England - Keeping Mum

It seems this British film is in keeping with the Hollywood screenplay format of letting the audience know what the whole story is about...by the first 10 minutes.

So you knew a young woman murdered her cheating husband and his galpal - and said young woman was considered insane and locked up for about 40 years. Then she is out and becomes the housekeeper for a dull vicar and his promiscuous wife and daughter, and brutally bullied young son. All this right in the beginning. So why bother?

Well, because Maggie Smith plays the role of the housekeeper and she is quite good in her craft. Plus, and this is a big plus - 'She' does what parents - formerly known as protectors of their children - used to do, she runs interference. If she sees great harm coming to the family she puts an end to it. Rather than this stupidity of sending your child out everyday to deal with a bully by saying 'understand him, he's probably from a bad home' or 'he just needs friends' or the equally stupid "just remember 'sticks and stone will break my bones but words will never harm me' " or just do nothing at all.

By now we should all know that kind of advice can kill a child - AND no adult goes to work everyday and puts up with a co-worker who verbally abuses them. No, they bring in a gun or sue or something. Well, this housekeeper doesn't have a gun but she is just as dangerous. She solves quite a few problems. And there is a fun twist. Yes, there is something that is revealed between the housekeeper and the vicar's promiscuous wife. So a break from the "10 minute turning-point Hollywood pap."

What beverage? Well, they drank a lot of tea so who needs tea. But a beer made with tea will hit the spot. Enjoy!

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-New-Beer-Made-With-Tea

S.Korea - The Host

My all time favorite monster movie - with some of the best special effects ever. One of the most amazing things about this movie is that the great big bad monster shows up in less than 15 minutes. So you are not sitting there like an idiot wondering when - and if - the monster is worth your time and the price of a ticket. It is action, good writing and excellent visuals from the beginning to the end. I had the pleasure of seeing this movie a few years ago when I was in Seoul. In addition to the big screen, and super sound and special effects, seats are always reserved. The ticket clerks decided I should have a love seat - wonderful!

The movie begins in English. So what happens when the US military decides to dump a seriously toxic chemical in the Han River - well, bad things happen. Then I watched the rest of the film in the Korean language. Even with my limited language skills there is enough action to keep you right up there in the film. And like so many foreign films - no matter what is happening - there is always a bit of good humor.

If you pick up this film on video in the US as I did, be sure that it has subtitles and is not dubbed as mine was. There is nothing worse that listening to bad English dubbing which does not fit the film at all. In fact it is distracting and annoying. Better to listen to the natural language and just watch the film.

So now what beverage to drink with the monster? Well, when I was living in Seoul, my friend Christine and I put our lips on everything that had green tea, this includes ice cream, excellent lattes and even cups of good green tea. But more often we were sitting in a Hof somewhere enjoying a good draft beer. Here is a link to both in one: a beer made with green tea! Enjoy it with the film! And keep scrolling for more film reviews!

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-New-Beer-Made-With-Tea