20.Spencer Pulley (Giants)
19.Mike Pouncey (Chargers)
18.Nick Easton (Saints)
17.Matt Skura (Ravens)
16.Nick Martin (Texans)
15.Chase Roullier (Redskins)
14.Mitch Morse (Bills)
13.Ryan Kelly (Colts)
12.Maurkice Pouncey (Steelers)
11.Cody Whitehair (Bears)
10.Ben Jones (Titans)
9.Travis Fredrick (Cowboys)
8.Corey Linsley (Packers)
7.J.C. Tretter (Browns)
6.David Andrews (Patriots)
5.Matt Paradis (Panthers)
4.Brandon Linder (Jaguars)
3.Rodney Hudson (Raiders)
2.Alex Mack (Falcons)
1.Jason Kelce (Eagles)
Friday, May 31, 2019
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Movie Review: Booksmart
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When projects like this and the similarly well-received Long Shot-which came out earlier this month- stumble at the box office, it makes the genre's relegation to streaming service exclusives seem more and more likely. Studios aren't going to continue investing in movies that consistently lose them money and the threat of losing the beautiful communal experience good comedies tend to deliver really fucking sucks. The gleeful energy that rapidly builds in a theater where everybody is laughing, smiling and just generally having a good time is one of the primary reasons I love going to the movies. It doesn't matter who you are or what you're going through in the outside world, you're just people in a dark room bound by a desire to take a brief reprieve from reality. Even though I knew it wouldn't make any real difference, I was happy to go see Booksmart a second time just so I could give more money to this deserving movie and revel in that special theater experience while it's still around. Congrats to Olivia Wilde, Katie Silberman, the excellent cast and everybody else involved in the production for making such a warm, fun and hilarious movie. It's a shame that more people didn't go and see it, but hopefully the overwhelmingly positive response it received from the people that did will be enough to help keep comedies in the environment where they belong for at least a little big longer.
Grade: A-
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Guards
30.Clint Boling (Bengals)
29.Quinton Spain (Bills)
28.Billy Turner (Packers)
27.Wes Schweitzer (Falcons)
26.Issac Seumalo (Eagles)
25.Lane Taylor (Packers)
24.Larry Warford (Saints)
23.Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (Chiefs)
22.Trai Turner (Panthers)
21.Mark Glowinski (Colts)
20.Will Hernandez (Giants)
19.Austin Blythe (Rams)
18.Kelechi Osemele (Jets)
17.Ronald Leary (Broncos)
16.Kyle Long (Bears)
15.Gabe Jackson (Raiders)
14.Ramon Foster (Steelers)
13.Brandon Schreff (Redskins)
12.Ali Marpet (Buccaneers)
11.Joe Thuney (Patriots)
10.Andrew Norwell (Jaguars)
9.Rodger Saffold (Titans)
8.Brandon Brooks (Eagles)
7.Quenton Nelson (Colts)
6.Joel Bitonio (Browns)
5.Kevin Zeitler (Giants)
4.Shaq Mason (Patriots)
3.David DeCastro (Steelers)
2.Marshal Yanda (Ravens)
1.Zach Martin (Cowboys)
29.Quinton Spain (Bills)
28.Billy Turner (Packers)
27.Wes Schweitzer (Falcons)
26.Issac Seumalo (Eagles)
25.Lane Taylor (Packers)
24.Larry Warford (Saints)
23.Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (Chiefs)
22.Trai Turner (Panthers)
21.Mark Glowinski (Colts)
20.Will Hernandez (Giants)
19.Austin Blythe (Rams)
18.Kelechi Osemele (Jets)
17.Ronald Leary (Broncos)
16.Kyle Long (Bears)
15.Gabe Jackson (Raiders)
14.Ramon Foster (Steelers)
13.Brandon Schreff (Redskins)
12.Ali Marpet (Buccaneers)
11.Joe Thuney (Patriots)
10.Andrew Norwell (Jaguars)
9.Rodger Saffold (Titans)
8.Brandon Brooks (Eagles)
7.Quenton Nelson (Colts)
6.Joel Bitonio (Browns)
5.Kevin Zeitler (Giants)
4.Shaq Mason (Patriots)
3.David DeCastro (Steelers)
2.Marshal Yanda (Ravens)
1.Zach Martin (Cowboys)
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
The Best and Worst of Kyle Chandler
“The Best and Worst of” series 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 “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” star Kyle Chandler.
Films starring Kyle Chandler that I've seen:
King Kong
The Kingdom
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Super 8
Argo
Zero Dark Thirty
Broken City
The Spectacular Now
The Wolf of Wall Street
Carol
Manchester by the Sea
Game Night
First Man
Best Performance: The Spectacular Now (2013)
The Spectacular Now boasts one of the finest ensembles (Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Brie Larson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kaitlyn Dever, Bob Odenkirk) in recent memory. Like all of the aforementioned actors, Chandler brought his A-game to this super underrated coming-of-age drama. He's terrific in a vitally important supporting role as Teller's estranged alcoholic father who helps spark the heartbreak and introspection that drives the film's final act.
Worst Performance: First Man (2018)
While the surprisingly dry material certainly didn't set them up for success, that still doesn't excuse the stiff acting everyone in First Man besides Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy displayed. For a character that was supposed to a fiery leader hellbent on helping the United States win the space race, Chandler's turn as NASA head Deke Slayton is oddly reserved and borderline indifferent for most of the movie.
Best Film: Manchester by the Sea (2016)
There are movies that have affected me emotionally, then there's Manchester by the Sea. Kenneth Lonergan's minimalist character study about the everlasting impact grief can have on a person's life is the type of movie that just leaves you feeling broken and exhausted on the inside once it's over. The natural manner in which the story unfolds paired with the stunning performances from its protagonists (Casey Affleck, Lucas Hedges, Michelle Williams) ensures that every moment of this film feels like real life, which maximizes the devastation of each somber revelation or exchange it offers up. I may never watch it again, but it's a remarkable cinematic accomplishment and easily one of the finest films I've seen in the past decade.
Worst Film: King Kong (2005)
Let's hope that Chandler's second crack at the giant monster genre goes a whole lot better than the first. Peter Jackson ushered in his (still active) naptime era as a director with a film so painfully slow and thoroughly unpleasant that it should be used as a torture mechanism. A more apt title for this would've been Three Hours of Tedious Storytelling and Good Actors Embarrassing Themselves With a Few Brief Action Interludes featuring King Kong
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Dark Phoenix” star Tye Sheridan.
Films starring Kyle Chandler that I've seen:
King Kong
The Kingdom
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Super 8
Argo
Zero Dark Thirty
Broken City
The Spectacular Now
The Wolf of Wall Street
Carol
Manchester by the Sea
Game Night
First Man
Best Performance: The Spectacular Now (2013)
The Spectacular Now boasts one of the finest ensembles (Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Brie Larson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kaitlyn Dever, Bob Odenkirk) in recent memory. Like all of the aforementioned actors, Chandler brought his A-game to this super underrated coming-of-age drama. He's terrific in a vitally important supporting role as Teller's estranged alcoholic father who helps spark the heartbreak and introspection that drives the film's final act.
Worst Performance: First Man (2018)
While the surprisingly dry material certainly didn't set them up for success, that still doesn't excuse the stiff acting everyone in First Man besides Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy displayed. For a character that was supposed to a fiery leader hellbent on helping the United States win the space race, Chandler's turn as NASA head Deke Slayton is oddly reserved and borderline indifferent for most of the movie.
Best Film: Manchester by the Sea (2016)
There are movies that have affected me emotionally, then there's Manchester by the Sea. Kenneth Lonergan's minimalist character study about the everlasting impact grief can have on a person's life is the type of movie that just leaves you feeling broken and exhausted on the inside once it's over. The natural manner in which the story unfolds paired with the stunning performances from its protagonists (Casey Affleck, Lucas Hedges, Michelle Williams) ensures that every moment of this film feels like real life, which maximizes the devastation of each somber revelation or exchange it offers up. I may never watch it again, but it's a remarkable cinematic accomplishment and easily one of the finest films I've seen in the past decade.
Worst Film: King Kong (2005)
Let's hope that Chandler's second crack at the giant monster genre goes a whole lot better than the first. Peter Jackson ushered in his (still active) naptime era as a director with a film so painfully slow and thoroughly unpleasant that it should be used as a torture mechanism. A more apt title for this would've been Three Hours of Tedious Storytelling and Good Actors Embarrassing Themselves With a Few Brief Action Interludes featuring King Kong
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Dark Phoenix” star Tye Sheridan.
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Concert Review: Boston Calling (Day 2)-- Allston, MA-- May 25th, 2019
Lineup: Tame Impala/Hozier/Anderson .Paak and The Free Nationals/King Princess/Denzel Curry/Pile/Many more artists/comedians that I didn't watch
Venue: Harvard Athletic Complex, Allston, MA
Pile: The day started off with a pretty pleasant surprise. I found the little bit of Pile's studio material that I heard leading up to this show to be way too stoic for my tastes. Live, vocalist Rick Maguire, who reminded me of a less nasally version of Paul Banks from Interpol on record, sounded significantly more passionate and the instrumentation was a nice mix of traditional somber indie atmospherics, muddy noise rock and pure, old-school punk. There was even a couple of full on post-hardcore songs that were angsty enough to start pits and fully capture my aggressive-music loving heart. Definitely going to have to give their new record Green and Gray another chance after this solid performance.
Denzel Curry: There aren't many artists that are better suited to get you back into the swing of things after a long layoff at a festival (Pile had wrapped up almost three hours earlier) than Denzel Curry. From the moment he stormed on stage following the drop of the beat to the thumping title track from his upcoming album Zuu, Curry seemed hellbent on raising the pulses of everyone that was there to see him. With the help of a setlist that emphasized his more aggressive material and cuts from Zuu-which seems like it's going to be the closest thing he's made to a traditional trap record thus far, that mission ended up being a huge success. The crowd absorbed and reciprocated all of the energy Curry was omitting with his frenzied rapping and stage presence. There was only a few songs out of the nearly 20 he performed that weren't met with dancing, furious jumping up-and-down or moshing. Clearly it wasn't quite as wild as one of his headlining shows, but getting a legitimately rowdy response at a festival -especially in the middle of the day- is a very impressive accomplishment and says a lot about just how great of a performer/artist Curry already is at the age of 24.
King Princess: Only caught the first six songs of her set before heading over to the Main Stage to see Anderson. Paak, but what I did hear was pretty damn good. Over the roughly 25 minutes I watched her play, it became evident how she was able to amass a rabid following so quickly. Her voice is strong, there's prominent rock undertones that helps distinguish her from other young, somber synthpop artists and her deeply personal lyrics have allowed her to establish a deep emotional connection with her audience-particularly in the LGBTQ community. Her upcoming full-length debut has a ton of potential and I'm looking forward to checking it out when it releases later this year.
Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals: An alarmingly quiet sound mix for the first chunk of the set wasn't enough to bring down the infectious spirit of Anderson. Paak and his terrific backing band The Free Nationals. Their unique blend of R&B, soul, funk and hip-hop made for a joyous set that radiated positive energy from start to finish. Paak also deserves major props for incorporating Lil Nas X's cameo performance of "Old Town Road" into his show. He could've easily told the promoters to pound sand when they asked him to carve out 5 minutes of his set for a last minute "surprise" appearance, but his graciousness made for a really cool and hilarious moment. If the sound wasn't ass for such a sustained period of time, this might've ended up being the set of the day.
Hozier: Ireland's most prolific blues rock export RULES live. Hozier's show is about as stripped-down as something in this massive setting can possibly be (lighting largely consists of normal spotlights, minimal effects on the video screen), but that doesn't prevent him and his immensely talented band from being a haunting force of nature. There were several occasions during the set ("Arsonist's Lullabye", "No Plan", "Movement","Jackie and Wilson", "Someone New") where his soulful crooning even managed to generate legit goosebumps-which is the ultimate sign that you're in the presence of singing royalty. Seeing elite vocalists perform is one of the greatest delights live music can possibly deliver and Hozier is without question among the finest I've ever seen.
Tame Impala: Knowing your audience is often vital to achieving success in the entertainment industry. Tame Impala understands their fanbase so well that it borders on being comical. A backdrop of vibrant colored lights and trippy imagery (ex: Kevin Parker turning into a monster with laser beam eyes during "Elephant", his face slowly disappearing and reappearing behind a kaleidoscope-esque visual palette during "New Person, Same Old Mistakes") set the mood as Parker and co. delivered roughly 90 minutes of woozy guitar grooves, funky synths and mesmerizing spacey vibes. It was akin to being dropped into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory while an impromptu rave was taking place. I've truly never seen experienced a sheer sensory overload like this before and anybody who was under the influence of psychedelic drugs during this more than likely had themselves a life-altering experience.
Grades:
Pile: B
Denzel Curry: A-
King Princess: B
Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals: B+
Hozier: A-
Tame Impala: A-
Setlists:
Denzel Curry (order may be a bit off):
Zuu
Ultimate
Switch It Up
Ricky
Black Balloons
Aloha (Charlie Heat cover)
This Life
Sirens
Super Saiyan Superman
Black Balloons Reprise (Flying Lotus cover)
Bulls on Parade (Rage Against the Machine cover)
Clout Cobain
ULT
Speedboat
Automatic
Vengeance
Percs
Sumo
King Princess included:
Talia (opener)
Upper West Side
Untitled New Song
Pussy is God
Anderson. Paak and the Free Nationals:
Heart Don't Stand a Chance
Saviers Road
Come Down
Tints
King James
6 Summers
Glowed Up (Kaytandra cover)
Ron Avant Keyboard Solo/Vocoder Interlude (Ginuwine's "Pony"/Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road")
Old Town Road (w/Lil Nas X)
Make It Better
Suede (NxWorries cover)
Bubblin'
Milk N' Honey
Come Home
Encore:
Am I Wrong
Lite Weight
Dang! (Mac Miller cover)
Hozier:
Would That I
Dinner & Diatribes
Nina Cried Power
Someone New
Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene
Nobody
From Eden
Work Song
Arsonist's Lullabye
No Plan
To Be None
Almost (Sweet Music)
Jackie and Wilson
Moment's Silence (Common Tongue)
Movement
Take Me to Church
Tame Impala:
Let It Happen
Patience
The Moment
Mind Mischief
Nangs
Elephant
Love/Paranoia
The Less I Know the Better
Yes I'm Changing
Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind?
Eventually
Borderline
Apocalypse Dreams
Encore:
Feel Like We Only Go Backwards
New Person, Same Old Mistakes
Venue: Harvard Athletic Complex, Allston, MA
Pile: The day started off with a pretty pleasant surprise. I found the little bit of Pile's studio material that I heard leading up to this show to be way too stoic for my tastes. Live, vocalist Rick Maguire, who reminded me of a less nasally version of Paul Banks from Interpol on record, sounded significantly more passionate and the instrumentation was a nice mix of traditional somber indie atmospherics, muddy noise rock and pure, old-school punk. There was even a couple of full on post-hardcore songs that were angsty enough to start pits and fully capture my aggressive-music loving heart. Definitely going to have to give their new record Green and Gray another chance after this solid performance.
Denzel Curry: There aren't many artists that are better suited to get you back into the swing of things after a long layoff at a festival (Pile had wrapped up almost three hours earlier) than Denzel Curry. From the moment he stormed on stage following the drop of the beat to the thumping title track from his upcoming album Zuu, Curry seemed hellbent on raising the pulses of everyone that was there to see him. With the help of a setlist that emphasized his more aggressive material and cuts from Zuu-which seems like it's going to be the closest thing he's made to a traditional trap record thus far, that mission ended up being a huge success. The crowd absorbed and reciprocated all of the energy Curry was omitting with his frenzied rapping and stage presence. There was only a few songs out of the nearly 20 he performed that weren't met with dancing, furious jumping up-and-down or moshing. Clearly it wasn't quite as wild as one of his headlining shows, but getting a legitimately rowdy response at a festival -especially in the middle of the day- is a very impressive accomplishment and says a lot about just how great of a performer/artist Curry already is at the age of 24.
King Princess: Only caught the first six songs of her set before heading over to the Main Stage to see Anderson. Paak, but what I did hear was pretty damn good. Over the roughly 25 minutes I watched her play, it became evident how she was able to amass a rabid following so quickly. Her voice is strong, there's prominent rock undertones that helps distinguish her from other young, somber synthpop artists and her deeply personal lyrics have allowed her to establish a deep emotional connection with her audience-particularly in the LGBTQ community. Her upcoming full-length debut has a ton of potential and I'm looking forward to checking it out when it releases later this year.
Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals: An alarmingly quiet sound mix for the first chunk of the set wasn't enough to bring down the infectious spirit of Anderson. Paak and his terrific backing band The Free Nationals. Their unique blend of R&B, soul, funk and hip-hop made for a joyous set that radiated positive energy from start to finish. Paak also deserves major props for incorporating Lil Nas X's cameo performance of "Old Town Road" into his show. He could've easily told the promoters to pound sand when they asked him to carve out 5 minutes of his set for a last minute "surprise" appearance, but his graciousness made for a really cool and hilarious moment. If the sound wasn't ass for such a sustained period of time, this might've ended up being the set of the day.
Hozier: Ireland's most prolific blues rock export RULES live. Hozier's show is about as stripped-down as something in this massive setting can possibly be (lighting largely consists of normal spotlights, minimal effects on the video screen), but that doesn't prevent him and his immensely talented band from being a haunting force of nature. There were several occasions during the set ("Arsonist's Lullabye", "No Plan", "Movement","Jackie and Wilson", "Someone New") where his soulful crooning even managed to generate legit goosebumps-which is the ultimate sign that you're in the presence of singing royalty. Seeing elite vocalists perform is one of the greatest delights live music can possibly deliver and Hozier is without question among the finest I've ever seen.
Tame Impala: Knowing your audience is often vital to achieving success in the entertainment industry. Tame Impala understands their fanbase so well that it borders on being comical. A backdrop of vibrant colored lights and trippy imagery (ex: Kevin Parker turning into a monster with laser beam eyes during "Elephant", his face slowly disappearing and reappearing behind a kaleidoscope-esque visual palette during "New Person, Same Old Mistakes") set the mood as Parker and co. delivered roughly 90 minutes of woozy guitar grooves, funky synths and mesmerizing spacey vibes. It was akin to being dropped into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory while an impromptu rave was taking place. I've truly never seen experienced a sheer sensory overload like this before and anybody who was under the influence of psychedelic drugs during this more than likely had themselves a life-altering experience.
Grades:
Pile: B
Denzel Curry: A-
King Princess: B
Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals: B+
Hozier: A-
Tame Impala: A-
Setlists:
Denzel Curry (order may be a bit off):
Zuu
Ultimate
Switch It Up
Ricky
Black Balloons
Aloha (Charlie Heat cover)
This Life
Sirens
Super Saiyan Superman
Black Balloons Reprise (Flying Lotus cover)
Bulls on Parade (Rage Against the Machine cover)
Clout Cobain
ULT
Speedboat
Automatic
Vengeance
Percs
Sumo
King Princess included:
Talia (opener)
Upper West Side
Untitled New Song
Pussy is God
Anderson. Paak and the Free Nationals:
Heart Don't Stand a Chance
Saviers Road
Come Down
Tints
King James
6 Summers
Glowed Up (Kaytandra cover)
Ron Avant Keyboard Solo/Vocoder Interlude (Ginuwine's "Pony"/Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road")
Old Town Road (w/Lil Nas X)
Make It Better
Suede (NxWorries cover)
Bubblin'
Milk N' Honey
Come Home
Encore:
Am I Wrong
Lite Weight
Dang! (Mac Miller cover)
Hozier:
Would That I
Dinner & Diatribes
Nina Cried Power
Someone New
Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene
Nobody
From Eden
Work Song
Arsonist's Lullabye
No Plan
To Be None
Almost (Sweet Music)
Jackie and Wilson
Moment's Silence (Common Tongue)
Movement
Take Me to Church
Tame Impala:
Let It Happen
Patience
The Moment
Mind Mischief
Nangs
Elephant
Love/Paranoia
The Less I Know the Better
Yes I'm Changing
Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind?
Eventually
Borderline
Apocalypse Dreams
Encore:
Feel Like We Only Go Backwards
New Person, Same Old Mistakes
Thursday, May 23, 2019
2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Tackles
30.Laremy Tunsil (Dolphins)
29.Taylor Decker (Lions)
28.Eric Fisher (Chiefs)
27.Riley Reiff (Vikings)
26.Braden Smith (Colts)
25.Mike McGlinchey (49ers)
24.Taylor Moton (Panthers)
23.Marcus Cannon (Patriots)
22.Jason Peters (Eagles)
21.Ricky Wagner (Lions)
20.Nate Solder (Giants)
19.Ronnie Stanley (Ravens)
18.Charles Leno Jr. (Bears)
17.Bryan Bulaga (Packers)
16.Rob Havenstein (Rams)
15.Russell Okung (Chargers)
14.Taylor Lewan (Titans)
13.Lane Johnson (Eagles)
12.Alejandro Villanueva (Steelers)
11.Anthony Castonzo (Colts)
10.Terron Armstead (Saints)
9.Trent Williams (Redskins)
8.Jake Matthews (Falcons)
7.Ryan Ramcyzk (Saints)
6.Mitchell Schwartz (Chiefs)
5.Duane Brown (Seahawks)
4.Joe Staley (49ers)
3.Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
2.Andrew Whitworth (Rams)
1.David Bakhtiari (Packers)
29.Taylor Decker (Lions)
28.Eric Fisher (Chiefs)
27.Riley Reiff (Vikings)
26.Braden Smith (Colts)
25.Mike McGlinchey (49ers)
24.Taylor Moton (Panthers)
23.Marcus Cannon (Patriots)
22.Jason Peters (Eagles)
21.Ricky Wagner (Lions)
20.Nate Solder (Giants)
19.Ronnie Stanley (Ravens)
18.Charles Leno Jr. (Bears)
17.Bryan Bulaga (Packers)
16.Rob Havenstein (Rams)
15.Russell Okung (Chargers)
14.Taylor Lewan (Titans)
13.Lane Johnson (Eagles)
12.Alejandro Villanueva (Steelers)
11.Anthony Castonzo (Colts)
10.Terron Armstead (Saints)
9.Trent Williams (Redskins)
8.Jake Matthews (Falcons)
7.Ryan Ramcyzk (Saints)
6.Mitchell Schwartz (Chiefs)
5.Duane Brown (Seahawks)
4.Joe Staley (49ers)
3.Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
2.Andrew Whitworth (Rams)
1.David Bakhtiari (Packers)
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
The Best and Worst of Will Forte
“The Best and Worst of” series 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 “Booksmart” star Will Forte.
Films starring Will Forte that I've seen:
Beerfest
The Brothers Solomon
Baby Mama
Fanboys
MacGruber
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie
That's My Boy
The Watch
Nebraska
Life of Crime
Keanu
A Futile and Stupid Gesture
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Best Performance: MacGruber (2010)
Forte is a comic that has a gift for being a manic scene stealer in supporting roles (Keanu, Tim and Eric's Billon Dollar Movie, Beerfest) and even turned in a terrific, understated performance in Alexander Payne's road drama Nebraska. However, MacGruber is always the first thing that comes to mind when I hear or see his name. This ludicrous character he cultivated for years on Saturday Night Live hits its peak in the unfiltered, anything goes environment of an R-rated movie. The veteran funnyman nails every smug insult, preposterous threat and bit of physical comedy he's asked to do in this suitably over-the-top parody.
Worst Performance: N/A
As I just mentioned, a lot of the work Forte gets is supporting roles in dumb comedies and the dude crushes it every time. To me, he's in the category of people like Fred Willard, JB Smoove and Kate McKinnon who just show up and manufacture laughs-regardless of how good, bad or mediocre the project is.
Best Film: MacGruber (2010)
The love I have for MacGruber is immense and eternal. I'd go as far to say that it's arguably the most underrated comedy released this decade. With the help of a sensational cast that bought into exactly what they were trying to do (Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillipe, Val Kilmer, Maya Rudolph, Powers Boothe), Forte and Jorma Taccone turned their recurring Saturday Night Live sketch into a seriously funny movie that perfectly satirizes the one-of-a-kind absurdity of 80's action movies in addition to MacGyver.
Worst Film: Baby Mama (2008)
Saturday Night Live legends Tina Fey and Amy Poheler finally brought the beautiful comic dynamic they displayed on television for years to the big screen with Sisters in December 2015. Their first pairing as co-leads in a movie seven years earlier was a far less successful endeavor. Outside of the scenes featuring Steve Martin as Fey's hippie boss, the jokes don't land very often and the emotional beats of the story almost always feel forced.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” star Kyle Chandler.
Films starring Will Forte that I've seen:
Beerfest
The Brothers Solomon
Baby Mama
Fanboys
MacGruber
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie
That's My Boy
The Watch
Nebraska
Life of Crime
Keanu
A Futile and Stupid Gesture
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Best Performance: MacGruber (2010)
Forte is a comic that has a gift for being a manic scene stealer in supporting roles (Keanu, Tim and Eric's Billon Dollar Movie, Beerfest) and even turned in a terrific, understated performance in Alexander Payne's road drama Nebraska. However, MacGruber is always the first thing that comes to mind when I hear or see his name. This ludicrous character he cultivated for years on Saturday Night Live hits its peak in the unfiltered, anything goes environment of an R-rated movie. The veteran funnyman nails every smug insult, preposterous threat and bit of physical comedy he's asked to do in this suitably over-the-top parody.
Worst Performance: N/A
As I just mentioned, a lot of the work Forte gets is supporting roles in dumb comedies and the dude crushes it every time. To me, he's in the category of people like Fred Willard, JB Smoove and Kate McKinnon who just show up and manufacture laughs-regardless of how good, bad or mediocre the project is.
Best Film: MacGruber (2010)
The love I have for MacGruber is immense and eternal. I'd go as far to say that it's arguably the most underrated comedy released this decade. With the help of a sensational cast that bought into exactly what they were trying to do (Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillipe, Val Kilmer, Maya Rudolph, Powers Boothe), Forte and Jorma Taccone turned their recurring Saturday Night Live sketch into a seriously funny movie that perfectly satirizes the one-of-a-kind absurdity of 80's action movies in addition to MacGyver.
Worst Film: Baby Mama (2008)
Saturday Night Live legends Tina Fey and Amy Poheler finally brought the beautiful comic dynamic they displayed on television for years to the big screen with Sisters in December 2015. Their first pairing as co-leads in a movie seven years earlier was a far less successful endeavor. Outside of the scenes featuring Steve Martin as Fey's hippie boss, the jokes don't land very often and the emotional beats of the story almost always feel forced.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” star Kyle Chandler.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Movie Review: John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum
After two carnage-filled adventures, audiences know exactly what John Wick is about. The action is going to be beautifully choregraphed, the body count is going to be massive and Keanu Reeves is going to damn near kill himself doing stunts/fights in nearly every scene. So how does this franchise not only maintain the momentum established by its predecessors, but manage to improve in its third go-round? Simple: Add some exciting little flourishes to the mass carnage while also continuing to effectively utilize its established playbook.
A premise centered around a worldwide contract being placed on Wick's head after he broke one of the few sacred rules (no killing on Continental grounds) that brings a sense of order to this assassin underworld at the end of the last movie is the perfect opportunity for director Chad Stahleski and writer Derek Kolstad to dig deep into their creative bag of tricks. By bringing in some elite martial artists (Mark Dacascos, Yayan Ruhian, Cecep Arif Rahman) to help diversify the type of fights Wick gets into and embracing the sense of playfulness that comes with more of an emphasis on martial arts combat, Stahleski and Kolstad stage some very inventive setpieces that are an absolute joy to take in. Within the first 30 minutes of the movie alone, Wick gets into a "quiet" fight in the middle of the New York Public Library, fends off several attackers with the help of a horse in a crowded stable and stumbles into a warehouse that is full of antique weapons and promptly gets into a glass-shattering, knife-throwing duel with the guys who followed him in there. Stahleski, Kolstad and Reeves clearly love making these movies, and the sheer exuberance they display in adding new wrinkles to this exquisite ballet of violence they've created is why the John Wick series remains such a unique, giddily entertaining product.
Gunplay may have taken a bit of a backseat to fists, swords and knives this time around, but I'd be remiss if I went the whole review without talking about the signature shootouts that helped turn the John Wick brand into a word-of-mouth phenomenon. There's two scenes in particular here that are serious contenders for the most chaotic, claustrophobic and badass gun battles of the entire series. A portion of the climatic sequence at a familiar location involving Wick, a shotgun and some poor souls who didn't realize full body armor wouldn't be enough to save them from the wrath of the Baba Yaga is worthy of an over-the-top standing ovation while new castmember Halle Berry gets a chance to display her natural action star prowess alongside Reeves during a lengthy showdown in a Moroccan Kasbah that makes especially good use of long takes. I'd like to think that John Woo is somewhere shedding a tear over the heartfelt homage Stahleski pays him every time he steps up behind the camera to direct a brutal yet beautiful gun fight.
Even in a franchise that has done nothing but excel and innovate since its inception, John Wick: Chapter 3 is a standout. It has electric pacing, an intoxicating style that hasn't lost an ounce of freshness and above all, demonstrates the tremendous rewards that are reaped when a group of talented professionals take the time to meticulously craft action scenes where the viewer can see every single thing that's going on. Throw in a surprise ending that organically sets up a universe-altering battle for the next chapter to top everything off and you have yourself a perfect little action movie sundae. As long as every figure involved with the production remains invested in putting together a diverse, cool and technically-astounding product, I will never get tired of John Wick.
A premise centered around a worldwide contract being placed on Wick's head after he broke one of the few sacred rules (no killing on Continental grounds) that brings a sense of order to this assassin underworld at the end of the last movie is the perfect opportunity for director Chad Stahleski and writer Derek Kolstad to dig deep into their creative bag of tricks. By bringing in some elite martial artists (Mark Dacascos, Yayan Ruhian, Cecep Arif Rahman) to help diversify the type of fights Wick gets into and embracing the sense of playfulness that comes with more of an emphasis on martial arts combat, Stahleski and Kolstad stage some very inventive setpieces that are an absolute joy to take in. Within the first 30 minutes of the movie alone, Wick gets into a "quiet" fight in the middle of the New York Public Library, fends off several attackers with the help of a horse in a crowded stable and stumbles into a warehouse that is full of antique weapons and promptly gets into a glass-shattering, knife-throwing duel with the guys who followed him in there. Stahleski, Kolstad and Reeves clearly love making these movies, and the sheer exuberance they display in adding new wrinkles to this exquisite ballet of violence they've created is why the John Wick series remains such a unique, giddily entertaining product.
Gunplay may have taken a bit of a backseat to fists, swords and knives this time around, but I'd be remiss if I went the whole review without talking about the signature shootouts that helped turn the John Wick brand into a word-of-mouth phenomenon. There's two scenes in particular here that are serious contenders for the most chaotic, claustrophobic and badass gun battles of the entire series. A portion of the climatic sequence at a familiar location involving Wick, a shotgun and some poor souls who didn't realize full body armor wouldn't be enough to save them from the wrath of the Baba Yaga is worthy of an over-the-top standing ovation while new castmember Halle Berry gets a chance to display her natural action star prowess alongside Reeves during a lengthy showdown in a Moroccan Kasbah that makes especially good use of long takes. I'd like to think that John Woo is somewhere shedding a tear over the heartfelt homage Stahleski pays him every time he steps up behind the camera to direct a brutal yet beautiful gun fight.
Even in a franchise that has done nothing but excel and innovate since its inception, John Wick: Chapter 3 is a standout. It has electric pacing, an intoxicating style that hasn't lost an ounce of freshness and above all, demonstrates the tremendous rewards that are reaped when a group of talented professionals take the time to meticulously craft action scenes where the viewer can see every single thing that's going on. Throw in a surprise ending that organically sets up a universe-altering battle for the next chapter to top everything off and you have yourself a perfect little action movie sundae. As long as every figure involved with the production remains invested in putting together a diverse, cool and technically-astounding product, I will never get tired of John Wick.
Grade: A
Monday, May 20, 2019
MCU Superlatives+Updated Rankings
It's honestly kind of hard to believe that Marvel's "Infinity Saga" is now over. Clearly the MCU isn't going anywhere, but we've reached the end of a vastly impactful era for the superhero giant and it's only natural to want to reflect on the massive body of work they've produced over the past 11 years. I took the past few weeks after seeing Endgame to reflect on what were the best and worst things to come out of this mega franchise's opening act as well as update the definitive ranking of all 22 films now that everything's been wrapped up. Below you'll find 10 superlatives that cover everything from villains to what character I'd most like to see integrated into the MCU's next phase along with the aforementioned rankings featuring write-ups on all of the post-Black Panther titles. Hope you enjoy.
Best Action Sequence: "Airport Fight", Captain America: Civil War
This should be the blueprint for every superhero action sequence. The scale is epic without being overwhelming, there's too many badass moments to put in a concise list and it also provides great introductions to characters (Tom Holland's Spider-Man, Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther) that went onto play pivotal roles in the success of the recent MCU entries.
Worst Action Sequence: "Spider-Man vs. Vulture", Spider-Man: Homecoming
Jon Watts did a comically poor job with all of the massive action setpieces in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but the finale was easily the most cringeworthy lowlight. This shaky "two flying objects repeatedly ramming into each other while the camera sits 5,000 miles away" garbage is eerily reminiscent of the DCU disaster Man of Steel. Fingers crossed Watts addresses these woes on Far From Home because everything else about this current iteration of the friendly neighborhood webslinger is pretty damn great.
Best Villain: Loki (Tom Hiddleston, Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok)
To be fair, Loki has a distinct advantage in this category because he's the only recurring villain outside of Thanos in the entire MCU thus far. That being said, it's a testament to Hiddleston's tremendous performance that the character never managed to get stale. His balance of charisma, wit and menace made him a consistently formidable villain that made every scene he appeared in riveting.
Worst Villain: Red Skull (Hugo Weaving, Captain America: The First Avenger)
Looking back on this wave of the MCU, there's no shortage of villains that flat-out stunk. Ultron, Ronan the Accuser, Yellowjacket and every single member of the cornucopia of antagonists from Iron Man 2 were all anonymous benchwarmers that contributed absolutely nothing to this championship team. If I were to anoint a leader from this group of worthless footnotes, it would be good ol' Red Skull. Outside of Weaving's grating overacting, there's literally nothing memorable about the character. Dude basically just shows up, adds a whole lot of cheesy garbage to the handful of scenes he appears then (thankfully) gets sucked into a wormhole to never be heard from again*.
*(I know Red Skull returned as the keeper of the Soul Stone in Infinity War, but he's had about 90 seconds of screentime since making his comeback and is not played by Weaving, so he might as well be dead).
Most Underrated Movie: Iron Man 3 (2013)
Iron Man 3 swung for the fences with some ballsy creative decisions (the twist surrounding The Mandarin, having Tony Stark's struggle with PTSD following the events of The Avengers play such a prominent role in the subplot) that were bound to be polarizing and I believe they paid off tremendously. There's a level of unpredictability, emotional resonance and a masterful comedy/tragedy juxtaposition here that is going to be difficult for any future film in this series to match.
Most Overrated Movie: Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014)
While the creative team (directors Anthony and Joe Russo, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) behind this project ended up being responsible for the immensely satisfying Infinity War/Endgame climax, their MCU debut wasn't exactly graceful. Outside of some great action scenes and a much more assured performance from Chris Evans as Captain America, this is a slow, wildly convoluted movie that is far more frustrating than it is entertaining.
Best Film: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
I have a tendency to gravitate towards shit that is off the beaten path in the world of cinema and Thor: Ragnarok is definitely the closest thing Marvel Studios has to one. Taika Waititi brings his signature goofball style to a Thor universe that was in need of some creative juice after losing some momentum with 2013's The Dark World and it results in a delightfully odd little movie that is trippy, exciting and extremely funny.
Worst Film: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Newly-minted MCU directors Cate Shortland (Black Widow), Chloe Zhao (The Eternals) and Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi) will naturally be facing a ton of pressure to live up to the quality standard Marvel has established on their collective inaugural voyages as blockbuster filmmakers. The good news for this trio is that it's going to be borderline impossible for any of them to make a project that even flirts with the level of suck Age of Ultron achieves. I don't know if Joss Whedon didn't know how to handle the addition of more characters or just simply wanted nothing to do with this franchise anymore, but this movie is a headache-inducing mess that is as overstuffed, dull and confusing as a superhero movie can possibly be.
Character I Most Want to See Incorporated into the Next Wave of Movies: Blade
There's almost no chance this happens because Blade has no ties to any current character and is rumored to be getting a series on Hulu like seemingly every other character Disney doesn't feel comfortable putting onto the big screen, but the half human/half vampire warrior is a charismatic badass that would allow Kevin Feige and co. to tap into a gritty, horror-laced underworld that is unlike anything they've explored thus far.
Dream Casting Choices: O'Shea Jackson Jr., Y'lan Noel, Lakeith Stanfield, Jovan Adepo, Trevor Jackson
Updated MCU Rankings: (pre-Infinity War rankings with full write-ups can be found here: http://maitlandsmadness.blogspot.com/2018/04/mcu-ranked.html)
22.Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Grade: D+
21.Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Grade: C+
20.Iron Man 2 (2010)
Grade: C+
19.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 (2017)
Grade: B-
18.Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014)
Grade: B-
17.Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Grade: B
16.Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018):
As a goofy reprieve following the doom and gloom of Infinity War, it's a triumph. As a standalone project, Ant-Man and the Wasp is merely a pretty good superhero flick that's biggest accomplishment is somehow managing to have even lower stakes than its predecessor.
Grade: B
15.Ant-Man (2015)
Grade: B
14.The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Grade: B
13.Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Grade: B
12.Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Grade: B+
11.Captain Marvel (2019):
After a questionable, ambiguous start in the depths of outer space, Captain Marvel finds its footing once the action shifts to Earth and it turns into a buddy road trip movie (think of it as the less quirky cousin of Thor: Ragnarok) driven by a solid script that has a couple of nice twists along the way, manic fight scenes and the strong, smartass rapport between Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson. With the growing pains out of the way, Carol Danvers now has a good chance of being a pillar in the next wave of movies.
Grade: B+
10.Thor (2011)
Grade: B+
9.Doctor Strange (2016)
Grade: B+
8.The Avengers (2012)
Grade: A-
7.Avengers: Endgame (2019):
I'm well aware that putting this outside the top 5 is a hot take, but hear me out. While Endgame is an excellent conclusion to this 11 year, 22 movie saga filled with huge laughs, rewarding emotional payoffs and breathtaking moments that should prove to be unforgettable as time goes on, the inevitably busy narrative and undoing of the apocalyptic damage Thanos did made it a slightly weaker movie than Infinity War.
Grade: A-
6.Iron Man 3 (2013):
Grade: A
5.Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Grade: A
4.Iron Man (2008)
Grade: A
3.Avengers: Infinity War (2018):
Infinity War truly was as harrowing as a mainstream blockbuster can possibly be. It represents a rare instance where the superheroes were legitimately overmatched throughout and that feeling of impending doom that runs through every frame of this film made it a unique, enthralling genre standout.
Grade: A
2.Black Panther (2018)
Grade: A
1.Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Grade: A
Best Action Sequence: "Airport Fight", Captain America: Civil War
This should be the blueprint for every superhero action sequence. The scale is epic without being overwhelming, there's too many badass moments to put in a concise list and it also provides great introductions to characters (Tom Holland's Spider-Man, Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther) that went onto play pivotal roles in the success of the recent MCU entries.
Worst Action Sequence: "Spider-Man vs. Vulture", Spider-Man: Homecoming
Jon Watts did a comically poor job with all of the massive action setpieces in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but the finale was easily the most cringeworthy lowlight. This shaky "two flying objects repeatedly ramming into each other while the camera sits 5,000 miles away" garbage is eerily reminiscent of the DCU disaster Man of Steel. Fingers crossed Watts addresses these woes on Far From Home because everything else about this current iteration of the friendly neighborhood webslinger is pretty damn great.
Best Villain: Loki (Tom Hiddleston, Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok)
To be fair, Loki has a distinct advantage in this category because he's the only recurring villain outside of Thanos in the entire MCU thus far. That being said, it's a testament to Hiddleston's tremendous performance that the character never managed to get stale. His balance of charisma, wit and menace made him a consistently formidable villain that made every scene he appeared in riveting.
Worst Villain: Red Skull (Hugo Weaving, Captain America: The First Avenger)
Looking back on this wave of the MCU, there's no shortage of villains that flat-out stunk. Ultron, Ronan the Accuser, Yellowjacket and every single member of the cornucopia of antagonists from Iron Man 2 were all anonymous benchwarmers that contributed absolutely nothing to this championship team. If I were to anoint a leader from this group of worthless footnotes, it would be good ol' Red Skull. Outside of Weaving's grating overacting, there's literally nothing memorable about the character. Dude basically just shows up, adds a whole lot of cheesy garbage to the handful of scenes he appears then (thankfully) gets sucked into a wormhole to never be heard from again*.
*(I know Red Skull returned as the keeper of the Soul Stone in Infinity War, but he's had about 90 seconds of screentime since making his comeback and is not played by Weaving, so he might as well be dead).
Most Underrated Movie: Iron Man 3 (2013)
Iron Man 3 swung for the fences with some ballsy creative decisions (the twist surrounding The Mandarin, having Tony Stark's struggle with PTSD following the events of The Avengers play such a prominent role in the subplot) that were bound to be polarizing and I believe they paid off tremendously. There's a level of unpredictability, emotional resonance and a masterful comedy/tragedy juxtaposition here that is going to be difficult for any future film in this series to match.
Most Overrated Movie: Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014)
While the creative team (directors Anthony and Joe Russo, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) behind this project ended up being responsible for the immensely satisfying Infinity War/Endgame climax, their MCU debut wasn't exactly graceful. Outside of some great action scenes and a much more assured performance from Chris Evans as Captain America, this is a slow, wildly convoluted movie that is far more frustrating than it is entertaining.
Best Film: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
I have a tendency to gravitate towards shit that is off the beaten path in the world of cinema and Thor: Ragnarok is definitely the closest thing Marvel Studios has to one. Taika Waititi brings his signature goofball style to a Thor universe that was in need of some creative juice after losing some momentum with 2013's The Dark World and it results in a delightfully odd little movie that is trippy, exciting and extremely funny.
Worst Film: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Newly-minted MCU directors Cate Shortland (Black Widow), Chloe Zhao (The Eternals) and Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi) will naturally be facing a ton of pressure to live up to the quality standard Marvel has established on their collective inaugural voyages as blockbuster filmmakers. The good news for this trio is that it's going to be borderline impossible for any of them to make a project that even flirts with the level of suck Age of Ultron achieves. I don't know if Joss Whedon didn't know how to handle the addition of more characters or just simply wanted nothing to do with this franchise anymore, but this movie is a headache-inducing mess that is as overstuffed, dull and confusing as a superhero movie can possibly be.
Character I Most Want to See Incorporated into the Next Wave of Movies: Blade
There's almost no chance this happens because Blade has no ties to any current character and is rumored to be getting a series on Hulu like seemingly every other character Disney doesn't feel comfortable putting onto the big screen, but the half human/half vampire warrior is a charismatic badass that would allow Kevin Feige and co. to tap into a gritty, horror-laced underworld that is unlike anything they've explored thus far.
Dream Casting Choices: O'Shea Jackson Jr., Y'lan Noel, Lakeith Stanfield, Jovan Adepo, Trevor Jackson
Updated MCU Rankings: (pre-Infinity War rankings with full write-ups can be found here: http://maitlandsmadness.blogspot.com/2018/04/mcu-ranked.html)
22.Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Grade: D+
21.Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Grade: C+
20.Iron Man 2 (2010)
Grade: C+
19.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 (2017)
Grade: B-
18.Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014)
Grade: B-
17.Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Grade: B
16.Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018):
As a goofy reprieve following the doom and gloom of Infinity War, it's a triumph. As a standalone project, Ant-Man and the Wasp is merely a pretty good superhero flick that's biggest accomplishment is somehow managing to have even lower stakes than its predecessor.
Grade: B
15.Ant-Man (2015)
Grade: B
14.The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Grade: B
13.Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Grade: B
12.Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Grade: B+
11.Captain Marvel (2019):
After a questionable, ambiguous start in the depths of outer space, Captain Marvel finds its footing once the action shifts to Earth and it turns into a buddy road trip movie (think of it as the less quirky cousin of Thor: Ragnarok) driven by a solid script that has a couple of nice twists along the way, manic fight scenes and the strong, smartass rapport between Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson. With the growing pains out of the way, Carol Danvers now has a good chance of being a pillar in the next wave of movies.
Grade: B+
10.Thor (2011)
Grade: B+
9.Doctor Strange (2016)
Grade: B+
8.The Avengers (2012)
Grade: A-
7.Avengers: Endgame (2019):
I'm well aware that putting this outside the top 5 is a hot take, but hear me out. While Endgame is an excellent conclusion to this 11 year, 22 movie saga filled with huge laughs, rewarding emotional payoffs and breathtaking moments that should prove to be unforgettable as time goes on, the inevitably busy narrative and undoing of the apocalyptic damage Thanos did made it a slightly weaker movie than Infinity War.
Grade: A-
6.Iron Man 3 (2013):
Grade: A
5.Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Grade: A
4.Iron Man (2008)
Grade: A
3.Avengers: Infinity War (2018):
Infinity War truly was as harrowing as a mainstream blockbuster can possibly be. It represents a rare instance where the superheroes were legitimately overmatched throughout and that feeling of impending doom that runs through every frame of this film made it a unique, enthralling genre standout.
Grade: A
2.Black Panther (2018)
Grade: A
1.Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Grade: A
Friday, May 17, 2019
2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Tight Ends
20.Hunter Henry (Chargers)
19.Chris Herndon (Jets)
18.Mark Andrews (Ravens)
17.Greg Olsen (Panthers)
16.Jordan Reed (Redskins)
15.Delanie Walker (Titans)
14.Jack Doyle (Colts)
13.Jimmy Graham (Packers)
12.Trey Burton (Bears)
11.Austin Hooper (Falcons)
10.David Njoku (Browns)
9.Eric Ebron (Colts)
8.Vance McDonald (Steelers)
7.Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
6.Evan Engram (Giants)
5.Jared Cook (Saints)
4.O.J. Howard (Buccaneers)
3.George Kittle (49ers)
2.Zach Ertz (Eagles)
1.Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
19.Chris Herndon (Jets)
18.Mark Andrews (Ravens)
17.Greg Olsen (Panthers)
16.Jordan Reed (Redskins)
15.Delanie Walker (Titans)
14.Jack Doyle (Colts)
13.Jimmy Graham (Packers)
12.Trey Burton (Bears)
11.Austin Hooper (Falcons)
10.David Njoku (Browns)
9.Eric Ebron (Colts)
8.Vance McDonald (Steelers)
7.Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
6.Evan Engram (Giants)
5.Jared Cook (Saints)
4.O.J. Howard (Buccaneers)
3.George Kittle (49ers)
2.Zach Ertz (Eagles)
1.Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Thursday, May 16, 2019
As We Proceed Episode #37
On this episode, Feliciano and I unveil our picks for the top 10 hip-hop albums of the 2010's. This 90 minute farewell (for now) tour can be seen below. I'd like to thank anybody that checked out an episode over the past 3 years, the legion of people (special shout outs to Aaron at Sound and Vision Media, Dave, Pedro and Makala at Lynn Community Television for making us sound as coherent as humanly possible, Joe, Dane and Henrique for volunteering their time and talents on several occasions and Lil Pump for providing us with a running gag that made us laugh for nearly a year) who helped us out along the way and Feliciano for somehow thinking it was a good idea to partner with me on a creative venture. I didn't exactly know what I was getting into when the seeds for this podcast were planted during a spontaneous meeting at a roast beef place in December 2015, but it ended up being one of the most fun and fulfilling things I've done during my brief time on this planet thus far. I'm glad that I had a forum to talk about hip-hop with a good friend for so long and hopefully one day we'll make a glorious, violent hand gesture-filled return to the airwaves.
-Chris Maitland
-Chris Maitland
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Concert Review: Meshuggah--Boston, MA-- May 14th, 2019
Lineup: Meshuggah/The Black Dahlia Murder
Venue: House of Blues, Boston, MA
The Black Dahlia Murder: There's no bigger party in death metal than The Black Dahlia Murder. No matter where they're placed on the bill or who they're playing in front of, vocalist Trevor Strand is going to be armed with a huge grin, rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Brian Eschbach will be yelling goofy shit at the crowd in between songs and their blistering melodeath jams are going to inspire circle pits galore. Consistency, a true roaddog mentality and the childlike joy playing music for a living brings them will define their legacy long after their days of delivering evil music with a smile are over. May the Immortals never die (or at least not lose all of the aforementioned qualities they've displayed since their inception).
Meshuggah: I'm always in awe of just how damn heavy Meshuggah is live. Their records are more than suitably crushing, but in person shit just gets silly. Every song hits with the sonic force of an AC-130 and basking in that level of aural devastation is enough to fill any extreme metal enthusiast with a tremendous amount of glee.
Unrelenting heaviness and the precision in which its delivered may be the primary attraction of a Meshuggah performance, but I made a point to hone in on some of the complementary parts of their show that get buried behind all of the monstrous riffs this time around.
First off, their light show is simply unreal. A friend of a friend who also does lighting for touring bands told me a few years back that the guy in charge of Meshuggah's lights is his idol in the business and after observing the visual sorcery that was going on around the band, I began to understand that admiration. The light show is honestly every bit as intricate the music being performed on stage. Their setup, which features a trio of massive custom light rigs nestled right behind the members of the band that are standing at the front of the stage along with the house lights, syncs up to each tempo change and is even color-coded to reflect the tone of the passage that's currently being played (darker colors for the extreme parts, lighter colors for the atmospheric sections). Paying such close attention to what was going on around Meshuggah made me realize that I need to be giving more credit to the people responsible for handling the lights at shows. Lighting is every bit as important to the concert experience as the music itself-especially when you're dealing with an artist that emphasizes establishing a particular atmosphere at their shows.
Secondly, I tried to watch Tomas Haake as much as possible. Haake is arguably one of the most respected drummers in metal history, so his talent is far from being slept-on. However, I felt like I never appreciated just how great he was until last night. To put it simply, the dude is superhuman. He's busting out unorthodox fills and patterns that are completely unique and unbelievably complex like they're the most routine thing you can do on the drums. Greatness is defined by making the the difficult look effortless and being in the presence of someone who possesses it is always staggering.
Meshuggah may not be a band I listen constantly, but the sheer force they produce when they take the stage combined with their relatively infrequent touring of the United States make them a must-see every time they play in the Boston-area.
Grades:
Venue: House of Blues, Boston, MA
The Black Dahlia Murder: There's no bigger party in death metal than The Black Dahlia Murder. No matter where they're placed on the bill or who they're playing in front of, vocalist Trevor Strand is going to be armed with a huge grin, rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Brian Eschbach will be yelling goofy shit at the crowd in between songs and their blistering melodeath jams are going to inspire circle pits galore. Consistency, a true roaddog mentality and the childlike joy playing music for a living brings them will define their legacy long after their days of delivering evil music with a smile are over. May the Immortals never die (or at least not lose all of the aforementioned qualities they've displayed since their inception).
Meshuggah: I'm always in awe of just how damn heavy Meshuggah is live. Their records are more than suitably crushing, but in person shit just gets silly. Every song hits with the sonic force of an AC-130 and basking in that level of aural devastation is enough to fill any extreme metal enthusiast with a tremendous amount of glee.
Unrelenting heaviness and the precision in which its delivered may be the primary attraction of a Meshuggah performance, but I made a point to hone in on some of the complementary parts of their show that get buried behind all of the monstrous riffs this time around.
First off, their light show is simply unreal. A friend of a friend who also does lighting for touring bands told me a few years back that the guy in charge of Meshuggah's lights is his idol in the business and after observing the visual sorcery that was going on around the band, I began to understand that admiration. The light show is honestly every bit as intricate the music being performed on stage. Their setup, which features a trio of massive custom light rigs nestled right behind the members of the band that are standing at the front of the stage along with the house lights, syncs up to each tempo change and is even color-coded to reflect the tone of the passage that's currently being played (darker colors for the extreme parts, lighter colors for the atmospheric sections). Paying such close attention to what was going on around Meshuggah made me realize that I need to be giving more credit to the people responsible for handling the lights at shows. Lighting is every bit as important to the concert experience as the music itself-especially when you're dealing with an artist that emphasizes establishing a particular atmosphere at their shows.
Secondly, I tried to watch Tomas Haake as much as possible. Haake is arguably one of the most respected drummers in metal history, so his talent is far from being slept-on. However, I felt like I never appreciated just how great he was until last night. To put it simply, the dude is superhuman. He's busting out unorthodox fills and patterns that are completely unique and unbelievably complex like they're the most routine thing you can do on the drums. Greatness is defined by making the the difficult look effortless and being in the presence of someone who possesses it is always staggering.
Meshuggah may not be a band I listen constantly, but the sheer force they produce when they take the stage combined with their relatively infrequent touring of the United States make them a must-see every time they play in the Boston-area.
Grades:
The Black Dahlia Murder: A-
Meshuggah: A-
Setlists:
The Black Dahlia Murder:
Widowmaker
Jars
Contagion
Malenchantments of the Necrosphere
As Good as Dead
Miasma
Statutory Ape
Nightbringers
What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood
Kings of the Nightworld
Everything Went Black
Meshuggah:
Pravus
Born in Dissonance
The Hurt That Finds You First
Rational Gaze
Future Breed Machine
Stengah
Straws Pulled at Random
Clockworks
Violent Sleep of Reason
Lethargica
Encore:
Bleed
Demiurge
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Wide Receivers
50.Christian Kirk (Cardinals)
49.Demaryius Thomas (Patriots)
48.Taylor Gabriel (Bears)
47.Cole Beasley (Bills)
46.Devin Funchess (Colts)
45.Mike Williams (Chargers)
44.Nelson Agholor (Eagles)
43.Tyrell Williams (Raiders)
42.Willie Snead (Ravens)
41.Dede Westbrook (Jaguars)
40.Robby Anderson (Jets)
39.Mohamed Sanu (Falcons)
38.DeSean Jackson (Eagles)
37.John Brown (Bills)
36.Calvin Ridley (Falcons)
35Adam Humphries (Titans)
34.D.J. Moore (Panthers)
33.Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)
32.Sterling Shepard (Giants)
31.Corey Davis (Titans)
30.Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
29.Tyler Boyd (Bengals)
28.Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
27.Sammy Watkins (Chiefs)
26.Kenny Golladay (Lions)
25.Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
24.Marvin Jones Jr. (Lions)
23.Allen Robinson (Bears)
22.Golden Tate (Giants)
21.Jarvis Landry (Browns)
20.Cooper Kupp (Rams)
19.Alshon Jeffrey (Eagles)
18.Julian Edelman (Patriots)
17.A.J. Green (Bengals)
16.Robert Woods (Rams)
15.Amari Cooper (Cowboys)
14.Stefon Diggs (Vikings)
13.Brandin Cooks (Rams)
12.JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers)
11.Davante Adams (Packers)
10.Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)
9.Keenan Allen (Chargers)
8.Adam Thielen (Vikings)
7.T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
6.Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
5.Odell Beckham Jr. (Browns)
4.Antonio Brown (Raiders)
3.Michael Thomas (Saints)
2.Julio Jones (Falcons)
1.DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
49.Demaryius Thomas (Patriots)
48.Taylor Gabriel (Bears)
47.Cole Beasley (Bills)
46.Devin Funchess (Colts)
45.Mike Williams (Chargers)
44.Nelson Agholor (Eagles)
43.Tyrell Williams (Raiders)
42.Willie Snead (Ravens)
41.Dede Westbrook (Jaguars)
40.Robby Anderson (Jets)
39.Mohamed Sanu (Falcons)
38.DeSean Jackson (Eagles)
37.John Brown (Bills)
36.Calvin Ridley (Falcons)
35Adam Humphries (Titans)
34.D.J. Moore (Panthers)
33.Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)
32.Sterling Shepard (Giants)
31.Corey Davis (Titans)
30.Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
29.Tyler Boyd (Bengals)
28.Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
27.Sammy Watkins (Chiefs)
26.Kenny Golladay (Lions)
25.Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
24.Marvin Jones Jr. (Lions)
23.Allen Robinson (Bears)
22.Golden Tate (Giants)
21.Jarvis Landry (Browns)
20.Cooper Kupp (Rams)
19.Alshon Jeffrey (Eagles)
18.Julian Edelman (Patriots)
17.A.J. Green (Bengals)
16.Robert Woods (Rams)
15.Amari Cooper (Cowboys)
14.Stefon Diggs (Vikings)
13.Brandin Cooks (Rams)
12.JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers)
11.Davante Adams (Packers)
10.Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)
9.Keenan Allen (Chargers)
8.Adam Thielen (Vikings)
7.T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
6.Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
5.Odell Beckham Jr. (Browns)
4.Antonio Brown (Raiders)
3.Michael Thomas (Saints)
2.Julio Jones (Falcons)
1.DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Monday, May 13, 2019
The Best and Worst of Ian McShane
“The Best and Worst of” series 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 “John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum” star Ian McShane.
Films starring Ian McShane that I've seen:
Agent Cody Banks
Hot Rod
Kung Fu Panda
Death Race
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Snow White and the Huntsman
Hercules
John Wick
Cuban Fury
The Brothers Grimsby
John Wick: Chapter 2
Hellboy
Best Performance: Hot Rod (2007)
The gloriously absurd events of Hot Rod wouldn't have been set into motion if Frank Powell didn't need a heart transplant. McShane is hysterical as the hardo stepdad of slacker/amateur stuntman Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg) who refuses to respect Rod until he's able to beat him in a fist fight.
Worst Performance: Hellboy (2019)
When an old pro like McShane fails to deliver a serviceable performance, you know something has gone really awry. McShane didn't prove to be immune to the overly serious acting epidemic that ran rampant on the set of the Hellboy reboot-which was a big part of the reason why this insanely campy R-rated gorefest wasn't nearly as fun as it could've been.
Best Film: Hot Rod (2007)
It's damn near impossible to make a comedy that is more suited to my tastes than Hot Rod. The project that eventually earned The Lonely Island a cult following is a strange, surreal and monumentally dumb movie that reduces me to a flailing, screeching mess every single time I watch it. Long live Rob Kimble and his hard-partying crew of misfits.
Worst Film: Cuban Fury (2015)
What a depressingly average romantic comedy this was. While there are a few funny moments along the way that prevent Cuban Fury from being a completely unpleasant watch, the feel-good elements of the story feel contrived and there's not enough chemistry between Nick Frost and Rashida Jones to sell their relationship.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Booksmart” star Will Forte.
Films starring Ian McShane that I've seen:
Agent Cody Banks
Hot Rod
Kung Fu Panda
Death Race
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Snow White and the Huntsman
Hercules
John Wick
Cuban Fury
The Brothers Grimsby
John Wick: Chapter 2
Hellboy
Best Performance: Hot Rod (2007)
The gloriously absurd events of Hot Rod wouldn't have been set into motion if Frank Powell didn't need a heart transplant. McShane is hysterical as the hardo stepdad of slacker/amateur stuntman Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg) who refuses to respect Rod until he's able to beat him in a fist fight.
Worst Performance: Hellboy (2019)
When an old pro like McShane fails to deliver a serviceable performance, you know something has gone really awry. McShane didn't prove to be immune to the overly serious acting epidemic that ran rampant on the set of the Hellboy reboot-which was a big part of the reason why this insanely campy R-rated gorefest wasn't nearly as fun as it could've been.
Best Film: Hot Rod (2007)
It's damn near impossible to make a comedy that is more suited to my tastes than Hot Rod. The project that eventually earned The Lonely Island a cult following is a strange, surreal and monumentally dumb movie that reduces me to a flailing, screeching mess every single time I watch it. Long live Rob Kimble and his hard-partying crew of misfits.
Worst Film: Cuban Fury (2015)
What a depressingly average romantic comedy this was. While there are a few funny moments along the way that prevent Cuban Fury from being a completely unpleasant watch, the feel-good elements of the story feel contrived and there's not enough chemistry between Nick Frost and Rashida Jones to sell their relationship.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Booksmart” star Will Forte.
Friday, May 10, 2019
Movie Review: Long Shot
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So was Long Shot sent from some kind of enlightened utopia where politics can be addressed in a humorous light without brushing off their seriousness? Possibly. However, I'm going to go ahead and attribute the tremendous success of this tricky balance to the lead actors. Not only do Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron have the type of easy, off-the-charts chemistry a romcom needs to thrive, they bring enough depth to their characters to make each serious aside the tightly-assembled narrative writers Liz Hannah and Dan Sterling put together feel completely believable. Plus their characters are both effortlessly funny and likable, which makes them a joy to be around and helps turn the unsurprising happy ending into a legitimately moving moment.
For my money, Long Shot is an instant genre classic. I haven't laughed this much or rooted harder for the main characters' relationship to work out in a romcom in a very long time and its real life political parallels are poignant without being forced or preachy. With the halfway mark of 2019 somehow already approaching, this probably won't be the last glowing shower of praise I give this cinematic upper over the next month or so.
(Stray take that I couldn't organically fit into the above review: O'Shea Jackson Jr. is a scene-stealing force who deserves a leading role in a comedy ASAP.)
Grade: A
Thursday, May 9, 2019
2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Running Backs
50.Ito Smith (Falcons)
49.Jay Ajayi (Free Agent)
48.Doug Martin (Raiders)
47.Peyton Barber (Buccaneers)
46.Carlos Hyde (Chiefs)
45.Jalen Richard (Raiders)
44.Theo Riddick (Lions)
43.Mike Davis (Bears)
42.Jerick McKinnon (49ers)
41.Gus Edwards (Ravens)
40.Chris Thompson (Redskins)
39.C.J. Anderson (Lions)
38.Matt Brieda (49ers)
37.LeSean McCoy (Bills)
36.Duke Johnson Jr. (Browns)
35.Dion Lewis (Titans)
34.Latavius Murray (Saints)
33.Kenyan Drake (Dolphins)
32.Dalvin Cook (Vikings)
31.Kerryon Johnson (Lions)
30.Frank Gore (Bills)
29.Tarik Cohen (Bears)
28.Austin Ekeler (Chargers)
27.Sony Michel (Patriots)
26.Aaron Jones (Packers)
25.Tevin Coleman (49ers)
24.Damien Williams (Chiefs)
23.Adrian Peterson (Redskins)
22.Marlon Mack (Colts)
21.Nick Chubb (Browns)
20.James Conner (Steelers)
19.Phillip Lindsay (Broncos)
18.James White (Patriots)
17.Leonard Fournette (Jaguars)
16.Lamar Miller (Texans)
15.Jordan Howard (Eagles)
14.Chris Carson (Seahawks)
13.Derrick Henry (Titans)
12.Mark Ingram (Ravens)
11.Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
10.Joe Mixon (Bengals)
9.David Johnson (Cardinals)
8.Kareem Hunt (Browns)
7.Le'Veon Bell (Jets)
6.Saquon Barkley (Giants)
5.Christian McCaffery (Panthers)
4.Alvin Kamara (Saints)
3.Melvin Gordon (Chargers)
2.Todd Gurley (Rams)
1.Ezekiel Elliot (Cowboys)
49.Jay Ajayi (Free Agent)
48.Doug Martin (Raiders)
47.Peyton Barber (Buccaneers)
46.Carlos Hyde (Chiefs)
45.Jalen Richard (Raiders)
44.Theo Riddick (Lions)
43.Mike Davis (Bears)
42.Jerick McKinnon (49ers)
41.Gus Edwards (Ravens)
40.Chris Thompson (Redskins)
39.C.J. Anderson (Lions)
38.Matt Brieda (49ers)
37.LeSean McCoy (Bills)
36.Duke Johnson Jr. (Browns)
35.Dion Lewis (Titans)
34.Latavius Murray (Saints)
33.Kenyan Drake (Dolphins)
32.Dalvin Cook (Vikings)
31.Kerryon Johnson (Lions)
30.Frank Gore (Bills)
29.Tarik Cohen (Bears)
28.Austin Ekeler (Chargers)
27.Sony Michel (Patriots)
26.Aaron Jones (Packers)
25.Tevin Coleman (49ers)
24.Damien Williams (Chiefs)
23.Adrian Peterson (Redskins)
22.Marlon Mack (Colts)
21.Nick Chubb (Browns)
20.James Conner (Steelers)
19.Phillip Lindsay (Broncos)
18.James White (Patriots)
17.Leonard Fournette (Jaguars)
16.Lamar Miller (Texans)
15.Jordan Howard (Eagles)
14.Chris Carson (Seahawks)
13.Derrick Henry (Titans)
12.Mark Ingram (Ravens)
11.Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
10.Joe Mixon (Bengals)
9.David Johnson (Cardinals)
8.Kareem Hunt (Browns)
7.Le'Veon Bell (Jets)
6.Saquon Barkley (Giants)
5.Christian McCaffery (Panthers)
4.Alvin Kamara (Saints)
3.Melvin Gordon (Chargers)
2.Todd Gurley (Rams)
1.Ezekiel Elliot (Cowboys)
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 25 Quarterbacks
Like any powerful organization, the NFL has a strict schedule of events that take place at the same time every calendar year. Players report to training camp in July. September marks the start of the regular season. January is when the bulk of the playoffs take place. March and April are for roster building/retooling (free agency, draft). What owns the month of May? My annual position ranking series of course! This not even remotely prestigious series of lists that has been a proud tradition on this site since 2012 is designed to evaluate where every NFL position group stands at this moment in time and provide readers with football content during a not very active portion of the offseason. Here's the criteria I use when compiling these lists:
1.Rookies are excluded.
2.Each player is judged on where they currently stand in my opinion, not the player they once were or are going to be.
3.Each player is listed as a member of the team they will play for during the 2019 season.
The always hotly contested quarterback position gets things started per usual. Be sure to check back a couple times per week through early-to-mid June for new lists.
(Note: Due to his potential career-ending injury, Alex Smith has been excluded from this list)
25.Ryan Fitzpatrick (Dolphins)
24.Sam Darnold (Jets)
23.Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)
22.Marcus Mariota (Titans)
21.Andy Dalton (Bengals)
20.Baker Mayfield (Browns)
19.Derek Carr (Raiders)
18.Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
17.Cam Newton (Panthers)
16.Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
15.Jared Goff (Rams)
14.Deshaun Watson (Texans)
13.Nick Foles (Jaguars)
12.Matthew Stafford (Lions)
11.Carson Wentz (Eagles)
10.Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
9.Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
8.Matt Ryan (Falcons)
7.Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
6.Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
5.Andrew Luck (Colts)
4.Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
3.Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
2.Drew Brees (Saints)
1.Tom Brady (Patriots)
1.Rookies are excluded.
2.Each player is judged on where they currently stand in my opinion, not the player they once were or are going to be.
3.Each player is listed as a member of the team they will play for during the 2019 season.
The always hotly contested quarterback position gets things started per usual. Be sure to check back a couple times per week through early-to-mid June for new lists.
(Note: Due to his potential career-ending injury, Alex Smith has been excluded from this list)
25.Ryan Fitzpatrick (Dolphins)
24.Sam Darnold (Jets)
23.Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)
22.Marcus Mariota (Titans)
21.Andy Dalton (Bengals)
20.Baker Mayfield (Browns)
19.Derek Carr (Raiders)
18.Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
17.Cam Newton (Panthers)
16.Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
15.Jared Goff (Rams)
14.Deshaun Watson (Texans)
13.Nick Foles (Jaguars)
12.Matthew Stafford (Lions)
11.Carson Wentz (Eagles)
10.Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
9.Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
8.Matt Ryan (Falcons)
7.Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
6.Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
5.Andrew Luck (Colts)
4.Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
3.Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
2.Drew Brees (Saints)
1.Tom Brady (Patriots)
Monday, May 6, 2019
The Best and Worst of Jacki Weaver
“The Best and Worst of” series 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 “Poms” star Jacki Weaver.
Films starring Jacki Weaver that I've seen:
The Five-Year Engagement
Silver Linings Playbook
Parkland
Magic in the Moonlight
The Voices
The Disaster Artist
Widows
Bird Box
Best Performance: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
While it's understandable why Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro's work received more attention, Weaver's contributions to the success of Silver Linings Playbook have been unfairly overlooked in my eyes. The compassionate, non-judgmental way her character deals with her son's (Cooper) mental illness is heartwarming, believable and goes a long way in setting up the moving climax that makes the film so special.
Worst Performance: Widows (2018)
Widows is a dreary crime story that touches on a variety of serious subjects ranging from domestic abuse to police brutality to political corruption. You'd have a hard time believing that the tone was so bleak if you were to just watch Weaver's scenes. Armed with a god awful American accent and a whole lot of manic energy, Weaver is a cartoonish, scenery-chewing tornado that seems like just she walked off the set of a Steven Segal movie.
Best Film: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Silver Linings Playbook is a true rarity in the world of cinema: A movie that leaves you feeling really good after you're done watching it. Not to mention, it's very funny, beautifully acted and flawlessly depicts the eternal misery Philadelphia Eagles fans felt before they won their first Super Bowl in 2017. Truly spectacular work from David O. Russell.
Worst Film: The Voices (2015)
A spirited performance from Ryan Reynolds as a well-meaning schizophrenic man who accidently turns into a mass murderer couldn't save The Voices from being a crappy albeit ambitious dark comedy. The jokes often feel awkward and out of place, which in turn makes this very morbid story far more unsettling than it is funny.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum” star Ian McShane.
Films starring Jacki Weaver that I've seen:
The Five-Year Engagement
Silver Linings Playbook
Parkland
Magic in the Moonlight
The Voices
The Disaster Artist
Widows
Bird Box
Best Performance: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
While it's understandable why Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro's work received more attention, Weaver's contributions to the success of Silver Linings Playbook have been unfairly overlooked in my eyes. The compassionate, non-judgmental way her character deals with her son's (Cooper) mental illness is heartwarming, believable and goes a long way in setting up the moving climax that makes the film so special.
Worst Performance: Widows (2018)
Widows is a dreary crime story that touches on a variety of serious subjects ranging from domestic abuse to police brutality to political corruption. You'd have a hard time believing that the tone was so bleak if you were to just watch Weaver's scenes. Armed with a god awful American accent and a whole lot of manic energy, Weaver is a cartoonish, scenery-chewing tornado that seems like just she walked off the set of a Steven Segal movie.
Best Film: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Silver Linings Playbook is a true rarity in the world of cinema: A movie that leaves you feeling really good after you're done watching it. Not to mention, it's very funny, beautifully acted and flawlessly depicts the eternal misery Philadelphia Eagles fans felt before they won their first Super Bowl in 2017. Truly spectacular work from David O. Russell.
Worst Film: The Voices (2015)
A spirited performance from Ryan Reynolds as a well-meaning schizophrenic man who accidently turns into a mass murderer couldn't save The Voices from being a crappy albeit ambitious dark comedy. The jokes often feel awkward and out of place, which in turn makes this very morbid story far more unsettling than it is funny.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum” star Ian McShane.
Friday, May 3, 2019
As We Proceed Episode #36
On this episode, special guest Mukala Kabongo of LCTV joins Feliciano and I to discuss Jay-Z's B-sides show at Webster Hall in New York, the unexpected special guests on Madonna's new album, Offset's eventful trip to an Atlanta-area Target and ScHoolboy Q's 5th LP CrasH Talk. This extra special piece of hip-hop talk can be seen below:
Thursday, May 2, 2019
The Best and Worst of Dennis Quaid
“The Best and Worst of” series 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 Intruder” star Dennis Quaid.
Films starring Dennis Quaid that I've seen:
The Parent Trap
Any Given Sunday
Frequency
The Rookie
Far from Heaven
The Day After Tomorrow
Flight of the Phoenix
Vantage Point
G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra
Legion
Soul Surfer
Footloose
The Words
Movie 43
Kin
Best Performance: Far from Heaven (2002)
While Todd Haynes' melodramatic style doesn't gel with my tastes, the terrific acting made me enjoy Far from Heaven a bit more than the other movies of his that I've seen. As a successful marketing executive in 1950's Connecticut whose life gets uprooted once he's outed as a gay man, Quaid had arguably the toughest role of the entire ensemble and he absolutely nailed it. The realistic manner in which he slowly unravels after his secret is made known to his wife (Juliane Moore, also brilliant) and employers as well as how he comes to eventually accept his sexuality makes for a staggering performance that deserved every piece of awards attention it got.
Worst Performance: Legion (2010)
Since he at least attempts to inject a little bit of humor into the droll proceedings, Quaid ends up being the MVP of this god awful genre mashup by default. However, he's still a largely lifeless presence in a stoic B-grade project that was in dire need of some self-aware absurdity.
Best Film: The Rookie (2002)
It may lack the corny yet effective fantastical elements of The Natural and Field of Dreams or the infectious 80's swagger of Bull Durham, but The Rookie is still a damn fine baseball movie. This biopic about Texas science teacher Jim Morris' (Quaid) unlikely journey to the major leagues at the age of 35 has all of the warmth, entertainment value and emotional resonance you want in an inspirational sports underdog story.
Worst Film: Legion (2010)
With a beautifully dumb premise centered around angels coming down to Earth to exterminate the human race, Legion could've been a excellent piece of action horror trash. Instead, it somehow ended up being a stunningly humorless film with poor pacing, minimal gory action and bafflingly large amount of religious subtext that wasn't even remotely fun to watch.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Poms” star Jacki Weaver.
Films starring Dennis Quaid that I've seen:
The Parent Trap
Any Given Sunday
Frequency
The Rookie
Far from Heaven
The Day After Tomorrow
Flight of the Phoenix
Vantage Point
G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra
Legion
Soul Surfer
Footloose
The Words
Movie 43
Kin
Best Performance: Far from Heaven (2002)
While Todd Haynes' melodramatic style doesn't gel with my tastes, the terrific acting made me enjoy Far from Heaven a bit more than the other movies of his that I've seen. As a successful marketing executive in 1950's Connecticut whose life gets uprooted once he's outed as a gay man, Quaid had arguably the toughest role of the entire ensemble and he absolutely nailed it. The realistic manner in which he slowly unravels after his secret is made known to his wife (Juliane Moore, also brilliant) and employers as well as how he comes to eventually accept his sexuality makes for a staggering performance that deserved every piece of awards attention it got.
Worst Performance: Legion (2010)
Since he at least attempts to inject a little bit of humor into the droll proceedings, Quaid ends up being the MVP of this god awful genre mashup by default. However, he's still a largely lifeless presence in a stoic B-grade project that was in dire need of some self-aware absurdity.
Best Film: The Rookie (2002)
It may lack the corny yet effective fantastical elements of The Natural and Field of Dreams or the infectious 80's swagger of Bull Durham, but The Rookie is still a damn fine baseball movie. This biopic about Texas science teacher Jim Morris' (Quaid) unlikely journey to the major leagues at the age of 35 has all of the warmth, entertainment value and emotional resonance you want in an inspirational sports underdog story.
Worst Film: Legion (2010)
With a beautifully dumb premise centered around angels coming down to Earth to exterminate the human race, Legion could've been a excellent piece of action horror trash. Instead, it somehow ended up being a stunningly humorless film with poor pacing, minimal gory action and bafflingly large amount of religious subtext that wasn't even remotely fun to watch.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Poms” star Jacki Weaver.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
10 Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2019
A loaded summer slate is one of the greatest gifts a massive movie fan could ask for and on paper at least, 2019 has delivered that in a big way. There's hardly a week between now and the end of August where there's no interesting titles hitting theaters or Netflix. Best of all, this annual cinema overload is even more diverse than usual this year with a welcome influx of R-rated comedies (Long Shot, Booksmart, Good Boys), some throwback genre fare (Shaft, Stuber, 21 Bridges) and even an indie zombie movie directed by the guy who made Paterson (The Dead Don't Die) to go along with the heavy volume of blockbusters this time of year is known for. Here are the 10 movies from this very promising stretch of the calendar that I'm most excited to see.
10.Shaft (6/14):
Samuel L. Jackson swearing, shooting people and just generally being a badass motherfucker for 100 minutes made the last entry in the Shaft franchise a blast, so why wouldn't that still be the case when he returns to play the character 19 years later? The old-school '70 feel the trailer gave off as well as the amusing setup of having the title character's estranged son (Jessie T. Usher) reluctantly join the family ass-kicking business further solidified its place as the last entry on this list.
9.Dark Phoenix (6/7):
Several delays along with the confirmation from director Simon Kinberg that the entire climax was reshot late last year has lessened my anticipation a bit, but I've loved every movie in this wave of X-Men movies and I'm not going to abandon the franchise as it stares in the face of its untimely, Disney-induced demise.
8.Stuber (7/12):
It's been a little while since we've been blessed with a frenzied, R-rated action comedy, so I'm hopeful that this odd couple buddy movie about a grizzled cop (Dave Bautista) commandeering an Uber driven by a very calm man named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) for a case ends up filling a void in the popcorn flick landscape that hasn't been acknowledged since 2017' The Hitman's Bodyguard.
7.Booksmart (5/24):
With its hilarious redband trailer, early reviews that have favorably compared it to genre classic Superbad and a standout cast that has an ideal balance of young scene stealers (Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd) and old pros (Will Forte, Lisa Kudrow, Jason Sudekis), this year's biggest SXSW darling has a good chance of being the finest comedy released over the next four months.
6.Men in Black: International (6/14):
Was it necessary to reboot Men in Black? Probably not. That being said, building a huge sci-fi comedy around a pair of magnetic stars who have an established rapport (Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson) and handing the reigns over to a director in F.Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious, Straight Outta Compton) who has been responsible for a number of great blockbusters over the course of his career leads me to believe that this won't be a waste of time.
5.Toy Story 4 (6/21):
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen have both said in interviews that they struggled to get through the recording process for the final scenes of this without crying uncontrollably. Thanks in advance for this emotionally devastating experience Pixar.
4.Long Shot (5/3):
A seemingly straightforward romantic comedy is an interesting change of pace for both Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron. Throw in a great supporting cast (O'Shea Jackson Jr., June Diane Raphael, Alexander Skarsgard, Andy Serkis, Bob Odenkirk, Ravi Patel, Randall Park, Lisa Kudrow) and some enthusiastic early reviews, and you have yourself a potential early summer home run.
3.John Wick-Chapter 3: Parabellum (5/17):
Fighting off elite assassins from all over the world, dropping said assassins in a variety of new ways (Samurai swords! Leather bound books! On horseback!) and partnering up with an attack dog-wielding Halle Berry sounds like a formula for an outstanding trilogy capper for cinema's most lethal one man army.
2.Hobbs & Shaw (8/2):
Switching Jason Statham from villain to hero then putting him alongside Dwayne Johnson for a large portion of The Fate of the Furious provided the franchise with an additional creative spark that was not unlike when Johnson first joined the series on Fast Five. Capitalizing on their strong chemistry and comic deliveries by giving these two endlessly charismatic action heroes their own spin-off in this gloriously over-the-top cinematic universe is a smart decision by Universal's brass that should yield some really fun results.
1.Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (7/26):
Quentin Tarantino's alleged penultimate project takes place in 1969 right before the start of Charles Manson's killing spree and features a massive ensemble cast of heavyweight actors led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. That small amount of information is still more than enough to have me waiting on edge to see what kind of depraved, darkly comedic madness Tarantino concocts this time around.
Also interested in:
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (5/3)
Detective Pikachu (5/10)
The Hustle (5/10)
Wine Country (5/10)
Aladdin (5/24)
Brightburn (5/24)
The Perfection (5/24)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (5/31)
Ma (5/31)
Rocketman (5/31)
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (6/7)
Late Night (6/7)
The Dead Don't Die (6/14)
Murder Mystery (6/14)
Wild Rose (6/14)
Anna (6/21)
Spider-Man: Far from Home (7/2)
21 Bridges (7/12)
The Art of Self Defense (7/12)
Crawl (7/12)
The Lion King (7/19)
Luce (8/2)
Brian Banks (8/9)
Corporate Animals (8/9)
The Kitchen (8/9)
Good Boys (8/16)
Where'd You Go, Bernadette (8/16)
Angel Has Fallen (8/23)
Brittany Runs a Marathon (8/23)
Official Secrets (8/23)
10.Shaft (6/14):
Samuel L. Jackson swearing, shooting people and just generally being a badass motherfucker for 100 minutes made the last entry in the Shaft franchise a blast, so why wouldn't that still be the case when he returns to play the character 19 years later? The old-school '70 feel the trailer gave off as well as the amusing setup of having the title character's estranged son (Jessie T. Usher) reluctantly join the family ass-kicking business further solidified its place as the last entry on this list.
9.Dark Phoenix (6/7):
Several delays along with the confirmation from director Simon Kinberg that the entire climax was reshot late last year has lessened my anticipation a bit, but I've loved every movie in this wave of X-Men movies and I'm not going to abandon the franchise as it stares in the face of its untimely, Disney-induced demise.
8.Stuber (7/12):
It's been a little while since we've been blessed with a frenzied, R-rated action comedy, so I'm hopeful that this odd couple buddy movie about a grizzled cop (Dave Bautista) commandeering an Uber driven by a very calm man named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) for a case ends up filling a void in the popcorn flick landscape that hasn't been acknowledged since 2017' The Hitman's Bodyguard.
7.Booksmart (5/24):
With its hilarious redband trailer, early reviews that have favorably compared it to genre classic Superbad and a standout cast that has an ideal balance of young scene stealers (Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd) and old pros (Will Forte, Lisa Kudrow, Jason Sudekis), this year's biggest SXSW darling has a good chance of being the finest comedy released over the next four months.
6.Men in Black: International (6/14):
Was it necessary to reboot Men in Black? Probably not. That being said, building a huge sci-fi comedy around a pair of magnetic stars who have an established rapport (Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson) and handing the reigns over to a director in F.Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious, Straight Outta Compton) who has been responsible for a number of great blockbusters over the course of his career leads me to believe that this won't be a waste of time.
5.Toy Story 4 (6/21):
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen have both said in interviews that they struggled to get through the recording process for the final scenes of this without crying uncontrollably. Thanks in advance for this emotionally devastating experience Pixar.
4.Long Shot (5/3):
A seemingly straightforward romantic comedy is an interesting change of pace for both Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron. Throw in a great supporting cast (O'Shea Jackson Jr., June Diane Raphael, Alexander Skarsgard, Andy Serkis, Bob Odenkirk, Ravi Patel, Randall Park, Lisa Kudrow) and some enthusiastic early reviews, and you have yourself a potential early summer home run.
3.John Wick-Chapter 3: Parabellum (5/17):
Fighting off elite assassins from all over the world, dropping said assassins in a variety of new ways (Samurai swords! Leather bound books! On horseback!) and partnering up with an attack dog-wielding Halle Berry sounds like a formula for an outstanding trilogy capper for cinema's most lethal one man army.
2.Hobbs & Shaw (8/2):
Switching Jason Statham from villain to hero then putting him alongside Dwayne Johnson for a large portion of The Fate of the Furious provided the franchise with an additional creative spark that was not unlike when Johnson first joined the series on Fast Five. Capitalizing on their strong chemistry and comic deliveries by giving these two endlessly charismatic action heroes their own spin-off in this gloriously over-the-top cinematic universe is a smart decision by Universal's brass that should yield some really fun results.
1.Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (7/26):
Quentin Tarantino's alleged penultimate project takes place in 1969 right before the start of Charles Manson's killing spree and features a massive ensemble cast of heavyweight actors led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. That small amount of information is still more than enough to have me waiting on edge to see what kind of depraved, darkly comedic madness Tarantino concocts this time around.
Also interested in:
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (5/3)
Detective Pikachu (5/10)
The Hustle (5/10)
Wine Country (5/10)
Aladdin (5/24)
Brightburn (5/24)
The Perfection (5/24)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (5/31)
Ma (5/31)
Rocketman (5/31)
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (6/7)
Late Night (6/7)
The Dead Don't Die (6/14)
Murder Mystery (6/14)
Wild Rose (6/14)
Anna (6/21)
Spider-Man: Far from Home (7/2)
21 Bridges (7/12)
The Art of Self Defense (7/12)
Crawl (7/12)
The Lion King (7/19)
Luce (8/2)
Brian Banks (8/9)
Corporate Animals (8/9)
The Kitchen (8/9)
Good Boys (8/16)
Where'd You Go, Bernadette (8/16)
Angel Has Fallen (8/23)
Brittany Runs a Marathon (8/23)
Official Secrets (8/23)
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