There are more than 32,000 different beers in the world, according to the reviews in The Beer Advocate, and each belongs in a specific glass. Depending on the type of beer, they can be served in the perfect glass to make for the perfect drinking experience.
Today, we discover which beers go where, and why.
Pint: Holds 16 oz. Most popular in American bars. Pints are cheap and easy to manufacture, so the bars can stock up on them more than any other glass. They house all beers when needed.
Pilsner: holds 10-16 ounces. Pilsners are indeed for the beer of their name, as well as pales. They are smaller than the pint glass, depending on head can be even less beer in your cup.
Wheat Beer: Holds 16 oz plus head. Taller than a pint, with a skinny base and widens at the top. The bottom of the glass is tapered, said to hold excess yeast. Glasses hold Wheats, Hefes, Dunkels, Belgian wits, and the occasional pilsner.
Tulip: Holds 10-16 oz. Tulips are made to accentuate the aroma of the beer, while looking pretty and appealing. The top is ideal for head, having a lip so it doesn’t escape. Perfect for IPAs, Scotch ales, and Pale ales.
Snifter: Holds 12-20 oz. Mainly used for brandy and scotch, the snifter is another great one for the aromic beers. The stem makes it easy to hold, particularly up to your nose to get that extra smell in before ingestion. Stouts, barleywines, triples, bocks, and imperials are all served with snifters.
Tulip Pint: Holds 12-22 oz. Used in Ireland and England to serve ales. Used here in the US for stouts, Irish ales, porters, and cream ales.
Other glassware includes novelty, over-sized, and beer steins for example.
Next time you have a beer, try having it in the correct glass. It may make the beer experience just a little bit better, even though it can’t get much better than beer.
Why isn’t A Monster Calls receiving the type of praise that is standard for one of the ten best films of 2016? Is it because we aren’t accustomed to J.A. Bayona making critically acclaimed films (The Orphanage was okay but … not great)? I even brought that question up during a recent segment of CW-44 Around The Town that is set to air this weekend. CW-44 critic T.M. Powell noted that the film is an odd mixture of death, cancer, childhood wonderment, and a mother’s love.
On the surface, here is a fairly cut and dry monster/kid flick. In reality, this movie is far more; it’s a statement on the devastation of illness on a family and how children develop coping mechanisms. A Monster Calls is a powerful film that will leave audiences shattered, mothers and fathers and children all feeling its reverberations for weeks.
It drops the audience right into the middle of a day in the life of a young British boy named Conor. Conor is currently making it through each day despite being the target of ever present bullies and the mental torture of knowing that his mother is on death’s door at home. In order to escape the harsh truth of his reality, he creates in his mind an enormous tree monster that is equal parts terrifying and magnificent. The monster (voiced by Liam Nesson) informs Conor that he’s here to take a large role in his life. The tree becomes in some ways a surrogate parental figure for Conor in a time when he feels he has no one.
Conor’s mother is played by Felicity Jones and her performance is appropriately tough to watch; anything less would be an insult to the men and woman who battle cancer on a daily basis. I had a conversation with my mother recently about her constant struggle to remain cancer free, and she said “It’s never truly over.” And as a film critic ( and her son) who is approaching his forties, that is hard to hear. On Facebook, my good friend Aldara keeps us updated on what she calls the battle of her life and it’s a struggle to keep positive, but she does it for her loving husband and five beautiful kids. Bayona made a brilliant call when he kept Jones’s character name insignificant (I do believe she is referred to as Lizzie a few times) because she wasn’t meant to represent one person but the thousands upon thousands of men and women who battle cancer on a daily basis.
What’s most compelling is the insight into how children are often treated during the worst of times. The tree monster is a combination of both his conscience and his imagination. There is a point where his father (Toby Kebbell) and his grandmother (Sigourney Weaver) try to slowly bring Conor to the realization that his mother isn’t going to make it, but, in his mind, the tree monster sees straight through their placation.
The entire cast of A Monster Calls doesn’t hit a false note while Bayona’s symphony strikes an all too real chord with many families. The film doesn’t attempt to answer the question of what one is to do when A Monster Calls and a family member falls ill. What it does show you is that love and coming terms with reality can help with the healing process. I don’t understand why this type of film isn’t getting the attention it deserves, but I do (like others) understand the horrors that cancer can unleash on a family far too well.
When was the last time you had an enriching experience watching anime? With the plethora of titles which come out every year there is often a sense of feeling overwhelmed and lost in the media which many fans enjoy so much. Through so much consumption of the product fans often forget what they enjoyed in the first place. Often it takes a title which is unique and full of wonderment to truly help fans feel refresh themselves and remember why they keep following the medium in the first place. One of the earliest incidents where such an experience took place was in 1999. Their fans were introduced to a director they had not been able to truly explore named Hayao Miyazaki.
Though his previous works, My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service had made it to American shores, these titles did not garnish the attention they deserved but instead became cult classics which would later be appreciated as gems. It was only when a film which had already been released two years earlier in Japan arrived in America were fans able to feel a resurgence of respect for anime they hadn’t felt since watching Akira for the first time. This was the power behind Princess Mononoke, a film many argue is the director’s greatest achievement.
Writing
The story follows a young man named Ashitaka, a prince who is cursed by a rampaging demon with a mark which will eventually overwhelm him. In search for answers Ashitaka leaves his home and encounters the enigmatic Lady Eboshi who he discovers is directly linked to his current condition. Opposing Lady Eboshi and her iron empire is the feral girl San, who Eboshi refers to as Princess Mononoke. Ashitaka finds himself struggling to find a remedy for his curse while being pulled into the worlds and conflicts surrounding these two women.
From a story which could have been a simple hero’s journey in search of a magical cure becomes much more in the course of the film. The plot instead focuses on ideals of rejecting hatred, conserving nature, and finding a way to cohabitate but presents them in a way which never feels forced, tedious, or arduous. Instead the audience is filled with thought-provoking notions which will have you rethinking the way you look at the world.
Directing
Miyazaki is at his finest in this film. His characters are deep and captivating. The landscape is luscious and awe inspiring to the point additional viewing is required to truly capture elements displayed on the screen. It must be noted this is one of the few films where Miyazaki is subdued regarding his love of flight. One of the signature aspects of his films is to portray the glory of light in some way shape or form but it seems mute in this film. There are a few birds which fly through the sky but not with the attention he’s shown in other films.
Music
The soundtrack which accompanies this film is phenomenal. It features an orchestral score which finds a way to dig deep and help to move the story through each wondrous setting. Composer Joe Hisaishi is about to manipulate the audience’s emotions through the music alone. It is a feat achieved by a select movie soundtracks but those are scores which should be treasured when they come into the existance.
Acting
Both the Japanese and American casts bring something interesting to the table for this film. The Japanese team shines with Yuriko Ishida offering a version of San who isn’t always battle ready but takes moments to be vulnerable. The American cast features Gillian Anderson (X-files) as the wolf goddess Moro which helps to show the character as less intimidating than Akihiro Miwa did in in original. Both casts offer something unique to the production but it should be noted no actor causes the film to be anything less than magical.
Production
Whenever animation critics try to make the case for the superiority of hand-drawn animation over computer graphics this is one of the many examples they run to. This is because every single frame of this movie could be removed, framed, and placed on the wall as a perfect way to brighten up a room. Every scene is a work of art and shows the details and effort which went into the production of this film.
If you call yourself an anime fan yet you haven’t experienced the films of Hayao Miyazaki then you should probably rethink using the title. His films are masterpieces which help to set the bar in animation, not only in Japan but around the world. Princess Mononoke is a shining example of his work and one which should not be passed up.
Luckily there is a new opportunity to check it out in theaters. Fathom Events is figurine a showing in celebration of the movie’s 20th anniversary with the subtitled version showing on January 5th and the English dub being showcased on January 9th. They will also be featuring a music video produced by Studio Ghibli called “On your Mark” by the band Chage and Aska. The music video alone is worth the admission price but considering it allows you to explore the majesty of one of the greatest films ever made it becomes a cherry on top of a delicious cake.
During the day, I’m a 5th-grade teacher, I find the work to be humbling, rewarding, and quite eye opening as well. One would think that in 2016, there wouldn’t be such a gender split with young children but you would be sadly mistaken. For example in my classroom, for every three boys that are into math/science, I have one girl who is into those subjects as well. I find this number absolutely heart breaking which is why films like Hidden Figures are so incredibly important because it puts women into roles that society isn’t accustomed to seeing on screen, as mathematicians and scientists. This film has the potential to take the unspoken perverse notion that girls who love math and science are supposed just to stay “Hidden Figures” and bring them to the forefront.
Now anyone who just watched the trailer for this film could easily make the mistake that Theodore Melfi’s Hidden Figures is just about race relations. While race certainly does play a part in this narrative, to say that’s all this film is to miss out on the real beauty of Melfi’s adapted screenplay. This movie is about facing adversity in the most absurd of situations. Taraji P. Henson plays mathematician Virgina Johnson who while being clearly the most intelligent person in NASA’s think tank, she still had to adhere to ridiculous Jim Crow laws like going to a different bathroom ( which was a mile away). Henson also has to deal with the perception that NASA is just a place where men flourish when she demands to be part of prelaunch meetings and to have her name on the launch reports because honestly, she did all the work.
Dorothy Vaughn is played by Octavia Spencer, and she embodies the unshakeable spirit of someone who wouldn’t take no for answer. Vaughn worked just like Johnson as mathematician behind the scenes in NASA think tank (the group that helped develop the Mercury missions and eventually the Apollo program). Vaughn had dreams of bettering herself and consistently would apply and apply once more for supervisory positions (because she was already doing the work).At first, she was being rejected due to her skin color and then it was because they were doing away with her whole department at NASA due to a recent purchase of IBM computers. Rather than take this news and just roll with it, she stepped up and acquired a computer programming manual and taught herself how to program those computers. What she didn’t know at the time is that NASA was having an issue because no one knew how to work these highly expensive pieces of equipment (smart huh!). Vaughn character showed us all that no perceived “barriers” would get in the way of her success.
Mary Jackson is played by Janelle Monae, and she faced the toughest of challenges. Jackson wanted to become an engineer but couldn’t go to class due to some horrid Jim Crow laws restricting what school she could go to and just the mere the notion of female engineer seemed crazy. Rather than allow these obstacles to get in the way, she took the case to court and won. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when she walks into the classroom, and everyone stops midsentence as they are shocked to see not only and African-American but a woman as well.
If there were an award for the best ensemble at the Academy Awards, then Hidden Figures would be considered the prohibitive favorite. The chemistry between these three women is undeniable. Melfi’s script is well written and allows the most poignant moments to have their space. Monae, Spencer, and Henson but forth the best performances of their respective acting careers. Henson is dynamite as she shows how integral Virgina Johnson was in getting astronauts like John Glenn to space. Monae demonstrates her versatility as she proves that Mary Jackson can accomplish anything. However, it was Spencer who stood out most to me.
Octavia Spencer showed such artistry in portraying Mary Vaughn it was if the scenes were her canvas and her emotions were the watercolors of this masterpiece. Vaughn had to show strength when she was sticking up for her girls as well as a vulnerability when she is told no again and again. While Jackson and Johnson acknowledge the obstacles facing them, it’s Vaughn who has the guts to speak up for what is right. Spencer embodies this trailblazing spirit and shows what can be done if you put your mind to it.
Certainly, this film will be in the running for Best Picture at the Academy Awards (if not then be prepared for a controversy) as well as Best Supporting Actress as Octavia Spencer is destined to be nominated. However, don’t be surprised if Pharrell and Hans Zimmer are nominated for original score in the film. Pharrell and Mr. Zimmer were very deliberate in avoiding a score that evoked space-related imagery and crafted a score that matched the importance of the topics which were addressed.
Above all of the accolades, we finally have a film that truly shows that gender or skin color shouldn’t prohibit you from following your love for Science or Math. If the Siena’s and Grace’s of the world are inspired by this tale, then this film has done its job, and this perverse notion about girls and math/science will be a thing of the past.
Sterling K. Brown has joined the cast of Marvel’s Black Panther, according to a press release.
The actor is set to play N’Jobu, a figure of T’Challa’s past.
Recently, Brown was awarded an Emmy for his performance as Christopher Darden in The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Brown joins Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Forest Whitaker, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, and Florence Kasumba.
Black Panther is directed by Ryan Coogler and hits theaters on Februay 8, 2018.
Storytelling is a fundamental part of human existence. Though not as required for life as breathing or water, without stories our ability to share and communicate ideas would be severely hampered. Progress would grow molasses slow as the imagination dulls. Thankfully, the inspiration for a story can come from anywhere and at any time. A picture, a song, a piece of overheard conversation, can create that spark of imagination. These seven sites on Google Earth are bursting with imagination-inspiring fuel for great storytelling.
Pentagram in Kazakhstan
Coordinates: 52°28’46.96”N, 62°11’8.85″E
The Facts: The pentagram here measures at nearly 400 meters and exists in an isolated area of Kazakhstan. Many believe it’s a large satanic ritual site while others think it’s for UFOs. But the site is an abandoned park built during the height of the USSR.
The Fiction: Decades ago this place was a Russian laboratory experimenting with genetics. Monstrous creations escaped containment, and the lab was sealed, becoming a prison of nightmares. Now, greedy corporate interests want the treasure-trove of scientific research locked inside, and it’s up to a rag-tag team of mercenaries to retrieve it.
Desert Breath
Coordinates: 27°22’50.04”N, 33°37’56.55″E
The Facts: The pattern in the picture takes up 100,000 square meters of Egyptian desert near the Red Sea. It’s an art installation built in 1997 and designed by Danae Stratou, Alexandra Stratou, and Stella Constantinides. For the artists, it’s a monument to nature.
The Fiction: An inspired artist creates a visionary work of art in the desert. But what no one knows is that his inspiration was fueled by alien possession. The work of art, admired by millions, becomes the catalyst for an interdimensional alien invasion.
The Lake of Blood
Coordinates: 33°23’46.48”N, 44°29’11.18″E
The Facts: Only a few years ago, this lake in Iraq was blood red, and there’s no reason as to why. If you look it up today, it looks like an average pool of water. But the mystery of the red tint lives on.
The Fiction: We open on the red lake. A slow pan up from the blood-stained water. The shores surrounded by thousands of dead who bleed into the pool. One lone, living woman, covered in dirt, sweat, and blood, stands in the field of death. Our story then begins one week earlier with the woman standing before the same lake; only the water is pristine, and all the people are alive and well.
Circles & Diamonds In New Mexico
Coordinates: 35°31’27.84”N, 104°34’19.37″W
The Facts: Truth is stranger than fiction. The area is a compound owned by the Church of Scientology. The symbol is for followers to find Earth when they return after the human race wipes itself out. Scroll, a little south and east on Google Earth, to see the mansion which is rumored to have an extensive underground section.
The Fiction: Hell, just take the above and add in a group of people who come together to find out the truth. They infiltrate the compound only to find out that the crazy conspiracy theories pale in comparison to the Church’s real, evil, and horrifying agenda.
The Shipwreck
Coordinates: 19°38’45.07”N, 37°17’42.83″E
The Facts: The SS Jassmin, a Peruvian cargo and passenger vessel, shipwrecked off of the coast of Sudan back in 2003. Since then it’s become one of the largest and most popular wrecks in the world. Most of that is because Google Earth explorers made a big deal about it.
The Fiction: A young, truth-seeking woman searches the wreckage of the SS Jassmin to find her father’s remains. What she uncovers are terabytes of information that could change the world. But not everyone wants to make the world a better place and wanted the data to stay buried at the bottom of the sea.
The Living Planet
Coordinates: 12°22’13.33”N, 23°19’20.08″E
The Facts: This one is pretty straightforward. It’s hills and other natural formations coming together in just the right way to look like Earth’s giant lips. From the ground, it doesn’t look at all spectacular, but thanks to Google Earth, we can all admire it from space.
The Fiction: A God buried beneath the ground reawakens and swallows millions of people left on the surface. As the God continues to break free of its earthly coffin, earthquakes and tsunami devastate millions more. It’s a constant struggle to survive the new master of Earth.
The Island That Doesn’t Exist
Coordinates: NOT AVAILABLE?!
The Facts: At some point in the 19th century the “Sandy Islands” were added to maps and scholars aren’t clear why. Regardless, according to maps, it was there, but on Google Earth, it wasn’t, so Google put a black rectangle for a while. In 2012, the island was officially “undiscovered” by a group of Australian scientists.
The Fiction: In 2000, a group of HAM radio operators set out to prove the island was a myth. What they discovered was the city of Atlantis; a mobile, underwater metropolis that has not surfaced again until now!
HONORABLE MENTION: Giant Pink Bunny
Coordinates: 44°14’39.00”N, 7°46’10.86″E
The Facts: The only fact you need to know is that it’s worth installing Google Earth just to see this for yourself. This giant bunny would make Donnie Darko’s Frank the Bunny pee himself. The more you zoom in, the creepier it gets.
The Fiction: A classic b-movie in the vein of Killer Klowns from Outer Space or Zombeavers. Dave Taylor and his girlfriend, Sarah, have had sex exactly one time. Dave wants to do it every day, but Sarah thinks they’re going too fast. When Taylor and Sarah find themselves trapped in a warehouse with genetically modified carnivorous rabbits, screwing will be the last thing on anyone’s mind.
“There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.” –J.K. Rowling
It’s important for characters, even villains to feel human and real in films, and that’s what Star Wars star Adam Driver hopes to achieve later this year with Star Wars: Episode VIII. In a recent interview on Larry King Now, Adam Driver discussed what he’s excited to bring to the character of Kylo Ren, stating that he hopes to make the character more grounded and human in the upcoming sequel.
“I think, this is such a general answer but you know–humanity. Even though it’s very much a blockbuster movie, and I’m aware of that, there was no taking that for granted and we were forced to be general. There were a lot of plot points that we knew were operating in the first one, that we get to explain more in the second one, to make both of them make sense.”
Driver then went on to discuss how he views the Star Wars franchise as much more than just big-budget productions, and how he wants to develop the deeper political aspects of these films.
“They do kind of feel socially active to me, and George Lucas originally, a lot Adsm of Star Wars was in response to Vietnam and a lot of what I remember talking about with [The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams] and [Episode VIII director Rian Johnson) was this idea of terrorism, and two sides kind of being morally justified to behave however they wanted to to get whatever they thought was absolutely correct.”
It’s exciting to hear that Driver wants to develop the depths of Kylo Ren’s humanity. This is a character that has shown little humanity thus far, although The Force Awakens did a great job of introducing this flawed and confused villain.
Directed by Rian Johnson Star Wars: Episode VIII stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill. The film will land in theaters this December.
Marvel Studios has released an awesome new image from the set of Thor: Ragnarok. The third film in the Thor franchise will land this year and now we have a new look at the character’s updated costume. The image shows Thor himself Chris Hemsworth and director Taika Waititi on set discussing the upcoming movie.
Alongside the new image, Disney and Marvel have revealed the first official synopsis for Thor: Ragnarok, which reveals certain aspects of the film, including the amazing role Hulk will play in the film and exactly what Thor has been up to since Avengers: Age of Ultron.
“In Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk!
“Thor: Ragnarok is directed by Taika Waititi and returns Chris Hemsworth starring as Thor and Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as Loki. They are joined by Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson and Karl Urban, with Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins.”
It’s exciting to think that we will see Thor and the Hulk battle for survival in Ragnarok. We’ve seen the characters butt heads in the past but never in an arena on a planet of death. The synopsis also revealed exciting details on Cate Blanchett’s villainous role, and the apocalyptic ramifications of this film.
Matt and EJ open Pandora’s Box when they invite Managing Editor Larry Taylor, and Movie Critics Felix Albuerne, and Dewey Singleton on the show to discuss 74th Golden Globe Awards.
The guests derail the conversation quickly when in comes to EJ’s love of Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but we course correct quickly as the worthiness of Deadpool in the award show consumes us all. If you’re a film junkie you will appreciate the nerdy highs and lows of the episode.
Strap yourself in buckaroos! Episode 105 of the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast is here.
Do you want to be our SUPER-FAN of the week? All you have to do is comment on this podcast to be eligible.
Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show? Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.
Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki turns 76 years old today.
The writer, animator and director was born on January 5, 1941, in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan.
Miyazaki has made films such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, Ponyo, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and many other classic Ghibli movies.
Although he announced his retirement back in 2013, Miyazaki announced last year that he’d be creating a full length, feature film called Kemushi no Boro, which originally was a 12-minute animated short for the Ghibli Museum.
We at Monkeys Fighting Robots wish Miyazaki a very happy 76th birthday!
It drops the audience right into the middle of a day in the life of a young British boy named Conor. Conor is currently making it through each day despite being the target of ever present bullies and the mental torture of knowing that his mother is on death’s door at home. In order to escape the harsh truth of his reality, he creates in his mind an enormous tree monster that is equal parts terrifying and magnificent. The monster (voiced by Liam Nesson) informs Conor that he’s here to take a large role in his life. The tree becomes in some ways a surrogate parental figure for Conor in a time when he feels he has no one.
Coordinates: 52°28’46.96”N, 62°11’8.85″E
Coordinates: 27°22’50.04”N, 33°37’56.55″E
Coordinates: 33°23’46.48”N, 44°29’11.18″E
Coordinates: 35°31’27.84”N, 104°34’19.37″W
Coordinates: 19°38’45.07”N, 37°17’42.83″E
Coordinates: 12°22’13.33”N, 23°19’20.08″E
Coordinates: NOT AVAILABLE?!
Coordinates: 44°14’39.00”N, 7°46’10.86″E