2026 in Music: Mid-Year Recap

I sat down to beginning working on this piece around 10:15 AM EST this morning and as I was tinkering with the album rankings prior to copy/pasting to them to this very website, it dawned on me that this hasn't been an overly exciting year for music for me personally. That's not to say that it's been bad at all. In fact, there are a dozen or so records that I really enjoyed. It's just that not much has really floored me (Converge's Love is Not Enough is the only record that's registered a grade above a B+), which is in stark contrast to last year where a whopping 6 records landed in the A-range. The good news is that sweeping change could be imminent as July is overflowing with releases that have the potential to be really special.  Below, you'll find a list of every release I listened in the first half of 2026 ranked from worst to best along with some awards and my picks for the top 25 songs of the year to date. Hope you enjoy. 

EP's:

3.Wage War-It Calls Me by Name (B-)

2.Your Spirit Dies-It Is Well... (B)

1.Moon Tooth-Bastard (B)

LP's:

42.UnityTX-Somewhere, in Between (C-)

41.Megadeth-Megadeth (C)

40.Bruno Mars-The Romantic (C)

39.Tiffany Day-Halo (C)

38.Ov Sulfur-Endless (C+)

37.Karnivool-In Verses (B-)

36.Thundercat-Distracted (B-)

35.Good Tiger-The Most Negative Day of the Year (B-)

34.Foo Fighters-Your Favorite Toy (B-)

33.Harry Styles-Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally (B-)

32.Mitski-Nothing's About to Happen to Me (B-)

31.Olivia Rodrigo-You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love (B-)

30.underscores-U (B-)

29.Charli XCX-Wuthering Heights (B)

28.Kacey Musgraves-Middle of Nowhere (B)

27.A$AP Rocky-Don't Be Dumb (B)

26.concealer.-This Room Could Be Heaven (B)

25.At the Gates-The Ghost of a Future Dead (B)

24.Exhumed-Red Asphalt (B)

23.Angine de Poitrine-Vol.II (B)

22.Genesis Owusu-Redstar Wu & the Nightmare Scourge (B)

21.Don Broco-Nightmare Tripping (B)

20.Lip Critic-Theft World (B)

19.Poppy-Empty Hands (B)

18.Rob Zombie-The Great Satan (B)

17.Varials-Where the Light Leaves (B)

16.Inferi-Heaven Wept (B)

15.Vince Staples-Cry Baby (B)

14.Static Dress-Injury Episode (B)

13.Action Bronson-Planet Frog (B+)

12.Periphery-A Pale White Dot (B+)

11.Archspire-Too Fast to Die (B+)

10.hemlocke springs-The Apple Tree Under the Sea (B+)

9.Roman Candle-Unadulterated (B+)

8.Bodysnatcher-Hell is Here, Hell is Home (B+)

7.Slayyter-Wor$t Girl in America (B+)

6.Hellripper-Coronach (B+)

5.August Burns Red-Season of Surrender (B+)

4.Converge-Hum of Hurt (B+)

3.Lamb of God-Into Oblivion (B+)

2.Chamber-This is Goodbye... (B+)

1.Converge-Love is Not Enough (A-)

Awards:

Biggest Surprises:

1.Lamb of God-Into Oblivion 

2.Action Bronson-Planet Frog

3.Varials-Where the Light Leaves

Biggest Letdowns:

1.Foo Fighters-Your Favorite Toy

2.Good Tiger-The Most Negative Day of the Year

3.Megadeth-Megadeth

Most Underrated:

1.Bodysnatcher-Hell is Here, Hell is Home

2.Periphery-A Pale White Dot

3.Poppy-Empty Hands

Most Overrated:

1.Tiffany Day-Halo

2.Karnivool-In Verses 

3.Thundercat-Distracted

Top Discoveries:

1.Chamber

2.Hellripper

3.hemlocke springs

Records I'm Most Excited to Hear from July-December (Note: Only Records with Confirmed Release Dates Were Considered)

1.Loathe-A Stranger to You

2.No Cure-It is Going to Get Dark

3.Protest the Hero-Within

Top 25 Songs (in alphabetical by artist name):

August Burns Red-Den of Thieves

Bodysnatcher-The Maker

Boundaries-Death Will Follow Me

The Callous Daoboys-Gigantic Parasite Tongue

Chamber-Parting Gift

Chamber-Violins

Converge-Bad Faith

Converge-Force Meets Presence

Converge-It Only Gets Worse

Don Broco-Somersaults

Hellripper-Hunderpest

hemlocke springs-w-w-w-w-w

Knocked Loose-Hive Mind (feat. Denzel Curry)

Lamb of God-Blunt Force Blues

Loathe-Fangs

Mastodon-Your Ghost Again

No Cure-Convulsing in the Dark

No Cure-Slowly Turning Blue

Poppy-Dying to Forget

Roman Candle-Blasphemous Act

Slayyter-Dance...

Slayyter-Old Technology

Static Dress-human props

Static Dress-Pharmacy Film

Vince Staples-Go! Go! Gorilla  

2026 in Movies: Mid-Year Recap

The first chapter of the 2026 cinematic year proved to be quite impressive. Not only has the box office been at its healthiest level since 2019, but the quality of the movies has been pretty high on the whole. Can the second half keep all of this momentum for (*Vin Diesel voice*) the movies going? TBD, but with the deep roster of guaranteed hits and buzzy titles from beloved directors that are slated to arrive from July-December, it feels pretty safe to say that it will. Below, you'll find a complete list of every 2026 I've seen so far ranked from worst to best (w/grades) along with a whole host of mid-year awards. Hope you enjoy. 

Still Need to Watch:

The AI Doc or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

Beast

Blades of the Guardians

Blue Film

Blue Heron

Bunnylovr

The Christophers

Clika

Cold Storage

Dolly

Dreams

Erupcja

Exit 8

Forbidden Fruits

The Get Out

Girls Like Girls

Hellfire

I Swear

In Cold Light

Iron Lung

K-Pops!

Ladies First

LifeHACK

Little Brother

Maddie's Secret

Mexicali

Midwinter Break

Mile End Kicks

Miss You, Love You

Mother Mary

Never Change!

Night Patrol

Office Romance

Omaha

One Spoon of Chocolate

Our Hero, Balthazar

People We Meet on Vacation

Pressure

Pretty Lethal

Psycho Killer

Reckless

Redux Redux

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Ricky

Roommates

Saccharine

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Thrash

Tow

Toy Story 5

War Machine

Wardriver

Wasteman

We Bury the Dead

Whistle

The Wizard of the Kremlin

62.The Strangers: Chapter 3 (D)

61.Disclosure Day (D)

60.Solo Mio (C-)

59.The Bride! (C-)

58.I Love Boosters (C-)

57.Fuze (C)

56.Mercy (C)

55.Apex (C)

54.Driver's Ed (C)

53.Protector (C+)

52.Greenland 2: Migration (B-)

51.The Bluff (B-)

50.Faces of Death (B-)

49.GOAT (B-)

48.Masters of the Universe (B-)

47.In the Grey (B-)

46.Voicemails for Isabelle (B-)

45.Scary Movie (B-)

44.Power Ballad (B-)

43.The Devil Wears Prada 2 (B-)

42.You, Me & Tuscany (B-)

41.Deep Water (B-)

40.Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (B-)

39.Reminders of Him (B)

38.Undertone (B)

37.Passenger (B)

36.Project Hail Mary (B)

35.Hoppers (B)

34.Lorne (B)

33.Shelter (B)

32.Mortal Kombat II (B)

31.Supergirl (B)

30.Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (B)

29.Backrooms (B)

28.The Wrecking Crew (B)

27.Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (B)

26.The Death of Robin Hood (B)

25.Carolina Caroline (B)

24.How to Make a Killing (B)

23.The Moment (B)

22.The Rip (B)

21.Normal (B)

20.Pizza Movie (B)

19.Leviticus (B)

18.Primate (B)

17.The Sheep Detectives (B)

16.Over Your Dead Body (B)

15.Lee Cronin's The Mummy (B)

14.Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (B+)

13.Wuthering Heights (B+)

12.Jackass: Best and Last (B+)

11.Tuner (B+)

10.Hokum (B+)

9.They Will Kill You (B+)

8.Crime 101 (B+)

7.The Invite (B+)

6.Send Help (B+)

5.Is God Is (A-)

4.28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (A-)

3.The Furious (A)

2.Obsession (A)

1.The Drama (A)

Awards:

Top Movie: The Drama

Top Director: Kristoffer Borgli, The Drama 

Top Lead Performance (Male): Robert Pattinson, The Drama

Top Lead Performance (Female): Inde Navarrette, Obsession 

Top Supporting Performance (Male): Sterling K. Brown, Is God Is

Top Supporting Performance (Female): Halle Berry, Crime 101

Top Breakthrough Performance: Inde Navarrette, Obsession 

Top Script: Kristoffer Borgli, The Drama

Top Cinematography: Linus Sandgren, Wuthering Heights

Top Editing: Greg O'Bryant, Tuner

Top Score: Rock Burwell, Obsession 

Top Visual Effects: Masters of the Universe 

Top Sound: Tuner

Top Production Design: Wuthering Heights

Top Villain: Rachel (Alana Haim), The Drama

Worst Villain: Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth), Disclosure Day

Best Performance in a Bad Movie: Emily Blunt, Disclosure Day

Worst Performance in a Good Movie: Hong Chau, The Sheep Detectives

Best Piece of Overacting: Barry Keoghan, Crime 101

Worst Piece of Overacting: Colin Firth, Disclosure Day

Top Action Sequence: "Five-Way Fight", The Furious

Worst Action Sequence: "Spaceship Chase", Masters of the Universe

Worst M. Night Shyamalan Movie That Wasn't Directed by M. Night Shyamalan: Disclosure Day

Most Disgusting Use of a Scorpion in Movie History: Lee Cronin's The Mummy

Best Redemption for a Blockbuster Failure That Wasn't Her Fault at All: Nia DaCosta, 28 Years: The Bone Temple

Best Practical Gore Effects: Primate

Most Jaw-Dropping Display of What the Human Body is Capable of Doing: The Furious

Top Performances:

1.Inde Navarette, Obsession

2.Robert Pattinson, The Drama

3.Zendaya, The Drama

4.Seth Rogen, The Invite

5.Olivia Wilde, The Invite

6.Kara Young, Is God Is

7.Sterling K. Brown, Is God Is

8.Rachel McAdams, Send Help

9.Halle Berry, Crime 101

10.Ralph Fiennes, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Most Underrated:

1.Is God Is

2.Crime 101

3.They Will Kill You

Most Overrated:

1.Project Hail Mary

2.Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

3.Hoppers

Biggest Surprises:

1.The Sheep Detectives 

2.Pizza Movie

3.The Moment

Biggest Letdowns:

1.Project Hail Mary

2.Masters of the Universe

3.Faces of Death

Top Acting Ensembles:

1.The Drama

2.The Invite

3.Is God Is

4.Obsession 

5.Crime 101

July-December Releases I'm Most Excited to See:

1.How to Rob a Bank

2.Onslaught

3.Resident Evil

4.Wild Horse Nine

5.Street Fighter

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Safeties

()=2025 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2025

50.(49) Ji'Ayir Brown (49ers)

49.(38) Xavier Woods (Free Agent)

48.(36) Julian Blackmon (Saints)

47.(+) Malik Mustapha (49ers)

46.(+) Craig Woodson (Patriots)

45.(28) Harrison Smith (Free Agent)

44.(+) Malaki Starks (Ravens)

43.(+) Nick Scott (Panthers)

42.(+) Jordan Battle (Bengals)

41.(12) Reed Blankenship (Texans)

40.(11) Budda Baker (Cardinals)

39.(20) Amani Hooker (Titans)

38.(16) Jevon Holland (Giants)

37.(15) Brandon Jones (Broncos)

36.(+) Tykee Smith (Buccaneers)

35.(34) Grant Delpit (Browns)

34.(22) Tre'Von Moehrig (Panthers)

33.(23) DeShon Elliott (Steelers)

32.(+) Tony Jefferson (Chargers)

31.(+) Nick Emmanwori (Seahawks)

30.(17) Justin Reid (Saints)

29.(32) Jeremy Chinn (Raiders)

28.(31) Coby Bryant (Bears)

27.(+) Evan Williams (Packers)

26.(+) Cole Bishop (Bills)

25.(44) Ronnie Hickman (Browns)

24.(+) Ty Okada (Seahawks)

23.(4) Kerby Joseph (Lions)

22.(42) Alohi Gilman (Chiefs)

21.(43) Talanoa Hufanga (Broncos)

20.(50) Kamren Kinchens (Rams)

19.(+) Calen Bullock (Texans)

18.(19) Jalen Thompson (Cowboys)

17.(29) Camryn Bynum (Colts)

16.(46) Quentin Lake (Rams)

15.(+) Xavier Watts (Falcons)

14.(+) Jaylinn Hawkins (Ravens)

13.(+) Antonio Johnson (Jaguars)

12.(7) Julian Love (Seahawks)

11.(45) Bryan Cook (Bengals)

10.(24) Kamren Curl (Rams)

9.(3) Jessie Bates III (Falcons)

8.(8) Brian Branch (Lions)

7.(6) Antoine Winfield Jr. (Buccaneers)

6.(13) Kevin Byard (Patriots)

5.(21) Jalen Pitre (Texans)

4.(5) Minkah Fitzpatrick (Jets)

3.(9) Derwin James (Chargers)

2.(2) Xavier McKinney (Packers)

1.(1) Kyle Hamilton (Ravens)

2026 NBA Free Agency: Top 10 Players Available

The legal tampering period for NBA Free Agency open tomorrow at 6 PM EST. This of course means we're only a day away from getting some answers to burning questions like "Will LeBron James go back to the Lakers, sign with the Warriors or retire?", "Where will Norman Powell land now that the Heat can't afford to re-sign him following the Giannis trade"? and "How much will the Cavs overpay James Harden?". Here are the 10 players that I believe are the top prizes available in the 2026 Free Agency Class. 

10.Anfernee Simons, point/shooting guard (2025-26 teams: Boston Celtics/Chicago Bulls):

Whether Simons can return to the starting role he had with the Blazers or will remain in the 6th man role he thrived in during his stint with the Celtics last season is unclear at this juncture. What isn't up for debate is that Simons is an electrifying offensive player who is capable of getting stupid hot from the field and completely taking over games. That rare scoring ability should give him a pretty sizable market among contenders and non-contenders alike.

9.Neemias Queta, center (2025-26 team: Boston Celtics):

Queta was kind of a revelation for the Celtics last season as he seamlessly made the leap from a bottom of the rotation player who didn't even see the floor every night to impactful starting center. While his limited offensive range along with the consistent foul trouble he got into during the C's historic playoff collapse against 76ers could limit how much he gets paid on his new deal, there's no question that he's due for a big raise from the $2.3 mil he made last season. 

8.Rui Hachimura, power forward (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Lakers):

Since he was traded to the Lakers from the Wizards in early 2023, Hachimura has blossomed into a solid role player. He's athletic enough to make strong drives to the basket and handle quick switches on defense while his outside shooting is downright lethal as he's finished shooting over 40% from deep in 3 straight seasons. With the Lakers already committing a bunch of money to Austin Reaves this offseason, Hachimura may be a cap casualty in LA-which would be great news for other potential contending teams that are in need of a versatile two-way wing who is quietly one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. 

7.Tobias Harris, small/power forward (2025-26 team: Detroit Pistons):

Returning to the Pistons absolutely rehabbed Harris' image after his disastrous stint with the 76ers as he quickly emerged as a steady, stabilizing force on a young team who could be counted on to put-up double-digit points, a steal or two and 5-8 rebounds every night. Just how valuable he was to the Pistons make him a strong candidate to return there, but his proven leadership and reliably solid play would be welcomed on any team that is looking to add a quality veteran forward to their roster. 

6.Lu Dort, shooting guard/small forward (2025-26 team: Oklahoma City Thunder):

The Thunder are currently facing the same conundrum the Celtics did last offseason as they're now paying the price for running it back with their expensive roster after winning a title and failing to repeat. Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins have already been traded and there will inevitably be more moves to come. With Isaiah Hartenstein reportedly set to re-sign with the team on a 3 year/$75 mil deal, Dort-who has spent the first 7 seasons of his career with the Thunder-could be the next luxury tax sacrifice. Dort is one of the most suffocating perimeter defenders in the league and having someone like him come in set the tone on that end of the floor could completely transform a team overnight.

5.Walker Kessler, center (2025-26 team: Utah Jazz):

Kessler is a throwback to a different era as he's a 7'2 center who pretty much exclusively plays around the rim. Personally, I'd be a little hesitant to give a guy who's already had some issues with durability during his first few years in the league (most notably, he suffered a torn labrum 5 games into the 2025-26 season) a long-term deal, but he's a double double machine and elite shot blocker, so he'll have no problem getting the big payday he's seeking.

4.LeBron James, small forward (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Lakers):

The question here is how much longer can James continue to outrun Father Time. He'll be 42 in December and for the first time in his remarkable career, did show some signs of slowing down in 2025-26 as he had his lowest scoring output since his rookie year in 2003-04 (20.9 PPG) and missed 22 games with injury (14 of which were at the start of the season as he battled through sciatica). That being said, he does appear to have enough gas left in the tank to remain effective if he decides to return for a 24th NBA season and could contribute to a title run if he has a strong enough supporting cast around him.

3.James Harden, point/shooting guard (2025-26 teams: Los Angeles Clippers/Cleveland Cavaliers):

The Cavaliers are the latest team to fall under the spell of Harden. While it certainly won't bring them another title, Harden's tremendous facilitation skills and continued ability to score 20+ points in every regular season game he appears in makes him a great complement to Donovan Mitchell.

2.Norman Powell, shooting guard (2025-26 team: Miami Heat):

Powell has put together the 2 best seasons of his career with 2 different teams (Clippers, Heat) over the past 2 seasons. The bad news for him is that he just turned 33 and had the final months of his 2025-26 campaign derailed by a lingering groin injury, which likely means there will be a limit to just how much he'll be able to cash in on his recent success. Look for him to sign a lucrative short-term deal with a contending team that is willing to overlook his defensive deficiencies in order to land an efficient multi-level scorer.  

1.Jalen Duren, center (2025-26 team: Detroit Pistons):

Not even the ill-timed playoff disappearing act Duren pulled this season could put a damper on the size of his market. Duren was a force of nature at the center spot for the Pistons during the regular season (19.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, .650 FG%, .747 FT%, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 2.0 APG, which was good enough to earn him his first All-Star and All-NBA bids) and at just 22 going on 23, his best basketball is still in front of him. 

Other Notable Players Available: 

Andre Drummond, center (2025-26 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Bennedict Mathurin, shooting guard/small forward (2025-26 teams: Indiana Pacers/Los Angeles Clippers)

Bogdan Bogdanovic, shooting guard (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Clippers)

Bones Hyland, point/shooting guard (2025-26 team: Minnesota Timberwolves)

Bradley Beal, shooting guard (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Clippers)

Brandon Williams, point/shooting guard (2025-26 team: Dallas Mavericks)

Brook Lopez, center (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Clippers)

Bruce Brown, shooting guard (2025-26 team: Denver Nuggets)

Cam Thomas, shooting guard (2025-26 team: Brooklyn Nets/Milwaukee Bucks)

Collin Sexton, point/shooting guard (2025-26 teams: Charlotte Hornets/Chicago Bulls)

Daniss Jenkins, point guard (2025-26 team: Detroit Pistons)

De'Anthony Melton, point/shooting guard (2025-26 team: Golden State Warriors)

Dean Wade, small/power forward (2025-26 team: Cleveland Cavaliers)

Dominick Barlow, power forward/center (2025-26 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Draymond Green, power forward (2025-26 team: Golden State Warriors)

Gary Payton II, shooting guard (2025-26 team: Golden State Warriors)

GG Jackson, small/power forward (2025-26: Memphis Grizzlies)

Guerschon Yabusele, power forward (2025-26 team: New York Knicks/Chicago Bulls)

Harrison Barnes, small/power forward (2025-26 team: San Antonio Spurs)

Javonte Green, shooting guard (2025-26 team: Detroit Pistons)

Jaxson Hayes, center (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Lakers)

Jeremy Sochan, small/power forward (2025-26 team: San Antonio Spurs/New York Knicks)

Jock Landale, center (2025-26 teams: Memphis Grizzlies/Atlanta Hawks)

John Collins, power forward (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Clippers)

Jonathan Kuminga, small/power forward (2025-26 teams: Golden State Warriors/Atlanta Hawks)

Jordan Clarkson, point/shooting guard (2025-26 team: New York Knicks)

Jordan Miller, small forward (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Clipper)

Jordan Walsh, small/power forward (2025-26 team: Boston Celtics)

Julian Champagnie, small forward (2025-26 team: San Antonio Spurs)

Jusuf Nurkic, center (2025-26 team: Utah Jazz)

Kelly Olynyk, power forward/center (2025-26 team: San Antonio Spurs)

Kelly Oubre Jr., shooting guard/small forward (2025-26 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Kenrich Williams, power forward (2025-26 team: Oklahoma City Thunder)

Keon Ellis, shooting guard (2025-26 team: Sacramento Kings/Cleveland Cavaliers)

Kevin Huerter, shooting guard (2025-26 teams: Chicago Bulls/Detroit Pistons)

Khris Middleton, shooting guard/small forward (2025-26 teams: Washington Wizards/Dallas Mavericks)

Kristaps Porzingis, power forward/center (2025-26 teams: Atlanta Hawks/Golden State Warriors)

Kyle Anderson, small/power forward (2025-26 teams: Utah Jazz/Memphis Grizzlies/Minnesota Timberwolves)

Landry Shamet, shooting guard (2025-26 team: New York Knicks)

Luke Kennard, shooting guard (2025-26 teams: Atlanta Hawks/Los Angeles Lakers)

Marcus Smart, point/shooting guard (2025-26 team: Los Angeles Lakers)

Marvin Bagley III, power forward (2025-26 team: Dallas Mavericks)

Mitchell Robinson, center (2025-26 team: New York Knicks)

Mo Wagner, power forward/center (2025-26 team: Orlando Magic)

Nick Richards, center (2025-26 teams: Phoenix Suns/Chicago Bulls)

Nikola Vucevic, center (2025-26 teams: Chicago Bulls/Boston Celtics)

Peyton Watson, small forward (2025-26 team: Denver Nuggets)

Quentin Grimes, shooting guard/small forward (2025-26 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Robert Williams III, center (2025-26 team: Portland Trail Blazers)

Russell Westbrook, point guard (2025-26 team: Sacramento Kings)

Ryan Nembhard, point guard (2025-26 team: Dallas Mavericks)

Sandro Mamukelashvili, center (2025-26 team: Toronto Raptors)

Tari Eason, small/power forward (2025-26 team: Houston Rockets)

Tim Hardaway Jr., shooting guard (2025-26 team: Denver Nuggets)

Tyus Jones, point/shooting guard (2025-26 teams: Orlando Magic/Dallas Mavericks/Denver Nuggets)

Ziaire Williams, small/power forward (2025-26 team: Brooklyn Nets)

David Krumholtz Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of David Krumholtz-whose latest project "Supergirl" releases in theaters today. 

David Krumholtz's Filmography Ranked:

20.Hail, Caesar! (C-)

19.Guess Who (C)

18.The Santa Clause 2 (C)

17.The Santa Clause (C)

16.Mr. Popper's Penguins (C+)

15.The Judge (B-)

14.A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (B-)

13.Serenity (B-)

12.Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (B-)

11.10 Things I Hate About You (B-)

10.A Futile and Stupid Gesture (B)

9.Oppenheimer (B)

8.The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (B)

7.Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (B)

6.Ray (B)

5.Sausage Party (B+)

4.Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (B+)

3.Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (B+)

2.This is the End (A)

1.Superbad (A+)

Top Dog: Superbad (2007)

The biggest tragedy of the significantly lower volume of theatrical comedies we've seen since the genre stopped making money consistently around 2017/18 is being deprived of the joy that comes with being in a room full of people laughing their asses off. Seeing Superbad on opening weekend was pretty much a spiritual experience as the entire packed theater was going berserk for 2 straight theaters. I'd love the opportunity to relive that experience as that special kind of electricity has pretty much gone extinct in the modern era where people claim they want to see comedies in theaters but mostly stay home whenever one releases.

Bottom Feeder: Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Ethan Coen has gotten a lot of flak for both of the movies he's made as a solo director (Drive-Away Dolls, Honey Don't!) since him and Joel took a hiatus from working together following their 2018 Netflix project The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Personally, I think both of Ethan's movies are funnier and more interesting than Hail, Caesar! As somebody who will proudly go to bat for stuff like Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers, I was pretty shocked by how flat most of the jokes in the Coen's '50's-set Hollywood farce are. This famous bit is really the only scene that's laugh-out-loud funny, which is a depressing thing to say about a movie that features such a stacked ensemble (George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Fiennes, Alden Eherenreich, Channing Tatum, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, about a dozen or so other terrific character actors) that has proven that they're adept at comedy. I can say with zero hesitation that this is my pick for the weakest Coen Brothers movie I've seen, and I'd be pretty surprised if that changed upon seeing the handful of titles of theirs (Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Man Who Wasn't There) that I've yet to catch. 

Most Underrated: Sausage Party (2016)

Sausage Party's bad rap is easy to understand as it's a really bizarre mix of lowbrow gross-out comedy and serious commentary on religion. Ironically, that brazen, surprisingly coherent mix of ingredients is the main reason it's so endearing to me. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are just unapologetically swinging for the fences here and I'm kind of in awe that Sony gave them the money to make something that was guaranteed to alienate the bulk of its viewers.

Most Overrated: Oppenheimer (2023)

Man, Krumholtz got an even more insane underrated pairing with Oppenheimer than Emily Blunt did earlier this month. At the risk of repeating myself, I just think there are several prolonged stretches and supporting performances in this movie that are very uneven and I would've given it precisely zero of the 46 Oscars it won had I been in control of handing out the awards. What I will give Oppenheimer credit for is not leaving me with a gigantic fucking headache like Tenet did, so thanks for taking it easy on the old noggin Mr. Nolan! 

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Cornerbacks

()=2025 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2025 

50.(+) Alontae Taylor (Titans)

49.(+) Carrington Valentine (Packers)

48.(+) Cor'Dale Flott (Titans)

47.(+) Riley Moss (Broncos)

46.(41) Andru Phillips (Giants)

45.(27) Zyon McCollum (Buccaneers)

44.(+) Joey Porter Jr. (Steelers)

43.(14) A.J. Terrell (Falcons)

42.(20) Deommodore Lenoir (49ers)

41.(42) Nate Wiggins (Ravens)

40.(39) Jourdan Lewis (Jaguars)

39.(+) Keisean Nixon (Packers)

38.(+) Jacob Parrish (Buccaneers)

37.(+) Kool-Aid McKinstry (Saints)

36.(13) Kenny Moore (Free Agent)

35.(+) Cobie Durant (Cowboys)

34.(45) Brandon Stephens (Jets)

33.(+) Marcus Jones (Patriots)

32.(50) Tyson Campbell (Browns)

31.(+) Chidobe Awuzie (Ravens)

30.(+) Isaiah Rodgers (Vikings)

29.(+) Eric Stokes (Raiders)

28.(+) Nahshon Wright (Jets)

27.(+) D.J. Turner II (Bengals)

26.(+) Montaric Brown (Jaguars)

25.(+) Ja'Quan McMillan (Broncos)

24.(6) Jaylon Johnson (Bears)

23.(19) Byron Murphy Jr. (Vikings)

22.(18) Denzel Ward (Browns)

21.(4) Marlon Humphrey (Ravens)

20.(30) Jaycee Horn (Panthers)

19.(7) D.J. Reed (Lions)

18.(12) DaRon Bland (Cowboys)

17.(21) Carlton Davis (Patriots)

16.(33) Tarheeb Still (Chargers)

15.(17) Charvarius Ward (Colts)

14.(+) Jaylen Watson (Rams)

13.(+) Mike Jackson (Panthers)

12.(34) Kamari Lassiter (Texans)

11.(3) Jalen Ramsey (Steelers)

10.(9) Christian Gonzalez (Patriots)

9.(8) Christian Benford (Bills)

8.(26) Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles)

7.(15) Jamel Dean (Steelers)

6.(11) Derek Stingley Jr. (Texans)

5.(5) Sauce Gardner (Colts)

4.(23) Cooper DeJean (Eagles)

3.(2) Trent McDuffie (Rams)

2.(10) Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks)

1.(1) Patrick Surtain II (Broncos)

2026 NBA Mock Draft

Hot off the heels off the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade late last night, the NBA offseason is set to produce another round of fireworks this evening with the start of the NBA Draft. The 2026 draft class is arguably the deepest of the 2020's so far with some figures in league circles believing there's as many as 20 lottery-caliber talents available, which arguably makes up for the predicted top 3 (AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer) not being as coveted as Cooper Flagg, Victor Wembanyama or Anthony Edwards were at this stage of the process. Here's how I expect the 60 selections that will be made over the next 2 nights to shake out. 

Round 1:

1.Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, small/power forward (BYU)

2.Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, point/shooting guard (Kansas)

3.Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, power forward/center (Duke)

4.Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, power forward/center (North Carolina)

5.Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler, point/shooting guard (Virginia) 

6.Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr., point guard (Louisville) 

7.Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., point guard (Arkansas)

8.Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings, point guard (Houston)

9.Dallas Mavericks: Aday Mira, center (Michigan)

10.Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Arment, small/power forward (Tennessee) 

11.Golden State Warriors: Brayden Burries, shooting guard (Arizona)

12.Oklahoma City Thunder: Morez Johnson Jr., power forward/center (Michigan)

13.Milwaukee Bucks: Hannes Steinbach, power forward/center (Washington)

14.Charlotte Hornets: Yaxel Lendeborg, small/power forward (Michigan)

15.Chicago Bulls: Cameron Carr, shooting guard/small forward (Baylor)

16.Memphis Grizzlies: Karim Lopez, small/power forward (New Zealand Breakers)

17.Oklahoma City Thunder: Dailyn Swan, shooting guard/small forward (Texas)

18.Charlotte Hornets: Christian Anderson, point guard (Texas Tech)

19.Toronto Raptors: Bennett Stirtz, point guard (Iowa)

20.San Antoino Spurs: Chris Cenac Jr., power forward/center (Houston)

21.Detriot Pistons: Isaiah Evans, shooting guard (Duke)

22.Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Graves, power forward (Santa Clara)

23.Atlanta Hawks: Ebuka Okorie, point guard (Stanford)

24.New York Knicks: Tarris Reed Jr., center (UConn)

25.Los Angeles Lakers: Koa Peat, small/power forward (Arizona)

26.Denver Nuggets: Labaron Philon Jr., point/shooting guard (Alabama)

27.Boston Celtics: Meleek Thomas, point/shooting guard (Arkansas)

28.Brooklyn Nets: Henri Veesaar, center (North Carolina)

29.Cleveland Cavaliers: Jack Kayil, point/shooting guard (Alba Berlin)

30.Dallas Mavericks: Sergio de Larrea, point/shooting guard (Valencia) 

Round 2:

31.New York Knicks: Joshua Jefferson, small/power forward (Iowa State)

32.Memphis Grizzlies: Zuby Ejiofor, power forward/center (St. John's)

33.Minnesota Timberwolves: Jayden Quaintance, center (Kentucky)

34.Sacramento Kings: Alex Karaban, small/power forward (UConn)

35.San Antonio Spurs: Vsevolod Ishchenko, shooting guard/small forward (Lokomotiv Kuban)

36.Los Angeles Clippers: Baba Miller, power forward/center (Cincinnati) 

37.Oklahoma City Thunder: Ryan Conwell, shooting guard (Louisville)

38.Chicago Bulls: Ugonna Onyenso, center (Virginia) 

39.Houston Rockets: Emmanuel Sharp, shooting guard (Houston)

40.Boston Celtics: Felix Okpara, center (Tennessee) 

41.Miami Heat: Ja'Kobi Gillespie, point guard (Tennessee) 

42.San Antonio Spurs: Trevon Brazile, power forward (Arkansas) 

43.Brookyln Nets: Dillon Mitchell, power forward (St. John's)

44.San Antonio Spurs: Richie Saunders, shooting guard/small forward (BYU)

45.Sacramento Kings: Izaiyah Nelson, power forward/center (South Florida)

46.Orlando Magic: Bruce Thornton, point/shooting guard (Ohio State) 

47.Phoenix Suns: Braden Smith, point guard (Purdue)

48.Dallas Mavericks: Tobe Awaka, power forward (Arizona)

49.Denver Nuggets: Jaden Bradley, point/shooting guard (Arizona)

50.Toronto Raptors: Tyler Nickel, shooting guard (Vanderbilt)

51.Washington Wizards: Tre Donaldson, point guard (Miami)

52.Los Angeles Clippers: Milos Uzan, point guard (Houston)

53.Houston Rockets: Aaron Nkrumah, shooting guard (Tennessee State) 

54.Golden State Warriors: Tyler Bilodeau, power forward (UCLA)

55.New York Knicks: Nick Boyd, point/shooting guard (Wisconsin)

56.Chicago Bulls: Tobi Lawal, power forward (Virginia Tech)

57.Atlanta Hawks: Bryce Hopkins, small/power forward (St. John's)

58.New Orleans Pelicans: Maliq Brown, power forward/center (Duke)

59.Minnesota Timberwolves: Quadir Copeland, shooting guard (NC State)

60.Washington Wizards: Rafael Castro, power forward/center (George Washington)

Movie Review: Leviticus

 

When the late Robert Redford founded the Sundance Film Festival (then known as Utah/US Film Festival) in 1978, he probably didn't envision the platform he was creating to elevate independent cinema domestically would eventually attract films from all over the globe. During the 2020's, this January film world staple has become a bit of an unlikely hotbed for Australian horror movies. 7 Australian horror movies have played at the fest so far this decade with 2021 and 2022 being the only years where no spooky flicks from The Land Down Under appeared in the lineup. The most notable of the bunch are 2023's Talk to Me and 2025's Together-which were picked up by A24 and Neon respectively after heated bidding wars. Neon went back to the Aussie horror well this year when they acquired Leviticus, the buzzy debut from Adrian Chiarella which has been positioned as a queer spin on It Follows due to its plot surrounding two gay teenage boys (Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen) who are haunted by an entity that takes the form of each other that no one else can see but them. While I don't think Chiarella is quite on the level of the Philippou Brothers and Michael Shanks yet, Leviticus is still an assured, emotionally resonant horror flick that announces the arrival of another exciting Australian voice onto the horror scene. 

The metaphor behind Leviticus also serves as the clear driving force behind its horror. These young men living in a small industrial town in the Victoria region of Southeast Australia are living in constant fear that people are going to find out their secret. The only places they even feel comfortable enough to be themselves are in abandoned mills and vacant fields that are tucked far away from the heart of their conservative suburban community.  Eventually, the deeply religious adults in their lives discover their secret and attempt to "fix" them by sending them to a deliverance healer (Nicholas Hope) who performs a ritual that conjures up the aforementioned shape-shifting monsters that will maim or kill an afflicted individual if they decide to act on their homosexual impulses. It's not exactly hard to track that this ritual is a stand-in for conversion therapy and how this barbaric practice remains prevalent in certain religions to this day.

What makes Leviticus such a deeply depressing tale is that these parents would rather have their kids die while trying to make them into something that they're not than love them for who they are. Anybody who has been around for long enough has heard a zillion sentiments about how parenting is all about delivering unconditional love to your child. Well, that isn't always the case as plenty of parents out there will instantaneously turn on their children if they discover that their sexual orientation or gender identity isn't what they had hoped it would be. Many of these parents that refuse to support their gay or trans child are governed by the fear that religion has instilled upon them the LGBTQ+ community is a scourge on the Earth that needs to be exterminated. In my eyes, these people aren't fit to be parents. There's an unspoken contract that you're signing when you decide to become a parent that states that you will love your child no matter what and failing to honor it on the grounds of being afraid or repulsed by them having the courage to embrace who they are is the epitome of cruel, cowardly behavior that would get you banished to Hell if that place proved to be real. None of the horrible shit that happens in this movie would've occurred if the adults in the room simply accepted who their children are and that will be the first thing I associate with Leviticus for the rest of time.

Underneath the shadow of cruelty, isolation and torment being placed upon them, Bird and Clausen do a great job of showing the power of resilience in the face of tremendous adversity. Leviticus would be a merely well-meaning platitude if the romance between the leading duo wasn't strong enough to risk getting your face bashed in by a demonic doppelgänger for and after the initial will they or won't they dance plays out, something beautiful blossoms between them that can't be broken by any outside forces. They are able to convey a warmth and vulnerability that many actors twice their age struggle to when they're asked to portray lovers on screen and the authenticity behind those feelings are why the emotional core of this movie is so strong. Both of these guys appear to be in the first act of long, fruitful acting careers and I'd be surprised if their phones don't start ringing more often after people see what they did here.

Ironically, most of the trouble that Chiarella runs into here is when the movie is leaning into its more traditional horror elements. He doesn't build much dread during the sequences where the entity is present, and the attack sequences quickly become very predictable and repetitive as the boys can only be attacked when they're alone. About the only time Chiarella shows some prowess on this front comes in an admittedly cheap but effective nonetheless jump scare moment in the second half of the movie that arrives out of thin air. Getting the old pulse rate up for a minute or two was a nice reprieve from the haunting psychological torment of the rest of the film and it's good to know that he already has this valuable skill stashed away in his toolbox for future use. 

As the summer 2026 horror advent calendar continues to be built, Leviticus establishes itself as a powerful romantic drama with psychological, supernatural and folk horror undertones. That's a very different flavor than anything else the genre has delivered over the past couple of months and just how far removed it is from the Obsession's, Hokum's, Passenger's and Backrooms' of the world is a key part of its appeal. With franchise titles in Evil Dead Burn and Insidious: Into the Further being the sole heavy-hitters left on the calendar, it'll be interesting see what will be waiting behind the last couple of doors in this excellent season for the genre. 

Grade: B

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Top 40 Inside Linebackers

 Note: In 2025, the players below were spread out between the inside and outside linebacker rankings. All of the players that were featured in the series in 2025 will have a ILB or OLB tag accompanying last year's ranking.

()=2025 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2025

40.(+) D'Marco Jackson (Bears)

39.(ILB-26) Nakobe Dean (Raiders)

38.(+) Justin Strnad (Broncos)

37.(ILB-27) Dre Greenlaw (49ers)

36.(ILB-31) Ernest Jones (Seahawks)

35.(ILB-10) Pete Werner (Saints)

34.(ILB-23) Tyrel Dodson (Dolphins)

33.(+) Dee Winters (Cowboys)

32.(+) Eric Wilson (Vikings)

31.(+) Henry To'oTo'o (Texans)

30.(+) Omar Speights (Rams)

29.(+) Leo Chenal (Commanders)

28.(OLB-24) Alex Anzalone (Buccaneers)

27.(ILB-16) Blake Cashman (Vikings)

26.(+) Tremaine Edmunds (Giants)

25.(ILB-25) Jamien Sherwood (Jets)

24.(+) Alex Singleton (Broncos)

23.(+) Divine Deablo (Falcons)

22.(+) Nate Landman (Rams)

21.(+) Drake Thomas (Seahawks)

20.(+) Jihaad Campbell (Eagles)

19.(+) Carson Schwesinger (Browns)

18.(+) Cedric Gray (Titans)

17.(ILB-13) T.J. Edwards (Bears)

16.(ILB-12) Kaden Elliss (Saints)

15.(ILB-33) Azeez Al-Shaair (Texans)

14.(ILB-19) Robert Spillane (Patriots)

13.(ILB-17) Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars)

12.(+) Devin Bush (Bears)

11.(ILB-2) Bobby Wagner (Free Agent)

10.(ILB-21) Drue Tranquill (Chiefs)

9.(ILB-28) Edgerrin Cooper (Packers)

8.(ILB-5) Roquan Smith (Ravens)

7.(ILB-18) Jordyn Brooks (Dolphins)

6.(ILB-6) Nick Bolton (Chiefs)

5.(ILB-4) Demario Davis (Jets)

4.(ILB-11) Devin Lloyd (Panthers)

3.(ILB-3) Zack Baun (Eagles)

2.(ILB-24) Jack Campbell (Lions)

1.(ILB-1) Fred Warner (49ers)

Movie Review: The Furious

Words really aren't the best method to communicate my thoughts towards The Furious. A combination of gasps, guffaws, cheers, claps and winces like the ones that filled the packed theater I saw it in at AMC Boston Common 19 last night is the most effective way to articulate what it felt like to watch such a brain-breaking martial arts extravaganza on the big screen. Not only are the fight sequences absolutely relentless in their length, frequency and bone-crunching brutality, but the precision and intricacy of the choreography are just jaw-dropping. It would take at least three or four slow motion viewings of each fight scene for me to even start to comprehend all of the moving parts in play. Human beings aren't supposed to be able to fly through the air like birds, slide on solid ground like it's a sheet of ice or stack on top of each other like fucking Jenga blocks and yet, the company of virtuoso martial artists led by the five gentlemen on the above poster (Xie Miao, Joe Taslim, Brian Le, Joey Iwanga, Yayan Ruhian) are able to make all these things looks as routine as someone tying their shoe. Seeing such remarkable feats of athleticism and pervasive disrespect for the laws of physics in a martial arts movie is a treat of the most special variety and precisely the kind of alien shit that moves the genre forward. Legendary Japanese fight choreographer Kenji Tanigaki deserves all of the credit in the world for assembling a team full of the best screen fighters from all over the globe for his third directorial effort. He'll undoubtedly have plenty of offers to make whatever the hell he wants to make for his next movie and if it's even half as strong as The Furious, his stock in the martial arts movie community is going to extend beyond the heights of the known universe.  

Grade: A
 

Hugh Jackman Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Hugh Jackman-whose latest project "The Death of Robin Hood" releases in theaters on Thursday.

Hugh Jackman's Filmography Ranked:

25.Movie 43 (D)

24.The Fountain (C-)

23.The Greatest Showman (C)

22.Chappie (C)

21.X-Men Origins: Wolverine (B-)

20.The Front Runner (B-)

19.Reminiscence (B-) 

18.Van Helsing (B-)

17.X-Men: The Last Stand (B-)

16.Deadpool & Wolverine (B-)

15.X-Men (B-)

14.Eddie the Eagle (B-)

13.The Wolverine (B)

12.Rise of the Guardians (B)

11.Butter (B)

10.Real Steel (B)

9.The Prestige (B)

8.Song Sung Blue (B)

7.Logan (B)

6.The Sheep Detectives (B)

5.Bad Education (B+)

4.X2 (B+)

3.Swordfish (B+)

2.X-Men: Days of Future Past (B+)

1.Prisoners (B+) 

Top Dog: Prisoners (2013)

While a recent rewatch did knock it down a peg or two in my eyes, Prisoners remains a captivating mystery thriller full of excellent performances, skin-crawling dread and unflinching bleakness.  

Bottom Feeder: Movie 43 (2013)

This abysmal anthology comedy will always and forever be one of the greatest misuses of talent in the history of Hollywood. It's honestly awe-inspiring that so many respected actors carved out time in their crowded schedules to appear in something that is full of some of the most brutally unfunny lowbrow humor to ever grace movie theater screens worldwide. Peter Farrelly, who served as the primary brainchild of this unholy creation, has to be thankful that he was so well-established in the industry when this released in January 2013 because who knows what kind of damage this could've done to his career if it had come out right after Dumb and Dumber or There's Something About Mary.

Most Underrated: Swordfish (2001)

I saw Swordfish when I was in high school in the late 2000's and in a development that will surely shock anyone who knows my taste in movies, I was absolutely smitten with its over-the-top action thriller hijinks. When I decided to rewatch it yesterday afternoon, I was nervous that it wasn't going to cast the same spell on me as an adult. To my delight, it hit just as hard now as it did then. Maestro Dominic Sena followed up his excellent work on Gone in 60 Seconds with this majestic trash can symphony that distills the most endearing parts of late 90's/early 2000's genre filmmaking into 99 minutes of pure, adrenaline-fueled absurdity. If Swordfish came out today, a good percentage of the CinemaSins-fueled logic police crowd that is so prevalent in film discourse spaces would probably need to go to the emergency room to recover from the damage the plot inflicted upon their precious big brains. 

Most Overrated: Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

As someone who has defended and/or celebrated a number of the post-Endgame MCU movies, I have to say that I'm slightly nauseated by the fact that Deadpool & Wolverine is widely viewed as one of the few triumphs they've produced during this period. To be fair to Ryan Reynolds, the idea of bringing Deadpool into the MCU by shitting all over the powerful ending of Logan by reviving Jackman's Wolverine is a funny idea that leads to some great bits. The problem is that the movie eventually morphs from a fun spoof of the genre's nostalgia porn to a full-blown embrace of it and not even some hilarious surprises like Wesley Snipes returning as Blade is enough to save it from its own shamelessness. 

Emily Blunt Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Emily Blunt-whose latest project "Disclosure Day" releases in theaters today.

Emily Blunt's Filmography Ranked:

21.Gnomeo & Juliet (D)

20.The Wolfman (D)

19.Sunshine Cleaning (C-)

18.Pain Hustlers (C+)

17.The Smashing Machine (B-)

16.Dan in Real Life (B-)

15.Jungle Cruise (B-)

14.The Five-Year Engagement (B-)

13.The Devil Wears Prada 2 (B-)

12.The Devil Wears Prada (B-)

11.Oppenheimer (B)

10.Charlie Wilson's War (B)

9.The Adjustment Bureau (B) 

8.Looper (B)

7.IF (B+)

6.The Girl on the Train (B+)

5.Edge of Tomorrow (B+)

4.A Quiet Place (B+)

3.A Quiet Place: Part II (B+)

2.Sicario (A-)

1.The Fall Guy (A)

Top Dog: The Fall Guy (2024)

Yes, you are reading that correctly: My favorite movie that widely respected thespian Blunt has ever been in is David Leitch's The Fall Guy. Leitch's heartfelt ode to the stunt community he came up in is one of those rare blockbusters that rides the charisma of its stars and the electricity of its spectacle to glory. The wonderous popcorn entertainment magic that The Fall Guy conjures up is the high that I'm chasing every time I step into theater to watch a big summer movie, and I hope that something over the next few months will be able to rise to the level of this wonderful movie.

Bottom Feeder: Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)

As much as an animated retelling of Romeo & Juliet featuring lawn gnomes and the music of Elton John sounds fake, it's very a real movie. It even made enough money to spawn a sequel eight years later! Despite respecting the sheer absurdity of its existence, I found Gnomeo & Juliet to be an obnoxious movie that was a chore to sit through and it's easily one of the worst animated movies I've ever watched.  

Most Underrated: IF (2024)

IF hive rise up! John Krasinski's foray into the world of family films really charmed me with its messages of not letting the cruelty of the world we live in rob you of your creativity and the importance of letting light into your life whenever possible. It also gets major bonus points for Michael Giacchino casually dropping an absolute banger of a score that is probably my favorite thing he's ever done outside of The Batman.

Most Overrated: Oppenheimer (2023)

Christopher Nolan's streak of making movies that I wasn't overly impressed by and/or find to be very overrated extended to 4 with the project that finally got him a boatload of Oscars. While Oppenheimer has stunning moments and a terrific lead performance from Cillain Murphy,  some clumsy creative choices (the MCU-esque deployment of the names of famous politicians and the "I am Become Death, Destroyer of Worlds, raging alcoholic Kitty Oppenheimer delivering a scathing monologue to the government-appointed legal team investigating her husband in 1959 where she perfectly recalls details from events that occurred over a decade earlier) and pacing woes brought on by its overly cute nonlinear structure prevent it from being the haunting epic character study it aspires to be. 

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Defensive Tackles

Note: In 2025, the players below were spread out between the defensive tackle and defensive end rankings. All of the players that were featured in the series in 2025 will have a DT or DE tag accompanying last year's ranking.

()=2025 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2025

50.(+) Khyris Tonga (Chiefs)

49.(+) Tim Settle (Commanders)

48.(DT-25) Keeanu Benton (Steelers)

47.(DE-19) Jonathan Allen (Bengals)

46.(DT-27) Arik Armstead (Jaguars)

45.(+) Nathan Shepherd (Saints)

44.(DT-19) Jarran Reed (Seahawks)

43.(DE-13) Calias Campbell (Ravens)

42.(+) Roy Lopez (Cardinals)

41.(+) Maliek Collins (Browns)

40.(DT-20) Osa Odighizuwa (49ers)

39.(+) A'Shawn Robinson (Buccaneers)

38.(DT-13) Grover Stewart (Colts)

37.(DT-24) Gervon Dexter (Bears)

36.(DT-18) B.J. Hill (Bengals)

35.(+) Mason Graham (Browns)

34.(+) Jalen Redmond (Vikings)

33.(DT-7) Alim McNeill (Lions)

32.(DT-22) Christian Barmore (Patriots)

31.(DE-31) Javon Hargrave (Packers)

30.(DT-23) Teair Tart (Chargers)

29.(DT-31) Kenny Clark (Cowboys)

28.(+) Moro Ojomo (Eagles)

27.(+) Sheldon Rankins (Texans)

26.(DE-20) Milton Williams (Patriots)

25.(+) D.J. Jones (Broncos)

24.(DT-28) Jordan Davis (Eagles)

23.(DT-16) T'Vondre Sweat (Jets)

22.(+) Byron Murphy II (Seahawks)

21.(DT-21) D.J. Reader (Giants)

20.(DT-12) Jalen Carter (Eagles)

19.(DE-23) Zach Allen (Broncos)

18.(+) Tommy Togiai (Texans)

17.(+) Harrison Phillips (Jets)

16.(DE-11) Zach Sieler (Dolphins)

15.(DT-5) DeForest Buckner (Colts)

14.(DT-9) Nnamdi Madubike (Ravens)

13.(DE-30) David Onyemata (Jets)

12.(DT-14) Ed Oliver (Bills)

11.(DT-8) Vita Vea (Buccaneers)

10.(DE-15) Derrick Brown (Panthers)

9.(DE-8) Leonard Williams (Seahawks)

8.(DT-15) Poona Ford (Rams)

7.(DT-17) Travis Jones (Ravens)

6.(DT-11) Kobie Turner (Rams)

5.(DT-1) Chris Jones (Chiefs)

4.(DT-3) Dexter Lawrence (Bengals)

3.(DT-6) Quinnen Williams (Cowboys)

2.(DT-4) Jeffrey Simmons (Titans)

1.(DT-2) Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

Movie Review: Masters of the Universe (2026)

Trying to get Masters of the Universe back on the big screen was quite the adventure. The second live action film (the 1987 version with Dolph Lundgren as He-Man has earned a bit of a cult following over the years but was widely panned and tanked hard upon release) based on the popular Mattel toy line/comic series/animated series entered development all the way back in 2009 following the success of Michael Bay's Transformers movies and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. During this long period where it failed to get across the finish line, the distribution rights bounced around between a few studios (Warner Brothers, Netflix, Sony) and had a number of Hollywood vets attached to direct including Jon M. Chu, McG and Jeff Wadlow. Real forward momentum on the project finally came in November 2023 when Amazon acquired the rights from Netflix and hired Travis Knight to direct in February 2024. About a year after Knight was hired, Masters of the Universe began to roll cameras in London and last weekend, it arrived in theaters around the globe. While releasing it now when the audiences for 80's cartoon IP's have largely dried up isn't going to be good for the old profit margins, MOTU fans have to be really excited that a proper blockbuster version of He-Man and co. finally exists. 

For the people out there like me who weren't even alive when Masters of the Universe was at the peak of its popularity, the IP is a sword and sorcery/sci-fi hybrid that takes place on the fantastical planet of Eternia. At the start of this film, we're introduced to Adam Glenn (Nicholas Galitzine) as he's toiling away at a human resources job in Oklahoma City. Adam was a prince on Eternia who was sent through a portal to Earth by his parents (Charlotte Riley, James Purefoy) and a sorceress (Morena Baccarin) who protects their skull-shaped castle known as Castle Grayskull after the tyrannical Skeletor (Jared Leto) and his goons (Alison Brie, Sam C. Wilson, Kojo Attah, James Apps) take over Eternia. Right before Adam is sent to Earth, he's handed a sword known as the Sword of Destiney by the Sorceress that will allow him to travel home when the time is right. During his psychedelic wormhole travel from Eternia to Earth, the teenage Adam fumbles the Sword of Power and basically suddenly gets banished to a permanent lonely existence on a new plant. 15 years later, Adam's obsession with returning to the home that no one he's ever met on Earth believes is real pays off as The Sword of Power shows up at a comic store near his apartment. Once Adam touches the sword, Skeletor's goon Beast Man comes to take it from, and Adam's childhood best friend Teela (Camila Mendes) shows up to save the day and bring him home. After seeing the destruction of his once-gorgeous planet for the first time, Adam sets out on a journey to embrace the power within him and transform into the noble warrior that can liberate Eternia from Skeletor's wrath once and for all.

Out of the gate, Masters of the Universe had me hooked. There's a really fun Saturday Morning Cartoon aesthetic to its flashback sequences, the introduction of the Barbie-esque deconstruction of masculinity that serves as the primary subtext of this story through the King questioning young Adam's manhood after Teela thoroughly beats him in a weapons training exercise run by her father Duncan (Idris Elba) who serves as the head of the King's guard is strong and Galitzine does a really good job of portraying a purehearted guy who is really hurt by the fact that he has no place in the universe where he's truly accepted. Once the story shifts back to Eternia, the movie kind of gets away from Knight. The 52-year-old who rose to prominence in Hollywood as a stop motion animator and director wants everybody to know that he's aware Masters of the Universe is really dumb. Every time the movie does something earnestly or endearingly cheesy like drop a crazy slow motion fight scene where He-Man lays waste to a bunch of Skeletor's henchman with his sword, deliver a monologue about how Adam's real weapon is his big heart or let Leto's Skeletor chew the scenery with his cartoon villain theatricality, Knight quickly dampens the mood by having the characters express their displeasure with the ridiculousness of what just transpired on screen. 

What really amuses me about Knight acting like he's above this material is that it's a form of weakness that runs parallel to the macho bullshit the insecure alpha male characters spew at Adam when he dares to show his vulnerability. Walking around like you're being weighed down by this immense burden of shame because you like something that's viewed as uncool by people who aren't fans of the property is fucking embarrassing behavior for an adult to be engaging in. Just own that you love this corny shit man! Everybody on the planet loves some corny shit and it's not hard at all to be unapologetic about the corny shit you love! You'd think the guy who made such an earnestly sentimental movie in Bumblebee would know better, but apparently his love for the Transformers gang was much less embarrassing to him than the love he has for He-Man and co. It really sucks that Knight's insecurity over his enjoyment of an 80's cartoon property looms so large here because there's plenty of evidence present in the vibrant action and rare moments where it's unafraid to wear its big mushy heart on its sleeve that this movie would've ripped hard if it had embraced the campiness that drives MOTU instead of running from it like an image-conscious teenage boy who doesn't want to get bullied by the popular kids at school for still playing with action figures at 14. Oh well, at least Knight will soon be able to return to having pride in his work as his next serious stop motion movie Wildwood is set to hit theaters on October 23rd. 

Grade: B-

Movie Review: Scary Movie (2026)

It was only a matter of time before the Scary Movie franchise was revived. Horror movies are one of the biggest drivers of the box office during the 2020's, and the legacy of the original films have managed to endure across generations. The only way to do a Scary Movie reboot right would be to reunite the people (Anna Faris, Regina Hall, The Wayans Brothers) who were most responsible for the franchise's success and staying power for the first time since Scary Movie 2 and that's precisely what happened with Scary Movie 6 aka Scary Movie.

So, what does the Scary Movie reunion tour look like? Well, a whole lot like the original run. 26 years away from the franchise they created has not inspired to The Wayans Brothers to reevaluate their formula of frantically firing out horror movie/topical pop culture references and lowbrow "shock" humor with the hopes of making the viewer laugh or becoming repulsed to the point where they view them as sadistic torturers instead of comedians. About the only thing that has changed is a more prevalent meta streak brought on by the horror genre's requel boom (what passes as the plot here is a riff on Scream 5 as the legacy characters and their kin have to fight off the return of the Ghostface killer from the original Scary Movie) and less mean-spirited humor aimed at the LGBT community, presumably due to Marlon Wayans' child coming out as a trans man a few years back. 

While I'm not going to pretend that unearthing this early 2000's-time capsule didn't come without its share of groans and winces, it was still kind of fun to watch a modern version of Scary Movie. The Wayans Brothers, Farris and Hall brush off 20+ years of dust like it's nothing as they waste no time slipping back into the franchise's hyperactive goofy rhythm, new cast member Olivia Rose Keegan frequently steals the show as Cindy Campbell's estranged daughter Sara with her elite mimicking of Faris' voice/comic delivery and the moments at the high end of the wide joke effectiveness spectrum Wayans always deliver are funny enough (the Scream VI-inspired opening scene, the I Know What You Did Last Summer' 25 bit and surprisingly clever ending were the top standouts for me) to drown out the painful record scratch moments that the major whiffs produce (fortunately, 90% of these were in the trailers). Getting a Scary Movie reboot where the entire original cast is happy to be there and there's some real laughs to be had was the best possible outcome and hopefully, they'll fare similarly well when they all return for Scary Movie 7 in the not-too-distant future. 

Grade: B-
 

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Edge Rushers

Note: In 2025, the players below were spread out between the outside linebacker and defensive end rankings. All of the players that were featured in the series in 2025 will have an OLB or DE tag accompanying last year's ranking.

()=2025 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2025

50.(+) Nic Scourton (Panthers)

49.(OLB-23) Zaven Collins (Cardinals)

48.(DE-28) Kwity Paye (Raiders)

47.(DE-26) Dorance Armstrong (Commanders)

46.(+) Donovan Ezeiruaku (Cowboys)

45.(+) Jalyx Hunt (Eagles)

44.(+) Dallas Turner (Vikings)

43.(+) Abdul Carter (Giants)

42.(+) Al-Quadin Muhammad (Buccaneers)

41.(DE-14) John Franklin-Myers (Titans)

40.(OLB-7) Bradley Chubb (Bills)

39.(OLB-32) Uchena Nwosu (Seahawks)

38.(+) Dre'Mont Jones (Patriots)

37.(DE-25) Travon Walker (Jaguars)

36.(OLB-18) Yaya Diaby (Buccaneers)

35.(DE-16) Carl Granderson (Saints)

34.(OLB-9) Andrew Van Ginkel (Vikings)

33.(DE-17) Rashan Gary (Cowboys)

32.(OLB-16) Harold Landry (Patriots)

31.(OLB-13) Jonathon Cooper (Broncos)

30.(OLB-19) Tuli Tuipulotu (Chargers)

29.(DE-29) Chase Young (Saints)

28.(+) Alex Wright (Browns)

27.(OLB-2) Khalil Mack (Chargers)

26.(OLB-21) Boye Mafe (Bengals)

25.(OLB-22) Jaelan Phillips (Panthers)

24.(DE-18) Montez Sweat (Bears)

23.(OLB-14) DeMarcus Lawrence (Seahawks)

22.(OLB-12) Odafe Oweh (Commanders)

21.(OLB-3) Jonathan Greenard (Eagles)

20.(OLB-11) Josh Sweat (Cardinals)

19.(DE-27) George Karlaftis (Chiefs)

18.(OLB-25) Nick Herbig (Steelers)

17.(OLB-5) Brian Burns (Giants)

16(DE-22) Laiatu Latu (Colts)

15.(OLB-4) Alex Highsmith (Steelers)

14.(OLB-28) Byron Young (Rams)

13.(OLB-10) Nik Bonitto (Broncos)

12.(OLB-8) Jared Verse (Browns)

11.(DE-3) Trey Hendrickson (Ravens)

10.(DE-7) Maxx Crosby (Raiders)

9.(DE-12) Greg Rousseau (Bills)

8.(DE-4) Nick Bosa (49ers)

7.(OLB-1) T.J. Watt (Steelers)

6.(DE-6) Josh Hines-Allen (Jaguars)

5.(DE-9) Danielle Hunter (Texans)

4.(DE-10) Will Anderson Jr. (Texans)

3.(DE-5) Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

2.(DE-2) Micah Parsons (Packers)

1.(DE-1) Myles Garrett (Rams)

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Centers

()=2025 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2025

20.(+) Jalen Sundell (Seahawks)

19.(+) Cade Mays (Lions)

18.(15) Ted Karras (Bengals)

17.(20) Robert Hainsey (Jaguars)

16.(13) Elgton Jenkins (Browns)

15.(12) Cam Jurgens (Eagles)

14.(19) Cooper Beebe (Cowboys)

13.(18) Luke Wattenberg (Broncos)

12.(16) Coleman Shelton (Rams)

11.(11) Connor McGovern (Bills)

10.(7) Hjalte Froholdt (Cardinals)

9.(9) Tyler Biadasz (Chargers)

8.(5) Erik McCoy (Saints)

7.(17) Jake Brendel (49ers)

6.(+) Ryan Neuzil (Falcons)

5.(+) Tanor Bortolini (Colts)

4.(8) Zach Frazier (Steelers)

3.(4) Aaron Brewer (Dolphins)

2.(2) Tyler Linderbaum (Raiders)

1.(1) Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

Movie Review: Backrooms

Sometime in early 2022, a 16-year-old kid in the North Bay Area of California named Kane Parsons launched a web series on YouTube called Backrooms that was inspired by this viral creepypasta. This lo-fi, liminal space sci-fi horror that was made entirely in the open-source 3D visual effects program Blender soon became a viral sensation (as of this writing, the first episode has amassed a whopping 81 million views) and shortly after that, Parsons was courted by Hollywood to turn the series into a feature film. 4 and a half years later, Parsons'-who turns 21 later this month-ascent from DIY YouTube videos to Hollywood is now officially complete as Backrooms has already become a box office sensation and solidified his standing as a young man with a vision that's worth investing in. 

My familiarity with the Backrooms web series remains nonexistent, so if you're looking for somebody who can comment on how faithful of an adaptation this is or how much of the lore is explored, you're going to have to go elsewhere. What I can tell you is that the film version revolves around a recently divorced alcoholic named Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who inadvertently discovers a portal to the titular alternate universe in the basement of his furniture store after noticing some weird anomalies with the electricity in the building. He soon becomes obsessed with exploring this vast space that looks like a slightly distorted version of the real world and recruits a couple of his employees (Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell) to videotape his findings to prove its existence. Sometime later, Clark leaves an ominous voicemail for his therapist Mary (Renate Reinsve), which inspires her to do a wellness check on him. Upon arriving at Clark's store, Mary stumbles upon the portal and quickly gets a taste of the wonders and horrors that the Backrooms have to offer.  

As an exercise in building a world that's fueled by dread, Backrooms is a roaring success. Parsons cleverly plays with the horrifying idea of regular people stumbling upon a place where everything is just slightly off and how the curiosity to explore a place that is so close to the one that they know gets them into trouble. There's a surreal brand of claustrophobia that emerges from being in a space that's a big looping maze full of near identical corridors, two-way mirrors and narrow tunnels that lead to rooms that could have anything in them. The sequences where Parsons deploys found footage techniques (technically, it's just the opening scene that's found footage as the other sequences in the format are being shot in real time by Bennett's character on a video camera) to capture this setting is where the film particularly shines as getting to see this world from the first person perspective of a camera lens puts you in the same headspace as the characters. I had absolutely no clue what was going to be waiting for them as they went deeper down this proverbial rabbit hole and getting to see all of the strange shit they stumble upon at the same time as them did wonders for the impact of the scares. 

Where Parsons' greenness as a filmmaker emerges is in the final act where some answers to what the hell is going in this weird little world start to surface. Without giving too much away, the film eventually reveals itself to be an exploration of trauma. While these heavy scenes are admirably performed by Ejiofor and Reinsve, the material they're working with is too undercooked to have any real resonance. To be fair to Parsons, there is an interesting angle to this topic that's introduced that has the potential to be fleshed out in the sequels, but for now it's just something that kind of weighs down the narrative momentum and leads to a pretty underwhelming ending.  

Despite unraveling a bit at the end, Backrooms is still an impressive start to Parsons' directorial career. A kid who had never made a project away from his computer stepping onto a set and confidently building an expansion of the world he created that could be appreciated by fans and non-fans of the web series alike is very impressive. Getting the chance to tell more stories in this world should do wonders for his skill as a director and I look forward to seeing how much he's grown as a filmmaker when the sequel comes out in 2-3 years.  

Grade: B
 

Idris Elba Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Idris Elba-whose latest project "Masters of the Universe" releases in theaters on Thursday. 

Idris Elba's Filmography Ranked:

35.Three Thousand Years of Longing (D)

34.Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (D) 

33.Avengers: Age of Ultron (D+)

32.The Gunman (C-)

31.The Jungle Book (C-)

30.Zootopia (C)

29.The Dark Tower (C+)

28.Star Trek Beyond (B-)

27.A House of Dynamite (B-)

26.Prometheus (B-)

25.The Take (B-)

24.Beast (B)

23.Cats (B)

22.The Losers (B)

21.Thor: The Dark World (B)

20.Takers (B)

19.Thor (B)

18.Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (B)

17.Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (B)

16.Zootopia 2 (B)

15.Heads of State (B)

14.Finding Dory (B)

13.Concrete Cowboy (B+)

12.RocknRolla (B+)

11.28 Weeks Later (B+)

10.Hobbs & Shaw (B+)

9.Pacific Rim (B+)

8.Beasts of No Nation (B+)

7.Extraction 2 (B+)

6.The Harder They Fall (A-)

5.American Gangster (A-)

4.Molly's Game (A)

3.Avengers: Infinity War (A)

2.Thor: Ragnarok (A)

1.The Suicide Squad (A)

Top Dog: The Suicide Squad (2021)

The Suicide Squad remains my favorite thing James Gunn has ever done. The hunger Gunn had to prove himself in the wake of the unearthed Tweets debacle that got him temporarily fired from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 led to him making the most mature, daring film of his career and I'm not sure if he would've attempted to make something that hinges on such a tricky balance between tragedy, horror and comedy if he hadn't come so close to having his career ripped away from him. 

Bottom Feeder: Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)

The passion project that George Miller made between Mad Max: Fury Road and Furiosa is easily one of the most ill-conceived movies I've seen in recent years. The entire movie is centered around the magic of storytelling and romance and yet, it's completely unconvincing as a sales pitch for the wonderous qualities that either of those things can possess. None of the fantastical stories that the djinn (Elba) weaves are particularly compelling and the romance that eventually forms between him and the unsuspecting mopey author (Tilda Swinton) that freed him from his bottle after purchasing it at a flea market in Istanbul lands with a thud thanks to a staggering lack of chemistry. Some really vibrant, inspired work from cinematographer John Seale-who came out of retirement for this project and has since retired for good-is the only reason that this isn't a complete waste of time. 

Most Underrated: Beasts of No Nation (2015)

When Netflix was beginning their transition from DVD-by-mail-service to a streaming service that offered a plethora of original programming, they elected to make Beasts of No Nation the first original film that they released on their platform. While it's really not much more than a fun little fact these days given the sheer size of their library and the algorithm-driven homepage that dictates what most subscribers watch, Beasts of No Nation is an excellent film that offered up an early look at the kind of prestige fare Netflix would emphasize putting out during awards season. Cary Joiji Fukunaga is able to pull off the difficult task of making a movie about child soldiers in an unnamed West African country that are forced to fight in a civil war that is unflinching in its depiction of the horrors these kids endure without ever being exploitative and the performances from Abraham Attah as the kid trying desperately to not let the violence he's suddenly surrounded by turn him into a monster and Elba as the brutal militia commandant are astounding.

Most Overrated: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Age of Ultron remains in dead last in my MCU movie rankings by a comfortable margin, and I'm honestly kind of surprised by how hard people continue to ride for this movie. I don't know if Joss Whedon or Kevin Feige is to blame for what happened here, but this movie is a convoluted, tonally incoherent and dull disaster that represents the absolute worst that the modern Hollywood blockbuster machine has to offer.