Evil Dead 2 and Woodstock Inn Brewery's Autumn Ale!

31 Days of Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!

"Evil Dead 2" (1987)

Happy Halloween, everyone!

So, for tonight's final entry, I wanted a film that really captured the holiday spirit. Something spooky, a bit crazy, and a whole lot of fun. It had to have creativity, inventiveness, and just the right amount of dark comedy atop its horror.

And so I turn to you, Mr. Raimi.

Last year, I covered the third entry into the "Evil Dead Trilogy", "Army of Darkness". This go-around, I'll dial it back to the second of the trio. "Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn" is a semi-remake/sequel to the original "Evil Dead", giving us a bit of reimagining before taking things in a totally new and wild direction.

Though absolutely strewn in blood and guts, "Evil Dead 2" has a giddy fun-factor energizing every frame. For all the grotesque creatures and gory effects, you smile the entire way through. While "Army of Darkness" centered more on comedy, "Evil Dead 2" is straight-up horror with a dash of comedy sprinkled on top.

What better way to celebrate Halloween than with this horror-classic?

The Plot:

The first few minutes are a modified retreat of "Evil Dead 1". Here, Ash Williams and his girlfriend Linda make their way up to an old cabin for a weekend retreat alone, rather than with friends. Once they arrive at the secluded shack, it isn't too long before they stumble across the research of paranormal researcher Raymond Knowby. It seems Prof. Knowby used the cabin while trying to decipher the Necronomicon, the Book of the Dead. Through reading its passages, an evil force awakened in the forest and possessed his wife, forcing him to kill her.

Ash and Linda unwittingly unleash the same ole' evil force. This entity has no physical being, at least not yet. Rather, it's a malicious spirit with the ability to possess and transform anyone into a demonic beast. Once possessed, there's little that can stop the monstrous afflicted save for total dismemberment.

Linda's the first to fall victim. Attacking her own boyfriend, Ash is forced to dispose of Linda via shovel. He buries her in the backyard, but she doesn't stay dead for very long, despite missing a head.

From here, we delve into the night from hell. Ash is now faced with fending off his zombie-girlfriend and the evil spirit, which begins to break his sanity by going all poltergeist on the cabin. Through the evening, Ash is attacked by dinnerware, furniture, and even his own hand, now possessed. The latter appendage it ultimately removed via chainsaw, but like Linda's head, that doesn't quite stop it from coming after Ash.

And that, my friends, is only the first half of this Halloween-behemoth.

I'll keep the rest of "Evil Dead 2" in the dark, so as not to spoil anything. Keeping it brief, another group is on its way up to the cabin, with one of them being the daughter of Prof. Knowby. She's no idea what her father was up to, and thus is unaware of anything wrong. She does however bring along some pages torn from the Necronomicon. Her father had left these at home. The missing pages might be the group's only hope of stopping the evil before it consumes them all.

As Ash would say: "Groovy"

The Flavor:

"Evil Dead 2" is like a cornucopia of Halloween tropes all stuffed into one over-caffeinated thrill ride. Everything from haunted houses, possessions, ancient demons, zombies (kinda), monster movies, and even time travel is covered! You get the feeling the filmmakers wanted to throw as much creepy stuff at the screen as possible. But the joy with which they do it is so infectious, so damn fun. Even those who don't like horror films are likely to have a good time.

And while "Evil Dead 2" has plenty of great comedic moments, make no mistake, this is a legit horror film. Raimi and crew make full-use of the bigger budget they were given, coming up with some truly vile creatures and gore. When the demons attack, it's funny some of the time, but gross all of the time. Blood literally sprays from the wall at points. But there's no ugly feeling to it all. There's just too much energy, too much action, to make things appear grim. Oh sure, things go absolutely psychotic at points. Ash is losing his grip on sanity, after all. But the film has a total tongue-in-cheek tone that wants you to have fun right along with it.

Part of that fun comes from Ash, himself. Played by Bruce Campbell, Ash is the sort of hero who starts off a nobody, has every horrible thing imaginable thrown at him, and comes out the other side a total badass. His performance covers all the action hero essentials, even cheesy one-liners, but has just as much slapstick and physical comedy involved. When Ash's hand is possessed (and prior to removal), Bruce Campbell has to literally beat himself bloody for minutes on end. Painful as it is to watch, his character still maintains charisma. This is a guy who has to carve off his own hand and responds by taping a chainsaw to the stump. Bruce Campbell is a horror icon for a reason, folks.

The creature effects are plenty creative, most-all of which are done via practical effects. Everything from claymation, animatronics, and elaborate makeup are used to bring each slimy abomination to life. And to splatteric death, too. Sure, of some of these effects are outdated, but they're far too charming for you to care. When they come off as cheesy, you know it's totally intentional.

Best Paired with:

Halloween night, a ton of friends, and a rocking party. "Evil Dead 2" is just damn good fun. It's the sort of movie you can jump into at any moment and watch. Each scene is so packed full of horror-imagery and action that it's never boring. 

And if you haven't seen "Army of Darkness", "Evil Dead 2" sets up the perfect segue into the medieval follow-up.

Accompanying Brew:

"Evil Dead 2" demands something special. It's the kitchen-sink of horror movies, with all sorts of crazy elements blended together. For our brew, we need something that packs together all the various Fall flavors. Then mixes them furiously. We've covered pumpkin beers, Octoberfests, Imperials, even the occasional cider. How can we mix those?

 

 Name: Autumn Ale Brew

Brewery: Woodstock Inn Brewery

Where Brewed:  North Woodstock, NH

ABV: 4.4%

Style: Blend of Styles

Warming spices, roasty undertones, nutty malt, and crisp apple. These are some of the flavors and scents that come to mind when I think Autumn beer. And they're all here, presented in harmony.

Color:  A deep ruby-red/amber shade, with a touch of copper.

Aroma: Three scents swirl together on the nose. First, you pick up a rich nutty aroma. That's followed up closely by a light apple scent. The apple is mellow and crisp, not overly sweet. The scent then finishes with a hefty touch of cinnamon. Like the apple scent, the cinnamon smell is not sweet. Rather, it's warming and slightly toasty. The overall effect smells like Fall in a glass.

Taste:  At first, Autumn Ale starts off like a rich brown ale, only with solid dash of cinnamon thrown in. The malt taste is nutty on the tongue. Right alongside is a strong cinnamon flavor. While the malt profile is robust, this brew isn't sweet, so the cinnamon comes off more warming, more spicy, than it does tasting like candy. This is an incredibly welcome change of pace from some of the pumpkin beers that overdo it on the sugar and spice.

Once the beer hits the center of the tongue, the apple notes appear. Apple can be a strong flavor, and anyone who's ever tried a cider knows it's often paired with very sweet flavors. I prefer my cider on the more mellow, dry side. And thankfully, that's the case here. The apple flavor is light enough to complement the malt rather than bury it. It joins the other flavors and harmonizes into a symphony of taste, with no one flavor taking center stage. The malts, apple, and cinnamon are all fully expressed on the tongue.

Aftertaste: The cinnamon sticks around longest after each sip. The apple and malt flavors fade slowly, and the cinnamon joins up with a dash of hops to create a lingering, spicy finish. It's warming, like taking a bite out of a pastry right out of the oven. The bitterness is only enough to enhance the spice, so to those opposed to hops, Autumn Ale need not worry you. The hop bite is very mild.

Body: A nice, smooth medium body. Autumn Ale is just heavy enough to perfectly complement colder weather, but light enough not to fill you up. Great balance.

Pair: For Halloween, this is a great change of pace from the typical pumpkin ale. The flavors are mellow and fresh. Bring this to a party to mix up the selection!

Even after Halloween, I can see this beer pairing well with any number of Fall meals. Thanksgiving dinner actually comes to mind, as the nutty flavors and dash of apple would work wonders alongside turkey. Also, the cinnamon would go a long way to enhance cranberry sauces.

Birth of the Living Dead paired up with Terra Incognita

31 Days of Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!

"Birth of the Living Dead" (2013)

Tonight's feature sounds like it belongs right alongside "Night of the Living Dead", "Dawn of the Dead", and "Day of the Dead". And it does. Sort of.

"Birth of the Living Dead" isn't really a zombie movie. It's a movie about the making of the most influential zombie film of all time. And the man behind it all. At the age of 27, George Romero set out to film a low-budget horror film with a group of friends and zero studio support. No one on set was ever sure if the film would be finished, much less screened to an audience.

Even when "Night of the Living Dead" made it to theaters, it still had a way to go before being considered a horror classic. Today, we see the film as the groundbreaker that it was, defying all previous horror movie standards and challenging social issues.

But in the 60's and 70's, "Night" had to fight for recognition. This is that story, how one of the most famous horror films of all time started out as an underdog.

The Plot:

Fun little piece of starting trivia: before directing "Night", George Romero and his small film company worked on short films for "Mister Roger's Neighborhood". Quite the leap from the grisly tales he'd come to be famous for. Seeking to branch out, Romero's first attempt at Hollywood fame  ventured far off of zombie territory. Rejected by studios, his screenplay prior to "Night" was an arthouse film. The idea to try again with a horror movie was an attempt to take a more mainstream second chance.

Ironic, seeing as nothing about "Night of the Living Dead" was mainstream at the time of its release. But we'll get to that in a bit.

Renting out a small farmhouse in Pittsburgh, Romero and his crew pooled every resource they could and began filming. Much of the cast and crew lived in the farmhouse during shooting. Actually, much of the cast was the crew, with some of the principle actors also doing the makeup work and producing. Many of the film's zombies were investors, friends, and local townsfolk. Pretty much everything was improvised, but Pittsburgh residents were proud to have a movie shooting in their backyard, so they came out in droves to help.

Romero was no big-wig studio guy. This was a young director with nothing but heart. "Night" was an independent film shot not for profit, but out of passion.

While the movie's being made, we're taken through a tour of history. With the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movement in full-swing, much of the commentary laced throughout "Night" directly addressed the time. The film had a bleak attitude, one of confusion, where there were no simple answers or explanations, and the government was largely ineffectual. It's central hero, the only one to survive the zombie horde, is African American. His death comes not at the hands of the undead, but rather trigger-happy vigilantes. Though chocked full of zombies, the film wasn't about zombies.

Once the film is released, we're taken through the extensive story of how it gained recognition. Forced to play alongside exploitation features for years, "Night of the Living Dead" only began to gain acclaim once younger generations and European audiences started watching.

The Flavor:

It's astounding when you think about it. "Night of the Living Dead" is a horror staple, a film that changed the nature of scary movies. But it took years for anyone to praise the film. Prior to "Night", horror films were more traditional, more straight-forward. Insert monster, add explanation behind monster, have heroes figure out strategy to save the day. "Night of the Living Dead" had none of that structure. We're never given a good reason for the zombies to have arrived. One day, they're just there, attacking us, and we've no choice but to drop everything and respond.

The sense of helplessness and confusion that permeates "Night" is what makes it so scary. One or two zombies isn't much of a threat. But the idea of a world overrun, devoid of hope? That's pretty damn frightening.

The film's shock value likely landed it alongside exploitation films when it got to theaters. Though violent, "Night" isn't so much about parading gore in your face as it is making a statement. Most of the bloodshed is presented in a straightforward, quiet way. The almost casual approach to how the zombies consume flesh is disturbing not because its dramatic, but because it feels real. That was the tone "Night" hit.

Most interesting to me was the reception of the film. So quickly dismissed by American critics, those most intrigued were younger viewers and critics in Europe. For young Americans, "Night" was an angry voice decrying the fractured state of American society. All the unrest was represented on screen, with no simple solution to the conflict. The film's African American hero is shown to be far more capable and wise than the rest of the white cast. Everyone else perishes from the undead, but his demise comes only at the hands of human ignorance. The armed forces that come to 'save the day' mistake him for a zombie and shoot. They blindly go about their work, ignorant to the survivors around them

The messages were blunt, cold, and hit heavy. European critics caught these messages. American critics saw only blood and guts. Naturally, once Europe began claiming the film as brilliant, our flock of critics took note.

George Romero influenced countless films and filmmakers through his masterpiece. In the years that followed, his "Dawn of the Dead" would continue to skewer social flaws. All through the rotting hands of the zombies we love so much.

Best Paired with:

Anyone with even a passing interest in scary movies and/or filmmaking needs to check out "Birth of the Living Dead". It's a true underdog story. A tale of how one small group of passionate filmmakers started out with nothing and changed the world of horror. Topical even to this day, "Night" delves deeply into social, political, racial, and class tensions. "Birth of the Living Dead" explores each of those topics in sharp detail.

Accompanying Brew:

Taking tonight's film into account, let's go with a brew that's refined. And like "Night", it only gets better with age.

 Name: Terra Incognita

Brewery: Compilation brew between Sierra Nevada and Boulevard Brewing

Where Brewed:  Kansas City, Missouri

ABV: 8.5%

Style: Barrel-aged Ale

Color:  A very dark, almost molasses-like shade of brown. It has the similar deep ruby shade as a porter.

Aroma: Two main scent profiles are at play here. First, there's a tangy, slightly sour smell. This almost comes off exactly like a sour ale and has some zest to it. There's a sharpness to the tang that gives it dimension. Later, the whiskey character arrives on the nose. It's woody and sharply-boozy quality joins up with the tart scent to create something complex and unique. 

Taste:  Wow, there are three very distinct flavor profiles that arrive in succession during each sip. Initially, the ale gives off a nice malty flavor. This taste is amplified by some of the sharp sweetness from the alcohol. Next, as the beer hits the center of your tongue, the tart qualities of the yeast appear. This new flavor overtakes the malt sweetness and claims the beer all for itself. Finally, later into each taste, the presence of whiskey makes itself known. No denying that this ale was barrel aged, as the final two flavors to arrive are 1.) An incredibly pleasant oak taste, very much a whiskey characteristic, and 2.) A bit of alcohol bite at the very end. That's a lot going on, but it's all very delicious.

Aftertaste: The later two flavors - that of the tart yeast and whiskey - remain into the aftertaste. The tartness fades first, though gradually. Over time, you become more and more aware of the whiskey notes and the sour flavors fade into the background.

Body: Velvety and smooth, Terra Incognita has a mouth-coating sort of quality to it. Perhaps that's from the 3-month aging process? In any case, this is a brew to be sipped slowly and savored.

Pair: If you've a warm fireplace to sit in front of, that's all you need to go along with this delicate brew. It's complex enough that I want to recommend a taste all by itself.

A Bucket of Blood paired up with White Birch Belgian Style Pale Ale

31 Days of Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!

"A Bucket of Blood" (1959)

As a director, Roger Corman is mainly associated with schlock. Not just for filming it, but making an entire career of it. Directing countless low-budget horror and exploitation films, Corman indulged audiences with violent and cheesy tales. Think of him as the king of B-movies. Many of Corman's films are creature features, but some earlier work ventures into dark satire. Tonight's entry is one such film.

It's also one of the earliest horror/comedies I can think of. 

Shot in only five days, "A Bucket of Blood" isn't nearly as violent as its title suggests. The film draws its creepiness less from blood and guts and more from a twisted premise. It's only the idea behind the plot that's visceral, but none of the imagery plays out on-screen. Our imaginations fill in all the nasty details.

Alongside the horror, the film wields an interesting dose of timely sarcasm. Written and filmed in the 1950's, "A Bucket of Blood" pokes ample fun at the beatnik movement. For all the hip lingo and fancy attire, it's clear the supposed cool characters are more full of themselves than they are the philosophy they babble. Though the beatnik movement doesn't exist in present day, it's penchant for irony and self-aggrandizing will surely remind you of hipster or celebrity culture.

Is "A Bucket of Blood" a silly B-movie? Sure it is. But it still has some interesting things to say about the nature of fame. 

The Plot:

We begin our tale at the Yellow Door, the most hip, swinging night club in town. Most of its patrons see themselves as artists, expounding on the human condition and bleakness of life. In reality, most are drunks with little else to do. Their social circle is a self-congratulatory one. Everyone strives to be seen as cutting-edge, spouting dangerous or provocative poetry for the crowd.

And right in the middle of it all is poor old Walter Paisley. Walter is a bumbling busboy at the Yellow Door. Though he's the furthest thing anyone would classify as hip, Walter idolizes the poets and their nightly performances. They see him as little more than a walking mop. Despite his wooden plank of a personality, Walter persists in becoming an artist so he can fit in with the popular crowd. And in doing so, hopefully win the affections of coworker Carla.

Unfortunately, Walter has zero artistic ability. 

One night, while fussing around with a sculpture (lump of clay), Walter overhears a meow coming from inside his apartment wall. It seems the landlady's cat has gotten stuck again. Though Walter means well, his chosen tool for extracting the trapped kitty - a knife - isn't the wisest of choices. Panicking, Walter decides to hide the cat's body in clay, encasing it from head to toe. Though aghast, Walter's also impressed by how life-like his 'statue' appears. The following day, he brings it into work.

And suddenly, Walter's a super-star. His artwork is praised, hailed as morbidly brilliant. The crowd wants to see more. And therein lies Walter's dilemma: if he wants hang with the cool kids, he'll need to produce more statues. 

The Flavor:

"A Bucket of Blood" is more satire than anything else. The stories centers around a serial killer who gets accolades from his peers for being edgy. They just have no idea how edgy he actually is. As much as the crowd admires danger, they can't see it when its literally inches away from them.

As people start disappearing, more statues are put on display. Suspicions begin to crop up as Walter struggles to maintain the illusion. The Yellow Door is a frequent hang-out for undercover cops, as patrons often carry in drugs. Walter's first human victim is one such officer, mistaking Walter for a junkie. Walter kills him accidentally, but decides to dispose of the body by displaying it to his adoring fans. He breaks out the clay, and the audience is none-the-wiser.

Granted, Walter makes for an unlikely villain. Played with a "not-the-brightest-bulb" vibe by Dick Miller, Walter starts out more naive than murderous. He's a bit weird, but seems harmless. He never intends to cause trouble, but once the siren song of fame nods a beautiful head in his direction, the trap is sprung. We feel for the character, for dim as he is, all he wants is acceptance. Once he gets it, the obsessive desire to keep it, at any cost, is what makes a monster out of him.

The film has ample schlock but makes for a fun thriller. Think of it as a quirky "Twilight Zone" episode. Though the statues are each dead bodies, there's little in the way of gore. Most of the violence is encased behind layers of clay, which actually makes it even creepier. It's the idea of the statues, literal molded caskets, that gives you the shivers.

Best Paired with:

For a taste of old-school B-movie charm, "A Bucket of Blood" is perfect Halloween viewing. A bit hokey, but creepy when it needs to be, and the story keeps you interested throughout. How far will Walter go, and how long will his spree last?

There's also some wry humor at play. For all their talk of enlightenment, it's the artists who are fooled by Walter's scheme. They actually celebrate it, blind to the grim reality. Those most in vogue, in touch, actually have no idea.

Accompanying Brew:

Tonight, for an older film, I'll recommend something more traditional. Less your standard cinnamon and pumpkin mix, though still a blend. "A Bucket of Blood" took an old-school approach to combining comedy with horror, so let's blend two old-school brew styles into something new.

Name: Belgian Style Pale Ale

Brewery: White Birch Brewing

Where Brewed:  Hooksett, NH

ABV: 6.5%

Style: Belgian/pale ale fusion

Color:  Golden, and richly so, almost to the point of being orange.

Aroma: The scent of Belgian yeast is unmistakable. Dry, sweet, and with a slight tangy quality to it. Imagine a sweet scent with very delicate wood and white grape notes.

Taste:  Many flavors dance around with each sip. The beer's profile actually changes half-way through a taste. At first, the softer, sweeter qualities of the beer hit you. The sweetness is mellow, and like the scent, carries with it a Belgian character. Again, very slightly tart, almost like white grape, mixed with a woody dry quality. As the beer rushes to the back of your mouth, a shot of hops appears on the center of the tongue. This changes the overall flavor considerably. The hops have a nice spicy bitterness to them which cuts much of the sweetness. However, the bitter factor does not wash away the more tangy notes of the Belgian yeast, so you're left with a half-bitter, half-tangy character. It's almost as if you bit into some strange, exotic fruit. Very unique.

Aftertaste: The bitter/tangy flavor clings to the tongue after each sip. You have a good few moments to sit back and reflect on the flavors. While I enjoy traditional Belgian Triples and Quads, I really like the fresh quality the hops bring to this fusion brew. They really balance out the flavors. By tempering the sweeter qualities in between sips, you're able to isolate that distinct zing of Belgian yeast. The hops bring it forward for you to appreciate.

Body: Lightly carbonated, White Birch's Belgian Pale Ale has a smooth, velvety body. As the carbonation is more fine, you can expect a heavier quality to the beer, though nowhere near that of something like a stout. However, this is not a brew to be consumed quickly. Savor slowly and soak up the flavors.

Pair: The mineral-rich flavor of a white fish, especially one less fishy and more mellow, would work very well. I recommend flounder or haddock fillets alongside this unique and tasty brew.

Coraline paired with Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale

31 Days of Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!

"Coraline" (2009)

Based on the novel by legendary comics author Neil Gaiman ("The Sandman" series), "Coraline" is a dark fairy tale rooted in whimsy. The film takes a distinctly innocent point-of-view, seeing the world through the eyes of a child. As such, a sense of wonder pervades each frame. For the most part, these moments are beautiful to behold. Fantastic bursts of color and sound, rich with imagination.

But wonder can also mask darker undertones. Seeking adventure can be a thrill, but one must be careful not to delve too deeply into the unknown. Admirable as curiosity is, it must be taken with a spoonful of caution. Otherwise, the boundaries between reality and fantasy begin to blur.

The Plot:

Coraline Jones is an energetic yet perpetually-bored girl who's just moved into a strange old house. Her parents, overworked and fueled solely by coffee, struggle to keep the family afloat through writing. Caring as they are for their daughter, dire financial straits have forced both parents to zero-in on their work, leaving Caroline much to her own devices.

Ever the impatient adventurer, Coraline sets out to explore her new surroundings. Her neighbors are certainly a quirky lot. One claims to have trained a troupe of mice to perform circus feats. The others rave of being former beauties, only now it seems the only adoration they receive is from their numerous collection of terriers. Some of whom have already passed on and sit, stuffed, on the mantle.

If the real world seems creepy on its own, wait until the "Other" world shows up.

You see, not long after moving in, Coraline comes across a hand-stitched doll that bears a disturbing resemblance to her. Blue hair and all. Things get weirder still upon the discovery of a hidden door in the house. Once unlocked, Coraline finds the door a literal gateway to a dream world. 

The land on the other side closely mimics her current life, only here, all the attention seems to center on her. Mom and Dad are doting parents, cooking fabulous meals and writing songs for her. Even the garden is shaped to resemble Coraline's face. It's like a Wonderland built out of her former life, save for one little detail.

As Coraline spends more time here, her "Other" mother informs her that certain changes are necessary. Everyone in this reality has a pair of shiny buttons in place of eyes. Although initially creeped out by the doll-like appearance, Coraline gets too wrapped up in the party to care for very long.

That is until they present her with thread, needle, and her own pair of buttons.

The Flavor:

"Coraline" treads a fine line between wondrous and dark. Even before she crosses worlds, Coraline is surrounded by a rich array of characters and scenery. The landscape is coated with old oak trees, roots gnarled. The sky is an ever-present shade of twilight. It's beautiful, but there's a slight menace to it all. Such is the tone of the entire tale.

This is only further amplified by the Other World. Here, all the colors and characters from real life are saturated to the extreme. It's a veritable wonderland. Only it seems to be hiding something.We, the audience, can sense it. But Coraline, beguiled by this realm, is drawn deeper into the web. As we watch, we urge her to see the dark cracks forming at the seams. This is all too good to be true. But unless Coraline can distinguish between a more mundane reality and this beautiful lie, she may lose both.

Dread slowly begins to seep into "Coraline" as the plot progresses. The urgency of discovering the "Other" world's true nature gets all the more tense as the story goes on. Though non-violent, there's a lot of surreal, even disturbing imagery. Wonderland warps into something terrifying.

And therein lies the lesson of the film. "Coraline" doesn't shun the idea of exploration. Rather, it embraces it with open arms. It only wants to stress that wonderment and naiveté, beautiful in their own regards, can leave one open to danger if they're not careful. Also, as alluring as the 'out-there' can seem, never forget how important home is during your travels. It's all too easy to take for granted.

Best Paired with:

A family film with a touch of grim, "Coraline" certainly warrants Halloween viewing for most audiences. Most. 

Once the true nature of the Other world comes to light, things grow very dark. As I mentioned above, imagery that's once colorful becomes twisted. And the monster behind it all is a terrifying sight. I'd say anyone over the age of 8 should be fine, but very young children will no doubt have nightmares.

Despite this, the film is a great adventure, packed with imagination, creativity, and some valuable lessons about growing up. After writing this review, I find myself wanting to watch "Coraline" again. I suppose that's the best recommendation I could give the film.

Accompanying Brew:

We've sampled plenty of pumpkin brews this season. Let's try one with an adventurous new twist. 

Name: Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Brewery: Weyerbacher

Where Brewed:  Easton, PA

ABV: 8.0%

Style: Imperial Pumpkin Ale

An Imperial  pumpkin ale that brings a new spice note to the mix.

Color:  A deep amber, this brew glows red when held up to the light.

Aroma:  Of the Fall Trio on display, the clove aspect of the aroma is most pronounced. It's a warming sort of spice, especially when combined with the twinge of alcohol-sweetness from the brew. Aside from the Fall Trio, there's also cardamom in this beer, adding further complexity to the scent.

Taste:  While cinnamon and nutmeg are present, it's the tang of the clove and cardamom that really stands out here. The presence of cardamom adds a whole other level to the flavor, giving it a more exotic vibe. Almost like an infusion of Indian-style cooking. The combination of these spices, a sharply sweet factor, and a dash of toasty caramel malts gives the beer a warming quality. Almost like it has the slightest dash of pepper in the mix.

Aftertaste: When the hops arrive, they affect the taste in two ways. Firstly, and expectantly, they help wipe away the sweeter flavors. Secondly, as strong as the cardamom is initially, it gets even more pronounced once the bitter kick arrives. What results is an aftertaste that's very heavy on the spice. Bold and different, Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale brings another dimension to the pumpkin lineup. There's almost a slightly-burnt quality to the taste, which considering the warming nature of the beer, is a great thing.

Body: Medium bodied, though it feels heavy on the tongue due to the higher alcohol content and the robust flavors.

Pair: Roasted chicken or pork, though with little in the way of spices on the meat. This brew has all the spice character either entree could ever need. 

Zombieland paired with Angry Orchard Apple Ginger Cider

31 Days of Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!

"Zombieland" (2009)

In zombie films, the biggest threat to humanity isn't usually the undead, but humanity, itself. 

Desperate to stay alive, survivors frequently turn against each other. That, or there's a bad apple in the group ready to mutiny on a dime. Often, the zombies are just a reflection of society's collapse, less the central monster and more just a natural force for man to overcome. The loss of humanity has nothing to do with a virus or parasite. It happens when people cut each other's throats to get ahead.

For this reason, zombie films that start with a band of survivors often see their cast whittled down to two, one, or even zero by the time credits roll. All it takes is one mistake, one moment of greed or thirst for power, and the zombie swarm moves in to make lunch of everyone's progress.

The primary reason "Zombieland" is such an enjoyable movie, despite being set in the same apocalyptic scenario, is that it goes the opposite way. All our character start out untrustworthy or with some hidden agenda. But as the story progresses, we learn that each person is just trying to deal with loss in their own quirky way. And they bond as a result. 

The heroes of "Zombieland" first meet at gunpoint, but by the finale, they're a family.

The Plot:

Since the zombie outbreak, society has totally collapsed. Most folk are either dead or undead, and those that are left survive mainly through theft or violence. The world has become a very rough place where only the meanest survive.

Well, save for our hero, Columbus. Forced to drop out of college due to, you know, the world ending, Columbus seems like least likely candidate to survive this nightmare. He's a geeky, shy kid with major ODC. He was frightened of everything even before the apocalypse. Now that it's arrived, his paranoid habits have actually come in handy. Taking no chances, Columbus lives by a series of survival rules. We get to learn about each through the film, with them popping up like on-screen instructions.

In his travels, Columbus meets up with Tallahassee. A polar opposite, Tallahassee goes out of his way to attract zombies. All the better to smash their heads in. This guy has embraced the zombie apocalypse with shovel in one hand and shotgun in the other. He's very good at rekilling the undead and enjoys his job quite a bit. But his true passion lies not in severed brains and/or spinal cords, but finding the last Twinkie.

Once our travelers meet Witchita and Little Rock, sisters who make their living as thieves, the group has some interesting choices to make. Take the chance to trust each other, or continue living out their solitary strategies? There aren't a lot of people left, and few among them are trustworthy. So what to do now?

The Flavor:

"Zombieland" is stuffed-full of dark comedy and zombie-gore. It makes no attempt to sugarcoat the apocalypse. It just tries to wring a few laughs out of it. What surprises me most is how touching, even sweet, the movie can be at times. For all the exploding heads and chomped brains, you really grow to care about the central four characters more than anything else.

The cast is the highlight of the film. They're all so different in their outlooks, their motivations, that it makes total sense for them to clash at first. Each has survived using a wholly different approach, so once they're all stuffed into the same minivan together, tension understandably mounts. But as we get to know each hero, find out what happened to them and why, we start to look past the gruff exterior. Each person is just dealing with grief in their own way. Trying to make it in a world that scares the shit out of them. You want to see them bond.

For those looking for zombie action, you'll get it in spades. Everyone gets to make some head-shots, and Tallahassee in particular revels in dispatching the undead creatively. The zombies themselves are also a nasty and varied lot. We get walkers of all shapes and sizes, including a truly creepy clown zombie that'll give anyone with a phobia nightmares.

While the action is good, the humor is even better. "Zombieland" is very funny, mostly due to the characters bickering. There's a celebrity cameo that almost steals the movie before ending on a darkly hilarious note. That's the strange thing about "Zombieland". It somehow manages to combine a lot of dark humor with an almost lighthearted tone. 

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Horror fans will get a kick out a fresh take on the survivor scenario. There's plenty of blood and guts to satisfy gore hounds, but not so much to repel the casual viewer. These are zombies we're talking about here. I think everyone goes in expecting some splatter.

But when I say the film has a heart, I mean it. It's a good zombie movie that turns into a great buddy comedy. Almost a post-apocalyptic family film at times. Quirky and inventive, "Zombieland" makes great Halloween viewing for multiple audiences. For all its violence, this is a feel-good sort of movie.

Accompanying Brew:

Hmm, zombie gore + endearing comedy? I'm thinking spicy with a dash of sweet. And seeing as we've gone through quite a few pumpkin brews already, let's switch things up to a cider.

Name: Apple Ginger Cider

Brewery: Angry Orchard

Where Brewed:  Cincinnati, OH and Breinigsville, PA

ABV: 5.0%

Style: Cider

Color:  A light straw-yellow tone.

Aroma: Potently sweet, the apple hits the nostrils hard. The scent also has a nice tartness to it. This blends well with the zing of ginger in the background.

Taste:  Though sweet, the initial flavor is far more mellow and dry than the scent led me to believe. I prefer my ciders on the dry, rather than sweet, side. Angry Orchard's blend puts forth just enough apple-sweetness to be enjoyable without overdoing it. Much of the sweet flavor shows up early into each sip. The later taste is rather zesty, a blend of tart and slight spice. The ginger flavor is mild, more amplifying the other flavors rather than standing on its own. Ginger can be a potent flavor, so using it sparingly can be difficult, but this cider pulls the subtly off well.

Aftertaste:  As a cider, there's nothing in the way of hops to provide a bitter finish. Thus, the tart/ginger flavor combo from a starting taste stays on the tongue after each gulp. If you like apple, you'll enjoy this.

Body: Like a gust of Autumn wind, this cider breezes by lightly and with a chill. I was surprised how quickly I was able to drink a pint. It's very light, but also very smooth. Like breathing in apple-scented air.

Pair: Roast pork, especially when braised in potato and onion. The sweet and spicy flavors of the cider will merge with the savory and salty of the meat and the more mineral qualities of the vegetables.

Sharknado paired with Wachusett Pumpkan Ale

31 Days of Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!

"Sharknado" (2013)

Okay "Sharknado", I think I get you. 

Much like "Snakes on a Plane", your hook is self-explanatory. Shunning subtly via a rocket launcher, you've no intention of being anything but an over-the-top cheese fest. You are practically daring your audience to mock, knowing your level of absurdity renders all criticism pointless. Crappy dialogue? Goofy effects? Doesn't matter. Your blood-splattered heart is worn proudly on a fishy sleeve. Audiences can roll their eyes, but at the end of the day, they're still watching a movie called "Sharknado". They knew damn well what they were getting into.

Ever hear someone describe a movie as a 'check your brain at the door' feature? "Sharknado" doesn't even let your brain into the theater parking lot. But mindless fun is still just that. Fun.

The Plot:

We begin our heartwarming tale at sea. On a small fishing boat, captain and crew negotiate a shady exchange with a businessman. It seems these fishermen have been illegally poaching sharks just for their fins, planning to sell them on the Asian black market for shark fin soup. Seeing as we're watching a film titled "Sharknado", you can practically see the Grim Reaper hovering overhead. When the boat plunges into a storm, the winds are so powerful they actually pull live, angry sharks out of the water.

The crew lasts about as long as you'd expect.

We then cut to the movie's central story, which has absolutely nothing to do with crime or illegal fishing. Why bother with the opening bit, then? No idea!

In Santa Monica, former surf champion and divorced dad Fin (Yea, I know) owns a small tavern along the waterfront. The place is a dive, but has its collection of regulars. While Fin is past his glory days, his bar is close enough to the shore to allow an occasional surf break.

At the moment, Fin is especially excited about a hurricane that's making way up the Western U.S. The storm began off Mexico and has been getting progressively worse as it moves Northward. Hoping for some killer surf conditions, Fin grabs his board and hits the waves. 

Unfortunately, the approaching storm has carried a whole host of sharks along with it. What starts as a string of shark attacks along the beaches grows worse as Santa Monica begins flooding, filling the streets with hungry sharks in addition to water. The toothy fellows begin bursting out of sewer drains and flying through windows, the storm literally throwing them at victims.

With Santa Monica under siege, Fin must gather his friends and family and move inland to escape the chaos.

The Flavor:

I often call good-bad movies cinema junk food. Tasty, but completely unhealthy and you'll feel bad later on. Where does "Sharknado" fall? Somewhere in the vicinity of Mountain Dew-flavored Cheetos. "Sharknado" revels in lunacy, inviting you to take its cheesy, orange-coated hand along for the ride. It knows it's bad and couldn't care less. 

When the sharks start flying, terror will the furthest thing on your mind. Bloody as the shark attacks are, they are the stuff of comedy gold. With the hurricane turning each fish into a torpedo, sharks literally fly out of nowhere. A character can just be walking down the street, minding their own business, when BAM! Eaten a flying shark. Now picture that concept applied to the entire film. Sharks rain down from the sky. People get eaten along the way. The heroes fight back with bar stools and shotguns.

If you haven't yet realized, this is a comedy.

My favorite part of the film are the sharks, themselves. They're the strongest joke, taking every Hollywood shark stereotype and blasting it to the extreme. No matter what scenario they find themselves in, the sharks are only thinking eat!. Even when violently pulled from the ocean and flung across land, these fish have nothing but food on the mind. Sure, out of water, they can't breathe, but who cares when there's all these tasty humans running around! Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!

The filmmakers don't try to make them look realistic. Each shark looks like it was programmed with the most advanced computer imagery 1994 had to offer. But taking the film's tone into account, I wouldn't be shocked to learn this was intentional. Making the sharks fake-looking imbues them with a great deal of charm, much like the puppet-based monsters of 50's sci-fi films. There's also a good variety of sharks. Of course great whites are flying about, but equally airborn are hammerheads, tiger sharks, and many other species.

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Corny as "Sharknako" is, it makes absolutely no effort to hide the fact. It's a cheeseburger coated in high fructose corn syrup, begging you to take a bite. You know right off the bat whether or not the film is for you.

No, "Sharknado" isn't scary. Did you expect it to be? There's plenty of gore, but like the sharks themselves, it's incredibly fake-looking. The actors practically wink at the camera while waving around a bloody stump where an arm or leg used to be. Most of the human victims actually turn into CGI creations themselves while getting eaten, and even then, there's so much splashing water that it's hard to see much, aside from bloodspray.

Gather friends, open a case of beer, and laugh the night away. 

Accompanying Brew:

"Sharknado" should come with a disclaimer that says "Must consume minimum two alcoholic beverages while watching." As such, let's go with a brew that's light and easy to drink in quantity.

Name: Pumpkan

Brewery: Wachusett

Where Brewed:  Westminster, Massachusetts

ABV: 5.2%

Style: Pumpkin Ale

Color:  This brew has a deep golden color, closer to a typical ale than the more orange-hued shade of other pumpkin beers.

Aroma: Pleasantly, the scent is rather mellow on the Fall Trio of spices. They're present, no question, but the aroma doesn't clock you over the head with spice. There's just as much of a malt and slight hop character to the scent as there is spice.

Taste:  You're first greeted by cinnamon, nutmeg, and slight malt. There's a toasty quality to the malt flavor (caramel malts?) which goes nicely with the spices. Malt aside, there's little in the way of sweetness. It's milder than most other pumpkinheads I've tried. This allows more of the hop presence to shine through. Too often, the hops are drowned out by the sweet/spice combo, but Pumpkan features a crisp, dry hop quality that goes very well with the malt taste.

Aftertaste:  Towards the end of each sip, two main profiles emerge. At first, a rich malty flavor appears at the middle/back of the tongue. Moments later, a slightly-spicy hop character appears and begins to mellow the malt down. The spices from the Fall Trio stick around with the bitter hop character, finishing the beer with a very dry, light flavor on the tongue.

Body: The body is very light, very crisp, and easy to drink. Though hop flavor is noticeable, it's mild enough to not intimidate anyone opposed to bitterness.

Pair: Like tonight's feature film, Pumpkan calls for a Friday-night junk food fest. A gathering of friends alongside buffalo wings and pizza will work wonders with this brew. Salty foods would complement the beer's dry character.