Sunday, January 31, 2016
An Ode to Calvin Johnson Jr.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported earlier today that wide receiver Calvin Johnson Jr. has informed the Detroit Lions that he is going to retire. While this report hasn't been confirmed by Johnson or the Lions yet, it would not be a shocking move as Johnson has been pondering retirement since the regular season ended on January 3rd. I think I speak for a majority of millennial football fans out there when I say that Johnson was the greatest receiver I've ever seen play. His combination of physicality and freakish speed/athleticism for his size (6'5, 239 lbs) made him a nightmare for opposing defenses to cover and a threat to take it to the house every time he touched the ball. Although there are no shortage of excellent receivers with Hall-of-Fame potential currently in the league, I doubt we'll ever see a wide receiver as well-rounded and consistently dominant as Johnson ever again. Thanks for the memories Megatron and I wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors.
Friday, January 29, 2016
2015 NFL Recap: AFC East
With the matchup for Super Bowl 50 set and the end of football season (sadly) on the horizon, it's now time to look back at all the madness the 2015 NFL season offered up. Over the next several weeks, I'll be providing detailed recaps on how all 32 NFL teams fared in 2015 starting today with the AFC East. The format of this series will be a little bit different than in the past as I'll be proving my analysis in bullet point format to make it easier to read. I'm excited to look back on another insane NFL season and I hope all of you football fans out there have as much fun reading this as I did writing it.
My Preseason Predictions:
1.New England Patriots (11-5)
2.Buffalo Bills (10-6)
3.Miami Dolphins (10-6)
4.New York Jets (7-9)
Actual Standings
1.New England Patriots (12-4)
2.New York Jets (10-6)
3.Buffalo Bills (8-8)
4.Miami Dolphins (6-10)
Buffalo Bills:
Team MVP's: WR Sammy Watkins, QB Tyrod Taylor, CB Ronald Darby, CB Stephon Gilmore, RB LeSean McCoy
-Who would've thought the downfall of a Rex Ryan-coached team would be the defense? The sudden collapse of the Bills defense (19th ranked pass defense, 16th ranked rush defense, 19th overall defense) makes no sense given the fact that they lost no major components from the 2014 unit that finished 4th in the league and the same core group of players thrived with Ryan protege Mike Pettine running a similar 3-4, blitz-heavy system in 2013. The sudden ineffectiveness of their highly vaunted pass-rush that led the league in sacks for two straight years (they ranked 31st this year with a paltry 21 sacks) and their tendency to pick up stupid penalties at key moments of the game forced this unit to fall from the ranks of the elite. They deserve some slack as the players have had to learn a new defensive scheme for a third straight year, but it's hard to not be disappointed with their middling production given how much proven talent they have on both the field and the coaching staff.
-The one factor that's being largely glossed over in the criticism of the Bills defense this year was how bad their linebackers played. Inside linebacker Preston Brown substantially regressed in coverage and against the run after his impressive rookie campaign while the normally excellent Nigel Bradham had the sloppiest season of his four-year career so far. Ryan's blitz-happy defenses require strong linebacker play to be effective and he's going to need to do some serious talent evaluation to see if he can move forward with this current group patrolling the middle of the field.
-Mario Williams epitomizes a diva veteran player. His whining and unwillingness to adapt to his new role as an outside linebacker in Ryan's 3-4 scheme was hugely detrimental to this defense. With his high cap hit ($14 million) and several of his teammates taking issue with his lack of effort and selfish attitude this season, it'll be a shock to see Williams back in Buffalo in 2016.
-In what was largely a disappointing year for their defense, the Bills can take solace in the fact that their starting cornerbacks, Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby, were the most lethal corner tandem in the NFL this season. Gilmore further solidified himself as one of the best young corners in the league before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 13 while Darby's excellent coverage skills, physicality and ball skills allowed him to make arguably the smoothest transition from college to the NFL of any rookie corner in recent history.
-Ryan ended up making the right choice when he named Tyrod Taylor the starting quarterback. Taylor demonstrated consistently good decision-making and legitimate playmaking ability as both a passer and rusher in his first year as a starter. The strongest testament to Taylor's impact on this offense was how much they struggled with E.J. Manuel at the helm when he missed two games with a sprained knee in October. He needs to work on his accuracy and getting rid of the ball in a more timely fashion, but Taylor showed enough this season to prove he can be a productive long-term starter for this team.
-Sammy Watkins is starting to look like the game-changing wideout he was billed to be when the Bills traded up and drafted him in the first round in 2014. With number two wide receiver Percy Harvin suffering a season-ending hip injury in Week 5 and tight end Charles Clay and Harvin's de facto replacement Robert Woods grossly underperforming, Watkins carried the Bills passing game on his back for the second half of the season, picking up five 100+ yard performances and 7 TD's in the final nine games of the year. Watkins has proven he can handle the on-and off-the field pressure that comes with being a number one wideout in the NFL and I firmly believe that he'll be one of the 10-15 best receivers in the league within the next three seasons.
-The LeSean McCoy trade-which was met with much ire from the national media after it was completed last March-worked out brilliantly for general manager Doug Whaley. Despite missing four games with hamstring and knee injuries, McCoy was every bit the explosive, three-down back he was during his time with the Eagles and he is largely responsible for the Bills finishing the year as the league's top-ranked rushing offense. With a pair of promising change-of-backs in rookie power back Karlos Williams and speedster Mike Gillislee behind him on the depth chart, The Bills could very well end up having one of the deadliest rushing attacks in the league for a very long time.
-No offensive line in the NFL is more confusing than the Bills. The left side (tackle Cordy Glenn, guard Richie Incognito) and anchor of their line (center Eric Wood) all had Pro Bowl caliber seasons while the right side (guard John Miller, tackle Sentrel Henderson) were massive liabilities in run-blocking and pass-protection. The vulnerability of an entire side of their offensive line is severely stunting the growth of this young Bills offense and if Henderson and Miller can't make noticeable progress soon, a change is going to need to be made.
Team MVP's: WR Sammy Watkins, QB Tyrod Taylor, CB Ronald Darby, CB Stephon Gilmore, RB LeSean McCoy
-Who would've thought the downfall of a Rex Ryan-coached team would be the defense? The sudden collapse of the Bills defense (19th ranked pass defense, 16th ranked rush defense, 19th overall defense) makes no sense given the fact that they lost no major components from the 2014 unit that finished 4th in the league and the same core group of players thrived with Ryan protege Mike Pettine running a similar 3-4, blitz-heavy system in 2013. The sudden ineffectiveness of their highly vaunted pass-rush that led the league in sacks for two straight years (they ranked 31st this year with a paltry 21 sacks) and their tendency to pick up stupid penalties at key moments of the game forced this unit to fall from the ranks of the elite. They deserve some slack as the players have had to learn a new defensive scheme for a third straight year, but it's hard to not be disappointed with their middling production given how much proven talent they have on both the field and the coaching staff.
-The one factor that's being largely glossed over in the criticism of the Bills defense this year was how bad their linebackers played. Inside linebacker Preston Brown substantially regressed in coverage and against the run after his impressive rookie campaign while the normally excellent Nigel Bradham had the sloppiest season of his four-year career so far. Ryan's blitz-happy defenses require strong linebacker play to be effective and he's going to need to do some serious talent evaluation to see if he can move forward with this current group patrolling the middle of the field.
-Mario Williams epitomizes a diva veteran player. His whining and unwillingness to adapt to his new role as an outside linebacker in Ryan's 3-4 scheme was hugely detrimental to this defense. With his high cap hit ($14 million) and several of his teammates taking issue with his lack of effort and selfish attitude this season, it'll be a shock to see Williams back in Buffalo in 2016.
-In what was largely a disappointing year for their defense, the Bills can take solace in the fact that their starting cornerbacks, Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby, were the most lethal corner tandem in the NFL this season. Gilmore further solidified himself as one of the best young corners in the league before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 13 while Darby's excellent coverage skills, physicality and ball skills allowed him to make arguably the smoothest transition from college to the NFL of any rookie corner in recent history.
-Ryan ended up making the right choice when he named Tyrod Taylor the starting quarterback. Taylor demonstrated consistently good decision-making and legitimate playmaking ability as both a passer and rusher in his first year as a starter. The strongest testament to Taylor's impact on this offense was how much they struggled with E.J. Manuel at the helm when he missed two games with a sprained knee in October. He needs to work on his accuracy and getting rid of the ball in a more timely fashion, but Taylor showed enough this season to prove he can be a productive long-term starter for this team.
-Sammy Watkins is starting to look like the game-changing wideout he was billed to be when the Bills traded up and drafted him in the first round in 2014. With number two wide receiver Percy Harvin suffering a season-ending hip injury in Week 5 and tight end Charles Clay and Harvin's de facto replacement Robert Woods grossly underperforming, Watkins carried the Bills passing game on his back for the second half of the season, picking up five 100+ yard performances and 7 TD's in the final nine games of the year. Watkins has proven he can handle the on-and off-the field pressure that comes with being a number one wideout in the NFL and I firmly believe that he'll be one of the 10-15 best receivers in the league within the next three seasons.
-The LeSean McCoy trade-which was met with much ire from the national media after it was completed last March-worked out brilliantly for general manager Doug Whaley. Despite missing four games with hamstring and knee injuries, McCoy was every bit the explosive, three-down back he was during his time with the Eagles and he is largely responsible for the Bills finishing the year as the league's top-ranked rushing offense. With a pair of promising change-of-backs in rookie power back Karlos Williams and speedster Mike Gillislee behind him on the depth chart, The Bills could very well end up having one of the deadliest rushing attacks in the league for a very long time.
-No offensive line in the NFL is more confusing than the Bills. The left side (tackle Cordy Glenn, guard Richie Incognito) and anchor of their line (center Eric Wood) all had Pro Bowl caliber seasons while the right side (guard John Miller, tackle Sentrel Henderson) were massive liabilities in run-blocking and pass-protection. The vulnerability of an entire side of their offensive line is severely stunting the growth of this young Bills offense and if Henderson and Miller can't make noticeable progress soon, a change is going to need to be made.
Miami Dolphins:
Team MVP's: WR Jarvis Landry, S Reshad Jones, DT Ndamukong Suh, DE Olivier Vernon, C Mike Pouncey
-It speaks volumes for how awful of a coach Joe Philbin is when an inexperienced meathead like Dan Campbell suddenly gets thrust into the head coaching spot in the middle of the year and displays stronger leadership and game-managing skills. Retaining Philbin and his staff of similarly ungifted buffoons played a pivotal role in the Dolphins failure this season.
-For the first time since entering the league in 2012, Ryan Tannehill did not improve upon his previous season's numbers in 2015. His deep ball accuracy was just horrendous, he regularly forced balls into double and triple coverage, and for the first time in his tenure with the Doplhins, the poor play of his offensive lineman left him looking regularly rattled in the pocket. Personally, I view 2015 as nothing but a bump in the road for a promising career for Tannehill. If he doesn't return to being one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL in 2016, I'd be legitimately shocked.
-The criticism thrown at the play of Ndamukong Suh is completely unwarranted. Sure his sack total was down from a year ago (8.5 in 2014, 6 this year), but anyone that actually watched him play a solid amount of reps would've saw that he was every bit as disruptive and dominant at the line of scrimmage as he was during his five seasons with the Lions. There's plenty of scapegoats for The Dolphins underwhelming defensive performance this season (poor secondary play, inconsistent production out of key players, terrible run defense), but Suh sure as hell isn't one of them.
-With the exception of Suh, none of the Dolphins high-profile offseason pickups consistently contributed. Tight end Jordan Cameron continues to demonstrate that his excellent 2013 campaign with the Browns was a fluke, outside linebacker Spencer Paysinger was woefully ineffective every time he saw the field and Tannehill's horrific deep ball accuracy made deep threat virtuoso Kenny Stills a non-factor in the passing game.
-The play of defensive end Oliver Vernon once Cameron Wake went down with a torn Achilles in Week 8 was simply unreal. Vernon was a menace to opposing quarterbacks picking up 8 sacks, 24 hits and 25 pressures in the nine games played after Wake went down. The Dolphins need to make re-signing this kid their top priority this offseason
-With his 110 reception, 1,157-yard season, Jarvis Landry deserves a medal for carrying this sorry-ass offense. He was the only member of the Dolphins offense that could consistently stretch the field and be counted to make a play in big situations. With his excellent route-running and yards after the catch ability (he ranked third in the league among wideouts with 547 yards), Landry has emerged as one of the best slot receivers in the league after just two seasons.
-It boggles my mind as to why the Dolphins chose to use running back Lamar Miller so sparingly this season. Miller was largely productive when he got the ball (he average 4.5 yards per carry and 8.4 yards per reception) yet only got 15 or more touches in a game eight times this season. Despite the lack of respect they showed him this season, I'd be surprised if the new Dolphins regime headed by head coach Adam Gase- one of the strongest proponents of the running game in the entire league-let him walk this offseason.
New England Patriots:
Team MVP's: QB Tom Brady, TE Rob Gronkowski, OLB Don'ta Hightower, WR Julian Edelman, S Devin McCourty
-Despite horrid offensive line play and a slew of injuries to his top receivers, Tom Brady had another stellar season in 2015. The four-game stretch-which may or may not have been fueled by his anger with the Deflatgate situation- he put together to start off this season was the most brilliant string of games I've seen him play since the infamous 16-0 2007 campaign. He dismantled the defenses of the Steelers, Bills, Jaguars and Cowboys with such ease and precision that it made me seriously question whether he's a human or a robot sent from a distant planet to make the rest of the NFL look bad. His play tailed off a bit after the Cowboys game, but his play was still largely impressive on the whole, especially when you consider the fact that he's at the age (38) when most quarterbacks start to or have already shit the bed physically. His volume of bad throws might be increasing each year, but unless he suffers another major injury, there's no reason to believe that he doesn't have another two or three productive years in him.
-The absence of wide receiver Julian Edelman for the last seven games of the season exposed just how bad this offensive line is. Without a reliable short-yardage passing option, Brady had to hold onto the ball longer and the Patriots passing game proceeded to falter tremendously. While the abundance of injuries and subsequently lack of continuity certainly didn't help, there was not a single offensive lineman on this roster who performed at even a passable level on a week-to-to basis. A majority of the guys they have right now simply aren't good enough to be starters in the NFL (I'm looking at you Marcus Cannon, Bryan Stork and Cameron Fleming) and if Belichick can't rediscover his knack for finding quality offensive lineman that he displayed during the first decade of his tenure with the team, Brady is going to have a hellish end to his storied career.
- It's a well-documented fact that the Patriots do not value running the football. In the 16 years that Belichick has been coaching the team, they've had a mere four 1,000-yard rushers (Antonie Smith in 2001,Corey Dillon in 2004, Benjarvus Green-Ellis in 2010 and Stevan Ridley in 2012) and almost always chose to roll with a stable of below-average backs rather than one reliable, legitimate three-down starter. The overall lack of talent at the running back position caused this offense to sink when the injury bug struck in the second half of the season. The running game was weak enough before LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis went down for the season, but their performances after Blount got hurt in Week 14 against the Texans (75.3 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry in the last 3 games) were just plain pathetic.The team's offensive woes without Edelman in the lineup and distinction of being the third-worst rushing offense in the NFL might be enough to get the traditionally run-phobic Belichick to actually invest in a legitimately capable running back for the future.
-Defensive end Jabbal Sheard proved to be one of the biggest free-agent steals of 2015. Sheard's efficiency as a situational pass-rusher and run-stopper allowed the Patriots to establish the solid defensive line rotation they've been sorely lacking for the past few years. The emergence of Sheard also allowed Chandler Jones- who typically crapped out in late November/December due to his high snap count-to stay fresh throughout the season and pick up a new career-high total in sacks (12.5). Guys like Don'ta Hightower, Devin McCourty and Jamie Collins may get all the attention and accolades, but Sheard played just as vital of a part in this defense's success in 2015.
-The secondary that was loaded with question marks coming into 2015 proved to be one of the team's biggest strengths. The starting corner duo of Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan surpassed even the most optimistic Patriots fans expectations and ended up being one of the most productive corner duos in the league this season. Butler and Ryan got thrown into the fire a lot during their first years as full-time starters and while they got torched by the likes of Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Brandon Marshall, they put together a number of strong performances against top-flight receivers such as DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins and Demaryius Thomas. Even more surprising than the emergence of Butler and re-emergence of Ryan was the sudden dramatic improvement of safeties Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon. No safety in the league did a better job diagnosing and stuffing the run in 2015 than Chung while Harmon was spectacular in pass coverage every time he saw the field. While it remains to be seen if these young players can deliver on a yearly basis, there was certainly a lot of encouraging signs for the future of this secondary on display throughout 2015.
Team MVP's: QB Tom Brady, TE Rob Gronkowski, OLB Don'ta Hightower, WR Julian Edelman, S Devin McCourty
-Despite horrid offensive line play and a slew of injuries to his top receivers, Tom Brady had another stellar season in 2015. The four-game stretch-which may or may not have been fueled by his anger with the Deflatgate situation- he put together to start off this season was the most brilliant string of games I've seen him play since the infamous 16-0 2007 campaign. He dismantled the defenses of the Steelers, Bills, Jaguars and Cowboys with such ease and precision that it made me seriously question whether he's a human or a robot sent from a distant planet to make the rest of the NFL look bad. His play tailed off a bit after the Cowboys game, but his play was still largely impressive on the whole, especially when you consider the fact that he's at the age (38) when most quarterbacks start to or have already shit the bed physically. His volume of bad throws might be increasing each year, but unless he suffers another major injury, there's no reason to believe that he doesn't have another two or three productive years in him.
-The absence of wide receiver Julian Edelman for the last seven games of the season exposed just how bad this offensive line is. Without a reliable short-yardage passing option, Brady had to hold onto the ball longer and the Patriots passing game proceeded to falter tremendously. While the abundance of injuries and subsequently lack of continuity certainly didn't help, there was not a single offensive lineman on this roster who performed at even a passable level on a week-to-to basis. A majority of the guys they have right now simply aren't good enough to be starters in the NFL (I'm looking at you Marcus Cannon, Bryan Stork and Cameron Fleming) and if Belichick can't rediscover his knack for finding quality offensive lineman that he displayed during the first decade of his tenure with the team, Brady is going to have a hellish end to his storied career.
- It's a well-documented fact that the Patriots do not value running the football. In the 16 years that Belichick has been coaching the team, they've had a mere four 1,000-yard rushers (Antonie Smith in 2001,Corey Dillon in 2004, Benjarvus Green-Ellis in 2010 and Stevan Ridley in 2012) and almost always chose to roll with a stable of below-average backs rather than one reliable, legitimate three-down starter. The overall lack of talent at the running back position caused this offense to sink when the injury bug struck in the second half of the season. The running game was weak enough before LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis went down for the season, but their performances after Blount got hurt in Week 14 against the Texans (75.3 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry in the last 3 games) were just plain pathetic.The team's offensive woes without Edelman in the lineup and distinction of being the third-worst rushing offense in the NFL might be enough to get the traditionally run-phobic Belichick to actually invest in a legitimately capable running back for the future.
-Defensive end Jabbal Sheard proved to be one of the biggest free-agent steals of 2015. Sheard's efficiency as a situational pass-rusher and run-stopper allowed the Patriots to establish the solid defensive line rotation they've been sorely lacking for the past few years. The emergence of Sheard also allowed Chandler Jones- who typically crapped out in late November/December due to his high snap count-to stay fresh throughout the season and pick up a new career-high total in sacks (12.5). Guys like Don'ta Hightower, Devin McCourty and Jamie Collins may get all the attention and accolades, but Sheard played just as vital of a part in this defense's success in 2015.
-The secondary that was loaded with question marks coming into 2015 proved to be one of the team's biggest strengths. The starting corner duo of Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan surpassed even the most optimistic Patriots fans expectations and ended up being one of the most productive corner duos in the league this season. Butler and Ryan got thrown into the fire a lot during their first years as full-time starters and while they got torched by the likes of Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Brandon Marshall, they put together a number of strong performances against top-flight receivers such as DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins and Demaryius Thomas. Even more surprising than the emergence of Butler and re-emergence of Ryan was the sudden dramatic improvement of safeties Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon. No safety in the league did a better job diagnosing and stuffing the run in 2015 than Chung while Harmon was spectacular in pass coverage every time he saw the field. While it remains to be seen if these young players can deliver on a yearly basis, there was certainly a lot of encouraging signs for the future of this secondary on display throughout 2015.
New York Jets:
Team MVP's: DE Muhammad Wilkerson, WR Brandon Marshall, WR Eric Decker, DT Damon Harrison, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
-It's amazing how much of an impact head coach Todd Bowles made in his first season with the Jets. Bowles managed to lead the same core group of players that only won four games in 2014 to a 10-win season simply by getting them to play with the edge they lacked during the final year of Rex Ryan's tumultuous tenure with the team. If they didn't narrowly miss the playoffs with their tragic Week 17 loss to the Bills, Bowles would have gotten my coach of the year vote.
-IK Enemkpali punching Geno Smith in the face and breaking his jaw during training camp was the best possible thing that could've happened to the Jets. Smith's absence gave veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick a chance to start and Fitzpatrick relished the opportunity by improbably having the best year of his 11-year career so far. Fitzpatrick looked like a whole new man under center this year, regularly making big-time clutch throws and keeping the back-breaking turnovers that have crippled him throughout his career to a minimum. Fitzpatrick won't be joining the Brady's and Manning's of the world anytime soon, but this year served as proof that he can be a viable starting quarterback in the NFL when he's given the right system and supporting cast.
-The Jets defense,which was already great under Ryan, got even better under Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers. The defensive line anchored by Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, Sheldon Richardson and standout rookie Leonard Williams was borderline impenetrable, their largely underrated veteran linebacking corps (David Harris, Demario Davis, Calvin Pace) continued to deliver and their overhauled secondary, despite having some struggles with consistency in the middle of the year, rarely allowed huge plays. With a really young group of core talent in place, the Jets should have one of the most intimidating defenses in the leagues for years to come.
-Saying that the Jets got a steal when they acquired Brandon Marshall from the Bears in exchange for a 5th-round pick would be a severe understatement. The 31-year old wideout silenced all of the naysayers that said he was past his prime with an absurd 1,502 yards and career-high 14 TD's in 2015. Marshall's emergence gave the Jets their first legitimate top wideout since Al Toon and the pairing of him and high-end number two wideout Eric Decker made the Jets passing offense a complete nightmare for opposing defenses to stop. Hopefully this triumphant comeback season will be enough to get people to finally respect Marshall as one of the greatest receivers to ever play the game.
-Chris Ivory is a candidate for least impressive 1,000-yard+ rushing season in the history of the NFL. A handful of great games in the early part of the year (most notable his Week 4 and 6 performance against the Dolphins and Redskins in which he ran for 166 and 146 yards respectively) heavily padded his stats and made up for his inability to hit his rushing lanes with any form of urgency for the last two months of the season.
Team MVP's: DE Muhammad Wilkerson, WR Brandon Marshall, WR Eric Decker, DT Damon Harrison, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
-It's amazing how much of an impact head coach Todd Bowles made in his first season with the Jets. Bowles managed to lead the same core group of players that only won four games in 2014 to a 10-win season simply by getting them to play with the edge they lacked during the final year of Rex Ryan's tumultuous tenure with the team. If they didn't narrowly miss the playoffs with their tragic Week 17 loss to the Bills, Bowles would have gotten my coach of the year vote.
-IK Enemkpali punching Geno Smith in the face and breaking his jaw during training camp was the best possible thing that could've happened to the Jets. Smith's absence gave veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick a chance to start and Fitzpatrick relished the opportunity by improbably having the best year of his 11-year career so far. Fitzpatrick looked like a whole new man under center this year, regularly making big-time clutch throws and keeping the back-breaking turnovers that have crippled him throughout his career to a minimum. Fitzpatrick won't be joining the Brady's and Manning's of the world anytime soon, but this year served as proof that he can be a viable starting quarterback in the NFL when he's given the right system and supporting cast.
-The Jets defense,which was already great under Ryan, got even better under Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers. The defensive line anchored by Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, Sheldon Richardson and standout rookie Leonard Williams was borderline impenetrable, their largely underrated veteran linebacking corps (David Harris, Demario Davis, Calvin Pace) continued to deliver and their overhauled secondary, despite having some struggles with consistency in the middle of the year, rarely allowed huge plays. With a really young group of core talent in place, the Jets should have one of the most intimidating defenses in the leagues for years to come.
-Saying that the Jets got a steal when they acquired Brandon Marshall from the Bears in exchange for a 5th-round pick would be a severe understatement. The 31-year old wideout silenced all of the naysayers that said he was past his prime with an absurd 1,502 yards and career-high 14 TD's in 2015. Marshall's emergence gave the Jets their first legitimate top wideout since Al Toon and the pairing of him and high-end number two wideout Eric Decker made the Jets passing offense a complete nightmare for opposing defenses to stop. Hopefully this triumphant comeback season will be enough to get people to finally respect Marshall as one of the greatest receivers to ever play the game.
-Chris Ivory is a candidate for least impressive 1,000-yard+ rushing season in the history of the NFL. A handful of great games in the early part of the year (most notable his Week 4 and 6 performance against the Dolphins and Redskins in which he ran for 166 and 146 yards respectively) heavily padded his stats and made up for his inability to hit his rushing lanes with any form of urgency for the last two months of the season.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Quick Movie Reviews (Academy Awards Edition): The Big Short and The Revenant
The Big Short: Hollywood is continuing its post-Great Recession assault on Wall Street with the 2008 mortgage crisis drama The Big Short. Writer/director Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers) uses his trademark balls-to-the wall energy to tell the story of how a group of outsiders in the financial industry (Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, John Magaro, Finn Wittrock) discovered that the supposedly rock-solid housing market was being propped up by high-risk loans and subsequently bet against it. How much you enjoy The Big Short entirely hedges on how interested you are in the subject matter. This is not a Wolf of Wall Street-like tale full of sex-and-drug fueled debauchery and excess, it simply tells the story of how the big banks rigged the housing market to make it look far more stable than it actually was and the small group of outsiders in the financial industry that discovered their shady practices and decided to call them out on their bluff. Personally, I admired the film for its overarching message and how it was able to make highly complex financial concepts and rhetoric easily understand for mass audiences, but my lack of interest in the inner workings of the financial industry and the mostly forgettable performances from its massive ensemble cast prevented me from truly loving it.
3.5/5 Stars
The Revenant: Director Alejandro G. Inarritu and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy have all described the making of The Revenant as a "hellish experience". The hell that went into making The Revenant has nothing on the hell of watching it. Don't let the presence of A-list actors and heavy doses of CGI fool you, The Revenant is a pretentious, hollow arthouse film that is completely derivative of the Terrence Malick-worshipping indie films that flood cinemas every single year during awards season. Inarritu-who also co-wrote the script with Vacancy scribe Mark L. Smith-tries to compensate for how idiotic and simple the film's story (if you've seen the trailer, you know literately every detail of the plot) is by loading up the film's 155-minute runtime with extensive, repetitive nature shots, dream sequences that seem to be lifted straight from The Tree of Life and one-dimensional characters that only speak in grunts and whispers. The natural scenery is beautifully-shot by cinematographer Emanuel Lubezki (Birdman, Gravity), but after 45 minutes or so of looking at nothing but snow-covered trees and the permanently gray skies of the frontier, the striking beauty of the setting loses its charm and you begin to become frustrated with how uneventful this film is. The presence of two of the finest working actors on the planet right now can't even salvage The Revenant from. DiCaprio performance as the seemingly indestructible, revenge-thirsty fur trapper Hugh Glass is completely average. DiCaprio's dedication to showcasing the pain and suffering Glass went through without much dialogue is undeniably admirable, but it's not even close to a memorable performance, especially when you stack it up alongside his previous work. It's an absolute travesty that a performance this subpar is going to be the one that finally wins DiCaprio his long-overdue Academy Award. Hardy isn't much better as John Fitzgerald, the sleazeball Texan who kills Glass' teenage son directly in front of him. Hardy has the intensity and shadiness required to play this type of character, but his often over-the-top acting turns Fitzgerald into more of a comic book-esque villain than a human being.
2015's crop of awards bait was pretty underwhelming on the whole, but no other Best Picture nominee is anywhere close to being as poorly-written, meandering and idiotic as The Revenant is.
1.5/5 Stars
3.5/5 Stars
The Revenant: Director Alejandro G. Inarritu and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy have all described the making of The Revenant as a "hellish experience". The hell that went into making The Revenant has nothing on the hell of watching it. Don't let the presence of A-list actors and heavy doses of CGI fool you, The Revenant is a pretentious, hollow arthouse film that is completely derivative of the Terrence Malick-worshipping indie films that flood cinemas every single year during awards season. Inarritu-who also co-wrote the script with Vacancy scribe Mark L. Smith-tries to compensate for how idiotic and simple the film's story (if you've seen the trailer, you know literately every detail of the plot) is by loading up the film's 155-minute runtime with extensive, repetitive nature shots, dream sequences that seem to be lifted straight from The Tree of Life and one-dimensional characters that only speak in grunts and whispers. The natural scenery is beautifully-shot by cinematographer Emanuel Lubezki (Birdman, Gravity), but after 45 minutes or so of looking at nothing but snow-covered trees and the permanently gray skies of the frontier, the striking beauty of the setting loses its charm and you begin to become frustrated with how uneventful this film is. The presence of two of the finest working actors on the planet right now can't even salvage The Revenant from. DiCaprio performance as the seemingly indestructible, revenge-thirsty fur trapper Hugh Glass is completely average. DiCaprio's dedication to showcasing the pain and suffering Glass went through without much dialogue is undeniably admirable, but it's not even close to a memorable performance, especially when you stack it up alongside his previous work. It's an absolute travesty that a performance this subpar is going to be the one that finally wins DiCaprio his long-overdue Academy Award. Hardy isn't much better as John Fitzgerald, the sleazeball Texan who kills Glass' teenage son directly in front of him. Hardy has the intensity and shadiness required to play this type of character, but his often over-the-top acting turns Fitzgerald into more of a comic book-esque villain than a human being.
2015's crop of awards bait was pretty underwhelming on the whole, but no other Best Picture nominee is anywhere close to being as poorly-written, meandering and idiotic as The Revenant is.
1.5/5 Stars
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
The Best and Worst of Jack Black
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "Kung Fu Panda 3" star Jack Black.
Films starring Jack Black that I've seen:
Mars Attacks!
Saving Silverman
Ice Age
Orange County
School of Rock
Shark Tale
King Kong
Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny
Be Kind Rewind
Kung Fu Panda
Tropic Thunder
Year One
Kung Fu Panda 2
The Big Year
The Muppets
Sex Tape
Best Performance: Be Kind Rewind (2008)
Be Kind Rewind is one of those quirky indie films that just warms your heart and Black's performance serves as the catalyst for the film's irresistible nature. Black bring so much likability and goofball charm to his character that you can't help but smile the entire time he's on screen.
Worst Performance: King Kong (2005)
Black's first non-comedic leading role served as strong evidence as to why he should never leave his comedic comfort zone. The funnyman never seemed comfortable dealing with the serious nature of the material and as a result, turned in an awkward, forced performance that was borderline painful to watch.
Best Film: Tropic Thunder (2008)
Ben Stiller's lampooning of classic war films and the excess and pretension of Hollywood is quite possibly the most intelligent and hilarious satires to be released in the 2000's so far. The spectacular ensemble cast led by Stiller, Black and Robert Downey Jr. all display an eagerness to make fun of themselves and are more than willing to roll with every insane situation the script throws at them. This film's reliance on pitch-black humor will repulse certain audiences, but for those who aren't turned off by morbid and crass humor, Tropic Thunder is an absolute must-see.
Worst Film: King Kong (2005)
Peter Jackson's post-original Lord of the Rings resume is full of duds, but there's none bigger than his utterly pointless remake of King Kong. This film is such an overlong, lifeless bore that it makes the 2014 Godzilla reboot seem like an exhilarating thrill ride. Like the aforementioned Godzilla reboot, King Kong makes the unforgivable mistake of putting the titular monster on the back burner while the wildly uninteresting human characters drive the story. Even when Jackson decides to take a brief break from the poorly-acted and overly melodramatic dialogue scenes, the film sorely lacks the pure cinematic magic and emotional punch that made the 1933 original a classic. King Kong is a disgrace to its namesake and hopefully the long-delayed Kong: Skull Island-which set is for release in March 2017-can get this beloved series back on track.
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 "Hail, Ceaser!" star George Clooney.
Films starring Jack Black that I've seen:
Mars Attacks!
Saving Silverman
Ice Age
Orange County
School of Rock
Shark Tale
King Kong
Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny
Be Kind Rewind
Kung Fu Panda
Tropic Thunder
Year One
Kung Fu Panda 2
The Big Year
The Muppets
Sex Tape
Best Performance: Be Kind Rewind (2008)
Be Kind Rewind is one of those quirky indie films that just warms your heart and Black's performance serves as the catalyst for the film's irresistible nature. Black bring so much likability and goofball charm to his character that you can't help but smile the entire time he's on screen.
Worst Performance: King Kong (2005)
Black's first non-comedic leading role served as strong evidence as to why he should never leave his comedic comfort zone. The funnyman never seemed comfortable dealing with the serious nature of the material and as a result, turned in an awkward, forced performance that was borderline painful to watch.
Best Film: Tropic Thunder (2008)
Ben Stiller's lampooning of classic war films and the excess and pretension of Hollywood is quite possibly the most intelligent and hilarious satires to be released in the 2000's so far. The spectacular ensemble cast led by Stiller, Black and Robert Downey Jr. all display an eagerness to make fun of themselves and are more than willing to roll with every insane situation the script throws at them. This film's reliance on pitch-black humor will repulse certain audiences, but for those who aren't turned off by morbid and crass humor, Tropic Thunder is an absolute must-see.
Worst Film: King Kong (2005)
Peter Jackson's post-original Lord of the Rings resume is full of duds, but there's none bigger than his utterly pointless remake of King Kong. This film is such an overlong, lifeless bore that it makes the 2014 Godzilla reboot seem like an exhilarating thrill ride. Like the aforementioned Godzilla reboot, King Kong makes the unforgivable mistake of putting the titular monster on the back burner while the wildly uninteresting human characters drive the story. Even when Jackson decides to take a brief break from the poorly-acted and overly melodramatic dialogue scenes, the film sorely lacks the pure cinematic magic and emotional punch that made the 1933 original a classic. King Kong is a disgrace to its namesake and hopefully the long-delayed Kong: Skull Island-which set is for release in March 2017-can get this beloved series back on track.
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 "Hail, Ceaser!" star George Clooney.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
NFL Conference Championship Picks
Last week's record: 2-2 (Correct: Cardinals, Broncos Incorrect: Chiefs, Seahawks)
Overall record: 5-3
New England Patriots over Denver Broncos: The potential final installment of Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning is without question the least intriguing matchup out of the 17 times these future Hall-of-Famers have squared off since 2001. In case you've been living under a rock for the past year, Tom Terrific is still playing at a very high level at age 37 while Manning continues to look more decrepit and frail by the week. Manning's physical limitations have turned this once potent Broncos offense into one of the most ineffective units in the NFL and that inability to generate much offense will more than likely cost them another trip to the Super Bowl. The fact that Denver is one of the few places in the NFL where struggles (he's 0-2 in the playoffs and 2-6 overall at Mile High Stadium) is a completely legitimate cause for concern for the Patriots, but he won't need to be great to take out this Broncos squad. If Brady can generate two or three drives where the Patriots get the ball into the endzone, it will be enough to sink the Broncos and their porous offense. Any hope of the Broncos winning this game will lie completely on the shoulders of their top-ranked defense. The Broncos ability to get to the quarterback and force turnovers was the primary reason they were able to win 12 games this year and they're going to need step up yet again if they want to deify the odds and get to Super Bowl 50. Brady's absurdly fast release and their reluctance to run the ball/throw deep downfield makes the Patriots one of the most turnover-averse offenses in the NFL, but if anyone is capable of forcing Brady to get off his game, it's this defense. The skill of the Broncos defense should be enough to keep it close, but their inability to match the absurd offensive production of the Patriots will prevent them from making their second Super Bowl in three years.
Carolina Panthers over Arizona Cardinals: All week long I had the Cardinals locked in as my pick. I believed their more weapon-packed offense and substantially better health would push them over the edge in an almost dead-even matchup with the Panthers. However, with the massive amounts of snow that just hit the Charlotte-area and projected game-time temperature just above freezing, I believe the balance has shifted into the Panthers favor. The Cardinals have almost zero experience playing in the cold and the Panthers rush-heavy offense is much better suited for extreme weather conditions than the Cardinals field-spreading, aerial-driven attack. Their abundance of talent at just about every position on the field and the brilliance of their head Bruce Arians t-who has proven time and time again how well he handles adversity-gives the Cardinals a serious shot of going into Charlotte and winning, I just don't have enough faith in their ability to play in bad weather to give them the nod in this game.
Overall record: 5-3
New England Patriots over Denver Broncos: The potential final installment of Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning is without question the least intriguing matchup out of the 17 times these future Hall-of-Famers have squared off since 2001. In case you've been living under a rock for the past year, Tom Terrific is still playing at a very high level at age 37 while Manning continues to look more decrepit and frail by the week. Manning's physical limitations have turned this once potent Broncos offense into one of the most ineffective units in the NFL and that inability to generate much offense will more than likely cost them another trip to the Super Bowl. The fact that Denver is one of the few places in the NFL where struggles (he's 0-2 in the playoffs and 2-6 overall at Mile High Stadium) is a completely legitimate cause for concern for the Patriots, but he won't need to be great to take out this Broncos squad. If Brady can generate two or three drives where the Patriots get the ball into the endzone, it will be enough to sink the Broncos and their porous offense. Any hope of the Broncos winning this game will lie completely on the shoulders of their top-ranked defense. The Broncos ability to get to the quarterback and force turnovers was the primary reason they were able to win 12 games this year and they're going to need step up yet again if they want to deify the odds and get to Super Bowl 50. Brady's absurdly fast release and their reluctance to run the ball/throw deep downfield makes the Patriots one of the most turnover-averse offenses in the NFL, but if anyone is capable of forcing Brady to get off his game, it's this defense. The skill of the Broncos defense should be enough to keep it close, but their inability to match the absurd offensive production of the Patriots will prevent them from making their second Super Bowl in three years.
Carolina Panthers over Arizona Cardinals: All week long I had the Cardinals locked in as my pick. I believed their more weapon-packed offense and substantially better health would push them over the edge in an almost dead-even matchup with the Panthers. However, with the massive amounts of snow that just hit the Charlotte-area and projected game-time temperature just above freezing, I believe the balance has shifted into the Panthers favor. The Cardinals have almost zero experience playing in the cold and the Panthers rush-heavy offense is much better suited for extreme weather conditions than the Cardinals field-spreading, aerial-driven attack. Their abundance of talent at just about every position on the field and the brilliance of their head Bruce Arians t-who has proven time and time again how well he handles adversity-gives the Cardinals a serious shot of going into Charlotte and winning, I just don't have enough faith in their ability to play in bad weather to give them the nod in this game.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
The Best and Worst of Robert De Niro
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "Dirty Grandpa" star Robert De Niro.
Films starring Robert De Niro that I've seen:
Taxi Driver
Goodfellas
Guilty by Suspicion
Jackie Brown
Analyze This
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
Meet the Parents
Analyze That
Shark Tale
Meet the Fockers
Stardust
Righteous Kill
Machete
Little Fockers
Limitless
Killer Elite
New Year's Eve
Silver Linings Playbook
Last Vegas
American Hustle
Grudge Match
Joy
Best Performance: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
As you can deduct from reading the list above, my uncultured ass hasn't seen a large number of De Niro's iconic movies. Based on the small chunk of De Niro's vast filmography that I have seen, I can say without hesitation that my favorite performance of his came in David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook. De Niro combined the comedic skills he's honed over the past two decades with the commanding screen presence of his early roles to give an unforgettable performance in one of the finest films of the past decade.
Worst Performance: Stardust (2007)
Even the all-time greats stumble every once in a while. De Niro's turn as a feared pirate who's not nearly as menacing as he appears to be in this crackpot fairy tale can only be described as laughable. The character of Captain Shakespeare is a poorly-conceived attempt to provide comic relief in a (mostly) serious movie, but De Niro's ridiculously over-the-top performance makes the character even more grating than he should be.
Best Film: Goodfellas (1990)
Martin Scorsese's status as one of the greatest directors of all-time can largely be attributed to his work in the crime genre. Of the nine crime movies Scorsese has made over his decorated career, practically none of them can match the genius of Goodfellas. Goodfellas has a level of energy, grit and technical brilliance on both sides of the camera that hasn't been seen in any other organized crime film not named The Godfather and barring a cinematic miracle, will never be seen ever again.
Worst Film: Shark Tale (2004)
When you despise a film as a child or preteen, that film has to really suck. I saw Shark Tale in theaters when I was 12 and it remains one of the most miserable experiences I've ever had in a movie theater to this day. How the filmmakers were able to get De Niro, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black and a number of other talented actors to lend their voices to such a stupid, unfunny and visually-ugly movie is beyond me.
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 "Kung Fu Panda 3" star Jack Black.
Films starring Robert De Niro that I've seen:
Taxi Driver
Goodfellas
Guilty by Suspicion
Jackie Brown
Analyze This
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
Meet the Parents
Analyze That
Shark Tale
Meet the Fockers
Stardust
Righteous Kill
Machete
Little Fockers
Limitless
Killer Elite
New Year's Eve
Silver Linings Playbook
Last Vegas
American Hustle
Grudge Match
Joy
Best Performance: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
As you can deduct from reading the list above, my uncultured ass hasn't seen a large number of De Niro's iconic movies. Based on the small chunk of De Niro's vast filmography that I have seen, I can say without hesitation that my favorite performance of his came in David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook. De Niro combined the comedic skills he's honed over the past two decades with the commanding screen presence of his early roles to give an unforgettable performance in one of the finest films of the past decade.
Worst Performance: Stardust (2007)
Even the all-time greats stumble every once in a while. De Niro's turn as a feared pirate who's not nearly as menacing as he appears to be in this crackpot fairy tale can only be described as laughable. The character of Captain Shakespeare is a poorly-conceived attempt to provide comic relief in a (mostly) serious movie, but De Niro's ridiculously over-the-top performance makes the character even more grating than he should be.
Best Film: Goodfellas (1990)
Martin Scorsese's status as one of the greatest directors of all-time can largely be attributed to his work in the crime genre. Of the nine crime movies Scorsese has made over his decorated career, practically none of them can match the genius of Goodfellas. Goodfellas has a level of energy, grit and technical brilliance on both sides of the camera that hasn't been seen in any other organized crime film not named The Godfather and barring a cinematic miracle, will never be seen ever again.
Worst Film: Shark Tale (2004)
When you despise a film as a child or preteen, that film has to really suck. I saw Shark Tale in theaters when I was 12 and it remains one of the most miserable experiences I've ever had in a movie theater to this day. How the filmmakers were able to get De Niro, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black and a number of other talented actors to lend their voices to such a stupid, unfunny and visually-ugly movie is beyond me.
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 "Kung Fu Panda 3" star Jack Black.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
10 Best Films of 2015
Just Missed the Cut:
Ex Machina
Sicario
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Steve Jobs
10.Kingsman: The Secret Service: In 2010, director Matthew Vaughn delivered an over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek take on the superhero genre with Kick-Ass. Five years later, he gives the same treatment to the spy genre with Kingsman: The Secret Service. Vaughn's flare for inventive and relentlessly brutal action sequences combined with a cast that embraces every ounce of insanity the film offers up makes Kingsman a slice of badass B-action movie perfection.
9.Concussion: There was no shortage of films in 2015 that tackled timely issues, but none did so more effectively than Peter Landesman's Concussion. Driven by a career-best performance from Will Smith as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the Nigerian-born pathologist who discovered CTE after handling the autopsy's of multiple retired professional football players and an intelligent script that doesn't portray the NFL and their handling of the concussion issue in anywhere close to a favorable light, Concussion is a thought-provoking film that should get people to consider the humanity of the seemingly indestructible warriors that take the field every Sunday.
8.The Night Before: Seth Rogen and his merry band of bong-ripping cohorts struck comedic yet again with The Night Before. The blend of consistent laughs and surprising emotional depth makes The Night Before the first true holiday classic of the new millennium.
7.Trainwreck: Amy Schumer's transformation from stand-up juggernaut to movie star is finally complete. Schumer shines as both an actress and a writer in this clever, honest and frequently hilarious deconstruction of the schmaltzy romantic comedies Hollywood has offered up for generations. With its heavily flawed characters and themes of fear of commitment and becoming emotionally-attached to another person , Trainwreck is the rare romantic comedy that fully understands how people in their 20's and 30's view relationships in the present day.
6.Creed: What could've easily been a cheap attempt to cash-in on the Rocky name turned out to be the best film in the franchise since the 1976 original. Writer/director Ryan Coogler proved that his masterful debut Fruitvale Station wasn't a fluke by crafting an engrossing, poignant film that honors the legacy of Sylvester Stallone's original franchise while also forging its own unique path with a new set of well-developed and deeply likable characters that you want to see come out on top.
5.Furious 7: The late Paul Walker's swan song couldn't have possibly come in a better or more fitting film. The seventh installment of the long-running franchise that Walker helped build is further proof as to why this series has been the gold standard for action movies since its inception in 2001. The tone is appropriately light, the stunts are consistently exhilarating and the entire cast oozes charisma. In an age where blockbusters are becoming gritter by the day, we need more unabashedly silly, endlessly fun films like Furious 7.
4.Dope: After numerous unsuccessful jaunts into the romantic comedy genre, writer/director Rick Famuyiwa (The Wood) has returned to his roots with the brilliant Dope. Famuiywa's coming-of-age story about three geeky high school seniors (Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, who all give starmaking performances) in Inglewood, California whose lives are turned upside down after they inadvertently inherit a large shipment of molly is the kind of unpredictable and colorful comedy you just don't see come out of Hollywood anymore. The nature of its premise and its oddball sense of humor will turn off certain audiences, but for those who aren't against offbeat comedies with unconventional storylines, Dope is a highly rewarding and tremendously entertaining ride.
3.The Hateful Eight: Quentin Tarantino's third consecutive foray into the western genre is yet another twisted, flawlessly-acted masterpiece from the celebrated director. While it's much more deliberately-paced and claustrophobic than his previous films, The Hateful Eight is still a vintage Tarantino flick loaded with the type of clever dialogue, over-the-top violence and eccentric, fascinating characters that only he can offer up.
2.Room: Out of all of the 2015 Best Picture nominees that I've seen, Room is far and away the best. The story is remarkably powerful and the the acting from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay is simply outstanding. Hopefully the slew of Academy Award nominations it received last week will allow this criminally underseen film to find the mass audience it deserves.
1.Straight Outta Compton: Most Hollywood-produced biopics are more concerned with exploring the "greatest hits" of their subjects than actually providing any insight on who the people behind the impressive and/or notorious accomplishments truly are. The N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton is not one of those films. Straight Outta Compton is a raw, spellbinding glance into the psyches and hearts of the three leading members (Eazy-E, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube) of the legendary hip-hop group that took over the music world in the late 1980's. The film covers a ton of ground in its 150-minute runtime without ever feeling rushed or sacrificing meaningful character development and the acting from newcomers Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins and O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the leading roles is nothing short of staggering. Straight Outta Compton epitomizes a full-scale cinematic triumph and sets the bar incredibly high for all future biopics.
Ex Machina
Sicario
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Steve Jobs
10.Kingsman: The Secret Service: In 2010, director Matthew Vaughn delivered an over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek take on the superhero genre with Kick-Ass. Five years later, he gives the same treatment to the spy genre with Kingsman: The Secret Service. Vaughn's flare for inventive and relentlessly brutal action sequences combined with a cast that embraces every ounce of insanity the film offers up makes Kingsman a slice of badass B-action movie perfection.
9.Concussion: There was no shortage of films in 2015 that tackled timely issues, but none did so more effectively than Peter Landesman's Concussion. Driven by a career-best performance from Will Smith as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the Nigerian-born pathologist who discovered CTE after handling the autopsy's of multiple retired professional football players and an intelligent script that doesn't portray the NFL and their handling of the concussion issue in anywhere close to a favorable light, Concussion is a thought-provoking film that should get people to consider the humanity of the seemingly indestructible warriors that take the field every Sunday.
8.The Night Before: Seth Rogen and his merry band of bong-ripping cohorts struck comedic yet again with The Night Before. The blend of consistent laughs and surprising emotional depth makes The Night Before the first true holiday classic of the new millennium.
7.Trainwreck: Amy Schumer's transformation from stand-up juggernaut to movie star is finally complete. Schumer shines as both an actress and a writer in this clever, honest and frequently hilarious deconstruction of the schmaltzy romantic comedies Hollywood has offered up for generations. With its heavily flawed characters and themes of fear of commitment and becoming emotionally-attached to another person , Trainwreck is the rare romantic comedy that fully understands how people in their 20's and 30's view relationships in the present day.
6.Creed: What could've easily been a cheap attempt to cash-in on the Rocky name turned out to be the best film in the franchise since the 1976 original. Writer/director Ryan Coogler proved that his masterful debut Fruitvale Station wasn't a fluke by crafting an engrossing, poignant film that honors the legacy of Sylvester Stallone's original franchise while also forging its own unique path with a new set of well-developed and deeply likable characters that you want to see come out on top.
5.Furious 7: The late Paul Walker's swan song couldn't have possibly come in a better or more fitting film. The seventh installment of the long-running franchise that Walker helped build is further proof as to why this series has been the gold standard for action movies since its inception in 2001. The tone is appropriately light, the stunts are consistently exhilarating and the entire cast oozes charisma. In an age where blockbusters are becoming gritter by the day, we need more unabashedly silly, endlessly fun films like Furious 7.
4.Dope: After numerous unsuccessful jaunts into the romantic comedy genre, writer/director Rick Famuyiwa (The Wood) has returned to his roots with the brilliant Dope. Famuiywa's coming-of-age story about three geeky high school seniors (Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, who all give starmaking performances) in Inglewood, California whose lives are turned upside down after they inadvertently inherit a large shipment of molly is the kind of unpredictable and colorful comedy you just don't see come out of Hollywood anymore. The nature of its premise and its oddball sense of humor will turn off certain audiences, but for those who aren't against offbeat comedies with unconventional storylines, Dope is a highly rewarding and tremendously entertaining ride.
3.The Hateful Eight: Quentin Tarantino's third consecutive foray into the western genre is yet another twisted, flawlessly-acted masterpiece from the celebrated director. While it's much more deliberately-paced and claustrophobic than his previous films, The Hateful Eight is still a vintage Tarantino flick loaded with the type of clever dialogue, over-the-top violence and eccentric, fascinating characters that only he can offer up.
2.Room: Out of all of the 2015 Best Picture nominees that I've seen, Room is far and away the best. The story is remarkably powerful and the the acting from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay is simply outstanding. Hopefully the slew of Academy Award nominations it received last week will allow this criminally underseen film to find the mass audience it deserves.
1.Straight Outta Compton: Most Hollywood-produced biopics are more concerned with exploring the "greatest hits" of their subjects than actually providing any insight on who the people behind the impressive and/or notorious accomplishments truly are. The N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton is not one of those films. Straight Outta Compton is a raw, spellbinding glance into the psyches and hearts of the three leading members (Eazy-E, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube) of the legendary hip-hop group that took over the music world in the late 1980's. The film covers a ton of ground in its 150-minute runtime without ever feeling rushed or sacrificing meaningful character development and the acting from newcomers Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins and O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the leading roles is nothing short of staggering. Straight Outta Compton epitomizes a full-scale cinematic triumph and sets the bar incredibly high for all future biopics.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
2015 in a Film: A Year in Review
Now that we're a few weeks into the new year, it's time to reflect on the year in film that was 2015. While it was far from a bad year on the whole, I can't recall another year that has featured more overhyped movies than 2015. Every single genre and niche from action (Mad Max: Fury Road) to horror (It Follows) to animation (Inside Out) to award-contending dramas (The Revenant) had at least one film that just could not live up to the monumental waves of hype surrounding them. On the positive side, I'll always remember 2015 as the year of the comeback. A number of struggling talents including Ridley Scott, Will Smith and Johnny Depp all got their respective grooves back with their latest projects after years of turning in performances and/or releasing films that were far below their artistic capabilities. Below is the complete list of films I saw in 2015, ranked from worst to
best with star ratings; as well as my selections for the
year's best performances, biggest surprises/letdowns, etc. It should be
noted that this list is tentative and has the potential to change dramatically once I
see all the films I have an interest in seeing from 2015 (those films are also listed below). Hope you enjoy and feel free to
leave your picks for the best/worst films of 2015 and/or any feedback on
this list in the comment section below!
95.Jupiter Ascending (0/5)
94.Tomorrowland (1/5)
95.Jupiter Ascending (0/5)
94.Tomorrowland (1/5)
93.Cop Car (1/5)
92.Aloha (1/5)
91.The Voices (1.5/5)
90.The Cobbler (1.5/5)
89.It Follows (1.5/5)
88.Big Game (1.5/5)
87.The Final Girls (1.5/5)
86.Knock Knock (1.5/5)
85.The Revenant (1.5/5)
85.The Revenant (1.5/5)
84.San Andreas (2/5)
83.Slow West (2/5)
82.The Boy Next Door (2/5)
81.Maps to the Stars (2/5)
80.Fifty Shades of Grey (2/5)
80.Fifty Shades of Grey (2/5)
79.The Gunman (2/5)
78.Mad Max: Fury Road (2/5)
77.Mortdecai (2.5/5)
76.Love & Mercy (2.5/5)
75.Inside Out (2.5/5)
74.Self/Less (2.5/5)
73.The Overnight (2.5/5)
72.Welcome to Me (2.5/5)
71.Chappie (2.5/5)
70.Shaun the Sheep Movie (3/5)
69.Spectre (3/5)
68.Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (3/5)
67.Wild Card (3/5)
66.Avengers: Age of Ultron (3/5)
65.Infinitely Polar Bear (3/5)
65.Infinitely Polar Bear (3/5)
64.The Walk (3/5)
63.No Escape (3/5)
62.The Visit (3/5)
62.The Visit (3/5)
61.Adult Beginners (3/5)
60.Maggie (3/5)
59.Unfinished Business (3/5)
58.The Forger (3/5)
58.The Forger (3/5)
57.Southpaw (3/5)
56.Terminator Genisys (3/5)
55.What We Do in the Shadows (3/5)
54.Get Hard (3/5)
53.Pixels (3/5)
52.Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation (3.5/5)
51.Paper Towns (3.5/5)
50.Run All Night (3.5/5)
49.Project Almanac (3.5/5)
48.Black Mass (3.5/5)
48.Black Mass (3.5/5)
47.Jurassic World (3.5/5)
46.The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of
Water (3.5/5)
45.The Big Short (3.5/5)
44.Ant-Man (3.5/5)
43.Red Army (3.5/5)
42.The Green Inferno (3.5/5)
41.Daddy's Home (3.5/5)
40.The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (3.5/5)
39.Sisters (3.5/5)
38.The Gift (3.5/5)
37.The Stanford Prison Experiment (3.5/5)
36.Vacation (3.5/5)
35.Crimson Peak (3.5/5)
34.The DUFF (3.5/5)
33.True Story (3.5/5)
32.Spy (3.5/5)
31.Insurgent (3.5/5)
30.Danny Collins (3.5/5)
29.Ted 2 (4/5)
28.The End of the Tour (4/5)
27.Entourage (4/5)
26.Joy (4/5)
25.American Ultra (4/5)
24.The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part II (4/5)
23.McFarland, USA (4/5)
22.Pitch Perfect 2 (4/5)
21.The Martian (4/5)
21.The Martian (4/5)
20.Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (4/5)
19.Beasts of No Nation (4/5)
18.Sleeping with Other People (4/5)
17.Focus (4/5)
16.The Wedding Ringer (4/5)
15.Spotlight (4/5)
14.Star Wars: The Force Awakens (4/5)
13.Steve Jobs (4/5)
12.Sicario (4/5)
11.Ex Machina (4/5)
10.Kingsman: The Secret Service (4/5)
9.Concussion (4/5)
8.The Night Before (4.5/5)
7.Trainwreck (4.5/5)
6.Creed (4.5/5)
6.Creed (4.5/5)
5.Furious 7 (4.5/5)
4.Dope (4.5/5)
3.The Hateful Eight (4.5/5)
2.Room (4.5/5)
1.Straight Outta Compton (4.5/5)
Still Need to See:
Blackhat
Black Sea
Black or White
'71
The Salvation
Cut Bank
Child 44
Misery Loves Comedy
The Water Diviner
Skin Trade
Good Kill
Poltergeist
The Wolfpack
Amy
Cartel Land
Irrational Man
Nowitzki: The Perfect Shot
Mr. Holmes
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Fantastic Four
Dark Places
Grandma
Hitman: Agent 47
Sinister 2
The Transporter: Refueled
A Walk in the Woods
Everest
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Pawn Sacrifice
99 Homes
The Intern
Mississippi Grind
Bone Tomahawk
Bridge of Spies
Goosebumps
The Last Witch Hunter
I Smile Back
Rock the Kasbah
Burnt
Freaks of Nature
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Our Brand is Crisis
Truth
Brooklyn
Trumbo
Miss You Already
By the Sea
The 33
Secret in their Eyes
Carol
Legend
Victor Frankenstein
The Danish Girl
Chi-Raq
Krampus
In the Heart of the Sea
Point Break
Year-End Award Picks:
Best Picture: Straight Outta Compton
Best Actor: Jason Mitchell, Straight Outta Compton
Best Actress: Brie Larson, Room
Best Supporting Actor: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Best Director: Danny Boyle, Steve Jobs
Best Original Screenplay: Andrea Berloff and Jonathan Herman, Straight Outta Compton
Best Adapted Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, Room
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, Sicario
Best Score: Ennio Moricone, The Hateful Eight
Best Visual Effects: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Biggest Surprises:
1.The Wedding Ringer
2.Sleeping with Other People
3.Pitch Perfect 2
4.McFarland, USA
5.Danny Collins
Biggest Disappointments
1.Black Mass
2.Avengers: Age of Ultron
3.Chappie
4.Hot Tub Time Machine 2
5.Southpaw
Most Underrated
1.Dope
2.Concussion
3.Focus
4.Sleeping with Other People
5.American Ultra
Most Overrated
1.The Revenant
2.Mad Max: Fury Road
3.Inside Out
4.Love & Mercy
5.Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation
Top 10 Performances of the Year
1.Brie Larson, Room
2.Jason Mitchell, Straight Outta Compton
3.Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
4.Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
5.Walton Goggins, The Hateful Eight
6.Sylvester Stallone, Creed
7.Will Smith, Concussion
8.Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
9.Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
10.Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Top 10 Breakthrough Performances
1.Jason Mitchell, Straight Outta Compton
2.Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
3.Jacob Tremblay, Room
4.RJ Cyler, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
5.Corey Hawkins, Straight Outta Compton
6.Shameik Moore, Dope
7.Kiersey Clemons, Dope
8.O' Shea Jackson Jr., Straight Outta Compton
9.Taron Edgerton, Kingsman: The Secret Service
10.Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Top 10 Casts
1.Straight Outta Compton
2.Trainwreck
3.Dope
4.The Hateful Eight
5.Sleeping with Other People
6.Room
7.The Night Before
8.Steve Jobs
9.Furious 7
10.Kingsman: The Secret Service
Monday, January 18, 2016
10 Most Anticipated Albums of Winter/Spring 2016
10.Toothgrinder-Nocturnal Masquerade (Release Date: January 29th)
9.Rob Zombie-The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispensary (Release Date: April 29th)
8.Amon Amarth-Jomsviking (Release Date: March 25th)
7.Textures-Phenotype (Release Date: February 5th)
6.After the Burial-Dig Deep (Release Date: February 19th)
5.Hatebreed-The Concrete Confessional (Release Date: TBD March/April)
4.Deftones-Gore (Release Date: April 8th)
3.Kanye West-Swish (Release Date: February 12th)
2.Obscura-Akroasis (Released Date: February 5th)
1.Killswitch Engage-Incarnate (Release Date: March 11th)
Also excited for:
Fleshgod Apocalypse-King (Release Date: February 5th)
Anthrax-For All Kings (Release Date: February 26th)
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-The Unruly Mess I've Made (Release Date: February 26th)
Flatbush Zombies-3001: A Laced Odyssey (Release Date: March 11th)
The Zenith Passage-Solipsist (Release date: April 15th)
A$AP Ferg-Always Strive and Prosper (Release Date: TBD)
Rae Sremmurd-SremmLife2 (Release Date: TBD)
Riff Raff-Peach Panther (Release Date: TBD Spring)
Waka Flocka Flame-Flockaveli 2 (Release Date: TBD Spring)
9.Rob Zombie-The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispensary (Release Date: April 29th)
8.Amon Amarth-Jomsviking (Release Date: March 25th)
7.Textures-Phenotype (Release Date: February 5th)
6.After the Burial-Dig Deep (Release Date: February 19th)
5.Hatebreed-The Concrete Confessional (Release Date: TBD March/April)
4.Deftones-Gore (Release Date: April 8th)
3.Kanye West-Swish (Release Date: February 12th)
2.Obscura-Akroasis (Released Date: February 5th)
1.Killswitch Engage-Incarnate (Release Date: March 11th)
Also excited for:
Fleshgod Apocalypse-King (Release Date: February 5th)
Anthrax-For All Kings (Release Date: February 26th)
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-The Unruly Mess I've Made (Release Date: February 26th)
Flatbush Zombies-3001: A Laced Odyssey (Release Date: March 11th)
The Zenith Passage-Solipsist (Release date: April 15th)
A$AP Ferg-Always Strive and Prosper (Release Date: TBD)
Rae Sremmurd-SremmLife2 (Release Date: TBD)
Riff Raff-Peach Panther (Release Date: TBD Spring)
Waka Flocka Flame-Flockaveli 2 (Release Date: TBD Spring)
Saturday, January 16, 2016
NFL Divisional Round Picks
Last week's record: 3-1 (Correct: Chiefs, Steelers, Seahawks Incorrect: Redskins)
Overall playoff record: 3-1
Kansas City Chiefs over New England Patriots: I'm well aware that this is a very controversial pick and to be honest, it's easily the pick I'm least confident in for the entire divisional round given the Patriots' absurd playoff success over the past 15 years and my terrible record of picking against them since their last playoff loss in the 2013 AFC Championship game against the Broncos. That being said, I'm just not sold on the Patriots as a viable contender right now. They've played some of their worst football in the Bill Belichick-era over the last month and a half and even with a pair of high-impact players in Julian Edelman and Don'ta Hightower set to return from injury this week, I'm not convinced the week of rest will do much to fix their recent woes. They are still far from 100% health wise with the condition of Rob Gronkowski seemingly to only deteriorate further in the past week, their offensive line is still incredibly shaky and the whole Chandler Jones situation is cause for a concern for a team that pretty much never has to deal with internal crisis. The unusual sense of instability and question marks facing this Patriots squad makes the Chiefs the worst possible opponent for them to be facing right now. The Chiefs have been playing with their backs against the wall since mid-October (they've won 11 straight games after starting the season 1-5) and that sense of urgency makes them a really tough team to beat right now. The game-time decisions designations given to star wideout Jeremy Maclin and outside linebacker Justin Houston is certainly a big blow, but the Chiefs' strong running game and sheer amount of defensive firepower should be enough to keep them in the game regardless of whether or not Maclin and Houston are able to play. If this game somehow turns into a offensive shootout, the Patriots will be end up being victorious, but if the Chiefs talented defense buckles down and keeps Tom Brady's big play total to a minimum, they should be able to pull off a shocking road victory against the defending Super Bowl Champs.
Arizona Cardinals over Green Bay Packers: The Packers showed their first signs of life in over a month with their 35-18 victory over the Redskins last weekend. While the Packers certainly appear to be back on track after a rough finish to the season, I still don't think they'll be able to take out a Cardinals squad that is far more talented than they are on both sides of the ball. The Cardinals decimated the Packers 38-8 just three weeks ago plus they should be hungry to prove they're still serious Super Bowl contenders after getting embarrassed by the Seahawks at home in the regular season finale. Barring an epic meltdown from the Cardinals, I just don't see a way that the Packers can come with a victory here.
Seattle Seahawks over Carolina Panthers: Don't get it twisted, I don't think the Carolina Panthers 15-1 season is a fluke. They've been phenomenal on both sides of the ball and proved their critics wrong at just about every possible juncture all season long. The problem is that they have the misfortune of playing the one team still alive in the NFC that matches up very well against them. The Seahawks defense has the speed, physicality and front-seven talent to stop the Panthers rush-first attack, take their star tight end (and one consistent option in the passing) Greg Olsen out of the game and force Cam Newton to make contested, difficult throws from the pocket. If you stop the Panthers from running the ball effectively and prevent Olsen from being a factor, their odds of winning rapidly diminish. It also doesn't help that this is a much different Seahawks team than the one Panthers pulled off a spectacular late-game comeback against in Week 6. The Seahawks have overcame their early-season struggles (they are 9-2 since that loss to the Panthers with both of their losses coming against divisional opponents) by re-gaining their edge on defense and becoming a seriously formidable offense behind career-best play from quarterback Russell Wilson and wide receiver Doug Baldwin. The Seahawks suddenly potent offense hit a bit of a snag last week against the Vikings in subarctic conditions, but the lack of extreme weather in this game paired with the return of running back Marshawn Lynch to the lineup after missing the past two months with an abdominal injury leads me to believe they'll get back on track this week, especially against a Panthers defense that has struggled of late (excluding their Week 14 shutout of the Falcons, they've allowed an average of 25.8 points in their last five games.) I fully expect this game to be a highly competitive battle, I just don't think the Panthers are quite capable of defeating the Seahawks at this point in time.
Denver Broncos over Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers paid a big price in their miraculous last-second victory over the Bengals last week. Wide receiver Antonio Brown sustained a concussion on the game-winning drive after taking a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit from Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sprained the AC joint in his throwing shoulder after landing awkwardly on a clean hit by Burfict in the 3rd quarter. With Brown and running back DeAngelo Williams-who also missed last week's contest with a high ankle sprain- already ruled out and Roethlisberger playing with an injury that limits his ability to throw the ball downfield, The Steelers are pretty much doomed for their divisional round contest against the Broncos. The Broncos top-ranked pass defense is hard enough for most healthy teams to throw on and with a game-breaking, elite receiver in Brown sidelined and a banged-up Roethlisberger under center, it's going to take a series of major miracles for the Steelers to pick up significant yards through the air. The absence of Williams also prevents the Steelers from being able to make for their sudden shortcomings in the passing game with a consistent rushing attack. Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman exceeded expectations a week ago against the Bengals a week ago, but the Broncos have a much more stout rushing defense than the Bengals and are bound to be prepared for the heavy dose of running The Steelers are going to be forced to do with Roethlisberger's limitations in the passing game. Unless Peyton Manning turns the ball over like crazy or the Steelers offense miraculously overachieves, the Broncos should be able to ride the strength of their defense to a victory.
Overall playoff record: 3-1
Kansas City Chiefs over New England Patriots: I'm well aware that this is a very controversial pick and to be honest, it's easily the pick I'm least confident in for the entire divisional round given the Patriots' absurd playoff success over the past 15 years and my terrible record of picking against them since their last playoff loss in the 2013 AFC Championship game against the Broncos. That being said, I'm just not sold on the Patriots as a viable contender right now. They've played some of their worst football in the Bill Belichick-era over the last month and a half and even with a pair of high-impact players in Julian Edelman and Don'ta Hightower set to return from injury this week, I'm not convinced the week of rest will do much to fix their recent woes. They are still far from 100% health wise with the condition of Rob Gronkowski seemingly to only deteriorate further in the past week, their offensive line is still incredibly shaky and the whole Chandler Jones situation is cause for a concern for a team that pretty much never has to deal with internal crisis. The unusual sense of instability and question marks facing this Patriots squad makes the Chiefs the worst possible opponent for them to be facing right now. The Chiefs have been playing with their backs against the wall since mid-October (they've won 11 straight games after starting the season 1-5) and that sense of urgency makes them a really tough team to beat right now. The game-time decisions designations given to star wideout Jeremy Maclin and outside linebacker Justin Houston is certainly a big blow, but the Chiefs' strong running game and sheer amount of defensive firepower should be enough to keep them in the game regardless of whether or not Maclin and Houston are able to play. If this game somehow turns into a offensive shootout, the Patriots will be end up being victorious, but if the Chiefs talented defense buckles down and keeps Tom Brady's big play total to a minimum, they should be able to pull off a shocking road victory against the defending Super Bowl Champs.
Arizona Cardinals over Green Bay Packers: The Packers showed their first signs of life in over a month with their 35-18 victory over the Redskins last weekend. While the Packers certainly appear to be back on track after a rough finish to the season, I still don't think they'll be able to take out a Cardinals squad that is far more talented than they are on both sides of the ball. The Cardinals decimated the Packers 38-8 just three weeks ago plus they should be hungry to prove they're still serious Super Bowl contenders after getting embarrassed by the Seahawks at home in the regular season finale. Barring an epic meltdown from the Cardinals, I just don't see a way that the Packers can come with a victory here.
Seattle Seahawks over Carolina Panthers: Don't get it twisted, I don't think the Carolina Panthers 15-1 season is a fluke. They've been phenomenal on both sides of the ball and proved their critics wrong at just about every possible juncture all season long. The problem is that they have the misfortune of playing the one team still alive in the NFC that matches up very well against them. The Seahawks defense has the speed, physicality and front-seven talent to stop the Panthers rush-first attack, take their star tight end (and one consistent option in the passing) Greg Olsen out of the game and force Cam Newton to make contested, difficult throws from the pocket. If you stop the Panthers from running the ball effectively and prevent Olsen from being a factor, their odds of winning rapidly diminish. It also doesn't help that this is a much different Seahawks team than the one Panthers pulled off a spectacular late-game comeback against in Week 6. The Seahawks have overcame their early-season struggles (they are 9-2 since that loss to the Panthers with both of their losses coming against divisional opponents) by re-gaining their edge on defense and becoming a seriously formidable offense behind career-best play from quarterback Russell Wilson and wide receiver Doug Baldwin. The Seahawks suddenly potent offense hit a bit of a snag last week against the Vikings in subarctic conditions, but the lack of extreme weather in this game paired with the return of running back Marshawn Lynch to the lineup after missing the past two months with an abdominal injury leads me to believe they'll get back on track this week, especially against a Panthers defense that has struggled of late (excluding their Week 14 shutout of the Falcons, they've allowed an average of 25.8 points in their last five games.) I fully expect this game to be a highly competitive battle, I just don't think the Panthers are quite capable of defeating the Seahawks at this point in time.
Denver Broncos over Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers paid a big price in their miraculous last-second victory over the Bengals last week. Wide receiver Antonio Brown sustained a concussion on the game-winning drive after taking a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit from Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sprained the AC joint in his throwing shoulder after landing awkwardly on a clean hit by Burfict in the 3rd quarter. With Brown and running back DeAngelo Williams-who also missed last week's contest with a high ankle sprain- already ruled out and Roethlisberger playing with an injury that limits his ability to throw the ball downfield, The Steelers are pretty much doomed for their divisional round contest against the Broncos. The Broncos top-ranked pass defense is hard enough for most healthy teams to throw on and with a game-breaking, elite receiver in Brown sidelined and a banged-up Roethlisberger under center, it's going to take a series of major miracles for the Steelers to pick up significant yards through the air. The absence of Williams also prevents the Steelers from being able to make for their sudden shortcomings in the passing game with a consistent rushing attack. Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman exceeded expectations a week ago against the Bengals a week ago, but the Broncos have a much more stout rushing defense than the Bengals and are bound to be prepared for the heavy dose of running The Steelers are going to be forced to do with Roethlisberger's limitations in the passing game. Unless Peyton Manning turns the ball over like crazy or the Steelers offense miraculously overachieves, the Broncos should be able to ride the strength of their defense to a victory.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Top 25 Hip-Hop Beats of 2015
After weeks of over-analysis and tweaks, the moment has finally come for me to reveal my picks for the top 25 hip-hop beats of 2015. A list of all the hip-hop releases I heard this year plus links to the beats can be found below. Enjoy!
2015 hip-hop albums/mixtapes/EP's I heard:
A$AP Rocky-At.Long.Last.A$AP
Action Bronson-Mr. Wonderful
Big K.R.I.T.-It's Better This Way
Big Sean-Dark Sky Paradise
CZARFACE-Every Hero Needs a Villain
Drake-If You're Reading, It's Not Too Late
Drake & Future-What a Time to Be Alive
Earl Sweatshirt-I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside
Fetty Wap-Fetty Wap
Freddie Gibbs-Pronto
Freddie Gibbs-Shadow of a Doubt
Future-56 Nights
Future-DS2
Gucci Mane-King Gucci
Jay Rock-90059
Joey Bada$$-B4.Da.$$
Juicy J-100% Juice
Juicy J-Blue Dream & Lean 2
Juicy J-O's to Oscars
Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp a Butterfly
Lil B x Chance the Rapper-Based Freestyle Mixtape
Logic-The Incredible True Story
Mac Miller-GO:OD AM
Meek Mill-Dreams Worth More Than Money
Migos-Back to the Bando
Migos-Yung Rich Nation
Pusha T-King Push-Prelude: Darkest Before Dawn
Rae Sremmurd-SremmLife
Riff Raff-Trench Coat Towers
Travi$ Scott-Rodeo
Tyler, the Creator-Cherry Bomb
Vince Staples-Summertime '06
Waka Flocka Flame-Flockaveli 1.5
2015 hip-hop albums/mixtapes/EP's I heard:
A$AP Rocky-At.Long.Last.A$AP
Action Bronson-Mr. Wonderful
Big K.R.I.T.-It's Better This Way
Big Sean-Dark Sky Paradise
CZARFACE-Every Hero Needs a Villain
Drake-If You're Reading, It's Not Too Late
Drake & Future-What a Time to Be Alive
Earl Sweatshirt-I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside
Fetty Wap-Fetty Wap
Freddie Gibbs-Pronto
Freddie Gibbs-Shadow of a Doubt
Future-56 Nights
Future-DS2
Gucci Mane-King Gucci
Jay Rock-90059
Joey Bada$$-B4.Da.$$
Juicy J-100% Juice
Juicy J-Blue Dream & Lean 2
Juicy J-O's to Oscars
Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp a Butterfly
Lil B x Chance the Rapper-Based Freestyle Mixtape
Logic-The Incredible True Story
Mac Miller-GO:OD AM
Meek Mill-Dreams Worth More Than Money
Migos-Back to the Bando
Migos-Yung Rich Nation
Pusha T-King Push-Prelude: Darkest Before Dawn
Rae Sremmurd-SremmLife
Riff Raff-Trench Coat Towers
Travi$ Scott-Rodeo
Tyler, the Creator-Cherry Bomb
Vince Staples-Summertime '06
Waka Flocka Flame-Flockaveli 1.5
25.Waka Flocka Flame-Hit a Lick (Producer:
YK) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDwc8sq3fak
24.Migos-Pipe It Up (Producer: Murda
Beatz) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5FrnE75m9I
23.Drake-6 God (Producers: Boi-1da and Syk
Sense) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZcNacuLSGQ
22.Vince Staples-Norf Norf (Producer:
Clams Casino) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HigAB8WeS1Q
21.Action Bronson-The Rising (Producer:
Statik Skeletah) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACHDrNdF9x0
20.Kendrick Lamar-Alright (Producers:
Pharrell Williams and Sounwave) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z938ya2fbPo
19.CZARFACE-Lumberjack Match (Producers: 7L and Spada4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKwJuzbzKuM
18.A$AP Rocky-Better Things (Producer:
Frans Mernick) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__s9ZfV_NaI
17.Mac Miller-When in Rome (Producers: ID
Labs and Sledgren) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8JyQmrBMl0
16.Action Bronson-Actin' Crazy (Producers:
Noah “40” Shebib and Sidney “Omen” Brown) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFF1s4jcMbc
15.Drake & Future-Digital Dash
(Producers: Metro Boomin and Southside) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6KWAN6pQmk
14.Mac Miller-Rush Hour (Producer: ID
Labs) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpqowTNgUp8
13.A$AP Rocky-LPFJ2 (Producer: Nez &
Rio) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxEacYE3hVg
12.Pusha T-Retribution (Producers:
Timbaland and Deafh Beats) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpyPYLDfjW4
11.Waka Flocka Flame-Short Handed
(Producers: Southside and TM88) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7nCzrQqSyI
10.Drake & Future-Big Rings (Producer:
Metro Boomin) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsl5D03rfzk
9.Juicy J-I'm Sicka (Producer: Mike Will
Made It) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr91-4CDYv4
8.Vince Staples-Loca (Producer: No I.D.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH3BuEhHwLE
7.Big Sean-All Your Fault (Producer:
Kanye West) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyVM995PDvw
6.Future-Colossal (Producer: Zaytoven) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlL9IpGdvz4
5.A$AP Rocky-Electric Body (Producers:
Hector Delgado, Danger Mouse, THC and Teddy Walton) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-oaEe8tcDs
4.Travi$ Scott-Nightcrawler (Producers:
Metro Boomin, Southside, TM88, Mike Dean and Allen Ritter) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNr6X0_vmWM
3.Rae Sremmurd-Up Like Trump (Producer:
Sonny Digital) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLa9YxV1Xps
2.Big Sean-Paradise (Extended Version)
(Producer: Mike Will Made It) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE-6bb54vDs
1.Future-No Compadre (Producer:
Southside) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNwvehhSmuo
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Academy Award Nomination Predictions
The nominations for the 88th Academy Awards will be announced Thursday at approximately 8:40 A.M. EST. Here are the names I believe you'll hear called tomorrow morning at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California.
Best Picture:
Bridge of Spies
The Big Short
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Locks: Carol, The Martian, The Revenant, Spotlight
Toss-Ups: Bridge of Spies, The Big Short, Mad Max: Fury Road, Room
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Brooklyn, Creed, The Danish Girl, The Hateful Eight, Joy, Steve Jobs, Straight Outta Compton
Best Actor:
Matt Damon, The Martian
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Locks: Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eddie Redmayne
Toss-Ups: Johnny Depp, Michael Fassbender
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Steve Carell (The Big Short), Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Will Smith (Concussion)
Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Locks: Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander
Toss-Ups: Charlotte Rampling, Saoirse Ronan
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Jennifer Lawrence (Joy), Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van), Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back)
Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Jacob Tremblay, Room
Locks: Christian Bale, Mark Rylance, Sylvester Stallone
Toss-Ups: Mark Ruffalo, Jacob Tremblay
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Ryan Gosling (The Big Short), Michael Keaton (Spotlight), Liev Schreiber (Spotlight), Michael Shannon (99 Homes), Benicio Del Toro (Sicario)
Best Supporting Actress:
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Locks: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rooney Mara, Kate Winslet
Toss-Ups: Rachel McAdams, Alicia Vikander
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Joan Allen (Room), Jane Fonda (Youth), Helen Mirren (Trumbo), Julie Walters (Brooklyn)
Best Director:
Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian
Locks: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Tom McCarthy, George Miller, Ridley Scott
Toss-Ups: Todd Haynes
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Lenny Abrahamson (Room), Danny Boyle (Steve Jobs), Adam McKay (The Big Short), Steven Spielberg (Bridge of Spies), Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight)
Best Original Screenplay:
Bridge of Spies
Ex Machina
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Spotlight
Best Adapted Screenplay:
The Big Short
Carol
The Martian
Room
Steve Jobs
Best Animated Feature:
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie
Best Cinematography:
Bridge of Spies
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
Best Foreign Language Film:
The Brand New Testament
Labyrinth of Lies
Mustang
Son of Saul
A War
Best Documentary Feature:
Amy
Cartel Land
He Named Me Malala
Meru
The Look of Silence
Best Costume Design:
Brooklyn
Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Score:
Bridge of Spies
Carol
The Danish Girl
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Black Mass
The Danish Girl
The Revenant
Best Visual Effects:
Ant-Man
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Picture:
Bridge of Spies
The Big Short
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Locks: Carol, The Martian, The Revenant, Spotlight
Toss-Ups: Bridge of Spies, The Big Short, Mad Max: Fury Road, Room
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Brooklyn, Creed, The Danish Girl, The Hateful Eight, Joy, Steve Jobs, Straight Outta Compton
Best Actor:
Matt Damon, The Martian
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Locks: Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eddie Redmayne
Toss-Ups: Johnny Depp, Michael Fassbender
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Steve Carell (The Big Short), Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Will Smith (Concussion)
Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Locks: Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander
Toss-Ups: Charlotte Rampling, Saoirse Ronan
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Jennifer Lawrence (Joy), Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van), Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back)
Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Jacob Tremblay, Room
Locks: Christian Bale, Mark Rylance, Sylvester Stallone
Toss-Ups: Mark Ruffalo, Jacob Tremblay
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Ryan Gosling (The Big Short), Michael Keaton (Spotlight), Liev Schreiber (Spotlight), Michael Shannon (99 Homes), Benicio Del Toro (Sicario)
Best Supporting Actress:
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Locks: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rooney Mara, Kate Winslet
Toss-Ups: Rachel McAdams, Alicia Vikander
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Joan Allen (Room), Jane Fonda (Youth), Helen Mirren (Trumbo), Julie Walters (Brooklyn)
Best Director:
Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian
Locks: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Tom McCarthy, George Miller, Ridley Scott
Toss-Ups: Todd Haynes
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Lenny Abrahamson (Room), Danny Boyle (Steve Jobs), Adam McKay (The Big Short), Steven Spielberg (Bridge of Spies), Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight)
Best Original Screenplay:
Bridge of Spies
Ex Machina
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Spotlight
Best Adapted Screenplay:
The Big Short
Carol
The Martian
Room
Steve Jobs
Best Animated Feature:
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie
Best Cinematography:
Bridge of Spies
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
Best Foreign Language Film:
The Brand New Testament
Labyrinth of Lies
Mustang
Son of Saul
A War
Best Documentary Feature:
Amy
Cartel Land
He Named Me Malala
Meru
The Look of Silence
Best Costume Design:
Brooklyn
Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Score:
Bridge of Spies
Carol
The Danish Girl
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Black Mass
The Danish Girl
The Revenant
Best Visual Effects:
Ant-Man
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2015 NFL All-Pro Teams
Last Friday, The Associated Press released their annual All-Pro teams, honoring the best players in the NFL for the 2015 season. Today, I throw my hat into the ring with a list that is far superior in every conceivable way (wink wink). It should be noted that these teams only honor the top two to four players at each respective position, so don't be surprised or offended when you don't see players who had excellent seasons (i.e. Tom Brady, Brandon Marshall, Muhammad Wilkerson) omitted from them. Without further ado, here are my 2015 All-Pro teams.
Quarterback
1st team: Cam Newton (Panthers)
2nd team: Carson Palmer (Cardinals)
Running Back
1st team: Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
2nd team: Devonta Freeman (Falcons), Todd Gurley (Rams)
Fullback
1st team: Patrick DiMarco (Falcons)
2nd team: Mike Tolbert (Panthers)
Wide Receiver
1st team: Julio Jones (Falcons), Antonio Brown (Steelers)
2nd team: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Tight End
1st team: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
2nd team: Delanie Walker (Titans)
Tackle
1st team: Joe Thomas (Browns), Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
2nd team: Trent Williams (Redskins), Terron Armstead (Saints)
Guard
1st team: Marshal Yanda (Ravens), Richie Incognito (Bills)
2nd team: Zach Martin (Cowboys), David DeCastro (Steelers)
Center
1st team: Ryan Kalil (Panthers)
2nd team: Weston Richburg (Giants)
Defensive End
1st team: J.J. Watt (Texans), Cameron Jordan (Saints)
2nd team: Michael Bennett (Seahawks), Fletcher Cox (Eagles)
Defensive Tackle
1st team: Aaron Donald (Rams), Kawann Short (Panthers)
2nd team: Linval Joseph (Vikings), Geno Atkins (Bengals)
Inside Linebacker
1st team: Luke Kuechly (Panthers), Derrick Johnson (Chiefs)
2nd team: Brandon Marshall (Broncos), NaVorro Bowman (49ers)
Outside Linebacker
1st team: Khalil Mack (Raiders), Justin Houston (Chiefs)
2nd team: Von Miller (Broncos), K.J. Wright (Seahawks)
Cornerback
1st team: Josh Norman (Panthers), Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)
2nd team: Darius Slay (Lions), Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
Safety
1st team: Eric Berry (Chiefs), Tyrann Mathieu (Cardinals)
2nd team: Harrison Smith (Vikings), Malcolm Jenkins (Eagles)
Kicker
1st team: Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots)
2nd team: Dan Bailey (Cowboys)
Punter
1st team: Pat McAfee (Colts)
2nd team: Sam Koch (Ravens)
Return Specialists:
1st team: Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings)
2nd team: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
Quarterback
1st team: Cam Newton (Panthers)
2nd team: Carson Palmer (Cardinals)
Running Back
1st team: Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
2nd team: Devonta Freeman (Falcons), Todd Gurley (Rams)
Fullback
1st team: Patrick DiMarco (Falcons)
2nd team: Mike Tolbert (Panthers)
Wide Receiver
1st team: Julio Jones (Falcons), Antonio Brown (Steelers)
2nd team: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Tight End
1st team: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
2nd team: Delanie Walker (Titans)
Tackle
1st team: Joe Thomas (Browns), Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
2nd team: Trent Williams (Redskins), Terron Armstead (Saints)
Guard
1st team: Marshal Yanda (Ravens), Richie Incognito (Bills)
2nd team: Zach Martin (Cowboys), David DeCastro (Steelers)
Center
1st team: Ryan Kalil (Panthers)
2nd team: Weston Richburg (Giants)
Defensive End
1st team: J.J. Watt (Texans), Cameron Jordan (Saints)
2nd team: Michael Bennett (Seahawks), Fletcher Cox (Eagles)
Defensive Tackle
1st team: Aaron Donald (Rams), Kawann Short (Panthers)
2nd team: Linval Joseph (Vikings), Geno Atkins (Bengals)
Inside Linebacker
1st team: Luke Kuechly (Panthers), Derrick Johnson (Chiefs)
2nd team: Brandon Marshall (Broncos), NaVorro Bowman (49ers)
Outside Linebacker
1st team: Khalil Mack (Raiders), Justin Houston (Chiefs)
2nd team: Von Miller (Broncos), K.J. Wright (Seahawks)
Cornerback
1st team: Josh Norman (Panthers), Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)
2nd team: Darius Slay (Lions), Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
Safety
1st team: Eric Berry (Chiefs), Tyrann Mathieu (Cardinals)
2nd team: Harrison Smith (Vikings), Malcolm Jenkins (Eagles)
Kicker
1st team: Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots)
2nd team: Dan Bailey (Cowboys)
Punter
1st team: Pat McAfee (Colts)
2nd team: Sam Koch (Ravens)
Return Specialists:
1st team: Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings)
2nd team: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
The Best and Worst of Ice Cube
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "Ride Along 2" star Ice Cube.
Films starring Ice Cube that I've seen:
Boyz n the Hood
Friday
Anaconda
Three Kings
Next Friday
All About the Benjamins
Barbershop
xXx: State of the Union
First Sunday
21 Jump Street
Ride Along
22 Jump Street
Best Performance: 22 Jump Street (2014)
The role of perpetually pissed-off, vulgar police Captain Dickson was a part Ice Cube was born to play. While Cube was excellent in the first 21 Jump Street movie, he managed to be even better in the sequel. Cube's impeccable comedic timing and delivery allows him to generate the biggest laughs in a film that has no shortage of side-splitting moments.
Worst Performance: Anaconda (1997)
Ice Cube is an actor that knows how to handle over-the-top roles in corny movies (see: xXx: State of Union), but that self-awareness is nowhere to be found in Anaconda. Cube basically just scowls, grunts and beats the crap out of Jon Voight and the titular snake for the duration of this ridiculous film that makes the inexcusable mistake of taking itself too seriously.
Best Film: Friday (1995)
I have a bizarre love of stoner comedies for someone who's never smoked weed and for my money, Friday is one of the best films the genre has ever offered up. The non-stop laughs, vibrant, memorable characters and surprisingly poignant climax make Friday a stone cold classic.
Worst Film: First Sunday (2008)
First Sunday was a film I had completely forgotten about until I was looking over Ice Cube's filmography in preparation for this piece. Once I had been reminded of this film's existence, I suddenly recalled the feeling of disgust and confusion that came over me after I finished watching it. It just doesn't many damn sense that a film headlined by the typically hilarious Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan could be this lazy, unnecessarily preachy and unfunny. Cube and Morgan deserve credit for trying their damnedest to elevate the terrible material they were given, but it's not nearly enough to prevent First Sunday from being one of the most insufferable comedies of the past decade.
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 "Dirty Grandpa" star Robert De Niro.
Films starring Ice Cube that I've seen:
Boyz n the Hood
Friday
Anaconda
Three Kings
Next Friday
All About the Benjamins
Barbershop
xXx: State of the Union
First Sunday
21 Jump Street
Ride Along
22 Jump Street
Best Performance: 22 Jump Street (2014)
The role of perpetually pissed-off, vulgar police Captain Dickson was a part Ice Cube was born to play. While Cube was excellent in the first 21 Jump Street movie, he managed to be even better in the sequel. Cube's impeccable comedic timing and delivery allows him to generate the biggest laughs in a film that has no shortage of side-splitting moments.
Worst Performance: Anaconda (1997)
Ice Cube is an actor that knows how to handle over-the-top roles in corny movies (see: xXx: State of Union), but that self-awareness is nowhere to be found in Anaconda. Cube basically just scowls, grunts and beats the crap out of Jon Voight and the titular snake for the duration of this ridiculous film that makes the inexcusable mistake of taking itself too seriously.
Best Film: Friday (1995)
I have a bizarre love of stoner comedies for someone who's never smoked weed and for my money, Friday is one of the best films the genre has ever offered up. The non-stop laughs, vibrant, memorable characters and surprisingly poignant climax make Friday a stone cold classic.
Worst Film: First Sunday (2008)
First Sunday was a film I had completely forgotten about until I was looking over Ice Cube's filmography in preparation for this piece. Once I had been reminded of this film's existence, I suddenly recalled the feeling of disgust and confusion that came over me after I finished watching it. It just doesn't many damn sense that a film headlined by the typically hilarious Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan could be this lazy, unnecessarily preachy and unfunny. Cube and Morgan deserve credit for trying their damnedest to elevate the terrible material they were given, but it's not nearly enough to prevent First Sunday from being one of the most insufferable comedies of the past decade.
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 "Dirty Grandpa" star Robert De Niro.
2015 in Music: A Year in Review
Of the 5 years I've been actively reviewing and writing about music, 2015 was easily the most erratic. The heavy-hitting artists that released new material last year seemed to only be capable of putting out complete triumphs or soul-crushing disappointments. The catalyst for this up-and-down year was the sheer amount of veteran bands who made sudden and unsuccessful stylistic and/or genre changes. Artists like Between the Buried and Me, Coheed and Cambria, Parkway Drive and The Sword all drastically deviated from their well-established sounds and as a result, put out the most meandering, uninspired and underwhelming albums of their respective careers. Despite all of these unexpected and frustrating letdowns, there was still plenty to celebrate in 2015. It was a particularly strong year for hip-hop with former indie darlings Vince Staples and Action Bronson seamlessly transitioning to the mainstream with killer major-label debuts, Mac Miller's post Blue Slide Park-renaissance reaching soaring new heights with the brilliant GO: OD AM and Kendrick Lamar officially being elevated to legend status with the immense and powerful To Pimp a Butterfly. Below are my rankings from worst to best for all of the EP's and LP's I
heard in 2015, complete with star ratings and my pick for the best track
from each release. Hope you enjoy!
EP's:
EP's:
7.Lil B x Chance the Rapper-Based
Freestyle Mixtape (2/5) (Favorite Track: "We Rare")
6.Incubus-Trust Fall (Side A) (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Absolution Calling")
5.Rotting Out-Reckoning (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Eyes Wide")
4.Riff Raff-Trench Coat Towers (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Brick Off the Balcony")
3.Entheos-Primal (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Form and Void")
2.Freddie Gibbs-Pronto (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Diamonds")
1.FKA twigs-M3LLI55X (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Figure 8")
LP's
122.Beach House-Depression Cherry (0/5) (Favorite Track: N/A)
121.Title Fight-Hyperview (1.5/5) (Favorite Track: N/A)
120.mewithoutyou-Pale Horses (1.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Watermelon Ascot")
119.Jay Rock-90059 (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Wanna Ride")
118.Faith No More-Sol Invictus (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Black Friday")
117.Meek Mill-Dreams Worth More Than Money (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Check")
116.The Sword-High Country (2/5) (Favorite Track: "High Country")
115.Fetty Wap-Fetty Wap (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Trap Queen")
114.Coheed and Cambria-The Color Before the
Sun (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Atlas")
113.Tyler, the Creator-Cherry Bomb (2/5) (Favorite Track: "DEATHCAMP")
113.Tyler, the Creator-Cherry Bomb (2/5) (Favorite Track: "DEATHCAMP")
112.Knuckle Puck-Copacetic (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Evergreen")
111.Native Construct-Quiet World (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Come Hell or High Water")
110.Defeater-Abandoned (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Atonement")
109.Justin Bieber-Purpose (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Feeling")
108.Big Sean-Dark Sky Paradise (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Paradise (Extended Version")
107.Jamie xx-In Colour (Favorite Track: "Hold Tight")
106.Juicy J-100% Juice (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Beans and Lean")
105.Enter Shikari-The Mindsweep (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The One True Colour")
104.Muse-Drones (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Reapers")
103.Being as an Ocean-Being as an Ocean (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Zealot's Blindfold")
102.Tame Impala-Currents (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Less I Know the Better")
101.Selena Gomez-Revival (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Revival")
100.Turnstile-Nonstop Feeling (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bad Wave")
100.Turnstile-Nonstop Feeling (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bad Wave")
99.All That Remains-The Order of Things (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "No Knock")
98.Freddie Gibbs-Shadow of a Doubt (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Careless")
97.Parkway Drive-Ire (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Destroyer")
96.Earl Sweatshirt-I Don't Like Shit, I
Don't Go Outside (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Wool")
95.Miguel-Wildheart (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "leaves")
95.Miguel-Wildheart (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "leaves")
94.Between the Buried and Me-Coma Ecliptic (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Option Oblivion")
93.Drake & Future-What a Time to Be
Alive (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Big Rings")
92.Stick to Your Guns-Disobedient (3/5) (Favorite Track: "I Choose No One")
91.Terror-The 25th Hour (3/5) (Favorite Track: "The Solution")
90.It Prevails-Perdition (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Borrowed Time")
89.Vola-Inmazes (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Your Mind is a Helpless Dreamer")
88.Future-DS2 (3/5) (Favorite Track: "I Serve the Base")
87.Father John Misty-I Love You, Honeybear (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Nothing Good Every Happens at the Goddamn Thirsty Crow")
86.Gucci Mane-King Gucci (3/5) (Favorite Track: "I'm Too Much")
85.Marina and the Diamonds-Froot (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Blue")
84.Marilyn Manson-The Pale Emperor (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Deep Six")
83.Juicy J-O's to Oscars (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Curb Dat")
82.Carley Rae Jepsen-E.MO.TION (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Emotion")
82.Carley Rae Jepsen-E.MO.TION (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Emotion")
81.Fall Out Boy-American Beauty/American
Psycho (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Irresistible")
80.Drake-If You're Reading This, It's Too Late (3/5) (Favorite Track: "6 God")
80.Drake-If You're Reading This, It's Too Late (3/5) (Favorite Track: "6 God")
79.Migos-Yung Rich Nation (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Pipe it Up")
78.Baroness-Purple (3/5) (Favorite Track: "The Iron Bell")
77.Logic-The Incredible True Story (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Upgrade")
76.Slayer-Repentless (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Cast the First Stone")
75.Veil of Maya-Matriarch (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Leeloo")
74.Travi$ Scott-Rodeo (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Nightcrawler")
73.Ingested-The Architect of Extinction (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Heirs to Mankind's Atrocities")
72.Four Year Strong-Four Year Strong (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Here's to Swimming with Bow-Legged Women")
71.Miss May I-Deathless (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bastards Left Behind")
70.Dark Sermon-The Oracle (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Ode to the Black Widow")
69.CZARFACE-Every Hero Needs a Villain (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Lumberjack Match")
68.Napalm Death-Apex Predator: Easy Meat (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bloodless Coup")
67.Devil You Know-They Bleed Red (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Master of None")
66.Nile-What Should Not Be Unearthed (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Evil to Cast Out Evil")
65.I the Mighty-Connector (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Adrift")
64.Crossfaith-Xeno (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Dystopia")
63.Demi Lovato-Confident (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Cool for the Summer")
62.Blacklisted-When People Grow, People Go (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bottle Rockets")
61.Rae Sremmurd-SremmLife (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Up Like Trump")
60.Future-56 Nights (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "No Compadre")
59.Stray From the Path-Subliminal
Criminals (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Shots Fired")
58.Hundredth-Free (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Isolation")
57.State Champs-Around the World and Back (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Losing Myself")
56.Joey Bada$$-B4.Da.$$ (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Big Dusty")
55.Haste the Day-Coward (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Shadow")
54.Migos-Back to the Bando (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Burnt Out")
53.Children of Bodom-I Worship Chaos (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Hold Your Tongue")
52.Palm Reader-Besides the Ones We Love (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Sing Out, Survivor")
51.Julia Holter-Have You in My Wilderness (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Silhouette")
50.Northlane-Node (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Leech")
49.Steven Wilson-Hand.Cannot.Erase. (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Ancestral")
48.Sleater-Kinney-No Cities to Love (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "No Cities to Love")
47.Big K.R.I.T.-It's Better This Way (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Got Me Thru")
47.Big K.R.I.T.-It's Better This Way (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Got Me Thru")
46.The Wonder Years-No Closer to Heaven (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Bluest Things on Earth")
45.Strawberry Girls-American Graffiti (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Spanish Bay")
44.Waka Flocka Flame-Flockaveli 1.5 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Blue or Red")
44.Waka Flocka Flame-Flockaveli 1.5 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Blue or Red")
43.Elder-Lore (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Legend")
42.TesseracT-Polaris (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Tourniquet")
41.Feed Her to the Sharks-Fortitude (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Heart of Stone")
40.Make Them Suffer-Old Souls (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Let Me In")
39.Neck Deep-Life's Not Out to Get You (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Citizens of Earth")
38.Black Fast-Terms of Surrender (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Tongues of Silver")
37.Juicy J-Blue Dream & Lean 2 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "I'm Sicka")
36.Royal Thunder-Crooked Doors (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Floor")37.Juicy J-Blue Dream & Lean 2 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "I'm Sicka")
35.High on Fire-Luminiferous (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Black Plot")
34.Pusha T-King Push-Prelude: Darkest
Before Dawn (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets")
33.Thy Art is Murder-Holy War (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Coffin Dragger")
32.Scale the Summit-V (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Soria Moria")
31.Abiotic-Casuistry (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Absence of Purity")
30.Purity Ring-Another Eternity (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Flood on the Floor")
29.A$AP Rocky-At.Long.Last.A$AP (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Holy Ghost")
28.Death Grips-The Powers That B: Disc 2:
Jenny Death (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Powers That B")
27.Born of Osiris-Soul Sphere (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Tidebinder")
26.Cattle Decapitation-The Anthropocence
Extinction (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Plagueborne")
25.Lamb of God-VII: Sturm und Drang (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Embers")
24.Cult Leader-Lightless Walk (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Broken Blades")
23.Clutch-Psychic Warfare (4/5) (Favorite Track: "X-Ray Visions")
22.Sylosis-Dormant Heart (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Servitude")
21.Alustrium-A Tunnel to Eden (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Illusion of Choice I-III")
20.Counterparts-Tragedy Will Find Us (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Burn")
19.The Weeknd-Beauty Behind the Madness (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Prisoner")
18.Intervals-The Shape of Colour (4/5) (Favorite Track: "I'm Awake")
17.The Story So Far-The Story So Far (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Heavy Gloom")
16.While She Sleeps-Brainwashed (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Brainwashed")
15.Soilwork-The Ride Majestic (4/5) (Favorite Track: "All Along Echoing Paths")
14.Mac Miller-GO: OD AM (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Brand Name")
13.iwrestledabearonce-Hail Mary (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Doomed to Fail Part 1")
12.Action Bronson-Mr. Wonderful (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Rising")
11.Vince Staples-Summertime '06 (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Norf Norf")
11.Vince Staples-Summertime '06 (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Norf Norf")
10.Rivers of Nihil-Monarchy (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Ancestral, I")
9.Lana Del Rey-Honeymoon (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Blackest Day")
8.Dance Gavin Dance-Instant Gratification (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Stroke God, Millionaire")
7.Mutoid Man-Bleeder (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Sweet Ivy")
6.Intronaut-The Direction of Last Things (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Fast Worms")
5.Periphery-Juggernaut (Alpha + Omega) (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Priestess")
4.Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp a Butterfly (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Wesley's Theory")
3.The Black Dahlia Murder-Abysmal (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Re-Faced")
2.Battlecross-Rise to Power (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Scars")
1.August Burns Red-Found in Far Away
Places (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Broken Promises")
Monday, January 11, 2016
The Best and Worst of Tom Hardy
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "The Revenant" star Tom Hardy.
Films starring Tom Hardy that I've seen:
Black Hawk Down
Layer Cake
Bronson
RocknRolla
Inception
Warrior
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
This Means War
The Dark Knight Rises
Lawless
Locke
The Drop
Mad Max: Fury Road
(Note: Due to the lateness of this post, I will simply be listing my picks without write-ups. I will return to doing full write-ups with this week's installment. I apologize for this post's lack of insight and I will do my best to ensure something like this doesn't happen again in the future.)
Best Performance: Warrior (2011)
Worst Performance: This Means War (2012)
Best Film: Inception (2010)
Worst Film: Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (2011)
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 "Ride Along 2" star Ice Cube.
Films starring Tom Hardy that I've seen:
Black Hawk Down
Layer Cake
Bronson
RocknRolla
Inception
Warrior
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
This Means War
The Dark Knight Rises
Lawless
Locke
The Drop
Mad Max: Fury Road
(Note: Due to the lateness of this post, I will simply be listing my picks without write-ups. I will return to doing full write-ups with this week's installment. I apologize for this post's lack of insight and I will do my best to ensure something like this doesn't happen again in the future.)
Best Performance: Warrior (2011)
Worst Performance: This Means War (2012)
Best Film: Inception (2010)
Worst Film: Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (2011)
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 "Ride Along 2" star Ice Cube.
20 Best Albums of 2015
After weeks of tweaking my list and re-working my write-ups, I'm proud to announce my picks for the 20 best albums of 2015. I encourage everyone to share their own picks for the best albums of 2015 and/or feedback on my list in the comment box below!
Honorable Mentions:
Lamb of God-VII: Sturm Und Drang
Cult Leader-Lightless Walk
Clutch-Psychic Warfare
Sylosis-Dormant Heart
Altrusium-A Tunnel to Eden
20.Counterparts-Tragedy Will Find Us: With genre torchbearers Rotting Out disbanding in March and fellow heavy hitters Terror, Turnstile and Defeater all releasing their worst albums to-date, 2015 seemed poised to be the year where hardcore officially died. Thankfully, Canada's Counterparts came along and gave hardcore the rejuvenation it desperately needed with their triumphant fourth LP Tragedy Will Find Us. Tragedy Will Find Us mixes the passion and energy that made me fall in love with the genre nearly a decade ago with the type of poignant lyrical content and emotional vocals you seldom see in the faux-macho-driven modern hardcore scene. Tragedy Will Find Us deserves to be mentioned alongside Defeater's Travels and Modern Life is War's Witness in the greatest melodic hardcore albums of all-time conversation.
Standout Tracks: 1.Burn 2.Resonate 3.Choke
19.The Weeknd-Beauty Behind the Madness: The Weeknd may no longer be the little-known, underground darling he was when he released House of Balloons in the summer of 2011, but Beauty Behind the Madness sees the newly-minted pop superstar returning to his risk-taking roots after his surprisingly stagnant 2013 major label-debut Kiss Land. The dark atmosphere and constant experimentation that drove his widely-acclaimed self-released mixtapes (the aforementioned House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence) is back in full force and that persistent unpredictability makes this record a thoroughly invigorating listen throughout. While these experiments don't always yield excellent excellent results (see the bad Boyz II Men knockoff "As You Are" and the tremendously dull ballad "Angel"), the return of the sense of danger to his music paired with his newfound knack for writing massive, radio-friendly hooks are more than enough to make Beauty Behind the Madness The Weeknd's finest release since House of Balloons.
Standout Tracks: 1.Prisoner (feat. Lana Del Rey) 2.The Hills 3.In the Night
18.Intervals-The Shape of Colour: Intervals guitarist/brainchild Aaron Marshall was forced to take the band back to its instrumental roots after vocalist Mike Semesky, drummer Anup Sastry and rhythm guitarist Lukas Guyader all left the group between December 2014 and June 2015. Without vocals or a full-time band to support his playing, Marshall cranked the complexity of his songwriting up to the next level on The Shape of Colour. Each one of The Shape of Colour's eight tracks is densely packed with punchy riffs, stunning solos and beautiful melodies that display just how dynamic and gifted of a guitarist Marshall truly is. If The Shape of Colour is any indicator of what Marshall is capable of as a musician, he should never employ a full-time lineup for Intervals ever again.
Standout Tracks: 1.I'm Awake 2.Sweet Tooth 3.Slight of Hand
17.The Story So Far-The Story So Far: My soft spot for pop punk is well-documented and for my money, no one is doing it better right now than The Story So Far. Their self-titled third LP doesn't deviate too much from its predecessors, but it's yet another catchy, fun and endlessly re-listenable record from the undisputed kings of the pop punk revival movement.
Standout Tracks: 1.Heavy Gloom 2.Mock 3.Distaste
16.While She Sleeps-Brainwashed: It boggles my mind how slept on While She Sleeps is in the modern metalcore landscape. Their 2012 debut This is the Six was one of the most refreshing records to come out of the genre in years and yet pretty much flew completely under-the-radar. The more frenzied and precise attack of their second album Brainwashed will hopefully give While She Sleeps a bit more of the attention they deserve. Lawrence "Loz" Taylor's gritty yet melodic vocals have become even unique since he underwent throat surgery in early 2014 and the barrage of pummeling grooves laid down by guitarists Sean Long and Mat Welsh are more headbang-worthy than ever. Brainwashed is an essential release for any metalcore fan looking for a fresh, exciting and energetic take on the genre.
Standout Tracks 1.Brainwashed 2.Four Walls 3.No Sides, No Enemies
15.Soilwork-The Ride Majestic: Let's face it, the remaining forefathers of Swedish melodic death metal aren't exactly killing the game right now. In Flames has become a generic alternative metal band, Dark Tranquility hasn't put out a worthwhile record since 2007's Fiction and the newly-reunited At the Gates is still trying to get back into a groove after a nearly 18-year reprieve from writing and recording music together. Despite facing a significant amount more member changeover than any of the aforementioned acts, Soilwork is bucking the recent funk Swedish melo-death acts have fallen into by putting out some of the strongest releases of their career within the last five years. Their recent hot streak continues with The Ride Majestic, which actually manages to top their widely-acclaimed 2013 double The Living Infinite as their best release of the 2000's. The Ride Majestic has all of the vigor and stellar songwriting that made The Living Infinite noteworthy without the bloated runtime and solid amount of filler tracks that prevented it from being truly excellent. I don't know what caused Soilwork to suddenly return to form after years of putting out mediocre-to-decent albums, but I am incredibly thankful that it happened.
Standout Tracks: 1.All Along Echoing Paths 2.The Ride Majestic (Aspire Angelic) 3.The Phantom
14.Mac Miller-GO:OD AM: Easy Mac with the cheesy raps is officially gone. The artistic growth Mac Miller showed on 2013's Watching Movies with the Sound Off and 2014's Faces has culminated with the sprawling, mature and powerful GO:OD AM. Over a variety of beats that range from somber and understated to full-on trap bangers, Miller bears his soul about his current state of mind, his previous battles with drug addiction and how getting famous at a young age caused him to lose sight of his priorities. It's staggering how far Miller has come since his party rap debut Blue Slide Park and if this record doesn't up his credibility in the hip-hop community, nothing will.
Standout Tracks: 1.Brand Name 2.Clubhouse 3.Rush Hour
13.iwrestledabearonce-Hail Mary: iwrestledabearonce has been quietly getting better with each new release they put out, but the strides they made on Hail Mary were substantial and completely unexpected. Their trademark tongue-in-cheek metal/deathcore sound has been traded in for a brand of chaotic mathcore so relentlessly spastic and punishing that it makes bands like The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza and Ion Dissonance look like easy listening music. The success of their sound can entirely be attributed to the performances of lead guitarist Stephen Bradley and vocalist Courtney LaPlante. Bradley serves as the ringleader for this circus of chaos with the stream of dizzying and constant-shifting leads he drops throughout the album while LaPlante finally steps out of the shadow of former vocalist Krysta Cameron with her powerful performance that perfectly compliment the manic nature of the music. The non-stop mayhem of Hail Mary will alienate a lot of listeners, but for those that are open to it, it's one of the most insane and enjoyable heavy music rides of 2015.
Standout Tracks: 1.Doomed to Fail Part I 2.Remain Calm 3.Carbon Copy
12.Action Bronson-Mr.Wonderful: Abstract hip-hop star Action Bronson should consider changing his name to Mr.Wonderful after the booming success of his major label debut. By letting frequent collaborators The Alchemist, Party Supplies and Statik Skeletah handle a majority of the production and not toning down the eccentricity of his lyrics in the slightest, Bronson was able to effortlessly bring the vibe of his mixtapes to his first studio release. There may be a few unexpected ventures into pop ("Baby Blue") and blues (the really odd three-part rock opera "Thug Love Story 2017" ) featuring Bronson's rather gruff singing, but aside from those unexpected and not particularly effective detours, Mr. Wonderful is Bronsonlino at the top of his game.
Standout Tracks: 1.The Rising 2.Actin' Crazy 3.Falconry (feat. Meyhem Lauren)
11.Vince Staples-Summertime '06: I've been singing the praises of Vince Staples ever since I heard his guest verse on Earl Sweatshirt's "Hive" in 2013 and with the release of his first proper studio album Summertime '06, Staples reinforces why he's one of the brightest talents in hip-hop right now. Summertime '06 is a behemoth of a double album from in which the Long Beach, California rapper weaves a series of tales about how the summer of 2006 changed his life forever. Through the album's 20 tracks, Staples examines the events that caused him to lose his childhood innocence and become a man at 13 years old. Staples raps with a remarkable amount of polish and intensity for a 22 year-old kid with only a handful of formal releases under his belt and the production handled primarily by Def Jef president No I.D. perfectly matches the variety of emotions he conveys on this record. If Staples can keep up this level of quality on his future releases, I wouldn't be remotely surprised if he challenged Kendrick Lamar for the title of best rapper alive.
Standout Tracks: 1.Norf Norf 2.Loca 3.C.N.B.
10.Rivers of Nihil-Monarchy: It may have taken longer than usual, but don't fear people, the obligatory technical death metal selection on my year-end list is finally here! Monarchy checks all the boxes for what I'm looking for in a tech death album: audible bass, near-constant blast beats, brilliantly-written lengthy guitar solos and the occasional burst of melody for good measure. While all of those elements are key to the success of Monarchy, it's Rivers of Nihil's prominent brutal death metal influence that makes this album really special. The band frequent use of skull-crushing grooves reminds me of Suffocation's early records and gives Rivers of Nihil a fierce edge that a majority of their counterparts simply don't have. Without a doubt, the high water mark for the tech-death genre in 2015.
Standout Tracks: 1.Ancestral, I 2.Monarchy 3.Dehydrate
9.Lana Del Rey-Honeymoon: You'll be hard-pressed to find a popular artist in music right now that's more hated than Lana Del Rey. The perceived pretension and downbeat nature of her 50's and 60's-influnced indie pop sound paired with her infamous live meltdown on Saturday Night Live in 2012 has made her a popular target for critics and internet music nerds to trash at length. On Honeymoon, Del Rey goes to great lengths to silence every person that has questioned her authenticity and ability as an artist. Behind lush, minimalist production that is eerily reminiscent of Nancy Sinatra and Billie Holiday, Del Rey pushes her abilities as a songwriter and vocalist to staggering new heights. Honeymoon may lack the massive hooks and striking beauty of her earlier material, but Del Rey's music has never been as consistently haunting or well-constructed as it is here.
Standout TracksL 1.The Blackest Day 2.Swan Song 3.Honeymoon
8.Dance Gavin Dance-Instant Gratification: If you had told me last January that a Dance Gavin Dance record would be among my top 10 favorites albums of the year, I would've told you to get off the crack pipe. Dance Gavin Dance had fallen off big time since the release of their excellent debut Downtown Battle Mountain in 2007 and with their frequent lineup and genre changes, it seemed like they would've never recover. Then Instant Gratification comes out of nowhere and puts a sudden end to their lengthy cold streak. The success of Instant Gratification has a lot to do with the fact that the band was able to keep the same lineup in tact for two consecutive albums for the first time in their decade-long existence. The continuity and newfound sense of stability within the group allowed them to craft the most focused and varied record of their entire career so far. While the album explores everything from Dillinger Escape Plan-esque mathcore ("Shark Dad") to pop ("Death of a Strawberry") to traditional post-hardcore ("Stroke God, Millionaire"), every track is commanded by clean vocalist Tillian Pearson and harsh vocalist Jon Mess-who share an excellent rapport despite their drastically different vocal styles- and Will Swan's captivating guitarwork. When the guitar and vocals are this consistently great for the course of an entire album, you're bound to have something special on your hands. Instant Gratification is without question the most pleasant surprise of 2015 and as long as this lineup can remain in tact, Dance Gavin Dance has a remarkably bright future ahead of them.
Standout Tracks: 1.Stroke God, Millionaire 2.Shark Dad 3.We Own the Night
7.Mutoid Man-Bleeder: Anyone who says rock'n'roll is dead clearly hasn't heard Mutoid Man. Bleeder, the first full-length from three-piece supergroup featuring Cave In vocalist/guitarist Stephen Brodsky, Converge drummer Ben Koller and professional sound engineer turned bassist Nick Cageao, is a giddy throwback to the days where high-energy, riff-driven rock records ruled the musical landscape. With it's concise runtime (just over 29 minutes long) and abundance of killer riffs and soulful choruses, Bleeder is the type of record that demands to be blasted on huge speakers at the highest possible volume. Bleeder is a compact and endlessly fun record that never fails to put a huge smile on my face every time I listen to it.
Standout Tracks: 1.Sweet Ivy 2.Surveillance 3.1,000 Mile Stare
6.Intronaut-The Direction of Last Things: After briefly flirting with conventional progressive metal on 2013's Habitual Levitations, Intronaut have returned to their insane, experimental selves on The Direction of Last Things. While Habitual Levitations was still a rock-solid album, it felt strange to hear an Intronaut record without harsh vocals and extensive jazz fusion-inspired bass and drum passages. With their defining elements re-entering the fold on The Direction of Last Things, Intronaut is able to create its most endearing and adventurous material since 2008's Prehistoricisms. Every song has its own unique personality with the nuanced melodies and crushing heaviness working symbiotically to create a cohesive body of work that's subtly gorgeous yet undeniably sinister. The Direction of Last Things reaffirms Intronaut's standing as one of the most forward-thinking and unique bands in modern metal.
Standout Tracks: 1.Fast Worms 2.Digital Gerrymandering 3.The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing
5.Periphery-Juggernaut (Alpha+Omega): Double albums are usually a recipe for disaster as artists typically don't have enough interesting ideas to fill the extended running time. With the absolutely monstrous Juggernaut, Periphery prove they're one of the rare musical acts that can make a double album work. The vast differences between the two halves (Alpha is a relatively straightforward alternative metal record while Omega is a crushing, multi-layered prog opus) gives Juggernaut the variety it needs to stay engaging for the duration of its imposing 80-minute running time. While frontman Spencer Sotelo's high-pitched, emo-influenced singing and the presence of the occasional Meshuggah-lite groove riff will undoubtedly continue to keep some metal fans away from their music, Periphery's superb musicianship and dedication to further distance themselves from the dreaded "djent" tag that has haunted them since their 2010 debut with each new release they put makes them one of the most exciting young bands in metal right now.
Standout: Tracks 1.Priestess 2.Heavy Heart 3.Alpha
4.Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp a Butterfly: Talking about an album that's this musically-dense and rife with social and political messages is extremely difficult (as evidenced by this terrible, incoherent review I wrote for the album back in March http://maitlandsmadness.blogspot.com/2015/03/album-review-kendrick-lamar-to-pimp.html), so all that I'll say is that I firmly believe To Pimp a Butterfly is the most important album to be released in my lifetime so far. It's the first album I've ever heard that I knew was going to be a classic the moment I finished listening to it for the first time. It's the type of record that parents will pass onto their children and makes the artists behind them immortals in music history. A majority of the "major" events that occurred in 2015 will fade from my memory with time, but I'll never forget where I was and how I felt when I first heard To Pimp a Butterfly.
Standout Tracks 1.Wesley's Theory 2.How Much a Dollar Coast (feat. James Fauntelroy) 3.Alright
3.The Black Dahlia Murder-Abysmal: Veteran death metal act The Black Dahlia Murder goes against every bit of conventional logic in the music industry. At a point of their career where they could easily be complacent with their legacy and simply be pumping out music for the paycheck, they continue to put top-notch albums that put basically everyone else in the scene to shame. Abysmal is The Black Dahlia Murder delivering yet another slab of distinctly evil melodic death metal driven by intense drumming, killer riffs and Trevor Strnad's powerhouse vocals. While it won't win any awards for originality, Abysmal serves as further proof of The Black Dahlia Murder's unrivaled consistency and proficiency in the death metal genre.
Standout Tracks 1.Re-Faced 2.The Fog 3.Abysmal
2.Battlecross-Rise to Power: Every once in a while you'll stumble across an album that falls into a very specific niche that isn't very well-respected or liked from a consensus standpoint, but you don't really care because it hits all of your personal sweet spots. That album for me is Rise to Power by the much-maligned death/thrash act Battlecross. Battlecross has played a hybrid of Gothenburg melo-death and late 80's thrash since their 2011 debut Pursuit of Honor, Rise to Power just happens to be the first time they've perfected it. The sheer amount of energy, quality riffs and sheer aggression they throw into this lean, filler-free 36-minute album is remarkable and makes Rise to Power one of the very few albums released in 2015 to be highly enjoyable from start to finish.
Standout Tracks: 1.Scars 2.The Climb 3.Absence
1.August Burns Red-Found in Far Away Places: August Burns Red is the epitome of an anomaly in the metalcore scene. In an age where most of the bands they came up with are disbanding (Texas in July), dramatically altering their original sound (All That Remains) or losing the bite they once had (Parkway Drive), they continue to push their music to the next level with each new release they put out. Found in Far Away Places sees the Pennsylvania-based quintet upping the ante even more than usual and it results in their most impressive effort to-date. Between their brilliantly-executed balance of incredibly technical and sprawling progressive elements and the overwhelming, genuine emotion behind Jake Luhrs' vocals, August Burns Red is able to create a truly epic sound that consistently surprises and dazzles the listener. Found in Far Away Places is a bold, beautiful and awe-inspiring record that deserves to be recognized as a classic in the metalcore genre.
Standout Tracks: 1.Broken Promises 2.Majoring in the Minors 3.Separating the Seas
Honorable Mentions:
Lamb of God-VII: Sturm Und Drang
Cult Leader-Lightless Walk
Clutch-Psychic Warfare
Sylosis-Dormant Heart
Altrusium-A Tunnel to Eden
20.Counterparts-Tragedy Will Find Us: With genre torchbearers Rotting Out disbanding in March and fellow heavy hitters Terror, Turnstile and Defeater all releasing their worst albums to-date, 2015 seemed poised to be the year where hardcore officially died. Thankfully, Canada's Counterparts came along and gave hardcore the rejuvenation it desperately needed with their triumphant fourth LP Tragedy Will Find Us. Tragedy Will Find Us mixes the passion and energy that made me fall in love with the genre nearly a decade ago with the type of poignant lyrical content and emotional vocals you seldom see in the faux-macho-driven modern hardcore scene. Tragedy Will Find Us deserves to be mentioned alongside Defeater's Travels and Modern Life is War's Witness in the greatest melodic hardcore albums of all-time conversation.
Standout Tracks: 1.Burn 2.Resonate 3.Choke
19.The Weeknd-Beauty Behind the Madness: The Weeknd may no longer be the little-known, underground darling he was when he released House of Balloons in the summer of 2011, but Beauty Behind the Madness sees the newly-minted pop superstar returning to his risk-taking roots after his surprisingly stagnant 2013 major label-debut Kiss Land. The dark atmosphere and constant experimentation that drove his widely-acclaimed self-released mixtapes (the aforementioned House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence) is back in full force and that persistent unpredictability makes this record a thoroughly invigorating listen throughout. While these experiments don't always yield excellent excellent results (see the bad Boyz II Men knockoff "As You Are" and the tremendously dull ballad "Angel"), the return of the sense of danger to his music paired with his newfound knack for writing massive, radio-friendly hooks are more than enough to make Beauty Behind the Madness The Weeknd's finest release since House of Balloons.
Standout Tracks: 1.Prisoner (feat. Lana Del Rey) 2.The Hills 3.In the Night
18.Intervals-The Shape of Colour: Intervals guitarist/brainchild Aaron Marshall was forced to take the band back to its instrumental roots after vocalist Mike Semesky, drummer Anup Sastry and rhythm guitarist Lukas Guyader all left the group between December 2014 and June 2015. Without vocals or a full-time band to support his playing, Marshall cranked the complexity of his songwriting up to the next level on The Shape of Colour. Each one of The Shape of Colour's eight tracks is densely packed with punchy riffs, stunning solos and beautiful melodies that display just how dynamic and gifted of a guitarist Marshall truly is. If The Shape of Colour is any indicator of what Marshall is capable of as a musician, he should never employ a full-time lineup for Intervals ever again.
Standout Tracks: 1.I'm Awake 2.Sweet Tooth 3.Slight of Hand
17.The Story So Far-The Story So Far: My soft spot for pop punk is well-documented and for my money, no one is doing it better right now than The Story So Far. Their self-titled third LP doesn't deviate too much from its predecessors, but it's yet another catchy, fun and endlessly re-listenable record from the undisputed kings of the pop punk revival movement.
Standout Tracks: 1.Heavy Gloom 2.Mock 3.Distaste
16.While She Sleeps-Brainwashed: It boggles my mind how slept on While She Sleeps is in the modern metalcore landscape. Their 2012 debut This is the Six was one of the most refreshing records to come out of the genre in years and yet pretty much flew completely under-the-radar. The more frenzied and precise attack of their second album Brainwashed will hopefully give While She Sleeps a bit more of the attention they deserve. Lawrence "Loz" Taylor's gritty yet melodic vocals have become even unique since he underwent throat surgery in early 2014 and the barrage of pummeling grooves laid down by guitarists Sean Long and Mat Welsh are more headbang-worthy than ever. Brainwashed is an essential release for any metalcore fan looking for a fresh, exciting and energetic take on the genre.
Standout Tracks 1.Brainwashed 2.Four Walls 3.No Sides, No Enemies
15.Soilwork-The Ride Majestic: Let's face it, the remaining forefathers of Swedish melodic death metal aren't exactly killing the game right now. In Flames has become a generic alternative metal band, Dark Tranquility hasn't put out a worthwhile record since 2007's Fiction and the newly-reunited At the Gates is still trying to get back into a groove after a nearly 18-year reprieve from writing and recording music together. Despite facing a significant amount more member changeover than any of the aforementioned acts, Soilwork is bucking the recent funk Swedish melo-death acts have fallen into by putting out some of the strongest releases of their career within the last five years. Their recent hot streak continues with The Ride Majestic, which actually manages to top their widely-acclaimed 2013 double The Living Infinite as their best release of the 2000's. The Ride Majestic has all of the vigor and stellar songwriting that made The Living Infinite noteworthy without the bloated runtime and solid amount of filler tracks that prevented it from being truly excellent. I don't know what caused Soilwork to suddenly return to form after years of putting out mediocre-to-decent albums, but I am incredibly thankful that it happened.
Standout Tracks: 1.All Along Echoing Paths 2.The Ride Majestic (Aspire Angelic) 3.The Phantom
14.Mac Miller-GO:OD AM: Easy Mac with the cheesy raps is officially gone. The artistic growth Mac Miller showed on 2013's Watching Movies with the Sound Off and 2014's Faces has culminated with the sprawling, mature and powerful GO:OD AM. Over a variety of beats that range from somber and understated to full-on trap bangers, Miller bears his soul about his current state of mind, his previous battles with drug addiction and how getting famous at a young age caused him to lose sight of his priorities. It's staggering how far Miller has come since his party rap debut Blue Slide Park and if this record doesn't up his credibility in the hip-hop community, nothing will.
Standout Tracks: 1.Brand Name 2.Clubhouse 3.Rush Hour
13.iwrestledabearonce-Hail Mary: iwrestledabearonce has been quietly getting better with each new release they put out, but the strides they made on Hail Mary were substantial and completely unexpected. Their trademark tongue-in-cheek metal/deathcore sound has been traded in for a brand of chaotic mathcore so relentlessly spastic and punishing that it makes bands like The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza and Ion Dissonance look like easy listening music. The success of their sound can entirely be attributed to the performances of lead guitarist Stephen Bradley and vocalist Courtney LaPlante. Bradley serves as the ringleader for this circus of chaos with the stream of dizzying and constant-shifting leads he drops throughout the album while LaPlante finally steps out of the shadow of former vocalist Krysta Cameron with her powerful performance that perfectly compliment the manic nature of the music. The non-stop mayhem of Hail Mary will alienate a lot of listeners, but for those that are open to it, it's one of the most insane and enjoyable heavy music rides of 2015.
Standout Tracks: 1.Doomed to Fail Part I 2.Remain Calm 3.Carbon Copy
12.Action Bronson-Mr.Wonderful: Abstract hip-hop star Action Bronson should consider changing his name to Mr.Wonderful after the booming success of his major label debut. By letting frequent collaborators The Alchemist, Party Supplies and Statik Skeletah handle a majority of the production and not toning down the eccentricity of his lyrics in the slightest, Bronson was able to effortlessly bring the vibe of his mixtapes to his first studio release. There may be a few unexpected ventures into pop ("Baby Blue") and blues (the really odd three-part rock opera "Thug Love Story 2017" ) featuring Bronson's rather gruff singing, but aside from those unexpected and not particularly effective detours, Mr. Wonderful is Bronsonlino at the top of his game.
Standout Tracks: 1.The Rising 2.Actin' Crazy 3.Falconry (feat. Meyhem Lauren)
11.Vince Staples-Summertime '06: I've been singing the praises of Vince Staples ever since I heard his guest verse on Earl Sweatshirt's "Hive" in 2013 and with the release of his first proper studio album Summertime '06, Staples reinforces why he's one of the brightest talents in hip-hop right now. Summertime '06 is a behemoth of a double album from in which the Long Beach, California rapper weaves a series of tales about how the summer of 2006 changed his life forever. Through the album's 20 tracks, Staples examines the events that caused him to lose his childhood innocence and become a man at 13 years old. Staples raps with a remarkable amount of polish and intensity for a 22 year-old kid with only a handful of formal releases under his belt and the production handled primarily by Def Jef president No I.D. perfectly matches the variety of emotions he conveys on this record. If Staples can keep up this level of quality on his future releases, I wouldn't be remotely surprised if he challenged Kendrick Lamar for the title of best rapper alive.
Standout Tracks: 1.Norf Norf 2.Loca 3.C.N.B.
10.Rivers of Nihil-Monarchy: It may have taken longer than usual, but don't fear people, the obligatory technical death metal selection on my year-end list is finally here! Monarchy checks all the boxes for what I'm looking for in a tech death album: audible bass, near-constant blast beats, brilliantly-written lengthy guitar solos and the occasional burst of melody for good measure. While all of those elements are key to the success of Monarchy, it's Rivers of Nihil's prominent brutal death metal influence that makes this album really special. The band frequent use of skull-crushing grooves reminds me of Suffocation's early records and gives Rivers of Nihil a fierce edge that a majority of their counterparts simply don't have. Without a doubt, the high water mark for the tech-death genre in 2015.
Standout Tracks: 1.Ancestral, I 2.Monarchy 3.Dehydrate
9.Lana Del Rey-Honeymoon: You'll be hard-pressed to find a popular artist in music right now that's more hated than Lana Del Rey. The perceived pretension and downbeat nature of her 50's and 60's-influnced indie pop sound paired with her infamous live meltdown on Saturday Night Live in 2012 has made her a popular target for critics and internet music nerds to trash at length. On Honeymoon, Del Rey goes to great lengths to silence every person that has questioned her authenticity and ability as an artist. Behind lush, minimalist production that is eerily reminiscent of Nancy Sinatra and Billie Holiday, Del Rey pushes her abilities as a songwriter and vocalist to staggering new heights. Honeymoon may lack the massive hooks and striking beauty of her earlier material, but Del Rey's music has never been as consistently haunting or well-constructed as it is here.
Standout TracksL 1.The Blackest Day 2.Swan Song 3.Honeymoon
8.Dance Gavin Dance-Instant Gratification: If you had told me last January that a Dance Gavin Dance record would be among my top 10 favorites albums of the year, I would've told you to get off the crack pipe. Dance Gavin Dance had fallen off big time since the release of their excellent debut Downtown Battle Mountain in 2007 and with their frequent lineup and genre changes, it seemed like they would've never recover. Then Instant Gratification comes out of nowhere and puts a sudden end to their lengthy cold streak. The success of Instant Gratification has a lot to do with the fact that the band was able to keep the same lineup in tact for two consecutive albums for the first time in their decade-long existence. The continuity and newfound sense of stability within the group allowed them to craft the most focused and varied record of their entire career so far. While the album explores everything from Dillinger Escape Plan-esque mathcore ("Shark Dad") to pop ("Death of a Strawberry") to traditional post-hardcore ("Stroke God, Millionaire"), every track is commanded by clean vocalist Tillian Pearson and harsh vocalist Jon Mess-who share an excellent rapport despite their drastically different vocal styles- and Will Swan's captivating guitarwork. When the guitar and vocals are this consistently great for the course of an entire album, you're bound to have something special on your hands. Instant Gratification is without question the most pleasant surprise of 2015 and as long as this lineup can remain in tact, Dance Gavin Dance has a remarkably bright future ahead of them.
Standout Tracks: 1.Stroke God, Millionaire 2.Shark Dad 3.We Own the Night
7.Mutoid Man-Bleeder: Anyone who says rock'n'roll is dead clearly hasn't heard Mutoid Man. Bleeder, the first full-length from three-piece supergroup featuring Cave In vocalist/guitarist Stephen Brodsky, Converge drummer Ben Koller and professional sound engineer turned bassist Nick Cageao, is a giddy throwback to the days where high-energy, riff-driven rock records ruled the musical landscape. With it's concise runtime (just over 29 minutes long) and abundance of killer riffs and soulful choruses, Bleeder is the type of record that demands to be blasted on huge speakers at the highest possible volume. Bleeder is a compact and endlessly fun record that never fails to put a huge smile on my face every time I listen to it.
Standout Tracks: 1.Sweet Ivy 2.Surveillance 3.1,000 Mile Stare
6.Intronaut-The Direction of Last Things: After briefly flirting with conventional progressive metal on 2013's Habitual Levitations, Intronaut have returned to their insane, experimental selves on The Direction of Last Things. While Habitual Levitations was still a rock-solid album, it felt strange to hear an Intronaut record without harsh vocals and extensive jazz fusion-inspired bass and drum passages. With their defining elements re-entering the fold on The Direction of Last Things, Intronaut is able to create its most endearing and adventurous material since 2008's Prehistoricisms. Every song has its own unique personality with the nuanced melodies and crushing heaviness working symbiotically to create a cohesive body of work that's subtly gorgeous yet undeniably sinister. The Direction of Last Things reaffirms Intronaut's standing as one of the most forward-thinking and unique bands in modern metal.
Standout Tracks: 1.Fast Worms 2.Digital Gerrymandering 3.The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing
5.Periphery-Juggernaut (Alpha+Omega): Double albums are usually a recipe for disaster as artists typically don't have enough interesting ideas to fill the extended running time. With the absolutely monstrous Juggernaut, Periphery prove they're one of the rare musical acts that can make a double album work. The vast differences between the two halves (Alpha is a relatively straightforward alternative metal record while Omega is a crushing, multi-layered prog opus) gives Juggernaut the variety it needs to stay engaging for the duration of its imposing 80-minute running time. While frontman Spencer Sotelo's high-pitched, emo-influenced singing and the presence of the occasional Meshuggah-lite groove riff will undoubtedly continue to keep some metal fans away from their music, Periphery's superb musicianship and dedication to further distance themselves from the dreaded "djent" tag that has haunted them since their 2010 debut with each new release they put makes them one of the most exciting young bands in metal right now.
Standout: Tracks 1.Priestess 2.Heavy Heart 3.Alpha
4.Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp a Butterfly: Talking about an album that's this musically-dense and rife with social and political messages is extremely difficult (as evidenced by this terrible, incoherent review I wrote for the album back in March http://maitlandsmadness.blogspot.com/2015/03/album-review-kendrick-lamar-to-pimp.html), so all that I'll say is that I firmly believe To Pimp a Butterfly is the most important album to be released in my lifetime so far. It's the first album I've ever heard that I knew was going to be a classic the moment I finished listening to it for the first time. It's the type of record that parents will pass onto their children and makes the artists behind them immortals in music history. A majority of the "major" events that occurred in 2015 will fade from my memory with time, but I'll never forget where I was and how I felt when I first heard To Pimp a Butterfly.
Standout Tracks 1.Wesley's Theory 2.How Much a Dollar Coast (feat. James Fauntelroy) 3.Alright
3.The Black Dahlia Murder-Abysmal: Veteran death metal act The Black Dahlia Murder goes against every bit of conventional logic in the music industry. At a point of their career where they could easily be complacent with their legacy and simply be pumping out music for the paycheck, they continue to put top-notch albums that put basically everyone else in the scene to shame. Abysmal is The Black Dahlia Murder delivering yet another slab of distinctly evil melodic death metal driven by intense drumming, killer riffs and Trevor Strnad's powerhouse vocals. While it won't win any awards for originality, Abysmal serves as further proof of The Black Dahlia Murder's unrivaled consistency and proficiency in the death metal genre.
Standout Tracks 1.Re-Faced 2.The Fog 3.Abysmal
2.Battlecross-Rise to Power: Every once in a while you'll stumble across an album that falls into a very specific niche that isn't very well-respected or liked from a consensus standpoint, but you don't really care because it hits all of your personal sweet spots. That album for me is Rise to Power by the much-maligned death/thrash act Battlecross. Battlecross has played a hybrid of Gothenburg melo-death and late 80's thrash since their 2011 debut Pursuit of Honor, Rise to Power just happens to be the first time they've perfected it. The sheer amount of energy, quality riffs and sheer aggression they throw into this lean, filler-free 36-minute album is remarkable and makes Rise to Power one of the very few albums released in 2015 to be highly enjoyable from start to finish.
Standout Tracks: 1.Scars 2.The Climb 3.Absence
1.August Burns Red-Found in Far Away Places: August Burns Red is the epitome of an anomaly in the metalcore scene. In an age where most of the bands they came up with are disbanding (Texas in July), dramatically altering their original sound (All That Remains) or losing the bite they once had (Parkway Drive), they continue to push their music to the next level with each new release they put out. Found in Far Away Places sees the Pennsylvania-based quintet upping the ante even more than usual and it results in their most impressive effort to-date. Between their brilliantly-executed balance of incredibly technical and sprawling progressive elements and the overwhelming, genuine emotion behind Jake Luhrs' vocals, August Burns Red is able to create a truly epic sound that consistently surprises and dazzles the listener. Found in Far Away Places is a bold, beautiful and awe-inspiring record that deserves to be recognized as a classic in the metalcore genre.
Standout Tracks: 1.Broken Promises 2.Majoring in the Minors 3.Separating the Seas
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