Entertainment
Netflix Comedy Brings Together Classic Movie Monsters
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
It’s impossible to overstate just how influential the original Universal movie monsters are. Not only did they pioneer the shared cinematic universe, but these larger-than-life villains made horror movies mainstream. Since then, these monsters have been brought back by a number of directors, but their films usually fall short of the iconic originals. Fortunately, one animated film paired legendary movie monsters and legendary voice actors into one family-friendly comedy package: Hotel Transylvania, which you can now stream on Netflix.
Hotel Transylvania On Netflix
If you’ve never seen Hotel Transylvania (no kids or younger siblings, huh?), here is what to expect from this cartoon classic on Netflix. The plot concerns Dracula and his Hotel Transylvania, where he has invited the most famous monsters to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. But the famous vamp must scramble to hide the unexpected presence of a human at his hotel before he can meet any monsters or, worse still, his human-curious daughter.
Hotel Transylvania is worth a watch for many reasons, including a better cast than most Netflix films. Adam Sandler (arguably best known for The Waterboy and The Wedding Singer) plays Dracula, giving the famously cantankerous count the personality of the world’s oldest helicopter parent. And bis daughter is played by Selena Gomez (best known as an actor for Spring Breakers and, more recently, the Oscar-nominated film Emilia Pérez).
Still not convinced that Hotel Transylvania is worth firing up next time you need a little Netflix fix? The film also features the voice of our favorite Lonely Island Boy Andy Samberg (best known for Saturday Night Live and Brooklyn Nine-Nine). Other major celebrity voices include Steve Buscemi, Fran Drescher, CeeLo Green, David Spade, and so many more
Animated films are often quite a Hollywood gamble. Fortunately, Hotel Transylvania made a killing at the box office long before landing on Netflix. Against a budget of $85 million, this film went on to earn a cool $358.4 million. This was enough profit to greenlight a sequel, and the franchise now includes four films and one TV show, with another slated to come out later this year.
Unfortunately, Hotel Transylvania failed to cast its charms (vampiric or otherwise) on critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a fairly dismal 45 percent critical score. In general, the critics griped that the movie is entertaining enough for kids but may have too much noise and not enough story to appeal to adults.
So, time to answer your big, burning question: why the heck should you watch Hotel Transylvania on Netflix after critics drove such a sharp stake through its heart? For one thing, the film actually has a much higher 72 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This, along with the fact that it became an insanely successful franchise, is proof positive that general audiences love this film a lot more than critics.
Additionally, Hotel Transylvania is a real treat for anyone who loves the old Universal Monsters and vintage horror. The movie is a perfect love letter to these classic characters, and its focus on comedy rather than horror means that director and animation guru Genndy Tartakovsky can do new and exciting things with these characters rather than just aping the spookiest scares of yesteryear. And who doesn’t want to pair comedy with classic horror?
That brings me to the last reason you should scope out Hotel Transylvania on Netflix: it’s genuinely funny whether you are young or simply young at heart. Every cast member is hilarious on their own and just uproariously funny as part of this tightly-written ensemble film. By the time the credits roll, you’re likely to regret having to check out of this hotel so early and will likely be scrambling to stream the sequels.
Will you find Hotel Transylvania on Netflix as bloody good as I did, or is this one monster mash you’d like to cut out of? You won’t find out until you stream it for yourself. Love it or hate it, though, this animated classic will completely change how you view horror’s most beloved fiends.
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.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
