Top 10 Bruce Willis Movies

I'd planned to do a traditional "Ranked" entry on Morbius star Tyrese Gibson today, but the news that broke yesterday of Bruce Willis' retirement from acting and the heartbreaking circumstances behind it led me to change things up. Without Willis' contributions to cinema for 3+ decades, I doubt I'd grow to love the artform as much as I do. Willis had a gruff, snarky charisma that made him one of the most iconic action stars of all time as well as an unheralded versatility that allowed him to thrive in a wide array of genres. To honor Willis' incredible body of work, I put together a list of my 10 favorite movies of his-which just happens to include my 2 all-time favorites. Thank you for everything Bruce and I hope you and your family are able to navigate this awful situation as gracefully as humanly possible.

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):

Alpha Dog

Die Hard with a Vengeance 

The Fifth Element

Red 

The Sixth Sense

10.Live Free or Die Hard (2007):

The concerns over a PG-13 Die Hard movie proved to be unwarranted. Appropriately frenetic direction from Len Wiseman (Underworld), an impeccable villain turn from Timothy Olyphant and some really nutty, over-the-top action allowed Live Free or Die Hard to be the clear standout among the Die Hard sequels. 

9.The Last Boy Scout (1991):

Willis' initial run of films following the breakout success of Die Hard put a lot of stains on his resume. Hudson Hawk, Striking Distance and Billy Bathgate are among the most infamous misfires of the 90's, and their failure was a big part of why people believed his career was headed for a significant downturn until Pulp Fiction sent his stock soaring upwards again. The Last Boy Scout is the only project from this period of Willis' career that I believe to be unfairly overlooked. It's commitment to being an exceptionally dumb, over-the-top action movie is impressive and despite the fact they reportedly hated working together, Willis and Damon Wayans made for a hilarious, electric buddy pairing that gleefully tackled every abundantly nonsensical development this story threw at them.   

8.Looper (2012):

Rian Johnson's take on the time travel genre is a smart, wildly entertaining thriller that possesses a surprising emotional core alongside some engaging action sequences and reliably strong performances from its gifted ensemble (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Willis, Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels, Paul Dano).    

7.Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014):

While A Dame to Kill For is guilty of not doing much to distinguish itself from its predecessor, its vivid collection of characters paired with the stunning visual flare and sleazy, dangerous vibe driving its noir aesthetic prove to be a winning combination that made the 9-year wait worthwhile.  

6.Lucky Number Slevin (2006):

It's been a very long time since I've actually watched Lucky Number Slevin, so this is a case of blind nostalgia driving the bus. This twisty, ultraviolent crime saga managed to confirm that I'll eat up any competent Tarantino riff that is occupied by slick editing, quirky characters and palpable energy.  

5.The Expendables 2 (2012):

When Sylvester Stallone launched The Expendables franchise in 2010, he was essentially setting up a big, loud celebration of action movies. So far, The Expendables 2 has done the best job of realizing that mission statement. From the gleefully over-the-top action sequences to the self-aware sense of humor to the beyond welcome additions of Jean-Claude Van Damme, Scott Adkins and Chuck Norris to the crew of heavy hitters Stallone had previously recruited to star alongside him (Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Randy Couture, Willis), the whole thing just feels like a purehearted love letter to the ridiculously massive action movies of multiple bygone eras (80's/90's/00's) and the magnetic meatheads that helped bring them to life. 

4.Planet Terror (2007):

This proudly schlocky B-zombie movie that kicked off the unique cinematic package that was Grindhouse represents Robert Rodriguez at his most playful, creative and gruesomely funny best. 

3.Die Hard (1988):

For action movie fans, Die Hard is something truly sacred. What John McTiernan cooked up here was something distinctly masterful and the simple yet special formula (charismatic characters, playful tone, rapid pacing, contained setting that organically creates tension and excitement) he employed here has been mimicked to death for the past 30 years or so and will continue to be replicated until mankind ceases to exist.  

2.Sin City (2005):

On the eve of its 17-year anniversary, I remain floored by what Sin City was able to accomplish. Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller created a richly rewarding, visually astounding crime saga that redefined what comic book adaptations could be by seamlessly transferring the striking black-and-white color palette, dense, anthology-based storytelling and viscerally lawless atmosphere from the pages of Miller's graphic novel to the moving canvas of the screen.     

1.Pulp Fiction (1994):

It's not exactly a secret that Pulp Fiction is my favorite movie. Every time I think about some kind of formative movie experience or a favorite scene or quote, my brain immediately turns to this. This served as my introduction to the unparalleled passion, wit and impeccable storytelling/casting instincts Quentin Tarantino brings to his projects and I remain thankful for how my exposure to this singular masterpiece shaped my film taste and led me down a path to discover the rest of his brilliant films along with some other wild movies (Fight Club, Memento, Snatch) that probably wouldn't have otherwise shown up on my radar at that time of my life.   

Movie Review: The Lost City

There's a certain comfort that comes with seeing a movie like The Lost City. For starters, when was the last time a silly, diverting completely original movie that's led by funny, likeable stars (Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum) and boasts a reasonably large, but not quite blockbuster-level budget (somewhere in the range of $63-74 mil) made its way to the big screen? This is the exact kind of project that was feared to become fodder for the streamers to fight over once COVID shook up the movie distribution landscape and seeing The Lost City not only be released in movie theaters, but already enjoy some success there is a great thing to witness. 

Then, of course there's the comfort that comes from the movie itself. The Lost City is one of those warm, fast-paced and lighthearted viewing experiences that makes for an ideal watch when you're looking to relax or simply want to watch something that doesn't require much brainpower to focus on. Bullock and Tatum are in sync with each other every step of the way, the action sequences have a playfulness behind them that allows them to become the purest embodiment of the goofy energy that sits at the heart of this movie and there's enough little splashes of weirdness (Daniel Radcliffe's antagonist attempting to win over Bullock's character during their first meeting with a massive assortment of cheese, Patti Harrison getting the green light to show off her darkly absurd sense of humor in a fully mainstream project, every scene involving Oscar Nunez's character ) present to provide a bit of an endearing oddball streak underneath its safe exterior. While The Lost City isn't something that will end up being listed among my favorites of 2022, its simple goals and the giddiness in which they're tackled with made it a refreshing, enjoyable trip to the movies, and that's a feat that's always worth celebrating. 

Grade: B

2022 NFL Free Agency Recap: Winners and Losers, Best and Worst Deals and Best Players Still Available

Biggest Winners: Los Angeles Chargers

Taking inspiration from their SoFi Stadium roommates, the Chargers have taken advantage of Justin Herbert's low cap hit and spent like crazy this offseason. New deal for vertical threat Mike Williams? Sure thing! Big ticket free agent signing (J.C. Jackson) to address a major need? Done deal. Swing a trade (Khalil Mack) to give Joey Bosa an elite running mate on the edge? Not a problem at all. Add some veteran depth pieces (Sebastian Joseph-Day, Gerald Everett, Austin Johnson) on both sides of the ball? Of course. The Chargers tendency to shoot themselves in the foot whenever it seems like they've got a really good thing going could once again rear its ugly head and lead to yet another bout of crushing disappointment for the Bolts, but for right now at least, it's impossible to not be bullish on what a team that fell 1 game shy of making the playoffs last year is capable of after loading up with the type of talent they need to take the next step as a franchise.

Honorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers

Biggest Losers: New England Patriots

Unless Bill Belichick conjures up a massive move or two ahead of the draft, his approach to the 2022 free agency period should be viewed as incredibly worrisome. He's stacked the odds against Mac Jones making a jump in year 2 by trading star guard Shaq Mason to the Bucs for peanuts, failing to add any new pieces at receiver and perhaps most shockingly, displaying no real plan to replace the defensive starters that he either cut (Kyle Van Noy) or refused to re-sign (J.C. Jackson, Dont'a Hightower) this offseason. Throw in their ambiguous plans to replace Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator and you have a bizarrely complacent, unjustifiably arrogant team that appears to be willingly committing to regressing at a time where seemingly every other in the AFC team is doing whatever they can to load up for a potential title run.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars

Best Contract: D.J. Reed, cornerback (3 years/$33 mil/$21 mil guaranteed with the Jets)

Reed was a really solid outside corner for the past 2 seasons with the Seahawks and as a guy who had no starting experience prior to 2020 and is still only 25, boasts pretty highs odds of improving over the next few seasons. Bringing him in on such a team-friendly deal allows the Jets to immediately improve at their biggest problem area while also giving them the flexibility to draft a corner in the top 10 this year or chase a more high-profile free agent next season.

Honorable Mentions: Allen Robinson, wide receiver (3 years/$46.5 mil/$30.75 mil guaranteed with the Rams), Charvarius Ward, cornerback (3 years/$40.5 mil/$26.2 mil guaranteed with the 49ers), Marcus Maye, safety (3 years/$22.5 mil/$14.5 mil guaranteed with the Saints)

Worst Contract: Christian Kirk, wide receiver (4 years/$72 mil/$37 mil guaranteed with the Jaguars)

Fresh off an awful 2021 draft and the Urban Meyer debacle, the remarkably still employed Jaguars GM Trent Baalke handed out a deal that was so absurd and unexpected that it reset the entire WR market. Kirk has never finished a season with more than 972 YDS or 6 TD's and yet Baalke thought it was totally responsible to give him a deal that currently makes him the 10th highest paid receiver in the league in terms of AAV-which puts him ahead of guys like Tyler Lockett, Adam Thielen and reigning Super Bowl MVP/NFL receiving triple crown winner Cooper Kupp. Kirk's deal became even more ludicrous after center Brandon Linder unexpectedly announced his retirement over the weekend, dealing a huge blow to a Jags offensive line that was already quite shaky. If Kirk ends up playing out the duration of this contract in Jacksonville, it should be considered a huge success.

Dishonorable Mentions: Randy Gregory, edge rusher (5 years/$70 mil/$28 mil guaranteed with the Broncos), Harold Landry, edge rusher (5 years/$87.5 mil/$52.5 mil guaranteed with the Titans), Zay Jones, wide receiver (3 years/$24 mil/$14 mil guaranteed with the Jaguars)

Best Player Still Available: Tyrann Mathieau 

Once the safety market got cooking with the signings of Marcus Williams, Jordan Whitehead and Justin Reid-who just happens to be his expected replacement in Kansas City- on Days 3-5 of free agency, it seemed like Mathieau would sign a deal in short order. Nearly 2 weeks later and Mathieau is still without a home. Fortunately for the Honey Badger, there are still plenty of contending teams (Chargers, Bucs, 49ers, Broncos, Colts, Browns) that need safety help, so he should have no problem landing in a place that will give him an opportunity to land his 2nd Super Bowl ring.

Honorable Mentions: Bobby Wagner, J.C. Tretter, Calias Campbell

2022 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 (3/28)

 1.Jacksonville Jaguars: Evan Neal, tackle (Alabama)

2.Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, edge rusher (Michigan)

3.Houston Texans: Ikem Ekonwu, tackle (NC State)

4.New York Jets: Sauce Gardner, cornerback (Cincinnati) 

5.New York Giants: Kyle Hamilton, safety (Notre Dame)

6.Carolina Panthers: Malik Willis, quarterback (Liberty)

7.New York Giants: Charles Cross, tackle (Mississippi State)

8.Atlanta Falcons: Kenny Pickett, quarterback (Pittsburgh)

9.Seattle Seahawks: Derek Stingley Jr., cornerback (LSU)

10.New York Jets: Travon Walker, edge rusher (Georgia)

11.Washington Commanders: Drake London, wide receiver (USC)

12.Minnesota Vikings: Trent McDuffie, cornerback (Washington)

13.Houston Texans: Kayvon Thibodeaux, edge rusher (Oregon)

14.Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Davis, defensive tackle (Georgia)

15.Philadelphia Eagles: Garrett Wilson, wide receiver (Ohio State)

16.Philadelphia Eagles: Jermaine Johnson II, edge rusher (Florida State)

17.Los Angeles Chargers: Devin Lloyd, inside linebacker (Utah)

18.New Orleans Saints: Trevor Penning, tackle (Northern Iowa)

19.Philadelphia Eagles: Nakobe Dean, inside linebacker (Georgia) 

20.Pittsburgh Steelers: Tyler Linderbaum, center/guard (Iowa)

21.New England Patriots: Dax Hill, safety (Michigan)

22.Green Bay Packers: Chris Olave, wide receiver (Ohio State)

23.Arizona Cardinals: Andrew Booth Jr., cornerback (Clemson)

24.Dallas Cowboys: David Ojabo, edge rusher (Michigan)

25.Buffalo Bills: Kaiir Elam, cornerback (Florida)

26.Tennesee Titans: Treylon Burks, wide receiver (Arkansas) 

27.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Zion Johnson, guard (Boston College) 

28.Green Bay Packers: George Karlaftis, edge rusher (Purdue)

29.Kansas City Chiefs: Jameson Williams, wide receiver (Alabama)

30.Kansas City Chiefs: Devonte Wyatt, defensive tackle (Georgia)

31.Cincinnati Bengals: Rodger McCreary, cornerback (Auburn)

32.Detroit Lions: Skyy Moore, wide receiver (Western Michigan)

94th Academy Award Predictions

Best Picture:

Belfast

CODA

Don't Look Up

Drive My Car

Dune

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

Projected Winner: CODA

Longtime frontrunner The Power of the Dog losing to CODA would be the funniest possible ending to this year's awards season. Becoming the 1st streaming studio to secure a Best Picture win has been a top priority for Netflix over the past 5 years (just look at the absurd volume of prestige projects they release every fall) and Apple is in a prime position to beat them to the history books with their 1st ever nomination. If CODA does indeed win, it would prove the belief that the Academy wanted to honor a hopeful, crowd-pleasing film this year wasn't a meritless rumor and that streaming titles do indeed have a place in their swanky club after all. 

Best Director:

Kenneth Branaugh (Belfast)

Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)

Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car)

Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)

Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)

Projected Winner: Jane Campion 

Unless Campion's questionable comments about the Williams sisters during her Critic's Choice Award acceptance speech a few weeks back caused some Academy members to switch their votes, she's a shoo-in. Campion is one of the most respected auteurs working today that currently lacks a Best Director Oscar on their resume and her direction has widely been hailed as the standout element of The Power of the Dog.  

Best Actor:

Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)

Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)

Andrew Garfield (tick, tick.. Boom!)

Will Smith (King Richard)

Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)

Projected Winner: Will Smith

Smith's ability to knock off Benedict Cumberbatch at the Brit-friendly confines of the BAFTA's killed any potential for an upset bid to develop, so the widely beloved star will finally get his hands on the Oscar that alluded him for the inaugural 30+ years of his career.

Best Actress:

Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)

Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)

Penelope Cruz (Parallel Mothers)

Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Projected Winner: Jessica Chastain

There's been some chatter in industry circles this week about how the vocal support Penelope Cruz has received from members of the Academy's international branches could result in her securing a shocking upset victory. While Cruz swooping in at the last minute would make for the perfect chaotic climax to a Best Actress race that has lacked a consistent frontrunner since the Kristen Stewart hypetrain abruptly petered out after the fall festival circuit came to a close in October, Chastain's SAG and Critic's Choice wins are still enough for her to maintain the slight favorite status she's recently earned.

Best Supporting Actor:

Ciaran Hinds (Belfast)

Troy Kotsur (CODA)

Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog)

J.K. Simmons (Being the Ricardos)

Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)

Projected Winner: Troy Kotsur

Unlike Best Picture, this is a category where CODA will undoubtedly make history. Kotsur's Oscar win should make a huge impact on how deaf and other disabled actors are viewed in Hollywood moving forward as well as provide him with a steadier stream of high-end roles than he's had in the past.

Best Supporting Actress:

Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter)

Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)

Judi Dench (Belfast)

Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)

Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)

Projected Winner: Ariana DeBose

Along with Smith, DeBose is the only actor to have a 100%-win rate for the awards that they were eligible for this season, and it would be a monumental upset if anybody ended her perfect record on Sunday. Not only does DeBose serve as the most prolific scene-stealer in West Side Story, her winning an Oscar for playing the same role that her co-star Rita Moreno won for in the original 1961 West Side Story movie adaptation is the exact kind of sentimental narrative that the Academy will want to lean into in a year where they're desperately trying to boost the ratings.

Other Projected Winners:

Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Branagh, Belfast

Best Adapted Screenplay: Sian Heder, CODA

Best Animated Feature: Encanto

Best International Feature: Drive My Car

Best Documentary Feature: Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Best Cinematography: Greig Fraser, Dune

Best Score: Hans Zimmer, Dune

Best Song: "No Time to Die" by Billie Eilish (No Time to Die)

Best Costume Design: Jenny Bevan, Cruella

Best Film Editing: Joe Walker, Dune

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Best Production Design: Dune

Best Sound: Dune

Best Visual Effects: Dune

Best Animated Short: Robin Robin 

Best Documentary Short: The Queen of Basketball

Best Live Action Short: The Long Goodbye

Quick Movie Reviews: Turning Red, The Outfit, X, Deep Water

Turning Red: When it's at its best in the early portions of the film, Turning Red is a funny, sweet and vibrant tale that explores the plight of a young Chinese-Candian girl (Rosalie Chiang) trying to cope with the burden of her changing body and relationship with her strict mother (Sandra Oh) that controls every aspect of her life. During the second half when it leans heavier into exploring the supernatural mythology that provides its puberty metaphors with a fantastical edge, it becomes a jarring, directionless foray into a subgenre that just doesn't gel with the messaging it provides and tone it strikes during the rest of the film. There's enough good stuff present here to believe that Domee Shi-who is making her directional debut here- will eventually figure things out, her storytelling just isn't polished or focused enough to meet the high standard her longtime employers have established over the past 25 years quite yet.   

Grade: B-

The Outfit: Oscar-winning screenwriter Graham Moore (The Imitation Game) has finally reemerged from the long hiatus he took after winning said gold statue in 2015 with a pretty strong directorial debut that makes his return feel particularly welcome. The Outfit is a crime mystery thriller that makes effective use of a single setting by turning a Chicago tailor shop that is frequented by seemingly every mobster in the city into a claustrophobic den of horrors where people's darkest secrets and true identities are slowly revealed over the course of a single evening where the confirmation of a rat among one of the outfit's operations causes mass upheaval within the city's criminal underworld. The damn fine performances from its central cast (Mark Rylance in an all too rare lead role as the owner of the tailor shop, Zoey Deutch, Johnny Flynn, Dylan O'Brien) seamlessly sell all the deceptive mind games and potential power grabs that are on display alongside the finely crafted suits and Moore's script does a good job of creating suspicion and misdirection as he's slowly unmasking who these people really are. It gets a little too cute with the onslaught of twists it unleashes in the final half hour and the pacing takes a pretty long while to settle into a consistent rhythm, but Moore has made a solid, contained crime film that proves he has a future as a director if that's the career path he wants to take.

Grade: B

X: X manages to both meet and subvert what people expected to see from a 70's-set slasher film that revolves around an amateur porn shoot at a secluded Texas farmhouse. Alongside all of the screwing and gory butchering of the doomed souls (Mia Goth, Brittany Snow, Jenna Ortega, Scott Mescudi, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell) that are setting out to make their own version of Debbie Does Dallas, X finds the space to create a collection of characters that cleverly transcend the archetypal genre roles (self-absorbed party girl, conservative religious girl, etc.) they appear to be filling on paper by turning them into smart, relatable individuals who all have their own motivations to get involved with the production of this film, compose some of the most uniquely breathtaking shot selections to appear in a film of late and uses a smart, unexpected allegory involving an area of aging that isn't discussed much to power the villain's (also played by Goth under heavy makeup/prosthetics) motivations that helps generate some sincere empathy for her before all hell breaks loose in the brutal, eerie and darkly hilarious final act. Writer/director/co-editor Ti West (The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers) displays a really assured touch in his cohesive, stylish packaging of this dynamic melting pot of influences, genres and themes and the cast (particularly Goth, Snow and Mescudi) displays the eagerness and emotional buy-in to go to the expected and unexpected places West needs them to go to bring his uniquely twisted vision to life. X might be not the most purely enjoyable slasher to come out of the revival movement that has emerged over the past half-decade, but it sure as hell is the boldest and most surprising.        

Grade: B+

Deep Water: Fresh out of the secluded depths of the adult section of the Disney vault that the Mouse Brigade has made for the Fox releases that they don't give a shit about (which seems to be nearly all of them), Deep Water -aka as the film that birthed the romance between Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas that got the paparazzi through the early days of the pandemic in 2020-has landed on streaming just a few months after its planned theatrical release was officially canceled and the distribution rights outside of the United States were sold off to Amazon. Now that it's out in the world, it's not exactly difficult to figure out why Disney banished this project to the streaming purgatory. 

Deep Water is a throwback to the erotic thrillers of the 80's and 90's that boasts a shockingly small amount of the over-the-top sex scenes, graphic violence and horny sleaziness that made the genre so appealing for fans of campy trash entertainment. There also appears to be some evidence that the version of the film that was released was given the good old fashioned studio meddling treatment in the editing room-which *surprise surprise* leads to some editing/storytelling gaps that almost certainly weren't present in the original version and likely led to the really shitty test screening scores that killed its planned theatrical release.

So, did the rough execution of its story and softening of the core erotic thriller elements completely sink Deep Water? Shockingly no and the efforts of the former paparazzi darling couple are solely to thank. Affleck and de Armas simply sell the shit out of their character's jealously-and-lust-fueled dynamic. Both characters are just so brazenly boastful about the evil things they're doing to hurt each other (de Armas' Melinda is openly cheating on Affleck's Vic with multiple men and Vic is proceeding to kill these men to get back at Melinda for being unfaithful) that it makes every scene in which they appear together endearing. The degree of hate, jealously and devilish playfulness present in these interactions creates the sheer confrontational electricity that exists between them that flat-out eviscerates the muddy writing, wonky editing and dull side characters that are actively trying to kneecap the tremendous work these titans of toxicity are engaging in to keep this janky ship on its intended course of mutually assured destruction. Now, who do I have to talk to help launch Affleck and de Armas' Oscar campaigns for next year?

Grade: B- 

Sandra Bullock Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted accolades and superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Sandra Bullock-whose latest project "The Lost City" hits theaters on Thursday.  

Sandra Bullock's Filmography Ranked:

17.Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (D+)

16.While You Were Sleeping (C-)

15.Practical Magic (C-)

14.Miss Congeniality (C)

13.Murder by Numbers (C+)

12.Crash (C+)

11.Our Brand is Crisis (B-)

10.Two Weeks Notice (B-)

9.The Unforgiveable (B-)

8.The Proposal (B-)

7.The Blind Side (B)

6.Bird Box (B)

5.Ocean's 8 (B)

4.The Heat (B+)

3.Demolition Man (B+)

2.Gravity (B+)

1.Speed (B+)

Top Dog: Speed (1994)

Speed is a great example of how delivering a simple film with gusto and precision can be just as rewarding as something with higher ambitions. The only things sitting at this core of this project are narrative efficiency, charismatic characters and pure fucking adrenaline-which was all it needed to blast across the finish line in a blaze of glory and become one of the greatest action thrillers of the 90's.

Lowlight: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is one of the purest embodiments of shameless, manipulative misery porn that the film industry has provided the world in the last 10-15 years. There's not even a hint of a sincere plot beat or emotion present in this whole exploitative debacle that uses the real-world devastation of 9/11 as the cheese to get the audience into an emotional vice grip that unleashes all of the tragic movie cliches (dead parents, living parent reconciling with small child who lashes out at them because they lost a parent and don't how to cope with the pain, more death) in an attempt to force tears to exit from your eyes. If these events were completely removed from the context that they're presented in here, they'd be very sad, but the carefully curated manner in which they're framed in this completely fictionalized narrative makes the whole movie feel downright icky.  

Most Underrated: Demolition Man (1993)

Outside of the peaks of the Rocky and Rambo franchises, Demolition Man serves as one of Sylvester Stallone's best projects. With its almost prophetic view of the future, a hilarious villain turn from Wesley Snipes and well-balanced mix of intelligent satire and self-aware action movie stupidity, it manages to be a really fun, delightfully loopy movie that has aged exceptionally well.

Most Overrated: While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Outside of serving as the earliest piece of proof that Bullock had the juice to lead a movie, While You Were Sleeping doesn't bring many positive things to the table. The hilariously contrived romance and below average jokes that are sprinkled throughout the cheesy road map it follows to reach its inevitable happy final destination easily overshadow the power of Bullock's charm and Peter Boyle playing a slightly less miserable version of Frank from Everybody Loves Raymond.