Matt's Musings

 We've talked about the best of 2025 in a few posts of late. I gave my favorite TV episodes, favorite TV Series, and favorite films of 2025. Now, it's time to close with performances. Below are my Top 3 from the year in each of the four big acting categories. Let's dive in! Best Actor: No. 1: Michael B. Jordan, Sinners. It was a dual role and he was great in the lead. No. 2: Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another. I loved the film and I loved the way Leo anchored this film. No. 3: Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme. I didn't like Marty Supreme as a film, and I didn't like Marty Mauser as a character. But I loved Chalamet's performance. Best Actress: No. 1: Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value. Reinsve is so magical on screen. She captivated me in one of my favorite films of the year. No. 2: Amanda Seyfried, The Testament of Ann Lee. Seyfried is a force as Ann Lee in one of the best performances of the year. No. 3: Emma Stone, Bugonia. No one delivers a line q...

 We've reached a new year. That leaves us with plenty of options at theaters, including our first new releases of 2026 and some late 2025 releases getting a wider push. Let's dive in. Friday, January 2: The Plague (Theaters): This one got a limited release on Christmas Day and now is going wider. It's about a teen struggling to fit in. Some highs and lows here. We Bury the Dead (Theaters): A horror film set in Australia and featuring Daisy Ridley as a woman who travels to the area of a pandemic to look for her husband. Feels like about the right launch into 2026. Friday, January 9: Primate (Theaters): The first wide release of 2026 is another horror film, this one about a killer ape. It looks like it might not be great. Greenland 2: Migration (Theaters): Did we need a sequel to Greenland? Probably not. And yet, I'm kind of excited for this. Is This Thing On? (Theaters): This is Bradley Cooper's latest film. It got a limited release in December and is one of the ...

 I was just OK in Week 17. It's been a good season, so I'll look to finish the regular season strong! NFL Picks, Week 18: Buccaneers Over Panthers 49ers Over Seahawks Falcons Over Saints Bengals Over Browns Vikings Over Packers Cowboys Over Giants Jaguars Over Titans Texans Over Colts Bills Over Jets Bears Over Lions Broncos Over Chargers Chiefs Over Raiders Rams Over Cardinals Patriots Over Dolphins Eagles Over Commanders Ravens Over Steelers Last Week : 8-8 Season : 161-94 NFL Picks Spread, Week 18 : Buccaneers -2.5 Over Panthers 49ers +1.5 Over Seahawks Falcons -2.5 Over Saints Bengals -6.5 Over Browns Packers +6.5 Over Vikings Cowboys -5.5 Over Giants Jaguars -11.5 Over Titans Colts +10.5 Over Texans Bills -8.5 Over Jets Bears -2.5 Over Lions Broncos -7.5 Over Chargers Raiders +5.5 Over Chiefs Rams -9.5 Over Cardinals Dolphins +11.5 Over Patriots Commanders +8.5 Over Eagles Ravens -3.5 Over Steelers Last Week : 8-8 Season : 118-138

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to take stock of what we’ve seen on the big and small screen. Over the next few days, I’ll be giving some of my picks in a wide variety of categories. Up today, it’s the best films I saw in 2025. Before I dive into the top 10, I thought I’d give a couple honorable mentions. These were episodes I liked that just didn’t quite make the cut. • The Perfect Neighbor: My favorite documentary of the year. • Downton Abbey : The Grand Finale: A great send-off for this world. • The Voice of Hind Rajab : A haunting tale. • Sorry, Baby : A great debut from Eva Victor. • The Long Walk : This one got to me. Great Stephen King adaptation. • Frankenstein : I liked the take on this tale. • Wicked For Good : Doesn’t reach the highs of the first, but a solid finale. • A House of Dynamite : I thought this was really powerful. • Warfare: This was a searing portrait of combat. • Black Bag: Steven Soderberg delivers a great spy thriller. No. 10: Jay Ke...

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to take stock of what we’ve seen on the big and small screen. Over the next few days, I’ll be giving some of my picks in a wide variety of categories. Up today, it’s the best TV series I saw in 2025. Before I dive into the top 10, I thought I’d give a couple honorable mentions. These were episodes I liked that just didn’t quite make the cut. • The Beast in Me: A fantastic final few episodes. • Murder in a Small Town, Season 2: I really enjoy the stories and cast. • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 3 : Remains one of my favorite series. • Nobody Wants This, Season 2 : A fun follow-up season. • Peacemaker, Season 2 : Really stepped up for me in season two. • Platonic, Season 2 : Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen are magic together. • The Studio, Season 1 : I love what Rogen and his team did here. • Smoke : This was a wild and really engaging mini-series. • Bosch: Legacy, Season 3: I love Bosch and this was a great final season. • Ba...

Week 17 : Denver Broncos 20, Kansas City Chiefs 13 Season Record : 13-3 (7-1 Home) Key Play : In the Fourth Quarter, with the Broncos leading by seven and time winding down, Chris Oladokun's fourth down pass fell short, ending the comeback attempt. Recap : The Broncos have had a magical season. With just one week left, the team controls its own destiny to not only win the AFC West but to finish as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Christmas Day win over the Chiefs moved the team to 13 wins, the best in the league at the time. That leaves them tied for the best record in the NFL, and keeps them in the driver's seat. It wasn't a great game, but the Broncos did enough and came through when it mattered most. The Broncos need to stand up to the Chargers then get a week off before their playoff run begins, at home. It's where we want to be, and we need to stand tall for just one more game. Game Balls: * R.J. Harvey . The rookie continues to hold it down, making big plays includi...