Matt's Musings

Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. Blanche : Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Original List Ranking : 45 Starring : Marlon Brando, Vivan Leigh, Kim Hunter, and Karl Malden Director : Elia Kazan About : This adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play is a famous rendition of the material. It also won four Academy Awards. It didn't win Best Picture, nor did Brando and Kazan win, but the other three principal performers (Leigh, Hunter and Malden) all won Academy Awards. It also retained its spot fairly close on the 2007 update, slipping only to No. 47. It's a famous performance from Brando, one of his more iconic. It's not...

Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. Edward Van Sloan : How do you do? Mr. Carl Laemmle feels it would be a little unkind to present this picture without just a word of friendly warning. We're about to unfold the story of Frankenstein, a man of science who sought to create a man after his own image without reckoning upon God. It is one of the strangest tales ever told. It deals with the two great mysteries of creation: life and death. I think it will thrill you. It may shock you. It might even horrify you. So if any of you feel that you do not care to subject your nerves to such a strain, now is your chance to, uh... well, we've warned you! Frankenstein (1931) Original List Position : 87 Star...

The new league year is under way. This past week we’ve seen high-profile trades, critical signings, and depth additions across the NFL. It’s a big time as teams work to improve their rosters for a title run in 2026. Below are the 10 biggest moves of the new league year so far. No. 10: Wan’Dale Robinson signs four-year, $78 million deal with the Tennessee Titans About: Robinson has been an integral, and under-rated, piece of the Giants’ offense the past few seasons. In four years with the team, he has 268 receptions for 2,465 yards. That includes 90-plus receptions each of the past two seasons. He even recorded his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2025. In Tennessee, he’s reunited with his former Head Coach, Brian Daboll, who is the Titans’ Offensive Coordinator. Daboll believes in Robinson and helped him reach his potential. The Titans are in desperate need of weapons. This could give him a nice fantasy floor as a WR3, with some WR2 upside. No. 9: Kyler Murray agrees to a one-year deal wi...

 It was a slower week at the movies, with the big release being the latest Colleen Hoover adaptation. Below is my thoughts. You can keep up with everything I'm watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. Reminders of Him (Theaters) Starring : Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Lauren Graham, and Bradley Whitford Synopsis: This is the third adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel, following It Ends With Us and Regretting You. This one finds Kenna (Monroe) recently released from prison, where she served a seven-year sentence after her boyfriend (Rudy Pankow) was killed in an accident where she was the driver. She's returned to the town where they met and fell in love because she gave birth while in prison, and her daughter was taken to be raised by her boyfriend's parents (Graham and Whitford). There are still hard feelings, but Kenna is hopeful to reunite and get to know her daughter. Meanwhile, she meets Ledger (Withers) at a local bar. She realizes soon he is her boyfr...

We’re making our way toward Spring, and that means the tide of new shows is rising. Networks and streamers are getting those new shows in to flood the market before the dog days of summer. But what of these new shows is worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new series this winter. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks! Tuesdays: R.J. Decker, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered March 3) About: This new detective series is based on a Carl Hiaasen novel. It centers on R.J. Decker (Scott Speedman), a former photojournalist who went to prison on a trumped-up assault charge. Now, he’s working as a private investigator. The pilot introduced the world and a key case that helped shape and define our protagonist. The second episode slipped more into the case-of-the-week mold. I like Speedman, and I like the idea here. But the second episode was dry and seemed to expound on the things I struggled with in t...

 Another year of Oscars is in the books, with the 2025 movie season officially, finally, in the books. It was a successful and interesting telecast. Below is a couple takeaways from the year in movies. * Horror had a day . Not only did Amy Madigan win for Weapons, Sinners was one of the biggest, most awarded films of the night. Frankenstein also brought home three awards. In total, that meant eight of the 24 awards handed out went to horror films. That's quite a showing. *Paul Thomas Anderson had a day. He won for his script, his direction, and his film. It was a big night on the biggest stage for one of the most celebrated creators. * We had a tie and a no-show. Usually these award programs follow a pattern and script. But that got flipped when we had a tie in the Best Live Action Short, then had Best Supporting Actor winner Sean Penn not show up. Both felt like unusual twists on the night. * The Opening was perfect. Conan O'Brien was solid as a host, but his best bits came ...

It's hard to believe, but 2011 was 15 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 2011 that are turning 15 in 2026. Today, it's a classic comedy. Lillian : This is such a stone-cold pack of weirdos, and I am so proud! Bridesmaids Starring : Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, and Melissa McCarthy Director : Paul Feig About : There was a time when the summer season offered up a banger comedy every year. In 2011, that banger comedy was Bridesmaids . Two years earlier we got The Hangover , an iconic comedy that was very much focused on the wild antics of a group of men. In Bridesmaids , we saw the same formula repeated with a group of fun women. Or, as Lillian puts it above, a stone-cold pack of weirdos. Wiig has long been a personal favorite, and she's awesome here. But this is a film where the whole is stronger than the sum of its parts. Rudolph, McCarthy, and especially Byrne all give iconic performances. The cast is stron...

Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. Ratso Rizzo : I'm walking here! I'm walking here! Midnight Cowboy (1969) Original List Ranking : 36 Starring : Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight Director : John Schlesinger About : This is another Best Picture winner. It also earned an Academy Award for the director, Schlesinger, and for the Adapted Screenplay. It factored much higher on the original list, and remained fairly high (43) on the 2007 update. And it's not hard to see why. It's a film that's oft remembered and oft quoted. While Hoffman didn't win for his performance, it's a memorable part of the film. Even those who haven't seen it in full have seen clips, including the one ...

Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. Alex : Well, put it this way, I feel very low in myself. I can't see much in the future, and I feel that any second something terrible is going to happen to me. A Clockwork Orange (1971) Original List Ranking : 46 Starring : Malcolm McDowell Director : Stanley Kubrick About : This is a film that is controversial in its subject matter. It was considered quite edgy in its time, though by some modern content standards it's not quite as out there. The subject is dark, but this film from the legendary director Kubrick does a nice job of trying to tell this story. On the original list it was quite high up, but by the time the new list was issued in 2007, it had ...

The 98th Academy Awards will—finally—take place on Sunday, March 15. That will put an end, officially, to the 2025 Movie Year. It’s a fascinating slate of films. Below are my fearless predictions for Sunday’s ceremony. I also wanted to add a twist of what would win if I alone, based on personal taste and preference, were voting. So, the “Will Win” is my official selection. Whereas “Matt’s Winner” is me voting with my heart. Enjoy the picks below and we’ll see what happens on Sunday night! Best Picture Bugonia Frankenstein F1 Hamnet Marty Supreme One Battle After Another  The Secret Agent Sentimental Value Sinners  Train Dreams Will Win : Sinners. I think the tide has turned. Matt’s Winner: Sentimental Value. I’ve thought about it a lot. I just loved this film. Best Actor Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon Michael B Jordan – Sinners  Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Michael B. Jord...

The Academy Awards are coming on March 15. We got the final list of nominees on January 22, and between now and the awards I'll be looking at the 10 Best Picture nominees and their chances of winning an award. Sinners Starring : Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosakau, Haliee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, and Miles Caton Director : Ryan Coogler Total Nominations : 16 Nominated For : Best Picture, Best Director (Coogler), Best Actor (Jordan), Best Supporting Actress (Mosaku), Best Supporting Actor (Lindo), Best Original Screenplay, Best Score, Best Casting, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, and Best Original Song About : This is the film that set the record with 16 nominations. It's one of the best motion pictures of the year and figures to be a big contender on Sunday night. It's not a question of if it will win, but rather how many it will win. I think it's a lock in Original Score and Casting. When it ...

The first weekend in March brought us a few big, new releases. But what of them were worth checking out? Below is my thoughts on the new films I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. The Bride! (Theaters) Starring: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, and Peter Sarsgaard Synopsis: Since Mary Shelley released Frankenstein in 1818, the story has continued to fascinate audiences. We’ve seen it adapted time and again, in many interesting ways. That included the 1935 sequel that put the focus on Frankenstein’s bride. But was that sequel told the way Shelley would have wanted? That’s a central question at the heart of this new take on the story of The Bride, crafted by writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal. It supposes that Shelley had more to say about her creation, the world, and the role of women. The film picks up in the 1930s in Chicago. Frankenstein (Bale) has adopted the name of his long-dead creator. He’s b...

We’re into March, with the Olympics behind us, and seeing the wave of new shows explode. But what of these new shows are worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new series this Winter. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesdays: RJ Decker, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC (Premiered March 3) About : This new series is based on the book from Carl Hiaasen. At the outset, we meet RJ Decker (Scott Speedman), a news photographer accused of assault. He’s quickly framed and convicted. Flash-forward 18 months, and Decker is now divorced and starting over as a Private Investigator. But he’s still laser focused on an old case from his news days. Now he’s trying to get his life together and do a little good. The premise here is simple and the opening was wild. I enjoyed Speedman in the lead role and the rest of the cast. The pilot moved at a decent pace, and I thought the story and tone were fun. This slots in n...

The Academy Awards are coming on March 15. We got the final list of nominees on January 22, and between now and the awards I'll be looking at the 10 Best Picture nominees and their chances of winning an award. One Battle After Another Starring : Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, and Teyana Taylor Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Total Nominations : 13 Nominated For : Best Pictures, Best Director (Anderson), Best Actor (DiCaprio), Best Supporting Actor (Penn), Best Supporting Actor (del Toro), Best Supporting Actress (Taylor), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Editing, Best Production Design, and Best Sound About : Now, we're on to the front-runners. One Battle After Another is a terrific film that will win Academy Awards. But the question is how many awards it will win. I think Production Design and Sound are long-shots. Casting feels like it leans Sinners , especially after it won the Actor Award...

The Academy Awards are coming on March 15. We got the final list of nominees on January 22, and between now and the awards I'll be looking at the 10 Best Picture nominees and their chances of winning an award. Hamnet Starring : Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal Director: Chloe Zhao Total Nominations : 8 Nominated For : Best Picture, Best Director (Zhao), Best Actress (Buckley), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Score About : This is the final countdown for Best Picture nominees. Hamnet is a wonderful film and a strong contender. Will it win Best Picture? Probably not. Will it win an Oscar, I think it will. It is likely the second or third option in most categories. The craft here is strong, but it is perhaps not as strong as some other contenders. As noted, I think Frankenstein is a more likely option in some craft areas. In Casting, I'd wager Hamnet is behind Sinners . In Picture, Screenplay, and Director, I'd wage...

It's hard to believe, but 2011 was 15 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 2011 that are turning 15 in 2026. Today, it's a tale from the diamond. Billy Beane : Let them make the mistakes. When your enemy's making mistakes, don't interrupt them. They're giving you an out. Just giving it to you. Take it. Say "thank you." Moneyball Starring : Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman Director : Bennett Miller About: It's hard to take a non-fiction book about the business of baseball, and how to manipulate it with statistics and no money, and make it a compelling film. I'm sure there aren't many that read Moneyball and immediately saw it as an enduring film. And yet, that's what it's become. Even 15 years later it's a classic. I also didn't know I needed a buddy comedy starring Pitt and Hill, but we get that with Moneyball , and it's top shelf. The di...

Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. Byam : Captain Bligh, you've told your story of mutiny on the Bounty, how men plotted against you, seized your ship, cast you adrift in an open boat, a great venture in science brought to nothing, two British ships lost. But there's another story, Captain Bligh, of ten cocoanuts and two cheeses. A story of a man who robbed his seamen, cursed them, flogged them, not to punish but to break their spirit. A story of greed and tyranny, and of anger against it, of what it cost. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) Original List Ranking : 86 Starring : Charles Laughton and Clark Gable Director : Frank Lloyd About : The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It was t...

Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. George M. Cohan : My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Original List Ranking : 100 Starring : James Cagney, Joan Leslie, and Walter Huston Director: Michael Curtiz About: This is a case where I'm a bit higher than the original list or even the revised list. Yankee Doodle Dandy, the story of composer and singer George Cohan, is on both lists. It even moved up in the 2007 revision, all the way to No. 98. It's a classic piece of Americana and a biopic that is is solid if unspectacular. I saw it a few years ago, and it feels like a solid, interesting, and patriotic film. It's not my...

The Academy Awards are coming on March 15. We got the final list of nominees on January 22, and between now and the awards I'll be looking at the 10 Best Picture nominees and their chances of winning an award. Sentimental Value Starring : Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleas, Stellan Skarsgard, and Elle Fanning Director : Joachim Trier Total Nominations : 9 Nominated For : Best Picture, Best Director (Trier), Best Actress (Reinsve), Best Supporting Actor (Skarsgard), Best Supporting Actress (Fanning), Best Supporting Actress (Ibsdotter Lilleas), Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature, and Best Editing About: This was one of my favorite films of the year. It's likely in the Top 4 in the Best Picture competition, but I don't think it will win. However, I don't think it's a film that will go home empty-handed. The question is how many it can win, and where. I love the work of Trier, who is nominated as a director and writer. I don't think he'll...

This was a big week at the movies as Neve Campbell returned in Scream 7. I have my thoughts on that and other new films I saw this week below. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. Dreams (Theaters) Starring : Jessica Chastain and Isaac Hernandez Synopsis : Sometimes films touch on important subjects in unimportant ways. Often that subject becomes a plot device or something to frame whatever narrative they want to share. It can be a turnoff for viewers and derail even a well-crafted narrative. That’s the case with Dreams, a new film from writer/director Michel Franco that opens wide on Friday, February 27. The film touches on an important subject—immigration—but uses it as more of a plot device. Unfortunately, the plot it services isn’t worthy of exploration. The film begins with a border crossing. Fernando (Hernandez) is making his way from Mexico into California. He makes it all the way to San Francisco, where he arrives at the ho...

We’ve made it through February and the Olympics are over. That means we’ve back to the regularly scheduled flood of new series. Many new shows launched right out of the gate this week, with more scheduled the next few months. But what of these new series are worth checking out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Winter. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Mondays: CIA, Mondays at 10 p.m. on CBS (Premiered February 23) About : This new series is a spin-off of FBI. It’s focused on a joint FBI-CIA taskforce. The pilot set up the construct and the tie-in between FBI Agent Bill Goodman (Nick Gehlfuss) and CIA Agent Colin Glass (Tom Ellis). The first episode was about their uneasy partnership, setting the template for the series, and the shadow mission for Agent Goodman. The second episode continues that formula. A lot here relies on the uneasy partnership between Goodman and Glass. The actors are OK, a...