2023 NFL Draft: Top 25 Prospects Available

Shockingly (for me at least), the 2023 NFL Draft begins 4 weeks from tonight. As I work my way through this year's prospect pool, I've been most impressed by the volume of talent available at corner, the route-running/YAC ability of this slot-heavy WR class and the special, potential franchise-altering skill sets that a few of these quarterbacks seem to possess. Here are my picks for the top 25 available players that I've evaluated so far that I feel have the most potential at the next level. 

Still Need to Evaluate: Darnell Wright, Darnell Washington, Emannuel Forbes, Sydney Brown, Keelee Ringo, Hendon Hooker, Daiyan Henley, O'Cyrus Torrance, Tanner McKee, Tuli Tuipulotu, Devon Achane, Tyrique Stevenson, Luke Musgrave, Adetomiwa Adebawore, John Michael Schmitz, Julius Brents, Steve Avila, Luke Wypler, Garrett Williams, Sam LaPorta, Andre Carter II, Joe Tippmann, Nick Herbig, JL Skinner, Karl Brooks, Siaki Ika, Jordan Battle, Clark Phillips III, Derick Hall, Jonathan Mingo, DeWayne McBride, Zach Harrison, Jayden Reed, Matthew Bergeron, Michael Wilson, Trey Palmer, Eli Ricks, Deuce Vaughn, Kendre Miller, Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, Cody Mauch, Darius Rush, Jammie Robinson, Keeanu Benton, Tyler Scott, Moro Ojomo, Kobie Turner, Keion White, Isaiah McGuire, Dorian Williams, Stetson Bennett, Noah Sewell, Jaylon Jones, Ji'ayr Brown, Ronnie Hickman

1.C.J. Stroud, quarterback (Ohio State)

2.Will Anderson, edge rusher (Alabama)

3.Devon Witherspoon, cornerback (Illinois)

4.Bryce Young, quarterback (Alabama)

5.Christian Gonzalez, cornerback (Oregon)

6.Bijan Robinson, running back (Texas)

7.Brian Branch, safety/cornerback (Alabama)

8.Jaxon Smith-Ngjiba, wide receiver (Ohio State) 

9.Calijah Kancey, defensive tackle (Pittsburgh)

10.Peter Skoronski, tackle/guard (Northwestern)

11.Jalen Carter, defensive tackle (Georgia)

12.Zay Flowers, wide receiver (Boston College)

13.Jahmyr Gibbs, running back (Alabama)

14.Joey Porter Jr., cornerback (Penn State)

15.Tyree Wilson, edge rusher (Texas Tech)

16.Dalton Kincaid, tight end (Utah)

17.Anthony Richardson, quarterback (Florida)

18.Will McDonald IV, edge rusher (Iowa State)

19.Deon Banks, cornerback (Maryland)

20.Jack Campbell, inside linebacker (Iowa)

21.Nolan Smith, edge rusher (Georgia)

22.Paris Johnson Jr., tackle (Ohio State)

23.Myles Murphy, edge rusher (Clemson)

24.Josh Downs, wide receiver (North Carolina)

25.Felix Anudike-Uzomah, edge rusher (Kansas State)

Movie Review: John Wick: Chapter 4

At this juncture, there's no guarantee that John Wick: Chapter 4 will be the final entry in the main franchise. Chapter 4 had the best box office debut of the series to date and Lionsgate doesn't have a deep roster of IP's at their disposal to make up for the loss of a prized asset like Wick on their balance sheet, so it's perfectly understandable that the studio would want Keanu Reeves to keep dawning the suit and violently dispatching legions of lesser assassins around the world for as long as humanly possible. From a creative standpoint, John Wick: Chapter 4 deserves to be the character's swan song. 

Not only does John Wick: Chapter 4 provide a fitting, poetic conclusion to Wick's quest to finally find peace after living a live full of violent sin, it's just hard to imagine Chad Stahelski coming up with something that could top this. Granted the luxury of a $100 million budget-which is roughly 5x more than the original was made for back in 2013, Stahelski is able to execute a no-holds-barred vision that puts Wick on an unrelentingly epic heroes' journey. 

The threat posed by the High Table's latest shadowy goon leader (a delightfully menacing and weaselly Bill Skarsgard) couldn't possibly be more dire to the life of Wick and his allies (Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishburne, series newcomer Hiroyuki Sanada), which results in a constant threat of danger that burns down whatever sense of security that Wick still had in his life as a nomad outlaw. Wick's relationship with his longtime friend turned adversary Cain (Donnie Yen, who lights up the screen with his unreal fighting skills and charisma) powers some meditative moments that beautifully convey the themes of honor, mortality and the high cost of living a life driven by violence that sit right underneath all of the impeccable stylized action. Every action setpiece is an intricate piece of grand-scale mayhem filled with so much visual flare, giddy ambition and creative choreography that suits each characters' personality that it makes you wish more movies put this much effort into crafting action. The mammoth 169-minute runtime is used perfectly as the film is masterfully paced and every arc of this packed story is satisfyingly tied up by the time the end credits roll. Organically building a riveting franchise that consistently grew in scope with each film without ever being overwhelmed by the challenge of expanding something that began as a pretty straightforward action/revenge thriller is nothing short of a miracle and further proof that Stahelski's talent extends far beyond directing kickass fight scenes.  

So where should the John Wick universe go from here? My proposal: Use next year's Ballerina as the means to make a broader pivot into the world of Wickverse spin-offs. There's so many characters (Yen's Cain, Laurence Fishburne's The Bowery King, Ian McShane's Winston, Shamier Anderson's Mr. Nobody-who is a bounty hunter that works outside of the jurisdiction of the High Table, Rina Sawayama's Akira-who makes quite the impression in her pretty limited screentime here) and corners of the film's fascinating assassin underworld that are daring to be explored more. And best of all, the events of Chapter 4 provided all of these characters with logical jumping off points for potential future adventures. 

At the end of the day, I just hope Lionsgate doesn't give John Wick the Toy Story treatment and retcon a perfect conclusion for the sake of making more $$$. After all he's been through in these four films, John Wick deserves nothing more than some extended fucking rest.  

Grade: A

Chris Pine Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Chris Pine-whose latest project "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" releases in theaters on Thursday.

Chris Pine's Filmography Ranked:

19.The Finest Hours (D)

18.The Contractor (D)

17.All the Old Knives (C)

16.This Means War (C)

15.Wonder Woman (C)

14.Wonder Woman 1984 (C+)

13.Don't Worry Darling (C+)

12.Star Trek Beyond (B-)

11.Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (B-)

10.People Like Us (B)

9.Horrible Bosses 2 (B)

8.Outlaw King (B)

7.Rise of the Guardians (B)

6.Unstoppable (B)

5.Star Trek Into Darkness (B+)

4.Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (B+)

3.Hell or High Water (A-)

2.Smokin' Aces (A)

1.Star Trek (A)

Top Dog: Star Trek (2009)

I could care less how far J.J. Abrams strayed from the source material to make his Star Trek film. This film delivered a level of propulsive, grand sci-fi fun that I hadn't experienced while watching a space opera since the original Star Wars trilogy and that's something that will stick with me forever.   

Bottom Feeder: The Finest Hours (2016)

Did The Finest Hours push Craig Gillespie into the world of flashier, campier projects or was this fact-based disaster movie just a bad fit for his strengths as a filmmaker? Sadly, there's no clear answer to that question. Regardless of what the case truly is, The Finest Hours is a sickeningly corny, seemingly endless bore that ranks among the worst Disney-produced films I've ever seen. 

Most Underrated: Smokin' Aces (2007)

Quentin Tarantino celebrated his 60th birthday yesterday, so it's a fitting coincidence that this incredible cocaine-and-Red Bull-fueled riff on his signature style ended up on the docket for this week's piece. Smokin' Aces is one of those crime movies that compensates for whatever flaws exist in its writing with boatloads of charismatic actors chewing up the scenery as (mostly) shitbag characters, stylish action and amusing sophomoric one-liners.

Most Overrated: Wonder Woman (2017)

There's a cruel irony to Wonder Woman being one of the only DCU titles that was widely embraced by audiences. The origin story of the immortal warrior goddess Diana Prince is one of, if not the only movie from this interconnected franchise that feels exactly like a Marvel project. If Wonder Woman decided to parrot something other than the safe, sterile early MCU entry Captain America: The First Avenger it could've been a fun ride, but alas it ended up being something that is competent in the most boring way imaginable. I'll happily take the messy dreary ambition of Batman v. Superman, the silly 2010's mall goth energy of Suicide Squad or the wild tonal swings of its sequel Wonder Woman 1984 over this any day of the week because at least those movies have some god damn personality.

2023 NFL Mock Draft (3/27)

1.Carolina Panthers: C.J. Stroud, quarterback (Ohio State)

2.Houston Texans: Bryce Young, quarterback (Alabama)

3.Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson, edge rusher (Alabama)

4.Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson, quarterback (Florida)

5.Seattle Seahawks: Jalen Carter, defensive tackle (Georgia)

6.Detroit Lions: Tyree Wilson, edge rusher (Texas Tech)

7.Las Vegas Raiders: Devon Witherspoon, cornerback (Illinois) 

8.Atlanta Falcons: Lukas Van Ness, edge rusher (Iowa)

9.Chicago Bears: Christian Gonzalez, cornerback (Oregon)

10.Philadelphia Eagles: Brain Branch, safety/cornerback (Alabama)

11.Tennessee Titans: Will Levis, quarterback (Kentucky) 

12.Houston Texans: Nolan Smith, edge rusher (Georgia) 

13.New York Jets: Peter Skoronski, tackle/guard (Northwestern)

14.New England Patriots: Broderick Jones, tackle (Georgia)

15.Green Bay Packers: Dalton Kincaid, tight end (Utah) 

16.Washington Commanders: Joey Porter Jr., cornerback (Penn State)

17.Pittsburgh Steelers: Paris Johnson Jr., tackle (Ohio State) 

18.Detroit Lions: Calijah Kancey, defensive tackle (Pittsburgh) 

19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Anton Harrison, tackle (Oklahoma) 

20.Seattle Seahawks: Myles Murphy, edge rusher (Clemson)

21.Los Angeles Chargers: Bijan Robinson, running back (Texas) 

22.Baltimore Ravens: Bryan Breesee, defensive tackle (Clemson)

23.Minnesota Vikings: Deon Banks, cornerback (Maryland) 

24.Jacksonville Jaguars: Cam Smith, cornerback (South Carolina) 

25.New York Giants: Jaxon Smith-Njgiba, wide receiver (Ohio State) 

26.Dallas Cowboys: Jahmyr Gibbs, running back (Alabama) 

27.Buffalo Bills: Will McDonald IV, edge rusher (Iowa State) 

28.Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Mayer, tight end (Notre Dame) 

29.New Orleans Saints: Quentin Johnston, wide receiver (TCU) 

30.Philadelphia Eagles: Jack Campbell, inside linebacker (Iowa) 

31.Kansas City Chiefs: Dawand Jones, tackle (Ohio State) 

Movie Review: Shazam!: Fury of the Gods

 

When it comes to the crucial topic of the effectiveness of the changes they made for their second go-round in the Shazam! universe, director David F. Sandberg and writer Henry Gayden ended up with mixed results. On the positive end, Fury of the Gods boasts a tone-which is deliberately silly with frequent winks to the camera-that is much more consistent than the jarring goofball meta comedy/melodrama/kid-friendly horror movie balancing act that the original had and the Daughters of Atlas (Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Rachel Zegler) make for much more compelling, dynamic villains than the obnoxiously hammy Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong). On the other side of this creative seesaw, the "dumb, naive teenager trying to figure out to be a superhero" dynamic that was the biggest strength of the previous film is pretty much completely discarded as the more urgent stakes of the plot-which more or less boils down to The Daughters of Atlas' desire to seek revenge against Djimon Honsou's Wizard and his acolytes after an event at the end of the original film triggered their ability to leave the "God Realm" for the less divine confines of Earth-force Billy Batson (Asher Angel) into his Shazam (Zachary Levi) form for about 90% of the movie. 

Ultimately, this is a trade-off that I was more than willing to accept as its exploration of Billy/Shazam's relationship with his foster siblings (Jack Dylan Grazer, Grace Caroline Currey, Ian Chen, Faithe Herman, Jovan Armand in teenage form) as they grow older and pursue different paths in life is a heartfelt variation on the themes of found family that the first one tackled and the more efficient pacing that's largely brought on by the lack of machine gun tonal swings makes the movie more entertaining on the whole. While I have no strong feelings either way towards whatever future may or may not exist for Shazam! in James Gunn and Peter Safran's overhauled DCU, these movies managed to carve out their own goofy identity in a genre that doesn't often have a place for true individuality and for that reason alone, I'm glad that they exist. 

Grade: B-

Laurence Fishburne Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Laurence Fishburne-whose latest project "John Wick: Chapter 4" releases in theaters today. 

Laurence Fishburne's Filmography Ranked:

30.Man of Steel (D)

29.The Matrix Revolutions (C-)

28.All the Old Knives (C)

27.Passengers (C)

26.Armored (C)

25.Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (C)

24.Red Heat (C+)

23.TMNT (C+)

22.Ride Along (C+)

21.The Ice Road (C+)

20.Biker Boyz (B-)

19.Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (B-)

18.Where'd You Go Bernadette (B-)

17.Assault on Precinct 13 (B)

16.Ant-Man and the Wasp (B)

15.21 (B)

14.Deep Cover (B)

13.Osmosis Jones (B)

12.Mission: Impossible III (B)

11.The Mule (B)

10.Last Flag Flying (B)

9.Contagion (B)

8.Mystic River (B)

7.A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (B) 

6.Predators (B+)

5.John Wick: Chapter 2 (A-)

4.The Matrix Reloaded (A-)

3.Boyz n the Hood (A)

2.John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum (A)

1.The Matrix (A)

Top Dog: The Matrix (1999)

The Wachowski's mind-bending cyberpunk martial arts saga hasn't lost an ounce of its excellence since it first dazzled audiences in the spring of 1999. Seeing this shit in a theater where no one really knew what to expect from it must've been a really special experience. 

Bottom Feeder: Man of Steel (2013)

As flawed as Zack Snyder's later DCU projects are, they at least have an admirable sense of ambition and several great elements driving them. Outside of a harrowing open sequence and heartfelt performance from Kevin Costner, Man of Steel falls completely on its face. The pacing is brutally slow, Michael Shannon's manic, cartoonish overacting as General Zod is completely at odds with the otherwise deeply stoic tone and Snyder's typical action prowess is nowhere to be found in the string of incomprehensible mid-air collisions that the film tries to pass off as fight scenes.  

Most Underrated: Predators (2010)

All of the Predator sequels that came before Prey have pretty shitty reputations on the whole, but the only one from the bunch that I will wholeheartedly defend from its detractors is the Robert Rodriguez-produced, Nimrod Antal-directed effort that is technically only the 3rd entry in the franchise. The hook of a band of prolific killers (Adrien Brody, Fishburne, Alice Braga, Walton Goggins, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo, Louis Ozawa Changchien, Oleg Taktarov, a pre-stardom Mahershala Ali) being dropped onto the Predator's home planet is genius and the film does a good job of using that dynamic to create a sense of unease, distrust and general tension as the group is forced to try and feel each other out while they fight for their lives in an environment that they have no understanding of or feel for. Having some top-notch action/death scenes and getting a few scene-stealing performances out of its ensemble (Fishburne, Grace, Goggins) only further solidified its greatness.  

Most Overrated: Mystic River (2003)

Mystic River has routinely been brought up as one of the best Boston movies ever for at least the past 15 years and by the time I actually saw it for myself in 2021, I was shocked by just how much I disagreed with that sentiment. While the movie is a generally solid and well-acted crime mystery drama, the final 20 minutes are so jaw-droppingly preposterous that it's hard to believe that it's the real conclusion to an otherwise dreary yet grounded story. 

Film I'm Most Glad to Have Re-Appraised: The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

While I haven't read the whole piece yet, former New York Times movie critic A.O. Scott had a great line in his piece explaining why he was stepping away from film writing where he stated that one of the most important parts of being a critic is acknowledging when you're "wrong". For me, this concept is primarily applied in cases involving films that I've done a complete 180 on from one viewing to the next. In recent years, there's no film I've done a bigger swing on than The Matrix Reloaded. As a teenager, I thought it was a lame sequel that tarnished the legacy of the original. Watching it with fresh eyes shortly before the release of The Matrix Resurrections 15 months ago truly felt like I was experiencing it for the first time. While the opening stretch of the film set in the final human city of Zion has its rough patches including most notably the infamous dance club scene, Reloaded becomes incredibly gripping once it returns to the Matrix. There are some very cool expansions of the mythology (Agent Smith evolving into a rogue program as a result of his encounter with Neo at the end of the previous film, getting to actually see/hear The Architect), giving increased attention to the romance between Neo and Trinity allows their relationship to become more convincing and the massive action setpieces are well-executed to the point where it's difficult to fathom how they were able to put them all together.  

Bailando Crowfunding Campaign

Hello all,

My good friend (and former podcast co-host) Feliciano Segundo is producing his first short film entitled Bailando. The film is a love story about overcoming self-doubt and exploring masculinity set against the backdrop of bachata-a genre of dance music from the Dominican Republic. Like many independent films, the team behind Bailando needs to rely on crowdfunding to raise the necessary funds to turn this idea into a living, breathing piece of art. Below, you'll find the link to their crowdfunding campaign-which also includes a video message from writer/director Michael Tejada further explaining his vision and a list of the tiered incentive packages backers receive when they donate. The campaign runs through May 21st and the team behind Bailando would greatly appreciate any contribution that you're able to make. I can't wait to see the final product and thanks in advance for your generosity.

Chris Maitland 

https://seedandspark.com/fund/bailandomovie#story

Movie Review: 65

As the writers behind A Quiet Place and the directors of a cult slasher hit in Haunt, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have firsthand knowledge of the power that tight, tense thrill rides wield in the genre movie space (both of these films are just over 90 minutes long). Confusingly, they seem to have set aside the lessons learned from their past triumphs when assembling the final cut of their third directorial effort 65.

On paper (and routinely in practice), 65 has all the makings of a great genre exercise. Giving dinosaurs the action horror/thriller treatment produces several tense scenes while also providing a unique take on this underexplored subgenre of sci-fi pictures, the VFX for the dinosaurs are quite good and there's a sweet father/daughter-esque bond that forms between two people (Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt) who crash landed on prehistoric Earth after their spaceship was knocked out of orbit by a meteor shower. Given its simple plotting and the urgent, perilous stakes attached to them (roughly 90% of the film consists of Driver and Greenblatt trying to get to the ship's still in-tact escape pod that is several miles away from the crash site), 65 should've been a movie that never took its foot off the gas. Instead, Beck and Woods chose to tell this story in a pretty deliberate fashion that often grinds things to a complete halt in between the moments of action/suspense. 

Having so much dead air in a movie that only runs for 93 minutes with credits isn't just detrimental to the quality of the film, it makes no logical sense. The whole point of making a 93-minute movie-particularly in the sci-fi/horror/action/realm-is to grab the viewer by the throat from the jump and not let go until the credits start rolling. Utilizing a stop-and-start approach like 65 eliminates the brute propulsive force that all the best genre films with short runtime have used to their advantage and begs the question if Beck and Woods weren't interested in going balls-out for the entire runtime, why didn't they just expand the running time by writing a more detailed script that better suits the slow-ish pacing? There's enough of a spark present in the creature action beats, key character moments and the sheer originality of its genre mash-up to make 65 worth a watch, but it's hard to ignore just how much better it would have been if Beck and Woods had made something with a greater sense of forward momentum and more liberal use of its prehistoric predators. 

Grade: B-

2023 NFL Mock Draft (3/20)

1.Carolina Panthers: C.J. Stroud, quarterback (Ohio State) 

2.Houston Texans: Anthony Richardson, quarterback (Florida) 

3.Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson, edge rusher (Alabama)

4.Indianapolis Colts: Bryce Young, quarterback (Alabama) 

5.Seattle Seahawks: Devon Witherspoon, cornerback (Illinois) 

6.Detroit Lions: Tyree Wilson, edge rusher (Texas Tech) 

7.Las Vegas Raiders: Christian Gonzalez, cornerback (Oregon) 

8.Atlanta Falcons: Lukas Van Ness, edge rusher (Iowa) 

9.Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, defensive tackle (Georgia) 

10.Philadelphia Eagles: Brian Branch, safety/cornerback (Alabama) 

11.Tennessee Titans: Will Levis, quarterback (Kentucky)

12.Houston Texans: Myles Murphy, edge rusher (Clemson) 

13.New York Jets: Peter Skoronski, tackle (Northwestern) 

14.New England Patriots: Broderick Jones, tackle (Georgia) 

15.Green Bay Packers: Jaxson Smith-Njigba, wide receiver (Ohio State)

16.Washington Commanders: Joey Porter Jr., cornerback (Penn State) 

17.Pittsburgh Steelers: Paris Johnson Jr., tackle (Ohio State) 

18.Detroit Lions: Calijah Kancey, defensive tackle (Pittsburgh)

19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Anton Harrison, tackle (Oklahoma)

20.Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Breesee, defensive tackle (Clemson)

21.Los Angeles Chargers: Bijan Robinson, running back (Texas)

22.Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers, wide receiver (Boston College)

23.Minnesota Vikings: Nolan Smith, edge rusher (Georgia)

24.Jacksonville Jaguars: Deonte Banks, cornerback (Maryland)

25.New York Giants: Quentin Johnston, wide receiver (TCU)

26.Dallas Cowboys: Jahmyr Gibbs, running back (Alabama)

27.Buffalo Bills: Will McDonald, edge rusher (Iowa State) 

28.Cincinnati Bengals: Cam Smith, cornerback (South Carolina)

29.New Orleans Saints: Michael Mayer, tight end (Notre Dame)

30.Philadelphia Eagles: Jack Campbell, inside linebacker (Iowa) 

31.Kansas City Chiefs: Keelee Ringo, cornerback (Georgia) 

Chris Cooper Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Chris Cooper-whose latest project "Boston Strangler" begins streaming on Hulu tomorrow. 

Chris Cooper's Filmography Ranked:

19.Adaptation. (D-)

18.Guilty by Suspicion (C-)

17.Capote (C-) 

16.Demolition (C)

15.The Boure Supremacy (C) 

14.Money Train (C+)

13.Irresistible (B-) 

12.The Kingdom (B)

11.A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (B)

10.The Muppets (B)

9.Live by Night (B)

8.August: Osage County (B)

7.The Bourne Identity (B)

6.Breach (B) 

5.Little Women (B)

4.Jarhead (B)

3.American Beauty (A-)

2.Me, Myself & Irene (A)

1.The Town (A)

Top Dog: The Town (2010)

As a native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Ben Affleck was obligated to make a Boston-set crime movie and he fulfilled his duty beautifully. The Town is a tense, emotional and riveting heist thriller with high rewatch value that remains Affleck's most impressive work as a director to date.    

Bottom Feeder: Adaptation. (2002)

I've actually enjoyed every other Spike Jonze movie I've seen and had no problem connecting with Charlie Kaufman's quirky, surrealistic style on Being John Malkovich-which was also directed by Jonze. Adaptation is a different beast entirely. While I've seen dozens of movies that I hated more than this, I'd be hard pressed to think of another movie that had more contempt for its viewer than this sanctimonious, condescending meta "comedy" that views enjoying/making "low art" (the primary punching bag here is thrillers) as the ultimate sign of human stupidity. I'd take watching an inept genre film over this masturbatory, elitist bullshit 100 times out of 100.  

Most Underrated: Me, Myself & Irene (2000)

Out of all the idiotic comedies The Farrelly Brothers put out from the mid 90's through the early 2010's, this is my favorite. Jim Carrey's remarkable physical comedy skills are such a perfect match for this goofy story about a Rhode Island state trooper with a recently developed split personality who is tasked with driving a woman (Renee Zellweger) who allegedly committed a crime to upstate New York, and it turns just about every scene into an unpredictable, insane laugh riot.

Most Overrated: Adaptation. (2002) 

Just an insufferable slog of a film that is a hyper-committed pair of Nicolas Cage performances away from being completely useless.  

Movie Review: Creed III

There was no more appropriate time than now for the Creed franchise to untether itself from the broader Rocky brand. Creed II made for a fitting swan song for Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa as the old man had atoned for many of the past sins that had tortured him for decades and was in the process of reconciling with his estranged son at the end of the film while Adonis Creed's (Michael B. Jordan) career was in a good enough place that he could withstand the blow of Balboa stepping down as his trainer. Handing over the directorial reigns to Jordan himself, Creed III proves that Creed is just as compelling of a figure without Balboa by his side as he was with him.

At the start of Creed III, Adonis ends his boxing career on a storybook note by winning the Unified Heavyweight Title. After a 3-year flash forward, it's revealed that Adonis has become a different kind of titan in the boxing world as he runs a gym with his longtime trainer Little Duke (Wood Harris) and is working as a promoter for the current heavyweight champion Felix Chavez (Jose Benavidez Jr.). This pivot away from the ring has also allowed for him to spend more time with his wife Biance (Tessa Thompson)-who also made a career pivot from singing to producing to preserve what remains of her hearing and their daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent)-who might share her father and grandfather's fighting DNA. Adonis' comfortable post-fighting life is disrupted when his old friend/first boxing protege Damian "Dame" Anderson (Jonathan Majors) unexpectedly shows up at his gym. 

Dame was effectively Adonis' big brother as they bounced around the Los Angeles foster care system together and just recently finished up an 18-year prison sentence that stemmed from an incident where he was trying to protect Adonis. As a courtesy, Adonis agrees to train Dame and help him secure his first professional match. When it quickly becomes clear that Dame has more on his mind than living out his long-delayed boxing dream, Adonis has to make some tough decisions that ultimately leads him to make a return to the ring. 

Similar to the treatment that Rocky himself received in the previous two films, Creed III forces Adonis to finally confront the pain of his past. The divergent paths these two men went on in life could've easily been reversed if things worked out differently on the night of Dame's arrest and deep down, both of these men know that-which is why Dame is filled with so much rage and Adonis is overcome with such guilt when Dame re-enters his life. 

Introducing this backstory instantly makes Dame the most sympathetic, compelling antagonist of any Rocky or Creed film. As the details of their history emerges, the film forces you to regularly question whether or not Adonis is the hero of this story due to his treatment of Dame in both the past and present. This conflict is reflected beautifully in the performances as Jordan allows Adonis' magnetic tough guy persona to slowly break until it's revealed how broken and scared he really is while Majors pairs the bravado, jealously and obsessive motivation to win at any cost that is to be expected out of a character seeking revenge against a person they used to love with a quiet sadness that makes his journey that much more tragic. Eventually and inevitably, the film puts you back into Creed's corner, but challenging Adonis' hero status at this advanced stage in the franchise is a winning subversion of the Rocky formula that supercharges the emotional and entertainment value of the movie. 

Unsurprisingly, the part of taking on directorial responsibilities that Jordan seems to relish the most is staging the boxing scenes. Both of the previous Creed films had terrific, electrifying boxing sequences (the one take fight in Mexico from the original is particular impressive) and Jordan managed to match, if not exceed those efforts by taking some unexpected approaches to filming boxing matches. There are some wildly stylish edits, liberal use of unusual camera angles and perfectly deployed uses of slow motion to emphasize the impact of a punch that make the fights feel like boss battles from a video game. The use of these techniques gradually builds up to the huge finale that is not only wildly creative in how it approaches the action but does a tremendous job of illustrating the long-suppressed emotions that are driving the fight between Adonis and Dame. As impressive as Jordan's handling of the pure dramatic scenes are, it's these moments in the ring where his vision and natural filmmaking ability really shine through. 

Not to disrespect what Stallone accomplished over the years, but I believe Creed III firmly solidifies that the spin-off of Rocky has managed to surpass the quality of the original franchise. All 3 movies have elevated their traditional sports movie structures with genuine emotional depth, terrific acting and impeccable fight scenes and have yet to show any of the fatigue or questionable creative choices that eventually weakened the original Rocky series. There's just so much love, care and filmmaking craftsmanship put into these movies and if Jordan, Thompson-who gets less screen time than the previous films here due to the Adonis vs. Dame narrative, but remains a warm, engaging presence who steals the show in multiple scenes-and Ryan Coogler want to keep making these movies for as long as Stallone did, that would be a welcome gift in a world where excellent expansions of IP are so rare.

Grade: A

Movie Review: Scream VI

Through the loving efforts of its new creative team and generation-spanning cast, Scream '22 checked every box it needed to. Younger protagonists were introduced, legacy characters were given arcs that weaved together their past experiences with Ghostface with a new generation of victims and killers and there was a string of heartfelt homages to the franchise's original director Wes Craven that sincerely honored the late horror icon's rich legacy. Now that the table has been reset, directors Radio Silence (aka Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet), their writing partners Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt and the small group of current-era survivors from the previous installment (Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy-Brown, Mason Gooding) have an opportunity to expand their personal fingerprints on the Scream franchise. By the time Scream VI's take on the franchise's signature cold open wraps up, it becomes evident that they were able to pull it off without ever fully turning their backs on what has made this franchise work for so long. 

So, what does the new era of Scream look like? Well, let's start with the change in scenery. For the first time in series history, the action shifts away from Woodsboro as the gang of survivors decided to move to New York City following the events of the previous film. Bringing the Ghostface show on the road brings an exciting new dynamic to the table. Back in Woodsboro, Ghostface has become engrained in the culture after decades of people dawning the cloak and mask to go on a targeted killing spree. Everyone in the town is on high alert once the bodies start piling up and view each new Ghostface as a serious threat to the safety of their community. In New York City, the Woodsboro transplants (Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere join Scream '22's "Core 4" on the returning cast list) and the people in their orbit are just small fish in a large pond. New York is such a big, imposing place that no one is going to be overly alarmed by some people that all have ties to a small California town getting terrorized by some masked killer-which gives Ghostface a unique advantage they've never had in the past. But the biggest transformation isn't in the location and what kind of havoc Ghostface can wreak in a more wide-open environment, it's in the tone.

Scream VI introduces an iteration of Ghostface that is determined to not just kill people but inflict as much as physical and psychological pain on them as possible before they go. The chase sequences-which are among the best in the entire series-that lead to the characters meeting or narrowly escaping their deaths are delivered with this electrifying sense of menace that is driven by the killer's unrelenting will to make their victims suffer, the toying with their victims on the phone is done in a more deliberately sinister fashion and every kill leaves a mark with its savage, unapologetic brutality. Best of all, this shift in approach ends up making total narrative sense once Ghostface is unmasked. Their motivation for going on a killing spree explains why their thirst for blood and not caring who gets caught in the crosshairs of their murderous path is so strong. Scream still may be the goofy tongue-in-cheek outlier in the classic slasher community, but VI proves that it's just as capable as delivering wince-inducing kills and elevated pulse moments as its more straight-faced peers.    

Of course, nothing comes for free in this world and the cost of this more vicious take on Scream is a dulling of its satirical blade. While Scream VI doesn't suddenly transform the series into a deadly seriously slasher enterprise, the meta commentary and humor in general is dialed back probably about as far as it could be while still being instantly recognizable as a Scream film. Most of the satirical bits here are limited to stray lines of dialogue about rewriting the rules of the franchise after so many years and full circle meta digs about itself and shockingly, a broader horror movie target never comes into focus. Expanding their personal vision for Scream was something that Radio Silence needed to do to keep this franchise humming along, it just kind of sucks that it meant focusing less energy on one of the franchise's best elements that they pulled off beautifully in the previous film.

Now, here comes the annoying part of the review where I'm choosing to be overly vague with the remainder of my commentary to avoid the risk of ruining the movie with major spoilers. The usage of its new characters, the underdeveloped (but still very much welcome) return of Panettiere's Kirby Reed and introduction of a small yet never quite believable subplot between two returning characters irked me a bit. The final act also lacks much of the "holy shit" chaos factor that made the final 20 or so minutes of Scream '22 so exciting. Ultimately, I feel Scream VI isn't as sharp or fun as its predecessor, but the slasher sequences, the magnetic performances from Barrera, Ortega, Savoy-Brown and Gooding and the development of their characters and relationships with each other are strong enough to make it another worthy addition to the franchise.

Grade: B+

Where To Stream This Year's Best Picture Nominees

If you're in the United States and looking to watch some of the Best Picture nominees ahead of the Oscars Sunday night, here's where you can stream them:

HBO Max:

The Banshees of Inisherin 

Elvis

Hulu:

Triangle of Sadness

Netflix:

All Quiet on the Western Front

Peacock:

TAR

Prime Video:

Women Talking

Showtime:

Everything Everywhere All at Once

VOD Rental (Prime/Apple TV/Cable Provider/Xbox Live/Playstation Network):

The Fabelmans

Not Available:

Avatar: The Way of Water

Hope you enjoy.

Oscar Predictions

Best Picture:

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

The Banshees of Inisherin 

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Fabelmans

TAR

Top Gun: Maverick

Triangle of Sadness

Women Talking

Predicted Winner: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Some crusty members of the Academy and their mouthpieces in the Hollywood trade publications are continuing to try very hard to question Everything Everywhere All at Once's ability to win Best Picture. Unless they're throwing out every ballot that wasn't cast by a member of BAFTA, it's extremely hard to believe that's going to happen. EEAO has dominated every award show of note outside of England and none of the recent Best Picture "upsets" (Green Book, CODA) unseated titles that had this level of momentum going into Oscar night.

Best Director:

Daniels (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Todd Field (TAR)

Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin) 

Ruben Ostlund (Triangle of Sadness)

Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans)

Predicted Winner: Daniels

The DGA Awards was basically the last chance for somebody to rise from the pack and unseat the Daniels (aka Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert). Since that didn't happen, this eccentric duo appears set to win an honor that seemingly nobody gave them a chance to win as recently as November. 

Best Actor:

Austin Butler, Elvis

Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin

Brendan Fraser, The Whale

Paul Mescal, Aftersun

Bill Nighy, Living

Predicted Winner: Austin Butler

After Colin Farrell failed to secure a BAFTA win, this race turned into a coin flip between Brendan Fraser and Butler. As much as the industry has rallied around the Fraser comeback narrative, Butler has the distinction of giving an acclaimed performance as a real person-which is catnip for Oscar voters as they've given at least 1 actor from a biopic an award every single year from 1998 through last year save for 2016-and I would be kind of surprised if they broke that mold when a performance that came from a rising star doing transcendent work as one of the most iconic musicians of all time is in the field.

Best Actress:

Cate Blanchett, TAR

Ana de Armas, Blonde

Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie

Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans

Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Predicted Winner: Michelle Yeoh

It wouldn't be a surprise if Cate Blanchett swept in and won here. Her work in TAR has been widely cited as the best of her illustrious career and she has been splitting honors with Yeoh all awards season long. However, Yeoh has edged out Blanchett at the SAG and Independent Spirit Awards in recent weeks and that momentum paired with the feel-good story of Yeoh finally getting her due after 35 years as a global star should be enough for her to eek out a win.

Best Supporting Actor:

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin

Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway 

Judd Hirsch, The Fablemans

Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin 

Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Predicted Winner: Ke Huy Quan

This is the only safe bet in any of the acting categories. Like his directors, Quan has won every predictive honor save for the BAFTA and his journey from being out of acting for nearly 30 years to giving a deeply moving performance in the most acclaimed movie of 2022 is an incredible story that should make for a heartwarming moment on the broadcast.

Best Supporting Actress:

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 

Hong Chau, The Whale

Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin 

Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Predicted Winner: Kerry Condon

A true logjam in an acting category is a pretty foreign sight at the Oscars. In fact, the Best Actress race between Viola Davis, Carey Mulligan and Frances McDormand 2 years ago is the only other time I can recall in recent memory that there's been a race that was so wide open going into the ceremony. The players in this particular race are Bassett, Condon and Curtis. Bassett got off to a hot start after she won the Golden Globe and Critic's Choice Award, but she's gone home emptyhanded since then, Condon took home the BAFTA last month and the "lifetime achievement" angle that has surrounded Curtis all awards season (this is the 64-year-old screen legend's 1st ever Oscar nomination) has more legs than ever after her unexpected win at the SAG Awards a few weeks ago. Ultimately, I like Condon here because I think voters will want to prevent The Banshees of Inisheirn-which is the 2nd most nominated movie of the evening behind Everything Everywhere All at Once-from going home emptyhanded and this frontrunner-less category feels like the clearest opportunity for them to give Martin McDonagh's darkly comedic period drama an honor.

Other Predictions:

Best Original Screenplay: Daniels, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Adapted Screenplay: Sarah Polley, Women Talking

Best Animated Feature: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Best Documentary Feature: Fire of Love

Best International Feature: All Quiet on the Western Front  

Best Cinematography: James Friend, All Quiet on the Western Front

Best Film Editing: Paul Rodgers, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Original Song: "Natu Natu", RRR

Best Score: Justin Hurwitz, Babylon 

Best Costume Design: Elvis

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Elvis

Best Production Design: Babylon

Best Sound: Top Gun: Maverick

Best Visual Effects: Avatar: The Way of Water

Best Animated Short: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Best Documentary Short: The Elephant Whisperers 

Best Live Action Short: An Irish Goodbye

What My Ballot Would Like If I Had a Vote:

Best Picture: The Banshees of Inisherin 

Best Director: Martin McDonagh 

Best Actor: Colin Farrell

Best Actress: Michelle Yeoh

Best Supporting Actor: Barry Keoghan 

Best Supporting Actress: Kerry Condon

Best Original Screenplay: The Banshees of Inisherin 

Best Adapted Screenplay: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Best Animated Feature: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Best Documentary Feature: Abstain

Best International Feature: All Quiet on the Western Front

Best Cinematography: All Quiet on the Western Front

Best Film Editing: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Original Song: "Natu Natu", RRR

Best Score: Babylon

Best Costume Design: Elvis

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Batman 

Best Production Design: Babylon 

Best Sound: The Batman

Best Visual Effects: Avatar: The Way of Water

Best Animated Short: Abstain

Best Documentary Short: Abstain

Best Live Action Short: Abstain

2023 NFL Free Agency: Top 10 Players Available

In terms of actual free agent signings, the NFL often lacks sizzle. This year that is particularly true as most of the biggest names left after the franchise tag period that saw the likes of Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard get tagged and Geno Smith and Daniel Jones work out long-term deals to return to their respective teams are offensive lineman, defensive tackles, and corners that aren't household names. That being said, there are some potential impact players to be had and the high likelihood of some record-breaking deals getting handed out for these guys that play unsexy, but pivotal positions. Here are my picks for the 10 best players available in 2023 NFL Free Agency. 

10.Zach Allen, defensive tackle (2022 team: Arizona Cardinals):

A new GM and head coach pairing coming to the Cardinals leaves Allen's status with the team up in the air. Despite some valid concerns over his durability after already missing 23 games in his career, letting Allen walk would be a tough pill to swallow for a front 7 that is already severely lacking in impact players. The 2019 3rd round pick found a pass-rushing groove last season (5.5 sacks, 35 QB pressures, 20 QB hits in only 13 games) to match the run defense skills that made him a Day 2 pick. If he can take another step forward over the next couple years, he could very well turn into a Pro Bowl/All-Pro player.

Possible Destinations: Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings 

9.T.J. Edwards, inside linebacker (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles):

It's insane how much Edwards continues to fly under-the-radar. He's been one of the surest tacklers at inside linebacker over the past 2 seasons and despite a relative lack of INT's (only 2 in 4 pro seasons), has been consistently excellent in coverage since he began to earn regular playing time in 2020. Considering his youth (he turns 27 in August) and lack of accolades, he's a prime candidate to be a great value signing for the Eagles or another LB-needy team that doesn't want to go for an older vet like Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David.

Possible Destinations: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Washington Commanders 

8.Bobby Wagner, inside linebacker (2022 team: Los Angeles Rams):

Don't let his recent release from the Rams fool you into thinking the Future Hall of Famer has lost a step in his early 30's. Wagner was once again sensational in 2022-logging 140 total tackles and a career-high 6 sacks on a severely depleted defense-and ended up earning his 9th career All-Pro bid for his efforts. Any contending team looking for a short-term fix at inside linebacker would be lucky to have him.

Possible Destinations: Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

7.Jessie Bates III, safety (2022 team: Cincinnati Bengals):

Bates' aggression in coverage gets him in trouble from time to time and his 2022 campaign was probably the weakest of his career to date. However, his elite athleticism/range and nose for the ball will make him an appealing high risk/high reward option for any team hoping for an upgrade at strong safety. 

Possible Destinations: Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills 

6.James Bradberry, cornerback (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

About to enter his age 30 season, this will be Bradberry's last shot at securing a big payday. While he's put together some not-so-great seasons (2017 with the Panthers, 2021 with the Giants) over the course of his 7-year career thus far, he's a high-level competitor with plus ball skills that is a natural fit on any team that runs a zone-heavy scheme. 

Possible Destinations: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions     

5.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Yes, Gardner-Johnson is an irritant who will get some boneheaded personal foul penalties and might even get ejected for fighting every once in a while. He's also a versatile weapon that has the athleticism and fluidity to float between both safety spots and slot corner and happens to be coming off a season in which he hauled in a league-leading 6 INT's. The latter should be enough for some team to overlook the former and make him one of the highest paid free agents of this class.

Possible Destinations: Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars 

4.Mike McGlinchey, tackle (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers):

Whether it's fair or not, McGlinchey hasn't quite lived up to the expectations that were placed upon him when he was selected 9th overall in 2018 and that'll likely do some damage to his contract value as he hits the open market for the 1st time. Still, he's been a really reliable right tackle with a knack for opening up big holes in the running game from the jump with the 49ers and that should be more than enough for most interested teams to overlook whatever disappointment may exist out there about his inability to make the switch to the other side of the line.

Possible Destinations: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers  

3.Jamel Dean, cornerback (2022 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Dean might not have the resume of Bradberry or the positional versatility of Gardner-Johnson, but he does perhaps have the highest upside of any defensive back in this free agency group. The Auburn product has regularly outshined his running mate Carlton Davis-who earned a 3-year/$44 mil deal from the Bucs last offseason-in coverage, has a willingness to get physical and provide support against the run that is increasingly rare for an outside corner and at 26 going on 27, he's still a year or two away from hitting his prime.

Possible Destinations: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans   

2.Javon Hargrave, defensive tackle (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles):

Since the likes of Chris Jones, Aaron Donald and Cameron Heyward will never be available, Hargrave is about as prolific of an interior pass-rusher as you'll see hit the open market in the NFL. He's racked up 35.5 sacks over the past 5 seasons (including a career-high 11 last year) and at age 30, he should be able to keep wreaking havoc up the middle for at least another few years.

Possible Destinations: Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons  

1.Orlando Brown Jr., tackle (2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs):

Outside of some growing pains at the start of 2021, Brown Jr. has made a graceful shift from right to left tackle and done a great job of protecting Patrick Mahomes' blind side. It's hard to believe that Kansas City won't ink him to a long-term deal with the offensive line woes that sunk their 2020 Super Bowl bid still so fresh in their mind, but Brown's phone is certainly going to be really active as soon as the tampering period gets underway. 

Possible Destinations: Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Other Notable Players Available (Note: Jason Kelce and Devin McCourty were excluded as they're either going to re-sign with the teams they've played for their entire careers or retire):

A'Shawn Robinson, defensive tackle (2022 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Adrian Amos, safety (2022 team: Green Bay Packers)

Alex Anzalone, inside linebacker (2022 team: Detroit Lions)

Alex Singleton, inside linebacker (2022 team: Denver Broncos)

Alexander Mattison, running back (2022 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Allen Lazard, wide receiver (2022 team: Green Bay Packers)

Andrew Van Ginkel, edge rusher (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Andrew Wylie, tackle (2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Andy Dalton, quarterback (2022 team: New Orleans Saints)

Andy Lee, punter (2022 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Anthony Brown, cornerback (2022 team: Dallas Cowboys)

Arden Key, edge rusher (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Azeez Al-Shaair, inside linebacker (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Baker Mayfield, quarterback (2022 teams: Carolina Panthers/Los Angeles Rams)

Ben Powers, guard (2022 team: Baltimore Ravens)

Bobby Okereke, inside linebacker (2022 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Bradley Bozeman, center (2022 team: Carolina Panthers)

Bradley Pinion, punter (2022 team: Atlanta Falcons)

Bradley Roby, cornerback (2022 team: New Orleans Saints)

Brandon Graham, edge rusher (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Bryce Callahan, cornerback (2022 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

Bud Dupree, edge rusher (2022 team: Tennessee Titans)

Byron Jones, cornerback (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Byron Murphy, cornerback (2022 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Byron Pringle, wide receiver (2022 team: Chicago Bears)

Cameron Sutton, cornerback (2022 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

Carson Wentz, quarterback (2022 team: Washington Commanders)

Case Keenum, quarterback (2022 team: Buffalo Bills)

Chris Wormley, defensive tackle (2022 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

Cole Holcomb, inside linebacker (2022 team: Washington Commanders)

Connor McGovern, center (2022 team: New York Jets)

D.J. Chark, wide receiver (2022 team: Detroit Lions)

D'Onta Foreman, running back (2022 team: Carolina Panthers)

Dalton Risner, guard (2022 team: Denver Broncos)

Dalton Schultz, tight end (2022 team: Dallas Cowboys)

Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive tackle (2022 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Damien Harris, running back (2022 team: New England Patriots)

Darius Slayton, wide receiver (2022 team: New York Giants)

David Long, inside linebacker (2022 team: Tennessee Titans)

David Montgomery, running back (2022 team: Chicago Bears)

David Onyemata, defensive tackle (2022 team: New Orleans Saints)

Denzel Perryman, inside linebacker (2022 team: Las Vegas Raiders)

Devin Singletary, running back (2022 team: Buffalo Bills)

Donovan Smith, tackle (2022 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Donovan Wilson, safety (2022 team: Dallas Cowboys)

Dre'Mont Jones, defensive tackle (2022 team: Denver Broncos)

Drew Lock, quarterback (2022 team: Seattle Seahawks)

Drue Tranquill, inside linebacker (2022 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

Eli Apple, cornerback (2022 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Emmanuel Mosley, cornerback (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Eric Rowe, safety/cornerback (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Ethan Pocic, center (2022 team: Cleveland Browns)

Fletcher Cox, defensive tackle (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Frank Clark, edge rusher (2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Gardner Minshew, quarterback (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Garrett Bradbury, center (2022 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Germaine Pratt, inside linebacker (2022 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Greg Gaines, defensive tackle (2022 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Greg Joseph, kicker (2022 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Greg Zuerlein, kicker (2022 team: New York Jets)

Hayden Hurst, tight end (2022 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Irv Smith Jr., tight end (2022 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Isaac Seumalo, guard (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Isaiah Oliver, cornerback (2022 team: Atlanta Falcons)

Isaiah Wynn, tackle/guard (2022 team: New England Patriots)

Jacoby Brissett, quarterback (2022 team: Cleveland Browns)

Jadeveon Clowney, edge rusher (2022 team: Cleveland Browns)

Jake Brendel, center (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Jakobi Meyers, wide receiver (2022 team: New England Patriots)

Jamaal Williams, running back (2022 team: Detroit Lions)

Jamie Gillian, punter (2022 team: New York Giants)

Jarrett Stidham, quarterback (2022 team: Las Vegas Raiders)

Jarvis Landry, wide receiver (2022 team: New Orleans Saints)

Jawaan Taylor, tackle (2022 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)

Jerick McKinnon, running back (2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Jimmie Ward, safety (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

JK Scott, punter (2022 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

John Johnson III, safety (2022 team: Cleveland Browns)

Jonathan Jones, cornerback (2022 team: New England Patriots)

Jordan Poyer, safety (2022 team: Buffalo Bills)

Juan Thornhill, safety (2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver (2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Julian Love, safety/cornerback (2022 team: New York Giants)

Justin Houston, edge rusher (2022 team: Baltimore Ravens)

Kaden Elliss, inside linebacker (2022 team: New Orleans Saints)

Kaleb McGary, tackle (2022 team: Atlanta Falcons)

Karrem Hunt, running back (2022 team: Cleveland Browns)

Kelvin Beachum, tackle (2022 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Kyle Van Noy, inside/outside linebacker (2022 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

Kyzir White, inside linebacker (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

LaMarcus Joyner, safety (2022 team: New York Jets)

Larry Ogunjobi, defensive tackle (2022 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

Lavonte David, inside linebacker (2022 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Leighton Vander Esch, inside linebacker (2022 team: Dallas Cowboys)

Mack Hollins, wide receiver (2022 team: Las Vegas Raiders)

Marcus Davenport, edge rusher (2022 team: New Orleans Saints)

Marcus Mariota, quarterback (2022 team: Atlanta Falcons)

Marcus Peters, cornerback (2022 team: Baltimore Ravens)

Marvin Jones Jr., wide receiver (2022 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)

Mason Crosby, kicker (2022 team: Green Bay Packers)

Matt Gay, kicker (2022 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Matt Haack, punter (2022 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Matt Prater, kicker (2022 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Mecole Hardman, wide receiver (2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Melvin Ingram, edge rusher (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Mike Gesicki, tight end (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Mike Hughes, cornerback (2022 team: Detroit Lions)

Mike White, quarterback (2022 team: New York Jets)

Miles Sanders, running back (2022 team: Philadelphia Eagles)

Nate Davis, guard (2022 team: Tennessee Titans)

Nelson Agholor, wide receiver (2022 team: New England Patriots)

Nick Mullens, quarterback (2022 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Nik Needham, cornerback (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Obo Okoronkwo, edge rusher (2022 team: Houston Texans)

Odell Beckham Jr., wide receiver (2022 team: N/A)

Parris Campbell, wide receiver (2022 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Patrick Peterson, cornerback (2022 team: Minnesota Vikings)

Poona Ford, defensive tackle (2022 team: Seattle Seahawks)

Raheem Mostert, running back (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Rashaad Penny, running back (2022 team: Seattle Seahawks)

Richie James, wide receiver (2022 team: New York Giants)

Riley Dixon, punter (2022 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Riley Patterson, kicker (2022 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)

Robbie Gould, kicker (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Robert Tonyan, tight end (2022 team: Green Bay Packers)

Robert Woods, wide receiver (2022 team: Tennessee Titans)

Rock-Ya Sin, cornerback (2022 team: Las Vegas Raiders)

Rodney McLeod, safety (2022 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Sam Darnold, quarterback (2022 team: Carolina Panthers)

Sam Martin, punter (2022 team: Buffalo Bills)

Samjae Perine, running back (2022 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Samson Ebukam, edge rusher (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Sean Murphy-Bunting, cornerback (2022 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Shaq Griffin, cornerback (2022 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)

Sheldon Rankins, defensive tackle (2022 team: New York Jets)

Tashaun Gipson, safety (2022 team: San Francisco 49ers)

Taylor Heinicke, quarterback (2022 team: Washington Commanders)

Taylor Lewan, tackle (2022 team: Tennessee Titans)

Taylor Rapp, safety (2022 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Teddy Bridgewater, quarterback (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Terrell Edmunds, safety (2022 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

Thomas Morstead, punter (2022 team: Miami Dolphins)

Tommy Townsend, punter (2022 team: Kansas City Chiefs)

Tremaine Edmunds, inside linebacker (2022 team: Buffalo Bills)

Trey Pipkins, tackle (2022 team: Los Angeles Chargers)

Troy Hill, cornerback (2022 team: Los Angeles Rams)

Tyler Huntley, quarterback (2022 team: Baltimore Ravens)

Vonn Bell, safety (2022 team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Will Hernandez, guard (2022 team: Arizona Cardinals)

Yannick Ngakoue, edge rusher (2022 team: Indianapolis Colts)

Movie Review: Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre

 

As his throwback gangster film The Gentlemen and hardboiled heist thriller Wrath of Man have indicated, Guy Ritchie has entered a new era in the 2020's. After spending a decade making blockbusters and collecting the massive paydays that come with them, Ritchie is currently doing his version of retreating to the beach to drink pina coladas all day by dedicating all of his time to making mid-budget movies that pique his interest. The next stop on his working retirement tour is Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre-a spy comedy that offers a glimpse at what The Man from U.N.C.L.E. might've looked like if Ritchie had gotten full creative control.

If someone who was familiar with his work was asked to imagine what an R-rated Guy Ritchie espionage romp would be like, odds are Operation Fortune would be it. The characters are eccentric. The action is stylish and clearly shot. The dialogue is riddled with snarky one-liners galore. The energy level is notably high. As tends to be the case with Ritchie, this strict adherence to a formula is irrelevant since the execution of it is so sharp.

Richie's most underrated skill as a filmmaker is having a great feel for what actors will excel in his films. Operation Fortune required a group of actors who were nimble and playful enough to match the goofy tone yet cool enough to feel like they belonged in a world full of spies, mercenaries and arms dealers. Once again, Ritchie's casting instincts didn't let him down.  

Jason Statham is in reliably fine form as the cranky, fine wine-loving reluctant superspy Orson Fortune, Hugh Grant brings the scenery-chewing sleaze as a mysterious billionaire arms dealer that Fortune is hired to bring down and Aubrey Plaza earns plenty of laughs as Fortune's newly hired tech expert that almost immediately develops a combative rapport with the spy. Supporting players Bugzy Malone as the team's sharpshooter/additional muscle, Josh Hartnett as the movie star that's blackmailed into helping the team get close to Grant's character and Cary Elwes as Fortune's smug boss get their moments to shine as well-particularly in the latter stages when the stakes get elevated, and the jokes/action start really humming. Based on how effortlessly the ensemble fit into a universe driven by sarcasm, gravitas and vibrant camaraderie, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see everyone from this cast join Statham in Ritchie's company of frequent collaborators. 

Could Operation Fortune have benefitted from Ritchie writing more clever banter and coming up with a better incognito weapon for the team to chase after than a massive piece of programmable AI? Sure. Were these things I was really thinking about during the movie? Not at all. Operation Fortune is designed to just be an easygoing good time at the movies, and it delivers just that. Score another one for Pina Colada at the Beach-era Guy Ritchie.     

Grade: B

2022 Best Picture Nominees Ranked

Welcome to this special edition of "Ranked", where I'm profiling the 10 films that are nominated for Best Picture at this year's Oscars. 

Avatar: The Way of Water:

My last trip to Pandora was a miserable experience and even after 13 years away and all sorts of dazzling upgrades to the scenery, there was just no way in hell I was going back to that god forsaken place. 

Grade: N/A

9.Elvis:

Typically, I'm all for unconventional biopics. But what Baz Luhrmann did with Elvis is just plain heinous. His bag of chaotic editing tricks and snappy visuals establish this kind of manic carnival sideshow take on Elvis' life that's pretty fun for the first act, but after 2 hours and 39 minutes of using the same tricks over and over again, the film becomes a grating and tiresome affair that ultimately proves to be every bit as hollow as one of the genre's typical birth-to-deathers.    

Grade: D 

8.TAR:

Enter this year's "I get it, but it's not for me" movie.  TAR is a long, bleak character study about an accomplished conductor named Lydia Tar (Cate Blanchett) whose years of abusing her power start to catch up with her... or do they? While Blanchett is an incendiary, despicable force as a musical genius who is fully aware of her brilliance and believes she is fully above consequences for her years' worth of misdeeds and its commentary on the egos of artists, being able to separate art from the artist and whether or not cancel culture actually leads to real consequences for the "victims" of it will fuel many a film studies piece, I never got particularly invested in the arrogance that made Tar great or how it ultimately fueled her downfall.

Grade: B-

7.Triangle of Sadness:

A competent yet shockingly mild "eat the rich" satire that goes for the easiest possible comedic targets and only hits them about 60% of the time. For my money, The Menu is a significantly funnier, smarter and more efficient take on a similar subject matter that is more deserving of the praise that Triangle of Sadness has been receiving since it debuted at Cannes last spring. 

Grade: B-

6.Women Talking:

While it's undeniably a shitty thing to say about a movie that has such a deep respect and empathy for survivors of sexual assault, I can't help but think that Women Talking would've worked better as a play. The camera and all of the jumping around that comes with the edit creates this kind of buffer for the audience that dulls the emotional impact of these raw, honest conversations between a group of women living in an isolated religious colony who are processing these acts of sexual violence in different ways and debating how they're going to proceed with the next chapter of their lives (the discussion is largely based around on whether they're going to leave the colony or stay and fight back against the men who've been attacking them). On a stage, the power of this material would've been undeniable as the audience would be forced to confront the full weight of what they were saying directly. But alas, that's not the medium that Women Talking was adapted into and writer/director Sarah Polley and this ensemble cast (Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Judith Ivey, Shelia McCarthy, Michelle McLeod, Kate Hallett, Liv McNeil, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand) deserve kudos for their dedication to telling an important story that amplifies voices that have gone unheard for far too long.

Grade: B

5.The Fabelmans:

Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical look back at his childhood manages to be both be shockingly honest in how he depicts himself as someone who can only process his emotions through movies/creating art and needlessly melodramatic in how it portrays things like how his parents' divorce and the antisemitic bullying he faced in high school affected him. This conflicted emotional balancing act results in a good movie that would've been great if it handled certain things in a more grounded fashion.

Grade: B

4.Top Gun: Maverick:

Tom Cruise turning the long-gestating sequel to the project that made him a global movie star into a propaganda piece about why he's the last of a dying breed of actor is a deeply stupid and preposterous move that nobody else in Hollywood right now would be brazen enough to pull off. Despite all of the damage the regular moments of unintentional comedy that surface when the film props up "Maverick" as a special talent whose brilliance is only matched by his refusal to conform to his industry's attempts to modernize does to its overall quality, this present-day ego trip dressed up as an exercise in nostalgia and military heroism ends up working because Cruise's love of making big movies that are driven by practical stunts/action sequences is so fucking pure.   

Grade: B

3.All Quiet on the Western Front:

There have been plenty of war movies over the years that have portrayed the horrors of war in excruciating detail, but few have hammered home the pointlessness of all of that bloodshed better than All Quiet on the Western Front. In between all of its horrendous, visceral depictions of the trench warfare of World War I, the film-which is told from the German prespective-goes to great lengths to convey that all of this horrific violence is being driven by the greed and pettiness of individuals in power who view mass loss of life as a reasonable cost for collecting more assets for their country. This is easily the finest war film I've seen since The Hurt Locker and I can't wait to see what Edward Berger does next. 

Grade: B+

2.Everything Everywhere All at Once:

The only thing more shocking than a movie made by Daniels (aka the weirdos that made the Daniel Radcliffe farting corpse movie) that's filled with so much absurd, goofy comedy eventually ending on a deeply moving note is that said movie has become the Best Picture frontrunner. The same organization that has routinely embraced the safe choice seems highly likely to pick a deeply weird movie that features characters with hot dog fingers, rocks with googly eyes and a fight scene where sex toys and a fanny pack are used as weapons to win their highest honor? That wouldn't have seemed even remotely possible as recently as 7 or 8 years ago, so kudos to the modern-day Academy for daring to go in a bolder direction with the films they honor.  

Grade: B+

1.The Banshees of Inisherin:

I had a feeling once I saw The Banshees of Inisherin at the end of October that it would be my favorite awards contender of 2022 and that ended up holding true for the entire season. Through the sharpness of Martin McDonagh's writing/direction and the brilliance of the performances from its primary cast (Colin Farrell, Brendan Glesson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan), The Banshees of Inisherin is able to gracefully combine comedy and tragedy as it examines the relationships a group of people on a small Irish island have with themselves and each other and how some of their decisions end up greatly impacting each other's lives.  

Grade: A

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Post-Combine

1.Chicago Bears: Tyree Wilson, edge rusher (Texas Tech)

2.Houston Texans: Anthony Richardson, quarterback (Florida)

3.Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson, edge rusher (Alabama)

4.Indianapolis Colts: Bryce Young, quarterback (Alabama)

5.Seattle Seahawks: Jalen Carter, defensive tackle (Georgia)

6.Detroit Lions: Lukas Van Ness, edge rusher (Iowa)

7.Las Vegas Raiders: Devon Witherspoon, cornerback (Illinois) 

8.Atlanta Falcons: Myles Murphy, edge rusher (Clemson)

9.Carolina Panthers: C.J. Stroud, quarterback (Ohio State)

10.Philadelphia Eagles: Christian Gonzalez, cornerback (Oregon)

11.Tennessee Titans: Peter Skoronski, tackle (Northwestern)

12.Houston Texans: Paris Johnson Jr., tackle (Ohio State)

13.New York Jets: Broderick Jones, tackle (Georgia)

14.New England Patriots: Darnell Wright, tackle (Tennessee) 

15.Green Bay Packers: Jordan Addison, wide receiver (USC)

16.Washington Commanders: Brian Branch, safety/cornerback (Alabama)

17.Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., cornerback (Penn State)

18.Detroit Lions: Calijah Kancey, defensive tackle (Pittsburgh)

19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Will Levis, quarterback (Kentucky)

20.Seattle Seahawks: Cam Smith, cornerback (South Carolina)

21.Los Angeles Chargers: Jaxson Smith-Njigba, wide receiver (Ohio State)

22.Baltimore Ravens: Bijan Robinson, running back (Texas)

23.Minnesota Vikings: Drew Sanders, inside linebacker (Arkansas)

24.Jacksonville Jaguars: Keelee Ringo, cornerback (Georgia)

25.New York Giants: Quentin Johnston, wide receiver (TCU)

26.Dallas Cowboys: Deonte Banks, cornerback (Maryland)

27.Buffalo Bills: Nolan Smith, edge rusher (Georgia)

28.Cincinnati Bengals: Darnell Washington, tight end (Georgia)

29.New Orleans Saints: Michael Mayer, tight end (Notre Dame)

30.Philadelphia Eagles: Bryan Breesee, defensive tackle (Clemson)

31.Kansas City Chiefs: Zay Flowers, wide receiver (Boston College)

Programming Update

Hello all,

I'm out of new movies to review and recurring segments to write for the week, which means there's no better time to start digging into 2023 NFL Draft prep. I'll be back on Monday with a Post-Combine Mock to celebrate the start of this yearly gridiron adventure.

Chris Maitland 

Movie Review: We Have a Ghost

A call up to the big leagues of blockbuster filmmaking was inevitable for Christopher Landon. His past directorial efforts including Happy Death Day and Freaky displayed his special ability to cleverly meld together a number of different genres and has made him a popular figure on the cult horror comedy circuit. While far from a full blown faceplant, Landon's blockbuster debut We Have a Ghost sees the veteran filmmaker experience some uncharacteristic hiccups that muck up the fluidity of his transition to a considerably bigger stage.

On paper, We Have a Ghost feels like another Landon triumph. The story centers around a family (Jahi Winston, Anthony Mackie, Erica Ash, Niles Fitch) who moves into a new house outside of Chicago and sees their lives becomes a lot more complicated when they discover a mute ghost (David Harbour) living in their attic. As the story's scope quickly expands, the opportunities for Landon to work his genre-melding magic increase as elements of comedy, fantasy, mystery, horror, conspiracy thriller, adventure, family drama and even a bit of satire courtesy of a subplot involving Mackie's character attempting to turn the presence of the ghost in their house into a business opportunity after a video he took of him goes viral online all manage to take up some narrative real estate. About the only thing Landon would have to change from his normal approach is tailoring the material towards a younger audience than he's used to aiming for as We Have a Ghost is aimed more at the older kids/young teen set than the high school age kids/adults he's used to making movies for.

Despite this material being something that felt like a natural fit for Landon, the genre cocktail of We Have a Ghost just doesn't quite come together like it has in his past films. There's never really a sense that Landon is totally invested in how all these puzzle pieces fit together and it leads to something that is competent enough to get from point A to B without ever completely losing its focus yet aimless enough to regularly feel random and confused with its creative choices. Was this comparative lack of investment driven by this being the first time Landon has made something that was directly adapted from pre-existing material (the short story Ernest by Geoff Manaugh)? Possibly, but regardless of what the cause is, it sucked to see a filmmaker whose typically so giddy to meld genres together be so comparatively blasé about it at the very moment he obtained a sizable budget to work with. 

There is one Landon staple that survived the upsizing and fortunately, it's one of the most important ones of all: displays of honest human emotion. No matter how big the stakes or how sloppy the combining of different subgenres gets, Landon is always able to carve out space for the characters' feelings and humanity to shine through. Winston's quiet loner teen and Harbour's Ernest develop a sweet bond over their shared outcast status and treat each other with the empathy and respect that neither have them enjoyed in quite some time. Mackie crushes a pivotal late scene between him and Winston with a powerful, honest monologue where he expresses his love for his son and apologizes for losing his way as a parent at some point. Even a big obvious tearjerker scene at the end of the film ends up being moving because it represents a key moment of cathartic closure for the journeys these characters go on over the course of the film. It's in these moments where We Have a Ghost actually does bear a resemblance to the 80's movies it wants to emulate (E.T., Gremlins, The Goonies) and it's ultimately what keeps the movie from being done in by its weaker elements.

There are plenty of lessons for Landon to learn from We Have a Ghost and based on his previous track record, I think his next big budget outing will go smoother. The issues here aren't rooted in an inability to handle bigger setpieces or incorporating more CGI into his work, they come down to things like telling the story with more gusto and cohesion-which he's already proven he can do with consistency on his past projects. His next film is set to be a remake of Arachnophobia, which given the guaranteed presence of CGI spiders-should provide a nice litmus for where Landon stands in this current grander scale chapter of his career.  

Grade: B-