The Da Vinci Code

Drink: Limoncello Martini
Entrée: Italian Beef Sandwiches
Timing: Business trip to Italy & visiting Da Vinci exhibit.

Movie:
Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code was a bestseller which translated into dollar signs for anyone who took on the chore of making it into a film.  Add on top of that the fact it stars Tom Hanks & is directed by Ron Howard which makes sound like a guaranteed formula for success right?  Well in an effort to include every detail for the avid readers the movie viewers suffered because it was entirely too long.  Cutting details are a necessary evil for movies & a delicate balance at that which is why you seldom here a good review of a book turned into film.  Regardless one of the last scenes where Langdon retraces the Rose Line back to the Louvre in Paris really wraps up the story in a great way however again it just took too long for viewers to get there.  If you have not read the book or if it has been a while I would suggest watching to the below video about the Da Vinci Code on YouTube first because without this background information you could get lost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAtoP5nFhh4&list=PLrLdAi-IY3Ca5zizzE_Y8Lx-rHy29oVBd

Mel's Rating: 68%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

The Hunger Games

 

Appetizer: Herbed Goat Cheese Bites
Entrée: Lamb Stew

Movie:
This film delivers on every visual item you imagined while reading the book.  From the costumes & the cornicopia to President Snow no detail is left unreferenced.  By the end of the movie you are surprisingly not sick of Jennifer Lawrence but having ample talent such as Lenny Kravitz, Woody Harrelson & Elizabeth Banks & Donald Sutherland does not hurt either.  Liam Hemsworth feels a little Hollywood but even though it is pretty violent it is geared toward a younger crowd so I guess some eye candy is necessary.  All in all it was well put together & I'm looking forward to watching the remaining installments.

Mel's Rating: 89%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scaled of 10.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Appetizer: Alabama Firecrackers
Entrée: White BBQ Chicken
Side: Black Eyed Pea Succotash
Timing: Harper Lee passed away.

Movie:
Watching Jem & Scout's discovery of how society in the deep South really functioned was all encompassing.  It is especially interesting considering Harper Lee grew up in a small Alabama town herself & her father, a lawyer, once defended two black men on charges of murdering a white store clerk.  With that said it comes to no surprise that To Kill a Mockingbird rings true because it is based on real experiences.  The parallels & honesty of the film still shine & eerily foreshadow events to come post 1962.  In the film we see that rabid dogs are treated the same as innocent black citizens.  Then a few years later during Civil Rights protest in the heart of Alabama dogs are used as "crowd control" on black citizens.  Additionally in the film we see the children, the new generation, questioning a society that simply does not make sense.  Then in real world events the Baby Boomers become the ultimate questioners of authority as they transform into young adults in the 60's.  The film did a great job of tackling all of this material until Boo Radley.  His character & how it ties in with the story was not developed so when he briefly appeared at the end as an old man it simply did not fit.

Mel's Rating: 76%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

Glory

Drinks: Sam Adams Sampler Pack Taste Test
Entrée: Cheeseburgers & Boston Baked Beans
Dessert: Boston Cream Poke Cake
Timing: President's Day

Movie:
This film is the first look at the African American soldiers that bravely fought for the Union during the Civil War.  Denzel Washington delivers a brilliant performance that gives us a glimpse into the brutal world of slavery.  However Matthew Broderick falls flat as Colonel Shaw.  I think they should
have casted an unknown for Shaw since the soldiers themselves are the real focus of the film.  Additionally the movie suffers due to bad directing which makes it feel a bit forced at times however the ending shot is memorable.  I would encourage viewers to read more into the Shaws, the individual soldiers & Frederick Douglass for some interesting details that were not included. 

Mel's Rating: 70%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

Zero Dark Thirty

Movie:
911.  It's one of those incredibly sad & tragic days & you will always remember where you were when the towers fell.  Even though it's been 15 years many of the issues surrounding 911 are yet to be resolved or discussed openly which is what makes Zero Dark Thirty unique.  It provides us with a glimpse into the war on terrorism which ongoing but specifically it focuses on the chapter which includes the hunt & capture of Osama bin Laden. 

The movie itself reminds you of binge watching Homeland but the characters & events are very very real.  If Jessica Chastain were any more beautiful she would not be able to play the lead role.  However her rough edges & vulnerability create an equilibrium that make her beauty take a back seat to the plot which is an absolute necessity for such a serious subject. 

Mel's Rating: 91%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

Fatal Attraction

  

  

Drink: Love At First Sip
Entrée: Chicken Friand
Dessert: Heart shaped box of chocolates.
Timing: Valentine's Day

Movie:
This is what happens when you mess around!  Glenn Close absolutely steals the show in this thriller about an affair gone awry.  Who else can keep their character's integrity intact when you are literally competing for screen space with a pair massive, 80's NFL shoulder pads?  However I have to say that Beth Gallagher has the best line of the movie, "This is Beth Gallagher. If you ever come near my family again, I'll kill you. Do you understand?"  End of line!  Ironically this quote could have been cut since they had an alternate ending in mind.  In my opinion the ending they chose to use is much better than the alternate but read up on it & see what you think after you watch the movie.

Mel's Rating: 91%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

Endless Summer

Timing: Summer
Drink: Pina colada's in coconut shells & topped with paper umbrellas.
Entrée: Hawaiian Pizza

Movie:
This was the first surf documentary to hit main stream & while they probably had the best intentions it falls flat.  The waves are cool to watch but the narration is dry & with no character development overall honestly it's a little boring.  In fact you feel like you are watching an educational film someone checked out of the school library.  However perhaps the catch is that it was released in 1966 which is prior to when everything changed culturally in America.  Could Endless Summer represent the last summer of the American dream?  Careless, free, uncomplicated & endless. 

Mel's Rating: 74%
On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
On a scale of 10.

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

  

Drink: Purple Haze

Entrée: Shrimp & Grits

Dessert: King Cake

Timing: Mardi Gras Weekend

Movie:

Streetcar as it is most commonly referred to presents us with the double standard between men & women post WWII.  The main focus is on the downward spiral of Blanche DuBois & how her dependence on men is the cause of her destitute state.  Men define her self worth, men are her a sole provider, yet they destroy her & ultimately it is a man that escorts her to her final destination. 

I would recommend reading up on the play before watching the film because there are some holes in the film that probably were too risky to include in 1951 but are needed to complete the story.  Otherwise Vivien Leigh is brilliant in the role of Blanche & had said it almost drove herself into a mental breakdown.  Brando is uncontrollable, unpredictable & raw which makes him just the right fit 

for Stanley. 

Every woman in this play is the definition of pathetic so brace yourself.  It's tolerable though since the next president will be a woman!

Mel's Rating: 73%

On a scale of 100.

Brett's Rating: ⚡️

On a scale of 10.