Taste the f*cking wine. Please.
Just got back from seeing Bottle Shock in New Haven.
Okay, I'll admit it. The previews for this film didn't thrill me. I mean, really, Bottle Shock just seemed like a project put together by a bunch of people trying to capitalize on Sideways' success. And AR's pornstache just made him look ... well, porny. And not in a good way. (Although I will say that those lightly mustachioed promo pics from a while back were the best I've seen of him in a long, long while.)
But it is an AR movie, after all, and when I found out it was playing not ten minutes from my home, Mr. Reedpipe got the babysitter and we headed down to the (very packed) theater this evening. Folks, I thought Bottle Shock was terrific ... not in an earth-shattering, change-the-world kind of way, but it's a great story with a surprisingly snappy script that kept me, if not on the edge of my seat, then at least sitting up and paying attention. I'm willing to bet that the entire audience in that theater knew the outcome of the Paris wine tasting, but still everyone cheered when the winner was announced. Randall Miller seems to know just how to use AR and Teh Man is fabulous as usual, but so is the rest of the cast: Bill Pullman was perfect as a struggling dad and plays a great drunk (and his former-lawyer-who-gave-it-all-up-for-a-dream character is so close to my heart), and the young people in the "love triangle" -- Chris Pine, Rachael Taylor and Freddie Rodriguez -- are a surprisingly winning and affecting ensemble. Great appearances also by Dennis Farina (check out the plaid leisure suit!), Miguel Sandoval and Eliza Dushku.
And for those of us who hate the pornstache, fear not: Randy Miller gives us an unexpected little gift at the very end that makes it all worthwhile. ;)
EDIT: The Nobel Son trailer plays before the film. Also, I failed to mention earlier that the theater seemed to be full of Jody Savin / Randy Miller / Ross Schwartz fans: there were cheers whenever their names came onscreen, and also when Jody and Randy made cameo appearances (as folks wanting to know where they could buy a bottle of Chateau Montelena Charnodonnay after the Paris wine tasting).
Okay, I'll admit it. The previews for this film didn't thrill me. I mean, really, Bottle Shock just seemed like a project put together by a bunch of people trying to capitalize on Sideways' success. And AR's pornstache just made him look ... well, porny. And not in a good way. (Although I will say that those lightly mustachioed promo pics from a while back were the best I've seen of him in a long, long while.)
But it is an AR movie, after all, and when I found out it was playing not ten minutes from my home, Mr. Reedpipe got the babysitter and we headed down to the (very packed) theater this evening. Folks, I thought Bottle Shock was terrific ... not in an earth-shattering, change-the-world kind of way, but it's a great story with a surprisingly snappy script that kept me, if not on the edge of my seat, then at least sitting up and paying attention. I'm willing to bet that the entire audience in that theater knew the outcome of the Paris wine tasting, but still everyone cheered when the winner was announced. Randall Miller seems to know just how to use AR and Teh Man is fabulous as usual, but so is the rest of the cast: Bill Pullman was perfect as a struggling dad and plays a great drunk (and his former-lawyer-who-gave-it-all-up-for-a-dream character is so close to my heart), and the young people in the "love triangle" -- Chris Pine, Rachael Taylor and Freddie Rodriguez -- are a surprisingly winning and affecting ensemble. Great appearances also by Dennis Farina (check out the plaid leisure suit!), Miguel Sandoval and Eliza Dushku.
And for those of us who hate the pornstache, fear not: Randy Miller gives us an unexpected little gift at the very end that makes it all worthwhile. ;)
EDIT: The Nobel Son trailer plays before the film. Also, I failed to mention earlier that the theater seemed to be full of Jody Savin / Randy Miller / Ross Schwartz fans: there were cheers whenever their names came onscreen, and also when Jody and Randy made cameo appearances (as folks wanting to know where they could buy a bottle of Chateau Montelena Charnodonnay after the Paris wine tasting).