Matt's Musings

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 the best of the X-Men. Professor Charles Xavier : Listen to me very carefully, my friend: killing Shaw will not bring you peace. Erik Lehnsherr : Peace was never an option. X-Men: First Class Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, and Kevin Bacon Director: Matthew Vaughn About: I have been a fan of the X-Men since I was a boy. It started with the animated series, but I was there opening day in 2000 when the first live-action film debuted. Eleven years later, we got a prequel. It's also the best of the X-Men films, and one of my favorite films of all time. It is an origin story, yes, but it's squarely focused on Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, and their unlikely and powerful friendship. It's those ideas and the back-and-forth between McAvoy and Fassbende...

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...