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300+ Amazon Prime Day deals still live: Roomba, Apple, Dyson, and other top brands

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UPDATE: Oct. 10, 2024, 12:20 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with current deals now that Prime Big Deal Days ended. We’ve also added in the deals our readers loved the most.

Prime Big Deal Days has come to an end. Live through Wednesday, Oct. 9, Amazon’s members-only “October Prime Day” sale presented shoppers with an opportunity to get an extra-early start on their holiday shopping before the chaos of Black Friday. October Prime Day acts as a sort of unofficial start to Black Friday season, so we’ll likely see Black Friday-esque deals creeping up soon.

LIVE BLOG: Get the latest news on October Prime Day 2024

The retail giant was offering “millions of deals” over the course of the 48-hour sale, according to a press release, with new doorbusters arriving “as often as every five minutes” during certain portions of the sale — some totally worth it, some not. The Mashable Shopping team has almost 10 years of experience covering Prime events and knows how to comb through the noise, and kept track of the very best October Prime Day deals throughout the event.

Now that Prime Big Deal Days is over, the challenge is finding the best deals still live. Fortunately, savvy shoppers can still secure a saving.

Note: Any deals with a strikeout were either sold out or expired at the time of writing.

Why people like it

Out of everything available during Prime Big Deal Days, the item our readers purchased the most was the Apple AirPods Pro 2. And we get it, we love AirPods too. The Pros offer excellent noise cancellation and easy connectivity with iOS devices. In the thick of the event, the AirPods Pro 2 dropped to their lowest price ever. While they’ve ticked back up to $189.99, this is still $10 less than the usual price that hovers around $199. If you’re kicking yourself for missing their low price, now is the time to buy.

Other deals popular with Mashable readers

Best Apple deal

Why we like it

Read Mashable’s full review of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M2).

“The 13-inch MacBook Air from mid-2022 is a Mashable Choice Award winner that combines “[rock]-solid battery life” with “a keyboard that’s to die for, and enough horsepower to handle everyday tasks with ease,” wrote tech and games reporter Alex Perry. It’s our current favorite ‘budget’ MacBook, and it’s now cheaper than ever before.

You can snag the base configuration with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $749, or $250 off its $999 MSRP. If it sells out on Amazon, check Best Buy: It was matching the deal at the time of writing.” — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter

AirPods

AirTags and accessories

Apple Watches

iPads

MacBooks

Best Amazon deal

Why we like it

Amazon Music Unlimited provides unrestricted access to millions of songs and thousands of playlists, all without any adverts. Users can stream and download their favorite tracks with unlimited skips and explore a vast selection of podcasts. And Amazon Music Unlimited now offers an exceptional audio experience thanks to HD and spatial audio options.

That’s a lot of benefits to get for absolutely nothing, but this deal really doesn’t come with a catch.

More Amazon device deals

Almost all Amazon devices have returned to their original list pricing, but here’s a glance at what was on sale during Prime Big Deal Days.

Echo smart speakers

Echo smart displays

Kindles

Fire tablets

Eero WiFi devices

Amazon service deals

Best laptop deal

For deals on MacBooks, scroll back up to the “Apple deals” section. For deals on gaming laptops, scroll down to the “Gaming deals” section.

Best Windows laptop deal

Why we like it

Read Mashable’s full review of the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024).

“A Mashable Choice Award winner, this unique laptop is ‘a dual-display beauty that can support all of your app-juggling needs,’ wrote Mashable Tech Editor Kim Gedeon. She gave it an excellent 4.8/5 rating, commending its stunning twin OLED screens, ‘decent battery life,’ and solid overall value. (It has a built-in kickstand, and it ships with a free detachable keyboard and stylus.)

The base configuration with an M2-rivaling Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU is now on sale for $1,264.99, which is a $10 drop from its Prime Day price and a new record low.” — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter

More laptop deals

Windows laptops

Chromebooks

Best headphones deal

For deals on AirPods, scroll back up to the “Apple deals” section.

Why we like it

Audiophiles will absolutely love these headphones. Major IV headphones deliver that signature Marshall sound that dedicated followers love. Custom-tuned dynamic drivers deliver roaring bass, smooth mids, and brilliant treble for a rich sound that competing headphones can only dream of providing. Users also get over 80 hours of wireless playtime with quick-charge capability, so they are efficient with that quality sound, as well.

More headphones deals

Headphones

Earbuds

Best Bluetooth speaker deal

Why we like it

“Maybe your Bluetooth speaker kicked the dust this summer after one too many pool parties. If you find yourself in the market for a new one, Prime Day is an especially great time to hit add to cart.

If you need a speaker for a party, the JBL PartyBox is just that. Despite its large size, the shoulder strap makes it easy to carry. Plus, six hours of battery life keeps it running all night long. Built-in lights and a microphone really keep things turning up all night long.

This Prime Day, you can find the JBL PartyBox down to $299.95, saving $50 for 14% off.” — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More Bluetooth speaker deals

Soundbar deals

Best TV deal

Why we like it

“Who says you need to spend a grand to get a nice (and decently sized) 4K TV? With the 35% discount that Amazon slapped on the 55-inch version of its most affordable Fire TV, Prime members could actually get one for two different rooms for way less than $1,000.

As Amazon’s most basic in-house Fire TV, the 4-Series would be best suited for people who aren’t super picky about saturation or brightness levels as long as it’s a step up from their old LED TV — and this definitely will be. With the intuitive Fire TV platform built-in, the 4-Series can access all of your favorite streaming apps, which you can arrange in whatever layout makes sense to you.” — Leah Stodart, Senior Shopping Reporter

More TV deals

50- to 55-inch TVs

65-inch TVs

75-inch TVs and up

Best streaming deal

Why we like it

Is the Amazon Fire Stick 4K the best streamer we’ve ever tested? No, Roku takes the cake there. However, it still works perfectly fine, and not to mention, it’s hard to turn away from its delightful $30 price tag on Prime Day. Having tested the Amazon Fire Stick TV, set-up is easy, as simple as plugging it into an HDMI port in the back of your TV.

While the home screen is a little clunky and slow, full of ads and promotions for Prime Video content, it is a dream for those who primarily stream on the site. The Amazon Fire Stick 4K is down to $24.99, saving you $25 and 50% off.

More streaming deals

Best gaming deal

“The Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini is a high-end gaming keyboard that’s going for under $100 on Prime Big Deal Days (usually $199.99). The low-profile keyboard features wireless support, a lengthy battery life, and some of the best RGB customization in the business. If you’re serious about PC gaming but don’t have a lot of desk space, this gaming keyboard is the way to go, and it’s an absolute steal at the moment.” — Dylan Haas, Lead Shopping Reporter

More gaming deals

Gaming consoles

Gaming laptops

Gaming headsets

Gaming keyboards and keypads

Gaming mice

Gaming monitors

Best board game deal

Why we like it

“Catan is a classic strategy game that’s perfect for families and game nights. And, at almost 50% off — down to just $32.99 — it’s a steal. (You can get the five-to-six-player extension for $27.21). In this game, you’ll need to collect resources, settle the land, and trade with other players to build the biggest settlements. If you like any of the digital empire-building games, Catan is a great tabletop version that requires tight strategy, some luck, and a good dose of diplomacy to win.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More board game deals

Best drone deal

Why we like it

“If you’re really into drones, the name Holy Stone should be on your radar. This brand is known for making high-end drones that are feature-packed and, at times, super affordable.

The HS175D RC Quadcopter is currently $169.999 at Amazon, which is [$100 off its true MSRP on the Holy Stone website. (Amazon’s list price is deflated.)] It’s a solid mid-range drone option that shoots 4K videos, has a 46-minute flight time, and a special flight mode where you can direct its movement — whether you want it to follow you or fly along a specific path.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More drone deals

Best robot vacuum deal

Why we like it

“Ecovacs wasn’t lying when it came up with the term ‘all-in-one cleaning hub’ here, considering that this robot vacuum not only empties itself and washes and dries its own mopping pads, but also has another sweet feature tacked onto the dock: a handheld cordless vacuum. If your main hesitation with robot vacuums was that they can’t scale a staircase, sweep under couch cushions, or detail corners up to your standards, this is the one robot vacuum purchase that can — now for well under $1,000.” — Leah Stodart, Senior Shopping Reporter

More robot vacuum deals

Robot vacuums that don’t mop

Robot vacuums that do mop

More vacuum deals

More home deals

Best Dyson vacuum deal

Why we like it

“The Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum (silver/nickel) is lightweight and powerful and can handle most daily cleaning tasks. It has a detachable wand for cleaning stairs, upholstery, and hard-to-reach areas, and it converts to a handheld vac for quick cleanups. It comes with four accessories, including a hair screw tool for pet hair.

With a runtime of up to 40 minutes on a single charge, this little vac is ideal for small apartments and quick cleanups.

You can get it at Amazon for just $299.99 in a Big Prime Deal (originally $469.99). It’s out of stock at Dyson.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More Dyson vacuum deals

More Dyson deals

Best fitness tracker deal

For deals on Apple Watches, scroll back up to the “Apple deals” section.

Why we like it

“Ideal for smaller wrists, the Garmin Venu 3S is about .2 inches smaller in diameter and .3 oz lighter than the standard Venu 3. It still offers the same advanced features, like a built-in speaker and microphone to take calls, the ability to store music, and an abundance of health and fitness tools and insights. The only real difference besides the size is that the 3S has a slightly shorter battery life (about 10 days in smartwatch mode versus the 3’s 14 days), but it still blows the Apple Watch battery out of the water. It’s usually $449.99, but you can save $55 during the October Prime event and get it for only $395. That’s a new all-time low.” — Christina Buff, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More fitness tracker deals

Garmin deals

Google Pixel and Fitbit deals

Samsung Galaxy Watch deals

Smart ring deals

Best kitchen deal

Why we picked this

A great espresso machine can make a world of difference when it comes to actually enjoying your morning. Breville is known for their pricier machines, which makes this deal on the Barista Touch a nice Prime Day surprise — and it’s at its lowest price ever at Amazon. With a single touch, brew up your coffee house order right on your own countertop. Choose between Americano, flat white, cappuccino, latte, and more with this super convenient machine that includes a built-in conical burr grinder.

More kitchen deals

Air fryers

Blenders

Coffee makers

Espresso machines

Multicookers

Stand mixers

Mashable Deals

Miscellaneous kitchen deals

Best Beauty deal

Why we like it

Mashable’s Bethany Allard has spent a lot of time with the Dyson Supersonic, assessing its performance and value. While Allard commends the hair dryer for its lightweight design, quick drying, and user-friendliness, its downfall comes with its $429.99 price tag.

During Prime Big Deal Days, the Dyson Supersonic was listed for $329.99, $100 off the usual price. Included with the hair dryer are several magnetic attachments including a diffuser, styling concentrator, flyaway attachment, gentle air attachment, and a wide tooth comb attachment. Unfortunately, this deal is no longer available at Amazon or alternative retailers, but Walmart has refurbished models for $239.99.

More beauty deals

Skincare

Lip care

Body care

Hair care

Make-up

Best book deal

Why we like it

“Even if self-help isn’t your usual genre, James Clear’s Atomic Habits deserves a spot on your bookshelf. This is one of the best nonfiction titles to come out within the past few years, and it’s currently 65% off in hardcover [thanks to a coupon on its product page].

This book is all about teaching yourself to build good habits, break bad ones, and generally become more focused, productive, and successful in your daily life. And at just $9.33 for the hardcover, it’s a steal.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More book deals

Kindle book deals

Best home security deal

Why we like it

“If you only need a single security camera, the TP-Link Tapo MagCam is a reliable choice. While we haven’t had the chance to test it out, our friends at PCMag (owned by Mashable’s publisher, Ziff Davis) have done the honor and awarded it a 4.5 outstanding rating. ‘It’s an excellent value for a battery-powered camera that offers color night vision, built-in spotlights, local and cloud storage options, free intelligent alerts, voice control, and many other features,’ the review states, all of which earned the camera an Editors’ Choice award. The TP-Link Tapo MagCam security camera usually sells for $119.99, but during Prime Big Deal Days, the camera is down to an all-time low of $59.99, according to Amazon price history. Just be sure to select the on-page coupon before adding it to your cart.” — Christina Buff, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More home security deals

Video doorbell deals

Single security camera deals

Home security bundle deals

Best printer deal

Why we like it

The HP Envy 6055e wireless color inkjet printer can print quickly, going through five pages a minute in color, and eight and a half pages in black and white. It also comes with three months’ worth of ink through HP+. You just have to activate your subscription to get it — it’s pretty easy to do through the app. This compact printer is ideal for at-home printing or dorm room use.

More printer deals

3D printer deals

Best Samsung Galaxy deal

Why we like it

“Samsung’s Galaxy A35 is a ‘strong buy for the price,’ as our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) said in their review. The budget-friendly Galaxy phone was released as a more affordable alternative to the Galaxy S24. As a budget phone, it doesn’t offer the same speed and performance as the S24, but it also doesn’t cost over $1,000. It packs a gorgeous 6.6-inch display, Samsung’s Exynos 1380 processor, a 50 MP wide-angle camera with optical image stabilization, and a long-lasting 5,000mAh battery that supports fast charging. It’s not the most impressive phone on the market, but on sale for [under $300], it’s a pretty hard deal to beat.” — Christina Buff, Mashable Shopping Contributor

More Samsung Galaxy deals

Galaxy Buds deals

Galaxy phone deals

Galaxy Tab deals

Galaxy Watch deals

Best keyboard deals

Why we like it

“For under $90, you’re getting a hot-swappable keyboard with a 96% layout, a knob, a small display, and a Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, and USB-C connection. In other words, this Royal Kludge keyboard is a great affordable mechanical keyboard, whether you’re into gaming or just want something cute for your desk. There are also four different keycap colorways available, but the coupon amount may vary depending on which you choose.” — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter

More keyboard deals

Best deals under $50

Note: This section may have repeat deals from the above list.


Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones, 40H Playtime, Hi-Res Audio, Deep Bass, Memory Foam Ear Cups, for Travel, Home Office

Why we like it

“Noise-cancelling headphones can easily cost a couple hundred bucks, even on sale. When I tested noise-cancelling headphones to determine which were the best for travel, I found that the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones already offered a pretty good value, even at their full price of $59.99 (and frequently discounted price of $49.99).

At nearly $40 flat, these are a steal. I was able to wear them comfortably for long periods of time, and get plenty of battery life off a single charge. Their ANC can hiss a little, but it also does a pretty good job of blocking out atmospheric sounds, and for $40, you really can’t complain.” — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter

More deals under $50

Best deals under $25

Note: This section may have repeat deals from the above list.

Why we like it

“Have you ever heard the crash of a YETI Rambler as it connects with concrete as you drive down the street, blissfully unaware you left it on top of your car? I assure you, it’s very loud. So loud, in fact, I expected my water bottle to be too damaged to use — I know a HydroFlask wouldn’t have survived that fall. But when I circled back to collect my YETI from the middle of the road, the bottle had one small scratch, and one small dent, and two years later, is still perfectly usable. What I’m saying is, if you want a water bottle that’s built to last, a YETI Rambler is a pretty good bet.” — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter

More of the best deals under $25

Best deals under $10

Why we like it

If you’re looking to start building out a smart home, a cheap smart bulb is a good way to test out the waters. Though you can use it with Amazon Echo devices and other smart home hubs and speakers, you don’t need to have one to use this sub-$7 bulb. Just use the Alexa app on your phone, and you can use voice control to turn your lights on and off, change the color of your lighting, and more.

More deals under $10

Tech

Household essentials

Beauty


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Entertainment

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 1, 2026

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you’re a frequent flyer.

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

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

SEE ALSO:

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

What is Connections?

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

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.

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

SEE ALSO:

NYT Pips hints, answers for March 1, 2026

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:

Here are today’s Connections categories

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

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 #994 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

  • Little bite: CANAPÉ, FINGER FOOD, HORS D’OEUVRE, TAPA

  • Construction equipment: HARD HAT, LADDER, NAIL GUN, TOOL BELT

  • Vacation emoji: AIRPLANE, LUGGAGE, PALM TREE, SMILING FACE WITH SUNGLASSES

  • Things you don’t eat that end in foods: COPYPASTA, JOHANNESBURGER, KNUCKLE SANDWICH, LICORICE PIZZA

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

SEE ALSO:

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 28, 2026

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.


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NYT Strands hints, answers for March 1, 2026

Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re not on. your best behavior.

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

SEE ALSO:

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

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

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

SEE ALSO:

Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 1, 2026
SEE ALSO:

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 1, 2026

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Dressing down

The words are related to discipline.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ways to chastise.

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 The Riot Act.

NYT Strands word list for March 1

  • Braidup

  • The Riot Act

  • Scold

  • Castigate

  • Reprimand

  • Admonish

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.

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New Scream Movie Is Only For Diehard Fans

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published

In 1996, iconic director Wes Craven rejuvenated the slasher genre with Scream, a film that served as the perfect deconstruction of horror movies. Scream was ahead of its time in many ways, predicting modern phenomena like true crime obsession and paradoxical relationships. At the same time, it worked as a perfect scary movie, one that transformed the entire genre for the better.

However, Scream was delivering diminishing returns even before Wes Craven died, and the franchise later re-oriented itself around a new pair of leads with Scream (2022). Unfortunately, the studio lost both Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, which necessitated the return of original franchise icon Neve Campbell for Scream 7. The new movie is directed by original Scream scribe Kevin Williamson, and while it provides competent kills and fun moments for returning cast members, the sloppy plotting results in a film that only diehard fans will really enjoy.

Sydney’s Coming, And Hell Is Coming With Her

The basic premise of Scream 7 is that a new killer (or is it killers?) is gunning for Sydney Prescott, and they are claiming to be the original Scream villain, Stu Macher. Syd is skeptical and thinks Stu’s taunting video calls are just an AI fabrication, but the danger is all too real when her daughter and her daughter’s friends become targets for the attacker. Now, Sydney must team up with Gale Weathers and other returning allies, but even their combined strength may not be enough to defeat the one type of foe they have never fought before: one who refuses to follow any kind of rules.

The Stu Macher stuff is mostly an excuse to bring fan-favorite actor Matthew Lillard back into the fold, and his taunting video calls to Syd are easily one of the best parts of the film. Unfortunately, his presence is also evidence of the worst part of the film: namely, that Scream 7 is much more interested in wallowing in nostalgia than really building anything new. This is a franchise that once deconstructed the entire horror genre, and every movie was fair game. Now, the latest Scream is only interested in its own lore, and with nothing left to really deconstruct, all director Kevin Williamson can really do is play the hits of yesteryear.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

On paper, that happens through a loose reconstruction of the first film: Sydney now has a daughter of her own, one who is the exact age that Syd was when the Woodsboro murders went down. She’s got a slightly creepy boyfriend who likes to climb in her window for surprise snuggles and a group of hapless friends that soon become cannon fodder for a marauding masked killer. The police (including her dad, the chief) are helpless to stop the carnage, forcing these plucky teens to take matters into their own hands lest they get picked off one by one.

A remake (or requel, or whatever we’re calling all this crap now) of the first film works well on paper, but the essential problem of Scream 7 is that it can’t decide which characters to focus on. We start out with an uneasy balance of newer and older actors, but the film soon focuses almost exclusively on legacy characters like Sydney Prescott, Gale Weathers, and even Scream 5 and 6 veterans Chad and Mindy. While that leads to some great fan service for returning audiences, it creates one of the film’s biggest problems: we don’t really get to know almost any of these younger characters before Ghostface is picking them off.

Ghostface Is Back For More Blood Than Ever Before

Fortunately, the kills in this movie are some of the nastiest and most memorable in the entire franchise, and Ghostface is as viscerally scary as ever as he dispatches victims in increasingly grotesque ways. Accordingly, your enjoyment of Scream 7 will largely hinge on your primary motivation for watching slasher movies. If you’re here for killers looking cool (the kids call it aura farming) and pretty faces dying ugly deaths, this latest franchise entry delivers all that and a bloody bag of chips. If you prefer to get to know the virtual victims before they are transformed into raw meat, you’ll likely find Scream 7 to be the weakest movie in the entire series.

Speaking of weak, the reveal of the killer (or is it killers? Don’t worry, I’m keeping this spoiler-free) is particularly disappointing because the motivation for stalking Sydney comes out of nowhere. In the first movie, Stu Macher and particularly Billy Loomis had tangible reasons for stalking Syd, and discovering who the killers were felt a bit like solving the puzzle of a whodunnit. Like Scream 6 before it, Scream 7 tries too hard to surprise fans with the reveal, and this came at a cost: namely, the killer’s motivation makes no real sense, and it comes in the form of an exposition chunk so thick it threatens to choke the climax of the movie.

Killer Performances From Actors Old And New

Aside from the cool kills, Scream 7 does a few other things very well. The new additions to the cast are awesome: Community’s Joel McHale is weirdly perfect as Sydney’s top cop husband, and the character steals his handful of scenes with McHale’s trademark rogueish charisma. But I was even more pleasantly surprised by Isabel May, who convincingly gives Sydney Prescott’s daughter an aching vulnerability whose pain masks ice-cold reserves of hidden strength.

As you might imagine, the returning actors all do a great job, starting with Courtney Cox: her Gale Weathers is as fierce and funny as ever, and she has taken the characters played by returning actors Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown under her wing as journalistic interns. Those younger characters continue to provide humorous, Randy-like commentary on the violent proceedings around them. But the actor truly giving it her all is Neve Campbell, whose Sydney reluctantly saddles up for one last fight with the ghostly demons of her past.

When You Stare At The Past, It Stares Right Back

Ultimately, how much you like Scream 7 will depend on how much you enjoy the franchise as a whole. As for myself, I’m a superfan: I saw the original in theaters, I’ve listened to the cast speak at multiple conventions, and I’ve got a house filled with way too much Ghostface merchandise. From the perspective of a superfan, the film is decent (good, not great) in bringing back our favorite characters and wrapping up its derivative story in the bloody packaging of some truly innovative kills.

If you’re not a Scream fanboy, though, it’s worth waiting to catch this on streaming, assuming that you catch it at all. Kevin Williamson wrote the legendary first film in this franchise, but now that he’s in the director’s chair, he created a movie that only complete franchise diehards will really enjoy. As for everyone else, let’s just say that if Ghostface calls, Scream 7 will never be the answer to this franchise’s age-old question: “what’s your favorite scary movie?”

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