Movie Tagline: The only good bug is a dead bug
What can you even say about Starship Troopers? It is loud, brash, violent, bloody, dumb, fascist, vapid, ugly, and, most importantly, it is a fantastically entertaining satire of the military industrial complex and all the bullheaded macho bullshit that goes with it. Directed by Paul Verhoeven (of Basic Instinct infamy) and based on a novel by Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers has only recently garnered the recognition it deserves as an intelligent skewering of militarism and propaganda. For years it was taken at face value, which is unfortunate because at face value it is, as I mentioned previously, loudbrashviolentbloodydumbfascistvapidugly. When you realize that Verhoeven was intentionally making his film vapid and fascist, you can move on to an examination of what he was actually trying to say. Numerous blogs and websites have had their say on this topic, so I won't spend too much time on that. But I will say that I was just as guilty as many critics back in the day insofar as I dismissed Starship Troopers for years as being nothing more than stupid Hollywood garbage. Now, thankfully, I know better. Along those same lines, I once dismissed Against the Grain as a purveyor of gimmicky, overpriced brews whose label art was the main reason for their above-average price tags. But, having opened my mind and actually sampling some of their beers, I can see the appeal. They are pricey, sure, but so was Starship Troopers. And some of their stuff is downright sublime. Rico Sauvin does not reach the heights of some other Against the Grain beers, but it is unique and delicious in its own right. Its fruity aroma resembles that of white wine, and its tropical flavor follows suit. And, naturally, the label art is tastelessly obscene in the best possible way. Rico Sauvin, the man, seems to share some peccadilloes with Starship's Johnny Rico, including tattoos, military service, and sexual hangups. You will notice lots of strange similarities like this when pairing these two. Neither are the best work their creators have done, but both are underrated, entertaining, and well worth your time. Even if it's not Robocop, Starship Troopers is still subversive and raucously entertaining, and even if it's not the best beer you've ever had, Rico Sauvin is full of flavor and will not leave you disappointed. Come on, you apes, you wanna live forever?
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Movie Tagline: NONE
Gose (pronounced goes-uh) is an old style of German beer from Leipzig, cloudy and straw-colored with a refreshing crispness that is both tart and salty. It does not adhere to the German Beer Purity Law of Reinheitsgebot, as it predates the law. Almost forgotten, the style was revived by a subculture of craft brewers who know that, to make something new, you must know what came before. Knowing where you stand in the context of history helps you envision ways to move forward. The work of Fritz Lang, too, could have been forgotten all too easily. Not because his work is unimportant or irrelevant, but simply because movies from his era of filmmaking don't get a lot of attention in this age of bombast and spectacle. But M is a precursor to innumerable films that are part of a genre that is still fascinating and wildly popular today: the serial killer genre. Even if they don't know it, many people who make serial killer movies today owe a great deal to Fritz Lang. M's straightforward depiction of a child murderer's psychosis and the fervent, paranoid manhunt to locate him, as well as its innovative style and craftsmanship, have impacted films since it was first released. Its influence can be seen in everything from Arsenic and old Lace (1944) to A Clockwork Orange (1971) to Hanna (2011), not to mention countless other serial killer movies that borrow heavily from M's story and setup, knowingly or otherwise. As recently as 2013, the same could not have been said about the impact of the gose style on the craft beer industry. But since then a lot of craft brewers have embraced the style, and it has made a rather impressive comeback. Westbrook's Gose, Destihl's Here Gose Nothin', Evil Twin's Mission Gose, 2nd Shift's Green Bird Gose, and so many more are fantastic beers worth seeking out. But they are all modern takes on a classic style, and therefore not appropriate to pair with a classic like M. That's where Ritterguts Gose comes in. Still made with a traditional recipe, Ritterguts Gose is regarded as the most authentic example of the style. Tart and salty, it has become the blueprint other breweries use as a jumping-off point for their more adventurous modern takes. But none of these new and exciting goses would be possible without the original. Just as Fritz Lang paved the way with his controversial, experimental vision, so too did the brewers in Liepzig and Goslar when they first created the (at the time) spontaneously-fermented, salty wonder that is a true gose.
Movie Tagline: A comedy about best buds!
What kind of brewery would print a little circle on its craft cans as a template for a screen to smoke marijuana out of? That seems irresponsible.
It's probably the same brewery that would name their Session IPA (or, in this case, Throwback IPA) Pinner. It's Oskar Blues, of course! From the guys that invented craft beer in cans comes an IPA with 4.9% ABV that is still full of luscious hoppy flavor.
And what better beer to pair with this beer-turned-weed paraphernalia than the classic stoner comedy Half Baked? An early Dave Chappelle effort, this movie is chock full of stupidly funny gags and celebrity cameos that make it essential viewing for anyone who likes to smoke, toke, blaze, fire, puff, spark, bake, what-have-you. Whatever you call it, if you do it, you've seen Half Baked. The plot is sparse, as it must be, and isn't really worth recounting here. The fun of this movie comes from watching funny people perform funny bits without much in the way of restraint. Like the makers of Half Baked, the guys at Oskar Blues are clearly having a good time. But there's some serious business going on there, too. Oskar Blues has been an innovator in the world of craft beer since they started canning in 2002. And Chappelle made a name for himself the year after with The Chappelle Show, a show that became so popular it drove its creator into hiding. You must be doing something right if people love you so much it makes you afraid to go outside. So both of these entities are not just screwing around. They take their work very seriously, and the quality of what they kick out is the proof. Not everyone can make a good Session IPA. The style is inherently difficult because it is essentially watering down a regular IPA. How do you do that without losing what makes it an IPA in the first place? How do you keep it tasting hoppy and flavorful while, at the same time, making it lower in alcohol? Hell if I know. How do you end your movie with the line: "I love weed. Okay? I love it. But not as much as I love pussy. The End." Again, beats me. The great thing about this pairing is how little you have to think about it. It just makes sense. There's no need to analyze it. No need to delve into the greater meaning of it. You can just throw back some Pinners, watch Half Baked, smoke some weed out of the empty cans if you're inclined, and laugh yourself comatose.
Movie Tagline: A comedy beyond belief
Single-Wide IPA is an early effort from Kansas City, Missouri's Boulevard Brewing Company, a brewery that has since gone on to receive international acclaim as they have cranked out new beer after new beer, the majority of which have been fantastic. The same could be said for the Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel, creators of Raising Arizona. They too have gained international acclaim as they continue to kick out fantastic films, one after another. Raising Arizona is, like Single-Wide, an early effort, one that helped to show off the talents of its creators as well as its cast. Holly Hunter, who plays Ed, went on to star in such movies as Broadcast News (1987), The Piano (1993), The Firm (1993), Copycat (1995), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), and The Incredibles (2004). She has worked with talented directors like Sydney Pollack, Jodie Foster, David Cronenberg, Danny Boyle, and Brad Bird. John Goodman, who plays Gale, has long been a staple of quirky movies, appearing in everything from Revenge of the Nerds (1984) to Bringing Out the Dead (1999) to Coyote Ugly (2000), although I imagine he would rather we forget that last one. And then there's Nicolas Cage, who plays H.I. McDunnough. Really, what can you say about the guy that hasn't already been said? Single-Wide is a pretty straightforward beer. It's hoppy, bitter, and not much else. There's no malt flavor to speak of, and it tastes a little soapy. It may seem strange to pair such a standard beer with Cage's absolutely bonkers performance. He is a living cartoon (in the best possible way) in Raising Arizona. His eyes bulge, his arms flail, and his accent is ludicrous. Come to think of it, everyone in the movie has a silly accent. It's like there was a competition on set to see who could ham it up the most. The only clear winner in that contest is you, the lucky viewer. Thing is, beneath all that silliness is a sly craftiness that the Coens bring to all their moviemaking endeavors. Be it No Country for Old Men (2007) or The Big Lebowski (1998), their attention to detail and their skill in the art of filmmaking is peerless. The same could be said for Boulevard. If they're making a standard IPA or a complicated barrel-aged sour like Love Child, their skill always manages to shine through. So sit back, watch some TV (either educational or football, so you don't ruin your appreciation of the finer things), and drink a Single-Wide IPA, preferably in your own single-wide mobile home somewhere in Arizona. If not in Arizona, then a land not too far away. Where all parents are strong and wise and capable and all children are happy and beloved. I don't know. Maybe in Utah. |
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