February 26, 2007
There are plenty of choices made this year, just like previous years, that leave many people scratching their heads. With awards being given based more on past achievements or complete ignorance stemming from board members never even viewing some films, it's not hard to see why. However, the thing that bothered me the most this year was the complete snubbing of Children of Men. It should've been nominated for a lot more, but the fact that it lost in the category of Best Cinematography is truly unforgivable. This film boasts some of the most impressive camera work I have ever seen. Key moments being the two very long single takes that take place early on and near the end. Part of what makes these so interesting to watch is the world around the main characters continues to operate independently from them. There is a surprising amount of coordinated acting and action that proceeds in the background and peripheral sections of the frame, all done in a single long, complicated shot.
I can't say much more, but this video (not by me) certainly helps to extend my thoughts on this.
P.S. I suggest finding a way to see this movie if you have the opportunity. So far, any criticism I've heard has generally been comments that prove the person didn't pay attention very well while watching.
permalink -
4 Comments
February 4, 2007
This week we move onto the first review of, *drumroll*, rum! With my knickers tightly fastened, I set out to find myself a solid rum to taste. My only major rule was that I could not choose a flavored rum (coconut, essence of tropical suck, etc) because they just seem wrong. If I want to drink rum, I want to drink rum! Not a mandarin orange packing more booze than a sorority house.
I made my decision primarily on price and information on the label. These factors led me to choosing Barbancourt Rhum. It's distilled in Haiti, aged 4 years, and has 3 stars on the label. I like stars. They weren't gold stars but red stars are a fantastic substitute. The price was about eighteen dollars so it wasn't anything crazy but I wasn't going to be sharing a boxcar with anyone cross-country for the following week. Also, the use of French on the label struck my fancy because the chances of something snooty being terrible tasting must be very low.
The bottle itself isn't anything special, and it's capped with just a standard screw cap. No fancy wax seal or anything. However, the label itself is somewhat fancy looking with embossed graphics and faux gold leafing. My first reaction after popping the top and taking a big whiff was that it smelled incredibly sweet. I know rum is made from sugar cane, but damn, this stuff could go on my IHOP pancakes in the morning and I wouldn't be the wiser until I fail a sobriety test on the way home. The color itself is a very strong, medium gold which makes the packaging somewhat misleading due to being made from brown glass. This isn't that big of a deal, but a lot of people tend to prefer the darker rums.
I ended up sipping my first bit of the stuff over a period of time whilst watching "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels". This provided a good backdrop of gunfire because honestly, after taking my first sip it felt like I just choked down a cannon ball. I have had liquors with a much higher proof than this (86 proof) but Barbancourt is strong. It was as if millions of pirates suddenly cried out "ARRRRRR!!!!" and were suddenly silenced. The initial taste is very smooth and noticeably sweet, but then you feel the burn. Then you realize the burn isn't stopping. Oh damn, oh damn, wow. It's great tasting until the fires of a thousand dead sugar cane farmer souls tap dance all the way down to your tummy. I don't consider this a low point, but you should be prepared for it.
Thankfully, there was a supply of more crazy inverse uh-oh Oreos and spicy Kettle Chips to displace any discomfort. After my shocking initial experience I chose to try and mix it with some Coke. If you haven't noticed by now, I like using Coke as my staple mixer. This ended up making an extremely sweet cocktail. You can taste a hint of the rum but overall it's more like drinking Coke with a shot of maple syrup mixed in. It's very tasty but I suggest keeping a salty snack on hand to counteract the drink.
Important data points:
- It's sweet, but strong
- Ghost pirates possibly haunt the inside of every bottle
- It actually might kill you if you're not careful!
- Not really, but it still packs a decent punch
Consensus: Recommended with caution. If you're not a fan of a strong rum taste, you won't be swayed by this brand.
permalink -
1 Comments