Matt's Musings

  We’re into November. The Network season is going strong and running toward a holiday respite, but streaming and cable are starting to heat up, offering some prestige offerings to close the year. That can leave you with plenty of tough choices when it comes to your viewing. So, let this weekly column be your guide as I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this Fall. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Thursday: Star Trek: Prodigy, Thursdays on Paramount+ (Premiered October 28) About: This new Star Trek series is an animated adventure that was originally developed for Nickelodeon before transitioning to Paramount+. The pilot, which was really both halves of a two-parter, introduced characters and the world, not really launching into the series template about a group of misfits who find and steal a Federation Star Ship until the end. I thought the early piece of the episode felt like something radically different from the Star Trek ...

  Week 9 : Denver Broncos 30, Dallas Cowboys 16 Season Record : 5-4 (2-2 Home) Key Play : In the fourth quarter, with 6:32 remaining, Brandon McManus hit a 42-yard field goal to make it 30-0 Broncos. Recap : The Broncos notched a 14-point win in Dallas on Sunday. While that's surprising on its own, it's not even an accurate representation of the game. It wasn't that close. With just over six minutes remaining, the Broncos led 30-0. While the Cowboys posted a couple late touchdowns to make the score respectable, it had no bearing on the outcome of the game. Make no mistake, the Broncos dominated for all four quarters and got a win. What makes it surprising is that the Cowboys had won six straight and looked like one of the best teams in the NFL. The Broncos, meanwhile, have been up-and-down and dealt the team's best player, Von Miller, to the Rams at the trade deadline. I, like many others, thought that was a sign the Broncos were throwing in the towel despite protestati...

  This holiday season Lindsay and I got a new cinematic adventure thanks to Cracker Barrel. I found a book, TCM Presents Christmas at the Movies . The book includes 30 different films hand picked and curated by TCM staff to celebrate the Christmas Season. We decided to go through them over the Christmas Season, which for Lindsay begins no later than Halloween. As I explore these films I'll be sharing my thoughts. We've seen two so far, both from the black-and-white cinema era! Miracle on Main Street (1939) About: Margo, Walter Abel, and Lyle Talbot Synopsis : This is an interesting film, part of a set of films that were produced in both English and Spanish. I saw the English-language film, which is available in full on YouTube. It centers on a woman, Maria (Margo), who is unhappily married to Dick (Talbot), a con-man. They're running a burlesque show and con on Christmas Eve in the Spanish Quarter of Los Angeles. When he tries suckering an undercover cop, they both have to...

  2021 is the year I turn 40. As part of my celebration, I'm looking back at 40 years of movies, picking my favorite film from each year I've been around! To learn more about the criteria for this process, check this introduction. Each post will feature my pick, plus three runner's up. So check back over the next 40 weeks of this journey! 2018: Won't You Be My Neighbor About : It's rare when a documentary rises to the top. I love the format, and when you find one you love it can stick with you for a long time. In 2018, it was a little documentary on Fred Rogers. It chronicled his life and his dedication to being a voice of compassion for kids and adults around the world. I remember watching the show and I was deeply moved by his story. It remains one of my favorite films. Other Considerations: A Quiet Place About: When I saw the trailer for the film, I wasn't sold. It seemed like a clever horror movie concept with a good cast but that was about it. When I watch...

  The NFL Trade Deadline came and went this week. It remained to be seen how the Broncos would approach the deadline but, in the end, it was linebacker Von Miller who moved, traded to the Super Bowl-contending Rams for a second and third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Miller was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, taken just after Cam Newton. He's in his 11th season with the Broncos and has been the heart of the defense during all that time in addition to being one of my favorite players. He still is, despite being moved. Miller recorded 110.5 sacks , has made the Pro Bowl eight times and was MVP of Super Bowl 50. Some day I suspect he'll be in the Hall of Fame and he'll certainly be in the Ring of Fame for the Broncos. Seeing him moved confirms to me that the Broncos aren't going anywhere in 2021. The team is 4-4 facing the teeth of a difficult schedule. While the team maintains that they're still competing, I'm suspicious. With Von gone, the team ...

  Week 8 wasn’t great for either Lindsay or myself. I finished just over .500 for the week and I’m hoping for better in Week 9. Matt’s Picks: Colts Over Jets Bengals Over Browns Cowboys Over Broncos Dolphins Over Texans Saints Over Falcons Raiders Over Giants Patriots Over Panthers Bills Over Jaguars Ravens Over Vikings Chargers Over Eagles Chiefs Over Packers 49ers Over Cardinals Rams Over Titans Steelers Over Bears Last Week : 8-7 Season : 79-43 Lindsay’s Picks: Colts Over Jets Bengals Over Browns Cowboys Over Broncos Texans Over Dolphins Saints Over Falcons Raiders Over Giants Panthers Over Patriots Bills Over Jaguars Ravens Over Vikings Eagles Over Chargers Packers Over Chiefs Cardinals Over 49ers Rams Over Titans Steelers Over Bears Last Week : 6-9 Season : 78-44

  Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week, including our new, recurring Hallmark Christmas Movie Corner Army of Thieves (Netflix) Starring:  Matthias Schweighöfer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ruby O'Fee, Stuart Martin, and Guz Khan Synopsis: Back during the summer Zack Snyder delivered Army of the Dead , a big spectacle action film for Netflix about a heist in the midst of a zombie apocalypse in Las Vegas. This prequel focuses on safe cracker Dieter (Schweighofer), showing the story of how he went from a bank teller to a master thief, leading right into his role in Army of the Dead . Schweighofer is great in the lead role, directing this film which adopts a different feel and tone. You see hardly any zombies, as that all comes later. This one is about Dieter and his crew, including his relationship with thief Gwendoline (Emmanuel), who finds and recruits him. The action and humor blend well here. I liked the set up and thought this was an enjoyable ride that was better than th...