‘Her Private Hell’ is Totally Out to Lunch

July 20, 2026

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When Private Hells go Public (CREDIT: NEON)

Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton, Havana Rose Liu, Kristine Froseth, Shioli Kutsuna, Aoi Yamada, Dougray Scott, Diego Calva, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Parker Sawyers

Director: Nicholas Winding Refn

Running Time: 110 Minutes

Rating: R for Stylized But Certainly Bloody Violence, and Some Sexual Content and Language Under a Similarly Stylized Veneer

Release Date: July 24, 2026 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: A veteran actress named Elle (Sophie Thatcher) meets an up-and-comer named Hunter (Kristine Froseth) who is set to co-star with her in an upcoming production. Hunter is eager to soak up everything Elle has to teach her, and she’s also enamored with Elle’s famous dad Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott), who’s back in town with his new wife Dominique (Havana Rose Liu), who’s about the same age as Elle. They’re all staying in a luxury hotel in Tokyo that stretches into the clouds and seems to exist on another plane of existence entirely. It might sound like a lavish life of wonder, but they’re also right in the crosshairs of a mystical killer known as the Leather Man. Meanwhile, an investigator known as Private K (Charles Melton) fights his way through the city’s criminal underground.

What Made an Impression?: Return of the Winding: After breaking through in Hollywood with 2011’s acclaimed Drive, Danish director Nicholas Winding Refn’s output has been famously divisive. I actually found his 2016 bizarre nightmare horror flick The Neon Demon to be quite a hoot, but I could see why it didn’t work for everyone. Now that he’s returned to feature films a decade later with Her Private Hell, my reaction is, “Wait a minute, was I really ever a fan of Refn in the first place?” Now’s a good time to practice my compartmentalization skills.
Turning on the Charm: In the first 20 minutes or so of HPH, I was kind of vibing along with the stylized faux-reality. Most of Elle and Hunter’s repartee is profoundly shallow, but there are a few lines that have a bit of a satirical edge to them or enough pseudo-philosophical heft to sufficiently amuse me. So yeah, I must admit that I laughed, and I cannot deny that Refn’s whole impish deal can still hold its sway over me, at least in spurts.
It Was Nice Knowing Ya: At a certain point, though, my mind drifted about as far away from what was happening on the screen as possible. I lost the plot, and I wasn’t one bit interested in rediscovering it. But what is this plot that I speak of, when truly Her Private Hell can only boast of a facsimile of typical storytelling? This whole assemblage could have been pretty memorable as a music video. But as a feature length endeavor? It’s only memorable for how forgettable it is.

Her Private Hell is Recommended If: You’re still 100% in on NWR stock and nothing has ever convinced you otherwise

Grade: 2 out of 5 Leather Men

Time to Assess ‘She’s the He’, ‘Stop! That! Train!’, ‘Power Ballad’, and ‘Carolina Caroline’

July 4, 2026

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CREDIT: Obscured Releasing/Screenshot

She’s the He

Starring: Misha Osherovich, Nico Carney, Suzanne Cryer, Malia Pyles, Mark Indelicato, Emmett Preciado, Tatiana Ringsby, Aparna Nancherla

Director: Siobhan McCarthy

Running Time: 81 Minutes

Rating: Unrated

Release Date: June 5, 2026 (Theaters)

Stop! That! Train!

Starring: Ginger Minj, Jujubee, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Latrice Royale, Marty Lauter, Monét X Change, Symone, RuPaul Charles, Rachel Bloom, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicole Richie,  Raven-Symoné, Michelle Visage, Chris Parnell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Charo, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Natasha Leggero, Drew Droege, Joel McHale, Guy Branum, Daniel Franzese, Riki Lindhome, Mayan Lopez, Evan Mulrooney, Missi Pyle, Jerry O’Connell, June Diane Raphael, Lisa Rinna, Jai Rodriguez, Matt Rogers, Paul Scheer, Nicole Sullivan, Angeria Paris VanMicheals

Director: Adam Shankman

Running Time: 90 Minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: June 12, 2026 (Theaters)

Power Ballad

Starring: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Beth Fallon, Jack Reynor, Havana Rose Liu, Sophie Vavasseur

Director: John Carney

Running Time: 98 Minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: May 29, 2026 (Theaters)

Carolina Caroline

Starring: Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, Jon Gries, Kyra Sedgwick

Director: Adam Carter Rehmeier

Running Time: 106 Minutes

Rating: Unrated

Release Date: June 5, 2026 (Theaters)

Okay, here’s my directive: catch up on my thoughts of movies I’ve seen recently but haven’t fully reviewed yet. For this roundup, I’m going to quickly answer the question: Does this movie live up to its title?

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‘Tuner’ is a Modest Thriller with a Big Impact

May 20, 2026

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Staying in Tune (CREDIT: Black Bear/Screenshot)

Starring: Leo Woodall, Havana Rose Liu, Dustin Hoffman, Tovah Feldshuh, Lior Raz, Nissan Sakira, Gil Cohen, Jean Reno

Director: Daniel Roher

Running Time: 107 Minutes

Rating: R for Language, Criminals Pushed Over the Edge, and Some Hard Drugs

Release Date: May 22, 2026 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Niki White (Leo Woodall) once had a promising future as a virtuoso pianist, but then he developed a terrible case of hyperacusis, which basically means he’s allergic to excessive noise. He’s managed to remain in the business of those 88 keys as an apprentice to legendary New York City piano tuner Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), who’s basically an uncle to him. When Harry ends up in the hospital, Niki resorts to not-exactly-legal means to keep the tuning business afloat and cover Harry’s medical bills, as his preternatural pitch detection skills allow him to become an ace safecracker for a smooth-talking professional thief named Uri (Lior Raz). Niki eventually tries to back out when Uri and his crew cross too many lines, but he’s already in too deep, which isn’t exactly good news when it comes to his budding romance with fellow piano powerhouse Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu) or his own personal safety.

What Made an Impression?: The Leo-ding Man: Woodall has what I would complimentarily refer to as Resting Compelling Sadboy Face. You can read so much into what’s underneath those pores while he’s brooding out a window, and that disposition also means that his different-flavored co-stars in Tuner have plenty to bounce off. So if you want Dustin Hoffman to be charming while also a little too forward, or to feel the heat with Havana Rose Liu, or for Lior Raz to play the dangerous friend, or for Tovah Feldshuh to just deliver some necessary wisdom, well, that’s all going to land comfortably in the space that Woodall provides.
It Really Does Sound Like That Sometimes, Doesn’t It?: While the cast is solid across the board, the creative contributor who leaves the biggest impression besides Woodall is actually composer Will Bates. His propulsive jazz-inflected score captures the rush of what must be going through Niki’s head as he does his best to make it through this bumpy stage in his life. It might be a case of the music telling you exactly how you’re supposed to feel, but I endorse that decision. Certainly in this particular genre.
I Can’t Get Enough: Whenever I think about this movie’s title, I can’t help but say “Too Much Tuner” a la Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s “Oh, Hello” routine. And the movie itself actually plays into that! Specifically, Harry discusses his affinity for tuna sandwiches, and it’s even revealed that he’s known as the “Tuner Fish.” I don’t know if this allusive ichthyology was intentional on director Daniel Roher and his co-screenwriter Robert Ramsey’s part, but in any case, it absolutely satisfied what I was looking for.

Tuner is Recommended If You Like: The kind of movie that makes you lean forward and politely asks you not to blink

Grade: 4 out of 5 Safes

Is There Ever Enough Room for a ‘Lurker’?

September 12, 2025

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This is How you Lurker (CREDIT: Mubi)

Starring: Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Wale Onayemi, Daniel Zolghadri, Sunny Suljic

Director: Alex Russell

Running Time: 101 Minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: August 22, 2025 (Theaters)

Lurker is a grainy warning about allowing someone into your inner circle with minimal vetting, as pop star Oliver (Archie Madekwe) hires clothing store employee Matty Morning (Théodore Pellerin) as his personal documentarian after a seemingly chance encounter. Soon enough, Matty is trying to control Oliver’s entire artistic direction, and pity anyone who stands in his way. That insinuation is definitely something to be on the lookout for if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, but I want to talk about Oliver’s living situation, i.e., a modern mansion that he shares with the tightest members of his entourage.

It’s quite the platonic fantasy, isn’t it? I know I wasn’t the only one who thought it would be the ultimate dream to live together in a big house with my closest buds in my twenties. And now it’s a reality for plenty of people – have you seen those influencer houses? But they could really use some adult supervision. I’m not against living arrangements that go beyond the traditional setup of parents and kids; if you’ve got the space, extra residents are a solid way to split the costs and share the memories. But instead of a surplus of young adults, I’d recommend something more multigenerational, and the lessons of Lurker only serve to underscore that.

Grade: 5 DV Camcorders out of 7 DSLRs

I’m Not Afraid to Say That I Have Some Thoughts About ‘AfrAId’

September 6, 2024

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To Be AfrAID, or to be very AfrAId? (CREDIT: Glen Wilson/Columbia Pictures)

Starring: John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Keith Carradine, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, David Dastmalchian, Ashley Romans, Wyatt Lindner, Isaac Bae, Bennett Curran, Greg Hill, Riki Lindhome, Todd Waring

Director: Chris Weitz

Running Time: 84 Minutes

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: August 30, 2024 (Theaters)

I ain’t afraid of no A.I. And AfrAId didn’t convince me that I should be! First of all, it’s just a movie, so we should really just relax. Second of all, it takes a much-less apocalyptic approach than it could have. Whereas horror movie monsters are typically defeated or merely just escaped from by their story’s end, in AfrAID, AIA the A.I. ultimately brokers a compromise with its human keepers. In that way, it offers a similarly uneasy (but possibly hopeful) solution as that of The Babadook. So yeah, that’s something different than what we usually get from this genre. If that sounds kind of enticing to you, then I would go ahead and encourage you to check out AfrAId!

Grade: A.I. Don’t Love You, But A.I. Do Tolerate You

‘Bottoms’ is a Queer, Bloody, and Fantastical Journey Through High School

August 24, 2023

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Bottoms on top? (CREDIT: ORION Pictures)

Starring: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Dagmara Domińczyk, Marshawn Lynch, Ruby Cruz

Director: Emma Seligman

Running Time: 92 Minutes

Rating: R for A Fair Bit of Sexuality and Some Absurd Violence

Release Date: August 25, 2023 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: There’s no way around it: PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri) are the outcasts of all outcasts at Huntington High School. You might call them bottoms even. (The title of their movie certainly does.) They’re both gay, but that’s not the problem. Their classmates are pretty enlightened when it comes to sexual orientation, but they’re a little less so when it comes to people who are untalented and don’t care much about football. So PJ and Josie try to reverse their fortunes by starting a fight club/self-defense class/feminine support group as a front to hook up with the hottest girls in school. Will their secret be found out? Or will everyone else be more focused on the looming big game with the rival school?

What Made an Impression?: The Point is Beside the Point: The queerness that’s central to Bottoms‘ premise is always front and center, but it’s not the most fundamental aspect. At its core, this is a story about acceptance. Josie and PJ could just as easily be scheming on a plot to land some platonic friends, and you would hardly have to change any aspect of the script to make that happen. That’s a win for both representation and storytelling. This is a movie that is perfectly comfortable being matter-of-fact and upfront about its identity and then simply moving on to the rest of the good stuff.
Queer in Other Ways: Of course, there’s another definition of “queer” besides the LGBTQ+ sense. It’s a synonym for “weird” and “bizarre,” or even “outlandish.” And let’s be clear: Bottoms is strange-queer even more than it is gay-queer. If you get a bunch of funny people together, of course things are going to be off-kilter. But if you were expecting a somewhat realistic depiction of the high school experience, then you need to reset your expectations ASAP. This is a romp that is campy, gratuitous, and absurd aplenty. Every character feels like a facsimile of a human being, rather than an actual person, and the rules of life are accordingly askew.
Seriously, I Don’t Know What the Hell I Just Watched: I’m hesitant to recommend Bottoms with my full soul, because while I admire its bravado, I could never quite figure out its base reality. Random and outlandish behavior is the status quo, so I found myself thinking “OMG WTF” much more often than I was cracking up. That’s a better state of mind than nothing at all, but not as pleasurable as possible. If you want to get kooky, Bottoms has plenty of kooky. And maybe it’s just best not to ask why.

Bottoms is Recommended If You Like: Heathers, Assassination Nation, MacGruber, Cocaine Bear, The fight scenes from Anchorman and Anchorman 2

Grade: 3 out of 5 Golden Ferrets