Matt's Musings

My look at Best Picture nominees continues as we make our way toward the Academy Awards on March 2. Movie : Philomena Total Nominations : 4 Nominated For : Best Picture, Best Actress (Judi Dench), Best Adapted Screenplay (Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope), Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat) About: This is the little film that could, which kind of flew under the radar. I thought it was a really beautiful story of forgiveness, faith, and regret. The performances from Judi Dench and Steve Coogan are great, the direction from Stephen Frears brings the story to life, and the events of the narrative unfold in a moving way. I hadn't heard much about this film when I saw it in November, and I was blown away by what I saw. It hasn't had a lot of buzz, but it's quietly won over critics and voters with the heart and beauty of the story, and that's impressive. That being said, this film, like "Captain Phillips," is a great movie that is a long shot to win any awards. I do...

Winter isn't usually a great season for new movies, but thanks to some reshuffled schedules, we have a few diamonds in the rough this February. Friday, February 7 : Monuments Men — This film, directed by and starring George Clooney, is based on the true story of the men who sought to save art and cultural works from the Nazis on the front lines of World War II. This was originally slated for awards season in December, but was delayed. It's a rare, prestige film being released in February. It has a great cast and looks amazing. The Lego Movie — I think we should just retire from movies after February 7. "The Lego Movie" also looks fantastic, making it a great weekend for releases, and just in time for the end of football season and the beginning of what I like to call depression Sunday. This is allegedly aimed at kids, but every time I see the trailer I crack up. I have HIGH HOPES! Vampire Academy —They can't all be winners. This is based on a series of young adult...

"You're missing the point. The point is in this whole wide wicked world the only thing you have to be afraid of is me." — Fiona, "American Horror Story: Coven" It seemed like a good idea on paper. A horror anthology show that could delve into all the different types and tropes of horror in American cinema. And, at first, it seemed like a good idea when "American Horror Story" made it on screen in October 2011. Tonight marks the end of the third season and it's hard to escape the feeling the show is now suffering the same effects of horror movies at theaters. It's become common among cable shows for the penultimate episode to be the most jaw-dropping. That might be the case with "Coven," the third iteration of "American Horror Story." In its penultimate episode, things turned into a dark, violent, bloody mess that left the three prestige actresses in the cast — Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, and Angela Bassett — seemingly dispat...

New shows this winter have wound down, and most of the new entries have been cancelled or will be cancelled. With the Winter Olympics kicking off next week, most networks are now hibernating. I'll be back with the new shows for Spring beginning in late February. Thursday Nights : Rake, Thursdays at 9 p.m. on FOX About: This was one of the touted shows during the Network presentations last May. In the time between now and then, FOX clearly thought better of it. In fact, the official premier of "Rake" was what was supposed to be the show's fourth episode. That's not a good sign, and this isn't a good show. As affable as Greg Kinnear can be, his character is totally unlikeable. Why do I need to tune in each week to root for a gambler, cheat, and sex addict who doesn't think much of ruining the lives of those around him. He trades on his friend's good graces, he lets his family down, and he doesn't seem to worry about any of it. Not to mention, there w...

It was the quiet week before the storm for the Broncos, as they met the media, practiced in the snow, and headed to New Jersey for the Super Bowl. Season Record : 15-3 (9-1 Home) Recap : The bye week does a lot for both teams. It allows them time to prepare, time to negotiate all the commitments that come with being in the Super Bowl, and time to get healthy. That bodes well for players that have been beat up, like Knowshon Moreno, as they head to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the team has also been bitten by the illness bug, particularly kicker Matt Prater, so that's not good. But last week was pretty calm, and went pretty much according to plan. That's a good thing as a team with only four players that have Super Bowl experience tries to win the big game. Key Players : * Peyton Manning. A lot has been made of Manning's poor record in the playoffs and poor record in cold weather. He will get a playoff game in cold weather in the Super Bowl, but I'm hoping that he can ...

"To be loved by not known is comforting, but superficial. To be known by not loved is our greatest fear. To be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God." — Tim Keller Today we begin a four week series on marriage, a tough but important topic to consider. The idea behind the series is to look at four marriages from the Bible and see what they have to tell us about marriage. This first week's focus is on Adam and Eve, but it's not on what you might think. The focus is on nakedness, but again not in the way we might think. The idea is transparency, being completely open, known, and unashamed before our spouse. That can be tough even under idea circumstances, but it is what God intended marriage to be, and it is what we all crave. The quote from Tim Keller hits on this. We desire to be fully known and fully loved, but sometimes our previous experiences can hurt that. Whether it's past romantic relationships, familial relationships, or friend...

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7 Malcolm Gladwell is a great author and thinker. His books have made people from all walks of life look at the world differently. But his latest book, "David and Goliath," did the same for him. When watching an interview, I was struck by the fact that the journey of telling this story inspired something in Gladwell. In an interview with the Washington Post, he said, "I was so incredibly struck in writing these stories by the incredible power faith had in people’s lives, it has made a profound impact on me in my belief. That’s been the completely unexpected effect of writing this book. I am in the process of rediscovering my own faith again." Needless to say I couldn't wait to dive into this book. I haven't finished...