Movie Review: They Fight

It's been a minute since I've seen a movie that feels as incomplete as They Fight. This fact-based sports drama about a recently paroled boxing coach (André Holland) in Washington DC who slowly rediscovers his passion for the sport that defined his life before drugs took him down a dark path after he crosses paths with a community center manager (Wendell Pierce) who introduces him to a couple of kids from the neighborhood (Anthony B. Jenkins, Toissant Francois Battiste) who show real potential as fighters progresses in such an awkward manner that it feels like you're watching a scratched DVD that is skipping multiple chapters between scenes. Characters who appear to be pivotal players in the story during the early going just disappear without explanation. Arcs for both the adult and child characters are assembled with so little detail that it's pretty much impossible to have any emotional reaction besides confusion or indifference. Even the boxing elements kind of feel like an afterthought as only about a third of the far too short 95-minute runtime is actually dedicated to the sweet science. While They Fight isn't aspiring to be some epic boxing movie a la the Rocky sequels, it also shouldn't feel like the filmmakers ran out of money after they shot 60-65% of the script and had to frantically assemble a final cut from the footage they were able to get.

The clumsy, rushed nature of They Fight became more shocking when the end credits sequence arrived and I discovered that the co-writer of the film Andrew Renzi directed a documentary about the people depicted in it! How the hell could somebody that got to know the real people who these characters are based on do such a terrible job of translating a story he's already told on screen into a dramatized narrative? The raw skeleton of this story is a compelling one that could easily become an effective sports biopic and yet, Renzi and co-writer/director Sheldon Candis managed to turn that solid seed of an idea into something that's sloppy to the point where it borders on being amateurish. There's absolutely no excuse for turning in a poor effort that leaves your solid cast who all turn in earnest performances out to dry because you couldn't be bothered to tell this story in a manner that wasn't fragmented, soulless and dull. As rude as this is to say, I believe that They Fight deserves its fate of being buried in the depths of a streaming library and I fully expect it to go down as one of the weakest movies I watch this year.

Grade: D+
 

Ben Foster 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 Ben Foster-whose latest project "Motor City" releases in theaters on Thursday. 

Ben Foster's Filmography Ranked:

20.The Finest Hours (D)

19.The Contractor (D)

18.King Ivory (C-)

17.Big Trouble (C)

16.Phone Booth (C)

15.Leave No Trace (C)

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

13.Sharp Corner (B-)

12.30 Days of Night (B)

11.Christy (B)

10.The Punisher (B)

9.Hostage (B)

8.Contraband (B)

7.The Mechanic (B)

6.Hostiles (B)

5.Lone Survivor (B)

4.Hustle (B)

3.Alpha Dog (B+)

2.3:10 to Yuma (B+)

1.Hell or High Water (B+)

Top Dog: Hell or High Water (2016)

Prior to Yellowstone becoming a phenomenon that completely transformed his career, Taylor Sheridan was a struggling journeyman television actor (he was best known for his role as Deputy David Hale on the first 21 episodes of Sons of Anarchy) who had hit a home run with his screenwriting debut Sicario. His writing stock continued to skyrocket with his terrific second screenplay Hell or High Water. Like Sicario, Sheridan lets his vivid characters and the tense direction from a veteran filmmaker in David Mackenize lead the charge on what is at its heart a very simple story about two brothers (Chris Pine, Foster) being pursued by some wily Texas Rangers (Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham) as they commit a string of small scale bank robberies (i.e. only taking the cash that's in the drawers in the front of the bank) in rural towns with the intention of paying off of the reverse mortgage on their family ranch. Sheridan is just starting to dip his toes back into the waters of cinema after exclusively focusing on his television empire since the release of his second feature directorial effort Those Who Wish Me Dead in May 2021-penning the script for the upcoming Brandon Sklenar-led action thriller F.A.S.T that's currently slated for release in April 2027. Fingers crossed that he can somehow return to the excellent form he showed here.  

Bottom Feeder: The Finest Hours (2016)

Somebody's father or grandfather was definitely floored by the sentimental, old school survival drama schtick of The Finest Hours. I, on the other hand, considered bashing my head off the floor to wake myself up after sitting through this remarkably dry, corny soap opera dressed up as a dramatic retelling of the daring rescue of a Coast Guard vessel off the coast of Cape Cod in February 1952. As much as I can't stand The Finest Hour, I do get kind of bummed out whenever I remember that this marked the last time that Disney ever put out a piece of boomer cry porn like this in theaters. 

Most Underrated: Alpha Dog (2007)

Nick Cassavetes following up The Notebook with such an alternately scuzzy and tragic crime drama is the kind of hard pivot that I can't help but respect. While I can't discard there's a nostalgia element at play here as I saw it when I was 15, I can confidently declare that Alpha Dog features a number of excellent performances (Foster, Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, the late great Anton Yelchin) and handles its several huge tonal shifts pretty well. 

Most Overrated: Leave No Trace (2018)

Fun fact: Leave No Trace has the highest number of reviews (248) of any film that boasts a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If I were a professional critic, I'd have ruined its perfect score. There's nothing egregiously wrong with Debra Granik's understated family drama about a teenage girl (Thomasin McKenzie) who lives in the woods outside of Portland, Oregon with her veteran father (Foster) whose battling severe PTSD, I just found it to be a pretty meandering movie with emotional beats that didn't really land.

Matt Damon 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 Matt Damon-whose latest project "The Odyssey" releases in theaters today. 

Matt Damon's Filmography Ranked:

39.The Legend of Bagger Vance (D)

38.Ocean's Twelve (D)

37.Stuck on You (D)

36.Interstellar (D+)

35.The Monuments Men (C)

34.Invictus (C) 

33.Titan A.E. (C)

32.Jason Bourne (C)

31.The Bourne Supremacy (C) 

30.Suburbicon (C)

29.Green Zone (C+)

28.The Informant! (C+)

27.The Great Wall (C+)

26.No Sudden Move (B-)

25.The Bourne Ultimatum (B-)

24.Stillwater (B-)

23.School Ties (B)

22.We Bought a Zoo (B)

21.Oppenheimer (B)

20.The Adjustment Bureau (B)

19.Elysium (B)

18.The Bourne Identity (B)

17.The Rip (B)

16.Drive-Away Dolls (B)

15.Chasing Amy (B)

14.Contagion (B)

13.IF (B+)

12.The Martian (B+)

11.Ocean's Thirteen (B+)

10.Ford v. Ferrari (B+)

9.Air (B+)

8.Dogma (B+)

7.The Last Duel (B+)

6.Rounders (A-)

5.True Grit (A)

4.Saving Private Ryan (A)

3.Ocean's Eleven (A)

2.Good Will Hunting (A)

1.The Departed (A+)

Top Dog: The Departed (2006)

The Departed will always and forever be my favorite Martin Scorsese movie. Is that because I was 14 when it was released, is set in Boston and was the first movie of his that I ever watched? Perhaps, but I also just happen to think that it's really special. Scorsese had been making crime movies for 30+ years when The Departed entered production, and all that experience is on display as he concocts this engrossing look at the blurred lines between cops and criminals. The twists and turns that transpire as green undercover cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) infiltrates the inner circle of Irish mob boss (Jack Nicholson, in what is arguably his last great performance before retiring from acting following 2010's How Do You Know) are incredible and the last 30 minutes never fail to leave my jaw on the floor.

Bottom Feeder: The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)

Robert Redford assembled one of the most illustrious careers of any person to ever work in Hollywood. The Legend of Bagger Vance was not among his highlights. My choice to watch this movie stemmed entirely from a years-long running bit that I had with a couple of friends, and it took about 20-25 minutes for me to regret sitting down to watch it. Unapologetic cheese tends to at least have some theatrics behind it, but this project is so fucking lethargic that it can't even be bothered to play up the overwhelming sentimentality that's baked into its cornball sports drama narrative. Part of me hopes that Damon and Charlize Theron shared a laugh about this movie when they were on set together for The Odyssey.     

Most Underrated: The Last Duel (2021):

Ridley Scott is at the top of the list of directors that I feel are complete wild cards in terms of the quality of the films they deliver. While his erraticism has absolutely gotten worse with age, he's never been able to string together multiple undeniable triumphs at any point in his career. During his very busy 2020's so far (next month's The Dog Stars will be the 5th movie he's released!), he's produced a sole slice of greatness in The Last Duel. The care put into its multi-perspective narrative along with a stunning lead performance from Jodie Comer made this a really compelling, powerful drama about the great lengths' society and the preparators of sexual assaults go to discredit the women who have been violated at the hands of predators.  

Most Overrated: Interstellar (2014):

Speaking of cornball movies starring Damon, the time has arrived for me to talk about how much I hate Interstellar. Not liking Interstellar has never been a popular take, but in recent years as it has seemingly become every person on the fucking planet's favorite Christopher Nolan movie, saying that you think this movie sucks shit is a surefire way to make a whole lot of people disgusted, confused and/or infuriated. My reasoning for thinking Interstellar is a turd is simple: Adding schmaltzy family drama to Nolan's signature convoluted exposition dumps acts as a brutal kiss of death that made this movie a groanworthy slog to sit through. The library scene is at the end is the worst thing Nolan has ever committed to film, and I'll never forget the tidal wave of disgust that overtook me as it was playing out on the big screen. I would rather go through a dozen wormholes than sit through this nauseatingly melodramatic snoozefest again. 

Movie Review: Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass

As comedy has become such a low priority in Hollywood over the past 7-8 years, David Wain's output has slowed down considerably. Since his last film A Futile and Stupid Gesture released on Netflix in January 2018, the 56-year-old that's best known for being one of the leaders of the sketch comedy troupe The State and helping birth Wet Hot American Summer with his State cohort Michael Showwalter has only worked as a hired gun director on a couple of television series (Mr. Throwback, Miracle Workers). Wain's return to making his own stuff is a fitting one as he teamed up with another old friend of his from The State in Ken Marino to write an indie comedy entitled Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass that harkened back to their absurdist roots. Returning to the lane that put him on the map pays dividends for Wain as Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is the best thing he's done in nearly 20 years. 

To add a few additional details to the title that nicely defines the plot, Gail Daughry (Zoey Deutch) is a hairdresser in Kansas whose upcoming nuptials to her high school sweetheart (Michael Cassidy) suddenly get complicated when he unexpectedly uses his "celebrity free pass". To try to even the score before the wedding, Gail joins her co-worker/best friend Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riley) on a trip to a hairdressing convention in Los Angeles with the intention of having sex with her celebrity pass Jon Hamm during her few days in the City of Angels. What ensues is a pretty warped, Wizard of Oz-esque adventure where Daughtry crosses paths with an aspiring talent agent (Ben Wang), former paparazzo (Marino) whose career was derailed by his inability to get a photo of Hamm, Hamm's Mad Men co-star John Slattey and a vicious crime boss (Sabrina Impacciatore) whose briefcase full of important contraband inadvertently ends up in Daughtry's possession after her goons (Joe Lo Trugilo, Mather Zickel) set it down in the waiting area of LAX to take a photo with Henry Winkler. 

Having Daughtry and her (mostly) new pals run around Los Angeles looking for Hamm and dodging criminals that are trying to kill them is a great recipe for Wain to do near non-stop bits. While the hit rate is nowhere near as high as Wet Hot American Summer (to be fair, not many comedies are operating on that level), it's considerably higher than his last absurdist comedy They Came Together and the best bits-which most notably include an over-the-top fight scene on an abandoned western movie set, a lengthy interaction with Hamm's bodyguard (Tobie Windham, who gives the funniest performance in the movie despite only being on screen for 10-12 minutes) outside of his hotel room at the Chateau Marmont and a cameo from Richard Kind as a cab driver who gives Gail unsolicited advice about pursuing acting-are jam-packed with idiotic comedy excellence. Wain is one of the best around at delivering deadpan, joyfully dumb comedy and it was cool to see him get so much out of an ensemble cast that largely didn't have prior experience with this type of humor. His fastball might not be what it was 25 years ago, but there's still a place for Wain's comedic sensibilities today and hopefully, it won't be another 8 years before we see his next project.

Grade: B
 

Movie Review: Evil Dead Burn

Of all the horror franchises that have been rebooted during the 2000's, Evil Dead has fared the best in terms of audience reception. Personally, I believe this can be attributed to franchise creator-turned-producer Sam Raimi's ability to identify talented young directors (Fede Álvarez, Lee Cronin) and allowing them to put their own stamp on the IP without being worried how it ties into his original trilogy. French filmmaker Sébastien Vanicek (Infested) is the latest person that Raimi entrusted with carrying on the Evil Dead legacy and once again, the horror legend made the right call as Evil Dead Burn is an absolute fucking ripper of a movie.

Outside of the slapstick-heavy Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness, the DNA of Evil Dead has been very brutal in nature. Once we meet the souls that get an unexpected visit from the bloodthirsty Deadites, it becomes clear that the path Burn is going down is going to be quite extreme even by Evil Dead standards. The protagonist here is Alice (Souhelia Yacoub)-a widower who is invited to spend the weekend with her late husband's family (Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Errol Shand, Maude Davey) at their family's secluded lakehouse to honor the life of the deceased. A lot of resentment exists between both parties as Alice was verbally and physically abused by her husband (Geroge Pullar) and the family-who has never liked Alice-blames her for not stopping him from getting behind the wheel on the night he died in a car accident. These tensions manage to get considerably worse when some Deadites show up to look for an ancient dagger that is capable of sending them back to Hell that is hidden somewhere in the house (the long-deceased father of Wright's character abandoned the family to join a cult that dedicated their lives to containing Deadite threats that were awakened by any person who was naive or dumb enough to read from the Necronomicon). As this horrible dynamic grows worse with the slow turning of each family member, it's up to Alice to find the dagger and fight back against the forces both natural and supernatural that have been threatening her safety for far too long. 

With such a bleak setup, Vanicek knows he has that opportunity to go balls out and takes full advantage of it. The relentlessness of the carnage and nastiness of its spirit is kind of stunning to witness as it is an American studio horror film that was widely released in theaters with an R-rating at the end of the day. While its non-stop sadism will certainly exhaust and/or disgust some viewers, I found it to be an inspired take on Evil Dead that matched the spirit of its characters perfectly. Alice's former family have been masquerading as this loving family for far too long and when this supernatural evil force invades their home, that facade washes away in no time at all to reveal the cowardice, malice and contempt that has always lied underneath their carefully curated exterior. It's pretty much the ideal antithesis to Cronin's Evil Dead Rise where a family that has grown estranged over time is able to overcome their differences to band together to fight for their survival when the Deadites arrived on their doorstep. Going in that "softer" direction just wouldn't have felt right for a group of people that are varying degrees of irredeemable (Buchanan-who plays the girlfriend of Doohan's character-is the only likeable character besides Alice) from the jump and I applaud Vanicek for being completely unafraid to lean into the inherent darkness of this story. 

In addition to his impressive dedication to brutality and unpleasantness, Vanicek shows off a ton of technical skill as a director. The parade of gory setpieces are composed with some really dynamic camerawork and beautifully timed smash cuts that help give the film a playful streak underneath all of the horrific carnage. Honestly, there were a handful of times where I was on the verge of standing up and cheering in the theater at a creative choice he made that helped make the scene cooler, grosser, etc.. This type of confident, energetic filmmaking is imperative to keeping the horror genre lively and if this is any indication of what Vanicek is capable of behind the camera, he's going to be delivering excitement for many years to come.

When it comes to the non-Raimi Evil Dead movies, I can now safely say that Burn is my favorite of the bunch. Despite being the longest entry of the franchise by far at 109 minutes, it absolutely flies by thanks to its dedication to being a furiously nasty piece of work that never takes it foot off the gas once it gets going. Major props to Vanicek for coming in and executing his gleefully sadistic vision without being intimated by the weight of the Evil Dead mantle. Now, all eyes turn to Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County)-who took on the ambitious undertaking of being the first person since Raimi to try their hand at a period Evil Dead movie with his 70's-set prequel to the 1981 original entitled Evil Dead Wrath, which is currently set to release on April 7, 2028. While I certainly don't envy the pressure that's on him to keep up the franchise's current 1.000 batting average, there's absolutely zero reason for me to sit here today and expect that he'll do anything but deliver the goods. 

Grade: B+
 

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Full Series Recap

Quarterback:

25.Kyler Murray (Vikings)

24.Kirk Cousins (Raiders)

23.Jacoby Brissett (Cardinals)

22.Bryce Young (Panthers)

21.Aaron Rodgers (Steelers)

20.Daniel Jones (Colts)

19.C.J. Stroud (Texans)

18.Bo Nix (Broncos)

17.Jayden Daniels (Commanders)

16.Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers)

15.Caleb Williams (Bears)

14.Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)

13.Jared Goff (Lions)

12.Brock Purdy (49ers)

11.Jordan Love (Packers)

10.Drake Maye (Patriots)

9.Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

8.Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

7.Justin Herbert (Chargers)

6.Sam Darnold (Seahawks)

5.Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

4.Joe Burrow (Bengals)

3.Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

2.Matthew Stafford (Rams)

1.Josh Allen (Bills)

Running Back:

50.Ray Davis (Bills)

49.Justice Hill (Ravens)

48.Samjae Perine (Bengals)

47.Sean Tucker (Buccaneers)

46.Nick Chubb (Free Agent)

45.Chuba Hubbard (Panthers)

44.Brian Robinson Jr. (Falcons)

43.Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Jaguars)

42.Alvin Kamara (Saints)

41.Woody Marks (Texans)

40.R.J. Harvey (Broncos)

39.Aaron Jones (Vikings)

38.Quinshon Judkins (Browns)

37.Ashton Jeanty (Raiders)

36.Kyle Monangai (Bears)

35.Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Commanders)

34.Kimani Vidal (Chargers)

33.Tyler Allgeier (Cardinals)

32.Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Giants)

31.Omarion Hampton (Chargers)

30.Cam Skattebo (Giants)

29.Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots)

28.Jordan Mason (Vikings)

27.Kenneth Gainwell (Buccaneers)

26.Rico Dowdle (Steelers)

25.Bucky Irving (Buccaneers)

24.Tony Pollard (Titans)

23.Rachaad White (Commanders)

22.TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots)

21.J.K. Dobbins (Broncos)

20.Blake Corum (Rams)

19.David Montgomery (Texans)

18.Zach Charbonnet (Seahawks)

17.Jaylen Warren (Steelers)

16.Travis Etienne (Saints)

15.Chase Brown (Bengals)

14.Javonte Williams (Cowboys)

13.Breece Hall (Jets)

12.D'Andre Swift (Bears)

11.Saquon Barkley (Eagles)

10.Josh Jacobs (Packers)

9.Kyren Williams (Rams)

8.Kenneth Walker III (Chiefs)

7.Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

6.James Cook (Bills)

5.Christian McCaffery (49ers)

4.De'Von Achane (Dolphins)

3.Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

2.Derrick Henry (Ravens)

1.Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

Wide Receiver: 

50.Quentin Johnston (Chargers)

49.Kayshon Boutte (Patriots)

48.Rashid Shaheed (Seahawks)

47.Luther Burden III (Bears)

46.Josh Downs (Colts)

45.Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars)

44.Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers)

43.Ricky Pearsall (49ers)

42.Christian Watson (Packers)

41.Deebo Samuel (Free Agent)

40.Keenan Allen (Free Agent)

39.Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)

38.Jauan Jennings (Vikings)

37.Khalil Shakir (Bills)

36.Rome Odunze (Bears)

35.Parker Washington (Jaguars)

34.Ladd McConkey (Chargers)

33.Wan'Dale Robinson (Titans)

32.D.J. Moore (Bills)

31.Romeo Doubs (Patriots)

30.Michael Pittman Jr. (Steelers)

29.Jakobi Meyers (Jaguars)

28.Rashee Rice (Chiefs)

27.D.K. Metcalf (Steelers)

26.Michael Wilson (Cardinals)

25.Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers)

24.Mike Evans (49ers)

23.Jameson Williams (Lions)

22.Alec Pierce (Colts)

21.Stefon Diggs (Free Agent)

20.Davante Adams (Rams)

19.DeVonta Smith (Eagles)

18.Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

17.Malik Nabers (Giants)

16.Garrett Wilson (Jets)

15.Jaylen Waddle (Broncos)

14.Terry McLaurin (Commanders)

13.Tee Higgins (Bengals)

12.Chris Olave (Saints)

11.Zay Flowers (Ravens)

10.George Pickens (Cowboys)

9.Drake London (Falcons)

8.A.J. Brown (Patriots)

7.Nico Collins (Texans)

6.CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

5.Amon-Ra St.Brown (Lions)

4.Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

3.Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

2.Puka Nacua (Rams)

1.Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

Tight End:

25.Isaiah Likely (Giants)

24.Mike Gesicki (Bengals)

23.Pat Freiermuth (Steelers)

22.Mark Andrews (Ravens)

21.Oronde Gasden II (Chargers)

20.Harold Fannin Jr. (Browns)

19.Jake Ferguson (Cowboys)

18.T.J. Hockenson (Vikings)

17.Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

16.Brenton Strange (Jaguars)

15.A.J. Barner (Seahawks)

14.Colby Parkinson (Rams)

13.Tyler Warren (Colts)

12.Juwan Johnson (Saints)

11.Dalton Schultz (Texans)

10.Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

9.Colston Loveland (Bears)

8.Tucker Kraft (Packers)

7.Dalton Kincaid (Bills)

6.Hunter Henry (Patriots)

5.Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

4.Brock Bowers (Raiders)

3.Sam LaPorta (Lions)

2.George Kittle (49ers)

1.Trey McBride (Cardinals)

Tackle:

30.Kelvin Banks Jr. (Saints)

29.Joe Alt (Chargers)

28.Roger Rosengarten (Ravens)

27.Abraham Lucas (Seahawks)

26.Luke Goedeke (Buccaneers)

25.Spencer Brown (Bills)

24.Kolton Miller (Raiders)

23.Ronnie Stanley (Ravens)

22.Dion Dawkins (Bills)

21.Charles Cross (Seahawks)

20.Paris Johnson Jr. (Cardinals)

19.Mike McGlinchey (Broncos)

18.Rashawn Slater (Chargers)

17.Colton McKivitz (49ers)

16.Darnell Wright (Bears)

15.Christian Darrisaw (Vikings)

14.Jake Matthews (Falcons)

13.Taylor Moton (Panthers)

12.Alaric Jackson (Rams)

11.Bernhard Raimann (Colts)

10.Lane Johnson (Eagles)

9.Laremy Tunsil (Commanders)

8.Brian O'Neill (Vikings)

7.Zach Tom (Packers)

6.Andrew Thomas (Giants)

5.Garett Bolles (Broncos)

4.Jordan Mailata (Eagles)

3.Tristan Wirfs (Buccaneers)

2.Trent Williams (49ers)

1.Penei Sewell (Lions)

Guard:

30.Austin Corbett (Bills)

29.Teven Jenkins (Browns)

28.Alijah Vera-Tucker (Patriots)

27.Robert Hunt (Panthers)

26.Ezra Cleveland (Jaguars)

25.Tate Ratledge (Lions)

24.Tyler Steen (Eagles)

23.Mason McCormick (Steelers)

22.Tyler Booker (Cowboys)

21.Matthew Bergeron (Falcons)

20.Dalton Risner (Bengals)

19.Kevin Zeitler (Free Agent)

18.Ed Ingram (Texans)

17.David Edwards (Saints)

16.Dominick Puni (49ers)

15.Jonah Jackson (Bears)

14.Landon Dickerson (Eagles)

13.Steve Avila (Rams)

12.Tyler Smith (Cowboys)

11.Damien Lewis (Panthers)

10.Peter Skoronski (Titans)

9.Sam Cosmi (Commanders)

8.Trey Smith (Chiefs)

7.Isaac Seumalo (Cardinals)

6.Mike Onwenu (Patriots)

5.Kevin Dotson (Rams)

4.Joe Thuney (Bears)

3.Quenton Nelson (Colts)

2.Quinn Meinerz (Broncos)

1.Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

Center:

20.Jalen Sundell (Seahawks)

19.Cade Mays (Lions)

18.Ted Karras (Bengals)

17.Robert Hainsey (Jaguars)

16.Elgton Jenkins (Browns)

15.Cam Jurgens (Eagles)

14.Cooper Beebe (Cowboys)

13.Luke Wattenberg (Broncos)

12.Coleman Shelton (Rams)

11.Connor McGovern (Bills)

10.Hjalte Froholdt (Cardinals)

9.Tyler Biadasz (Chargers)

8.Erik McCoy (Saints)

7.Jake Brendel (49ers)

6.Ryan Neuzil (Falcons)

5.Tanor Bortolini (Colts)

4.Zach Frazier (Steelers)

3.Aaron Brewer (Dolphins)

2.Tyler Linderbaum (Raiders)

1.Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

Edge Rusher:

50.Nic Scourton (Panthers)

49.Zaven Collins (Cardinals)

48.Kwity Paye (Raiders)

47.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.John Franklin-Myers (Titans)

40.Bradley Chubb (Bills)

39.Uchena Nwosu (Seahawks)

38.Dre'Mont Jones (Patriots)

37.Travon Walker (Jaguars)

36.Yaya Diaby (Buccaneers)

35.Carl Granderson (Saints)

34.Andrew Van Ginkel (Vikings)

33.Rashan Gary (Cowboys)

32.Harold Landry (Patriots)

31.Jonathon Cooper (Broncos)

30.Tuli Tuipulotu (Chargers)

29.Chase Young (Saints)

28.Alex Wright (Browns)

27.Khalil Mack (Chargers)

26.Boye Mafe (Bengals)

25.Jaelan Phillips (Panthers)

24.Montez Sweat (Bears)

23.DeMarcus Lawrence (Seahawks)

22.Odafe Oweh (Commanders)

21.Jonathan Greenard (Eagles)

20.Josh Sweat (Cardinals)

19.George Karlaftis (Chiefs)

18.Nick Herbig (Steelers)

17.Brian Burns (Giants)

16.Laiatu Latu (Colts)

15.Alex Highsmith (Steelers)

14.Byron Young (Rams)

13.Nik Bonitto (Broncos)

12.Jared Verse (Browns)

11.Trey Hendrickson (Ravens)

10.Maxx Crosby (Raiders)

9.Greg Rousseau (Bills)

8.Nick Bosa (49ers)

7.T.J. Watt (Steelers)

6.Josh Hines-Allen (Jaguars)

5.Danielle Hunter (Texans)

4.Will Anderson Jr. (Texans)

3.Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

2.Micah Parsons (Packers)

1.Myles Garrett (Rams)

Defensive Tackle:

50.Khyris Tonga (Chiefs)

49.Tim Settle (Commanders)

48.Keeanu Benton (Steelers)

47.Jonathan Allen (Bengals)

46.Arik Armstead (Jaguars)

45.Nathan Shepherd (Saints)

44.Jarran Reed (Seahawks)

43.Calias Campbell (Ravens)

42.Roy Lopez (Cardinals)

41.Maliek Collins (Browns)

40.Osa Odighizuwa (49ers)

39.A'Shawn Robinson (Buccaneers)

38.Grover Stewart (Colts)

37.Gervon Dexter (Bears)

36.B.J. Hill (Bengals)

35.Mason Graham (Browns)

34.Jalen Redmond (Vikings)

33.Alim McNeill (Lions)

32.Christian Barmore (Patriots)

31.Javon Hargrave (Packers)

30.Teair Tart (Chargers)

29.Kenny Clark (Cowboys)

28.Moro Ojomo (Eagles)

27.Sheldon Rankins (Texans)

26.Milton Williams (Patriots)

25.D.J. Jones (Broncos)

24.Jordan Davis (Eagles)

23.T'Vondre Sweat (Jets)

22.Byron Murphy II (Seahawks)

21.D.J. Reader (Giants)

20.Jalen Carter (Eagles)

19.Zach Allen (Broncos)

18.Tommy Togiai (Texans)

17.Harrison Phillips (Jets)

16.Zach Sieler (Dolphins)

15.DeForest Buckner (Colts)

14.Nnamdi Madubike (Ravens)

13.David Onyemata (Jets)

12.Ed Oliver (Bills)

11.Vita Vea (Buccaneers)

10.Derrick Brown (Panthers)

9.Leonard Williams (Seahawks)

8.Poona Ford (Rams)

7.Travis Jones (Ravens)

6.Kobie Turner (Rams)

5.Chris Jones (Chiefs)

4.Dexter Lawrence (Bengals)

3.Quinnen Williams (Cowboys)

2.Jeffrey Simmons (Titans)

1.Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

Inside Linebacker:

40.D'Marco Jackson (Bears)

39.Nakobe Dean (Raiders)

38.Justin Strnad (Broncos)

37.Dre Greenlaw (49ers)

36.Ernest Jones (Seahawks)

35.Pete Werner (Saints)

34.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.Alex Anzalone (Buccaneers)

27.Blake Cashman (Vikings)

26.Tremaine Edmunds (Giants)

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.T.J. Edwards (Bears)

16.Kaden Elliss (Saints)

15.Azeez Al-Shaair (Texans)

14.Robert Spillane (Patriots)

13.Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars)

12.Devin Bush (Bears)

11.Bobby Wagner (Free Agent)

10.Drue Tranquill (Chiefs)

9.Edgerrin Cooper (Packers)

8.Roquan Smith (Ravens)

7.Jordyn Brooks (Dolphins)

6.Nick Bolton (Chiefs)

5.DeMario Davis (Jets)

4.Devin Lloyd (Panthers)

3.Zack Baun (Eagles)

2.Jack Campbell (Lions)

1.Fred Warner (49ers)

Cornerback:

50.Alontae Taylor (Titans)

49.Carrington Valentine (Packers)

48.Cor'Dale Flott (Titans)

47.Riley Moss (Broncos)

46.Andru Phillips (Giants)

45.Zyon McCollum (Buccaneers)

44.Joey Porter Jr. (Steelers)

43.A.J. Terrell (Falcons)

42.Deommodore Lenoir (49ers)

41.Nate Wiggins (Ravens)

40.Jourdan Lewis (Jaguars)

39.Keisean Nixon (Packers)

38.Jacob Parrish (Buccaneers)

37.Kool-Aid McKinstry (Saints)

36.Kenny Moore (Free Agent)

35.Cobie Durant (Cowboys)

34.Brandon Stephens (Jets)

33.Marcus Jones (Patriots)

32.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.Jaylon Johnson (Bears)

23.Byron Murphy Jr. (Vikings)

22.Denzel Ward (Browns)

21.Marlon Humphrey (Ravens)

20.Jaycee Horn (Panthers)

19.D.J. Reed (Lions)

18.DaRon Bland (Cowboys)

17.Carlton Davis (Patriots)

16.Tarheeb Still (Chargers)

15.Charvarius Ward (Colts)

14.Jaylen Watson (Rams)

13.Mike Jackson (Panthers)

12.Kamari Lassiter (Texans)

11.Jalen Ramsey (Steelers)

10.Christian Gonzalez (Patriots)

9.Christian Benford (Bills)

8.Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles)

7.Jamel Dean (Steelers)

6.Derek Stingley Jr. (Texans)

5.Sauce Gardner (Colts)

4.Cooper DeJean (Eagles)

3.Trent McDuffie (Rams)

2.Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks)

1.Patrick Surtain II (Broncos)

Safety:

50.Ji'Ayir Brown (49ers)

49.Xavier Woods (Free Agent)

48.Julian Blackmon (Saints)

47.Malik Mustapha (49ers)

46.Craig Woodson (Patriots)

45.Harrison Smith (Free Agent)

44.Malaki Starks (Ravens)

43.Nick Scott (Panthers)

42.Jordan Battle (Bengals)

41.Reed Blankenship (Texans)

40.Budda Baker (Cardinals)

39.Amani Hooker (Titans)

38.Jevon Holland (Giants)

37.Brandon Jones (Broncos)

36.Tykee Smith (Buccaneers)

35.Grant Delpit (Browns)

34.Tre'Von Moehrig (Panthers)

33.DeShon Elliott (Steelers)

32.Tony Jefferson (Chargers)

31.Nick Emmanwori (Seahawks)

30.Justin Reid (Saints)

29.Jeremy Chinn (Raiders)

28.Coby Bryant (Bears)

27.Evan Williams (Packers)

26.Cole Bishop (Bills)

25.Ronnie Hickman (Browns)

24.Ty Okada (Seahawks)

23.Kerby Joseph (Lions)

22.Alohi Gilman (Chiefs)

21.Talanoa Hufanga (Broncos)

20.Kamren Kinchens (Rams)

19.Calen Bullock (Texans)

18.Jalen Thompson (Cowboys)

17.Camryn Bynum (Colts)

16.Quentin Lake (Rams)

15.Xavier Watts (Falcons)

14.Jaylinn Hawkins (Ravens)

13.Antonio Johnson (Jaguars)

12.Julian Love (Seahawks)

11.Bryan Cook (Bengals)

10.Kamren Curl (Rams)

9.Jessie Bates III (Falcons)

8.Brian Branch (Lions)

7.Antoine Winfield Jr. (Buccaneers)

6.Kevin Byard (Patriots)

5.Jalen Pitre (Texans)

4.Minkah Fitzpatrick (Jets)

3.Derwin James (Chargers)

2.Xavier McKinney (Packers)

1.Kyle Hamilton (Ravens)

Kicker:

20.Ryan Fitzgerald (Panthers)

19.Joey Slye (Titans)

18.Andres Borregales (Patriots)

17.Tyler Loop (Ravens)

16.Harrison Butker (Chiefs)

15.Eddy Pineiro (49ers)

14.Cairo Santos (Bears)

13.Andre Smyzt (Browns)

12.Evan McPherson (Bengals)

11.Riley Patterson (Dolphins)

10.Nick Folk (Falcons)

9.Chase McLaughlin (Buccaneers)

8.Will Reichard (Vikings)

7.Chris Boswell (Steelers)

6.Wil Lutz (Broncos)

5.Jason Myers (Seahawks)

4.Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

3.Cam Little (Jaguars)

2.Kai'ami Fairbairn (Texans)

1.Cameron Dicker (Chargers)

Punter:

20.Bryce Baringer (Patriots)

19.Jeremy Crenshaw (Broncos)

18.Matt Araiza (Chiefs)

17.J.K. Scott (Chargers)

16.Austin McNamara (Jets)

15.Jack Fox (Lions)

14.Tommy Townsend (Titans)

13.Tress Way (Commanders)

12.Jake Bailey (Dolphins)

11.Bryan Anger (Cowboys)

10.A.J. Cole (Raiders)

9.Ryan Wright (Saints)

8.Daniel Whelan (Packers)

7.Jordan Stout (Giants)

6.Logan Cooke (Jaguars)

5.Braden Mann (Eagles)

4.Ryan Rekhow (Bengals)

3.Rigoberto Sanchez (Colts)

2.Blake Gillikin (Cardinals)

1.Michael Dickson (Seahawks)

Top 10 Appearances by Team: 
Los Angeles Rams-9 (Kamren Curl, Kevin Dotson, Poona Ford, Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, Puka Nacua, Matthew Stafford, Kobie Turner, Kyren Williams)

Kansas City Chiefs-8 (Nick Bolton, Creed Humphrey, Chris Jones, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Trey Smith, Drue Tranquill, Kenneth Walker III)

Atlanta Falcons-7 (Jessie Bates III, Nick Folk, Chris Lindstrom, Drake London, Ryan Neuzil, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson)

Detroit Lions-7 (Brian Branch, Jack Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Aidan Hutchinson, Sam LaPorta, Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown)

Green Bay Packers-7 (Edgerrin Cooper, Josh Jacobs, Tucker Kraft, Xavier McKinney, Micah Parsons, Zach Tom, Daniel Whelan)

Philadelphia Eagles-7 (Zack Baun, Cooper DeJean, Jalen Hurts, Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Braden Mann, Quinyon Mitchell)

Houston Texans-6 (Will Anderson Jr., Nico Collins, Kai'ami Fairbairn, Danielle Hunter, Jalen Pitre, Derek Stingley Jr.)

New England Patriots-6 (A.J. Brown, Kevin Byard, Christian Gonzalez, Hunter Henry, Drake Maye, Mike Onwenu)

San Francisco 49ers-6 (Nick Bosa, Jake Brendel, George Kittle, Christian McCaffery, Fred Warner, Trent Williams)

Seattle Seahawks-6 (Sam Darnold, Michael Dickson, Jason Myers, Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon)

Baltimore Ravens-5 (Kyle Hamilton, Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson, Travis Jones, Roquan Smith)

Buffalo Bills-5 (Josh Allen, Christian Benford, James Cook, Dalton Kincaid, Greg Rousseau)

Dallas Cowboys -5(Brandon Aubrey, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Dak Prescott, Quinnen Williams)

Indianapolis Colts-5 (Tanor Bortolini, Sauce Gardner, Quenton Nelson, Rigoberto Sanchez, Jonathan Taylor)

Pittsburgh Steelers-5 (Chris Boswell, Jamel Dean, Zach Frazier, Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt)

Arizona Cardinals-4 (Hjalte Froholdt, Blake Gillikin,Trey McBride, Isaac Seumalo)

Cincinnati Bengals-4 (Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Dexter Lawrence, Ryan Rekhow)

Denver Broncos-4 (Garett Bolles, Wil Lutz, Quinn Meinerz, Patrick Surtain II)

Las Vegas Raiders-4 (Brock Bowers, A.J. Cole, Maxx Crosby, Tyler Linderbaum)

Los Angeles Chargers-4 (Tyler Biadasz, Cameron Dicker, Justin Herbert, Derwin James)

Jacksonville Jaguars-3 (Logan Cooke, Josh Hines-Allen, Cam Little)

Miami Dolphins-3 (De'Von Achane, Aaron Brewer, Jordyn Brooks)

Minnesota Vikings-3 (Justin Jefferson, Brian O'Neill, Will Reichard)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers-3 (Chase McLaughlin, Antoine Winfield Jr. Tristan Wirfs)

Carolina Panthers-2 (Derrick Brown, Devin Lloyd)

Chicago Bears-2 (Colston Loveland, Joe Thuney)

New Orleans Saints-2 (Erik McCoy, Ryan Wright)

New York Giants-2 (Jordan Stout, Andrew Thomas)

New York Jets-2 (DeMario Davis, Minkah Fitzpatrick)

Tennessee Titans-2 (Jeffrey Simmons, Peter Skoronski)

Washington Commanders-2 (Sam Cosmi, Laremy Tunsil)

Cleveland Browns-0

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Punters

()=2025 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2025

20.(9) Bryce Baringer (Patriots)

19.(+) Jeremy Crenshaw (Broncos)

18.(17) Matt Araiza (Chiefs)

17.(16) J.K. Scott (Chargers)

16.(+) Austin McNamara (Jets)

15.(3) Jack Fox (Lions)

14.(5) Tommy Townsend (Titans)

13.(14) Tress Way (Commanders)

12.(+) Jake Bailey (Dolphins)

11.(13) Bryan Anger (Cowboys)

10.(1) A.J. Cole (Raiders)

9.(+) Ryan Wright (Saints)

8.(+) Daniel Whelan (Packers)

7.(+) Jordan Stout (Giants)

6.(4) Logan Cooke (Jaguars)

5.(11) Braden Mann (Eagles)

4.(10) Ryan Rekhow (Bengals)

3.(6) Rigoberto Sanchez (Colts)

2.(7) Blake Gillikin (Cardinals)

1.(2) Michael Dickson (Seahawks)

2026 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Kickers

()=2025 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2025

20.(+) Ryan Fitzgerald (Panthers)

19.(+) Joey Slye (Titans)

18.(+) Andres Borregales (Patriots)

17.(+) Tyler Loop (Ravens)

16.(6) Harrison Butker (Chiefs)

15.(+) Eddy Pineiro (49ers)

14.(14) Cairo Santos (Bears)

13.(+) Andre Smyzt (Browns)

12.(+) Evan McPherson (Bengals)

11.(+) Riley Patterson (Dolphins)

10.(+) Nick Folk (Falcons)

9.(4) Chase McLaughlin (Buccaneers)

8.(+) Will Reichard (Vikings)

7.(1) Chris Boswell (Steelers)

6.(7) Wil Lutz (Broncos)

5.(13) Jason Myers (Seahawks)

4.(3) Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

3.(10) Cam Little (Jaguars)

2.(5) Kai'ami Fairbairn (Texans)

1.(2) Cameron Dicker (Chargers)

David Wain 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 Wain-whose latest project "Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass" releases in theaters on Thursday. 

David Wain's Filmography Ranked:

6.They Came Together (C)

5.The Ten (B-)

4.Wanderlust (B-)

3.A Futile and Stupid Gesture (B)

2.Role Models (B)

1.Wet Hot American Summer (A)

Top Dog: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Happy 25th anniversary to this masterpiece. This demented, consistently uproarious absurdist comedy is one of the purest examples of a cult classic I can think of and I'm glad that the weirdos who are roughly 5-10 years older sang its praises loud enough so that future generations of weirdos would be able to discover it. 

Bottom Feeder: They Came Together (2014)

As excited as I am to check out Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, none of Wain's returns to the absurdist comedy well post-Wet Hot American Summer have impressed me all that much. His 2014 romcom sendup They Came Together particularly underwhelmed me. Despite having a gifted ensemble led by his old friends/collaborators Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler, They Came Together strings together a pretty average joke hit rate and has no bits that are overly memorable. 

Most Underrated: Role Models (2008)

Weirdly enough, this is one of the few late 2000's comedies that did alright at the box office that has struggled to build an enduring fanbase. While I don't think Role Models is a classic by any means, it does a good job of combining raunch with heart, Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott are a well-matched buddy duo that should've worked together after this and the supporting cast full of ace comedic character actors (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jane Lynch, Ken Jeong, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Kerri Kenney-Silver) steal damn near every scene they're in.  

Most Overrated: They Came Together (2014)

I'll fully admit this is kind of a stretch as They Came Together is just a minor cult movie. That being said, the passion for this movie is just something I've never been able to get behind as I've long felt that it's considerably less funny than every other movie in Wain's filmography. 

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)