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NBA Announces All-Star Game East & West Starters
Starting for the Western Conference:
Starting for the Eastern Conference:
and Dwyane Wade, but of course the NBA social media team didn’t make anything cool for him…
Kobe Bryant was the leading vote getter. The reserves will be named on January 28th, as voted on by coaches. I expect Jimmy Butler, Andre Drummond and Draymond Green to be included, who were all snubbed from being starters (Thanks a lot, FANS.)
Who else belongs in the NBA All-Star Game? Who doesn’t belong? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter!
Looking Past ‘Batman v Superman’ Because of ‘Suicide Squad’ Trailer, ‘Wonder Woman’ Footage
The more Batman v. Superman trailers and clips are released, the less enthused many are getting about it.
Even Deadpool and his film’s marketing team are having fun at the Man of Steal and Dark Knight’s expense.
It’s still an exciting year for superhero fans. Deadpool hits theaters February 12th, Batman v. Superman will be out March 25th, Captain America: Civil War May 6th, and X-Men: Apocalypse May 27th.
Warner Brothers and DC seem to already be looking beyond Batman v. Superman by releasing a new Suicide Squad trailer, which is due out August 5th. After seeing it myself, so am I.
Unlike the recent BvS promotions, the Suicide Squad stuff doesn’t give too much away. And more importantly, it’s FUN. The dialog is a little cheesy, but that comes with the Summer blockbuster territory.
Also looking ahead, Warner Bros. produced a featurette for the upcoming Wonder Woman film (June 23rd, 2017). The intent might’ve been to get you interested in BvS, but I might be more intrigued in her standalone film instead.
Next step would be to incorporate the DC TV universe into their film universe, but that’s a rant for another day.
Vote for your pick and check out more on Facebook or Twitter!
Brady vs. Manning 17: Why This One Matters
If Fast and the Furious ever gets this many sequels, I quit.
I understand if you’re exhausted from hearing about this. It’s a storyline that’s been shoved down your throat for 2 decades, and both quarterbacks have their detractors. There’s a reason you’ve heard all the narratives for as long as you have though.
The last time neither Peyton Manning nor Tom Brady were in the AFC Championship was in 2011. Before then, it was 2006. Brady and Manning will be facing off for the 17th time this weekend, but it will be the 5th time in the playoffs with both winning 2 games a piece. Manning actually has an edge on Brady, having won 2 of their 3 matchups in the AFC Championship. This time could (and should) be their last, and it will be for a shot at Super Bowl 50.
When you bring up Manning and Brady, you’re talking about two of the best to play their position, the most important position in the most watched sport in the country. One year separates the two in age (Manning 39, Brady 38), and they are both in the Top 6 of career touchdowns, yards and passer rating. Manning ranks 1st, 1st, and 5th, Brady is 3rd, 5th and 6th. Brady’s 4 Super Bowl rings compared to Manning’s 1 are pretty glaring, but it’s still too fitting to see either of these 2 get another chance to play on the biggest stage in sports. Just a year ago, the Super Bowl drew it’s largest audience with 114.4 million people watching.
The numbers for both quarterbacks in their 16 meetings make up that of a solid regular season. Manning has completed 410 of 657 passes (62.4%) for 4,809 yards, 33 TDs and 22 INTs (87.4 QB rating). Brady has completed 367 of 553 passes (66.4%) for 4,013 yards, 31 TDs and 13 INTs (96.5 QB rating). Brady leads the series 11-5, with an 8-2 record against Manning at Foxboro and split 3-3 in Indianapolis/Denver. In the last 10 years though, Manning is 2-0 in the playoffs against Brady. Neither one has won against each other on the road since 2007.
Who has the most to gain with a win this Sunday though, with legacies mostly cemented going? Brady holds the record for most playoff wins (22) and has a 73.3 win percentage while Manning holds the record for the most playoff losses (13). Regardless the result of Sunday’s game, Brady will go down as one of football’s all-time greats as a winner because of his post season hardware. Manning will unfortunately be remembered as the greatest “regular season” quarterback who only came home with the ultimate prize once out of 15 chances, with a younger brother holding a second ring over his head…unless he wins Sunday and February 7th.
It’s amazing Manning has reached this point following his worst statistical regular season of his career and having to sit out due to injury. He’s had transform his game from being the dominant quarterback to “game manager”, and it worked great against the Steelers. With a Super Bowl quality defense, all Manning has to do now is hand the ball off, make the right checks evaluating the coverage, not turn the ball over, and make a play when it’s needed.
There are only 11 quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl rings:
Eli Manning – 2
Ben Roethlisberger – 2
John Elway – 2
Jim Plunkett – 2
Roger Staubach – 2
Bob Greise – 2
Bart Starr – 2
Troy Aikman – 3
Terry Bradshaw – 4
Joe Montana – 4
If Brady wins one more, he joins club of his own with 5. If Manning wins one more, he joins the club and fans will remember that more than the 13 playoff losses. Ask Elway, who lost 8 times before winning his 2 rings back-to-back to end his career. Can Manning have his Elway moment?
I tried to think about where this rivalry stacks up in sports. It’s not quite Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird. Two all-time greats, yes, but there were 8 championships won between the two (Magic 5, Bird 3) and they had to do it against each other in the Finals. Ali/Frazier was a whole different level of competition, and disrespect for each other. Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain though…
Russell is the greatest winner in basketball history with 11 championships and Chamberlain was statistically one of the best to ever play his position while winning his second ring late in his career. A big difference is that Russell and Chamberlain had to actually man-up on each other, but the legacy comparisons between them and Brady/Manning are certainly there.
Vote for your pick to win this weekend and check out more on Facebook or Twitter!
Top 25 Films of 2015 – The Final List
It took until 2016 to get this list done, but that’s the price of being thorough…and loving movies.
I released a list at the end of the summer and another before the holidays. Of course, studios waited till Christmas and after to release some of the most anticipated films of the year. Just in time for the announcement of this year’s Oscar nominees, here are my Top 25 – The films I liked, really liked, and loved.
25. Carol
It’s elegant and shot beautifully. Cate Blanchett has the title character but Rooney Mara is the one you’re invested in. I would have loved to see this film shot decades ago with Audrey Hepburn in Mara’s role. Kyle Chandler’s classic look would have fit in nicely. Also enjoyed the appearance from Cory Michael Smith who is currently The Riddler on FOX’s Gotham. It’s fitting.
24. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
It was a strong year for blockbuster franchises. There are two more represented further down this list. The Mission Impossible series seems to get better as time goes on and fortunately for them, Rogue Nation hit theaters before Spectre did with a similar plot and much better execution.
23. Beasts of No Nation
Idris Elba seems to show us in everything he does that he is one of the best actors of our time, and this Netflix Original film gets him closer to the acclaim he properly deserves. Beasts of No Nation is also a milestone for Netflix that shows they should be taken seriously as a film studio and not just for television…Just try to avoid the string of unfortunate Adam Sandler flicks they will be putting out for a while.
22. Creed
Creed is a very good sports movie. It reminded me a lot of the first Rocky film. I love how they filmed the fights and Sylvester Stallone deserves every “best supporting actor” nomination he gets. We’re reminded how great an actor he is, and how awesome a character Rocky Balboa is in this film. Michael B. Jordan is certainly in store for big things and this film is a clear sign of that. I just wished they held back on the cheese factor of a certain training scene and that his “big opponent” was a much more memorable character.
21. Trumbo
The acting in Trumbo is outstanding. The hype was real regarding Bryan Cranston’s performance. Both Helen Mirren and John Goodman play their parts very well. The correlation between how members of the American communist party were treated and some of our society’s current issues today strikes a chord. I just wish I hadn’t seen so many of the big scenes in the trailer already and that the directing was better.
20. The Big Short
The more I think about The Big Short, the more I think I liked it. Christian Bale, Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling are all awesome in the film and it’s incredibly smart. Hamish Linklater is also an excellent complement, similar to his role in The Crazy Ones with Robin Williams. The constant explaining of every economic term (which might have been necessary) gets distracting and the comedic approach takes away some of the necessary emotional investment. Had I not seen 99 Homes, I probably would have appreciated this film a lot more while watching it.
19. 99 Homes
Like The Big Short, 99 Homes takes place during the financial and housing crisis but it’s way much more of a punch to the gut. You get the perspective of people who lost their homes from the crisis, and it’s even more of a thriller because you have no idea how these people will react to those who have to break the news to them. Michael Shannon is also as good as anyone in supporting actor categories from this film.
18. Straight Outta Compton
The music, the acting, the “Bye Felicia” scene…
Straight Outta Compton was an awesome biopic and it told a story that I think a lot of younger hip hop fans needed to hear, considering how influential members of NWA really are to the genre. The only reason I don’t have it ranked higher is because it did feel long by the end.
17. Love & Mercy
Love and Mercy was another biopic (also with Paul Giamatti as a jerk manager) that I enjoyed, but this one stuck with me a lot longer after. Paul Dano is great as young Brian Wilson and for once John Cusack is a lot less “John Cusack”-ish than he is in most of his roles. Elizabeth Banks also gives one of the more underrated performances in film from this year. If you’re like me, you probably listened to “Pet Sounds” for a week after seeing it.
16. The Walk
I’m a little disappointed The Walk isn’t getting more chatter during awards season. Obviously I think there are better films, but Robert Zemeckis did a brilliant job utilizing 3D, especially for the climax of the film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ben Kinglsey were both remarkably charming as well.
15. The Hateful Eight
It’s not Quentin Tarantino’s best, but “Not Tarantino’s Best” is still better than most. The second half of the film was up there with some of his most entertaining…and bloodiest. For me, this was Walton Goggins’s coming out party on the big screen. Loved him in Justified and The Shield. I think it’s obvious Tarantino did too.
14. Mississippi Grind
It was too appropriate that I watched this film while waiting to hear my lottery numbers called. Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn has the All-American Asshole role down between this and Bloodline, yet knows just how to make you feel for him. Sure, Ryan Reynolds plays another good-looking fast talker, but his whole “who, what, and why” deal keeps you as intrigued as the constant gambling…which is enough drama by itself.
13. Ex Machina
This was a big year for all 3 stars of Ex Machina. Oscar Isaac continued his path to Pacino-status with his roles in Show Me A Hero and Star Wars, which Domhnall Gleeson also stars in (as well as Brooklyn and The Revenant). Alicia Vikander has a good chance of getting both Best Actress and Supporting Oscar nominations for her roles in The Danish Girl and Ex Machina. Her character, Ava, still haunts my dreams as well. It’s an unreal suspense film.
12. The End of the Tour
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…I can’t recall a time where I’ve seen two actors be so natural interacting with each other for a film. That’s all this film is…a long weekend conversation from Bloomington-Normal to Minnesota and back, with honest thoughts and feelings. I’m happy to see Jason Segel is getting some acclaim as well for his portrayal of David Foster Wallace.
11. Steve Jobs
Yes, I’m a HUGE Sorkin fan, but I found the approach to this biopic to be incredibly original. It wasn’t your typical “start-to-end” story, but just 3 different periods in time and how each person has evolved in that time. It also helps that everyone involved nails it with their parts, especially Michael Fassbender.
10. Brooklyn
If anyone is challenging Brie Larson for Best Actress, it’s Saoirse Ronan. She and Brooklyn do an amazing job of making you feel all the emotions you can muster. It also helps that two of my TV crushes, Emily Bett Rickards (Felicity Smoak, Arrow) and Jessica Paré (Megan Draper, Mad Men), have solid roles in the film. The contrast in two worlds during the 1950s and how Eilis (Ronan) evolves is what makes the film.
09. Inside Out
A movie about feelings makes you feel feelings…and even more than the typical Pixar feelings (which is saying a lot, considering the first 3 minutes to Up). It also helps that they casted all the right people for all the right feelings.
08. The Martian
I came across a Facebook friend listing his “Top 10” and he said he hadn’t seen The Martian because “It looked like Castaway in space.” He is very wrong…unless he values Jeff Daniels, Donald Glover, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Michael Pena, Jessica Chastain, and Kate Mara to all be a volleyball named Wilson. There’s also a Lord of the Rings reference that probably won the film “Best Comedy” at the Golden Globes by itself.
07. The Revenant
I have a very difficult time seeing anyone other than Leonardo DiCaprio winning Best Actor at the Oscars. Maybe Bryan Cranston, but Leo will be SO pissed if he doesn’t because of everything he went through for this film…It’s pretty evident.
06. Room
The Best Actress category at any awards show is Brie Larson’s to lose because of Room. Jacob Tremblay is amazing as well…just be prepared to have your heart strings pulled hard.
05. Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury Road is a 2 hour long roller coaster of action, explosions, and rock’n’roll. I don’t recall taking a breath between the start and end. The twisted and beautiful mind of George Miller is on full awesome display.
04. Me and Earl and The Dying Girl
I think we all have our personal movies that connect with us in more ways than most and matches our personalities. Me and Earl and The Dying Girl was that movie for me, my favorite from the summer. There’s also something about Nick Offerman as a sociology professor, robe-wearing, cat-obsessed dad that still tickles me funny.
03. Bridge of Spies
Bridge of Spies is about as good a film as you could ask for from a combination of Steven Spielberg and the Coen Brothers…I was pleasantly surprised to see that the latter wrote the movie once the closing credits rolled. It was all meant for someone like Tom Hanks to lead in. There is one scene toward the end that I found to be as powerful as any in 2015.
02. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The best way I’ve heard The Force Awakens described is that it hit all the right spots in all the right ways…It really did. Nostalgia and newness brilliantly combined. Fantastic well-timed humor that the past films lacked. If you waited for something to disappoint you, you’d only be disappointed by the fact that you’re still waiting. It’s also the only other film, besides #1, that I went back to see in the theater again and appreciated more for it.
01. Spotlight
I really don’t think there was a better performance by an ensemble this year. It was a refreshing take on journalism, not over-glorifying the industry but simply presenting how a paper goes about getting a story. All the comparisons to All The President’s Men are warranted. I will also stump hard for Mark Ruffalo getting Best Supporting Actor recognition, even when the category is heavy enough as is.
What does your list look like? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter!
Who Is the Best Fit on the ‘Han Solo Spinoff’ Shortlist?
Although shooting doesn’t even start for another year from now, Disney and Lucasfilm are close to naming their new Han Solo for the spinoff Star Wars film series. Similar to how Disney and Marvel plan to introduce their new Spider-Man, Tom Holland, with a small role in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War before his own feature film, a young Han Solo may appear in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story due out December 16th, 2016. The spinoff films take place between Episodes III and IV, so the target Solo actor is between the ages of 20 and 29.
Variety is reporting that “after seeing thousands of actors”, the list is down to Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco, Jack Raynor, Scott Eastwood, Logan Lerman, Emory Cohen, and Blake Jenner. There may be more in consideration, but Variety knows the names have made the cut and that an announcement should be made within the next couple weeks.
The two names I don’t want to hear announced for the role are…
…Miles Teller and Dave Franco. The bad press around last summer’s Fantastic Four failure were as much Teller’s fault as anyone. He’s also just not that damn likable. Sure, it worked for Whiplash, but even then I found myself hoping every bad thing possible would happen to his character. And unless Franco has non-“Frat Guy Party”film on the horizon, I don’t need his smug grin flying the Millennium Falcon.
So who does fit, if the two more recognizable names don’t? Who pulls off the perfect combination of charm, cockiness, rough-around-the edges, and warmth that will make the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs?
Rather than brainstorm actors that could be potentially better, let’s work with the 3 best names on the list.
1. Emory Cohen
When I first read the list, Emory Cohen stuck out the most to me. Maybe it’s because I just saw him in Brooklyn, but the heart and humor in his performance were convincing enough. He has the smirk, the charm, the mannerisms, and he’s coming off a very successful film with Oscars buzz.
(Also in The Gambler, Beneath the Harvest Sky, and The Place Beyond The Pines)
2. Scott Eastwood
The son of Clint Eastwood is the oldest of the actors in the running at 29 years old. Scott Eastwood has the pedigree and yes, the looks. Eastwood is also setting himself up to breakout in action/adventure films with a mysterious role in the upcoming Suicide Squad film. Rumors have him pegged as either Deathstroke or Dick Grayson but nothing is confirmed. Eastwood will be starring alongside Walton Goggins (Hateful Eight, Justified) in the upcoming western, Diablo. Han Solo is the closest thing Star Wars has to a space cowboy, so…
(Also in Gran Torino, Fury, and The Longest Ride)
3. Blake Jenner
Blake Jenner is young and a Glee alum, and feels like a dark horse pick. Most of his short resume is TV related, but he has some projects on the way that could lead to bigger things. Growing with Star Wars in spinoff franchise could be cool to see. He’ll be appearing in upcoming Supergirl episodes and could breakout in Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some. It looks like what happens when Dazed and Confused goes to college.
4. Logan Lerman
Certainly not my favorite in the bunch, considering I like 3 more ahead of him, but Logan Lerman’s filmography section on his IMDB page is a bit more impressive than most on the shortlist. His starring role in Fury a year ago showed he’s matured from the Percy Jackson franchise. The babyface might hold him back from being the right fit, or maybe that’s exactly what Lucasfilm is looking for…I’ve also been rooting for him ever since Perks of Being a Wallflower.
(Also in The Three Musketeers, 3:10 To Yuma, and The Patriot.
Who would you like to see cast as young Han Solo? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter!
A Day Remembering Bowie
I woke up from a bad dream this morning, around 3:30 AM. I checked my phone, opened Facebook to get my mind off whatever scared me and caught this from WXRT Chicago DJ Jason Thomas.
What does that mean?!
Was the new stuff bad? Did something happen? Then I open Twitter and it’s there in front of my face. The man whose music hit me in a way when I was younger, that forced me to explore and find more like it.
gone.
I thought my nightmare was still going, that I was stuck in the weird place between being conscious and unconscious. Nope. Wide awake. I shared it with the person who I connected with the most on things like this, without any regard for the time…then eventually fell asleep with the Ziggy Stardust riff in my head. It’s still there.
Instead of writing a long and exhausting tribute, which I totally could, I want to just update this page with thoughts, memories, moments, trivia and links that I come across throughout the day…to share with fans who feel the same way.
This page will be updated throughout the day, so feel free to keep checking back.
The transformative GIF that you’ll see across the internet all day. Coincidentally saw it make the rounds all last week as well.
David Bowie on Dick Cavett in 1974, with a young Luther Vandross singing backup.
93XRT and morning host Lin Brehmer hit the right spots with Bowie music and interviews all morning. I imagine it will be great to hear all day, so tune in here.
A tribute concert that was already planned at Carnegie Hall will now be a memorial. March 31st, featuring The Roots, Cyndi Lauper, Ann Wilson, Perry Farrell and Jakob Dylan.
Paul on Bowie.
The Rolling Stones
Win Butler from Arcade Fire
Iggy Pop
Nile Rodgers
Jimmy Page
An excerpt from a 2012 Rolling Stone cover story on Bowie regarding Page.
U2
Queens of the Stone Age
Queen
Pete Yorn
Laura Jane Grace, Against Me!
Broadway’s Reaction
Michael C. Hall from Dexter is starring in “Lazarus”, based on the music from Bowie’s latest album. He performed the new single on Colbert.
I’m glad CoS included “Starman” from recent Oscar contender The Martian.
The Michael Beschloss Treatment
Ricky Gervais (being vulnerable)
Where their relationship began…
…and what it led to.
“Bowie was a step ahead of Cool.” – Kristen Schaal
Rick Nielsen, Cheap Trick
Bruce Springsteen
Bowie on the first time he saw Springsteen perform…
Kendrick Lamar
Bowie was inspired by Kendrick when recording his latest album.
Weird Al
HAIM
Pixies
Germany
NASA
Check back for more throughout the day! Pass any thoughts and memories of your own to either Facebook or Twitter.
The 2015 AP NFL All-Pro Team
Just before the postseason begins with Wildcard Weekend, the Associated Press named its All-Pro First Team. The offense looks very similar to the MichaelPiff.com Fantasy “Best Lineup”.
Adrian Peterson and JJ Watt were unanimous choices. Khalil Mack became the first player voted to two different spots. The Pathers led all teams with 6 All-Pros.
Offense
QB: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
RB: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
RB: Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FB: Mike Tolbert, Carolina Panthers
WR: Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
WR: Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
TE: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
T: Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Bengals
T: Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
G: David DeCastro, Pittsburgh Steelers
G: Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens
C: Ryan Kalil, Carolina Panthers
Defense
DE: JJ Watt, Houston Texans
DE: Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders
DT: Aaron Donald, St. Louis Rams
DT: Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals
LB: Thomas Davis, Carolina Panthers
LB: Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
LB: Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders
LB: Von Miller, Denver Broncos
LB: Navorro Bowman, San Francisco 49ers
CB: Josh Norman, Carolina Panthers
CB: Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
S: Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals
S: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs
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