Matt's Musings

On Friday, April 14 "Fate of the Furious" will be released in theaters. It will make a lot of money if history is any judge. The eighth film in the franchise, this one will take the franchise in a new direction. Paul Walker is gone, and the trailers make it appear that our hero Dom (Vin Diesel) has turned to the dark side. Supposedly this won't be the last of the franchise, which has become one of the most bankable. After "Furious 7" grossed more than $1.5 billion at the worldwide Box Office, it's clear people haven't tired of this franchise. And it's got a simple formula: cool cars, cool characters and great action sequences. Plus a few fringe elements that make it hum. Or at least it has since the franchise got put back on track with its fourth installment. Parts two and three, well we don't talk about those much. With the eighth film about to come out, it's time to look back at the first seven and rank them, in ascending order. 7. Fast and...

We're just 20 days from the NFL draft and about a month into NFL Free Agency, and some marquee names remain available. It's time to take a look at the players out there and their prospects. Here's a look at some running backs still looking for work. Adrian Peterson Status : Released by the Minnesota Vikings Age: 32 Club Visits: Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints About: There was a time not so long ago when seeing Peterson as a free agent would have been all anyone could talk about. And while there's still clearly interest in the 32-year-old running back, it's hard to gauge his value. This is due in part to his age and the fact he hasn't really played well or much at all two of the past three seasons. And it's also due in part to the baggage he brings — some people still aren't fans after he missed most of the 2014 season on the Commissioner's Exempt List after allegations of Child Abuse. There's also qu...

We're just 20 days from the NFL draft and about a month into NFL Free Agency, and some marquee names remain available. It's time to take a look at the players out there and their prospects. Here's a look at a pair of quarterbacks still looking for work. Jay Cutler Status: Released by the Bears Age: 33 Club Visits: Jets About: Cutler has always been a frustration. Since entering the NFL, he's had all the talent in the world, but he never totally put it together. Smokin' Jay began his career in Denver, playing there for three seasons before getting shipped to the Chicago Bears, where he was the great hope for a title. He played there for eight years and soaked up an incredibly large contract, but the Bears were rarely ever competitive. In his eight years as the starter, the Bears managed to get to the playoffs just once. Jay won his first game then, famously, got injured against the Packers and missed most of the rest of that game, a loss. Most of the time, however,...

Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. The Zookeeper's Wife Starring: Jessica Chastain, Daniel Bruhn, and Johan Heldenbergh Synopsis : It’s been more than 70 years since World War II ended. Many of those who lived and fought through it are no longer with us. But it’s an important part of our history, and we never seem to reach the end of these stories. “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” based on a true story, is one such story. It’s about Nazis and Jews, men, women and children fighting to survive in Poland during WWII. It’s an important story and it’s well told. While most, if not all of us, have heard and seen these types of stories many times before, it’s a narrative that never gets old. And as that generation is slowly disappearing, it’s even more important to keep the memory of those events alive and fresh in our minds. As has been said, those that don’t remember history are doomed to repeat it. Stories like this keep those events in front of us, bringing with them the exp...

Over the next 21 weeks I'll be taking a look at some of my favorite TV series, broken down into three groups (Limited Run Series, Comedies, and Dramas). In my post on March 1 I laid out the ground rules for these categories and this exploration, the biggest of which is no series that are currently airing. To read the whole thing, check out the post "Best of the Small Screen" from March 1. Today the Limited Run Series section concludes with an absolute gem from HBO. Band of Brothers (2001) Number of Seasons/Episodes: 1/10 Network: HBO Starring: Damien Lewis, Ron Livingston, Donnie Wahlberg, Michael Cudlitz, Shane Taylor, Scott Grimes, Neal McDonough, and Matthew Settle Creator : Stephen Ambrose, Steven Spielberg, and Tom Hanks Favorite Season/Episode : 1.05 "Crossroads," 1.07 "The Breaking Point," 1.09 "Why We Fight" About : If you're talking about mini-series, limited run series, or anthology series, the gold standard is "Band of ...

Spring has sprung. In Colorado, that means consecutive snow storms. Good thing we have plenty of TV to keep us going. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted shows this Spring. Don't see a new show listed below? Check Previous Weeks. Tuesday Nights: Imaginary Mary, Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. on ABC (Premiered March 29) About : ABC family comedies aren't my favorite, but it's undeniable that they've found a niche and they've built a following. Shows like "Blackish," "Modern Family," and "The Goldbergs" fill a specific role, and ABC has done a good job of expanding that brand. That's what makes "Imaginary Mary," which got a preview last Wednesday in front of "Modern Family" before moving to its Tuesday home tonight, so confounding. It wants to fit in that family comedy niche. But it doesn't work. It is about a woman who used an imaginary friend to get through her socially awkward...

"No matter how things go down, I got your back." - Sasha, "The Walking Dead" "The Walking Dead" brought its seventh season to a close on Sunday. It, predictably, ended with Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) dead and the Saviors in an all out war with the rest. It was an uneven episode, but a decent way to wrap up the season. I say uneven because the flashbacks with Sasha and Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) weren't great, and I thought were underwhelming for both characters. But the episode marked some forward movement and some action, something that had been sorely missing in the back half of this season. But the question is whether the show is back on track. Last season ended with the mother of all cliffhangers. While it angered some, it kept people talking all summer until the show returned in October. But that return wasn't what many expected. The tone of the first half of the season, particularly the premier, was violent, dark, and depressing. Finally, th...