Two Quick Reviews of Sorrow and a Repeat Review of Glee

Somewhere between getting over a cold, editing a hockey video, drinking enough to kill a small mule, and ruining and then saving a friendship, I actually found time to participate in 2 of my favorite activities this past weekend, eating fine food and watching some DVDs. Unfortunately one worked out better then the other so without further ado, some quick reviews.

Casino Royale
Let me be upfront here and say I’m not a huge Bond guy. Some of my favorites were from the corny Roger Moore era and I’m pretty sure that disqualifies me from being a true Bondie. That aside, I was super excited as I followed the production of the latest Bond. I thought Daniel Craig was perfect casting especially after his bad ass turns in Layer Cake and Munich. The early rumor that Tarantino was going to direct was predictably wrong but the word was that this was not going to be your dad’s Bond film and would be much grittier and darker. So when I sat down and watched the film what did I get, nothing but a bloated boring piece of potential. Craig is great, let’s get that out of the way. He slips into the Bond character seamlessly and does play Bond with a much needed serious tone. The first few minutes as we see Bond earn his OO status are very intense. Sadly after that it all goes downhill. The evil mastermind is neither that evil nor that smart. The Bond girls are dull and boring and after the very first chase scene the action is dull. Sure there are some interesting moments, like the disturbing bit of torture Bond goes through, but when those moments danced across the screen I was half asleep. The director, Martin Campbell is a Bond vet and I think this proves that besides getting some new blood in the tuxedo there needs to be some new blood behind the lens as well.

Idiocracy
I tend to be rather skeptical of the Hollywood studios when it comes to their interactions with some of my favorite talents. When I hear a director is getting pushed off a project I naturally assume that whoever replaces them will end up delivering a weaker product, such as when Joss Whedon recently got kicked off Wonder Woman. I also tend to believe the director’s cut is usually going to be a better product than the studio cut; such was the case with Donnie Darko. I think the greatest insult is when I hear a studio is shelving a project because it didn’t test well and that’s what happened to Mike Judge’s (Office Space, King of the Hill) Idiocracy. When I heard it was shelved I expressed my outrage right here on the blog. I mean it’s got a great comedic cast including Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, and Stephen Root. Plus it was Judge’s first movie since Office Space so imagine the comedic genius that was all stored up for the screen. Well I hate to admit it when the studio is right but holy Michael Bolton did they get this right. Now maybe this DVD version is still not what Judge intended but I can’t possibly see that there’s enough material in this crapfest to make even an entertaining short film. Luke Wilson is his usual laid back self and for whatever reason that just doesn’t work here. Rudolph is wasted and the rest of the supporting cast is just plain not funny. For a movie set in the far future, the art direction looks like it was done in the 70’s and I don’t mean the style, I mean the actual handiwork. God this movie is a mess and I so wanted to love it. I actually had to put in my DVD of Office Space to wash out the horrible taste in my brain. Speaking of taste…

20.21
I already lauded this restaurant in my Top 10 Personal Moments of 2006 but after dining there for a second time this last Saturday I felt the need to write up a review despite the fact that many of you readers are outside the Twin Cities. 20.21 is the latest brainchild of the original celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck. The restaurant opened last year as part of the newly renovated and expanded Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. After opening the restaurant was the hottest ticket in town but today diners can find it very accessible. My friend and I made reservations on Thursday and were easily able to get a 6:30 table and while we dined for the next hour a half there were almost always empty seats in the joint. Before we get started on the food, let me just say that 20.21 is also one of the best looking establishments I’ve ever visited. Taking a modern cue from the museum itself the dining room is a wide spacious area bordered by an open kitchen on one side and one of the best views of Minneapolis on the other. The plating and table ware all feature clear, distinct lines that never distract from the food but do enhance it. Speaking of food let’s get right to it. On both visits, the chef has sent out a small dish to sample. In Saturday’s case it was a small plate of cold Szechuan green beans. Despite having a bit of spice, the flavor was not overpowering and the freshness of the bean came through in every bite. We decided to skip an appetizer this time and enjoy our bottle of Australian Shiraz that was a relative bargain at $40; however the appetizer I enjoyed on my previous visit the Tempura Shrimp was still on the menu. For our main courses we both chose pork dishes. My companion ordered the pork chops prepared medium well which just about made my face go white as I tend to be in the pink and red camps of food temperature. Proving just how good this kitchen is, the waitress delivered medium well pork chops that were as juicy and tender as any I’ve had in my life. Accompanied by a grain mustard sauce and sautéed spinach the plate danced with color and flavor. My friend was not too pleased with the apple chutney that came on the plate but nicely that was separated from everything else and really not a necessary condiment. Lastly the dish came with a side of sinfully good blue cheese au gratin potatoes. I am not a fan of blue cheese but I must admit I was more then happy to help my friend finish her plate. For my part I ordered a braised pork shank which was done with a red wine reduction sauce that had a strong ginger flavor to it. To say the meat fell of the bone would be an understatement. Each bite literally melted in my mouth and the accompanying Thai flavored salad featured many of the same spices that I believe the pork was treated with. For my starch, the pork was accompanied by a taro root puree that my dinner partner on my previous visit had enjoyed. If you didn’t know any better, you’d swear you were eating the greatest mashed potatoes you’ve ever had in your life. Throughout the meal we received only the best service which was an improvement over the previous visit. I’m not usually that picky when it comes to good service but when you’re shelling out for 4 star food at 4 star prices I think it’s only fair to expect the best. Perhaps the only negative thing I can say is that the dessert menu was somewhat lacking. While both my friend and I were predisposed to skipping dessert I was quite surprised that neither of us saw anything that jumped off the menu to entice us. However when the only negative about a restaurant is that it satisfies you completely without dessert I’d say you’re doing alright. For those of you within ear shot of Minneapolis I can’t stress enough that the next time you feel like eating a truly decadent meal in almost every aspect, you must go to 20.21.