Episode 46 of “Cogill Wine and Film, A Perfect Pairing” podcast on reVolver Podcasts Gary and I toasted three movies with a few tasty wines, including “Alien: Covenant” with wines from Director Ridley Scott, which we posted on earlier. First up for our other two features, “Snatched” we paired with a mother-daughter team from Sonoma, Trombetta, and to try to find something for a confusing “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” I toasted Rose season with a Whispering Angel Rose from Provence. We have noted several Rose wines in the past few weeks on the blog, so my notes below on the incredible wines from Trombetta, as well as Gary’s thoughts on both of these films in theaters now.
To listen to the show, follow the link here and click “episode 46.” And be sure to subscribe as this week we pair with “Baywatch” and yet another “Pirates of the Caribbean” film. Cheers!
There are so many things wrong with, “Snatched,” you could have called it, “Trainwreck.”
It’s amazing this film actually got made in 2017 as a predictable buddy formula that feels like something made in the 1980’s or 90’s. The film involves kidnapping, killing, binge drinking and bodily functions. Not exactly the hallmarks of cinematic comedy.
Yet, and here it comes, I laughed out loud.
Amy Schumer makes me giggle and when she travels to South America with her mother, played by Oscar-winner, Goldie Hawn, chaos ensues to the extreme. Mom is a grump, the daughter is irresponsible and that’s why she ends up at a bar on the beach with the wrong man at the wrong time. The mother/daughter duo are kidnapped, held for ransom, and it’s only a matter of time before their bickering ineptness turns into something awkward that saves their lives and their relationship.
Yet, here it comes again, I laughed out loud. It could have been the wine.
Comedy is arbitrary, and although I will never admit “Snatched,” written by Katie Dippold and directed by Jonathan Levine, is a good film, it does feature dozens of funny lines, oddball scenarios, and slapstick humor despite itself.
I have a feeling the next time I watch, “Snatched,” down the road on cable television I’ll probably wince and say what was I thinking?
For the time being, there is a bit of guilt in my laughter.
Born and raised in Sonoma, Trombetta’s founder, Rickey Trombetta Stancliff, grew up in an Italian home, that surprisingly didn’t drink a lot of wine. Her parents did love to entertain though, often celebrating at home with family and friends, enjoying the lifestyle that Northern California afforded in the early days of their wine development. As a young girl, Rickey was always in the kitchen helping her mother and gardens with her father, working their fruit trees. But not wine.
After she married, she and her husband joined a home wine-making group, eventually leading to them both taking classes at UC Davis. On a chance occurrence, this eventually led her to meet the great, Paul Hobbs, one of my favorite Napa Valley winemakers, who helped guide her on her wine path, eventually becoming the consulting winemaker for Trombetta. When she started the winery, she and her husband agreed that naming it in honor of her father would be the best way to celebrate his love for life, and their Sonoma lifestyle. Their daughter, Erica, had the palate and wine-bug early, identifying key characteristics in wine while she was still in grade school. She graduated from Fresno State with an enology degree and is the wineries day to day, hands-on winemaker.
Their first wine was a Gap’s Crown Pinot from Sonoma Coast.just really liked the two of them and their vibe, what they are trying to do as a family in wine together.
Last year when Gary and I were in Sonoma for their Wine Country Harvest Weekend we had a chance to meet this vibrant mother-daughter team, and really liked the two of them and their vibe. Working with your mother may be challenging for some, but their passions and friendship shines in their wines, and the wines we tried, including several of their current vintage Pinot Noir wines were delicious. More details on their family, and wines, available here.
The Film: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
The best thing about, “King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword,” is the fascinating music score by Daniel Pemberton. It rocks, it pulsates, it works on multiple cinematic levels as a mood changer and audience enhancer.
Unfortunately this mega budget mess of a film (reported 175 million dollars) directed by Guy Ritchie, and loosely tied to the Arthurian legend, feels more like an overdose of images and ideas rather than a focused work of sustainable art.
Charlie Hunnam plays the grown up King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone and inheriting a world of pain. Eric Bana plays his father, King Uther, and Jude Law sneers a lot and straddles the Camelot throne as, Vortigern.
There is no Lancelot, no Guinevere, just a messy boys club. I’m not sure who played the giant elephants and any reference to, “The Lord Of The Rings” is lost on me. That was a masterpiece, “King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword” is convoluted.
Guy Ritchie is a good film maker, but his best films remain his earliest in, “Snatch,” “Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels,” even the outrageous, “RocknRolla.” The “Sherlock Holmes” movies started to wear on me and felt more like a pop culture gimmick while, “The Man From Uncle,” just didn’t work.
“King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword,” is an example of heavy handed movie making and the lesson here is simple. Less is more and less usually allows the audience to think and feel for themselves rather than have everything visually and intellectually provided for them.
You always hope the time you spend watching a movie is time well spent. After an hour of “King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword,” I was looking for the exit and still wondering where the hell the elephants came from.
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