discount of 25%.

SEE ALSO: The best smart scales at Amazon will up your health game — and they start at just $20

This scale gives you information about your weight, BMI, and five additional custom biometrics at a glance when you step on. Plus, it will automatically swap between multiple users thanks to its accompanying app so you and your family can use it without getting things confused. It automatically uploads data via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to make sure your app is synced and goes from there.

Additionally, there are 18 total body metrics it can measure including muscle mass, body fat, and more, as well as three pregnancy-related modes that help you figure out data related to when you're expecting. Plus, Athlete Mode takes active lifestyles into account to help you tweak your day-to-day data even further.

If you're serious about making a change to your lifestyle and want to get all the information you possibly can, this smart scale can do it all. Make sure you grab it while it's on sale at this price before it's no longer in stock.

SAVE $29.97: As of Oct. 24, get the Sonicare Protective Clean 5300 electric toothbrush for $79.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $109.96. That's a discount of 27%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Sonicare Protective Clean 5300 $79.99 at Amazon
$109.96 Save $29.97   Get Deal

Keeping your pearly whites clean is important. A good toothbrush can help make the difference between hundreds of dollars spent at the dentist and a clean bill of health. So if you can get a good electric toothbrush at a decent price, you should take the opportunity to do so. Right now, you can get a particularly good one for a significant discount.

As of Oct. 24, get the Sonicare Protective Clean 5300 electric toothbrush for $79.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $109.96. That's $29.97 off and a discount of 27%.

SEE ALSO: The best electric toothbrushes for upping your oral hygiene game

This electric toothbrush makes it a mission to help you more efficiently clean your teeth. It has a pressure sensor that alerts you when you're brushing too hard to protect your gums and optimize your clean. Plus, it has multiple modes: Clean, White, and Gum Care. So if one is too rough, you can switch to another.

It comes with two extra brush heads as well. The brush itself will remind you when it's time to replace the one you're using, so you don't have to make a guess at when you should change it out. And with a timer to help you know when you're brushing long enough, you can make sure you're spending the correct amount of time cleaning and trying to prevent cavities.

If it's time to replace your toothbrush, grab this one and overhaul your cleaning routine. You'll be glad you did, especially at a discount like this.

TL;DR: Save $10 when you bundle Microsoft Office 2021 ($49.99) and Windows 11 Pro ($14.97), now $54.97 together (reg. $418.99). Codes are limited in supply.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $54.97
$418.99 Save $364.02   Get Deal

Support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, meaning your PC has been more vulnerable to malware this whole time. This Microsoft bundle is a great time to upgrade and refresh your Office apps — and ditch any recurring Microsoft 365 fees.

Microsoft Office 2021

If you’re tired of paying monthly for Microsoft 365 or running an older version, Microsoft Office 2021 is an excellent one-time upgrade. This lifetime license gives you forever access to the classic apps you use every day without subscriptions or hidden fees.

Here are all of the included apps:

• Word: Create and edit polished documents with advanced formatting tools.

• Excel: Analyze data with powerful formulas, charts, and PivotTables.

• PowerPoint: Design professional-grade presentations with ease.

• Outlook: Manage email, contacts, and calendars in one place.

• OneNote: Organize notes and ideas in one searchable hub.

• Publisher: Design flyers, brochures, and other print materials.

• Access: Build and manage databases with ease.

• Teams (Free version): Stay connected and collaborate easily.

Windows 11 Pro

Windows 11 Pro isn’t just an upgraded operating system; it’s a streamlined, more secure environment built for modern workflows, whether you’re managing a small business, working remotely, or just want a faster, more intuitive interface.

This is what you’ll notice:

• Modern interface: Clean design, improved navigation, and better multitasking with Snap Layouts.

• Enhanced security: TPM 2.0, BitLocker encryption, and Smart App Control help keep your data safe.

• Productivity boost: Virtual desktops, improved search, and seamless integration with Teams.

• AI-ready: Built-in Copilot for faster answers, writing help, and smart suggestions.

Upgrade your PC with Windows 11 Pro and Office 2021 for $54.97 while codes last (reg. $418.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

There's a reason the queer community loves horror. Sure, the spooks and campy thrills are fun, but as a genre, horror has long been a ripe territory for metaphor, and for exploring the dark and fantastical sides of otherness that's so inherent to many queer and trans experiences.

Queerness has been all over the history of horror, even if it hasn't always been loudly represented. From the queer coding of classic monster movies to very obviously gay vampire flicks, from horror sci-fi explorations of gender identity to the openly LGBTQ+ characters of modern slashers, queer and trans audiences have long found themselves reflected — whether intentionally or not — in the horror genre.

This spooky season, whether you're in the mood for a queer cannibal romance, a surreal lesbian vampire tale, a gay cruising thriller, a haunted house comedy, or a trans horror twist on The Little Mermaid, there are plenty of movies to keep you entertained and up at night throughout October.

Jennifer's Body Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

"I go both ways." Name a better, queerer, and funnier line of dialogue from a horror movie monster. Megan Fox's iconic "My tit!" reaction is a close second. Both of those lines from Jennifer's Body highlight the brilliance of Diablo Cody's script, and the perfect balance of tone that director Karyn Kusama strikes throughout the cult horror comedy, a film unfairly lambasted upon release that's found its long-deserved appreciation in recent years.

Back in 2009, Jennifer's Body was slammed by male critics and audiences with a 46 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and a C- Cinemascore. But despite a misleading marketing campaign, this was never a film for men, and it especially wasn't the usual type of horror film cisgender heterosexual men men were used to watching, where female characters are victimized for their viewing pleasure. This is a film about the absolute hell that is growing up as a teenage girl, about male violence towards and the sexualization of femininity, about trauma, and about the monstrous pain of queer repression. Jennifer's Body cleverly uses the tools of its genre — over-the-top gore, suspense, and camp — to subvert expectations and tell a story that, at its tit-covered heart, is funny as hell, and pretty damn gay.

How to watch: Jennifer's Body is streaming on Hulu and available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Cat People (1942)

Lesbians, cats, and witchcraft collide oh-so-perfectly in the fantastic B-horror movie Cat People (not to be confused with Paul Schrader's synth-heavy 1982 remake, which shifted its focus to even more risqué taboos, such as, uh, incest). This eerie, atmospheric film from Jacques Tourneur follows a Serbian woman named Irena (Simone Simon) who becomes fixated on the idea that she may be a descendant of an ancient society of people who morphed into cats. "Crazy!" thinks her new husband, who's also aware of the fact that Irena has yet to kiss him, and who's also spending more and more time with his pretty female coworker. Irena grows jealous of this other woman and begins to stalk her. The rest is best left discovered in this deliciously sinister masterpiece that uses expressionistic noir photography to build suspense and link the ostracization of lesbian desire with monstrosity.

How to watch: Cat People is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Stranger by the Lake Credit: Les Film Du Worso / Arte France Cinema / Prods / Kobal / Shutterstock

Set at a gay cruising beach in the glistening summertime of rural France, 2013's Stranger by the Lake remains one of the most fascinating, haunting, and sexiest erotic thrillers of years. Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps) arrives at the popular cruising spot and soon sets his eye on a mysterious stud named Michel (Christophe Paou). The attraction is mutual, as some incredibly hot beachside sex scenes show, but Stranger by the Lake makes a severe pivot when one character witnesses a horrific act. In Alain Guiraudie's film, the horror comes less from what's seen on screen and more from the film's psychological examination of lust and voyeurism — particularly when intimacy and desire become tangled up with acts of violence and aggression. 

How to watch: Stranger by the Lake is streaming for free on Kanopy and available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and VUDU.

Under the Skin Credit: Filmnation / Jw / Kobal / Shutterstock

Jonathan Glazer's sci-fi masterpiece Under the Skin is the type of movie that leaves you uncomfortable, transfixed, and possibly unable to move from your seat once the credits roll. Scarlett Johansson, giving what is easily her best and most subtle performance, plays a nameless woman who drives around Scotland at night searching for random men to pick up in her van. The rest is best left unspoiled, but what earns it a spot on this list is how Under the Skin serves as a fascinating exploration of what it feels like to be a trans person in a society dominated by, and oriented around, cisnormative ideas of gender and bodies. It's a haunting tale about otherness, about the paralyzing loneliness and horror of realizing that you — and your body — are not like those around you, that it's alien, even unnatural to some. Under the Skin, almost surely unintentionally on Glazer's part, taps into a specific trans perspective of the interior longing to connect with, to understand, and to feel aligned with the exterior. It's beautiful and tragic and horrifying, and some of the most imaginative sci-fi horror filmmaking the genre's ever seen.

How to watch: Under the Skin is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Bones and All Credit: Yannis Drakoulidis / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

In director Luca Guadagnino's Bones and All, cannibalism serves as a potent metaphor for an unquenchable desire and longing for that which is taboo or even evil by some standards. It's clear to see the queer symbolism across the horror romance starring Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet, who play a pair of outcast lovers on the run, à la Terrence Malick's Badlands — and there are some explicit queer moments throughout. The two wanderers both suffer from an inescapable hunger to feed on people, a new twist on the age-old horror trope of vampirism as a metaphor for queer desire. Remove the grotesque element of eating people, and you get a story about two teens burdened with shame and alienation simply for the way they yearn for love and connection. But Bones and All also understands how that non-heteronormative longing is viewed as grotesque and monstrous by so much of society. Fans of Guadagnino's other work, like Call Me by Your Name, Suspiria, and I Am Love, will find plenty of thematic parallels here, only instead of Chalamet sensually devouring a peach, it's a bloody corpse.

How to watch: Bones and All is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

SEE ALSO: How Luca Guadagnino's 'Bones and All' is different from the novel Daughters of Darkness Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

Vampire films have long been fixtures of sapphic storytelling, from 1936's Dracula's Daughter to the explosion of lesbian vamp films in the '70s, but Daughters of Darkness is easily the GOAT. This 1971 Belgian film takes the folklore of Elizabeth Báthory — a 16th-century Hungarian countess rumored to have drunk the blood of the women she lusted after — and turns it into an erotic psychological horror story. 

French actress Delphine Seyrig plays the Countess, a platinum blonde, red-lipsticked menace who saunters around a vacant seaside hotel in sparkling gowns alongside her quiet secretary/girlfriend. But when a young woman arrives on honeymoon with her husband, the Countess's unquenchable desire sets in, and she'll do anything to have her. Daughters of Darkness is a surreal trip of a movie that's like the stylish and subversive art-house cinema of Rainer Werner Fassbinder cross-pollinated with '70s lesbian erotica.

How to watch: Daughters of Darkness is streaming on Shudder, AMC+ or Shudder via Prime Video, and with ads on VUDU, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV.

Bodies Bodies Bodies Credit: Erik Chakeen

Bodies Bodies Bodies is the most Gen Z slasher comedy you could imagine — it's Clue with rich, coked-out twentysomethings stuck in a mansion during a hurricane with nothing but TikTok, liquor, and drama to keep them occupied. When Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) brings her shy new girlfriend, Bee (Maria Bakalova), to her best friend David's (Pete Davidson) lavish house to shelter in/party at during a storm, the vibes are immediately sour. Sophie's friends bristle at her unexpected arrival, her awkward girlfriend, and how she ghosted them after she went to rehab. But it's nothing some shots and pills can't fix. When the group sits down to play the titular murder mystery game, that's when everything goes haywire and an actual dead body winds up in the house. Director Halina Reijn's film is a deliciously fun and gory mix of comedy, suspense, and drama — much of that comedy so perfectly nailed by standout Rachel Sennott — proving that the most deadly weapons aren't candlesticks or lead pipes, but backstabbing bitchy gossip.

How to watch: Bodies Bodies Bodies is streaming on Prime Video and available to rent or purchase on Apple TV.

SEE ALSO: Let's talk about that shocking 'Bodies Bodies Bodies' ending, with director Halina Reijn The Lure

The Lure has been described as a lesbian mermaid horror musical, but somehow even that doesn't come close to capturing what this audacious Polish film is. Agnieszka Smoczyńska's debut feature is the darkest retelling of The Little Mermaid you could imagine, incorporating grisly violence and the sex work industry into that classic fairytale. 

After two young singing mermaids, Silver (Marta Mazurek) and Gold (Michalina Olszańska), are invited onshore, the girls become the newest members of a cabaret-like band where they strip and dance on stage. The girls have legs when out of water but no genitals (much to the male characters' frustration), which becomes a focal point for Silver, who becomes increasingly desperate for an operation to change that. The only catch is, losing her fin also means losing her voice. 

This is where The Lure becomes a trans take on the classic mermaid story. It's a metaphor for medical transition, a grim love story with incisive commentary on transmisogyny, and through the characters of Silver and Gold, the film explores two different trans feminine perspectives on transition, as well as their own queer sexuality. The Lure is a gory, thrilling, and bold spectacle that's unlike anything you've ever seen.

How to watch: The Lure is streaming on The Criterion Channel and Max, and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

The Fear Street Trilogy Credit: Netflix

Leigh Janiak's Fear Street trilogy is the queer horror thrill ride of every '90s kid's dreams. Spanning three time periods with two separate casts and a queer couple as the protagonists, the Fear Street movies bring R.L. Stine's book series to the screen with plenty of blood, spooky lore, teen romance drama, and some killer '90s needle drops on the soundtrack. The story centers on a group of friends who try to undo a decades-old curse on their town that's led to it being dubbed the murder capital of the country. Most fun and innovative is how each film in Janiak's trilogy pays homage to a different horror subgenre, from Fear Street Part 1: 1994 evoking the slasher vibes of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, the Friday the 13th terror of Fear Street Part 2: 1978, and the pagan folk horror of the witchy finale, Fear Street Part 3: 1666.

But these movies aren't just on this list for simply having queer leads. Janiak's trilogy is keenly aware of the history of horror as an avenue to subtextually explore queer identity. Instead of playing into that legacy of coding, she uses the classic tropes of the genre to give us a narrative that is explicitly about queer repression, and in turn, unabashedly celebrates the power of queer love.

How to watch: The Fear Street trilogy is streaming on Netflix.

The Bride of Frankenstein Credit: Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock

Many pre-code classic horror films are gurgling with queerness, and much of that is thanks to the work of openly gay filmmaker James Whale. Everything from Frankenstein to The Old Dark House and The Invisible Man has been dissected by queer film historians, but it's Whale's The Bride of Frankenstein that remains the queerest of them all. This is a movie about the ways gay male relationships are constantly thwarted by society and deemed, well, monstrous. 

Sure, the sequel is about the creation of a female mate for Boris Karloff's Monster, but that preoccupation with heterosexuality is kinda the point — she's the beard. Of course, no one in this movie is overtly gay, but you can read the Monster finding safety with a blind man as him finding a gay companion, or even the Bride's creation scene as two men's attempt to use their power to create life despite their inability to procreate together. From the layers of queer coding and campy humor all over Whale's sequel, it's no doubt Elsa Lanchester's Bride has become cemented as a fixture of drag culture.

How to watch: The Bride of Frankenstein is streaming on Prime Video, and is available to rent or purchase on Apple TV, and VUDU.

The Blackening Credit: Glen Wilson

"Name a horror movie where the Black character survives" is the first trivia question to kick off the twisted murder game at the center of The Blackening. Morgan (Yvonne Orji) and Shawn (Jay Pharoah) are stumped, and understandably so, given the genre's exploitation and tokenizing of Black characters (although just in case you also find yourself in a similar game of life-or-death trivia, there are a handful of films where Black folks do indeed live). 

A clever slasher comedy that uses the genre to comment on the history of Black stereotypes across horror and Hollywood overall finds a group of friends reuniting at a remote cabin in the woods on Juneteenth. The group gets forced into playing a racist board game while being hunted by a masked killer, all while relationship tensions and drama pull the friends apart. Dewayne Perkins, who co-wrote the film with Tracy Oliver, also stars as the group's token gay guy, which adds another layer of playful and refreshing commentary on both the Bury Your Gays trope and on gay masculinity in Black culture. 

How to watch: The Blackening is streaming on Netflix, and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

The Hunger Credit: Mgm/Ua/Kobal/Shutterstock

Few things are hotter than the image of Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie as cool-as-hell ancient vampires sauntering around an underground nightclub as they cruise for their next meal. But Tony Scott's cult favorite The Hunger is memorable for more than its good-looking and fashionable leads; it's also one of the sharpest examples of the vampire story as a metaphor for queerness. 

In the world of these vampires, love, desire, and companionship goes beyond gender, and while Deneuve and Bowie's Miriam and John Blaylock have been lovers for centuries, Miriam begins to set her sights on a new companion once John becomes ill: Susan Sarandon's doctor Sarah. Beyond the lesbian love story, Scott's 1983 film can also be read as a commentary on the AIDS crisis through John's sudden onset of an incurable illness that his doctors mindlessly dismiss. There's also a pervading sense of grief and loneliness across the film that feels true to the experiences of many LGBTQ+ folks who survived the AIDS epidemic — a haunting sadness that Miriam, the most ancient of vampires, is condemned to throughout her immortality, as she's forced to forever grieve the lovers she outlasts.

How to watch: The Hunger is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

The Hitcher Credit: Silver Screen / Hbo / Tri Star / Kobal / Shutterstock

In The Hitcher, a young guy driving across the country to his dream destination of California stops in the middle of a rainy night in who-knows-where to pick up a hitchhiker. Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) can hardly keep his eyes open, so hopefully this stranger will help him stay awake. The stranger who calls himself John Ryder, played by a terrifying and near emotionless Rutger Hauer, is the exact type of hitchhiker your mother warned you about picking up — a maniacal killer. 

On the surface, The Hitcher could be read as a classic road horror movie about a deranged psychopath who taunts and terrorizes with no motive. But queer coding is all over this '80s film — so much so that Hauer doesn't exactly make John's advances on Jim subtle — and the film could easily be viewed as a horror thriller about a gay man hell-bent on unleashing his rage on heteronormative society, and perhaps seeking a partner to go on that killing spree with him. It's a hair-raising chiller with some shocking moments of violence and plenty of suspense.

How to watch: The Hitcher is streaming on DIRECTV and Cinemax via Prime Video or via Hulu.

Hereditary Credit: Palmstar Media / Kobal / Shutterstock

Bet you never considered how Hereditary is a horror movie about transmasculinity. On the surface, Ari Aster's gory nightmare is about a family discovering a long-kept secret tied to the women of their ancestry. But when it is read through a trans lens, it's also a story about the agonizing experience of dysphoria as a transmasc person in a body deemed female by society, and the subsequent demonic attempt to change that. Without spoiling too much for those unacquainted, Hereditary is littered with small exchanges of dialogue — Charlie saying of her late grandmother, "She wanted me to be a boy" — and imagery that several trans folks, myself included on first viewing, have spotted. In a fantastic piece examining the transition allegory of Hereditary, writer Sasha Geffen analyzes the way Aster's film "understands just how deep gender goes" in society, and in a very heightened anti-trans political period, filled with moral panic around transmasculine identity. Seen through that lens, Aster's film takes on a whole new meaning.

How to watch: Hereditary is streaming on Max and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

Thelma Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

In Thelma, Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier takes the queer subtext of Brian De Palma's Carrie and brings it right to the surface. In this 2017 psychological horror thriller, the titular Thelma (Eili Harboe) is a shy and repressed young woman who leaves her sheltered, conservative Christian home for the first time to go off to college. There, she discovers queer desire when she meets and becomes infatuated with Anja (Kaya Wilkins), along with a sudden onset of violent seizures that cause a series of strange happenings. Thelma's powers, like Carrie's, emerge as an outward manifestation of a suppressed woman's desire for agency and control. What makes Trier's film so visceral is how he uses the trappings of horror and supernatural storytelling to tell a very queer coming-of-age tale as Thelma grapples with expressing her rage and identity all at once.

How to watch: Thelma is streaming for free on Kanopy, and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

Wendell & Wild Credit: Netflix

Wendell & Wild, the latest stop-motion horror fantasy from Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline), follows the titular pair of demonic brothers desperate to escape the clutches of the underworld and their overlord father. The duo, voiced by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, come up with a scheme to dupe a young orphan into inviting them into the free world of the living. Kat is a green-haired 13-year-old girl who blasts punk music through the halls of her new, all-girls Catholic school. 

As much as the demon brothers and their satanic home may seem like the main bad guys of this story, the real villain of Wendell & Wild is pretty surprising: It's the prison industrial complex. The true evil in Kat's town is led by the Klaxons, a private prison corporation that's been buying up all the local businesses. Through a series of spooky resurrections, Kat and her new friend Raúl, a young trans boy voiced by trans actor Sam Zelaya, attempt to defeat the Klaxons and get her deceased parents back.

How to watch: Wendell & Wild is streaming on Netflix.

The Craft Credit: Columbia / Kobal / Shutterstock

Subtextual queerness in movies doesn't only mean unspoken nods to sexuality, but it also reflects the inherent otherness of growing up as a queer person — this is especially true for the horror genre. In the case of The Craft, queerness comes through in the form of four teenage girls whose goth aesthetic, rejection of the status quo, and witchy doings can be seen as a stand-in for the abnormality and derogatory difference that's long been associated with being queer. In The Craft, it's the weirdos, the freaks, the outcasts who turn to the supernatural to wield some sense of control over the strait-laced hetero world that rejects them so readily. What's gayer than a bunch of girls exploring their power over their own bodies with a little "Light As a Feather, Stiff As a Board" sleepover seance anyway?

How to watch: The Craft is streaming on Paramount+, Prime Video, and on Tubi with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV and VUDU.

Seconds Credit: Paramount / Kobal / Shutterstock

In John Frankenheimer's masterful sci-fi film Seconds, a middle-aged man who lives an unfulfilled life as a banker discovers a company that gives people alternate identities via plastic surgery. Arthur Hamilton (played by John Randolph) decides to undergo the procedure that turns him into the man of everyone's dreams circa 1966: Rock Hudson. Arthur is now Tony Wilson (played by Hudson), a hot young artist with a beachside villa. But the transition into a new life, and keeping the secret of his old one, begins to torture Tony.

Seconds is a fascinating psychological horror sci-fi hybrid that speaks to trans and queer identity on multiple levels. An entire essay could be written about the trans themes of its narrative, from the emotional and psychological process of medical and social transition to the societal pressures to assimilate into a cis and hetero-centric life. Separately, Seconds also plays like an explicit commentary on Hudson's own closeted life. Hudson's performance as Tony, easily the most unnerving of his career, feels like a looking glass into what many assume was his own experience as a major star forced to keep a secret and live a double life in early Hollywood.

How to watch: Seconds is streaming for free on Kanopy and on Pluto TV with ads, and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Scream Credit: Miramax / Kobal / Shutterstock

All gays know Scream is queer. It's canon (no, literally). The iconic slasher franchise has queerness all over it — and the writers finally gave us an overt queer character in the latest installments, with Jasmin Savoy Brown's Mindy. But it's the reveal of the killers behind the Ghostface mask at the end of the first Scream that really solidified things. Skeet Ulrich's Billy and Matthew Lillard's Stu were so obviously gay, so much so that even the first Scary Movie said it right out loud. Even Scream writer Kevin Williamson has revealed in recent years that the two characters were based on famed gay killers Leopold and Loeb. None of that confirmation was necessary though — the camp of Drew Barrymore making Jiffy Pop and fondling a knife in her cream knit sweater while gabbing on the phone with a murder? Gay as hell.

How to watch: Scream is streaming on Paramount+ and AMC+ via Prime Video, and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

Interview with the Vampire

Ah yes, the film that gave us Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt as a gay vampire couple. While the curse of being a blood-sucking creature of the night has long been associated with queer identity, it has more often favored lesbian storytelling; however, Interview with the Vampire finally gave us two queer men bonded in their blood lust. Of course, the 1994 Neil Jordan film never made that gay relationship explicit, but there's no doubt that when Cruise's ancient vampire Lestat turns the young Louis (Pitt) into one of his kind, the two begin a life reminiscent of any closeted gay couple. They even turn and raise a young girl (Kirsten Dunst) as a child of their own. After venturing abroad, the little vampire family is threatened by the allure of another very hot, very gay vampire in Antonio Banderas's Armand. While the recent AMC series made Louis and Lestat's romance incredibly explicit (and incredibly sexual), we'll always have the hush-hush gay desire of two of the '90s biggest leading men sucking each other's necks.

How to watch: Interview with the Vampire is streaming on HBO Max and Tubi with ads, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

SEE ALSO: "Interview with the Vampire" is a brilliant gay fever dream We're All Going to the World's Fair

We're All Going to the World's Fair is a horror film for and about anyone who grew up with the internet. This micro-budget indie from filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun is essentially Creepypasta the Movie. Casey (Anna Cobb) is a lonely teen who joins an online role playing game and begins to grow paranoid that something strange is happening to her mind and body. Schoenbrun's film isn't scary in the traditional sense, except for some freaky creepypasta-esque imagery, but more so a film that aims to show the psychology of extreme loneliness, depression, and alienation — all intense, scary things that many queer folks who grew up online experienced.

While the film isn't explicitly queer, it's been hailed as a trans horror film by several critics, and it's not hard to see why. Schoenbrun, who is nonbinary, has made a film that evokes the constant unease, terror, and anxiety of gender dysphoria before you may even know what that is, and the urge to escape into another reality (i.e., the internet) to find yourself. In one scene, Casey buoyantly dances in her room to a pop song before suddenly stopping, as if to realize she's been possessed. She lets out a horrifying shriek, then goes right back to giddily dancing. It's haunting in an indescribable way, and speaks to a constant masking and toggling between identities that's all too familiar to the experience of dysphoria.

How to watch: We're All Going to the World's Fair is streaming on Shudder and Kanopy, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock

Rocky Horror might not be a movie that'll give you nightmares — unless you're afraid of kinky, horny queers going bananas at a deranged house party, and if so, get outta here! Nevertheless, the wacky cult classic is a spooky season staple. A riff on B-movie sci-fi and monster movies of the past, the musical horror comedy takes us, along with Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick's square-as-can-be couple, on a wild trip to Transsexual Transylvania. There's Time-Warping and Tim Curry's Frankenstein-esque monster-making, there's ax-hunting and laser guns and seduction and dancing — so much dancing! Rocky Horror is a joyously bizarro classic that belongs to the weirdo queers and us alone.

How to watch: The Rocky Horror Picture Show is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

The Haunting Credit: Mgm / Kobal / Shutterstock

The Haunting is a classic horror film about a classic type of horror story: a haunted house. You won't find any cheap jump scares or acts of violence in this 1963 film, though. Instead, director Robert Wise and cinematographer Davis Boulton use a mix of innovative visual techniques and camera tricks, from gliding tracking shots and anamorphic lenses, to create an atmosphere of total paranoia and unease that's genuinely unnerving to watch.

The film, based on the Shirley Jackson novel The Haunting of Hill House, follows a group of strangers who arrived at a haunted mansion to prove the existence of ghosts, including the timid Eleanor (Julie Harris) and the bold Theo (Claire Bloom) — yes, the same queer Theo from Netflix's Hill House series. Theo is the rare example of an explicitly lesbian character in classic horror, much less classic cinema overall, and most notably, her queerness is never treated with disdain or mockery. While her sexuality isn't overtly stated, it's a fascinating element of a story about women choosing to experience the evils of a haunted house to escape the real-world anxieties and trauma of their daily lives.

How to watch: The Haunting is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

Border

An underseen gem, 2018's Border is a Swedish body-horror romance about otherness that will speak to anyone who knows what it feels like to finally find someone like you. Tina (Eva Melander) is a customs officer with an ability to smell guilt, making her especially good at catching contraband at her job. Tina also believes she has some type of developmental disorder, describing herself as an "ugly, strange human with a chromosome flaw," which leads to an isolated and lonely life. But one day a man with similar bodily features to Tina's appears at her work, and it's a powerful moment of recognizing that maybe she isn't alone, and maybe she's finally found her person.

Border is a wild, highly original tale full of unsettling twists that's also super trans. Amid its dark fantasy and suspense, this Cannes Film Festival winner is a transfixing and emotional story about spending a lifetime thinking something is wrong with you, the rage and pain that can fester from it, and to finally feel seen as you are for the first time.

How to watch: Border is streaming on DIRECTV and Tubi with ads, and is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV and VUDU.

The Lost Boys Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock

In The Lost Boys, we get vampires in the form of a biker gang, and honestly, there's nothing gayer than that. When brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) move to a beachside town in Northern California with their mother (Dianne Wiest, who, by law, makes every film campier, gayer, and better), eldest brother Michael soon falls in with a local motorcycle crew who also happen to be blood-suckers. While it's a girl who first catches Michael's eye, there's no denying the big queer energy that soon evolves when he's initiated into the vampire group. Kiefer Sutherland as David Powers, the platinum blonde leather-clad leader of the gang, oozes homoerotic desire towards Michael, whose vampiric transformation can be read as a coming-out of sorts. Even Haim’s Sam can be read as queer through small but unmissable character details, like a very suggestive Rob Lowe poster hanging on his bedroom wall. The Joel Schumacher film brings campy, queer goodness to a genre storytelling staple that was foundational for many young queers. 

How to watch: The Lost Boys is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Credit: MGM / Kobal / Shutterstock

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a big, gay, gothic horror story about two rich older queens obsessed with the radiant beauty of a young closeted dandy, and how that young dandy sells his soul to stay forever gorgeous and young. Sure, the Oscar Wilde novel that Albert Lewin's 1945 film is based on is about vanity and the superficial desires of a group of aristocratic white men, but it's also about living with the unbearable torture of queer repression and internalized homophobia. 

When the 22-year-old Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) gazes upon his luminous portrait and wishes to never age a day, something magical happens — Dorian's dashing looks remain fixed, and the portrait ages instead. It also begins to reflect the sins of Dorian's behavior. It's impossible to not read Dorian Gray through a queer lens, given Wilde's personal life, as well as the flamboyant performances and attitudes expressed by the film's three male characters. This is a story about doing absolutely everything in your power to suppress your true self to the outside world, and that no matter how hard you try, you'll be forced to look at the wretched toll it takes on your soul.

How to watch: The Picture of Dorian Gray is streaming on HBO Max, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

The Shape of Water Credit: K Hayes / 20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

No one blends fantasy and romance with horror and suspense quite like Guillermo del Toro. The 2018 Best Picture winner is a movie where the most otherized characters — a woman who uses ASL to communicate (Sally Hawkins's Elisa), a closeted gay man (Richard Jenkins's Giles), a Black woman (Octavia Spencer's Zelda), and a giant fish-man (Doug Jones) — are targeted and labeled as the monsters threatening society. Del Toro takes the classic monster movie horror theatrics of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and reshapes it into a moving, heroic tale about those on the fringes of society fighting back and liberating themselves from the real monsters — in this case, Michael Shannon's terrifying colonel set on hunting down Jones's creature to exploit for the 1960s space race.

But The Shape of Water is also a love story that queers traditional hetero narratives through a swooning romance between Elisa and the fish-man. In del Toro’s fantastical world, two lonely and ostracized characters finally get to experience love, acceptance, and pleasure together — and that pleasure is incredibly sexual, as the filmmaker intended. With stunning visuals, an incredible blend of practical and CGI effects, some grisly gore, and lush romance, The Shape of Water pretty much has it all. 

How to watch: The Shape of Water is streaming on DIRECTV, and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and VUDU.

Rebecca Credit: Selznick / United Artists / Kobal / Shutterstock

Many classic Hitchcock films are brimming with queer undercurrents, from the transfeminine villany of Psycho to the gay murderous couple of Rope, but Rebecca offers a different kind of queer story. In the 1940 psychological thriller, Joan Fontaine's second Mrs. de Winter and her new husband, Maxim (Laurence Olivier), arrive at the gothic mansion that is to be her new home, only to discover that that home is deeply haunted by echoes of the first Mrs. de Winter. It's Maxim's late wife, the never-seen Rebecca, who consumes our otherwise-unnamed protagonist with jealousy and self-doubt. 

Where the queerness arrives most notably is in the form of the icy housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), who reveals her not-so-subtle obsession with the late Rebecca. In one famously analyzed scene, Mrs. Danvers gives a tour of Rebecca's old bedroom, caressing her dressing gown, displaying her underwear drawer as if it were treasure, and speaking of Rebecca as if she were a longtime secret lover. This suggestion of a lesbian affair between the women isn't merely speculation, either. Rebecca author Daphne du Maurier was said to have been bi, and even during the 1940 film's production, the Hays Code sent threatening letters to producer David O. Selznick to remove the queer subtext. Yet, gay Rebecca persisted.

How to watch: Rebecca is streaming on Roku.

UPDATE: Oct. 22, 2025, 5:23 p.m. This list was first published on Oct. 1, 2023. It has been updated to reflect streaming options.

The latest version of Apple iOS has been out for more than a month, but plenty of folks are probably still undecided as to whether or not to install the upgrade.

iOS 26 features the biggest design overhaul to Apple's mobile OS in a decade, bringing the new Liquid Glass aesthetic to iPhones. But in the weeks since iOS 26 launched, users have shared as many opinions about it as there are apps in the App Store. Its new translucent visual style, user complaints about battery drain, and other quirks have led some users to conclude that they don't need to download it just yet. After all, once you download iOS 26 and switch to Liquid Glass, there's no going back.

However, there are positives to iOS 26, as well. Here are just a handful of reasons why you should (or shouldn't) download iOS 26 on your iPhone.

SEE ALSO: Why are some cosmic orange iPhones turning pink? Pro: Some of the new features are great

Every new version of iOS comes with new feature drops, of course. Some years bring very little, while other years bring a lot. There are at least a couple of new features in iOS 26 that put this year's update in the latter category.

For starters, it's got Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, and phone calls. Two people who speak different languages being able to mutually understand each other over the phone is probably the best application yet of Apple Intelligence. Sure, it might be a little awkward having to wait to listen to a translation of what was just said to you before responding, but not as awkward as not understanding what was said at all.

That's genuinely kind of transformative, but there are other standouts, as well. Being able to make polls and set custom backgrounds in group chats in Messages seem small, but they could inject a lot of personality into spaces where you commune with your loved ones and friends. That's not nothing, and you can only do it on iOS 26.

Pro: You might like Liquid Glass Credit: Apple

Liquid Glass didn't just come to the iPhone. Thanks to macOS Tahoe 26, iPadOS 26, and other OS updates, it's also changing the look of MacBooks, iPads, and Apple Watches. Mashable's tech editor gave iPadOS 26 a positive review, thanks in part to the new Liquid Glass design. Many users like the translucent glass effect.

To quote our review:

Per Apple, Liquid Glass "combines the optical qualities of glass with a fluidity only Apple can achieve." What does that mean? Core elements of the user interface are now translucent and expressive, so when objects overlap or interact, new liquid-like animations cause a transparent light effect, as if you're looking through glass or water...I haven't experienced any lag with the subtle animations that occur when different widgets or icons meet at the edges. Liquid Glass also makes the simplest interactions a lot more satisfactory. In the updated camera app, switching between Photo, Video, Pano, and other settings causes the text to bend and refract.

Liquid Glass also comes with new custom lock screens, which allow you to add a touch of personalization to your iPhone.

Con: You might not like Liquid Glass A custom lock screen in iOS 26. Credit: Apple

Again, the most noteworthy change Apple made with iOS 26 is Liquid Glass, and the new design language permeates the entire UI on your iPhone after you install the update. It makes everything look, well, like liquid glass, with lots of transparency effects and dynamic animations that make everything flow very nicely — when it works.

There's just one problem: Not everyone likes Liquid Glass. While you have some control over how it looks, the added effects and transparency don't work for everyone. You also can't really turn it off. One of the latest iOS 26 beta builds has a new "tinted glass" mode that lets you exert a little more control over how Liquid Glass looks, but it still falls short of just allowing users to retain the old UI, and it's just a beta feature. I don't personally mind Liquid Glass (although I did tweak it a bit to make a little less glassy), but if you absolutely hate it, you might want to hold back on installing iOS 26.

Pro: Crucial app redesigns Why wasn't it always like this?! Credit: Screenshot: Apple

Aside from new features and a new design language, iOS 26 also introduced at least one vitally important app redesign. Of course, I'm talking about the Photos app.

On previous versions of iOS, Photos had become a jumbled mess with multiple confusingly laid out tabs. It was harder than it should be to just find your library or your Favorites folder, for example, at least until you got used to it. On iOS 26, Photos has been streamlined so there are just two tabs, Library and Collections, at the bottom of the screen. One of them shows you everything on your phone, while the other shows you everything you've put into folders.

It's so simple that it makes you wonder why it wasn't always this way.

Con: Your battery might suffer

Last but certainly not least, there have been numerous user complaints that iOS 26 is affecting — or even outright ruining — the battery life on their iPhones. To be perfectly clear, this has not affected everyone or even a majority of iOS 26 users, but that doesn't mean it isn't real.

There are some potential explanations for this. Apple itself says that this is a temporary setback as your phone gets used to the new update (my words, not theirs). Some have claimed that updating all your apps and power cycling the device helps. Low Power Mode (and the new Adaptive Power setting) could alleviate this, at least, potentially. It's also possible that none of those will work, at which point you might need to make an appointment with Apple support.

I personally don't have anything against iOS 26, having used it since it launched, but there are good reasons not to upgrade.

ChatGPT is already deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem thanks to a partnership between OpenAI and Apple to use ChatGPT models to power some Apple Intelligence features.

Now, OpenAI has taken the initiative to tread even further into Apple's territory.

On Thursday, OpenAI announced that it acquired Software Applications Incorporated, the developer of an AI interface for Mac called Sky.

Sky is an AI-powered natural language interface that provides AI functions for a user directly on their computer. It appears to work like AI assistant web browsers; however, in Sky's case, the functionality is running directly on Mac instead of through the browser.

"We’re building a future where ChatGPT doesn’t just respond to your prompts, it helps you get things done," said VP and Head of ChatGPT Nick Turley, who led the acquisition deal, in a blog post. "Sky’s deep integration with the Mac accelerates our vision of bringing AI directly into the tools people use every day."

There is a demo video released back in May showcasing what Sky can do on Mac. However, Sky has yet to be released to the public.

The Sky demo showcases the Mac AI assistant adding dinner plans made by text message to a user's calendar, researching nearby bars to go to beforehand, and responding back to the text message with the pre-dinner plan suggestion.

"We’ve always wanted computers to be more empowering, customizable, and intuitive," said Software Applications Incorporated CEO and co-founder Ari Weinstein said in an announcement blog. "With LLMs, we can finally put the pieces together. That’s why we built Sky, an AI experience that floats over your desktop to help you think and create. We’re thrilled to join OpenAI to bring that vision to hundreds of millions of people.”

Sky looks to work like most other agentic AI systems. The AI assistant requires numerous permissions, including the ability to view and record a user's screen, in order to take actions based on what the user is looking to do. Cybersecurity experts and privacy advocates have already shared concerns regarding this.

Perhaps, with Sky being a native-based application instead of an AI agent built into a web browser with its own security concerns, OpenAI is hoping this software will alleviate those fears among consumers.

But we won't really know much about that or Sky itself until it's officially released to the public.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

If you've been on TikTok lately, you've likely seen the Group 7 meme, and you'd be forgiven if you don't quite understand what's going on with it. The whole thing connects back to a single source and, strangely enough, it's actually a remarkably well-conceived bit of promotional posting.

And don't worry, it's not too difficult to understand.

We covered Group 7 as it first broke onto the online scene, but it has since grown even more popular. As Mashable's Chance Townsend wrote earlier this week, the trend stems from singer Sophia James promoting her song "So Unfair" on TikTok. James posted seven separate videos promoting the single that put people in "groups" based on which video showed up on your algorithm, and, for whatever reason, the final TikTok labeling "Group 7" went viral. It's now racked up some 63 million views.

SEE ALSO: The Group 7 TikTok trend explained

So why did it go viral? Simply put, it became an inside joke — the thing to be because TikTok collectively decided it was. Everyone suddenly wanted to be in Group 7. The lore unfolded in the comments: Group 7 was elite. Top replies on James' original post read, "I didn’t choose Group 7, Group 7 chose me!" and "Group 7 is a group full of baddies that always win, just saying." It’s kind of like the 6-7 meme — meaningless on the surface, but rich with meaning because we, as a collective, decided it mattered.

"I was just trying to promote my song. That's all it was," James told Mashable over email earlier this week. "But the reason I make and perform music in the first place is to foster community and connect with people, so the way this thing is bringing people together is literally a dream come true."

And the trend has brought an (albeit strange) sense of community to TikTokkers. People really want to be a part of Group 7.

User @popsamcam explained how that fact is a bit of marketing genius.

As user @not.bethel explained, TikTok loves to just run with something. Once it reaches a certain point, there's no stopping the momentum.

Soon enough, it spread to the real world — workers asking their colleagues if they're Group 7, for example. It's an inside joke for millions of people on the app.

With time, everything became attached to the Group 7 meme. This TikTok about bringing back the word "grody" from @wesleyryann racked up nearly 200,000 views and, yes, mentioned Group 7 at the end.

Soon enough, what was once niche had the relatively stodgy PGA Tour (yes, the golf league) posting about it. Once the Normie brands arrived, the trend ballooned to a massive size.

It's wild, but exceptionally like TikTok, to take such a benign thing and blow it up. We all learned this week that Group 7 is forever — or at least until the next big thing takes off.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable covers the creators shaping digital culture today. Meet The Mashable 101, our list of the internet’s most exciting voices; and explore our other series, on how creators are building their platforms; on the gear they swear by; and on the trends of today and tomorrow.