Matt's Musings

  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! 2004:   Million Dollar Baby About: What a powerful and fascinating film. For me, it's Clint Eastwood's best work as a director and perhaps his best performance as an actor. I remember when I first saw the film, expecting a sports movie about a scrappy woman who tries to make it. And it is that. Hilary Swank is great in that role, and Morgan Freeman is great, too. But it's the switch the film makes for the final act, and the heart-breaking and thought-provoking turn the story takes that made it incredibly powerful. It was my favorite of the year it was released, and one of my favorites of that decade. Other Considerations: The ...

  Last off-season I ticked down my favorite Broncos of All Time. This off-season, to pass the weeks until we get football, I'm going to be sharing my Top 5 at each position, plus an Honorable Mention. Today I continue with wide receivers. 1. Rod Smith (1995-2006) Stats: 849 receptions, 11,389 yards, 68 TDs About : Smith is easily the greatest receiver in Broncos' history, and my favorite. He was an undrafted player that rose to be the best, the top receiver on back-to-back Super Bowl winning teams. I hope at some point he makes it to the Hall of Fame. 2. Demaryius Thomas (2010-2018) Stats: 665 receptions, 9,055 yards, 60 TDs About : Thomas was a great Bronco. He is one of the most iconic moments, catching the pass from Tim Tebow that led to a touchdown in a playoff win over the Steelers. He was also the team's top receiver during the Super Bowl 50 season. I loved watching him play and was heart-broken when he was traded. He was a great one. 3. Brandon Marshall (2006-2009)...

  Anyone who has followed my writing for a while knows I love Olympic competition. My favorite is the Summer Games, and every four years I get hyped to watch it all unfold, staying up late at night to watch the prime time events. That's no different this year. We had to wait an extra long time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which finally bowed on July 23, 2021. We're now nearly a week into the competition and we've seen the highs and lows. I thought I'd take a second to share a few of my thoughts from all that we've seen so far! * Men's Basketball Flops : In our opening Men's Basketball Game we lost to France. It was the first loss in several Olympics, dating back to the 2004 games when we took Bronze. The U.S. has since rebounded to crush Iran, but it was an inauspicious start. It's fair to wonder if the rigors of the re-worked NBA seasons in 2020 and 2021 are going to take a toll on a team that's mostly comprised of NBA players, some of whom were pla...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Cosmic Sin (Netflix) Starring : Frank Grillo, Bruce Willis, and Perrey Reeves Synopsis: This latest film from Netflix is set in the future, where a war in space has fractured society. When first contact is made, threatening what remains, a group of soldiers, including a disgraced former commander (Willis), are called to embark on a risky mission to save the world. This one has an intriguing concept and a decent cast that all combine to make something practically unwatchable. The story ends up convoluted, the cast is largely a waste and the film feels like a slog despite being about 90 minutes. This is a creative misfire at nearly every level. Rating:  R for language including some sexual references, and violence. Verdict : One star out of four Danny Doom (Amazon Prime, July 30) Starring: Gavin Michaels and Brett Hargrave Synopsis: This new independent film comes from a guy I went to college with. I was thrilled to come acros...

  The Summer Olympics bowed in Tokyo on Friday night after a year of delays. Olympic competition will dominate the Prime-Time landscape, as well as every other time slot, for the new few weeks. Given that, it’s no surprise that the release of new series slowed some. We’ve also gotten a flood of new series earlier in July. Still, there are some options and I’m here to review the pilot and second episode so you can determine what’s worth your time and what’s safely skipped. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Wednesdays: Turner & Hooch, Wednesdays on Disney+ (Premiered July 21) About : Back in 1989, we got a different kind of buddy comedy as Tom Hanks paired with a precocious pooch in the comedy Turner and Hooch . Now, Disney is bringing it back, this time as a weekly series that treads over the familiar ground. Adapted for television by Matt Nix ( Burn Notice , The Gifted ), this one centers on Scott Turner (Josh Peck), a young agent working with the U.S...

 It's July and the 2021 NFL Season is rapidly approaching. As it does, I'm going to be looking at some key position battles throughout the league each Monday as a preview of the upcoming NFL Season. Another backfield in flux is in San Francisco. The 49ers have used a plethora of backs the past few years, but this off-season it seemed like some clarity was coming as Tevin Coleman moved on to the Jets and Jerrick McKinnon moved on to the Chiefs. That left Raheem Mostert and last year's fast riser Jeff Wilson to lead the backfield. Then the NFL Draft came, and the 49ers moved up to take Ohio State running back Trey Sermon in the Third Round. It raised more than a few eyebrows. Then the team grabbed Elijah Mitchell in the Sixth Round and later signed Wayne Gallman, creating a crowd again. The backfield got a little clarity as Wilson suffered an injury that will knock him out until November at the earliest. Still, it's fair to assume the 49ers didn't move up in the 2021 ...

  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. We come to the final year and the end of this ride. 2020: Best Picture: * Nomadland * The Father * Promising Young Woman * Judas and the Black Messiah * Mank * Minari * Sound of Metal * The Trial of the Chicago 7 About : Nomadland won the honors here, and in terms of Best Picture selections, it's a worthy one. It wasn't my favorite of the films, but it might be the most complete and I would stick with it. Best Director: * Chloe Zhao * David Fincher * Emerald Fennell * Lee Isaac Chung * Thomas Vinterberg About : Zhao won the award and she would have been m...

  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! 2003: Elf About: I've noted before that 2003 was a great year for Christmas movies. There are a number of them that were released during the year that I watch frequently, but the greatest of those is Elf . This little comedy from Jon Favreau starring Will Ferrell not only was a delight, it became an instant classic. I love the film and it was an easy choice to top my life for 2003. Other Considerations: Love Actually About : Another Christmas movie, this one from writer/director Richard Curtis this one follows a series of stories all focused on love and relationships, set at Christmas. I enjoyed it a bunch when it was released and hav...

  Last off-season I ticked down my favorite Broncos of All Time. This off-season, to pass the weeks until we get football, I'm going to be sharing my Top 5 at each position, plus an Honorable Mention. Today I continue with running backs. 1. Terrell Davis (1995-2001) Stars: 7,607 yards and 60 TDs; 169 receptions, 1,280 yards, 5 TDs About : Davis is one of my favorite players of All Time and I was thrilled when he made it into the Hall of Fame. He was integral to the best stretch of Broncos' football, including the team's first two Super Bowl titles. His 2,000 yard season was one of my favorites to watch. 2. Clinton Portis (2002-2003) Stats: 3,099 yards, 29 TDs; 71 receptions, 678 yards, 2 TDs About: Portis was only a Bronco for two years, but he left an impression. He rushed for more than 3,000 yards in those two seasons and was one of the best running backs in the league. He was also a heck of a lot of fun to watch. While I was sad to see him go, I was grateful that his ...

  We're on the cusp of Training Camp, and over the next six weeks the Broncos will narrow down the group that will become the final 53. Before it kicks off, I'm going to make my fearless predictions! QB (2): * Drew Lock * Teddy Bridgewater About : The Broncos could keep three QBs, but I think they'll keep just two. I think Lock is the starter and Bridgewater is the insurance. I suspect Rypien will end up on the Practice Squad for emergencies. RB (4): * Melvin Gordon * Javonte Williams * Mike Boone * Damarea Crockett About : I'm projecting four, but maybe not the four you expected. Gordon, Williams and Boone are locks. I think Royce Freeman is either traded or released, and the Broncos keep a younger guy for depth. I went with Crockett, who had good size. WR (6): * Courtland Sutton * Jerry Jeudy * K.J. Hamler * Tim Patrick * Kendall Hinton * Warren Jackson About: I picked six here. Sutton, Jeudy, Patrick and Hamler are locks. What about the rest? Diontae Spencer could m...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (Netflix) Starring: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Ashley Zukerman, Benjamin Flores, Jr., and Alison Brie Synopsis: This is the third and final installment of the inter-connected horror films based on the R.L. Stine novels. This one begins where the second installment left off, with Deena (Madeira) transported back to 1666 to see the events through Sarah Fier's eyes. In fact, most of the primary cast from the original installment pops up in the form of ancestors as the events play out and the truth is revealed. After than interlude, Deena returns to 1994 to finish it, recruiting her friends and Ziggy Berman (Brie) to square off against the real threat and break the curse. This one wrapped up a lot of the hanging threads and was almost like two films in one. It's the longest of the series, but not by much. It brings the whole thing to a satisfying resolution, as Leigh Janiak finishes the st...

  We’re heading toward the Dog Days of Summer, and with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics finally debuting Friday, you’d be forgiven for having your attention focused elsewhere. Still, we’re getting new series, and some of them are quite engaging. But what’s worth your time and what can you skip to watch the U.S. Athletes hit the pool? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series, and select unscripted series, this summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Monday Nights: The Beast Must Die, Mondays at 9 p.m. on AMC (Premiered July 12) About : This drama centers on a mother (Cush Jumbo) who lost her child in a hit-and-run accident. Dissatisfied with the lack of results from the police, she decides to find the killer on her own. Following a trail, she finds the suspected family responsible and begins the process of ingratiating herself with them in order to plot her revenge. The pilot moved at a fairly glacial pac...

  It's July and the 2021 NFL Season is rapidly approaching. As it does, I'm going to be looking at some key position battles throughout the league each Monday as a preview of the upcoming NFL Season. Today, it's the backfield in Jacksonville. Last year, undrafted rookie James Robinson rose up and seized the spot. The team had released Leonard Fournette, who landed on the Buccaneers, and had Devine Ozigbo and Ryquell Armstead on the COVID IR. So it was down to Robinson, who shined. He rushed for 1,070 yards and seven TDs, catching 49 passes for 344 yards and three TDs. The Jaguars weren't great as a team, but Robinson was great. And it was fair to expect that to continue in 2021. Then the off-season happened. Urban Meyer came in as coach and early in the process signed veteran Carlos Hyde to add depth and competition. Then, in the draft, the team spent an early pick on Travis Etienne, the running back out of Clemson. Now, Robinson finds himself with plenty of competition...

  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. 2019: Best Picture: * Jojo Rabbit * Parasite * The Irishman * Marriage Story * Ford v Ferrari * Joker * Little Women * 1917 * Once Upon A Time in Hollywood About: Parasite was the winner here, but I'm going with 1917 , which I thought was visually stunning. Best Director: * Bong Joon-Ho * Todd Phillips * Sam Mendes * Martin Scorsese * Quentin Tarantino About : Joon-Ho was the winner, but I'm going with Sam Mendes. Best Actor: * Joaquin Phoenix * Adam Driver * Antonio Banderas * Leonardo DiCaprio * Jonathan Pryce About : Phoenix won and while I didn't...

  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! 2002: About Schmidt About: There are movies that I fall in love with on a first viewing. About Schmidt was such a film. It was easily my favorite of the year, and one of my favorites of all time. The writing and pacing from Alexander Payne is beautiful, but it's the rich performances here. Kathy Bates is wonderful in a supporting role and Jack Nicholson is incredible in a different kind of role. The ending of this film is just beautiful to me. Other Considerations: Signs About: M. Night Shymalan has made some very interesting films. Many are more high profile than Signs , but none are better. This is my favorite of his films, but fo...

  Last off-season I ticked down my favorite Broncos of All Time. This off-season, to pass the weeks until we get football, I'm going to be sharing my Top 5 at each position, plus an Honorable Mention. Today I kick that off with quarterbacks. 1. John Elway (1983-19998) Stats: 51,475 passing yards, 300 TDs, 3,407 rushing yards, 33 TDs About: Elway is my favorite Broncos' player of all time, period. He was incredible to watch on the field and holds all the Broncos' passing records. He was Denver football for me growing up, so it was an easy call for him to top this list. 2. Peyton Manning (2012-2015) Stats: 17,112 passing yards, 140 TDs; -55 rushing yards, 1 TD About: Unlike Elway, Manning didn't spend his entire career in Denver. While he was with the Colts, he was one of the players I hated the most because Denver could never get past him. But since coming to the Broncos, my feel for him changed. He was a lot of fun to watch, bringing the Broncos to the playoffs all ...

  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 concluding with Special Teams. This unit is locked in a lot of ways. The Broncos made some moves this off-season, leaving Brandon McManus as the lone kicker, Sam Martin as the lone Punter and Jacob Bobenmoyer as the lone Long Snapper. Those three should make it as specialists barring some kind of meltdown in camp. So, short post today, right? Well, yes and no. The specialists feel pretty locked in, but what about the return game. Here's where it gets a bit interesting. Special Teams can be a gateway to bubble players making the roster. One of those is Diontae Spencer, who is a WR5-7 on the team, but has earned his spot the past few seasons as the primary returner. As the crush of talent at receiver and the secondary becomes more serious, those spots can be valuable if someone else can pick up that role. Heading into Camp, Spencer is...

  Here's a look at the new films I saw this week. Black Widow (Theaters/Disney+) Starring: Scarlett Johansson, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, Florence Pugh, and Ray Winstone Synopsis: After many years of playing a supporting role in other characters' films, or as part of The Avengers, Black Widow (Johansson) finally got her own film and starring role. And this one required a long wait. While the events take place between the action of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War , the film was originally slatted to release last summer after years of delays. Then the pandemic hit, and the film was delayed again. After all that time, it released on Friday and proved worth the wait. Johansson is great in this role, and this was a nice tribute to her character. We learn more about her backstory, including the Russian agents (Harbour and Weisz) and young girl (Pugh) who were once her "family." This is a film about a sisterly bond, and the interactions between Joh...

  We've into the middle of July and we're starting to see the flood of original content crest this summer. It can be a lot to keep up with, so let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted, and select unscripted, series this summer. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Monday Nights: The Beast Must Die, Mondays at 10 p.m. on AMC (Premiered July 12) About: This series, which is a co-production overseas, has more episodes available on AMC+ Streaming Service, where it debuted on July 5. The broadcast premier was last night, as the series focuses on a grieving mother (Cush Jumbo) whose child was killed in a hit-and-run accident. Unable to get satisfaction from the authorities, she decides to find the perpetrator herself and make them pay. The pilot was mostly about that decision and her investigation. We leave the first hour without a lot of answers, but the idea is sound and Jumbo is good in the lead role. Futur...

  It's July and the 2021 NFL Season is rapidly approaching. As it does, I'm going to be looking at some key position battles throughout the league each Monday as a preview of the upcoming NFL Season. The Cardinals were led last season by a pair of Top 25 backs, Chase Edmonds, the pass-catcher, and Kenyan Drake. Drake had a surprisingly good season, rushing for more than 900 yards and finishing as RB16 . But Drake moved on to the Las Vegas Raiders this off-season, leaving a void in the Arizona backfield. Edmonds is back, and the Cardinals also signed free agent James Conner, from Pittsburgh. Edmonds was RB25 last season, rushing for 448 yards and a touchdown on 97 carries . He also added 53 receptions for 402 yards and four TDs. He figures to be a decent pass-catcher, but he's never had 100 or more carries in a season. Conner has had big seasons in the past, but struggled with injuries the past few seasons. In 2020, he rushed for 721 yards and 6 TDs on 169 carries . He also ...

  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. 2018: Best Picture: * Green Book * Roma * A Star Is Born * Black Panther * BlacKkKlansman * Bohemian Rhapsody * The Favourite * Vice About : Green Book won this award, but I'm going another way. I'm going with Black Panther . Best Director: * Alfonso Cuaron * Spike Lee * Adam McKay * Yorgos Lanthimos * Pawel Pawlikowski About : Cuaron won for Roma . It's a decent pick, but I'm going with Lee. Best Actor: * Rami Malek * Christian Bale * Bradley Cooper * Willem Dafoe * Viggo Mortensen About : Malek won. It should have been Cooper. He's my pick....

  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! 2001: Pearl Harbor About: I remember when I first saw this film. It was the big Memorial Day release that summer, and I was excited to see it. Those who are regular followers of my work know I love Michael Bay films, and this was a good one, mixing the most memorable moment early in World War II with Bay's unique style and the story of two friends as close as brothers. This one has a sweep score, but that attack sequence was stirring. It's not done to the level of something like Saving Private Ryan, but I thought it was well done. It continues to be a film I enjoy and have seen many times. Other Considerations: The Man Who Wasn...

  We're into July, meaning the mid-point of the year. I decided to take a minute and look at my best and worst of the year so far. We'll see how much this changes once we hit December. Also a couple notes before we start. For Films, I only considered movies that weren't nominated for awards. Last Academy Awards cycle was odd due to the pandemic, allowing films released in January and February to compete for the Oscars, so many released in the first couple months already had their moment in the Oscar sun and aren't on the list. For TV, I'm only including series that have completed a season and for which I've seen all the episodes! Top 10 Movies So Far: 1. Zack Snyder's Justice League (HBO Max) 2. Herself (Amazon Prime) 3. Riders of Justice (VOD) 4. A Quiet Place II (Theaters) 5. The Courier (VOD) 6. Church People 7. Summer of Soul (Hulu) 8. I Care A Lot (Netflix) 9. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (VOD) 10. Tom Clancy's Without Remorse (Amazon Prime) Bo...

  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 safeties. This off-season, the Broncos secured their starting safeties. Justin Simmons is one of the best players at the position in the NFL, and after applying a Franchise Tag, the Broncos were able to work out a long-term deal. That's great news for this season and moving forward. Simmons is a great player and an anchor at the position. His running mate for the past two seasons, Kareem Jackson, is also back. He agreed to a lesser rate, and now he'll join with Simmons to give the Broncos a pair of top starting safeties. They are locks for the roster, and are the two best players at the position on the roster. The rest of the safety group is a work in progress. The Broncos have Trey Marshall, a good backup and Special Teams player, and second-year player P.J. Locke. The team also has a pair of rookies Caden S...

  A look at the new movies I saw this week. Audible (Netflix) Synopsis : This new documentary tracks athletes and their families playing for a football team at a deaf school in Frederick, Maryland. The film features interviews with the athletes, families and coaches. It's only about 38 minutes, but it provides a snapshot into not only the athletic experience but the daily lives of those involved. I thought it was an interesting story and a unique perspective, though it didn't dive deep enough into the lives of the players and coaches in the story for my liking. It's OK and interesting, a well-made documentary. Rating : Rated PG-13 for thematic material and brief strong language. Verdict : Two stars out of four Bill & Ted Face the Music (Hulu) Starring : Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Kristin Schaal, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Erinn Hayes, and Jayma Mays Synopsis: This third installment in the Bill & Ted franchise find an older Bill (Winter) and Ted (Reeves)...