2023 NBA Free Agency: Top 10 Players Available

The trade market has been quite busy ahead of NBA free agency as teams deal with the ramifications of the new CBA that goes into effect tomorrow night at 6 PM EST when the new league year starts. Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, Kristaps Porzingis, Jordan Poole, Marcus Smart, Tyus Jones, Landry Shamet and Davis Bertans all got dealt last week and there's a strong speculative belief that more high-profile moves will be made leading up to the start of free agency.      

Conveniently, this time of frantic cost-cutting across the league directly lines up with a profoundly unsexy free agency class. The top names on the market this year are all either solid role players, RFA's who could make a massive leap within the next few years and of course, a pair of aging, unreliable and underachieving superstars who have demonstrated a tendency to shoot their way off teams on a whim and/or get injured. Basically none of these players will get the contracts that they were hoping for as teams micromanage every dollar to avoid clearing that 2nd luxury tax threshold that would cause them to forfeit future draft picks and receive a nice fat invoice from Adam Silver. Fun will certainly be had by all! Here are the 10 players that I believe have the most value in this year's free agency class   

(Note: Jerami Grant, Josh Hart, Jakob Poletl and Austin Reaves were excluded from this list as they're expected to exercise their option or sign a long-term deal to remain with the teams they finished the 2022-23 season with)

10.Cameron Johnson, small/power forward (2022-23 teams: Phoenix Suns/Brooklyn Nets)

For the sake of value added in the Kevin Durant trade and attempting to solidify a young nucleus to center their rebuilding efforts around, it's imperative that the Nets make re-signing Johnson a top priority this offseason. Johnson flourished as a full-time starter once he got to Brooklyn-averaging 16.6 PPG on 46.8% shooting along with 1.4 SPG and his elite length, defensive versatility and 3-point making ability (39.3% for his career) make him an ideal modern wing that complements their current de facto #1 Mikal Bridges nicely.     

Possible Destinations: Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder  

9.Kyle Kuzma, small/power forward (2022-23 team: Washington Wizards)

Kuzma may have never blossomed into the star the Lakers thought he was going to be when they opted to include Brandon Ingram instead of him in the Anthony Davis trade with New Orleans, but the nearly 28-year old has proven that he can score the ball efficiently and get 6-8 rebounds per game consistently. Any offensively-challenged team looking for a 3rd scorer would be wise to give Kuzma a look.  

Possible Destinations: Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers 

8.Brook Lopez, center (2022-23 team: Milwaukee Bucks)

Lopez proved that there was no lingering effects from the back injury that sidelined him for nearly all of 2021-22 by having his best season (15.9 PPG, 53.1 FG%, 37.4 3P%,  6.7 RPG, 2.5 BPG-which was a career high) since 2016-17 last year. Age (35) and durability concerns will certainly impact the size of his market, but his ability to hit 3's and block shots at a high clip makes him a unique weapon that could help push a contending team over the top. 

Possible Destinations: Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets

7.D'Angelo Russell, point guard (2022-23 teams: Minnesota Timberwolves/Los Angeles Lakers)

Russell is a trick-or-treat player that will never fail to infuriate and confound the fans of the teams he plays for. That being said, his highs on the offensive end of the floor are special and he was a valuable part of the Lakers 2nd half turnaround last year-which should allow him to generate a fair amount of interest on the open market.

Possible Destinations: Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls  

6.Bruce Brown, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Denver Nuggets)

Brown earned himself a nice little raise after showing off his grit, toughness and polish on both ends of the floor as a 6th man/regular fill-in starter for the Nuggets in 2022-23. While it would be a bit of a shock to see him leave a team he fit so nicely on and just won a title with, a desire to return to a starting lineup full-time and earn more money could lead him elsewhere.     

Possible Destinations: Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks  

5.Fred VanVleet, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Toronto Raptors)

VanVleet's increasingly suspect shooting is a big concern (he's shot under 40% from the field in 2 of the past 3 seasons)-especially for a guy who appears to be seeking $25 mil+ per year after declining a $22.8 mil player option. Despite that key problem area, VanVleet will still be a coveted free agent due to his ability to be an unselfish, high-effort leader who knows what it takes to win a championship and float pretty effortlessly between the two guard spots. Going to a place where he's asked to score less and pass more would be ideal for him as he enters his age-30 season.    

Possible Destinations: Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns  

4.Khris Middleton, small forward (2022-23 team: Milwaukee Bucks)

The extensive time Middleton has missed since the end of the 2021-22 season (61 games to be exact) makes signing him to any deal that's more than 2-3 years in length a needlessly risky proposition. Still, Middleton is an All-Star caliber player when he's healthy and his play (23.8 PPG, 46.5 FG%, 40.6 3P%, 86.7 FT%, 6.4 RPG, 6.2 APG, .6 SPG) during the Bucks unexpectedly short playoff run this past spring was an encouraging sign that he's got enough gas left in the tank to put together at least a couple more great seasons.

Possible Destinations: Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks 

3.Kyrie Irving, point guard (2022-23 teams: Brooklyn Nets/Dallas Mavericks) 

This feels like a borderline unnecessary inclusion as the Mavericks appear destined to re-sign Irving after trading for him at the deadline and being unable to get a real good look at how he and Luka Doncic play together before their season ended in April when they failed to qualify for the play-in tournament. As much of a world-class pain in the ass as his pseudointellectual antics and erratic gameday availability are to deal with, Irving's immense talent as a player is undeniable and some team will be willing to accept all of his massive baggage with the hopes that he'll deliver in the playoffs for the 1st time since he stopped playing alongside LeBron James.

Possible Destinations: Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Maybe the 76ers if James Harden leaves 

2.James Harden, shooting guard (2022-23 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Will Daryl Morey be able to convince Harden to remain in Philly as Joel Embiid's top lieutenant or will his love for strip clubs draw him back to Houston? Both seem equally likely. It really won't matter which direction Harden goes in because no matter who he plays with or is coached by, he'll once again dominate in the regular season and wilt in the playoffs like he has in each of the past 15 years.   

Possible Destinations: Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets

1.Draymond Green, small/power forward (2022-23 team: Golden State Warriors)

Why put Green ahead of Harden and Irving? Simple: He has a much stronger chance of actually impacting winning once the bright lights of the playoffs turn on. Green does everything on the floor but score/shoot at a high level and his no bullshit attitude could provide any young and/or aloof team with the swift kick in the ass they need to elevate their game enough to bring home a title.  

Possible Destinations: Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers

Other Notable Players Available: 

Andre Drummond, center (2022-23 team: Chicago Bulls)

Ayo Dosunmu, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Chicago Bulls)

Bismack Biyombo, center (2022-23 team: Phoenix Suns)

Cam Reddish, small forward (2022-23 teams: New York Knicks/Portland Trail Blazers)

Caris LeVert, small forward (2022-23 team: Cleveland Cavaliers)

Christian Wood, power forward/center (2022-23 team: Dallas Mavericks)

Coby White, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Chicago Bulls)

Cory Joseph, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Detroit Pistons)

Dennis Schroder, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Los Angeles Lakers)

Dennis Smith Jr., point guard (2022-23 team: Charlotte Hornets)

Dillon Brooks, shooting guard (2022-23 team: Memphis Grizzlies)

Donte DiVincenzo, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Golden State Warriors)

Drew Eubanks, power forward/center (2022-23 team: Portland Trail Blazers)

Dwight Powell, center (2022-23 team: Dallas Mavericks)

Eric Gordon, shooting guard (2022-23 teams: Houston Rockets/Los Angeles Clippers)

Gabe Vincent, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Miami Heat)

Georges Niang, small/power forward (2022-23 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Goran Dragic, point/shooting guard (2022-23 teams: Chicago Bulls/Milwaukee Bucks)

Grant Williams, small/power forward (2022-23 team: Boston Celtics)

Harrison Barnes, small forward (2022-23 team: Sacramento Kings)

Herbert Jones, small forward (2022-23 team: New Orleans Pelicans) 

JaMychal Green, power forward/center (2022-23 team: Golden State Warriors)

Jaxson Hayes, center (2022-23 team: New Orleans Pelicans)

Jaylen Nowell, shooting guard (2022-23 team: Minnesota Timberwolves)

Jeff Green, small/power forward (2022-23 team: Denver Nuggets)

Jerome Carter, point guard (2022-23 team: Milwaukee Bucks)

Jock Landale, center (2022-23 team: Phoenix Suns)

Joe Ingles, small forward (2022-23 team: Milwaukee Bucks)

Jordan Clarkson, point/shooting guard (2022-23 team: Utah Jazz)

Josh Richardson, shooting guard/small forward (2022-23 teams: San Antonio Spurs/New Orleans Pelicans)

Kelly Oubre Jr., shooting guard/small forward (2022-23 team: Charlotte Hornets)

Kevin Love, power forward (2022-23 teams: Cleveland Cavaliers/Miami Heat)

Lonnie Walker IV, small forward (2022-23 team: Los Angeles Lakers)

Malik Beasley, shooting guard/small forward (2022-23 teams: Minnesota Timberwolves/Los Angeles Lakers)

Mason Plumlee, center (2022-23 teams: Charlotte Hornets/Los Angeles Clippers)

Matisse Thybulle, small forward (2022-23 teams: Philadelphia 76ers/Portland Trail Blazers)

Max Strus, shooting guard/small forward (2022-23 team: Miami Heat)

Miles Bridges, small/power forward (2022-23 team: None)

Mo Wagner, power forward/center (2022-23 team: Orlando Magic)

Montrezl Harrell, power forward/center (2022-23 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, point/shooting guard (2022-23 teams: Utah Jazz/Minnesota Timberwolves)

P.J. Washington, small/power forward (2022-23 team: Charlotte Hornets)

Patrick Beverley, point/shooting guard (2022-23 teams: Los Angeles Lakers/Chicago Bulls)

Paul Reed, power forward/center (2022-23 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Reggie Jackson, point/shooting guard (2022-23 teams: Los Angeles Clippers/Denver Nuggets)

Rui Hachimura, power forward (2022-23 teams: Washington Wizards/Los Angeles Lakers)

Russell Westbrook, point/shooting guard (2022-23 teams: Los Angeles Lakers/Los Angeles Clippers)

Seth Curry, shooting guard/small forward (2022-23 team: Brooklyn Nets)

Shake Milton, shooting guard (2022-23 team: Philadelphia 76ers)

Sviatoslav Mykhaliuk, shooting guard (2022-23 teams: New York Knicks/Charlotte Hornets)

Taurean Prince, small forward (2022-23 team: Minnesota Timberwolves) 

Tre Jones, point guard (2022-23 team: San Antonio Spurs)

Trey Lyles, power forward/center (2022-23 team: Sacramento Kings)

Yuta Watanabe, small forward (2022-23 team: Brooklyn Nets)

Harrison Ford Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Harrison Ford-whose latest project "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" hits theaters tomorrow. 

Harrison Ford's Filmography Ranked:

24.Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker (D+)

23.The Age of Adaline (D+)

22.Blade Runner (D+)

21.Witness (C-)

20.Extraordinary Measures (C-)

19.Hollywood Homicide (C)

18.The Expendables 3 (B-)

17.Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull (B-)

16.Firewall (B-)

15.The Fugitive (B-)

14.Air Force One (B-)

13.Ender's Game (B-)

12.Morning Glory (B-)

11.Blade Runner 2049 (B-)

10.Cowboys & Aliens (B)

9.Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (B)

8.42 (B+)

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

6.Star Wars: The Force Awakens (A-)

5.Star Wars: A New Hope (A-) 

4.Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (A-)

3.Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (A)

2.Raiders of the Lost Ark (A)

1.Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (A+)

Top Dog: Star Wars: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

A New Hope laid down the groundwork for greatness and Empire Strikes Back took that blueprint and built something truly special. From the expanded world-building to the impactful character development to that whopper of an ending, Empire Strikes Back is an exhilarating, well-rounded piece of art and that's why the love for this film has transcended generations so well.    

Bottom Feeder: Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Whatever remaining interest I had in this iconic space opera franchise was destroyed by this lifeless disaster that is easily among the shittiest blockbusters that have come out in recent years. Every returning cast member save for Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver are disengaged to the point where it would've been wise to kill them at the beginning of the movie instead of just having them put forth negative effort every second they're on screen over 2.5+ hours, J.J. Abrams puts forth the most stunningly stagnant directorial effort of his decades-long career and above all, the attempts to win over the crybaby fans who were pissed at The Last Jedi for having the gall to try something new with nonstop fan service leads to a story that is laughable, desperate and truly pathetic. 

Most Underrated: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)

Is The Legend Continues on par with The Legend of Ron Burgundy? No, but expecting something to reach a level of brilliance that 99.99% of other comedies have failed to achieve just isn't realistic. Is The Legend Continues still a worthy sequel? 1,000%. Adam McKay and co. effortlessly slip back into this absurd world of idiots doing broadcast news by delivering another round of excellent stupid bits/jokes with great payoffs, making several great additions (Kristen Wiig, James Marsden, Dylan Baker, Meagan Good, Greg Kinnear, Ford) to their band of rambunctious clowns and effectively satirizing the pivot to sensationalist coverage that took a lot of the integrity and power away from the world of broadcast journalism.     

Most Overrated: Blade Runner (1982)

I watched Blade Runner in a film studies class I took in college about 9 years ago, so I have clue which version I watched. What I do know is that whichever one it was, I wasn't impressed at all. The narrative is a jumbled mess, the pacing is brutally slow and it boasts the only ambiguous ending I've ever come across that I was completely ambivalent about since I had zero investment in the fate of any these human, robot or potential robot characters.     

2023 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Kickers

()=2022 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2022 

20.(+) Chase McLaughlin (Buccaneers)

19.(+) Will Lutz (Saints)

18.(+) Brandon McManus (Jaguars)

17.(18) Cairo Santos (Bears)

16.(3) Chris Boswell (Steelers)

15.(12) Greg Zuerlein (Jets)

14.(10) Nick Folk (Patriots)

13.(+) Ka'imi Fairbairn (Texans)

12.(+) Eddy Pineiro (Panthers)

11.(9) Evan McPherson (Bengals)

10.(15) Jake Elliott (Eagles)

9.(2) Harrison Butker (Chiefs)

8.(20) Matt Prater (Cardinals)

7.(6) Younghoe Koo (Falcons)

6.(14) Graham Gano (Giants)

5.(+) Jason Myers (Seahawks)

4.(7) Tyler Bass (Bills)

3.(5) Matt Gay (Colts)

2.(4) Daniel Carlson (Raiders)

1.(1) Justin Tucker (Ravens)

Quick Movie Reviews: The Blackening, Elemental, Asteroid City, No Hard Feelings

The Blackening: As a comedy, The Blackening works well. The ensemble cast (Grace Byers, Antionette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Melvin Gregg, Jermaine Fowler, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins-who also co-wrote the script with veteran scribe Tracy Oliver) bounce off each other well-especially once the threat of a masked killer enters the equation, the humor goes far beyond just lampooning the tropes of black characters in horror movies and there are multiple bits scattered throughout the film that had me cackling in the theater. As a horror film however, it stumbles. Tim Story's steady yet style-free direction causes any scene where suspense or menace is suppose to be achieved to fall painfully flat, the dim lighting in the outdoor scenes takes much of the excitement out of the biggest setpiece of the film and despite the novel choice to arm the killer with a crossbow instead of a knife, the kills lack creativity and puzzlingly shy away from the blood/gore freedom that an R-rating allows for (PG-13 slashers like Happy Death Day and M3GAN honestly might be more graphic than this). Even with its missteps on the horror side of things, The Blackening is still funny and clever enough to be a fun watch.  

Grade: B

Elemental: Another sweet, sensitive and beautifully-animated entry into the Pixar library that also manages to continue the somewhat dispiriting recent trend of their films failing to match the level of excellence that is synonymous with the brand. Director Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur) and the writing trio of John Hoberg, Brenda Hsueh and Kat Likkel want Elemental to be a lot of things at the same time. The story deals with the sacrifices an immigrant family makes to provide a better life for themselves as well as their children, not feeling welcome in a new country because of your status as a foreigner or your home country because you left, racism on the whole, stigmas around interracial relationships, the difficulties of letting your parents know that you want defer from the life path they've always envisioned for you, trying to find your place in the world and how shitty working retail/municipal jobs is. By attempting to be so many things at once, every single theme becomes diluted and it pretty quickly becomes this big, well-intentioned jumble of ideas that only rarely comes together to become something with true emotionally resonance. While Pixar's commitment to make more original films after putting out so many sequels during the 2010's is great, they're going to need to churn out better efforts than Elemental moving forward if they want to remain the gold standard in American animation at a time where the genre appears to be entering its most inspired period in quite some time.      

Grade: B-

Asteroid City: Near the end of Asteroid City, a theater actor (Jason Schwartzman) leaves the stage during a brief period where has no lines to ask the director (Adrien Brody) what their play "Asteroid City" is about. He responds with something to the effect of "It doesn't matter, just follow your heart and you'll find the meaning". An open invitation to ignore what a movie is trying to say is one that I'll gladly accept, but Asteroid City is so unengaging on the whole that it's hard to enjoy as anything other than a 105-minute advertisement for 35 mm film stock, practical set building and using natural light while shooting outdoors. 

Asteroid City is actually a pretty groundbreaking failure for Anderson as he finds a way to make something that's both egregiously overstuffed and underwritten that also happens to be the slowest, dryest movie he's ever made. Even at his most indulgent or obnoxious, his movies tend to at least be spirited, which makes Asteroid City's steadfast dedication to leisurely trying to find a reason to get invested in these characters and/or saying something profound about the beauty of artistic expression completely baffling and out of character for a 1-man vibrancy band like Anderson. Some good performances from Scarlett Johansson, Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Steve Carrell, Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend and a handful of good jokes along with the aforementioned technical prowess provide some much-needed jolts of life, but this vessel is just damn stagnant and aloof to save.       

Grade: C-

No Hard Feelings: Not since Ryan Gosling in The Nice Guys has a serious actor revealed themselves to to be a secret virtuoso comic performer the way that Jennifer Lawrence does in No Hard Feelings. Whether it's hurling an insult at a drunk teenager, struggling to navigate a set of stairs on roller blades or simply committing to a bit that's deeply stupid, Lawrence is the type of undeniable comedic force that knows exactly what she needs to do to get a laugh and make it look downright effortless in the process. It's the most revelatory performance she's turned in since American Hustle and I really hope it's a skill set that she gets the chance to continue to utilize for the remainder of her career.  

Stage actor Andrew Barth Feldman also does outstanding work in his comedy debut as Percy- the awkward 19-year old Lawrence's character Maddie is hired to seduce. His naivety powers some of the funniest interactions of the movie and the pure heart that grew from the sheltered life he's lived gives the film a sense of sweetness that you wouldn't typically expect from an R-rated sex comedy.

The appeal of No Hard Feelings is further heightened by its status as a true, old-school R-rated comedy. This is the 1st time in roughly 4 years that I've been to a theater to see a movie like this that wasn't just  consistently funny, but brought out a huge audience that was laughing their asses off the entire time. Getting to have this experience that has long-felt endangered in the theatrical space was incredible and it's a rush that I hope I'll get to re-capture a few more times this summer when Joy Ride, Strays and Bottoms are released. No Hard Feelings is the funniest narrative comedy to be released since Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar and I hope it can do well enough to get studios to continue to invest in R-rated comedies.      

Grade: B+

2023 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Safeties

()=2022 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2022

50.(12) John Johnson III (Free Agent)

49.(+) Malik Hooker (Cowboys)

48.(+) Kerby Joseph (Lions)

47.(47) Kareem Jackson (Broncos)

46.(8) Adrian Amos (Jets)

45.(37) Bobby McCain (Giants)

44.(19) Jordan Fuller (Rams)

43.(26) Amani Hooker (Titans)

42.(42) Jalen Thompson (Cardinals)

41.(+) Darrick Forrest (Commanders)

40.(38) Xavier Woods (Panthers)

39.(+) Jabrill Peppers (Patriots)

38.(+) Jaquan Brisker (Bears)

37.(24) Jordan Whitehead (Jets)

36.(46) Terrell Edmunds (Eagles)

35.(+) Donovan Wilson (Cowboys)

34.(20) Jamal Adams (Seahawks)

33.(+) Tashaun Gipson (49ers)

32.(29) Juan Thornhill (Browns)

31.(34) Jayron Kearse (Cowboys)

30.(+) Andre Cisco (Jaguars)

29.(33) Jevon Holland (Dolphins)

28.(17) Vonn Bell (Panthers)

27.(+) Julian Love (Seahawks)

26.(39) Rodney McLeod (Browns)

25.(+) Talanoa Hufanga (49ers)

24.(+) Kyle Hamilton (Ravens)

23.(+) Ryan Neal (Buccaneers)

22.(45) Taylor Rapp (Bills)

21.(23) Marcus Maye (Saints)

20.(15) Adrian Phillips (Patriots)

19.(28) Jimmie Ward (Texans)

18.(16) Quandre Diggs (Seahawks)

17.(32) Justin Reid (Chiefs)

16.(3) Micah Hyde (Bills)

15.(5) Harrison Smith (Vikings)

14.(+) Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (Lions)

13.(22) Kyle Dugger (Patriots)

12.(40) Eddie Jackson (Bears)

11.(13) Budda Baker (Cardinals)

10.(11) Jordan Poyer (Bills)

9.(30) Kamren Curl (Commanders) 

8.(10) Jessie Bates III (Falcons)

7.(4) Justin Simmons (Broncos)

6.(7) Antoine Winfield Jr. (Buccaneers)

5.(14) Tyrann Mathieu (Saints)

4.(2) Marcus Williams (Ravens)

3.(6) Derwin James (Chargers)

2.(1) Kevin Byard (Titans)

1.(9) Minkah Fitzpatrick (Steelers)

2023 NBA Mock Draft

Happy Victor Wembanyama Day San Antonio! While the media coverage would tell you otherwise, the super athletic French big who is easily most hyped player to enter the league since at least Zion Williamson, if not Anthony Davis or even LeBron James will be just one of the 58 names called at the Barclays Center. Here is a quick oversight of how I expect both rounds of the 2023 NBA Draft before to play out as of 11:37 AM EST before any major trades outside of the Kristaps Porzingis/Marcus Smart deal have been completed.     

1st Round:

1.San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, power forward/center (Metropolitans 92) 

2.Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, small/power forward (Alabama)

3.Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, point guard (G League Ignite)

4.Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, point/shooting guard (Overtime Elite)

5.Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson, shooting guard/small forward (Overtime Elite)

6.Orlando Magic: Jarace Walker, small/power forward (Houston)

7.Indiana Pacers: Cam Whitmore, small forward (Villanova)

8.Washington Wizards: Anthony Black, point/shooting guard (Arkansas)

9.Utah Jazz: Gradey Dick, small forward (Kansas) 

10.Dallas Mavericks: Dereck Lively II, center (Duke)

11.Orlando Magic: Jalen Hood-Schifino, shooting guard/small forward (Indiana)

12.Oklahoma City Thunder: Kobe Bufkin, point/shooting guard (Michigan)

13.Toronto Raptors: Taylor Hendricks, power forward/center (UCF)

14.New Orleans Pelicans: Cason Wallace, point/shooting guard (Kentucky)

15.Atlanta Hawks: Kris Murray, small/power forward (Iowa)

16.Utah Jazz: Jordan Hawkins, shooting guard (UConn)

17.Los Angeles Lakers: Keyonte George, shooting guard (Baylor)

18.Miami Heat: Nick Smith Jr., point/shooting guard (Arkansas)

19.Golden State Warriors: Bilal Coulibaly, small forward (Metropolitans 92)

20.Houston Rockets: Leonard Miller, small/power forward (G League Ignite)

21.Brooklyn Nets: Brandin Podziemski, shooting guard (Santa Clara)

22.Brooklyn Nets: Noah Clowney, power forward/center (Alabama) 

23.Portland Trail Blazers: Oliver-Maxence Prosper, power forward (Marquette)  

24.Sacramento Kings: Colby Jones, shooting guard (Xavier) 

25.Memphis Grizzlies (being traded to the Boston Celtics in the Marcus Smart/Kristaps Porzingis trade): Jamie Jacquez Jr., shooting guard/small forward (UCLA)

26.Indiana Pacers:  James Nnaji, center (FC Barcelona) 

27.Charlotte Hornets: Jett Howard, small/power forward (Michigan)

28.Utah Jazz: Tristan Vukcevic, power forward/center (Partizan Belgrade)

29.Denver Nuggets: Ben Sheppard, shooting guard (Belmont) 

30.Washington Wizard: Dariq Whitehead, small forward (Duke) 

2nd Round

31.Detroit Pistons: Jordan Walsh, small forward (Arkansas)

32.Indiana Pacers (being traded to the Denver Nuggets): Brice Sensabaugh, shooting guard/small forward (Ohio State)  

33.San Antonio Spurs: Rayan Rupert, small forward (New Zealand Breakers) 

34.Charlotte Hornets: G.G. Jackson, power forward/center (South Carolina) 

35.Boston Celtics (being traded to the Washington Wizards in the Marcus Smart/Kristaps Porzingis trade): Amari Bailey, shooting guard (UCLA)

36.Orlando Magic: Trayce Jackson-Davis, power forward/center (Indiana)

37.Oklahoma City Thunder (being traded to the Denver Nuggets):

38.Sacramento Kings: Andre Jackson, point/shooting guard (UConn) 

39.Charlotte Hornets: Kobe Brown, shooting guard/small forward (Missouri)

40.Denver Nuggets (being traded to the Indiana Pacers): Julian Phillips, small forward (Tennessee) 

41.Charlotte Hornets: Marcus Sasser Jr., point/shooting guard (Houston)

42.Washington Wizards: Julian Strawther, small forward (Gonzaga) 

43.Portland Trail Blazers: Maxwell Lewis, small forward (Pepperdine)

44.San Antonio Spurs: Terquavion Smith, point/shooting guard (NC State) 

45.Memphis Grizzlies: Chris Livingston, small/power forward (Kentucky)

46.Atlanta Hawks: Ricky Council IV, shooting guard/small forward (Arkansas) 

47.Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Wilson, small/power forward (Kansas) 

48.Los Angeles Clippers: Adam Sanogo, power forward (UConn)

49.Cleveland Cavaliers: Seth Lundy, small forward (Penn State)

50.Oklahoma City Thunder: Keyonate Johnson, shooting guard/small forward (Kansas State)

51.Brooklyn Nets: Jaylen Clark, shooting guard (UCLA)

52.Phoenix Suns: Siddy Cissoko, shooting guard/small forward (G League Ignite) 

53.Minnesota Timberwolves: Mouhamed Gueye, power forward/center (Washington State)

54.Sacramento Kings: Jordan Miller, small forward (Miam)

55.Indiana Pacers: Azoulas Tubelis, power forward (Arizona) 

56.Memphis Grizzlies: Emoni Bates, small forward (Eastern Michigan)

57.Washington Wizards: Wendell Green Jr., point guard (Auburn)

58.Milwaukee Bucks: Colin Castleton, center (Florida) 

2023 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Cornerbacks

=2022 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2022 

50.(+) Asante Samuel Jr. (Chargers)

49.(+) Dammari Mathis (Broncos)

48.(+) Trent McDuffie (Chiefs)

47.(+) Byron Murphy (Vikings)

46.(44) Emmanuel Moseley (Lions)

45.(+) K'Wuan Williams (Broncos)

44.(+) Martin Emerson (Browns)

43.(+) Sean Murphy-Bunting (Titans)

42.(+) Desmond King II (Texans)

41.(35) Greg Newsome II (Browns)

40.(+) Kader Kohou (Dolphins)

39.(25) Darious Williams (Jaguars)

38.(14) Marcus Peters (Free Agent)

37.(+) Michael Davis (Chargers)

36.(28) Jaylon Johnson (Bears)

35.(33) Steven Nelson (Texans)

34.(39) Avonte Maddox (Eagles)

33.(31) Jonathan Jones (Patriots)

32.(32) Taron Johnson (Bills)

31.(+) Michael Carter II (Jets)

30.(42) Rasul Douglas (Packers)

29.(+) Cameron Sutton (Lions)

28.(+) Jaycee Horn (Panthers)

27.(+) Tariq Woolen (Seahawks)

26.(+) Tyson Campbell (Jaguars)

25.(48) L'Jarius Sneed (Chiefs)

24.(12) Kenny Moore (Colts)

23.(7) A.J. Terrell (Falcons)

22.(10) Tre'Davious White (Bills)

21.(21) Trevon Diggs (Cowboys)

20.(24) Mike Hilton (Bengals)

19.(16) Carlton Davis (Buccaneers)

18.(9) Denzel Ward (Browns)

17.(6) Xavien Howard (Dolphins)

16.(5) Marshon Lattimore (Saints)

15.(15) Chidobe Awuzie (Bengals)

14.(23) D.J. Reed Jr. (Jets)

13.(11) Adoree' Jackson (Giants)

12.(+) Patrick Peterson (Steelers)

11.(13) Jamel Dean (Buccaneers)

10.(18) Kendall Fuller (Commanders)

9.(20) James Bradberry (Eagles)

8.(19) Stephon Gilmore (Cowboys)

7.(4) Darius Slay (Eagles)

6.(8) Marlon Humphrey (Ravens)

5.(29) Charvarius Ward (49ers)

4.(+) Sauce Gardner (Jets)

3.(27) Patrick Surtain II (Broncos)

2.(2) Jaire Alexander (Packers)

1.(1) Jalen Ramsey (Dolphins)

Quick Movie Reviews: Past Lives, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, The Flash, Extraction 2

Past Lives: Past Lives is the most romantic movie about love that didn't work due to circumstances that were beyond either person's control that I've ever seen. This decades-spanning story from writer/director Celine Song centers around Nora (played by Seung Ah Moon as a child and by Greta Lee as an adult) and Hae Sung (played by as a kid). Nora and Hae Sung grew up together in Seoul and developed a mutual crush when they were about 12 years old. Their time together was cut short when Nora's family immigrated to Canada shortly after they confess their feelings for each other. They re-connect in their 20's via Skype and have plenty of great conversations, but Nora's budding career as a playwright in New York City makes her hesitant to go back to Seoul-where Hae Sung is studying to become a doctor- and she decides to put an end to their talks so they don't become too attached. When they finally see each other again in their 30's, Nora is married to fellow writer Arthur (John Magaro) and Hae Sung is a newly single doctor who travels to New York for a medical conference. This meeting affects them and Arthur in ways they expect.

The grace and simplicity that Song writes and directs with is just remarkable. Through succinctly  documenting the evolution of Nora and Hae Sung's relationship over multiple different periods of their lives and the circumstances that brought them together and tore them apart, she's able to make a really direct statement on the beauty and cruelty of fate/lost love and how deeply it affects each person involved. This approach gives way to a truly masterful and quietly devastating final act where they ponder on what could've been and finally come to terms that they'll never be together and Arthur realizes that Nora will never have the love for him that she has for Hae Sung. Managing to be beautiful, profound and wildly depressing at the same time is a magic trick that only a brilliant storyteller could pull off and it's mind-boggling that this is Song's first feature film. Past Lives is getting widely released this week and I urge anybody that's cool with getting their heart ripped out of their chest in a public setting to go check it out.    

Grade: B+

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts: New Transformers movie, same sinking feeling of "how this movie about alien robots fighting each other not better?". While Rise of the Beasts does atone for some of the more egregious sins of the Michael Bay-helmed installments by significantly cutting down the amount of exposition, having a pair of likable human leads in Noah (Anthony Ramos) and Elena (Dominique Fishback) played by actors that have a solid rapport and eliminating the uh, questionable sense of humor, there's still far too much time dedicated to dull worldbuilding opposed to just letting the robot aliens bash the shit out of each (particularly in the tedious second act), the attempt at adding an emotional hook with the subplot surrounding Noah and his younger brother (Dean Scott Vaszquez) features way too much corny exchanges to land and despite being pretty solid overall, the action sequences lack the visual flare and dazzling sense of spectacle that Bay reliably brought to the table. Despite these flaws, Rise of the Beasts is still a decent blockbuster that's worth seeing in theaters that will hopefully be able to make enough money to allow Paramount to see the ridiculous sequel it teases in the final scene through.      

Grade: B-

The Flash: What a fittingly underwhelming conclusion to the DCEU (at least the one that Zack Snyder started back in 2013). The Flash actually manages to mirror the inanity of last year's Black Adam than any of the other great, messy but interesting or just plain boring movies the brand has produced over the past decade-just with more fan service, better plotting/acting and significantly shittier visuals. Andy Muschetti (the It franchise, Mama) fares considerably worse than the other recent graduates of the horror movie-to-DC pipeline (James Wan, David F. Sandberg) as he makes a movie that is so concerned with speeding to the finish line that it forgets to be stylish, funny or emotional. The latter failure is especially egregious as its multiverse hijinks are brought on by Barry Allen's (Ezra Miller) desire to clear his imprisoned father's name (Ron Livingston-who is replacing Billy Crudup for all the people that have erased both cuts of Justice League from their memories) by going back in time to prevent the murder of his mother (Maribel Verdu) that he's been falsely accused of committing. These moments where Barry is dealing with the consequences of his actions and reuniting with his family that are supposed to be the emotional core of the movie are so brief and sudden that it was impossible for me to feel much of anything when they came along.   

The aforementioned fan service-which includes the return of Michael Keaton as Batman and Michael Shannon as Man of Steel villain General Zod and some controversial cameos that anybody with internet access is probably aware of by now-isn't even aggressive enough to bowl people over with the comforting embrace of nostalgia to help overcome its narrative deficiencies like No Way Home did. Honestly outside of a spirited turn from Keaton as a washed-up version of the Caped Crusader that might not even be the same guy that appeared in the Tim Burton films, none of it even works. Shannon does a reverse Man of Steel by dialing the volume of his performance as Zod so far back that he looks he's on the verge of falling asleep every time he's on screen, the aforementioned cameo sequence is both silly and exploitative and the ending is a puzzling gag that will get a pop from such a small fraction of the audience that it's shocking that it was even included at all-especially now that it's been revealed there were multiple alternate versions shot. After watching something so aggressively mediocre and lacking in a true creative vision or even a real reverence for its characters (Sasha Calle's Supergirl-aka the only new character to show up here-is criminally underutilized), I'm deeply confused as to why James Gunn has hired Muschetti to tackle the new Batman and Robin film The Brave and the Bold. It's going to take a complete 180 in approach from what Muschetti did here for this move to not blow up in the new DC Studios head's face.   

Grade: C

Extraction 2: In April 2020, Extraction arrived on Netflix and provided a dose of high-end action filmmaking that was particularly welcome during those dark early days of the COVID lockdown. 3 years later, the sequel has arrived on the streaming service and managed to top the original by a decent margin. Chris Hemsworth re-affirms why meathead action movies were his true calling as an actor by delivering gruff charisma in spades as the film's mopey, oft-wounded yet extremely gifted mercenary protagonist Tyler Rake, Sam Hargrave ups the ante by delivering bigger, crisper action sequences  including a 21-minute oner that starts as a prison break and ends on a moving train that is a true piece of visceral ultraviolent art and Tomike Gogrichiani gives the film hammy shitbag villain that the previous installment lacked. Really the only thing that kind of stinks about Extraction 2 is that the final fight is way too short and lacking in gusto compared to the massive, impeccably-staged action that proceeds it. If Hemsworth, Hargrave and Golshifteh Farahani-who is great in an expanded role as Rake's second-in-command Nik-want to do a dozen more of these excellent straightforward action movies, Netflix would be silly to not write the fucking checks.  

Grade: B+

Bryan Cranston 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 Bryan Cranston-whose latest project "Asteroid City" is now playing in theaters in NYC/LA and expands nationwide on Thursday night.  

Bryan Cranston's Filmography Ranked:

22.John Carter (D)

21.Godzilla (D)

20.Larry Crowne (C)

19.Get a Job (C+)

18.Isle of Dogs (C+)

17.Red Tails (B-)

16.That Thing You Do! (B-)

15.Total Recall (B-)

14.Why Him? (B)

13.Trumbo (B)

12.The Upside (B)

11.The Infiltrator (B)

10.Kung Fu Panda 3 (B)

9.Last Flag Flying (B) 

8.Contagion (B)

7.The Lincoln Lawyer (B)

6.Power Rangers (B+)

5.Detachment (B+)

4.Little Miss Sunshine (B+)

3.Argo (B+)

2.Drive (A-)

1.Saving Private Ryan (A)

Top Dog: Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan is one of only a handful of war movies that I've ever seen that truly blew me away. Steven Spielberg is able to show off all of the visceral horrors of warfare with some harrowing combat sequences that revolutionized how movies in this genre are shot while grounding the story with human emotion by showing the steep psychological damage that comes from being exposed to those horrors for prolonged periods of time as well as the strength of the bonds between soldiers that gives them the courage to keep fighting for each other no matter what.     

Bottom Feeder: John Carter (2012)

While Disney has made plenty of more creatively bankrupt and visually-ugly live-action films of late, not too many can match the putrid stench emanating from nearly every frame of John Carter. Key Pixar architect Andrew Stanton failed spectacularly in his transition to live-action filmmaking by turning an adaptation of the novel (A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs) that George Lucas used as the inspiration for Star Wars into a brutally dull, convoluted space opera that has no sense of scale or narrative momentum and features a stiff titular hero (Taylor Kitsch in a truly wretched performance) that is hard to get invested in.    

Most Underrated: Power Rangers (2017)

It's kind of a bummer that one of the intended massive IP franchises that failed to materialize due to BO performance was perhaps the only one in recent memory that got all the character stuff right and the action stuff wrong. Power Rangers does an excellent job of exploring the Rangers origins as troubled yet ultimately good kids who are bound together by fate to become unlikely heroes, the performances from the Rangers (especially Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott and R.J. Cyler) are charming and empathetic and Elizabeth Banks brings the classic cheese from the TV Series to the table with some incredible overacting as the villain Rita Repulsa that makes all of the superhero shit fun despite the aforementioned choppy execution of the actual action sequences.

Most Overrated: Godzilla (2014)

A human-centric approach to Godzilla could've been interesting if the characters weren't so fucking lame (and the leads are played the typically amazing Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen no less!), the pacing wasn't so lethargic  and the limited monster action that did make it to the screen didn't look like it was lit with approximately 2-4 flashlights that were on low battery. Having the movie open on such a electric high with the nuclear power plant scene made all of the underwhelming crap that followed it that much more crushing. 

2023 NFL Position Rankings: Top 35 Inside Linebackers

()=2022 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2022

35.(+) Ernest Jones (Rams)

34.(+) Patrick Queen (Ravens)

33.(+) Devin White (Buccaneers)

32.(22) Cole Holcomb (Steelers)

31.(+) Cody Barton (Commanders)

30.(+) Kyzir White (Cardinals)

29.(+) Kaden Elliss (Falcons)

28.(5) Eric Kendricks (Chargers)

27.(+) Willie Gay Jr. (Chiefs)

26.(+) Josey Jewell (Broncos)

25.(18) Leighton Vander Esch (Cowboys)

24.(19) Denzel Perryman (Texans)

23.(+) Frankie Luvu (Panthers)

22.(20) Jerome Baker (Dolphins)

21.(+) Germaine Pratt (Bengals)

20.(+) Shaq Thompson (Panthers)

19.(17) Anthony Walker Jr. (Browns)

18.(9) Jordan Hicks (Vikings)

17.(+) C.J. Mosley (Jets)

16.(+) Tremaine Edmunds (Bears)

15.(+) Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars)

14.(23) David Long (Dolphins)

13.(+) Alex Singleton (Broncos)

12.(25) Bobby Okereke (Giants)

11.(6) De'Vondre Campbell (Packers)

10.(16) Ja'Whaun Bentley (Patriots)

9.(7) Roquan Smith (Ravens)

8.(+) Shaquille Leonard (Colts)

7.(13) Logan Wilson (Bengals)

6.(+) Matt Milano (Bills)

5.(15) Nick Bolton (Chiefs)

4.(1) Lavonte David (Buccaneers)

3.(2) Demario Davis (Saints)

2.(4) Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)

1.(3) Fred Warner (49ers)

Michael Shannon 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 Michael Shannon-whose latest project "The Flash" releases in theaters on Thursday.

Michael Shannon's Filmography Ranked:

24.Pearl Harbor (D-)

23.Jonah Hex (D)

22.Man of Steel (D)

21.Midnight Special (C-)

20.She's Funny That Way (C)

19.Let's Go to Prison (C)

18.They Came Together (C)

17.Groundhog Day (C)

16.Amsterdam (B-)

15.8 Mile (B-)

14.Kangaroo Jack (B-)

13.Machine Gun Preacher (B)

12.Premium Rush (B)

11.Mud (B)

10.Nocturnal Animals (B)

9.99 Homes (B+)

8.Revolutionary Road (B+)

7.Bullet Train (B+)

6.The Shape of Water (B+)

5.Take Shelter (B+)

4.Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (B+)

3.Bad Boys II (B+)

2.Knives Out (B+)

1.The Night Before (A)

Top Dog: The Night Before (2015)

When it comes to modern holiday movies, I don't believe there's a single one that's better or more unheralded than The Night Before. Its balance of warmth/emotion and R-rated comedic hijinks is perfect, the rapport between Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie as childhood best friends who reunite on Christmas to catch-up/celebrate the life of Gordon-Levitt's character's late father feels completely natural and the supporting cast (Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer, Shannon, Miley Cyrus playing herself) all manage to steal scenes before walking off into the sunset.  

Bottom Feeder: Pearl Harbor (2001)

Welcome back to this piece Pearl Harbor! The book on this movie is well-known by anybody that still remembers its existence: Michael Bay-who is as synonymous with big action movies as any director in cinema history-made the baffling decision to make an epic romance film that eventually turns into a not exactly accurate dramazation of the famous 1941 attack on the titular United States Naval Base in Honolulu by Japanese forces during World War II. The results were unsurprisingly abysmal as the love story is a cheesy soap opera anchored by 3 actors (Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale) with zero chemistry (Affleck and Hartnett play longtime friends who fight for the affection of a nurse played by Beckinsale) who couldn't have possibly turned in stiffer performances and the 3-hour runtime ends up being punishingly overlong given how excruciatingly boring the film is outside of the combat/bombing sequences.     

Most Underrated: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

Man, Sidney Lumet-who passed away in 2011-really did end his career with a bang. The iconic filmmaker behind such classics as Network, Dog Day Afternoon and 12 Angry Men returned to the crime drama/thriller world that served him so well over the years and made a remarkably bleak yet completely riveting and brilliantly-acted film that delivers gut punch after gut punch as it follows a family (Philip Seymour Hoffmann, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei, Amy Ryan, Rosemary Harris) whose lives rapidly unravel after a jewelry heist gone wrong.   

Most Overrated: Groundhog Day (1993)

Maybe it's because I'd seen a million movies with a time loop narrative by the time I saw it or I simply didn't get it, but I felt absolutely nothing watching Groundhog Day. As inherently diverting as watching a character deal with living the same day over and over again is (there's a reason the device has been used so much since), Bill Murray really isn't all that funny here, the romantic subplot with Andie McDowell feels forced and the script really isn't all that clever or exciting.  

Biggest DCU Misfire: Man of Steel (2013)

While the cult following Man of Steel has built over the years has made me consider giving it another try, I still currently despise nearly everything about Zack Snyder's first DC film. Following a strong opening sequence on Superman's home planet of Krypton, Man of Steel almost immediately devolves into an extremely dull superhero origin story featuring horrendous action sequences that launched the terrible superhero movie trend of "flying objects violently crashing into each other while the camera sits roughly 10 miles away from the fighting", a comically hammy villain turn from Shannon as General Zod that feels completely out of place in an otherwise stoic, often somber movie and Henry Cavill seemingly workshopping how to play Clark Kent/Superman in real time and never quite figuring it out by the time the movie ends. 

2023 NFL Position Rankings: Top 35 Outside Linebackers

()=2022 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2022

35.(+) Cory Littleton (Texans)

34.(+) Arden Key (Titans)

33.(+) Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (Buccaneers)

32.(+) Michael Hoecht (Rams)

31.(+) Darrell Taylor (Seahawks)

30.(+) Jack Sanborn (Bears)

29.(+) Zaire Franklin (Colts)

28.(+) Sionne Takitaki (Browns)

27.(+) Jahlani Tavai (Patriots)

26.(+) Malcolm Rodriguez (Lions)

25.(+) Kayvon Thibodeaux (Giants)

24.(18) Bud Dupree (Falcons)

23.(+) Marcus Davenport (Vikings)

22.(27) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Browns)

21.(+) Pete Werner (Saints)

20.(+) Josh Uche (Patriots)

19.(23) Harold Landry (Titans)

18.(22) Randy Gregory (Broncos)

17.(26) Bradley Chubb (Dolphins)

16.(4) Shaq Barrett (Buccaneers)

15.(10) Preston Smith (Packers)

14.(35) Uchenna Nwosu (Seahawks)

13.(+) Dre Greenlaw (49ers)

12.(3) Khalil Mack (Chargers)

11.(+) Brian Burns (Panthers)

10.(14) Rashan Gary (Packers)

9.(+) Jaelan Phillips (Dolphins)

8.(+) T.J. Edwards (Bears)

7.(9) Josh Allen (Jaguars)

6.(7) Danielle Hunter (Vikings)

5.(21) Alex Highsmith (Steelers)

4.(13) Matthew Judon (Patriots)

3.(2) Joey Bosa (Chargers)

2.(12) Haason Reddick (Eagles)

1.(1) T.J. Watt (Steelers)

2023 NFL Position Rankings: Top 35 Defensive Tackles

()=2022 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2022

35.(33) Maliek Collins (Texans)

34.(+) Broderick Washington (Ravens)

33.(34) Christian Barmore (Patriots)

32.(19) B.J. Hill (Bengals)

31.(+) Andrew Billings (Bears)

30.(+) A'Shawn Robinson (Giants)

29.(14) David Onyemata (Falcons)

28.(21) Ed Oliver (Bills)

27.(+) Jordan Davis (Eagles)

26.(+) Alim McNeill (Lions)

25.(+) Nathan Shepard (Saints)

24.(30) DaQuan Jones (Bills)

23.(+) Teair Tart (Titans)

22.(+) Davon Hamilton (Jaguars)

21.(23) Michael Pierce (Ravens)

20.(+) Sheldon Rankins (Texans)

19.(18) Fletcher Cox (Eagles)

18.(29) Da'Ron Payne (Commanders)

17.(22) Grover Stewart (Colts)

16.(7) Vita Vea (Buccaneers)

15.(13) Dalvin Tomlinson (Browns)

14.(6) Arik Armstead (49ers)

13.(12) Grady Jarrett (Falcons)

12.(28) Derrick Brown (Panthers)

11.(10) D.J. Reader (Bengals)

10.(15) Javon Hargrave (49ers)

9.(8) Jeffrey Simmons (Titans)

8.(5) Jonathan Allen (Commanders)

7.(9) Christian Wilkins (Dolphins)

6.(20) Quinnen Williams (Jets)

5.(4) DeForest Buckner (Colts)

4.(17) Dexter Lawrence (Giants)

3.(2) Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

2.(1) Aaron Donald (Rams)

1.(3)Chris Jones (Chiefs)

2023 NFL Position Rankings: Top 35 Defensive Ends

=2022 ranking

+=Unranked or not eligible in 2022

35.(+) Morgan Fox (Chargers)

34.(+) Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (Browns)

33.(+) John Kominsky (Lions)

32.(+) Harrison Phillips (Vikings)

31.(+) Charles Omenihu (Chiefs)

30.(+) Samson Ebukam (Colts)

29.(+) DeMarcus Walker (Bears)

28.(+) Zach Sieler (Dolphins)

27.(19) Jerry Hughes (Texans)

26.(11) Chase Young (Commanders)

25.(+) Chandler Jones (Raiders)

24.(+) Kenny Clark (Packers)

23.(35) Kwity Paye (Colts)

22.(+) Zach Allen (Broncos)

21.(+) Carl Granderson (Saints)

20.(34) Deatrich Wise Jr. (Patriots)

19.(+) Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

18.(33) Gregory Rousseau (Bills)

17.(23) Sam Hubbard (Bengals)

16.(24) Josh Sweat (Eagles)

15.(15) Denico Autry (Titans)

14.(6) DeMarcus Lawrence (Cowboys)

13.(9) Leonard Williams (Giants)

12.(14) John Franklin-Myers (Jets)

11.(16) Montez Sweat (Commanders)

10.(8) Calias Campbell (Falcons)

9.(21) Brandon Graham (Eagles)

8.(2) Cameron Jordan (Saints)

7.(4) Von Miller (Bills)

6.(+) Za'Darius Smith (Browns)

5.(5) Trey Hendrickson (Bengals)

4.(+) Micah Parsons (Cowboys)

3.(+) Maxx Crosby (Raiders)

2.(1) Myles Garrett (Browns)

1.(3) Nick Bosa (49ers)

Live Action Transformers Movies Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank franchises or filmographies from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week in honor of the release of "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts", I'm ranking all 6 Live-Action Transformers movies. 

6.Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014):

Age of Extinction is such an exhausting, overlong and painfully stupid movie that by the time some cool shit actually happens (dino Transformers show up), I was too beaten down by what came before it to actually care.

Grade: D+ 

5.Transformers: The Last Knight (2017): 

The Last Knight has a completely incomprehensible plot and Michael Bay seems to have completely lost interest in making Transformers movies by the time the second half of this 2.5+ hour affair rolls around, but seeing Anthony Hopkins fully commit to playing a weird little man who has been entrusted to be the secretive head of all Autobot/Human relations, Jerrod Carmichael take over the bit comedic relief character role from T.J Miller and an insane opening scene where the Autobots fight alongside King Arthur, Merlin and Lancelot make it slightly better than Age of Extinction.

Grade: D+

4.Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009):

Is Revenge of the Fallen the clear worst entry of the Shia LaBeouf-era Transformers films? Easily. The story centered around LaBeouf's Sam Witwicky getting robot symbols embedded into his brain after touching a shard of the AllSpark Cube-which indirectly makes him the key for the Deceptions to find a device that will harvest Earth's energy to blow up the Sun in order to re-build their home of Cybertron is an unintentionally funny mess and the bursts of racism, sexism and weird, pervy shit that routinely makes its way onto the screen will forever live in infamy. With all that being said, it never even sniffs the dumpster that both Mark Wahlberg-led entries were bred in-mostly because Michael Bay keeps the energy level high and the action sequences manage to pop more than they did in the original.        

Grade: C

3.Transformers (2007):

When I was 15, this was literally one of my favorite movies. 16 years later, I barely still have a positive opinion about it. There's far too time much spent on establishing the bland backstory of Sam Witwicky's grandfather accidentally making contact with the frozen corpse of Megatron in the 1930's and exploring the US military fallout of discovering there's an alien robotic race roaming the Earth and not nearly enough watching said robots fight each others. The final act is solid, the effects have held up great and the scene where the Autobots are trying (and failing) to hide outside of the Witwicky family home is legitimately very funny, but other than that, it's kind of just stuck in neutral.  

Grade: B-

2.Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011):

For as painfully flawed as Transformers: Dark of the Moon is (the less said about the plot, the performances of Rosie Huntington-Whitley and Patrick Dempsey and the bathroom scene with Ken Jeong and LaBeouf the better), the 45-minute final battle in downtown Chicago is by far the biggest, baddest action spectacle that the live-action Transformers delivered thus far. If Bay had delivered dazzling, show-stopping setpieces like this more often, these movies could've been way more fun. 

Grade: B-

1.Bumblebee (2018):

 A change in tone, stakes and approach was desperately needed after 5 not-so-great entries from Bay. Bumblebee understood what was being asked of it and director Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings) and writer Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey) delivered the goods. Turning a story of Optimus Prime's top lieutenant Bumblebee's early days on Earth after he loses his voice in a battle with Decepticons into an E.T.-esque story about him forming a bond with a young woman (Hailee Stenfield) whose become distant after her father passed away is an inspired reinvention that is full of heart, laughs and sincere odes to 80's cheese. It would've been a home run if the action beats lived up to the standard Bay set with his movies, but it's still a great little movie and the clear standout of the live-action Transformers franchise to date.  

Grade: B+

Quick Movie Reviews: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Boogeyman, Sanctuary

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Just a masterclass in delivering a sequel that raises the stakes and expands the scope of its universe while doubling down on what made the original great. No matter how many new characters it introduces (Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Woman, Spider-Punk, Spider-Man India, new antagonist The Spot-voiced by Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Karan Soni and Jason Schwartzman respectively) or worlds it explores, Across the Spider-Verse is still anchored by Miles Morales' (Shameik Moore) and Gwen Stacy's (Hailee Steinfeld) individual quests for identity, purpose and carving out their own definition of heroism amid pressure to conform to the strict code of those who came before them as well how their separate but parallel journeys manage to affect their own relationship. 

These character arcs also happened to be seamlessly intertwined into the most lively, interesting and emotionally-grounded portrayal of the multiverse that we've seen in a Marvel property. Much like the Daniels did on Everything Everywhere All at Once, the way to get the most out of this universe-hopping concept is to spend more time focusing on how these potentially catastrophic alterations to space and time can affect the humans at the center of it instead of getting really bogged down with the pseudo-scientific mechanics that make the practice possible. Humanity is the secret sauce that is at the center of nearly all great superhero works and Spider-Verse's emphasis on valuing the people underneath the Spider suits over their web-slinging powers is the best thing about these movies (along with the mind-blowing animation, that is somewhat even more richly detailed, completely distinct and just plain beautiful-of course). Fingers crossed that Beyond the Spider-Verse can keep its current March 2024 release date because I'd love to return to this world as soon as possible.         

Grade: A-

The Boogeyman: Execution being more important than originality in the world of film and television is a philosophy that I deeply believe in. Rob Savage's The Boogeyman is the latest piece of cinematic art to fall under this umbrella. This feature adaptation of a 1973 short story by Stephen King overcomes its paper thin exploration of grief and a familiar pattern of jump scares that don't always deliver their intended jolts by being a well-crafted supernatural horror flick that's able to build an immersive world where evil is lurking in the darkness waiting to strike while its prey is at its most vulnerable. Through its excellent use of lighting/shadows and sound (or lack thereof), Savage, cinematographer Eli Born and editor Peter Gvozdas construct a string of creepy sequences that slowly gives the audience closer looks at the titular creature to build up intrigue/fear before finally unleashing the monster in all its grotesque glory in the final act, the leading duo of Sophie Thatcher and Viven Lyra Blair-who play sisters that are reeling from the recent death of their mother and the cold, distant behavior their therapist father (Chris Messina) has displayed in the aftermath-do a good job of conveying the pain of the loss of their mother and the fear of experiencing more loss at the hands of this bloodthirsty supernatural entity despite the bare-bones nature of the writing and the ending, while not exactly tragic, is an effectively sobering reminder that the fight against whatever specific demons an individual or family faces following a tragedy is one that is never really over and must be waged every single day. Disney deserves credit for giving a movie that's driven by its technical prowess and mood a proper theatrical release/push since The Boogeyman just wouldn't have played as well at home.    

Grade: B

Sanctuary: Sanctuary is like if a heavyweight prize fight took place between two people that seek to eviscerate the other while also wanting to bang the shit out of them. Christopher Abbott and Margaret Qualley provide ample psychosexual fireworks as they aggressively flirt, toy with and attempt to humiliate each other inside of a swanky Denver hotel suite for 95 minutes as they battle for the upper hand in a business break-up gone horribly wrong. The shifts in the power dynamics rapidly flip back and forth until it reaches a wild conclusion that makes perfect narrative sense, the active camerawork adds a dash of style to the proceedings without sacrificing any of the relative claustrophobia that the setting provides and Abbott and Qualley remind the world why they're two of the most exciting yet unsung actors working today by fearlessly submitting themselves to the sick, sexy rhythm of this darkly comedic thriller and producing two of the most commanding performances of their careers thus far as a result. If this sounds appealing to you, be sure to rush out and see it before it gets booted out of the non NYC/LA theaters that it just got released into within the next 10 days.          

Grade: B+

Chris Messina 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 Chris Messina-whose latest project "The Boogeyman" releases in theaters tonight.

Chris Messina's Filmography Ranked:

15.Like Crazy (F)

14.Ruby Sparks (D+)

13.Julie & Julia (C)

12.Devil (C+)

11.Call Jane (B-)

10.Celeste and Jesse Forever (B-)

9.Cake (B-)

8.Away We Go (B)

7.Vicky Christina Barcelona (B)

6.Live by Night (B)

5.I Care a Lot (B+)

4.Air (B+)

3.Argo (B+)

2.Rounders (A-)

1.Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (A)

Top Dog: Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

At a time where connected universes, multiverses, etc. are the primary way that superhero stories are told, Birds of Prey serves as a refreshing reminder of how these movies are often at their best when their content with being a standalone feature. Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn spin-off models the personality of its erratic heroine with an explosion of bright colors, chaotic non-linear storytelling and hyperactive energy that never lets up for a second. I truly believe that Birds of Prey is easily one of the biggest triumphs in the genre of late and it sucks that Robbie, writer Christina Hodson and director Cathy Yan aren't going to get the chance to make more of these.  

Bottom Feeder: Like Crazy (2011)

A stacked ensemble cast headlined by Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence and Messina can't do a damn thing to make Like Crazy's strange, obnoxious combination of cliched romantic melodrama and exhausting arthouse bullshit even the slightest bit more palatable. 

Most Underrated: Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

Breakneck pacing, electric, inventive fight scenes that set a new high bar for superhero action scenes that has yet to be cleared or matched and some excellent performances (Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Ewan McGregor) that fit the movie's cartoonish maximalist style perfectly makes Birds of Prey a ton of fun to watch.

Most Overrated: Ruby Sparks (2012)

Is this a reach? Probably, yes. Ruby Sparks wasn't a huge commercial hit and it's unlikely that too many non-diehard Letterboxd users have discussed this movie recently. However, Julie & Julia is far too innocuous of a crowdpleaser dramedy for me to view it as overrated and I loathed this pretty acclaimed Garden State-adjacent quirkfest about a sad sack writer (Paul Dano) whose romantic woes are solved when a character he created/fell in love with (Zoe Kazan) suddenly makes the leap from the page to the real world. The frequent attempts to mine laughs and charm out of this pretty creepy depressed hipster wish fulfillment fantasy plot all fail miserably and this unpleasant 1-2 punch makes Ruby Sparks a grating watch that only becomes more painful as it progresses.