Movie Review: John Wick

I can now officially forgive Keanu Reeves for starring in crap like 47 Ronin and The Day Earth Stood Still. Reeves' latest project, John Wick, is exactly the type of firecracker action film the much-maligned actor needed to get his career back on track.

Reeves plays the title character, who is a retired assassin trying to deal with the loss of his wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan) to terminal cancer. As a final gift from Helen before she passed away, Wick receives a dog named Daisy to keep him company now that she's gone. Wick's quiet new life is quickly turned upside down after he refuses to sell his '69 Mustang to a low-level thug named Losef (Alfie Allen) during a heated encounter at a gas station. Later that night, Losef and his henchman go to Wick's house, steal his car, and kill Daisy. Enraged and heartbroken by the actions of Losef- who turns out to be the son of a Russian mobster (Michael Nyquist) Wick was once employed by-he is forced to re-enter a world thought he had escaped to seek revenge on Losef and kill anyone that tries to stop him from getting his retribution.

In a year where most B-grade action films have been huge disappointments (The Equalizer, The Expendables 3) John Wick is a godsend. The full-throttle action is constant, the story flows nicely and above all, the film is fun as all hell. First-time directing pair David Litch and Chad Stahleski use their prior experience as stuntmen to stage some of the most exhilarating action scenes to grace the screen in 2014. The two key action setpieces at Wick's house and a Russian-owned nightclub standout with their mix of hand-to-hand combat and gunplay, and great camera movement that is able to capture all of the rapid-pace action. The last couple of fight scenes get a bit bogged down with repetition, but it's not nearly enough to take away from the strength of a majority of the film's action sequences.

Whats sets John Wick apart from a lot of other films in the genre is the atmosphere it establishes. The world of assassins and organized crime John Wick portrays just oozes cool. I mean what's more badass than an assassin-friendly hotel with its own special currency? As you would except from a film with such a interesting backdrop, the film features a set of fascinating characters. The colorful supporting characters including Ian McShane as the owner of the assassin hotel, Lance Reddick as the hotel's front desk receptionist, and Nyquist as the film's most powerful villain pile on the charisma and make the dialog-loaded scenes just as fun as the action. Even with an excellent supporting cast, this is still very much Reeves' show. He delivers his most confident performance in ages here as Wick- a killing machine who shows minimal emotion. Reeves has never had the chops for serious dramatic work, but there are only a few actors working right now that are better equipped to handle the lead role in a pure action film. He just has that special eternally cool presence that's needed to anchor this type of film. John Wick is a smart, expertly-crafted B-movie that delivers the pulpy thrills action junkies have been craving all year long.


4/5 Stars

Album Review: Run the Jewels-Run the Jewels 2

Veteran hip-hop artists Killer Mike and El-P first collaboration under the moniker Run the Jewels made serious waves in the summer of 2013. Their combination of energy, relentlessly intense production and clever lyrics made their self-titled debut the most celebrated hip-hop release of the year amongst critics and audiences alike. Approximately 16 months after the release of their lauded debut, Run the Jewels has returned with their second album and the fiery pair has once again struck hip-hop gold.

Run the Jewels 2 sees the duo taking a darker approach with the tone and production than on their previous effort. The more psychedelic, low-key production choices allow Killer Mike and El-P's skills on the mic to be at the forefront of the music. Their consistently fantastic lyrics were often buried under the in-your-face production on the first installment, so it's great to see their unheralded lyrical skills be more prominently featured on this record. "Jeopardy", "Lie, Cheat, Steal", "Crown" and "Angel Duster" feature the most impressive verses the duo has ever put out from a pure skill standpoint. These tracks prove exactly why Mike and El-P have become known as two of the top lyricists to emerge out of the underground hip-hop scene over the past two decades. They drop consistently witty lines on a variety of subject matters both serious and asinine and rap with a swagger that just can't be topped by a vast majority of MC's that are currently in the game. The production is still a standout element of Run the Jewels 2, it just doesn't completely overshadow the sheer brilliance of the rapping this time around.

While this isn't quite as relentless as its predecessor, there is no shortage of the group's trademark bangers here. Previously released tracks "Blockbuster Night Part 1" and "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck")- which features a pretty solid guest verse from Rage Against the Machine frontman Zak De la Roacha- are filled with the same relentless intensity that made the first Run the Jewels album so memorable. While "Blockbuster Night Part 1" and "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)" are impressive, they pale in comparison to album standouts "Oh My Darling Don't Cry" and "All Due Respect". "Oh My Darling Don't Cry" makes use of an industrial beat that is strongly reminiscent of the best production on Death Grips' 2012 masterpiece The Money Store while "All Due Respect" boasts a level of raw aggression that makes most of Run the Jewels' other material sound downright cheery in comparison. Run the Jewels spend a good portion of their second LP showing off their versatility and dense lyrical skills, but there's no denying that they are most at home when they are churning out ferocious hardcore hip-hop that goes straight for the jugular.

Run the Jewels 2 is another grand success for these hip-hop heavyweights. They're able to explore new musical and lyrical territory this time around without sacrificing any of the fire or excellent production that made the first one such a fantastic release.The fact that Run the Jewels has released two of the best hip-hop records of the past decade in just over a year is completely absurd and speaks volumes of how skilled Killer Mike and El-P are as musicians. Run the Jewels has a stranglehold on the modern hip-hop scene and unless something heinous happens to them, I don't see that changing anytime in the near future.
4/5 Stars 
Standout Tracks
1.Lie, Cheat, Steal
2.Oh My Darling Don't Cry
3.All Due Respect

Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Remember when people said Ben Roethlisberger didn't have it anymore? Roethlisberger showed the world that he can still dominate with his video-game like 522-yard/6 touchdown performance against the Colts on Sunday afternoon. What makes Roethlisberger's performance that much more impressive is that it came against a Colts secondary that had only allowed 2 passing touchdowns in their previous 4 games. While its highly unlikely he'll repeat these numbers again, Roethlisberger has another solid matchup against the Ravens in Week 9.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Andrew Luck (Colts), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

LVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Cam Newton wasn't completely horrible on Sunday, its just that his presence in fantasy was pretty much invisible. Newton finished Sunday's home loss against the Seahawks with 171 yards through the air, 22 yards on the ground, 0 touchdowns and an interception. Newton has struggled a bit over the last couple of weeks, but with a soft schedule in the second half of the season and his health back to 100%, look for him to become a top-end QB1 in the coming weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Joe Flacco (Ravens), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Tony Romo (Cowboys

Running Back
MVP: Arian Foster (Texans)
Arian Foster is a beast. Foster once again carried the Texans offense with 173 total yards (151 rushing, 22 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 receiving, 1 rushing) in their victory over the Titans on Sunday. If it wasn't obvious already, Foster is a weekly must-start in fantasy.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Mark Ingram (Saints)

LVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
After a strong start to the year, Marshawn Lynch has cooled down substantially over the past few weeks. Lynch had another subpar outing against the Panthers erratic defense on Sunday finishing the game with a mere 62 yards on the ground on 14 carries. Lynch's lack of volume is a bit distressing, but he's far too important to this offense to become a weekly non-factor. Lynch has a potentially huge bounceback game against the Raiders ghastly run D in Week 9.
Dishonorable Mentions: Joique Bell (Lions), Ben Tate (Browns), Shane Vereen (Patriots)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
In a relatively off-day for the Eagles explosive offense, Jeremy Maclin still thrived. Maclin tormented the Cardinals defense with his 12 reception, 187-yard performance on Sunday afternoon. Maclin has looked great all year long coming off the torn ACL that sidelined him for all of 2013, and has nicely filled the top wideout role that DeSean Jackson had in this offense a year ago.
Honorable Mentions: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

LVP: Jordy Nelson (Packers)
For the first time all season, Jordy Nelson was silenced. Nelson was held to just 25 yards on 3 receptions in the Packers contest with the Saints on Sunday night. Nelson's lack of production is actually shocking given the fact that Aaron Rodgers threw for 418 yards in this game. Nelson faces the banged-up Bears secondary when the Packers return from bye in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Julian Edelman (Patriots), Brandon Marshall (Bears)

Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Rob Gronkowski was back in kill mode against the Bears on Sunday. Gronkowski took advantage of the Bears injuries at linebacker and safety, and finished the game with 149 yards and 3 TD's on 9 receptions. Gronkowski is 100% and barring one of his trademark late-season injuries, he could challenge Julius Thomas for the title of top fantasy tight end in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Heath Miller (Steelers), Martellus Bennett (Bears)

LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
With Cam Newton struggling, Greg Olsen got almost completely shut out on the Sunday against the Seahawks. Olsen ended up with just a single catch for 16 yards in a game that was dominated by strong defensive play. Clunkers like this shouldn't come up too often from now until the end of the season. As Newton's safety belt, Olsen will arguably be the prime beneficiary from the Panthers soft schedule in the latter stage of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Charles Clay (Dolphins), Jared Cook (Rams)

Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins defense were the latest team to take advantage of the Jacksonville Jaguars horrendous, turnover-prone offense. The Dolphins picked up 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, a fumble recovery, blocked field goal and 2 touchdowns in their victory on Sunday. The Dolphins have shown a pretty strong pass rush and a decent ability to take the ball away, so they're a solid, unheralded fantasy option for owners looking for a defense.
Honorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns

LVP: Detroit Lions
Week 8 was actually a pretty strong week for defenses as basically every defense that was supposed to put up big numbers ended up delivering. The sole exception to that was the Detroit Lions; who picked up a disappointing 2 sacks and 1 INT against a struggling Falcons offense. The Lions certainly weren't awful, but their output was still disappointing given the matchup and how well they've played this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles

Album Review: Slipknot-.5: The Gray Chapter

The last half-decade has been incredibly difficult for Iowa metal juggernauts Slipknot. Since the release of their last record All Hope is Gone in 2008, bassist Paul Gray died of a drug overdose and they severed ties with founding drummer Joey Jordison. After Gray's death, there was a lot of speculation that Slipknot was going to disband. After their lengthy and tumultuous hiatus, Slipknot has returned with their fifth full-length album, .5: The Gray Chapter, which serves as the perfect remembrance of Gray.

.5: The Gray Chapter acts as kind of a retrospective of Slipknot's career so far. There are clear elements from all four of their previous records present here and it gives the record a consistently-shifting tone that none of Slipknot's previous work has had. .5: The Gray Chapter has everything from tender ballads ("Goodbye", "If Rain is What You Want") to borderline radio-friendly alternative rock ("The Devil in I", "The One That Kills the Least") to aggressive, angst-ridden anthems that make their classic songs like "Surfacing" and "My Plague" ("Custer", "Lech") sound modest in comparison wrapped up in a relatively tight 62-minute package. Covering so much diverse musical ground in the course of a single album sounds a bit messy on paper, but they are able to pull it off without it sounding too jarring or forced. Slipknot has never been a band that tries to go in a bunch of different directions with their music, so to see them do it here was quite refreshing 

It's evident that making this record triggered a lot of different emotions for the band and they put all of them- no matter ugly or dark they are -into this record. Losing someone you love under tragic circumstances brings up a wide-range of emotions, and Slipknot spends this album perfectly articulating that. Of course with this being Slipknot, those emotions are sometimes peppered with obscenity and juvenile lyrics, but they're genuine nonetheless. Even on the couple of tracks that don't work at all (the aforementioned "Lech" and "If Rain is What You Want"), you still have to admire their efforts because the heart of the music is so authentic.

.5: The Gray Chapter is at its best when simultaneously balancing the heavy and experimental elements. Album standout "Killpop" delights with its eerie, subdued verses and bursts of explosive heaviness throughout. "Killpop" also serves as Corey Taylor's best vocal performance on the entire record. Even at age 40, Taylor still displays one of the most impressive vocal ranges in the business. There are some higher notes that he can't hit anymore, but for the most part his voice hasn't dipped too much in quality in the 15 years since the release of their debut album. Tracks like "Sarcastrophe", "Nomadic" and "AOV" offer up similar dynamic pleasures with lengthy melodic guitar sections, punchy riffs, blast beats from their anonymous new drummer and Taylor conjuring up some screams that he hasn't pulled out since their 2001 LP Iowa. There are plenty of great pure heavy and melodic moments on this record, but .5: The Gray Chapter is only truly brilliant when it mixes the two together within the same song. 

.5: The Gray Chapter is a very satisfying output from these masked metal veterans. It's not anything groundbreaking and there are spots where it's way too over-the-top with angst even by Slipknot standards, but it more than makes up for its flaws with its overwhelmingly genuine emotional core and consistently diverse musical offerings. Given all the member changeover, behind-the scenes-drama and long gap between albums, it's very impressive that Slipknot was able to make an album that is this ambitious and features so much great material. Wherever Paul Gray is right now, there's no doubt in my mind that he's elated with how the album that was made in his honor turned out. .5: The Gray Chapter isn't even close to the best album Slipknot has ever produced , but it's certainly the most impassioned. If nothing else, it proves that this band is showing no signs of slowing down as they approach the 20th anniversary of their formation.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Killpop
2.Nomadic
3.AOV  

2014 Week 7 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
About the only thing that went right for the Seahawks' performance on Sunday against the Rams was the play of Russell Wilson. Wilson once again dominated through the air and ground as became the first quarterback to ever throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game. The Seahawks are not playing nearly as well as they were a year ago, but Wilson is a much better fantasy option in 2014 than he was last year. Wilson has another promising matchup against the erratic Panthers defense on the docket in Week 8.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)

LVP: Jay Cutler (Bears)
Oh the plight of Jay Cutler.... A week after destroying the Falcons, Cutler had his worst outing of the season at home against a middling Dolphins team in Week 7. Cutler threw for a measly 190 yards and a touchdown while picking up 2 turnovers in one of the most miserable outings the Bears offense has had in years. Cutler will forever be the most unpredictable and inconsistent quarterback in the league. You're taking a risk every time you start him and that risk is even higher than usual this week as the Bears travel to Gillette Stadium to take on the red-hot Patriots.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)

Running Back
MVP: Shane Vereen (Patriots)
With Steven Ridley out for the season, Shane Vereen now has a stranglehold on the running back position in New England. Vereen showcased his dominance over the backfield with a stellar performance against the Jets on Thursday. In typical Vereen fashion, he did most of his damage in the receiving game picking up 5 receptions for 71 yards and 2 TD's. It should be noted that 49 of his 71 yards came on a deep strike on the first drive of the game, so the numbers are certainly a bit deceiving. That being said, Vereen is easily the most gifted running back the Patriots currently have their disposal, so expect him to operate as a high-end RB2 (especially in PPR leagues) with a couple of stinkers moving forward.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)

LVP: Giovani Bernard (Bengals)
It was rough day to be a member of the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday as the team got shut out by the Colts. Despite it being a rough day for the entire offense, no one suffered more than Giovani Bernard. The second-year dual-threat back got held to 16 total yards (17 rushing, -1 receiving) on 9 touches. Bernard should get ample touches this week, but unfortunately it's against a stiff Ravens front that hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 2.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Tate (Browns),Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Reggie Bush (Lions)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Demaryius Thomas became part of history this week as he caught the touchdown that put Peyton Manning ahead of Brett Favre for the all-time passing touchdown record. In addition to catching the record-setting TD, Thomas massacred the 49ers secondary all game long. Thomas finished the evening with 171 yards and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. Thomas has been on fire since the Broncos returned from their Week 4 bye and I don't believe that will change this week when he faces a banged-up Chargers secondary on Thursday night.
Honorable Mentions: Sammy Watkins (Bills), Golden Tate (Lions), Randall Cobb (Packers)

LVP: Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)
Odds are if you were a member of the Chicago Bears not named Matt Forte, you had a terrible game against the Dolphins on Sunday. Alshon Jeffrey was the biggest victim of their poor offensive performance, finishing with just 9 yards on the day. While I don't expect Jeffrey to repeat his 9-yard performance, he certainly has his hands full as he is going up against a tough Patriots secondary in Week 8.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Bears), Julio Jones (Falcons), Julian Edelman (Patriots)

Tight End
MVP: Antonio Gates (Chargers)
In an incredibly poor week for tight ends on the whole, the ageless wonder Antonio Gates was one of the few exceptions. Gates made the most of his 3 catches-picking up 61 yards and a touchdown in an otherwise quiet day for the Chargers offense against the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. Gates remains one of the very few TE's you can rely on to put up solid numbers every week.
Honorable Mentions: Charles Clay (Dolphins), Owen Daniels (Ravens), Dwayne Allen (Colts)

LVP: Jordan Cameron (Browns)
A week after showing signs of life, Jordan Cameron reverted back to sucking it up against the Jaguars in Week 7. Cameron was held to just a single catch for 5 yards against a Jaguars defense that has been practically giving away fantasy points to TE's this season. Cameron is a low-end TE1 who will deliver a stellar performance from time-to-time, but can't be trusted in the slightest as a full-time starter.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Larry Donnell (Giants), Delanie Walker (Titans)

Defense
MVP: Indianapolis Colts
The Colts defense have quietly become one of the more reliable fantasy defenses to own in 2014. The Colts further their solidified their stock on Sunday as they shut out the Bengals. Their numbers could've been higher as they only got 4 sacks and failed to get a takeaway, but in a week where most defenses only put up average fantasy numbers, that was more than enough to make the best overall fantasy play.
Honorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams

LVP: Seattle Seahawks
This is just getting ridiculous. The Seahawks defense has been one of the biggest fantasy disappointments of 2014 so far and that disappointment only grew stronger this week as they failed miserably against the lowly St. Louis Rams. The Rams had been allowing the most fantasy points to defenses coming into Week 7, but the Seahawks failed to capitalize on that juicy matchup as allowed 28 points and once again, got zero sacks and takeaways. I can't believe I'm saying this but if you can afford to drop the Seahawks D in your league right now, do it right away. Their lack of pass rush and inability to cause turnovers makes them pretty much useless in fantasy at the moment.
Dishonorable Mentions: New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers

Movie Review: Fury

War is hell. It's one of the most tired cliches of all-time, but it's also painfully accurate. Most people will never know what its like to experience the atrocities of war firsthand, which makes its difficult to try and realistically recreate for a Hollywood movie. Like all affective war films, Fury articulates the horrors of war in the most authentic way possible for a fictionalized piece of work.

Writer/director David Ayer doesn't hold anything back as he paints an extremely grim picture of World War II, and brutality of life on the battlefield. The extended battle sequences are brilliantly choreographed and sufficiently gruesome. Cinematographer Roman Vasyanov is the film's secret weapon for capturing the film's tense tank battles. The frequent changes from inside shots of tank to the carnage outside of it could've been disorienting, but Vasayanov has great control of the camera and seamless editing from Jay Cassidy and Dody Dorn makes the shots flow together organically. The unflinching depiction of wartime combat in Fury is without question one of the strongest I've ever seen in a film.

However whenever the gunfire ceases, Fury stumbles. Each member of the titular tank crew are painfully underwritten and come off more as caricatures than actual human beings. Logan Lerman plays the young kid who is scared shitless of war, Shia LaBeouf is a religious man that serves as the group's moral compass, Michael Pena is a drunk, Jon Bernthal is an ignorant redneck and Brad Pitt is the fearless leader who also acts as the glue that holds this ragtag group together. These archetypes sound familiar?  The performances from all five lead actors are competent, but their efforts are pretty much for naught  given how hollow their characters are. I know that this lack of character depth won't bother some people, I just it incredibly different to enjoy a film like this when the characters are so lifeless. There's some serious flaws in the writing when one of the lead characters dies, and you feel absolutely nothing as a viewer.  

Ayer's script becomes even more inept as it tries to manipulate the audience into showing empathy for these empty characters. Films that try to artificially generate emotion to resonate deeply with the audience really piss me off, and Fury is one of the harshest offenders of this in recent film history. An elongated scene in the middle of the film exists only so Lerman's character has a reason to overcome his fear of combat for the final standoff with the Nazis. The entire sequence is painfully contrived, and sets completely disingenuous final act of the film in motion. The hokey, insincere aura of the latter half of the film reaches its peak at the tail end of the climatic battle with a horde of Nazi forces. The final few minutes are so god damn ridiculous and unbelievable that I almost screamed obscenities out loud in the theater. How Ayer thought this a reasonable conclusion to the film entirely defies comprehension.   


Fury's well-crafted action setpieces are just enough to warrant a mild recommendation, but they're not nearly enough to get over how much of a wasted opportunity this film is. With this gifted cast, typically great director and unique premise for a war film, this very well could've been one of the all-time great entries in the genre. Instead, we're left with a film that has all the grit and none of the heart or brains that make great war films tick. If you want to see an Ayer-directed film about brotherhood and sacrifice with a strong, authentic emotional backbone, stay home and watch End of Watch on Netflix streaming.

3/5 Stars 

Movie Review: Gone Girl

2014 has been a solid enough year for film, but the first nine months have lacked any films that have serious weight. David Fincher's latest, Gone Girl, gives us the first true masterpiece of the year and sets the bar high for rest of the awards-contenders set for release over the last few months of 2014.

Gone Girl focuses on the strained marriage between Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike). On the day of their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy disappears without a trace. The blood splatter found at their home and his general indifference in public appearances following Amy's disappearance makes Nick the prime suspect for her murder. As the evidence mounts, the case heads in directions that neither Nick or anyone else could've ever saw coming.

Gone Girl is one of those rare films that you just can't shake after watching. Once the credits started rolling, the sheer weight of the film hit me all at once and rendered me speechless. The driving force behind Gone Girl's grand success is the phenomenal screenplay from Gillian Flynn. Flynn-who adapted the screenplay from her own novel- crafts a dense narrative that piles on the twists and delivers commentary on modern marriage and the media's flare for sensationalist journalism with blunt-force trauma. The story of Gone Girl is a bit over-the-top at times, but the messages Flynn conveys here are painfully true and relevant. While I'm not married myself, I've seen marriages unravel for the same reasons as the Dunne's and, it's shocking to see how realistic her portrayal of troubled marriages is here. Flynn's commentary on the media is equally sharp and accurate as she rips on television reporters who mindlessly character assassinate people involved in scandals before all the facts have been presented.

Flynn didn't just write a film that serves as a scathing criticism of major social problems in modern society, she also writes one of the most enthralling thrillers of all-time. Every detail in the mystery of Amy's disappearance is fascinating and the story consistently heads in unexpected directions. Every time you think you've figured out the motives of the characters and the truth behind Amy's disappearance, Flynn throws the audience for a loop. If Flynn doesn't win Best Adapted Screenplay at this year's Academy Awards, there's no justice in the world.

Flynn's flawless writing is brought to life by perfect casting choices across the board. Affleck's work as Nick is his best performance since at least The Town, if not Good Will Hunting. Affleck's reputation as a smug, emotionless prick pays dividends here as he nails the role of a man who shows a disturbing lack of empathy during a time where he should be an emotional wreck. Affleck gets a lot of flack for his ability (or lack thereof) as an actor, but no one could've possibly played this role better than him. The supporting players including Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris-who sound extremely miscast on paper-are also excellent here. Perry shows legitimate acting ability for the first time in his career as Tanner Bolt- the high-priced, sleazy defense lawyer that Nick hires after he comes to his defense on national television. Perry demonstrates a charisma and gift for dark comedy that has been completely buried in his other roles. Patrick Harris is a completely different story; as he successfully goes out of his comfort zone for the umpteenth time (seriously, is there anything this guy can't do?) as an obsessive ex-boyfriend of Amy's who ends up playing a pivotal role in the proceedings of the film. Both of these casting choices were bold and unconventional, but they end up working out perfectly.

While the entire cast delivers, the real revelation in the film is Pike. It's hard to address the intricacies of Pike's performance without disclosing major spoilers, let's just say that her tortured performance is the centerpiece of the entire film. While I've seen a lot of Pike's work in the past, this is the first time where the sheer power of her acting bowled me over. Pike's work here is the type of powerhouse performance that commands immediate consideration from the year-end award shows. Gone Girl is a haunting and startlingly truthful work that gets under your skin in a way that only truly masterful films can. Even in a filmography that's as loaded with outstanding work as Fincher's is, it manages to stand out from the pack. There's a lot of potential gems on the horizon for the rest of 2014, but it's going to be hard for anything to top the tour-de-force that is Gone Girl.

4.5/5 Stars         

Album Review: Revocation-Deathless

Revocation is about as unstoppable of a force as there is in the current metal scene. Just over a year after releasing their last record, Revocation has returned with their fifth full-length and Metal Blade Records debut Deathless-which is without question their finest work to date.

Deathless sees Revocation taking their sound in all sorts of new, chaotic directions. The tech-death/ thrash hybrid they've mastered over their first four albums is still the backbone of their sound, they just experiment more with melody and straight heaviness than ever before. While there's certainly no shortage of the mind-numbingly fast technical exercises Revocation has become known for on Deathless, the songs here are structured so that there's time for the listeners to breathe in between the bursts of musical insanity. There is no better example of this balance than on "Madness Opus". The first half of the track is pure, punishing death metal before it descends into a mellow instrumental jam-session in the middle before closing off with a blistering solo that sounds straight out of an '80s thrash song. While I'm big fan of all of Revocation's previous albums, Deathless' enhanced focus on riffs and atmosphere over straight technicality makes them more consistently interesting to listen to.
  
The catalyst for Revocation's refined sound is Davidson. The band is loaded with talent all around, but its hard to deny that Davidson's virtuoso guitarwork and spastic vocals are the primary reason Revocation has become extreme metal darlings over the past five years. The success of Deathless is once again a testament to Davidson's rare musical talent. The growth he's shown as a vocalist, guitar player, and songwriter on each album is nothing short of remarkable, and Deathless is by far the most complete and complex material he's ever composed.

Revocation's early material was loaded with flashy solos and thrash riffs, but suffered from a serious lack of diversity. Davidson has remedied that issue on their last couple of records, and proved that he can play just about any style of music with ease. Davidson tackles everything from Gothenburg melo-death ("A Debt Owed to the Grave") to prog ("The Blackest Reaches)" to straight-up death metal ("Labyrinth of Eyes") on this record with incredible proficiency. The more diverse sound on Deathless has also had a huge benefit in the solo department. The slightly less technical approach to the music on Deathless allows Davidson to lay down the most layered and balls-out insane solos he's ever written. The solos on "Witch Trials", "Scorched Earth Policy" and "United in Helotry" are especially noteworthy thanks to Davidson's ability to flawlessly blend almost unfathomable speed with dazzling melodies. With his performance on Deathless, Davidson has solidified himself as one of the most well-rounded metal guitar players of all-time.

 Deathless is the work of a band that has come into their own and is producing music more organically than ever before. All of their prior success as a band has culminated with this nearly flawless album. As someone who has watched Revocation closely since Existence is Futile came out in 2009, it's truly astonishing to look at the improvement this band has made on each album. They've consistently tweaked their sound to stay fresh without sacrificing any of the power of the death/thrash sound that made them standout in the first place.  Deathless is without question the best album I've heard in 2014 and it's going to take a monumental effort for anyone to take that title away.

4.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Scorched Earth Policy
2.Witch Trials
3.The Blackest Reaches  

2014 Week 6 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
The Superman side of Cam Newton made a glorious return on Sunday against the Bengals. Newton's  surgically repaired ankle appeared to be 100% for the first time all season,and he proved it by excelling in the running game for the first time all year. Newton's 107 yards and TD pushed him from a solid fantasy play (He threw for 284 yards and 2 TD's) to the best fantasy QB of the week. With Newton now 100%, his fantasy owners can except him to be a top 10 QB the rest of the way.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Joe Flacco (Ravens), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)

LVP:Eli Manning (Giants)
After finally showing some life in Ben McAdoo's offense the past few weeks, Eli Manning struggled mightily again in a 27-0 blowout loss to the Eagles on Sunday Night. Manning didn't revert back to his old turnover-happy ways, but he wasn't able to get anything going against a horrid Eagles secondary, finishing with just 151 yards through the air and zero touchdowns on the evening. To be fair, the offensive line played terrible and his receivers dropped numerous catchable balls, but that doesn't take away from how disappointing his numbers were against a secondary that has gotten burned in every other game they've played this season. Manning will be a shaky start until his offensive line problems get squared away.
Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Matthew Stafford (Lions)

Running Back
MVP: Matt Forte (Bears)
Matt Forte once again proved to be a premier dual threat on Sunday against the Falcons. Forte crushed the lowly Falcons defense for 157 total yards (80 rushing, 77 receiving) and 2 TD's. Forte has another great matchup this week against the Dolphins, so his recent hot streak could very well continue
Honorable Mentions: Arian Foster (Texans), Giovani Bernard (Bengals), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys)

LVP: Eddie Lacy (Packers)
There has been a lot of disappointing fantasy running back this year, but there has been no bigger letdown than Eddie Lacy. Lacy-who was a top 5 pick in most fantasy leagues this year- has failed to get much of anything going in 2014. After his first 100-yard performance of the year last week against the Vikings, Lacy reverted back to mediocrity in Week 6 against a weak Dolphins run D- finishing the afternoon with a mere 40 yards on 14 touches. Lacy is losing snaps to James Starks, and his RB1 status has been all but erased at this point in time. He's still a high-upside RB2 thanks to his scoring potential, but he's not even close to the dominant player he was a year ago.
Dishonorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), C.J. Spiller (Bills), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)

Wide Receiver
MVP: T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
T.Y Hilton has looked great all year long, but his first 5 games were nothing compared to his inhuman performance in Week 6. Hilton brought in all 9 of his targets for a whopping 223 yards and a touchdown in the Colts shootout with the Texans last Thursday night. Hilton has surpassed Reggie Wayne as the Colts top wideout and as long as Andrew Luck continues to play at a high level, Hilton will be a top-flight WR2/borderline WR1 in fantasy.
Honorable Mentions: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos), DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Mohamed Sanu (Bengals)

LVP: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
The streak of Emmanuel Sanders putting up 100+ yards has officially ended at 3 games. Sanders was held in check for most of the afternoon putting up 38 yards on 3 receptions against the Jets on Sunday. Sanders is going continue to be an integral part of this Broncos offense- especially with Wes Welker struggling-for the rest of the season, so don't let these poor numbers against a poor secondary send you into a state of panic.
Dishonorable Mentions: Wes Welker (Broncos), Jeremy Maclin (Eagles), Golden Tate (Lions)

Tight End
MVP: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
"It's so fuckin easy" were the first words out of Julius Thomas' mouth when he caught his league-leading 9th TD against the Jets on Sunday. Thomas has made scoring touchdowns look easy all year long, as he's racked up at least 1 in every single game this season. He picked up 2 effortless scores against the Jets ,and I honestly don't think anyone stop him right now. Thomas is the most dangerous redzone threat in the league by far at the moment, and you are extremely fortunate if you have him on your fantasy roster. If he doesn't put up at least 20 TD's this season, it would be an absolute shock.
Honorable Mentions: Jordan Cameron (Browns), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Zach Ertz (Eagles)

LVP: Larry Donnell (Giants)
2 weeks removed from his starmaking 3 TD performance against the Redskins, Larry Donnell was once again invisible in Week 6. Donnell was forced into a blocking role due to the Giants o-line woes and large deficit, which led him to finish with only a single catch for 5 yards in the team's blowout loss against the Eagles on Sunday night. Donnell does have a potentially great bounceback matchup this week against the Cowboys, so keep starting him until further notice.
Dishonorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Vernon Davis (49ers), Owen Daniels (Ravens)

Defense:
MVP: Detroit Lions
The Lions defense has been one of the biggest surprises of the fantasy season so far and their performance in Week 6 was easily their finest work to-date. The Lions D eviscerated the Vikings on Sunday picking up 8 sacks, 3 INT's  and only allowing a mere 3 points. If you were one of the smart people that picked up the Lions defense a few weeks ago, you got to really enjoy the spoils of your investment this week.
Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos,

LVP: Buffalo Bills
The Bills defense have been fantasy gold this year, but that was not the case this week against the Patriots. The Bills fell victim to a revitalized Patriots offense who put up 37 points in Sunday afternoon's contest and failed to notch a single takeaway on the day. The Bills woes against the Patriots shouldn't carry over to this week as they face the battered Vikings offense- who just got lit up by the Lions- at home.
Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers

Concert Review: Limp Bizkit-- Boston, MA-- October 10th, 2014

Every once in a while, there are concerts that take you by surprise with just how great they are. When the house lights turn on and the dust settles, you're left in sheer disbelief at what you just witnessed. The performance from infamous rap metal band Limp Bizkit at the House of Blues in Boston on October 10th was a textbook example of this rare phenomenon.

While Limp Bizkit was a pleasant surprise, I'd be lying if I said the openers were anywhere near as good. The night started with a set from relatively unknown house DJ Blvck Ceiling. Saying that Blvck Ceiling's low-key, often psychedelic take on house music went over poorly would be a gross understatement. The audience was flat out ignoring him and even started chanting for Machine Gun Kelly-the show's other opening act- while he was still playing. Even though I was mostly indifferent towards his music, I felt awful that he got such a cold reception from the crowd. Blvck Ceiling had some come beats from time to time, but was ultimately too stagnant to really resonate with me.

Machine Gun Kelly took the stage almost immediately after Blvck Ceiling finished. As I alluded to earlier, there was a ton of people there to see him. His fans showed up in droves, and proved just how rabid they were throughout the set with their relentless energy. Despite an explosive crowd reception, Machine Gun Kelly put on an incredibly lackluster performance. As an artist, Machine Gun Kelly simply can't decide on who he really is. He awkwardly shifted from ignorant drug rap to EDM bangers to "inspirational" songs about being yourself on a whim, and none of it was particularly good. The lack of a true identity in his music makes him a really hokey and disingenuous presence. While Kelly's musical randomness was disconcerting, the biggest issue with his set is the fact that he wasn't actually rapping 95% of the time. His lip-synching was blatant as he didn't even attempt to move his mouth to match the speed of the audio that was streaming over the PA. To his credit, his fans were too busy losing their minds to notice he wasn't actually performing his material, so he's clearing doing something right.  I'll give him props for being wildly energetic and being an ace at working a crowd, I just can't get behind a disingenuous artist who doesn't have the talent to be able to perform their material live.

After a nearly 45-minute wait, the time had finally come for Limp Bizkit to perform. When this tour got announced I was definitely excited, but by the same token, I had no clue to what to expect. With their gleefully over-the-top sound and sporadic activity as a touring band for much of the past decade, it wouldn't have been entirely shocking if they ended up being a trainwreck live band in the present day. Any skepticism I had about Limp Bizkit's ability as a live band was shattered within the first minute they were on stage. You could tell right off the bat that they hadn't lost any of the edge that made one of the leading bands in the nu-metal movement. With their performance, they managed to bring the approximately 2,300 people in attendance back to the band's glory days the late 90's and early 2000's. Vocalist Fred Durst is the perfect frontman for this style of music. Say what you want about the man's image and personality, but he oozes charisma and energy. He is a master of crowd interaction that is able effortlessly rial up an entire crowd. Durst's amazing stage presence and spot-on vocal performance served as the catalyst for the quality of Limp Bizkit's performance. While there was a lot of surprises during their set, nothing surprised me more than intensity of the crowd. Based on the crowd reception, you would've thought they were still at their peak popularity. There was hardly any room to breathe on the floor as people were crowd surfing, moshing and moving around non-stop for the entirety of the 85 minutes they were on stage. Things got so nuts during hits like "Rollin'", "My Generation" and set closer "Break Stuff" that I honestly thought the rail in front of the stage was going to break. Out of the nearly 100 shows I've been to, this easily ranks in the top 10 in terms of crowd reception. You can tell the band was really appreciative at how insane the crowd was because they played a longer setlist than then they've played on most stops of the tour so far, and broke out songs like "Full Nelson" and "Boiler" for the first time on this tour. Plain and simple, Limp Bizkit is just fun as hell to watch live. Bouncing around and singing a long to these songs was a nostalgic and oddly beautiful experience. It's great to see a veteran band still perform with a lot of passion at a point in their career when they easily could be phoning it in. Limp Bizkit still bring it in 2014 and I'm beyond glad that I cashed in on the rare opportunity to see them live.

Scores:
Blvck Ceiling 5/10
Machine Gun Kelly 2.5/10
Limp Bizkit 8.5/10

Setlist:
Ready to Go
Rollin'
Hot Dog (w/Machine Gun Kelly)
Bring It Back
(DMX Party Up in Here interlude)
Nookie
Full Nelson
(Ludacris Move Bitch interlude)
My Generation
Livin' It Up
My Way
Re-Arranged
Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine cover)
Counterfeit/Pollution medley
Faith (George Michael cover)
Boiler
Take A Look Around
Break Stuff

Concert Review: The Black Dahlia Murder-- Boston, MA-- October 8th, 2014

In the world of modern extreme metal, there's few bands that have followings as rabid as The Black Dahlia Murder and Suicide Silence. These two powerhouse acts first-ever U.S. tour together hit the Paradise Rock Club in Boston last night and the results were exactly as insane as you would expect from this pairing.

California tech-death upstarts Alterbeast kicked off the evening bright and early at 6:45. I checked out their debut album, Immortal, after this tour got announced in mid-August and I was very impressed; so I was really looking forward to see them live. Unsurprisingly, Alterbeast absolutely ripped live. Their mind-numbing technical prowess and nuances of their music really came alive in a live setting. Their somewhat melodic approach to tech-death reminds me a lot of genre icons Necrophagist. Since the third Necrophagist album is the death metal equivalent of Chinese Democracy, their fans should check out Alterbeast to make the seemingly eternal wait for that album a little less painful. The most noteworthy aspect of Alterbeast's live show was vocalist Monte Bernard. His high and low screams are refreshingly gritty for the genre and don't lose any of their power or uniqueness live. Not only is he an exceptional vocalist, he has an incredible stage presence. Aside from Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder, I've never seen a death metal frontman that is so stoked to be on-stage. He didn't stop grinning, high-fiving fans and joking around with the crowd in-between songs for the entirety of their 25-minute set. Alterbeast's combination of energy, musical precision and relentless brutality made them an absolute joy to watch. I really hope this tour gives them the exposure they deserve.

Chelsea Grin is up next. My hatred of Chelsea Grin is well-documented and despite the fact they've appeared at a handful of shows I've been to over the past five years, I'd managed to avoid seeing them. My luck ran out last night as I was subjected to Utah's finest export since Wilford "Diabeetus" Brimley for the first time live. As I expected, their abundance of one-note breakdowns and piss-poor vocals was every bit as redundant and painful live as they are on disc. With the plodding nature of their material, every song bled into one another and made the set feel like it five times longer than it actually was. Every once in a while, there was some half-decent guitarwork from ex-Born of Osiris axeman Jason Richardson-who needs to stop wasting his talent in this garbage band- but that wasn't nearly enough to make their set even remotely tolerable. About the only sincere enjoyment I got out of Chelsea Grin was watching these faux-macho dinguses go full-on crabcore during most of the breakdowns. Their synchronized crab moves had the elegance and grace of a top-flight production of Swan Lake. Seriously, I want to hire these guys to choreograph the one-man ballet version of Flubber I'm currently writing. Maroon 5 needs to make a sequel to "Moves Like Jagger" about these lords of the dance ASAP. So thank you Chelsea Grin for keeping crabcore alive. The guys from Attack Attack! would be proud. Chelsea Grin isn't the absolute worst live band I've ever seen, but they are they are the worst band I've seen since I was ear-fucked by future Rhodes Scholar Chris Fronzak and his band of rocket scientists in Atilla at Warped Tour last year.

After a surprisingly long 25-minute gap, Suicide Silence took the stage. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of these guys, but I was mildly curious to see what they would sound like with Eddie Hermida (formerly of All Shall Perish) on vocals. Even with Hermida leading the charge, Suicide Silence is the exact same live act that they were when Mitch Lucker was the frontman. They're a fun band to watch for a brief time, but they ultimately grow old fast due to the similar nature of all of their songs. They certainly shows flashes of real potential on tracks like "Sacred Words" and "Disengage, but they revert to deathcore clichés too often to build up any real momentum. The only serious issue I had with their set was the high vocals of Hermida. Hermida was trying far too hard to imitate the late Lucker's high screams on the older tracks. I'd seen Hermida perform with his former band All Shall Perish numerous times, so it was extremely disappointing to see him try to amend his style to match Lucker's from the original recordings. I get that Lucker left behind a hell of a legacy and that Suicide Silence would not be where they are today without his contributions, but Hermida has got to really make these songs his own if he wants the Lucker-era songs to work live. Suicide Silence definitely brings the energy and the crowd always goes nuts for them, but they are far too pedestrian to be anything above a decent live band in my eyes.

The Black Dahlia Murder closed out the evening in typically impressive fashion. This was the seventh time I've seen The Black Dahlia Murder live and the level of consistency in their performances is astonishing. They give it their all every single night and I believe that's a large part of why they've built up such a strong following over the past decade. This setlist was interesting because they focused a majority of their attention on their first three albums: Unhallowed, Miasma and Nocturnal. There wasn't exactly a lot of surprises along the way as they ripped through their biggest "hits" including "Everything Went Black", "Statutory Ape" and "What A Horrible Night to Have a Curse", but that didn't deter from how ridiculously enjoyable they were. All of these longtime set staples are amongst my favorite tracks in Black Dahlia Murder's catalog. Would of I liked to see old-school rarities like "Virally Yours" and "Thy Horror Cosmic" in the set? Absolutely. But I'll never complain about Black Dahlia playing their more well-known songs because they all destroy live and consistently get strong reactions from the crowd. The only track they played that surprised me was "Miasma", and that ended up being the best song of the night. "Miasma" was the song that turned me onto this band (and death metal on the whole) in 2006, so I was pumped to hear it live for the first time since 2012. The Black Dahlia Murder remain the most lethal force in modern death metal-especially live- and it was awesome to see them close out their touring cycle for Everblack with a set loaded with material from the records that made me fall in love with their music in the mid-to-late 2000's.

Side Notes:
-The drum fill before the first verse of "Miasma" still gives me chills after all these years.
-The show featured the two saddest wall of death attempts I've ever seen. No one ran into each other during Chelsea Grin's while the Suicide Silence one was featured probably only 20 people.
-While Eddie Hermida did a poor job with most of the older Suicide Silence songs, his work on "Bludgeoned to Death" was fantastic and far better than the original.
-Alex Kohler of Chelsea Grin seems like the bastard offspring of Frankie Palmeri and Chris Fronzak in both appearance and overall douchiness.
-My friends and I were able to convince a (most likely) intoxicated girl that we were in a breakdancing group.
-We also unsuccessfully attempted to start an "Ebola" chant while Suicide Silence was setting up.
  

Scores:
Alterbeast 8.5/10
Chelsea Grin 2/10
Suicide Silence 6.5/10
The Black Dahlia Murder 9/10

Setlists:
Alterbeast:
Flesh Bound Text
Mutilated Marvel
Of Decimus Divine
Vile Remnants
Throne of Maggots

Suicide Silence:
Inherit the Crown
Cease to Exist
No Pity for a Coward
Wake Up
Unanswered
Fuck Everything
Bludgeoned to Death
Slaves to Substance
Disengage
Sacred Words
You Can't Stop Me
You Only Live Once

The Black Dahlia Murder:
In Hell is Where She Waits for Me
Elder Misanthropy
A Vulgar Picture
Everything Went Black
On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood
Closed Casket Requiem
Miasma
Deathmask Divine
Moonlight Equilibrium
Unhallowed
Funeral Thirst
Statutory Ape
What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
I Will Return

2014 Week 5 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Despite his status as one of the elite QB's in the league, Russell Wilson hasn't exactly been a fantasy stud over the course of his career thus far. That was not the case in Week 5 as Wilson put up a combined total of 323 yards (201 passing, 122 rushing) and 3 TD's (2 passing, 1 rushing) in Monday night's game vs. the Redskins. In a run-first offense in Seattle, Wilson remains too risky to start weekly, but he's a top-flight QB2 who can serve as a plug-and-play QB1.
Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Jay Cutler (Bears), Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

LVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ben Roethlisberger wasn't able to build off his success of his season-best outing last week against Buccaneers on Sunday against the Jaguars. There was nothing outright terrible about Roethlisberger's numbers (272 yards, a TD and a fumble), he just wasn't able to put the video games numbers that Phillip Rivers and Andrew Luck had put up on the Jaguars the past couple of weeks. Roethlisberger's bounceback potential is a little bit sketchy this week as he faces the stealthily tough secondary of the Browns on the road.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Nick Foles (Eagles)

Running Back
MVP: Arian Foster (Texans)
Arian Foster continues to defy the odds. Foster light up the Cowboys for 157 yards and 2 TD's on the ground in the Texans overtime loss on Sunday afternoon. Someone that has had as many injuries over the years as Foster has shouldn't be able to still produce at such a high level. Foster owners are being rewarded handsomely for taking a chance on him; he's one of the very few reliable weekly RBI plays in the league this season.
Honorable Mentions: Andre Ellington (Cardinals), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Pierre Thomas (Saints)

LVP: Matt Asiata (Vikings)
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Matt Asiata is only affective when he gets in the endzone. That point was proved once this week as Asiata put up middling numbers (72 yards and a fumble) against a horrible Packers run D last Thursday night. Asiata owners will continue to have a love/hate relationship with him all year long. His value as a fantasy player is completely dependent on whether or not he gets TD's. His goal-line touches in this rough RB economy make him too valuable to sit, but he is far too inconsistent to rely on week-in and week out.
Dishonorable Mentions: Giovani Bernard (Bengals), Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Alfred Morris (Redskins)

Wide Reciever
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
The Demaryius Thomas of 2013 has returned! Thomas used the bye week to shake his early season struggles and, appeared to be beyond rejuvenated as he lit up the Cardinals for an eye-popping 226 yards on 8 receptions and 2 TD's on Sunday. It's great to see Thomas overcome his early season woes, and return to the level of production we've come to expect from one of the league's most dominant receivers. Ridiculous numbers could be in the cards yet again for Thomas in Week 6 as the Broncos face the lowly Jets secondary on the road.
Honorable Mentions: DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Kendall Wright (Titans), Brian Quick (Rams)

LVP: Percy Harvin (Seahawks)
You have to feel for Percy Harvin this week. Harvin had 3 TD's(!) called back because of penalties in the Seahawks Monday night contest with the Redskins. Because of the 3 nullified TD's, Harvin ended up with a pretty underwhelming statline with just 34 total yards (27 receiving, 7 rushing) on 6 touches for the night. Harvin is still the Seahawks' top wideout and as long as he remains healthy, so don't sleep on him and his home run playmaking ability in the future.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Keenan Allen (Chargers), Rody White (Falcons)

Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Greg Olsen got sweet revenge against his ex-mates on the Bears with a 72 yard/2 TD performance in the Panthers huge comeback win on Sunday. Olsen is probably the best fantasy tight end not named Julius Thomas at the moment, so it would be foolish for anyone that has him to not start him every single week.
Honorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)

LVP: Jordan Cameron (Browns)
There are few players that have been as disappointing in the world of fantasy football in 2014 than Jordan Cameron. Cameron seemed like a top contender to be a top 5 TE in a Browns offense that lacked proven offensive weapons and will be without star wide receiver Josh Gordon until Week 12. Instead, Cameron has looked sluggish out of the gate and been an almost complete-non factor in the 3 games he's appeared so far in 2014. Cameron's latest stinkfest was a 33-yard performance against the banged-up Titans defense on Sunday. To be fair, Cameron is battling a nagging shoulder injury, but DeSean Jackson has the same injury as him and hasn't been slowed down in the slightest. Cameron still has a ton of upside with his freakish athleticism and general lack of talent on the Browns offense, but unless he turns it around fast, he'll remain one of the biggest fantasy busts of 2014.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Donnell (Giants), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Delanie Walker (Titans)

Defense
MVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense were once again the top dogs in Week 5 as they put up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 defensive/special teams scores against the Rams on Sunday. Their deadly special teams and high takeaway volume more than makes up for the fact they allow a ton of points per game. They may not be this productive every week, but they have definitely emerged as a legitimate weekly defensive starter.
Honorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers

LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The defending champs may have one of the top overall defenses in the league, but they continue to disappoint in the realm of fantasy football. The Seahawks defense had another quiet evening against the Redskins-who got obliterated by the Giants middling defense a week ago-registering only a single sack and failing to get a takeaway. The Seahawks have a massive disappointment so far and if they can't put up solid production against the Cowboys at home on Sunday, any high hopes for this defense in fantasy can officially be voided.
Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos

50 Most Underrated Album of the 2000's (So Far): #16

16.Intronaut-Valley of Smoke (2010)

Progressive metal fans consistently manage to build up hype steadier and stronger than fans in just about every other metal subgenre. For whatever reason, California prog/sludge veterans Intronaut have largely alluded that hype over the years. Of all their great records in their catalog, their 2010 LP, Valley of Smoke, is easily the most shamefully overlooked. Valley of Smoke marked a turning point in Intronaut's career as it was their first foray into full-blown prog metal. While the grimy sludge riffs they'd become known for were still heavily in the picture, the band made prominent use of clean vocals for the first time in their career.  Seeing a band that had exclusively used gruff screams in the past, make such great use of clean vocals was a complete shock. Co-frontmen Sacha Dunable and Dave Timinck displayed legit vocal chops and had plenty of excellent duel vocal harmonies throughout.The clean vocals were a great new addition for Intronaut, but the rhythm section of bassist Joe Lester and drummer Danny Walker were once again stole the show. The chemistry and mind-boggling skills these two have give Intronaut a special dynamic that just can't be matched or duplicated by any of their peers. Valley of Smoke is one of the striking, beautiful and genre-bending pieces of progressive metal of the past 15 years, and its beyond me how its failed to garner much attention in the scene over the years.

Standout Tracks

1.Elegy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsx29kqAxto

2.Above http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el9L-PnaYOc

3.Core Relations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwOQ2SSkVkE 

Album Review: Black Crown Initiate-The Wreckage of Stars

Life has to be great for the guys in Black Crown Initiate right now. In only a year, they went from an unsigned band grinding it out in the Pennsylvania metal scene to a signed band that is landing nationwide tours with the likes of Behemoth, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Unearth. If their debut full-length The Wreckage of Stars is any indicator; this is the only beginning of a very bright future for Black Crown Initiate.

What immediately sticks out about The Wreckage of Stars is how polished it is for a debut album. It's incredibly hard to believe after listening to The Wreckage of Stars that Black Crown Initiate has only been together since 2012. There aren't too many bands that sound this tight on their third or fourth album, let alone their first one. These guys are an incredibly well-oiled unit that have developed one of hell a rapport with one another with in practically no time at all, and this level of cohesion is a large part of what makes The Wreckage of Stars such a success. 

Musically, this is a far more death metal-oriented release than their 2013 EP Song for the Crippled Bull. The more straight-up heavy vibe of this record becomes apparent pretty early on with tracks like "The Fractured One", "This Human Lie Manifest" and "To the Eye that Lead You". Every single one of these tracks are efficient, relatively technical affairs that perfectly set the energetic and pummeling tempo that serves as the backbone of this album, The pure death metal sections on this record bring out two of Black Crown Initiate's greatest assets as a band: the vicious screams of James Horton and spastic drumming of Jesse Beahler. Horton's near-perfect guttural lows give each song a delightfully sinister edge while Beahler's wild fills and ridiculously fast double bass is very reminiscent of ex-Black Dahlia Murder skinsman (and one of my personal drummers) Shannon Lucas. There are moments where the guitars become trite, but these songs never lose a ton of momentum thanks to the phenomenal performances from Horton and Beahler. 

The Wreckage of Stars may be heavier than Song for the Crippled Bull, but just like its predecessor, its finest moments come when the progressive metal elements come into the fold. Don't get me wrong, these guys are no slouches when it comes to pure, unadulterated brutality, but they are at their absolute best when they throw some melody and clean vocals into the mix. Lead single "Withering Waves" is the best song these guys have put out in their brief career so far. The clean-sung chorus and melodic guitar-driven bridge are absolutely stirring and make the heavier sections that much more affective. "Purge", "A Great Mistake" and "Shape's Collapse" continue the trend with prominent acoustic guitar and tasteful clean vocal lines that perfectly accentuate the crushing, groove-heavy death metal that takes up the other portions of the album. When Black Crown Initiate is channeling their inner Blackwater Park/Deliverance-era Opeth, they are an absolute force in progressive death metal.

The Wreckage of Stars is a damn fine first full-length effort from Black Crown Initiate. It's not exactly a game changer, but there's more than enough gorgeous melodies and crushing riffs here to get any progressive death metal fan salivating. The fact that these guys were able to secure a deal with an emerging powerhouse label in E1 with only a single EP to their name tells you a lot about how talented they are, and how much potential there is for them in the years to come. With a lineup that's already this fluid in its infancy, the possibilities for the future of Black Crown Initiate are incredibly exciting to say the least.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Withering Waves
2.Purge
3.The Fractured One    

Movie Review: The Equalizer

Denzel Washington is currently undergoing the same late-career transformation that Liam Nesson did five years ago with the release of Taken. For the first two decades of his career, Washington split his time between dramatic roles and story-oriented crime dramas. Ever since The Book of Eli was released in 2010, Washington has turned into a certified badass killing machine. His latest film, The Equalizer, is the most unapologetically violent film Washington has ever starred in, and will undoubtedly complete his transition from serious dramatic actor to the next AARP action star.  

Washington plays Robert McCall, a former Special Forces agent who now works at a Boston hardware store. McAll is forced back into action once the teenage prostitute he's befriended (Chloe Grace Moretz) at a local diner is badly beaten by her pimp. McCall proceeds to kill her pimp- who happens to be a member of the Russian mafia. Soon after, a crazed mob enforcer (Marton Csokas) is hot on his trail and, all hell breaks loose as McCall is forced back into a world he thought he had permanently abandoned. 

For whatever reason, The Equalizer makes the awkward choice to focus less on Washington crushing skulls and more time on a storyline that just isn't all that interesting. The early scenes between Washington and Moretz work, but once the story switches to focus on the Russian mob, the film falls flat on its face. Every single scene with the Russian mobsters and the corrupt Boston police officers that work for him are an absolute snooze to sit through. Csonaks takes his role as Russian mob nutjob Teddy far too seriously and, comes off far more corny than menacing while the corrupt cops are ripped straight from the stock character 101 handbook. The scenes with McCall aren't much better. The non-fight scenes with McCall are split between him mentoring a colleague at the hardware store who wants to a security guard (Johnny Skourtis), silent, introspective shots of him pondering what his dead wife would think about his return to the killing business, and the occasional information shakedown of a corrupt cop. Washington gives a spirited performance as always, but even a masterful actor like him can't elevate just how empty these sequences are.

Worst of all, all this time spent to trying to (unsuccessfully) develop these characters keeps the amount of bloody action sequences this genre of movie is built around to a minimum. B-grade vigilante movies like The Equalizer are not the type of action films where you try to tell a meaningful, detailed story. The sole reason for films like The Equalizer to exist is to have a brainless, blood-soaked good time at the movies. The attempt to flesh-out these characters out and overly-serious approach to the story takes away from the fun this genre typically offers up. Brutal revenge films simply should not the stone-serious tone and painfully slow pace that The Equalizer has.

The handful of action scenes that are present here give The Equalizer just enough adrenaline to get by. These scenes are mostly all too brief, but god damn do they work. It's almost pathetic at the amount of depraved joy I got watching Washington tear through hordes of bad guys in the most gruesome ways possible in such a short amount of time. The only action sequence that lasts more than a couple of minutes is the hardware store-set finale, which is worth the price of admission alone. Director Antoinie Fuqua (Olympus Has Fallen, Training Day) ramps up the tension and body count in the nearly 20-minute scene that caps off the film on the highest note possible. Its a shame that The Equalizer waited so long to hit its stride because if there was more sequences like this, it would been an elite action flick. There's a great revenge film buried somewhere in The Equalizer, but with its choice to focus more on a lifeless storyline than the gripping action scenes, it's nothing more than a decent early-fall throwaway action/thriller.

3/5 Stars