Matt's Musings

  We’re rapidly racing our way through December. In fact, there is only two more weeks of the Fall Roundup left before we turn the page to the Winter Roundup in January. Though the calendar is rapidly closing in on the end of 2021, the plethora of viewing channels continues to churn out original programming. Between holiday parties and shopping, that can leave you with little time to catch new options. So, which are worth your time? Let this weekly column be your guide as I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted, and occasional unscripted, options. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Mondays: Landscapers, Mondays at 9 p.m. on HBO (Premiered December 6) About : This docudrama, based on the true story of a British couple who covered up a crime for 15 years before getting caught, debuted last week. It features four episodes in total, each running about an hour. Olivia Coleman and David Thewlis star as the couple in question. The first episode is ...

  Week 14 : Denver Broncos 38, Detroit Lions 10 Season Record: 7-6 (4-3 Home) Key Play: In the third quarter, leading 24-10, Teddy Bridgewater hit rookie running back Javonte Williams in the flat. Williams was able to spin away to get a 10-yard touchdown reception, pushing the score to 31-10. The Lions never bounced back. Recap: It's been quite a week. On Thursday, the world learned of the passing of Demaryius Thomas, the great receiver for the Denver Broncos. On Sunday, the Broncos honored DT in a number of ways, including a pre-game ceremony and the missing man formation on the game's first play. The tributes continued on the field as well, as the Broncos played in memory of their former star. Fittingly, the team played really well, too. Melvin Gordon was strong in his return and rookie Javonte Williams continued his hot stretch. Each scored two touchdowns as the Broncos won the easiest game left on their schedule to move to 7-6 on the season. The final four games will pro...

 After a delay due to the COVID pandemic, the new iteration of CSI, returning original stars William Peterson and Jorja Fox, debuted this Fall. The series brought back the familiar sights and sounds, mixing the returning stars with new characters, mixing week-to-week cases with an ongoing mystery that carried through its 10-episode first season. So, what now? The first season was modestly successful. I'm sure fans of the original series, like myself, tuned in to see Gil Grissom (Peterson) and Sara Sidle (Fox) back on the case. And it was what I'd hoped to see. The resolution to the season-long mystery worked, too. It wrapped up well, leaving many to wonder what would happen. No decision has yet been made as to whether the series will return for a second season. Obviously, those that work on the series are hopeful it will continue. But if it does, who will be there? The series teased a second season mystery in its closing moments, but producers acknowledged that Peterson and Fox...

  This week's big release is a re-make of West Side Story from the great director Steven Spielberg. In honor of the release, I decided to look back at my Top 5 Spielberg-directed films. 5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) About: The first Indiana Jones film, this one is a lot of fun. The blend of humor and drama works well and it kicked off a successful franchise. 4. Schindler's List (1993) About: This is a difficult and powerful film that tells a holocaust tale. Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes are good in the roles and this is a powerful film, albeit not one you want to re-watch frequently. 3. Saving Private Ryan (1998) About: Spielberg has made some of the finest World War II content with Schindler's List , Band of Brothers and this film, which is one of his best. I remember the first time I saw it and how it impacted me. Tom Hanks is great in it, but this is about telling a powerful story well.  2. Jaws (1975) About : One of my favorite films of all time a...

  On Thursday night the world learned that Demariyus Thomas, former NFL receiver, had died at the age of 33. He appears to have died as a result of a medical complication, cutting short the life of a great player and a good man. It was a stunning and sad turn of events, and my thoughts are with his family who must be grieving his loss especially hard. It's also a time to remember his contributions. Thomas, better known here as DT, was a one of two first round draft picks in 2010 by the Broncos. It was a pick acquired from the Patriots, and DT along with Tim Tebow were taken by then-coach Josh McDaniels. As a coach, I loathed the McDaniels era. But, if there was any bright spot, it was that he brought the team DT. From the beginning, DT was a great playmaker. He was slowed by injuries and an inefficient offense in his early years, and yet his first playoff appearance, following the 2011 season, was epic. It's an all-time playoff moment for the Broncos as Tebow hit DT in stride i...

  Last week I was OK, finishing 8-6, but not incredible. I still hold a narrow lead but we’ll see if it holds up. Matt’s Picks: Steelers Over Vikings Browns Over Ravens Titans Over Jaguars Chiefs Over Raiders Saints Over Jets Cowboys Over Washington Panthers Over Falcons Seahawks Over Texans Broncos Over Lions Chargers Over Giants Bengals Over 49ers Buccaneers Over Bills Packers Over Bears Rams Over Cardinals Last Week : 8-6 Season : 118-75 Lindsay's Picks: Steelers Over Vikings Browns Over Ravens Titans Over Jaguars Raiders Over Chiefs Saints Over Jets Cowboys Over Washington Panthers Over Falcons Seahawks Over Texans Broncos Over Lions Chargers Over Giants Bengals Over 49ers Buccaneers Over Bills Packers Over Bears Cardinals Over Rams Last Week: 9-5 Season : 115-78

  Here’s a look at the new films I saw this week, including the Hallmark Christmas Movie Corner. If you’d like to see more of my scores for films and thoughts, feel free to follow me on Letterboxd here . 7 Days Starring: Geraldine Viswanathan and Karan Soni Synopsis : We’re well into the pandemic and it continues to offer stories for the big and small screen. This new comedy steers into that idea, also exploring the culture of arranged marriages. It centers on a man (Soni) and woman (Viswanathan) set up by their Indian parents on a date in March 2020. As the world descends into a lock down, these two find themselves forced to share an apartment, greatly speeding up the process of getting to know each other. What at first seems like a total miss turns into something else over the course of seven days. This film, co-written by Soni and director Roshan Sethi, has appeared at some festivals but is due for a wide release in 2022. It touches on a lot of subjects but what I enjoyed w...