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. 2003: Best Picture: * Lord of the Rings: Return of the King * Lost in Translation * Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World * Mystic River * Seabiscuit About: Return of the King won here, and it felt more like a cumulative award. I really like Lost in Translation and Mystic River , but I'm sticking with Return of the King . Best Director: * Peter Jackson * Sofia Coppola * Clint Eastwood * Peter Weir * Fernando Meirelles About : Jackson won here, again it felt kind of like a cumulative award. But in my revision, he'd have won previously. So I...

  2021 is the year I turn 40. As part of my celebration, I'm looking back at 40 years of movies, picking my favorite film from each year I've been around! To learn more about the criteria for this process, check this introduction. Each post will feature my pick, plus three runner's up. So check back over the next 40 weeks of this journey! 1982: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Starring : William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, and Richardo Montalban About: This was the second theatrical outing for the original Star Trek cast and, for me, remains the best of the Star Trek films. I've seen and own all 13, and this is always the one I come back to. It has some incredibly memorable and iconic scenes, especially with Spock (Nimoy) and Kirk (Shatner) at the end. This is one of my favorite movies and it was an easy decision to place it atop the list of films for 1982, which wasn't a year where a lot of...

  Hollywood's biggest awards party is Sunday. Usually held in early January, the Golden Globes were delayed like so much of the awards season. But we'll finally get the first big, televised domino to drop on Sunday night. So here are my picks for who will and who should win. Best Film, Drama: Will Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7 Should Win : Promising Young Woman Best Film, Comedy/Musical: Will Win: Palm Springs Best Film, Animated: Will Win : Soul Best Film, Foreign Language: Will Win: Minari Best Actor, Drama: Will Win : Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Best Actress, Drama: Will Win: Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman Best Actor, Musical/Comedy: Will Win:   Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Should Win : Andy Samberg, Palm Springs Best Actress, Musical/Comedy: Will Win : Rosamund Pike, I Care A Lot Best Supporting Actor: Will Win : Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah Best Supporting Actress: Will Win : Olivia Coleman, The Father Best D...

  We're quickly approaching the new league season, and as we do I've put together my initial Dynasty Rankings. These are just current NFL players in their current positions. Rookie will come later, and these will be updated throughout the off-season. Today I start with QBs. Top 25 QBs: 1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs 2. Josh Allen, Bills 3. Kyler Murray, Cardinals 4. Justin Herbert, Chargers 5. Deshaun Watson, Texans 6. Dak Prescott, FA (Cowboys) 7. Russell Wilson, Seahawks 8. Joe Burrow, Bengals 9. Lamar Jackson, Ravens 10. Aaron Rodgers, Packers 11. Matthew Stafford, Rams 12. Carson Wentz, Colts 13. Baker Mayfield, Browns 14. Ryan Tannehill, Titans 15. Tom Brady, Buccaneers 16. Derek Carr, Raiders 17. Matt Ryan, Falcons 18. Kirk Cousins, Vikings 19. Jared Goff, Lions 20. Daniel Jones, Giants 21. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins 22. Sam Darnold, Jets 23. Jalen Hurts, Eagles 24. Drew Lock, Broncos 25. Taysom Hill, Saints

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Cut Throat City (Netflix) Starring: Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, T.I., Terrence Howard, Shameik Moore, Keenan Johnson, Denzel Whitaker, and Demetrius Shipp Jr. Synopsis : Woof. This ultra-violent gangster film was directed by The RZA of the Wu Tang Clan, and was released in the spring of 2020. It's set in New Orleans, specifically the Lower Ninth Ward, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Four friends (Moore, Johnson, Whitaker and Shipp, Jr.) can't find work or provide for their family in the aftermath of the tragedy, so they turn to a life of crime. It doesn't work out that great. This one is dark, violent and uneven. It has some big names, like Hawke, Howard and Snipes, who have roles on the fringes. Mostly it centers on the young men. Moore, who was great as Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse , is probably the best of the leads here. I didn't care for the story or the production, and I was relie...

  We're quickly coming to the end of February, but the late winter/spring period is often still filled with original content. March looks to keep up that trend as a busy month. So what of these new offerings should you consider? Let these weekly posts be your guide as I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted, and select unscripted, series this winter. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesday Nights: Young Rock, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC (Premiered February 16) About: This one comes from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, features him and tells the story of his childhood and early life. In the pilot we meet Johnson in 2032 as he's running for President of the United States. During an interview, he's asked about his early life and begins telling the story. The pilot jumped around, featuring Johnson at several different stages in his early life. This sounded like a fun and intriguing concept, but the pilot was criminally dull. The s...

  Finding a place to belong, an identity is important but it’s not always easy. That becomes even harder when you suffer a loss. The film Nomadland , which is nominated for several Golden Globe Awards and is now streaming on Hulu, tackles that subject as it looks at life for older Americans set adrift in a shifting economy. They’ve found identity and belonging in the world of the gig economy, traveling from place-to-place where there’s work and connecting in RV parks and campgrounds around the country. The film comes from director Chloé Zhao, who adapted the story for the screen from a non-fiction book by Jessica Bruder. It captures a slice of life, and a number of locations that we don’t often see. All of it is grounded in the fictional story of Fern (Frances McDormand), a world-weary and independent woman who hits the road in her van looking for work after she loses her husband and her Nevada town collapses after the local mine shuts down. She’s set adrift, trying to find her p...

  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. 2002: Best Picture: * Chicago * The Pianist * Gangs of New York * Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers * The Hours About: This was the year Chicago won. It is an interesting Best Picture field that doesn't have my favorite film from the year, which is also one of my favorite films ever. The Two Towers and Gangs of New York are tempting, but I'm sticking with Chicago here. Best Director: * Roman Polanski * Rob Marshall * Martin Scorsese * Pedro Almodovar * Stephen Daldry About: Polanski won here, but it isn't a person or film I would endorse. This, fo...

  2021 is the year I turn 40. As part of my celebration, I'm looking back at 40 years of movies, picking my favorite film from each year I've been around! To learn more about the criteria for this process, check this introduction . Each post will feature my pick, plus three runner's up. So check back over the next 40 weeks of this journey! 1981: Raiders of the Lost Ark Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Denholm Elliott, and John Rhys-Davies About: This classic from Steven Spielberg was my pick for 1981. It is a fun film, but also one that earned award recognition and has endured as a classic. This was the first Indiana Jones tale, but wouldn't be the last. Still, I think it's the best. Ford is great in this role, and the adventure is a lot of fun as they look for the Ark of the Covenant. There's action, some jokes, a bit of romance and of course Indiana Jones besting the Nazis. This collaboration between Spielberg and George Lucas is a film that I've see...

  "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him." -Nahum 1:7 Like most of the country, we have had some rough weather the last week. At this time a week ago, we were barely above freezing in Colorado Springs and preparing to go lower, much lower. The snow came, the cold came, and it was a lot to see. We weren't the only ones. I, like many, have watched those around the country, particularly in the South and Texas struggle with severe winter weather causing power outages, burst pipes and even death. It has been a tough week. And yet, we persevere. I don't do well with extreme weather. I tend to stress and fixate, so this stretch hasn't been great for me, either. But it has led to me focusing on God, focusing on His promises, and praising Him for His provision in my life. I thought of the verse above, and others, as I gave thanks for warmth and protection against the storms. As we emerged today, vaulting to the upper 40s and w...

  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. One of the last moves John Elway made before ceding the reigns to Paton was locking up left tackle Garrett Bolles. That wasn't always a certainty. Bolles was a first round pick, and for three years it was an up-and-down ride. That led the Broncos to pass on a fifth year option prior to the 2020 season. But during that season, Bolles turned in the kind of performance the Broncos had expected when they grabbed him in the 2017 draft, and so Elway locked him up. That answers one question on the line going into 2021. The Broncos have a few young pieces on the line, too, in guard Dalton Risner, going into his third year, and center Lloyd Cushenberry, going into his second year. They also signed veteran guard Graham Glasgow last off-season. Thos...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar (VOD) Starring: Kristin Wiig, Annie Mumolo, Jamie Dornan, and Damon Wayans Jr. Synopsis : Just in time for the holiday weekend, we finally got the release of Barb and Star , the new comedy from Wiig and Mumolo, who were the writers behind Bridesmaids. This one was originally going to be a summer 2020 release, but like so many things during COVID it was delayed. It was finally released on Friday on VOD, allowing audiences to get a glimpse of the fun comedy which is also an Oscar contender for its original music. Wiig and Mumolo play single friends and roommates of a certain age in Nebraska that are dealt a rough hand when the store where they work closes. IN response, they head to Vista Del Mar, a swanky retreat in Florida, for a bit of an escape and adventure. They meet a handsome and mysterious man (Dornan) who pulls them into a much larger plot, but also offers some fun adventures along the...

  We just finished President's Day Weekend, how was it for you? If you're like me, you spent it in some frigid winter weather. That's a good reason to sit inside and watch stuff, which I did. We also got a few new shows launching this last week, but were any of them good? Let's dive in. In this weekly post I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted, and select unscripted, series this winter. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Thursday Nights: Clarice, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on CBS (Premiered February 11) About: This latest drama for CBS is another take off from an established series of books and films. In this case, CBS has the rights to The Silence of the Lambs , but not all of it. It seems in the curious world of story rights, CBS can make a show that talks about anything from that Thomas Harris book aside from even mentioning the name Hannibal Lecter. If you've seen and love the movie, like me, you know that makes things pretty...

  "That's no reason to cry. One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid, and that makes me sad." - Dr. Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory One of the highlights of this COVID season has been exploring all that streaming sites have to offer. My wife and I went through The West Wing , I revisited The OC , and I've nearly completed a re-watch of Chuck . But I noticed on HBO Max that The Big Bang Theory was available. Neither of us had ever seen it on purpose, so we decided to give it a try. A month later, we just started season four... We watch an episode or two almost every day, often more. I typically watch all new series at least for a few episodes. But that's a practice I started about a decade ago, after The Big Bang Theory initially premiered. I had never seen the series when it first premiered, and didn't feel like jumping into the middle. Lindsay had just never tried it, but has a fondness for sitcoms. I wondered what made...

  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. 2001: Best Picture: * A Beautiful Mind * Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring * Gosford Park * In the Bedroom * Moulin Rouge! About: A Beautiful Mind won here. This is a tough field, even 20 years later. I wasn't a fan of Moulin Rouge! at all, and In The Bedroom and Gosford Park haven't held up well. I would probably stick with A Beautiful Mind . Best Director: * Peter Jackson * Ron Howard * Ridley Scott * David Lynch * Robert Altman About: Howard got the win here, and he delivered a fine movie. I liked what a number of the folks in this category...

  We're in 2021, which means it's the year that I turn 40. It's hard to believe. Sometimes I don't feel that old, sometimes it tracks for me. But either way, I started thinking about how I was going to celebrate and commemorate the year. A big part of that for me has always been films. I love films and always have. Watching films has been a big part of my journey, and I thought it made sense to make it a part of this mile marker in my life, too. So over the next 41 weeks (including today) I'll be going through my favorite film from each year of my life, from 1981 through 2020. As always, my Top 10 for the current year (2021) will drop on New Year's Eve. A few things about the list to come. Each week will feature my pick for my favorite film of the year. This is a personal favorite, a film I love and watch time and again. Some of them will be award contenders, but some of them will just be films that I love. Each week will also feature three runners up. Some year...

  The Hall of Fame inductees for the Class of 2021 were announced on Saturday, and among them were a pair of players who spent significant time with the Broncos. These will join the class elected last year, which includes Steve Atwater, as both will be enshrined together this August.  The first of those with Broncos ties is quarterback Peyton Manning. He's one of the best to ever play the game and was a sure thing to be inducted on the first ballot for the Hall of Fame. He played a total of 17 years, including the last four with the Broncos. He threw for 17,112 yards and 140 TDs in that time, guiding Denver to four straight division titles, two AFC Championship Games, two Super Bowls and the Super Bowl 50 title. Manning became one of my favorite players, and I was excited to see he made the Hall of Fame field. I also thought the way they arranged for him to find out was a really fun moment. The second player with Broncos ties to make the Hall of Fame was safety John Lynch. Ly...

  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 Broncos made a move on Wednesday, releasing cornerback A.J. Bouye. Just a year ago, John Elway made a splash by acquiring Bouye from the Jaguars for a fourth round pick. He was meant to shore up the secondary, but it didn't really work out that way. Bouye appeared in just seven games for the Broncos, going without an interception and recording just six passes defensed . He missed time early due to injuries, but he missed time at the end of the season thanks to a suspension for PED use. That suspension will carry over into the 2021 season. Releasing him saves the Broncos money and allows them to move on and address the position. But this will be a challenge for the Broncos. Releasing Bouye leaves the Broncos with six cornerbacks on the...

 Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week! Al Davis vs. The NFL (ESPN+) Synopsis: The latest in the ESPN 30 For 30 series, this one dropped on Thursday night. It's now available on demand on ESPN+. The film tracks former Raiders' owner and general manager Al Davis and his often contentious relationship with the NFL, particularly former commissioner Pete Rozelle. The film comes from director Ken Rodgers, who has made some of my favorite 30 For 30 entries on the NFL, including From Elway to Marino . Here, while the story is interesting the filmmakers make an interesting choice. Rodgers uses a CGI re-creation of both Davis and Rozelle to tell the story. It doesn't quite work as a framing device, which diminished the experience for me a bit. Still, it's an interesting story and exploration of a man who was doggedly determined to do whatever necessary to build the best team he could. Rating : N/A Verdict : Three stars out of four. Below Zero (Netflix) Starring :...

  The Super Bowl was Sunday, and following it we got the traditional new show launch. But, was it any good? And how about the other new shows that bowed this week? Let these weekly posts be your guide through the flood of new content this Winter and Spring. Each week I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks! Wednesday Night: Resident Alien, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on SyFy (Premiered January 27) About: This series stars Alan Tudyk as an alien trying to fit in as a doctor in a small Colorado mountain town while searching for his ship to, you know, end the Earth. I thought the pilot was fun in an unexpected way. Tudyk is a great performer and a gifted physical comedian. The pilot felt quirky and different and I was excited about the possibility. The second episode, by contrast, was a let down. It felt pretty stiff and felt like it was missing a lot of the pilot magic. It was awkward and felt stilted. So which ...

  Super Bowl LV, and with it the 2020 NFL Season, is in the books. And it was a wild one. Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl in 10 appearances with a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. It's a number that will never be caught and further solidifies his position as the best to play the position. In terms of being a fun game, this one wasn't. It wasn't super competitive as the Chiefs seemed to fold. It was a flat, and scoreless fourth quarter, too. The Buccaneers dominated in both halves on the way to a victory to end the season. For the Chiefs, a bid for back-to-back titles fell short. For the Buccaneers, Brady seem ready to run it back and they figure to be among the league's best teams again. Now, for a few other thoughts: * The Chiefs have great weapons in Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, and rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a solid season and some flashes in the Super Bowl. But the team needs another threat opposite Hill to compete in these big game...

  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. 2000: Best Picture: * Gladiator * Traffic * Erin Brockovich * Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon * Chocolat About : Gladiator got the win here. This is an interesting group of nominees. I enjoyed Traffic when it was released, and I still think it's an interesting film, but I don't know that it has held up. In the end, I'm sticking with Gladiator . Best Director: * Steven Soderbergh * Ridley Scott * Ang Lee * Stephen Daldry About : Soderbergh won here for Traffic . He was actually nominated for both that and Erin Brockovich , and it's fair to say it...

  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's question is about Drew Lock. Lock was drafted in the second round of the 2019 draft with the thought he could be the future of the franchise. That rookie season, he was injured in the pre-season and spent a bulk of the season on IR. He came off IR and started the final five games of the season, going 4-1 in those starts with 1,020 yards, seven TDs and three INTs. That gave fans, and the team, excitement heading into 2020. But Lock didn't progress as much as hoped. He started slow, and was injured in Week 2 against the Steelers. Lock ended up starting just 13 games, going 4-9 on the season with 2,933 yards, 16 TDs and 15 INTs. That lackluster, up-and-down performance combined with an 8-10 record as a starter has the Bronco...

  The Golden Globes are always wildly unpredictable and fun. Usually the nominations drop in December and the awards occur in early January. This year, due to COVID, the award season will look different. The Globes announced their nominees on Wednesday and the show will take place on February 28, nearly two months before the Oscars. As always, there were some good surprises and some bad ones. Below are a few thoughts on this year's field of film nominees. The Good: * Promising Young Woman . The film was my favorite of 2020, and remains the best I've seen from this awards season. I was thrilled to see it got so much love. Emerald Fennell earned a nomination, part of a historic group of female directing nominees. Carey Mulligan was recognized as well, and I hope to see the film do quite well this awards season. * Nomadland. This is another film I loved a lot that got several nominations, including for director Chloe Zhao, who delivered some stunning visuals. * Hamilton . Some wou...