Matt's Musings

  "Scream" debuted in December of 1996. At that time, I was a sophomore in high school just hitting Christmas break. I knew of the film, and was curious to see it, but didn't get to catch it in theaters. Instead, months later, when it finally debuted on video (how many remember that), I got to rent it.  I remember watching it one night when I was by myself, in the dark in my bedroom. There was a certain thrill to see the film and discover the plot twists the first time. The film was scripted by Kevin Williamson, who would go on to create "Dawson's Creek," and directed by Wes Craven, who has helmed a number of horror films, including "A Nightmare on Elm Street," which is strongly referenced  in "Scream." From the moment I saw the movie, I knew it was going to become a favorite. In college, I actually did a communication thesis on the evolution of slasher films from their 1970s genesis through their 1990s rebirth. "Halloween" and ...

  I miss football, and sports in general. I'm guessing you do, too. And in the place of actual games, we've been seeing a lot of countdowns of classic games, players, etc. And that got me thinking about my own favorite team, the Denver Broncos. I have loved the Denver Broncos since I was a little kid, more than 30 years of fandom. I started watching them in the late 1980s, and have been faithful ever since. So I thought it might be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and consider my favorite players from those teams. So this is just a personal list, that will be presented in reverse order starting at number 30. Agree, disagree, have your own stories? Share them in the comments. No. 1 John Elway (1983-1998) About: And we come to the end of the countdown, and if you know me you know there was no other choice here. Actually, if you like the Broncos, there is no other choice. John Elway is the Broncos. He was as a player, where he led the team for 16 seasons on the field an...

  Last week Lindsay did a lot better than me, so now she’s taken the lead. That makes sense as I’ve done better in even weeks, so we’ll see if that continues in Week 8. Matt’s Week 8 Picks: Panthers Over Falcons Bills Over Patriots Titans Over Bengals Browns Over Raiders Lions Over Colts Packers Over Vikings Chiefs Over Jets Rams Over Dolphins Steelers Over Ravens Broncos Over Chargers Saints Over Bears Seahawks Over 49ers Eagles Over Cowboys Buccaneers Over Giants Last Week : 9-5 Season: 64-41 Lindsay’s Week 8 Picks: Panthers Over Falcons Bills Over Patriots Titans Over Bengals Raiders Over Browns Lions Over Colts Packers Over Vikings Chiefs Over Jets Rams Over Dolphins Steelers Over Ravens Chargers Over Broncos Saints Over Bears Seahawks Over 49ers Eagles Over Cowboys Buccaneers Over Giants Last Week : 12-2 Season : 65-40 Matt’s Week 8 Picks Against the Spread: Panthers -2.5 Over Falcons Bills -3.5 Over Patriots Titans -5.5 Over Bengals...

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. Bad Hair (Hulu) Starring:  Elle Lorraine, Jay Pharoah, Vanessa L. Williams, Lena Waithe, and Blair Underwood Synopsis: This thriller is ideally timed for the spooky season, and comes from writer/director Justin Simien and debuted at Sundance in January. It was snapped up by Hulu, who released it on Friday. The film is set in the late 1980s, and focuses on a woman (Lorraine) who is trying to make a move up at her television network. One thing holding her back is her lock, specifically her hair. When she goes to get a weave, she gets more than she bargained for in the hair that's used. It has a mind of its own, leading to some deadly consequences. This is a fun concept and a twist on these kind of stories. Lorraine does a nice job in the lead role, and the film has some fun moments. Unfortunately, I didn't think the third act held up that well. It's worth checking out, especially if you want a strange a spooky tale, but ...

  We're near the beginning of November, and a number of shows will roll out in the next four to five weeks. Let these weekly posts be your guide to new content this Fall. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. This is a shorter one since there were only a couple new additions this week! Sunday Nights: The Undoing, Sundays at 7 p.m. on HBO (Premiered October 25) About: The latest Sunday night series for HBO is the mini-series "The Undoing," which was originally scheduled for May but pushed to the Fall. The series is based on the novel from Jean Hanff Korelitz, and was adapted for television by David E. Kelley. It stars Nicole Kidman as a successful mother and therapist, living happily with her doctor husband (Hugh Grant) in New York City. They seem to have a good life, but soon she meets a new mother at her son's school and strange events happen. Then a tragedy be...

  Week 7: Kansas City Chiefs 43, Denver Broncos 16 Season Record : 2-4 (0-3 Home) Key Play: In the second quarter, with Broncos trailing 17-9 and 5:35 left in the half, the Broncos kicked off to the Chiefs and Byron Pringle took it back for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 24-9. The Broncos never recovered. Recap: That was ugly. The Broncos won the toss and took the ball. A quick three and out, and the Chiefs assault began. Even when the defense could slow them down, the offense for Denver couldn't help out. Instead, Drew Lock threw two interceptions and Melvin Gordon fumbled twice. The Chiefs scored on defense and special teams in the first half, as if they needed the help. And the Broncos couldn't recover. Philip Lindsay looked great running, then got knocked out with a concussion. So, it was another tough day. Albert Okweugbanum continues to look good, but there wasn't much to celebrate yesterday. The Broncos host the Chargers on Sunday, and red hot rookie Justin H...

  As some of you know, I have been a frequent guest host on the Music City Drive In Movie podcast this summer. We've been looking at movies since 2000, re-nominating the Academy Awards. That got me thinking about the actual fields of the awards themselves. In a new weekly series, I'll be looking back at the last 40 years of Oscars and reviewing the choices at Best Picture, Best Director and the four acting categories. 1985 Best Picture: * Out of Africa * Prizzi's Honor * The Color Purple * Kiss of the Spider Woman * Witness About: This is an interesting group of films, where "Out of Africa" came out on top. I like several of these films, and it's tempting to go a number of ways. But I'm going to say "The Color Purple" is Steven Spielberg's most under-rated film, and an under-rated film in general. I think it should have won. Best Director: * Sydney Pollack * John Huston * Peter Weir * Akira Kurosawa * Hector Babenco About: I talked about ab...