Wine Review

Wine Pairing Review: The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) and Antico Castello Irpinia Fiano (2013)

Posted on by cinephilesanonymousblog

The Secret of the Roan Inish (1994)

 

Rated PG

Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy

 

Directed by John Sayles

Starring Jeni Courtney, Eileen Colgan and Mick Lally

img_20160311_163321.jpg

Plot: Ten-year-old Fiona is sent to live with her grandparents in a small fishing village in Dongal, Ireland. She soon learns a local legend that ma have more truth to it than it seems.

 

Movie Fact: Usually, movies use sea lions during filming because they are less shy and can be easier to train. This film, however, to remain true to the lore, used a combination of trained Harbor Seals and animatronic puppets.

 

IMDB: 7.5

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%

Genevieve: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Phillip: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Jessica: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

 

Phillip: Okay, I am really excited for this week. This has always been one of my favorite movies and I can’t wait to share it with more people!

 

Genevieve: Yeah, you showed me this movie right when we met and I fell in love immediately. It is actually based on a book that I really want to read now. You are the resident librarian, Jessica. Have you ever read this book?

 

Jessica: Not yet, but when you were watching could you recognize the grandfather’s voice? It is the same actor that voiced Brother Aiden from Secret of Kells.

 

Genevieve: Wow! Now that you say that, I do hear it! I don’t know why I didn’t connect that sooner! I love this movie. From the very beginning, it takes the entire film from Fiona’s perspective. The scene at the bar where the camera is right at her level is such a beautiful introduction.

 

Phillip: Also, it is just a happy coincidence that the wine I paired with this is called Fiano and her name is Fiona. I thought it was ironic, though. I love Fiona. Her character design was done really well. All the characters and the sets were well done. It truly felt realistic for the time it is meant to take place in. Plus, being the father of two girls, I can attest that her hair throughout the film is spot on. Even when it is done, it is still windswept and loose.

 

Genevieve: Every does work very well together to give you a certain feeling. My favorite aspect is the absolute way that they tell the story. Everyone phrases it in a way that they don’t want to sound crazy, but in their heart they believe it. It doesn’t sound like a fairytale, it sounds like history when it is being told. The character’s make it so real, and the script reads like poetry.

 

Jessica: Yeah, like the grandfather just shutting down toward the end of the plot. Legally, there are aspects of the plot that could no longer happen. But this did happen to many families during the time.

 

Genevieve: One this I believe is a major theme of this movie is the relationship between the land and sea. They are opposing elements, but they work in a beautiful harmony when respected. It does a great job in showing how water and earth can fight each other fiercely, but also help each other. The sea almost drowns one of fiona’s ancestors, and later the earth (cows) bring him back to life. The love of another ancestor’s life was given to him by the sea, but her love of the sea took her away. The sea provides life and protection to the subsequent generations, but when they abandon their home on the island, the sea “reclaims” it’s toll by taking Jamie.

 

Phillip: It’s actually a lot like our wine choice for this movie. I chose this wine because it has a certain element to it that is almost briny. It has heavy floral notes on the nose, and you get a bite of brine when you drink it. It feels like that same balance that they are going for in the movie of the sea and the earth.

 

Genevieve: I can see that, for sure. It is delicious. It almost smells like a field of flowers, with maybe some green house dirt? I get the brine on the tongue for sure. And it is not dry at all, but not sweet either. I can taste that balance for sure. I want this with some alfredo pasta next time.

 

Phillip: Agreed. But back to this lovely film. I picked it for a reason: it is one of my favorite films ever. No matter how many times I watch this film, it always makes me tear up at the end. The instant belief of the grandmother and her jump to action, the loving actions of the seals. I really don’t know which emotion it is but I feel so hopeful and happy when it is all said and done. This will always be a favorite movie for me.

 

Genevieve: I cannot agree more. It just feels like a big warm hug in all the right ways.
Jessica: I liked it, but I haven’t watched it as much.

 

picsart_03-13-07.29.38.jpg

Wine Pairing Review: The Secret of Kells (2009) with Owen Roe’s Abbot’s Table (2013)

Posted on by cinephilesanonymousblog

The Secret of Kells (2009)

Directed by Tomm Moore

Starring Evan McGuire, Brendan Gleeson and Mick Lally
picsart_03-06-07.16.39.jpg

This film was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year (2010) in the Academy Awards.

 

A young boy in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids is beckoned to adventure when a celebrated master illuminator arrives with an ancient book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers.

 

IMDb rating: 7.7

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 91%

Genevieve’s rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Phillip’s rating: 🔥🔥🔥

Jessica’s rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

 

Genevieve: This is our first official wine movie pairing, and I have to say I believe it went very well! This movie is wonderful, the art is so different and intricate. It felt very natural, as if it were drawings from the book Brendan was writing during the duration of the film. The entire film screamed “Celtic”, which is right up my alley. The voice actors for the children were adorable and very talented. I particularly like the scene where Aisling is giving Brendan a hard time about his tree climbing abilities. The dialogue is peppy and the delivery is almost like poetry to me. One thing I will say though, this would be a lot harder to understand if you don’t know very much history of the celtic way.

 

Jessica: I agree. I wish they showed more backstory. I tried reading the graphic novel, which includes how Brendan ended up at Kells but it is pretty much the film as a comic. Having some knowledge of Irish folklore and history would help people understand the point of the film. It’s nice to watch, but you don’t really understand why a Biblical manuscript is so important. I also agree about the art. It had such bold lines, but within those lines there was so much detail.

 

Phillip: What really struck me was the couple of scenes that were tri-separated to show a lapse of distance or time. That was so interesting and beautiful. I have never seen that done before and I loved that method of moving the story along. The music was great, as well. It was perfect for the time and added to the story in just the right ways. I agree with you both, though. Having some knowledge of Celtic lore would help so much to the average viewer. Most people don’t know what a druid is or who Crom Cruac is either. The knowledge of both would help more people access this story.

Jessica: I really believe that Brendan could be Saint Brendan. They are from the same era, and it seems like it could be a possibility. They are both travelers as well. I really like the end scene with Brendan when he is older. Such a good scene. But really, this or Coraline deserved the Oscar that year.

Genevieve: I just can’t believe that this lost to Up. I am a huge Disney fan, but this was loads better than Up, in my opinion. I think this is a great movie, and it is one of my favorites, but from a critic’s perspective, I would rank it a four flame… my heart has aided in this rating though, because the story is very accessible to me. The wine was less so, unfortunately. There was nothing bad about the wine, but there was a slight funk to the wine that just didn’t work for me. The smell of roses and plum helped me connect with the story though. Not to mention the story of how the founder of Owen Roe came up with the idea for this wine.

Phillip: Yeah, he toured Europe and found himself one day at an abbey, seated at an abbot’s table sharing a homecooked meal and a delicious table wine. When he got home, he wanted to recreate that experience with this red blend. I think he did a great job. I am got strong smells of leather and dark fruit from mine. The high alcohol really carries this smell very well.

Genevieve: I agree. It has a very low tannin and it taste like I just bit into a plum. I also got some kind of “wet pavement” on the outbreath, but either way, you can tell this has been oaked.

Phillip: I think letting this wine breathe for a bit is the key, but it is really good and it does match the plot. It feels like this is what Abbot Cellach would serve to the visiting illuminator.

 

 

20160307_151655.jpg