The Best and Worst of Keith David

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “21 Bridges” star Keith David.

Films starring Keith David that I've seen:
Platoon
They Live
Road House
Reality Bites
Dead Presidents
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Volcano
Hercules 
Armageddon
There's Something About Mary
Pitch Black
The Replacements
Requiem for a Dream
Barbershop
Agent Cody Banks
Head of State
The Chronicles of Riddick
Crash
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Transporter 2
ATL
First Sunday
Gamer
Death at a Funeral
The Nice Guys
Night School

Best Performance: They Live (1988)
David is a hilarious and imminently likable presence in John Carpenter's fantastic anti-capitalist satire whose performance kicks into high gear once he becomes aware of the alien invasion his friend (Roddy Piper) accidently stumbles upon after discovering a pair of magic sunglasses in a rundown church. Also, I'd be lying if I didn't say that his involvement in one of the most gloriously excessive fight scenes ever put on film didn't help push this to the top of the list.

Worst Performance: Night School (2018)
It had been a little bit since David had done comedy, so I'm going to chalk up his failure in Night School to rust. The lazy hardass routine he does as the father of Kevin Hart's character was one of the most consistently unfunny elements of this largely up-and-down affair.

Best Film: The Nice Guys (2016)
The Nice Guys represents writer/director Shane Black operating at the peak of his warped powers. The dialogue is clever as hell, the '70s noir atmosphere is intoxicating and pairing Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as the leads in a darkly comedic buddy cop movie proves to be an unexpected stroke of genius. I'm glad that this has gone on to find somewhat of a cult following after massively flopping at the box office.

Worst Film: First Sunday (2008)
There are instances where talented actors can lift up otherwise questionable projects just by being there, but there are others where those problems simply exceed the grasp of their gifts. Exhibit A of this phenomenon: First Sunday. No amount of funny people (Ice Cube, Tracy Morgan, Katt Williams, David, Regina Hall, Chi McBride) on screen could cover up the stench of weak jokes and obnoxious preachiness that lingered over every frame of this aggravating disaster.

Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Knives Out” star Michael Shannon. 

Week 11 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2019 Edition

Quarterback
MVP: Josh Allen (Bills)
Fantasy owners had been waiting for an explosive performance from Allen all season and they finally got in Week 11 against the Dolphins. The athletic gunslinger showed off his big arm and mobility all game long-picking up 256 passing YDS, 56 rushing YDS and 4 TD's (3 passing, 1 rushing) in an easy 37-20 victory for the 7-3 Bills. Allen will return to his typical QB2 role when the Broncos stingy pass D heads to New Era Field this Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers), Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

LVP: Deshaun Watson (Texans)
Whatever shootout potential existed in the Texans/Ravens game went up in smoke as a result of Watson's stunning no show. Porous offensive line play, a strong showing by the Ravens defense and a few uncharacteristically poor decisions resulted in Watson having one of the worst games (169 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT, FUM Lost) of his young career so far. He'll look to continue his streak of gracefully bouncing back after a dud against the Colts banged-up secondary on Thursday night.
Dishonorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Jared Goff (Rams), Kyle Allen (Panthers)

Running Back
MVP: Mark Ingram (Ravens)
In a week where the other top performers either failed to score (McCaffery) or lost a fumble (Gurley, Elliott), a pair of highlight reel TD catches helped elevate Ingram, who mustered a merely decent 85 scrimmage YDS (48 rushing, 37 receiving) on 16 touches, to the top of the RB hierarchy. While his yardage totals haven't been great of late (under 90 YDS in 6 of the last 7 games), Ingram's prominent role (particularly in the redzone) in the league's top rush offense will keep him on the higher end of the RB2 spectrum.
Honorable Mentions: Christian McCaffery (Panthers), Ezekiel Elliot (Cowboys), Todd Gurley (Rams)

LVP: Brian Hill (Falcons)
Not everybody on the suddenly revitalized Falcons offense showed up to play on Sunday. Devonta Freeman's injury replacement got stuffed by a poor Panthers front-finishing the afternoon with just 30 YDs on 15 carries and a single catch for 8 YDS. With Freeman expected to be out once again, Hill won't be a viable FLEX play against the Buccaneers stout rushing D in Week 12.
Dishonorable Mentions: David Montgomery (Bears), Miles Sanders (Eagles), Ronald Jones (Buccaneers)

Wide Receiver 
MVP: John Brown (Bills)
Brown continues to feast on lowly AFC East competition. The veteran burner put together his best game to date in a Bills uniform, torching the Dolphins lowly secondary for 137 YDS and 2 TD's on 9 receptions. While there hasn't been as many double digit explosions as anticipated in a Bills offense that is reliant on the deep passing game, Brown has had a surprisingly high weekly floor (he's yet to get less than 51 YDS in a game) and should continue to be a nice WR3 that has legit WR2 upside in non-brutal matchups.
Honorable Mentions: DJ Chark Jr. (Jaguars), Calvin Ridley (Falcons), Stefon Diggs (Vikings)

LVP: Amari Cooper (Cowboys)
Dak Prescott was having a ball carving up the Lions through the air, but Cooper wasn't invited to the party. Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb both went over 100 yards while the normal top dog was reduced to a supporting role (3 REC/38 YDS) for the NFC East leaders. Don't expect much better results when America's Team travels to Foxboro to take on the Patriots top-ranked pass defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kenny Golladay (Lions), Allen Robinson (Bears), Emmanuel Sanders (49ers)

Tight End
MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs
After a slow start by his lofty standards, Kelce strung together his 3rd excellent performance in the last 4 weeks by burning the Chargers for 92 YDS and a TD on 7 catches in an ugly win for the Chiefs in Mexico City last night. The league's best tight end will look to overcome a brutal schedule for pass-catchers that includes dates with the Patriots, Broncos and Bears, and continue this roll into the fantasy playoffs when the Chiefs return from bye a week from Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Zach Ertz (Eagles)

LVP: O.J. Howard (Buccaneers)
"The O.J. Howard is finally back!" train derailed after just 1 week. Howard got benched after he dropped his only target against the Saints and his backup Cameron Brate played pretty damn well (10 REC/73 YDS) in his absence. Howard has been arguably the single biggest flop in all of fantasy football this season and shouldn't be trusted moving forward-regardless of his standing as a starter.
Dishonorable Mentions: Darren Fells (Texans), Gerald Everett (Rams), Jack Doyle (Colts)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Saints
After getting embarrassed by the Falcons in Week 10, the Saints were rewarded with a visit from  peak implosion Jameis Winston this past Sunday. Dennis Allen's group picked off Crab Legs 4 times and sacked him twice on their way to an easy 34-17 win. A matchup with the similarly jittery Kyle Allen-led, who just threw 4 picks against the aforementioned Falcons, Panthers is up next.
Honorable Mentions: Browns, Ravens, 49ers

LVP: Steelers
A surprising hiccup in the Steelers D recent reign of terror occurred last Thursday versus the Browns. The short week seemed to drain them of all of their explosive playmaking ability as they picked up 0 takeaways and only 1 sack in a 21-7 loss. Redemption will be on their minds this Sunday when they face off against a porous Bengals offense that has committed 5 turnovers and allowed 7 sacks in Ryan Finley's 2 games under center.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vikings, Panthers, Cowboys

2019 NFL Power Rankings: Week 12

()=previous ranking

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

Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari

2019 awards season has just received a heavy dose of good ol' fashioned rousing American cinema. Ford v Ferrari is the ultimate underdog story that brings all of the cheers, smiles and warmth that the best films in the genre tend to deliver. Is the adversity-filled, establishment-challenging journey that rebellious "outsiders" Caroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and Ken Miles (Christian Bale) embark on as they try to bring glory to the long-suffering racing division of the Ford Motor Company that's gotten embarrassed by Ferrari year after year at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Grand Prix radically different from the countless other sports biopics out there? Not particularly, but the sheer intensity of the racing sequences, sturdiness of James Mangold's direction and commanding power of its central performances allow it to be a very compelling everyman epic where the eventual triumph of the protagonists feels well-earned. Especially during a portion of the calendar where over-the-top artistic theatrics often take center stage, the simple, effective showmanship of Ford v Ferrari is more than worthy of admiration.         

Grade: B+

Earful of Fantasy Episode #10

On this week's episode, Liam and I squabble about the results of our long-awaited fantasy showdown, entertain participating in an absurd 4-team league next year and tease a debate about the Myles Garrett/Mason Rudolph helmet hitting incident that never gets fully fleshed out. Tune in at any of the links below for your weekly dose of manic fantasy football talk.



Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/too-soon-for-weaponized-helmet-jokes-eof110/id1478573845?i=1000456952733
Earful of Dirt: https://www.earfulofdirt.com/2019/11/too-soon-for-weaponized-helmet-jokes.html

The Best and Worst of Matt Damon (2019)

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Ford v. Ferrari” star Matt Damon.

Films starring Matt Damon that I've seen:
Chasing Amy
Good Will Hunting
Rounders
Saving Private Ryan
Dogma 
Titan A.E.
The Legend of Bagger Vance
Ocean's Eleven
The Bourne Identity
Stuck on You
The Bourne Supremacy
Ocean's Twelve 
The Departed
Ocean's Thirteen
The Bourne Ultimatum 
The Informant!
Green Zone
True Grit
The Adjustment Bureau
Contagion
We Bought a Zoo
Elysium
The Monuments Men
Interstellar  
The Martian 
Jason Bourne
The Great Wall

Best Performance: Good Will Hunting (1997)
As cliché as it to be a Massachusetts resident and pick one of Damon's Bostonian characters as his best performance, I can't ignore how highly I regard his performance in Good Will Hunting. Hot headed MIT janitor/incognito mathematical genius Will Hunting is the perfect showcase of the raw emotional edge, smartass snark and irresistible magnetism that has made Damon one of the finest actors to enter the industry over the last 25 years.

Worst Performance: Jason Bourne (2016)
Damon had walked away from playing this pretty famous character for nine years before returning for Jason Bourne. Considering the visible lack of effort he displayed here, he should've stayed retired. Even when he's engaged in one of the franchise's famous shaky cam-aided fight scenes, Damon looks disinterested and borderline ashamed to be back playing the globe-trotting, genetically-enhanced spy. 

Best Film: The Departed (2006)
Thanks to the buzz surrounding Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, I've been thinking a lot about The Departed lately. Perfection is something that I feel is damn near impossible to achieve in art yet The Departed makes it look like the easiest thing in the world. The story is packed with detail without ever becoming confusing, the characters are vivid, the acting is astounding and the payoff of this complex crime saga hits like a god damn jackhammer. Even in a filmography that is as packed with timeless gems as Scorsese's, this remains my clear favorite work of his.

Worst Film: Ocean's Twelve (2004) 
While Ocean's Eleven is lightyears ahead of the rest of the installments, there's a sense of breezy fun that sits at the core of every entry in this heist franchise. Absolutely none of that lighthearted entertainment made into Ocean's Twelve. This labored, staggeringly dull caper flick felt like a kid having a temper tantrum in the latter stages of a great birthday party and subsequently sucking up whatever joy had been in the room prior to that unexpected outburst.   

Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “21 Bridges” star Keith David. 

Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2019 Edition

Quarterback
MVP: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
Jackson's MVP campaign received another huge boost this weekend as he absolutely eviscerated the Bengals sad defense for 223 YDS and 3 TD's through the air and another 65 YDS and a TD on the ground. A potentially incredible young QB duel with fellow MVP candidate Deshaun Watson is up next for the Ravens electric playmaker.
Honorable Mentions: Daniel Jones (Giants), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Kyler Murray (Cardinals)

LVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Brees put together an inexplicably pedestrian game (287 YDS/0 TD/0 turnovers) against the Falcons dumpster fire of a defense as the Saints somehow managed to get smoked at home to a team that hadn't won since Week 2. He'll look to redeem himself this Sunday against a similarly terrible Bucs pass D.
Dishonorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Jared Goff (Rams), Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)

Running Back
MVP: Derrick Henry (Titans)
By bullying the Chiefs soft run D for 188 YDS and 2 TD's on 23 carries, Mr. Henry played a key part in allowing the Titans to pull off a huge upset win. Henry has managed to be a top 5 fantasy running back despite his general lack of contributions in the passing game, which is a truly remarkable feat in the modern NFL where throwback bellcows typically only serve as respectable RB2 options at best. He'll look to finish strong against a pretty tough slate (Saints, Jaguars, Texans, Raiders, Colts) once the Titans return from bye in Week 12.
Honorable Mentions: Aaron Jones (Packers), Dalvin Cook (Vikings), Christian McCaffery (Panthers)

LVP: Saquon Barkley (Giants)
Pat Shurmur confirmed the obvious postgame: Barkley was playing hurt against the Jets on Sunday. The sophomore back looked stiff and slow all afternoon as he racked up a paltry 31 YDS (1 rushing, 30 receiving) on 18 touches. With the Giants season all but officially over as they enter their Week 11 bye at 2-8, there's a distinct possibility that they end up shutting him down for the year.
Dishonorable Mentions: David Johnson (Cardinals), Devin Singletary (Bills), Jaylen Samuels (Steelers) 

Wide Receiver 
MVP: Christian Kirk (Cardinals)
Leave it to the Buccaneers secondary to remind fantasy players of Kirk's ridiculous potential. The Texas A&M speedster was making huge plays all over Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, registering 138 YDS and 3 TD's on just 6 receptions. He'll likely come back down to earth when the Cardinals square off against the 49ers tough secondary for the 2nd time in 3 weeks, but he'll be an intriguing WR3/FLEX play during the stretch run.  
Honorable Mentions: Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), Amari Cooper (Cowboys), Golden Tate (Giants)

LVP: Cooper Kupp (Rams)
Kupp was due to stumble at some point after such an unbelievable 1st half of the season. However, putting up a donut in a game where Brandin Cooks was inactive is a true shock. While I'm still legitimately baffled by how the hell this happened, I think Kupp will mimic Mike Evans and make up for this unexpected disappearing act with a fireworks show against the Bears this Sunday night.
Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks), Tyrell Williams (Raiders), Robby Anderson (Jets)

Tight End
MVP: Mark Andrews (Ravens)
There are few better "get right" spots as a skill position player than a matchup with the Bengals and Andrews took advantage of that golden opportunity to bust his mini-slump by hanging 53 YDS and 2 TD's on the league's last remaining winless team. Andrews has another plus matchup against the Texans below average passing defense in Week 11.
Honorable Mentions: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), O.J. Howard (Buccaneers)

LVP: Vance McDonald (Steelers)
Despite Mason Rudolph putting together a respectable performance against a tough Rams defense, McDonald struggled to contribute-managing just 3 receptions for 11 YDS and 1 carry for 2 YDS on the day. McDonald will remain a volatile play with a game manager like Rudolph under center, but his decent weekly ceiling makes him worth rostering, if not starting in deeper leagues.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Mike Gesicki (Dolphins), Jonnu Smith (Titans)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Steelers
The hype the Patriots and 49ers defenses have generated has unfairly forced the Steelers dominance to fly under the radar. Their latest excellent performance, which helped them earn their 4th straight victory and move into the #6 seed in the AFC, against the Rams (4 points allowed, 4 sacks, 3 INT, FUM REC, TD) might've been their most impressive performance to date as they made life miserable for Jared Goff and co. on just about every snap. They have another appetizing matchup against the Browns turnover-prone offense in Week 11.
Honorable Mentions: Ravens, Rams, 49ers

LVP: Saints
Very little of the strong, explosive play that had defined the Saints D since Week 3 was on display last Sunday as they racked up just 1 sack and an INT in a 26-9 loss against the Falcons. While they're not likely to post back-to-back duds, I'm a lot leerier about their chances of crushing the Bucs than I'd normally be.
Dishonorable Mentions: Browns, Giants, Bills