2023 NFL Mock Draft (Pre-Combine)

1.Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, defensive tackle (Georgia)

2.Houston Texans: Bryce Young, quarterback (Alabama)

3.Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson, edge rusher (Alabama)

4.Indianapolis Colts: C.J. Stroud, quarterback (Ohio State) 

5.Seattle Seahawks: Tyree Wilson, edge rusher (Texas Tech)

6.Detroit Lions: Brian Branch, safety (Alabama)

7.Las Vegas Raiders: Peter Skoronski, tackle (Northwestern)

8.Atlanta Falcons: Myles Murphy, edge rusher (Clemson)

9.Carolina Panthers: Will Levis, quarterback (Kentucky)

10.Philadelphia Eagles: Devon Witherspoon, cornerback (Illinois) 

11.Tennessee Titans: Christian Gonzalez, cornerback (Oregon)

12.Houston Texans: Paris Johnson Jr., tackle (Ohio State) 

13.New York Jets: Broderick Jones, tackle (Georgia) 

14.New England Patriots: Drew Sanders, inside linebacker (Arkansas) 

15.Green Bay Packers: Quentin Johnston, wide receiver (TCU) 

16.Washington Commanders: Cam Smith, cornerback (South Carolina) 

17.Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., cornerback (Penn State) 

18.Detroit Lions: Michael Mayer, tight end (Notre Dame) 

19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bijan Robinson, running back (Texas)

20.Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Breesee, defensive tackle (Clemson) 

21.Los Angeles Chargers: Deonte Banks, cornerback (Maryland)

22.Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers, wide receiver (Boston College) 

23.Minnesota Vikings: Keelee Ringo, cornerback (Georgia)

24.Jacksonville Jaguars: Darnell Washington, tight end (Georgia)

25.New York Giants: Jordan Addison, wide receiver (USC)

26.Dallas Cowboys: O'Cyrus Torrance, guard (Florida) 

27.Buffalo Bills: Lukas Van Ness, edge rusher (Iowa) 

28.Cincinnai Bengals: John Michael Schmitz, center/guard (Minnesota) 

29.New Orleans Saints: Anthony Richardson, quarterback (Florida) 

30.Philadelphia Eagles: Antonio Johnson, safety (Texas A&M)

31.Kansas City Chiefs: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver (Ohio State) 

Super Bowl 57 Prediction

Conference Championship Record: 1-1 (Correct: Eagles Incorrect: Bengals)

Overall Playoff Record: 9-3

Philadelphia Eagles over Kansas City Chiefs:

For the 4th straight year, I have zero confidence in my Super Bowl pick. On paper, this very well could be the most even Super Bowl matchup since Seahawks/Patriots all the way back in 2014. These were the 2 best teams in the league for the vast majority of the season and their paths to the big game were driven by two of the most surefire ways to win games in the NFL: suffocating defense paired with opportunistic, creative offense (Eagles) and a lights out QB that is capable of carrying the team on his shoulders complemented by a smart, aggressive defense that is capable of making plays when they need to (Chiefs).

While Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have the clear advantage over Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni in the ever-important QB/head coach battle, the Eagles have the advantage in most other areas. Mahomes struggled against good pass defenses like the Texans and Broncos this season and this #1 ranked Philly group is notably better/deeper than both of them. Starting outside corner duo Darius Slay and James Bradberry match up well against their top receivers (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling) and they have enough reinforcements with the likes of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Marcus Epps, Avonte Maddox and T.J. Edwards to try and limit Travis Kelce's production via the double or triple team or just good old-fashioned physicality at the line of scrimmage before he can get into his route.

On top of that, the Chiefs defense has had some trouble with stopping the run of late (the Jaguars gained 144 YDS on just 19 attempts in the Divisional Round)-which is something that Shane Steichen could really exploit with the 3-pronged rushing attack of Hurts, Miles Sanders and Kenneth Gainwell that drove the Eagles top 5 ground game this season and Steve Spagnuolo's aggressive blitzing that worked so well against the Jaguars and Bengals isn't likely to make as much of an impact against a rock-solid Eagles offensive line that is coming off an otherworldly performance against a 49ers front that has even more pass-rushing firepower than the Chiefs.

What could end up breaking this game for the Eagles is the play of a clearly hobbled Hurts. The lingering shoulder injury that caused him to miss 2 regular season games before he returned for the regular season finale against the Giants has caused him to miss some routine intermediate-to-deep throws that he typically makes at a high clip in all 3 games he's played since returning to action and if the Chiefs are able to build an early lead that forces the fate of the game onto Hurts' arm, the Eagles could be in big trouble. But if their defense shows up and balls out like they have all season and the offense is able to unleash their usual balanced attack, a 2nd Lombardi Trophy should be on its way to Philadelphia.    

Reese Witherspoon 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 Reese Witherspoon-whose latest project "Your Place or Mine" releases on Netflix tomorrow. 

Reese Witherspoon's Filmography Ranked:

16.Legally Blonde 2 (F)

15.Sweet Home Alabama (F)

14.Monsters vs. Aliens (C-)

13.Sing (C)

12.This Means War (C)

11.Just Like Heaven (C)

10.Wild (C)

9.Legally Blonde (C)

8.Water for Elephants (C)

7.Little Nicky (B-)

6.Election (B-)

5.Cruel Intentions (B-)

4.Pleasantville (B)

3.Mud (B)

2.Walk the Line (B)

1.American Psycho (A)

Top Dog: American Psycho (2000)

Director/co-writer Mary Herron, her co-writer Guinevere Turner and a pre-superstardom Christian Bale touched the sun with their brilliant adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis' darkly comedic cult classic novel that submerges the viewer into the mind of a psychopath while also taking a blowtorch to the shallow, narcissistic culture of greed, toxic masculnity and consumerism that shaped Patrick Bateman and the millions of people like him that actually exist.    

Bottom Feeder: Legally Blonde 2 (2003)

While I wasn't exactly a huge fan of the original Legally Blonde, the nosedive in quality it took with its sequel is astronomical. Whatever scrappy underdog charm Elle Woods had in the previous installment is completely erased courtesy of Witherspoon turning in the most apathetic performance of her career, the attempts at working sincere political drama into the plot are laughably bad and worst of all, the jokes are mostly just brutally unfunny retreads of the same "dumb blonde" jokes that often didn't land with any meaningful impact the first time around.    

Most Underrated: Mud (2013)

It takes a little bit to find its footing, but once it does, Mud turns into a gritty, atmospheric coming-of-age drama meets Southern Gothic thriller driven by the unlikely father/son-esque relationship that builds between the title character (a coldly intense Matthew McConaughey in one of his best performances) and 13-year old Ellis (Tye Sheridan-who does a great job of playing an aloof kid whose parents are in the midst of getting divorced whose desperate to seek guidance from any adult who is willing to give it to him) and nuanced portrayal of how something that one person views as an act of love can mean something totally different to the other party involved.

Most Overrated: Legally Blonde (2001)

The movie that sent Witherspoon's career into overdrive and made her arguably the most in-demand romantic comedy lead in Hollywood is a perfectly watchable, slightly amusing film that turns the fish out of water genre on its head by having that fish be an aspiring fashion designer who transfers to Harvard Law School to get back at her douchey ex-boyfriend (Matthew Davis) who felt she wasn't ambitious or smart enough to be involved in his future life goal of becoming a politician. Despite its merits, I just never felt it was funny or charming enough to live up to its beloved reputation within the genre. 

2022 NFL Year-End Awards+All-Pro Team and Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Predictions

MVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Much has been made about how Mahomes was able to thrive in 2022 without Tyreek Hill and rightfully so given that Hill is an elite, singular talent that was a cornerstone of the Chiefs offense. But what's equally impressive is that he spearheaded the most lethal passing attack in the league and put up a new career high in passing YDS (5,250) with a group that only consisted of 5 players that he'd completed a pass to prior (Travis Kelce, Jerick McKinnon, Noah Gray, Mecole Hardman, Clyde Edwards-Helaire-the latter two of which were sidelined for the final 10+ games). Getting on the same page with a largely new group of pass-catchers (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson-who ranked 2nd, 3rd and 5th respectively on the team in receiving YDS) that quickly while maintaining an elite level of play is just the latest sign that Mahomes remains on track to be one of the greatest players the NFL has ever seen. 

Honorable Mentions: Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Josh Allen (Bills), Joe Burrow (Bengals) 

Offensive Player of the Year: Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

The most exciting thing about Kevin O'Connell being hired as the Vikings HC last Feburary was imagining all the ways he could utilize Jefferson in a WR-friendly scheme that was responsible for Cooper Kupp's ascent into the top-tier of the league's receivers following his absurd 2021 campaign in which he finished less than 20 yards shy of breaking Calvin Johnson's single-season receiving yards record. While Jefferson didn't quite match Kupp's lofty 2021 output, O'Connell's ability to scheme him open by deploying him all over the field did allow the superstar 3rd-year pro to set new career bests in receptions (128) and receiving YDS (1,809)-both league highs-and added yet another accolade to his rapidly growing resume by breaking Randy Moss' record for the most receiving YDS by a player in their 1st 3 years in the league. Not too shabby for a kid who got drafted right behind Jalen Reagor in 2020.   

Honorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Josh Jacobs (Raiders), Tyreek Hill (Dolphins) 

Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Jones (Chiefs)

Nick Bosa came mighty close to getting the nod here as he set a new career-high in sacks (18.5) and logged an impressive 19 TFL's in the running game, but as tremendous as he was all season long, he also had an incredible group of running mates on the top defense in the league that granted him the freedom to chase after quarterbacks more than he typically does. Jones managed to be at least just as disruptive as Bosa with significantly less talent surrounding him upfront. The 4x All-Pro matched his career-high in sacks with 15.5, notched 17 TFL's and led the league in QB pressures with a whopping 77.   

Honorable Mentions: Nick Bosa (49ers), Micah Parsons (Cowboys), Myles Garrett (Browns)

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Garrett Wilson (Jets)

A full slate of 17 games played allowed Wilson to pull past his Ohio State running mate Chris Olave in the final month of the season. Wilson weathered one hell of a storm in the form of the Jets comical QB carousel as a rookie (Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco and Chris Streveler all started at least 1 game this year) yet amidst all of that turmoil, the kid looked like a future #1 wideout every time he was fortunate enough to get the ball thrown his way. His route-running was exceptional, his burst and toughness made him really difficult to bring down once the ball was in his hands and his candor in post-game interviews showed that he has the makings of a much-needed leader in that young Jets locker room. 

Honorable Mentions: Chris Olave (Saints), Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks), Tyler Allgeier (Falcons)

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sauce Gardner (Jets)

It's a clean sweep for the Jets in the Rookie of the Year categories. Gardner wasn't just the best defensive rookie, he routinely looked like the best corner in the league during his inaugural stretch of NFL action. Driven by an impeccable nose for the football (2 INT's, a league-high 20 passes defensed) and a combination of fluid movement and fearlessness that allowed him to hold his own against some of the best WR's in the league (he only allowed a single TD and 34 of the 74 passes thrown at him to be completed), Gardner was able to go from the young kid with a target on his back to a feared corner that opponents were afraid to throw at in a matter of months. As lazy and obvious as the Darrelle Revis comparisons are given his history with the Jets, Gardner is making a strong early case that he has what it takes to be the next potential Hall of Fame corner to play for Woody Johnson's team. 

Honorable Mentions: Tariq Woolen (Seahawks), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions), Jaquan Brisker (Bears)

Coach of the Year: Brian Daboll (Giants)

Don't let the Giants ungraceful exit from the playoffs minimize what Daboll did this season. He transformed Daniel Jones from a punchline to a respectable starting QB, re-established a competitve spirit in a locker room that Joe Judge had sucked the life out of over the prior 2 seasons and led a team with hardly any serviceable players, let alone high-end talent to a 9-7-1 record. It's one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent NFL history and Daboll deserves all the credit in the world for making it happen. 

Honorable Mentions: Nick Siranni (Eagles), Doug Pederson (Jaguars), Kyle Shanahan (49ers)

Comeback Player of the Year: Geno Smith (Seahawks)

Smith had only started 5 games as an injury replacement since he lost the starting gig with the Jets following his 2nd pro season in 2014 prior to being named the Seahawks starter back in August. Everybody who follows the league closely viewed the decision to start Smith as the Seahawks way of waving the white flag and commiting to tanking in order to draft their next potential franchise quarterback in 2023. He made every single one of his many doubters look like the gasbag dipshits that we often are. Smith was a poised, confident presence at QB -throwing for 4,282 YDS/30 TD's/11 INT's and completing a league-high 69.8% of his passes that also managed to help bring back the sense of cohesion and rhythm that the Seahawks didn't have with Russell Wilson in 2021. The Seahawks earning a playoff spot while Wilson imploded in his hand-picked new home in Denver is just the cherry on top of Smith's magical 2022 campaign.   

Honorable Mentions: Christian McCaffery (Panthers/49ers), Saquon Barkley (Giants), Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)

All-Pro Team:

Quarterback:

1st team: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

2nd team: Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

Running Back:

1st team: Josh Jacobs (Raiders), Nick Chubb (Browns)

2nd team: Derrick Henry (Titans), Christian McCaffery (Panthers/49er)

Wide Receiver:

1st team: Justin Jefferson (Vikings), Tyreek Hill (Dolphins)

2nd team: Stefon Diggs (Bills), Davante Adams (Raiders)

Tight End:

1st team: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

2nd team: George Kittle (49ers)

Tackle:

1st team: Andrew Thomas (Giants), Lane Johnson (Eagles)

2nd team: Trent Williams (49ers), Brian O'Neill (Vikings)

Guard:

1st team: Chris Lindstrom (Falcons), Joel Bitonio (Browns)

2nd team: Joe Thuney (Chiefs), Michael Onwenu (Patriots)

Center:

1st team: Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

2nd team: Jason Kelce (Eagles)

Defensive End:

1st team: Nick Bosa (49ers), Myles Garrett (Browns)

2nd team: Maxx Crosby (Raiders), Jalean Phillips (Dolphins)

Defensive Tackle:

1st team: Chris Jones (Chiefs), Dexter Lawrence (Giants)

2nd team: Quinnen Williams (Jets), Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

Outside Linebacker:

1st team: Micah Parsons (Cowboys), Haason Reddick (Eagles)

2nd team: Matthew Judon (Patriots), Alex Highsmith (Steelers)

Inside Linebacker:

1st team: Fred Warner (49ers), T.J. Edwards (Eagles)

2nd team: Bobby Wagner (Rams), Nick Bolton (Chiefs)   

Cornerback:

1st team: Sauce Gardner (Jets), Patrick Surtain II (Broncos)

2nd team: Jaire Alexander (Packers), Jalen Ramsey (Rams)

Safety:

1st team: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Steelers), Derwin James (Chargers)

2nd team: Tyrann Mathieu (Saints), Kamren Curl (Commanders)

Kicker:

1st team: Daniel Carlson (Raiders)

2nd team: Jason Myers (Seahawks)

Punter:

1st team: Tommy Townsend (Chiefs)

2nd team: Michael Dickson (Seahawks)

Return Specialist: 

1st team: Keisean Nixon (Packers), Marcus Jones (Patriots)

2nd team: Kene Nwangwu (Vikings), Kalif Raymond (Lions)

Special Teamer:

1st team: Jeremy Reaves (Commanders)

2nd team: George Odum (49ers)

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 predictions:

Torry Holt, wide receiver (Teams: St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars)

Darrelle Revis, cornerback (Teams: New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs)

Joe Thomas, tackle (Team: Cleveland Browns)

Zach Thomas, inside linebacker (Teams: Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys)

DeMarcus Ware, defensive end (Teams: Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos)

What My Ballot Would Look Like If I Could Vote:

Darrelle Revis

Joe Thomas

Zach Thomas

DeMarcus Ware

Patrick Willis, inside linebacker (Team: San Francisco 49ers)

Movie Review: Knock at the Cabin

By all accounts, Knock at the Cabin is about as buttoned up as M. Night Shyamalan will allow a movie of his to be. This one location thriller has a simple premise (4 strangers break into an isolated lakeside cabin and force the family staying there to make an unthinkable choice: sacrifice a member of their family to prevent the apocalypse or save themselves while the rest of the population dies) and  straightforward execution that relies heavily on generating tension from its contained setting and the crucial question of whether or not the family (Jonathan Groff, Ben Alridge, Kristen Cui) believe these strangers (Dave Bautista, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint) are telling the truth about this dire situation. After the compelling yet extremely messy Old, setting his sights on a smaller target allowed him to focus more on his direction and it pays off in a big way as Knock at the Cabin is one of the most tightly-assembled movies he's ever made. There's a real urgency to the storytelling as it establishes an uneasy tone in the opening scene in which Bautista suddenly approaches Cui as she catches grasshoppers next to the cabin, the cinematography duo of Jarin Blaschke and Lowell A.Meyer do an excellent job of framing the claustrophobic dread happening inside of the cabin while also exploring the serenity of the surrounding secluded location that further complicates the protagonists questioning of whether or not the horrific events their captors are describing to/showing them via a television news broadcast are actually happening and the performances from the home invaders (especially Bautista-who gives the finest performance of his career in only his 2nd proper leading role) toe the line between compassionate and unsettling so finely that it becomes borderline impossible to determine what their true intentions are.    

Just like his ambition has gotten the best of him in the past, playing it relatively safe here manages to hurt Shyamalan in the area that often makes or breaks his movies: the ending. The big twist in Knock at the Cabin is that there isn't one. The audience gets an inkling of how it could end about a third of the way through and it ends up sticking to that path with no detours. 

My feelings towards the finale only became more ambivalent when I read the summary of the novel Knock at the Cabin is based on (The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay) and discovered that Shyamalan dramatically transformed the final act from something that was bleak and full of rich potential for spirited debates about morality into something vanilla that was significantly easier for mainstream audiences to swallow. While it's understandable that Shyamalan wanted to put his own stamp on the story to differentiate it from the source material, it's shocking that those changes are so predictable and devoid of significant emotional weight. It's really ironic that this is the movie where Shyamalan choose to contain his gonzo side in favor of something more conventional because if he went all out, Knock at the Cabin could've immediately been in the conversation for the title of the best film of his now 15-film deep catalog. 

Grade: B

Movie Review: Shotgun Wedding

Watching a movie that bungles a high concept is so frustrating. Shotgun Wedding-which is the latest case of Amazon getting fleeced by a theatrical distributor (Lionsgate was the used car salesman this time around) that was more than happy to unload a movie they didn't believe in to a deep-pocketed streamer that was thirsty to add another star vehicle to their library-takes this phenomenon of half-assing an inherently fun premise to the next level as it spins what effectively amounts to a perfect game of missed opportunities.

Shotgun Wedding's winning plot outline is as follows: A 40-something couple (Jennifer Lopez, Josh Duhamel) has their dream destination wedding in the Philippines interrupted by a band of masked pirates who take all the guests' hostage until the bride's wealthy father (Cheech Marin) transfers $50 million into their bank account and it's up to the soon-to-be wed couple to save the day. 

Without really getting too crazy in the innovation department, Shotgun Wedding could've headed in at least a few different directions that utilized its setup well. Leaning into the absurdity of the situation by having the leads go all John Wick on the pirates, making some kind of sweet statement on how true love is able to persevere through any crazy, dangerous situation life throws at the couple or even just turning into a semi-twisted buddy movie where the couple discovers a new layer to their relationship by working as a great team in the face of death all feel like the type of gameplans that could've made this little ditty hit the appropriate entertaining notes. Instead, director Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect, Sisters) and writer Mark Hammer (Two Night Stand) approach the material like a soon-to-be-married individual getting cold feet on the day of the ceremony by aimlessly throwing together a somewhat passable yet thoroughly unmemorable stew of comedy, romance and action that is too scared to commit to any one genre, let alone convincingly meld them together. 

Sure, there's a joke here and a quick fight scene there, but they somehow manage to always treat the premise of armed pirates taking wedding guests hostage while the happy couple tries to free them like it's some kind of perfunctory romantic comedy situation that people have seen dozens of times over the past handful of decades. Last fall's Ticket to Paradise-which wasn't exactly a home run either-was built on a foundation of cliched romantic comedy hijinks and even that didn't manage to feel as by-the-numbers as this since it was at least executed with a reverence for that familiar playbook. All Shotgun Wedding manages to do well is keep things moving at a pretty good clip and give Jennifer Coolidge-who plays Duhamel's mother-the space to be funny whenever she's in a scene. Some things here (namely the chemistry between Lopez and Duhamel-which feels more like the dynamic between affable co-workers who know each other decently well rather than soulmates preparing to spend the rest of their lives together) couldn't have been fixed regardless of how far the R-rated romcom meets action movie plot was pushed, but Shotgun Wedding would've been a lot more fun if it simply took the plunge into the great unknown of unlikely genre hybrids instead of lightly dipping its toes in the water for 100 straight minutes.                  

Grade: C+

Dave Bautista Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Dave Bautista-whose latest project "Knock at the Cabin" releases in theaters tomorrow. 

Dave Bautista's Filmography Ranked:

19.Spectre (C+)

18.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 (C+)

17.Heist (C+)

16.Riddick (B-)

15.Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy (B-)

14.Final Score (B-)

13.Blade Runner 2049 (B-)

12.Bushwick (B)

11.The Man with the Iron Fists (B)

10.Stuber (B)

9.Hotel Artemis (B)

8.Thor: Love and Thunder (B)

7.My Spy (B)

6.Army of the Dead (B+)

5.Dune (B+)

4.Avengers: Endgame (A-)

3.Glass Onion (A)

2.Avengers: Infinity War (A)

1.Guardians of the Galaxy (A)

Top Dog: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

The road that led James Gunn to become the creative head of DC's film and television endeavors started with this triumph. Gunn found a way to shakeup what an MCU movie was capable of by turning a group of oddballs with checkered pasts (Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper) into unlikely heroes and building an eccentric, deeply funny and sincerely heartfelt movie around them that allowed audiences to form a connection with them at the same time that the characters were building bonds with each other.  

Bottom Feeder: Spectre (2015)

Save for its thrilling opening sequence in Mexico City and an all-timer of a death scene for Bautista's character, Spectre is a thoroughly half-assed Bond vehicle with iffy pacing, a shocking lack of true spectacle or style and Daniel Craig delivering one of the greatest "I'm just here for the paycheck" performances in recent history.   

Most Underrated: My Spy (2020)

There wasn't a lot of fun to be had in the summer of 2020, which is perhaps explains why I enjoyed My Spy so much. Peter Seagal's action comedy manages to be a frequently amusing send-up of spy movie tropes as well as a heartwarming buddy movie built around the special parent/child-esque bond that forms between a CIA Agent (Bautista) and the 9-year-old-daughter (Chloe Coleman) of a woman (Parisa Fitz-Henley) he's tasked with surveilling as part of a covert operation.  

Most Overrated: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker have proven that Gunn has figured out to blend emotional family drama with really silly comedy, but his 1st crack at combing these things didn't turn out so good. By frequently veering between serious moments and goofy setpieces with no regard for bringing them together in a coherent fashion that served the story, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 quickly morphs into a tonally jarring affair that fails its characters by not giving their jokes or emotional arcs the level of care they needed to thrive.