Matt's Musings

  On Sunday the latest HBO series, the limited series Mare of Easttown , wrapped up its seven-episode run. The series was created by Brad Ingelsby ( The Way Back ), who wrote all seven episodes, while Craig Zobel ( The Leftovers , Westworld ) directed all seven. While the series started as a slow burn, I was impressed by the way it concluded and brought this story to life. The focus was on a detective (Kate Winslet) in a small Pennsylvania town. She is struggling myriad personal issues stemming from the death of her son, and struggling professionally with the case of a missing girl she couldn't solve. When another young girl in town turns up murdered, the pressure for everything becomes amplified. The series had a good hook and a good supporting cast, but mostly it came down to Winslet, the character of Mare and the emotional resonance of the story. These kind of crime shows draw viewers in, and while you need to land the case in the end, it's the characters and the emotions 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. 2014: Best Picture: * American Sniper * Whiplash * Birdman * Boyhood * The Imitation Game * The Grand Budapest Hotel * Selma * The Theory of Everything About : This was the year Birdman won. It's a fine film in its own way. HOWEVER, I am all in on Whiplash , the fantastic drama from Damien Chazelle. It's my pick here. Best Director: * Alejandro G. Iñárritu * Richard Linlater * Bennett Miller * Wes Anderson * Morten Tyldum About: Inarritu won for Birdman and I'd stick with that here. Best Actor: * Eddie Redmayne * Bradley Cooper * Steve Carell * Bened...

  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! 1995: Heat About: This crime thriller from Michael Mann is about a crew pulling off bank robberies and the cops set to catch them. It is also famous for being the first time iconic performers Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shared the screen together. I love the pacing and the story here. It has an incredible cast, from a teen Natalie Portman to these two iconic stars. Mann does a great job crafting the story and leads into an epic shootout in downtown Los Angeles that remains one of the most memorable parts of the film. When it came to 1995, there are a number of films I liked, but this is the standout for me. Other Considerations: Bad Boys...

  The 2021 NFL Draft is over and Rookie Draft season is here. Post-Draft, I'm looking at my updated Rookie Rankings position-by-position. Three weeks ago I began quarterbacks, two weeks ago I looked at running backs. Last week I looked at wide receiver. Today I conclude with tight ends, which gets real thin real early. Let's take a look! TEs: 1. Kyle Pitts, Falcons : Pitts a beast and a Top 5 selection in rookie drafts in all formats. He's by far the best option at tight end in this class, and one of the best in the last few years. 2. Pat Freiermuth, Steelers : Freiermuth landed in a decent spot, and I think he'll end up being good. But that likely won't come in 2021. 3. Hunter Long, Dolphins : Here's where we start to take a dip. I like Long, but the landing spot at the Dolphins was puzzeling. 4. Brevin Jordan, Texans : I liked Jordan pre-draft, and the Texans isn't a bad spot, depending on QB. But Jordan went in the Fifth Round, which isn't a hopeful s...

  The NFL Draft is over, so it's time to re-visit the Broncos' position groups and see where the team is heading into the season. Today I'm continuing with the Quarterbacks. This has been the hot topic this week, and will continue to be throughout the off-season and likely the rest of the 2021 season. As OTAs heat up, we're finally seeing the competition between Drew Lock, the third-year quarterback for the Broncos, and Teddy Bridgewater, the veteran who was added as competition. And that's without considering the possibility that the Broncos could end up with reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers. If that happens, he'll be the starter. But, personally, I think it's a long shot due to the potential cost and the fact the Packers likely won't part with him. So, let's look at the quarterbacks we know we'll have. Bridgewater is the veteran. He was once a First Round pick by the Minnesota Vikings, where he played for his first four seasons. He was once, for the ...

  Here's a look at the new releases I saw this week. Army of the Dead (Netflix) Starring : Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Tig Notaro, and Garret Dillahunt Synopsis : Zack Snyder is a polarizing filmmaker. He has delivered some popular and interesting films, but they don't always land. Some love his work. Some hate it. I have loved some of his films, including his cut of The Justice League released earlier this year. But some have failed to land. Army of the Dead, his latest film, falls into that latter category. It's set in Las Vegas, after a military experiment gone wrong wreaks havoc on the city, turning it into a zombified wasteland. As America prepares to wipe it from the map, a group of raiders enter the city to take one last shot at getting a fortune. Things don't go as planned. This film, which is a high-profile swing for Netflix, features all the hallmarks of Snyder, for the good and the bad. The opening is clever, and the openin...

  We're approaching Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer. For the Networks, it's a lot of game shows and reality programming returning to the airwaves, but for other streaming channels and cable outlets, it's full speed ahead. Perhaps you're ready to dive into a new show over the holiday weekend, but what's worth your time? Let this weekly column be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this summer. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Sunday Nights: Run the World, Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on Starz (Premiered May 16) About: As I noted last week when looking at the pilot, this feels like the kind of female-centric half hour that can help brand a network and create a following. The second episode did little to change my mind about that. This feels like it works well with a lot of the Starz original programming and has some nice performances. It wasn't totally my cup of tea, but it feels like...

  The NFL Draft is over, so it's time to re-visit the Broncos' position groups and see where the team is heading into the season. Today I'm continuing with the Wide Receivers. This group has a lot of talent and potential, and also under-went a change. DaeSean Hamilton, who was heading into his fourth season in Denver, tore his ACL away from the team. While it was unclear what role he'd play, or if he'd even be on the team, the injury clarified things. The Broncos released him, similar to what was done with Ja'Wuan James. But the Broncos have plenty of other options. That starts with fellow fourth-year guy Courtland Sutton. The Broncos' No. 1 receiver missed most of 2020, but he's due back healthy to start training camp. That will make a big difference for Drew Lock, who needs to take a step forward in year three. We will also, hopefully, get to see Sutton and Jerry Jeudy paired together on the field for a season, which is an exciting prospect. Jeudy had ...

  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! 1994: The Paper About : When I was younger, seeing this movie helped me want to be a journalist. That's something I eventually went to college for and something I did full-time for the first few years out of college. I still write about sports and entertainment, and I've always loved the idea of working for a newspaper. This Ron Howard film has a fantastic cast, led by Michael Keaton, one of my favorite actors. It's about a day in the life of the Metro Editor, his family, and the rest of the newspaper staff at the fictional New York Sun . This one has comedy, drama and some iconic scenes. The face off between Keaton and Glenn C...

  The 2021 NFL Draft is over and Rookie Draft season is here. Post-Draft, I'm looking at my updated Rookie Rankings position-by-position. Two weeks ago I began quarterbacks, and last week I looked at running backs. Wide Receiver was deep, but also a bit top-heavy. Let's take a look! WR: 1. Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals . Chase was the top receiver and lands in a good spot with former college teammate Joe Burrow. 2. DeVonta Smith, Eagles . Smith is a good talent and lands in a spot where he could thrive. 3. Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins . I go back-and-forth with Smith and Waddle, but I think the Dolphins have more receivers and still aren't a high-volume pass offense. 4. Rashod Bateman, Ravens . I'm not a huge fan of the Ravens' pass offense, but I do like Bateman's talent and potential. 5. Terrace Marshall, Jr., Panthers . This is a matter of the player landing in a great spot with Joe Brady and the Panthers' offense. 6. Elijah Moore, Jets . There is a good opening ...

  One of the many things lost last year was an annual event I always enjoy, Upfronts Week, a time when the Networks unveil their Fall schedules. This Upfronts week doesn't look exactly like it has in year's past, but the schedules are still rolling out, and I'll be here to look at them. For each network I'll be looking at the Best Scheduling Move, Most Curious Scheduling Move, Most Promising New Show and Least Promising New Show. CBS: Best Scheduling Move: NBC has had good success turning over a night of Prime Time programming to Dick Wolf. In fact, they liked it so much they're doing it twice this Fall. Now CBS is in on the action, programming a full night of FBI shows, including the newest one FBI: International , on Tuesdays in the Fall. It makes sense to keep those together and build a solid night of programming. Most Curious Scheduling Move: For years NCIS has been an anchor on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. In a bold scheduling move, CBS is swinging it to Monday nights ...

  One of the many things lost last year was an annual event I always enjoy, Upfronts Week, a time when the Networks unveil their Fall schedules. This Upfronts week doesn't look exactly like it has in year's past, but the schedules are still rolling out, and I'll be here to look at them. For each network I'll be looking at the Best Scheduling Move, Most Curious Scheduling Move, Most Promising New Show and Least Promising New Show. ABC: Best Scheduling Move: ABC has found some success and stability with its Monday night, pairing Dancing With the Stars and The Good Doctor . They have kept that in tact for the 2021-2022 season, and that makes some good sense. Otherwise, it's a pretty vanilla schedule, so there's not a lot to nitpick. Most Curious Scheduling Move: It's taken ABC some time to find a Tuesday night 10 p.m. drama that sticks. But the network found that in 2020 with Big Sky, the drama from David E. Kelley. So, naturally, they're moving the show....

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Air Strike (Netflix) Starring: Bruce Willis, Adrien Brody and Rumer Willis Synopsis: Willis, his daughter and Brody are the token Americans in this film about Chinese pilots and soldiers battling the Japanese Army during World War II. This one has middling special effects and a mediocre story to go along with a flat production. I was thinking it would be, at least, an interesting war movie, but there's nothing here to draw you in. This film, produced in 2018, is best safely skipped. Rating : R for war violence including disturbing images, and for language. Verdict: Zero stars out of four. Arctic (Starz) Starring: Mads Mikkelsen Synopsis: This taught drama is about a pilot (Mikkelsen) who has crashed in arctic and is trying to survive. When a helicopter arrives, he thinks it's his salvation. Instead, the helicopter crashes and the man soon becomes a caretaker for a young woman (Maria Thelma Smáradóttir) who was the sole ...

  One of the many things lost last year was an annual event I always enjoy, Upfronts Week, a time when the Networks unveil their Fall schedules. This Upfronts week doesn't look exactly like it has in year's past, but the schedules are still rolling out, and I'll be here to look at them. For each network I'll be looking at the Best Scheduling Move, Most Curious Scheduling Move, Most Promising New Show and Least Promising New Show. FOX: Best Scheduling Move: In 2019, FOX introduced 911: Lone Star as a means of keeping the popular franchise on the air each week during the broadcast season. Due to the pandemic delay, both 911 and Lone Star aired as a block on Monday nights this winter. In 2021-2022, FOX is going back to the original plan. That keeps a 911 series on the air each week, likely as a Monday anchor. I think it's a wise move that gives the network its best flexibility. Most Curious Scheduling Move: I'll be honest, there isn't really anything here I...

  How’s your May going? The networks are wrapping up seasons and trying to get us hyped for the Fall, but there are still plenty of cable and streaming series setting up shop for the Summer. But what of these new offerings are worth your time? Let this weekly column be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Thursdays: Hacks, Thursdays on HBO Max (Premiered May 13) About: This new comedy centers on Jean Smart as an aging comic still headlining in Las Vegas. But her hold on that slot is beginning to wane as the Casinos want to pull in a younger crowd. Meanwhile Ava (Hannah Einbinder) is a young comedy writer whose Social Media barb has gotten her in hot water. Soon, their mutual agent (Paul W. Downs) puts them together, hoping they can help each other get their careers back on track. This is an outlandish and fun comedy at times. Smart is great in the lead role, and Einbinder ...

  One of the many things lost last year was an annual event I always enjoy, Upfronts Week, a time when the Networks unveil their Fall schedules. This Upfronts week doesn't look exactly like it has in year's past, but the schedules are still rolling out, and I'll be here to look at them. For each network I'll be looking at the Best Scheduling Move, Most Curious Scheduling Move, Most Promising New Show and Least Promising New Show. NBC: Best Scheduling Move: NBC was the first to unveil a schedule and it feels quite vanilla. I'm not really excited by any of it, but the best decision seems to be keeping the three-hour Chicago block together on Wednesday nights. While it doesn't move the needle for me, personally, it seems to have plenty of fans, and it makes sense to keep a strong, stable block on the schedule. It is the first half of back-to-back Dick Wolf-produced nights, with the Chicago Trio on Wednesdays and three Law & Order series on Thursdays, includi...

  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. 2013: Best Picture: * 12 Years A Slave * The Wolf of Wall Street * Gravity * American Hustle * Captain Phillips * Philomena * Nebraska * Dallas Buyers Club * Her About : This was the year 12 Years A Slave won, and it's a worthy winner. There were some fascinating films in this group. And as I've thought about this, eight years later, I would go with The Wolf of Wall Street. Best Director: * Alfonso Cuaron * Steve McQueen * Martin Scorsese * David O. Russell * Alexander Payne About : This is a really good group. Cuaron won for his work on Gravity , and I wo...

  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! 1993: Jurassic Park About: I still vividly remember the first time I saw this film in a theater. It was in Arroyo Grande, I was 12 and it was thrilling. There was a sense of awe and wonder that washed over me. It soon became the first adult book I ever read, and began a lifelong love of Michael Crichton and his stories. I still love Jurassic Park , and it still fills me with awe, wonder and joy. It's one of my favorite films of all time, and an easy choice to top this list despite the fact this year includes two of my all time favorite films. I also appreciate the deeper social and theological issues this film explores about the natur...

  The 2021 NFL Draft is over and Rookie Draft season is here. Post-Draft, I'm looking at my updated Rookie Rankings position-by-position. I began last week with quarterbacks, and today I look at running backs. It's a top-heavy class, so if you don't get a running back early, you can safely wait. Let's take a look! RB: 1. Najee Harris, Steelers . He should be the clear No.1 pick in non-Superflex and possibly for Superflex drafts. He's a good talent that landed in a great spot. 2. Javonte Williams, Broncos. Williams was my No. 2 back heading into the draft, and I love the landing spot in Denver. He might share with Gordon in 2021, but he's the future there. 3. Travis Etienne, Jaguars . I don't buy that he's a third-down back. I think that's smoke and sooner or later he'll have a big role for the Jaguars. My James Robinson shares are bummed. 4. Michael Carter, Jets . Carter went at the top of the Fourth Round, but I love the landing spot. He's ...

  Wednesday was a big day for the Broncos as the team got its 2021 schedule, along with the rest of the NFL, and also worked toward filling the hole at right tackle left by the injury to Ja'Wuan James. So, let's dive in! 2021 NFL Schedule: The Broncos will open the season with two straight road games. The first is in New York against the Giants on the first Sunday, the second is a trip to take on Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. When the Broncos finally return home, in Week 3, it will be hosting the New York Jets. That means the Broncos will battle the top two picks in the 2021 NFL Draft in consecutive weeks. The Broncos' lone Prime Time game comes in Week 7, when the team travels to Cleveland to battle the Browns on Thursday Night Football . With the 17-game schedule comes unbalanced home games. In 2021, the Broncos get a ninth regular season home game, and that bonus game comes in Week 14, as the team hosts the Detroit Lions. The Broncos' bye we...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Monster (Netflix) Starring : Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Jeffery Wright, Jennifer Hudson, ASAP Rocky, John David Washington, and Jennifer Ehle Synopsis : This film for Netflix debuted on May 7, but was originally released during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. It centers on a high school student, Steve Harmon (Harrison), from a good family who is accused of participating in a robbery where the store owner was killed. He's a bright young student who wants to become a filmmaker, and now he's thrust into an adult holding facility, on trial for his life. His public defender (Ehle) is cold, his parents (Wright and Hudson) are fretting and the street gang members he casually befriended (Washington and Rocky) are happy to sell him out. Steve is caught in the middle, trying to remain calm. This is a well acted and well produced film. The script from Colen Wiley and Janece Shaffer unfolds in a fascinating and engrossing way to show the e...

  The days are getting warmer and longer, and the original content is heating up, too. While traditional networks are winding down for the season, the cable and streaming outlets are keeping the new shows coming. But what is worth your time to check out? Let these weekly posts be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Thursday Nights: Let’s Be Real, Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. on FOX (Premiered April 29) About: This new series is a puppet sketch comedy from Robert Smigel. It started as a special last year and now is a weekly series, using puppets to skewing political figures and stories. The first episode had some funny sketches and some that didn’t land. The second episode felt like it leaned more toward not landing. The idea is OK, and the concept is executed well, but this doesn’t feel like appointment viewing. If you’re looking for a quick distraction, a sketch show like th...

  It's nearly summer and things are starting to open back up. That includes theaters, where we're starting to see movies as normal. I love summer movies, seeing the blockbusters and the fun of summer at the movies. So, I've looked ahead to the films slated for release between Memorial Day Weekend and August. Below are some of the highlights in chronological order. A Quiet Place II (May 28) : This sequel to the original picks up where things left off. This was one of the first films that was supposed to release when the pandemic hit in 2020 that was pushed. It finally lands on Memorial Day Weekend to kick-start the summer. Emily Blunt is back and John Krasinski is back at the helm directing. In The Heights (June 11) : This musical is an adaptation of the stage play from Lin-Manuel Miranda. It looks to have a good cast and has some good reviews so far. I'm excited to see this one, which drops in theaters and on HBO Max that same day. F9 (June 25): The ninth installment i...

  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. 2012: Best Picture: * Argo * Silver Linings Playbook * Django Unchained * Life of Pi * Amour * Lincoln * Beasts of the Southern Wild * Zero Dark Thirty * Les Miserables About : Argo was the winner, and it's a decent film. There are some good nominees in this year, but I'm going with Silver Linings Playbook . Best Director: * Ang Lee * David O. Russell * Steven Spielberg * Behn Zeitling * Michael Haneke About : Lee won for Life of Pi, a visually stunning film. I'm sticking with him. Best Actor: * Daniel Day Lewis * Bradley Cooper * Hugh Jackman * Joaqu...

  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! 1992: A Few Good Men About: There are a few movies from this year that I like, but it really came down to two for this top spot. I've gone back-and-forth, but settled on A Few Good Men , which draws from an Aaron Sorkin script, has a loaded cast and some great and memorable court room scenes. People often think of Tom Cruise as kind of a pop movie star, but it's films like this that show his acting chops. I thought he was good here, as is Jack Nicholson, and that final face off is an iconic scene for a reason. I like Sorkin's script, the story and the way it all plays out. Other Considerations: The Last of the Mohicans About: ...