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

Week 5 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

Prescott didn't have to work too hard to dismantle the Jets horrendous defense on Sunday afternoon, throwing for 237 YDS and 4 TD's and rushing for 28 YDS on 7 carries. The Cowboys QB has returned to the elite QB1 form he showed in 2023 and could be in line to feast for a 4th straight game against the Panthers in Week 6. 

Honorable Mentions: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers), Justin Fields (Jets)

Biggest Loser: Drake Maye (Patriots)

There's no better example of the disconnect between the real game and fantasy football than Maye ending up in this slot after leading the Patriots to an upset win over the Bills that is being hailed as his brightest moment in the pros to date thanks to being held to 285 scoreless YDS (273 passing, 12 rushing). A return to the endzone (and fantasy relevance) feels very likely when the Pats take on the frisky but not overly talented Saints in Week 6. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Justin Herbert (Chargers), Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Daniel Jones (Colts)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Rico Dowdle (Panthers)

Stepping in for the injured Chuba Hubbard, Dowdle absolutely obliterated the Dolphins porous run defense for a whopping 206 YDS and a TD on 23 carries. He added another 28 YDS on 3 receptions to pad what will surely go down as one of the most ludicrous statlines of the 2025 season. What his role will be once Hubbard returns remains unclear right now, but one thing is for sure: the people who picked up Dowdle in an act of sheer desperation late last week entered a state of unexpected euphoria on Sunday and this humble act of public service is something that nobody will ever be able to take away from him.      

Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Kyren Williams (Rams), Javonte Williams (Cowboys)

Biggest Loser: James Cook (Bills)

One of the biggest reasons the Patriots were able to come out of Orchard Park with the win on Sunday was their success in neutralizing Cook. The Bills versatile backfield weapon was blanked in the passing game and picked up just 49 YDS on 15 carries on a night where a splash play or two from him could've flipped the outcome of this divisional rockfight. Cook has a date with the Falcons in Week 6.     

Dishonorable Mentions: TrVeyon Henderson (Patriots), Woody Marks (Texans), R.J. Harvey (Broncos)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers)

Egbuka cleared his previous career high once again with a dominant performance (7/163/1, 1 2 PT-CNV) that helped the Bucs eke out a win in an electrifying shootout with the Seahawks. The concerns about his target share being cut once Mike Evans returns from his hamstring injury are decreasing with each passing day as the rookie continues to deliver week after week. Egbuka will be a WR1/2 play for this week's contest with the 49ers. 

Honorable Mentions: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals), Jaxson Smith-Njiba (Seahawks), Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins)

Biggest Loser: Jameson Williams (Lions)

Williams simply never got involved in the Lions win over the Bengals, catching his lone target for 9 YDS and gaining 1 YD on 1 carry. No need to panic just yet as the splash play specialist is suspectable to duds like this from time to time. Williams should be a solid WR3 option for their big time Week 6 SNF showdown with the Chiefs.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Jerry Jeudy (Browns), Quentin Johnston (Chargers), Jakobi Meyers (Raiders)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Jake Ferguson (Cowboys)

Ferguson was very active in the Cowboys breeze of a win over the Jets, catching 7 passes for 49 YDS and a pair of TD's. The veteran tight end should remain a focal point of their passing attack as long as CeeDee Lamb remains on the shelf with a high ankle sprain.  

Honorable Mentions: Sam LaPorta (Lions), Darren Waller (Dolphins), Sam LaPorta (Lions)

Biggest Loser: Zach Ertz (Commanders)

The return of Jayden Daniels and continued absence of Terry McLaurin didn't help Ertz at all as he failed to catch his lone target and ended up with the dreaded goose egg against the Chargers. Ertz faces the Bears poor, injury-depleted defense in Week 6.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Juwan Johnson (Saints), Mark Andrews (Ravens), Trey McBride (Cardinals)

Defense/Special Teams:

Biggest Winner: Colts

The Raiders floundering offense and special teams had another rough showing this week, surrendering 4 sacks, 2 INT and a blocked punt to the Colts in a deflating 40-6 loss in Indy. The Colts D/ST has been one of the biggest pleasant surprises of the opening stretch in 2025 and deserve to be rostered in all leagues right now.   

Honorable Mentions: Texans, Lions, Cardinals

Biggest Loser: Vikings

While it wasn't an awful showing by any stretch, you'd just expect a Brian Flores defense to cause more problems for a rookie QB (Dillon Gabriel) making his first career start than sacking him twice and forcing 0 turnovers in a 21-17 win. The Vikings could be a shaky start when they return to action in Week 7 versus the Eagles. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Eagles, Ravens, Seahawks

Channing Tatum 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 Channing Tatum-whose latest project "Roofman" releases in theaters Thursday night. 

Channing Tatum's Filmography Ranked:

34.Jupiter Ascending (F)

33.Haywire (D)

32.Havoc (D+)

31.The Dilemma (D+)

30.Hail, Caesar! (D+) 

29.Dog (C-)

28.The Eagle (C)

27.The Book of Life (B-)

26.Fly Me to the Moon (B-)

25.Public Enemies (B-)

24.G.I. Joe: Retaliation (B-)

23.G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (B-)

22.Deadpool & Wolverine (B-)

21.Step Up (B-)

20.The Lost City (B)

19.Stop-Loss (B)

18.White House Down (B)

17.The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (B)

16.Side Effects (B)

15.Foxcatcher (B)

14.Magic Mike's Last Dance (B)

13.Free Guy (B)

12.Logan Lucky (B)

11.Magic Mike (B)

10.Coach Carter (B+)

9.Kingsman: The Golden Circle (B+)

8.Bullet Train (B+)

7.Blink Twice (B+)

6.Magic Mike XXL (B+)

5.The Lego Movie (B+)

4.The Hateful Eight (A)

3.21 Jump Street (A)

2.This is the End (A)

1.22 Jump Street (A)

Top Dog: 22 Jump Street (2014)

Going back to the meta satire well proved to be particularly fruitful for Phil Lord and Chris Miller with 22 Jump Street. The sequel-which takes aim at the very concept of movie sequels-manages to be even funnier than the original thanks to another large collection of incredible, inspired gags and an even stronger showing from the elite buddy comedy duo of Jonah Hill and Tatum.  

Bottom Feeder: Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Jupiter Ascending is an example of The Wachowski's signature bold experimentation backfiring spectacularly. The narrative is sprawling to the point where it quickly becomes completely incoherent, the tone is insufferably cheesy even by science fiction standards and while no member of the cast covers themselves in glory, Eddie Redmayne is the negative standout as he delivers what sincerely may be the most laughable cartoonish overacting I've ever seen in my life as the film's villain Balem Abrasax.     

Most Underrated: Magic Mike XXL (2015)

What's so cool about the Magic Mike trilogy is that each film has its own unique tone and story to tell that reflected where Tatum's titular stripper/furniture builder/choreographer was at that point in his life. While I think all of them are worthwhile movies, the middle installment Magic Mike XXL is the top highlight. Tatum and his collaborators Reid Carolin and Gregory Jacobs are somehow able to turn a movie about a group of aging male strippers embarking on a road trip from Tampa Bay to Myrtle Beach to end their careers with a performance at a high-profile stripping convention into a fun, life-affirming hangout movie that celebrates the power of friendship, artistic expression and making women feel seen and respected.    

Most Overrated: Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Despite Hugh Jackman's spirited return as Wolverine and some very funny moments including an incredible on-brand opening sequence that pokes fun of Jackman returning to his career-defining role after his planned swan song in Logan, Deadpool & Wolverine is an utterly sauceless affair that doesn't ever shake the feeling of being an exercise in safe, point-and-clap nostalgia porn designed to win back the MCU fans who had begun to turn on Kevin Feige's comic book movie empire after the majority of the projects they released from 2021-23 were met with polarized-to-negative reactions. I'll take messy shit that has personality and a real vision behind them like Eternals, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder over Shawn Levy's bland, pandering semi-competency any day of the week.    

Way Too Early Oscars Predictions: 2025 Edition

Ushering in the month of October means it's time to start chucking shit against the wall and hoping it sticks in terms of forecasting the upcoming Oscar races. At the moment, it feels like a two-horse race for Best Picture between Paul Thomas Anderson's cinephile favorite One Battle After Another and Chloe Zhao's fall festival circuit MVP Hamnet while the acting/directing races appear to be endearingly wide open with the exception of Best Actress where Hamnet star Jessie Buckley is already effectively a lock to take home her first Oscar.   

As always, it needs to be pointed out that there are several potential contending titles that have yet to be publicly screened including Marty Supreme, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Is This Thing On?, Song Sung Blue and Ella McCay and the reactions to these titles once they screen could have a significant impact on how these races will shake out in the coming months. Without further ado, here are my far too early predictions for this year's Oscars minus Best Original Song and the Short Film categories. 

*Indicates the predicted winner 

Best Picture:

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Bugonia

Hamnet

It Was Just an Accident

Jay Kelly

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another* 

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Director:

Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another*

Ryan Coogler, Sinners

Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident

Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value

Chloe Zhao, Hamnet

Best Actor:

Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another*

Dwayne Johnson, The Smashing Machine

Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

Jesse Plemons, Bugonia

Jeremy Allen White, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Best Actress:

Jessie Buckley, Hamnet*

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

Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: For Good

Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value

Emma Stone, Bugonia

Best Supporting Actor:

Paul Mescal, Hamnet

Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly

Stellan Skarsgard, Sentimental Value*

Jeremy Strong, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Best Supporting Actress:

Emily Blunt, The Smashing Machine

Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value

Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good*

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value 

Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Best Original Screenplay:

It Was Just an Accident

Jay Kelly

Marty Supreme

Sentimental Value

Sinners*

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Bugonia

Hamnet*

No Other Choice

One Battle After Another

Wake Up Dead Man

Best Casting:

Hamnet

One Battle After Another*

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Animated Feature:

Arco

KPop: Demon Hunters*

Little Amelie or the Character of Rain

Scarlet  

Zootopia 2 

Best Documentary Feature:

The Alabama Solution

Cover-Up

The Perfect Neighbor*

Predators

The Tale of Silyan 

Best International Feature:

It Was Just an Accident

No Other Choice

The Secret Agent

Sentimental Value*

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Best Cinematography:

Frankenstein 

Hamnet

One Battle After Another

Sinners*

Train Dreams

Best Film Editing:

F1

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another*

Sinners

Best Costume Design:

Frankenstein*

Hamnet

Kiss of the Spider Woman

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

Bugonia

Frankenstein*

The Smashing Machine

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Production Design:

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Frankenstein*

Hamnet

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Score:

Frankenstein

Hamnet

One Battle After Another

Sinners*

Wicked: For Good

Best Sound:

Avatar: Fire and Ash

F1*

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Visual Effects:

Avatar: Fire and Ash*

F1

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Superman

Wicked: For Good

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Philadelphia Eagles (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Denver Broncos

2.(2) Buffalo Bills (4-0) Week 5 opponent: New England Patriots

3.(3) Detroit Lions (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

4.(7) Los Angeles Rams (3-1) Week 5 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

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

6.(4) Los Angeles Chargers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Washington Commanders

7.(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

8.(9) Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

9.(13) Seattle Seahawks (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

10.(19) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

11.(10) Indianapolis Colts (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

12.(15) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Bye

13.(11) San Francisco 49ers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

14.(8) Baltimore Ravens (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Houston Texans

15.(16) Denver Broncos (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

16.(12) Washington Commanders (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

17.(14) Minnesota Vikings (2-2) Week 5 opponent; Cleveland Browns

18.(17) Arizona Cardinals (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

19.(20) Atlanta Falcons (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Bye

20.(21) Chicago Bears (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Bye

21.(23) New England Patriots (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Buffalo Bills

22.(24) Houston Texans (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

23.(25) Dallas Cowboys (1-2-1) Week 5 opponent: New York Jets

24.(18) Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Detroit Lions

25.(27) New York Giants (1-3) Week 5 opponent: New Orleans Saints

26.(29) Miami Dolphins (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Carolina Panthers

27.(22) Carolina Panthers (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Miami Dolphins

28.(28) Las Vegas Raiders (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

29.(26) Cleveland Browns (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

30.(30) New York Jets (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

31.(32) New Orleans Saints (0-4) Week 5 opponent: New York Giants

32.(31) Tennessee Titans (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Arizona Cardinals