Matt's Musings

"True Detective" is not the kind of series that was meant to leave you with warm and fuzzy feelings. It's a slow burn about down and out, often desperate people, pulled together to solve a crime. And maybe gain a modicum of redemption. Maybe. "Detective Velcoro, do you want to live?" It seemed like a simple question, but appearances can be deceiving. Colin Farrell's 1,000 mile stare in response to his doctor's query was indicative of his life hitting a crossroads. At the end of the second episode, Velcoro took two shotgun blasts to the chest. It seemed like it might be the end of his story. He spent the episode slowly circling the drain in nearly every aspect of his life, and it seemed possible that his journey had ended. But it didn't. Damage was done, yes, but it was reversible. At least that's the impression that Velcoro was given. He just had to decide if he wanted to reverse it. Does he? Does he want to seek redemption? Is he capable of turn...

"We're gonna need a bigger boat." - Chief Martin Brody, "Jaws" The Fourth of July is a major day in the United States. It's a celebration of our nation, our freedom, and our way of life. And everyone has their own traditions. For some it's barbecues. For others it's fireworks. For me, it's two essential things -- the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and "Jaws." Many people are appalled by the hot dog eating contest, and I guess I understand. Watching men cram hot dogs and buns down their throats for 10 minutes to win a WWE style belt might not make a lot of sense. But I'll counter with this -- it's probably the most American of events. It's a competition based on excess, particularly excess with food. If you told someone in Africa that America had a competitive eating circuit, they wouldn't get it. And while some here might not get it either, I think it perfectly sums up our culture. So, yeah, I make sure I'm near...

"I want to know what's out there. We deserve to know. I'm ready to face whatever it is." - Kate, "Wayward Pines" During its upfront presentation in 2013, FOX announced a new limited series, "Wayward Pines." It came from M. Night Shymalan, it was based on a novel, and it had a good cast. But the 2013-2014 season came and went, and the show never aired. During its upfront presentation in 2014, FOX again announced that "Wayward Pines" would be coming to the network. Then the 2014-2015 season mostly came and went, and no "Wayward Pines." Finally in late May -- more than two years after it was announced -- the show finally debuted. But it was hard to know what to make of it if you hadn't read the book. The pilot was moody, but well shot. The performances were interesting, but the story and its direction was unclear. What was the town of Wayward Pines? How did people get there? Why were the walls up? Why couldn't they go home?...

Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week. Ted 2 Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Seth Macfarlane, Amanda Seyfried, and Morgan Freeman Synopsis: Back in 2012, Seth Macfarlane made his first live-action film. On paper, an adult comedy about a slacker (Mark Wahlberg) and his best friend, a toy bear that’s come to life, doesn’t seem like a winner. But somehow it all worked. It did well at the Box Office and, inevitably, talk of a sequel began. Last Friday, that sequel arrived. It didn’t do as well as expected on its opening weekend, which is endemic of the fact this is a movie that didn’t need to be made. “Ted” was funny and worked for what it was, partly because it was different. For movies to work, there needs to be some kind of character arc and growth. That’s not really the case with “Ted 2,” which finds John (Wahlberg) and Ted (Macfarlane) in much the same condition as the last film. But this time with a political twist. “Ted 2” is an over-the-top comedy, much like the original. A...

We are just a few days from The Fourth of July. Naturally, that leads me to think of the Roland Emmerich classic "Independence Day." "Independence Day," or "ID4," is one of many disaster films Emmerich has given us, in addition to some patriotic fare like "The Patriot." As part of our summer binge watch, it's time to look at the times Emmerich depicted our world in peril — often destroying famous United States landmarks. 1. Independence Day (1996) About : This was one of Emmerich's early films, and it's also probably his best. Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith are great in this film, which looks at an alien invasion on Fourth of July Weekend. There's plenty of iconic moments and an easy to follow plot. The power of this film is evident in the fact a long awaited sequel will be released next summer, on its 20th anniversary. This is a great summer blockbuster. Rating:  PG-13 for sci-fi destruction and violence Verdict: Four stars out of...

In these weekly posts I take a look at the new shows of summer. I review the pilot and second episode of these new shows. If you don't see a new show listed below, please check previous weeks. Tuesday Nights: Proof, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on TNT (Premiered June 16) About: In this series a doctor (Jennifer Beals), who suffered a near death experience and lost a child, is asked by a dying billionaire (Matthew Modine) to definitively prove what happens after we die. It's an exploration of the after life, and in its own way, of spirituality. Beals is good in the lead role, and the second episode expanded the premise into more of what it will be like on a week-to-week basis. My guess is that the enjoyment of episodes will vary slightly on the case of the week. In the second episode, I liked the case of the week and I thought there were more poignant moments. While slightly different, this could be a nice compliment to the brand identity that TNT drama has cultivated. Pilot Grade: C Sec...

It's summer, and MTV is about to launch a weekly TV series based on the "Scream" movies. The series begins tomorrow night, so it's not too late to binge watch the films — for research purposes, of course. The original is 19-years-old, while the fourth film debuted just four years ago. Below is my rankings of the four films in the "Scream" cannon. 1. Scream (1996) About: I have said before that "Scream" is one of the most important movies of the 20th Century. Some guffaw that notion, and that's fine. It's not everyone's cup of tea. But what the movie did — and the way it worked to transform the horror genre and become a piece of popular culture — can't be overlooked. It was a fascinating premise, and a movie that served as much as a commentary on culture and horror movies as telling a story itself. The performances are good, the formula works, and there's an interesting blend of comedy and horror. "Scream" might not be...