Movie Review: Nomadland

There's a lot to admire about Chloe Zhao's Nomadland-which is currently the projected Best Picture frontrunner at this year's Oscars. Zhao continues her tradition of making films that showcase people that exist in the forgotten fringes of American culture with a story that centers on modern day nomads-who live out of vans while traveling through the wide open areas of the south/midwestern United States. Zhao treats their way of living and the reason they chose to embrace a solitary lifestyle where everything from employment to the people their surrounded by is in a constant state of flux with the utmost empathy and compassion and there's enough skillfully crafted shots of the beautiful landscapes of Nevada, Arizona and South Dakota throughout the journey to fill thousands of postcards or editions of National Geographic. However, simply respectfully portraying a subculture most people aren't even aware exists isn't enough to make Nomadland work as a piece of cinema and courtesy of its mundane, philosophically-conflicted approach to storytelling that crushes its odds of making an emotional impact, fails to be a compelling product.

At the start, Nomadland feels like its onto something. Zhao confidently introduces Fern (Frances McDormand)-a widow who turned to the nomad lifestyle shortly after the textile plant she worked at in rural Nevada shut down and the company-owned home she shared with her late husband was repossessed- and lays down the framework for an insightful character study at the jump  By the 25 minute mark, Fern has been shown selling belongings from out of a shortage unit she keeps to make money, working a seasonal holiday gig at an Amazon warehouse, running into a family she knows who questions why she's living in a van, bonds with people at the van park she's staying at and hits the road. Detailing her experiences in such a raw manner provides a look at how she's how able to survive and the type of harsh judgement she receives from people who knew her when they lived a more traditional life over their decision to embrace-which establishes what seems like the type of human hook needed to ground a story in reality (or at least something that it feels like it). 

With each subsequent location Fern travels to, Nomadland becomes less and less appealing. Mental fatigue started to sit in during the second and third cycles of Fern working a shitty temporary job/shooting the breeze with her neighbors at the location where her van is parked/occasionally taking about life come into play and once that "day in the life of a drifter" act reaches the fourth or fifth go-round without any additional significant insight about the character or the lifestyle, the end credits couldn't possibly come soon enough. While character studies are designed to be an episodic telling of the protagonist's life, watching the monotony and mindless repetition of a daily routine take place on screen gives Nomadland a taxing feeling that should never creep into any piece of act regardless of subject matter or genre.

It also doesn't help that by blending real life nomads with fictional characters, the movie is constantly at odds itself when it comes to its goal of authentically capturing the nomad lifestyle-particularly in the final act when Fern is forced to reconnect with her sister (Melissa Smith) and decides to visit an old friend (veteran character actor David Strathairn) from the road whose re-settled into a domestic life. McDormand is a  titan of an actor and she does great work once again here that is unquestionable made better by her method approach of living in a van during filming, but she can't compete with real people who've spent years, if not decades living in this world talking about what drew them to the lifestyle, their experiences on the road, etc. Every shift from the people who have the grit, bravery and survival skills to spend their lives on the road to the actors who walked away from it forever once production wrapped cheapens Zhao's desire to make a docu-style drama by adding a layer of fictionalized drama that will never ring true when its asked to appear next to the real thing. Zhao once again employing the "dramatize a real life story with the people who lived it" approach she took with her previous film The Rider would've almost certainly led to a more realistic and emotionally resonate film, but since she didn't go that route, Nomadland will just go down as a well-intentioned miscalculation on her seemingly very likely ascent to the top of her field.       

Grade: C
 

A24 Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the filmography of beloved indie studio A24-whose latest project "Minari" is in theaters now and will be available to rent on video on demand services this Friday.   

A24's Filmography Ranked:

45.Under the Skin (F)

44.The Rover (D-)

43.Tusk (D-)

42.First Cow (D)

41.Hereditary (D)

40.American Honey (D)

39.Slice (D+)

38.Gloria Bell (D+)

37.Slow West (D+)

36.The Bling Ring (C-)

35.Eighth Grade (C-)

34.Swiss Army Man (C)

33.The Last Black Man in San Francisco (C)

32.Dark Places (C+)

31.The Florida Project (C+)

30.Morris from America (B-)

29.Free Fire (B-)

28.Waves (B-)

27.Mississippi Grind (B-)

26.Son of a Gun (B)

25.The End of the Tour (B)

24.The Farewell (B)

23.A Most Violent Year (B)

22.Climax (B)

21.20th Century Women (B)

20.Never Goin' Back (B)

19.Locke (B)

18.First Reformed (B)

17.Moonlight (B)

16.Obvious Child (B)

15.Midsommar (B)

14.Life After Beth (B+)

13.The Witch (B+)

12.Lady Bird (B+)

11.Good Time (B+)

10.The Lighthouse (B+)

9.Spring Breakers (B+)

8.Amy (A-)

7.Ex Machina (A-)

6.Green Room (A-)

5.Mid90s (A)

4.The Spectacular Now (A)

3.Uncut Gems (A)

2.The Disaster Artist (A)

1.Room (A)

Top Dog: Room (2015)

While I'm not confident if I'll ever have the stomach to watch it again, Room remains an unbelievable movie that I'll never be able to shake. It's a powerful, often harrowing story about a mother and son who experience unfathomable trauma and their long, painful adjustment to "normal" life once they've been removed from the situation that was endangering their lives that's emotionally elevated by a pair of gut-wrenching performances from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay.  

Lowlight: Under the Skin (2014)

No amount of full frontal nudity from Scarlett Johannsson or striking shots of the Scottish wilderness could save Under the Skin from being a relentlessly hellish experience. It's one of those purely insufferable movies where a meandering string of inconsequential encounters and contemplative shots of the characters driving or staring into the distance masquerade as some kind of profound philosophical exploration of the human condition until it reaches a purposefully ambiguous conclusion that just confirms that there's nothing meaningful or interesting going underneath its shiny art film exterior.   

Most Underrated: The Spectacular Now (2013)

With its preposterously talented ensemble (Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kaitlyn Dever, Bob Odenkirk) all turning in top-tier performances, a central relationship that feels realistic at every turn and a steadfast refusal to give into the genre's easily digestible, fairy tale clichés, The Spectacular Now manages to standout as one of the most grounded, mature coming-of-age romance movies ever made.

Most Overrated: Hereditary (2018)

After showing some potential in the opening half as a moody mediation on the different ways people grieve after the unexpected death of a loved one, Hereditary morphs into an overacted, unintentionally hilarious disaster with supernatural horror elements that feel tacked-on and completely undercut the themes that drive the initial stages of the film. 

Finest Polarizing Piece of Pop Culture Insanity: Spring Breakers (2014)

Calling Spring Breakers polarizing might be portraying its reception as more favorable than it actually is. In my experience of reading and listening to takes about it, it's a movie that most people from critics to average folks completely despise that just happens to have a very small yet vocal group that thinks its a masterpiece. While I'll stop short of joining the extreme enthusiasm end of that spectrum, I do think Spring Breakers is a really great movie that cleverly tricked people who were expected to watch some kind of mindless beach party movie that starred a trio of former teen idols (Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson) into watching an unhinged, hypnotic surrealist satire about the joys and horrors of the unapologetic hedonistic excess that drives America's youth culture.    

Most Indulgent Indie Crap: American Honey (2016)

Has the concept of editors gone out the window in the world of cinema? Because literally not having an editor on the production is the only justification I can think of for making a low-key road movie about a group of runaway misfits selling magazines door to door throughout the midwest in THE PRESENT DAY  2 hours and 43 minutes long. The free-spirited/illegal hijinks of these young drifters are fun for about 45 minutes, but an additional couple of hours of watching them rob the houses of their potential customers, stirring up shit with locals in small town (insert rural state) and trade passive aggressive barbs because they're mad about who's screwing who makes American Honey an exercise in constantly escalating tedium that could've easily been avoided if Andrea Arnold simply made something more streamlined.    

Most Surprising Entry in Their Distribution Library: Son of a Gun (2015)

In less than a decade as a distributor, A24 has been able to establish themselves as the leader in bringing prestige indie cinema from across the genre spectrum to the screen and helped launch or significantly elevated the careers of many celebrated young filmmakers including Barry Jenkins, Robert Eggers and the Safdie Brothers. Given their tastemaker status, it's pretty surprising to discover to uncover some of the less glamorous titles they've put out-particularly during their early years. Of the movies from that group that I've seen, Son of a Gun stands out the most. While Son of a Gun is a perfectly functional prison/heist thriller from Overlord director Julius Avery that features magnetic turns from Ewan McGregor and a pre-Ex Machina/Danish Girl Alicia Vikander, it just feels like way too conventional of a genre movie to be distributed by a label that prides itself on garnering cinephile raves.

Movie Review: I Care a Lot

"There's no such thing as a good person"- protagonist Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) defiantly exclaims in the opening voiceover monologue of I Care a Lot. That simple piece of dialogue outlines exactly what kind of nasty, immoral characters occupy this darkly comedic crime thriller's universe. 

Grayson is a smart, maniacal woman who with the help of her partners in the medical and assisted living communities muscles her way into becoming the court-appointed legal guardians of vulnerable senior citizens, cuts them off completely from the outside world then sells off their homes/assets. 

Thanks to Grayson's intelligence/knack for manipulating the facts to make convincing legal arguments  whenever she's taken to court by a client's family member and the continued compliance from the people she's aligned with in the system, this grift she and her wife/business partner Fran (Eiza Gonzalez) are running is basically an infallible cash cow that will continue to work as long as all of the key parties keep getting a piece of the pie. The seamlessness of their operation all changes when a doctor (Alicia Witt) hands Grayson what seems like a jackpot of a client in a single woman (Dianne Wiest) with potential memory loss issues that has no living family. Shortly after entering Grayson's care, it becomes evident that this woman isn't the easy mark she appeared to be and this hostile takeover of her assets has put Grayson on the radar of a powerful ex-mobster (Peter Dinklage) who will do anything it takes to free this woman from Grayson's care.

While it does provide some insight on the innerworkings of the complex system that drives it, I Care a Lot isn't so much a commentary on the often explorative business of conservatorships as it is a story of a person who makes their living off exploiting vulnerable people finally getting a taste of the life-altering suffering they've spent years happily dishing out to others. Pike's effortless icy villainy paired with J. Blakeson's kinetic direction makes Grayson's self-imposed fight for survival a fascinating one-particularly in the scenes with Dinklage, whose mysterious character is the only person in this universe that's just as unflappable, driven and ruthless as her. The pendulum keeps swinging back and forth in this relentless battle of wits between the two formidable opponents until it reaches a genuinely unexpected outcome that somehow manages to surpass all of the pretty constant bleakness that preceded it. Clearly a film with shitty people engaging in varying degrees of shitty behavior isn't going to appeal to everyone, but anybody that's willing to frolic in the dirt for roughly 2 hours could end up having a blast with it.                  

Grade: B+

Kristen Wiig 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 Kristen Wiig-whose latest project "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar" is available now on video demand services. 

Kristen Wiig's Filmography Ranked:

28.The Diary of a Teenage Girl (D)

27.Despicable Me (C)

26.Welcome to Me (C)

25.Mother! (C)

24.Wonder Woman 1984 (C+)

23.Zoolander 2 (C+)

22.Semi-Pro (C+)

21.Where'd You Go, Bernadette (B-) 

20.Masterminds (B-)

19.Whip It (B-)

18.Ghostbusters (B)

17.Date Night (B)

16.Adventureland (B)

15.The Brothers Solomon (B)

14.Paul (B+)

13.Extract (B+)

12.Bridesmaids (B+)

11.The Martian (B+)

10.Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (B+)

9.The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (B+)

8.Her (B+)

7.Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (A-)

6.Sausage Party (A-)

5.Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (A-)

4.Forgetting Sarah Marshall (A-)

3.MacGruber (A-)

2.The Skeleton Twins (A-)

1.Knocked Up (A+)

Top Dog: Knocked Up (2007)

Powered by strong writing, Seth Rogen's seamless transition from standout secondary performer to leading man and a scene-stealing collection of supporting players (Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel Jonah Hill, Harold Ramis, Martin Starr, Charlene Yi, Wiig, Craig Robinson, Ken Jeong), Judd Apatow was able to follow up The 40-Year Old Virgin with another heartfelt, hilarious and just generally special comedy.

Lowlight: The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015)

It might not sink to the levels of Roma or Joker, but The Diary of a Teenage Girl is still very high on my list of insufferably pretentious films. Marielle Heller-who has since gone on to direct the solid biopics Can You Ever Forgive Me? and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood-attempts to make this 70's-set coming-of-age story about a sexually curious teenager (Bel Powley) who strikes up an affair with her mother's (Wiig) boyfriend (Alexander Skarsgard) into a provocative yet quirky tale, but ends up making a dull, gross and tonally all over the place film that never even comes close to achieving whatever statement on female empowerment it was trying to make.   

Most Underrated: The Skeleton Twins (2014)

Thanks to Wiig and Bill Hader's incredible performances as estranged twins who are reunited when the brother survives a suicide attempt and restrained direction from Craig Johnson, The Skeleton Twins is able to subvert its melodramatic setup to become a beautiful, poignant reflection on how siblings with a powerful bond can help each other get through some of the most difficult situations life can throw at a person. 

Most Overrated: Despicable Me (2010)

The initial entry in Illumination's megahit franchise that is arguably the most successful non-Disney animated brand to be birthed since Shrek is the only one that I've seen and I have no plans to ever change that. Despicable Me falls into the cartoon no man's land of not being funny or touching enough to connect with an older audience and its relatively annoying characters such as Gru, the Minions and Agnes aren't exactly a blast to spent 90 minutes with. 

Best Cult Comedy: MacGruber (2010)

As one of the few dozen people who saw MacGruber during its initial theatrical run, it's been awesome to see this film slowly turn into one of the most beloved comedies of the 2010's. Transforming a one joke MacGyver parody SNL sketch into a feature film that is a hilarious broader goof on 80's action movies filled with quotables, colorful supporting characters and absurd scenes with incredible comedic payoffs is a testament to the manic comedy genius of Will Forte, Jorma Taccone, John Solomon and Wiig.   

Worst Sequel to a Cult Comedy: Zoolander 2 (2016)

The relative failure of Zoolander 2 is one of the more puzzling and frustrating misfires in recent movie history. All of the key players (Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux, Mila Jovovich)  that made the original a dumb comedy masterpiece returned alongside some formidable new additions (Penelope Cruz, Wiig, Fred Armisen) and yet the magic just couldn't be recreated. The jokes are extremely inconsistent with only a handful landing registering any sort of noteworthy laughter, the reliance on cameos gets old quickly and most distressingly of all, Stiller, Wilson and Ferrell all put forth questionable efforts that made their performances feel more like cheap, phoned-in imitations of their iconic characters than sincere reprisals of the roles. 

Movie Review: Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

In the early days of the summer movie season in 2011, a little movie that actors Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo wrote called Bridesmaids hit theaters. The romantic dramedy morphed into a full blown sensation that earned widespread acclaim, grossed nearly $300 million worldwide and catapulted cast MVP Melissa McCarthy into superstardom. After writing something that was so well-liked and financially successful, a quick turnaround for their next collaboration seemed likely-but it never materialized as the next several years saw Mumolo landing some solo writing (Megan Leavey, a script for Joy that David O. Russell rewrote) and supporting acting gigs (Bad Moms, The Boss) while Wiig's star status increased with roles in films like Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, The Martian and Ghostbusters. After about roughly 10 years apart as collaborators, Mumolo and Wiig have finally reunited as writers and for the first time, co-leads with Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar-a genuinely surprising and great comedy that adds another winner to their short yet impressive collaborative resume.

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is the type of colorful, joke-a-minute absurdist comedy that is spiritually reminiscent of titles like Zoolander, Wet Hot American Summer and Hot Rod that developed cult followings after stumbling at the box office during the 2000's. Even providing hints of what takes place here would ruin the fun, but let's just say chipper, single midwestern best friends Barb (Mumolo) and Star (Wiig) get more than they more bargained for when they travel to a hotel in Vista Del Mar, Florida that's billed as a paradise for middle aged people. Random asides, increasingly insane plot developments and callbacks to seemingly innocuous jokes well after they were made are the backbone of this movie and the primary source of the bizzaro joy it provides. Wiig and Mumolo are at their comedic peaks as these unadventurous 40-something women who get sucked into a bold new world that is well beyond the mundane small town Nebraska existence they know and their terrifically cast cohorts including a scene-stealing Jamie Dornan as a key supporting character that couldn't possibly be further from the stone serious roles he's known for (The Huntsman on Once Upon a Time..., Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades trilogy) and Damon Wayans Jr. as a mysterious visitor to the hotel seamlessly commit to every wacky, surrealist left turn that the leading ladies put into the script. How Wiig and Mumolo were able to secure funding from a non-streaming distributor for a movie that completely lacks the commercial viability of Bridesmaids is beyond me, but I'm happy that Lionsgate stepped up and allowed them to make something that is so consistently stupid, weird and laugh out loud funny without any sort of notable creative interference.         

Grade: B+

Movie Review: Judas and the Black Messiah

 

About the only blessing to come out of the current COVID-impacted film landscape was the decision to extend 2020 awards eligibility into the first two months of 2021. Giving studios and streamers the extra time to release potential contending titles has granted them the opportunity to make up for 2020's somewhat light output during the traditionally jam-packed fall/holiday slates. The full upside of this extension materialized this past week when it helped pave the way for the release of the clear best film of the season thus far in Warner Brothers' Fred Hampton/William O'Neal biopic Judas and the Black Messiah.

For those unfamiliar with the premise, Judas and the Black Messiah tells the far too unknown story of a young car thief named William O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) who is arrested for impersonating an FBI agent and stealing multiple cars in Chicago in late 1968. The FBI agent (Jesse Plemons) that picks O'Neal up offers to set him free if he agrees to infiltrate the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party and provide the feds with intel on their prolific young leader Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya)-who has been deemed the single greatest terrorist threat to the United States by FBI head J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen). O'Neal agrees and before too long, he ends up with a prominent role in the Panthers as Hampton's driver and director of personal security. In late 1969,  the FBI became increasingly concerned about Hampton's impact in Chicago with his formation of the Rainbow Coalition-that unified organizations from every race behind an anti-capitalist/pro-socialist platform that targeted their shared oppressors in the government and law enforcement as well as his meteoric rise within the national hierarchy of the Panthers. Weaponizing their increased fear, the feds intimidate O'Neal into providing them with a map of Hampton's apartment and on December 4th 1969, Hampton was murdered by a group of men consisting of FBI agents and Chicago police officers while sleeping in his own bed.

Judas and the Black Messiah is a reflection of the power a fact-based film can wield when its done correctly. Co-writer/director Shaka King-in what his remarkably only his second movie-understands the storytelling limits he has in two hours and pulls off the difficult feat of providing a condensed, entertainment-conscious version of history that doesn't feel skimpy or sanitized. Through much of the first two acts, the audience is provided a taste of Hampton's diplomatic skills and the fiery public speeches that highlighted his socialist politics, the tactics that the feds and local cops used to antagonize the Panthers (constant harassment, escalating potentially violent situations, using several moles to get members killed) and a look at O'Neal's internal conflict between believing in Hampton's cause and trying to save his own ass by reporting back to the FBI. In the final act, the story slightly shifts to providing increasingly disturbing insight into the smear campaign/blatantly illegal behavior the authorities used to go after Hampton including the extensive blackmailing of O'Neal and how Hoover arrives at the conclusion that the only solution to their Hampton problem is to murder him. Particularly in a story that's as rich and complicated as this, you're not going to touch upon every detail about the events or people involved when dramatizing a real life story-but King comes damn close to doing so while also making a riveting piece of art out of a particularly maddening and sickening piece of  American history.

Rounding out the tremendous success of King's film is the unbelievable work of his cast. There are a not pair of actors working today that could've brought Hampton and O'Neal to life better than Kaluuya and Stanfield. Kaluuya simply commands the screen by combining the domineering magnetism present in Hampton's public speaking/diplomatic work with the quietly introspective nature he displayed in his personal life while Stanfield turns in a deeply nuanced performance as a man living a treacherous double life who becomes more and more visibly tormented by his betrayal of Hampton as the film progresses. If I were running the show, they'd be at the front of the line for Oscar nominations and have very strong odds of taking home the statues.

While Kaluuya and Stanfield are understandably garnering most of the attention for their contributions to the project, the supporting cast does similarly terrific work that deserves mass recognition. Dominique Fishback gives a beautifully understated performance as Deborah Johnson-Hampton's girlfriend who was pregnant with his son at the time he was assassinated-who is the only person in Hampton's orbit that forces him to look at how his revolutionary status effects the wellbeing of the people that care about him, Plemons gives a bit of a unique spin on his traditional villain role as O'Neal's FBI contact who isn't nesscairly completely on board with all the actions of his superiors at the bureau and in only a few scenes, Sheen is able to establish Hoover as a sinister presence whose unflinching evil quietly looms over the entire movie. Getting such strong performances out of the secondary players in the cast is the ultimate unsung sign that a movie is something special and any deep dive conversation about the impact of this film will hopefully reflect how valuable their efforts were in helping cementing the greatness on display here.

As this country attempts to finally reckon with its extensive history of systemic racism and providing revisionist history that shifts blame away from the powerful white figures that were responsible for many of its most damning chapters, having a film like Judas and the Black Messiah enter the world could be key in helping start that long overdue journey down the path of enlightenment. The reality is that whatever brief mentions of the Black Panthers and Hampton have been taught in the schools that even bothered to invoke their names over the years portrayed the organization as the black answer to the Ku Klux Klan-which is the exact line of thinking the government floated out at the time to justify the war they started against the Panthers. We weren't told that Hampton and other leaders of the Panthers were key civil rights figures that believed in the importance of unifying people from all races, providing underserved communities with services they didn't have access to (ex: opening free medical clinics/education centers and providing breakfast for kids) and preaching to the masses that the roots of racial injustice stem from the oppressive structure of capitalism. 

Judas and the Black Messiah helps expose those misconceptions about the Panthers for the bigoted, manufactured falsehoods that they are and provides a much-needed look at how and why Hampton's race/political views resulted in him being labeled as a terrorist by his own government. Anybody that's not in denial about the current realities of the world understands that the issues Hampton was fighting against are still just as prevalent now as they were in the early days of post-Segregation that are depicted here and it's incredible that a mainstream Hollywood film was able to deliver an uncompromisingly brutal look at this relentless struggle while still succeeding as a brilliantly constructed/acted/shot piece of cinema. In short, Judas and the Black Messiah is a straight up masterpiece that sets the bar absurdly high for the rest of the 2021 cinematic year.    

Grade: A

Movie Review: The Little Things

 

HBO's True Detective managed to revitalize the appetite for noir-tinged police procedurals and after 3 seasons of that series, Warner Brothers decided to bring one of these stories to the cinematic medium with The Little Things. Although John Lee Hancock's script-who also directed-isn't nearly sharp enough to make all the ambiguity present in the story work to the fullest extent and the wonky, cut-happy editing that feels like it was done by a first year film student who hadn't quite figured to how use the software yet is severely distracting at times, The Little Things is a perfectly functional, moody meditation on homicide detectives that let their unsolved cases consume them. 

Hancock establishes the type of sleazy atmosphere where morally dubious characters on both sides of the badge constantly blur the lines between good and evil, the primary actors (Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto) all live up to their sterling reputations with solid performances (particularly Leto-who shines as a creepy appliance repairman that Washington and Malek's characters believe is the top suspect in the serial murder case they're investigating) and the final act-while occasionally clumsy-ultimately does a good job of illustrating the perpetual psychological torture that plagues these cops when a case reaches a dead end and how that unnerving obsession can have unintended permanent consequences. While it's not likely that very many people are going to peg it as this generation's Seven or Prisoners, The Little Things remains a solid entry in a relic of a genre that we rarely see explored in this day and age.      

Grade: B

Nicolas Cage 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 Nicolas Cage-whose latest project "Willy's Wonderland" hits VOD services on Friday.

Nicolas Cage's Filmography Ranked:

26.Adaptation. (D-)

25.Next (D)

24.Season of the Witch (D)

23.Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (D+) 

22.Windtalkers (C-)

21.Ghost Rider (C)

20.Teen Titans! Go to the Movies (C+) 

19.Red Rock West (B-)

18.Primal (B-)

17.The Croods (B-)

16.Color Out of Space (B-)

15.Leaving Las Vegas (B-)

14.Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (B)

13.Snowden (B)

12.Mom and Dad (B)

11.National Treasure (B)

10.Drive Angry (B)

9.National Treasure: Book of Secrets (B+)

8.Lord of War (B+)

7.Gone in 60 Seconds (B+)

6.Face/Off (B+)

5.Raising Arizona (B+)

4.The Rock (B+)

3.Con Air (A-)

2.Mandy (A)

1.Kick-Ass (A)

Top Dog: Kick-Ass (2010)

Matthew Vaughn provided the world with the first mainstream R-rated "superhero" movie back in 2010 and nearly 11 years later, nothing from the subsequent surge of films that meet that criteria has been able to match the brilliance of Kick-Ass. With its darkly comedic snark, morally dubious yet highly entertaining characters and brutal action scenes, Vaughn created a colorful, grime-ridden world where vigilante heroes and maniacal unchecked criminal figures are able to thrive together in beautifully chaotic harmony.    

Lowlight: Adaptation. (2002)

Adaptation. is the type of smug, self-satisfied arthouse garbage that could've only come from the mind of someone with the ego and inflated view of their own intelligence that film snob god Charlie Kaufman possesses. Everything from the meta elements about the difficulties of adapting a screenplay from someone else's work down to the nose-thumbing at perceived "lesser" genres like thrillers that drives the latter portion of the movie is so relentlessly masturbatory that it made me want to vomit and somehow get in touch with Kaufman just so I could personally tell him to fuck off for being such a condescending prick.        

Most Underrated: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

The final entry in Cage's delightful action blockbuster run of the late 90's/early 2000's is a borderline classic piece of dumb fun with great car chases/heist sequences, wall-to-wall energy and a plethora of game performances from talented performers (Giovanni Ribisi, Angelina Jolie, Delroy Lindo, Chi McBride, Timothy Olyphant, Will Patton, Robert Duvall, Christopher Eccleston, Vinnie Jones) who knew exactly what type of movie Gone in 60 Seconds was aiming to be.

Most Overrated: Adaptation. (2002)

Charlie Kaufman is a pretentious clown and this self-absorbed shitpile of a movie represents him at his most insufferable.  

Most Nicolas Cage-Friendly Movie: Mandy (2018)

It's no secret that Cage has a tendency to seek out the wildest projects possible, but even for an actor with a filmography where nuttiness is the norm-Mandy stands out. Part surrealist romance, part revenge/vigilante splatterfest,-Mandy is a singularly bonkers movie elevated by Cage's ability to tackle unhinged rage and quiet moments of visible grief with equal proficiency, stunning psychedelic visuals that adds a layer of visceral beauty to a story that's overflowing with grotesque ugliness and a dread-filled score from the late Johan Johannsson that complements the insanity on screen perfectly.          

Greatest 90's Action Movie: Con Air (1997)

Con Air sincerely may be the greatest piece of big budget B-action insanity ever made. The plot is an absurd, tongue-in-cheek masterpiece (a group of dangerous inmates hijack the plane they're being transferred to a new supermax prison on), the primary actors (Cage, John Malkovich, John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames, Colm Meaney, Danny Trejo, M.C. Gainey, Mykelti Williamson) deliver nothing but flawless overacting and above all, the insanely over-the-top highlight reel moments that makes types of movies so fun hit with impressive frequency until the credits roll. 

Movie That Was in Desperate Need of More Cage Mania: Next (2007)

The synopsis for Next reads like the perfect bonkers Cage movie: A small-time Las Vegas magician (Cage) who can see 2 minutes into the future is tasked by an FBI agent (Julianne Moore) to foil a Russian terrorist syndicate from detonating a nuclear weapon in downtown Los Angeles. To put it lightly, the potential of that nutso premise isn't even close to being fully realized. Next is a sloppy, overly serious movie with a bafflingly stoic turn from Cage and far too prominent of an emphasis on a corny romantic subplot involving a woman (Jessica Biel) Cage's character is forced to track down that derails any chance of fun arriving on the scene to liven up this dull mess.

2021 NFL Mock Draft (Post Super Bowl/Pre-Combine)

 1.Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, quarterback (Clemson)

2.New York Jets: Zach Wilson, quarterback (BYU)

3.Miami Dolphins: Penei Sewell, tackle (Oregon)

4.Atlanta Falcons: Gregory Rousseau, edge rusher (Miami)

5.Cincinnati Bengals: Micah Parsons, inside linebacker (Penn State)

6.Philadelphia Eagles: Caleb Farley, cornerback (Virginia Tech)

7.Detroit Lions: Ja'Marr Chase, wide receiver (LSU)

8.Carolina Panthers: Justin Fields, quarterback (Ohio State)

9.Denver Broncos: Patrick Surtain II, cornerback (Alabama)

10.Dallas Cowboys: Kyle Pitts, tight end (Florida)

11.New York Giants: DeVonta Smith, wide receiver (Alabama)

12.San Francisco 49ers: Jaycee Horn, cornerback (South Carolina)

13.Los Angeles Chargers: Rashawn Slater, tackle (Northwestern)

14.Minnesota Vikings: Christian Darrisaw, tackle (Virginia Tech)

15.New England Patriots: Trey Lance, quarterback (North Dakota State)

16.Arizona Cardinals: Levi Onuwuzurlike, defensive tackle (Washington)

17.Las Vegas Raiders: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, inside/outside linebacker (Notre Dame)

18.Miami Dolphins: Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver (Alabama)

19.Washington Football Team: Mac Jones, quarterback (Alabama)

20.Chicago Bears: Allijah Vera-Tucker, tackle (USC)

21.Indianapolis Colts: Kadarius Toney, wide receiver (Florida)

22.Tennessse Titans: Zavean Collins, inside linebacker (Tulsa)

23.New York Jets: Najee Harris, running back (Alabama)

24.Pittsburgh Steelers: Carlos Basham Jr., edge rusher (Wake Forest)

25.Jacksonville Jaguars: Kwity Paye, defensive tackle (Michigan)

26.Cleveland Browns: Azezz Ojulari, inside linebacker (Georgia)

27.Baltimore Ravens: Rondale Moore, wide receiver (Purdue)

28.New Orleans Saints: Kyle Trask, quarterback (Florida)

29.Green Bay Packers: Nick Bolton, inside linebacker (Missouri)

30.Buffalo Bills: Jalean Phillips, edge rusher (Miami)

31.Kansas City Chiefs: Christian Barmore, defensive tackle (Alabama)

32.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rashod Bateman, wide receiver (Minnesota)

Movie Review: Malcolm & Marie

A car pulls into the driveway of a scenic, secluded home on a quiet summer evening. Cut to the inside of the house where Malcolm (John David Washington)- an up-and-coming director-is pouring himself some celebratory drinks after the successful premiere of the acclaimed movie that seems set to launch him into superstardom while his girlfriend Marie (Zendaya)-seeming dejected and distant-quietly opens the screen door to smoke a cigarette then offers to make her very drunk partner some macaroni and cheese. After listening to Malcolm continue to indulgently soak up the praise he was receiving and discuss what his next move will be as a filmmaker will be now that's he "made it", Marie reveals that she's upset with him after he failed to thank her when he took the stage after the screening despite the fact that protagonist in his movie seems to based on her and the mood suddenly shifts from jubilation to to combative as the couple's long hidden gripes boil over to the point where they're forced to evaluate the status of their relationship. This is the simple yet tense stage writer/director Sam Levinson (best known for HBO's Euphoria) sets for the claustrophobic relationship drama Malcolm & Marie and, thanks to his sharp pen/direction and a pair of incredible performances from the perfectly cast actors, he creates an eerily effective snapshot of a young couple's volatile relationship that may or may not be able to survive long term.

Using a real time-style narrative that takes place in one setting is the greatest weapon that Malcolm & Marie has. With the post-opening credit establishing shots that slowly pan from outside the first floor windows of the rented home they're staying at that, the audience gets an immediate taste of the two very different emotional spaces the couple are in after the premiere. As the camera shifts from Malcolm's euphoric smiling and dancing to Marie's quiet anger, it's clear that the energy in the room is combustible and once Marie finally confronts Malcolm after she finishes her much-needed reflective smoke break, the odds of this night ending on a positive note for either party officially go down to zero. 

While there are unsurprisingly some asides that are only going to apply (ex: Malcolm's vitriol-fueled rant towards critics after reading one of the initial reviews for his movie and their debates about the importance of authenticity in art) to conversations between people that work in the industry (Marie is an aspiring actress who hasn't booked any significant gigs to date), there's a certain combative rhythm and slowly escalating ugliness to the conversation that should feel familiar to anyone that's participated in or observed a prolonged argument between a couple during their lives. 

What starts as a petty, seemingly small disagreement over a small action eventually morphs into a brutal verbal cage match that blows the fucking lid off of whatever long-buried issues the two people have with each other. Both parties are actively preying on the egos, insecurities and past mistakes of the other in order to inflict as much as emotional pain on the other person as humanly possible. It's the type of knock down drag out, empty the whole clip confrontation where even the moments of silence are laced with anger and the brutal sting of the wounds they've been inflicting on each other for hours, and the future of the relationship immediately comes into question. As exhausting and occasionally indulgent as watching a 105-minute argument between two people that are frequently showing off the worst of themselves can be to watch, bringing this common life event to the screen in such excruciatingly vivid, lifelike detail is the type of towering accomplishment that solidifies Zendaya, Washington and Levinson as fearless masters of their respective crafts.      

Grade: A-

Super Bowl 55 Prediction

Conference Championship Record: 1-1 (Correct: Chiefs Incorrect: Packers)

Overall Record: 8-4

Kansas City Chiefs over Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 

Heading into Super Bowl 55, all of the momentum is trending towards the Bucs. They have the unprecedented luxury of playing the Super Bowl in their home stadium, their defense-which is coming off back-to-back strong performances-has increased odds of being able to contain the Chiefs explosive offense now that left tackle Eric Fisher is out of the lineup and the already hungry Tom Brady has extra motivation to show out after posting a 3 INT 2nd half against the Packers that could've cost his team the game.

While I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the Bucs were able to capitalize on all of those advantages, I still believe in the Chiefs too much to pick against them. They've lost just 1 game where their starters weren't resting since November 2019, the back end of their defense doesn't have a blatant weak link like Kevin King that Brady can consistently exploit all game long and most importantly, they've won games in every way imaginable this season-which gives them the adaptability required to overcome the potential offensive limitations they'll have with a reshuffled o-line. Knocking off a Brady-lead team with a pretty strong defense that's been playing near their peak of late isn't going to be easy and it's likely going to come down to the 4th quarter, but Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the other key leaders of this Chiefs team (Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Tyrann Mathieu, Tyreek Hill) have the mental grit to head into the lion's den and beat the greatest champion the NFL has ever seen.   

 

2020 NFL Year-End Awards and All-Pro Teams+ 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame Predictions

MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

The Packers selecting Jordan Love in the 1st round of last year's draft proved to be one hell of a motivational tool for Green Bay's longtime franchise quarterback. Rodgers worked his ass off to put together what very well could've been the most efficient, confident and downright dominant season of his illustrious career thus far-finishing the regular season with 4,299 passing YDS, 48 TD's (a career high) 5 INT's, a 70.7 CMP% (also a career high) and a 121.5 QBR.   

Honorable Mentions: Josh Allen (Bills), Derrick Henry (Titans), Aaron Donald (Rams)

Offensive Player of the Year: Deshaun Watson (Texans)

If Watson wasn't on a 4 win team, he would've been battling Rodgers and Josh Allen for MVP. What he was able to do this season with a wretched offensive line, revolving door at wide receiver (Brandin Cooks-who only missed 1 game with injury-was the only WR to appear in more than 11 games this season), largely nonexistent running game (31st in the league) and a league-worst defense that frequently undercut his big time play was nothing short of astonishing. Watson posted an absurd 4,823 YDS, 70.2 CMP%, 33 TD's and 7 INT's (a career low) while only throwing 544 times in 16 games (10th most in the league). Any organization would be lucky to have such a dynamic talent as their quarterback and the Texans should be disgusted with themselves that they managed to rapidly piss away their relationship with the only great QB they've ever had.  

Honorable Mentions: Derrick Henry (Titans), Davante Adams (Packers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald (Rams)

Even in an "off year", Donald was able to maintain his reign as the best defensive player in football. He continued to blow up plays in the backfield (14 TFL's, 45 total tackles), get after the quarterback (13.5 sacks/28 QB hits) and consistently open up holes for his teammates to get sacks/TFL (Leonard Floyd, Morgan Fox and Troy Reeder all had career best years) at an exceptionally high clip-which was essential in helping the Rams become the league's best defense in 2020.  

Honorable Mentions: T.J. Watt (Steelers), Jaire Alexander (Packers), Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Justin Herbert (Chargers)

A freak incident involving a botched pregame pain injection that took veteran gap starter Tyrod Taylor out of the lineup with a punctured lung forced Herbert onto the field much earlier than expected (Week 2 to be exact) and the kid absolutely seized the opportunity. Shattering several rookie records including TD passes (31) and most consecutive games with multiple TD passes (7), Herbert's combination of poise under pressure, better than expected accuracy and ability to make difficult throws that rookie don't tend to make made him a much-needed bright spot on a Chargers team that was plagued by poor coaching, an embarrassing lack of discipline and some of the worst offensive line/special teams play you'll ever see on an NFL team. If new head coach Brandon Staley can clean up the stupid penalties they committed under Anthony Lynn and he can get even some semblance of protection from the group upfront, there's no reason to believe that Herbert isn't capable of becoming one of the best QB's in the league within the next few years.     

Honorable Mentions: Justin Jefferson (Vikings), James Robinson (Jaguars), Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Chase Young (Washington Football Team)

All of the hype surrounding Young coming into the league proved to be completely justified. The #2 overall pick in the draft commanded the type of attention typically reserved for the best edge talent in the league right away and still managed to consistently impress by flashing elite playmaking ability (42 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 10 TFL's, 12 QB hits, 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 passes defensed and a TD in just 14 full games) that gave Washington the type of multi-faceted wrecking ball they desperately needed up front. 

Honorable Mentions: Antoine Winfield Jr. (Buccaneers), L'Jarius Sneed (Chiefs), Kamren Curl (Washington Football Team)  

Coach of the Year: Kevin Stefanski (Browns)

While certified clown Freddie Kitchens wasn't exactly a tough act to follow, Stefanski impressed right away by bringing in a strong offensive system, overhauling the culture and establishing the strong, disciplined work ethic that evaded them during their ugly 2019 campaign that resulted in the Browns ending their league-leading 19-year playoff drought and more importantly, instilling a warranted sense of optimism for this team for the first time since they re-entered the league in 1999.

Honorable Mentions: Brian Flores (Dolphins), Sean McDermott (Bills), Ron Rivera (Washington Football Team)

Comeback Player of the Year: Jason Verrett (49ers)

In an ironic twist of fate, the oft-injured Verrett-who only played in 6 total games from 2016-19 after dealing with season-ending Achilles, ankle and a pair of knee ailments in consecutive seasons-stepped up big for a depleted 49ers squad by starting in the final 13 games of the year for them and reminded the world why he was once regarded as one of the best young corners in the league during his time with the Chargers by finishing the season grading out as a top 10 corner in the league according to Pro Football Focus. 

Honorable Mentions: Aldon Smith (Cowboys), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Alex Smith (Washington Football Team) 

All-Pro Teams

Quarterback
1st team: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

2nd team: Josh Allen (Bills)

Running Back

1st team: Derrick Henry (Titans), Dalvin Cook (Vikings)

2nd team: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Aaron Jones (Packers)

Wide Receiver 

1st team: Davante Adams (Packers), Stefon Diggs (Bills)

2nd team: DeAndre Hopkins (Cardinals), Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)

Tight End

1st team: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

2nd team: Darren Waller (Raiders)

Tackle

1st team: Garett Bolles (Broncos), Jack Conklin (Browns)

2nd team: David Bakhitiari (Packers), Ryan Ramcyzk (Saints)

Guard

1st team: Quenton Nelson (Colts), Wyatt Teller (Browns)

2nd team: Ali Marpet (Buccaneers), Shaq Mason (Patriots)

Center

1st team: Corey Linsley (Packers)

2nd team: Frank Ragnow (Lions)

Defensive End

1st team: Myles Garrett (Browns), Leonard Williams (Giants)

2nd team: Chase Young (Washington Football Team), Joey Bosa (Chargers)

Defensive Tackle

1st team: Aaron Donald (Rams), DeForest Buckner (Colts)

2nd team: Cameron Heyward (Steelers), Chris Jones (Chiefs)

Outside Linebacker

1st team: T.J. Watt (Steeler), Khalil Mack (Bears)

2nd team: Hasson Reddick (Cardinals), Za'Darius Smith (Packers)

Inside Linebacker

1st team: Bobby Wagner (Seahawks), Fred Warner (49ers)

2nd team: Lavonte David (Buccaneers), Blake Martinez (Giants)

Cornerback

1st team: Jaire Alexander (Packers), Xavien Howard (Dolphins)

2nd team: Jalen Ramsey (Rams), Darious Williams (Rams)

Safety

1st team: Jessie Bates (Bengals), John Johnson III (Rams)

2nd team: Justin Simmons (Broncos), Marcus Maye (Jets)

Kicker

1st team: Jason Sanders (Dolphins)

2nd team: Younghoe Koo (Falcons)

Punter

1st team: Jake Bailey (Patriots)

2nd team: Jack Fox (Lions)

Return Specialist

1st team: Cordarrelle Patterson (Bears), Gunner Olzewski (Patriots)

2nd team: Andre Roberts (Bills), Jakeem Grant (Dolphins)

Special Teamer:

1st team: Matthew Slater (Patriots)

2nd team: George Odum (Colts)

NFL Hall of Predictions (*indicates a lock)

Alan Faneca, guard (Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers/New York Jets/Arizona Cardinals)

Peyton Manning*, quarterback (Teams: Indianapolis Colts/Denver Broncos)

Richard Seymour, defensive end/tackle (Teams: New England Patriots/Oakland Raiders)

Zach Thomas, inside linebacker (Teams: Miami Dolphins/Dallas Cowboys)

Charles Woodson*, cornerback/safety (Teams: Oakland Raiders/Green Bay Packers)

Who I Would Voted for if I Had a Ballot:

Alan Faneca

Calvin Johnson, wide receiver  (Team: Detroit Lions)

Peyton Manning

Zach Thomas

Charles Woodson

Pixar 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 animation juggernaut Pixar.

Pixar's Filmography Ranked:

Haven't seen: Cars, Cars 3, The Good Dinosaur, Incredibles 2  

19.The Incredibles (D+)

18.Cars 2 (C-)

17.A Bug's Life (C-)

16.Onward (C)

15.Inside Out (C)

14.Wall-E (C)

13.Brave (B-)

12.Monsters University (B)

11.Finding Dory (B)

10.Ratatouille (B)

9.Finding Nemo (B)

8.Toy Story 2 (B+)

7.Toy Story 4 (A-)

6.Monsters Inc. (A-)

5.Up (A-)

4.Coco (A-)

3.Soul (A)

2.Toy Story 3 (A)

1.Toy Story (A+)

Top Dog: Toy Story (1995)

It's not a particularly astute or original observation to note that Pixar has amassed an impressive filmography that is full of beloved titles that have gone onto become classics. Of the many gems they've mined over the years, their inaugural film still shines brightest to me. While nostalgia unquestionably plays a role in my admiration for it, Toy Story is mostly so special because it cemented the Pixar formula of constant laughs, stunning visuals and a huge heart within a story that appeals to kids and adults alike and to date, has done it better than anything else they've put out.    

Lowlight: The Incredibles (2004)

I'm well aware that not liking The Incredibles is a wildly unpopular take since it's been firmly established as one of Pixar's beloved films for at least 15 years. To me, The Incredibles marks the only occasion to date where Pixar got literally nothing right on a project. It basically just takes the hallmarks of a bad superhero project (flat heroes, cheesy villain, meandering plot) then adds some kid-friendly jokes and attempts to pull at the heartstrings that wouldn't be out of place in an offering from another animation studio that soullessly tried to mimic Pixar's formula. There isn't a laugh, smile or even a hint of sincere emotion to be found here-which makes it a complete betrayal of the defining characteristics of the brand that produced it.   

Most Overrated: The Incredibles (2004)

See above.

Most Underrated: Toy Story 4 (2019)

Was Toy Story 4 a completely necessary film? No. Toy Story 3 would've been an incredible, bittersweet note to end on if they had chosen to. Does this mean Toy Story 4 wasn't worthwhile? Far from it. It's a very entertaining, frequently hilarious adventure with great new characters (miserable runaway spork Forky voiced by Tony Hale, chaotic carnival prizes Ducky and Bunny voiced by Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele, the scene-stealing inept Canadian stuntman Duke Kaboom voiced by Keanu Reeves), a satisfying re-introduction to the Bo Peep character (voiced by Annie Potts) that was absent from Toy Story 3 for no previously explained reason and an emotionally potent ending that feels like a firm ending for this brilliant franchise (for real this time!).  

The Only Pixar Title That Reduced Me to a Puddle: Coco (2017)

Since exiting the early years of childhood, I've hardly ever cried. To put it simply, tears are just not how I traditionally express myself when I'm sad. However, if you had happened to be in my house while I was watching Coco for the first time, you would've thought I wept on the regular. The final sequence where Miguel returns from The Land of the Dead and sings "Remember Me" for his great-grandmother Coco literally destroyed me since it reminded me of my relationship with my grandfather-who had passed in 2012. I've lost my grandmother as well during the time since I've watched Coco last, so a return to Waterworld would likely be in the cards if/when I choose to rewatch it. 

Most Puzzled I've Been by People Crying at a Pixar Movie: Inside Out (2015)

Now here's where I cement myself as the cold, heartless prick I truly am... Seemingly every few months or so, somebody will tweet out something like "What's one movie moment that always makes you cry?" and one of the most frequent replies to those posts is the scene from Inside Out where Riley's childhood imaginary friend Bing Bong (voiced by Richard Kind) falls into the "memory dump" in her brain and becomes permanently forgotten. My response to this is always the same: Really? How the "death" of a teenage girl's already basically forgotten imaginary friend that has maybe 10 minutes of screen time in the entire time managed to fuck up so many people's emotions is just something that I will never be able to comprehend.   

A Tribute to the Fallen

Artists and athletes have a profound way of touching people's lives that is really unlike anything else in the human experience. As trivial as their contributions to the world may be in the grand scheme of things, the thrill that comes from watching a master of their respective craft or how through the sheer power of their words or sharing their emotions can directly relate to something someone experienced in their own life establishes a connection that is as uniquely impactful and deeply felt as any other important relationship in life. In 2020, we lost a lot of these people that brought joy and comfort to the masses. Losing these beloved public icons just added an extra layer of shit to a year that was defined by tragedy, mass loss of life and unprecedented emotional and economic suffering. As I wrap up my 2020 year-end entertainment retrospectives, I felt it was appropriate to briefly honor the legacies of a handful of pop culture figures that passed away in 2020 that meant a lot to me. 

Kobe Bryant (died: January 26th) 

It pains me to admit this as a Celtics fan, but Kobe Bryant was the first player to spark my interest in basketball. It seemed like every time you'd turn on Sportscenter during the NBA season in the late 90's/early 2000's, you'd see him effortlessly dropping 40 points with a string of absolutely ridiculous shots or beating up on opponents in the playoffs alongside Shaq to help establish the next chapter of the Lakers dynasty. As I grew older, I only grew to appreciate him more. He's the only player I've ever seen drag a team to a title by exclusively being a scoring juggernaut and had an intellect and work ethic that was greater than any of his peers. Even when injuries robbed him of his ability to take over games at will and subsequently the Lakers ability to be perennial title contenders during the final act of his career, his willingness to challenge his teammates to be great and freely discuss how much he hated losing through sarcastic deadpan humor in press conferences just added more notches to his deep resume. Basketball hasn't been and will never the same without him, but the tenacity and confidence he played with every time hit the floor will continue to inspire players across the world for generations to come.

Fred Willard (died: May 15th):

Guarantees are few and far between in life, but among that elite company is Fred Willard getting laughs every time he appeared on screen. His jovial demeanor and unbelievable willingness to commit to any absurd gag that was thrown his way made him a consistent scene-stealer in everything from Christopher Guest movies to Netflix's demented sketch comedy show I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. Even on the rare occasion he'd agree to appear in something awful (Epic Movie, Date Movie), he'd make things better just by being there for a couple scenes. He was a timeless comedic weapon with a devastatingly high kill rate and his reliable presence in dumb comedies or even throwaway monologue sketches on Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be sorely missed.   

Eddie Van Halen (died: October 6th): 

Any "Greatest Guitarist of All Time" conversation will likely be headlined by names such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn. For me, the answer to that hotly debated question is  Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen wasn't just a technical wizard capable of melting frets on both electric and acoustic guitars, he played the instrument with a level of maximalist flare that hadn't been seen before. Everything from the riffs to the solos to the bravado that he carried himself was larger than life and that embrace of all things excess conjured up this level of spellbinding magic every single time he played that was just exhilarating to behold. I wouldn't be the indulgent guitar fiend that I am today without hearing Van Halen's playing so much growing up and I'd like to thank him for cementing a love of over-the-top guitarwork that has already brought me enough joy to fill several lifetimes.  

MF Doom (died: October 31st): 

With an abstract style and genuine mystique that was manifested through his supervillain alter ego, MF Doom changed the rules of what hip hop could be. Dropping bizarre rhyme schemes over off-kilter production that's loaded with grainy samples from old movies gave Doom an unapologetic weirdness that allowed him to entertain and enlighten in equal measure. Even though his post-Born Like This projects didn't grip me the same way that his early material did, Doom was the all too rare example of a rapper that successfully challenged the boundaries of the genre and carved out a sound that was truly one of a kind. 

Alexi Laiho (died: late December): 

It's surreal that Eddie Van Halen and Alexi Laiho died a couple months apart because Laiho was a direct descendant from the Van Halen. Laiho was the flamboyant ringleader of a sinister circus known as Children of Bodom who brought theatrical cheese to the world of extreme metal. He wrote every solo like he was going to have a spotlight shined over his head while playing it in front of a sold out crowd and belted out every anthem about the Grim Reaper, Satan or death by supernatural entity with as much as gusto as a scream can possibly emote. In a genre that can take itself too seriously at times, Laiho was always having fun and that spark plug energy along with his immense talent as a frontman/guitarist allowed him to amass one of the most impressive discographies in the history of metal.