2021 NFL Draft: Top 25 Prospects Available

The NFL Draft is quickly approaching, which means it's time to indulge in my favorite annual benchmark that signals the start of this cornerstone offseason event is roughly a month away. Here are the 25 players in this draft class that have impressed me the most with their pro potential thus far. 

Notable Prospects I Haven't Evaluated Yet: Zaven Collins, Greg Newsome Jr., Carlos Basham Jr., Nick Bolton, Eric Stokes, Levi Onwurzurlike, Dillon Radunz, Pat Friermuth, Joe Tryon, Landon Dickerson, Alim McNeill, Walker Little, Jevon Holland, Quinn Meinerz, Jamie Newman, Dyami Brown, Jabril Cox, Jackson Carman, Jalen Mayfield, Davis Mills, Payton Turner, Aaron Robinson, Joesph Ossai, Tyson Campbell, Jamin Davis, Tay Gowan, James Hudson, Dylan Moses, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Osa Odighizuwa, All of the Running Backs and Safeties

1.Trevor Lawrence, quarterback (Clemson)

2.Penei Sewell, tackle (Oregon)

3.Ja'Marr Chase, wide receiver (LSU)

4.Zach Wilson, quarterback (BYU)

5.Patrick Surtain II, cornerback (Alabama)

6.DeVonta Smith, wide receiver (Alabama)

7.Kyle Pitts, tight end (Florida)

8.Rashawn Slater, tackle/guard (Northwestern)

9.Christian Barmore, defensive tackle (Alabama)

10.Rashod Bateman, wide receiver (Minnesota)

11.Jaycee Horn, cornerback (South Carolina)

12.Trey Lance, quarterback (North Dakota State)

13.Christian Darrisaw, tackle (Virginia Tech)

14.Rondale Moore, wide receiver (Purdue)

15.Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, inside linebacker (Notre Dame)

16.Caleb Farley, cornerback (Virginia Tech)

17.Azeez Ojulari, edge rusher (Georgia)

18.Justin Fields, quarterback (Ohio State)

19.Gregory Rousseau, edge rusher (Miami)

20.Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver (Alabama)

21.Alijah Vera-Tucker, guard/tackle (USC)

22.Terrace Marshall Jr., wide receiver (LSU)

23.Kwity Paye, edge rusher (Michigan)

24.Mac Jones, quarterback (Alabama)

25.Teven Jenkins, tackle (Oklahoma State) 

Movie Review: Bad Trip

Eric Andre is basically the Bad Brains or GG Allin of prank comedians. His completely off-the-wall nuts Adult Swim series The Eric Andre Show is part late night show satire that puts its (mostly) unwitting celebrity guests through a gross-out comedy torture chamber while they're being "interviewed", part absurdist/surrealist man on the street bits that brings unsuspecting civilians into his carnival of chaos. The cult following he's developed through his slew of viral bits and signature manic brand of oddball humor eventually paved the way for him getting his own movie Bad Trip-which is effectively Andre's answer to Johnny Knoxville's Jackass spinoff Bad Grandpa that uses a thin plot to string together a series of hidden camera pranks in various places around the good ol' USA (Georgia, South Carolina, New York, California).

Bad Trip's simple story sees Andre and Lil Rel Howrey playing two 30-something best friends working low level retail jobs in Florida. After a chance encounter with his high school crush (Michaela Conlin), Andre's character convinces Howrey to drive his incarcerated sister's car (Tiffany Haddish) to her New York City art gallery so he can attempt to win her over. Shortly after the two men start their journey, Haddish's character breaks out of jail and embarks on a frantic pursuit of them after she discovers they took her car. Like Bad Grandpa, the story admirably serves as the guiding light that gives the gags purpose and in my case, provided quick, necessary interludes so I could collect myself before breaking into another laughing fit when I saw what they had cooked up for the next bit. 

As a longtime fan of Andre's, Bad Trip is an incredible showcase for his skills as well as an impressive expansion of them. This movie provided a new group of challenges for him as he had to structure every bit to fit within the framework of a scripted narrative, tone down the weirder parts of his comedy while still remaining true to his style of humor and train comedic performers with acting/standup backgrounds how to remain committed to a joke that can go in any direction depending on how their unscripted interactions with regular people unfold. On all those fronts, Andre knocked it out of the park. Every single bit feels as organic as the ones Andre has done in the past, Howrey and Haddish prove to be naturals at this very raw, unpredictable brand of extreme improv and most importantly, the punchlines are more accessible than The Eric Andre Show while still hitting with the same reliably gut-busting force and retaining that vulgar, anarchic spirit that makes his humor its own demented beast. Andre is one of the most fearless and talented comedians working today and the consistent comedic brilliance that's packed into Bad Trip allows it to rank among the funniest things he's ever created.        

Grade: A

2021 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 (Updated 3/29)

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

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

3.San Francisco 49ers: Justin Fields, quarterback (Ohio State)

4.Atlanta Falcons: Penei Sewell, tackle (Oregon)

5.Cincinnati Bengals: Kyle Pitts, tight end (Florida)

6.Miami Dolphins: Ja'marr Chase, wide receiver (LSU)

7.Detroit Lions: DeVonta Smith, wide receiver (Alabama)

8.Carolina Panthers: Trey Lance, quarterback (North Dakota State)

9.Denver Broncos: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, inside/outside linebacker (Notre Dame)

10.Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Farley, cornerback (Virginia Tech)

11.New York Giants: Rashawn Slater, tackle/guard (Northwestern)

12.Philadelphia Eagles: Patrick Surtain II, cornerback (Alabama)

13.Los Angeles Chargers: Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver (Alabama)

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

15.New England Patriots: Mac Jones, quarterback (Alabama)

16.Arizona Cardinals: Jaycee Horn, cornerback (South Carolina)

17.Las Vegas Raiders: Allijah Vera-Tucker, tackle/guard (USC)

18.Miami Dolphins: Gregory Rousseau, edge rusher (Miami)

19.Washington Football Team: Zaven Collins, inside linebacker (Tulsa)

20.Chicago Bears: Rashod Bateman, wide receiver (Minnesota)

21.Indianapolis Colts: Kwity Paye, edge rusher (Michigan)

22.Tennessee Titans: Azeez Ojulari, edge rusher (Georgia)

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

24.Pittsburgh Steelers: Travis Etienne, running back (Clemson)

25.Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Barmore, defensive tackle (Alabama)

26.Cleveland Browns: Micah Parsons, inside linebacker (Penn State)

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

28.New Orleans Saints: Greg Newsome II, cornerback (Northwestern)

29.Green Bay Packers: Creed Humphrey, center (Oklahoma)

30.Buffalo Bills: Jayson Oweh, edge rusher (Penn State)

31.Kansas City Chiefs: Teven Jenkins, tackle (Oklahoma State)

32.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jaelan Phillips, edge rusher (Miami)

Quick Movie Reviews: Monster Hunter, Fatale, Songbird, News of the World

Monster Hunter: A shift over to another iconic video game brand managed to take away a bit of Resident Evil movie franchise architect Paul W.S. Anderson's magic B-blockbuster touch. Despite some cool creature design and an unexpectedly sweet buddy rapport between leads Mila Jovovich and Tony Jaa, there isn't enough energy behind the frantic action sequences or the silly interdimensional portal fantasy storyline to make this anything more than an inoffensive yet mostly mediocre timekiller. Better luck with whatever adaptation you decide to tackle next Mr. Anderson. 

Grade: C

Fatale: Fatale made me realize how much I miss seeing Los Angeles portrayed as a seedy playground of sin. Director Deon Taylor (Black & Blue, The Intruder) and writer David Loughery (Lakeview Terrace, Obsessed) gleefully concoct a warped world where everybody has dark secrets, weak wills and a strong chance of finding themselves on the business end of a bullet at any moment. The glossy cinematography, neon tinted-lighting and sportscars speeding through scenic oceanside locations ooze vintage noir sleaze and the hammy overacting from Hilary Swank as an unhinged detective and Michael Ealy as a bumbling idiot sports agent whose affair with said cop turns his life upside down is top-notch. With a better final act and some further embracing of the absurd developments that the plot is generously sprinkled with, this could've been a Basic Instinct/Wild Things-level trash classic.  

Grade: B-

Songbird: I guess the likes of Demi Moore, Craig Robinson and Bradley Whitford were desperate to return to work once filming was allowed to resume in LA last summer because Songbird likely would've been a Syfy Channel Original if it wasn't for its ensemble cast. While it's clearly not in great taste to make a movie that uses COVID as the backdrop for a cheesy dystopian romance story while the pandemic still rages on, the biggest problem with Songbird is that the script is a comically unfocused trash heap of narrowly developed ideas that tries to juggle far too many subplots for its sub 90 minute runtime and it ends up feeling like every bit of the miscalculated opportunistic rush job that it so clearly is.  

Grade: D

News of the World: Whether its a Jason Bourne movie or a fact-based thriller (Captain Phillips, United 93), the unifying link between all of veteran director Paul Greengrass' films is that they're visceral stories that rely on primal feelings (fear, rage, adrenaline) to drive the narrative. Those defining characters of his filmmaking style make him the wrong choice to helm a slow-burning road movie set in the Old West about the father/daughter-type bond that develops between a retired solider turned traveling deliverer of the news (Tom Hanks) and the young German orphan (Helena Zengel) he takes in after finding her in the rural Texas woods. Greengrass simply has no feel for how to tell this story-stepping on emotional moments with his signature hyperactive editing and stripping the Old West setting of its danger-filled, lawless mystique with bland direction that doesn't have even a hint of atmosphere to it. Hanks and Zengel give good enough performances to atone for some of the awkwardness present, but when the captain of the ship doesn't know how to handle the particular vessel they've been hired to drive, that shit is going to sink even if some of the deckhands perform their job admirably.   

Grade: C-

Modern Giant Monster Movies (2000-present) Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-where I rank a franchise or filmography and hand out related accolades. In honor of "Godzilla vs. Kong"-which releases on March 31st in theaters and on HBO Max- this week's subject is modern giant monster movies that have been released from 2000 through now.  

Modern Giant Monster Movies Ranked:

14.King Kong (D-)

13.Godzilla (D)

12.Monster Hunter (C)

11.Pacific Rim Uprising (C+)

10.Godzilla: King of the Monsters (C+)

9.Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (C+)

8.Jurassic Park III (B-)

7.The Meg (B-)

6.Jurassic World (B)

5.Cloverfield (B)

4.Rampage (B)

3.Kong: Skull Island (B+)

2.Pacific Rim (A-)

1.Super 8 (A)

Top Dog: Super 8 (2011)

While it's admittedly kind of cheating to include something that is more of a straight sci-fi movie than a traditional monster movie, giant alien creatures are still a big enough part of Super 8 that I felt it was fair enough to feature it here. J.J. Abrams' most underrated movie is a beautiful ode to Steven Spielberg's sci-fi coming-of-age adventures from the 70's/80's that has enough heart, humor and electrifying spectacle to fill an entire year's worth of blockbusters.       

Lowlight: King Kong (2005)

The overindulgence era of Peter Jackson that started with the back half of Return of the King really hit its stride here. By focusing on a bloated human story over monster action and making god awful casting decisions across the board (Naomi Watts as a stereotypical damsel in distress that Kong "falls in love with", a sleepwalking Adrien Brody as her human love interest, Jack Black as a sleazy movie director, Andy Serkis doing a painful Popeye impression as the cook of the doomed ship heading to Skull Island), Jackson created one of the most needlessly long, relentlessly cheesy and painfully boring movies that I've ever sat through.

Most Underrated: Pacific Rim (2013)

It's not exactly a surprise that a filmmaker with the ambition, creativity and technical skills of Guillermo del Toro is one of the few people to absolutely nail the modern monster movie. With its simple plot (giant monsters have come out of a mysterious interdimensional portal that's opened up in the Pacific Ocean and mankind builds robots to fight them), charismatic cast (Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Ron Perlman, Charlie Day, Clifton Collins Jr.) and frequent massive action sequences,  Pacific Rim is a vibrant, absurdly fun epic that delivers the singularly badass wonder this genre is capable of when it's at its peak. 

Most Overrated: Godzilla (2014)

Whoever created the trailers for Godzilla are the most skilled editors in Hollywood. Trying to sell the illusion that a boring dud from the Peter Jackson School of Misguided Monster Moviemaking disciple Gareth Edwards that is more interested in telling a shitty human story than Godzilla causing destruction had any actual excitement in it is an incredibly difficult gig that these virtuosos somehow made look like a routine assignment. I hope whatever guild they belong to gave their incredible efforts the proper recognition.      

Most Purely Stupid: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom isn't just the most purely stupid monster movie released in the past 21 years, it might just be the most purely stupid big budget movie released during this entire time period. Fallen Kingdom is a Hall of Fame collection of absurd plot developments and illogical characters making breathtakingly stupid decisions that rapidly alternates between being hilariously entertaining and just plain cringeworthy for 2+ hours. Can't wait to see if they can close the trilogy (presumably) next year on an even higher note of idiocy.

2021 NFL Free Agency Recap: Winners, Losers, Best/Worst Deals and Best Players Still Available

Biggest Winners: Buffalo Bills

What the Bills have done this offseason really should be the model for any contending franchise. They bypassed the high priced items on the market and instead focused on re-signing multiple starters (right tackle Daryl Williams, inside linebacker Matt Milano, cornerback Levi Wallace, guard Jon Feliciano) and bringing in some veteran depth pieces that give them proven insurance at key spots (wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, quarterback Mitch Trubisky, tight end Jacob Hollister) to reasonable deals that didn't preclude them from making additional moves down the line. 

Honorable Mentions: Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos

Biggest Losers: Chicago Bears

Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy sure have taken an interesting approach to being on the hot seat. After the Russell Wilson trade pipe dream didn't come to fruition, they went out and signed Andy Dalton to be their next below average starting quarterback for nearly 5x the amount outgoing starter Mitch Trubisky is being paid to backup Josh Allen in Buffalo. They followed that blockbuster move up with the only logical response to solving their cap issues-cutting top corner Kyle Fuller while the utterly useless  Robert Quinn and Nick Foles eat up just over $20 mil in cap space then signing Desmond Trufant-whose played a combined 15 games in the past 2 seasons and struggled mightily when he was healthy enough to suit up- as a presumed replacement. They might as well just trade Allen Robinson at this point and fully embrace the tank life because this team has once again managed to self-sabotage its way out of contention with a series of dumbfounding moves that only inept franchises with losing embedded in their DNA would make. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars

Best Contract: John Johnson III (3 year/$33.75 mi/$24 mil guaranteed deal with the Browns)

This deal is just further evidence that safety is the most underpaid position in football. A 25-year old rising star with a sky high ceiling that's coming off a stellar season would be backing up the Brinks Truck at just about any other spot on the field, but Johnson III was basically given a deal that can be described as mid-level in the full scope of the league. Good for the Browns-whose pass defense ranked 22nd in the league in 2020-for adding a potential game-changing piece to their secondary for so little money. 

Honorable Mentions: JuJu Smith-Schuster (1 year/$8 mil fully guaranteed deal with the Steelers), Kyle Fuller (1 year/$9.5 mil/$9 mil guaranteed deal with the Broncos), Kevin Zeitler (3 year/$22 mil/$16 mil guaranteed deal with the Ravens)

Worst Contract: Bud Dupree (5 year/$85 mil/$35 mil guaranteed deal with the Titans)

There's no denying that Dupree has been extremely productive over the past 2 seasons, racking up 19.5 sacks and 32 QB hits in just 26 full games. However, the 22nd overall pick in the 2015 Draft's sudden massive improvement in years 5 and 6 after a pretty quiet start to his career could very well be tied to the emergence of T.J. Watt as a full blown superstar in 2019-a claim that only looks stronger after rookie Alex Highsmith stepped in and played very well in the final 5 games after Dupree tore his ACL against the Ravens in Week 12. Committing that much money to Dupree without having any real assurance that he's worth top dollar edge money-especially after he's coming off a major knee injury at age 28- seems very ill-advised for a team that can't really afford to have another year with an anemic pass rush.

Dishonorable Mentions: Leonard Floyd (4 year/$64 mil/$32.5 mil guaranteed deal with the Rams), Nelson Agholor (2 year/$26 mil/$22 mil guaranteed deal with the Patriots), Andy Dalton (1 year/$10 mil fully guaranteed deal with the Bears) 

Best Player Still Available: Mitchell Schwartz

The bust factor is undeniable here given that Schwartz is about to be 32 and just received back surgery last month, but any team who needs o-line help could do much worse than gambling on one of the best right tackles of the past decade's ability to bounce back.   

Honorable Mentions: Melvin Ingram, Alejandro Villanueva, Richard Sherman  

2021 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 (Updated 3/22)

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: Kyle Pitts, tight end (Florida)

6.Philadelphia Eagles: Ja'Marr Chase, wide receiver (LSU)

7.Detroit Lions: DeVonta Smith, wide receiver (Alabama)

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

9.Denver Broncos: Mac Jones, quarterback (Alabama)

10.Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Farley, cornerback (Virginia Tech) 

11.New York Giants: Rashawn Slater, tackle/guard (Northwestern)

12.San Francisco 49ers: Patrick Surtain II, cornerback (Alabama)

13.Los Angeles Chargers: Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver (Alabama)

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

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

16.Arizona Cardinals: Jaycee Horn, cornerback (South Carolina)

17.Las Vegas Raiders: Allijah Vera-Tucker, tackle/guard (USC)

18.Miami Dolphins: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, inside/outside linebacker (Notre Dame)

19.Washington Football Team: Zaven Collins, inside linebacker (Tulsa)

20.Chicago Bears: Greg Newsome Jr., cornerback (Northwestern)

21.Indianapolis Colts: Kwity Paye, edge rusher (Michigan)

22.Tennessee Titans: Azeez Ojulari, edge rusher (Georgia)

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

24.Pittsburgh Steelers: Travis Etienne, running back (Clemson) 

25.Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Barmore, defensive tackle (Alabama)

26.Cleveland Browns: Micah Parsons, inside linebacker (Penn State)

27.Baltimore Ravens: Rashod Bateman, wide receiver (Minnesota)

28.New Orleans Saints: Kadarius Toney, wide receiver (Florida)

29.Green Bay Packers: Creed Humphrey, center (Oklahoma)

30.Buffalo Bills: Carlos Basham Jr., edge rusher (Wake Forest)

31.Kansas City Chiefs: Teven Jenkins, tackle (Oklahoma State)

32.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jalean Phillips, edge rusher (Miami)

Album Review: Brand of Sacrifice-Lifeblood

 

On a handful of occasions over the past few years, I've found myself longing for a deathcore revival movement. While the initial boom certainly produced its fair share of lazy, remarkably bad acts, the emergence of bands like Venom Prison and Slaughter to Prevail along with the inspired returns of Despised Icon and Whitechapel reminded me of how much fun deathcore can be when its executed well. That wish may be on track to be fulfilled with the release of Lifeblood-the sophomore LP from Canadian outfit Brand of Sacrifice-which is without question the most creative, engaging and deeply satisfying release to come out of this genre in quite some time.

What immediately stands out about Brand of Sacrifice is their ability to play around with the conventions of the genre while still operating firmly within them. On the first half of the album alone, the listener is treated to slamming death metal verses that lead into majestic choir hooks ("Animal"), pig squealing breakdowns that are accompanied by glitchy electronic programming ("Demon King") and probably the most prominent extreme metal sitar use since The HAARP Machine's Disclosure was released in 2012 ("Prophecy of the Falcon"). 

By dedicating themselves so firmly to experimentation, Brand of Sacrifice positions themselves as these kind of maximalist maestros who take great pride in finding ways to add unconventional exclamation point flourishes that add depth to their particularly heavy brand of deathcore. This dedication to incorporating genres/instruments that aren't typically part of the extreme metal arsenal  generates this wall-to-wall electricity that powers a familiar yet unpredictable atmosphere that delivers all of the expected genre cornerstones and hard left turns with the same dazzling level of sinister gravitas. For a genre that isn't exactly synonymous with surprises, crafting a record that is full of them is no small feat.

It wouldn't be fair to keep gushing about all of the creativity and showmanship present on Lifeblood without singling out the individual efforts that made this momentous achievement possible. Vocalist Kyle Anderson gives a simply monstrous vocal performance that makes brilliant use of the entire scope of screamed vocals, drummer Rob Zalischi approaches every song with a level of breakneck intensity that makes it feel like it's going to be the last time he's ever going to sit behind the kit and lead guitarist Michael Leo Valeari basically dictates the tone of each song with a playing style that frequently veers between chaotic technicality and punishing simplicity. Not only are these guys skilled enough to weave together a very complex musical tapestry that covers so much ground in only 42 minutes, they bring an infectious level of energy to their songwriting that supercharges each track with this jolt of pure life that's comparable to the feeling of watching a highly entertaining movie or TV show that hooks you on a pure visceral level from start to finish. That combination of skill and visible love of what they're doing is an untouchable pairing that really breaks down the brilliance of Lifeblood in the simplest terms possible.    

Lifeblood is a bona fide juggernaut release that will hopefully be just the first truly excellent metal album of 2021. Brand of Sacrifice has brought out a level of over-the-top excitement for a pure deathcore act that I haven't felt in at least a decade and I can't wait to dive into their earlier efforts to see how they compare to the exquisitely-crafted brutal epics that occupy this record.                      

Grade: A

Standout Tracks

1.Demon King

2.Lifeblood

3.Prophecy of the Falcon (feat. Frankie Palmeri)

Boston Movies Ranked

Welcome to Ranked-where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out related accolades. On this week's special St. Patrick's Day edition, I succumb to the Masshole stereotype and profile Boston-set movies.

Boston Movies Ranked:

25.Zookeeper (D-)

24.What's Your Number? (D-)

23.Surrogates (C)

22.Fever Pitch (C)

21.The Equalizer 2 (C)

20.Edge of Darkness (C+)

19.Infinitely Polar Bear (C+)

18.Honest Thief (B-)

17.Free Fire (B-)

16.The Equalizer (B-)

15.Ava (B-)

14.Black Mass (B)

13.Patriots Day (B)

12.The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (B)

11.Mystic River (B)

10.Ted 2 (B+)

9.Spenser Confidential (B+)

8.The Heat (B+)

7.Spotlight (A-)

6.Ted (A)

5.The Town (A)

4.Gone Baby Gone (A)

3.Good Will Hunting (A)

2.The Boondock Saints (A+)

1.The Departed (A+)

Top Dog: The Departed (2006)

The Departed isn't just the ultimate Boston crime movie, it's the ultimate crime movie period. This cops vs. mob saga spins one of hell a tightly-woven, unbelievably compelling web that features flawless pacing, magnetic characters on both sides of the law and a powerhouse ending that still packs a devastating punch all these years later.

Lowlight: Zookeeper (2011)

The lovely Franklin Park Zoo deserved better than having Kevin James, Rosario Dawson and a bunch of taking animals desecrate their proud name by staging an all time bad 90-minute fart joke marathon on their grounds.  

Most Underrated: The Heat (2013)

I love a good buddy action comedy more than most and The Heat was definitely among the best released during the 2010's. Powered by the incredible odd couple pairing of Sandra Bullock in pure stoic buzzkill mode and Melissa McCarthy operating at the peak of manic vulgar comedy powers, Paul Feig's equally good follow-up to Bridesmaids mines constant laughs out of the absurd situations the mismatched protagonists get into while they to try apprehend an elusive drug lord and features some of the better constructed action sequences that have ever appeared in a movie that was primarily a comedy. 

Most Overrated: Mystic River (2003)

While Mystic River is an engrossing and generally well-acted mystery drama that features some interesting observations about the psychological effects of childhood trauma, the big reveal of who was behind the murder that drives the story and the few scenes that follow it are so overwhelmingly absurd that it notably undercuts the intended emotional impact.

Highest Piece of Art: The Boondock Saints (1999)

The Museum of Fine Arts is widely regarded as the home of Boston's most prestigious collection of art, but since The Boondock Saints isn't featured in it, I respectfully beg to differ. A heavily stylized action movie about Irish immigrant brothers spewing Bible verses and brutally murdering mobsters that have evaded justice while being pursued by Willem Dafoe at his overacting peak is more beautiful than any painting Picasso or Van Gogh ever made.

Least Accurate Depiction of the City: Free Fire (2017)

I'm not entirely confident that writer/director Ben Wheatley has even been to Boston before. Every building and landscape that appears in Free Fire looks so noticeably different from anything you'd see in the city (this is because it was filmed entirely in England) that it makes all of the Boston-set titles that have been shot in Toronto or Montreal over the years look like they were shot completely on location.

Movie Review: Moxie

As recently as 6-7 years ago, a movie positioning itself as a rallying cry for young girls to stand up and speak out against the deep-rooted sexism that exists in the world's bedrock institutions could've been a triumph that made a real impact in the culture. In March 2021, where most people of all ages that don't treat any change to the way people are treated within society as a grave threat to their way of living are more aware of the toxic behavior and double standards women face than ever before, its arguably borderline unnecessary. 

Will The Tik Tok generation enjoy Moxie? More than likely. It features several likable characters, ample teen drama and a positive portrayal of young girls fighting back against the archaic crap their high school administrators champion that's easy to rally around. So how does Moxie stumble despite building a foundation that should seemingly lead to at least a somewhat successful, inspiring teen movie? Simple: It's with how the characters and its messaging are constructed. 

Amy Poehler and her writing team of Tamara Chestna and Dylan Meyer try to paint this current generation as repressed, quiet kids who are afraid to make noise when they see/feel like something is wrong with the way their high school conducts its business. Given the current American political climate and all of the godawful things this generation has seen happen in the world during their formative years, this is an extremely difficult idea to buy in on. Today's young people don't only have a heightened understanding of the shitty, misogynistic behavior that has been perpetuated through the patriarchal systems that have been in place since the documented dawn of civilization, they have the will and bravery to speak out against it. These kids don't need any inspiration to take on injustice that they see at any level and the fact that Moxie is structured in a way to seem like they do makes it feel bizarrely dated and completely out of touch with the ideals of the generations its portraying and no amount of good intentions from the people that made it can cover up that baffling miscalculation. It's truly impossible for me to enjoy a drama that's grounded in real life that doesn't even really attempt to accurately reflect its subject-even when its something like this that is an otherwise perfectly fine movie and if Poehler, Chestna and Meyer simply reframed the story and characters to fit the ideals that the high schoolers of today proudly and openly covet, Moxie could've turned out much differently.    

Grade: C

2020-21 NBA Mid-Season Awards

Top Player: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)

While far from a complete disaster, the Nuggets have had far greater than anticipated struggles after their gritty run to the Western Conference Finals in the Bubble last season. The biggest reason they're currently sitting in 5th place with a 22-15 record in the hypercompetitive Western Conference despite facing some very real adversity on the floor is the play of Jokic. The Joker has guided the Nuggets through injuries, Jamal Murray's up-and-down play and Michael Porter Jr jacking up about a dozen shots per game that he has no business taking by posting career high numbers nearly across the board (27.1 points, 8.6 assists, 11.1 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 56.6 FG%, 41.1 3P%) without upping his turnover rate (its currently at 3.1 for the 3rd straight season-despite touching the ball significantly more this year) and routinely getting them out of sticky situations with his versatile playmaking-particularly in crunch time.

Honorable Mentions: Steph Curry (Warriors), James Harden (Rockets/Nets), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers)

Top Defensive Player: Myles Turner (Pacers)

Turner must've heard the Celtics didn't want him in a potential trade for Gordon Hayward last offseason because Danny Ainge reportedly didn't feel like he could make a big enough impact on the defensive end of floor to justify taking on his salary for multiple seasons. The Pacers big man has been by far the best rim protector in the league this year- averaging a ridiculous 3.3 swats her game while also adding a career-high 1.0 steals.

Honorable Mentions: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Rudy Gobert (Jazz), Dejounte Murray (Spurs) 

Top Rookie: LaMelo Ball (Hornets)

Don't look now, but LaMelo Ball might be really fucking good. Ball has brought a lot of juice to a Hornets second unit that had been one of the most lifeless in the league in recent years-regularly showcasing the terrific passing/on-ball defense that made him a top prospect (6.4 APG, 1.6 SPG-which is currently tied for 4th most in the league) while also displaying a better than expected shooting touch (15.8 PPG, 44.9 FG%, 38.7 3P%).

Honorable Mentions: Tyrese Haliburton (Kings), Immanuel Quickley (Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)

Top Coach: Doc Rivers (76ers)

Bringing in Rivers has had the intended effect on this long underachieving 76ers team. The deeply respected tactician has this team playing the most disciplined, high-effort basketball of the Embiid/Simmons-era and taken them to top of the pack in the Eastern Conference (they're currently sitting in 1st with an excellent 27-12 record) for the first time since Allen Iverson left town. 

Honorable Mentions: Quin Snyder (Jazz), Tom Tibodeau (Knicks), Billy Donovan (Bulls)

Top 6th Man: Jordan Clarkson (Jazz)

The early returns on the 4 year/$51 million contract Clarkson signed to remain with the Jazz in free agency have been nothing short of sensational. Clarkson has played a huge part in the Jazz' greatly improved offense this season- averaging a career high 17.9 points, shooting a league-high 96.7% from the free throw line and remaining efficient from beyond the arc (37.0%) despite upping his 3 attempts per game from 6 a year ago to 8.5 this season. 

Honorable Mentions: Terrence Ross (Magic), Chris Boucher (Raptors), Montrezl Harrell (Lakers)

Most Improved: Zach LaVine (Bulls)

Even as a longtime believer in his scoring ability, I've been blown away by what LaVine has done this year. The 25-year old has thrived in new coach Billy Donovan's system that has completely handed him the keys to the offense. Not only is LaVine scoring more (he's averaging a career high 28.1 PPG), but he's shooting much more efficiently from all over the floor (52.3 FG% and 43.5 3P%-a staggering 5.6% and 4.6% respective improvement from his previous top totals) and making notable strides as a passer (5.1 APG-up from his previous career best of 4.5 in 2018-19). If the Bulls can make it to the playoffs and he can keep this level of play in the 2nd half of the season, he should enter the MVP conversation as well.

Honorable Mentions: Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Terry Rozier (Hornets), Chris Boucher (Raptors)

93rd Academy Award Nomination Predictions

The beginning of the end of this most unusual movie awards season begins tomorrow morning when the Academy Award Nominations are announced. Here are the films and individuals I expect to be vying for Oscars this year.

Best Picture:

The Father

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Minari 

Nomadland

One Night in Miami...

Promising Young Woman

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Locks: Mank, Minari, Nomadland, The Trial of the Chicago 7

Toss-Ups: The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, One Night in Miami.., Promising Young Woman

Other Possible Contenders: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Da 5 Bloods, The Mauritanian, News of the World, Soul, Sound of Metal

Best Director:

Lee Isaac Chung (Minari)

David Fincher (Mank)

Regina King (One Night in Miami...)

Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7)

Chloe Zhao (Nomadland)

Locks: David Fincher, Aaron Sorkin, Chloe Zhao

Toss-Ups: Lee Isaac Chung, Regina King

Other Possible Contenders: Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods), Shaka King (Judas and the Black Messiah), George C. Wolfe (Ma Rainey's Bottom), Florian Zeller (The Father)

Best Actor:

Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal)

Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom)

Anthony Hopkins (The Father)

Gary Oldman (Mank)

Steven Yeun (Minari)

Locks: Riz Ahmed, Chadwick Boseman, Anthony Hopkins

Toss-Ups: Gary Oldman, Steven Yeun

Other Possible Contenders: Tom Hanks (News of the World), Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods), Madds Mikkelsen (Another Round), Tahir Rahim (The Mauritanian)

Best Actress:

Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom)

Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holliday)

Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman)

Frances McDormand (Nomadland)

Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) 

Locks: Viola Davis, Frances McDormand, Carey Mulligan

Toss-Ups: Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby

Other Possible Contenders: Amy Adams (Hillbilly Elegy), Sophia Loren (The Life Ahead), Rosamund Pike (I Care a Lot), Zendaya (Malcolm & Marie)

Best Supporting Actor:

Chadwick Boseman (Da 5 Bloods)

Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7)

Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)

Leslie Odom Jr. (One Night in Miami...)

Paul Raci (Sound of Metal)

Locks: Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Kaluuya, Leslie Odom Jr.

Toss-Ups: Chadwick Boseman, Paul Raci

Other Possible Contenders: Alan Kim (Minari), Jared Leto (The Little Things), Bill Murray (On the Rocks), Mark Rylance (The Trial of the Chicago 7) 

Best Supporting Actress:

Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm)

Olivia Colman (The Father)

Jodie Foster (The Mauritanian)

Amanda Seyfried (Mank) 

Yuh-Jung Youn (Minari)

Locks: Maria Bakalova, Olivia Colman, Amanda Seyfried

Toss-Ups: Jodie Foster, Yuh-Jung Youn 

Other Possible Contenders: Ellen Burstyn (Pieces of a Woman), Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy), Dominique Fishback (Judas and the Black Messiah) Helena Zengel (News of the World)

Best Original Screenplay:

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

Minari

Promising Young Woman

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Adapted Screenplay:

The Father

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

News of the World

Nomadland

One Night in Miami...

Best Cinematography:

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

News of the World

Nomadland

Tenet

Best Animated Feature:

The Croods: A New Age

Onward

Over the Moon

Soul

Wolfwalkers

Best Documentary Feature:

Boys State

Collective

Dick Johnson is Dead

Time

Welcome to Chechnya

Best International Feature:

Another Round

La Llorona

Night of the Kings

Quo Vadis, Aida?

Two of Us

Best Film Editing:

The Father

Mank

Nomadland

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago 7 

Best Costume Design:

Emma

Mank

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Mulan

News of the World

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

Birds of Prey

Emma

Hillbilly Elegy

Mank

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Best Production Design:

Mank

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

News of the World

Mulan

Tenet

Best Score:

Mank

Minari

News of the World

Soul

Tenet

Best Song:

"Fight for You" (Judas and the Black Messiah)

"Hear My Voice" (The Trial of the Chicago 7)

"Io Si (The Life Ahead)" (The Life Ahead)

"Speak Now" (One Night in Miami...)

"Turntables" (All In: The Fight for Democracy) 

Best Sound:

Mank

News of the World

Sound of Metal

Soul

Tenet

Best Visual Effects:

Love and Monsters

The Midnight Sky

Mulan

The One and Only Ivan

Tenet

Best Animated Short:

Burrow

If Anything Happens I Love You

Opera

Out

The Snail and the Whale

Best Documentary Short:

Abortion Hotline, This is Lisa

Collette 

Do Not Split 

Hunger Ward

A Love Song for Latasha

Best Live Action Short:

Da Yie

The Human Voice

The Letter Room 

The Present 

Two Distant Strangers 

2021 NFL Free Agency: 10 Best Players Available

Even though the franchise tag and Dak Prescott's signing of a megadeal with the Cowboys paired with the confirmation of the expected cap decrease has taken more air of the process than usual, there's still a good amount of intrigue heading into the start of the 2021 NFL Free Agency period. Are short team deals like the one Lavonte David just received from the Bucs going to be the norm for non-quarterbacks/very young players in a market where there's less money to play with? Will teams be less willing to overpay for talent that isn't exactly premium at impact positions? Will there be more guys willing to bet on themselves and take less money now with the hopes of getting a huge payday when the cap increases again sometime in the next few years? All of these questions and more will be answered when the legal tampering period begins on Monday ahead of the official start of free agency on Wednesday at 4 PM EST. Here are the 10 players in this weird class that I think have the most upside. 

10.Hunter Henry, tight end (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

Quality tight ends are very hard to come by in the modern NFL and even after an underwhelming 2020 season (60 REC/613 YDS/4 TD's in 14 games) on a Chargers team that wasn't exactly overflowing with reliable pass-catching options, Henry's repeated flashes as a legit receiving weapon over the past 5 seasons should be enough for him to generate a pretty substantial market at the most talent-deprived position in the league.

Possible Destinations: Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks 

9.JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

The distractions JuJu caused with his relentless TikTok presence last season are unfairly clouding his market. Smith-Schuster is just 2 years removed from a 1,426-yard season, is significantly younger than most WR's heading into their 2nd contract (he'll only be 25 in November) and unlike the other top receivers hitting the market (Kenny Golladay, Will Fuller, Corey Davis), doesn't have any serious durability concerns moving forward. Any team looking for a possession receiver who can make plays after the catch and be relied upon to post 90+ receptions per season that still has plenty of untapped potential should be all-in on JuJu.

Possible Destinations: Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals 

8.Mitchell Schwartz, tackle (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Major injuries in back-to-back seasons including most notably a back ailment that sidelined him for most of the 2020 campaign that required surgery after an incredible run of not missing a snap from 2012-18 could be a sign that his durability is starting to wear down, but if/when healthy, the 32-year old 4x All-Pro remains an elite right tackle that is a prime candidate to vastly overform the incentive laden short term deal that he's likely to command.

Possible Destinations: Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, New York Jets 

7.Joe Thuney, guard (2020 team: New England Patriots)

While Thuney isn't the type of guard that comes in and steamrolls opposing defensive lines on a weekly basis, he's an exceptionally disciplined tactician that's never a liability in any facet of the game, can be lined up anywhere on the line if necessary and has a durability that's honestly incredible for a modern day offensive lineman-missing 0 games during his 1st 5 seasons in the league. 

Possible Destinations: Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins  

6.Corey Linsley, center (2020 team: Green Bay Packers)

Entering his age 30 season fresh off his 1st ever All-Pro selection, Linsley could very well be in the running to become the highest paid center in the league. As much as the Packers need the cap relief to add some depth to their roster, letting a stabilizing presence like Linsley walk after glaring offensive line issues pretty much sunk their ability to complete a huge comeback against the Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game wouldn't be a wise move.

Possible Destinations: Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers 

5.Kenny Golladay, wide receiver (2020 team: Detroit Lions)

The abundance of receiver-needy teams probably wish that the coveted prize of a free agency class that could've featured the likes of Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson wasn't someone with a checkered injury history and well-documented tendency to disappear for large stretches of games, but Golladay's status as an outside receiver who can make explosive plays downfield and pull down contested catches in the redzone (he lead the league with 11 TD's during his only fully healthy season in 2019) makes him too valuable of a potential asset to not take a chance on.

Possible Destinations: New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Washington Football Team, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts   

4.Aaron Jones, running back (2020 team: Green Bay Packers)

Jones might not impact a game quite like a Dalvin Cook, Derrick Henry or Christian McCaffery, but it's not often you see a running back in the modern NFL who is a home run threat as both a rusher and pass-catcher that doesn't have an exorbitant amount of tread on their tires after 4 NFL seasons (he currently has 692 touches in 54 games). That rare versatility and relative lack of volume should make him a priority for a team that is one backfield weapon away from having an elite offense.

Possible Destination: Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars

3.Shaq Barrett, edge rusher (2020 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Unsurprisingly, Barrett fell back down to earth after his league-leading 19.5 sack campaign in 2019 with just 8 sacks in 2020. However, Barrett showed up big in the playoffs-registering 4 sacks during the Bucs Super Bowl run and has the huge benefit of having a much higher proven floor than the other notable edge rushers hitting the open market (Bud Dupree, Carl Lawson, Yannick Ngakoue)-cementing him as the clear top option for any blitz-happy team with some money to burn.  

Possible Destinations: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, 

2.John Johnson III, safety (2020 team: Los Angeles Rams)

For my money, Johnson is the most bafflingly underrated player available in this free agency class. Outside of a pretty miserable, injury-shortened 2019 season, Johnson has been an exceptional all-around safety since he was drafted by the Rams back in 2017 and at just 25, this sure-tackling ballhawk feels like he's only starting to scratch the surface of his potential. 

Possible Destinations: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns 

1.Trent Williams, tackle (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Williams made a triumphant return to the field in 2020 after sitting out the entire 2019 season-reestablishing himself as top 3-5 left tackle in the NFL despite facing steep challenges as part of an injury-plagued 49ers offense that started 3 different quarterbacks during the year and considering that he's a proven talent at the most valuable position on the offensive line that appears to still be in his prime at 32 going on 33, his phone should be overflowing with calls from potential contenders that have huge o-line problems heading into the new league year.

Possible Destinations: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings 

Other Notable Available Players:

Nelson Agholor, wide receiver (2020 team: Las Vegas Raiders)

Mackensie Alexander, cornerback (2020 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Tyson Alualu, defensive tackle (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

David Andrews, center (2020 team: New England Patriots)

Dan Arnold, tight end (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Denico Autry, defensive end/tackle (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Chidobe Awuzie, cornerback (2020 team: Dallas Cowboys)

Dan Bailey, kicker (2020 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Kelvin Beachum, tackle (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Le'Veon Bell, running back (2020 teams: New York Jets/Kansas City Chiefs)

A.J. Bouye, cornerback (2020 team: Denver Broncos)

Bashuad Breeland, cornerback (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Jacoby Brissett, quarterback (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Antonio Brown, wide receiver (2020 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Jayon Brown, inside linebacker (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)

John Brown, wide receiver (2020 team: Buffalo Bills)

Malcolm Butler, cornerback (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)

James Carpenter, guard (2020 team: Atlanta Falcons)

Chris Carson, running back (2020 team: Seattle Seahawks)

Jurrell Casey, defensive tackle/end (2020 team: Denver Broncos)

Jadeveon Clowney, edge rusher (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)

Keelan Cole, wide receiver (2020 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)

Gareon Conley, cornerback (2020 team: Houston Texans)

James Conner, running back (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

Jared Cook, tight end (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)

Andy Dalton, quarterback (2020 team: Dallas Cowboys)

Ronald Darby, cornerback (2020 team: Washington Football Team)

Corey Davis, wide receiver (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)

Michael Davis, cornerback (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

Mike Davis, running back (2020 team: Carolina Panthers)

Kenyan Drake, running back (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Quinton Dunbar, cornerback (2020 team: Seattle Seahawks)

Carlos Dunlap, edge rusher (2020 teams: Cincinnati Bengals/Seattle Seahawks)

Gerald Everett, tight end (2020 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Eric Fisher, tackle (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback (2020 team: Miami Dolphins)

Leonard Floyd, edge rusher (2020 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Will Fuller, wide receiver (2020 team: Houston Texans)

Tashaun Gibson, safety (2020 team: Chicago Bears)

A.J. Green, wide receiver (2020 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Shaq Griffin, cornerback (2020 team: Seattle Seahawks)

Rob Gronkowski, tight end (2020 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Lawrence Guy, defensive tackle/end (2020 team: New England Patriots) 

Anthony Harris, safety (2020 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Shelby Harris, defensive tackle/end (2020 team: Denver Broncos)

Trey Hendrickson, edge rusher (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)

Rashard Higgins, wide receiver (2020 team: Cleveland Browns)

Troy Hill, cornerback (2020 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Mike Hilton, cornerback (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

T.Y. Hilton, wide receiver (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Malik Hooker, safety (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Justin Houston, edge rusher (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Adam Humphries, wide receiver (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)

Richie Incognito, guard (2020 team: Las Vegas Raiders)

Melvin Ingram, edge rusher (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

William Jackson III, cornerback (2020 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Janoris Jenkins, cornerback (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)

DaQuan Jones, defensive tackle (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)

Marvin Jones Jr., wide receiver (2020 team: Detroit Lions)

Duke Johnson Jr., running back (2020 team: Houston Texans)

Lamarcus Joyner, cornerback/safety (2020 team: Las Vegas Raiders)

Matthew Judon, edge rusher (2020 team: Baltimore Ravens)

Kyle Juszcyk, fullback (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Ted Karras, center/guard (2020 team: Miami Dolphins)

Desmond King, cornerback (2020 teams: Los Angeles Chargers/Tennessee Titans)

Carl Lawson, edge rusher (2020 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Alex Mack, center (2020 team: Atlanta Falcons)

Marlon Mack, running back (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Bobby Massie, tackle (2020 team: Chicago Bears)

Jason McCourty, cornerback (2020 team: New England Patriots)

Takk McKinnley, edge rusher (2020 team: Atlanta Falcons)

Matt Milano, inside linebacker (2020 team: Buffalo Bills)

Keanu Neal, safety (2020 team: Atlanta Falcon)

Cam Newton, quarterback (2020 team: New England Patriots)

Yannick Ngakoue, edge rusher (2020 teams: Minnesota Vikings/Baltimore Ravens)

Larry Ogunjobi, defensive tackler (2020 team: Cleveland Browns)

Russell Okung, tackle (2020 team: Carolina Panthers)

Romeo Okwara, edge rusher (2020 team: Detroit Lions)

Cordarelle Patterson, kick returner/wide receiver/running back (2020 team: Chicago Bears)

Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (2020 team: New York Jets)

Denzel Perryman, inside linebacker (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

Patrick Peterson, cornerback (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Brian Poole, cornerback (2020 team: New York Jets)

Sheldon Rankins, defensive tackle (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)

Haason Reddick, edge rusher (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Austin Reiter, center (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Xavier Rhodes, cornerback (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Riley Reiff, tackle (2020 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Roy Robertson-Harris, defensive end/tackle (2020 team: Chicago Bears)

Nickell Robey-Coleman, cornerback (2020 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Curtis Samuel, wide receiver (2020 team: Carolina Panthers)

Emmanuel Sanders, wide receiver (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)

Cairo Santos, kicker (2020 team: Chicago Bears)

Richard Sherman, cornerback (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Kawann Short, defensive tackle (2020 team: Carolina Panthers)

Aldon Smith, edge rusher (2020 team: Dallas Cowboys)

Jonnu Smith, tight end (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)

Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle (2020 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 

Jaquiski Tartt, safety (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Tyrod Taylor, quarterback (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (2020 team: Chicago Bears)

Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive tackle (2020 team: New York Giants)

Kenny Vaccaro, safety (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)

Kyle Van Noy, inside/outside linebacker (2020 team: Miami Dolphins)

Jason Verrett, cornerback (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Alejandro Villanueva, tackle (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

Ricky Wagner, tackle (2020 team: Green Bay Packers)

Sammy Watkins, wide receiver (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

James White, running back (2020 team: New England Patriots)

Daryl Williams, tackle (2020 team: Buffalo Bills)

K'Waun Williams, cornerback (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Jameis Winston, quarterback (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)

Deatrich Wise Jr., edge rusher (2020 team: New England Patriots)

Derek Wolfe, defensive end/tackle (2020 team: Baltimore Ravens)

Xavier Woods, safety (2020 team: Dallas Cowboys)

K.J. Wright, outside linebacker (2020 team: Seattle Seahawks)

Kevin Zeitler, guard (2020 team:New York Giants)

Jennifer Garner 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 Jennifer Garner-whose latest movie "Yes Day" premieres on Netflix this Friday. 

Jennifer Garner's Filmography Ranked:

16.Pearl Harbor (D-)

15.Juno (D)

14.Mr. Magoo (D+)

13.Nine Lives (C)

12.Daredevil (C+)

11.Peppermint (C+)

10.13 Going on 30 (B-)

9.Arthur (B-)

8.Dallas Buyers Club (B)

7.Danny Collins (B)

6.The Kingdom (B)

5.Love, Simon (B)

4.Butter (B)

3.Catch Me If You Can (B+)

2.Dude Where's My Car? (B+)

1.Draft Day (A)

Top Dog: Draft Day (2014)

Cheesy, inspirational sports fairy tale dramas basically went extinct around 2008/09, which is exactly why the existence of Draft Day is so delightful. Quite frankly, a real time drama taking place in the headquarters of the Cleveland Browns on the first day of the NFL Draft wouldn't have even made sense for Disney to release during the days of Remember the Titans, Miracle and Invincible, but somebody at Lionsgate disagreed with that thinking and were not rewarded for their blind faith in audiences giving a shit about an NFL Draft movie when it grossed just $28.8 million at the domestic box office. However, as someone who loves these types of movies so deeply and unapologetically, I would like to thank the hilariously out of touch individuals who bankrolled this for providing another fiercely entertaining, comically melodramatic entry into this long-abandoned genre. 

Lowlight: Pearl Harbor (2001)

Michael Bay stayed true to his reputation as a master of all things explosions by creating a fiery turd of a movie that pisses all over the memory of the people that died during the attack on the Hawaiian naval base. Nothing says "I respect the fallen" like using the event that provoked the United States to get involved in World War II as the backdrop for a 62-hour schmaltzy romance movie about two naval pilots (Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett) who are vying for the affection of a nurse (Kate Beckinsale) at Pearl Harbor.  How this film even got past the first pitch meeting is honestly astounding.  

Most Underrated: Butter (2012)

Any comedy about a prestigious small town Iowa butter carving competition that features Olivia Wilde as a foul-mouthed stripper who befriends a young foster child (Yara Shahidi) who may be a butter carving prodigy, Hugh Jackman as a cowboy hat-wearing used car dealership owner and Garner as the overly competitive, slightly insane wife of the man (Ty Burrell) whose dominated the competition for the past 15 years is a shoo-in to get my stamp of approval. This funny, relatively stupid little movie deserved better than the cold VOD dump it received from a certain predatory former studio head.  

Most Overrated: Juno (2007)

Watching hipster cartoon characters stir up avoidable drama and speak in nothing but quirky platitudes for a little under two hours makes Juno a special of kind hell that I hope to never visit again.  

Best Use of Her Action Star Chops in a Questionable Movie: Peppermint (2018)

Garner has spent so much time making romantic comedies, family movies and prestige dramas in her career that its easy to forget that her initial acting breakthrough came with action roles in the hit ABC spy series Alias and as Elektra in Daredevil and the character's subsequent solo spinoff movie of the same name. When she finally returned to the genre in the vigilante bloodbath Peppermint, it felt like a portal back to 2003 had opened right in front of our eyes. Her effortless slip back into smoldering badass mode was a large part of why such a sloppily-written, overly serious and occasionally overtly racist movie managed to be somewhat engaging. 

Most Quietly Influential Movie to Me: Dude, Where's My Car? (2000)

Growing up in the era in which I did meant a lot of early introductions to some completely fucking insane movies. Sometime in 2003/04, I stumbled upon the cult classic Dude, Where's My Car? on TV and it ended up playing a big part in shaping the sense of humor I have today. This is a fearlessly weird comedy that revels in the absurd turns its plot takes, pulling off the unexplainable magic trick of having a dumb joke become funnier each time its repeated  and actively alienating any audience that puts a premium on traditional cinematic quality metrics. Without having this prime piece of comedic lunacy enter my life at such a young age, who knows if I ever would've developed such a strong taste for unhinged absurdist/surrealist comedy. So basically Dude Where's My Car? is on my Mount Rushmore of important movies, which says everything you need to know about the sophiscation of my taste.    

Movie Review: Boss Level

Anybody that's played a story-driven video game before knows the particular brand of grueling pain that comes from being stuck on a level for an exorbitant amount of time. Despite figuring out, if not completely mastering the early stages, there's a single foe or series of enemies that needs to be vanquished in order to move on in the story that you simply can't beat even after hundreds of run-throughs. Joe Carnahan's Boss Level takes this video game staple and applies it to a sci-fi action movie about an ex-solider (Frank Grillo) who gets stuck in a time loop where he's being hunted by a group of assassins hired by a mysterious evil weapons company head/retired Army colonel (Mel Gibson) after he becomes aware of a piece of time travel technology that his estranged wife (Naomi Watts) was working on, but abandoned once she realized what her employers were intending to use it for.

When it comes to applying video game mechanics to a movie, Boss Level does the best job of any film since Hardcore Henry. Through Grillo's generally cocky attitude and liberal hurling of smartass quips while easily blowing through the portions his character has rolled through dozens of times and increasing feeling of hopelessness once he reaches the stage that he can't get past, Carnahan nails the deeply conflicting attitudes that exists in the player's mind while navigating a difficult portion of a game as well as the aggravating cycle of monotony that comes with having no choice but to try and achieve the same goal over and over again. As simple as this filmmaking/storytelling approach may seem, there's a plethora of failed video game adaptations that have been released in the past that have demonstrated that it's extremely easy to butcher the translation between the two not overly different mediums, so seeing a film accurately illustrate the player's mindset and unbreakable repetition that exists within the game itself is a feat worthy of celebration and admiration.

Adhering so closely to the structure of a video game does however provide some limitations that put a cap on the overall quality of Boss Level. While Grillo's reliably gruff charisma prevents the actual story from feeling overly monotonous, the replaying the same level hundreds of times plot device means there's a limit to what Carnahan can do with the action scenes themselves. Slightly different versions of the same scenarios/deaths are forced to be looped for roughly an hour straight and it's not until the final act when new portions of the level are introduced that Carnahan really gets cooking with a badass swordfight and John Wick/Atomic Blonde-esque stairwell gun/fist fight that demonstrates the peak of Grillo's action hero powers. As faithfully-executed and entertaining as Boss Level is, the heightened electricity that's present in the latter stages of this film shows that Carnahan could've made an even better movie if he dropped that the replaying of the same sequences that the time loop narrative device requires and just made a balls out affair that applied the manic atmosphere of Smokin' Aces to a video game-style action movie. Still, it's great to see Carnahan gracefully return to the director's chair after a nearly 7 year layoff and deliver the first notably solid R-rated actioner since last August's Project Power.         

Grade: B

Movie Review: Coming 2 America

Comedy is a delicate artform that is arguably more susceptible to eroding over time than just any other genre of film or television. A little over 32 years after the original was released, Coming 2 America serves as a perfect case study for how and why things that were very funny, if not flat-out hilarious at the time just don't hit the same decades later. 

Now, this whole concept of how well jokes hold up over time wouldn't be a subject of heightened importance if Coming 2 America wasn't effectively the same movie as its 1988 predecessor except with Zamunda serving as the location of the fish out of water tale instead of New York (the plot involves Eddie Murphy's Prince Akeem bringing his bastard son-played by Jermaine Fowler-he fathered in New York prior to meeting/falling in love with Shari Headley's Lisa McDowell that he wasn't previously aware of to Zamunda to groom him as his heir to the throne) and an unsurprising albeit necessary subplot about the kingdom of Zamunda beginning to move away from its archaic traditions and philosophies. The good bulk of the jokes have the exact same setup and punchlines as the original-giving it a dated, lazy feel that is further elevated by how indifferent the original cast members (Murphy, Headley, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones) with the notable exception of the great John Amos as Akeem's copyright infringing-fast food magnate father in law are in delivering them. 

Almost all of the gently amusing moments that save the film from the realm of lifeless mediocrity  comes from the new additions headlined by Fowler, KiKi Layne, Leslie Jones, Wesley Snipes and Tracy Morgan. The visible exuberance and energy they bring to their characters adds somewhat of a spark to a film that has next to none when they're not on screen. They're the ones look like the proud veterans that are excited to add to the legacy of a classic film while the returning cast that actually built it act like clock punchers who are more excited by the prospect of returning to their trailers for an afternoon nap than actively trying to sell jokes or the occasional potential heartfelt moment. If Murphy ever decides to revive another one of his iconic films from the early portion of his career (there's a belief that the long-rumored fourth Beverly Hills Cop will start production in the near future), hopefully he'll actually put some real effort into his performance and/or get the writers to come up with at least somewhat of a different plot because this half-assed, slightly above average retread shit just isn't going to cut it for a performer who is capable of bringing down the house when he's on his game and has good material to work with.

Grade: C+        

Quick Movie Reviews: Minari, Tom & Jerry, The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Minari: One of the last missing pieces of the 2020 cinematic puzzle has finally made it to the masses with a VOD release last Friday following its initial awards-qualifying theatrical run back in December and Minari proved to be worth the unusually long wait. Writer/director Lee Issac Chung puts himself on the map in a big way with this semi-autobiographical drama set in the early 80's about a family of South Korean immigrants trying to establish a farming business in rural Arkansas. The relaxed pacing allows for plenty of time for the members of the family as well as their complicated dynamic to be developed and the restrained, naturalistic performances from the main cast (particularly Steven Yuen as the patriarch who is determined to make the farm a success regardless of what it costs him, Youn Yuh-jung as the mother-in-law who comes over from South Korea to help watch the kids while they start to get their business rolling and Alan Kim-who turns in the best performance by a child actor since Jacob Tremblay in Room-as the American-born son whose particularly discontent with their new living situation) make all of the high and lows the characters go through during their journey to achieve true prosperity and assimilate to a new country resonate beautifully. It's the type of sweet, low-key and emotional movie that will only add to A24's mythic lore in the independent film community and should be a top-tier contender at all of the awards shows over the next couple months.   

Grade: B+

Tom & Jerry: As a non-fan of the franchise, the appeal of Tom & Jerry seems to be the wall-to-wall slapstick gags that occur while the titular cat and mouse try to hurt each other. Even though their carnival of chaos and destruction happens to serve as the match that derails a high-profile couple's wedding (Colin Jost, Pallavi Sharda) at a prestigious New York City hotel instead of the only show in town, those antics are still very much at the forefront of Tim Story's (Ride Along series, Barbershop) modernized live action/cartoon version. This film is more or less just 95 minutes of the hotel staff led by Chloe Grace Moretz, Michael Pena and Rob Delaney unsuccessfully trying to at least somewhat contain Tom and Jerry's property-destroying grudge matches that features no shortage of cartoon animal falls, fights and electrocutions from interfering with the nuptials. While there's not much here outside of the occasional throwaway one-liner for adults, its an appropriately manic and silly affair that kids will love that also happens to serve as a nice introduction to the sophomoric joys that slapstick comedy can provide. In a space dominated by Disney and Pixar's all ages animated affairs, it's almost refreshing to see a cartoon appeal squarely to kids for once and that dedication to making young audiences laugh will likely be the only thing I remember about Tom & Jerry years down the line.    

Grade: C

The United States vs. Billie Holiday: In the first significant acting role of her career, singer/songwriter Andra Day was basically asked to compete in the Tour de France on a Huffy that had a leaky tire and some wonky brakes. The United States vs. Billie Holiday features a frantic narrative that clumsily jumps between years/events in Holiday's life so frequently that it basically requires an evidence board to follow completely, clunky pacing that alternates between methodical and blistering on an almost scene-by-scene basis and of course, the Lee Daniels specialty of ruining potentially emotional moments by staging them in the most needlessly melodramatic fashion possible. Day managed to not only get that dilapidated, barely functional bike across the finish line, but win the whole damn thing when that realistically shouldn't have been an option. 

By capturing the charisma, unrelenting courage and burden of the tremendous torture Holiday endured in her personal and professional career while also belting out every song with supreme confidence, Day becomes a mesmerizing force that is powerful enough to make this tedious, miscalculated telling of the tragic and fascinating story of one of America's most iconic singers at least somewhat watchable. The list of Best Actress contenders is stupid deep this year and there's at least 5 other legit contenders including Viola Davis, Carey Mulligan and Vanessa Kirby that I'd have no qualms handing the trophy to, but what Day was able to do for this movie-particularly considering her lack of prior acting experience-might be enough to push her ahead of the rest of the pack.     

Grade: C+

Eddie Murphy 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 Eddie Murphy-whose latest project "Coming 2 America" premieres on Amazon Prime Video this Friday.

Eddie Murphy's Filmography Ranked:

23.The Adventures of Pluto Nash (D-)

22.Vampire in Brooklyn (D-)

21.Norbit (D)

20.The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (C-)

19.Dr. Doolittle 2 (C-)

18.The Haunted Mansion (C)

17.Meet Dave (C)

16.Daddy Day Care (C)

15.Shrek 2 (C+)

14.The Nutty Professor (C+)

13.Dr. Doolittle (C+) 

12.48 Hrs. (B-)

11.Life (B-)

10.Bowfinger (B-)

9.I-Spy (B)

8.Beverly Hills Cop II (B)

7.Mulan (B)

6.Trading Places (B)

5.Tower Heist (B+)

4.Coming to America (B+)

3.Beverly Hills Cop (B+)

2.Shrek (B+)

1.Dolemite is My Name (A)

Top Dog: Dolemite is My Name (2019)

It's not exactly a controversial take to say that Murphy's filmography isn't full of beloved classics. Fan favorites such as Coming to America and Trading Places are largely outnumbered by heavily disliked or forgotten titles like Norbit, Vampire in Brooklyn and Harlem Nights. So when he starred in a film that not only used his comedic gifts and charisma, but showed off his long-hidden range as an actor was a major blessing for an electric performer who has had far too few success stories in the world of cinema. Dolemite is My Name-which details Rudy Ray Moore's (Murphy) long journey to breakthrough in showbusiness-is a warm, vibrant and routinely hilarious underdog story as well as a heartfelt love letter to the manic brand of DIY independent filmmaking that made the Blaxploitation movement that spawned cult classics like Dolemite possible. 

Lowlight: The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)

Whoever decided to fork over $100 million for The Adventures of Pluto Nash to be made must've had some hardcore buyer's remorse. There's such a lack of functional jokes and tangible effort from everyone involved in this notorious sci-fi comedy bomb that Randy Quaid's fittingly robotic performance as Pluto Nash's aging android best friend ends up going down as the movie's de facto strongest asset.  

Most Overrated: 48 Hrs. (1982)

A combination of some jokes that haven't aged well and the merely functional hardo/loudmouth odd couple dynamic between Murphy and Nick Nolte is enough to put 48 Hrs. well below many of the other iconic buddy action comedies that came out of the 80's (Lethal Weapon, Midnight Run, Tango & Cash).

Most Underrated: Tower Heist (2011)

Disgraced director Brett Ratner is a piece of garbage whose work I'll never revisit again, but I can't pretend that I didn't enjoy most of the movies he put out before his career got derailed in 2017 following a string of sexual assault and harassment allegations being brought upon him. Driven by an appealing combination of likable protagonists, some big laughs (mainly provided by Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Gabourey Sidibe and Michael Pena) and a clever central heist, Tower Heist manages to deliver non-stop entertainment in a slick 90-minute package.     

Favorite Piece of Childhood Nostalgia That Almost Certainly No One Else Shares: I-Spy (2002)

Sometime in early-to-mid December 2002, my dad took me to a second run theater in Danvers, Massachusetts called Hollywood Hits (RIP) to go see the Murphy/Owen Wilson action comedy extravaganza I-Spy during the final days of its uneventful box office run (it grossed just $33.6 mil in the States). Unlike many of the other people that ventured out to see I-Spy including my dad, 10-year old me was nothing short of delighted by all of the espionage action and the assorted quips Murphy and Wilson made while engaging in said espionage action. While there's a very strong chance I would like I-Spy less now than I did then (I have the DVD on hand, so maybe I'll test that theory out one of these days), the thick cloud of positive childhood memories from the few times I watched it between 2002 and 2005 remain strong enough for me to continue to view it in a positive light as an adult.   

Most Stunning Collective Failure: Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)

Murphy, Angela Bassett, John Witherspoon and Wes Craven teaming up for a horror comedy should've resulted in something really fun, but instead Vampire in Brooklyn proves to be a painful slog that is derailed by its distracting serious/campy dark comedy tonal limbo and Murphy turning in a shamelessly phoned-in performance as the titular vampire. 

2021 NFL Mock Draft (Pre Free-Agency)

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

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

3.Miami Dolphins: Ja'Marr Chase, wide receiver (LSU)

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

5.Cincinnati Bengals: Penei Sewell, tackle (Oregon)

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

7.Detroit Lions: DeVonta Smith, wide receiver (Alabama)

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: Jaylen Waddle, 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: Micah Parsons, inside linebacker (Penn State)

16.Arizona Cardinals: Najee Harris, running back (Alabama)

17.Las Vegas Raiders: Levi Onwurzurlike, defensive tackle (Washington)

18.Miami Dolphins: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, inside/outside linebacker (Notre Dame)

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

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

21.Indianapolis Colts: Rondale Moore, wide receiver (Purdue)

22.Tennessee Titans: Carlos Basham Jr., edge rusher (Wake Forest)

23.New York Jets: Zavean Collins, inside linebacker (Tulsa)

24.Pittsburgh Steelers: Trey Lance, quarterback (North Dakota State)

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

26.Cleveland Browns: Nick Bolton, inside linebacker (Missouri)

27.Baltimore Ravens: Kadarius Toney, wide receiver (Florida)

28.New Orleans Saints: Rashod Bateman, wide receiver (Minnesota)

29.Green Bay Packers: Asante Samuel Jr., cornerback (Florida State)

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

31.Kansas City Chiefs: Azezz Ojulari, inside linebacker (Georgia)

32.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jayson Oweh, edge rusher (Penn State)

Album Review: Trippie Redd and Travis Barker-NEON SHARK vs. Pegasus

Trippie Redd has spent the early stages of his career solidifying himself as the hip hop version of the really smart kid in high school who could get A's if they wanted to, but just doesn't have the desire to apply themselves. The 21-year old has the dynamism to rap, sing and use his voice as an instrument in a way that's not unlike what Young Thug's been doing for the bulk of his career and in the instances where he shows off the full extent of that special skill set ("Dark Knight Dummo", "Topanga", his incredible edition of Trap Symphony), he's proven to be an absolutely electrifying artist that can rival the best hip hop has to offer. Of course, that version of Trippie Redd isn't the one who usually makes into the studio-particularly during the last couple years in which he's grown increasingly complacent as his profile continues to rise. Just a mere four months after releasing the hilariously bloated Pegasus, he's back it with the sister album NEON SHARK vs. Pegasus-which unsurprisingly confirms that not even a switch in genres and collaborating with a respected music veteran in Travis Barker can stop Trippie from coasting through yet another project.

Anybody that has even a moderate degree of familiarity with Trippie's work is aware that rock, punk and emo have had a huge influence on his sound. These styles of music have helped shape everything from his colorful image to the raw, often rage-and-pain fueled emotions that sit at the core of his material. His understanding and appreciation of these genres is what makes the failure of NEON SHARK vs. Pegasus particularly discouraging. 

Every variation of rock music that's explored here fizzles due to Trippie's reliance on using the same cold, overly autotuned vocal approach on each track. The pop punk songs are completely devoid of angsty energy and catchy hooks while the blatantly Deftones-inspired material (Chino Moreno even shows up for a brief guest spot on "Geronimo") is far too muddled and flat to capture even a hint of the essence that makes their dreamy atmospherics so mesmerizingly beautiful. Even the couple of tracks on NEON SHARK vs. Pegasus that do work ("Swimming", "Dead Desert") can respectively be chalked up to the efforts of Barker digging deep into his bag of tricks to manufacture a quick 2-minute jolt of bouncy pop punk adrenaline and guest artists Scarlxrd and Zilakami of City Morgue bringing a much-needed urgent, angry pulse to a nu metal worship track doing enough to cover up Trippie's lethargic presence.

This record is just a half-assed waste of time that does nothing but prove Trippie can release a shit project in another genre and streamline his palpable laziness into an easier to digest package (NEON Shark vs. Pegasus' 14 tracks clock in at roughly 39 minutes, which is a little less than half of the gaudy runtime of the 26 tracks that occupied the OG Pegasus). While Trippie is still plenty young enough to work out the kinks and finally deliver on his loads of untapped potential, he's definitely starting to run out of chances to prove himself. He's been on a steady downward trend since A Love Letter to You 3 and it's getting to the point where it feels like he isn't even really trying to put out quality music anymore. It's infuriating to continue to watch his talent go to waste and until the day comes when he finally figures it out-if it ever does-he'll continue to just be the guy who made a handful of incredible songs at the beginning of his career then just shamelessly cashed checks for uninspired work before fading away into obscurity.      

Grade: D+

Standout Tracks

1.Dead Desert (feat. Scarlxrd and Zilakami)

2.Swimming