2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 35 Inside Linebackers

()=2024 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

35.(31) Micah McFadden (Giants)

34.(26) Elandon Roberts (Raiders)

33.(33) Azeez Al-Shaair (Texans)

32.(35) Zaire Franklin (Colts)

31.(10) Ernest Jones (Seahawks)

30.(15) Patrick Queen (Steelers)

29.(+) Daiyan Henley (Chargers)

28.(+) Edgerrin Cooper (Packers)

27.(+) Dre Greenlaw (Broncos)

26.(+) Nakobe Dean (Eagles)

25.(+) Jamien Sherwood (Jets)

24.(+) Jack Campbell (Lions)

23.(24) Tyrel Dodson (Dolphins)

22.(18) Jordan Hicks (Browns)

21.(+) Drue Tranquill (Chiefs)

20.(14) Frankie Luvu (Commanders)

19.(20) Robert Spillane (Patriots)

18.(+) Jordyn Brooks (Dolphins)

17.(11) Foyesade Oluokoun (Jaguars)

16.(19) Blake Cashman (Vikings)

15.(12) Quincy Williams (Jets)

14.(5) Matt Milano (Bills)

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

12.(13) Kaden Elliss (Falcons)

11.(22) Devin Lloyd (Jaguars)

10.(+) Pete Werner (Saints)

9.(21) Logan Wilson (Bengals)

8.(8) Bobby Okereke (Giants)

7.(6) Lavonte David (Buccaneers)

6.(7) Nick Bolton (Chiefs)

5.(2) Roquan Smith (Ravens)

4.(3) Demario Davis (Saints)

3.(+) Zack Baun (Eagles)

2.(4) Bobby Wagner (Commanders)

1.(1) Fred Warner (49ers)

2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 35 Outside Linebackers

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+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

35.(+) Arnold Ebiketie (Falcons)

34.(+) Pat Jones II (Panthers)

33.(+) Anfernee Jennings (Patriots)

32.(25) Uchenna Nwosu (Seahawks)

31.(+) Keion White (Patriots)

30.(+) Chop Robinson (Dolphins)

29.(+) Kayvon Thibodeaux (Giants)

28.(34) Byron Young (Rams)

27.(13) Bryce Huff (49ers)

26.(+) Leonard Floyd (Falcons)

25.(+) Nick Herbig (Steelers)

24.(+) Alex Anzalone (Lions)

23.(32) Zaven Collins (Cardinals)

22.(7) Jaelan Phillips (Dolphins)

21.(22) Boye Mafe (Seahawks)

20.(29) Arden Key (Titans)

19.(31) Tuli Tuipulotu (Chargers)

18.(33) Yaya Diaby (Buccaneers)

17.(+) Nolan Smith (Eagles)

16.(21) Harold Landry (Patriots)

15.(+) Haason Reddick (Buccaneers)

14.(+) DeMarcus Lawrence (Seahawks)

13.(+) Jonathon Cooper (Broncos)

12.(15) Odafe Oweh (Ravens)

11.(14) Josh Sweat (Cardinals)

10.(+) Nik Bonitto (Broncos)

9.(10) Andrew Van Ginkel (Vikings)

8.(+) Jared Verse (Rams)

7.(5) Bradley Chubb (Dolphins)

6.(19) Kyle Van Noy (Ravens)

5.(+) Brian Burns (Giants)

4.(3) Alex Highsmith (Steelers)

3.(9) Jonathan Greenard (Vikings)

2.(2) Khalil Mack (Chargers)

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

Danny Boyle 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 Danny Boyle-whose latest project "28 Years Later" releases in theaters Thursday. 

Danny Boyle's Filmography Ranked:

9.Sunshine (D+)

8.Shallow Grave (C)

7.Slumdog Millionaire (C+)

6.Trance (B)

5.T2: Trainspotting (B)

4.127 Hours (B+)

3.Steve Jobs (B+)

2.Trainspotting (A)

1.28 Days Later (A+)

Top Dog: 28 Days Later (2002)

Saying that 28 Days Later opened my eyes to the morbid pleasures of the horror genre would be disingenuous since I didn't develop a real appreciation for the genre until roughly a decade ago, but it certainly left a huge impression on me nonetheless and remains my favorite horror movie. Between the "zombies" that are basically rabies-infected humans with heightened speed, agility, etc., Boyle's atmospheric direction and the really grainy way in which it was shot (RIP charming low-resolution early 2000's digital video cameras), there's a really urgent, visceral and hopeless terror on display in nearly every frame here that is unlike anything else I've ever seen from the genre. If Boyle and Alex Garland's return to the franchise they birthed can deliver even half of the unrelenting terror that occupies 28 Days Later, 28 Years Later will go down as a major win.          

Bottom Feeder: Sunshine (2007)

Sunshine has plenty of fans out there that like to make their voices particularly heard whenever the opportunity to lament Chris Evans' choice of projects over the past 15 years arises (which is far more often than you would think!). I am not among them. Unlike Boyle and Garland's work on 28 Days Later, Sunshine fails to generate much tension or excitement and instead just kind of plods along with convoluted sci-fi mindfuck nonsense until it reaches an absolutely laughable conclusion. 

Most Underrated: Steve Jobs (2015)

Steve Jobs is Aaron Sorkin at his most unapologetically indulgent and an entire movie built around stereotypical Sorkinism's (snappy dialogue, long monologues, smug characters) will naturally beat some people down to the point where they're deeply annoyed or completely checked out by the end. As a fan of most of his work, I found Steve Jobs to be a great vessel for Sorkin's writing. The three-act play (each scene-taking place in 1984, 1988 and 1998 respectively-unfolds in real time in a single location on a single day) structure of the narrative is a creative way to examine who Jobs was, the performances (Michael Fassbender as Jobs, Kate Winslet as Apple marketing executive/Jobs' top confidant Joanna Hoffman, Seth Rogen as Apple co-founder/top programmer Steve Wozniak, Jeff Daniels as original Apple CEO John Sculley, Michael Stuhlbarg as Apple/Mac engineer Andy Hertzfeld, Katherine Waterston as Jobs' ex-girlfriend/mother of his daughter Lisa Chrisann Brennan) are outstanding across the board and Boyle's direction is steady enough to make it feel cinematic enough where the onslaught of long conversations/arguments that Sorkin writes don't feel like they're part of a stage performance.        

Most Overrated: Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Outside of The Artist, there has not been a more forgettable Best Picture winner in the past 20 years than Slumdog Millionaire. The only things I remember about this movie are the plot having something to do with a poor kid cheating on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, the "Jai Ho" song that won the Oscar for Best Original Song, the backlash it was met with for its depiction of poor people in India and it being the first time I saw Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto in anything. Other than that, this movie kind of just exists in the ether for me and I'm not really all that interested in seeing if a rewatch intensifies my feelings towards it one way or the other.   

Dakota Johnson 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 Dakota Johnson-whose latest project "Materialists" releases in theaters today. 

Dakota Johnson's Filmography Ranked:

20.Beastly (F)

19.The Lost Daughter (D)

18.Suspiria (D+)

17.Madame Web (C-)

16.Fifty Shades Freed (C-)

15.Fifty Shades Darker (C-)

14.Fifty Shades of Grey (C-)

13.How to Be Single (C+)

12.The Nowhere Inn (B-)

11.The Peanut Butter Falcon (B-)

10.Am I OK? (B-)

9.Our Friend (B-)

8.The Five-Year Engagement (B-)

7.Black Mass (B)

6.The High Note (B)

5.Need for Speed (B)

4.Daddio (B+)

3.Bad Times at the El Royale (B+)

2.The Social Network (A)

1.21 Jump Street (A)

Top Dog: 21 Jump Street (2012)

Before their stock went through the roof with The LEGO Movie and Spider-Verse movies, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were busy making their live action feature directorial debut with a comedic adaptation of 21 Jump Street. As they have with the majority of their other projects, they knocked it out of the park. The combination of its sharp, meta humor and incredible ensemble cast led by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as a perfectly matched bumbling buddy cop duo tasked with going undercover as high school students to thwart a synthetic drug ring led by a popular student (Dave Franco) made 21 Jump Street an incredible surprise that-along with its sequel 22 Jump Street-ended up going down as one of the funniest movies of the 2010's.

Bottom Feeder: Beastly (2011)

The popularity of Twilight opened up the floodgates for YA novel adaptations that were hoping to ride the same teen-friendly melodramatic wave that got Bella, Edward, Jacob and the gang to the peak of pop culture relevance. Unsurprisingly, most of these films failed by any metric you wanted to use to judge their level of success. From a strictly quality standpoint, I can say without hesitation that Beastly was the worst one that I saw by a monumental margin. Daniel Barnz's adaptation of Alex Flinn's 2007 novel of the same name is a deeply uninspired riff on Beauty on the Beast set in modern day New York City that adds elements of crime and gothic romance to the classic fairy tale, but these "grittier" flourishes are so ridiculous and clumsily deployed that it just makes this horrendous melodrama that's centered around one of the most unconvincing romances (Alex Pettyfer as the "Beast", Vanessa Hudgens as the Belle stand-in) ever committed to screen even cringier to watch. At least Neil Patrick Harris-who plays a blind tutor employed by Pettyfer's wealthy news anchor father (Peter Krause) to teach his now-disfigured son in the shadows-seemed to be having fun! 

Most Underrated: Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)
Until his ABC procedural crime drama series High Potential made it to air and quickly became a pretty big hit for the legacy broadcast network last fall, Drew Goodard was basically MIA from Hollywood after the commercial failure of Bad Times at El Royale. What's particularly unfortunate about this situation that kept him on the creative sidelines for close to 5 full years is that the movie that landed him in director's jail is quite good. The non-linear, late 60's-set hyperlink noir thriller that sees the lives of six strangers (Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Johnson, Lewis Pullman, Cailee Spaeny, Jon Hamm) intersect at a seedy rundown hotel located on the California and Nevada line is a really compelling flick full of explosive twists and incredible performances that make the quieter character moments just as thrilling as the violent or crazy ones (in addition to the aforementioned performers who all play characters who are guests or employees at the hotel, Chris Hemsworth turns in one hell of a performance in a bit part as a vicious cult leader who eventually shows up to the hotel to try and take Spaney's character back to his commune). Now that the profile of damn near the entire cast has raised considerably in recent years, maybe this will be able to find the audience that it couldn't in the fall of 2018.      

Most Overrated: The Lost Daughter (2021)

Maggie Gyllenhaal's ode to mothers that have an overwhelming contempt for their children throws all of the goodwill of its refreshingly blunt observations about motherhood out the window with its brutal pacing and poor script that only offers up a surface level exploration of why its main character (Olivia Colman) became so withdrawn from her children that she abandoned being their mother entirely. 

First Film I Would Direct People to After They Say She Can't Act: Daddio (2024)

Johnson has been battling the widespread perception that she can't act since she became known to most of the world with her breakout role as Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades trilogy from 2015-17. This is the same bullshit narrative that has plagued Robert Pattinson and Kirsten Stewart post-Twilight and will continue to follow every other actor that first finds tremendous success as part of a trashy, soapy franchise for as long as movies remain a part of the world. Continuing the parallels between Pattinson and Stewart in particular, Johnson's best work has come away from the eyes of most general audiences in the indie film space and her few forays into more mainstream studio fare post-Fifty Shades were either so little seen that they might as well have been indie projects  (Bad Times at the El Royale, The High Note) or further reenforced the perception that she can't act as the film went onto become a huge meme that she had the misfortune of being the face of (Madame Web). Whether Materialists can help shatter this popular belief about Johnson's acting ability remains to be seen, but for now, I invite anyone that feels that Johnson is unqualified to be in her profession to fire up Netflix and watch Daddio ASAP and see if they still feel this way after it's over. 

This minimalist drama from writer/director Christy Hall depicts a conversation between a young woman (Johnson) and the driver of the cab (Sean Penn) she gets into after landing at JFK airport playing out in real time as they navigate a major traffic jam in Manhattan in route to her apartment. Penn's credentials don't need to be sold to anyone. He is generally considered to be one of the greatest actors of his generation (the pair of Oscars he has on his mantle back that up) and the moving, nuanced performance he gives here is one of the purest displays of his immense gifts that we've seen recently. Johnson is able to hold her own with him the entire time. A movie that is entirely based around a frank, wide-spanning conversation between two strangers who make an unlikely connection wouldn't work if the actors involved weren't completely natural in their roles and Johnson does a remarkable job of navigating the situation her character is dropped into by displaying a strong standoffishness that slowly transforms into a grounded, unflinching honesty. If she couldn't act, she couldn't make her character's journey feel so seamless and real, especially alongside an actor of Penn's caliber. This edition of "Chris defends Dakota Johnson's acting ability" has reached its conclusion. Stay tuned for the next episode that will probably surface in the near future!       

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Top 35 Defensive Tackles

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+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

35.(+) Mike Pennel (Chiefs)

34.(28) Shelby Harris (Browns)

33.(+) Devonte Wyatt (Packers)

32.(+) Bobby Brown III (Panthers)

31.(16) Kenny Clark (Packers)

30.(22) DaQuan Jones (Bills)

29.(19) Grady Jarrett (Bears)

28.(24) Jordan Davis (Eagles)

27.(9) Arik Armstead (Jaguars)

26.(33) Dalvin Tomlinson (Cardinals)

25.(27) Keeanu Benton (Steelers)

24.(+) Gervon Dexter (Bears)

23.(+) Teair Tart (Chargers)

22.(12) Christian Barmore (Patriots)

21.(6) D.J. Reader (Lions)

20.(17) Osa Odighizuwa (Cowboys)

19.(35) Jarran Reed (Seahawks)

18.(26) B.J. Hill (Bengals)

17.(+) Travis Jones (Ravens)

16.(+) T'Vondre Sweat (Titans)

15.(+) Poona Ford (Rams)

14.(25) Ed Oliver (Bills)

13.(21) Grover Stewart (Colts)

12.(34) Jalen Carter (Eagles)

11.(23) Kobie Turner (Rams)

10.(5) Christian Wilkins (Raiders)

9.(14) Nnamdi Madubuike (Ravens)

8.(8) Vita Vea (Buccaneers)

7.(15) Alim McNeill (Lions)

6.(3) Quinnen Williams (Jets)

5.(4) DeForest Buckner (Colts)

4.(10) Jeffrey Simmons (Titans)

3.(2) Dexter Lawrence (Giants)

2.(7) Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

1.(1) Chris Jones (Chiefs)

Movie Review: Dangerous Animals

Veteran Australian horror director Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones, The Devil's Candy) brings an earnestness to his latest feature Dangerous Animals that is pretty admirable. He made a movie about an eccentric boat captain (Jai Courtney) who owns a shark cage diving business in Gold Coast, Australia that loves sharks so much that he kidnaps female tourists and feeds them to them while he gleefully records the meal on a grainy old video camera whose well-oiled operation is suddenly threatened when he grabs an American surfer (Hassie Harrison) in the parking lot of a local beach who refuses to go quietly into the chum-filled waters that takes its premise very seriously. That's not to say that there's no campiness present as Courtney is having a blast hamming it up as this maniacal serial killer, it just isn't the kind of movie that's constantly winking at the camera, breaking up the tension with quips or having characters make dumb decisions simply to advance the plot. Having a movie that takes having a silly premise so seriously makes Dangerous Animals somewhat of a refreshing departure in an era where most B-movies choose to really play up the absurdity/stupidity factor.

Unfortunately, its strong conviction to play things pretty straight isn't paired with a movie that consistently delivers on the promise of its premise. Nothing from Byrne's direction to the other performances (Josh Heuston, Ella Newton, Rob Carlton and Liam Grienke round out the cast) come anywhere close to matching the excitement Courtney generates with the choices he makes every time he's on screen, the tension never quite reaches a real boiling point despite primarily taking place onboard a cramped boat that's docked in the middle of the terrifying vast abyss that is the open ocean and the only true wince-inducing moment in the entire film doesn't even involve one of the kills (shark-related or otherwise)-which are all surprisingly tame for an R-rated movie that boasts the words "bloody" and "grisly" in its MPA ratings descriptors. A movie that has such a fun premise and great villain should be more entertaining than this and it's a bummer that Dangerous Animals is ultimately nothing more than a decent genre exercise that will fade from my memory in relatively short order.                 

Grade: B-

Movie Review: Ballerina

 

Whatever happened during the extensive reshoots that delayed the release of Ballerina-the first feature spin-off of John Wick-by a full year worked really well (after seeing it, the rumor that Wick architect Chad Stahelski stepped in for credited director Len Wiseman certainly seems plausible). The project that introduces us to a new revenge-seeking assassin protagonist in Eve Maccaro (Ana de Armas)-who was taken in by the Ruska Roma (aka the ballerina assassin clan headed up by Anjelica Huston's The Director that was introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3) as a child following the murder of her father (David Castaneda) and trained in their ways for over a decade before deciding to go rogue after a successful job unexpectedly puts her on a collision course with her father's killer (Gabriel Byrne)-makes for an organic, exciting expansion of the Wick universe. de Armas is able to make Maccaro a crafty, scrappy badass assassin who is driven more by a naive sense of revenge largely brought on by her greenness in the contract killing game opposed to Wick's grizzled reluctance as someone who had hoped he escaped this life for good before the universe decided that wasn't possible, some more cool Wick lore is introduced (Byrne plays the head of a sadistic assassin cult that has formed an uneasy centuries-long truce with the clans of the High Table-which gives them the freedom to operate as an independent entity that occupies an entire secluded village community in Austria) and the increasingly relentless parade of fight scenes are the exact kind of creative, amusing and breathtakingly choreographed bursts of pure adrenaline-fueled action movie bliss that the Wick brand was built on. While Ballerina may not reach the dizzying heights of the latter two entries in the main franchise, it's absolutely in the same ballpark of quality as the first two installments. Ballerina is without question the first great pure action movie of 2025 and demands to be seen on the big screen by anyone that considers themselves a fan of the John Wick franchise.        

Grade: B+

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Top 35 Defensive Ends

()=2024 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

35.(33) Mike Danna (Chiefs)

34.(21) Malcolm Koonce (Raiders)

33.(+) Sebastian Joseph-Day (Titans)

32.(+) Isaiah McGuire (Browns)

31.(+) Javon Hargrave (Vikings)

30.(+) David Onyemata (Falcons)

29.(28) Chase Young (Saints)

28.(27) Kwity Paye (Colts)

27.(34) George Karlaftis (Chiefs)

26.(30) Dorance Armstrong (Commanders)

25.(+) Travon Walker (Jaguars)

24.(+) Joey Bosa (Bills)

23.(29) Zach Allen (Broncos)

22.(+) Laiatu Latu (Colts)

21.(+) Will McDonald IV (Jets)

20.(+) Milton Williams (Patriots)

19.(+) Jonathan Allen (Vikings)

18.(+) Montez Sweat (Bears)

17.(16) Rashan Gary (Packers)

16.(24) Carl Granderson (Saints)

15.(8) Derrick Brown (Panthers)

14.(26) John Franklin-Myers (Broncos)

13.(20) Calias Campbell (Cardinals)

12.(23) Greg Rousseau (Bills)

11.(+) Zach Sieler (Dolphins)

10.(15) Will Anderson (Texans)

9.(9) Danielle Hunter (Texans)

8.(18) Leonard Williams (Seahawks)

7.(4) Maxx Crosby (Raiders)

6.(5) Josh Hines-Allen (Jaguars)

5.(7) Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

4.(2) Nick Bosa (49ers)

3.(6) Trey Hendrickson (Bengals)

2.(3) Micah Parsons (Cowboys)

1.(1) Myles Garrett (Browns)

Lance Reddick 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 the late Lance Reddick-whose final project "Ballerina" releases in theaters tomorrow. 

Lance Reddick's Filmography Ranked:

16.Jonah Hex (D+)

15.Oldboy (C)

14.White Men Can't Jump (C)

13.The Domestics (C)

12.Don't Say a Word (B-)

11.Angel Has Fallen (B-)

10.White House Down (B)

9.Faults (B)

8.Little Woods (B+)

7.One Night in Miami... (B+)

6.Godzilla vs. Kong (B+)

5.The Guest (B+)

4.John Wick: Chapter 2 (A-)

3.John Wick (A-)

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

1.John Wick: Chapter 4 (A)

Top Dog: John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Does the recent confirmation that Lionsgate is at least trying to make John Wick 5 happen cheapen the success of John Wick: Chapter 4 a bit? Absolutely. The film works exceptionally well as a swan song for the character as it's a sweeping epic that puts a bittersweet bow on his inevitably doomed journey back into a dangerous world that he had hoped he'd be able to leave behind for good until fate had other plans for him when the idiot son of a Russian mobster killed the dog that his late wife left behind for him and it sucks that Lionsgate's desire to improve the long term outlook of their balance sheet is canceling it out. Despite this unfortunate reality coming to pass, I also can't sit here and pretend that Chapter 4 still isn't the best entry of this tremendous franchise and one of the best action movies I've ever seen.     

Bottom Feeder: Jonah Hex (2010)

This may just be a case of wishful thinking or full-blown delusion, but I do sincerely believe that there is a version of Jonah Hex that would've worked. Josh Brolin hits the right slick antihero notes as the titular Confederate soldier-turned-bounty hunter that gains the ability to speak to the dead after being revived by the "Crow People" (a Native American tribe that primarily lives in Southern Montana) following an attack by his vengeful former general (John Malkovich) that killed his entire family and left him with a prominent facial scar and the pulpy supernatural western vibe it's going for gives it a unique identity that is inherently cool. The version of Jonah Hex that first debuted on cinema screens 15 years ago this month, on the other hand, kinda sorta really fucking stinks. Animation vet Jimmy Hayward directs with negative flare, the performances outside of Brolin's are all bad (joining Malkovich in the supporting cast are Megan Fox, Michael Fassbender, Will Arnett, Wes Bentley, Michael Shannon, Aidan Quinn, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Reddick) and at just 81 minutes long, the entire movie feels cartoonishly rushed.      

Most Underrated: Little Woods (2019)

Before Nia DaCosta was getting thrown under the bus by Disney for the financial failure of The Marvels and being handed the difficult task of directing a 28 Days Later sequel that immediately follows one directed by franchise co-creator Danny Boyle, she burst onto the scene with the indie drama Little Woods. Tessa Thompson does career-best work as a parolee struggling to get by doing odd jobs in her small hometown on the Washington/Canada border that is forced to return to her ugly past life as a drug runner to secure enough cash to prevent her late mother's house from being foreclosed on and pay for the abortion that her estranged half-sister (Lily James, also great)-who is a single mother that is also struggling financially-wishes to have but can't afford. While the ending is probably a bit too clean for an otherwise raw, bleak story, everything else here is honest and compelling enough to solidify Little Woods as a pretty great movie.        

Most Overrated: N/A

Televison is where Reddick made his biggest impact as a performer as he consistently racked up everything from lead roles in acclaimed series (The Wire, Fringe) to recurring roles (Oz, Corporate) to memorable guest turns (American Horror Story: Coven, Lost) from the late 90's until his death in March 2023. His tendency to land work on the small screen is the primary reason he avoided having a movie appear here as his relatively limited film work came almost exclusively in tiny indie movies and genre movies that weren't shooting for the stars. In fact, I would argue that the John Wick movies are the only works of his that were well-received/widely seen enough to earn the overrated declaration and that is obviously the last thing word I would use to describe any of those 4 magical films. Kudos on a hell of career Mr. Reddick. Your always welcome presence on the big and small screen is sorely missed.       

2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Centers

()=2024 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

20.(+) Robert Hainsey (Jaguars)

19.(+) Cooper Beebe (Cowboys)

18.(+) Luke Wattenberg (Broncos)

17.(19) Jake Brendel (49ers)

16.(16) Coleman Shelton (Rams)

15.(14) Ted Karras (Bengals)

14.(9) Ethan Pocic (Browns)

13.(+) Elgton Jenkins (Packers)

12.(+) Cam Jurgens (Eagles)

11.(+) Connor McGovern (Bills)

10.(5) Ryan Kelly (Vikings)

9.(11) Tyler Biadasz (Commanders)

8.(+) Zach Frazier (Steelers)

7.(18) Hjalte Froholdt (Cardinals)

6.(+) Joe Tippmann (Jets)

5.(6) Erik McCoy (Saints)

4.(13) Aaron Brewer (Dolphins)

3.(4) Drew Dalman (Bears)

2.(3) Tyler Linderbaum (Ravens)

1.(2) Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

Movie Review: Bring Her Back

Twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, also known as RackaRacka in their days as YouTubers, set the horror world on fire with their 2023 debut Talk to Me. While there have been plenty of supernatural horror/demonic possession flicks that tackle weighty themes released in recent years (the film primarily deals with depicting how easily substance use can transform from casual fun to full blown addiction with potentially fatal consequences), none of them have the same bold style and unflinching, pervasive bleakness that Talk to Me has. The downside to hitting a home run that made major waves with your first feature film is that there is suddenly a tremendous amount of pressure placed on you to deliver the goods again or risk being banished from the good graces of the same film-loving communities that were effusively singing your praises just a couple of years prior. The Australian brothers answered the bell and then some as their sophomore feature not only matches but manages to improve on Talk to Me in every way imaginable.

The fresh portal to hell that the Philippou's have opened up with Bring Her Back confronts the most popular subject in the world of indie horror over the past 10-15 years: grief. While you'd be hard pressed to be find too many horror fans out there that were clamoring for another movie about the tremendous toll death has on the living, the Philippou's have remarkably found a way to make the subject matter feel novel again. We've seen plenty of movies about grief where the power of love, friendship, etc. allows people to handle the crippling burden of the loss of a loved one or loved ones. Bring Her Back is the story of somebody who never recovered from the loss. 

The scarred individual in question is named Laura, played with sadistic menace and surprising compassion by the great Sally Hawkins. Laura's blind daughter Cathy (Mischa Heywood) drowned in her backyard pool years prior, and she's become a completely different person following this tragic fatal accident. She appears to be channeling her suddenly unused paternal energy into something positive by taking on foster children, but as her newest foster kids Andy (Billy Barratt) and his vision-impaired stepsister Piper (Sora Wong)-who are going through their own ordeal with loss after recently finding their father (Stephen Phillips) dead in the shower following a fall-quickly discover, Laura's grief has transformed her into a monster. She keeps her other foster child Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips in an all timer of a creepy kid performance) locked away in his room most of the time, uses Piper's inability to see anything besides shapes and colors to manipulate her into thinking that Andy doesn't care about her and appears to be using all 3 kids in her care for an unspeakably sinister purpose.

Laura's elaborate reign of terror and the far-reaching implications it has on these kids that are already dealing with the immense trauma of their own loss is the engine for many standout sequences that reinforce the Philippou's gift for establishing a viscerally uncomfortable sense of dread through nightmarish imagery/sounds (the kitchen scene in particular is FUCKED) and a willingness to take their stories to dark, thorny places that many modern filmmakers wouldn't dare go. But what really elevates Bring Her Back over the already great Talk to Me is the strength of the relationship between Andy and Piper. From their first scene together, it's immediately evident how much they care about each other and how they have each other's backs even in situations where no one else could or would. As the story unfolds and more revelations about their family history come to light, the way the viewer see Andy changes significantly, but one thing never wavers despite the unearthing of his past sins and how they possibly came to be: the purity of his love for Piper and willingness to do whatever it takes to protect her. Their relationship is beautifully written and performed by Barratt and Wong and the care taken in portraying it with sensitivity and raw honesty leads to the last thing I expected from a movie made by the guys behind something as overwhelmingly grim Talk to Me: an ending that packs a strong enough emotional wallop that it had me on the verge of tears. There's way too much evil/distressing shit going on Bring Her Back to call it hopeful or beautiful or anything else that else that has any form of positive connotation attached to it, but what this brother/sister arc does do is confirm that the Philippou's have far more than just unrelenting darkness in their storytelling arsenal and they're already better off for it.

Bring Her Back is one of the best horror flicks I've seen this decade and in a year without Sinners, it would've had an excellent chance of going down as the absolute best. The Philippou Brothers already have their craft down pat 2 films in and the possibilities of where they can go from here feel limitless. May A24 and the Australian government's arts initiatives continue to fund whatever brutal, twisted shit they want to make for as long as they remain interested in making movies.                                         

Grade: A-

Tom Hanks 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 Tom Hanks-whose latest project "The Phoenician Scheme" opens in NYC/LA theaters today and expands nationwide next Thursday.

Tom Hanks' Filmography Ranked:

30.Here (D)

29.Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (D+)

28.Splash (D+)

27.Elvis (D+)

26.The Polar Express (C-)

25.Asteroid City (C-)

24.News of the World (C-)

23.Larry Crowne (C-)

22.Bridge of Spies (C)

21.A Man Called Otto (C+)

20.That Thing You Do! (B-)

19.Forrest Gump (B-)

18.Apollo 13 (B)

17.A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (B)

16.Freaky Tales (B)

15.Charlie's Wilson's War (B)

14.Philadelphia (B)

13.The Ladykillers (B)

12.The Terminal (B)

11.Sully (B+)

10.Catch Me If You Can (B+)

9.Toy Story 2 (B+)

8.Captain Phillips (B+)

7.Cast Away (B+)

6.Toy Story 4 (A-)

5.Road to Perdition (A-)

4.Saving Private Ryan (A)

3.Toy Story 3 (A)

2.The Green Mile (A)

1.Toy Story (A+)

Top Dog: Toy Story (1995)

Thinking about the legacy Toy Story has left behind is a wild exercise. It birthed the animation juggernaut that is Pixar, revolutionized how animated movies are produced with its CG techniques and even made hack comedian/proud snitch Tim Allen cooler than he should be allowed to be with his excellent portrayal of the oblivious action figure version of in-universe movie hero Buzz Lightyear. On top of all that, the movie is just plain brilliant and has held up incredibly well over the years.  

Bottom Feeder: Here (2024)

The concept of Here had potential. Fixing a camera in the corner of a home's living room and using that as a window into the lives of the different families that lived there over a 100+ year period is an interesting way to look at how humanity has evolved and remained the same over time. As often is the case with movies made by Robert Zemeckis during the 21st century, the execution of this premise is staggeringly bad. The non-linear fashion in which the story plays out feels completely directionless and prevents meaningful connections from being formed with any of the characters, whatever deaging technology was used on certain characters looks completely ridiculous and worst of all, the shamelessness in which it deploys melodramatic plot developments is really something to behold.       

Most Underrated: The Ladykillers (2004)

Given what we've learned about their individual cinematic interests since they split and started making their owns movies following the release of 2018's The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Ladykillers feels like a Coen Brothers joint that Ethan was running point on. This remake of William Rose's 1955 British dark comedy of the same name is a goofy, madcap affair that mines a lot of laughs out of the sheer cartoonish idiocy of its criminal protagonists (Hanks, J.K. Simmons, Marlon Wayans, Tzi Ma, Ryan Hurst, Diane Delano) who are plotting to rob a riverboat casino by a digging a tunnel into their vault and the pleasant, God-fearing elderly widow (Irma P. Hall) whose home is being used as the launching pad for the heist who outwits them every step of the way. It's not exactly Raising Arizona or Fargo, but it's definitely among the funnier movies they've made and deserves a lot more love than it gets.     

Most Overrated: Elvis (2022)

Elvis was the first time I ever saw a Baz Luhrmann movie and it may well end up being the last. His relentlessly hyperactive style is fun for a bit, but it gets so grating and repetitive after an hour or so that Elvis ends up becoming just as hollow as the dozens of forgettable conventional music biopics out there. At least it provided Austin Butler with the launching pad to become one of the most booked actors in Hollywood right now and Hanks with the canvas to drop one of the most insane accents ever put on screen as Elvis' carnival barker manager Colonel Tom Parker.    

2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Guards

()=2024 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

30.(15) Shaq Mason (Free Agent)

29.(+) Jordan Meredith (Raiders)

28.(+) Matthew Bergeron (Falcons)

27.(24) Ezra Cleveland (Jaguars)

26.(+) Jonah Jackson (Bears)

25.(23) James Daniels (Dolphins)

24.(6) Wyatt Teller (Browns)

23.(+) Will Fries (Vikings)

22.(+) Mekhi Becton (Chargers)

21.(30) Dylan Parham (Raiders)

20.(+) Cody Mauch (Buccaneers)

19.(+) John Simpson (Jets)

18.(+) Damien Lewis (Panthers)

17.(+) Mike Onwenu (Patriots)

16.(16) Sam Cosmi (Commanders)

15.(3) Joel Bitonio (Browns)

14.(8) Isaac Seumalo (Steelers)

13.(18) Teven Jenkins (Browns)

12.(28) Alijah Vera-Tucker (Jets)

11.(+) Dominick Puni (49ers)

10.(11) Robert Hunt (Panthers)

9.(10) Tyler Smith (Cowboys)

8.(20) Landon Dickerson (Eagles)

7.(13) Trey Smith (Chiefs)

6.(7) Kevin Dotson (Rams)

5.(12) Quinn Minerz (Broncos)

4.(2) Joe Thuney (Bears)

3.(9) Kevin Zeitler (Titans)

2.(5) Quenton Nelson (Colts)

1.(1) Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Tackles

()=2024 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

30.(+) Ikem Ekwonu (Panthers)

29.(30) Luke Goedeke (Buccaneers)

28.(26) Mike McGlinchey (Broncos)

27.(19) Kaleb McGary (Falcons)

26.(+) Braxton Jones (Bears)

25.(+) Joe Alt (Chargers)

24.(+) Darnell Wright (Bears)

23.(+) Paris Johnson Jr. (Cardinals)

22.(8) Andrew Thomas (Giants)

21.(+) Alaric Jackson (Rams)

20.(+) Charles Cross (Seahawks)

19.(17) Dion Dawkins (Bills)

18.(25) Ronnie Stanley (Ravens)

17.(10) Taylor Decker (Lions)

16.(20) Taylor Moton (Panthers)

15.(13) Rob Havenstein (Rams)

14.(15) Garrett Bolles (Broncos)

13.(16) Jake Matthews (Falcons)

12.(27) Bernhard Raimann (Colts)

11.(7) Kolton Miller (Raiders)

10.(14) Brian O'Neill (Vikings)

9.(12) Laremy Tunsil (Commanders)

8.(28) Zach Tom (Packers)

7.(4) Christian Darrisaw (Vikings)

6.(5) Tristan Wirfs (Buccaneers)

5.(11) Rashawn Slater (Chargers)

4.(1) Trent Williams (49ers)

3.(2) Lane Johnson (Eagles)

2.(3) Penei Sewell (Lions)

1.(6) Jordan Mailata (Eagles)

Movie Review: Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning

 

Just 6 short days ago, I used about 550 of an 800-word review of Final Destination Bloodlines to rail against the film's obnoxious embrace of fan service, so I would be a loud and proud hypocrite if I didn't rip Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning for its similar sins. As the title implies, The Final Reckoning is being framed as superspy Ethan Hunt's swan song (whether or not our IP-obsessed times will allow a firm conclusion to actually occur is another issue entirely). What this means is that the film is obligated to examine the legacy behind Hunt's 30+ year, 8-film journey while simultaneously sending Hunt and his revolving door of cohorts (this time around it's Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Pom Klementieff, Greg Tarzan Davis and for the last 90 odd minutes of the film, a returning character from a previous film that nobody on the universe would've ever expected to come back) on another impossible mission as they once again attempt to take down the super AI known as "The Entity" that was introduced in 2023's Dead Reckoning. And what delightful modern franchise storytelling device is used to make this messy arranged marriage happen? Well, retcons and hollow exposition dumps of course!!! Please believe me when I tell you that a significant amount of the first hour of the movie consists of a hodgepodge of monologues from various characters explaining how Hunt's past actions (archival footage is constantly spliced over the dialogue since there's no fucking way that anybody who hasn't seen the earlier movies recently would be able to recall most of, if not all of these events) paved the way for the creation of The Entity and why the powers that be shouldn't trust him given his history of recklessness and bucking authority, but ultimately have to since they don't have a better choice to try and stop The Entity. It's a unique combination of nostalgia-baiting garbage and the same thinly veiled self-fellating that Cruise used ad nauseum in Top Gun: Maverick to reflect on what Hunt has meant to cinema for all these years. Ultimately, it's an equally hilarious and embarrassing exercise that sows some serious doubt about whether or not The Final Reckoning is going to be able to land the proverbial plane when the time comes.

In a fitting tribute to Hunt himself, The Final Reckoning manages to pull it off right at the moment when all seems lost. What Mission-Impossible is really about isn't spycraft or the love Hunt has for his team and having vaguely romantic relationships with gorgeous brunette women, it's the setpieces. When the stunts are electric and the kinetic energy is really humming, everything holding these movies back fades away (namely the mediocre-to-bad scripts and forgettable villains outside of Phillip Seymour Hoffmann's Owen Davian) thanks to the unstoppable force that is sheer blockbuster movie magic. While things start trending in the right direction with the submerged submarine dive sequence in the second act, things really kick into the high gear in the final act with the stunt of Cruise hanging off the biplane that's been plastered all over the trailers and posters. This breathtaking extended sequence along with the hypertense cutaways to what the other characters of note to the story are going through while Hunt is dangling from the wing of that plane is one of the most pulse-pounding stretches in a series that's no stranger to putting exhilarating moments into the world. At no point during this portion of the film was I thinking about any of the clumsy, forced tie-ins to the previous movies in the franchise or some government official being played by a veteran actor (Angela Bassett, Henry Czerny, Nick Offerman, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Hannah Waddingham) explaining what the Entity was capable of in 12,000 uninterrupted words. I was merely in awe of what was transpiring on that screen and what it took to pull it off. And when you think about it, that's about as fitting of a sendoff for Hunt and the egomaniacal nutjob that brought him to life as you could possibly ask for. 

Could The Final Reckoning have been better? Sure. Should it have been better given the strength of the setup that Dead Reckoning provided and the quality level this franchise has ascended to since Christopher McQuarrie took over as director with Rogue Nation? Yes. But as flawed and aggravating as it is-particularly in the early going, there's enough pure spectacle and old school Hollywood razzle dazzle on that screen to make it all worthwhile. If this is indeed really the end of the line for Hunt, I salute him for his service to his country, his team and (Vin Diesel voice) the movies.                       

Grade: B

2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Tight Ends

()=2024 Ranking 

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

20.(8) Dalton Schultz (Texans)

19.(9) David Njoku (Browns)

18.(+) Austin Hooper (Patriots)

17.(7) Evan Engram (Broncos)

16.(15) Dalton Kincaid (Bills)

15.(+) Zach Ertz (Commanders)

14.(17) Pat Friermuth (Steelers)

13.(14) Hunter Henry (Patriots)

12.(+) Mike Gesicki (Bengals)

11.(18) Isaiah Likely (Ravens)

10.(+) Tucker Kraft (Packers)

9.(+) Jonnu Smith (Dolphins)

8.(5) Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

7.(3) T,J. Hockenson (Vikings)

6.(6) Sam LaPorta (Lions)

5.(2) Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

4.(4) Mark Andrews (Ravens)

3.(+) Brock Bowers (Raiders)

2.(12) Trey McBride (Cardinals)

1.(1) George Kittle (49ers)

Movie Review: Hurry Up Tomorrow

Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weeknd) is one of the most important musical artists of the past 15 years. He's currently the most listened to artist worldwide on Spotify and has helped shape pop/R&B music trends since he burst onto the scene with his immense self-released mixtape House of Balloons in 2011. Since he's more or less conquered music, he's now trying his hand at acting and screenwriting. Famously, his first true foray into the field went horribly wrong as The Idol-the HBO series he co-wrote and co-led alongside Lily Rose-Depp-was a complete flop that was canceled after one horribly received season. Around the same time The Idol premiered in 2023, Tesfaye began production on his first movie-which was later revealed to be a companion piece to his latest record Hurry Up Tomorow directed by acclaimed indie filmmaker Trey Edward Shults (It Comes at Night, Waves). What the movie version of Hurry Up Tomorrow does above all else is confirm what was already pretty clear from The Idol: Tesfaye's creative gifts don't translate at all to the screen.

For those of you who haven't dug into the concept of the album version of Hurry Up Tomorrow, it's basically Tesfaye's way of trying to retire the persona of The Weeknd. He feels that fame has amplified his struggle to let go of the most toxic parts of himself (substance abuse, being too absorbed with the glamours lifestyle he's been afforded the opportunity to live to stay in contact with his family or maintain a romantic relationship, etc.) and after a years-long battle, he's finally ready to move past this era of his life for good (hence the title Hurry Up Tomorrow). The record is full of vulnerability and is probably the most relentlessly experimental release he's ever put out, which makes it consistently interesting even when certain songs don't fully hit the mark. 

Hurry Up Tomorow's narrative film sibling of the same name is a considerably less effective piece of work. It doesn't commit nearly hard enough to its surrealist elements to work as a mood piece or its psychological thriller/drama elements to be a profound character study and boasts a narrative that is too thin to justify being told via a feature film, which causes it to really meander to the finish line. There are flickers of light present in its hypnotic musical sequences (Chayse Irvin's beautiful 35mm cinematography, which is the best part of the movie by far, shines particularly bright in these moments) and when Jenna Ortega shows up as a depraved fan who intends to go to great lengths to get Tesfaye to be honest about the pain he's going through, but these sparks are too internment to distract from the big ball of nothing this movie is on the whole. 

Anybody that is considering checking this movie out as a fan of Tesfaye's or to simply laugh at it after seeing the viral TikTok of the scene featuring Ortega dancing to "Blinding Lights" while Tesfaye is tied to a hotel bed should really think twice before doing so (side note: that scene is actually more ridiculous in the context of the movie and you inconsiderate assholes really need to stop recording the screen in the theater!). It's the rare breed of project that is going to fall short of being even remotely enjoyable for the vast majority of people that watch it, regardless of what lens you choose to view it through. There is just way too much shit out there to watch right now to waste your time with a superstar musician's half-baked vanity project.                     

Grade: C-

Movie Review: Final Destination Bloodlines

 

The Final Destination franchise is returning to a much different horror climate than the one it left when it delivered its intended finale with Final Destination 5 back in August 2011. With this in mind, the path to reviving this franchise after 14 years away wasn't going to be to simply bring back the scuzzy 2000's sheen of the early installments or gleefully schlocky 3D-enchanced deaths of the latter two sequels from its initial run. A modernized reboot of Final Destination was destined to be one thing and one thing only: an exploration of the effects of generational trauma. It's a natural fit for a series that's all about death coming to collect the souls that cheated their fate and that's exactly the angle Final Destination Bloodlines choses to explore. By focusing on a family that's spawned three generations of broken people after their grandmother (Gabrielle Rose in the present day, Brec Bassinger in the 1960's flashbacks) saved dozens of lives by preventing the collapse of a newly opened high-rise restaurant before it happened and subsequently became paralyzed with fear that death was coming to kill her and everyone she cares about as payback for the lives she saved that night (Spoiler: She was right!), Bloodlines provides a clear illustration of how the ramifications of one person's scars can radically impact people for generations if the seeds of their pain remain strong enough to keep growing. The cruel irony is that like the fucked-up family that has just learned from their estranged grandmother that they've been marked for death, Final Destination Bloodlines is also facing a crippling crisis in the form of a major paradox that sitting at its core that frequently gets in the way of its aspirations to be an "elevated" take: It's absolutely obsessed with the franchise's past history. This hypocritical dichotomy turns what could've been a winning reboot into a maddening disappointment.

To be fair, the problem isn't that Bloodlines contains fan service, it's that the fan service is delivered with the degree of relentlessness that is typically reserved for an MCU movie. The most egregious instances of such come in the final 5 minutes and while I can't even hint at what they are without delving into the biggest spoilers of the entire movie, let's just say that I left the theater absolutely disgusted by the pandering callbacks that I had just witnessed. Making a more "serious" Final Destination movie that also contains a treasure trove of references to the previous films is some elite level talking out of both sides of your mouth from the creatives behind the film (directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, writers Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor, producer/story writer Jon Watts, etc.) that makes me believe there wasn't even a sliver of purity behind their intentions to bring this franchise back from the dead. Having cool, over-the-top death scenes and a legitimately heartfelt goodbye to the late Tony Todd can only take you so far when the people behind the movie compromised truly committing to their "fresh" modern reboot in favor of trotting out a bunch of point-and-clap bullshit. 

I'm going to fucking puke when the seventh installment is inevitably greenlit and they bring back the surviving members of the Final Destination 2 cast so they can replace Todd's William Bludworth as the death experts for whatever doomed pricks survive a sinking booze cruise, nightclub collapse or accidental poisoning of the Rosemary Parmesan bread at Jersey Mike's. Why stop there? Surely, they can retcon some deaths and make a Final Destination all-star edition where fan favorites get dismembered for a second time! Anything goes on the Shameless Fan Service Express!

This full-throated embrace of all things fan service is the type of thing that makes me cynical about where movies are heading in the future. When a whole movie is built around nostalgia and referencing the previous movies that birthed the new installment, wouldn't it just make more sense as a fan to revisit the old movies instead of watching something that is more concerned with past glories than creating a new cinematic memory that you'll cherish for years to come? I'll never understand the appeal of "I understand the reference!" cinema and it sucks to watch a franchise that made a name for itself partly by successfully delivering slightly different riffs on the same basic concept for over a decade get infected with a disease that will only continue to get worse as modern audiences continue to get less inclined to check out new shit. For my money, Bloodlines is right on par with The Final Destination for the title of worst installment in the franchise by a wide margin and I'm going to have a hard time looking past its shitty DNA to truly enjoy the parts that do work in the future.       

Grade: C+          

Mission-Impossible Ranked

On this special edition of "Ranked", I'm ranking the Mission: Impossible franchise ahead of the release of "Mission-Impossible: The Final Reckoning" in theaters on Thursday. 

7.Mission: Impossible 2 (2000):

The only movie in the franchise that kind of stinks. It leans way too heavily into the rubber mask/double cross ridiculousness that's otherwise existed as a pretty small recurring plot device in the other entries, the chemistry between Tom Cruise and love interest/co-worker Thandiwe Newton couldn't be flatter and worst of all, it marked the start of John Woo's depressing transition from trailblazing action pioneer to sauceless clock puncher.    

Grade: C-

6.Mission: Impossible (1996):

Revisiting this now as we're on the cusp of the 8th entry entering the world is kind of hilarious. It actually perfectly mirrors the evolution of Fast and Furious where the first film feels like it's part of a completely different franchise than the one that the later installments belong to. While there's something oddly novel about its mostly dialogue-driven approach to exploring the relentless treachery that comes with being in the spy game, the lack of true spectacle on display inevitably relegates it to minor status in a series that's at its best when the jaw-dropping action/stuntwork is taking center stage.    

Grade: B-

5.Mission: Impossible III (2006):

Folks, we've gone too far with the post-Rise of Skywalker J.J. Abrams hate. The veteran television showrunner made a very smooth transition to the world of features with this fun action romp that got the series back on track after the lackluster initial sequel threatened to derail the franchise for good. This might've even flirted with greatness if Phillip Seymour Hoffman's incredibly imposing antagonist Owen Davian had more screentime and the opening third of the film outside of the sick Berlin setpiece had a bit more flare. 

Grade: B

4.Mission-Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015):

While the focus on its comically convoluted plot is way too prominent, the action hits such dizzying new heights (particularly in the opera house scene and cliffside motorcycle chase) with Christopher McQuarrie at the helm that it doesn't matter all that much. 

Grade: B 

3.Mission-Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)

Like quite a few people out there, Ghost Protocol was the first time I ever came away from a Mission-Impossible movie really impressed. The setpieces here are consistently pulse-pounding and exhilarating and leaning into the inherent silliness of its "ragtag spies that don't play by the rules trying to stop WWIII from breaking out" plot upped the entertainment value considerably. By the way, somebody in Hollywood needs to let Brad Bird make another live action movie ASAP! The price he's paid for the failure of Tomorrowland is more than steep enough at this point!  

Grade: B+

2.Mission-Impossible: Dead Reckoning (2023): 

Despite being the longest entry in the series that's currently out in the world at a whopping 163 minutes, Dead Reckoning may be the single most propulsive entry in the franchise as it stacks up hyperkinetic setpiece upon hyperkinetic setpiece (shootout in the Arbian Desert, car chase through Rome, foot chase through the Abu Dhabi airport) every step of the way. If not for the shockingly CGI-heavy albeit still solid finale aboard the Orient Express, it would've made a strong challenge for the top spot.     

Grade: B+ 

1.Mission-Impossible: Fallout (2018):

Fallout may be a boring answer for #1 as it often finds itself in this spot when somebody drops a Mission: Impossible ranking, but there was just no way in hell that I was going to put any other entry here. Cruise and McQuarrie went completely ballistic here as they delivered one of the most consistently exhilarating, well-crafted action movies that we've seen in the last 20-25 years. Even the mere mention of the HALO Jump, bathroom fight or Paris motorcycle chase are enough to take me back to the absolute glee I felt seeing these scenes on the big screen for the first time nearly 7 years ago.    

Grade: A-

2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Wide Receivers

 ()=Previous Ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

50.(38) Tank Dell (Texans)

49.(29) Tyler Lockett (Titans)

48.(30) Christian Kirk (Texans)

47.(+) Alec Pierce (Colts)

46.(35) Rashee Rice (Chiefs)

45.(39) Adam Thielen (Panthers)

44.(45) Jayden Reed (Packers)

43.(+) Darnell Mooney (Falcons)

42.(48) Josh Downs (Colts)

41.(46) Jordan Addison (Vikings)

40.(+) Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals)

39.(23) Deebo Samuel (Commanders)

38.(33) Calvin Ridley (Titans)

37.(+) Jauan Jennings (49ers)

36.(21) DeAndre Hopkins (Ravens)

35.(+) Jameson Williams (Lions)

34.(49) Khalil Shakir (Bills)

33.(43) Jerry Jeudy (Browns)

32.(+) Ladd McConkey (Chargers)

31.(40) Jakobi Meyers (Raiders)

30.(17) Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts)

29.(28) George Pickens (Cowboys)

28.(34) Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

27.(14) Stefon Diggs (Patriots)

26.(16) Cooper Kupp (Seahawks)

25.(22) Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)

24.(8) Brandon Aiyuk (49ers)

23.(15) Chris Olave (Saints)

22.(+) Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

21.(9) Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins)

20.(25) DeVonta Smith (Eagles)

19.(37) Zay Flowers (Ravens)

18.(+) Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars)

17.(7) Davante Adams (Rams)

16.(20) D.K. Metcalf (Steelers)

15.(10) D.J. Moore (Bears)

14.(+) Malik Nabers (Giants)

13.(18) Garrett Wilson (Jets)

12.(26) Tee Higgins (Bengals)

11.(12) Mike Evans (Buccaneers)

10.(27) Terry McLaurin (Commanders)

9.(19) Nico Collins (Texans)

8.(31) Drake London (Falcons)

7.(2) Tyreek Hill (Dolphins)

6.(11) Puka Nacua (Rams)

5.(4) A.J. Brown (Eagles)

4.(6) Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions)

3.(3) CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

2.(5) Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

1.(1) Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

Final Destination Ranked

On this week's special edition of "Ranked", I'm ranking the Final Destination franchise from worst to best ahead of the release of "Final Destination: Bloodlines" in theaters tomorrow.  

5.The Final Destination (2009):

While I do agree with the consensus that The Final Destination is the weakest entry in the series by a wide margin, I also think it gets far more shit than it deserves. There's a certain charm to how heavily it commits to the cheap, schlocky 3D bit (this was the first entry of the series to be released in 3D) and a few of the deaths are among the most absurd/sadistic (flying tire decapitation, a rock launched by a lawnmower from a cartoonishly long distance away going through somebody's eye as they walk out of a salon, a pool drain sucking someone's intestines out through their butthole) of the entire franchise.  

Grade: C+

4.Final Destination (2000):

It needs to be noted that the next three entries on this list are basically interchangeable. What landed the original film at the bottom of this closely contested hierarchy is very simple: the deaths just aren't as memorable as the pair of sequels that beat it out. Other than the comparatively tamer/less creative accident sequences, there's a lot of fun to be had watching this franchise birth its clever "Death comes to collect the souls that evaded its grasp" concept and an all-star lineup of familiar faces from late 90's/early 2000's pop culture (Devon Sawa, Kerr Smith, Seann William Scott, Ali Larter) get picked off one by one.   

Grade: B

3.Final Destination 5 (2011):

5 is definitely the most underrated entry of the series in my book. The introduction of the "kill somebody and get their remaining life" rule in the second half of the film is a gloriously demented wrinkle that brings the dark comedy elements that have always been a part of this series' DNA closer to the forefront, the characters that get the chance to stick around for long enough to get some backstory are actually pretty well-defined by franchise standards and the twist ending leads to an all-timer of a death/end credits transition that very well could be the hardest I've ever laughed at a Final Destination movie. Bonus points for also backing up my longstanding fears of LASIK eye surgery and gymnastics routines going horribly wrong.  

Grade: B

2.Final Destination 2 (2003):

How there was a time in my life not too long ago that I thought this was the weakest entry outside of The Final Destination is a real head-scratcher. The efforts to up the absurdity pay dividends here as the accident sequences are way more unpredictable/entertaining than they were in the first one, the opening disaster scene with the logging truck is the chaotic, grisly peak of the entire franchise that will almost certainly never be topped and save for the aforementioned classic walk-off of Final Destination 5, it features the most insane/hilarious ending of the bunch.   

Grade: B

1.Final Destination 3 (2006):

Original director James Wong returned to the fold hungry to up the stakes and lean into the more ridiculous tone that David R. Ellis established with Final Destination 2. He didn't just succeed in his mission; he crushed it to the point where he made the best damn entry in the series that he helped create. Wong creates an ever-present feeling of impending doom that provides the film with a playfully sinister atmosphere that adds a nice layer of dread to the otherwise goofy proceedings, Mary Elizabeth Winstead's Wendy is easily the most dramatically compelling protagonist the series has ever had and the pseudo-detective angle to the plot is a fun, unique way to approach these characters scrambling to find a way to cancel the plans Death has for them.  

Grade: B+

2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Running Backs

=Previous Ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

50.(+) Ty Johnson (Bills)

49.(+) Braelon Allen (Jets)

48.(28) Devin Singletary (Giants)

47.(41) Javonte Williams (Cowboys)

46.(+) Cam Akers (Free Agent)

45.(44) Jaleel McLaughlin (Broncos)

44.(+) Ray Davis (Bills)

43.(+) Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Giants)

42.(4) Nick Chubb (Free Agent)

41.(33) Austin Ekeler (Commanders)

40.(31) Jaylen Warren (Steelers)

39.(47) Antonio Gibson (Patriots)

38.(42) Justice Hill (Ravens)

37.(23) D'Andre Swift (Bears)

36.(16) Travis Etienne (Jaguars)

35.(+) Tank Bigsby (Jaguars)

34.(35) Jerome Ford (Browns)

33.(+) Emmanuel Wilson (Packers)

32.(+) J.K. Dobbins (Free Agent)

31.(18) Najee Harris (Chargers)

30.(49) Zach Charbonnet (Seahawks)

29.(+) Jordan Mason (Vikings)

28.(36) Tyler Allgeier (Falcons)

27.(+) Rico Dowdle (Panthers)

26.(43) Kareem Hunt (Chiefs)

25.(25) Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots)

24.(17) Breece Hall (Jets)

23.(32) Rachaad White (Buccaneers)

22.(22) Brian Robinson Jr. (Commanders)

21.(15) Isiah Pacheco (Chiefs)

20.(8) Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks)

19.(24) Alvin Kamara (Saints)

18.(+) Chase Brown (Bengals)

17.(12) Tony Pollard (Titans)

16.(+) Bucky Irving (Buccaneers)

15.(20) De'Von Achane (Dolphins)

14.(6) Aaron Jones (Vikings)

13.(19) Joe Mixon (Texans)

12.(30) Chuba Hubbard (Panthers)

11.(11) Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

10.(7) Kyren Williams (Rams)

9.(9) David Montgomery (Lions)

8.(5) James Conner (Cardinals)

7.(14) James Cook (Bills)

6.(21) Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

5.(13) Josh Jacobs (Packers)

4.(27) Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

3.(1) Christian McCaffery (49ers)

2.(2) Derrick Henry (Ravens)

1.(3) Saquon Barkley (Eagles)

Movie Review: Fight or Flight

 

C-grade action flicks are a timeless staple of the film industry. In today's landscape, often times what happens is that some producers will enlist a mercenary director (Simon West, Renny Harlin, Jesse V. Johnson) and fading familiar Hollywood face (Aaron Eckhart, Thomas Jane, Stephen Dorff) to make something with a premise that can be explained in one sentence ("Ex-Green Beret must stop terrorist plot". "Hitman gets double crossed by his employers and must fight for survival", etc.) that can make a quick buck or two on the VOD/international sales market before swiftly reinvesting the profits and starting the cycle all over again. Fight or Flight shows that there's a different path forward for this ultraspecific subgenre. 

First time director James Madigan-whose been a VFX supervisor and second unit director for 20+ years-and star Josh Hartnett-who adds another notch to the zany character actor belt he's been carrying around since Guy Ritchie brought him back to Hollywood's big leagues in 2021's Wrath of Man with a hoot of a performance as a disgraced Secret Service Agent who has his extended exile in Thailand interrupted when his former flame (Katee Sackhoff) enlists him to track down an elusive cyber terrorist known only as "Ghost" on board a flight from Bangkok to San Francisco that just so happens to also have dozens of assassins from all over the world on board looking to kill "Ghost" before the plane lands-overcomes the burden of making a dumb, microbudget action flick designed to be half watched on a Roku through sheer gonzo energy. The fights being confined to a plane in mid-flight turns them into frantic, cartoonish mad dashes with choreography that is unrefined yet very creative and easy to follow, Madigan shows a pretty strong understanding of when to deploy an explicit joke and when to just let the ludicrousness of the plot speak for itself and Hartnett is having the time of his life playing around in the role of a perpetual fuckup trying to stay alive for long enough to potentially earn a chance at redemption (or at least not die on a plane doing his ex-girlfriend's dirty work). While the Bullet Train comparisons are inevitable given the "a bunch of trained killers let loose on a mode of transportation" plot, it's honestly more like a slightly less over-the-top version of something like Shoot' Em Up or Crank. Making an action movie with personality, fun fights and a real sense of madness in its DNA is a surefire way to make an impression and best of all, you can do that on any sized budget if the creative team is spirited and malleable enough. My hope is that the right people see Fight or Flight and get inspired to make action movies that use outside-the-box creative flourishes to jazz up well-worn premises. It's high time that VOD actioners stepped their shit up and Fight or Flight provides a blueprint for how that's possible without sacrificing the charm of this crucial ecosystem's shoddy production value and inherent grime.                 

Grade: B

Vince Vaughn 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 Vince Vaughn-whose latest project "Nonnas" is now streaming on Netflix. 

Vince Vaughn's Filmography Ranked:

26.Be Cool (F)

25.The Dilemma (D+)

24.The Break-Up (C-)

23.Mr. & Mrs. Smith (C)

22.Queenpins (C)

21.Wake Up, Ron Burgundy (C+)

20.Unfinished Business (C+)

19.The Binge (B-)

18.The Watch (B-)

17.Delivery Man (B-)

16.The Internship (B-)

15.Swingers (B-)

14.Clay Pigeons (B-)

13.The Cell (B-)

12.Fighting with My Family (B)

11.Seberg (B)

10.The Lost World: Jurassic Park (B)

9.Old School (B)

8.Wedding Crashers (B)

7.Brawl in Cell Block 99 (B)

6.Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (B)

5.Starsky & Hutch (B+)

4.Hacksaw Ridge (B+)

3.Freaky (B+)

2.Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (B+)

1.Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (A+)

Top Dog: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

As we approach the 21st anniversary of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, it's hard for me to not continue to be in awe of this film. This is one of those touch the sun comedies that has alluded the cruel aging process that haunts the genre through the sheer force of its brilliant absurdity and the great lengths everyone involved with this project goes to play it up. When we look back on the seemingly dead creative partnership between Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, this will stand alone as the most valuable gem in a vault full of comedic jewels. 

Bottom Feeder: Be Cool (2005)

Quite a few of the members of the huge ensemble cast of Be Cool have starred in some huge pieces of shit over the years-particularly John Travolta and Uma Thurman who have been largely relegated to the VOD circuit in recent years, but I'd argue that none of these efforts are as agonizingly awful as Be Cool. The ill-conceived loose sequel to the 1995 cult hit Get Shorty is the ultrarare comedy full of jokes that are so relentlessly lazy and deeply unfunny that it's hard to not feel kind of bad for everybody who attached their names to such a humiliating disgrace to the medium.        

Most Underrated: Freaky (2020)

This could just as easily go to Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, but I've written enough about that one often enough of late that I felt compelled to switch it up here. Freaky was one of those movies that just got lost in the void of the COVID lockdown (it got released in theaters in November 2020 before bowing on VOD a few weeks later) and has kind of struggled to find an audience since. What's particularly unfortunate about its fate is that it's easily one of the best slasher movies to come out in the past 10-15 years. The whole serial killer/high school girl body swap device that drives the plot works really well due to how seamlessly Vaughn and Kathryn Newton flip between both sides of this tricky character dynamic, nearly all of the kills are creative, gnarly home runs and like all of Christopher Landon's best movies, it bowls you over with its pure heart when you least expect it.     

Most Overrated: Swingers (1996)

While Swingers is a fine enough buddy comedy that's driven by the good chemistry that exists between Vaughn and Jon Favreau, its status as a comedy classic has always mystified me, particularly since it came out around the same time as way funnier, sharper movies that were part of the same subgenre (Friday, Clerks, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion).  

2025 NFL Position Rankings: Top 25 Quarterbacks

A May tradition is officially back as I'm happy to announce the beginning of the 2025 edition of my NFL Position Rankings. It's kind of like the Met Gala without the glamour, celebrities or widespread public interest. For those of you who aren't familiar with the series, I like to kill time during the NFL offseason by going through every single position in the league (outside of long snapper and kick/punt returners) and rank the best players at each spot heading into the upcoming season. It's a fun exercise to engage in every year and a fair number of people have told me that they enjoy reading it over the year, so I'll continue to do for as long as this blog exists. Here are a few notes on the series before we officially get started:

1.Rookies are excluded from inclusion.

2.Players are judged on where they currently stand in my opinion, not the player they once were or could potentially go onto be.

3.Each player is listed as a member of the team they're currently rostered by. If they're not on a roster at the time of the post, they'll be listed as a free agent.

As usual, Quarterback is kicking things off. While the top 4 remained unchanged from last year, there was a lot of shuffling and newcomers throughout the rest of the list. Hope you enjoy and I encourage you check to back over the next 8 weeks or so as I unveil the remainder of the series.    

Note: Saints QB Derek Carr is currently expected to miss the entirety of the 2025 season with a shoulder injury and has been excluded from the rankings as a result. 

()=2024 ranking

+=Unranked or ineligible in 2024

25.(17) Aaron Rodgers (Free Agent)

24.(+) Caleb Williams (Bears)

23.(+) Bryce Young (Panthers)

22.(21) Russell Wilson (Giants)

21.(22) Justin Fields (Jets)

20.(+) Drake Maye (Patriots)

19.(15) Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

18.(16) Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)

17.(14) Jordan Love (Packers)

16.(19) Kyler Murray (Cardinals)

15.(+) Sam Darnold (Seahawks)

14.(18) Geno Smith (Raiders)

13.(12) Brock Purdy (49ers)

12.(11) C.J. Stroud (Texans)

11.(13) Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers) 

10.(7) Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

9.(10) Jared Goff (Lions)

8.(+) Jayden Daniels (Commanders)

7.(5) Matthew Stafford (Rams)

6.(8) Justin Herbert (Chargers)

5.(6) Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

4.(4) Joe Burrow (Bengals)

3.(3) Josh Allen (Bills)

2.(2) Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

1.(1) Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Movie Review: Thunderbolts*

In kind of a cruel twist of fate for a film that's establishing a new set of characters, Thunderbolts* arguably became the most important MCU movie in ages as it was forced to serve as a crucial litmus test of whether or not Marvel Studios was going to change the way they do business after their longstanding practice of rewriting movies on the fly and openly meddling with their director's vision through a variety of channels (reshoots, execs taking control of the edit, VFX changes that go down to the wire) has really started to screw with their bottom line over the last couple of years. This film that brings together a collection of misfits with checkered pasts (Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, David Harbour's Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell's U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost, Olga Kurylenko's Taskmaster) to do battle with a mysterious new threat (Lewis Pullman's Bob/Sentry/The Void) was notably the first MCU project to go into production after the conclusion of the WGA/SGA strikes in the fall of 2023. Whether it was merely a coincidence or a targeted response to the MCU having just put out their biggest bomb to date in The Marvels and having Brave New World's principal photography thrown into chaos as a result of the WGA strikes beginning mid-shoot is up for debate, but the fact of the matter is that Marvel took the unprecedented step of further delaying the start of production on Thunderbolts* by a few months after the conclusions of the strikes so that another pass on the script could be completed before cameras began to roll. If how Thunderbolts* turned out is any indication, Marvel's major shift in the way they conduct their business could lead to a stabilization in quality that has long alluded superhero juggernaut at a time where they needed it most.

Let me make this clear from the jump, I feel that Marvel's practice of haphazardly assembling their films on the fly extends well beyond the post-Endgame films that have earned most of the vitriol directed towards them of late. This has been their calling card from day 1 (go and look up Jeff Bridges' comments about working on Iron Man) and the prevalence of this practice has led to a catalogue that has been consistently inconsistent. The only difference between now and then is that all of the audience goodwill they earned during The Infinity Saga (aka all of the films they released from May 2008-April 2019) has evaporated. Unless it's an untouchable character like Spider-Man or Wolverine, people are absolutely going to think twice about sitting through prospective future installments of the franchise if the current movie sucks shit. The only antidote to the bitter yet inevitable end of the MCU's consistent cash cow days is them putting more effort into their movies before they see the light of the day and that's exactly what Thunderbolts* delivers.

After the latest round of soulless, messy and/or obnoxiously nostalgic MCU affairs that have followed their most recent triumph (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3) prior to this, it was just nice to watch something made by people who clearly give a shit about the material they're working with. They care about the characters, their struggles with facing the sins of their past and start of their unlikely journey down a redemptive path. They care about building a team dynamic from the ground up and earning the viewer's faith that they can become a crucial part of this machine moving forward. They care about crafting action sequences driven by practical stuntwork and fight choreography that isn't obscured by an array of quick cuts. They care about delivering a crisp, detailed sound mix that immerses the viewer in the world. They care about visual effects (the design of The Void is the most inspired, inherently cool CG creation Marvel has put together in a minute) that actually look like they were created in more than 30 seconds by a team of overworked, underpaid artists. They care about shepherding in a new era of Marvel without making an entire movie that's solely exists to set up the next Avengers movie. All people really want out of these movies is characters and stakes that they can get invested in. It's a simple, timeless formula that execs regularly lose sight of for whatever reason and Thunderbolts* is a reminder of just how far delivering on those things can take you. Please allow your projects to be made by passionate, talented people like director Jake Schreier, writer Joanna Calo (best known as the co-showrunner of The Bear)-who handled the final draft of the script and this entire cast (Pullman going full rising movie star God mode with his powerhouse take on a really emotionally difficult character to portray is enough for him to edge out the pretty great work from his peers) Mr. Feige. The survival of your brand may very well depend on it.

Grade: B+            

Quick Movie Reviews: Sinners, The Accountant 2, Until Dawn

Sinners: I'm actually really glad that my NFL Draft pieces prevented me from writing about Sinners after opening weekend because I saw it again last weekend and it floored me. That's not to say that I didn't really enjoy it the first time around, it's just that a lot of the subtext that I missed the first time crystalized during the second viewing and that significantly elevated my appreciation of the movie. 

Sinners is about a million different things at once including a vampire movie, celebration of blues music and powerful drama about how assimilation and colonization destroy the unique specificity that gives a community its soul. Despite all of the different directions it goes in, the narrative never feels overstuffed or allows its many, many plot threads and themes to get in the way of its entertainment value or the brilliant development of its characters and setting (Clarksdale, Mississippi circa 1932). The ability to stay coherent and captivating is a testament to not only Ryan Coogler's dazzling vision and infectious passion as a filmmaker, but those of his many collaborators who were in complete lockstep with him. The ensemble cast (Michael B. Jordan in a dual lead role as twins, musician Miles Caton in his acting debut, Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Jack O'Connell, Delroy Lindo, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, Li Jun Li, Yao, Lola Kirke, Peter Dreimanis, David Maldonado, Saul Williams) is Tarantino-esque in how every single performer is perfectly cast and delivers exactly what the story needs from them regardless of how much screentime they have (Lindo's heartfelt yet hilarious turn as grizzled alcoholic blues musician Delta Slim was the top standout for me), Autumn Durald Arkapaw's cinematography-captured entirely on IMAX 65mm film cameras-is breathtakingly beautiful and the electrifying musical elements (both score and original songs) serve as the strong foundation that allows the entire film to thrive. This is the kind of remarkable, singular film that solidifies Coogler as one of the greats and its unbelievable box office success for an original film-driven mostly by its tremendous WOM-makes it even sweeter. While the wait for the next blank check movie he gets to make after he fulfills his longstanding obligations to Disney to deliver a series reboot of The X-Files and a third Black Panther film will likely be pretty long, there's no doubt in my mind that it will be ultimately be worth it.                           

Grade: A

The Accountant 2: Elevating Jon Bernthal to co-lead and allowing him to establish a combative yet loving rapport with on-screen brother Ben Affleck along with some great moments of character-driven humor provides The Accountant 2 with a more lighthearted tone that elevates it above its predecessor. That being said, it's still not lighthearted enough! These movies have a pervasive inherent ridiculousness to them that's begging to be embraced, but for whatever reason director Gavin O'Connor and writer Bill Dubuque-both returning from the original-just refuse to do it. By keeping things relatively serious and the action sequences-which are all solid-fairly sparse, the convoluted plot surrounding Affleck aiding his old friend from the Feds (Cynthia Addai-Robinson, also reprising her role from the original) in figuring out whose responsible for a human trafficking ring is often left taking center stage and that is not good at all for the business of fun that The Accountant 2 wants to be in. To put it more succinctly, these movies just aren't nearly as consistently entertaining as they could/should be and they'll never reach their potential until they solve their own identity crisis.        

Grade: B-

Until Dawn: While it definitely could've benefitted from further exploring the endless possibilities its "every time the character's die, they face a new threat is trying to kill them" time loop conceit presents, Until Dawn successfully occupies the same fun albeit slight horror movie space that stuff like Final Destination, Saw and Resident Evil have in the past. The dynamic of lifelong friends (Ella Rubin, Michael Camino, Odessa A'zion, Ji-young Yoo) trying to look out for each other as they're hunted by a different killer each night while the new boyfriend of one of the character's (Belmont Cameli) demonstrates some selfish behavior feels pretty authentic, the menacingly decrepit production design/prominent use of practical effects (makeup, blood/gore, etc.) gives the terrors these characters are enduring some extra kick and since he'd spent much of the previous 5+ years working on the Shazam! movies, there's a joyous "just got out of jail" feeling to David F. Sandberg's direction that makes the proceedings fly by at a pretty good clip. If this ends up banking enough at the box office for the sequel that's teased in the film's final moments to be greenlit, I'd be down to go back to this universe again.     

Grade: B-