Matt's Musings

We've reached the final month of the year, and with it comes the last few big releases, including a new "Star Wars" film. There's a lot to look forward to, and some things that give me pause. Let's take a look at what's coming in December. And, as with last month, I'll be including big streaming titles. Friday, December 6: Dark Waters —This film starring Mark Ruffalo about the water contamination caused by chemicals from Du Pont was released in limited on November 29, but for most of the country it will open wide today. The Aeronauts —This film reunites Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne, who starred in the "Theory of Everything." It follows a balloon pilot (Jones) and a scientist (Redmayne) on their incredible journey together in 1862. It opens in limited fashion on Friday and could be an award contender. Marriage Story —This film from Noah Baumbach has been a festival darling, and has played in limited fashion around the country. It pre...

We’ve reached Thanksgiving weekend, which will present its own challenges. But more on that in a minute. Last week, Frozen 2 was set to dominate, and split in daily scoring, but it didn’t look like the best value. I thought Ford v Ferrari offered some good value, and loaded up. The Best Value came from The Good Liar , so my selections didn’t line up with the Perfect Cineplex, which grabbed the Saturday version of Frozen 2 and a lot of The Good Liar . That was also the most popular option, so my November swoon continued. But can I rebound in this final week of the Fall season? Let’s find out. This week Frozen 2 is still projected atop the Box Office by quite a bit, and is still in daily scoring. But is it the best value? Let’s find out. As always, if you think you’re better at the game than me, I encourage you to join me in a Fantasy Life App Blog league! You can join the league here . On to this week’s competition. New at the Box Office: There are two new wide rele...

We've reached Week 13 of the NFL Season, and there's just 13 weeks left in the regular season. As I have for weeks, I still trail Lindsay. She holds a three pick lead. Can I catch her? Time is running out. Lindsay's picks are in brackets. NFL Picks, Week 13 Bears Over Lions (Bears) Cowboys Over Bills (Bills) Saints Over Falcons (Saints) Jets Over Bengals (Jets) Steelers Over Browns (Steelers) Packers Over Giants (Packers) Titans Over Colts (Colts Eagles Over Dolphins (Eagles) Jaguars Over Buccaneers (Jaguars) Panthers Over Redskins (Panthers Ravens Over 49ers (49ers) Rams Over Cardinals (Rams) Broncos Over Chargers (Chargers) Chiefs Over Raiders (Raiders) Texans Over Patriots (Patriots) Seahawks Over Vikings (Seahawks) Last Week : 8–6 Lindsay: 8-6 Season : 102–74 Lindsay : 105-71 NFL Picks Spread, Week 13 Bears -2.5 Over Lions Bills +6.5 Over Cowboys Saints -6.5 Over Falcons Jets -3.5 Over Bengals Steelers +1.5 Over Browns Packers -6.5...

We're in Thanksgiving Week, and while the networks are given over to re-runs and holiday specials, or shows wrapping up their run. But the streaming sites are still going strong with new content. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Streaming Series: The Feed, Now Streaming on Amazon Prime (Premiered November 22) About: This new series from Amazon is based on the novel from Nick Clark Windo, and is set in an alternate future where the technology exists to embed the Internet in the head of people. When something starts to go wrong (I mean, how could an idea like this go wrong...), the family that leads the company that created The Feed spirals. This is a show with a decent cast, led be David Thewlis and Michelle Fairley, that has a somewhat interesting premise. I just wasn't totally sucked into this premise and the execution. This was OK, but not great. For...

Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. 21 Bridges Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, Stephan James, Taylor Kitsch, and J.K. Simmons Synopsis: This latest film is about a grizzled NYPD Detective (Boseman) who specializes in finding cop killers. He's called to the scene of a robbery gone wrong, where a pair of well-trained thieves (James and Kitsch) find more than they bargained for in terms of drugs, and eight cops responding, all of whom are dispatched. But Boseman's lead detective senses there is more to the story, and become weary of the narcotics detective (Miller) who's assigned to work with him and the Captain (Simmons) whose precinct was hit. But the manhunt leads to locking down Manhattan for the night, and a trail of bodies all over New York. This is a well conceived and tightly executed action thriller. It's just 99 minutes, so it moves along at a good clip. There are plenty of solid actors here, led by Boseman who is great in the le...

Week 12: Buffalo Bills 20, Broncos 3 Season Record: 3-8 (2-3 Home) Key Play: In the fourth quarter, with the Broncos trailing 13-3, Josh Allen connected with John Brown on a 34-yard touchdown pass to boost the lead to 20-3 with just 11 minutes left to play. Recap : Last week the Broncos started strong, taking a 20-0 lead in the first half in Minnesota. In Week 12 the Broncos were out of it from the jump, as the Bills dominated them on offense and defense. Brandon Allen, who was decent against the Browns and had moments against the Vikings, looked out of his depth. Courtland Sutton caught a 27-yard pass on the opening drive and didn't have a single catch the rest of the game. The offense was out of synch and the defense allowed rushers and big passing plays to John Brown and Cole Beasley. In short, it was a forgettable game in what's fast becoming a forgettable season. The only thing to look forward to now is to see if we get a look at Drew Lock and if he brings any ins...

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens on December 20. It is meant to be an end to the saga we've known for more than 40 years, and that includes 10 previous movies (eight in series and two stand alone tales in the world). In the run up to that release, I'll be revisiting all 10 of the released Star Wars films and sharing thoughts as we prepare for the final chapter. Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guiness, and Peter Cushing About: This is the one that most commonly is just referred to a "Star Wars." In fact, that was the film's title when it came out. It was only later, when it became a franchise, there was a need to identify it by the chapter title that was always atop the crawl. When I was younger and watching the original trilogy, this was sometimes one I skipped over. I loved the big set pieces in "Empire" and in "Jedi." But this was also the first "Star Wars...

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens on December 20. It is meant to be an end to the saga we've known for more than 40 years, and that includes 10 previous movies (eight in series and two stand alone tales in the world). In the run up to that release, I'll be revisiting all 10 of the released Star Wars films and sharing thoughts as we prepare for the final chapter. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed, and Alan Tudyk About: This was the first of the standalone films, and was released shortly after "The Force Awakens" had brought "Star Wars" back to the public. There was a lot of pressure here to sort of prove the concept, and what we got is one of the best "Star Wars" films. It's about the early days of the resistance and, quite literally, takes place just before the events of "A New Hope," the original "Star Wars" tale. It answers the qu...

I started this Fall season strong, but the last two weeks have taken a bite out of my season-long work. Last week I was was off, again, in my guessing what would return the best possible value.  I thought Doctor Sleep looked like a potential value, and it indeed returned third best value. But Playing With Fire rocked, while Charlie’s Angels bombed, and that left me chasing Box Office dollars. So it wasn’t a good week. This week there are three new wide releases, but its Frozen 2 that figures to dominate. Thus we have a return to daily scoring! As always, if you think you’re better at the game than me, I encourage you to join me in a Fantasy Life App Blog league! You can join the league here . On to this week’s competition. New at the Box Office: Frozen 2 is the sequel that figures to dominate everything, and that’s just the way Disney likes it. The first film was one of the biggest ever, and this sequel is sure to draw fans that want to see how Anna and Elsa...

I picked up a game in Week 11, but Lindsay is still holding strong with a three pick lead. There are just six weeks left in the regular season, but it's anyone's game. Lindsay's picks are in brackets. NFL Picks, Week 12: Texans Over Colts (Texans) Falcons Over Buccaneers (Falcons) Bills Over Broncos (Bills) Bears Over Giants (Giants) Steelers Over Bengals (Steelers) Browns Over Dolphins (Browns) Lions Over Redskins (Lions) Jets Over Raiders (Raiders) Saints Over Panthers (Saints) Seahawks Over Eagles (Eagles) Jaguars Over Titans (Jaguars) Cowboys Over Patriots (Patriots) Packers Over 49ers (49ers) Rams Over Ravens (Ravens) Last Week: 11–3 Lindsay : 10-4 Season: 94–68 Lindsay: 97-65 NFL Picks Spread, Week 12: Colts +3.5 Over Texans Falcons -4.5 Over Buccaneers Bills -4.5 Over Broncos Giants +6.5 Over Bears Bengals +6.5 Over Steelers Dolphins +10.5 Over Browns Lions -3.5 Over Redskins Jets +2.5 Over Raiders Panthers +9.5 Over Saints Seahawks +1.5 Over Eagles Jagua...

Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Ford v Ferrari Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Caitriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas, and Tracy Letts Synopsis: Passion is a magical thing. It can drive you when logic and experience tell you it's a losing proposition. In the new film, "Ford v Ferrari," passion is a driving force in the action. Ken Miles (Bale) was a talented mechanic and driver, but had a prickly personality that cost him some opportunities. Carroll Shelby (Damon) was a talented driver and mechanic whose personal health drove him out of the car and into the designer and crew chief role. And in a partnership with Ford, and their desire to win Le Mans and show Ferrari they were more than first appeared, Miles and Shelby found a place to ply their talent and use their passion to fuel their vision. This latest film is driven by this story, and friendship, along with a pair of fantastic performances in telling a fairly inspiring story. Ba...

We're nearing Thanksgiving, so the networks are winding up their Fall slate. But the streaming networks are kicking into high gear, so there is still new programming to wade through. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted (and some unscripted) series this Fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Sunday Nights: The Dublin Murders, Sundays at 10 p.m. on Starz (Premiered November 10) About: I should have tackled this last week, but I got behind. However, Starz is airing a new murder series that comes from the BBC. The first episode debuted on November 10, with the second on Sunday. It's also available at any time in the Starz App. The series focuses on a pair of detectives (Sarah Greene and Killian Scott) who each have something to hide and are assigned to work on a brutal child murder. The case is only part of the pull here, as both are dealing with personal issues from their past that threaten their future. Th...

Week 11 : Minnesota Vikings 27, Broncos 23 Season Record: 3-7 (2-3 Home) Key Play: In the fourth quarter, trailing 23-20, Kirk Cousins connected with tight end Kyle Rudolph on a 32-yard touchdown strike. It was Cousins' third TD pass of the game, and part of a curious 20-point fourth quarter that gave the Vikings the win. Recap: At one point the Broncos were up 20-0 in Minnesota. To begin the game, the Broncos came in 3-6, having struggled much of the season. The Vikings came in 7-3, a game back of the Packers in the NFC North and fighting to make the playoffs in a crowded NFC field. And yet, the Broncos led 20-0 at the half in Minnesota. But it wasn't to be as the Broncos regressed to the mean, and got outscored 27-3 in the second half on the way to a brutal loss. The Broncos have lost four games in the fourth quarter this season, including last second kicks to the Bears, Colts and Jaguars. The team is 3-7, but it's fair to wonder what might have been. At one point...

Disney+ launched officially on Tuesday, November 12. And it brings with it a pretty giant list of content owned by Disney. Folks spent days diving into classics from the Mickey Mouse Club to "Star Wars." But in addition, as with all streaming platforms, it brings original programming, too. While some are scripted fare like "High School Musical the Musical Series," and the "Star Wars" live action series "The Mandalorian," that I'll be looking at when I review original series on Tuesday, other offerings have been different. Today I'm going to look at a couple of the other original offerings on Disney+. There are a number of unscripted series that are part of the streaming platform, which released a first episode when it launched Tuesday and a second one for most on Friday. Subsequent episodes will come on Fridays, which makes it different from some streaming platforms that drop everything right away. "Encore!," hosted by ...

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens on December 20. It is meant to be an end to the saga we've known for more than 40 years, and that includes 10 previous movies (eight in series and two stand alone tales in the world). In the run up to that release, I'll be revisiting all 10 of the released Star Wars films and sharing thoughts as we prepare for the final chapter. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Starring:  Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Paul Bettany, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge About: When Disney purchased Lucasfilm, it meant a couple of great things. First, the continuation of the Skywalker saga. And that was exciting enough. Then came news we'd get stand alone stories that would start to fill in the rich storyworld. The first of those was "Rogue One," which I'll talk about next. But this one, which told the story of a young Han Solo (Ehrenreich), was rife with issues. Including the fact that the director was scrubbed in...

Sometimes things don’t work the way you’re expecting. That was certainly true of last week, where Doctor Sleep was projected to take the top spot at the Box Office. It didn’t. Instead, it flopped. I wasn’t betting on Doctor Sleep , but I did include it on a screen as I thought Zombieland: Double Tap would be a Best Value. I underestimated the draw of Veterans’ Day, as Midway not only soared to the top of the Box Office, but was by far the Best Value. So I was way off the mark. Not a good time to lay an egg, but now I have to put that aside and try to rebound. This week, there’s three new wide releases as the November onslaught continues. But where’s the value? That’s the question. As always, if you think you’re better at the game than me, I encourage you to join me in a Fantasy Life App Blog league! You can join the league here . On to this week’s competition. New at the Box Office: The biggest new release is the biopic Ford vs. Ferrari , which is led by Christian...

We're 11 weeks in, and Lindsay still leads by four picks. Can I catch up? It feels more doubtful by the week, but that's why we pick the games. As always, Lindsay's picks are in brackets. NFL Picks, Week 11 : Browns Over Steelers (Steelers) Panthers Over Falcons (Panthers) Bills Over Dolphins (Bills) Cowboys Over Lions (Cowboys) Vikings Over Broncos (Vikings) Jaguars Over Colts (Jaguars) Saints Over Buccaneers (Saints) Jets Over Redskins (Jets) Texans Over Ravens (Ravens) 49ers Over Cardinals (49ers) Raiders Over Bengals (Raiders) Patriots Over Eagles (Patriots) Rams Over Bears (Bears) Chiefs Over Chargers (Chiefs) Last Week : 5–8 Lindsay : 5-8 Season : 83–64 Lindsay : 87-60 NFL Picks Spread, Week 11: Browns -2.5 Over Steelers Panthers -5.5. Over Falcons Dolphins +5.5. Over Bills Cowboys -4.5 Over Lions Broncos +10.5 Over Vikings Jaguars +2.5 Over Colts Saints -5.5. Over Buccaneers Jets +1.5 Over Redskins Texans +4.5 Over Ravens Cardinals +13.5 Over 49ers Raiders...

Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Last Christmas Starring: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson, and Michelle Yeoh Synopsis: Christmas movies are a huge part of our culture, and have been for a long time. In fact, Christmas is in general. Between music, movies, and specials, everyone has their favorite. And each year once you swing past Halloween, Christmas culture explodes with new options. In fact, if you're a Hallmark fan, you've been getting new fixes each week since October 25. But there's always at least a couple of original films in theaters, too. The first this year is "Last Christmas," a comedy that comes with a pedigree. It's directed by Paul Feig ("Bridesmaids") and was written by Thompson, who is a great and talented actor. Thompson did it as a tribute to her friend George Michael, who provides much of the sound track including the song that inspired the film's name, and a lot of its plot. And that cou...

We're nearing the mid-point of November and as of this morning, a new player has entered the streaming game with Disney+ While I won't look at those originals today, it's still coming. But we have plenty of other shows to talk about. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted (and some unscripted) series this Fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Monday Nights: His Dark Materials, Mondays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered November 4) About : This is a big swing for HBO which, with the ending of "Game of Thrones" and a few other long-term series, needs to sink into a new identity. Could "His Dark Materials," a co-production with the BBC that comes from a series of fantasy novels, be a part of it? Well, I think that's the hope. This one has a solid IP and comes with a splashy cast that includes Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ruth Wilson, James McAvoy and Clarke Peters. And the world building is first r...

We're hitting the stretch run in the NFL, and with the Broncos on a bye this week, I thought I'd take this space to make some revised playoff predictions. It turns out in August I had way too much faith in the Los Angeles Chargers. Below were my predictions to start the season: Playoffs: Round 1: Texans over Jets, Browns over Steelers; Bears over Falcons, Eagles over 49ers Round 2 : Chargers over Browns, Patriots over Texans; Bears over Rams, Saints over Eagles AFC Championship: Chargers over Patriots NFC Championship : Saints over Bears Super Bowl: Saints over Chargers MVP: Phillip Rivers Coach of the Year: Anthony Lynn Rookie of the Year: David Montgomery Fantasy MVP: Justin Jackson So, yeah, that didn't go that great. Now, with seven weeks to go, we're seeing trends emerge, and it's time for some new picks. And I think it's going to be a tight race in many divisions and a tight race for a Wild Card berth in both the NFC and AFC. But here...

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens on December 20. It is meant to be an end to the saga we've known for more than 40 years, and that includes 10 previous movies (eight in series and two stand alone tales in the world). In the run up to that release, I'll be revisiting all 10 of the released Star Wars films and sharing thoughts as we prepare for the final chapter. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Starring : Ewan McGreggor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jimmy Smits About: The final installment of the prequels. I was out of college and working for a local newspaper in 2005 when this one debuted. I also remember that, on the way to this film, was the last time I got a speeding ticket. Amazing the things that you remember about movies. I also remember the long line to get in, and how the first two prequels were playing on the big screen in the courtyard. Obviously Episodes I and II weren't quite what people had hop...

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens on December 20. It is meant to be an end to the saga we've known for more than 40 years, and that includes 10 previous movies (eight in series and two stand alone tales in the world). In the run up to that release, I'll be revisiting all 10 of the released Star Wars films and sharing thoughts as we prepare for the final chapter. Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) Starring: Ewan McGreggor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, and Ian McDiarmid About: For as much as the prequels failed us, they were the "Star Wars" movies for my generation, the ones that were delivered during our formative years. "A New Hope" was released four years before I was born, "Empire" came out a year prior and "Jedi" came out when I was two years old. It wasn't until the prequels that I was able to experience them for the first time in the theaters. I remember seeing...

As I mentioned last week, November is busy. Last week there was a handful of new entries, and that will be the case for the rest of the month. This second weekend in November brings four new films entering the game, but more on that in a minute. First, let’s look back at last week. Terminator: Dark Fate was the most pricey option, and figured to be atop the Box Office. But I correctly surmised it wasn’t a great value, and when it fell below projections it proved that to be true. Harriet , meanwhile, looked like a sure lock for Best Value, and it was. I played it on seven screens with Joker , which was the most popular option. The perfect option was Harriet on all eight screens. Another week of close, but not close enough. We’ll hope to do better next time. This week there’s four new films, and all of them have positives and negatives. Plus we still have a big crowd likely to split audience loyalty from previous weeks, so it’s all about finding the right combination to crea...