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UPDATED: ‘Bottle Shock’: the reviews are in. Will you go see it?
Update: My wine-blogging colleague Michelle, of My Wine Education fame, checked to see when Bottle Shock was coming to Cincinnati — and so far, it’s not scheduled to. But she did find out that it’s booked at the Regal Hollywood 20 at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek, starting on Aug. 22, and passed the information along to me. Thank you Michelle!
The movie Bottle Shock was released yesterday, and the LA Times’ restaurant critic writes about the movie in an online story.
The Times notes that the movie is “very loosely” based on the famous 1976 “Judgment in Paris” tasting in which two California wines beat out many supposedly more prestigious French bottlings in the opinion of a French panel of wine tasters. And it certainly appears the scriptwriters have taken some liberties with the storyline.
The Times story also points out: “Hold on: There’s yet another film based on the historic tasting in the works. It’s titled “Judgment of Paris” from Clear Pictures Entertainment, and is based on Time journalist George M. Taber’s 2005 book of the same name, with a screenplay by veteran screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen, who owns Kamen Estate Wines in Sonoma. Reached by phone, Elizabeth Fowler, who is producing the film with Clark Peterson, said the film has not been cast.”
The recent purchase of one of the 1976 winning wineries, Chateau Montelena, by venerable Bordeaux producer Cos d’Estournel, adds a certain irony as well as timeliness to the movie’s release.
As for reviews, here’s one from USA Today entitled “‘Bottle Shock’ uncorks a good story of California wine” … a fairly positive review that concludes the movie is “a watchable crowd-pleaser with an intriguing story to tell.” The Detroit News film critic is somewhat less enthusiastic.
So whaddaya think: Will you go see it? Why or why not?
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Comments
By Ed
August 8, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this
In general the reviews have been fairly positive. Roger Ebert gave it a B+ rating. The NY Times reviewer said it was the best wine movie since Sideways. Well, with the exception of a movie Russell Crowe made a couple years ago, it’s the only wine movie since Sideways. But, what the heck.By Michelle
August 7, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this
Actually, I’d love to see it, but that has more to do with some of the cast members than anything else. (OK, it would also make a great review for the blog.) Of course, as far as I can tell, it’s in no hurry to open in Cincinnati.By Stu
August 7, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this
I’ll see it out of curiosity, but can wait till it comes out on video. I’m more interested in the Taber movie as that will be more accurate and true.