Molly's Game: Aaron Sorkin's Disappointing Directorial Debut

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There are few unique experiences remaining in the movies. 

Quentin Tarantino's hyper-verbal, hyper-violent spectacles. David Fincher's forays into the darkness. Martin Scorsese's high-energy explorations of complicated, controversial characters. Wes Anderson's quirky atmospheres and aesthetics. 

And Aaron Sorkin's quick-witted, relentless, rapid-fire screenplays usually fall into the same category. But this time, in his directorial debut, the back-and-forth banter leads nowhere. Molly's Game starts strong, but we quickly realize that Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) isn't very interesting, and she and Sorkin don't have much of a story to tell. 

I purposely avoided the details of Bloom's book, Molly's Game: High Stakes, Hollywood's Elite, Hotshot Bankers, My Life in the World of Underground Poker, because I wanted to go into the movie fresh. I wanted to learn about Bloom's "interesting" life -- interesting enough to be turned into a film handled by a Hollywood power player -- running one of the highest-stakes cash games in America. I knew the bare minimum -- what everybody else probably knew from the initial news reports -- that Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire and Alex Rodriguez had played in her game. That was more than enough to fan my flame of intrigue. 

And the film satisfied my curiosity out of the gate. ** SPOILERS from here on out. ** I had absolutely no idea that Molly was an Olympic-hopeful skier. Sorkin starts with a spark, and we get an entertaining anecdote from Molly's athletic career. It's fast-paced, different, and it catches your attention. 

So, for the first half-hour to forty-five minutes, I waited for similar revelations from Molly's "noteworthy" life. I thought maybe the story of how she started the poker game would be interesting. Instead, we find out that it wasn't even her game. She was asked to start handling the logistics by her jerk of a boss, low-level producer Dean Keith (Jeremy Strong, playing an asshole, kind of like he was in The Big Short), and when he got sick of paying her, she was essentially forced to make arrangements to keep the game going on her own. She liked the thousands of dollars in tips, so she quickly pivoted to a more welcoming, upscale locale. 

And then, the movie is essentially about how she keeps the game going in different ways and places. Sorkin's pitter-patter dialogue is above average (as per usual), but it doesn't rival his world-class work in The Social Network, Moneyball or Steve Jobs. For a movie largely about high-stakes poker, the stakes of the actual story seem extremely low. She runs a game; some guys win, some guys lose and Michael Cera spoofs Tobey Maguire. Cera and Idris Elba (playing Charlie Jaffey, Esq.) received significant amounts of praise in the reviews I read, but while both were perfectly fine, I saw nothing to write home about.

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Sorkin's characters in Molly's Game don't jump off the screen and stick like Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise), Nathan Jessep (Jack Nicholson), Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender), Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen), John Sculley (Jeff Daniels), Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), the Winklevi (Armie Hammer), Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) or Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman). 

The supporting players of Molly's Game seem like seasons, fleeting, just holding a place until the change in temperature. If you walk out of Molly's Game thinking you'll have characters to talk about for years, then please write to me. Eduardo Saverin made Garfield's career. Parker turned Justin Timberlake-the-actor into a thing. Jessep made everyone realize that they can't handle the truth. For decades. 

There's simply no weight to this one. It's an empty story, carried by a mostly empty protagonist -- or perhaps antihero would be the more appropriate term? 

And, not surprisingly, since it's his directorial debut, Sorkin held on to too much of his material. For a thin story, this movie runs way too long. There's a reasonable argument to be made that I would have really enjoyed the movie if it was an hour and 25 minutes instead of two hours and twenty minutes. Molly's Game isn't an epic. It isn't a magnum opus. It's a one-trick pony about an annoying girl who ran poker games. 

It had some entertaining individual scenes, but you definitely don't need to go to the movie theater for this one. Wait for HBO. 

** JOHNNY FRO'S RATING: 6 out of 10 **

LNB's Updated Rankings:

1. Up in the Air (9.5/10) Archived here
2. Steve Jobs (9.5/10)
3. Stay (9/10) Archived here
4. Gone Girl (9/10) Archived here
5. Tape (9/10) Archived here

6. A Perfect Murder (9/10)

7. Split (8.5/10)

8. Bad Moms (8.5/10)

9. Basquiat (8.5/10)

10. Moonlight (8/10)

11. The Revenant (8/10)

12. The Shallows (7.5/10)
13. Focus (7.5/10) Archived here

14. The Night Before (7.5/10)

15. 10 Cloverfield Lane (7/10)

16. The Walk (7/10)
17. Molly's Game (6/10)

18. Joy (5.5/10)

19. La La Land (5/10)
20. The Program (3/10)

21. Rings (1.5/10)
22. Mother's Day (1.5/10)

Reviews to Come...

Hell or High Water

Sunshine Cleaning

Zero Dark Thirty
Why Him?
Shut In
Body of Lies

Untraceable

The Wonder Boys

Jackie Brown

Mean Streets

Nerve

The Hateful Eight

The Seven Five

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

How to Be Single

Deadpool

Ratatouille

The Spectacular Now
The Visit
Loving
In Bruges
Nocturnal Animals
War Dogs
The Boy
The Purge: Election Year
And more...

Sandy Alderson and His Carefully-Crafted Myth of Success

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I've been in a deep depression since Wednesday, when the Mets announced they were rewarding GM Sandy Alderson with a contract extension. 

After winning 90 games in 2015 and falling apart in the World Series, dropping to 87 wins and a Wild Card loss in '16 and tumbling down to an embarrassing 70-win total in '17, Fred and Jeff Wilpon felt this was the right time to show Alderson their appreciation. Usually owners reward their staffers when things are trending upward, but that's a discussion for a different day. 

Ultimately, the question is, does Alderson deserve the credit for the Mets' mini-resurgence, which has since dissipated? 

My belief is that Alderson's myth of success hinges on one age-old, all-powerful force:

Dumb luck. 

Part I: The Carlos Gomez Trade

On July 29, 2015, Alderson very nearly traded SP Zack Wheeler and infielder Wilmer Flores to the Milwaukee Brewers for mercurial OF Carlos Gomez. The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported the deal as done, and the news trickled all the way down to the field, where Flores became famous for balling his eyes out.

Shortly after, in a last-second twist, the deal fell apart. Initial reports suggested the deal died due to a physical which revealed an issue with Gomez's hip, but the reality was likely another instance of the Wilpons looking to save every possible dollar. The Mets didn't want to cover enough of Gomez's contract, so shortly after, he was traded to the Houston Astros. Clearly, they weren't too concerned about his mysterious hip issue. 

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So while the deal never actually went through, it revealed Alderson's hand -- at the trade deadline, his priority was Carlos Gomez. Of course we all know what happened next; out of necessity, Alderson traded stud pitching prospect Michael Fulmer to the Detroit Tigers for Yoenis Cespedes. 

Immediately following the trade, Cespedes went on the greatest second-half offensive run in the history of the Mets franchise. In only 57 games, Cespedes scored 39 runs, stole 4 bases, hit 4 triples, 14 doubles, 17 home runs and drove in 44 runs. As a frame of reference, Cespedes had been in the MLB since 2012, and his career season-high in homers was 26. In 130-plus games he had never hit more than 26; then he crushes 17 in just 57 games?

Alderson got exactly the right player, at exactly the right time, and it was pure dumb luck. 

In 41 games with the Astros, Gomez went on to hit .242 with just 4 homers, while striking out 31 times. THAT was the player Alderson wanted. The one he got became the man who carried the Mets' anemic offense to a division title. 

Part II: Justin Turner, Daniel Murphy and Some Atrocious Draft Picks

My mom, Pauline Frascella, has been watching Mets baseball since 1962, when all the misery began.

She's a better fan than I am -- when the team falls apart, stumbling and fumbling through rough times, she always sticks with them. When I'm cursing and screaming "I can't watch this s**t!" she's watching an out-of-the-race team closely, looking for bright spots for the future. 

In 2013, when Justin Turner hit .280 in 86 games for the Mets, she said, "This kid can hit. He has quality at bats. He's just a natural."

And I agreed with her (as I normally do). Though the Mets floundered to the tune of just 74 wins -- for the second-straight year -- we agreed that Turner and Daniel Murphy were the offensive bright spots. Murphy hit .286 with a career-high 13 dingers, after hitting .291 and .320 the preceding two seasons. 

While the MLB was beginning its league-wide transition to launch angle and homer-tailored swings, Turner and Murphy continued to grind out long, high-quality professional at bats. The Frascellas have always felt that those types of at bats are the key to hitting in the clutch, with runners in scoring position. 

Well, unfortunately for Mets fans across the globe, my mom has a much better eye for talent than Sandy Alderson. 

Alderson ultimately released Turner because he felt $750 thousand was too much of a raise for him. Seven hundred and fifty THOUSAND. Keep in mind that OF Jason Heyward -- who hit .259 with 11 homers last season -- is going to make $28 MILLION this season. And yet Turner, who hit .280 while flashing the ability to hit to all fields with gap-to-gap potential for doubles, wasn't worth another $750K to Alderson. 

He later admitted that he "missed" on Turner. Ya think?

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As for Murphy, well, do I really have to go through all of the painful details again? He put together one of the greatest postseason runs in the history of baseball. He single-handedly carried a struggling Mets offense to the World Series. He had already hit over .280 SIX times for the New York Mets. He's THIRD in the history of the franchise with 228 doubles. 

Daniel Murphy had always been a highly-skilled big-league hitter, but one historic playoff run caused people to label him a "fluke". Sandy Alderson bought into that theory, and allowed him to sign with our hated rivals, the Washington Nationals, for three years and $37.5 million. Keep in mind, Ian Desmond, who will never be one-tenth of the hitter Murphy is, is going to make $22 million this season alone. And the Nats stole Murph for 37 over three. Alderson didn't want to invest pennies into one of the best hitters in Mets history. 

It's really quite interesting, when you think about it -- Alderson and the Wilpons didn't reward Murphy for being a postseason hero and remarkably steady Met over the years, but now the Wilpons are rewarding Alderson after the Mets' performance has gotten WORSE. Makes a lot of sense, right?

In 2011, with the 13th overall pick in the draft, Alderson selected OF Brandon Nimmo, who has six career home runs. The late, great Jose Fernandez went 14th and Sonny Gray 18th. 

In 2012, with the 12th overall pick, Alderson selected infielder Gavin Cecchini, who is a .217 lifetime hitter with one home run. Superstar Corey Seager went 18th, Michael Wacha 19th and Marcus Stroman 22nd. 

Later in that very same draft, with the 35th pick, Alderson selected C Kevin Plawecki, who is a .222 lifetime hitter with seven homers. Stephen Piscotty went 36th, Mitch Haniger 38th, Joey Gallo 39th and Lance McCullers 41st. 

In 2013, in the 4th round, Alderson honored former Met Lee Mazzilli by drafting his son, L.J, who is a .268 lifetime hitter in the minors, including a .217 stint in AAA. He has never reached the major leagues. 

Nine picks later, at No. 124, the Los Angeles Dodgers picked some kid named Cody Bellinger. Don't worry...he only crushed 39 homers in his rookie season in the bigs. Just for fun, here's the lineup Alderson could have had:

1. Corey Seager - SS

2. Michael Conforto - OF - I'll give Alderson credit for an excellent pick here

3. Justin Turner - 3B

4. Daniel Murphy - 2B

5. Yoenis Cespedes - OF

6. Cody Bellinger - OF

7. Joey Gallo - 1B (41 homers this season)

8. Travis d'Arnaud - C - Alderson also gets credit for trading R.A. Dickey for Noah Syndergaard and this guy

But, that's not the Mets lineup. Instead, because he isn't very good at his job, Alderson took Cecchini over Seager, released Turner, let Murphy sign with our hated rivals, got Cespedes by accident, took Mazzilli over Bellinger and Plawecki over Gallo. 

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The current, powerhouse Dodgers only exist because of Sandy Alderson's blunders. Reminds me of the fact that the dominant New England Patriots only exist because Mo Lewis knocked Drew Bledsoe out of the game. Enter Tom Brady. 

In the end, Alderson's floundering Mets are a story of missed opportunities. One after another.

It's a sad story. A continuing story. And our Mets depression may never end. 

Pound-for-Pound Rankings: Johnny Fro's Top 20 Boxers in the World

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Before I get into my list, I have to get something off my chest...

How the f**k was Guillermo Rigondeaux ranked as one of the top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world by The Ring Magazine, World Boxing News and ESPN???

Rigondeaux, aka "El Chacal" suffered through one of the most embarrassing performances in the history of the sport Saturday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The fact that this disgusting disgrace of a display took place in my home state makes it all the more painful. MSG has seen legends Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis, Joe Louis vs. Rocky Marciano, and Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali, but Saturday night it saw Vasyl Lomachenko vs. a gutless, spineless, washed-up loser who just stole at least $400,000. 

From the opening bell, Rigondeaux made it overly clear that he had no intentions of fighting. "Loma" is a scarily-versatile savage, so Rigondeaux's trepidation was to be somewhat expected; but I have never seen such egregious holding in my life. Referee Steve Willis struggled through one of the worst displays of officiating in the history of athletics, until he finally deducted a point from Rigondeaux in the sixth round (for relentless holding). Any potential entertainment value was long gone, as it almost seemed like Willis had a silent agreement with Rigondeaux's corner to protect their fighter's life. Maybe Rigondeaux really thought Lomachenko could kill him. 

But back to my initial question...WHY was Rigondeaux so highly regarded heading into the fight?

If you watched Loma's destruction of Rigondeaux you probably won't believe this, but heading into the fight, ESPN had Rigondeaux ranked 7th in the world (ahead of Sergey Kovalev and Anthony Joshua), World Boxing News had him 6th (ahead of Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Errol Spence Jr.) and The Ring Magazine had him FOURTH, ahead of Canelo Alvarez! And these are supposed to be the "experts" of the boxing world?

What did they see in Rigondeaux? He went into the match as a 37-year old relic with only SEVENTEEN professional bouts to his name. To put that in context, here are some superbly-skilled boxers who did not make my top 20: Lucas "La Maquina" Matthysse (35 years old, 38-4 with 35 KOs), Donnie "Ahas" Nietes (35 years old, 40-1-4 with 22 KOs) and Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao (38 years old, 59-7-2 with 38 KOs). 

Think about that. Pac Man is only one year older than Rigondeaux, and he has FIFTY more professional bouts to his name. Rigondeaux is small, weak, old, overly defensive, soft...and he barely ever gets into the ring! The boxing specialists at ESPN, The Ring Magazine and World Boxing News should all be completely ashamed of themselves. 

PART I: MY METHOD FOR RANKING BOXERS

1. Is the guy a boxer, a brawler or a runner? When I think about pound-for-pound superstars, I think about BOXERS who connect with their power shots, avoid their opponent's best punches and have the versatility to win by knockout or decision. There are dozens of excellent punchers in boxing, but this isn't street fighting or Rocky IV -- real boxing involves strategy, offense and defense. 

2. Win-loss record. Knockouts and total number of fights are useful tiebreakers.  

3. Are they effective and entertaining at the same time? Boxing has an element of showmanship that we simply don't see in other popular sports. The NFL has reverted back to endzone celebrations and soccer showcases some crazy post-goal antics, but the entirety of a boxing match is a spectacle. From the pre-fight, face-to-face showdown at the weigh-in, to the flashy entrances to the ring, through the taunting and crowd-pleasing during the matches, great boxers are often the greatest entertainers. Just think about Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. 

4. How well do they perform against top-tier competition? Do they steer clear of the big dogs, altogether?

5. Are they a born fighter, or a formula concocted in a gym? Guys like Smokin' Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roberto Duran and Julio Cesar Chavez were born fighters. You know them when you see them. When they get knocked down, it doesn't phase them -- it's just another day on the job. They pick themselves up and fight with the same ferocity, determination and passion -- if not more -- than before. Born fighters respond when adversity hits atmospheric highs. 

** EDITOR'S NOTE: All rankings and records are current as of Sunday, Dec 10, 2017. **

PART II: RECENTLY RETIRED STARS

5. Orlando Salido - Featherweight, 44-14-4, Would Have Been Ranked: 32nd

I had the pleasure of watching Salido's final fight Saturday night against Miguel "Mickey" Roman. It was a traditional Mexican brawl, which means punches were being thrown by the second, and very few were missing. Salido was always considered one of the most entertaining action fighters in the game, and his final loss to Roman was no different. HBO's Max Kellerman correctly pointed out that Salido seemed tired throughout the lead up to the fight, with a facial expression and body language that said I'm not sure I have anything left. 

But Salido (37 years old) gave the younger, sturdier Roman hell, before finally hitting the canvas for the last time in the 9th round. Salido will likely always be remembered as The Man Who Beat Lomachenko.

4. Miguel Cotto - Welterweight, 41-6-0, Would Have Been: 30th

A respectable warrior who never made any excuses, Cotto dominated two-thirds of his busy career, starting 32-0 before losing intermittently to Antonio Margarito, Pac Man, Mayweather, Austin Trout, Canelo and recently -- in his bittersweet swan song -- to the fresh and hungry Sadam Ali. Cotto kept the fight competitive and closed out a memorable career with humility, class and dignity.

Miguel's punishing left hook goes down as an all-time great. 

3. Wladimir Klitschko - Heavyweight, 64-5-0, Would Have Been: 19th

At 41 years old, Klitschko put together a legendary performance in a loss to undefeated Anthony Joshua, a young stud who looks like he was created in a video game and given a rating of 100 in every single category. Joshua sprinted out of the gate looking bigger, stronger, faster and better conditioned, but Klitschko stormed back with a shocking knockdown in the 6th round. The Ukrainian veteran actually took control of the match for a short while, before Joshua's youth and power eventually prevailed. 

Klitschko scored some quality wins over Bryant Jennings, Kubrat Pulev, Alexander Povetkin, Francesco Pianeta and Mariusz Wach -- all of whom were undefeated pre-Wladimir -- but Ocean's Eleven is on cable so often that he's probably best known for his stare down with Lennox Lewis. 

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2. "Pretty Boy" Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. - Welterweight, 50-0-0, Would Have Been: 6th

Something still doesn't feel right about that Conor McGregor sideshow, but the fact remains that Money finished his career with a 50-0 record. He's the fastest, quickest and most gifted defensive boxer in the history of the sport, and he's probably the best marketer and businessman. I respect Floyd for the lucrative brand he created out of thin air, and for his 24-7 dedication to boxing perfection. He always entered the ring in tip-top physical shape. 

Detractors loved to hate on Floyd because of his over-the-top cockiness and "careful" opponent selections, but at the end of the day, this is a legendary superstar who defeated Carlos Alberto Ramon Rios (44-2-1 at the time), Diego Corrales (33-0), Jesus Chavez (35-1), Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4-1), Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao. 

Not bad. 

1. Andre "S.O.G." Ward - Super Middleweight, 32-0-0, Would Have Been: 1st

Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev is one of the best boxers in the world, and Andre Ward beat him twice in a row. In their first meeting, Kovalev came out as the aggressor and scored an early knockdown, but the cream rose to the top, as Ward's superior conditioning, mental toughness and all-around boxing skill earned him a tight-but-unanimous decision. 

The second time around, Kovalev didn't have a chance in the world. Ward took the information he learned in the ring and turned it into an unbeatable gameplan for the highly-anticipated rematch. He worked the body, over and over, destroying Krusher's ribs and knocking the wind out of him several times. It was only a matter of time before Ward beat him into submission (though, technically, it was a TKO). 

Yet, at 33 years old, Ward claims that he's lost the desire to fight. So while we are certainly sad to see him go, that does open up the No. 1 spot on my list...

PART III: HONORABLE MENTION

Lucas "La Maquina" Matthysse - 35 years old, Welterweight, 38-4-0, 35 KOs:  One of the best and most entertaining knockout punchers in the game. Lost to big names in Danny Garcia and Zab Judah. 

Miguel "Mickey" Roman - 32 years old, Super Featherweight, 58-12-0, 45 KOs:  Looks ready to take the next step after a signature win over Orlando Salido. Mickey is tough as nails and has very heavy hands, particularly when he's fighting inside. He will hammer you with body shots. 

Shawn "Showtime" Porter - 30 years old, Welterweight, 28-2-1, 17 KOs:  I didn't think he was overmatched against Keith Thurman -- ranked 5th in the world by ESPN -- and I was impressed by his methodical dismantling of Andre Berto. "Showtime" is one of seven really good fighters in the Welterweight division. Perhaps the most talented weight class in the sport right now.

Sadam "World Kid" Ali - 29 years old, Super Welterweight, 26-1-0, 14 KOs:  In the biggest fight of his little-hyped career, Ali had control over Cotto for much of the proceedings. HBO's Hall of Famer Jim Lampley correctly pointed out that Ali looked faster, quicker and more explosive than his veteran counterpart. He's a talented, sturdy-looking boxer who has some solid all-around ability, but I wonder about Ali's killer instinct. He had some opportunities to bury Cotto in a cloud of dust, but he backed off out of sentimentality, lack of awareness, or both. His confidence should be at an all-time high, though.

** UPDATE: David Lemieux - 28 years old, Middleweight, 38-4-0, 33 KOs:  Got his ass handed to him by "The Superb" Billy Joe Saunders. Lemieux's days as a serious contender look to be over. May not even be in my Honorable Mention section next time. 

Donnie "Ahas" Nietes - 35 years old, Flyweight, 40-1-4, 22 KOs

Oleksandr Usyk - 30 years old, Crusierweight, 13-0-0, 11 KOs:  The Cruiserweight division is a little light right now (no pun intended), but Usyk is clearly the best of a depleted stock. If he would get into the ring more often, I could easily move him into my Top 20. 

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Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao - 38 years old, Welterweight, 59-7-2, 38 KOs:  It was awfully close between Manny and No. 20 on my list. They are both in similar places in their lengthy, storied careers. Pac Man got robbed in a disgraceful hometown decision for the schoolteacher Jeff Horn, but he actually looked fit and competitive despite his grandpa status in a young-man's game. Manny still has something left to give. 

PART IV: JOHNNY FRO'S TOP 20 POUND-FOR-POUND BOXERS IN THE WORLD

20. Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez - 30 years old, Super Flyweight, 46-2-0, 38 KOs

Boxing is an extremely cruel and political sport. It isn't always about who the best fighters are; it's often about reputation, opponent selection, branding and entertainment value. You can also fall from grace in a heartbeat. 

Prior to his last two fights, Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez was 46-0 and universally considered one of the top two or three pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He's unquestionably one of the busiest and best boxers of his generation. But after a ridiculously unfair decision loss to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, the foundation of a legendary career began to rock. A towering skyscraper has since collapsed on itself. 

The statistics in the first bout were completely in Chocolatito's favor, but in the second go around, Sor Rungvisai beat the living shit out of the once-untouchable Gonzalez. The second, shocking loss was a result of three things: (1) Even heading into the first fight, Sor Rungvisai was SIGNIFICANTLY better than people realized; (2) Despite an unfair decision, Chocolatito completely lost his confidence after the first defeat and (3) Naturally, Srisaket's newfound confidence was oozing from every inch of his being. 

A bullshit decision dramatically altered the trajectories of two noteworthy boxing careers, but at the end of the day, Chocolatito was never prepared to avenge the first loss. Sor Rungvisai entered the ring looking to prove that the first victory wasn't a fluke. He did that, and more. He may have single-handedly ended a Hall of Fame career. 

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However, until Chocolatito officially retires, I believe he deserves a spot on my list. You can't go from the No. 1 spot to outside the top 20 in just two matches. It isn't fair or logical. 

19. Danny "Swift" Garcia - 29 years old, Welterweight, 33-1-0, 19 KOs

I had always been a fan of Danny Garcia's until his last fight against Keith Thurman. It isn't that Danny lost for the first time; it's that he never seemed to care about remaining undefeated. When the final bell rung and he was clearly about to lose a decision, Danny wasn't the least bit disappointed. In fact, if you ask me, he seemed completely content with his losing performance. 

I'm not sure what the hell happened there. As I said about "Showtime" Porter before, Garcia wasn't physically over-matched by Thurman. Maybe I'm missing something about Thurman, but to me, he just isn't that impressive. He seems like one of those fighters who the analysts want to love. So, whenever he shows rare flashes of greatness, they jump all over it and say see, this guy is really something else. But when he looks like a merely solid, safe fighter, those very same analysts seem to look the other way. 

Garcia, at his best, would have had a good chance to beat Thurman; but maybe something has changed about "Swift." When I first saw him on the undercard for Mayweather-Canelo, he looked like a hungry, hard-hitting hound in a well-deserved, unanimous decision over "La Maquina" Matthysse, who was still in his prime. 

Maybe that Danny Garcia is a thing of the past. 

18. Jorge "El Nino de Ooro" Linares - 32 years old, Lightweight, 43-3-0, 27 KOs

17. "El Terremoto" Leo Santa Cruz - 29 years old, Featherweight, 34-1-1, 19 KOs

16. Oscar Valdez - 26 years old, Featherweight, 23-0-0, 19 KOs

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15. "El Gallo" Juan Francisco Estrada - 27 years old, Super Flyweight, 36-2-0, 25 KOs  

I know this is stereotypical, but it is undoubtedly a compliment: Many of these Hispanic and/or Mexican fighters have similar styles -- they welcome all comers, live inside the ring, have active hands and high activity levels, lion hearts and boxer's blood coursing through their veins. These are the born fighters I was talking about in my introduction. They entertain, and they never quit...even when they probably should. 

14. Daniel "Miracle Man" Jacobs - 30 years old, Middleweight, 33-2-0, 29 KOs

They call him "Miracle Man" because he beat bone cancer and paralysis. There has never been a story quite like his in professional athletics. Now, this truly inspiring figure is an absolute monster in the ring; a fearless, imposing and improving force in the crowded Middleweight division. 

Daniel Jacobs made Gennady Golovkin look like a mere mortal. Yes, "GGG" squeaked out a tight decision victory, but he didn't look like the dominant fighter who pounded Rosado, wrecked Curtis Stevens, embarrassed Daniel Geale, destroyed Lemieux and exposed Kell Brook. Instead, Jacobs made Golovkin look like a run-of-the-mill Middleweight with a good jab. Throughout the bout, GGG was clearly concerned about Jacobs' size, strength, power and counter-punching ability. With the exception of three rounds, GGG looked far more comfortable against Canelo than he did against Jacobs. 

As a follow-up to that impressive loss -- I know that's a bit of an oxymoron -- Jacobs completely outclassed Luis "Cuba" Arias, who came into the match a perfect 18-0. 

Daniel Jacobs is just starting to put it all together. Watch out, world.

13. "The Superb" Billy Joe Saunders - 28 years old, Middleweight, 26-0-0, 12 KOs:

Put on an absolute clinic in a laugher over David Lemieux, who was completely outclassed. Saunders is an all-around threat, bouncing around the ring with active footwork, vicious jabs and well-timed defensive tactics. He's a very difficult man to hit. I honestly think he could give GGG or Canelo trouble. "The Superb's" multi-faceted game makes it very hard to beat him on points. He plays to his strengths and has no issue going to the scorecards.

12. Naoya "Monster" Inoue - 24 years old, Super Flyweight, 14-0-0, 12 KOs

This 24-year old "Monster" is getting an awful lot of hype these days, but I'm not ready to rocket him into my top 10. I caught his last fight against Antonio Nieves (who went into the match 17-1-2) in September, and this is what I came away with: The stories about his incredible punching power are true, but he's three-to-five years away from being an all-around master in the ring.

Inoue's straight jab is crisp and explosive, but he spends a significant amount of time punching, then waiting. He throws an effective jab or right cross, waits a couple beats, then throws more of the same. If he wants to blossom into a megastar sooner rather than later, he'll have to become more dedicated to feverish combination punching like Sor Rungvisai, Lomachenko and Terence Crawford. This will allow him to end fights in the rounds they should be over. Wittawas Basapean (11th round), Karoon Jarupianlerd (10th) and Nieves (6th) all stuck around longer than they should have, considering their massive disadvantages in the talent department.

In addition, we can't truly evaluate Inoue's defensive skillset until he fights Estrada and/or Sor Rungvisai in the Super Flyweight division. Step up to the big leagues, and I'll consider you for the top 10.

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11. Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev - 34 years old, Light Heavyweight, 31-2-1, 27 KOs

I loved watching "Krusher" truly make a name for himself in two impressive victories over Jean Pascal -- who was a very sturdy and dangerous opponent at the time -- but the former's prime came and went rather quickly. Sergey has one of my favorite straight-left jabs in the world, but his stamina is wavering and he's beginning to look a bit old in the ring. Andre Ward beat him into the latter portion of his career.

10. Keith "One-Time" Thurman - 29 years old, Welterweight, 28-0-0, 22 KOs

Floyd Mayweather Jr. was a jaw-dropping defensive finesse fighter. Canelo Alvarez has showstopping force and power. Gennady Golovkin has the tenacity, aggressiveness and invincibility of a Spartan warrior. Vasyl Lomachenko and Terence Crawford are near-perfect, all-around assassins. 

So what, exactly, does Keith Thurman do well?

Honestly, all I can say is that he finds ways to win fights. I have to at least give him credit for that. However, as an undefeated, big-name boxer, I expect more from the man they call "One-Time," and I never get it. 

As I mentioned in my ground rules, I prefer the boxers who are uber-talented AND entertainers. Keith Thurman is a mildly-talented grinder. His name has become bigger than his ability. 

One time...I wish I could be impressed by this guy. 

9. "The Bronze Bomber" Deontay Wilder - 32 years old, Heavyweight, 39-0-0, 38 KOs

I can't think of a name that fits a style more appropriately than this. 

Wilder. No one is wilder than Deontay in the ring. In fact, I would be remiss to call Deontay a "boxer". Deontay Wilder is a brawler. There is no style, finesse, technique or tradition to what he does in the ring. He stomps forward, applies intense physical, mental and emotional pressure, flails his arms wildly and pounds on his opponent until he wilts away into nothing. His fights are always interesting, to say the least. 

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At the end of the day, with Wladimir Klitschko out of the picture, we all know the Heavyweight division boils down to Deontay and Anthony Joshua. Right now, I think Joshua is the more polished all-around boxer, but that may not matter if and when they finally climb into the ring together. Wilder has no fear; but will he have enough skill?

8. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai - 31 years old, Super Flyweight, 44-4-1, 40 KOs

If you don't love watching Srisaket box, then you don't love boxing. 

This little, 5'3" whirlwind gives you everything he has: He throws heavy punches, often, in each and every round; his disinterest in playing defense means he takes an absolute beating from power-punching opponents, but it never seems to phase him; he always comes forward and attacks (very much like GGG in this regard) and now, after embarrassing "Chocolatito" Gonzalez on a world stage, Srisaket's confidence and perceived-invincibility levels are at all-time highs. 

Even in his first fight with Chocolatito -- which was really a loss -- I was absolutely smitten with Srisaket. How can you not respect a guy who takes hundreds of clean shots to the head, without ever backing down or doubting his inner fortitude? 

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Srisaket Sor Rungvisai has a warrior's blood, and a champion's heart. I hope he continues climbing the pound-for-pound ladder. 

7. Mikey Garcia - 29 years old, Super Lightweight, 37-0-0, 30 KOs

Mikey Garcia doesn't care for fancy boxing nicknames; he only cares about knocking people's heads off. 

The Super Lightweight division isn't particularly stacked, but we know Featherweights like "Mickey" Roman, Orlando Salido, Leo Santa Cruz and Oscar Valdez have jumped in and out of similar weight classes when need be. Lightweight Jorge Linares might also be an option at some point. Garcia already took down Salido (now retired) back in 2013, so we'll see if he eventually works his way through some other big names. 

Next up for Mikey is Sergey "Samurai" Lipinets (13-0-0, 10 KOs) in February. He's a nice young fighter on a little rise, but I'm confident Mikey will take care of business. He's a world-class boxer in his prime. 

6. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez - 27 years old, Middleweight, 49-1-2, 34 KOs

So his only two losses are to "Money" Mayweather and Gennady Golovkin. Not half bad. 

I know Canelo's record says that he has one loss and two ties, but I don't care -- he lost to GGG. He came out looking like the younger, quicker, bouncier, more dangerous fighter in the opening two rounds, but Golovkin settled into a laser-focused gameplan that resulted in pure domination from rounds 3 through 10. Maybe...MAYBE...you can give four rounds to Canelo, but there's no way he legitimately earned a draw in that highly-anticipated match. 

The bottom line is that we won't be seeing Adalaide Byrd for quite some time. She's crooked, blind, or both. That's all there is to it. 

As for Canelo, considering his 52 professional bouts at age 27, I have nothing but the utmost respect for him. He likes to get into the ring, and he doesn't disappoint his fans. His right hooks and crosses are absolutely devastating, and he has an iron-plated jaw. Canelo Alvarez can deliver a punch, and take one. He's an old-school, rock-solid fighter. 

5. "The Truth" Errol Spence Jr. - 27 years old, Welterweight, 22-0-0, 19 KOs

Spence is one of those boxers who has supreme confidence in his abilities, and the bona fide skills to support that swag. 

I absolutely love his long, wiry, scarily-accurate straight jab. It's extremely difficult for opponents to get inside on Spence. He keeps you at bay with that world-class jab, and he navigates the ring like a young man who was unquestionably born to do this. He plays angles and cuts you off like a seasoned vet, and despite a deceivingly-lean frame, can knock you the f**k out at any given moment. 

"The Truth" is he's a very special fighter, but let's see if he'll ever find the balls to tangle with Terence Crawford in the Welterweight division. At the very least, I'd love to see him dismantle Keith Thurman. 

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4. Anthony "AJ" Joshua - 28 years old, Heavyweight, 20-0-0, 20 KOs

20 fights. 20 knockouts. Hahaha, how can you not laugh at that? 

I mean, what can ya really say about this kid? He looks like he was genetically-engineered in a lab. He can punch through brick walls. He can literally punch a hole in your face. 

To his credit, he makes more of an attempt to box than Deontay Wilder, so he gets the top 5 nod here. In the end, anything Joshua and Wilder do before meeting one another is simply treading water. Hopefully they will take the long-term risk of challenging the best in their weight class. 

3. Gennady "GGG" Golovkin - 35 years old, Middleweight, 37-0-1, 33 KOs

So this is where the controversy begins. Most "experts" have him No. 1 or 2. 

I have nothing against Gennady Golovkin. Like Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, I have nothing but respect for a fearless fighter who always comes forward, applies pressure and comfortably eats his opponent's best shots. 

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But we're into the elite trio of boxers now. The knocks on GGG are easy to identify: His age makes him a near-stationary target for his opponents, he doesn't move particularly well in any fashion and he isn't as well-rounded a boxer as the two men above him on my list. 

And yet, make no mistake about it, Gennady Golovkin is an unrivaled pure puncher with an unshakable jaw. He's as tough a man to beat as there is. 

2. Terence "Hunter" Crawford - 30 years old, Welterweight, 32-0-0, 23 KOs

Terence Crawford is what boxing is all about. 

Not only is he supremely talented in every aspect of his craft, he's also a cocky showman who always gives you your money's worth. 

I was literally laughing as he toyed with Felix Diaz at MSG back in May. Diaz entered the fight with an impressive 19-1 record, and yet he was so overmatched by Crawford's awe-inspiring all-around ability that he could have been TKO'd in any particular round. Crawford literally let him stick around because he wanted to give the fans at MSG a good show. That's one of the main reasons we watch boxing, right? It's not just a match. It's supposed to be an event. And that's exactly what Terence Crawford gives you. 

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His combinations seem to go on for days. His footwork is impeccable. His power is surprising. His defense is top-notch. 

Terence Crawford could EASILY be considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the universe. 

1. Vasyl "Hi-Tech" Lomachenko - 29 years old, Super Featherweight, 10-1-0, 8 KOs

As I mentioned in the opening, ESPN had Guillermo Rigondeaux ranked 7th in the world. World Boxing News had him 6th...and The Ring Magazine had him 4th. If he is supposedly the 4th-best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet, then what does that say about Vasyl Lomachenko, the executioner who murdered him in front of an international audience?

"Hi-Tech" is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and now he's taking the professional boxing world hostage. This is his sport to dominate. He wants to be associated with boxing, the way LeBron James is associated with basketball, and Tom Brady with football. The greatest athletes in the world simply do things that other professionals in their sport cannot. Vasyl Lomachenko is a boxing savant. This game is easy to him. He's a surgeon. He's an assassin. He's a cyborg. 

Just watch these highlights. Lomachenko's combinations are not comparable to anyone. He breaks ribs, then in a millisecond, switches to blackout head shots. Nicholas Walters entered his fight with Loma 26-0-1 and considered one of the undisputed, elite pound-for-pound fighters. He quit in the 7th round. The same could be said for Rigondeaux, and he quit in the 6th round. 

Have you ever heard of top-10 boxers quitting against the same opponent? They quit because they realize the undeniable truth...

It's impossible to beat Vasyl Lomachenko right now. 

Countdown! Best Movies of the Past Few Years: "Basquiat" and "Split"

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Let's be real...movies suck these days. 

I understand that major studios are businesses, so they continue churning out shitty superhero movies that break the bank and dominate the box office. 

I get it. We're at a stage in human evolution where the Internet and smartphones have reinforced instant gratification, and short, stupid YouTube videos are quicker and "easier" to watch than original films that require moderate attention spans and a modicum of critical thinking. 

Moviegoers choose these superhero sequels -- The Fast and the Furious franchise included, even though Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) isn't exactly a superhero -- for a few reasons: (1) they are already familiar with the characters, so they don't have to pay attention to get to know them, (2) shit blows up and (3) things go fast. We're talking about really challenging stuff, here. 

With the quality of film declining as the demolition of Hollywood hastens, it's increasingly more difficult for me to find good movies to recommend to you. With that unfortunate reality in mind, in the coming months, I'll be highlighting some of the better films I've seen in the past few years. 

Let me be clear about this point: these are not necessarily movies that were MADE in the past few years -- though some will qualify under that heading -- they are simply films that I've SEEN, for the first time during that span. Please note that Steve Jobs, A Perfect Murder and Bad Moms would also be on this list, but I've already reviewed them. 

But nowadays, readers speed-scroll through the intros, so the clock is ticking...let's go...

HONORABLE MENTION

BASQUIAT (1996)

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Basquiat was well-received by the critics -- it has a 70% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a surprising 77% approval rating from the audience (I expected those numbers to be flipped) -- but it wasn't a film that made a lot of noise. 

Shockingly, Jeffrey Wright (who played the late Jean-Michel Basquiat) was NOT nominated for an Oscar for his magnetic and fascinating performance, in a year where Geoffrey Rush (Shine) edged out Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient) and Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire). I feel Wright could have easily earned that golden statuette; at the very least, he was right there with those guys. 

Basquiat is a film with no particular shape or form, kind of like his art, and the man himself. It creates a brilliant little allegory within itself, and Wright is incredibly good at working off the sophisticated structure set up by director Julian Schnabel, who just so happens to be a well-known artist. It's no coincidence that this movie feels like it knows the ins and outs of the NYC art world. 

One of the great things about Basquiat is that we really get to know Jean-Michel, which in turn, means we don't get to know him at all. He was famously aloof and distant, seemingly always on drugs, drifting in and out of people's lives. He may have been extremely important to them, but to him, they were temporary distractions en route to his next high, source of inspiration or person to help him climb the next rung on the ladder of his career. 

Jean-Michel Basquiat was kind of a jerk; but his puzzling personality makes for an interesting movie on its own. 

For me, one of the best parts of writing film reviews in hindsight is seeing the evolution of an actor's career, then backtracking. Personally, I know Jeffrey Wright best from Syriana, W., Source Code and The Ides of March, four films in which he portrays a serious man with political clout, or a doctor. When I first read the description of Basquiat and saw the name Jeffrey Wright, my initial thought was that's a pretty common-sounding name, it's probably a different actor. The Wright in Basquiat is unrecognizable in the stern, focused, gravel-voiced characters of the more recent works of his interesting career. 

And while the Wright of recent years is certainly better known, his naturalistic performance in Basquiat remains the best of his career. We also get a fantastic performance from the late David Bowie as the enigmatic art legend, Andy Warhol. 

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I understand that Bowie will always be better-known for his musical career -- though, the most I know about it is that the funny guy from Grandma's Boy chases him into an elevator in Almost Famous -- but this man could really act. I thought Bill Hader provided a funny and entertaining interpretation of Warhol in Men in Black 3, but Bowie takes the dedication to a whole 'nother level. I watched the entire movie and had absolutely NO CLUE that Bowie was under the Warhol hair and makeup. Talk about disappearing into a role. I also enjoyed his restrained work as famed scientist Nikola Tesla in Christopher Nolan's The Prestige. Seems like Bowie would only take character roles in big movies if he was playing someone uber-famous. Alas, that's a psychological analysis for another day. 

We also get a high-energy, somewhat-annoying performance from Michael Wincott as art salesman Rene Ricard, Jean-Michel's initial gateway into the high-end art world. He, like Wright and Bowie, was totally committed. Benicio Del Toro, Christopher Walken, Parker Posey and Courtney Love all sink into their supporting roles, playing variations on the personas they've cultivated over the years. Sheila Jaffe (The Sopranos, Ted, Secretariat) casted the hell out of this thing, with help from Georgianne Walken, Christopher's wife. 

In the end, Basquiat the film won't be for everyone; just like Basquiat the man, and his work. I really enjoyed it because of the performances, direction and the fact that it made me think about the very nature of high-end, big-money art. Similar philosophical questions popped into my mind during the art documentaries Exit Through the Gift Shop and My Kid Could Paint That. I recommend all three films. 

** JOHNNY FRO'S RATING: 8.5 out of 10 **

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

10. SPLIT (2016)

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What if M. Night Shyamalan's name was Elmer Clutterbuck, would he be as famous as he is now? Would he ever have received the Big Break that all Hollywood power players needed at some point in their careers?

I don't think he would have. I once made an argument that Andrew Luck became a highly-overrated football player because he has a "good, strong name." A name is branding. That's why famous people change their names from Reginald Dwight to Elton John, Peter Hernandez to Bruno Mars, Mark Sinclair to Vin Diesel and Norma Jean Baker to Marilyn Monroe. They also modify their names from Olivia Cockburn to Olivia Wilde, Joaquin Bottom to Joaquin Phoenix and John Stephens to John Legend. 

The famous Indian-born director falls into the second category, transitioning from Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan to the "M. Night" we know today. Imagine saying Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan every time you talked about the ending of The Sixth Sense? 

Anyway, M. Night's had a famously-tumultuous career as a big-name director, with historic flops like The Happening (quite possibly the worst and most tone-deaf movie I've ever seen), The Last Airbender and Lady in the Water, and megahits like Sixth Sense, Signs and now, Split. Maybe M. Night should stick to titles beginning with S. 

While we heard that The Visit may have been a "return to form" for this inconsistent director, that, in fact, was not the case. I will concede that many of the pure directorial aspects of The Visit were expertly handled, but at the end of the day, I judge films in totality. M. Night also wrote The Visit, which means he penned the most annoying child character in the history of film, Tyler, played painfully by Ed Oxenbould, who is the kind of actor who broke into the business by overacting and straining in a way that screams LOOK AT ME, PLEASE. Try to watch that link of Oxenbould rapping without wanting to smash your iPad into a thousand pieces or write a letter to that kid that says you should probably find another line of work. 

You can stretch and blame Douglas Aibel (Manchester by the Sea, Moonrise Kingdom) for the catastrophic casting, but writing and directing a film centered on two kids, you know M. Night supported Oxenbould and his on-screen sister, Olivia DeJonge, who wasn't great either. M. Night is a complete-control kind of director, so he had to think casting Oxenbould as a kid rapper was a good idea. 

So, The Visit wasn't a return to form, but Split certainly is. Split is a dark, interesting movie, anchored by James McAvoy's electrifying performance and Shyamalan's slick, self-assured direction. 

** SPOILERS AHEAD **

It starts with a bang. I generally bash movies that start slow -- why should I care about your movie if nothing happens in the first 15-20 minutes? -- so I was instantly engaged when Shyamalan's camera approached Mr. Benoit (Neal Huff) as he loaded up the trunk of his car. The camera creeps up slowly, and you know things aren't going to end well for Mr. Benoit. Once "Dennis" makes his silent entrance into the driver's seat, Claire (Haley Lu Richardson, a rising star) and Marcia (Jessica Sula) start freaking out, while Casey (an intriguing Anya Taylor-Joy) maintains her Spartan-esque resolve. 

M. Night's foreshadowing is heavy-handed, as usual, but the entire sequence is skillfully shot. If that doesn't draw you into a film, I don't know what will. 

Once Casey, Claire and Marcia are abducted and relocated, McAvoy begins to emphasize why the title of the film is Split. We get to meet "Patricia" the sophisticated and ruthless British blueblood; "Hedwig" the childish lackey, and "Barry" the polite-but-fidgety leader who tends to come out for Dr. Karen Fletcher (a wonderful Betty Buckley), the psychologist devoted to helping the man trapped within these 24 distinct personalities. 

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I really enjoyed the psychological aspects of the film. Dr. Fletcher contests that Kevin is not insane, and that these distinct personalities truly exist as separate entities. Kevin (like Casey) was abused as a child, and Dr. Fletcher postulates that he has created many of these identities as defense mechanisms and sources of protection against the pain. Barry speaks for the others, Hedwig is the hurt child deep inside, Dennis lashes out as the mischief derived from the pain and "The Beast" is the unstoppable nightmare buried below 23 better-functioning personalities. 

Dr. Fletcher tries desperately to understand and empathize with Kevin, but you can't rationalize with pure evil. We've learned that in the past, from dark films like David Fincher's Se7en, the Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men and Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. Dr. Fletcher learns the hard way, suffering a gruesome death as The Beast literally squeezes the life out of her. We hear her bones crack. 

And yet, on a filmmaking level, I appreciated the harrowing nature of Dr. Fletcher's death. It showed that Shyamalan was fully committed to this story, and he wasn't about to pull any punches. He was All In, and the disturbing deaths of Claire and Marcia echoed that as well.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the movies that appeal to our human natures. Sure, the mindless popcorn flicks attract the masses, but think about some of the films we consider as classics: Martin Scorsese's bloody, bad-guy gangster films like Goodfellas, The Departed and Casino; the same for Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather I and II; Quentin Tarantino's foul-mouthed and uber-violent Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill and Inglourious Basterds; Alfred Hitchcock's suspenseful and sometimes-disturbing Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window and The Birds; shoot-em-up Westerns like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Outlaw Josey Wales, and graphic war movies like Saving Private Ryan, Apocalypse Now and Platoon. 

What does that say about us? What makes a movie great? Profanities, sex, scares, blood and death? 

Maybe it's because these things are so foreign to our normal, everyday lives. Who knows. But in the end, the grittiness of Split brings Shyamalan back into the discussion of seriously-talented filmmakers. This is a film that delves into deep, dark places, and it came out making over $275 million off a $9 million budget. That's economical, and this is a film that resurrects a career. 

We'll see if M. Night Shyamalan is here to stay when Glass opens in January of 2019. For now, he can sit back and enjoy temporary success. 

** JOHNNY FRO'S RATING: 8.5 out of 10 **

LNB's Updated Rankings (score changes made to Bad Moms, Moonlight, The Revenant and Mother's Day):

1. Up in the Air (9.5/10) Archived here
2. Steve Jobs (9.5/10)
3. Stay (9/10) Archived here
4. Gone Girl (9/10) Archived here
5. Tape (9/10) Archived here

6. A Perfect Murder (9/10)

7. Split (8.5/10)

8. Bad Moms (8.5/10)

9. Basquiat (8.5/10)

10. Moonlight (8/10)

11. The Revenant (8/10)

12. The Shallows (7.5/10)
13. Focus (7.5/10) Archived here

14. The Night Before (7.5/10)

15. 10 Cloverfield Lane (7/10)

16. The Walk (7/10)

17. Joy (5.5/10)

18. La La Land (5/10)
19. The Program (3/10)

20. Rings (1.5/10)
21. Mother's Day (1.5/10)

Reviews to Come...

Hell or High Water

Sunshine Cleaning

Zero Dark Thirty
Why Him?
Shut In
Body of Lies

Untraceable

The Wonder Boys

Jackie Brown

Mean Streets

Nerve

The Hateful Eight

The Seven Five

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

How to Be Single

Deadpool

Ratatouille

The Spectacular Now
The Visit
Loving
In Bruges
Nocturnal Animals
War Dogs
The Boy
The Purge: Election Year
And more...