The Best and Worst of Simon Pegg

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Ready Player One” star Simon Pegg.

Films starring Simon Pegg that I've seen:
Shaun of the Dead
Hot Fuzz
Mission-Impossible III
Star Trek
Paul
Mission-Impossible: Ghost Protocol
The Adventures of Tintin
Star Trek Into Darkness
The World's End
Mission-Impossible: Rogue Nation
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Trek Beyond


Best Performance: Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Pegg's turn as the slacker titular character who tries to prove to his loved ones that's he's not an unmotivated loser in the midst of a zombie apocalypse in London epitomizes a starmaking performance. Shaun is a sweet, hilarious everyman that's easy to root for and this incredibly likable protagonist helped Edgar Wright's sophomore directorial effort affirm its status as a cult phenomenon.

Worst Performance: Mission-Impossible III (2006)
I'll admit that it's a little unfair to go after this performance since Pegg has since gone onto become an enjoyable fixture in the Mission-Impossible franchise. However, his first go-round as tech expert Benji Dunn largely lacked the comedic flare that has made Pegg a cornerstone in the industry for over a decade.

Best Film: Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Juxtaposing the syrupy sentimentality of a romantic comedy with the brutal carnage of a zombie movie is the type of seemingly impossible task that only a virtuoso director like Edgar Wright could pull off. This smart, hilarious and highly entertaining mashup made for one hell of an introduction to Pegg, Wright and Nick Frost, and I'd be surprised if it ever left my list of all-time favorite movies.

Worst Film: Star Trek Beyond (2016)
After J.J. Abrams successfully revived Star Trek by making two of the three best Star Wars films of the last 35 years, Beyond sadly brought the series back to its roots. While the impressive action sequences and reliably strong performances from the returning Enterprise crew (Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Pegg, John Cho, Karl Urban, the late Anton Yelchin) prevent it from being a total dud, the wall-to-wall deadpan chessiness of the script, consistently unfunny one-liners and horrific villain played by Idris Elba reminded me of why I could never get into any iteration of the television series.


Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Blockers” star Leslie Mann. 

As We Proceed Episode #17

On this month's episode, Feliciano and I drop some mild takes on Migos' Soul Train-inspired music video for "Walk It Talk It", Rolling Stone's eye-opening prison interview with Meek Mill and Logic's new "conscious trap" mixtape Bobby Tarantino II. Big thanks to our production team at Lynn Community Television for helping us put this together.

Listening links:


iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/as-we-proceed/id1122163104?mt=2
(Soundcloud link will be up shortly)

Movie Review: Game Over, Man!

If you weren't a fan of Workaholics- the Comedy Central series that ran from April 2011 until March 2017 that helped launch the careers of Adam DeVine, Anders Holm and Blake Anderson or aren't down with crude, largely stupid humor, don't bother with Game Over, Man!. This Netflix production was made with a VERY particular audience in mind and if you aren't part of it, you'll likely be repulsed to the point where you feel compelled to cleanse your palate with an impromptu screening of some Paul Thomas Anderson film as soon as the credits roll. 

Now for the segment of the population that enjoyed this trio's television show and/or are fans of the gleefully dumb, self-aware action movies that frequented theaters from the mid 80's through late 90's, Game Over, Man! should prove to be a satisfying watch. DeVine, Holm, Anderson and longtime collaborator Kyle Newacheck have crafted a crazy, loving and very funny homage to the cult cinema they grew up on. Every detail from the plot centered around a group of maids (DeVine, Holm, Anderson) that are forced to foil the sinister plans of a group of terrorists (Neal McDonough, Rhona Mitra, Sam Richardson, several others) that are holding an heir to Tunisian royalty (The Mindy Project's Utkarsh Ambudkar) hostage in the hotel where they work to the bursts of over-the-top cartoonish violence that are scattered throughout is completely faithful to the dozens of "one man army" movies (Die Hard, Under Siege, Sudden Death) that were released during that period. As someone who worships this largely bygone era of action films, I had a blast watching a group of people that possess a clear understanding of the genre's inner-workings pay loving tribute to the beautifully excessive absurdity that made the aforementioned movies so special.

In addition to their admirable behind-the-scenes work, DeVine, Holm and Anderson also gracefully drive the absurdity on-screen. Some time apart to pursue other projects hasn't done any damage to the manic rapport that made Workaholics an absurdist stoner comedy gold mine as the longtime partners tackle this material with the perfect amount of fearlessness and recklessness. Their commitment to every insult, gross sight gag and wild plot development gives this over-the-top farce the beating heart it needed to properly function. While they definitely don't yield the same amount of laugh-out-loud jokes, you could make a pretty strong argument that these guys are The Lonely Island of their generation.

I'd like to give DeVine, Holm and Anderson a round of applause for making a film that is true to their brand as Game Over, Man!. Absolutely none of their comedic zest got lost in translation as they went from the relatively restricted world of basic cable television to the cruel, no-holds-barred jungle that is feature-length cinema. Even as they continue to secure work elsewhere, I hope this braintrust will reconvene to put out silly, amusing shit that's in a similar vein as this every few years or so.  

Grade: B

2018 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 (Updated 3/26)

1.Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, quarterback (USC)
2.New York Giants: Saquon Barkley, running back (Penn State)
3.New York Jets: Josh Allen, quarterback (Wyoming)
4.Cleveland Browns: Minkah Fitzpatrick, cornerback/safety (Alabama)
5.Denver Broncos: Josh Rosen, quarterback (UCLA)
6.Indianapolis Colts: Bradley Chubb, edge rusher (NC State)
7.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Denzel Ward, cornerback (Ohio State)
8.Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, guard (Notre Dame)
9.San Francisco 49ers: Tremaine Edmunds, inside linebacker (Virginia Tech)
10.Oakland Raiders: Roquan Smith, inside linebacker (Georgia)
11.Miami Dolphins: Vita Vea, defensive tackle (Washington)
12.Buffalo Bills: Baker Mayfield, quarterback (Oklahoma)
13.Washington Redskins: Derwin James, safety (Florida State)
14.Green Bay Packers: Mike Hughes, cornerback (UCF)
15.Arizona Cardinals: Lamar Jackson, quarterback (Louisville)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Ridley, wide receiver (Alabama)
17.Los Angeles Chargers: Da'Ron Payne, defensive tackle (Alabama)
18.Seattle Seahawks: Jaire Alexander, cornerback (Louisville)
19.Dallas Cowboys: Marcus Davenport, edge rusher (Texas San-Antonio)
20.Detroit Lions: Harold Landry, edge rusher (Boston College)
21.Cincinnati Bengals: Will Hernandez, guard (UTEP)
22.Buffalo Bills: James Daniels, center (Iowa)
23.Los Angeles Rams: Rashaan Evans, inside linebacker (Alabama)
24.Carolina Panthers: DJ Moore, wide receiver (Maryland)
25.Tennessee Titans: Sam Hubbard, edge rusher (Ohio State)
26.Atlanta Falcons: Isaiah Wynn, guard (Georgia)
27.New Orleans Saints: Taven Bryan, defensive tackle (Florida)
28.Pittsburgh Steelers: Leighton Vander Esch, inside linebacker (Boise State)
29.Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Kirk, wide receiver (Texas A&M)
30.Minnesota Vikings: Josh Jackson, cornerback (Iowa)
31.New England Patriots: Connor Williams, tackle (Texas)
32.Philadelphia Eagles: Mike McGlinchey, tackle (Notre Dame)

Quick Album Reviews: Between the Buried and Me-Automata I, Logic-Bobby Tarantino II, Rivers of Nihil-Where Owls Know My Name

Between the Buried and Me-Automata I: In July 2015, Between the Buried and Me shattered my spirit by transforming into the shameless Dream Theater-ripoff their detractors had long pegged them to be on their infuriatingly dull seventh LP Coma Ecliptic. On their latest record Automata I, the North Carolina-based progressive metalcore vets prove that Coma Ecliptic was merely a brief detour to the sewage plant. It may lack the level of technicality that was present on their earlier records, but this relatively brief opening chapter of the two-part Automata saga brings back the perfectly-executed tempo changes, crushing heaviness and massive scope that you come to expect when you put on a BTBAM record. If the second part can build upon the momentum they established here, Automata should go down as yet another classic for these guys.
Grade: A-
Standout Tracks: 1.Blot 2.Condemened to the Gallows 3.Yellow Eyes

Logic-Bobby Tarantino II: After dropping the heavy sociopolitical concept album Everybody last May, budding hip-hop superstar Logic decided to unwind and release a sequel to his self-proclaimed "conscious trap" mixtape Bobby Tarantino. Like every other non-serious project of his, Bobby Tarantino II is a pleasant enough listen that lacks significant replay value. Logic's top-notch technical ability results in a few home runs ("44 More", "Warm It Up", "Contra"), but it's fairly obvious when the dust settles on this 45-minute release that boastful club anthems aren't his forte. A majority of the verses are delivered with a notable lack of confidence and his attempts at writing meme-worthy hooks consistently fall flat. Until his songwriting and creative vision catch up with his mic skills, Logic is going to continue to fall short of his mammoth potential.
Grade: C+
Standout Tracks: 1.44 More 2.Warm It Up 3.Contra

Rivers of Nihil-Where Owls Know My Name: Where Owls Know My Name represents another monumental leap forward for this still relatively unknown progressive/technical death metal outfit. This record expands upon the atmospheric sound of 2015's Monarchy by adding saxophones, synthesizers and clean vocals to their already dense musical arsenal. The addition of these new elements has further strengthened Rivers of Nihil's sweeping yet cohesive songwriting and allowed them to create their most diverse and immense collection of tracks to-date. This is a STRONG early contender for album of the year and I can't wait to see where Rivers of Nihil goes from here.
Grade: A
Standout Tracks: 1.A Home 2.Subtle Change (Including the Forest of Transition and Dissatisfaction Dance) 3.Where Owls Know My Name   

Movie Review: Tomb Raider

Earlier this century, Angelina Jolie launched the action star portion of her career with her role as beloved video game heroine Lara Croft. While Jolie's well-received portrayal of Croft helped dictate what projects she took on for a bulk of the 2000's, both Tomb Raider flicks she starred in weren't exactly spectacular pieces of entertainment. Nearly 15 years after The Cradle of Life was released, Warner Brothers has brought Tomb Raider back from Hollywood's film adaptation graveyard and improved on the previous installments in just about every way imaginable. 

Where the Jolie editions got too bogged down by the incomprehensible mythology that often surround Croft's quests, this revamped Tomb Raider is a proud old-school adventure film in the mold of Indiana Jones and the Brendan Fraser-led version of The Mummy. Every action sequence has a fast-moving rhythm that resembles a chase scene, the tone is silly and self-aware without venturing into complete cartoon land and Alicia Vikander's take on Lara Croft is much more vulnerable than the indestructible version Jolie played. Aside from the underutilization of a couple of its supporting characters (Daniel Wu as an alcoholic boat captain that serves as Croft's sidekick, Walton Goggins as the villainous head of a secret society), this is a well-crafted origin story that does a good job of delivering vintage thrills and establishing Croft as an immensely likable hero. 

Tomb Raider is the ideal mid-March film. It's a breezy, undemanding piece of popcorn escapism that serves as a nice preview of the particular brand of delights that summertime will (ideally) offer up. I had a solid amount of fun with it and would be down to see any Vikander-led sequel that the studio greenlit. 

Grade: B

The Best and Worst of Charlie Day

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Pacific Rim Uprising” star Charlie Day.

Films starring Charlie Day that I've seen:
Going the Distance
Horrible Bosses
Monsters University 
Pacific Rim
The Lego Movie
Horrible Bosses 2
Vacation 
The Hollars
Fist Fight

Best Performance: Horrible Bosses (2011)
Horrible Bosses proved that Day's comedic talents could seamlessly translate to the world of film. Every ounce of the manic energy, impeccable line delivery and immense charm he brings to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is present in this underrated black comedy gem.

Worst Performance: N/A
Day's transition from cult sitcom star to major Hollywood productions has been pretty smooth thus far. He's yet to post a true dud in his relatively brief film career and considering his ability to effortlessly steal scenes, I wouldn't be shocked if Day's stain-free resume held up for the foreseeable future.

Best Film: Horrible Bosses (2011)
Plan and simple, I fucking love Horrible Bosses. Every actor in the ensemble is on fire, a majority of the jokes are absolute home runs and the dark tone allows the story to remain unpredictable throughout. While I wouldn't say it's a lock for my decade-spanning top 10 list, it's definitely in the upper echelon of comedies released in the 2010's thus far .

Worst Film: Fist Fight (2017)
Unlike the vast majority of people that saw it, I thought Fist Fight was pretty funny. However, considering the abundance of top-notch comedic performers in its cast (Day, Ice Cube, Tracy Morgan, Jillian Bell, Kumail Nanjiani), it definitely should've been more than just a passable R-rated dark comedy.

Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Ready Player One” star Simon Pegg.

2018 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 (Updated 3/19)

With the very active start to this year's free agency period providing some clarity on the needs of all 32 teams, it's time to get serious about mock drafts. Starting today, I'll be dropping a quick mock every week leading up to the release of my annual wordy, two round behemoth on April 26th. Check back frequently over the next month as I wax poetic about the most exciting time of the offseason for about 3% of the world's football fans.  

1.Cleveland Browns: Josh Allen, quarterback (Wyoming)

2.New York Giants: Saquon Barkley, running back (Penn State)

3.New York Jets: Sam Darnold, quarterback (USC)

4.Cleveland Browns: Minkah Fitzpatrick, cornerback/safety (Alabama)

5.Denver Broncos: Josh Rosen, quarterback (UCLA)

6.Indianapolis Colts: Bradley Chubb, edge rusher (NC State)

7.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vita Vea, defensive tackle (Washington)

8.Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, guard (Notre Dame)

9.San Francisco 49ers: Denzel Ward, cornerback (Ohio State)

10.Oakland Raiders: Tremaine Edmunds, inside linebacker (Virginia Tech)

11.Miami Dolphins: Baker Mayfield, quarterback (Oklahoma)

12.Buffalo Bills: Lamar Jackson, quarterback (Louisville)

13.Washington Redskins: Roquan Smith, edge rusher (Georgia)

14.Green Bay Packers: Mike Hughes, cornerback (UCF)

15.Arizona Cardinals: Derwin James, safety (Florida State)

16.Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Ridley, wide receiver (Alabama)

17.Los Angeles Chargers: Da'Ron Payne, defensive tackle (Alabama)

18.Seattle Seahawks: Jaire Alexander, cornerback (Louisville)

19.Dallas Cowboys: DJ Moore, wide receiver (Maryland)

20.Detroit Lions: Marcus Davenport, edge rusher (Texas-San Antonio)

21.Cincinnati Bengals: Connor Williams, tackle (Texas)

22.Buffalo Bills: James Daniels, center (Iowa)

23.Los Angeles Rams: Rashaan Evans, inside linebacker (Alabama)

24.Carolina Panthers: Will Hernandez, guard (UTEP)

25.Tennessee Titans: Harold Landry, edge rusher (Boston College)

26.Atlanta Falcons: Isaiah Wynn, guard (Georgia)

27.New Orleans Saints: Sam Hubbard, edge rusher (Ohio State)

28.Pittsburgh Steelers: Leighton Vander Esch, inside linebacker (Boise State)

29.Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Kirk, wide receiver (Texas A&M)

30.Minnesota Vikings: Josh Jackson, cornerback (Iowa)

31.New England Patriots: Mike McGlinchey, tackle (Notre Dame)

32.Philadelphia Eagles: Cortland Sutton, wide receiver (SMU)

The Best and Worst of Jennifer Garner

"The Best and Worst of" series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of "Love, Simon" star Jennifer Garner.   

Films starring Jennifer Garner that I've seen:
Mr. Magoo
Dude, Where's My Car?
Pearl Harbor
Catch Me If You Can
Daredevil
The Kingdom
Juno
Arthur
Butter
Dallas Buyers Club
Draft Day
Danny Collins
Nine Lives

Best Performance: Butter (2011)
While Garner spent her early years an as action star and has recently affirmed herself as an in-demand dramatic actress, comedy is easily her strongest suit as a performer. Garner's phenomenal turn as an overly competitive, morally bankrupt Iowa housewife that is hellbent on winning a prestigious butter-carving competition in order to boost her social status is the best thing about this underrated indie comedy.

Worst Performance: Juno (2007)
The titular character drove me up a wall, but to ignore the other obnoxious individuals that reside in the film's appallingly quirky universe would be irresponsible. As the wife of the couple that's going to adopt Juno's baby, Garner's smug persona makes it impossible to empathize with her plight. 

Best Film: Draft Day (2014)
Draft Day was pretty high on my list of favorite films from 2014 and I don't regret that choice at all. While it has almost zero appeal to anyone who doesn't like football or inspirational sports movies, I felt that was a wildly entertaining dramatization of the NFL Draft process that hit all of its intended notes.

Worst Film: Pearl Harbor (2001)

There's no more fitting tribute to the memory of those who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor than a 3-hour Michael Bay-directed melodrama about an awkward love triangle between two pilots (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) and a nurse (Kate Beckinsale). Pearl Harbor is so god damn corny, dull and poorly-acted that it made me develop a smidge of respect for Titanic-its more successful albeit still unbearable relative in the corny romantic soap opera set against the backdrop of a real-life tragedy cinematic family.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". The next victim of my praise and ire will be "Pacific Rim Uprising" star Charlie Day.

5 Tips and Tricks To Get You That W in Fortnite

by John Nygren

1.Building:
Building is where the skill gap lies in Fortnite. Getting better just takes practice, but you have to make sure you're practicing the right things. Being able to build situation-based structures as quickly as possible is probably going to help you win. Every player gets that little feeling of anxiety when you haven't seen anyone in forever, but then JimBob16772 jumps out of a bush and starts lighting you up. It's awful. While JimBob's actions will leave you pissed off and rethinking your entire life, don't try and outshoot him. Build walls, make him use ammo and let the fucker have it.

2.Use the Storm to Your Advantage:
This one's pretty simple. Late in the game when you can outrun the storm, use it to your advantage. It eliminates the threat of enemies from your blind spots and lets you focus on what's in front of you.

3.Don't Play Lootnite:
Looting, whether it's chests or player loot, is what gets a majority of people killed late in the game. Try to focus less on that gold scar that you know is below you and help your team kill the remaining enemies, dickhead.

4.Choose Your Loadout Wisely:
For console gamers, snipers and hunting rifles are more fun than they are practical. Assault rifles for anything medium-to-long range is your best bet. Instead of potentially missing a loud, low percentage shot with a sniper, you should be able to get 5 or 6 AR shots before they start building. The pump to tac shotgun is also worth it for its short-range and quick output. A combo of these guns with your preferred form of splode and some heals is the smartest loadout you can roll with.

5.Bush it Up:
I'm just going to say it: There's no better place to hide than a bush. They tried to ruin bushes for the common folk with that fake gold be-a-bush shit, but they failed. If you wanted to win every game of Fortnite you played, your best bet statistically would be to land somewhere low-key and bush your way to victory. It takes a lot of patience and will result in you getting called a bitch by your teammates, but you can't deny that it works.

For more, make sure to follow @JohnNygrenBos on Twitter.

Movie Review: Red Sparrow

You'll be hard-pressed to find a darker, more grounded espionage thriller than Red Sparrow. Where most spy films play up the glamour of the lifestyle, Red Sparrow chooses to explore all of the heinous, immoral ways governments exploit their operatives for political gain. This tale of a former ballerina (Jennifer Lawrence in her most magnetic performance since Joy) that's blackmailed into joining an elite team of Russian spies known as "Sparrows" that are trained to use their sexuality to extract information from enemies of the states pulls no punches in terms of disturbing content. The Sparrow program is built around fear and humiliation, and the filmmakers aren't afraid to show the full extent of the horrors these recruits endure in the name of their country. While it was unsettling to watch human beings get physically, emotionally and psychologically abused for relatively long periods of time, displaying these atrocities is essential to establishing the grim environment that influences the decisions Lawrence's character makes as the story progresses. Red Sparrow stumbles a bit in its final act thanks to some overly convenient plot twists, but screenwriter Justin Haythe and director Francis Lawrence deserve kudos for making a captivating character-driven spy flick that emphasizes just how ugly the world of international espionage is.  

Grade: B

2018 NFL Free Agency: 10 Best Players Available

The official start of NFL free agency is just over 48 hours away and the buzz is relatively muted compared to recent years. A vast majority of the potential franchise-changing impact players were handed the franchise tag (Le'Veon Bell, Ezekiel Ansah, Jarvis Landry, DeMarcus Lawrence, Lamarcus Joyner), which means this free agent class largely consists of good, but not great veterans and oft-injured young players. While the treasure isn't abundant, there are still some solid scores to be had on the open market. Below you'll find a list of the 10 members of this free agent class that I would (tentatively) call the best and a brief look at their potential landing spots. Hope you enjoy the madness that Wednesday afternoon will bring and may your team not overspend for a dud of a player.

(Note: I'm excluding Drew Brees from this list because there's a 0% chance he isn't returning to New Orleans.)

10.Case Keenum, quarterback (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
I'm a massive Keenum skeptic that is pretty firmly convinced that the 11 win, 22 TD/7 INT/67.6 CMP% season he put together in 2017 was merely a fluky outlier of proficiency in an otherwise mediocre career. That being said, the 30-year old journeyman veteran was certainly sharp enough during his brief stint with Minnesota to be considered a potentially viable starting option for any team that isn't sold on any of this year's top quarterback prospects and/or is in win-now mode.
Possible Destinations: Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills

9.Sammy Watkins, wide receiver (2017 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Watkins, who was selected 4th overall in the 2014 Draft, is one of the many young high risk/high reward receivers that are available in this year's free agency class. His long-term value took a pretty significant hit in 2017 after he failed to establish a consistent role in the Rams offense following a late July trade from Buffalo, but he's shown flashes of brilliance as a vertical threat in the past and at 24 going on 25, there's still plenty of time for him to blossom into the game-breaking wideout he was touted to be when he came out of Clemson.
Possible Destinations: Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs

8.Malcolm Butler, cornerback (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Butler's tenure with the Patriots ended in true nightmare fashion with a stunning Super Bowl benching that continues to generate headlines over a month after it happened. Even with this mysterious Super Bowl controversy and generally poor play throughout 2017 casting a dark cloud over him at the moment, his otherwise impressive resume should attract a number of suitors in free agency. His terrific ball skills combined with the consistently strong and sometimes dominant play he displayed during his previous two seasons as a full-time starter indicate that Butler can redeem himself if he signs with a well-coached team that truly believes in him.
Possible Destinations: New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans

7.Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
If I was to dub anyone a sleeper in this sleepy free agent class, Lotulelei would be that guy. He's a gifted line of scrimmage disruptor that should pay instant dividends for any team that's looking to upgrade their run defense and interior pass-rush.
Possible Destinations: Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers

6.Jimmy Graham, tight end (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Graham's age (he'll be 32 in November) and lack of versatility puts an undeniable hit on his value, but he's still an elite redzone threat (10 TD's in 2017) that should be a solid, not overly expensive addition to any team that's looking to add size to its receiving corps.
Possible Destinations: New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots

5.Trumaine Johnson, cornerback (2017 team: Los Angeles Rams)
After being given the franchise tag by the Rams in back-to-back years, Johnson is now finally getting the chance to explore the wonders of the open market. While he'll likely never be mentioned in any "best corner in the NFL" discussions, Johnson is a quality veteran starter that plays a pretty well-rounded game and rarely gets burnt. Expect him to sign a pretty decent-sized deal ($50-60 mil with $25-35 mil guaranteed over 4-5 years) with a playoff contender that's desperate for secondary help.
Possible Destinations: Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers  

4.Allen Robinson, wide receiver (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
An extended injury history (broken foot in 2014, torn ACL in 2017, various other minor ailments) is the only thing keeping Robinson from being a no-brainer, game-changing signing. He's a fast, physical and sharp route-running vertical threat that has given opposing defenses headaches for long stretches of his four-year career. There's not a more intriguing or higher-upside dice roll for receiver-needy teams in this sketchy free agent class, so I expect him to land a pretty lucrative deal.
Possible Destinations: Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers

3.Nate Solder, tackle (2017 team: New England Patriots)
If you're willing to accept his occasional ugly lapses in pass-protection, Solder is a pretty damn good left tackle that would provide some much-needed stability as well as run-blocking proficiency to the plethora of teams that don't currently have a reliable blind side protector on their roster.
Possible Destinations: New England Patriots, Houston Texans, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants

2.Andrew Norwell, guard (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
Last year Kevin Zeitler made history when he inked a record-breaking 5 year/$60 mil ($31.5 mil guaranteed) contract with the Browns. It would be an absolute shock if Norwell didn't topple that record this week. With his polished, multi-faceted skill set and steady year-to-year improvement over the course of his first four years in the league, this 2017 All-Pro is a premier talent that could dramatically upgrade any of the league's struggling offensive lines as soon as he steps on the field.
Possible Destinations: Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals

1.Kirk Cousins, quarterback (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
It's the ultimate irony that this underwhelming free agent class is headlined by a legit franchise quarterback. Even though Cousins makes his fair share of questionable throws and hasn't had much success against great teams, he's an uncontested top 10-12 QB in this league that any team with question marks at the position should jump at the chance to sign.
Possible Destinations: Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals

Other Notable Free Agents:
A.J. McCarron, quarterback (2017 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Aaron Colvin, cornerback (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Aaron Lynch, defensive end (2017 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Adrian Clayborn, defensive end (2017 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Albert Wilson, wide receiver (2017 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Alex Okafor, defensive end (2017 team: New Orleans Saints)
Alfred Morris, running back (2017 team: Dallas Cowboys)
Allen Barbre, guard (2017 team: Denver Broncos)
Anthony Hitchens, inside linebacker (2017 team: Dallas Cowboys)
Antonio Gates, tight end (2017 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, tight end (2017 team: New York Jets)
Avery Williamson, inside linebacker (2017 team: Tennessee Titans)
Bashaud Breeland, cornerback (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
Bennie Logan, defensive tackle (2017 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Brian Cushing, inside linebacker (2017 team: Houston Texans)
Cairo Santos, kicker (2017 teams: Kansas City Chiefs/Chicago Bears)
Cameron Fleming, tackle (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Carlos Hyde, running back (2017 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Charles Sims, running back (2017 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Connor Barwin, outside linebacker (2017 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Danny Amendola, wide receiver (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Demario Davis, inside linebacker (2017 team: New York Jets)
Derek Anderson, quarterback (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
DeMarco Murray, running back (2017 team: Tennessee Titans)
DeShawn Shead, cornerback (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Dion Lewis, running back (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, cornerback (2017 team: New York Giants)
Dontari Poe, defensive tackle (2017 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Donte Moncrief, wide receiver (2017 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Doug Martin, running back (2017 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
E.J. Gaines, cornerback (2017 team: Buffalo Bills)
Ed Dickson, tight end (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
Eric Decker, wide receiver (2017 team: Tennessee Titans)
Eric Reid, safety (2017 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Frank Gore, running back (2017 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Geno Smith, quarterback (2017 team: New York Giants)
Haloti Ngata, defensive tackle (2017 team: Detroit Lions)
Isaiah Crowell, running back (2017 team: Cleveland Browns)
Jack Mewhort, guard (2017 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Jahri Evans, guard (2017 team: Green Bay Packers)
Jay Cutler, quarterback (2017 team: Miami Dolphins)
Jeremiah Attaochu, defensive end (2017 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Jeremy Hill, running back (2017 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Jeremy Lane, cornerback (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Jerick McKinnon, running back (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Joe Berger, guard/center (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Jonathan Joseph, cornerback (2017 team: Houston Texans)
Jonathan Stewart, running back (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
Jordan Matthews, wide receiver (2017 team: Buffalo Bills)
Josh Kline, guard (2017 team: Tennessee Titans)
Josh McCown, quarterback (2017 team: New York Jets)
Josh Sitton, guard (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Julius Peppers, defensive end (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
Junior Galette, defensive end (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
Justin Bethel, cornerback (2017 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Justin Pugh, guard (2017 team: New York Giants)
Kai Forbath, kicker (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Kenny Vaccaro, safety (2017 team: New Orleans Saints)
Kevin Huber, punter (2017 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Kyle Williams, defensive tackle (2017 team: Buffalo Bills)
LaAdrian Waddle, tackle (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Lardarius Webb, safety (2017 team: Baltimore Ravens)
LeGarette Blount, running back (2017 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Marqise Lee, wide receiver (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Martellus Bennett, tight end (2017 teams: Green Bay Packers/New England Patriots)
Mike Glennon, quarterback (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Mike Wallace, wide receiver (2017 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Mitch Unrein, defensive end (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Morgan Burnett, safety (2017 team: Green Bay Packers)
Morris Claiborne, cornerback (2017 team: New York Jets)
Muhammad Wilkerson, defensive end (2017 team: New York Jets)
NaVorro Bowman, inside linebacker (2017 teams: San Francisco 49ers/Oakland Raiders)
Nickell Robey-Coleman, cornerback (2017 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Nigel Bradham, outside linebacker (2017 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Orleans Darkwa, running back (2017 team: New York Giants)
Patrick Omaheh, guard (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Patrick Robinson, cornerback (2017 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Paul Posluszny, inside linebacker (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Paul Richardson, wide receiver (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Pernell McPhee, outside linebacker (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Preston Brown, inside linebacker (2017 team: Buffalo Bills)
Prince Amukamara, cornerback (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Rashaan Melvin, cornerback (2017 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Reggie Nelson, safety (2017 team: Oakland Raiders)
Rex Burkhead, running back (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Ryan Jansen, center (2017 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Sam Bradford, quarterback (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Sebastian Janikowski, kicker (2017 team: Oakland Raiders)
Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle/end (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Shane Lechler, punter (2017 team: Houston Texans)
Steven Terrell, safety (2017 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
T.J. Ward, safety (2017 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Tahir Whitehead, outside linebacker (2017 team: Detroit Lions)
Taylor Gabriel, wide receiver (2017 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Tavon Wilson, safety (2017 team: Detroit Lions)
Teddy Bridgewater, quarterback (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Terrelle Pryor, wide receiver (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
Todd Davis, inside linebacker (2017 team: Denver Broncos)
Tramon Williams, cornerback (2017 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Tre Boston, safety (2017 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Trent Murphy, outside linebacker (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
Trey Burton, tight end (2017 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Tyler Eifert, tight end (2017 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Tyvon Branch, safety (2017 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Wesley Johnson, center (2017 team: New York Jets)
Weston Richburg, center (2017 team: New York Giants)
Zach Brown, inside linebacker (2017 team: Washington Redskins)

As We Proceed Episode #16

On this month's episode, Feliciano and I discuss Drake's heartwarming music video for "God's Plan", Young Thug's latest "name change" and review the Kendrick Lamar-curated Black Panther soundtrack. This delightful hour of hip-hop discussion can be heard at either of the links below:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/asweproceedpodcast/gods-plan-for-wakanda
iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/as-we-proceed/id1122163104?mt=2

2018 NFL Mock Draft (Post-Combine)

1.Cleveland Browns: Josh Allen, quarterback (Wyoming)
2.New York Giants: Saquon Barkley, running back (Penn State)
3.Indianapolis Colts: Bradley Chubb, edge rusher (NC State)
4.Cleveland Browns: Minkah Fitzpatrick, safety/cornerback (Alabama)
5.Denver Broncos: Sam Darnold, quarterback (USC)
6.New York Jets: Josh Rosen, quarterback (UCLA)
7.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vita Vea, defensive tackle (Washington)
8.Chicago Bears: Denzel Ward, cornerback (Ohio State)
9.San Francisco 49ers: Quenton Nelson, guard (Notre Dame)
10.Oakland Raiders: Tremaine Edmunds, inside/outside linebacker (Virginia Tech)
11.Miami Dolphins: Baker Mayfield, quarterback (Oklahoma)
12.Cincinnati Bengals: Connor Williams, tackle (Texas)
13.Washington Redskins: Roquan Smith, edge rusher (Georgia)
14.Green Bay Packers: Marcus Davenport, edge rusher (Texas San-Antonio)
15.Arizona Cardinals: Mike McGlinchey, tackle (Notre Dame)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Ridley, wide receiver (Alabama)
17.Los Angeles Chargers: Da'Ron Payne, defensive tackle (Alabama)
18.Seattle Seahawks: Mike Hughes, cornerback (UCF)
19.Dallas Cowboys: Derwin James, safety (Florida State)
20.Detroit Lions: Derrius Guice, running back (LSU)
21.Buffalo Bills: Rashaan Evans, inside linebacker (Alabama)
22.Buffalo Bills: Christian Kirk, wide receiver (Texas A&M)
23.Los Angeles Rams: Josh Jackson, cornerback (Iowa)
24.Carolina Panthers: James Daniels, center (Iowa)
25.Tennessee Titans: Harold Landry, edge rusher (Boston College)
26.Atlanta Falcons: Isaiah Wynn, guard (Georgia)
27.New Orleans Saints: Arden Key, edge rusher (LSU)
28.Pittsburgh Steelers: Sony Michel, running back (Georgia)
29.Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Hernandez, guard (UTEP)
30.Minnesota Vikings: Isaiah Oliver, cornerback (Colorado)
31.New England Patriots: Hayden Hurst, tight end (South Carolina)
32.Philadelphia Eagles: Donte Jackson, cornerback (LSU)

Movie Review: Death Wish

If you've spent any time reading reviews or sifting through film Twitter this week, you've undoubtedly seen the multitude of criticisms towards Eli Roth's remake of Death Wish. Its been popularly touted as the cinematic wet dream of an NRA/alt-right member and many people have attacked MGM's decision to release a film that's centered around an armed civilian murdering people on the streets of Chicago a mere 16 days after the horrific shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that claimed the lives of 17 people.

Are the optics of a hoodie-clad white dude (Bruce Willis), dubbed "The Grim Reaper" by the media, deciding to dole out vigilante justice following a brutal robbery gone wrong at his home that left his wife dead and teenage daughter in a coma bad? Sure. Does this mean the film is some kind of pro-gun propaganda intended to serve as a 100-minute PSA against the common sense gun law reforms? Absolutely not. Death Wish is a silly revenge movie that couldn't care less about pushing a political agenda or reflecting a society that even somewhat resembles our current reality. Innocent people are never put in harm's way after the initial robbery in the first 15 minutes of the film, an overwhelming majority of the criminals that our vengeance-driven protagonist puts in body bags are also white and law enforcement has an incredibly difficult time identifying an unmasked gunman who doesn't cover his face despite having access to plenty of security camera footage. Plus if you dig underneath the surface of "revenge-seeking white guy murdering criminals" plot, there's actually some subtle shots at how overly lax the gun laws are in most places around the United States. I'm a 25-year old liberal snowflake from Massachusetts that loathes Donald Trump, the NRA and plenty of other people on the right-wing of my country's dumpster fire of a government with every fiber of my being, but categorizing Death Wish as a calculated political statement about the joys of owning/using guns is absolutely fucking silly to me.

Political and social controversies aside, I still felt Death Wish completely whiffed on its tone. For a god damn vigilante movie that features pretty regular use of miscellaneous objects as weapons, it takes itself awfully seriously. Between Willis' consistently cold demeanor, an unusually large narrative emphasis put on the police being overwhelmed by violent crime in the city and semi-frequent cuts to radio hosts debating the "The Grim Reaper's" actions, Death Wish makes the baffling decision to establish itself as a morality play instead of a tongue-in-cheek throwback B-revenge film in the vain of the great grindhouse trailer that surfaced online last month. Roth's flare for clever pitch black humor is one of his strongest attributes as a director and it was really disappointing to see him cast that almost completely aside for a stoic exploitation flick that happens to be led by one of the greatest smartass action stars of all-time.

While some of his creative decisions are to the film's detriment, Roth also happens to be Death Wish's greatest asset. His style of storytelling is brisk without ever feeling rushed and as the godfather of the torture porn movement that dominated the horror scene in the mid-to-late 2000's, his use of gore is every bit as gratuitous and attention-grabbing as you'd expect. After watching the convoluted, relatively blood-free Message from the King last fall, it was nice to watch a film that was directed by someone who at least understood how to execute the basics of the genre.

Death Wish is ultimately a competent affair that unfortunately gets bogged down by its refusal to fully embrace its grimey genre roots. The current R-rated action movie marketplace would be well-served by the release of a deliriously entertaining schlockfest, but this film's grim, humorless nature prevents it from filling this increasingly scarce niche. Better luck next time Eli and Bruce.

Grade: B-

The Best and Worst of Gugu Mbatha-Raw

"The Best and Worst" series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of "A Wrinkle in Time" star Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

Films starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw that I've seen:
Larry Crowne
Beyond the Lights
Jupiter Ascending
Concussion
Free State of Jones
Miss Sloane
The Cloverfield Paradox

Best Performance: Beyond the Lights (2014)
After a forgettable big screen debut in Tom Hanks' wildly average romantic comedy Larry Crowne, Mbatha-Raw bounced back big time with a starmaking performance in Beyond the Lights. Her poignant turn as a rising pop star trying to get her life back on track after a suicide attempt brings some welcome depth to an otherwise pretty conventional drama.

Worst Performance: Miss Sloane (2016)
Mbatha-Raw is such a vibrant, emotionally-transparent presence on screen that it took the work of some incredibly shoddy writing to make her unpleasant. There's a contrived, moronic major plot development that occurs around the halfway mark of the misguided political thriller Miss Sloane that turns her relatively anonymous character into an absolutely insufferable one for the latter half of the film.

Best Film: Concussion (2015)
Concussion is a very important film that I find to be wildly underrated. The story about the thankless, professionally-damaging fight Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian-born pathologist that discovered the existence of CTE after performing autopsies on several deceased NFL players, embarked on to get the NFL to acknowledge the irreparable damage their collision-based sport has had on the mental health of its former players is a smart, riveting drama that hammers home its points with blunt force trauma. As youth football participation continues to go down as a result of CTE and other head injuries, it'll be interesting to see if Concussion's reputation improves in the coming years.

Worst Film: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
I'm pretty forgiving towards blockbusters. These films are almost always made for the sole purpose of entertaining, so if you throw some elaborate special effects and big explosions on the screen I'm usually at least moderately satisfied (this is exemplified by my relative enjoyment of universally-despised films such as Gods of Egypt, R.I.P.D. and Tom Cruise's The Mummy). Naturally, every once in a while something will fail to clear this bar and nothing in recent memory has failed as spectacularly as Jupiter Ascending . If you toss out the excellent visuals, Jupiter Ascending is a monumental failure that completely soiled whatever (already fleeting) goodwill the Wachowskis had left after The Matrix. The story is a nonsensical bore, the dialogue is consistently cringeworthy, every action sequence looks like a Z-grade Star Wars battle got filtered through a Lite-Brite and the acting ranges from wooden (Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum) to nutso overacting that will live in Nicolas Cage-esque infamy on YouTube for the rest of time (Eddie Redmayne). Easily the biggest piece of shit I've been subjected to over the past few years.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". The next victim of my praise and ire will be "Love, Simon" star Jennifer Garner.

90th Annual Academy Award Predictions

After a longer-than-usual wait thanks to the Winter Olympics, Hollywood's biggest night is roughly 48 hours away. Here are the people and films I expect to walk away with Oscar gold this year.

Best Picture:

Nominees:

Call Me by Your Name

Darkest Hour

Dunkirk

Get Out

Lady Bird

Phantom Thread 

The Post

The Shape of Water

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

And the Winner is...: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
For the second straight year, I don't think this category is the stone cold lock its being perceived to be. Overall Oscar nom leader The Shape of Water has gained a pretty substantial wave of momentum over the past few weeks and there's also an outside chance that the younger and more diverse group of newly-minted Academy members might want to let their impact be known right away by voting for either Lady Bird or Get Out. However, I'm still going to give the slight edge to Three Billboards because its not as inherently strange as The Shape of Water or mainstream-friendly as Lady Bird and Get Out plus its won every single top honor its been nominated for thus far.  

Best Actor:

Nominees:

Timothee Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name)

Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread)

Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out)

Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)

Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.)

And the Winner is...: Gary Oldman
This has been a lock since the trailer for Darkest Hour came out last summer. A beloved veteran actor successfully bringing an iconic historical figure to life on the big screen is a foolproof recipe for earning a gold statue, especially in a field that's as thin as this one.

Best Actress:

Nominees:

Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)

Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)

Saiorse Ronan (Lady Bird) 

Meryl Streep (The Post)

And the Winner is....: Frances McDormand
Out of all the acting categories, I feel like this one easily has the most upset potential. Hawkins pulled off one of 2017's most challenging roles as a mute woman in The Shape of Water while Robbie and Ronan turned in performances that are widely considered to be the best of their respective careers to-date. However, McDormand is an industry icon who hasn't headlined a film in nearly a decade and her peers will more than likely want to reward her most acclaimed piece of acting since at least Almost Famous.   

Best Supporting Actor:

Nominees:

Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project)

Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water)

Christopher Plummer (All the Money in the World)

Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
And the Winner is..... Sam Rockwell
Even with the intense blowback that his character's story arc has received from some audiences and critics since the beginning of awards season, Rockwell is in prime position to win his first Oscar. Like Oldman, Rockwell is the type of well-respected yet underappreciated actor that the Academy loves to reward and his role is significantly showier than any of the other nominees in this category.

Best Supporting Actress:
Mary J. Blige (Mudbound)
Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread)
Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water)

And the Winner is....: Allison Janney
Best Supporting Actor/Actress Oscars are pretty frequently given to actors that portray memorable antagonists (Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Basterds, J.K. Simmons in Whiplash, Mo'Nique in Precious) and Janney should become the latest member of this club come Sunday night. Janney's gripping turn as Tonya Harding's abusive alcoholic mother has earned her a large collection of awards over the past couple months and there's no reason to believe that reign of dominance is going to end on Oscar night.

Best Director:
Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread)
Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)
Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird)
Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk)
Jordan Peele (Get Out)
And the Winner is....: Guillermo del Toro
There's a contingent of people out there that believe Greta Gerwig is going to pull off the upset, but as tight as her direction was, Lady Bird seems like too straightforward of a film in terms of setting, scale, etc. to win an award like this. del Toro helmed a beautiful, grandiose visual feast that made cinephiles swoon and I would be absolutely stunned if anyone else walked away with this award.

Other categories:
Best Animated Feature Film: Coco
Best Foreign Language Feature Film: A Fantastic Woman
Best Documentary Feature: Last Man in Aleppo
Best Live Action Short Film: DeKalb Elementary
Best Animated Short Film: Dear Basketball
Best Documentary Short Subject: Heroin(e)
Best Original Screenplay: Lady Bird
Best Adapted Screenplay: Call Me by Your Name
Best Cinematography: Blade Runner 2049
Best Original Score: Phantom Thread
Best Production Design: The Shape of Water
Best Original Song: Mudbound
Best Sound Editing: Dunkirk
Best Sound Mixing: Dunkirk
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Darkest Hour
Best Costume Design: Phantom Thread
Best Film Editing: Baby Driver
Best Visual Effects: Blade Runner 2049

Quick Movie Reviews: Darkest Hour, Annihilation, Game Night

Darkest Hour: Joe Wright's (Atonement, Pan) Winston Churchill biopic is 2017's obligatory semi-boring and creatively bankrupt piece of historical drama Oscar bait. However, what Darkest Hour has that most other similar films lack is the towering presence of Gary F'N Oldman. Oldman's commanding, apporoatiely showy turn as Churchill is engaging enough to make this otherwise uninspired film about the newly-appointed British prime minister's efforts to counteract an impending invasion by Nazi Germany during World War II somewhat worthwhile.
Grade: B-

Annihilation: Paramount did Annihilation dirty by quietly dumping into 2,000 theaters in North America and selling it off to Netflix in most overseas territories. What Alex Garland's (Ex Machina) sophomore directorial effort lacks in elaborate action sequences and noteworthy performances, it makes up for with beautiful visuals, badass mythology and a smart script that raises a lot of interesting questions about the nature of mankind. It's definitely not for everyone, but if you're cool with cerebral sci-fi flicks that favor ambiguity over spectacle, you'll probably enjoy this.

Grade: B+

Game Night: Following a year that was notably light on great comedies, Game Night has descended from the heavens to start 2018 off on a soaring high note. This clever, highly original R-rated dark comedy from directing duo Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley (Vacation) and screenwriter Mark Perez (Accepted) is without question the most I've laughed out loud at a film since Popstar. It takes about 15-20 minutes to kick into high gear, but once the main plot involving a potentially real kidnapping that occurs during a murder mystery party gets set in motion, Game Night becomes a buffet of great visual jokes and quotable lines delivered by an awesome ensemble cast (Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler, Lamorne Morris, Billy Magnussen, Jesse Plemons) that's collectively in peak form. In addition to its pretty much non-stop laughs, this film also features some surprisingly tense, well-directed chase sequences that further enhance its energetic, freewheeling vibe. Go see this shit.     

Grade: A