50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #44

44.Alkaline Trio-Crimson (2005)

 The early to mid 2000's was the golden age for punk/alternative rock crossover bands. Jimmy Eat World's Bleed American, AFI's Sing the Sorrow and Say Anything's ...Is A Real Boy have withstood the test of time and a decade later- can now officially be labeled classics of the genre. In my eyes, Alkaline Trio's 2005 record Crimson, deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as those widely celebrated albums. Crimson has all the emotion of an emo album with the catchy hooks of pop punk and crunchy guitars that are reminiscent of early '90s alternative rock. While Crimson walks the line of a lot of different genres, it never really settles into one for long, and it's better for it. The versatility of Crimson alone puts it firmly ahead of many of the genre's seemingly countless releases of that era. While Alkaline Trio is still a respectable act today, they haven't even come close to matching the brilliance of Crimson since its release, and I would be very surprised if they did ever again.

Standout Tracks
1.Burn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uggLkcDYc3g
2.Settle for Satin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_2NDvPqPO0
3.The Poison http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FikWqyyI_JM  

50 Most Underrated Albums of the Decade: #45

45. Son of Aurelius-The Farthest Reaches (2010)

Some bands in the realm of extreme metal just get lost in the shuffle for no particular reason despite making music that perfectly fits in with the trends of the times; Son of Aurelius is unfortunately one of those bands. The California progressive/technical death metal act made some of the most savage music in recent metal history on their debut (and sadly only) full-length, The Farthest Reaches. The Farthest Reaches had all the progressive beauty and technical prowess of a band like Between the Buried and Me combined with the punishing brutality of a band like The Black Dahlia Murder behind unique lyrics that focused on Greek mythology. From the melodic opener "Mercy for Today" to the absolute ripper of a closer in "The First, The Serpent", The Farthest Reaches remained an absorbing, genre-bending listen with amazing replay value. How these guys never caught on in the scene after the release of The Farthest Reaches -especially in a weak for metal like 2010- is an absolute mystery to me. Given the fact that Son of Aurelius have technically not broken up, I hope another release from them sees the light of the day eventually so they get another shot of making a bigger impact in the metal world.

 

Standout Tracks

1.Facing the Gorgon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mmhtd_vUcg

2.The First, The Serpent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgbn7A8SqMM

3. Mercy for Today  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7jtGOLYUUI 

Album Review: Freddie Gibbs & Madlib-Pinata

10 years ago, producer Madlib earned himself a place in hip-hop history with his collaboration with MF Doom on Madvilliany. The experimental and soulful production of Madlib paired with the abstract lyrical talent that is MF Doom made for an instant classic in the genre. Fast forward to 2014 and Madlib is further cementing his legacy as one of the most iconic hip-hop producers of all-time on Pinata, his latest collaboration record with fiery Indiana MC Freddie Gibbs.

Madlib and Freddie Gibbs are certainly not a duo you would expect to make a record together. Freddie Gibbs is a hardened gangster rapper, Madlib makes beats that are heavily rooted in jazz and soul. Though the pairing of a streetwise rapper in Gibbs and low-key producer in Madlib seems odd on paper, it ends up working beautifully.

Pinata wastes little time establishing its unique tone. "Scarface and "Deeper" sees Gibbs weaving his tales of gang-banging and drug-dealing behind Madlib's perfect production. The intensity of Gibbs's flow serves as the perfect contrast to Madlib's nuanced, mellow instrumentals. I can't think of another time where I would call a gangsta rap track laid-back or soothing, but those are the first words that come to mind when describing "Scarface", "Deeper", and a majority of the other tracks on Pinata.

Madlib does adapt a bit to Gibbs's style on "Shitsville" and "Harold's"; giving Gibbs some pounding, bass-heavy beats to spit his verses over. "Shitsville and "Harold's" are the peak moments of Pinata because they see Madlib really branching out and conquering previously uncharted musical territory for him. Madlib has always been an experimental producer, but his biggest influences have always been soul, jazz, funk and R&B. "Shitsville" and "Harold's" allows Madlib to make some in-your-face, contemporary-inspired beats and as always, he manages to deliver the goods.

Gibbs and Madlib aren't the sole reasons Pinata is such a success, the duo also managed to lock down a lot of great guest artists that perfectly fit the gritty yet chill vibe of this record. Danny Brown comes through with his typical high energy level on "High" while Raekwon from the Wu-Tang Clan continues his sudden return to the limelight with a poignant verse on "Bomb" . Even inconsistent artists like Domo Genesis and Ab-Soul deliver really strong verses on "Robes" and "Lakers" respectively. Even on the great hip-hop records of recent years, there tends to be a couple of weak guest verses, but I can honestly say that every one of the 13 guest verses on this album are at the very least decent and don't get overshadowed by the explosive rapping style of Gibbs.

Pinata is a dense and consistent near-masterpiece from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib. Gibbs and Madlib are essentially hip-hop's answer to The Odd Couple with their vastly different styles, but they somehow come together perfectly on this record. I really hope this isn't the last collaboration between these two because Pinata seems like the start of a perfect musical marriage. Even with heavy-hitters like Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Jay Electronica, and GZA tentatively set to release new material in 2014, it's going to be incredibly hard for anyone in hip-hop to top the quality of Pinata this year.

4/5 Stars  
Standout Tracks
1.Shitsville
2.Harold's
3.Bomb       

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #46

46.3 Inches of Blood-Fire Up the Blades (2007)

Canadian defenders of traditional heavy metal, 3 Inches of Blood, go so far into their vintage-inspired sound that a lot of people don't take they're music seriously. The cheesy lyrics and unrivaled enthusiasm for all things metal may be ridiculous, but that doesn't mean that their music isn't absolutely killer. Their 2007 record, Fire Up the Blades,saw 3 Inches of Blood incorporating more thrash elements into their music- which gave their sound more of an edge- and lead to some of the best riffs of their career on tracks like "Forest King", "The Goatrider's Horde", "Trial of Champions" and "God of the Cold White Silence". 3 Inches of Blood is a fun band with a ton of memorable riffs so naturally their most fun and riff-based record is also their best.

 

Standout Tracks

1.The Goatrider's Horde

2.Trial of Champions

3.God of the Cold White Silence   

2014 NFL Mock Draft (Update 3/26)

The 2014 NFL Draft is still more than a month away, but it's never too early to start nerding-out with mock draft. The 2014 class is one of the strongest in recent memory and a majority of the teams with a pick in the top 10 have a lot of different directions they can go in with their respective picks. Here are my current thoughts on how the first round will play out on May 8th at Radio City Music Hall.

1.Houston Texans: Blake Bortles, quarterback (Central Florida)
The Texans made their intentions with the top overall pick pretty clear this past week when they traded their long-time starting quarterback Matt Schaub to the Raiders and signed journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a short-term contract to backup whomever they draft. Of all the quarterbacks available in the draft, Blake Bortles makes the most sense to land in Houston. In addition to being the most well-rounded quarterback in the 2014 class, Bortles fits the mold of tall, big-armed quarterback that new Texans head coach Bill O' Brien loves to use in his system. 
 

2.St. Louis Rams: Jake Matthews, tackle (Texas A&M)
I wouldn't be surprised if the Rams traded this pick to a team that wanted to scoop up Jadeveon Clowney, but if they stay put at number two, they're going to take a tackle. Greg Robinson of Auburn and Jake Matthews are about equal in talent, but the family connection between Rams coach Jeff Fisher and Matthews' hall-of-fame offensive lineman father Bruce Matthews- who Fisher coached for years with the Oilers/Titans- makes me think the Rams will take Matthews with this pick.
 

3.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jadeveon Clowney, defensive end (South Carolina)
Gus Bradley is a defensive-minded coach who lacks any special defensive pieces in Jacksonville at the moment. Bradley will finally get a player to build his defense around in Clowney, who has arguably the most potential out of any player in this draft class. 

4.Cleveland Browns: Derek Carr, quarterback (Fresno State)
Other top quarterback prospects Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel have rapidly fell on draft boards because of their poor performances in workouts and concerns about their character. The guy to gain the most from the stock drop offs of Bridgewater and Manziel is Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr. Carr has consistently impressed scouts with his arm strength, accuracy and work ethic in every single workout he's participated in. Browns' scouts said after the Combine in February they liked him more than Manziel and with Carr being the only quarterback aside from Blake Bortles to consistently impress in every workout; look for the Browns to lock him down early before another team gets a shot at him.
   

5.Oakland Raiders: Sammy Watkins, wide receiver (Clemson)
The Matt Schaub trade changed the directions are Raiders going to do with this pick. The Raiders are still mostly lacking a lot of talent at the skill positions so bringing in a polished receiver prospect in Sammy Watkins with this pick could do them a lot of good. However given the Raiders tendency to make bold picks (Anyone remember the confusion they caused with recent first-round picks Darrius Heyward-Bey in 2009 and cornerback D.J. Hayden last?) so lord knows who they will end up actually taking with this pick.
 

6.Atlanta Falcons: Greg Robinson, tackle (Auburn)
Anyone who watched the Falcons for any length of time last year saw just how awful the protection for quarterback Matt Ryan was. Greg Robinson is a freakishly athletic tackle who is excellent in pass-protection and is solid as run-blocker as well. Robinson could be a major figure in putting a stop to Ryan having to get rid of the ball immediately after it's snapped.
  

7.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans, wide receiver (Texas A&M)
Outside of Vincent Jackson, no one on the Buccaneers managed to get even 600 receiving yards after number two wideout Mike Williams went down for the year in late October. Even with Williams returning to the fold, the Buccaneers need another weapon in the passing game, and Texas A&M wideout Mike Evans fits the bill. Evans would give the Bucs another physically-imposing wideout with great route-running ability and excellent hands that could cause a whole lot of matchup problems for opposing defenses.
  

8.Minnesota Vikings: Khalil Mack, defensive end/outside linebacker (Buffalo)
The re-signing of Matt Cassel pretty much rules out a quarterback with this pick. Everyone knows that new Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is a defensive-minded guy and the Vikings are coming a 2013 campaign where their defense was one of the most laughable in the league. Given Zimmer's defensive background, he's not going to allow himself to pass on a talent like Khalil Mack with this pick.  Mack gives the Vikings both an explosive pass-rusher off the edge and another run-stuffer on their new-look defense. For a defense that just lost Jared Allen this offseason and whose best player Chad Greenway just turned 31, Mack would be a godsend.
 

9.Buffalo Bills: Taylor Lewan, tackle (Michigan)
If Mike Evans slips to this pick, the Bills will not pass on him. If Evans is off-the-board, I expect the Bills to solidify their offensive line with this pick and Taylor Lewan would certainly do so. Lewan is yet another super-athletic tackle prospect who could help this subpar Bills offensive line get better right away.
 

10.Detroit Lions: Justin Gilbert, cornerback (Oklahoma State)
2014 needs to be the year Lions stop ignoring their problems at cornerback in the draft. Justin Gilbert is an exceptional prospect with good coverage skills and top-flight speed that would make their previous passes on corners in recent years acceptable.
 

11.Tennessee Titans: Anthony Barr, outside linebacker (UCLA)
The Titans need some serious help across their front seven. Anthony Barr would give them a piece to build around with his speed and agility off the edge.
 

12.New York Giants: Eric Ebron, tight end (North Carolina)
The Giants offense needs all the help they can get after a disastrous 2013 campaign from Eli Manning and the loss of Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Myers in free agency. Eric Ebron is arguably the most athletic and complete tight end prospect since Vernon Davis who's presence in this offense alongside Victor Cruz and Ruben Randle could be lethal.
 

13.St. Louis Rams: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, safety (Alabama)
The middle of the Rams secondary has been soft for the past few seasons. The addition of a two-way safety that lays down bruising hits on the regular like Ha Ha Clinton-Dix would change that right away.
 

14.Chicago Bears: Aaron Donald, defensive tackle (Pittsburgh)
The Bears run defense was absolutely laughable last season amidst all the injuries to starters in their front seven and poor tackling from the guys that actually suited up for the entire season. The horrid 2013 defense paired with the loss of starting defensive tackle Henry Melton to free agency makes Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald a logical pick for the Bears at number 14. Donald has been wildly impressive in workouts with his top-end speed ( Donald ran a 4.69 40 at the combine) and athleticism for a guy that weighs almost 300 pounds. Donald has huge upside and appears to have the unique talent that the Bears need to rebuild their defense.
 

15.Pittsburgh Steelers: Darqueze Dennard, cornerback (Michigan State)
The Steelers secondary is getting old fast. The only viable corner they have on their roster that's under the age of 30 is Cortez Allen. The Steelers could counteract that movement by taking Darqueze Dennard in the first round. Dennard is a little bit raw, but his rare tackling ability for a defensive back and excellent ball skills would give the Steelers a high-upside corner for their talent coaching staff to develop.
 

16.Dallas Cowboys: Timmy Jernigan, defensive tackle (Florida State)
The Cowboys defensive line from 2013 is pretty much gone with DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher and Anthony Spencer all leaving the Lone Star State this offseason (Spencer hasn't officially signed elsewhere yet, but the Cowboys will not be retaining him). With practically no cap space left and a defensive line that's in shambles, the Cowboys will have to turn to the draft for help in the rebuilding process. I expect Timmy Jernigan to be the best defensive lineman available when the Cowboys pick at 16 and with his power and size to clog the middle of the line, Jernigan could end up being a nice asset for the Cowboys defense to have.
  

17.Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Pryor, safety (Louisville)
The Ravens just drafted a safety last year in the first round in Matt Elam, but with their struggles in the middle of the secondary last season, I would not be at all surprised to see them go safety in the first round once again this year. Calvin Pryor is the type of gritty, high-effort, hard-hitting player that Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome loves to have on his team. Call me crazy, but if Pryor further develops his game at the next level, he could end up being a similar caliber of player as Ravens icon Ed Reed.
 

18.New York Jets: Kyle Fuller, cornerback (Virginia Tech)
With the release of Antonio Cromartie and underwhelming performance of 2013 first-round pick Dee Milliner in his rookie year, the Jets looks pretty strapped at cornerback heading into 2014. Knowing Rex Ryan's love for defensive players, I'm sure he'll target a corner with this pick. Ryan would love to see Darqueze Dennard fall here, but as of right now, I don't see that happening. Luckily for Ryan, this draft is loaded with talent at the cornerback position and Virginia Tech corner Kyle Fuller would make a lot of sense with this pick.  Fuller is just a step below Dennard in terms of potential and I think Ryan could mold him into a pretty special corner.
 

19.Miami Dolphins: Zach Martin, tackle/guard (Notre Dame)
The Dolphins have done a bit of rebuilding to the abysmal offensive line with the acquisitions of tackle Branden Albert and guard Shelley Smith in free agency. The draft should continue that rebuilding process with the selection of Notre Dame's Zach Martin. Martin has the versatility to play either tackle or guard and could end up being a pivotal piece in the Dolphins offensive line overhaul.
 

20.Arizona Cardinals: Bradley Roby, cornerback (Ohio State)
The Cardinals did just bring in veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie to be a potential starter in their secondary, but he is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he played the worst football of his entire career. The Cardinals need to find someone long-term to start opposite Patrick Peterson and Bradley Roby has the quickness, physicality and coverage skills to do so. Roby does have some undeniable character issues- but with a positive mentor like Peterson- those could be easily fixed. 

21.Green Bay Packers: Jace Amaro, tight end (Texas Tech)
The Packers intentions with this pick are kind of vague at the moment. They have a lot of places where they can improve, but no place where they are in desperate need of assistance. With the pending loss of Jermichael Finley in free agency and the mediocrity of Andrew Quarless, the Packers could look to take another big-body tight end in Jace Amaro with this pick to put another intriguing cog in their passing attack. However if Ha Ha Clinton-Dix or Calvin Pryor slips this far, they'll take one of them over Amaro in a heartbeat.
 

22.Philadelphia Eagles: Jason Verrett, cornerback (TCU)
The Eagles defense could use improvement basically everywhere, but the secondary is where they especially struggled in 2013. With the top safety prospects off the board at this time, the Eagles will look to bolster their corners and the speedy and intelligent Jason Verrett out of TCU certainly has the potential to do so.
 

23.Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Su'a Filo, guard/center (UCLA)
I had mocked a receiver to the Chiefs in this spot for a while, but the Chiefs just lost both their starting guards (Geoff Schwartz and Jon Asamoah) in free agency, so I think that's where they will end up going with this pick. Xavier Su'a Filo is a scrappy lineman with the ability to play guard or center who could serve as a vital piece in the rebuilding of the suddenly depleted Chiefs offensive line.
 

24.Cincinnati Bengals: Kony Ealy, defensive end (Missouri)
The Bengals just lost Michael Johnson in free agency and despite them still have a number of guys that can step in at the position; I believe they will select Kony Ealy with this pick. The Bengals love to stack their defensive line with pass-rushers and Ealy is one of the strongest pure pass-rushers available in the draft.
 

25.San Diego Chargers: Louis Nix, defensive tackle (Notre Dame)
The Chargers have a major need at cornerback, but with all the first round-level talents at the position already gone, they'll go with Louis Nix to help secure the middle of their defensive line. Nix could end up being a steal at this spot thanks to his imposing size (6'2, 342lbs) and strength that could make him the league's next elite nose tackle.
 

26.Cleveland Browns: Odell Beckham, wide receiver (LSU)
Even with the addition of Andrew Hawkins this offseason, the Browns still need another weapon in the passing game besides Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron. Odell Beckham may be a bit undersized for the position, but he's got great instincts after the catch and a reliable set of hands that would serve as a nice compliment to the size and physicality of Gordon.  
 

27.New Orleans Saints: C.J. Mosley, inside linebacker (Alabama)
The Saints defense has undeniably gotten much better since Rob Ryan took over as defensive coordinator last season at basically every position besides linebacker. Inside linebacker C.J. Mosley could be the guy to put an end to those problems. Mosley is an exceptional talent who can do everything you want a linebacker to do in both the running and passing game. If he can overcome his lingering injury problems, Mosley could be an absolute stud.  
 

28.Carolina Panthers: Brandin Cooks, wide receiver (Oregon State)
There will be absolute shockwaves if the Panthers don't select a wide receiver with this pick. The team is absolutely barren at the position after cutting ties with longtime top wideout Steve Smith and losing veterans Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn Jr. and Dominik Hixon to free agency this offseason. Luckily for the Panthers, this draft is loaded with promising wide receiver prospects, and Brandin Cooks out of Oregon State seems like a great fit to led the revival of the Panthers receiving corps. Cooks is a sure-handed and lightning-quick slot receiver coming off an excellent Combine who just seems like the perfect fit to help out Cam Newton and this offense right away.
 

29.New England Patriots: Ra'Shede Hagman, defensive tackle/end (Minnesota)
Even if Vince Wilfork ends up staying with the Patriots this season, the team needs to find his replacement. Ra'Shede Hagman would fit the bill nicely with the size, power and speed to be Wilfork's protégé.
 

30.San Francisco 49ers: Marqise Lee, wide receiver (USC)
The 49ers have an undeniable lack of depth in their receiving corps that was exposed over and over again when Michael Crabtree missed the first 11 games of the 2013 with an Achilles injury. Marqise Lee certainly is not a flawless prospect, but he would at least bring the 49ers a glimmer of hope at having a true third option at the wide receiver position.
 

31.Denver Broncos: Dee Ford, defensive end/outside linebacker (Auburn)
The Broncos may have just brought in DeMarcus Ware in free agency, but they're hungry to bring in more pass-rushers to place alongside Von Miller. Dee Ford would certainly help out the cause with solid speed off the edge and ability to play either defensive end or outside linebacker.
 

32.Seattle Seahawks: Stephon Tuitt, defensive end/tackle (Notre Dame)
It's quite clear by now that the Seahawks don't have any glaring problems that need to be addressed in the draft. Knowing the Seahawks, they'll go defense with pick, and Notre Dame's Stephon Tuitt makes a lot of sense for their style of play. Tuitt is an explosive player that can be played on the inside and outside of the defensive line that would make a nice replacement for the recently departed Red Bryant and Chris Clemons within the Seahawks defensive line rotation.  

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #47

47.Animals as Leaders-Weightless (2011)

 

Weightless- the second full-length from instrumental prog metal act Animals as Leaders- lives in the shadow of their self-titled debut and I'm not quite sure why. Weightless saw the addition of live drums and a second guitarist to back up Tosin Abasi's virtuoso guitar playing, not to mention better songwriting and cleaner production. Abasi's playing on this record is also improved; focusing less on solely showing off his technical ability and more on song structure and memorable melodies to balance out his awe-inspiring leads. Weightless was the album where Animals as Leaders really came into their own as the go-to name in instrumental metal.

 

Standout Tracks

1.Cylindrical Sea

2.An Infinite Regression

3.Earth Departure

 

R.I.P. Dave Brockie (Oderus Urangus from GWAR)

The entire metal community was shocked to hear early Monday morning that GWAR Frontman Dave Brockie- who went by the stage name of Oderus Urangus- had been found dead in his Richmond, Virginia apartment of unknown causes. He was 50. Brockie made a huge impact on the scene with GWAR, a satirical thrash metal act that claimed they were aliens that hailed from the planet of Scumdogia. Brockie was also the driving force behind the band's live shows, which became notorious for their on-stage murder of various celebrities and political figures as well as dousing the audience in fake blood, jizz or whatever other liquid they felt like covering people in. The news of Brockie's passing made me incredibly sad that I passed up the numerous opportunities I had to see GWAR live in the past several years. I had heard so much about the fun and wild nature of their shows and it sucks that I never got the chance to see one of their twisted performances in person before Brockie passed. Brockie's wit and delightfully morbid sense of humor was unique in a scene that often takes itself too seriously. He will be sorely missed by everyone in the metal community and my thoughts are with his family at this time of mourning. R.I.P.

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #48

48.Dropkick Murphys-The Warrior's Code (2005)

The Dropkick Murphys' 2005 breakout album The Warrior's Code was really the last consistently great album the Dropkick Murphys released. Of course, everyone knows singles "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" from The Departed and "Tessie" from its attachment to the Boston Red Sox; but the lesser known tracks is where the album really shined. "Citizen C.I.A." is the most savage and furious punk song in their discography, "Captain Kelly's Kitchen" is the most rousing cover of a traditional Irish song they've ever made and "Your Spirit's Alive" is the perfect blend of their emotional, punk and anthematic sides on the same track. More than any of their earlier albums, the Dropkick Murphys really went out and made a diverse record that was evenly split between ballads, Gaelic folk songs and straight punk tracks.  The Warrior's Code packs exactly the type of a punch you would expect from an album that features boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward on the cover.

 

Standout Tracks

1.Your Spirit's Alive

2.Citizen C.I.A.

3.Captain Kelly's Kitchen

Movie Review: Need for Speed

Jesse Pinkman gets his first leading role in a movie and he's driving across country in 48 hours to get revenge BITCH!

Yes, Breaking Bad star and two-time Emmy winner Aaron Paul's first major film role is in a video game adaptation. Well if you're going to pick a film based on a video game to star in; you could do a lot worse than Need for Speed- which offers up far more fun than I could've ever conceived it would.

Paul portrays Toby Marshall, a struggling mechanic who owns a garage in upstate New York who street races on the side to get some extra cash. Marshall is framed for manslaughter in the death of one of his best friends (Harrison Gilbertson) by long-time adversary and exotic car entrepreneur Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) during a race. After serving two years in prison, Marshall is hellbent at getting back at Brewster for setting up him and taking the life of someone close to him. Marshall gets his chance after learning that The De Leone-the biggest street race in the United States- is being held in San Francisco in 48 hours and Brewster is participating. With the help of a British car collector (Imogen Poots), Marshall gets his hands on a rare Shelby Mustang that he built for Brewster before he went to prison and hopes to earn a last-minute invitation to the De Leone from race organizer DJ Monarch (Michael Keaton) in the window he has to make it from New York to San Francisco for the start of the race. Marshall has to make quite an impression with his skills behind the wheel during the cross-country drive to get the attention of Monarch and subsequently get his long-awaited revenge on Brewster.       

Need for Speed plays out like the older Fast and Furious films that were strictly about street racing. Director Scott Waugh implores an old-school mentality with the production using only practical effects and featuring a lot of classic cars that no longer exist in the modern era. The vintage style gives the racing scenes a grit that hasn't been seen in a car-based film since the golden era for the genre in the '70s. Some car buffs might be sad to see so many beautiful sports cars get wrecked over the course of one film, but it's awesome to see real cars get destroyed and the filmmakers not relying on gimmicky CGI for the copious amount of vehicular stunts that are featured here.

The tone of Need for Spreed is fun and the pacing is blistering for a film that runs over two hours. The writers understand that the events of the film are completely absurd and writes a fast moving, engaging story that is loaded with humor and doesn't take itself seriously for even a second. The actors fully understand what the film sought out to-do and brought exactly the type of performances that are needed for this type of film to work. Paul shows a lot of charisma in his first leading role and shows a much different side than audiences are used to seeing from him. Paul is one of those rare actors that you can throw any material at and get a committed performance out of every single time he is on screen.

The comedic elements of Need for Speed are driven (no pun intended) from Keaton and rapper Kid Cudi in his big-screen debut. Keaton brings a level of zaniness to the eccentric De Leone organizer DJ Monarch that he hasn't displayed since his iconic role in Bettlejuice. Keaton is typically reserved in his roles, but when he plays wacky or unhinged, he's incredibly entertaining to watch. Cudi manages to come out of nowhere with his absolutely hilarious performance as Marshall's helicopter pilot friend Benny. Cudi shows some real acting chops and brings more passion to this role than he has to any of his recent musical exploits. If I were Cudi, I'd consider a permanent career change ASAP because he has the potential to be a really solid actor.  Need for Speed is a lovingly absurd and shamelessly entertaining entry to the racing film genre that deserves to go down with Vanishing Point and Gone in 60 Seconds as a classic in the realm of exploitative street racing films.  

4/5 Stars          

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #49

49. Big K.R.I.T.-K.R.I.T. Wuz Here (2010)

When Outkast went on hiatus in 2006, southern hip-hop lost the leading voice and real spokesmen for the scene. After years of lacking a true leader, Mississippi MC Big K.R.I.T. (King Remembered in Time) filled the void that Outkast left in southern hip-hop when they stopped making music with his breakout 2010 mixtape K.R.I.T Wuz Here. K.R.I.T.'s music embodies everything that southern hip-hop is supposed to- catchy hooks, infectious confidence from the artist and beats that will shake the living shit out of any subwoofer. K.R.I.T. spends the entire 73-minute duration of the tape not only coming out as the new voice of the dirty south scene, but showing his incredible versatility as an artist. K.R.I.T. Wuz Here features everything from anthematic odes to all things southern (the infectious "Country Shit") to brags about his rapping ability ("See Me on Top") to heartfelt and insightful looks at growing up poor and how that environment effects the people who live in it ("Children of the World"). In an age where trap rap has taken over the south, it's refreshing to see a guy like K.R.I.T. not giving in to the trends and sticking to the roots of old-school southern hip-hop.

 

Standout Tracks

1.Country Shit

2.Children of the World

3.Viktorious    

50 Most Underrated Albums of the '2000s: #50

50. All Shall Perish-This is Where it Ends (2011)

(Note: This list is my picks for the 50 most underrated albums of the '2000s. These aren't exactly in order of how much I enjoy them, but instead how much they are overlooked overall by the music community and general public. The list kicks off with All Shall Perish's most recent album, This is Where it Ends, below. Hope everyone enjoys and I encourage any and all comments whether you agree with my opinion or not.)

This is Where it Ends was the record where All Shall Perish really started to break their mold as a deathcore-based act. Eddie Hermida stepped up his vocal game with a more sinister edge to his screams, new guitarist Francesco Artusato was a better fit and somehow an even stronger musician than previous guitarist Jason Richardson and above all, the band start experimenting with melody and employing the use of piano and strings to accompany certain tracks. The experimentation and melodic edge being brought into the fold without sacrificing any of the brutality or technicality they had become known for on their first three albums made this record the most satisfying and polished effort of their career. Unfortunately, this will be the last All Shall Perish record to feature Hermida and founding member/primary songwriter Ben Orum. Hermida left to join Suicide Silence while Orum left to spend more time with his family. At least this incarnation of All Shall Perish went out on top with This is Where it Ends.

Standout Tracks
1. In this Life of Pain
2.Procession of Ashes
3.The Past Will Haunt Us Both  

New England Patriots Go Against "The Patriot Way" in 2014 Free Agency and They're Better for It

The NFL Free agency period got off to a start on Tuesday March 11^th and the New England Patriots has been surprisingly active making a number of moves that have brought in big-name talent to the team.

The Patriots are normally rather quiet in free agency. As part of "The Patriot Way"; head coach Bill Belichick prefers to build the team internally from the draft instead of signing veteran players on the open market. No doubt that approach would've been used again this year had their rivals in the AFC the Denver Broncos not went out and made major moves in the first 24 hours of free agency to give them a huge leg up on the rest of the conference. The Broncos acquired a trio of impact players in safety T.J. Ward, defensive end DeMarcus Ware and ex-Patriot cornerback Aqib Talib to help fix their defensive problems that cost them from winning Super Bowl XLVIII last month. In the modern NFL, the mentality is win-now and the Broncos realized that they have only a small window to contend for a title with 38-year old quarterback Peyton Manning at the helm and made the necessary moves to increase their odds of winning a title immediately. 

Belichick and owner Robert Kraft realize that Tom Brady at age 36 going on 37 has the same limited window for a title that Manning has in Denver and that they need to surround him with the most talent possible. Under 24 hours after the Broncos made their huge signings official, the football gods seemed to align for the Patriots as superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Desperate for an impact corner after losing Talib to the Broncos, the Patriots contacted Revis and inked a one year/$12 million contract within a few hours of his release from the Buccaneers. Revis can do everything Talib can; only better. Revis is a big, bruising corner who is the best man-to-man cover corner in the entire league. Belichick has had a plethora of big defensive backs in his system throughout his coaching career, but none of them were even close to as talented or well-rounded as a player than Revis is.

 Signing Revis was just the beginning of activity for the Patriots. The Patriots further bolstered their secondary by bringing in cornerback Brandon Browner from the Seattle Seahawks. Browner was part of the Seahawks feared defensive back group “The Legion of Boom” for the past three years and brings a similar large, physical presence to the secondary as Revis. With Browner and Revis joining 2013 All-Pro safety Devin McCourty and promising young cornerback Logan Ryan on the back-end of the defense, the Patriots now have one of the most talented and deep secondaries in the NFL.

 Despite the big free agent additions, the Patriots didn't completely stray from their tradition of bringing back players they already had on the roster. Top wide receiver from 2013 Julian Edelman re-signed with the team on March 15th after testing his value on the open market. Edelman's return to the Patriots is huge since he had a breakthrough season in 2013 and is the only receiver on the roster -save for oft-injured tight end Rob Gronkowski- to have any sort of rapport with Brady. Edelman's experience is also vital in the development of second-year receivers Aaron Dobson, Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce, who need all the mentoring they can get after their respective struggles last season. Edelman may not be a household name, but he is an integral part to the success of this offense and this could be one of the most important signings in all of free agency this season.

It's good to see that the Patriots are going against their typical mold and taking chances on outside players to help them win their first Super Bowl title since 2004. The NFL landscape is changing and kudos to Belichick for realizing that his methods have to be modified a bit if he wants to remain competitive in the league  With the additions they've made in free agency thus far and an abundance of picks in May's draft, 2014 looks to be the most promising season in years for the Patriots.  

Recaping The First 3 Days of NFL Free Agency

The dust has settled on the first three days of 2014 NFL free agency. Here's a look at my picks for the best, worst and most surprising moves so far in this wild free agency period.

Most Surprising Signing: Jarius Byrd to the Saints
The Saints have been cleaning house in order to get below the cap in an attempt to lock down tight end Jimmy Graham to a long-term contract. With cap space being so precious to the Saints, you would've never expected them to be a player for any major free agent this year. To the surprise of everyone in the league, that's exactly what happened when the Saints locked down coveted free agent safety Jarius Byrd late Tuesday night. It was certainly a bold move for the Saints, but it should pay them dividends for them. Byrd was one of the very few game-changing players on the market this offseason and locking him down makes the already a top-5 pass defense of the Saints that much scarier. Kudos to the Saints for shocking the world and picking up the best two-way safety in the league not named Earl Thomas.

Honorable Mentions: Alterraun Verner to the Buccaneers, Darrelle Revis to the Patriots, Donte Whitner to the Browns, Justin Tuck to the Raiders 

Most Surprising Release: Steve Smith being cut by the Panthers
After being the face of the Carolina Panthers franchise for 13 years, the Panthers sent the star receiver packing on Thursday amidst speculation that Smith had irked general manager Dave Gettleman with his outspoken antics. Smith may be 34 years old, but he's been the only really dangerous playmaker Carolina has had on offense the past few years and, had a great rapport with quarterback Cam Newton. Making this move that much more surprising is the fact that the Panthers just lost slot wideout Ted Ginn to free agency and could lose their other starting wideout Brandon LaFell to the open market as well. The Panthers are going to have to test their luck in the draft to find a young playmaker to replace Smith because they only have pedestrian inexperienced wideouts currently signed to their roster. Smith could potentially be a huge loss to this young, upstart team who will miss his veteran leadership and playmaking abilities moving forward 

Honorable Mentions: DeMarcus Ware being cut by the Cowboys, Owen Daniels being cut by the Texans, Jabari Greer being cut by the Saints

Best individual signing: Alterraun Verner to the Buccaneers (four years/$26.5/$14 mil guaranteed)
Lovie Smith has made quite the splash with his array of moves in his inaugural year as coach of the Buccaneers. Out of all the moves he's made thus far, none is better than the addition of All-Pro cornerback Alterraun Verner. Verner has gotten better each year he's been in the league and with a defensive guru like Smith at the helm, Verner could very well be a contender for best corner in the league within the next couple years. Not to mention his contract is an absolute steal for a kid coming off an All-Pro season.  
 
Honorable Mentions: Darrelle Revis to the Patriots, T.J. Ward to the Broncos, Aqib Talib to the Broncos, Golden Tate to the Lions, Jared Veldheer to the Cardinals

Worst individual signing: Branden Albert to the Dolphins (five years/$47 mil/$25 mil guaranteed)
If you watched the Dolphins at all last season; You know that their offensive line play was terrible. The team seemed a little to eager to try fix this problem and went out and overpaid ex-Chiefs tackle Branden Albert. While Albert is certainly an improvement over any of the abysmal tackles the Dolphins had last year, they paid way too much for a guy with a lengthy injury history that is coming off the worst year of his career.

Honorable Mentions: Darren McFadden re-signing with the Raiders, Everson Griffen re-signing with the Vikings, Chris Williams to the Bills, LaMarr Woodley to the Raiders

Best re-signing: Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks (four years/$28.5 mi/$16 mil guaranteed)
The Seahawks ended up getting Michael Bennett for the hometown discount that Bennett told the media he would not take. Bennett made the right choice going against his word and taking less money to stay with a winning franchise like the Seahawks- and the Seahawks get the benefit of having a versatile, two-way defensive lineman in his prime re-join their squad without placing a large burden on their payroll.
Honorable Mentions: Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers; Greg Hardy, Carolina Panthers; Daryl Smith, Baltimore Ravens; Brent Grimes, Miami Dolphins

Winner of Free Agency (so far): Denver Broncos
The Broncos saw that their defense held them back from winning the Super Bowl last season and they were aggressive in free agency to fill those holes and solidify the entire unit. The Broncos addressed their poor secondary by picking up marquee free agents in safety T.J. Ward and cornerback Aqib Talib to bring them playmakers on the back-end that they sorely lacked last season while also adding another disruptive pass-rushing threat in DeMarcus Ware to assist Von Miller. The Broncos realized they have a short window to contend for a title with 38-year old Peyton Manning at the helm and made big moves to help increase their odds of not only returning to the Super Bowl, but coming out with a victory and their first title since 1998. 

Honorable Mentions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles

Loser of Free Agency (so far): Oakland Raiders
The Raiders entered free agency with the most cap space in the entire league yet they have done next to nothing with that abundance of money. First off, the team let two of their very few valuable players in tackle Jared Veldheer and defensive end Lamarr Houston walk without any visible effort to re-sign them. The move was head-scratching to say the least given that they have plenty of money and both Veldheer and Houston are promising pieces to a team that desperately needs productive players. The Raiders have instead spent their money bringing in once-great defenders (Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley) that are past their prime and overpaying a middling tackle (Austin Howard) to replace Veldheer. With most of the productive players off the market and still a ton of money left to spend, the Raiders seemed like they have wasted another free agency period. The Raiders just seem doomed to continue their seemingly endless rebuilding process thanks to the passiveness of general manager Reggie McKenzie and a plethora of questionable personnel moves.   
Dishonorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals 

Best Player Left on the Market: Jared Allen, defensive end
Unlike a lot of the over 30 defensive lineman available on the open market, Jared Allen has something left in the tank. Allen is coming off a quietly productive year with the Vikings (11.5 sacks) and has remained consistently healthy year in and year out. If Allen backs off his demand to be paid $10 mil+ a year, he would be a great asset to any title-contender looking for a dependable pass-rusher.
Honorable Mentions: Ben Tate, running back; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, cornerback; Antonio Cromartie, cornerback; Jermichael Finley, tight end; Henry Melton, defensive tackle

Movie Review: 300: Rise of an Empire

In March 2007, Zach Snyder's action opus 300- based on Frank Miller's graphic novel documenting a fictionalized version of the Battle of Thermlayte between the Spartans and Persians- hit theaters. The film instantly became an action classic thanks to its groundbreaking visual style and slow-motion action sequences that captured every kill and drop of blood spilled. Seven years later, 300: Rise of an Empire offers up a continuation on the franchise that may not have been necessary, but it's certainly worthwhile.

Rise of an Empire sees basically no one from the original film except for Rodrigo Santoro as Persian "God King" Xerxes and Lena Headey as Queen Gorgo, wife of fallen Spartan leader Leonidas, returning to the fold. Despite practically no one returning for this prequel/sequel, the film offers up a similar vibe  as the original. Snyder may not have returned in the director's chair, but his fingerprints are all over this film. In addition to co-writing the screenplay, Snyder seems to have given director Noam Murro (who's only previous credit is the forgettable 2009 Dennis Quaid/Sara Jessica Parker comedy Smart People) a tutorial on how to direct action sequences prior to the production. Every action scene here has the same tenacity and stunning visuals that the first one did without feeling stale or rehashed in any way. I was a bit skeptical of an inexperienced director being able to handle the grandiose action sequences in this film, but Murro does a fine job replicating the quality of action scenes from the first installment.

300: Rise of an Empire captures a very wide timeline as the events take place before, during and after the events of the first film. The real-life battle being fictionalized here is the Battle of Salamis- which took place around the same time as the original film's real-life counterpart the Battle of Thermlayte.  The hero this time around is Athenian general Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton of Cinemax series Strike Back), who leads his men without reinforcements from the Spartans in battle against the Persian Empire. Stapleton lacks the immense screen presence and impassioned line deliveries that Gerard Butler had has Leonidas, but still manages to make Themistocles a likable enough hero that you can get behind. However, the real star of the film is Eva Green as Persian naval commander Artesmia. Green gives this film the only leg up it has on the original: The presence of a truly sinister villain. Artesmia is a ruthless and aggressive commander who strives to get every possible military asset under her command. The scene where Artesmia tries to get Themistocles to surrender his army and join the Persian forces after his men sunk multiple of her ships in a battle (which eventually leads to the most memorably over-the-top sex scene since Watchmen) is just as entertaining to watch as the fight sequences thanks to Green's commanding performance. 300: Rise of an Empire isn't a groundbreaking achievement like the original was nor does it contain any moments like "This is Sparta" or the "Tonight We Dine in Hell!" speech that will be placed in the cinematic time capsule. That being said, 300: Rise of an Empire is still a wildly entertaining, relatively mindless film that is perfect bloody escapism for action junkies everywhere.

4/5 Stars          

   

Movie Review: 12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave- the film adaptation of Solomon Northup's memoirs of going from being a free man in New York to being kidnapped and sold into slavery for 12 years- took away the coveted Best Picture award at this year's Academy Awards. Given the nature of the story and its historical impact, the victory wasn't all that surprising. After missing it during its theatrical release, I was finally able to catch 12 Years a Slave on DVD right after the Academy Awards last week. While 12 Years a Slave is mostly a successful telling of Northup's story, there are certain shortcomings in the filmmaking that hold it back from being a complete success.

12 Years a Slave is certainly not lacking its fair share of powerful scenes and performances. There are a few scenes here that convey the horrors of slavery with such unflinching brutality that's simply heartbreaking to watch. This sense of heartbreak carries over to the performances of Chitwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong'o. Ejiofor is at his finest as Northup, embodying his will to survive amidst all the suffering he was enduring. Nyong'o in her first film role as Patsey- the sexually abused and prized slave of depraved cotton plantation owner Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender)- makes quite the impression in her limited screen time. There's only two scenes where Patsey really has any substantial dialogue and Nyong'o makes the absolute most of it with the most powerful and devastating monologues of the entire film. I'm really excited and curious to see where Nyong'o goes from here; she has the potential to do big things in this business. Even the brief appearances from Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch and Sarah Paulson as various figures from Northup's horrific journey into slavery are haunting and memorable. Aside from American Hustle, there was no more impressive acting ensemble in 2013 than 12 Years a Slave.

Where 12 Years a Slave loses its footing is with the script and direction. Throughout most of the film I had the feeling this could've been so much better with a different writer/director team than John Ridley and Steve McQueen. Ridley's script is far too uneven (especially in the middle of the film) to get the full power from this subject matter. The film starts off absolutely brilliantly documenting Solomon's kidnapping and initial journey to the slave auction in Louisiana then starts to lose focus by jumping around too much when he actually starts serving his term as a slave. The jumpy narrative completely blurs the timeline of the film and makes Northup's service seem far shorter than it actually was. It also doesn't help that Ridley is not consistent with showing the brutality of slavery. There are certain scenes that play out every detail of the torture of slavery, while others show restraint and cut away before anything graphic happens. When you have a film about such an ugly and graphic subject matter, subtlety lessens the emotional impact and softens the overall depiction of slavery. McQueen, on the other hand, forces his indie roots far too hard here. McQueen previously directed indie darlings Hunger and Shame, and for whatever reason, implores the same filmmaking techniques here. Long extreme close-ups with no dialogue and artsy editing tricks are just awkward and unfitting in a film about slavery. 12 Years a Slave is an important film that is well worth the watch for some brilliant acting and individual moments that hit with brute emotional force, but it could've been more substantial with a more well-rounded script and minimalist direction.

4/5 Stars

Top 10 2014 NFL Free Agents

The chaotic NFL free agency period officially opens this Tuesday March 11th at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. While many big names such as Greg Hardy, Jimmy Graham and Anquan Boldin have already re-signed with their respective teams, there are still plenty of big impact players set to hit the open market. Here are my picks for the 10 best unrestricted free agents that are available in 2014.

10.Jared Veldheer, tackle (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)
Jared Veldheer has been one of the most consistently productive tackles in the entire league for years despite being buried in the barren wasteland of Oakland for his entire career. The Raiders have a lot of cap space and can likely make a run at re-signing him, but if Veldheer chooses to leave Oakland, there a lot of franchises with a lot more upside that could use his services.
Possible Destinations: Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, St. Louis Rams

9.Jared Allen, defensive end (Most recent team: Minnesota Vikings)
Jared Allen may not quite be the superstar defensive end he used to be at age 31 going on 32, but he's still got something left in the tank. He quietly had an 11.5 sack season last year and has had double-digit sacks every year he's been in the league except for his rookie season. You may not want to lock Allen down long-term because of his age, but he could make for a really great situational pass-rusher for a playoff-contending team.
Possible Destinations: Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks (if Michael Bennett doesn't return), Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants
 
8.Eugene Monroe, tackle (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)
Eugene Monroe was not quite in top form last year as he struggled a bit after being traded by the Jaguars to the Ravens mid-season. Even with his disappointing 2013, Monroe remains the best available offensive lineman in this year's free agent class and should be able to get a pretty big contract because of it.
Possible Destinations: Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders   

7.Eric Decker, wide receiver (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
Eric Decker is arguably the most polarizing and intriguing player in the 2014 free agent class. Is his success only because of Peyton Manning or is he truly one of the league's best options as a number two wide receiver? No matter if Decker returns to Denver or goes elsewhere, he is the biggest boom-or-bust player on the open market by a long shot.
Possible Destinations: Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns 
 
6.Karlos Dansby, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
Karlos Dansby had a major resurgence with the Cardinals last season and got the first All-Pro honors of his nine-year career. This incredible season should see the 32 year-old Dansby get a nice paycheck for 2014 despite his relatively old age for the position. If his two-way linebacker skill set can remain as sharp this upcoming season, Dansby should be one of the top pickups of this free agency class.
Possible Destinations: Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots

5.Michael Bennett, defensive end (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)
Michael Bennett signed a one-year "prove it" contract last year with the Seahawks and went onto prove just exactly how much is he worth with an excellent 2013 campaign that included 8.5 sacks and his first career defensive touchdown. Bennett is a defensive end that not only rush the passer, but can stop the run, open up holes for his fellow lineman to get to the quarterback and lineup anywhere he is asked to on the line. A player with Bennett's two-way abilities and versatility is bound to get paid big time regardless of whether or not he stays with the defending Super Bowl champs in Seattle.
Possible Destinations: Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts   

4.Aqib Talib, cornerback (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
 Aqib Talib was absolutely elite for the Patriots last year prior to injuring his hip in the middle of the season. Regardless of the injury, Talib is going to command a lot of money in free agency with his physical play and great hands in the secondary.
Possible Destinations: New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets

3.Alterraun Verner, cornerback (Most recent team: Tennessee Titans)
Alterraun Verner has a similar skill set and accolades as Aqib Talib except three years younger and lacking the injury history or off-the-field problems Verner continues to improve each year he is in the league and has the potential to be a top 3 corner in this league if he keeps it up. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Verner ended up being the most productive player of this free agent class within the next few seasons.
Possible Destinations: Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets  

2.T.J. Ward, safety (Most recent team: Cleveland Browns)
T.J. Ward is the most underrated safety in the league in my eyes, but if he is able to get out of Cleveland this offseason, people should start to take notice. Ward is the best run-stopping safety in the league and his hard-hitting style will instantly make any defense more physical and productive.
Possible Destinations: Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans

1.Jarius Byrd, safety (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
Jarius Byrd was on this list last year and here he is again after failing to reach a long-term deal with the Bills prior to the start of this year's free agency period. Byrd wants big money and deservedly so; he's consistently been one of the best safeties in the league since he was drafted in 2009. Byrd has the ball skills and tackling ability to make a huge difference wherever ends up. Any team with a decent amount of cap space and a safety need is going to make a run at Byrd- who is pretty easily the top of the heap amongst this free agent class.
Possible Destinations: Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (unlikely given that they have Mark Barron and Dashon Goldson, but Byrd's father just got hired as defensive backs coach)  

Other notable unrestricted free agents:

Adam Vinateri, kicker (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)

Ahmad Bradshaw, running back (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)

Andre Brown, running back (Most recent team: New York Giants)

Andre Roberts, wide receiver (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)

Anthony Spencer, defensive end (Most recent team: Dallas Cowboys)

Antoine Bethea, safety (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)
Antonio Cromartie, cornerback (Most recent team: New York Jets)

Antonio Smith, defensive end (Most recent team: Houston Texans)

Arthur Jones, defensive end/tackle (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)

Asante Samuel, cornerback (Most recent team: Atlanta Falcons)

Ben Tate, running back (Most recent team: Houston Texans)

Branden Albert, tackle (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Brandon Browner, cornerback (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)

Brandon LaFell, wide receiver (Most recent team: Carolina Panthers)

Brandon Myers, tight end (Most recent team: New York Giants)

Brandon Pettigrew, tight end (Most recent team: Detroit Lions)

Brandon Spikes, inside linebacker (Most recent team: New England Patriots)

Brian De La Puente, center (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)

Calvin Pace, outside linebacker/defensive end (Most recent team: New York Jets)

Captain Munnerlyn, cornerback (Most recent team: Carolina Panthers)

Champ Bailey, cornerback (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)

Charles Tillman, cornerback (Most recent team: Chicago Bears)

Charles Woodson, safety (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)

Corey Graham, cornerback (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)

Danario Alexander, wide receiver (Most recent team: San Diego Chargers)

Darren McFadden, running back (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)

Darren Sproles, running back (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)

Daryl Smith, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)
Davin Joesph, guard (Most recent team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, cornerback (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)

Donald Brown, running back (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)

Donnie Jones, punter (Most recent team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Donte Whitner, safety (Most recent team: San Francisco 49ers)

Emmanuel Sanders, wide receiver (Most recent team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

Garrett Graham, tight end (Most recent team: Houston Texans)

Geoff Schwartz, guard (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Golden Tate, wide receiver (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)

Hakeem Nicks, wide receiver (Most recent team: New York Giants)

Henry Melton, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Chicago Bears)

Jacoby Jones, wide receiver (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)

James Jones, wide receiver (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Jason Hatcher, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Dallas Cowboys)

Jay Feely, kicker (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)

Jermichael Finley, tight end (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)

Jon Beason, inside linebacker (Most recent team: New York Giants)

Josh Brown, kicker (Most recent team: New York Giants)

Josh McCown, quarterback (Most recent team: Chicago Bears)

Julian Edelman, wide receiver (Most recent team: New England Patriots)

Justin Tuck, defensive end (Most recent team: New York Giants)

Kevin Williams, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Minnesota Vikings)

Knowshon Moreno, running back (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)

Lamarr Houston, defensive end (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)

Lance Moore, wide receiver (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)

LeGarrette Blount, running back (Most recent team: New England Patriots)

Linval Joesph, defensive tackle (Most recent team: New York Giants)

Louis Delmas, safety (Most recent team: Detroit Lions)

Maurice Jones-Drew, running back (Most recent team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Michael Johnson, defensive end (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals) 

Michael Oher, guard/tackle (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)

Michael Vick, quarterback (Most recent team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Paul Soliai, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)

Perry Riley, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Washington Redskins)

Phil Dawson, kicker (Most recent team: San Francisco 49ers)

Randy Starks, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)

Rashad Jennings, running back (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)

Rashard Mendenhall, running back (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)

Richie Incognito, guard (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)

Shaun Phillips, outside linebacker/defensive end (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)

Sidney Rice, wide receiver (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)

Steven Hauschka, kicker (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)

Tarrel Brown, cornerback (Most recent team: San Francisco 49ers)

Ted Ginn, wide receiver (Most recent team: Carolina Panthers)

Terrell Thomas, cornerback (Most recent team: New York Giants)

Travelle Wharton, guard (Most recent team: Carolina Panthers)

Vontae Davis, cornerback (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)

Walter Thurmond III, cornerback (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)

Wesley Woodyard, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)

Will Smith, defensive end/outside linebacker (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)

Zane Beadles, guard (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)

Album Review: ScHoolboy Q-Oxymoron

West coast hip-hop artist ScHoolboy Q has spent the past year getting his name out there and hyping up his major-label debut Oxymoron. Whether it was comparing himself to friend and labelmate Kendrick Lamar or guest spots on what seemed like every major hip-hop release released throughout the year, it was difficult to avoid ScHoolboy Q in 2013. Riding that wave of self and industry hype, Oxymoron has finally dropped after a lengthy delay, and Q's longwinded promotion pays off with his most complete album to date.

Prior to release ScHoolboy Q was quoted as saying that Oxymoron "was as good or better" than Kendrick Lamar's 2012 landmark release good kid m.A.A.d city. The comparison is ridiculous not because Q is an inferior rapper to Lamar, but because they don't tread the same ground with their music. good kid m.A.A.d city is a narrative about not succumbing to the temptations of a crime-ridden neighborhood. Q is the street antithesis to Lamar:  He sold Oxycontin, he was in gangs, he lived the life that Lamar avoided before he got into hip-hop. These men may be signed to the same label and hail from similar neighborhoods in southern California, but they are absolutely not the same artist.

Oxymoron is the easily the most wide-ranging release ScHoolboy Q has put out to date. Q spends more time here experimenting with heavier subject matter and incorporating new genres into his music than on his past records.  "Prescription/Oxymoron" is a bold, tempo-shifting seven-minute track that explores Q's addiction to pills and his days as a Oxycontin dealer. Q displays a strong skill for narratives that he hasn't shown before as the song explains with brutal honesty how he went from being an addict and alienating himself from the world then overcoming that addiction and going onto sell pills to make a living. He is able to brilliantly paint the picture of both his struggle as an addict and subsequent guilt for having to turn to selling pills to addicts like himself to support his family. Q is similarly effective with denser material on "Break the Break", which chronicles his joy of finally being successful, but to not take that money for granted because it can disappear at any time. "Studio" managed to completely catch me by surprise with Q doing some singing over funky production from Swiff D with a prominent soulful hook from B.J. the Chicago Kid. Although the rapping sections are still very much in line with his general style, this is about as close as you're going to get to a love song from ScHoolboy Q. It's a bold move for Q to contrast his hard image for even a single song and the risk pays off far better than I would've ever expected.

Oxymoron doesn't spend all its time in Q's previously uncharted musical territory; there's still plenty of odes to his love of weed, women and his street background. Previously released singles "Collard Greens" and "Man of the Year" have subtle yet punchy synth-driven beats and wildly catchy hooks that are perfectly built for any house party or nightclub dance floor. While "Collard Greens" and "Man of the Year" are a whole lot of fun, Q's self-proclaimed "gang banger" anthem "Los Awesome" is easily the most rousing, infectious track of his career thus far. Pharrell lays down a monster of a beat that serves as a powerfully nostalgic ode to the west coast hip-hop of the 90s'. Q and guest artist Jay Rock use this platform to spit venom-filled verses that match the intensity of the beat flawlessly. If Tupac and Eazy-E were still alive today, they would be spitting over shit like this. "Los Awesome" is straight-up gangster rap nirvana that I didn't think could be achieved in 2014.      

However, the biggest triumph of Oxymoron is how it corrects the long-standing consistency problem with Q's music. Q's last record, Habits and Contradictions was one of the most frustratingly erratic hip-hop releases of the past few years. For every quality track, there was a string of filler ones to kill the momentum. Oxymoron is a much more focused and cohesive record overall. While there are a couple of misses in "The Purge" and the absolutely horrendous collaboration with 2 Chainz on "What They Want", there's never a long stretch of the almost hour-long album where it loses a lot of steam. Q has always shown flashes of real talent in his music and finally on Oxymoron, that ability is not lost within a sea of weak tracks that wrongfully mask his potential.

Oxymoron is finally a mostly enjoyable and surprisingly experimental record from ScHoolboy Q. It may lack much of the lyrical complexity of Q's peers on Top Dawg Entertainment, but what he lacks in clever wordplay, he makes up for with perfect production choices and an incredible knack for crafting memorable hooks.  If Kendrick Lamar is the sophisticated leader of the Top Dawg crew, ScHoolboy Q is the hard-partying understudy. Oxymoron isn't a classic, but it plays nicely on the strengths of Q as an artist and shows a whole lot of improvement from his first two albums.

3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Los Awesome (feat. Jay Rock)
2.Break the Bank
3.Prescription/Oxymoron

Predicting the 86th Academy Awards

Film's biggest night of the year is finally upon us as the 86th Academy Awards are held tonight at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California. Here are my predictions for who will take home the six biggest awards of the evening. 

Best Picture
Nominees:
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity 
Her
Nebraska
Philomena 
The Wolf of Wall Street

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave
Should Win: American Hustle 
Nominees I've seen: 6/9 (American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Her, Nebraska, The Wolf of Wall Street)

There really is no clear unopposed frontrunner this year, but I believe 12 Years a Slave has a slight advantage over Gravity and American Hustle. 12 Years a Slave has the based on an incredible, poignant true story pedigree that Academy voters love to reward.   

Best Actor
Nominees:
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Will Win:Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Should Win: Christian Bale, American Hustle
Nominated performances I've seen: 4/5 (Christian Bale, Bruce Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey)

Who would've thought the guy who starred in Ghost of Girlfriends Past just 5 short years ago would be up for an Academy Award and suddenly become one of the most well-respected actors in Hollywood? Matthew McConaughey made a remarkable physical transformation for Dallas Buyers Club and a all-but-guaranteed Oscar victory tonight will complete his recent rebirth as an actor. 

Best Actress
Nominees:
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

Will Win: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Should Win: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Nominated performances I've seen: 2/5 (Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett) 

Cate Blanchett should walk away with the second Oscar of her career for her powerhouse performance in Blue Jasmine and she absolutely deserves it. Few actors this year commanded the screen with as much depth and emotion as Blanchett did.

Best Supporting Actor
Nominees:
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Will Win: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Should Win: Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Nominated performances I've seen: 4/5 (Barkhad Abdi, Bradley Cooper, Jonah Hill, Jared Leto)


If I was to bet on one award for tonight, it would be Jared Leto for Best Supporting Actor. He has 100% of the momentum going into the Oscars and his role as a transgender female with AIDS is about as Oscar-friendly as any role can be.

Best Supporting Actress
Nominees:
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Luptia Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska

Will Win: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Should Win: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Nominated performances I've seen: 3/5 (Sally Hawkins, Jennifer Lawrence, June Squibb)

This is a complete toss-up between Jennifer Lawrence and Luptia Nyong'o. Nyong'o has the advantage of being a first-time nominee in a dramatic role, but I believe Lawrence's hilarious scene-stealing performance in American Hustle gives her the slight edge.

Best Director
Nominees:
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorcese, The Wolf of Wall Street

Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Should Win: David O. Russell, American Hustle
Nominees I've seen: 3/5 (Alexander Payne, David O. Russell, Martin Scorcese) 

The simple yet effective concept and groundbreaking visuals of Gravity makes Alfonso Cuaron the clear favorite. Though I haven't seen Gravity, it's quite the achievement to make a film with only two actors on screen with such a basic plot and make it work on any level; let alone get all the high praise and awards-love that Gravity has received.     

March in Film

After a slow start to the year, March opens the doors for some bigger and more exciting films to enter the cinematic marketplace. Here are my thoughts on all of March's wide releases.

Films I want to See:
6.Bad Words (3/14 limited, 3/28 wide): Jason Bateman's directorial debut looks to be an amusing dark comedy romp similar to films like Bad Santa and Horrible Bosses (which Bateman also starred in). Hopefully Bateman's on screen talent can translate to behind the camera.

5.Muppets Most Wanted (3/21): The last Muppets film in 2011 was pretty amusing and this looks to be similarly enjoyable with the writers of the previous installment returning and a cast featuring premier comedic talents such as Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais and Ty Burell.

4.Need for Speed (3/14): Yes it looks similar to the Fast and Furious films, but that doesn't mean it looks bad in the slightest. It should be interesting to see how Aaron Paul handles the role of an action hero and director Scott Waugh (Act of Valor) does at the helm of a big budget film.

3.Sabotage (3/28): Arnold Schwarzenegger has been on point since his acting comeback in 2012 and Sabotage looks to be another fun, grimy action film from the B-movie icon. Only downside is the involvement of screenwriter Skip Woods- who is fresh off tainting the legacy of the Die Hard franchise  with last year's colossal letdown A Good Day to Die Hard-with the project.

2.Noah (3/28): The story of Noah's ark being brought to the big screen would typically not interest me at all. But when you put the iconic Biblical story in the hands of a director like Darren Aronofsky, my interest is piqued. Nothing I've seen on the film so far looks particularly fantastic though I remain hopeful that Aronofsky can do something special with this subject matter.

1.300: Rise of an Empire (3/7): I feel like it's 2007 again when I see the promotional material for 300: Rise of an Empire. The first 300 remains one of my favorite films of all-time, and with Zach Snyder's stamp still all over this film despite the fact that he's not directing it, my hopes are very high for the return of the Spartan army.

Films I'm unsure on:
Divergent (3/21): The concept is certainly intriguing and there is a lot of potential in this series with Shailene Woodley in the lead role, I'm just not completely sold on the quality of this film from the marketing and middling screenwriting team behind it.

Films I have zero interest in:
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (3/7): Quite simply this just doesn't look funny or charming to me.

Tyler Perry's Single Moms Club (3/14): I'd like to thank Tyler Perry for confirming that Nia Long and Amy Smart are still working actors. Mr. Perry, if you can track down Regina King and Jenna Elfman for your next project; I'd greatly appreciate it.