Matt's Musings

  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. 1999: Best Picture: * American Beauty * The Green Mile * The Cider House Rules * The Sixth Sense * The Insider About : American Beauty won this year, but I don't think it holds up. In fact, it would be my fifth choice from this group. After much thinking and deliberation, I'm going with The Green Mile . Best Director: * Sam Mendes * Spike Jonze * Lasse Hallstrom * Michael Mann * M. Night Shymalan About : Mendes got the win here for American Beauty . While I don't think it's a film that holds up, it does have some strong visuals. But I'm going ...

  For the Broncos, the off-season is here. George Paton was hired to serve as GM and Vic Fangio is staying as coach, but there are plenty of other questions to answer. As we head into the off-season, I'll be considering these topics each week. And we get to one of the biggest questions, Justin Simmons. The safety has been a rock for the Broncos for the past five seasons. Following the end of his rookie year he played the 2020 season on the Franchise Tag. Now Paton is faced with trying to ink him to a long-term contract. And all Simmons did by betting on himself was improve his negotiating position. Simmons has played a full 16 games the past three seasons, and in 2020 he put up a career high five Interceptions, adding a fumble recovery and 96 tackles . All that was good enough to land him in the Pro Bowl for the first time. And he's a key piece of keeping a strong secondary for Denver. We'll get to the team's cornerback issues another day, but suffice to say losing Simm...

  For the Broncos, the off-season is here. George Paton was hired to serve as GM and Vic Fangio is staying as coach, but there are plenty of other questions to answer. As we head into the off-season, I'll be considering these topics each week. The next off-season topic is one close to my heart, Phillip Lindsay. Since coming to the Broncos as an undrafted free agent, Lindsay has been one of my favorite players. As a rookie, he rushed for 1,037 yards and nine TDs, making the Pro Bowl . He followed it up with 1,011 yards in 2019, but in his third season, an injury-marred campaign, he was limited to appearing in just 11 games and running for 502 yards.  Now, Lindsay is a restricted Free Agent, presenting one of the big questions Paton will have to tackle. Aside from Lindsay, the Broncos have veteran Melvin Gordon, fourth-year player Royce Freeman and a handful of other backs on the roster. Gordon, who could be facing potential discipline over missed games, will be entering his sec...

  In this space on Thursdays at this time last year, I regularly wrote about the Fantasy Movie League, a weekly fantasy competition handicapping the Box Office haul. The game was suspended in mid-March 2020 as theaters around the nation began to close in response to the COVID pandemic. Now, nearly a year later, many still haven't re-opened. And it's fair to wonder when, if ever, the movie theater experience will return to something close to normal. The hope was, as we moved into a new year, we'd start to see movie releases return. In some places, such as where I live, theaters are open. The problem is, there's not much to show right now. And the question is when, or if, that will change. Prior to the new year, Warner Brothers announced it would continue its wide releases as scheduled, but they would debut on HBO Max as well as in theaters. The first of these was Wonder Woman 1984 , which bowed on Christmas Day. It's worldwide Box Office suggests many opted for the s...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. 76 Days (VOD) Synopsis : I touched on this more in depth on Saturday, and you can read that here . This is a documentary about the 76-day lockdown in Wuhan, China, where the COVID outbreak began. The lockdown began on January 23, 2020, and this film chronicles the work of the Health Care Professionals who were at first overwhelmed, but nevertheless cared for those that came through their doors during the lockdown. This is an emotional journey because of the stories of patients and because you can't help but think about the way this pandemic has impacted all our lives. I thought it was well worth checking out. Rating : N/A Verdict : Three stars out of four. An Imperfect Murder (Netflix) Starring : Sienna Miller, Alec Baldwin, and Charles Grodin Synopsis : This short film focuses on a woman who is haunted by therapy and a desperate act. If that sounds unappealing, maybe you've already seen this film. This was a strange movie ...

  We're nearing February, and we're seeing a few big Network premiers starting to roll out. That's in addition to an ever expanding portfolio of cable and streaming series. So what's worth your time to watch? That's the point of this weekly column, as I explore the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this winter. Let it be your guide as to what you might want to dip into or skip all together. As always, if you don't see a new show listed below, check previous weeks! Tuesday Nights: Trickster, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW (Premiered January 13) About: This Canadian import focuses on a Native teen (Joel Oulette) battling difficult home issues with a sense of new powers he's beginning to develop. The season is six episodes, so you'd think there would be some good forward movement. I didn't feel that much in the pilot, and I didn't get that a lot in the second episode, either. This feels like it's moving at a glacial pace, and I wasn...

  The Championship Games are done and the Super Bowl is set. I picked the Bills and Packers to advance and, well, I guess I should have known better. But let's look at the Championship Games. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Green Bay Packers 26 Tom Brady does it again. The Buccaneers, the top Wild Card in the NFC, did it the hard way, winning three road games. First they beat the Washington Football Team, then their division rival Saints and then on Sunday they slipped past the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers threw for 346 yards and three TDs, but it wasn't enough. The Buccaneers forced a couple turnovers and, amazingly, survived three Brady interceptions to get the win. Then came the most curious decision. Trailing by eight points with 2:05 left in the game and facing Fourth-and-Goal at the 8, Matt LaFleur elected to kick a field goal. Predictably the Packers never saw the ball again. The Buccaneers have had a Cinderella run, and now they will be the first time in history to play th...

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. 1998: Best Picture: * Saving Private Ryan * Shakespeare in Love * Elizabeth * The Thin Red Line * Life is Beautiful About: This is a year that few will forget, where we had a lot of interesting nominees and Shakespeare in Love won the big prize. At the time, it felt like a miss. In hindsight, it feels like a bigger miss. I am going with Saving Private Ryan here, and I think that should have been the winner at the time. Best Director: * Steven Spielberg * Peter Weir * Terrance Malick * John Madden * Roberto Benigni About: Spielberg got the win here, and that'...

  Where were you one year ago? As I’ve been reminded by Facebook all throughout this week, a year ago I was on a family vacation to Disneyland. It was a chance to celebrate a late Christmas, see my wife’s family and all our nieces and nephews and to explore Galaxy’s Edge for the first time. It was a dream vacation, as my wife and I spent six nights at the Disneyland Hotel and six days in the parks. I also remember that a few days after we got home, I got sick. It came on suddenly. I had a mild soar throat by morning and could barely swallow by the time I got home from work. Then came the fever and the lethargy. I thought it was a terrible case of the flu. About a month later, California was on lock down, Disneyland closed its doors and I started to wonder if my case of the flu had really been something else. A year ago, while I was riding Rise of the Resistance and enjoying some Mickey shaped waffles, Wuhan Province in China was enduring a crisis. The new documentary 76 Days c...

  For the Broncos, the off-season is here. George Paton was hired to serve as GM and Vic Fangio is staying as coach, but there are plenty of other questions to answer. As we head into the off-season, I'll be considering these topics each week. This week, I'm starting with the biggest question, Von Miller. Miller is a great player. He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft, the first selection made by John Elway. He was the MVP of Super Bowl 50, and if you're a regular reader of this spot you know he was among my Top 5 favorite Broncos' players of all time. I love Von Miller as a player and it's hard to imagine the Broncos without him. And yet, sometimes you have to be realistic. Miller is coming off a 2020 season in which an injury just before it began took him off the board entirely. He's going to be 32-years-old before the season starts and his Salary Cap number is $22.5 million if he plays, including $17.5 million in base salary, and a hit of $4.225 mil...

  We made it through the Divisional Round of the playoffs, a set of four games that was intense and featured fewer surprises. From that group of eight, we’ve moved to the Final Four as we set for the AFC and NFC Championship games this Sunday. In preparation for the games, it’s time to preview the action and see who might make it to the Super Bowl! NFC Championship Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (13-3) Once Aaron Rodgers and the Packers beat the Rams, it was clear we were going to get a great quarterback matchup no matter what happened in the final Divisional Round game on Sunday. In the end, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to outlast Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints to advance to the NFC Championship Game. It could be the last we see of Brees, but there is time to consider that. The bigger story in that game was the Buccaneers’ defense, which forced three turnovers and a fumble, leading to three touchdowns in a 30-20 win. If the d...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Brian Banks (Hulu) Starring: Aldis Hodge, Greg Kinnear, and Sherri Shepherd Synopsis: This is the true story of Banks (Hodge), an aspiring professional football player whose life was derailed by a rape accusation while he was still in high school. He ended up going to prison and was placed on the sex offender registry, crushing his dreams of playing ball and limiting his prospects in general. After connecting with a lawyer specializing in overturning false convictions, Banks found a way to plead his case and take back his life. At times this one is a touch slow in the early going, but Hodge is great in the lead, and Kinnear does a nice job as the lawyer who argues his case. The film also features a powerful cameo from Morgan Freeman. The ending is strong enough that I was moved. It's a powerful and inspirational story, and one worth checking out. Rating:  PG-13 for thematic content and related images, and for language. Verdic...

  We're in the middle of January, and some of the most anticipated shows of the first part of the year are starting to bow. So, too, are a host of network offerings. But what are the shows that are worth your time to watch? Let these weekly posts be your guide as I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Winter. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesday Nights: Trickster, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW (Premiered January 12) About: This Canadian import centers on a native teen (Joel Oulette) who struggles with a difficult home life, coping by dealing drugs through his small-time job. But soon he starts seeing things that portend something bigger. This one has a six-episode season that already aired in Canada, and things will allegedly get more supernatural. I didn't see much of that in the pilot, which felt slow and dry. Maybe it will pick up, but so far I'm far from hooked. The CW has tried to cobble together a schedule mos...

  We had a full weekend of four games and the finalists have moved into position for the Conference Championship Games. But before that happens, let's look back at the games this weekend. Saturday Games: Green Bay Packers 32, Los Angeles Rams 18 The top seed in the NFC looked it against the Rams as the second round of the playoffs got under way. The Rams brought the league's top defense to Green Bay, but it didn't look like that. Aaron Rodgers threw for two TDs and ran for another, Davante Adams had nine receptions and a touchdown and Aaron Jones ran for 99 yards and a touchdown. The Rams' offense was decent, perhaps better than expected. Rookie Cam Akers wrapped up his year with 90 yards and a TD, but the Rams couldn't keep up. The Packers cruised and will host the NFC Championship Game next weekend. Buffalo Bills 17, Baltimore Ravens 3 This was my pick for game of the weekend, but it didn't turn out to be that way. This was more about defense and missed opport...

  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. 1997: Best Picture: * L.A. Confidential * Titanic * As Good As It Gets * Good Will Hunting * The Full Monty About: This was a pretty solid group. Titanic won the top prize, and at the time was the highest grossing film in history. It's a good movie, but I'm going with L.A. Confidential here. Best Director: * James Cameron * Curtis Hanson * Gus Van Sant * Peter Cattaneo * Atom Egoyan About: Cameron got the win here for Titanic . While I don't think it was THE best picture, it was an incredible achievement, so I'm sticking with Cameron here. Best...

  The third season of Star Trek Discovery wrapped up on January 7. And, much like the strong and largely unheralded second season, I thought it was great. The finale wrapped up storylines, created new ones and was an emotional tribute to human connection, something that we could all use during this season of COVID. It was also a beautiful tribute to the man that originally created Star Trek , Gene Roddenberry. When CBS All Access launched, the first premier draw was an original, live action Star Trek series, Discovery . The journey from concept to screen was fraught, but the final product was good. It wasn't perhaps great, but it was a solid entry, and one that earned some buzz. But following that first season, the buzz subsided as we moved forward. The second season featured Spock and, eventually, the Enterprise. It was also quite good and ended with the plot literally vaulting Discovery into the future. The long layoff combined with a strange COVID Fall led to the third season ...

  The 2020 Broncos' season is over, so it's time to turn the gauze to the 2021 season, and the future. That began almost immediately after the season as John Elway decided to turn over General Manager duties to focus on being President of Football Operations. Elway has been maligned the past five years since the Broncos won the Super Bowl. Some free agent moves haven't worked out, some picks haven't panned out and the Broncos haven't made the post-season. But, mostly, it's been the inability to come up with the right solution at quarterback. Denver hoped Drew Lock was that answer, and we may still not totally know the answer to that question since Lock figures to be a part of the Broncos plans in 2021, but it makes sense that Elway is opened up to the idea of getting some new eyes on the player process. Enter George Paton, the Broncos' new General Manager. Paton spent the last 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, including the last nine years in the role a...

  After two days and six incredible games, we finished Super Wild Card Weekend. And what a weekend it was! Two Wild Card teams advanced in each conference, setting up some interesting matchups for the Divisional Round. I went 3-3 in picks Wild Card Weekend, so not the hottest start. Hopefully I can do better in Round Two! Without further ado, let’s get on to the Divisional Round games. Saturday’s Games: Los Angeles Rams (10-6) at Green Bay Packers (13-3) The Rams went into Seattle last Saturday and clocked the Seahawks hard. But it didn’t come without a cost. Quarterback John Wolford was knocked out early and ended up visiting the hospital before being cleared. Aaron Donald was banged up and missed some snaps and Cooper Kupp banged up his knee. But Jared Goff soldiered on through a broken thumb that had required surgery just 12 days prior, and rookie running back Cam Akers carried the offensive load while the top-ranked defense carried the load for the Rams and stymied the S...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week! Black Bear (VOD) Starring : Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, and Sarah Gadon Synopsis: Sometimes a film tries a novel high concept and it bombs. That's what I think is the biggest failing of Black Bear , a new thriller of sorts from writer/director Lawrence Michael Levine. The film starts out as one thing, or at least presents itself as one thing and one type of story, then abruptly changes course in the middle. The three central actors are present in all of it, though their characters and motivation radically shift. There is little explanation offered for the switch and little attempt to explain what's happening, which only adds to the frustration of watching it. At least it did for me. Plaza gives a good performance and is asked to do a lot, while Abbott and Gadon are fine, too. The problem, for me, is the story, which comes off as a confusing mess. There are some stylistic shots, and some of the film could possibly be ...