Matt's Musings

We're nearing the end of this countdown, and as we do we get the most sentimental choice on this list. No. 5 — Simon Birch (1998) Starring: Joe Mazzello, Ian Michael Smith, David Straithairn, Ashley Judd, and Oliver Platt Director: Mark Steven Johnson Quote: "I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice, not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God. What faith I have, I owe to Simon Birch, the boy I grew up with in Gravedown, Maine." — Adult Joe Wentworth About: When you're looking at a list of personal favorites, there are usually emotional ties to a film that get it on the list. There is something about it that stirs you. "Simon Birch" is probably the least pedigreed and least easily defended choice on this list from a cinematic stand point. Yet it's in the top five. In fact, at times in my life it's ...

Spring is going along strong, and the influx of new shows continues. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series of the Spring. Don't see a new show below, check previous weeks. Tuesday Nights: You Me Her, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on the Audience Network (Premiered March 22) About : This new comedy, a co-production with Canada, is about a married couple (Greg Poehler and Rachel Blanchard) who are looking to spice things up by including an escort (Priscilla Faia) in their relationship. What could possibly go wrong? This is meant to be an edgy sort of comedy. I didn't think either episode was really funny, and it's not really edgy. Creepy? Yes. Entertaining? Well, not really. I think Audience is trying to add value for DirecTV customers. It's also trying to do something different. Those are laudable goals. But this show isn't that different or special, and doesn't really seem compelling enough to make anyone come back week after w...

"You can breathe. You can blink. You can cry. Hell, they're all gonna be doing that." - Negan, "The Walking Dead" For a while now, we've known a reckoning was coming on "The Walking Dead." It's been foreshadowed and looming, largely due to the hubris of Rick and the others. They thought they knew who the Saviors were. They thought they understood Negan. They thought they could handle it. They were wrong. It reminds me of an exchange between Alfred and Bruce Wayne in "The Dark Knight" regarding the Joker. Bruce is frustrated that he can't pin The Joker down based on his familiar methods. Alfred suggests it's because Bruce doesn't really understand his adversary. Bruce says The Joker is a criminal, and criminals aren't complicated. Alfred responds, "With respect Master Wayne, perhaps this is a man that *you* don't fully understand, either. A long time ago, I was in Burma. My friends and I were working for the lo...

The Broncos' off season continues, and one key position has been the focus of a lot of the discussion — quarterback. With the NFL Draft just a couple weeks away, the Broncos appear poised to make a move in some way. Below is a look at a couple options. Option 1: Draft a QB. Pros: This could give them a young player they can mold for years to come. Drafting a quarterback high, to go along with second year pro Trevor Siemian, gives the Broncos a chance to be forward-looking. Cons: This isn't a great draft for quarterbacks. In addition, the Broncos appear to be in a win-now mode. That sounds funny given that the team just won a Super Bowl, but the nucleus of good young players is in tact. The Broncos have a great defense, and the window to win titles is small. Do the Broncos really have time to wait a year or two to develop a QB? In this scenario, too, Mark Sanchez would obviously be the starter for 1-2 years. Will that work? Likely Option: In mock drafts the Broncos have take...

"You know you're one bad day away from being me." — Frank Castle, "Daredevil" Marvel's "Daredevil" unveiled its second season on March 18, and by now many — myself included — have devoured the 13 episodes. Some have called it an uneven season, which may be true, but I was fascinated by the battle between Daredevil and The Punisher. No, not the physical battle, though that was often impressive. It was their ideological battle that drove the series. Since the beginning, Matt Murdock has been a hero plagued by guilt. He's frequently visited a priest and tried to come to grips with his mission and his faith. He is trying to do good, but he's afraid of doing evil. Frank Castle has no such fear. After his family was gunned down, he took it upon himself to rid the city of the gangsters that are a blight upon it. He had no moral qualms with killing scores of men in the name of justice. That set him and Daredevil at odds. Daredevil might beat people...

"When they come for us, we’ll end it. The whole thing." — Rick, "The Walking Dead" Something is coming. It's been on the horizon for a while now, but as the finale approaches, so, too, does the danger. Our heroes on "The Walking Dead" have been headed down a dangerous path for some time, and it's finally coming to a head tonight with Negan entering the scene. Rick saw an opportunity — take out the Saviors and live free. But to do that, the group had to, in some ways, step outside of who they are, or who they should be. They were the aggressors, and have been for weeks. They've sought vengeance against an enemy that they'd never seen. There is a proverb that says, "While seeking revenge, dig two graves - one for yourself." That is the path they're on, and Morgan was the voice of reason. Rick said he doesn't take chances any more, a justification for his actions. Morgan responded, "There is no right; there's just th...

Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Starring: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Adams, and Diane Lane Synopsis:  This clash of the titans has been a long time coming. I don’t mean Batman fighting Superman, though that’s true. No, I mean the battle between Marvel and DC Comics. Beginning in 2008, Marvel had a long-term plan to build a cinematic universe. That came to fruition with “The Avengers” in 2012 and continued with “Age of Ultron” in 2015. Meanwhile DC saw what was happening, and planned a cinematic empire of its own. “Man of Steel” in 2013 set the stage for a new wave of DC films, and with “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which opened March 25, DC Comics is hoping to see a successful cinematic universe of its own on screen. The movie set Box Office records, but it’s also drawn fierce criticism and middling reviews, which are all deserved. When “Man of Steel” debuted three years ago, I was excited. ...