Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2023 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Josh Allen (Bills)

After a rough couple weeks, Allen returned to form last Thursday night against the Bucs. While he did throw a pick, the rest of his line was terrific (324 YDS/2 TD's, 7 CAR/41 YDS/TD) and unquestionably helped anchored a lot of fantasy wins this week. Allen has a date with the Bengals in Week 9.

Honorable Mentions: Sam Howell (Commanders), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Joe Burrow (Bengals)

LVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

A bout with the flu, crap weather and friskier-than-expected Denver defense left Mahomes in a shocking rut on Sunday as he posted one of the ugliest performances of his career (241 YDS/0 TD's/2 INT's, 20 Rushing YDS/FUM Lost) in what proved to be both his 1st career loss to the Broncos and road loss to a divisional opponent. He should be extra motivated to atone for this history-making bad performance in Week 9, and a matchup with a very beatable Dolphins defense should provide a good opportunity to do so.

Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Jared Goff (Lions), C.J. Stroud (Texans)

Running Back:

MVP: Gus Edwards (Ravens)

Gus the Bus kept on driving into the endzone against the Cardinals. His 3 TD runs propped up an otherwise not overly impressive day at the office as he only picked up 94 scrimmage YDS (80 rushing, 14 receving) despite receiving a season-high 21 touches (19 carries, 2 receptions). The Ravens didn't trade for a RB at the deadline today, so Edwards should be locked in as the team's RB1 (and subsequently, a solid fantasy RB2) as long as he remains on the field.

Honorable Mentions: Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), Christian McCaffery (49ers), Alvin Kamara (Saints)

LVP: Miles Sanders (Panthers)

Miles Sanders and his fantasy owners received a shitty surprise following the Panthers bye week and his return from a shoulder injury: He's now the 3rd string running back! That's right: the back the team signed to a 4-year deal in free agency in March is now playing behind Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear (!). Despite the demotion, he still managed to get a couple of carries against the Texans on Sunday-which he turned into 0 YDS. Sanders has been one of the biggest fantasy flops of 2023 and his relegation to a supporting role in a newly-formed RB committee on a team with one of the worst offensive lines in football should earn him the title of most dropped non-injured player on the wire this week. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jerome Ford (Browns), Alexander Mattison (Vikings), D'Onta Foreman (Bears)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

The primary beneficiary of Mike McCarthy taking the governor off of Dak Prescott for a 2nd straight game was once again Lamb. He made an absolute mockery of the Rams young secondary-securing 12 catches for 158 YDS and 2 TD's while also adding a 12-YD rush as the cherry on top of his best game of 2023 thus far. As long as the passing game remains healthy in Dallas, Lamb should continue to put up monstrous numbers on a consistent basis.   

Honorable Mentions: A.J. Brown (Eagles), DeAndre Hopkins (Titans), Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins)

LVP: Davante Adams (Raiders)

Adams has to be really close to walking out on the Raiders. Josh McDaniels and Jimmy Garoppolo continue to commit malpractice by failing to get their superstar wideout the ball. Last night's outing against the Lions marked a particularly egregious case of their negligence as Adams was held to just 1 catch for 11 YDS in a game where Garoppolo was just breathtakingly awful. Nobody is going to seriously consider taking somebody with Adams' talent out of their lineups, but barring a string of gridiron miracles in Vegas, the number of ugly showings like this seem destined to outshine the gems for the final 9 games of the Raiders 2023 season.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Cooper Kupp (Rams), Zay Flowers (Ravens), Jakobi Meyers (Raiders)

Tight End

MVP: George Kittle (49ers) 

A lot of 49ers failed to show up for their game against the Bengals this past Sunday. Kittle was not among them. The star tight end was wide open all game long, finishing the afternoon with a ridiculous 149 YDS on 9 catches. As hot-and-cold as Kittle has been in the 1st half of 2023, he's still firmly a weekly top 5 TE1 play. His next game action comes against the redhot Jags and their stingy defense in Week 10.

Honorable Mentions: T.J. Hockenson (Vikings), Sam LaPorta (Lions), David Njoku (Browns)

LVP: Dalton Schultz (Texans)

Schultz's run of nice performances came to a brutal end on Sunday as he posted a dismal 2 catch/5 YD performance against the Panthers in what just might've been the Texans worst offensive showing of the season. He'll remain a fringe starting option for this week's game versus the Bucs.

Dishonorable Mentions: Kyle Pitts (Falcons), Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Jonnu Smith (Falcons)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Cowboys

Coming off a bye, the Cowboys D picked up right where they left off in Week 8. Dan Quinn's group stuffed the stat sheet against a surprisingly messy Rams offense-registering 2 sacks, a blocked punt, a safety and a pick 6 in a 42-20 victory. Week 9 has the potential to be a down week for the D/ST superstars as they have to travel to Philly to take on the rival Eagles.  

Honorable Mentions: Lions, Chiefs, Seahawks

LVP: Eagles

It's kind of wild how much worse the Eagles defense has looked against the Commanders than any of their other opponents in 2023. Not only did they allow 31 points and Sam Howell to throw for 397 YDS a month after their previous 31-point shredding by this typically average offense, but they only picked up 1 sack against their porous offensive line and 1 takeaway (a game-sealing INT from Reed Blankenship in the 4th quarter) against their often turnover-prone offense (they had 11 giveaways coming into this game). They'll attempt to get back to playing in a representative fashion in another divisional clash with the Cowboys.

Dishonorable Mentions: Saints, 49ers, Falcons

Movie Review: Anatomy of a Fall

In the United States, "courtroom dramas" typically consist of rousing testimonies, charismatic lawyers putting on a fiery performance in service of their clients and a verdict that leads to the guilty being punished and the innocent being vindicated. While I'm not sure if this is the norm or an outlier for French cinema, Anatomy of a Fall marks a very different approach to this classic crime procedural genre.

The reigning Palme d'Or Winner from writer/director Justine Triet has a classic setup that anybody whose consumed more than a couple of these types of movies or shows has seen countless times before: A woman (Sandra Huller) is arrested and shortly afterwards, put on trial for murder after her husband (Samuel Maleski) is found dead in the snow with a sizable head wound outside their home in the French countryside. She claims it was suicide while the prosecutor argues that she pushed him over the railing of their balcony. What happens outside of the suspected murder and subsequent arrest is anything but traditional.

Triet's approach to this story is more or less the complete inverse of what Americans typically see from this genre. Not only it is completely devoid of theatrics, it's deliberately laced with ambiguity at every turn. There's no smoking gun piece of evidence that provides any clarity as to what happened and the closest thing there is to a witness is the couple's blind son (Milo Machado-Graner) who discovered the body upon returning from a walk with the family's dog. By eliminating any facts that clearly indicate or acquit the accused in the death of her husband, the audience (and jurors for that matter) has to rely on perception and a deconstruction of their marriage as their primary tools to determine the verdict.

Portraying a murder trial and the people at the center of it in such a methodical, grounded fashion proves to be kind of a double-edged sword for Anatomy of a Fall. Triet's straight down the middle writing style and Huller's powerhouse performance do an excellent job of planting seeds that could easily be interpreted as guilt or innocence in both the details of the day of the murder and their marriage on the whole that really challenges the viewer's personal biases and what they want to believe while also highlighting just how difficult it can be to preside over a murder trial that doesn't have any overwhelming evidence at the center of it. At the same time, this approach gives it a pervasive coldness that goes beyond providing a clever shield to obscure the truth of what really happened and into a territory of emotional numbness that reduces the impact of what the film is trying to say about the murky complexities of romantic relationships, the legal system and the convergence of the two. To Triet's credit, she was able to make a legal drama where the emotions are distant and the facts are in the eye of the beholder work. But that dedication to reality and the often unknown truths that come with it is also just unsatisfying enough to bump Anatomy of a Fall down from great to nearly great.                        

Grade: B

Andy Garcia 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 Andy Garcia-whose latest project "Pain Hustlers" is in select theaters now and debuts on Netflix on Friday.

Andy Garcia's Filmography Ranked:

18.Ocean's Twelve (D-)

17.Father of the Bride (C-)

16.The Pink Panther 2 (C-)

15.Confidence (C)

14.Passengers (C)

13.Expend4bles (C+)

12.Words on Bathroom Walls (B-)

11.Ghostbusters (B)

10.Let's Be Cops (B)

9.Geostorm (B)

8.The Mule (B)

7.Wrath of Man (B+)

6.Ocean's Thirteen (B+)

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

4.Kill the Messenger (A-)

3.The Untouchables (A-)

2.Smokin' Aces (A)

1.Ocean's Eleven (A)

Top Dog: Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Ocean's Eleven is without question one of the most entertaining movies I've ever seen. The central heist is a blast to watch play out, the energy behind Steven Soderbergh's direction is infectious and the starry ensemble cast led by George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac and Garcia deliver a masterclass in being cool, funny and charismatic.  

Bottom Feeder: Ocean's Twelve (2004)

Ocean's Twelve, on the other hand, is the total antithesis of Ocean's Eleven. It's a boring, joyless disaster with a checked-out cast, messy plot and staggering lack of style. Thankfully, it made enough money to allow Ocean's Thirteen to happen because ending this iteration of Ocean's on such a stinky note would've been really unfortunate.

Most Underrated: Smokin' Aces (2007)

Alongside stuff like Crank, Shoot Em' Up and Lucky Number Slevin, Smokin' Aces occupies the space of my heart that's dedicated to eternal love for some manic action movies that I saw during my early days of high school. What Joe Carnahan created here is a profoundly dumb, ultraviolent riff on a Tarantino movie that features a whole bunch of assassins and law enforcement officers converging on a Lake Tahoe casino hotel suite occupied by a sleazy Las Vegas magician (Jeremey Piven) who's seeking immunity from the FBI in exchange for information on an aging mob boss (Joseph Ruskin). As brainless and sophomoric as Smokin' Aces, it's whole Red Bull Tarantino routine is quite endearing as Caranahan shows a real gift for crafting frenzied, over-the-top bloody shootouts and getting actors to commit to the pulpy material he hands them. 

Most Overrated: Passengers (2016)

People seems to have grown fond of Passengers after its initially mediocre box office performance and reception. I am not among the people that have had a change of heart. It's one of those movies that just remains stuck in neutral throughout as it struggles to balance its love story with the overarching sci-fi dystopian narrative and the chemistry between Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt never generates the sparks its supposed to.      

2023 NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (6-1) Week 8 opponent: Denver Broncos

2.(5) Philadelphia Eagles (6-1) Week 8 opponent: Washington Commanders 

3.(2) San Francisco 49ers (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

4.(1) Miami Dolphins (5-2) Week 8 opponent: New England Patriots 

5.(9) Baltimore Ravens (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

6.(8) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

7.(7) Dallas Cowboys (4-2) Week 8 opponent: Los Angeles Rams 

8.(4) Detroit Lions (5-2) Week 8 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

9.(10) Cleveland Browns (4-2) Week 8 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

10.(11) Seattle Seahawks (4-2) Week 8 opponent: Cleveland Browns

11.(6) Buffalo Bills (4-3) Week 8 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

12.(13) Cincinnati Bengals (3-3) Week 8 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

13.(14) Houston Texans (3-3) Week 8 opponent: Carolina Panthers

14.(15) Atlanta Falcons (4-3) Week 8 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

15.(16) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) Week 8 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

16.(12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3) Week 8 opponent: Buffalo Bills

17.(18) New York Jets (3-3) Week 8 opponent: New York Giants

18.(23) Minnesota Vikings (3-4) Week 8 opponent: Green Bay Packers

19.(17) New Orleans Saints (3-4) Week 8 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

20.(19) Los Angeles Chargers (2-4) Week 8 opponent: Chicago Bears

21.(20) Los Angeles Rams (3-4) Week 8 opponent: Dallas Cowboys 

22.(22) Indianapolis Colts (3-4) Week 8 opponent: New Orleans Saints

23.(21) Washington Commanders (3-4) Week 8 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles 

24.(24) Tennessee Titans (2-4) Week 8 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

25.(27) New York Giants (2-5) Week 8 opponent: New York Jets

26.(29) Chicago Bears (2-5) Week 8 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

27.(25) Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) Week 8 opponent: Detroit Lions 

28.(31) New England Patriots (2-5) Week 8 opponent: Miami Dolphins

29.(30) Denver Broncos (2-5) Week 8 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

30.(29) Green Bay Packers (2-4) Week 8 opponent: Minnesota Vikings 

31.(28) Arizona Cardinals (1-6) Week 8 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

32.(32) Carolina Panthers (0-6) Week 8 opponent: Houston Texans  

Week 7 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2023 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Mahomes' at least semi-annual tradition of decimating the Chargers was celebrated for the 6th year on Sunday as he knifed through the Bolts abysmal defense (424 YDS, 4 TD's, 4 CAR, 29 Rushing YDS). A 3rd quarter INT was the only thing that prevented his performance in the win from being a perfect outing. He gets a date with his other favorite team to play (the Broncos) in Week 8.  

Honorable Mentions: Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Josh Allen (Bills), Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

LVP: Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

A trip to Philadelphia on Sunday night was a rude awakening for nearly everyone on the Dolphins, especially Tagovailoa. Tua was average at best, throwing for 216 YDS, a TD and a crucial late game INT that clinched the loss-as the Eagles ferocious front disrupted his rhythm for the vast majority of the game. The good news for Tua and co. is that they'll be facing a Patriots team they beat back in Week 2 in the friendly, oppressively hot confines of Hard Rock Stadium this Sunday. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Justin Herbert (Chargers), Jared Goff (Lions), Brock Purdy (49ers)

Running Back

MVP: D'Onta Foreman (Bears)

Some Bears fans want to build a statue for backup quarterback Tyson Bagent after Sunday's win against the Raiders. This Bears fan would elect to give that absurd hypothetical honor to Foreman instead. The de facto starting running back was the centerpiece of their ultraconsterative offense and he delivered big time-posting 120 scrimmage YDS and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) on 19 touches. Even with the possible return of rookie Roschon Johnson this week potentially cutting into his workload, Foreman should remain a viable RB2 option for as long as Khalil Herbert remains on IR with a high ankle sprain.    

Honorable Mentions: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), Christian McCaffery (49ers)

LVP: Bijan Robinson (Falcons) 

The Bijan Robinson diarrhea game will forever live in infamy (Note: It hasn't been confirmed that he had diarrhea, the team and Robinson just keep saying that he was "sick" and that to me is a codeword for diarrhea). Everybody who had Robinson was wondering if he was even playing against the Buccaneers for most of the afternoon on Sunday and his active status was only confirmed when he picked up a single carry for 3 YDS on the final drive of the game. Arthur Smith deserves a fine for not disclosing Robinson's illness on the injury report and fantasy players should absolutely add this to the growing list of reasons as to why they can't stand the Falcons head coach.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Josh Jacobs (Raiders), Austin Ekeler (Chargers), Alexander Mattison (Vikings) 

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Jordan Addison (Vikings)

While Addison's rookie campaign has been off to a solid start, his performance against the 49ers last night was the first time he's really popped in the NFL. Addison was the top playmaker (7 REC/123 YDS/2 TD's) on the Vikings offense on a night where Kirk Cousins must've forgot that he's supposed to be god awful on Monday Night Football as Minnesota picked up a stunning victory over the 49ers. Addison could be in line for another productive game in Week 8 against a Packers secondary that's allowed Courtland Sutton, Jakobi Meyers and Josh Reynolds to have solid performances in recent weeks.   

Honorable Mentions: A.J. Brown (Eagles), Tyreek Hill (Dolphins), Puka Nacua (Rams)

LVP: Calvin Ridley (Jaguars)

While it was another relatively quiet night for Trevor Lawrence against the Saints, that doesn't excuse how invisible Ridley was. The star WR only saw 4 targets on the night and hauled in 1 catch for 5 YDS as he was once again significantly outshined by Christian Kirk (6 REC/90 YDS/TD). Outside of a couple of monster performances, Ridley has been really quiet in his heavily-anticipated comeback year and it's hard to view him as anything more than a boom-or-bust WR3 right now. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Gabe Davis (Bills), Amari Cooper (Browns), Christian Watson (Packers)

Tight End

MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Kelce rather enjoyed the baffling lack of attention he received from the Chargers defense-putting up his biggest numbers of the season (12 REC/179 YDS/TD) and delivering a big play nearly every time Mahomes looked his way. He could be in line to feast again in Week 8 when he faces a Broncos defense that he just lit up for 100+ YDS 2 weeks ago. 

Honorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Darren Waller (Giants), Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

LVP: Cole Kmet (Bears)

The dump-off pass game the Bears ran with Tyson Bagent under center apparently had no place for Kmet as he wasn't even targeted on any of Bagent's 29 passing attempts against the Raiders. Kmet will hope to be more involved in Sunday's game against the Chargers bottom 3 pass defense. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Higbee (Rams), Jonnu Smith (Falcons), Michael Mayer (Raiders)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Browns

Yes, the Browns allowed a season-high 38 points to the Gardner Minshew-led Colts offense on Sunday. But boy did they make some splash plays that canceled out their inability to keep points off the board. They picked up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, a blocked field goal, an INT and a TD in a narrow victory that was arguably the most thrilling, deeply silly game of the week. They'll look to get back to their stout ways in their Week 8 contest with the Seahawks.  

Honorable Mentions: Ravens, Eagles, Chiefs

LVP: Bills

The Bills got blindsided by a Patriots team that came to play on Sunday on both sides of the ball. Outside of a sack and fumble recovery, their defense looked really bad as they surrendered 29 points and allowed the Pats to do just about whatever they wanted to do on offense on nearly every drive. They'll hope to put a stop to their recent woes on Thursday night against a Buccaneers offense that has struggled to score in 3 of their last 4 games.

Dishonorable Mentions: 49ers, Lions, Rams

Movie Review: Killers of the Flower Moon

One of the more horrifying things I've come to learn as an adult is just how little Americans know about the history of their country. So much shit that's happened over the past hundreds of years has been obscured or erased through a combination of time and a purposeful obstruction of teaching people about these events by the nation's school systems and government. Among these unjustly minimized events is something that has become known as  "The Osage Murders". A greatly condensed version of how this string of mass killings came to be is as follows: In 1897, the Osage Tribe of Oklahoma discovered oil on their land. This brought a tremendous amount of wealth and prosperity to a region that didn't have it previously. Once the Osage came into this wealth, white people from all over the country started to move to their reservation. 

Beginning in 1918, members of the Osage started turning up dead and through marriage, friendships, etc, more and more whites took over the headrights (royalties from oil) to their estates once they were killed. In 1923, the federal government got involved in the investigation and while several arrests and convictions were made and a law was passed in 1925 that prohibited non-Osage individuals from inheriting headrights, many of the murders remained unsolved. It's estimated that at least 60 Osage were killed from 1918 to 1931 and there's a widespread belief that many other suspicious death during that period could've also been murders that were covered up. 

For his 26th narrative feature film, Martin Scorsese elected to make a movie about the Osage murders. While not without some miscalculations, Killers of the Flower Moon is a respectfully-rendered, absorbing crime drama about a forgotten chapter of American greed, cruelty and bigotry.

Killers of the Flower Moon unfolds from the perspective of Ernest Burkhardt (Leonardo DiCaprio)-a recently discharged military cook who arrives in Osage County to stay with his uncle William Hale (Robert De Niro) with the hopes of finding work and prosperity. Through his job as a chauffeur, he meets Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone)-one of the richest oil heirs on the reservation. As they get to know each other more, Ernest and Mollie fall in love and eventually marry and start a family. 

Meanwhile, members of the reservation start dying with increasing regularity-including members of Mollie's family. All of the dead bodies have one thing in common: they all have oil money and their fortunes are being inherited by white settlers that mostly have connections to Hale. As Ernest begins to become involved with his uncle's dealings, he gets excited by the prospect of making more money and the murders begin to become more brazen and frequent. Eventually, all of the dead bodies piling up attracts the attention of the Bureau of Investigation (the precursor to the FBI) and lead investigator Tom White (Jesse Plemons) threatens to blow the lid off their whole operation-which puts Hale, Burkhardt and their many co-conspirators in a position they never thought they'd find themselves in: potentially facing legal consequences for their actions.

What Killers of the Flower Moon does so well is paint a portrait of pure, deep-rooted evil. What Hale, Burkhardt and their cohorts do is gain the trust and respect of the Osage nation by befriending them and really engrained themselves in their community, only to be secretly plotting to take their money and land by finding somebody to execute them. It's a really calculated, long con plan that Scorsese portrays brilliantly with a deliberate touch that allows the cold, insidious nature of the crimes to really sink in and linger. Even when the film reaches the stage where some semblance of justice is served, the stench of greed, deception and self-preservation is still so strong that the retribution delivers no solace. Telling this story in such an uncompromisingly bleak, sober fashion allows to it become a haunting history lesson that Americans have long needed to sit through and it's a blessing that a filmmaker that is as fearless and articulate as Scorsese was the one who was tasked with bringing it to the screen.    

As impressive as Killers of the Flower Moon is, there is something about centering this story around Ernest Burkhardt that just doesn't feel right. For starters, Burkhardt is portrayed with more sympathy than he deserves. While the film never comes close to exonerating him of his crimes or pretending that he was a good man, it does portray him as a gullible idiot who followed his uncle's lead and someone who really did love his wife despite all of the harm he caused her (or at least somebody that believes that he does). Was Hale a more blatantly evil individual for masterminding the whole operation? No question, but Burkhardt was still heavily involved in carrying out Hale's plans and showed no remorse as members of Mollie's family all met their demise in brutal fashion. That's an individual who doesn't deserve a shred of compassion shown towards them and I wish that Scorsese had portrayed him in a more unflinchingly unfavorable light.        

The other major issue with having Burkhardt as the protagonist is that it puts the Osage on the backburner in a story that is about the atrocities committed against their people. The emotional impact of this story would've been greater if it had been told through the eyes of Mollie-who watched these outsiders slaughter, torment and steal from her people opposed to Ernest-who didn't care how many Osage died as long as his pockets got fatter. However, the harsh reality is that as beneficial as it could've been to the broader narrative, Scorsese probably couldn't have gotten this film made if it were told from an Osage point-of-view. A $200+ million epic western crime drama with the almost always bankable DiCaprio in the lead role is a hard enough sell for studios, so putting a Native American woman in Gladstone whose previous resume mainly consists of bit parts in indie movies-front and center would've likely caused additional hurdles in the greenlighting process. Not to mention, the David Grann novel in which it's based is on also features Burkhardt as the protagonist and from what I've read, Scorsese significantly increased the role of the people of the Osage Nation in the adaptation. Settling for something that at least valued the Osage enough to get members of their community involved in the creative process of making it and portray them with dignity on screen is ultimately an acceptable compromise since it allowed this important film to enter the world.    

As we enter Hollywood's awards season, much will be made of Killers of the Flower Moon's prospects and rightfully so. DiCaprio, Gladstone and (especially) De Niro give outstanding performances. Scorsese's direction is among the most assured of his storied career. Rodrigo Prieto's cinematography is gorgeous. The final score produced by the late Robbie Robertson is hauntingly melancholic. But all of that extracurricular stuff pales in comparison to the value that this film's existence provides to the world. It may not be perfect or 100% accurate, but Killers of the Flower Moon exposes the masses to a chapter of undertaught history and provides an important lesson of how profoundly evil mankind is capable of being when things like money and the opportunity to make a whole lot of more it are involved. That provides more value than any gold statue can and I hope that its messaging is carefully considered when people examine violent, hate-fueled events of past, present and future.                     

Grade: B+

Leonardo DiCaprio 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 Leonardo DiCaprio-whose latest project "Killers of the Flower Moon" releases in theaters today. 

Leonardo DiCaprio's Filmography Ranked:

15.Titanic (D-)

14.The Revenant (D)

13.The Aviator (C-)

12.Body of Lies (C+)

11.Blood Diamond (B)

10.The Quick and the Dead (B)

9.Catch Me If You Can (B+)

8.Don't Look Up (B+)

7.Revolutionary Road (B+)

6.The Wolf of Wall Street (B+)

5.Shutter Island (A-)

4.Inception (A)

3.Once Upon a Time in Hollywood... (A)

2.Django Unchained (A+)

1.The Departed (A+)

Top Dog: The Departed (2006)

The first Martin Scorsese movie that I ever saw remains my favorite. With its massive, intricately-woven Boston cops vs. Irish mob storyline, some exceptional performances from its heavyweight-filled cast (DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen) and an explosive final act that features one of the most shockingly sudden major character deaths in movie history, The Departed is a just plain masterful, endlessly rewatchable crime drama.

Bottom Feeder: Titanic (1997)

A 3+ hour insufferable melodramatic romance saga loaded with awful characters that also marked the death of James Cameron's time as a filmmaker that made movies that weren't corny and dull? There will always be a special place in my personal cinematic hell for this fucking movie.

Most Underrated: The Quick and the Dead (1995)

Sam Raimi's post-Evil Dead, pre Spider-Man period wasn't his finest hour at the box office or critically, but it produced some really slept-on movies that unfortunately have become kind of lost to time. The Quick and the Dead marked the start of this run and it's probably my second favorite of the bunch behind A Simple Plan. This western about a female gunslinger (Sharon Stone) who rides into a small town run by a sadistic outlaw (Gene Hackman) with the intention of avenging her father's death is exactly what a Rami western should be: Stylish, cartoony and fun as hell. Honestly, what's not to like about a movie that features plenty of Old West quick draw shootout fireworks, active camerawork and everybody from Stone to Hackman to a revolving door of character actors including Keith David, Lance Henriksen and Pat Hingle chewing the fuck out of the scenery? That's a great formula for quality entertainment right there and I wish there were more movies like The Quick and the Dead in existence. 

Most Overrated: Titanic (1997)

The only thing I'll say here that I didn't say above is that I just learned that Titanic beat out Good Will Hunting for Best Picture in '97 and immediately recoiled in disgust. If the Oscars ever turned into a dictatorship that I somehow got put in charge of by the authoritarian governing body, the Best Picture trophies the Titanic team earned would be transported to the Affleck, Damon and Van Sant households so quickly that James Cameron and co. might get motion sickness and yack all over their living rooms.   

2023 NFL Power Rankings: Week 7

()=Previous Ranking

1.(4) Miami Dolphins (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

2.(1) San Francisco 49ers (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Minnesota Vikings 

3.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

4.(6) Detroit Lions (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

5.(2) Philadelphia Eagles (5-1) Week 7 opponent: Miami Dolphins 

6.(5) Buffalo Bills (4-2) Week 7 opponent: New England Patriots 

7.(7) Dallas Cowboys (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Bye 

8.(8) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) Week 7 opponent: New Orleans Saints 

9.(10) Baltimore Ravens (4-2) Week 7 opponent: Detroit Lions 

10.(12) Cleveland Browns (3-2) Week 7 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

11.(9) Seattle Seahawks (3-2) Week 7 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

12.(11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) Week 7 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

13.(19) Cincinnati Bengals (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Bye 

14.(18) Houston Texans (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Bye 

15.(14) Atlanta Falcons (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

16.(16) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) Week 7 opponent: Los Angeles Rams 

17.(15) New Orleans Saints (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

18.(22) New York Jets (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Bye

19.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (2-3) Week 7 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

20.(21) Los Angeles Rams (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

21.(24) Washington Commanders (3-3) Week 7 opponent: New York Giants 

22.(17) Indianapolis Colts (3-3) Week 7 opponent: Cleveland Browns 

23.(23) Minnesota Vikings (2-4) Week 7 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

24.(20) Tennessee Titans (2-4) Week 7 opponent: Bye 

25.(25) Las Vegas Raiders (3-3 Week 7 opponent: Chicago Bears

26.(26) Green Bay Packers (2-3) Week 7 opponent: Denver Broncos

27.(29) New York Giants (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Washington Commanders 

28.(27) Arizona Cardinals (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

29.(28) Chicago Bears (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders 

30.(30) Denver Broncos (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Green Bay Packers

31.(31) New England Patriots (1-5) Week 7 opponent: Buffalo Bills 

32.(32) Carolina Panthers (0-6) Week 7 opponent: Bye 

Week 6 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2023 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

Prescott's 2nd straight primetime game in the state of California went a whole lot better than the previous one. The Cowboys signalcaller put together his best game of 2023 so far by a wide margin-throwing for 272 YDS and a TD and rushing (!) for 40 YDS and another score-as he powered his squad to a narrow victory over the Chargers. Hopefully this is a sign that Prescott will be a QB1 the rest of the way when the Cowboys return to action in Week 8 after a heavily underwhelming start in Mike McCarthy's low-wattage, run-heavy system. 

Honorable Mentions: Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins), Jared Goff (Lions)

LVP: Kirk Cousins (Vikings)

Even in an easy matchup against a poor, injury-riddled Bears secondary, not having Justin Jefferson out there did a number on Kirk Cousins' output. He ended up throwing for just 181 YDS and a single TD while also registered -5 rushing YDS and a lost fumble in a depressingly narrow win for the Vikings over a Bears team that lost Justin Fields early in the second half. Cousins should not be viewed as a starter for this week's contest against the 49ers elite defense. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Brock Purdy (49ers), Matthew Stafford (Rams), Joe Burrow (Bengals)

Running Back

MVP: Raheem Mostert (Dolphins) 

De'Von Achane's trip to the IR did wonders for Mostert's already high fantasy stock. The veteran back was the Dolphins most utilized weapon against the Panthers on Sunday as he amassed scrimmage 132 scrimmage YDS and 3 TD's on 20 touches. Mostert could be in line for an arguably overdue dud in Week 8 against an Eagles front that has been bottling up the run all season long.

Honorable Mentions: Kyren Williams (Rams), Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars), Derrick Henry (Titans)

LVP: Dameon Pierce (Texans)

Another week, another new low point for Pierce in the 2023 season. Not only did Pierce only pick up 34 YDS on 13 carries against the Saints, he ceded work to Devin Singletary-who outperformed him considerably (62 YDS on 13 touches) and looked considerably more explosive whenever he touched the ball. It wouldn't be shocking to see Singletary continue to eat into his workload moving forward, so Pierce's fantasy owners are going to want to monitor the backfield situation in Houston closely following their bye this week.

Dishonorable Mentions: Rachaad White (Buccaneers), James Cook (Bills), Joe Mixon (Bengals)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Tyreek Hill (Dolphins)

Hill's claim on the title of 2023's overall fantasy WR1 grew even stronger this week as he diced up the Panthers for 163 YDS and a TD on just 6 receptions. The Eagles struggling secondary is going to have throw everything they have at Hill in order to not be the next team that he casually drops 150+ YDS on.

Honorable Mentions: Amon-Ra St.Brown (Lions), Cooper Kupp (Rams), Adam Thielen (Panthers)

LVP: Davante Adams (Raiders)

The Patriots didn't do much right on Sunday in Vegas, but they did ensure Adams was a non-factor. The Raiders star WR only managed 2 catches for 29 YDS and 5 total TGTS (one of which led to an INT when Jabrill Peppers laid a vicious clean hit on him in the 1st quarter) as he got outshined by ex-Patriot Jakobi Meyers and rookie tight end Michael Mayer in the passing game. Even with the possibility of Jimmy Garoppolo being sidelined with the back injury that forced him out of the Patriots game, a Week 7 showdown with the lowly Bears secondary is a great bounceback spot for the 3x All-Pro.

Dishonorable Mentions: DeAndre Hopkins (Titans), Tee Higgins (Bengals), Puka Nacua (Rams)

Tight End

MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Our national nightmare is over: Kelce has finally put up a 100-YD performance during the 2023 season. Although he did fail to make into the endzone, his fantasy owners have to be pleased with his 9 REC/124 YD line against the horrendous Broncos. Another divisional bout with the Chargers is up next for Kelce.

Honorable Mentions: Dalton Schultz (Texans), Kyle Pitts (Falcons), Mark Andrews (Ravens)

LVP: George Kittle (49ers)

The infallible legend of Brock Purdy took a hit this past week as the Browns monstrous defense held him to just 125 YDS, 1 TD and a 44.4 CMP% in a shocking road loss for the 49ers. Given Purdy's struggles, it's not a surprise that Kittle was also really quiet. He actually was as quiet as someone can be without being completely shut out-securing 1 catch for 1 YD on the afternoon. Fortunately for the entire 49ers offense that might be without Christian McCaffery this week after he exited Sunday's game with a rib and oblique injuries, their Week 8 contest is with a below average Vikings defense that especially struggles with containing the pass.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Higbee (Rams), Jake Ferguson (Cowboys), Logan Thomas (Commanders)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Chiefs

On a night where Patrick Mahomes didn't play his best, the Chiefs D ensured that they did their part to help them earn another easy win against the Broncos by picking up 4 sacks, 2 INT's, a fumble recovery and allowing just 8 points on the evening. They'll be a shaky start against the Chargers in Week 8.

Honorable Mentions: Jets, Ravens, Lions

LVP: Cowboys 

There was actually zero teams in the league that registered 0 or negative D/ST points in Week 6, which paved the way for the Cowboys ho-hum performance last night to earn LVP. Before the final drive of the game where they picked up a sack and an INT, the Cowboys appeared to be headed to a 0 sack/takeaway evening in a 20-17 victory over the Chargers, but alas they got 3 fantasy points in the final seconds before their win became official. The Cowboys are heading into their bye as a top 3-5 D/ST option and there's no reason to think that will change when they return to the field 12 days from now in a home contest versus the Rams.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Patriots, Saints, Dolphins  

Quick Movie Reviews: Totally Killer, Fair Play, The Royal Hotel

Totally Killer: Jason Blum has backed a lot of winners in the horror movie space over the past decade. Totally Killer is not among them. This direct-to-streaming slasher comedy poses the question of what if somebody made a riff on a Christopher Landon movie without the irreverent humor, inventive kills and deceptively big heart that made Happy Death Day and Freaky-which ironically were also Blumhouse productions-work so well. There's some intermittent fun to be had courtesy of its Back to the Future-esque plot of 17-year old Jamie Hughes (Kiernan Shipka-who makes for a likable final girl) accidently traveling back to 1987 when a serial killer dubbed the "Sweet 16 Killer" was terrorizing her small town and is forced to team up with the teenage version of her mother Pam (Olivia Holt) to stop the killer from butchering Pam's friends (Liana Liberato, Stephi Chin-Salvo, Anna Diaz) who famously found themselves on the ends of the killer's blade while also figuring out a way to make it back to the present day and some amusing culture shock gags that come from a young girl from 2022 suddenly being exposed to the culture of 1987, but otherwise it's a largely disposable affair that is light on laughs and even lighter on the red stuff.

Grade: C

Fair Play: Fair Play generated a whole lot of buzz following its premiere at Sundance in January and after finally getting the chance to see it upon its release on Netflix-who won a frenzied bidding war with roughly a half dozen other studios for its distribution rights-10 days ago, I completely understand why. Chloe Domont's psychological thriller tells the story of a newly-engaged couple (Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich) who both work as analysts at a high-profile New York hedge fund and have successfully kept their relationship a secret as its a violation of company policy for co-workers to be involved romantically. After she surprisingly beats him out for a major promotion, their relationship is turned on its head and the viability of their relationship along with their ability to continue hiding it from their employers are suddenly put to the test. 

While some of the dialogue is awkward and the ending doesn't land with the intended force, Fair Play is still a deeply assured, ballsy movie that announces Domont as a gifted filmmaker on the rise. It's the sadly all-too-rare kind of thriller that isn't afraid to operate in moral gray areas that forces the audience to constantly challenge their feelings towards the main characters, its examination of how something as simple as a promotion at work can completely change the DNA of a relationship is fascinating and Dynevor and Ehrenreich are both dynamite at portraying every act of love, joy, self-preservation and rage that their characters engage in as their relationship goes through a constant, often unpredictable evolution throughout the film.       

Grade: B

The Royal Hotel: There's a great claustrophobic psychological thriller at the root of The Royal Hotel that's begging to come out, co-writer/director Kitty Green just never allows to ever come to the surface. The hook here is terrific: Two Canadian backpackers (Julia Garner, Jessica Henwick) traveling through Australia reluctantly seek out a work travel program after running of money in Sydney and get assigned to a bar located in a rural mining town run by a surly drunk (Hugo Weaving) and his wife (Ursula Yovich)-where they are met with hostility and/or harassment from the male locals that frequent the establishment. Despite its strong lead performances and natural, frequently unsettling interactions that shine a light on how awful the behavior of men can be towards women-especially in a desolate environment where they don't frequently interact with them, all of the crippling isolation and increasing threat of violent and/or predatory behavior don't amount to much tension due to Green's subdued direction. Even as shit starts to really hit the fan in the final 15 minutes, it never goes pedal to the medal with building tension and ultimately ends on a bafflingly even-keeled note. Green had the right idea and the right actors to bring it to the life, she just wasn't a good directorial fit for something that would've been greatly improved if it was more incendiary and pulse-pounding.         

Grade: B-

Eddie Marsan 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 Eddie Marsan-whose latest project "Fair Play" is now streaming on Netflix.

Eddie Marsan's Filmography Ranked:

21.The Contractor (D)

20.Filth (C-)

19.War Horse (C-)

18.Snow White and the Huntsman (C)

17.Hancock (B)

16.Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (B)

15.White Boy Rick (B)

14.Mission: Impossible III (B)

13.The Gentlemen (B)

12.Fair Play (B)

11.Atomic Blonde (B+)

10.Vice (B+)

9.Sherlock Holmes (B+)

8.The World's End (B+)

7.Wrath of Man (B+)

6.Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (B+)

5.Deadpool 2 (B+)

4.Hobbs & Shaw (A-)

3.Concussion (A-)

2.Miami Vice (A-)

1.V for Vendetta (A)

Top Dog: V for Vendetta (2006)

As a political rallying cry against fascism, V for Vendetta is a bit too on-the-nose to say anything of real substance. As an action thriller, it fucking rips. James McTeigue-who was the top assistant director to the Wachowskis on The Matrix trilogy-crafts a string of thrilling, stylish setpieces that make the film consistently propulsive, the acting is pretty great (Natalie Portman, Hugo Heaving and the late John Hurt are the standouts) and the delivery of Guy Fawkes' "Remember, Remember the 5th of November" speech is one hell of a rousing rallying cry that makes the film's themes work despite their very overt delivery.

Bottom Feeder: The Contractor (2022)

Just like its title, The Contractor is as boring and generic as Hollywood action flicks come. How the likes of Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Gillian Jacobs became involved in something that is not only uninspired but genuinely inept on a technical level truly boggles the mind.  

Most Underrated: Miami Vice (2006)

I recently celebrated my 1-year anniversary in the cult of Michael Mann's Miami Vice and my only regret is that it took me so long to join up. This is one of the most incredible displays of visual, atmospheric storytelling I've ever seen as Mann vividly transports the audience into the eye, ears and minds of two undercover cops (Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx) who get much more than they bargained for when they become deeply entrenched with a powerful Colombian drug cartel. The action packs a serious visceral punch, the neon-drenched cinematography seamlessly sets the mood for each scene and the doomed lovers subplot between Farrell and Gong Li is a masterclass in how to handle a passionate romance that the universe simply won't allow to last.  

Most Overrated: The Gentlemen (2020)

There was something kind of sweet about Guy Ritchie returning to his stylish gangster comedy roots after over a decade away from his signature subgenre that made The Gentlemen a nice watch. However, the increasingly popular take that it's on the same level as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch is one that I just vehemently disagree with. The Gentlemen is merely a respectable cover version of those films that doesn't even come close to conjuring up the same magic spell despite its adequate playing of the same notes and despite enjoying it more upon second viewing, I doubt I'll ever view it as anything more than that.    

Way Too Early Oscar Predictions: 2023 Edition

The dust has settled on fall festival season, which means its time to embark on another great cinematic tradition: Largely baseless, way too early Oscar speculation! Trying to cut through all of the enthusiastic critical praise and dozens of "(insert name or film) for Best (insert name or film)!!! tweets sent out by pundits that are all horned up to be seeing movies early is a difficult exercise, but it's a fun one for me to engage in-namely since it reminds me of sitting down in July and August to make similarly silly early picks for the upcoming NFL season.       

As always, it needs to be noted that there are still several prospective contenders including The Color Purple, Napoleon, The Iron Claw, Freud's Last Session, Leave the World Behind and The Boys in the Boat that have yet to be publicly screened that could lay waste to this entire premature forecast depending on how they're received. Without further ado, here are my current picks for every Oscars category excluding Best Original Song, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Live Action Short. 

*Indicates my current predicted winner 

Best Picture:

American Fiction 

Barbie 

The Color Purple

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon 

Maestro 

Oppenheimer 

Past Lives

Poor Things* 

The Zone of Interest

Best Director:

Greta Gerwig, Barbie

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things* 

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Alexander Payne, The Holdovers  

Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon 

Best Actor:

Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon

Colman Domingo, Rustin 

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer*  

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction 

Best Actress:

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Hueller, Anatomy of a Fall 

Carey Mulligan, Maestro 

Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla 

Emma Stone, Poor Things*

Best Supporting Actor:

Willem Dafoe, Poor Things 

Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon*

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer 

Ryan Gosling, Barbie 

Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things 

Best Supporting Actress:

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer 

Penelope Cruz, Ferrari 

America Ferrera, Barbie

Julianne Moore, May December 

Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers* 

Best Original Screenplay:

Anatomy of a Fall

Barbie

The Holdovers

Maestro

Past Lives*

Best Adapted Screenplay:

American Fiction

Killers of the Flower Moon*

Poor Things

Oppenheimer 

The Zone of Interest 

Best Animated Feature:

The Boy and the Heron

Elemental

Nimona 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 

Best Documentary Feature:

American Symphony 

Anslem* 

The Eternal Memory 

Orlando, My Political Biography 

The Pigeon Tunnel 

Best International Feature:

Perfect Days

Society of the Snow

The Taste of Things

The Teacher's Lounge

The Zone of Interest* 

Best Cinematography:

Maestro 

Poor Things

Oppenheimer* 

Saltburn

The Zone of Interest

Best Costume Design:

Barbie 

The Color Purple

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon 

Poor Things*

Best Film Editing:

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer* 

Poor Things

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

Barbie

The Color Purple

Ferrari 

Maestro*

Poor Things 

Best Production Design:

Barbie*

The Color Purple

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer 

Poor Things

Best Original Score:

American Fiction 

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer* 

Poor Things

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Sound:

Ferrari 

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer*

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 

Best Visual Effects:

The Creator*

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3

The Little Mermaid

Oppenheimer

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 

2023 NFL Power Rankings: Week 6

1.(1) San Francisco 49ers (5-0) Week 6 opponent: Cleveland Browns

2.(2) Philadelphia Eagles (5-0) Week 6 opponent: New York Jets 

3.(4) Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Denver Broncos 

4.(6) Miami Dolphins (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Carolina Panthers 

5.(3) Buffalo Bills (3-2) Week 6 opponent: New York Giants 

6.(7) Detroit Lions (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

7.(5) Dallas Cowboys (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

8.(10) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

9.(9) Seattle Seahawks (3-1) Week 6 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals 

10.(8) Baltimore Ravens (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

11.(11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) Week 6 opponent: Detroit Lions 

12.(12) Cleveland Browns (2-2) Week 6 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

13.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) Week 6 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

14.(14) Atlanta Falcons (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Washington Commanders

15.(15) New Orleans Saints (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Houston Texans  

16.(18) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Bye 

17.(22) Indianapolis Colts (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

18.(16) Houston Texans (2-3) Week 6 opponent: New Orleans Saints

19.(26) Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

20.(17) Tennessee Titans (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

21.(19) Los Angeles Rams (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

22.(24) New York Jets (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles 

23.(20) Minnesota Vikings (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Chicago Bears 

24.(21) Washington Commanders (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

25.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (2-3) Week 6 opponent: New England Patriots 

26.(23) Green Bay Packers (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Bye 

27.(25) Arizona Cardinals (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Los Angeles Rams 

28.(32) Chicago Bears (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Minnesota Vikings 

29.(28) New York Giants (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Buffalo Bills

30.(30) Denver Broncos (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

31.(27) New England Patriots (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

32.(31) Carolina Panthers (0-5) Week 6 opponent: Miami Dolphins  

Week 5 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2023 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Justin Fields (Bears)

2 straight excellent fantasy performances from Justin Fields? What is this 2022? The Bears QB hit the Commanders defense with some serious shock-and-awe as he threw for 282 YDS and 4 TDS while adding another 57 YDS on the ground in a stunning, much-needed victory for the embattled NFC North squad. Fields has a chance to make it 3 straight gems as he has another plus matchup against the Vikings on the docket for Week 6. 

Honorable Mentions: Josh Allen (Bills), Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Jared Goff (Lions)

LVP: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

While Jackson's iffy statline (236 YDS/0 TD/1 INT/FUM Lost, 45 Rushing YDS) has a major asterisk attached to it as his receivers dropped an astounding 6 passes on the day including a pair of TD's, that isn't enough to obscure the fact that he ultimately failed to deliver for his fantasy owners and chucked a heinous pick in the endzone that paved the way for the 4th quarter collapse that fueled the Ravens head-scratching loss to the Steelers. Jackson will square off against the Titans beatable pass defense in London this week.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), C.J. Stroud (Texans), Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)

Running Back

MVP: Travis Etienne (Jaguars)

Etienne was the surprise standout for the Jags offense versus the Bills-picking up 184 scrimmage YDS (136 rushing, 48 receiving) and 2 TD's on 30 touches (26 carries, 4 receptions) as well as a successful 2-PT CNV in the upset win. Another 100+ YD performance for Etienne could be on the horizon in Week 5 when they return to Jacksonville to take on the Colts and their below average run D. 

Honorable Mentions: Breece Hall (Jets), De'Von Achane (Dolphins), David Montgomery (Lions)

LVP: Miles Sanders (Panthers) 

Sanders' dreadful start to 2023 continued on Sunday against the Lions as he mustered only 7 carries for 32 YDS and lost a fumble in another blowout loss for the still-winless Panthers. Starting Sanders in any non-bye week or injury related-desperation situation really isn't viable at the moment as he's playing behind an awful, injury-depleted offensive line on a team that isn't playing competitive football nearly every week.

Dishonorable Mentions: Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots), Tony Pollard (Cowboys), James Cook (Bills)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: D.J. Moore (Bears)

Moore started to come on in Week 4 against the Broncos, but his true "Welcome to Chicago" breakout came against the Commanders last Thursday night. The 6th year wideout accounted for most of the Bears passing offense on the night-putting a together monstrous 8 REC/230 YD (a new career-high)/3 TD performance that will be talked about among Bears fans for the rest of time. He should be in line for another healthy dose of targets this week against a porous Vikings secondary. 

Honorable Mentions: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals), Tyreek Hill (Dolphins), George Pickens (Steelers)

LVP: DeVonta Smith (Eagles)

Jalen Hurts actually had a pretty good day through the air against the Rams, A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert just happened to be the ones reaping the benefits. This busy day for Brown and Goedert rendered Smith a ghost-catching just 1-of-5 targets for 6 YDS. Smith could be in line for another tough day at the office when the Birds face the Jets' stout secondary in Week 6.

Dishonorable Mentions: Romeo Doubs (Packers), Courtland Sutton (Broncos), Nico Collins (Texans)

Tight End

MVP: George Kittle (49ers)

Just last week, I mentioned how erratic Kittle's performances have been this season after he put together a 1 REC/8 YD dud versus the Cardinals. What a difference a week makes. Kittle wasn't exactly heavily involved in the passing game against the Cowboys, but he did manage to make the action he did get really count-securing 3 catches for 67 YDS and 3 TD's. The next roll of the Kittle dice will come this Sunday afternoon in Cleveland against a Browns defense that has been pretty tough so far this season.

Honorable Mentions: Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Sam LaPorta (Lions), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

LVP: Hunter Henry (Patriots)

It was a dismal afternoon for every Patriots pass-catcher as they got blanked by the Saints at home, Henry just happens to be the only guy who still has fantasy relevancy at this point. The veteran tight end matched his team's scoring production with a big donut on the day as he failed to catch both passes that came his way during this truly disgustingly awful performance by the Pats. Despite all of their recent woes, a Week 6 with the similarly suspect Raiders is a potentially great bounceback spot for Henry. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Higbee (Rams), Evan Engram (Jaguars), Jake Ferguson (Cowboys)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Saints

The Saints D followed the lead of the Cowboys a week ago by absolutely destroying the Patriots horrific offense by picking up 2 sacks, 2 INT's, a fumble recovery and a TD in a 34-0 victory. They should be in line for a quieter afternoon against the Texans in Week 6-who have been terrific at limiting points for opposing D/ST's over the past couple of weeks.

Honorable Mentions: Jets, Steelers, 49ers

LVP: Commanders

The Commanders are the star of the latest edition of "When Streaming a D/ST Goes Wrong". They had actually been playing pretty well coming into Thursday's night matchup with the lowly Bears, but you wouldn't known that from their ugly effort here as they surrendered 40 points, picked up 3 sacks and mustered 0 takeaways against a team that had one of the most stagnant offenses in football through the opening 3 weeks of the season. Feel free to drop them ahead of their Week 6 road tilt with the Falcons. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Cowboys, Patriots, Eagles

Benicio del Toro 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 Benicio del Toro-whose latest project "Reptile" is on Netflix now. 

Benicio del Toro's Filmography Ranked:

16.The Wolfman (D)

15.The Hunted (C)

14.No Sudden Move (B-)

13.Star Wars: The Last Jedi (B-)

12.The French Dispatch (B-)

11.Savages (B)

10.Dora and the Lost City of Gold (B)

9.Traffic (B)

8.Sicario: Day of the Soldado (B+)

7.Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (A-)

6.Sicario (A-)

5.Guardians of the Galaxy (A)

4.Avengers: Infinity War (A)

3.The Usual Suspects (A)

2.Snatch (A+)

1.Sin City (A+)

Top Dog: Sin City (2005)
Seeing Sin City-which I maintain captures the look and feel of a graphic novel better than any other live action film in history-when I was 13 was a true watershed moment for me that helped build the love I have for movies today and for that reason, it will always have a special place in my heart.   

Bottom Feeder: The Wolfman (2010)

The Wolfman wastes its exceptional ensemble (del Toro, Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving) and some cool gore/creature effects on the most painfully dull retelling of the classic gothic horror tale imaginable. Universal needs to release another remake ASAP so this one can be banished even further into the Chamber of Forgotten Movies than it is already.  

Most Underrated: Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) 

Dora the Explorer is such a popular property that it was only a matter of time before it got adapted into a feature. Seeing that adaptation materialize into a weird, somewhat meta live action romp from Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neighbors) was a completely unexpected and surprisingly delightful. Isabela Merced does a terrific job of balancing Dora's signature eagerness to explore with a great sense of humor, the Indiana Jones-esque adventure through the jungles of Peru that drives the bulk of the story is a lot of fun to watch unfold and Eugenio Derbez is a riot as a bumbling treasure hunter that ends up becoming entrenched with Dora and co on their quest to save Dora's parents (Eva Longoria, Micheal Pena-who are similarly funny here).     

Most Overrated: No Sudden Move (2021)

I've always viewed Steven Soderbergh as a total wild card that is capable of producing films in any genre of any quality level at any given time. Of all the Soderbergh films that I've seen, No Sudden Move is arguably the biggest wild card of the bunch. At first glance, Soderbergh appears to be back in slick caper mode a la Out of Sight or the Ocean's trilogy as the film starts by following a pair of lowlevel gangsters in 1954 Detroit (Don Cheadle, del Toro) who get a target on their backs after a job gone wrong. As it progresses, the film reveals itself to a much more convoluted, less propulsive crime thriller with some serious albeit muddled commentary on redlining, pollution and corporations putting profits over the wellbeing of the population sitting at its messy center. It sucks that Soderbergh overstuffed this thing into oblivion because there's a great movie floating around somewhere in this busy behemoth.  

2023 NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

() =Previous Ranking

1.(1) San Francisco 49ers (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

2.(2) Philadelphia Eagles (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Rams 

3.(6) Buffalo Bills (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

4.(4) Kansas City Chiefs (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

5.(5) Dallas Cowboys (3-1) Week 5 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

6.(3) Miami Dolphins (3-1) Week 5 opponent: New York Giants 

7.(7) Detroit Lions (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Carolina Panthers

8.(8) Baltimore Ravens (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

9.(10) Seattle Seahawks (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

10.(11) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Buffalo Bills

11.(15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Bye

12.(9) Cleveland Browns (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

13.(16) Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

14.(12) Atlanta Falcons (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Houston Texans

15.(13) New Orleans Saints (2-2) Week 5 opponent: New England Patriots 

16.(25) Houston Texans (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

17.(21) Tennessee Titans (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

18.(14) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

19.(24) Los Angeles Rams (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

20.(20) Minnesota Vikings (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

21.(19) Washington Commanders (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Chicago Bears

22.(18) Indianapolis Colts (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

23.(17) Green Bay Packers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

24.(26) New York Jets (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Denver Broncos

25.(27) Arizona Cardinals (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

26.(22) Cincinnati Bengals (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

27.(23) New England Patriots (1-3) Week 5 opponent: New Orleans Saints

28.(28) New York Giants (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Miami Dolphins

29.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Green Bay Packers

30.(31) Denver Broncos (1-3) Week 5 opponent: New York Jets

31.(30) Carolina Panthers (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Detroit Lions

32.(32) Chicago Bears (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Washington Commanders

Week 4 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2023 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Josh Allen (Bills)

Allen looked supremely motivated to remind the world that the Bills are still the team to beat in the AFC East (for now at least) on Sunday when the Dolphins rolled into Highmark Stadium. He put together an absolute gem (320 YDS and 4 TD's through the air, 17 YDS and a TD on the ground) that ranks among the finest performances of his career thus far as the Bills went onto hand the Dolphins their 1st loss of 2023 in a very lopsided fashion. Following his Week 1 implosion versus the Jets, Allen has played pretty great and should remain a top 3-5 QB1 option for a Week 5 tilt with the Jaguars in London.

Honorable Mentions: Anthony Richardson (Colts), Justin Fields (Bears), Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

LVP: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

Another week, another shaky performance from the hobbled Burrow. The league's highest-paid player struggled mightily to move the ball, let alone lead scoring drives against a below average Titans pass D- throwing for just 165 YDS, 0 TD and losing a fumble in another brutal loss for the now 1-3 Bengals. Ignore the high draft pick you spent on him and send Burrow to the bench indefinitely until he proves he's healthy again.

Dishonorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Vikings), Jared Goff (Lions), Geno Smith (Seahawks)

Running Back

MVP: Christian McCaffery (49ers)

Sunday was a great day to be a McCaffery owner as Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy decided to lean on the star RB even more than usual against the Cardinals. CMC turned 27 touches (20 carries, 7 receptions) into 187 scrimmage YDS and 4 TD's (3 rushing, 1 receiving) to help power the 49ers to a 4-0 start. A Cowboys defense that has some vulnerability against the run is next up for McCaffery.   

Honorable Mentions: David Montgomery (Lions), Kyren Williams (Rams), De'Von Achane (Dolphins)

LVP: Aaron Jones (Packers)

Jones' return to action after missing 2 games with a hamstring injury proved to be a huge flop. The star back only managed 5 carries for 18 YDS and a lone catch for -4 YDS as the Packers got into a huge hole early against the Lions and had to spend about 3 quarters trying to dig out of it through the air. He should be in for a much busier day against the lowly Raiders next Monday night.

Dishonorable Mentions: Raheem Mostert (Dolphins), Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots), Miles Sanders (Panthers)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: A.J. Brown (Eagles)

The Hurts-to-Brown connection was downright electric versus the Commanders as the WR1 hauled in 9 balls for 175 YDS and 2 scores in a surprising shootout that the Eagles won in OT. Brown will look to keep rolling against the Rams young corner group in Week 5.

Honorable Mentions: Stefon Diggs (Bills), Nico Collins (Texans), Puka Nacua (Rams)

LVP: Chris Olave (Saints)

It was just not Olave's day as Derek Carr was severely limited as a passer on account of the shoulder injury he suffered in the previous game against the Packers and he only managed to catch 1-of-6 targets for 4 YDS as the Saints got embarrassed at home by the Bucs. If Carr's shoulder is in better shape this week, Olave could have the chance to feast against an injury-depleted Patriots corner group that is now without its top 4 guys following Christian Gonzalez's exit from the Cowboys game in Week 4 with a separated shoulder.

Dishonorable Mentions: Deebo Samuel (49ers), Amari Cooper (Browns), Jordan Addison (Vikings)

Tight End

MVP: Mark Andrews (Ravens)

After a quiet 2 games to start his 2023 season, Andrews came alive in Week 4. Lamar Jackson's longtime favorite target was the focal point of their limited passing game against a tough Browns defense, hauling in 5 receptions for 80 YDS and 2 TD's in a big divisional win. Andrews should remain heavily involved in the offense against the Steelers this week, regardless of whether or not Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman are healthy enough to play.

Honorable Mentions: Cole Kmet (Bears), Jake Ferguson (Cowboys), Evan Engram (Jaguars)

LVP: George Kittle (49ers)

It was a quiet night for all of the 49ers pass-catchers not named McCaffery or Aiyuk versus the Cardinals and only Deebo Samuel-who was held without a catch-was more aware of that than Kittle-who caught his lone target for 9 YDS. Outside of his 7 REC/90 YDS showing against the Giants in Week 3, Kittle is off to a very quiet start (7 REC/58 YDS in the other 3 games) and will be a really hard guy to have confidence in as a TE1 until he becomes a more regular part of the passing game with Brock Purdy under center.  

Dishonorable Mentions: T.J. Hockenson (Vikings), Kyle Pitts (Falcons), Darren Waller (Giants)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Cowboys

Dan Quinn's group bounced back nicely after a tough day at the office against the Cardinals in Week 3 by absolutely suffocating the low-wattage Patriots offense with a 2 sack/2 INT/FUM REC/2 TD (1 pick 6, 1 scoop and score) performance in a 38-3 victory for the Cowboys. While doing that kind of damage to the efficient, turnover-averse 49ers offense will be a much tougher task, leaving a D/ST with this much scoring upside on the bench wouldn't be a wise move to make in most leagues.    

Honorable Mentions: Ravens, Bills, Jets

LVP: Steelers

Well if you wanted to see what the Steelers defense looks like when the pass-rush and takeaway machine gets shut off, you got it against the Texans in Week 4. They got absolutely lit up by C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, Dalton Schultz and Dameon Pierce in a 30-6 loss where they failed to get a single sack or takeaway against this youth-driven offense. They'll look to get back on track against their archrivals from Baltimore-who have struggled with giveaways so far-in Week 5. 

Dishonorable Mentions: 49ers, Patriots, Saints

Movie Review: Saw X

 

If the Oscars had their own version of a Comeback Player of the Year award that are handed out in the NFL and NBA, Saw X  would be this year's frontrunner. A long-in-the-tooth horror franchise that has been through about 6 reboots, 15 different "puzzlemakers" (calling them serial killers just feels wrong!) and 75 retcons to keep the story chugging along over its nearly 20-year history returning with one of its strongest entries ever after failing to deliver an installment that was even relatively well-liked among its most diehard fans in 5 of the previous 6 kicks at the can is the type of surprise that passes pleasant and enters full-blown miracle territory.

So how did this miracle come to be? Well, they somehow found a way to bring fan favorite characters (Shawnee Smith's Amanda Young, Tobin Bell's John "Jigsaw" Kramer) back from dead and build a story with a hook (set between the events of Saw and Saw II, Kramer travels to Mexico City for an experimental treatment performed by an esteemed Norwegian doctor that could treat his brain cancer, only to discover shortly afterwards that the whole thing was a scam to defraud patients) that justifies their return. As much as the growth of the increasingly convoluted and absurd canon made the later Saw sequels fun in their own right, having a film with a clear, standalone narrative that brings Bell and Smith back into the spotlight recaptured the magic that has been missing from the series for quite some time. 

The personal nature of the game allows for a meaningful expansion of the mentor/mentee relationship between Kramer and Young. They each display some true vulnerability and how much they care for each other while also exercising their sadistic impulses to extract revenge on the con artists that sold the dying Kramer the lie of hope at a moment where he needed it more than ever through the concoction of a particularly brutal set of traps designed to inflict maximum punishment for their crimes. There's hints at how it all ultimately ends for the co-protagoinsts scattered throughout their interactions and the performances form Bell and Smith-which are both their best-ever turns as these iconic characters that will delight the fans of the franchise, but it's also smart enough to grant people that aren't familiar with the previous installments the opportunity to enjoy the film as well by always the keeping the story that's being told in this moment at the forefront. What a concept for a franchise film! 

Aside from it's hook and the return of its two most prominent stars, most of the rest of Saw X's success just comes from solid execution of the series signature features (save for the mystery elements-which were sidelined for good reason since these people specifically harmed Kramer and people that are in a similarly desperate position as him). Primary antagonist Dr. Cecila Pederson (Synnove Macody Lund) is a strong contender for the most despicable piece of shit that's ever found themselves playing one of Kramer's games, the traps-which I'll avoid spoiling outside of the gruesome self-brain surgery and eyeball vacuum ones that have been plastered all over the marketing-are some of the most depraved, squirm-inducing ones that have appeared since the early days of the series and despite being the longest entry in the franchise by far at 118 minutes, it zips along with a tidiness and liveliness that most of the 90-100 minute entries didn't possess. How the franchise veterans (director/editor Kevin Gruetert, writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg)  responsible for Saw X  didn't think to go in this simple, character-driven direction sooner is a bit baffling to me, but at least they were able to eventually get it done done and deliver the gift of another highly enjoyable Saw film that most fans thought they'd never receive. 

Grade: B