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Winter TV Roundup, Week 4

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We’re making our way through January and the flood of new shows continues. With winter gripping most of the country, you might have some extra time on your hands. But what of these new shows is worth the effort? 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. Mondays: Memory of a Killer, Mondays at 9 p.m. on FOX (Premiered January 25) About : This new network drama got a two-night premier. It stars Patrick Dempsey as a hitman who is suffering memory loss. That impacts his work and his life as he tries to evade capture. It’s a high-profile swing that got a premier behind the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. Then it settled into its regular Monday timeslot with episode No. 2. It’s a big swing for FOX, looking for a meaty new hit show. The cast is solid, including Michael Imperioli as the boss who directs Dempsey’s Angelo Doyle. He also is leading a double life, trying to keep h...
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2025 Broncos' Season, AFC Championship Game

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AFC Championship Game : New England Patriots 10, Denver Broncos 7 Season Record : 15-4 (8-2 Home) Key Play : In the fourth quarter, trailing 10-7, the Broncos were driving when Jarrett Stidham threw an interception to end the drive. Recap : Football is often a game of a few plays and a few decisions. Sometimes it's also a game of what ifs. That's all in play for the Broncos. It was a magical season, finishing 13-4 and earning the No. 1 overall seed. But a playoff win over Buffalo was also a loss. Bo Nix was lost for the year and though Stidham was solid Sunday, it wasn't enough. The Broncos went for it on Fourth Down and missed a scoring chance. The Broncos had a couple bad turnovers that turned the tide of the game, and a few calls that simply didn't go their way. In the biggest of games, that's enough. This team will compete again next year, but it's hard not to wonder what might have been. This one will sting for a while. But a salute to a Broncos' team t...
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2016 Rewind: The Shallows

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It's hard to believe, but 2016 was 10 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 2016 that are turning 10 in 2026. Today, it's a shark tale. Nancy : [timing the shark's swimming] I've got you. The Shallows Starring : Blake Lively Director : Jaume Collet-Serra About : When it comes to shark movies, I'm both a fan and a skeptic. I love shark movies, but I am always a bit skeptical they'll be good. This one blew me away. It's a simple premise and I honestly didn't expect much. A decade ago, Lively was best known for being on Gossip Girl . Yet, she showed some toughness in this. The story holds up, the action is well-crafted, and it became an instant classic for me. In fact, it's probably my second favorite shark film behind JAWS . If you haven't seen it, you should definitely check it out.
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AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 96

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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. No. 96: All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) Original List Ranking : 54 Starring: Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim, and William Bakewell Director: Lewis Milestone About: We start a string here of films that didn't make the anniversary list. Though this film clocked in at No. 54 on the original list, it was removed in 2007. This film won two Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It is part of the early wave of Hollywood. It is based on a classic novel and while it's not the best version that exists today, it still captures that deeply hopeless sentiment of the story. The book is a staple in the education system, and it makes sense the film w...
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AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 97

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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. No. 97: Dr. Strangelove (1964) Original List Ranking : 26 Starring : Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, and Sterling Hayden Director: Stanley Kubrick About: This is another of Kubrick's films, and another that lands a lot higher on these lists than it does for me. I respect Kubrick as an artist, and his films certainly feel unique and daring. But not all of them make a connection with me. This is a satire that I find amusing and wild at times. It's certainly making a statement about military might, the government, and more. And Sellers is great in this film, as are the rest of the cast. It's wild and unexpected, which is a big part of why it's becom...
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Championship Game Previews

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We’ve reached the Conference Championship Games. We’re down to four teams in two games to decide who makes the Super Bowl. We have both top seeds, a No. 2 seed, and arguably the best of the Wild Cards in the Los Angeles Rams. But who wins this weekend? Let’s dive in! AFC Championship Game New England Patriots (14-3) at Denver Broncos (14-3) Line : Patriots -5.5 About : When does a win feel like a loss? Probably when you lose your quarterback despite advancing. That’s what happened to the Denver Broncos on Saturday. They outlasted the Buffalo Bills to make the Championship game, at home. But Bo Nix broke his ankle on one of the final plays, meaning he’s out for the rest of the season. The Patriots, meanwhile, outlasted the Texans and roll into Denver as favorites. That makes sense given the Nix injury, but history isn’t on the Patriots’ side. Denver has been a house of horrors for the Patriots in the post-season, even when they had Tom Brady. In fact, they haven’t won there. Could it be...
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Now Playing

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The long holiday weekend brought plenty of new film options both in theaters and on streaming. Below is my take on the big new releases of the weekend. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. All You Need is Kill (Theaters) Starring : Ai Mikami and Natsuki Hanae Synopsis: We’ve seen a rise in anime films getting wide releases the past few years. In addition to more of these films, we’ve seen them be a hit with domestic Box Office audiences. Many of them draw from rich source material which helps give them an added boost at the Box Office. That’s the case for All You Need is Kill, a new anime-style film that is releasing Friday in theaters. It is based on the popular Manga title of the same name, which gives it a built-in audience. It also settles on a story in a genre that will appeal to a wide audience, making it a fun addition to the January cinematic landscape. The film is set in a near future where Rita (Mikami) is part of a defe...
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