Entertainment
After Flopping In Theaters, Red One Is Already Streaming
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Dwayne Johnson was once the king of blockbusters, able to turn seemingly any concept into a hit, but those days are behind him as the hierarchy of power in Hollywood has changed, and now his films are merely….okay. Black Adam, considered a massive flop, is, in retrospect, a solid hit, and time will be as kind to his latest film, Red One. The Christmas-themed action caper is now available on Amazon Prime, where it was always meant to be, after a disappointing box office run where it failed to recoup its budget, never mind the additional marketing costs, but the sad thing is, it’s really not even a bad movie.
The Cast Understood The Assignment
I went to the theater opening weekend to watch Red One with a friend of mine, intending to laugh at the film, and instead, through the sheer power of Johnson and Chris Evans, we ended up enjoying ourselves. It’s not that the film is a secret masterpiece or anything, but it does feature a swole Santa played by J.K. Simmons, Lucy Liu as the Nick Fury of the film, Kiernan Shipka chewing up the scenery, and Kristofer Hivju, who you’d recognize as Game of Thrones’ Torsmund Giantsbane, as Krampus in a scene-stealing performance. The sum isn’t greater than the parts, but everyone involved understood the assignment.
Red One kicks off with Chris Evans as Jack O’Malley, a hacker, a thief, a tracker, and an overall not-very-nice guy who literally steals candy from a baby. Dwayne Johnson is Callum Drift, a name that’s right up there with Max Power as far as “totally fake names that someone thought sounded cool” go, who happens to be the commander of ELF (Enforcement, Logistics, and Fortification), and is capable of one facial expression during the entire film. The two cross paths after Santa is kidnapped and Christmas is in danger of being canceled, which spurs M.O.R.A. (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority) into action.
From Ironic Laughing To Rooting For Santa
The plot of Red One is incredibly predictable and simple, but it’s also kind of fun. No one is taking the film seriously, and that gives it an absurdist energy missing in most $250 million blockbusters, which, yes, is the budget for this film, and no, you can’t see it on screen because most of the special effects look like they came out of a SyFy original series. I will say that the evil snowmen do look better in the film than they did in the trailer, but what was kept hidden is Johnson shrinking and growing like Ant-Man during fight scenes, an effect that looks atrocious every time it occurs.
Despite its shortcomings, Red One is fun because it’s a throwback to the Christmas films of the 80s and 90s, which weren’t afraid to target a younger audience. Compared to some modern Christmas classics, such as the inexplicably popular Polar Express, it’s a breath of fresh air by at least attempting to do something a little different. It’s also fun watching Evans continue his post-Captain America career of playing scumbags.
Red One is now available on Amazon Prime, which is where it was always meant to be until the Writer’s Strike last year delayed its release, and Amazon decided to fill a hole in the movie schedule. I predict that now that it’s available for home viewing, this will become a cult classic Christmas movie. At first, it’ll be an ironic favorite, but over time, laughing at the film will end up slowly changing to laughing with the film’s dumb gags, and you’ll try to be cool and detached on the outside, but inside, you can’t wait to see swole Santa Claus all his glory. I know because it happened to me.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
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:
Gibberish.
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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 T.
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…
TRIPE.
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.
