HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT

Hello all,
I'm happy to announce that the month of August will be NFL month here are at Maitland's Madness. I'll be pumping out a ton of NFL-related columns including division-by-division previews (the first entry on the AFC East can be found here: http://maitlandsmadness.blogspot.com/2015/07/2015-nfl-preview-afc-east.html), playoff predictions, a bunch of (probably bad) fantasy football drafting advice and much more. In other words, you'll find everything you'd possibly want except for a Deflategate take. I'll still be actively posting music, movie and other general entertainment-related items, but a majority of the focus will be on all things NFL all month long. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the bevy of NFL-related content that's in store for August!

Chris Maitland  

Album Review: Migos-Yung Rich Nation

Since the summer of 2013, there's been no bigger name in trap rap than Atlanta-based trio Migos. They've dropped three hugely successful mixtapes in Y.R.N (Young Rich Niggas), No Label II and Rich Nigga Timeline, which have spawned a parade of viral smash hits including "Versace", "Hannah Montana" and "Fight Night". The group was able to parlay their online success into a major label deal with 300 Entertainment, which roster includes a number of other heavily-hyped young rappers including Fetty Wap, Young Thug and Kirko Bangz. Migos' quick rise through the ranks seems to have somewhat gotten to their heads as their debut LP, Yung Rich Nation, is their most disjointed and inconsistent record to-date.   

Yung Rich Nation gets off to a thoroughly underwhelming start. Every single one of Migos' mixtapes came out of the gate strong with 5-6 consecutive bangers that had insane rep. Here, they start off with a stretch of songs where they do nothing but pat themselves on the back for being successful. "Spray the Champagne", "Street Nigga Sacrifice" and the saddest of the bunch, "Memoirs"-which is more of a three-minute nostalgic rant than an actual song- are hollow, joyless tracks. The rapping from Quavo, Takeoff and Offset may be competent on all of these tracks, but they all lack the distinct personality and over-the-top insanity Migos have become known for since Y.R.N. While the uninspired, shallow subject matter is a bit of a turn-off, the weak production and hooks are much more problematic. Aside from the Zaytoven-produced "Migos Origin", the beats are really stagnant-which is especially surprising since the typically great Honorable C Note handled most of the production on this stretch of the record- and the hooks fall incredibly flat. It's honestly kind of mind-blowing to see a group that has put out some of the most high-octane, ridiculously fun tracks in recent memory make a prolonged stretch of music that is so lifeless and forgettable.      

Thankfully, Migos reinvigorates the listener on the second half of the album by bringing back the energy and zaniness that drove their mixtapes. "Pipe It Up", "Cocaina", "Trap Funk" and "What A Feeling" are vintage Migos jams that are on par with most of the highlights from their recent mixtapes. All three members drop fiery verses with clever references galore, the production is spectacular and the hooks are completely infectious. Migos can pull off different styles from time to time (the radio-friendly "Just for Tonight" and minimalist piano-driven anti-love song "Playa Playa" are both really solid), but there's no denying that Migos finest moments involve them rapping about selling drugs and making bird sounds behind a sea of 808's and hi-hats.

While Yung Rich Nation is far from a disaster, it's an undeniably disappointing effort for Migos. They are unsurprisingly great when they stick to their trap roots, but when they leave the safety of their well-established sound, the results are erratic as hell. They possess the talent to make a more accessible record that's as good as their straight trap mixtapes, they just can't abandon the charm and consistency that made those tapes so great in the process. Regardless of whether or not Migos go back to their exclusively trap sound or decide to further explore other styles of hip-hop, their next chapter is going to be a very interesting one to watch.

3/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Pipe It Up
2.Playa Playa
3.Trap Funk   

The Best and Worst of Tom Cruise

Film Starring Tom Cruise That I've Seen:
The Outsiders
Top Gun
Mission: Impossible
Jerry Maguire
Minority Report
War of the Worlds
Mission: Impossible III
Tropic Thunder
Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol
Jack Reacher
Oblivion
Edge of Tomorrow

Best Performance: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Cruise has been an action hero at least a dozen times in his career, but Edge of Tomorrow was the first time he put a really unique spin on it. Cruise plays William Cage, a cowardly military PR guy who is forced by his bosses to go on the frontlines and fight in the ongoing battle between humans and Mimics, an alien-like creature. Cage is woefully unprepared for the job, but on his first day of battle he kills a Mimic and gets covered in its blood before he dies. Mimic blood has the special ability for its host to live through the same loop of time over and over again and eventually through extensive training from another solider (Emily Blunt) who went through the same experience, Cage finally becomes an asset for the military in their fight against the Mimics. Cruise's performance shows a level of humility and humor that he's never shown in his previous roles without giving up the immense charm that's made him one of the most bankable action stars in movie history.

Worst Performance: Top Gun (1986)
This choice couldn't have been any easier. Everything about Top Gun perfectly embodies the cheesiness of the '80s and Cruise takes his role in this absolutely absurd film way too seriously. 

Best Film: Tropic Thunder (2008) 
Satire is one of my favorite film subgenres and Tropic Thunder is one of the genre's recent standouts. Writer/director/star Ben Stiller lampoons both how self-important and self-involved actors are and classic war films like Apocalypse Now and Platoon damn near perfectly. The razor-sharp script from Stiller, Etan Cohen and fellow actor Justin Theroux is brought to life by an outstanding ensemble cast that includes standout work from Brandon T. Jackson, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr.- who earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Kirk Lazarus, an Australian actor who gets a "pigment alteration" surgery to play a black solider in the film-within-a-film. Stiller is an incredibly talented filmmaker and I hope the long-awaited Zoolander 2 will only further strengthen his impressive directorial track record.  

Worst Film: Jack Reacher (2012) 
Jack Reacher is one of the rare movies (for a mainstream, non Oscar-bait film at least) where I can not grasp how it received so much overwhelming praise. The acting is generally terribly despite the presence of talented actors like Cruise, Robert Duvall and Rosamund Pike, the film has an insane amount of unintentionally hilarious scenes and dialogue and most importantly, the film's action scenes just aren't that exhilarating. Aside from Mad Max: Fury Road, I don't think there's been a more overrated action film released this decade than Jack Reacher.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Dark Places" star Charlize Theron.

Movie Review: Southpaw

Even the most talented people in Hollywood can churn out formulaic fare from time to time. That's very much the case with the Antonie Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer)/Jake Gyllenhaal vehicle Southpaw, a by-the-book boxing film that borrows from just about every other sports melodrama ever made.  

The minute the film introduces Billy Hope (Gyllenhaal), the current light heavyweight champion and most dominant boxer of his generation, you can tell exactly how the film's rise-fall-rise storyline is going to play out. Billy's wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams), who was the love of his life since they met in an orphanage when they were 13, is accidentally shot and killed during a scuffle with his rival (Miguel Gomez from FX's The Strain) and his entourage at a charity event. Devastated by the loss of Maureen, Billy grieves with booze and drugs, which leads to him losing custody of his daughter (Oona Laurence) and the mansion he worked so hard to attain. After being forced back into the humble lifestyle of his youth, Billy decides to sober up and get back in the ring. Thanks to the positive influence from his new hard-but-compassionate trainer (Forest Whitaker), Billy gets his daughter back and goes on to get a shot to face his nemesis for a shot at the heavyweight title he held before his downfall.

While Southpaw never gets boring and has a handful of legitimately emotional scenes, it's about as basic and predictable as a film can be. The script by Kurt Sutter-who was the mastermind behind FX's Shakespearean biker drama Sons of Anarchy- is a non-stop onslaught of cheesy family melodrama and sports redemption story cliches. It's hard to completely avoid cliches while telling a story like this, but Sutter doesn't even attempt to deviate from this well-worn formula. The conventional nature of Sutter's script is especially disappointing since he did such a brilliant job of exploring husband/wife and parent/child relationships throughout Sons of Anarchy's seven-season run. If the central relationships in Southpaw had the depth and vast emotional weight of the ones Sutter put on television for 13 weeks every fall from 2008 to 2014, it would've been much easier to digest the film's overly simplistic story.

What saves Southpaw from being a completely mediocre affair is the acting ensemble. Whitaker gives his finest performance in ages as the trainer that helps Billy get his life back on track and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson brings the perfect amount of sleaze and charisma to his part as the predictably shady fight promoter that manages Billy's finances. While Southpaw boasts a strong supporting cast, there's no question that this film belongs to Gyllenhaal. Even when the writing fails him (which it does for about 90% of the film's duration), Gyllenhaal remains an unpredictable force of nature. Billy Hope could've easily been a one-note character, but Gyllenhaal make him an empathic character with the ferocity and serious raw emotional power he brings to the role. Gyllenhaal has been on fire since 2011's Source Code and continues to make his case as one of the greatest actors of his generation with each subsequent role. Southpaw offers up nothing new or noteworthy in terms of storytelling, but the opportunity to see a brilliant actor at the top of his game makes it worthwhile.

3/5 Stars  

2015 NFL Preview: AFC East

After an offseason full of mind-numbing debates about deflated footballs, Chip Kelly's sanity and whether or not Odell Beckham Jr. made the greatest catch of all-time, the return of football is on the horizon with training camp for all 32 NFL teams set to start next week. Over the course of the next several weeks, I'll break down every team in the league and make predictions of how they will fare in 2015, starting today with the suddenly-loaded AFC East. Hope you enjoy and please feel free to leave any non-Deflategate-related comments below.

Buffalo Bills

2014 Record: 9-7

Head Coach: Rex Ryan (1st year)

Notable Additions: RB LeSean McCoy, WR Percy Harvin, TE Charles Clay

Notable Departures: RB C.J. Spiller, ILB Kiko Alonso, S Da'Norris Searcy

Offense:

After once again finishing near the bottom of the league in just about every offensive category last year the Bills smartly invested in overhauling their offense heading into 2015. The offseason acquisition of LeSean McCoy to energize the Bills running attack stands out as a potential game-changing move. While McCoy's numbers dipped a bit in his last season with the Eagles and he definitely gets more negative gains than the other running backs of his caliber around the league, he is still a top-flight RB (he ran for 1,319 yards in his widely criticized 2014 campaign) who is capable of making a home-run play every time he touches the ball. McCoy also has the benefit of being part of a deep backfield where he won't be asked to carry the ball 20+ times a game. Fred Jackson, Anthony "Boobie" Dixon, Bryce Brown and rookie Karlos Williams are all capable of contributing when called upon, which should keep McCoy's legs fresh and maximize his production. The Bills also went out and added more receiving weapons in Percy Harvin and Charles Clay to put alongside their promising second-year wideout Sammy Watkins. Clay is one of the more reliable pass-catching tight end's in the league while Harvin, despite all of his injuries, remains a versatile, speedy wideout with a knack for making game-breaking plays. While the Bills have a nice stockpile of weapons at the skill positions, they might not have a quarterback that is capable of getting the ball to them. There is currently a truly open (and entirely suspense-free) quarterback competition going on between journeyman veteran Matt Cassel, career backup Tyrod Taylor and their former starter and 2013 first-round draft pick E.J Manuel. All three of these guys have major question marks surrounding their ability to be an effective starting NFL quarterback (Cassel has consistently gotten worse year-to-year and is coming off a major foot injury, Taylor never started a game in his 4 years with the Ravens and Manuel was seriously inconsistent during his previous tenure as the Bills starter) and based on the less-than-glowing reviews that came out of mini-camp in May, none of them appear to be set to prove the skeptics wrong. That being said, the Bills quarterback issues pale in comparison to the trainwreck they currently have at offensive line. Aside from their solid albeit unremarkable left tackle Cordy Glenn, this unit was an absolute joke last year in both pass protection and run-blocking. The Bills did draft a promising guard in Louisville product John Miller and sign the NFL's top locker-room morale booster in Richie Incognito, but that probably won't be enough to turn around this abysmal unit. If the Bills can pull off some sort of miracle and get respectable play from their quarterback and offensive line, they could end up being something seriously special.        

Defense:

There's a reason Ryan chose the Bills as his next head coaching destination. This Bills defense is without question one of the most exciting and dominating units in the league and with Ryan's penchant for strong defense, there's no way he could pass up the opportunity to coach this group. This defense has led the league in sacks in two consecutive years and were 4th in the league (3rd against the pass, 11th against the run) in team defense a year ago. Under Ryan's watch, these guys should be even better. The lethal defensive line combo of Marcell Dareus, Jerry Hughes, Kyle Williams and Mario Williams give offense lines fits week in and week out and their vastly underrated secondary led by top cornerback Stephon Gilmore, safety Aaron Williams and slot corner extraordinaire Corey Graham also makes them incredibly hard to throw against. Outside linebacker Nigel Bradham and Dareus' claims that they could be the greatest defense of all time may be a bit exaggerated, but this is a remarkably skilled defense with no significant holes that's going to be very hard to score mass amount of points on.     

Bottom Line:
This is by far the most talented roster Ryan has ever had at his disposal during his coaching career. Given the fact that Ryan was able to get 8 wins out of the 2013 Jets, who had similar quarterback woes and a defense that's about half as good as the one he currently has in Buffalo, 10 or 11 wins should be very much in reach for this bunch.

Miami Dolphins

2014 Record: 8-8

Head Coach: Joe Philbin (4th year)

Notable Additions: DT Ndamukong Suh, WR Kenny Stills, TE Jordan Cameron

Notable Departures: WR Mike Wallace, TE Charles Clay, DT Jared Odrick

Offense:

 The Dolphins got ridiculed this offseason when they gave quarterback Ryan Tannehill 6-year/$97 mil extension. Detractors came out of the woodwork to trash Tannehill, citing his lack of playoff appearances and inability to lead the team past a .500 record in his 3 years as reasons to not give him a lengthy deal. I urge the legions of Tannehill haters to look closer at this numbers and actually watch him play for an extended period of time before they write him off. His QBR, CMP % and TD totals have gone up every year he's been in the league and according to Pro Football Focus, only Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees were better throwing under pressure last season. While clearly nothing is guaranteed in the ever-changing nature of the NFL, Tannehill appears to be on a serious upswing and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he became a top-10 QB this year. The Dolphins further solidified their belief that Tannehill is their franchise QB by making significant changes to their receiving corps this offseason. The Dolphins were extremely aggressive in acquiring receivers and ended up landing lethal deep threat Kenny Stills, redzone nightmare Jordan Cameron, rock-solid veteran Greg Jennings and a potential superstar in rookie DeVante Parker once the dust of free agency and the draft settled.  The Parker/Stills/Jarvis Landry/Jennings/Cameron tandem is far scarier on paper than the Mike Wallace/Brian Hartline/Landry/Brandon Gibson/Charles Clay combo they ran with last season and could very well be the group that helps get Tannehill his first 30+ TD campaign of his career. The offense also has the benefit of having a pretty strong run game headed by Lamar Miller, who's coming off his first 1,000-yard season and only got better as the year went on. The Dolphins run game in 2015 could be even potent with the addition of rookie Jay Ajayi. Ajayi was a second or third round talent that slipped to the fifth round due to injury concerns about his knee. If he can stay healthy, Ajayi has the imposing stature and power to be an ideal complement to the smaller, more elusive Miller and could prove to be one of the biggest steals of the entire draft. Even the offensive line, which is still easily their biggest Achilles' heel, seems like it's going to be better this season with Mike Pouncey returning to his natural position at center after a disastrous seasons at guard last year and 2nd year tackle Ja'Wuan James headed back to the right side of the line, where he played relatively well before being shifted to the left once Branden Albert went down with a torn ACL and MCL in early November. If all goes according to plan, this will be the most productive offense the Dolphins have had since the Dan Marino-era.

Defense:

The aggression the Dolphins showed in improving their offense carried over to the defensive band to the ball. The Dolphins went out and made a huge deal right out of the gate by signing defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to the largest contract for a defensive player in league history. While $120 mil may seem steep for a defensive tackle, Suh's rare talent makes him worth the hefty price tag. Suh is exactly the type of incredibly disruptive presence the Dolphins needed to stop their woes against the run and his excellent interior pass-rushing abilities give the Dolphins yet another sack machine they can throw at opposing quarterbacks. With Suh in the middle and pass-rushing monsters Cameron Wake and Oliver Vernon on the outside, the Dolphins could give the Bills a serious run for the title of best defensive line in football. The lone question on this defense is their linebackers. Jelani Jenkins got extensive playing time last year amidst the slew of injuries that plagued their linebacking corps and played pretty well for most of the year, but outside of him there's no one that can really be trusted. Koa Misi, Kelvin Sheppard and free-agent pickup Spencer Paysinger are extremely inconsistent players whose play seems to be becoming only more erratic each year. If their defensive line and secondary ends up getting banged up or falls short of expectations, their linebackers probably won't be able to pick up the slack against the run or the pass.  

Bottom Line:
With one of the most improved rosters in the league and a blossoming franchise quarterback in Ryan Tannehill under center, The Dolphins appear poised to be serious playoff contenders in 2015.

 New England Patriots

2014 Record: 12-4

Head Coach: Bill Belichick (16th year)

Notable Additions: DE/OLB Jabaal Sheard, TE Scott Chandler, CB Bradley Fletcher

Notable Departures: CB Darrelle Revis, CB Brandon Browner, DT Vince Wilfork

Offense:

I don't know if you've heard but Tom Brady got suspended for four games for deflating footballs and not fully cooperating in the subsequent investigation. While the appeal ruling hasn't come down yet, I'd be flabbergasted if his suspension wasn't completely eliminated or at least reduced to 1 or 2 games. Even if the unthinkable happens and Brady's suspension is held up, it shouldn't have too much of a negative effect on this team. The Pats offense is notorious for its slow starts and given Brady's middling early season numbers of late ( 11 TD's, 4 INT's, 85.7 QBR, 60.6 completion %  and he's thrown for under 250 yards in 6 of his last 8 September games), Jimmy Garoppolo really can't do much worse if he's called upon to start for the first quarter of the season. Aside from the potential of Brady missing some games early in the year, it's pretty much business as usual for the Pats offense. They have a treasure trove of subpar running breaks (headlined by LeGarrette Blount, Jonas Gray and James White) who will combine for 3-4 breakout games against trash run defenses then proceed to run for a combined total of 300 yards in the other 11-12 games on the schedule, their equally mediocre receivers will look like gods because Brady is throwing them the ball and the human wrecking ball also known as Rob Gronkowski- the only truly elite player on this offense besides Brady- will make opposing defenses look foolish on just about every play. Unless Gronkowski gets injured (which is always a high possibility), this offense will put up at least 28 points a game and break down just about every defense they face without breaking a sweat. 

Defense:

After their excellent secondary played a large role in securing the Patriots first Super Bowl title in a decade, Belichick naturally decided to dismantle the whole thing. I swear Belichick has some inexplicable desire to prove to the rest of the league that he can win a championship with a makeshift secondary. Four of their top five corners (Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington, Alfonzo Dennard) from last season were either released or left the team in free agency this offseason, and now they're left with a gigantic mess of guys that are either completely unproven (Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan) or veterans that have proven time and time again that they can't cover top-level receivers in the NFL (Bradley Fletcher, Derek Cox) to battle it out for the starting jobs. Their corner situation is so dire that I wouldn't be the least surprised if they were desperate enough to convert their perennial All-Pro safety Devin McCourty back to corner to try and stop the bleeding. On the plus side, the uncertainty in the secondary forced the Patriots to invest in their front seven for the first time in ages. Ex-Brown Jabaal Sheard finally gives the Patriots a third pure pass-rusher to put alongside Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones and first-round pick Malcom Brown is a strong, explosive interior run-stuffer that should immediately help turn around a unit that ranked dead last at stopping runs up the gut last season. The Patriots further invested in the future of their front seven with third-and-fourth round picks Geneo Grissom and Trey Flowers. Grissom and Flowers are incredibly raw prospects at the moment, but if they end up panning, the Patriots could have their deepest and most productive pass-rushing rotation since the early-to-mid 2000's when Willie McGinest and Mike Vrabel were wreaking havoc on quarterbacks on a weekly basis. While this defensive line seems to be on track to be significantly improved this season, this front seven and defense is still very much ran by their linebackers. Jamie Collins and Don'ta Hightower are two of the fastest-rising, under-the-radar defensive talents in the NFL and have gracefully stepped to fill the void left by Jerod Mayo, who has suffered season-ending injuries (torn pectoral in 2013, torn patellar tendon in 2014) in each of the last two seasons. If Mayo can return to form and remain healthy this season and Hightower can keep up his high level of play after his offseason shoulder surgery, the Patriots linebackers should challenge to be the best group in the entire league.    

Bottom Line:
As long as Gronkowski stays healthy and the defense doesn't completely crap out, the Patriots will continue to deflate the championship hopes and dreams of the rest of the teams in the AFC.

New York Jets

2014 Record: 4-12

Head Coach: Todd Bowles (1st year)

Notable Additions: CB Darrelle Revis, WR Brandon Marshall, CB Antonio Cromartie

Notable Departures: WR Percy Harvin, QB Michael Vick, CB Kyle Wilson

Offense:
For the first time in what seems like forever, the Jets appear to have the makings of a formidable offense. They went out and acquired star wideout Brandon Marshall from the Bears to put alongside last-year's big-ticket free agent pickup Eric Decker, drafted a potentially deadly deep threat slot receiver in Devin Smith and added a pair of solid running backs in Zac Stacy and Stevan Ridley to a running attack that ranked 3rd in the NFL last year. To be fair, a lot of these guys are far from sure things with their recent injury histories and in Marshall's case, potential locker room problems, but they are low-risk options who could pay huge dividends in turning around this offense. However, The Jets potential offensive turnaround could be thwarted by the play of their widely-criticized quarterback Geno Smith. While Smith isn't nearly as bad as he's made out to be (he was actually the only QB in the league last year to finish a game with a perfect QBR rating of 158.3), he doesn't play with any semblance of consistency and his penchant for turnovers is highly problematic. Unfortunately for the Jets, Smith is still the best option they have at quarterback. Backup Ryan Fitzpatrick has proven time and time again that he's nothing more than a spot starter in the NFL and rookie Bryce Petty is a huge project that needs multiple years to adjust to the speed and playing style of the NFL before he can even be considered for a starting job. If Smith fails to deliver again this season, it's going to be time for the Jets to move on at quarterback.  

Defense:
New general manager Mike Maccagnan came in and immediately gave new head coach Bowles the secondary he needed to make this defense a serious monster. The Jets brought back the shutdown corner duo Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie-who were their starting corner tandem from 2010-12- and picked up the promising Buster Skrine to take over slot duties from 2013 draft bust Dee Milliner. While the Revis and Cromartie reunion is going to be a lot of fun to watch, the player that intrigues me the most in the Jets secondary is second-year safety Calvin Pryor. Due to the slew of injuries in the Jets secondary, Pryor was forced to move to free safety, where his poor pass-coverage skills were constantly exploited. With a masterful defensive back developer in Bowles taking over as head coach and a return back to his natural role of tackle box-stalking, run-stuffing safety, Pryor could be in line for a breakout season. The Jets also picked up the most exciting rookie in the 2015 in draft class in defensive tackle/end Leonard Williams. Williams was not expected to be a starter this season, but now that star defensive end Sheldon Richardson has picked up a 4-game suspension after testing positive for marijuana earlier this month, Williams will get a chance to prove himself out of the gate. Losing a star like Richardson for the first part of the year is certainly a huge blow to this defense, but at least the Jets will get to see early on if Williams is the dominant, once-in-a-generation talent he's largely been touted to be. With a vastly-improved secondary and top-tier defensive coach running the show to go along with their already-loaded front seven and stout rush defense, the Jets should have one of the scariest defensive units in the league in 2015. 

Bottom Line:
The Jets have made some major improvements on both sides of the ball and have a head coach who possesses one of the sharpest football minds in the league, but their questionable quarterback situation and quality of the other teams in the division should prevent them from being in the playoff picture in 2015.

Projected Standings:

1.New England Patriots (11-5)

2.Buffalo Bills (10-6)

3.Miami Dolphins (10-6)

4.New York Jets (7-9)

The Best and Worst of Jake Gyllenhaal

Films Starring Jake Gyllenhaal That I've Seen:
Bubble Boy
Donnie Darko
The Day After Tomorrow
Jarhead
Zodiac
Love and Other Drugs
Source Code
End of Watch
Prisoners
Nightcrawler 

Best Performance: Nightcrawler (2014)
Despite turning in consistently solid performances for most of his career, Gyllenhaal still wasn't getting the respect he deserved as an actor. His work in Dan Gilroy's scathing sensationalist journalism satire Nightcrawler changed that. Gyllenhaal's sleazy, terrifying performance drives the film and maximizes the potency of the film's anti-modern television news message. It's an absolute travesty that his masterful performance here wasn't recognized by any of the year-end award shows.   

Worst Performance: Bubble Boy (2001)
Every actor has to start somewhere and unfortunately for Gyllenhaal, one of the first starring roles of his career came in a below-average early 2000's comedy that co-starred Fabio and Mini-Me. There are sporadic flashes of the talent and likability that made him a star, but it's still a largely unremarkable performance in a completely forgettable film.

Best Film: Donnie Darko (2001)
Like many people, Donnie Darko wasn't a film I truly appreciated until I saw it multiple times.Richard Kelly's first (and to be honest, only worthwhile) film is a spellbinding masterpiece that toys with your mind in the best possible way. The story is loaded with genuinely surprisingly twists and turns, it's beautifully acted and it never ceases to stay on my mind for at least a week each time I watch it. Donnie Darko is the epitome of cinematic perfection and is in the top 20 or so on my all-time favorite movie list.

Worst Film: Bubble Boy (2001)
The first half of the 2000's was a gold mine for stupid comedies. Genre classics like Pootie Tang, Freddy Got Fingered and Dude Where's My Car? were all released within the first three years of the decade. While Bubble Boy was released during the same period, it most definitely does not fall into the classics camp. I'll give Bubble Boy some props for it's collection of bizarre supporting characters and the batshit insane situations Gylenhaal's titular Bubble Boy gets into, but the film is too scarce on laughs and entertainment value to be worthwhile.



 Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" star Tom Cruise. 

Movie Review: Trainwreck

 Romantic comedies have a time-tested formula that is rarely strayed from. Anyone who's seen more than a handful of movies in their lifetimes knows that these films typically shake out like. Step 1: The main couple is brought together through seemingly random circumstances. Step 2: They gradually become attracted to each other. Step 3: They go on some cutesy dates and fall madly in love. Step 4: Some minor adversity ruins their blissful relationship and the couple proceeds to break up. Step 5: After some time apart, they reconcile after realizing that they simply can't live without each other. As the credits roll, everyone leaves the theater filled with joy and remains hopeful that they can someday find a relationship as perfect as the one they just witnessed on-screen. Now enter Trainwreck, the  long awaited big-screen debut from rising comedy star Amy Schumer that serves as a giant middle finger to the Hollywood's romantic comedy conventions by shattering the illusion that perfect relationships exist.

Amy (Schumer) is a New Yorker in her early 30's who lives life by her own set of rules. She spends her days writing low-brow pieces for a men's magazine and nights partying and engaging in one night stand's. Her open, carefree lifestyle is suddenly threatened after her editor (a completely unrecognizable Tilda Swinton) assigns her to a write a piece on a high-profile sports doctor Aaron Connors (Bill Hader) in the city. After hitting it off with him in their initial interview, Amy tries to rebuff his advances, but Connors' easygoing demeanor and genuinely caring personality proves to be enough to get Amy to give a serious relationship a try. Will Amy's old habits rear their ugly head again or will Amy and Aaron enjoy a blissful, adversity-free courtship? Since every film narrative needs to have some kind of stakes to keep audiences invested in the characters, I think you all know the answer to this question.

Trainwreck may have the inevitable happy ending of a traditional romantic comedy, but how it gets there is completely unexpected and fresh. Schumer, who also penned the script, doesn't buy into schmaltzy fairy-tale romances. The characters she puts on screen (particularly hers) are very flawed and the film enters some some seriously dark territory at times. Even when Amy starts to shed her fear of commitment and the relationship between her and Dr. Connors starts to flourish, Schumer never lets the film enter predictably sweet territory. The arguments that unravel their relationship have some serious bite and Amy's reservations about being emotionally-attached to another human being keep their relationship from ever reaching the inauthentic level of happiness that couples in most romantic comedies do.

While love ultimately wins out in the end, Trainwreck is a sharp, honest commentary on the nature of relationships in the present day. People in their 20' and 30's largely prefer one-night stands and strictly physical relationships instead of actually committing to a long-term relationship. Schumer perfectly illustrates through her character how terrifying the concept of settling down and getting emotionally invested in another person can be when you're young and still trying to find your place in the world. The strongest aspect of Schumer's comedy is how forthcoming and accurate she is about issues people of her generation face and that skill carries over beautifully to her first big-screen project. 

Of course between all the intelligent commentary on modern relationships and surprising dramatic heft, Trainwreck also happens to an absolutely hilarious movie. Schumer's script fires jokes at a machine gun-esque pace and there was a number of points in the film where I was laughing so hard that I missed the next few lines of dialogue. As Schumer has proved through her standup and 3 seasons of her Comedy Central series Inside Amy Schumer, she has incredible timing and can manufacture huge laughs every time she's on screen. Hader does similarly well in his first starring role in a major movie. While Hader's straight-laced character keeps a lot of the eccentricity that made him a regular scene stealer on Saturday Night Live and in his bit parts in films such as Superbad and Hot Rod, he proves that he's a more than capable leading man who's dramatic acting ability should not be slept on. While the quality of Schumer and Hader's performance aren't exactly surprising given their strong track records, the equally strong performances from the supporting cast very much are. NBA phenom LeBron James, WWE superstar John Cena and the typically stone-serious Swinton all kill their respective roles. The casting choices of James and Swinton in particular rose a lot of eyebrows when they were announced last summer, but anyone questioning why they got their parts should be silenced once they see how god damn funny they are in this movie. Trainwreck is a hysterical, brutally honest and shockingly emotional film that solidifies Schumer's status as one of the most important and intelligent voices in comedy right now.

4.5/5 Stars     

20 Most Anticipated Albums of the Second Half of 2015

As I stated in my mid-year music recap a couple of weeks ago, there are a lot of potentially great albuma slated for release in the second half of the year. I'm currently hoping and praying that the second half of the year can make up for the slew of disappointments that have plagued the first part of the calender year. Here are the 20 records I'm most excited to hear over the next six months

20.The Wonder Years-No Closer to Heaven (Release Date: September 4th)
19.TesseracT-Polaris (Release Date: September 18th)
18.Migos-Yung Rich Nation (Release Date: July 31st)
17.Nas-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
16.Frank Ocean-Boys Don't Cry (Release Date: TBD)
15.After the Burial-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
14.Riff Raff-Peach Panther (Release Date: TBD)
13.Clutch-Psychic Warfare (Release Date: October 2nd)
12.State Champs-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
11.Parkway Drive-Ire (Release Date: September 25th)
10.Deftones-TBD (Release: TBD October)
9.Converge-TBD (Released Date: TBD Fall)
8.Kanye West-Swish (Release Date: TBD)
7.Lamb of God-VII: Strum und Drang (Release Date: July 24th)
6.Obscura-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
5.Coheed and Cambria-The Color Before the Sun (Release Date: October 9th)
4.Lana Del Rey-Honeymoon (Release Date: TBD September)
3.Battlecross-Rise to Power (Release Date: August 21st)
2.The Black Dahlia Murder-Abysmal (Release Date: September 18th)
1.Killswitch Engage-TBD (Release Date: TBD)


Also Looking Forward To:
Counterparts-Tragedy Will Find Us (Release Date: July 24th)
Northlane-Node (Release Date: July 24th)
Cattle Decapitation-The Anthropocene Extinction (Release Date: August 7th)
Miss May I-Deathless (Release Date: August 7th)
Terror-The 25th Hour (Release Date: August 7th)
Neck Deep-Life's Not Out to Get You (Release Date: August 14th)
Stray From the Path-Subliminal Criminals (Release Date: August 14th)
Rivers of Nihil-Monarchy (Release Date: August 21st)
The Sword-High Country (Release Date: August 21st)
Defeater-Abandoned (Release Date: August 28th)
Nile-What Should Not be Unearthed (Release Date: August 28th)
Soilwork-The Ride Majestic (Release Date: August 28th)
The Weeknd-Beauty Behind the Madness (Release Date: August 28th) 
Slayer-Repentless (Release Date: September 11th) 
Crossfaith-Xeno (Release Date: September 18th)
Scale the Summit-V (Release Date: September 18th)
Children of Bodom-I Worship Chaos (Release Date: October 2nd)  
Born of Osiris-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
Drake-Views From the 6 (Release Date: TBD)

Flatbush Zombies-It's All a Matter of Prescriptive (Release Date: TBD) 
Juicy J-Pure THC: The Hustle Continues (Release Date: TBD)
Mac Miller-TBD (Release Date: TBD) 
Megadeth-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
Waka Flocka Flame-Flockaveli 2 (Release Date: TBD)

The Best and Worst of Paul Rudd

Films Starring Paul Rudd I've Seen:
Wet Hot American Summer
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
The 40-Year Old Virgin
Reno 911!: Miami
Knocked Up
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Role Models
I Love You, Man
Monsters Vs. Aliens
Dinner for Schmucks 
Our Idiot Brother
Wanderlust
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This is 40
Anchorman: The Legend Continues
They Came Together

Best Performance: Knocked Up (2007)
Paul Rudd has established himself as one of the most reliably great comedic actors in Hollywood over the past decade and a half. While his early filmography in particular is loaded with outstanding performances, his turn as Pete, a bitter married guy who frequently isolates himself from his controlling wife (Leslie Mann) is the clear standout. Rudd plays the part of a depressed 30-something who is disappointed that marriage wasn't all its cracked up to be with remarkable authenticity. His perfect bitter line delivery paired with the surprising emotional depth he shows in this part make this the most complex and hilarious character Rudd has ever played. 

Worst Performance: They Came Together (2014)
They Came Together is a completely silly movie and Rudd, who typically plays more reserved characters, doesn't adapt well to the absurdist nature of the film. Rudd's awkward performance here is a rare mishap in his rock-solid acting resume.

Best Film: The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)
There really isn't much to say about this film that I haven't said a million times before. In my humble opinion, The 40-Year Old Virgin is the best comedy ever made. Judd Apatow's script is incredibly sharp and surprisingly poignant, the cast is spectacular from top to bottom, and most importantly, there's a seemingly endless amount of laugh-till-you-cry moments. Great comedies come along relatively often, but I doubt anything will ever top this.

Worst Film: Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009)
Monsters Vs. Aliens isn't a exactly terrible film, it's just a completely forgettable one. Within a day or two seeing it, the events and characters of the film had practically been erased from my memory. It isn't funny, heartwarming or entertaining, it's just another below average Dreamworks animated film that has no real reason to exist.

 Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week I'll take a look at the best and worst work of Southpaw star Jake Gyllenhaal. 

Concert Review: Warped Tour-- Mansfield, MA-- July 14th, 2015

The annual highlight of the summer concert season for young rock and pop fans otherwise known as Vans Warped tour finally rolled into the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts yesterday. In typical Warped Tour fashion, it was a long day loaded with sweat, sunburn and of course, a ton of great music.    

Miss May I,who was playing on one of the festival's two main stages, was the first band I caught on the day. I'm not a really a huge fan of their music, but their live shows are always a good time and this go-round was no exception. The whole band gets really into the performance and Levi Benton is a gifted vocalist who never fails to get the crowd amped. Their setlist was pretty much exactly the same as it was when I saw them open for August Burns Red in January, save for the inclusion of "I.H.E" from their upcoming album Deathless. If "I.H.E." is any indication, Deathless will be a noticeable improvement over their last couple of albums. Miss May I might not be anything groundbreaking, but they're a formidable live act that's worthy of respect.

After a little bit of a break to get some water and look at merch, I headed over to the smaller Monster Stage to check out '68. '68 is a noise rock/hardcore punk duo fronted by Josh Scogin, the vocalist of recently disbanded metalcore act The Chariot. While '68 may have very little in common with The Chariot musically, their live shows offer up similar levels of insanity. Scogin was all over the stage, swinging his guitar around, jumping off amps and having drummer Michael McCellan (ex-Becoming the Archetype) hit the strings of his guitar with his sticks. Musically, 68 is every bit as chaotic as their frontman. Every single song is a non-stop onslaught of meaty riffs and frantic vocals that range from hardcore screams to full-blown whispers. The fact these guys manage to kick this much ass with just two members is just ridiculous. Hopefully appearing on this tour will help them get more opportunities to play on major tours because they deserve to be heard by the masses.

The next artist on the day for me was the one and only Riff Raff. I've been a huge fan of his for a few years now, but after hearing a barrage of bad things about his live shows, I passed on seeing him the last three times he's played in Boston/Cambridge. The festival setting of Warped was the perfect opportunity for me to take a gamble on Riff Raff's live show as there were a number of other acts I was interested in seeing. Aside from the fact that he relied way too heavily on backing tracks and didn't play any song aside from "How to Be the Man" all the way through, Riff put on a pretty solid show. His distinct flow largely stays in tact live and the incorporation of live drums made all of the live versions of his songs hit harder than their studio counterparts. While Riff pleasantly surprised me with how well he performed, by far the best thing to come out of Riff's set was the confirmation that there is a track on his upcoming Peach Panther album featuring 2 Chainz and Waka Flocka Flame. Even with only hearing the beat and Riff's verse, I can already confirm that these three swag icons have teamed up to make the best song of 2015. I'm glad I finally got to see Riff Raff and while I enjoyed myself, I wouldn't recommend seeing him unless you are a diehard fan of his.

I raced back to the Monster Stage after Riff Raff finished up to catch Beartooth, who was easily my most anticipated band of the day. Their debut full-length, Disgusting, was one of my favorite records of last year and I had heard nothing but great things about their live shows from my friends that had seen them before. I'm not sure if they were having an off-day or this is just how they sound all the time, but Beartooth was not particularity impressive live. All of their instruments were really faint in the sound mix and Caleb Shomo's voice was pretty clearly shot. Shomo kept apologizing to the crowd about his voice and while the vocal strain didn't seem like it was a recurring issue, it still put a huge damper on the quality of their performance. The saving grace for Beartooth's set was the energy from the crowd. Just about everyone in the crowd knew all the words to every song and they easily had the largest and most enthusiastic crowd of any band I saw on a side stage all day. I had fully intended to stay for their whole set, but due to their underwhelming performance, I ended up leaving after four songs to check out August Burns Red.

Beartooth's wildly disappointing performance ended up being a huge blessing as August Burns Red ended up putting on the best show I've seen from them in years. By the time I got over to the main stage they were playing on, they were midway through their opening song "Fault Line". Upon arriving, I was already blown away by how great they sounded and how strong the crowd reaction was. My opinion of their set grew firmer as they ripped through longtime fan-favorites such as "Composure" and "Internal Cannon" and a pair of blistering tracks ("The Wake" and "Identity") from their brilliant new record Found in Far Away Places. The vast improvement that has shown in their studio material over the years has absolutely carried over to their live shows. Everyone in the band exudes much more confidence on stage now than they did five or six years ago and play their respective instruments with the utmost precision. Going into this show, I thought August Burns Red was leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else on this bill and this performance reaffirmed that notion. I'm currently praying they announce a headlining tour for Found in Far Away Places within the next couple of months.

After August Burns Red finished up, I bolted back to the Monster stage to catch the rest of While She Sleeps' set. Despite getting saddled with a shit time slot that overlapped bands that were huge draws (ABR and pop punk upstarts Knuckle Puck), While She Sleeps put on a hell of a show for the scarce crowd that came to see them. Within seconds of my arrival, they launched into the title track from their 2012 debut album This is the Six and instantly proved how far they've come as a live act since the first time I saw them two years ago. Vocalist Lawrence Taylor's screams have significantly improved and their notoriously energetic live show has reached new levels of insanity (most of the band spent more time in the crowd than they did on the stage). While I only saw them play three songs, they left a serious impression on me that won't be fading away anytime soon. Between their high-octane live shows and excellent new record Brainwashed, While She Sleeps deserves to be the next big thing in metal.

After spending the next hour trying and failing to meet Riff Raff, August Burns Red and While She Sleeps, I got my first dose of pop punk for the day from England's Neck Deep. Despite the fact that they were playing on the tiny Journey's stage, they brought in a gigantic crowd and got a reception that was nothing short of explosive. Neck Deep's bouncy, melodic take on pop punk promotes impassioned sing-a-long's and awkward dance moshing even more than your average pop punk band. While they certainly put on a fun show, I must admit that I still don't get what all the fuss is about with these guys. Their hooks and riffs aren't overly catchy or memorable, the vocals are above average at best and most of their songs sound exactly the same. Neck Deep is a decent enough live act, but I probably won't go out of my way to see them again.

Yet another cross-venue trek ensued as I ran back to the main stages (and barely made it there in time) for the start of Four Year Strong's set. The Massachusetts-natives were late additions to the bill, announcing their plans to play their hometown show just a few weeks ago. The announcement was a great surprise as they are one of the most consistently enjoyable acts in punk right now and the pop punk lineup at this year's Warped was pretty weak. Four Year Strong's trend of consistency didn't break yesterday as they put on yet another great, stupid fun set at Warped for the third time in the last four years. Even though they only had an abridged 30-minute set and were put in a weird spot by playing a single date of a touring festival, they still put everything they had into their performance and showed the crowd why they are one of the most lethal forces in the genre. The crowd was treated to a set full of classics like "Maniac ("R.O.D.") and "It Must  Really Suck to Be Four Year Strong Right Now") as well as a few cuts from their recently released self-titled album, which most notably included the live debut of "Who Cares?". If you like pop punk and haven't seen Four Year Strong live before, make sure you go see them on their headlining tour with Defeater this fall.

There wasn't really anyone I was dying to see to in between the end of Four Year Strong's set at 5:15 and the start of Crossfaith's set at 6:50, so I decided to take a chance on Australian metalcore act I Killed the Prom Queen. My gamble proved to work out as I Killed the Prom Queen put on a pretty damn good show. Their style of metalcore isn't exactly the most original as they have an abundance of breakdowns and make use of a similar structure on every song, but they still make it work thanks to some great guitarwork and an irresistibly fun, ignorant metalcore vibe. As someone who was only a casual fan of theirs in my early high school years and hasn't heard a note of their music since they reformed with a mostly new lineup in 2011, the most pleasant surprise of their set was how well ex-Red Shore vocalist Jamie Hope fits into this band. His death growl heavy vocal style is a big departure from the hardcore-influenced style of original vocalist Michael Crafter, but he fits the music just as well, if not better than Crafter ever did. I Killed the Prom Queen far exceeded my expectations for them and I look forward to checking out their latest record, Beloved, in the very near future.

I spent the next 45 minutes sitting down and doing nothing for the first all day before heading back to the Monster Stage to see Crossfaith. I went into Crossfaith's set at Warped two years ago completely blind and ended up being surprised and delighted by the pure insanity of their live show. Even though now I know what to expect, I still wasn't fully prepared for the ferocity these Japanese metalcore juggernauts offer up. These guys are without question one of the most chaotic live bands in the scene. Their energy level is so consistently over-the-top that it's almost unfathomable. There was not a minute of the set where any of the members weren't jumping around, hanging off things, stage diving or crowd surfing. While their crazy energy runs the show, their music can't be slept on. Their drummer Amano Tatsuya is an absolute savage, their vocalist Koie Kenta is excellent and their use of thumping, dubstep-influenced synths is surprisingly effective. If you're heading out to one of the dates on the last few weeks of Warped, I strongly urge you to check these guys out.     

Hundredth was the next band up on the Monster stage and the last band I watched on the day. Of the three times I've seen them, this was easily the best. They commanded the stage like a group of men possessed  and the crowd fed off their energy beautifully. I'm seriously befuddled how these guys aren't better received in the hardcore scene. The tone of their music is really fun, they have a bunch of killer grooves and their lyrics are heartfelt without being sickeningly corny. Hundredth was a great finish to another hot, occasionally rainy and really fun year at Warped Tour.  

Scores:
Miss May I 7/10
'68 8/10
Riff Raff 7.5/10
Beartooth 6.5/10
August Burns Red 9.5/10
While She Sleeps 8.5/10
Neck Deep 7/10
Four Year Strong 8/10
I Killed the Prom Queen 7.5/10
Crossfaith 8/10
Hundredth 8/10

Setlists:
Miss May I:
Hey Mister
Hero with No Name
I.H.E.
Forgive and Forget
A Dance with Aera Cura
Our Kings
Masses of a Dying Breed
Relentless Chaos

Riff Raff:
How to Be the Man
Kokayne
Wetter Than Tsunami
Ball Like Chris Paul (new song)
Cuz My Gear (Chief Keef cover)
Untitled New Song (studio version features 2 Chainz and Waka Flocka Flame)
?
Dolce & Gabanna
Tip Toe Wing in My Jawwdinz

Beartooth (first 4 songs):
The Lines
Dead (w/Davey Muise from Vanna)
In Between
I Have a Problem

August Burns Red:
Fault Line
The Wake
Provision
Identity
Composure 
Internal Cannon
Empire
White Washed

While She Sleeps (last 3 songs):
This is the Six
Trophies of Violence
Seven Hills

Neck Deep:
Losing Teeth
Tables Turned
What Did You Expect?
Can't Kick Up the Roots
Crushing Grief (No Remedy)
A Part of Me
Over and Over

Four Year Strong:
What's in the Box?
Find My Way Back
Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die
We All Float Down Here
Go Down in History
Who Cares? (live debut)
It Must Really Suck to Be Four Year Strong Right Now
Maniac (R.O.D.)
What the Hell is a Gigawatt?
Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)

I Killed the Prom Queen included:
Sharks in Your Mouth

Crossfaith:
Monolith
Jagerbomb
Quasar
Countdown to Hell
Leviathan

Hundredth:
Break Free
Inside Out
Free Mind/Open Spirit
Unravel
Remain & Sustain 
Weathered Town
Soul

Album Review: August Burns Red-Found in Far Away Places

In the world of metalcore, August Burns Red is an anomaly. While a majority of the bands they came up with in the mid 2000's have either disbanded (The Chariot), abandoned the genre entirely (All That Remains) or lost the bite they once had (Parkway Drive), August Burns Red have continued to push themselves musically and showed significant growth on each release they put out. The Pennsylvania-based quintet have soared to new heights on their sixth LP Found in Far Away Places, which is easily the most layered and complete record they've released to-date.

While August Burns Red has never been an act to release by-the-numbers metalcore, the sheer complexity of Found in Far Away Places is still pretty surprising. It's clear that the band wanted to push the boundaries of what they are capable of musically and it resulted in an album that is absolutely remarkable from start to finish. Driving the album's epic sound is the pitch-perfect tempo shifts that highlights ABR's knack for varied riffs and conveying genuine emotion through their music. Guitarist J.B. Brubaker continues to show his creativity and ever-improving technicality with the array of intricate melodies and winding solos he throws down on this his record. Brubaker's unique blend of multi-tempo riffing shines particularly bright on "Identity", "Blackwood" and "Broken Promises", which are without question amongst the most exhilarating and beautiful August Burns Red songs has ever made. While Brubaker's guitarwork is crucial to creating the album's massive sound, vocalist Jake Luhrs is still the most vital element to their success as a band. The emotion that goes into his performance is staggering (his work on "Separating the Seas" and the aforementioned "Blackwood" are particularly strong) and the range and power of his vocals continue to get exponentially better as the years go on. Found in Far Away Places is an instant metalcore classic that makes a very strong early case for the title of best album of 2015 and reaffirms August Burns Red's place as one of the genre's most consistent and forward-thinking acts.
    
4.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Broken Promises
2.Separating the Seas
3.Blackwood 

Hidden Netflix Gem of the Week: Fruitvale Station

Fruitvale Station (2013)
Genre: Drama/Biopic
Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer and Melonie Diaz

When I first saw Fruitvale Station in August 2013, I was blown away by how relevant its poignant commentary on modern-day racism and how flawed the American justice system was in wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting. Two years later with events such as the unjust murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Freddie Gray dominating the social landscape in the United States, the impact of the film is even greater . Fruitvale Station tells the true story of Oscar Grant, a 22-year old African-American man who was murdered by a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) cop in the early hours of January 1, 2009 in Oakland, California after being falsely accused of starting a brawl on a train and resisting arrest. Even though the murder was captured on cell phone video by numerous onlookers at the scene, the cop who killed was never convicted. The film examines the last 24 hours of his life and how Grant is trying to get his life back on track after serving two years in prison for selling marijuana. What makes Fruitvale Station so special is the remarkably human portrayal of Grant. Coogler delves headfirst into Grant's shortcomings as a person while still making him out to be a good, empathetic man who is trying to get his life on track and support his young daughter. The film's portrayal of Grant as a flawed-but-worthy man is ultimately sold by Jordan's phenomenal performance. Jordan does such an effortless job embodying Grant and authentically selling the internal conflicts he faced on the last day of his life that you sometimes feel you're like watching a documentary instead of a scripted film. Fruitvale Station is an utterly brilliant, powerful, unsettling and incredibly timely film that paints a disturbingly accurate picture of where race relations in America are today. 

The Best and Worst of Ryan Reynolds

Films Starring Ryan Reynolds That I've Seen:
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
Waiting...
Just Friends
Smokin' Aces
Adventureland
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Buried
Green Lantern
The Change-Up
Safe House
The Croods
R.I.P.D.

Best Performance: Buried (2010)
Reynolds regularly gets dumped on by critics and audiences alike for his alleged incompetence as an actor. I strongly believe that anyone who thinks Reynolds can't act hasn't seen his Oscar-worthy performance in the claustrophobic thriller Buried. In Buried- which focuses on a civilian truck driver in Iraq who's been buried alive in a coffin in the middle of the desert by terrorists- Reynolds is the only actor to physically appear on screen and his emotional, tour-de-force performance makes the film a unique and unforgettable viewing experience.

Worst Performance: R.I.P.D (2013)
While the movie itself isn't nearly as bad as its made out to be, Reynolds' performance in R.I.P.D. absolutely is. This is the only time I've ever watched one of Reynolds movies and thought he was the annoying, charisma-less actor he's frequently made out to be. It also doesn't help that his partner in this sci-fi buddy cop flick is played by Jeff Bridges, who carries the movie on his back with his hysterical turn as Civil War-era U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn.


Best Film: Smokin Aces' (2007)
Every once in a while, a film comes along that I adore that is hated by seemingly everyone else on the planet. Joe Carnahan's Tarantino-worshiping action/black comedy flick Smokin' Aces is perhaps the strongest example of this phenomenon. The film's frantic narrative, frequent bloody violence and barrage of insane characters pissed off a lot of audiences, but I found it to be a hilarious and absurdly entertaining piece of beautiful cinematic chaos.

Worst Film: Green Lantern (2011)
For whatever reason, DC Comics has always been firmly behind their rival Marvel in terms of popularity. While Marvel seems to make hit movies out of comics that weren't particularly popular (Ghost Rider, Guardians of the Galaxy), DC can't seem to get a franchise to gain any traction outside of their two heavyweights heroes (Batman and Superman). The quality and lack of financial success of DC's last foray into launching a new franchise, 2011's Green Lantern, may explain why they have been hesitant in trying to get new series adaptations off the ground in recent years (It should be noted that DC is ending that streak of inactivity with the release of Suicide Squad next August). Outside of some impressive effects and a solid turn from Reynolds in the titular role, Green Lantern is an unevenly-scripted and largely poorly-acted affair that serves as a textbook example of what an inoffensive yet wholly forgettable film is.    

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week I'll take a look at the best and worst work of Ant-Man star Paul Rudd.  

2015 NFL Sophomore Risers and Fallers

By Chris Maitland and Liam Madigan-Fried

While it might not garner the same enthusiasm and attention from fans as a player's rookie year, an NFL player's second season is pivotal in discovering whether or not a player is going to enjoy a long, successful career or they'll be looking for work outside of the National Football League in the next few years. Here are our picks for the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and defensive players that are poised to breakout and regress in 2015.  

Quarterback
Risers:
Chris: Derek Carr (Raiders)
Carr was the only quarterback from the 2014 class to start all 16 games in his rookie year and while he didn't put up eye-popping numbers (21 TD's, 12 INT's, 58.1 CMP%, 76.6 QBR), he generally took care of the football and showed steady improvement in his mechanics and pocket presence as the season went on. Carr's full season of experience along with the presence of a respectable offensive line that only got better with the addition of elite center Rodney Hudson in free agency and a retooled receiving corps led by respectable veteran Michael Crabtree and incredibly promising rookie Amari Cooper leads me to believe that Carr is in line for a star-making campaign in 2015.

Liam: Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)
Bridgewater was my favorite quarterback from the 2014 class, and now he's my favorite to avoid the dreaded "sophomore slump" in 2015. A lot of people downplayed Bridgewater's skills prior to the draft due to his poor performance at Louisville University's Pro Day, but thankfully, he was able to up his game when the lights were on bright. Despite a continuing problem with interceptions (12 in 12 games started), Bridgewater improved noticeably down the stretch of the last three games of the season, averaging 8.7 yards per attempt to go along with a 72.2% completion rate in those contests. If Bridgewater can keep his mental errors to a minimum, he should be able to ride that late-season success into 2015. It also doesn't hurt that the Vikings added another vertical threat to receiving arsenal this season in Mike Wallace and Bridgewater now has the luxury of handing the ball to the greatest running back of the modern era in Adrian Peterson to take the pressure off his shoulders.

Fallers:
Chris: N/A
This may seem like a lazy decision on my behalf, but hear me out. I truly believe that all three projected second-year starters (Carr, Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles) are going to make significant strides in 2015 and Johnny Manziel literally can not get any worse if he sees the field in 2015. The other notable quarterbacks from this draft class (Tom Savage, Aaron Murray, Logan Thomas, Jimmy Garoppolo*) have little chance of seeing the field this year-save for Garoppolo if Tom Brady's suspension remains in tact- and have either taken zero or very limited meaningful regular season reps, taking them out of the running for this dubious title. 

Liam: Blake Bortles (Jaguars)
Okay, so maybe I was a little overzealous when I predicted Bortles would be in the running for rookie of the year when he replaced the utterly bland Chad Henne after the first three games of last season. But to be fair, I wasn’t alone (or totally out of line) in believing the hype. Bortles has the rare combination of arm strength, size (6"5, 232 lbs) and freakish athleticism that NFL scouts drool over. Armed with those rare asseta, you'd think the Florida native would have been a little more pro-ready when he took the field. Unfortunately, his strong preseason performance in which he tore through second and third string secondary squads with his bullet-speed passes didn’t carry over into the regular season. Bortles had the horrible habit of staring down his primary targets, which led to him throwing 17 interceptions (tied with Drew Brees for third most in the league) in 13 games played. Despite the addition of touchdown-happy tight end Julius Thomas and the rise of second-year receiver Allen Hurns, a lot of Bortles' issues stem from his flawed throwing mechanics and footwork, a problem that is a lot harder to solve than just poor decision-making. The lackluster offensive line also won’t be much help in ensuring he has the time to make the good throws. My prediction is that it’s going to take Bortles at least another year before he can use his phenomenal athleticism to become a respectable NFL-caliber starter.

Running Back:
Risers:
Chris: Carlos Hyde (49ers)
If you even sort of pay attention to football, you know that the 49ers lost a majority of their best players to either retirement (Chris Borland, Justin Smith, Patrick Willis) or free agency (Chris Culliver, Mike Iupati, Michael Crabtree) this offseason. While a majority of the 49ers most significant losses came on the defensive side of the ball, the 49ers lost running back Frank Gore- who has been the indisputable rock of their offense for the past decade- to the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. With longtime assistant coach Jim Tomsula being promoted to head coach after the firing of Jim Harbaugh and a struggling quarterback in Colin Kaepernick under center, the 49ers seem primed to lean on the run in 2015, and Hyde is going to be the guy to takeover Gore's workhorse role. Hyde possesses the strength, vision and two-way capabilities that are needed to succeed as a running back in the NFL and has the benefit of having a pair of backups in Reggie Bush and Kendall Hunter that are either too rundown physically (Bush) or just simply are not good enough (Hunter) to significantly cut into his carries.     

Liam: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Honestly, how can you not believe in this kid? When Giovani Bernard went down in week 8, coach Marvin Lewis was forced to turn to Hill, an untested albeit promising rookie. Hill took full advantage of the opportunity given, ultimately ending the season with 1,329 total yards (1,124 rushing, 215 receiving) and 9 TD's. His ability to gain yards between the tackles, to the outside and in the passing game forces defenses to adjust their scheme whenever he’s on the field, making him one of the most versatile weapons not just of the sophomore class, but in the entire league. That versatility and promise isn’t lost on the coaching staff either, as Lewis elected to continue starting Hill over Bernard even after the veteran returned from injury. You can tell the organization’s faith in quarterback Andy Dalton is dwindling, especially with all the in-house hype over Alabama product A.J McCarron. The Bengals need a playmaker who isn’t totally reliant on Dalton’s scattershot accuracy and decision-making to get them wins in the postseason as well as in primetime; and to me, Hill could turn out to be that missing piece.

Fallers:
Chris: Tre Mason (Rams)
You really have to feel for Mason right now. After an impressive rookie season which saw him firmly secure and thrive in a starting role in the second half of the season after Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham struggled out of the gate, The Rams used their first-round pick in 2015 on University of Georgia running back Todd Gurley. Even with Gurley coming off of a torn ACL that could jeopardize his availability at the start of the year, the rookie's similar yet superior skill set and standing as a first-round pick all but guarantees that Mason will be relegated to a situational role and inevitable loss of production in his second NFL season.

Liam: Carlos Hyde (49ers)
Of any prediction on my list, this is the one I believe is the most likely to bite me in the ass because I’m not necessarily basing it on overall skills. Hyde displayed great athleticism in limited action last season behind trusty veteran powerhouse Frank Gore. After Gore was lost in free agency to the Colts, there was a lot of people around the league that thought that Hyde was going to have his number called a lot more often this season, but based on all the losses the 49ers suffered since Gore departed at the beginning of free agency, I don't believe that will be the case. The 49ers now completely lack big name playmakers on offense (save for newly acquired wide receiver Torrey Smith) and are going to have to reach further into their barrel of tricks in order to drive the ball down the field this season. That means Hyde is probably going to be losing a lot of potential touches to the veteran pair of Reggie Bush and Kendall Hunter. Bush gives Colin Kapernick another option in the passing game with his versatility out of the back field, and Hunter on film seemed to display much better decision making than Hyde when hitting the holes, which is typical for a veteran at this point in his career. Hyde probably won’t face a dreadful year, but he’s most likely in for a rough ride with a 49ers offense that’s going to need all the veteran help it can get after a tumultuous offseason full of early retirements and free agency departures.

Wide Receiver/Tight End:
Risers:
Chris: Brandin Cooks (Saints)
Cooks was off to a pretty good start to his rookie year (623 Total YDS, 4 TD'S in 10 games) before suffering a season-ending thumb injury in Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals. With a receiver-friendly offense and a division loaded with terrible secondaries, Cooks is in the best position of anyone in this talented-loaded receiving class to make a serious leap in his sophomore season. Even with a suddenly stout run game headed by 2014's surprise breakout star Mark Ingram, the Saints are still the most pass-happy team in the league and with the departure of start tight end Jimmy Graham and primary deep threat Kenny Stills via trades with the Seahawks and Dolphins respectively this offseason, there's sure to be a plethora of opportunities for Cooks to prove himself as a top wideout this season. 

Liam: Eric Ebron (Lions)
After being touted as a potential big play maker coming into his first year, Ebron wasn’t quite the impact piece the Lions were hoping for, accumulating just 248 yards on 25 receptions. However, if you read between the lines (stat lines that is), you can actually find plenty of promise in the North Carolina product’s rookie resume. Even though he wasn’t stacking up the receptions game after game, Ebron proved himself to be a very capable deep threat whenever he was able to get the space. He ended the season on a high note with a 22-yard reception in a Week 17 loss to Green Bay to put his offense in position to score. His 6"4, 248-lb frame gives the strong armed, but often inaccurate quarterback Matthew Stafford a big target who can go up high for contested catches. With a year of experience under his belt in an NFL level and glowing reports from coaches and teammates in mini-camp/OTA’s, look for offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi to integrate the young tight end in a way that can take the pressure off of Stafford-who often sees his most critical mistakes made whenever he can’t find Tate or Johnson open down field.

Fallers:
Chris:  Jarvis Landry (Dolphins)
This pick was nothing short of agonizing to make. There's a number of guys at this position (Kelvin Benjamin, Sammy Watkins, Odell Beckham Jr.) that could very well hit a wall this season because of injury concerns or ineffective quarterback play, but I ultimately decided to go with Landry because of his limitations as a player. Landry is strictly a possession receiver who lacks the size (5"11, 202 lbs) and post-catch abilities to be a top-tier receiver. With the Dolphins acquiring elite deep threat Kenny Stills and redzone targets Jordan Cameron and rookie DeVante Parker during the offseason, Landry's role in the offense this season seems like it's going to be limited to a handful of short, non-meaningful dump-off passes per game.

Liam: Marqise Lee (Jaguars)
I hate to bring the Jaguars down, but their 2014 draft class isn’t exactly panning out the way they had hoped it would. Lee showed sporadic moments of promise throughout the season, but he was mostly held back by knee problems that hindered his ability to separate from coverage. I’ll give the kid his credit, he ended the season with over 400 receiving yards, but when you go back and look at his game tape, the consistency just isn’t there. Quarterback Blake Bortles' accuracy is already a cause for concern for any receiver on this roster, but this season, Lee will be competing to earn even the number three spot on the depth chart behind Allen Hurns, Allen Robinson, and rookie Neal Sterling. If Lee is going to have any chance of living up to his second-round standing, he’s going to have to take the time to overcome a whole lot of obstacles. But this is the NFL, and if there’s one thing we know that this league is lacking, it’s patience.

Defensive Front
Risers:
Chris: Ryan Shazier (Steelers)
It took a lot for recently-departed Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LaBeau to voluntarily start a rookie right out of the gate. Shazier was one of the rare guys to pick up that distinction, which I believe says a lot about his talent. Shazier played excellent throughout the preseason and the first two regular season games last season before suffering a knee injury and high ankle sprain, that kept him out of nine games and hampered him for the rest of the season. With a full offseason to recover and ample opportunities to shine in a mostly young, unproven defense, Shazier should thrive in 2015. Despite his relative lack of size for the position (6"1, 237 lbs), Shazier has the instincts, field-stretching speed and excellent tackling ability to be a potential menace at inside linebacker.
     
Liam: Aaron Donald (Rams)
Despite an underwhelming season by number two overall pick Greg Robinson, the largely under-the-radar 13th overall pick of the draft put up phenomenal rookie numbers in his first professional season. Combining for 48 tackles and 9 sacks, Donald proved early on that he was a force to be reckoned with in an already upward trending Rams defense. As many analysts have said since the start of last September, the St. Louis Rams are a franchise quarterback away from being a true contender in the NFC West. Still, many questions remain on the offensive side of the ball in the gateway to the west, particularly at wideout. And, until the newly acquired Nick Foles has the chance to prove that he’s the guy who can lead this franchise out of the division's basement, Coach Fisher will have to rely on his defense to keep games within a manageable margin of points to keep their heads above water. Look for Donald to continue his dominance by playing an even more pivotal role as a premier defensive tackle in a division that lives in fear of the mighty Marshawn Lynch.

Fallers:
Chris: DeMarcus Lawrence (Cowboys)
This was another tough call as just about every high-level front seven player from this draft class either seems like a star in the making (Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald, C.J. Mosley) or underwhelmed a year ago and appear to destined to do the same in 2015 (Jadeveon Clowney, Dee Ford, Marcus Smith). Lawrence admittedly didn't do much in 2015, spending most of the year buried behind journeyman Jeremy Mincey on the Cowboys depth chart. But the buzz on Lawrence picked up after a strong showing in the playoffs (2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble in 2 games) and he's largely viewed as a strong breakout contender for 2015. Personally, I don't buy any of the hype on Lawrence. Everything about his game from his speed to his technique is average at best and not being able to surpass a mediocre player like Mincey speaks volumes about who he is as a player.


Liam: Jadeveon Clowney (Texans)
One of the most hyped first overall picks of the modern football era, and only three measly tackles to show for it thus far. What made Clowney so dangerous during his days at South Carolina was his explosiveness off the snap, which gave both guards and tackles barely any time to block him before he was in the backfield. Unfortunately, after undergoing surgery to repair a microfracture in his right knee, it remains to be seen if he can retain the speed that made him terrorize college o-lines and quarterbacks for three years. The Texans already have a fallback option with Vince Wilfork joining the team in free agency, and the enigmatic J.J Watt continuing to blow through any double, triple or quadruple team opposing offenses throw at him with ease. If Clowney is able to regain even 1/10th of his explosive power off the snap, this defensive line will make the Texans the team to beat in the AFC South. But, more than likely, Coach Bill O’Brien will probably want to protect his first round investment by easing him back into the defensive scheme, most likely lining him up as a pass rusher at outside linebacker or defensive end in certain situations. Until Clowney proves he can still play at a high level after having microfracture surgery, I wouldn't hold your breath for him to put up double-digit sacks.

Secondary
Risers:
Chris: Calvin Pryor (Jets)
Pryor had a well-documented rough start to his career as injuries in the Jets secondary forced him to move from his natural position of strong safety to free safety, which exploited his deficiencies in pass coverage and eventually led him to being benched for a five-game stretch from late October to early December. With a move back to strong safety and the Jets bringing in one of the league's finest defensive back developers in Todd Bowles as their new head coach, 2015 could mark a massive turnaround for Pryor. Pryor is a punishing hitter who was pretty great against the run on the rare occasion he was allowed to venture into the box last season and with the much improved lineup of guys around him in the secondary this year that will largely keep him out of coverage situations and allow him to stick to his strength as a run-stuffer, Pryor should get the opportunity to prove why the Jets spent such a high-draft pick on him a year ago.

Liam: Malcolm Butler (Patriots)
Chris couldn’t disagree with me more on this, but then again he’s a Bears fan, so what does he know. In fact, one of Butler’s best games of the season came during New England’s blowout win vs the Windy City furry animal things, when he deflected two of Jay Cutler’s famous deep balls. Despite not putting up any interceptions until his game sealing one versus the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, Butler showed good prowess vs the best of them , most notably breaking up four passes against Peyton Manning in the Pats blowout Week 9 win over the Broncos. Praise for the young defender also couldn’t be higher coming out of mandatory mini-camp (he was suspended for being late to OTAs, a matter the NFLPA is currently filing a grievance for). Coaches and teammates are lauding him for his intelligence and dedication to preparation. It was his ability to recognize the slant route formation from watching Seahawks game film that thrust the West Alabama product into the spotlight in the first place. Whether you think this kid is a fluke or not, he’s going to get the chance to prove himself this season, especially following the departures of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, and Kyle Arrington. We’ll have to wait and see if the hero of New England is the real deal or merely lighting captured in a bottle.

Fallers:
Chris: Malcolm Butler (Patriots)
Butler went from the realms to obscurity to god-status after his incredible interception to secure the Patriots victory in Super Bowl XLIX. Butler has spent the last five months after the play that changed his life forever being repeatedly put on a pedestal and is largely considered to be the Patriots de facto number one corner after Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington and Alfonzo Dennard all left the team this offseason. However, I think the Cinderella story of the undrafted kid from Western Alabama will come to an ugly end as soon as the 2015 season starts. Butler has never lined up against a top-tier wideout in his career (on his fateful interception he was covering Ricardo Lockette, the fourth option in a middling Seahawks receiving corps) and aside from the Super Bowl, has done absolutely nothing to show that he's capable of being a quality starting corner in this league.

Liam: Calvin Pryor (Jets) 
Another underwhelming product of the first round, Pryor was able to surmount a respectable number of tackles (60), but was often burned by wide receivers when forced to play coverage, failing to put up even a single interception and only defensing two passes in his 11 starts. Although he has all the physical attributes to do well at the pro level, the free safety out of Louisville is going to have to cut down on the mental errors if he wants to be a real contributor in a suddenly frightening Jets defense. The additions of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie should take some of the pressure off of him, but unless he can step up his coverage game, quarterbacks are going to have a field day throwing on him in deep center field .
 

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Recap

My annual NFL position ranking series came to a close last Tuesday. For the sake of convenience, here's a recap of the entire series.   

Quarterbacks

25.Blake Bortles (Jaguars)

24.Derek Carr (Raiders)

23.Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)

22.Colin Kaepernick (49ers)

21.Sam Bradford (Eagles)

20.Andy Dalton (Bengals)

19.Carson Palmer (Cardinals)

18.Jay Cutler (Bears)

17.Alex Smith (Chiefs)

16.Nick Foles (Rams)

15.Joe Flacco (Ravens)

14.Matthew Stafford (Lions)

13.Eli Manning (Giants)

12.Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)

11.Cam Newton (Panthers)
10.Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

9.Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

8.Matt Ryan (Falcons)

7.Tony Romo (Cowboys)

6.Peyton Manning (Broncos)

5.Andrew Luck (Colts)

4.Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

3.Drew Brees (Saints)

2.Tom Brady (Patriots)

1.Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Running Backs

50.Bishop Sankey (Titans)

49.Chris Johnson (Free Agent)

48.Andre Williams (Giants)

47.DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)

46.Ahmad Bradshaw (Free Agent)

45.Branden Oliver (Chargers)

44.Bilal Powell (Jets)

43.Roy Helu Jr. (Raiders)

42.Bobby Rainey (Buccaneers)

41.Daniel “Boom” Herron (Colts)

40.Isaiah Crowell (Browns)

39.Terrance West (Browns)

38.Matt Asiata (Vikings)

37.Andre Ellington (Cardinals)

36.Darren Sproles (Eagles)

35.Darren McFadden (Cowboys)

34.Latavius Murray (Raiders)

33.Shane Vereen (Giants)

32.Jerick McKinnon (Vikings)

31.Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)

30.Danny Woodhead (Chargers)

29.Denard Robinson (Jaguars)

28.Doug Martin (Buccaneers)

27.Rashad Jennings (Giants)

26.LeGarette Blount (Patriots)

25.Stevan Ridley (Jets)

24.C.J. Spiller (Saints)

23.Reggie Bush (49ers)

22.Tre Mason (Rams)

21.Chris Ivory (Jets)

20.Giovani Bernard (Bengals)

19.Fred Jackson (Bills)

18.C.J. Anderson (Broncos)

17.Justin Forsett (Ravens)

16.Ryan Matthews (Eagles)

15.Mark Ingram (Saints)

14.Joique Bell (Lions)

13.Lamar Miller (Dolphins)

12.Jeremy Hill (Bengals)

11.Alfred Morris (Redskins)

10.Frank Gore (Colts)

9.Eddie Lacy (Packers)

8.Arian Foster (Texans)

7.Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)

6.DeMarco Murray (Eagles)

5.Matt Forte (Bears)

4.LeSean McCoy (Bills)
3.Jammal Charles (Chiefs)

2.Adrian Peterson (Vikings)

1.Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)

Wide Receivers

50.Malcolm Floyd (Chargers)

49.Terrance Williams (Cowboys)

48.Jarvis Landry (Dolphins)

47.Brian Quick (Rams)

46.Rueben Randle (Giants)

45.Mohammed Sanu (Bengals)

44.Kenny Stills (Dolphins)

43.Andrew Hawkins (Browns) 

42.Doug Baldwin (Seahawks)

41.Brandon LaFell (Patriots)

40.Stevie Johnson (Chargers)

39.Michael Crabtree (Raiders)

38.Jordan Matthews (Eagles)

37.Roddy White (Falcons)

36.Percy Harvin (Bills)

35.Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

34.Keenan Allen (Chargers)

33.Marques Colston (Saints)

32.Eric Decker (Jets)

31.Mike Wallace (Vikings)

30.Michael Floyd (Cardinals)

29.Kendall Wright (Titans)

28.Andre Johnson (Colts)

27.Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers) 

26.Pierre Garcon (Redskins)

25.Victor Cruz (Giants)
24.Torrey Smith (49ers)

23.Julian Edelman (Patriots)

22.Anquan Boldin (49ers)

21.Sammy Watkins (Bills)

20.Steve Smith (Ravens)

19.Brandon Marshall (Jets)

18.Mike Evans (Buccaneers)

17.DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)

16.Golden Tate (Lions)

15.Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers)

14.Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)

13.Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs)

12.DeSean Jackson (Redskins)

11.Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)

10.T.Y. Hilton (Colts)

9.Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)

8.Randall Cobb (Packers)

7.Jordy Nelson (Packers)

6.Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)

5.Julio Jones (Falcons)

4.A.J. Green (Bengals)

3.Antonio Brown (Steelers)

2.Dez Bryant (Cowboys)

1.Calvin Johnson (Lions)

Tight Ends

20.Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)

19.Owen Daniels (Broncos)

18.Jordan Reed (Redskins)

17.Larry Donnell (Giants)

16.Zach Ertz (Eagles)

15.Heath Miller (Steelers)
14.Coby Fleener (Colts)

13.Charles Clay (Bills)

12.Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

11.Dwayne Allen (Colts)

10.Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

9.Delanie Walker (Titans)

8.Vernon Davis (49ers)

7.Jason Witten (Cowboys)

6.Martellus Bennett (Bears)

5.Julius Thomas (Jaguars)

4.Antonio Gates (Chargers)

3.Greg Olsen (Panthers)

2.Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)

1.Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)

Tackles

30.D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Jets)

29.Phil Loadholt (Vikings)
28.Cordy Glenn (Bills)
27.Derek Newton (Texans)
26.Marcus Gilbert (Steelers)
25.Donald Penn (Raiders)
24.Russell Okung (Seahawks)
23.Nate Solder (Patriots)
22.Zach Strief (Saints)
21.Riley Rieff (Lions)
20.Lane Johnson (Eagles)

19.Ryan Clady (Broncos)
18.Doug Free (Cowboys)
17.Ricky Wagner (Ravens)
16.Demar Dotson (Buccaneers)
15.King Dunlap (Chargers)
14.Kelvin Beachum (Steelers)
13.Anthony Castonzo (Colts)
12.Eugene Monroe (Ravens)
11.Bryan Bulaga (Packers)
10.Sebastian Vollmer (Patriots)
9.Branden Albert (Dolphins)
8.Jared Veldheer (Cardinals)
7.Duane Brown (Texans)
6.Trent Williams (Redskins)
5.Joe Staley (49ers)
4.Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
3.Jason Peters (Eagles)
2.Andrew Whitworth (Bengals)
1.Joe Thomas (Browns)

Guards

30.Oday Aboushi (Jets)
29.Trai Turner (Panthers)
28.Andrew Norwell (Panthers)
27.Logan Mankins (Buccaneers)
26.Todd Herremans (Colts)
25.Geoff Schwartz (Giants)
24.Andy Levitre (Titans)
23.Ben Grubbs (Chiefs)
22.Ronald Leary (Cowboys)
21.Ramon Foster (Steelers)
20.Alex Boone (49ers)
19.Jahri Evans (Saints)
18.David DeCastro (Steelers)
17.Brandon Linder (Jaguars)
16.Joel Bitonio (Browns)
15.Clint Boling (Bengals)
14.Orlando Franklin (Chargers)
13.Matt Slauson (Bears)

12.Larry Warford (Lions)
11.T.J. Lang (Packers)
10.Louis Vazquez (Broncos)

9.Mike Iupati (Cardinals)

8.Brandon Brooks (Texans)
7.Kevin Zeitler (Bengals)

6.Zack Martin (Cowboys)

5.Kyle Long (Bears)

4.Kelechi Osemele (Ravens)

3.Josh Sitton (Packers)

2.Evan Mathis (Free Agent)

1.Marshal Yanda (Ravens)

Centers

20.Eric Wood (Bills)

19.Chris Myers (Free Agent)

18.Lemuel Jeanpierre (Seahawks)

17.Bryan Stork (Patriots)

16.Evan Dietrich-Smith (Buccaneers)

15.Stefen Wisnewski (Jaguars)

14.Jeremy Zuttah (Ravens) 

13.Mike Pouncey (Dolphins)

12.Russell Bodine (Bengals)

11.Manny Ramirez (Lions)

10.Corey Linsley (Packers)

9.Ryan Kalil (Panthers)

8.Jason Kelce (Eagles)

7.Rodney Hudson (Raiders)

6.Travis Fredrick (Cowboys)

5.John Sullivan (Vikings)

4.Max Unger (Saints)

3.Alex Mack (Browns)

2.Nick Mangold (Jets)

1.Maurkice Pouncey (Steelers)

Defensive Ends

30.Vinny Curry (Eagles)
29.Arthur Jones (Colts)
28.Rob Ninkovich (Patriots)

27.Chris Canty (Ravens)

26.Cliff Avril (Seahawks)

25.Jeremiah Ratliff (Bears)

24.Everson Griffen (Vikings)
23.Stephen Paea (Redskins)

22.Jason Hatcher (Redskins)

21.Carlos Dunlap (Bengals)

20.Olivier Vernon (Dolphins)

19.Chris Long (Rams)

18.Chandler Jones (Patriots)
17.Cameron Jordan (Saints)

16.Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

15.Ezekiel Ansah (Lions)
14.DeMarcus Ware (Broncos)

13.Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants)

12.Charles Johnson (Panthers) 

11.Jerry Hughes (Bills)

10.Fletcher Cox (Eagles)

9.Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets)
8.Greg Hardy (Cowboys)

7.Calias Campbell (Cardinals)

6.Sheldon Richardson (Jets)

5.Michael Bennett (Seahawks)

4.Cameron Wake (Dolphins)

3.Robert Quinn (Rams)

2.Mario Williams (Bills)

1.J.J. Watt (Texans)

Defensive Tackles

30.Tony McDaniel (Seahawks)
29.Vince Wilfork (Texans)
28.Sharrif Floyd (Vikings) 
27.Michael Brockers (Rams)
26.Paul Soliai (Falcons)

25.Henry Melton (Buccaneers)

24.Linval Joesph (Vikings)
23.Steve McLendon (Steelers)
22.Bernie Logan (Eagles)
21.Tyrone Crawford (Cowboys)
20.Jared Odrick (Jaguars)
19.Jonathan Hankins (Giants)
18.Nick Fairley (Rams)

17.Star Lotulelei (Panthers)
16.Dan Williams (Raiders)
15.Brandon Williams (Ravens)
14.Damon Harrison (Jets)
13.Haloti Ngata (Lions)
12.Kawann Short (Panthers)

11.Geno Atkins (Bengals)

10.Terrence Knighton (Redskins)

9.Brandon Mebane (Seahawks)
8.Sen'Derrick Marks (Jaguars)

7.Jurrell Casey (Titans)
6.Aaron Donald (Rams)
5.Kyle Williams (Bills)

4.Dontari Poe (Chiefs)

3.Marcell Dareus (Bills)

2.Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers)

1.Ndamukong Suh (Dolphins)

Outside Linebackers

50.Erik Walden (Colts)

49.Courtney Upshaw (Ravens)

48.Aaron Lynch (49ers) 

47.Dan Skuta (Jaguars)

46.Nick Perry (Packers)

45.Brooks Reed (Falcons)

44.Alec Ogletree (Rams)

43.Spencer Paysinger (Dolphins)

42.Akeem Ayers (Rams)

41.Chad Greenway (Vikings)

40.Jelani Jenkins (Dolphins)

39.Manny Lawson (Bills)

38.Ahmad Brooks (49ers)

37.Bruce Carter (Buccaneers) 

36.Quentin Coples (Jets)

35.Bruce Irvin (Seahawks)

34.Melvin Ingram (Chargers)

33.Jared Allen (Bears)

32.Brandon Graham (Eagles)

31.Trent Cole (Colts)

30.Brian Orakpo (Titans)

29.Telvin Smith (Jaguars)

28.K.J. Wright (Seahawks)

27.Vincent Rey (Bengals) 

26.Calvin Pace (Jets)

25.Pernell McPhee (Bears)

24.Anthony Barr (Vikings)

23.Sio Moore (Raiders)

22.Khalil Mack (Raiders) 

21.Julius Peppers (Packers)

20.Nigel Bradham (Bills) 

19.Whitney Mercilus (Texans)

18.Derrick Morgan (Titans)

17.Robert Mathis (Colts)

16.Don'ta Hightower (Patriots)

15.Junior Gallete (Saints)

14.Tamba Hali (Chiefs)

13.Vontaze Burfict (Bengals)

12.Jamie Collins (Patriots)

11.Elvis Dumervil (Ravens)

10.Connor Barwin (Eagles)

9.Aldon Smith (49ers)

8.Ryan Kerrigan (Redskins)

7.Thomas Davis (Panthers)

6.Terrell Suggs (Ravens)

5.Clay Matthews (Packers)

4.DeAndre Levy (Lions)

3.Lavonte David (Buccaneers)

2.Justin Houston (Chiefs)

1.Von Miller (Broncos)

Inside Linebackers

25.Jerod Mayo (Patriots)
24.Danny Trevathan (Broncos)

23.D'Qwell Jackson (Colts)
22.James Laurinaitis (Rams)

21.Daryl Washington (Cardinals)

20.Paul Worrilow (Falcons)

19.Preston Brown (Bills)

18.Rolando McClain (Cowboys)
17.Jerrell Freeman (Colts)
16.Stephen Tulloch (Lions)
15.Sean Lee (Cowboys)
14.Donald Butler (Chargers)
13.Kiko Alonso (Eagles)

12.Derrick Johnson (Chiefs)
11.Mychal Kendricks (Eagles)
10.David Harris (Jets)

9.NaVorro Bowman (49ers)
8.Brian Cushing (Texans)
7.Brandon Marshall (Broncos)
6.Daryl Smith (Ravens)
5.C.J. Mosley (Ravens)
4.Karlos Dansby (Browns)

3.Lawrence Timmons (Steelers)
2.Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)

1.Luke Kuechly (Panthers)

Cornerbacks

50.Kyle Arrington (Ravens)
49.Leon Hall (Bengals)
48.Cortez Allen (Steelers)
47.Perrish Cox (Titans)
46.Tramaine Brock (49ers)
45.Buster Skrine (Jets)
44.Brandon Browner (Saints)
43.Jason McCourty (Titans)
42.Bradley Roby (Broncos)
41.Bashaud Breeland (Redskins)
40.Captain Munnerlyn (Vikings)
39.Davon House (Jaguars)
38.Jeremy Lane (Seahawks)
37.Leodis McKlevin (Bills)
36.Keenan Lewis (Saints)
35.Darius Slay (Lions)
34.Tramon Williams (Browns)
33.Kareem Jackson (Texans)
32.K'Wuan Williams (Browns)
31.Josh Norman (Panthers)
30.Rashean Mathis (Lions)
29.Antonio Cromartie (Jets)
28.Bene Benwikere (Panthers)
27.Brandon Boykin (Eagles)
26.E.J. Gaines (Rams)
25.Tim Jennings (Bears)
24.Casey Hayward (Packers)
23.Jonathan Joesph (Texans)
22.Alterraun Verner (Buccaneers)
21.Sean Smith (Chiefs)
20.Xavier Rhodes (Vikings)
19.Brandon Flowers (Chargers)
18.Sam Shields (Packers)
17.Chris Culliver (Redskins)
16.Stephon Gilmore (Bills)
15.Aqib Talib (Broncos)
14.Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Giants)
13.Byron Maxwell (Eagles)
12.Corey Graham (Bills)
11.Orlando Scandrick (Cowboys)
10.Jimmy Smith (Ravens)
9.Prince Amukamara (Giants)
8.Desmond Trufant (Falcons)
7.Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)
6.Brent Grimes (Dolphins)
5.Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
4.Joe Haden (Browns)
3.Darrelle Revis (Jets)
2.Vontae Davis (Colts)
1.Richard Sherman (Seahawks)

Safeties

30.Robert Blanton (Vikings)
29.Kendrick Lewis (Ravens)
28.Morgan Burnett (Packers)
27.Dwight Lowery (Colts)
26.Ron Parker (Chiefs)
25.Mike Mitchell (Steelers)
24.Tyrann Mathieu (Cardinals)
23.Eric Reid (49ers)
22.Da'Norris Searcy (Titans)
21.Nate Allen (Raiders)
20.George Iloka (Bengals)
19.Aaron Williams (Bills)
18.Charles Woodson (Raiders)
17.Will Hill (Ravens)
16.Antrel Rolle (Bears)
15.Malcolm Jenkins (Eagles)
14.Rahim Moore (Texans)
13.Mike Adams (Colts)
12.Tashaun Gibson (Browns)
11.Antonie Bethea (49ers)
10.T.J. Ward (Broncos)
9.Reshad Jones (Dolphins)
8.Glover Quinn (Lions)
7.Donte Whitner (Browns)
6.Harrison Smith (Vikings)
5.Jairus Byrd (Saints)
4.Devin McCourty (Patriots)
3.Eric Weddle (Chargers)
2.Kam Chancellor (Seahawks)
1.Earl Thomas (Seahawks)

Kickers

20.Matt Prater (Lions)
19.Nick Novak (Chargers)
18.Graham Gano (Panthers)
17.Nick Folk (Jets)
16.Randy Bullock (Texans)
15.Greg Zuerlein (Rams)
14.Josh Brown (Giants)
13.Caleb Sturgis (Dolphins)
12.Shaun Suisham (Steelers)
11.Cody Parkey (Eagles)
10.Blair Walsh (Vikings)
9.Mason Crosby (Packers)
8.Dan Carpenter (Bills)
7.Phil Dawson (49ers)
6.Matt Bryant (Falcons)
5.Adam Vinatieri (Colts)
4.Steven Hauschka (Seahawks)
3.Dan Bailey (Cowboys)
2.Justin Tucker (Ravens)
1.Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots)

Punters

20.Dustin Colquitt (Chiefs)
19.Mike Scifres (Chargers)
18.Brad Nortman (Panthers)
17.Jon Ryan (Seahawks)
16.Ryan Allen (Patriots)
15.Ryan Quigley (Jets)
14.Tress Way (Redskins)
13.Marquette King (Raiders)
12.Steve Weatherford (Giants)
11.Brett Kern (Titans)
10.Sam Martin (Lions)
9.Shane Lechler (Texans)
8.Thomas Morstead (Saints)
7.Bryan Anger (Jaguars) 

6.Kevin Huber (Bengals)
5.Andy Lee (Browns)
4.Sam Koch (Ravens)
3.Brandon Fields (Dolphins)
2.Johnny Hekker (Rams)
1.Pat McAfee (Colts)

Top 10 Players by Team:

Seattle Seahawks-10 (Michael Bennett, Kam Chancellor, Jimmy Graham, Steven Hauschka, Marshawn Lynch, Brandon Mebane, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson)
Baltimore Ravens-8 (Sam Koch, C.J. Mosley, Kelechi Osemele, Daryl Smith, Jimmy Smith, Terrell Suggs, Justin Tucker Marshal Yanda)
Dallas Cowboys-8 (Dan Bailey, Dez Bryant, Travis Fredrick, Greg Hardy, Zack Martin, Tony Romo, Tyron Smith, Jason Witten)

Green Bay Packers-8 (Randall Cobb, Mason Crosby, Eddie Lacy, Corey Linsley, Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Sitton)
Denver Broncos-7 (Chris Harris Jr., Peyton Manning, Brandon Marshall, Von Miller, Demaryius Thomas, Louis Vasquez, T.J. Ward)

Cleveland Browns-6 (Karlos Dansby, Joe Haden, Andy Lee, Alex Mack, Joe Thomas, Donte Whitner)

Houston Texans-6 (Brandon Brooks, Duane Brown, Brian Cushing, Arian Foster, Shane Lechler, J.J. Watt)

Indianapolis Colts-6 (Vontae Davis, T.Y. Hilton, Frank Gore, Andrew Luck, Pat McAfee, Adam Vinatieri)

Miami Dolphins-6 (Branden Albert, Brandon Fields, Brent Grimes, Reshad Jones, Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake)

Buffalo Bills-5 (Dan Carpenter, LeSean McCoy, Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, Mario Williams) 

New England Patriots-5 (Tom Brady, Stephen Gostkowski, Rob Gronkowski, Devin McCourty, Sebastian Vollmer)

New York Jets-5 (David Harris, Nick Mangold, Darrelle Revis, Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson) 

Philadelphia Eagles-5 (Connor Barwin, Fletcher Cox, Jason Kelce, DeMarco Murray, Jason Peters)

Pittsburgh Steelers-5 (Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Maurkice Pouncey, Ben Roethlisberger, Lawrence Timmons)
San Fransisco 49ers-5 (NaVorro Bowman, Phil Dawson, Vernon Davis, Aldon Smith, Joe Staley)

Arizona Cardinals-4 (Calais Campbell, Mike Iupati, Patrick Peterson, Jared Veldheer)  

Atlanta Falcons-4 (Matt Bryant, Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, Desmond Trufant)

Carolina Panthers-4 (Thomas Davis, Ryan Kalil, Luke Kuechly, Greg Olsen)

Cincinnati Bengals-4 (A.J. Green, Kevin Huber, Andrew Whitworth, Kevin Zeitler)

Detroit Lions-4 (Calvin Johnson, DeAndre Levy, Sam Martin, Glover Quin) 

Kansas City Chiefs-4 (Jammal Charles, Justin Houston, Travis Kelce, Dontari Poe)

Minnesota Vikings-4 (Adrian Peterson, Harrison Smith, John Sullivan, Blair Walsh)

New Orleans Saints-4 (Drew Brees, Jairus Byrd, Thomas Morstead, Max Unger)

Chicago Bears-3 (Martellus Bennett, Matt Forte, Kyle Long)

Jacksonville Jaguars-3 (Bryan Anger, Sen'Derrick Marks, Julius Thomas) 

San Diego Chargers-3 (Antonio Gates, Phillip Rivers, Eric Weddle)

St. Louis Rams-3 (Aaron Donald, Johnny Hekker, Robert Quinn)

Washington Redskins-3 (Ryan Kerrigan, Terrence Knighton, Trent Williams) 

New York Giants-2 (Prince Amukamara, Odell Beckham Jr.)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers-2 (Lavonte David, Gerald McCoy)

Tennessee Titans-2 (Jurrell Casey, Delanie Walker)

Oakland Raiders-1 (Rodney Hudson)
Free Agents-1 (Evan Mathis)