New in Theaters This Week!

It’s Halloween weekend!  That means lots of scary movies in theaters.  Not too much new for families.  But, you CAN spend Halloween with Megamind.  The movie’s not out yet, but there is a free party at the Great Lakes Science Center on Sunday from 6-8pm.  Find out more, if you want to go, here.

Meantime, when it’s Halloween weekend, there’s usually a new Saw movie.  This year, it’s Saw 3-D.  There is a deadly battle raging over Jigsaw’s brutal legacy.  Some Saw survivors try to get support from Bobby Dagen, Sean Patrick Flanery.  Tobin Bell is back.  As if Saw movies weren’t gruesome enough, now the images come right at you!  Saw 3-D is rated R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, and language.

What is James Franco up to?  He must be one of the most enigmatic dudes in Hollywood, ever.  Serious actor, documentary filmmaker, let’s do a soap opera, let’s do a crazy indie, let’s be in Spiderman!  This time, it’s Howl, with Jon Hamm and Mary Louis Parker.  It’s a drama that covers the obscenity trial Allen Ginsberg faced after the publishing his poem, Howl.  Franco plays Ginsberg.  Will this start a revolution of kids reading beat poetry?  Nahhhh.  Howl is rated R for some language.


In limited release this week, a documentary that got rave reviews at the Cleveland International Film Festival, last March, The Elephant in the Living Room.  Michael Webber’s film looks at the controversial world of exotic animal ownership within the suburbs of the United States.  And, he talked to a lot of people in Ohio about keeping deadly and exotic animals as common household pets.  I really wanted to see it, but a co-worker let slip about a horribly sad animal scene, and I decided I just didn’t want to deal with that, personally.  The Elephant in the Living Room is Not Rated.

Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell star in Conviction, which is based on an incredible true story of a working mother who puts herself through law school, so she can represent her brother, who is in prison on a murder conviction.  Tony Goldwyn makes the move to directing.  I’ll never forget him as the bad guy from Ghost.  Try not to find out how the real story comes out, so you can watch the movie unfold.  Conviction is rated R for language and some violent images.

 

New to See on DVD This Week!

With the weather getting cooler, it’s great that some very interesting movies and shows are coming out on DVD.

Sex and the City 2 – Highly anticipated and then roundly thrashed sequel, following the life, love and work lives of Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha in Manhatten and Abu Dhabi.  

The Girl Who Played With Fire – This is the Danish version of the Stieg Larsson story.  Computer hacker Lisbeth and journalist Mikael investigate a sex-trafficking ring.  Lisbeth is accused of three murders, causing her to go on the run while Mikael works to clear her name.

Winter’s Bone – A star turn by young actress, Jennifer Lawrence, as a girl from the Ozarks who tries to track down her drug dealing father, while trying to keep her family intact.

Altitude – After a mysterious malfunction sends their small plane climbing out of control, a rookie pilot and her four teenage friends find themselves trapped in a deadly showdown with a supernatural force

You Don’t Know Jack – HBO Movie directed by Barry Levinson about the life and work of doctor-assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.  Al Pacino, Brenda Vaccaro and Susan Sarandon star.

Clapham Junction – 36 hours in the lives of a number of gay men in Clapham, South London.  Inspired by true events.

Holiday Switch – Lifetime TV Movie starring Nicole Eggert about a woman who see her old high school boyfriend and wishes she’d picked him, instead of the husband she has.  She gets to see what that decision would have wrought.

Recipe for a Perfect Christmas – Lifetime TV Movie starring Carly Pope as a food critic dealing with her mother, played by Christine Baranski, and a young chef, played by Bobby Canavale.

Home by Christmas – Lifetime TV Movie starring Linda Hamilton as a put upon wife and mother who fights for her family.

Road to Christmas – Lifetime TV Movie starring Jennifer Grey as a high powered fashion photographer who finds herself stranded in the midwest, while trying to get to her wedding in Aspen.

Lake Placid 3 – Made for TV Movie Killer about crocodiles and their offspring terrorizing residents of a small community.

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia – Documentary covering a year in the life of the White family.  Known for Jesco White and their criminal ways.  

South of the Border – Documentary directed by Oliver Stone, covering his trips to five countries to explore social and political movements and try to expand perception of South America, while interviewing seven elected presidents.

Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?) – Documentary explores the enigmatic life and music of Harry Nilsson.  Includes new and archive audio and film, including interviews.

Canaan – Complete Series
C.S.I.: NY The Complete 6th Season
Clone Wars, The The Complete Season 2
Dog the Bounty Hunter Wild Ride Megaset
Hetalia: Axis Powers – Season 2
How the Earth Was Made – The Complete Season 1 (Blu-ray)
Law & Order: UK – Season 1
Man v. Food – Season 2
One Piece – Season 3, 3rd Voyage
Poldark – Series 2
Sex and the City – The Complete Collection (Deluxe Edition)
Slings and Arrows – The Complete Collection (Blu-ray)
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The – 4 Decades of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson
Trigun – Complete Series
Twilight Zone, The – Fan Favorites
The Venture Brothers – Season 4
War of the Worlds – The Final Season

New in Theaters This Week!

A nice selection of movies in theaters, this weekend.  Great variety.

Was there any doubt that Paranormal Activity 2 would be number 1 at the box office?  The first film was one of those viral events.  It started with just midnight showings, right?  And, it built on word of mouth, which is such a great way for a scary film to go.  My son did not see the first one, but he went to Paranormal Activity 2 on opening night and said the crowd was really into it.  I believe the same demon is back and threatening children of the original couple.  And, the action unfolds on security cameras set up around the house to catch what they believe, at first, are burglers.  Paranormal Activity 2 is rated R for some language and brief violent material.

The movie I really want to see, this fall, is Hereafter.  Clint Eastwood is one of my all time favorite directors.  I think he’s just brilliant.  And, this film has the feel of one of my other faves, like something from M Night Shyamalan.  Matt Damon plays an American with a connection to the after life.  There is also a French journalist and a London school boy who are touched by death in different ways.  Hereafter is rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, including disturbing disaster and accident images, and for brief strong language.


Edward Norton, Robert DeNiro, Frances Conroy and Milla Jovovich star in this story of a convicted arsonist who is trying to manipulate his parole officer, and he uses his wife to do it.  Stone is out in limited release and rated R for strong sexuality and violence, and pervasive language.

Freakonomics: The Movie is about the same topics as Freakonomics: The Book.  And, in this format, what you get are a bunch of little movies on different subjects.  Some of the world’s most innovative documentary filmmakers get their chance to take on the hidden side of things, including Alex Gibney, who brought us Casino Jack and the United States of Money.  Freakonomics: The Movie is out in limited release and is rated PG-13 for elements of violence, sexuality/nudity, drugs, and brief strong language.

 

Beer Review: Southern Tier 2XIPA

Saturday night was a fantastic finish to Cleveland Beer Week!  I saw quite a few friends and met some fun new beer enthusiasts at BREWzilla.  The food was excellent.  And, my only regret was that I wasn’t able to try every beer.  There were just TOO many.  All were awesome.

One of the nicer chats I had was with a guy from Premium Beverage who was pouring beers from Southern Tier Brewing Company in Lakewood, New York.  I am a pale ale fan.  And, this is one that I would call from the “green” variety.  I don’t know if there’s an official word for it, but when I opened the bottle, the beer smelled “green” to me, and that first sip is also reminiscent of lemongrass and herbs.  Southern Tier’s 2XIPA uses four types of hops and three types of malt.  So, it’s not bitter or too dry, at all.  The malts balance the flavor.  It’s not quite an Imperial, but it’s much more than a standard pale ale.  The pour is clean and crisp.  The beer is golden and clear.  It’s a little citrusy and a lot delicious.

Souther Tier 2XIPA = 8.3% ABV

Thank you to Premium Beverage Supply, a sponsor of Cleveland Beer Week, for the sample!

 

Beer Review: Founders Porter

I hope you have been able to mark Cleveland Beer Week in some way.  There are still a bunch of events you can attend, even if it’s just a tasting while you shop at Heinen’s!  

And, congratulations to Erik, Barnett, Michael, Dave and John for winning tickets to join me at BREWzilla, this Saturday night at the Galleria at Erieview!  It’s going to be an amazing time.  There are still tickets available here. 

The good news for those of you who are going is, I will not be pouring.  They will have smarter, better people than I doing that, on Saturday.  I’m not taking all of the blame for this foam, but I do accept my part.

I’ve never been so confused, initially, by a beer!  Founder’s Porter had me baffled, last night.  I love the label and opened the bottle.  It smelled great!  I picked up chocolate and caramel, and it just smelled… rich!  So, I was excited to pour, and did what I normally do with a pint glass, tilted, pouring slowly, so I can check the color.  The beer exploded (!) into a rich foam that filled the glass.  My husband laughed at me.  “Nice pour!”  I waited an eternity for the head to go down.  Then, I tried to add some more to the glass.  FFFOOOOMM!!  Hmph.  Bag that, I thought.  And, I took a drink from the bottle.  It was like biting into a delicious beer Zotz.  You could taste the beer, but it all foamed up.  So, I’m not sure if that’s what Founders Brewing Company intended, with this Porter.  The label says:  Dark, Rich and Sexy.  The beer, itself, is a velvety cocoa brown and just gorgeous.  Interestingly, when the foam went down, in my glass, it was a delicious drink devoid of bubbles, like a cask ale, and my husband loves, what I call, “flat” beer.  I preferred drinking it from the bottle and enjoying the deep effervescence.  So, maybe you’re an expert, and you can tell me what I did wrong.  I did have fun and enjoyed the flavor of Founder’s Porter!  More good stuff from Michigan.  Founder’s is in Grand Rapids. 

Founder’s Porter = ABV 6.5%      45 IBUs

Thank you to Premium Beverage Supply, a sponsor of Cleveland Beer Week, for the sample!

Be part of a delicious and uniquely Cleveland experience!  See what Cleveland Beer Week events might fit into your schedule here.

 

New to See on DVD This Week!

Oddly, a very light week for DVD releases, but if you’re jonesing for something new, here’s what you get to choose from!

Agora – Rachel Weisz stars in this historical drama set in Roman Egypt.  Max Minghella plays a slave who turns to the rising tide of Christianity, hoping for freedom.  But, he’s also falling in love with his master, Hypatia of Alexandria, a female philosopher and atheist.  I thought this looked fascinating, when it came out, but I don’t believe it played in local theaters.

Please Give –   Rebecca Hall, Elizabeth Keener and Catherine Keener star in a sort of mean spirited indie.  It’s New York City, and a husband and wife own an apartment leased by an elderly woman.  There’s trouble when her two granddaughters take over her affairs.

Night of the Demons – Your obligatory scary movie new out on DVD (in the week before Halloween) is a curiosity.  Edward Furlong and Shannon Elizabeth star in this remake about kids who go to a Halloween party and have to face down a group of demons.

Predators – Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo, Topher Grace and some others are a group of elite warriors dropped in a zone where they are to be hunted by the alien Predators.

Giallo – Adrien Brody also stars in this direct to DVD release, but there’s some question about whether you’ll be able to find it, because he says he’s never been paid, and has taken producers to court.  Dario Argento directs, Emmanuelle Seigner stars as a woman in Italy who fears her sister may have been kidnapped.  Brody’s a cop who tries to rescue her from a sadistic killer known only as Yellow.

Holy Rollers – Jesse Eisenberg stars as a Brooklyn kid from an Orthodox Jewish community who ends up dealing Ecstasy by a pal who has ties to an Israel drug cartel.

Oceans – Disney’s latest entry in the nature films series.  Oceans is an ecological documentary, filmed all over the world.  They have the drama of the seas and show off some of the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.

This week, there are special editions of Psycho (for its 50th Anniversary) and Rocky Horror Picture Show (for its 35th Anniversary).

Accidentally on Purpose – The Complete Series
Bionic Woman, The – Season 1
Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern – Collection 4, Part 1
Black Stallion, The – Season 1
Generator Rex – Volume 1
Jonathan Creek – The Specials
Mind to Kill, A – The Complete 2nd Series
Naruto Shippuden – Box Set 4
Pee-wee’s Playhouse – The Complete Collection
Real L Word, The – The 1st Season
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! – Volume 4: Spooked Bayou
Scooby’s All-Star – Laff-A Lympics Volume 2
Shaun the Sheep – Season 1
Tales from the Darkside- The 4th & Final Season
Wallander – Season 2

Beer Review: Bell's Java Stout

I’ve had some complaints about the quality of my pictures.  Look, I’m just trying to show you what I’m seeing, when I pour the beer.  And, believe me, it might be a little shakey, because I’m anticipating my first sip!!  I’m documenting my experience, here, not shooting a magazine cover!!  Hater!  🙂

Anyhoo, here’s how lovely the Bell’s Java Stout looked, on Sunday, when I poured it out to drink while watching the football.  Thank goodness I got to enjoy the beer, because the game was no good.

Bell’s Brewery is always solid, one of the most consistently great breweries.  It’s in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  I probably didn’t give this one the best pour.  I’m just not patient enough for the stouts!  I was looking for something that would help me through the game, but it was early enough that coffee sounded very enticing.  And, once you open the bottle, there’s no mistaking that haunting aroma of roasted coffee beans.  Bell’s uses a custom blend of beans roasted by Water Street Coffee, which is local to them, and that is really cool.  On the pour, Bell’s Java Stout is very dark, almost inky and a little cloudy, with a frothy head, as you can see.  Now, I feel some of the big boys in the Pacific Northwest over-roast their beans and give a very bitter brew, so I was a little worried here.  But, this is Bell’s, so I needn’t have worried.  The Java Stout is creamy and smooth, with almost a mocha java finish.  Delicious.  Great for brunch or an early football game. 

Thank you to Premium Beverage Supply, a sponsor of Cleveland Beer Week, for the sample!

Be part of a delicious and uniquely Cleveland experience!  See what Cleveland Beer Week events might fit into your schedule here.

Bell’s has a number of events this week.  Tonight, Bell’s is features at Deagan’s, Gillespie’s Map Room and Bier Market.  And, there’s a tap takeover at Tremont Tap House tomorrow.  My motto:  Michigan people are always welcome here, if they have Bell’s Beer!!

Beer Review: Bell’s Java Stout

I’ve had some complaints about the quality of my pictures.  Look, I’m just trying to show you what I’m seeing, when I pour the beer.  And, believe me, it might be a little shakey, because I’m anticipating my first sip!!  I’m documenting my experience, here, not shooting a magazine cover!!  Hater!  🙂

Anyhoo, here’s how lovely the Bell’s Java Stout looked, on Sunday, when I poured it out to drink while watching the football.  Thank goodness I got to enjoy the beer, because the game was no good.

Bell’s Brewery is always solid, one of the most consistently great breweries.  It’s in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  I probably didn’t give this one the best pour.  I’m just not patient enough for the stouts!  I was looking for something that would help me through the game, but it was early enough that coffee sounded very enticing.  And, once you open the bottle, there’s no mistaking that haunting aroma of roasted coffee beans.  Bell’s uses a custom blend of beans roasted by Water Street Coffee, which is local to them, and that is really cool.  On the pour, Bell’s Java Stout is very dark, almost inky and a little cloudy, with a frothy head, as you can see.  Now, I feel some of the big boys in the Pacific Northwest over-roast their beans and give a very bitter brew, so I was a little worried here.  But, this is Bell’s, so I needn’t have worried.  The Java Stout is creamy and smooth, with almost a mocha java finish.  Delicious.  Great for brunch or an early football game. 

Thank you to Premium Beverage Supply, a sponsor of Cleveland Beer Week, for the sample!

Be part of a delicious and uniquely Cleveland experience!  See what Cleveland Beer Week events might fit into your schedule here.

Bell’s has a number of events this week.  Tonight, Bell’s is features at Deagan’s, Gillespie’s Map Room and Bier Market.  And, there’s a tap takeover at Tremont Tap House tomorrow.  My motto:  Michigan people are always welcome here, if they have Bell’s Beer!!

Beer Review: Buckeye India-Style Black Ale

You know it’s going to be special, when the beer is specially brewed for an occasion.  And, I was holding on to the big bottle of India-Style Black Ale from Buckeye Brewing, because I just had a very high level of anticipation!

Buckeye did NOT let me down.  This is an almost perfect blend of hoppiness, which you’d expect from an India-Style Ale, and malt, which makes for the darker color.  I am a fan of pale ales.  Sometimes, when I open a good one, that’s going to be drydry on the finish, it almost smells green when I open the bottle.  That’s the only way I can describe it.  I guess that’s hoppy.  With this Cleveland Beer Week Commemorative Ale, you smell the hops, but there’s an underlying sweetness, which I have to assume is the chocolate malt.  And, that sweetness carries over into the flavor.  I got a pretty bubbly pour and a nice moustache making head.  The ale has a gorgeous dark color that gave hints of red, in the light.  And, that first sip is sublime!  It’s a combination of crisp pale ale and chocolate-y malt.  Love it!!

Buckeye India-Style Black Ale = ABV 7.00

Thank you to Premium Beverage Supply, a sponsor of Cleveland Beer Week, for the sample!

Be part of a delicious and uniquely Cleveland experience!  See what Cleveland Beer Week events might fit into your schedule here.

And, Buckeye still has a number of events, this week.  You can find their brews at the Beer Engine in Lakewood and at Heinen’s.  In the Cleveland Beer Week calendar, it says this India-Style Black Ale will be available at the Heinen’s in Middleburg Heights, during an event this Saturday!

Beer Review: New Holland Dragon's Milk

I heard (and saw) a lot of good buzz about Cleveland Beer Week, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  There were events everywhere, as convenient as your local Heinen’s or as exclusive as breakfast at the Beer Engine.  And, it’s still going on!!

And speaking of buzzed, on Friday, I decided to celebrate the start of Cleveland Beer Week with a bottle that @CleveBeerBuzz had been crowing to me about on twitter for ages.  It’s Dragon’s Milk from New Holland Brewing in Holland, Michigan.  I’m telling you, between Bell’s and New Holland and probably countless other craft breweries up north, well, Michigan has something going for it!  But, back to Dragon’s Milk.  If it looks a little scary to you, that’s good.  It IS scary.  Dragon’s Milk is an American Strong Ale that hits you at 10 percent ABV.  The thing you really need to know, before you open the bottle, is that this brew is aged in an oak barrel for more than 120 days.  So, the aroma that greets you is heavy on the bourbon.  The pour reveals a dark caramel color, and you pick up some vanilla notes.  The aging process, from extracting flavors from the wood barrels to a rich roasted malt in the ale, creates a very complex flavor.  The name, Dragon’s Millk, refers to strong beer in the 17th century reserved for royalty.  I should have served it in a snifter or something!  Mind you, if you don’t like whiskey, have someone to share this with.  But, Dragon’s Milk feels special.  It lives up to the buzz!

Thank you to Premium Beverage Supply, a sponsor of Cleveland Beer Week, for the sample!

Be part of a delicious and uniquely Cleveland experience!  See what Cleveland Beer Week events might fit into your schedule here. 

New Holland Brewing has special events at Dive Bar tonight (Monday), Lakewood Winking Lizard Tuesday and Tower 230 Bar and Grille Wednesday.  At the Winking Lizard event, they’ll have different vintages of the Dragon’s Milk for you to try and compare!!!