Matt's Musings

It's hard to believe, but 2001 was 25 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 2001 that are turning 25 in 2026. Today, it's a classic comedy. Derek Zoolander : If there is anything that this horrible tragedy can teach us, it's that a male model's life is a precious, precious commodity. Just because we have chiseled abs and stunning features, it doesn't mean that we too can't not die in a freak gasoline fight accident. Zoolander Starring: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, and Christine Taylor Director: Ben Stiller About: I remember when 9/11 happened. The world was changed. It was a dark time that left a lot of people feeling scared and hopeless as life sort of stopped. Then we got our first sporting events. Then movies came back. Zoolander was the first film I saw after 9/11. It was silly and a complete diversion from life. I will always fondly remember it for that experience, which came at a time when...

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. Holly Martins : Have you ever seen any of your victims? Harry Lime: You know, I never feel comfortable on these sort of things. Victims? Don't be melodramatic. Look down there. Tell me. Would you really feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever? If I offered you twenty thousand pounds for every dot that stopped, would you really, old man, tell me to keep my money, or would you calculate how many dots you could afford to spare? Free of income tax, old man. Free of income tax - the only way you can save money nowadays. The Third Man (1949) Original List Position : 57 Starring : Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Alida Valli, and Trevor Howard Director...

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. Rocky : Ah come on, Adrian, it's true. I was nobody. But that don't matter either, you know? 'Cause I was thinkin', it really don't matter if I lose this fight. It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, either. 'Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood. Rocky (1976) Original List Position : 78 Starring : Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, and Talia Shire Director...

The off-season is in full swing. We've seen free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, it's time to take stock of the roster and begin figuring out who will be the final 53 players to suit up for the Broncos during the 2026 NFL Season. Over the next few weeks, we'll be looking at each unit for the Broncos. Today, that continues with the Special Teams. On the Roster : Will Lutz, Jeremy Crawshaw, Luke Basso, and Mitchell Fraboni About : The Special Teams is usually the easiest to judge, especially later in the off-season. The Broncos only have one kicker and punter on the roster, and I don't expect competition. Interestingly, the team brought in Basso to compete at long snapper. Will he unseat Fraboni? It's possible, but currently I don't see it happening. The bigger question is returner, and whether Marvin Mims, Jr.'s, skill in that arena will secure his roster spot in a crowded receiver room. Roster Predictions : Lutz, Crawshaw, and Fraboni make the team.

 The final weekend in May was packed with new options. Below is a look at the new movies I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. Backrooms (Theaters) Starring : Renate Reinsve and Chiwetel Ejiofor Synopsis: This is the new film that comes from director Kane Parsons, based on his popular YouTube series. That gives the film a built-in audience, and it pulled crowds this weekend. It focuses on a furniture store manager, Clark (Ejiofor), who is having a rough time. Business is beyond slow, and his personal life is in shambles. His most consistent human contact is with his therapist, Mary (Reinsve), who has some issues of her own. When he discovers a secret portal to another realm in the depths of his store, it opens up a whole new mystery for Clark. The mystery threatens to envelope him and his whole life. It’s an interesting concept with nearly endless options for how the story can develop. Since it’s culled from a l...

 We’ve made it to summer. Memorial Day has passed, the days are getting longer, and, in most places, school is over. That might leave you with some extra time to pass in the air conditioning. But what of the new shows this summer 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. Fridays: Star City, Streaming Fridays on Apple TV (Premiered May 29) About : The world of For All Mankind is getting bigger. That series, which debuted when Apple TV launched in 2019, presented an alternate history for the space race. In this alternate timeline, it was the Soviet Union that made it to the moon first. This new series, Star City, is a spin-off set in the same world. It takes the action back to the 1960s just as the Soviet Union lands on the moon first, telling the story from the perspective of the scientists, KGB officers, and cosmonauts that made it possible. The first two episodes dropped in a block Friday...