TL;DR: Live stream Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It's been an action packed week of NBA action for both the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies, with multiple games played across a number of arenas.

But this Sunday afternoon fixture should favor the Nuggets, who are riding high in the Western Conference while the Grizzles are scrambling in the bottom half. Can the Grizzlies pull off an unexpected win? Or will the Nuggets notch up another victory in what's shaping up to be a solid season?

If you want to watch Nuggets vs. Grizzlies in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Nuggets vs. Grizzlies?

Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA starts at 3.30 p.m. ET on Jan. 25. This game takes place at the FedExForum in Memphis, TN.

How to watch Nuggets vs. Grizzlies for free

Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

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ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Rams vs. Seahawks for free on TVNZ+. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We're at a crucial stage in the NFL playoffs, as the Conference Championship games go down this weekend. In the NFC Championship game, the Los Angeles Rams clash with the Seattle Seahawks.

The Rams, the No. 5 seed, have had an exciting playoff run and defeated the Chicago Bears in overtime drama. But they'll face the toughest competition in the entire conference. The Seahawks are the No. 1 seed and they absolutely dominated the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.

The winner of this game with face either the Denver Broncos or New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks look like the obvious pick on paper, but — as the Seahawks proved themselves in the last game with a 13-second touchdown — anything can happen at this stage And there was just one point between these teams when they met last month, a game won by Seattle.

If you want to watch Rams vs. Seahawks in the NFL playoffs for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Rams vs. Seahawks?

Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks takes place at 6.30 p.m. ET on Jan. 25. This fixture will be played at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.

How to watch Rams vs. Seahawks for free

Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks in the NFL is available to live stream for free on TVNZ+.

TVNZ+ is geo-restricted to New Zealand, but you can access this free streaming platform from anywhere by using a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in New Zealand, allowing you to unblock TVNZ+ from anywhere in the world. Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL

4. Register with TVNZ+

5. Watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming do require a subscription, but the leading VPN services also offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these deals to get access to live streams of the NFL without committing any cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term fix, but it will give you time to watch Rams vs. Seahawks and other NFL fixtures before you reclaim any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 — a saving of 49% — which includes a bonus three months usage at no extra cost. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (also with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Patriots vs. Broncos for free on TVNZ+. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Does it get any more exciting than the NFL playoffs? And we're now deep into the postseason. It's time for the Championship Conference games, which means we're just one game away from the Super Bowl. Yes, it's all pretty exciting.

The AFC Championship Game sees the Patriots go on the road for a showdown with the Denver Broncos, with the winner set to face the victor of the Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams NFC Championship Game.

The Broncos are the AFC No. 1 seed and boast a record of 14-3 this season. But they scraped past the Divisional Round thanks to a controversial call against the Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, the Patriots, the No.2 seed, scored a convincing win over the Houston Texans, including a sensational touchdown pass from MVP contender Drake Maye. Can New England continue that momentum and regain their former glory?

If you want to watch Patriots vs. Broncos in the NFL playoffs for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Patriots vs. Broncos?

New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos takes place at 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 25. This fixture will be played at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado.

How to watch Patriots vs. Broncos for free

New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos in the NFL is available to live stream for free on TVNZ+.

TVNZ+ is geo-restricted to New Zealand, but you can access this free streaming platform from anywhere by using a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in New Zealand, allowing you to unblock TVNZ+ from anywhere in the world. Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL

4. Register with TVNZ+

5. Watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming do require a subscription, but the leading VPN services also offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these deals to get access to live streams of the NFL without committing any cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term fix, but it will give you time to watch Patriots vs. Broncos and other NFL fixtures before you reclaim any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, and includes a bonus three months usage at no extra cost. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (also with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A rock.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

FLINT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A famous R&B singer.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

USHER

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Done to fruits and vegetables.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

PRUNE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Typically sat on.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CHAIR

Final Hurdle hint

To crouch down.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

KNEEL

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 25 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this red space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this red space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 25 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this purple space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this orange space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 25 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you remember your childhood games.

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

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

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

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

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

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

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

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Sad

• Green: Ocho sports

• Blue: Hockey stars

• Purple: Stars

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Disappointment

• Green: Sports, With "-Ing"

• Blue: Hall of Fame NHL Defensemen

• Purple: ___Star(s)

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #489 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Disappointment - BUST, DUD, FAILURE, FLOP

• Sports, With "-Ing" - BOWL, BOX, CURL, SURF

• Hall of Fame NHL Defensemen - BOURQUE, COFFEY, LEETCH, ORR

• ___Star(s) - ALL, CHICAGO, DALLAS, SUPER

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

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you love Italian food.

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

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

What is Connections?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: A replacement

• Green: Computer buttons

• Blue: Noodles

• Purple: Word endings

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Act as a backup

• Green: PC keyboard keys

• Blue: Pasta shapes

• Purple: Suffixes

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #959 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Act as a backup: COVER, FILL IN, SUB, TEMP

• PC keyboard keys: ALT, ENTER, MENU, WINDOWS

• Pasta shapes: BOWTIE, RIBBON, SHELL, TUBE

• Suffixes: ATE, DOM, HOOD, SHIP

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always on the right track.

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

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: The straight and narrow

The words are related to stiffness.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe solid, straight things.

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 Sticky Situation.

NYT Strands word list for January 25

• Sticky Situation

• Dowel

• Pole

• Picket

• Stake

• Cane

• Post

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 yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a model.

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

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A confident walk.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter T appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

The Wordle answer today is...

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

STRUT

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

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

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

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

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

People are freaking out about Fallout — and the reactions couldn’t be more divided. Some fans are calling it one of the best video game adaptations ever made. Others think it’s already betraying Fallout’s canon. So… are they right?

It's hard to escape Timothée Chalamet in film these days. First he was Wonka, then he conquered Bob Dylan, and now he's taking audiences into the high-stakes world of 1950s table tennis as ping pong star Marty Mauser.

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Directed by Josh Safdie and distributed by A24, Marty Supreme is a major contender this awards season. Chalamet has already won the Golden Globe for his performance as Marty and we wouldn't be surprised if he took home the Oscar (finally). The sports dramedy also has a fantastic ensemble cast that includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma (aka Tyler, the Creator), Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher.

While it's still floating around in theaters, you don't have to battle the cold to watch it. Here's everything you need to know to catch it from your couch.

What is Marty Supreme about?

Inspired by the real-life story of table tennis champion Marty Reisman, Marty Mauser (Chalamet) is a man with a big dream — to achieve greatness and bring the art of ping pong to the masses. Already a legend in his own mind, though he's barely scraping by, Marty just needs to pay his way to the championship overseas first. And he'll do anything to get there — from pulling a gun on a coworker to seducing money out of a washed-up movie star (Paltrow).

"Exploding with chaos, character, and kinetic energy, Marty Supreme is a movie about the city's scoundrels, their sins, and why we love them anyway," writes Mashable's entertainment editor Kristy Puchko.

Check out the official trailer for a glimpse at Marty Supreme:

Is Marty Supreme worth watching?

Now the highest-grossing A24 film domestically, Marty Supreme has surpassed Everything Everywhere All at Once in North America with over $80 million. Audiences aren't just showing up for it; they're loving it. Currently, the sports comedy holds an 82 percent audience rating and an impressive 93 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes — with most cheering on Chalamet's performance. He's already won the Golden Globe and is nominated for an Oscar. That's not all, though; the film is also nominated for Best Picture, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Directing, Best Cinematography, Best Casting, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Screenplay.

"This zinging dialogue, racing score, and electric cast collide to create cinema that celebrates New York, while recognizing its warts with a bleeding grin. All of this makes Marty Supreme an unusual crowdpleaser," Mashable's Puchko writes in her review. "Full of wild humor and shocking turns, it has its audience in a chokehold of tension and surprise, rarely letting up for us to breathe. And yet, what a thrill to be breathless."

Check out Mashable's full review of Marty Supreme.

How to watch Marty Supreme at home

Credit: A24

A24 has officially announced the digital release for Marty Supreme, but we're still waiting for details on its streaming debut. We've broken down the details we do know below.

Buy or rent on digital

Marty Supreme will be available to purchase or rent on digital video-on-demand platforms as of Feb. 3. You can buy the movie for your digital library and watch it whenever you want or rent it, which gives you 30 days to watch and only 48 hours to finish watching once you begin.

You can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:

• Prime Video — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Apple TV — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Fandango at Home — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

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Credit: Prime Video

Rent or Buy 'Marty Supreme' at Prime Video

$19.99 or $24.99

Shop Now

Stream it on HBO Max

While we haven't got word on a specific streaming release date yet for Marty Supreme, we do know that it will make its debut on HBO Max.

A24 just renewed its output deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, so new A24 theatrical releases will still exclusively stream on HBO Max before anywhere else. If Marty Supreme follows a similar theater-to-streaming trajectory as other recently released A24 movies — like Sorry, Baby, Bring Her Back, and The Smashing Machine — we estimate that it will hit HBO Max sometime in April 2026.

HBO Max subscriptions start at $10.99 per month (thanks to its most recent price hike), but there are some ways to save some money on your plan. Check out the best HBO Max streaming deals below.

The best HBO Max streaming deals

Best for most people: Save 16% on HBO Max annual subscriptions

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Credit: HBO Max

HBO Max Basic with ads annual subscription

$109.99 per year (save $21.89)

Get Deal

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Credit: HBO Max

HBO Max Standard annual subscription

$184.99 per year (save $36.89)

Get Deal

The best way to save on HBO Max on any given day is to sign up for the annual plan over the monthly plan. The HBO Max Basic plan with ads typically costs $10.99 per month, but if you pay for an entire year upfront, that price drops down to just $9.17. You'll pay $109.99 total for the year, which saves you about 16% compared to paying each month.

Rather go ad-free? The annual HBO Max Standard or Premium plans will also save you about 16% over their monthly counterparts. The Standard tier costs either $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year (about $15.42 per month), while the Premium tier costs either $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year (about $19.17 per month). Both tiers unlock ad-free viewing, but the Premium tier also adds 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and the ability to download more offline content.

Get HBO Max for free: Switch to Cricket's Supreme Unlimited plan

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Credit: HBO Max / Cricket

HBO Max (with ads)

Free for Cricket customers on the Supreme Unlimited plan

Get Deal

Want to get HBO Max for free? One of the best ways in 2026 is to switch your phone plan to Cricket's $60 per month Supreme Unlimited plan. It includes HBO Max Basic with ads for free — a $10.99 per month value. When you open up the HBO Max app or website, you'll just select Cricket as your provider and use your credentials to log in.

Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on HBO Max Basic with ads

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HBO Max Student

$5.49 per month for 12 months

Get Deal

College students can watch Marty Supreme when it hits streaming by signing up for an entire year of HBO Max with ads for half price. Verify your student status through UNiDAYS and retrieve the unique discount code to drop the price from $10.99 to just $5.49 per month. After 12 months, the price will jump back up to the full $10.99 monthly fee unless you cancel.

Best bundle deal: Get HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 42% off

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Credit: Disney / Hulu / HBO Max

Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max

$19.99 per month (with ads), $32.99 per month (no ads)

Get Deal

You'll get the most bang for your buck if you opt for the Disney+ bundle deal that includes Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max for just $19.99 per month with ads. That lineup of streamers would usually cost you $34.97 per month if you paid separately for each, so you'll keep an extra $15 in your pocket monthly. If you prefer to watch without ads, the bundle will run you $32.99 per month as opposed to $56.47. That's up to 42% in savings for unlimited access to all three streaming libraries.

TL;DR: Live stream Gauff vs. Muchova in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The pick of the fourth round games in the 2026 Australian Open might be Gauff vs. Muchova. This battle between the third and 19th seed is particularly difficult to predict, but that's normal for the latter stages of any Grand Slam. A spot in the quarter finals is up for grabs, so expect both players to rise to the occasion.

If you want to watch Gauff vs. Muchova in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Gauff vs. Muchova for free

Gauff vs. Muchova in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Gauff vs. Muchova without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Gauff vs. Muchova in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Zverev vs. Cerundolo in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The fourth round of the 2026 Australian Open includes some fascinating matchups, but Zverev vs. Cerundolo might be the best of the bunch. It's the third seed against the 18th, and it's a really difficult to call. Zverez is probably favorite, and he'll be looking to make it through to another Australian Open final this year. The big question is whether he can actually win a Grand Slam this season.

If you want to watch Zverev vs. Cerundolo in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Zverev vs. Cerundolo for free

Zverev vs. Cerundolo in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Zverev vs. Cerundolo without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Zverev vs. Cerundolo in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Alcaraz vs. Paul in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The fourth round of the 2026 Australian Open is here with a number of intriguing matchups. Alcaraz vs. Paul is one of the standout matchups taking place this weekend. Top seed Alcaraz has never won this tournament. Could this be the year that he makes it past the quarter final for the first time?

If you want to watch Alcaraz vs. Paul in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Alcaraz vs. Paul for free

Alcaraz vs. Paul in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Alcaraz vs. Paul without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Alcaraz vs. Paul in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

There's a smart simplicity to the title Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant. Out the gate, you know the premise of this body-horror comedy: A woman gets pregnant by an alien and needs her mom's help. And you've got a sense of the movie's cheeky sensibility. But can this indie offering out of New Zealand meet the expectations audiences might have for such a wild title? Because if you're going to promise a weird-ass movie, you better deliver weird-ass. (Looking at you, Anaconda.) And I'm pleased to report that Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant does just that. 

All hail THUNDERLIPS, the Kiwi writing/directing duo who have made the leap from kooky commercials, candy-colored music videos, and wild short films to a feature that is one of the strangest films I've seen in at least the last decade, if not ever. Like, if you love the Daniels' Swiss Army Man, I predict your odd heart will adore the goofiness, gloppiness, and overall WTF of Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant. 

If you like big swing cinema, you won't want to miss this one. And there’s more to it than being utterly bonkers. 

Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant delivers on its promise and goes far beyond. 

Credited as THUNDERLIPS, Sean Wallace and Jordan Mark Windsor have crafted an absolutely deranged story that's hilarious, heartfelt, and unapologetically gross. 

Hannah Lynch stars as Mary, a twentysomething underachiever who still lives with her mum (Yvette Parsons) Cynthia, who is tirelessly — even gratingly — supportive. So, when Mum hears that a young man with a deformed penis has moved into their apartment complex, she suggests Mary seek him out. After all, Mum suggests, Mary's internet search history — which includes tentacle-porn anime — suggests she might be into that! 

Before you can say "get out of my room," Mary meets Boo (Arlo Green) in the community laundry. Some awkward conversation leads to clumsy mutual masturbation, not only revealing Boo’s gossiped-about genitalia — which looks kind of like a clam with tentacles and testicles — but also ends in a fateful ejaculation that sizzles through Mary's clothes and — you guessed it — gets her pregnant. 

Mary's understandably peeved about this predicament. Thankfully, her mum is happy to help her get post-coital contraceptives. But simple human medicines won't stop this sperm. Boo's mom, Ann (Jackie van Beek), will explain: He's part alien because she was impregnated decades before during an abduction. So, his seed isn't of this world. And it's causing Mary all kinds of hilarious and horrifying problems, like a hyper-accelerated pregnancy. 

Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant is uniquely and unabashedly hilarious. 

As shown in laugh-out-loud comedies like What We Do in the Shadows and The Breaker Upperers (both of which also feature van Beek), New Zealand comedy at its best is an intoxicating blend of dry humor and absurd premises. Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant has such a stellar sense of humor, which perfectly suits its setting. One moment, we're watching a pretty typical dust-up between a surly twentysomething daughter and her chipper mum; the next we're seeing another mum gently chastising her half-alien son for masturbating, because his blue/electric ejaculate makes the lights in the building flicker. Let's not annoy our new neighbors, sweetie! 

THUNDERLIPS fills their fucked-up and funny film with such comical contrasts. Mary is ornery, snarling at everyone from her mum to her otherworldly baby daddy, and a small army of doctors who treat them both like science experiments as they seek help. Boo is the absolute opposite: wide-eyed, passive, and mumbling. (Though he says he has an OnlyFans account, where he's more of an exhibitionist. But he doesn't show his face.) 

Then there's their mums. As sniping as Mary is, her mother is endlessly cheery, with Ann being dryly shut-down in contrast. Altogether they make for a chaotic collective as they maneuver through modern medicine trying to stop this pregnancy, which is speeding along in hours instead of months. And just as THUNDERLIPS won't shy away from showing off the alien junk in Boo's boxers, they won't balk at exploring the mind-breaking weirdness of pregnancy. 

Mary is plagued by strange rashes, projectile vomiting, and her boobs growing abruptly and intensely. Standard stuff, right? Wrong. We're not talking Knocked Up or Neighbors-styled pregnancy jokes. THUNDERLIPS pushes it further, with a clear Aliens influence, but with bold splashes of color that keep the body horror from gestating into nightmares. And that all culminates into a totally bonkers ending with a setting that pushes the pregnancy weirdness to a whole new level. 

Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant is gross and deeply human. 

Mary is a bitch. But watching her be bossed about by her well-meaning mom, impregnated by the bozo next door, and then poked and prodded by doctors with curiosity but little caring, it's easy to see why. She's having to advocate for herself in a world where too many people assume women not only want to be mothers but just should be. 

At no point does Mary want this baby, so her pursuit of an abortion is the main thrust of the plot. Everyone around her speaks with either a comically flat effect or in a jaunty tone, making it clear she feels surrounded by fools. "Why must you make this all so humiliating?” she understandably bellows at a doctor. 

Lynch is incredible in every moment of righteous rage. THUNDERLIPS rejects the Hollywood pressure to create a heroine who is feminine, gorgeous, kind, or even talented. Like Muriel's Wedding, Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant centers on a loser who is compelling without being inspiring. Lynch brings brilliant verve into this role, colliding with her daffier co-stars while grounding this unhinged tale of accidental alien pregnancy through gritted teeth and a hard stare. Every time she tells someone she's "alien pregnant" it's funny, because of how frank — and frankly pissed-off — she is. Mary may be accused of being mean, but she's rightfully furious at the world around her that would bully her into the role of mother. 

THUNDERLIPS shows a keen sensitivity to this maternity pressure without getting sentimental. By making her pregnancy so extra(terrestrial), they bolster her feeling that the world has gone mad around her. The final act, which involves several female perspectives on pregnancy and parenthood, finally creates a safe space for Mary. And the conclusion is well-earned yet shocking in its subversion. 

On its surface, Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant plays like an outrageous midnight movie, rich in wild jokes, gross-out gags, and racy sci-fi spectacle. But beneath that, THUNDERLIPS has built a compelling mother-daughter tale that empathetically probes the choice to be child-free. So, if you see this for the unapologetically unhinged comedy, you won’t be disappointed. But you might walk away with some refreshing representation and weirdly prepared food for thought as well. 

Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant was reviewed out of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

TL;DR:Live stream the NFL for free on 7plus, TVNZ, or Channel 5 / 5Action. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Football might be America's favorite sport, but interest from around the world has been steadily growing in recent years. You can find NFL fans in every corner of the globe nowadays, which means new ways of live streaming all the action are popping up everywhere. That's good news for fans.

By following a few simple steps, it's possible to live stream the NFL without spending anything. If you want to watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NFL?

The NFL is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).

Each team plays 17 games in the regular season. Following that, seven teams from each conference advance to the playoffs, culminating in the Super Bowl. This game is played in early February between the winners of the AFC and NFC championship games.

The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl LIX.

When is the NFL?

The NFL season begins annually with a three-week preseason in August, followed by an 18-week regular season running from September to January. Seven teams from each conference advance to the playoffs, culminating in the Super Bowl.

How to watch the NFL for free

The NFL is available to live stream for free on the following platforms:

• Australia — 7plus (select regular season games plus all playoffs and Super Bowl LX)

• New Zealand — TVNZ (select regular season games plus all playoffs and Super Bowl LX)

• UK — Channel 5 / 5Action (select regular season games and playoffs)

These streaming services are geo-blocked, but anyone from around the world can access these free platforms with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free streaming services from around the world without hassle.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL

4. Visit 7plus, TVNZ, or Channel 5 / 5Action

5. Watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the NFL without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select NFL fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites to follow the whole season, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for unblocking streaming services is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 — a saving of 49% — which includes a bonus three months usage at no extra cost. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (also with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you remember your childhood games.

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

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

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

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

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

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

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

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Wallop

• Green: Collectible

• Blue: Defunct

• Purple: Toss this

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Hit

• Green: Sports Memorabilia

• Blue: Former NHL Teams, In Singular Form

• Purple: Ends in a Synonym For Throw

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #488 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Hit - DECK, PUNCH, SLUG, STRIKE

• Sports Memorabilia - AUTOGRAPH, JERSEY, POSTER, TRADING CARD

• Former NHL Teams, In Singular Form - COYOTE, NORDIQUE, THRASHER, WHALER

• Ends in a Synonym For Throw - BLOB, SHUFFLING, SURPASS, WOODCHUCK

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

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

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

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 24 Pips

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 24 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this red space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this orange space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this green space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 24 Pips

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (10): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (21): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

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

TL;DR: Live stream Kalinskaya vs. Swiatek in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The third round of the 2026 Australian Open includes some huge games between top stars, including Kalinskaya vs. Swiatek.

Iga Swiatek is obviously the favorite here, but she hasn't performed particularly well in this tournament over the course of her illustrious career. Anna Kalinskaya made the quarter finals of this tournament back in 2024, so she'll go into this game believing that she can progress.

If you want to watch Kalinskaya vs. Swiatek in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Kalinskaya vs. Swiatek for free

Kalinskaya vs. Swiatek in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Kalinskaya vs. Swiatek without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Kalinskaya vs. Swiatek in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Van De Sandschlup vs. Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The third round of the 2026 Australian Open showcases some really interesting matchups and storylines, including Van De Sandschlup vs. Djokovic. Of course, all eyes will be on the Serbian legend. Can he wind back the clock and go all the way again? Or is this the last time Melbourne will see Novak?

If you want to watch Van De Sandschlup vs. Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Van De Sandschlup vs. Djokovic for free

Van De Sandschlup vs. Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Van De Sandschlup vs. Djokovic without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Van De Sandschlup vs. Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

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.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Alcohol.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ETHYL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

On top.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ABOVE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Dangerous.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

RISKY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To contradict.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

BELIE

Final Hurdle hint

A horseback competition.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

JOUST

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

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It feels like we're inundated with tennis tournaments over the summer months, and then nothing. After the US Open, tennis fans have a painful wait for the next Grand Slam.

But that wait is over. The 2026 Australian Open is finally here, delivering epic contests between the best players in the world. It's the first chance to see the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Świątek on the biggest stage. And better yet, it's possible to follow all the action from this showpiece event without spending anything.

If you want to watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Australian Open?

The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. It's the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events held each year, followed by the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.

The current singles champions are Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys.

When is the 2026 Australian Open?

The 2026 Australian Open is the 114th edition of the tournament. This year's event takes place from Jan. 18 to Feb. 1.

How to watch the 2026 Australian Open for free

The 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2026 Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're fashionable.

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

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

What is Connections?

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

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

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

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Fighter necessities

• Green: Final showdown

• Blue: Shirt features

• Purple: White and fluffy

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Gear for a boxer

• Green: Championship

• Blue: Kinds of necklines

• Purple: Snow ___

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #958 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Gear for a boxer: GLOVES, MOUTHGUARD, ROBE, SHORTS

• Championship: AWARD, CROWN, CUP, TITLE

• Kinds of necklines: BOAT, CREW, HALTER, SCOOP

• Snow ___: CONE, GLOBE, LEOPARD, PEA

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're an art connoisseur.

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

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: A work of art

The words are related to art.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe iconic artworks.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Famous Painting.

NYT Strands word list for January 24

• Famous Painting

• Night

• Starry

• Lilies

• Party

• Water

• Boating

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love beach diving.

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

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

An edge.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter F appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

The Wordle answer today is...

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

CLIFF

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

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

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

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

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

"Isn't it wonderful to be back in the theater and giving people what they truly want: moi?" So asks Miss Piggy in the trailer for The Muppet Show, which returns for a special episode on Disney+ and ABC this February.

The one-night event revives the beloved Muppets variety series, which originally ran for five seasons from 1976 to 1981. All your favorites are back, from Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear to Gonzo and Statler and Waldorf. Plus, they'll be greeting new guests like Maya Rudolph, Seth Rogen (who also executive produces), and Sabrina Carpenter.

Carpenter already has history with the Muppets — specifically, with Miss Piggy herself. On the final stop of her Short n' Sweet tour, Miss Piggy was the Grammy winner's "Juno" arrest, which means that Carpenter was arresting her for being "too hot." We're sure that was music to Miss Piggy's ears.

You know what's not music to Miss Piggy's ears? What Carpenter tells her in the trailer: that her grandparents used to watch The Muppet Show. Maybe just stick to telling her she's hot!

For more of Carpenter and Miss Piggy's glamorous get-together (as well as more general Muppet chaos), check out the full trailer above.

The Muppet Show will also see the return of veteran Muppet performers Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, David Rudman, and Matt Vogel.

The Muppet Show premieres Feb. 4 on Disney+ and ABC.

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

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.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A talent.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

KNACK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A book.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

NOVEL

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A small brass instrument.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

BUGLE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Typically found atop a church tower.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SPIRE

Final Hurdle hint

To be inundated.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

DROWN

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

2025 was another year of movie magic, but only 10 films made the cut in the Academy's eyes to earn spots on the Best Picture Oscar nominations list. We found narrowing the best movies of the year down to only 10 to be impossible, instead opting for a list of the top 25. So, of course, there were bound to be a ton of snubs (and some welcome surprises) this year. (Zero nominations for Wicked: For Good? Nothing for Chase Infiniti or Paul Mescal? Preposterous!)

Even though we're a bit flabbergasted that a few of our favorites didn't make the list, the ones that managed to nab the nomination are definitely worth watching.

Want to get familiar with the best films of the year (at least by the Academy's standards)? We've rounded up how to watch all 10. Queue 'em up for a movie marathon that's sure to be one for the books.

Bugonia

The dynamic duo that brought us Poor Things — director Yorgos Lanthimos and actor Emma Stone — is back with Bugonia, a conspiracy caper that'll make you question everything. It also stars the fantastic Jesse Plemons as Teddy, a bike-riding beekeeper and conspiracy theorist who believes aliens live among us and are to blame for the current state of the world — one being the no-nonsense big pharma CEO Michelle Fuller (Stone). He and his cousin enact a plan to kidnap Michelle and uncover the truth.

Bugonia was one of Mashable's top 25 movies of 2025, coming in at No. 11, so we're not surprised the Academy gave it a nod for Best Picture. It also picked up nominations for Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Read Mashable's review of Bugonia.

How to watch it: Stream it on Peacock

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Credit: Peacock

Stream "Bugonia" on Peacock

Starting at $10.99 per month

Learn More

Bugonia made its streaming debut on Peacock on Dec. 26, 2025. Peacock subscriptions start at $10.99, but you can save about 17% by opting for an annual plan instead. There are also significant discounts available for students, young adults, military personnel, first responders, medical professionals, and teachers. Of course, you can also rent or purchase the film at digital retailers like Prime Video for as low as $5.99.

F1

Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list, F1: The Movie stars Brad Pitt as legendary Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes. After nearly three decades, he comes out of retirement to mentor a young hotshot rookie (Damson Idris) and lead a struggling team to victory. While it didn't earn a spot on our favorite films of 2025 list, audiences were obsessed with the film, flocking to theaters and giving it glorious reviews (currently a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes). Besides Best Picture, it also picked up nominations for Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects.

How to watch it: Stream it on Apple TV+

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Credit: Apple TV

Stream 'F1' on Apple TV+

Free 7-day trial, then $12.99 per month

Learn More

F1 is an Apple Original film, so it's streaming on Apple TV+, of course. If you're not an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can sign up for a seven-day free trial to watch the movie. After your trial period is up, it'll cost you $12.99 per month. You can also purchase it at digital retailers like Prime Video for $19.99.

Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro has brought everyone's favorite monster back to life with a stirring new adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel. It stars Oscar Isaac as the titular doctor who is trying to overcome the childhood trauma of losing his mother (Mia Goth) by resurrecting an exquisite corpse (Jacob Elordi). As Mashable's Kristy Puchko writes in her review, "This misfit monster becomes a radiant analogy for self-love, as he is both horrid and beautiful, misunderstood and full of potential and love." Cracking the top five on our list of the best movies of 2025, we're happy the Academy gave Frankenstein its flowers. Beyond Best Picture, it's also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, and Best Production Design.

Read Mashable's review of Frankenstein.

How to watch it: Stream it on Netflix

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Credit: Netflix

Stream 'Frankenstein' on Netflix

starting at $7.99 per month

Learn More

Frankenstein opened in select theaters in October 2025 and hit Netflix shortly after on Nov. 7. Netflix subscriptions start at just $7.99 per month if you don't mind watching with ads or $17.99 per month if you prefer to go ad-free.

Hamnet

Cracking the top 10 of Mashable's favorite films of 2025 list, Hamnet finds Academy Award–winning director Chloé Zhao back in the Oscar race. It's a heart-wrenching historical drama, based on the novel by Maggie O'Farrell, that offers a view of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his mystical wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) from a different lens. When the pair loses their youngest son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe), they weather their devastating grief in dramatically different ways. Be sure you have a box of tissues nearby. In addition to its Best Picture nomination, Hamnet also earned six other nods, including Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, and Best Directing. Unfortunately, our favorite sad boy, Paul Mescal, was snubbed.

Read Mashable's review of Hamnet.

How to watch: See it in theaters

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Credit: Fandango

See 'Hamnet' in theaters

 

Learn More

At the time of writing, the only way to watch Hamnet is in select theaters. However, we are expecting an early February digital release at retailers like Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and Apple TV. We'll keep you updated when a specific date is announced. As a Focus Features film, we also expect it to stream on Peacock at a later date.

Marty Supreme

Directed by Josh Safdie and distributed by A24, Marty Supreme is a major contender this awards season. Chalamet already won the Golden Globe for his performance and is now hoping to grab his first Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In the sports comedy, he stars as Marty Mauser — a man with a dream to achieve greatness and bring the art of ping pong to the masses. It also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma (aka Tyler, the Creator), Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher. Besides Best Picture and Best Actor, it's also nominated for Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Directing, Best Cinematography, Best Casting, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Screenplay.

Read Mashable's review of Marty Supreme.

How to watch it: Buy or rent it on digital as of Feb. 3

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Credit: Prime Video

Buy or rent 'Marty Supreme' on digital

$19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy

Shop Now

As an A24 film, we know that Marty Supreme will eventually make its way to HBO Max — likely not until April 2026. Until then, you can rent or purchase the film at digital retailers like Prime Video and Apple TV as of Feb. 3 for $19.99 or $24.99.

One Battle After Another

Part political thriller, part parenthood comedy, Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another is an absolute gem. As someone who has a hard time watching movies over 1.5 hours, this three-hour journey had me glued to the screen from start to finish. It's inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland, One Battle After Another, and follows Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) as an ex-revolutionary who's living off the grid with his teen daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his former nemesis and military antagonist Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) resurfaces and Willa goes missing, Bob must jump into action to find and protect her. It's our second favorite movie of the year, "not only for what it brings to cinema in terms of spectacle and spirit, but also what it has to say about America today," as Puchko puts it. It also scored the second-most Oscar nominations of any film: Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Supporting Actor (x2), Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.

Read Mashable's review of One Battle After Another.

How to watch it: Stream it on HBO Max

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Stream "One Battle After Another" on HBO Max

Starting at $10.99 per month

Learn More

One Battle After Another made its streaming debut on HBO Max back in December 2025. The cheapest HBO Max subscription will cost you $10.99 per month, but you'll have to endure some ads along the way. Don't want ads? The price jumps up to $18.49 per month. You can also rent or purchase the film on digital retailers if you prefer for as low as $6.99.

The Secret Agent

Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent is a time-jumping political crime thriller that follows Marcelo (Wagner Moura), a tech expert in his early 40s, who's justifiably paranoid in his mission to escape his country's authoritarian regime. "It's a heavy topic explored with humanity, boasting such a compelling script, impeccable acting, and striking 1970s aesthetic that it's impossible to look away," Mashable's Shannon Connellan writes in her review. It also picked up nominations for Best Actor, Best Casting, and Best International Feature Film.

Read Mashable's review of The Secret Agent.

How to watch it: Buy or rent it on digital as of Jan. 27

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Credit: Prime Video

Buy or rent 'The Secret Agent' on digital

$14.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

Shop Now

The Secret Agent makes its digital debut on Jan. 27, 2026, which means you can rent or purchase it at digital retailers like Prime Video and Fandango at Home for $14.99 or $19.99. Eventually, since it's a Neon film, we expect it to make its streaming debut on Hulu at a later date. Stay tuned.

Sentimental Value

A riveting family drama, Sentimental Value follows the reunion of sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) with their estranged father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a charismatic, once-renowned director. Gustav offers Nora a role in his hopeful comeback film, but when she turns it down, he gives the part to a young Hollywood actress (Elle Fanning). It navigates the complicated relationships and dynamics that arise and dives deep into human emotions. Beyond Best Picture, it's also nominated in several other categories: Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress (x2), Best Original Screenplay, Best Lead Actress, Best Directing, Best Film Editing, and Best International Feature Film.

How to watch it: Buy or rent it on digital

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Credit: Prime Video

Buy or rent 'Sentimental Value' on Prime Video

$14.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

Shop Now

Sentimental Value made its digital debut on Dec. 23 — you can rent or purchase it at digital retailers like Prime Video and Fandango at Home for $14.99 or $19.99. Eventually, it will make its streaming debut on Hulu alongside other Neon films. We're expecting a March streaming date, but stay tuned for more details to come.

Sinners

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is back with another smash hit. Puchko called it "easily one of the best movies of the year" back in April, and it ended up earning the top spot on our list in December. It's set in the 1930s Jim Crow-era South and stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers who return to their hometown with the goal of setting up a juke joint. Its grand opening is disrupted by something supernaturally monstrous. With bits of horror, history, and musical theater all sprinkled in, it's a genre-fluid movie in every sense of the term. Sinners took the Oscars by storm with a record-breaking 16 nominations. Essentially, every award it could be nominated for, it is.

Read Mashable's review of Sinners.

How to watch it: Stream it on HBO Max

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Credit: HBO Max

Stream "Sinners' on HBO Max

starting at $10.99 per month

Learn More

Sinners made its streaming debut on July 4, 2025, on HBO Max. As noted above, HBO Max subscriptions start at $10.99 per month, but you can save money by opting for an annual subscription instead. Rather not sign up for a streaming service? You can purchase or rent Sinners at digital retailers like Prime Video for only $5.99 or $14.99.

Train Dreams

Based on Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella of the same name, Train Dreams follows a man's search for meaning as the 20th century arrives. Joel Edgerton stars as Robert Grainier, who grows into adulthood among the Pacific Northwest forests, where he helps expand the nation’s railroad empire. As Mashable's reviewer writes, "it's a steady, meditative, and at times devastating journey with many a conversation around the fire." It's also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Song.

Read Mashable's review of Train Dreams.

How to watch it: Stream it on Netflix

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Credit: Netflix

Stream "Train Dreams" on Netflix

starting at $7.99 per month

Learn More

You can stream Train Dreams on Netflix as of Nov. 2025. The cheapest Netflix subscription will run you $7.99 if you watch with ads or $17.99 per month if you watch ad-free.

One of the greatest free solo climbers of all time, Alex Honnold, is about to risk everything to scale the Taipei 101 skyscraper — one of the tallest buildings in the world. And you can watch it all happen live on Netflix. Here's everything you need to know to tune in.

What is Skyscraper Live?

Unlike the prerecorded climbing documentary Free Solo, Skyscraper Live will follow Honnold as he scales the Taipei 101 skyscraper in real time. A true high-stakes live broadcast, viewers will experience every moment of Honnold's ascent of the iconic 1,667-foot-tall building live. If you can already feel your palms sweating, you're not alone.

"I’m sure viewers will probably be on edge watching this," Honnold said in a Q&A. "I assume that most people will be sort of uncomfortable watching the whole thing. But I hope that viewers get a little bit of my joy from the experience — that they can appreciate the fun of it and the beauty of it, the scenery, just the whole experience. It’s not just extreme sports — it’s more."

How to watch Skyscraper Live

The Skyscraper Live two-hour global event will take place on Jan. 23, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) live only on Netflix.

If you don't already subscribe to Netflix, the most affordable way to sign up is to opt for the monthly subscription with ads for $7.99. If you don't want ads, your next-best choice is to sign up for Netflix Standard for $17.99 per month. There's also a third tier dubbed Netflix Premium, which costs $24.99 per month and lets you watch on four household devices at once in 4K Ultra HD + HDR with no ads.

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Credit: Netflix

Netflix subscription

Starting at $7.99 per month

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The best Netflix deals

Before you sign up for Netflix, check out the deals below to see if you can get a free or discounted subscription. Be sure to double-check the terms for more details.

Best Netflix deal for T-Mobile customers

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Netflix Standard (with ads)

Free for select T-Mobile customers (save $7.99 per month)

Get Deal

T-Mobile customers on most Go5G plans, as well as Experience Beyond and Experience More plans, get Netflix Standard with ads for free (reg. $7.99 per month) as long as their account is in good standing. You need to have two or more lines of any type of Go5G or Magenta plan, or at least one line of Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, Magenta MAX, Experience More, or Experience Beyond, in order to be eligible.

While the Netflix subscription is free for eligible customers, you'll have to manually activate it by logging into My.T-Mobile and selecting Manage add-ons. Once there, add Netflix in the Services section, and you'll be prompted to either create a Netflix account or sign in to an existing one. T-Mobile will take care of your Netflix bill each month. Check out the terms and FAQs on the promo page.

Best Netflix deal for Verizon customers

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Credit: Netflix / HBO Max

Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads)

$10 per month for Verizon customers with myPlan (save $8.98 per month)

Get Deal

As of December 2023, Verizon customers with myPlan can add a Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads) for just $10 per month ($8.98 per month in savings). That essentially gets you Netflix with ads for free. Eligible Verizon customers include those on the Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plans. After enrolling in the promo, you'll have to complete the account setup separately for each service. Eligibility details, terms, and FAQs can be found on the Verizon support page.

Best Netflix deal for Xfinity customers

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Credit: Apple TV+ / Peacock / Netflix

Netflix Standard with ads, Peacock Premium, and Apple TV+

$18 per month with Xfinity StreamSaver (save $13.97 per month)

Get Deal

Comcast launched its Xfinity StreamSaver package in 2024, which includes Netflix Standard with ads ($7.99 per month), Peacock Premium ($10.99 per month), and Apple TV+ ($12.99 per month). Essentially, current and new Xfinity Internet or TV customers can add the StreamSaver bundle to their existing services for only $18 per month. Typically $31.97 per month for all three, you'll save about $13.97 monthly.

How to watch Free Solo

Free Solo, the National Geographic Documentary Film following Honnold climbing the face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, is a great way to pre-game the Skyscraper Live broadcast. Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the 2018 Oscar winner is a captivating and nauseating adventure up a 3,000-foot mountain without the assistance of ropes, harnesses, or other protective gear.

If you want to watch the documentary feature before diving into the livestream, it's currently streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. If you're already signing up for Netflix to watch Skyscraper Live, you can kill two birds with one stone. If you want to see what you're getting yourself into before pulling the trigger, you can watch for free on Hulu with a 30-day trial.

Wondering how to watch college basketball this season? Here are your best options:

---

Best for regular season

FuboTV

7-day trial, then $84.99/month

Get Deal

---

Best for affordability

Sling TV Orange + Blue

$23/month for your first month, then $45.99/month

Get Deal

---

Best for top weekend games

Paramount+ with Showtime

$12.99/month or $119.99/year

Get Deal

---

Best for Big Ten games

Peacock Premium

$10.99/month

Get Deal

---

Best for small school fans

ESPN+

$29.99/month

Get Deal

The 2025-26 men’s college basketball season is now well underway. The season's action began last November and will run until March, after which we get a 68-team single elimination tournament to determine the NCAA Division I national champion. That tournament culminates in the 2026 Final Four, the semi finals and championship games, held at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4 and 6 in Indianapolis.

In other words, that's a whole lotta college basketball. More than 5,000 games are played per season — in fact, it's closer to 6,000 — with each team playing 31 games in the regular season. And that number is set to increase in 2026-27.

The University of Florida is the defending men’s college basketball national champion. The Florida Gators won the title in last year's San Antonio Final Four, clinching their third title overall and beating off competition from the Houston Cougars. Current favorites to win the 2026 national title include Michigan, Arizona, and UConn.

All of which means there's a near-endless amount of college basketball to watch this season. You just need to know how and where to watch your favorite teams.

Can I watch college basketball games without cable?

Yes, you can watch college basketball games without cable. For many games, if you can’t be there in person, the only way to watch is via online live streaming services. 

Some of the exclusive streaming services are ACC Network Extra, B1G+, ESPN+, FloHoops, Peacock, and SEC Network+. Even for those games on traditional TV channels, there are plenty of options to watch without cable or satellite TV. 

There are two main alternatives to cable or satellite TV. One option is cable replacement, such as FuboTV or Sling. They offer a variety of channels, but they will cost you. Another option is to get a streaming service connected to a specific TV network. Those are cheaper, but they also have fewer channels.

What channels are college basketball games on?

Knowing what channels broadcast your favorite team will help you decide what streaming services to select. Broadcast contracts are based on the home team, so we've put together a list of the TV networks with contracts connected to each conference. 

Here is a list of each conference and the channels and streaming services that will air games for each conference in 2025-26:

• America East — ESPN+

• American Athletic Conference (AAC) — CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+

• Atlantic 10 (A10) — CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN+, MASN, USA Network

• Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) — ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN+, The CW

• Atlantic Sun — ESPN+

• Big 12 — CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, Fox, FS1, Longhorn Network

• Big East — CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox, FS1, FS2

• Big Sky — CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, ESPN+, 

• Big Ten — Big Ten Network, B1G+, CBS, Fox, FS1, Peacock

• Big West — ESPN+, Spectrum Sports

• Colonial Athletic (CAA) — CBS Sports Network, FloHoops, MSG, NBC Sports Philadelphia, SNY

• Conference USA (CUSA) — CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, ESPN+

• Horizon — ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+

• Ivy League — ESPN+ 

• Metro Atlantic Athletic (MAAC) — ESPNU, ESPN+ 

• Mid-American Conference (MAC) — CBS Sports Network, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+

• Mid-Eastern (MEAC) — No intra-conference national TV games

• Missouri Valley — CBS Sports Network, ESPN+

• Mountain West (MW) — CBS, CBS Sports Network, Fox, FS1, NBC Sports Bay Area

• Northeast (NEC) — YES 

• Ohio Valley (OVC) — ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+ 

• Pac-12 Conference — CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, Fox, FS1, Pac-12 Network

• Patriot League — CBS Sports Network, ESPN+

• Southeastern Conference (SEC) — CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+

• Southern (SoCon) — ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+ 

• Southland — ESPN+

• Southwestern Athletic (SWAC) — ESPNU, ESPN+

• Summit League — CBS Sports Network 

• Sun Belt Conference (SBC) — ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+

• West Coast (WCC) — CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+

• Western Athletic (WAC) — ESPNU, ESPN+

In-season tournaments can make separate deals with TV networks. So for your favorite team, its road games and tournament games may appear on different networks than listed here. 

What are the best streaming services for college basketball?

The channels needed to comprehensively watch college basketball during the 2025-26 season are ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, Fox, FS1, FS2, Longhorn Network, MASN, MSG, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Philadelphia, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, SNY, Spectrum, The CW, USA Network, and YES. 

Additionally, you may want to consider streaming-only services like ACC Network Extra, B1G+, ESPN+, FloHoops, Peacock, and SEC Network+. Then for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, you’ll also need TNT, TBS, and TruTV. 

If you have all those options, you can watch nearly every game this season, but there are not enough hours in the day to watch every game of every basketball team this season. Here’s some help to select the best streaming services to see the teams and leagues you’ll watch the most. 

Most complete coverage: FuboTV

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Credit: FuboTV

FuboTV

 

Get Deal

FuboTV will be a great option for the college basketball regular season. Its Pro plan at $84.99 per month will give you access to hundreds of college basketball games. There is also a seven-day free trial. 

If you’re a fan of teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, you’ll want to upgrade to the Elite plan to get the ACC Network. The Elite plan is $104.99 per month. 

The biggest channels missing from the FuboTV lineup are TBS, TNT, and truTV. Those carry a large chunk of games during the NCAA Tournament, and the 2026 Final Four and national championship game are scheduled to be broadcast on TBS. To get those games, you’ll need to go elsewhere such as the B/R Sports add-on with Max. 

FuboTV Pro plan channels: CBS, FOX, Big Ten Network, CBSSN, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, MSG, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Philadelphia, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and USA Network. 

FuboTV Elite plan channels: CBS, FOX, Big Ten Network, CBSSN, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, MSG, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Philadelphia, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and USA Network. Plus, ACC Network, ESPNU, and ESPNEWS. 

Channels unavailable through FuboTV: Longhorn Network, MASN, SNY, Spectrum, TBS, TNT, truTV, The CW, and YES.

Most affordable cable replacement: Sling TV Orange + Blue

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Credit: Sling TV

Sling TV Orange + Blue

 

Get Deal

If you’re a casual college basketball fan, an option like Sling may be a good fit for you. With the Sling Orange plan, you get ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT for $45.99 per month (with an introductory deal of 50% off for the first month). 

You may want to increase your Sling tier if there are specific teams or leagues that you’re passionate about watching. The biggest channel that you can’t get through Sling is CBS, so you may need to look to Paramount+ to supplement this to catch all those games. 

Sling Orange plan channels: ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT. 

Sling Orange & Blue plan channels: ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT. Plus, FS1, truTV, USA Network, and Fox (in select markets). 

FOX is available on Sling TV in select markets. Those include Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Gainesville, Houston, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. 

Sling Orange & Blue + Sports Extra plan: Fox (in select markets), ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, TBS, TNT, truTV, and USA Network. Plus, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, FS2, Longhorn Network, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network. 

There are other options through Sling with different price points for just the Blue plan or the Sports Extra package added to either just the Orange plan or just the Blue plan. 

Channels unavailable through Sling: CBS, CBS Sports Network, MASN, MSG, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Philadelphia, SNY, Spectrum, The CW, and YES.

Best for CBS broadcasts: Paramount+ with Showtime

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Credit: Paramount+

Paramount+ with Showtime

 

Get Deal

CBS mainly shows college basketball games on the weekends, so if you’re mainly a weekend viewer until March, this would work for you.

Paramount+ gives you a seven-day free trial. To live stream CBS on Paramount+, you need the Paramount+ with Showtime tier, and that is $12.99 per month. You can also choose the annual plan at $119.99 per year, and you save about $3 per month. 

Paramount+ also gives students a 25% discount. 

CBS Sports Network games are not available to live stream through Paramount+

Best for exclusive Big Ten games: Peacock Premium

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Credit: Peacock

Peacock Premium

 

Get Deal

The Big Ten Conference will have games exclusively on Peacock this season, so to catch all those conference contests, you’ll need Peacock.

Members of the Big Ten Conference in 2025-26 include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, and Wisconsin.

There are 58 Big Ten men’s basketball games scheduled to be broadcast exclusively on Peacock. Peacock Premium costs $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.

Best for small school fans: ESPN+

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Credit: ESPN+

ESPN+

 

Get Deal

If your favorite team plays in the America East, Atlantic Sun, Ivy League, or Southland conference, then ESPN+ is the only way to watch those teams without going to the games. For many other leagues that don’t have many games on traditional TV channels, ESPN+ is the primary way to watch games.

The ESPN Select tier (for classic content, studio shows, and replays) is priced at $12.99 per month or $129.99 per year. ESPN Unlimited (all ESPN live channels and ESPN+ content) costs $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year.

Best channel selection: YouTube TV

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Credit: YouTube TV

YouTube TV

 

Get Deal

YouTube TV offers a 7-day free trial. It is then $59.99 per month for the first two months. That will get you most of the way through the 2025-26 college basketball season. After the introductory rate, the rate is $82.99 per month starting in the fourth month. 

YouTubeTV Base Plan channels: CBS, FOX, ACCN, Big Ten Network, CBSSN, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, FS1, FS2, SEC Network, TBS, TNT, truTV, The CW, and USA Network,

Channels unavailable through YouTube TV: Longhorn Network, MASN, MSG, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Philadelphia, Pac-12 Network, SNY, Spectrum, and YES.

TL;DR: Live stream Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NHL action starts this weekend with the Toronto Maple Leafs facing off against Vegas Golden Knights in a non-conference matchup. This is an intriguing prospect. The Golden Knights sit on top of the Pacific Division and won 6-5 in overtime in their last encounter with the Maple Leafs. That being said, it's tough to get a result at the Scotiabank Arena.

If you want to watch Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Cameroon vs. Morocco?

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL starts at 7 p.m. ET on Jan. 23. This fixture takes place at the Scotiabank Arena.

How to watch Cameroon vs. Morocco for free

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now to live stream the NHL for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights for free from anywhere in the world

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ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the NHL without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL (plus more NHL fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the NHL for free on 9Now or Prime Video. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There is no other sport that combines skill, grace, elegance, and people punching each other quite like ice hockey.

We love the merging of elements, and so do millions of fans from all around the world. The issue for these legions of dedicated hockey fanatics is that it's not easy to follow the sport for free. But nothing is impossible in this golden age of streaming.

If you want to watch the NHL for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the NHL?

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America made up of 32 teams (25 in the United States and seven in Canada).

When is the NHL?

The NHL season is typically held from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. After the regular season, 16 teams advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs, a four-round tournament that runs into June to determine the league champion.

How to watch the NHL for free

Select fixtures from the NHL are available to live stream for free on these platforms:

• Australia — 9Now (21 regular-season games)

• Canada — Prime Video (Monday Night Hockey with 30-day trial)

These free streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in Australia and Canada, meaning you can access these streaming services from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the NHL for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia or Canada

4. Visit 9Now or Prime Video

5. Live stream the NHL for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the NHL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NHL fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best service for streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia and Canada

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the NBA for free with a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime. Live stream the NBA for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA is a unique sport. There's nothing else in which incredibly tall athletes can be made to look absolutely tiny by aliens who can dunk without leaving the ground. And almost all of these shockingly tall athletes display a skillset that mere mortals can't even fathom.

The NBA could make a legitimate argument that it hosts the very best athletes in the world. Sure, the NFL might disagree. And rugby definitely attracts some special specimens. But the NBA has a bunch of seven footers dunking on each other. That's tough to beat.

If you are interested in watching the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the NBA?

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America made up of 30 teams (29 from the United States and one from Canada). The defending champions are the Oklahoma City Thunder.

When is the NBA?

The 2025–26 NBA season is the 80th edition of the competition. The regular season runs from Oct. 21 to April 12. The play-in tournament is scheduled to be played on April 14-17, followed by the playoffs on the next day, and concluding with the NBA Finals from June 4 to June 21.

The in-season NBA Cup will take place from Oct. 31 to Dec. 16.

How to watch the NBA for free

The NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime in the UK.

86 regular-season games, the Emirates Cup Championship, the play-in tournament, one third of first and second round games of the Playoffs, a Conference Finals series, and the NBA Finals are available to Prime members in the UK. The full schedule can be found here.

These free live streams are geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select NBA games before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Watch the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is coming once again for shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live! with new guidance for "equal time" rules for broadcast interviews with political candidates.

On Thursday night, Kimmel himself unpacked the rules and Donald Trump's FCC chair Brendan Carr's "latest attack on free speech" (Carr's threats toward ABC saw Kimmel's show temporarily pulled off the air in September). The late show host said the FCC is "now trying to use equal time rules to prevent shows like ours and The View from conducting interviews with candidates. They're reinterpreting long agreed upon rules to stifle us."

So, what exactly are these rules and how do they affect talk shows? In his monologue, Kimmel broke it down, running through the impact of the 1927 Radio Act, which required broadcasters "to give equal time for legally qualified camps, meaning, if you put one candidate on the air, you had to offer the same amount of airtime to all the other candidates."

As Kimmel explains, a 1959 amendment made exempt "what they call bonafide newscasts and bonafide news interviews from the rules governing equal time, and that allowed ABC, CBS, NBC, etc, to interview one candidate without having to interview all of them, which mostly applied to news programs, until years later, when talk shows started having candidates on."

Kimmel's examples include John F. Kennedy's 1960 appearance on The Tonight Show with Jack Paar and Bill Clinton's 1992 interview on The Arsenio Hall Show, both while campaigning for president. And Jay Leno's 2006 interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger when campaigning for governor of California, which saw Democratic rival Phil Angelides file a complaint to the FCC demanding equal time — the FCC denied his request and the exemption for talk shows has remained to this day.

"They ruled that Arnold appearing on Leno, this was a bona fide news interview, even though it was a talk show and therefore not subject to those equal time rules," said Kimmel. "And that's how every talk show's operated since then. Until this week, when Trump's little ferret in the FCC, Brendan Carr, who, as you know, is doing everything he can to shut us up the easy way or the hard way, is trying to say we no longer qualify for the bona fide news exemption when it comes to interviewing candidates, which is a sneaky little way of keeping viewpoints that aren't his off air."

"I have no idea what the outcome of this is going to be," Kimmel concluded. "I wanted to point it out, because it is another example of this administration trying to squash anyone who doesn't support them."

TL;DR: Live stream Spizzirri vs. Sinner in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It feels like it only just began, but we've already reached the third round of the 2026 Australian Open. And that means more huge games involving some of the top stars, like defending champ Jannik Sinner.

Sinner faces off against Eliot Spizzirri in the third round. The unseeded American faces a tough task here, with most fans expecting the Italian to make it through to another final. Sinner has made the final of the last five Grand Slams. Now that's consistency.

If you want to watch Spizzirri vs. Sinner in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Spizzirri vs. Sinner for free

Spizzirri vs. Sinner in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Spizzirri vs. Sinner without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Spizzirri vs. Sinner in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

Where to pre-order 'Super Mario Bros. Wonder' for Switch 2

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Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park

Pre-order from Nintendo

Pre-Order Here

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Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park (Upgrade Pack)

Pre-order from Nintendo

Pre-Order Here

It's official: Super Mario Bros. Wonder is getting an expanded Nintendo Switch 2 release this year. The delightful game — which we called "an exceedingly silly and playful return to form for Nintendo's mascot" in our review back when it was originally released in 2023 — is set to get both a physical and digital Switch 2 Edition on March 26.

This new version also comes with an expansion called Meetup in Bellabel Park, new additions to the cast with Rosalina and her buddy, Co-Star Luma, plus a number of other smaller enhancements.

If the announcement has you itching to get your hands on it, preorders are now live, although for the moment they're only available for the upgrade pack. If you already own a Switch 2 console and a copy of Super Mario Bros. Wonder for the original Switch, you can drop some cash on the upgrade pack right now at Nintendo for $19.99 to secure the upgrade, which will activate when the edition launches for Switch 2 on March 26.

At the time of this writing, preorders are not available for the standard Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Bros. Wonder in its digital or physical format.

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Credit: Nintendo

Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park (Upgrade Pack)

$19.99 at Nintendo

 

Pre-order Here

What comes with the Switch 2 upgrade?

The Switch 2 upgrade for Super Mario Bros. Wonder is stacked with exciting new goodies for Nintendo fans.

The main new addition is Meetup in Bellabel Park, an expansion that adds a brand new area to the existing game. Here's what Nintendo has to say about the new location: "Gather friends and family and visit Bellabel Park, a new area of the Flower Kingdom that features two large plazas filled with attractions. Team up or face off in challenges like Fast Cash: Tip Tap’s Coin Spree where you collect as many gold coins as you can, or Knock ‘em Back: Bubble Blaster where you duke it out and try to survive with the most lives intact."

Alongside a new spot to explore, the Switch 2 Edition also expands the cast to include Rosalina and Co-Star Luma. It's perfect timing for the former, given she's about to have her big screen debut in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Alongside new characters, there's also new boss courses and a new assist mode to help you out as you play.

That's not all, though. Nintendo also revealed that three new amiibo are set to drop on the same day as the Switch 2 Edition: Elephant Mario, Poplin & Prince Florian, and Captain Toad and Talking Flower.

The Talking Flower — which is now available to preorder at Nintendo for $34.99 with a release date of March 12 — speaks to you randomly throughout the day, whether about what time it is, the temperature, or just to give you words of encouragement. If this chatty plant is something you can't wait to bring home, you can get your preorders in now ahead of release day.

Donald Trump announced on Truth Social he'd secured the "framework of a future deal" on Greenland on Thursday, but as for the details? That's basically it.

Seth Meyers took "A Closer Look" at the president's deal (?) with NATO on Late Night, including the fact that Trump referred to the timeframe as "infinite" without supplying terms, a timeline, or any other details.

"How do you have, like, no more details about a deal you just made for a thing only you want. You sound like you're doing a book report on a book you didn't read, but it's worse, because it's a book you wrote," says Meyers. "It's like if JD Salinger got up in front of the class and said, 'Uh, Catcher in the Rye is about, like, a baseball game or something. It takes place in like, a bakery, maybe.'"

Meyers then finished his monologue examining reports on why Trump backed down on his Greenland demands, after threatening tariffs and refusing to rule out using military force.

"This dumb episode's yet another example of what happens when Trump encounters even minimal resistance, he backs down," Meyers said. "It's a lesson opposition leaders here and abroad should remember."

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.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, Jan. 23, 2026:

Across

Attach, as one plant to another

• The answer is Graft.

Email button with a backward-facing arrow

• The answer is Reply.

Make very excited

• The answer is Amp up.

Two-time Best Actor nominee Nick

• The answer is Nolte.

Total dork

• The answer is Dweeb.

Down

Word that can precede piano, total or staircase

• The answer is Grand.

Cut again, as a lawn

• The answer is Remow.

Company whose logo has a bite taken out of it

• The answer is Apple.

Champagne glass

• The answer is Flute.

Laid-back kind of personality

• The answer is Type B.

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.

Teyana Taylor is hosting SNL this week alongside musical guest Geese, and the teaser is wonderfully weird.

The Oscar-nominated One Battle After Another star appeared with the Brooklyn band and SNL's Marcello Hernández to promote the upcoming show, and the sheer awkwardness is my kind of energy.

"Dream brunch rotation" indeed.

Donald Trump launched his "Board of Peace" at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, the president's committee that will function as "transitional administration" in the reconstruction of Gaza. 60 nations have been invited to join, with each member guaranteed a seat for the sky-high cost of $1 billion.

Stephen Colbert unpacked Trump's new billion-dollar board on The Late Show Thursday, including reports that Trump will be its chairman for life (even after he is no longer U.S. president) and hold the only veto over any matter. But he also landed a blow on his own network CBS (Colbert's show was controversially cancelled after the host accused CBS' parent company Paramount of paying a "big fat bribe" to Trump during a monologue.)

"Admittedly, the idea of paying a billion dollars to obey Donald Trump seems a little steep," Colbert said of the Board of Peace admission fee. "After all, CBS got to do it for just $16 million. Check my math on that one."

Someone call the fire department.

The best streaming deals to watch "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" at a glance:

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WATCH NOW

Rent or buy "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" at Prime Video

$19.99 or $24.99

Shop Now

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Watch as of Jan. 23

Hulu annual subscription

$99.99 per year (save $19.89)

Get Deal

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Watch as of Jan. 23

Hulu and Disney+ bundle

$9.99 for your first month (save $3)

Get Deal

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Watch as of Jan. 23

Hulu Student

$1.99 per month (save $10 per month)

Get Deal

---

Watch as of Jan. 23

Hulu (with ads)

free for select T-Mobile customers (save $11.99 per month)

Get Deal

Move over, A Complete Unknown, a new biopic just hit the streaming world. This time around, Jeremy Allen White trades The Bear's kitchen for the recording studio in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, where he plays The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen.

The biopic also stars Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Odessa Young, Marc Maron, and David Krumholtz. It hit theaters last fall, but if you missed it, now's your chance to stream it at home. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.

What is Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere about?

Written and directed by Scott Cooper and based on Warren Zanes' book Deliver Me From Nowhere, Springsteen follows Bruce Springsteen (White) during a pivotal moment in his life: recording his 1982 album Nebraska, just as he was on the cusp of global stardom. Rather than charting his life and career from beginning to end, Springsteen is already a star when Deliver Me From Nowhere opens. Like 2024's Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, it chronicles him grappling with his success and the ghosts of his past.

Check out the full trailer:

Is Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere worth watching?

While it didn't earn a spot on our list of the best movies from 2025, White's performance has stirred up awards season hype. He was already nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture.

The Springsteen biopic currently holds a 60 percent critic rating at Rotten Tomatoes, but a more positive 82 percent audience rating.

Mashable's own film critic writes, "While the film's music remains classic as ever, and while White does an admirable job channeling Springsteen, Deliver Me From Nowhere fails to deliver anything revelatory about the actual emotions behind the music."

Still, if you're a Bruce Springsteen or Jeremy Allen White fan, it's certainly worth a watch.

Read our full review of Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.

How to watch Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere at home

Credit: 20th Century Studios

Springsteen opened in theaters nationwide on Oct. 24, 2025, after premiering at the 2025 Telluride Film Festival. If you missed out, no biggie; it's now officially available to watch at home. You'll have three different ways to watch as of Jan. 23, 2026: buy it on digital video-on-demand retailers, rent it from digital video-on-demand retailers, or stream it. See the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

The 20th Century Studios film officially made its at-home debut via video-on-demand retailers like Prime Video and Apple TV on Dec. 23, 2025. You can purchase Springsteen for your own digital library or rent it for 30 days. Just keep in mind that with rentals, you'll only have 48 hours to finish watching once you start.

Here are some quick links to buy or rent the film on digital:

• Prime Video — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy

• Fandango at Home — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy

• Apple TV — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy

• Google Play — $24.99 to buy

• YouTube — $24.99 to buy

Stream it on Hulu

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere made its streaming debut on Hulu on Jan. 23, 2026, just three months after its theatrical debut.

Hulu subscriptions start at $11.99 per month (thanks to a recent price hike), but there are a few different ways you can save. We've rounded up the best ongoing Hulu streaming deals below.

The best Hulu streaming deals

Best Hulu deal for most people: Hulu annual subscription

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Credit: Hulu

Hulu (with ads) annual subscription

$119.99 per year (save $23.89)

Get Deal

The best way to cut back on the cost of a Hulu subscription is to opt for an annual plan instead of a monthly plan. By paying for a year upfront for $119.99 (which breaks down to $9.99 per month), you'll save about 16% or just shy of $24. It's not the biggest discount, but every dollar counts.

Best bundle deal: Get Hulu and Disney+ for 45% off

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Credit: Hulu / Disney+

Hulu and Disney+ (with ads)

$12.99 per month (save $10.99 per month)

Get Deal

One of the best deals in the streaming world is Disney's bundle plan. You can get both Disney+ and Hulu with ads in the Duo Basic bundle for just $12.99 per month. That's only a dollar more than paying for one streamer on its own, saving you about 45% total. Better yet, through Feb. 17, you can save an extra $3 on your first month of this bundle plan if you've never subscribed before.

Best for students: Hulu Student

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Credit: Hulu

Hulu Student (with ads)

$1.99 per month (save $10 per month)

Get Deal

College students can save 83% or $10 per month on a Hulu with ads subscription. Sign up through the Hulu Student promotional page and verify your college email address via SheerID, and the price will drop from $11.99 to just $1.99 per month.

Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) free for select customers

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Credit: T-Mobile / Hulu

Hulu (with ads)

free for select T-Mobile customers

Get Deal

Aside from the free trial, the only way you can get Hulu for free in 2026 is through T-Mobile's Go5G Next and Experience Beyond plans (you'll also get Netflix and Apple TV+ for free). If you're already on one of these plans, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. You'll just have to enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu. If you're not on the Go5G Next plan or Experience Beyond plan, make the switch to start taking advantage of the best free streaming lineup around.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 just ended, but star Walker Scobell is already eager for the future of the show.

In a Say More interview with Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards, Scobell revealed that Season 3, which is currently shooting and set to release this year, is "even better than I imagined."

As a massive fan of Rick Riordan's original book series, Scobell's appreciation for Season 3 stems from his deep fandom of the source material — especially The Titan's Curse, which Season 3 will adapt.

"Listen, I love Season 2, and I love Season 1. Perfect, I love them so much," Scobell told Mashable. "But there's something about The Titan's Curse to The Last Olympian that's just a completely new level, and it's just so different."

From The Titan's Curse onwards, Riordan's books get considerably darker, a challenge that Scobell relishes as he and his castmates grow up alongside Percy and his crew of heroes.

"They're getting older, and things are getting pretty serious with this Great Prophecy," Scobell explained. "It think it gets really difficult for them, because now things are real. They're not invincible — not like they weren't before, but they've seen how they're not invincible."

Thankfully, amid Season 3's emotional damage (and book fans know there's a lot of that to go around), audiences will also be getting some levity. That includes one iconic scene from The Titan's Curse: all those Hoover Dam puns.

"We're gonna be getting a lot of good dam jokes," Scobell revealed. "That's the only thing I'm gonna confirm. As a fan, before we got episode 5, Aryan [Simhadri] and I were like, 'There's no way they take that out.' Because it's my favorite part of that book. There's no reason for them to laugh at that point. But I love how they're just sitting there, laughing about these dam jokes."

Sounds like we're in for a dam good time, right?

"It's gonna be a dam great season," Scobell said.

For more of Mashable's interview with Scobell, including a deep dive into finale fight scenes, changes between Riordan's book and the show, and what's next for Percy and Thalia (Tamara Smart), check out the full video on YouTube.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+. Season 3 arrives later in 2026.

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

TL;DR: Live stream Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This week's NBA action includes a replay of the 2025 NBA Finals as the Indiana Pacers go on the road to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Oklahoma won those games but the more interesting story was Indiana's incredible playoffs run, which defied the odds. But the Eastern Conference champions have had a tough 2025-26 season so far — they're currently sat at the bottom of the conference, while Thunder are at the top of the Western Conference with the best record in the league. Can the Pacers pull off another improbable result? Or is their season a write-off?

If you want to watch Pacers vs. Thunder in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Pacers vs. Thunder?

Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA starts at 7 p.m. ET on Jan. 23. This game takes place at the Paycom Center.

How to watch Pacers vs. Thunder for free

Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S. and UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S. or UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S. or UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This week's must-watch NBA action sees the Houston Rockets visit Eastern Conference leaders the Detroit Pistons. The Rockets will have their work cut out — the Pistons have an excellent win-loss record and have impressed b-ball fans with their robust defense. That said, Houston are considered an on-the-up franchise and a playoffs contender.

The game is also featured as part of Rivals Week, a recent NBA concept that highlights key rivalries across the conferences. This one's particularly interesting because it features a brotherly rivalry, with twins Ausar and Amen Thompson playing on opposite teams — Ausar for the Pistons, Amen for the Rockets.

If you want to watch Rockets vs. Pistons in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Rockets vs. Pistons?

Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons in the NBA starts at 7 p.m. ET on Jan. 23. This game takes place at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI.

How to watch Rockets vs. Pistons for free

Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S. and UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S. or UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S. or UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

I fell in love with Arco from its very first frames.

In these opening moments, a flock of birds soars towards a cluster of towers jutting into the clouds, each holding up platforms covered in greenery and wind turbines. The image is utopian, yet there's a slightly foreboding to it. What led humanity to move to the sky? What lies below the clouds? The answer, unsurprisingly, is ecological disaster of our own making.

That tension between beauty and hard truths fuels the entirety of Arco, as French director Ugo Bienvenu pairs a charming tale of friendship with a sobering look at the realities of climate change. It's a glorious sci-fi journey, one told through the most remarkable animation you'll see this year.

What's Arco about?

The people who live on the platforms from Arco's opening scene are able to time travel. They fly to the past with the help of colorful cloaks and light-refracting crystals, bringing rainstorms and rainbows as they go.

Kids under the age of 12 are not allowed to use this technology, which doesn't sit right with 10-year-old Arco (voiced by Juliano Valdi in the English-language dub). So what does this aspiring adventurer do? He steals his sister's cloak and jets off to 2075, only to find himself stuck there. Thankfully, he has a newfound friend in Iris (voiced by Romy Fay), who is determined to help him get back to his own time.

Arco is another formidable animated film about climate change.

Credit: Courtesy of NEON

While Arco's future is an idyllic one, fueled by renewable energy and a deep connection to nature, Iris' version is far more troubling — and hits closer to home.

Iris lives in a suburb that would seem right at home in our current moment, apart from a few changes. Her robot caretaker Mikki (voiced by Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo), as well as her town's hordes of robot laborers, speaks to significant technological advancements. So, too, do the holograms her workaholic parents (also voiced by Portman and Ruffalo) use to communicate while they're away at work.

But the most telling difference between our present and Iris' future is that of the protective bubbles that pop up around people's houses during ever-frequent destructive weather events. The threat of severe storms looms over the town, while kids talk casually about their families preparing for disaster in the face of encroaching wildfires. Clearly, this is a society that lives with the impacts of climate change, yet makes no large-scale attempts to mitigate its effects for future generations. (Sound familiar?)

Arco knows that climate change — and humans' acceleration of it — is what led his ancestors to make their way above the clouds. Through his eyes, everyday elements of Iris' world become accelerants of oncoming ecological collapse, such as the town's cars, or the excess of grocery stores, as opposed to his family's homegrown approach.

Bienvenu is never too heavy-handed in his messaging around climate change. Still, each of these world-building details combine to build a growing background sense of dread, one that only makes Iris and Arco's friendship all the sweeter by comparison. They offer up hope in a rapidly deteriorating world.

Arco's treatment of climate change recalls two of 2024's most outstanding films, Flow and The Wild Robot. Like Arco, each present worlds impacted by ecological calamities. However, these are not grand, sweeping stories of saving the world, but rather stories of the innocents — like Flow and The Wild Robot's animals, or Arco's young Iris and Arco — who have no choice but to endure these storms. In addition to Flow and The Wild Robot, Arco is further proof of animation's ability to communicate the realities of climate change to younger and older audiences alike.

Arco is a downright stunner.

And what animation is on display in Arco! A comic book artist himself, Bienvenu translates his 2D illustrative style to the big screen. The effect is glorious, reminiscent of the fantastical works of Jean Giraud (aka Mœbius) and the films of Studio Ghibli.

In addition to the rainbows and solarpunk sky towers of Arco's future, Bienvenu finds wonder in the 2075 timeline. The forests of Iris' town are lush wonderlands, while her school provides unexpected opportunities for escapism. Each classroom can transform into a variety of environments, from galaxies to underwater landscapes, offering Bienvenu and his team opportunities to flex their animation muscles and take Iris and Arco's adventure to new heights.

Another highlight of the animation is the mysterious trio of men (voiced by Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg, and Flea) who are tracking Arco down. They each rock colorful suits, bowl cuts, and rainbow glasses, and their bumbling attempts to find Arco are among the funniest and most visually distinct moments of the film.

In a mainstream animation landscape dominated by 3D-animated films, Arco's visuals are a testament to the enduring power of 2D work, as well as French filmmakers' commitment to the medium. If you love animation, run, don’t walk — or better yet, fly by rainbow — to catch it.

Arco opens in NYC and L.A. on Jan. 23, after an awards-qualifying run in 2025. It will open nationwide Jan. 30.

UPDATE: Jan. 22, 2026, 12:04 p.m. This review was first published on Nov. 14, 2025. It has been updated to reflect theatrical availability.

From the first musical moments of The Testament of Ann Lee, I was enraptured. Admittedly, I went in knowing nothing of its subject, an 18th-century religious figure who led the Shakers, a sect also known as the "Shaking Quakers" because of the physicality of their worship. However, the opening thrums of music and the graceful yet powerful thrust of bodies in an inexplicable dance number in a dark forest entranced me and made me eager to know more. 

From this intriguing opening, The Testament to Ann Lee stretches beyond the bounds of historical drama by embracing the music and movements that define the Shaker religious practice. In that, wonder is born onscreen, reflecting their faith in a God that honors such performance as exaltation. 

Written by The Brutalist's screenwriters Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbet, this is a sweeping American tale of love, faith, community, and creativity that is challenging, enchanting, and awe-inspiring. 

The Testament of Ann Lee reveals the birth of a religious community in America. 

Credit: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Helmed by Fastvold, The Testament of Ann Lee charts the life of the eponymous religious leader, not only through dramatic scenes of hardship and joy but also through musical numbers that reflect the Shakers' culture. 

As a young girl in England, Ann is horrified by her vicious father, in both his prohibiting the speech of his many children, but also in his dominion over his wife's body for his own sexual desires. Still, as a young maiden, Ann (Seyfried) strives to be a good wife to her rugged husband (Christopher Abbott), giving in to his demand for sex despite her own lack of interest. That is, until a series of miscarriages convinces her that chastity, hard work, and song is a better way for her to serve God. 

This belief will earn her devoted followers, including her brother William (Thunderbolt*'s Lewis Pullman), the resolute Mary (Thomasin McKenzie), and an American preacher (Tim Blake Nelson). However, as this boundary-pushing woman preaches of God and these tenets from England to New York, she will earn her the ire of her lusty husband and the violent rejection of those unmoved by the Shakers' song. 

Amanda Seyfried is a marvel in The Testament of Ann Lee. 

Credit: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Seyfried is no stranger to musicals, but this one is very different from the Broadway adaptations she's starred in before. Forget the bouncy glee of Mamma Mia! or the resounding theatricality of Les Misérables. The motions here feel more akin to modern dance, the song more mantra then belted or cheered.

Limbs of conservatively dressed Shakers shoot forth sharply, pausing in the air as if awaiting a signal or a sign, then plunging in a new direction. Their bodies rise and fall in a rhythm they create through their shared song. In the film's opening, they move through a forest, dancing in unison, throbbing together like one living organism. Through this connection in movement, Fastvold instantly and effectively communicates that this is a community that lives, loves, and suffers together. 

This sentiment of union through hardship is bolstered with every successive song-and-dance number. For instance, when Ann endures a series of miscarriages, a song, deep-throated and aching, pulls her through one to the next, the motions of sex, birth, and loss connecting across scenes to create a sense of flow and growing agony. For it's not just her loss. Others' arms embrace her across scenes of conception and birth, expressing a physical connection, but also ones that scar her. Thus, Seyfried is not just the film's center, but the core of its company. 

As Ann is resolute in her faith, Seyfried carries a certainty, whether working to construct a colony, the sect's signature chairs, or a better bond with her "children" — meaning her followers, who call her "Mother." Yet certainty doesn't make for stoicism. Seyfried's portrait is awash in jubilation, agony, and earnestness. Her eyes echo this fervor, even in climactic moments of violence. But it's in the song and dance that this role becomes extraordinary. In every motion and note, Seyfried leads the cast as Ann leads her people in the film, resolute and radiant. 

Mona Fastvold's vision in The Testament of Ann Lee is rapturous. 

Credit: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Like The Brutalist, The Testament of Ann Lee tackles decades of an immigrant's life in an America that welcomes their labor and violently rejects their culture and autonomy. Set in different eras, the films work together as a timeless and dynamic diptych of this country's melting pot, sometimes warm, often scorching. But beyond America, Fastvold's film sings the song of a woman who fought without raising a fist for the sanctity of community and glory of art. 

Choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall creates movements that feel modern yet don't clash with the period piece's production design. Her dances evoke passion but not sexuality, reflecting Lee's tenets of faith. Alone, one dancer might seem strange — creating some understanding of the suspicion of the neighboring New Yorkers. But joined by the company, they become glorious, a reflection of what wonders our simple mortal figures can manifest, through work and the embrace of our souls. 

The music by composer Daniel Blumberg was inspired by Shaker hymns. Their lyrics, deceptively simple and repetitive, draw us in through the rounds. The music around them strange, experimental, yet inviting. Thus, we are welcomed in — not only to their story but to the feeling of their exuberance. 

Told in movements, broken up by title cards quoting Bible verses like "The Woman Clothed by the Sun With the Moon Under Her Feet," The Testament of Ann Lee swells and swoons like an orchestra playing an epic opera. Less an investigation into her testament and more a reveling in its passion and resilience, this drama is dynamic and dreamy. It may not make you a believer, but it may well leave you awestruck.

The Testament of Ann Lee opens in wide release Jan. 23.

UPDATE: Jan. 22, 2026, 1:46 p.m. This review was first published on Sept. 21, 2025, as part of Mashable's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. It has been updated in anticipation of its wide release.

American cinema has long been fascinated by professional fighters. Rocky, Raging Bull, The Fighter, The Wrestler, Cinderella Man, Creed, Million Dollar Baby, Girlfight, Ali, The Hurricane, Warrior — the list goes on and on. Within this sports subgenre, actors like Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Russell Crowe, Will Smith, Hilary Swank, Michael B. Jordan, and many more have made their mark, with rave reviews, big box office, award nominations, and big wins. So, it's a shrewd move for Dwayne Johnson to prove he's ready to leap from smoldering action-comedy star to dramatic heavyweight with The Smashing Machine. 

The pro wrestler formerly known as The Rock has spent decades building broad appeal as a movie star, ranging from the lip-curling machismo in the Fast and Furious franchise to the bouncy bravado of his voicework as Maui in Moana to a swath of half-baked action movies that coast on his broad shoulders and signature smile. But with The Smashing Machine, Johnson sheds his larger-than-life persona to disappear into the role of UFC fighter Mark Kerr.

The ways he does this are laudable, but the results are mixed because of writer/director Benny Safdie's challenging choices in constructing this narrative and reconstructing his leading man's face. 

The Smashing Machine reveals the out-of-the-ring struggles of Mark Kerr. 

Dwayne Johnson plays Mark Kerr in "The Smashing Machine." Credit: A24

Picking up in 1997, the Safdie-scripted drama follows the beginning of Kerr's MMA (mixed martial arts) career within the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Set across several years, The Smashing Machine ushers audiences to Japan, where Kerr would compete in Pride FC, then back to the U.S., where he trained while carrying on a tumultuous romantic relationship with Dawn Staples (played here by Johnson's Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt). 

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Rather than centering his narrative around a particular goal — like winning a belt or defeating a particular nemesis — Safdie chooses a more scattershot approach. A smattering of scenes across Kerr's highs and lows aim to capture the contrast of "The Smashing Machine" in the ring, where he was mighty and intimidating, to the man behind the persona, who was gentle, even when battling his own demons. However, without a driving narrative, the film feels meandering, lacking momentum.

The Smashing Machine shies away from sports drama cliches, with mixed results. 

Benny Safdie, writer/director of "The Smashing Machine," holds a camera in the film's final sequence. Credit: A24

Elements of Kerr's story are pretty common within the pro fighting industry. Take a look at Dark Side of the Ring for many examples. The incredible demand put on a fighter's body and the ruthless training regimen can encourage abuse of painkillers and other drugs to cope with the physical strain. However, Safdie's so matter-of-fact about Kerr's intravenous drug use that it almost seems harmless. There's a casualness to how Mark is shown readying an injection, doing so while getting dressed and carrying on a conversation, that almost suggests his drug use is not a problem, but part of a routine. But a vague but vicious argument with Dawn shortly after suggests Kerr's losing his grip. 

It might be lauded that Safdie and Johnson (who is also a producer on The Smashing Machine) aren't interested in making Kerr's real-life low points into a gaudy spectacle. But little is given to otherwise illustrate his battle here. Safdie's script reveals a near-fatal overdose through a phone call between Dawn and Mark's friend/colleague Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader). His time in rehab happens entirely offscreen. Thus, much of his struggle with addiction is limited to strained jokes about doctors who offer him over-the-counter painkillers and his passive-aggressive comments to Dawn, when she returns from a boozy meal with friends. Essentially, the punches feel pulled, outside the ring and inside too. 

The Smashing Machine won't let audiences get close to Mark Kerr. 

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt embrace in "The Smashing Machine." Credit: A24

Safdie rejects the standard of Hollywood boxing movies by keeping his cameras firmly outside of the ring. A cavalcade of other directors have used close-ups to give audiences an unblinking look at everything from the fear or confidence flashing on the fighter's face to the sweat and blood streaming down their muscles. But Safdie won't let us any closer than the fans in the film, stuck behind the ropes. It's a choice that echoes his aim of authenticity over Hollywood razzle-dazzle. But it literally and emotionally keeps us at a distance. 

Other forms of authenticity work better. Handheld camera lends energy and a hazy excitement to everything from Mark striding to the arena to his grappling with a hysterical Dawn. A soundtrack of late '90s/early '00s songs (like Sublime's "Santeria" and Sugar Ray's "Every Morning") played in the background help audiences time-travel back to his heyday. But most impactful is Safdie's unconventional casting choices.

As he's done in past films like Uncut Gems, he peoples The Smashing Machine with nonactors. In this case, to play Mark's friends and rivals, the director brought in fighters Ryan Bader, Oleksandr Usyk, Satoshi Ishii, James Moontasril, Cyborg Abreu, and Marcus Aurélio, many making their acting debuts. They bring an earthiness and earnestness to the film, with Bader being a terrific standout, seemingly effortless in scenes of professional drama and domestic bliss. 

In terms of Johnson's performance, authenticity meant asking the actor to bulk up and to wear facial prosthetics and meticulously detailed wigs to resemble Kerr. And here's where Safdie's choices hurt Johnson most. 

Dwayne Johnson is incredible in The Smashing Machine, but the prosthetics are a problem. 

Dwayne Johnson plays Mark Kerr in "The Smashing Machine." Credit: A24

Props to the make-up team — the prosthetics are seamless and do the job of erasing the familiar face of The Rock. This transformation gives Johnson the space to create a performance that is distinctly separate from his own personas in pro-wrestling and as the leading man of many an action franchise. Do they make him look like Mark Kerr? I'm less convinced. But we've seen plenty of thespians get Oscar gold for hiding their famous features to better inhabit a character. (That includes Charlize Theron in Monster, Brendan Fraser in The Whale, and Nicole Kidman in The Hours, just to name a few.) 

The problem is that while these prosthetics erase The Rock, they also inhibit Johnson's face. Sure, his performance here is more nuanced than in his splashy blockbusters. An early scene where Kerr, bruised and battered, gently explains his work to a little boy and a judgmental grandmother is gracefully done. The softness in his tone is reflected in a gentle physicality as he insists there's camaraderie outside the ring. Later, this gentleness reemerges as he talks to his fellow fighters and as he pleads with a spiraling Dawn. (Blunt gives her best to a role that is achingly archetypal, painting Dawn as a volatile drunk with a Jersey Shore thirst for fashion and fighting). However, this performance is often cut off by the brow bone of the prosthetic. 

Creating a ledge that throws a dark shadow, the make-up too often makes it hard to see Johnson's eyes. So, much like being pushed out of the ring in the fight scenes, we're pushed out of Mark's experience by not being able to see how he's feeling. In a showier Johnson performance, this might not be an issue, as he can ooze emotion out of big gestures and bellowing line delivery. But here, nearly every aspect of the film is aiming for subtlety, to better explore the shades of gray of Kerr. And without seeing his eyes, we're too often left in the dark. 

In the end, Johnson gives a career-defining performance that should well prove he can handle meatier, even artier fare. Blunt gives her all in a thankless role, and Safdie, in his feature-length directorial debut without his brother/Uncut Gems co-helmer Josh Safdie, takes some big swings. It's a shame he didn't have a sharper eye on what was hitting, and what was leaving his audience needing more.

The Smashing Machine is now streaming on HBO Max.

UPDATE: Jan. 22, 2026, 2:41 p.m. EST "The Smashing Machine" was reviewed out of its North American Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in this article, originally published on Sept. 20, 2025. It has been updated to include the latest streaming information.

TL;DR: Live stream Tiafoe vs. de Minaur in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Alex de Minaur is one of the names to watch 2026 Australian Open. The Australian tennis star is looking to claim his first Gland Slam title on home soil. As the No. 6 seed, he's looked sharp so far and only dropped a single set in the first two rounds.

But a tougher challenge awaits in the third round in the form of American No. 29 seed Francis Tiafoe. Can de Minaur get one step closer to his first Grand Slam? Or will Tiafoe take the tennis glory for himself?

If you want to watch Tiafoe vs. de Minaur in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Tiafoe vs. de Minaur for free

Tiafoe vs. de Minaur in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

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ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Tiafoe vs. de Minaur without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

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• Fast connection speeds

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A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Tiafoe vs. de Minaur in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

Look, we love Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle), even with his flaws. But this latest episode of The Pitt has us urgently worried about our favorite ER doc, all because of a few little words that call back to some fan theories out of episode 1.

The hit show's complicated attending physician kicked the second season off with a controversial move that had tongues wagging. Now, with Season 2, episode 3, titled "9 A.M.," he's lying about it. What does this mean for Dr. Robby's Season 2 arc and beyond?

Let's dive into it.

What did Dr. Robby lie about in "The Pitt"?

Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby in "The Pitt." Credit: Warrick Page / HBO Max

He lied about his motorcycling habits. Here's how it went down:

In this episode, along with a grief-stricken burn victim, a kiddo with a "zebra" of a medical condition, and a mercurial patient with a mind-bending diagnosis, The Pitt also featured a squabbling married couple whose petty argument was interrupted by a motorcyclist colliding into their car.

While the episode followed the husband and wife through treatment and regrets over their fight, the motorcyclist was basically dead on arrival, with a shocking amount of his brain's gray matter on display. Usually stoic medical student Joy Kwon (Irene Choi) reacted in shock, asking, "No helmet?"

To this, the police officer in the room says, "Nope." While looking at the patient's ID, he notes, "He took the PennDOT motorcycle safety course." (PennDOT is short for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.)

Dr. Garcia (Alexandra Metz) quips, "Isn't that what you took, Robby?"

Dr. Robby responds sharply, saying, "Yes, but I still wear a helmet."

There's the lie.

The Season 2 opening sequence echoed the start of Season 1, following Dr. Robby into the emergency room of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. But where in the first season he was on foot, in the second, he's riding a motorcycle across one of Pittsburgh's signature yellow bridges. And he's — say it with me — NOT WEARING A HELMET.

What does this helmet lie mean?

Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby in "The Pitt" doesn't wear a helmet while motorcycling in "The Pitt" Season 2. Credit: Screenshot: HBO Max

When fans of The Pitt first saw Dr. Robby riding without a helmet in the Season 2 sneak peak, many called this behavior out on social media. Some declared it "unrealistic" for an ER doctor to behave this way, while others suggested such recklessness is a sign of Robby having a death wish.

Season 1, we saw him going to the edge of the hospital's rooftop, potentially considering jumping. Now he's riding without a motorcycle helmet on July 4, a holiday notorious for a spike in Emergency Room visits.

However, Robby will tell anyone who listens — even his loathed, returning colleague Langdon (Patrick Ball) — how he's going on a three-month sabbatical to motorcycle his way to an aboriginal UNESCO World Heritage Site in Alberta. So maybe he's taking the advice of night shift attending physician Dr. Abbot (Shawn Hatosy) and finding a hobby to help him relieve the stress of working at "The Pitt." But there are some worrying signs about his trip already.

Consider all this: He's riding without a helmet on busy city streets, an act some fans have called "passively suicidal." Of all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, he's headed to one with the name "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump." Then there's a motorcyclist with his head smashed in right before Dr. Robby's very eyes. And instead of considering how he opened himself up to such an injury just two hours before, Robby lies to assuage the concerns of his co-workers.

Are all these clues suggesting that Robby going on this particular sabbatical could mean we won't see him in Season 3? Could that planned long ride be his last?

On the one hand, with a third season of The Pitt confirmed, it's unlikely that Wyle, who is also a writer, director, and producer on the series, will be written off. But remember, Wyle did come up on ER, which saw popular leads like George Clooney and Julianna Margulies leave long before the show wrapped. So we're not feeling totally confident about Dr. Robby's fate.

What has Noah Wyle said about Dr. Robby not wearing a helmet?

Asked about this on the Golden Globes red carpet, Wyle told the AP, "There's nothing arbitrary about the way we do the show. Everything is pretty specific. And that was a very specific decision that we made to have him riding with the helmet on his backpack but not on his head — telling everybody he wears one, but we all know he isn't."

On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Wyle spoke about the decision to have Robby ride without his helmet. Turns out it wasn't in the script, and it was his idea.

He told Kimmel, "The night before [we shot the scene], I had dinner with John Wells, who directed the [first] episode [of Season 2]...And I said, 'I don't know that Robby wears a helmet. I think he tells people he wears a helmet.'"

He then compared the motorcycle season opener to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's iconic introduction to Willy Wonka. The Pitt star explained how the film's leading man, Gene Wilder, agreed to play Wonka "if he could make his character introduction, where he comes out with a cane and a limp and then he walks up to the gate and then he falls forward and comes up into this very elegant sort of bow. And they asked him why he wanted to do that, and he said, 'Because from that point forward they won't know if I'm telling the truth or not.'"

For Wyle, Wonka and Dr. Robby have this uneasy allure in common. He continued to Kimmel, "We're talking about a guy who's on a mental health journey, who's resistant to getting the help he probably should get. What better clue can we give the audience that he's playing a little fast and loose with his life than to let them in on this detail that he's not telling the people that he works with, that love him."

So, yeah. We've been worried since that no helmet scene first hit, and our concern is only growing.

The Pitt Season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes being released every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. For international resources, this list is a good place to start.

Brace yourselves, Pitt Fiends! (Is that what we're calling ourselves?) Because episode 3 of Season 2 just dropped a major cliffhanger. As if Dr. Robby's lie doesn't have us stressed enough, now we've got a code black to deal with!?

Spoilers and speculation below for Season 2 of The Pitt.

For those unfamiliar with hospital terminology, a "code black" in this case means the nearby hospital will be diverting all its emergency room patients to Dr. Robby's trauma center until further notice. In Season 1, the day shift had to deal with the PittFest massacre. So, what calamity are they going to be grappling with now?

Well, while episode 3, titled "9 A.M.," drew to a close with only possibilities of what could cause the code black, The Pitt's Season 2 trailers gave us hints of what's ahead.

What does the code black mean for The Pitt Season 2?

Poor Dr. Robby. It's his last day at work before a hard-earned sabbatical. And just as he looks at the computer board to see that there's relative calm in his ER, charge nurse Dana (Katherine LaNasa) gets a call that changes her gruffly cheery demeanor (it's a yinzer thing) to all business as she asks of the caller, "Is this a drill? Is this a joke? It's the fourth of fucking July!"

With Dr. Robby and his eager replacement Dr. Al (Sepideh Moafi) alert for news, Dana explains that "Westbridge has a code black and is closing to internal disaster. Central's diverting all their ambulance traffic to us."

This means a problem has hit a neighboring hospital. But how serious is it? Robby and Al quickly offer several possibilities:

• Flooded toilet

• Power outage

• "A couple of doctors probably got the holiday flu, and they're understaffed."

Immediately, security guard Ahmad Zidan (Johnath Davis) starts a new betting grid on a white board, asking would-be gamblers to guess why the code black was called, how long the code will last, and how many patients will be diverted their way.

So, are you ready to place your bet? Before you do, let's look back at the trailers HBO Max has already released for Season 2.

What do The Pitt's trailers tell us about the code black?

On Dec. 16, 2025, the above trailer set up the returns of Langdon and Dana, as well as Dr. Robby's impending time off. Then, we see Dana on that red phone, asking, "Is this a drill?"

From there, an unknown voice says, "Westbridge has shut down all their computer systems." Dr. Mel King (Taylor Dearden) asks, "Are we next?" And then Dr. Robby warns, "We're about to go analog," as the computer screens switch to offline.

Now, at a glance, it might seem Robby was right with his power outage guess. But notably, the unidentified voice said Westbridge "shut down all their computer systems," not lost power to them. So, this could suggest a cyberattack.

What will going analog mean for The Pitt crew? Well, for one, they'll be doing things more like doctors and nurses did in the '90s, aka Noah Wyle's ER era.

In the trailer released earlier this month, we got a better sense of Dr. Robby and company in disaster mode.

In the start of this trailer, you can see the doctors and nurses gathering around a large white board, which seems to be used to track patients without computers. But nothing about the source of the code black is revealed.

So, what's your bet for Ahmad's grid?

The Pitt Season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes being released every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're good with measurements.

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

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

What is Connections?

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

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

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

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Distinguishable characteristics

• Green: Car placements

• Blue: Measurements

• Purple: Illumination

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Facial features

• Green: Kinds of parking

• Blue: Imperial units

• Purple: Words before "Light"

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #957 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Facial features: CHEEK, EYE, LIP, STONE

• Kinds of parking: GARAGE, METER, STREET, VALET

• Imperial units: ACRE, BUSHEL, FOOT, STONE

• Words before "Light": FLOOD, LIME, PILOT, TRAFFIC

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're unknowing.

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

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: None the wiser

The words are related to innocence.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe being inexperienced.

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 Born Yesterday.

NYT Strands word list for January 23

• Credulous

• Artless

• Born Yesterday

• Naive

• Callow

• Gullible

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.

TL;DR: Live stream Zverev vs. Norrie in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Australian Open continues to serve up big action from the world's top tennis stars — names such as Alexander Zverev, who entered the Melbourne-hosted tournament as the No. 3 seed and now faces British hopeful Cameron Norrie.

Zverez reached the final last year and is now laser focused of winning his first ever Grand Slam title. But Norrie, the No. 26 seed, won't be an easy opponent. His best ever performance in the Australian Open is the fourth round, so you can be sure he'll want to match — or better still, beat — that personal record.

If you want to watch Zverev vs. Norrie in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Zverev vs. Norrie for free

Zverev vs. Norrie in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Zverev vs. Norrie without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Zverev vs. Norrie in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 23 Pips

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 0. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 23 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 23 Pips

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally.

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're familiar with British order.

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

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A noble.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

The Wordle answer today is...

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

BARON

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

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

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

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

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

On Wednesday, Ubisoft canceled several games and shut down multiple studios in a major company restructure. At the same time, the studio pledged to double down on generative AI in game development moving forward. On Thursday, the stock market treated the company accordingly.

Specifically, Ubisoft shares tumbled by 34 percent on Thursday morning, per CNBC. As of this writing, Ubisoft shares are now down 39.83 percent.

The company has been struggling financially for some time now, with flagship franchises like Assassin's Creed demanding huge budgets and prolonged development cycles, and other titles not necessarily making the kind of sales impact Ubisoft hoped for. Given that Ubisoft recently had to shutter studios in places like Halifax (a Canadian union argued this move was a case of union-busting) and Stockholm, on top of the litany of game cancelations announced on Wednesday, it's no surprise that the market is losing faith in the longtime games publisher.

Most of the canned projects were unannounced titles with no real information to speak of yet. However, the cancelation of the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake dominated headlines, and justifiably so.

The project was announced in 2020 with a 2021 release date, then went radio silent for several years before being unceremoniously killed six years later. It's not clear from the outside looking in how a remake of a PlayStation 2-era game could miss its due date by five years, but it feels emblematic of everything going wrong with Ubisoft and big-budget game development writ large right now.

In any case, hopefully those affected by these cancelations and studio closures can land on their feet.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been on a tear lately. The French RPG, known for its gorgeous visuals, turn-based gameplay, and compelling narrative, swept the Game of the Year Awards, with a record eight wins and 12 nominations.

Now, Clair Obscur has set yet another record: It's surpassed Elden Ring as the most award-winning video game of all time.

There's no official body that tracks total wins in game awards, nor an official list of what counts toward the totals. (For instance, do you count Mashable's guide to the best video games of 2025? Spoiler alert: Clair Obscur only earned an honorable mention from our team.) However, fans have been closely tracking wins and losses at the ResetEra forum, and the evidence is clear: Clair Obscur now has more game of the year wins than any other game, topping previous record holders like Elden Ring.

In years past, Elden Ring collected 435 GOTY wins; The Last of Us Part II earned 326; and Baldur's Gate III got 288. When Wccftech released its list of the best games of the year this week, Clair Obscur surpassed Elden Ring's total with 436 wins and counting.

That's right — there are still plenty of game awards yet to be announced. Per our colleagues at IGN, Clair Obscur can still pick up even more awards at the BAFTAs, DICE, and GDC Awards.

Clair Obscur likely would have reached this record sooner had it not been for a controversial snub at the Indie Game Awards, which takes a hard line against the use of generative AI. French studio Sandfall Entertainment was accused of using generative AI to create background textures, such as posters that appeared on a street lamp, claims that Sandfall Interactive denied.

Considering that generative AI is now a standard tool used by the vast majority of computer programmers, it seems extremely unlikely that no AI was used in the development of other popular video games. However, the Indie Game Awards stripped Sandfall Interactive and Clair Obscur of their Game of the Year and Debut Game awards.

While some video game players have also taken a hard line against the use of generative AI in game development, it's not clear that the average gamer cares. For instance, Arc Raiders faced fierce criticism for its use of generative AI back in November, and yet by January, it had become a hugely successful best-seller.

Controversies aside, Clair Obscur seems poised to pick up even more GOTY wins in the months ahead, setting a new high bar for critically acclaimed video games.

The 2026 Oscar nominations have arrived! Sinners, One Battle After Another, Marty Supreme, and Hamnet have plenty to celebrate. Casting made its debut as the Academy's brand-new category. And incredibly some much-raved about films got nothing at all.

We've shown you the nominees. We've bemoaned the snubs. Now, let's look at the pleasant surprises that came out of the 98th annual Academy Awards nomination announcements.

Oscar surprise: Sinners breaking Oscar history

Michael B. Jordan plays twins Smoke and Stack in "Sinners." Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Some Oscar prognosticators have been saying for months that Best Picture is a lock for One Battle After Another. However, Ryan Coogler's Sinners scored more nominations that the Paul Thomas Anderson thriller, and set a new record for Oscar nominations with a whopping 16 nods! As someone who's been rooting for Sinners since I first saw that barnburner of "I Lied to You" last spring, I was cheering at these nominations like I did when Sammie escaped Remmick's clutches! Sure, some nominations at this point seemed a guarantee, including Best Picture and Best Song. But seeing so much of the cast get recognized along with Coogler as writer, director, and producer? I'm ecstastic.

Oscar surprise: Delroy Lindo, Sinners

Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Sinners." Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Some might not be surprised that Delroy Lindo was among Sinners nominations. But unlike Michael B. Jordan and Wunmi Mosaku, who both got Critics Choice nominations and various guild awards, Lindo has been largely overlooked. And not just this past year! Lindo has been a mesmerizing actor for decades, working with Spike Lee (Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Da 5 Bloods), Danny Boyle (A Life Less Ordinary), and Barry Sonnenfeld (Get Shorty). So, you better believe we whooped with excitement when Lindo finally scored his first Academy Award nomination at 73 years old for our favorite movie of 2025.

Oscar surprise: The Ugly Stepsister

Elvira wears a nose brace in "The Ugly Stepsister." Credit: Shudder

Makeup and Hairstyling is often a curious pocket of Oscar nominations, where movies that are weirder and wilder get a chance to shine. So when I heard The Ugly Stepsister called out among Frankenstein, The Smashing Machine, and Sinners, I cheered in excitement. This twisted fairytale made Mashable's list of the best horror movies of 2025, because of its stomach-churning and thought-provoking reimagining of Cinderella. And as this nomination suggests, what this step-sibling goes through in pursuit of beauty is grisly business. Beauty hurts, or so I've been told.

Oscar surprise: F1 for Best Picture

Brad Pitt stars in F1. Credit: Apple Original Films

F1 landing a Best Picture nomination is the kind of curveball that immediately lights up the group chat. On paper, it's a sleek, star-driven racing film anchored by Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, the kind of polished spectacle that can feel more surface than story — not the most obvious Academy pick. Still, I'll happily accept any Oscars scenario that includes Lewis Hamilton, seven-time F1 champion and producer, getting his moment on Hollywood’s biggest stage. — Crystal Bell, Culture Editor

Oscar surprise: Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue

Kate Hudson as Claire Stengl and Hugh Jackman as Mike Sardina in director Craig Brewer's "Song Sung Blue." Credit: Sarah Shatz / Focus Features

Admittedly, this one isn't the most stunning surprise. Kate Hudson is riveting in Song Sung Blue, a moving biopic about a Neil Diamond tribute band called Lightning and Thunder, who gets through their darkest moments through the power of song. Her portrait of Claire "Thunder" Sardina has been critically acclaimed — in part for her masterful delivery of a Milwaukee accent — and scored a Golden Globe nod for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. However, Hudson has been falling behind in the Best Actress conversation, as awards prognosticators focused on Hamnet's Jessie Buckley and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You's Rose Byrne. So, she must be singing a happy tune this morning.

Oscar surprise: It Was Just an Accident

Credit: NEON

Iranian writer/director Jafar Panahi's latest It Was Just An Accident has been collecting accolades and awards since it took home the Palme D'Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. So, we weren't remotely surprised to see this compelling revenge drama score a nomination for Best International Feature Film, alongside The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sirāt, and The Voice of Hind Rajab. However, in this American awards show, it's rare to see a screenwriting nomination for a screenplay that's not in English. Yet Panahi, alongside script collaborators Nader Saïvar, Shadmehr Rastin, and Mehdi Mahmoudian, achieved this! Previous foreign language screenplays to earn this nomination include Anatomy of a Fall, Parasite, and A Separation.

However, some film fans online have suggested that It Was Just An Accident deserved more, declaring it was snubbed in Best Director and Best Picture.

How to watch: The 98th Oscars airs live on March 15 on ABC and Hulu.

The 2026 Oscar nominations are out, and movie watchers are noticing a considerable absence: Wicked: For Good, the sequel to 2024's Wicked.

Sequels usually don't receive the love their predecessors did, but given the noms For Good received for other accolades, it's surprising it was completely shut out of the Academy Awards.

For Good racked up five nominations for this year's Golden Globes, including for the two stars (Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Cynthia Erivo and Best Supporting Actress for Ariana Grande), Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, and two for Best Original Song. But For Good did go home empty-handed at the end of the night.

Also consider that Part One received a whopping 10 Oscar nominations last year across different categories, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress, and won two trophies: Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.

And sequels are sometimes given their flowers at the Academy Awards — think of Toy Story 3, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Dune: Part Two, to name some recent examples.

So Wicked: For Good's total snub defies something, if not gravity. See the full list of movies that are nominated here.

The Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards have had their say. Now it's time for the Oscars to determine the best cinematic achievements of 2025. This morning in a live presentation from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Academy Award nominee Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman announced the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards.

While fans of Sinners, One Battle After Another, and Marty Supreme had plenty of reason to celebrate, Wicked fans have reason to battle cry. And that's not all.

Who got snubbed at the Oscars 2026? Let's get into it.

Oscar snubbed: Wicked: For Good, Ariana Grande, and Cynthia Erivo

Ariana Grande is Glinda and Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in "Wicked: For Good." Credit: Universal Studios

Last year, Wicked earned 10 Oscar nominations, including nods for Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as magical frenemies Galinda and Elphaba. But alas, neither won. With the direct sequel Wicked: For Good, theater kids across the U.S. were rooting for these bold belters to get the gold. To our utter shock, Wicked: For Good got zero Academy Award nominations. Not even the impressive costumes or production design scored love from the Academy. And apparently the new songs ("No Place Like Home" and "Girl in the Bubble") couldn't compete against the record-breaking force of Sinners ("I Lied to You") and Kpop Demon Hunters ("Golden").

Oscar snubbed: Paul Mescal

Paul Mescal stars as William Shakespeare in "Hamnet." Credit: Agata Grzybowska / Focus Features

Chloé Zhao's Hamnet garnered eight Oscar nominations, including Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Picture. But Paul Mescal, who played a heartbroken William Shakespeare opposite Oscar-nominated Jessie Buckley, got nothing. As big fans of Mescal's gut-wrenching Sad Boy skills, we're a bit stunned.

Sure, in my review out of TIFF, I warned that Hamnet's nuanced portrait of parental grief wasn't the kind of high drama that Oscar reels favor. But with Mescal's poignant "to be or not to be" — and the ache in how he delivered the line "Where is he?" — Mashable's Entertainment team felt certain Mescal was sitting pretty for Oscar night.

Oscar snubbed: Guillermo del Toro

Oscar Issac as Victor Frankenstein in "Frankenstein." Credit: Ken Woroner / Netflix

After decades of dreaming, monster-loving moviemaker Guillermo del Toro delivered his opus with a unique and haunting Frankenstein. While this bold Netflix release did score nine nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay (both of which would go to del Toro), this visionary helmer did not get the Best Director nod. If you hear a harrowing bellow outside your window, it's me, wailing at this cinema injustice. I called Frankenstein del Toro's masterpiece, and I stand by it.

Oscar snubbed: Chase Infiniti

Chase Infiniti and Regina Hall get tense in "One Battle After Another." Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

One Battle After Another earned this incredible ingénue nominations for the Critics Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs. Yet the Academy has ignored Chase Infiniti. Sure, One Battle After Another isn't hurting for accolades, having scored 13 nominations, including Best Picture and noms for stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and Teyana Taylor. But those acting honors make Infiniti's absence hit all the harder, because this rising star managed to stand up onscreen to DiCaprio and Penn, both major stars going hard in intense scenes. In the face of that challenge, Infiniti didn't melt. She didn't match them; she outshone them, just as her character in the film did!

Oscar snubbed: Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle

Credit: Copyright_©Koyoharu Gotoge_SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable

The Oscars' Best Animated Feature lineup — Arco, Elio, KPop Demon Hunters, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2 — is stacked, but the absence of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle feels glaring. The film wasn't just a hit; it was a full-on cultural moment, pulling in over $722 million worldwide and reminding everyone how mainstream anime has become. And with Disney already represented by Zootopia 2, it's hard not to question why the Academy made room for a second Disney slot with the deeply mid Elio instead of recognizing the scale — and impact — of Infinity Castle. — Crystal Bell, Culture Editor

Oscar snubbed: No Other Choice

Lee Byung-hun in "No Other Choice." Credit: BFI London Film Festival

Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice got nothing! It was one of the best films of 2026, critically acclaimed and more than worthy of Oscar nods, notably for star Lee Byung-hun's slowly unraveling performance. The biting social satire, which takes aim at the hyper-competitive capitalist market, gained nominations at the Golden Globes for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy), Best Picture (Non-English Language), and Best Actor (Musical or Comedy). No Other Choice almost made to the Oscars; it was the shortlisted South Korean entry for the Best International Feature category. Yet this incredible film was nowhere to be seen during Wednesday's Oscars nominations announcement. Make it make sense. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

How to watch: The 98th Oscars airs live on March 15 on ABC and Hulu.

Ryan Coogler's Sinners has just hit an Oscars record out of the park.

The lauded genre-bending vampire film starring Michael B. Jordan has landed a whopping 16 Academy Award nominations, announced in a ceremony on Thursday morning.

Per the New York Times, Sinners beat the three previous record-holders, which held 14 nominations each: All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).

Fellow nominees One Battle After Another landed 13 nods, Marty Supreme earned nine, and Hamnet got seven nominations.

So, what Oscars is Sinners up for?

Beyond the all-important Best Picture, Coogler is nominated for Best Directing and Best Writing (Original Screenplay).

Jordan is up for Best Actor in a Leading Role alongside Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).

Also in the acting realm, Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku are nominated for Best Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role, respectively.

Production and design nominations for Sinners include Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design. The film is also up for Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Casting, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.

Plus, Ludwig Göransson is nominated for Best Music (Original Score) and, along with Raphael Saadiq, Best Music (Original Song) for "I Lied to You."

How to watch: The 98th Oscars airs live on March 15 on ABC and Hulu. Check out the whole list of 2026 Oscar nominees — and who got snubbed?

When it came to movies, 2025 was outstanding. Critics and audiences alike were awed by such sensational films as Sinners, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, and No Other Choice — just to name a few. But which of these will earn a coveted Oscar nod? Today's the day we find out.

Academy Award nominee Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman announced the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards in a live presentation from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. So how many of our favorites made the list? And who didn't?

Sinners got a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations, One Battle After Another scored 13, Marty Supreme earned nine, and Hamnet received seven nominations, but nothing for our favorite sad boy, Paul Mescal.

Here is the full list of nominees:

Best Actor in a Supporting Role 

Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another 

Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein 

Delroy Lindo – Sinners

Sean Penn – One Battle After Another 

Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

Best Actress in a Supporting Role 

Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value 

Amy Madigan – Weapons

Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners 

Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

Best Animated Short Film 

"Butterfly"

"Forevergreen"

"The Girl Who Cried Pearls"

"Retirement Plan"

"The Three Sisters"

Best Costume Design

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Frankenstein 

Hamnet 

Marty Supreme

Sinners

Best Live Action Short Film

"Butchers Stain"

"A Friend of Dorothy"

"Jane Austen's Period Drama"

"The Singers"

"Two People Exchanging Saliva"

Best Makeup and Hairstyling 

Frankenstein 

Kokuho

Sinners 

The Smashing Machine 

The Ugly Stepsister

Best Music (Original Score) 

Bugonia

Frankenstein

Hamnet

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Will Tracy – Bugonia

Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein

Chloé Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell – Hamnet

Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another

Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar – Train Dreams

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Robert Kaplow - Blue Moon

Jafar Panahi - It Was Just an Accident

Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme

Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value

Ryan Coogler – Sinners

Best Actor in a Leading Role 

Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another 

Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon 

Michael B. Jordan – Sinners 

Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent

Best Actress in a Leading Role 

Jessie Buckley – Hamnet 

Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I'd Kick You 

Kate Hudson - Song Sung Blue

Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value 

Emma Stone – Bugonia 

Best Animated Feature Film 

Arco

Elio

KPop Demon Hunters

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Zootopia 2

Best Picture

Bugonia

F1

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

The Secret Agent

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Train Dreams

Best Casting

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

The Secret Agent

Sinners

Best Cinematography 

Frankenstein

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Train Dreams

Best Directing 

Chloé Zhao – Hamnet

Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme

Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another

Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value

Ryan Coogler – Sinners

Best Documentary Feature Film 

The Alabama Solution

Come See Me in the Good Light

Cutting Through Rocks

Mr. Nobody Against Putin

The Perfect Neighbor

Best Documentary Short Film 

"All the Empty Rooms"

"Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud"

"Children No More: Were and are Gone"

"The Devil is Busy"

"Perfectly A Strangeness"

Best Film Editing

F1

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Best International Feature Film 

The Secret Agent 

It Was Just an Accident 

Sentimental Value

Sirāt 

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Best Music (Original Song) 

"Dear Me" - Diane Warren: Relentless

"Golden - Kpop Demon Hunters

"I Lied to You" – Sinners

"Sweet Dreams of Joy" – Viva Verdi!

"Train Dreams" – Train Dreams

Best Production Design 

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Best Sound

F1

Frankenstein

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Sirāt 

Best Visual Effects

Avatar: Fire and Ash 

F1 

Jurassic World Rebirth

The Lost Bus

Sinners

How to watch: The 98th Oscars airs live on March 15 on ABC and Hulu.

Donald Trump gave a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday and Seth Meyers used his "A Closer Look" segment on Late Night to reluctantly recap what happened.

"Donald Trump addressed world leaders in Davos and gave a very normal speech," Meyers said, "to which he repeatedly confused Greenland with Iceland, called windmills 'losers,' said the U.S. gives Canada freebies, mocked the president of France for wearing sunglasses, made up a new country called Aberbajan, and told the crowd in Switzerland, where the majority people speak German, that without the United States, they would be speaking German, which is what they already speak.

"For more on this, it's time for 'Seth Stares at the Ceiling and Hopes the Bad News Goes Away.'"

Like fellow late night host Stephen Colbert, Meyers noted that the U.S. president has repeatedly mixed up Iceland and Greenland in Davos, despite threatening to take ownership of Greenland (autonomous Danish territory) not Iceland (Nordic country).

"He can't even remember the name of the territory he wants to conquer," said Meyers. "Hold on, I'm going to try staring at the ceiling again."

Donald Trump really wants Iceland. Sorry, Greenland. We think?

The president repeatedly confused the two at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday, despite spending the majority of his time of late threatening to take ownership of Greenland (autonomous Danish territory) not Iceland (Nordic country).

"Dear Lord, he's on an imperial conquest, and he can't even remember what he wants to conquer," responded Stephen Colbert on Wednesday night's Late Show.

During his monologue, the host noted that Trump's repeated Greenland-Iceland mix-up was pointed out by NewsNation White House correspondent Libbey Dean on X, to which White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded, "His written remarks referred to Greenland as a 'piece of ice' because that's what it is. You're the only one mixing anything up here."

"That is some Grade-A Big Brother propaganda," said Colbert. "As George Orwell wrote in 1984, 'War is peace, freedom is slavery, Karoline Leavitt is a dumbass.'"

Like fellow late night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, The Daily Show's Josh Johnson marked one year of Donald Trump's second term as president with a look at his recent appearances — both at the World Economic Forum in Davos and a White House paper-tossing press conference.

Johnson especially looked at Trump's second year aim: U.S. ownership of Iceland Greenland. The president told Davos on Wednesday, "It's the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it, and improve it, and make it so that it's good for Europe, and safe for Europe, and good for us."

"That's right, it's huge, undeveloped, in a strategic location," said Johnson. "It's like if your grandma had a Manhattan apartment she bought in 1950 — once she dies in it, you're going to push her down the trash chute and live like a king."

But Johnson finished up with a strong statement on saying "no" to the president, after reports emerged that Trump had both backed down on imposing tariffs and using military force to take control of Greenland at Davos and "formed the framework of a future deal" around the autonomous Danish territory.

"Maybe what Europe did here is a lesson for the rest of us, because Trump barged into Davos, like 'I want to own Greenland,' and Europe just said 'no,'" said Johnson. "And in just six hours, they worked him down from owning Greenland to concepts of a deal. So maybe saying no is something more of us in America might want to try instead of complying in advance. College presidents, law firms, media outlets, whoever keeps giving Trump that tacky gold shit to put on his walls, just tell that man 'no!'

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you have a good sense of hearing.

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

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A sharp ring.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

The Wordle answer today is...

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

CLINK

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

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

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

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

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

TL;DR: Live stream Gauff vs. Baptiste in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Just days into the 2026 Australian Open and Coco Gauff has made her mark as one of the standout competitors in the women's singles. It's no huge surprise. The No. 3 seed is just 21 years old but has already won two Grand Slams, including last year's French Open, and has previously reached the Australian Open semi final.

Gauff's next matchup is a third round all-American showdown with fellow U.S. talent Hailey Baptiste. The winner will face either Karolina Muchova or Magda Linette. Meanwhile, heavy hitter opponents such as Sabalenka and Swiatek are placed elsewhere in the brackets.

If you want to watch Gauff vs. Baptiste in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Gauff vs. Baptiste for free

Gauff vs. Baptiste in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Gauff vs. Baptiste without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Gauff vs. Baptiste in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Sabalenka vs. Potapova in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Austrian 24-year-old Anastasia Potapova has caused the first notable upset of the 2026 Australian Open. The unseeded ace knocked out British hopeful Emma Raducanu in the second round, which sees her now advance to this blockbuster third-round matchup against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Sabalenka is the favorite to win the whole thing, which means it'll take something special for Potapova to eliminate the Belarusian star. But anything can happen on any given day in Melbourne Park. Either way, this is a showdown not to miss.

If you want to watch Sabalenka vs. Potapova in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Sabalenka vs. Potapova for free

Sabalenka vs. Potapova in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Sabalenka vs. Potapova without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Sabalenka vs. Potapova in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Paul vs. Davidovich in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It's shaping up to be a good 2026 Australian Open for U.S. star and No. 19 seed Tommy Paul, who has advanced to a third-round match with Spanish 26-year-old Alejandro Davidovich. At 28, Paul is a veteran of the game and previously reached the Australian Open semi final. He's yet to drop a set this year.

Davidovich is the No. 14 seed and will prove a challenge for Paul, who has so far faced unseeded opponents. But an even bigger challenge awaits. Whoever wins this match will likely enter a fourth-round draw against world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.

If you want to watch Paul vs. Davidovich in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Paul vs. Davidovich for free

Paul vs. Davidovich in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Paul vs. Davidovich without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Paul vs. Davidovich in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a klutz.

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

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

What is Connections?

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

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

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

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Spot-free

• Green: Sweet treats

• Blue: To mess up

• Purple: Classic publications

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Well-defined, as an image

• Green: Fruit desserts

• Blue: Bungle

• Purple: Magazines plus a letter

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #956 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Well-defined, as an image: CLEAR, CRISP, DISTINCT, SHARP

• Fruit desserts: COBBLER, CRUMBLE, STRUDEL, TURNOVER

• Bungle: FLUFF, FUMBLE, MISS, TRIP

• Magazines plus a letter: ELLEN, SPINY, TIMER, USE

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always in a good mood.

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

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Ode to joy

The words are related to emotions.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe positive feelings.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Seventh Heaven.

NYT Strands word list for January 22

• Bliss

• Rhapsody

• Ecstasy

• Seventh Heaven

• Elation

• Euphoria

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.

TL;DR: Live stream Alcaraz vs. Moutet in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The men's tennis No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is through to the third round of 2026 Australian Open after winning rounds one and two in straight sets. But Alcaraz faces tougher competition in his next opponent, 26-year-old Frenchman Courentin Moutet, who entered the Melbourne-hosted tournament as the No. 32 seed.

While fans will bet on Alcaraz to advance and possibly meet defending champion Jannik Sinner in the final, don't count Moutet out just yet. The tournament has already seen one upset with the unseeded Anastasia Potapova ousting British star Emma Raducanu. Can Moutet cause an even bigger upset?

If you want to watch Alcaraz vs. Moutet in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Alcaraz vs. Moutet for free

Alcaraz vs. Moutet in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Alcaraz vs. Moutet without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Alcaraz vs. Moutet in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Cerundolo vs. Rublev in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Australian Open plays on, with all eyes are on the third round. Among the most interesting draws is Francisco Cerundolo vs. Andrey Rublev. They're the highest ranking seeds to face off so far in the men's singles, with Cerundolo at No. 18 and Rublev at No. 13.

There's added interest because the winner will likely face No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev in the fourth round, so this could prove a crucial result.

If you want to watch Cerundolo vs. Rublev in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Cerundolo vs. Rublev for free

Cerundolo vs. Rublev in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Cerundolo vs. Rublev without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Cerundolo vs. Rublev in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

The life of a cinephile knows no rest! Today is not only the day when cheers and jeers are sounding across Hollywood as the nominations for the 2026 Academy Awards hit, but it's also the opening day for the Sundance Film Festival, where Oscar buzz begins.

It was last year at Sundance that Rose Byrne began to be heralded for her ruthlessly intense performance in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You. The fest also premiered the sublimely twisted fairytale The Ugly Stepsister, the couples nightmare of Together, and Eva Victor's brilliant directorial debut Sorry. Baby. So what can we look forward to in 2026?

Mashable has probed the Sundance Film Festival guide for the movies sure to spark debate, garner buzz, or leave audiences rattled. Here are our picks for the must-sees of Sundance 2026.

1. Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant

Credit: Sundance

Kiwi comedy has gifted American audiences such treasures as What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and The Breaker Upperers. Now it's giving us the utterly deranged and delightful Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant.

This New Zealand comedy from the directing duo THUNDERLIPS centers on a surly millennial underachiever (Hannah Lynch) whose hasty hook-up with an awkward neighbor (Arlo Green) leads to — well — getting alien pregnant. See, he's part alien, which explains why his junk is pretty otherworldly. But from this unintended pregnancy spirals a comedy about motherhood that's hilarious, subversive, pretty gross, and surprisingly heartwarming.

Starring: Hannah Lynch, Yvette Parsons, Arlo Green, and Jackie van Beek

How to watch: Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant is playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Theatrical and streaming details are unknown at this time.

2. Everybody to Kenmure Street

Credit: Sundance

If you're in need of a sign that a single act of solidarity can make a big difference, you'll relish the documentary Everybody to Kenmure Street. Documentarian Felipe Bustos Sierra, who previously explored with Nae Pasaran how a Scottish workers' protest made waves in Chile, offers another tale of resistance on Scottish soil.

In May of 2021, a diverse neighborhood in Glasgow was disrupted by a UK Home Office raid that targeted two Muslim residents on the first day of Eid. Before the two could be whisked away for possible deportation, their neighbors spontaneously joined together in an impactful and peaceful civil resistance. And it all began with one bloke chucking himself under the van so the two abducted men couldn't be carted away.

Through interviews with the people who were there that day, Sierra offers a poignant and thought-provoking story that's all too relevant as ICE invades American cities, streets, and homes. However, the most mind-bending bits of this documentary come from the everyday folks who shared their stories, but not their faces. For instance, the bloke under the van chose not to be shown, so his interview is recreated by Emma Thompson, who's wrapped in a denim jacket, using a deep Scottish accent, and staged under a van. If you can't wrap your head around that, all the more reason to seek out Everybody to Kenmure Street.

Starring: Emma Thompson and Kate Dickie

How to watch: Everybody to Kenmore Street can be viewed at the festival in person or through Sundance's streaming platform from Jan. 29, 10 a.m. ET, to Feb. 2, 1:55 a.m. ET. Buy your ticket here.

3. Buddy

Credit: Sundance

Remember the viral sensation that was Too Many Cooks? Well, the wild mind behind that and other Adult Swim offerings is making his feature directorial debut with a horror comedy called Buddy.

The logline offers only this: "A brave girl and her friends must escape a kids' television show." But the early buzz is that this movie basically imagines what would happen if a Barney taping went sideways in the most outrageous way possible. If that's not enough to entice you, check out that cast.

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

How to watch: Buddy is playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Theatrical and streaming details are unknown at this time.

4. When a Witness Recants

Credit: Sundance

Last year, Sundance had a strong showing in true crime docs, premiering the critically acclaimed Zodiac Killer Project, The Perfect Neighbor, and Predators. This year, we've got our eye on When a Witness Recants, the latest from documentarian Dawn Porter (Luther: Never Too Much, The Sing Sing Chronicles).

Collaborating with Ta-Nehisi Coates, Porter explores a case close to the author's heart. In 1983, Coates was a middle schooler in Baltimore when the city was rocked by the robbery and murder of a teen boy. From there, coerced testimony would lead to a major miscarriage of justice that still ripples through the community. What went down and what it means today is sure to hit hard.

How to watch: When a Witness Recants is playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Theatrical and streaming details are unknown at this time.

5. The Gallerist

Credit: Sundance

Director Cathy Yan gifted us the supremely entertaining Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). So her name alone is enough for us to be giddy in anticipation of her film follow-up, The Gallerist.

Then, the perturbing premise promises to skewer the posh art world with a psychological twist. Natalie Portman stars as a gallerist desperate to impress an art influencer played by Zach Galifianakis. But when the work from her aspiring star (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) doesn't wow him, she'll literally sell a corpse as art to make her mark. Color us intrigued.

Starring: Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega, Sterling K. Brown, Zach Galifianakis, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Catherine Zeta-Jones

How to watch: The Gallerist is playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Theatrical and streaming details are unknown at this time.

6. Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story

Credit: Sundance

Perhaps you don't know the name Maria Bamford, but chances are good you've heard her work. Outside of being a stellar stand-up comedian who uses funny voices and powerful punchlines to bring light to dark topics, she's a prolific voice actor who's worked on Futurama, Rock & Morty, Adventure Time, BoJack Horseman, Big Mouth, Harley Quinn, and many, many more shows.

This documentary, however, is more in line with her stand-up, which has long dealt with her mental health journey with brilliant humor and insight. Directed by Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley, Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story charts the course of Bamford's childhood in Duluth, Minnesota, to her discovery of stand-up in college, chasing her dream of comedy to Los Angeles, and beyond.

Starring: Maria Bamford

How to watch: Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story is playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Theatrical and streaming details are unknown at this time.

7. The Moment

Erupcja, 100 Nights of Hero, and now The Moment — Charli XCX is all over cinema... at the moment. But where the first two movies have the pop star playing different roles and sinking into fictional settings, The Moment is a mockumentary in which Charli XCX presents a look at her life and work through an A24 lens.

What does that mean? We can't wait to find out. Lucky for those not at Sundance, you won't have to wait long!*

Starring: Charli XCX, Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Benton Gates, Isaac Powell, and Alexander Skarsgård

How to watch: Following its Sundance premiere, The Moment opens in theaters on Jan. 30.

8. Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass

Credit: Sundance

The State is back with a new movie. David Wain and Ken Marino (Wet Hot American Summer) reteamed for the screenplay of Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, and while Wain directs, fans of the American comedy troupe will clock some familiar faces in the supporting cast.

However, it's Zoey Deutch who stars as Gail Daughtry, a bride-to-be whose road to wedlock is disrupted when her fiancé uses his celebrity hall pass. Essentially, he slept with a celebrity crush, so now, before she's hitched, Gail wants to get even by bedding her own: Jon Hamm.

Good sign for Gail's efforts, Jon Hamm is listed in the cast! Bad sign: Marino probably won't have this leaning romantic fantasy. Ready your body for a wacky sex comedy.

Starring: Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang, Sabrina Impacciatore, Joe Lo Truglio, Mather Zickel, Tobie Windham, Fred Melamed, Michael Cassidy, and Kerri Kenney-Silver

How to watch: Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Theatrical and streaming details are unknown at this time.

9. Saccharine

Credit: Sundance

Writer/director Natalie Erika James has been sculpting a sensational reputation in horror with her harrowing feature debut Relic and the ambitious Rosemary's Baby prequel Apartment 7A, which was downright spectacular. For her next offering, James digs back into body horror with Saccharine.

Midori Frances stars as Hana, a medical student who is convinced that losing weight will solve her misery. But when a dubious miracle pill causes paranormal activity around her, Hana realizes she's at risk of losing way more than the pounds she intends.

If you're craving gory, unhinged horror with a slathering of social commentary, sink your teeth into Saccharine.

Starring: Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald, and Madeleine Madden

How to watch: Saccharine is playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Theatrical and streaming details are unknown at this time, but Independent Film Company has purchased the U.S. and UK distribution rights for this movie. So stay tuned!

10. Wicker

Credit: Sundance

This comedy, starring Olivia Colman, promises to redefine the term "boyfriend material."

Writing/directing duo Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer, who previously delivered the sci-fi comedy Save Yourselves!, have reteamed for this medieval tale, in which a fisherwoman (Colman) commissions a basketmaker to weaver her a husband. Naturally, this bespoke wickerman is played by Pillion's Alexander Skarsgård. Sold.

Starring: Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, and Nabhaan Rizwan

How to watch: Wicker is playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Theatrical or streaming details are unknown at this time.

Shingo Yamashita's Cosmic Princess Kaguya! presents a virtual world so dazzling and well-run you'll wish it actually existed. 

The Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 opening sequence director's feature debut is set both in reality and in the virtual world of Tsukuyomi, offering a level of expert world-building. With an almost two-and-a-half-hour runtime, the film feels like it could have been a miniseries, instead keeping you locked into the world of protagonists Iroha (Anna Nagase) and Kaguya (Yuko Natsuyoshi) for three distinct acts.

It's the latest of a three-film deal between Netflix and Japanese animation studio Studio Colorido — following Hiroyasu Ishida's gorgeous Drifting Home and Tomotaka Shibayama's My Oni Girl — Kaguya! is actually a collab with Yamashita's own Studio Chromato. But it's also the latest triumph of an original anime film from the streaming service, following dreamy co-productions like Wit Studio's Bubble.

A modern fairy tale rooted in gaming and streaming culture, Cosmic Princess Kaguya! not only offers a sweet story of love, independence, connection, and finding your voice, but also imagines a simply beautiful online space devoid of the internet's worst elements. With a soundtrack of Vocaloid (AI singing synthesisers created by Yamaha) producers including HoneyWorks, kz (livetune), ryo (supercell), Aqu3ra, yuigot, and 40mP, Cosmic Princess Kaguya! imagines the ultimate tech-fuelled social gaming experience, with the creator economy front and centre. 

But first, it starts with a baby in a glowing rainbow telephone pole.

What is Cosmic Princess Kaguya! about?

Credit: Netflix

Yamashita's film not only draws narrative inspiration from the Japanese folktale The Tale of Princess Kaguya (aka The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter), but the characters are well aware of it. The story, from Japan's classical Heian period (794-1185), follows a man who finds a baby inside a glowing bamboo stalk, and cares for her with his wife — they call her Kaguya-hime or "Shining Princess”. She grows into a young woman extremely quickly, revealing she's no regular human (in fact, she's from the moon). Time grows short for Kaguya on Earth, as her lunar home beckons.

The tale has been retold for centuries (including in Sailor Moon), most recently by Studio Ghibli with Isao Takahata's Oscar-nominated The Tale of the Princess Kaguya — and as far as shadows go, the lauded animation studio casts a long one. However, Yamashita and co-writer Saeri Natsuo find a contemporary approach, reshaping long-told characters through online connection, fandom, and gaming culture.

In this present-day version, a baby girl is found by songwriter, gaming streamer, and hardworking student Iroha (voiced by Anna Nagase), not within a bamboo stalk but a glowing telephone pole. Understandably stressed out, Iroha is plunged into single parenthood overnight. However, it's not for long, as the mysterious infant grows quickly into a boisterous girl (Yuko Natsuyoshi) who says she hails from the moon — Iroha recognises the Bamboo Cutter similarities and names her guest Kaguya.

Credit: Netflix

Kaguya's arrival is not easy for Iroha at first. Having left home before graduating high school, Iroha is fiercely independent, spending every waking hour working or studying, paying all her own bills, and putting her hopes on a scholarship to the University of Tokyo. "Work, study, work, food" is Iroha's schedule for summer break, and her estranged relationship with her family is complicated. Kaguya is her polar opposite, a hurricane of impulsive, irresponsible, vivacious energy who drains Iroha's bank account without a thought and finds childlike wonder in literally everything. 

By night, Iroha uses a contact lens-enabled VR gaming device to exist in the virtual world of Tsukuyomi, a creative realm run by AI livestreamer and idol Yachiyo Runami (Saori Hayami), whom Iroha worships. And it's in this wondrous platform that Kaguya finds her personal drive: to enlist Iroha's unsung musical talents to become a top streamer and idol — a quest for virality that starts, naturally, with googling "how to become a streamer." Sadly, like the folktale, their time together is on the clock.

Cosmic Princess Kaguya! actually gets online gaming, streaming, and fandom

Credit: Netflix

Within Tsukuyomi, Cosmic Princess Kaguya! builds a sparkling testament to gaming mechanics, idol fandom, and the creator economy. The platform's innovative avatar customisation menus and skins mean wondrous animated costumes, hair, and makeup design, and players can tailor their in-game transports (why wouldn't you and your friends all have matching tiger motorbikes online?).

The actual world-building of Tsukuyomi is fascinating to take in, all through cinematographer Daisuke Chiba's dazzling shots. Creativity and popularity are the ultimate currencies in a world where "everyone's a performer." Players can earn both real-world money and in-game currency as creators by building their supporters, who buy tickets to tune in to livestreams of concerts held at Tsukuyomi venues. Notifications pop up in front of players to remind them of events, and virtual market stalls sell merch and food items, though taste and smell technology is still in development. And notably, there's an entry-level tier that allows gamers to simply enjoy being unstressed and surrounded by abundance in the virtual world — "Even a broke girl like me can have all the fun she wants in here," Iroha tells Kaguya.

But there's also a major gaming element here, with performers gaining fame through streamed multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games with other players. There are even in-game news broadcasters and esports commentators. Events encourage players to earn supporters, with the Yachiyo Cup proving a core narrative propeller for the film — every streamer in Tsukuyomi competes to earn the most new fans in a month. The prize? A live collab concert with Yachiyo herself.

Here, Kaguya and Iroha come face to face with their competition: a trio of gamers called Black Onyx, led by popular streamer Mikado (Miyu Irino), with an army of supporters known as "Bunnies." And it's through this rivalry that we're gifted one of the film's very best sequences: a second-act showdown in a MOBA game that boasts some incredible combat choreography and quickfire editing by Ryōta Kinami. And it's not the only jaw-dropping sequence.

Cosmic Princess Kaguya! is a feat of simply dazzling animation

Credit: Netflix

Cosmic Princess Kaguya! is the kind of animated adventure that leans into the genre's possibilities, seeing physical space as something to be optimised and disrupted. Though the film's animation is at its best within the neon and pastel virtual world of Tsukuyomi — where production effects aren't constrained by physics — Yamashita also spends time offering up the beauty of the real world, as Kaguya and Iroha find spending time together IRL can be just as magical as their virtual adventures.

Yamashita also plays with animated genres throughout the film, dancing between various forms to fill backstory, from adorable 8-bit gaming sequences to a style akin to traditional Japanese scroll painting. And thanks to musical sequence director Naoya Nakayama, the Vocaloid songs shimmer through the screen. It's this fluidity of stunning visual storytelling, high-energy editing, and a sense of limitless imaginative potential that makes Cosmic Princess Kaguya! such a vivid environment to experience. But at its core, our protagonists exude humanity, authenticity, and pure connection, two stars in a love story that transcends reality. 

Though the tale may be classical, Cosmic Princess Kaguya! feels wildly contemporary, offering a brilliant modern take with an understanding of digital culture, fandom, and connection — online or off, Earthly or lunar.

Cosmic Princess Kaguya! is streaming on Netflix Jan. 22.

TL;DR: Live stream Los Angeles Lakers vs. LA Clippers in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This week's NBA action has an exciting twist. It's Rivals Week, a concept introduced in recent years to highlight long-running and emerging rivalries within the NBA.

Among those rivalries is the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers, a long-standing clash known as the "Battle of LA". Historically, the Lakers have the advantage and have won seven of their last 10 games. The Lakers have a better record so far this season but the Clippers may have the momentum with a six-game winning streak.

If you want to watch Lakers vs. Clippers in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Lakers vs. Clippers?

Lakers vs. Clippers in the NBA starts at 10 p.m. ET on Jan. 22. This game takes place at Inuit Dome in Inglewood, CA.

How to watch Lakers vs. Clippers for free

Lakers vs. Clippers in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S. and UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S. or UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S. or UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA serves up another exciting game as the Warriors visit the Mavericks. Neither franchise is setting the world on fire this season, with both teams in middling positions in the Western Conference. But they've both shown good form in recent weeks, so it feels like either team could clinch it on the night.

The game is also featured as part of Rivals Week, which showcases long-standing and new rivalries within the NBA conferences. Indeed, this rivalry goes back to the 2022 Western Conference Finals, won by Golden State, not to mention the fact that Klay Thompson switched from Golden State to Dallas in 2024.

If you want to watch Warriors vs. Mavericks in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Warriors vs. Mavericks?

Warriors vs. Mavericks in the NBA starts at 7.30 p.m. ET on Jan. 22. This game takes place at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX.

How to watch Warriors vs. Mavericks for free

Warriors vs. Mavericks in the NBA is available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

This free live stream is geo-restricted to the U.S. and UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S. or UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S. or UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

22. The Big Fake

Forging great artworks is not an easy criminal task — you have to make the viewer believe they're looking at the work of ancient masters like Monet, Michelangelo, or Magritte. It’s the key talent of Toni Chichiarelli (Pietro Castellitto) of Netflix’s The Big Fake, a glitzy drama from Italian director Stefano Lodovichi (The Guest Room). Set in '70s Rome, the film sees Toni drawn into a glamorous underworld of wheeling and dealing in fakes, which gets more tumultuous and dangerous with each masterpiece. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Pietro Castellitto, Giulia Michelini, Andrea Arcangeli, Pierluigi Gigante, Aurora Giovinazzo, Edoardo Pesce, and Claudio Santamaria

How to watch: The Big Fake debuts on Netflix on Jan. 23.

21. Drops of God, Season 2

Consider yourself a bit of a sommelier? Could you blind taste a glass in front of you? Well, Apple TV's French-Japanese drama Drops of God takes the world of wine extremely seriously. Based on the Japanese manga series of the same name, Drops of God Season 1 followed the death of wealthy wine boss Alexandre Léger (Stanley Weber), who pitted his traumatised daughter Camille (Fleur Geffrier) and dedicated student Issei (Tomohisa Yamashita) against each other in a super somm-off — all to inherit his covetable private wine cellar. This season, there are even more quaffable questions about Léger they'll try to resist answering — but these two can't help themselves when it comes to identifying wine. — S.C.

Starring: Tomohisa Yamashita, Fleur Geffrier, and Tom Wozniczka

How to watch: Drops of God Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV, with new episodes Wednesdays.

20. Free Bert

Stand-up comedian Bert Kreischer get his own sitcom with Free Bert. Known as a shirtless party animal, Bert finds himself in complicated terrain as his daughters get accepted into an elite private school. Sure, all parents embarrass their kids. But being known as the comedian who doesn't wear his shirt? Next-level cringe.

With family fun and plenty of f-bombs, Free Bert is a show of class conflict and ballsy comedy. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Bert Kreischer, Arden Myrin, Chris Witaske, and Mandell Maughan

How to watch: Free Bert is now streaming on Netflix.

19. Skyscraper Live

Alex Honnold is about to do something wild, dangerous, and frankly, flummoxing.

The daring Free Solo pro climber gained fame for becoming the first person to climb Yosemite's El Capitan without safety ropes. Now, he is set to do it again — only this time he's picked Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world at 101 stories high. And he's going to do it live on Netflix, in real time.

Honnold's rope-free skyscraper climb will come with live commentary from sports anchor Elle Duncan, with special guests dropping by throughout. Honnold has checked in on Instagram, posting that he was "getting over my jet lag and feeling pretty good. Getting psyched!" — S.C.

Starring: Alex Honnold, Elle Duncan, Emily Harrington, Mark Rober, Seth Rollins, and Pete Woods

How to watch: Skyscraper Live streams live on Netflix Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. ET.

18. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

I have no love for these latest relaunched Ghostbuster movies. They retconned the best bits of the previous franchise to turn Egon into a deadbeat dad whose death left behind a sullen daughter (Carrie Coon) and precocious grandkids (Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard), who must bust ghosts despite their generational trauma.

I called Ghostbusters: Afterlife a "soulless ode to nepotism." Yet I admit this frosty sequel isn't so bad. In my review, I wrote, "This makes for a new chapter that is overcrowded with characters, CGI ghouls, and science yelling. While at points, there's jokes that actually land (thanks to the likes of Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt), overall, this sequel is a confounding mix of fan service and inexplicable choices meant to cater to a broad audience." — K.P.

Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Kumail Nanjiani, and Patton Oswalt

How to watch: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now on Hulu.

17. Finding Her Edge

Attempting to ride the coattails of HBO's wildly popular sports romance Heated Rivalry, Netflix's latest romance is also set on the ice. Adapted from Jennifer Iacopelli's YA novel and very loosely inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion, Finding Her Edge follows figure skater Adriana Russo (Madelyn Keys), whose quest for corporate sponsorship sees her in a pretend relationship with her skating partner, Brayden (Cale Ambrozic). But what of her former skating partner, Freddie O’Connell (Olly Atkins), who also happens to be Adriana's first love?

Reader, you might be thinking, didn't Netflix already have an ice skating YA series? You'd be correct; Netflix cancelled ice skating drama Spinning Out, starring Kaya Scodelario, after just one season in 2022. Hmmm. — S.C.

Starring: Madelyn Keys, Cale Ambrozic, Harmon Walsh, Alexandra Beaton, and Olly Atkins

How to watch: Finding Her Edge is now streaming on Netflix.

16. Handsome Devil: Charming Killer

If you're craving a new true crime watch, this three-part documentary series could scratch that itch — or leave you irritated.

Handsome Devil: Charming Killer dives into the homicidal rampage of Wade Wilson, who, because he shares his name with a certain MCU anti-hero, has been dubbed the "Deadpool Killer." The facts of the case are harrowing, involving a string of assaults, two of which turned into cold-blooded murder. Yet when Wilson's case made headlines, lots of people flocked to social media to swoon over this "handsome devil."

This mini-series attempts to explore the charm (and manipulation) that lured men and women to pursue him romantically while he was behind bars, even as he was on trial for multiple homicides. Alongside lawyers and journalists, the filmmakers also interview a couple of Wilson's exes — including a former fiancee that began their relationship after his arrest. Yet they fall short of answering some nagging questions. The show's makers seem most interested in the shocking details of the crimes and the troubling fans who rose around him than they do the deeper impacts of the case and the online harassment Wilson's survivor faced.

While this one is shocking, it's more infuriating than informative. I'd keep scrolling for a much better true crime doc below. —K.P.

How to watch: Handsome Devil: Charming Killer is now on Paramount+.

15. Queer Eye, Season 10

There's been a lot of talk recently about Queer Eye behind the scenes, from alleged feuds to one cast member retreating from promo citing fears of "being bullied." It's been a long road of exposés and of responses. So, after 10 seasons of uplifting makeovers, a whole town revamp, and groundbreaking onscreen representation, it's a strange vibe knowing Queer Eye is dropping its final episodes amid it all. Set in Washington, D.C., the final season will see Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, and Jeremiah Brent meeting, making over, and inspiring folks from the capital while reflecting on the show's legacy. It's a weird time to bid farewell to one of the most feel-good shows on TV knowing what we know and/or suspect about how the cast really feels about each other. — S.C.

Starring: Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, and Jeremiah Brent

How to watch: Queer Eye Season 10 is now streaming on Netflix.

14. WWE: Unreal, Season 2

Digging its anchor further into the world of WWE, Netflix takes you behind the scenes of the complex production puzzle that is wrestling with docuseries Unreal — and there's a brand-new season. This time around, director Chris Weaver and showrunner Erik Powers give you a seat in Gorilla Position, tracking the road to SummerSlam 2025 at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, through writing, choreography, technical production, backstage drama, and more. Expect appearances by Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Naomi, and many more. — S.C.

Starring: Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, Pat McAfee, Jelly Roll, R-Truth, Iyo Sky, Naomi, Chelsea Green, Penta, and Lyra Valkyria.

How to watch: WWE: Unreal Season 2 is now on Netflix.

13. Venom: Let There Be Carnage

This 2021 superhero movie dared to ask what's better than one extraterrestrial symbiote running amok on Earth? The answer? Two extraterrestrial symbiotes running amok on Earth.

This Spider-Man spinoff sequel stars Tom Hardy as ever-in-trouble Eddie Brock and his symbiote frenemy Venom. This chaotic duo finds their world rocked when an interview with serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson, dusting off that Natural Born Killers energy) gets infected, transforming him into the monstrous Carnage.

In her review for Mashable, Alison Foreman wrote upon the film's release, "Despite the chaos, Let There Be Carnage is supremely watchable. You’ll follow the main narrative with ease, find respite in the moments Michelle Williams’ Anne is forced to take control of her ex-boyfriend(s), and otherwise have an amazingly weird time. It’s breezy, yet bold; silly, yet compelling; a flurry of fuckery you won't want to miss. If you liked the first Venom, you'll enjoy his second outing just as much. After all, 'we are Venom' and three years later, that’s still rad as hell." — K.P.

Starring: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Reid Scott, Stephen Graham, and Woody Harrelson

How to watch: Venom: Let There Be Carnage is now on Disney+.

12. Star Search

No need to check your calendar. Star Search, the reality TV competition series before we even called it that, is back. Anthony Anderson steps into Ed McMahon's shows, taking the role of host of this talent competition, while Jelly Roll, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Chrissy Teigen will serve as judges for a flood of aspiring singers, dancers, comedians, magicians, and surprising performers.

The original series ran from 1983 to 1995, and featured appearances from the likes of Aaliyah, Adam Sandler, Alanis Morissette, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Dave Chappelle, Beyoncé, and Pitbull. So, watching this Netflix relaunch means you could be watching the a new star be born — live! — K.P.

How to watch: Star Search debuted on Netflix January 20, with new episodes airing live on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

11. Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!

Mel Brooks is a living legend of comedy. Since his outrageously funny directorial debut, 1967's The Producers, Brooks has been making audiences cackle with a long list of sensational spoofs like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Spaceballs (to name a few). But how much do you know about the man behind the masterclass of silliness?

In this two-part documentary, Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio look back on Brooks' incredible career and life with the man himself, his collaborators, and a slew of comedians who see him as an inspiration. — K.P.

Starring: Mel Brooks, Ben Stiller, Bill Pullman, Dave Chappelle, Conan O'Brien, and many more

How to watch: Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! is now streaming on HBO Max.

10. Um, Actually, Season 11

Do you love trivia? Or being pedantic? Well, then Dropout's Um, Actually is the show for you! Each week, host Ify Nwadiwe challenges three players to find the error in long-winded facts about everything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Doctor Who to Lord of the Rings and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. And unlike at a party, where such attention to detail can be downright grating, here, it's pretty hilarious.

But hey, remember. It's not enough to be right. You got to start your answer with "Um, actually." After all, this is basically Jeopardy! for funny nerds, like Dimension 20's Brennan Lee Mulligan and Critical Role's Matt Mercer. But that's not all. Take a look at the guest list for Season 11, and feel free to geek out in anticipation. — K.P.

Starring: Ify Nwadiwe, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Matt Mercer, Erika Ishii, Jordan Myrick, Angela Giarratana, Zac Oyama, Jarvis Johnson, Ally Beardsley, and Oscar Montoya

How to watch: Um, Actually Season 11's premiere is now streaming on Dropout.

9. The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

SpongeBob SquarePants is the gift that keeps on giving. Created by the late Stephen Hillenburg, the Nickelodeon cartoon series that debuted in 1999 has offered over 300 episodes, spin-off shows like Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show, plus a growing list of movies. And it just doesn't get old to see this gleeful fry cook giggle.

In The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, the titular hero is on a quest to become a swashbuckler, like his mentor/boss Mr. Krabs. The ghost pirate known as The Flying Dutchman promises he can get SpongeBob to his goal. But curiously, it's not the goofy goober's bravery or swordsmanship that attracts the attention of this nefarious figure, it's his outstanding bubble-blowing abilities.

This adventure is supremely silly, action-packed, and ultimately sweet. If you're looking for a movie to shut your brain off and just enjoy, you'd be hard-pressed to make a better choice than this. — K.P.

Starring: Tom Kenny, Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Clancy Brown, Ice Spice, Arturo Castro, Mark Hamill, Regina Hall, and Rodger Bumpass

How to watch: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

8. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere

The Bear star Jeremy Allen White unleashes his inner Bruce Springsteen in this musical biopic from writer/director Scott Cooper. Instead of focusing on the Boss' career as a whole, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere zeroes in on the making of Springsteen's sixth studio album, Nebraska, which he recorded sparsely on a four-track in his bedroom. The film parallels the production with Springsteen's struggles with depression, crafting a solemn portrait of the musician.

While White turns in an admirable performance as Springsteen, the rest of the film pales in comparison, hitting standard biopic beats like troubled childhoods and the flashes of genius that lead to a great song. As I wrote in my review, "While the film's music remains classic as ever, and while White does an admirable job channeling Springsteen, Deliver Me From Nowhere fails to deliver anything revelatory about the actual emotions behind the music."* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Graham, Odessa Young, Gaby Hoffmann, Marc Maron, and David Krumholtz

How to watch: Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere comes to Hulu on Jan. 23.

7. Smosh Hospital

YouTube comedy collective Smosh skewers your favorite hospital dramas in this ridiculously fun, partially improvised live show, now available on VOD.

In the vein of The Pitt, ER, and Grey's Anatomy, Smosh Hospital follows the personal and professional lives of the nurses and doctors working at Loving Embrace Memorial. There's just one catch: Each character is played by two actors, and every time one of them breaks, the other takes their place. The result is a madcap improv carousel where everyone tries to make their scene partners laugh.

You'll get more mileage if you're already a Smosh fan, especially when it comes to the show's many inside jokes, but if you've got 90 minutes to spare and need a break from the tension headaches caused by The Pitt, this is a worthy cure. — B.E.

Starring: Angela Giarratana, Courtney Miller, Shayne Topp, Arasha, Tommy Bowe, Trevor Evarts, Olivia Sui, Amanda Lehan-Canto, Anthony Padilla, Chanse McCrary, Damien Haas, Keith Leak, Noah Grossman, and Spencer Agnew

How to watch: Smosh Hospital is available for purchase on VOD until Feb. 1.

6. Mother of Flies

Do you know the Adams family? We're not talking the fictional spooky, ooky ones. We're talking the real-life filmmaking family behind such trippy indie horror movies as The Deeper You Dig, Hellbender, and Hell Hole.

Their latest, Mother of Flies, is written, directed by, and starring mother Toby Poser, father John Adams, and their youngest daughter, Zelda Adams. This witchy story follows a young woman with a terminal cancer diagnosis. Having convinced her father to drive her deep into the woods to meet a self-proclaimed witch (Poser), the pair set out on a strange adventure of faith and fear. Creepy and trippy, Mother of Flies is sure to make your skin crawl. — K.P.

Starring: Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, Lulu Adams, and John Adams

How to watch: Mother of Flies debuts on Shudder on Jan. 23.

5. The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins

From the creators of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and 30 Rock comes a mockumentary sitcom that teams up Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe.

Blending a barrage of pop culture references with daffy humor from comedy masters, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins centers on the eponymous former NFL star (Morgan), who was publicly disgraced over a gambling scandal decades ago. Looking to reboot his image, he invites a high-strung documentarian (Radcliffe) into his home, where he's coddled by his young girlfriend, his spoiled son, his dopey bestie, and his manager/ex-wife. But can they all agree on a vision for how this has-been should be seen?

If you like Robert Carlock and Sam Means' previous shows, you'll like relish their latest as well. Frankly, the chaotic possibilities of Morgan and Radcliffe alone have us hooked. — K.P.

Starring: Tracy Morgan, Erika Alexander, Precious Way, Jalyn Hall, Bobby Moynihan, and Daniel Radcliffe

How to watch: The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins' premiere is now streaming on Peacock, with new episodes on Sundays.

4. Merrily We Roll Along

In 2023, the hottest ticket on Broadway was Merrily We Roll Along. Sure, the Stephen Sondheim show flopped when first launched in 1981. But this revival offered Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez, three dynamic and massively talented performers who each got a Tony Award nomination for their work here. (Groff and Radcliffe won, and so did the show for Best Revival of a Musical).

But don't fret if you couldn't get into this heralded live event, because their incredible performances were recorded for posterity — and home viewing.

Directed by Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along is the story a friendship between three aspiring dreamers — told in reverse. The show begins with movie producer Franklin Shepard (Groff) hosting a wild party in his lavish home, where his best friend, Mary Flynn (Mendez), is throwing back booze and throwing out barbs, while his former collaborator, Charley Kringas (Radcliffe), is nowhere to be seen. From there, the show works back to through their highs and lows, to their idealistic youth. It's a stunner of a production, in no small part because of the charismatic trio's verve in tackling such tough material. But be warned, this could kick you into a mid-life crisis — whatever your age. — K.P.

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez

How to watch: Merrily We Roll Along is now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

3. Cosmic Princess Kaguya!

Cosmic Princess Kaguya! hits Netflix this week, promising a dazzling trip through the virtual realm of Tsukuyomi, all set to music composed with Yamaha's unique singing synthesizer software known as Vocaloid. The feature debut of Shingo Yamashita (Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen) the anime film is inspired by Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, with songs by Vocaloid producers like HoneyWorks, kz (livetune), ryo (supercell), Aqu3ra, yuigot, and 40mP.

Moon-born Kaguya (voiced by Yuko Natsuyoshi) befriends Earthling, songwriter, and honour student Iroha (Anna Nagase). Not wanting to return to her lunar home, Kaguya instead wants to become Tsukuyomi's top idol, with Iroha's help. But they'll first need to meet "the diva of Tsukuyomi," Yachiyo (Saori Hayami), and suss out the competition.

"Shingo Yamashita's Cosmic Princess Kaguya! presents a virtual world so dazzling and well-run you'll wish it actually existed," I wrote in my review. "A modern fairy tale rooted in gaming and streaming culture, Cosmic Princess Kaguya! not only offers a sweet story of love, independence, connection, and finding your voice, but also imagines a simply beautiful online space devoid of the internet's worst elements." — S.C.

Starring: Yuko Natsuyoshi, Anna Nagase, and Saori Hayami

How to watch: Cosmic Princess Kaguya! is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart

Elizabeth Smart's survival story is horrific; however, this documentary is hopeful. Among interviews with police officers, witnesses, and the Smart family, Elizabeth herself speaks of her experience with an incredible clarity and a sharp wit that will inspire and may even have you cackling at the expense of her criminal captor.

In 2002, Smart's story made national headlines, first when the 14-year-old was abducted from her family home in the middle of a summer night. Nine months later, the nation was in awe when she was found alive.

The first half of Benedict Sanderson's documentary recounts the details you might remember from the coverage at the time, about the crime, the suspects, and the flummoxed cops. In the second half, Smart reveals what she endured in captivity, but also what she's learned about survival, letting go of shame, and moving on. A thoughtful mix of darkness and light, Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart is a true crime doc well worth your time. — K.P.

Starring: Elizabeth Smart

How to watch: Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart is now streaming on Netflix.

Best of Streaming this week:
The Beauty

Ryan Murphy's latest series, The Beauty, opens with a bang, as Bella Hadid spontaneously combusts after going on a Paris catwalk killing spree. (I dare you not to get hooked after that.)

Hadid's character Ruby is one of many supermodels infected with the Beauty, a sexually transmitted disease that turns its hosts into the most beautiful versions of themselves. Side effects include blowing up, which is why FBI agents Madsen and Bennett (Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall) are on the case. In their search, they'll cross paths with the wealthy Corporation (Ashton Kutcher), who plans to sell the Beauty to the masses — and kill anyone who stands in his way.

What follows is a heady cocktail of body horror and corporate conspiracies, punctuated by the occasional on-the-nose commentary on beauty standards. (Of course, the show is adhering to the same standards it critiques, creating a feedback loop of aggravation that never lets up throughout the show.) In the end, though, The Beauty is at its best when it's unhinged, and it's unhinged often. As I wrote in my review, "The Beauty is Ryan Murphy at his Ryan Murphy-est, which is to say that it's maximalist, deranged chaos." — B.E.

Starring: Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope, Ashton Kutcher, Rebecca Hall, Amelia Gray Hamlin, Ari Graynor, Bella Hadid, Ben Platt, Billy Eichner, Isabella Rossellini, Jessica Alexander, Julie Halston, Lux Pascal, Meghan Trainor, Nicola Peltz Beckham, Peter Gallagher, and Vincent D’Onofrio

How to watch: The first three episodes of The Beauty are now streaming on Hulu.

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

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Winter Olympics for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This is shaping up to be an absolutely huge year for sport. Sure, the World Cup is probably the biggest event on the calendar. But there are so many other massive moments to get excited about. And there's really no need to wait, because the action starts early in 2026.

The 2026 Winter Olympics is kicking things off in February with a host of top events including alpine skiing, ice hockey, bobsleigh, snowboarding, and so much more. You can stay warm and dry whilst the best of the best compete for medals in the cold. And better yet, you can follow all the action from Lombardy without spending anything.

If you want to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Winter Olympics?

The Winter Olympics is a major international event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. Eight sports and 15 disciplines will feature on the programme for the 2026 Winter Olympics: Biathlon, Bobsleigh (Skeleton, Bobsleigh), Curling, Ice Hockey, Luge, Skating (Figure Skating, Speed Skating, Short Track Speed Skating), Ski Mountaineering, and Skiing (Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle Skiing, Snowboard).

Norway leads the all-time medal record for the Winter Olympics.

When is the 2026 Winter Olympics?

The 2026 Winter Olympics is the 25th edition of the famous event. This year's event will take place on Feb. 6-22 at sites across Lombardy and Northeast Italy.

How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics for free

The 2026 Winter Olympics is available to live stream for free on a number of services:

• Australia — 9Now

• Austria — ORF

• Canada — CBC Gem

• France — France TV

• Germany — ARD

• Ireland — RTÉ Player

• Italy — RAI

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer