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.
Showing posts with label wine and film review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine and film review. Show all posts
Friday, August 23, 2013
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-
Friday, July 5, 2013
Lone Ranger Movie Review and Wine Pairing
The Lone Ranger, starring Johnny Depp and directed by Gore Verbinski, was released into theaters this past weekend. Although it has taken some harsh criticism, in my eyes it was some good, summer fun that hit on some very high, entertaining notes as a perfect break from, yet more, record-breaking heat across the country. The Lone Ranger is action-packed and thrilling but, more importantly, told the story of how this land was, truly, conquered - by slaughtering the natives that once graced these grounds. In this, it is exciting, funny, and thrilling but, beats to the dark drum that Disney can play so very well in the messages it conveys about the reality of humankind.
So, what is my problem with review platforms like, Rotten Tomatoes giving The Lone Ranger bad marks? Well, they suck. It's a collaboration of a whole bunch of critics - some of which have no business writing as they have no imagination or personality, whatsoever, and seem too young to even know of the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger was a good, wild ride. The cinematography was done in most excellent fashion and the cuts and stunts(many of which Johnny Depp did, himself) were brilliant.
Sure, there was some cheesy stuff - they, definitely hammed-it-up but, it's The Lone Ranger, afterall.
Tonto, played by Johnny Depp, makes certain to provide some of the deep cheese that helps this childhood icon to be, exactly, what he is. He is the very person who makes him wear the mask while, all the while, he makes fun of him for his ego, his character, and the very outfit he wears. He is a true, American legend and why shouldn't we make a little fun of ourselves. Think of some of what some of us grew up on - Ultraman, Flash Gordon, Six Million Dollar Man, - we just have to laugh at ourselves, this country, and culture.
With scenery shot in such places as the great, John Wayne's, Monument Valley and Arches National Park, The Lone Ranger draws upon the Spaghetti Western providing its' audience with a thick plot, rich in treachery, heroism, betrayal, and outright brutality. Yes, this is Disney, folks. It is heartwarming and endearing but, as it always has for generations, presents itself under the veracity of realism. It is, somehow, for kids and, yet, somehow not.
For this film, I am going to recommend a wine pairing of a varietal that followed, much, the same path to California as that of the Spaghetti Western- Zinfandel. Zinfandel is a varietal that, first, came from Croatia to Italy where it became, Primitivo. It is one of the first varietals brought over by the Italian settlers and planted, here, in our great state.
One of my favorites and crafted by a good buddy of mine, Doug Hackett - who, truly, lives with an independant spirit - a lone ranger - is Dogwood Cellars. Receiving double gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, this zinfandel is stellar, by all accounts. Rich in character and plot like a Spaghetti Western, this dark and sensual wine provides all the allure of an old west brothel with the depth in character of one of our favorite American icons, The Lone Ranger. Thinking of warriors who earn and deserve a purple heart, enjoy Dogwood Cellars Zinfandel, remembering, as Disney wants us to, who really put up the best fight when their world was taken away - the true spirit of independence - Native Americans.
So, what is my problem with review platforms like, Rotten Tomatoes giving The Lone Ranger bad marks? Well, they suck. It's a collaboration of a whole bunch of critics - some of which have no business writing as they have no imagination or personality, whatsoever, and seem too young to even know of the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger was a good, wild ride. The cinematography was done in most excellent fashion and the cuts and stunts(many of which Johnny Depp did, himself) were brilliant.
Sure, there was some cheesy stuff - they, definitely hammed-it-up but, it's The Lone Ranger, afterall.
Tonto, played by Johnny Depp, makes certain to provide some of the deep cheese that helps this childhood icon to be, exactly, what he is. He is the very person who makes him wear the mask while, all the while, he makes fun of him for his ego, his character, and the very outfit he wears. He is a true, American legend and why shouldn't we make a little fun of ourselves. Think of some of what some of us grew up on - Ultraman, Flash Gordon, Six Million Dollar Man, - we just have to laugh at ourselves, this country, and culture.
With scenery shot in such places as the great, John Wayne's, Monument Valley and Arches National Park, The Lone Ranger draws upon the Spaghetti Western providing its' audience with a thick plot, rich in treachery, heroism, betrayal, and outright brutality. Yes, this is Disney, folks. It is heartwarming and endearing but, as it always has for generations, presents itself under the veracity of realism. It is, somehow, for kids and, yet, somehow not.
For this film, I am going to recommend a wine pairing of a varietal that followed, much, the same path to California as that of the Spaghetti Western- Zinfandel. Zinfandel is a varietal that, first, came from Croatia to Italy where it became, Primitivo. It is one of the first varietals brought over by the Italian settlers and planted, here, in our great state.
One of my favorites and crafted by a good buddy of mine, Doug Hackett - who, truly, lives with an independant spirit - a lone ranger - is Dogwood Cellars. Receiving double gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, this zinfandel is stellar, by all accounts. Rich in character and plot like a Spaghetti Western, this dark and sensual wine provides all the allure of an old west brothel with the depth in character of one of our favorite American icons, The Lone Ranger. Thinking of warriors who earn and deserve a purple heart, enjoy Dogwood Cellars Zinfandel, remembering, as Disney wants us to, who really put up the best fight when their world was taken away - the true spirit of independence - Native Americans.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
The East Movie Review
The East, (Sundance Film selection) directed by Zal Batmanglij, is a provocative thriller focused on an anarchist collective/commune that points its' efforts at major corporations that lay waste and ruin to, both, the environment and people's lives. This movie takes a hard swing at major oil companies that spill and kill, pharmaceuticals that profit on drugs that kill or mame humans, and dumpers who ruin rivers and land as they sit, fat, in their gated communities while people develop cancer downstream.
I love this film. Watching it, I was comforted with a sense of hope that there is, still in this corrupt world in which we live, a fighter, some resolve, an underdog that stands up to all that is the antithesis of life and living - corrupt corporations. It drives hard, is scary, and is very, very intense. It reminded of a day in 1991 when i lay in bed, shocked, reading an article in the San Francisco Chronicle revealing that a geologic survey team inspecting the ocean floor just outside the Farallon Islands(our fishery) had discovered two fields(40,000 barrels, each) of the highest radioactive waste ever made. They had found the waste product of the bombs that we made in WW2 and dropped on Japan. The oil drums they used were rusted and rotting and there was mass leakage and no way to clean it up. It made me very upset. I had dreamed of joining some group like Greenpeace that, actually, gave a shit about the world. Unfortunately, I never became that success. So very refreshing to see that spirit I once had in this film - even if they do kill people. Those barrels, still, lay leaking in the heart of our fishing industry.....bet you didn't know that.....
The East takes us, deep, undercover with an ex-FBI agent turned into corporate spy who spies with the purpose, solely, to infiltrate underground groups seeking to expose and punish those very corporations who ruin our world. As the layers peel away, the plot thickens into blood-deep turmoil. There is betrayal, some Big Brother, raw sex and all the drama to draw you in to what equates to an "anarchists' breakfast club around a campfire. Think "V" for Vendetta crossed with a band of Anonymous/GreenPeace, underground rebels.
If I have to have a criticism(s) of this film, I will say, some acting parts were a little drab and the plot could have played out a bit more fluidly. Regardless, it succeeds in gripping and pulling you in. In its' layers, is a story within a story as the main character, played by Brit Marling, finds herself listening, learning, evolving as a human. Set in the season of fall on the East Coast of the United States, our ex-FBI agent finds herself in a metamorphosis - a butterfly amongst vigilant, intellectual, hippies that have welcomed her right into their home where the browning leaves, outside, fall from the safety of their home in the trees.
After the first "jam" they pull off - their first act of revenge - one where people die.....I found myself asking the age-old question, "do two wrongs make a right?" At first, I was looking for the right thing in my mind, the Ghandi, the pacifist, the moral. But, then, I caught on and was absorbed into the horror that this group and its' ideals rain-down upon their targets. If they kill the CEO of a company that is giving children brain tumors down river, then, it is a RIGHT to kill one bad guy to save multitudes of innocents....especially if this CEO knew....as so many of them do....that they were reaping earnings based on the sickness and demise of others that they were causing. If the law is not doing its' job, then, somebody else should. Hard swings should be taken when babies are forming brain tumors. Examples should be made and, then, what is being poured into the river will stop.
Pairing this movie with a fine wine is a no-brainer. Deep and intense, I would grab a bottle of the 2011 Rock Wall Petite Sirah from Jack's Dry Creek Vineyard. 100% estate fruit, this wine is dark and inky with layers upon layers of blackberry and dark raspberry with violet notes and a silky finish that makes it, all, balance so well. Mostly, it is the intensity and dense, dark fruit of this wine that render it a perfect pairing for such a disturbing and moving film as The East.
I love this film. Watching it, I was comforted with a sense of hope that there is, still in this corrupt world in which we live, a fighter, some resolve, an underdog that stands up to all that is the antithesis of life and living - corrupt corporations. It drives hard, is scary, and is very, very intense. It reminded of a day in 1991 when i lay in bed, shocked, reading an article in the San Francisco Chronicle revealing that a geologic survey team inspecting the ocean floor just outside the Farallon Islands(our fishery) had discovered two fields(40,000 barrels, each) of the highest radioactive waste ever made. They had found the waste product of the bombs that we made in WW2 and dropped on Japan. The oil drums they used were rusted and rotting and there was mass leakage and no way to clean it up. It made me very upset. I had dreamed of joining some group like Greenpeace that, actually, gave a shit about the world. Unfortunately, I never became that success. So very refreshing to see that spirit I once had in this film - even if they do kill people. Those barrels, still, lay leaking in the heart of our fishing industry.....bet you didn't know that.....
The East takes us, deep, undercover with an ex-FBI agent turned into corporate spy who spies with the purpose, solely, to infiltrate underground groups seeking to expose and punish those very corporations who ruin our world. As the layers peel away, the plot thickens into blood-deep turmoil. There is betrayal, some Big Brother, raw sex and all the drama to draw you in to what equates to an "anarchists' breakfast club around a campfire. Think "V" for Vendetta crossed with a band of Anonymous/GreenPeace, underground rebels.
If I have to have a criticism(s) of this film, I will say, some acting parts were a little drab and the plot could have played out a bit more fluidly. Regardless, it succeeds in gripping and pulling you in. In its' layers, is a story within a story as the main character, played by Brit Marling, finds herself listening, learning, evolving as a human. Set in the season of fall on the East Coast of the United States, our ex-FBI agent finds herself in a metamorphosis - a butterfly amongst vigilant, intellectual, hippies that have welcomed her right into their home where the browning leaves, outside, fall from the safety of their home in the trees.
After the first "jam" they pull off - their first act of revenge - one where people die.....I found myself asking the age-old question, "do two wrongs make a right?" At first, I was looking for the right thing in my mind, the Ghandi, the pacifist, the moral. But, then, I caught on and was absorbed into the horror that this group and its' ideals rain-down upon their targets. If they kill the CEO of a company that is giving children brain tumors down river, then, it is a RIGHT to kill one bad guy to save multitudes of innocents....especially if this CEO knew....as so many of them do....that they were reaping earnings based on the sickness and demise of others that they were causing. If the law is not doing its' job, then, somebody else should. Hard swings should be taken when babies are forming brain tumors. Examples should be made and, then, what is being poured into the river will stop.
Pairing this movie with a fine wine is a no-brainer. Deep and intense, I would grab a bottle of the 2011 Rock Wall Petite Sirah from Jack's Dry Creek Vineyard. 100% estate fruit, this wine is dark and inky with layers upon layers of blackberry and dark raspberry with violet notes and a silky finish that makes it, all, balance so well. Mostly, it is the intensity and dense, dark fruit of this wine that render it a perfect pairing for such a disturbing and moving film as The East.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
World War Z Review
World War Z, starring Brad Pitt is the summer zombie blockbuster that all of us Walking Dead fans were waiting for. Speeding zombies - ones that run at high speeds and are very alert as they scratch up impenetrable walls - lay the groundwork for some freaky, intense, close calls. For many, it was received with gusto. For myself, I found it very fun but lacking in any punch, which, I so very much love to see Brad Pitt throw.
When Pitt got in this ring, his arms seemed to be tied behind his back. Pitt acted just fine for his serious role in this horror film with the new and inventive concept of high-speed, super-freak, zombies. However, there was no, true, Brad Pitt that showed up to play. The on-screen champion just wasn't there. He had no accent like he did in Inglorious Basterds(yes, with an "E"). He had no insanity-mojo as in Twelve Monkeys where he threw his dirty fingers into the air as the disturbed and all-too convincing psychiatric patient. There was no fight in this, Fight Club. His role was the hero but he was just a hero with nothing more special than "he who escapes zombies."
Did i enjoy it? Yes, very much. I love zombie movies and the pile-ups and the great, narrow escapes were truly a new evolution in zombie films. No longer do we need to sit in a theater, scared but, yawning, as the evil and undead limp sluggishly along in their attack. This film was fearsome....people get munched, big-time.
But for any big-time scares this movie throws at you, the end is typical and has, already, been used. They finish in an underground laboratory - much like the one in Resident Evil - a hive where the cure has to be stolen from under the noses of roomful of hungry zombies so that humanity can be saved. It has been done, before. Sorry.
As the concept behind World War Z was killer- even though Brad Pitt wasn't, I want to pair this film with a good wine - not one that is poured at a first-class gathering under a chandelier where crown roast is served but a wine that is a lot of fun for the summertime. For this, I present to you the 2010 Sobon Estates Cougar Hill(gold medalist). This gem of a zinfandel from the Shenandoah Valley in Amador County(Sierra Foothills) springs to life in your mouth with deep, blackberry fruit with hints of cranberry, mint, anise, and chocolate. Pair this wine with summer BBQ as it is perfect for any grilling you may be doing outdoors.
When Pitt got in this ring, his arms seemed to be tied behind his back. Pitt acted just fine for his serious role in this horror film with the new and inventive concept of high-speed, super-freak, zombies. However, there was no, true, Brad Pitt that showed up to play. The on-screen champion just wasn't there. He had no accent like he did in Inglorious Basterds(yes, with an "E"). He had no insanity-mojo as in Twelve Monkeys where he threw his dirty fingers into the air as the disturbed and all-too convincing psychiatric patient. There was no fight in this, Fight Club. His role was the hero but he was just a hero with nothing more special than "he who escapes zombies."
Did i enjoy it? Yes, very much. I love zombie movies and the pile-ups and the great, narrow escapes were truly a new evolution in zombie films. No longer do we need to sit in a theater, scared but, yawning, as the evil and undead limp sluggishly along in their attack. This film was fearsome....people get munched, big-time.
But for any big-time scares this movie throws at you, the end is typical and has, already, been used. They finish in an underground laboratory - much like the one in Resident Evil - a hive where the cure has to be stolen from under the noses of roomful of hungry zombies so that humanity can be saved. It has been done, before. Sorry.
As the concept behind World War Z was killer- even though Brad Pitt wasn't, I want to pair this film with a good wine - not one that is poured at a first-class gathering under a chandelier where crown roast is served but a wine that is a lot of fun for the summertime. For this, I present to you the 2010 Sobon Estates Cougar Hill(gold medalist). This gem of a zinfandel from the Shenandoah Valley in Amador County(Sierra Foothills) springs to life in your mouth with deep, blackberry fruit with hints of cranberry, mint, anise, and chocolate. Pair this wine with summer BBQ as it is perfect for any grilling you may be doing outdoors.
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