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