Matt's Musings

 We’ve made it to August, which means the NFL Season is just around the corner! Over the course of the month, I’ll be previewing each of the division races, looking at the teams in order of finish from 2025. Below, we start with the NFC West. Let’s dive in! Seattle Seahawks (14-3) About: The Seahawks won the NFC West, won the NFC, then won the Super Bowl. So, you know, they did pretty well! The Seahawks also didn’t have a ton of changes, which helps. Sam Darnold is back at quarterback, with all his primary receivers—Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp, along with tight end A.J. Barner. But the team lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, who is now on the Chiefs. Still, the team has Zach Charbonnet, who is recovering from a torn ACL, and rookie Jadarian Price to carry the load. That combined with a mostly returned defense should help. I think the Seahawks are still going to be a strong team. Prediction: The Seahawks will still make the playoffs, but I don’t know if they...

It's hard to believe, but 1996 was 30 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 1996 that are turning 30 in 2026. Today, it's the start of a franchise. Stanley Goodspeed : Well, I'm one of those fortunate people who like my job, sir. Got my first chemistry set when I was seven, blew my eyebrows off, we never saw the cat again, been into it ever since. The Rock Starring : Nicholas Cage, Ed Harris, and Sean Connery Director : Michael Bay About: Look, I'm an unabashed fan of Bay and his filmmaking, but this is one of his more universally praised films. This was his second feature, coming years before he became the man behind Transformers . It's got a great cast and the action of the film works well. I like the story and the way that it all comes together. It's an iconic action film that remains a classic for fans and for those love a good, late-night cable classic.

Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. Gold Hat : Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges. The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948) Original List Position : 30 Starring : Humphrey Bogart and Walter Huston Director : John Huston About : Bogart was a classic leading man who starred in several iconic films, some of which are on this list. Sierra Madre is one of his most famous, and one of the better Westerns on the list. It was ranked No. 30 on the original list, sliding to No. 38 a decade later. It's pretty close to where I have it here. This is a movie I remember seeing as a teenager. My dad was a big fan of Bogart, showing me som...

Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. Butch Cassidy : [ to Sundance] Boy, I got vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) Original List Position : 50 Starring: Paul Newman and Robert Redford Director: George Roy Hill About: Redford and Newman made for quite the on-screen tandem. This is one of their more iconic pairings as they star as the infamous outlaws near the end of their adventures. It landed at No. 50 on the original list, slipping to No. 73 a decade later. I have it a bit higher than either of those. I think it's a fun and funny film, that's also a quality Western. Newman and Redford have such incredible rapport together, which is w...

 We've made it to August, the end of summer. This is about some of the last hurrahs of the summer season, with blockbusters, smaller films, and a jam-packed slate. Let's dive in! Friday, August 7: * Ice Cream Man (Theaters ): This is a new horror film from Eli Roth. It bears no connection to the film previously holding this title, but it certainly looks to be a gorefest. * One Night Only (Theaters): What if The Purge was a comedy about pre-marital sex? That's the premise here with a cast led by Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro. It looks fun enough. *Super Troopers 3 (Theaters) : This is the third installment of the Super Troopers film franchise. These over-the-top comedies are always a bit of fun, and have a built-in audience. *Cookie Queens (Limited): This is the wideish release of the documentary about Girl Scouts that played festivals earlier in the year. It looks like an interesting addition to the lineup. *The Last House (Netflix) : This is a new sci-fi/horror film ...

 We’re making our way through July, which means we’re officially in the slow season. This is the beginning of a new Emmy year, and a few months from the Fall kickoff. But with temperatures sweltering, you might be looking for something to pass the time in the air conditioning. So, which of these new shows is worth your time to check out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new series this summer. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Mondays: Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC (Premiered July 13) About: This spin-off series, hosted by reigning champion Robert Irwin, is about finding the next Dancing With the Stars pro. It features Mark and Shirly Ballas as judges, with a rotating set of guests from the main show. The first week was Derek Hough, the second Brandon Armstrong. There were 12 dancers vying for a spot, with two eliminated in the premier and one last week. Each week we see the dancer...

 There weren’t any major wide releases this weekend in July, but there were a few interesting films. Below is a look at the new movies I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. The Dink (Apple TV) Starring: Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, and Ed Harris Synopsis: We all have dreams and sometimes, they don’t work out. When that happens, it can haunt us for the rest of our lives. But what happens if you remain stuck in what might have been? Well, that’s the struggle for Dustin Boyd (Johnson) in The Dink. Dustin, once dubbed The Hammer, was a great tennis prospect. He rose quickly through the junior ranks with the tutelage of his father, Chuck (Harris). He finally turned pro and seemed poised to set the tennis world on fire. But his first matchup with a young Andy Roddick pushed him in another direction. Now, decades later, he’s a tennis pro at his father’s club. He has a best friend, PJ (Aaron Chen), is more of a devo...