Category: Tech
You Pay More When Companies Get Hacked
For Gen Z, TikTok is more than entertainment. It’s a search engine.
Zach Carter, a 24-year-old brand strategist from Los Angeles, curates his searches to which social platform he’s on. “I’ll go to TikTok for fashion, food, or culture because I know the user base of the app provides that content, whereas on Twitter I’ll search for the news.” Carter isn’t the only one: Increasingly, young people are using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to search for things to do and places to try, even seeking out news and important information, rather than consulting traditional discovery tools like Google Search and Google Maps.
According to TechCrunch, Google’s Prabhakar Raghavan, a senior vice president in charge of Google Search, said, “In our studies, something like almost 40 percent of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search. They go to TikTok or Instagram.” He’s referring to a survey of U.S. users, ages 18 to 24.
As someone within that age group, the statistic doesn’t surprise me. Growing up with access to the internet, I’ve learned to customize my experience on the internet. I know where to go for what, and when searching for something hyper-specific sometimes Google Search isn’t always my best friend. But I was curious how other people within Google’s age range searched, so I spoke with 30 of my peers about their online search habits.
A UK survey found that TikTok is the fastest growing source of news among young adults ages 16 to 24. This obviously raises alarm because of the rampant misinformation on the platform, but TikTok isn’t only being used as a news source.
Amanda Cash, a 22-year-old law school student, searches TikTok for recipe ideas and travel recommendations. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Teresa in Southern California seeks out instructional how-to videos that are “shorter and more to the point” then what she’d typically find on YouTube.
I found that people are using TikTok similarly to how they use Pinterest. In February of this year TikTok launched a new feature called Collections, essentially copying Pinterest’s defining feature. Collections allows TikTok users to organize their favorited videos into folders. Instagram implemented a similar feature in 2019. The Collections feature allows users to save recommendations and organize them into useful categories, making it easier for users to quickly return to ideas and recommendations.
Credit: Screenshot: TikTok
“I’ll search ‘thrifting in Paris’ or ‘restaurants in Lisbon’ and save the things that look good to a little folder to refer back to. I also have a little recipe folder. [I am a] big fan of the folder feature,” explained Cash.
It’s not just that people are searching for suggestions on TikTok. They’re also relying on their individual algorithms to feed them geo-specific recommendations. If you find something you want to try, you can save it to a folder and return to your favorites when you need inspiration for where to go or what to cook.
In talking to my peers, three things came up in nearly every conversation about what people turn to social media for: recipes, restaurants, and travel recommendations.
People are sick of the Google recipe algorithm that prioritizes obscure search engine optimized blogs. It’s been a running joke on the internet that in order to read a recipe you have to get through the blogger’s entire life story, but this is actually deterring the young people I talked to from searching for recipes on Google. Because a TikTok has to quickly grab your attention, recipe videos on the platform are to the point, putting the focus on the food, not the creator.
Emily Mariko, one of the most popular food creators on TikTok, doesn’t talk to her 11.5 million followers in her videos, rather she lets the food speak for itself. She draws the viewer in with her straightforward visual recipes and tidy plating, showing how enticing video recipes can be without someone telling you every single step. It’s a huge draw for 23-year-old Kyra Papazian. “I mainly use TikTok and Instagram to look up recipes as opposed to searching that on Google,” she told Mashable. “It can be a specific search like ‘banana bread’ or [a] general search like, ‘dinner ideas.’ It’s so much easier than searching a recipe on Google and scrolling through a long article.”
Credit: TikTok / emilymariko
Natalie Gomas, a 23-year-old student from Boston, uses TikTok for recipes and workout ideas. “The way recipes are done on webpages annoys me a lot. You have to scroll through so much stuff to get to the actual recipes,” she told Mashable. Similarly, the workouts she finds on the app “aren’t too complicated” to try at home. “The workouts on TikTok are workouts I’d actually want to do.”
In a TikTok, you can immediately see what a restaurant looks like and see the person recommending it. It allows for maximum vibe reconnaissance. Additionally, if someone made a TikTok on it, and it came up on your FYP, chances are it’s something you’ll actually enjoy and the information is up to date. Since the pandemic began it’s hard to know what information on Google Search is current. Several times I’ve found a restaurant through Google Search only to later discover that it’s since gone out of business.
Ella Boyce, a 23 year-old who has spent the past year traveling in South America and Europe, relies on TikTok and Instagram for travel recommendations. “A lot of blogs aren’t designed for phones, so it’s hard to read, and there’s no centralized fount to crowd source info; it’s all random decentralized blogs from Google,” Boyce explained to Mashable. “It’s harder to tell someone’s credibility from an article than from a video because you can see the person.”
So the next time you’re looking for travel inspiration or a place to grab a slice of pizza, you might find what you’re searching for on TikTok.
Make yourself marketable for project management positions with this 100-hour course bundle
TL;DR: As of July 31, you can get the The 2022 Premium Project Management Super Prep Bundle for just $59.99 instead of $999 — that’s a 93% discount.
Project management is one of those transferable skills that are usually pretty in-demand. It’s also a skill that could be hard to learn if you don’t have a dedicated teacher or a way to learn it in practice. To that effect, The 2022 Premium Project Management Super Prep Bundle could help you learn basic and advanced project management skills, and for a limited time, it’s only $59.99 (Reg. $999).
The role of a project manager involves a diverse skill-set that tends to shift depending on the job or industry it’s applied to. Start developing core project management skills as this bundle leads you through real-world scenarios with study aids and tips, and gives you access to helpful learning tools. Whether you have your eyes on a position as a team leader, an IT manager, or many other Project Management positions, this bundle could be helpful in showing you the ropes early on.
Courses are taught by professionals from Integrity Training, a source for many professional training courses. All materials are available to you for life, so you can learn and internalize new skills at your own pace. Take your time working through all 47 lessons contained in this bundle, accessible from a desktop or mobile device.
This course claims to cater to all experience levels, so whether you’re completely new to project management or have some experience under your belt, you may have something interesting to learn.
Whether you are just starting or need a refresher, this bundle may be able to help you internalize what it takes to be a project manager, a set of skills that could be useful across fields and disciplines. For a limited time, get The 2022 Premium Project Management Super Prep Bundle on sale for $59.99 (Reg. $999), a discount of 93%.
Prices subject to change.
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This compact personal air conditioner is on sale for $99
TL;DR: As of July 31, you can get the EvaChill EV-500 Personal Air Conditioner + Cartridge for just $99 instead of $128 — that’s a 22% discount.
In much of the country, the heat wave continues. With summer temperatures at this much of a sustained high, you might be looking for a way to cool off that doesn’t burn a hole in your wallet (literally). The EvaChill EV-500 Personal Air Conditioner + Cartridge, which we’ve featured before, is a compact, portable air conditioner that can cool a small area and may be what keeps you comfortable as temperatures stay stubbornly high. Right now, the EvaChill plus a replacement cartridge is on sale for only $99 (Reg. $128).
Fighting back against the worldwide heatwave isn’t exactly cheap, especially if you’re trying to cool your whole home. Some predictions pose a 20% increase in electric bills just to stay cool. Instead of paying out the nose to stop sweating, you can focus on a small area with a more directed cooling solution.
This compact personal air conditioner is built to be fast-acting, reaching full cooling power within 10 minutes. Once it’s at full power, you should enjoy cool air within the direction of the EvaChill’s airflow. Though it’s small, you can still use the EvaChill to cool off the area around your bed to fight back against these hot summer nights. Pair it with some cooling sheets, and you could still have a restful slumber during the heatwave.
As it cools, the EvaChill also filters for dust particles and humidifies the air. Fill the water tank once, and you’re set for three to eight hours to enjoy cleaner air that is designed to feel less dry. This model also comes with a spare cooling cartridge. Each cartridge has a life expectancy of up to six months, so just this deal can get you everything you need for up to a year of portable air conditioning.
There may be a more affordable way to keep cool this summer. For a limited time, get the EvaChill EV-500 Personal Air Conditioner + Cartridge on sale for $99 (Reg. $128).
Prices subject to change.
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Get a pair of open-ear headphones for $80 off
TL;DR: As of July 31, you can a pair of Exobone Open-Ear Conduction Headphones for just $76.99 instead of $157 — that’s a 50% discount.
As much as it’s fun to listen to music while running or hiking, it may not always be the safest thing to do if you can’t hear your surroundings while you’re actively moving through them. However, you can still enjoy your tunes without tuning out the world. A pair of Exobone Open-Ear Conduction Headphones can let you listen to music without blocking out the sounds of the world around you, and for a limited time, they’re $80 off at only $76.99 (Reg. $157).
Exobones use a two-speaker system to play music directly through the ear canal without obscuring other noises. They work by sending sound past the eardrum directly into your inner ear. It could be a convenient way to enjoy your favorite music or podcasts without missing out on the sound of the world around you.
Exobone Open-Ear Conduction headphones are lightweight (less than one ounce), wireless, rechargeable, and feature a sleek design. The bud-free foldable design could be a comfort compared to some bulkier headphones or in-ear headphones. If there’s some moisture while you’re running, you don’t have to sweat it. These headphones are rainproof, though you don’t want to fully submerge them in water. If you get a call while you’re using your Exobones, you can accept or deny it using built-in controls. It even has a mic so you don’t have to switch to another or break your stride.
All of this culminates in a device that could be an excellent pair if you like to have a soundtrack for your workout or just want to keep some situational awareness while you listen.
For a limited time, you can get a pair of bone conduction headphones for $80 off. The Exobone Open-Ear Conduction Headphones are on sale for $76.99 (Reg. $157).
Prices subject to change.
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Give your eyes a break with this hot-and-cold sleep mask on sale
TL;DR: As of July 31, you can get the Bamboo Sleep Eye Mask for just $32.99 instead of $69.99 — that’s a 52% discount.
However the day goes, you can likely rely on ending it in bed, but is your body getting the most out of your rest? Dry, puffy eyes aren’t uncommon, but they can certainly be frustrating to deal with. However, with the Bamboo Sleep Eye Mask, you may be able to give your eyes some rehabilitation beyond your normal sleep.
The Bamboo Sleep Eye Mask is detachable, washable, and reusable for hot and cold treatments. Give your eyes a gentle, warm relief by warming your mask before you wear it. Gentle application of heat has actually been shown to help relieve dry eye, and the detachable hot and cold compress that comes with this mask is easy to heat and apply. Filled with silica beads, you can also cool the compress which can help relieve puffiness and, in some cases, even cut down on dark circles under the eye.
Made from a soft plush cushion with a cooling bamboo filter, this mask can block out light for potentially easier sleep. Since it’s fully reversible, you can wear your mask with the warm, soft side or the cool, bamboo filter for help cooling down. Either way, this mask reportedly can block out all light and should distribute a gentle, weighted sensation around your eyes, like a weighted blanket for your face.
Do you feel like you get enough rest when you sleep, or do you wake up with dry, puffy eyes after a hard time drifting off? The Bamboo Sleep Eye Mask is designed to help with each of those issues.
Give yourself every chance at a more restful sleep and a more pleasant feeling when you wake. For a limited time, get the Bamboo Sleep Eye Mask on sale for $32.99 (Reg. $69).
Prices subject to change.
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This boombox speaker could DJ your whole party, and it’s 40% off
TL;DR: As of July 31, you can get the Altec Rockbox XL Speaker for just $119.99 instead of $199.99 — that’s a 40% discount.
Music may be the life of the party, but isn’t the real hero the speaker? The Altec Rockbox XL Speaker is a party waiting to happen with its heavy sound, super-long battery life, and waterproof design, and it’s only $119.99 (Reg. $199) for a limited time.
If you’re shopping for a powerful portable speaker, you’ve probably run into JBL boombox speakers. You probably also noticed they’re $500. The Altec Rockbox is a more affordable alternative that packs just as much power.
Heading to the pool? Take the music with you. This speaker is IP67 waterproof and floats. Need some aesthetic lighting to raise the vibes? Turn on the five built-in LEDs that dance, blink, and flicker to the beat of your music.
You can even pair multiple devices using multi-speaker pairing mode. It’s a lot like having a DJ you can carry around, only this DJ has a 12-hour battery life and a wireless range of 100 feet. Pair your phone via Bluetooth or the NFC connection point and start playing some tunes. If you get a call, you can even answer or ignore it from the speaker controls.
This is one of those deals that might seem a little too good to be true, but this Altec Rockbox XL is coming in cheaper because it’s Factory Remanufactured. All that means is that the box had been opened before it was sold. Whether it was even removed from the box is unclear and likely unimportant because it was tested and checked to make sure it works exactly as it should.
You may not need to drop $500 on a speaker when you can get one that’s just as good for a fraction of the price. For a limited time, get the Altec Rockbox XL Speaker on sale for $119.99 (Reg. $199).
Prices subject to change.
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How to use iOS 16’s new door detection
Apple‘s accessibility features continue to expand, and for that we are grateful.
The latest iOS 16 upgrade includes additions to Apple’s magnifier tool, which helps people easily zoom into objects using, essentially, an enhanced iPhone camera. The tool will now also include options for automatic door and people recognition, which can be used by blind iPhone and iPad owners to find doors and obstacles in their environments much more easily. As CNBC reported, door detection can also let users know if a door is open or closed, and whether it can be opened by pushing, pulling, or turning the handle.
Prior to this upgrade, many users relied on third-party apps, like the popular Be My Eyes app released in 2015, to help navigate physical environments, detect objects in a phone’s line of sight, and read text out loud. In 2019, Google introduced its Lookout app, an AI-powered app that scans a user’s environment and announces objects.
Now, Apple users finally have their own tools to use directly in-device, making it much easier to find and navigate public or new spaces.
How to use door detection
1. Go to the Magnifier app or use an accessibility shortcut
Credit: Apple / Mashable
Find the Magnifier app by using Spotlight Search on your phone (swipe down from the middle portion of your phone screen), or by setting up a pre-programmed accessibility Shortcut. For the latter, go to your phone’s Settings and select the Accessibility menu. Swipe to the bottom of the screen and select the Shortcuts option. Here you can select an action, such as clicking your phone’s lock button three times, to bring up the Magnifier app automatically.
Credit: Apple / Mashable
2. Select the detection icon on the bottom right side of the screen
Credit: Apple / Mashable
The icon, which looks like a small, unfinished square, can be found underneath the right side of the zoom bar, to the right of the flashlight icon. Select the button and the camera will switch to detection mode.
3. Toggle between door and people recognition
Credit: Apple / Mashable
On the left side of the camera, you’ll find three icons. The top button turns on people detection, which will notify users when a person (adult or child) has stepped into view. The second button will alert users of any doors in their path, how far away the door is, and any other details about the door necessary to navigate it.
4. Select image descriptions to read any text in the camera’s view
The bottom icon, a small text bubble, will detect and transcribe any text on screen in addition to detecting people and doors, adding a higher level of information, and potential safety, for iPhone users. The text appears at the bottom of the screen.
The best movies on Peacock for when you need some wild fun
Some days, it feels like there are too many streaming services and too many options. How can you possibly choose what movie to watch next?
For those of you who have Peacock (and why wouldn’t you? Their TV offerings are stacked!), we’re here to help. We’ve combed through the Peacock catalog to bring you the funniest comedies, the most moving dramas, the most suspenseful thrillers, and the all-around best movies for your viewing pleasure. All you need to bring is the popcorn!
1. Bridesmaids
Credit: Suzanne Hanover/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
If you haven’t seen Bridesmaids, written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, we’re so sorry that you’ve obviously been trapped in a siren’s cave for the last 11 years — because there is simply no other excuse. Bridesmaids was an era-defining film. In 2011, there were still prominent male comedians claiming women couldn’t be funny! Bridesmaids put an end to the debate.
Wiig stars as Annie, a wayward thirty-something who feels out of step with her best friend Lillian (a perfect Maya Rudolph) when she meets the other women in Lillian’s bridal party. What follows is both romantic comedy and buddy flick, stuffed to the brim with punchlines, physical gags, and a repulsive and unforgettable gross-out scene. The entire cast here is flawless: Rose Byrne is delightfully haughty. Jon Hamm is perfect as a hot idiot/ Chris O’Dowd is a swoon-worthy love interest, and Melissa McCarthy was nominated for a dang Oscar for her scene-stealing performance as another misfit bridesmaid. Please escape the siren’s cave and see this legendary comedy — for your own good!
How to Watch: Bridesmaids is streaming on Peacock.
2. The Outfit
Credit: Focus Features
This cleverly twisted crime film was written and directed by Graham Moore, who won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of The Imitation Game in 2015. The incomparable Mark Rylance stars as a soft-spoken British tailor, who makes beautiful, bespoke men’s suits in 1950s Chicago. Unfortunately, most of his clientele are ruthless mobsters. The majority of the movie takes place in the span of one shocking and breathless night when his gangster clients seek shelter in the shop after an unexpected shootout from a rival organization.
The Outfit is a sophisticated and constantly surprising thriller. As Rylance’s assistant, Zoey Deutch is as charming as always, and Johnny Flynn thrives while playing against type as a no-good ’50s gangster. It’s an absolute gem of a film that will keep you guessing the whole way through.
How to Watch: The Outfit is streaming on Peacock.
3. The Fast and Furious franchise
Universal is the proud owner of the Fast and Furious franchise, so in any given month on Peacock, you’ll be able to watch at least one of the nine movies in this ongoing saga of cars going fast and occasionally blowing up. The earlier entries focus more on illegal street racing, whereas the later films expand the action to include heists, spy rings, cyber terrorists, hidden nuclear arsenals, and more. Yet they all orbit a central theme: “There’s a problem, and only this motley crew of street racers can solve it.” Honestly, there’s not much more you need to know!
These movies are high-action, low-substance in the best possible way. They’re fun, they’re truly ridiculous in a self-aware way, and last but not least, the car stunts are absolutely insane. Celebrities love being in Fast and Furious movies, from Vin Diesel and Idris Elba to Dame Helen Mirren, and people love watching them. It’s a no-brainer.
How to Watch: The Fast and the Furious is streaming on Peacock.
4. Dayveon
Credit: Mama Bear Studios/Kobal/Shutterstock
Devin Blackmon stars as Dayveon, a young kid in Arkansas struggling in the aftermath of his brother’s death. Unmoored and spending his days listlessly wandering the little town he lives in, he is increasingly drawn to the sense of belonging he finds in a local gang. Directed by Amman Abbasi, with a script by Abbasi and Steven Reneau, Dayveon is a sophisticated and deeply intimate film, made even more incredible by the fact that its cast is primarily made up of non-actors. It’s a moving and beautifully shot story that feels wholly, heartbreakingly real.
How to Watch: Dayveon is streaming on Peacock.
5. Looper
Credit: Filmdistrict/Kobal/Shutterstock
The best way to hide a body is to send it back in time, or so goes the prevailing logic of Looper, one of the best science-fiction movies of the last decade. Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a Looper, an assassin in the year 2044. He kills the poor souls that his mob bosses send to him from 30 years in the future. Joe dutifully waits at a specific spot and time for his target to appear so he can do the dirty deed and collect the cash with no one the wiser. The system works perfectly until the day he comes face to face with his latest hit — his future self, played by a superb Bruce Willis.
It’s a fantastic time-travel movie that shines even brighter because of its cast of immensely relatable and grounded characters. Writer and director Rian Johnson’s futuristic world is fascinating, but how Joe grapples with it is even more so. Willis shines in an uncharacteristically antagonistic role, Gordon-Levitt matches Willis’ energy seamlessly, and Emily Blunt is a surprise second-act star. Looper is a breathless thriller, as exciting as it is thought-provoking.
How to Watch: Looper is streaming on Peacock.
6. Trainwreck
Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock
The mid-2010s brought us ombre hair, planking, and #YOLO, but its most enduring cultural addition was a wave of movies about imperfect women. More female-led films at the box office meant there was finally enough space for leading ladies who didn’t have to meet every standard to which we hold the modern women. Movie theaters were flooded with bad moms, anti-heroines, and the sloppiest drunks you’ve ever seen in your life. Enter Trainwreck, a hilarious and irreverent rom-com directed by Judd Apatow and starring Amy Schumer in a role that’s basically her hot mess stand-up persona come to life.
In this hysterical comedy, Schumer and Bill Hader are surprisingly charming together as opposites attract. Plus, John Cena and LeBron James both add an unexpected sparkle to a fun and cheeky romance.
How to Watch: Trainwreck is streaming on Peacock.
7. Ip Man
Credit: Dreams Salon Culture/Pegasus Motion/Kobal/Shutterstock
Ip Man is an exciting Hong Kong martial arts biopic about the extraordinary life of the Wing Chun grandmaster who was Bruce Lee’s martial arts teacher. The film tracks Ip Man’s journey from the Southern Chinese village where he was well known as a skilled martial artist, to his family’s displacement during the Japanese occupation of the Second Sino-Japanese War, to his eventual rise as a fighter, and his establishment of a school in Hong Kong.
Starring the skillful Donnie Yen, Ip Man doesn’t skimp on character development; it’s an electrifying rumination on philosophy, power, and honor in addition to its stunning action. Ip Man is a deeply influential film in the martial arts genre and, to everyone’s delight, has inspired three equally stirring sequels, all of which are available on Peacock.
How to Watch: Ip Man is streaming on Peacock.
8. Harry Potter (The entire series!)
And now the franchise that needs no introduction: Harry Potter. The original eight-movie series starts as a charming coming-of-age tale about a boy wizard learning about magic and ends as a serious and emotional allegory about fighting fascism and the lengths we will go to protect the people we love. Harry Potter is our hero, Ron Weasley our goofy best friend, and Hermione our actual hero, because duh.
Though the quality of the movies vary based on the different directors at the helm and the age of the young leads, the strength of the source material paired with the prodigious gifts of the many, many storied British actors who fill out the sparkling supporting cast assure a satisfying watch. Most agree that the final two movies, each covering half of the last book in the series, are the most enthralling in the group — but you’ll have to watch them all to get what’s going on. So, you might as well start with number one, The Sorcerer’s Stone, and go from there. Poor you! You’re about to have a really great time!
How to Watch: Harry Potter is streaming on Peacock.
9. Meet the Parents
Credit: hillip V. Caruso/Universal Studios and Dreamworks LLC/Delivered by Online USA/Getty Images
As long as you promise to not become that guy who says “I have nipples, Greg, could you milk me?” at every family get-together, we figure it’s high time to give Meet the Parents a rewatch. We say rewatch because there’s no possible world in which you haven’t seen this movie. It was everywhere. And then its lower-quality sequels were everywhere. And when we say the name Gaylord Focker, you’ll picture Ben Stiller pretending to milk a cat while Robert De Niro looks on in a silent rage. We don’t make the rules!
This is the king of “meeting-the-in-laws” movies, what with De Niro as a former CIA agent surveilling, interrogating, and antagonizing his future son-in-law until Stiller reaches his acting sweet spot: freaking the f*@# out. Like most 2000s comedies, there will be some jokes that no longer work (the humor of Stiller’s character career in nursing comes to mind, not to mention his first name), but the chemistry between the two leads still crackles.
How to Watch: Meet the Parents is streaming on Peacock.
10. Long Way North
This absolutely stunning, hand-drawn film hasn’t garnered as much attention as, say, Pixar’s latest, but that’s no reason to skip this immensely affecting French-Danish tale. Sasha (Christa Théret) is a 15-year-old aristocrat living in 19th-century St. Petersburg, Russia. Determined to find her missing grandfather, a famed explorer, and clear her family’s name, she locates a vessel and sets off with a motley crew into the unforgiving Arctic landscape.
Directed by Rémi Chayé, Long Way North is both an epic adventure and a human drama, exploring themes of empowerment and empathy. What truly makes this 80-minute movie special, though, is its unique artistic style. The snow-covered landscape might be stark, but Long Way North makes the icy world feel both beautiful and alive.
How to Watch: Long Way North is streaming on Peacock.
11. Anita: Speaking Truth to Power
Directed by Academy Award-winning documentarian Freida Lee Mock, Anita packed the house when it debuted at Sundance, and it’s no wonder why. This thoughtful documentary is a portrait of Anita Hill, the young lawyer called to testify before the Senate about allegations that she’d been sexually harassed by Supreme Court then-nominee Clarence Thomas — when he was her boss at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, of all things. It’s sobering to watch the calm and poised Hill repeatedly be made to describe her humiliating experiences to a panel of aging, white, male politicians who are visibly uncomfortable and baffled by the subject matter.
Anita is an important, moving primer on a major event in the fight for gender equality, especially for viewers who were perhaps too young to fully grasp their importance at the time. For those who remember the prevailing dismissive public opinion, this documentary offers us a chance to revisit these events with the sober clarity of a post-Weinstein mindset and to learn just how pivotal and galvanizing this moment was in our history.
How to Watch: Anita: Speaking Truth to Power is streaming on Peacock.
12. The Big Lebowski
Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock
Both the Coen brothers’ most indisputably hilarious film and the greatest cinematic tribute to nihilistic philosophy in history, The Big Lebowski is more than a movie. It is, dear reader, a way of life. Jeff Bridges stars as “The Dude” — a simple Los Angeles man seeking justice after a case of mistaken identity leads a stranger to urinate on his living room rug. Enjoy. – * Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to Watch: The Big Lebowski is streaming on Peacock.
13. Despicable Me
Credit: Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Before there were gentleminions swarming our movie theaters, there was Despicable Me, a surprisingly sweet and funny kids’ movie about a so-called supervillain learning to care for three rambunctious young girls suddenly placed in his care.
Steve Carrell is impeccable as the dastardly curmudgeon Gru, whose heart slowly melts throughout the course of the film. In 2010, we couldn’t have predicted that this fun, family adventure (and Universal’s attempt to compete with the Disney/Pixar CGI monopoly of the 2000s) would become the media juggernaut it is today, but honestly, we were all young and dumb in 2010. Since then, Despicable Me has spawned two (and counting) sequels, two prequels, 15 short films, multiple video games, a web series, a television special, Lego sets, and a theme park attraction. It’s not just good; it’s “theme park” good.
How to Watch: Despicable Me is streaming on Peacock.
14. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Credit: Apatow Productions/Kobal/Shutterstock
Jason Segel is Peter, a television soundtrack composer whose life revolves around his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (a deliciously bratty Kristen Bell). That is until she abruptly breaks up with him. While he’s naked. Cue the full frontal sobbing!
To get his mind off of her, Peter takes a trip to Hawaii, but unfortunately, Sarah is vacationing at the same resort with her new rock star boyfriend Aldous Snow. (Snow is played perfectly by Russell Brand in his pre-YouTube Guru years, and he resurrected the character for Get Him to the Greek two years later). Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a sweet and raunchy breakup rom-com full of characters that are flawed, idiosyncratic, and incredibly human, including Mila Kunis as Peter’s cool new love interest, Jonah Hill as an overeager fanboy, and Paul Rudd as a hippie-dippie surf instructor. And let’s not forget the singing vampire puppets!
How to Watch: Forgetting Sarah Marshall is streaming on Peacock.
(*) denotes writeup came from a previous Mashable list.