ResidentialBusiness

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The LG C3 65-inch Evo OLED TV, featured in Lifehacker's Best Budget OLED TVs to Buy in 2025, is now available for $1,196.99, down from $1,499.99—its lowest price ever on Amazon, according to price trackers. LG C3 Series 65-Inch Class OLED TV $1,196.99 at Walmart $2,499.99 Save $1,303.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,196.99 at Walmart $2,499.99 Save $1,303.00 Its OLED panel provides perfect black levels, an infinite contrast ratio, and near-flawless color accuracy. Whites and SDR colors are especially precise, with only minor deviations in reds and greens in HDR content. Plus, it supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, so if you stream a lot in 4K, you’ll see those details shine. That said, the lack of an ATSC 3.0 tuner might be a drawback if you rely on over-the-air 4K broadcasts. You can place the C3 Evo on its (included) metal stand or mount it on a wall for a cleaner look. Its ports—four HDMI 2.1 (all 4K120, with one eARC), three USBs, Ethernet, and more—are easy to reach on the left. LG’s WebOS runs its smart TV features and covers nearly all major streaming platforms (except Crunchyroll, as highlighted in this PCMag review). However, the WebOS' smart home hub features lean heavily toward LG ThinQ appliances, which might limit compatibility with your setup if your smart devices aren’t LG-branded or are from other non-compatible brands. The Magic Remote included with the LG C3 Evo has dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Alexa, and other popular apps, making it easy to jump straight to your favorites. You’ll also find Apple AirPlay for easy streaming from your iOS devices and Alexa integration for hands-free voice commands. When it comes to gaming, with the Game Optimizer mode enabled and input lag reduction set to Boost, the TV achieves an impressively low input lag of under a millisecond. Add to that a 120Hz refresh rate, with variable refresh rate (VRR) support, plus AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility (though neither is formally certified), and you’ve got yourself a gaming powerhouse. If you’re debating alternatives, the Samsung S90C ($1,179) offers similar OLED quality and comes with the missing ATSC 3.0 tuner. View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...View the full article

SEO is at a crossroads. As AI reshapes the digital landscape and Google continues to drive less traffic to brands, marketers face a critical challenge: how to balance strategies that deliver results today with innovations that prepare for tomorrow. This article outlines eight key considerations to help you navigate these changes and stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of SEO. Why SEO feels overwhelming right now In 2024, five of the top 15 SEO stories on Search Engine Land were about AI, with several others covering major changes at Google that have led to less traffic being sent to brands. These shifts leave us with a lot to think about. Studies and experiments show the immense potential of AI-based search tools, yet most of us are still focused on optimizing for what works today. It can feel overwhelming to keep up. I often find myself lost in the wealth of insights shared by thought leaders like Rand Fishkin, Wil Reynolds, and Michael King. This rapid pace of change is not new. I vividly remember attending SEMpdx Engage in Portland in 2019, where Fishkin presented on zero-click searches. That was before the pandemic and long before ChatGPT made its debut, yet the trend of diminishing clicks from Google was already taking shape. I’m not here to break new ground with data or studies – that’s best left to the industry leaders I mentioned earlier. Instead, I want to share practical considerations to help you navigate the SEO landscape with confidence. 1. Focus on ROI Long before AI, one of the biggest contributors to ineffective SEO has been the lack of a strong connection between SEO strategy and its ROI. Given the time it takes to see meaningful results, you can’t afford to “do all the stuff” only to realize it was the wrong approach – or worse, conclude that SEO doesn’t work for your organization. Even with a detailed strategy, it’s often challenging to connect SEO KPIs to business outcomes when presenting to stakeholders. Anchoring your efforts in ROI, rather than just SEO metrics, is more critical than ever as the industry evolves. Avoid shifting strategies and tactics without a clear understanding of what’s working for your organization and what isn’t. Dig deeper: 7 proven methods to explain the value of SEO 2. Leverage AI AI is the driving force behind the changes reshaping the SEO industry. If you’ve been focused solely on existing strategies, hesitant to trust AI, or simply haven’t made time to experiment with it, now is the time to start testing and adopting it. This doesn’t mean relying on AI to generate all your content or trusting it blindly. Instead, focus on understanding its strengths, its limitations, and where it can create efficiencies. For those juggling multiple roles or working solo in SEO, AI can serve as a valuable assistant – provided you verify and question its outputs. Set aside time to test and innovate with AI. The technology is here to stay, and the longer you wait, the harder it will be to adapt as it becomes more advanced. Dig deeper: 3 ways to use AI for SEO wins in 2025 3. Know who you are targeting Your audience is the reason for doing SEO – not search engines or emerging AI tools. The goal is for your content and brand to be found in ways that drive ROI. While having a strong brand strategy and detailed personas is a great start, SEO today requires a deeper understanding of your target audience. With fragmented traffic sources and fewer clicks from Google, it’s more important than ever to know exactly who your audience is, what they’re seeking, and how you can uniquely serve them. As platforms like ChatGPT grow, even if they don’t drive direct traffic, quality must take precedence over quantity. Casting a wide net isn’t enough; precision is key in this evolving landscape. Dig deeper: How to find emerging audience needs using Google Trends 4. Identify where your audience is Understanding your audience also means knowing where they are and how they engage online. This has traditionally involved examining social media, email marketing, third-party content, and ads, along with their interplay with Google search behavior. Today, we need to go further. Whether you call it SEO, AI optimization, or something else, it’s essential to account for multiple platforms. Are your audiences still using Google search? Are they engaging with AI summaries in Google, ChatGPT, or Bing? Are they evenly distributed across various platforms? Optimizing for these sources requires an understanding of how your audience engages with each. Asking the right questions and exploring deeper insights about your audience’s online behavior will shape where and how you reach them effectively. Dig deeper: How to do audience research for SEO Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. 5. Invest in content Content has always been a cornerstone of SEO and audience engagement, and it remains a crucial area to invest in. While the way we create and consume content has evolved, it still serves as the fuel for digital marketing efforts. AI has made content research, ideation, and even creation more scalable and accessible. However, thought leadership and showcasing your unique value to your audience remain as important as ever. With AI making it easier to produce content, standing out through quality will be even more critical. Investing in high-quality, impactful content – especially content that works across multiple channels – will continue to yield strong results. Dig deeper: Content marketing and SEO: Creating an integrated SEO plan 6. Evolve tactics and checklists For years, I’ve cautioned against “checklist SEO,” where tactics are followed blindly without a clear strategy. However, having a defined approach and documented processes is still essential. As traffic sources diversify, your methodology must evolve to keep pace. Outdated SEO practices won’t cut it, and relying on memory or unstructured workflows can hinder your efforts. Maintain a written process that adapts as needed to ensure your strategy stays relevant. This way, you can defend your approach to stakeholders and even to yourself when changes require swift adjustments. Dig deeper: Evolving SEO for 2025: What needs to change 7. Be intentional in testing Amid the demands of daily tasks, make sure to carve out intentional, scheduled time for testing. Even those at the forefront of AI often feel behind when comparing themselves to others or evaluating the pace of advancements. Make testing purposeful by setting clear goals and objectives. Whether you need to push yourself to dedicate time or rein in constant experimentation to refocus on what matters now versus what’s coming next, find a balance that supports meaningful progress. Dig deeper: SEO testing: Shifting from reactive to proactive strategies 8. Communicate with stakeholders Keeping stakeholders informed, educated, and comfortable with SEO has always been a challenge, and the rapid changes brought by AI make this even more critical. Whether your stakeholders are clients, bosses, or other decision-makers, they’re likely less immersed in SEO than you are. Don’t let the complexity of AI or evolving strategies be an excuse to avoid effective communication. Ensuring stakeholders understand your approach and the broader industry context will help build trust and alignment, even as changes continue to unfold. Dig deeper: How to use SEO education for stakeholder management Mastering SEO: Balancing proven tactics with emerging trends If you’re deep in SEO, you’re probably not scared of change. The shifts we’re seeing today affect everyone, and many of these trends – such as fewer clicks from Google – have been developing for years. While the influx of new information and changes can feel overwhelming at times, my hope is that by applying the eight aspects I’ve discussed in this article to your mindset, approach, and overall strategy, you’ll be able to move forward with clarity. By adopting these principles, you can set clear objectives that will help you adapt and thrive in this shifting environment. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The hardest part of sticking to a workout routine may be starting, but the second-hardest part is figuring out what to do when it's time for another workout but you're still sore from the first one. Below, I'll share some tips for relieving that soreness—but, even more importantly, I'll tell you what not to do. Perhaps the most surprising thing: you probably shouldn't skip your next workout. Know what normal soreness feels likeBefore we discuss what to do, let's take a minute to understand how you're feeling right now, and why. It's not lactic acid (that's a myth), but rather a phenomenon known as DOMS, for "delayed onset muscle soreness." It's most likely to happen when you do something different than what you're used to. That might mean starting a new workout routine, but it can also happen to people who are already fit but try a new sport or even a slight change to their routine. DOMS can feel pretty brutal, but it's not serious. It doesn't mean your muscles are seriously damaged, and you're not going to injure yourself by ignoring it. Just to make sure we're on the same page, normal DOMS: Hurts the most when you wake up in the morning or when you've been sitting still for a while Feels better with movement Hurts when you use the muscle and when you stretch the muscle Usually starts the day after exercise (rather than the same day), and may last multiple days Is often at its worst two days after the exercise that caused it There are medical conditions that can also cause muscle soreness, so check with a doctor if you think there may be more going on than the usual DOMS situation. One condition worth keeping in mind is rhabdomyolysis, which is muscle damage that gets severe enough to cause muscle breakdown and kidney issues. Dark-colored urine (often described as "tea colored" or "cola colored") is a huge red flag—get to the emergency room if you notice this. I've written more here about the differences between normal soreness and the kind that needs medical attention. But most likely, you just have a normal case of DOMS. If that sounds right, let's talk about what to do about it. Do some active rest or gentle movementYou may not feel like moving at all, but it's worth fighting the urge to lie in bed. Once you get up and move around, the DOMS will start to fade, at least temporarily. Definitely do not cancel any plans for the day when you first wake up—that's the worst it's going to feel all day. So go for a walk. That's my go-to when I'm not feeling great. If you have access to a spin bike, moving your legs at low resistance tends to help relieve soreness. Cyclists will talk about "flushing" out their muscles with easy pedaling; whether that's scientifically accurate or not, it does seem to help. If you're into yoga, a day you're sore is a good time to do some gentle yoga; you can even look up recovery yoga for some videos to follow. Movement helps to relieve the pain of DOMS, but it doesn't necessarily make it fully go away—if you sit down to watch TV for a while, the soreness will be back when your show is over and you get up. The only thing that can make it go away is time, so you'll have to be patient. In the meantime, here are a few more things to try for temporary relief and to support your body as it naturally clears things up. Take a warm bath or visit the saunaHeat tends to make sore muscles feel better, so this is a great time to hit the sauna, if your gym has one. You can also use an electric heating pad like this one, or take a hot bath. Epsom salt baths are popular for sore muscles, but the minerals in the bathwater don't actually reach your muscles. Adding them to a bath can still make it smell nice (get the lavender scented kind) and can make it feel like you're doing something special for yourself, so use them if you enjoy them. Give yourself a massageGentle pressure can feel good on sore muscles, so consider treating yourself to a massage or asking someone to give you a back rub. A foam roller is a good way to give yourself some "self-myofascial release" (I'm convinced that's nothing but a fancy word for massage), or consider a massage gun. Eat well and sleep wellWhen you’re sore, it's good time to pay more attention to taking care of yourself. Anecdotally, I find sleep helps to deal with soreness: if I stay up late, I’m more likely to be sore the next day. Eating plenty of protein can’t hurt, either, since protein is important to building muscle. And carbs are important for recovery and fueling, so I wouldn't skimp on those either. What not to do when you're soreMyths abound, so I want to call out a few specific things that you're better off not doing. Intense stretching. Gentle movement is fine, but deep or painful stretches can cause muscle damage. Ice or cold plunges. This one is a bit controversial, but it may interfere with the healing process. Taking ibuprofen if you don't really need it. If you need a pain reliever to get through the day, it's fine to take one. But if you get into the habit of taking ibuprofen regularly—like after every workout—it can hinder your recovery. Don’t skip your workoutWhen you're feeling sore, you’re probably tempted to just stay home with some Netflix instead of taking your achy body back to the gym. But resting doesn't help much in the long run. Beating the soreness for good comes from getting used to exercise, and you’ll never get used to it if you have to take a week off every time you get the idea to start again. So go back to the gym, or head out for another run, or whatever is on your schedule for today. Make some effort to continue the schedule that you set up for yourself, whether that was a written program or a promise to yourself that you'd go to the gym a certain number of times per week. First, do your warmup, but ease into it gradually. If you planned to go for a run, start with a brisk walk and then see how an easy jog feels. If it's a lifting day, start with lighter weights than usual, and only add as much weight as you feel like you can handle today. Even if you can't manage your regular workout, you're still doing something, and that's buying you insurance against future soreness. You're also not going to get anywhere near as sore after today's workout as you did before. Scientists call this the repeated bout effect: each workout (each "bout" of training) protects against soreness from the next one. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. Cookbooks don’t really teach you how to cook. Instead they offer a collection of recipes that you (hopefully) like. If you find one, though, with recipes that serve as inspiration for adapting and modifying to create even more new recipes—well, that’s a real gem. The cookbooks I find myself going back to time and again make a wee inspiration library. Sometimes I use their recipes, and sometimes I find a flavor combination or cooking method I’ll get excited to use later in the week. But it is rare that a cookbook breaks down how a chef thinks about recipe creation. This week I chose Kitchen Matrix for my cookbook of the week because it’s unlike any other cookbook I’ve seen before. It’s a cookbook with major lessons on how to cook. A bit about the bookThis book comes from Mark Bittman, a legendary food journalist and author (read more about him here). Although this cookbook isn’t new—it was published in 2015—the message is timeless: Cooking is an endless spectrum. A single recipe exists on a branch of an ingredient’s sprawling family tree. Ok, enough romance: let me explain. The pages of Kitchen Matrix are filled with recipes, yes, but directly following one recipe will be how to riff in three to 12 different ways. Essentially, how to make a whole new meal by swapping the main ingredient, or what you get when you change the cooking method from grilling to steaming. It reveals the connection between different dishes within a food set. For example, how only two or three ingredients separate minestrone from mushroom soup from tomato and garlic soup. The cooking method is the same; it’s a matter of swapping this for that. When you see it displayed in the clever way Bittman has arranged these sections, the art of cooking suddenly clicks into a clear science. Mark Bittman's Kitchen Matrix: More Than 700 Simple Recipes and Techniques to Mix and Match for Endless Possibilities: A Cookbook $28.09 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $35.00 Save $6.91 Shop Now Shop Now $28.09 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $35.00 Save $6.91 A great book for the confident cookJust because someone is a confident cook doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy a good cookbook. Kitchen Matrix is more like Cooking 201 versus Cooking 101. It’s best for someone who already feels good about getting around the kitchen, using various cooking methods, trying out new flavors, and taking risks. There’s plenty of inspiration in this cookbook and a lot for the confident cook to get excited about. That said, many of the recipe spin-offs are written in what I’ll call a recipe shorthand, while other recipes are written out in a full version—with an ingredient list and steps underneath. For example, with the section “Corn +12 ways” you’ll get a short recipe equating to “Mix this, this, and this together. Cook it until browned.” Then two recipe variations underneath where only the swapped ingredients are indicated. Seasoned cooks will be able to connect the dots, while I think the missing information could be extremely confusing for many other home cooks. The recipes you can expect I like that many of the chapters are split up by main ingredients, like Meat, Vegetables, or Poultry and Eggs. Within each chapter will be a mini section dedicated to major popular items that fit in the section. For the Vegetable section you can flip to Salad Greens +12 Ways, Celery +16 Ways, or Vegan Entrees +10 Ways, among many others. This speaks to my nightly cooking habit of discovering I have six zucchini that are about to get weird, so I need a zucchini-centric meal STAT. I can simply flip to Zucchini +12 Ways and pick between raw, grilled, microwaved, or sautéed and have three recipes each at the ready. Even if I had more squash than one recipe required, at least I have 11 different choices for tomorrow’s meals. That’s support. It’s like un-creepy AI (if you can imagine). I feel like this cookbook has my back when I need it. My favorite feature of Kitchen Matrix is the Recipe Generator. There are a few of them throughout the book, and they’re double page visual diagrams of popular meals—like Sandwich Recipe Generator, Tartar Recipe Generator, Grain Salad, Eggs, Jam—and they show you the components that are involved along with options so you can create your own. Prof. Bittman wants you to learn to create your own recipes. As a former teacher witnessing beautiful diagrams, I wipe a single tear from my eye. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann The dish I made this weekI don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s winter and hell has frozen over. I’ve been in a soup mood. I flipped over to Soups and Stews, and landed on the Vegetable soups. I adore soups for all meals, and this section’s matrix consisted of Creamy, Brothy, Bean, and Vegetable. I can never turn down a creamy soup, so I turned my attention there. The main recipe was for a creamy spinach soup, and underneath it were the two variations: curried cauliflower, or squash and ginger. I chose curried cauliflower. The main recipe for spinach soup had simple directions. Basically, cook the garlic and onion in water, then add the spinach and yogurt before puréeing it all. The cauliflower soup instructed me to swap out a few ingredients: garlic for ginger, spinach for cauliflower, parsley for curry powder, and yogurt for coconut milk. I did just that, but using the same method from the spinach recipe. The soup was a golden-hued hug. Creamy without any cream, thick without being gloppy, and boosted with just enough spice to compliment the cauliflower’s natural flavors. It was a reminder that great soup can be drop-dead simple, and as a result, I know how to make 11 other simple soups. That’s enough to get me through the winter. How to buy itKitchen Matrix is available online, as an ebook (for a bargain), and keep in mind that you can support your local brick and mortar bookstores by asking them to order it to their location if they don’t have it in stock. View the full article

The start of a new year signals more than resolutions – it’s a critical moment for PPC professionals to reset, refocus, and strategically realign. As the digital marketing landscape evolves, success demands a clear-eyed approach to account management, client objectives, and personal growth. Here are five essential areas every PPC specialist must prioritize in 2025. 1. Master the fundamentals: Strengthen your foundation We often rush to tackle advanced strategies without solidifying the fundamentals, whether in client work or our personal development. No matter your experience level, revisiting the basics is essential for long-term success. Now is the perfect time to refocus on foundational elements, both for your accounts and your own growth, such as: Tracking Accurate and complete tracking is critical in the AI era. Your account’s performance depends entirely on the quality of the data flowing into it. Review your setups and identify any gaps, such as enhanced conversions, offline conversion tracking, or basket-level data. Account hygiene This may not be the most exciting task, but it’s essential. If you were auditing someone else’s account, account hygiene would be one of the first things you’d examine. Review ads, creatives, bidding strategies, campaign settings, and keywords to ensure everything is in order. Over time, these elements can become out of place, so adjustments are likely needed. For a starting point, check the Recommendations tab, then refine from there. Account structure Ensure the account structure aligns with the client’s advertising goals and objectives. Task management Review task management systems and service agreements to confirm they still match current needs. Peak periods can lead to workload overflows, which may carry into the new year. Assess your tasks to remove anything unnecessary or of little value to the client. Personal habits During busy periods, morning account checks may be skipped, and weekly performance reviews or analyses might stretch to biweekly or even monthly. Make sure to get back on track. Skill sharpening Keeping up with industry newsletters or completing a PPC training course might have taken a backseat. Reprioritize these activities to stay ahead in the field. Dig deeper: How to create a roadmap for your PPC clients 2. Plan for success: Align goals and strategy For the client side, start with an annual review or extended quarterly meeting with clients and key stakeholders to ensure objectives are communicated clearly and aligned. The plan should focus on measurable goals and future strategy rather than revisiting technical basics. Key elements to include: 2024 performance overview: Evaluate performance against primary objectives with year-on-year or forecast comparisons. Channel analysis: Identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. For example, if direct and organic traffic is underperforming, diagnose the cause (e.g., reduced brand awareness) and explore solutions, such as upper-funnel activity in current or new channels. Realignment of 2025 objectives, goals, and targets: Use existing insights to set clear goals and define how to achieve them. List of strategic actions: For instance, if revenue grew year-over-year but profits declined, a 2025 objective might be to test profit-based bidding strategies. Strategy roadmap: Prioritize actions for the first two quarters rather than spreading them out over the entire year. For personal development, take time to reflect on your goals for 2025 and collaborate with your agency or manager to create a development plan. Consider the following: Weaknesses or interests: Identify areas you want to improve or explore further this year. Strengths: Focus on skills you excel at and aim to become an internal leader in those areas. Portfolio review: Assess whether your current client portfolio aligns with your personal growth goals. Career progression: Define the position you want to work toward and ensure your objectives align with achieving that role. Dig deeper: 5 ways to align PPC campaigns with business objectives Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. 3. Resource readiness: Equip yourself and your team Once planning is underway, assess the resources needed to implement your plans effectively. These requirements may evolve based on client feedback and internal discussions. Key areas to review include: Team capability Can existing team members address any measurement or implementation gaps? Will the client’s development team need to handle certain tasks? If there’s a skills gap, is this an opportunity for you to upskill? Service contract alignment Do the tasks and requirements fit within the current service agreement? If additional channel management is needed, will the account require extra support? Creative process Does the client’s creative process support new strategies or channels? Are additional resources or adjustments needed to align with new goals? Commercial scope If current delivery exceeds the original agreement, plan a review with the client. Consider how this extra service aligns with your personal growth objectives. Upskilling needs Identify any training or knowledge gaps necessary to meet both client and personal objectives. Resource needs often overlap between personal and business goals. For example, if you aim to improve your skills in profit tracking and a client’s goal is to focus on profitability over revenue, this creates an opportunity to align personal development with client success. Prioritize areas that deliver value for both. 4. Learning and growth: Stay ahead in a fast-moving industry In the fast-evolving digital marketing world, continuous learning is critical to staying relevant and achieving your growth ambitions. Whether refining your expertise or exploring new areas, upskilling offers several benefits: Fresh ideas and innovative thinking. Confidence from enhanced knowledge. Increased job satisfaction and motivation. A clear signal of career ambition and drive. Both personal and business growth can be supported through targeted learning. Potential focus areas include: Specific skills: AI, attribution/measurement, multi-channel strategies, profit tracking. Broader development: Leadership, management, and client communication. While personal and client objectives may not always align perfectly, both require dedicated learning plans. Shape these around the year’s strategic goals: For personal growth, focus on skills that help you lead in your specialty or explore new interests. For business growth, consider training that strengthens client understanding, such as PPC’s role in overall strategy or how AI (e.g., Performance Max) reshapes campaign structures. Bridging gaps between roles – such as clients fixating on minor CPC changes instead of strategy impact – through education can reduce misunderstandings, improve efficiency, and foster stronger relationships. Empowering clients with relevant knowledge helps them better communicate results to stakeholders, benefiting both parties. Dig deeper: Becoming a world-class PPC ad buyer: 8 key lessons 5. From goals to actions: Turning plans into progress Planning is only half the battle; without action, even the best strategies fall flat. Whether it’s executing a 2025 paid media strategy or achieving personal goals, effort, and resources must be allocated to move forward. Here are effective ways to translate plans into progress: Break down objectives: Divide broad goals into smaller, actionable tasks for clarity and focus. Track progress: Create a weekly updated progression sheet to monitor goals and maintain transparency. Set deadlines: Assign clear timelines to keep everyone accountable and motivated. Communicate regularly: For client plans, track and report progress through regular communications and monthly updates. Invest in resources: Commit to necessary tools, training, or initiatives. Financial investment adds urgency and focus. Assign accountability: Clearly delegate responsibilities and deliverables to ensure follow-through. By prioritizing these steps, whether individually or as a whole, you can set yourself and your clients up for a successful and productive 2025. Dig deeper: PPC management checklist: Daily, weekly and monthly reviews View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you're looking for a new show to watch this week, I got your back. I've scoured the schedules of Netflix, Prime, Max, Hulu, and other streaming platforms to bring you the best and most notable shows streaming this week. The Traitors, season 3 From its top notch host Allan Cummings to its cast of hardcore reality show veterans, to its classy Scottish castle setting and stylish presentation, reality TV rarely rises to the heights of The Traitors. If you like conniving on a grand scale, and you didn't come here to make friends, check out The Traitors. Where to stream: Peacock SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night NBC's late night comedy juggernaut Saturday Night Live has been on the air for half a century and this four-part documentary series takes you backstage at SNL, from the writers' room to the executive suites to the talent's green room, to tell the story of how a tiny show no one cared about became a culture defining force. Packed with interviews with celebrities, cast members, producers, and writers, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is required viewing for anyone into comedy. Where to stream: Peacock Harlem, season 3 In season 3 of Harlem, the drama continues as four best friends in the city navigate career struggles, motherhood, singlehood, sisterhood, and more. Cast members Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, and Shoniqua Shandai return, but there are some new faces too, including Kofi Siriboe who plays Seth, a handsome MLB player who catches one of the ladies’ attention. Starts streaming January 23. C.B. Strike: The Ink Black Heart This four-episode British series is based on the best-selling novels by J.K. Rowling, but there's not a wizard to be found. Instead, C.B. Strike: The Ink Black Heart offers the detective team of Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, who are hired to investigate a murder involving the creator of a cult TV cartoon and an anonymous online troll called “Anomie.” The case reveals a complex web of online intrigue, shadowy business interests, and family conflicts that will test the limits of Strike and Robin's investigative skills and might cost them their lives. Starts streaming January 23. Last week's picksSeverance, season 2 I'm a little nervous for the new season of Severance. The first season's mix of pitch-black social commentary, ice-cold production design, and acting talent was so good, I'm afraid season two is going to disappoint, especially since I've been waiting for three years. So far, it looks promising: Rotten Tomatoes' critics are nearly universal in their praise, and the trailer looks phenomenal. Season 2 takes us deeper into the mysteries surrounding Lumon Industries, and deeper into the psyches of the people who work there, and the people who don't work there, who are the same people. Where to stream: Apple TV+ Goosebumps: The Vanishing This horror series stars Friends' David Schwimmer as Anthony, a divorced dad hosting his twin teenage children Devin and Cece for the summer at his Brooklyn home. Anthony only has one rule: Stay out of the basement—like that's going to happen. The mystery under their feet leads the twins and their friends to dark secrets connected to the disappearance of four teenagers in the 1990s and a supernatural entity of immense power. Where to stream: Max Harley Quinn, season 5 The fifth season of adult cartoon Harley Quinn sees the titular character, voiced by Kaley Cuoco, moving to Metropolis with her friend Poison Ivy, voiced by Lake Bell. The pair soon find that something serious is going down in Superman-town, and Quinn will meet up with Lex Luthor, his sister, Lena Luthor, Brainiac, and other comic book favorites in this irreverent take on the DC Universe. Harley Quinn has a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so it's definitely worth your time. Where to stream: Max An Update On Our Family All "family YouTubers" seem pretty weird, but the Stauffer family was next-level reprehensible. This three-part documentary series examines how Myka and James Stauffer built a small vlogging empire by presenting themselves and their children as a perfect family, but took it a step too far when they adopted a baby from China with severe neurological problems. They tried to turn two year-old Huxley into the centerpiece of their content, but he soon disappeared from the family channel and the family. Where to stream: Max View the full article

Google search ranking volatility is heated this week, but some of the tools are having issues tracking them. Google is sending out penalties, manual actions...View the full article

Short-form videos are here to stay. Explore the opportunities for businesses on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. The post Short-Form Video Dominance: The Future Of Engagement In Social Media appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Looking to settle in with a good movie? Me too. That's why I've pored over release schedules to bring you the best original and new-to-streaming movies you can watch on Netflix, Prime, Max, Hulu, and other streaming platforms this week. Late January is the perfect time to check out a sensitive character comedy like A Real Pain, and it's never a bad time to dig into the story of P. Diddy with a documentary like Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy. A Real Pain (2024) Written by, directed by, and starring Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain is a buddy comedy/road movie in which a pair of mismatched cousins tour through Poland to visit holocaust memorials. This plot would be a disaster in the wrong hands, but Eisenberg's sensitive directorial skills and amazing performances from both Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin elevate A Real Pain into a memorable, touching film you shouldn't miss. It more than earned its 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Where to stream: Hulu Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy takes viewers behind the music and behind the mugshot. Through never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with the (probably former) friends and associates who knew him best, The Making of a Bad Boy explores Sean "Diddy" Combs' long journey from musical icon and hip hop impresario to nearly universally hated pariah and prisoner. Where to stream: Peacock Sleep (2023) Korean psychological thriller Sleep balances nuanced characters with a slow-burn ghost story about the world we inhabit while we dream. Jung Yu-mi and Lee Sun-kyun play Soo-jin and Hyun-su, a married couple with a baby on the way whose seemingly tranquil domestic lives are shattered when Hyun-su starts talking in his sleep, saying "Someone’s inside." Spooky! Where to stream: Hulu Last week's picksBack in Action In Back in Action, the star power is turned up past 11. This action-comedy stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz as CIA agents who left the undercover life to raise a family together. But when their cover is blown, these seemingly normal parents come out of retirement to kick ass, take names, and make jokes. It's been over a decade since Diaz has appeared in a feature, so expect something special. Where to stream: Netflix Unstoppable Jennifer Lopez anchors this inspiring story based on the real life of one-legged wrestler Anthony Robles, played by Jharrel Jerome. In Unstoppable, Lopez plays Anthony's mother Judy, one of those devoted movie moms who will not let her son give up on his dream of becoming a college wrestling champion, no matter how many sacrifices she has to make. Man, isn't the human spirit something? Where to stream: Prime A Different Man (2024) If you like your comedy pitch black and shot through with absurdity and social commentary, A Different Man is the movie for you. Sebastian Stan plays Edward, a struggling actor with an extreme facial deformity. A medical procedure transforms him into a handsome dude—a different man—but he's only pretty on the outside. Edward soon learns that beauty is skin deep, but ugliness can go right down to the marrow. Like just about everything released by A24, A Different Man received well-deserved raves from critics. Where to stream: Max Henry Danger: The Movie Henry Danger returns to TV in this straight-to-streaming-and-basic-cable feature. It's been five years since the final season of Nickelodeon's Henry Danger TV show, and you gotta wonder if the show's original audience aged out of fandom. Whatever, though: there will always be kids and tweens into a superhero that isn't dark and broody. Here, Danger teams up with a superfan to explore an alternative dimension which could trap the pair forever. Where to stream: Paramount+ Hereditary (2018) I love horror movies, and Hereditary is the best one that been made in the last decade, at least. Ari Aster's masterpiece is not a movie for the faint of heart. It's legitimately disturbing in a primal way, a carefully paced, slow burn of dread that becomes builds to a shocking conclusion. The cast is amazing, but Toni Collette's portrayal of a mother struggling with mental illness stands out as one of the most unsettling performances in horror movie history. Where to stream: Netflix View the full article

As a search marketer, you’re already skilled at creating content that captivates audiences and drives results. But when the audience is your own team and the goal is internal training, the task might feel a bit out of your comfort zone. Creating training videos may seem unfamiliar, especially if video production isn’t your forte. However, your existing skills in search marketing can be incredibly valuable when crafting engaging and educational training videos for your colleagues. This article will guide you through the essential tools, strategies, and best practices to create training videos that are not only informative but also engaging and effective. Exploring SearchBot for internal training video insights What do you do when tasked with an unexpected assignment – one that plays to your weaknesses, like creating internal training videos? One possible step is to check out Search Engine Land’s SearchBot SearchBot for advice. In my own search, I tried using the “Productivity expert/motivational coach/personal guru” persona to explore tips and tools for building internal training videos. The Coaching Expert SearchBot (powered by ChatGPT 4.0-mini) offered some valuable insights: “Here are some key points and tools you might consider including in your presentation on making internal training videos: Tools for Creating Training Videos 1. Screen Recording Software: – Camtasia: Great for recording screen activity and adding annotations. – OBS Studio: A free, open-source option for screen recording and live streaming. 2. Video Editing Software: – Adobe Premiere Pro: A professional-grade video editing tool with extensive features. – iMovie: A user-friendly option for Mac users, ideal for basic editing. 3. Presentation Tools: – PowerPoint or Google Slides: Use these to create engaging slides that can be recorded as part of your video. – Prezi: Offers a dynamic presentation style that can make your training more engaging. 4. Audio Recording Equipment: – USB Microphones: A good quality microphone can significantly improve audio clarity (e.g., Blue Yeti). – Headsets: For clear audio during recordings or live sessions. 5. Video Hosting Platforms: – YouTube: For public or unlisted videos. – Vimeo: Offers privacy options and is great for internal sharing. – LMS (Learning Management Systems): If your company uses an LMS, consider integrating your videos there for easy access. Tips for Making Effective Training Videos 1. Define Your Objectives: Clearly outline what you want to achieve with the training video. This will guide your content and structure. 2. Know Your Audience: Tailor your content to the specific needs and knowledge level of your audience to ensure engagement. 3. Keep It Concise: Aim for shorter videos (5-10 minutes) to maintain attention and focus. Break longer topics into a series of shorter videos. 4. Engage with Visuals: Use visuals, graphics and animations to illustrate key points and keep the audience engaged. 5. Include Interactive Elements: If possible, incorporate quizzes or discussion prompts to encourage interaction and reinforce learning. 6. Practice Delivery: Rehearse your presentation to ensure smooth delivery and to build confidence. 7. Gather Feedback: After the training, solicit feedback to improve future videos and address any gaps in understanding. Conclusion Encourage your colleagues to embrace video as a powerful tool for training and development. Highlight the importance of continuous learning and how effective training videos can enhance knowledge retention and engagement within the organization.” While these are helpful general guidelines, one thing the SearchBot didn’t touch on was the importance of scriptwriting and video planning tools. For example, Google Docs or Notion are great for drafting scripts and structuring content, ensuring nothing important gets overlooked. Tools like Trello or Asana can also help you organize the production process by breaking down each step – scripting, recording, editing, and reviewing. Dig deeper: Video content guide: Why you should start creating videos now (plus examples) Adding a dash of creativity to your internal training videos While technical tips and tools are essential, the real magic happens when creativity transforms your content into something memorable. Drawing inspiration from David Ogilvy’s philosophy of “big ideas,” I decided to seek unconventional sources of inspiration. One such source was the 1976 comedy film Murder by Death – a clever spoof of detective movie tropes. This time, I used another persona in Search Engine Land’s list: Sarcastic Marketer (for fun!). It’s been “pre-prompted” as a snarky, clever, and funny marketing expert. Here’s what the chatbot generated: “[W]hen I think of engaging internal training videos, I immediately think of a 1976 comedy/mystery film featuring a cast of eccentric detectives. I mean, who wouldn’t want to learn about compliance policies from a parody of Hercule Poirot or a bumbling version of Sam Spade? Here’s the genius plan: 1. Character-Based Scenarios: Use the iconic characters from Murder by Death as avatars for different training modules. Picture this: your compliance training led by a Poirot-esque character who meticulously unravels the “mystery” of company policies. “Ah, but what is the true meaning of ‘conflict of interest’? Let us investigate!” 2. Humor and Mystery: Inject humor into the training by creating a light-hearted mystery that employees need to solve. For example, “Who stole the last donut in the break room?” Employees can learn about teamwork and communication while trying to crack the case. Spoiler alert: it was probably the intern. 3. Interactive Elements: Incorporate interactive elements where employees can choose their own adventure, much like the film’s plot twists. “Will you follow the lead of the wise-cracking detective or the overly serious one? Choose wisely, or you might end up in a training loop of doom!” 4. Visual Style: Emulate the film’s quirky visual style. Use bold colors, exaggerated expressions and playful graphics to keep viewers engaged. Because nothing says “mandatory training” like a cartoonish detective with a magnifying glass. 5. Catchy Taglines: Create memorable taglines inspired by the film’s humor. “In the world of corporate training, the only thing more mysterious than our policies is why you haven’t watched this video yet!” 6. Post-Training Debrief: End with a “whodunit” style debrief where employees can discuss what they learned, just like detectives sharing their theories. “So, who really was the culprit behind the missed deadlines? Was it poor communication or just a lack of coffee?” So, there you have it! By channeling the comedic brilliance of Murder by Death, you can transform those deadly dull training videos into something that employees might actually look forward to. Just remember, if all else fails, you can always blame it on the cat.” By injecting creativity into your training videos, you can break free from the typical formulaic approach, turning mundane content into an engaging, even fun, experience for your team. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. Strategic insights for effective training videos Creating impactful internal training videos requires more than technical know-how. It demands a strategic approach that aligns with organizational goals, leverages industry trends, and incorporates data-driven improvements. Here’s how to make your training videos effective and engaging. Align training videos with business goals Training videos should serve as strategic tools, not just tutorials. Tie them to broader business objectives like scaling lead generation, improving ROI, or boosting organic traffic. For example, if your company is entering new markets, focus on localization strategies for PPC or international SEO best practices. Ensuring alignment with key goals enhances their relevance and impact. Use introductory videos and advanced tutorials Tailoring videos for various levels of expertise within your company is key to maintaining engagement and ensuring that learning is effective. Consider creating distinct content based on the following: Introductory videos: Target new hires or those with less experience. These might cover basic topics like using Google Keyword Planner or an overview of Google Ads, providing a solid foundation for those starting out in marketing. Advanced tutorials: Cater to seasoned professionals with more complex topics, such as conversion rate optimization (CRO), attribution modeling, or technical SEO audits using tools like Screaming Frog. These sessions should delve deep into advanced strategies, providing more technical insights and practical applications. Tailoring your content ensures that employees at all levels feel supported, challenged, and engaged in their learning journey. Incorporate video SEO principles Even internal training videos benefit from video SEO practices. Optimize file names, titles, and descriptions with relevant keywords to improve discoverability within your company’s systems. This ensures that employees can quickly locate the resources they need, especially in larger organizations. Tactical advice for creating effective training videos Leverage analytics for optimization: Treat training videos like SEO or PPC campaigns by tracking performance metrics such as watch times, completion rates, and engagement. Tools like Wistia or Panopto can help identify content gaps or opportunities for improvement, ensuring your videos remain relevant and effective. Integrate interactive elements: Boost engagement and reinforce learning by incorporating quizzes, polls, or interactive walkthroughs. For example, SEO training might include a quiz on keyword strategy, while a PPC walkthrough could guide users through campaign setup, offering hands-on experience. By aligning your videos with business goals and applying these tactical best practices, you can create training content that resonates, informs, and drives measurable improvement within your organization. Dig deeper: YouTube SEO fundamentals: What you need to know View the full article

On Thursday, January 23rd, Google updated its search quality raters guidelines PDF document. The last time Google updated this document was for the March 2024 spam update changes, over ten months ago. This update seems to focus on on spam and adds some additional details.View the full article

Google announced a number of new Google Ads Performance'¬'­ Max'¬'­ features with the aim to provide advertisers with more control, transparency, and actionable insights within Performance Max campaigns, the company said. These include updates around more campaign control, enhanced Search reporting and guidance, and asset group improvements.View the full article

Google's John Mueller said that when it comes to disavowing links "it's in a spammer's best interest to encourage others to spend time on it." Why? Because Google has said there is little reason to disavow links, unless you have a manual action or know you did some bad linking. View the full article

Google Ads has made two updates around advertiser verification recently. One, in some countries, Google will no longer require certification for some advertisers. Second, Google has updated and reorganized the Google Ads Advertiser Verification documentation.21View the full article

Microsoft is testing a new local pack design and layout for Bing Search local pack results. Bing is placing these blue boxes, either below the map, to the right side, including different numbered variations.View the full article

Google's John Mueller discussed SEO for AI Overviews and emphasized the continued importance of search marketing The post Google Shares Insight On SEO For AI Overviews appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. My partner is angry about how I handled harassment at work Content warning for domestic violence. I’m a woman in finance. Six months ago, I was put into a team with an older male colleague who from day one decided to call me “Legs.” When someone challenged him, he said, “Well, look, she’s got legs up to here!” He gets too close, stares at my boobs, and one time walked past me while I was at my desk and, rather than squeezing my shoulder in passing, he put his hand effectively on the side of my boob and as he walked off his hand brushed off me. Word got back to the directors, he was told off for his behavior, he tried to apologize to me on a work night out, and I told him, “It’s not just what you do, but after you leave the room I become the butt of the joke for the next hour and it’s all totally humiliating.” It all then stopped. Whilst all the harassment stopped after that, he has been difficult to work with because he’s lazy and non-compliant and I have to tidy up all his messes. I’m leaving this job because I have a promotion with a new firm. Since my exit interview, this collegue and I have butted heads on a project and I’ve gone home and vented to my partner. Somehow, all the past sexual harrassment stuff came up and my partner got really, really furious with me for not previously reporting this colleague or doing anything to get this “predator” out of work. He shouted at me and gave me ultimatums of “you’ve got until your last day, otherwise I’ll be contacting the director.” He was so cross he shoved me at one point and said, “You’re a POS, not an advocate for women at all. It’s embarrassing a man has to stick up for women’s rights.” He berated me for making excuses for enabling this colleague. He is a domestic abuse survivor, but I plainly told him this is my situation and my work, and he’s being controlling and overstepping. My partner strongly believes he has a right to advocate for the next woman who’s going to step into my role. How do I handle this? I’m very close to ending my relationship. I’m so sorry — this awful and unfair in a number of different ways. Would you consider calling a domestic violence hotline? I’m so sorry to say it, but I don’t think you can safely stay in this relationship. The verbal abuse and belittling on their own are a reason to leave; the shoving takes it far, far past that line. None of the rest of my answer matters as much as that, but to address the other issues: your partner isn’t “sticking up for women’s rights.” Trying to overrule a woman’s autonomy in deciding how to handle a professional situation that affects her is not being an ally to women at all. If he wants to advocate for women, he needs to start by respecting their autonomy and their judgment. If he simply can’t live with how you’ve decided to handle your own work situation, his options are to try to change your perspective respectfully or to leave — not to try to bully you into doing what he wants. 2. Should a top executive be venting to employees about managers above them? My coworker Michael was lateral to me and on my team when I joined about seven years ago. However, in the years since, our CEO has taken a strong liking to him and he has risen through the ranks, to the point where he is now essentially the CEO’s second-in-command in charge of daily operations. Michael does not manage our team, but he is still quite close with many of us and often hangs out with us socially at team lunches and happy hours. Sometimes during these gatherings, he will “vent” to us, often about people or teams far above us — complaining, for example, that VP Jane never shows up to meetings or that X Product Team takes forever to get anything done. He once ranted about how our team’s manager never checks her messages and how various processes she’s implemented make no sense. These are all things that I agree with. They impact my daily workflow, in a way I don’t think they impact his, and hugely frustrate me as well. But I’m finding myself getting annoyed when Michael complains about them, because I don’t have the power to change any of these things as a rank-and-file employee — but he does! He has hiring, firing, and disciplinary power, he’s in high-level meetings, and he could actually do something about these problems! I know that some of these may well be battles that Michael has reasonably decided aren’t worth fighting. Still, is it reasonable to think that Michael is a bit insensitive for making these complaints to us? Not only insensitive, but oddly oblivious to his own position of power and influence, as well as to how “here’s a problem I could try to fix but rather than dealing with it competently, I’m just going to complain” reflects on him. He’s basically advertising his own ineffectiveness. And if he has correctly judged that these aren’t battles worth fighting, then he’s just demonstrating bad judgment in picking you as his audience to vent to. Besides being indiscreet, venting from higher-ups about other higher-ups is bad for people’s morale. What would happen if you started replying, “Don’t you have the authority now to do something about that?” 3. Should I tell my boss about my PMDD? I am four months into a new position in my company. I am past the training stage and am now handling my own accounts and assisting others. I have struggled with ADHD in the past, but have been able to manage it for the past few years with medication. Here’s where the problem comes in: I was diagnosed with PMDD years ago and stopped taking the hormonal birth control that made me stop my period completely. This has caused the hormonal surges and drops that lead to PMDD and it’s beginning to cause issues at work. One super fun side effect of my PMDD is that it makes my ADHD medication essentially useless. A lot of people have been out of work this last week, and trying to handle the extra work while dealing with unmitigated ADHD and terrible mood swings has been a nightmare and I’ve admittedly been ineffective. My boss has scheduled calls to check in and while I’ve been open about feeling overwhelmed, I’m beginning to wonder if I should explain why. During a non-PMDD week, I feel I would’ve been able to handle the higher work load. I’m worried that this is going to leave a lasting impression. I’m beginning to wonder if it would be easier to just explain to my boss that my PMDD wreaked havoc on my ability to focus last week but that I am working with my doctor to find a solution. Is this too much to share? Would it be viewed as making excuses? You don’t need to share that level of detail, and doing so risks opening you up to misunderstandings and biases about PMDD (and ADHD, for that matter). But as with any health issue, it’s enough to just stick to the parts that are pertinent to your boss. So for example: “I want to let you know that I’m having a medication issue that’s affecting my ability to concentrate. I’m working with my doctor to find a solution and I don’t expect it to continue long-term, but I wanted to let you know in case I don’t seem at 100% right now.” Related: should you tell your boss if you’re struggling with mental health issues? 4. How do I move back to a more junior job after covering while a coworker was on leave? For over a year now, I have been covering the job of a colleague while she is on maternity leave. Her maternity leave is due to end soon and in my country she is entitled to her previous job back. I will either need to return to my previous (more junior) role in the organization or to look for a new job elsewhere. How do I prepare to give her her job back without getting possessive or anxious that she will do a better job than I did? How do I navigate taking on a more junior role within the same team? I totally support the rights of working parents but am not sure how to navigate this transition emotionally and practically. It’s hard when you feel like you’re moving backwards. But a better way to look at it is that your coworker’s leave can be something that helps you move forward: it gave you something really great to put on your resume, which you can now parlay into a similar position somewhere else. (Or potentially at your current organization if something opens up.) The time you spent covering her job built your skills and gives you evidence of those skills and capabilities, and that should make getting the next job easier. Doing higher-level work can also help you do more junior roles at a higher level than you were doing them previously; you probably have a more nuanced understanding of the priorities, constraints, and politics of management above you and that broadened perspective can influence the way you approach your job now. You also might think about what you did and didn’t like about the work you were covering and use that to refine what you want next (as well as where your biggest challenges were, if those are areas you want to develop in). Last, are there opportunities to bring the skills you’ve built in the last year back to your current team in a new way? If so, consider talking to your boss about places where those could be helpful. View the full article

Reddit leads in search visibility growth, according to a SISTRIX report, raising questions about Google's preferences for user-generated content (UGC). The post Does Google Favor UGC? Reddit Leads In Search Growth [STUDY] appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Paramount+'s February slate includes the return of several highly anticipated series, starting with the season three premiere of thriller Yellowjackets (Feb. 14). The show, which received a handful of Primetime Emmy nominations, follows a group of teenage girls who survived a plane crash in the wilderness into their adult lives. The third installment picks up in the aftermath of a character's present-day death in season two. Fans of the Taylor Sheridan Yellowstone universe are getting the second (and final) season of prequel series and origin story 1923 (Feb. 23), starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as the Dutton family patriarch and matriarch in harsh conditions of the pre-Depression era. There are also new seasons of Paramount+ originals NCIS: Sydney (Feb. 7), The Equalizer (Feb. 16), and Tracker (Feb. 16). Paramount+ will stream the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 2. The show—hosted by Trevor Noah—is airing on CBS at 8 p.m. ET and will be available live for Paramount+ With Showtime subscribers. Finally, there's On TV: A Black History Month Special (Feb. 17), an hour-long news show hosted by Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner celebrating Black excellence in TV and entertainment. Here’s everything else coming to the service in February. Note that titles with an asterisk are exclusive to Paramount+ With Showtime; everything else is also available to subscribers on the ad-supported plan. Those with two asterisks are available to Paramount+ With Showtime users streaming live on CBS and to all subscribers the following day. Paramount+ Originals and premieres coming in February 2025Available February 1Ride* Available February 267th Annual Grammy Awards** Available February 4Burden of Guilt, premiere Available February 6Death Without Mercy, premiere* Available February 12Eric Clapton Unplugged…Over 30 Years Later, special premiere Available February 14Yellowjackets, season 3 premiere* Available February 17On TV: A Black History Month Special** Available February 231923, season 2 premiere TV shows coming to Paramount+ in February 2025Available February 5Bar Rescue (season 9) The Patrick Star Show (season 2) Super Bowl Greatest Commercials: F.O.A.T special** Available February 7NCIS: Sydney (season 2 premiere)** Available February 12PAW Patrol: Big Truck Pups CMT Crossroads (seasons 1-3,5,10-16,18-20) How Did They Fix That? (season 3) MTV Unplugged (seasons 1-8, 10-13) VH1 Storytellers (seasons 1-9, 11-13,15,16) Available February 16The Equalizer (season 5 winter premiere)** Tracker (season 2 winter premiere)** Available February 17On TV: A Black History Month Special** Available February 24Beyond the Gates (season 1) Available February 26Survivor (season 48)** The Loud House (season 7) Movies coming to Paramount+ in February 2025Available February 1A Mighty Heart A Walk on the Moon Adore Along Came A Spider American Gigolo Attack the Block Babel Bebe's Kids Birthday Girl Boys And Girls Brokeback Mountain Chocolate City Cinema Paradiso Come Away Critical Condition Dangerous Beauty Doubt Ferris Bueller's Day Off Geostorm Hooking Up I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell* In & Out Into The Wild Jersey Girl Juice Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Like Water for Chocolate Losing Isaiah Mansfield Park Marvin's Room Men, Women & Children Menace II Society Muriel's Wedding My Best Friend's Wedding My Boss's Daughter O (Othello) Old School Pretty In Pink Road to Perdition Roman Holiday Saturday Night Fever Serendipity Shakespeare in Love Shall We Dance? Shooter Suffragette Terms of Endearment The Babysitter The Boy in the Striped Pajamas The Color Purple The Evening Star The Firm The Hunt for Red October The Love Guru The Love Letter The Mask The Pursuit of Happyness The Smurfs The Smurfs 2 The Stepford Wives The To Do List The Wood Transformers Vampire in Brooklyn What Lies Beneath What Women Want When Harry Met Sally Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! World War Z Wuthering Heights (2003) Available February 3Bull* The Nanny Diaries* Available February 12Fanboys* Available February 17Halloween* Deadlock Available February 24Southpaw* Available February 27The Aviary* Available February 28Crossing Over* View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In the same way that cranking up blues music can serve as a balm to a troubled soul, sinking into a deeply sad movie can be just the thing to give you a sense of catharsis. After all, everyone loves a good wallow once in a while—and in an era of highly calculated blockbusters designed not to offend anyone, it’s oddly refreshing to watch a movie that’s unafraid to make you feel bad. It takes more than a mere unhappy ending to join the ranks of the all-time most depressing movies, however. These flicks favor a pervasive sense of existential gloom, whether they are drawing attention to the plight of people facing unimaginable true-life circumstances, or simply inviting us to explore a breadth of emotions The Avengers can’t quite channel. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)The toll that war takes on children (a sadly evergreen topic) is made beautifully and heartbreakingly clear in Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies, the director's first film after co-founding Studio Ghibli. A pair of Japanese siblings narrowly escape the American firebombing of Kobe in the final months of World War II, but their struggles continue as they travel a war-torn countryside. The animators used a soft brown as a base, rather than the more traditional black ink, which gives the film a unique and dreamlike visual quality. Japanese animation has nothing to prove at this point, nor even back in 1988 when this was released, but Grave of the Fireflies makes very clear that anime is a medium, not a genre, and the stories filmmakers tell can be as deeply meaningful and moving as any in cinema. You can stream Grave of the Fireflies on Netflix. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix House of Sand and Fog (2003)A battle of wills between two indefatigable adversaries that ends well for neither of them—nor for their families. Recovering drug addict Kathy Nicolo (Jennifer Connelly) is mistakenly evicted from her home, which is then bought for a pittance by a former Iranian Army colonel (Ben Kingsley) whose fortunes have fallen since coming to America. The two almost come to terms, with flashes of humanity in their interactions, but outside pressures force them into corners and ultimately to tragedy. You can stream House of Sand and Fog on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. House of Sand and Fog (2003) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ When the Wind Blows (1986) Veteran British actors John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft voice Jim and Hilda Bloggs, an aging English couple who barely survive a nuclear missile strike only to find that their efforts to carry on, and to achieve some sense of normalcy, come to little. There's the tiniest hint of optimism near the end, but before that it's a very sweet, poignant reminder that even (or especially) the innocent can't escape the consequences of war. You can stream When the Wind Blows on Tubi, Freevee, and Prime Video. When the Wind Blows (1986) at Freevee Learn More Learn More at Freevee Dancer in the Dark (2000) A Czech immigrant and factory worker in the 1960s is losing her eyesight and desperate to pull together the money to secure an operation for her son that will spare him the same fate. In spite of the fantasy musical numbers that sustain Selma (Björk), and her own best intentions, fate and the greed of those she trusts conspire to bring her to a tragic end. The musical interludes are spectacular, but the contrast between Selma’s dream worlds and her real life circumstances only serves to heighten the sense of tragedy and injustice. On the bright side: this is a period piece, and we know that the American healthcare system could never force anyone into such dire straights today. Phew. You can rent Dancer in the Dark from Prime Video. Dancer in the Dark (2000) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Melancholia (2011) Sticking with the problematic master of mirth, Lars von Trier, it’s hard to argue that you’re not getting exactly what it says on the tin when you sit down to watch a movie called Melancholia. (No refunds.) Here, von Trier adds a science fiction-ish twist to a story of modern malaise. The titular rogue planet is on a collision course with Earth, and two sisters handle that destiny in very different ways. The result is a string of depressive episodes, infidelity, and death by suicide that all eschew the hope that we might make some sort of wary peace with death. You can stream Melancholia on Netflix, Hulu, Tubi, and Prime Video. Melancholia (2011) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Requiem for a Dream (2000) A symphonic ode to the misery of addiction, Darren Aronofsky’s second feature plays like an X-rated version of the anti-drug films you watched in high school. Over the course of two punishing, stylishly filmed, and artfully edited hours, we watch as four characters’ lives fall apart as they try to use drugs—from heroin to diet pills—to fill the empty places inside. It doesn’t work out: Jared Leto gets gangrene from an infected injection site, Jennifer Connelly turns to prostitution to get the money for her next score, and Marlon Wayans winds up in prison, abused by the guards. And then there’s Ellen Burstyn, who starts the film a lively, red-headed retiree and ends it a vacant-eyed, ashen amphetamine junkie in a squalid nursing home. Drugs are bad, mmmk? You can stream Requiem for a Dream on Tubi or rent it from Prime Video. Requiem for a Dream (2000) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Speak No Evil (2022) I get that horror films are supposed to be scary, but then there are those than are less scary than they are unrelentingly bleak, which is distressing in a different way? Regardless, this 2022 Danish film is as grim as they come. It follows a young family that meets a nice couple and their son while traveling and accepts an invitation to stay at their home. To tell you what happens next would be a big spoiler, but I'd almost like to save you the angst of experiencing it. Needless to say, only bad things happen, and in the cruelest manner imaginable—including to young children. Bad feelings all around, and one of the most hopeless endings ever. For some reason it got a Hollywood remake with James McAvoy? You can stream Speak No Evil on Shudder and AMC+ or rent it from Prime Video. Speak No Evil (2022) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Sophie’s Choice (1982) In flashbacks from just after the war, we learn the story of titular Holocaust survivor Sophie (Meryl Streep), who during those years, had been forced to decide which of her children would live and which would die. As with the William Styron novel on which the film is based, it’s a powerful, fact-based narrative that, unfortunately, has become a sort of shorthand for any difficult decision. You can stream Sophie's Choice on Tubi and Peacock or rent it from Prime Video. Sophie’s Choice (1982) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Come and See (1985) Director Elem Klimov fought Soviet censors for nearly a decade to release his film, a truly harrowing look at the horrors of war as seen through the eyes of a Belarusian teenager who joins the anti-Nazi resistance following the invasion of his village. As the occupation continues, even survival for Flyora comes to feel like a curse; the accumulated horrors (including the deliberate burning of a church with dozens of people inside, an event that really took place) make Come and See one of the best war films ever made—because all the greatest war films are really anti-war. You can stream Come and See on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Come and See (1985) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Leaving Las Vegas (1995) Nicolas Cage won an Oscar for portraying a suicidal alcoholic who drives to Vegas with a trunk full of booze and an intent to drink himself into oblivion in this critically acclaimed and horrifically bleak film from writer/director Mike Figgis, adapting the semi-autobiographical novel by John O’Brien (who died by suicide shortly after selling the movie rights). I saw it once more than a decade ago, and to the best of my recollection, it involves nearly two hours of watching Cage guzzle hard liquor in a dingy hotel room while scream-crying, intercut with scenes of a sex worker (Elisabeth Shue, also Oscar-nominated) being subjected to a horrific sexual assault. I might have some details wrong, but it'll be a while yet before I can watch it again to verify. You can stream Leaving Las Vegas on Max or rent it from Prime Video. Leaving Las Vegas (1995) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Mist (2007) The titular mist (not to be confused with The Fog) settles over a town in this nihilistic Stephen King adaptation, putting a bunch of locals at each other’s throats after they become trapped in a grocery store at the end of the world. Frank Darabont’s film makes clear that there’s no outside evil that can remotely compete with the ignorance, fear, and religious extremism that we’re faced with on a daily basis. Once that’s clear, the movie pushes things 10 steps further, ending on a note that’s either a perfect summation of its message or unbearably cruel. Probably it’s both. You can stream The Mist on Prime Video and Freevee. The Mist (2007) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Cure (1997) Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s serial killer drama feels a bit like Seven early on, but grows increasingly more philosophical and esoteric as it goes, despite maintaining a chilly detachment from all of the murders it depicts. Police detective Kenichi Takabe is on the hunt for a killer, even as his own home life is imploding. The killer, we eventually learn, is no killer at all, instead someone adept at manipulating others into doing his work for him. The movie toys with the idea that there might be something otherworldly at play, but that’s less horrifying than the case it makes that we are, each of us, capable of incredibly dark acts, provided we’re given just enough of a push. You can stream Cure on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Cure (1997) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Road (2009) An unnamed man and his son wander through a bleak, desolate, post-apocalyptic America in search of a rumored safe haven to be found near the coast. Where other stories of this type invite us to have some fun with the idea that we might be clever enough to survive (and often throw in some zombies for good measure), The Road (as with the Cormac McCarthy on which it’s based) makes clear there’s unlikely to be much to appreciate about the collapse of civilization. You can stream The Road on Peacock, Tubi, and Starz or rent it from Prime Video. The Road (2009) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Children of Men (2006) Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men suggests that we’re not much more than five years away from civilization’s collapse after a period of war, natural disaster, and economic depression. So the idea that we still have five years on all of that is pretty hopeful, but otherwise, the world depicted here—in which infertility has become an epidemic—is one of deep desperation and a total absence of hope. As much as any film here, and thanks to Cuarón’s careful eye as a director, the sense of a world over the brink is in every shot. You can stream Children of Men on Peacock or rent it from Prime Video. Children of Men (2006) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Alien 3 (1992) While the first two Alien films were hardly laugh riots, David Fincher’s (troubled) sequel is almost certainly the most boldly disturbing franchise entry in the history of Hollywood sequels. The movie begins with the deaths of almost all the survivors from the previous film (and the gruesome autopsy of a beloved character) before dropping Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) into a prison colony in which the most likable character (Charles S. Dutton) is a serial murderer and convicted rapist. In an era of franchises increasingly calculated to be as inoffensive as possible, I’m a big fan of its risk-taking, but hoo boy is it dark. You can rent Alien 3 from Prime Video. Alien 3 (1992) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Triangle (2009) A twisty-turny film that at first plays like a slasher-movie at sea, but then quickly turns into something far more disturbing. Jess is off on a boat trip with some friends, offering a slightly sketchy explanation for the absence of her autistic son, who was meant to join them. A sudden storm finds the group seeking shelter about a strangely empty ocean liner—empty except for the person who keeps killing everyone. The film soon evolves into a time-loop science-fiction thriller, before revealing itself to be a punishment of mythological proportions. You can stream Triangle on Prime Video, Peacock, Tubi, and AMC+. Triangle (2009) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Timecrimes (2007) Another sci-fi mind-bender involving messing about with time, this Spanish thriller follows the tragic temporal fate of Héctor (Karra Elejalde) and his wife Clara (Candela Fernández). Héctor spots a woman in the woods, naked and unconscious. Going to investigate, he's attacked by a mysterious man covered in bloody bandages. Fleeing, he winds up in the middle of a bizarre time travel experiment, one which sends him back in time and into a past that he only makes worse. And then makes worse again. And again. The fiendishly clever film from Nacho Vigalondo suggests that neither our best intentions nor all the time in the world can erase our most selfish mistakes. You can rent Timecrimes from Prime Video. Timecrimes (2007) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Man Bites Dog (1992) Plenty of films tweak audiences for our willingness to wallow in onscreen horrors (see Rear Window for a cheerier example). Belgian mockumentary Man Bites Dog puts us through the wringer by putting us in the place of a film crew following a vicious serial killer. There’s a bit of a tongue-in-cheek style here, which does nothing to lessen the impact of the film crew’s increasing sympathy with the killer, who ultimately become accomplices to his actions. Man Bites Dog asks deeply uncomfortable questions about not just our tolerance for on-screen violence, but about the extent to which we’ll stand aside in the face of real-world horrors, or even join in given the right incentives. You can stream Man Bites Dog on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Man Bites Dog (1992) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) Heather Matarazzo made a brilliant debut in Todd Solondz’ Welcome to the Dollhouse as Dawn Weiner, an extremely unpopular middle schooler whose life becomes a series of rejections, assaults, bullying, and disappointments. While the character is charming, this isn’t a movie about a plucky nonconformist who beats the odds—it’s about the psychological trauma faced by those who don’t fit in, and the terrible choice between staying true to yourself and accepting the resulting abuse, or hiding your light with in a bushel in the hope you’ll find a little peace. You can stream Welcome to the Dollhouse on Tubi or rent it from Prime Video. Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Precious (2009) Gabourey Sidibe’s 16-year-old Precious can neither read nor write and, as the movie opens, is pregnant for the second time as a result of a series of rapes by her father, even as her uncaring mother subjects her to physical and verbal abuse on a regular basis. Unlike many characters in these movies, there’s a hint of hope for Precious—a transfer to a new school; the attention of a well-meaning teacher—but the road to (maybe) get to a better place is a dark and rocky one. You can stream Precious on Tubi and Hulu or rent it from Prime Video. Precious (2009) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Revolutionary Road (2008) The horror in Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road is in the white-picket-fence conformity of the 1950s. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite post-Titanic in a story that sees the walls closing in on a young couple trying to make a go of it in a stifling world, before their efforts to escape into something more spiritually fulfilling threaten their relationship and eventually, their lives. The bright, clean streets of the title’s Revolutionary Road come to feel as dystopian as those in another movie’s apocalypse. You can stream Revolutionary Road on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. Revolutionary Road (2008) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ La Strada (1954) Federico Fellini was known for films filled with color and fantastical imagery, and there’s a bit of that in his story of simple-minded Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), purchased by widower and street performer Zampanò (Anthony Quinn), previously married to Gelsomina’s late sister. Gelsomina's bright spirit and kind heart are gradually ground down by the cruel treatment of her new husband; when she finds a companion in another street performer (a clown, in this case), Zampanò’s jealousy leads to tragedy, even though the strongman can’t be bothered to show his wife any affection. It’s a beautiful film, and a shattering one. You can stream La Strada on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. La Strada (1954) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Plague Dogs (1982) Snitter (John Hurt) and Rowf (Christopher Benjamin) escape from a cruel animal testing laboratory in this adult animated feature adapting the novel by Richard Adams (Watership Down). I'll skip over details of the experiments to which the two were subjected, except to say that they're both thoroughly cruel and also entirely reflective of real-life animal testing practices. The world at large is, unfortunately, not much kinder to the two escaped dogs than their former prison was. It's rather lovely, in its way, and beautifully animated—but animal lovers, especially, will find it rough going. Which is certainly the point. You can stream The Plague Dogs on Tubi. The Plague Dogs (1982) at Tubi Learn More Learn More at Tubi The Father (2020) Anthony Hopkins won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Anthony, the titular father, at the end of his life and living with severe dementia. It's a brilliant performance in a movie that tells its story entirely from Anthony's perspective, his disorientation playing out as frequently horrifyingly disjointed moments in a life losing all connective tissue. In privileging the point of view of the patient, rather than the family or caregivers, the movie is intensely humane, but it doesn't soft-pedal the experience, and there's little comfort to be found. You can stream The Father on Starz or rent it from Prime Video. The Father (2020) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video All of Us Strangers (2023) A romantic ghost story on the surface, All of Us Strangers follows lonely screenwriter Adam (Andrew Scott) as he starts a relationship with his very mysterious neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal), the two of them the only residents of an imposing new apartment building. It's a relationship that draws Adam to return to his family home, where he finds his parents seemingly alive and well, despite them having died decades earlier. Without offering too many spoilers beyond that, the movie goes to very dark places from there, providing a strong reminder that loss is an inevitable part of life, yes, but also that the only real comfort is in forgetting and moving on. You can stream All of Us Strangers on Hulu or rent it from Prime Video. All of Us Strangers (2023) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Threads (1984) A particularly effective take on the nuclear-war-is-bad-actually genre of the early and mid 1980s (see also: Testament and The Day After), this British film takes a chilling, faux documentary approach to the end of days. A young couple in Sheffield is getting ready to build a life and a family together when war breaks out between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, with a nuclear attack occurring on a NATO base about 20 miles from the city. The two are separated, and that is only the beginning of the horrors faced by Karen Meagher's Ruth Beckett. The emphasis is on the resulting breakdown in law and social order, with an ending shot that's a genuine punch to the gut. You can stream Threads on Tubi and Shudder or rent it from Prime Video. Threads (1984) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Manchester by the Sea (2016) There are moments of light in Manchester by the Sea, and it doesn't build to an ending that'e entirely crushing, but there's an awful lot of pain and anger along the way. Casey Affleck plays Lee, who is surprised to find out that he's been assigned custody of his deceased brother's son. The situation forces him to confront his past in the title town and, as we come to understand why sullen, alcoholic Lee can barely get through a day, it becomes clear why his past is holding him back—and will continue to do so. (It's that bad.) You can stream Manchester by the Sea on Prime Video. Manchester by the Sea (2016) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Aftersun (2022) Initially, and on a surface level, Aftersun is a bright and charming look at a vacation at a cheap resort in Turkey involving a divorced dad (Paul Mescal, whom we've already discussed) and the daughter (Frankie Corio) he doesn't really see enough of. But there are unsettling elements from the very beginning, and a growing unease creeps into our perspective as an audience. We soon understand that what we're seeing is a memory, a grown woman's attempts to understand her father's life and death with only a child's memories to work from. That fun trip soon becomes something melancholy and deeply poignant. You can stream Aftersun on Netflix and Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. Aftersun (2022) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) Robert Bresson’s film opens with the gift of a donkey named Balthazar to a sensitive farm girl, Marie. The two are separated following a family tragedy, with the once-beloved beast of burden winding up as nothing more than a pack animal for a family that doesn’t care for him beyond his ability to perform labor. Marie, meanwhile, ends up in a deeply abusive relationship, and, though fate reconnects woman and donkey at intervals over the years, neither is having a particularly good life and neither winds up with a particularly happy ending. It’s a lovely movie, in many ways, but it’s definitely a banger in the depressing animal-story genre (and just maybe, the donkey is supposed to be a metaphor, but let’s try not to think too much about that). You can stream Au Hazard Balthazar on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Cries and Whispers (1972) While I’d never describe Ingmar Bergman as maudlin, it’s certainly the case that his best films, while masterpieces of acting, directing, and screenwriting, are deeply depressing, if not entirely pessimistic. Here, Agnes (Harriet Andersson) slowly dies of cancer while her sisters struggle with their own problems and insecurities, finding themselves unable to provide the needed support. The good work and genuine care of the maid, Anna, further exacerbates the feelings of inadequacy that keep the family from connecting when it’s most truly needed. You can stream Cries and Whispers on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Cries and Whispers (1972) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Million Dollar Baby (2004) The Clint Eastwood sports drama cleaned up at the major categories at the Oscars in its year, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Hilary Swank), and Best Supporting Actor (for Morgan Freeman). All the more impressive given how dour the film is. It's wonderfully acted and a beautiful bit of filmmaking, but takes inspirational sports-movie tropes and turns them on their sides, building to a tragic ending that offers little in the way of Rocky-style inspiration. You can rent Million Dollar Baby from Prime Video. Million Dollar Baby (2004) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Passing (2021) Reenie Redfield (Tessa Thompson), a middle-class Black woman, runs into her old friend Clare (Ruth Negga)—now bleach-blonde and passing for white, a dangerous thing to do in New York City of the 1920s. She's even married, with a husband who has no idea. The two offer up incredible performances as two women who see in each other roads not taken, but their unsettling encounter leads each of them along a road to tragedy. The film has a lyrical, dreamlike quality that only serves to augment and enhance the sense that walls are closing in for the two old friends. You can stream Passing on Netflix. Passing (2021) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix The Rapture (1991) A young swinger (this is 1991, when such terms were still in the parlance) played by Mimi Rogers becomes a born-again Christian after a sect convinces her that the Rapture is imminent. Her new piousness is challenged when her husband is murdered, and her despair leads her to contemplate taking her own daughter’s life (to get her to heaven faster, naturally). And that’s not even the depressing part. Fearlessly depicting her character’s transition from hedonism to zealotry to unimaginable despair, Rogers gives the best performance of her career; too bad it’s in a film you’ll almost definitely only want to watch once. You can rent The Rapture from Prime Video. The Rapture (1991) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Pianist (2002) In assembling this list, I struggled with how many Holocaust films to include; there are many, enough to populate an even longer list than this all by themselves. For better or worse, I will let Roman Polanski’s The Pianist stay, and certainly it is one of the most unsparing in its depictions of that particular historical horror. Based on the memoir by the Polish-Jewish musician Władysław Szpilman (played by Adrien Brody, who won the Oscar), the movie takes us through the entire span of the war; as things get worse and worse and worse for the Polish Jews, Szpilman loses everything, including the love for music that is his only lifeline. Though its legacy is tarnished for being directed by Polanski (no small reason to leave it on the shelf), The Pianist remains a stunning accomplishment in the artful depiction of the worst of humanity. You can stream The Pianist on Peacock, Tubi, Prime Video, and Freevee. The Pianist (2002) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Umberto D. (1952) Any movie can be sad, but it takes a special flavor of cinematic hopelessness to get a film banned by the government for being too depressing. Yet that’s exactly what happened to this story of an elderly Italian man (Carlo Battisti) struggling to keep a roof over his head after he is evicted; when that proves too tall an order, he elects for finding a home for his beloved dog before he ends his own life. Performed by a cast of mostly non-actors, Umberto D.’s grim realism proved a bit too much for the Italian government, which felt it painted too bleak a picture of the state of the nation in the wake of World War II, and subsequently “banned the export of films deemed unflattering to Italian society,” according to Peter Becker, film historian and president of the Criterion Channel. You can stream Umberto D. on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Umberto D. (1952) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max View the full article

Looking to take the next step in your project management career and join (or head up) a PMO? A PMO certification will help you master the essential skills, refine your decision-making, and get ahead in your career. Here are my picks for the best certifications available. The post 14 Best PMO Certifications to Take in 2025 appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

Discover actionable insights for crafting authentic impactful campaigns and enhancing your SEO efforts, while elevating your brand. The post Brand Performance Unlocked: Advanced Strategies for SEO and Marketing Synergy appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Rest days are a standard part of exercise programs, but they’re not the only way to avoid overworking yourself. Contrary to what a lot of beginner advice says, you don't always need a rest day after each day of exercise, and you can even work out seven days a week if you like. But once you start bending the rules, you'll need to take some extra effort to make sure you allow yourself enough recovery, even if it doesn't come in the form of rest. Recovery is important (whether it comes in the form of "rest days" or not)Most strength training programs either work your whole body and then have you rest the next day, or else they have you split up your workouts so that each muscle group gets a day of rest—for example, your arms get a rest on leg day. The idea is to let each muscle recover from a workout before you ask it to do the same thing again, and rest days are a valid way of making sure you're getting some time to recover. But not every activity works this way. Runners, for example, often run every day, and may only take one or two true rest days a week (or, for some, zero). But within that pattern, they will alternate days of hard running (like speedwork, hill running, or long runs) with easy runs that feel less challenging to the body. The easy run days may not be "rest," but they do count as recovery time for an experienced runner. Other sports may fall somewhere in between, but nobody expects to work every body part to exhaustion every day. Even when elite athletes do workouts every day that look killer to us, it’s because our “hard” is their “easy”. You can bet their coaches schedule in enough of the easier workouts to keep the athlete’s progress on track with minimal risk of injury. Whatever your schedule looks like, those rest days or easy days are there to help us pace ourselves. Too much hard running, if you’re not used to it, sets you up for tendonitis and other overuse injuries. And too much exercise of any kind can lead to a syndrome called overtraining where your body may develop flu-like symptoms and disturbed sleep because it just can’t keep up with the demands you’re putting on it. There’s Nothing Magic About Resting for One DayTaking a single rest day after a hard workout isn’t the only way to keep yourself from overtraining. There are a few reasons it’s a good rule of thumb, though: Resting every other day means only half of your days will be hard workouts. The other half will be rest days or easier days, so the schedule keeps your total workout intensity manageable. An alternating schedule is easy to follow. You don't have to ask yourself whether your recovery work is easy enough, or memorize which exercises work which muscles. You just stay home if it's not a workout day, and you know you're on track. Mentally, it’s easier to stick to a workout when you enjoy it. Hard workouts aren’t always fun, and you may need to psych yourself up to try something really challenging. It’s okay if you don’t feel up to that every day. Having some easier, more relaxing days can help you stick to your schedule. Routines with rest days are easier to schedule around your life. People who work out six days a week have to fit those workouts around everything that's going on in their lives. Having multiple rest days every week means you have more time for work, school, family, hobbies, and anything else that competes for those time slots. If you can accomplish those goals with another schedule, though, feel free to do so. If you enjoy all your workouts, even the hard ones, slowly include more hard days in your schedule. If you feel okay with that, keep doing it! But if you end up sore or fatigued, listen to your body and put those rest days back in. Recovery Doesn’t Have to Mean Total RestSome people prefer the term “recovery” to “rest” days, because total rest isn’t necessarily your goal. After all, lifting a fork to your mouth is a similar action to a bicep curl, so if you just did a heavy arm day, would you be unable to eat? Clearly, some amount of activity is fine on a rest or recovery day. This is where you have to calibrate your own sense of effort. If you’re new to exercising and you just did a day of heavy squats, a five mile bike ride is probably not a great choice for the following day. But if you bike five miles to work every day, you should be able to keep doing that even on your “rest” days. When I did push-ups every day for 30 days, a few people suggested that I was setting myself up for injury by not taking rest days. But as I wrote in that article, I ramped up my fitness very carefully. A few sets of pushups every day became my new normal, and it was no more taxing to me than a bike ride is to a bike commuter. Some days I would try a more challenging type of pushup or I might do more reps than usual; but I balanced out those harder days with, you guessed it, easier days that are closer to my baseline effort level. As you learn your own strengths and limitations, you too can alter your workout schedule according to what works for you. That might mean you only take one or two rest days per week, or it might mean you do mega-hard workouts and then lay low for a few days. If you’re getting a reasonable amount of exercise in total, and if you aren’t getting sore or injured, you’re probably doing okay. Now, let me ask some of the specific questions that I know tend to come up in these discussions? Can I walk or do cardio on rest days? Yes, if that's your baseline level of activity. If you always go for a walk after dinner, there's no need to skip that just because it's a rest day. If you want to start adding cardio on your rest days, make sure you're recovering well from whatever you're already doing. Feel free to add in that extra cardio, or other easy movement, a little bit at a time. I also have this guide to figuring out what to do on your rest days. How do I know when I need a rest day? If you can't tell the difference between feeling lazy and needing a rest day, ask yourself: Do I want to skip my workout or do I need to skip my workout? If you feel like you need a rest day, you probably do. It's OK to take a rest day if you feel sick, or if you're unusually tired or busy. A workout is just a workout. It can wait. If you ask yourself this question and decide you just don't want to work out, consider moving the workout to another day or time. Or, if there's really no reason to skip, go do the workout anyway. Any time I feel this way, I always feel better afterward, and I'm glad I got the workout done. But if you're asking yourself this question pretty often, you should probably revisit your workout routine and make sure it's actually working for you. Rest (or recovery) days should be preventative. They keep you from getting too run-down. Do I need rest days if I'm not sore? Soreness doesn't have much to do with recovery, believe it or not. You can be well-recovered but feeling a little sore, or vice versa. On a new exercise program, I'd advise sticking to your scheduled recovery days. After two weeks, that's when you can add in some extra work on those recovery days as long as you're still feeling good. What happens if I don't take my rest day? You might feel a little more fatigued for your next workout. Over time, if you don't take any rest days, you may find you're lifting less weight or performing poorly in workouts. You may notice other effects on your health, like poor sleep. But then again, maybe you'll be fine. As we discussed above, rest days aren't magic, they're just a tool in the toolbox. If you work out every day, but your total amount of work is within your body's limits, you might recover just fine and this becomes your new normal. Pay attention to how you're feeling, though, and add those rest days back in if you feel you need them. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. During Samsung's Galaxy S25 Unpacked Stream earlier this week, the new Galaxy S25 Series lineup was announced. They include the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra. This new lineup arrives on Feb. 7, but preorders are up already. Amazon and Samsung are currently offering the best preorder deals, with an Amazon gift card of up to $200 or a free storage upgrade. The new Samsung S25 phones have a focus on AI features and are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC with 12GB of RAM, a significant improvement over the last version. 128GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, 50MP AI Camera, Fast Processor, ProScaler Display. SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 with $100 Amazon Gift Card $799.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $899.99 Save $100.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $799.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $899.99 Save $100.00 256GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, 50MP AI Camera, Fast Processor, ProScaler Display. SAMSUNG Galaxy S25+ with $100 Amazon Gift Card $999.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,099.99 Save $100.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $999.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,099.99 Save $100.00 256GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, 200MP AI Camera, S Pen, Fast Processor, Long Battery Life. SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Ultra with $200 Amazon Gift Card $1,299.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,499.99 Save $200.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $1,299.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,499.99 Save $200.00 SEE 0 MORE 128GB, Unlocked Galaxy S25 with $50 Samsung Credit $799.99 at Samsung Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $799.99 at Samsung 256GB, Unlocked Galaxy S25+ with $100 Samsung Credit $999.99 at Samsung Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $999.99 at Samsung 512GB, Unlocked Galaxy S25 Ultra Free Storage Upgrade and $80 Samsung Credit $1,299.99 at Samsung $1,419.99 Save $120.00 Pre-order Here Pre-order Here $1,299.99 at Samsung $1,419.99 Save $120.00 SEE 0 MORE The S25 preorder dealAmazon is offering gift cards of $100 for the S25 and S25+ and $200 for the S25 Ultra. If you don't mind the 128GB storage, Amazon offers the best deal for the most basic S25. But if you want more storage, Samsung's offer is technically cheaper if you don't take Amazon's $100 gift card into consideration. But who doesn't like Amazon gift cards? The S25+ preorder dealThe S25+ preorder deal is the same if you shop at Amazon or Samsung, but an Amazon gift card offers much better purchase options than a Samsung one. If you're looking to update the storage, you might as well buy it from Samsung for $100 less (even with the $100 Amazon gift card). The S25 Ultra preorder dealIf you want the best phone, the S25 Ultra, with the lowest storage of 256GB (which for most people should be enough), get it from Amazon, since it offers a $200 gift card. But if you know you'll be needing more space, both Amazon and Samsung are offering good deals to double the storage. Samsung's deal doubles it for free at the same $1,299.99 price and offers an $80 Samsung credit. With Amazon, you'd be paying more upfront, $1,419.99, but you'll likely find it easier to use a $200 Amazon gift card than an $80 Samsung one. Either way, when both gift cards are used, you end up with the same value proposition. The one reason you should go with Samsung over Amazon is if you have products to trade in, since it offers up to $900 instant trade-in credit. View the full article