Ruben Fleischer 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 Ruben Fleischer-whose latest project "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" releases in theaters today. 

Ruben Fleischer's Filmography Ranked:

6.Uncharted (B-)

5.30 Minutes or Less (B-)

4.Venom (B)

3.Gangster Squad (B+)

2.Zombieland: Double Tap (A)

1.Zombieland (A)

Top Dog: Zombieland (2009)

Thanks to its irreverent humor and winning makeshift family dynamic that its magnetic leads (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin) provided it with, Zombieland has enjoyed an enduring power that has exceeded many of the more conventional comedies released around the same time. Bill Murray's cameo remains one of the funniest scenes I've seen on screen and Flesicher provided a nice proof-of-concept for his eventual pivot to blockbuster filmmaking with his confident handling of the film's action sequences-particularly the final showdown where hordes of zombies descend on an abandoned amusement park.       

Bottom Feeder: Uncharted (2022)

Uncharted is a perfectly fine adventure movie that's just never quite able to overcome the feeling that it's a cheap-ish modern-day knockoff of Indiana Jones despite arguably being a better crafted film than either of the 21st century entries in that legendary franchise. If the sequel Sony put into development back in the spring of 2022 ever materializes, hopefully they can find a way to once again make Papa John's part of a key plot point       

Most Underrated: Gangster Squad (2013)

Going to bat for Gangster Squad is something that I'm always happy to do. It's just so refreshing to watch a mob movie that excels at being cartoony and fun. Not everything can or needs to be Goodfellas or The Godfather people! Sometimes getting something cut from the same cloth as The Untouchables is great too!   

Most Overrated: None

Fleischer has made precisely one acclaimed movie in his career: the original Zombieland and that's been a movie I've loved since I saw it in theaters 16 years ago. Other than that, he's been a magnet for stuff that has gotten mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. As you can see from above, I've never disliked anything he's made as I feel like he always brings enough energy to his direction to keep things relatively entertaining regardless of the quality of the script he's working with. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does with the long-brewing third installment of the preeminent magician heist franchise.      

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 11

 =Previous Ranking

1.(2) Seattle Seahawks (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

2.(3) Los Angeles Rams (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

3.(4) Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Detroit Lions

4.(5) Detroit Lions (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

5.(9) New England Patriots (8-2) Week 11 opponent: New York Jets

6.(7) Indianapolis Colts (8-2) Week 11 opponent: Bye

7.(1) Buffalo Bills (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

8.(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Buffalo Bills

9.(8) Green Bay Packers (5-3-1) Week 11 opponent: New York Giants

10.(10) Denver Broncos (8-2) Week 11 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

11.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) Week 11 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

12.(11) San Francisco 49ers (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

13.(12) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

14.(14) Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Denver Broncos

15.(15) Chicago Bears (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

16.(18) Baltimore Ravens (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Cleveland Browns

17.(17) Minnesota Vikings (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Chicago Bears

18.(20) Houston Texans (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Tennessee Titans

19.(16) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

20.(19) Carolina Panthers (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

21.(26) Miami Dolphins (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Washington Commanders

22.(22) Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) Week 11 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders  

23.(23) Atlanta Falcons (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Carolina Panthers

24.(24) Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

25.(21) Arizona Cardinals (3-6) Week 11 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

26.(25) Washington Commanders (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Miami Dolphins

27.(30) New Orleans Saints (2-8) Week 11 opponent: Bye

28.(31) New York Jets (2-7) Week 11 opponent: New England Patriots

29.(27) New York Giants (2-8) Week 11 opponent: Green Bay Packers

30.(28) Cleveland Browns (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

31.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

32.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-8) Week 11 opponent: Houston Texans

Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Stafford made history on Sunday by becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to throw 4 TD's and 0 INT's in 3 straight games with the gem that he spun (280 YDS, 4 TD's) in a dominant divisional win over the 49ers. This remarkable streak will likely come to an end this week against a frisky Seahawks defense that is on a heater right now, but their secondary is vulnerable enough to keep Stafford in high-end QB1 territory.

Honorable Mentions: Jaxson Dart (Giants), Caleb Williams (Bears), Jared Goff (Lions)

Biggest Loser: Bo Nix (Broncos)

There was no 4th quarter magic to atone for an otherwise poor performance from Nix this week as the Broncos QB put together one of the worst performances (150 YDS/TD/2 INT, -2 Rushing YDS) of his largely ugly sophomore season in a terrific matchup with the lowly Raiders. Nix will be a really risky starting option for this week's huge showdown with the Chiefs.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Jordan Love (Packers), Justin Herbert (Chargers)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Just when you think Taylor couldn't possibly keep one-upping himself during his magical 2025 campaign, he goes ahead and does it again. The Colts star back was completely unstoppable (32 CAR/244 YDS/3 TD's, 3 REC/42 YDS) as he carried the Colts to a thrilling OT win over the Falcons in Berlin. Taylor's fantasy owners will be scrambling for a replacement as the current runaway frontrunner for fantasy MVP gets a well-deserved rest as the Colts head into their Week 11 bye.  

Honorable Mentions: De'Von Achane (Dolphins), Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots)

Biggest Loser: Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Commanders)

The Lions tough run D and the Marcus Mariota-led Commanders getting bulldozed from start to finish made Croskey-Merritt pretty much useless for fantasy purposes as he turned his 11 carries into just 30 YDS. Croskey-Merritt will be an RB3 for this week's sure-to-be thrilling matchup with the Dolphins in Madrid. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Mason (Vikings), R.J. Harvey (Broncos), Chuba Hubbard (Panthers)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Drake London (Falcons)

While it wasn't quite as dominant as his Week 9 performance against the Patriots, London once again shined bright in a heartbreaking Falcons loss-hauling in 6 receptions for 104 YDS and a TD while further boosting his statline with a 2 PT-CNV grab against the Colts. London will have revenge on the brain this week when he goes up against a Panthers secondary that held him to 55 scoreless YDS during their previous meeting in Week 3. 

Honorable Mentions: Jameson Williams (Lions), Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers), Nico Collins (Texans)

Biggest Loser: A.J. Brown (Eagles)

Brown's shockingly quiet 2025 continued in Green Bay last night as he caught 2-of-3 targets for 13 YDS in a defensive slugfest that saw DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert serve as the primary beneficiaries of Jalen Hurts' limited passing production. The next stop on Brown's current boom-or-bust tour is a home date with a banged-up Lions secondary that has held up surprisingly well over the last few games. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Courtland Sutton (Broncos), Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts), D.J. Moore (Bears)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Trey McBride (Cardinals)

Early garbage time for the Cardinals in a wire-to-wire shellacking carried out by the menacing hands of the Seahawks meant plenty of opportunities for McBride to run his numbers up. In fact, Jacoby Brissett's favorite target ended up having his most productive game of the season-ripping off 127 YDS and a TD on his 9 receptions. McBride will look to extend his career-best 4-game TD streak against the 49ers on Sunday.     

Honorable Mentions: George Kittle (49ers), Tyler Warren (Colts), Juwan Johnson (Saints)

Biggest Loser: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

Facing a short week and dealing away Jakobi Meyers to the Jaguars on Tuesday meant the Raiders were going to be leaning even heavier on Bowers than usual. The Broncos knew this too and effectively removed him from the game, holding the star TE to just 2 total touches (a 31-YD reception, a -4-YD carry) in one of the least compelling games of the year so far. Bowers' stint in the fantasy doghouse should be short-lived as he'll have an excellent opportunity to feast in Week 11 when he goes up against the Cowboys porous defense.    

Dishonorable Mentions: T.J. Hockenson (Vikings), Hunter Henry (Patriots), Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Seahawks

A big part of why garbage time came early for the Cardinals on Sunday was the play of the Seahawks defense. The 'Hawks brought hellfire down on the Cards offense, picking up 5 sacks and a pair of fumble recovery TD's from DeMarcus Lawrence in a 44-22 victory. This upstart group will have a much tougher task in front of them this week when they're asked to try and slow down a scorching hot Rams offense in their building.  

Honorable Mentions: Chargers, Texans, Broncos

Biggest Loser: Lions

This wasn't a horrible performance by the Lions defense, it was just an unremarkable one given that an already vulnerable Commanders offense was forced to trot out their backup QB. Kelvin Sheppard's troops got 2 sacks and forced zero turnovers in an easy 44-22 victory over an injury-depleted squad that looks nothing like the team that bounced them from the playoffs in January. They'll draw a total wild card assignment in Week 11 when they head east to Philly to take on a comically erratic Eagles offense.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Bills, Browns, Patriots  

Movie Review: Predator: Badlands

Whether it's greenlighting another Tron movie, throwing Rachel Zegler and Nia DaCosta under the bus after the tremendous commercial failure of movies that barely anybody liked or caving into the demands of a fascist president, The Walt Disney Corporation has made plenty of awful decisions in recent years. One thing the cowardly mouse house has done correctly is entrust Dan Trachtenberg to be the creative czar of the Predator franchise. Trachtenberg has bucked the modern Disney playbook entirely by daring to do more than just worship at the altar of the classic original like Fede Alvarez did with Alien: Romulus last year. Instead, Trachtenberg has dared to experiment with different subgenres, settings (both location and time period) and even mediums to tell Predator stories in and it's resulted in an image rehabilitation for the brand that felt like a complete pipe dream after Shane Black's The Predator ate shit back in September 2018. Trachtenberg's third Predator film (and first theatrical release) Badlands pushes the boundaries even further by doing something that the series has never done before: Have the protagonist be a Predator (aka Yautja).

The uniqueness of Badlands isn't limited to having the main character be a member of the lethal alien race that's served as the franchise's antagonist in every prior film. Trachtenberg uses the character of Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Kolomatangi)-a Yautja whose been labeled as an outcast and liability to his clan by his own father (Reuben De Jong)- as the driver for a story of someone deifying the odds to prove their worth in a world that has labeled them as a disgraceful failure that's unworthy of existing. The prideful underdog setup then quickly blossoms into unexpected found family story when Dek reluctantly teams up with a wounded Weyland-Yutani synthetic (Elle Fanning, who is disarmingly charming and chipper in a role that's crucial to selling this narrative) and a fellow lonely alien creature named Bud to complete his mission of slaying the most lethal predator on the "death planet" of Genna known as the Kalisk-a massive dragon-esque creature that even Dek's alpha father fears. Having such a simple, universal story provides the kind of relatable emotional stakes that we've never seen in a Predator movie before. There have been enough riffs on the badass "humans try to outwit an elite alien hunter that they can't always see" over the years that it's cool to a version of the story where the Yautja has the kind of proper character arc and range of emotions that are typically reserved for the Homo sapiens. The fact that this massive reimagining of an iconic villain didn't come at the expense of softening the action makes it even better as the producers weren't lying when they said that Badlands wouldn't sanitized be due to the PG-13 rating. Giving the Predator a heart all and is great but it wouldn't be a Predator movie if there weren't spines getting ripped out and limbs flying off, so shoutout to Trachtenberg for understanding that a Yautja finding their heart doesn't mean that they're going to stop using their collection of sick ass alien weapons to murder their enemies in a bunch of creative ways.     

I will say that despite its uniqueness, I'll stop short of saying that Badlands is the best Predator sequel. It slips into the dreaded "big shit repeatedly slamming into each other" phenomenon at times-which brings an unwelcome choppiness to some of the bigger action sequences and the wall-to-wall VFX prevents the natural beauty of its on-location shooting in New Zealand from hitting the same way it did in the less VFX-heavy Prey. Perhaps I'll warm up to these elements upon rewatch, but for now they were enough to allow Badlands to fall just short of greatness.                               

Grade: B

2025 NFL Mid-Year Awards+Updated Playoff and Super Bowl Predictions

Top Player: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

While much of the MVP discussion has centered around Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes up to the point, Stafford has been quietly authoring one of the best seasons of his perpetually underappreciated career at age 37. The Rams signalcaller has already surpassed his TD total (20) from 2024 by throwing a league-high 21 TD's through 8 games, done a tremendous job of protecting the ball (2 INT's on 274 passing attempts) and is posting his best completion percentage since 2022 (67.2%) all while leading his team to a 6-2 start. If Stafford can maintain this level of play through the final 9 games, it'll be hard to deny him the top accolades that have long alluded him.    

Honorable Mentions: Drake Maye (Patriots), Sam Darnold (Seahawks), Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

Top Offensive Player: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Daniel Jones borderline revelatory play (excluding his implosion against the Steelers last week of course) has been huge and all but the real catalyst for the Colts offensive surge that has stunned the entire league is Taylor. The 6th year back's start to 2025 is easily the best he's been since he won the rushing title in 2021 as he's amassed 1,113 scrimmage YDS (895 rushing, 218 receiving) and 14 total TD's on 184 touches.   

Honorable Mentions: Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals), James Cook (Bills)

Top Defensive Player: Myles Garrett (Browns)

It's been another ugly season in Cleveland as they've dealt with a mighty depressing QB carousel that saw Joe Flacco get benched for overmatched rookie Dillon Gabriel after 4 games, Sheduer Sanders creating drama by pouting that he wasn't immediately named the backup QB after Flacco got traded to the Bengals last month and just saw embattled coach Kevin Stefanski surrender playcalling duties to OC Tommy Rees after finishing as the 30th ranked scoring offense through 8 games. Amongst all this despair, Myles Garret is once again proving that he's one of the best players the league has ever seen. The future Hall of Famer is currently leading the league in sacks with 11 through 8 games, added an additional 34 QB pressures and has graded out as the best pash rusher in football according to PFF.   

Honorable Mentions: Micah Parsons (Packers), Jamel Dean (Buccaneers), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

Top Offensive Rookie: Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers)

While a hamstring injury has slowed down Egbuka over the last couple of weeks, what he accomplished before that was so impressive that it still allowed him to edge out Tyler Warren for this honor. The Bucs 1st round pick out of Ohio State has done an excellent job of filling the shoes of the Bucs injured veteran WR's Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, registering 562 YDS and 5 TD's on just 34 receptions.  

Honorable Mentions: Tyler Warren (Colts), Cam Skattebo (Giants), Quinshon Judkins (Browns)

Top Defensive Rookie: Jihaad Campbell (Eagles)

Howie Roseman appears to have done it again. The Eagles 1st round pick has seen a higher-than-expected level of playing time thanks to 2024 starter Nakobe Dean missing time as he recovered from a torn patellar tendon he suffered in the Wild Card Round against the Packers back in January and been precisely the kind of do-it-all inside linebacker that Vic Fangio wants in the middle of his defense.  

Honorable Mentions: Will Johnson (Cardinals), Carson Schwesinger (Browns), Donovan Ezeriuaku (Cowboys)

Top Coach: Shane Steichen (Colts)

Steichen has gone from the hot seat to coach of the year frontrunner courtesy of his shocking rehabilitation of the disgraced Daniel Jones and tapping Lou Anarumo to replace Gus Bradley at DC-who has elevated the group from the 24th ranked scoring defense a year ago to 7th this year. As impressive as Steichen has been so far, there were some alarming cracks in the operation that showed up during last week's loss to the Steelers (6 turnovers!) that could snowball into a tailspin if he and his staff don't promptly nip them in the bud.   

Honorable Mentions: Mike Vrabel (Patriots), Mike Macdonald (Seahawks), Kyle Shanahan (49ers)

Top Comeback Player: Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

As expected, Hutchinson immediately returned to elite form upon returning to action after sustaining a broken leg 5 games into the 2024 season. The Lions star edge rusher currently leads the NFL in QB pressures with a whopping 55 through 8 games, and the attention he draws with his consistent disruptiveness (he also has 7 sacks) has allowed guys like journeyman edge Al-Quadin Muhamad and inside linebacker Derrick Barnes to significantly elevate their pass-rushing productivity.    

Honorable Mentions: Christian McCaffery (49ers), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Daniel Jones (Colts)

All-Pro Teams:

Quarterback:

1st team: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

2nd team: Drake Maye (Patriots)

Running Back:

1st team: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

2nd team: James Cook (Bills)

Wide Receiver:

1st team: Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

2nd team: Puka Nacua (Rams), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions)

Tight End:

1st team: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

2nd team: Tucker Kraft (Packers)

Tackle:

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

2nd team: Andrew Thomas (Giants), Lane Johnson (Eagles)

Guard:

1st team: Quenton Nelson (Colts), Quinn Meinerz (Broncos)

2nd team: Peter Skoronski (Titans), Kevin Dotson (Rams)

Center:

1st team: Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

2nd team: Drew Dalman (Bears)

Edge Rusher:

1st team: Myles Garrett (Browns), Micah Parsons (Packers)

2nd team: Aidan Hutchinson (Lions), Will Anderson Jr. (Texans)

Defensive Tackle

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

2nd team: Derrick Brown (Panthers), Maliek Collins (Browns)

Inside Linebacker

1st team: Fred Warner (49ers), Devin Lloyd (Jaguars)

2nd team: Jack Campbell (Lions), Jihaad Campbell (Eagles)

Cornerback

1st team: Jamel Dean (Buccaneers), Trent McDuffie (Chiefs)

2nd team: Cooper DeJean (Eagles),  Cor'Dale Flott (Giants)

Safety

1st team: Kyle Hamilton (Ravens), Jalen Pitre (Texans)

2nd team: Derwin James (Chargers), Talanoa Hufanga (Broncos)

Kicker:

1st team: Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

2nd team: Chris Boswell (Steelers)

Punter:

1st team: Daniel Whelan (Packers)

2nd team: Michael Dickson (Seahawks)

Return Specialists:

1st team: Myles Price (Vikings), Chimere Dike (Titans)

2nd team: Luke McCaffery (Commanders), Marcus Jones (Patriots)

Special Teamer

1st team: Elijah Hicks (Bears)

2nd team: Juaneyh Thomas (Cowboys)

Playoff Predictions:

AFC:

1.Bills

2.Colts

3.Broncos

4.Steelers

5.Patriots

6.Chiefs

7.Chargers

Wild Card:

Colts over Chargers

Chiefs over Broncos

Patriots over Steelers

Divisional Round:

Chiefs over Bills

Colts over Patriots

Conference Championship:

Chiefs over Colts

NFC:

1.Lions

2.Eagles

3.Bucanneers

4.Rams

5.Seahawks

6.Packers

7.49ers

Wild Card:

Eagles over 49ers

Buccaneers over Packers

Rams over Seahawks

Divisional Round:

Rams over Lions

Eagles over Buccaneers

Conference Championship:

Rams over Eagles

Super Bowl:

Rams over Chiefs 

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 10

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(5) Buffalo Bills (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Miami Dolphins

2.(7) Seattle Seahawks (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

3.(8) Los Angeles Rams (6-2) Week 10 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

4.(4) Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Green Bay Packers

5.(1) Detroit Lions (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Washington Commanders

6.(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) Week 10 opponent: New England Patriots

7.(2) Indianapolis Colts (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

8.(3) Green Bay Packers (5-2-1) Week 10 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

9.(10) New England Patriots (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

10.(11) Denver Broncos (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

11.(12) San Francisco 49ers (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

12.(15) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

13.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

14.(9) Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Bye

15.(16) Chicago Bears (5-3) Week 10 opponent: New York Giants

16.(14) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Houston Texans

17.(19) Minnesota Vikings (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

18.(20) Baltimore Ravens (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

19.(21) Carolina Panthers (5-4) Week 10 opponent: New Orleans Saints

20.(17) Houston Texans (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

21.(24) Arizona Cardinals (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

22.(18) Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) Week 10 opponent: Bye

23.(23) Atlanta Falcons (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

24.(25) Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Bye

25.(22) Washington Commanders (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Detroit Lions 

26.(26) Miami Dolphins (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Buffalo Bills

27.(27) New York Giants (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Chicago Bears

28.(28) Cleveland Browns (2-6) Week 10 opponent: New York Jets

29.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Denver Broncos

30.(30) New Orleans Saints (1-8) Week 10 opponent: Carolina Panthers

31.(31) New York Jets (1-7) Week 10 opponent: Cleveland Browns

32.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-8) Week 10 opponent: Bye

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Caleb Williams (Bears)

A date with the Bengals league-worst defense granted Ben Johnson the freedom to deploy Caleb Williams in a variety of ways and the gameplan worked like a charm. Williams' statline in the shootout victory for the Bears was so busy that it almost reads as a joke: 280 passing YDS/3 TD's, 5 CAR/53 YDS and 2 REC/22 YDS/TD. While he certainly won't be able to repeat this incredible outing, Williams should remain a viable QB1 play for this week's showdown with the Giants 28th ranked scoring defense.

Honorable Mentions: Joe Flacco (Bengals), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Josh Allen (Bills)

Biggest Loser: Jordan Love (Packers)

Following his brilliant performance against the Steelers in Week 8, the Jordan Love pendulum harshly shifted back in the other direction as he put together a dud (273 YDS/0 TD/INT, A 1 YD Rushing TD) against the Panthers that contributed to a shocking upset home loss. Love has a date with the Eagles in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Daniel Jones (Colts)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Christian McCaffery (49ers)

After a pretty quiet showing against the Texans in Week 8, McCaffery returned to driving the 49ers offense in style with a dominant workhorse outing (173 scrimmage YDS and 2 TD's on 33 touches) against the Giants on Sunday afternoon. The potential return of Ricky Pearsall to the lineup this week against the Rams could cut into his target share a bit, but CMC should remain locked into his elite RB1 role as long as he avoids the dreaded 49ers injury bug.  

Honorable Mentions: Rico Dowdle (Panthers), Kyle Moanagai (Bears), Josh Jacobs (Packers)

Biggest Loser: Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

Brian Flores sold out to contain Gibbs and it worked beautifully as the Lions explosive back had his worst game of 2025 so far by a wide margin (28 scrimmage YDS on just 12 touches) in a loss to the Vikings. Gibbs should have no problem bouncing back gracefully as the Lions are set to square off against a completely depleted, dejected Commanders defense in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Alvin Kamara (Saints), Javonte Williams (Cowboys)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Drake London (Falcons)

The Falcons may've narrowly lost to the Patriots in heartbreaking fashion, but the best player on the field all game long at Gillette Stadium was Drake London. The star wideout stacked up highlight reel plays and the souls of every DB the Pats deployed against him in coverage as he posted 9 receptions for 118 YDS and a career-best 3 TD's. London will be hoping for another busy day with a more favorable outcome for his struggling Falcons this week when they travel to Berlin to take on the Colts.    

Honorable Mentions: Tee Higgins (Bengals), D.J. Moore (Bears), Davante Adams (Rams)

Biggest Loser: Rome Odunze (Bears)

It's genuinely mind-boggling that on a day where the Bears torched the Bengals for 576 YDS of total offense and had 3 players (Colston Loveland, D.J. Moore, Olamide Zaccheaus) clear 50 YDS receiving Odunze couldn't even manage a single catch. The Bears WR1 was only the target on 3 of Caleb Williams' 34 pass attempts, which was a new season-low and well below the average of 8 per game he had coming into Week 9. He'll undoubtedly be extra motivated to take advantage of this week's plus matchup against the Giants.      

Dishonorable Mentions: D.K. Metcalf (Steelers), Jakobi Meyers (Raiders), Xavier Worthy (Chiefs)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

Bowers' return to the lineup went unbelievably well as he posted 12 receptions for 127 YDS and 3 scores and a 6-YD carry in an OT loss against the Jaguars. With Jakobi Meyers being traded to the Jaguars today, Bowers' already robust target share should only get higher in the Raiders pass-happy offense. 

Honorable Mentions: Dalton Kincaid (Bills), Sam LaPorta (Lions), Mark Andrews (Ravens)

Biggest Loser: George Kittle (49ers)

It was another quiet day for Kittle as a fantasy player against the Giants, as he caught just 4 passes for 32 YDS and got stuffed in the backfield for a 3-yard loss on his only carry of the day. He's got a pretty tough matchup with the Rams-who've allowed the 11th fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season-in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Warren (Colts), Jake Ferguson (Cowboys), Evan Engram (Broncos)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Steelers

If you exercised patience with the Steelers D/ST after their horrendous showing against the Packers in Week 8, you were rewarded big time. Teryl Austin's group put the Colts through absolute hell in their  27-20 upset victory on Sunday, picking up 5 sacks, 3 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries against one of the best offenses in football right now. They'll have another chance to make some magic happen this week when they go against a Chargers offense who is horrendous in pass-protection and has turned the ball over 11 times through their opening 9 games.

Honorable Mentions: Ravens, Rams, Seahawks

Biggest Loser: Patriots

The Patriots D/ST 5-game streak of posting 10+ fantasy points came to a halt with their worst performance of the year against the Falcons in Week 9 as they mustered just a single sack and zero takeaways in a fortunate 24-23 victory. They'll face a Bucs offense that has surrendered 7 sacks and turned the ball over 3 times over their past 2 games in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Chiefs, Jaguars, Packers 

Guillermo del Toro 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 Guillermo del Toro-whose latest project "Frankenstein" is in select theaters now and begins streaming on Netflix this Friday.  

Guillermo del Toro's Filmography Ranked:

10.Nightmare Alley (C-)

9.Cronos (B-)

8.Pinocchio (B)

7.Hellboy II: The Golden Army (B)

6.Blade II (B)

5.Hellboy (B)

4.The Shape of Water (B+)

3.Crimson Peak (B+)

2.Pan's Labyrinth (B+)

1.Pacific Rim (A-)

Top Dog: Pacific Rim (2013)

Most people prefer Pan's Labyrinth's seamless marriage of fantastical wonder with the horrors of the real world or the whimsical fairy tale romance of The Shape of Water. But for me, del Toro peaked when he made big mechas fight big sea monsters for 2+ hours. Pacific Rim is the kind of colossal, badass blockbuster spectacle that the big screen was made for and one of the only effective uses of 3D I've ever comes across. It sucks that del Toro passed off directorial duties to screenwriter Steven S. DeKnight for the 2018 sequel Uprising-which was dumb fun in its own right but nowhere near as good as its predecessor-because this could've turned into a really sick franchise if it had remained in his hands.         

Bottom Feeder: Nightmare Alley (2021)

As of this writing, this remains the only del Toro movie I've disliked. Despite boasting strong visuals, impeccable production design and a haunting final scene that features some of the best acting of Bradley Cooper's career, Nightmare Alley is a misfire that takes forever to tell a story that's light on compelling characters, style or double crosses that can't be seen coming from a mile away      

Most Underrated: Crimson Peak (2015)

del Toro's previous trip to the world of gothic horror prior to Frankenstein resulted in one of his finest hours as a filmmaker. There's something really spellbinding about the manner in which Crimson Peak blends romance with dread-fueled haunted house atmospherics and revels in spinning together a soapy web that only becomes invigorating as the story progressively ratchets up the cartoonish melodrama until it reaches a boiling point in its glorious grand finale. Plus, it features the usual obscenely detailed, gorgeous visuals/sets you'd expect from a del Toro feature and an incredibly fun Jessica Chastain performance that really amplifies the effectiveness of its over-the-top storytelling.        

Most Overrated: Nightmare Alley (2021)

Few films this decade have been less deserving of a Best Picture nomination than Nightmare Alley. del Toro struggles to bring the passion he has for the source material to the screen as this noir thriller crawls for the bulk of its 151-minute runtime and only really comes alive in the magnificent final moments when the damage of the near constant tedium that preceded it has already been done. 

Zoey Deutch 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 Zoey Deutch-whose latest projects "Anniversary" and "Nouvelle Vague" are in theaters now ("Nouvelle Vague" will also be available to stream on Netflix starting on November 14th).  

Zoey Deutch's Filmography Ranked:

15.Flower (C)

14.Before I Fall (B-)

13.Good Kids (B-)

12.Something from Tiffany's (B-)

11.Why Him? (B-)

10.Buffaloed (B)

9.Dirty Grandpa (B)

8.Everybody Wants Some!! (B)

7.The Outfit (B)

6.Set It Up (B)

5.Not Okay (B)

4.Juror #2 (B)

3.The Threesome (B+)

2.The Disaster Artist (A-)

1.Zombieland: Double Tap (A)

Top Dog: Zombieland : Double Tap (2019)

Getting the band back together after 10 years proved to be a great move as Zombieland: Double Tap manages to rival the quality of its predecessor against all odds. Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin effortlessly slip back into the makeshift family dynamic that made the first one so special, the new cast members (Rosario Dawson, Avan Jogia, Deutch) all kill their respective roles, and Ruben Fleischer turns back the clock to direct with a level of energy that he hadn't shown since 2009. Falling Stone's suggestion of making a new Zombieland every 10 years wouldn't be a bad idea at all.   

Bottom Feeder: Flower (2017)

Despite Deutch bringing her reliable charisma and comedy chops to the title role, Flower is too morally questionable to deliver on its bizarre late pivot from dark comedy to pseudo-sweet coming-of-age romance.  

Most Underrated: The Threesome (2025)

Thanks to some sharp writing and lead performances from Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz and Deutch, The Threesome is able to take a really absurd sex comedy plot (a man gets both women he had a threesome with pregnant) and turn it into a really grounded, earnest story of three people trying to navigate the many challenges of their new shared reality. When this not even two-month-old indie romantic dramedy shows up on streaming sometime early next year, please check it out.   

Most Overrated: Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)

This is a tad unfair as Everybody Wants Some!! has kind of disappeared into the vastness of Richard Linklater's filmography at this point, I just never felt that it lived up to its reputation of being an excellent 80's-set hangout movie that rivals Linklater's best works. Honestly, the only enduring memory I have of it is that it marked the first time that Glen Powell and Deutch landed on my radar as they stole the whole damn movie with their key supporting roles as the hard-partying teammate and free-spirited love interest of the college baseball player protagonist (Blake Jenner) respectively. Perhaps a rewatch would allow me to appreciate more about it than the two shining stars that headlined its supporting cast. 

Movie Review: Shelby Oaks

YouTube film critic Chris Stuckmann made history in March 2022 when he received over $1 mil in crowdfunding donations via Kickstarter in just 24 days to make his debut feature film Shelby Oaks. This was the realization of a long-gestating dream for the now 37-year-old Stuckmann-who has been making short films since he was a teenager. Three and a half years after the launch of the Kickstarter campaign, Shelby Oaks was released in theaters by indie juggernaut Neon-who acquired the film following its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal in July 2024. As inspiring of a story as the realization of Shelby Oaks is for the dreamers out there that are looking to make their own DIY movie, the movie itself just isn't very good.

Being a critic and stepping behind the camera to make a movie are obviously two very different skill sets. That being said, the one thing you would probably expect out of a movie made by someone who's been reviewing movies professionally for over 15 years is a passionate vision. Working up the courage to make a movie, particularly a crowdfunded DIY indie, is a conscious choice that's driven by a burning desire to create art. If I wasn't aware of the love Stuckmann has for the artform, I would've assumed that somebody put him up to making Shelby Oaks against his will. 

The biggest detractors of Shelby Oaks that I've come across over the past couple weeks have cited its lack of originality as its biggest issue. While I can't really refute that point as Shelby Oaks is effectively a hodgepodge of several found footage, supernatural, mystery and family-centric "grief" horror movies that have received acclaim from the 1960s through the present day, the flaccid execution was more off-putting to me than the fusion of recycled ideas that drive the story. There's a real clock-punching feeling behind the narrative as the protagonist (Camille Sullivan, whose does all she can to lift up a painfully underwritten character) suddenly receives a string of clues about the disappearance of her sister (Sarah Durn) 12 years prior that provides her the string of answers she's long been looking for in rapid succession and once she figures out who/what was behind her disapperance, the film promptly ends on the most ridiculous, unsatisfying note possible. Something that was rightfully framed as the product of years of hard work finally paying off shouldn't feel so rushed and half-assed, especially since the film underwent some reshoots and a full re-edit once Neon bought it. A labor of love that was rough around the edges would've been infinitely better than the dull, half-baked slog Shelby Oaks ended up being.

I'll be honest, I'm taking it a little bit easier on Stuckmann than I would've if a more seasoned director had made this exact some movie. Despite the lackluster results, his eagerness to make a movie is admirable and I have no doubt that this idea was birthed with the best intentions. I'd be lying if I said there was much here that showed Stuckmann is destined for a future in filmmaking beyond one eerie sequence set inside an abandoned prison and the faux documentary opening that lays out the backstory for the film in a pretty efficient manner, but if he does make another film, I hope he can learn from the mistakes he made here and put something into the world that more accurately reflects the love he has for the cinematic artform.                   

Grade: C-

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 9

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Detroit Lions (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

2.(2) Indianapolis Colts (7-1) Week 9 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

3.(3) Green Bay Packers (5-1-1) Week 9 opponent: Carolina Panthers

4.(4) Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Bye

5.(5) Buffalo Bills (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

6.(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Bye

7.(7) Seattle Seahawks (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Washington Commanders

8.(8) Los Angeles Rams (5-2) Week 9 opponent: New Orleans Saints

9.(9) Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) Week 9 opponent: Buffalo Bills

10.(11) New England Patriots (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

11.(12) Denver Broncos (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Houston Texans

12.(10) San Francisco 49ers (5-3) Week 9 opponent: New York Giants

13.(18) Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) Week 9 opponent: Tennessee Titans

14.(14) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

15.(13) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

16.(15) Chicago Bears (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

17.(23) Houston Texans (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Denver Broncos

18.(17) Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1) Week 9 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

19.(16) Minnesota Vikings (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Detroit Lions

20.(27) Baltimore Ravens (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Miami Dolphins

21.(19) Carolina Panthers (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Green Bay Packers

22.(21) Washington Commanders (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

23.(20) Atlanta Falcons (3-4) Week 9 opponent: New England Patriots

24.(24) Arizona Cardinals (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

25.(22) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Chicago Bears

26.(30) Miami Dolphins (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

27.(25) New York Giants (2-6) Week 9 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

28.(26) Cleveland Browns (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Bye

29.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

30.(28) New Orleans Saints (1-7) Week 9 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

31.(32) New York Jets (1-7) Week 9 opponent: Bye

32.(31) Tennessee Titans (1-7) Week 9 opponent:  Los Angeles Chargers

Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

 Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Jordan Love (Packers)

The mentee bested the mentor as Jordan Love went into Pittsburgh and spoiled Aaron Rodgers first (and almost certainly only) chance at beating the Packers with a masterful performance (360 YDS/3 TD/1 2 PT-CNV). This was a much needed get right game for Love as he put together back-to-back quiet showings since returning from bye in Week 6. He'll square off against a burnable Panthers D in Week 9. 

Honorable Mentions: Drake Maye (Patriots), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

Biggest Loser: Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers)

Mayfield's magic was completely absent for a second straight game as he mustered just 152 passing YDS and a lost fumble as the defense/special teams carried the Bucs to an easy win over the Saints. Their Week 9 bye couldn't be coming at a better time and hopefully Mayfield can get guys like Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin back when they return to action against the Patriots in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Caleb Williams (Bears), Jaxson Dart (Giants)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Taylor only needed 14 touches (12 carries, 2 receptions) to eviscerate an overwhelmed Titans defense. He racked up an astonishing 174 scrimmage YDS and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) before retiring to the bench early in another blowout win for the now 8-1 Colts. After the other candidate stumbled this week, Taylor has moved into pole position in the fantasy MVP race and very well could stay there the rest of the way assuming that he remains healthy or doesn't hit a mid-season wall.  

Honorable Mentions: James Cook (Bills), Breece Hall (Jets), Saquon Barkley (Eagles)

Biggest Loser: Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

No one is immune to duds in the world of fantasy football, but the top dual-threat back in the league right now eating shit against the Dolphins porous defense is a complete shock. To be fair to Robinson, game script and a lost fumble were the primary reasons he had such an uneventful day (9 carries for 25 YDS, 3 receptions for 23 YDS) as the Kirk Cousins-led Falcons got shellacked by the lowly Dolphins at home. Robinson could be in for tough sledding once again in Week 9 against a Patriots defense that has been good against the run in 2025.

Dishonorable Mentions: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Jordan Mason (Vikings), Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Commanders)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Rashee Rice (Chiefs)

Last night was the Rashee Rice show at Arrowhead as the 3rd-year wideout was one of the focal points of the passing attack (9/93/1) and factored into the run game with 2 carries for 12 YDS in the Chiefs commanding win over the shorthanded Commanders. Rice has hit the ground running in his first two games back from suspension and will look to keep rolling against the Bills this Sunday.

Honorable Mentions: Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts), Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins), Ladd McConkey (Chargers)

Biggest Loser: Quentin Johnston (Chargers)

On a night where Justin Herbert absolutely dismantled the Vikings defense, Johnston was left out of the fun. In fact, he didn't even register a single target as Ladd McConkey and rookie tight Oronde Gadsden were the primary beneficiaries of Herbert's big night. After an incredible opening 4 weeks, Johnston has crashed down to Earth in whiplash-inducing fashion with just 70 YDS and a score in his last 3 games. He'll be a risky starting option against the Titans in Week 9. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Deebo Samuel (Commanders), Jerry Jeudy (Browns), Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Tucker Kraft (Packers)

The Steelers defense had absolutely no answer for Kraft on Sunday night as he erupted for 143 YDS and 2 TD's on 7 receptions. Kraft will look to extend his TD streak to 4 games in Week 9 against a Panthers defense that has struggled to cover TE's all season long.

Honorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Orande Gadsden (Chargers)

Biggest Loser: Jake Ferguson (Cowboys)

Ferguson's incredible fantasy run from Weeks 2-7 came to a screeching halt as the target/redzone scoring machine failed to catch his lone target in a game against the Broncos where Dak Prescott turned in his first poor performance of 2025. He'll have a great chance to bounce back this week against a Cardinals defense that has been rather generous to tight ends this season. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Dalton Kincaid (Bills), T.J. Hockenson (Vikings), Zach Ertz (Commanders)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Buccaneers

As I mentioned above, the Bucs rode the strong play of their defense to a 23-3 victory over the Saints. Todd Bowles' group got 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 INT's including a pick 6 in the 1st quarter by edge rusher Anthony Nelson where he ran straight through Spencer Rattler on his way into the endzone. The Bucs have been an up-and down group so far this year and very well could remain the way the rest of the way.  

Honorable Mentions: Bills, Patriots, Chiefs

Biggest Loser: Steelers

Jordan Love absolutely tore a hole through the Steelers defense on Sunday in a 35-25 loss for Mike Tomlin's team that saw them post 0 sacks or takeaways. I feel like a broken record at this point, but the Steelers are no longer a reliable fantasy D/ST option and should only be rostered/started when they have a soft matchup (which they won't have until Week 12 against the Bears). 

Dishonorable Mentions: Falcons, Bengals, Vikings

Movie Review: Black Phone 2

At the end of The Black Phone, Finney Blake (Mason Thames) kills The Grabber (Ethan Hawke)-a serial child abductor/killer who had been terrorizing his Denver suburb for years-after concocting an escape plan with The Grabber's past victims who communicated with him from beyond the grave via a phone in the basement he was locked in. Finney proceeds to reunite with his younger sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw)-who has psychic visions in her dreams, and his father Terrence (Jeremy Davies) and the family uses the blessing of their reunion as a reason to turn over a new leaf and work on the issues that have torn them apart since the death of their mother years earlier. The Black Phone end up being a box office hit in the summer of 2022, and nothing revives a great horror villain faster than the opportunity to return for a sequel. That sequel has arrived in the form of Black Phone 2 and fortunately, the returning creative duo of Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill didn't just bring The Grabber back to make a few more bucks for Universal/Blumhouse.

Using the established supernatural backbone of the original, The Grabber makes his return as a ghost-like entity who begins stalking Gwen in her dreams with the intention of killing her. The Grabber's master plan brings Gwen, Finney and Gwen's friend Ernesto (Miguel Mora)-who's the younger brother of Finney's friend Robin who was killed in the first film- to a Christian Youth Camp called Alpine Lake that's run by a man named Armando (Demian Bichir) and his niece Mustang (Arianna Rivas). Alpine Lake holds more than the key to figuring out why The Grabber is hanging around in Gwen's dreams waiting to kill her, it also provides Gwen and Finney with a link to their deceased mother (Anna Lore)-who was a counselor at Alpine Lake as a teenager- that they didn't know about previously. Trapped on the snow-covered grounds of the camp squaring off against a threat that nobody who's awake can see, this ragtag group has to work together to try and stop The Grabber's reign of terror before they end up as his next victims.

While it would be disingenuous for me to say that the whole reviving The Grabber thing isn't a contrivance to justify the existence of a sequel-especially since it simultaneously provides an opportunity to further develop Finney and Gwen's late mother, it didn't bother me in the slightest since Black Phone 2 is such an effective continuation of the story that the original told. Seeing where Finney, Gwen and Terrence are 4 years after their experience with The Grabber provides a look at a family that's struggling to heal from their collective wounds despite their best efforts further builds empathy for these characters who were already in a tough place when they were introduced in the original while The Grabber using Gwen's visions as a way to seek vengeance on the people responsible for his death is a cool way to reinvent him as a different breed of killer without stepping outside of the universe's boundaries. Everything about this setup makes sense for the character's journeys and honestly, what more could you ask for from a sequel?

Solid character work and the performances that come with them (Thames again stands out with his grounded take on a young man struggling to contain his rage and pain in the wake of going through an unspeakably horrific experience while Bichir makes for a great addition to the cast with his gentle, caring performance) give Black Phone 2 a sincere emotional core that's worth investing in. However, this is a horror movie after all and the real fun of it comes with the delivery of its spooky elements. After Sinister and The Black Phone, Derrickson and Cargill have an established track of record doing good work together in this genre. Black Phone 2 shows once again that they can be counted on to make quality horror pictures. 

The harsh winter aesthetic that the bulk of the film uses is an inherently awesome one to root a horror movie in, but the real genius of it is how they use the snow-covered camp as an evil playground for The Grabber's spirit to loom large over. Establishing proof that The Grabber is present at the camp early on along with the killer synth score from Derrickson's son Atticus gives things that are as routine as looking out the window at the frozen lake or going to the mess hall to get something to eat an unshakably sinister feeling. Even the way the cabins are lit with these wall-mounted coils give off the impression that an evil presence is watching over everyone as they sleep (or at least try to!). Establishing an atmosphere that's genuinely evil/unsettling is a key tenet of good horror that's pretty difficult to pull off and Derrickson is one of the best around at making it looking effortless.     

Shifting more of the story to focus on Gwen and her visions further bolstered the strengths of the atmosphere since they got to utilize more of the Super 8 photography which factored into several of the eeriest moments from the first one. The super grainy look of 8mm film has a unique power to it that makes every tree branch, snowflake or shadowy figure that may or may not be a lurking serial killer it captures feel like were ripped straight out of a nightmare. For a movie that's built around the horrors of dreams being actually real, that's a cheat code that puts the viewer as close as they can possibly can to being in Gwen's shoes while The Grabber aims to kill her. On top of how much it elevates the presence of evil in film, it provides it with a beautiful, distinct look as 8mm is hardly ever used these days (the vast majority of modern movies shot on film use 35mm). It may not stand a chance of being recognized with any cinematography honors this awards season, but I certainly won't forget the brilliant work Par M. Ekberg and this camera/lighting team did to create this striking look that was so crucial to making Black Phone 2 work.   

Black Phone 2 is a much-needed victory for Blumhouse after enduring a pretty lengthy stretch where the money wasn't coming in and the majority of the films they were putting out weren't living up to the quality standard they set when they took the horror genre by storm in the 2010's. Given the rules of this universe and how it's performing financially, Black Phone 3 feels inevitable and while I'm not sure how they'll make it happen, I trust Derrickson and Cargill's ability to find a hook that makes the endeavor a worthwhile one.                                     

Grade: B+

Scott Cooper 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 Scott Cooper-whose latest project "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" is in theaters today. 

Scott Cooper's Filmography Ranked:

6.The Pale Blue Eye (D)

5.Antlers (C+)

4.Black Mass (B-)

3.Out of the Furnace (B) 

2.Hostiles (B)

1.Crazy Heart (B)

Top Dog: Crazy Heart (2009)

Cooper's debut feature remains his best work. Jeff Bridges' Oscar was well-earned as he brings a tremendous amount of gravitas and vulnerability to the character of Otis "Bad" Blake, an alcoholic washed-up country singer who starts to regain his zest for life after entering a relationship with a divorced journalist (Maggie Gyllenhaal)-that makes the film's pretty routine "burnout musician seeks redemption after decades of neglecting his loved ones, self-medicating with substances and letting his ego drive his career into the ground" narrative easy to overlook.   

Bottom Feeder: The Pale Blue Eye (2022)

As the rankings above indicate, I've never loved any of Cooper's movies and have largely viewed him as not much more than a competent storyteller with a solid visual eye and an ability to get good performances out of his actors. At the same time, I also thought his work was steady enough on the whole that I'd never hate one of his movies. That changed earlier this week when I finally caught The Pale Blue Eye on Netflix. This period whodunit effectively serves as a tutorial on how not to make an entry in the genre as the film's central mystery is an uneventful snoozefest right up until the point where it suddenly gets deeply ridiculous when the truth comes out with 35 minutes or so left and Cooper's direction has absolutely zero gloom or style behind it despite being a gothic-inspired story that features a fictionalized version of Edgar Allan Poe as a main character (bless Henry Melling for trying, but he was woefully miscast in the role of the legendary poet). Even the typically great Christan Bale gets dragged down by the immense sleepiness and stupidity of this affair and gives one of the most forgettable performances of his career thus far. Springsteen has to be better than this shit, right? Right? Right?          

Most Underrated: Hostiles (2017)

While the film is never able to match the unflinching brutality and intensity of its tremendous opening sequence, Hostiles is a solid western drama full of excellent understated performances, beautiful visuals and an honest and solemn albeit pretty obvious acknowledgement of how the ignorance of not truly knowing your perceived enemy is a crucial component in the epidemic of violent systematic hatred that has plagued humanity for centuries (in this case, it's a United States Army platoon and the Cheyenne War Chief they fought against in the Great Sioux War of 1876).       

Most Overrated: Black Mass (2015)

Black Mass isn't exactly viewed as a mob movie classic, but I still feel like there's too much praise heaped on this movie (probably because I live close enough to Boston that I know enough people that feel some type of way about prolific mob boss Whitey Bulger). Nothing about Black Mass is truly bad per say, there's just only so much mileage you can get from Johnny Depp's shameless scenery chewing as Bulger (I get this was the only time he actually tried to act from the late 2000's to now, but good lord he truly hasn't done anything besides be a fucking caricature since he first played Jack Sparrow 22 years ago) and a by-the-numbers ruthless mobster emboldened by the corrupt feds vs. the honest feds plot that never quite beats its Goodfellas knock-off allegations.     

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(2) Detroit Lions (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Bye

2.(4) Indianapolis Colts (6-1) Week 8 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

3.(3) Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) Week 8 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

4.(6) Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) Week 8 opponent: New York Giants

5.(5) Buffalo Bills (4-2) Week 8 opponent: Carolina Panthers

6.(1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) Week 8 opponent: New Orleans Saints

7.(7) Seattle Seahawks (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Bye

8.(9) Los Angeles Rams (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Bye

9.(10) Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) Week 8 opponent: Washington Commanders

10.(12) San Francisco 49ers (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Houston Texans

11.(14) New England Patriots (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Cleveland Browns

12.(13) Denver Broncos (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

13.(11) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) Week 8 opponent: Green Bay Packers

14.(8) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) Week 8 opponent: Bye

15.(19) Chicago Bears (4-2) Week 8 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

16.(15) Minnesota Vikings (3-3) Week 8 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

17.(22) Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1) Week 8 opponent: Denver Broncos

18.(17) Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) Week 8 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

19.(20) Carolina Panthers (4-3) Week 8 opponent: Buffalo Bills

20.(16) Atlanta Falcons (3-3) Week 8 opponent: Miami Dolphins

21.(18) Washington Commanders (3-4) Week 8 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

22.(25) Cincinnati Bengals (3-4) Week 8 opponent: New York Jets

23.(21) Houston Texans (2-4) Week 8 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

24.(24) Arizona Cardinals (2-5) Week 8 opponent: Bye

25.(23) New York Giants (2-5) Week 8 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

26.(30) Cleveland Browns (2-5) Week 8 opponent: New England Patriots

27.(27) Baltimore Ravens (1-5) Week 8 opponent: Chicago Bears

28.(28) New Orleans Saints (1-6) Week 8 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

29.(26) Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) Week 8 opponent: Bye

30.(29) Miami Dolphins (1-6) Week 8 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

31.(31) Tennessee Titans (1-6) Week 8 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

32.(32) New York Jets (0-7) Week 8 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals 

Week 7 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

 Quarterback:

Biggest Winner: Bo Nix (Broncos)

Prior to the fourth quarter, Nix was set to log another underwhelming outing that made his fantasy owners once again question why they rolled him out as a QB1 during a season where he's looked like complete shit about 80% of the time. Then one of the most absurd comebacks in NFL history happened as the young, stupid Giants imploded in spectacular fashion during the final 15 minutes of the game and Nix suddenly became a fantasy hero. At the end of this madness, Nix ended up posting 279 YDS and 2 TD's through the air, 48 YDS and 2 TD's on the ground and 2 2-point conversions. The most erratic fantasy QB of 2025 should end up having another good day in Week 8 when the Broncos square off against the Cowboys porous defense.     

Honorable Mentions: Justin Herbert (Chargers), Matthew Stafford (Rams), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Biggest Loser: Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers)

In the first real misstep of his excellent 2025 campaign thus far, Mayfield failed to take advantage of the Lions injury-depleted secondary and had a generally pretty poor showing (228 YDS, TD, INT) in a game where the Bucs were completely outclassed by the home team for 60 minutes. Despite losing Mike Evans for the foreseeable future not even one half into his return from a hamstring injury that had kept him sidelined for the previous 3 games, it would be silly to doubt Mayfield's ability to return to elite form after this clunker.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Caleb Williams (Bears), Jared Goff (Lions), Jordan Love (Packers)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Christian McCaffery (49ers)

Uh-oh, CMC has found his mojo as a rusher again. The 49ers back erupted for 129 YDS and 2 TD's on 24 carries while also staying busy in the passing game (7 receptions for 72 YDS) thanks to the team's continued lack of bodies at WR in a big win over the Falcons on Sunday night. It's probably not a coincidence that this run game explosion coincided with the return of George Kittle to the lineup-who had been out for the previous 5 games with a hamstring injury and it's safe to assume that CMC will continue to be a real problem for opposing defenses on the ground as long as the star tight end is out there.    

Honorable Mentions: Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Quinshon Judkins (Browns)

Biggest Loser: Ashton Jeanty (Raiders)

The Raiders mustered just 3 first downs and possessed the ball for only 17:52 in a lopsided 31-0 loss to the Chiefs, which rendered Jeanty effectively useless (34 YDS on 7 touches) in fantasy. To say that Jeanty hasn't lived up to the hype would be an understatement of massive proportions as the Raiders horrendous run-blocking and generally anemic offense has rendered this consensus top 15 fantasy pick to volatile RB2 status. Fingers crossed that Pete Caroll and Chip Kelly will be able to figure some things out during their bye this week that allows Jeanty to make more positive contributions during the final 10 games of their season.       

Dishonorable Mentions: Saquon Barkley (Eagles), Alvin Kamara (Saints), Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Commanders)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

Bengals/Steelers was one of the most thrilling shootouts the league has seen in recent years, and the biggest fantasy winner of the evening ended up being Chase. Joe Flacco relied heavily on Chase to make plays, and it paid off as he put up an insane 16/161/1 statline that helped power the Bengals to a much-needed win. Chase will look to make it two dominant showings in a row this week against the flailing Jets. 

Honorable Mentions: DeVonta Smith (Eagles), A.J. Brown (Eagles), Chris Olave (Saints)

Biggest Loser: Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins)

Tua Tagovailoa got abused by the Browns feisty defense on Sunday and his poor play trickled down to his top WR-who caught just 1-of-4 targets for 15 YDS before he hit the bench early with the rest of the first team offense in the 4th quarter to pave the way for the whippersnappers to get some run late in this blowout loss. Waddle has been pretty great on the whole since Tyreek Hill went down for the year, so don't let this dud deter you from starting him for this week's contest with the hot-and-cold Falcons. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jameson Williams (Lions), Rome Odunze (Bears), Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Trey McBride (Cardinals)

Another Jacoby Brissett start led to another gem from McBride as he hauled in 10 catches for 74 YDS and 2 TD's in a loss to the Packers. While he hasn't quite lived up to his ADP so far, McBride's high target share in a pass-heavy offense gives him a floor that few other TE's have. He'll get the Cowboys when the struggling Cards return to action in Week 9. 

Honorable Mentions: Jake Ferguson (Cowboys), Tyler Warren (Colts), Tucker Kraft (Packers)

Biggest Loser: George Kittle (49ers)

While it was a glorious night for Kittle as a run blocker against the Falcons, he didn't do a damn thing as a pass-catcher-failing to secure either of his two targets. He'll look to regain his fantasy relevance in Week 8 against the Texans. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Sam LaPorta (Lions), Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Mason Taylor (Jets)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Patriots

Defense led the way for the Patriots in a 31-13 win over the Titans, logging 5 sacks, an INT and a fumble recovery by K'Lavon Chaisson that was returned for TD. The Patriots D/ST should remain a top-tier fantasy option this week when they go against the Browns low wattage offense at home.

Honorable Mentions: Browns, Texans, Chiefs

Biggest Loser: Steelers

The hopes that a date with the struggling Bengals would help fix the Steelers defensive struggles of late died a harsh death as they netted 2 sacks and 0 takeaways in a 33-31 loss. Perhaps a revenge game for their QB Aaron Rodgers against the Packers on SNF can be the catalyst for Teryl Austin's group to finally get back on track after a largely poor start to the 2025 campaign.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Chargers, Vikings, Broncos

Seth Rogen 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 Seth Rogen-whose latest project "Good Fortune" releases in theaters today. 

Seth Rogen's Filmography Ranked:

40.The Lion King (D+)

39.You, Me and Dupree (C-)

38.Monsters vs. Aliens (C-)

37.The Guilt Trip (C)

36.An American Pickle (C)

35.Take This Waltz (C)

34.Observe and Report (C)

33.For a Good Time... Call (C+)

32.The Green Hornet (B-)

31.The Super Mario Bros. Movie (B-)

30.Kung Fu Panda 4 (B-)

29.Fanboys (B)

28.Like Father (B)

27.Kung Fu Panda 3 (B)

26.Kung Fu Panda 2 (B)

25.Dumb Money (B)

24.The Fabelmans (B)

23.Chip n'Dale: Rescue Rangers (B)

22.Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (B)

21.The Interview (B)

20.Kung Fu Panda (B)

19.Paul (B+)

18.Pineapple Express (B+)

17.Sausage Party (B+)

16.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (B+)

15.Funny People (B+)

14.Neighbors (B+)

13.The Night Before (B+)

12.Steve Jobs (A-)

11.The Disaster Artist (A-)

10.Zack and Miri Make a Porno (A)

9.Long Shot (A)

8.50/50 (A)

7.Knocked Up (A)

6.This is the End (A)

5.Step Brothers (A)

4.Donnie Darko (A+)

3.The 40-Year-Old Virgin (A+)

2.Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (A+) 

1.Superbad (A+)

Top Dog: Superbad (2007)

Believe it or not, there was a time where comedy movies played in theaters and people went to see them en masse. Crazy right?! While Superbad is a movie that holds up extremely well that I've watched a bunch over the years, that first viewing in theaters on opening weekend is the first place my mind goes to whenever it's brought up. The energy that is present in a theater full of people laughing their asses off from start to finish is one of the best feelings in the world and to this day, I've never seen a movie kill to the extent that Superbad did. On top of that, it helped launch the career of Emma Stone and upped the stocks of everybody from Jonah Hill to Michael Cera to Rogen to Bill Hader. What a fucking legacy to leave behind.      

Bottom Feeder: The Lion King (2019)

The "live action" remake of The Lion King pulls off one hell of a magic trick by regurgitating the story of the animated version without a drop of the heart or soul that made it special and somehow expanding the running time by a half hour despite the film feeling like a 20-minute highlight reel. Most of the Disney live action remakes are just cash grabs, but this one in particular is so creatively bankrupt that it feels like the viewer got duped into a Bob Iger-backed pyramid scheme.       

Most Underrated: Zach and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

Looking back on it, Zach and Miri Make a Porno marked the end of Kevin Smith's peak run. What makes Zach and Miri Make a Porno so special is that it threads the needle between being a lowbrow sex comedy and genuinely sweet romance. This unlikely combo works because Smith knows exactly when to focus on each of these polar opposite sides, the chemistry between Rogen and Elizabeth Banks is incredible and the supporting cast all kill their roles (especially Craig Robinson's hilarious turn as Rogen's co-worker/friend). I'd like to say that it's possible that Smith could get back to a place where he was making great movies again someday, but frankly, I just don't think his heart is in it these days.   

Most Overrated: The Fabelmans (2022)

At its best, The Fabelmans is a heartfelt, fascinating look at how a young Steven Spielberg fell in love with movies and used filmmaking as a way to escape from the messiness of his family life. At its worst, it's a grating, cornball melodrama led by an unusually showy, awards-baity performance from Michelle Williams. The latter takes up enough of the runtime to prevent the film from being great and is why I was so baffled at the amount of awards buzz it received three years ago.     

Contender for the Most Criminally Overlooked Romcom of the Last 20 Years: Long Shot (2019)

Prior to Good Fortune, the last time we got a Rogen-led comedy on the big screen was Long Shot six and a half years ago! As shitty as this prolonged drought has been, Long Shot was at least one hell of a note to go on hiatus on. This is one of the rare romcoms that is so sweet and funny throughout that you're in a complete state of euphoria once the credits roll. We need to start a petition for Rogen and Charlize Theron to work together again (beyond a quick cameo on The Studio) ASAP.  

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 7

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Detroit Lions

2.(1) Detroit Lions (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

3.(5) Green Bay Packers (3-1-1) Week 7 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

4.(7) Indianapolis Colts (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

5.(3) Buffalo Bills (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Bye

6.(2) Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

7.(10) Seattle Seahawks (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Houston Texans

8.(6) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

9.(9) Los Angeles Rams (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

10.(14) Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

11.(12) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) Week 7 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

12.(8) San Francisco 49ers (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

13.(11) Denver Broncos (4-2) Week 7 opponent: New York Giants

14.(16) New England Patriots (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Tennessee Titans

15.(15) Minnesota Vikings (3-2) Week 7 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

16.(19) Atlanta Falcons (3-2) Week 7 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

17.(17) Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

18.(13) Washington Commanders (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

19.(20) Chicago Bears (3-2) Week 7 opponent: New Orleans Saints

20.(23) Carolina Panthers (3-3) Week 7 opponent: New York Jets

21.(21) Houston Texans (2-3) Week 7 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

22.(18) Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1) Week 7 opponent: Washington Commanders

23.(29) New York Giants (2-4) Week 7 opponent: Denver Broncos

24.(22) Arizona Cardinals (2-4) Week 7 opponent: Green Bay Packers

25.(24) Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) Week 7 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

26.(31) Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) Week 7 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

27.(25) Baltimore Ravens (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Bye

28.(26) New Orleans Saints (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Chicago Bears

29.(27) Miami Dolphins (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Cleveland Browns

30.(28) Cleveland Browns (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Miami Dolphins

31.(30) Tennessee Titans (1-5) Week 7 opponent: New England Patriots

32.(32) New York Jets (0-6) Week 7 opponent: Carolina Panthers 

Week 6 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Editon

 Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Mahomes put together his 2nd vintage Mahomes gem in the last 3 weeks as he absolutely tore up the Lions (257 YDS and 3 TD's through the air, 32 YDS and a TD on the ground) in a decisive SNF win that reminded the league that reports of the Chiefs demise after a slow start to 2025 have been greatly exaggerated. With Rashee Rice returning from suspension this week, the arrow on Mahomes should only continue pointing up. 

Honorable Mentions: Drake Maye (Patriots), Daniel Jones (Colts), Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

Biggest Loser: Bo Nix (Broncos)

Nix may have outdueled Justin Fields and led the Broncos to a narrow victory in a repulsive display of football in London on Sunday, but his performance was only slightly less underwhelming than his Jets counterpart. The Broncos signalcaller threw for just 174 YDS and a TD and rushed for 24 YDS on the ground against one of the worst defenses in football. Nix faces the Giants in Week 7.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Justin Fields (Jets), Matthew Stafford (Rams), Jordan Love (Packers)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

There's a lot of praise to be handed out for the Falcons as they ran over the Bills for 60 minutes in a stunning upset win last night, but the best player for them all night long per usual was Mr. Bijan Robinson. The star back was unstoppable nearly every time he touched the ball, amassing a staggering 238 YDS (170 rushing, 68 receiving) on 25 touches (19 carries, 6 receptions). Robinson will look to paint another masterpiece when the Falcons take on the 49ers this Sunday night.   

Honorable Mentions: Rico Dowdle (Panthers), Cam Skattebo (Giants), Josh Jacobs (Packers)

Biggest Loser: Quinshon Judkins (Browns)

The Steelers sold out to stop the run against the Browns limp offense in Week 6, and it worked as top back Judkins logged just 36 YDS on 12 carries in yet another ugly loss for Kevin Stefanski's team. Judkins has an ideal bounceback spot in Week 7 against a Dolphins defense that has been unable to contain the run all season long.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Commanders), Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks), Tony Pollard (Titans)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: George Pickens (Cowboys)

The Cowboys ended up falling short in a ridiculous shootout with the Panthers in Charlotte on Sunday afternoon, but Pickens more than his part to keep Dallas in the game by exploding for 168 YDS and a TD on 9 receptions. While Pickens should quiet down once CeeDee Lamb returns to the field within the next few weeks, he'll remain a locked-in weekly fantasy starter on an offense that's been among the best in football since Week 2. 

Honorable Mentions: Drake London (Falcons), Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

Biggest Loser: Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

For only the second time this season, Sutton faceplanted-nabbing just 1-of-3 targets for 17 on a weird day against the Jets where no Broncos receiver got more than 42 YDS. Sutton will aim to return to his usual WR2 self against the Giants in Week 7.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Puka Nacua (Rams), Garrett Wilson (Jets), Deebo Samuel (Commanders)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

The only sure thing about the Eagles this season seems to be Goedert being a great fantasy performer every time he's healthy enough to suit up. A dogshit showing by the defending champs against a Giants team that was coming off a poor showing of their own in a road loss to the lowly Saints didn't hamper the veteran tight end from putting together his best game of the year thus far with 9 catches for 110 YDS and a TD. Goedert will be a TE1 for their Week 7 tilt with the Vikings. 

Honorable Mentions: Trey McBride (Cardinals), Tyler Warren (Colts), Sam LaPorta (Lions)

Biggest Loser: Juwan Johnson (Saints)

Anybody that gambled on Johnson's ability to right the ship against a Patriots defense that has gotten killed by TE's this season ate shit in a big way as the Saints TE nabbed just 2 receptions and 15 YDS and lost a crucial fumble late in the game that helped kill the Saints admirable comeback attempt. Johnson's fantasy stock has cratered over the past few weeks as he's logged just 60 YDS on 7 receptions and a lost fumble over this stretch, which makes him a cut candidate in any league that's under 14 teams. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Patriots), Mason Taylor (Jets), Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Rams

On a day where their offense was surprisingly sloppy against the injury-depleted Ravens, their defense carried them to a 17-3 victory with an excellent performance (4 sacks/2 FUM REC's/1 INT). They'll be worth starting consideration once again this week when they travel across the pond to face a middling Jaguars offense.  

Honorable Mentions: Raiders, Broncos, Steelers

Biggest Loser: Eagles

Vic Fangio's group got smacked in the mouth by the Giants rookie duo of Cam Skattebo and Jaxson Dart, mustering 2 sacks and 0 takeaways in a deflating 34-17 loss. This group has been surprisingly up-and-down to start 2025 and will look to flip the script this week against a Vikings team that could be getting J.J. McCarthy back after a month-long absence with a high ankle sprain.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Packers, Chiefs, Lions

Movie Review: Roofman

"True crime" stories have surged in popularity over the last decade or so, particularly in the mediums of documentaries and serialized podcasts. Humans being drawn to stories of their fellow man committing weird, elaborate and/or heinous illegal acts over a sustained period of time is hardly a new concept, this just happens to be the latest evolution of this likely eternal phenomenon. One of the more unbelievable stories out there that was practically begging to be told in this format is that of Jeffrey Manchester aka the Roofman. 

Manchester's life of crime began in November 1998 when he started traveling the country and robbing McDonald's locations by cutting holes in their notoriously flimsy roofs in the middle of the night, waiting until the employees working the opening shift arrived and then after ushering them into the walk-in freezer at gunpoint, made out with all of the cash in the register. Manchester is believed to have robbed somewhere in the range of 40-60 McDonald's before being apprehended in North Carolina in May 2000. He was convicted of robbing two McDonald's shortly after and was sentenced to 45 years in prison.

What happened in the next chapter of Manchester's criminal career is somehow even crazier. In June 2004, he broke out of Brown Creek Correctional Institution in Polkton, North Carolina by hiding in the undercarriage of a delivery truck that frequently delivered materials to the prison metal shop in which he worked. After his successful escape, he hitchhiked to Charlotte and took up residence in the backroom of a Toys "R" Us location and survived on nothing but the food and drinks that were in the store (mostly candy, baby food and water) and stole merchandise to pawn off to make some cash while he laid low. Eventually, he backs off his plan to simply hide in the shadows by venturing into public under the alias of "Jeff Zorn"-a divorced man from New York City with a classified government job during the day before returning to his Toys "R" Us hideout at night. "Jeff" gets so comfortable with his new identity that he even begins to date a divorced mother of two named Leigh Wainscott that he meet through a Presbyterian Church he started to attend. After several months of bliss as "Jeff Zorn" and a series of boneheaded mistakes that tipped off the authorities to his whereabouts, Manchester got apprehended again in January 2005 and is currently expected to be in jail until at least 2036.

A story like this is completely unique in the world of true crime as it's not only brazen and stranger-than-fiction but focuses on someone that doesn't display the typical behavior of a serial thief (many of the employees from the McDonald's Manchester robbed pointed out his gentle demeanor and the kindness he showed them during the robberies). This hook made Manchester's story an ideal candidate to receive a full-blown dramatized movie treatment, and it got one in Roofman.

Roofman isn't a simple play-by-play of what Manchester-who is portrayed here by Channing Tatum-did during this uh, eventful period of his life. In fact, only about a quarter of the film is dedicated to his crimes and prison break. What co-writer/director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines) is more interested in Manchester's relationship with Wainscott-who is played by Kristen Dunst. It's a great way to center humanity in this telling of the story as their relationship represents a sign of hope for both parties. For Manchester, it's a second chance at domestic bliss after his ex-wife (Melonie Diaz) and kids cut off contact with him after he got sent to prison against his wishes. For Wainscott, it's an eagerness to find love again after finally getting out of a loveless marriage of nearly 20 years. For a while, their relationship is really lovely and provides them both with exactly what they needed at that moment in time. When the brutal truth comes out about that "Jeff Zorn" is just a facade covering up the sins of Manchester, it's heartbreaking as the lie that their relationship was built on did indeed have real feelings of love and healing sitting right below its dishonest surface. Tatum and Dunst do a really tremendous job of making their character's intentions feel pure and both the highs and lows of their whirlwind relationship pack a sincere emotional punch that is grounded in reality.

The other aspect of Roofman that is really fascinating is the portrayal of Manchester himself. There's a version of this movie where the harshness of reality is removed and he's just a nice guy caught in a shitty situation beyond his control. What Cianfrance and Tatum do instead is make him an affable guy deserving of empathy without bending over backwards to exonerate him of his crimes. This balancing act is exactly why Tatum was such perfect casting for Cianfrance's telling of Manchester's story. As Manchester's army buddy/fake ID-related documents supplier Steve (LaKeith Stanfield) says to him near the end of the film, Manchester cares too much about other people to be a good criminal. Tatum embodies the spirit of that line fully by being a really charming, genuine guy whose bad decisions caused him to hurt people he cares about, and he now has to forever live with the far-reaching consequences of his actions. Redemption just never comes as easy as Manchester hopes it will and despite probably knowing that deep down, his continued pursuit of it is what ultimately lands him back in jail. It's really a story of writing your tragic fate above all else and that's not a text that very many people outside of Cianfrance would've elected to explore in a story that has so many absurd/insane elements to it. 

As "true crime" stories continue to populate screens of all sizes in the years to come, here's to hoping that more projects will be able to find the human side to these stories that's usually pushed aside in favor of sensationism and exploitation. Admittedly, that will be a hard ask for stories that lack the clear pathway that Roofman has into exploring these things and a writer/director with the emotional honesty of Cianfrance bringing it to life. But there's something particularly rewarding and almost refreshingly old-fashioned about using the plights and feelings of real people as the driver of these crazy stories that could help turn this subgenre into something more meaningful moving forward.                                      

                                

Grade: B 

Quick Movie Reviews: One Battle After Another, The Smashing Machine, Bone Lake, Play Dirty

One Battle After Another: I punted on writing a full One Battle After Another review last week and honestly, I'm glad that I did. It would've been difficult to articulate the biggest issues I had with the film without delving heavily into spoilers in a lengthier review and I had no interest in tapdancing around them with a few vague paragraphs that didn't really say much of anything useful. I'll just leave it at this: One Battle After Another is a good movie that has some electrifying sequences, strong performances (Key supporting players Benicio del Toro and Regina Hall steal the show with their often hilarious degree of calmness under pressure and quiet pain respectively) and wisely portrays white nationalists as the bumbling, insecure babies that they are, but the scattershot first act and not at all buying the actions of Chase Infinti's character in the film's final scene caused it to fall short of greatness in my eyes. Feel free to taunt me in March when it wins Best Picture and at least a half dozen more awards at the Oscars.     

Grade: B

The Smashing Machine: Using the 2002 HBO documentary of the same name as inspiration, Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine wants to make the viewer feel like they are in the room with MMA legend Mark Kerr as he becomes a multi-time champion, battles an opioid addiction and eventually, makes his return to fighting after getting sober over a 4-year period from 1997-2000. Safdie achieves this by deploying mostly handheld camerawork, a sound mix that feels more like live theater than a movie and trusting his cast led by Dwayne Johnson as Kerr and Emily Blunt as Kerr's longtime partner Dawn Staples to step into the dark, painful places these people were at during this period of their lives. This visceral intimacy Safdie provides is a great idea that works very well at times thanks to how well Johnson and Blunt embody their character's individual struggles that were made worse by the toxicity of their codependent yet often loveless relationship. Ironically, the documentary-esque approach that powers the best parts of the movie also ends up being its Achillies heel as it's so deliberately fragmented in its presentation that these characters and Kerr's journey is never developed enough for it to pack the significant emotional punch that Safdie is aiming for. Despite its mixed bag execution, Safdie deserves credit for trusting Johnson to take on his first dramatic role in over a decade at a time in his career when nobody else would've given him such an opportunity and having the courage to make his first solo directorial effort a big swing that is unlike anything else in his filmography.        

Grade: B-

Bone Lake: While Bone Lake definitely could've dove further into the dumpster, it's still a surprisingly stylish exercise in sex, violence and deceit that smartly ratchets up the trash level until it reaches a bloody fever pitch in its banger of a final act. More purehearted vintage camp genre features like this on the big screen please.        

Grade: B

Play Dirty: Shane Black's comeback vehicle feels even less like one of his movies than The Predator did. There's quite a few choppily edited, CGI-fueled action sequences, the dialogue features very few sharp zingers, and the tone is much more in line with modern Hollywood action comedies than the noir-inspired dark comedic buddy movies he's best known for directing. Remarkably, Play Dirty is able to harness a goofy energy through its preposterous, somewhat convoluted heist-meets-revenge narrative and committed performances from Mark Wahlberg as the stoic, principled killer thief Parker, LaKeith Stanfield as Parker's theater-obsessed partner-in-crime Grofield and Rosa Salazar as a morally ambiguous thief that Parker and Grofield reluctantly team with for a life-changing score in New York City that keeps things relatively engaging no matter how messy or silly it gets.       

Grade: B-

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 6

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(3) Detroit Lions (4-1) Week 5 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

2.(1) Philadelphia Eagles (4-1) Week 5 opponent: New York Giants

3.(2) Buffalo Bills (4-1) Week 5 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

4.(7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1) Week 5 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

5.(5) Green Bay Packers (2-1-1) Week 5 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

6.(10) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) Week 5 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

7.(11) Indianapolis Colts (4-1) Week 5 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

8.(13) San Francisco 49ers (4-1) Week 5 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

9.(4) Los Angeles Rams (3-2) Week 5 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

10.(9) Seattle Seahawks (3-2) Week 5 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

11.(15) Denver Broncos (3-2) Week 5 opponent: New York Jets 

12.(12) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Cleveland Browns

13.(16) Washington Commanders (3-2) Week 5 opponent: Chicago Bears

14.(8) Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) Week 5 opponent: Detroit Lions

15.(17) Minnesota Vikings (3-2) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

16.(21) New England Patriots (3-2) Week 5 opponent: New Orleans Saints

17.(6) Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) Week 5 opponent: Miami Dolphins

18.(23) Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1) Week 5 opponent: Carolina Panthers

19.(19) Atlanta Falcons (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Buffalo Bills

20.(20) Chicago Bears (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Washington Commanders

21.(22) Houston Texans (2-3) Week 5 opponent: Bye

22.(18) Arizona Cardinals (2-3) Week 5 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

23.(27) Carolina Panthers (2-3) Week 5 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

24.(24) Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) Week 5 opponent: Green Bay Packers

25.(14) Baltimore Ravens (1-4) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

27.(31) New Orleans Saints (1-4) Week 5 opponent: New England Patriots

27.(26) Miami Dolphins (1-4) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

28.(29) Cleveland Browns (1-4) Week 5 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

29.(25) New York Giants (1-4) Week 5 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

30.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-4) Week 5 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

31.(28) Las Vegas Raiders (1-4) Week 5 opponent: Tennessee Titans

32.(30) New York Jets (0-5) Week 5 opponent: Denver Broncos