Top 25 Hip-Hop Beats of 2017

Every year I like to celebrate the golden age of hip-hop production that we're currently blessed to be living in by painstakingly sifting through the vast collection of top-shelf dishes these beat chefs cook up over a 12-month period and selecting my absolute favorites. Here are the 25 beats from 2017 that made me smile uncontrollably,  want to run through walls, and contemplate the beauty of life on Earth.

2017 hip-hop releases that I've heard:
2 Chainz-Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
21 Savage-Issa Album
21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin-Without Warning
Action Bronson-Blue Chips 7000
A$AP Ferg-Still Striving 
Big K.R.I.T.-4eva is a Mighty Long Time
Big Sean-I Decided
BROCKHAMPTON-Saturation 
BROCKHAMPTON-Saturation 2
BROCKHAMPTON-Saturation III
Denzel Curry-13
Drake-More Life
Freddie Gibbs-You Only Live 2wice
Future-Future
Future-HNDRXX
Future and Young Thug-SUPER SLIMEY
Gucci Mane-El Gato: The Human Glacier 
Gucci Mane-Mr. Davis
Gucci Mane and Metro Boomin-Drop Top Wop
Huncho Jack (Quavo + Travi$ Scott)-Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho
IDK-IWASVERYBAD
Jay-Z-4:44
Joey Bada$$-All-Amerikkkan Bada$$
Juicy J-Rubba Band Business 
Kendrick Lamar-DAMN.
Kodak Black-Painting Pictures
Kodak Black-Project Baby 2
Lecrae-All Things Work Together 
Lil Pump-Lil Pump

Lil Uzi Vert-Luv is Rage 1.5

Lil Uzi Vert-Luv is Rage 2

Lil Yachty-Teenage Emotions

Migos-Culture
N*E*R*D-No_One Ever Really Dies
Open Mike Eagle-Brick Body Kids Still Day Dream 
Playboi Carti-Playboi Carti
Tyler, the Creator-Flower Boy
Ugly God-The Booty Tape
Vince Staples-Big Fish Theory
XXXTENTACION-17
XXXTENTACION-Revenge
Young Thug-Beautiful Thugger Girls
Young Thug and Carnage-Young Martha

25.Future-"Outta Time" (Producers: Southside and Jake One)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCjdvcFKLJc
24.Vince Staples-"Crabs in a Bucket" (Producers: Zack Sekoff and Justin Vernon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa4vBlzMaeQ
23.Drake-"Portland" (Producers: Murda Beatz and Cubeatz)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtR-WKpDRIQ
22.Playboi Carti-"Magnolia" (Producer: Pie'rre Bourne)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLYksQvr5zY
21.Big K.R.I.T.-"Big Bank" (Producer: Big K.R.I.T.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLoDQR4Vawk
20.Playboi Carti-"Other Shit" (Producer: Hit-Boy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS3DSfygfdw
19.Playboi Carti-"New Choppa" (Producer: Riera)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fApnRYRdgME
18.Vince Staples-"Yeah Right" (Producers: Sophie and Flume)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6iAzyhm0p0
17.21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin-"Ric Flair Drip" (Producers: Metro Boomin and Bijan Amir)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwbI9IY9Roo
16.Young Thug-"Killed Before" (Producer: London on Da Track)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djf9es4rnXY
15.Future-"Mask Off" (Producer: Metro Boomin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMCwYdTJ_PE
14.2 Chainz-"Rolls Royce Bitch" (Producer: Honorable C.N.O.T.E.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPlpRRhqgTY
13.Lil Uzi Vert-"Neon Guts" (Producer: Pharrell Williams)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTOj3UQhkLA
12.BROCKHAMPTON-"Sister/Nation" (Producer: Romil Hemnani)
(No YouTube link available)
11.Future-"POA" (Producer: Southside)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z64wIi1gw7I
10.Vince Staples-"Big Fish" (Producer: Christian Rich)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEi9pZ0k6lQ
9.Vince Staples-"Homage" (Producer: Zack Sekoff)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geAzhqGSJYo
8.Migos-"Call Casting" (Producers: Buddhah Bless and Bron Bron)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpEI40b3mvo
7.Kodak Black-"Patty Cake" (Producers: Ben Billions, Ness and Nick Seeley)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2onvlhD7X4
6.21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin-"Rap Saved Me" (Producer: Metro Boomin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK9rgGmrH7I
5.Future-"Draco" (Producer: DJ Spinz)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y64nUw1wwc
4.BROCKHAMPTON-"Gummy" (Producers: Romil Hemnani, Q3 and Joba)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okG374CFWFc
3.2 Chainz-"Sleep When U Die" (Producer: Buddhah Bless)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JkOi-vBhWQ
2.21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin-"Ghostface Killers" (Producer: Metro Boomin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmc890o0yYY
1.2 Chainz-"OG Kush Diet" (Producer: FKi)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8j51OPA-Qc

The Best and Worst of Helen Mirren

"The Best and Worst of" chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of "Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built" star Helen Mirren.

Films starring Helen Mirren that I've seen:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Shadowboxer

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

State of Play

RED

Arthur

The Debt

Monsters University

RED 2

Trumbo

Eye in the Sky

The Fate of the Furious

Best Performance: RED (2010)
Casting Mirren as a wisecracking elite assassin was a god damn stroke of genius by the creative team behind this great action comedy. After cementing her legacy with roles in stone-serious period dramas and experimental arthouse movies, Mirren almost seem relieved to spend an entire film shooting huge guns, trading quips with her equally great co-stars (Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman) and just having a good time. As great as some of her recent dramatic output has been (Eye in the Sky, Trumbo), I'd love to see this acting legend tackle some more charismatic smartass roles before she leaves the industry.   

Worst Performance: Shadowboxer (2005)

To be fair, Mirren's performance is the best part of this bizarre family drama masquerading as a crime/action thriller. However, the Oscar Winner still looks like she's merely seconds away from nodding off the entire time she's on screen here. Seeing an actress that's usually fully committed to her characters completely slum it was incredibly odd and I'd be surprised if Mirren displayed this level of indifference in a film ever again.

Best Film: The Fate of the Furious (2017)

No other series spits in the face of franchise fatigue like The Fast and the Furious does. The Fate of the Furious is the eight installment, but thanks to its goofy tone, flare for staging creative, exciting action sequences and a strong ensemble cast that possesses infinite chemistry, this absurd blockbuster juggernaut is as entertaining as ever. Hopefully the reported behind-the-scenes tension between Dwayne Johnson and Tyrese Gibson doesn't suddenly kill this franchise's unique magic aura.

Worst Film: Shadowboxer (2005)
When you put Lee Daniels (Precious, Fox's Empire) in charge of an action thriller, this is the type of strange, absurd clusterfuck you end up with. With its barrage of abstract montages straight out of the pretentious arthouse filmmaker playbook, horrific performances from veteran actors (Cuba Gooding Jr., Mirren, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Stephen Dorff, Mo'Nique) that seem ashamed to be a part of the production and enough poorly-conceived tearjerker plot developments to fill a year's worth of programming on the Hallmark Channel, Shadowboxer puts forth a distinct, often unintentionally funny brand of ineptitude that will likely never fade from my memory bank.    

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". The next victim of my praise and ire will be "Peter Rabbit" star Margot Robbie .

2017 NFL Year-End Awards

MVP: Tom Brady, quarterback (Patriots)
A late-season injury to Carson Wentz and Russell Wilson's inability to lead the Seahawks to a playoff berth makes TB12 MVP by default. It wasn't even close to an exceptional season by Brady's lofty standards (especially down the stretch), but overcoming some mild adversity to secure another effortless-looking 13 win season, leading the league in passing yards for the first time since 2007 and a handful of early-season gems is enough to give Brady the edge over his closest competitors (Gurley, Brown, Roethlisberger) in this laughably thin field .
Honorable Mentions: Todd Gurley, running back (Rams), Carson Wentz, quarterback (Eagles), Russell Wilson, quarterback (Seahawks)

Offensive Player of the Year: Todd Gurley, running back (Rams)
Todd Gurley made the crushing disappointment of his 2016 season feel like a distant nightmare with a 2017 campaign that reminded everyone in the league what a destructive force he can be when he has the ball in his hands. The implementation of Sean McVay's dynamic scheme, a greatly improved offensive line that could actually open up rushing lanes for him and his tremendous improvement as a pass-catcher helped the 3rd-year back become the top option (2,093 yards from scrimmage and 19 total TD's) in the Rams suddenly potent offense.

Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown, wide receiver (Steelers), Le'Veon Bell, running back (Steelers), DeAndre Hopkins, wide receiver (Texans)

Defensive Player of the Year: Calias Campbell, defensive end (Jaguars)
Jacksonville's dramatic improvement as a defense wouldn't have been possible without the contributions of Calias Campbell. The veteran defensive end proved to be worth every cent of the 4 year/$60 mil contract he signed in free agency last March by giving this young defense the hard-nosed identity, edge-rushing prowess and sense of fearlessness it lacked over the past few seasons. It also helped that the 31-year old displayed the consistent level of dominance he became known for during his 9 seasons with the Cardinals by picking up 67 tackles, 3 forced fumbles and a career-high 14.5 sacks in his inaugural season with the Jags.  

Honorable Mentions: Chandler Jones, outside linebacker (Cardinals), Harrison Smith, safety (Vikings), Casey Hayward, cornerback (Chargers)

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Alvin Kamara, running back (Saints)
During the 1st half of the season, Kareem Hunt seemed like a lock to receive this honor. But Hunt's production tailed off significantly from Weeks 8-13, which opened the door for Alvin Kamara to steal the spotlight from the Chiefs bellcow back as well as the nearly half-dozen other rookie running backs from this spectacular draft class that turned heads with their playmaking ability all season long. Kamara's elusiveness, agility and polished dual-threat capabilities allowed him to pick up a ridiculous 1,554 yards from scrimmage and 13 total TD's on only 201 touches.  

Honorable Mentions: Leonard Fournette, running back (Jaguars), Kareem Hunt, running back (Chiefs), JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver (Steelers)

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Marshon Lattimore, cornerback (Saints)
Friendly reminder: Marshon Lattimore slipped to the #11 pick in last year's draft. With 52 tackles, 18 passes defensed, 5 INT and an allowed passer rating of 45.3 during his injury-shortened rookie campaign (13 games), Lattimore has already managed to cement himself as a legit top corner.

Honorable Mentions: Tre'Davious White, cornerback (Bills), Myles Garrett, defensive end (Browns), Marcus Williams, safety (Saints)

Coach of the Year: Sean McVay (Rams)
2017 was a phenomenal year for upstart coaches as 5 of the league's 12 playoff teams were led by coaches in their 1st or 2nd season on the job. Of all these terrific, unexpected turnaround stories, Sean McVay's work with the Rams impressed me the most. The youngest coach in NFL history to-date revitalized this long-suffering franchise in his 1st year on the job by installing an uptempo, unpredictable style of offense that helped Jared Goff turn into the promising young QB the front office thought they were getting when they traded up to select him with the #1 overall pick in the 2016 Draft and establishing a sense of accountability and togetherness in the locker room that was noticeably absent from this group when Jeff Fisher was running the show.

Honorable Mentions: Doug Marrone (Jaguars), Doug Pederson (Eagles), Sean McDermott (Bills)

All-Pro Teams

Quarterback

1st team: Tom Brady (Patriots)

2nd team: Carson Wentz (Eagles)

Running Back

1st team: Todd Gurley (Rams)

2nd team: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)

Wide Receiver

1st team: Antonio Brown (Steelers), DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)

2nd team: Julio Jones (Falcons), Keenan Allen (Chargers)

Tight End

1st team: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)

2nd team: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Tackle

1st team: Andrew Whitworth (Rams), David Bakhtiari (Packers)

2nd team: Joe Staley (49ers), Daryl Williams (Panthers)

Center

1st team: Jason Kelce (Eagles)

2nd team: Alex Mack (Falcons)

Guard

1st team: David DeCastro (Steelers), Andrew Norwell (Panthers)

2nd team: Zack Martin (Cowboys), Brandon Brooks (Eagles)

Defensive End

1st team: Calias Campbell (Jaguars), Cameron Jordan (Saints) 

2nd team: DeMarcus Lawrence (Cowboys), Everson Griffen (Vikings)

Defensive Tackle
1st team: Aaron Donald (Rams), Geno Atkins (Bengals)
2nd team: Fletcher Cox (Eagles), Kawann Short (Panthers)

Outside Linebacker
1st team: Chandler Jones (Cardinals), Von Miller (Broncos)
2nd team: Telvin Smith (Jaguars), Lavonte David (Buccaneers)

Inside Linebacker
1st team: Bobby Wagner (Seahawks), Luke Kuechly (Panthers)
2nd team: Deion Jones (Falcons), C.J. Mosley (Ravens)

Cornerback
1st team: Casey Hayward (Chargers), Jalen Ramsey (Jaguars)
2nd team: Xavier Rhodes (Vikings), A.J. Bouye (Jaguars)

Safety
1st team: Harrison Smith (Vikings), Kevin Byard (Titans)
2nd team: Adrian Amos (Bears), Glover Quin (Lions)

Kicker
1st team: Greg Zuerlein (Rams)
2nd team: Robbie Gould (49ers)

Punter
1st team: Johnny Hekker (Rams)
2nd team: Thomas Morstead (Saints)

Return Specialist:
1st team: Pharaoh Cooper (Rams)
2nd team: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)

Special Teamer:
1st team: Budda Baker (Cardinals)
2nd team: Michael Thomas (Dolphins)

Miscellaneous Awards:
Biggest Surprise Teams:
5.Jets
4.Saints
3.Bills
2.Jaguars
1.Rams

Biggest Underachievers:
5.Seahawks
4.Broncos
3.Giants
2.Buccaneers
1.Raiders

Breakout Players:
10.Robby Anderson (Jets)
9.Alex Collins (Ravens)
8.Yannick Ngakoue (Jaguars)
7.Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)
6.Jared Goff (Rams)
5.Daryl Williams (Panthers)
4.Deion Jones (Falcons)
3.DeMarcus Lawrence (Cowboys)
2.Kevin Byard (Titans)
1.Carson Wentz (Eagles)

Biggest Veteran Underachievers:
10.Leonard Williams (Jets)
9.Vic Beasley (Falcons)
8.Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
7.Marcus Peters (Chiefs)
6.Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
5.Marcus Mariota (Titans)
4.Jay Ajayi (Dolphins/Eagles)
3.Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
2.Amari Cooper (Raiders)
1.Derek Carr (Raiders)

Top Rookies:
10.Reuben Foster (49ers
9,Ryan Ramczyk (Saints)
8.Marcus Williams (Saints)
7.JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers)
6.Myles Garrett (Browns)
5.Leonard Fournette (Jaguars)
4.Kareem Hunt (Chiefs)
3.Tre'Davious White (Bills)
2.Marshon Lattimore (Saints)
1.Alvin Kamara (Saints)

Biggest Rookie Underachievers:
10.Taco Charlton (Cowboys)
9.Justin Evans (Buccaneers)
8.Jarrad Davis (Lions)
7.O.J. Howard (Buccaneers)
6.Joe Mixon (Bengals)
5.Corey Davis (Titans)
4.David Njoku (Browns)
3.Haason Reddick (Cardinals)
2.Mike Williams (Chargers)
1.Solomon Thomas (49ers)

The Best and Worst of Patricia Clarkson

"The Best and Worst of" chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of "Maze Runner: The Death Cure" star Patricia Clarkson.

Films starring Patricia Clarkson that I've seen:

The Untouchables

Jumanjii

The Green Mile

The Station Agent

Miracle

Good Night, and Good Luck

Vicky Christina Barcelona 

Shutter Island

Easy A

Friends with Benefits

One Day

The East

The Maze Runner

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials 

Best Performance: The Station Agent (2003)
There was a time about 10-15 years ago where Clarkson was one of the most in-demand dramatic character actresses in the industry. While she did plenty of excellent work during this period of her career, her turn in The Station Agent has stuck with me more than the rest. Clarkson's portrayal of a grief-stricken divorcee who develops a friendship with two other depressed loners (Peter Dinklage, Bobby Cannavale) in a small New Jersey town is grounded, poignant and above all, 100% authentic-feeling.  

Worst Performance: Miracle (2004)
A lot of talented actors got caught in the fray of this dull, overly sentimental dramatization of the infamous "Miracle on Ice" at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York and while Kurt Russell's unconvincing hardo take on iconic coach Herb Brooks absorbed a majority of the embarrassment, Clarkson's turn as Herb's wife Patti is still pretty cringeworthy. Clarkson's sole duty in Miracle is to provide generic "DON'T GIVE UP!" pep talks to her husband while he tries to prepare an undisciplined group of college hockey players for the imposing international stage of the Olympics, which is an insult to both her talent and the real Patti Brooks.

Best Film: The Green Mile (1999)
Acclaimed horror/fantasy author Stephen King has provided Hollywood with a steady stream of material to work with for the past 40+ years. Of the dozens of King adaptations that have made their way to the big screen, The Green Mile is one of the select few that I would declare a masterpiece. Writer/director Frank Darabont perfectly blends mystical elements with brutal, emotionally-charged prison drama and just about every performance in the movie is nothing short of incredible.  

Worst Film: The East (2013)

The East is one hell of an argument against the existence of "edgy" political thrillers. This film's idea of sharp, thought-provoking commentary on sociological issues is to constantly remind the audience that there's a very thin line between the immoral actions of corporations and the whistleblowing eco-terrorists that go to violent extremes to expose said wrongdoings to the world. Throw in a collection of obnoxious, wanna-be anarchist characters and you have one of the most insufferable films I've ever had the displeasure of sitting through.
 

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". The next victim of my praise and ire will be "Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built" star Helen Mirren.

Movie Review: The Commuter

With their work on 2011's Unknown, 2014's Non-Stop and 2015's Run All Night, Liam Nesson and director Jaume Collet-Saura have quietly solidified themselves as a force in the world of high-concept B-movies. This cinematic power couple has re-teamed after a brief time apart to work on other projects (Nesson starred in the Martin Scorsese-directed historical drama Silence while Collet-Saura helmed shark survival thriller The Shallows) with the train-set action thriller The Commuter. This admirably ludicrous film about a cop-turned-insurance salesman (Nesson) that gets lured into helping some bad people identify a witness that's aboard his commuter train back to the suburbs who has crucial information about the mysterious death of a city councilman that was about to blow the whistle on the evildoings of some powerful people in New York City before he or she meets with the federal authorities at a train station that's located at the end of the route isn't quite as fun or tense as Non-Stop, which bears a pretty strong resemblance to this in both plot development and setting, but it's still a pretty engaging ride that offers up a serviceable amount of pulpy thrills. Collet-Saura keeps this twist-heavy whodunit story moving at a nice pace while Nesson's hard-nosed charisma maximizes the effectiveness of the script's treasure trove of sensible absurdity. I'm looking forward to this duo's next collaboration in a few years time where a 70-year old Nesson kicks ass and foils convoluted criminal schemes aboard a cruise ship.

Grade: B

90th Academy Award Nomination Predictions

Now that almost all of the major award shows are out of the way, it's finally time for the Academy Award Nominations to be unveiled. Here are the films and individuals I expect to be in the running for Oscar gold this year.

Best Picture:
Call Me by Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
I, Tonya
Lady Bird
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Locks: Call Me by Your Name, Dunkirk, Get Out, Lady Bird, The Post, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Toss-Ups: Darkest Hour, I, Tonya
Other contenders: All the Money in the World, The Disaster Artist, The Florida Project, Mudbound, Phantom Thread

Best Actor:
Timothee Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name)
Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread)
Tom Hanks (The Post)
Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out)
Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)

Locks: Timothee Chalament, Daniel Day-Lewis, Daniel Kaluuya, Gary Oldman
Toss-Up: Tom Hanks
Other contenders: Christian Bale (Hostiles), Jamie Bell (Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool), Jake Gyllenhaal (Stronger), James Franco (The Disaster Artist), Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.) 

Best Actress:
Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)
Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)
Saiorse Ronan (Lady Bird)
Meryl Streep (The Post)

Locks: Sally Hawkins, Frances McDormand, Saiorse Ronan
Toss-Ups: Margot Robbie, Meryl Streep
Other contenders: Annette Benning (Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool), Jessica Chastain (Molly's Game), Judi Dench (Victoria & Abdul), Diane Kruger (In the Fade), Michelle Williams (All the Money in the World)

Best Supporting Actor:
Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project)
Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name)
Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water)
Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

Locks: Armie Hammer, Richard Jenkins, Sam Rockwell
Toss-Ups: Willem Dafoe, Woody Harrelson
Other contenders: Jason Mitchell (Mudbound), Bob Odenkirk (The Post), Christopher Plummer (All the Money in the World), Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water), Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me by Your Name)

Best Supporting Actress:
Mary J. Blige (Mudbound)
Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
Kristen Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour)
Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water)

Locks: Allison Janney, Laurie Metcalf, Octavia Spencer
Toss-Ups: Mary J. Blige, Kristen Scott Thomas
Other contenders: Hong Chau (Downsizing), Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), Holly Hunter (The Big Sick), Melissa Leo (Novitiate), Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread)

Best Director:
Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)
Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird)
Martin McDonough (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk)
Jordan Peele (Get Out)

Locks: Guillermo del Toro, Greta Gerwig, Martin McDonough
Toss-Ups: Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele
Other contenders: Craig Gillepsie (I, Tonya), Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name), Ridley Scott (All the Money in the World), Steven Spielberg (The Post), Joe Wright (Darkest Hour)

Best Original Screenplay:
Get Out
I, Tonya
Lady Bird
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Adapted Screenplay:
All the Money in the World
Call Me by Your Name
The Disaster Artist
Molly's Game
Mudbound

Best Animated Feature:
The Breadwinner
Coco
The Girl Without Hands
Ferdinand 
Loving Vincent

Best Cinematography:
Blade Runner 2049
Call Me by Your Name
Dunkirk
Mudbound
The Shape of Water

Best Foreign Language Film:
A Fantastic Woman
Foxtrot
In the Fade
Loveless
The Square

Best Documentary Feature:
City of Ghosts
Faces Places
Icarus 
Jane
Long Strange Trip

Best Editing:
Baby Driver
Dunkirk
Lady Bird
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Darkest Hour
I, Tonya
Wonder

Best Costume Design:
Beauty and the Beast
The Greatest Showman
Murder on the Orient Express
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water

Best Original Score:
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Phantom Thread
The Post
The Shape of Water

Best Original Song:
Call Me by Your Name
Coco
Cries from Syria
The Greatest Showman
Marshall

Best Visual Effects:
Blade Runner 2049
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi 
War for the Planet of the Apes

Best Sound Mixing:
Baby Driver
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Wonder Woman

Best Sound Editing:
Baby Driver
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Wonder Woman

NFL Conference Championship Picks

Last Week's Record: 1-3 (Correct: Patriots Incorrect: Falcons, Steelers, Saints)
Overall: 4-4 

New England Patriots over Jacksonville Jaguars: As someone who resides in the heart of Patriots country, this game is really weird for me to assess. The parade of nuclear takes being dropped (BLAKE BORTLES CAN'T POSSIBLY BEAT TOM BRADY, THIS IS THE EASIEST PLAYOFF GAME IN PATRIOTS HISTORY, BRIAN HOYER IS GOING TO BE FORCED TO START FOR AN INJURED BRADY, TOM COUGHLIN IS GOING TO POSSESS DOUG MARRONE'S BODY AND BEAT THE PATRIOTS IN ANOTHER PLAYOFF GAME) in the lovely public opinion forums of social media and talk radio along with the news of Mr. Pliability's hand injury has managed to make this matchup of seemingly untouchable dynasty versus young, hungry upstart team even murkier. However even with all this drama that's emerged over the past 48 hours, I just don't have enough confidence in the Jaguars ability to play a clean, well-executed game for 4 quarters against a Patriots team that prides themselves on delivering in crucial situations. A hobbled Leonard Forunette is going to have a hard time establishing the running game the Jags offense needs to succeed, the Pats carousel of dynamic running back is tailor-made to shred Jacksonville's aggressive style of front seven play and despite all the paranoia surrounding the status of Brady's throwing hand, I'm not convinced that his ailment is serious enough to prevent him from making the throws he needs to dismantle Jacksonville's gifted, but burnable defense.

Minnesota Vikings over Philadelphia Eagles: Case Keenum. Nick Foles. One of these journeyman veteran quarterbacks that started the season as a backup is going to lead their team to an unlikely Super Bowl berth once the final gun sounds at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday night. Despite advancing to this game because of an absolute prayer of a play that will go down as one of the most insane in the history of the NFL, I can't in good conscious pick against the Vikings this week. In this battle of tough defenses, Minnesota's much more functional, balanced offense has a clear advantage plus it's hard to ignore that a weaker Falcons squad was merely yards away from beating the Eagles last week in a game where they played like absolute horse shit throughout.

2017 in Film: A Year in Review

Going to the movies in 2017 proved to a frequently joyous and rewarding experience. My initial weariness when looking at the release schedule last January quickly faded thanks to a steady steam of very good-to-excellent films in the early months and that feeling of pleasant surprise only grew stronger as the year went on.

What made this cinematic year so refreshing was the number of movies I was looking forward to that ended up delivering the goods. Everything from small indie projects (Ingrid Goes West, Wind River) that I found out about shortly before they were released to sequels to films that I loved (The Fate of the Furious, John Wick: Chapter 2) to films I'd been waiting for years to see (The Disaster Artist, Thor: Ragnarok) all managed to either meet or shatter my pre-release expectations.

Of course, there was the obligatory bursts of sorrow among the many triumphs. While the number of disappointments fell for a second straight year, the letdowns in 2017 REALLY stung. Dreary superhero Logan failed to hit the necessary emotional notes, Guy Ritchie squandered a great  opportunity to put a fresh spin on the story of King Arthur with Legend of the Sword, the Guardians of the Galaxy's second mission got bogged down by poorly-executed family melodrama and a murderer's row of gifted comedians couldn't prevent The House from being wildly average.

Below you'll find a list of every film I saw in 2017 ranked from worst to best (w/star ratings) and a plethora of awards that shine a light on everything I was delighted and underwhelmed by in the world of cinema over the course of the year. Please feel free to share your favorite and least favorite movies and things about the 2017 cinematic year in the comment box below.

Haven't seen yet, but plan to watch in the future:
All the Money in the World
A Bad Moms Christmas
Band Aid
Beach Rats
The Beguiled
Better Watch Out
Blade of the Immortal 
Brad's Status
Brawl in Cell Block 99
Coco
Daddy's Home 2
Darkest Hour
Death Note
The Discovery
Downsizing
Father Figures
Flatliners
The Florida Project
Geostrom
Hostiles
It Comes at Night
Jigsaw
Killing Gunther
Last Flag Flying
Little Evil
LBJ
Marshall
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) 
Murder on the Orient Express
Only the Brave
The Post
Professor Marston & the Wonder Women
Raw
Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Sandy Wexler
The Snowman
Suburbicon 
Thank You for Your Service
Tragedy Girls
Transformers: The Last Knight
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
What Happened to Monday
Wonder
Wonder Wheel

113.Message from the King (1/5)
112.The Only Living Boy in New York (1/5)
111.The Layover (1/5)
110.Monster Trucks (1.5/5)
109.Okja (1.5/5)
108.Mr. Roosevelt (1.5/5) 
107.Gerald's Game (1.5/5)
106.The Little Hours (1.5/5)
105.Collide (2/5)
104.The Foreigner (2/5) 
103.War for the Planet of the Apes (2/5) 
102.Take the 10 (2/5)
101.American Assassin (2/5)
100.Alien: Covenant (2/5)
99.Columbus (2/5) 
98.Beatriz at Dinner (2/5)
97.The Book of Henry (2/5) 
96.Split (2/5)
95.Annabelle: Creation (2/5)
94.The Zookeeper's Wife (2.5/5) 
93.The Incredible Jessica James (2.5/5)
92.The House (2.5/5)
91.Wonder Woman (2.5/5)
90.Lowriders (2.5/5)
89.Snatched (2.5/5)
88.King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2.5/5)
87.Colossal (2.5/5)
86.The Glass Castle (2.5/5) 
85.Mother! (2.5/5)
84.Table 19 (3/5)
83.War on Everyone (3/5)
82.Crown Heights (3/5)
81.American Made (3/5)
80.To the Bone (3/5)
79.Wilson (3/5)
78.ChiPs (3/5)
77.Sleight (3/5)
76.Patti Cake$ (3/5)
75.The Dark Tower (3/5)
74.Life (3/5)
73.The Mummy (3/5)
72.The Hero (3/5)
71.The Great Wall (3/5)
70.Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (3/5)
69.A Cure for Wellness (3/5)
68.Before I Fall (3/5)
67.The Lego Ninjago Movie (3/5)
66.Call Me by Your Name (3/5)
65.Free Fire (3/5)
64.Fist Fight (3/5)
63.Logan (3/5)
62.Blade Runner 2049 (3/5)
61.Going in Style (3/5)
60.Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (3/5)
59.Star Wars: The Last Jedi (3/5) 
58.Sleepless (3/5)
57.Win It All (3/5)
56.All Eyez on Me (3/5)
55.Baywatch (3.5/5)
54.Dunkirk (3.5/5)
53.Girls Trip (3.5/5)
52.Underworld: Blood Wars (3.5/5)
51.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (3.5/5)
50.Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (3.5/5)
49.Mayhem (3.5/5)
48.T2: Trainspotting (3.5/5)
47.Pitch Perfect 3 (3.5/5)
46.Battle of the Sexes (3.5/5)
45.Shot Caller (3.5/5)
44.Goon: Last of the Enforcers (3.5/5)
43.The Babysitter (3.5/5)
42.The Belko Experiment (3.5/5)
41.Mudbound (3.5/5)
40.Landline (3.5/5)
39.It (3.5/5)
38.Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (3.5/5)
37.Logan Lucky (3.5/5)
36.The Hitman's Bodyguard (3.5/5)
35.Gifted (3.5/5)
34.The Lego Batman Movie (3.5/5)
33.Good Time (3.5/5)
32.Detroit (4/5)
31.Wheelman (4/5)
30.Our Souls at Night (4/5)
29.Atomic Blonde (4/5)
28.Bright (4/5)
27.Stronger (4/5)
26.The Shape of Water (4/5)
25.Spider-Man: Homecoming (4/5)
24.Justice League (4/5)
23.Kong: Skull Island (4/5)
22.Power Rangers (4/5)
21.Rough Night (4/5)
20.Happy Death Day (4/5)
19.Jumanjii: Welcome to the Jungle (4/5)
18.Lady Bird (4/5)
17.Dean (4/5)
16.xXx: Return of Xander Cage (4/5)
15.Kingsman: The Golden Circle (4/5)
14.Ghost in the Shell (4/5)
13.I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (4/5)
12.Brigsby Bear (4/5)
11.John Wick: Chapter 2 (4/5)
10.The Big Sick (4/5)
9.Molly's Game (4.5/5)
8.I, Tonya (4.5/5)
7.Baby Driver (4.5/5)
6.Thor: Ragnarok (4.5/5)
5.Get Out (4.5/5)
4.Ingrid Goes West (4.5/5)
3.The Fate of the Furious (4.5/5)
2.Wind River (4.5/5)
1.The Disaster Artist (4.5/5)

Year-End Awards:
Best Picture: The Disaster Artist
Best Actor: James Franco, The Disaster Artist
Best Actress: Aubrey Plaza, Ingrid Goes West
Best Supporting Actor: Ray Romano, The Big Sick
Best Supporting Actress: Tatiana Maslany, Stronger
Best Director: Edgar Wright, Baby Driver
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, Get Out
Best Adapted Screenplay: Scott Neustader and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist
Best Animated Film: The Lego Batman Movie
Best Cinematography: The Shape of Water
Best Score: The Shape of Water
Best Visual Effects: Ghost in the Shell
Best Villain: Jamie Foxx, Baby Driver
Best Performance in a Bad Movie: James McAvoy, Split
Worst Performance in a Good Movie: Jason Clarke, Mudbound
Most Shameful Piece of Acting by a Talented Actor: Chadwick Boseman, Message From the King
Finest Piece of Acting by a Suspect Actor: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Shot Caller
Best Overacting: Elizabeth Banks, Power Rangers
Worst Overacting: Jude Law, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Best Theater Experience: Get Out
Worst Theater Experience: Split
Best Blockbuster: The Fate of the Furious 
Worst Blockbuster: War for the Planet of the Apes
Best Action Sequence: Stairwell Fight, Atomic Blonde
Worst Action Sequence: Final Battle Between Spider-Man and The Vulture, Spider-Man: Homecoming
Most Surprising Indie Delight: Brigsby Bear
Most Insufferable Indie Trash: Mr. Roosevelt

Biggest Surprises:
1.I, Tonya
2.Brigsby Bear
3.Happy Death Day
4.Power Rangers
5.Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

Biggest Letdowns:
1.Logan
2.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2
3.The House
4.King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
5.Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Most Underrated:
1.Ingrid Goes West
2.Brigsby Bear
3.Ghost in the Shell
4.xXx: Return of Xander Cage
5.Rough Night

Most Overrated:
1.War for the Planet of the Apes
2.Wonder Woman
3.Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
4.Blade Runner 2049
5.Split

Top Performances:
1.James Franco, The Disaster Artist
2.Aubrey Plaza, Ingrid Goes West
3.Jessica Chastain, Molly's Game
4.Jeremy Renner, Wind River
5.Ray Romano, The Big Sick
6.O'Shea Jackson Jr., Ingrid Goes West
7.Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
8.Elizabeth Olsen, Ingrid Goes West
9.Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
10.Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

Breakthrough Performances:
1.Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
2.Lil Rel Howrey, Get Out
3.Kyle Mooney, Brigsby Bear
4.Billy Magnussen, Ingrid Goes West
5.Paul Walter Hauser, I, Tonya
6.Jessica Rothe, Happy Death Day
7.Abby Quinn, Landline
8.Tom Holland, Spider-Man: Homecoming
9.Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip
10.Samara Weaving, Mayhem

Top Casts:
1.Ingrid Goes West
2.The Big Sick
3.I, Tonya
4.Get Out
5.Baby Driver
6.The Fate of the Furious
7.Wind River
8.Thor: Ragnarok
9.The Shape of Water
10.Lady Bird

Top 10 Films of 2017

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
Brigsby Bear
Ghost in the Shell
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
John Wick: Chapter 2
Kingsman: The Golden Circle

10.The Big Sick: I swear to any and every God in this wild world that almost every positive review of The Big Sick I've read has proceeded to extensively shit all over the romantic comedy genre before heaping praise upon the film. WELL I'M HERE TO ANNOUNCE THAT I'M NOT JOINING THIS BIZARRE BROAD GENRE-HATING CULT BEFORE I DECLARE MY LOVE FOR THIS WONDERFUL LITTLE MOVIE. Anyways.... This mostly autographical film chronicling the string of hardships Silicon Valley star Kumail Nanjiani and his future wife Emily (played wonderfully in the film by Zoe Kazan) faced in the early stages of their relationship (her going into a months-long coma from a mysterious illness shortly after they started dating, strong disapproval of their relationship from his traditional Pakistani family) features the most poignant combination of laughs and heart I've seen in a romcom since Knocked Up.

9.Molly's Game: Thank you Aaron Sorkin for delivering the proper Jessica Chastain star vehicle I've been clamoring for since Zero Dark Thirty. Behind Sorkin's flashy, energetic writing, Chastain explodes off-the-screen in this enthralling biopic about an ex-professional skier that gets dragged into the world of underground poker after sustaining a career-ending back injury during her qualifying run for the 2002 Winter Olympics and eventually goes onto host some of the most exclusive, high-stakes games in Los Angeles and New York City before getting arrested by the FBI on money laundering charges in 2013.  

8.I, Tonya: I, Tonya brings the tumultuous life story of Tonya Harding to the big screen in spectacular fashion. Director Craig Gillespie, screenwriter Steven Rodgers and a terrific cast led by Margot Robbie as Harding cut through the sensationalist, tabloid garbage that has surrounded the disgraced figure skater since the Nancy Kerrigan knee-clubbing incident occurred in January 1994 to deliver a smart, captivating film that offers an unflinching glimpse at the deeply flawed yet sympathetic individual behind the headlines. Hopefully the success of this film will inspire more biopics to portray the individual they're profiling in an objective, fearless fashion that neither vilifies or celebrates them.  

7.Baby Driver: There aren't a whole lot of filmmakers who appear to be having more fun making movies than Edgar Wright. That visceral passion for his craft translates to the screen with even greater amount of ferocity than usual on Baby Driver, which is Wright's best work since Shaun of the Dead. Its music-like rhythm, collection of vivid characters and stunning car chases make this a unique, electric heist film that I'll cherish for the rest of my days. 

6.Thor: Ragnarok: My hot and cold relationship with the Marvel Machine is well-documented on this blog. I've spent an alarming amount of time over the past several years alternatively praising their ability to make top-notch blockbuster entertainment and trashing their endless world-building. After Thor: Ragnarok, I've never more smitten with Kevin Feige and his team of minions (This current state of bliss will come to an abrupt end if Black Panther ends up underwhelming, so enjoy the complaints while they last fuckers). Ragnarok's inspired zany tone, terrific action sequences and non-stop laughs resulted in the most fun I've had watching a superhero movie to-date. 

5.Get Out: Is there anything in the world of entertainment that Jordan Peele can't do? The veteran sketch comedian/actor took his talents behind the camera for the first time in his career and crafted a bold, insane "social thriller" that (rightfully) became a cultural phenomenon over the past ten months. Making a film that cleverly blends biting satire about race relations with paranoia-inducing psychological horror is the mark of a confident, intelligent artist that appears to have a really bright future ahead of him as a filmmaker.  

4.Ingrid Goes West: Sundance's absolutely loaded 2017 slate was a phenomenal showcase of the absolute best independent cinema has to offer. Of the dozen or so gems that premiered in Park City last January, Ingrid Goes West shined the brightest. Backed by a clever script that displays a deep understanding of the subject matter its dealing with and the strongest acting ensemble of the year (Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell, Billy Magnussen), this potent dark comedy shines a light on the surface-level appeal and less-than-ideal realities behind the glamorous facades a sizable amount of the population choose to trot out on social media.   

3.The Fate of the Furious: With its inventive action sequences, wildly charismatic band of heroes, a spectacular, scenery-chewing villain (Charlize Theron) and freewheeling tone that never even hints at taking itself seriously, The Fate of the Furious help this long-running series continue to deliver a level of joyous blockbuster spectacle that no other box office titan can replicate. As long as this series maintains its distinct mojo moving forward, I'll never get sick of watching these god damn delightful pieces of art.   

2.Wind River: Following his exemplary work on the scripts of crime thrillers Sicario and Hell or High Water, Taylor Sheridan seamlessly transferred that level of precision to the director's chair on the murder mystery thriller Wind River. Without the burden of having someone else direct his script,  Sheridan is able to tell his story in a more streamlined fashion, get more layered performances out of his cast and ratchet up the tension to a suffocating degree.

1.The Disaster Artist: It's poetic that Tommy Wiseau's misguided cult classic The Room inspired a film that's as well-acted, sharply written and moving as The Disaster Artist. James Franco's love letter to the most beloved "bad" movie of all-time manages to work as a hilarious buddy comedy, a heartfelt story about a person living out their lifelong dream of making a movie and a perfect piece of fan service for the millions of people around the globe that have been spellbound by The Room's unique charm over the past 15 years. If I was in charge of handing them out, Wiseau would get the Oscar he's long wanted and wholeheartedly deserves.  

The Best and Worst of Rob Riggle

"The Best and Worst" chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of '12 Strong" star Rob Riggle.

Films starring Rob Riggle that I've seen:
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Step Brothers
The Hangover
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
The Other Guys
Going the Distance
Larry Crowne
21 Jump Street
Hotel Transylvania 
The Internship
22 Jump Street
Let's Be Cops
Dumb and Dumber To
Hotel Transylvania 2

Best Performance: 21 Jump Street (2012)

Since venturing into the world of (traditional) acting following his stint as a reporter on The Daily Show, Riggle has predominantly secured bit parts in R-rated comedies. His work in 21 Jump Street proves that he deserves more substantial roles. Riggle's ace timing and knack for stealing scenes with his manic energy allows him to keep pace with the comedic juggernauts (Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube) that led the film.

Worst Performance: Dumb and Dumber To (2014)
After a respectable start, Dumb and Dumber To loses steam around the halfway mark and devolves into a pretty forgettable comedy that mostly fails to recreate the goofy, good-natured fun of the original. This second-half falloff can partially be attributed to the introduction of Riggle as a pair of twin brothers that are involved in a plot to murder our lovable dim-witted heroes. While Riggle is undeniably committed to the lunacy and sheer desperation that this dual-role required, his efforts resulted in a minimal amount of laughs.

Best Film: 22 Jump Street (2014)
In terms of comedy sequels, 22 Jump Street is in a class of its own. By doubling down on the self-aware humor that made the original work so well and giving their talented cast even more room to play off each other, Phil Lord and Chris Miller are able to pull of the nearly impossible feat of making a follow-up that improves upon on its predecessor in every imaginable way.

Worst Film: Larry Crowne (2011)
Contrary to popular belief, putting talented actors in front of a camera doesn't always result in movie magic. Larry Crowne, which stars the likes of Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Bryan Cranston, drives this point home emphatically. Despite its noble, crow-pleasing intentions, this comedy centered around a middle-aged man (Hanks) who decides to go to college after losing his long-time job at a big-box store is light on laughs, charm and entertainment value.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". The next victim of my praise and ire will be "Maze Runner: The Death Cure" star Patricia Clarkson. 

NFL Divisional Round Predictions

Last week's record: 3-1 (Correct: Falcons, Jaguars, Saints Incorrect: Chiefs)
Overall: 3-1

Atlanta Falcons over Philadelphia Eagles: It takes a lot for a top overall seed to be home underdogs in the Divisional Round, but the harsh reality is that the Eagles just aren't the same team without Carson Wentz under center. While Philly has a talented, versatile running back committee (Jay Ajayi, LeGarette Blount, Corey Clement) and a strong defense that's excellent at putting pressure on opposing QB's and stuffing the run, Nick Foles is the type of ineffective, mistake-prone quarterback that derails championship runs. Making matters worse for the Eagles is the fact that they're facing a seasoned Falcons squad that is red-hot on offense right now and has a quick, athletic defense that is more than capable of shutting down their rushing attack (outside of a few plays, they took MVP candidate Todd Gurley out of the game last week). In other words, any chance the Eagles have of winning this game lies on Foles' shoulders and given the way he's played since Wentz went down, I have absolutely zero confidence in his ability to deliver a strong performance in a big-game setting against a formidable opponent.

New England Patriots over Tennessee Titans: The Titans made me and millions of other know-it-all football fans who expected them to get slaughtered at Arrowhead Stadium last Saturday look like the blowhard dumbasses that we all are with their improbable comeback victory over the Chiefs. Now that I've gotten that obligatory acknowledgment of my incorrect prediction out of the way, I'm going to rip on Mike Mularkey's painfully average team yet again! Whatever confidence the Titans currently have following that huge upset win is practically guaranteed to deteriorate once they step into Gillette Stadium to face the defending champion New England Patriots tomorrow night. Even if you toss aside the clear talent discrepancies at nearly every position and very real possibility of the unstoppable out-for-blood Patriots making their 1st appearance of the season following the Seth Wickersham ESPN story that detailed an alleged rift between the architects of the Patriots seemingly eternal reign of dominance, this Titans squad doesn't have the offensive firepower or pass-rushing prowess to even compete with the Brady/Belichick machine, let alone knock them off.   

Pittsburgh Steelers over Jacksonville Jaguars: Everybody and their brother knows that the Jaguars slaughtered the Steelers in their regular season meeting back in early October. As much as I respect the abilities of the Jags defensive leaders (Jalen Ramsey, Calias Campbell, A.J. Bouye, Malik Jackson), the odds of Ben Roethlisberger throwing 5 INT's and this suspect run D all but eliminating Le'Veon Bell from the game again are extremely slim. The Steelers are a veteran offensive powerhouse with clear motivation to prove that October's meltdown in front of their home fans was merely a painful fluke and unless Blake Bortles and Leonard Forunette can break out of the crippling slumps they've been in over the past few weeks, this Jags offense simply won't be able to score enough points to stay in this game. 

New Orleans Saints over Minnesota Vikings: With their fierce defense and surprisingly efficient, multi-faceted offense, the Vikings have emerged as a popular Super Bowl pick in recent weeks. However, experience is essential in the playoffs and even though they've played their assess off all season long, I just can't give the edge to a Case Keenum-led team in a matchup against a team with a hardened veteran quarterback in Drew Brees whose coming off yet another stellar playoff performance.

The Best and Worst of Patrick Wilson

"The Best and Worst of" chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of "The Commuter" star Patrick Wilson.

Films starring Patrick Wilson that I've seen:
Hard Candy
Little Children
Watchmen
The A-Team
Insidious
Young Adult
Prometheus 
The Conjuring
Bone Tomahawk
The Conjuring 2
The Founder

Best Performance: Hard Candy (2006)
Of the abundance of middle-aged character actors that have been steadily securing work over the past decade or so, I've always found Wilson to be one of the most anonymous. He's competent enough to avoid embarrassing himself yet lacks the spark or presence to be a standout performer. Hard Candy was one of the two (Little Children being the other) films where he rose above that stock competency. As an alleged pedophile that's been drugged and tortured by a 15-year old girl he met online (Ellen Page), Wilson displays an incredible range by making the character alternate between being a sympathetic figure and a despicable monster.

Worst Performance: Watchmen (2009)
I thought that Zack Snyder's polarizing adaptation of Watchmen contained a lot of admirable elements. Wilson's performance as Nite Owl II is not one of them. While I'm aware that this film is about broken-down superheroes that are forced back into action following the death of one of their colleagues (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Wilson is so stiff in this role that I began to question whether or not he had a pulse by the time credits rolled.

Best Film: The A-Team (2010)
Few long-dead properties have been brought to the big screen as vividly and faithfully as The A-Team. Joe Carnahan's revival of the classic 80's television series is a loose, exhilarating ride thrill ride full of fun over-the-top action sequences and engaging performances from its perfectly-matched titular heroes (Liam Nesson, Bradley Cooper, Sharalto Copley, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson).

Worst Film: Insidious (2011)
It's been a little over five years since I saw Insidious and I'm still legimately stunned/impressed by just how hard it dropped the ball. It builds up a ton of good will out of the gate with the establishment of an eerie, tense atmosphere only to throw it all out the window with a final hour full of unintentionally hilarious jump scares and absurd plot developments. Director James Wan eventually achieved success with a similar formula on The Conjuring a few years later, but I'll never forget how much of a missed opportunity this film was.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". The next victim of my praise and ire will be "12 Strong" star Rob Riggle .

2017 in Music: A Year in Review

This past musical year played out like a play with a dramatic second act tonal shift. January through May was a tragedy full of gut-wrenching disappointments (Kendrick Lamar, Mastodon, Havok) and middling shit (Artificial Brain, Joey Bada$$, Khalid) that I forgot I had heard by the time Memorial Day rolled around. However, in a stunning twist, this five month swell of sadness was followed by a pretty killer seven-month run (19 of my top 25 records of the year were releasing during this period) that ultimately ended up saving 2017 from going down as a forgettable mess. Below you'll find a ranking of every LP and EP (with star ratings and my favorite song from each) I heard in 2017 from worst to best as well as my picks for the best songs, biggest surprises/letdowns and most overrated/underrated records from this generally solid year in music. Feel free to share your picks for the best and worst of 2017 in the comment section below and let's hope that the music gods continue to bless us with a plethora of dope stuff in 2018!

EP's
9.XXXTENTACION-Revenge (3/5) (Favorite Track: ""Slipknot")
8.Mastodon-Cold Dark Place (3/5) (Favorite Track: "North Side Star")
7.Lil Uzi Vert-Luv is Rage 1.5 (3/5) (Favorite Track: "XO TOUR Llif3")
6.Young Thug and Carnage-Young Martha (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Liger")
5.Polyphia-The Most Hated (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "40oz")
4.Crossfaith-Freedom (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Freedom")
3.Denzel Curry-13 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Zeltron 6 Billion")
2.Greta Van Fleet-From the Fires (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Meet on the Ledge")
1.Converge-I Can Tell You About Pain (4/5) (Favorite Track: ""I Can Tell You About Pain")

LP's
118.Suicide Silence-Suicide Silence (1.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Run")
117.Kesha-Rainbow (1.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Hunt You Down")
116.Charli XCX-Pop 2 (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Tears")
115.Toothgrinder-Phantom Amour (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Facing East from a Western Shore")
114.Arcade Fire-Everything Now (2/5) (Favorite Track: ""Everything Now")
113.The White Noise-AM/PM (2/5) (Favorite Track: "The Best Songs Are Dead")
112.Big Sean-I Decided.(2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Sunday Morning Jetpack")
111.Ugly God-The Booty Tape (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Stop Smoking Black & Milds")
110.Weezer-Pacific Daydream (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Mexican Fender")
109.Lecrae-All Things Work Together (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Always Knew")
108.Demi Lovato-Tell Me You Love Me (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "You Don't Do It for Me Anymore")
107.Code Orange-Forever (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kill the Creator")
106.IDK-IWASVERYBAD (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Mrs. Lynch, Your Son is the Devil")
105.Boris the Blade-Warpath (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Nihilist")
104.'68-Two Parts Viper (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Without Any Words (Only Crying and Laughter)")
103.Charli XCX-Number 1 Angel (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "White Roses")
102.Chris Stapleton-From A Room: Volume 1 (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "I Was Wrong")
101.Artificial Brain-Infrared Horizon (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Static Shattering")
100.Knuckle Puck-Shapeshifter (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Double Helix")
99.Kendrick Lamar-DAMN. (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Loyalty")
98.Cannabis Corpse-Left Hand Pass (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "In Dank Purity")
97.Lil Pump-Lil Pump (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Gucci Gang")
96.Future-HNDRXX (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Incredible")
95.Kelela-Take Me Apart (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Frontline")
94.Dropkick Murphys-11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Blood")
93.Incubus-8 (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Familiar Faces")
92.Neck Deep-The Peace and the Panic (3/5) (Favorite Track: "The Grand Delusion")
91.Kehlani-SweetSexySavage (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Undercover")
90.Goatwhore-Vengeful Ascension (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Chaos Arcane")
89.Morbid Angel-Kingdoms Disdained (3/5) (Favorite Track: "From the Hand of Kings")
88.Taylor Swift-Reputation (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Dancing With Our Hands Tied")
87.Open Mike Eagle-Brick Body Kids Still Daydream (3/5) (Favorite Track: "My Auntie's Building")
86.A$AP Ferg-Still Striving (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Mad Man")
85.Khalid-American Teen (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Coaster")
84.Playboi Carti-Playboi Carti (3/5) (Favorite Track: "New Choppa")
83.Halsey-Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Eyes Closed")
82.Queens of the Stone Age-Villains (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Feet Don't Fail Me")
81.Joey Bada$$-All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Ring the Alarm")
80.Gucci Mane-Mr.Davis (3/5) (Favorite Track: "I Get the Bag")
79.Miss May I-Shadows Inside (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Under Fire")
78.21 Savage-Issa Album (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Famous")
77.Havok-Conformicide (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Hang em' High")
76.Mastodon-Emperor of Sand (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Steambreather")
75.Aversions Crown-Xenocide (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Erebus")
74.XXXTENTACION-17 (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Depression & Obsession")
73.Lil Uzi Vert-Luv is Rage 2 (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Neon Guts")
72.Stick to Your Guns-True View (3/5) (Favorite Track: "You Are Free")
71.Foo Fighters-Concrete and Gold (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Run")
70.Kodak Black-Project Baby 2 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Don't Wanna Breathe")
69.Thy Art is Murder-Dear Desolation (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Puppet Master")
68.Tyler, the Creator-Flower Boy (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Pothole")
67.Persefone-Aathma (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Spirals Within Thy Being")
66.At the Drive-In-in.ter a.li.a (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Governed by Contagions")
65.Lil Yachty-Teenage Emotions (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Forever Young")
64.Gucci Mane-El Gato: The Human Glacier (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Smiling in the Drought")
63.Suffocation-...Of the Dark Light (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "...Of the Dark Light")
62.N*E*R*D-No_One Ever Really Dies (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Don't Don't Do It!")
61.Royal Blood-How Did We Get So Dark? (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Hook, Line & Sinker") 
60.St.Vincent-Masseduction (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: ""Masseduction")
59.Action Bronson-Blue Chips 7000 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Tank")
58.Overkill-The Grinding Wheel (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Goddamn Trouble")
57.Brockhampton-SATURATION (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Star")
56.Young Thug-Beautiful Thugger Girls (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Do U Love Me")
55.Kodak Black-Painting Pictures (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Patty Cake")
54.Juicy J-Rubba Band Business (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Flood Watch")
53.Make Them Suffer-Worlds Apart (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Grinding Teeth")
52.Freddie Gibbs-You Only Live 2wice (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Crushed Glass")
51.Arch Enemy-Will to Power (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Blood in the Water")
50.Body Count-Bloodlust (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Walk with Me...")
49.Septicflesh-Codex Omega (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Faceless Queen")
48.Intervals-The Way Forward (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Impulsively Responsible")
47.Dua Lipa-Dua Lipa (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Be the One")
46.Elder-Reflections of a Floating World (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Blind")
45.Hour of Penance-Cast the First Stone (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Shroud of Ashes")
44.Glassjaw-Material Control (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Golgotha")
43.Huncho Jack (Travi$ Scott and Quavo)-Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Dubai Shit")
42.Scale the Summit-In a World of Fear (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Witch House")
41.Inanimate Existence-Underneath a Melting Sky (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Blood of the Beggar")
40.Jay-Z-4:44 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kill Jay-Z")
39.Rings of Saturn-Ultu Ulla (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Margidda")
38.Future and Young Thug-SUPER SLIMEY (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Killed Before")
37.Paramore-After Laughter (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Rose-Colored Boy")
36.Veil of Maya-False Idol (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Overthrow")
35.Slaughter to Prevail-Misery Sermon (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Born to Die")
34.SZA-Ctrl (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Prom")
33.Gucci Mane & Metro Boomin-Drop Top Wop (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Met Gala")
32.Warbringer-Woe to the Vanquished (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Shellfire")
31.Sampha-Process (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Plastic 100*C")
30.Through the Eyes of the Dead-Disomus (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Binding Nightmare Hex")
29.Counterparts-You're Not You Anymore (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Thieves")
28.Mutoid Man-War Moans (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Wreck and Survive")
27.Decrepit Birth-Axis Mundi (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Transcendental Paradox")
26.Brockhampton-SATURATION 2 (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Swamp")
25.Municipal Waste-Slime and Punishment (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Dingy Situations")
24.Drake-More Life (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Passionfruit")
23.Within the Ruins-Halfway Human (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Incomplete Harmony")
22.Migos-Culture (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Call Casting")
21.Calvin Harris-Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1 (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Heatstroke")
20.Cannibal Corpse-Red Before Black (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Destroyed Without a Trace")
19.Future-Future (4/5) (Favorite Track: "High Demand")
18.Big K.R.I.T.-4eva is a Mighty Long Time (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Big Bank")
17.21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin-Without Warning (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Ghostface Killers")
16.The Faceless-In Becoming a Ghost (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Blackstar")
15.August Burns Red-Phantom Anthem (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Quake")
14.Tove Lo-Blue Lips (Lady Wood Phase II) (4/5) (Favorite Track: "sheknowsbutsheknows")
13.Converge-The Dusk in Us (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Arkhipov Calm")
12.Lana Del Rey-Lust for Life (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Heroin")
11.Brand New-Science Fiction (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Out of Mana")
10.Brockhampton-SATURATION III (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Johnny")
9.2 Chainz-Pretty Girls Like Trap Music (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Sleep When U Die")
8.Archspire-Relentless Mutation (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Remote Tumour Seeker")
7.While She Sleeps-You Are We (4/5) (Favorite Track: "You Are We")
6.Lorde-Melodrama (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Homemade Dynamite")
5.Darkest Hour-Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora (4/5) (Favorite Track: "In the Name of Us All")
4.Vince Staples-Big Fish Theory (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Homage")
3.Dying Fetus-Wrong One to Fuck With (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Seething with Disdain")
2.Entheos-Dark Future (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Sunshift (II))
1.The Black Dahlia Murder-Nightbringers (5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kings of the Nightworld")

Biggest Surprises:
1.Calvin Harris-Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
2.2 Chainz-Pretty Girls Like Trap Music

3.Municipal Waste-Slime and Punishment 

4.Rings of Saturn-Ultu Ulla

5.Jay-Z-4:44

Biggest Letdowns:

1.Kendrick Lamar-DAMN.
2.Goatwhore-Vengeful Ascension 
3.Toothgrinder-Phantom Amour
4.Mastodon-Emperor of Sand
5.Gucci Mane-Mr. Davis

Most Underrated:

1.Entheos-Dark Future

2.While She Sleeps-You Are We

3.Tove Lo-Blue Lips

4.21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin-Without Warning
5.Calvin Harris-Funk Wav. Bounces Vol.1

Most Overrated:
1.Kendrick Lamar-DAMN.
2.Artifical Brain-Infrared Horizon
3.Open Mike Eagle-Brick Body Kids Still Daydream
4.Queens of the Stone Age-Villains 
5.Tyler, the Creator-Flower Boy

Top 50 Songs (in alphabetical order):
2 Chainz-OG Kush Diet
2 Chainz-Sleep When U Die
21 Savage, Offset & Metro Boomin-Ghostface Killers (feat. Travi$ Scott)
21 Savage, Offset & Metro Boomin-Rap Saved Me (feat. Quavo)
Archspire-Calamus Will Animate
Archspire-Remote Tumour Seeker
August Burns Red-Quake
Banks-Underdog
Big K.R.I.T.-Big Bank (feat. T.I)
The Black Dahlia Murder-Catacomb Hecatomb
The Black Dahlia Murder-Kings of the Nightworld
The Black Dahlia Murder-Matriarch
The Black Dahlia Murder-Nightbringers
Brand New-Out of Mana
Brockhampton-Gummy
Brockhampton-Johnny
Brockhampton-Swamp
Calvin Harris-Heatstroke (feat. Young Thug, Pharrell and Ariana Grande)
Converge-Arkhipov Calm
Darkest Hour-In the Name of Us All
Darkest Hour-Those Who Survived
Drake-Passionfruit
Dying Fetus-Reveling in the Abyss
Dying Fetus-Seething with Disdain
Entheos-Melancholia
Entheos-Sunshift (II)
The Faceless-Blackstar
Future-Draco
Future-High Demand
Jay-Z-Kill Jay-Z
Kodak Black-Patty Cake
Lana Del Rey-Cherry
Lana Del Rey-Heroin
Lil Uzi Vert-XO Tour Llif3
Lorde-Homemade Dynamite
Lorde-Sober
Migos-Call Casting
Migos-Stir Fry
Sampha-Plastic 100*C
Sampha-Under
Slaughter to Prevail-Born to Die
SZA-Prom
Tove Lo-shedontknowbutsheknows
Tove Lo-Stranger
While She Sleeps-You Are We
Within the Ruins-Incomplete Harmony
Vince Staples-Big Fish
Vince Staples-Homage
Young Thug-Do U Love Me
Young Thug-Killed Before

Top 20 Albums of 2017

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
Calvin Harris-Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Drake-More Life
Migos-Culture
Municipal Waste-Slime and Punishment
Within the Ruins-Halfway Human

20.Cannibal Corpse-Red Before Black:
There's not a single active old-school death metal act that even comes close to matching the level of skull-crushing intensity and love for their craft that Cannibal Corpse is still bringing to the table after nearly 30 years in the scene. Red Before Black is a unrelentingly heavy and beautifully chaotic record that further proves that these genre pioneers are immune to phoning it in.
Standout Tracks: 1.Destroyed Without a Trace 2.Heads Shoveled Off 3.In the Midst of Ruin

19.Future-Future:
On his seventh full-length release of the past three years (and first of the three projects that he dropped in 2017), Future throws the subtle introspection that has defined his post-Monster releases to the side for an unapologetic celebration of all things excess. It may lack the surprising vulnerability that Mr.Hendrix has so freely exposed to the world in recent years, but this endlessly catchy and wildly energetic musical victory lap is an absolute blast to listen to.  

Standout Tracks: 1.High Demand 2.Draco 3.POA

18.Big K.R.I.T.-4eva is a Mighty Long Time
Apparently a nearly 90-minute double album was all Big K.R.I.T. needed to get over his prolonged consistency woes. 4eva is a Mighty Long Time's mix of triumphant, trunk-rattling southern hip-hop and poignant, gospel-inspired conscious tunes does an excellent job of showcasing just how versatile and engaging K.R.I.T is when he's firing on all cylinders. It's going to take a bit more time for me to fully digest it, but this could very well end up topping 2010's K.R.I.T. Wuz Here for the title of his best project.  

Standout Tracks: 1.Big Bank (feat. T.I.) 2.Subenstein (My Sub IV) 3.Keep the Devil Off

17.21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin-Without Warning:
"Surprise" collab mixtapes were one of the biggest hip-hop trends in 2017. High-profile team-ups between the likes of Future and Young Thug, Travi$ Scott and Quavo, and Kodak Black and Plies sent giddy shockwaves throughout the various social media platforms genre fans tend to hurl insults at each other on. Without Warning was the only one from this densely-populated bunch to rise above the enjoyable albeit uneven vanity project tag that can typically be applied to these projects to achieve true excellence. Thanks to a slew of top-notch sinister beasts from super producer Metro Boomin and a pair of well-matched rappers in 21 Savage and Offset that fully committed to the intense nature of this project, this Halloween-themed mixtape ended up being a striking, cohesive collection of hard-edged trap bangers.  

Standout Tracks: 1.Ghostface Killers (feat. Travi$ Scott) 2.Rap Saved Me (feat. Quavo) 3.Ric Flair Drip

16.The Faceless-In Becoming a Ghost:
The Faceless miraculously overcame another wave of member changes, last-minute tour cancellations, release date-delays and general melodramatic bullshit to put forth another excellent LP. Everyone in the new lineup (Abigail Williams vocalist Ken Sorceron, The Zenith Passage guitarist Justin McKinney and ex-Hate Eternal drummer Chason Westmoreland) seamlessly gels with lead guitarist/clean vocalist/songwriter/noted egomaniac Michael Keene's eccentric vision and do their respective parts to help Keene pilot a successful journey further down the winding prog metal weirdo rabbit hole he started exploring on 2012's Autotheism. As long as Keene continues to churn out adventurous, technically-dazzling material like this, The Faceless will continue to survive every behind-the-scenes obstacle that crosses their path.  

Standout Tracks: 1.Blackstar 2.I Am 3.The Spiraling Void 

15.August Burns Red-Phantom Anthem:
Consistency is a trait that I admire more than just about anything in the world of music and few acts have a better track record of delivering the goods than veteran metal band August Burns Red. Phantom Anthem may fall short of reaching the heights of their career-defining 2015 release Found in Far Away Places, but it's still a monster of a progressive metalcore record full of sincere emotions, sweeping tempo-changes and hysteria-inducing breakdowns that continues their remarkable decade-plus run of high-quality releases. 

Standout Tracks: 1.Quake 2.Coordinates 3.Dangerous 

14.Tove Lo-Blue Lips (Lady Wood Phase II):
Tove Lo is the closest thing present-day pop music has to a true rebel. Her production is deeply influenced by European EDM, she frankly discusses sex and drug use in her lyrics and her soft, raspy voice is completely unlike any of her counterparts that are burning up the charts right now. This outsider mentality is ratcheted up even further on her third LP Blue Lips. Tove's career-best vocal performance and continued bluntness allows her to make her darkest record to-date without losing any of her infectious dance-pop sensibilities. As I mentioned in my top live performances of 2017 list last month, I firmly believe that Tove Lo deserves to be a star and hopefully Blue Lips will gain enough traction in the coming months for that to become a reality.

Standout Tracks: 1.shedontknowbutsheknows 2.Stranger 3.Shivering Gold

13.Converge-The Dusk in Us:
In an era that's dominated by instant gratification, waiting five years for an artist to put out new material kind of sucks. However, when the artist in question is Converge, that lengthy delay between releases ends up being easily forgiven once said album sees the light of day. This powerful LP sees the mathcore titans descend further into melancholic post-hardcore territory while simultaneously retaining their signature manic sound. Converge continues to provide a blueprint of how to age gracefully and every other metal band that's staring down their twilight years should take note.
Standout Tracks: 1.Arkhipov Calm 2.Under Duress 3.Broken by Light

12.Lana Del Rey-Lust for Life:
In a year where scandals and near-constant political upheaval rocked the United States, the return of trip hop Lana Del Rey proved to be one of the few W's the dysfunctional country I call home accumulated over the past 12 months. As cool as it was to see Del Rey experiment with stripped-down blues rock and Billie Holiday-inspired lounge music on her previous two albums (2014's Ultraviolence and 2015's Honeymoon), America's queen of sad pop is at her best when she's crooning over understated hip-hop beats that accentuate her stirring vocal range and gift for creating haunting soundscapes. 

Standout Tracks: 1.Heroin 2.Cherry 3.Lust for Life (feat. The Weeknd)

11.Brand New-Science Fiction:
I couldn't have possibly dreamt up a more perfect conclusion for Brand New's musical journey. Science Fiction is an explosion of angst, regret, sadness and joy that encapsulates everything that made these emo-inspired indie rockers one of the most emotionally-resonant bands of the past 20 years. 

Standout Tracks: 1.Out of Mana 2.Desert 3.451

10.Brockhampton-Saturation III:
Brockhampton's rise throughout 2017 was fucking incredible to behold. This hip-hop collective emerged from relative obscurity to take the hip-hop world by storm after releasing three excellent full-length albums in just over six months. While I dug every entry in the Saturation trilogy, the final installment did the best job of illustrating the brilliant hook-writing, infectious energy and dynamic sound that helped propel this self-proclaimed boy band to stardom in a matter of months.

Standout Tracks: 1.Johnny 2.Alaska 3.Sister/Nation

9.2 Chainz-Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
Aided by a parade of A-list guest stars (Drake, Migos, Travi$ Scott, Nicki Minaj, Pharrell) and stellar production from several of the industry's brightest talents (Murda Beatz, Mike Dean, Mike Will Made It, Buddha Bless, FKi), 2 Chainz is finally able to parlay the magic of his scene-stealing guest spots into one of his own projects. Pretty Girls Like Trap Music sees the hardened hip-hop veteran finally finding his niche with a breezy release that is highly quotable, catchy as hell and endlessly re-listenable.     

Standout Tracks: 1.Sleep When U Die 2.OG Kush Diet 3.Rolls Royce Bitch

8.Archspire-Relentless Mutation
On Relentless Mutation, Canadian tech-death act Archspire once again hits the hard-to-find sweet spot of being dizzyingly technical without ever drifting into hollow wankery. Small, expertly-deployed bursts of melody and the whirlwind screams of Oli Peters prevent the sensory overload-induced monotony that can sometimes drag down this polarizing extreme metal subgenre from ever setting in. It also helps that these guys densely pack each composition with enough high-flying guitar theatrics, stupid heavy riffs and heavily triggered drums to plaster a huge shit-eating grin on my face for the duration of its 31-minute runtime.      

Standout Tracks: 1.Remote Tumour Seeker 2.Calamus Will Animate 3.The Mimic Well

7.While She Sleeps-You Are We
You Are We is a striking testament to how much a slight change in sound can bolster the quality of an artist's music. The addition of more post-hardcore-influenced clean singing gives While She Sleeps socially conscious anthems the extra jolt of emotional juice and catchiness they needed to elevate their riff-centric brand of melodic metalcore to a new level of excellence.  

Standout Tracks: 1.You Are We 2.Hurricane 3.Steal the Sun

6.Lorde-Melodrama 
Lorde's 2013 debut Pure Heroine was a record that I felt flashed plenty of potential, but didn't materialize into a satisfying final product. Her long-awaited follow-up Melodrama sees Lorde erasing all of the major flaws that dragged down (cheap-sounding beats, plodding pace, lack of variety) Pure Heroine to deliver one of the most well-constructed pop records of the past few years. Stronger vocals and powerful, varied production from Jack Antonoff helps Lorde's smart, introspective take on synthpop hit its intended emotional targets while also delivering the abundance of excellent earworm hooks that you come to expect with this genre.   

Standout Tracks: 1.Homemade Dynamite 2.Sober 3.Perfect Places

5.Darkest Hour-Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora
If you're a metal band looking to make a record that kicks the listener in the teeth from start to finish, hire Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou as your producer. Ballou's magic behind the boards awakened a sleeping beast that had been lying dormant at the core of Darkest Hour for the past decade on the ferocious Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora. This record is a blistering, take-no-prisoners return to Darkest Hour's thrash/melodeath roots that I never saw coming and couldn't possibly be happier about. #ThankyoubasedBallou  

Standout Tracks: 1.In the Name of Us All 2.Those Who Survived 3.Knife in the Safe Room

4.Vince Staples-Big Fish Theory
Vince Staples' rapid climb to the top of the modern hip-hop hierarchy continues with this visceral gut-punch of a record. Fueled by sharp house-influenced production and a concise 36-minute runtime that amplifies the deep-rooted rage that drives his lyrics, Big Fish Theory manages to elevate the 24-year old rapper's abrasive sound to dizzying new heights. 

Standout Tracks: 1.Homage 2.Big Fish 3.Yeah Right (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

3.Dying Fetus-Wrong One to Fuck With
The fact that three people are able to create this level of musical destruction every time they get in a recording studio will never cease to amaze me. There's enough striking riffs, pummeling blast beats and expertly-executed breakdowns on Wrong One to Fuck With's 12 tracks to fill hundreds of killer brutal death metal discographies 100 times over. Whatever deal with the metal gods Dying Fetus made to remain on a seemingly unbreakable warpath two decades into their career was WELL worth it.
Standout Tracks: 1.Seething with Disdain 2.Reveling in the Abyss 3.Unmitigated Detestation

2.Entheos-Dark Future
For the 2nd consecutive year, Entheos has released a unique extreme metal masterpiece. The addition of guitarist Travis LeVrier (ex-Scale the Summit) to their ranks prior to the start of the writing cycle for Dark Future granted them the freedom to further experiment with the progressive/atmospheric elements they teased on The Infinite Nothing. LeVrier's dynamic playing style has integrated a heavy dose of atmosphere into the group's traditionally heavy yet spastic songwriting, which subsequently results in the formation of a distinctly ominous sound that could easily double as a soundtrack for the apocalypse. Dark Future is a stunning accomplishment that has catapulted Entheos even further up my list of favorite bands.  

Standout Tracks: 1.Sunshift (II) 2.Melancholia 3.Suspended Animation

1.The Black Dahlia Murder-Nightbringers
In the booklet of every Black Dahlia Murder record, the members of the band are credited as "The Immortals". As they inch closer to their 20th anniversary as a band, that title has never been more fitting. Black Dahlia has overcome a sizable amount of member turnover (11 lineup changes) and dozens of shifts in the metal landscape since their inception in 2001 to churn some of the most inspired, catchy, memorable and flat-out badass music I've ever had the pleasure of consuming. Thanks to the continued passion and proficiency of their remaining original members (vocalist Trevor Strnad, rhythm guitarist/primary songwriter Brian Eschbach) as well as some especially stellar contributions from new guitarist/solo machine Brandon Ellis, their 8th full-length Nightbringers ends up going down as the latest untouchable classic in a discography that I truly believe surpasses all of death metal's forefathers in terms of both consistency and number of exceptional releases. The Black Dahlia Murder is one of only a handful of active bands that has yet to let me down and for the sake of my frail brain, I hope that day of soul-crushing disappointment never comes. 

Standout Tracks: 1.Kings of the Nightworld 2.Matriarch 3.Catacomb Hecatomb 

NFL Wild Card Predictions

Kansas City Chiefs over Tennessee Titans: I firmly believe that the 2017 Tennessee Titans are the worst team to make the playoffs in my conscious lifetime. Marcus Mariota has played well below-average all season long, their pass-catchers not named Delanie Walker are inconsistent at best and their secondary is once again one of the most burnable in the league. If this mediocre team whose playoff berth can only be described as a miracle comparable to Moses parting the Red Sea can go into the notoriously hostile environment of Arrowhead Stadium and pick up a victory over a Chiefs squad that appears to have regained their mojo over the past month after a really rough mid-season stretch, I'll probably have a shock-induced stroke.

Atlanta Falcons over Los Angeles Rams: To me, this is the biggest coin flip of the weekend. In one corner, you have 2017's most surprising success story headed by a 1st-year head coach and a 2nd-year quarterback that made stunning progress after a disastrous rookie campaign. In the other, you have the defending NFC Champions that have cemented themselves as the posterboys for epic big-game collapses. Despite every sign telling me otherwise, I'm going to give the Falcons a slight edge here. I think they have the speed and proficiency in the front 7 to shut down LA's offensive centerpiece Todd Gurley plus their postseason experience gives them an edge over a young Rams team that very well could be overwhelmed with the magnitude of the moment.    

Jacksonville Jaguars over Buffalo Bills: If LeSean McCoy was healthy, this game could've turned into a dogfight. The Jags defense is somewhat vulnerable against the run and in a battle between QB's that are making their 1st-career playoff starts, Blake Bortles' tendency to throw INT's in bunches is a huge disadvantage against the typically turnover-averse Tyrod Taylor. However, with McCoy set to play through a pretty serious ankle sprain and the absence of another player that can be effectively plugged into the workhouse RB role in this firepower-deprived offense, I think that the Bills long-awaited return to the playoffs will be ruined by a talented Jags D that can get to the quarterback and shutdown the pass with relative ease.

New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers: On paper, you would think that the Panthers vaunted defense (3rd against the run, 7th in total yards allowed, 11th in points allowed) allowed would give them the edge in this matchup, but the Saints cruised to wins in both of their regular season meetings this season. I don't expect the tide to suddenly turn in a playoff environment on Sunday afternoon. While the Saints defense can be exposed, Carolina's erratic offense simply can't be trusted to put up a ton of points, especially against a team with a dense arsenal of offensive weapons (Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr.) that possess the explosiveness to break off chunk gains or score long TD's at any given moment.