31 Days of
Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!
"The World's End" (2013)
Everyone loves "Shaun of the Dead", myself
certainly included. It's a blast of a zombie movie that manages a the tricky
balance between horror and comedy. What you may not have realized about
"Shaun" is that it's only the first in a trilogy from director Edgar
Wright.
"The Three Flavors Cornetto" isn't a typical trilogy. Each has its own original story and characters, the
central two of whom are always played by comedy duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
Though plots differ, each film in the trilogy works as a
half-parody/half-homage to a style of film, blending comedy in along the
way. "Shaun of the Dead" is the obvious horror nod. The massively
underrated "Hot Fuzz" is a modern slant on the 80's cop movie.
Tonight's film - "The World's End" - finishes
things off with sci-fi. And it's fan-friggin'-tastic to the last shot.
"Shaun" is a spectacular film, but "World's End" may be my
favorite of the series.
The Plot:
Gary King ruled high school. The eternal rebel, he cared little about popularity or rules. Him
and his friends just wanted to make noise and have fun. Break every rule they
could get their grubby hands on. Times were crazy. Times were good.
Problem is, those times were two decades ago.
Now in his 40's, Gary hasn't progressed past his high
school persona. He dresses the same, talks the same, and behaves the same. Much
to the chagrin of his pack of friends, who've all moved on with their lives and
grown up. Gary yearns for the old days, the wild days, and fondly remembers his
group's legendary quest to tackle the Golden Mile, a 12-tavern long pub crawl
across their home town. The crawl ends at "The World's End", a pub
that's essentially the Holy Grail of this journey. As teenagers, Gary and co.
never completed the quest. But it's time to try again.
Bored of a mundane life, Gary decides to 'get
the band back together' to make one last shot at the Golden Mile. After a lot
of pleading, and some lying, each friend is reluctantly drawn back into the
mix. None of them have visited their home town, a sleepy English village, in
years. Turns out, quite a bit has changed.
Upon their triumphant return, Gary and co. are surprised to
find that no one remembers them. Or their antics. All the same pubs are there,
though none seems to recall the group ever having visited. What's more, the
town's residents are all acting rather strange. All shifty-eyed and aloof.
Granted, it's been years since the boys were back in town. Things are
always a bit strange when you grow up and visit home. Just...not this strange.
Oh well, best not to dwell on it. There's a pub crawl to be
had. Let's the draughts begin!
The Flavor:
"The World's End" is, indeed, a sci-fi film. My
plot synopsis will only give you the most shallow of details. Half the fun is
figuring out what the hell's going on. But while that particular angle of the
film is most apparent, less so is the subtext behind it all. "The World's
End" is more than pub crawls and strange happenings. It's about the
difficulties of growing up. What to keep from childhood. And what to drop.
But before getting into the heavy stuff, let's start with
the fun. "World's End" is, after all, a comedy. Simon Pegg brings the
snarky humor this go-around as the fast-talking Gary. His man-child of a
character is one who is charismatic, funny, but also kinda pathetic. He peaked
in high school and never went any farther in life. No family or solid career,
and little to his personality past partying. Only a pining for the rebellious
days of old.
That leads into heavier territory. While "The World's
End" is packed full of sci-fi (we'll get to that next), it's really a
movie about adulthood. Gary now stands in stark contrast to his friends, who've
all embraced the hum-drum existence of the 9-to-5. They've careers and families,
responsibility, and thus resent Gary's free-spirited ways. But at the same
time, they admire his zest for life. Ultimately, this film is about striking
that balance between responsibility and passion. Gary represents one side of
the spectrum, his friends the other. Each teaches the other the vices and
virtues of the other side.
By sticking together, our group of heroes goes through a tense
and surprisingly emotion journey to not only survive what becomes a deadly
night, but of course, to finish the Golden Mile along the way. In that, the
final pub acts as a symbol of Gary's growth.
And finally, though I can only say very little without
spoilers, the sci-fi elements are copious and fun as all hell. For all the
drama and comedy, "World's End" also packs in amazing fight scenes
and epic moments. When the whole conspiracy comes together, you'll be happy to
face it alongside Gary and his cohorts.
Best Paired with:
While those who are fond of sci-fi and horror will likely
get most of the little Easter eggs, this is certainly a film everyone can
enjoy. True, it's penchant for foul language nixes the inclusion of youngsters.
But something about English humor really has a way of making profanity seem
artful. Not sure why, but the torrent of obscenity launched by the cast,
especially in dire moments, are both crude and well-crafted. Not to mention some
of the most hysterical parts of the film.
Accompanying Brew:
While most of the brews chugged in "The World's
End" are your standard ale, the films heavier themes lead me towards
pairing it with something more sophisticated. And with a name like La Fin Du
Mon (the End of the World), how could I resist?
Name: La Fin Du Mon (The End of the World)
Brewery: Unibrouque
Where Brewed: Quebec
ABV: 9% (though doesn't taste like it) Beware - powerful!
Style: Belgian Triple
Color: Golden, rich and bright, with a bit of orange hue.
Aroma: This Triple absolutely exudes Belgian yeast. Quite
sweet with a delicate, distinct tang. Perhaps a slightly spiced hint from
coriander. Also very slight peppery note.
Taste: Sweet from the get-go, but the sugary taste isn't
overpowering. Rather, it's delicate, and sings as it washes over your tongue. A
moment into the sip, the tangy-twist of Belgian yeast shows up alongside an
array of spices. It's difficult to describe the sweet flavor of Belgian yeast.
Almost like a sharp, white-grape taste. It's also hard to pin-point the specific
spices amidst the sweetness, but I'd say there's coriander and something
slightly peppery (perhaps from a more mellow, spicy hop). The overall flavor is
robustly sweet, but delicate enough in body and carbonation to go down
smoothly.
Aftertaste: The flavors of the triple certainly stay on the
tongue. For a solid minute or two after each sip, you'll still be aware of a
sweet/tangy/spicy flavor combo. Thus, I recommend drinking
slowly. Savoring. The sweet character tends to fade first. The spices linger on
the taste buds for longer.
Body: For such a strong, powerfully-flavored brew, La Fin Du
Mon is quite light in texture and body. With a fine carbonation, the brew has
an effervescence that puts the scent on full display and makes for wonderful
sipping.
Pair: Think fresh and lighter flavors to blend with the
tastes of the beer. Perhaps a fillet of white fish. Fruit would also go
quite well, as you'd get varying degrees of sweetness and really be able to
taste the differences between each.
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