2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 17

 ()=previous ranking

1.(1) Green Bay Packers (12-3) Week 17 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

2.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) Week 17 opponent: New York Jets

3.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

4.(4) Los Angeles Rams (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

5.(5) Dallas Cowboys (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

6.(8) Indianapolis Colts (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

7.(10) Buffalo Bills (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

8.(7) Arizona Cardinals (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

9.(6) New England Patriots (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

10.(12) Tennessee Titans (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Miami Dolphins

11.(14) Cincinnati Bengals (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

12.(11) San Francisco 49ers (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Houston Texans

13.(9) Los Angeles Chargers (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Denver Broncos

14.(17) Miami Dolphins (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Tennessee Titans

15.(18) Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Washington Football Team

16.(13) Baltimore Ravens (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

17.(22) Las Vegas Raiders (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

18.(15) Cleveland Browns (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

19.(16) Minnesota Vikings (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Green Bay Packers

20.(20) New Orleans Saints (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Carolina Panthers

21.(19) Denver Broncos (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

22.(24) Atlanta Falcons (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Buffalo Bills

23.(21) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7-1) Week 17 opponent: Cleveland Browns

24.(23) Washington Football Team (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

25.(27) Chicago Bears (5-10) Week 17 opponent: New York Giants

26.(25) Seattle Seahawks (5-10) Week 17 opponent: Detroit Lions

27.(26) Carolina Panthers (5-10) Week 17 opponent: New Orleans Saints 

28.(30) Houston Texans (4-11) Week 17 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

29.(29) New York Jets (4-11) Week 17 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

30.(28) New York Giants (4-11) Week 17 opponent: Chicago Bears

31.(31) Detroit Lions (2-12-1) Week 17 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

32.(32) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) Week 17 opponent: New England Patriots

Week 16 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

Considering that Burrow had his best game of the year against the Ravens back in Week 7 when their defense was considerably healthier, it was logical to believe that he'd fare even better against them in their current fully depleted state. What actually happened was something that only a bold few could've predicted: Burrow put up 525 YDS and 4 TD's in a 41-21 rout that put the Bengals in 1st place in the tight AFC North race. He'll face a much tougher test in the fantasy season finale against a Chiefs defense that has been really stingy of late.

Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Josh Allen (Bills), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

LVP: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Stafford sincerely may have been the worst player on the field for the Rams on Sunday. The veteran QB did everything he could to keep the Vikings in the game, tossing 3 INT'S and throwing for just 197 YDS and 1 TD against a bottom tier defense. Although he's cooled off significantly after his MVP-caliber start and this huge dud in a really ideal spot is plenty of cause of concern, he has a good chance of being a high-end play against the aforementioned Ravens aloof mannequin defense in Week 17.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Derek Carr (Raiders)

Running Back

MVP: Justin Jackson (Chargers)

The bright spots were few and far between for the Chargers in their brutal loss to the bottom feeder Texans, but Jackson was certainly one of them (even though he did lose a fumble) as he scored 2 TD's, caught 8 passes for 98 YDS and rushed 11 times for 64 YDS in his fill-in start for Austin Ekeler. Jackson will be on the RB1/2 radar again for this Sunday's contest with the Broncos if Ekeler doesn't clear COVID protocols in time.  

Honorable Mentions: Damien Harris (Patriots), Joe Mixon (Bengals), Nick Chubb (Browns)

LVP: Saquon Barkley (Giants)

To be fair to Barkley, Jake Fromm and the defense were playing so poorly that the Giants couldn't stick with the run against the Eagles. However, that doesn't fully excuse Barkley's lackluster effort when he did get the ball and the horrific statline (15 CAR, 32 YDS, 1 REC, -4 YDS) that resulted from it. Injury-prone and stuck on a poorly coached team with a limp offense, it's going to take several miracles for Barkley to return to the fantasy stud that he once was. His draft position for next season should take the nosedive (likely to the mid-to-late 3rd round) it's magically avoided for 2 straight years. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Myles Gaskin (Dolphins), Tony Pollard (Cowboys)

Wide Receiver

MVP: Tee Higgins (Bengals) 

After Ja'Marr Chase killed the Ravens in their 1st meeting, Burrow decided that it was only fair for Higgins to get in on the action this time around. The 2nd year wideout posted career highs in both receptions (12) and YDS (194) while also making a pair of endzone trips in the dominate showing for the Bengals. Higgins' owners will hope that he can end his very up-and-down 2021 campaign on a high note against the Chiefs on Sunday.

Honorable Mentions: Davante Adams (Packers), A.J. Brown (Titans), Deebo Samuel (49ers)

LVP: Tyreek Hill (Chiefs) 

Fantasy players got a huge boost in morale when Hill cleared COVID protocols last Saturday ahead of the Chiefs game against the Steelers. That juice didn't last long though as Hill only caught 2 passes for 19 YDS on a day where the Travis Kelce-less offense leaned on Byron Pringle and Mecole Hardman in the passing game before going into full clock-killing mode in the 2nd half of this wire-to-wire blowout. Regardless of Kelce's availability, Hill should return to his normal WR1 role against a very beatable Bengals secondary on Sunday. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Gage (Falcons), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks), Van Jefferson (Rams)

Tight End

MVP: Mark Andrews (Ravens)

Emergency quarterback extraordinaire Josh Johnson only had eyes for Andrews during Sunday's loss against the Bengals. The star tight end reeled in 8 catches for 125 YDS and a TD in a game where the Ravens didn't have the luxury of staying committed to the run for long. Andrews wraps up his stellar 2021 with a date with the Rams on Sunday afternoon. 

Honorable Mentions: Dalton Schultz (Cowboys), Gerald Everett (Seahawks), Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

LVP: George Kittle (49ers)

What happened with Kittle last Thursday in Nashville was puzzling and infuriating. He caught 2 passes for 21 YDS in a single drive in the 1st quarter then only got 1 target FOR THE REST OF THE GAME. Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk were able to make several plays after that, so it's not like the Titans were really locking anybody down. The prospect of Trey Lance starting over the injured Jimmy Garoppolo when the team takes on the Texans on Sunday makes Kittle's Week 17 forecast a nightmarish headache, but let's face it, there's no scenario in which he's active where people are going to bench him.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Patriots), Mike Gesicki (Dolphins), Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Dolphins

The expectation was that Brian Flores' ultra-aggressive defense would be able to overwhelm a rookie QB who had 1 day of practice with the 1st team ahead of the game and was playing behind a makeshift offensive line. That expectation proved to be completely correct as Flores threw the kitchen sink at Ian Book and he responded by taking 8 sacks, throwing 2 INT's (including a pick 6) and leading the Saints to just 3 points. The Dolphins will remain a viable starting option when they take on the Titans in Week 17.

Honorable Mentions: Cowboys, Buccaneers, Eagles

LVP: Chargers

Davis Mills and Rex Burkhead absolutely worked over the Chargers defense on Sunday, leading them to post a dismal 35 points allowed/1 sack/0 takeaway performance. Despite this awful showing and the already confirmed absences of Chris Harris Jr. and Nasir Adderly as well as the uncertain availability of Joey Bosa, they'll be a low-end streaming play against the Drew Lock-led Broncos this week.

Dishonorable Mentions: Patriots, Colts, Cardinals

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 16

 =previous ranking

1.(2) Green Bay Packers (11-3) Week 16 opponent: Cleveland Browns

2.(1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Carolina Panthers

3.(5) Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

4.(6) Los Angeles Rams (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

5.(7) Dallas Cowboys (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Washington Football Team

6.(4) New England Patriots (9-5) Week 16 opponent: Buffalo Bills

7.(3) Arizona Cardinals (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

8.(12) Indianapolis Colts (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

9.(9) Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Houston Texans

10.(10) Buffalo Bills (8-6) Week 16 opponent: New England Patriots

11.(11) San Francisco 49ers (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Tennessee Titans

12.(8) Tennessee Titans (9-5) Week 16 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

13.(13) Baltimore Ravens (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

14.(15) Cincinnati Bengals (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

15.(14) Cleveland Browns (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Green Bay Packers

16.(18) Minnesota Vikings (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

17.(19) Miami Dolphins (7-7) Week 16 opponent: New Orleans Saints

18.(20) Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) Week 16 opponent: New York Giants

19.(17) Denver Broncos (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

20.(24) New Orleans Saints (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Miami Dolphins

21.(21) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1) Week 16 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

22.(23) Las Vegas Raiders (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Denver Broncos

23.(16) Washington Football Team (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

24.(22) Atlanta Falcons (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Detroit Lions

25.(25) Seattle Seahawks (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Chicago Bears

26.(26) Carolina Panthers (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

27.(27) Chicago Bears (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

28.(28) New York Giants (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

29.(29) New York Jets (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

30.(30) Houston Texans (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

31.(32) Detroit Lions (2-11-1) Week 16 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

32.(31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12) Week 16 opponent: New York Jets

Week 15 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

After an ugly start with 2 turnovers, Mahomes turned on the magic in a big way in the 2nd half /overtime and ended up with a monster statline (410 YDS/3 TD's/1 2-PT) that was reminiscent of his 2018 MVP season to sink the Chargers in a key AFC West contest last Thursday night. Barring some good news on the COVID front, Mahomes and the Chiefs offense will be severely shorthanded for their Week 16 game against the Steelers-making him a much shakier than usual play for a pivotal fantasy playoffs matchup.

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Justin Herbert (Chargers)

LVP: Tom Brady (Buccaneers)

Few things have made less sense in the NFL over the past 2 seasons than the Saints ability to completely shut down Brady in the regular season. Dennis Allen's group pulled off another masterclass in reducing Brady to a bumbling, expletive-hurling mess on Sunday night-holding him to 214 YDS and 0 TD's while forcing a pair of turnovers in an impressive 9-0 victory for New Orleans. On top of that poor performance, the Bucs also lost Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette and Mike Evans to injury during the game-which makes Brady's fantasy outlook for this Sunday's contest against the Panthers a bit murky. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Kirk Cousins (Vikings)

Running Back

MVP: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Did Taylor do the bulk of his damage against the Patriots on a game-sealing 67-YD TD run? Yes. Does that minimize the joy felt by his fantasy owners as he put together another massive statline (170 YDS and the aforementioned score on 29 carries)? Not in the slightest. What Taylor has been able to do in a wonky year where excellence on both a team and individual level has been pretty hard to come by is simply astonishing. While his NFL MVP status is up for debate, that honor is his by a longshot in the fantasy realm. 

Honorable Mentions: Jeff Wilson Jr. (49ers), Nick Chubb (Browns), James Robinson (Jaguars)

LVP: Alvin Kamara (Saints)

The Saints best offensive player didn't really contribute to the outcome on Sunday. Tampa's stellar rush defense ensured that Kamara was a non-factor in the gameplan by stacking the hell out of the box and it led to Kamara only managing 13 touches for 31 YDS on the night. Things aren't going to get much easier in Week 16 as the Saints have to go up against a tough Dolphins front that has allowed the 6th least fantasy points to running backs.

Dishonorable Mentions: Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots), Darrell Henderson Jr. (Rams), Rashaad Penny (Seahawks)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Cooper Kupp (Rams)

Kupp continued his dominant 2021 campaign against the Seahawks last night, lighting up his team's archrival for 136 YDS and 2 TD's on 9 receptions. A wretched Vikings secondary that has allowed the most fantasy points to WR's this season should prove to be another easy smash spot for Kupp in a season where pretty much no one has had an answer for him.

Honorable Mentions: Brandin Cooks (Texans), Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), Christian Kirk (Cardinals)

LVP: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals) 

Chase's recent struggles reached a new apex on Sunday against the Broncos-as he hauled in just 1 pass for 3 YDS. To be fair to Chase, Joe Burrow attempted just 22 passes (his 2nd lowest total of the season) and Tyler Boyd (5 REC/96 YDS/1 TD) was the only Bengals receiver who could get anything going against one of the league's stoutest pass defenses. If Chase is going to destroy the rookie wall he hit in early November, it's going to be against a helpless Ravens secondary that is even more banged-up now than they were when he torched them for 201 YDS back in October.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts), Odell Beckham Jr. (Rams), Amari Cooper (Cowboys)

Tight End

MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

When Patrick Mahomes needed somebody to help him break the game open late against the Chargers last Thursday, he turned to Kelce-who responded by turning his 10 catches into 191 YDS and 2 TD's including the walk-off game-winner in overtime. Kelce's owners got some bad news after this historic showing when he tested positive for COVID over the weekend. Fortunately, the star TE is vaccinated and will have a chance to clear protocols before Sunday's game with the Steelers.

Honorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Hunter Henry (Patriots), Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers)

While the aforementioned injuries to Godwin, Evans and Fournette in the early stages of Sunday's game against the Saints paired with the continued absence of Antonio Brown gave Gronkowski a ridiculous target share (11), he only turned that into 2 catches for 29 YDS. Even with Brown set to return from injury/suspension for Sunday's showdown with the Panthers, Gronk should continue to get peppered with targets (and will likely do a lot more with them).  

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Conklin (Vikings), Jared Cook (Chargers), David Njoku (Browns)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Saints

Give the Saints defense their flowers for once again embarrassing Tom Brady on national television. The final body count for this GOAT castration was 4 sacks, an INT and a fumble recovery. A surging Dolphins team that has ripped off 6 straight wins are up next for the NFC's current top bubble team.   

Honorable Mentions: Cowboys, Steelers, Vikings

LVP: Packers

The Lamar Jackson-less Ravens seemed like it was going to be an easy assignment at for the Packers D. Spoiler alert: it wasn't. A sharp Tyler Huntley led the Ravens to score 30 points while only getting sacked once and committing zero turnovers as the Pack were fortunate enough to skate away with a 1-point win after nearly blowing a 14-point lead in the 4th quarter. This marks 2 straight slip-ups for a Packers that has been pretty great in 2021 and these letdowns should give people some pause before they fire them up for their Christmas Day showdown with the Browns. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Patriots, Cardinals, Eagles

Keanu Reeves Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography and hand out some related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Keanu Reeves-whose latest project "The Matrix Resurrections" releases in theaters and on HBO Max this Wednesday. 

Keanu Reeves' Filmography Ranked:

27.47 Ronin (D)

26.Little Buddha (D)

25.River's Edge (D)

24.Knock Knock (D)

23.The Day the Earth Stood Still (D+)

22.The Matrix Revolutions (C-)

21.The Replacements (C-)

20.The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (C+)

19.To the Bone (C+)

18.Man of Tai Chi (B-)

17.Point Break (B-)

16.Hardball (B)

15.Constantine (B)

14.Always Be My Maybe (B)

13.Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (B)

12.Bill & Ted Face the Music (B)

11.The Gift (B)

10.Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (B)

9.Street Kings (B+)

8.Speed (B+)

7.The Matrix Reloaded (B+)

6.Destination Wedding (B+)

5.Toy Story 4 (A-)

4.John Wick (A-)

3.John Wick: Chapter 2 (A-)

2.The Matrix (A)

1.John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum (A)

Top Dog: John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum (2019)

Stepping up the narrative stakes and an increased budget that allowed the franchise's signature exquisitely choreographed/edited fight scenes to become even more creative and elaborate in scope makes John Wick: Chapter 3 the clear best entry in the hit action franchise to date.   

Lowlight: 47 Ronin (2013)

Prior to John Wick being released in October 2014, Reeves was in the midst of a significant professional rough patch. Whatever shine remained from his success in The Matrix trilogy had faded by 2007 and seemingly the only scripts that were coming his way were for stuff that was DOA with every relevant cinematic audience (Generation Um.., Henry's Crime, The Day the Earth Stood Still). Just 10 months before John Wick started his career resurrection, Reeves toplined a particularly dreadful film called 47 Ronin that remarkably didn't permanently banish him to the cheap VOD wasteland that a good number of his former A-list peers currently dominate. Despite being written by Fast & Furious architect Chris Morgan and having some really cool special effects, 47 Ronin is a dreary, dull slog that fails to make its fantasy meets Samurai action mash-up fun for even a split second.  

Most Underrated: Destination Wedding (2018)

Smug, miserable assholes can find love too and Destination Wedding finally gave the world a romantic comedy that normalized that concept. Reeves and Winona Ryder are able to seamlessly pull off the delicate sparring partner/love interest balance that the story called for by delivering Victor Levin's sharp dialogue with the right amount of spite, bitterness and thinly veiled flirtation. Plus, there's just something really lovely about seeing a genre that's traditionally correlated with warmth be tonally flipped on its head while still eventually weaving its way to an earned "happy" ending without compromising its cynical ideals.  

Most Overrated: Point Break (1991)

While Point Break is a decent enough movie as is, I really wish that a movie about a hotshot college football player turned rookie FBI agent (Reeves) infiltrating a group of surfers that moonlight as bank robbers was more willing to lean into the abundant ridiculousness of its premise.

Most In Need of a Reevaluation: The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

The most striking revelation that came from revisiting the original The Matrix trilogy in preparation for Resurrections is discovering that I was lying to myself as a teenager and Reloaded is actually great.  After a reasonably rough start with the exposition-heavy scenes set in the final human city of Zion, Reloaded settles into a really nice groove once it re-enters the world of the Matrix by delivering massive action sequences that are even more jaw-dropping than those in the original, cool expansions of the mythology (Smith becoming a rogue program after his fight with Neo in the finale of the prior film, Neo's conversation with The Architect) and a much more convincing romantic arc for Neo and Trinity.   

Top Really Bad Movie with a Great Ending: Knock Knock (2015)

Eli Roth muddied up his underrated filmography with the grating, idiotic home invasion thriller Knock Knock. The only moment where Roth's depraved wit really came through was during the "IT WAS FREE PIZZA" scene that concludes the film. It was such a perfect, deeply hilarious note to end what ultimately proves to be a sleazy morality tale that I was left to wonder why Roth sidelined his most valuable asset until the final moments of a film that could've really benefited from more of it. 

Bradley Cooper Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted relevant accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Bradley Cooper-whose latest project "Nightmare Alley" hits theaters tonight.

Bradley Cooper's Filmography Ranked:

25.American Sniper (D-)

24.Aloha (D-)

23.Hit and Run (C+)

22.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 (C+)

21.Burnt (B-)

20.The Rocker (B-)

19.The Hangover Part III (B-)

18.The Words (B)

17.The Hangover Part II (B)

16.The Place Beyond the Pines (B)

15.War Dogs (B)

14.The Mule (B)

13.Limitless (B)

12.Joy (B+)

11.Yes Man (B+)

10.The A-Team (B+)

9.Wedding Crashers (B+)

8.Avengers: Endgame (A-)

7.Guardians of the Galaxy (A)

6.Avengers: Infinity War (A)

5.American Hustle (A)

4.The Hangover (A)

3.A Star is Born (A)

2.Silver Linings Playbook (A)

1.Wet Hot American Summer (A)

Top Dog: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Time usually isn't kind to comedy as social mores or general changes to what an individual finds funny can cause the humor in something to erode. The polar opposite has happened with Wet Hot American Humor. Each rewatch unlocks some new beautiful layer of absurdity that makes the whole experience even more joyous and staggeringly funny than it was before, which is why it's recently earned a place among my 10 all-time favorite comedies.    

Lowlight: American Sniper (2014)

American Sniper is the only film that wasn't from a time well before I was born that deeply offended me. Not only is Chris Kyle a vile man who doesn't deserve to be celebrated, but this film's portrayal of PTSD and glorification of warfare is irresponsible and downright appalling.

Most Underrated: The A-Team (2010)

This fun, cheesy movie that's based on a fun, cheesy TV show is a lowkey perfect adaptation. The titular team of good guy rogue operatives/ex-Special Forces (Liam Neeson, Cooper, Quentin "Rampage" Jackson, Sharlto Copley) have a great rapport, the action sequences are big, cartoonish slices of manic joy and perhaps most importantly, it embraces its ridiculousness without being overly meta or self-congratulatory. 

Most Overrated: American Sniper (2014)

The moral issues I have with American Sniper were addressed above, so I'll use this space to get into its cinematic failures. Clint Eastwood and screenwriter Jason Dean Hall framed American Sniper as a character study, yet the film really only gives shit about Kyle's prowess with a gun. Sure there are little snippets of Kyle's relationship with his wife (played by Sienna Miller) and dealing with PTSD after a friend of his was killed in combat, but they don't really bother to expand upon it because that would take time away from the good ol' killing of terrorists and that headshot highlight reel is needed in order for people to really get misty eyed when a title card prior to the end credits reveals Kyle was murdered by a mentally ill veteran that he gave a firearm to at a shooting range. Character studies are supposed to be a window into the subject's being and American Sniper refuses to unlock that shit in order to serve its real agenda of being jingoistic propaganda for the United States military.

Most Overhated Awards Movie: American Hustle (2013)

The talky, style over substance delivery of the loosely fact-based American Hustle has earned it an increasingly large number of detractors since its release at the peak of the 2013 awards season.  Funnily enough, those critiques are a big part of why I love American Hustle so much. The breezy, often comedic atmosphere and snappy dialogue fosters an environment where the ensemble can give playful, deceptive performances (Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Cooper, Jeremy Renner) that create a sense of constant distrust that every story centered around con artists should have. 

Minor Miracle of a Directorial Debut: A Star is Born (2018)

A Star is Born has been remade so many times that effectively every couple of generations has gotten their own version. This also means that the plot details (especially the ending) are so well-known that getting people to really connect with the story gets harder with each subsequent retelling. Cooper's remake-which is the 4th movie version overall-did such a great job of subtly retooling its classic story that it just may become the definitive version of the film. By delivering the melodramatic plot beats in a more grounded fashion and having the film be anchored by two actors (Lady Gaga, himself) who are able to effortlessly sell the highs and lows of a complicated relationship, Cooper was able to turn this tragic showbiz romance into something that's genuinely fresh, emotional and devastating. 

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 15

()=previous ranking

1.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3) Week 15 opponent: New Orleans Saints

2.(3) Green Bay Packers (10-3) Week 15 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

3.(1) Arizona Cardinals (10-3) Week 15 opponent: Detroit Lions

4.(4) New England Patriots (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

5.(6) Kansas City Chiefs (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

6.(7) Los Angeles Rams (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

7.(5) Dallas Cowboys (9-4) Week 15 opponent: New York Giants 

8.(8) Tennessee Titans (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

9.(11) Los Angeles Chargers (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

10.(9) Buffalo Bills (7-6) Week 15 opponent: Carolina Panthers

11.(13) San Francisco 49ers (7-6) Week 15 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

12.(12) Indianapolis Colts (7-6) Week 15 opponent: New England Patriots 

13.(10) Baltimore Ravens (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Green Bay Packers

14.(19) Cleveland Browns (7-6) Week 15 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

15.(14) Cincinnati Bengals (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Denver Broncos

16.(15) Washington Football Team (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

17.(18) Denver Broncos (7-6) Week 15 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

18.(22) Minnesota Vikings (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Chicago Bears

19.(20) Miami Dolphins (6-7) Week 15 opponent: New York Jets

20.(21) Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Washington Football Team

21.(16) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1) Week 15 opponent: Tennessee Titans

22.(23) Atlanta Falcons (6-7) Week 15 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

23.(17) Las Vegas Raiders (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Cleveland Browns

24.(25) New Orleans Saints (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

25.(26) Seattle Seahawks (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

26.(24) Carolina Panthers (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Buffalo Bills

27.(27) Chicago Bears (4-9) Week 15 opponent: Minnesota Vikings 

28.(28) New York Giants (4-9) Week 15 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

29.(29) New York Jets (3-10) Week 15 opponent: Miami Dolphins

30.(30) Houston Texans (2-11) Week 15 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

31.(31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) Week 15 opponent: Houston Texans

32.(32) Detroit Lions (1-11-1) Week 15 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Josh Allen (Bills)

With the Bills being down 24-3 late in the third quarter against the Buccaneers, they turned to Allen's arm and legs in order to will a comeback attempt out of thin. While they ended up falling short in overtime, his absurd final 18 minutes of play in regulation that got them within striking distance of pulling off a miracle rally netted him an insane statline (308 YDS/2 TD's, 109 Rushing YDS/1 TD) that made his fantasy owners very happy. The rapidly collapsing Panthers await Allen next. 

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Justin Herbert (Chargers)

LVP: Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

Just when Prescott looked like he was returning to his early season form with back-to-back strong showings, he puts together a below average dud (211 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT, 15 rushing YDS) against a usually very generous Football Team pass defense. Dak will have a chance to redeem himself in Week 15 against a similarly poor Giants group.

Dishonorable Mentions: Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Derek Carr (Raiders), Taylor Heinicke (Football Team)

Running Back

MVP: Dalvin Cook (Vikings)

Are we really sure Cook suffered a pretty significant shoulder injury 2 weeks ago? The star Vikings running back looked more explosive and patient than he had all season long during his surprise return against the Steelers last Thursday-rushing for a career-high 205 YDS and 2 TD's on 27 carries in another heart attack-inducing contest for the (remarkably) 6-7 Vikings. Barring an unspoken setback, Cook should be in overall RB1 contention again when the Norsemen travel to Chicago to take on the Bears on Monday night.

Honorable Mentions: James Conner (Cardinals), Melvin Gordon (Broncos), Najee Harris (Steelers)

LVP: Antonio Gibson (Football Team)

As hard as it is to fathom considering how bad he's played at points this year, Gibson just may have played his worst game of the season on Sunday against the Cowboys. An early Cowboys scoring explosion limited Gibson 12 touches which he turned into 41 YDS. He also added a lost fumble to sweeten the pot. Fantasy owners will hope this was just a blip on the radar and he can get back to being the solid workhorse option he had been the prior few weeks when the Football Team play the Eagles in Week 15. 

Dishonorable Mentions: James Robinson (Jaguars), Jeff Wilson Jr. (49ers), Josh Jacobs (Raiders)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Davante Adams (Packers)

It took Adams almost 2 full quarters to really get involved in the action on Sunday night against the Bears, but once he did, it was another thorough annihilation (10 REC/121 YDS/2 ankle-breaking TD's) of the Packers' eternally inept rivals. If not for Cooper Kupp and missing a game because of COVID, Adams would likely be leading all of the fantasy WR leaderboards for a 2nd straight season. 

Honorable Mentions: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks), Cooper Kupp (Rams), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

LVP: Darnell Mooney (Bears) 

Justin Fields actually threw a pair of 40+ YD TD's against the Packers, the problem is that they went to Jakeem Grant and Damiere Bryd. His usual favorite target, on the other hand, pretty much completely starved as he only caught 1 of 5 targets for 19 YDS. Mooney should have a much easier time getting consistently open against a porous Vikings secondary on Monday night.

Dishonorable Mentions: Courtland Sutton (Broncos) Kenny Golladay (Giants), Marquez Valdez-Scantling (Packers)

Tight End

MVP: George Kittle (49ers)

Deebo Samuel's return to action didn't slow down Kittle in the slightest. The stud tight once again dominated the passing game action-hauling in 13 passes for 151 YDS and a TD, which helped fuel a wild OT victory on the road against a feisty Bengals team. Kittle has looked like his 2019 self in 4 of the last 5 games, so pray for any defense that's tasked with defending him at the moment.

Honorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Dawson Knox (Bills), Austin Hooper (Browns)

LVP: Dalton Schultz (Cowboys)

Prescott's average outing in Washington was bound to hurt somebody in the Cowboys passing attack and Schultz was that unlucky soul as he finished with just 1 catch for 4 YDS on 3 targets. Schultz should return to his steady 40-60 YD floor against the lowly Giants on Sunday.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Conklin (Vikings), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Evan Engram (Giants)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Chiefs

As impressive as the Chiefs defensive turnaround has been to watch, they hadn't put together a signature performance where they overwhelmed their opponent. That changed on Sunday afternoon when the stumbling Raiders came into Arrowhead. They held their most hated division rival to 9 points while forcing 5 turnovers (including a pick 6 on the opening play of the game) and sacking Derek Carr 4 times. A Chargers offensive line that will be without left tackle Rashawn Slater could present another opportunity for this group to assert their dominance on Thursday night. 

Honorable Mentions: Cowboys, Titans, Browns

LVP: Cardinals

Save for a few sacks, the Cardinals defense had a pretty rough showing as they struggled to contain Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr., Van Jefferson and Sony Michel in a 30-23 loss last night. The rare LVP to MVP flip could be play in for the Cardinals in Week 15 as they're set to take on the Lions.

Dishonorable Mentions: Panthers, Bills, Steelers 

Programming Notice

It's mid-December, which means it's the magical time of year where I scale back my writing a bit in order to prepare for year-end list season. From now through the beginning of January, posts will be limited to the recurring weekly columns and the Most Anticipated Movies/Albums of January-April lists at the start of the new year. Thank you for reading and hope you all have a delightful holiday season.

Chris Maitland   

J.K. Simmons Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted relevant accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of J.K Simmons-whose latest projects "Being the Ricardos" and "National Champions" both arrive in theaters tomorrow.  

J.K. Simmons' Filmography Ranked:

32.Juno (D)

31.The Meddler (C)

30.21 Bridges (C)

29.Zootopia (C)

28.Harsh Times (C)

27.Young Adult (C)

26.The Tomorrow War (C+)

25.Burn After Reading (C+)

24.Father Figures (B-)

23.Hidalgo (B-)

22.Spider-Man 3 (B-)

21.Ride the Eagle (B-)

20.The Accountant (B-)

19.La La Land (B-)

18.Terminator Genysis (B-)

17.The Words (B)

16.Kung Fu Panda 3 (B)

15.Thank You for Smoking (B)

14.Justice League (B)

13.Patriots Day (B)

12.Zack Snyder's Justice League (B)

11.The Ladykillers (B)

10.Up in the Air (B)

9.The Gift (B)

8.Contraband (B+)

7.Extract (B+)

6.Palm Springs (B+)

5.Klaus (B+)

4.Spider-Man (B+)

3.I Love You, Man (A-)

2.Spider-Man 2 (A)

1.Whiplash (A)

Top Dog: Whiplash (2014)

Whiplash isn't just an excellent film, it's a cinematic miracle. Exceptional acting, commanding storytelling and a sense of lingering pressure/anxiety/uneasiness come together to make a dynamic masterpiece that takes the viewer on a grueling yet immensely rewarding psychological journey with a perfect cathartic ending. A long overdue rewatch will be one of the first entertainment-related boxes I check in 2022. 

Lowlight: Juno (2007)

Juno is a plague that the indie filmmaking community still can't quite shake nearly 15 years later. Any time an indie comedy where every teenage character is a smug hipster with an endless collection of quirky quips and the soundtrack solely consists of flavor of the week indie artists sees the light of day, all of the finger waving, facepalming and sighing can be directed towards Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody's unholy creation. 

Most Underrated: Extract (2009)

Between King of the Hill, Office Space, Beavis & Butthead, Silicon Valley and Idiocracy, Mike Judge is essentially a cult comedy factory. Extract-which was his direct follow up to Idiocracy-may be the only one of his projects in the last 25 years that doesn't have a rabid following. The lack of cult status is especially baffling since it's a movie that brings his signature absurd, situational humor to an unlikely workplace environment (an extract factory) and has a bunch of great actors (Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, Ben Affleck, Clifton Collins Jr., Simmons) having a blast playing colorful/psychotic characters.

Most Overrated: Juno (2007)

I disagree with the Academy all the time, but 4 Oscar nominations including Best Picture (when there were still only 5 nominees no less!) and a Best Original Screenplay win for Juno has to be close to the top of the list of our differing takes. If I were in charge of the Oscars, there would've been no amount of bribe money or blackmail threats in the world that could've made me nominate Juno for anything besides the unofficial "Best Cast in an Insufferable Movie" honor.

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 14

 ()=previous ranking

1.(1) Arizona Cardinals (10-2) Week 14 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

2.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) Week 14 opponent: Buffalo Bills

3.(3) Green Bay Packers (9-3) Week 14 opponent: Chicago Bears 

4.(4) New England Patriots (9-4) Week 14 opponent: Bye

5.(5) Dallas Cowboys (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Washington Football Team

6.(6) Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

7.(10) Los Angeles Rams (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

8.(8) Tennessee Titans (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

9.(9) Buffalo Bills (7-5) Week 14 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

10.(7) Baltimore Ravens (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Cleveland Browns

11.(14) Los Angeles Chargers (7-5) Week 14 opponent: New York Giants

12.(13) Indianapolis Colts (7-6) Week 14 opponent: Bye

13.(12) San Francisco 49ers (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

14.(11) Cincinnati Bengals (6-6) Week 14 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

15.(20) Washington Football Team (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

16.(18) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5-1) Week 14 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

17.(17) Las Vegas Raiders (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

18.(16) Denver Broncos (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Detroit Lions

19.(19) Cleveland Browns (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

20.(21) Miami Dolphins (6-7) Week 14 opponent: Bye

21.(22) Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) Week 14 opponent: Bye

22.(15) Minnesota Vikings (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

23.(24) Atlanta Falcons (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Carolina Panthers

24.(25) Carolina Panthers (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

25.(23) New Orleans Saints (5-7) Week 14 opponent: New York Jets

26.(28) Seattle Seahawks (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Houston Texans

27.(26) Chicago Bears (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Green Bay Packers 

28.(27) New York Giants (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

29.(29) New York Jets (3-9) Week 14 opponent: New Orleans Saints

30.(30) Houston Texans (2-10) Week 14 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

31.(31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) Week 14 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

32.(32) Detroit Lions (1-10-1) Week 14 opponent: Denver Broncos

Week 13 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Tom Brady (Buccaneers)

Save for getting embarrassed on a late 2nd quarter pick by defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, Brady predictably annihilated (368 YDS, 4 TD's) the Falcons yet again on Sunday afternoon. In a down year for both himself and quarterbacks overall, Brady has remained at the top of the pecking order and appears set to finish as a top 3 fantasy QB for the 2nd straight season.  

Honorable Mentions: Justin Herbert (Chargers), Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Matthew Stafford (Rams)

LVP: Derek Carr (Raiders)

While Carr played fine (273 scrimmage YDS, 0 giveaways) in a rough loss for the Raiders against the surging Football Team, his failure to find the endzone disappointed his fantasy managers almost as much as it did the fans of his team. Quite fittingly given what his team has gone through on-and-off the field, Carr's 2021 season has been plagued by erraticism and unpredictability-making him a boom-or-bust play for this Sunday's contest against the Chiefs.   

Honorable Mentions: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Josh Allen (Bills)

Running Back

MVP: Javonte Williams (Broncos)

The rookie power back took full control of the backfield for the 1st time this year with Melvin Gordon out of the lineup and was the Broncos lone offensive star on Sunday night against the Chiefs-turning his 29 touches (23 carries, 6 receptions) into 178 YDS and a TD. Depending on Gordon's availability, Williams could be anywhere from a high-end RB1 to a mid-range RB2 for Sunday's game versus the Lions.

Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Taylor (Colts), David Montgomery (Bears), Sony Michel (Rams)

LVP: James Robinson (Jaguars)

A clearly hobbled Robinson probably shouldn't have been out there at all against the Rams on Sunday, but alas he was, and the results were predictably ugly as the 2nd year back registered just 35 total YDS and a lost fumble on 9 touches. Given the Jaguars status as a 2-10 team with a brutally inept offense and coaching staff along with his injury status, Robinson should probably ride the bench the rest of the way in fantasy. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Ingram (Saints), Myles Gaskin (Dolphins), Ezekiel Elliot (Cowboys)

Wide Receiver

MVP: Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

Adam Thielen's early exit with an ankle sprain paved the way for Jefferson to do a whole lot of damage against the Lions porous secondary and he delivered in a big way by hauling in 11 catches for 182 YDS and a TD in what ended up being a heartbreaking day for the Vikings as they became the 1st team to lose to Dan Campbell's squad in 2021. With Thielen listed as doubtful for Thursday's game versus the Steelers, Jefferson-whose put up over 140 YDS in 3 of the last 4 games-will have a legit chance to repeat as the top overall fantasy wideout. 

Honorable Mentions: Diontae Johnson (Steelers), Cooper Kupp (Rams), Tee Higgins (Bengals)

LVP: Jakobi Meyers (Patriots)

None of the 3 passes Mac Jones threw in the Buffalo wind turbine last night found their way into the hands of the Pats de facto top receiver and unlike his running mates Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, he didn't get involved in that sweet reverse action. A Week 14 showdown with the Colts in the domed Lucas Oil Stadium should see Meyers and the rest of the receiving corps return to being something other than small offensive lineman.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Terry McLaurin (Football Team), Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

Tight End

MVP: George Kittle (49ers)

Kittle sure did put his Week 12 dud behind him quickly... The star tight end was effectively the sole focus of the 49ers passing attack on Sunday against the Seahawks and he took full advantage of that starring role by putting together what just might have been the best game of his career (9 REC/181 YDS/2 TD's). If Deebo Samuel sits once again when the 49ers travel to Cincy to take on the trick or treat Bengals, Kittle should have another really busy day at the office.

Honorable Mentions: Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers), T.J. Hockenson (Lions)

LVP: Zach Ertz (Cardinals)

Rainy conditions at Soldier Field and Andy Dalton throwing 4 INT's that led to short fields ensured that the Cardinals didn't have to throw too much to win against the Bears (Kyler Murray attempted a season-low 15 passes), which subsequently made their #2-3 pass catcher Ertz (1 REC/10 YDS) a non-factor in the game. A date with the shaky Rams pass D next Monday presents Ertz and his fantasy owners with a pretty great bounceback opportunity. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Patriots), Dawson Knox (Bills), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Colts

The Colts defense got to show they were more just an opportunistic, takeaway-dependent bunch this week against the Texans. Matt Eberflus' troops completely disrupted and destroyed Houston's lowly group-hanging 4 sacks, an INT and a fumble recovery on them in a 31-0 victory. Their status as a strong fantasy defense will probably be temporarily removed when they take on the turnover-resistant Patriots in 2 weeks. 

Honorable Mentions: Cowboys, Chiefs, Buccaneers

LVP: Ravens

Just when it looked like the Ravens defense had returned to elite status for good this season, they massively flop against their archrivals in Pittsburgh (20 points allowed, 1 sack, 0 takeaways)-who aren't exactly known for having a deadly offense. Despite literally just dominating them in Week 11, they'll be a risky start against the Browns this Sunday.

Dishonorable Mentions: Bills, Eagles, Broncos

Movie Review: C'mon C'mon

 

There's a notion that's often floated out there by some purist cinephiles that cinema should always be seeking to explore or expose some kind of truth in the world. As great as that sounds in theory, that's a tricky ask for a couple reasons. 1. Not every film is playing by the rules of reality. 2.Truth doesn't have a universal definition when it's applied to someone's individual experiences. While I can't speak to the degree of "truth" present in C'mon C'mon for a litany of reasons, writer/director Mike Mills has at the very least made a family drama that handles its relationships and the problems that come with them in a much more real way than we're used to seeing portrayed on screen. 

The root of C'mon C'mon's drama stems from a phone call made by New York-based radio journalist Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix, in a reserved role that marks complete 180 from his five-alarm fire overacting in Joker) to his Los Angeles-based sister Viv (Gabby Hoffmann)-who he had not spoken to since their mother died of dementia a year earlier. During their conversation, Viv reveals that her estranged husband Paul (Scoot McNairy) is displaying erratic behavior caused by his mental illness and that she has to go up to his apartment in Oakland and convince him to get treatment. Wanting to help, Johnny volunteers to fly out and take care of Viv's son Jesse (Woody Norman) while she's in Oakland. After some initial awkwardness, Jesse and Johnny develop a bond that only strengthens when Johnny gets the opportunity to take Jesse back to New York and show him around a city that he's never been before. The jolly, fun time uncle/nephew arrangement begins to fall apart when Jesse starts to lash out and ask questions about what's really going on with Paul and why his mom left him behind while she went on this trip, which causes Johnny to become the stand-in parent he never wanted to be. Will their newly formed bond be able to weather the storm of reality setting in or will they return to their previous arrangement of being borderline strangers who barely speak or each other once Viv returns?    

C'mon C'mon has a really substantial understanding of the messy complexities of family dynamics and human emotions without ever veering into melodrama or vilifying its characters. Viv and Johnny's estrangement wasn't driven by some kind of bombshell soap opera involving greed, betrayal or backstabbing, it was just the product of a brother and sister not being on the same page on how to care for their dying mother. When Viv expresses to the single and childless Johnny that parenthood is an unrelentingly challenging journey that she sometimes wishes she never embarked on, she's treated as a person freely expressing the largely unspoken difficulties of parenthood and not some deadbeat mother who hates her son. At 9 years old, Jesse is at the weird stage of childhood where he's old enough to begin to understand what the adults in his life are really up to yet still young enough to regularly do irrational things like throwing temper tantrums when something doesn't go the way he wants it to. 

These conversations, scenarios and behaviors represent just a small sampling of the achingly real shit that take place in C'mon C'mon. The beauty of making a film that relies on heavy, reflective conversations to tell its story is that it becomes a vessel for unflinchingly honest expression. Not everything here is eloquently or even fully expressed because Mills and the trio of actors (Phoenix, Norman, Hoffmann) who get the bulk of the screentime understand the difficulty of being honest with yourself or others and assigning words to describe internal feelings. Acknowledging the difficulties of bringing true thoughts and feelings from the safety of one's own mind into a cruel outside world where they can be misinterpreted or harshly judged and preaching the importance of listening to other people when they have the courage to share these things out loud is a really delightful message for a film to have-especially in the current times where the desire for real human experiences seems to be more of a trendy suggestion than a realized action.          

C'mon C'mon is a welcome break from the corny, heavy-handed dramas that have populated the last few months of the calendar. While indie film veteran Mills' affinity for public radio interviews and voiceover montages occasionally obscures the multi-faceted power of the drama, a little bit of clumsy indulgence is no match for a moving, beautifully acted film that features so many impactful observations about being a human being and treats its characters and their respective issues with so much respect. Releasing something so understated and unglamorous at the height of awards season was a bit of a puzzling move by A24 since it's likely going to get overshadowed by the abundance of flashier, buzzier titles on the marketplace, but I'm ultimately glad that they did because there probably won't be another film released this month that shares C'mon C'mon's intimate, vulnerable DNA.  

Grade: B+

Angelina Jolie Ranked

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

Angelina Jolie's Filmography Ranked:

19.Shark Tale (F)

18.Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (D-)

17.A Mighty Heart (D+)

16.Beowulf (D+)

15.Salt (C-)

14.Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (C-)

13.Mr. and Mrs. Smith (C)

12.Girl, Interrupted (C) 

11.The Bone Collector (C+)

10.Kung Fu Panda 3 (B)

9.Kung Fu Panda 2 (B)

8.Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (B)

7.Maleficent (B)

6.Kung Fu Panda (B)

5.Changeling (B)

4.Those Who Wish Me Dead (B+)

3.Gone in 60 Seconds (B+)

2.Eternals (B+)

1.Wanted (A-)

Top Dog: Wanted (2008)

Wanted was released when I was 16 and after seeing it in theaters opening weekend, I was convinced it was the greatest movie ever made. Its combination of stylized bloody violence, wild car chases and characters yelling F-bombs every 10-15 seconds was pretty like catnip for my undeveloped, trash-loving brain, and I spent most of that summer enraging my friends by saying it was a better film than The Dark Knight. While I'm not quite as fond of it now as I was back then when I was its literal biggest fan, Wanted is still an exhilaratingly over-the-top spectacle that I admire due to its unflinching embrace of all things scuzzy, cartoonish and idiotic.  

Lowlight: Shark Tale (2004)

Nothing says family fun like a cartoon mobster saga starring a bunch of fished voiced by superstar actors (Will Smith, Jack Black, Renee Zellweger, Jolie, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese). Bonkers plot aside, Shark Tale is that special kind of atrocity that fails so spectacularly to entertain or amuse that it's sincerely embarrassing. There isn't even a single moment in this piece of trash that's even a little bit redeemable, it's just pure, repugnant garbage throughout. If Dreamworks (or any other legitimate studio) ever puts something this staggeringly awful again, the animated film world would likely collapse in short order. 

Most Underrated: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

Nicolas Cage ended his blockbuster action star era with a big, electrifying bang courtesy of this 'roided up remake of the 1974 cult classic about a former prolific car thief (Cage) who's forced back into the game after his brother (Giovani Ribisi) botches a big job for a notorious gangster (Christopher Eccleston). The beauty of this film is that it's a fun popcorn movie where a bunch of really great veteran actors (Cage, Jolie, Ribisi, Delroy Lindo, Robert Duvall, Will Patton, Chi McBride, Timothy Olyphant, Vinnie Jones) let their hair down and roll with the abundance of silly punches this action heist saga throws out.    

Most Overrated: Girl, Interrupted (1999)

James Mangold's 60's-set coming-of-age drama is a clumsy, intermittently boring character study about a group of young women who are patients at a psychiatric hospital that is only a few solid performances (Winona Ryder, Jolie, the late Brittany Murphy) away from being considerably below average.    

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 13

 =previous ranking

1.(1) Arizona Cardinals (9-2) Week 13 opponent: Chicago Bears

2.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Atlanta Falcons 

3.(5) Green Bay Packers (9-3) Week 13 opponent: Bye 

4.(6) New England Patriots (8-4) Week 13 opponent: Buffalo Bills

5.(3) Dallas Cowboys (7-4) Week 13 opponent: New Orleans Saints 

6.(7) Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) Week 13 opponent: Denver Broncos

7.(8) Baltimore Ravens (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

8.(4) Tennessee Titans (8-4) Week 13 opponent: Bye

9.(10) Buffalo Bills (7-4) Week 13 opponent: New England Patriots 

10.(9) Los Angeles Rams (7-4) Week 13 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

11.(15) Cincinnati Bengals (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

12.(16) San Francisco 49ers (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

13.(12) Indianapolis Colts (6-6) Week 13 opponent: Houston Texans

14.(11) Los Angeles Chargers (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals 

15.(14) Minnesota Vikings (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Detroit Lions

16.(18) Denver Broncos (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

17.(20) Las Vegas Raiders (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Washington Football Team

18.(13) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5-1) Week 13 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

19.(17) Cleveland Browns (6-6) Week 13 opponent: Bye

20.(23) Washington Football Team (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders 

21.(24) Miami Dolphins (5-6) Week 13 opponent: New York Giants

22.(21) Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) Week 13 opponent: New York Jets

23.(19) New Orleans Saints (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

24.(25) Atlanta Falcons (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

25.(22) Carolina Panthers (5-7) Week 13 opponent: Bye

26.(27) Chicago Bears (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

27.(28) New York Giants (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Miami Dolphins

28.(26) Seattle Seahawks (3-8) Week 13 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

29.(31) New York Jets (3-8) Week 13 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

30.(29) Houston Texans (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

31.(30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Los Angeles Rams 

32.(32) Detroit Lions (0-10-1) Week 13 opponent: Minnesota Vikings