Bottle Shock

[chinton]

Just caught this small film today. I really really liked it. For anyone who doesn;t know what it is it concerns the Napa Valley wineries in 1976. This was before they were really popular. A wine expert in France decides to hold a blind wine competition competing french wines to Califrnia wines. Of course this looked ridiculous as the Napa Valley was looked down on as some hick valley who were silly to try to dabble in fine winemaking. They eventually won which pushed Napa Valley into the mainstream of what it is today.

It sounds kind of dull and while I enjoy a fine wine I'm certianly no wine expert. Still this is the kind of film that makes you interested in what seems like a niche subject. Even if it wasn't a true story the basic foundation of the story is familiar. Its essentially a underdog story in which some scrappy outcasts (in this case hippie wine makers) take on a giant enterprise (French wine culture).

Still in the end its how you use the formula and this is an engaging and well-written film. Its light and airy, much like how the wine is categorized in the movie, but is very well made and manages to build a nice emotional center.

The look of the film is very pretty but i really have to compliment the acting. Its a large ensemble cast with a lot of familiar face like Alan Rickman and Bill Pullman and they all do a very nice subtle job never overplaying it but slipping comfortably in the roles.

Very reccomended.

8/10

[JoeChar4321]

I highly recommend this movie as well.

For me, this is probably the most pleasant surprise of the year. Comparisons have been made to the movie “Sideways” but, quite frankly, I found this to be the better film. The characters are much richer and more interesting to me. True charm and depth resonate through each character. The fact that the story is based on true life events only makes the sentiment and plot itself more amazing. The first 15 minutes or so don’t really flow that well and aren’t an indication of the quality that’s to follow. Survive the clumsy start and the rest of the movie is exquisite, just like a fine wine. (Note: I never wanted to savor a glass of vino more in my life then directly after having seen this movie.)

9/10 Huge Thumbs Up!

[chinton]

Glad you liked. I also wanted to go to a wine tasting after this. Maybe have some good cheese with it as well.

[Moviefan02000]

I absolutely hated it. Sideways this wasn't.