The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "Hotel Transylvania 2" star Adam Sandler.
Film starring Adam Sandler that I've seen:
Coneheads
Billy Madison
Bulletproof
Happy Gilmore
The Waterboy
The Wedding Singer
Big Daddy
Little Nicky
Mr. Deeds
Eight Crazy Nights
50 First Dates
Anger Management
The Longest Yard
Click
Reign Over Me
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Funny People
Grown Ups
Just Go with It
Zookeeper
Jack & Jill
That's My Boy
Hotel Transylvania
Grown Ups 2
Blended
Best Performance: Reign Over Me (2007)
It's largely glossed over because of the bad reputation he's acquired after years of putting out poorly-received comedies, but Sandler is a seriously great dramatic actor. The strongest example of his rarely-used acting abilities came in Reign Over Me, where he plays a New York-based widower who lost his entire family on 9/11 and has spent the five years after the tragedy pretending his past life didn't exist in an attempt to numb the deep pain of his losses. The scene where his character finally opens up to his former college roommate and best friend (Don Cheadle) about the day where his wife and two daughters passed away is absolutely devastating. With the approach director Mike Binder took to this scene, it could've very well been overly melodramatic and disingenuous, but Sandler's powerful and deeply human performance make the scene deeply emotional and completely unforgettable.
Worst Performance: Jack & Jill (2011)
As someone who grew up with and has found a lot of joy in the films of Adam Sandler, I find it hard to severely criticize his work. He's starred in his fair share of clunkers over the years, but even in his lesser works, he tends to be at the very least passable in whatever role he's given. His performance as twin brother and sister in the 2011 family comedy Jack & Jill is the rare exception. Sandler is so god damn obnoxious (especially as Jill) in this movie that I strongly considered ripping my eyes and ears off while I was watching it. It boggles the mind how an actor that is so consistently likable could manage to play a set of characters that are so annoying and vile.
Best Film: Happy Gilmore (1996)
This pick was a no-brainer. Sandler's early filmography is full of laugh-out-loud comedies (Billy Madison, The Waterboy, Big Daddy), but for me, Happy Gilmore is easily his finest achievement. The characters are memorable, the film is quotable as hell and most importantly, the film's hilarity only increases on subsequent viewings. Happy Gilmore has been one of my all-time favorite comedies since I was a kid and I don't see that ever not being the case.
Worst Film: Jack & Jill (2011)
Whether or not you're a fan of his work, there's no denying that Sandler's name is pretty synonymous with crap movies. Hell, at least a quarter of the projects he's released in the past decade have ranged from below-average to cinematic abominations. Jack & Jill falls in the latter camp. This is a film so tasteless and moronic that it makes both Grown Ups movies look like high art. Everyone involved with this project should be embarrassed and I really wish that the Neuralyzer from Men in Black was real so I could permanently erase this disasterpiece from my memory.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst
of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "The Martian" star Matt Damon.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
2015 Week 2 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers):
Roethlisberger was able to put his middling week 1 performance behind him and put on a show for Steeler nation in their home opener against the 49ers on Sunday afternoon. Roethlisberger decimated the 49ers rebuilt defense, putting up 369 yards, 3 TD's and a pair of 2-point conversions before being benched in garbage time. The scariest part about this performance was that Roethlisberger is that he was able to shred through the 49ers D without star running back Le'Veon Bell and lethal young wide receiver Martavis Bryant (they're both currently serving marijuana-related suspensions) in the lineup. Once Roethlisberger gets Bell back next week and Bryant back in Week 5, he should be nearly unstoppable for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Cam Newton (Panthers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
LVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
2015 has not been kind to the 2014 fantasy MVP so far. Luck followed up his stinker in Buffalo last week with an even-shakier performance (250 yards, 56.8 CMLP %, 1 TD, 3 INT and a lost fumble) against the Jets in primetime last night. The Colts terrible offensive line has given little-to-no-time to go through his progressions and facing the stout Bills and Jets defenses out of the gate is about as rough as it gets for a quarterback who is frequently under pressure, but Luck has to stop forcing balls into tight coverage and learn to take a sack or throw the ball away when pressure collapses the pocket. Luck has a good shot of redeeming himself in Week 3 when the Colts travel to Nashville to take on a Titans defense that has a below-average pass-rush and just got carved up by Johnny Manziel.
Dishonorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Sam Bradford (Eagles), Phillip Rivers (Chargers),
Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Williams apparently drank from the fountain of youth before signing with the Steelers this offseason. The 32-year former Carolina Panther was able to replicate his success from Week 1, putting up 92 total yards (77 rushing, 15 receiving) and 3 TD's on 24 touches. Williams' workload will be scaled back when Le'Veon Bell returns from suspension in Week 3, but given the piss-poor depth at running back, his fantasy owners should retain him as a solid bench option who can be relied on to start if needed.
Honorable Mentions: Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Dion Lewis (Patriots), David Johnson (Cardinals)
LVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
2nd-year back Jeremy Hill has been one of the most reliable fantasy backs since he took over as the Bengals starting back last November, so it was inevitable that he was going to throw up a stinker sooner or later. However, Hill didn't just throw up a typical stinker, his performance in Week 2 is one for the fantasy lowlight annals. Hill gained just 39 yards on 10 carries on a Chargers defense that got leveled in Week 1 against the Lions and was yanked in the 3rd quarter after fumbling twice. In most leagues, Hill's rough day netted his fantasy owners negative points. Despite backup Giovani Bernard's strong performance in relief of him on Sunday, Hill's starting job shouldn't be in danger and he should continue to be a rock-solid weekly RB1 option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Ameer Abdullah (Lions), Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
After 2 straight middling seasons, Fitzgerald appears to be back in dominant form. Fitzgerald accounted for over half of the Cardinals receiving yards and total points, putting up a ridiculous 112 yards and 3 TD's on 8 receptions, in Sunday's contest against the Bears. The Cardinals may have a talented pair of young receivers in John Brown and Michael Floyd, but all signs point to Fitzgerald being the top wideout and best fantasy option on the team this season.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Allen Robinson (Jaguars), Julian Edelman (Patriots)
LVP: Keenan Allen (Chargers)
Oh the plight of Keenan Allen. A week after logging a 15-catch, 166-yard game, Allen put up a paltry 16 yards on 2 receptions and had a costly early fumble in the Chargers loss to the Bengals this past Sunday. Allen is the uncontested number 1 option in the Chargers passing game, but his erratic play makes him one of the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy plays around.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Charles Johnson (Vikings), Rueben Randle (Giants)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Another week, another freakish performance for Gronkowski. The centerpiece of the Patriots took advantage of every linebacker and defensive back the Bills trotted out to cover him and put up an even more impressive performance (7 receptions, 113 yards, 1 TD) than he did in his masterful week 1 outing against the Steelers. Gronkowski is one of the biggest matchup problems in the league and with the Jaguars soft defense coming to Foxboro in Week 3, there's no reason to believe that he can't put up even bigger numbers than he did the past 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert (Bengals), Heath Miller (Steelers), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
LVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Graham's transition from the pass-happy offense of the Saints to the run-first offense of the Seahawks hasn't exactly been smooth so far. That transition hit a new low on Sunday night against the Packers as Graham was only targeted twice and made 1 grab for 11 yards. Given the makeup of the Seahawks offense, Graham just can't be expected to put up the numbers fantasy owners grew accustomed to when he was with the Saints.
Dishonorable Mentions: Zach Ertz (Eagles), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Ladrius Green (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Denver Broncos
The Broncos defense come out and turned out a lot of head on Thursday night with their play against the Chiefs. The Broncos picked up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 INT's and a touchdown against an offense that is widely regarded for how well they take care of the football. The Broncos defense has been nothing short of superb in the first 2 weeks of the season and with the talent they possess at every position group, they should be able to keep it up as long as they stay healthy.
Honorable Mentions: Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, New York Jets
LVP: Baltimore Ravens
I don't know if it was because of the loss of Terrell Suggs or they just underestimated the Raiders offense, but the Ravens defense looked absolutely awful in Week 2. They mustered just 1 sack and 1 interception in their shocking upset loss in Oakland on Sunday afternoon. Until they prove they can be perform without Suggs in the lineup, they're a shaky fantasy play at best.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers):
Roethlisberger was able to put his middling week 1 performance behind him and put on a show for Steeler nation in their home opener against the 49ers on Sunday afternoon. Roethlisberger decimated the 49ers rebuilt defense, putting up 369 yards, 3 TD's and a pair of 2-point conversions before being benched in garbage time. The scariest part about this performance was that Roethlisberger is that he was able to shred through the 49ers D without star running back Le'Veon Bell and lethal young wide receiver Martavis Bryant (they're both currently serving marijuana-related suspensions) in the lineup. Once Roethlisberger gets Bell back next week and Bryant back in Week 5, he should be nearly unstoppable for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Cam Newton (Panthers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
LVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
2015 has not been kind to the 2014 fantasy MVP so far. Luck followed up his stinker in Buffalo last week with an even-shakier performance (250 yards, 56.8 CMLP %, 1 TD, 3 INT and a lost fumble) against the Jets in primetime last night. The Colts terrible offensive line has given little-to-no-time to go through his progressions and facing the stout Bills and Jets defenses out of the gate is about as rough as it gets for a quarterback who is frequently under pressure, but Luck has to stop forcing balls into tight coverage and learn to take a sack or throw the ball away when pressure collapses the pocket. Luck has a good shot of redeeming himself in Week 3 when the Colts travel to Nashville to take on a Titans defense that has a below-average pass-rush and just got carved up by Johnny Manziel.
Dishonorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Sam Bradford (Eagles), Phillip Rivers (Chargers),
Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Williams apparently drank from the fountain of youth before signing with the Steelers this offseason. The 32-year former Carolina Panther was able to replicate his success from Week 1, putting up 92 total yards (77 rushing, 15 receiving) and 3 TD's on 24 touches. Williams' workload will be scaled back when Le'Veon Bell returns from suspension in Week 3, but given the piss-poor depth at running back, his fantasy owners should retain him as a solid bench option who can be relied on to start if needed.
Honorable Mentions: Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Dion Lewis (Patriots), David Johnson (Cardinals)
LVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
2nd-year back Jeremy Hill has been one of the most reliable fantasy backs since he took over as the Bengals starting back last November, so it was inevitable that he was going to throw up a stinker sooner or later. However, Hill didn't just throw up a typical stinker, his performance in Week 2 is one for the fantasy lowlight annals. Hill gained just 39 yards on 10 carries on a Chargers defense that got leveled in Week 1 against the Lions and was yanked in the 3rd quarter after fumbling twice. In most leagues, Hill's rough day netted his fantasy owners negative points. Despite backup Giovani Bernard's strong performance in relief of him on Sunday, Hill's starting job shouldn't be in danger and he should continue to be a rock-solid weekly RB1 option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Ameer Abdullah (Lions), Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
After 2 straight middling seasons, Fitzgerald appears to be back in dominant form. Fitzgerald accounted for over half of the Cardinals receiving yards and total points, putting up a ridiculous 112 yards and 3 TD's on 8 receptions, in Sunday's contest against the Bears. The Cardinals may have a talented pair of young receivers in John Brown and Michael Floyd, but all signs point to Fitzgerald being the top wideout and best fantasy option on the team this season.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Allen Robinson (Jaguars), Julian Edelman (Patriots)
LVP: Keenan Allen (Chargers)
Oh the plight of Keenan Allen. A week after logging a 15-catch, 166-yard game, Allen put up a paltry 16 yards on 2 receptions and had a costly early fumble in the Chargers loss to the Bengals this past Sunday. Allen is the uncontested number 1 option in the Chargers passing game, but his erratic play makes him one of the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy plays around.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Charles Johnson (Vikings), Rueben Randle (Giants)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Another week, another freakish performance for Gronkowski. The centerpiece of the Patriots took advantage of every linebacker and defensive back the Bills trotted out to cover him and put up an even more impressive performance (7 receptions, 113 yards, 1 TD) than he did in his masterful week 1 outing against the Steelers. Gronkowski is one of the biggest matchup problems in the league and with the Jaguars soft defense coming to Foxboro in Week 3, there's no reason to believe that he can't put up even bigger numbers than he did the past 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert (Bengals), Heath Miller (Steelers), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
LVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Graham's transition from the pass-happy offense of the Saints to the run-first offense of the Seahawks hasn't exactly been smooth so far. That transition hit a new low on Sunday night against the Packers as Graham was only targeted twice and made 1 grab for 11 yards. Given the makeup of the Seahawks offense, Graham just can't be expected to put up the numbers fantasy owners grew accustomed to when he was with the Saints.
Dishonorable Mentions: Zach Ertz (Eagles), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Ladrius Green (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Denver Broncos
The Broncos defense come out and turned out a lot of head on Thursday night with their play against the Chiefs. The Broncos picked up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 INT's and a touchdown against an offense that is widely regarded for how well they take care of the football. The Broncos defense has been nothing short of superb in the first 2 weeks of the season and with the talent they possess at every position group, they should be able to keep it up as long as they stay healthy.
Honorable Mentions: Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, New York Jets
LVP: Baltimore Ravens
I don't know if it was because of the loss of Terrell Suggs or they just underestimated the Raiders offense, but the Ravens defense looked absolutely awful in Week 2. They mustered just 1 sack and 1 interception in their shocking upset loss in Oakland on Sunday afternoon. Until they prove they can be perform without Suggs in the lineup, they're a shaky fantasy play at best.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers
Monday, September 21, 2015
Concert Review: Rocky and Tyler Tour (A$AP Rocky/Tyler, the Creator)-- Lowell, MA-- September 19th, 2015
In the world of modern hip-hop, you seldom see major rappers go on tour together. The reasons as to why this is are unclear and the end to this unfortunate trend doesn't appear to be anywhere in sight. On the rare occasion multiple hip-hop heavy-hitter decide to team up for a tour, you need seize the opportunity because it's a special occurrence that's only becoming more rare as time goes on.
2015's drought of major hip-hop package tours was put to end last month with the announcement of A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator's co-headlining tour fittingly titled "The Rocky and Tyler Tour". The month-long trek, which also features opening acts Danny Brown and Vince Staples, kicked off this past Saturday at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts and delivered a highly convincing argument as to why major hip-hop tours need to happen more frequently.
While the night was fantastic on the whole, it got off to a bit of a rough start. The combination of a long line to get into the Tsongas Center and traffic on the way to the venue caused me to miss a majority of Vince Staples' set. Staples has been near the top of my must see list since I heard his Mac Miller-produced mixtape Stolen Youth two years ago and my desire to see him has only increased since the release of his brilliant Def Jam debut Summertime '06 in June, so being forced to miss a majority of his set was really disappointing. Fortunately, the three songs I was able to see were enough to prove that Staples is a great performer. The overpowering beats kind of drowned out the vocals at times, but Staples raps with a ton of passion and his songs pack the same wallop live as they do on record. Staples is the most promising up-and-coming rapper in the game right now and I really hope that I will get the chance to see a proper set from him in the near future.
Danny Brown hit the stage about 15 minutes after Staples wrapped up his set and just like the previous times I've seen him, he absolutely killed it. Brown's tremendous technical ability and precision on the mic and commanding stage presence basically ensures that all of his shows will be great. I was a bit concerned that the crowd wouldn't be as into him as the previous two times I'd seen him (this was the first time I've seen him live where he wasn't headlining), but those concerns proved to be unwarranted, as the crowd exploded into a full-on frenzy as soon as he launched into set opener "Dope Song". Brown was clearly very aware of the type of crowd this tour would attract and loaded the set with the hard-hitting, electronic-influenced trap cuts from his last album Old. The decision for Brown to tailor his set to the young, party-happy fans of the headliners was a stroke of genius that ultimately led to him getting a crowd reception that rivaled Rocky and Tyler's for enthusiasm and intensity. The lone outlier in Brown's in-your-face set was the chilled-out "Grown Up", which was a very pleasant surprise as its a fantastic song that he rarely breaks out live. Brown is one of the standard-bearers for live hip-hop acts and even on a tour that's as loaded with talent as this, he was the clear standout.
Tyler, the Creator was up next. I'm not nearly as into Tyler as I was once was, but since his group Odd Future was the first hip-hop show I attended back in October of 2011, I have a bit of a nostalgic soft spot for his music. Like his music, Tyler's live performances are erratic and batshit insane in the best possible way. Tyler runs around the stage like a crazy person, regularly alters the lyrics to his songs to make stupid jokes and screws around with different vocal deliveries for his own amusement. In most situations it would be extremely annoying to watch an artist drastically deviate from their studio material, but for Tyler, it's a large part of why his shows are so much fun. His setlist was much better than expected, largely because he didn't play any of the weaker cuts from his ambitious, but very disjointed new album Cherry Bomb. The equal attention paid to his aggressive raps ("Deathcamp", "Yonkers", "Domo23") and his more mellow, R&B jams ("Fucking Young/Perfect", "IFHY", "PartyIsn'tOver/Campfire/Bimmer") gave the set a nice balance and showcase the largely overlooked musical diversity that has driven Tyler's last couple of releases. Tyler, the Creator may not be the most skilled rapper or tightest live performer in the game, but he's an incredibly entertaining artist whose lack of pretension and carefree attitude makes him stand out in the crowded modern hip-hop landscape.
A$AP Rocky put an end to the surprisingly quick set changovers of the rest of the night by taking over 30 minutes to set up after Tyler finished up. However, the wait proved to be well worth it as Rocky put on a seriously fantastic show. The first couple of songs ("JD and "Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2") saw Rocky relying a little too heavily on backup from his counterparts in the A$AP Mob and backing tracks, but once he took center stage on "M'$", he was incredibly sharp for the rest of the set. The clear highlight of his set was closing song "Holy Ghost", which was performed largely a capella. Rocky flawlessly hit both verses of the song with no beat and managed to make this already massive song even more immense in a live setting. Rocky is largely praised for his production and ability to craft memorable choruses, but stuff like this proves that he deserves just as much as praise for his abilities on the mic. The only problem with Rocky's set is that he spent way too much of his short set time (he was on stage for approximately 45 minutes) doing songs with the A$AP Mob. The entire mid-portion of the set was dedicated strictly to A$AP Mob tracks. While I am a big fan of Rocky and Ferg,who no longer regularly performs with Rocky due to the success of his solo career, the rest of the A$AP Mob members (Twelvvy, Nast and Ant) just aren't very good and with them getting most of the spotlight on the group tracks, it put a serious damper on the momentum of the set. Because of the abundance of A$AP Mob material in the set, Rocky only ended up playing seven of his own songs (eight if you include his verse from A$AP Ferg's "Shabba"). If Rocky set's was over an hour, I would have far less of a problem with this, but Rocky's choice to spend so much of his short set time on material that's vastly inferior to his solo stuff was frustrating. Aside from the extended A$AP Mob interlude in the middle of the set and lack of "Peso" in the setlist, A$AP Rocky put on a really fun show that vastly exceeded my expectations.
Scores:
Vince Staples 8/10
Danny Brown 9/10
Tyler, the Creator 7.5/10
A$AP Rocky 8/10
Setlists:
Vince Staples (last 3 songs):
Norf Norf
Senorita
Blue Suede
Danny Brown:
Side B (Dope Song)
Smokin' & Drinkin'
Lie4
Handstand
Break It (Go)
25 Bucks
Dubstep
Grown Up
Attak (Rustie cover)
Dip
Tyler, the Creator (missing 2-3 songs):
Deathcamp
Tron Cat
PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer
Keep Da O's
Jamba
Domo23
IFHY
Fucking Young/Perfect
Yonkers
Smuckers
Tamale
A$AP Rocky:
JD
Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2
M'$
L$D
Goldie
Hella Hoes (A$AP Mob cover)
Shabba (A$AP Ferg cover)
New A$AP Twelvy Solo Song
?
Wild for the Night
Jump Around (House of Pain cover)
Holy Ghost
2015's drought of major hip-hop package tours was put to end last month with the announcement of A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator's co-headlining tour fittingly titled "The Rocky and Tyler Tour". The month-long trek, which also features opening acts Danny Brown and Vince Staples, kicked off this past Saturday at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts and delivered a highly convincing argument as to why major hip-hop tours need to happen more frequently.
While the night was fantastic on the whole, it got off to a bit of a rough start. The combination of a long line to get into the Tsongas Center and traffic on the way to the venue caused me to miss a majority of Vince Staples' set. Staples has been near the top of my must see list since I heard his Mac Miller-produced mixtape Stolen Youth two years ago and my desire to see him has only increased since the release of his brilliant Def Jam debut Summertime '06 in June, so being forced to miss a majority of his set was really disappointing. Fortunately, the three songs I was able to see were enough to prove that Staples is a great performer. The overpowering beats kind of drowned out the vocals at times, but Staples raps with a ton of passion and his songs pack the same wallop live as they do on record. Staples is the most promising up-and-coming rapper in the game right now and I really hope that I will get the chance to see a proper set from him in the near future.
Danny Brown hit the stage about 15 minutes after Staples wrapped up his set and just like the previous times I've seen him, he absolutely killed it. Brown's tremendous technical ability and precision on the mic and commanding stage presence basically ensures that all of his shows will be great. I was a bit concerned that the crowd wouldn't be as into him as the previous two times I'd seen him (this was the first time I've seen him live where he wasn't headlining), but those concerns proved to be unwarranted, as the crowd exploded into a full-on frenzy as soon as he launched into set opener "Dope Song". Brown was clearly very aware of the type of crowd this tour would attract and loaded the set with the hard-hitting, electronic-influenced trap cuts from his last album Old. The decision for Brown to tailor his set to the young, party-happy fans of the headliners was a stroke of genius that ultimately led to him getting a crowd reception that rivaled Rocky and Tyler's for enthusiasm and intensity. The lone outlier in Brown's in-your-face set was the chilled-out "Grown Up", which was a very pleasant surprise as its a fantastic song that he rarely breaks out live. Brown is one of the standard-bearers for live hip-hop acts and even on a tour that's as loaded with talent as this, he was the clear standout.
Tyler, the Creator was up next. I'm not nearly as into Tyler as I was once was, but since his group Odd Future was the first hip-hop show I attended back in October of 2011, I have a bit of a nostalgic soft spot for his music. Like his music, Tyler's live performances are erratic and batshit insane in the best possible way. Tyler runs around the stage like a crazy person, regularly alters the lyrics to his songs to make stupid jokes and screws around with different vocal deliveries for his own amusement. In most situations it would be extremely annoying to watch an artist drastically deviate from their studio material, but for Tyler, it's a large part of why his shows are so much fun. His setlist was much better than expected, largely because he didn't play any of the weaker cuts from his ambitious, but very disjointed new album Cherry Bomb. The equal attention paid to his aggressive raps ("Deathcamp", "Yonkers", "Domo23") and his more mellow, R&B jams ("Fucking Young/Perfect", "IFHY", "PartyIsn'tOver/Campfire/Bimmer") gave the set a nice balance and showcase the largely overlooked musical diversity that has driven Tyler's last couple of releases. Tyler, the Creator may not be the most skilled rapper or tightest live performer in the game, but he's an incredibly entertaining artist whose lack of pretension and carefree attitude makes him stand out in the crowded modern hip-hop landscape.
A$AP Rocky put an end to the surprisingly quick set changovers of the rest of the night by taking over 30 minutes to set up after Tyler finished up. However, the wait proved to be well worth it as Rocky put on a seriously fantastic show. The first couple of songs ("JD and "Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2") saw Rocky relying a little too heavily on backup from his counterparts in the A$AP Mob and backing tracks, but once he took center stage on "M'$", he was incredibly sharp for the rest of the set. The clear highlight of his set was closing song "Holy Ghost", which was performed largely a capella. Rocky flawlessly hit both verses of the song with no beat and managed to make this already massive song even more immense in a live setting. Rocky is largely praised for his production and ability to craft memorable choruses, but stuff like this proves that he deserves just as much as praise for his abilities on the mic. The only problem with Rocky's set is that he spent way too much of his short set time (he was on stage for approximately 45 minutes) doing songs with the A$AP Mob. The entire mid-portion of the set was dedicated strictly to A$AP Mob tracks. While I am a big fan of Rocky and Ferg,who no longer regularly performs with Rocky due to the success of his solo career, the rest of the A$AP Mob members (Twelvvy, Nast and Ant) just aren't very good and with them getting most of the spotlight on the group tracks, it put a serious damper on the momentum of the set. Because of the abundance of A$AP Mob material in the set, Rocky only ended up playing seven of his own songs (eight if you include his verse from A$AP Ferg's "Shabba"). If Rocky set's was over an hour, I would have far less of a problem with this, but Rocky's choice to spend so much of his short set time on material that's vastly inferior to his solo stuff was frustrating. Aside from the extended A$AP Mob interlude in the middle of the set and lack of "Peso" in the setlist, A$AP Rocky put on a really fun show that vastly exceeded my expectations.
Scores:
Vince Staples 8/10
Danny Brown 9/10
Tyler, the Creator 7.5/10
A$AP Rocky 8/10
Setlists:
Vince Staples (last 3 songs):
Norf Norf
Senorita
Blue Suede
Danny Brown:
Side B (Dope Song)
Smokin' & Drinkin'
Lie4
Handstand
Break It (Go)
25 Bucks
Dubstep
Grown Up
Attak (Rustie cover)
Dip
Tyler, the Creator (missing 2-3 songs):
Deathcamp
Tron Cat
PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer
Keep Da O's
Jamba
Domo23
IFHY
Fucking Young/Perfect
Yonkers
Smuckers
Tamale
A$AP Rocky:
JD
Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2
M'$
L$D
Goldie
Hella Hoes (A$AP Mob cover)
Shabba (A$AP Ferg cover)
New A$AP Twelvy Solo Song
?
Wild for the Night
Jump Around (House of Pain cover)
Holy Ghost
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Concert Review: The Fall of Troy-- Boston, MA-- September 18th, 2015
The Fall of Troy made sure their first full U.S. tour since reuniting early last year was a landmark event. The Seattle-based post-hardcore/math rock act celebrated the 10th anniversary of their breakout release Doppelganger by playing the album in its entirety. Last night this tour made its way to the Royale in Boston and the recently reformed act delivered a show that was worthy of its special event billing.
I arrived at the Royale about halfway through opener Slothrust's set. Slothrust is an act with a sound that is incredibly difficult to describe. They had a bunch of really slow indie moments that were reminiscent of the music every sad white kid with an acoustic guitar plays at open mic nights across the United States, but also had some instrumental sections with really fast drumming and crunchy riffing that wouldn't sound out of a place in a stoner rock song. Adding to the enigma was the awkward stage banter from vocalist Leah Wellbaum. Between songs she kept mumbling off-color comments, made stupid jokes and just look like she was exremely uncomfortable on stage. Slothrust's lack of musical direction and odd stage presence made their performance one of the strangest shows I've ever seen.
Irish instrumental band And So I Watched You From Afar came out shortly after and returned a sense of normalcy to the room. I hadn't heard a single note of their music going into this show, but they managed to grab my attention almost immediately and hold it for the duration of their performance. The guitarwork was extremely intricate, the drumming was exceptional and the moments of melody beautifully contrasted the blistering technicality that drove a majority of their compositions. And So I Watched You From Afar was generally really solid instrumental post-rock/hardcore and I plan on digging deeper into their catalog in the near future.
After a pretty brief changeover, The Fall of Troy hit the stage around 8:20. Given their extended hiatus and spastic nature of their music, I was somewhat worried that their live show would be underwhelming. While the sound mix and the vocals from both Tom Erak and Tim Ward were a little suspect at times, The Fall of Troy was very impressive on the whole. The band was incredibly tight, nailing every single note of their mindbogglingly chaotic music and the group's energy level perfectly synched up with the intensity and unpredictability of their music. As expected, the material from Doppelganger made up a majority of the setlist. The Doppelganger tracks sounded excellent live ("Mouths Like Sidewinder Missiles" and "Laces Out, Dan!" were the standouts) and hearing these songs live gave me a greater appreciation for the subtleties that are buried within the many layers of the studio version. Seeing Doppelganger performed from start to finish serves as a reminder of just how special and criminally underrated of an album it is. However, being the shameless whore for technical guitar playing that I am, the clear highlight of the show for me was watching Erak play. He's one of the most technically-sound and downright wild guitar players I've ever seen play in person. He not only nails the ridiculously complex parts that appear on the studio recordings, but throws in some really cool improvised parts that further bolster the song's quality and aura of chaos. Erak's guitarwork is what made Fall of Troy's music click with me in the first place and his playing stands out even more in a live setting. The 5 years The Fall of Troy spent away from music appears to have done them a lot of good and I fully expect their upcoming album to be an absolutely triumphant return to the spotlight.
Side Notes:
-Erak confirmed at the the end of the set that Fall of Troy will release a new record in 2016.
-This kid in a wheelchair crowdsurfed multiple times throughout the set. Unfortunately, this poor bastard was signaling for 10 minutes for people to put him down (Erak asked the crowd to put him down on his behalf four times) until someone actually did.
-Some crowdsurfer stopped and hugged Erak and bassist Tim Ward before they started playing "Macaulay McCulkin".
Scores:
Slothtrust WTF/10
And I Watched You From Afar 7.5/10
The Fall of Troy 8/10
Setlists:
The Fall of Troy (order may be a little off):
?
I Just Got This Symphony Goin' (w/ The Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face" outro)
Act One, Scene One
?
F.C.P. R.E.M..I. X
You Got a Death Wish Johnny Truant?
?
Mouths Like Sidewinder Missiles
A Whole New World (instrumental version of the Aladdin song)
The H(oly) Tape
?
Laces Out, Dan!
We Better Learn How to Hotwire A Uterus
New Song
Whack Jacko Steals the Elephant Man's Bones
Tom Waits
Macaulay McCulkin
I arrived at the Royale about halfway through opener Slothrust's set. Slothrust is an act with a sound that is incredibly difficult to describe. They had a bunch of really slow indie moments that were reminiscent of the music every sad white kid with an acoustic guitar plays at open mic nights across the United States, but also had some instrumental sections with really fast drumming and crunchy riffing that wouldn't sound out of a place in a stoner rock song. Adding to the enigma was the awkward stage banter from vocalist Leah Wellbaum. Between songs she kept mumbling off-color comments, made stupid jokes and just look like she was exremely uncomfortable on stage. Slothrust's lack of musical direction and odd stage presence made their performance one of the strangest shows I've ever seen.
Irish instrumental band And So I Watched You From Afar came out shortly after and returned a sense of normalcy to the room. I hadn't heard a single note of their music going into this show, but they managed to grab my attention almost immediately and hold it for the duration of their performance. The guitarwork was extremely intricate, the drumming was exceptional and the moments of melody beautifully contrasted the blistering technicality that drove a majority of their compositions. And So I Watched You From Afar was generally really solid instrumental post-rock/hardcore and I plan on digging deeper into their catalog in the near future.
After a pretty brief changeover, The Fall of Troy hit the stage around 8:20. Given their extended hiatus and spastic nature of their music, I was somewhat worried that their live show would be underwhelming. While the sound mix and the vocals from both Tom Erak and Tim Ward were a little suspect at times, The Fall of Troy was very impressive on the whole. The band was incredibly tight, nailing every single note of their mindbogglingly chaotic music and the group's energy level perfectly synched up with the intensity and unpredictability of their music. As expected, the material from Doppelganger made up a majority of the setlist. The Doppelganger tracks sounded excellent live ("Mouths Like Sidewinder Missiles" and "Laces Out, Dan!" were the standouts) and hearing these songs live gave me a greater appreciation for the subtleties that are buried within the many layers of the studio version. Seeing Doppelganger performed from start to finish serves as a reminder of just how special and criminally underrated of an album it is. However, being the shameless whore for technical guitar playing that I am, the clear highlight of the show for me was watching Erak play. He's one of the most technically-sound and downright wild guitar players I've ever seen play in person. He not only nails the ridiculously complex parts that appear on the studio recordings, but throws in some really cool improvised parts that further bolster the song's quality and aura of chaos. Erak's guitarwork is what made Fall of Troy's music click with me in the first place and his playing stands out even more in a live setting. The 5 years The Fall of Troy spent away from music appears to have done them a lot of good and I fully expect their upcoming album to be an absolutely triumphant return to the spotlight.
Side Notes:
-Erak confirmed at the the end of the set that Fall of Troy will release a new record in 2016.
-This kid in a wheelchair crowdsurfed multiple times throughout the set. Unfortunately, this poor bastard was signaling for 10 minutes for people to put him down (Erak asked the crowd to put him down on his behalf four times) until someone actually did.
-Some crowdsurfer stopped and hugged Erak and bassist Tim Ward before they started playing "Macaulay McCulkin".
Scores:
Slothtrust WTF/10
And I Watched You From Afar 7.5/10
The Fall of Troy 8/10
Setlists:
The Fall of Troy (order may be a little off):
?
I Just Got This Symphony Goin' (w/ The Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face" outro)
Act One, Scene One
?
F.C.P. R.E.M..I. X
You Got a Death Wish Johnny Truant?
?
Mouths Like Sidewinder Missiles
A Whole New World (instrumental version of the Aladdin song)
The H(oly) Tape
?
Laces Out, Dan!
We Better Learn How to Hotwire A Uterus
New Song
Whack Jacko Steals the Elephant Man's Bones
Tom Waits
Macaulay McCulkin
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Movie Review: The Visit
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While The Visit ultimately works, its not without its rough patches. The film's simple premise centering around two teenagers (Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould, who frequently tow the line between competent and obnoxious) making a documentary about meeting their estranged grandparents (Peter McRobbie and DeAnna Dunnagan) for the first time and becoming more and more disturbed by their unusual behavior as the visit progress is set up within the first 15 minutes. After that setup, the film feels like its going nowhere for nearly an hour. Shyamalan gives the audience a string of scenes with the grandparents acting insane and the kids becoming gradually more concerned about their safety without really advancing the narrative. Shymalan tries to offset this slow, suspense-free buildup with a healthy dose of dark comedy and family melodrama, but fails miserable as the gags aren't very funny and the attempts genuine human drama are insanely corny and forced.
Ironically, it's the trademark Shyamalan twist that savages the film from the depths of mediocrity. Prior to the brilliantly-executed twist in the last 20 minutes, the film is seemingly a bunch of inconsequential scenes with no real narrative focus. Then all of a sudden, the twist hits and Shymalan's entire vision comes into focus. The twist gives the final act of the film some real intensity and reminds audiences of how gifted and clever of a filmmaker Shyamalan can be when he's on his game. While The Visit is far from perfect and comes nowehre touching the quality of Shymalan's seminal work The Sixth Sense, it's nice to see some signs of life from the once-promising director after watching him tread water for so long.
3/5 Stars
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
The Best and Worst of Johnny Depp
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "Black Mass" star Johnny Depp.
Films starring Johnny Depp that I've seen:
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Edward Scissorhands
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Blow
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Public Enemies
Rango
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
The Rum Diary
The Lone Ranger
Transcendence
Tusk
Mortdecai
Best Performance: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
The role of hard-drinking, mumbling, cooky pirate Jack Sparrow was one that Depp was born to play. Deep's eccentricity, energy and flare for all things eccentric made Sparrow one of the most memorable characters in recent film history and was almost solely responsible for making Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl one of the most fun action/adventure films of all-time.
Worst Performance: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
I still won't forgive Depp for transforming a lovable character like Willy Wonka into an awkward, creepy candy-peddler who is eerily reminiscent of Michael Jackson. Depp ramps up the eccentricity that Gene Wilder brought to the character while completely disregarding the charm that made Willy Wonka such an iconic character. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a firm reminder of why Depp should permanently stay away from Tim Burton's half-baked, psychedelic re-imaginings of classic children's films.
Best Film: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
There's plenty of trippy, unconventional drug-based films out there, but none have the bite or the same level of fillmmaking proficiency as Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Like Hunter S. Thompson's source material, Gilliam creates a world full of colorful, strange characters that repeatedly put themselves into insane situations and it's nothing of enthralling to watch. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a unique, unforgettable and darkly hilarious film that is as good as it gets when it comes to the world of surrealist cinema.
Worst Film: Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Depp has starred in a lot of widely-hated films (Transcendence, Mortdecai, The Long Ranger) that are well-deserving of their bad raps. However, none of those films filled me with more rage and disgust than his breakout film and first collaboration with BFF Burton, Edward Scissorhands. Burton tries so hard to make a film that parallels the plot of Frankenstein and make Edward a symbol for all of the misunderstood and wrongfully feared outsiders of the world, but the love story at the center of the film is so corny and the acting is so collectively bad that Burton's good intentions don't really matter. Edward Scissorhands is an abomination and I will never even begin to understand why it's so acclaimed.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Hotel Translyvania" star Adam Sandler.
Films starring Johnny Depp that I've seen:
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Edward Scissorhands
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Blow
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Public Enemies
Rango
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
The Rum Diary
The Lone Ranger
Transcendence
Tusk
Mortdecai
Best Performance: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
The role of hard-drinking, mumbling, cooky pirate Jack Sparrow was one that Depp was born to play. Deep's eccentricity, energy and flare for all things eccentric made Sparrow one of the most memorable characters in recent film history and was almost solely responsible for making Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl one of the most fun action/adventure films of all-time.
Worst Performance: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
I still won't forgive Depp for transforming a lovable character like Willy Wonka into an awkward, creepy candy-peddler who is eerily reminiscent of Michael Jackson. Depp ramps up the eccentricity that Gene Wilder brought to the character while completely disregarding the charm that made Willy Wonka such an iconic character. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a firm reminder of why Depp should permanently stay away from Tim Burton's half-baked, psychedelic re-imaginings of classic children's films.
Best Film: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
There's plenty of trippy, unconventional drug-based films out there, but none have the bite or the same level of fillmmaking proficiency as Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Like Hunter S. Thompson's source material, Gilliam creates a world full of colorful, strange characters that repeatedly put themselves into insane situations and it's nothing of enthralling to watch. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a unique, unforgettable and darkly hilarious film that is as good as it gets when it comes to the world of surrealist cinema.
Worst Film: Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Depp has starred in a lot of widely-hated films (Transcendence, Mortdecai, The Long Ranger) that are well-deserving of their bad raps. However, none of those films filled me with more rage and disgust than his breakout film and first collaboration with BFF Burton, Edward Scissorhands. Burton tries so hard to make a film that parallels the plot of Frankenstein and make Edward a symbol for all of the misunderstood and wrongfully feared outsiders of the world, but the love story at the center of the film is so corny and the acting is so collectively bad that Burton's good intentions don't really matter. Edward Scissorhands is an abomination and I will never even begin to understand why it's so acclaimed.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Hotel Translyvania" star Adam Sandler.
2015 Week 1 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
MVP: Tom Brady (Patriots):
After going through a tumultuous offseason full of public scrutiny and a long court battle stemming from the Deflategate scandal, Brady started off the 2015 season with a noticeable bang. Brady lit up (288 yards, 4 TD's, 0 turnovers) the porous Steelers defense without much visible effort in the NFL season opener last Thursday night. While its highly unlikely that Brady will be this dominant every week, this performance is an encouraging sign that the 38-year old quarterback won't fall from grace in 2015.
Honorable Mentions: Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Marcus Mariota (Titans), Tony Romo (Cowboys)
LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos):
The struggles that plagued Manning down the stretch in 2014 have followed him into the start of the 2015 season. Manning's struggles with accuracy and frequently poor pass protection led to him putting up an incredibly poor performance (175 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT, 4.4 yards per completion) against the Ravens on Sunday afternoon. Manning gets a bit of a pass due to how good the Ravens defense is, but it's still pretty clear that Manning's best days are well behind him. He's a risky start this week when the Broncos travel to Kansas City to play a similarly stingy Chiefs defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Joe Flacco (Ravens), Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)
Running Back
MVP: Carlos Hyde (49ers)
2nd-year running back Carlos Hyde had a lot on his plate in his 1st career start this week. Hyde was replacing 49ers icon Frank Gore as the team's starting running back and was expected to be heavily leaned on to take the pressure off of quarterback Colin Kapernick in this revamped 49ers offense. Hyde proved to be up to the challenge as he was the driving force behind the 49ers' offensive success in Week 1. Hyde eviscerated the Vikings defense on Monday night, picking up 182 total yards (168 rushing, 14 receiving) and 2 highlight-reel worthy rushing touchdowns. If Hyde can keep this level of play up, he'll prove be to a top-end RB1 all season long.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Chris Ivory (Jets), Bishop Sankey (Titans)
LVP: Adrian Peterson (Vikings)
It was a rough week for projected RB1's this week with guys like C.J. Anderson, Justin Forsett and LeSean McCoy all falling short of expectations. However, none of these guys were as disappointing as Peterson. Peterson's attempt to make a triumphant statement in his 1st NFL game in over a year was thwarted by the 49ers surprisingly stiff defense. Peterson put up just 52 total yards (31 rushing, 21 receiving) on a shockingly-low 13 touches in what was a rough night for the entire Vikings offense. He has a good shot to redeem himself in Week 2 against a Lions run defense that got torched by the Chargers this past week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Frank Gore (Colts), Justin Forsett (Ravens), C.J. Anderson (Broncos)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Jones once again proved why he is one of the league's top receivers with his dominant performance last night against the Eagles. Jones torched every single poor soul the Eagles dragged out to try and cover him, picking up an absurd 141 yards and 2 TD's on 9 receptions. Jones is an absolute target monster in the Falcons pass-heavy offense and barring injury, he'll be in the running for the top fantasy WR title in 2015.
Honorable Mentions: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Keenan Allen (Chargers)
LVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
2014's most reliable fantasy receiver showed a rare chink in his armor against the Cowboys on Sunday night. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year picked up a mere 44 yards on 5 receptions and was rarely targeted outside of short-yardage situations. Beckham Jr.'s fantasy owners can take solace in the fact that his ineffectiveness can largely be attributed to how bad Eli Manning played, but it's still a disappointing start for a guy that was downright unstoppable for the last 2 months of the season a year ago.
Dishonorable Mentions: Amari Cooper (Raiders), Demaryius Thomas (Broncos), Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
The Steelers employed a bold defensive strategy this week by not trying to cover the best tight end in the NFL. Let's just say that gameplan didn't pan out too well. Gronkowski took advantage of the Steelers defensive incompetence by putting up 94 yards and 3 TD's on just 5 receptions. As long as Gronkowksi remains healthy, he's the single most deadly redzone threat in the NFL and should make his fantasy owners happy just about every week.
Honorable Mentions: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
With top wideout Kelvin Benjamin out for the season, it seemed like Greg Olsen was going to be the go-to-guy in the Panthers passing game. That was not the case on Sunday afternoon against the Jaguars as Olsen only a caught a single pass for 11 yards. As far as I'm concerned, this weak performance was a fluke and Olsen should return to form against a Texans team that got destroyed by Travis Kelce in Week 1.
Dishonorable Mentions: Owen Daniels (Broncos), Larry Donnell (Giants), Coby Fleener (Colts)
Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers defense started 2015 off with a serious statement by terrorizing the lowly Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers picked up 5 sacks, 2 INT's, a fumble recovery and a defensive touchdown in the 20-9 victory. The Panthers are a severely underrated fantasy defense that should be able to put up solid numbers week in and week out.
Honorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos
LVP: Green Bay Packers
The Packers defense started off their 2015 season in pretty unspectacular fashion. The Packers did not duplicate the success they had against Jay Cutler and the Bears last season on Sunday, picking up just 2 sacks and an interception against their heated rivals. The Packers solid pass-rush and talented secondary make them a solid starting defense, but they will have more down weeks than your typical top 10 fantasy defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots
After going through a tumultuous offseason full of public scrutiny and a long court battle stemming from the Deflategate scandal, Brady started off the 2015 season with a noticeable bang. Brady lit up (288 yards, 4 TD's, 0 turnovers) the porous Steelers defense without much visible effort in the NFL season opener last Thursday night. While its highly unlikely that Brady will be this dominant every week, this performance is an encouraging sign that the 38-year old quarterback won't fall from grace in 2015.
Honorable Mentions: Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Marcus Mariota (Titans), Tony Romo (Cowboys)
LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos):
The struggles that plagued Manning down the stretch in 2014 have followed him into the start of the 2015 season. Manning's struggles with accuracy and frequently poor pass protection led to him putting up an incredibly poor performance (175 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT, 4.4 yards per completion) against the Ravens on Sunday afternoon. Manning gets a bit of a pass due to how good the Ravens defense is, but it's still pretty clear that Manning's best days are well behind him. He's a risky start this week when the Broncos travel to Kansas City to play a similarly stingy Chiefs defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Joe Flacco (Ravens), Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)
Running Back
MVP: Carlos Hyde (49ers)
2nd-year running back Carlos Hyde had a lot on his plate in his 1st career start this week. Hyde was replacing 49ers icon Frank Gore as the team's starting running back and was expected to be heavily leaned on to take the pressure off of quarterback Colin Kapernick in this revamped 49ers offense. Hyde proved to be up to the challenge as he was the driving force behind the 49ers' offensive success in Week 1. Hyde eviscerated the Vikings defense on Monday night, picking up 182 total yards (168 rushing, 14 receiving) and 2 highlight-reel worthy rushing touchdowns. If Hyde can keep this level of play up, he'll prove be to a top-end RB1 all season long.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Chris Ivory (Jets), Bishop Sankey (Titans)
LVP: Adrian Peterson (Vikings)
It was a rough week for projected RB1's this week with guys like C.J. Anderson, Justin Forsett and LeSean McCoy all falling short of expectations. However, none of these guys were as disappointing as Peterson. Peterson's attempt to make a triumphant statement in his 1st NFL game in over a year was thwarted by the 49ers surprisingly stiff defense. Peterson put up just 52 total yards (31 rushing, 21 receiving) on a shockingly-low 13 touches in what was a rough night for the entire Vikings offense. He has a good shot to redeem himself in Week 2 against a Lions run defense that got torched by the Chargers this past week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Frank Gore (Colts), Justin Forsett (Ravens), C.J. Anderson (Broncos)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Jones once again proved why he is one of the league's top receivers with his dominant performance last night against the Eagles. Jones torched every single poor soul the Eagles dragged out to try and cover him, picking up an absurd 141 yards and 2 TD's on 9 receptions. Jones is an absolute target monster in the Falcons pass-heavy offense and barring injury, he'll be in the running for the top fantasy WR title in 2015.
Honorable Mentions: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Keenan Allen (Chargers)
LVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
2014's most reliable fantasy receiver showed a rare chink in his armor against the Cowboys on Sunday night. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year picked up a mere 44 yards on 5 receptions and was rarely targeted outside of short-yardage situations. Beckham Jr.'s fantasy owners can take solace in the fact that his ineffectiveness can largely be attributed to how bad Eli Manning played, but it's still a disappointing start for a guy that was downright unstoppable for the last 2 months of the season a year ago.
Dishonorable Mentions: Amari Cooper (Raiders), Demaryius Thomas (Broncos), Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
The Steelers employed a bold defensive strategy this week by not trying to cover the best tight end in the NFL. Let's just say that gameplan didn't pan out too well. Gronkowski took advantage of the Steelers defensive incompetence by putting up 94 yards and 3 TD's on just 5 receptions. As long as Gronkowksi remains healthy, he's the single most deadly redzone threat in the NFL and should make his fantasy owners happy just about every week.
Honorable Mentions: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
With top wideout Kelvin Benjamin out for the season, it seemed like Greg Olsen was going to be the go-to-guy in the Panthers passing game. That was not the case on Sunday afternoon against the Jaguars as Olsen only a caught a single pass for 11 yards. As far as I'm concerned, this weak performance was a fluke and Olsen should return to form against a Texans team that got destroyed by Travis Kelce in Week 1.
Dishonorable Mentions: Owen Daniels (Broncos), Larry Donnell (Giants), Coby Fleener (Colts)
Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers defense started 2015 off with a serious statement by terrorizing the lowly Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers picked up 5 sacks, 2 INT's, a fumble recovery and a defensive touchdown in the 20-9 victory. The Panthers are a severely underrated fantasy defense that should be able to put up solid numbers week in and week out.
Honorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos
LVP: Green Bay Packers
The Packers defense started off their 2015 season in pretty unspectacular fashion. The Packers did not duplicate the success they had against Jay Cutler and the Bears last season on Sunday, picking up just 2 sacks and an interception against their heated rivals. The Packers solid pass-rush and talented secondary make them a solid starting defense, but they will have more down weeks than your typical top 10 fantasy defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots
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