Blogroll

Coming to theaters amid the fervor of the U.S. presidential election season, Rumours might seem to be targeting the absurdity within American politics. However, its aim is much broader, skewering global politics as a whole. More remarkable, this scorching satire from co-directors Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson, and Guy Maddin plays like the unholy and hilarious spawn of Luis Buñuel's The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie meets Sam Raimi's Evil Dead 2. 

Penned by Evan Johnson, Rumours wields an ensemble of international stars, including: Cate Blanchett, Charles Dance, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rolando Ravello, Roy Dupuis, Denis Ménochet, Takehiro Hira, Alicia Vikander, and Triangle of Sadness' Zlatko Burić. Most of these actors appear as the leaders of Democratic nations, brought together for a summit about some crisis or another. The uncertain nature of the crisis is just one of the ways Johnson turns the knife in this cutting comedy, where the world's under attack by some mysterious force our leaders cannot begin to understand, much less ably confront. 

What's going on in Rumours? Credit: Bleecker Street

The G7 event held at a vast and elegant country estate is intended to be a peaceful space where seven world leaders can collaborate on a statement for the world to witness. It's meant to be a statement so powerful and encompassing in its positive message that it will lead to equanimity, hope, and better marital sex — among other things.

However, somewhere between the photo ops involving an unearthed corpse called a "bog person" and an awkward lunch soured by too much wine and shady secrets, the world beyond their quaint lakeside gazebo radically changes. At first, the leaders can't locate another living soul — even to refresh the canapés! But before long, it's clear they are under attack, though how exactly masturbating zombies and a giant glowing brain factor into this peril is sort of beside the point. 

Cate Blanchett leads an outstanding ensemble cast.  Credit: Bleecker Street

Playing earnest Hilda Ortmann, the Chancellor of Germany and host of this summit, Blanchett welcomes not only the other leaders, but us — the unseen audience — into this event. Dropping the snarling intensity of Tár and the swagger cool of Ocean's 8, Blanchett embraces a bouncy, conciliatory tone, which swiftly establishes her Hilda as a people-pleaser who will bend over backwards until she breaks. 

Perhaps it's Hilda's own repressed emotions that draws her to the overwrought Maxime Laplace (a devastatingly dapper Dupuis), the heartbroken Prime Minister of Canada. While the crisply professional Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Cardosa Dewindt (Amuka-Bird), and the bloviating President of France, Sylvain Broulez (Ménochet), aim to crack into this supposedly important public statement, Maxime and Hilda wander off into a forest lit like a moody nightclub for some sexual sympathy under the haze of purple fog. 

Sylvain's self-important gregariousness is well-paired with the smiling but often silent Tatsuro Iwasaki (Hira), the Prime Minister of Japan. But the most dazzling comedy duo here is Rolando Ravello as Antonio Lamorte, the clownish Prime Minister of Italy, and Charles Dance as Edison Wolcott, the President of the United States who speaks resolutely in a British accent. (A cheeky dialogue exchange addresses this detail without actually answering it. But truly, in a movie this devotedly ludicrous, if you're getting hung up on a curious accent, you're already lost.) 

Together, these actors sharply navigate not only the uncertain terrain of Rumour's rural setting, but also the cerebrally silly tone that infuses every bit of dialogue and action. 

Rumours relishes in buzz words and blathering.   Credit: Bleecker Street

You know that very irksome thing where you ask someone a direct question — even a yes or no question! — and they devolve into a confounding collection of phrases and words that manage to add up to nothing? Though rampant in political debates, that's not an easy thing to write. And yet Johnson manages it infuriatingly well. 

Whether massaging the language of a delicate topic or conceiving a plan of how to find help in a world swarming with resurrected, wanking cadavers, these laughable leaders talk in extraordinary circles. At first, when they are safely in the refined setting of china plates and posh meals, it's comedic yet low-key annoying to watch them talk around crisis — as if the word itself is a foreign concept because of their, power, wealth, and privilege. But as they come to realize their positions as world leaders mean nothing to the curious creatures of this freaky forest, a delicious schadenfreude sets in. Far from a slasher movie, where the audience might identify with the fleeing human prey, Rumours invites us to cackle at these politicians' peril, dehumanizing them through mocking portrayals just as political rhetoric too often does to the common person. 

Of course, if you're not much for subtext, there's also the pleasure of Johnson's twisted imagination, which unfurls nightmare creatures with curious kinks and confounding powers, leading to scenes of surreal spectacle and humorous violence. Undeniably, there's a thrill watching the absurd mayhem of Rumours play out, even if you're not sure what the hell is going on. 

This surreally strange satire is a terrifically wild ride, fueled by the game performances from a charismatic cast and the deranged creatures into which they collide. Simply put, Rumours is a bonkers blast.

Rumours was reviewed out of its North American Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The movie will next screen at the New York Film Festival. Rumours opens in theaters Oct. 18.

As its 50th anniversary nears, Saturday Night Live is unquestionably an institution, not only in comedy or in late-night TV but in American pop culture itself. It has launched countless comedians, cemented the arrival of up-and-coming musical acts, spawned iconic characters, and even influenced politics, through its much-covered casting and guest stars.

With his new movie Saturday Night, co-writer/director Jason Reitman — whose films range from the superb coming-of-age comedy Juno and the provocative mid-life dramedy Tully to the the horrid reboot Ghostbusters: Afterlife — wants you to remember back when SNL was a scrappy sketch show stocked with counterculture comedians, signifying a major risk for NBC and the show's creator, Lorne Michaels.  

SEE ALSO: 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' is a soulless ode to nepotism

With Saturday Night (a nod to the the show's original title, NBC's Saturday Night), Reitman and screenwriter Gil Kenan (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire co-writer/director) dug through the Saturday Night Live archives for anecdotes, fun facts, and Easter eggs to reimagine that first landmark night. Set over the course of the 90 minutes leading up to showtime, this film aims to capture the manic mayhem, creative conflicts, soul-crushing obstacles, and larger-than-life personalities that contributed to Saturday Night Live's birth. And it fails. 

Concentrating the massiveness of SNL into one film about its premiere is a boldly ambitious project. At the film's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Reitman noted in his curtain speech that the movie contains over 80 speaking parts. One might admire the filmmaker's passion, but that's also the problem. Reitman, who spent a week as a guest writer on Saturday Night Live in 2008, is a devotee of the church of SNL. As such, Saturday Night is so stuffed with impressions and nostalgic callbacks that it's not much of a movie at all.

Saturday Night throws down a ticking clock that doesn't work.  Ella Hunt as Gllda Radner goofs off on the set of "Saturday Night." Credit: Hopper Stone / Sony Pictures Entertainment

Beginning on the sidewalk in front of NBC's Manhattan studios, Saturday Night shows Lorne Michaels (The Fabelmans' Gabriel LaBelle) fretting to an NBC page (Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard), who is trying unsuccessfully to lure an audience into this free, live comedy show. From there, the film will follow Lorne almost constantly as he dips into the set still under construction, stressful meet-and-greets with network execs, literally explosive rehearsals, an intense control room, and a fateful dive bar, all before the metaphorical curtain rises on his show. 

To enhance the tension, Reitman injects title cards that announce the time, counting down until the live show kicks off — or fails to launch entirely. But there's a prequel-like problem here in that we all know how this ends. Occasionally, this works as a visual gag, like when the camera cuts to the time just after a particularly anxiety-ridden moment as a mocking reminder. But as the film drags on with less story and more and more SNL fluff, this device turns on the viewer, reminding us how much of this movie we still have to sit through.

Saturday Night delivers a cavalcade of impressions.  Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman in "Saturday Night." Credit: Hopper Stone / Sony Pictures Entertainment

As teased in the film's first trailer, Saturday Night throws a bunch of young Hollywood stars into the shoes of SNL's earliest icons, like Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Chevy Chase (May December standout Cory Michael Smith), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), John Belushi (Matt Wood), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O'Brien), and Jane Curtin (Kim Matula). Also in the mix are the likes of Billy Crystal (Nicholas Podany), George Carlin (Matthew Rhys), Jim Henson, and Andy Kaufman (the last two both played by Cat Person's Nicholas Braun). 

To Reitman's credit, his cast ably captures the dynamic energy of the Not Ready For Prime Time Players. Hunt has Radner's childlike verve. Wood captures Belushi's wounded ego and belligerent brand of physical comedy. O'Brien nails the macho arrogance of Aykroyd, along with his signature Canadian cadence. Recent Emmy–winner Lamorne Morris brings a sophisticated smoothness to Garrett Morris, who calls out anti-Black racism on set and lights a cigarette on a flaming piece of fallen lighting equipment with equal swagger.

Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris in "Saturday Night." Credit: Hopper Stone / Sony Pictures Entertainment

Podany as Crystal is so dead-on in pitch that the comedian is recognizable from voice alone. Rhys harnesses Carlin's wrath; Matula nails Curtin's crisp comedic timing. In his dual role, Braun capably shifts from the soft-voiced pleading of Henson to the high-pitched buffoonery of Kaufman doing his "thank you very much" shtick. The standout in this group, however, is Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, and that's probably because he's the one who gets the closest thing to a character arc. Cocky, caustic, yet undeniably charismatic, Chase acts like he owns 30 Rock as soon as he enters frame. Smith owns the stride, smirk, and silliness that was Chase's signature. But sparks fly when he comes face-to-face with a bigger star with an even bigger ego. 

Saturday Night finds a great villain in J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle.  J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle in "Saturday Night." Credit: Hopper Stone / Sony Pictures Entertainment

Reitman and Kenan's script hinges on the conflict between the Golden Age of comedy versus the new revolutionaries. As such, Lorne faces off against snarling NBC executive David Tebet (Willem Dafoe), and takes a call from a derisive Johnny Carson (an uncredited role that's also the worst impersonation in the film). But most menacing of all is Berle, a well-established comedian who has his own variety show on NBC, which the movie regards as flashy hackery.

Berle prowls Lorne's studio like a predator searching for easy prey, riling the talent and brazenly hitting on Chevy's fiancée, Jacqueline Carlin (Kaia Gerber). This leads to the film's most exciting exchange, where two equal forces of braggadocio face off with a battle of wits that is absolutely crass and cunning. Incredibly, it's Berle who gets the movie's best punchline, involving a bit of wordplay about a choice "comeback" and Chevy's mom. Perhaps that wasn't what Reitman intended, and Simmons just delivered the hell out of that line. Perhaps this moment — which leaves even Chevy Chase speechless — is meant to reflect the uphill battle SNL had ahead of them. Regardless, it's bizarre when a non-SNL figure gets the biggest laugh in your SNL movie.

Rachel Sennott shines, despite an underwritten role. Rachel Sennott, Kim Matula, and Emily Fairn treated as set dressing in "Saturday Night" scene with Gabriel LaBelle and Matt Wood. Credit: Hopper Stone / Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sennott, who has awed critics and audiences in such heralded comedies as Shiva Baby, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and Bottoms, unsurprisingly delivers one of the best performances in Saturday Night, despite her part being horrifically written. 

Sennott plays Rosie Shuster, an Emmy–winning comedy writer whose stint on Saturday Night Live ran from 1975 to 1988; she had a hand in bringing together the cast that would be in the show's first season, as well as many now-classic characters and sketches. She was also married to Lorne Michael from 1967 to 1980, and Saturday Night is much more focused on this latter bit. It's not just that Reitman and Kenan's script treats her like Lorne's sidekick, someone who can dole out advice or a pep talk with equal readiness. It's that the longest bit of dialogue she's given in this movie is doggedly explaining exactly who she is to Lorne, detailing their courtship, relationship, and sex life to Dan Aykroyd in a tedious walk-and-talk.

Reitman overloads the film with such cinematic devices. Far from bringing the excitement or tension of The West Wing to Saturday Night, repeated walk-and-talks reveal little new information visually and make overlong sequences impossible to cut down. A perfect example of Reitman's reliance on this technique is a drug trip experienced by a tertiary character who winds about in mounting panic; it's a detour that tries our patience with no escape. This is true of much of Saturday Night, which is overloaded with tidbits that are potentially fun or nostalgic, but with so little cohesion that this love letter feels more like a rant.  It's left to the talented ensemble cast to keep things together, narratively speaking. While Sennott is beguiling with her trademark crooked grin and skill for biting banter, the role of Rosie is regressive, existing chiefly to inform the audience about Lorne. 

This is especially dismaying when you look back at Reitman's filmography. Juno, Young Adult, and Tully all had complex female characters who were funny and fleshed out! Notably, Reitman directed but didn't write any of those movies; Diablo Cody wrote them. Without her, it seems Reitman loses track of women's autonomy. But here, he loses track of much, much more.

Saturday Night fails to thrill or be all that funny.  John Belushi (Matt Wood) gets violent on "Saturday Night," while Lorne (Gabriel LaBelle) looks on. Credit: Hopper Stone / Sony Pictures Entertainment

In writing the script, Reitman and Kenan made some liberal changes from the facts of the matter. They include sketches and behind-the-scenes anecdotes that weren't a part of that first episode, and even cut an entire cast member from the story because his presence would have put the lie to their generational conflict. (Sorry to George Coe!) Such changes could be excused as poetic license in pursuit of good storytelling — if it actually added up to good storytelling.

Like Saturday Night Live, this movie is a frenzied collection of scenes. Some work, but many don't, primarily because of how this script chips away at others in service of Lorne. While weaving around sets and silliness, Saturday Night above all else paints Lorne Michaels as a creative genius. His main flaw is that he can't communicate his vision to basically anyone, which creates a domino effect of fighting, screaming, and violence. But far from recognizing these as consequences of Lorne's mercurial leadership, Saturday Night is infuriatingly conventional, excusing the shitty behavior of a famous man because he makes something that is popular.

The film treats Lorne as an underdog, put upon by powerful forces that refuse to acknowledge his (yet to be remotely proven) greatness. It's a tiresome, thin argument as it ever was. And in holding him up, Saturday Night reduces the female characters around Lorne to hasty sketches of the women they represent. The well-documented, damaging sexism on that set is addressed only by a tongue-in-cheek rehearsal of a famous sketch, where the female players turn the male gaze on a womanizing Aykroyd, to the amusement of the crew. Essentially, the actual sexism of early SNL is laughed off. 

It's not that any movie could be expected to capture the complexity of early Saturday Night Live. But in capturing that first night, Reitman reduces Gilda Radner to a smile, Jane Curtin to a smirk, Laraine Newman (Emily Fairn) to a running gag about quick changes, and Rosie Shuster to a sidekick.

Further confounding, Reitman spends a gratuitous amount of time building the film's finale, literally brick by brick in a tedious metaphor. Then, he fumbles the turning point that brings this motley crew of chaotic individuals together into an ensemble. What saves the day is not a group scene. It's not a collaboration. It's the re-creation of a solo bit that's not even from an SNL cast member.

In the end, Saturday Night is not an ode to Saturday Night Live. It's a fawning portrait of the men of Saturday Night Live, who are granted punchlines, complexity, and character arcs, while their female counterparts are left with scraps. Longtime lovers of the show may find reason enough to soldier through Reitman's aggravating fanboying over Lorne and the guys. But assembling such a promising cast, looking back on such a pivotal moment in American entertainment, and offering this? It's a punchline that doesn't land. 

UPDATE: Oct. 10, 2024, 2:33 p.m. EDT "Saturday Night" was reviewed out of its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie has since shown at Fantastic Fest as a secret screening. This article, originally published on Sept. 25, has been updated to include screening options.

Saturday Night is now playing in theaters.

On paper, We Live in Time seems thoughtfully formulated to be the perfect tearjerker for today. John Crowley, the celebrated helmer of the stunning Saoirse Ronan romance Brooklyn, teams with heralded actors/internet darlings Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield in a weepy romance of wooing and tragic loss. And yet, while peppered with sex scenes and adoring close-ups, this is not a hot or even sweaty embrace of lust and love, but a soggy handshake of a film that underwhelms despite its star power.  

It’s shocking how We Live in Time had the pieces that should’ve been the stuff of Oscar acclaim and audience adoration. But despite bringing together two of the hottest young actors currently working, Crowley’s movie is astonishingly middling, set apart from forgettable fare only by a time-skipping device that feels inexplicable at best and frustrating at worst. 

We Live in Time's plotting gimmick does not work. 

We Live in Time begins with a couple already so well established that they have a cozy morning routine. Ambitious chef Almut (Pugh) goes on a long picturesque run through a lovely forest, foraging ingredients along the way to use in her next culinary experiment. She returns home to a gorgeous cottage and gets to work in her pretty kitchen, while her loving husband Tobias (Garfield) is still sleeping comfortably in their bed.

No sooner is their bliss established over a breakfast in bed than the movie leaps back to before they met, when he was just a sad sack on the brink of divorce with his first wife. There’s thrilling chemistry following a literal car crash of a meet-cute, with Pugh’s signature charm sparking against Garfield’s unflappable wholesomeness. Other moments, like their much memed ride on a merry-go-round, are winsome. But they are tossed into this film with little regard to pacing or theme or any kind of apparent logic.

SEE ALSO: Horrible 'We Live in Time' horse becomes instant meme

Despite the flashes back and forward, their story is straightforward, the stuff of weepy beach reads. They fall in love while she is building her first restaurant, and he is dealing with the end of his first marriage. They nearly break up realizing they have different expectations around children. But they will overcome these issues, as they will her first battle with cancer and its brutal chemo treatments. The main plot of the film takes place once they’ve had their daughter and are faced with the recurrence of the cancer, more aggressive than before. The question becomes, will Almut endure another round of body-wilting chemo that may not even save her life? Or will she reject treatment to make the most of the time she has left?

The second cancer battle alone could have made an interesting movie. But because this screenplay aims to loop back-and-forth to show the breadth of their entire relationship,We Live in Time feels more like postcards of a relationship than a portrait that is fleshed out or remotely captivating. There’s so little sense of cohesion from sequence to sequence, it’s hard to get emotionally invested in these characters, even if you’re someone who has been a fan of the actors, as I am.  

Florence Pugh shines. Andrew Garfield is stranded. 

This is the kind of role that seems perfect for Florence Pugh, as it is a woman who is dealing with conflicting emotions that demand she smile and frown with equal passion. Almut loves her husband and her child, but also wants to be more than just “someone’s dying mum.” So when an opportunity to compete in a high-level cooking competition arises, she can’t bring herself to turn it down, even if it means pushing her body to its limits and spending less time at home. 

Again, this could’ve made a compelling story on its own. But We Live in Time aims to create some sort of balance by also following Tobias, who has much less to do. Where Almut is established as having desires outside of her marriage, her husband exists solely to mope when she disappoints him. He’s just Ken, an accessory to hang on her like an anchor. Which is wild because Tobias’s arguments in the film — for honesty in their marriage and for attempting a new round of chemo — are valid, yet undermined by a plotting that treats him as a clingy obstacle to Almut’s professional dreams. 

While Garfield delivers a soulful performance with big watery eyes, the scattered structure of the film gives him little to build on. Tobias is so thinly realized that the audience is left to fill in the gaps, perhaps with prior appreciation for Garfield or a general affection for Nicholas Sparks–style romances where the besotted lovers are doomed to be separated by death. In either case, the film on its own is frustratingly fractured. 

Crowley fails to elevate a lackluster script. 

To be clear, We Live in Time is not the worst movie of the year. That’d be the repulsive and abysmal relaunch of The Crow. It’s not the biggest bomb of the year, which looks to be Eli Roth’s messy adaptation of Borderlands. It’s not even a movie arguably enhanced by some sort of scandal, like Pugh’s Don’t Worry Darling or 2024’s other recent weepy It Ends With Us. In fact, We Live in Time will likely be bolstered by the incredible chemistry its stars are sharing on red carpets and cheeky promotional interviews. But on its own, this movie is far less than the sum of its parts. 

The cancer story could have been enough to sustain it. Perhaps with flashbacks to bolster our understanding not only of this couples' love but also the hardships they’ve traversed before. It could have been a delicately balanced story from both perspectives, exploring how sometimes even the choice of life or death is achingly complicated. But Crowley’s execution of Nick Payne’s woe-infested scribblings of a screenplay manages neither. The time jumps feel like artless novelty, attempting to distract from how threadbare this story actually is — particularly Almut’s first round of cancer, which makes up three short scenes.

While Pugh and Garfield give their all to Almut and Tobias, the chaotic smattering of scenes provides no build in emotional tension. In fact, jumping from the couple already together to not having met undercuts scenes of nervous flirtation with inevitability. It’s like for everything that might work in this film, there’s something else that works against it. Sequences like their first conversation in a hospital hallway and a birth sequence wildly alive with energy offer moments of hope that Crowley and company will cut their way through the messy plot device of time-skipping to hook into something unshakably profound. 

But in the end, We Live in Time is profoundly mediocre, lacking the verve, sexiness, and raw human emotion we’ve come to expect from Pugh and Garfield. 

UPDATE: Oct. 10, 2024, 2:41 p.m. EDT "We Live in Time" was reviewed out of its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. This article, originally published on Sept. 16, has been updated to include viewing options.

We Live in Time is now playing in selected theaters. It expands nationwide on Oct. 18.

2024 is proving a sensational year for the revival of the music biopic. Sure, it started off weak with the bog-standard One Love and the infuriating Back to Black. But summer brought the brazen rebellion of Kneecap, which played like an early Guy Ritchie crime romp. And the Toronto International Film Festival brought the wowing double act of Better Man, which reimagines British pop star Robbie Williams as a literal dancing monkey, and Piece By Piece, in which American rapper/songwriter/producer/fashion designer Pharrell Williams spins his life story into a Lego movie. 

Even when the stories hit familiar beats of a rags-to-riches arc, both of these remarkable reinventions make their material stand out through style. But where Better Man embraces a warts-and-all approach, Pharrell Williams — with the collaboration of heralded documentarian Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom, Won't You Be My Neighbor?) delivers an inspirational animated biopic for all ages. 

SEE ALSO: 42 movies you'll want to see this fall

Glossing over the low points of Williams' journey earned the film mixed reviews out of its debut at Telluride Film Festival. But the more I mulled over what this movie does offer, the more I was won over by its playful, glossy approach. 

Piece By Piece turns America's biggest hip-hop stars into minifigs.  Pharrell Williams and Gwen Stefani in "Piece By Piece." Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

To find the arc of Williams' story, Neville interviewed the multi-hyphenate star, his wife Helen Lasichanh, and a dazzling array of collaborators and colleagues, including Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, The Neptunes' Chad Hugo, Gwen Stefani, and many more. In an interview with Mashable, Williams revealed many of these interviewees had no idea their contribution would be filtered through a Lego lens, and only discovered they'd been transformed into minifigs when the first trailer hit. 

Neville's visual translation of these interviews includes amusing flourishes, like turning Snoop Dog into a Lego Doberman, and making metaphors about bakeries literal, with Lego Pharrell selling sweet treats the way he sold hit beats. In one instance, the idea of blowing one's mind with a sick bit of music is illustrated by having a smiling minifig’s head pop right off its base in amazement. These choices bring a playfulness into the film that not only is sure to delight fans of The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie, but also reflects the tone of Williams' hits, like "Happy" and "Get Lucky." 

More than this however, by turning himself into a plaything, Piece By Piece gives Williams a creative distance to reflect on his own life as if it is one of his many media projects. Through warm narration, he opens up about his childhood in the Atlantis Apartments in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The colorful blocks not only reconstruct his humble home but also a more fantastical version of Atlantis, where an Afro-wearing baby Pharrell swims about with a giant goldfish as Poseidon looks on. This charming spectacle showcases Pharrell's imagination manifesting big, surreal scenarios, which becomes a recurring theme — down to dreaming up a Lego music biopic. 

Piece By Piece is a Little Engine That Could tale that kids will relish. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

After this whimsical dip into brick-made oceans, Williams admits he was considered an oddball by others, confessing, "It broke my spirit." But weird kids out there (or the weird adults they became) might find solace as little Pharrell finds his crew, each of whom also revels in making music. From there, Piece By Piece becomes a story of succeeding by staying true to yourself and putting in the work to build your dream, brick by brick. Along the way, Neville laces various hits that Pharrell has contributed to, from "Hot in Herre" and "Shake Ya Ass" to "Hollaback Girl" and "Blurred Lines." (Parents, don't fret. Some of the racier lyrics have been delicately plucked out.) 

While it's initially fun to indulge in the nostalgia as Neville recreates iconic music videos with minifigs, this device begins to get old as the story of his rise makes for a lot of name- and track-dropping. Pardon the pun, but things get a bit one-note. Then when it comes to a low point — a necessity for any biopic or story for that matter — Williams pulls back. 

Piece By Piece can't commit to its big swing.  Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

Rosy memories of childhood troubles is one thing, but sharing why his career took a dip is a Lego bridge too far. Instead of probing questions, Neville paves a path with platitudes about how his subject's greatest weakness is he has too many ideas. Colleagues speak vaguely about some business missteps or shameless yes-men who gave Williams bad advice, and these unnamed negative influences are imagined as a trio of gray-skinned ghouls wearing smiles and business suits. 

Here the film suffers. Even with the mask of the minifig, Williams can't let his audience into the dark moments. (On the other hand, this is where Better Man positively thrives.) Swiftly, Williams has reconnected with his pure inspiration, and the third act becomes a rousing celebration of song, dance, and Lego bits humorous and heartfelt. But this fumbled beat undercuts the movie's message. Being true to yourself isn't a one-time battle; it's ongoing. But with a community — like the minifig friends and family in Piece By Piece — one might get their block knocked off and still rebuild. 

Even with help from an on-screen avatar, can Williams not admit the ugly truths of his own story? Or did he and Neville fear self-doubt in anything but the briefest mention might bring down the joy of their movie? To that, I'd point to the other Lego movies, where the Lego universe and Lego Gotham are brought to the brink of utter destruction without us losing faith in their minifig heroes. Heck, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part even made the dark side of its happy hero the minifig villain! 

This wobble aside, Piece By Piece is a winsome reinvention of the music biopic. Animation is enthusiastically employed to bring the audience into the experience of being Pharrell Williams. The colorful blocks not only allow the construction of musical beats to become a physical act rather than an abstract idea, but also give a Ratatouille-like understanding of how this art form affects its hero. His synesthesia is showcased in waves of color as the beat bounces. 

While this colorful concept means Piece By Piece can be a hit with kids, it's easy to wish the movie dared to delve a bit more into the problems of being a grown-up. But all in all, Piece By Piece is a delight that could well have audiences dancing in the aisles. 

Piece By Piece is now playing in theaters.

UPDATE: Oct. 10, 2024, 4:24 p.m. EDT "Piece By Piece" was reviewed out of its International Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. This review was originally published on Sept. 12, 2024, and has been updated to reflect viewing options.

SAVE ALMOST $50: As of Oct. 11, the Beats Pill is on sale for $99.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 33% on list price, and the lowest it's ever been on Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Pill $99.99 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $49.96 Get Deal

This year's October Prime day was a great one for audiophiles. Speakers, headphones, and earbuds from just about every brand were reduced to low prices. But even though Prime Day is over, you can still snag a great new speaker at a low price. There are still some incredible audio-related sales lingering at Amazon, including a big discount on the beloved Beats Pill.

Recently upgraded, the Beats Pill is the same speaker we've loved for years, but better. It may appear petite and dainty, but it's robust. It packs a serious audio punch, with the new, bigger, bespoke racetrack woofer displacing 90% more air volume, meaning you get a much deeper, fuller bass. Not to mention, it even has IP67 water resistance so it's safe from accidental splashes.

For portable listening, the new 24-hour battery life will keep you going all day long, and can even be used to charge your phone or other devices through a USC cable.

As of Oct. 11, the Beats Pill is reduced to $99.99 (down from $149.95), saving you almost $50 on list price. This is the lowest it has ever been priced at Amazon, so you know it's a great deal. This price is available in all the colors offered by Amazon: Matte Black, Champagne Gold, and Statement Red, but without the power adapter or AppleCare+.

But you'll need to be quick, as Amazon has listed this as a limited-time deal.

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there's no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you're done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 11 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Friday, October 11, 2024:

AcrossBangkok language

• The answer is Thai.

Difficult

• The answer is Hard.

Wizard's wraps

• The answer is Robes.

Where most people live

• The answer is Asian.

Cuddly companions

• The answer is Pets.

More on Prime Day: Here are all the best deals to shop still live

DownThe items yonder

• The answer is Those.

Established practice

• The answer is Habit.

Fields of expertise

• The answer is Areas.

Passports, e.g.

• The answer is IDs.

Music genre

• The answer is Rap.

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

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

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

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

SAVE OVER $100: As of Oct. 11, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is on sale for $541.34 at Amazon. That's a saving of 17% on list price.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra $549.75 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $100.24 Get Deal

If a smartwatch upgrade is in your sights, you're probably looking at the classics: Garmin, Apple, and Samsung. Price can always be a big sway in a purchase of that size, so why not check out the latest deal on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

A fantastic offering from Samsung, it truly is a great option for fitness enthusiasts across all activities, specifically those who enjoy endurance sports. It has built-in fitness tracking tools like heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen measurements, and dual-frequency GPS for tracking accuracy, as well as advanced sleep tracking.

The watch design boasts a bright AMOLED display with vibrant colors and brightness, and is controlled both by a touchscreen and physical buttons. A 60-hour battery will keep you going for a couple of days without needing charge and the 10ATM water-resistance classification allows you to enjoy both pool and ocean swimming.

As of Oct. 11, you can snag the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra for $541.34, a saving of 17% on list price. Not to mention, this is the cheapest it has ever been at Amazon. This deal is specific to the Titanium Silver, 42mm LTE model only.

Amazon has listed this as a limited time deal, so if you're interested, head there now.

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

Things often get this before they get better.

SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 11 Hurdle Word 1 answer

WORSE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Joining together.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 11 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

UNION

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Quite a smell.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 11 Hurdle Word 3 answer

MUSKY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Opposite of outer.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 11 Hurdle Word 4 answer

INNER

Final Hurdle hint

Could describe wind.

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

GUSTY

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

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

October Prime Day: Here's the latest news on the deals

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, October 11, 2024:

AcrossFlower awarded on "The Bachelorette"

• The answer is Rose.

Insurgent takeovers

• The answer is Coups.

Admit (to)

• The answer is Ownup.

Condemn publicly

• The answer is Decry.

The paradise referred to in "Paradise Lost"

• The answer is Eden.

Prime Day deals you can shop right now

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $189.99 (List Price $249.00)

• Apple iPad 10.2" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (2021 Release) — $199.00 (List Price $329.00)

• TP-Link Tapo C120 2K QHD Security Camera — $24.99 (List Price $39.99)

• 65" Hisense U6 Series 4K Mini-LED ULED Smart TV (2024 Model) — $597.99 (List Price $799.99)

• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds (Black) — $229.00 (List Price $299.00)

• Geekom A8 Ryzen 9 2TB SSD 32GB RAM Mini Desktop — $721.00 (List Price $849.00)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote (2023 Model) — $39.99 (List Price $59.99)

DownTook to the oars

• The answer is Rowed.

"An ___ of prevention is worth a pound of cure" (proverb)

• The answer is Ounce.

Reject, as a lover

• The answer is Spurn.

Get a glimpse of

• The answer is Espy.

Something of concern to a building developer … or software developer

• The answer is Code.

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

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

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

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

SAVE OVER $90: As of Oct. 11, Beats Solo 4 are on sale for $99.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 50% on list price.

Beats Solo 4 $99.99 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $99.96 Get Deal

The discounts aren't over at Amazon, even if Prime Day might be officially finished. There are still plenty of deals to be had, including this new low price on Beats Solo 4.

As of Oct. 11, you can grab these headphones for just $99.99, saving almost $100 on list price. This deal is available across all colorways at Amazon, including Black/Gold, Cloud Pink, Matte Black, and State Blue. This is also the lowest these headphones have ever been priced at Amazon. However, this price is only available when purchasing without AppleCare+. You can add this on for a price of $118.99 (down from $228.95).

The Beats Solo 4 were only released earlier in the year, so to see such a big discount already is truly a win. This latest model in the Solo range boasts a battery life of up to 50 hours, a super-quick 10 minute charge time, and personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking. As with all Beats devices, the sound quality is stellar for all types of listening.

This is a limited time deal at Amazon, so act fast if you want to make the most of this deal.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 11 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Let's experiment

These words help make science happen.

October Prime Day: Here's the latest news on the deals

Prime Day deals you can shop right now

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $189.99 (List Price $249.00)

• Apple iPad 10.2" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (2021 Release) — $199.00 (List Price $329.00)

• TP-Link Tapo C120 2K QHD Security Camera — $24.99 (List Price $39.99)

• 65" Hisense U6 Series 4K Mini-LED ULED Smart TV (2024 Model) — $597.99 (List Price $799.99)

• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds (Black) — $229.00 (List Price $299.00)

• Geekom A8 Ryzen 9 2TB SSD 32GB RAM Mini Desktop — $721.00 (List Price $849.00)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote (2023 Model) — $39.99 (List Price $59.99)

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words for lab equipment.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is ChemistryLab.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 11

• Beaker

• Goggles

• Flask

• ChemistryLab

• Pipette

• Thermometer

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 10 SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 10

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.

Tesla just unveiled its long-awaited Robotaxi aka Cybercab, an automated electric car that CEO Elon Musk claims can drive itself without human intervention. If it works, you may end up having fewer awkward conversations with cab drivers about presidential elections. However, this wasn't the only tech Musk revealed during Tesla's We, Robot event.

SEE ALSO: How to watch Tesla's big Robotaxi unveiling

Taking place at Warner Bros. Discovery in Burbank, California, Tesla's Cybercab reveal had initially been scheduled for August, but was pushed back to October at the end of July. Speaking on an earnings call at the time, Musk stated that the delay was so that Tesla could "improve the Robotaxi, as well as add in a couple other things for the product unveil."

Said "other things" have turned out to be the latest look at Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus, as well as the surprise unveiling of an automated van called the Robovan (pronounced by Musk as "Robo-ven" for reasons unknown).

Musk reveals the Robovan, Tesla's autonomous van Credit: Tesla

While the Cybercab was the expected star of Thursday night's event, the unexpected reveal of the box-like Robovan received its fair share of attention as well. Allegedly capable of carrying up to 20 people or transporting goods, Musk claimed that the apparently fully autonomous vehicle had the potential to reduce travel costs to five or ten cents per mile.

"What happens if you need a vehicle that is bigger than a Model Y?" said Musk, introducing the Robovan as it rounded a corner to let several passengers emerge from its sliding door. "We're going to make this, and it's gonna look like that."

"That" is a bulky white vehicle with practically no clearance between it and the road, and no windscreen either. Instead, strip windows run across the edges of the Robovan's roof down to its nose and rear, following its left and right edges, with two more placed on the sides. 

Comparing the design philosophy behind the Robovan to that of the Cybertruck, Musk stated that Tesla aims to "change the look of the roads, and that "the future should look like the future." The Cybertruck's design was widely derided when it was first revealed in 2019, and common opinion hasn't changed. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Tesla

Fortunately, the Robovan at least doesn't look like an extremely low-poly rendering of Halo's Warthog, which is for the best if Tesla hopes that anyone but diehard Musk stans will want to ride in it.

"The Robovan is what's gonna solve for high density," said Musk.

Screens inside the Robovan where the windscreens would typically be located appear to show the vehicle's surroundings, as rows of white chairs face each other rather than in the direction the van is travelling. While the lack of steering wheel or controls is no doubt a deliberate exclusion, the Robovan also doesn't appear to have any seat belts. Hopefully this is simply because the vehicle is still under development. 

Tesla provides an update on the Optimus robot Credit: Mashable screenshot: Tesla

Tesla's vehicles weren't the only products shown off at this event. Musk ended his presentation by showing off Tesla's humanoid Optimus robots, having a procession of them shuffle in. The billionaire stated that Optimus has "progressed dramatically year after year" since Tesla first revealed the concept in 2021, when it was infamously illustrated by a person wearing a robot suit. 

"It'll be [able to] do anything you want," said Musk, sharing his dreams for Optimus' capabilities. "It can be a teacher, babysit your kids, it can walk your dog, mow your lawn, get the groceries. Just be your friend, serve drinks. Whatever you can think of, it will do."

Such functionality is likely still a while away, judging by the tentative approach Optimus appeared to take when merely walking. Though at least that gives you plenty of time to save up if you do want an Optimus of your own.

Upping his 2022 Optimus pricing estimate of "probably less than $20,000," Musk predicted that these robots will set you back $20-30,000. However, this prediction came with the caveat that such pricing would only eventually be reached in the long term, once the Optimus is produced "at scale." As such, we can infer that Optimus' launch price is likely to be notably higher.

Considering this predicted pricing, Musk's assertion that a personal Optimus robot could be "something that anyone could own" seems fairly far off. Though Musk declared that Optimus would cost "less than a car," it's still a pretty penny to shell out. Car prices skyrocketed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, with the average price of a new car in the U.S. now at over $48,000.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Tesla

"I think this will be the biggest product ever of any kind," said Musk. "I predict actually, provided we address the risks of digital superintelligence, [an] 80 percent probability of good, a good outcome."

Musk didn't say much about that other 20 percent, apparently preferring to picture an alternate, utopian take on I, Robot without the robot murder.

"The costs of products and services will decline dramatically, and basically anyone will be able to have any products and services they want. It will be an age of abundance, the likes of which almost no one has envisioned," said Musk, sounding an awful lot like a presidential candidate he's been hanging out with lately.

Musk ended the We, Robot presentation by directing the audience to observe a group of Optimus robots doing the robot in a gazebo, and declaring that more would be serving drinks at the bar. It wasn't clear whether the Optimus bartenders would deal with the issue of checking IDs, or if such tasks would still fall to their human minders hovering to the side.

Tesla recalls encourage caution regarding autonomous cars

While Musk's claims of fully autonomous cars and vans may sound exciting, it's prudent to approach such technology with caution and scepticism before entrusting it with your well-being. Tesla doesn't have the best track record when it comes to vehicular safety, to put it mildly. 

The infamous Cybertruck has been the subject of multiple massive recalls, with problems ranging from accelerator pedals getting stuck while pressed down, to windshield wipers malfunctioning, to the rear view camera going blank while drivers are backing up. Then there's the issues that haven't sparked recalls, such the Cybertruck's finger-crushing tendencies. This dangerous problem is facilitated both by the design of the Cybertruck's doors as well as an obstacle detection system which appears to work sporadically at best.

Other vehicles in Tesla's lineup haven't fared much better. In August, Tesla issued a recall for over 9,100 Model X cars due to an issue where a cosmetic applique could detach and increase the risk of a crash. The company had previously issued a recall of the same model for the same issue in 2020. In July, around 1.8 million Tesla cars were recalled due to an issue with detecting unlatched hoods, leaving potential for them to pop open and obstruct a driver's view, and in January nearly 200,000 Teslas were recalled over a rear view camera problem.

Last year, there was a December recall for auto steering issues, May recall for faulty seat belt warnings, July recall for faulty seat belts, and a February recall because Tesla's Full Self-Driving software enabled cars to "exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash."

During the We, Robot event, Musk announced that several dozen Model Ys and Cybercabs were circling the set without drivers or passengers as he spoke, with attendees invited to ride in them afterward.

"There's no steering wheel or pedals, so I hope this goes well," the billionaire said. "We'll find out."

Tesla's robotaxi is finally a real thing, and it's called Cybercab.

Unveiled by CEO Elon Musk at Tesla's big "We, Robot" event at Warner Bros studios, the Cybercab is a futuristic-looking, fully autonomous electric vehicle that can ferry passengers around completely on its own.

At the start of the event, the Cybercab (or Robotaxi — the name isn't entirely clear right now as both names were used throughout the event) actually took Musk through a short series of mock-up streets and onto the stage (with 20 other Cybercabs autonomously roaming around those same streets).

The Cybercab, as shown, isn't meant to be driven. It doesn't have a steering wheel, or pedals. It's got two butterfly wing doors, letting the passengers in — and only the passengers, as the car does not need a driver.

No charging port! Credit: Tesla

According to Musk, "you could fall asleep, and wake up at your destination."

Inside, there's a large display similar to those in today's Tesla cars, and the whole idea is for the car to be like a nice little lounge in which you chill while the car does its thing.

The Cybercab also doesn't have a charging plug; it will use wireless induction charging instead. Battery capacity, charging speed and other details weren't mentioned during Tesla's presentation.

As for the problems the Cybercab is meant to solve, Musk says traffic as it is today is slow, unsustainable, too expensive, and not safe enough. If most or all those cars on the streets were autonomous, "driving" would allegedly be ten times safer, cars would be cheaper, and they could actually make money for their owners while they sleep, by ferrying other passengers around, (robo)taxi-style.

The price for all this goodness if you were to buy one? About $30,000, said Musk.

We sort of knew most of this, as Musk has been talking about this as one of Tesla's primary goals (a fleet of robotaxis) for years. And given Tesla's (sometimes painfully slow) progress on its Full Self-Driving package, we know Tesla is trying hard to solve the autonomous driving problem. So the big question here is: When can we expect to see Cybercabs on the streets?

The answer is quite murky. According to Musk, Tesla plans to start fully autonomous, unsupervised FSD in Texas and California in 2025, with the Model 3 and the Model Y. Cybercab production should start in 2026, Musk said, but then immediately added that he tends to be "a little optimistic with time frames" and changed that timeframe to "before 2027." And all of this unsupervised, autonomous driving business needs to be approved by regulators before it can happen, both in the U.S. and abroad.

SEE ALSO: Tesla's cheapest car is no longer available

If you read the fine print, that means not much has changed for Tesla: The company still plans to launch autonomous driving on existing cars first via its FSD package. The problem is that Musk has been talking about this for nearly a decade, and while FSD is in parts impressive, it's not yet ready to be unleashed into the world as a fully autonomous, unsupervised driving package. It all boils down to whether Tesla can make this happen, how long will it take, and when regulators will put their stamp of approval on the whole idea.

Ahoy, mateys! The Wendy's Krabby Patty, the real-world version of Bikini Bottom's most popular burger, is now available in restaurants nationwide as of Tuesday, Oct. 8.

The cartoon-turned-IRL burger consists of ground beef, American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and a "super special secret sauce" served on a toasted bun — and the internet has thoughts, particularly SpongeBob SquarePants superfans.

Keep in mind that, according to a press release from Wendy's, the Krabby Patty Kollab Burger (as it's officially called) is "inspired" by the swashbuckling, under-the-sea animation. In other words, it's not meant to be an exact replica, but it still has Krusty Krab devotees in a tizzy.

SEE ALSO: SpongeBob SquarePants heads to Texas in 'Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie' trailer Wendy's Krabby Patty: Does it look like the cartoon version?

When promo images of the Krabby Patty first hit the internet, some were disappointed that it didn't match the cartoon variant.

Tweet may have been deleted An X user hates to "be that guy," but pointed out the inaccurate order of the ingredients. Credit: @MrDylanKrug on X

"What's different about this burger? Looks like a regular Wendy's cheeseburger," a Reddit user with the moniker @Blue_Wave_2020 said.

"Doesn't even have a sesame seed bun," another Reddit user said.

Several commenters in the official SpongeBob subreddit voiced dissatisfaction that it's not plant-based. Not necessarily because they're vegans, but according to SpongeBob SquarePants producer Vincent Waller, "there is absolutely no meat in the Krabby Patty; there is no animal product in there."

Others pointed out that, true to Wendy’s style, the meat inside the IRL Krabby Patty has a squarish shape. The Krabby Patty in Bikini Bottom, on the other hand, is round. "A square patty!?" said ConclusionDouble3962, who claims that they purchased the Krabby Patty Kollab Burger. "It was basically just an overhyped Dave's Single."

(For the uninitiated, a Dave's Single is a classic burger from Wendy's named after Dave Thomas, the chain's founder.)

Dave's Single at a Wendy's in Georgia, USA Credit: Deutschlandreform / Shutterstock.com

The following TikTokker, jes_foodie, made similar claims, pointing out the lack of SpongeBob SquarePants themes.

According to a SpongeBob SquarePants fandom page, aside from the missing plant-based round patty and sesame seed buns, the IRL Krabby Patty has all the other ingredients found inside the cartoon burger.

Wendy's Krabby Patty has decent reviews

Perusing through X (formerly Twitter), many people who looked past the fact that it’s not an exact recreation of the Bikini Bottom burger seemed to enjoy it.

Credit: @Caylaisawesome on X

"I'd get it again and that frosty was on another level," @Caylaisawesome said. This X user is referring to the Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty that comes with the total Krabby Patty Kollab Meal. It has fries, too.

"Was good," @MORSxGAMING said.

Credit: @MORSxGAMING on X

However, you can't please everyone. One X user wondered why the meal lacked a toy and a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed wrapper.

Credit: @KidKinsey on X

Another agreed with the aforementioned Redditor and TikTokker; it's "just a rebranded Dave's Single with special sauce," adding that it's "not bad, just not as spectacular."

Credit: @JoshGamnChannel on X

As for the "super special secret sauce" that accompanies the Wendy's Krabby Patty, several reviewers, including reporters from El Paso Times and Delaware Online, say that it simply tastes like Thousand Island dressing.

The Wendy's Krabby Patty Kollab Burger, in partnership with Nickelodeon and Paramount, celebrates SpongeBob SquarePants' 25th anniversary. By the way, the burger won't be around for long — it's a limited-edition meal.

If you had a chance to try the new Krabby Patty, let us know what you think in the comments.

At some point in your career as a manager, you may have an employee with a terminal illness on your team. Here’s how to manage this challenging situation with compassion and care. Involve your employee. Begin by having open, empathetic conversations. Ask your employee what they need to feel supported. For some, work may provide […]

257257

TL;DR: Get Microsoft Office 2021 and Windows 11 Pro together for £40.56 (reg. £335.37) through 27 October.

Summer’s over, and that means it’s time to get serious about those grades. Whether you’re hitting the books or looking to help your student, check out this ultimate back-to-school bundle. For a limited time, you can get both Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro. It's the perfect combo to tackle assignments and fight procrastination.

Separately, this office suite and OS cost hundreds of pounds, but they’re on sale for £40.56 for a couple more weeks. This is your best chance to upgrade your Windows computer.

Microsoft Office 2021 apps

Every student needs reliable productivity apps for those dreaded assignments and presentations. Lean on tools like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for homework, OneNote for note-taking, and Outlook and Teams to stay connected to peers and teachers. 

Microsoft Office for Windows also comes with Access and Publisher. You might use Excel and Publisher for math and data science courses and Publisher if you’re designing materials for clubs or art classes.

Most importantly, this is a lifetime device license. Once MS Office 2021 for Windows is installed on your computer, the license never expires.

Windows 11 Pro + Copilot AI

Upgrading your OS isn’t just for the new user design; you’ll also get the new AI assistant, Copilot. Microsoft calls it “the ultimate AI study buddy.”

Copilot uses a custom version of ChatGPT, so it’s like getting the chatbot's premium version without having to pay for it. You could use it to:

• Have it explain complex class concepts in simpler terms

• Make custom flashcards

• Create practice questions

• Simulate conversations in a new language you’re learning

You’ll also enjoy how Windows 11 Pro boosts your PC’s load times, gives you new productivity tools, and adds new security features like BitLocker device encryption. It’s like an internal makeover for your computer.

Take advantage of this Microsoft app bundle with Office 2021 and Windows 11 Pro at £40.56 (reg. £335.37) through 27 October at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon code is needed for this discount.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle £40.56
£335.37 Save £294.81 Get Deal

An incisive expression of family and culture that neither apologizes nor over-explains itself, Roshan Sethi's A Nice Indian Boy is a riotous, moving queer romantic comedy with a wildly unique premise. While it resembles many modern third-culture stories — specifically, tales of disconnect between first-generation South Asians in the West and their immigrant parents — it widens its scope in surprising ways that reflect and refract both personal and cinematic identity.

SEE ALSO: New York Film Festival preview: 10 movies you ought to know about

Taking inspiration from a romantic Bollywood classic, the film follows a gay Indian American doctor whose parents are nominally accepting, but who want him to find "a nice Indian boy." Long story short: He does! The immediate wrinkle, however, is that this nice Indian boy is none other than Jonathan Groff — yes, Hamilton's original King George — playing a white man raised by Indian parents. 

On one hand, A Nice Indian Boy is the tale of a typical Indian American family, with typical Indian American problems — a generational disconnect, gendered double standards, and a culture of awkward silence around sexuality — but on the other hand, its evolution into grand romantic saga is anything but typical. It's also a story of cross-cultural adoption that dovetails into not only a hilariously awkward meet-the-parents comedy, but also a film about freeing oneself from emotional and generational baggage, in a way that yields tears of joy and laughter.

What is A Nice Indian Boy about?

Dr. Naveen Gavaskar (Deadpool's Karan Soni) is the kind of realistic queer protagonist seldom seen in Hollywood: an introverted gay man who'd rather be at home than at the club — or in the case of the movie's opening scene, at his sister's colorful wedding reception. As the guests dance to thumping tunes, and the camera tilts and spins to capture them, Naveen sits still, fending off over-enthusiastic family members whose words of marital encouragement sound more like a dire warning: "You're next!"

What Naveen's nosy aunties and uncles don't know, and what his parents begrudgingly accept, is that his wedding won't quite look like a Hindi movie, since he happens to be into guys.

Six years go by — notably, the amount of time between Sethi coming out and the film's premiere — and Naveen's life away from his parents is somewhat content, even though it involves lonely nights of leaving exes and crushes some uncomfortably awkward voice messages. He has absolutely no game, despite the efforts of his outgoing gay colleague Paul (Peter S. Kim) to bring him out of his shell. But the gods eventually smile on him when he comes across an attractive white photographer, Jay Kurundkar (Groff), at his local mandir (or temple) while praying to a statue of Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom and good luck.

Two things immediately stand out about Jay: his tranquil charm, and his authentic pronunciation of "Ganesh" — with an extended "e" as in "lace," rather than the protracted "e" of words like "less," to which most Westerners default. Naveen is immediately flustered by Jay's confident stares, but agrees to accompany him on a date to his favorite movie, which, to the good doctor's surprise, turns out to be Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (or DDLJ), the iconic 1995 Bollywood romance about two star-crossed Indian Londoners, whose musical centerpiece features superstar Shah Rukh Khan serenading actress Kajol in a field of yellow mustard flowers.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'The Romantics': A nostalgic and impassioned tribute to Hindi cinema

But instead of being bowled over by this gesture, Naveen finds himself unable to fully embrace the film or Jay's off-key crooning of its famous track, "Tujhe Dekha To" (yes, Groff sings it himself, with barely a syllable out of place). Sincerity and vulnerability remain obstacles to Naveen, even after he and Jay start dating. This proves mildly problematic when meeting each other's friends, but it's downright disastrous when the question of Jay meeting Naveen's parents arises, given how little he's told them about his white, freelance photographer boyfriend who vapes and waxes poetic about Hindi cinema.

The results are as side-splitting as they are disheartening, because the one lesson A Nice Indian Boy takes from DDLJ is that Indian romantic films are family dramas too. However, what initially seems hopeless ends up an exciting challenge, because Jay has also internalized this lesson. And, like Shah Rukh Khan's brash Raj Malhotra, he'll stop at nothing to win over the parents of the person he loves.

A Nice Indian Boy is also a family drama.

The film, written by Eric Randall, is based on the play by Madhuri Shekar, and it has the structure of a five-act play, with each section broken up by significant time jumps. This ends up serving a dual purpose. On one hand, this shifts the typical feel-good rom-com climax to the middle of the story, away from its usual place in most three-act Hollywood screenplays, where it serves as a resolution. In the process, A Nice Indian Boy allows for the realities of long-term romance and wedding planning to creep in through the corners of the frame, beyond the broad declarations of love.

On the other hand, it also allows each member of Naveen's family to have their own dedicated section of the movie, during which they become a primary character. Like Naveen, his sister Arundhathi (Sunita Mani) harbors a grudge against their parents for the choices she did and didn't have while growing up, including in matters of love, and she sees their increased leeway with Naveen as a matter of grave injustice. Meanwhile, their outspoken mother Megha (Zarna Garg) tries to smooth things over with both children, but since she's just as hot-headed as her daughter, it's easier said than done. In terms of temperament, Naveen takes after his father Archit (Harish Patel), though his silent acceptance of Naveen's sexuality — while avoiding eye contact at all cost — hurts more than outright disapproval. Like his son, Archit has a problem with expressing himself honestly.

However, Megha and Archit's genuine attempts to bridge the gap between themselves and Naveen also leads to some uproarious overcompensation, between the topics they bring up in Jay's presence without any filter whatsoever, to their sincere attempts to educate themselves by binging raunchy reality shows on OutTV and bringing them up in conversation. It's incredibly funny and incredibly sweet, but none of these superficial gestures — no matter how well-meaning — are a substitute for the real emotional work the Gavaskar family needs.

The film doesn't let Naveen off the hook either, whether it comes to his avoidance of intimacy or the walls he keeps up between him and his family members. Those walls only start to come down after some rigorous and difficult dramatic moments, which Sethi directs with incredible command.

A Nice Indian Boy is brilliantly directed.  

The film's premise resembles a number of third-culture films and shows featuring South Asians in the West, like The Big Sick, Ms. Marvel, and Blinded by the Light. These stories of artistically driven first-gen kids and their immigrant parents who "just don't understand" have settled into a rote rhythm in recent years. A fellow SXSW selection, the lukewarm The Queen of My Dreams, is a key example: a similarly Bollywood-inspired tale of a queer Pakistani Canadian who nominally reconciles with her conservative mother. It's rarely a good sign when you can map out the beats of a story based on its cultural premise, but A Nice Indian Boy finds numerous visual and thematic ways to buck that trend.

SEE ALSO: Bollywood's dad, Anupam Kher, on the unique warmth of 'The Big Sick'

It stands out, first and foremost, through its bustling visual energy, which not only captures the chaos and excitement constantly unfolding around Naveen — at weddings, family meetings, or parties hosted by Jay's outgoing friends — but also serves to magnify his glum stillness as the camera pushes in and pulls out prominently during both comedy beats and charged emotional moments. The film's comedy and drama stem from the same place: the tension of expectations, whether it involves Naveen wrestling with his prescribed role as an Indian man in the West; the implications of his queerness, according to his parents; or how Jay will fit into the Gavaskars' family dynamic.

What Jay yearns for, as a perpetual outsider who found love in an Indian household once before, is just as vital to the movie as Naveen's search for emotional authenticity. And when the film begins drawing more overtly from Bollywood iconography, it weaves together its grandiose romance from both their perspectives. To Jay, Hindi cinema is the ultimate expression of love and acceptance. To Naveen, it's a cheesy façade. The truth, it turns out, may lie somewhere in between, with Sethi presenting the story's key turning points as stylistic handshakes between formal grandeur and naturalistic, self-aware comedy, without compromising either character’s point of view. The movie's sweeping declarations are as bold and unapologetic as they are goofy and silly, so they end up running the emotional gamut.

Rarely has a rom-com been this simultaneously hysterical and touching, though despite its boisterous tone, its biggest strength may very well be its silent moments. The father-son pairing of Naveen and Archit tend to find solace in silence, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon. So, in order to draw them out of their comfort zones, A Nice Indian Boy becomes a film about gestures both big and small. Its most heartrending moments arrive in the form of these two men — separated by generational disconnect, but bound by common cultural expectations — adapting to other people's modes of expression in the small ways they're able to. Over the course of the film, they learn to speak other people's love languages, leading to rousing, overwhelming moments (some of them in delightful musical form). 

SEE ALSO: The 11 best Hindi movies streaming on Amazon Prime

In a just world, A Nice Indian Boy would find instant distribution and be hailed alongside Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding as a realistic family portrait whose jagged edges aren't just riveting, but revelatory. It's as sweet and funny as they come, and the kind of crowd-pleaser destined to leave your heart feeling full.

A Nice Indian Boy is currently seeking distribution.

UPDATE: Sep. 25, 2024, 5:01 p.m. EDT A Nice Indian Boy was reviewed out of its World Premiere at SXSW 2024 on March 23, 2024. This post has been updated to note its East Coast Premiere at NewFest, where it was the opening night film.

Season 3, episode 4 of The Legend of Vox Machina is a major Critical Role crossover event. Not only does the show continue adapting Critical Role's first live-streamed campaign, it also incorporates a key character from Exandria Unlimited: Calamity, a four-part mini-campaign set centuries before The Legend of Vox Machina and run by Brennan Lee Mulligan.

SEE ALSO: 'The Legend of Vox Machina' Season 3 review: Critical Role's series keeps raising the bar

The character in question is the paladin Zerxus Ilerez (voiced by Luis Carazo, who also played Zerxus in Calamity). He is the current owner of the Plate of the Dawnmartyr, one of the Vestiges of Divergence that Vox Machina need in order to defeat the dragon Thordak (voiced by the late Lance Reddick). Their quest brings them to Zerxus' home in the Hells of Despath, where he and cleric Pike Trickfoot (voiced by Ashley Johnson) play a high-stakes card game for the Plate. The sequence tweaks elements from the original campaign, which saw bard Scanlan (voiced by Sam Riegel) gamble for the Plate with a fire giant in the Elemental Plane of Fire.

"From a story perspective, we had an opportunity to combine two story beats from our campaign," Travis Willingham, who voices Grog Strongjaw, told Mashable. (Willingham is also an executive producer on The Legend of Vox Machina and CEO of Critical Role.) The series could take Vox Machina's stint in the Fire Plane, which doesn't have the biggest story hook by this point in the show's timeline, and merge it with the idea that Ank'Harel ruler J'mon Sa Ord (voiced by Mara Junot) would have hidden the Plate in the Hells to keep it as far from Thordak as possible.

"And right after we had finished EXU: Calamity, with Zerxus' fate being sent to the Hells, it just popped up that maybe 800 years later, he's still down there, and that would be a nice thing to weave into the story," Willingham continued. "Particularly some of the lore that was revealed in EXU: Calamity, and how the Calamity kicked off, and why that might be important to larger antagonists in the story that we might try to utilize in a larger way if we get future seasons."

SEE ALSO: The cast of Critical Role choose their ultimate 'The Legend of Vox Machina' squads

Zerxus' appearance is no brief Easter egg. Instead, he plays a meaty role in the episode, with the show paralleling his complicated relationship to his deity — in Calamity, that's Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine Hells, although he goes unnamed here — with Pike's own doubts in her faith in the Everlight. In their encounter, he also gives Vox Machina a quick rundown of the events of Calamity, accompanied by a stained glass-style animated interlude reminiscent of the campaign's introduction sequence. Appearing in the interlude are Zerxus' companions, the other player characters from Calamity.

"I think there's a hidden desire on our part to incorporate everyone from Calamity at some point," Willingham said. And with more animated Critical Role projects in development with Amazon Studios, including a Mighty Nein series coming next year, a full Calamity adaptation of some kind may not be too far-fetched.

"It's ripe for a movie, a mini-series, something — we're just trying to figure out the best delivery method for it and how it would fit into everything," Willingham said.

There's a hidden desire on our part to incorporate everyone from "Calamity" at some point. - Travis Willingham

For now, though, it looks like we haven't seen the last of Zerxus Ilerez in The Legend of Vox Machina. When Pike and her companions escape with the Plate of the Dawnmartyr, he utters a very foreboding statement: "We are his blood. The time for his ascension draws near."

The words echo those spoken by Delilah Briarwood (voiced by Grey Griffin) and other cultists of the Whispered One — also known as Vecna in the original campaign — all the way back in Season 1. Could this mean that The Legend of Vox Machina is positioning Zerxus as the Whispered One's champion? And if so, would that mean the series is mashing the Whispered One and Asmodeus together? Or did Zerxus choose to serve another deity in the hopes of trying to redeem him, as he hoped to do for Asmodeus in Calamity?

"A Redemption Paladin is still gonna redemption," Marisha Ray, voice of Keyleth, told Mashable. (Ray is also an executive producer on the show, as well as Creative Director of Critical Role.) "I think it's very fitting, because there are several entities in the world of Exandria that could fit that ticket of maybe being redeemed."

"We're hoping we will see some conspiracy theories [about that line]," added Willingham.

On top of prompting fan theories, Zerxus' addition to The Legend of Vox Machina is further proof of why the show is one of the most fascinating works of adaptation on TV today. Zerxus didn't exist as a character when Critical Role's first campaign came out — audiences didn't even get to meet him until months after Season 1 of The Legend of Vox Machina premiered. Yet as Critical Role continues to grow through its various campaigns, it's creating more source material for its animated adaptations to draw from in real time.

"One of my favorite things about working on the animated show is that after the Vox Machina campaign ended, we continued to expand and enrich the world and create history. We created future stories, but we also expanded what the past was," Liam O'Brien, voice of Vax'ildan and executive producer, told Mashable.

"That's really the best thing about adaptations. You can go through and sprinkle in some of the good stuff that wasn't there before," added Ray.

She continued: "I think we're really lucky in the sense that we're developing Mighty Nein in real time with The Legend of Vox Machina, as well as still continuing to shoot Campaign 3 and other ancillary stuff. So we have this 5,000-foot view of everything — except for all the stuff that is to be determined at the end of Campaign 3 — but we can take the Jenga blocks of the story and move them around to fit nicely."

So as The Legend of Vox Machina continues its run, be on the lookout for more substantial links to Critical Role's other campaigns. Zerxus may be the first Calamity crossover, but from the sounds of it, he probably won't be the last.

The Legend of Vox Machina Season 3 premieres Oct. 3 on Prime Video, with three new episodes every Thursday.

Despite being hyped up as a faster cellular data network, there are times you may experience slower 5G speeds. Don't worry, it's not just you. This can happen for a number of reasons, most of which are out of your control.

Verizon provides excellent cell service to millions of customers, but that service isn't always cheap. Many MVNOs use Verizon's reliable network to offer similar services at a lower price point. Whether you need the bare minimum or a full-service package, there's an option here fitting for you.