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Richard Linklater is having a very busy 2025.

The Boyhood and Before Sunrise director has not one but two projects on the film festival circuit. Both are playing the New York Film Festival, and both pay tribute to real-life artists of song and screen.

Blue Moon, the first of the pair to hit theaters, is a biopic of American lyricist Lorenz Hart, the former creative partner of Richard Rodgers. Linklater's second film of the year, Nouvelle Vague, follows suit, paying loving tribute to the French New Wave movement and to Jean-Luc Godard's debut feature, Breathless (À bout de souffle).

Linklater's reverence for Breathless and the entire French New Wave are evident in each frame. But can that love sometimes get in Nouvelle Vague's own way?

What is Nouvelle Vague about? Guillaume Marbeck and Aubry Dullin in "Nouvelle Vague." Credit: Jean-Louis Fernandez / Courtesy of Netflix

The year is 1959, the place is Paris, and the French New Wave movement is in full swing. Cahiers du Cinéma film critics like François Truffaut (Adrien Rouyard) and Claude Chabrol (Antoine Besson) have made their directorial debuts, focusing on auteur-driven movies above all else. One of their fellow critics, Jean-Luc Godard (Guillaume Marbeck), is champing at the bit to make his first feature film. After all, in his own words, the only way to critique a movie is to make one yourself.

SEE ALSO: What's fresh on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and more?

Godard finally gets the chance with Breathless, the story of criminal Michel Poiccard and Patricia, the American woman he loves. While the film became one of the French New Wave's most influential works, its production was fairly chaotic. Working on a low budget, and filming over just 23 days (Nouvelle Vague cuts that number to 20), Godard basically improvised the film as he went, much to the consternation of producer Georges de Beauregard (Bruno Dreyfürst) and American star Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch). Linklater reimagines that chaos in its entirety, charting the film's journey from development to post-production.

Nouvelle Vague formally pays tribute to the French New Wave, but isn't an outright copy. Matthieu Penchinat, Guillaume Marbeck, Aubry Dullin, and Zoey Deutch in "Nouvelle Vague." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

In order to submerge audiences in the world of the French New Wave, Linklater adopts some elements of its style. Told almost entirely in French, Nouvelle Vague is shot in black and white with a 4:3 ratio, complete with film grain to give it an older feel.

However, Linklater doesn't totally ape the filmmaking techniques Godard pioneered during the making of Breathless, such as jump cuts. Instead, he focuses more on clueing the audience into how Godard came to these techniques. For the guerilla-style shooting on the streets of Paris, Linklater introduces the false mail cart that hid Breathless' handheld camera, along with cinematographer Raoul Coutard (Matthieu Penchinat). For Breathless' long walk-and-talk sequences, Linklater dutifully follows stars Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin) as they stroll the Champs-Élysées. His prime focus here isn't Godard's filming, but rather his plan to dub over whatever Seberg and Belmondo are saying in post. Instead of speaking in character, the two actors wonder aloud just what the rest of the shoot has in store for them.

SEE ALSO: 'Blue Moon' review: Andrew Scott burns, Ethan Hawke clowns in grating biopic

The focus on process propels Nouvelle Vague, offering up a loving look at the ups and downs of the film's production. But the film's true strengths lie not in Linklater's take on Godard's style, but rather in Linklater's own strength as the master of the hangout movie. Yes, watching Godard choreograph a scene in real time is compelling. But if you've seen Breathless, you've already seen these scenes. You know how they play out!

Instead, what's more compelling is the downtime between filming: the crew hanging out in a café, Seberg teaching Belmondo American dance moves, Godard playing pinball. These scenes allow us to understand the characters better as people, as opposed to the pillars of the French New Wave they'd become.

Marbeck's Godard is the standout here. Eyes perpetually hidden behind sunglasses and a lit cigarette always at his lips, Marbeck plays Godard as part genius, part petulant child. As a result, Nouvelle Vague seems both reverent of and humored by Godard's many, many, many philosophical tirades on the subject of filmmaking. The mix lets Linklater bring a lightness to Nouvelle Vague's numerous production scenes, while also paying respect to the man who made Breathless possible.

At times, Linklater's reverence can overpower Nouvelle Vague. Aubry Dullin and Zoey Deutch in "Nouvelle Vague." Credit: Jean-Louis Fernandez / Courtesy of Netflix

Occasionally, though, the reverence for Breathless can take over Nouvelle Vague, for the worse. Linklater and screenwriters Holly Gent and Vincent Palmo, whose script Michèle Halberstadt and Laetitia Masson adapted into French, dutifully catalog the entire 20-day Breathless shoot. They hit major beats quickly. Here's how Godard filmed Michel's shootout with a policeman! Here's how he got the shot of the Paris streetlamps turning on behind Michel!

Yet after a while, these brief vignettes can begin to seem like Nouvelle Vague going through the motions, as if Linklater has a checklist of every piece of Breathless behind-the-scenes trivia he needs to account for. At these points, Nouvelle Vague loses the improvisational sense of play that its own muse strove so hard for while shooting Breathless.

Overall, though, Nouvelle Vague proves a sweet tribute to an influential film movement, one that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you're a French New Wave fan, come for the Breathless tributes, but stay for the hangout vibes.

Nouvelle Vague was reviewed out of the New York Film Festival. Nouvelle Vague hits select theaters Oct. 31 before coming to Netflix Nov. 14.

SAVE OVER $200: As of Nov. 14, the 2025 Apple MacBook Air M4 is on sale for $749.99 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 2025 Apple MacBook Air M4 $749.99 at Amazon
$999 Save $249.01   Get Deal

MacBook deals have been the stars of recent sales. During October's Prime Day, we saw several significant price drops, some record breaking. And with Black Friday fast approaching, it seems like we're heading in the same direction.

The 2025 Apple MacBook Air M4 is dropping in price once again. As of Nov. 14, you can find this MacBook priced at just $749.99. That's a $249.01 saving, and its lowest-ever price according to camelcamelcamel. This deal is specific to the 13-inch model that comes with 16GB of memory. It's available in all colors, so you can choose from starlight, midnight, silver, or sky blue.

SEE ALSO: Walmart just dropped a huge Black Friday deal on the Apple AirPods Pro 2 — save $100 right now

This MacBook is super powerful thanks to the M4 chip. It handles tasks like working across multiple apps, editing videos, and running heavy software, and does so seamlessly. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display supports one billion colors, so everything looks sharp and bright, with colors that pop off the screen.

This MacBook offers a 12MP Center Stage camera, three microphones, and four speakers with Spatial Audio, so video calls look and sound great.

Get this MacBook deal from Amazon ahead of Black Friday.

SAVE OVER $200: As of Nov. 14, the iRobot Roomba Plus 405 is on sale for $398.99 at Amazon. That's a 36% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba Plus 405 $398.99 at Amazon
$626.49 Save $227.50   Get Deal

If you're waiting until Black Friday to buy a robot vacuum, there's no need. A

The iRobot Roomba Plus 405 just dropped to its lowest-ever price at Amazon. The retailer's Black Friday sale hasn't officially got underway yet (Nov. 20 is when you can expect that), but deals like this are already live. As of Nov. 14, you can find the iRobot Roomba Plus 405 reduced by $227.50, bringing the price down to $398.99.

Mashable's robot vacuum expert said this model offers "solid bang for your buck." At this new low price? It's a steal.

SEE ALSO: The best vacuums we've tested at home, from robots to Dyson stick vacs

If you've been shopping around for a robot vacuum, you'll have come across Roomba. They're one of the most popular brands (despite their struggles), and not without reason. This model offers dual vacuum and mopping features. It has seriously powerful suction, strong enough to lift dirt of all kinds. You also get four suction levels, repeat-pass options, SmartScrub deep scrubbing, Clean Zones for targeted areas, and Keep Out Zones for restricted spaces, so you can clean exactly the way you want.

This model uses DualClean spinning mop pads and SmartScrub to apply pressure and tackle tough stains much more easily. It can mop with either water or a cleaning solution, and the pads automatically lift when the vacuum detects carpet. The AutoWash dock then washes, dries, and refreshes the mop pads so they’re ready for the next use, with nothing for you to do.

This robot vacuum deal has a limited-time stamp, so grab it from Amazon now.

SAVE $100: As of Nov. 14, Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $139 at Walmart. This limited-time offer saves you $100 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple AirPods Pro 2 $139 at Walmart
$239 Save $100   Get Deal

Leading retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target are in a constant battle at this time of year. It's all about offering the best deals on the most popular products, thereby gaining the greatest following from all those greedy shoppers and winning Black Friday.

But how do we judge which retailer lands on top over Black Friday? It's tricky to assess the landscape, because there are quite literally thousands of deals to consider right now. But if we're looking for easy ways to make a call, Apple deals are usually the most significant savings on offer. And Walmart has stolen a lead on the competition with its stunning Apple AirPods Pro 2 discount.

SEE ALSO: Apple's new M5 iPad Pro keeps getting cheaper — score it for its best price yet

As of Nov. 14, Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $139 at Walmart. This limited-time offer saves you $100 on list price. We're going to go out on a limb here and say that this might be the best early Black Friday deal we've seen. There's still plenty of time for other retailers to offer something better, but Apple AirPods Pro 2 are sitting at over $200 on Amazon right now. That's a pretty significant price difference.

In our review, Stan Schroeder said they "sound great and the noise cancelation is stellar." They are look iconic. That's not the most important thing, but its matters, OK?

Score the best early Black Friday AirPods deal at Walmart.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, Nov. 14, 2025:

AcrossEwe said it, not me!

• The answer is Baa.

"Shucks!"

• The answer is Aw Man.

Overly talkative ... or 1-Down with its consonants inverted

• The answer is Gabby.

Say hello to

• The answer is Greet.

"___ out!" (ump's cry)

• The answer is Yer.

DownOverly loose ... or 7-Across with its consonants inverted

• The answer is Baggy.

In the know

• The answer is Aware.

Honey-colored resin

• The answer is Amber.

Civil War prez, familiarly

• The answer is Abe.

W.S.J. competitor

• The answer is NYT.

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

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

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

Google has announced several AI-powered updates to its shopping features, helping to make your mindless consumerism even more mindless. 

First, Google has updated Search's AI Mode so that users can describe what they're shopping for in a conversational manner. For example, Google states that a person could search for "cozy sweaters for happy hour in warm autumn colors," and be served with shoppable images, prices, reviews, and information on whether the suggested items are in stock. Further, weighing up multiple product options will generate a comparison table that references other peoples' reviews.

Such changes also extend to Gemini app, with Google's AI chatbot now capable of providing ideas for what to add to your shopping list. Users can tell Gemini that they're looking for products to fit a certain purpose, such as practical gifts for students or ideas for what to buy during Black Friday sales. Gemini will then create a list of suggested products, which can be purchased directly in-app.

Google adds automated calls to businesses Credit: Google

Another interesting shopping update is Google's new ability to call stores and make inquiries on your behalf, a feature which may be helpful to people with disabilities, social anxiety, or who just hate phone calls.

Users will see the option to "let Google call" nearby stores when they use Search to look for certain products "near me." Google will then ask a few questions about what you're after, call the store, then send the answers to you via email or text. Currently, Google's automated calls are restricted to booking appointments, checking restaurant wait times, and confirming the pricing and availability of products and services. 

Google's automated calls are also rolling out in the U.S. for toy, electronic, and health and beauty categories, however not all states will be receiving it. Google states that its automated shopping calls will not be rolling out in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, and Nebraska. Businesses can also opt out if they'd rather not receive these automated calls, either by calling Google themselves or changing the settings on their Business Profile.

Google's AI automatically purchases products Credit: Google

Finally, Google has begun rolling out the agentic AI checkout feature it teased at Google I/O 2025 in May. With this feature, users can have Google's AI shopping agent monitor a product's availability and send them a notification when its price drops below a set target. Users can tailor these notifications to specifically track product variations according to size, colour, and the number of items they wish to buy. 

Significantly, Google can also autonomously purchase the item for you using Google Pay. Google states that it will ask your permission before buying anything, and will only proceed once you've confirmed purchase and shipping details. Even so, it seems wise to think long and hard before granting AI the power to spend your money.

This feature is rolling out across Google Search and AI Mode, though will be available in the U.S. for now, and only for some vendors such as Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and select Shopify stores.

Google's latest AI-powered shopping features join its virtual fitting room, which has been available to U.S. users via the Search Labs testing platform since May. This feature allows users to upload a photo of themselves to Google, then use AI to generate an image of themselves in clothes they're considering buying. 

These features use Google's Shopping Graph, a data set of products and vendors from around the globe. Google states that its real-time Shopping Graph contains over 50 billion product listings, many of which are updated hourly.

Google's updates arrive amidst a dispute between Amazon and Perplexity over similar AI shopping technology. The online retail giant sued Perplexity last week, objecting to the AI firm's own automated AI-powered shopping assistant enabling one-click purchasing from Amazon. According to Amazon, Perplexity has ignored repeated requests not to include it in this tool. 

Fortunately for Google, its AI shopping assistant seems unlikely to face similar turmoil for now, as its gradual rollout to select stores currently excludes Amazon.