By Brian Myers
| Published 12 seconds ago

Tim Burton became a hot commodity when he delivered back-to-back smash hits with Beetlejuice (1988) and Batman (1989). His star was quickly rising, and the next three years saw two additional box office giants, Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Batman Returns (1992), with the quirky director at their helm. Burton’s next vehicle was supposed to be a comedic retelling of Captains Courageous, but the spoof was unceremoniously abandoned by the director when he left the director’s chair of Cabin Boy to direct the film Ed Wood.

Cabin Boy Is Very Strange

Cabin Boy follows the exploits of spoiled Nathanial Mayweather (Chris Elliot), an insufferable lad who graduates from an elite finishing school and is heading home aboard a chartered ship. He mistakenly boards the wrong vessel and is forced to be the ship’s cabin boy after the untimely death of one of the shipmates. The ship traverses over troubled waters, finding Nathanial and the crew attacked by an ice monster, Nathanial losing his virginity to a woman with six arms, and the ship being pursued by a strange half-man/half-shark.

It’s a silly concept that is hard to conceptualize. The gist of the film is so ridiculous that one would have to view it to believe it. Though Cabin Boy was a box office failure, the bizarre plot, weird characters, and well-timed one-liners have helped make it a cult classic.

With Tim Burton, it could have been so much more.

Tim Burton Was Supposed To Direct

Cabin Boy was meant to start the film career of comedian Chris Elliot, who up until that point had delivered a handful of walk-on roles and bit parts in films and on television, along with his own short-lived FOX network sitcom Get a Life. The film itself was set up for success as Touchstone tapped Tim Burton to direct it. The story was co-written by Elliott and Late Night with David Letterman alum Adam Resnick and was sure to be a winner.

But after Burton left the project to pursue Ed Wood, the film appeared doomed. Though Burton stayed on as Cabin Boy‘s producer, his name wouldn’t be able to carry the film at the box office. Ordinarily, that wouldn’t matter as much if a film project has notable stars.

A Cast Of Unknowns And One Famous Cameo

Cabin Boy lacked the star power on screen, as well. Along with Elliott, the cast was made up of bit players and newcomers to the big screen. Melora Waters (Big Love, Magnolia) was cast as the love interest of Elliot’s idiot character, Nathanial. Ritch Brinkley (Murphy Brown) is the captain of the ship Nathanial finds himself aboard, with Brion James (The Wrong Guys), Brian Doyle-Murray (Scrooged, Groundhog Day), and James Gammon (Major League) as shipmates.

The bizarre film might have stood a chance at the box office with Burton in the director’s chair. But without his name and sans his masterful method of making the players flourish on screen, the film was doomed to failure. In Burton’s absence, screenwriter Adam Resnick filled in as director, saving Cabin Boy from oblivion but not giving the project Burton’s brand of flare.

The decision to leave Cabin Boy was a great one for Burton, whose Ed Wood took home two Academy Awards and cast Johnny Depp into one of his greatest roles. But fans of the film are left wondering what might have been.

You can rent or purchase Cabin Boy on-demand through YouTube, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.

Whew! Kai Cenat found himself in an unexpected moment during a recent livestream when a routine interaction with police quickly caught viewers’ attention. The popular streamer and Rakai were recording when an officer pulled them over, but the encounter ended on a surprising note after the officer appeared to recognize exactly who they were.

RELATED: Kai Cenat Apologizes To Ex-Girlfriend Gabrielle Alayah After Admitting He Mishandled Their Breakup (VIDEOS)

Officer Recognizes Kai Cenat During Livestream Stop

The reason for the traffic stop was not made clear, though the officer reportedly asked Kai Cenat about an incident that had allegedly happened at a nearby McDonald’s. After checking Kai’s driver’s license, the officer returned and informed them they were free to go. Before they drove away, Rakai asked the officer if he knew who Kai was, and the officer confirmed that he recognized him.

The officer reportedly told Kai and Rakai, “We looked you up on YouTube,” referencing Kai’s massive online presence. Kai later celebrated the outcome on stream, saying, “We’re free!” after the officers allowed them to leave with a warning. The moment quickly circulated online as fans reacted to the unexpected interaction between the streamer and law enforcement.

Roommates Debate Kai Cenat’s Unexpected Encounter

Meanwhile, fans rushed to The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section to share their thoughts on Kai Cenat’s viral police encounter. Some commenters joked that they were happy to see “Black privilege” in action. Others simply celebrated what they called “streamer privilege” and joked about the influence that comes with Kai’s massive online following.

One Instagram user @zeddie_jr added, “First black privilege moment ever”

This Instagram user @zevarra_ceo said, “Its about time our privilege finally works too ✨”

And, Instagram user @kobejacorey added, “MOTION ABOVE THE LAW? That’s a new one 🔥🔥”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @chris.bangin commented, “oh sht “streamer” privilege.. we broke the barrier”

While Instagram user @cookwithaaliyah shared, “What a good day to be black and famous 😂”

Lastly, Instagram user @since_we_being_honest wrote, “He not black he OJ 😂”

Did Kai Cenat’s Apology Bring Some Good Karma?

Could Kai Cenat’s latest viral moment be a little good karma coming his way? After returning to streaming following a nine-month hiatus, the popular streamer opened up about his past relationship with Gabrielle Alayah and took accountability for how he handled their breakup. Kai apologized for not defending Gigi when online rumors and accusations spread, admitting that he should have spoken up instead of staying silent. He also clarified that their split was not caused by cheating or the claims circulating online. Now, after his recent police stop during a livestream ended with an officer recognizing him and letting him go, fans are joking that Kai’s decision to own his mistakes and apologize publicly may have brought some positive energy back his way.

RELATED: Soulja Boy Announces ‘Rapper University’ After Calling Out Kai Cenat Over ‘Streamer University 2’ & His Ties To DDG (VIDEO)

Bold and the Beautiful reveals that Katie Logan (Heather Tom) is feeling really good about the success of her fashion house, but she and Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) are not going to rest on their laurels. With Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) coming over to declare war on them this week, Katie is going to be ready to clap back and will be plotting her next scheme soon.

And of course, Bill’s going to be all in on rubbing their success in the dressmaker’s face. So, he’ll be ready to help Katie make her next big move. We are going to talk about what Katie is planning to follow up on the big Hope for the Future by Logan bombshell.

Bold and the Beautiful: Katie’s Strategic Moves Against Forrester

So, this week we found out that Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) can’t handle Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) being a grownup and she went and checked herself into a wellness center. We also found out R.J. Forrester (Brayan Nicoletti) cannot take a punch. And we also know Ridge and Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) can’t handle the slightest bit of competition and they’re running scared.

Plus, we have Ridge storming over to Logan to confront Bill and make this declaration of war. And there’s more of this confrontation coming by the end of this week. I’m sure that once Ridge has his say, Bill’s going to go tell Katie about the nonsense, including Ridge attacking their son, Will Spencer (Crew Morrow). And of course, Katie’s going to get riled up about that.

Ridge & Steffy in Panic Mode on B&B

Right now, Ridge and Steffy are scrambling. They cancelled Eric Forrester’s (John McCook) couture launch. They’ve put the jewelry line on hold. They are acting like they don’t know how to compete against a tiny startup like Logan. So, the Forresters are going to be working on a strategy to fight back, but the Spencers are going to be at it, too.

Bold and Beautiful: Katie’s Product Line Schemes

Let’s dive into what is going to be Katie’s next big scheme. Ridge and Brooke are harping about Katie playing dirty, but let’s be real. Eric never would have gone to Logan if Ridge hadn’t treated his dad like garbage. That’s the same reason Hope left because Steffy was treating her badly.

Plus, the Logan name belongs to Brooke and Katie and Donna Logan (Jennifer Gareis) and others, and Forrester screwed up their own trademark. The Blue Diamond always belonged to Wyatt, and nobody stole Eric’s designs. He came over and begged Katie to let him design for her, and Bill paid big bucks for Eric’s designs.

Katie Plotting against Forrester on B&B

But all that said, Katie’s definitely scheming. So, first let’s talk about her next line. You know, Eric came over there on his own. As for Hope, she was tired of Forrester. And if you remember, Katie’s actually the one who originally green lit Hope for the Future when she was the CEO at Forrester. And after Brooke’s tantrum, Katie might play even dirtier. She might recruit Zende Forrester (Delon de Metz). He is kind of ticked off that Hope defected and went to Logan. But Zende is probably going to understand why she did it. He and Hope shared the same frustrations about how Steffy kept jerking them around on Hope for the Future.

And with Hope gone, Zende may worry he’ll be stuck babysitting R.J. at work. And I could see Katie offering him something cool, like a lead designer gig. You know, she could tell Zende, you can have your own line, Z by Logan, something like that. Maybe men’s wear to compete directly against R.J.’s men’s line because we know Zende doesn’t like R.J.

Bold and the Beautiful: Zende & RJ’s Feud

First of all because of all the Luna stuff back in the day. Plus, Zende can’t stand R.J. getting the golden boy treatment. So, I could see Katie sympathizing with Zende since she was shoved aside at Forrester as well. And Katie may tell Zende if he ever wants his own line, ever wants to be a lead, that he is welcome to come over to Logan with them.

And you never know, he might circle back and tell Katie, “Let’s do this.” Can you even imagine? The Forresters would lose it all over again. Another thing, since Logan’s going to need more product, is Katie might have Hope and Deke Sharpe (Harrison Cone) start working on a fall and winter line.

Even though Hope is distraught over Brooke’s reaction, we know that Hope is still committed to being at Logan and working there with her brother Deke. So, I definitely think that he and Hope will be itching to get started on their next collection. And I’m sure that once Brooke’s back from her little spa break that she might try and tempt Hope back to Forrester Creations, but she won’t go.

Bold and the Beautiful: Katie Takes a Slap at Brooke

And Steffy, Ridge and Brooke would hate to see another successful Hope launch, but it’ll probably happen. So next, I could also see Katie being so annoyed at how Brooke reacted and that she had that fit over at Logan, broke the monitor, and then she physically attacked Katie. And that’s after the slap from a couple of weeks before that. So, you know, Katie may bring in a designer to work with her on a project that’s a direct slap right in Brooke’s face.

Can you imagine if Katie started a lingerie line? Something to compete head-to-head with Brooke’s Bedroom. Maybe Lingerie by Logan or Katie’s Closet by Logan. Something like that. Preferably with Katie’s name in it, so that it’s very clear exactly what she’s doing. Brooke would lose it. She’s already furious with Katie, and I think Brooke’s head would explode if Katie directly competed with Brooke and her self-named line like that.

Bold and Beautiful: Katie’s New Couture Line

Another issue is that Katie needs somebody to do a couture line. So, it’d be really cool if maybe she brought in Sally from Young and the Restless for a crossover. Sally Spectra doesn’t design anymore on the other CBS soap, but maybe she would do it just for fun as a one-off or they could bring back somebody like Clark Garrison.

I think it’d be wild if they brought in Jack Wagner as Nick for some sort of collaboration. He’s not a designer himself, but he might suggest a designer as a clapback at Ridge over the whole Brooke and Italy thing. Katie needs a groundbreaking couture line with a theme of Logan as the future of fashion, not the boring past, which would be another hit at Forrester.

The last thing to talk about is this. I fully expect Katie to launch a perfume line, maybe with somebody from the fashion world. I think they could have some fun with signature fragrances for Logan. Something that would play on Bill and Katie’s reputations or be a direct hit at Forrester Creations like Legacy by Logan. I like the idea of Siren by Logan. Something like Logan Eternal or Lux by Logan. Maybe something to do with Hope’s line. You know, something for men inspired by Bill like The Sweet Smell of Success or something just called Cash or maybe just something simple like Hope Eternal or Katie by Logan.

Katie Can’t Win with the Forresters on Bold

One thing’s for sure, no matter where she goes next, whatever Katie does is going to tick off Brooke, Steffy, and Ridge. And with Brooke raging about her stealing from them and riding their coattails, whether you agree with that assessment or not, Katie might decide just to lean into it. You know, if she’s going to take the heat, why not just do whatever she feels like doing?

Katie can go ahead and recruit Zende. Katie can make a lingerie line to steal some limelight from Brooke’s bedroom. Do a men’s line and even rush the launch and beat R.J. to market. I mean, Hope knows R.J. was working on it, and she’ll probably tell Katie. And I don’t think at this point that Bill and Katie are ever going to back down. And any slap that Katie wants to take at the Foresters, you know, Bill’s going to be there cheering her on and supporting her. I expect more big things from the jewelry line as well.

Possibly Wyatt does some designing. He’s been a jewelry designer in the past, so you never know. I’m excited to see what Katie does next to stir the pot because as far as I can see, Ridge and Steffy are incapable of conducting business if there’s a competitor nearby. So, if Katie keeps launching successful product lines, is Forrester just going to crawl into a corner and give up? I guess we’ll see.

Whew! Jay-Z knew fans would come expecting the unexpected, but it looks like he still managed to keep a few tricks up his sleeve. As thousands packed Yankee Stadium for the opening night of his highly anticipated three-night “Jay-Z 30” celebration, speculation had already reached a fever pitch over who might join him on stage. Well, it didn’t take long for Beyoncé and Blue Ivy to put the rumors to rest.

RELATED: Double Take? Blue Ivy’s Father-Daughter Moment With Jay-Z Has Fans Debating Who She Resembles (VIDEO)

Beyoncé Surprises Fans During Jay-Z’s Opening Night

The Bronx was already on fire as Jay-Z kicked off his highly anticipated ‘Jay-Z 30’ celebration at Yankee Stadium, honoring his legendary ‘Reasonable Doubt’ debut and the 25th anniversary of ‘The Blueprint.’ But before Hov even stepped on stage, fans got a glimpse of the night’s energy when the stadium screens showed Beyoncé helping him ditch his wicks and bring back his signature Caesar cut. And just when fans thought the surprise was over, Beyoncé popped out in a sparkling pinstripe look to join her husband for ‘Can’t Knock The Hustle,’ sending the crowd into a frenzy. .

Blue Ivy Performs ‘Feelin’ It’ On The Piano

As if Beyoncé’s appearance wasn’t enough, Blue Ivy also had her own standout moment during the show. She appeared behind a piano to perform a solo introduction for ‘Feelin’ It’ before sharing a sweet hug with her father at the end of the song, giving fans another memorable family moment to add to the celebration.

One of the night’s biggest surprises came before Jay-Z even hit the stage. In a video played throughout the stadium, Beyoncé was seen helping remove Jay’s wicks before giving him a fresh cut, bringing him back to his signature Caesar hairstyle. The nostalgic moment had fans buzzing, with many saying the fresh look perfectly matched a celebration centered around some of Hov’s most iconic eras.

Jay-Z Brings Back His Low Cut Caesar With The Deep Waves, Fans Reacts

Meanwhile, fans flooded The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section to share their reactions to the Carter family’s unforgettable moments. Many said Blue Ivy “understood the assignment” after confidently taking the stage, while others couldn’t stop talking about how Beyoncé always seems to shower Jay-Z with love and support. Plenty of commenters were also thrilled to see Jay bring back his signature Caesar cut, with some joking that “the old Jay is back.”

One Instagram user @flyingwith_tokyo said, “Blue 💙💙💙💙💙 this was everything 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥!!!!”

This Instagram user @rebel_spice added, “this is so beautiful, family, legacy, I love it 🥹🥰🤗✨”

And, Instagram user @silesoy_ claimed, “She love her man😍😍😍”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @yooohypemommy commented, “Jay cut that hair 🔥🔥🔥🔥 he looks great!!!”

While Instagram user @theyumisakura shared, “Let’s remind them!!!!!! thangyaaa🔥🔥🐝🐝🐝”

Then Instagram user @spamoflilkaay.02 said, “d*mn they got beyonce for the price of jayz LUCKY”

Instagram user @layla_marieee____ said, “I’m so glad he cut that carpet off😂”

Lastly, Instagram user @___sweetdreamsss wrote, “Gave me chills! This is so beautiful to see🥺”

RELATED: The Blueprint! Social Media Is Weighing In On Beyoncé & Jay-Z Sharing Behind-The-Scenes Footage Of His “Hair Transformation” (VIDEO)

Young and the Restless fans. We have got exciting new spoilers for next week. We’re going to talk about Kyle Abbott’s (Michael Mealor) secret plan to get revenge for the attacks on both of his parents. Plus, we’ll have Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) defying his dad, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), and refusing to follow orders for a very understandable reason.

So, we’ve also got spoilers for Lauren Fenmore (Tracey Bregman), Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland) and Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson). Also for Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson), Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk), Victor, and more.

Young and the Restless: Adam Defies Victor’s Plans

First, let’s talk about what has Adam Newman pushing back hard on his dad. At the end of this week, he’s talking with Victor and Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow). And first, Victor bothers Adam when he says that Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) needs to rest, so Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) and Connor Newman (Judah Mackey) can’t come visit. That seems kind of rude.

And then Victor starts talking business with his son and he says that he rehired the people that Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) fired and he’s doing some counter moves because she sold off some important divisions of Newman.

So, Nick has some ideas, but Victor shuts him down and he says it’s going to be Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) running Newman alone. So, both Nick and Adam are shocked and then Victor tells Nick he can come back to work at Newman Enterprises once he’s beaten his addiction. His son doesn’t like it, but Victor is being inflexible.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Victor Shocks His Kids

Then Victoria shows up and Nick says they heard she’ll be the sole CEO. And of course, Victoria says that daddy is 100% right. And then let’s get over to Adam. So he tells Victor that he and Chelsea want to rebuild Newman Media and they want to use Arabesque, the company that Victor stole from Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) as the foundation. And Nick and Victoria really like Adam’s idea. But then Victor tells them that he gave Arabesque to Phyllis.

All three of his kids are in shock and Adam, Nick, and Victoria don’t like this, especially not since it’s the first they’ve heard of it. Victor says he hates Phyllis and he hates what she did, but he admires that she pulled it off. That sounds like BS to me. And Victor brings up Phyllis and Matt saving Nick’s life. All of this seems like a big cover story. Honestly, I think the only reason Victor gave Arabesque to Phyllis was to tick off Cane. That’s it.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Adam Pushes Back on Victor

So, Adam asks about a consolation prize and Victor says they’re going to go after Spectra Charles and that will be Newman Media again. Victor says, “Then Adam can have that.” But he does not like Victor’s suggestion at all. In fact, Adam refuses to go after Sally Spectra’s (Courtney Hope) company, but Victor doesn’t care. He says it’s happening.

So, in next week’s Young and the Restless spoilers, Adam tells Victor that he needs to give him and Chelsea 6 months to put their plan into action. And Adam says after that, if it doesn’t work, then Victor can do whatever he wants. So, it sounds like Adam is suggesting an alternate strategy to redevelop Newman Media, but Victor doesn’t like it and tells Adam to take or leave his offer.

So, I’m sure that Sally’s pregnancy is at the heart of this issue for Adam. Since Sally lost their baby, Ava, he is very compassionate. And I’m sure Adam doesn’t want to declare war on Sally and stress her into a miscarriage or into some kind of pregnancy complications. And I doubt Chelsea is going to want to do that either because that’s also Billy’s baby. And especially because Sally didn’t steal Newman Media. If you remember, Phyllis did that and she’s the one who rolled it into Abbottcom for Billy. So Sally’s kind of collateral damage.

Young and the Restless: Kyle’s Revenge Against Victor

Also, at the end of this week, we saw Kyle frantic. He was running with his mom, Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters), in his arms, yelling for help from a doctor. And that’s because Patty injected Diane with a syringe meant to kill Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman). So a nurse checks over Diane and thankfully Kyle grabbed the syringe and gave it to her to check. So the doctors work on Diane and she and Tracy tell Kyle go check on Jack because he’s awake.

So, Kyle rushes in to see his dad and tells Jack they were scared they were going to lose him. And then Kyle tells Jack that Patty was about to finish him off. And then she ran and she drugged Diane. And now the cops have arrested her. And Jack wants to tell the police that Patty stabbed him.

But it looks like Detective Burrow (Matt Cohen) finally bought a clue. So Traci ears a scuffle in the hall. Patty bit the guard that Kyle hired and they bust in. Detective Burrow is there as well. Kyle wants to know what Patty and Jack did Diane with, but she won’t say. She calls it a surprise. Jack’s disgusted with Patty. Says he’ll see her in court when she’s convicted and sent to prison for life.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Ashley Abbott Returns

So, Patty’s taunting Jack about what she did to Diane. And then the cops haul her off. So Ashley burst in straight from Paris in an absolute panic. And then Diane and Jack kiss and make up. So, next week we’ve got Kyle Abbott launching this revenge plan. So, Billy was already telling Jill Abbott (Lauren Koslow) that Victor needs to pay because he brought Patty to town, and Jill agreed there should be consequences.

I actually did a video yesterday asking whether Patty will roll over on Victor. And spoilers for Young and the Restless next week have me thinking it might actually happen because Billy and Kyle talk about the Victor problem. Billy says that Victor’s a big target yet everybody keeps missing, but Kyle’s super ticked and says, “Not this time.”

So, Victor’s the reason Kyle was almost orphaned this past week. And bringing that psycho Patty to town and paying her to rape and kidnap Jack is a big problem. So, Kyle wants Victor to pay. Very understandable. So, he heads over to see Patty in her holding cell at the jail.

Y&R Spoilers: Kyle Stuns Patty

She’s in a jail house denim shirt. And this is funny. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen Stacy Haiduk dressed like this. Her character on Days of Our Lives, Kristen DiMera, is a real villainous piece of work and has been in prison many, many times. So, it’s a standard soap costume for the actress. And when Kyle shows up to see Patty, she says that Kyle is not the Abbott she was hoping to see.

But I’m expecting Kyle to make Patty an offer to flip on Victor and bring him down in exchange for some sort of bargain where Patty won’t go to prison for decades. Honestly, she just needs to be back in the psych ward. I fully expect that she will cut a deal with Kyle. I mean, why wouldn’t she? Patty has no loyalty to Victor. She shot and nearly killed him before. She hates him. And she may be upset because this whole scheme didn’t work and Patty didn’t wind up with Jack.

So, she might be ticked that Victor brought her there for nothing. I would be here for that. Also, given that Burrow now knows that Patty lied and is homicidally insane, they should circle back around and arrest Dr. Markham (Jere Burns), who might also turn on Victor because we know that Victor paid Patty to kidnap Jack. And it could be that Victor paid Markham to let Patty loose so that she could go after Jack.

New Y&R Casting and Spoilers

Also, next week, there’s some spoilers that I don’t know if they’re going to move any story lines forward, but I’ll tell you about them. So, we’ve got Ashley and Traci hanging out with Lauren, and they are declaring her an honorary Abbott. So, that’s it. That’s the spoiler. Also, one tidbit of casting news. There is a new face in a recurring role that’s coming to Y&R. Marie Kirkland (Jade Harlow) is popping up in about 4 weeks, and she will be recurring, not contract.

The thing is, I don’t think we need more women on Young and the Restless. She’s coming to Genoa City looking for a fresh start, but honestly, we already have several men that need romantic partners, so there’s an imbalance on the soap already. There’s just not an equivalent amount of women and men, you know. Be sure to check out our complete weekly spoilers video tomorrow for the week of July 13th through the 17th. Plus, don’t miss our Y&R weekly prediction edition, our two-part spoilers, and lots, lots more.

Writer-director Alex Garland‘s stratospheric rise has been remarkable to watch over the past decade-plus. After beginning his career as a screenwriter who frequently collaborated with Danny Boyle, Garland began to carve out a place for himself as a middle-to-high-brow shepherd of science fiction and action pictures that fit comfortably within the A24 wheelhouse and make decent money at the box office. This sensibility, which began with his 2014 directorial debut Ex Machina, has carried him through years of critically lauded work, and landed him the task of adapting Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R. R. Martin‘s gargantuan, surreal video game epic Elden Ring.

In 2022, though, Garland released his most divisive and shamelessly disreputable film — one that broke away from his signature style into something much gorier and funnier. Men is a horror picture that, on paper, shares much of its DNA with other A24 elevated horror films, with its luscious, vaguely haunted landscape shots, heavy-handed symbolism, and a menacing ambient score.

However, what distinguishes it from the rest of the grief-as-horror pack is its dedication to increasingly absurd and gruesome effects shots that owe a debt to the 1980s glory days of Brian Yuzna and Stuart Gordon. Men’s questionable aspirations toward deeper meaning aside, the film goes deeper and deeper into gory, ridiculous effects as it goes on. Its climax plays like something Yuzna could have dreamed up to include in the notorious finale of Society — and while many critics viewed it as a big swing-and-a-miss by a talented director, for the right kind of viewer, it’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch.

‘Men’ Plays With A24 Horror Tropes…Until It Doesn’t

Image via A24

For much of its runtime, Men could be mistaken for a parody of A24’s house horror style. It’s heavily, almost comically metaphorical as it follows the tribulations of Harper (Jessie Buckley), a young woman who flees London for the countryside after her abusive husband jumps to his death from their high rise. But rather than finding peace in her rural surroundings, she repeatedly encounters a sinister naked man who gradually becomes more and more plant-like in appearance, as well as an overbearing landlord, a disturbing youth who wants to play hide and seek, and a lecherous vicar — all played masterfully by Buckley’s sole co-star, Rory Kinnear. She also eats an apple from a tree without the landowner’s permission.

Harper is seeking escape, while also at least partially blaming herself for her husband’s suicide. But in her quest for inner peace, she instead finds only more predatory men. Even the vicar, who starts out understanding, eventually reverts to sexual violence in the finale. Garland is far from subtle with his message, poignant as it may be, and the film’s pace and the degree to which audiences can take it seriously do suffer.

But despite all the social critique, Garland’s heart seems to lie elsewhere, and once Men truly kicks off its blood-soaked climax, it doesn’t stop — and fans of creative gore effects are in for a treat.

‘Men’ Offers Wildly Gruesome 1980s-Style Thrills in Its Climax

At a certain point, Harper finds herself under siege by (apparently) the child played by Kinnear. She plunges a knife through the kid’s forearm as he’s reaching through her mail slot; he then proceeds to draw his arm back agonizingly slowly, splitting his forearm and hand vertically. It’s a truly wonderful effect — almost like something out of a latter-era Evil Dead film — and from here on out, the film is almost all gross-outs.

The moment in which the terrifying vicar sexually menaces Harper by using both sides of his split hand and forearm to grab her neck is both unsettling and hilarious, and belongs in one of Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator pictures. And once Kinnear’s multiple men begin giving birth to one another — starting with an anal birth — we are so clearly in Yuzna territory that we are even treated to feet emerging from a mouth in an explicit echo of Society‘s “shunting” sequence. Garland is having fun, and so is an audience looking for a break from the current glut of elevated horror.

It’s hard to express how refreshing the scuzzy, wet effects work of Men is, coming after what one may fear is a prototypical A24 horror film. As masterful as Ari Aster’s Hereditary is, fun is never even approached in the film, and its moments of fleeting gore evoke trauma more than delight. The finale of Men, with its glut of grotesque imagery and satisfying blend of practical effects and CGI, could redeem a far worse movie — but in an era when gleefully bloody imagery is hard to find, Men‘s psychedelically gruesome climax is truly something worth watching.

After the critical and financial successes of Civil War and Warfare (although audiences are sharply divided on the former), it’s highly unlikely that Garland will return to such disreputable territory again, which is a shame. However, given the fecund ground Miyazaki and Martin have laid with Elden Ring‘s vast bestiary, catalog of bodily torments, and stunning vistas, Garland has a chance to deliver on multiple fronts again. People grafting multiple limbs onto themselves, a disease that rots the body and channels an outer god, humans ground to paste and stuffed into jars that then become animate — the possibilities for phantasmagoria are endless. Here’s hoping that Garland returns to taking visual and visceral risks like he did with Annihilation and Men once more. It seems to be where he thrives.

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Release Date

May 20, 2022

Runtime

100 minutes

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Director

Alex Garland

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Writers

Alex Garland

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Even celebrities are compelled to build a capsule wardrobe, regularly wearing the same items over and over again. Selena Gomez, for instance, has taken a liking to one specific pair of baggy jeans, even rocking them in the heat. Shockingly, the exact style is still available online, so you can get Gomez look for yourself.

The Only Murders in the Building star has been spotted wearing her Agolde Low Curve Jeans on multiple occasions. The first time she sported the pick, she was strolling down a cobblestone street, and the second time, she was hanging poolside. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about how versatile this denim piece is, we don’t know what will.

Get the Agolde Low Curve Jeans for $258 at Free People!

Agolde is known for its premium denim offerings, including jeans in a variety of fits. This specific pair is looser, so it won’t stick to you in the heat, but it still hugs the waist to stay in place. These bottoms were designed to have a lower-rise fit, but reviewers noted that they sit higher than you’d think, which many appreciate. The slightly tapered leg balances out the look nicely, so you can pair it with a range of tops.

Related: Channel Kate Moss‘ Supermodel Style With These $23 Jeans

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Kate Moss has been setting the standard for off-duty supermodel style since the ’90s, and her recent Paris Fashion Week outfit proves she hasn’t lost her touch. She made a strong case for a pair of leg-lengthening jeans that instantly elevated an otherwise simple ensemble. On June 23, Moss attended Saint Laurent’s menswear show wearing […]

It appears that Gomez wore the Memory shade, which is a very light wash denim. However, the same style is also available in darker options, as well as white and brown. The light wash is especially nice for summer, as we like to keep things airy anyway. Plus, if you take a note from both of Gomez’s looks — did you notice she wore a white top each time? — then you’ll look seasonally spot-on.

Shoppers understand that it can be tricky to find the right amount of baggy without looking sloppy, so they’re thrilled with this Agolde find.

“These are the most perfect, easy fit, relaxed jeans I’ve found!” one five-star reviewer wrote. “They’re the perfect relaxed fit without being too baggy. Love!”

“I’m obsessed with these jeans. Quality is great, fit is perfect. However, they are definitely high-rise as others have mentioned, which is what I wanted anyway,” a happy shopper shared. “Great length, and they fit my waist really well while still accommodating my larger butt/legs.”

These jeans are certainly an investment, but the high quality, easy fit and Gomez’s endorsement mean they’ll stand the test of time in your wardrobe — and girl math says that’s well worth it.

Get the Agolde Low Curve Jeans for $258 at Free People!

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Related: Olivia Wilde‘s Relaxed White Pants Are Summer‘s Coolest Jean Swap

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Jeans will always have their place, but Olivia Wilde just reminded Us there’s a much cooler option for summer. Her latest street style look proves that relaxed white pants can feel just as versatile while keeping you far more comfortable on hot, sticky days. Equal parts effortless and elevated, they’re the kind of staple you’ll […]

Andy Cohen and Kevin Sobieski have quietly become one of Bravo’s newest power couples — and their romance moved from private to very public in a matter of weeks.

After nearly a year of dating under the radar, the Watch What Happens Live host confirmed his relationship with the businessman in June 2026 after they were spotted holding hands in New York City.

Keep scrolling to revisit how Cohen’s relationship with Sobieski unfolded:

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Related: Look Back at Andy Cohen’s Dating History Amid Romance With Kevin Sobieski

Bravo fans are buzzing about Andy Cohen’s relationship with businessman Kevin Sobieski after photos of the pair holding hands in New York City went viral in June 2026. “This fella and I have been holding hands all over town, you guys, so it’s wild that there were photographs taken the other night,” Cohen said of […]

July 2025

Cohen and Sobieski connected at a 4th of July party in the Hamptons in July 2025 — an event Cohen almost skipped.

“I almost didn’t go and I dragged myself out. I never get invited to gay parties in the Hamptons anymore,” Cohen recalled on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy in June 2026. “I went, we talked all night.”

Sobieski, a Harvard-educated businessman, works at alternative asset management firm TPG on its portfolio operations team, focusing primarily on healthcare investments. Before dating Cohen, he was linked to composer Benj Pasek — of songwriting duo Pasek and Paul, who created music for La La Land and The Greatest Showman — from 2018 to 2022.

October 2025

Cohen offered his first public hint about Sobieski during an October 2025 appearance on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast. At the time, the TV host said he had been on “some dates” with a man and described his type as “strong, independent, smart” and “handsome.”

Cohen also opened up about his dating life as a single dad, sharing that he had tried apps including Raya and Grindr.

“I have kids, obviously, and so dating has really changed, and I meet two kind[s] of people,” he said. “People that I want to sleep with and people that I want to date, and we all do. And people that I want to date and sleep with, obviously. That’s the goal.”

November 2025

By BravoCon in November 2025, Cohen was showing off photos of Sobieski to his Real Housewives stars — and none of them leaked the news.

“I’m showing them all pictures and nobody said a word. It never got out. I showed so many Housewives,” Cohen said on his radio show the next year.

June 2026

The couple’s cover was blown when photos surfaced of the pair holding hands in New York City’s West Village in June 2026 on Cohen’s 58th birthday. The two had dined at Italian restaurant Via Carota, according to a DeuxMoi report. Cohen wore a tan suit with a pink T-shirt, while Sobieski opted for a dark suit and pale button-up.

Cohen later said he’d actually been holding hands with Sobieski around town for months.

“This fella and I have been holding hands all over town, you guys, so it’s wild that there were photographs taken the other night,” Cohen said on his radio show. “People have said to me, ‘You were at Via Corota. What did you expect?’ I’ve been in that restaurant holding hands with him for the whole time.”

Days later, Cohen officially addressed the relationship on Radio Andy, telling listeners he had planned to wait until their one-year anniversary before going public.

“I don’t want to be with the wrong person. I value my time too much. I value my life too much,” Cohen said. “My criteria about what I was looking for never changed. It’s always been a feeling for me. I’ve always followed the feeling. I am really happy to say that I met the person.”

He described Sobieski as “so low-key,” noted he has no entertainment background and gushed about how the businessman had fit into his family. (Cohen is a single dad of son Ben and daughter Lucy.)

“This man is kind and strong and smart and he is an adult and he loves my children and they love him and I love him,” Cohen gushed. “Introducing him to the kids and just entering him into the equation of my family so slowly, I have to say it has been so easy.”

Cohen added that after 11 months together, they hadn’t had a single fight.

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July 2026

On his Watch What Happens Live, Cohen made light of his 16-year age difference with Sobieski. When guest Georgia McCann questioned Next Gen NYC costar Ava Dash’s connection with fellow Bravolebrity Kyle Cooke — who is 17 years her senior — the camera panned to Cohen.

“Don’t put the camera on me!” Cohen playfully said, shaking his head and covering his face with a card. “I’m only in a 16-year age-gap relationship.”

This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. 

Between hit series like Off Campus, Every Year After, and the upcoming Fourth Wing adaptation, Prime Video has been killing it, bringing young adult hits to its streaming service. For the latter, they’ve even teamed up with a newly minted Academy Award winner, Michael B. Jordan, who signed a development deal with Prime Video under his producing banner, Outlier Society. But the biggest surprise in their arsenal, with the biggest potential to take over the internet and earn legions of fans, hasn’t been made yet.

In 2021, bestselling author Charlie Jane Anders published her latest novel, Victories Greater Than Death, the first in what she dubbed The Unstoppable Trilogy. Almost immediately, Outlier Society optioned the trilogy for Prime Video before the second and third books were even published. While the last update on the adaptation was from 2022, when former Breaking Bad writer Gennifer Hutchison was hired as showrunner, if and when the series makes it to Prime Video, it should command the attention of every science fiction fan on the planet.

A Unique and Exciting Space Opera

Book covers by Tor Teen

Victories Greater Than Death begins with a teenage girl named Tina Mains, who for all the world looks like the average high schooler. What few know is that Tina is actually the clone of Thaoh Argentian, the legendary captain of an alien armada who was killed in action. Her comrades took a DNA sample and cloned her as a baby and placed her in the care of a single human woman, who raised her as her own and told Tina about her heritage on her 13th birthday. The kicker is that a beacon is implanted in Tina that will go off at some point in her life, allowing her to rejoin the alien fleet and pick up where Thaoh left off.

It doesn’t take too many chapters for the beacon to activate, but once it does, Tina, along with her BFF Rachael Townsend, is suddenly swept up into a galaxy-hopping adventure where the fate of the universe hangs in the balance. Along the way, the girls also navigate new friendships and relationships, while facing extremely personal crises and embracing their inner heroes.

The trilogy spans multiple planets, introduces new alien races, and dives into big ideas nearly constantly, but the impressive thing is that throughout all this, readers are fully on board with whatever happens due to Anders’s characters. Each and every character in the book is not only extremely likable but also easy to identify with, even as they end up in increasingly heady situations. They handle the chaos in ways that feel real, even taking time to breathe and reflect on what they’re in for, which most science fiction heroes do not do.

An Accepting and Progressive Galaxy

Illustrations by Tor Teen

As if the great story and characters weren’t enough, the series will no doubt earn points for its representation of various minorities. The cast is not only ethnically diverse, with performers from around the world, but also features multiple LGBTQ+ characters. The books have major gay, lesbian, transgender, and non-binary characters who play major roles, and at no point are any of these made a big deal. One major character in the trilogy, Elza, is a Black transgender lesbian, a fact that is mentioned a grand total of twice before the series simply treats her as a normal person and even as a key player in the series’ action.

In a political climate where minorities are under attack nearly constantly, Anders presents a different universe where nobody in this galaxy is judged for what they look like or who they love. Numerous aliens that Tina and company encounter introduce themselves with their pronouns, some even with pronouns such as “Fire,” and the queer relationships in the book are not judged, but rather celebrated. Anders has created a world in which nobody is excluded from the party for any reason, which is not only refreshing but a sentiment that most stories nowadays sorely need.

With the science fiction landscape in dire need of new blood, Victories Greater Than Death has all the trappings to be the next big space adventure. With a diverse cast, a stunning series of new worlds to explore, and a story worth telling, the tremendous potential of the upcoming series cannot be overstated.

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