Top 10 Live Performances of 2015

Concerts I attended in 2015:
January 14th: Big K.R.I.T./Michael Christmas, The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
January 25th: August Burns Red/Miss May I/Northlane/Fit for a King/Erra, House of Blues, Boston, MA
January 31st: Machine Head, Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA
February 21st: The Contortionist/Revocation/Fallujah/Toothgrinder, Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA
February 27th: Cannibal Corpse/Behemoth/Aeon, House of Blues, Boston, MA
March 14th: Dropkick Murphys/The Mahones/Blood or Whiskey, House of Blues, Boston, MA
April 5th: Revocation/Black Crown Initiate/Sexcrement/Coagula, The Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA
April 10th: At the Gates/Converge/Pallbearer/Vallenfyre, Royale Boston, Boston, MA
April 27th: Action Bronson/Meyhem Lauren, House of Blues, Boston, MA
May 17th: Mastodon/Clutch/Graveyard, House of Blues, Boston, MA
June 9th: Lana Del Rey/Grimes, Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
June 10th: Juicy J, House of Blues, Boston, MA
June 18th: The Dillinger Escape Plan/Mutoid Man/Primitive Weapons, Royale Boston, Boston, MA
July 14th: Vans Warped Tour (Neck Deep/Miss May I/Riff Raff/August Burns Red/Four Year Strong/Beartooth/'68/While She Sleeps/Crossfaith/Hundredth/I Killed the Prom Queen), Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
August 4th: Slipknot/Lamb of God/Bullet for My Valentine, Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
August 7th: Incubus/Deftones/Death from Above 1979/The Bots, Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
September 18th: The Fall of Troy/And So I Watched You from Afar/Slothrust, Royale Boston, Boston, MA
September 19th: A$AP Rocky/Tyler, the Creator/Danny Brown/Vince Staples, Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA
October 3rd: Revocation/Archspire/Black Fast/Coagula, Great Scott, Allston, MA
October 29th: Rae Sremmurd/Mike Stud/KaneHoller, Salem State University, Salem, MA
November 12th: The Weeknd/Banks/Travi$ Scott, DCU Center, Worcester, MA
November 15th: Parkway Drive/Miss May I/Thy Art is Murder, House of Blues, Boston, MA
November 28th: August Burns Red/Every Time I Die/Stick to Your Guns/Polyphia, The Palladium, Worcester, MA

10 Best Shows:
10.Incubus/Deftones/Death from Above 1979/The Bots
9.Action Bronson/Meyhem Lauren
8. The Weeknd/Banks/Travi$ Scott
7.Cannibal Corpse/Behemoth/Aeon
6.Slipknot/Lamb of God/Bullet for My Valentine
5.August Burns Red/Every Time I Die/Stick to Your Guns/Polyphia
4.The Dillinger Escape Plan/Mutoid Man/Primitive Weapons
3.Revocation/Black Crown Initiate/Sexcrement/Coagula
2.A$AP Rocky/Tyler, the Creator/Danny Brown/Vince Staples
1.The Contortionist/Revocation/Fallujah/Toothgrinder

10 Best Performances:
10.Archspire (10/3):
In a genre full of acts that can't match the inhuman speeds of their studio material in a live setting, Archspire is the gold standard. These beautiful Vancouver-bred cyborgs play their spastic brand of progressive/technical  death metal with awe-inspiring precision and unrivaled intensity, making their live shows a slice of extreme metal bliss.
      
9.Action Bronson (4/27):
While his goofy, abstract persona may lead people to believe otherwise, Action Bronson is one of the most gifted rappers in the game right now and his damn near perfect performance at the House of Blues in April further confirmed that notion. With his relentless energy, joyous stage presence and flawless line delivery, Bronson has cemented himself as an elite live hip-hop act.

8.Behemoth (2/27):
There was a time not too long ago where I thought I'd never get the opportunity to see Behemoth perform again. Vocalist/guitarist Adam "Nergal" Darski's brush with death (he was diagnosed with stage 3 leukemia in August 2010 and received a life-saving bone marrow transplant in December 2010) has revitalized the band and made them even more of a sinister powerhouse than they were prior to his bout with cancer. Armed with a setlist driven by material from their spectacular 2014 comeback record The Satanist, Behemoth put on a gloomy, triumphant performance that served as a firm reminder to the audience as to why they are one of the greatest extreme metal acts of all-time.

7.The Weeknd (11/12):
The talent and appeal of the breakout pop star of 2015 becomes even more evident when you see him perform in person. The Weeknd's clever experimentation with the musical arrangements of his material paired with the sheer power of his vocals makes his live show a true wonder to behold. 

6.Slipknot (8/4):
Slipknot has never been one of my favorite bands, but they are by far one of the most consistent and impressive live bands I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. Their live show is a raucous, circus-like spectacle that demands to be see by anyone who has even a passing interest in heavy music. 

5.Incubus (8/7):
I went to this show exclusively to see Deftones and stuck around for Incubus just for nostalgia's stake. This proved to be a fantastic decision as Incubus put on one hell of a live show. Brandon Boyd's fantastic vocals made even the most forgettable songs in their catalog ("Love Hurts", "Here in My Room") breathtaking and the setlist had far more pre-Light Grenades material than I expected. Kudos to Incubus for putting on arguably the most surprisingly outstanding live performance I've ever witnessed. 

4.Lana Del Rey (6/9):
Between her infamous Saturday Night Live meltdown in 2012 and the overwhelmingly negative reviews I had read from people that had seen her over the past few years, I was incredibly nervous to see Lana Del Rey live. Those fears vanished the minute her vocals came in on set opener "Cruel World". Del Rey's voice is distinctly beautiful live and her low-key stage presence made the 20,000 capacity venue she was performing in feel like an intimate setting. 

3.Revocation (4/5):
I saw Revocation three times in 2015 and while they were excellent on all three occasions, this headlining show at the Middle East Upstairs on Easter Sunday was the clear standout. The combination of seeing them perform in a under 200 capacity venue and an absolutely sensational setlist featuring a handful of songs I'd never seen them perform before made Revocation's technically-dazzling, intense live show even more satisfying than usual.

2.Fallujah (2/21):
Fallujah has been one of my favorite bands for about three years now, but this marked the first time I saw them where their live show was in line with the quality of their albums. Their comfort level with performing has finally caught up with their immense talent and made their live show as epic, nuanced and crushingly beautiful as their masterful studio material.    
 
1.The Dillinger Escape Plan (6/18):
I've seen hundreds of bands over the years and no one has even come close to matching the tornado of unadulterated chaos The Dillinger Escape Plan produces every time they take the stage. While The Dillinger Escape Plan never fails to create havoc when they take the stage, this show was particularly special because they dedicated an extensive part of the set to playing rare material from their 2004 breakout record Miss Machine. It was surreal to see them play so many songs that I never dreamed I'd see live in the same set and the presence of these rarities paired with Dillinger's trademark off-the-walls energy made this is the most memorable performance of 2015. 

Honorable Mentions: Machine Head (1/31), Parkway Drive (11/15), August Burns Red (7/14), Lamb of God (8/4), Danny Brown (9/19), Converge (4/10), At the Gates (4/10), Every Time I Die (11/28), A$AP Rocky (9/19), Mutoid Man (6/18) 

Week 16 NFL Power Rankings

()=Last week's ranking

1. (1) Carolina Panthers (14-0) Week 16 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
2. (2) Arizona Cardinals (12-2) Week 16 opponent: Green Bay Packers
3. (3) New England Patriots (12-2) Week 16 opponent: New York Jets
4. (5) Seattle Seahawks (9-5) Week 16 opponent: St. Louis Rams
5. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5) Week 16 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
6. (7) Cincinnati Bengals (11-3) Week 16 opponent: Denver Broncos
7. (4) Denver Broncos (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
8. (8) Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) Week 16 opponent: Cleveland Browns
9. (9) Green Bay Packers (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
10. (10) New York Jets (9-5) Week 16 opponent: New England Patriots
11. (11) Minnesota Vikings (9-5) Week 16 opponent: New York Giants
12. (17) Washington Redskins (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
13. (12) New York Giants (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
14. (18) Houston Texans (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Tennessee Titans
15. (13) Oakland Raiders (6-8) Week 16 opponent: San Diego Chargers
16. (15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Chicago Bears
17. (14) Buffalo Bills (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
18. (16) Philadelphia Eagles (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Washington Redskins
19. (23) Atlanta Falcons (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Carolina Panthers
20. (26) St. Louis Rams (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
21. (19) Indianapolis Colts (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Miami Dolphins
22. (25) Detroit Lions (5-9) Week 16 opponent: San Francisco 49ers  
23. (21) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9) Week 16 opponent: New Orleans Saints
24. (20) Chicago Bears (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
25. (22) New Orleans Saints (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
26. (32) San Diego Chargers (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Oakland Raiders
27. (22) Miami Dolphins (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
28. (28) Dallas Cowboys (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Buffalo Bills
29. (27) San Francisco 49ers (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Detroit Lions
30. (30) Cleveland Browns (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
31. (29) Baltimore Ravens (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
32. (31) Tennessee Titans (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Houston Texans      

Week 15 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Cam Newton's late season reign of terror on the NFL continued in Week 15 with his finest performance of the season to-date. Newton picked up 440 total yards (340 passing, 100 rushing) and 5 TD's against the Giants ailing defense. Newton has now picked up 40+ fantasy points in 3 of the last 5 games and he has a solid chance of making it 4 out of 6 against a Falcons defense that he blew up for 265 YDS and 3 TD's in their first meeting this season.
Honorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Redskins), Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings), Tyrod Taylor (Bills)

LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
What the hell is wrong with Aaron Rodgers in 2015? The usually-reliable Rodgers has been a liability for his fantasy owners for most of the season and his latest underwhelming performance (204 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT) against the Raiders prevented some of his fantasy owners from advancing in the playoffs. It's probably wise to find a streaming option to replace Rodgers for this upcoming week as he goes up against an elite Cardinals defense that hasn't allowed more than 2 TD passes to an opposing quarterback since Week 8.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Tom Brady (Patriots), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: David Johnson (Cardinals)
Cardinals rookie running back David Johnson has been a revelation for fantasy owners looking to make a late-season playoff push and his week 15 beatdown of the Eagles defense was easily his most impressive work since he took over as the starter in Week 13. Johnson proved to be the Cardinals primary source of offense during an uncharacteristically poor performance from Carson Palmer and their supremely talented receiving corps, picking up 239 total yards (187 rushing, 42 receiving) and 3 TD's on 33 touches in a 40-17 blowout victory that clinched the Cards their first NFC West title since 2009. Johnson's heavy volume of carries and status as a versatile, everydown back makes him a weekly top-end RB1 option. 
Honorable Mentions: Danny Woodhead (Chargers), Matt Forte (Bears), Devonta Freeman (Falcons)

LVP: Lamar Miller (Dolphins)
The Dolphins vow to get Lamar Miller more involved in the offense once again proved to be false as Miller finished with just 24 total yards (12 rushing, 12 receiving) on 11 touches in a prime matchup against the Chargers porous defense on Sunday afternoon. A 23-0 halftime deficit for the Dolphins and Miller playing through a quad injury were certainly factors in his poor performance, but as a fantasy owner, you can't help be disappointed that Miller wasn't able to keep his recent hot streak alive in this game. Miller will be a mid-level RB2 play against the Colts if he's healthy enough to play.
Dishonorable Mentions: Javarious Allen (Ravens), Denard Robinson (Jaguars), Chris Ivory (Jets)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
Antonio Brown never ceases to blow my mind. In a matchup with a Broncos secondary that has allowed the least fantasy points to receivers this season (they had only allowed 2 receivers to go for 100+ yards against them coming into this week), Brown went off for a mind-boggling 189 yards and 2 TD's on 16 receptions. Brown burned Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr regularly throughout the game and served as the catalyst for the Steelers massive 34-27 comeback victory on Sunday night in the Steel City. As long as Ben Roethlisberger is healthy, Brown is the best wide receiver in real and fantasy football by a healthy margin.
Honorable Mentions: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Amari Cooper (Raiders), Sammy Watkins (Bills)

LVP: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
The Cardinals receiving corps collectively underachieved against the Eagles horrific secondary, but Fitzgerald was the prime offender, finishing the game with just 43 yards on 3 receptions. Fitzgerald has cooled off considerably after his excellent start, but is still worth keeping in your starting lineup for a championship week matchup against the Packers middling secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson (Lions), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), A.J. Green (Bengals)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Jordan Reed duplicated his success from a week ago with yet another dominant performance in Week 15. Reed hauled in all of his targets for a 2nd straight week, gassing the banged-up the Bills defense for 84 yards and 2 TD's on 7 receptions. Reed is Kirk Cousins' favorite target at the moment and he should continue to be one of the few elite TE1 options as the fantasy season comes to a close.
Honorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Zach Ertz (Eagles)

LVP: Richard Rodgers (Packers)
Richard Rodgers' notoriously boom-or-bust play was once again on display in Week 15 as he picked up just 1 reception for 7 yards against a Raiders defense that has surrendered the 2nd most fantasy points to tight ends in 2015. Rodgers will be nothing more than an emergency play in a Week 16 tilt against the Cardinals.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Heath Miller (Steelers), Zach Miller (Bears)

Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were the latest defense to take advantage of the depleted Ravens offense (14 points allowed, 2 sacks, 2 INT's, 1 FUM REC, 2 TD's) during the fantasy football stretch run. The Chiefs have been a top 5 fantasy defense over the past month and I fully expect that hot streak to continue against the trainwreck that is otherwise known as the Cleveland Browns in Week 16. 
Honorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals

LVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers D appeared to be in line for another solid performance for the first 3/4 of Sunday's contest with the Giants, allowing 14 points and picking up an interception and fumble recovery in the first 3 quarters of play. The Panthers defense proceeded to piss away their decent fantasy outing with an uncharacteristic late-game implosion in which they surrendered 21 points and were alarmingly close to allowing the Giants to pull off a highly improbable comeback and end their perfect season. The Panthers D are strong contenders to bounce back in Week 16 against a Falcons offense that they absolutely destroyed just two weeks ago.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams  

Movie Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Writer/director J.J Abrams needs to legally change his name to " The Legendary Sci-Fi Franchise Resuscitator" as soon as humanly possible. Against all odds, Abrams returned the long-dormant and disgraced Star Trek franchise to its former glory with his spectacular 2009 reboot. Abrams has now worked his magic on the Star Wars franchise, making the long-awaited seventh installment, The Force Awakens, the first worthy sequel to the iconic original trilogy.

As soon as the trademark "In a galaxy far, far away" scroll appears on screen, it's clear that Abrams' primary goal was to restore the sense of fun to the series and he succeeds in a major way. By the time the first action scene rolls around 10 minutes into the film, I was instantly reminded of the joy the original Star Wars franchise brought me as a child and the mediocrity Episodes I-III offered up in droves seemed like a distant memory. The promising start is indicative of the rest of the film as Abrams keeps the tone appropriately light and drops stunning, large-scale action sequences throughout the film. Star Wars fans have been asking for a giddy nostalgia trip since Return of the Jedi came out in 1983 and The Force Awakens is that film that finally turns that three-decade longing into something tangible.

Abrams also deserves a lot of credit for assembling a pitch-perfect cast. The biggest sin of the prequels was the horrendous miscasting of Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor and Jake Lloyd in the lead roles. Their collective wooden acting was painful to watch and forced audiences to become entirely disengaged from the characters they were playing. Here, the three main leads (John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Issac) are all fantastic. Boyega, Ridley and Issac all bring a level of energy and personality to their respective roles that the antagonists of the previous three films sorely lacked. Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron are the type of likable, interesting heroes you build a series around and the prospect of watching their characters progress over two more films is very exciting.

While I clearly can't get into the specifics of the story without divulging a ton of spoilers, I will say that the film is basically A New Hope 2.0. The plot points feel very familiar and there were numerous points of the film where I thought was I was watching a remake of the 1976 original instead of an entirely new film. I get that Abrams and co-writers Michael Arndt and Lawrence Kasdan-who had a hand in writing The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi- were trying to recapture the spirit of the original trilogy after George Lucas deviated so far from the formula with the prequels, but the excessive copying-and-pasting from the narrative of A New Hope prevents The Force Awakens from rivaling the quality of Episodes IV-VI.

The Force Awakens may not be a groundbreaking piece of movie magic like the originals were, but it still nicely sets the stage for the new era of Star Wars films. With the obligatory world building now out of the way, the trilogy has the chance to really flourish with its next installment.

4/5 Stars   

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Russell Wilson's career-long hot streak continued with yet another another absurd outing (292 YDS, 5 TD) against the Ravens in Week 14. This marked Wilson's 2nd 5 TD outing in 3 games and he's now thrown 16 TD's and 0 INT's over his past 4 games. I expect Wilson to air it out even more this week against the Browns now that running back Thomas Rawls is officially out for the year with an ankle inury.

Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets)

LVP: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
Jameis Winston has garnered a lot of praise for his recent performances, but there was nothing masterful about his play against the Saints on Sunday afternoon. Winston only managed 206 total yards(182 passing, 24 rushing) and a TD against a Saints defense that has gotten torched by just about every other quarterback they've faced this season. Despite the remarkable progress he's made after a horrible start to his rookie campaign, Winston is still a shaky fantasy play at this point in time. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
After a month-long hiatus, Todd Gurley has officially returned to the land of the living. The Rams fed the rookie phenom all game long and it paid major dividends as Gurley's 140-yard, 2 TD performance led the Rams to a much-needed victory over the Lions. With Gurley seemingly out of his slump, he should be a solid RB1 play in Week 15 as the Rams take on the middling rush defense of the Buccaneers.  
Honorable Mentions: James Starks (Packers), DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Lamar Miller (Dolphins)

LVP: Shaun Draughn (49ers)
Shaun Draughn has done a pretty serviceable job since taking over as the 49ers de facto starting running back in Week 9, which makes his poor performance against the Browns that much more disappointing. Draughn mustered just 51 total yards (43 rushing, 8 receiving) on 13 touches versus a Browns defense that has allowed the 2nd most fantasy points to running backs this season. Despite this lackluster performance, Draughn will be a mid-tier RB2 for the 49ers week 15 contest against a banged-up Bengals defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Devonta Freeman (Falcons), Frank Gore (Colts)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Remember when people thought that Odell Beckham Jr. was an overrated player who was only praised because he made one unforgettable catch? Beckham Jr. made his legions of irrational and uninformed detractors look foolish once again by roasting the Dolphins for 166 yards and 2 TD's (his 6th straight game with 100 + receiving yards) under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. Beckham Jr. has proved throughout 2015 that his tremendous rookie campaign wasn't a fluke and his status as the Giants sole offensive weapon has made him one of the most reliable WR1's in fantasy football. Beckham Jr. faces his toughest challenge of the season so far in Week 15 as he goes up against the Panthers top corner Josh Norman, who has all but completely shut down the likes of Julio Jones, Dez Bryant and DeAndre Hopkins this season.
Honorable Mentions: Doug Baldwin (Seahawks), Ted Ginn Jr. (Panthers), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)

LVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
I can't remember the last time I saw Calvin Johnson play as bad as he did this past Sunday against the Rams. Megatron reeled in just 1 of his 5 targets for 16 yards and also managed to commit a couple of uncharacteristically ugly drops along the way. Johnson has an excellent chance of redeeming himself in Week 15 against the Saints horrible secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Amari Copper (Raiders), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Mike Evans (Buccaneers)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Sunday at Solider Field served as a reminder of just how great Jordan Reed can be when's healthy. The 3rd-year tight end caught all 9 of his targets for 120 yards and a TD and was the catalyst for the Redskins 24-21 victory over the Bears. Reed should continue to be a top 5 tight end option in Week 15 as the Redskins face a Bills defense that just allowed 98 yards to Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.  
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Gary Barnidge (Browns), Julius Thomas (Jaguars)

LVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Travis Kelce's recent woes continued in Week 14 as he picked up just 18 yards on 3 receptions against the below average defense of the Chargers. Kelce has now only scored 1 TD and had 1 50+ yard performance since returning from Bye in Week 10 and is a shaky bet to return to form against a Ravens defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest amount of fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Coby Fleener (Colts), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers took advantage of the Falcons slumping offense and put together one of the most impressive performances (0 points allowed, 5 sacks, 2 INT, 2 FUM REC) of their stellar 2015 season.
Honorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs

LVP: New York Giants
The Giants defense has been pretty horrible in real life all season long, but their ability to create turnovers and get defensive touchdowns have made them a solid fantasy option. Week 14 was not one of their brighter moments as they had a pretty lackluster game (24 points allowed, 1 sack, 1 FUM REC) against the vastly underachieving and often sloppy offense of the Dolphins.
Dishonorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills  

Week 15 NFL Power Rankings

()=Last week's ranking

1. (1) Carolina Panthers (13-0) Week 15 opponent: New York Giants
2. (4) Arizona Cardinals (11-2) Week 15 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
3. (5) New England Patriots (11-2) Week 15 opponent: Tennessee Titans
4. (3) Denver Broncos (10-3) Week 15 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
5. (6) Seattle Seahawks (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Cleveland Browns
6. (7) Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Denver Broncos
7. (2) Cincinnati Bengals (10-3) Week 15 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
8. (8) Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
9. (9) Green Bay Packers (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Oakland Raiders
10. (12) New York Jets (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
11. (10) Minnesota Vikings (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Chicago Bears
12. (16) New York Giants (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Carolina Panthers
13. (18) Oakland Raiders (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Green Bay Packers
14. (11) Buffalo Bills (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Washington Redskins
15. (14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) Week 15 opponent: St. Louis Rams
16. (19) Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 
17. (21) Washington Redskins (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Buffalo Bills
18. (13) Houston Texans (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
19. (15) Indianapolis Colts (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Houston Texans
20. (17) Chicago Bears (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
21. (27) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
22. (26) New Orleans Saints (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Detroit Lions
23. (20) Atlanta Falcons (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
24. (22) Miami Dolphins (5-8) Week 15 opponent: San Diego Chargers
25. (23) Detroit Lions (4-9) Week 15 opponent: New Orleans Saints
26. (31) St. Louis Rams (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers   
27. (24) San Francisco 49ers (4-9) Week 15 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
28. (25) Dallas Cowboys (4-9) Week 15 opponent: New York Jets
29. (28) Baltimore Ravens (4-9) Week 15 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
30. (32) Cleveland Browns (3-10) Week 15 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
31. (29) Tennessee Titans (3-10) Week 15 opponent: New England Patriots
32. (30) San Diego Chargers (3-10) Week 15 opponent: Miami Dolphins

The Best and Worst of Harrison Ford

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 "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" star Harrison Ford.

Films starring Harrison Ford that I've seen:
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 
Blade Runner
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Firewall
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 
Cowboys & Aliens
42
Ender's Game 
Anchorman: The Legend Continues
The Expendables 3

Best Performance: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
The first two Star Wars films may put Ford on the map, but Raiders of the Lost Ark was the film that made him a bona fide movie star. Ford's badass presence and sharp wit instantly made Indiana Jones one of the greatest action heroes of all-time. 

Worst Performance: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
This is one of the few times in film history where an actor has given the best and worst performance of their career playing the same role. While Kingdom of the Crystal Skull isn't nearly as bad as it's made out to be on the whole, Ford seems like he's being forced against his will to dawn the fedora and satchel one last time. I don't know if it was because he was pissed about rebooting the series after a nearly two decade hiatus or if he just really hated working with Shia LaBeouf, but I've never seen Ford look more displeased on screen than he does here.
      
Best Film: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Like basically every other film nerd on the planet, I have a deep, undying love for the original Star Wars trilogy. While the entire trilogy is excellent, The Empire Strikes Back stands out from the pack by a considerable margin. It's the first movie I ever saw that had the look and feel of an epic event film and to this day, it remains one of the most well-constructed and entertaining blockbusters to ever come out of Hollywood.

Worst Film: Blade Runner (1982)
I'm well aware that cinephiles and sci-fi fanboys will want to hang me for saying this but I've personally never understood the outpouring of acclaim for this film. Blade Runner is a visually-stunning film that's dragged down by an overstuffed, convoluted storyline and a pace so slow that it makes Paul Thomas Anderson's films seem breezy by comparison.

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 "Joy" star Jennifer Lawrence.