Movies You Missed from 20 years ago

by Josh Lucia

Sometime after the release of the original Spider-Man trilogy, which I loved, I grew an unwarranted hatred for Tobey Maguire. I cannot say I had a valid reason, other than every time he showed up on a screen I was filled with an unexplainable rage just from seeing his stupid face. I know… he is probably a great guy in real life…I already said it was an unwarranted hatred. Either way, I avoided multiple movies simply because Tobey was in them. Or, in the case of The Great Gatsby, I sat through a movie and watched with disgust. He had become like a hated ex-wife, someone I once adored, but now could not stand to even find in my peripheral. Then, in 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home was released, and I remembered how things used to be. I had forgiven Tobey (for what, I still do not know) and we could be friends again. It was time to finally watch The Cider House Rules and other Movies I Missed. Which brings us to 2003’s Seabiscuit, a lovely film about three men and the undersized racehorse that gave them hope just when they needed it most. Tobey Maguire plays the jockey, a sort of kindred spirit to Seabiscuit, one scene depicting them both alone against the world. Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, Crazy Heart) plays Charles Howard, a man rebuilding his life after the loss of his son and a career in car making, who becomes the owner of Seabiscuit. Chris Cooper (Adaptation, American Beauty) is the trainer, a loner with instincts for seeing in horses what others may not. Nominated for seven Oscars, it is also a nice period piece and delves a little into the widespread effects of the Great Depression. The opening exposition feels a little out of place and adds to a slightly long runtime, but otherwise most of the film keeps you interested in either the visuals or the plot. This is a nice feelgood movie. It hits all the typical underdog (underhorse?) notes and is pretty predictable for the most part, but if you are looking for something to lift your spirits, give this one a watch.

Also released in July of 2003: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Bad Boys II, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (follow @jlucia85 for these reviews and more)

Recently, I caught myself not taking my own advice, which is to keep an open mind about wine and wine-food pairings. My task was to match a wine with creamy blue cheese. In my mind, I jumped to the intensely flavored blue cheese. Thinking that a strongly flavored cheese should be matched with an intensely flavored red wine, my guess was Cabernet Sauvignon. Then I read that port wine is a good match, particularly Tawny Port. At first, I was skeptical, but upon tasting it, my taste buds were delighted with this match. Friends tasted this pairing and confirmed it was delicious.

Blue cheeses vary in flavor, texture, and intensity from mild to tangy. The soft creamy blue cheese is not intense and more subtle than traditional varieties. It had a creamy texture, an earthy aroma, and a bit of a peppery flavor with a soft, clean finish.

Just as there is a variety of blue cheese types, there are also a variety of port wines. Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. It is typically a sweet red wine, often served with dessert. However, it also