Movie Review: The Strangers: Chapter 3

Upon reaching its conclusion this past weekend, I can now declare that the Renny Harlin-helmed trilogy reboot reminds me of this incredible scene from Step Brothers. For the first two films, I was onboard with the vision. Chapter 1 is a spirited enough remake of the 2008 original while Chapter 2 is a fun extended chase sequence that does a pretty decent job of maintaining suspense by throwing pretty much non-step peril at its wounded heroine Maya (Madelaine Petsch-who proves her worth as a scream queen with her strong commitment to heavy breathing, crying and screaming) as she tries to escape the trio of serial killers that are hellbent on finishing what they started in the first film. When Harlin's endgame for this story finally comes into focus in Chapter 3, the whole idea of a trilogy centered around expanding the universe of The Strangers was suddenly rendered completely pointless.

If I didn't know that principal photography for the whole trilogy was done simultaneously, I would've assumed that Chapter 3 was improvised under extreme duress. Nobody involved with this production seems to have any fuckin idea how they're going to land the plane they've been flying around in for over 3 hours at this point, which leads to a true masterclass in confused filmmaking.

 Additional lore dumps for the serial killers formerly known as "The Strangers" are clumsily deployed at various points of the movie in order to provide a window into why they do what they do and how their relationships with one another formed. Petsch gets hung out to dry as the story concocts, abandons and then eventually returns to a revenge arc that is so thinly sketched that the final confrontation carries the emotional catharsis of a yawn. The ending is so abrupt and absurd that I'm still in disbelief that this was the note they decided to end an entire series of movies on. If this was their best attempt at wrapping up this story, I don't even want to think about what their worst would look like.

While Harlin is well past the days where he was delivering solid popcorn movies (Cliffhanger, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Die Hard 2) every couple of years, the first two films were directed competently enough where I started to question why he had been relegated to the minor leagues of Hollywood since the mid-2000's. The Strangers: Chapter 3 (along with his horrendous 2024 Aaron Eckhart-led action movie The Bricklayer) no longer has me wondering how that happened and it's pretty safe to say that he won't be getting called up to the big leagues again anytime soon after churning out a trilogy of films that ultimately proved to have an approval rating that's in line with gas station sushi.

Grade: D

2026 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-Combine

1.Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, quarterback (Indiana)

2.New York Jets: Arvell Reese, inside linebacker/edge rusher (Ohio State)

3.Arizona Cardinals: Francis Mauigoa, tackle (Miami)

4.Tennessee Titans: Rueben Bain Jr., edge rusher (Miami)

5.New York Giants: Carnell Tate, wide receiver (Ohio State)

6.Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, tackle (Utah)

7.Washington Commanders: David Bailey, edge rusher (Texas Tech)

8.New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson, wide receiver (Arizona State)

9.Kansas City Chiefs: Jeremiyah Love, running back (Notre Dame)

10.Cincinnati Bengals: Caleb Downs, safety (Ohio State)

11.Miami Dolphins: Mansoor Delane, cornerback (LSU)

12.Dallas Cowboys: Jermod McCoy, cornerback (Tennessee) 

13.Los Angeles Rams: Makai Lemon, wide receiver (USC)

14.Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, guard (Penn State)

15.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sonny Styles, inside linebacker (Ohio State)

16.New York Jets: Ty Simpson, quarterback (Alabama)

17.Detroit Lions: Cashius Howell, edge rusher (Texas A&M)

18.Minnesota Vikings: Avieon Terrell, cornerback (Clemson)

19.Carolina Panthers: Kayden McDonald, defensive tackle (Ohio State)

20.Dallas Cowboys: Keldric Faulk, edge rusher (Auburn)

21.Pittsburgh Steelers: Denzel Boston, wide receiver (Washington)

22.Los Angeles Chargers: Kadyn Proctor, guard/tackle (Alabama)

23.Philadelphia Eagles: Kenyon Sadiq, tight end (Oregon)

24.Cleveland Browns: KC Concepcion, wide receiver (Texas A&M)

25.Chicago Bears: Peter Woods, defensive tackle (Clemson)

26.Buffalo Bills: Jake Golday, inside linebacker (Cincinnati)

27.San Francisco 49ers: T.J. Parker, edge rusher (Clemson)

28.Houston Texans: Caleb Lomu, tackle (Utah)

29.Los Angeles Rams: Colton Hood, cornerback (Tennessee) 

30.Denver Broncos: Caleb Banks, defensive tackle (Florida)

31.New England Patriots: Monroe Freeling, tackle (Georgia)

32.Seattle Seahawks: Keith Abney II, cornerback (Arizona State)

Super Bowl LX Prediction

Conference Championship Record: 2-0

Overall Playoff Record: 9-3

Seattle Seahawks over New England Patriots:

The conclusion of the wackiest NFL season in recent memory is finally upon us. Anybody that expected either of these teams to make the Super Bowl as recently as early December would've likely been written off as a homer or delusional moron, so kudos to those who believed in these teams before the rest of the football world did. This is a strange matchup for a number of reasons, particularly when you consider their paths to get here as The Seahawks put together a pair of excellent games against two of their divisional rivals while the Patriots strong defensive play made up for the erratic play and ugly turnovers that bogged down their offense during their three game run to the AFC crown.

As much as I can buy into the narrative that the Patriots are a team of destiny after winning 16 of their last 17 games, I still can't pick them to win this game. No matter how angry Patriots fans get about this topic of conversation, you just can't overlook the tidal wave of good fortune that has come their way by playing three broken offenses in a row on their way to making it here. While Sam Darnold absolutely has it in him to shit his pants and replicate the hideous turnovers that C.J. Stroud and Jarrett Stidham committed that played a huge role in them securing wins in each of the past two weeks, the 'Hawks offense could also smack the Patriots in the mouth if they take care of the football, which wasn't even a realistic consideration during any of the other games during this run. The biggest weakness of the Pats defense by far is defending vertical passing attacks and Darnold is coming off a game against the Rams where he was absolutely lethal downfield. The versatility of Jaxson Smith-Njigba, speed of Rasheed Shaheed and size of A.J. Barner presents the type of challenge the Patriots haven't faced in these playoffs thus far, and I wouldn't exactly be stunned if Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones and their linebackers/safeties ended up getting cooked just like the Rams did two weeks ago. If the Hawks somehow able to also get Kenneth Walker III and their rushing attack going against the Patriots stout run D, things could get real ugly real fast. 

On the other side of the ball, the Patriots offense has largely struggled during these playoffs due to how strong the defenses they've played have been and they're once again going to have their hands full with the Seahawks defense. The 'Hawks have a physical pass rush that could really wear down their weak interior line and undersized left tackle Will Campbell, their third ranked rushing defense has what it takes to slow down the Pats typically effective power/speed RB combo of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson and most importantly, their metrics in the most important areas of the game are all at or near the top of the league (1st in scoring defense, 1st in 3rd down defense, 5th in 3rd down defense, 6th in takeaways). Their biggest vulnerabilities are Riq Woolen at the second outside corner spot (Drake Maye is going to likely need a big game from Kayshon Boutte or Mack Hollins to get their air attack going given that Devon Witherspoon is likely to follow Stefon Diggs wherever he lines up) and in defending QB scrambles-which is an area where Drake Maye particularly excels. Are those weaknesses enough for the Patriots to exploit and put together their first strong offensive showing of these playoffs? Perhaps, but I sure as hell wouldn't bet on it. 

Look, I'm fully prepared for the possibility the Pats win this game. The Seahawks aren't an infallible juggernaut by any stretch, Mike Macdonald is a greener coach than Mike Vrabel and as I said earlier, Darnold is capable of being a turnover machine and an operation as sound as the Patriots would be able to take advantage of those mistakes in the same way they did in their wins over the Chargers, Texans and Broncos. I just happen to think the Seahawks are a more talented team and the magic that the Patriots have rode to this game is finally going to run out. 

Kevin James 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 Kevin James-whose latest project "Solo Mio" releases in theaters today. 

Kevin James' Filmography Ranked:

16.Zookeeper (D)

15.The Dilemma (D+) 

14.I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (C-)

13.Guns Up (C)

12.Hubie Halloween (C)

11.Home Team (C)

10.Pixels (C)

9.Paul Blart: Mall Cop (C)

8.Grown Ups 2 (C)

7.Hitch (C+)

6.Hotel Transylvania 2 (B-) 

5.Hotel Transylvania (B-) 

4.Grown Ups (B-)

3.Here Comes the Boom (B)

2.50 First Dates (B)

1.Becky (B)

Top Dog: Becky (2020)

One of the biggest gems that emerged from the peak of the COVID lockdown where most of the small number of movies being released were indie genre movies, Becky is a very fun B-home invasion thriller that really relishes in its absurd nastiness. Lulu Wilson makes for a great teenage antihero, James does well going against type as a Nazi gang leader who just broke out of jail and the bursts of splattery gore hit really hard.

Bottom Feeder: Zookeeper (2011)

Generally speaking, I find James to be an affable screen presence who can lift up even the shakiest material he's handed. Zookeeper is one of the only times in his career where I felt that wasn't the case. James' answer to Doctor Dolittle is the epitome of 2000/2010's kids movie trash where the jokes are so consistently lame that the entire affair becomes obnoxious to the point where the end credits starting to roll feel like the first rays of sun hitting your face after spending a couple of hours locked up in a holding cell.

Most Underrated: Here Comes the Boom (2012)

I have a vivid memory of seeing Here Comes the Boom with a friend on opening weekend because the showing of Argo we had intended to go to was sold out and both of us being shocked by how much we enjoyed it. James shook off the brutal 1-2 punch of The Dilemma and Zookeeper to successfully apply his likeable everyman persona to a genuinely rousing, well-crafted underdog sports dramedy about a biology teacher (James) who takes on a side gig as an MMA fighter with the hopes of making enough money to save his school's music program. 

Most Overrated: Hitch (2005)

Perhaps I have an inflated belief of how well-liked Hitch is due to me being a teenager when it was released and having to spend so much time around people gushing about it. By the time I finally saw it in my late 20's, I was a little perplexed as to how it became so popular. While it's a completely inoffensive romcom anchored by a magnetic performance from Will Smith, I just didn't find to be overly funny or charming and the chemistry between Smith and Eva Mendes isn't really there. 

2025 NFL Awards+All-Pro Teams and Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Predictions

MVP: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

During the summer, there were concerns that the 37-year-old Stafford would be hindered by a lingering back injury that caused his reps to be capped during training camp. He made everybody that doubted his ability to stay healthy and play at a high level look like idiots as he ended up having the best season of his 17-year career in 2025. He led the league in passing YDS (4,707) and TD's (46) while finishing second in QBR (109.2) behind likely MVP runner-up Drake Maye as the Rams had their best season since winning the Super Bowl in 2021. Best of all for Stafford, this season will further solidify his case for making the Hall of Fame-which has been and will remain a spirited debate topic as his career winds down or possibly even ends following this magical season.

Honorable Mentions: Drake Maye (Patriots), Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars), Justin Herbert (Chargers)

Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

There's one man above all that Sam Darnold and Klint Kubiak can thank for their profiles being raised around the league with the Seahawks stellar offensive play in 2025 and his name is Jaxson Smith-Njigba. Every team that played the Seahawks this season knew they were going to feed JSN (Cooper Kupp and A.J. Barner were the next leading receivers on the team and they finished the season with lines of 47/593/2 and 52/519/6 respectively) and threw everything they had into stopping them. Despite these valiant efforts, he still killed them nearly every week-hauling in a whopping 119 receptions for a league-high 1,793 YDS and 10 TD's. Zooming in further on these numbers only make them more impressive as he posted 100+ YDS in 9 games and only had 1 game all season where had below 70 YDS (Week 13 against the Vikings-where he nabbed just 2 receptions for 23 YDS). Any conversation surrounding the best WR's in the league this offseason that doesn't include JSN don't deserve to be taken seriously. 

Honorable Mentions: Bijan Robinson (Falcons), Puka Nacua (Rams), Trey McBride (Cardinals)

Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett (Browns)

When the league shifted to a 17-game schedule in 2021, it was inevitable that Michael Strahan's single season sack record of 22.5 that was set back in 2001 was going to fall. In the final week of the 2025 season, it finally did and to the surprise of very few, Myles Garrett was the man that did it. Playing on yet another miserably bad Browns team buried just how locked in Garrett was this season as he shattered his new career highs across the board by logging 23 sacks, 33 TFL's and 39 QB hits all while facing increased attention from opponents as the only real threat on a Browns front that otherwise struggled to rush the passer (the next three players on their list of team sack leaders combined for just 16 total). Someday we'll truly appreciate just how great Garrett was, but for now, we'll just keep mourning the fact that he's stuck in football purgatory with seemingly no way out.   

Honorable Mentions: Cameron Heyward (Steelers), Will Anderson Jr. (Texans), Jack Campbell (Lions)

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers)

McMillan ended up doing enough in the latter stages of the season to fend off the likes of Colston Loveland, Emeka Egbuka and Tyler Shough for this honor. After battling some inconsistency out of the gate, the 1st round pick out of Arizona emerged as the reliable WR1 the Panthers desperately needed around mid-October and ended up becoming the only rookie to clear 1,000 YDS receiving this season in dramatic fashion when he reeled in a 40-YD reception from Bryce Young in the 4th quarter of their Week 18 contest with the Bucs. As long as his rapport with Young continues to improve, McMillan should be even better in 2026. 

Honorable Mentions: Colston Loveland (Bears), Tyler Shough (Saints), Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers)

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Carson Schwesinger (Browns)

Beyond Myles Garrett, the biggest bright spot of the Browns flawed but frisky defense may've been their rookie inside linebacker out of UCLA. Schwesinger quickly established himself as a sideline-to-sideline impact player-registering 156 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, 9 QB hits and 3 passes defensed in 16 games. With Jim Schwartz likely not returning as DC after being passed over for their head coaching gig, it'll be interesting to see if Schwesinger can adapt to a different system that is potentially less aggressive than the one he thrived in this year.

Honorable Mentions: Xavier Watts (Falcons), Jihaad Campbell (Eagles), Malaki Starks (Ravens)

Coach of the Year: Kyle Shanahan (49ers)

No disrespect to the remarkable turnaround efforts that Liam Coen, Ben Johnson and Mike Vrabel led this season, but only one coach in the league made the playoffs and had a chance at getting the top seed in the hypercompetitive NFC after half of their roster died during the season. Shanahan's ability to deal with a cartoonishly high volume of injuries of the short-term, long-term and season-ending variety and field a team that was not only competitive but thrived for the bulk of the season is the kind of brilliant coaching that this award is designed to honor. 

Honorable Mentions: Liam Coen (Jaguars), Ben Johnson (Bears), Mike Vrabel (Patriots)

Comeback Player of the Year: Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

The real award tomorrow night is probably going to go to Dak Prescott and that's completely fair. He quietly put together one of the best seasons of his career this season for a decent Cowboys team who was let down by their league-worst defense and it's especially impressive that he pulled this off after having a poor, injury-shortened season in 2024. I just happened to be more impressed with the play of Hutchinson-who picked up right where he left off when he went down with a broken leg 5 games into what was shaping up to be a dominant 2024 campaign by earning his first career All-Pro selection after posting 14.5 sacks, 14 TFL's, 35 QB hits, 4 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an INT.

Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Christian McCaffery (49ers), Stefon Diggs (Patriots)

All-Pro Teams:

Quarterback

1st team: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

2nd team: Drake Maye (Patriots)

Running Back

1st team: Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

2nd team: James Cook (Bills)

Wide Receiver

1st team: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Puka Nacua (Rams)

2nd team: Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

Tight End

1st team: Trey McBride (Cardinals)

2nd team: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Tackle

1st team: Garett Bolles (Broncos), Penei Sewell (Lions)

2nd team: Tristan Wirfs (Buccaneers), Darnell Wright (Bears)

Guard

1st team: Joe Thuney (Bears), Quinn Meinerz (Broncos)

2nd team: Quenton Nelson (Colts), Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

Center

1st team: Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

2nd team: Aaron Brewer (Dolphins)

Edge Rusher

1st team: Myles Garrett (Browns), Will Anderson Jr. (Texans)

2nd team: Micah Parsons (Packers), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

Defensive Tackle

1st team: Cameron Heyward (Steelers), Jeffrey Simmons (Titans)

2nd team: Leonard Williams (Seahawks), Travis Jones (Ravens)

Inside Linebacker

1st team: Jack Campbell (Lions), Demario Davis (Saints)

2nd team: Devin Lloyd (Jaguars), Zack Baun (Eagles)

Cornerback

1st team: Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks), Mike Jackson (Panthers)

2nd team: Cooper DeJean (Eagles), Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles)

Safety

1st team: Kyle Hamilton (Ravens), Derwin James (Chargers)

2nd team: Jalen Pitre (Texans), Kevin Byard (Bears)

Kicker

1st team: Will Reichard (Vikings)

2nd team: Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

Punter

1st team: Jordan Stout (Ravens)

2nd team: Daniel Whelan (Packers)

Return Specialists:

1st team: Ray Davis (Bills), Marcus Jones (Patriots)

2nd team: Isaiah Williams (Jets), Chimere Dike (Titans)

Special Teamer:

1st team: Devon Key (Broncos)

2nd team: Carson Bruener (Steelers)

Long Snapper:

1st team: Rex Sunahara (Browns)

2nd team: Ross Matiscik (Jaguars)

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Predictions:

Willie Anderson, tackle (Team: Cincinnati Bengals)

Drew Brees, quarterback (Teams: San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints)

Roger Craig, running (Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, Minnesota Vikings)

L.C. Greenwood, defensive end (Team: Pittsburgh Steelers)

Torry Holt, wide receiver (Teams: St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars)

Luke Kuechly, inside linebacker (Team: Carolina Panthers) 

Darren Woodson, safety (Team: Dallas Cowboys)

Who I'd Vote for If I Had a Ballot: 

Drew Brees

Torry Holt

Luke Kuechly

Kevin Williams, defensive tackle (Teams: Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints)

Marshal Yanda, guard (Team: Baltimore Ravens)

Movie Review: Send Help

Sam Raimi has built such an incredible career that many people that were born during the last 35 years primarily associate him with superhero movies. As ridiculous or blasphemous as that will sound to the hardcore Rami afficionados out there, take a moment to consider that 2009's Drag Me to Hell is the only proper horror movie he's made this century and his last entry in the Evil Dead franchise (Army of Darkness) turns 33 years old later this month. After ending his nearly decade-long reprieve from directing features following the shaky commercial performance/reception of Oz The Great and Powerful to helm Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022, Raimi has finally returned to his comedy horror roots with Send Help and provided the uninitiated with a taste of the signature style that made him a cult hero in genre circles back in the 80's.

In the opening moments of Send Help, the viewer is introduced to Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams). Linda is a meek fuddy duddy who works in the strategy and planning department of an unnamed major financial management corporation and after years of grinding away in the shadows without ever receiving any meaningful acknowledgement for her hard work, appears set to receive a promotion to vice president once the new CEO Bradley Preston (Dylan O'Brien) officially takes over for his late father (Bruce Campbell, who appears strictly via photographic cameos). On his first day on the job, Bradley quickly becomes repulsed by Linda's pathetic "bird lady" demeanor and hands the promotion to his golfing buddy Donovan (Xavier Samuel) instead despite him being considerably less experienced than Linda. During the same meeting, Bradley informs Linda that he doesn't believe she provides much value to their operation and challenges her to prove her worth to him by traveling with the company to Bangkok for a meeting about a prospective merger. 

A week later, the company's private plane crashes somewhere in the vicinity of Thailand and the sole survivors of the wreck are Linda and Bradley. While Linda made it to the shore of an unoccupied island pretty much unscathed, Bradley sustained wounds and injuries to his legs that were severe enough to render him unable to walk without assistance. Relying on Linda-who has honed a wide set of survival skills thanks to her desire to compete on Survivor-to survive, Bradley has to discount all of his instincts telling him to boss Linda around as she is quite literally the only reason he's still alive after losing consciousness following the crash and having the tide carry him to the beach that Linda was able to swim to. As Bradley regains his strength, a vicious power struggle ensues between the two that threatens to kill them both before they even have a chance to be rescued. 

Raimi really couldn't have picked a more ideal project to make his return to horror/thrillers on than Send Help. While I'm sure he considered taking on other projects, veteran screenwriting duo Damien Shannon and Mark Swift (Freddy vs. Jason, the 2009 remake of Friday the 13th) handed him such a rich canvas to work his sicko magic on that it's easy to see why he dove headfirst into this opportunity. The constant evolution of the dynamic between Linda and Bradley and the twists that help shift them are so quintessentially Raimi that it's kind of hard to believe that he didn't write the film himself. There's such a perverse, playful glee behind every creative choice in this film and it all culminates in a twisted conclusion that had me cackling in my seat as the credits began to roll. Raimi had been away from the genre for so long that there was inevitably going to be questions about whether or he could still deliver the goods, so it was a huge relief to discover that the maestro of deranged horror comedies has retained his ability to conduct the hell out of his orchestra at the age of 66.

As delightful as it is to see Rami deploy his bag of tricks again, the top highlight of Send Help is watching McAdams and O'Brien spar with each other. This is the kind of showcase that these two versatile, magnetic and perpetually underrated talents have deserved for ages. The funhouse environment that Raimi famously creates on his sets paired with the nature of the story grants them the freedom to truly play as actors and the two of them settle into such a finely tuned rhythm of manipulation, combativeness and sassiness as their characters go to great lengths to fight for control of their little of horrific island paradise that is just magic to watch. Having a movie that almost entirely hinges on the shoulders of two actors being able to portray a constantly shifting power dynamic is a risky bet, but when those actors are as locked into their own performances and getting on the same page as their scene partner as the lead duo of Send Help is, that gamble pays off big time.

Send Help is one hell of a way to cap off by far the strongest January for cinema that we've had this decade. If you have any interest in seeing this, I urge to you check it out in theaters ASAP. It's a movie that really pops with a crowd and original stories like this really need support during this era where studios are often hesitant to greenlit things that aren't established IP. 

Grade: B+

Ric Roman Waugh 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 Ric Roman Waugh-whose latest project "Shelter" opens in theaters today. 

Ric Roman Waugh's Filmography Ranked:

7.Greenland 2: Migration (B-)

6.Angel Has Fallen (B-)

5.Kandahar (B)

4.Snitch (B)

3.Greenland (B)

2.Shot Caller (B)

1.Felon (B)

Top Dog: Felon (2008)

While Waugh has maintained a pretty solid quality standard over the past 20 years or so, I'm inclined to give his breakout feature Felon a slight edge over Shot Caller, Greenland and Snitch for this title. Felon is a really solid prison drama about a family man (Stephen Dorff) who loses sight of who he is after being sent to a corrupt, violent prison after receiving a questionable sentence for involuntarily manslaughter after accidently killing an armed robber with a baseball bat on his property that somehow got buried as a direct-to-video title in 2008 and it's a testament to the power of the video store/cable culture of that era that it went onto to find an audience. 

Bottom Feeder: Greenland 2: Migration (2026)

Greenland marked the rare disaster movie that focused more on the human element of an apocalyptic weather event than the event itself. The sequel Greenland 2: Migration abandons that storytelling philosophy to an extent in an effort to up the ante and it leads to an inferior product. While I'm not going to say that it completely stinks since the significant increase in weather events leads to some tense sequences, these setpieces just happen to come at the cost of stripping away what made its predecessor stand out from other movies in the genre. 

Most Underrated: Shot Caller (2017)

Shot Caller is pretty much a carbon copy of Felon right down to the slipping through the cracks of the Hollywood distribution machine aspect. Still, it's a compelling, gritty movie about how prison can make monsters of decent people and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau does really great work in the lead role of Jacob Harlon-who pleads guilty to a DUI and quickly gets caught up in the pervasive gang culture in the Los Angeles-area prison he was sentenced to. 

Most Overrated: None

Despite directing movies for about 25 years now, Waugh has never made anything that has generated overly passionate reactions on either end of the spectrum. Some people would call him a "journeyman" because of this, but I'd call him a steady hand who can be counted onto to do solid work across a number of genres. 

Most Frequently Played Movie Trailers of 2025

Full disclosure: I had no intention of ever making this public but my ability to write what I intended today is no longer feasible for reasons that are of no interest or importance to anyone who happens to be reading this.  After a couple of years of seeing people online bitching incessantly about the same trailers playing in front of every movie, I decided to start logging every trailer I saw in theaters back in 2024 to see exactly how often trailers were being played. Today, I'm going to share with you a list of trailers for movies released in 2025 that I saw the most. Here's a few notes that will provide some context to what you're about to see here:

-The criteria for inclusion here was anything that I saw at least 10 times,

-On average, I see somewhere between 2 and 3 movies per week, and this data set was collected from over 100 showings between the first half of 2024 when the first trailers for 2025 titles dropped and this month when the last of the year-end releases began playing in my area.  

-With a lone exception (shoutout divine indie palace CinemaSalem), all of these trailers played in front of films that were seen at a handful of different AMC locations around the greater Boston area.

-While I'm more often than not in my seat before the trailers begin, I do arrive late on occasion and that definitely impacted these numbers to a minimal degree. 

What does the data reveal? Well, there are indeed some trailers that are really getting spammed but for 2025 at least, a single film stood well above the rest of the pack (If you went to the movies with any degree of regularity last year, you probably will not be surprised by what the title in question is). Other than that, the data is completely up to your own interpretation. I've personally found that the complaining about the repetition of trailers is pretty overblown, but to be fair, I'm also someone who doesn't really care about seeing a trailer over and over when I go to the theater. Without further ado, let's break down this sweet sweet data.    

Most Frequently Played Movie Trailers of 2025:

(Final note: Titles are sorted by release date)

25: Mission-Impossible: The Final Reckoning

18: The Roses

17: Wolf Man, 28 Years Later, M3GAN 2.0

16: Wicked: For Good, Anaconda

15: Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, The Naked Gun, Him, Roofman, The Housemaid

14: The Amateur

13: Novocaine, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

12: Drop, Jurassic World Rebirth, Predator Badlands

11: I Know What You Did Last Summer, One Battle After Another, The Running Man, Ella McCay 

10: Until Dawn, Ballerina, Caught Stealing, Good Fortune

Just Missed the Cut (aka The 9-Times Club): The Monkey, Sinners, Black Phone 2, Hamnet, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, Is This Thing On? 

This will probably be the only time I ever post something like this, so if you enjoyed it, I'm glad that my OCD, curiosity and contempt for social media hot takes could provide with a little bit of entertainment during these trying times.

Top 10 Movie Action Sequences of 2025

Honorable Mentions:

Silver Surfer Chases The Fantastic Four Through Space-The Fantastic Four: First Steps

 

Ice Club Fight-Ballerina

 

Disgruntled Assassin vs. Triads-Fight or Flight

The Team Meets for the First Time-Thunderbolts*

Amusement Park Chaos-Nobody 2

10.Glass Wolverine-Novocaine

A big part of Novocaine's appeal comes from the protagonist Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) having a disorder that makes him unable to feel pain and the film crafting action sequences that take full advantage of Caine's ability to get beat to shit without fully realizing just how hurt he is. While the other fight scenes in the film have more elaborate choreography, there's a particularly gruesome, bone-crunching edge to this one that made it my favorite of the film's many visceral bursts of action. 

9.Safe House Ambush-Heads of State

How about some more Jack Quaid to kick off this countdown? Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry, Nobody) got called up to the PG-13 streaming blockbuster league with Heads of State and made it one of the rare entries in this frowned upon subsection of Hollywood to be a legit good time. Outside of reigniting the tremendous adversarial chemistry that Idris Elba and John Cena built up in The Suicide Squad, the stylized, high energy action sequences like this key setpiece from the second act of the film were the biggest reason why Heads of State succeeded where many others in this space have failed.

8.Kitchen Fight-Love Hurts

As the president of the Love Hurts Fan Club, I'm obligated to feature a scene from it here. The zany, playful choreography here is a throwback to the stuff that Jackie Chan was doing when he first started making movies in English during the mid-to-late 90's and it was refreshing to see this brand of goofy fighting on screen in 2025. 

7.Mister Terrific Introduces Himself to Lex Luthor's Goon Squad-Superman

Just a classic James Gunn action sequence where the CGI/practical elements are brought together seamlessly and a scene-stealing side character gets to wail on a bunch of faceless goons to a cool song. 

6.Average Duck Boat Tour Disturbance -Nobody 2

 

Fair or not, Nobody 2 had the unenviable task of trying to match or top the incredible fight sequences from the first film. Despite ultimately failing to reach the peaks of its predecessor, it's still a really fun movie full of sick action. This particularly goofy sequence makes really great use of its unique setting and the shots of chaos breaking out in the background while the people in the front of the boat are fully locked into the duck boat tour made me laugh pretty hard.

5.All Hell Breaks Loose-Diablo

Diablo appears to blow most of its low budget on this sequence and its big final set piece set at an abandoned factory. If this was indeed the case, it was 100% worth it. What makes me prefer this scene from pretty early on in the film to the finale is the beautifully executed mayhem that organically leads to into the first of the few fights that take place between martial arts legends Scott Adkins and Marko Zaror during Diablo's lethally efficient 91-minute runtime.  

4.Driving Shootout Through the Streets of Nice-Den of Thieves 2: Pantera

Having the big action payoff of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera be an unbearably tense extended chase/shootout through the winding tunnels and mountainsides of Nice, France (or more accurately, Spain's Canary Islands doubling as Nice) is one of the many reasons these movies rip so hard.

3.Tom Cruise Risks His Life for the Movies Part 123-Mission-Impossible: The Final Reckoning

This would've been a spot higher if it had been the first time Tom Cruise had hung from the side of an airplane in a Mission-Impossible movie. Despite its similarity to a famous stunt from Rogue Nation, it remains an exhilarating sequence that helps The Final Reckoning atone for the sins of its first act in the final one. 

2.Grenade Fight-Ballerina

Watching Ana de Armas survive an ambush at an arms dealer's hideout by finding a box of grenades in a locked room was the very moment that I knew that Chad Stahelski had come in and saved Ballerina from being the first movie in the John Wick universe to miss the mark. 

1.Flamethrower Fight-Ballerina

Nothing else I watched in 2025 had an action scene that came anywhere close to matching this one. The John Wick franchise just continues to find ways to pull off creative fight scenes full of unreal stuntwork and pristine editing and this insane climactic fight with FUCKING FLAMETHROWERS is every bit as good as the finest moments from the main franchise. 

NFL Conference Championship Predictions

 Last Week: 3-1 (Correct: Seahawks, Patriots, Rams Incorrect: Bills)

Overall Playoff Record: 7-3

New England Patriots Over Denver Broncos:

Before I talk about this game, I have to put into writing that the Broncos made me eat shit with their performance last week. They took advantage of the many mistakes the Bills made, and Bo Nix shook off of a very rough second half to deliver when his team needed him the most during the end of the 4th quarter/overtime to lead the Broncos to a gutsy win that granted them the opportunity to return to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2015. 

Moving on today's game, Nix being sidelined with a broken ankle changes the complexion of this game entirely. Nix's mobility is the key to the entire Broncos offense and without him under center, their system becomes much more predictable and their RB's and pass-catchers beyond Courtland Sutton aren't strong enough to have faith in their ability to overcome the loss of their second year signalcaller's improvisational gifts. On top of this, Nix's backup Jarrett Stidham has not taken a meaningful snap since the end of the 2023 season and only has 4 career starts during his 7-year NFL career. Nobody in NFL history has started a Conference Championship with this little game action under their belt and asking somebody this green to come off the bench and lead you to a Super Bowl is a huge ask, especially against a defense that has been stifling against both the run and pass in each of their playoff games thus far. 

Any path to a Broncos victory will most likely have to be through their defense once again being able to take advantage of their opponent's miscues/offensive line woes (which is feasible as the Patriots have turned the ball over a whopping five times and allowed 10 sacks over the past two games) and/or the Patriots once again succumbing to the horrors of Mile High (they've lost all four of their previous playoff games in franchise history). To put it more succinctly, I just don't think the Broncos in a good position to win today given the huge matchup disadvantages they're being handed with their offense going against the Pats defense. 

Seattle Seahawks over Los Angeles Rams:

Even after the shellacking they handed the 49ers at home last week, having faith in the Seahawks isn't an easy to thing to do right now. Sam Darnold wasn't exactly rolling against the 49ers (12/17, 124 YDS, 1 TD), their rushing attack will now fall squarely on the shoulders of Kenneth Walker III as Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL last week and it feels like they need things that can't be relied upon to happen every week like special teams or defensive scores to really gain control of a game. If a shootout situation emerges like it did during their last meeting back in Week 16, I don't think the 'Hawks will be able to win this time around. 

The sole reason I'm picking the Seahawks here is that I don't think the Rams offense has been particularly strong over the past two weeks. Save for a few drives, they had a very hard time moving the ball against a pretty terrible Bears defense. Going against a Seahawks team that shares Bears DC Dennis Allen's love of throwing out weird blitz looks but doesn't share Allen's group inability to stop the run would be a nightmare scenario for the Rams team we've seen over the past couple of weeks. If anybody can get back on track after a pair of down weeks, it's Stafford, Sean McVay, Puka Nacua and the deeply talented Rams offense- I just can't in good conscience pick them to win a game in which they're squaring off with the best defense by far they've played in the playoffs after seeing what they've done in the playoffs up to this point. 

Rebecca Ferguson 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 Rebecca Ferguson-whose latest project "Mercy" releases in theaters today. 

Rebecca Ferguson's Filmography Ranked:

15.The Greatest Showman (C)

14.Florence Foster Jenkins (C)

13.Men in Black: International (C+)

12.The Kid Who Would Be King (B-)

11.Hercules (B-) 

10.Life (B-)

9.A House of Dynamite (B-)

8.Reminiscence (B-) 

7.Mission-Impossible: Rogue Nation (B)

6.Dune: Part Two (B)

5.The Girl on the Train (B+)

4.Dune (B+)

3.Doctor Sleep (B+)

2.Mission-Impossible: Dead Reckoning (B+)

1.Mission-Impossible: Fallout (B+)

Top Dog: Mission-Impossible: Fallout (2018)

The Mission-Impossible franchise was able to maintain a pretty consistent quality standard once the scale got upped with the third film that would be the envy of most other long-running franchises. While I don't believe the gap is as significant as some people do, Fallout does sit a bit above the other entries that came out during this 20-year golden period for Tom Cruise's spy franchise. Fallout earned its way to the top of the pack for one simple reason: the action sequences and stuntwork are the craziest of the entire franchise. This movie just stacks propulsive setpieces on top of each other until it rides off into the sunset after 2.5 glorious hours. It's just an unbelievable accomplishment that will have action movie fans gushing for the rest of time. 

Bottom Feeder: The Greatest Showman (2017)

Michael Gracey's stylish, technically dazzling direction on Better Man impressed me so much that I decided to finally give The Greatest Showman a shot. After watching it, I'm blown away that these two films were directed by the same person. The Greatest Showman is really the anti-Better Man as it doesn't have an interesting, risk-taking bone in its body. The starry cast (Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Ferguson) does what they can to try and elevate the material they were given, but they're just no match for the heaping helping of vanilla "follow your dreams" sentimentality and cutesy focus group-tested songs that this film serves up. 

Most Underrated: The Girl on the Train (2016)

Being utterly delighted by The Housemaid last month got me thinking about other trashy thrillers that have come out in the past decade. The Girl on the Train has become the most slept-on title from the initial wave of titles from this subgenre that arrived on the scene after the success of Gone Girl brought it back into the spotlight. Emily Blunt does some of the best work of her storied career as a blackout-prone alcoholic who isn't quite sure if she witnessed the murder of a young woman (Haley Bennett) from a commuter train bound for New York City, Tate Taylor delivers the sturdy direction that made him one of the most in-demand studio filmmakers of the 2010's and the stacked supporting cast (Justin Theroux, Ferguson, Allison Janney, Lisa Kudrow, Luke Evans) help sell the shit out of the barrage of absurd twists that make or break these kinds of movies.

Most Overrated: Dune: Part Two (2024)

Denis Villeneuve is somebody who handles spectacle and tension incredibly well but tends to struggle with delivering emotion. This has never been more apparent in a film of his than it is in Dune: Part Two. The transformation of Paul Atreides from potential liberator of the oppressed to budding tyrant is supposed to be this devastating tale about how power corrupts and yet through the combination of Dune's unbelievable scale and emotional coldness, it never gets close enough to Atreides for the viewer to feel the true weight of his turn towards darkness. The lack of emotional substance in Dune: Part Two is the main reason why my excitement level for the more character-driven Dune: Part Three is so muted.

Oscar Nomination Predictions

Tomorrow in the wee hours of the morning in Los Angeles, this year's Oscar nominations will be revealed. Here are the films and individuals I expect to be in the running for gold statues this year. 

Best Picture:

Bugonia 

Frankenstein

Hamnet

It Was Just an Accident 

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

The Secret Agent

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Train Dreams

Locks: Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, Sinners

Toss-Ups: Bugonia, It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Train Dreams

Other Possible Contenders: Avatar: Fire and Ash, F1, No Other Choice, Sirat, Weapons

Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another

Ryan Coogler, Sinners

Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme

Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value

Chloe Zhao, Hamnet

Locks: Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Chloe Zhao

Toss-Ups: Josh Safdie, Joachim Trier

Other Possible Contenders: Clint Bentley (Train Dreams), Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein), Kieber Mendoca Filho (The Secret Agent), Yorgos Lanthimos (Bugonia), Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident)

Best Actor:

Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

Locks: Timothee Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan, Wagner Moura

Toss-Ups: None

Other Possible Contenders: George Clooney (Jay Kelly), Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams), Lee Byung-hun (No Other Choice), Dwayne Johnson (The Smashing Machine), Jesse Plemons (Bugonia)

Best Actress:

Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You

Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another

Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value

Emma Stone, Bugonia

Locks: Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne

Toss-Ups: Chase Infiniti, Renate Reinsve, Emma Stone

Other Possible Contenders: Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love), Amanda Seyfried (The Testament of Ann Lee), Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby)

Best Supporting Actor:

Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another

Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein

Paul Mescal, Hamnet

Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

Stellan Skarsgard, Sentimental Value

Locks: Benicio del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Sean Penn, Stellan Skarsgard

Toss-Ups: None

Other Possible Contenders: Miles Caton (Sinners), Delroy Lindo (Sinners), William H. Macy (Train Dreams), Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly), Andrew Scott (Blue Moon)

Best Supporting Actress:

Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value

Amy Madigan, Weapons

Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Locks: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Amy Madigan, Teyana Taylor

Toss-Ups: Ariana Grande, Wunmi Mosaku

Other Possible Contenders: Odessa A'zion (Marty Supreme), Emily Blunt (The Smashing Machine) Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value), Regina Hall (One Battle After Another), Gwyneth Paltrow (Marty Supreme)

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Bugonia

Hamnet

No Other Choice

One Battle After Another

Train Dreams

Locks: Hamnet, One Battle After Another

Toss-Ups: Bugonia, No Other Choice, Train Dreams

Other Possible Contenders: Frankenstein, Hedda, The Long Walk, Nuremberg, Wake Up Dead Man

Best Original Screenplay:

It Was Just an Accident

Marty Supreme

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Sorry, Baby

Locks: It Was Just an Accident, Sentimental Value, Sinners

Toss-Ups: Marty Supreme, Sorry, Baby

Other Possible Contenders: Blue Moon, Is This Thing On?, Jay Kelly, The Secret Agent, Weapons

Best Animated Feature:

Arco

Kpop Demon Hunters

Little Amelie or the Character of Rain

Scarlet

Zootopia 2

Locks: Arco, Kpop Demon Hunters, Zootopia 2

Toss-Ups: Little Amelie or the Character of Rain, Scarlet

Other Possible Contenders: The Bad Guys 2, In Your Dreams, Elio 

Best Documentary Feature:

2000 Meters to Andriivika

The Alabama Solution

Cover-Up

My Undesirable Friends

The Perfect Neighbor

Locks: 2000 Meters to Andriivika, Cover-Up

Toss-Ups: The Alabama Solution, My Undesirable Friends, The Perfect Neighbor

Other Possible Contenders: Apocalypse in the Tropics, Come See Me in the Good Light, Holding Liat, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, Seeds 

Best International Film:

It Was Just an Accident

No Other Choice

Sentimental Value

The Secret Agent 

Sirat

Locks: It Was Just an Accident, Sentimental Value, The Secret Agent

Toss-Up: No Other Choice, Sirat

Other Potential Contenders: Kokuho, Left-Handed Girl, The President's Cake, Sound of Falling, The Voice of Hind Rajab

Best Casting:

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Best Cinematography: 

Frankenstein

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Train Dreams

Best Film Editing:

F1

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Best Costume Design:

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Hedda

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

Frankenstein

One Battle After Another

The Smashing Machine

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Production Design:

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Best Score:

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Best Original Song:

"Dear Me" (Diane Warren: Relentless)

"The Girl in the Bubble" (Wicked: For Good)

"Golden" (Kpop Demon Hunters)

"I Lied to You" (Sinners)

"Train Dreams" (Train Dreams)

Best Sound:

Avatar: Fire and Ash

F1

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Sirat

Best Visual Effects:

Avatar: Fire and Ash

F1

Frankenstein

Sinners

Superman

Best Animated Short:

Autokar

Eiru

Playing God

Retirement Plan

Snow Bear

Best Documentary Short:

All the Empty Rooms

Armed With Only a Camera

The Devil is Busy

Perfectly a Strangeness 

We Were the Scenery 

Best Live Action Short:

The Boy with White Skin

Jane Austen's Period Drama

The Singers

Two People Exchanging Saliva 

Movie Review: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

28 Years Later marked the return of franchise architects Danny Boyle and Alex Garland to the fold after they stepped aside for the only other previous sequel (2007's 28 Weeks Later). Their re-entry point proved to be a fascinating one as they centered the story around a preteen boy (Alfie Williams) coming of age in a world full of nothing but uncertainty, danger and decrepit monuments to a world that no longer exists. Accompanying its slow burn existentialism was a deeply experimental visual language that was built around unpredictable camera placements (the film was shot using a rig that contained 20 iPhones fanned out-which gave cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle the ability to shoot things from angles/perspectives that would be incredibly difficult to pull off with a traditional movie camera) and editing choices like freeze frames and quick cuts between still images. The avant garde style and comparative lack of zombie action made the film rather polarizing and that divided reaction was inevitably going to hurt the box office of the already-in-the can sequel The Bone Temple-which was set to and did end up releasing just seven months later. While Garland remained on as writer for the second part of the planned trilogy, Boyle passed the baton to Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels) for the sequel. The worries of those who were concerned that Boyle's absence in the director's chair was going to lead to the creation of a more conventional product proved to be misplaced as The Bone Temple is a great movie that complements its predecessor while establishing its own uniquely daring identity. 

The Bone Temple picks up pretty much immediately where its predecessor left off with Williams' Spike getting acquainted with the group of blonde wig-wearing, track suit-clad individuals that saved him from a zombie swarm This group is actually a cult led by Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell)-who is the young boy from the beginning of Years who watches his mother, sister and several members of his village get massacred and his preacher father gleefully sacrifice himself to the undead horde. Reeling from the trauma of his youth, Jimmy believes he is the son of Satan and his followers-who he also refers to as "Jimmy"-travel around the countryside looking for survivors to inflict unspeakable torture on. The petrified Spike has to decide if he wants to risk his life trying to escape from Jimmy's gang or stand by idly while they carry out their mission of bringing "charity" to those who have been lucky enough to survive for 28 years of a zombie apocalypse. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes)-who was also introduced in the final act-stumbles upon the alpha zombie "Samson" (Chi Lewis-Parry) in his shrine to the dead (aka The Bone Temple) and after seeing how he reacts to getting hit with a tranquilizer dart, Kelson believes the infection can be treated and begins to test out a potential cure on Samson . Eventually, Jimmy and Kelson end up crossing paths and what transpires between the two will change the lives of everyone in their orbit. 

By shifting focus to Kelson and Crystal, The Bone Temple is able to explore this world through the eyes of two men that went down rapidly different paths after the outbreak caused the UK to fall. Kelson never lost any of his humanity while Crystal weaponized his grief and confusion over what happened to his family to inflict pain and lord power over people who are just looking for somebody to follow during a turbulent time. Accompanying their contrasting plights is also a fascinating, painfully relevant conversation about science vs. faith. Kelson's values can be prescribed to his belief in helping others and the powers of medicine, conversation and research as healing tools while Crystal's worldview is shaped by an insistence that God is punishing mankind for its misdeeds and the egomaniacal delusion that's he's being used as an instrument to help carry this unholy reign of terror out. The vividness of Garland's writing and DaCosta's direction allows the atmosphere to powerfully express their worldviews when the story is focused on them and once the two finally meet at the end of the second act, things get particularly interesting as the window into their souls grow more transparent. 

Of course, the added bonus of all of this fascinating worldbuilding and unique explorations of well-worn themes is that this material gives a duo of sensational actors a chance to flex their muscles. Fiennes once again demonstrates the versatility that has made him so deeply respected in the industry over the past 40 years by playing a character that is completely unlike any other he's played in the past. Kelson may be an eccentric guy with an unusual love of iodine and Duran Duran, but his compassion, kindness and curiosity come from such a pure place that they couldn't even be corrupted by the collapse of a civilization that felt invincible. He's the best of humanity and one of the biggest reasons this movie manages to pack a deceptively hopeful emotional punch underneath its bleak exterior.     

Fair or not, seeing O'Connell thrive in a villain role in Sinners last year set the villain bar very high for him here. Fortunately, he didn't just clear the bar, he soared that bitch like it wasn't a challenge at all. As a cult leader, O'Connell has to harness some of the charm that he relied on to create Remmick. However, this performance goes to some much darker, more evil places than Remmick ever did and O'Connell steps into that challenge with absolutely zero fear. His ability to spew constantly evolving bullshit to his followers with ease and use faith as an excuse to carry out barbaric acts against his fellow humans is menacing without ever entering into cartoonish territory. Playing Remmick and Jimmy Crystal so close together absolutely makes O'Connell a prime target to be typecasted as an antagonist moving forward and while that wouldn't be ideal fate for an actor of his skill set, I wouldn't mind that happening as long as the performances remained this strong.

Like its predecessor, The Bone Temple ends on a note that tees up the next film perfectly. Whether we get the final chapter or not is a big question mark after The Bone Temple pretty much ate shit at the box office worldwide this past weekend. Selfishly, I want to see how this story ends but I'm not holding my breath that it will happen despite it boasting the (likely) box office-bolstering hook of having original star Cillian Murphy return as the protagonist. If we don't get to see the final film of the trilogy, I just wanted to take a moment to thank Boyle, Garland, DaCosta and their excellent team of collaborators for turning the zombie genre on its head with these bold, rewarding films. 

Grade: B+

NFL Divisional Round Predictions

 Wild Card Record: 4-2 (Correct: Rams, Bears, Patriots, Texans Incorrect: Jaguars, Eagles)

Buffalo Bills over Denver Broncos:

What the Bills did last Sunday in Jacksonville was pretty remarkable. Even though their prolific rushing attack was stifled by the Jags top-ranked rush D and already dire pass-catcher scenario got even worse when Gabe Davis tore his ACL in the second half, a visibly dinged-up Josh Allen and their much-maligned defense stepped up to lead them to a tough win. The grit they displayed against a Jags team that was widely viewed as the most well-rounded team in the AFC heading into the playoffs should serve them well against the Broncos.

My feeling heading into the playoffs was that if the Bills could beat the Jags, they had an excellent chance of making it to the Super Bowl. Allen played like a guy who knows this is the clearest path to the Super Bowl he's ever had in his career last week and that motivation to finally get the chance to play for a ring after years of falling short is the kind of powerful force that can drive special runs. After the Pats beat the Chargers on Sunday night and the Bills matchup with the Broncos was confirmed, this pick got locked in. As good as the Broncos defense can be, they just aren't a scary matchup for any team that's still alive in the playoffs. I'm going to have seen a lot more from this offense that has no real strength beyond offensive line play before I start to have any degree of faith in their ability to hang with the big dogs this time of year, the last time we saw them play a game of consequence their vaunted defense (3rd in scoring, 2nd against the rush, 7th against the pass, 1st in sacks) surrendered 34 points to a Jags offense that ranks lower than the Bills in every meaningful metric except for passing offense and most importantly, this is the time of year where Sean Payton likes to fall on his face (following his Super Bowl run in 2009, he's 5-8 in the playoffs including a 31-7 loss to these very Bills in the Wild Card round last year). Talking shit about the top seed in the conference is a dangerous game and I'm fully prepared to eat crow if need be, I just refuse to take this Broncos team seriously at this juncture, especially against a team with a star veteran quarterback that has performed well on this stage multiple times in recent years.  

Seattle Seahawks over San Francisco 49ers:

The shocking breaking news out of Seattle earlier this week that Sam Darnold is dealing with an oblique injury and hasn't thrown a ball all week certainly has me spooked about this game. A fully healthy Darnold imploded in the playoffs last season and this offense doesn't run the ball well enough (while they're ranked 3rd in rushing attempts and 10th in YDS, they're ranked a dismal 25th in yards per attempt) or have the volume of explosive playmakers at their disposal to mask an ailing QB. The good news for the Hawks and the only reason I'm still picking them to win over this pesky, incredibly resilient 49ers team is their defense. It was only two weeks ago in the de facto NFC West title game that Mike Macdonald's hard-nosed group held this terrific offense to 3 points and 173 YDS of total offense. Playing in Seattle and losing George Kittle to a torn Achillies makes the challenge of moving the ball against this imposing defense that much harder for Shanahan's offense and it's hard to have faith that they have the necessary firepower currently at their disposal to put up enough points to win this game. 

New England Patriots over Houston Texans:

To me, this is the biggest coin flip game of the weekend. Both of these teams have been terrific after enduring shitty starts (Pats are now 14-1 after starting 1-2 while the Texans are currently on a 10-game winning streak and became just the 7th team in NFL history to reach the playoffs after starting the season 0-3) and have well-earned reputations as tough, physical teams that you really don't want to go up against right now. While the Texans do have a clear advantage on defense and could easily blow up the game-especially given how bad the Pats o-line looked last week, I just don't trust their offense enough to pick them to win. C.J. Stroud did everything he could to try and throw away a game that the Texans dominated from start to finish last week, the Steelers low wattage offense just wasn't able to take advantage of the plethora of giveaways he made. The odds of the Patriots failing to do that if those huge mistakes pop up again this week are very minimal. Mike Vrabel's team has done a pretty good job of taking advantage of turnovers this year and Josh McDaniels is a skilled enough playcaller to at least put some points on the board if they happen to be gifted excellent field position multiple times in a game because Stroud can't hold onto the ball or needlessly forced a throw downfield instead of just taking a sack. 

The potential for snow also looms over this game. Not only are the Texans a dome team, but they also play in a division where elements are effectively a non-factor since the only team that plays outdoors outside of Florida is the Titans, have a QB from Southern California in Stroud that has very little experience in the cold in college or the pros and their rushing attack is below average at best (22nd in the league). That's not exactly a blueprint for success when you're playing a team that frolics in the elements damn near every week this time of year and that could prove to be their demise in such an even matchup on paper. 

Los Angeles Rams over Chicago Bears:

Riding the high of the Bears insane comeback win over the Packers last Saturday was the best moment I've had as a fan since they went to the Super Bowl 19 years ago. When the Eagles lost to the 49ers last Sunday and the matchup with the Rams was confirmed, that feeling of euphoria promptly turned to dread. The prospect of facing off against a Sean McVay-coached offense that's leading the league in scoring is completely fucking terrifying. As well as the Bears defense played for the bulk of the second half against the Packers, shutting down Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and a cartoonishly injured Josh Jacobs is a much easier ask than trying to slow down Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, Davante Adams and the multiple other threats the Rams have in their arsenal. There's a glimmer of hope to be had for the Bears given the struggles the Rams defense have been going through of late and the whole West Coast team having to play in Chicago in January of it all (although Matthew Stafford's 12-year run with the Lions takes away at least some of that advantage), I just don't like the Bears defense's odds of meaningfully slowing down this wagon of an offense for 60 minutes. 

Joe Carnahan 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 Joe Carnahan-whose latest project "The Rip" begins streaming on Netflix tomorrow. 

Joe Carnahan's Filmography Ranked:

7.Shadow Force (C)

6.Copshop (B)

5.The Grey (B)

4.Boss Level (B)

3.Narc (B+)

2.The A-Team (B+)

1.Smokin' Aces (A)

Top Dog: Smokin' Aces (2007)

A combination of fond memories of seeing this with a few friends in theaters as a freshman in high school and true respect for all the chaotic silliness that it contains has led to me develop an enduring love for Smokin' Aces. All of the detractors that have dismissed it as nothing but a Red Bull-fueled riff on Tarantino are making a fair point, but the movie is so fucking fun that I really don't care who Carnahan was influenced by while making it. 

Bottom Feeder: Shadow Force (2025)

Shadow Force is an unfortunate misfire of a movie. Kerry Washington and Omar Sy are a stellar romantic pairing that give the film a great foundation. You completely buy them as special forces operators that had to go into hiding after falling in love and having a kid (Jahleel Kamara), which went against the rules their boss (Mark Strong) had established for their elite unit. When the film shifts away from the breezy chemistry of Washington and Sy to focus on the action and its throwaway plot (Strong's vengeful boss find out they're still alive and aims to kill them), it becomes a sterile, rudderless affair. Carnahan is way too much of a seasoned vet to be putting out action flicks this aggressively mediocre and I'm hopeful that The Rip will end up being a return to form for him.

Most Underrated: The A-Team (2010)

Carnahan's sole foray into the world of true blockbuster filmmaking is also one of the finest accomplishments of his career. Boasting a knowingly silly tone, well-cast misfit heroes (Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quentin "Rampage" Jackson, Sharlto Copley) and plenty of awesome cartoony action, The A-Team successfully applies the spirit of the classic series to a much bigger modern canvas. 

Most Overrated: The Grey (2012)

This feels a little unfair as The Grey is a solid survival thriller, but it's the best reviewed movie of Carnahan's career by just about any metric you throw out there and I just don't think it's on the level of his best work-namely due to its underwhelming final act. 

Top 10 Live Performances of 2025

Shows Attended in 2025:

4/19 Spiritbox/Loathe/Dying Wish, MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston, MA

5/12 Kendrick Lamar/SZA/Mustard (DJ set), Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

6/10 Queens of the Stone Age/The Kills, MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston, MA

6/27 FKA twigs/Koreless, Roadrunner, Brighton, MA

9/15 Between the Buried and Me/Hail the Sun/The World is a Beautiful Place and I'm No Longer Afraid to Die, Royale, Boston, MA

9/20 Turnstile/Mannequin Pussy/Speed/Jane Remover, The Stage at Suffolk Downs, East Boston, MA 

10/5 letlive./Vanna/Hue, Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA

11/23 Dying Wish/Static Dress/Gouge Away/Orthodox/Boltcutter, Royale, Boston, MA

12/20 The Red Chord/The Number Twelve Look Likes You/See You Next Tuesday/Vomit Forth, The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA

Honorable Mentions: Kendrick Lamar, FKA twigs, Gouge Away

10.Mannequin Pussy:

The small amount of Mannequin Pussy I'd heard ahead of seeing them open for Turnstile in September didn't leave much of an impression on me. Their live show was a completely different story. The dynamism of their sound that mixes somber indie and angsty, angry punk together in surprisingly cohesive fashion really shines through in a live setting, and their stage presence is some of the most commanding I've seen in recent memory. 

9.The Red Chord:

Any opportunity to see the long semi-retired Red Chord play is a treat. Getting the chance to see them play their 2005 classic Clients from front to back made this rare occurrence even more special. They're remarkably tight for a band that's only been playing a handful of shows per year for over a decade now and getting to see them play ripper deep cuts like "Upper Decker", "Love on the Concrete" and "He Was Dead When I Got There" live for the first time was surreal.

8.SZA:

While I had my gripes with how frequently she cut songs short and the wonky flow of the set brought on by the choice to have her and Kendrick Lamar rotate performing for the nearly 3 hours they were on stage, SZA sounded amazing and none of the power of her songs got lost in the massive environment of a football stadium.

7.Loathe:

Cue up the "I Get It Now" GIF from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia stat! After nearly 5 full years of being baffled by the hype around Loathe, something finally clicked in the weeks leading up to seeing them for the second time in less than a year and their show itself only further solidified how much of a dunce I was for sleeping on them for so long. They're effectively the millennial British metalcore answer to Deftones in the way that they seamlessly combine harsh and melancholic sounds to make immense, multi-layered songs that can have people in the pit one minute and standing around letting the emotions on display wash over them in the next.  I regret not going to their club headlining tour in November, but hopefully they'll be returning stateside once their new album (hopefully) releases later this year.

6.Queens of the Stone Age:

This was the first show Queens of the Stone Age played in a nearly a year after Josh Homme suffered an undisclosed medical problem in July 2024 that caused them to cancel or postpone all of their remaining dates for the year and safe to say, it was a triumph. Their stoner rock sensibilities really soar when there isn't the buffer of a speaker to soften the edges of their grime-fueled guitars and Homme is one of the most entertaining frontmen in the game right now. Having their set open with the towering "Keep Your Eyes Peeled" and close with unicorn combo of "A Song for the Deaf/A Song for the Dead" close was the cherry on top of this beautiful return to the stage for QOTSA. 

5.Dying Wish (11/23):

Dying Wish and a venue with no barrier or security in front of the stage is a perfect combination. The band kept the energy level high by plowing through a 50-minute headlining set with unrelenting dead-eyed intensity and the crowd rewarded their efforts by stage diving, crowdsurfing and moshing their asses off for the entire set. It's awesome to see one of the best bands of the metalcore revival movement continue to grow in popularity and inspire people to get rowdy as hell on a random Sunday night in November.  

4.letlive.:

I was sincerely conflicted about going to see letlive. on their reunion tour as The Callous Daoboys happened to also being playing in the Boston area on the same night. While I remain very bummed that I wasn't able to see The Callous Daoboys on their headlining tour supporting my favorite album of 2025, seeing letlive for the first time since July 2016 isn't a decision that I regret making. Spending about 8 years away from the stage didn't extinguish any of the passion or madness that defined letlive. during their initial run as their shows continue to possess a level of unrelenting chaos that needs to be experienced to be believed. Whether this reunion is a one-off or a true comeback remains to be seen, but either way, this set was fucking awesome and letlive. will always be legends in my book. 

3.Between the Buried and Me:

Seeing Between the Buried and Me for the first time since July 2018 felt like a reunion with an old friend that couldn't have possibly turned out better. The core members (Tommy Rodgers, Paul Waggoner, Dan Briggs, Blake Richardson) of the group being well into their 40's hasn't impacted their ability to play their incredibly technical music with a level of precision that makes their live performances basically indistinguishable from the studio recordings, they pulled out a couple of old cuts that I never expected them to play in 2025 ("Specular Reflection", "Extremophile Elite") and the material they played ("Absent Thereafter", "God Terror", "Things We Tell Ourselves in the Dark") from their new record The Blue Nowhere immediately joined their stacked roster of songs that sound obscenely good live. I'm going to try really hard to ensure that it won't be another 7 years before I see them again.

2.Spiritbox:

Kicking off my 2025 concertgoing by seeing Spiritbox for the first time was one of the clear highlights of the year for me. Courtney LaPlante sounds unreal live (I'm retroactively mad that I never saw iwrestledabearonce while she was in the band) and the appreciation I have for the quiet intricacy of their instrumentation increased significantly after seeing them rip through 75-80 minutes' worth of material that covers a lot of ground musically. I'd urge anyone that isn't familiar with Spiritbox who is planning on going to see Evanescence this summer to get their early in order to catch their set.    

1.Turnstile:

As Turnstile's popularity continues to significantly increase with each subsequent record they release, many people have attacked them from leaving behind their roots as a DIY hardcore band. Despite their increasingly mainstream output and upward trajectory that has put them in a position where they're only billed a few spots below Sabrina Carpenter at fucking Coachella, they still treat their shows like they're playing for a crowd of 50 punk kids somewhere in the greater Baltimore area. There are bands that are still struggling that don't play with even a fraction of the hunger and urgency that Turnstile brings to the stage on any given night and their ability to get a crowd whipped up into a frenzy is truly special. Simply put, they're an elite live act and it would be a deeply disheartening shock if a day arrived where that stopped being the case.  

2025 NFL All-Pro Team

Quarterback

1st team: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

2nd team: Drake Maye (Patriots)

Running Back

1st team: Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

2nd team: James Cook (Bills)

Wide Receiver

1st team: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Puka Nacua (Rams)

2nd team: Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

Tight End

1st team: Trey McBride (Cardinals)

2nd team: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Tackle

1st team: Garett Bolles (Broncos), Penei Sewell (Lions)

2nd team: Tristan Wirfs (Buccaneers), Darnell Wright (Bears)

Guard

1st team: Joe Thuney (Bears), Quinn Meinerz (Broncos)

2nd team: Quenton Nelson (Colts), Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

Center

1st team: Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

2nd team: Aaron Brewer (Dolphins)

Edge Rusher

1st team: Myles Garrett (Browns), Will Anderson Jr. (Texans)

2nd team: Micah Parsons (Packers), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

Defensive Tackle

1st team: Cameron Heyward (Steelers), Jeffrey Simmons (Titans)

2nd team: Leonard Williams (Seahawks), Travis Jones (Ravens)

Inside Linebacker

1st team: Jack Campbell (Lions), Demario Davis (Saints)

2nd team: Devin Lloyd (Jaguars), Zack Baun (Eagles)

Cornerback

1st team: Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks), Mike Jackson (Panthers)

2nd team: Cooper DeJean (Eagles), Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles)

Safety

1st team: Kyle Hamilton (Ravens), Derwin James (Chargers)

2nd team: Jalen Pitre (Texans), Kevin Byard (Bears)

Kicker

1st team: Will Reichard (Vikings)

2nd team: Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

Punter

1st team: Jordan Stout (Ravens)

2nd team: Daniel Whelan (Packers)

Return Specialists:

1st team: Ray Davis (Bills), Marcus Jones (Patriots)

2nd team: Isaiah Williams (Jets), Chimere Dike (Titans)

Special Teamer:

1st team: Devon Key (Broncos)

2nd team: Carson Bruener (Steelers)

Long Snapper:

1st team: Rex Sunahara (Browns)

2nd team: Ross Matiscik (Jaguars)

Movie Review: Primate

2026 may be off to a miserable start, but at least the second weekend of the year provided us with a new January Movie classic in Primate. This animal splatter slasher extravaganza from horror vet Johannes Roberts has a premise that can be completely explained in one sentence (two sisters and three of their friends find themselves suddenly fighting for their lives when their beloved pet chimpanzee contracts rabies after getting bit by a mongoose) and has zero goals beyond delivering visceral horror thrills. The simplicity of its structure and efficiency of its runtime (89 minutes including credits!) provides Roberts with the ideal template to make a banger of a creature feature. Having the chimp primarily be played by an actor (Miguel Torres Umba) in a suit provides a heightened sense of menace to the sequences where the chimp is stalking this group of terrified college age adults in the relatively confined space of a cliffside home in Hawaii since the cast is acting against a threat that is actually in the room with them and the heavy use of practical gore/crunchy sound design allows the kills to pack a brutal punch. Primate is just simply everything that I'd ever want of a killer animal movie, and it rules so hard that it happened to be released during this hallowed 31-day stretch for films that are scuzzy, silly and/or have no ambitions of being viewed as high art.  

Grade: B

NFL Wild Card Predictions

Los Angeles Rams over Carolina Panthers:

This is the textbook definition of a Wild Card weekend honeypot. The Panthers are a team with a losing record that fell completely ass backwards into the playoffs courtesy of being the winner of a goofy 3-way tiebreaker for the NFC South crown that was made possible by the Falcons beating the Saints last Sunday afternoon and the Rams have been one of the best teams in the league for the bulk of the season. The Rams being 10-point favorites of this writing-which is the biggest spread of the weekend by a whopping 4 points-perfectly illustrates the huge discrepancy that exists between these teams on paper. And yet, the Panthers beat the Rams in Charlotte in Week 13 and will have home field once again in this meeting.

Despite all of the flashing signs screaming that the Rams are going to fall into a trap and get bounced by the worst team in the entire NFL playoff field by a mile, I can't in good conscience pick the Panthers to win this game. They may play like a completely different team at home then on the road (5-3 vs 3-6), but their offense is a low wattage travesty (outside of a couple of splash passing plays late in the game, watching them operate against the Bucs in the driving ran in Tampa last week was painful) and I have zero confidence in their ability to keep up with a Sean McVay-coached group that led the league in scoring offense during the regular season. 

Chicago Bears over Green Bay Packers:

The sheer thought of this game is enough to put a King Kong-sized knot in my stomach. This is the Bears first playoff appearance since they squeaked in 2020 thanks to the Cardinals inability to beat the John Wolford-led Rams and the first time they've had a realistic chance to advance since 2018, so of course they have to go against the team that has fucking owned them for the majority of the past 35 years in the Wild Card. The Packers aren't even overly scary on paper now that Micah Parsons is out, I just see can't help but expect things to go poorly when my team lines up against those dairy-loving fuckers with the white, green and yellow G on their helmets.

Despite my fear of the Packers and lack of confidence in the Bears-particularly following their pretty shitty performance in a loss against the Lions last week, I'm still picking the reigning NFC North champs to win this game for some inexplicable reason. The Packers are incredibly banged up right now and I'm cautiously optimistic that the Bears will be able to do enough on offense to take advantage of their Parsons-less defense to hold off whatever damage Jordan Love and co. can do to their beyond exploitable defense. 

Jacksonville Jaguars over Buffalo Bills:

I've been flipping back and forth on this one all week. The Jags are the hottest team in the league right now as they've ripped off 8 straight wins following an embarrassing second half collapse against the Davis Mills-led Texans in Week 10 while the Bills have a significant advantage in playoff experience across their roster and coaching staff. Ultimately, I've decided to go with the upstart Jags. Their top ranked rush defense should be able to slow down the Bills top ranked rushing offense that's headed up by James Cook-which would put a ton of pressure for a hobbled Josh Allen to ignite their middling passing attack and despite the Jags rung game not being strong enough (they finished the regular season ranked 20th) to feel great about their ability to take advantage of the Bills horrendous run D, Liam Coen is a talented enough playcaller to cook up a plan that exploits their weakness up front without needlessly testing their top-ranked pass D downfield. 

Philadelphia Eagles over San Francisco 49ers:

This prediction is based on the assumption that the Eagles cartoonishly erratic offense will be able to have a good day against a 49ers defense that is injury-depleted to the point where it's starting to feel like they're signing guys off the street mid-game to step in for the latest doomed soul whose femur, ACL or spleen exploded. If they can't, which is completely plausible given how this season has played out for the defending Super Bowl champs, the 49ers should be able to get enough going on offense between Brock Purdy, CMC and whatever WR/TE's are healthy enough to play tomorrow afternoon to pull off the road upset. Godspeed to anyone whose brave enough to put money on this game. 

New England Patriots over Los Angeles Chargers:

Part of me feels like a Chargers team with a strong defense and terrific quarterback like Justin Herbert represents a really good test for a Patriots team who has faced very little in the way of challenges over the past 3 months. Then I realized that Herbert-who is already playing hurt-could die on the field at any time behind an offensive line that is as bad as you'll ever see in professional football and the Chargers have a knack for embarrassing themselves this time of the year-especially against a Patriots team that has sent them packing 3 times in the past 20 years. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if this game turns into the biggest bloodbath of the weekend in short order. 

Houston Texans over Pittsburgh Steelers:

The Steelers are a missed field goal away from not being here and I like the odds of the football gods punishing them for their good fortune last week on Monday Night. Even with DK Metcalf returning to the lineup after serving a 2-game suspension for wailing on a Lions fan in Detroit a few weeks back, Aaron Rodgers is probably going to have a hard time getting the deep shots he relies on to make play going against a vicious Texans pass-rush that should have no problem exploiting his complete lack of mobility at his advanced age and despite their well-documented woes this season, the Texans offense should be able to take advantage of the Steelers D's inability to cover wideouts downfield like the Ravens did in the second half last week.