The last days of summer and looking into Fall. September has been the time for the Grape and Wine festival culminating in the big parade. The parade is sometimes good, sometimes…not, but I can count on the overweight Star Wars guys dressed up as Luke, let me eat fried butter, Skywalker who sit in their mom's basement salivating over Princess Iwannalayya in her slave outfit, walking in the parade with running shoes on. Well, talk about a running along sentence:). Now, before I get to some Wine movies, yesterday was my " who won the Oscar for Best Song in 1939" post. Of course, " Somewhere Over The Rainbow" won the Oscar but, “ I Poured My Heart Into This Song”, was nominated which means that popular tune,"Good Morning" wasn't even nominated.
Ok, I am talking about movies with Wine or Vineyards. This was harder than I thought but I came up with 3...
1. FRENCH KISS-1995
I love this romantic comedy about a young woman, Meg Ryan, who finds out her fiance has dumped her for a cute French gal while he was at some conference. She decides to overcome her fear of flying and gets on a plane to get to Paris to win him back. She does not expect to meet an attractive conman, who gets under her skin, nor does she expect him to put an expensive necklace in her bag that he hid in a grapevine. Through a series of events, the 2 traipse through Paris before ending up on the French Riviera. I find this film enchanting and you love that this man, played wonderfully by Kevin Kline, wants to start his own vineyard. I even own the soundtrack.
2. SIDEWAYS-2004
I have not seen this film in years, but it's a fun dramady about a sad sack, played so well by Paul Giamatti as a teacher who hates his life but loves Wine. His friend is an oaf, played to the best of his oafness, by Thomas Hayden Church who is about to get married but wants to have one..or 2 final flings before getting married. They decide to enjoy the wine country meeting up with 2 gals, one played by Sandra Oh. To say it was gross when Paul's character drinks from the spit bucket is an understatement but it is hilarious. This won many awards including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. In fact, Merlot wines took a hit when the character professed his disdain for Merlot and championed Pinot Noir which was selling out afterwards.
3. A GOOD YEAR-2006
I spoke about this film before but I really love it..the whole ambiance makes me just want to travel to France and enjoy life...I know money and reality. Russell Crowe stars as a Uber type A finance guy who finds out he inherited his Uncle's vineyard after his uncle dies. He decides he will sell it to make a profit but when he comes to the place, his memories take hold when he lived with his uncle, played by Albert Finley. It's enchanting, serene and full of life. The director, Ridley Scott and Crowe just finished filming, "Gladiator" and wanted to make a light-hearted film which this one was the result.
Added funny bonus...
Which films can you think of that deals with wine, grapes etc...?
Have only seen A Good Year which was great. I don't do well with "gross" scenes in films so may give Sideways a miss! As for films featuring wine, I can only think of Silence of the Lambs with the "washed down with a nice bottle of Chianti"!
ReplyDeleteThat's the only scene that's gross which you can fast forward through.thats a great pick...picturing Anthony Hopkins now.
DeleteA wine festival sounds divine right now lol. I've seen Sideways of these picks, but like you I haven't watched it all the way through in years.
ReplyDeleteIt is good especially visiting the wineries. I have to revisit the film.
DeleteLol not a fan of the fat Luke Skywalker wannabes? A good year was a good movie indeed.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was odd seeing them in the parade. Yes that movie is really good.
DeleteI'm not sure what chubby Luke Skywalker wannabes have to do with wine, but I enjoyed your amusing descriptions. ☺ As for the movies, I've only seen Sideways and enjoyed it. The other two sound interesting and I'd like to see them, as well.
ReplyDeleteThese movies are great and I think you'd enjoy them. They have nothing to do with Grape & Wine so always odd to see them in the parade.
DeleteDays of Wine and Roses?
ReplyDeleteRunning Along Sentences. Hehe.
Hope you're having a pain free day.
Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
What's pain free?-hahaaa yes! Excellent film ...Roses but haven't seen the other one
DeleteI really liked Sideways but haven’t seen the other two.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a good movie
DeleteI really liked Sideways, but like you, it's been awhile since I've seen it. I hope all is going well. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteIt's a good movie and need to see it again
DeleteI adore French Kiss. I haven't seen the other two.
ReplyDeleteI too, adore that film
DeleteHi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteI neither loved nor hated French Kiss but found it middling the one time I watched it. I thought Meg was curiously flat in it though Kevin Kline was his usual madly ingratiating self.
Everyone seems to love Sideways much more than I did. It took me a couple of years after it came out to catch up with it so perhaps my expectations were raised too high. For me it was somewhat interminable and pointless. I did like the cast.
Now on the other hand I went into A Good Year with low expectations since it had bombed at the box office and received indifferent reviews. But I was completely charmed by it and thought it was one of Russell Crowe’s most winning performances. I should give it another look; it’s been some time since the last watch.
I’ve never been a big drinker and nowadays even less so, but I do like a nice glass of wine from time to time. Movies set around those regions invariably seem to have an underlying romantism to them. I think my three all share that even though they have quite different stories to tell.
This Earth is Mine (1959)-Elizabeth Rambeau (Jean Simmons) arrives from London for an extended stay at the Napa Valley winery owned by her grandfather Phillipe (Claude Rains), and her aunt Martha (a deliciously bitter and cruel Dorothy McGuire in a role intended for Barbara Stanwyck) in the early 30’s. Although Prohibition is in effect, Phillipe believes the winery can endure but young scion John (Rock Hudson) feels the way forward is to sell the wine to bootleggers creating a rift within the clan. Elizabeth is dismayed when she learns Phillipe has arranged her marriage to a vineyard owner next to the Rambeaus particularly since her attraction to John is drawing her near to him. Many complications ensue in delicious soap opera fashion.
A Walk in the Clouds (1995)-On his way home after World War II soldier Paul Sutton (Keanu Reeves) meets the distressed but lovely Victoria Aragon (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón) who is likewise on her way to her family’s ranch in the wine country with a big secret. Accompanying her to make sure she has a safe passage circumstances force Paul to pose as Victoria's new husband for her close-knit Mexican American family leading to confusion and rancor. But also, to a budding romance between the two, a problem since Paul has a wife he had married in haste and barely knows back in San Francisco. Lyrically shot and swooningly romantic.
Bottle Shock (2008)-The story of how the judgment of Paris in 1976 led to the fall of France being seen as the only viable distributer of wine. Paris-based wine expert Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) heads to California in search of cheap wine that he can use for a blind taste test in the French capital. Stumbling upon the Napa Valley, the stuck-up Englishman is shocked to discover a winery run by Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) and his son Bo (Chris Evans) turning out top-notch chardonnay.
I knew you didn't care for French Kiss because I did talk about that film before but I just love it. I have to see Sideways again but I didn't dislike it but I eas not bowled over by it like my brother. I love that last puc...A Good Year which tanked atvthe box office but is looked at kinder now.. I have to say I have not seen any of your picks but I want to. I love Jean Simmons and the 3rd picture is one I have been wanting to see for a while. The middle pic ..less so but I'm willing to give it a shot.
DeleteI vaguely remember seeing Sideways, but I now want to see A Good Year. First thought was The Days of Wine and Roses.
ReplyDeleteRoses is really good, sad, but good. I would recommend the last film for sure
DeleteHi Birgit - I haven't seen those ... but you've reminded me about a film that came out last year - Blind Ambition - some blind Zimbabweans who get to take part in a world wine tasting championship - I must write it up! Thanks for the memory - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteNow that sounds like a really good movie to see. I marked ot down
DeleteYeah, this is kind of a difficult category even though I know I've seen a number of films that featured wine or vineyards. I've seen your first two picks (good ones) and of course that Lucy episode.
ReplyDeleteNothing is coming to my mind at the moment. The Poe story "A Cask of Amontillado" first came to my mind, but I can't recall ever seeing a movie version of that one. Otherwise I've got nothing at the moment.
Lee
Yes, I know that story well and it's a really good one. I'm certain movies have been made..I think one with Guy Pierce but don't quote me.
Delete