Entertainment
The Perfect '80s Sci-Fi Horror Movie Now Streaming For Free
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
When you’re in the mood to watch a classic horror film, you can’t go wrong with many vintage movies from the ‘80s. The slashers of this decade defined an entire genre, and we now have entire generations of fans who fell in love with horror thanks to iconic characters like Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger. If you’re in the mood for something a little different from horror’s best decade, here’s some good news: you can now stream the instant genre classic Chopping Mall for free on Tubi.
Chopping Mall Is Pure 1980s
The plot of Chopping Mall mashes together two of America’s biggest cultural obsessions from the 1980s. Namely, malls and robots. In this film, a local mall receives a cutting-edge security system in the form of robots who will patrol the mall and keep shoppers and stores alike nice and safe. However, a lightning strike causes these machines to malfunction, resulting in robots hunting and killing everyone they see, starting with some teens whose after-hours party is suddenly transformed into a frantic fight for their lives.
The cast of Chopping Mall is full of quirky character actors who were big in the ‘80s, including Kelli Maroney (best known for Fast Times At Ridgemont High) and Tony O’Dell (best known for The Karate Kid and its popular Netflix spinoff Cobra Kai). Additionally, Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov appear in a fun cameo as the same characters they played in Eating Raoul. Chopping Mall also stars Barbara Crampton, a genuine Scream Queen who has appeared in Re-Animator, Puppet Master, Castle Freak, and countless other horror classics.
In addition to all this great talent in front of the camera, there’s a pretty big genre name behind the camera: Jim Wynorski. He’s not exactly a household name, but this Chopping Mall director was a protege of Roger Corman and brought us other weirdly wonderful horror movies like Deathstalker 2, The Return of Swamp Thing, Sorority House Massacre II, Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time, and many more. In a fun little twist, the director also provides the voice for Chopping Mall’s relentless Killbots.
While Chopping Mall has become a real cult classic over the years, it didn’t impress critics upon its initial release. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a critical rating of 55 percent. This means the movie falls 5 points shy of being “fresh” and, like so many horror films before and after, it left professional critics cold.
So, time to answer a question even hotter than a Killbot struck by lightning: why the heck am I recommending that you watch Chopping Mall, a movie few have heard of and that mostly failed to impress the critics? For one thing, this movie offers a little of something old and a little of something new for fans of vintage horror. That is, it has all the trappings of classic slashers right down to the hapless, sex-crazed teens who would be right at home in Crystal Lake, but they’re being hunted down by relentless robots rather than a hockey-mask-wearing psycho.
Another factor in Chopping Mall’s favor is that it offers just the right amount of nostalgia for those who actually grew up in the ‘80s. Later projects like Stranger Things would try to capture the vibe of that decade, but that show could never match the hilarious authenticity of a movie that simply mashed together killer robots and a killer mall. Plus, it feels good to vicariously hang out in such a cool mall, one that you’d likely be tempted to shop at even if it meant dodging laser beams from Killbots (honestly, I’d rather deal with them than a Paul Blart-esque mall cop).
Finally, Chopping Mall is full of great performances. Sure, these aren’t the biggest names in the world, but these actors bring their hapless teens to life in some very memorable ways. Slashers are only as good as their characters, and this eclectic cast makes Chopping Mall one of the best horror films ever made.
Will you find Chopping Mall as entertaining as I did, or will you want to throw this movie in the trash bin outside the food court? You won’t know until you stream it on Tubi for yourself. Come for the Killbots and stay for the philosophical question: is it really a chopping mall if these bionic baddies never do any actual chopping?
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:
-
Word
-
Excel
-
PowerPoint
-
Outlook
-
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.
Mashable Top Stories
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.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
