Entertainment
Netflix's R-Rated, Dystopian Thriller Finds Heart Where Only Dread Exists
By Robert Scucci
| Published
I’ve gotta knock it off with the dystopian thrillers because no matter what year they come out, and what kind of future they’re depicting, I’m reminded of how close waking life is to these works of fiction. 2023’s The Kitchen is no exception, but unlike its contemporaries, it’s a story about making the best of the worst situation and keeping your head down while you figure out your next moves. It’s a story about community, perseverance, and looking out for your neighbor, even if it means getting yourself killed in the process.
The Kitchen doesn’t beat around the bush. The future it lays out for its viewers is beyond bleak, but like a small potted plant, those living in this reality hope to one day blossom into a mighty oak that looks down on the environment that once tried to destroy them.
It Starts With a Corpse And A Tree
The Kitchen kicks off in a tranquil environment, in a futuristic funeral home known as Life After Life. Here, those who can’t afford proper cremation or burial services are given the opportunity to have their deceased loved ones turned into a tree, and they’re allowed to come back and visit whenever they want until it’s time to be planted at some undisclosed location. This is where we meet Izi (Kane Robinson) and Benji (Jedaiah Bannerman). Izi works at Life After Life as a consultant and salesperson, and he’s spotted by Benji, who’s grieving the loss of his mother and wondering why Izi is visiting her memorial service.
Izi, when he’s not working, lives in a ghetto community known as “The Kitchen,” where the residents live in constant fear of being evicted by heavily armed police officers, and can’t reliably tell what days they’ll have running water or a sustainable food supply. Everybody is under constant government drone surveillance, but despite the chaotic nature of their community, it’s just that: a community. Everybody looks out for each other in The Kitchen. Morale is low, and everybody walks around in a state of heightened awareness, always anticipating another raid, but they get by one day at a time.
Benji, feeling an inexplicable connection to Izi, shows up at The Kitchen, asking if he can live with him for a few days. Izi is reluctant at first, but you can tell he enjoys Benji’s company. Together, they form an inseparable bond, but Benji doesn’t yet know that Izi has been saving his money to finally move out of the ghetto and upgrade to the luxury apartment he feels he deserves after living simply to survive for so long.
As the social structure continues to break down and the police keep causing collateral damage to the only place he’s ever been able to call home, even though he thinks it’s a “sh*thole,” Izi has to make a game-day decision about what kind of person he wants to be, not only for himself, but for Benji, whose youthful exuberance and optimism are giving him second thoughts about leaving The Kitchen and the only life he knows behind. Their relationship is one of tough love, like the older brother who relentlessly makes fun of his lesser-experienced sibling but always has his back when it matters most.
A Sprawling, Dilapidated Metropolis
While The Kitchen is a slow-burn dystopian thriller about found family, community, and all the kind of stuff that could be incredibly boring in a lesser film, there’s never a dull moment. The city skyline is one of the best parts of the movie because it shows just how far gone society has become. The surrounding communities are pristine showcases of disproportionately beautiful architecture, while The Kitchen itself is a condemned, run-down, and borderline brutalist environment. The smog that surrounds the community is incredibly localized, and those who manage to make their way into more affluent areas for work are absolutely dumbfounded by how much better the other side lives.
Everybody is aware of the imbalance in The Kitchen. Some people choose to live with it and make the best of the power structure they’re trapped in. People like Izi and Benji, though, want something better. They know they’re exactly where society thinks they belong, but they refuse to let the powers that be keep them under their thumb. Through their bond, their struggles, and their hope for a brighter future, it’s up to them to carve out the life they truly want for themselves, and they know it’s not going to be easy, not even on their best day.
The Kitchen is a Netflix Original and can be streamed with an active subscription.
Entertainment
Hurdle hints and answers for July 5, 2026
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.
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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today’s Hurdle, don’t worry! We have you covered.
Hurdle Word 1 hint
To spill.
Hurdle Word 1 answer
SLOSH
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Hurdle Word 2 hint
Side face.
Hurdle Word 2 Answer
CHEEK
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Hurdle Word 3 hint
Slope.
Hurdle Word 3 answer
SLANT
Hurdle Word 4 hint
Not a friend.
Hurdle Word 4 answer
HATER
Final Hurdle hint
Maneuver a car.
Hurdle Word 5 answer
DRIVE
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Entertainment
Netflix Violent Thriller True Story Is Pure Adrenaline Rush
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Survival films like Castaway and The Revenant need to make way for 2023’s Society of the Snow, a one-of-a-kind survival thriller. Based on the 1972 Andes flight disaster, this Netflix film will punch you in the gut and not let up until you’re weeping into your popcorn because there are too many emotions to even consider unpacking upon its conclusion.
Through the tremendous hardships that are portrayed throughout Society of the Snow, you’ll find yourself awestruck by the indomitable human spirit that is so expertly captured on-screen.
The Suffering Of Surviving
Society of the Snow’s story is primarily set in the Andes mountains after a plane carrying 45 passengers crash-lands, ripping the fuselage apart. In one of the most violent depictions of a plane crash in recent cinematic history, those who lived through the initial impact often wished that they had been spared from the suffering of surviving.
Over the course of 72 days, the remaining survivors were put to the ultimate test as they braved sub-zero temperatures with whatever clothes they had on their backs, while tending to the wide array of injuries they sustained.
After eight days of waiting for a rescue plane, a battered radio leftover from the crash broadcasts that search parties have been called off, leaving the traumatized and gravely injured survivors to their own devices and basic survival instincts. Many of the passengers never experienced snowfall, let alone being stranded in the frozen mountains.
A Terrible And Desperate Time
During the months leading to an eventual rescue, Society of the Snow compassionately points to the desperation that the survivors faced during this unthinkable time.
Enduring multiple avalanches that buried their shelter and meager food supply, they had to resort to cannibalism and had no choice but to rely on their friends’ corpses as a means to fight off starvation. It’s worth noting, however, that although such drastic measures had to be taken, their reluctance to commodify human life as a source of sustenance was one of many moral dilemmas they had to make peace with.
A Climb Through The Mountains
Arriving at the conclusion that nobody will ever find them while they’re still alive, Society of the Snow’s narrative shifts to Nando (Augustin Pardella) and Robert (Matias Recalt), who embark on a 10-day climb through the mountains after spending two months subjected to unimaginable living conditions with 14 other survivors.
With each passing scene that Society of the Snow delivers, the only thought that consumes your mind is “how can things get any worse?” The unforgiving mountains always find a way to deliver on this front up until the film’s conclusion.
Compelling Storytelling
Though Society of the Snow is a Spanish-language film, its storytelling is so compelling that you won’t mind the subtitles. In fact, the subject matter is so heavy that you’ll actually appreciate the storytelling on a whole other level because this layer of abstraction in the form of a language barrier will help keep you anchored.
Society of the Snow’s unrelenting storytelling won over audiences upon its limited theatrical release. Universally praised for its tense delivery of despair and insurmountable struggle, this survival movie garnered a 90 percent critical score against an 88 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
You’re not going to form an emotional connection with a volleyball named Wilson when you watch Society of the Snow, but this movie is a must-see if you are looking for a gripping and emotionally jarring survival film.
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW SCORE
If you have the stomach for it, it comes with strong recommendations that you watch Society of the Snow on Netflix today.
Entertainment
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on July 5
The Moon is changing in appearance and visibility each night. This is because of the lunar cycle. We’re currently on day 20 of this 29.5 day of this cycle, which means we’re approaching the Third Quarter, when the Moon appears half full.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Sunday, July 5, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in its Waning Gibbous phase, with 75% of its surface visible.
If you look up tonight with just your naked eye, you should be able to see the Mare Vaporum, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the Mare Humorum, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Grimaldi Basin. And if you have a telescope, you’ll see all this plus the Apollo 16 landing spot, the Schiller Crater, and the Fra Mauro Highlands.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.
What are Moon phases?
According to NASA, the Moon completes one orbit around Earth approximately every 29.5 days, moving through eight recognised phases along the way. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the amount of its surface illuminated by the Sun changes as it travels around our planet. As a result, the Moon appears to shift in shape throughout the month, progressing from slender crescents to quarter moons and eventually reaching the brightly lit Full Moon stage. This repeating pattern is known as the lunar cycle.
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
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Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
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