Matt's Musings

The Broncos wrapped up the pre-season last night and final cuts are due by Saturday at 2 p.m. MST. The Broncos got a jump on it releasing a few folks early last week, and a bigger group Friday. Below is my prediction about the initial Final 53-man roster. A couple of notes: * There are some injured folks who will likely hit IR, but if they want to return in season, they have to make the initial 53 first. * I think the Broncos will look at those on waivers and make a few moves in a couple areas that are weak. * An additional 10 folks can go on the Practice Squad, where I think Brett Rypien, Fred Brown Trinity Benson, and possibly Jake Butt will end up. It's harder to predict that group, but we should have a good idea by Sunday. With that, here's the prediction. QBs: (3) * Joe Flacco * Drew Lock * Kevin Hogan* About: This is where the asterisk begins. Hogan will likely make the first wave of cuts as the Broncos know Lock is injured and will be unavailable for Week 1. How...

Pre-Season Week 4: Broncos 20, Arizona Cardinals 7 Pre-Season Record: 2-3 (1-1 Home) Key Play: In the third quarter, leading 10-7, Khalfani Muhammad took the hand-off 47 yards down to the Cardinals' two-yard line. From there, Devontae Jackson punched it in to give the Broncos a 20-7 lead. Recap: In the pre-season, your hope is to get a look at players, see them do well, see who makes the team, and survive relatively healthy. The Broncos did that on Thursday night, as we saw a lot of guys play a lot of snaps that won't be part of this team. That's tough, but it's the nature of the fourth pre-season game. There's guys that looked great I'll be pulling for, and I think there's guys that looked great that might be playing in different uniforms next week. We'll find out soon. And lost in all of that is the fact that the Broncos themselves will likely still be looking to fill holes, seeing who slips on to the waiver wire in the next few days. But for no...

I'm really excited about this year's Faith in Film as we do a deep dive into Stephen King for 10 weeks. Beginning this week, these posts will go up Mondays to help you get prepped for the night. But I wanted to circle back and touch on why we're doing this, offer the schedule and some places to get this material. First, why Stephen King? And King is a master at his craft. The late, great film critic Roger Ebert said of King in his review of Secret Window in 2004, “A lot of people were outraged that [King] was honored at the National Book Awards, as if a popular writer could not be taken seriously. But after finding that his book On Writing had more useful and observant things to say about the craft than any book since Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, I have gotten over my own snobbery.” King was born in 1947 in Maine, and raised mostly by his mother alone. His father left the family when King was 2. In his early years, his mother moved them around a bit...

This is the last week of the Summer Season, and I’m sure given the difficulties in picking which film will hit this summer, people will be happy to get a fresh start. But the Fall brings its own challenges, which we’ll dive into next week. First, a look back at last weekend. I thought Angel Has Fallen held some anchor appeal, but I was really banking on Angry Birds to return that Best Value. Instead, it was the Peanut Butter Falcon , though Angry Birds and Angel Has Fallen (which was better than expected) were a better combination than the Most Popular Cineplex, which loaded up on The Good Boys . You can’t chase money, and some did that last week. I didn’t, but I wasn’t perfect, either. This week, complicating things is the fact it’s a holiday, meaning it’s a four-day total. Also complicating things in the fact there’s only two new entries to the game and one new movie, meaning it’s about finding value in the leftovers. As always, if you think you’re better at the game t...

Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week. Angel Has Fallen Starring: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Nick Nolte, and Danny Huston Synopsis: This sequel returns Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Butler) to the side of the President, in this case Trumbull (Freeman), who is once again in danger. This is the formula we saw in "Olympus Has Fallen" and "London Has Fallen" before, and if you've seen those (or even really a trailer for those) then you can be pretty sure how this is gonna go. The wrinkle here is Mike is aging and struggling with injuries, which he hides from the President, his co-workers and even his wife (Piper Perabo). He gets framed for an assassination attempt on the President, and quickly sets out to prove his innocence. For that, he turns to his long-lost father (Nolte) for help. There is plenty of action in this and a pretty easy-to-follow story. This is exactly what you'd think it would be in terms of a late summer action fil...

We're nearing Labor Day, and shortly after that the Fall season will begin. We're at the last of the new summer content this week and next, and I'm looking forward to soon getting to the flood of new network offering. But that's in the future. For now, it's time to consider the new shows we have. In these weekly posts I look at the original scripted (and occasional unscripted) content this summer. I review the pilot and second episode. Don't see a new show below? Check previous weeks. Wednesday Nights: David Makes Man, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on OWN (Premiered August 14) About: This latest drama is about a young man trying to make his way, balancing his intelligence and desire for a good education with his socio-economic background and the pressure to join the local drug trade. This is slowly and methodically shot, and it features some good performances. It speaks to a certain background and slice of life. And there's some potential here. I thought the fi...

With the Broncos nearing the end of the pre-season, it's time to make roster projections again. Below is my current best guess on the 53. We'll know more after Thursday's final pre-season game, then cuts will be made next Saturday. Quarterback: (3) * Joe Flacco * Drew Lock * Kevin Hogan About: I think the Broncos will have a 53-man roster, then they will make some big waiver moves. So put a pin in a couple positions, including this one. Lock isn't going to be ready Week 1, and could even end up on IR Designated to Return. But he has to make the 53-man roster first. And Hogan hasn't looked good as a back up, so don't be surprised if Denver makes a move here. Running Backs (5) * Phillip Lindsay * Royce Freeman * Devontae Booker * Theo Riddick * Andy Janovich About: Riddick and Janovich are hurt, and will miss several weeks. I believe one or both will land on IR or PUP, but they have to make the squad first. So I think they do then the Broncos make adjustme...

Pre-Season Week 3 : Los Angeles Rams 10, Broncos 6 Pre-Season Record : 1–3 (0–1 Home) Key Play : In the fourth quarter, with the Broncos leading 6–3, Rams quarterback John Wolford connected with Jalen Greene on a four-yard TD pass, giving the Rams a 10–6 lead. Recap : The third week of the pre-season is usually a time when you see the regular season dress rehearsal. Whether it’s because it’s the Broncos’ fourth pre-season game, or the injuries piling up, this week’s game was anything but a dress rehearsal. No starters or even those locked into roster spots played. Instead, this was a game — as will be Thursday — where those playing for jobs got to show what they can do. The Broncos didn’t even get to see rookie QB Drew Lock, who has a thumb injury, or rookie TE Noah Fant, who has a foot sprain. Instead, Kevin Hogan started and tried to show that he has what it takes to be a backup in Denver. And then fans got to see Brett Rypien, the other rookie QB. Both looked good at times an...

It's hard to believe, but 1999 was 20 years ago. This summer I've been taking a look back at some of my favorites. Below is the 10 I've looked at the past 10 weeks: * Blast From the Past * Office Space * Varsity Blues * The Mummy * 10 Things I Hate About You * For Love of the Game * Deep Blue Sea * The Sixth Sense * The Cider House Rules * The Matrix If you've followed along with this series, you know that I picked each of them because they meant something to me and are films that I still enjoy. But that was hardly the only landmark films released that year. Here's a few others that didn't make my list: * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace —This was the highest grossing film of the year and one of the most anticipated. I think we can all agree it was a bit of a let down... * Fight Club —One of the most iconic films of the year, this was a big one from David Fincher. It's my least favorite of his films. * Toy Story 2 —The sequel to the animated...

For much of the country, the idea of a new school year has set in. The College Football season begins in earnest next weekend, and the NFL regular season is nearly here. Fall is upon us, and that means the flood of summer films is coming to an end. And for the first time in weeks, we have a clear top release dominating the weekend, but more on that in a minute. Last weekend there were a ton of options, but it seemed to me that Good Boys was the best best for value and as an anchor, so I loaded up with the film on five screens. It was, indeed, the Best Value, and playing it on five screens was the winning move. It was those last three screens that were the difference between a Perfect Cineplex and just a good week for me, again. And, again, I was tantalizingly close, with the Perfect Cineplex bonus making up most of the difference. I’m in a good groove, but there is still work to be done. This week there are four new movies added to the game, but only one that’s really in lin...

On Wednesday news broke that Disney and Sony were unable to reach an agreement to continue their shared production of Spider-Man films. That is a blow to fans, but also a blow the the future of the MCU and likely Spider-Man. While it's possible they get this worked out, let's consider what it would mean if this partnership is over. For Sony: The company has done a lot of Spider-Man films on their own. They had three with Tobey Maguire and two with Andrew Garfield. And aside from the first two, it was a sliding scale getting worse. The company did have "Into the Spider-Verse," which won an Oscar. But is there more to be wrung from that universe? Perhaps. They are technically the producers of the Tom Holland Spider-Man films, too. Holland has played the part in five films ("Captain America: Civil War," a pair of Avengers films and two Spider-Man films). But the thing is this iteration of Spider-Man is very dependent on characters in the larger MCU. If t...

Pre-Season Week 2: San Francisco 49ers 24, Broncos 15 Pre-Season Record: 1-2 (0-1 Home) Key Play : In the fourth quarter, with the 49ers leading 17-9 and just over five minutes to play, Nick Mullens connected with Kendrick Bourne on a one-yard TD strike to put the game away at 24-9. Recap: You play to win the game, except not in pre-season. Or rather, winning in pre-season isn't about the wins and losses, per se, but what you see when building your team. On that score, the Broncos led 9-3 at the half and actually looked pretty good with starters in the game. The second half going 21-6 the other way is a sign of a lack of depth, or of playing too vanilla. The Broncos didn't look good in the second half, and some of that is concerning. They definitely have a lack of depth, and that is also concerning. But that's not to say there weren't bright spots. Emmanuel Sanders returned and looked strong. And Joe Flacco played more extended minutes and went 7-for-11 for 59 ya...

We're in that precarious late August period where there are a few new shows, but for the most part summer TV is wrapping up and everyone is preparing for Fall TV. In these weekly posts I look at the new scripted (and occasional unscripted) series this summer. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous week. Tuesday Nights: Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Oakland Raiders, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on HBO (Premiered August 6) About : HBO really lucked out with this year's "Hard Knocks" because the drama with Antonio Brown has been THE dominant story of the off-season. The first episode of this sports documentary was a little dry, but the second episode drew the benefit of some of that intrigue. I imagine that will only become more true as we move into subsequent episodes. That's why I think this will turn out to be a fun ride, even if the first couple episode have been a bit uneven. Pilot Grade : C Second Episode : C+ Wednesday Nights: Bulletproof, W...

It's been 20 years since 1999, a year with a number of extraordinary and engaging films. During this summer, I'll be looking back at 10 of my favorites from 1999 for those looking to catch up with a few good films. This is the last of the 10 I'm looking at this summer. The Matrix (March 31, 1999) Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, and Hugo Weaving About: This was probably one of the biggest, and certainly the best remembered of 1999. It didn't win Best Picture, but it did spawn two sequels. And even 20 years later it is probably the most remembered film of the year, and for good reason. It's a unique story and features some good performances, but more than that this was a visually stunning film. The Wachowskis built a world that was fascinating and did things that hadn't previously been seen. The big action set pieces still hold up, and that's part of the enduring appeal of this film. It's also probably the one film you c...

With the Broncos scrimmaging this week and not playing until Monday night, there's not a lot of movement in the discussion of rosters just yet. So today, as we get closer to the Monday Night Football clash, I'm looking at where we are with the skill positions and what needs to be seen to move closer to picking the final 53. Running Backs: On the Roster : Phillip Lindsay, Royce Freeman, Devontae Booker, Theo Riddick, Khalfani Muhammad, David Williams, Devontae Jackson, Andy Janovich, George Aston About: This is going to be an interesting group to watch and think about the next few weeks. The signing of Riddick seemed like a sign that the Broncos might be ready to move on from Booker, but then Riddick broke his shoulder. There's a chance Riddick will end up on PUP or IR designated to return. And I think that puts the Broncos in need of another back. But Riddick isn't the only injury in the group, with Janovich also suffering an injury. While the loss of Janovich migh...

We're approaching the Fall, and for movies that means you will likely see some of the best movies of the year coming in the next four months. But TV is a little different. With two thirds of the year gone, it's likely we've seen most of the contenders for best season. But we'll see what the Fall holds. For now, here's a list of the five seasons at the top of the heap for me so far in 2019. 5. Fleabag, S2 (Amazon Prime) About: This comedy from Phoebe Waller-Bridge was long-awaited. Initially I didn't finish the first season, but the positive buzz and things I read made me take a second look. So I breezed through Season One and right into Season Two, and I'm glad I did. As a leading lady, Waller-Bridge is great and compelling. And there was a lot in this second season that made me laugh, think and, at times, tear up. That's powerful. 4. Chernobyl (HBO) About: This mini-series takes viewers through the tragedy at the nuclear power plant in 1986. S...

Last week began a stretch of incredibly busy weeks at the Box Office. There were five new films, all competing with each other. And yet it was the hold over Hobbs & Shaw that topped the Box Office. This week we have five more newbies, two of which opened on Wednesday, and all are vying for their piece of the pie. More on that in a minute. Last weekend Hobbs & Shaw was the top money earner, but it was Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark that was the Best Value. I correctly guessed that, and put it on four screens, as did the Perfect Cineplex. But my filler was a bit different and I ended up just under $6 million below the Perfect Cineplex levels. When you get a $5 million bonus for being perfect, that different really stings. This week, with more new options, it’s about value. Which one will produce the return on investment needed to get to the top of the heap? Let’s find out. Let’s dive in! As always, if you think you’re better at the game than me, I encourage you to...

Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw Starring : Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Vanessa Kirby and Idris Elba Synopsis : We have eight "Fast and Furious" movies already, so it's hard for the franchise to break new ground. With "Hobbs & Shaw," we get our first spin-off focusing on the characters played by Johnson and Statham. This one features a supporting role from Kirby, and Elba as the villain. It's highly stylized and has plenty of action. It's about two hours and 20 minutes, and it's fine, but it hardly adds anything new. More importantly, though it carries the "Fast and Furious" brand, it seems to have gotten away from the central premise of the series. This one is more about slick fight scenes and espionage. I suppose that's fine, but it's also probably the reason this has been below Box Office expectations for its first two weeks. It's hardly memorable. Ra...

We're nearing the end of August, and closing in on the end of original summer shows. But there's still some options out there. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted (and occasional unscripted) shows this summer. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesday Nights: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Oakland Raiders, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on HBO (Premiered August 6) About: This is the premier pre-season NFL show, each year taking a look at a new team. This year we get Jon Gruden and the Raiders. The premier, as is often the case, was a bit slow. But there is plenty of fodder for this season with new receiver Antonio Brown alone, so I have high hopes for subsequent episodes. For now, this is a series all football fans look forward to, and this year should be no exception. Pilot Grade : C Wednesday Nights: Bulletproof, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on the CW (Premiered August 7) About: The CW continues to import content ...

It's been 20 years since 1999, a year with a number of extraordinary and engaging films. During this summer, I'll be looking back at 10 of my favorites from 1999 for those looking to catch up with a few good films. Check back Mondays this summer for more from 1999. The Cider House Rules (December 3, 1999) Starring: Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd, Michael Caine, Delroy Lindo, and Erykah Badu About : This is surely a controversial choice because of its subject matter. I won't get into that debate here. The reason this is on the list is because it's one of my favorites from the year, and comes from one of my favorite authors, John Irving. He actually won the Academy Award for writing this script. And Caine won for Best Supporting Actor. This was a film that was among the Best Picture nominees, and remains beautiful for the way it captures relationships. I read this book, and while the film is quite different in some ways, the heart of the story remains the...

As I will each week of the pre-season, I'm going to make predictions for who could make the final 53 for the Broncos. This week, the pre-season game didn't tell us much, and the injuries are piling up. All of that makes for a more difficult process, but let's give it a go. Quarterback: (3) * Joe Flacco * Kevin Hogan * Drew Lock About: There has been little that we've seen in the pre-season that suggests Denver would be comfortable keeping two QBs with Lock as the sole backup. That could change, but for now it seems like we're locked in with this group and possibly Brett Rypien going to the Practice Squad. Running Backs: (4) * Royce Freeman * Phillip Lindsay * Devontae Booker * Theo Riddick About: This is a tough group since Riddick has a broken shoulder, and will miss 6-8 weeks. The reports mentioned he'd have to be on the active roster before going on IR designated to return, so I've kept him on the active here. Andy Janovich has a pectoral injury th...

The football season is practically upon us. And we can see pre-season games on TV and have fantasy drafts to fill our days. But just in case that's not enough, it's also football season on your TV, helping you stay in the action any time you want. Below is a look at the three original series you can partake, and whether they are any good. Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Oakland Raiders Premiered: August 6 About: This is the premier pre-season football series, and it's been going strong for years. This season takes a look at year two for Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders. The first episode debuted on Tuesday, and there will be new episodes each Tuesday on HBO through the start of the regular season. With all the off-season things going on with Antonio Brown, this has to be Must-See TV. The first episode was a little dry and a little slow, but these things tend to be. With game action and Helmet-Gate on the docket this week, I think episode two could be a lot bett...