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Summer TV Roundup, Week 11

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The first part of August has been a robust time for new series as networks, streamers, and cable channels try to get in that last gasp of summer. But what of the new series 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 summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.  Tuesdays: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered August 4) About: The annual Hard Knocks look at a team’s pre-season preparation begins, this time with the reigning Super Bowl champions. The first episode is about setting the stage for what’s to come, with the Seahawks being a successful team that’s relatively stable. The first episode celebrated the success of last year while getting ready for what’s to come. I enjoyed the peak behind the curtain, and I think this could be a fun installment. For fans of the NFL, this is what you’re looking to see! The series continues w...
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AFC North Preview

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  We’ve made it to August, which means the NFL Season is just around the corner! Over the course of the month, I’ll be previewing each of the division races, looking at the teams in order of finish from 2025. Below, we continue with the AFC North. Let’s dive in! Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) About : The Steelers won the AFC North and made the playoffs with Aaron Rodgers in 2025. But it wasn't their greatest performance. The division was a slog, and while the Steelers outlasted the rest their playoff run was short-lived. That led to Mike Tomlin stepping down, being replaced by Mike McCarthy. The Steelers pumped up the offense this off-season, adding Michael Pittman in trade and drafting Germie Bernard. They also added Rico Dowdle to the backfield, and brought back Rodgers. Will it be enough to make the playoffs again? How about just having a more exciting offense? It's possible, but hardly a lock. Prediction : I think the Steelers are in the mix in the AFC North but fall short of t...
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1996 Rewind: Swingers

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It's hard to believe, but 1996 was 30 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 1996 that are turning 30 in 2026. Today, it's the start of a franchise. Trent : I don't want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone's *really* hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you're not sure whether or not you like yet. You're not sure where he's coming from. Okay? You're a bad man. You're a bad man, Mikey. You're a bad man, bad man. Swingers Starring: Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn Director: Doug Liman About : You're so money and you don't even know it! We've all had a friend like Trent, and Vaughn plays the part perfectly here. Before Favreau was known for his directing prowess, and his connection to Star Wars, he was Mikey in Liman's film. Favreau wrote the film, so it makes sense he has a good feel for the material. I was never the...
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AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 40

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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. Don Jose: We all dream of being a child again, even the worst of us. Perhaps the worst most of all. The Wild Bunch (1969) Original List Position : 80 Starring : William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, and Robert Ryan Director : Sam Peckinpah About : This is a good, old-fashioned Western. It's violent and focuses on the wild element of the West. It's been an action movie favorite over the years for that reason. It lands at No. 80 on the original list, staying relatively consistent at No. 79 on the revised list a decade later. I enjoy the action and the performances here. The story holds your attention and I like the way it's put together. This is a solid, cla...
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AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No 41

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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. John Prentice : Dad... You're my father. I'm your son. I love you. I always have, and I always will. But you think of yourself as a colored man. I think of myself as a man. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) Original List Position : 99 Starring : Sydney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, and Katherine Hepburn Director : Stanley Kramer About: This is an interesting film. It was timely when it was released and its theme still resonate, though differently, today. It barely made the original list, clocking in at No. 99. When the list was revised a decade later, it was left off entirely. I can see why, I guess, but as you can see from my ranking it's a movie I h...
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NFC North Preview

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 We’ve made it to August, which means the NFL Season is just around the corner! Over the course of the month, I’ll be previewing each of the division races, looking at the teams in order of finish from 2025. Below, we continue with the NFC North. Let’s dive in! Chicago Bears (11-6) About : The Bears rose above the fray in a division where all four teams were above .500. The first year under Ben Johnson was a success but the Bears have hopes of going further in 2026. The team clarified its offense by moving on from D.J. Moore, which means it's all about Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and tight end Colston Loveland. Caleb Williams was brilliant at times, but needs to work on his accuracy. Still, the Bears will be fun to watch and fun to roster in fantasy. Prediction: The Bears will compete for an NFC North Title and return to the playoffs. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1) About : The Packers entered last year as a Super Bowl favorite and it never quite turned out that way. The team struggled ...
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day Review

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 Since 2002, we’ve seen three men play Peter Parker in a total of eight live-action films. The most recent is Tom Holland, who in his last installment brought all of the other spider-men and their iconic villains back together. It was a huge moment, and one that changed our latest Peter’s life forever. He had to choose to let everyone forget him in order to save the world. That film was a big piece of the post-Avengers Marvel Cinematic Universe. And it left one of the most popular stars seemingly isolated. With Holland returning for a fourth film—something no other Spider-Man has done—the question was how do we move forward? This is also the first of the Holland films without Jon Watts in the director’s chair. But is this Brand New Day worth checking out? The answer is a resounding yes. The film finds Peter in the immediate aftermath of where he was left in his last film. He’s alone, no one remembers him, but Spider-Man is still the savior of the city. He finds a place to set up a ...
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