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 "Manchester by the Sea" star Casey Affleck.
Films starring Casey Affleck that I've seen:
Chasing Amy
Good Will Hunting
American Pie
American Pie 2
Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Twelve
Ocean's Thirteen
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Gone Baby Gone
Tower Heist
Interstellar
Out of the Furnace
The Finest Hours
Triple 9
Best Performance: Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Affleck is one of those actors that I feel like Hollywood has slept on for far too long. He's consistently put together strong performances over the course of his 20-year career without receiving any of the fanfare or accolades that typically come with that strong track record. The strongest example of Affleck getting shafted by the year-end awards circuit came in his turn as a Boston-based private investigator in his brother Ben's masterful directorial debut Gone Baby Gone. With his combination of unrelenting intensity and emotional transparency, Affleck was able to turn a potential stock tough-guy character into a rich, emphatic protagonist that is very easy to root for.
Worst Performance: The Finest Hours (2016)
This is a classic example of bad material failing a good actor. Affleck isn't anywhere near awful in his role as an oil tanker engineer, the character just happens to be a one-note snoozefest that couldn't be made interesting by any actor in the history of cinema.
Best Film: Good Will Hunting (1997)
I really have beaten my love of this film to the death over the course of this series. Coming-of-age dramas have a way of finding soft spots in my mostly black heart and Good Will Hunting is without question among the genre's most moving films. The acting is pretty much perfect, the dialogue is sharp and there are approximately 10-12 scenes that generate a strong emotional reaction from me every single time I watch it.
Worst Film: Ocean's Twelve (2004)
As far as I'm concerned, there is no stronger argument against the existence of movie sequels than Ocean's Twelve. The fast-paced fun of the first installment was nowhere to be found in this lifeless, convoluted follow-up. I've honestly seen funeral processions with more joy and energy than this repulsive turd disguised as a piece of entertainment.
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 "Bad Santa 2" star Billy Bob Thornton.
Friday, November 18, 2016
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Concert Review: The Dillinger Escape Plan-- Boston, MA-- November 16th, 2016
Lineup: The Dillinger Escape Plan/O'Brother/Car Bomb/Cult Leader/Bentknee
Venue: Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
Date: November 16th, 2016
Last night was a bittersweet evening for me. One of my all-time favorite bands, The Dillinger Escape Plan, played their final show in Boston and it conjured up a set of emotions that are usually reserved for major life milestones like getting a new job or graduating from high school. Those conflicting emotions were briefly set aside once they hit the stage as the mathcore pioneers delivered yet another mesmerizing, exhilarating and immensely satisfying performance for the sold-out crowd at the Paradise Rock Club.
Per usual, Dillinger loaded their farewell tour with a very eclectic group of support acts that have little-to-nothing in common with them. Post-hardcore act O'Brother made for a painfully out-of-place direct support band, under-the-radar mathcore veterans Car Bomb were devastatingly heavy, Boston's own Bentknee are talented as hell, but way too mellow for my tastes and hardcore/sludge hybrid Cult Leader reminded me why they're one of the most destructive forces in metal right now. No disrespect to any of the opening bands, but this night was about 900+ people saying goodbye to one of the most well-respected metal bands of all-time and everything else that preceded it was nothing more than time-eating appetizer.
Anyone that's followed metal closely over the past 15 years or so is aware of the buzz that surrounds The Dillinger Escape Plan's live show. They've become notorious for constant stage dives, using each venue as their own personal jungle gym and just generally destroying everything that crosses their path. Going to one of their shows is a truly unforgettable experience that can't be shaken or duplicated by another act under any circumstances and the feeling that it evokes can't be accurately describe with words.
This particular performance was exactly the type of legacy-cementing swan song I'd hoped it would be. The setlist was driven by standout material that spanned their entire discography, the room had an electric vibe that didn't let up for the entire 80 minutes they were on stage and the breakneck energy that's defined their performances since their inception was once again on full-display. They left everything they had on the stage and ensured that their fans got to experience the carnival of chaos that is their show one last time. There are no shortage of reasons why I'm going to miss Dillinger, but the unrivaled intensity and insanity of their live shows easily tops the list.
While it's not remotely surprising given their track record, Dillinger Escape Plan delivered a flawless final performance in the great city of Boston. It's going to be painful to live in a world without The Dillinger Escape Plan, but I can take solace in the fact that they went out while they were still on the top of their game.
Scores:
Bentknee 6.5/10
Cult Leader 8.5/10
Car Bomb 8/10
O'Brother 5/10
The Dillinger Escape Plan 10/10
Setlists:
Cult Leader:
Great I Am
Suffer Louder
Broken Blades
Mongrel
Walking Wastelands
A Good Life
Gutter Gods
Hate Offering
Sympathetic
Driftwood
The Dillinger Escape Plan:
Limerent Death
Panasonic Youth
Symptom of Terminal Illness
Farewell, Mona Lisa
When I Lost My Best
Sugar Coated Sour
Black Bubblegum
Surrogate
Hero of the Soviet Union
Milk Lizard
Low Feels Blvd
One of Us is the Killer
Nothing to Forget
Prancer
Encore:
Mouth of Ghosts
Sunshine the Werewolf
43% Burnt
Venue: Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
Date: November 16th, 2016
Last night was a bittersweet evening for me. One of my all-time favorite bands, The Dillinger Escape Plan, played their final show in Boston and it conjured up a set of emotions that are usually reserved for major life milestones like getting a new job or graduating from high school. Those conflicting emotions were briefly set aside once they hit the stage as the mathcore pioneers delivered yet another mesmerizing, exhilarating and immensely satisfying performance for the sold-out crowd at the Paradise Rock Club.
Per usual, Dillinger loaded their farewell tour with a very eclectic group of support acts that have little-to-nothing in common with them. Post-hardcore act O'Brother made for a painfully out-of-place direct support band, under-the-radar mathcore veterans Car Bomb were devastatingly heavy, Boston's own Bentknee are talented as hell, but way too mellow for my tastes and hardcore/sludge hybrid Cult Leader reminded me why they're one of the most destructive forces in metal right now. No disrespect to any of the opening bands, but this night was about 900+ people saying goodbye to one of the most well-respected metal bands of all-time and everything else that preceded it was nothing more than time-eating appetizer.
Anyone that's followed metal closely over the past 15 years or so is aware of the buzz that surrounds The Dillinger Escape Plan's live show. They've become notorious for constant stage dives, using each venue as their own personal jungle gym and just generally destroying everything that crosses their path. Going to one of their shows is a truly unforgettable experience that can't be shaken or duplicated by another act under any circumstances and the feeling that it evokes can't be accurately describe with words.
This particular performance was exactly the type of legacy-cementing swan song I'd hoped it would be. The setlist was driven by standout material that spanned their entire discography, the room had an electric vibe that didn't let up for the entire 80 minutes they were on stage and the breakneck energy that's defined their performances since their inception was once again on full-display. They left everything they had on the stage and ensured that their fans got to experience the carnival of chaos that is their show one last time. There are no shortage of reasons why I'm going to miss Dillinger, but the unrivaled intensity and insanity of their live shows easily tops the list.
While it's not remotely surprising given their track record, Dillinger Escape Plan delivered a flawless final performance in the great city of Boston. It's going to be painful to live in a world without The Dillinger Escape Plan, but I can take solace in the fact that they went out while they were still on the top of their game.
Scores:
Bentknee 6.5/10
Cult Leader 8.5/10
Car Bomb 8/10
O'Brother 5/10
The Dillinger Escape Plan 10/10
Setlists:
Cult Leader:
Great I Am
Suffer Louder
Broken Blades
Mongrel
Walking Wastelands
A Good Life
Gutter Gods
Hate Offering
Sympathetic
Driftwood
The Dillinger Escape Plan:
Limerent Death
Panasonic Youth
Symptom of Terminal Illness
Farewell, Mona Lisa
When I Lost My Best
Sugar Coated Sour
Black Bubblegum
Surrogate
Hero of the Soviet Union
Milk Lizard
Low Feels Blvd
One of Us is the Killer
Nothing to Forget
Prancer
Encore:
Mouth of Ghosts
Sunshine the Werewolf
43% Burnt
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Movie Review: Arrival
Timeliness aside, Arrival manages to be a satisfying moviegoing experience because of how unique it is from other alien invasion films. Instead of opting to go the intergalactic warfare route like Independence Day, Transformers and countless other films have over the past two decades, Arrival tells an intimate, personal story about human emotions and relationships that just happens to have aliens in it. The lack of alien vs. human battles gives Arrival a distinct, minimalist feel and allows it to have an emotional core that you don't typically find in the sci-fi genre. I'm not going to pretend like I don't love massive, action-packed sci-fi blockbuster spectacles, but it was really cool to see a film take a more subdued approach to the classic human vs. alien storyline.
I will caution viewers that Arrival is a slow-burn film that requires some patience to sit through. The first hour or so has some pacing issues and will leave the audience confused as to what the hell is going on at times. However, once a plot twist reveals the answer to the central mystery of why the aliens landed on Earth, the full scope of the film's narrative materializes and it leads to a richly rewarding final act that will leave a lot of viewers emotionally-shaken.
Arrival is exactly the type of inventive, deep and powerful film you hope to see at the end of every calendar year. There's no doubt in my mind that it will pick up a slew of Academy Award nominations (and possibly a long-overdue win for its terrific star Amy Adams) and promptly become a cult sci-fi classic. There's still a barrage of intriguing titles set for release over the next two months, but Arrival is currently one of my favorite films of the year and a hell of way to inject some life into the cinematic landscape after a disappointing start to Hollywood's fall slate.
4/5 Stars
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
While it was a painful afternoon for the suddenly-incompetent Packers against the suddenly-respectable Titans, Aaron Rodgers still delivered for his fantasy owners. The Packers signal-caller took full advantage of garbage time to put up 399 total yards (371 passing, 27 rushing) and 3 TD's (2 passing, 1 rushing) in one of the most embarrassing losses in recent history for the Cheeseheads. He may be in the middle of one of the worst seasons of his 12-year career, but Rodgers is still a matchup-proof QB1 for fantasy purposes.
Honorable Mentions: Marcus Mariota (Titans), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
LVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
I'll admit that this isn't exactly a fair pick because of the matchup, but no other prominent QB put up a weaker performance than Tom Brady did in Week 10. Brady look like a mere mortal for the first time since returning from his Deflategate suspension in Week 5, picking up 316 YDS, 0 TD and an INT against the Seahawks aggressive defense. Brady is highly unlikely to falter again in Week 11 as he returns to his hometown to take on the pathetic 49ers.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Carson Wentz (Eagles)
Running Back
MVP: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
Ezekiel Elliott just continues to wow. The Cowboys rookie standout put up arguably his finest performance to-date as he carved up the Steelers defense for 209 YDS (114 rushing, 95 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) on 23 touches in an exhilarating shootout at Heinz Field on Sunday afternoon. Elliott will look to continue his month-long reign of terror against the Ravens top-ranked rush defense in Week 11.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Matthews (Eagles), DeMarco Murray (Titans), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
LVP: Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)
The recent struggles for Jonathan Stewart (a.k.a. the world's most polarizing fantasy running back) continued in Week 10. Stewart couldn't find any room to run against the Chiefs weak run D, finishing with just 39 yards on 13 carries. Stewart has chance to get back on track this week against a Saints defense that he picked up 85 YDS and 2 TD's against in Week 6.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carlos Hyde (49ers), Mark Ingram (Saints), Tim Hightower (Saints)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Doug Baldwin (Seahawks)
Don't look now, but the late-season, touchdown-vulturing version of Doug Baldwin might be back. Baldwin caught all 3 of Russell Wilson's touchdown passes to beef up an otherwise average statline (6 receptions, 59 yards) in the Seahawks upset win over the Patriots on Sunday night. The Seahawks balanced attack and Wilson's love of spreading the ball around to different receivers will result in underwhelming performances, but Baldwin is still an undeniable WR2 with low-end WR1 upside.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Allen Robinson (Jaguars), Jordy Nelson (Packers)
LVP: Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)
The funk that Alshon Jeffrey has been in for all of 2016 doesn't seem like it can be broken. Despite being handed a dream matchup against the Buccaneers struggling secondary, Jeffrey couldn't produce, finishing the game with just 4 receptions for 47 yards. Jeffrey was just suspended for the next 4 games after testing positive for a banned substance, so his owners should look to pick up Cameron Meredith or Eddie Royal off of waivers to replace him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Jets), Randall Cobb (Packers), DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Tight End
MVP: Delanie Walker (Titans)
Week 10 was Delanie Walker's way of showing how important he is to the functionality of the Titans offense. Walker provided a huge spark to the Titans inconsistent passing attack with a 9 REC/124 YDS/1 TD performance that helped lead his squad to a huge blowout win over the Packers. Walker's favorable late-season schedule and guaranteed weekly flurry of targets makes him a candidate to be a top-3 TE1 come year's end.
Honorable Mentions: Cameron Brate (Buccaneers), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Antonio Gates (Chargers)
LVP: Zach Miller (Bears)
There were a lot of victims of Jay Cutler's horrific performance against the Buccaneers, but Zach Miller is arguably at the top of that list. Miller was ignored for most of the day and as a result, he failed to take advantage of a stellar matchup, finishing the afternoon with just 32 yards on 4 receptions. Despite his weak performance in Week 10, Miller is the top candidate to receive an uptick in targets in the wake of Alshon Jeffrey's suspension, and should be viewed as a top-end TE1 for the next 4 weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Defense
MVP: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens became the latest defense to victimize the poor Cleveland Browns offense. They picked up 4 sacks, 2 INT and a fumble recovery while allowing just 7 points to the NFL's worst team in yet another Thursday Night Football instant classic. The Ravens defense has exceeded their preseason expectations and can now be classified as a solid weekly fantasy option for owners in 12-14 team leagues.
Honorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans
LVP: Green Bay Packers
The recent problems with the Packers defense escalated to a new level in Week 10. The Titans put up a whopping 47 points and completely avoided turning the ball over against the once-vaunted D on Sunday afternoon. With a tough schedule on the horizon and no end to their struggles in sight, the Packers D can safely be dropped.
Dishonorable Mentions: Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
While it was a painful afternoon for the suddenly-incompetent Packers against the suddenly-respectable Titans, Aaron Rodgers still delivered for his fantasy owners. The Packers signal-caller took full advantage of garbage time to put up 399 total yards (371 passing, 27 rushing) and 3 TD's (2 passing, 1 rushing) in one of the most embarrassing losses in recent history for the Cheeseheads. He may be in the middle of one of the worst seasons of his 12-year career, but Rodgers is still a matchup-proof QB1 for fantasy purposes.
Honorable Mentions: Marcus Mariota (Titans), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
LVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
I'll admit that this isn't exactly a fair pick because of the matchup, but no other prominent QB put up a weaker performance than Tom Brady did in Week 10. Brady look like a mere mortal for the first time since returning from his Deflategate suspension in Week 5, picking up 316 YDS, 0 TD and an INT against the Seahawks aggressive defense. Brady is highly unlikely to falter again in Week 11 as he returns to his hometown to take on the pathetic 49ers.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Carson Wentz (Eagles)
Running Back
MVP: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
Ezekiel Elliott just continues to wow. The Cowboys rookie standout put up arguably his finest performance to-date as he carved up the Steelers defense for 209 YDS (114 rushing, 95 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) on 23 touches in an exhilarating shootout at Heinz Field on Sunday afternoon. Elliott will look to continue his month-long reign of terror against the Ravens top-ranked rush defense in Week 11.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Matthews (Eagles), DeMarco Murray (Titans), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
LVP: Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)
The recent struggles for Jonathan Stewart (a.k.a. the world's most polarizing fantasy running back) continued in Week 10. Stewart couldn't find any room to run against the Chiefs weak run D, finishing with just 39 yards on 13 carries. Stewart has chance to get back on track this week against a Saints defense that he picked up 85 YDS and 2 TD's against in Week 6.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carlos Hyde (49ers), Mark Ingram (Saints), Tim Hightower (Saints)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Doug Baldwin (Seahawks)
Don't look now, but the late-season, touchdown-vulturing version of Doug Baldwin might be back. Baldwin caught all 3 of Russell Wilson's touchdown passes to beef up an otherwise average statline (6 receptions, 59 yards) in the Seahawks upset win over the Patriots on Sunday night. The Seahawks balanced attack and Wilson's love of spreading the ball around to different receivers will result in underwhelming performances, but Baldwin is still an undeniable WR2 with low-end WR1 upside.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Allen Robinson (Jaguars), Jordy Nelson (Packers)
LVP: Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)
The funk that Alshon Jeffrey has been in for all of 2016 doesn't seem like it can be broken. Despite being handed a dream matchup against the Buccaneers struggling secondary, Jeffrey couldn't produce, finishing the game with just 4 receptions for 47 yards. Jeffrey was just suspended for the next 4 games after testing positive for a banned substance, so his owners should look to pick up Cameron Meredith or Eddie Royal off of waivers to replace him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Jets), Randall Cobb (Packers), DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Tight End
MVP: Delanie Walker (Titans)
Week 10 was Delanie Walker's way of showing how important he is to the functionality of the Titans offense. Walker provided a huge spark to the Titans inconsistent passing attack with a 9 REC/124 YDS/1 TD performance that helped lead his squad to a huge blowout win over the Packers. Walker's favorable late-season schedule and guaranteed weekly flurry of targets makes him a candidate to be a top-3 TE1 come year's end.
Honorable Mentions: Cameron Brate (Buccaneers), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Antonio Gates (Chargers)
LVP: Zach Miller (Bears)
There were a lot of victims of Jay Cutler's horrific performance against the Buccaneers, but Zach Miller is arguably at the top of that list. Miller was ignored for most of the day and as a result, he failed to take advantage of a stellar matchup, finishing the afternoon with just 32 yards on 4 receptions. Despite his weak performance in Week 10, Miller is the top candidate to receive an uptick in targets in the wake of Alshon Jeffrey's suspension, and should be viewed as a top-end TE1 for the next 4 weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Defense
MVP: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens became the latest defense to victimize the poor Cleveland Browns offense. They picked up 4 sacks, 2 INT and a fumble recovery while allowing just 7 points to the NFL's worst team in yet another Thursday Night Football instant classic. The Ravens defense has exceeded their preseason expectations and can now be classified as a solid weekly fantasy option for owners in 12-14 team leagues.
Honorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans
LVP: Green Bay Packers
The recent problems with the Packers defense escalated to a new level in Week 10. The Titans put up a whopping 47 points and completely avoided turning the ball over against the once-vaunted D on Sunday afternoon. With a tough schedule on the horizon and no end to their struggles in sight, the Packers D can safely be dropped.
Dishonorable Mentions: Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots
Week 11 NFL Power Rankings
() =last week's ranking
1. (2) Dallas Cowboys (8-1) Week 11 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
2. (4) Seattle Seahawks (6-2-1) Week 11 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
3. (1) New England Patriots (7-2) Week 11 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
4. (3) Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5. (5) Oakland Raiders (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Houston Texans
6. (7) Denver Broncos (7-3) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
7. (8) New York Giants (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Chicago Bears
8. (7) Atlanta Falcons (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
9. (10) Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
10. (9) Detroit Lions (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
11. (12) Houston Texans (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Oakland Raiders
12. (13) Washington Redskins (5-3-1) Week 11 opponent: Green Bay Packers
13. (23) Miami Dolphins (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Rams
14. (20) Baltimore Ravens (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
15. (19) Arizona Cardinals (4-4-1) Week 11 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
16. (14) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Cleveland Browns
17. (17) Buffalo Bills (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
18. (22) Tennessee Titans (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
19. (16) New Orleans Saints (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Carolina Panthers
20. (11) Minnesota Vikings (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
21. (15) Green Bay Packers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Washington Redskins
22. (18) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5-1) Week 11 opponent: Buffalo Bills
23. (21) San Diego Chargers (4-6) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
24. (24) Indianapolis Colts (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Tennessee Titans
25. (26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
26. (27) Los Angeles Rams (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Miami Dolphins
27. (25) Carolina Panthers (3-6) Week 11 opponent: New Orleans Saints
28. (28) New York Jets (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
29. (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Detroit Lions
30. (29) Chicago Bears (2-7) Week 11 opponent: New York Giants
31. (31) San Francisco 49ers (1-8) Week 11 opponent: New England Patriots
32. (32) Cleveland Browns (0-10) Week 11 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
1. (2) Dallas Cowboys (8-1) Week 11 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
2. (4) Seattle Seahawks (6-2-1) Week 11 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
3. (1) New England Patriots (7-2) Week 11 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
4. (3) Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5. (5) Oakland Raiders (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Houston Texans
6. (7) Denver Broncos (7-3) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
7. (8) New York Giants (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Chicago Bears
8. (7) Atlanta Falcons (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
9. (10) Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
10. (9) Detroit Lions (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
11. (12) Houston Texans (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Oakland Raiders
12. (13) Washington Redskins (5-3-1) Week 11 opponent: Green Bay Packers
13. (23) Miami Dolphins (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Rams
14. (20) Baltimore Ravens (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
15. (19) Arizona Cardinals (4-4-1) Week 11 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
16. (14) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Cleveland Browns
17. (17) Buffalo Bills (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
18. (22) Tennessee Titans (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
19. (16) New Orleans Saints (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Carolina Panthers
20. (11) Minnesota Vikings (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
21. (15) Green Bay Packers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Washington Redskins
22. (18) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5-1) Week 11 opponent: Buffalo Bills
23. (21) San Diego Chargers (4-6) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
24. (24) Indianapolis Colts (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Tennessee Titans
25. (26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
26. (27) Los Angeles Rams (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Miami Dolphins
27. (25) Carolina Panthers (3-6) Week 11 opponent: New Orleans Saints
28. (28) New York Jets (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
29. (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Detroit Lions
30. (29) Chicago Bears (2-7) Week 11 opponent: New York Giants
31. (31) San Francisco 49ers (1-8) Week 11 opponent: New England Patriots
32. (32) Cleveland Browns (0-10) Week 11 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
Monday, November 14, 2016
Concert Review: Young Thug-- Lowell, MA-- November 11th, 2016
Lineup: Young Thug/21 Savage/Divine Council ("The Hi-Horsed Tour")
Venue: Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, MA
Date: November 11th, 2016
Divine Council: Divine Council was a last-minute addition to The Hi-Horsed Tour (their involvement was announced last Wednesday when the tour kicked off) and as I expected, their presence added literally nothing to the proceedings. The up-and-coming quartet tried to emulate the sound and dynamic of other trap collectives like Migos and Rae Sremmurd without any of the larger-than-life personality or sneaky cleverness that makes those groups special. If you're hitting up this tour over the next month, don't bother getting their early to check out Divine Council.
21 Savage: 21 Savage is arguably one of the most hated young MC's in hip-hop right now. His rapping style is basically rhythmic talking, he rarely every rhymes and his sense of variation is non-existent. Personally, I find his emotionless delivery and naturally gritty persona to be a really interesting diversion from the colorful, high-energy personalities that are typically found in the trap genre.
As much as I appreciate his music, his live show was sorely lacking the raw charm or entertainment value that his studio material provides in spades. He had a posse of six guys on stage aiding him with every song and his set was so comically short (20 minutes) that he had no time to build up any momentum or elicit much of a reaction from the crowd. 21 Savage is going to need to clean up his live show if he wants to enjoy any longevity in today's densely populated hip-hop climate.
Young Thug: 2016 is the year where I finally hoped aboard. His bizarre array of flows and nearly-indecipherable delivery had grated on me since he first blew up in mid-2014, but around the time Jeffrey came out at the end of August, I began to appreciate the zaniness and originality he brought to the table. It was only fitting that I ended the year where I experienced my personal Young Thug renaissance by going to see him perform live.
I'd read a number of bad things about his live shows in the bowels of the infallible internet and with me being the pessimistic asshole that I am, I was really nervous that this show was going to end up being a trainwreck. Thug's well-documented love of a certain cough syrup and soda concoction, massive ego and tendency to deify convention at all costs made him a solid candidate to put on a god awful show. Thankfully, my string of fears didn't come to fruition.
Outside of the two awkward intermissions he took to change his outfit and his refusal to play any of his songs all the way through, Thugga managed to put on an enjoyable set. It was apparent that he was having a blast performing for the nearly sold-out crowd and for as ridiculous as his lyrics often are, this show proved that he oozes legitimate mic talent. It also helped that the uniqueness that defines his studio material wasn't lost in his performance. There are a lot of rappers who aren't nearly as unique in a live setting, so it was cool to see an artist that retained all of their distinct quirks live. Now that the sense of fear surrounding his live show is gone, I'd love to go see Young Thug again with a better group of support artists and less douchey crowd.
Scores:
Divine Council 5/10
21 Savage 4/10
Young Thug 7.5/10
Setlists
21 Savage included:
No Heart
Mad High
Savage Mode
X
Young Thug:
Wyclef Jean
Memo
Swiss Beatz
With Them
Harambe
Slime Shit
Kanye West
Worth It
Digits
Webbie
Guwop
Future Swag
RiRi
Floyd Mayweather
Faneto
X (w/21 Savage)
About the Money (T.I. cover)
Check
Stoner
2 Bitches
Pick Up the Phone
Big Racks
Pull Up on a Kid
Lifestyle (Rich Gang cover)
Best Friend
Venue: Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, MA
Date: November 11th, 2016
Divine Council: Divine Council was a last-minute addition to The Hi-Horsed Tour (their involvement was announced last Wednesday when the tour kicked off) and as I expected, their presence added literally nothing to the proceedings. The up-and-coming quartet tried to emulate the sound and dynamic of other trap collectives like Migos and Rae Sremmurd without any of the larger-than-life personality or sneaky cleverness that makes those groups special. If you're hitting up this tour over the next month, don't bother getting their early to check out Divine Council.
21 Savage: 21 Savage is arguably one of the most hated young MC's in hip-hop right now. His rapping style is basically rhythmic talking, he rarely every rhymes and his sense of variation is non-existent. Personally, I find his emotionless delivery and naturally gritty persona to be a really interesting diversion from the colorful, high-energy personalities that are typically found in the trap genre.
As much as I appreciate his music, his live show was sorely lacking the raw charm or entertainment value that his studio material provides in spades. He had a posse of six guys on stage aiding him with every song and his set was so comically short (20 minutes) that he had no time to build up any momentum or elicit much of a reaction from the crowd. 21 Savage is going to need to clean up his live show if he wants to enjoy any longevity in today's densely populated hip-hop climate.
Young Thug: 2016 is the year where I finally hoped aboard. His bizarre array of flows and nearly-indecipherable delivery had grated on me since he first blew up in mid-2014, but around the time Jeffrey came out at the end of August, I began to appreciate the zaniness and originality he brought to the table. It was only fitting that I ended the year where I experienced my personal Young Thug renaissance by going to see him perform live.
I'd read a number of bad things about his live shows in the bowels of the infallible internet and with me being the pessimistic asshole that I am, I was really nervous that this show was going to end up being a trainwreck. Thug's well-documented love of a certain cough syrup and soda concoction, massive ego and tendency to deify convention at all costs made him a solid candidate to put on a god awful show. Thankfully, my string of fears didn't come to fruition.
Outside of the two awkward intermissions he took to change his outfit and his refusal to play any of his songs all the way through, Thugga managed to put on an enjoyable set. It was apparent that he was having a blast performing for the nearly sold-out crowd and for as ridiculous as his lyrics often are, this show proved that he oozes legitimate mic talent. It also helped that the uniqueness that defines his studio material wasn't lost in his performance. There are a lot of rappers who aren't nearly as unique in a live setting, so it was cool to see an artist that retained all of their distinct quirks live. Now that the sense of fear surrounding his live show is gone, I'd love to go see Young Thug again with a better group of support artists and less douchey crowd.
Scores:
Divine Council 5/10
21 Savage 4/10
Young Thug 7.5/10
Setlists
21 Savage included:
No Heart
Mad High
Savage Mode
X
Young Thug:
Wyclef Jean
Memo
Swiss Beatz
With Them
Harambe
Slime Shit
Kanye West
Worth It
Digits
Webbie
Guwop
Future Swag
RiRi
Floyd Mayweather
Faneto
X (w/21 Savage)
About the Money (T.I. cover)
Check
Stoner
2 Bitches
Pick Up the Phone
Big Racks
Pull Up on a Kid
Lifestyle (Rich Gang cover)
Best Friend
Thursday, November 10, 2016
The Best and Worst of Amy Adams
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 "Arrival" star Amy Adams.
Films starring Amy Adams that I've seen:
Catch Me If You Can
Junebug
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Charlie Wilson's War
Sunshine Cleaning
Doubt
The Fighter
The Muppets
Trouble with the Curve
Man of Steel
Her
American Hustle
Big Eyes
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
Best Performance: American Hustle (2013)
Adams' ascension to Hollywood's A-list has come on the back of a number of fantastic performances in a wide variety of films (Doubt, The Fighter, Big Eyes) over the past decade, which made picking a standout performance for her one of the more difficult tasks this series has presented me in quite some time. Upon deep reflection of her strong resume, I have to give her work in American Hustle a slight edge over the rest of the pack. Adams uses her vast emotional depth and supreme confidence to make Sydney Prosser the most charismatic yet sleazy individual in a film full of reprehensible characters.
Worst Performance: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
As flawed as Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was, the acting was generally pretty good overall. That competent level of acting makes Adams', who is one of the most consistently strong actors in Hollywood, horrendous performance that much more shocking. You'd never guess that you were watching a five-time Academy Award nominee perform as she stumbles through her lines with a Mark Wahlberg-esque look of blank confusion for two and a half hours.
Best Film: The Fighter (2010)
The story of Massachusetts-bred boxing champion "Irish" Micky Ward isn't just great a sports dramas, it's one of the best films of this decade so far. Director David O. Russell subverts the traditional sports biopic formula by making Ward's unwavering loyalty to his selfish family a huge part of the story of his unlikely rise to the top of the boxing world and the acting from the primary cast (Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Adams, Melissa Leo) is nothing short of incredible.
Worst Film: Man of Steel (2013)
There was no reason that Man of Steel shouldn't have been successful. It had an accomplished action director in Zach Snyder (300, Watchmen), a cast that featured the likes of Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon and Adams, and a set of trailers that were reminiscent of Christopher Nolan's brilliant Dark Knight trilogy. Unfortunately, it ended up being one of the biggest disasters the superhero genre has ever dropped upon the world. The action scenes looked like they were shot from a blimp, the acting ranged from mediocre (Adams, Crowe) to flat-out awful (Shannon, Henry Cavill) and worst of all, it was about as engrossing as an awkward game of Chinese Checkers with an estranged elderly relative. Snyder and co. were able to fix some of Man of Steel's cornucopia of problems (action scenes, acting, quality villain) with Batman v. Superman, but they still have a long way to go if they want to make a film that truly standouts in the oversaturated superhero genre.
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 "Manchester by the Sea" star Casey Affleck.
Films starring Amy Adams that I've seen:
Catch Me If You Can
Junebug
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Charlie Wilson's War
Sunshine Cleaning
Doubt
The Fighter
The Muppets
Trouble with the Curve
Man of Steel
Her
American Hustle
Big Eyes
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
Best Performance: American Hustle (2013)
Adams' ascension to Hollywood's A-list has come on the back of a number of fantastic performances in a wide variety of films (Doubt, The Fighter, Big Eyes) over the past decade, which made picking a standout performance for her one of the more difficult tasks this series has presented me in quite some time. Upon deep reflection of her strong resume, I have to give her work in American Hustle a slight edge over the rest of the pack. Adams uses her vast emotional depth and supreme confidence to make Sydney Prosser the most charismatic yet sleazy individual in a film full of reprehensible characters.
Worst Performance: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
As flawed as Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was, the acting was generally pretty good overall. That competent level of acting makes Adams', who is one of the most consistently strong actors in Hollywood, horrendous performance that much more shocking. You'd never guess that you were watching a five-time Academy Award nominee perform as she stumbles through her lines with a Mark Wahlberg-esque look of blank confusion for two and a half hours.
Best Film: The Fighter (2010)
The story of Massachusetts-bred boxing champion "Irish" Micky Ward isn't just great a sports dramas, it's one of the best films of this decade so far. Director David O. Russell subverts the traditional sports biopic formula by making Ward's unwavering loyalty to his selfish family a huge part of the story of his unlikely rise to the top of the boxing world and the acting from the primary cast (Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Adams, Melissa Leo) is nothing short of incredible.
Worst Film: Man of Steel (2013)
There was no reason that Man of Steel shouldn't have been successful. It had an accomplished action director in Zach Snyder (300, Watchmen), a cast that featured the likes of Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon and Adams, and a set of trailers that were reminiscent of Christopher Nolan's brilliant Dark Knight trilogy. Unfortunately, it ended up being one of the biggest disasters the superhero genre has ever dropped upon the world. The action scenes looked like they were shot from a blimp, the acting ranged from mediocre (Adams, Crowe) to flat-out awful (Shannon, Henry Cavill) and worst of all, it was about as engrossing as an awkward game of Chinese Checkers with an estranged elderly relative. Snyder and co. were able to fix some of Man of Steel's cornucopia of problems (action scenes, acting, quality villain) with Batman v. Superman, but they still have a long way to go if they want to make a film that truly standouts in the oversaturated superhero genre.
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 "Manchester by the Sea" star Casey Affleck.
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