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CONCERTS: Archived Tanglewood concerts to be broadcast on radio and online, E6 FOURTH OF JULY: Honor America’s birthday (safely), E4 BEER NUT: What if retired beers came out of ‘lockdown’?, E10
Patriotic movies Films to watch this Fourth of July weekend, Page E2
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Above, Morgan Freeman stars in Civil War drama “Glory.” At right, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton and Leslie Odom Jr., as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton.” (SONY; DISNEY+)
ON THE COVER
Patriotic movies
Films to watch this Fourth of July weekend
many Memorial Day celebrations, and similarly many major and small-town fireworks ho can deny that what we for Independence Day have been canceled need is a good, old-fashthis year for fear of spreading the virus. ioned dose of patriotism in So, go grill those hamburgers and hot dogs these troubling times, just outside, grab a cooling libation and a piece as the nation draws closer to of apple pie, and sit back and choose from celebrating the Fourth of July and rememsome 10 great American films that depict bering our accomplishments as a people, everything that is great about this young while reflecting on our misgivings. nation of ours, while also reminding us that The COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on liberty is for everyone.
W
By Keith O’Connor
Special to The Republican
Daniel Day-Lewis appears in a scene from “Lincoln.” (DREAMWORKS II DISTRIBUTION CO.)
Alexander Hamilton and the American Revolution is coming to Disney + subscribers tomorrow, just in time for Independence Day. Winner of numerous Tony Awards and grossing more than $650 million, “Hamilton,” featuring the original Broadway cast, including Lin-Manuel Miranda who wrote the musical, was filmed at the Richard Rodgers Theater in June 2016 for an this black and white film by award-win- eventual release by Disney in movie “Independence Day” ning director Frank Capra remains The title alone evokes thoughts of the theaters on Oct. 15, 2021. “In this very Fourth of July and American’s indeas fresh as ever today. Starring the difficult time, this story of leadership, pendence from British rule. But this enigmatic Jimmy Stewart, the film tenacity, hope, love & power of people modern-day disaster film from popular follows the efforts of the junior senator to untie against adversity is both director Roland Emmerich starring — who was hand-picked to replace his relevant and inspiring,” wrote Robert Will Smith and Bill Pullman is about state’s U.S. senator — to fight political Iger, Disney’s executive chairman on aliens taking over the world and mancorruption in Washington, D.C., after Twitter about its pandemic-inspired kind’s fight to survive. Spoiler: It ends being duped by a supposedly “frienddecision to stream the film. ly” senator with crooked intentions. with Pullman as president of the United Spoiler: The film ends with an emotionStates declaring a new “independence al filibuster that rights at least one of “Glory” day” as all countries fight together to Washington’s wrongs. A powerful, inspiring film directed defeat the alien invaders. Streaming and DVD from 20th CentuStreaming and DVD from Sony Pictures by Edward Zwick, the 1989 movie tells ry Fox. Home Entertainment the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the first black fighting unit of the Civil War, led by “Mr. Smith Goes to Washing“Hamilton” Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew James Stewart appears in a scene ton” The immensely popular Broadway Broderick), who was the son of an from “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” SEE MOVIES, PAGE E3 Dating back to 1939, the premise of musical about the life and death of (COLUMBIA PICTURES)
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Movies
a biopic” by Rotten Tomatoes, “Yankee Doodle Dandy” is a flashy musical about the life of renowned musical composer, playwright, actor, dancer and singer George M. Cohan. Starring James Cagney as Cohan, the 1942 film won him an Oscar for his portrayal of the Broadway showman. The film, which tells the story of his life, depicts Cohan being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940 for his attempt to boost American morale during World War II with patriotic songs such as “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “Over There” and others. Streaming and on DVD from WarnerBrothers
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influential abolitionist. Based on true events, which depict the plight of African American fighters during the war, Shaw leads the brave men — a group of former and escaped slaves — in their ultimate mission to capture Fort Wagner. “Glory” also stars Morgan Freeman as Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins and Denzel Washington as Pvt. Silas Trip, and features a stirring soundtrack by the late James Horner, which features the voices of the Boys Choir of Harlem. The film features the depiction of racism and graphic violence. Streaming and DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Taraji P. Henson, as Katherine G. Johnson, in “Hidden Figures.” (TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX)
America. Streaming and DVD from Marvel
5. “Captain America: The
First Avenger” One for young superhero fans, as well as all lovers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Captain America: The First Avenger,” whose name and outfit says it all, is the first of a trilogy of films followed by “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Captain America: Civil War.” Setting the scene for the first of the three movies, Steve Rogers in 1941 attempts to join America’s armed forces to defeat the Nazis, but is rejected because of his size, only to be taken into an experimental research project that turns him into a supersoldier — the superhero Captain America. Reviewed
6. “Patton”
Chris Evans stars in “Captain America: The First Avenger.” (JAY MAIDMENT / MARVEL STUDIOS)
on Amazon as “this movie is to the Fourth of July what ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is to Christmas — and gets watched every year,” the action adventure stars Chris Evans as Captain
committed on American soil, United Airlines Flight 93 took off from Newark, New Jersey, bound for San Francisco. It, too, was hijacked 40 minutes into the flight by the Islamic extremist group al-Qaida. In real time, the film — written, co-produced and directed by Paul Greengrass — depicts the heroic efforts of passengers to thwart the terrorists and bring down the plane before reaching its target, which was believed to be the U.S. Capitol building. Streaming and DVD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
9. “Lincoln”
Helmed by uber-director Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln and co-starring Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones and Hal Holbrook, the 2012 drama follows the final tumultuous months of the 16th president before his assassination on April 15, 1865, just days after the end of one of the most divisive times in American history — the Civil War. One of the country’s most popular presidents, Lincoln’s efforts to end the war and abolish slavery play prominently in the movie which features a memorable score from John Williams. Streaming and DVD from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
The epic biographical war film about U.S. Gen. George S. Patton during World War II won seven Academy Awards, including best picture and best actor for George C. Scott’s portrayal of the flamboyant and brilliant military strategist. The 1970 film, released at the height of the unpopular war in Vietnam, was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner with a script by famed director Francis Ford Coppola and Edward H. “Yankee Doodle North. The movie is remembered for many things, includ- Dandy” ing its brilliantly filmed battle Called “a celebration of SEE MOVIES, PAGE E4 scenes in stunning 70 mm, patriotic fervor as much as it is but it is the movie’s opening scene that goes down in movie history as most memorable. As the lights dimmed in the theater and the movie began audiences saw Patton standing in front of an enormous HEATED PATIO American flag delivering a fiery motivational speech he NOW OPEN FOR YEAR often gave to his troops. ROUND OUTDOOR DINING Streaming and DVD from 20th Century Fox Home EnterNow Featuring the Chocolate Bar tainment.
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James Cagney (center holding cane) appears in the film “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” (TURNER ENTERTAINMENT)
Only minutes before the first of two hijacked planes flew into the World Trade Center, on Sept. 11, 2001, in the worst terrorist attack ever
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Movies CONTINUED FROM PAGE E3
10. Three-way tie: “The
Right Stuff,” “Hidden Figures,” and “Apollo 13” The space race, described by many as a Cold War competition between the United States and Russia, was for years a symbol of American spirit and ingenuity to conquer what the opening words to NBC’s original classic “Star Trek” television series called “the final frontier.” The recent SpaceX launch, a private enterprise in collaboration with NASA, was the first manned space flight on an American rocket since 2011. For many Americans, its launch represented a renewed enthusiasm and optimism for the future of spaceflight. Relive the glory days of the space race with “The Right Stuff,” which tells the story of America’s first astronauts; “Hidden Figures,” which tells the tale about three black women mathematicians facing racism at NASA who were the true heroes in putting John Glenn into orbit; and “Apollo 13,” Ron Howard’s blockbuster film starring Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise, and Bill Paxton as Apollo 13 astronauts on an ill-fated mission to the moon. All streaming and available on DVD
Honor America’s birthday (safely) By Sara Aridi
New York Times
This year, Fourth of July revelers will have to swap many traditions – peppy parades, large family reunions and patriotic concerts – with low-key celebrations. But there are plenty of safe ways to commemorate America’s birthday. Here are some suggestions. Watch fireworks and concerts on screen Many cities have canceled their festivities, and with that, the main draw: fireworks. But some are moving forward. Your best, and safest, bet is to watch either in your backyard or on a TV or computer screen. In New York City, Macy’s fireworks show will take place on several unspecified nights from Monday through the holiday, with each display lasting only five minutes. They will be set off from unannounced locations across the five boroughs – a strategy meant to prevent New Yorkers from congregating in public spaces. A special presentation featuring a recap of the fireworks will be televised nationally on Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC. Fireworks will light up Washington during “A Capital Fourth.” The event traditionally takes place on the West Lawn of the Capitol, but this year viewers are encouraged to watch from home. The presentation features recorded performances by stars such as Patti LaBelle and Renée Fleming. Actors John Stamos and Vanessa Williams will host. Tune in to PBS, PBS. org, Facebook or YouTube at 8 p.m. Eastern. Houston’s “Shell Freedom Over Texas” celebration has traded its annual festival on the Buffalo Bayou for a virtual show featuring fireworks and
Take a virtual tour of national landmarks If you typically take this time to visit monuments or educate your children about U.S. history, the internet has plenty of resources. The website Architect’s Virtual Capitol is an immersive look at the heart of federal government. Choose from several videos about the history of the U.S. Capitol, a virtual walking tour of its campus or an interactive map of other key sites in Washington. Or visit Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, home to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Benjamin Franklin Museum, through educational videos, A view from Queens of Independence Day fireworks over the photo galleries and more on East River, in New York, July 4, 2017. Due to the coronavirus the National Park Service’s and concerns about its spread, many cities have canceled website. their Independence Day festivities and fireworks this year, While there’s nothing quite but some are moving forward: your safest bet is to watch on a like getting an up-close-andTV or computer screen. (YEONG-UNG YANG / THE NEW YORK TIMES) personal look at the Statue of Liberty, an interactive On the Fourth, Los Angevirtual tour by the National musical acts, like the Houston Symphony and country les is still having an annual Park Service comes close. It singer Pat Green. Tune in at 8 block party – this time, the offers panoramic views of the p.m. Eastern on ABC13.com. block is onscreen – hosted statue’s exterior and interior, saving you the strenuous Nashville’s “Let Freedom by Grand Park + The Music climb. Sing!” event will honor work- Center, a performing arts ers who have been on the You can also take a virtual venue. There will be musifront lines of the coronavirus cal performances, a poetry tour of St. John’s Church in crisis. There won’t be a public reading, comedy sketches Richmond, Virgina, through SEE FOURTH, PAGE E9 concert, and Riverfront Park and more. The first hour can be streamed on ABC7. will be closed to spectators com beginning at 10 p.m. as a precaution. But you can Eastern; the rest of the event catch the fireworks show on continues on Grand Park’s NewsChannel5.com at 10 website and Facebook page, p.m. Eastern. and MusicCenter.org. Philadelphia’s weeklong The Boston Pops Orchestra virtual “Welcome America” festival features cultural pro- will pay tribute to frontline $65 Per Week gramming, fun lessons for workers in a celebration children, and family-friendly airing on Bloomberg TeleviUnlimited Days sion, Bloomberg Radio and workout sessions. It culmiMon-Fri. nates in a concert by Cynthia Boston’s WHDH-TV at 8 Erivo and Jason Derulo. p.m. Eastern.
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Honorable mention: “1776” Nothing says “America” more than the numeral 1776, reflecting the year the 13 American colonies separated from British rule. The 1972 musical, directed by Peter Hunt from a screenplay by Peter Stone based on his book for the Broadway play, features a song score by Sherman Edwards. Among those singing their way through the musical, which portrays the days leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of our nation, include William Daniels as John Adams, Howard Da Silva as Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, Blythe Danner as Martha Jefferson and Virginia Vestoff as Abigail Adams.
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MUSIC
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Bonnaroo music festival canceled
OR THE FIRST TIME since 2002, rock fans will not be gathering in Tennessee for the four-day music fest known as Bonnaroo. Organizers announced that the 2020 version of the event has been canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Bonnaroo follows other major music events like Coachella, South by Southwest and Lollapalooza, which have scuttled plans for summer events in 2020. This year’s lineup included artists such as Tool, Lizzo, Tame Impala, Miley Cyrus, Flume and Lana Del Rey. The festival was originally planned for June but moved to September during the height of the pandemic. Fans with tickets can roll them over to 2021 as the dates (June 17-21) have already been established. Those who roll over their tickets to next year will get free access to a virtual festival that will be held online from Sept. 24-27. The virtual gathering reportedly will feature “some
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of our favorite moments from past and present, along with some special surprises.” Liner notes • As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the live concert industry, the Happy Together tour has been postponed once again. The tour, originally scheduled for the Calvin Theatre in Northampton on June 26, then postponed to Oct. 10, has been scuttled until June 19, 2021. The tour features performances from The Turtles, Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night), The Cowsills, The Association, Mark Lindsay, and The
The 2020 Bonnaroo festival has been canceled. The lineup included artists such as Tool, Lizzo, above, Tame Impala, Miley Cyrus, Flume and Lana Del Rey. (JULIA HATMAKER / PENNLIVE.COM)
Vogues. The acts offer up an impressive string of hits from the late 1960s and early ’70s including “Happy Together,” and “Eleanor,” (The Turtles), “one,” and “Joy to the World” (Check Negron of Three Dog Night), and “Hair,” (The Cowsills). Tickets purchased for the original show will be honored on the new date. • Pitbull has a new date at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Originally scheduled for July 24 at the Grand Theater, the pop star will now play the Mashantucket, Connecticut, casino on March 27, 2021. Tickets for the original date will be honored. Pitbull has sold over 70 million records worldwide and released “Libertad 548” on CD this past September. He is the winner of 35 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
• Lady Gaga has announced rescheduled dates for her “Chromatica Ball” tour, which will include a stop • Primus is hoping the third in Boston next year. The pop singer and “A Star is time is a charm as the band attempts to pay tribute to Rush Born” actor will play Fenway with a tour. Park on Aug. 7, 2021. The group has rescheduled She was originally sched“A Tribute to Kings,” a tribute uled to play this summer (Aug. 5) before the coronavirus to Rush that will feature Primus playing “A Farewell to pandemic put a pause on the live event industry. Tickets Kings” in its entirety. purchased for the original The tour was originally date will be honored at next scheduled for 2019 and summer’s show. scrapped when Primus was SEE LIVEWIRE, PAGE E6 asked to open on Slayer’s fare-
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• Country duo Big & Rich has rescheduled their Mohegan Sun show to 2021. It is the second time the group has rescheduled its Connecticut performance which was originally slated for April, moved to Sept. 2, and finally settled on Feb. 10, Primus has rescheduled “A Tribute to Kings,” a tribute to Rush 2021. that will feature Primus playing “A Farewell to Kings” in its entireThe shows were moved as ty. The new dates include July 2, 2021, at the Oakdale Theater in part of the live event indusWallingford, Connecticut, and a July 6, 2021, stop at the Rockland try’s attempt to manage Trust Bank Pavilion in Boston. (ETHAN MILLER / GETTY IMAGES) around the COVID-19 crisis.
Tickets purchased for the previous dates will be honored. Big & Rich, Big Kenny Alphin and John Rich, debuted in 2004 with triple platinum “Horse of a Different Color” and their hit “Save a Horse, Ride A Cowboy.”
well tour. It was rescheduled and scrapped again due to COVID-19. Now the band is headed out in 2021 with a July 2 date at the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, Connecticut, and a July 6 stop at the Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion in Boston. All tickets for the 2020 shows will be honored for the rescheduled dates. While touring to promote another band’s album might seem odd, it is par for the course for Primus, a metal band out of California that has always teetered on the edge of art and absurdity. In 2015, the band reimagined the soundtrack to the film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” and sold chocolate bars on the supporting tour.
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LENOX
Archived Tanglewood concerts to be broadcast Listen to mini-festivals, performances online By Cori Urban
Special to The Republican
Although there will be no live Boston Symphony Orchestra performances at Tanglewood this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic, WCRB Classical Radio Boston will present Tanglewood concerts over the airwaves. “The BSO broadcasts, heard weekly at 8 p.m. Saturdays, is a cornerstone of the WCRB schedule,” said Anthony Rudel, WCRB station manager. “The BSO broadcasts from Symphony Hall and from Tanglewood represent a commitment to live performance on the radio unmatched in this country. We truly bring the concert hall to your home and that is something that our audience has come to expect and to enjoy.” He said the absence of live performance, especially performance enhanced by the energy of an on-site audience, is “truly tragic.” “The sense of community, the shared experience that is so ingrained in people has been lost during this pandemic and that has forced us to think of new initiatives,” he continued. “Thanks to the musicians of the BSO,
“BSO Signature Works” (July 6-10), “Musicians’ Choices” (July 27-Aug. 14) and “A Celebration of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus at 50” (Aug. 17-22). WCRB also will broadcast eight fulllength concerts on summer weekends on 99.5 FM in Greater Boston and on classicalwcrb.org for listeners everywhere. Full-length concerts, curated from the last few Tanglewood seasons, will air weekends on WCRB: • Sunday, 7 p.m. — Nelsons Conducts Mozart with Emanuel Ax and Mahler • July 11, 8 p.m. — Nelsons Conducts Gershwin with Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Stravinsky • July 18, 8 p.m. — Sibelius with Thomas Adès and Christian Tetzlaff • July 25, 8 p.m. — Dvorák with Joshua Bell and Ken-David Masur
WCRB Classical Radio Boston will present Tanglewood concerts on the radio and online at classicalwcrb.org. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)
final week of the series: The Tanglewood Festival Chorus was founded 50 years ago and was to have been featured in a number of performances throughout this summer. “With such a rich history, we’re happy to celebrate this milestone on the radio with TFC performances from the last few decades, especially at a time when choral singing is virtually impossible to do safely,” McCreath said. As for particular angles on the Tanglewood experience, one week is devoted “Thanks to the musicians of the BSO, we are able to mine the treasures of past recorded-live to BSO signature works like Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé and Berlioz’s Symperformances and bring some new listening experiences to our audiences and in that way phonie Fantastique, as markers of what have avoided leaving them without any of the joys of hearing music in performance.” it is to experience large-scale, virtuosic Anthony Rudel, WCRB station manager orchestral music in an open space like the Koussevitzky Music Shed. “We’ve also set aside three weeks for • Aug. 1, 8 p.m. — Nelsons Conducts “In the area of 2020 Tanglewood pro- members of the BSO itself to choose we are able to mine the treasures of gramming, there is one weekend in the performances that have particular Chopin, with Lisiecki, and Copland past recorded-live performances and BSO’s original schedule that includes • Aug. 8, 8 p.m. — Masur Conducts bring some new listening experiences meaning to them, some for very personal reasons and others that are simply all five Beethoven piano concertos to our audiences and in that way have Rachmaninoff with Gerstein and Stravinsky through the course of three concerts on based in the extraordinary qualities of a avoided leaving them without any of • Aug. 15, 8 p.m. — John Williams consecutive days, all performed by the specific concert,” McCreath said. the joys of hearing music in performance.” All concerts and mini festivals are and David Newman conduct the incomparably graceful and virtuosic soWCRB will present seven mini-fesloist Paul Lewis,” said Brian McCreath, free to listen to, and both the weeknight Boston Pops in “Across the Stars” with tivals of Tanglewood performances and weekend offerings are available at WCRB director of production. “That Anne-Sophie Mutter from the past 30 years. These per• Aug. 23, 7 p.m. — Nelsons Conducts made it a pretty natural choice to devote classicalwcrb.org. formances will air Monday through For more information go to classia weeknight series to those five pieces, Beethoven’s Ninth calwcrb.org/post/summer-tangleFriday at 8 p.m. Each week of concerts performed by a variety of pianists.” These broadcasts also will air at different times on WAMC in Albany; New is tied together by themes such as Another example is at the heart of the wood-wcrb#stream/0.
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Lady Gaga put out her most recent album, “Chromatica,” at the end of May, after putting off its original
April release date because of COVID-19. • Matchbox Twenty has announced new dates for its recently postponed summer tour. The band was supposed
England Public Radio in Springfield; and WMNR in Monroe, Connecticut. For specific scheduling, check local listings. The themes for each week of the Tanglewood broadcast season reflect a combination of what originally was programmed at Tanglewood in 2020 and particular angles on the Tanglewood experience that organizers thought would be engaging to listeners.
to play the Xfinity Center in Mansfield on July 25 and end the run at Mohegan Sun Arena on July 26. The group will now start its summer of 2021 tour at Mohegan Sun on July 16, followed by a stop at the Bank of
New Hampshire Pavilion in Guilford, New Hamphsire, on July 17, and the Xfinity Center on July 18. The tour also stops at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York, on Sept. 3. Originally dubbed the
“Matchbox Twenty 2020” tour, it is the group’s first run since 2017. It coincides with the 20th anniversary of the band’s 2000 album “Mad Season,” which spawned Top 10 hits “If You’re Gone” and “Bent.”
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WEEKEND
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MOVIES
What to stream? By Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post
The celebrated jazz and scat singer Ella Fitzgerald is the subject of “Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things,” a suitably affectionate documentary portrait that walks us through her life and career, from her first appearance, as a skinny, nervous teen, on the stage of the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night, to her death in 1996 at 79 (two years after having both of her legs amputated because of diabetes). In between, the film hits all the expected notes, including anecdotes about her mentor and early bandleader Chick Webb, her two marriages, public criticism about her weight and struggles with racism in the 1950s and early 1960s. (In a 1963 radio interview with Fred Robins, never broadcast, she speaks about the importance of the civil rights movement, a rare moment for an artist who didn’t like to get political.) But the film’s most satisfying passages are when the talking heads shut up for a moment and let us listen to Fitzgerald, who, in the words of The Washington Post’s Richard Harrington, “almost single-handedly elevated the American popular song to the status of art in the tradition of Italian bel canto and German lieder.” Unrated. Available at theavalon.org, afisilver.afi. com, themiracletheatre. com and cinemaartstheatre.com. Contains brief rude language. 89 minutes.
Ella Fitzgerald at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, 1960. (HERMAN LEONARD / EAGLE ROCK FILMS)
It takes 15 minutes or so for “No Small Matter” to get going. In that time, the documentary about the importance of early childhood education issues an ominous warning about “an enemy that most of us don’t know to fight,” while making us wait to find out who or what that enemy is. But when the film’s core message finally kicks in — that investment in high-quality child care, good, well-paid teachers and the strong social support systems needed to help parents start their kids off on the right foot — it comes across loud, clear and convincing. Lucid, well-argued and urgent, this is a film that everyone who cares about the future of our country should consider seeing, especially people with kids or those who are thinking about having them. “No Small Matter” earns its title: If we want to transform future generations of Americans, we have to start with today’s moms and dads, and give them tools they need to build a better baby. Unrated. Contains nothing objectionable. Available on various streaming platforms. 116 minutes. SEE STREAM, PAGE E8
A scene from “No Small Matter,” a documentary about the importance of early childhood education. (SISKEL / JACOBS PRODUCTIONS)
A scene from “The Etrsucan Smile.” (LIGHTYEAR ENTERTAINMENT)
DVD RELEASES
‘The Etruscan Smile’ a toothless tale By Katie Foran-McHale
roles written for the two women characters, type-A wife/ A fish out of water from mom Emily (Birch) and the across the pond attempts to initially prickly love interest make amends in the new DVD Claudia (Rosanna Arquette), releases for this week. by screenwriters Michael “The Etruscan Smile”: Af- McGowan, Michal Lali Kagan ter a dispute with his longtime and Sarah Bellwood, based on rival, Scotsman Rory MacNeil the 1985 novel “The Etruscan (Brian Cox) collapses and is Smile” by Jose Luis Sampedro. urged to stay with family and The cast does impressive work seek medical help elsewhere. with the material, but something doesn’t add up with ClauBegrudgingly, he heads to dia’s repulsion to Rory’s toxic San Francisco to stay with his masculinity quickly disappearestranged son, Ian (JJ Feild), Ian’s wife, Emily (Thora Birch), ing into being charmed by it and their baby. Tensions boil as for no discernible reason, let Rory takes his grandson on an alone Rory’s sudden transforafternoon sausage-eating jaunt mation to Good Dad/Grandpa without a convincing catalyst without alerting the family, for change. among other culture clashes, The Etruscan smile, as while chef Ian receives an unexpected gift from Emily’s rich Claudia explains while she but controlling father that beand Rory marvel at an ancient comes a burden. As Rory accli- Italian sculpture, is one of hapmates to the hilly city, his rival, piness in death. It’s a shame his health and his relationships that the film leaves more of a make predictable turns and hit puzzled frown. all the beats of a good old-fashAlso new on DVD ioned family drama. But a 74-year-old Scottish “Brooklyn Nine-Nine – man with a centuries-long feud Season 7”: The sitcom starring Andy Samberg as a cop in a New isn’t the thing that makes the York police precinct was picked film feel dated. In a nostalgic up by NBC after being canceled turn, the sometimes quirky, by Fox. always lush orchestral score “Evil: Season One”: A psyby Haim Frank Ilfman gives chologist, contractor and priest a late-’90s movie feel to moments like Rory discovering in training search for answers the great American traditions to church mysteries in this CBS of helicopter parenting, molec- drama. ular gastronomy and Segway “Force of Nature”: A cop tours. More uncomfortably attempts to evacuate a building dated are the one-dimensional during a hurricane while thieves Tribune News Service
plan to rob it. Emile Hirsch, Kate Bosworth and Mel Gibson star. “Four Kids and It”: Kids on vacation in England encounter a magical being. “Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears”: Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) rescues an unfairly imprisoned girl and discovers a multifaceted mystery. “Redcon-1”: A team of soldiers must breach a quarantined area to find a scientist who could save the world from a deadly virus. “The Sinner Season 3”: The USA Network drama’s third season follows Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) as he discovers a disturbing secret while investigating a car accident. “The Short History of the Long Road”: A teenager (Sabrina Carpenter) is forced to examine her RV lifestyle after losing her father. Out on Digital HD “Viena and the Fantomes”: A young woman (Dakota Fanning) crosses the country with an ’80s punk band. “Big Dogs”: An underworld emerges out of an alternative reality of New York City in this series. “Black Magic for White Boys”: A man sells a book of spells in a dilapidated theater. Teisha Hickman and Franck Raharinosy star. Available tomorrow.
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VIDEO GAME REVIEW
‘Little Orpheus’ a homage to golden age of sci-fi By Christopher Byrd
Special to The Washington Post
“Little Orpheus” is quite a departure for The Chinese Room, the small British development team known for its brooding narrative-focused games “Dear Esther” (2008) and “Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture” (2015). Rather than tackling weighty themes like remorse and death, the game channels the spirit of mid-twentieth century sci-fi and matinee adventures to spin an outlandish tale, full of vim, about a cosmonaut who travels to the center of
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Also streaming In the noirish Italian thriller “The Invisible Witness,” a man wakes up with a cut on his forehead and his mistress lying dead in a pile of scattered cash. According to the Chicago Reader, “The best parts occur when you think you’ve clinched the plot, only to have it go one — or two or three— steps further.” Unrated. Available at cinemaart stheatre.com. In Italian with subtitles. 102 minutes.
The documentary “Athlete A” centers on Larry Nassar and the serial sexual abuse perpetrated by the osteopathic physician who, for 29 years, was the doctor for the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics women’s team. The film, directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk (“An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power”), is more than a testament to the perseverance of Nassar’s victims, according to Variety. PG-13. Available on Netflix. Contains mature thematic material, including detailed descriptions of sexual abuse of minors. 104 minutes. In “Atypical Wednesday,” writer/director J Lee (“The Orville”) plays a man who is led on a comedic adventure when his effort to be a good Samari-
A scene from “Little Orpheus.” (SUMO DIGITAL LTD.)
the Earth. Divided into eight episodes, roughly a half-hour each, “Little Orpheus” is suited for gaming-on-the-go.
At the start we meet Comrade Ivan Ivanovich, a trim man with a pompadour haircut, seated at a small table in
tan — giving a young boy a ride case for that hunch.” Unrated. home from the therapist’s office Available on jomafilms.com. — goes awry. Unrated. Available 109 minutes. on iTunes. 91 minutes. In “The Audition,” Nina Hoss plays Anna, a violin teacher at A struggling British standup comedian (Kimberley Datnow) a Berlin music school whose attention to a young student beinherits her late father’s Los comes unhealthy. According to Angeles business in the comedy “Daddy Issues.” Unrated. Variety, “The taut human time Available on various streaming bomb (Hoss) makes of Anna is platforms. 90 minutes. what makes the film consistently engrossing even as the script In the documentary “Disarm goes through some soapier Hate,” nine diverse members of motions.” Unrated. Available at the LGBTQ community travel to afisilver.afi.com. In German prominent sites of gun violence with subtitles. 99 minutes. that have affected LGBTQ Raised by his foster mother in people, prompting discussion the English countryside, a boy among themselves and the people they encounter. Unrated. of Nigerian ancestry struggles to adjust when his birth mother Available on various streaming moves him into her small platforms. 85 minutes. London flat in “The Last Tree.” According to the Guardian, Jorge Garcia of “Lost” plays a former child singing star who “Powerful performances, tactile visuals and an elegantly fluid has become a recluse in the Chilean drama “Nobody Knows score add to the impact of this I’m Here.” TV-MA. Available on impressively understated yet Netflix. In Spanish with subtitles. profoundly moving tale.” Unrated. Available at afisilver.afi. 91 minutes. com. 98 minutes. In “The 11th Green,” by The 12th film in the “Puppet filmmaker Christopher Munch Master” horror series, “Blade: (“The Hours and Times”), Campbell Scott plays an investi- The Iron Cross” centers on a gative journalist who stumbles homicidal, hook-handed puppet upon documents and other assassin. Unrated. Available on clues suggesting a government the Full Moon Features app. coverup involving UFOs, dating from World War II. According In “Two Heads Creek,” a to the Hollywood Reporter, timid butcher and his twin sister the film “builds a convincing travel from England to Australia
an interrogation room before the much larger, intimidating General Yurkovoi. The General is there to debrief Ivan about his mission to the center of the Earth for the purposes of assessing its suitability for colonization. After descending into the Earth via a defunct volcano, Ivan becomes separated from Little Orpheus, the atomic powered rocket drill entrusted to him by the “Great” Soviet state, in a crash. (Throughout the story, Ivan comically tries to impress the General with his patriotism.)
in search of their birth mother, only to encounter townspeople who are hiding a dark secret. Ready Steady Cut calls the film, with a story that looks askance at anti-immigrant sentiment, “an anti-bigot satire in the guise of a blood-and-action horror-comedy.” Unrated. Available on various streaming platforms. 116 minutes. In “My Spy,” Dave Bautista plays a hard-boiled CIA agent who, while conducting surveillance on the ex-wife of a suspected terrorist, is exposed — and then befriended — by her young daughter (Chloe Coleman). PG13. Available on Amazon Prime Video. Contains action, violence and strong language. 101 minutes.
‘LITTLE ORPHEUS’ Developed by: The Chinese Room Published by: Sumo Digital Ltd. Available on: Apple Arcade
Under threat of execution, Ivan must give an account of his whereabouts for the past three years and explain to the skeptical general how he managed to return to the Earth’s surface without the atomic bomb that powered his SEE VIDEO GAME, PAGE E9
“Four Kids and It” is a fantasy adventure based on Jacqueline Wilson’s 2012 children’s book “Four Children and It” — which was in turn based on the 1902 novel “Five Children and It” by E. Nesbit — about several siblings who discover a magical, wish-granting creature called a Psammead. PG. Available on various streaming platforms. Contains mature thematic elements, some rude and sug¿gestive comments, fantasy violence and strong language. 110 minutes. “Beats” is a dramedy about ’90s rave culture in Scotland. Unrated. Available at afisilver. afi.com. Contains strong language, drug and alcohol use and some violence. 101 minutes.
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Fourth
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THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020 | E9
If you plan on seeing friends or family, keep the fun outside, as experts have said indoor gatherings pose a huge risk.
with your history lesson, settle in for a movie night. If you have a backyard and a projecCONTINUED FROM PAGE E4 tor, you can set up an outdoor its website, or watch edutheater. cational videos about the A live recording of “HamilSecond Virginia Convention, ton,” the acclaimed Broadway the weeklong meeting in 1775 musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the writer and its star, where Patrick Henry delivered his famous “Give me lib- and director Thomas Kail, erty, or give me death” speech arrives on Disney+ tomorrow. to more than 100 delegates “1776,” a 1972 movie that is who had gathered to discuss also based on a musical, follows the debates at the Secthe future of the colonies. Consider exploring key mo- ond Continental Congress ments in the fight against slav- that led to the drafting and ery by clicking through “The signing of the Declaration of Struggle for African AmerIndependence. (Miranda has ican Freedom,” an online said “1776” paved the way exhibition on Google’s Arts for “Hamilton.”) Stream it & Culture platform from the free on Pluto TV, or rent or Henry Ford museum complex buy it on Amazon, Google in Dearborn, Michigan. And, Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube. It will also air Saturday while not a national landmark, the Gilder Lehrman In- on TCM at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. stitute of American History in Revisit the Declaration Manhattan also has a virtual of Independence exhibition on Google’s platform titled “African-AmerFor the past 50 years, the icans in the U.S. Military,” National Archives in Washdetailing African Americans’ ington has hosted a reading roles in U.S. conflicts, starting ceremony of the declaration on its museum’s steps. This with the Revolution. year, the event is moving to Watch a movie about its website and Facebook the country’s founding page. The reading starts at 4 If you prefer a dose of drama p.m. Eastern and is hosted by
is on the safer side. Wear face coverings and gloves, stay 6 feet apart from strangers, and be sure to wash your equipment afterward. For more guidance, Little League broadcast journalist Soledad barbecue in your backyard. has released a list of best Space chairs 6 feet apart, if O’Brien. Another tradition practices for teams consideryou have room, and make it continues on NPR: Reporters, hosts, newscasters and ing returning to the field. a potluck so you won’t have commentators will perform Or have a water balloon to share meals. If you want to their own reading of the serve food, make sure it’s hot fight. Play with a small group of friends, wash your hands declaration, which will air on off the grill. before making the balloons, “Morning Edition” tomorrow If space is tight, spend the and don’t aim for anyone’s at 6:10 a.m. Eastern. day on your porch or stoop face. (Always a good rule, reand organize a block party Celebrate in the kitchen gardless of health concerns.) with your neighbors. If you Invite your children to help have a car, make it a tailgate You could also try cornhole. Wear gloves to avoid you prepare some classic party. All it takes is a few spreading germs through patriotic treats. Think of red, chairs, a table and a grill. the beanbags and, if you’re white and blue ingredients, Another option is to have playing in teams of two, wear like marshmallows, whipped a picnic in the park. All you cream, cherries, blueberries, need is a blanket, some food a mask. For a quieter time, test your strawberries, jam or colored and good company. (And knowledge of U.S. history candy. Of course, the simmasks, of course.) plest approach never fails: with some trivia. PBS has a Bake your choice of dessert, Play outdoor games quiz on its website. You can While team sports can be hand over some red, white also create your own and dangerous, playing baseball challenge your friends and and blue frosting or sprinkles, and let your little ones with those in your household family. go crazy. Get together (safely) If you plan on seeing friends or family, keep the fun outside, as experts have said indoor gatherings pose a huge risk. You could host a
New England
Video game
seemed to me that the game failed to register a jump or a quick change of direction. It is certainly possible, though, that the controls may not be as finicky for others as they were for someone like me, who is partial to playing games on console or computer. Besides the sprightly dialogue between the General and Ivan, what I enjoyed most about “Little Orpheus,” were the game’s crisp visuals which made me feel like I was watching an animated serial on my phone. (The art style pays homage to the covers of Amazing Stories and other art from the Golden Age of science fiction.) The Chinese Room’s latest caters to a longing for childlike, wide-eyed wonder. Its humor, coupled with moderately challenging platforming sequences, should appeal to players of all ages who are fond of light escapism.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE E8
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ship. (Ergo, the parallel with the Orpheus myth.) The story Ivan tells is utterly fantastical. After parachuting from the vehicle, he finds himself in a lush, sun-dappled jungle patrolled by dinosaurs. From there he discovers a city filled with giant blue creatures, many of whom are either caged or enslaved by mind-controlling helmets that mysteriously resemble the Soviet-issued helmets with which Ivan is acquainted. In his efforts to puzzle out how the creatures came to be subjugated and to track down the stolen power source of his ship, Ivan sets off on a wide-ranging adventure that sees him get swallowed by a whale, travel through a musical city full of large bells and crumbling masonry, visit a moon, meet a famous dog and
square off against a czarist general who has gone mad. Anchoring these wild adventures is the sharp banter between the incredulous general and the questionably credible Ivan, who has a habit of tripping over his words. In gameplay terms, “Little Orpheus” hews to the familiar tropes of platforming games. Running is accomplished by sliding your finger across the screen of your iPhone or iPad. To climb, you slide your finger up or down. Jumping is accomplished by double tapping on the screen while the manipulation of objects is done by pressing down onto the screen. The developers clearly wanted their game to offer a brisk experience, as none of the puzzles or platforming sequences are that taxing. Although I did not find the platforming sequences especially tricky, I did mutter in frustration over the controls from time to time when it
TRAVELER
WEEKEND
E10 | THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
DINE & WINE
What if retired beers came out of ‘lockdown’?
A
HH, INDEPENdence Day is upon us, and we all would probably like a little more freedom these days. And while things start opening up, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that we are still in the grips of a pandemic, so please follow experts’ instructions when you saunter out to whatever venues are open in your area. Of course, bars and brewpubs are not open yet, but I was daydreaming recently about someone who was actually totally locked down, with no access to beer, and wondered what beer they might choose as their first one when they had the chance. That thought experiment was fun, but of course there are too many beers to make it a manageable column. But then I had an ancillary idea: What if beers that were no longer made became “unlocked” and available for one day? Which one would you choose? I pondered this for a while and came up with a Top 5. (Note: This is a Top 5 this week; ask me next week and you might get different answers — except our first one here.)
1. Pretty Things Beer &
Ale Project Meadowlark IPA – If you’ve read this column faithfully, you could probably see this one coming down the pike for several miles. I’ve mentioned it before in various ways and here is another way: If this brew were locked down and then given a one-day reprieve, I’d drink as much as I could. It has plenty of hops, but is incredibly balanced.
George Lenker Beer Nut
moaned the loss of Catamount Brewing before, but if I had to pick one of its three original brews, I’d probably pick the amber. (Although, again, ask me tomorrow and you might get a different answer.)
3. New Belgium Brew-
ing Snapshot Wheat – I’m not a big wheat beer fan, but this one was so different than most wheat brews that I thought of it the other day when it was 90-plus degrees. It packed a great citrus punch that really made it a thirst-slaker.
4. Pretty Things Beer &
Ale Project Fluffy White Rabbits – OK, yes, Pretty Things is getting two spots on this list, but hey, it’s my list. You can make your own. This gorgeous homage to the Belgian Tripel was both tart and fruity, with plenty of spiciness.
5.
Founders Brewing Co. Dissenter – At 8.7% alcohol by volume, this double IPL was only brewed once, and I was lucky enough to encounter it. With a name that fits today’s social and political mood, the beer also offered plenty of bitterness up front, but ended fairly crisp and Catamount Brewing Co. balanced (due to it being a Amber Ale – This is going way lager) which is always hoped back, and I’ve certainly befor during dissent.
2.
C
Big Mamou one of many victims of pandemic
HEF WAYNE HOOKer’s recent announcement that he was closing Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou on Liberty Street in Springfield is a story that is likely to be repeated many times over across the region and the nation in the months ahead. Obscured by the excitement of reopenings, first for outside dining and then limited inside service, the financial damage that eateries both big and small have experienced over the past three-plus months can be easy to overlook. Since the COVID-19 crisis began in early March, the National Restaurant Association has been regularly surveying its members, trying to quantify the impact the pandemic is having on the industry. Its most recent survey, conducted in late May, produced some sobering results. In addition to concerns about the ability to serve customers safely, almost a quarter of restaurant owners reported that they did not believe they could recruit, rehire, and retain enough workers to successfully operate. Of the restaurant operators polled, three-quarters of those responding believed that it was unlikely that their restaurant would be profitable within the next six months. According to the National Restaurant Association’s figures, 3% of all restaurants have already closed permanently since the start of the crisis, with more likely to do so in the weeks and months ahead. Faced with a pandemic-induced recession, reduced seating capacity, increased costs for staffing and protective gear, and higher food costs, the road ahead for the restaurant industry can only be described as a rocky one.
Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou restaurant on Liberty Street in Springfield was set to close at the end of June. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)
Hugh Robert Off The Menu
Side dishes • Normally the Fourth of July would signal the start of the peak season for the Berkshires, with restaurants from Great Barrington to Williamstown shifting to seven-daysa-week operation. But with A-list cultural attractions like Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival all on hiatus due to pandemic concerns, the restaurant business in the Commonwealth’s westernmost county is facing an uncertain summer. This July and August might well represent, therefore, an opportunity to enjoy the Berkshires and its dining options in a somewhat less frenetic form than would be possible most years. 1Berkshire.org, the website
maintained by 1Berkshire, has a handy dining guide that provides information on options as disparate as Blantyre in Lenox, with its cuisine curated by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, and Bob’s Country Kitchen in Lanesborough, a roadhouse that features footlong hot dogs and homemade shepherd’s pie. • A change in emphasis has emerged in the chain restaurant world, as big name brands have begun to shift product development efforts away from family meal kits and back to limited time offers. Burger King, for example, is exploring the market for meat-free at breakfast with its nationwide rollout of the Impossible Croissan’wich. Featuring a no-meat “sausage” patty developed by Impossible Foods Inc., the new breakfast sandwich also incorporates egg and melted American cheese on a toasted croissant. The Impossible Croissan’wich is being billed as a limited-time-only menu item, although no specifics about how long it will be offered were announced. SEE MENU, PAGE E11
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
WEEKEND
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020 | E11
DINE & WINE
3 organic canned wines perfect for summer
B
OTTLE OR CAN? Most beer drinkers could care less. In fact, some of the best beers in the world come in a can. Treehouse Brewery. The Alchemist. Same goes for many products. Whether they come in a can or a bottle doesn’t really matter to Ken Ross most people. Wine Press Sardines. Anchovies. Then there are wine drinkers. Even caviar. Some of us can be very particAll of these delicacies — inular or peculiar, depending on cluding some of the best ones who you’re asking. — come in cans.
Put a wine in a can and be prepared for many wine drinkers to completely freak out. I know I used to be biased years ago. I used to think, “The winemakers only put their bad stuff in cans.” Then I started trying them. Sure, there are definitely some bad, overpriced wines in a can out there. Then again, there are plenty of bad wines that come in a bottle as well. Whether or not a wine is in a bottle or a can or even a box SEE WINE, PAGE E12
The three canned wines reviewed this week from Bonterra Organic Vineyards. (KEN ROSS PHOTO)
Menu
B6, and B12, the Refreshers are available in Strawberry Dragonfruit and Peach Passionfruit CONTINUED FROM PAGE E10 versions.Both are under 200 • Bistro 63 in Amherst calories and contain no artificial has been using an interesting flavors or coloring agents. all-day menu during the past Through July 28 the Refreshers will be offered at a special several months, making that selection available for delivery, price of $2 for a medium sized pickup, and, more recently, for drink. Also available are Dunkin’outdoor dining on the restaurant’s deck. themed washable face masks. Multifaceted and eclectic, Three dollars from the sale of the bill of fare suggests starters each mask goes to the Dunkin’ like fried pickles, Bengal Joy in Childhood Foundation, shrimp, and anchovy toasts. a charitable endeavor that promotes child health and hunger Handhelds include several relief. burger options, including one topped with goat cheese and • Like many other restautomato jam, as well as a shrimp rants in the Pioneer Valley, the wrap and a curried chicken Whatley Inn in Whatley has salad. Entree choices range from developed a range of dining “six-hour” beef short ribs and options over the last several fried chicken to linguini vodka months. and shrimp risotto. The Bistro’s In early June the restaurant menu even incorporates all-day commandeered a section of its “brunch” entrees, with avofront parking area and turned cado toast, huevos rancheros, that space into attractive, and banana bread French toast tent-shaded outdoor dining. available. Now, with limited indoor dinMore menu and ordering in- ing also permitted, the Whatley formation can be found on the Inn is offering several possirestaurant’s website, bistro63. bilities for those who want to com. enjoy the establishment’s table d’hote repertoire of mid-20th• Dunkin’, the coffee and century-style classics. beverage chain, has introduced In addition to on-site dining, two summer “Refreshers.” Iced whether outside under the tent green tea enhanced with nutraor in the restaurant’s Victoriceuticals such as vitamins B3, B5, an-themed dining room, the
Of the restaurant operators polled, threequarters of those responding believed that it was unlikely that their restaurant would be profitable within the next six months. Whately Inn continues to provide to-go service with online ordering at whatelyinn.com. The restaurant answers at 413-665-3044.
lations will mean less food service revenue, creating thorny fiscal problems for those campuses that have invested heavily in student dining facilities and upgrades. Conference presenters also • The Tastes of the World emphasized the need to reasChef Culinary Conference, sure student populations that a late-spring tradition at the University of Massachusetts in the food service operations on Amherst, went on as scheduled their campuses are diligently this year but in a virtual format. following all the relevant pandemic-related guidelines. Instead of the on-site workshops, presentations, and chef More information, including downloads of conference competitions of past years, the 2020 conference relied on presentations, can be found at chefculinaryconference. digitally delivered content. com. Two themes dominated the conference proceedings – planetary health and the reset that • Now that “phase two, part COVID-19 is forcing on college two” is in effect, some welland university dining. known restaurant operations With some campuses closed that had previously been dark this fall and others limiting the are reopening. size of their resident popuThe Publick House Historic lations, the campus-based Inn in Sturbridge is once again food service business is facing offering both indoor and outdoor considerable challenges. dining seven days a week, with Social distancing concerns seating in Paige Hall and on the are leading some schools to inn’s front patio. Both lunch and adopt a pick-up only model of dinner service are available, student dining that involves and reservations can be made no close-contact service or through opentable.com. consumption. The inn’s popular Bake Smaller on-campus popuShoppe has resumed sales and
service, opening daily at 8 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. except for Friday and Saturday, when operating hours are extended to 7 p.m. For more information go to publickhouse.com or call 508-347-7323. • Masse’s American Bistro in Chicopee has transformed a big chunk of its side lot real estate into a canopy-shaded dining patio and is now offering a new summer menu. Some of the options that seafood lovers can find on this season’s culinary agenda include coconut salmon, Parmesan cod topped with lemon herb sauce, and shrimp scampi. Raw bar favorites such as clams, oysters, and chilled shrimp are available, as are salad creations like a fresh orange salad made with arugula, fresh orange segments, toasted almonds, and feta cheese. A video tour of the restaurant’s outdoor dining setup can be view at its Facebook page, facebook.com/massesbistro. Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community College’s hospitality and culinary arts program and has nearly 45 years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be reached online at OffTheMenu Guy@aol.com.
E12 | THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020
WEEKEND
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
DINE & WINE
Wine
Tasting notes: Drinking young red wine cold out of a can may take a little getting CONTINUED FROM PAGE E11 used to for some traditional doesn’t really make much of red wine drinkers. That’s why a difference. It’s how the wine it may be helpful to think of tastes that matters. this red wine as something So if you can get past the completely different compared stigma of drinking a wine to an older red wine in a bottle. out of a can, you just might This wine is red wine’s fun, find some truly refreshing, easygoing young cousin. Like delicious wines ready to drink Beaujolais Nouveau wines now. from France, these young red And best of all, since these grapes have a wonderful blend wines come in small cans, you of bright, lively fruit flavors, indon’t have to worry about the cluding a hint of fresh-picked strawberries and raspberries. rest of the wine going bad if you don’t finish the bottle in a This wine is a great wine to serve someone who likes their few days. So without further ado, here wine on the slightly sweeter are three great California side. It’s also a refreshing wines that come in a can from change for traditional red wine one of the state’s consistently drinkers, especially on a hot, great organic wineries — Bon- summer afternoon. terra Organic Vineyards. Let me add that all three Bonterra Bonterra Rose Cans wines listed below should Region: Mendocino County, be served chilled. Hope you California enjoy. Grapes: Blend of unspecified grapes Wines recommended Tasting notes: Fruit flavors this week (particularly fresh strawber• Bonterra Young Red Cans ries) abound in this crisp, ex($17.99 Suggested Retail Price pressive rose wine. What I love for four 250 ml cans) about this understated wine is • Bonterra Rose Cans how crisp and lively the fruit ($17.99 SRP for four 250 ml flavors are. Everything about cans) this wine tastes fresh and • Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc bright — like a perfect, sunny Cans ($17.99 SRP for four 250 spring morning captured in a ml cans) can. About Bonterra organic vineyards Founded by California’s famous Fetzer winemaking family and Paul Dolan, Bonterra Organic Vineyards has been making wines using organic grapes since 1987 from California’s Mendocino County, and selling its wines as “made with organic grapes” since 1993. Bonterra has since expanded and now sources grapes from other regions in California. But Bonterra continues to make wine using organically grown grapes. The winery has also been certified Biodynamic.
Bonterra Sauvigno Blanc Cans Region: Mendocino County, Lake County, Sonoma County, California Grapes: Blend of sauvignon blanc grapes from three counties Tasting notes: My favorite wine of the three recommended this week, this crisp, clean sauvignon blanc has a bright, refreshing finish. This wine also has the most complex blend of slightly tart fruit flavors — including hints of freshpicked green apples, lime and grapefruit. An absolutely perfect summer wine that just happens to come in a can. Wine tasting notes Cheers! Bonterra Young Red Cans Wine Press by Ken Ross Region: Mendocino County, appears on Masslive.com every California Monday and in The RepubGrapes: Blend of malbec lican’s weekend section every and other grapes Thursday.
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