College Hoops Top 25 (2/12)

Well, my friends. I saw Hail, Caesar!. And my review is this: It's very, very, very...OK. Yep, just an average film. At least by Coen Brothers' standards. GranTed, there's a decent chance that multiple viewings of the film will change my opinion. But my initial takeaway was more or less what I had been expecting to see (when the Coens go full-funny they tend to be more hit or miss-ish). So I'm thinkin' that Hail, Caesar! is what it is. And that is a very average film...at least by Coen Brothers' standards...

Alden Ehrenreich and Ralph Fiennes up there have some great scenes, though. And the film at large is definitely worth checking out. But I'm being critical. And this is more Burn After Reading than it is The Big Lebowski. So I'm letting you know. It had a lot of great potential, in terms of characters and situations, that I didn't feel it took advantage of. Something I'm not used to seeing from the Coens. Lots of times where you kept waiting for another shoe to drop, if you will, and it just never came. Underwhelming, is the ultimate word that comes to mind. The build up was there, and all of the pieces were seemingly in place. But in a sort of "can't win 'em all" type of fashion, it just never seems to completely gel. Almost as if it was just never meant to be. Or at least never meant to be great...  

So is Hail, Caesar! worth watching? Absolutely. But will it significantly change your cinematic life? Something that the history of the filmmakers and the strength of the cast might reasonably lead you to believe it might? I'd tend to lean towards absolutely not. Then again, I didn't particularly care for Fargo the first time I saw it (now firmly entrenched in my top 100). GranTed, I was only 16. But I tend to remember thinking that I had a pretty good grasp on things back then, too (in reality I was Ted #1). So, ya know. Grain of salt/catch me again when I've seen it 5 more times...

Now, here's my latest College Hoops Top 25. Complete with a debut from Shaka Smart and Texas. Which is why he's pictured below in complete and utter ecstasy, despite having backed into my Top 25 following a 3 point loss @ Oklahoma...

College Hoops Top 25
1. Maryland (21-3) 1

2. Oklahoma (20-3) 2

3. Michigan St. (20-5) 5

4. Villanova (21-3) 17

5. Virginia (20-4) 11

6. Miami (19-4) 7

7. Iowa (19-5) 3

8. Xavier (21-3) 8

9. Arizona (19-5) 25

10. North Carolina (20-4) 4

11. Kentucky (18-6) 18

12. Purdue (20-5) 12

13. Kansas (20-4) 15

14. Louisville (19-5) 9

15. West Virginia (19-5) 16

16. Texas A&M (18-6) 6

17. Texas (16-8) NR

18. Wichita St. (18-6) 24

19. Dayton (20-3) 21

20. Indiana (20-5) 20

21. South Carolina (21-3) NR

22. Baylor (18-6) 19

23. Providence (18-7) 14

24. Oregon (20-5) 13

25. Iowa St. (17-7) 10


just missed: USC; Duke; St. Mary's; Gonzaga

dropped: (22) St. Mary's; (23) Duke


What To Watch
2/12
UCLA @ Arizona

2/13
Kansas @ Oklahoma
Louisville @ Notre Dame
Wisconsin @ Maryland
Virginia @ Duke
Texas @ Iowa St.
Gonzaga @ SMU

2/14
Pitt @ UNC
Indiana @ Michigan St.
USC @ Arizona

2/15
New Mexico St. @ Wichita St.

2/16
West Virginia @ Texas
Iowa St. @ Baylor

2/17
PC @ Xavier
Duke @ UNC
Syracuse @ Louisville
Dayton @ St. Joe's

2/18
Wisconsin @ Michigan St.


Enjoy your Valentine's weekend, you loving Teds, you. And I'll catch you next week. Be good...


#BAGSMUNMAN