Movie Tagline: The true story of a real fake
From Steven Spielberg's unofficial "running man" trilogy of the early '00s comes Catch Me If You Can, the story of Frank Abagnale Jr, a con artist who has been called the most famous imposter ever. Before being caught at age 21, Abagnale had impersonated a physician, lawyer, airline pilot, and a teaching assistant, to name a few. He was also an expert at forging checks. After being caught in France in 1969, Abagnale spent five years in various prisons in a number of countries. Upon his release, he eventually founded a firm that advised companies on issues of fraud. He took his criminal knowledge and used it for good. Catch Me If You Can has a lot of fun with Abagnale's ability to dupe people. He is never made out to be a bad guy; just someone who doesn't follow the rules. He never harms anyone, not physically, anyway. He breaks some hearts along the way, but that will happen when you're being played by Leonardo DiCaprio.
But, overall, he is presented as a good person. He just likes to get into mischief. To trick people. To be elusive. That's what we like to call a segue.
The brewers of Elusive IPA, from Public House Brewing, also seem to be having fun. With so many new breweries popping up all over the country, what's becoming elusive is finding a solid lineup of beers from a small local brewery. Not that there aren't new breweries that make good beer; there are just way more who make one or two decent beers and then a bunch of mediocre ones. The market is so saturated right now that it's hard to wade through all the new offerings to find the good stuff. The diamonds in the rough, if you will. And Elusive is one of those. Well-balanced, with the sweet malt backing up the grassy hoppiness, it has a complexity of flavor that is sorely lacking in a lot of the new, local beers I have tried of late. And while Elusive was my favorite of the Public House lineup, it is by no means their only good beer. They also make an award-winning Cream Ale, a traditional German Hefeweizen, and a solid Dry Stout; all of which are unexpectedly complex and rewarding in their own ways. Now, I'm not saying the brewers at Public House are the Steven Spielbergs of beer brewing. That would be 1.5 units of hyperbole. But I will say that they are expert craftsmen who don't need to kick out whalez (possibly my least favorite beer nerd term) to demonstrate their abilities; just like Señor Spielbergo doesn't have to reinvent the wheel every time he makes a movie. He just makes it, and his abilities shine through even if the material isn't the best. His directing prowess elevates the work. A similar compliment is due to Public House, whose brewers take the time to craft solid products instead of kicking out as many beers as they can to scoop up some of that craft beer craze money as fast as they can, quality be damned.
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Jim Koch, founder of the Boston Beer Company, has had a rough go of it for the past couple of years. At least, as rough a go as a white, male billionaire can have. You see, his Sam Adams beers no longer get the respect they deserve (in his opinion). Many craft bars don't carry them, mostly because many serious craft beer lovers don't drink them. Sam Adams has an image problem. Yes, they were one of the pioneers of the craft movement in the early 80s. And yes, they remain the second-largest craft brewery in the US. But here's the thing: their beer isn't that great. It isn't bad by any stretch, but it takes more than that to survive in the current beer market. At this point, Sam Adams is getting by on ubiquity alone. They don't have a big event beer, like a Dark Lord or a Hunahpu (unless you count Utopias, which you really shouldn't). They don't have a seasonal beer that people wait all year for. And they don't have a solid year-round lineup. Their year-round lineup is mediocre at best, with their flagship being the tried and true Boston Lager.
Which brings us to our pairing beer: Sam Adams Rebel IPA. Now, I don't have a problem with this beer per se. It is well-balanced, easy-drinking, hop-forward; everything an IPA should be. It was also a long time coming, as IPAs have been the beer style of choice for craft drinkers for years now, and Sam Adams never had one in their rotation. The reason for this is simple: Jim Koch doesn't like IPAs. Fair enough. But after years of refusing to make a wildly popular style of beer because he personally didn't like it, and years of his people telling him that IPAs were in high demand, Jim Koch finally caved in to popular demand and kicked out a line of IPAs he (unironically) called Rebel IPAs. And therein lies my problem. A rebel is someone who stands up against the establishment, who goes against the tide to fight for what they believe in. A Rebel IPA is a cash-grab in which Jim Koch forgoes his principles and does something for purely financial gain. He is a late-comer to the IPA trend, but he insists on making it seem like he is at the forefront. The only thing Rebel IPA is rebelling against is Jim Koch's taste. Which brings us to Frozen, which is the highest-grossing animated film of all time and is largely regarded as one of the best Disney movies ever. Maybe you have heard of it before. A big part of its success (the part that isn't "Let It Go") is due to the supposedly progressive storylines of the two leads, Elsa and Anna. But, unfortunately, Frozen is about as progressive as Sam Adams is rebellious. Take, for example, Anna. She is beautiful in that homogeneous Disney princess way. But she is also clumsy, because she isn't fully developed enough as a character to have any real flaws. And she doesn't really have any other defining characteristics. Her main goal seems to be finding true love. She isn't far removed from being a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Elsa, on the other hand, is a repressed sociopath who can't deal with the abuse she suffered as a child, so she refuses any help and runs away from her problems. She isn't an empowered individual who owns her sexuality; she is a dangerous social outcast who, once she "lets it go", dresses like a horny cosplayer with stiletto heels made of ice. I don't think progressive is the right word for that. Anyway, that's a lot of ranting for two things that I really don't mind. There's no reason you can't enjoy a cold Rebel IPA while singing along with a pathologically antisocial ice queen. It's not the movie or the beer that I have issues with; it's the surrounding storylines they are a part of that make me cringe. But, if you can look past the hype and the spin and enjoy these two for what they are, I think you will find a lot to like with them.
Movie Tagline: Four perfect killers. One perfect crime. Now all they have to fear is each other.
I've been having some real issues with taglines as of late, so let me get this out of the way right now: 1. They are not perfect killers, they are thieves. Maybe just call them criminals in general, but definitely not perfect killers. 2. There are six of them, not four. Mr. Blue, Mr. Pink, Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Blonde. Yes, two of them are only in the movie for a short time, but they still count. 3. This crime was not perfect; it was an absolute disaster. That's the whole point of the movie. If it was the perfect crime, there wouldn't be an issue. 4. They have a lot more to fear than each other. Like, the cops. They should be afraid of the cops showing up and arresting or shooting everyone. Anyway, I feel better. Let's get on with it. This week we're looking at Reservoir Dogs, the debut feature of America's favorite foot fetishist, Quentin Tarantino. With a reported budget of $1.2 million, Tarantino's crime thriller tells the story of a botched jewelry heist committed by five professional criminals and one undercover police officer. It uses a disjointed narrative structure that goes back and forth between the aftermath of and scenes leading up to the heist, while never actually showing the heist. It features rapid-fire dialogue, bloody violence, tons of pop culture references (with a particular fondness for movies and music from the 70s), and the trunk shot. All in all, it is a perfect showcase of Tarantino's modus operandi. It is fitting, then, that it pairs so well with Ska Brewing's Modus Hoperandi, a beer whose label looks like a Reservoir Dogs reference all its own. From its deep golden color to its piney, grapefruity smell, this beer is the work of someone who knows what they are doing. Someone who loves beer the way Tarantino loves movies. With a blast of hops up front that give way to a balanced, smooth finish, it is everything you want in an American IPA. While Modus offers a smooth finish, I can't say the same for Reservoir Dogs. But, then again, nothing goes smoothly for these unlucky crooks. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy watching them bicker and fight and accuse one another of being rats. Just do so with a Modus Hoperandi in your hand and everything will go smoothly for you. Because drinking Ska beer is a hell of a lot better than listening to ska music.
Movie Tagline: Nothing is Real
Yellow Submarine is a touchstone of psychedelic art. It features fantastic, surreal stories. It has bright, contrasting colors with kaleidoscopic fractal patterns and collages. Objects morph, patterns swirl, and repetition abounds. Psychedelic art in and of itself is informed by the notion that altered states of consciousness produced by psychedelic drugs are a source of artistic inspiration. This was embraced by the 60s counterculture movement, and psychedelic art is now synonymous with the 60s. Leading proponents of psychedelic art were San Francisco artists like Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse, and Wes Wilson, who all made concert posters in this style. But Yellow Submarine takes psychedelic art to a whole other level. It is the magnum opus of psychedelia. German illustrator Heinz Edelmann is responsible for the art direction and character design, and the movie's tone bears a striking resemblance to the work of Friedrich Schröder Sonnenstern. But all of this makes the movie sound so much more serious than it is (I think it's all the German names). Yellow Submarine is an absolute delight to watch. The colors pop, there are goofy puns throughout, and it is full of whimsy and love. The tagline is "Nothing is Real", but it could very well have been "All You Need is Love", because that's the message here, and it's not very subtle about that message. Whether you're a small child who has no concept of The Beatles, or a college kid looking for something to watch while doing a little mind-expansion, or a former hippie taking a trip down memory lane, this movie will command your full, rapt attention. Forget logic, or plot, or character development; that's not why you watch this movie. You watch it to experience pure, silly delight; a feeling this movie delivers in spades. Another delight is New Belgium's Citradelic Tangerine IPA, a fruity, tropical flavor sensation that is sure to be a hit in its own right. If psychedelics are all about mind expansion, then Citradelic is for flavor expansion. Big, citrus aroma, with just enough bitter hops to hold it all together, this bright, refreshing IPA is made for springtime. All you need is love, sure, but a few Citradelics couldn't hurt.
Movie Tagline: Anyone is an enemy for a price
Myrcenary gets its unique spelling from the organic compound myrcene, which is found in the hop flower and is largely responsible for its fragrance. While there is plenty of competition in the Double IPA market, this one still manages to stand out. It's not the gold standard used to judge all other DIPAs, but it very well could be. It rivals Hopslam, Pliny the Elder, Enjoy By, Double Jack, and Heady Topper. Those beers are all considered by beer aficionados to be as good as beer gets, and I am here to tell you that Myrcenary is in league with every single one of them. Odell may not get the recognition of your Dogfish Heads or your Russian Rivers, but they have been kicking out quality beers since 1989. And Myrcenary is their best year-round offering; it's one of their best beers, period. According to Odell, Myrcenary is "brewed with a blend of hops containing the highest levels of myrcene," leading to "a tropical fruit-like flavor, a pungent floral aroma, and a clean getaway." A clean getaway is not in store for the players in the 1998 John Frankenheimer movie Ronin. Most of them are mercenaries themselves, tasked with retrieving a silver briefcase with unknown contents before some Russian gangsters can get it. With a cast of great actors (including Robert De Niro, Sean Bean, Natascha McElhone, Jean Reno, and Jonathan Pryce) and a solid, twisting plot, Ronin rises above your common, mindless action movie to achieve real greatness. It is that rare action movie that doesn't insult your intelligence. Like Myrcenary, the recipe for success with Ronin lies with its components. Every actor is perfectly cast, with their characters highlighting specific acting strengths. Sean Bean's character, Spence, plays up Bean's ability to appear strong while showing an inner vulnerability. It's a similar characteristic he portrayed with Boromir in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Natascha McElhone's Deirdre is strong and confident; she can hold her own against this dangerous group of men around her. Jean Reno's Vincent is cool and collected, like all French mercenaries should be. And, of course, there's De Niro. With his recent filmography, it is easy to forget just how intimidating and magnetic he once was. Not that I think he can't be that way now; I just think he's taking it easy in his golden years. The movies he makes now are like being retired from acting without actually retiring. They're easy, and he probably has a good time making them. But, back in 1998, he was taking roles like Sam in Ronin. Sam is a former CIA agent (maybe) who goes rogue to make some money (so he claims) doing illegal mercenary work. He is cold and calculating, but he is not completely unscrupulous, and he is not to be trifled with. When he is not outrunning cops and gangsters in a realistic yet exhilarating car chase through the narrow streets of Paris, he is performing self-surgery and tracking down backstabbers. It's not just the acting that makes Ronin such a refreshing departure from the over-the-top action movies of today. It features realistic car chases, with none of the physics-defying silliness you see in a Fast & Furious movie. There is no unnecessary exposition. We get the information we need to follow the action and nothing else. We don't even find out what's in the briefcase. It's a MacGuffin; it doesn't matter. And, thankfully, there's no shoehorned romantic subplot. There's sexual tension between De Niro and McElhone, naturally, but it doesn't take up screen time. It just happens. Ronin is one of those movies that, like Myrcenary, gets some recognition but still manages to seem woefully underrated. It's not De Niro's best movie, but the guy was in Goodfellas, so what are you going to do? It's still a stellar movie, and you should drink a stellar beer like Myrcenary when you watch it.
Movie Tagline: Are you watching closely?
Christopher Nolan has made quite a career for himself out of crafting movies with big budget, high-octane action set pieces tempered with complex character studies and challenging intellectual and philosophical ideas. His films are not always easy to dissect. They deal with complex concepts; memory, space, justice, right and wrong, vigilantism. One thing's for sure: mindless popcorn movies they are not. His 2006 effort, The Prestige, uses movie magic to show us the lengths a pair of competing magicians will go to in order to best one another with their own versions of an illusion called The Transported Man. As the stakes get higher and higher, their illusions even begin to fool one another. Their magic seems almost real. But it's not. One uses a trick that I will not spoil here, while the other uses the magic of science to create his signature illusion. That magic takes the form of David Bowie as Nikola Tesla, and an invention that involves electricity and hats. Magic hats. That's where Magic Hat Electric Peel comes in. Such great correlation there. The thing about Magic Hat is, unlike Christopher Nolan, they have never made anything that really blew me away. And while Electric Peel isn't life-altering, it is easily the most compelling beer I've ever had from them. It's a grapefruit IPA, well-balanced, with a solid bitter grapefruit peel flavor. It is 6% ABV, which is on the high side of average for Magic Hat. Overall, it's quite the pleasant surprise. And surprise is the name of the game in The Prestige. It is a movie that keeps you guessing until the very end. It is full of twists and turns that reward repeat viewing because even when you know what happens, it is great fun to go back and see how it was done. And the performances are great. Nolan regular Michael Caine is a human exposition machine, but he still manages to instill his character with a great deal of heart. David Bowie is mesmerizing, as always. His Tesla is more magician than scientist, which suits Bowie better anyway. Scarlett Johannson is solid, even if her wonky English accent is distracting. But, best of all, you get to watch Batman square off against Wolverine! It's like these two things were made for each other; two solid, compelling offerings that fit together perfectly. Electric Peel may not be the best grapefruit IPA out there, but it is a worthy addition to the style. The Prestige is far from Nolan's best movie, but it is a massively entertaining movie with style to spare. So transport some beer from a glass to your mouth and see who does the best version of that most magic of illusions, The Transported Man.
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?
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.
Movie Tagline: In the future, cities will become deserts, roads will become battlefields, and the hope of mankind will appear as a stranger
It's not like San Diego bears any resemblance to the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland depicted in The Road Warrior (not yet anyway), but the city's Green Flash Brewing Company does make a great companion beer to the 1981 sequel. Road Warrior, the beer, is said to be named for the Green Flash sales team who gets the word out on their offerings. But it is way more fun to think of it as a tribute to Max Rockatansky, the burnt out shell of a man who helps a little community of weirdos defend their stockpile of gasoline from a band of marauders led by hockey-mask-wearing Lord Humungus, also known as the Warrior of the Wasteland and the Ayatollah of Rock and Rollah. The movie itself is light on dialogue and heavy on action. Mel Gibson only has 16 lines in the whole film, two of them being, "I only came for the gasoline." And he's Max, the titular character! The final chase, which takes up close to 20% of the movie's runtime, rivals anything you would see today in terms of creative scene construction and visceral excitement. When you factor in the meager budget of The Road Warrior (even if it was the most expensive Australian movie production ever at the time), this is even more impressive. Speaking of impressive, the costume department in this movie must have had a blast creating these costumes. Part sporting goods surplus store, part S&M sex dungeon, these marauders certainly have a style all their own. A style whose influence can still be seen today. And it's no secret why: these guys look awesome! Vernon Wells, who plays Wez (the big guy with the red mohawk), also plays bad guy Bennett in Commando. Apparently he only plays characters that have a thing for bondage gear. More proof that The Road Warrior has everything you want in an action movie. Similarly, Road Warrior Imperial Rye IPA has everything you want in an Imperial IPA. It has a respectable ABV (9%). It has an enticing copper color. It is spicy and hoppy, both in smell and taste, with a rich bitter aftertaste that lingers pleasantly on the tongue. There's not much else that needs to be said about it. Jump in your black Interceptor and go get you some. On a related note, if you are looking for something to pair with Mad Max: Fury Road, your best bet is to drink straight Everclear while huffing chrome paint. Just put it in your face and ride to Valhalla. |
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