Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Explicit content warning

09/05/21 • 13 min

Hello all, and welcome to another mini-episode of Cinemavino. For this very special recording, we’re going to take a spoiler-free look at Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. We all enjoyed it, to varying degrees. As always, we have very strong opinions. For the vino, we’re drinking summer whites. It’s hotter than balls where we are, so red wine seems absolutely nuts to drink right now. To go along with this first podcast, we try The Eyerie Pinot Blanc. This is a refreshing, floral, chalky white wine that’s easy on the palate, especially during the Dog Days of Summer. To learn a little more about this fine wine, click here. My written review will be coming soon to toddwoffordmovies.com, so keep your eyes peeled!

Previous Episode

The Bourne Legacy

Welcome back to another fine episode of Cinemavino! This week, it’s our penultimate look at summer sequels. Sadly, this season is winding down, and so is our talk about part twos. The Bourne Legacy is an interesting blockbuster: It’s the fourth installment in the franchise, but series star Matt Damon opted not to appear. Well, much like Jurassic Park, Hollywood finds a way. Instead of Jason Bourne, we get spin-off hero Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner. Otherwise, it’s a typical Bourne outing, minus the actor who gave the original movies life. We were of widely varying opinions about this film, and it leads to one of our livelier conversations. For our vino this week, we opted for a Port. Port is an example of fortified wine, in which neutral spirits are added to wine in order to raise its alcohol level. Where most wines end up with around 12-15% alcohol, Ports–along with Sherries, Marsalas, Vermouth, and others–tend finish with around 20% ABV. (That’s Alcohol By Volume for you booze newbs out there.) Taylor Fladgate’s Ruby Porto is a classic example of the grape: It’s rich, sweet, and brightly fruity. You’ll find notes of cherries and grape jam. Think of this wine for after-dinner drinks, or as a desert wine. To read my review of The Bourne Legacy, click here. For more info on the wine, head this way. Enjoy, and cheers!

Next Episode

Shang Chi (*spoilers)

Shang-Chi opened to huge box office this past weekend, second only to Black Widow for 2021 debuts. In a gamble, Disney bypassed their streaming service and released the film exclusively to theaters. Based on the returns, the move appears to have paid off. That means there’s a good chance future Disney properties will follow a similar route. Hopefully quite a few of you guys have seen Shang-Chi, and also enjoyed our spoiler-free podcast as well. Now, that the movie has been out for a few days, those who have seen the film can listen to our in-depth analysis. We also talk about the implications for the MCU as a whole. Another topic on the docket: The time in fifth grade I was tasked to read the Pledge of Allegiance to the entire student body...and failed miserably. My life has never quite been the same. Anyway, to read my written review, click here. For wine, we opted for a Spanish Verdejo, Friend and Farmer. We’re based in Oklahoma, where the temperature is currently hotter than the bubbling lava in hell. This crisp, floral, lightly fruity (think pears and honeydew) white wine is perfect for summertime. It’s also a great pair with spicy Asian cuisine or Mexican food. Plus, Friend and Farmer runs between $10-15, so that’s a nice bonus. For more info, head this way. So, pop a bottle and enjoy another great episode of Cinemavino.