The future is here and it does not look pretty. Apocalyptic and eerily familiar to, both, the film classic, Blade Runner and The Island of Dr. Moreau, Ex Machina, is set in a remote area in a secret valley in the loneliness of Antarctica where nobody can help you. Starring Alicia Vikander and Domnhall Gleason, Ex Machina is the greatest science fiction film nightmare for this millennium.
Written and directed by Alex Garland(28 Days Later and Sunshine), Ex Machina is a mind-blowing reality check on mankind's intentions and progress in science that delves into robotics, ego, love, technology and human selfishness that lays out a horrifying vision for the future of humanity.
In this sci-fi thriller, a young coder(Domnhall Gleason) is brought into the world of an AI genius and his corrupting power. The young hero is selected as the winner of a corporation-wide contest based on his coding skills to take part in a secret program with the top of the company's ranks. What he encounters is amazing but the plot soon thickens like a deep, red and mysterious cabernet into a futuristic shocker that is both captivating and disturbing. Here, one must wonder, "how much science is too much science?" ....and how close are we?
Disregarding any concerns for ethics, we dive, headlong, into reality and what AI means, today. We get that it can be very bad for humanity but does Garland have to rub it in the way he does? Every prototype that our mad scientist created is hot....and alluring.....and seductive....it gets very troublesome. These women are beautiful....but, wait.....they are robots. Check yourself.
At this juncture I'm not going to go too much more into the plot of this film. I don't want to give any more away. If you are a sci-fi buff then put down your pop tarts and lock your dog in the car - this is very good science fiction.
As creeped-out as this wonderful film - Ex Machina left me, I can only point to a very special wine from a remote, secret valley much like that in the setting of the film. Far down below the equator is the Valle Secreto and their 2011 Vintage Cabernet is one of the very good Cabs of the world that hovers around $20. Deep with hints of mocha and blueberry on the front with a luxurious journey into concentrated blackberry and dark cherry fruit, a glass of this wine will help calm your nerves when you return home from this fantastic horror flick.
Showing posts with label wine and film pairing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine and film pairing. Show all posts
Friday, April 24, 2015
Friday, October 31, 2014
NIGHTCRAWLER Film Review and Wine Pairing
What is super creepy and flies around Los Angeles at night? Lou Bloom, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, as a crazed wannabe who inspires to become the paparazzi of death in Dan Gilroy's, Nightcrawler. Quickly learning the nuances of high-speed news reporting, Lou Bloom takes us on a hellish journey of contemporary America and the dreary realism of the media and our failing culture.
Just in time for Halloween, this fright-fest of human behavior at its' worst was released last evening. Gyllenhaal delivers in what just might be his best acting performance, yet. Lou Bloom is a lonely character - unable to procure a position of employment not matter how hard he tries. He is gaunt, ugly, introverted, and very jealous of what those in the world around him have that he does not. This serves as a both a recipe and lesson for what we can produce, here in America. Sure, it happens everywhere. It just happens a lot more, here. Happy Halloween.
Finding quick success in capturing burning fires, dying people, blood and gore, Lou Bloom quickly catches the attention of an aging newscaster of a local, LA station. Played by the gorgeous at 60, Rene Russo, they form a very interesting relationship. Lou Bloom quickly learns how to succeed in the game. Soon enough, it is not only his purple flowers in his window that represent the only beautiful thing in his life. This is where this film gets very eerie.
Nightcrawler took a while to get a hold of me but, 3/4 of the way through, it finally, did. My thoughts are that I am just too exposed to violence and realism in our country - stuff that we hear about and see, everyday - no big deal, right? As the film presented itself, I was only carried along in a mind of melancholy until the plot, really, kicked into gear. Gyllenhaal's acting is what, truly, propels this story and leaves the viewer no choice but to be absorbed into his big, brown, bulging eyes erected over the top of his unhealthy and, almost, sickly frame(I'm talking Mathew in Dallas Buyer's, skinny). At best, he has abandonment issues exude and he represents those who have been lost in the American dream and the American economy. At worst, he is one very chilling human being to watch act on the screen. I'm calling it now....he would be a great villain in the next, Batman.
My favorite selection of wine to pair with Nightcrawler? I must go with something, American - dark and from California - heavy and deep and full enough to warm the soul on this creepy Hallow's Eve. My choice is the full-bodied, deep and lush, red with hints of fall spice - the 2012 Pedroncelli Cabernet Sauvignon Block 007 from the Dry Creek Valley. This wine is perfect for the dark....take a sip, alone on your front porch while you hand-out candy..... a small candle in the corner that lights the way just enough for kids to approach....scare the shit out of them....then, have another sip.....Outstanding film....Press Democrat's wine of the week with, perhaps, this year's film of the year?
Just in time for Halloween, this fright-fest of human behavior at its' worst was released last evening. Gyllenhaal delivers in what just might be his best acting performance, yet. Lou Bloom is a lonely character - unable to procure a position of employment not matter how hard he tries. He is gaunt, ugly, introverted, and very jealous of what those in the world around him have that he does not. This serves as a both a recipe and lesson for what we can produce, here in America. Sure, it happens everywhere. It just happens a lot more, here. Happy Halloween.
Finding quick success in capturing burning fires, dying people, blood and gore, Lou Bloom quickly catches the attention of an aging newscaster of a local, LA station. Played by the gorgeous at 60, Rene Russo, they form a very interesting relationship. Lou Bloom quickly learns how to succeed in the game. Soon enough, it is not only his purple flowers in his window that represent the only beautiful thing in his life. This is where this film gets very eerie.
Nightcrawler took a while to get a hold of me but, 3/4 of the way through, it finally, did. My thoughts are that I am just too exposed to violence and realism in our country - stuff that we hear about and see, everyday - no big deal, right? As the film presented itself, I was only carried along in a mind of melancholy until the plot, really, kicked into gear. Gyllenhaal's acting is what, truly, propels this story and leaves the viewer no choice but to be absorbed into his big, brown, bulging eyes erected over the top of his unhealthy and, almost, sickly frame(I'm talking Mathew in Dallas Buyer's, skinny). At best, he has abandonment issues exude and he represents those who have been lost in the American dream and the American economy. At worst, he is one very chilling human being to watch act on the screen. I'm calling it now....he would be a great villain in the next, Batman.
My favorite selection of wine to pair with Nightcrawler? I must go with something, American - dark and from California - heavy and deep and full enough to warm the soul on this creepy Hallow's Eve. My choice is the full-bodied, deep and lush, red with hints of fall spice - the 2012 Pedroncelli Cabernet Sauvignon Block 007 from the Dry Creek Valley. This wine is perfect for the dark....take a sip, alone on your front porch while you hand-out candy..... a small candle in the corner that lights the way just enough for kids to approach....scare the shit out of them....then, have another sip.....Outstanding film....Press Democrat's wine of the week with, perhaps, this year's film of the year?
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Gone Girl Film Review and Wine Pairing
Amazing Amy....where do I begin with Amazing Amy? She is a very complex, determined, and intelligent character. She is the highlight of the star's (Rosamund Pike) successful children's novel in the story of the film, Gone Girl. America loves Amazing Amy, Amazing Amy is, well, amazing, and America, quickly, boils into panic when something happens to her creators's life as a hope-filled icon for housewives and children, alike, across our great land, this America.
Gone Girl tears at the audience through the horrific sequences of a husband (Ben Affleck), losing his wife in what looks to play out as a horrible family tragedy. Both, screenplay and novel - written by Jillian Flynn, are excellent works, to say the least - horrifying and wonderful. However, I was genuinely hesitant in taking myself to see the film after reading the book. For as it is, the film never captures the substance of the literature. But, this film wraps this novel in a nice, tight net and it is well-worth feeling the squeeze at the theater.
It is fair to mention that Gone Girl ranks in the upper eschelons of psychological thrillers. I have no problem filing it into the genre of Hitchcock, feeling it leaning towards Silence of the Lambs, creepy , and finding myself horrified in some similar way as I was as a child when i snuck into the Stepford Wives at far too young of an age.
What brings great dimension and a whirlwind of enthusiasm to this sordid tale is the hype and drama that come once the media and local townspeople - especially the neighbors get wind of what has transpired in their tiny, little world. The drama that can exude from person to person, in word of mouth and speculation, provides us with a diagnosis of some of the very sickness that plagues our society.
Gone Girl is a complexity of thoughts and exchanges based within the framework of intriguing lies and deception. Gone Girl makes you happy and hopeful, it makes you sick to your stomach, Gone Girl makes you frightened and sad. Jillian Flynn makes a strong case for one of the darkest and most thoughtful writers of our day and, to her, a toast-
My choice of wine to pair with such a profound psychological "who done it" thriller is the Fleurie Beaujolais Moilliard Grivet 2013. This is a dimensional wine made from a very old estate that dates back to 1850. Complex, with rich, berry fruit, this wines' intricacies mirror the depth that Jillian Flynn procures in this zesty, horrifying, brainy thriller. Earthy but juicy, dark but light enough to pair lighter meats and an array of dishes from pasta to Moroccan chicken, this wine, like the mind of the creator of Amazing Amy, knows how to handle any situation that she finds herself in......even one where her husband is trying to kill her (and, no, that is not a spoiler).....hint hint......this film goes deep......bring a warm sweater....
Gone Girl tears at the audience through the horrific sequences of a husband (Ben Affleck), losing his wife in what looks to play out as a horrible family tragedy. Both, screenplay and novel - written by Jillian Flynn, are excellent works, to say the least - horrifying and wonderful. However, I was genuinely hesitant in taking myself to see the film after reading the book. For as it is, the film never captures the substance of the literature. But, this film wraps this novel in a nice, tight net and it is well-worth feeling the squeeze at the theater.
It is fair to mention that Gone Girl ranks in the upper eschelons of psychological thrillers. I have no problem filing it into the genre of Hitchcock, feeling it leaning towards Silence of the Lambs, creepy , and finding myself horrified in some similar way as I was as a child when i snuck into the Stepford Wives at far too young of an age.
What brings great dimension and a whirlwind of enthusiasm to this sordid tale is the hype and drama that come once the media and local townspeople - especially the neighbors get wind of what has transpired in their tiny, little world. The drama that can exude from person to person, in word of mouth and speculation, provides us with a diagnosis of some of the very sickness that plagues our society.
Gone Girl is a complexity of thoughts and exchanges based within the framework of intriguing lies and deception. Gone Girl makes you happy and hopeful, it makes you sick to your stomach, Gone Girl makes you frightened and sad. Jillian Flynn makes a strong case for one of the darkest and most thoughtful writers of our day and, to her, a toast-
My choice of wine to pair with such a profound psychological "who done it" thriller is the Fleurie Beaujolais Moilliard Grivet 2013. This is a dimensional wine made from a very old estate that dates back to 1850. Complex, with rich, berry fruit, this wines' intricacies mirror the depth that Jillian Flynn procures in this zesty, horrifying, brainy thriller. Earthy but juicy, dark but light enough to pair lighter meats and an array of dishes from pasta to Moroccan chicken, this wine, like the mind of the creator of Amazing Amy, knows how to handle any situation that she finds herself in......even one where her husband is trying to kill her (and, no, that is not a spoiler).....hint hint......this film goes deep......bring a warm sweater....
Friday, June 27, 2014
Transformers Age of Extinction Film Review and Wine Pairing
After watching the last two Transformer's films, I didn't have great expectations going into this newest release of Transformers directed, in part by Steven Spielberg. The last two I enjoyed but was easily annoyed by the teeny-bop love scenes and all the time their sappy antics took away from what I wanted to be watching - sci-fi, robots, and fighting.
However, very different and trending away from the last production, Transformers Age of Extinction packs a deep punch and is, flat-out, action throughout the entire 2 hours and 40 minutes. There was a few elements of cheesy loveliness and one sappy scene between two of the star teens but this movie roared to life and is nothing short of Optimus Primo!
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Transformers Age of Extinction propels itself into summer box office glory with good, hard fighting and battle scenes. There are hot chicks, swearing, and even some gruesome death that render this, easily, the most exciting and violent(Americans love their violence) of all the Transformer films.
What really made this film work for me were the storyline and plot. In this battle of good versus evil, there is a great deal written into its' depths about ancient aliens and the producers make a clear statement to the audience of just how foolish humans are that we believe we are the center of the universe. This resonates throughout the film and should serve as a fine lesson for our youth.
With this, there is also several references and inferences mixed into the theme that point at the Inquisition, The Knights Templar, and the Holy Grail. This gives the film such great depth and renders it even, profound, despite what we all may perceive to be nothing more than plastic toys. I found this a wonderful injection into an already exhilarating experience.
What makes the movie so exhilarating? Without giving away too much, let's just say that Mark Wahlberg takes on the role of single parent raising his super-hot teenage daughter and is thrown into the hell of a massive robot war and the potential extinction of humankind. His character works fine for me as a tough guy in most of his films but, in this, the action is unprecedented as he delves into a Bourne Legacy-like roll and the near misses are so much fun throughout this works' entirety.
There is one wine that comes to my mind that is the very best pairing for this film and that is the Cline 2010 Big Break Zinfandel from Contra Costa County. This deeply colored zinfandel is named after a big damn collapse that flooded the local farmland, some, 80 years ago. Its' fruit is deep and robust with just enough cracked pepper to spice up your summer barbecue and pairs very well with the intensity and destruction on the ride that Transformers Age of Extinction takes us. Have a great summer-
However, very different and trending away from the last production, Transformers Age of Extinction packs a deep punch and is, flat-out, action throughout the entire 2 hours and 40 minutes. There was a few elements of cheesy loveliness and one sappy scene between two of the star teens but this movie roared to life and is nothing short of Optimus Primo!
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Transformers Age of Extinction propels itself into summer box office glory with good, hard fighting and battle scenes. There are hot chicks, swearing, and even some gruesome death that render this, easily, the most exciting and violent(Americans love their violence) of all the Transformer films.
What really made this film work for me were the storyline and plot. In this battle of good versus evil, there is a great deal written into its' depths about ancient aliens and the producers make a clear statement to the audience of just how foolish humans are that we believe we are the center of the universe. This resonates throughout the film and should serve as a fine lesson for our youth.
With this, there is also several references and inferences mixed into the theme that point at the Inquisition, The Knights Templar, and the Holy Grail. This gives the film such great depth and renders it even, profound, despite what we all may perceive to be nothing more than plastic toys. I found this a wonderful injection into an already exhilarating experience.
What makes the movie so exhilarating? Without giving away too much, let's just say that Mark Wahlberg takes on the role of single parent raising his super-hot teenage daughter and is thrown into the hell of a massive robot war and the potential extinction of humankind. His character works fine for me as a tough guy in most of his films but, in this, the action is unprecedented as he delves into a Bourne Legacy-like roll and the near misses are so much fun throughout this works' entirety.
There is one wine that comes to my mind that is the very best pairing for this film and that is the Cline 2010 Big Break Zinfandel from Contra Costa County. This deeply colored zinfandel is named after a big damn collapse that flooded the local farmland, some, 80 years ago. Its' fruit is deep and robust with just enough cracked pepper to spice up your summer barbecue and pairs very well with the intensity and destruction on the ride that Transformers Age of Extinction takes us. Have a great summer-
Sunday, June 15, 2014
THE SIGNAL FILM REVIEW AND WINE PAIRING
What do you get when you cross The Blair Witch Project, District 9, Boxing Helena, and Area 51? The Signal. The Signal is a sci-fi horror sensation directed by William Eubank and starring Laurence Fishburne. It is nothing shy of a creepy freakshow that crawls and stretches into several different genres of horror.....and crawl and stretch it does, well.
Everything unfolds for a team of young MIT students as their personal computers get hacked and what seems to begin as technological trouble turns into scientific hell. Without going into the plot too much, bold and adventurous youth wind up so much over their heads that there could not possibly be a happy ending to this film.
The Signal is a case study in the possibility of alien life, advances in technology, and some cold, hard truths about the government and the future of humanity. At the beginning, I wasn't so sold on the plot and how the story was designed. By the end, I felt quite differently. Google this film and watch the trailer. It is very dark. Dark is good.
Fishburne stands out so magnificently in is acting as the lead doctor of the secret medical facility that he makes you crawl in your own skin. He's not saving Keanu in this sci fi plot. There is no love to lose, here. Rather, he is instrumental to the plot in making patrons in the theater feel very, very uncomfortable.
Hand in hand with all that creeped me out in this film, the imagination that designed and built the technology that is unveiled - once things, really, begin to go south, is absolutely wicked good. Insightful, inventive, and diabolical, whereas in the beginning I felt this film was taking me into another silly sci fi horror, I was dropped into a nightmare that had me asking my two buddies who saw it with me, many questions about applications for the future, discussing possibilities, challenging reality, and sharing in the general uneasiness we were all feeling.
The Signal could only be paired with a very complex and deep, red wine. I choose a varietal blend of great character and depth - something founded on several plots with the introduction of several different grapes that mixes a little of each of its' greatness into a wonder of winemaking science:- The 2010 Mariner is a perfect pairing for this super-geeky, existential, science horror experience. It is composed of 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and the rest Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Soft tannins as well as plenty of black currant, cedar and plum characteristics. Enjoy....and hope you don't receive the signal.
Everything unfolds for a team of young MIT students as their personal computers get hacked and what seems to begin as technological trouble turns into scientific hell. Without going into the plot too much, bold and adventurous youth wind up so much over their heads that there could not possibly be a happy ending to this film.
The Signal is a case study in the possibility of alien life, advances in technology, and some cold, hard truths about the government and the future of humanity. At the beginning, I wasn't so sold on the plot and how the story was designed. By the end, I felt quite differently. Google this film and watch the trailer. It is very dark. Dark is good.
Fishburne stands out so magnificently in is acting as the lead doctor of the secret medical facility that he makes you crawl in your own skin. He's not saving Keanu in this sci fi plot. There is no love to lose, here. Rather, he is instrumental to the plot in making patrons in the theater feel very, very uncomfortable.
Hand in hand with all that creeped me out in this film, the imagination that designed and built the technology that is unveiled - once things, really, begin to go south, is absolutely wicked good. Insightful, inventive, and diabolical, whereas in the beginning I felt this film was taking me into another silly sci fi horror, I was dropped into a nightmare that had me asking my two buddies who saw it with me, many questions about applications for the future, discussing possibilities, challenging reality, and sharing in the general uneasiness we were all feeling.
The Signal could only be paired with a very complex and deep, red wine. I choose a varietal blend of great character and depth - something founded on several plots with the introduction of several different grapes that mixes a little of each of its' greatness into a wonder of winemaking science:- The 2010 Mariner is a perfect pairing for this super-geeky, existential, science horror experience. It is composed of 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and the rest Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Soft tannins as well as plenty of black currant, cedar and plum characteristics. Enjoy....and hope you don't receive the signal.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
GODZILLA FILM REVIEW AND WINE PAIRING
Godzilla, directed by Gareth Edwards, was a film I was very tentative in going to see. Nothing I hate more than giving a theater $10 plus the cost of my popcorn to sit for two unpleasant hours of sucky film. The previews for Godzilla, however, showed an evil Godzilla - and won me over. They unveiled a massive, hulking, slant-eyed beast that glared down with doom in his eyes from above. There looked to be destruction on a grand-scale and, as a lifelong Godzilla fan, I took a chance and I could not be more happy with my decision.
Godzilla was exactly what it should be - silly, Japanese, science fiction just as it was when i, first, started watching it in the early 1970's. It was part ridiculous, partly scary, but super fun. Godzilla took me straight back to my childhood when i was, first, shaken by thundering footsteps of a giant monster that shook the buildings, both, to my left and to my right.
What really moved me were the monsters, themselves. Godzilla, himself, was the most brutal brute of a monster that I have ever seen created for this role, Godzilla. He is a cross between a T-rex and a very angry polar bear with hard, dark scales and a little vicious pit bull mixed in. He roars with volume and wind that makes you shake in your chair, crushing everything below him when he steps. His opponents - no spoiler,here - kick some serious tail, as well. This film is so Transformer/earth-shattering/destructive fun!
All the beasts in this film come from an long-standing Godzilla movie theme - the original story - that they were released from the ground by nukes and feed off of nuclear radiation. This, a good message for all the world to listen to and adhere, is lined with many scenes reminiscent of the just recent Fukushima disaster the world just faced. The timing could not be more perfect. The film hits hard at the nuclear industry and its' potential for destruction on a scale that is out of human control.
I pair Godzilla with a big beast of a wine - Pietra Santa, Sassolino red blend from the Cienega Valley, California. East of the Monterey Bay, this wine gets plenty of warm sunshine and is a blend made with ripe sangiovese and merlot fruits. It runs at 14.5% alcohol which brings a white pepper note in the mouth feel but has great balance, just as did Godzilla in his knock-down fights with his foes as San Francisco and Las Vegas are crushed down below. Best Godzilla I've ever seen......a toast to this film with a wonderful wine!
Godzilla was exactly what it should be - silly, Japanese, science fiction just as it was when i, first, started watching it in the early 1970's. It was part ridiculous, partly scary, but super fun. Godzilla took me straight back to my childhood when i was, first, shaken by thundering footsteps of a giant monster that shook the buildings, both, to my left and to my right.
What really moved me were the monsters, themselves. Godzilla, himself, was the most brutal brute of a monster that I have ever seen created for this role, Godzilla. He is a cross between a T-rex and a very angry polar bear with hard, dark scales and a little vicious pit bull mixed in. He roars with volume and wind that makes you shake in your chair, crushing everything below him when he steps. His opponents - no spoiler,here - kick some serious tail, as well. This film is so Transformer/earth-shattering/destructive fun!
All the beasts in this film come from an long-standing Godzilla movie theme - the original story - that they were released from the ground by nukes and feed off of nuclear radiation. This, a good message for all the world to listen to and adhere, is lined with many scenes reminiscent of the just recent Fukushima disaster the world just faced. The timing could not be more perfect. The film hits hard at the nuclear industry and its' potential for destruction on a scale that is out of human control.
I pair Godzilla with a big beast of a wine - Pietra Santa, Sassolino red blend from the Cienega Valley, California. East of the Monterey Bay, this wine gets plenty of warm sunshine and is a blend made with ripe sangiovese and merlot fruits. It runs at 14.5% alcohol which brings a white pepper note in the mouth feel but has great balance, just as did Godzilla in his knock-down fights with his foes as San Francisco and Las Vegas are crushed down below. Best Godzilla I've ever seen......a toast to this film with a wonderful wine!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL FILM REVIEW AND WINE PAIRING
Wes Anderson has created a masterpiece in his latest work, The Grand Budapest Hotel. This film reaches into your heart and fills you with all the smiles and grins of a child's first puppet show. It is a movie to go and view to escape - to truly immerse yourself in another world full of smiles, deviance, drama, laughter, and ridiculousness, all, set into a landscape of depth and color that warms the soul.
The cast of the Grand Budapest is a line-up like no other. Usually, I fear such works where too many great actors are piled into one house as they seem to either drown each other out or bleed from the capacity that makes each of them so unique and great on their own. Not in this film. The casting is perfect and, surprisingly, some of the major players (of which there are many) only have small parts which really builds into the piecemeal menagerie that Anderson creates in his cookie-cutter approach to his brilliant set. Adrien Brody and William Dafoe were my two favorites - you choose yours.....it is so friggin awesome!
What really impressed me the most in this production was the color schemes of the set. The mauves, the pinks, the purples, the violets, and the light blues and yellows. So much mood was laid into the set that it could genuinely make you feel a specific mood or emotion with each different scene. With this, the hilarious parts and the dramatic events and even the episodes that may lead one to bite a fingernail or two were bound by color schemes that either fit or did not, depending on what, exactly, was transpiring in the story. As a patron, you were left laughing, reeling, shaken, horrified, or simply smiling at something that reminded you of your own childhood as the dreamy colors sped past your eyes.
To pair a wine that is so colorful and full of smiles that it fits this movie, one must look to color and fruit and depth to find confluence with this great film. As two very important characters sip brut over an important discussion in the hotel(no spoiler alert, here, sorry), I find so very fitting, to pair this film with the Brut Rose' from Canard-Duchene. Champagne is such a classy libation that it only seems appropriate. This, and its gorgeous rose and light cherry and strawberry fruit encapsulated in a pink foliage label that much resembles the color schemes of one of the sets of The Grand Budapest Hotel as they are stacked and folded high for our viewing pleasure.....you will see what i mean - enjoy!
The cast of the Grand Budapest is a line-up like no other. Usually, I fear such works where too many great actors are piled into one house as they seem to either drown each other out or bleed from the capacity that makes each of them so unique and great on their own. Not in this film. The casting is perfect and, surprisingly, some of the major players (of which there are many) only have small parts which really builds into the piecemeal menagerie that Anderson creates in his cookie-cutter approach to his brilliant set. Adrien Brody and William Dafoe were my two favorites - you choose yours.....it is so friggin awesome!
What really impressed me the most in this production was the color schemes of the set. The mauves, the pinks, the purples, the violets, and the light blues and yellows. So much mood was laid into the set that it could genuinely make you feel a specific mood or emotion with each different scene. With this, the hilarious parts and the dramatic events and even the episodes that may lead one to bite a fingernail or two were bound by color schemes that either fit or did not, depending on what, exactly, was transpiring in the story. As a patron, you were left laughing, reeling, shaken, horrified, or simply smiling at something that reminded you of your own childhood as the dreamy colors sped past your eyes.
To pair a wine that is so colorful and full of smiles that it fits this movie, one must look to color and fruit and depth to find confluence with this great film. As two very important characters sip brut over an important discussion in the hotel(no spoiler alert, here, sorry), I find so very fitting, to pair this film with the Brut Rose' from Canard-Duchene. Champagne is such a classy libation that it only seems appropriate. This, and its gorgeous rose and light cherry and strawberry fruit encapsulated in a pink foliage label that much resembles the color schemes of one of the sets of The Grand Budapest Hotel as they are stacked and folded high for our viewing pleasure.....you will see what i mean - enjoy!
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
ONLY GOD FORGIVES FILM REVIEW AND WINE PAIRING
Only God Forgives, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, is a brutal tale of drug dealing, murder, and retribution in the seedy underworld of Bangkok, Thailand. Starring, Ryan Gosling, this film envelopes its' audience in sordid and grotesque violence and betrayal as hit after hit is called in the brutal world of drugs, Muy Thai Boxing, prostitution, and revenge.
Only God Forgives is not for the faint at heart. Where the plot is, as in so many films, the good guy versus the bad guy, in this story it is a very corrupt and egotistical cop caught between his own machismo and how he imagines himself as the hero fighting evil. Here, he is pitted against foreign drug dealers - two brothers who are ruled by their evil, American mother who seems to have a "far too warm" relationship with her own children.....yes, it goes deep.
This film is sickening. It may, very well be, the most brutal film I have ever seen. There are rib cages sawed right down the middle, wrists cut-off, beheadings, slashings and gore at a level I am not able to reach back and find anything more disturbing in my memory.
Yet, Only God Forgives is a good film. i enjoyed it, thoroughly. I was raised on slashers and Michael Meyers and love good shoot outs and, so I have to write, this movie kicks ass. It is some brutal violence but is so insightful and realistic in all its' horror that it reminded me how good life can be. Life in this movie is dark and horrible. I recommend it for any graduating class of high school students around the country for it is a good, thick taste of what can go down when you step away from walking the path of good.
Long takes in the cinematography and very dark brothels with close ups of the stars in long, shadowy halls, seemingly staring into voids of nothingness between each shift in the storyline, aid in presenting the eeriness in the lifestyle that these characters chosen to live. Once the gates are open, the blood starts flowing and the film delves into the hellish dark and that which is morbid at every turn until its' horrendous ending. Again, this film is not for the meek.
I pair this film with one of my favorite Rhones I have sampled, this year - 2010 La Tarasque Cotes Du Rhone from the Rhone Valley, France. This blend is, mostly, grenache with some of what, tastes like to me, syrah blended in. It is blood-red much like that of what would come out of your chest when you are sprayed with a sub-machine gun. The name, Tarasque, comes from a monster in medieval times that ravaged the rhone valley with brutality and heartlessness. This is a perfect fit for watching, Only God Forgives....available, now, on DVD or Pay Per View.
Only God Forgives is not for the faint at heart. Where the plot is, as in so many films, the good guy versus the bad guy, in this story it is a very corrupt and egotistical cop caught between his own machismo and how he imagines himself as the hero fighting evil. Here, he is pitted against foreign drug dealers - two brothers who are ruled by their evil, American mother who seems to have a "far too warm" relationship with her own children.....yes, it goes deep.
This film is sickening. It may, very well be, the most brutal film I have ever seen. There are rib cages sawed right down the middle, wrists cut-off, beheadings, slashings and gore at a level I am not able to reach back and find anything more disturbing in my memory.
Yet, Only God Forgives is a good film. i enjoyed it, thoroughly. I was raised on slashers and Michael Meyers and love good shoot outs and, so I have to write, this movie kicks ass. It is some brutal violence but is so insightful and realistic in all its' horror that it reminded me how good life can be. Life in this movie is dark and horrible. I recommend it for any graduating class of high school students around the country for it is a good, thick taste of what can go down when you step away from walking the path of good.
Long takes in the cinematography and very dark brothels with close ups of the stars in long, shadowy halls, seemingly staring into voids of nothingness between each shift in the storyline, aid in presenting the eeriness in the lifestyle that these characters chosen to live. Once the gates are open, the blood starts flowing and the film delves into the hellish dark and that which is morbid at every turn until its' horrendous ending. Again, this film is not for the meek.
I pair this film with one of my favorite Rhones I have sampled, this year - 2010 La Tarasque Cotes Du Rhone from the Rhone Valley, France. This blend is, mostly, grenache with some of what, tastes like to me, syrah blended in. It is blood-red much like that of what would come out of your chest when you are sprayed with a sub-machine gun. The name, Tarasque, comes from a monster in medieval times that ravaged the rhone valley with brutality and heartlessness. This is a perfect fit for watching, Only God Forgives....available, now, on DVD or Pay Per View.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Gravity Movie Review And Wine Pairing
Gravity, starring Sandra bullock and George Clooney, is a space-age thriller set in the realms of science labs and space stations orbiting the earth. Gravity is an incredible introduction into the workings of humans reaching out beyond our own planet, stretching ourselves in expansion into outer space, and the perils that can come with our dreams of worlds beyond our own.
What is so interesting to me is the, very, first three people that came into my wine bar and spoke with me about this film told me, essentially, that it was boring. They presented the film to me as an outer space love story that was slow and not very good, in general. So much for listening to the public. For the past few weeks I have heard from so many other folks how good it was that i just had to give it a try.
Gravity is far from boring. In fact, it kicks-ass and as much as i am not overwhelmed by anything Sandra Bullock has done, she plays her part just fine in this high speed disaster alongside George Clooney. Disaster is a word that, only, describes what transpires in this film, in the most mild of terms. There is prelude and hint of things to go wrong, right from the beginning - perhaps, even, some foreshadowing......and when the bells and whistles blow....the dramatic does stop coming rendering this film nothing short of a nail-biter.
Yet, as we are glued to edge of our seat, there is an ominous beauty in the cinematography....the shots from above looking down on the planet are, simply, dreamy. It gives the audience some perspective on just how small we are.....an angle from God's perspective, perhaps. However, with the deep hues and wide angle there is something horrible lurking in the background when you hear George Clooney exalt, "the Ganges looks so beautiful in the sunrise," as they spin round and round the planet at high speeds.
How is it they we learned to float this these craft....these ships....so high above the earth? Was it not just 50 something years ago and many people were, essentially, laughing at the guy who said we could land on the moon? Just 50 something years ago? Amazing. Amazing, yes, but with peril. As we are so new to this age of space, Gravity, presents us with a, both, a world and the outer space around it, fraught with danger.....and I will let you discover why and how and enjoy the ride from here.
For my wine pairing, I was, at first, thinking explosive, powerful....perhaps, a big zinfandel. But, after the first explosion, there came so much more that made me love this film. It is intense and nothing short. Did i say that, already? Good. My wine of choice for pairing is the Manzanita Creek 2007 Petite Sirah, Handal Vineyard, Alexander Valley, California. This wine has incredible structure with delicious, dark berry fruit and is inky, inky, inky......and intense....just like Gravity. Enjoy!
What is so interesting to me is the, very, first three people that came into my wine bar and spoke with me about this film told me, essentially, that it was boring. They presented the film to me as an outer space love story that was slow and not very good, in general. So much for listening to the public. For the past few weeks I have heard from so many other folks how good it was that i just had to give it a try.
Gravity is far from boring. In fact, it kicks-ass and as much as i am not overwhelmed by anything Sandra Bullock has done, she plays her part just fine in this high speed disaster alongside George Clooney. Disaster is a word that, only, describes what transpires in this film, in the most mild of terms. There is prelude and hint of things to go wrong, right from the beginning - perhaps, even, some foreshadowing......and when the bells and whistles blow....the dramatic does stop coming rendering this film nothing short of a nail-biter.
Yet, as we are glued to edge of our seat, there is an ominous beauty in the cinematography....the shots from above looking down on the planet are, simply, dreamy. It gives the audience some perspective on just how small we are.....an angle from God's perspective, perhaps. However, with the deep hues and wide angle there is something horrible lurking in the background when you hear George Clooney exalt, "the Ganges looks so beautiful in the sunrise," as they spin round and round the planet at high speeds.
How is it they we learned to float this these craft....these ships....so high above the earth? Was it not just 50 something years ago and many people were, essentially, laughing at the guy who said we could land on the moon? Just 50 something years ago? Amazing. Amazing, yes, but with peril. As we are so new to this age of space, Gravity, presents us with a, both, a world and the outer space around it, fraught with danger.....and I will let you discover why and how and enjoy the ride from here.
For my wine pairing, I was, at first, thinking explosive, powerful....perhaps, a big zinfandel. But, after the first explosion, there came so much more that made me love this film. It is intense and nothing short. Did i say that, already? Good. My wine of choice for pairing is the Manzanita Creek 2007 Petite Sirah, Handal Vineyard, Alexander Valley, California. This wine has incredible structure with delicious, dark berry fruit and is inky, inky, inky......and intense....just like Gravity. Enjoy!
Friday, August 23, 2013
MUD Movie Review and Wine Pairing
What is MUD? MUD is what churns up from the bottom of a hard-flowing river. MUD sticks to the bottom of your boots. It lay, deep down, packed full of dirt and silt and is the remains of a devastating flood, full of waste, debris. MUD, directed by Jeff Nichols and starring Mathew McConaughey, is a tragic tale set in the deep south that is based on the life and character of a human being who came from nothing - from dirt, or, mud - the very place he was born.
Nichol's ability to show us the deep turmoil in MUD that can fester in human relationships and the dynamics of their evolution in this film is uncanny, unique, clever. The story goes from past to present, present to past, the history, the future, the new - the old. He ties MUD together so well in these relationships with his sordid tone it almost felt like a fable or a tragedy, the likes of Shakespeare.
As the film delivers a depth of sadness to its' audience, Nichols is able to portray to us that in all dark, there is light. One just knows, from the very beginning, this story is going to be a tough one to swallow. But, in it, relationships are fostered between McConaughey and two young boys that do provide a glimmer of light. It is through this relationship with these two new friends he seeks to find redemption from past atrocities he has committed. The bad guy learns something new about himself and the world and he, somewhat, evolves. All the while, the mud they are stuck in, thickens.
Set in poverty, this struggle of the human condition is laden with human error in bad decisions, all, festering in the dirty world of poverty along the brown and churning Mississippi River. There is lies, there is deceit, trickery, heartbreak, and there is murder.
But, what does shine in this film are the two little boys who aid this conman in his quest to find his lifelong love who, once, saved his life. What they, first, begin to do to help him in his dilemma to be with his long lost love evolves into something quite different by the end of film. They teach him about love, himself, and the bigger picture of life. We are taken from dark to light and all the while the audience swims in the mud.
Somehow, though, we learn to love our bad guy by the end of the film. Hell, it's Mathew Mconaughey....chicks dig him. As this superstar gone bad isn't quite as tough to swallow as Ryan Gosling heading south in, A Place Beyond The Pines, it does end, somewhat tragically.
For our pain and sorrows, i recommend a profound libation - something deep, heavy, and powerful. For this, i suggest sipping DOW'S 20 Year Old Tawny Port. With a light aroma of caramel and a hint of vanilla swirling in deep cherry fruit, this dessert wine is a perfect pairing.
Nichol's ability to show us the deep turmoil in MUD that can fester in human relationships and the dynamics of their evolution in this film is uncanny, unique, clever. The story goes from past to present, present to past, the history, the future, the new - the old. He ties MUD together so well in these relationships with his sordid tone it almost felt like a fable or a tragedy, the likes of Shakespeare.
As the film delivers a depth of sadness to its' audience, Nichols is able to portray to us that in all dark, there is light. One just knows, from the very beginning, this story is going to be a tough one to swallow. But, in it, relationships are fostered between McConaughey and two young boys that do provide a glimmer of light. It is through this relationship with these two new friends he seeks to find redemption from past atrocities he has committed. The bad guy learns something new about himself and the world and he, somewhat, evolves. All the while, the mud they are stuck in, thickens.
Set in poverty, this struggle of the human condition is laden with human error in bad decisions, all, festering in the dirty world of poverty along the brown and churning Mississippi River. There is lies, there is deceit, trickery, heartbreak, and there is murder.
But, what does shine in this film are the two little boys who aid this conman in his quest to find his lifelong love who, once, saved his life. What they, first, begin to do to help him in his dilemma to be with his long lost love evolves into something quite different by the end of film. They teach him about love, himself, and the bigger picture of life. We are taken from dark to light and all the while the audience swims in the mud.
Somehow, though, we learn to love our bad guy by the end of the film. Hell, it's Mathew Mconaughey....chicks dig him. As this superstar gone bad isn't quite as tough to swallow as Ryan Gosling heading south in, A Place Beyond The Pines, it does end, somewhat tragically.
For our pain and sorrows, i recommend a profound libation - something deep, heavy, and powerful. For this, i suggest sipping DOW'S 20 Year Old Tawny Port. With a light aroma of caramel and a hint of vanilla swirling in deep cherry fruit, this dessert wine is a perfect pairing.
Monday, August 5, 2013
The Conjuring Movie Review and Wine Pairing
The Conjuring, directed by James Wan, has hit the big screens and if you haven't had the opportunity to get out and see it, I highly suggest you do. This, of course, if you like the crap scared out of you. It has been some time since I have spent $9 on something that really pleased me in this horrific fashion. A lot of jumping, gasping, and fidgeting around in the audience between moments of silence and suspense. If you are a horror buff - I.E....The Shining, Silence of the Lambs, The Exorcist, John Carpenter's, The Thing (My four favorites).....you will be moved to have both hands locked on to each arm of your theater chair.
As there is a great history that lays a foundation for this demonic tale, the time of the movie is set in the late 60's, early 70's. It is, really, cool to watch an entire production not try and capture a time or age but, actually, present it in a way that is so well-done and convincing that you are there, caught in the period. The characters and the choice of actors who play them is committed in splendid fashion and accuracy. Some of them silly, some of them serious. All of them about to face unimaginable horror.
Two of these characters, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. In tandem, they work with the Catholic church performing exorcisms and eradicating lost spirits from possessed people or homes. Most of their investigations lead to the discovery of old pipes in the attic that, when pressurized, bump against wood and make a haunting noise. That is not the case in this farmhouse.
On the grounds of this farm, unspeakable tragedy has dug itself in, deeply, from a time long ago. Through what looks to be a very sweet deal with the bank, this young, hard-working couple has found what they see as their paradise of the future, a beautiful, old farmhouse on a pond in the secluded countryside. Here, they can raise their five girls and their sweet collie and live out the their dreams. When the audience hears the first clap of two hands....you will know that what is coming is far from good.
If I have a criticism, I will say that some of this has been done before - gimmicks and scenarios used in other horror films of past. However, James Wan ties these tricks of the trade in to his plot so very fluidly that there is no time to sit and make criticism because something else is just about to scare the crap out the audience, again, at every turn. With this, I say, "ok, James - go ahead and use them again because you have allowed me to find joy, once more, in horror film."
For a wine pairing I will present something powerful and deep - a wine that means business and is built to make an impression on the memory. My suggestion is the 2007 Two Hands Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, down under. This wine is deep and dark with serious expression of black and ripe fruit. Two hands to help you grip your chair in the theater....one glass of Two Hands Shiraz when you return home to calm your nerves. Flat-out, a really well-done ghost story of high-horror caliber.
As there is a great history that lays a foundation for this demonic tale, the time of the movie is set in the late 60's, early 70's. It is, really, cool to watch an entire production not try and capture a time or age but, actually, present it in a way that is so well-done and convincing that you are there, caught in the period. The characters and the choice of actors who play them is committed in splendid fashion and accuracy. Some of them silly, some of them serious. All of them about to face unimaginable horror.
Two of these characters, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. In tandem, they work with the Catholic church performing exorcisms and eradicating lost spirits from possessed people or homes. Most of their investigations lead to the discovery of old pipes in the attic that, when pressurized, bump against wood and make a haunting noise. That is not the case in this farmhouse.
On the grounds of this farm, unspeakable tragedy has dug itself in, deeply, from a time long ago. Through what looks to be a very sweet deal with the bank, this young, hard-working couple has found what they see as their paradise of the future, a beautiful, old farmhouse on a pond in the secluded countryside. Here, they can raise their five girls and their sweet collie and live out the their dreams. When the audience hears the first clap of two hands....you will know that what is coming is far from good.
If I have a criticism, I will say that some of this has been done before - gimmicks and scenarios used in other horror films of past. However, James Wan ties these tricks of the trade in to his plot so very fluidly that there is no time to sit and make criticism because something else is just about to scare the crap out the audience, again, at every turn. With this, I say, "ok, James - go ahead and use them again because you have allowed me to find joy, once more, in horror film."
For a wine pairing I will present something powerful and deep - a wine that means business and is built to make an impression on the memory. My suggestion is the 2007 Two Hands Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, down under. This wine is deep and dark with serious expression of black and ripe fruit. Two hands to help you grip your chair in the theater....one glass of Two Hands Shiraz when you return home to calm your nerves. Flat-out, a really well-done ghost story of high-horror caliber.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Pacific Rim Film Review And Wine Pairing
Pacific Rim, worked into magic by director, Guillermo Del Torro, is a fantastic piece of science fiction set in the deeper future. A crack has opened - a portal in the ocean's floor - that serves as a wormhole where giant, alien-engineered creatures (Kaiju) are sent through to destroy humankind.
For any kid or any adult that is feeling that she/he is, still a kid, this movie is a blast. A full-blown rush of warfare between our own, human capacity to adjust to that age-old battle of (man) vs. nature as we are pitted against an alien force from another world. This film is fun, scary, and hits on all notes of excitability.
I heard critics of the scenery conveying that it looked phony. I read critics complaining that the acting was terrible. None of this is, at all, accurate. This joy ride was spot-on. The scenery was amazing....the actors were perfect.....and Guillermo Del Torro adds just enough film-magic and raw horror to put this film in a class of its' own.
How can a movie, you may ask, be so much fun with all this bad criticism? Del Torro has taken the original, Japanese genre of giant monsters in monster movies and lifted them to the next level - a modern, up to date, current pinnacle that kicks (excuse my French) Godzilla-ass all over the screen.
Sure, this has been done so many times before. But, I found myself eating popcorn much faster than I normally do. Crunching and munching, I had a mess of a sweatshirt by the end of the film - for, as this has been done before, there has been plenty of time since the last Godzilla for us to see some more. It brought me straight back to my childhood, sitting too close to the television, immersed in an episode of Ultraman and loving it.
The monsters that our heroes face were very original. Of course, there was the awful, deep footstep sound - much reminiscent of Jurassic Park when the T Rex is approaching and the room vibrates and the items in the room wiggle a little more as each massive, approaching footprint is planted into the pliable earth. There is bloodshed, there is violence....and it gets scary.
However, both conceptually and visually, it is the Jaegers(our massive human-run robots built to fight the beasts) that are even more impressive. Think giant Terminators driven by nuclear reactors that know Kung Fu. They fly, they have blasting lasers, raging fire weapons, switchblade swords.....they come to the rescue and brawl, hard with these evil beasts. What a blast!
There is one wine and one wine, only, that I can pair with this film. Very appropriately, I recommend the Zinzilla Zinfandel from Mendocino County. On the label, a huge caricature of Godzilla to represent this wonderful genre of monster movies. On the palate, the best zinfandel on the market that is under $10! Deep and full of dark, berry fruit and spice notes with a touch of forest floor and perfect acidity, this wine stands up to plenty of 'em that are priced much higher! Enjoy-
For any kid or any adult that is feeling that she/he is, still a kid, this movie is a blast. A full-blown rush of warfare between our own, human capacity to adjust to that age-old battle of (man) vs. nature as we are pitted against an alien force from another world. This film is fun, scary, and hits on all notes of excitability.
I heard critics of the scenery conveying that it looked phony. I read critics complaining that the acting was terrible. None of this is, at all, accurate. This joy ride was spot-on. The scenery was amazing....the actors were perfect.....and Guillermo Del Torro adds just enough film-magic and raw horror to put this film in a class of its' own.
How can a movie, you may ask, be so much fun with all this bad criticism? Del Torro has taken the original, Japanese genre of giant monsters in monster movies and lifted them to the next level - a modern, up to date, current pinnacle that kicks (excuse my French) Godzilla-ass all over the screen.
Sure, this has been done so many times before. But, I found myself eating popcorn much faster than I normally do. Crunching and munching, I had a mess of a sweatshirt by the end of the film - for, as this has been done before, there has been plenty of time since the last Godzilla for us to see some more. It brought me straight back to my childhood, sitting too close to the television, immersed in an episode of Ultraman and loving it.
The monsters that our heroes face were very original. Of course, there was the awful, deep footstep sound - much reminiscent of Jurassic Park when the T Rex is approaching and the room vibrates and the items in the room wiggle a little more as each massive, approaching footprint is planted into the pliable earth. There is bloodshed, there is violence....and it gets scary.
However, both conceptually and visually, it is the Jaegers(our massive human-run robots built to fight the beasts) that are even more impressive. Think giant Terminators driven by nuclear reactors that know Kung Fu. They fly, they have blasting lasers, raging fire weapons, switchblade swords.....they come to the rescue and brawl, hard with these evil beasts. What a blast!
There is one wine and one wine, only, that I can pair with this film. Very appropriately, I recommend the Zinzilla Zinfandel from Mendocino County. On the label, a huge caricature of Godzilla to represent this wonderful genre of monster movies. On the palate, the best zinfandel on the market that is under $10! Deep and full of dark, berry fruit and spice notes with a touch of forest floor and perfect acidity, this wine stands up to plenty of 'em that are priced much higher! Enjoy-
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