Even if you don't pay attention to the NFL, you're more than likely well aware of the current situation involving former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. A video of Rice knocking out his then-fiancée, now wife Janay Palmer in an Atlantic City casino elevator in February surfaced on Monday courtesy of TMZ. Rice had previously been suspended two games for the incident in July, but once the video surfaced on Monday, the Baltimore Ravens terminated his contract immediately and the NFL suspended Rice indefinitely. Without further knowledge of the situation, it seems like the NFL and the Ravens acted swiftly and handed Rice an appropriately harsh punishment. However, any fan that's fully immersed in the NFL, realizes just how bad Rodger Goodell and the Ravens organization screwed up the handling of this situation and how truly pathetic their attempt to cover their asses is.
Goodell is someone I've been critical of for quite some time. Since he took over as commissioner in 2007, the league has taken a pretty significant dive in quality. Goodell has put an insane emphasis on cutting down recreational drug use amongst players and instituting rule changes that only benefit the offense and make physical, smashmouth play all but impossible. Goodell's become known for his harsh punishments and zero-tolerance polices, doling out suspensions at will to anyone that violated the rules. Goodell's history of being a stickler makes his intial soft ruling in the Rice case extremely ironic. This was the first time he's been dealt a case that called for serious discipline and he hands out a suspension that's less than what guys like Josh Gordon (one-year suspension) and Wes Welker (four games) got for testing positive for marijuana and MDMA respectively. Even without the visual confirmation of Rice knocking out his wife that this week's TMZ video provided, there was enough evidence to suspend Rice indefinitely back in February. The trusty folks at TMZ gained access to a video of Rice dragging an unconscious Palmer out of the casino elevator a mere four days after days the incident took place and a number of eye-witnesses saw them hitting one another prior to getting on the elevator. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what happened on that elevator yet Goodell still felt like a two-game suspension was sufficient enough. The kicker in all of this is that everyone knows Goodell saw this damning video of Rice knocking out Palmer that caused him to dole out the indefinite suspension well before it was leaked to the public on Monday. Peter King of Sports Illustrated and Chris Mortensen of ESPN wrote articles describing the video in full detail back in July and just yesterday, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press that he gave the NFL the tape in April.
Despite the wave of additional evidence that all but confirms Goodell and other NFL officials saw the video long before this week, Goodell continues to play dumb with the media. All week long, Goodell has been trying to convince the general public that he knew nothing of this tape prior to the TMZ leak with absolutely no success. His interview with CBS News that aired Wednesday morning was cringe-worthy to say the least. The interviewer was clearly coached to pitch Goodell's softball questions yet he still looked flustered and you could tell he wasn't even buying the horseshit that was flying out of his mouth. It's no coincidence that Goodell gave his exclusive interview to CBS. CBS is the NFL's top partner and is premiering the league's 2014 Thursday Night football series tonight. In a culture that's more media-saavy than ever, it's honestly comical that the Goodell thought he could get this detail past the audience. The American people aren't nearly as dumb as Goodell thinks they are and if Goodell thinks a majority of the population is falling for his bullshit, face-saving PR tour; he's sorely mistaken.
The Goodell bullshit tour started a couple of weeks when he unveiled a new domestic abuse policy. The policy states the any first time offender of the domestic abuse policy will be suspended for six games and any repeat offender is subject to a lifetime ban. While it's great that there is a policy in place to punish any player who commits domestic abuse, the motives behind it are completely wrong. This policy was only put into place because Goodell faced a strong wall of backlash and didn't want to travel down that road again. Goodell's previous actions have proved that he doesn't take domestic abuse seriously. He only cares about his and the league's image, and this policy was only created to try and salvage his reputation in the court of public opinion. The loose nature of this policy is already at work as there is currently two players- Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy and 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald- have been arrested for domestic abuse in the past few months and have not yet faced any discipline from the league. The McDonald incident admittedly is loaded with sketchy details and he very well could end up being innocent, but Hardy was found guilty of assaulting and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend in July, yet neither the league or the Panthers have suspended him. Both McDonald and Hardy played in last week's season opener and barring any sudden changes, will be playing once again this Sunday.
While Goodell and his colleagues in the league office deserve a majority of the blame for the downplaying of the domestic violence case against Rice, The Ravens certainly played their role. Where the NFL flexed their corruption muscles trying to cover up their mistakes in their handling of the Rice situation, The Ravens spent the 2014 offseason making it seem like Rice was the victim in this case. While the whole team and front office was publicly supporting him and sweeping the whole incident under the rung, there was no greater form of ignorance to the situation than from the Ravens' PR department. Right after Rice received his two-game suspension from the league, Ravens Vice President of Public Relations Kevin Byrne wrote a blog post on the official team site entitled "I Like Ray Rice" (which can be read here: http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Byrne-Identity-I-Like-Ray-Rice/f618f957-e03f-4fc6-919e-638552b14c2b) in which he professes his love for Rice and essentially defends his actions and integrity as a human being. This piece is legitimately disgusting to read. I understand that it's the job of a PR guy to do damage control and protect the image of this organization, but this was just ridiculous. This is a piece of propaganda that not only wants the reader to forget about the case, but manages to shift the blame away from Rice completely. It's fine if people in the Ravens front office have a positive opinion of Rice outside of this case, but to write off his actions as a non-issue is despicable. There was only one victim here and her name is Janay Palmer. Rice is not in a position to be defended by anyone. His contributions on the football field and to the Baltimore community at-large are irrelevant in this situation- he committed a violent act against a woman that just can't be excused no matter how hard the Ravens or anyone else in the league tries.
What makes this Ravens actions with Rice that much worse is the fact that this isn't the first time they've had one of their players involved in a major criminal case. Inside linebacker Ray Lewis was linked to a 2000 murder outside of an Atlanta nightclub after two large groups of people- including Lewis and his entourage- got into a scuffle that resulted in the stabbing deaths of two men. The Lewis case may be different as there was no concrete evidence that proved Lewis committed the murder, but just like they did with Rice, the team stood behind him and didn't discipline him in anyway during the legal proceedings. The Ravens organization has been one of the most successful organizations on-the-field since their inception in 1996, but they are arguably the worst franchise in the league at handling adversity and reprimanding players that break the law.
Goodell and the Ravens should be absolutely ashamed of the way they handled this situation. They completely downplayed the severity of domestic abuse and will continue to lie about their respective stances to protect the "integrity" of the league. There is nothing that can be said or done that will fix the injustices the league has committed since the initial video of Rice dragging Palmer out of the elevator surfaced in February. Domestic violence is one of the most horrible things one human being to another, and the NFL needs to start channeling their energy towards this issue instead of bringing the hammer down on guys that smoke weed. As much as I would love to see Goodell and the Ravens brass be fired because of this, I know the odds of that happening are pretty much zero. Goodell and the Ravens' front office have too much power to be outright ousted, which means nothing will be done to prevent something like this from happening again in the future. Rice will eventually be forgiven by the general public and return to the football field, but the appalling indifference and gross negligence the NFL showed during the Rice case will never be forgotten.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
50 Most Underrated Albums of the 2000's (So Far): #19
19.The Story So Far-Under Soil and Dirt (2011)
Pop punk has seen a serious resurgence in the past few years. After fading away in the late 2000's, the genre has picked up a ton of momentum recently with a wave of new energetic, passionate bands that have connected with the audiences that made the likes of blink-182, Sum 41 and Fall Out Boy phenoms over a decade ago. There's a lot of great bands in this pop punk revival, but no one comes even close to touching California's The Story So Far. Their debut album, Under Soil and Dirt, is a large part of why I feel back in love with pop punk in early 2012. Upon first hearing Under Soil and Dirt, I could tell this band was special as they immediately brought be back to the my early teenage years and the glory days of the genre. Under Soil and Dirt checks all the boxes that are required to make a pop punk album and then some: The riffs have the perfect balance of clean pop and punk crunch, Parker Cannon is an elite vocalist who pours his heart and soul into every note, and every single song is wildly infectious. This is expertly crafted pop punk that sticks with you and only gets better as time goes on. Under Soil and Dirt is a pop punk classic that not only equals the genre's landmark albums of the 90's and 2000's, it surpasses them in every possible way.
Standout Tracks
1.High Regard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVB_CIplD14
2.Roam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2E0Qz3WIqc
3.Swords and Pens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbM51XeL1Dg
Standout Tracks
1.High Regard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVB_CIplD14
2.Roam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2E0Qz3WIqc
3.Swords and Pens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbM51XeL1Dg
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
2014 Week 1 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Matt Ryan (Falcons)
In my humble opinion, Matt Ryan is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL and his performance on Sunday reminded people just how great he is. Ryan threw for a career-high 448 yards and 3 TD's on Sunday against a Saints secondary that finished in the top 5 in the league in 2013. Having a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White does wonders for Ryan's play and if they stay healthy, he is going to continue dominate opposing defenses. Ryan's average draft position of the 6th-7th round could prove to be a huge steal if he stays this sharp all season long.
Honorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Andrew Luck (Colts), Peyton Manning (Broncos)
LVP: Tony Romo (Cowboys)
Tony Romo reverted back to his old turnover-ridden self on Sunday against the 49ers after a great season in 2013. Romo threw 3 INT's-which is already just shy of a third of the INT's he threw in 2013- and looked completely out of sync with his receivers for most of the game. This performance may been ugly, but this is by no means a kiss of death for Romo's 2014 season. Romo puts up some horrid performances every year that make him look like a far worse quarterback than he actually is, and this game against the 49ers was just that. Romo tends to bounce back nicely from terrible performances, so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he came out and played great against the Titans this Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Tom Brady (Patriots), Drew Brees (Saints)
Running Back
MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
A majority of the alleged stud second-year running backs underwhelmed in Week 1, which makes Le'Veon Bell's performance that much more impressive. Bell absolutely annihilated a pretty solid Browns defense for 197 total yards (109 rushing, 88 receiving) and a touchdown. Bell opened a lot of eyes with this performance and showed improvement in every aspect of the game from his solid 2013 rookie campaign. Time will tell if this production will hold up for the entire year, but Bell looked like a serious contender to become the next big-impact running back in the NFL on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Knowshon Moreno (Dolphins), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys)
LVP: Jammal Charles (Chiefs)
Of all the underwhelming performances in Week 1, none surprised me more than Jammal Charles. The Chiefs offense typically runs through Charles, but for whatever reason he only touched the ball 11 times (7 carries, 4 receptions) for a whopping 34 total yards in their lopsided loss against the Titans on Sunday. I fully believe Charles' poor performance against the Titans is a fluke. Charles lays more eggs than any other star running back in the league and when he disappoints, it seems to always be against teams that are very favorable matchups on paper. Unless something drastic happens, this performance should be considered to be just a bump in the road for Charles. He should be back to his usual high volume of touches and top-tier RB1 form in no time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Zac Stacy (Rams)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Calvin Johnson never ceases to amaze me. Megatron came out on Monday Night and was his typically superhuman self shredding the Giants secondary for 164 yards and a pair of TD's. Johnson is already in midseason form and his fantasy owners should continue to reap the benefits from his inhuman play.
Honorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings), Steve Smith (Ravens)
LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
What the hell happened to Demaryius Thomas? Thomas dropped numerous passes and got flat-out outplayed by just about every other receiver on the Broncos roster in their victory over the Colts on Sunday night. Thomas' 48-yard non-factor performance is especially shocking considering the fact that Wes Welker-the Broncos other top target in the passing game- was out of the lineup. Thomas had the perfect opportunity to have a huge game with less facets to the Broncos offense available than usual, it just didn't come to fruition. Thomas should be fine in the long run thanks to his chemistry with Peyton Manning, it was just shocking to see him play so poorly after being so consistently dominant over the past two seasons.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Victor Cruz (Giants)
Tight End
MVP: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
While Demaryius Thomas failed to produce for the Broncos on Sunday, Julius Thomas absolutely flourished. The other Thomas brother (Before anyone bitches at me, I know that they're not actually related) picked up where he left off last year with 104 yards and 3 TD's on the night. Any skepticism as to whether or not he could repeat the success of his 2013 season was erased with this performance. Thomas was easily the centerpiece of this offense on Sunday and with his ability to haul in all but one of his targets for the whole game, I expect that trend to continue for the entire season. With his consistently improving rapport with Peyton Manning and nose for the endzone, Thomas has the potential to be the top fantasy tight end in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Vernon Davis (49ers), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Zach Ertz (Eagles)
LVP: Jason Witten (Cowboys)
No one suffered from Tony Romo's poor performance on Sunday more than Jason Witten. The grizzled veteran tight end was held to 14 yards on 2 receptions in Sunday's ugly loss to the 49ers. Witten remains Romo's favorite target behind Dez Bryant and if Romo can get back on track ASAP, I expect Witten to reclaim his role as one of the most reliable tight ends in fantasy football.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Cameron (Browns), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Ladarius Green (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Houston Texans
The Texans defense came back with a vengeance this week. The unit returned to their dominant form of 2012 with 3 sacks, 2 fumbles recoveries, 2 blocked punts and a defensive touchdown in their 17-6 beatdown of the Redskins on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how this defense fares without rookie phenom Jadeveon Clowney out for at least the next month, but for now the Texans defense looks damn good and is definitely worth a start every week.
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills
LVP: St. Louis Rams
Wow, I didn't see this coming. The very talented Rams defense were almost complete non-factors on Sunday in a blowout loss against the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. They don't deserve all of the blame as the offense played horrible, which forced them to be on the field a lot and get fatigued really fast. That being said, their lack of pass rush (just a single sack for the game) and no takeaways on the game was extremely disappointing for a unit that's as loaded with talent as the Rams are. With all the uncertainty on offense, it will be interesting to see how the Rams defense hold up in 2014. There's too much talent on this defense to drop them right now, but I wouldn't be shocked if they end up underwhelming for most of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals
MVP: Matt Ryan (Falcons)
In my humble opinion, Matt Ryan is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL and his performance on Sunday reminded people just how great he is. Ryan threw for a career-high 448 yards and 3 TD's on Sunday against a Saints secondary that finished in the top 5 in the league in 2013. Having a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White does wonders for Ryan's play and if they stay healthy, he is going to continue dominate opposing defenses. Ryan's average draft position of the 6th-7th round could prove to be a huge steal if he stays this sharp all season long.
Honorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Andrew Luck (Colts), Peyton Manning (Broncos)
LVP: Tony Romo (Cowboys)
Tony Romo reverted back to his old turnover-ridden self on Sunday against the 49ers after a great season in 2013. Romo threw 3 INT's-which is already just shy of a third of the INT's he threw in 2013- and looked completely out of sync with his receivers for most of the game. This performance may been ugly, but this is by no means a kiss of death for Romo's 2014 season. Romo puts up some horrid performances every year that make him look like a far worse quarterback than he actually is, and this game against the 49ers was just that. Romo tends to bounce back nicely from terrible performances, so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he came out and played great against the Titans this Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Tom Brady (Patriots), Drew Brees (Saints)
Running Back
MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
A majority of the alleged stud second-year running backs underwhelmed in Week 1, which makes Le'Veon Bell's performance that much more impressive. Bell absolutely annihilated a pretty solid Browns defense for 197 total yards (109 rushing, 88 receiving) and a touchdown. Bell opened a lot of eyes with this performance and showed improvement in every aspect of the game from his solid 2013 rookie campaign. Time will tell if this production will hold up for the entire year, but Bell looked like a serious contender to become the next big-impact running back in the NFL on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Knowshon Moreno (Dolphins), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys)
LVP: Jammal Charles (Chiefs)
Of all the underwhelming performances in Week 1, none surprised me more than Jammal Charles. The Chiefs offense typically runs through Charles, but for whatever reason he only touched the ball 11 times (7 carries, 4 receptions) for a whopping 34 total yards in their lopsided loss against the Titans on Sunday. I fully believe Charles' poor performance against the Titans is a fluke. Charles lays more eggs than any other star running back in the league and when he disappoints, it seems to always be against teams that are very favorable matchups on paper. Unless something drastic happens, this performance should be considered to be just a bump in the road for Charles. He should be back to his usual high volume of touches and top-tier RB1 form in no time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Zac Stacy (Rams)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Calvin Johnson never ceases to amaze me. Megatron came out on Monday Night and was his typically superhuman self shredding the Giants secondary for 164 yards and a pair of TD's. Johnson is already in midseason form and his fantasy owners should continue to reap the benefits from his inhuman play.
Honorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings), Steve Smith (Ravens)
LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
What the hell happened to Demaryius Thomas? Thomas dropped numerous passes and got flat-out outplayed by just about every other receiver on the Broncos roster in their victory over the Colts on Sunday night. Thomas' 48-yard non-factor performance is especially shocking considering the fact that Wes Welker-the Broncos other top target in the passing game- was out of the lineup. Thomas had the perfect opportunity to have a huge game with less facets to the Broncos offense available than usual, it just didn't come to fruition. Thomas should be fine in the long run thanks to his chemistry with Peyton Manning, it was just shocking to see him play so poorly after being so consistently dominant over the past two seasons.
Dishonorable Mentions: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Victor Cruz (Giants)
Tight End
MVP: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
While Demaryius Thomas failed to produce for the Broncos on Sunday, Julius Thomas absolutely flourished. The other Thomas brother (Before anyone bitches at me, I know that they're not actually related) picked up where he left off last year with 104 yards and 3 TD's on the night. Any skepticism as to whether or not he could repeat the success of his 2013 season was erased with this performance. Thomas was easily the centerpiece of this offense on Sunday and with his ability to haul in all but one of his targets for the whole game, I expect that trend to continue for the entire season. With his consistently improving rapport with Peyton Manning and nose for the endzone, Thomas has the potential to be the top fantasy tight end in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Vernon Davis (49ers), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Zach Ertz (Eagles)
LVP: Jason Witten (Cowboys)
No one suffered from Tony Romo's poor performance on Sunday more than Jason Witten. The grizzled veteran tight end was held to 14 yards on 2 receptions in Sunday's ugly loss to the 49ers. Witten remains Romo's favorite target behind Dez Bryant and if Romo can get back on track ASAP, I expect Witten to reclaim his role as one of the most reliable tight ends in fantasy football.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Cameron (Browns), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Ladarius Green (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Houston Texans
The Texans defense came back with a vengeance this week. The unit returned to their dominant form of 2012 with 3 sacks, 2 fumbles recoveries, 2 blocked punts and a defensive touchdown in their 17-6 beatdown of the Redskins on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how this defense fares without rookie phenom Jadeveon Clowney out for at least the next month, but for now the Texans defense looks damn good and is definitely worth a start every week.
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills
LVP: St. Louis Rams
Wow, I didn't see this coming. The very talented Rams defense were almost complete non-factors on Sunday in a blowout loss against the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. They don't deserve all of the blame as the offense played horrible, which forced them to be on the field a lot and get fatigued really fast. That being said, their lack of pass rush (just a single sack for the game) and no takeaways on the game was extremely disappointing for a unit that's as loaded with talent as the Rams are. With all the uncertainty on offense, it will be interesting to see how the Rams defense hold up in 2014. There's too much talent on this defense to drop them right now, but I wouldn't be shocked if they end up underwhelming for most of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals
Saturday, September 6, 2014
50 Most Underrated Albums of the 2000's (So Far): #20
20.Sylosis-Monolith (2012)
Despite the fact I listen to and review a ton of music, there are still plenty of seasoned bands that manage to slip by me. British melodic death thrashers Sylosis is a prime example of this. It wasn't until they landed a spot opening for Lamb of God in fall 2012 to promote their third full-length, Monolith, that I decided to finally check them out. After hearing Monolith, I immediately hated myself for sleeping on them for years. Monolith takes the speed and blistering solos of thrash metal and combines it with the stunning melodies of progressive metal. Vocalist/lead guitarist Josh Middleton is the driving force behind the success of Monolith. Middleton's vocals perfectly fit the melting-pot tone of the album as his screams borrow from Gothenburg melo death and 80's thrash metal with a handful of really affective clean vocals lines thrown in for good measure. While his vocals are excellent, Middleton's guitar work is even more impressive. Middleton lays down a barrage of amazing heavy and melodic riffs and dizzying solos that serve as the backbone for the album. Monolith is a complex and diverse listen that serves as immensely rewarding listen to thrash, melodic death and progressive metal fans alike.
Standout Tracks
1.Out from Below http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_qf_fc7GDY
2.What Dwells Within http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xoj66CSdCzg
3.A Dying Vine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2dFG7-09P0
Standout Tracks
1.Out from Below http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_qf_fc7GDY
2.What Dwells Within http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xoj66CSdCzg
3.A Dying Vine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2dFG7-09P0
Friday, September 5, 2014
Which Rookie Quarterback Will Reign Supreme In 2014?
By Liam Madigan-Fried
Since the day of the NFL Draft, the question has remained in the heads of every one of us football fans: “Which rookie quarterback will reign supreme in 2014?”.
The first four quarterbacks selected in May's draft are all entering unique situations and for the first time in years, there will be one rookie quarterback starting in Week 1. First up we have Blake Bortles, who was selected by his hometown team-the Jacksonville Jaguars-with the third overall pick in the draft. It ended up being a long wait for the next quarterback to come off the board and that QB was the one and only Johnny Manziel, who was selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns. "Money" Manziel, will be taking his talents and party boy gimmick to a team that is essentially a graveyard for young quarterbacks (just ask Tim Couch, Brady Quinn and Brandon Weeden) since the franchise returned to the league in 1999. At the tail end of the first round and start of the second round, the next and final two heavily hyped quarterbacks came off the board. The Vikings landed Teddy Bridgewater with the 32nd overall pick and the Raiders selected Derek Carr-brother of retired NFL quarterback David Carr-with the 36th overall pick. Below are my projections of how each of these young guys and their respective teams will fare during their 2014 campaign
Derek Carr:
Carr is the lone starter of the bunch, which is a bit surprising considering that the Raiders traded for Matt Schaub in the offseason with the intent of him being their starting quarterback. I hadn’t given Carr much thought before a few weeks ago, until the whispers started about whether or not he might be stepping in for Schaub intensified amidst concerns about the veteran’s elbow. Personally, I like this kid’s chances of having a successful rookie season. He's got versatile, veteran weapons in Maurice Jones-Drew and James Jones at the skill positions and the Raiders offensive line appears to be in better shape than it was last year. Unfortunately, the Raiders defense was 27th in the league against the pass last season, which caused them to consistently give up a lot of yardage. Admittedly, the Raiders made a great step in improving this problem over the offseason with several free agent acquisitions in the secondary including Tarrell Brown and Carlos Rodgers and the drafting of Khalil Mack. However, even with all these moves, I don't see them getting much better on defense in 2014. I don’t see any playoffs for the Raiders this year despite what could be a promising rookie season by Carr.
Projected record for the Raiders in 2014 :7-9 with at least two upsets in their favor.
Johnny Manziel:
Manziel is easily the most hyped quarterback in this class and to be honest, I can't see why. I just don’t see him as the phantom superstar the media and the general public makes him out to be.The guy is indecisive and impatient as he demonstrated in the pre-season- many times overlooking a wide open receiver and deciding to finish plays with his feet. It’s that kind of recklessness that has cost many a quarterback their health and status as a starter. Coach Mike Pettine made a good call in naming Brian Hoyer the starter. The guy spent time learning under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick for god's sake, which gives him a pedigree that Manziel can't even come to touching at this point in his career. My prediction is that Pettine will have a little back and forth with his quarterbacks until about week six, when he eventually decides that Manziel's accuracy and presence in the pocket needs more development before becoming an NFL starter, and goes with Hoyer for the rest of the year.
Projected record for the Browns in 2014: 5-11. The absence of Josh Gordon is just too much for their weak offense to compensate for. No disrespect to Jordan Cameron, but he can't carry this offense the way that Gordon did in 2013.
Teddy Bridgewater:
In a draft full of quarterbacks who's stock slipped at the last minute, no one fell harder than Bridgewater. Months ago before the draft, everybody was saying that this guy was the most pro ready quarterback in this draft class. A combination of poor pre-draft workouts at scouting combine and his pro day and negative media reports- which I feel were blown way out of proportion- Bridgewater went from being in consideration for the number one pick to possibly falling out of the first round completely. Luckily for Bridgewater and his fans, the Minnesota Vikings called his name with the last pick of the first round. I still think Bridgewater may be one of the most pro ready quarterbacks in this draft carss, but I don’t see 2014 being his breakout year. Between Matt Cassel starting to play like an actual NFL starter and Christian Ponder yelling and screaming that he actually still exists, Bridgewater is going to have to continue to demonstrate progression if he hopes to be the future of the franchise. My prediction is that both Bridgewater and Ponder will see at least one start a piece this season, with Bridgeater's ending in moderate success and Ponder's ending in the type of misery he's served up in the Twin Cities since he was drafted in 2011. Let's face it, the dude was a bust ,and this will be his last season in a Vikings uniform.
Projected Record for the Vikings in 2014: 9-7 unless Adrian Peterson really kicks into gear...again.
Blake Bortles:
Of these four rookie quarterbacks, Bortles is without question my favorite. The Jaguars in my opinion got away with two of the best draft picks in 2014 in Bortles and wide receiver Marqise Lee. The Jaguars current starter, Chad Henne, is a decent quarterback, but to quote South Park, “He’s about as interesting as a wet carrot”. The Jags have it tough going into the first few games of the season, with the Eagles, Redskins and Colts being their first three opponents. So realistically, I can see the Jaguars going 1-2 within their first three games-assuming they pull the upset over RG3 and the Redskins-before Henne gets the hook for the rookie. Bortles isn’t completely alone behind the ball. In addition to his fellow rookie Lee, he has veteran receiver Cecil Shorts III and a potential workhorse running back in Toby Gerhart to help him smoothly transition to the NFL. Bortles has all the tools to be a starter in this league for a long time and he should play a pivotal role in turning this oft-troubled franchise around.
Projected Record for the Jaguars in 2014: 8-8
Since the day of the NFL Draft, the question has remained in the heads of every one of us football fans: “Which rookie quarterback will reign supreme in 2014?”.
The first four quarterbacks selected in May's draft are all entering unique situations and for the first time in years, there will be one rookie quarterback starting in Week 1. First up we have Blake Bortles, who was selected by his hometown team-the Jacksonville Jaguars-with the third overall pick in the draft. It ended up being a long wait for the next quarterback to come off the board and that QB was the one and only Johnny Manziel, who was selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns. "Money" Manziel, will be taking his talents and party boy gimmick to a team that is essentially a graveyard for young quarterbacks (just ask Tim Couch, Brady Quinn and Brandon Weeden) since the franchise returned to the league in 1999. At the tail end of the first round and start of the second round, the next and final two heavily hyped quarterbacks came off the board. The Vikings landed Teddy Bridgewater with the 32nd overall pick and the Raiders selected Derek Carr-brother of retired NFL quarterback David Carr-with the 36th overall pick. Below are my projections of how each of these young guys and their respective teams will fare during their 2014 campaign
Derek Carr:
Carr is the lone starter of the bunch, which is a bit surprising considering that the Raiders traded for Matt Schaub in the offseason with the intent of him being their starting quarterback. I hadn’t given Carr much thought before a few weeks ago, until the whispers started about whether or not he might be stepping in for Schaub intensified amidst concerns about the veteran’s elbow. Personally, I like this kid’s chances of having a successful rookie season. He's got versatile, veteran weapons in Maurice Jones-Drew and James Jones at the skill positions and the Raiders offensive line appears to be in better shape than it was last year. Unfortunately, the Raiders defense was 27th in the league against the pass last season, which caused them to consistently give up a lot of yardage. Admittedly, the Raiders made a great step in improving this problem over the offseason with several free agent acquisitions in the secondary including Tarrell Brown and Carlos Rodgers and the drafting of Khalil Mack. However, even with all these moves, I don't see them getting much better on defense in 2014. I don’t see any playoffs for the Raiders this year despite what could be a promising rookie season by Carr.
Projected record for the Raiders in 2014 :7-9 with at least two upsets in their favor.
Johnny Manziel:
Manziel is easily the most hyped quarterback in this class and to be honest, I can't see why. I just don’t see him as the phantom superstar the media and the general public makes him out to be.The guy is indecisive and impatient as he demonstrated in the pre-season- many times overlooking a wide open receiver and deciding to finish plays with his feet. It’s that kind of recklessness that has cost many a quarterback their health and status as a starter. Coach Mike Pettine made a good call in naming Brian Hoyer the starter. The guy spent time learning under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick for god's sake, which gives him a pedigree that Manziel can't even come to touching at this point in his career. My prediction is that Pettine will have a little back and forth with his quarterbacks until about week six, when he eventually decides that Manziel's accuracy and presence in the pocket needs more development before becoming an NFL starter, and goes with Hoyer for the rest of the year.
Projected record for the Browns in 2014: 5-11. The absence of Josh Gordon is just too much for their weak offense to compensate for. No disrespect to Jordan Cameron, but he can't carry this offense the way that Gordon did in 2013.
Teddy Bridgewater:
In a draft full of quarterbacks who's stock slipped at the last minute, no one fell harder than Bridgewater. Months ago before the draft, everybody was saying that this guy was the most pro ready quarterback in this draft class. A combination of poor pre-draft workouts at scouting combine and his pro day and negative media reports- which I feel were blown way out of proportion- Bridgewater went from being in consideration for the number one pick to possibly falling out of the first round completely. Luckily for Bridgewater and his fans, the Minnesota Vikings called his name with the last pick of the first round. I still think Bridgewater may be one of the most pro ready quarterbacks in this draft carss, but I don’t see 2014 being his breakout year. Between Matt Cassel starting to play like an actual NFL starter and Christian Ponder yelling and screaming that he actually still exists, Bridgewater is going to have to continue to demonstrate progression if he hopes to be the future of the franchise. My prediction is that both Bridgewater and Ponder will see at least one start a piece this season, with Bridgeater's ending in moderate success and Ponder's ending in the type of misery he's served up in the Twin Cities since he was drafted in 2011. Let's face it, the dude was a bust ,and this will be his last season in a Vikings uniform.
Projected Record for the Vikings in 2014: 9-7 unless Adrian Peterson really kicks into gear...again.
Blake Bortles:
Of these four rookie quarterbacks, Bortles is without question my favorite. The Jaguars in my opinion got away with two of the best draft picks in 2014 in Bortles and wide receiver Marqise Lee. The Jaguars current starter, Chad Henne, is a decent quarterback, but to quote South Park, “He’s about as interesting as a wet carrot”. The Jags have it tough going into the first few games of the season, with the Eagles, Redskins and Colts being their first three opponents. So realistically, I can see the Jaguars going 1-2 within their first three games-assuming they pull the upset over RG3 and the Redskins-before Henne gets the hook for the rookie. Bortles isn’t completely alone behind the ball. In addition to his fellow rookie Lee, he has veteran receiver Cecil Shorts III and a potential workhorse running back in Toby Gerhart to help him smoothly transition to the NFL. Bortles has all the tools to be a starter in this league for a long time and he should play a pivotal role in turning this oft-troubled franchise around.
Projected Record for the Jaguars in 2014: 8-8
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
2014 NFL Playoff+League Leader+Year-End Award Predictions
The NFL season officially starts tomorrow and I couldn't be happier about it. The past seven months without football have been absolutely agonizing to sit through. In the spirit of the season, here are my picks for the 2014 playoff teams, league leaders, year-end awards and other miscellaneous football-related stuff.
AFC Playoff Teams:
1.Denver Broncos
2.New England Patriots
3.Indianapolis Colts
4.Baltimore Ravens
5.Cincinnati Bengals
6.New York Jets
Wild Card:
Colts over Jets
Ravens over Bengals
Divisional Round
Broncos over Ravens
Patriots over Colts
AFC Championship Game:
Patriots over Broncos
NFC Playoff Teams:
1.Seattle Seahawks
2.New Orleans Saints
3.Chicago Bears
4.Philadelphia Eagles
5.Green Bay Packers
6.San Francisco 49ers
Wild Card:
Bears over 49ers
Packers over Eagles
Divisional Round:
Seahawks over Packers
Saints over Bears
NFC Championship Game:
Seahawks over Saints
Super Bowl:
Seahawks over Patriots
Projected League Leaders:
Passing Yards: Drew Brees (Saints)
Passing TD's: Drew Brees (Saints)
Rushing Yards: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Rushing TD's: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
Receiving Yards: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
Receiving TD's: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
Sacks: Robert Quinn (Rams)
Tackles: Patrick Willis (49ers)
INT's: Joe Haden (Browns)
Forced Fumbles: Tamba Hali (Chiefs)
Projected Award Winners:
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Offensive Player of the Year: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Defensive Player of the Year: Earl Thomas (Seahawks)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bishop Sankey (Titans)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ryan Shaizer (Steelers)
Comeback Player of the Year: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Coach of the Year: Marc Trestman (Bears)
Miscellaneous:
AFC Team Most Likely to Surprise: New York Jets
AFC Team Most Likely to Disappoint: Kansas City Chiefs
NFC Team Most Likely to Surprise: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC Team Most Likely to Disappoint: Carolina Panthers
Top 10 Players That Need to Prove Themselves in 2014:
1.Robert Griffin III (Redskins)
2.Trent Richardson (Colts)
3.Jake Locker (Titans)
4.E.J. Manuel (Bills)
5.Brian Hoyer (Browns)
6.Dee Milliner (Jets)
7.Eric Fisher (Chiefs)
8.Lamar Miller (Dolphins)
9.Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
10.Geno Smith (Jets)
Top 10 Draft Order for 2015
1.Jaguars
2.Raiders
3.Browns
4.Titans
5.Rams
6.Vikings
7.Cowboys
8.Dolphins
9.Chiefs
10.Redskins
AFC Playoff Teams:
1.Denver Broncos
2.New England Patriots
3.Indianapolis Colts
4.Baltimore Ravens
5.Cincinnati Bengals
6.New York Jets
Wild Card:
Colts over Jets
Ravens over Bengals
Divisional Round
Broncos over Ravens
Patriots over Colts
AFC Championship Game:
Patriots over Broncos
NFC Playoff Teams:
1.Seattle Seahawks
2.New Orleans Saints
3.Chicago Bears
4.Philadelphia Eagles
5.Green Bay Packers
6.San Francisco 49ers
Wild Card:
Bears over 49ers
Packers over Eagles
Divisional Round:
Seahawks over Packers
Saints over Bears
NFC Championship Game:
Seahawks over Saints
Super Bowl:
Seahawks over Patriots
Projected League Leaders:
Passing Yards: Drew Brees (Saints)
Passing TD's: Drew Brees (Saints)
Rushing Yards: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Rushing TD's: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
Receiving Yards: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
Receiving TD's: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
Sacks: Robert Quinn (Rams)
Tackles: Patrick Willis (49ers)
INT's: Joe Haden (Browns)
Forced Fumbles: Tamba Hali (Chiefs)
Projected Award Winners:
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Offensive Player of the Year: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Defensive Player of the Year: Earl Thomas (Seahawks)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bishop Sankey (Titans)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ryan Shaizer (Steelers)
Comeback Player of the Year: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Coach of the Year: Marc Trestman (Bears)
Miscellaneous:
AFC Team Most Likely to Surprise: New York Jets
AFC Team Most Likely to Disappoint: Kansas City Chiefs
NFC Team Most Likely to Surprise: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC Team Most Likely to Disappoint: Carolina Panthers
Top 10 Players That Need to Prove Themselves in 2014:
1.Robert Griffin III (Redskins)
2.Trent Richardson (Colts)
3.Jake Locker (Titans)
4.E.J. Manuel (Bills)
5.Brian Hoyer (Browns)
6.Dee Milliner (Jets)
7.Eric Fisher (Chiefs)
8.Lamar Miller (Dolphins)
9.Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
10.Geno Smith (Jets)
Top 10 Draft Order for 2015
1.Jaguars
2.Raiders
3.Browns
4.Titans
5.Rams
6.Vikings
7.Cowboys
8.Dolphins
9.Chiefs
10.Redskins
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
10 Most Anticipated Films of Fall/Winter 2014
The last four months of the year marks the time where studios pack the schedule to the brim with new releases. With everything from blockbusters to comedies to awards contenders on the docket, September-December offers up the largest and most diverse crop of movies of the entire year. Here are the 10 films I'm looking forward to the most this fall/winter.
10.Exodus: Gods and Kings (12/12):
Ridley's Scott recent filmography has been hit-or-miss, but that won't stop from getting really excited about Exodus: Gods and Kings. Scott is back in the sword-and-sandals subgenre where he hit his last home run with 2000's Gladiator, and with a cast featuring the likes of Christian Bale, Aaron Paul, Ben Kingsley and Joel Edgerton and a script penned by Steve Zaillian (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Moneyball), this has the potential to be Scott's next masterpiece. Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be another film like Prometheus- which looked and sounded great on paper, but was ultimately underwhelming- for Scott.
9.A Walk Among the Tombstones (9/19):
Liam Neeson has reinvented himself as a certified badass, one-man killing machine with movies like Taken and Non-Stop over the past few years. A Walk Among the Tombstones is a bit of departure from his recent work as it's more of a crime drama than a straight-up action film. All of the ad's for this give off an eerie, gritty vibe that is reminiscent of last September's brilliant thriller Prisoners. The seemingly deeper narrative should allow Nesson to show off his deep acting chops without sacrificing the action he's become known for of late. A Walk Among the Tombstones has a lot going for it and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this ends up being Nesson's finest work in years.
8.Kill the Messenger (10/10):
In my eyes, Jeremy Renner is one of the criminally underrated actors working in Hollywood today. His abilities has been kind of buried thanks to his recent forays into major action films such as The Avengers, The Bourne Legacy and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Kill the Messenger seems like a project that will remind audiences of how great of an actor he is. Kill the Messenger tells the fascinating story of a journalist (Renner) who uncovers that the Regan administration was giving guns to rebels in Nicaragua and the CIA was importing cocaine on government airplanes. The presence of Renner in the lead role paired with the plot and a strong supporting cast including Michael K. Williams, Michael Sheen, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead makes Kill the Messenger easily one of my most anticipated films of last quarter of 2014.
7.Whiplash (10/10)
Whiplash got a ton of buzz out of Sundance earlier this year as it went onto the win the audience award for best film of the entire festival. Considering my favorite film of 2013(Fruitvale Station) took home the audience award last year, that's a great sign for Whiplash's quality. The film also features one of my favorite up-and-coming actors in Miles Teller and the king of character actors in J.K Simmons. Based on the early reviews, both Teller and Simmons are serious contenders for Academy Award nominations. In short, there's basically no shortage of reasons for me to get really excited about Whiplash.
6.Fury (10/17)
I'm a sucker for a World War II films and Fury is no exception. What makes Fury standout from other WWII films on paper is the fact that's it centers around a five-man tank team. Tank operators are pretty much the only position in the military that have never been the subject of a film before. With a first-rate writer/director in David Ayer (End of Watch, Training Day) at the helm and an extremely gifted cast led by Brad Pitt, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal, Fury could very well be the next classic in the war genre.
5.Interstellar (11/7)
Modern sci-fi wizard Christopher Nolan is back at it this year with his first original film since 2010's Inception. Admittedly, the marketing material for Interstellar hasn't been particularly great so far, but it's not doing much to deter from my anticipation for this film. Nolan has pretty much no blemishes on his resume so far and I'd be really surprised if now was the time where he suddenly crapped out. In typical fashion for Nolan, the premise for Interstellar is very vague at this point in time. Basically all that's known about the plot of Interstellar is that the Earth is dying and a team of explorers led by Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway embark on a mission to space to try and find a new place for the citizens of Earth to live. Even with a lack of specific details, there's nothing about a film involving space travel with McConaughy and Hathaway that doesn't sound very intriguing. Nolan's a master of not disclosing a lot of details about his films prior to release and consistently captivating the masses with his work. Let's hope that Interstellar continues that streak.
4.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I (11/21)
Last year's second installment of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, turned me into a fan of this series. With Francis Lawrence back in the director's chair and Juliane Moore, Natalie Dormer and Toby Jones joining the already great cast, Mockingjay very well could recapture the magic of Catching Fire.
3.Horrible Bosses 2 (11/26)
Horrible Bosses is one of my favorite comedies of the past five years, so I'm absolutely giddy about a sequel. Charlie Day, Jason Bateman and Jason Sudekis have a remarkable chemistry together and the writers of the original are also returning for the sequel, which all but ensures the biting dark tone and constant laugh-out-loud moments the original had will be back. In a pretty good year for comedy so far, Horrible Bosses 2 is in good shape to end up being one of the best.
2.Gone Girl (10/3)
David Fincher is back with another adaptation of a celebrated novel in Gone Girl. I haven't read the book that it's based on, but Gone Girl looks to be an especially disturbing and unique take on the murder mystery genre. Fincher is a master of bleak storytelling and the trailer makes this look like can't-miss cinema. Out of all the Oscar-bait films scheduled for release in the next four months, Gone Girl is by far the one I'm looking forward to the most.
1.The Interview (12/25)
Seth Rogen and James Franco play a moronic entertainment show producer and host that land an interview with North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un, the pair then get approached by the United States government to assassinate Un after they conduct the interview. With a concept like this, there's practically no way this film can be anything short of genius. Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg have been behind a number of my favorite comedies of the past decade (Superbad, This is the End, Pineapple Express) and with a premise that has comic gold written all over it, The Interview is likely to join that camp.
Also Interested In:
The Drop (9/12)
The Skeleton Twins (9/12)
This is Where I Leave You (9/19)
The Maze Runner (9/19)
Tusk (9/19)
The Equalizer (9/26)
Men, Women & Children (10/3)
Anabelle (10/3)
The Judge (10/10)
Birdman (10/17)
Dear White People (10/17)
White Bird in a Blizzard (10/24)
Laggies (10/24)
Horns (10/31)
Nightcrawler (10/31)
Rosewater (11/7)
Dumb and Dumber To (11/14)
Foxcatcher (11/14)
American Sniper (12/25)
Big Eyes (12/25)
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (12/25)
Selma (12/25)
10.Exodus: Gods and Kings (12/12):
Ridley's Scott recent filmography has been hit-or-miss, but that won't stop from getting really excited about Exodus: Gods and Kings. Scott is back in the sword-and-sandals subgenre where he hit his last home run with 2000's Gladiator, and with a cast featuring the likes of Christian Bale, Aaron Paul, Ben Kingsley and Joel Edgerton and a script penned by Steve Zaillian (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Moneyball), this has the potential to be Scott's next masterpiece. Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be another film like Prometheus- which looked and sounded great on paper, but was ultimately underwhelming- for Scott.
9.A Walk Among the Tombstones (9/19):
Liam Neeson has reinvented himself as a certified badass, one-man killing machine with movies like Taken and Non-Stop over the past few years. A Walk Among the Tombstones is a bit of departure from his recent work as it's more of a crime drama than a straight-up action film. All of the ad's for this give off an eerie, gritty vibe that is reminiscent of last September's brilliant thriller Prisoners. The seemingly deeper narrative should allow Nesson to show off his deep acting chops without sacrificing the action he's become known for of late. A Walk Among the Tombstones has a lot going for it and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this ends up being Nesson's finest work in years.
8.Kill the Messenger (10/10):
In my eyes, Jeremy Renner is one of the criminally underrated actors working in Hollywood today. His abilities has been kind of buried thanks to his recent forays into major action films such as The Avengers, The Bourne Legacy and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Kill the Messenger seems like a project that will remind audiences of how great of an actor he is. Kill the Messenger tells the fascinating story of a journalist (Renner) who uncovers that the Regan administration was giving guns to rebels in Nicaragua and the CIA was importing cocaine on government airplanes. The presence of Renner in the lead role paired with the plot and a strong supporting cast including Michael K. Williams, Michael Sheen, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead makes Kill the Messenger easily one of my most anticipated films of last quarter of 2014.
7.Whiplash (10/10)
Whiplash got a ton of buzz out of Sundance earlier this year as it went onto the win the audience award for best film of the entire festival. Considering my favorite film of 2013(Fruitvale Station) took home the audience award last year, that's a great sign for Whiplash's quality. The film also features one of my favorite up-and-coming actors in Miles Teller and the king of character actors in J.K Simmons. Based on the early reviews, both Teller and Simmons are serious contenders for Academy Award nominations. In short, there's basically no shortage of reasons for me to get really excited about Whiplash.
6.Fury (10/17)
I'm a sucker for a World War II films and Fury is no exception. What makes Fury standout from other WWII films on paper is the fact that's it centers around a five-man tank team. Tank operators are pretty much the only position in the military that have never been the subject of a film before. With a first-rate writer/director in David Ayer (End of Watch, Training Day) at the helm and an extremely gifted cast led by Brad Pitt, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal, Fury could very well be the next classic in the war genre.
5.Interstellar (11/7)
Modern sci-fi wizard Christopher Nolan is back at it this year with his first original film since 2010's Inception. Admittedly, the marketing material for Interstellar hasn't been particularly great so far, but it's not doing much to deter from my anticipation for this film. Nolan has pretty much no blemishes on his resume so far and I'd be really surprised if now was the time where he suddenly crapped out. In typical fashion for Nolan, the premise for Interstellar is very vague at this point in time. Basically all that's known about the plot of Interstellar is that the Earth is dying and a team of explorers led by Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway embark on a mission to space to try and find a new place for the citizens of Earth to live. Even with a lack of specific details, there's nothing about a film involving space travel with McConaughy and Hathaway that doesn't sound very intriguing. Nolan's a master of not disclosing a lot of details about his films prior to release and consistently captivating the masses with his work. Let's hope that Interstellar continues that streak.
4.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I (11/21)
Last year's second installment of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, turned me into a fan of this series. With Francis Lawrence back in the director's chair and Juliane Moore, Natalie Dormer and Toby Jones joining the already great cast, Mockingjay very well could recapture the magic of Catching Fire.
3.Horrible Bosses 2 (11/26)
Horrible Bosses is one of my favorite comedies of the past five years, so I'm absolutely giddy about a sequel. Charlie Day, Jason Bateman and Jason Sudekis have a remarkable chemistry together and the writers of the original are also returning for the sequel, which all but ensures the biting dark tone and constant laugh-out-loud moments the original had will be back. In a pretty good year for comedy so far, Horrible Bosses 2 is in good shape to end up being one of the best.
2.Gone Girl (10/3)
David Fincher is back with another adaptation of a celebrated novel in Gone Girl. I haven't read the book that it's based on, but Gone Girl looks to be an especially disturbing and unique take on the murder mystery genre. Fincher is a master of bleak storytelling and the trailer makes this look like can't-miss cinema. Out of all the Oscar-bait films scheduled for release in the next four months, Gone Girl is by far the one I'm looking forward to the most.
1.The Interview (12/25)
Seth Rogen and James Franco play a moronic entertainment show producer and host that land an interview with North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un, the pair then get approached by the United States government to assassinate Un after they conduct the interview. With a concept like this, there's practically no way this film can be anything short of genius. Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg have been behind a number of my favorite comedies of the past decade (Superbad, This is the End, Pineapple Express) and with a premise that has comic gold written all over it, The Interview is likely to join that camp.
Also Interested In:
The Drop (9/12)
The Skeleton Twins (9/12)
This is Where I Leave You (9/19)
The Maze Runner (9/19)
Tusk (9/19)
The Equalizer (9/26)
Men, Women & Children (10/3)
Anabelle (10/3)
The Judge (10/10)
Birdman (10/17)
Dear White People (10/17)
White Bird in a Blizzard (10/24)
Laggies (10/24)
Horns (10/31)
Nightcrawler (10/31)
Rosewater (11/7)
Dumb and Dumber To (11/14)
Foxcatcher (11/14)
American Sniper (12/25)
Big Eyes (12/25)
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (12/25)
Selma (12/25)
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