Entertainment
New Sci-Fi Thriller Is Like A Choose Your Own Adventure Where All Options Are Selected
By Chris Sawin
| Published
Norm’s Diner. Los Angeles. 10:10 pm. A bearded man (Sam Rockwell), covered head-to-toe in a clear pancho and tangled with tubes, wires, motherboards, and a bomb detonator, stomps into the diner. He takes bites from a few unsuspecting people’s entrees before exclaiming, “I’m from the future, and everything is about to go horribly, horribly wrong!”
Claiming to have returned to this precise diner at this exact moment 117 times previously, this man from the future is looking for volunteers. Half of humanity perishes in the future, while the other half becomes hopelessly obsessed with their phones and social media. A.I. has finally taken over the world, and this man knows the secret to saving it, and it all has to be done on this very night.
“Like a choose-your-own-adventure book where all the options have been selected.”
With more than a little convincing, seven volunteers go on a mission to save humanity’s future. Some will knowingly not make it until the end of the night, but Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die dives into the backstory of a few of these diner patrons who no longer have anything to lose.
Mark (Michael Pena) and Janet (Zazie Beetz) are a romantic couple and both teachers, on the rocks. Mark is a substitute teacher who lands a job at the same school where Janet teaches. The problem is that teachers at this school keep disappearing while the students never get off their phones. Mark questions this and accidentally touches one of the students’ phones, which doesn’t end well for anyone.
Susan (Juno Temple) is the mother of a high school student named Darren (Riccardo Drayton). Darren dies unexpectedly after falling victim to a mass shooting, and Ingrid’s life loses all meaning. She’s introduced to a store that clones mass shooting victims, but the clone’s flaws keep their nearly flawless physical appearance from feeling authentic.
Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson) has lived her whole life with an allergy to wifi and cell phones. Doctors said it wasn’t a real disease, but she gets nosebleeds and can’t function properly whenever she’s around technology or basically goes anywhere outside of the house. Ingrid met a pizza delivery driver named Tim (Tom Taylor), who didn’t believe in using cell phones or having any attachment to technology. The two moved in together and lived a frugal yet content life until one day, when a VR headset was left on their doorstep for Tim. Tim becomes so obsessed with virtual reality that he prefers it to this one, even though the so-called love of his life isn’t in it.
“A.I. is inescapable, and humanity’s only choice is to try to cater to its good side.”
Gore Verbinski has never shied away from going super weird in his previous films, but Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die takes the bizarre cake. The film is defined as a sci-fi action-adventure comedy, but its humor is perhaps the most unusual aspect. The film’s grasp of how social media and A.I. have a death grip on society is terrifying, given how much we rely on and are addicted to them today. There’s a dark, erratic tone to the film’s comedy that is amusing because it comes off as almost genuine. The biggest takeaway is that A.I. is inescapable, and humanity’s only choice is to try to cater to its good side.
Sam Rockwell has the commanding presence of a man who partially gives a shit. He intends to save everyone he can, but the people in this diner are expendable. If it doesn’t work out, he’s the only one who can hit the reset button and start over. So some of his actions may seem cruel on the surface, but he also knows everyone at this point almost as well as they know themselves. Rockwell is as scene-stealing as ever here, but half of his charm is how he bounces off the rest of the talented and mesmerizing ensemble.
It’s also interesting to witness how every volunteer reacts to the upcoming apocalypse. Mark and Janet are filled with panic, an Uber driver named Scott (Asim Chaudhry) doubts that this “Man from the Future” and anything he says is actually true, a scoutmaster named Bob (Daniel Barnett) volunteers solely with the intention of being a hero, Ingrid has a strange sense of acceptance, and Susan is cooperative but has an ulterior motive.
Even the characters that die along the way are a form of loss. Sam Rockwell’s “Man from the Future” is shoehorned into this representation of hope. He wants to save humanity, but he also wants to get to the point where he doesn’t have to repeat this night again for the 118th time and beyond. He watches everyone die, and everything crumbles around him. This is purgatory for him; he is basically Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. He is a symbol of hope, but also broken in his own way. Panic, doubt, heroism, acceptance, conniving, loss, and hope; it’s like the seven stages of grief but somehow more futile.
“Worth seeing for its exceptional performances, its catawampus narrative, and its hopelessly hopeless take on a dystopian future.”
The story takes wildly peculiar turns, even for a film where the future is determined, but how it gets there is a question mark. There is a CGI creature buried within the second half of the film that has an absolutely gonzo design and also puts full-frontal nudity to insane use. The movie’s nonlinear storytelling is all over the place, but where the film takes the audience isn’t entirely unexpected. Visually, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is a bananas smorgasbord and a shotgun blast to the face of craziness. But narratively, it feels like the film is deeper or more unique than it actually is.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is like a choose-your-own-adventure book where all the options have been selected, and all the different scenarios are playing out at once in the same timeline. The film is worth seeing for its exceptional performances, its catawampus narrative, and its hopelessly hopeless take on a dystopian future. The lack of actual laughs and the inability to fully satisfy what it introduces are what hinder Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die from being a pure, unhinged masterpiece.
GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE REVIEW SCORE
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is now playing in theaters.
Entertainment
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 29, 2026
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love a good storm.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 #1053 is…
What is the answer to Connections today
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Step in a process: LEVEL, PHASE, ROUND, STAGE
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Sound like thunder: BOOM, CLAP, ROLL, RUMBLE
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Kinds of puppets: HAND, SHADOW, SOCK, STRING
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Standing ___: JOKE, ORDERS, OVATION, ROOM
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.
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.
Entertainment
NYT Strands hints, answers for April 29, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you love a good catch.
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.
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.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Fish or cut bait
The words are related to the outdoors.
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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe going fishing.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is Tackle.
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NYT Strands word list for April 29
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Reel
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Hook
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Bobber
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Weight
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Tackle
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Lure
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Swivel
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Cooler
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Pliers
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.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 29, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you’re not a fan of big cities.
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:
Countryside.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
The letter R appears twice.
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Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter R.
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…
RURAL
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.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 29, 2026
Celtics return home with chance to finish off reeling Sixers
