Matt's Musings

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Enola Holmes (Netflix) Starring : Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham-Carter Synopsis : This latest film, based on a novel, points the action at Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes' younger sister, Enola (Brown). She's like Sherlock in her penchant for solving crimes, and getting into trouble. She's mostly lived a quiet life with her mother (Bonham-Carter), while her older brothers were off making names for themselves. When their mother goes missing, Sherlock (Cavill) and Mycroft (Claflin) show up to settle things, but it isn't much to Enola's liking. Instead, she uses the clues her mother left for her to set out on her own and discover what happened, getting pulled into another case along the way. Can she find her mother and stay out of trouble? That's the challenge. This film has a good cast and a fun format. I liked Brown in "Stranger Things," and it's fun to see her str...

  We're nearly to October, and with network series beginning to return along with some fourth quarter gems, we're about to get the flood of content that's been mostly missing in 2020. Brace yourself, and let these weekly posts be your guide. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series, and the occasional unscripted series, this Fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Monday Nights: L.A.'s Finest, Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX (Premiered September 21) About: This latest series is an import that originally aired on Spectrum. It stars Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union as detectives and partners with the Los Angeles Police Department, and is a spin-off connected to the cinematic world of "Bad Boys." Union reprises her role from "Bad Boys II," and there were plenty of references, and a few characters, to tie in to the film in the pilot. In the second episode, the show had to move forward with bo...

  Week 3 : Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28, Denver Broncos 10 Season Record : 0-3 (0-2 Home) Key Play : In the second half, trailing 23-10 and facing a Third and 13 from the five yard line, Broncos' quarterback Jeff Driskel dropped back and was sacked for a safety. The Broncos fell behind 25-10 and never made a run in the game. Recap : The Broncos came into Sunday's game at 0-2, but they'd been competitive. I actually thought the team could upset Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. It didn't happen. In fact, this was one of the worst and ugliest games I've seen, and a sad precursor to a short week battle with the equally pitiful New York Jets. That Thursday night game figures to be a great early battle for the No. 1 overall draft pick, which isn't something I thought I'd see from the Broncos this season. Call it injuries and inefficiency, but it just doesn't look like this team is capable of competing strongly this season. I don't know what the right answer is, bu...

  As some of you know, I have been a frequent guest host on the Music City Drive In Movie podcast this summer. We've been looking at movies since 2000, re-nominating the Academy Awards. That got me thinking about the actual fields of the awards themselves. In a new weekly series, I'll be looking back at the last 40 years of Oscars and reviewing the choices at Best Picture, Best Director and the four acting categories. 1981: Best Picture: * Reds * Raiders of the Lost Ark * On Golden Pond * Chariots of Fire * Atlantic City About : This is a pretty good field. "Reds" is a film that was huge at the time, "On Golden Pond" is a beautiful film that features a family on film, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is an iconic classic and "Chariots of Fire" tells a great story and earned the Oscar. It's hard to go against "Chariots," which is an iconic film in its own right. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" isn't the kind of film that typ...

  The annual celebration of excellence in television, the Emmy Awards, were held last Sunday. It was an interesting year for TV and nominations as much of what we saw honored happened last Fall and early in the Winter thanks to a strange year for production. It was also one where the consensus shows popular with critics weren't the shows that resonated with me, or that I even regularly watched, in large part. That held true with the winners. The big winner of the night was the comedy "Schitt's Creek," which is a cable comedy I tried a few episodes of in season one and never went back to. It has some hardcore, dedicated fans and has really established itself. In its final season, winning all the major awards is a testament to the connection it made with audiences. Similarly, there are many that are taken with HBO's "Succession," which finished its second season last Fall. It won a number of awards, including for performances, which added to the HBO reputa...

  I miss football, and sports in general. I'm guessing you do, too. And in the place of actual games, we've been seeing a lot of countdowns of classic games, players, etc. And that got me thinking about my own favorite team, the Denver Broncos. I have loved the Denver Broncos since I was a little kid, more than 30 years of fandom. I started watching them in the late 1980s, and have been faithful ever since. So I thought it might be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and consider my favorite players from those teams. So this is just a personal list, that will be presented in reverse order starting at number 30. Agree, disagree, have your own stories? Share them in the comments. No. 6 Von Miller (2011-) About: We're on the cusp of the Top 5, and we come to the last of the active players, Von Miller. Miller was the top pick in John Elway's first draft as a GM, and he's been rock solid for Denver. In fact, his pre-season injury this year was crushing for many re...

  In Week 2, I hit my stride. Lindsay had a similar week, but we've now flopped places. Will it last... I doubt it with my luck. Matt's Picks: Jaguars Over Dolphins Falcons Over Bears Bills Over Rams Eagles Over Bengals Browns Over Washington Titans Over Vikings Patriots Over Raiders 49ers Over Giants Steelers Over Texans Colts Over Jets Chargers Over Panthers Seahawks Over Cowboys Broncos Over Buccaneers Cardinals Over Lions Saints Over Packers Ravens Over Chiefs Last Week : 14-2 Season : 20-12 Lindsay's Picks: Jaguars Over Dolphins Bears Over Falcons Bills Over Rams Bengals Over Eagles Browns Over Washington Titans Over Vikings Raiders Over Patriots 49ers Over Giants Steelers Over Texans Colts Over Jets Chargers Over Panthers Seahawks Over Cowboys Buccaneers Over Broncos Cardinals Over Lions Packers Over Saints Chiefs Over Ravens Last Week : 9-7 Season : 19-13 Matt's Picks Against the Spread: Jaguars -2.5 Over Dolphins Falcons -3.5 Over Bears Bills -2.5 Over Rams Beng...

  Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week. The Devil All The Time (Netflix) Starring : Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, Jason Clarke, and Harry Melling Synopsis : Movies don't come as much more of a bummer than "The Devil All The Time," which is based on the novel from Donald Ray Pollock that was adapted by Antonio and Paulo Campos. The film story follows the story of the book pretty closely, and looks at intertwining families in small towns in Ohio and West Virginia. This features an impressive cast with some strong performances, but a bit of a dour story. There are elements of crime gone wrong that reminded me of the tone and style of Coen Brothers film, which is a compliment to Antonio Campos, who directed the film. And I thought the production was really solid. Still, if you're looking for any kind of uplift or light distraction from 2020, this isn't it. That being said, I enjoyed the film and the way it was told quite a ...

  We're at what would traditionally be the Fall premier week, but this will be a set of Fall premiers like no other. We are getting some premiers, and some anticipated cable and streaming shows continue to premier, but this will be a different kind of Fall TV season. 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. Monday Nights: L.A.'s Finest, Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX (Premiered September 21) About: The new FOX Monday night includes a scripted show held from last season and "L.A.'s Finest," a scripted series set in the world of "Bad Boys" that was developed, and originally aired on, Spectrum Cable. Now it's getting a wide release. It focuses on a pair of LA cops, one is Gabrielle Union's Sydney Burnett, who is the sister to Martin Lawrence's character from the films and appeared in "Bad Boys II." The second is her partner, a...

  Week 2: Pittsburgh Steelers 26, Denver Broncos 21 Season Record: 0-2 (0-1 Home) Key Play: In the fourth quarter, with time winding down and the Broncos trailing 26-21, the team faced a Fourth and 2 at the Pittsburgh 26. Quarterback Jeff Driskel was sacked, ending the Broncos' hopes for a comeback. Recap: Overall, it was a better game Sunday than I'd expected. Courtland Sutton played (for a while), and didn't look bad. But the team continues to struggle with injuries, as quarterback Drew Lock was crushed in the first quarter and will miss at least a few weeks, and maybe a lot more. Still, Driskel led the team well, and the Broncos fought. They held the Steelers to a couple big plays on offense, and they were making a march at the end of the fourth quarter to try and take the lead. But it came up short, and in the end this team is 0-2. It's not a great start, especially when I had playoff hopes for the Broncos. And now they have a week to rally and lick their wounds...

  As some of you know, I have been a frequent guest host on the Music City Drive In Movie podcast this summer. We've been looking at movies since 2000, re-nominating the Academy Awards. That got me thinking about the actual fields of the awards themselves. In a new weekly series, I'll be looking back at the last 40 years of Oscars and reviewing the choices at Best Picture, Best Director and the four acting categories. 1980: Best Picture: * Ordinary People * Raging Bull * Coal Miner's Daughter * The Elephant Man * Tess About : The winner here was "Ordinary People," the drama from Robert Redford. It's a fine film about a family dealing with tragedy and loss. I think these are the kind of films that stand out strong in the immediate aftermath. This continued a string of great Martin Scorsese films that didn't get a lot of Awards love. If I was picking this group again, I'd go with "Raging Bull." Best Director: * Robert Redford * Martin Scorsese ...

  Since the beginning of August, moviegoers have been waiting to see films return. Beginning in the middle of March, theaters across the country shut down due to the pandemic. That led to many of the most anticipated films of the year being delayed, and yet several of them were re-scheduled to this Fall. We started to get our first new releases in August, with our first blockbuster Labor Day Weekend. "Unhinged," "New Mutants," and "Tenet" have all opened in theaters and so far, the results aren't promising. Now, as we head toward October, we're again seeing major film releases delayed, further casting doubt on the state of theaters and movies in 2020. Last week "Wonder Woman: 1984" and "Candyman" were delayed. "Wonder Woman: 1984" was to open on October 2, but now it's pushed to Christmas Day. But will it open then? No telling. Even the more modest disaster film "Greenland" has delayed. And now there are ...

  I miss football, and sports in general. I'm guessing you do, too. And in the place of actual games, we've been seeing a lot of countdowns of classic games, players, etc. And that got me thinking about my own favorite team, the Denver Broncos. I have loved the Denver Broncos since I was a little kid, more than 30 years of fandom. I started watching them in the late 1980s, and have been faithful ever since. So I thought it might be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and consider my favorite players from those teams. So this is just a personal list, that will be presented in reverse order starting at number 30. Agree, disagree, have your own stories? Share them in the comments. No. 7 Peyton Manning (2012-2015) About: There will be some that think this is too low. What I'll say is the fact Manning is on this list at all is a testament to the four years he played in Denver. Prior to him coming to the Broncos, there was no player I hated more than Peyton Manning. I was...

  Week 1, Lindsay destroyed me in picks. Let's hope this week goes a little better... Matt’s Picks: Browns Over Bengals Cowboys Over Falcons Bills Over Dolphins Bears Over Giants Steelers Over Broncos Packers Over Lions Titans Over Jaguars Vikings Over Colts Rams Over Eagles 49ers Over Jets Buccaneers Over Panthers Cardinals Over Washington Chiefs Over Chargers Ravens Over Texans Seahawks Over Patriots Saints Over Raiders Last Week : 6-10 Lindsay’s Picks: Bengals Over Browns Falcons Over Cowboys Dolphins Over Bills Giants Over Bears Steelers Over Broncos Packers Over Lions Titans Over Jaguars Vikings Over Colts Rams Over Eagles Jets Over 49ers Buccaneers Over Panthers Cardinals Over Washington Chiefs Over Chargers Ravens Over Texans Seahawks Over Patriots Saints Over Raiders Last Week: 10-6 Matt’s Picks Against the Spread: Bengals +5.5 Over Browns Cowboys -5.5 Over Falcons Bills -5.5 Over Dolphins Giants +5.5 Over Bears Steelers -6.5 Over Broncos Lions +6.5 Over Packers Jaguars +1...

  Here's the new movies I saw this week. Coastal Elites (HBOMax) Starring : Issa Rae, Sarah Paulson, Bette Midler, Dan Levy, and Kaitlyn Dever Synopsis : This latest original film from HBO is more like a stage play. It's a series of five monologues, each that are meant to express a slightly different difficult reaction to the current environment and political climate. The thing is, this is very obviously timed to coincide with election season. Four of the five monologues were incredibly political, while the fifth from Dever was arguably the most emotionally engaging, focusing on the trauma of COVID-19. My issue here is that none of this will be compelling to those who didn't already feel the same. It's meant to make us think about the division and wish we could come together, but the first four speeches, in and of themselves, feel divisive. This also plays out very much like a stage play, which isn't bad but doesn't totally work as a movie. There was potential h...

  Week 1: Tennessee Titans 16, Denver Broncos 14 Season Record : 0-1 (0-1 Home) Key Play: In the fourth quarter, with 17 seconds left, Stephen Gostkowski hit a 25-yard field goal to give the Titans a 16-14 lead. Gostkowski has previously missed three field goals and an extra point, so hitting the final kick was a bit of redemption. Recap: Ah, new year, same old Broncos. The team struggled to score points, couldn't hold a lead and mis-managed the clock on the way to a two-point loss in the final 30 seconds of regulation. The Broncos were dealing with injuries. Von Miller is out for likely the season with an ankle injury that required surgery. Courtland Sutton hurt his shoulder and missed the game. And in the game, corner A.J. Bouye and running back Phillip Lindsay were injured in the first half and didn't play the second half. There were some good moments. Noah Fant looked great. Drew Lock had some good moments. The defense held the Titans offense in check for the most part, a...

  We're into September and starting to get the Fall content that's going to come out. So far, it's a lot of streaming shows and a few imports to fill the network air time. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series airing this Fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesday Nights: Transplant, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC (Premiered September 1) About: This medical show focuses on a doctor who learned his trade in a war zone but had to flee to Canada to protect himself and his little sister. Now, thanks to some heroics while working as a line cook, he's getting a chance to make it as a doctor in a real hospital in Canada. But expect some bumps along the way. NBC, like the other major networks, is looking for shows this Fall. "Transplant," which already has a complete first season, fills the medical show hole, currently airing where "New Amsterdam" typically airs. It's not incredib...

  2020 has been a difficult and strange year for a lot of reasons. But for me, it's been surreal to be out of church on Sundays. On March 13, we made the decision to close due to the pandemic. Today, September 13, six months later, we returned to in person services. Behind the scenes, I'm one who has come to the building every Sunday morning for months. But arriving on what used to be the busiest, most full day downtown to see it empty has been heart-breaking. And while it's taken a lot of careful planning and work, it was exciting to be back to worship with the community.  Today is a day to take a moment and worship the Lord in gratitude that we can, again, safely gather as the people of God. "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with prais...

  I miss football, and sports in general. I'm guessing you do, too. And in the place of actual games, we've been seeing a lot of countdowns of classic games, players, etc. And that got me thinking about my own favorite team, the Denver Broncos. I have loved the Denver Broncos since I was a little kid, more than 30 years of fandom. I started watching them in the late 1980s, and have been faithful ever since. So I thought it might be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and consider my favorite players from those teams. So this is just a personal list, that will be presented in reverse order starting at number 30. Agree, disagree, have your own stories? Share them in the comments. No. 8 Rod Smith (1995-2006) About : And now we come to the best receiver the Broncos have had, Rod Smith. I still remember the first time he jumped to the forefront, catching a 43-yard game-winning bomb from John Elway to against Washington. It was an incredible play, and it essentially announced ...

Week 1 of the NFL Season is here. And an annual tradition continues as Lindsay and I pick the NFL Games each week. Who will come out on top? Let's find out! Matt’s Picks: Chiefs Over Texans Falcons Over Seahawks Bills Over Jets Lions Over Bears Ravens Over Browns Vikings Over Packers Colts Over Jaguars Panthers Over Raiders Patriots Over Dolphins Eagles Over Washington Bengals Over Chargers Saints Over Buccaneers 49ers Over Cardinals Cowboys Over Rams Steelers Over Giants Broncos Over Titans Lindsay’s Picks: Chiefs Over Texans Falcons Over Seahawks Bills Over Jets Bears Over Lions Browns Over Ravens Packers Over Vikings Jaguars Over Colts Raiders Over Panthers Dolphins Over Patriots Eagles Over Washington Chargers Over Bengals Buccaneers Over Saints 49ers Over Cardinals Rams Over Cowboys Steelers Over Giants Titans Over Broncos Matt’s Picks Against the Spread: Texans +10.5 Over Chiefs Falcons +1.5 Over Seahawks Jets +6.5 Over Bills Lions -1.5...

  The NFL Season begins today, perhaps you've heard. And I'll be wrapping up my look at the season with my final playoff predictions and some award predictions. So, without further ado, here goes: AFC: I'll admit that the Von Miller's injury put a damper on this for me, but I'm not ready to talk about that yet. 1. Kansas City Chiefs 2. Buffalo Bills 3. Baltimore Ravens 4. Tennessee Titans 5. Cleveland Browns 6. Pittsburgh Steelers 7. Denver Broncos Wild Card : Bills Over Broncos; Ravens Over Steelers; Titans Over Browns Divisional Round : Chiefs Over Titans; Ravens Over Bills AFC Championship : Chiefs Over Ravens NFC: Please, let this be the Saints year so I can stop picking them. 1. New Orleans Saints 2. Seattle Seahawks 3. Dallas Cowboys 4. Detroit Lions 5. San Francisco 49ers 6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7. Green Bay Packers Wild Card : Seahawks Over Packers; Cowboys Over Buccaneers; 49ers Over Lions Divisional Round : Saints Over 49ers; Cowboys Over Seahawks NFC Cham...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Can You Keep A Secret? (HBOMax) Starring:  Alexandra Daddario and Tyler Hoechlin Synopsis: This one starts out innocently enough as a young woman (Daddario) bombs a sales call, gets a bit tipsy and heads onto a plane full of turbulence. There, she spills all her secrets to her seatmate (Hoechlin), but then the plane lands fine. She brushes it off until the next day, when it turns out the man who she confided in is the founder of the company where she works. Awkward. Anyhow, the situation brings them closer and a romance ensues, naturally. This one is a fun little film. It's not too deep, and it definitely follows the conventions of the genre. However, Daddario and Hoechlin have good chemistry, and that helps it work better than most. This isn't incredible, but it's light and fun. Rating : N/A Verdict: Two stars out of four. I'm Thinking of Ending Things (Netflix) Starring: Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemmons, Toni Col...

  We've come to Fall, at least meteorological Fall. And, hey, if you're in Colorado we skipped right to winter today.... Anyway this will be a Fall like no other. That will be true in terms of content, too. We haven't gotten as many new summer shows, and we won't get as many new Fall offerings, either. But it's about quality, not quantity. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted, and occasional unscripted series this Fall. Below is the first wave. Tuesday Nights: Transplant, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC (Premiered September 1) About : This is part of what NBC is doing to fill the void this Fall. Regular shows haven't gone back into production, so our normal network shows won't be back in the Fall, more likely in January. NBC had hoped for the a more normal schedule, but it's not in the cards. So, instead, they snapped up this medical drama from Canada, one that's settling into the "New Amsterdam" time slot...

  On Thursday I gave my final fearless predictions for the final 53 for the Broncos. That of course didn't line up with the final roster exactly, because it never does. But below are some thoughts on the Broncos' final roster and Practice Squad. Notable Changes: * The Broncos made a trade that altered the linebacker landscape. The team acquired Austin Calitro, and that soon led to the release of long-time veteran starter Todd Davis. It was a big move. In his place the Broncos figure to use Josey Jewell on early downs and Mark Barron in the passing game, while Alexander Johnson becomes the rock in the middle. It was a shakeup for the group and an interesting one. The Broncos also moved on from Justin Hollins, who failed to make the final cut as Calitro came in to play the middle and Special Teams. I thought the Broncos would keep 10 linebackers, but they only kept nine. So it became a numbers game. Hollins was signed to the Practice Squad for the Rams, so now he's out of the...

  The first Sunday of the NFL is a week from today and I'm going through previews of each division. Today we come to the final division to preview, the AFC West. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year, hard to do any better than that. The team didn't lose much, but did add a great rookie running back prospect in Clyde Edwards-Helaire. This team is poised to contend at the top level again this year. Denver Broncos The Broncos finished the season strong, with Drew Lock going 4-1 as a starter in December. That led them to a 7-9 finish and second place. This off-season the built a lot around Lock and seem poised to make a step up in 2020. Las Vegas Raiders The Raiders were competitive in their final season in Oakland, but a late swoon took out their playoff chances. Now the question is what they can do as they move to Las Vegas, bringing with them some top new rookie talent at wide receiver. Los Angeles Chargers The wheels fell off the bus for the Chargers in 20...

  We are now just a few days away from the season. As we prepare I've been looking at each division, today turning the preview to the NFC West. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers made it all the way to the Super Bowl, and were close to winning. The team is missing some wide receiver depth, but they still have a great offense and a great defense. They should be a contender again in 2020. Seattle Seahawks The Seahawks were something of a surprise last year. I thought they'd hover around .500, instead a rash of late injuries was the only reason they didn't finish as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The team is re-loaded and back for more in 2020. Los Angeles Rams The Rams were in the Super Bowl in 2018 and fell off last season, missing the playoffs. They invested heavily in a veteran core that ended up being broken up a bit this off-season. The Rams still have talent and a good head coach, but can they get back to the playoffs? Arizona Cardinals The Cardinals took a quarterback in the To...

  I miss football, and sports in general. I'm guessing you do, too. And in the place of actual games, we've been seeing a lot of countdowns of classic games, players, etc. And that got me thinking about my own favorite team, the Denver Broncos. I have loved the Denver Broncos since I was a little kid, more than 30 years of fandom. I started watching them in the late 1980s, and have been faithful ever since. So I thought it might be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and consider my favorite players from those teams. So this is just a personal list, that will be presented in reverse order starting at number 30. Agree, disagree, have your own stories? Share them in the comments. No. 9 Chris Harris, Jr. (2011-2019) About: As we continue in the countdown, we get to my second-favorite corner on this list, and one of two in the Top 10. That's Harris, who left the Broncos via free agency this off-season. It will be crushing to see him playing for the Chargers this year, b...