Album Review: Migos-Culture

Atlanta hip-hop trio Migos have the cool kids of the internet to thank for their recent surge in popularity. The series of GIF's, Vines and other dank memes that spawned from their song "Bad and Boujee" led to the veteran group picking up their first-ever number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 (their previous highest charting track, "Fight Night", peaked at #69) and becoming the hottest name in trap rap practically overnight. On their second LP Culture, Migos ensures they won't be fading away from the spotlight anytime soon.

Culture is basically a gap-filler for the people that wrote off Migos after "Versace" and "Hannah Montana" made some waves with the Worldstar and Reddit crowd in late 2013. While the masses were gobbling up whatever trendy shit was cool that week, Quavo, Takeoff and Offset were quietly blossoming into the most consistent trap group on the planet. The group has come a long away from the redundant "bounce" formula that was utilized on their mostly Offset-free 2013 release Y.R.N and over this record, Migos does an excellent job of reinforcing just how much progress they've made since they first tasted fame. Culture is a culmination of the increase in confidence, consistency and experimentation the group has displayed since their breakthrough mixtape No Label II in 2014 as well as a strong middle finger to the internet trolls that wrote them off as a talentless band of one-note fuckboys when "Versace" first blew up. This victory lap is well-earned for a group that has been unfairly slept on for far too long, and I hope the people that dig Culture will go back and check out the slew of outstanding projects they've released over the past few years.

It may sound cheap and unfair because they're a group in a genre driven by solo artists, but the three-headed monster of Quavo, Takeoff and Offset continues to set Migos apart from their peers. Having three members with distinct flows and huge personalities gives them a level of songwriting flexibility that other artists in the scene can only dream of. It's not just that Migos has the luxury of having a group full of unique rappers, they have the collective talent and conviction to experiment with different styles of hip-hop without ever completely abandoning the fun trap edge that has driven their music from day one. All three of them can flow over any beat that's handed to them, have a seemingly endless supply of charisma and possess the ability to write consistently memorable hooks, which allows them to thrive at everything from ignorant hype tracks ("Call Casting", "Deadz") to codeine-drenched ballads ("What the Price", "Kelly Price") to radio-friendly anthems ("T-Shirt", "Bad and Boujee"). While their ability to churn out high-energy club bangers is vital to their success, Culture once again proves that versatility and next-level hook writing are the primary reasons why Migos are the gold standard for trap rap. 

Culture definitely isn't the most essential Migos release-to date, but it'll more than likely go down as the most important record of their career. Like DS2 did for Future in 2015, I expect this to be the project that finally elevates them to superstar status. While I'm elated that they're finally garnering the level of attention they've long deserved, I really hope this wave of hype won't result in them losing the creative fire that helped them get to this (current) apex of their career.  

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Call Casting
2.T-Shirt
3.Get Right Witcha

The Best and Worst of Gary Oldman

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 Space Between Us" star Gary Oldman.

Films starring Gary Oldman that I've seen:
True Romance
Leon: The Professional
The Fifth Element
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 
Batman Begins
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Dark Knight
The Book of Eli
Red Riding Hood
Kung Fu Panda 2
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
The Dark Knight Rises
Lawless
Robocop
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Criminal

Best Performance: Leon: The Professional (1994)
If you want to learn how to act in action movie, look no further than this godlike performance. Norman Stansfield is the greatest Die Hard villain to never appear in a Die Hard film and showcases why Oldman is one of the greatest scenery-chewing actors of all-time. 

Worst Performance: Criminal (2016)
Oldman's turn in the god awful Criminal is on the exact opposite end of the over-the-top spectrum as Norman Stansfield. Oldman pretty much just screams profanities for two hours in a performance that lacks the self-awareness and aplomb of his past action movie triumphs.  

Best Film: The Fifth Element (1997)
Before Luc Besson devolved into a frustratingly erratic filmmaker in the late 2000's, he was one of the most premier creative forces on the planet. Of all the masterful films Besson churned out in the beginning of his career, The Fifth Element is my favorite by a pretty wide margin. The Fifth Element masterfully blends stunning visuals with a captivating storyline that immediately drew me into this massive intergalactic world.

Worst Film: Red Riding Hood (2011) 
If there's one classic folk tale that wasn't designed for Hollywood's gritty live-action reboot treatment, it's Little Red Riding Hood. Catherine Hardwicke's 2011 film starring Amanda Seyfried as the titular young girl who encounters a werewolf in the woods next to the village in which she resides reconfirmed every ounce of skepticism I had about this project. Red Riding Hood is not only full of forced "edgy" content to try and appeal to an older audience, it's boring as hell and features a level of acting that is comparable to most daytime soap operas. This is a cinematic atrocity to the highest degree and I'm surprised that it's not brought up more in worst movies of all-time discussions.  

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 "John Wick: Chapter 2" star Keanu Reeves.

2016-17 NBA Mid-Season Power Rankings

We're officially 3 months into the 2016-17 NBA season, which means it's an ideal time to take a look back at how all 30 teams fared over the first half of the season. Here's how I believe the league hierarchy stacks up heading into the final 2 and a half months of the season.   

(Note: All records and conference standings are as of Wednesday January 25th)

1.Golden State Warriors (39-7) (1st in Western Conference):
The NBA's newest "superteam" have lived up to expectations so far with Kevin Durant making an already loaded Warriors squad even more unstoppable. It would be a shock if they didn't at least make an appearance in the Finals this year.
Projected Finish: 1st in Western Conference


2.San Antonio Spurs (36-9) (2nd in Western Conference):
The biggest threat to the Warriors title hopes is once again Gregg Popovich's squad. Anchored by Kawhi Leonard's increasingly potent 2-way game and LaMarcus Alridge's offensive versatility, the Spurs continue to be a lethal, deep team that is capable of embarrassing their opponents on any given night.
Projected Finish: 2nd in Western Conference

3.Cleveland Cavaliers (30-13) (1st in Eastern Conference):
Aside from their current 3-6 skid which spawned one of the best public diva outbursts from Lebron James to-date, the Cavs have been every bit as dominant as they were during last year's title run. Given the weaknesses their closest competition in the Eastern Conference (Raptors, Celtics, Wizards) have with rebounding and reliable frontcourt scoring options, it's hard to envision a scenario where Lebron, Kyrie and co. don't return to the Finals for the 3rd straight season.
Projected Finish: 1st in Eastern Conference

4.Houston Rockets (34-15) (3rd in Western Conference):
New coach Mike D'Antoni and his uptempo style of offense that lets James Harden run the point is exactly what the Rockets needed to get back on track after a tumultuous 2015-16 campaign. The Rockets are playing their most impressive basketball of the Harden-era by far and barring a collapse, should continue to be one of the most explosive teams in the league down the stretch.
Projected Finish: 4th in Western Conference 

5.Toronto Raptors (28-18) (2nd in Eastern Conference):
For whatever reason, people keep underestimating the Raptors. They may not have the depth or defensive prowess to be a legitimate threat to win a championship, but their explosive backcourt pairing of Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan-who is in the middle of a career season-is still more than enough to make them one of the league's premier teams.
Projected Finish: 2nd in Eastern Conference


6.Boston Celtics (27-18) (3rd in Eastern Conference):
While the chemistry and defensive issues that have emerged from the slew of injuries they've endured throughout the season has prevented them from living up to their preseason expectations, the Celtics have settled into a nice groove over the past month thanks to the nightly offensive fireworks from Isaiah Thomas and the improved ball movement that has emerged from bringing in versatile forward/center Al Horford in free agency. If this team can get fully healthy and firm up its rotation, they have a real shot of challenging the Raptors for the 2 seed in the East.
Projected Finish: 3rd in Eastern Conference 

7.Los Angeles Clippers (30-17) (4th in Western Conference):
Relatively major injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have prevented this Clippers team from truly thriving in the first half of the season. They've looked excellent in the games they've had CP3 and Griffin together on the floor (they've smoked the Spurs in both of their meetings so far this season) and if they can somehow manage to get healthy in time for the playoffs, they have the talent and depth to potentially make it to their 1st Western Conference Finals in franchise history.
Projected Finish: 3rd in Western Conference 

8.Utah Jazz (29-18) (5th in Western Conference):
The Jazz have quietly been one of the most consistently productive team in the NBA this season. Their deliberate offensive pace makes them kind of a snore to watch at times, but they're a talented, deep veteran team that's formidable on both ends of the floor.
Projected Finish: 5th in Western Conference


9.Washington Wizards (25-20) (5th in Eastern Conference):
The Wizards shook off whatever the hell was plaguing them at the start of the season (they were 6-12 on December 3rd) and have arguably been the hottest team in the Eastern Conference since the middle of December (they are currently on a 14-game home winning streak and have only lost 7 games since December 12th). The inconsistency of their starting forwards (Markeef Morris and Otto Porter) and weakness of their bench makes them liable to put up the occasional catastrophic dud (see their 123-96 loss to the Bucks on December 23rd), but if John Wall and Bradley Beal continue to pop off the way that they have recently, they're going to be a team that no one wants to face come playoff time.
Projected Finish: 4th in Eastern Conference
    
10.Atlanta Hawks (27-19) (4th in Eastern Conference): 
Despite the doomsday predictions many people forcasted once they signed noted team killer Dwight Howard to replace notoriously stoic leader Al Horford in free agency and traded longtime starting point guard Jeff Teague to the Pacers for practically nothing, the Hawks haven't dropped off in the slightest from a season ago. Dennis Schroder has done a nice job adjusting to full-time starting point guard duties, Tim Hardaway Jr. has evolved into the offensive spark player their bench has long lacked and 31-year old Paul Millsap continues to be one of the NBA's most complete, criminally underrated players. I fully expect the Hawks to end up with a pretty high seed in the playoffs for the 4th time in the last 6 years.
Projected Finish: 5th in Eastern Conference
.
11.Oklahoma City Thunder (27-19) (6th in Western Conference):
The unreal, cyborg-like play of Russell Westbrook has helped elevate an otherwise average team into a playoff spot in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. The Thunder are more than likely going to get eviscerated by the talent-loaded pool of teams in the West come playoff time, but for now, it's a distinct pleasure to watch Westbrook go berzerk just about every night.
Projected Finish: 7th in Western Conference

12.Memphis Grizzlies (27-20) (7th in Western Conference): 
Like the Jazz, the Grizzlies are a team that flies under-the-radar because they don't have a true superstar and play a brand of basketball that isn't very flashy or exciting to watch. Injuries to floor general Mike Conley and free-agent pickup Chandler Parsons have put them through some rough patches offensively, but their strong defense led by Marc Gasol and the ageless Tony Allen has proven to be enough to keep them in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Projected Finish: 6th in Western Conference

13.Charlotte Hornets (23-23) (tied for 6th in Eastern Conference):
The Charlotte Hornets are another mid-tier Eastern Conference team that has played exactly up to expectations thus far in 2016-17. Nicolas Batum has proven to be well worth the near-max contract the team gave him in the offseason and Kemba Walker has brought his game to the next level with career-highs in scoring (23 PPG), 3 point percentage (41.1%) and field goal percentage (45.7%). Despite their recent struggles (they're 4-7 in January and have lost their last 7 road games), I expect the Hornets to be a near-lock to secure a playoff spot.
Projected Finish: 6th in Eastern Conference

  
14.Indiana Pacers (22-22) (tied for 6th in Eastern Conference):
Different year, same above-average Pacers team. Jeff Teague has solved their issues at point guard and 2nd-year player Myles Turner has made pretty significant progress on both ends of the floor, but their horrific play away from Bankers Life Fieldhouse (they are an abysmal 6-16 on the road) and rebounding woes have prevented them from gaining any ground in the East.
Projected Finish: 8th in Eastern Conference
 

15.Chicago Bulls (23-24) (8th in Eastern Conference):
The Bulls 2016-17 campaign has been a wild ride full of triumph, internal dysfunction and some of the most extreme erratic play I've ever seen in the NBA. Jimmy Butler continues to prove anyone that doubted his ability to be a number 1 wrong with his sensational play on both ends of the floor, Dwyane Wade splits his time between looking like an ageless superstar and a hobbled old man that should be playing in weekend rec leagues at the YMCA, Rajon Rondo has already managed to get yanked from the starting lineup and create several internal shitstorms, and Robin Lopez still looks like the human version of Animal from The Muppets. I'm already getting my popcorn ready for the next chapter of this roller coaster season.
Projected Finish: 10th in Eastern Conference
   
16.Milwaukee Bucks (21-24) (9th in Eastern Conference):
Despite the rise of Giannis Antetokounmpo to true superstar status and a handful of huge wins against top-end teams (November 29th against the Cavaliers, January 9th against the Spurs, January 23rd against the Rockets), the Bucks just haven't been able to play consistently strong basketball. That being said, the Bucks are still well in striking in distance of the playoffs and their talented young corps (Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, Malcolm Brogdon) has more than enough upside to propel them to a playoff berth.
Projected Finish: 9th in Eastern Conference
 

17.Detroit Pistons (21-25) (10th in Eastern Conference):
The Pistons have arguably been the biggest disappointment in the Eastern Conference this season. They've looked really flat for several prolonged stretches over the past couple of months and have largely failed to build off the promise they showed last season. Of all the bubble teams in the East, the Pistons have the best chance of righting the ship in the 2nd half of the season, but they're going to need to sure up their offense and get more contributions from their bench in order to do so.
Projected Finish: 7th in Eastern Conference

18.Denver Nuggets (19-25) (8th in Western Conference):
Led by the stellar play of 2nd-year power forward Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have found some success of late and separated themselves from a lot of the other below-average teams fighting for the honor of getting crushed by the Warriors or Spurs in the 1st round of the playoffs. I still think that they're too raw and inconsistent to make the playoffs, but the flashes of true excellence they've displayed this season has me really encouraged for their prospects moving forward.
Projected Finish: 9th in Western Conference

19.Portland Trail Blazers (20-27) (9th in Western Conference):
The 2016-17 Portland Trail Blazers are proving just how much of a fluke their excellent 2015-16 season was. This team simply doesn't enough have enough frontcourt scoring options or defensive talent to back up their outstanding guard tandem of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and compete with the NBA's elite teams. Despite their early-season struggles, their veteran pedigree gives them a good shot of squeaking into the playoffs due to the shakiness and youth of the other teams (Nuggets, Kings, Pelicans, Timberwolves) fighting for the 8 seed in the west.
Projected Finish: 8th in Western Conference
 
20.New York Knicks (20-27) (11th in Eastern Conference):
The flashes of promise the Knicks have shown at various points of the season have been overshadowed by a slew of spectacular late-game collapses and their continued internal dysfunction (thanks Carmelo, Derrick Rose and Phil Jackson!). If that doesn't describe the Knicks organization in a nutshell, I don't know what does.
Projected Finish: 12th in Western Conference
  
21.Philadelphia 76ers (17-27) (12th in Eastern Conference):
The process appears to be finally paying off in Philadelphia. Rookies Dario Saric and Joel Embiid along with 3rd-year low-post scorer/rim-protector Nerlens Noel have drastically changed the way this team plays on both ends of the floor and finally brought some hope to this long-suffering franchise. If Ben Simmons can return after the All-Star Break and quickly click with his teammates, the 76ers might be able to pull off a dark horse playoff run.
Projected Finish: 11th in Western Conference

22.Sacramento Kings (18-27) (10th in Western Conference):
The presence of a great coach in Dave Joerger has done basically nothing to fix the ailments that have plagued the Kings for the duration of this decade. DeMarcus Cousins still has way too much weight on his shoulders, the veteran castoffs they picked up in free agency (Arron Afflalo, Matt Barnes, Ty Lawson) are making minimal contributions and losing Rudy Gay for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles is devastating to their offensive productivity.
Projected Finish: 11th in Western Conference

23.New Orleans Pelicans (18-28) (11th in Western Conference):
The Pelicans really need to get some help for Anthony Davis. Davis is in the midst of a career year (28.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game) and yet the Pelicans are still sitting 10 games below .500. Without a supporting cast that can aid Davis on a regular basis, the Pelicans will be DOA for the foreseeable future.
Projected Finish: 12th in Western Conference


24.Minnesota Timberwolves (17-28) (12th in Western Conference):
Despite possessing some of the most coveted young talent in the NBA (Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LeVine) and bringing in a coach in Tom Thibodeau that has enjoyed a pretty sizable amount of success throughout his career, the Timberwolves just haven't been able to put the pieces together in 2016-17. Their combination of young players making silly mistakes and poor outside shooting (35%, 21st in the league) has put them on the losing end of a number of close games this season. While I still strongly believe this team is going to be scary good in the next 2-3 years, I don't expect them to put together a particularly impressive stretch run this season.
Projected Finish: 10th in Western Conference

25.Orlando Magic (18-29) (13th in Eastern Conference):
The Magic led by future Hall-of-Famers such as Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton have once again just managed to be kind of there over the first 47 games of the season. They're neither inept enough to pick up a high-lottery pick or competent enough to be taken seriously as a playoff contender, and that ever-present state of anonymity seems to suit them nicely as an organization.
Projected Finish: 13th in Eastern Conference


26.Miami Heat (16-30) (14th in Eastern Conference):
The post-Wade Heat have pretty much been the young, identity-challenged team people around the league expected them to be. Veteran holdovers Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside have thrived with more opportunities to the touch the ball, but the young players outside of Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson haven't showed any real promise in extended playing time. At least they have the bizarre potential rise of Dion Waiters as a clutch player to help them through this painful rebuilding season.
Projected Finish: 14th in Eastern Conference
 
27.Dallas Mavericks (16-29) (13th in Western Conference):
Age has finally caught up with the Mavericks as they appear to be on track to miss the playoffs for only the 2nd time in the last 17 years. The odd mix of over-the-hill guys (J.J. Barea, Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki) and below-average young players (Justin Anderson, Seth Curry, Dwight Powell) has resulted in the worst on-court product the Mavs have had since the early 90's.
Projected Finish: 13th in Western Conference


28.Phoenix Suns (15-30) (14th in Western Conference):
The Suns are doing about as well as you would expect a raw, largely talent-deprived team in the Western Conference to be doing at this point of the season. Amidst all of the growing pains and lopsided losses that come with the rebuilding process, Devin Booker is beginning to look like the prolific scorer/outside shooter they drafted him to be and Eric Bledsoe has looked strong since returning from the torn meniscus that prematurely ended his 2015-16 season. The next few seasons aren't likely to be pretty, but there are glimmers of hope on the horizon for this long-suffering organization.
Projected Finish: 14th in Western Conference


29.Los Angeles Lakers (16-33) (15th in Western Conference):
Remember when the Lakers started the season 7-5 and people were talking about them as a playoff team? That was fun. The Lakers have pissed away any good fortune they had in mid-November with their collection of overpriced veterans (Timofey Mozgov, Luol Deng, Jose Calderon) they brought in to try and speed up the rebuilding process stinking up the floor on a nightly basis and a sorry-ass defense that could get lit up by most middle school teams. If it wasn't for their occasional flourishes of offensive fireworks courtesy of Jordan Clarkson, D'Angelo Russell and the always-entertaining Nick Young, this team would be completely unwatchable.
Projected Finish: 15th in Western Conference

30.Brooklyn Nets (9-36) (15th in Eastern Conference):
The Nets have been the basketball equivalent of watching Gigli this season and they deserve sympathy from every single NBA fan. I'm pretty firmly convinced that a lot of D-league teams could take out this woefully untalented team on most nights. Early congrats to the Celtics for securing the number 1 pick in the 2017 Draft. 
Projected Finish: 15th in Eastern Conference

The Best and Worst of Edgar Ramirez

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 "Gold" star Edgar Ramirez.

Films starring Edgar Ramirez that I've seen:
The Bourne Ultimatum 
Vantage Point
Wrath of the Titans
Zero Dark Thirty
The Counselor 
Deliver Us from Evil
Joy
Point Break
Hands of Stone
The Girl on the Train

Best Performance: Joy (2015)
The majority of Joy is commanded by the standout performances of Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro, but Ramirez manages to shine almost as bright as those Hollywood heavyweights in a fraction of the screen time. He does an excellent job of painting Joy Mangano's ex-husband (Lawrence) that still lives with her and their two kids as a compassionate, kindhearted character that you want to see succeed. 

Worst Performance: Point Break (2015)
To be honest, Ramirez was one of the better parts of the Point Break remake. That being said, his performance in this dreadful film was still pretty bad. Ramirez lacks the charisma or believable free-spirit attitude that made Patrick Swayze's Bodhi such an intriguing villain in the original. 

Best Film: The Girl on the Train (2016)
The film version of Paula Hawkins' 2015 novel doesn't offer up any deep insight on real-world issues or innovative storytelling ideas, it's just a really efficient and well-constructed genre film. The strong development of its central protagonists and remarkable acting from its unheralded ensemble cast (Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson, Ramirez, Luke Evans) are more than enough to elevate The Girl on the Train above most by-the-numbers, best-selling thriller adaptations.  

Worst Film: Point Break (2015)
The original Point Break has become a cult classic due to its goofy charm and gleefully over-the-top action sequences. The 2015 remake is an overly serious, poorly-acted film that's about as fun as getting a root canal.While the decision to not go the shot-for-shot remake route is admirable, Point Break's inability to provide any semblance of entertainment value or honor the original's cheesy fun legacy just can't be glossed over.

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 "The Space Between Us" star Gary Oldman.

Movie Review: Split

While it was far from perfect, 2015's The Visit was good enough to convince me that the infamous M. Night Shyamalan had made his long-awaited return to the world of competent filmmaking. The veteran thriller director promptly ensured that I looked like a dingus for believing that the Shyamalanassiance was a thing by following up The Visit with a frustrating missed opportunity in Split.

In typical Shyamalan form, Split flashes a ton of potential out of the gate. The role of Kevin, the titular man with split personality disorder that kidnaps three teenage girls (Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula) for a seemingly unknown purpose, is a tremendous display of James McAvoy's range as an actor and the mystery surrounding why Kevin abducted these girls makes the first hour or so pretty compelling. Of course, good ol' M.Night goes ahead and squanders every ounce of that initial promise in the final 45 minutes of the film.

Shyamalan has turned third-act tailspins into a tragic cinematic art form throughout his career and in that regard, Split is his fucking Hamlet. The reveal of why Kevin kidnapped the girls is equal parts underwhelming and moronic, the "predator vs. prey" symbolism is so excessive that I was considering filing assault charges against the film's producers upon leaving the theater and the patented Shymalan twist is some next level, ego-stroking bullshit from a director that is nowhere near as clever as he thinks he is. His tendency to end his stories on preposterous notes is the primary reason he's transformed into one of the film world's favorite punchlines over the past 15 years and Split reaffirms that those jokes at his expense are as justified as ever.

Split is the latest nail in the coffin of Shymalan's once-promising career. He just can't seem to break  the vicious cycle of third-act hiccups and ludicrous creative decisions that have plagued his films since Signs, and I can assure you that I'll never be naive enough to put faith in his ability as a filmmaker ever again. At this point, I'm hoping he returns to making films that are glaringly incompetent as Lady in the Water, The Village and The Happening, so we can at least return to the days where going to see a Shyamalan movie guaranteed an abundance of unintentional comedy gold.      
2/5 Stars

89th Academy Award Nomination Predictions

The nominations for the 89th Academy Awards are set to be announced on Tuesday via a global live stream from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California at approximately 8:20 A.M. EST. Here are the names I believe you'll hear Brie Larson, Jennifer Hudson and Academy President Cheryl Boone Issacs call tomorrow morning.

Best Picture:
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
Fences
La La Land
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight 

Locks: Arrival, La La Land, Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight
Toss-Ups: Hacksaw Ridge, Hidden Figures, Hell or High Water, Fences, Lion 
Other contenders: 20th Century Women, Florence Foster Jenkins, Jackie, Loving, Nocturnal Animals, Silence, Sully

Best Actor:
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences
 
Locks: Casey Affleck, Ryan Gosling, Denzel Washington
Toss-Ups: Andrew Garfield, Viggo Mortensen
Other contenders: Joel Edgerton (Loving), Andrew Garfield (Silence), Jake Gyllenhaal (Nocturnal Animals), Tom Hanks (Sully), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)

Best Actress:
Amy Adams, Arrival
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Emma Stone, La La Land

Locks: Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep, Emma Stone
Toss-Ups: Amy Adams, Isabelle Huppert
Other contenders: Annette Benning (20th Century Women), Emily Blunt (The Girl on the Train), Jessica Chastain (Miss Sloane), Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures), Ruth Negga (Loving), Hailee Steinfeld (The Edge of Seventeen)

Best Supporting Actor:
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion 
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals

Locks: Mahershala Ali, Dev Patel
Toss-Ups: Jeff Bridges, Lucas Hedges, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Other contenders: Hugh Grant (Florence Foster Jenkins), Simon Helberg (Florence Foster Jenkins), Liam Nesson (Silence), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

Best Supporting Actress:
Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Locks: Viola Davis, Naomie Harris, Michelle Williams
Toss-Ups: Nicole Kidman, Octavia Spencer
Other contenders: Greta Gerwig (20th Century Women), Greta Gerwig (Jackie), Janelle Monae (Hidden Figures)

Best Director:
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea 
Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

Locks: Damien Chazelle, Barry Jenkins, Kenneth Lonergan, Denis Villeneuve
Toss-Ups: Mel Gibson
Other contenders: Garth Davis (Lion), Tom Ford (Nocturnal Animals), Theodore Melfi (Hidden Figures), Martin Scorsese (Silence), Denzel Washington (Fences)

Best Original Screenplay:
Captain Fantastic
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Manchester by the Sea 
Zootopia

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Arrival
Fences 
Hidden Figures
Lion 
Moonlight

Best Animated Feature:
Finding Dory
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
The Red Turtle
Zootopia

Best Cinematography:
Arrival
Hell or High Water
La La Land 
Moonlight
Nocturnal Animals

Best Foreign Language Film:
It's Only the End of the World
Land of Mine
My Life as a Zucchini  
The Salesman
Toni Erdmann

Best Documentary Feature:
13th
Gleason
I Am Not Your Negro
The Ivory Game
Weiner

Best Editing:
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Silence

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Deadpool
Florence Foster Jenkins
Star Trek Beyond

Best Costume Design:
Allied
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land

Best Original Score:
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Nocturnal Animals
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Original Song:
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Moana
Sing Street
Trolls

Best Visual Effects:
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon 
Doctor Strange
The Jungle Book
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Sound Mixing:
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Sound Editing:
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange
Hacksaw Ridge
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

NFL Conference Championship Picks

Divisional Round Record: 2-2 (Correct: Patriots, Packers Incorrect: Seahawks, Chiefs)
Overall Record: 5-3

Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons and Packers are basically mirror images of each other. They both have elite quarterbacks that are seemingly untouchable right now, a barrage of players at the skill positions that are capable of making game-breaking plays at any moment and below-average defenses that are susceptible to getting torched by high-end offenses.  

You can make a strong argument for both sides in this borderline surefire shootout, but I have to give the edge to the Packers. The uncertainty surrounding Julio Jones' health is a big reason for a concern given the inconsistency of the rest of the Falcons receiving corps and even without a fully-healthy Jordy Nelson in the mix, I think Aaron Rodgers can get enough out of this offense to lead the Packers to their first Super Bowl appearance since their championship run in 2010.

New England Patriots over Pittsburgh Steelers: The Patriots are coming off their worst playoff performance since the 2013 AFC Championship Game against the Texans last Saturday and yet they still managed to win by 18 points. There's no way they'll be that sloppy again this week against a high-powered Steelers offense that can actually make you pay when you turn the ball over 4 times in a game. Brady and the coaching staff are going to come out pissed-off from the opening whistle with a bunch of clock-draining drives to prevent the Killer B's (Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown) from having a chance to turn this into the type of high-scoring affair that favors their strengths as a team. Anything other than another hard-fought yet still spirit-crushing loss for Mike Tomlin's squad in Foxboro (his only win at Gillette Stadium came in 2008 when Matt Cassel was under center) would be a pretty huge shock.

The Best and Worst of James McAvoy

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 "Split" star James McAvoy.

Films starring James McAvoy that I've seen:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Last King of Scotland
Wanted
Gnomeo and Juliet
X-Men: First Class
Arthur Christmas
Trance
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Filth
X-Men: Apocalypse

Best Performance: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
The X-Men prequels are among my favorite superhero movies of all-time and McAvoy's remarkable work as Professor Charles Xavier, the wise, telepathic leader of the titular band of a mutants, is a large reason why. While he's been great in all three films, the story arc involving Xavier's self-doubt and rage over how he's treated allows McAvoy to bring an emotional core to a film franchise that isn't usually known for dramatic heft.  

Worst Performance: The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Upon watching a young McAvoy in his first leading role as the Scottish personal physician to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) this past week, it's kind of hard to believe that he eventually transformed into one of the most reliably impressive actors in Hollywood. The intensity and emotional transparency that has defined McAvoy's recent work is completely absent here as he gets outclassed in every scene by the fiery and horrifying Whitaker.

Best Film: Wanted (2008):
There are few films in existence that I've had to defend my love for more than Wanted. A large percentage of my friends have given me an abundance of shit for enjoying this movie since it was released in the summer of 2008 (I declared shortly after it came out that it was better than The Dark Knight and one of my friends proceeded to immediately punch me in the arm) and to be honest, I completely understand that reaction. Wanted features a bunch of despicable characters, has one of the most ludicrous plot twists in the history of cinema and is so cartoonishly over-the-top that it makes films like Shoot Em' Up and Drive Angry feel like documentaries. I may be aware of its flaws, but none of them prevent me from adoring the hell out of this movie. This movie is pure, B-action madness that puts a smile on my face every single time I watch it.

Worst Film: Gnomeo and Juliet (2011)
I can't believe someone actually greenlit a sequel to this obnoxious, unfunny musical poopfest. SMH.

 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 "Gold" star Edgar Ramirez.

2016 in Film: A Year in Review

I can't recall another year in film in recent memory that was as strange as 2016. Despite the fact that there was a very small number of films that I absolutely loved (only three films received a 4.5/5 rating compared to seven in 2015), there was a lot more very good-to-great films, and significantly less straight-up duds and disappointments than there were in 2014 and 2015.

While there was certain genres that rose above the rest (comedy, horror/thriller), 2016's success stories spanned the entire cinematic spectrum. There were powerful indie dramas (Manchester by the Sea, Don't Think Twice), white-knuckle thrill rides (Green Room, 10 Cloverfield Lane) and of course, your obligatory R-rated animated comedy that is part over-the-top vulgar sex comedy, part religious allegory (Sausage Party).

The brunt of 2016's failures and letdowns stemmed from its relatively underwhelming awards-season slate and hotly-anticipated blockbusters that failed to deliver the unique thrills they promised. These critically-acclaimed awards contenders (Moonlight, Nocturnal Animals, Fences) and ambitious blockbusters (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War) squandered their flashes of immense potential on final products that were nowhere near noteworthy. 

Below you'll find a complete list of every film I saw from 2016 ranked from worst to best (with star ratings) as well as my picks for the best performances, biggest surprises/letdowns and a whole lot more. Hope you enjoy, and let's all hope for a less erratic cinematic year in 2017.    

110.Captain Fantastic (1/5)
109.The Finest Hours (1.5/5)
108.Kubo and the Two Strings (1.5/5)
107.The Legend of Tarzan (1.5/5)
106.Criminal (1.5/5)
105.Yoga Hosers (1.5/5)
104.Hail, Caesar! (2/5)
103.Midnight Special (2/5)
102.The Jungle Book (2/5)
101.Independence Day: Resurgence (2/5)
100.The Boss (2/5)
99.Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2/5)
98.Zootopia (2.5/5)
97.Ride Along 2 (2.5/5)
96.The Secret Life of Pets (2.5/5)
95.Storks (2.5/5)
94.Miles Ahead (2.5/5)
93.Swiss Army Man (2.5/5)
92.The Meddler (2.5/5)
91.Joshy (2.5/5)
90.Passengers (2.5/5)
89.Mr.Right (2.5/5)
88.Demolition (2.5/5)
87.How to Be Single (2.5/5)
86.Jane Got a Gun (3/5)
85.Deepwater Horizon (3/5)
84.The Conjuring 2 (3/5)
83.Mechanic: Resurrection (3/5)
82.Zoolander 2 (3/5)
81.Star Trek Beyond (3/5)
80.Gods of Egypt (3/5)
79.Money Monster (3/5)
78.Allegiant (3/5)
77.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (3/5)
76.London Has Fallen (3/5)
75.Get a Job (3/5)
74.Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (3/5)
73.Morris From America (3/5)
72.La La Land (3/5)
71.The Accountant (3/5)
70.Everybody Wants Some!! (3/5)
69.Eddie the Eagle (3/5)
68.Fifty Shades of Black (3/5)
67.Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (3/5)
66.Patriots Day (3.5/5)
65.Hunt for the Wilderpeople (3.5/5)
64.Dirty Grandpa (3.5/5)
63.The Do-Over (3.5/5)
62.The Infiltrator (3.5/5)
61.Ghostbusters (3.5/5)
60.Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (3.5/5)
59.Southside with You (3.5/5)
58.Free State of Jones (3.5/5)
57.Fences (3.5/5)
56.Bleed for This (3.5/5)
55.Gleason (3.5/5)
54.Sing Street (3.5/5)
53.Kung Fu Panda 3 (3.5/5)
52.The Edge of Seventeen (3.5/5)
51.The Shallows (3.5/5)
50.The Witch (3.5/5)
49.Lights Out (3.5/5)
48.Bad Moms (3.5/5)
47.Nocturnal Animals (3.5/5)
46.Barbershop: The Next Cut (3.5/5)
45.The Birth of a Nation (3.5/5)
44.Captain America: Civil War (3.5/5)
43.Office Christmas Party (3.5/5)
42.Moonlight (3.5/5)
41.The Brothers Grimsby (3.5/5)
40.Deadpool (3.5/5)
39.Eye in the Sky (3.5/5)
38.War Dogs (3.5/5)
37.Blood Father (3.5/5)
36.Cafe Society (3.5/5)
35.Triple 9 (3.5/5)
34.Finding Dory (3.5/5)
33.The Fundamentals of Caring (3.5/5)
32.Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (4/5)
31.Race (4/5)
30.Snowden (4/5)
29.Live by Night (4/5)
28.The Hollars (4/5)
27.Don't Breathe (4/5)
26.Nerve (4/5)
25.Suicide Squad (4/5)
24.The Purge: Election Year (4/5)
23.Mascots (4/5)
22.Sully (4/5)
21.Central Intelligence (4/5)
20.X-Men: Apocalypse (4/5)
19.13th (4/5)
18.The Girl on the Train (4/5)
17.Weiner (4/5)
16.Other People (4/5)
15.Hacksaw Ridge (4/5)
14.Hardcore Henry (4/5)
13.Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (4/5)
12.Hell or High Water (4/5)
11.Now You See Me 2 (4/5)
10.Arrival (4/5)
9.10 Cloverfield Lane (4/5)
8.Sausage Party (4/5)
7.Keanu (4/5)
6.The Magnificent Seven (4/5)
5.Don't Think Twice (4/5)
4.Green Room (4/5)
3.Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (4.5/5)
2.The Nice Guys (4.5/5)

1.Manchester by the Sea (4.5/5)
Still Need to See:
20th Century Women
Allied
American Honey
Anthropoid
Bad Santa 2
Ben-Hur 
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
Blair Witch
Born to Be Blue
Doctor Strange
Elle 
Florence Foster Jenkins
The Founder
Goat 
Gold 
The Greasy Strangler
The Handmaiden  
Hands of Stone
Hidden Figures
Imperium
In a Valley of Violence
Jackie
Jason Bourne
Keeping Up with the Joneses 
Kevin Hart: What Now?
The Light Between Oceans
Lion
Loving
Masterminds
Miss Sloane
Moana
A Monster Calls
Morgan
Mr. Church
My Blind Brother
The Neon Demon
Officer Downe
Queen of Katwe
Silence
Tickled
Why Him?

Year-End Awards:
Best Picture: Manchester by the Sea
Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Best Actress: Emily Blunt, The Girl on the Train
Best Supporting Actor: Hugo Weaving, Hacksaw Ridge
Best Supporting Actress: Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Best Director: Jeremy Saulnier, Green Room
Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay: Eric Heisserer, Arrival
Best Animated Film: Sausage Party
Best Documentary: Weiner
Best Cinematography: La La Land
Best Score: Moonlight 
Best Visual Effects: Arrival
  
Biggest Surprises:
1.Hacksaw Ridge
2.Other People
3.Bad Moms
4.Lights Out
5.The Shallows 

Biggest Letdowns:
1.Zoolander 2
2.Star Trek Beyond
3.Passengers
4.Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
5.Hail, Caesar! 

Most Underrated:
1.Popstar
2.The Magnificent Seven
3.The Girl on the Train
4.Suicide Squad
5.Nerve

Most Overrated:
1.The Jungle Book
2.Zootopia
3.Deadpool
4.Moonlight
5.Captain America: Civil War

Top Performances:
1.Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
2.Emily Blunt, The Girl on the Train
3.Hugo Weaving, Hacksaw Ridge
4.Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals
5.Naomie Harris, Moonlight
6.Ryan Gosling, The Nice Guys
7.Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
8.Amy Adams, Arrival
9.John Goodman, 10 Cloverfield Lane
10.Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge

Top Breakthrough Performances:
1.Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
2.Haley Bennett, The Girl on the Train
3.Chris Redd, Popstar
4.Stephan James, Race
5.Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch
6.Jovan Adepo, Fences
7.Alice Wetterlund, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Gates
8.Angourie Rice, The Nice Guys
9.Craig Roberts, The Fundamentals of Caring
10.Haley Lu Richardson, The Edge of Seventeen

Top Casts:
1.Popstar
2.Green Room
3.Don't Think Twice
4.Manchester by the Sea
5.Fences
6.The Magnificent Seven
7.Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
8.10 Cloverfield Lane
9.The Nice Guys
10.The Girl on the Train

Top 10 Films of 2016

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order): 
Hacksaw Ridge
Hardcore Henry
Hell or High Water
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Now You See Me 2

10.Arrival: While it clearly wasn't intentional, the dramatic movies released in 2016 largely served as a reflection of the cynicism and overwhelming darkness that have consumed the real world over the past year. One of the handful of noteworthy films that went against that recurring theme was Arrival. In a year where going to the movies often ended in suffocating sadness or rage, it was so refreshing to see a film that featured a positive and compassionate worldview while remaining an enthralling, thought-provoking piece of science fiction. There's little doubt in my mind that Arrival will be meticulously dissected and celebrated by sci-fi fans across the globe for years to come.    

9.10 Cloverfield Lane: If it wasn't for the frustrating ending, 10 Cloverfield Lane would've easily been in my top 5. The loose spin-off of the infamous 2008 found-footage alien invasion movie is a flawlessly-acted exercise in suspense with a riveting central mystery that kept me dialed in until that awful forced connection to the original Cloverfield emerges in the final 15 minutes.

8.Sausage Party: Seth Rogen is the only person on the planet that would make a movie about swearing cartoon food items that doubles as a religious allegory. Sausage Party is a deranged, frequently hilarious ride that somehow manages to drop dick jokes and argue for the non-existence of God with equal proficiency.  

7.Keanu: Celebrated sketch comedy duo Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele's debut feature film was easily one of the strongest projects to come out of this banner year for the comedy genre. The wit and winning rapport that made their Comedy Central series Key & Peele such a runaway success is on full display in this gleefully over-the-top film about a man (Peele) who goes to absurd length to get his beloved cat Keanu back from the gang leader (Method Man) that kidnapped him. Keanu is full of insane, unpredictable situations, the action sequences are really well-done for a comedy and most importantly, the laughs hold up on repeat viewings.    

6.The Magnificent Seven: The Magnificent Seven is a reminder of why remakes can't ever be written off, regardless of how well-respected the original is. This reboot of the classic 1960 western is a crackling, high-energy film full of colorful characters, well-choreographed shootouts and non-stop entertainment that pretty much blew the doors off of every other action movie released in 2016.

5.Don't Think Twice: Is there anything Mike Birbiglia can't do? The sophomore directorial output from the veteran stand-up comedian is a smart, potent and ultimately heartbreaking look at how individual success effects the familial-esque bonds that exist within an improv comedy group and the harsh reality of realizing that some goals in life can't be attained, regardless of how much you work at it. This film flew really under-the-radar when it was released back in July and I can't possibly urge you enough to track it down on Blu-Ray, On Demand, etc.  

4.Green Room: American independent cinema doesn't get much more fearless, exciting or flat-out better than Jeremy Saulnier's Green Room. Saulnier builds upon the promise he showed with his 2014 directorial debut Blue Ruin with a brutal gut punch of a film that features a unique, well-constructed premise (a DIY punk band is held hostage after witnessing a murder at a neo-Nazi-run club in rural Oregon), phenomenal acting from its ensemble cast and a level of unrelenting tension that makes 2016's other excellent pulse-pounding thrillers (Don't Breathe, the aforementioned 10 Cloverfield Lane) look like breezy romantic comedies. 

3.Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping: The Lonely Island's first film project since their 2007 cult favorite Hot Rod is a near-perfect return to the big screen for the comedy trio. Andy Samberg and co. are at their clever, irreverent best spoofing the superficial, often ridiculous nature of the modern music industry as well as the parade of self-indulgent concert documentaries (Justin Bieber's Never Say Never, Katy Perry's Part of Me) that have hit theaters over the past several years. Here's hoping that we don't have to wait another 9 years for another project from these vastly underrated absurdist comedy virtuosos.  

2.The Nice Guys: No film from the past year was as purely enjoyable to watch as Shane Black's sleazy, '70-set detective tale The Nice Guys. Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are an unexpectedly well-matched comedy duo  and Black's writing is still as sharp, immersive and darkly hilarious as ever.  
 
1.Manchester by the Sea: This choice couldn't have possibly been any easier. This film is so far above and beyond everything else I saw in 2016 that it's almost comical. Manchester by the Sea is a devastating, alarmingly authentic character study anchored by a trio of gut-wrenching performances from Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams and newcomer Lucas Hedges about the different ways in which people handle grief. Kenneth Lonergan's outstanding script expertly lays out the reasons for each character's behavior in the wake of a loss and like real life, the film provides no tidy resolutions for any of the mourning parties. This film has haunted me since I saw it in early December and I don't expect it to fade from my memory anytime soon.  

Top 25 Hip-Hop Beats of 2016

While it wasn't a particularly noteworthy year for hip-hop on the whole, 2016 was a banner year for production. Combing through the nearly 50 hip-hop releases I heard from this past year to find the finest achievements in beatmaking was a brutal task and I can honestly say that there was about 60 beats that were worthy of making this list. After weeks of re-listening to tracks and tinkering with this list, here are my picks for the 25 best hip-hop beats of 2016.

2016 hip-hop releases that I've heard:
2 Chainz-Daniel Son; Necklace Don
2 Chainz-Hibachi for Lunch
2 Chainz and Lil Wayne-Collegrove
21 Savage and Metro Boomin-Savage Mode
Aesop Rock-The Impossible Kid
A$AP Ferg-Always Strive and Prosper
Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book
Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition
Dave East-Kari Chanel
Drake-Views
D.R.A.M.-Big Baby D.R.A.M.
Flatbush Zombies-3001: A Laced Odyssey 
Future-EVOL
Future-Purple Reign
Gucci Mane-Everybody Looking
Gucci Mane-The Return of East Atlanta Santa
Gucci Mane-Woptober
Gucci Mane and Future-Free Bricks 2: Zone 6 Edition 
Gucci Mane and Lil Uzi Vert-1017 vs. the World
Injury Reserve-Floss
Isaiah Rashad-The Sun's Tirade
J. Cole-4 Your Eyez Only
Juicy J-#MustBeNice
Kanye West-The Life of Pablo
Kendrick Lamar-untitled unmastered
Kodak Black-Lil B.I.G. Pac
Lil Uzi Vert-Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World
Lil Uzi Vert-The Perfect Luv Tape
Lil Yachty-Lil Boat
Mac Miller-The Divine Feminine
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-This Unruly Mess I've Made
Michael Christmas-Baggy Eyes EP 
Migos-3 Way EP
Migos-Y.R.N. 2 (Young Rich Niggas 2)
Rae Sremmurd-SremmLife 2
Riff Raff-Peach Panther
Riff Raff and DJ Afterthought-Balloween
Run the Jewels-RTJ3
ScHoolboy Q-Blank Face LP
Travi$ Scott-Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
A Tribe Called Quest-We Got It From Here.. Thank You 4 Your Service
TWENTY88-TWENTY88
Vic Mensa-There's Alot Going On
Vince Staples-Prima Donna
YG-Still Brazy
Young Thug-I'm Up
Young Thug-Jeffrey
Young Thug-Slime Season 3 

25.Rae Sremmurd-Set the Roof (Producers: Mike Will Made It and DJ Mustard)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkClJp0jSgA 

24.ScHoolboy Q-Ride Out (Producer: Sounwave)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o65asqixosk (Note: This isn't the studio version, but it's one of the rare covers that sounds just about exactly the same as the real song).

23.ScHoolboy Q-Big Body (Producer: Tyler, the Creator)
(No YouTube link available)

22.Young Thug-Future Swag (Producer: Wheezy Beats)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeI_aHM3Xuw

21.YG-Gimme Got Shot (Producer: Swish)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-COysL4pH4

20.2 Chainz and Lil Wayne-Bounce (Producers: Infamous and T@)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB_W7wzk3Xw 

19.Lil Uzi Vert-Hi Roller (Producer: Maaly Raw)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6_jhYL9Vqg 

18.Kanye West-Feedback (Producer: Kanye West)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiucRfI6Y6Q 

17.Flatbush Zombies-Trade-Off (Producer: Erik “Arc” Elliott)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPYsfMd16JQ 

16.Danny Brown-When It Rain (Producer: Paul White)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVyGxlgeAjc 

15.Future-Seven Rings (Producers: TM88 and MP808) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeWD7tR5i20 

14.Run the Jewels-Call Ticketron (Producer: El-P)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaJmgMuYNjc 

13.Gucci Mane-Multi Millionaire Laflare (Producer: Southside) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKLFgDnoI-w 

12.Danny Brown-Dance in the Water (Producer: Paul White)

(No YouTube link available)

11.Gucci Mane-Bales (Producers: Bangladesh and Trabeatz)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri1LZrpI-h0 

10.Migos-Can't Go Out Sad (Producer: Ricky Racks)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s03rO1qSyw 

9.Run the Jewels-Panther Like A Panther (Producer: El-P)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgOABuZoe0c 

8.Future-Photo Copied (Producers: Metro Boomin and Southside)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3C5mxwNiWw

7.Lil Uzi Vert-Canadian Goose (Producer: Maaly Raw)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g-lAExcH7Y 

6.Danny Brown-Ain't It Funny (Producer: Paul White)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E_fbmDH2_A 

5. Travi$ Scott and Young Thug-Pick Up the Phone (Producers: Vinylz and Frank Dukes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49_bpYfONpU 

4.ScHoolboy Q-Dope Dealer (Producers: Metro Boomin and Southside)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OdDmC1-p4E

3.Gucci Mane-Wop (Producer: London on Da Track) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2hiEhNb5mw

2.Young Thug-With Them (Producer: Mike Will Made It) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoDRROeGo-8

1.Travi$ Scott-Sweet Sweet (Producers: Murda Beatz and Cubeatz) 

(No YouTube link available)

NFL Divisional Round Predictions

Last Week's Record: 3-1 (Correct: Texans, Seahawks, Steelers Incorrect: Giants)
Overall Record: 3-1

Seattle Seahawks over Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons have consistently proved me wrong throughout 2016 and I'm sure head coach Dan Quinn desperately wants to eliminate his former employers from the playoffs, but I just can't give them the edge over this Seahawks squad. The Seahawks have a physical defense that's capable of shutting down their high-powered aerial attack and I don't think the Falcons front 7 is talented enough to stop Thomas Rawls if he gets going like he did last week against the Lions.

New England Patriots over Houston Texans: There hasn't been a more unevenly matched playoff game since the Tim Tebow-led Broncos traveled to Gillette Stadium back in 2012 (for reference purposes, the Patriots won that game 45-10). The Patriots hammered the hapless Texans 27-0 back in Week 3 with rookie Jacoby Brissett making his 1st career start under center. With Tom Brady back at the helm and the Texans still possessing the saddest offense in the NFL, there's no reason to believe the Patriots can't win by 30+ points. Unless you're a masochist that gets off on watching powerhouse football teams dismantle much weaker opponents, there's no reason to watch or care about this inevitable slaughter. 

Kansas City Chiefs over Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers laid an epic 43-14 beatdown on the Chiefs in the regular season, but that game was in the friendly confines of Heinz Field before Andy Reid's squad had really found their footing. Even in predicted icy conditions that give an edge to their prolific running attack led by Le'Veon Bell, I don't expect the Steelers to be on the winning end this time around. Arrowhead Stadium is one of the toughest places to win in the NFL, and I don't trust the notoriously road-challenged Ben Roethlisberger to be able to head into this hostile of an environment against this formidable of a defense and pick up a win.

Green Bay Packers over Dallas Cowboys: I'm absolutely astonished by the percentage of national media members and fans on social media that are assuming this is going to be a guaranteed win for the Cowboys. The Packers have won 7 games in a row, are coming off a game in which they shat all over a Giants defense that had been playing better than any other defense in the league during the second half of the season and have a quarterback in Aaron Rodgers that pulls legitimate gridiron magic out of his ass every single week. Unless Ezekiel Elliott can keep the Packers offense off of the field for most of the game, I don't see a way in which the Cowboys unreliable defense can contain this explosive offense for a prolonged period of time.  

The Best and Worst of Jamie Foxx

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 "Sleepless" star Jamie Foxx.

Films starring Jamie Foxx that I've seen:
Held Up
Any Given Sunday
Ray
Stealth
Jarhead
The Kingdom
Law Abiding Citizen
Due Date 
Rio
Horrible Bosses
Django Unchained
White House Down
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Horrible Bosses 2

Best Performance: Ray (2004)
It's a safe choice going with the role that netted Foxx an Oscar, but Ray is far and away his best work as an actor. Foxx's turn as blues legend Ray Charles in this underrated biopic is one of the most astonishing performances I've ever seen. This is the type of fearless, well-rounded and authentic-feeling performance that every actor should strive for when they're tasked with playing a real person. 

Worst Performance: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Like a lot of things in both Amazing Spider-Man films, I have no idea how the hell this managed to go so wrong. Foxx seemed like a great choice to play a villain in a superhero film, but his turn as Electro was basically just two hours of shameless overacting and yelling bad lightning puns at Spider-Man. Sad!

Best Film: Django Unchained (2012):
While I am a hardcore Quentin Tarantino fanboy, Django Unchained was the first movie of his since Kill Bill Vo1.1 that I was truly in awe of. The acting from Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Leonardo DiCaprio and Don Johnson is fantastic, the pacing is incredibly brisk for a film that is nearly 3 hours long and above all, it manages to work as both a darkly comedic revenge tale and a no-holds-barred look at the atrocities of slavery full without ever coming across as disjointed or disrespectful. 

Worst Film: Any Given Sunday (1999) 
My affinity for sports films is well-documented on this site. To get a feel for how of a sucker I am for the subgenre, I non-ironically count long-forgotten films like Draft Day, Coach Carter and Gridiron Gang among my all-time favorites. One of the very small number of sports dramas that failed to meet my incredibly low standards was Any Given Sunday. Oliver Stone somehow managed to make a movie centered around football-which is my favorite sport by a pretty significant margin-starring Al Pacino in full Tony Montana-yelling mode boring as shit. If it wasn't for Pacino's constant yelling and Foxx's thoroughly believable turn as arrogant quarterback Willie Beamen, I would've fallen asleep an hour in. Everything from the feel of the football scenes to the way that locker room atmosphere is depicted feels disingenuous and the acting aside from the aforementioned parties is god awful (Dennis Quaid, Cameron Diaz and LL Cool J are particularly bad). Of the small portion of Stone's filmography that I've seen, this is easily the biggest misfire.          

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 "Split" star James McAvoy .

Top 10 Most Anticipated Albums of Winter/Spring 2017

10.Boris the Blade-Warpath (Release Date: January 27th)
9.Hour of Penance-Cast the First Stone (Release Date: January 27th)
8.Warbringer-Woe to the Vanquished (Release Date: March 31st)
7.Havok-Conformicide (Release Date: March 10th)
6.Within the Ruins-Halfway Human (Release Date: March 3rd)
5.Overkill-The Grinding Wheel (Release Date: February 10th)
4.Mastodon-TBD (Release Date: TBD March/April)
3.Action Bronson-Blue Chips 7000 (Release Date: TBD March)
2.Darkest Hour-Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora (Release Date: March 10th)
1.Migos-Culture (Release Date: January 27th)

Also looking forward to:
Code Orange-Forever (Release Date: January 13th)
Sepultura-Machine Messiah (Release Date: January 13th)
AFI-AFI (The Blood Album) (Release Date: January 20th)
Kreator-Gods of Violence (Release Date: January 27th)
Riff Raff-Aquaberry Aquarius (Release Date: January 29th)
Big Sean-I Decided (Release Date: February 3rd)
Iron Reagan-Crossover Ministry (Release Date: February 3rd)
Six Feet Under-Torment (Release Date: February 24th)
Suicide Silence-Suicide Silence (Release Date: February 24th)

2016 in Music: A Year in Review

While it was a massive shitpile of a year for mankind on the whole, 2016 was an absolutely glorious year for music. This past year had everything from young artists making huge steps forward (Travi$ Scott, Allegaeon, Tove Lo) to triumphant comeback stories (Gucci Mane, Death Grips, blink-182) to continued excellence from the finest in metal (Fallujah, Revocation, The Dillinger Escape Plan), hip-hop (Danny Brown, Run the Jewels, Migos) and pop/R&B (Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Banks). Of course that abundance of success was slightly counteracted by some disheartening disappointments from promising up-and-comers (Chance the Rapper, Beartooth, A$AP Ferg) and reliable veteran juggernauts alike (Deftones, letlive., Mac Miller). Below you'll find a ranking of every EP and LP I heard in 2016 from worst to best with star ratings and standout track selections, my picks for the 50 best songs of the year and a whole lot of other miscellaneous best/worst of lists. Hope you enjoy!     

EP's:

15.Charli XCX-Vroom Vroom (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Trophy")

14.Gucci Mane and Lil Uzi Vert-1017 vs. the World (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Secure the Bag")

13.TWENTY88-TWENTY88 (3/5) (Favorite Track: "On the Way")

12.Turnstile-Move Thru Me (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Move Thru Me")

11.Vic Mensa-There's Alot Going On (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Dynasty")

10.Carly Rae Jepsen-E.MO.TION Side B (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Higher")

9.Lamb of God-The Duke (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Culling")

8.Skeletonwitch-The Apothic Gloom (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Well of Despair")

7.2 Chainz-Hibachi for Lunch (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Good Drank")

6.Kiiara-lo kii savage (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Gold")

5.Gucci Mane & Future-Free Bricks 2 (Zone 6 Edition) (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kinda Dope")

4.Michael Christmas-Baggy Eyes EP (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Intercontinental Champion")

3.Vince Staples-Prima Donna (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Loco")

2.Migos-3 Way EP (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Can't Go Out Sad")

1.21 Savage and Metro Boomin-Savage Mode (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "No Advance")

LP's:

141.Lil Yachty-Lil Boat (1/5) (Favorite Track: "Minnesota (remix)")

140.Future-Purple Reign (1.5/5) (Favorite Track: "All Right")

139.Riff Raff & DJ Afterthought-Balloween (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Working Everyday")

138.Rob Zombie-The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Get Your Boots On! That's the End of Rock and Roll")

137.Kodak Black-Lil B.I.G. Pac (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Vibin in This Bih")

136.Thomas Giles-Velcro Kid (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Immersion Highway")

135.J.Cole-4 Your Eyez Only (2/5) (Favorite Track: "For Whom the Bell Tolls")

134.Devin Townsend Project-Transcendence (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Failure")

133.A$AP Ferg-Always Strive and Prosper (2/5) (Favorite Track: "New Level")

132.Clams Casino-32 Levels (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "All Nite")

131.D.R.A.M.-Big Baby D.R.A.M. (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Broccoli")

130.Blood Orange-Freetown Sound (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Hands Up")

129.Sia-This is Acting (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: ""Bird Set Free")

128.Textures-Phenotype (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Shaping a Single Grain of Sand")

127.Lil Uzi Vert-The Perfect Luv Tape (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Of Course We Ghetto Flowers")

126.Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-This Unruly Mess I've Made (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: ""Light Tunnels")

125.letlive.-If I'm the Devil... (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "A Weak Ago")

124.Sum 41-13 Voices (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "A Murder of Crows")

123.Red Fang-Only Ghosts (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Shadows")

122.Lady Gaga-Joanne (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Hey Girl")

121.Deftones-Gore (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Prayers/Triangles")

120.Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Juke Jam")

119.Juicy J-#MustBeNice (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Trap")

118.Regina Spektor-Remember Us to Life (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Small Bill$")

117.Childish Gambino-Awaken, My Love! (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Zombies")

116.Red Hot Chili Peppers-The Getaway (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Getaway")
115.The Fall of Troy-OK (3/5) (Favorite Track: "401k")

114.Wheeler Walker Jr.-Redneck Shit (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Eatin' Pussy/Kickin' Ass")

113.Steve 'n' Seagulls-Brothers in Farms (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Aces High")

112.Young Thug-I'm Up (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Fuck Cancer (Boosie)")

111.Jessy Lanza-Oh No (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Going Somewhere")

110.Beartooth-Aggressive (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Hated")

109.Volbeat-Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie (3/5) (Favorite Track: "The Gates of Babylon")

108.Wormed-Krigshu (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Neomorph Mindkind")

107.gates-Parallel Lives (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Empty Canvas")

106.Solange-A Seat at the Table (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Weary")

105.Nails-You Will Never Be One of Us (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Life is a Death Sentence")

104.NxWorries-Yes Lawd! (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Starlite")

103.Lil Uzi Vert-Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Hi Roller")

102.Chevelle-The North Corridor (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Last Days")

101.Beyonce-Lemonade (3/5) (Favorite Track: "6 Inch")

100.Nick Jonas-Last Year Was Complicated (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Close")

99.Mac Miller-The Divine Feminine (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Dang!")

98.Carnifex-Slow Death (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Black Candles Burning")

97.Hail the Sun-Culture Scars (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Entertainment Lies")

96.Whitechapel-Mark of the Blade (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Tremors")

95.2 Chainz-Daniel Son; Necklace Don (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Get Out the Bed")

94.Riff Raff-Peach Panther (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "I Drive By")

93.Trophy Eyes-Chemical Miracle (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Heaven Sent")

92.Megadeth-Dystopia (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Dystopia")

91.Bury Tomorrow-Earthbound (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Burden")

90.Despised Icon-Beast (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Drapeau Noir")

89.Young Thug-Slime Season 3 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "With Them")

88.Weezer-Weezer (The White Album) (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Endless Bummer")

87.Plini-Handmade Cities (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Cascade")

86.Aborted-Retrogore (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Coven of Ignorance")

85.Fleshgod Apocalypse-King (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "And the Vulture Beholds")

84.Rae Sremmurd-SremmLife 2 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Start a Party")

83.Invent, Animate-Stillworld (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Celestial Floods")

82.Architects-All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Empty Hourglass")

81.Strugill Simpson-A Sailor's Guide to Earth (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Welcome to Earth (Polywog)")

80.Rihanna-ANTI (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kiss It Better")

79.Injury Reserve-Floss (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "All This Money")

78.Dark Tranquility-Atoma (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Force of Hand")

77.Dave East-Kari Chanel (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Keisha")

76.Wovenwar-Honor is Dead (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Compass")

75.CZARFACE-A Fistful of Peril (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Czar Wars")

74.Avenged Sevenfold-The Stage (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Sunny Disposition")

73.A Tribe Called Quest-We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Conrad Tokyo")

72.Gojira-Magma (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Shooting Star")

71.Metallica-Hardwired... To Self Destruct (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Spit Out the Bone")

70.The Zenith Passage-Solipsist (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Dreamsphere")

69.Korn-Serenity of Suffering (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Die Yet Another Night")

68.Silent Planet-Everything Was Sound (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Understanding Love as Loss")

67.Ordinance-The Ides of March (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bloodwine")

66.Moon Tooth-Chromaparagon (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Igneous")
65.Deviant Process-Paroxysm (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Persecution")
64.Night Verses-Into the Vanishing Light (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Drift")

63.blink-182-California (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kings of the Weekend")

62.Anderson.Paak-Malibu (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Season/Carry Me")

61.Gucci Mane-Everybody Looking (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Waybach")

60.Drake-Views (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Weston Road Flows")

59.Aesop Rock-The Impossible Kid (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Lotta Years")

58.Anthrax-For All Kings (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Breathing Lightning")

57.Denzel Curry-Imperial (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Zenith")

56.Young Thug-Jeffrey (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Harambe")

55.2 Chainz & Lil Wayne-Collegrove (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bounce")

54.Kendrick Lamar-untitled unmastered. (3.5/5)(Favorite Track: "untitled 07|levitate")

53.Norma Jean-Polar Similar (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "An Ocean of War")

52.Animals as Leaders-The Madness of Many (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Glass Bridge")

51.Kanye West-The Life of Pablo (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "No More Parties in LA")

50.ScHoolboy Q-Blank Face LP (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Dope Dealer")

49.Flatbush Zombies-3001: A Laced Odyssey (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Odyssey")

48.A Day to Remember-Bad Vibrations (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Paranoia")

47.Death Angel-The Evil Divide (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Father of Lies")

46.Isaiah Rashad-The Sun's Tirade (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Free Lunch")

45.Tove Lo-Lady Wood (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Don't Talk About It")

44.Hatebreed-The Concrete Confessional (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Us Against Us")

43.Descendants-Hypercaffium Spazzinate (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Shameless Halo")

42.Hope for the Dying-Legacy (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Flame Forged")

41.Abnormality-Mechanisms of Omniscience (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Synthetic Pathogenesis")

40.Trap Them-Crown Feral (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Revival Spines")

39.First Fragment-Dasein (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Mordetre Et Denaissance")

38.Killswitch Engage-Incarnate (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Strength of the Mind")

37.Anciients-Voice of the Void (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Worshipper")

36.Painted in Exile-The Ordeal (4/5) (Favorite Track: "House of Cards")

35.Kvelertak-Nattesferd (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Svartmese")

34.Toothgrinder-Nocturnal Masquerade (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Diamonds for Gold")

33.Gucci Mane-The Return of East Atlanta Santa (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Walk on Water")

32.Serpentine Dominion-Serpentine Dominion (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Vengeance in Me")

31.YG-Still Brazy (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Twist My Fingaz")

30.Dance Gavin Dance-Mothership (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Chucky vs. the Giant Tortoise")

29.Gucci Mane-Woptober (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Wop")

28.Amon Amarth-Jomsviking (4/5) (Favorite Track: "On a Sea of Blood")

27.Meshuggah-The Violent Sleep of Reason (4/5) (Favorite Track: "By the Ton")

26.Polyphia-Renaissance (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Culture Shock")

25.The Weeknd-Starboy (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Sidewalks")

24.Obscura-Akroasis (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Perpetual Infinity")

23.Thank You Scientist-Stranger Heads Prevail (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Amateur Arsonist's Handbook")

22.After the Burial-Dig Deep (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Deluge")

21.Testament-Brotherhood of the Snake (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Seven Seals")

20.Future-EVOL (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Seven Rings")

19.Periphery-Periphery III: Select Level (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Flatline")

18.Car Bomb-Meta (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Black Blood")

17.Banks-The Altar (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Gemini Feed")

16.Frank Ocean-Blonde (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Pink + White")

15.Allegaeon-Proponent for Sentience (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Gray Matter Mechanics-Apassionata Ex Machinea")

14.Travi$ Scott-Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Sweet Sweet")

13.Black Crown Initiate-Selves We Cannot Forgive (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Again")

12.Every Time I Die-Low Teens (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Coin Has A Say")

11.Migos-Y.R.N. 2 (Young Rich Niggas 2) (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Trippin")

10.Death Grips-Bottomless Pit (4/5) (Favorite Track: "BB Poison")

9.Vale of Pnath-II (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Reaver")

8.Ariana Grande-Dangerous Woman (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Bad Decisions")

7.Touche Amore-Stage Four (4/5) (Favorite Track: "New Halloween")

6.Run the Jewels-RTJ3 (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Panther Like A Panther")

5.Revocation-Great is Our Sin (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Crumbling Imperium")

4.Entheos-The Infinite Nothing (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Perpetual Miscalculations")

3.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Dissociation (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Honysuckle")

2.Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Ain't It Funny")

1.Fallujah-Dreamless (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Adrenaline")

Biggest Surprises:
1.Ariana Grande-Dangerous Woman
2.YG-Still Brazy 
3.Descendants- Hypercaffium Spazzinate
4.Norma Jean-Polar Similar
5.2 Chainz and Lil Wayne-Collegrove  

Biggest Disappointments:
1.Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book
2.letlive.-If I'm the Devil...
3.Mac Miller-The Divine Feminine 
4.Deftones-Gore
5.Beartooth-Aggressive  

Most Underrated:
1.Entheos-The Infinite Nothing
2.Vale of Pnath-II
3.Migos-Y.R.N. 2
4.Travi$ Scott-Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
5.Banks-The Altar
  
Most Overrated:
1.J.Cole-4 Your Eyez Only
2.Beyonce-Lemonade
3.Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book
4.Solange-A Seat at the Table
5.Devin Townsend Project-Transcendence

Top Album Covers:
1.Flatbush Zombies: 3001: A Laced Odyssey 
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/695468660534566912/sSOvYgOa_400x400.jpg
2.Fallujah-Dreamless
http://www.metal-archives.com/images/5/6/1/9/561955.jpg?5224 
3.Travi$ Scott-Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
http://images.genius.com/3db71f92260db9e330883b11d7c68f2d.1000x1000x1.jpg 
4.Death Angel-The Evil Divide
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bf/Death_Angel_-_The_Evil_Divide.jpg 
5.Young Thug-Slime Season 3 
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/Slime_Season_3_Cover.jpg 

Worst Album Covers:
1.Beartooth-Aggressive
http://newnoisemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Beartooth-Aggressive-cover.jpg 
2.Tove Lo-Lady Wood
http://www.slantmagazine.com/assets/music/26762/ladywood.jpg 
3.Kanye West-The Life of Pablo 
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4d/The_life_of_pablo_alternate.jpg 
4.Drake-Views
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/Drakeviewsfromthe6.jpg 
5.Metallica-Hardwired to... Self Destruct  
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Metallica_Hardwired..._To_Self-Destruct_2016.jpeg 
 
Top Discoveries:
1.Car Bomb 
2.First Fragment
3.21 Savage
4.Moon Tooth
5.Silent Planet

Top 50 songs (in alphabetical order)
(Note: I'm excluding YG's "Twist My Fingaz", Killswitch Engage's "Strength of the Mind" and A$AP Ferg's "New Level" from this list because they were singles released in 2015)

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne-Bounce

After the Burial-Deluge

Allegaeon-Gray Matter Mechanics-Apassionata Ex Machinea

Anderson.Paak-The Season/Carry Me

Ariana Grande-Bad Decisions

Ariana Grande-Into You

Banks-Gemini Feed

Car Bomb-Black Blood

Dance Gavin Dance-Chucky vs. the Giant Tortoise

Danny Brown-Ain't It Funny

Danny Brown-When It Rain

A Day to Remember-Paranoia

Death Grips-BB Poison

The Dillinger Escape Plan-Honeysuckle

The Dillinger Escape Plan-Nothing to Forget

Entheos-New Light

Entheos-Perpetual Miscalculations

Entheos-Terminal Stages of Nostalgia

Every Time I Die-The Coin Has a Say

Fallujah-Adrenaline

Fallujah-Amber Gaze

Fallujah-The Void Alone

Frank Ocean-Nights

Frank Ocean-Pink + White

Future-Seven Rings

Gucci Mane-Walk on Water

Kanye West-No More Parties in LA (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

Meshuggah-By the Ton

Metallica-Spit Out the Bone

Migos-Trippin

Obscura-Perpetual Infinity

Painted in Exile-House of Cards

Periphery-Flatline

Polyphia-Culture Shock

Revocation-Crumpling Imperium

Revocation-Profanum Vulgus

Rihanna-Kiss It Better

Run the Jewels-Legend Has It

Run the Jewels-Panther Like a Panther (feat. Trina)

ScHoolboy Q-Dope Dealer (feat. E-40)

Serpentine Dominion-The Vengeance in Me

Thank You Scientist-The Amateur Arsonist's Handbook

Touche Amore-New Halloween

Travi$ Scott-Sweet Sweet

Travi$ Scott and Young Thug-Pick Up the Phone (feat. Quavo)

Tove Lo-Don't Talk About It

The Weeknd-Sidewalks (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

Vale of Pnath-Reaver

YG-Gimme Got Shot

Young Thug-With Them