Movie And A Beer

On this financial thriller episode of Movie And A Beer, we enjoyed the 2015 film The Big Short that was directed by Adam McKay and stars an amazing cast of A-list actors. The movie follows the events leading up to 2008 when the housing market collapsed and a number of large banks went under. Done in a documentary like style, the main characters are portrayed as some of the few smart betting types made a lot of money on the failure (they did a Big Short on it). There are a lot of 4th wall breaks that attempt to explain this challenging subject in simple terms and for the most part it succeed in doing such. 

We had a couple of wonderful beers along the way, first was an Italian pilsner from Pfriem (OR) and the second was a hazy IPA from Irrelevant Beer (WA). While both had their merits in what they brought to the experience, one stood out a bit more than the other. Give the episode a listen to hear from one of our co-hosts who actually worked for one of the large banks that failed from this crisis about it and how Wall Street is driven more by greed than not. 

On this most gangster of episode of Movie And A Beer, we discuss Reservoir Dogs from 1992. The first of many films written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It follows a group of criminals as their job goes sideways and the resulting fall out of their demise by the police. While most of the film is all dialogue and not a lot of action, what little bit there is holds your attention while the chips fall and they try to uncover who set them up. 

We did have some great old friends stop by and enjoyed some snacks along the way with the beverages. Otto had some good ideas on what snacks go with this film and we also shared some thoughts on the three beers we enjoyed. First was a pilsner from Outer Range Brewing (CO), followed by a fruited Berliner weisse by Roses by the Stairs (Phoenix, AZ) Prickly Pear Fruited Berliner Weisse because things go sour in the film, and finally a nitro cream ale from Mother Earth Brewing Co (ID). While we didn't all like the last one, we did enjoy how them overall. Give the episode a listen to hear about those, the snacks, and a great discussion about film. 

On this KPop (Korean Pop Music) themed episode of Movie And A Beer, we enjoyed the recent Netflix/Sony Studios Animation movie KPop Demon Hunters. This is a traditional animated story that you will find across a lot of the anime that's out there. Good vs. Evil. Pretty simple until you learn that those lines aren't always clear, your past and shame don't own you, and you can overcome even the greatest of evils if you heart desires it. The music and songs performed in the movie are integrated into the story, and support the character development really well. 

Along with the movie we had three wonderful sipping beers that went really well with it. The first one was a Korean Golden Ale from White Crow Brewing (Korea) followed by a couple of other lighter beers that also followed the theme song "Golden" based on the beers name. Fremont Brewing Golden Pilsner and Hetty Alice Golden Hour Tropical Ale. Listen in for insights into the approach these beers take and how much this film converted the non-KPop listeners into fans. 

We're back around to a great comedy and buddy film with Role Models on this episode of Movie And A Beer. Released in 2008, it follows salesmen Danny (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Seann William Scott) as they are given a choice after trashing a company truck, you can either go to jail  or do community service in a mentoring program. They picked the mentoring and the two youth they get paired up with provide a great opportunity to both teach and learn about responsibility and helping each other. 

The beers we had along with this buddy film included a Shandy from Block 15 (OR), and a West Coast Pilsner from Loowit Brewing. Both provided great refreshment and approached their respective flavor profiles with great balance. Give the episode a listen to hear about that and further discussion about fruit and beers. 

Next up on Movie And A Beer, we have the acclaimed and award winning documentary Genghis BLues about the blind blues musician Paul Pena as he discovers the ancient art of Tuvan throat singing and his journey to the country where it originated. First time film maker Roko Belic allows the scenes and story to unfold in a natural and unscripted way (as documentaries should) and this brings you along on the spiritual and inspirational trip with Paul that is genuine and unique. We learned a lot about the culture and people of Upper Mongolia along with Paul as he not only competed in a national throat singing competition, but he wins the audience choice award for his amazing talent and signing. 

Along the way we enjoyed three great sipping beers while the events of the film took place. First up we had a Pilsner from Fast Fashion (WA), then a lager from Kings and Daughters (OR), and finally a wild ale from Funky Fauna (OR). All three lent something to the viewing experience. Give the episode a listen to learn more about these and this great documentary.

There's a lot to unpack in this latest episode of Movie And A Beer with a review of Sinners and a couple of great sipping beers along the way. This movie is one of the best blends of horror, fantasy, historical drama, and music that we've ever seen. From start to finish, the story of redemption as presented by the director, Ryan Coogler brings you along for a lesson from our past. Michael B. Jordan plays twin brothers Smoke, and Stack as they return to their roots to create a new life for themselves while dealing with the messes they had left behind many years prior. Their young cousin Sammie Moore (Preachers Son), played by Miles Caton, steals the show with his musical gifts and presence on the screen which brings down the vale between the spirt realm and the living, which of course draws the attention of the head vampire who's looking to expand his flock. 

We highly recommend this film to anyone that's interested in horror, music, or great storytelling. We can also recommend either of the great lighter beers we had with this film. We started with a Deschutes Lemonade Shandy and moved along to a Helles Style beer from Holy Mountain. We do cover a bit about what a Shandy is vs. a Radler and what makes a lighter lager so good. Give the episode a listen to learn that and much, much more. 

On this exploration of space and ciders, we enjoyed the 1968 sci-fi classic 2001 A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick. This film is considered one of the most influential sci-fi epics to come out of the 60's and it's influence can be seen in many other films and TV shows. We spend some time with our youth correspondent Otto discussing it's impact and the meaning it was trying to convey to the viewer. There's a lot to unpack and this is a little bit of an extra long episode as we also review some snacks and a number of ciders that the adults enjoyed along the way. 

Six different ciders were sampled during the 2+ hour long space adventure including ciders from: Aspall Blush Cyder (UK), Bull Run Cider (OR), Seattle Cider Co (WA), and Bauman's Cider Co (OR). Give the episode a listen to hear us discuss these, what cider is, and how many apple varieties there are. 

Here we are with a new installment of Movie And A Beer and this time around it's the 2025  horror/family drama Death of a Unicorn. Follow the pharma-bro's family as they discover a new and exciting drug that can cure all. Staring Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant, the cast really does an excellent portrayal of the ultra rich vs. nature and common sense. It's a great film that has lots of great humor sprinkled into the story to help you feel sorry for the unicorns and not so much for us humans. 

We were lucky and had a couple of winners with this and first up was a British style lager from Machine House (WA) that was decidedly different, and the second was a seasonal hazy IPA from Hopworks Brewery that wasn't too deep or forward in it's flavor profile. Give the episode a listen to hear us discuss these beers and what can make a beer hazy. 

On this most layered episode of Movie And A Beer, we experienced Inception, the 2010 sci-fi dream inspired film by Christopher Nolan that involved going into others dreams, many layers deep, to plant an idea. We were lucky enough to have our old friend Randal and Otto, our youth correspondent along for the ride. During the discussion we cover differences between dreams and reality, movies and film, and what kind of dreams we have in conjunction to the snacks and some beverages we sampled along the way. 

For the beers we sipped, both went exceptionally well and added layers of complexity to the already crazy story being told on the screen. The first was a dark lager from Gold Dot Beer (OR) and the second was a Black IPA (actually it was red in color) from Commensal Fermentation (OR). We did select these based on can art and what styles they represented, and in doing so, completed our inception of drinking good beers with a strange and crazy film. Give the episode a listen to hear about these beers, the snacks, and our take on the complexities of dreams. 

On this thought provoking episode of Movie And A Beer, we discuss Mickey 17, the 2025 science fiction black comedy film written, produced, and directed by Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) that was based on the 2022 novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. Starring Robert Pattinson as Mickey, a down on his luck guy who escapes his problems by becoming an expendable (clone), he's one of a kind over and over and one of the most important parts of the expedition to colonize the ice world Niflheim. The movie follows the journey and the problems that Mickey helps the fellow explorers overcome. 

The three beers we enjoyed with this movie were based on both their style (clone beer), name, and can art. We had a Mexican Style Lager from Recluse Brew Works (WA), a hazy IPA from Ruse Brewing (OR), and finally an imperial stout from Block 15 Brewing (OR). Give the episode a listen to hear about these, and the moral and ethical questions raised in this great sci-fi movie. 

On this episode of Movie And A Beer we discuss the recent Wes Anderson movie, Asteroid City. While this movie is about a play, it switches back and forth between the actual play and the production of the play, and the writing of the play and screen testing with poignant dialogue and sparce settings. Primarily character driven with some minor plot points push along the 1950's story about a small town's celebration of science and the inventions of some young scientists. The list of actors in this great movie is long and deep and it shows in their scenes. 

We were lucky enough to have three different beers along the way with each of the acts and discuss their relationship to the movie. The first was a lager from Yovu Beer (OR), the second was a hazy IPA from Fair State Brewing Cooperative (MN), and we finished off the third act with a smoothy sour from Great Notion Brewing (OR). Give the episode a listen to hear about these beers and our take on this most interesting approach to story telling. 

On this jungle exploring episode of Movie And A Beer, we discuss the rather farcical action flick Tropic Thunder. With an excellent cast of actors portraying actors portraying stereotypes we expect from Hollywood, this movie achieves what few only hope too, in that it pulls off making fun of itself without taking itself too seriously. Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr. are the main protagonist(s) whom exemplify the worst parts of being an "A-Lister" effectively while the supporting cast bring it all together. 

Along the way we also sampled three beers which brought different profiles and abilities to our tastebuds. The first two were lagers from Old Town Brewing (OR), and Baerlic Brewing (OR), while the third was a wild ale from Funky Fauna (OR). Listen in on the episode for a deep dive into lager styles and how or why these are successful with this film. 

On this most frightful episode of Movie And A Beer, we review the recently released streaming film The Parenting. Directed by Craig Johnson with the screenplay by Kent Sublette, the movie starts out in 1983 providing a backdrop for the spooky vibes and monsters that show up later on in the film. Starring a number of talented actors, the story is a great blend between the horror and comedy genres. The story, while somewhat believable takes you along the path of discovery and forgiveness in a meaningful way. 

The beers we tried and reviewed were also somewhat tasty and went along well with the suspense and horror action on the screen. First up was a Cream Ale by Living Haus (OR) and second up was a West Coast India Pale Ale from Irrelevant Beer (WA). Give the episode a listen to hear more about these beers and this great movie. 

On this most epic spoof of a space comedy episode of Movie And A Beer, we most lovingly enjoyed Spaceballs, the Mel Brooks film from 1987. This is one of the best spoof movies that is out there, it uses all kinds/types of humor to make fun of and laugh along with the audience references to pop culture, sci-fi movies and TV shows, and just about anything else that was relevant at the time. While the film's humor is centered around that, the story and acting were quite simple and straight forward without a lot of confusion. 

The two beers we had while watching this movie were both amber beers. An amber lager from Obelisk Brewing (OR) out in Astoria and the other was an amber ale from Commensal Fermentation (OR) here in Portland. They were both similar in some way, but different in others. Just like this film. Give the episode a listen to learn more about the beers and our thoughts on this comedy time capsule. 

On this cold weather survival and hunting expedition of Movie And A Beer, we discuss the wonderful black and white (sort of) silent film Hundreds of Beavers. This comedy was created using a super low budget, amazing physical action, and lots of talented post-production effects. The film’s writer, director, editor, and main visual effects artist Mike Cheslik has provided the viewer with an experience that should be shared with a wide audience. Storytelling without much dialogue is along forgotten skill that he masters with the characters on the screen. 

We discuss a couple of great beers along the way with this film, a black lager from Oak Union (OR), and a peanut butter milk stout from Belching Beaver Brewing (OR). Both were excellent choices for this film but we all tended to enjoy one more than the other. Give the episode a listen to hear about this and many other fascinating facts about distilling applejack and other funny facts about mascots. 

As we look back on one of the better stand-alone MCU films on this episode of Movie And A Beer, we celebrate Asgard's destruction with Thor Ragnarok. Directed by Taika Waititi, this film brings in a delicious mix of humor with super-hero non-stop action and great actors supporting a simple, but humble hero's journey to save his people. The character Thor has a long and rough journey to find himself and his true powers while facing new challenges. You don't necessarily have to have watched the other MCU films prior to this one as the story stands alone for the most part, but there are a few parts that might not make much sense if you don't. 

We did have a couple of gluten free beers from Evasion Brewing (OR), a fruited ale and blood-orange IPA that went exceptionally well with the movie. We do discuss what makes a gluten free beer and how difficult it is to make one that actually tastes like beer (like these do). Give the episode a listen to hear more about that and the MCU.  

On this historically accurate episode of Movie And A Beer, we explore the 1992 film A League Of Their Own, which is about the woman's baseball league that was formed during WWII. It's directed by Penny Marshall and includes an amazing cast of actors, it follows a team of women who prove that they have what it takes to play ball in America. We also include some discussion about SheBrew, an annual female-identified brewing competition and celebration that's taking place in March. There are parallels between the empowerment portrayed in this incredible film and with the beer industry. 

Honoring female brewers is something that should be done year round and we selected a couple of rock-stars to sample beers from. Steeplejack Brewing with a Dusseldorfer Style Alt Bier and Grand Fir Brewing with a great Bohemian Style Pilsner. Both were delicious and we do discuss the origins and styles during the episode. 

We at Movie And A Beer have found ourselves enjoying the 2005 futuristic comedy known as Idiocracy while making a concerted effort to convince each other that this is a reality that could never come about. The film itself is great, the acting and comedy are on point, the realities of big corporate ownership of the government and information that is taken for granted starts to hit a little close to home in the movie for us. We did discuss a bit in our review about society and technology and the 'have vs. have-nots' type of dystopia that's so common with futuristic stories like this one but all agreed that everyone should find and enjoy this film, even if it's really close to what's happening in our own society today. 

The beers we sampled were of the 'dark' variety, a black lager from Cerveceria Norte (OR) and a black ale from Holy Mountain Brewing (WA) in Seattle. Both went surprisingly well with the film but provided a slightly different approach to the roasted qualities they included. Give the episode a listen to hear more about this and our take on the future and what it might hold for us.  

As we venture into the past with a new episode of Movie And A Beer featuring The Royal Tenenbaums, there's much discussion on Wes Anderson's approach to filmmaking and the way in which this film provides insight into dysfunctional families and self-centered people whom seem stuck due to their own self destructive behaviors. This film is entertaining with an amazing ensemble cast of talented actors, great sound design and music, great design and visual appeal. However, there are some things that are hard to overlook and we dive into this in some detail in our discussion. 

We also had a couple of amazing beers to go along with this film that were purchased at Chill N'FIll. The first was a NW style red ale from Stoup Brewing (WA), and the second was a sour IPA from Evil Twin Brewing (NY). Both tasted great and provided a pleasant backdrop to the sometimes depressing story on the screen.

As we imagine ourselves back in the 80's when creature features and bad puppetry were at their peak, Movie And A Beer discovered a strange secret Xmas film that was made in 2024 that fits the bill in Frankie Freako, Written and directed by Steven Kostanski, it follows Connor, a number crunching square who's been given permission to let lose while his wife is out of town for the weekend. Paying homage to the puppetry horror films of the past, Connor calls a late-night party hotline that promises out-of-this-world fun. Once the mayhem beings, he must battle the pint-sized forces of evil unleashed through his phone line, led by the maniacal rock n’ roll goblin FRANKIE FREAKO.

While the film was hard to swallow in it's shallow story, the two beers we had while watching it were not. We enjoyed an English Bitter from Obelisk Beer (OR), and a Fruited Sour Gose from Abomination Brewing (CT). Both had their merits, but one was outstanding above all else. Listen into the episode to hear more about these beers, beer engines, and salt.