Entertainment
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Is Awesome, Shut Up
By Robert Scucci
| Published
The first two Terminator films are among my favorite action outings because of how perfect they are, and how they logically escalate from low-budget ($6 million) sci-fi horror to full-blown, big-budget ($102 million) summer blockbuster spectacle. It’s a progression that feels completely natural. As the threat of Skynet becomes ever more apparent, it only makes sense that the franchise would see an exponential increase in scope and scale between the original and the sequel. And then we have Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, along with every movie that followed.
Here’s where I make the same kind of confession I always make: when I was younger, I naively trusted people who told me to trust their taste. I was told a couple of times by a few reliable sources that Terminator 3 sucked, and then I never thought about it again. Even worse, I spent the next couple of decades avoiding every subsequent Terminator movie for the same reason. Somebody said, “These new ones are terrible, and only the first two are worth your time,” so I only ever watched the first two.
Writing reviews for this site and hosting my own weekly bad movie podcast has taught me one lesson over and over again: follow your own taste and form your own opinions. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched something with a terrible Rotten Tomatoes score and loved it, or at the very least wished I’d seen it sooner so I could come to my own conclusion.
The crazy part is that Terminator 3 has a 70 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s the audience that didn’t latch onto this one, resulting in a 46 percent Popcornmeter score. Honestly, I think they’re both wrong. The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day are perfect action movies. Terminator 3 isn’t nearly as classic as either film, but in my mind it’s a solid 80 percent.
The Next Logical Step
In the first Terminator film, the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent back to 1984 from the year 2029 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the future mother of John Connor, the leader of the human resistance against Skynet, the artificial intelligence network hellbent on eradicating humanity. John Connor’s right-hand man, Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), is sent back to protect Sarah, and the result is an all-out nightmare chase that’s more reminiscent of a slasher than a sci-fi action thriller, which made perfect sense given the film’s budget and storytelling.
1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day goes bigger, badder, and pushes the logic forward flawlessly. Set several years after the first film, we’re introduced to a young John Connor (Edward Furlong), who’s growing into the destiny his mother spent his entire life preparing him for. Sarah Connor is now institutionalized after everything she endured in the first film, but she never gives up on her crusade to stop Judgment Day, the moment Skynet takes over.
Robert Patrick became the big bad as the indestructible liquid-metal T-1000, while Schwarzenegger pulled off the ultimate switcheroo by reprising the T-800, this time reprogrammed to protect our heroes instead of hunting them. It would’ve been a perfect bait and switch if the marketing hadn’t spoiled it before release, but it still blew everyone’s minds.
James Cameron wrote and directed both films, and as far as double features go, they can’t be beat. It’s the reason I put off watching Terminator 3 for so long. I didn’t think they could be topped. After finally watching it, I still don’t think they can, but I also think the movie is a lot more fun than most people give it credit for.
Produced for $187.3 million, it was the most expensive Terminator film ever made at the time, and I’m pretty sure every dollar that wasn’t spent on star power went toward blowing everything as sky-high as humanly possible. But that’s not why T3 is great.
Plays With The Timeline Without Erasing The First Two Films
James Cameron said before T3’s release that he had no interest in making another sequel because he felt the first two films told a complete story with a satisfying ending. I think he’s right, but I also don’t think Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines undermines his work. In the second film, we learn that the future can be changed as long as the human resistance succeeds in its time-travel efforts against Skynet.
Here, John Connor (Nick Stahl) is now an adult who’s barely holding his life together after his mother’s death. Judgment Day never happened because of the events of the previous films. That all changes when Skynet sends back its newest model, the T-X (Kristanna Loken), to eliminate him once and for all.
Her search for John, and for the people who’ll eventually help him defeat Skynet, leads her to Kate Brewster (Claire Danes), an old flame who’s only loosely connected to John at first. Her father, Lieutenant General Robert Brewster (David Andrews), just so happens to be leading the classified Skynet project.
We learn that fate can’t be changed, only postponed, when a reprogrammed T-850 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent back once again, this time with orders to protect Kate. She’ll eventually marry John and become a key figure in the future resistance. From that point forward, the movie becomes one long chase sequence where everything in everyone’s path explodes in spectacular fashion.
While a common criticism is that T3 undermines James Cameron’s vision, I don’t think it really does. The first two films absolutely provide satisfying closure, but this expansion of the lore never pulls me out of the fiction. Sarah and John prevented Judgment Day when they destroyed Cyberdyne’s research, but it doesn’t seem crazy to me that the military would continue pursuing similar technology anyway. It’s simply too valuable of an idea for the powers that be to abandon forever.
Having Your Cake And Eating It Too
Speaking of logical progressions, T3 itself makes sense in its willingness to ante up. The first film was a low-budget slasher, and the second was a massive summer blockbuster. Logically, the third movie had to go even bigger. There really wasn’t another direction to take it, and Jonathan Mostow leaned hard into sci-fi action spectacle to prove the point.
There’s also a level of self-awareness that’s genuinely charming without turning into one giant slice of Member Berry Pie. There are winks and nods (“She’ll be back!”), and everyone gets a chance to inject some levity into the chaos. It only makes sense that the franchise would head in this direction because that’s where it was already going, whether James Cameron was behind the camera or not.
Is Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines a classic like the two Terminator films that came before it? No. It’s the inevitable result of a studio trying to capture lightning in a bottle for a third time. Is it a terrible movie? Not by a long shot. It’s a reliable sci-fi action thriller with a healthy mix of camp and carnage.
Don’t be like me and deprive yourself of things that bring you joy because someone told you decades ago there wasn’t any joy to be found in T3. Tell those people to shut up, because T3 is awesome.
As of this writing, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is streaming for free on Tubi.
TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES SCORE
Entertainment
NYT Pips hints, answers for July 12, 2026
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play Pips
If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:
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Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
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Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
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Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
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Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
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Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 12 Pips
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.
Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 12 Pips
Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.
Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically.
Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 12 Pips
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically.
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Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.
Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
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
How to watch Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Wimbledon has been fun, sweaty, and shocking in 2026. We’ve been treated to some electric tennis, shock results, and top players delivering when it counts.
Sinner now faces off against Zverev in the final game of the tournament. Sinner is seeking his fifth Grand Slam title and his second at Wimbledon. Zverez is looking to build on his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2026 French Open. It’s going to be a fascinating battle between two guys at the top of their game.
If you want to watch Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final for free from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.
When is Sinner vs. Zverev?
Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final is set to take place at 4 p.m. BST on July 12.
How to watch Sinner vs. Zverev for free
Sinner vs. Zverev in the 2026 Wimbledon final is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
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BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free live streams on sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free by following these simple steps:
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Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
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Visit BBC iPlayer
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Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees and free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This obviously isn’t a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to live stream Wimbledon 2026 before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for Wimbledon?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including the UK
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
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Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
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Up to eight simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2026 Wimbledon final for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
This educational kids app gives parents a much-needed break — and now it’s $60 for life
TL;DR: Lock in a lifetime of educational fun with this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, on sale now for just $59.99 (reg. $250).
Have you had a sip of hot coffee this summer break? If not, you might want to check out Pok Pok. It’s an educational app that offers a guilt-free screen option for kids ages 2-8, so you can get a little break when you need it.
Right now, you can lock in a lifetime subscription to Pok Pok for only $59.99.
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Pok Pok is an award-winning app that gives busy parents everywhere a chance to cook dinner, answer some emails, or just enjoy a hot cup of coffee in the morning while their little ones enjoy some educational content. It takes a Montessori approach to learning, so kids can navigate it independently.
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Montessori-inspired learning means there is no winning or losing and no rules, levels, or objectives. Kids can just open Pok Pok, tap a toy, and start exploring categories like space, dinosaurs, numbers, and shapes. This open-ended play setup can grow with your kids, so they can enjoy the app for years.
As your kids play, you can rest easy knowing the app was developed in collaboration with early childhood experts and designed to be calming and non-addictive, featuring hand-drawn animations and in-house-made sound effects.
Pok Pok is COPPA-certified, ad-free, and GDPR-compliant, so they won’t be tricked into making any purchases. A lifetime subscription also includes access to regular updates, so kids will always have something new to explore. This subscription also includes an exclusive surprise gift that will show up at your address.
Let your kids explore while you take a break thanks to this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, on sale now for just $59.99.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard retiring after 22 years
New Portugal coach would welcome back Cristiano Ronaldo
