2017 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 (Updated 3/30)

1.Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, edge rusher (Texas A&M)
2.San Francisco 49ers: Solomon Thomas, edge rusher (Stanford)
3.Chicago Bears: Jamal Adams, safety (LSU)
4.Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Forunette, running back (LSU)
5.Tennessee Titans: Marshon Lattimore, cornerback (Ohio State)
6.New York Jets: Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (North Carolina)
7.Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Hooker, safety (Ohio State)
8.Carolina Panthers: John Ross, wide receiver (Washington)
9.Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle/end (Alabama)  
10.Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams, wide receiver (Clemson)
11.New Orleans Saints: Tre'Davious White, cornerback (LSU)
12.Cleveland Browns: O.J. Howard, tight end (Alabama)
13.Arizona Cardinals: DeShaun Watson, quarterback (Clemson)
14.Philadelphia Eagles: Christian McCaffery, running back (Stanford)
15.Indianapolis Colts: Hassam Reddick, edge rusher (Temple)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Gareon Conley, cornerback (Ohio State) 
17.Washington Redskins: Jabril Peppers, safety (Michigan)
18.Tennessee Titans: Marlon Humphery, cornerback (Alabama)
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Charles Harris, edge rusher (Missouri)
20.Denver Broncos: Garett Bolles, tackle (Utah)
 21.Detroit Lions: Derek Barnett, edge rusher (Tennessee)
22.Miami Dolphins: Quincy Wilson, cornerback (Florida)
23.New York Giants: David Nokju, tight end (Miami)
24.Oakland Raiders: Dalvin Cook, running back (Florida State)
25.Houston Texans: Patrick Mahomes, quarterback (Texas Tech)
26.Seattle Seahawks: Kevin King, cornerback (Washington)
27.Kansas City Chiefs: Corey Davis, wide receiver (Western Michigan)
28.Dallas Cowboys: Adoree' Jackson, cornerback (USC)
29.Green Bay Packers: Forrest Lamp, guard (Western Kentucky)
30.Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarrad Davis, inside linebacker (Florida)
31.Atlanta Falcons: Taco Charlton, edge rusher (Michigan)
32.New Orleans Saints: Zach Cunningham, edge rusher (Vanderbilt)

Concert Review: Vince Staples-- Boston, MA-- March 28th, 2017

Lineup: Vince Staples/Kilo Kish ("The Life Aquatic Tour")
Venue: Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
Date: March 28th, 2017

Kilo Kish: Unlike a majority of the sold-out crowd at the Paradise last night, I was completely indifferent towards the half-hour performance from Vince Staples' frequent collaborator. Her take on modern R&B is admirably experimental and featured the occasional beautiful melody/hook, but her subdued stage presence and generally mellow sound made her an ill-fitting opener for an incendiary artist like Staples.  

Vince Staples: The Vince Staples hype train was built on his no-holds-barred aggression and brutal honesty about growing up in the rough streets of Long Beach, California. In a not-so-shocking twist, that authentic, palatable rage carries his live performance. While he's not big on crowd-work or moving around on stage, his venom-tinged delivery and no bullshit-attitude allows him to create a frenzied atmosphere that rivals the shows of more conventionally rowdy rappers (ScHoolboy Q, Run the Jewels, Danny Brown). The oddly high number of slow songs in the set ("Lemme Know", "Surf", "Summertime") and heavy use of backing tracks on the material from his 2016 EP Prima Donna halted the momentum at times, but for the most part, this set was a strong showcase of the raw intensity that makes Staples one of hip-hop's brightest young talents.

Scores:
Kilo Kish 5/10
Vince Staples 8/10

Setlist:
Vince Staples:
Prima Donna
3230
Smile
Fire
Lift Me Up
Jump Off the Roof
Senorita
Lemme Know
Birds & Bees
Big Time
Little Bit of This (GTA cover)
Smoke & Retribution (Flume cover)
Ghost (Major Lazer cover)
War Ready
Hands Up
Loco
Surf
BagBak
Blue Suede

Encore:
Norf Norf
Summertime

Movie Review: Kong: Skull Island

If Kong: Skull Island is Warner Brothers way of apologizing for Godzilla, then I wholeheartedly  accept. Unlike Gareth Edwards' 2014 snoozefest that primarily focused on the cardboard cutouts that were in pursuit of the title character, Kong wisely lets its monsters take center stage. The film features an abundance of glorious monster combat, and director Jordan Vodgt-Roberts (The Kings of Summer) and cinematographer Larry Fong (Batman v. Superman) make sure the audience gets a clear shot of every ounce of destruction that Kong and the other predatory inhabitants of Skull Island commit. Given how painfully dull Godzilla and Peter Jackson's 2005 King Kong reboot were, watching a film made by people that understood the roots and goals of the genre was a beautiful change-of-pace. Kong: Skull Island delivers the type of huge, thrilling spectacle audiences expect when they buy a ticket to a giant monster movie and if Warner Brothers has any sense, it's a formula they'll replicate for the future entries into their "MonsterVerse".

4/5 Stars

The Best and Worst of Scarlett Johansson

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 "Ghost in the Shell" star Scarlett Johansson.

Films starring Scarlett Johansson that I've seen:
The Perfect Score
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
The Island
Match Point
The Prestige
Vicky Christina Barcelona 
The Spirit 
Iron Man 2
We Bought a Zoo
The Avengers
Don Jon
Her
Under the Skin
Captain America: The Winter Solider
Chef
Lucy
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Hail, Caesar!
The Jungle Book
Captain America: Civil War

Best Performance: Her (2013)
Johansson's resume has largely been defined by competent albeit unspectacular performances in great movies (The Prestige, Match Point, The Avengers). However, every once in a while she'll break that pattern and turn in some truly remarkable work. Of the moments of brilliance she's displayed over the years, her awards-worthy turn as the OS Samantha in Her is the clear standout. In what is one of the most impressive pieces of acting in recent memory, Johansson uses just her voice to give an endearing, sensual and ultimately devastating performance.  

Worst Performance: Under the Skin (2014)
Jonathan Glazer's Under the Skin is the type of film that is so painfully inept that it manages to taint the reputation of everyone involved. Since Johansson is the lead and only trained actor in the film's cast, she is forced to absorb the brunt of the blame for the film's spectacular failure. As an alien that drives around Scotland and seduces/murders humans to keep herself alive on Earth, Johansson manages to be awkward and disengaged to the point where you're forced to question whether or not she has a pulse.

Best Film: The Avengers (2012)
Marvel's Iron Man/Captain America/Thor/Hulk team-up movie The Avengers did the nearly-impossible by delivering the goods after five years of absurd hype from comic book fans. Thanks to Joss Whedon's (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) solid writing and confident direction, The Avengers managed to be an incredibly fun superhero ass-kicking fest that took Marvel's cinematic universe to soaring new heights.

Worst Film: Under the Skin (2014)
About once a year, I'll watch something that is so terrible that I temporarily forget about the deep love I have for movies. In 2014, Under the Skin was that film. Using constant long shots of various nature landscapes, a non-linear narrative and a cast of mostly non-actors having improvised conversations, this surrealist sci-fi drama about an alien (Johansson) living in Scotland tries unbelievably hard to be a profound look at the human experience, but in reality has as much to say about life on earth as the Transformers franchise.  Under the Skin is a lumbering, pretentious pile of pseudo-intellectual trash that embodies everything I hate about independent cinema and is easily one of the most painful viewing experiences I've ever endured in my brief lifetime.  

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 "Going in Style" star Alan Arkin.  

Movie Review: Power Rangers

 

After watching Transformers fans get their dreams repeatedly crushed by Michael Bay, Power Rangers fans can take solace in the fact that director Dean Israelite (Project Almanac) and screenwriter John Gatins (Flight) took the time and effort to faithfully adapt this widely beloved series. Power Rangers makes you feel like it's a Saturday morning in the early 90's with its infectious, goofy spirit, emphasis on the power of teamwork and of course, a beautifully over-the top villain in Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks at her scenery-chewing, scene-stealing finest). It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect out of a big-screen adaptation of Power Rangers and in my eyes, that's the biggest complement you can give a film like this.

Where Power Rangers surprises is with the effectiveness of its backstory. Gatins' script devotes a good chunk of time to developing the relationships between the Rangers and thanks to the strong camaraderie between its five leads (Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G and Ludi Lin), it mostly works. The time the film takes to explore each Ranger's backstory combined with the level of authenticity each actor brings to their respective role (Cyler's portrayal of the autistic Blue Ranger Billy Cranston is particularly convincing) makes it really easy for the audience to get invested in this group of flawed yet charismatic characters. The success of these smaller character moments more than makes up for its shocking lack of memorable action sequences. Even with its choppily-shot and relatively underwhelming fight scenes, Power Rangers manages to be an entertaining blockbuster that compares favorably to other recent superhero origin stories.   
3.5/5 Stars

Album Review: Drake-More Life

Ever since Drake's new project More Life was announced last October, my mind has been flooded with questions about it. Is this project's existence simply an excuse for Drake to further line his pockets with buckets of money from Apple Music, his record label and radio stations across the world? What the hell is a "playlist"? Is his father's majestic mustache the ghostwriter behind his music? On the evening of March 18th, these earth-shattering questions were answered and to my delight, More Life ended up being one of Drake's most infectious releases to-date.

While the classification doesn't make a whole lot of sense for a project that's being sold on every major digital music platform, the "playlist" tag attached to More Life is one of the best creative decisions Drake has made recently. Being free from the confines of a traditional studio album gives him the freedom to explore the different sides of his sound (R&B, trap, pop, dancehall, conscious hip-hop, etc.) without having the burden of being fully committed to any of them for the duration of the project. The looser structure clearly had a liberating effect on him as he turns in his most spirited, fluid rapping/singing performance since at least Nothing Was the Same here. Certain audiences are going to write-off More Life as a cheap, directionless cash grab, but it's clear that Drake fully bought into creating a spontaneous-feeling release and at the end of the day, the authenticity behind and execution of that vision allows it to be more than just a throw-together collection of stylistically-different songs.
  
Drake has been quoted as saying he wanted this release to be a "soundtrack to your life" and for the most part, he achieves that goal. The 22 tracks on this record could serve as the musical accompaniment for anything from a romantic, candle-lit dinner ("Teenage Fever", "Passionfruit") to a rowdy Friday/Saturday night pregame ("Free Smoke", the Quavo and Travi$ Scott-assisted "Portland") to a full-blown dance party ("Blem", "Get It Together"). There might not be anything on More Life that's far removed from Drake's typical pop rap/R&B arsenal, but it was refreshing to see him the utilize the full scope of his sound after he suffocated his audience with sadness on last year's Views.

More Life doesn't avoid the pitfalls that every Drake release seems to have (bouts of inconsistency, overlong, underwhelming guest spots) but when the material is as catchy, fun and generally well-executed as this, those defining flaws are a lot easier to overlook. Even with these nagging issues present, an artist of Drake's magnitude putting out a release that's as passion-filled as this at a point in his career where he could easily just coast off of his past success deserves to be viewed as a victory. If the energy and free-form vibe of this "stopgap" project carries over to his next full-length studio album, Drake has a legitimate chance of returning to the glory days of the Take Care/Nothing Was the Same era.      

3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Passionfruit
2.Blem
3.Free Smoke

2017 NFL Mock Draft 3.0 (Updated 3/22)

1.Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, edge rusher (Texas A&M)
2.San Francisco 49ers: Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (North Carolina)
3.Chicago Bears: Jamal Adams, safety (LSU)
4.Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Forunette, running back (LSU)
5.Tennessee Titans: Solomon Thomas, defensive end (Stanford)
6.New York Jets: Marshon Lattimore, cornerback (Ohio State)
7.Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Hooker, safety (Ohio State)
8.Carolina Panthers: John Ross, wide receiver (Washington)
9.Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle/end (Alabama)  
10.Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams, wide receiver (Clemson)
11.New Orleans Saints: Tre'Davious White, cornerback (LSU)
12.Cleveland Browns: O.J. Howard, tight end (Alabama)
13.Arizona Cardinals: DeShaun Watson, quarterback (Clemson)
14.Philadelphia Eagles: Christian McCaffery, running back (Stanford)
15.Indianapolis Colts: Hassam Reddick, edge rusher (Temple)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Gareon Conley, cornerback (Ohio State) 
17.Washington Redskins: Jabril Peppers, safety (Michigan)
18.Tennessee Titans: Marlon Humphery, cornerback (Alabama)
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Charles Harris, edge rusher (Missouri)
20.Denver Broncos: Garett Bolles, tackle (Utah)
 21.Detroit Lions: Derek Barnett, edge rusher (Tennessee)
22.Miami Dolphins: Quincy Wilson, cornerback (Florida)
23.New York Giants: David Nokju, tight end (Miami)
24.Oakland Raiders: Dalvin Cook, running back (Florida State)
25.Houston Texans: Patrick Mahomes, quarterback (Texas Tech)
26.Seattle Seahawks: Malik McDowell, defensive tackle (Michigan State)
27.Kansas City Chiefs: Corey Davis, wide receiver (Western Michigan)
28.Dallas Cowboys: Bucky Hodges, tight end (Virginia Tech)
29.Green Bay Packers: Forrest Lamp, guard (Western Kentucky)
30.Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarrad Davis, inside linebacker (Florida)
31.Atlanta Falcons: Taco Charlton, edge rusher (Michigan)
32.New Orleans Saints: Takkarist McKinley, edge rusher (UCLA)

The Best and Worst of Elizabeth Banks

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 "Power Rangers" star Elizabeth Banks.

Films starring Elizabeth Banks that I've seen:
Wet Hot American Summer
Spider-Man
Spider-Man 2 
The 40-Year Old Virgin
Slither
Invincible 
Spider-Man 3
Role Models
Zach and Miri Make a Porno
Our Idiot Brother
Man on a Ledge
The Hunger Games
Pitch Perfect
Movie 43
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire 
The Lego Movie
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part I
Pitch Perfect 2
Love & Mercy 
Magic Mike XXL
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part II

Best Performance: Zach and Miri Make a Porno (2008)  
Banks cut her teeth in Hollywood with supporting roles in R-rated comedies (The 40-Year Old Virgin, Role Models, Wet Hot American Summer), so when she finally landed a starring role in Zach and Miri Make a Porno, it wasn't even remotely surprising that she crushed it. She's funny, charming and most importantly, possesses the low-key vulnerability to make the friendship that eventually blossoms into a romance with Zach (Seth Rogen) feel completely authentic.

Worst Performance: Love & Mercy (2015)
While Banks has fared pretty admirably in the dramatic projects (The Hunger Games franchise, Man on a Ledge, Invincible) she's appeared in over the years, comedy has been her strong suit since her first notable on-screen role in the 2001 cult comedy classic Wet Hot American Summer. Her limitations as a dramatic performer are fully on display in the somber Brian Wilson docudrama Love & Mercy. Banks falls flat in the film's emotional scenes and her lack of chemistry with John Cusack make their on-screen romance really hard to buy.

Best Film: The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)
I swear I don't keep picking actors to profile here just so I can keep gushing about this movie.. Outside of its non-stop laughs, The 40-Year Old Virgin will go down as a landmark film in my eyes because it launched the careers of a number of major players in comedy right now (Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Banks, Leslie Mann) and re-defined how R-rated comedies examine sex and relationships. With the possible exception of Superbad, I don't think there has been a more important or influential comedy to come out of the 2000's so far. 

Worst Film: Movie 43 (2013)
Movie 43 is one of the most widely-panned movies of the last few years and for good reason, it really stinks. The idea of making a film that's solely comprised of short comedy sketches starring a revolving door of A-list actors is a noble one, but unfortunately it amounts to a bunch of poorly-conceived bits that aren't edgy, clever or funny.   

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 "Ghost in the Shell" star Scarlett Johannson.  

Quick Album Reviews: Future-HNDRXX, Within the Ruins-Halfway Human, Charli XCX-Number 1 Angel, Havok-Conformicide

Future-HNDRXX: If you've ever wanted to know what a Luther Vandross record would sound like if it was filtered through a bunch of auto-tune, HNDRXX is the album for you. With sentimental lyrics about love, often upbeat R&B production and far more singing than rapping, this record is the complete antithesis of the grimy, somber trap rap that has driven all of Future's notable releases. Future's past thoughts on romance and monotone singing style makes HNDRXX's lovestruck crooner act a bit of a tough sell at times, but this is still a decent release that proves the 33-yeard old rapper can have some success outside of his established wheelhouse.
3/5 Stars
Standout Tracks: 1.Incredible 2.Lookin Exotic 3.My Collection

Within the Ruins-Halfway Human: Halfway Human is the record I've wanted Within the Ruins to make since I was first introduced to their brand of robot-esque deathcore on 2010's Invade. The introduction of clean vocals and traditional guitar solos to the fold takes the Massachusetts based-outfit's signature sound to dizzying new heights without sacrificing any of the spastic power that made their first four records enjoyable. The over-the-top technicality and clean production style will undoubtedly repulse some metalheads, but anyone that is down with frantic guitarwork, triggered drums and pummeling breakdowns should have a ton of fun with this record. 
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks: 1.Incomplete Harmony 2.Objective Reality 3.Bittersweet


Charli XCX-Number 1 Angel: If the perpetual sadness that comes with rooting for the Chicago Bears doesn't kill me, the spirit-breaking highs and lows of Charli XCX's music will. Number 1 Angel is yet another piece of cruel emotional torture from England's queen of untapped potential. As always, there are moments on Number 1 Angel ("ILY2", "Drugs","White Roses") where Charli displays a level of bubbly energy and hook-writing proficiency that's comparable to the best pop artists in the game right now (Ariana Grande, Tove Lo, Demi Lovato). Of course, these triumphs manage to be overshadowed by the rest of the records bland, forgettable dance/synthpop nature. There's no denying that Charli has all of the tools required to be an elite pop artist, she just doesn't seem to be able to unleash them consistently over the course of an entire project. Stay tuned later this year when I do a slight variation of this review for Charli's upcoming third studio album.
2.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks: 1.ILY2 2.Drugs 3.White Roses

Havok-Conformicide: The hostile political climate gave Havok the perfect opportunity to return their furious, teeth-kicking roots. Conformicide is an anti-government gospel that reminded me a lot of the pure venom that drove Overkill's early releases. While the aggression and instrumentation is impressive, the shaky production, bloated runtime (58 minutes) and underwhelming vocal performance from David Sanchez prevent Conformicide from being the shot of pure, unwavering adrenaline it was intended to be. Conformicide is a solid enough return to form for Havok after their failed attempt at writing more mid-paced material on 2013's Unnatural Selection, but it's nowhere near as memorable or headbang-worthy as their 2011 breakout album Time is Up.   
3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks: 1.Dogmaniacal 2.Peace is in Pieces 3.Claiming Certainty

2017 NFL Free Agency Recap

With 95% of the notable available players now under contract, the chaos of the 2017 NFL free agency period is all but officially over. Here's a brief look at who won and lost this year's round of football musical chairs.

Biggest Winners: New England Patriots
The defending Super Bowl champs abandoned their usually conservative approach to free agency by unexpectedly signing the best available corner (Stephon Gilmore) and trading for one of the league's best young receivers (Brandin Cooks) within the first 48 hours of the new league year. In addition to the those headline-grabbing moves, the Patriots were also able to bring back defensive leader Don'ta Hightower, bolster their defensive line depth with the addition of run-stuffing specialist Lawrence Guy and re-confirm their unwavering love of running backs with "sneaky quickness" by signing future fan favorite Rex Burkhead. Even with the seemingly inevitable departure of top corner Malcolm Butler on the horizon, the Patriots absurd haul still make them the clear winners of free agency.
Honorable Mentions: Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens

Biggest Losers: San Francisco 49ers
John Lynch's approach to free agency was every bit as misguided and insane as I figured it would be. The former player/broadcaster/next victim of Jed York's annual firing parade used his 70+ mil in cap space to lay down the groundwork for the 49ers latest failed rebuild by bringing in 2 of the 3 signal-callers (Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley) responsible for the Bears 3-win season in 2016, a former Super Bowl MVP that gets worse with each year he's in the league (Malcolm Smith) and a 31-year old receiver that needs complementary pieces around him to thrive (Pierre Garcon). At least Lynch made grit enthusiasts happy by making 2016 All-Pro Kyle Jusczyk the highest paid fullback in NFL history.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins

Best Individual Signing: T.J. Lang to the Detroit Lions (3 years/$29.5 mil/$19 mil guaranteed)
In a thin offensive line market that resulted in middling-to-bad players (Matt Kalil, Russell Okung, Riley Reiff) getting paid far more than they're worth, T.J. Lang proved to be a tremendous value signing. The highly underrated ex-Packers guard should provide a huge boost to a Lions squad that has had its fair share of interior line struggles over the past few years. 

Honorable Mentions: Chris Baker to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Alshon Jeffrey to the Philadelphia Eagles, Martellus Bennett to the Green Bay Packers

Worst Individual Signing: Matt Kalil to the Carolina Panthers (5 years/$55.5 mil/$24 mil guaranteed)
Offensive lineman have a tendency to get big bucks on the open market and there is perhaps no better example of this befuddling phenomenon than Matt Kalil's deal with the Panthers. The left tackle-who only appeared in 2 games in 2016 before suffering a season-ending hip injury-who was most responsible for getting Teddy Bridgewater murdered for the first 2 seasons of his professional career securing a long-term deal from a team that is usually stingy as hell in free agency is proof of just how far NFL front offices will go to try and quickly patch up holes at key positions. Unless the joy of playing alongside his brother Ryan can magically fix his pass-protection woes, this signing is likely going to result with Cam Newton being taken off the field in a body bag by the halfway mark of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Okung to the Los Angeles Chargers, Robert Woods to the Los Angeles Rams, Mike Remmers to the Minnesota Vikings

Best Player Still on the Market: Adrian Peterson (running back)
The lack of suitors for Adrian Peterson over the first 7 days of free agency speaks volumes about how little running backs are valued in the modern NFL. While the concerns about his age and durability are 100% valid, I still believe that AP has the potential to be a potent addition to a contender's backfield rotation. 
Honorable Mentions: Dontari Poe (defensive tackle), Jonathan Hankins (defensive tackle), T.J. McDonald (safety)

2017 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 (Updated 3/14)

1.Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, edge rusher (Texas A&M)
2.San Francisco 49ers: Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (North Carolina)
3.Chicago Bears: Jamal Adams, safety (LSU)
4.Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Forunette, running back (LSU)
5.Tennessee Titans: Solomon Thomas, defensive end (Stanford)
6.New York Jets: Marshon Lattimore, cornerback (Ohio State)
7.Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Hooker, safety (Ohio State)
8.Carolina Panthers: John Ross, wide receiver (Washington)
9.Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle/end (Alabama)  
10.Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams, wide receiver (Clemson)
11.New Orleans Saints: Gareon Conley, cornerback (Ohio State)
12.Cleveland Browns: O.J. Howard, tight end (Alabama)
13.Arizona Cardinals: DeShaun Watson, quarterback (Clemson)
14.Philadelphia Eagles: Christian McCaffery, running back (Stanford)
15.Indianapolis Colts: Charles Harris, edge rusher (Missouri)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Tre'Davious White, cornerback (LSU)
17.Washington Redskins: Corey Davis, wide receiver (Western Michigan)
18.Tennessee Titans: Marlon Humphery, cornerback (Alabama)
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Hassam Reddick, edge rusher (Temple)
20.Denver Broncos: Ryan Ramczyk, tackle (Wisconsin)
21.Detroit Lions: Derek Barnett, edge rusher (Tennessee)
22.Miami Dolphins: Quincy Wilson, cornerback (Florida)
23.New York Giants: David Nokju, tight end (Miami)
24.Oakland Raiders: Reuben Foster, inside linebacker (Alabama)
25.Houston Texans: Forrest Lamp, guard (Western Kentucky)
26.Seattle Seahawks: Garett Bolles, tackle (Utah)
27.Kansas City Chiefs: Malik McDowell, defensive tackle (Michigan State)
28.Dallas Cowboys: Bucky Hodges, tight end (Virginia Tech)
29.Green Bay Packers: Dalvin Cook, running back (Florida State)
30.Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarrad Davis, inside linebacker (Florida)
31.Atlanta Falcons: Taco Charlton, edge rusher (Michigan)
32.New Orleans Saints: Takkarist McKinley, edge rusher (UCLA)

The Best and Worst of Luke Evans

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 "Beauty and the Beast" star Luke Evans.

Films starring Luke Evans that I've seen:
Clash of the Titans
Robin Hood
The Three Musketeers 
Immortals
The Raven 
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 
Fast and Furious 6
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Girl on the Train

Best Performance: The Girl on the Train (2016)
Even though he is overshadowed by multiple performers (Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson) from The Girl on the Train's gifted ensemble, Evans still managed to turn in the finest performance of his career to-date here. Evans is a nice balance of charismatic and menacing as Scott Hepwell, a loyal yet short-tempered man who may or may not have had something to do with his troubled wife Megan's (Bennett) disappearance.
 
Worst Performance: The Raven (2012)
The first seven years of Evans' Hollywood-acting career has mostly consisted of thankless roles in movies that won't be remembered by the time the 2010's come to a close. Of all the disposable projects he's appeared in, The Raven is the only one where his indifference towards the material is apparent throughout the film. Like everything else in James McTeigue's Edgar Allen Poe-inspired fan fiction, Evans' acting is dull, soulless and often painful to watch.   


Best Film: Fast and Furious 6 (2013)
Fast and Furious 6 is easily the weakest of the long-running franchise's beautifully excessive recent entries. However, the plethora of absurd stunts and its immensely likable ensemble cast still makes it more fun than 99% of the other blockbusters that Hollywood has churned out in recent years. 

Worst Film: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
The lumbering, joyless The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey set the tone for what ended up being the most unnecessary trilogy I've ever seen. Peter Jackson reinforces his gift for padding the ever-loving shit out of his movies by stuffing 30 minutes of story into a nearly 3-hour film full of bad jokes, impressive CGI and a whole lot of walking (this is a formula that he proceeded to copy for the next two films in the franchise). While An Unexpected Journey is a painfully tedious viewing experience, I respect the fact that Warner Brothers granted Jackson the artistic freedom to make the most expensive visual sleep aid in the history of mankind  

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 "Power Rangers" star Elizabeth Banks . 

Concert Review: Every Time I Die-- Cambridge, MA-- March 9th, 2017

Lineup: Every Time Die/Knocked Loose/Harm's Way/Eternal Sleep
Venue: Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA
Date: March 9th, 2017

Eternal Sleep: Eternal Sleep was the only band on this tour that I wasn't at all familiar with prior to the show and after their performance, I don't regret not checking them out in advance. They're just another standard-issue beatdown hardcore band for hxC kids to karate kick and flail around to.

Harm's Way: 100% of the things I heard about Harm's Way live shows were true. These dudes are straight-up musical violence in its purest form. Everything from the thunderous drumming to the silent intensity of frontman James Pligge helps establish a sinister atmosphere that ramps up the raw, relentless heaviness of their music to a devastating degree. Harm's Way will never be a band I listen to on a regular basis, but they're great performers who've mastered the difficult art of making truly crushing hardcore/powerviolence.

Knocked Loose: I don't understand the fascination with Knocked Loose. The small amount of studio material I've heard from this beloved up-and-coming hardcore band is full of the type of fake tough-guy posturing and corny "WAKE THE FUCK UP" breakdowns that has prevented me from ever getting seriously invested in the genre. While their breakdowns and energy work better in a live setting, Bryan Garris' hilariously bad vocals single-handily prevented their set from having its desired effect. It boggles my mind that a band that is trying so hard to be the Pink Floyd of crowdkilling hardcore bands has a vocalist with such a whiny delivery. The dude sounds like a cross between Remi Rodberg from Arsonists Get All the Girls and Mickey Mouse, and his screechy-ass voice makes Knocked Loose's "drink creatine shakes and hit your friend in the face with a 2x4" shtick that much more fraudulent. Knocked Loose's live show is completely fine and I completely understand why hxC bros have embraced them so quickly, but gimmick-driven bands like this will never not drive me insane.

Every Time I Die: When you've been in the music industry for over 20 years, the identity you've established in your early years can begin to waver. Every Time I Die is not one of those acts. Even as a majority of their members approach 40, Buffalo's angriest sons are still able to send audiences into a full-fledged frenzy every time they take the stage. Since this was the smallest venue I've ever seen them play in (the Middle East holds just under 600 people), that chaos level was even higher than usual. The stage dives were frequent, the pits consumed at least 3/4 of the floor and there were even some crazy bastards hanging from the pipes that run across the ceiling of the venue. This type of wild energy is one of the biggest reasons metal shows are such a unique, beautiful experience and outside of the pair of Dillinger Escape Plan performances I saw last year, this was easily the most intense show I've been to in a while.

Every Time I Die's massive, riff-driven sound hits a whole new level of excellence in a live setting and last night's show was no exception to that rule. The focus on material from their latest record Low Teens served as a great showcase for the skills of riff lords Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams while Keith Buckley's vocals sounded as sharp as ever, even with some nagging issues throughout the set.  Every Time I Die's shows never fails to be amazing and I fully expect them to continue to be a top-tier love act for the foreseeable future.

Scores:
Eternal Sleep 5/10
Harm's Way 7.5/10
Knocked Loose 6/10
Every Time I Die 9.5/10
 
Setlist:
Every Time I Die (order may be a little off):
Underwater Bimbos from Outer Space
Thirst
Decayin' with the Boys
Glitches
We'rewolf
Wanderlust
Petal
The New Black
Two Summers
Bored Stiff
It Remembers
Romeo a Go-Go
Emergency Broadcast Syndrome
Floater
Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Battery
The Coin Has a Say
I Don't Want to Join Your Stupid Cult Anyway
No Son of Mine
Map Change

Encore:
Fear and Trembling
Awful Lot
Indian Giver

The Best and Worst of Kristen Stewart

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 "Personal Shopper" star Kristen Stewart.

Film starring Kristen Stewart that I've seen:
Panic Room
Jumper
Adventureland
Snow White and the Huntsman
Camp X-Ray
Still Alice
American Ultra
Cafe Society 
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

Best Performance: Cafe Society (2016)
The growth Stewart has displayed as an actress post-Twilight has been a joy to watch and that steady improvement as a performer culminated with her excellent turn in Woody Allen's Cafe Society. Stewart displays tremendous range and an unprecedented level of charm as the center of a love triangle between a young, low-level studio employee (Jeese Eisenberg) and his wealthy talent agent uncle (Steve Carell) in 1930's Hollywood. 

Worst Performance: Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Stewart has transformed into a pretty respectable actress in recent years, but the level of talent she's displayed of late was nowhere to be found in her earlier work. Snow White and the Huntsman was her first leading role following her ascent to stardom in the Twilight franchise and to say it wasn't pretty would be a vast understatement. Her performance as Snow White deserves to be a first-ballot entry in the stone-faced, charmless lead hall of shame. I've seen taxidermied animals with more personality than Stewart exhibits here.   

Best Film: American Ultra (2015)
Balancing frantic, gory B-movie action, stoner comedy and a love story in a 95-minute film should've ended in disaster, but against all odds American Ultra makes this unholy cocktail of mismatched genres work without ever feeling convoluted or inorganic. The ensemble cast buys 110% into every ounce of insanity Max Landis' script offers up and it makes for a fun, unique ride that more than likely will never be duplicated.  

Worst Film: Panic Room (2002)
I'm almost 100% sure that I would dislike any of the Twilight films more than this, but of the Stewart-projects I've actually seen, Panic Room is easily the weakest (the widely-hated Jumper is a guilty pleasure of mine). I still have a hard time believing that David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven) was responsible for making such an uninspired film. Anybody that's seen a home invasion movie before will know every plot beat well before it happens, the acting from everyone besides Forest Whitaker is dull and most importantly, there isn't nearly as much tension as there should be for a film with such a claustrophobic setting.   

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 "Beauty and the Beast" star Luke Evans. 

Album Review: Darkest Hour-Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora

Following the lukewarm reception of their 2013 self-titled record, melodic death metal/metalcore veterans Darkest Hour chose to leave Sumerian Records and replicate the crowdfunding formula that many of their battle-tested peers (Protest the Hero, Misery Signals, Sevendust) have utilized over the last few years to make their new album. The Indiegogo campaign they launched in February 2016 ended up raising over $67,000 (their goal was $50,000) and without a record label to answer to, the band vowed to release an album that would make their fans proud. Just over a year after they put out that statement to their Indiegogo backers, Darkest Hour managed to deliver exactly what they promised with the ferocious Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora.

Listening to Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora conjured up the feelings I had when I first heard Unearth's Watchers of Rule in October 2014. Like Unearth, Darkest Hour is an often overlooked band that has never bottomed out over the course of their lengthy career, but had admittedly lost a little bit of the edge that defined their seminal work in recent years. Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora puts a stop to the trend with the unexpected and glorious return of pissed-off Darkest Hour after a multi-album reprieve. They go straight for throat on the opening notes of this record and keep the aural assault coming for 12 attention-grabbing tracks. I have zero idea what was behind the sudden resurgence of non-stop suffocating aggression in Darkest Hour's music, but as a big fan of their blistering early work, I'm very thankful that it occurred. 

Darkest Hour's return to their viciously heavy roots is further aided by the wizardry of producer Kurt Ballou. Ballou's knack for knowing when to deploy a certain instrument in the mix gives Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora a colossal, well-balanced sound that emphasizes the strengths of each member of the band. On the particularly venomous thrash-inspired tracks like "Knife in the Safe Room" and "Another Headless Ruler of the Used", the breakneck riffs and frantic solos of guitarist Mike "Lonestar" Carrigan lead the way. On the more melodic material like "The Last of the Monuments" and "Beneath It Sleeps", the emotionally-charged vocals of John Henry take the steering wheel. On the songs that falls somewhere in between ("Those Who Survived", "Timeless Numbers"), Travis Orbin's powerful drumming is thrust into the spotlight. The balance the production achieves keeps this record's frenzied nature fresh and exciting for the duration of its 45-minute runtime. As impressive as the performances and passion put forth from the band are on this record, Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora probably wouldn't have had its devastating gut-punch impact without a maestro of destruction like Ballou behind the boards.

Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora is the return to form Darkest Hour diehards have long been hoping for. This record drops all of the other slight sound changes they've gone through on their last three releases and brings back the electric energy and biting rage that made them one of the elite metal bands of the early-to-mid-2000's. This is without question Darkest Hour's finest release since their 2007 classic Deliver Us and I have a feeling that it will help garner some of the much-deserved attention that's evaded them for much of the last decade.  
   
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Those Who Survived
2.Another Headless Ruler of the Used
3.In the Name of Us All

As We Proceed Episode #7.5

On this special bonus mini-episode of "As We Proceed", I share my thoughts on the Boston hip-hop scene, gush about the new Migos album Culture and throw a tremendous amount of shade at the Beatles. This 12-minute burst of podcasting magic can heard here: https://soundcloud.com/asweproceedpodcast/mayor-of-migotown

2017 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

1.Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, edge rusher (Texas A&M)
2.San Francisco 49ers: Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (North Carolina)
3.Chicago Bears: Marshon Lattimore, cornerback (Ohio State)
4.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jamal Adams, safety (LSU)
5.Tennessee Titans: Solomon Thomas, defensive end (Stanford)
6.New York Jets: Leonard Forunette, running back (LSU)
7.Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Hooker, safety (Ohio State)
8.Carolina Panthers: Mike Williams, wide receiver (Clemson)
9.Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle/end (Alabama)  
10.Buffalo Bills: DeShaun Watson, quarterback (Clemson)
11.New Orleans Saints: Quincy Wilson, cornerback (Florida)  
12.Cleveland Browns: O.J. Howard, tight end (Alabama)
13.Arizona Cardinals: John Ross, wide receiver (Washington)
14.Philadelphia Eagles: Corey Davis, wide receiver (Western Michigan)
15.Indianapolis Colts: Dalvin Cook, running back (Florida State)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Marlon Humphery, cornerback (Alabama)
17.Washington Redskins: Malik McDowell, defensive tackle (Michigan State)
18.Tennessee Titans: Sidney Jones, cornerback (Washington)
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Hassam Reddick, edge rusher (Temple)
20.Denver Broncos: Ryan Ramczyk, tackle (Wisconsin)
21.Detroit Lions: Taco Charlton, edge rusher (Michigan)
22.Miami Dolphins: Derek Barnett, edge rusher (Tennessee)
23.New York Giants: David Nokju, tight end (Miami)
24.Oakland Raiders: Reuben Foster, inside linebacker (Alabama)
25.Houston Texans: Forrest Lamp, guard (Western Kentucky)
26.Seattle Seahawks: Garett Bolles, tackle (Utah)
27.Kansas City Chiefs: DeShone Kizer, quarterback (Notre Dame)
28.Dallas Cowboys: Jabril Peppers, safety (Michigan)
29.Green Bay Packers: Christian McCaffery, running back (Stanford)
30.Pittsburgh Steelers: Charles Harris, edge rusher (Missouri)
31.Atlanta Falcons: Jarrad Davis, inside linebacker (Florida)
32.New England Patriots: Carl Lawson, edge rusher (Auburn)

Movie Review: Logan

 

If nothing else, James Mangold's Logan is every bit of the grim, brutal film that people had hoped it would be when the R-rating was confirmed by 20th Century Fox last spring. The sense of hope that usually drives the genre is nowhere to be found as the protagonists are broken down both physically and mentally. Seeing once-decorated, seemingly invincible heroes James "Logan" Howlett aka Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) comes to terms with their mortality gives Logan a much different feel than anything else Marvel or DC has ever pumped out. While the unrelenting bleakness sets Logan apart from other superhero films, its ambition proves to be far more impressive than its execution.

Logan is a competent film with suitably understated performances from its leads and a couple of standout scenes (the casino scene and the climatic battle sequence are pure gory mayhem), but given its potential-filled setup, it's hard for me not to be disappointed by the finished product. Outside of a handful of moments, Logan fails to be the dense, devastating character study it sets itself up to be in the first half hour of the film. Every interesting, potentially deep idea the script throws out there (Logan's alcoholism, Professor's X struggle with a neurological disorder, the strength of the relationship between the central characters) is abandoned as quickly as it was introduced. The film instead chooses to focus its efforts on the road trip Logan and Charles are forced to take in order to protect a young mutant (Dafne Keen) that Charles has been communicating with from a deadly band of genetically-enhanced outlaws known as the Reavers (led by a thoroughly menacing Boyd Holbrook). The rationale behind the road trip is well-developed, but because of the flat script, the "emotional" moments that emerge during the journey completely miss the mark.

While a majority of Logan is bogged down by questionable storytelling decisions and a lack of a meaningful connection to the characters, the rest of the missteps Mangold and Scott Frank's script are trivial compared to what occurs in the finale. The darkness that had consumed every frame up to that point suddenly disappears in the last five minutes with a contrived ending that only exists to try and force the audience to cry as they make their way out of the theater. Tacking on an ending that is tonally opposite of everything that came before it was a cheap move that greatly intensified my issues with this film.  

Despite my lukewarm feelings towards it, I really do understand and appreciate what Mangold was trying to do with Logan. Taking a mainstream superhero property into such a dark, minimalist direction is a ballsy move that deserves to be praised. However, no amount of admiration towards Mangold's bold creative intentions with this project changes the fact that Logan didn't connect with me emotionally the way he and his team intended it to. We need more films like this that are willing to push the boundaries of the superhero genre, I just hope that the next director that's brave enough to depart from the norm will learn from Mangold's mistakes and turn an ambitious idea into something truly game-changing.

3/5 Stars

As We Proceed Episode #7

On this month's As We Proceed, Feliciano is joined by Jeremy Colon and Prophet from Boston's The Co11ective to discuss the state of Boston's hip-hop scene. The trio also review the new Migos album Culture and debate whether or not the Atlanta trap lords are better than The Beatles. Huge shout-out to Feliciano for holding down the fort in my absence and make sure you check out The Co11ective's Blackout event in Boston on March 10th!  

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/asweproceedpodcast/the-good-the-bad-the-boujee
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/as-we-proceed/id1122163104?mt=2
Tickets for The Co11ective's Blackout: www.eventbrite.com/e/iambecuzweare…6773043?aff=es2

2017 NFL Free Agency: 10 Best Players Available

On March 9th at 4:00 P.M. EST, the 2017 NFL League season will be ushered in with the start of free agency. Per usual, a majority of the most intriguing players set to hit the open market have already been given lengthy extensions (Eric Berry, Jamie Collins, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif) or the franchise tag (Le'Veon Bell, Kirk Cousins, Jason Pierre-Paul, a handful of others) by their existing teams. Now that the market of available players has solidified, here are my picks for the 10 best players available in free agency this season. 

10.Adrian Peterson, running back (Most recent team: Minnesota Vikings)
Putting a 32-year old that's coming off a season that was shortened by a pretty severe knee injury on this list may seem like a stretch, but Adrian Peterson isn't your average geriatric running back. While I don't believe that he'll ever return to being the every-down force of nature he's been over the course of his 10-year career, his devastating power out of the backfield should make him a top-notch change-of-pace back for a contending team. 
Possible Destinations: Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots 

9.Andrew Whitworth, tackle (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Age is the only thing preventing Andrew Whitworth from being a top 5 player on this list. Whitworth is still an elite tackle at age 35 (Trent Williams was the only player at his position that had a higher Pro Footfall Focus grade last season) and he should be an excellent short-term option for teams that need help at left tackle.
Possible Destinations: Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams

8.A.J. Bouye, cornerback (Most recent team: Houston Texans)
There is no bigger dice roll hitting the open market this year than cornerback A.J. Bouye. Bouye played spectacular after being thrust into the starting lineup when 2015 1st-round pick Kevin Johnson went down for the season with a broken foot in mid-October, but his small sample size (the 11 starts he picked up in 2016 are the only ones of his career) and place on a Texans defense that has a strong pass-rush makes it hard to tell if his success was a result of his own strong play or simply a product of the bevy of talent that surrounded him. However, the dominance Bouye displayed in coverage last season is still enough to make him a very intriguing prospect for the flurry of teams that are currently in the market for a shutdown corner. 
Possible Destinations: Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders

7.Brandon Williams, nose tackle (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)
Like Damon "Snacks" Harrison a year ago, Brandon Williams is a run-stuffing virtuoso that is a strong contender to pickup a solid paycheck despite his limited skillset. At 335lbs, Williams is the type of pile-moving wrecking ball that productive 3-4 run D's are built around. 
Possible Destinations: Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers

6.Tony Jefferson, safety (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu may be the faces of the Cardinals secondary, but Tony Jefferson has been the unsung hero that's held them together the past 2 seasons. Jefferson is a super instinctive safety that's a terror against the run and has steadily improved in pass-coverage every year since he's been in the league. With his prime on the horizon (Jefferson just turned 25 in January) and a skill set that is still budding, he should have a ton of suitors on the open market.
Possible Destinations: Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

5.Stephon Gilmore, cornerback (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
He may be coming off a bit of a down year and take some unnecessary gambles going for INT's from time to time, but Stephon Gilmore is still easily the most polished cornerback hitting the open market this offseason. Gilmore has been a top 10-15 corner in the league since he was drafted in 2012 and his terrific ball skills alone should be enough for him to get a contract that rivals what Darius Slay (4 years/$50.2 mil/$23 mil guaranteed) got from the Lions last season.
Possible Destinations: Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders
 
4.Dont'a Hightower, inside/outside linebacker (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
While his lengthy injury history is definitely cause for some concern, players with Hightower's skill set don't come around too often. Hightower's sure-tackling and coverage skills allows him to play either inside or outside linebacker, is one of the most fluid sideline-to-sideline runners in the league and perhaps most importantly, has a tendency to put together monstrous performances in big games. 
Possible Destinations: New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers

3.Kevin Zeitler, guard (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
It blows my mind that Kevin Zeitler isn't getting more buzz going into free agency. He's been one of the most well-rounded, consistent guards in the NFL over the past few years and at 27, he's about to enter the prime of his career. If I were the general manager of a team with interior offensive line issues, I would throw fuck you money at Zeitler.
Possible Destinations: Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos

2.Alshon Jeffrey, wide receiver (Most recent team: Chicago Bears)
A string of soft-tissue injuries and the Bears absurd quarterback carousel have led to back-to-back disappointing seasons for Alshon Jeffrey, but make no mistake, this guy is a special talent. His combination of strength, leaping ability and underrated speed for his size (6'3, 216 lbs) makes him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Any offense that's looking to upgrade their aerial attack should strongly consider pursuing Jeffrey because top wideouts like him don't fit free agency often in the league's current pass-first state.
Possible Destinations: Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers

1.Calias Campbell, defensive tackle/end (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
The Cardinals cap issues and dedication to re-signing edge rusher Chandler Jones makes bringing back long-time defensive leader Calias Campbell a longshot. This situation is great news for any team that's looking for an elite veteran talent that can lineup anywhere on the defensive line and make plays. His age (he'll be 31 when the 2017 season starts) makes his window of success shakier than some of the other potential high-impact players available in free agency, but the monumental effect he could have on the makeup of a team's defense and locker room culture makes him the top prize of this free agency class.
Possible Destinations: Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots

Other Notable Free Agents: 
Alan Branch, defensive tackle/end (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
Andre Branch, defensive end (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)
Barry Church, safety (Most recent team: Dallas Cowboys)
Bennie Logan, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Blaine Gabbert, quarterback (Most recent team: San Francisco 49ers)
Bradley McDougald, safety (Most recent team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Brandon Carr, cornerback (Most recent team: Dallas Cowboys)
Brandon Flowers, cornerback (Most recent team: Los Angeles Chargers) 
Brandon LaFell, wide receiver (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Brian Hoyer, quarterback (Most recent team: Chicago Bears)
Captain Munnerlyn, cornerback (Most recent team: Minnesota Vikings)
Case Keenum, quarterback (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams) 
Chance Warmack, guard (Most recent team: Tennessee Titans)
Chris Baker, defensive end (Most recent team: Washington Redskins)
Chris Long, defensive end (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
Christine Michael, running back (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers) 
Colin Kaepernick, quarterback (Most recent team: San Francisco 49ers)
Connor Barth, kicker (Most recent team: Chicago Bears) 
Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver (Most recent team: Minnesota Vikings)
D.J. Fluker, guard/tackle (Most recent team: Los Angeles Chargers) 
D.J. Swearinger, safety (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
Danny Woodhead, running back (Most recent team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Darius Butler, cornerback (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)
Darrelle Revis, cornerback (Most recent team: New York Jets)
Datone Jones, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
DeAngelo Williams, running back (Most recent team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
DeMarcus Ware, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
DeSean Jackson, wide receiver (Most recent team: Washington Redskins)
Dontrari Poe, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs) 
Dre Kirkpatrick, cornerback (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Dwight Freeney, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Atlanta Falcons)
Duron Harmon, safety (Most recent team: New England Patriots) 
E.J. Manuel, qurterback (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
Eddie Lacy, running back (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Erik Walden, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)
Geno Smith, quarterback (Most recent team: New York Jets)
Greg Zuerlein, kicker (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Jabbal Sheard, defensive end (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
Jacquizz Rodgers, running back (Most recent team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 
Jammal Charles, running back (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Jared Cook, tight end (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Jared Odrick, defensive tackle/end (Most recent team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Jarius Byrd, safety (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)
Jarvis Jones, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
JC Tretter, center (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
John Simon, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Houston Texans)
Jonathan Cyprien, safety (Most recent team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Jonathan Hankins, defensive tackle (Most recent team: New York Giants)
Josh McCown, quarterback (Most recent team: Cleveland Browns) 
Julius Peppers, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Karl Klug, defensive end (Most recent team: Tennessee Titans)
Kelvin Beachum, tackle (Most recent team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Kendall Wright, wide receiver (Most recent team: Tennessee Titans) 
Kenny Britt, wide receiver (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Kenny Stills, wide receiver (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)
Kevin Minter, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
Larry Warford, guard (Most recent team: Detroit Lions)
Latavius Murray, running back (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)
Lawrence Guy, defensive end (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)
Lawrence Timmons, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
LeGarrette Blount, running back (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
Logan Ryan, cornerback (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
Lorenzo Alexander, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
Malcolm Smith, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)
Margus Hunt, defensive end (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Mario Williams, defensive end (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)
Martellus Bennett, tight end (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
Matt Barkley, quarterback (Most recent team: Chicago Bears)
Matt Kalil, tackle (Most recent team: Minnesota Vikings)
Micah Hyde, cornerback/safety (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Michael Floyd, wide receiver (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
Mike Glennon, quarterback (Most recent team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Mike Remmers, tackle (Most recent team: Carolina Panthers)
Morris Claiborne, cornerback (Most recent team: Dallas Cowboys)
Nick Fairley, defensive tackle (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)
Nick Mangold, center (Most recent team: New York Jets)
Nick Perry, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Nickell Robey-Coleman, cornerback (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills) 
Nolan Carroll, cornerback (Most recent team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Pierre Garcon, wide receiver (Most recent team: Washington Redskins)
Prince Amukamara, cornerback (Most recent team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Rashad Jennings, running back (Most recent team: New York Giants)
Rex Burkhead, running back (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Ricky Wagner, tackle (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)
Riley Rieff, tackle (Most recent team: Detroit Lions)
Robert Woods, wide receiver (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
Ronald Leary, guard (Most recent team: Dallas Cowboys)
Russell Okung, tackle (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
Ryan Clady, tackle (Most recent team: New York Jets)
Ryan Fitzpatick, quarterback (Most recent team: New York Jets)
Sylvester Williams, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
T.J. Lang, guard (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
T.J. McDonald, safety (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Ted Ginn Jr., wide receiver (Most recent team: Carolina Panthers)
Terrelle Pryor, wide receiver (Most recent team: Cleveland Browns)
Victor Cruz, wide receiver (Most recent team: New York Giants)
Zach Brown, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)

The Best and Worst of Craig Robinson

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 "Table 19" star Craig Robinson.

Films starring Craig Robinson that I've seen:
Knocked Up
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
Pineapple Express
Zach and Miri Make a Porno
Fanboys
Miss March
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
Hot Tub Time Machine
This is the End 
Get on Up
Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Morris from America
Sausage Party

Best Performance: This is the End (2013)
Robinson's numerous scene-stealing supporting roles (Hot Tub Time Machine, Zach and Miri Make a Porno, Pineapple Express) and recent dramatic triumph in Morris from America made this a really difficult choice. Ultimately, it was his glorious exaggerated portrayal of himself in This is the End that emerged from this crowded pack of worthy performances with the title. With the notable exception of Danny McBride's turn as a hot-headed lunatic that dabbles in cannibalism, Robinson was the most consistently funny part of Seth Rogen's terrific apocalypse comedy.

Worst Performance: Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015)
To be fair, Robinson wasn't bad in Hot Tub Time Machine 2, he just wasn't nearly as funny as he usually is. Like almost everything else in this disappointing sequel to the 2010 cult comedy classic, lovable music producer/proud husband/occasional heavy drug user Nick Webber wasn't nearly as wild, energetic or memorable of a character as he was in the original.

Best Film: Knocked Up (2007)
For the second straight week, the best film honor belongs to a Judd Apatow-directed movie. Knocked Up is an outstanding dramedy that blends clever, vulgar humor with heartfelt observations on parenting, marriage and the responsibilities of adulthood. 

Worst Film: Miss March (2009)
With the well below-average Miss March, The Whitest Kids U Know stars Trevor Moore and Zach Cregger proved that the transition from sketch comedy to the big screen isn't always a smooth one. The eccentricity and wit that made their IFC sketch show a cult hit was nowhere to be found in this forgettable R-rated comedy full of weak sex jokes and lifeless characters. Hopefully their recently-completed second film script ends up being something more worthwhile than this generic-ass movie.

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 "Personal Shopper" star Kristen Stewart.