It never stops being some combination of funny and sad how the Fast & Furious series has gone beyond growing over the years, and is instead gradually growing out of control. It was originally a spin on Point Break, but with more car racing (as in that’s what the first movie was). Then, it became more about heists than racing, and a little after that, the stakes were raised further, and the ragtag group of heroes were basically spies, and maybe even superheroes, at a point. Two characters notoriously went to space for real, after jokes about that being where Fast & Furious was headed. It’s that kind of series, and Fast X (2023) really emphasizes the bloat. It is the messiest and most overstuffed of all the movies in the series, which means that parts of it are great, and parts are frustrating. The usual suspects, like Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and Jordana Brewster, all show up, alongside newcomers to the series like Brie Larson, Jason Momoa, and Alan Ritchson.

And that’s really only scratching the surface, when it comes to cast members here. There are so many more people, but basically, the film is about Momoa’s character wanting revenge for the death of his father, which happened back in Fast Five, and he targets Vin Diesel’s Dom and Dom’s whole massive (and infamous) family. Also infamous: the cliffhanger Fast X ends on. Now, it’s been three years, and news about an 11th movie, titled Fast Forever, has been out for a while, so that would imply a continuation of Fast X (especially because Fast Forever is purportedly being made as a grand finale to the whole series). But still, if you want to go into what might come next, and the role Alan Ritchson (best known for playing the titular character in Reacher) plays in Fast X, talking about the ending to the 10th film is necessary. So…

The following article will contain spoilers for Fast X.

What ‘Fast X’ Is About

Image via Universal Pictures

Fast X is about too much. Yes, there’s Momoa as Dante Reyes, son of Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), trying to get revenge for his father’s death at the end of Fast Five, which also involves targeting Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), but not until a mid-credits scene. Oh, and right before the end credits, it turns out Gisele (Gal Gadot) is still alive, after having seemingly died in Fast & Furious 6. And she reveals herself to Letty (Rodriguez) and Cipher (Charlize Theron), the latter being a villain who’s stuck around beyond her introduction. Also, Letty was dead, at one point in the series, but came back. And in F9, Han (Sung Kang) was revealed as not being dead, so he has to reconnect with Gisele in Fast Forever, one would assume, since they were a thing. And he does stuff in Fast X, interacting with Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), who was the one who almost killed Han.

This isn’t even everything. There is too much in Fast X, and so many famous people just keep on showing up that it’s no wonder the budget blew up and out of control, estimated to be one of the most expensive movies of all time. Fast X’s commitment to not forgetting about past characters is admirable, but sort of unwieldy, especially with all the unneeded resurrections. It means that the supposed deaths at the end of Fast X feel unlikely to stick… well, John Cena’s Jakob, maybe? But not Roman, Tej, Ramsey, and Han, who were on a plane that got shot down, right near the end, by Alan Ritchson’s character. Ritchson is good at playing intimidating characters, owing to his physique and overall on-screen energy, but usually of the antihero variety (see Reacher)… so that makes his turn at the end of Fast X more than a little surprising.

The Role Alan Ritchson Plays in ‘Fast X’

Fast X ending with a cliffhanger felt less painful when there was a general sense of its follow-up being only a couple of years away. But then Fast Forever got Beyond the Spider-Verse’d (and, what do you know, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse also came out in 2023 and had an agonizing cliffhanger ending). At the end of Fast X, Giselle is alive somehow, Dom and his son (Leo Abelo Perry) are in the path of water from a dam that’s set to explode, most of Dom’s team are on board a plane that’s just been shot down, and Ritchson’s Aimes is the one who’s done that shooting, having revealed himself as being aligned with Dante Reyes the whole time, in secret.

Aimes had been a little suspicious the whole movie, but still, plenty of characters in these movies are kind of snarky, and Dante did come across as someone able to do a lot while working alone (Momoa’s character is hammy enough that you believe as much). The idea of him having an accomplice is something, though, and it would be good for Alan Ritchson to be given a bit more to do in Fast Forever. As frustrating as the cliffhanger is, the visual of him shooting down the plane is memorable (even if the likelihood that any of the four main characters on it are actually dead remains unlikely).

What ‘Fast X’ Could Do (or Not Do) With Ritchson’s Character in the Next Movie

Image via Universal Pictures

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Okay, so, Fast Forever is still up in the air, at the time of writing, in terms of what will happen. No one knows beyond (one would hope) the people making it, but even then, it was in March 2026 that Michael Lesslie was reported as replacing Zach Dean, so maybe it really is a case of “no one knows (yet).” Giving Momoa and Ritchson more to do seems like a no-brainer, because the former was the highlight of Fast X, and the latter could be well-utilized post-plot-twist. If nothing else, Ritchson getting into a brawl with someone similarly physically imposing, like Dwayne Johnson, could be good to see for sheer spectacle.

Hopefully it’s good, whatever happens. The past few-hundred words have been a bit dismissive of some parts of this whole series, and especially certain parts of Fast X, but there is also something wonderful and endearing about this action-heavy soap opera-esque saga that’s spanned more than a quarter of a century, at this point. Expecting Fast Forever to be a highlight of the series is a big ask, and maybe even irrational, though if it’s just a fitting send-off, you’d assume most fans of the family will be happy. All will be clear about two years from now… uh, barring any further delays. You never know. No one knows.

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Fast X

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Release Date

May 19, 2023

Runtime

142 minutes

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Director

Louis Leterrier

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By Robert Scucci
| Published 16 seconds ago

If you want to be humbled by decades worth of unhinged creativity that somehow slipped past your radar, I strongly advise firing up Tubi at least once a week. This is not a paid ad, but if you can get me in contact with the head of programming over there, I’d love to send them an Edible Arrangement for never failing to entertain me with hidden gems like 2010’s Beyond the Black Rainbow, and unhinged sci-fi horror comedy neo-noir mystery thrillers like 1986’s Eat and Run. If that sounds like a mouthful, wait until you hear what this punisher is about.

This movie only showcases a handful of recurring gags, and they’re all run into the ground. The primary antagonist is a 400-pound humanoid alien who only eats Italian people. Our hero is a hapless detective who narrates his life out loud in hard-boiled private dick fashion. His boss is always snacking and yelling, and he’s dating a judge with a habit of releasing dangerous criminals from prison, noticing the uptick in murders, and failing to connect the dots. It all plays out like a second-rate Police Squad, but it’s still charming despite its shortcomings.

This Guy’s A Fool For Gabagool!

Eat and Run keeps things simple, and it’s best not to think about it too much while watching. When morbidly obese Murray Creature (R.L. Ryan) inexplicably arrives on Earth, he immediately takes to hitchhiking. He gets picked up by an Italian merchant, who he then eats. We never actually see Murray eating, though. He smiles, reveals his pointy teeth, the camera zooms in on his face, then on his victim’s, and it cuts to him spitting out what’s left, usually shirt buttons.

Meanwhile, Detective Mickey McSorely (Ron Silver), who compulsively narrates his life in real time, is getting chewed out by his Captain (John J. Fleming). The Captain, no matter the time of day, is always pigging out at his desk, and this gag escalates throughout the film. First he’s digging into ice cream cake, and by the end he’s berating a delivery boy for bringing a six-layer cake when he clearly asked for a seven layer cake.

When dozens of Italian men from competing crime families go missing, Mickey takes the case, eventually leading him to Murray, though he can never catch him in the act. He sets up elaborate sting operations in between romantic rendezvous with Judge Cheryl Cohen (Sharon Schlarth), whose record on the bench is questionable at best, and who constantly excuses herself after sex so she can take matters of self gratification into her own hands. Mickey, the great detective that he is, remains completely oblivious to his shortcomings on this front.

When our Italian-eating antagonist is finally caught and cross-examined, his lawyer has him dress like a Boy Scout to appear innocent. This only complicates things further when he’s granted bail and his buffet-style rampage continues, and becomes smitten with Cheryl.

This Shouldn’t Be A Movie

The above scenarios are stretched to absurdity in Eat and Run, repeating the same bits over and over, escalating just enough each time until the film reaches its climax. It reminds me of most SNL-based movies that do the exact same thing. Think 1994’s It’s Pat, but instead of endless jokes about androgyny, it’s about a fat guy eating mobsters.

While it sounds like I hated Eat and Run, I actually had a good time with it. At 85 minutes, it feels like writer-director Christopher Hart was padding the runtime to reach feature length by overworking the gags, but I can’t help but wonder how much better it would be if trimmed down to sitcom-episode length, or even a series of recurring skits.

I’ve always been a sucker for neo-noir narration, so every time Mickey narrates, only for the camera to pull back and reveal he’s been talking out loud in a room full of people, I let out a hearty chuckle. It’s stupid, but relatable. The number of times I think I’m thinking to myself while puttering around the house, only for my family to ask what the hell I’m talking about, is high enough that I felt seen.

Eat and Run is totally stupid, built on a razor-thin premise, and runs its gags into the ground before the first act is over. It’s also really funny, not because those things make it funny on their own, but because the humor somehow loops back around and works anyway.

As of this writing, Eat and Run is streaming for free on Tubi.

Red is our forever color crush — and fan-favorite stars including Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, Nicole Kidman and more all seem to agree.

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Jenner was a vision at the 3rd annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on December 3, gracing the event’s red carpet in a figure-flattering Fendi gown. The crimson design featured a turtleneck and a corset bodice — adorned with a ribbon at the waist — that fell into a billowing skirt. The lively hue perfectly complemented Jenner’s rosy glam and brunette locks. Bassett also attended the event, wowing Us in a cherry-colored Schiaparelli gown that was completed with a caped hood. 

Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt also turned up the heat in bold shades of red while posing on the Devil Wears Prada 2 press tour in April 2026.

Keep scrolling to see the best-dressed stars in red to date:

Spring and summer typically call for wearing dresses, but New York rich moms are onto something different this year. These gals are rocking sleek, expensive-looking jumpsuits, and we found 19 that nail the aesthetic. With luxe details, tailored silhouettes and flattering fits, these outfits are polished without even trying.

We pulled together warm-weather jumpsuits that are super stylish and will have you out the door in minutes. Whether you’re running errands or attending a wedding, simply slip on your favorite shoes and you’re ready to go. See our top favorites from Amazon Essentials, Cupshe and more for casual and fancy occasions alike — from just $6!

19 Chic Rich Mom-Style Jumpsuits to Replace Dresses — From $6

Casual Jumpsuits

1. Everyday Outfit: School drop-offs, coffee runs, whatever! This tie-waist jumpsuit does the styling work for you with cap sleeves and a cinched middle.

2. Sporty Mom: Jogger-style tapered ankles give this classic outfit a sporty flair. It’s athleisure that looks intentional.

3. Boho Babe: Love fit-and-flare dresses? This smocked jumpsuit has a similar silhouette — just with flowy pants instead.

4. Cute Crop: Capri-length pants are totally in right now, and this chic Amazon pick proves why. The wide legs up the trendy factor.

5. Like Sweats: With an easy-going heather style, this sleeveless jumpsuit evokes your favorite sweats. You’ll look put together with zero effort.

6. Off-the-Shoulder: This off-the-shoulder jumpsuit brings retro vibes to your closet for just $25. The neckline does all the heavy lifting.

Brunch-Ready Jumpsuits

7. Nice Stretch: Fitted yet relaxed, this stretchy jumpsuit flatters without any squeezing. Comfort connoisseurs, this one’s for you!

8. Charleston Charm: Ruffle sleeves and airy gauze-like fabric channel serious Southern charm. This boutiquey number is pretty, elegant and perfect for Sunday brunch.

9. Country Club: When you want to look seriously rich, this tie-waist jumpsuit delivers preppy country club energy. It speaks for itself.

10. European Flair: A Mediterranean print and billowy fit style give this European-inspired wonder a Positano appeal. It’s coastal and relaxed.

11. Mock-Neck Maven: Lengthen your torso without even trying in this elegant jumpsuit. It creates a long, incredibly flattering line.

12. Sassy and Smocked: Dressy but not overly formal, this brand-new drop has a playful, flirty edge. We adore the slimming smocked bodice.

Wedding Guest Jumpsuits

13. Wedding Guest of Honor: Cap sleeves, a belted waist and a vibrant pink hue make this refined jumpsuit the easiest wedding guest outfit. It’s sophisticated right off the hanger.

14. Elegant Act: Walk into a cocktail party in this gold-accented outfit and you’ll own the room. Everyone will assume it’s designer.

15. Beach Wedding: Beach weddings are tricky to dress for, but this wrap-style jumpsuit looks gorgeous, even in the wind and sand. You’ll be glad to have pants!

16. Flattering Find: Slip into this tummy-smoothing jumpsuit to feel instantly pulled together. The gentle compression is noticeable but never uncomfortable.

17. Gemstone Hues: Black gets boring after a while, which is why rich moms opt for this colorful off-the-shoulder style in a deep gemstone hue.

18. Frills and Fuss: You’ll be the center of attention in this this dressy jumpsuit that features a mock neckline, frilly details and fun color options.

19. Mood Boost: Another statement-maker, this mood-boosting yellow jumpsuit is impossible to ignore. It’s bold, cheerful and surprisingly easy to pull off.

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Related: Jennifer Aniston Can‘t Resist a LBD — We‘re Copying the Look From $8

Jennifer Aniston has a clever wardrobe hack for looking snatched from every angle. Black dresses are inherently flattering, so it’s no wonder she wears different styles nonstop. With Aniston’s stamp of approval, little black dresses are having a major revival. Aniston sported a sleeveless black maxi dress at The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — […]

Chloe Bailey had time to check a social media user who claimed she was forcing “baddie energy” when she’s really just a good girl. The singer wasn’t here for the shade at all, clapping back quick and letting them know that balance exists.

RELATED: And, What About It? Chloe Bailey Claps Back At Troll Who Commented On Her Weight During Livestream (WATCH)

Chloe Bailey Shuts Down Troll & Stands On Business

Recently, Chloe Bailey hopped on X (formerly Twitter) responding to a post asking, “what is life teaching you right now?” Bailey said, “that she’s a bad b*tch.” A X user ended up peeping her post and didn’t hesitate to chime with their thoughts, writing, “No you’re not. You’re actually a cute lil lovely girl. Stop forcing it.” Chloe then came right back at them letting them know two things can be true, but don’t try to box her in. “yes. i am a cute lil lovely girl and a bad b*. don’t put me in a box just bc you’re boring & have no fun”

Social Media Weighs In After Chloe Claps Back

Once The Shade Room posted Chloe Bailey’s response, the comment section was flooded with reactions. Some folks clocked the energy and agreed with Chloe, while others said they don’t get how people can think they know celebrities when they don’t.

Instagram user @evaheartless wrote, “She said what she said!!” 

Instagram user @jadorekiss_monae wrote, “How she gonna tell Chloé what CHLOÉ is??🤔” 

While Instagram user @geishalee wrote, “Chloe is like the pastor’s daughter ❤️❤️ started sweet and then GOT SPICY 😍😍😍” 

Then Instagram user @_chauniethesinger wrote, “I fear the fan was right.” 

Another Instagram user @lavish.v_ wrote, “Social media got people thinking they know you more than yourself 😂 how you gonna tell me who I am?” 

Instagram user @teiannaa wrote, “why tf they always coming for Chloe???” 

While another Instagram user @k_flye2 wrote, “Chloe is definitely bad, I agree🔥🔥🔥🔥” 

Then another Instagram user @hola_naya wrote, “What’s wrong with a lil sweet heat 🤷🏾‍♀️🥰” 

Instagram user @kiddtyblix wrote, “Ugh I hate that y’all feel like y’all know celebrities based off of what yall see lmao. Y’all literally don’t know these ppl irl.” 

Finally, Instagram user @slymbeauty wrote, “A woman can be whatever she wants!” 

Chloe Keeps It Real While Shutting Down Body-Shaming Comment

Chloe is never afraid to make it known that she’s not the one or the two. This isn’t the first time she put a troll in check. Earlier this year, she popped off on a viewer who jumped on her livestream and said she was gaining weight. In a clip LiveBitez shared, Chloe told the social media user “And even if I was getting big.. And what about it?” Fans who watched her stream told her to ignore them, because they were clearly trying to gaslight her. She said she wasn’t falling for it at all, because she knows she’s tea. “Yeah, they trying to rage bait me, because I know my body TEA!” Chloe continued, “And I don’t even say that often, but the stress got my waist snatched.”

RELATED: Okay, Sis! Chloe Bailey Turns Heads At St. Lucia’s Carnival With Fire Fits & Killer Curves (PHOTOS + VIDEOS) 

By TeeJay Small
| Published 16 seconds ago

Every now and again I sit down with a few friends and revisit my all-time favorite medical drama, House. If you haven’t seen the show, you’ve definitely heard of it from memes, internet references, or Family Guy cutaway gags. The show is as chaotic and off-the-wall as it gets, highlighting a different medical mystery each week as the titular Dr. House dishes out his trademark blend of wit, wisdom, and medical malpractice. Though the show is infinitely watchable for its narrative and character work, there’s one episode that can only be understood through the lens of behind-the-scenes events.

The episode in question is season five’s “Simple Explanation.” In this episode, the character Dr. Lawrence Kutner, played by Kal Penn, is found dead in his apartment of an apparent suicide. House and his staff at the hospital’s diagnostics department are perplexed by this, since Kutner never showed any signs of depression or suicidal ideation before. The gang then investigates Kutner’s apartment, leaving them with very few answers.

As the episode unfolds, it becomes clear that Kutner really did choose to end his own life, proving that there are some mysteries that cannot be solved, even by the world’s greatest detectives. While House and the others eventually move on from the mystery, the real-life truth is a bit more complicated. In fact, some could even say that Lawrence Kutner was murdered by none other than President Barack Obama.

How Barack Obama Killed Lawrence Kutner

Let’s rewind just a little bit. Barack Obama took office as the 44th president back in January of 2009, and quickly began staffing his administration with a variety of hip, young faces. As part of a larger push to appeal to Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities, Obama created the role of Associate Director of Public Engagement. His team then reached out to several prominent Asian-American citizens, including screen actor Kal Penn.

Penn took the role at the White House, and subsequently had to be written out of House with more haste than the average departure. He officially joined the staff in April of 2009, right around the same time that “Simple Explanation” aired. While in office, Penn served as a mouthpiece for Asian-American communities and helped perform outreach for the administration’s Affordable Care Act. He is also said to have assisted with the DREAM Act, as well as the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Fans Have Not Forgiven

Kutner was a fan-favorite character in House, and a frequent source of optimism in a sea of sardonic, nihilistic characters. As you can imagine, some fans took his loss pretty hard. To this day, there are running gags online that Obama killed Kutner, prompting a plethora of sarcastic “Thanks, Obama” replies in the comments section. Kal Penn continued his acting career in bit parts while working at the White House, and even returned to the show via flashbacks and hallucinations for the series finale. Ironically, he even portrayed a White House staffer on the series Designated Survivor in 2016, as Obama’s tenure was coming to a close.

So, if you’re ever watching House with your grandchildren in the year 2077, long after the memory of this behind-the-scenes factoid has faded from public memory, you can be sure to let them in on this bizarre turn of events. As it turns out, Kutner didn’t show suicidal tendencies because he was never depressed. He was just a young, happy doctor, killed in the prime of his life, so that an actor could serve his country in a more hands-on capacity than getting high and going to White Castle.

Sam Levinson is once again under the microscope as “Euphoria’s” third season draws backlash for its increasingly provocative tone.

While the HBO hit has long been credited to Levinson’s creative vision, online critics are now questioning what he has “uniquely” brought to the series, with some arguing the show’s impact has been driven more by its cast than its creator.

The renewed debate comes as viewers take issue with a noticeable spike in explicit scenes this season.

After a four-year wait, Season 3 of “Euphoria” finally premiered earlier this month, but instead of universal praise, the response has been noticeably muted.

The lukewarm reception has sparked a fresh wave of debate around creator Levinson, with some fans now questioning what he actually contributes to the HBO hit beyond the performances of its breakout stars, including Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney.

On Reddit, one widely shared post called out what it described as increasingly questionable creative choices, including graphic themes, fetish-driven elements, and the handling of female characters. The post went on to pose a pointed question that is now gaining traction among viewers, saying, “What are iconic things about ‘Euphoria’ that can be credited to Sam Levinson?”

Others Credit Levinson For ‘Euphoria’s’ Core Identity

While criticism has dominated much of the conversation, not everyone agrees with the growing skepticism around Levinson’s role in “Euphoria.”

The Reddit thread quickly filled with counterpoints from fans who argued that the show’s success can’t be separated from its creator. In fact, several users pointed to Levinson’s unique position as the series’s only writer.

“For better or worse, he’s the sole writer. Any storyline or quote/dialogue that’s become iconic was written by him. Anything about a character that resonates with people, beyond what they look like and how they deliver lines, was written by him,” another user noted.

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Season 3’s Provocative Shift Fuels Fresh Criticism Of Sam Levinson

Beyond the debate over creative credit, Levinson has also come under fire for what many viewers see as a sharp increase in provocative content in “Euphoria” Season 3.

Much of the criticism has centered on Sydney Sweeney’s Cassie Howard, whose storyline veers toward the explicit as she ventures into adult content creation.

Viewers have taken particular issue with the framing of some of these moments, arguing that the show leans too heavily into shock value. On social media, critics have accused Levinson of blurring the line between storytelling and sensationalism, with some claiming the creative direction risks turning exploitative.

Sydney Sweeney Backlash Grows Over ‘Euphoria’ Scenes

The conversation hasn’t been limited to Levinson alone. Sweeney has also faced criticism from some viewers who questioned her decision to take on increasingly explicit scenes in Season 3.

However, her past comments suggest she has been fully comfortable with the creative process. In a 2022 interview, the actress made it clear that Levinson never pressured her into doing anything she wasn’t on board with.

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“There are moments where Cassie was supposed to be shirtless, and I would tell Sam, ‘I don’t really think that’s necessary here.’ He was like, ‘Okay, we don’t need it,’” Sweeney recalled, per the Daily Mail.

She also once said that she encouraged Levinson to lean further into her character’s already heightened emotional state. That move may help explain the more extreme direction Cassie takes in the latest season.

Sam Levinson Breaks Silence On Controversial ‘Euphoria’ Dog Scene

🚨Cassie’s first scene in ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 shows her trying to become social media famous while dressed in a doggie outfit and drinking from a dog bowl.

‘(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window’ by Patti Page plays over this scene. pic.twitter.com/kivBVZCeOg

— ‘EUPHORIA’ Season 3 (@euphoriacentral) April 10, 2026

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After largely staying quiet amid the backlash, Levinson has at least addressed one of Season 3’s most talked-about moments, the scene in which Sweeney’s character is styled like a dog.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Levinson explained that the scene was never meant to exist purely for shock value, but rather to highlight a deeper layer of absurdity within Cassie’s storyline.

“[Cassie] has got her dog house and her little dog ears and the nose, and that has its own humor,” he said. “But what makes the scene is the fact that her housekeeper is the one filming it.”

Levinson added that the intention was to pull viewers out of the character’s fantasy, rather than fully immerse them in it.

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By Robert Scucci
| Published 17 seconds ago

As a lifelong musician, there’s a certain kind of peer that I absolutely despise: the self-important artist. You know the type, the people who walk around like their farts don’t smell because they think they’re God’s gift to mankind. Once the work day is done, they pour their heart and soul into their creations, and those creations become the essence of their being. And in their minds, that essence is the most important thing in the world.

While I’m probably being cynical when I say it’s all just performative posturing, I spent enough of my formative years around this type of person to understand exactly where 2019’s Velvet Buzzsaw is coming from.

In this movie, the most stuck-up, clout-chasing, back-handed, stab-you-in-the-back-if-they-can-get-the-upper-hand types get their comeuppance when they start dealing with the work of a newly deceased, completely unknown artist. He leaves behind a treasure trove of mixed-media masterpieces that were never meant to be seen. In fact, he explicitly instructed that his art be destroyed. Instead, it goes up for sale, and everybody who comes into contact with it dies a gruesome death.

Now, I’m not one to incite or encourage violence, but since we’re dealing with a supernatural thriller packed with some of the most unlikeable, pretentious, insufferable gasbags known to man, it’s beyond satisfying to watch them violate this dead man’s wishes and get what’s coming to them.

“All Art Is Dangerous”

Velvet Buzzsaw takes place in a Miami-based art gallery where a bunch of cosmo-drinking artists and critics gather just to hear themselves talk. Among them is Morf Vandewalt (Jake Gyllenhaal), a critic known for his scathing reviews and melodramatic flair, who’s having second thoughts about his relationship with his boyfriend Ed (Sedale Threatt Jr.). He starts developing feelings for Josephina (Zawe Ashton), who works for ruthless gallery owner Rhodora Haze (Rene Russo), who unironically says things like “all art is dangerous” and verbally abuses anyone who crosses her path.

Rhodora moves units with eight-figure price tags, so her ego makes sense in context, but you can tell right away she’s a rough hang.

When Josephina returns home to LA, she finds her upstairs neighbor, Vetril Dease (Alan Mandell), dead outside his apartment, with no signs of foul play. His apartment is filled floor to ceiling with morbid artwork that immediately entrances anyone who sees it. Constantly on the receiving end of Rhodora’s criticism, Josephina collects the pieces so Morf and Rhodora can appraise them and possibly put them on the market, giving her clout in an industry that’s ready to chew her up and spit her out.

They quickly realize Dease isn’t a known artist. The work is authentic and original, but there’s no frame of reference for anything he created.

It doesn’t take long for art patrons to start foaming at the mouth over these pieces, including curator Gretchen (Toni Collette), washed-up artist Piers (John Malkovich), and rising star Damrish (Daveed Diggs). The most enthralled is Bryson (Billy Magnussen), the gallery’s installer, who’s bitter that nobody values his artistic input despite his talent, since his job is literally hanging other people’s work instead of showcasing his own. 

While transporting some of Dease’s pieces, Bryson gets attacked and killed by the paintings. He’s lit on fire and then pulled into a painting depicting rabid monkeys at an abandoned gas station that flickers to life just for him right as he passes by. Shortly after, people start dropping like flies. The only connection, though nobody realizes it at first, is Dease.

Since everyone is only looking out for themselves in this cutthroat industry, communication isn’t exactly their strong suit. But Morf, after digging into Dease’s past, uncovers enough disturbing information to confirm what’s happening. His art, once released into the world, is cursed.

The Downside To Graverobbing That Nobody Really Talks About

Every character in Velvet Buzzsaw wants to be great, so much so that they have zero issue robbing a dead man of his work, distributing it everywhere, realizing people are dying because of it, and still focusing on whether they can keep moving units.

When Morf tells Rhodora he plans to expose everything, she immediately starts blowing up phones, trying to sell off the pieces before the story breaks. Josephina, who kicked off the entire chain reaction, only cares about how Dease’s work benefits her. His body was probably still warm when she started making calls.

Most importantly, these tryhards are doing everything they can to maintain the mystique and value of Dease’s work, without caring about the fallout. Aside from Morf, who’s still annoying but at least somewhat likable, every character in Velvet Buzzsaw is completely irredeemable. The fun comes from watching them slowly realize they’ve curated something they can’t control. Something that’s coming for them.

When art becomes a commodity and the highest bidders are morally bankrupt, it’s only a matter of time before their behavior catches up with them. In Velvet Buzzsaw, that moment comes when they decide to rob an elderly man of his life’s work without even attempting to contact anyone who might be connected to him. It never even crosses their minds, but Dease gets the last laugh as everyone tied to his creations is taken out in increasingly brutal fashion.

Velvet Buzzsaw, streaming exclusively on Netflix, is billed as a satirical supernatural horror comedy, and it earns that description. Most of the appeal comes from its dry, morbid sense of humor. The best way to watch this movie is after spending time in an art gallery and overhearing the kinds of conversations people have. Once you’ve had your fill of pretentiousness and white wine spritzers, watching it all burn to the ground is half the fun.