Rebecca Ferguson Ranked

 Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Rebecca Ferguson-whose latest project "Mercy" releases in theaters today. 

Rebecca Ferguson's Filmography Ranked:

15.The Greatest Showman (C)

14.Florence Foster Jenkins (C)

13.Men in Black: International (C+)

12.The Kid Who Would Be King (B-)

11.Hercules (B-) 

10.Life (B-)

9.A House of Dynamite (B-)

8.Reminiscence (B-) 

7.Mission-Impossible: Rogue Nation (B)

6.Dune: Part Two (B)

5.The Girl on the Train (B+)

4.Dune (B+)

3.Doctor Sleep (B+)

2.Mission-Impossible: Dead Reckoning (B+)

1.Mission-Impossible: Fallout (B+)

Top Dog: Mission-Impossible: Fallout (2018)

The Mission-Impossible franchise was able to maintain a pretty consistent quality standard once the scale got upped with the third film that would be the envy of most other long-running franchises. While I don't believe the gap is as significant as some people do, Fallout does sit a bit above the other entries that came out during this 20-year golden period for Tom Cruise's spy franchise. Fallout earned its way to the top of the pack for one simple reason: the action sequences and stuntwork are the craziest of the entire franchise. This movie just stacks propulsive setpieces on top of each other until it rides off into the sunset after 2.5 glorious hours. It's just an unbelievable accomplishment that will have action movie fans gushing for the rest of time. 

Bottom Feeder: The Greatest Showman (2017)

Michael Gracey's stylish, technically dazzling direction on Better Man impressed me so much that I decided to finally give The Greatest Showman a shot. After watching it, I'm blown away that these two films were directed by the same person. The Greatest Showman is really the anti-Better Man as it doesn't have an interesting, risk-taking bone in its body. The starry cast (Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Ferguson) does what they can to try and elevate the material they were given, but they're just no match for the heaping helping of vanilla "follow your dreams" sentimentality and cutesy focus group-tested songs that this film serves up. 

Most Underrated: The Girl on the Train (2016)

Being utterly delighted by The Housemaid last month got me thinking about other trashy thrillers that have come out in the past decade. The Girl on the Train has become the most slept-on title from the initial wave of titles from this subgenre that arrived on the scene after the success of Gone Girl brought it back into the spotlight. Emily Blunt does some of the best work of her storied career as a blackout-prone alcoholic who isn't quite sure if she witnessed the murder of a young woman (Haley Bennett) from a commuter train bound for New York City, Tate Taylor delivers the sturdy direction that made him one of the most in-demand studio filmmakers of the 2010's and the stacked supporting cast (Justin Theroux, Ferguson, Allison Janney, Lisa Kudrow, Luke Evans) help sell the shit out of the barrage of absurd twists that make or break these kinds of movies.

Most Overrated: Dune: Part Two (2024)

Denis Villeneuve is somebody who handles spectacle and tension incredibly well but tends to struggle with delivering emotion. This has never been more apparent in a film of his than it is in Dune: Part Two. The transformation of Paul Atreides from potential liberator of the oppressed to budding tyrant is supposed to be this devastating tale about how power corrupts and yet through the combination of Dune's unbelievable scale and emotional coldness, it never gets close enough to Atreides for the viewer to feel the true weight of his turn towards darkness. The lack of emotional substance in Dune: Part Two is the main reason why my excitement level for the more character-driven Dune: Part Three is so muted.

Oscar Nomination Predictions

Tomorrow in the wee hours of the morning in Los Angeles, this year's Oscar nominations will be revealed. Here are the films and individuals I expect to be in the running for gold statues this year. 

Best Picture:

Bugonia 

Frankenstein

Hamnet

It Was Just an Accident 

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

The Secret Agent

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Train Dreams

Locks: Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, Sinners

Toss-Ups: Bugonia, It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Train Dreams

Other Possible Contenders: Avatar: Fire and Ash, F1, No Other Choice, Sirat, Weapons

Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another

Ryan Coogler, Sinners

Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme

Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value

Chloe Zhao, Hamnet

Locks: Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Chloe Zhao

Toss-Ups: Josh Safdie, Joachim Trier

Other Possible Contenders: Clint Bentley (Train Dreams), Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein), Kieber Mendoca Filho (The Secret Agent), Yorgos Lanthimos (Bugonia), Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident)

Best Actor:

Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

Locks: Timothee Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan, Wagner Moura

Toss-Ups: None

Other Possible Contenders: George Clooney (Jay Kelly), Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams), Lee Byung-hun (No Other Choice), Dwayne Johnson (The Smashing Machine), Jesse Plemons (Bugonia)

Best Actress:

Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You

Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another

Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value

Emma Stone, Bugonia

Locks: Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne

Toss-Ups: Chase Infiniti, Renate Reinsve, Emma Stone

Other Possible Contenders: Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love), Amanda Seyfried (The Testament of Ann Lee), Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby)

Best Supporting Actor:

Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another

Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein

Paul Mescal, Hamnet

Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

Stellan Skarsgard, Sentimental Value

Locks: Benicio del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Sean Penn, Stellan Skarsgard

Toss-Ups: None

Other Possible Contenders: Miles Caton (Sinners), Delroy Lindo (Sinners), William H. Macy (Train Dreams), Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly), Andrew Scott (Blue Moon)

Best Supporting Actress:

Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value

Amy Madigan, Weapons

Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Locks: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Amy Madigan, Teyana Taylor

Toss-Ups: Ariana Grande, Wunmi Mosaku

Other Possible Contenders: Odessa A'zion (Marty Supreme), Emily Blunt (The Smashing Machine) Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value), Regina Hall (One Battle After Another), Gwyneth Paltrow (Marty Supreme)

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Bugonia

Hamnet

No Other Choice

One Battle After Another

Train Dreams

Locks: Hamnet, One Battle After Another

Toss-Ups: Bugonia, No Other Choice, Train Dreams

Other Possible Contenders: Frankenstein, Hedda, The Long Walk, Nuremberg, Wake Up Dead Man

Best Original Screenplay:

It Was Just an Accident

Marty Supreme

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Sorry, Baby

Locks: It Was Just an Accident, Sentimental Value, Sinners

Toss-Ups: Marty Supreme, Sorry, Baby

Other Possible Contenders: Blue Moon, Is This Thing On?, Jay Kelly, The Secret Agent, Weapons

Best Animated Feature:

Arco

Kpop Demon Hunters

Little Amelie or the Character of Rain

Scarlet

Zootopia 2

Locks: Arco, Kpop Demon Hunters, Zootopia 2

Toss-Ups: Little Amelie or the Character of Rain, Scarlet

Other Possible Contenders: The Bad Guys 2, In Your Dreams, Elio 

Best Documentary Feature:

2000 Meters to Andriivika

The Alabama Solution

Cover-Up

My Undesirable Friends

The Perfect Neighbor

Locks: 2000 Meters to Andriivika, Cover-Up

Toss-Ups: The Alabama Solution, My Undesirable Friends, The Perfect Neighbor

Other Possible Contenders: Apocalypse in the Tropics, Come See Me in the Good Light, Holding Liat, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, Seeds 

Best International Film:

It Was Just an Accident

No Other Choice

Sentimental Value

The Secret Agent 

Sirat

Locks: It Was Just an Accident, Sentimental Value, The Secret Agent

Toss-Up: No Other Choice, Sirat

Other Potential Contenders: Kokuho, Left-Handed Girl, The President's Cake, Sound of Falling, The Voice of Hind Rajab

Best Casting:

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Best Cinematography: 

Frankenstein

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Train Dreams

Best Film Editing:

F1

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Best Costume Design:

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Hedda

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

Frankenstein

One Battle After Another

The Smashing Machine

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Production Design:

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Score:

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Best Original Song:

"Dear Me" (Diane Warren: Relentless)

"The Girl in the Bubble" (Wicked: For Good)

"Golden" (Kpop Demon Hunters)

"I Lied to You" (Sinners)

"Train Dreams" (Train Dreams)

Best Sound:

Avatar: Fire and Ash

F1

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Sirat

Best Visual Effects:

Avatar: Fire and Ash

F1

Frankenstein

Sinners

Superman

Best Animated Short:

Autokar

Eiru

Playing God

Retirement Plan

Snow Bear

Best Documentary Short:

All the Empty Rooms

Armed With Only a Camera

The Devil is Busy

Perfectly a Strangeness 

We Were the Scenery 

Best Live Action Short:

The Boy with White Skin

Jane Austen's Period Drama

The Singers

Two People Exchanging Saliva 

Movie Review: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

28 Years Later marked the return of franchise architects Danny Boyle and Alex Garland to the fold after they stepped aside for the only other previous sequel (2007's 28 Weeks Later). Their re-entry point proved to be a fascinating one as they centered the story around a preteen boy (Alfie Williams) coming of age in a world full of nothing but uncertainty, danger and decrepit monuments to a world that no longer exists. Accompanying its slow burn existentialism was a deeply experimental visual language that was built around unpredictable camera placements (the film was shot using a rig that contained 20 iPhones fanned out-which gave cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle the ability to shoot things from angles/perspectives that would be incredibly difficult to pull off with a traditional movie camera) and editing choices like freeze frames and quick cuts between still images. The avant garde style and comparative lack of zombie action made the film rather polarizing and that divided reaction was inevitably going to hurt the box office of the already-in-the can sequel The Bone Temple-which was set to and did end up releasing just seven months later. While Garland remained on as writer for the second part of the planned trilogy, Boyle passed the baton to Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels) for the sequel. The worries of those who were concerned that Boyle's absence in the director's chair was going to lead to the creation of a more conventional product proved to be misplaced as The Bone Temple is a great movie that complements its predecessor while establishing its own uniquely daring identity. 

The Bone Temple picks up pretty much immediately where its predecessor left off with Williams' Spike getting acquainted with the group of blonde wig-wearing, track suit-clad individuals that saved him from a zombie swarm This group is actually a cult led by Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell)-who is the young boy from the beginning of Years who watches his mother, sister and several members of his village get massacred and his preacher father gleefully sacrifice himself to the undead horde. Reeling from the trauma of his youth, Jimmy believes he is the son of Satan and his followers-who he also refers to as "Jimmy"-travel around the countryside looking for survivors to inflict unspeakable torture on. The petrified Spike has to decide if he wants to risk his life trying to escape from Jimmy's gang or stand by idly while they carry out their mission of bringing "charity" to those who have been lucky enough to survive for 28 years of a zombie apocalypse. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes)-who was also introduced in the final act-stumbles upon the alpha zombie "Samson" (Chi Lewis-Parry) in his shrine to the dead (aka The Bone Temple) and after seeing how he reacts to getting hit with a tranquilizer dart, Kelson believes the infection can be treated and begins to test out a potential cure on Samson . Eventually, Jimmy and Kelson end up crossing paths and what transpires between the two will change the lives of everyone in their orbit. 

By shifting focus to Kelson and Crystal, The Bone Temple is able to explore this world through the eyes of two men that went down rapidly different paths after the outbreak caused the UK to fall. Kelson never lost any of his humanity while Crystal weaponized his grief and confusion over what happened to his family to inflict pain and lord power over people who are just looking for somebody to follow during a turbulent time. Accompanying their contrasting plights is also a fascinating, painfully relevant conversation about science vs. faith. Kelson's values can be prescribed to his belief in helping others and the powers of medicine, conversation and research as healing tools while Crystal's worldview is shaped by an insistence that God is punishing mankind for its misdeeds and the egomaniacal delusion that's he's being used as an instrument to help carry this unholy reign of terror out. The vividness of Garland's writing and DaCosta's direction allows the atmosphere to powerfully express their worldviews when the story is focused on them and once the two finally meet at the end of the second act, things get particularly interesting as the window into their souls grow more transparent. 

Of course, the added bonus of all of this fascinating worldbuilding and unique explorations of well-worn themes is that this material gives a duo of sensational actors a chance to flex their muscles. Fiennes once again demonstrates the versatility that has made him so deeply respected in the industry over the past 40 years by playing a character that is completely unlike any other he's played in the past. Kelson may be an eccentric guy with an unusual love of iodine and Duran Duran, but his compassion, kindness and curiosity come from such a pure place that they couldn't even be corrupted by the collapse of a civilization that felt invincible. He's the best of humanity and one of the biggest reasons this movie manages to pack a deceptively hopeful emotional punch underneath its bleak exterior.     

Fair or not, seeing O'Connell thrive in a villain role in Sinners last year set the villain bar very high for him here. Fortunately, he didn't just clear the bar, he soared that bitch like it wasn't a challenge at all. As a cult leader, O'Connell has to harness some of the charm that he relied on to create Remmick. However, this performance goes to some much darker, more evil places than Remmick ever did and O'Connell steps into that challenge with absolutely zero fear. His ability to spew constantly evolving bullshit to his followers with ease and use faith as an excuse to carry out barbaric acts against his fellow humans is menacing without ever entering into cartoonish territory. Playing Remmick and Jimmy Crystal so close together absolutely makes O'Connell a prime target to be typecasted as an antagonist moving forward and while that wouldn't be ideal fate for an actor of his skill set, I wouldn't mind that happening as long as the performances remained this strong.

Like its predecessor, The Bone Temple ends on a note that tees up the next film perfectly. Whether we get the final chapter or not is a big question mark after The Bone Temple pretty much ate shit at the box office worldwide this past weekend. Selfishly, I want to see how this story ends but I'm not holding my breath that it will happen despite it boasting the (likely) box office-bolstering hook of having original star Cillian Murphy return as the protagonist. If we don't get to see the final film of the trilogy, I just wanted to take a moment to thank Boyle, Garland, DaCosta and their excellent team of collaborators for turning the zombie genre on its head with these bold, rewarding films. 

Grade: B+

NFL Divisional Round Predictions

 Wild Card Record: 4-2 (Correct: Rams, Bears, Patriots, Texans Incorrect: Jaguars, Eagles)

Buffalo Bills over Denver Broncos:

What the Bills did last Sunday in Jacksonville was pretty remarkable. Even though their prolific rushing attack was stifled by the Jags top-ranked rush D and already dire pass-catcher scenario got even worse when Gabe Davis tore his ACL in the second half, a visibly dinged-up Josh Allen and their much-maligned defense stepped up to lead them to a tough win. The grit they displayed against a Jags team that was widely viewed as the most well-rounded team in the AFC heading into the playoffs should serve them well against the Broncos.

My feeling heading into the playoffs was that if the Bills could beat the Jags, they had an excellent chance of making it to the Super Bowl. Allen played like a guy who knows this is the clearest path to the Super Bowl he's ever had in his career last week and that motivation to finally get the chance to play for a ring after years of falling short is the kind of powerful force that can drive special runs. After the Pats beat the Chargers on Sunday night and the Bills matchup with the Broncos was confirmed, this pick got locked in. As good as the Broncos defense can be, they just aren't a scary matchup for any team that's still alive in the playoffs. I'm going to have seen a lot more from this offense that has no real strength beyond offensive line play before I start to have any degree of faith in their ability to hang with the big dogs this time of year, the last time we saw them play a game of consequence their vaunted defense (3rd in scoring, 2nd against the rush, 7th against the pass, 1st in sacks) surrendered 34 points to a Jags offense that ranks lower than the Bills in every meaningful metric except for passing offense and most importantly, this is the time of year where Sean Payton likes to fall on his face (following his Super Bowl run in 2009, he's 5-8 in the playoffs including a 31-7 loss to these very Bills in the Wild Card round last year). Talking shit about the top seed in the conference is a dangerous game and I'm fully prepared to eat crow if need be, I just refuse to take this Broncos team seriously at this juncture, especially against a team with a star veteran quarterback that has performed well on this stage multiple times in recent years.  

Seattle Seahawks over San Francisco 49ers:

The shocking breaking news out of Seattle earlier this week that Sam Darnold is dealing with an oblique injury and hasn't thrown a ball all week certainly has me spooked about this game. A fully healthy Darnold imploded in the playoffs last season and this offense doesn't run the ball well enough (while they're ranked 3rd in rushing attempts and 10th in YDS, they're ranked a dismal 25th in yards per attempt) or have the volume of explosive playmakers at their disposal to mask an ailing QB. The good news for the Hawks and the only reason I'm still picking them to win over this pesky, incredibly resilient 49ers team is their defense. It was only two weeks ago in the de facto NFC West title game that Mike Macdonald's hard-nosed group held this terrific offense to 3 points and 173 YDS of total offense. Playing in Seattle and losing George Kittle to a torn Achillies makes the challenge of moving the ball against this imposing defense that much harder for Shanahan's offense and it's hard to have faith that they have the necessary firepower currently at their disposal to put up enough points to win this game. 

New England Patriots over Houston Texans:

To me, this is the biggest coin flip game of the weekend. Both of these teams have been terrific after enduring shitty starts (Pats are now 14-1 after starting 1-2 while the Texans are currently on a 10-game winning streak and became just the 7th team in NFL history to reach the playoffs after starting the season 0-3) and have well-earned reputations as tough, physical teams that you really don't want to go up against right now. While the Texans do have a clear advantage on defense and could easily blow up the game-especially given how bad the Pats o-line looked last week, I just don't trust their offense enough to pick them to win. C.J. Stroud did everything he could to try and throw away a game that the Texans dominated from start to finish last week, the Steelers low wattage offense just wasn't able to take advantage of the plethora of giveaways he made. The odds of the Patriots failing to do that if those huge mistakes pop up again this week are very minimal. Mike Vrabel's team has done a pretty good job of taking advantage of turnovers this year and Josh McDaniels is a skilled enough playcaller to at least put some points on the board if they happen to be gifted excellent field position multiple times in a game because Stroud can't hold onto the ball or needlessly forced a throw downfield instead of just taking a sack. 

The potential for snow also looms over this game. Not only are the Texans a dome team, but they also play in a division where elements are effectively a non-factor since the only team that plays outdoors outside of Florida is the Titans, have a QB from Southern California in Stroud that has very little experience in the cold in college or the pros and their rushing attack is below average at best (22nd in the league). That's not exactly a blueprint for success when you're playing a team that frolics in the elements damn near every week this time of year and that could prove to be their demise in such an even matchup on paper. 

Los Angeles Rams over Chicago Bears:

Riding the high of the Bears insane comeback win over the Packers last Saturday was the best moment I've had as a fan since they went to the Super Bowl 19 years ago. When the Eagles lost to the 49ers last Sunday and the matchup with the Rams was confirmed, that feeling of euphoria promptly turned to dread. The prospect of facing off against a Sean McVay-coached offense that's leading the league in scoring is completely fucking terrifying. As well as the Bears defense played for the bulk of the second half against the Packers, shutting down Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and a cartoonishly injured Josh Jacobs is a much easier ask than trying to slow down Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, Davante Adams and the multiple other threats the Rams have in their arsenal. There's a glimmer of hope to be had for the Bears given the struggles the Rams defense have been going through of late and the whole West Coast team having to play in Chicago in January of it all (although Matthew Stafford's 12-year run with the Lions takes away at least some of that advantage), I just don't like the Bears defense's odds of meaningfully slowing down this wagon of an offense for 60 minutes. 

Joe Carnahan Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Joe Carnahan-whose latest project "The Rip" begins streaming on Netflix tomorrow. 

Joe Carnahan's Filmography Ranked:

7.Shadow Force (C)

6.Copshop (B)

5.The Grey (B)

4.Boss Level (B)

3.Narc (B+)

2.The A-Team (B+)

1.Smokin' Aces (A)

Top Dog: Smokin' Aces (2007)

A combination of fond memories of seeing this with a few friends in theaters as a freshman in high school and true respect for all the chaotic silliness that it contains has led to me develop an enduring love for Smokin' Aces. All of the detractors that have dismissed it as nothing but a Red Bull-fueled riff on Tarantino are making a fair point, but the movie is so fucking fun that I really don't care who Carnahan was influenced by while making it. 

Bottom Feeder: Shadow Force (2025)

Shadow Force is an unfortunate misfire of a movie. Kerry Washington and Omar Sy are a stellar romantic pairing that give the film a great foundation. You completely buy them as special forces operators that had to go into hiding after falling in love and having a kid (Jahleel Kamara), which went against the rules their boss (Mark Strong) had established for their elite unit. When the film shifts away from the breezy chemistry of Washington and Sy to focus on the action and its throwaway plot (Strong's vengeful boss find out they're still alive and aims to kill them), it becomes a sterile, rudderless affair. Carnahan is way too much of a seasoned vet to be putting out action flicks this aggressively mediocre and I'm hopeful that The Rip will end up being a return to form for him.

Most Underrated: The A-Team (2010)

Carnahan's sole foray into the world of true blockbuster filmmaking is also one of the finest accomplishments of his career. Boasting a knowingly silly tone, well-cast misfit heroes (Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quentin "Rampage" Jackson, Sharlto Copley) and plenty of awesome cartoony action, The A-Team successfully applies the spirit of the classic series to a much bigger modern canvas. 

Most Overrated: The Grey (2012)

This feels a little unfair as The Grey is a solid survival thriller, but it's the best reviewed movie of Carnahan's career by just about any metric you throw out there and I just don't think it's on the level of his best work-namely due to its underwhelming final act. 

Top 10 Live Performances of 2025

Shows Attended in 2025:

4/19 Spiritbox/Loathe/Dying Wish, MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston, MA

5/12 Kendrick Lamar/SZA/Mustard (DJ set), Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

6/10 Queens of the Stone Age/The Kills, MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston, MA

6/27 FKA twigs/Koreless, Roadrunner, Brighton, MA

9/15 Between the Buried and Me/Hail the Sun/The World is a Beautiful Place and I'm No Longer Afraid to Die, Royale, Boston, MA

9/20 Turnstile/Mannequin Pussy/Speed/Jane Remover, The Stage at Suffolk Downs, East Boston, MA 

10/5 letlive./Vanna/Hue, Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA

11/23 Dying Wish/Static Dress/Gouge Away/Orthodox/Boltcutter, Royale, Boston, MA

12/20 The Red Chord/The Number Twelve Look Likes You/See You Next Tuesday/Vomit Forth, The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA

Honorable Mentions: Kendrick Lamar, FKA twigs, Gouge Away

10.Mannequin Pussy:

The small amount of Mannequin Pussy I'd heard ahead of seeing them open for Turnstile in September didn't leave much of an impression on me. Their live show was a completely different story. The dynamism of their sound that mixes somber indie and angsty, angry punk together in surprisingly cohesive fashion really shines through in a live setting, and their stage presence is some of the most commanding I've seen in recent memory. 

9.The Red Chord:

Any opportunity to see the long semi-retired Red Chord play is a treat. Getting the chance to see them play their 2005 classic Clients from front to back made this rare occurrence even more special. They're remarkably tight for a band that's only been playing a handful of shows per year for over a decade now and getting to see them play ripper deep cuts like "Upper Decker", "Love on the Concrete" and "He Was Dead When I Got There" live for the first time was surreal.

8.SZA:

While I had my gripes with how frequently she cut songs short and the wonky flow of the set brought on by the choice to have her and Kendrick Lamar rotate performing for the nearly 3 hours they were on stage, SZA sounded amazing and none of the power of her songs got lost in the massive environment of a football stadium.

7.Loathe:

Cue up the "I Get It Now" GIF from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia stat! After nearly 5 full years of being baffled by the hype around Loathe, something finally clicked in the weeks leading up to seeing them for the second time in less than a year and their show itself only further solidified how much of a dunce I was for sleeping on them for so long. They're effectively the millennial British metalcore answer to Deftones in the way that they seamlessly combine harsh and melancholic sounds to make immense, multi-layered songs that can have people in the pit one minute and standing around letting the emotions on display wash over them in the next.  I regret not going to their club headlining tour in November, but hopefully they'll be returning stateside once their new album (hopefully) releases later this year.

6.Queens of the Stone Age:

This was the first show Queens of the Stone Age played in a nearly a year after Josh Homme suffered an undisclosed medical problem in July 2024 that caused them to cancel or postpone all of their remaining dates for the year and safe to say, it was a triumph. Their stoner rock sensibilities really soar when there isn't the buffer of a speaker to soften the edges of their grime-fueled guitars and Homme is one of the most entertaining frontmen in the game right now. Having their set open with the towering "Keep Your Eyes Peeled" and close with unicorn combo of "A Song for the Deaf/A Song for the Dead" close was the cherry on top of this beautiful return to the stage for QOTSA. 

5.Dying Wish (11/23):

Dying Wish and a venue with no barrier or security in front of the stage is a perfect combination. The band kept the energy level high by plowing through a 50-minute headlining set with unrelenting dead-eyed intensity and the crowd rewarded their efforts by stage diving, crowdsurfing and moshing their asses off for the entire set. It's awesome to see one of the best bands of the metalcore revival movement continue to grow in popularity and inspire people to get rowdy as hell on a random Sunday night in November.  

4.letlive.:

I was sincerely conflicted about going to see letlive. on their reunion tour as The Callous Daoboys happened to also being playing in the Boston area on the same night. While I remain very bummed that I wasn't able to see The Callous Daoboys on their headlining tour supporting my favorite album of 2025, seeing letlive for the first time since July 2016 isn't a decision that I regret making. Spending about 8 years away from the stage didn't extinguish any of the passion or madness that defined letlive. during their initial run as their shows continue to possess a level of unrelenting chaos that needs to be experienced to be believed. Whether this reunion is a one-off or a true comeback remains to be seen, but either way, this set was fucking awesome and letlive. will always be legends in my book. 

3.Between the Buried and Me:

Seeing Between the Buried and Me for the first time since July 2018 felt like a reunion with an old friend that couldn't have possibly turned out better. The core members (Tommy Rodgers, Paul Waggoner, Dan Briggs, Blake Richardson) of the group being well into their 40's hasn't impacted their ability to play their incredibly technical music with a level of precision that makes their live performances basically indistinguishable from the studio recordings, they pulled out a couple of old cuts that I never expected them to play in 2025 ("Specular Reflection", "Extremophile Elite") and the material they played ("Absent Thereafter", "God Terror", "Things We Tell Ourselves in the Dark") from their new record The Blue Nowhere immediately joined their stacked roster of songs that sound obscenely good live. I'm going to try really hard to ensure that it won't be another 7 years before I see them again.

2.Spiritbox:

Kicking off my 2025 concertgoing by seeing Spiritbox for the first time was one of the clear highlights of the year for me. Courtney LaPlante sounds unreal live (I'm retroactively mad that I never saw iwrestledabearonce while she was in the band) and the appreciation I have for the quiet intricacy of their instrumentation increased significantly after seeing them rip through 75-80 minutes' worth of material that covers a lot of ground musically. I'd urge anyone that isn't familiar with Spiritbox who is planning on going to see Evanescence this summer to get their early in order to catch their set.    

1.Turnstile:

As Turnstile's popularity continues to significantly increase with each subsequent record they release, many people have attacked them from leaving behind their roots as a DIY hardcore band. Despite their increasingly mainstream output and upward trajectory that has put them in a position where they're only billed a few spots below Sabrina Carpenter at fucking Coachella, they still treat their shows like they're playing for a crowd of 50 punk kids somewhere in the greater Baltimore area. There are bands that are still struggling that don't play with even a fraction of the hunger and urgency that Turnstile brings to the stage on any given night and their ability to get a crowd whipped up into a frenzy is truly special. Simply put, they're an elite live act and it would be a deeply disheartening shock if a day arrived where that stopped being the case.  

2025 NFL All-Pro Team

Quarterback

1st team: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

2nd team: Drake Maye (Patriots)

Running Back

1st team: Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

2nd team: James Cook (Bills)

Wide Receiver

1st team: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Puka Nacua (Rams)

2nd team: Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

Tight End

1st team: Trey McBride (Cardinals)

2nd team: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Tackle

1st team: Garett Bolles (Broncos), Penei Sewell (Lions)

2nd team: Tristan Wirfs (Buccaneers), Darnell Wright (Bears)

Guard

1st team: Joe Thuney (Bears), Quinn Meinerz (Broncos)

2nd team: Quenton Nelson (Colts), Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

Center

1st team: Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

2nd team: Aaron Brewer (Dolphins)

Edge Rusher

1st team: Myles Garrett (Browns), Will Anderson Jr. (Texans)

2nd team: Micah Parsons (Packers), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

Defensive Tackle

1st team: Cameron Heyward (Steelers), Jeffrey Simmons (Titans)

2nd team: Leonard Williams (Seahawks), Travis Jones (Ravens)

Inside Linebacker

1st team: Jack Campbell (Lions), Demario Davis (Saints)

2nd team: Devin Lloyd (Jaguars), Zack Baun (Eagles)

Cornerback

1st team: Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks), Mike Jackson (Panthers)

2nd team: Cooper DeJean (Eagles), Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles)

Safety

1st team: Kyle Hamilton (Ravens), Derwin James (Chargers)

2nd team: Jalen Pitre (Texans), Kevin Byard (Bears)

Kicker

1st team: Will Reichard (Vikings)

2nd team: Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

Punter

1st team: Jordan Stout (Ravens)

2nd team: Daniel Whelan (Packers)

Return Specialists:

1st team: Ray Davis (Bills), Marcus Jones (Patriots)

2nd team: Isaiah Williams (Jets), Chimere Dike (Titans)

Special Teamer:

1st team: Devon Key (Broncos)

2nd team: Carson Bruener (Steelers)

Long Snapper:

1st team: Rex Sunahara (Browns)

2nd team: Ross Matiscik (Jaguars)