2017 Pre-Season Profile: Milwaukee Brewers

#27

The Milwaukee Brewers have been irrelevant in the national baseball scene since winning the division in 2011.  How long will it be before they return to a position of significance?

My 2016 Predictions

5th in NL Central

Jonathan Lucroy will be traded to the Texas Rangers for Jurickson Profar.

2016 Results

73-89, 4th in NL Central

Last year, the Brewers finished a little higher than I had anticipated, but this was more because the Reds were a lot worse than I thought.  The Brewers I had about right.  There was nothing that made them stand out in any way.  They are a franchise stuck in mediocrity.  Outside of a resurgence in Ryan Braun and a surprise amount of production out of journeyman Chris Carter, there really wasn't much notable that took place in Milwaukee last season.  However, my fearless prediction last season is one I am most proud of out of all my pre-season picks of 2016.  I may have gotten the details of the trade wrong, but I was right that he was heading to the Texas Rangers.  I think my trade proposal would have gone well too.

Additions / Subtractions

The Brewers' offseason was confusing.  Chris Carter led the league in home runs, so they let him walk and sign elsewhere.  Instead, they replaced him with Eric Thames, a 30 year old player that has spent his last 4 seasons in Japan resurrecting his career.  That is about as unknown a commodity as you get.  Many also thought, just like they did about Lucroy last year, that they needed to trade Ryan Braun, as his stock will never be this high again after his strong 2016.  However, they kept their aging superstar even though they are in an obvious rebuild scenario.  Instead, the Brewers were frustratingly quiet.

Most Important Hitter

Jonathan Villar

One of the bright spots for the Brewers last year was the emergence of Jonathan Villar.  In his first year with the club after being traded from the Astros, Villar showed what kind of player he can be.  Another strong season in 2017 can make the Brewers better and also solidify his position as a potential cornerstone of the Brew Crew moving forward.

Most Important Pitcher

Junior Guerra

The biggest surprise of the 2016 Milwaukee Brewers was Junior Guerra, a 31 year old pitcher just finally getting a shot to prove himself in the big leagues.  He pitched so well, he is being counted on as a potential ace of the staff in 2017.  For the Brewers to move in the right direction, Guerra needs to show that 2016 was a sign of things to come and not a fluke.

Player to Watch

Lewis Brinson

Last year, I said a potential Jonathan Lucroy trade would help set the Brewers up for the future.  The acquisition of top prospect Lewis Brinson was proof that I was right.  Brinson is a highly-touted outfield prospect that seems to have all the tools.  If the Brewers season goes the way it is supposed to, look for Brinson to get his shot in the big leagues sooner rather than later.

2017 Prediction

4th in NL Central

The Brewers are not a bad team.  They are also not good team.  They also show very few signs of changing any of these facts this season.  They might be the most boring team in all of baseball to try and follow.  Their lineup has some flash, but their pitching is mediocre.  They are on a rebuilding track, but that track is looking like it will take longer than most fans want it to.  Look for this season to look a lot like last season: bright spots, but mostly disappointing.

Fearless Prediction

Ryan Braun will be traded by the end of the season.

I don't have as strong of a prediction on this one as I did with the Lucroy trade last year (my best guess is he will go to the Dodgers), but the reasoning is almost identical.  It is time to fully commit to the rebuild, and that means it is time for a guy like Ryan Braun to bring back some prospects.  Also, this trade would clear a spot in the outfield for Lewis Brinson to come in.  Look for this blockbuster trade to happen.

2017 Pre-Season Profile: Minnesota Twins

#28

The Twins had a breakout year in 2015, followed by a terrible year in 2016.  Which season is the sign of things to come?

My 2016 Predictions

3rd in AL Central

Byron Buxton will either win Rookie of the Year or play less than 81 games.

2016 Results

59-103, 5th in NL Central

There were high expectations on the Twins entering 2016, and they disappointed in just about every way possible.  They became the first team since 2013 to lose 100+ games after almost making the playoffs the year before.  There wasn't much of a difference in the roster either.  It was a very confusing turnaround.  As for my prediction, I was close.  He did not win Rookie of the Year while playing in 92 games in 2016.

Additions / Subtractions

Once again, the Twins made very little noise in the offseason.  They have a very young core they believe and want to give every opportunity to succeed.  The only significant move made was replacing veteran catching Kurt Suzuki with former-Astro Jason Castro.  The biggest news of the offseason ended up being the move they didn't make.  All Star Brian Dozier is still a Twin when most of the offseason rumors had him being traded to the Dodgers.

Most Important Hitter

Byron Buxton

For several years, we have been hearing about how Byron Buxton is league's next superstar.
He was mentioned as a can't miss prospect in the same way Mike Trout was can't miss.  Over the last few years, Buxton has mostly disappointed with injuries to blame for some of it.  However, a lot of it has just been a lack of performance.  He is only entering his age 23 season, but you get the idea that the success of the Twins rests on his shoulders this season.

Most Important Pitcher

Phil Hughes

Phil Hughes has been around so long, you would think he was pushing 40.  In fact, he is only entering his age 31 season.  He has had quite an inconsistent career, with 2016 being derailed by injury.  He has had flashes throughout his career of brilliance.  This is a make or break year for Hughes.  If he pitches well, the Twins will have success.  If he struggles or gets hurt again, the Twins will struggle and Hughes will struggle to keep his roster spot.

Player to Watch

Fernando Romero

If Hughes loses his spot in the rotation, Fernando Romero might be the player in line to take his place.  Romero is a hard-throwing right-hander whose path to the big leagues was derailed for a couple years due to an elbow injury.  2016 was his first season healthy in awhile, and he impressed.  If he stays healthy, look for him to make his debut this season and be a major part of the Twins' plans moving forward.

2017 Prediction

5th in NL Central

Looking at successful 2015 and the dreadful 2016, you get the idea that the anomaly was the former instead of the latter.  They are a young team that had a season where they played way over their heads for one year.  They came crashing back to earth in 2016, falling as far as possible.  They won't be as bad as last year in 2017, but they won't be very good either.  Their starting pitching is below average, and their lineup has a fair amount of holes and question marks.  I would be surprised if they finished anywhere but the cellar.

Fearless Prediction

Brian Dozier will be traded mid-season.

Brian Dozier was almost traded in the offseason, and honestly he should have been.  He is in the prime of his career coming of his best season to date.  His stock will not get much higher than it was over the last few months.  With that said, once the Twins realize they don't have a shot this year, they will soon realize the best thing Dozier can do for his team is help them rebuild and get even younger.  He will be a coveted target at the Trade Deadline for sure.

2017 Pre-Season Profile: San Diego Padres

#29

The San Diego Padres have seen all sorts of extremes over the last couple years.  They were all in one year, then rebuilding the next.  What will 2017 hold?

My 2016 Predictions

5th in NL West

The Padres will trade over half of their starting rotation by the end of the season.

2016 Results

68-94, 5th in NL West

A combination of hitting a complete reset button on their franchise and having one of the most competitive divisions in baseball resulted in a dismal 2016 for the Padres.  The silver lining to their season was the experience they gave to all their youth, including rookie manager Andy Green.  As for last year's fearless prediction, I nailed it!  Starting pitchers that were traded during the 2016 season numbered 3 or 4 (could've been 5), depending on who you want to count.  Drew Pomeranz ended the season with the Red Sox, Andrew Cashner ended the year with the Marlins, and James Shields was traded to the White Sox.  Colin Rea, last year's player to watch, was traded to the Marlins with Cashner but given back after he needed Tommy John surgery just one start in.  Tyson Ross, the best of the group, very easily could have been traded as well if he hadn't gotten hurt on Opening Day and sat out the rest of the year.

Additions / Subtractions

With all the trades made during the season, the Padres were fairly quiet during the offseason.  They let Tyson Ross walk and brought in veteran starters Jered Weaver and Jhoulys Chacin to fill out a very young rotation.  The biggest move of the offseason was the commitment to Wil Myers, making him the cornerstone of the new look Padres for years to come.

Most Important Hitter

Wil Myers

With the Padres in full rebuild mode, Wil Myers is one of the few players in the lineup with extensive big league experience.  He is also coming off a breakout All Star season in 2016.  He could easily emerge as a borderline superstar in 2017, which would allow all the youngsters in the lineup to relax and play without too much pressure.

Most Important Pitcher

Brandon Maurer

When the Padres traded Fernando Rodney last season, it opened up the competition at the back end of their bullpen for closer.  The most talented arm back there that should emerge is Brandon Maurer.  If he does, they potentially have a star in the making anchoring their bullpen.  He needs to be dominant if the bullpen is going to be serviceable this season.

Player to Watch

Manuel Margot & Hunter Renfroe

I couldn't just pick one.  These two outfield prospects are two of the most prized possessions of the Padres' farm system, and both are projected to make a huge impact this season.  Twenty-two year old Margot, one of the players acquired in the trade that sent Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox, is the Padres' top prospect and is competing for the starting centerfield job.  Twenty-five year old Renfroe is a former first round pick of the Padres and is projected to be the starting rightfielder on Opening Day.  These two should forever be linked as cornerstones of the Padres' new core.

2017 Prediction

5th in NL West

The Padres are not quite ready to crawl out of the cellar of the NL West.  This is more due to the strength of the division than anything.  However, the pitching staff, which was once their strength, is now something that has a lot of learning still to do.  They will be fun to watch moving forward, but they are a few years away from being good.

Fearless Prediction

Margot and Renfroe will finish in the top 3 of Rookie of the Year voting in 2017.

I really want to predict that one of them will win this award, but any rational prognosticator would be crazy to pick anyone but the Braves' Dansby Swanson as the pre-season Rookie of the Year.  With that said, I see these two having a great year that might even get people talking about the Padres (which is a feat in itself).

2017 Pre-Season Profile: Cincinnati Reds

#30

It's that time of year again!  Time to look at the upcoming baseball season.  This year, as I go through each team and their outlook for this season, I am going through by my own pre-season power rankings.  We start with the end with one of the few teams that know they have no shot entering this season: the Cincinnati Reds.

My 2016 Predictions

4th in NL Central

Manager Bryan Price will be fired before the All Star Break.

2016 Results

68-94, 5th in NL Central

Somehow, I gave the Reds too much credit last season.  I knew they weren't going to be good.  I had no idea just how bad they would be.  They were stuck in a weird spot of trying to rebuild while holding onto some franchise favorite veterans.  Finishing in the bottom 5 of the entire league, it's a miracle my Fearless Prediction was wrong!

2017 Additions / Subtractions

At the 2015 Trade Deadline, the Reds finally started the slow rebuild process when they traded Johnny Cueto to the Royals.  Then, in the 2016 offseason, they traded Todd Frazier to the White Sox.  They continued the process at the 2016 Trade Deadline when they traded Jay Bruce to the Mets.  This offseason kept the slow dismantling moving by trading Brandon Phillips to the Braves.  Outside of this and additions of veteran pitchers Scott Feldman and Drew Storen, the Reds were pretty quiet as they allow their young players (Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler, Eugenio Suarez, Jose Mazara) try to establish themselves.

Most Important Hitter

Joey Votto

Last year, I said the Reds' Most Important Hitter was Jay Bruce, not because of what he would contribute to the team, but because of what he would get the team in the trade market.  Joey Votto, one of the only members of the old guard left, could be serving a similar purpose in 2017.  First off, Votto is one of the best hitters in baseball, a fact that has been true for all the 2010's.  He is the Reds best player, which is why he is still around.  The Reds need to make a decision on what they want to do with Votto.  Do they keep him to mentor their young crop of hitters, possibly dooming him to play for mediocre teams for the rest of his career?  Or do they trade him and his big contract to continue to add to their young talent base?  This question will likely be answered in 2017.  If they still have him at the end of the season, he is staying put.  If they don't, he will bring a healthy batch of prospects.

Most Important Pitcher

Brandon Finnegan

If the Reds want to win anytime soon, some of their young talent needs to start emerging.  Brandon Finnegan was the centerpiece in the package the Reds got back from the Royals for Johnny Cueto in 2015.  In 2016, Finnegan had an average season in his first full year in the big leagues.  Now, it is time for him to take a step forward and emerge as a possible ace moving forward.  If he does that, the Reds might not be as terrible as you think.

Player to Watch

Amir Garrett

A rebuilding team like this is usually a revolving door of rookies throughout the season.  One of the more intriguing prospects bound to make his debut this year is left-handed flamethrower Amir Garrett.  This 24 year old is still a little rough around the edges, but he has the potential of being a front-line starter for years to come.

2017 Prediction

5th in NL Central

Being at the bottom of my Pre-Season Power Rankings, this prediction is fairly anticlimactic.  The Reds have some potential, with guys like Duvall and Schebler flashing some greatness last year.  However, they still have such a long way to go, mainly because they refuse to fully commit to the rebuild.  Why are guys like Votto, Zack Cozart, and Devin Mesoraco still on the roster?  There is nothing exciting about a team that is going nowhere.  That's where the Reds are.  Either sell the farm and rebuild or reload and try to win with what you have.  Being caught in the middle never works.

Fearless Prediction

Zack Cozart will be traded before the All Star Break.

I really thought about going with the same prediction as last year, but I thought that might be too obvious.  Of all the veterans still on the roster, Zack Cozart seems to be the logical next choice to be traded.  Jose Peraza, slated to be the starting 2nd baseman, is the shortstop of the future.  He can't move over till Cozart is gone though.  Look for a team that has a key injury to an infielder to make a move for Cozart, who still has something left to prove in this league.

A Year in Review: Adam's Top Ten Films of 2016

It's been a crazy start to 2017, one that inevitably delayed me from working on this list. But fear not, I'm finally ready to reveal my Top Ten of 2016!

Unlike previous years, I was more selective of the films I watched. This was a really good year to be a fan of film.  We will be talking about a lot of these films for years to come.  But there are always two side to every coin. Even though I was more selective, the bad films I watched made me question why I ever had a fragment of hope for them.  I'm talking about you, Independence Day 2!!

This year's trend was that the big blockbuster films were just good-to-average.  There were exceptions like Captain America: Civil War and Star Trek: Beyond.  Unfortunately, a lot of the bigger films were overhyped and/or disappointed me (X-men: Apocalypse, Deadpool, Ghostbusters, Batman v Superman, and Rouge One)

The smaller indie films made me more emotional than any other year in recent memory.  Fences, Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight, and La La Land were a few of the culprits that moved me to tears.

While we are on the subject of tears, let's take a brief moment and remember some of the actors and actresses we lost this last year:
Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, Alan Thicke, Florence Henderson, Gene Wilder, Kenny Baker, Garry Marshall, Anton Yelchin, Patty Duke, Garry Shandling, and Alan Rickman.

Now, lets move on to some awards:

Total films seen: 147
Thumbs up Percentage: 70% (up from 64% in 2015)

Actor of the Year:

Adam Driver

Film: Midnight Special, Paterson, Silence

T.V.: Girls

Video Games: Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Actress of the Year:

Amy Adams

Films: Arrival, Nocturnal Animals, Batman v Superman

Best Actor: Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea, Chris Pine - Hell or High Water, Denzel Washington - Fences, Andrew Garfield - Silence, Adam Driver - Paterson

Best Actress: Amy Adams - Arrival, Viola Davis - Fences, Rebecca Hall - Christine, Emma Stone - La La Land, Ruth Negga - Loving 

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali - Moonlight, Stephen Lang - Don't Breathe, Ben Foster - Hell or High Water, Shia LeBeouf - American Honey, Aaron Taylor-Johnson - Nocturnal Animals 

Best Supporting Actress: Michelle Williams - Manchester by the Sea, Naomie Harris - Moonlight, Jena Malone - The Neon Demon, Soo-an Kim - Train to Busan, Lupita Nyong'o - Queen of Katwe

Best Break-Out Performance: Ruth Negga - Loving, Auli'i Cravalho - Moana, Anya Taylor-Joy - The Witch, Angourie Rice - The Nice Guys, Noel Sethi - The Jungle Book

Best Director: Denis Villeneuve - Arrival, Martin Scorsese - Silence, Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea, Ezra Edelman - O.J.: Made in America, Barry Jenkins - Moonlight

Best Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea, Hell or High Water, Swiss Army Man, The Nice Guys, La La Land

Best Adapted Screenplay: Moonlight, Arrival, The Neon Demon, Fences, Nocturnal Animals

Most Underrated Films: The Nice Guys, The Neon Demon, Hush, The Edge of Seventeen, Midnight Special 

Most Overrated Films: Deadpool, The Birth of a Nation, Florence Foster Jenkins, Ghostbusters, Rogue One

Biggest Surprise: Don't Breathe, The Invitation, Barbershop 3, Eddie the Eagle, Hello, My Name is Doris

Biggest Disappointment: X-men: Apocalypse, Batman v Superman

Best Sequel: 10 Cloverfield Lane

Best Laughs: The Nice Guys, The Bronze, The Edge of Seventeen, Popstar, Keanu

Best Scares: Don't Breathe, Hush, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, The Witch, The Conjuring 2, Lights Out

Bottom Five of the Year (from Bad to Awful): Boo! A Madea Halloween, Hardcore Henry, The Darkness, The Other Side of the Door, Independence Day 2

Movies that I haven't seen, that could make my list:  The Handmaiden, Shin Godzilla, Toni Erdmann, The Salesman, 20th Century Women, Neeja, Live by Night, Kicks, Captain Fantastic, Morris from America, A Monster Calls, The Monster, The Eyes of My Mother

 Honorable Mentions:

Fences

(Denzel Washington)

La La Land

(Damien Chazelle)

Nocturnal Animals

(Tom Ford)

Moana

(John Musker, Ron Clements, Don Hall, Chris Williams)

Christine

(Antonio Campos)

10.

Paterson

(Jim Jarmusch)

What a pleasant surprise this film was.  Adam Driver plays Paterson, a normal guy who lives in Paterson, NJ.  Patersons adheres to a simple routine: he drives his bus route, he writes poems in his secret notebook, he walks Marvin his dog, stops by the bar for exactly one drink; he then goes home to his wife Laura.  Golshiefteh Farahani plays his wife Laura, a woman who has new dreams for life daily and encourages Paterson's poetry. It's a simple observation of the ups and downs of everyday life.  This film doesn't have any action scenes and there isn't a bomb on his bus, but it does however celebrate the life of the normal man.  The chemistry that the two leads have - Driver and Farahani - shines and they are quite charming together.  It also is very funny and captures the little moments in our lives.  It's also worth noting that Rizwan Manji constantly made me laugh each time he was on screen.

9.

Hell or High Water

(David Mackenzie)

From the first trailer I watched I was hooked.  We follow as a divorced father and his ex-con brother resort to robbing banks to save their family farm.  This is one of the few films I have ever re-watched immediately after my first viewing.  It's an indie film, but feels a lot bigger than it actually is.  I love how real the characters were.  They are relatable, and we're able to put ourselves in their shoes and care for them.  Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham, Ben Foster, and Chris Pine all stepped up their games and delivered great performances.  Chris Pine gave the best performance of his career and I'll remember it for years to come.  Even though I'm a fan of Jeff Bridges, I would have loved to see Ben Foster nominated instead.  I also suspect writer Taylor Sheridan is going to have an amazing career,considering he recieved an Oscar nomination for this film and he wrote Sicario as well.

8.

Moonlight

(Barry Jenkins)

Arguably, the most important film that came out last year.  Moonlight, tells the story of Chiron at three different stages in his life, when he is a young boy, a young man in high school, and when he is a grown man.  We witness the struggles of Chiron as he try's to find his place in the world and battle with who he is.  Barry Jenkins, follows up, Medicine for Melancholy, with another extraordinary film.  Jenkins was able to get amazing performances out of his actors, with the standouts being Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris.  This film isn't easy to watch but it's worth it.  I have seen this film a few times now and it gets better and better and I seem to cry with each viewing.  The only reason it's not higher is that the third act wasn't the strongest as the previous two.

7.

The Neon Demon

(Nicholas Winding Refn)

 Nicholas Winding Refn has made one of the weirdest and arguably the most disturbing films of this year.  It's about a young up-and coming model who gets tangled in a web of behavior and a lifestyle that doesn't reflect her character at all.  Jealousy and greed saturate her contemporaries in the industry.  It is so bizarre and really hard to describe with any detail.  I have watched this several times and with each viewing I got something different out of it.  The one thing for sure, the cinematography, costumes, makeup, score, and acting are some of the best of the year.  Elle Fanning and Jena Malone prove that they are amazing actresses that need to be in more stuff.  The ending will leave you speechless and make your stomach turn.

6.

Don't Breathe 

(Fede Alvares)

&

Hush

(Mike Flanagan)

I hate ties as much as the next guy but there was no possible way I could split these two films up.  For starters, they both are home invasion films that have characters that are without certain senses: I.e Don't Breathe - has a blind ex military type man. Hush - has a mute and deaf female writer.  Watching both of these films with the lights off made my senses more heightened and me nervous for what was about to happen next.  Now any other year you wouldn't see a horror film even close to my top ten list but 2016 was special for the horror genre.  These two films were even more special because they were scary but had characters that we're believable and vulnerable and limited the horror cliques that I hate.  Both films cast were top notch as well.  Stephen Lang from Don't Breath and Kate Siegel from Hush showed us that horror films can have great acting in there films and become the exception not the rule.  I strongly recommend these films, they will make you feel uneasy, scared, and put you on the edge of your seat.

5.

Train to Busan

(Sang-ho Yeon)

It's funny the places you hear about films.  Everyday when I drive to work I listen to NPR, and one day they were talking about Korea's first zombie film.  So when I finally watched it, I was surprised by how awesome and intense it is.  This films follows several passengers as they travel from Seoul to Busan while trying to survive a deadly zombie virus outbreak.  I enjoyed this film so much - my heart was beating non stop.  But it isn't just a zombie film.  It has character you both come to believe in and despise as well.  This would be a very fun character study on how the world handles tragedy and horrible situations.  Aside from character development, the technical aspects are also well done.  The effects, sound, makeup, and editing are some of my favorites of the year.  Fun little side note: this movie was my number one for most of the year until recently.  If you don't mind subtitles and want to see a very fun, entertaining, and suspenseful film, check this out.

4.

O.J.: Made in America

(Ezra Edelman)

You know a documentary has to be great to make my top ten list.  This is the first documentary to crack my list since my number one film of 2005, Earthlings.  Originally this was a TV documentary series, but I'm so glad that it's being considered a film by the academy.  It is a real, detailed look at the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, but also covers what was happening with the LAPD and in the country at that time.  It is very interesting and frustrating to watch.  Even with a total  run time close to nine hours, you want to know more right away.  I knew very little about O.J. going in and after watching this I felt very upset and disgusted by the man he was.  This film also sheds light on issues that are as relevant today as they ever were.  To quote my friend and fellow film critic, Todd Plucknett: "This isa film about race, the justice system, Los Angeles, celebrity, and most of all - America."

3.

Silence

(Martin Scorsese)

So, one of the main reason this list was delayed was I wanted to watch the next Scorsese film.  Scorsese is my favorite director of all time.  The Departed, Taxi Driver, and Goodfellas are some of my favorite films of all time.  Silence, in time, could join the ranks of the greatest Scorsese films.  This film follows two Jesuit priests and their journey through Japan to find their mentor and friend.  It takes place in 17th century Japan, where the simple acknowledgement of being a Christian resulted in torture and the ultimate price: death.  Ultimately, this film is about true faith and being a martyr for what you believe in.  Even with a long run time it never feels as long as it actually is.  Some of the imagery on screen is hard to watch, so be prepared.  It is criminal that this film was almost enitely snubbed at the Oscars outside of cinematography.

  

2.

Arrival

(Denis Villeneuve)

Denis Villeneuve has finally started becoming a household name.  He is quickly moving up my favorite directors with each film I see.  Arrival, is his third film in the last four years to make my top ten list; the others being Sicario (2015), and Prisoners (2013).  What I enjoy about this film is that we are in a time of alien/science fiction films having a lot of explosions and action, but Villeneuve scales everything back to make a more human story.  Another thing he does well is that he isn't afraid to make strong female characters in his films.  Don't be fooled - Arrival does have aliens, but this film is really about communication and humanity.  It's beautifully filmed and the score is amazing.  Amy Adams gives one of my favorite performances of the year and her lack of nomination is a glaring Oscar snub.  Even with eight nominations at this years Oscars, I feel Arrival, was snubbed for visual effects, score (Passengers and Lion don't even come close), and Amy Adams.  This film will leave you with questions, so multiple viewings are a must.  I have seen it twice so far and I'm still in awe of everything I witness on screen.  

1.

Manchester by the Sea

(Kenneth Lonergan)

There was no film experience of 2016 quite like this one.  Manchester by the Sea is an emotional roller coaster that will be hard to shake well after the credits rolls.  Casey Affleck plays an apartment handyman who receives custody of his nephew after his brother passes away.  We've seen this premise in a lot of other films before, but as the story moves along and the layers of Affleck's character are peeled back to reveal a grief like no other.  Casey Affleck gave us his best performance as well as the best of the year.  He and fellow costar, Michelle Williams, broke my heart as I watched the relationships and pain reveal themselves.  I put myself in his shoes and I never want to feel the pain he felt.  Manchester by the Sea is not just a film - it's the closest experience to actual life that might have ever been put on screen.  It will make you laugh, cry, but most important of all - it will make you appreciate the little things in life and not take them for granted.  I recently just rewatched this and I walked away liking it even more, it truly is a work of cinema mastery.  I feel that Arrival and Manchester by the Sea will forever be locked in a back and fourth death match for my number one film of this year.  

Well that's my list!!  Did I surprise you?  What did I leave off?  Let me know your top ten and your opinions on mine!

Thank you again

ADAM