Matt's Musings

  We’re into January with most of the country experiencing some winter weather and cold temperatures. That might leave you wanting to spend some extra time on the couch with a new show. But what of the new options are worth checking out? 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: Doc, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX (Premiered January 7) About : This one finds Molly Parker as a woman who wakes up with a significant memory gap following an accident. When she wakes up, eight years are missing. She doesn’t remember her divorce, the death of her child, or her advancements in her career. She’s left trying to re-build, while those around her try to adjust to a woman who doesn’t seem quite familiar. It’s an interesting premise and Parker does a nice job in the lead role. I liked the pilot for the way it laid out this story—giving a snapshot of who she is pre-ac...

  Wild Card Weekend : Buffalo Bills 31, Denver Broncos 7 Season Record : 10-8 (6-2 Home) Key Play : With time winding down in the first half and the team trailing 10-7, the Broncos lined up a 50-yard field goal. It missed, leaving the Broncos down three at the half. They wouldn't score again. Recap : If you would have told me prior to the season that the Broncos would make the AFC playoffs, I wouldn't have believed it. But the Broncos did make the playoffs. And Bo Nix connected with Troy Franklin on that first drive to give the Broncos' fanbase hope. But beating the Bills was always going to be a tall order, and the Broncos didn't have the guns on either side of the ball to make it work. Still, it's fair to call 2024 a stepping stone. The team ended a protracted playoff drought, played well, and found a starting quarterback. That's plenty to build on heading into this off-season, where the team's cap position and draft capital is looking up. That should make...

  It's hard to believe, but 2015 was 10 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 2015 that are turning 10 in 2025. Today, it's the re-boot that launched a new franchise. Owen: [to Claire] You might have made them in a test tube, but they don't know that. These animals are thinking, "I gotta eat. I gotta hunt. I gotta..." You can relate to at least one of those things. Right? Jurassic World Starring : Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Judy Greer, Jack Johnson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Irrfan Khan, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, and BD Wong Director : Colin Trevorrow About: It's fitting we're talking about the 10th anniversary of this film as we're about to get another re-boot, this time featuring Scarlett Johansson this summer. This was the first time Jurassic Park got a re-boot. We get a new set up and new characters. I love the original film, and I love its depth of story. So, I was nervous to see it brou...

  Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey. Zero Dark Thirty (2012) Starring : Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Jennifer Ehle, Kyle Chandler, and Mark Strong Director: Kathryn Bigelow About: I begin with the first of my 10 female directors, Bigelow. Some have gravitated toward The Hurt Locker as her best film. For me, it's Zero Dark Thirty . I think this is a fascinating film that is very well put together. I think it might be her most ambitious film, too. Chastain is great here in a story that's both important but also doesn't pull any punches when it asks us to think about our methods, our results, and who we want to be. Some have called it pro torture, but I think it more sought to depict wh...

  Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey. Today, before we dive into the first selection, it's a few of the films that just missed the cut. This will give you an idea of a few of the directors on this list, but keep you guessing about what of their work is included. Dune: Part One (2021): All of Denis Villenueve's films have a unique cinematic style. This is no exception. But I haven't resonated with the story and characters in all of them. That's certainly the case here, a film that was close but doesn't make my Top 5 for him. The Fabelmans (2022): Of all of Steven Spielberg's films, this one might have been the most polarizing. Some hated it. I loved it, but he has such a great ...

The NFL Playoffs are upon us. This week, we’ll narrow the field from 14 teams down to eight through six big games over three days. It’s one of the most exciting and fun times of the year as we watch these teams battle to secure a shot at the Super Bowl. As always, I’ll be previewing and picking each of the playoff games in a quest to get a perfect post-season. Let’s see how it goes! Saturday Games: Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) at Houston Texans (10-7) About: This is an interesting matchup. Last year, the Texans were the surprise upstart with a new Head Coach that went from bottom of the heap to the playoffs. This year, no one was surprised to see the Texans win the AFC South, we just thought they’d be better. The team sputtered a bit down the stretch thanks in part to a brutal schedule and injuries. The Chargers, meanwhile, are the hot team that went from last in the AFC West to the Wild Card thanks to a turnaround under new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. The team played the Chiefs and Raven...

  We’re into January, getting the first new films of the year. But are any worth checking out? I offer my thoughts on two new releases below. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. The Damned (Theaters) Starring : Odessa Young, Joe Cole, Rory McCann, and Siobhan Finneran Synopsis: This first wide release of the year is a horror movie, which comes as little surprise. We often get horror films to kickstart the year, and 2025 is no different. This is a ghost story, of sorts, set in an Icelandic fishing village during a brutal winter in the 19th Century. A young widow (Young) is running a crew on the boat she owns after her husband perished in an accident a year earlier. When they come across a ship in distress, some want to help. Others are weary after their previous accident. The widow decides they’ll not help. But when the crew begins to be haunted by something mysterious, they begin to worry they’ve made a mistake. The film is d...

We’ve made it to 2025. We survived the holidays and now our prize is the first new releases of a new year. But as you’re back to the grind with free time at a premium, what of these new shows is worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this winter! Thursdays: Going Dutch, Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. on FOX (Premiered January 2) About : Denis Leary fronts this new comedy about a by-the-book Colonel who is assigned to a very loose base in the Netherlands as punishment for comments made about the commanding general. He’s also stationed there with his estranged daughter (Taylor Misaik), who is a Captain at the base. Can he adjust his style and make a family connection? This series also boasts Danny Pudi among the cast and had an engaging enough pilot. Leary is fun in this role and his back-and-forth with Misaik worked in the pilot. Will it all keep working? That remains to be seen. But it feels well paired w...

  Week 18 : Denver Broncos 38, Kansas City Chiefs 0 Season Record : 10-7 (6-2 Home) Key Play : On the Broncos' second drive, Bo Nix connected with Courtland Sutton on a long strike. He connected with Sutton on a touchdown two plays later to give the Broncos a 14-0 lead. They didn't look back. Recap: The mission was simple, win and you're in. The Broncos had that mission the past three weeks but it didn't happen in Week 16 or Week 17. It happened today. Bo Nix looked great, as did the defense. The Chiefs rested starters, which made it easier, but the Broncos came out and looked fierce. It was a great way to end the regular season and a great way for the Broncos to build confidence as they head to Buffalo for a playoff game! Man, it feels good to say that! Game Balls: * Bo Nix. Nix was near perfect, going 26-for-29 with four touchdowns. * Courtland Sutton . It was a 1,000-yard season for Courtland, who has been great for the Broncos. * Nik Bonitto. The Broncos' lin...

 It's hard to believe, but 2015 was 10 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 2015 that are turning 10 in 2025.  The year 2015 was a strong year for films that featured a lot of interesting films. The list of films that stand out to me recognize that, the Blockbusters and the award contenders that are near and dear to my year. Some of those films are even pictured on the year-end montage above. For each of the films that I'll highlight from the year, I'll be including a quote from the film, an image, and a bit of the reason it makes the list. It's always fun to look at these cinematic time capsules to remember the films we've gotten and to remember favorites we might not have seen for a while. So, check back each Sunday through February 9 for a film from 2015. Then keep coming back as I continue to look at anniversary films, dropping back five years at a time until we get to 1990 to end the year!

Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey. Today, before diving into the first of my selections, I'm looking at directors who just missed the cut. Below are a few of the directors I like and considered who didn't make the final list of filmmakers. Each has a body of work that's worth checking out and, in some cases, have directed some of my all time favorite films. Wes Anderson : Anderson has a completely unique style for his films. I dearly love several, with my favorites being Moonrise Kingdom , The French Dispatch , and The Grand Budapest Hotel . He's a unique director whose films create fascinating and unique worlds. Tim Burton : Burton also has a very unique style. I've been a fan si...

  Over the past few years I've explored different lists of films that move me throughout the year. This year, on Fridays and Saturdays, I'm exploring something a little different. Rather than categories of films, I'm looking at some directors I enjoy. I picked 18 directors whose work I enjoy and admire. For each of them, I will be sharing my five favorite films from No. 5 to No. 1. It's a lengthy exploration that I hope will introduce you to some new films and new filmmakers, and will showcase my diverse style and interest. But I also wanted to celebrate female filmmakers. We've seen a lot of different female voices making impactful films the past few years. So, in addition, I'm sprinkling in 10 different films that I have enjoyed that were delivered by different female filmmakers. Sometimes crafting this list was hard. Narrowing it to five from some of these directors required difficult choices. Just settling on the 18 directors also involved difficult choices....

 I had another strong week in Week 17, but struggled against the Spread. Let's see if I can finish strong! NFL Picks, Week 18: Ravens Over Browns Steelers Over Bengals Falcons Over Panthers Commanders Over Cowboys Packers Over Bears Texans Over Titans Colts Over Jaguars Bills Over Patriots Eagles Over Giants Buccaneers Over Saints Broncos Over Chiefs Chargers Over Raiders Seahawks Over Rams Dolphins Over Jets 49ers Over Cardinals Lions Over Vikings Last Week : 12-4 Season : 179-77 NFL Picks Spread, Week 18 : Ravens -17.5 Over Browns Steelers +2.5 Over Bengals Panthers +7.5 Over Falcons Commanders -3.5 Over Cowboys Packers -9.5 Over Bears Texans +4.5 Over Titans Colts -5.5 Over Jaguars Bills -2.5 Over Patriots Eagles -3.5 Over Giants Buccaneers -13.5 Over Saints Chiefs +8.5 Over Broncos Chargers -5.5 Over Raiders Seahawks -.5 Over Rams Dolphins -2.5 Over Jets 49ers -.5 Over Cardinals Lions -2.5 Over Vikings Last Week : 7-9 Season : 138-118

We’re cruising to the end of 2024 and as we do, I’m looking back at some of my favorite films and performances from the year. As well as a few of my least favorite. Each day between now and January 9 look for another installment in a different category. Let’s ring out 2024 by looking back on some of the best and worst of the year! Today, it’s time to talk my favorite movies of 2024. Below is my Top 10 in ascending order. But, before we start, I’ll give 10 others that I liked a lot. No. 20: The Wild Robot No. 19: A Quiet Place: Day one No. 18: Transformer One No. 17: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever No. 16: Nickel Boys No. 15: A Complete Unknown No. 14: A Real Pain No. 13: Inside Out 2 No. 12: Challengers No. 11: Small Things Like These No. 10: Longlegs About: One of my all-time favorite films is The Silence of the Lambs. This film from Osgood Perkins reminded me of that in the best ways. I liked Nicolas Cage as the creepy Longlegs, and Maika Monroe as the agent on his tail. This was a ...