Matt's Musings

  Throughout 2023 I'm looking at my favorite films from the decade of the 1970s. I'll be counting down from 50 to 1 throughout the year, posting a new installment each Friday. Agree? Disagree? Want to share a story? Post it in the comments below! Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto: I had intended to deal a fatal blow to the American fleet by attacking Pearl Harbor immediately after Japan's official declaration of war. But according to the American radio, Pearl Harbor was attacked 55 minutes before our ultimatum was delivered in Washington. I can't imagine anything that would infuriate the Americans more. II fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve. Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) Starring : James Whitmore, E.G. Marshall, Jason Robards, Martin Balsam and So Yamamura Director : Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku, and Toshio Masuda About : The 1970s were also a robust time for World War II films. I'm not sure why, but there are a number o...

  “There is no me. There is no you. There is only the we. And the us. And the wenus.” — Zava  When last we left, Richmond was in the big time. They tied their first match in the Premier League, and Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) managed to convince the great Zava (Maximilian Osinski). But there’s the dream then there’s the dream realized. This week’s episode was about the dream being realized. Most everyone is thrilled that Zava is with Richmond. But not so much Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster). Jamie arrives to see Zava has claimed his locker area. The rest of the team if fawning over Zava, who gets them to change their approach from the 4-4-2 to the 4-5-1, giving him a focus as the best player and goal scorer. Jamie voices his concern that Zava might disrupt the team chemistry, but Ted (Jason Sudeikis) suggests they need to give it a few games. During that stretch, which plays out over the course of the episode, Zava’s influence proves profound. The team wins six straight games and s...

  It’s a big weekend for new films and below I offer my thoughts on a big theatrical release and two streaming debuts dropping Friday. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Theaters) Starring : Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, Rege-Jean Page, and Chloe Coleman Synopsis : Over the years many have played and enjoyed Dungeons & Dragons the game. It’s even featured prominently in pieces like Stranger Things. But when it’s come to film versions, the allure hasn’t always been that. The latest take, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, is just that, a cinematic journey that’s a fun and crazy ride. The film comes from writer/directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the partners who crafted the script for Spider-Man: Homecoming and gave us the re-boot of Vacation and the comedy Game Night. They bring that same sense of humor to this adventure, creating an action/adventure that has a lot of heart. We follow a group of th...

  We’re rapidly approaching April and if you have some free time for Spring Break or the upcoming Holy Week holidays, you might be looking for a new show or two to binge. But what of the new shows is worth your time? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Winter. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesdays: Gotham Knights, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW (Premiered March 14) About: In this latest DC series, we begin with the murder if Bruce Wayne by someone who knew he was Batman. Meanwhile, his adopted son, Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan), was in the dark about that, and soon finds himself the prime suspect. To clear his name, he has to go on the run with a group of teen hoods, including The Joker’s daughter. Meanwhile Harvey Dent (Misha Collins) learns the truth about his friend, Bruce, and is caught between loyalty to Turner and his duty as District Attorney. It sounds like a set up rife with possib...

  The NFL Draft is just over a month away, and when it arrives it will change the fortunes for many teams and fantasy players. In the run up to the draft, I'm looking at my current dynasty rankings. Below is my Top 25 at running back as of now. 1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers. CMC is a great runner and receiver and he's landed in the perfect spot to maximize his volume. 2. Breece Hall, New York Jets. Hall is coming off injury but he's a force for a good, young Jets team. 3. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts. For the first time, Taylor is coming off injury. There are also questions around his offense and offensive line. I've dropped him a hair due to the uncertainty. 4. Ken Walker III, Seattle Seahawks. Walker had a fantastic rookie year and looks like a great fit in the run-heavy Seahawks' offense. 5. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers. He was banged up to start last year, lowering some of his production, but he's been a beast for the Steelers a...

  If March brought us our first blockbusters of the year, April is the calm before the blockbuster storm of summer. Still, there's some big movies coming this month. Let's take a look. Monday, April 3: Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (Hulu): This documentary looks at the life and career of Shields. It bowed to positive feedback at film festivals and now gets a wider release. Wednesday, April 5: Air (Theaters): This one takes us back to a time when Nike was trying to make it as a shoe company and did so by courting then unknown rookie Michael Jordan. The film pairs Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and looks like the most promising of the month. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Theaters): This animated film goes back to the Mario well. The trailer and buzz around the film aren't great. I'm not sold. On A Wing and a Prayer (Prime Video) : In this new Prime Video offering after a pilot dies mid-air, a passenger has to land the plane. This one features Heather Graham and Dennis Quaid an...

  Throughout 2023 I'll be sharing my favorite Superhero Films each Saturday, counting down from 50 to 1. Check back each week throughout the year for the next installment. Agree? Disagree? What to share a favorite? Post it in the comments. Superman : I'm here to fight for truth, and justice, and the American way. Lois Lane : [laughs] You're gonna end up fighting every elected official in this country! Superman (1978) Starring : Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, and Gene Hackman Director: Richard Donner About: The ad said, you'll believe a man can fly. In 1978, that was just a part of the wonder of this film. In the modern era of superhero movies, we take for granted the effects that build these worlds of fantasy. But when this film was released in 1978, this was groundbreaking. And, of course, it helped to have Reeve leading the way. He's brilliant as Clark Kent and Superman. Kidder does a nice job as Lois Lane and Hackman seems to be having fun as Lex Luthor. Thi...

Throughout 2023 I'm looking at my favorite films from the decade of the 1970s. I'll be counting down from 50 to 1 throughout the year, posting a new installment each Friday. Agree? Disagree? Want to share a story? Post it in the comments below! Charlie : Okay, okay, I just come out of confession, right? Right. And the priest gives me the usual penance, right? Ten hail Marys, ten Our Fathers, ten whatever. Now, you know the next week I'm going to come back and he just going to give me another ten Hail Marys and another ten Our Fathers, and... And I mean you know how I feel about that shit. Those things, they don't mean anything to me, they're just words. Now that may be okay for the others, but it just doesn't work for me. I mean, if I do something wrong I just want to pay for it my way. So I do my own penance for my own sins. Mean Streets (1973) Starring : Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, David Proval, and Amy Robinson Director : Martin Scorsese About : The 1970s ...

  “That feels like an unnecessarily cruel response.”— Rebecca Sure, Ted Lasso features soccer. It’s also a workplace comedy. Some episodes steer into that concept more than others. This second episode of the final season felt like a workplace comedy, with the characters dealing with a lot of issues at their workplace. In fact, we get going early. For Keeley (Juno Temple) it’s still trying to settle into an office where she feels like an outsider despite being the boss. It’s clear from last week and the cold open this week that she and Barbara (Katy Wix), her assigned CFO, aren’t on the same page. Can Keeley break through that icy exterior? At AFC Richmond, our old friend Trent Crimm (James Lance) is back. No longer with the paper, he’s seeking to embed himself with AFC Richmond to write a book. Keeley, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) and Leslie (Jeremy Swift) say it’s up to Ted, but while Trent isn’t looking it’s clear they don’t want the book to happen. Ted (Jason Sudeikis), pu...

  As we continue through March, we’re continuing to see sequels. This time it’s a sequel that will be one of the final entries of the DCEU as we know it. I have thoughts on that and a new Netflix animated film below. If you’d like to see more of my scores for films and thoughts, feel free to follow me on Letterboxd here . The Magician’s Elephant (Netflix) Starring: Noah Jupe, Mandy Patinkin, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Miranda Richardson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Aasif Mandvi Synopsis: The latest animated feature for Netflix comes from the novel by Kate DiCamillo. It centers on a young boy, Peter (Jupe), who is a poor orphan living with the former soldier (Patinkin) who rescued him. When a fortune teller tells Peter that he’ll find his sister by following an elephant, he’s confused. There are no elephants. But when a magician’s trick gone wrong brings an elephant to town, Peter knows it’s fate. He makes a bargain with the King (Mandvi) that if he can accomplish three impossible thin...

  Spring Break season has begun. Some have been off. Some are off now. Some are about to be off. And when you have free time, you might be looking for a new show to sample. There are plenty of new shows out there, but what is worth checking out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Winter and Spring. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesdays: Gotham Knights, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW (Premiered March 14) About : There was a time when the CW was dominated by DC Comic series. That time is fading with most gone or on their way out. And yet, behind Season 3 of Superman & Lois, comes a new series set in the world of Batman, Gotham Knights. This one picks up with Bruce Wayne being murdered by someone who knows he’s Batman. That’s a twist. So, too, is the fact he has an adopted teen son, Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan), who is framed for orchestrating the murder, hiring a group of teen thugs that...

  The NFL Draft is just over a month away, and the fortunes of many teams and fantasy players will change once the crop of 2023 rookies is added. Before that happens, I'm looking at my dynasty rankings, starting today with my top 25 quarterbacks. 1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills . Allen is a great fantasy producer both through the air and on the ground. it's a close call, but I'm still on team Allen. 2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs. Mahomes is a great passer and despite a revolving set of weapons, he's a great fantasy producer. 3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals. Burrow is a great young passer that has an exceptional set of weapons. He's a rock solid option. 4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles. A threat with his legs and his arm, he has a talented cast of weapons and is a great fantasy producer. 5. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears. I was high on Fields before he got D.J. Moore and a better offensive line. Now, that just feels like gravy. 6. Trevor Lawrence, Jackso...

  The 2023 NFL Season has begun as the new league year began Wednesday. That means it's free agent season and the Broncos have wasted little time getting going in the free agent market. But what do the signings mean? Let's consider. Improved Blocking The Broncos' offensive line struggled some in 2022 and it's clear from the first blushes of Free Agency the team doesn't want to see that happen again. On the first day, the Broncos landed a huge deal with the best right tackle on the market, in former 49er Mike McGlinchey, and a top guard in former Raven Ben Powers. McGlinchey comes on a five-year deal, while Powers comes on a four-year deal. Both figure to give the Broncos a boost on the line, playing alongside Garrett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz.  In addition, the Broncos added tight end Chris Manhertz, who spent the past few years with the Jaguars. He is a blocking specialist who will likely help the run game. Speaking of the run game, while the Broncos figure to be le...

Throughout 2023 I'll be sharing my favorite Superhero Films each Saturday, counting down from 50 to 1. Check back each week throughout the year for the next installment. Agree? Disagree? What to share a favorite? Post it in the comments. Hiro: [narrating] We didn't set out to be superheroes. But sometimes life doesn't go the way you planned. The good thing is, my brother wanted to help a lot of people and that's what we're gonna do. Who are we? Big Hero 6 (2014) Starring: Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Damon Wayans, Jr., Genesis Rodriguez, T.J. Miller, Daniel Henney, James Cromwell, and Maya Rudolph Director : Don Hall and Chris Williams About: This was one of the first animated superhero films that really captured my heart. It also won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. It's based on a Marvel Comic, so it qualifies for this countdown. It's also a fun and engaging family tale. I love Baymax, and that's in no small part to the fine voice work of A...

  Throughout 2023 I'm looking at my favorite films from the decade of the 1970s. I'll be counting down from 50 to 1 throughout the year, posting a new installment each Friday. Agree? Disagree? Want to share a story? Post it in the comments below! Dr. Frank-N-Furter - A Scientist : It's not easy having a good time! Even smiling makes my face ache! Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Starring : Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, and Meatloaf Director : Jim Sharman About : The 1970s was a decade of musicals but it was also a decade with some different, edgier fare. This combines those two things with an edgy musical that's become an iconic classic. I don't love the film as much as some--which has led to Midnight screenings around the country each year as fans dress like the characters and sing along. But I do appreciate the craft here. This has strong musical numbers, some of which have become classics that remain radio hits to this day. It's also a film that ...

  “Crying is the best, isn’t it? It’s like an orgasm for the soul.” — Rebecca I’m not ready for it to end. That’s what I thought when I started the premier for Ted Lasso’s third and final season. It’s not what I thought would happen when I first tried this show three years ago. When I began Ted Lasso’s pilot, I thought I’d watch a couple episodes, review them and move on. Instead, from that pilot on, I’ve been hooked. Ted is a gem, but the entire show has been nearly perfect. I don’t want it to end but we don’t always get to choose how long we have something; we just have to appreciate it while we have it. That’s also a great lesson for the characters in the show as we begin the final season. When we left, Ted (Jason Sudeikis) was learning to conquer his anxiety, Roy (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley (Juno Temple) were on thin ice, Nate (Nick Mohammed) went to work with Rupert (Anthony Head) at West Ham, and Ted was pumping up Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) as Richmond made it to the Premi...

  It was a solid week for new releases with two anticipated theatrical films and a new release on Netflix. Below are my thoughts on this week’s big releases. If you’d like to see more of my scores for films and thoughts, feel free to follow me on Letterboxd here . 65 (Theaters) Starring : Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt Synopsis : The latest theatrical release is an epic from the past…way back in the past. It’s set on Earth 65 Million Years Ago, when Dinosaurs ruled the Earth. We meet Mills (Driver) a pilot on a distant, advanced planet. He’s contracted to lead a ship full of colonists in deep sleep, forcing him to be away from his family for a few years. He does it because his daughter is sick and the extra money will help her get treatment. But things don’t go as planned. His ship is hit by an asteroid field and crashes to Earth. All his passengers are killed—save for a young girl (Greenblatt), who is now an orphan and speaks a different language. Their only hope is to find...

  We’re cruising through March and still getting new offerings. While the peak of the Winter season has passed, we’ve still got plenty coming the next few weeks. But what shows should you put on your Spring Break bucket list? Let this weekly post be your guide as I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Winter. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Mondays: Rain Dogs, Mondays at 10 p.m. on HBO (Premiered March 6) About : The latest from HBO is a co-production with BBC, adding to their new Spring Monday nights. It’s a half hour and some of it might be perceived as humorous, but this is anything but a comedy. It centers on Costello (Daisy May Cooper), a single mother scraping by working odd jobs, including as a sex worker. Her friend, Selby (Jack Farthing), is released from prison and tries to get his life on track, which means caring for Costello and her daughter, keeping them from harm. It’s an unconventional sort of family and an unconv...