Matt's Musings

  We've reached the end of the year but before we head into 2023, it's time to look back at what we loved in 2022. As the second and final post of movie day, and the last post of 2022, I'm offering my picks for the Best and Worst films of 2022. Below are my Top 10 and Bottom Five, along with 10 honorable mention picks! Let's dive in. Honorable Mentions: 20. Nope 19. Avatar: The Way of Water 18. A Man Called Otto 17. Tar 16. The Menu 15. Till 14. Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths 13. Babylon 12. The Woman King 11. Glass Onion And now, on to the Top 10 10. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever About: The first film is one of my All-Time favorite Marvel films. I was curious to see how this one would go and how Ryan Coogler would overcome the loss of Chadwick Boseman. What we got was a marvelous film. It was a deeply emotional tribute but also a fantastic original story. It’s a credit to Leticia Wright, but also to the work of the production team. It...

  We've reached the end of the year, and it's a time to look back and share what stood out. Yesterday was two posts all about the small screen. Today is two posts all about the movies. In this first installment, I'll be looking at the performances and directors that stood out to me from the year in film! Best Actor: 1. Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin. 2. Daniel Jimenez Cacho, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths 3. Ralph Fiennes, The Menu 4. Diego Calvo, Babylon 5. Brendan Fraser, The Whale Best Actress: 1. Cate Blanchett, Tar 2. Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once 3. Danielle Deadwyler, Till 4. Viola Davis, The Woman King 5. Margo Robbie, Babylon Best Supporting Actor: 1. Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once 2. Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway 3. Mark Rylance, Bones and All 4. Woody Harrelson, Triangle of Sadness 5. Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin Best Supporting Actress: 1. Claire Foy, Women Talking 2. Angela Bassett, Black P...

  We've reached the end of 2022 and as part of my exploration of the best of the year, in this second post of Day 1, I offer my favorite TV shows of the year. Below is my Top 10, plus 10 more honorable mention shows for those looking to catch up on what they missed over the holidays. Honorable Mentions: 20. Five Days at Memorial (Apple TV+) 19. Station 11 (HBO Max) 18. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+) 17. Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Season 4 (Amazon Prime) 16. The Offer (Paramount+) 15. Minx, Season 1 (HBO Max) 14. Andor, Season 1 (Disney+) 13. Stranger Things, Season 4 (Netflix) 12. 9-1-1, Season 5-6 (Fox) 11. Only Murders in the Building, Season 2 (Hulu) And now, on to the Top 10. 10.   We Own This City (HBO Max) About: This one from David Simon is based on a true story, focusing on a corrupt unit of cops in the city of Baltimore. Jon Bernthal leads the cast and does an amazing job in the lead role. The action and story-telling crackle here, but it’s also rich with emo...

  We've come to the end of 2022, and that means it's time for me to give my best of the year. It starts today with TV Day! In the first of two posts, I'll be looking at my favorite episodes of the year. It was a rich year for TV, and below are 10 episodes that caught my attention. 10. "Blood Atonement," Episode 1.07 Under the Banner of Heaven (First Aired June 2, 2022) About: Under the Banner of Heaven was a difficult show to watch at times, but it was buoyed by a great performance from Andrew Garfield. It's a difficult and sad story. Perhaps the most emotional hour was the last one. Garfield was great in the role and gives his all in this episode that haunted me for a while after the credits rolled. 9. "Polaris," Episode 3.01 For All Mankind (First Aired June 10, 2022) About : I love the series For All Mankind , and its third season didn't disappoint. It didn't reach the heights of the previous seasons but it had some outstanding moments. ...

  We've reached the penultimate week of the NFL Season. I had a strong Week 16 and I'd like to end with strong weeks to finish the regular season. Let's see how it goes! NFL Picks, Week 17 Cowboys Over Titans Falcons Over Cardinals Lions Over Bears Chiefs Over Broncos Patriots Over Dolphins Giants Over Colts Eagles Over Saints Panthers Over Buccaneers Commanders Over Browns Jaguars Over Texans 49ers Over Raiders Jets Over Seahawks Packers Over Vikings Chargers Over Rams Steelers Over Ravens Bills Over Bengals Last Week : 10-6 Season : 136-102 NFL Picks Spread, Week 17 Cowboys -9.5 Over Titans Cardinals +3.5 Over Falcons Bears +5.5 Over Lions Broncos +13.5 Over Chiefs Dolphins +2.5 Over Patriots Colts +3.5 Over Giants Eagles -6.5 Over Saints Panthers +3.5 Over Buccaneers Commanders -2.5 Over Browns Jaguars -3.5 Over Texans Raiders +5.5 Over 49ers Jets -2.5 Over Seahawks Packers -2.5 Over Vikings Rams +6.5 Over Chargers Steelers +3.5 Over Ravens Bills -.5 ...

  We’re in the final week of the year, the last gasp for those that are sending out films. Below is a look at films opening wide and in limited release just before the end of the year, including a couple of the most anticipated films of the year. If you’d like to see more of my scores for films and thoughts, feel free to follow me on Letterboxd here . A Man Called Otto (Theaters) Starring : Tom Hanks, Mariana Trevino, and Rachel Keller Synopsis : This film has the tagline, “Fall in love with the grumpiest man in America.” While that seems like a fair description of this new film, starring Tom Hanks, it’s also ironic it’s based on a novel turned film based on a grump in a Swedish town. The film opens in limited release this weekend to make a qualifying run, going wide in mid-January. In it, Hanks is Otto, a grumpy older man who is disappointed in a lot of things. He’s a stickler for the rules in a world that isn’t as interested in meticulous rule-following. When some new neighbo...

  The final TV roundup of the year. We are nearly to 2023, with the winter set of new shows literally beginning on day one. But before we get there, Netflix, Peacock and Paramount+ wanted us to enjoy some new shows in 2022. If you’re trying to decide how to spend your week, let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Sundays: 1923, Streaming Sundays on Paramount+ (Premiered December 18) About : The latest from Paramount+ is another prequel set in the world of Yellowstone . This one moved the action up, is set at the Yellowstone Ranch and moves into the family line for the modern-day family. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren take the starring roles and the series showcases how the Dutton family survived and persevered through a difficult era of history. The first episode laid out the players and challenges, while the second episode dove deeper into the conflict. I enjoy ...

  Week 16 : Los Angeles Rams 51, Denver Broncos 14 Season Record : 4-11 (3-4 Home) Key Play: In the first quarter, following a Rams' touchdown, Russell Wilson was intercepted for the second time. The Rams scored a second touchdown two plays later to move to a 17-0 lead. The Rams never looked back. Recap : The best part of this game was the prank CBS played on the players mid-week about a special ugly Christmas sweater jersey. That was awesome and fun. Nothing about this game was fun. The Broncos' defense, the heart of the team all year, was non-existent. The offense struggled with turnovers and penalties, scoring only one touchdown when the game was well out of reach. The team looked like it quit on coach Nathaniel Hackett today, which might be the final nail in his coffin at the end of this season. Two games left for the Broncos, against the Chiefs and Chargers, so it's hard to imagine they move off their current total of four wins. This is the worst a Broncos team has lo...

  Merry Christmas everyone! I hope it's a day full of blessings. As is my tradition, below is my favorite moment from my favorite Christmas special. Charlie Brown : Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about? Linus Van Pelt : Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. [moves toward the center of the stage] Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please. [a spotlight shines on Linus] Linus Van Pelt: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' A...

  Welcome to this year's exploration of TV, the Best of the Small Screen. Throughout the year I'll be looking at my favorite shows in four categories: Network Sitcoms, Network Dramas, Cable Series and Streaming Series. We'll cap the exploration with my Top 10 shows of all time regardless of format. Check back each Saturday for another installment in the countdown! Nora Durst :  “Terrible things happen in this world. And the only comfort we get is that we didn’t cause them.” The Leftovers (2014-2017) Starring : Carrie Coon, Justin Theroux, Christopher Eccleston, Amy Brenneman, Margaret Qualley, and Ann Dowd Original Position : Cable Series, No. 1 About : And now we get to my favorite series of all time. If you were going through the countdown, you'll remember that I talked about the idea I never thought anything would displace The Wire on my list of series. Then came The Leftovers . It's based on the novel from Tom Perrotta, but Damon Lindelof's series reaches f...

  In 2022 I'm revisiting my favorite films of all time, doing a countdown of the Top 50 throughout the year. Check back each Friday for the latest installment in the countdown of films, which include releases through 2019. Agree? Disagree? Have a thought on the choice? Be sure to share in the comments below! Jake Tyler Brigance : What is it in us that seeks the truth? Is it our minds or is it our hearts? A Time to Kill (1995) Starring: Matthew McCouaghey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt, Charles S. Dutton, and Brenda Fricker Director : Joel Schumacher About : This journey began back in January, and now we get to my favorite film of all time. I know after all the anticipation, you might be curious how this ended up on top. I mentioned last week that Batman is my favorite superhero. Ironically, Schumacher made what I consider to be the worst live-action Batman film. But I can never totally be out on him because he a...

  I was on fire in Week 15, let's see if I can stay hot to close the year. NFL Picks, Week 16 Jets Over Jaguars Bills Over Bears Saints Over Browns Titans Over Texans Chiefs Over Seahawks Vikings Over Giants Bengals Over Patriots Lions Over Panthers Ravens Over Falcons 49ers Over Commanders Cowboys Over Eagles Raiders Over Steelers Dolphins Over Packers Broncos Over Rams Buccaneers Over Cardinals Chargers Over Colts Last Week : 12-4 Season : 126-96 NFL Picks Spread, Week 16 Jets -1.5 Over Jaguars Bears +8.5 Over Bills Saints +3.5 Over Browns Texans +7.5 Over Titans Seahawks +9.5 Over Chiefs Giants +3.5 Over Vikings Bengals -3.5 Over Patriots Lions -3.5 Over Panthers Falcons +7.5 Over Ravens Commanders +7.5 Over 49ers Cowboys -1.5 Over Eagles Raiders +2.5 Over Steelers Packers +4.5 Over Dolphins Broncos -.5 Over Rams Buccaneers -4.5 Over Cardinals Chargers -3.5 Over Colts Last Week : 7-9 Season: 99-125

  It’s the most wonderful time of the year…almost. But it is spectacular if you love movies. We’re getting a number of high-profile end of the year releases. Some will drop today, some on Friday and some on Sunday. I’ve had a chance to preview most of the big new releases and I have my thoughts below, as well as my take on a return to Pandora! If you’d like to see more of my scores for films and thoughts, feel free to follow me on Letterboxd here . Avatar: Way of the Water (Theaters) Starring : Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Cliff Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet Synopsis : It’s been 13 years since James Cameron brought the world of Pandora to the big screen. The first Avatar was a film that was a hit with audiences—becoming one of the highest grossing films of all time—and with critics, earning a number of award nominations. Now, we get a return to the world. This is another envelope-pushing technical masterpiece. It’s also a much better film. While I a...

  We’re in Christmas week. The last of the new shows for 2022 will roll out the next few weeks. But never fear, we’ll get new shows aplenty in January and beyond. Still, over the Christmas Break you might be wondering what’s worth checking out. Let this weekly post be your guide as 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. Wednesdays: National Treasure: Edge of History, Wednesdays on Disney+ (Premiered December 14) About : The National Treasure films became hits following a fun formula of puzzle solving, comedy and an exploration of American history. The franchise spawned two successful films and there has long been talk of more. Now, we get a spin-off series. This one centers on Jess Valenzuela (Lisette Olivera), a brilliant puzzle solver whose family history has her pulled into a potential adventure after she crosses paths with former FBI Agent Peter Sadusky (Harvey Keitel). It turns out s...

  Week 15 : Denver Broncos 24, Arizona Cardinals 15 Season Record : 4-10 (3-4 Home) Key Play : In the Third Quarter, trailing 9-3, the Broncos drove the ball down and Marlon Mack ran in for the touchdown from three yards out to give the Broncos a 10-9 lead. It was the start of three second half touchdowns for Denver, to take the win. Recap: A battle of backup quarterbacks. No Kyler Murray and no Russell Wilson, with no playoff prospects for either team. It was decent weather and the Broncos made the most of it all, playing stout defense and doing enough on offense to get the win. It was a decent performance and it's always nice to get a win. The Broncos have a chance in the next game, too, battling the Rams on Christmas Day in a game that looks a lot different than what it looked to be in August. Maybe we'll even get Russell Wilson back. The season won't end in the playoffs, but it's time to look ahead and see who might be a decent contributor in the future. Game Balls...

 Week 15 features a ton of matchups that have major playoff implications. Below are the games on the Sunday Slate I'm most excited to see. Sunday Early Games: Detroit Lions (6-7) at New York Jets (7-6) About: This is actually a battle with big playoff implications on the line. The Jets are trying to hang on in the AFC but find themselves trailing the Dolphins, Bengals, Patriots and Chargers. They need a win to keep in the race. The Lions, meanwhile, rallied from a 1-6 start to climb back into the playoff race. The Lions’ offense is hot, but the Jets’ defense is stout. This is strength against strength with both teams desperately needing a win. It should be a playoff-like atmosphere. Sunday Late Games: Tennessee Titans (7-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-6) About: Another game with huge playoff implications. The Titans hold the lead in the AFC South, and it was once commanding. They’ve since lost three straight and haven’t beaten a playoff-bound team all season. The Chargers have hov...

  Welcome to this year's exploration of TV, the Best of the Small Screen. Throughout the year I'll be looking at my favorite shows in four categories: Network Sitcoms, Network Dramas, Cable Series and Streaming Series. We'll cap the exploration with my Top 10 shows of all time regardless of format. Check back each Saturday for another installment in the countdown! Omar : You come at the king, you best not miss. The Wire (2002-2008) Starring: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Michael K. Williams, Sonja Sohn, Idris Elba, Clarke Peters, Andre Royo, and Wood Harris Original Position : Cable Series, No. 2 About: I mentioned that the Cable category had the most entries in this list. It also has the best. Perhaps its the kind of stories cable has told. Perhaps its the era in which many of these took place. Perhaps it's just who I am. Three of the top four on this list come from HBO, including this No. 2 selection, The Wire . It wasn't a show I watched when it ...

  In 2022 I'm revisiting my favorite films of all time, doing a countdown of the Top 50 throughout the year. Check back each Friday for the latest installment in the countdown of films, which include releases through 2019. Agree? Disagree? Have a thought on the choice? Be sure to share in the comments below! James Gordon Jr .: Why's he running, Dad? Lt. James Gordon : Because we have to chase him. James Gordon Jr. : He didn't do anything wrong. Lt. James Gordon : Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight. The Dark Knight (2008) Starring : Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, and Maggie Gyllenhaal Director : Christopher Nolan About: It's hard to quantify how I feel about this film. I've probably seen it 50 times over the years. I am deeply...

  We're just four weeks away from the end of the regular season. I had another week above .500, but it wasn't spectacular. Let's see if I can increase the margin this week. NFL Picks, Week 15 49ers Over Seahawks Vikings Over Colts Browns Over Ravens Bills Over Dolphins Saints Over Falcons Eagles Over Bears Lions Over Jets Panthers Over Steelers Cowboys Over Jaguars Chiefs Over Texans Broncos Over Cardinals Patriots Over Raiders Chargers Over Titans Bengals Over Buccaneers Commanders Over Giants Packers Over Rams Last Week : 7-6 Season : 114-92 NFL Picks Spread, Week 15 49ers -3.5 Over Seahawks Vikings -4.5 Over Colts Browns -2.5 Over Ravens Dolphins +7.5 Over Bills Saints -3.5 Over Falcons Eagles -8.5 Over Bears Lions +.5 Over Jets Panthers -2.5 Over Steelers Cowboys -4.5 Over Jaguars Chiefs -14.5 Over Texans Broncos -5. Over Cardinals Patriots +.5 Over Raiders Chargers -3.5 Over Titans Bengals -3.5 Over Buccaneers Giants +4.5 Over Commanders Rams +7.5 O...

  We’re in the middle of December, and the new releases are coming fast and furiously. Below are the films I’ve seen, including my review of a few films opening this week. If you’d like to see more of my scores for films and thoughts, feel free to follow me on Letterboxd here . Bardo: False Confession of a Handful of Truths (Netflix) Starring : Daniel Giménez Cacho, Griselda Siciliani, Ximena Lamadrid, and Íker Sánchez Solano Synopsis : Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu typically makes a statement with his films. His body of work—including 21 Grams , Babel , Birdman and The Revenant —have been critical successes that have passionate fanbases. I haven’t always loved his stories, though I’ve often appreciated the craft. So, I went into Bardo —a nearly three-hour tale filmed in Mexico—with similar expectations. The craft here is, indeed, excellent. The story is also obscure and likely won’t be for everyone. But I found myself drawn to the narrative and, in the end, I think it’s my f...