Matt's Musings

We've made it to 2025, which means that films released in 2005 are now turning 20 years old. It's hard to believe how time flies, and it's even harder to believe some of the films on the list are now 20 years old.  In 2005 we saw a lot of interesting films, including the conclusion to the prequel trilogy from George Lucas. There were many classic an varied releases that have stood the test of time.. As I look back at the year, I'm highlighting some films that have always stood out to me. I was surprised by the list, but it's five films that I couldn't move on without talking about. For each of the films that I'll highlight from the year, I'll be including a quote from the film, an image, and a bit of the reason it makes the list. It's always fun to look at these cinematic time capsules to remember the films we've gotten and to remember favorites we might not have seen for a while. So, check back each Sunday through May 11 for a film from 2005. Th...

Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey. The Seven Samurai (1954) Starring: Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura Director: Akira Kurosawa About: Most director's have a signature film. That's the case with Kurosawa, and that most memorable signature film is The Seven Samurai . If you followed my list of favorite Westerns last year, you'd note that I had two versions of The Magnificent Seven on it. Those films are both just western adaptations of what Kurosawa did here. This film is an epic in scope and length, clocking in at nearly three and a half hours. It also has a strong cast, including two of his frequent collaborators in Mifume and Shimura, who are both in other films that will be on th...

Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey. Transformers (2007) Starring : Shia LeBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and John Turturro Director : Michael Bay About : We come to the start of the next round and look at my next selection from Bay. Bay isn't probably high on a lot of people's director lists. But I have always appreciated the popcorn style of his films. He's a great escape director for me. I was curious to see how it was going to go as he took on bringing a popular cartoon series to life. The result was this film, which I have come to really enjoy. Bay did five Transformers films in all, and they aren't all gems. But this first film is very creative, has some funny mome...

  NFL Free Agency has hit a lull. We're seeing fewer big deals, and that will continue as we approach the NFL Draft. But below I highlight five players still on the market I think are worth a look. Aaron Rodgers, QB About: Rodgers is the best of the QBs left on the market. He's been linked to the Steelers, and doubtless they could use him. Their two QBs from last season both signed. The Steelers also appear to be the only landing spot left to Rodgers, who isn't a target for the Vikings and saw the Giants sign Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson. J.K. Dobbins, RB About : Dobbins had a strong 2024 where he, for the most part, stayed on the field. It was a productive season with the Chargers. But now he's a free agent, and it seems unlikely he returns to the Chargers. Where will he land? That's the question. And what can he do when he does land? That remains to be seen. Amari Cooper, WR About : Cooper had a forgettable 2024. He didn't do much with the Buffalo Bills ...

This week we got a pair of new films built around strong female heroines who have a knack for singing. Below is my take on both the new films. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. O’Dessa (Hulu) Starring: Sadie Sink, Murray Bartlett, and Regina Hall Synopsis: The movie musical has been around as long as we’ve had films. Each year we get a fair number of musicals of different styles. For them to work, the music needs to be strong but for it to be a great film it takes more than that. Therein lies the problem for O’Dessa, a new musical that streams on Hulu beginning Thursday, March 20. The film is a dystopic futuristic tale about a young ramblin’ musician that could hold the key to providing the world a better future. It’s a rock opera of sorts, but it features a number of original songs and a unique story. While the music is often quite good, it’s in service of a film that’s uneven at best. We open with an introduction to the worl...

We’re making our way to the end of March, with some Network series wrapping up and the offerings on cable and streaming heating up. But, which of these new shows is worth the investment of your time? 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. Wednesdays: Good American Family, Streaming Wednesdays on Hulu (Premiered March 19) About : The latest for Hulu is a series ripped from the headlines. It involves the strange case of Natalia Grace, who was adopted by then abandoned by the Barnett family. Kristine (Ellen Pompeo) and Michael (Mark Duplass) believed her to be a liar. Over the years, there have been a lot of different theories. The series picks up in 2010, when the Barnett’s adopted Natalia, and follows her time with the family, her parting, and the investigation that followed. The first two episodes of the eight-episode series dropped Wednesday, with subsequen...