Entertainment
2022's Best Movie Has Been Removed From Streaming, It Demands Wide Availability
By TeeJay Small
| Published
These days, it feels like the pervasive media environment is so fundamental that there’s no escaping spoilers, trailers, teasers, and promotional posters. Unless you’re intentionally shielding yourself from learning anything about a new release, movies will effectively become spoiled within hours of hitting the theater. Still, sometimes you uncover a hidden gem that catches you at just the right moment, allowing you to fully enjoy a project before it hits the mainstream. This was the case for me back in 2022, when I first saw Barbarian.
For those not in the know, Barbarian is a horror thriller that released in September of 2022. The film was written and directed by Zach Cregger, serving as his feature film debut. Before releasing Barbarian and his latest film, Weapons, Cregger was best known for being part of the comedy ensemble The Whitest Kids U’ Know, alongside the late, great Trevor Moore. If you haven’t seen Barbarian yet, that should be the absolute maximum amount of information you know about the movie going in.
Avoid All Barbarian Spoilers, I Will
I normally feel like spoilers don’t matter, because a truly good story can still offer exciting twists and turns even if you ultimately know where you’re heading. But Barbarian has such an unusual pace and unconventional plot that I think you’d really be doing yourself a disservice to look up anything about the movie beforehand. Critics and audiences seem to agree, since I rarely see spoilers for this film posted online today, nearly 4 years after release, even though Barbarian has become a major cult hit.
If you’re really going to twist my arm about it, I can tell you the following information about the plot. Barbarian centers on a young woman named Tess (Georgina Campbell) who unknowingly rents an Airbnb in the most blown-out neighborhood you’ve ever seen in your life. When she shows up, a mysterious man is occupying the unit, leaving her unsure if there was a clerical error on the part of the homeowner or if this man is a creep with foul intentions. With no other last-minute accommodations available, Tess enters the home and ultimately uncovers some of the most terrifying stuff I’ve ever seen committed to the screen.
A Jaw-Dropping Film
I watched most of Barbarian with my mouth agape. The film manages to balance surreal horror, impeccable character work, and a dash of laugh-out-loud humor, which made Zach Cregger a must-follow filmmaker in my book. There seems to be a real sketch-comedy-legend to acclaimed-horror-filmmakers pipeline, with Cregger joining the ranks of esteemed directors like Jordan Peele and Bill Hader.
Up until very recently, Barbarian was streaming on Hulu. The film has been a go-to watch for me any time I have friends over, because it always gets a priceless series of horrified reactions. Unfortunately, it’s not currently streaming on any of the major streamers, unless you’ve got a subscription to fuboTV (who does?) or want to pay high fees to buy it on Amazon.
As much as I’d love to get Barbarian back on Hulu or HBO, I’d say this one is well worth purchasing and owning. If you get the chance to check it out soon, definitely don’t miss the opportunity, and be sure to discourage anyone in your group from doing a cursory Google before you sit down to watch.
Entertainment
Get Ankers 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock for $60 less at Amazon
SAVE 15%: As of April 22, you can get the Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock for $339.99, down from $399.99, at Amazon. That’s a 15% discount or $60 savings.
$339.99
at Amazon
$399.99
Save $60
Working off a laptop is great until you realize you only have two ports and need to plug something in. If you’re hooked up to an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse, you’re pretty much out of luck on the rest. Not only that, but your previously uncluttered desk will most likely look like a Best Buy exploded (a rat’s nest of cords isn’t cute or helpful for anyone getting work done).
If you literally hate mess and cords as much as I do, you need a docking station to hide all that chaos and protect your aesthetic. Right now, Anker’s Prime TB5 Docking Station is on sale for $339.99 at Amazon, down from $399.99. (That’s a $60 price cut.)
Mashable Deals
Are you going to use all 14 ports at the exact same time? Probably not, but you’ll never have to dig through your bag for a specific adapter again. You just plug a single cable into your laptop, and the dock handles the rest. It features a Thunderbolt 5 upstream port, two Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports, two USB-C ports, three USB-A ports, SD and TF card readers, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, an audio jack, and your choice of HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 2.1. It’s also fast enough to transfer a 150GB file in 25 seconds.
Entertainment
How I scored ad-free Paramount+ Premium for only 99 cents
SAVE $26: As of April 22, returning subscribers can score two months of ad-free Paramount+ Premium for only 99 cents per month with the code N8C27L. Usually $13.99 per month, that’s $26 in savings. Just note that your mileage may vary.
$0.99/month for 2 months (save $13/month) with code N8C27L
If you’re looking to save some money on your streaming lineup, my number one recommendation is to cancel your subscriptions. While it doesn’t work for every streamer, many will offer you a special discount to come back. Not to mention, you’ll be eligible for any new deals that may appear that are marketed to “new and returning customers.” Case in point: as of April 22, returning subscribers can get two months of ad-free Paramount+ Premium for just 99 cents per month.
I’ve tested this out myself, so I can vouch for it. When you navigate to Paramount+ and sign in to your existing account, you’ll be prompted to pick a plan. Select the Paramount+ Premium monthly plan for $13.99 per month. On the “Welcome back!” page, scroll down to the box that says “Have a promo code?” and enter N8C27L. Once you hit “apply” the price should drop to just 99 cents per month.
Credit: Paramount+
That’s all, folks. You can take advantage of two full months of ad-free Paramount+, Showtime, BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, CBS live TV, UFC fights, and more for less than two bucks. That’s $26 total in savings.
Mashable Deals
Paramount+ has a surprisingly hefty library. Subscribers can enjoy Paramount+ Originals like Landman and RuPaul Drag Race All Stars, Showtime series like Dexter Resurrection and Yellowjackets, CBS hits like Survivor and NCIS, and nostalgic shows from Nickelodeon and MTV. Not to mention, there’s a lineup of movies that’ll keep you fully entertained for your two-month promotional period. Just be sure to cancel again before the second month is over if you want to avoid paying full cost. You can always sign up again when another deal arises. I know I will.
Entertainment
How Stargate SG-1 Used A Classic Trope To Emotionally Wreck Its Fans
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Garfield and Friends said it best: “Oh no, we’ve resorted to an evil twin storyline.” Star Trek: The Original Series did it the best with Mirror Universe Spock, and ever since, it’s been a lazy excuse for every series to use when they run out of ideas. The exception is Stargate SG-1’s sixth episode, “Cold Lazarus,” which plays with the trope by making the twin less evil and more confused.
When fans say they skip this episode when rewatching, it’s not because it’s a lazy, poorly written episode. In fact, it’s the opposite. The ending of “Cold Lazarus” is a pivotal character moment for Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and a gut punch to the audience.
Stargate SG-1’s First Evil Twin
“Cold Lazarus” opens with the SG-1 team on a planet that doesn’t look like Vancouver (it was a giant pile of sulfur at the port of Vancouver). The desert landscape is dotted with shattered blue crystals that look like the remnants of a civilization until we see a crystal eye-view of O’Neill, a mysterious light knocks him out, and all of a sudden, a second O’Neill is looking down at the first. Turns out, the crystals are the civilization.
Fake O’Neill is trying to figure out who O’Neill is and what SGC is all about. When he pulls out photos of his family, it takes Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) by surprise. O’Neill’s never mentioned his wife, Sara, or his son, Charlie. Confused, the Fake O’Neill goes to the home, where Sara is disgusted he’d come by and thinks it’s a sick joke that he’s asking about Charlie. If you’re wondering if you missed a key part of O’Neill’s backstory, don’t worry, this is the first time that either Sara or Charlie is mentioned, and tragically, we soon learn why.
No One Ever Dies
Charlie shot himself with O’Neill’s gun. Fake O’Neill starts to piece this together when he goes into Charlie’s old room and breaks down, prompting Sara and him to finally have the conversation about their shared grief. Back in SGC, the crystal’s nature is revealed to be an energy alien calling itself Unity, which accidentally killed a Jaffa, and the Goa’uld shattered them in retribution. That’s when O’Neill stumbles back through the Stargate, and the team realizes the mistake they made.
The Fake O’Neill is soon captured at a local hospital, suffering from Earth’s radiation, where he explains that he sensed O’Neill’s pain after he took his form and wanted to help ease the suffering, as nothing ever truly dies to Unity. To prove its point, Unity transforms into Charlie, giving O’Neill and Sara one last chance to see their child. Fans who haven’t lost a child can understand the emotion, but for fans who have, this scene is emotional torture, in the best way possible.
Jack knows this isn’t Charlie, but he talks to him like he is, and then they walk together through the Stargate back to Unity’s planet. It’s a beautiful moment that explains so much about O’Neill’s throwing himself into work and how even his friendships remain professional. “Cold Lazarus” may have started out with the “evil twin” trope in full effect, but the ending is proof that even early during its run, Stargate SG-1 was going to be the greatest.
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Entertainment
2022's Best Movie Has Been Removed From Streaming, It Demands Wide Availability
By TeeJay Small
| Published
These days, it feels like the pervasive media environment is so fundamental that there’s no escaping spoilers, trailers, teasers, and promotional posters. Unless you’re intentionally shielding yourself from learning anything about a new release, movies will effectively become spoiled within hours of hitting the theater. Still, sometimes you uncover a hidden gem that catches you at just the right moment, allowing you to fully enjoy a project before it hits the mainstream. This was the case for me back in 2022, when I first saw Barbarian.
For those not in the know, Barbarian is a horror thriller that released in September of 2022. The film was written and directed by Zach Cregger, serving as his feature film debut. Before releasing Barbarian and his latest film, Weapons, Cregger was best known for being part of the comedy ensemble The Whitest Kids U’ Know, alongside the late, great Trevor Moore. If you haven’t seen Barbarian yet, that should be the absolute maximum amount of information you know about the movie going in.
Avoid All Barbarian Spoilers, I Will
I normally feel like spoilers don’t matter, because a truly good story can still offer exciting twists and turns even if you ultimately know where you’re heading. But Barbarian has such an unusual pace and unconventional plot that I think you’d really be doing yourself a disservice to look up anything about the movie beforehand. Critics and audiences seem to agree, since I rarely see spoilers for this film posted online today, nearly 4 years after release, even though Barbarian has become a major cult hit.
If you’re really going to twist my arm about it, I can tell you the following information about the plot. Barbarian centers on a young woman named Tess (Georgina Campbell) who unknowingly rents an Airbnb in the most blown-out neighborhood you’ve ever seen in your life. When she shows up, a mysterious man is occupying the unit, leaving her unsure if there was a clerical error on the part of the homeowner or if this man is a creep with foul intentions. With no other last-minute accommodations available, Tess enters the home and ultimately uncovers some of the most terrifying stuff I’ve ever seen committed to the screen.
A Jaw-Dropping Film
I watched most of Barbarian with my mouth agape. The film manages to balance surreal horror, impeccable character work, and a dash of laugh-out-loud humor, which made Zach Cregger a must-follow filmmaker in my book. There seems to be a real sketch-comedy-legend to acclaimed-horror-filmmakers pipeline, with Cregger joining the ranks of esteemed directors like Jordan Peele and Bill Hader.
Up until very recently, Barbarian was streaming on Hulu. The film has been a go-to watch for me any time I have friends over, because it always gets a priceless series of horrified reactions. Unfortunately, it’s not currently streaming on any of the major streamers, unless you’ve got a subscription to fuboTV (who does?) or want to pay high fees to buy it on Amazon.
As much as I’d love to get Barbarian back on Hulu or HBO, I’d say this one is well worth purchasing and owning. If you get the chance to check it out soon, definitely don’t miss the opportunity, and be sure to discourage anyone in your group from doing a cursory Google before you sit down to watch.
Entertainment
Get Ankers 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock for $60 less at Amazon
SAVE 15%: As of April 22, you can get the Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock for $339.99, down from $399.99, at Amazon. That’s a 15% discount or $60 savings.
$339.99
at Amazon
$399.99
Save $60
Working off a laptop is great until you realize you only have two ports and need to plug something in. If you’re hooked up to an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse, you’re pretty much out of luck on the rest. Not only that, but your previously uncluttered desk will most likely look like a Best Buy exploded (a rat’s nest of cords isn’t cute or helpful for anyone getting work done).
If you literally hate mess and cords as much as I do, you need a docking station to hide all that chaos and protect your aesthetic. Right now, Anker’s Prime TB5 Docking Station is on sale for $339.99 at Amazon, down from $399.99. (That’s a $60 price cut.)
Mashable Deals
Are you going to use all 14 ports at the exact same time? Probably not, but you’ll never have to dig through your bag for a specific adapter again. You just plug a single cable into your laptop, and the dock handles the rest. It features a Thunderbolt 5 upstream port, two Thunderbolt 5 downstream ports, two USB-C ports, three USB-A ports, SD and TF card readers, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, an audio jack, and your choice of HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 2.1. It’s also fast enough to transfer a 150GB file in 25 seconds.
Entertainment
How I scored ad-free Paramount+ Premium for only 99 cents
SAVE $26: As of April 22, returning subscribers can score two months of ad-free Paramount+ Premium for only 99 cents per month with the code N8C27L. Usually $13.99 per month, that’s $26 in savings. Just note that your mileage may vary.
$0.99/month for 2 months (save $13/month) with code N8C27L
If you’re looking to save some money on your streaming lineup, my number one recommendation is to cancel your subscriptions. While it doesn’t work for every streamer, many will offer you a special discount to come back. Not to mention, you’ll be eligible for any new deals that may appear that are marketed to “new and returning customers.” Case in point: as of April 22, returning subscribers can get two months of ad-free Paramount+ Premium for just 99 cents per month.
I’ve tested this out myself, so I can vouch for it. When you navigate to Paramount+ and sign in to your existing account, you’ll be prompted to pick a plan. Select the Paramount+ Premium monthly plan for $13.99 per month. On the “Welcome back!” page, scroll down to the box that says “Have a promo code?” and enter N8C27L. Once you hit “apply” the price should drop to just 99 cents per month.
Credit: Paramount+
That’s all, folks. You can take advantage of two full months of ad-free Paramount+, Showtime, BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, CBS live TV, UFC fights, and more for less than two bucks. That’s $26 total in savings.
Mashable Deals
Paramount+ has a surprisingly hefty library. Subscribers can enjoy Paramount+ Originals like Landman and RuPaul Drag Race All Stars, Showtime series like Dexter Resurrection and Yellowjackets, CBS hits like Survivor and NCIS, and nostalgic shows from Nickelodeon and MTV. Not to mention, there’s a lineup of movies that’ll keep you fully entertained for your two-month promotional period. Just be sure to cancel again before the second month is over if you want to avoid paying full cost. You can always sign up again when another deal arises. I know I will.
Entertainment
How Stargate SG-1 Used A Classic Trope To Emotionally Wreck Its Fans
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Garfield and Friends said it best: “Oh no, we’ve resorted to an evil twin storyline.” Star Trek: The Original Series did it the best with Mirror Universe Spock, and ever since, it’s been a lazy excuse for every series to use when they run out of ideas. The exception is Stargate SG-1’s sixth episode, “Cold Lazarus,” which plays with the trope by making the twin less evil and more confused.
When fans say they skip this episode when rewatching, it’s not because it’s a lazy, poorly written episode. In fact, it’s the opposite. The ending of “Cold Lazarus” is a pivotal character moment for Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and a gut punch to the audience.
Stargate SG-1’s First Evil Twin
“Cold Lazarus” opens with the SG-1 team on a planet that doesn’t look like Vancouver (it was a giant pile of sulfur at the port of Vancouver). The desert landscape is dotted with shattered blue crystals that look like the remnants of a civilization until we see a crystal eye-view of O’Neill, a mysterious light knocks him out, and all of a sudden, a second O’Neill is looking down at the first. Turns out, the crystals are the civilization.
Fake O’Neill is trying to figure out who O’Neill is and what SGC is all about. When he pulls out photos of his family, it takes Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) by surprise. O’Neill’s never mentioned his wife, Sara, or his son, Charlie. Confused, the Fake O’Neill goes to the home, where Sara is disgusted he’d come by and thinks it’s a sick joke that he’s asking about Charlie. If you’re wondering if you missed a key part of O’Neill’s backstory, don’t worry, this is the first time that either Sara or Charlie is mentioned, and tragically, we soon learn why.
No One Ever Dies
Charlie shot himself with O’Neill’s gun. Fake O’Neill starts to piece this together when he goes into Charlie’s old room and breaks down, prompting Sara and him to finally have the conversation about their shared grief. Back in SGC, the crystal’s nature is revealed to be an energy alien calling itself Unity, which accidentally killed a Jaffa, and the Goa’uld shattered them in retribution. That’s when O’Neill stumbles back through the Stargate, and the team realizes the mistake they made.
The Fake O’Neill is soon captured at a local hospital, suffering from Earth’s radiation, where he explains that he sensed O’Neill’s pain after he took his form and wanted to help ease the suffering, as nothing ever truly dies to Unity. To prove its point, Unity transforms into Charlie, giving O’Neill and Sara one last chance to see their child. Fans who haven’t lost a child can understand the emotion, but for fans who have, this scene is emotional torture, in the best way possible.
Jack knows this isn’t Charlie, but he talks to him like he is, and then they walk together through the Stargate back to Unity’s planet. It’s a beautiful moment that explains so much about O’Neill’s throwing himself into work and how even his friendships remain professional. “Cold Lazarus” may have started out with the “evil twin” trope in full effect, but the ending is proof that even early during its run, Stargate SG-1 was going to be the greatest.
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