Bill Murray Ranked

Welcome to the latest edition of "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Bill Murray-whose latest project "On the Rocks" is now streaming on Apple TV+. 

Bill Murray's Filmography Ranked:

25.Aloha (D-)

24.Stripes (D)

23.The Royal Tenenbaums (D)

22.Rock the Kasbah (D+)

21.The Jungle Book (D+)

20.Little Shop of Horrors (D+)

19.Moonrise Kingdom (D+)

18.Charlie's Angels (D+)

17.Larger Than Life (C-)

16.Rushmore (C-)

15.The Monuments Men (C)

14.Groundhog Day (C)

13.Isle of Dogs (C+)

12.The Dead Don't Die (B-)

11.The Grand Budapest Hotel (B-) 

10.Ghostbusters II (B-)

9.Ghostbusters (2016) (B)

8.Osmosis Jones (B)

7.St. Vincent (B)

6.Lost in Translation (B)

5.Kingpin (B+)

4.Ghostbusters (1984) (B+)

3.Caddyshack (A-)

2.Zombieland (A)

1.Space Jam (A+)

Top Dog: Space Jam (1996)

Nostalgia is a powerful phenomenon and there's perhaps no greater example of its staggering force for me than Space Jam. There's a pretty good chance that Space Jam wouldn't elicit any type of meaningful response if I watched it for the first time today, but since I saw and became enamored with it at the exact right time in my life (4 or 5 years old), it's been a lifelong favorite of mine. In fact, I'd go as far to say that it's the single fondest entertainment memory from my childhood (it remains the movie I've watched the most times to this day) and helped birth both my movie and basketball fandom. If the LeBron James-led sequel that's currently due to release next summer can bring another generation of kids that special brand of joy, then its (surprising) existence will be completely justified.       

Lowlight: Aloha (2015)

Cameron Crowe has been MIA from the entertainment industry since the cancelation of his Showtime series Roadies in 2016 and if that lack of output means he's quietly assembling a redemption project to atone for the sins of Aloha, I'm all in for his unexpected hiatus. How Crowe managed to get an all-star cast (Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, John Krasinski, Murray, Alec Baldwin, Danny McBride) to agree to star in a film that features a puzzling story with frequent abrupt tonal shifts and the charm of a toilet snake is the only impressive thing about this stunningly inept project from a typically good-to-great filmmaker.   

Most Underrated: Osmosis Jones (2001)

The existence of Osmosis Jones is a gift. A live action/animated hybrid that's essentially a spoof of "loose cannon cop" movies centering around a health-conscious white blood cell police officer (voiced by Chris Rock) living inside the body of a zookeeper (Murray) who teams up with a cold pill (David Hyde Pierce) to stop a deadly food-born virus (Laurence Fishburne) that has entered the body after the man ate a rotten egg seems like it never should've seen the light of day, but remarkably it did and the world is better off with something as delightfully odd as this in it. 

Most Overrated: Stripes (1981)

Watching some older comedies over the last few years has essentially served as a class on the evolution of humor and how it can have an expiration date. The cult classic Stripes is one of the best examples of a comedy that has aged out of being funny that I've come across thus far. A majority of the jokes are just homophobic, sexist or creepy remarks that not only lack taste, but the creative spark and spirted delivery to produce a truly satisfying payoff. On top of the lazy jokes, it also happens to be an unbelievably boring movie that becomes very disjointed when it inexplicably takes a turn towards being a borderline serious war movie in the final half hour.    

Greatest Cameo: Zombieland (2009)

Murray's unforgettable appearance as himself in Zombieland isn't just Murray's best cameo, it's my favorite cameo in the history of movies. He shows up for essentially 5 minutes out of the blue and drives the funniest scene of a movie that is frequently hilarious. Truly iconic shit.

Week 7 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2020 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Justin Herbert (Chargers)

Herbert's emergence as a surprise QB1 hit a new peak on Sunday against the Jaguars. The rookie QB  put the entire offense on his back (347 YDS/3 TD/0 INT/66 Rushing YDS/1 TD) to secure a 39-29 shootout win. He'll look to keep rolling against an up-and-down Broncos pass defense in Week 8.

Honorable Mentions: Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Joe Burrow (Bengals)

LVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Snowy conditions and a monster outing for the Chiefs defense/special teams rendered Mahomes' services basically unnecessary (200 YDS, 1 TD, 0 turnovers or rushing attempts) in a blowout victory over the Broncos. Mahomes could be in line for another easy days work when the hapless Jets come to Arrowhead on Sunday. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Josh Allen (Bills), Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)

Running Back

MVP: James Robinson (Jaguars)

About the only thing keeping the Jaguars in the game against the Chargers on Sunday was the play of Robinson. His packed statline (22 CAR/119 Rushing YDS/1 TD, 4 REC/18 YDS/1 TD, 1 2-PT CNV) does a pretty good job of demonstrating how the rookie running back consistently fought for yards on the ground and served as a reliable checkdown option for Gardner Minshew. This undrafted rookie out of the D1A playoff regular Illinois State has been the biggest surprise of the fantasy season thus far and if he can stay healthy in the second half of the season, a finish as a top 10 back seems to be in reach.  

Honorable Mentions: Antonio Gibson (Washington), Todd Gurley (Falcons), Jamaal Williams (Packers)

LVP: Josh Jacobs (Raiders)

Jacobs was the latest running back to be stifled by the Bucs brickwall front 7- managing just 31 scrimmage YDS (17 rushing, 14 receiving) on 13 touches as the erratic Raiders got blown off the field for 4 quarters. Things won't get much easier for the volatile Jacobs as he goes up against a Browns defense that has held backs that aren't heavily involved in the passing game in check all season long. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys), Mike Davis (Panthers), Jerick McKinnon (49ers)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)

Lockett snapped out of his pre-bye week slump with the biggest statement possible. The criminally underrated veteran made several highlight-worthy catches and shined brightly as the clear focal point of the offensive attack in a game where D.K Metcalf was noticeably quiet-posting a career-high 200 YDS and 3 TD's on 15 catches-in a hard to swallow OT loss to the Cardinals on Sunday night. He'll likely see a lot of the resurgent, healthy Jason Verrett against the 49ers this week-which should bump back down to his normal WR2 standing.

Honorable Mentions: Davante Adams (Packers), Dionate Johnson (Steelers), A.J. Brown (Titans)

LVP: Chase Claypool (Steelers)

Claypool's hot streak was fun well it lasted. The rookie wideout legimately wasn't even involved in the offense against a soft Titans pass defense-catching his lone target for -2 YDS. While his youth and the deep arsenal of Steelers pass-catching options make his weekly floor sketchy, there's still no reason to believe that he won't be a key cog in this spread-the-wealth passing attack moving forward.  

Dishonorable Mentions: DK Metcalf (Seahawks), D.J. Chark (Jaguars), CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

Tight End

MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers)

Is Gronkowski finally out of the nursing home? Well if the last 2 weeks are any indication, he just might be. The previously decrepit 31 year old tight end's comeback tour took another positive step forward on Sunday against the Raiders as he hauled in 5 catches for 62 YDS and a TD. Gronk's lingering health problems and lethargic play earlier in the year makes it hard to be confident in him to keep this up the rest of the way, but there's no reason to not start him in the interim at this abysmal position.  

Honorable Mentions: T.J. Hockenson (Lions), Darren Waller (Raiders), Logan Thomas (Washington)

LVP: Jonnu Smith (Titans)

Smith struggled to get back in the swing of things after a 1-week injury absence, only registering 1 catch for 9 YDS against the Steelers on Sunday. This undisputed TE1 has a strong bounceback opportunity in Week 8 when he goes up against a weak Bengals pass defense that just got shredded by the Browns rookie fill-in starter Harrison Bryant.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Chargers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Robert Tonyan (Packers)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Chiefs

As I mentioned above, the Chiefs defense/special teams was the driving force behind their 43-16 victory over the Broncos. They managed to finish the game with a simply ridiculous 3 sacks, 4 takeaways and 2 TD's (kick return, pick 6). A repeat atop the position leaderboard could be in the cards when they go up against the always generous Jets this Sunday.

Honorable Mentions: 49ers, Washington, Rams

LVP: Saints

There's perhaps no sadder commentary on the state of the defense/special teams spot this season than the fact the Saints are still being started in a bunch of leagues. This underachieving group threw up another dud against a middling Panthers offense-surrendering 24 points while mustering just 1 sack and 0 takeaways. A limp Bears offense led by the INT-hurling Nick Foles awaits them next.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Steelers, Patriots, Cowboys

2020 NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

 ()=previous ranking

1.(2) Kansas City Chiefs (6-1) Week 8 opponent: New York Jets

2.(3) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-0) Week 8 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

3.(1) Seattle Seahawks (5-1) Week 8 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

4.(6) Green Bay Packers (5-1) Week 8 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

5.(5) Baltimore Ravens (5-1) Week 8 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

6.(4) Tennessee Titans (5-1) Week 8 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

7.(8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) Week 8 opponent: New York Giants

8.(12) Los Angeles Rams (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Miami Dolphins

9.(14) Arizona Cardinals (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Bye

10.(11) New Orleans Saints (4-2) Week 8 opponent: Chicago Bears

11.(10) Indianapolis Colts (4-2) Week 8 opponent: Detroit Lions

12.(9) Buffalo Bills (5-2) Week 8 opponent: New England Patriots

13.(13) Cleveland Browns (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

14.(7) Chicago Bears (5-2) Week 8 opponent: New Orleans Saints

15.(17) San Francisco 49ers (4-3) Week 8 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

16.(16) Miami Dolphins (3-3) Week 8 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

17.(15) Las Vegas Raiders (3-3) Week 8 opponent: Cleveland Browns

18.(19) Carolina Panthers (3-4) Week 8 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

19.(21) Detroit Lions (3-3-) Week 8 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

20.(22) Los Angeles Chargers (2-4) Week 8 opponent: Denver Broncos

21.(26) Philadelphia Eagles (2-4-1) Week 8 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

22.(20) Denver Broncos (2-4) Week 8 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

23.(18) New England Patriots (2-4) Week 8 opponent: Buffalo Bills

24.(31) Washington Football Team (2-5) Week 8 opponent: Bye

25.(25) Minnesota Vikings (1-5) Week 8 opponent: Green Bay Packers

26.(27) Cincinnati Bengals (1-5-1) Week 8 opponent: Tennessee Titans

27.(24) Houston Texans (1-6) Week 8 opponent: Bye

28.(28) Atlanta Falcons (1-6) Week 8 opponent: Carolina Panthers

29.(23) Dallas Cowboys (2-5) Week 8 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

30.(29) New York Giants (1-6) Week 8 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

31.(30) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6) Week 8 opponent: Bye

32.(32) New York Jets (0-7) Week 8 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

 

Movie Review: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

 

14 years ago, America got blindsided by the comedic tornado that is Sacha Baron Cohen when Borat hit theaters and turned into a smash hit against all odds. After its surprise breakout box office run, the polarizing British comedian said he was going to retire the character since it was unlikely he could go undetected to do the type of bits that were featured in the movie and on the HBO series Da Ali G Show-where the bumbling, openly prejudiced Kazakh journalist originated-ever again. The Trump presidency forced Baron Cohen to change his mind and dust off the fake moustache/cheap, dirty suit for another round of vulgar, incendiary pranks pulled on unsuspecting people all around the United States. This discreetly-made revival project just hit Amazon Prime in the shadow of the 2020 election and I'm thrilled to report that Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is another fearless comedic home run from Baron Cohen.

A combination of assembling material in a different era where racism is significantly more overt and the difficulties of trying to stage bits when the character is so well known made forced Baron Cohen to change the approach a bit with Subsequent Moviefilm. There's a greater focus on the scripted narrative as the loose plot driving the bits largely surrounds Borat trying to give away his teenage daughter (Maria Bakalova-who matches every ounce of Baron Cohen's ace timing and fearless commitment) to someone from the Trump administration features about 15-20 minutes worth of scenes with no real world crossover and a decent chunk of the gags either extensively reference or are solely aimed at right wing groups. 

Unsurprisingly, scaling back the guerilla elements and having more pointed targets does not effect the quality of the comedy in the slightest. There are several scenes here that go toe to toe with the shock value/hilarity of the finest moments from the original (Nude Wrestling Match, The Car Dealership scene, The Dinner Scene) and even with more gags at the expense of Republicans, the film does a terrific job of maintaining its purely silly jokes/unfiltered window into America's shameless, extensive bigotry balancing act. The fact that Baron Cohen was not only able to pull this off during a pandemic, but reframe the entire film to make it a focal point (it started production late last year and it's not particularly difficult to notice that roughly half of it was in the can before the lockdown started in mid-March) only makes it even more impressive.

While it's never as damning or outrageous as Baron Cohen's other Trump-era project Who is America?, Subsequent Moviefilm's ability to point out and laugh at America's deep-rooted bigotry makes it a  comedic powerhouse. Borat is a character that couldn't possibly be better suited for this moment and although the odds of this movie opening a lot of eyes aren't high, putting it out on a platform where the masses can see it right before an election that is going to be a shitshow regardless of outcome was a great move that should at the very least provide some sort of much-needed relief from the dreary situation the United States is currently in. Or to put in terms that Borat himself would enthusiastically use: Subsequent Moviefilm is great success!   

 Grade: A-

Scarlett Johansson Ranked

Welcome to the latest edition of "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Scarlett Johansson.   

Scarlett Johansson's Filmography Ranked:

29.Under the Skin (F)

28.Lucy (D)

27.The Jungle Book (D+)

26.Avengers: Age of Ultron (D+)

25.Hail, Caesar! (D+)

24.The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (C-)

23.Iron Man 2 (C+)

22.The Perfect Score (C+)

21.The Spirit (C+)

20.Isle of Dogs (C+)

19.Don Jon (C+)

18.Captain America: The Winter Solider (C+)

17.Ghost World (B-)

16.Captain America: Civil War (B)

15.Chef (B)

14.Match Point (B)

13.We Bought a Zoo (B)

12.Lost in Translation (B)

11.The Island (B+)

10.Rough Night (B+)

9.Vicky Christina Barcelona (B+)

8.The Prestige (B+)

7.The Avengers (B+)

6.Her (B+)

5.Ghost in the Shell (A-)

4.Avengers: Endgame (A-)

3.Avengers: Infinity War (A)

2.Jojo Rabbit (A)

1.Marriage Story (A)

Top Dog: Marriage Story (2019)

Noah Baumbach's reflection on the divorce process is nothing short of a masterpiece. Through its meticulously detailed writing and nuanced performances, the film touches on all of the emotions (anger, sadness, pettiness, deceit, cruelty, hatred, selfishness, relief) that tend to be part of this agonizing event in a natural, visceral fashion that will all but certainly trigger memories of anyone that's been sucked into the web of this all too common life event. Every "slice of life" film should aim to be this unflinchingly raw and honest.   

Lowlight: Under the Skin (2014)

Under the Skin is just torture in cinematic form. This surrealist sci-fi nonsense centered around an alien (Johansson) posing as a human woman who goes around Glasgow seducing and killing men is an overwhelmingly dull film that mistakes nature shots, unconventional color schemes and relentless ambiguity about the main character's intentions as profound storytelling.

Most Underrated: Ghost in the Shell (2017)

Controversy over Johansson's casting and subsequent complaints about its faithfulness to the source material define the legacy of the live action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Underneath all of the backlash in my eyes, sits a steampunk flick full of great action, strong acting and some of the most astonishing visual effects in the history of cinema that is among the most slept on blockbusters of the past decade. 

Most Overrated: Under the Skin (2014)

All of the constructiveish reasons as to why I dislike Under the Skin so much are listed above, so I'll just reiterate that this movie is a top-tier pile of faux deep bullshit that isn't worthy of any of the glowing praise its received from the cinephile community. 

Biggest Oscar Snub: Her (2013)

Remarkably, Johansson's Oscar noms for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit last year were the first two she's received. In a just world, her initial recognition from the Academy would've come seven years ago for her unreal supporting turn in Her. As the phone operating system that the lonely, heartbroken Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix-also robbed of an Oscar nom) falls in love with, Johansson gives an intimate, vulnerable performance without ever physically appearing on screen. 

Shittiest Action Movie: Lucy (2014)

Since appearing in Michael Bay's The Island shortly after her breakout turn in Lost in Translation, Johansson has been a reliably strong staple in the action genre. Thus far, the only time the genre has completely done her dirty came with the complete clusterfuck that was Lucy. After a decent enough start, Lucy takes a steep, sudden nosedive when it goes down a sci-fi path that become more and more ridiculous by the moment until it reaches a conclusion that's so breathtakingly dumb that it feels more like an elaborate trolljob than a legit ending.

Week 6 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2020 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Deshaun Watson (Texans)

Watson did everything in his power to put the Texans in a position to win against the Titans-putting 361 total YDS (335 passing, 26 rushing) and 4 TD's in a crushing OT loss. Watson has been excellent the past few weeks after a slow start and should be able to put together another solid day against a beatable Packers D in Week 7.

Honorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Ryan Tannehill (Titans), Carson Wentz (Eagles)

LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers) 

Rodgers' early push for MVP took its first major hit this week as the 36-year old signalcaller was uncharacteristically sloppy (160 YDS, 0 TD, 2 INT-including only his 3rd career pick 6) and jittery against a suffocating Buccaneers defense in a blowout loss. A Week 7 date with the anemic Texans D presents a perfect bounceback opportunity.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Matthew Stafford (Lions), Teddy Bridgewater (Panthers)

Running Back

MVP: Derrick Henry (Titans) 

After a pretty quiet return to action (numbers wise) against the Bills in Week 5, Henry returned to dominant form with one of the best performances of his career in his 2nd game back after the Titans corona-induced vacation. Henry was a bruising terrorizer that flat-out obliterated the poor Texans defense for a preposterous 264 scrimmage YDS (212 rushing, 52 receiving) and 2 TD's on 24 touches. The league's leading rusher through 6 weeks is likely to average less than 40 yards per carry against a tough Steelers defense that has completely suffocated backs this year outside of a lone 70 YD TD run by Miles Sanders.     

Honorable Mentions: Kenyan Drake (Cardinals), D'Andre Swift (Lions), Ronald Jones II (Buccaneers)

LVP: Alexander Mattison (Vikings) 

With Dalvin Cook out and the 0-5 Falcons coming to Minneapolis, Mattison seemed like a layup to be the streaming play of the week. Stunningly bad gamescript in a game that became a laugher by halftime and a stingier than expected performance from the Falcons front prevented that from happening as the promising sophomore back was held to just 30 yards on 11 touches. Cook will likely return to the field after the Vikings Week 7 bye, so Mattison can safely be dropped in 10-12 team leagues.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Kareem Hunt (Browns), Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys), Devin Singletary (Bills)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Justin Jefferson (Vikings) 

Not every Viking brought great sadness to their fantasy owners this week. Jefferson was a one man garbage time wrecking crew-as he reeled in 9 catches for 166 YDS and 2 TD's while also adding a 2-point conversion. The upstart rookie wideout has quickly become an every week starter for fantasy purposes and should be considered a WR2 once the 1-5 Vikings return from bye in Week 8. 

Honorable Mentions: Julio Jones (Falcons), Will Fuller (Texans), A.J. Brown (Titans)

LVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers) 

Evans (1 REC for 10 YDS on 2 targets) wasn't really needed at all as Ronald Jones, Rob Gronkowski and the defense drove the Buccaneers to an unexpected blowout victory over the previously undefeated Packers. TD's (a league-leading 6) have been propping up Evans' fantasy output all season long (236 of his 281 yards to date came in 2 games) and if Chris Godwin can manage to stay healthy for the rest of the year, games like this one could happen pretty routinely. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Odell Beckham Jr. (Browns), Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), Cooper Kupp (Rams)

Tight End

MVP: George Kittle (49ers) 

A blatantly hobbled Jimmy Garoppolo was relying on dump off passes to survive against the Rams on Sunday and unsurprisingly, Kittle was one of the top beneficiaries from that game plan. The star tight end hauled in 7 catches for 109 YDS and a TD in an impressive bounceback win for the injury-riddled 49ers. Kittle may be in line for a Week 7 dud when the 49ers travel across country to face off against a pissed off Patriots team that tends to shutdown a team's offensive option.  

Honorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers), Hayden Hurst (Falcons)

LVP: Mike Gesicki (Dolphins)

Trick or treat Gesicki is at it again folks. The Dolphins presumed #2 receiving option behind DeVante Parker watched idly as his backups Adam Shaheen and Durham Symthe each found the endzone against the Jets while he finished the afternoon with 0 catches on just 2 targets. Gesicki's ceiling is too high to give up on at this juncture of the season, but he'll more than likely continue to be an infuriating player to own moving forward 

Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Eric Ebron (Steelers), Robert Tonyan (Packers)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Buccaneers

This group forced a red hot, turnover-averse Aaron Rodgers to turn in a dreadful performance- as he got sacked 5 times and threw 2 INT's including a pick 6 in a 38-10 win for the now 1st place Bucs. Todd Bowles has this unit playing inspired football of late and while their lack of discipline will continue to make them susceptible to the occasional splash play, they're trending towards finishing the year as a top 5 fantasy defense.  

Honorable Mentions: Steelers, Cardinals, Dolphins

LVP: Rams 

What an uneventful night for a supposedly great Rams group against a 49ers offense that just got ran over by a middling at best Dolphins D. They surrendered 24 points and got blanked in the sack/takeaway department against a group that had surrendered 10 sacks and 6 turnovers in their previous games. A lackluster Bears offense that has turned the ball over at least once in all but 1 game this season awaits them next.

Dishonorable Mentions: Titans, Chiefs, Colts

2020 NFL Power Rankings: Week 7

 ()=previous ranking

1.(1) Seattle Seahawks (5-0) Week 7 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

2.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Denver Broncos

3.(4) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-0) Week 7 opponent: Tennessee Titans

4.(5) Tennessee Titans (5-0) Week 7 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

5.(6) Baltimore Ravens (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Bye

6.(2) Green Bay Packers (4-1) Week 7 opponent: Houston Texans

7.(10) Chicago Bears (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Los Angeles Rams 

8.(12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

9.(8) Buffalo Bills (4-2) Week 7 opponent: New York Jets

10.(14) Indianapolis Colts (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Bye

11.(11) New Orleans Saints (3-2) Week 7 opponent: Carolina Panthers

12.(9) Los Angeles Rams (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Chicago Bears

13.(7) Cleveland Browns (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals 

14.(17) Arizona Cardinals (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

15.(15) Las Vegas Raiders (3-2) Week 7 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

16.(18) Miami Dolphins (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Bye

17.(19) San Francisco 49ers (3-3) Week 7 opponent: New England Patriots

18.(13) New England Patriots (2-3) Week 7 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

19.(16) Carolina Panthers (3-3) Week 7 opponent: New Orleans Saints

20.(26) Denver Broncos (2-3) Week 7 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

21.(27) Detroit Lions (2-3) Week 7 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

22.(22) Los Angeles Chargers (1-4) Week 7 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

23.(20) Dallas Cowboys (2-4) Week 7 opponent: Washington Football Team

24.(24) Houston Texans (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Green Bay Packers

25.(21) Minnesota Vikings (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Bye

26.(23) Philadelphia Eagles (1-4-1) Week 7 opponent: New York Giants

27.(25) Cincinnati Bengals (1-4-1) Week 7 opponent: Cleveland Browns

28.(30) Atlanta Falcons (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Detroit Lions    

29.(31) New York Giants (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

30.(28) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

31.(29) Washington Football Team (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

32.(32) New York Jets (0-6) Week 7 opponent: Buffalo Bills 

Movie Review: The Trial of the Chicago 7

Aaron Sorkin is right up there with Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson and Spike Lee in the conversation of modern day writers/directors that have the most clear, distinct artistic voice. Regardless of the subject matter or the medium he's working in, Sorkin loads his projects with wall-to-wall energy,  vivid dialogue and smart, flawed characters that aren't always easy to root for. His signature approach makes his latest project- the fact-based legal/political drama The Trial of the Chicago 7-a uniquely compelling and poignant retelling of an event that many people under the age of 55 might not be aware of.

    
It needs to be noted that Sorkin's approach to telling the story of the seven activists from four separate organizations (portrayed in the film by Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, Alex Sharp, John Carroll Lynch, Noah Robbins and Daniel Flaherty) and Black Panther leader Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who were accused of conspiracy to cross state lines to incite a riot during an Anti-Vietnam protest outside of the 1968 Democratic Convention will almost certainly irk people looking for an on-the-nose retelling. The theatrical-esque staging to the courtroom scenes paired with several characters tendency to rattle off witty zingers like they're in an improv troupe makes it clear that this is a dramazation, not a documentary. Personally, I felt that Sorkin's heightened approach to telling the story of the trial and the events that put these men in the crosshairs of the federal government really helped hammer home its significance. 

The problem with retelling history is that sometimes it can get really dry. Should learning about important events from the past always have to come in the form of an engaging exercise? Of course not, but the reality is that teaching through an entertainment-based lens makes people more likely to care and subsequently gain something from what they're being told. Sorkin has understood this even when telling a story about something as naturally fluffy as Billy Beane's rise to prominence in the baseball executive world in Moneyball and The Trial of the Chicago 7 may just be the greatest victory for the effectiveness of this philosophy to date. 

Adding humor and showy monologues into a story that's centered around the extraordinary lengths the people in power-even in a "democratic" nation like the United States- will go to attempt to silence their critics helps showcase the humanity that sat behind these people that have effectively turned into forgotten footnotes in time. These were eight men that Nixon administration felt compelled to make an example of for a variety of political reasons and by utilizing a brilliant present day interwoven with flashback sequences narrative approach that showcases the various ways each member of the group approached activism and dealt with the prospect of going to prison over their willingness to speak out against something they believed was wrong captured the emotional roller coaster they experienced while going through this prolonged public ordeal with potentially life-altering ramifications. Bringing the Chicago 7's story to life in a more traditional, stoic biopic fashion would've likely still made for a fine movie, but in Sorkin's hands-it turns into an electrifying powerhouse that entertains and enlightens in equal measure.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is not only the best film of 2020 to date, it ranks among the most impressive pieces of work Sorkin has authored over the course of his vaunted career. There was a lot of room for error with this story, but thanks to his desire to highlight the people underneath the infamous group moniker and the cause they were fighting for as much as the injustice they faced while sticking to his witty, high energy playbook, he was able to make a piece of art that is impactful, entertaining and unforgettable. In what figures to be a thinner than usual class of awards contenders this year, there's a real chance that Sorkin will be able to another trophy or two to his already sizable collection.             

Grade: A

Week 5 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2020 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) 

A surprising 4th quarter garbage time appearance for the Chiefs propelled Mahomes to the top of a closely contested fantasy QB leaderboard this week. Mahomes threw for 340 YDS, 2 TD's, an INT and a 2-PT conversion while adding another 21 YDS and a TD on the ground in a shocking home loss to the Raiders. Mahomes will look to put up similar numbers in a winning effort against a banged-up Bills defense in Week 6 that just got rolled over by the Titans.

Honorable Mentions: Deshaun Watson (Texans), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Justin Herbert (Chargers)

LVP: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

Burrow experienced his first real "welcome to the NFL" wake up call on Sunday afternoon against the Ravens. The rookie signalcaller got sacked 7 times, turned the ball over twice (1 INT, 1 lost fumble), failed to reach the endzone and mustered only 193 total YDS (183 passing, 10 rushing) in a blowout loss where the Bengals mustered just 3 points. A Week 6 date with the elite Colts defense won't be an ideal bounceback spot for the reigning #1 pick.

Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

Running Back

MVP: Mike Davis (Panthers)

Another week, another steady diet of touches for Davis. The journeyman running back led the Panthers in receptions (9), scrimmage YDS (149) and found the endzone once again in a relatively easy victory over the lowly Falcons. Davis has been shockingly productive as Christian McCaffery's replacement and should at least have a shot of keeping a role in this offense once CMC returns in the next 2-3 weeks.

Honorable Mentions: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys), Miles Sanders (Eagles), Todd Gurley (Falcons)

LVP: Devin Singletary (Bills)

Anybody who left Singletary in their lineups for the rare edition of Tuesday Night Football were not rewarded for their patience. The 2nd year back was depressingly lethargic against a Titans D that ranked 31st in the league against the run coming into this game, managing just 25 YDS on 11 carries in a truly stunning blowout loss. Consistency has been Singletary's worst enemy since he came into the league and even if rookie Zack Moss returns to the fold and cuts into his workload, it wouldn't be shocking if he was much more productive against the Chiefs next Monday.  

Dishonorable Mentions: James Robinson (Jaguars), Antonio Gibson (Washington Football Team), Joshua Kelley (Chargers)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: DK Metcalf (Seahawks)

Metcalf's ridiculous start to the 2020 season continued against the Vikings on Sunday nigh, as he beat up on this inexperienced corner group (6 REC/93 YDS/2 TD's). He enters the Seahawks bye week with 496 YDS (he's finished between 92 and 110 YDS in all 5 games) and 5 TD's on just 22 receptions, which will make him a weekly WR1 if he can keep rolling the rest of the way

Honorable Mentions: Adam Thielen (Vikings), DeAndre Hopkins (Cardinals), Jamison Crowder (Jets)

LVP: Amari Cooper (Cowboys)

It took 5 weeks, but we finally got to see Amari Cooper's 1st disappearing act of 2020. The Cowboys top receiver was outshined by CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, only touching the ball 3 times (2 REC/21 YDS, 1 CAR/-2 YDS) in a shootout win over the Giants. Cooper should have no problem maintaining a healthy targetshare with Andy Dalton under center and will likely be back to his WR2 ways in short order. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Terry McLaurin (Washington Football Team), Justin Jefferson (Vikings), JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers)

Tight End

MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Kelce was far and away the best pass catcher for the Chiefs on Sunday, slicing up the Raiders for 108 YDS and a TD on 8 catches. Excellence could be in the cards once again for Kelce in Week 6 when he squares off against a depleted Bills secondary/linebacker group that just surrendered 2 TD's to Jonnu Smith. 

Honorable Mentions: Jonnu Smith (Titans), Mark Andrews (Ravens), Jared Cook (Saints)

LVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)

Ertz was a complete afterthought against the Steelers (1 REC/6 YDS) as Carson Wentz turned to 2nd year player Travis Fulgham and Greg Ward to make plays in the passing game. Ertz's inability to make noise as the lone long-standing option in a depleted receiving corps is very concerning and really the only reason to keep starting him is because the lack of replacement options are even shakier.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Dalton Schultz (Cowboys), Hayden Hurst (Falcons), Tyler Higbee (Rams)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Ravens

After back-to-back uninspired performances, the Ravens reaffirmed themselves as a top-tier defense against the Bengals. They absolutely teed off on this horrible offensive line and rookie quarterback, registering 7 sacks, 2 FUM REC, an INT and a TD in a dominant 27-3 victory. They'll look to keep the good times rolling against the struggling Eagles in Week 6.  

Honorable Mentions: Rams, Colts, Steelers

LVP: Bills

While the Titans were far from a plus matchup (they had surrendered the 3rd least fantasy points to defenses coming into the week), the Bills putrid performance (42 points allowed, 0 sacks or takeaways) was still shocking and unacceptable. Even if Tre'Davious White, Levi Wallace and Matt Milano return to the fold next week, they won't be starting against the Chiefs.  

Dishonorable Mentions: 49ers, Chiefs, Saints

2020 NFL Power Rankings: Week 6

 ()=previous ranking

1.(2) Seattle Seahawks (5-0) Week 6 opponent: Bye

2.(3) Green Bay Packers (4-0) Week 6 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

3.(1) Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Buffalo Bills

4.(4) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0) Week 6 opponent: Cleveland Browns

5.(7) Tennessee Titans (4-0) Week 6 opponent: Houston Texans

6.(6) Baltimore Ravens (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

7.(14) Cleveland Browns (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

8.(5) Buffalo Bills (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

9.(10) Los Angeles Rams (4-1) Week 6 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

10.(15) Chicago Bears (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Carolina Panthers

11.(11) New Orleans Saints (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Bye

12.(8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Green Bay Packers

13.(12) New England Patriots (2-2) Week 6 opponent: Denver Broncos

14.(9) Indianapolis Colts (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

15.(18) Las Vegas Raiders (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Bye

16.(16) Carolina Panthers (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Chicago Bears

17.(17) Arizona Cardinals (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

18.(24) Miami Dolphins (2-3) Week 6 opponent: New York Jets

19.(13) San Francisco 49ers (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

20.(22) Dallas Cowboys (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

21.(21) Minnesota Vikings (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

22.(19) Los Angeles Chargers (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Bye

23.(20) Philadelphia Eagles (1-3-1) Week 6 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

24.(29) Houston Texans (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Tennessee Titans

25.(23) Cincinnati Bengals (1-3-1) Week 6 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

26.(26) Denver Broncos (1-3) Week 6 opponent: New England Patriots

27.(27) Detroit Lions (1-3) Week 6 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

28.(25) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Detroit Lions

29.(28) Washington Football Team (1-4) Week 6 opponent: New York Giants

30.(30) Atlanta Falcons (0-5) Week 6 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

31.(31) New York Giants (0-5) Week 6 opponent: Washington Football Team

32.(32) New York Jets (0-5) Week 6 opponent: Miami Dolphins 

Liam Neeson's Old Man Action Movies Ranked

Welcome to the latest edition of "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out related accolades. This week, I'm profiling Liam Neeson's Old Man Action Movies to celebrate the release of his latest geriatric action extravaganza "Honest Thief"-which hits theaters on Friday.

Liam Neeson's Old Man Action Movies Ranked:

8.Taken 2 (D)

7.The Commuter (B)

6.Run All Night (B)

5.Unknown (B+)

4.Cold Pursuit (B+)

3.Non-Stop (B+)

2.A Walk Among the Tombstones (B+)

1.Taken (A-)

Top Dog: Taken (2009)

As the 2000's winded down, it was clear that Neeson was in a great place as a performer. He had been a respected force on stage and screen for nearly 30 years that had picked up several award nominations for his dramatic work and got the opportunity to work with everyone from Steven Spielberg to Kathryn Bigelow to Neil Jordan. So what was missing? If you guessed a particular set of old man ass-kicking skills, you're absolutely right. Not only is Taken an electric action thriller that served as a terrific example of how far a lean premise can go if it's executed well, it added another wrinkle to Neeson's acting arsenal-which in turn lead to a nice string of similarly successful projects over the next 10+ years.   

Lowlight: Taken 2 (2012)

Taken 2 epitomizes the dreaded stereotypical sequel that soils the reputation of the brand. It's a bigger and dumber project that trades the original's tight pacing and relentless bonecrushing action for joyless setpieces and a bloated overly serious story that features plenty of unintentional comedy. 

Most Underrated: A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

A Walk Among the Tombstones was a bit of a detour from the other projects in the Neeson action canon as it's more of a mystery thriller than a constant shootouts and/or fistfights type of movie. Pair this refreshing stylistic change with Scott Frank's grimly atmospheric noir-inspired storytelling and a terrific somber performance from Neeson ,and you have a deeply overlooked gem that's sadly become a forgotten footnote in his massive filmography. 

Most Overrated: None

If anything, all of Neeson's work in this space save for Taken 2 is underrated. Through his commitment to playing these hard-edged roles and the work of the talented filmmakers he's collaborated with (Jaume Collet-Serra, Frank, Pierre Morel), Neeson has consistently been apart of energetic, efficient action movies that get the job done. 

Best Transportation-Set Action Affair: Non-Stop (2014)

Neeson's ass-kicking hits its peak when it occurs on a mode of transportation. To date, his finest work in the world of handing out beatdowns in an ultraspecific location came on a plane in Non-Stop. Watching Nesson as an alcoholic Air Marshall trying to get to the bottom of a series of on-board murders he's being framed for alongside Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery, Corey Stoll and Lupita Ny'ongo while providing complementary in-flight knuckle sandwiches to the people that set him up is high adrenaline entertainment in its purest, most joyous form.    

Movie Review: Hubie Halloween

There's something oddly comforting about the existence of Hubie Halloween. This silly little project about a pleasant, frequently bullied middle aged man (Adam Sandler) whose top goal in life is to make sure everyone in Salem, Massachusetts has a safe Halloween marks a return to Sandler's roots where a good-natured goofball gets into assorted misadventures. It's a sufficiently nostalgic experience for anyone that's grew up with Sandler's work and the fact that's he entering his third decade of making lighthearted comedies with his friends is an incredible feat that's worthy of the envy of his peers. 

As appealing as its familiarity is, Hubie Halloween manages to fall well short of the projects it shares an unmistakable DNA with (Billy Madison, The Waterboy, Little Nicky). Outside of a few scenes and a nice conclusion that drives home an anti-bullying message that could make a legitimate impact on the millions of kids/teenagers that watch it, Hubie Halloween lacks the healthy laughs/charm balance that drives all of Sandler's best efforts. The expected parade of bit parts/cameos (Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Maya Rudolph, Tim Meadows, Kenan Thompson, Shaquille O'Neal, Rob Schneider) are almost all disposable and most of the comedy stems from a handful of running jokes that get progressively less funny as it goes along (there's only so much mileage you can get from Sandler's character using his utility thermos to get out of trouble and 90-year old June Squibb wearing shirts that could be found at Spencer Gifts in 2012). Even the long overdue reunion between Sandler and Happy Gilmore co-star Julie Bowen fails to generate the sparks this project needed to gain sustained traction. While Hubie Halloween is an easy watch that's far too sincerely goofy to hate, it's ultimately an unsuccessful attempt by Sandler to get back into his vintage groove.     

Grade: C

Adam Sandler Ranked

Welcome to the latest edition of "Ranked"-where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Adam Sandler-whose latest movie "Hubie Halloween" is now streaming on Netflix.  

Adam Sandler's Filmography Ranked:

33.Jack and Jill (D-)

32.Zookeeper (D)

31.The Cobbler (D)

30.Coneheads (D)

29.Click (D+)

28.Grown Ups 2 (C)

27.Murder Mystery (C+)

26.Bulletproof (C+)

25.Grown Ups (C+)

24.You Don't Mess with the Zohan (C+)

23.Pixels (B-)

22.Hotel Transylvania 2 (B-)

21.Hotel Transylvania (B-)

20.Eight Crazy Nights (B-)

19.Blended (B-)

18.The Week Of (B-)

17.The Do-Over (B)

16.I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (B)

15.Just Go with It (B)

14.50 First Dates (B)

13.Funny People (B)

12.Anger Management (B)

11.Mr.Deeds (B)

10.Reign Over Me (B)

9.Little Nicky (B+)

8.That's My Boy (B+)

7.The Wedding Singer (B+)

6.The Longest Yard (B+)

5.Big Daddy (A-)

4.The Waterboy (A-)

3.Billy Madison (A)

2.Uncut Gems (A)

1.Happy Gilmore (A+)

Top Dog: Happy Gilmore (1996)

Happy Gilmore isn't just peak Sandler, it's one of the most impressive and timeless comedy movies ever made. Every character is played to perfection, its combination of highly quotable dialogue and absurdist/slapstick sight gags give it a very wide comedic attack and like all of Sandler's best work, there's a pure heart underneath all of the silliness. 

Lowlight: Jack and Jill (2011)

Jack & Jill is an all out assault on humor, good taste and the cinematic artform in general that should bring everyone involved with it eternal shame.   

Most Underrated: The Longest Yard (2005)

An unplanned basic cable rewatch on a random Sunday afternoon in August solidified this take for me. Anchored by an ensemble of funny, colorful characters (Sandler's Paul Crewe, Chris Rock's Caretaker, Bob Sapp's Switowski, Nicolas Turturro's Brucie, Terry Crews' Cheeseburger Eddy James Crowell's vicious Warden Hazen) and a compelling underdog vs. juggernaut sports story, The Longest Yard is the most consistently enjoyable comedy project Sandler has put out since his mid-to-late 90's glory days. 

Most Overrated: 50 First Dates (2003)

50 First Dates is a perfectly good movie. Sandler and Drew Barrymore have tremendous chemistry, the premise is pretty clever and it has no problem checking off the sweet/funny box that romantic comedies are supposed to. So how is it overrated? Well, it's arguably the most beloved of Sandler's post-90's projects and I just don't view it in that same degree of positive light.

Best Serious Effort: Uncut Gems (2019)

The Safdie Brothers proved the terrific Good Time was no fluke by following it up with the even better Uncut Gems. This story of a degenerate gambler's (Sandler in a career-best performance) long overdue downfall bristles with intensity, chaos and an unapologetic griminess that helps make it a singularly enthralling crime saga.     

Worst Serious Effort: The Cobbler (2015)

About seven months before his eventual Best Picture-winning docudrama Spotlight was released, writer/director Tom McCarthy put out this little seen fantasy dramedy about a cobbler (Sandler) who accidentally discovers a magical heirloom stitching machine in the basement of his family's shop that allows him to literally step into the lives of the owners of any shoe that enters it. Despite its sincere effort, The Cobbler ends up being an aggravating, tonally-confused mess that fails to properly utilize the potential of its ambitious premise.    

Week 4 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2020 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

A deep early hole dug by The Cowboys pitiful defense and some costly turnovers from himself and Ezekiel Elliott put Prescott in a spot to have a massive fantasy day against the Browns. Prescott more than atoned for his 2 giveaways (an INT and a lost fumble) by using his absurd passing volume to pack the hell out of the rest of the stat sheet (502 YDS, 4 TD, 2 2-Point conversions). Prescott is a fantasy machine regardless of how the Cowboys are playing and has a great chance to feast yet again against the lowly Giants this week.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Josh Allen (Bills)

LVP: Matt Ryan (Falcons)

It was a surprisingly nondescript performance for Ryan (285 YDS/0 giveaways), as he couldn't find the endzone on an evening where the Packers steamrolled his stumbling Falcons from start to finish. A rebound effort may not be in the cards as they square off with a Panthers defense in Week 5 that just held Kyler Murray to 133 YDS.

Dishonorable Mentions: Jared Goff (Rams), Joe Burrow (Bengals), Kirk Cousins (Vikings)

Running Back

MVP: Joe Mixon (Bengals)

This was the explosion Mixon owners where waiting for. The 4th year running back was lights out on Sunday afternoon against the Jaguars, racking up 181 scrimmage YDS and 3 TD's on 31 touches to help power the Bengals to their 1st win of the season. While an awful offensive line and the increased risk of negative gamescript that comes with playing for a bad team will lead to some duds, performances like this paired with his rarefied bellcow status makes him a weekly mid-tier RB1.

Honorable Mentions: Dalvin Cook (Vikings), Melvin Gordon (Broncos), Chris Carson (Seahawks)

LVP: Kenyan Drake (Cardinals)

I'm as ardent of a Kenyan Drake apologist as there is, but his week 4 performance is cause for real concern. He only mustered 35 YDS on 13 carries against a Panthers team that had allowed the 2nd most fantasy points to running backs this season coming into the week and wasn't targeted once in the passing game on a day where Kyler Murray was dumping the ball off nearly every time he dropped back. About the only good news that stemmed from this clunker is that he continues to clearly outtouch Chase Edmonds-despite his backup vulturing a TD on Sunday. Drake has failed to build off his incredible finish to the 2019 season and until his production/passing game involvement increases, he shouldn't appear in most fantasy lineups. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Darrell Henderson Jr. (Rams), Myles Gaskin (Dolphins), Josh Jacobs (Raiders)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Browns)

Beckham Jr. needed just 7 touches to pick up 154 scrimmage YDS and 3 TD's (2 receiving, 1 rushing) against the Cowboys pitiful defense on Sunday. While running will continue to be the clear focal point of the Browns offensive attack, Beckham Jr's usage and TD's thus far have been encouraging despite their limited passing attempts indicate that a return to his vintage WR1 form could be on the horizon.  

Honorable Mentions: D.J. Chark (Jaguars), Amari Cooper (Cowboys), Adam Thielen (Vikings)

LVP: Calvin Ridley (Falcons)

Ridley's failure to make a reception on his 5 targets against the Packers after posting 3 straight 100+ YD outings to start the season-especially in a game where Julio Jones had to exit early after reaggravating his hamstring injury-was a genuine shock. With Jones almost certainly out and the Panthers middling secondary coming to town in Week 5, I wouldn't expect his woes to last.

Dishonorable Mentions: Michael Gallup (Cowboys), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks), A.J. Green (Bengals)

Tight End

MVP: Robert Tonyan (Packers)

Don't look now, but the Packers might have another viable receiving threat. Tonyan caught 3 of Aaron Rodgers 4 TD passes on Monday night-which ups his total to 5 on the year and finished the game with a team-high 98 YDS on 6 receptions. Any TE-desperate individual who's in a league where Tonyan is still on the waiver wire needs to make him a top waiver priority.

Honorable Mentions: George Kittle (49ers), Mark Andrews (Ravens), Dalton Schultz (Cowboys)

LVP: Mike Gesicki (Dolphins)

While the Seahawks abysmal pass defense has quietly done a good job containing TE's thus far, Geiscki's 1 REC/15 YDS performance still has to go down as a disappointment given that he's the clear #2 passing game option on the Dolphins behind DeVante Parker and this already horrible Seahawks D  was without Jamal Adams. Gesicki now only has 2 catches for 30 YDS since his Week 2 blowup against the Bills and will be a boom-or-bust TE1 option against the Cardinals in Week 5.

Dishonorable Mentions: Zach Ertz (Eagles), Hunter Henry (Chargers), Tyler Higbee (Rams)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Chiefs

Even with Chris Jones sidelined, the Chiefs defense had no trouble making life miserable for the Patriots backup QB's. Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham combined for 3 INT's (1 of which was returned for a TD), 2 sacks and a lost fumble while only generating 10 points against Steve Spagnuolo's underrated unit on Monday night. Fire them up again with confidence in Week 5 against a Raiders offense that is dealing with a rash of o-line injuries and a severe fumbling problem at the moment.

Honorable Mentions: Eagles, Rams, Colts

LVP: Cardinals

Remember when the Cardinals D were a hot waiver wire target and the subject of many "can they be an elite defense conversations among football pundits? It only took 2 weeks for that buzz to die a brutal death. They've promptly fallen back to their perennially bad form, allowing 31 points against 1 INT and 0 sacks to a Panthers offense that isn't exactly feared around the league. They'll be an obvious start this week against the (likely) Joe Flacco-led Jets, but their owners should start scouring the wire for better options to add after that. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Cowboys, Bears, Saints

2020 NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

 ()=previous ranking

1.(1) Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

2.(2) Seattle Seahawks (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

3.(3) Green Bay Packers (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

4.(4) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) Week 5 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

5.(5) Buffalo Bills (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Tennessee Titans

6.(6) Baltimore Ravens (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

7.(7) Tennessee Titans (3-0) Week 5 opponent: Buffalo Bills

8.(10) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Chicago Bears

9.(15) Indianapolis Colts (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Cleveland Browns

10.(11) Los Angeles Rams (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Washington Football Team

11.(16) New Orleans Saints (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

12.(8) New England Patriots (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Denver Broncos

13.(9) San Francisco 49ers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Miami Dolphins

14.(18) Cleveland Browns (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

15.(12) Chicago Bears (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

16.(22) Carolina Panthers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

17.(13) Arizona Cardinals (2-2) Week 5 opponent: New York Jets

18.(14) Las Vegas Raiders (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

19.(19) Los Angeles Chargers (1-3) Week 5 opponent: New Orleans Saints

20.(26) Philadelphia Eagles (1-2-1) Week 5 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

21.(28) Minnesota Vikings (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

22.(17) Dallas Cowboys (1-3) Week 5 opponent: New York Giants

23.(29) Cincinnati Bengals (1-2-1) Week 5 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

24.(21) Miami Dolphins (1-3) Week 5 opponent: San Francisco 49ers 

25.(20) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Houston Texans

26.(30) Denver Broncos (1-3) Week 5 opponent: New England Patriots

27.(25) Detroit Lions (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Bye

28.(23) Washington Football Team (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

29.(24) Houston Texans (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

30.(27) Atlanta Falcons (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Carolina Panthers

31.(31) New York Giants (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

32.(32) New York Jets (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Arizona Cardinals  

Album Review: Deftones-Ohms

2016's Gore brought Deftones to an unfamiliar place: mediocrity. Everything about Gore was so unassumingly average that it's difficult to even remember much in the way of specifics outside of the very limited highlights ("Doomed User", "Prayers/Triangles", "Phantom Bride") that offered brief reprieves from the surplus of monotony that served as its backbone. After a longer than expected four and a half year layoff, the alternative metal group is finally back in the saddle with their ninth LP Ohms. While Ohms offers a very slight change in formula from Gore, there are enough tweaks for this record to serve as an effective and important course correction.

Ohms is mostly a triumph due to its ability to recapture the classic Deftones mojo and that started with reuniting with producer Terry Date. Date played an essential part in crafting their sound in the early days (he produced their first four records) and despite being away from the band for 17 years, he's still got a tremendous feel for what the group is going for musically. His pristine, well-balanced mixing that  gives certain moments the subtle space they need to breathe and arms others with stunning sonic force shows that he understands the balance of beauty and brutality that drives Deftones better than anyone that isn't a permanent member of the band.

Naturally, the second part of this revival effort came with some much needed songwriting refinements. Most notably, guitarist Stephen Carpenter was actually allowed to plug in his guitar for more than a few minutes on this record. Armed with a nine string guitar that further enhances the power of his massive playing style, Carpenter makes up for his borderline absence on Gore by having his signature chunky, groovy riffage serve as a centerpiece on nearly every song. Carpenter's guitarwork is the driving force behind the heavy side of this group and it was great to see the group not inexplicably sideline him for a second consecutive record.

Giving Carpenter his room to go off is complemented by further diving into post-rock/dream pop/shoegaze elements of their sound. There's some really intoxicating spacey shit here on including extended jam-like outros ("Error") and unexpected ambient detours ("Pompeji", "The Spell of Mathematics") that sees keyboardist/sampling ace/turntablist Frank Delgado getting his most impactful work with the group in ages-which gives a nice little experimental kick that adds a couple of new layers to their already extensive arsenal.

This trio of factors also led to a particularly strong vocal performance from Chino Moreno. Moreno sounds pristine as he navigates through these familiar yet subtly different backdrops with his serene singing and vicious harsh vocals that have been gracefully adjusted to account for the limitations his shriek-driven style has after 25+ years of performing. While it's not exactly shocking Moreno still sounds good at this juncture, it's been a minute since his vocals were this commanding and sharp over the course an entire project.      

Ohms is a loud, proud declaration that these grizzled metal veterans still have some juice left. Uncovering the revelation that Gore was just a lazy aberration would've been enough to make Ohms a W, but it also happens to be without a doubt some of the strongest material they've released since White Pony. Longevity will be a crucial part of their legacy and releasing inspired, high quality records as they creep towards their 30 year anniversary as a group only adds to that growing legend.          

Grade: B+
Standout Tracks

1.Radiant City

2.Genesis 

3.This Link is Dead

Christopher Nolan Ranked

Welcome to the latest edition of "Ranked"-where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Christopher Nolan. 

Christopher Nolan's Filmography Ranked:

11.Interstellar (D+)

10.Insomnia (C)

9.Following (B-)

8.Tenet (B-)

7.Dunkirk (B)

6.The Prestige (B+)

5.The Dark Knight Rises (A-)

4.The Dark Knight (A-)

3.Batman Begins (A)

2.Inception (A)

1.Memento (A+)

Top Dog: Memento (2001)

Nolan's breakout project is the perfect encapsulation of what makes his movies so intriguing (when they work). The plot is a headtrip that is a blast to try and piece together, the atmosphere is full of palpable unease and the ending beautifully ties every moving part of its complex mystery together.   

Lowlight: Interstellar (2014)

This dull and disgustingly corny sci-fi adventure is the type of woeful negative benchmark that Nolan is going to a really difficult time trying to top (I'll go into further detail about why I hate it so much below). 

Most Underrated: Batman Begins (2005)

With The Dark Knight's standing as an all time classic and the ongoing spirited debates in film circles about the quality of Dark Knight Rises, Batman Begins has somehow managed to become the forgotten entry in Nolan's Batman trilogy. While it's slipped into relative anonymity within the pop culture landscape, I still believe that it's the most impressive and important film in the Dark Knight series. Batman Begins laid down the foundation for Nolan's gritty, noir-inspired take on the character by tapping into the pain and desire to use his immense resources to help protect the people of his city that drives Bruce Wayne to turn into Batman, delivering a colorful, compelling introduction to the type of psychos (Tom Wilkinson's Carmine Falcone, Cillian Murphy's Scarecrow-which remains a criminally underrated superhero villain turn) that occupy Gotham and immediately confirming that Christian Bale was the perfect actor to bring this grounded version of the character to life.        

Most Overrated: Interstellar (2014)

Science is something I don't remotely understand and once Interstellar started to break down the intricacies of wormholes, parallel dimensions, etc, my brain got completely overwhelmed-so the boredom stemming from the confusion caused by this narrative approach is completely on me. However, one thing I can wrap my minuscule brain around is parent/child relationships and Nolan delivers a wildly inept portrayal of that dynamic that turns Interstellar into a big flying piece of interdimensional poop. The "MY DAD ABANDONED US BY GOING INTO SPACE" plot is needlessly melodramatic and that fucking "twist" ending is not only idiotic, but so ridiculously contrived and sentimental that it could've been ripped from a Nicolas Sparks novel.   

Greatest Use of a Masked Tom Hardy: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Hardy has dawned a mask in 2 of his collaborations with Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises, Dunkirk) and quite frankly, it's not much of a debate as to which one is better. Masked fighter pilot Hardy in Dunkirk was just an innocuous heroic gent who sacrificed himself to the Germans to save allied troops. Bane is an imposing fashion icon who dispensed highly quotable dialogue with an incredibly bizarre and enthralling high-pitched voice. Now Nolan needs to give the world want it wants: a full blown Bane spin-off that doesn't star Batman and features nothing but Bane terrorizing the people of Gotham while delivering maniacal monologues for 2-3 hours. 

Most Needlessly Complicated: Tenet (2020)

In the early stages of Tenet, everything was going great. An unnamed American intelligence agent (John David Washington) gets tasked with figuring out who is behind a time traveling weapons scheme with potential nuclear implications after backwards-traveling bullets are found at the scene of a sting operation he was a part of at an opera house in Kiev. The plot displays impressive momentum as Washington's unnamed protagonist and his partner (Robert Pattinson) travel the globe doing espionage work to figure out who/what is responsible for this dangerous time-bending phenomenon as well as some impressive action setpieces/stuntwork that tie the plot together. Then the last hour happens and shit gets real messy real quick. Between its continued piling on of new wrinkles to its time traveling rules, a punishingly loud sound mix that routinely drowns out dialogue that's important to the story and a series of last minute revelations that attempt give an otherwise one-dimensional cartoonish villain some unearned humanity, it becomes an exhaustingly incoherent ride that brings on a headache quicker than slamming a $3 bottle of Chardonnay. While it's possible that Tenet would benefit from a rewatch, right now I can't help but feel that Nolan dropped the ball on a great premise by getting too cute with the physics and mythology of the time traveling espionage world he created.