In honor of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them being released on Blu-Ray yesterday, I thought I’d revisit the film and review it, as well as review the Blu-Ray itself.
Out of all of the geeky fandoms that I indulge in, Batman and Harry Potter are probably my two favorite. Both have helped shaped me in innumerable ways growing up, but the boy wizard probably changed my life in more noticeable ones than the Dark Knight ever did.
J.K. Rowling’s book series about the wide-eyed student attending a school of magic at which he fit in time to save the world in-between going to his classes not only helped me get through middle school and high school myself, but was also the initial reason I looked into attending university over in the United Kingdom, and is also the reason that my wife and I met in the first place. (No joke, I met my wife years ago on a now defunct Harry Potter forum. Shout-out to anyone out there who remembers HPANA.com!) I’ve made lifelong connections because of the iconic book series, and have done things and gone places that I probably never would have experienced had they not been written, and because of all of that combined, they’ll always hold a close, special place in my heart. So when it was announced that Warner Bros. was going to revisit the wizarding world on the big screen by adapting J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter tie-in book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, I was excited, even though I had no initial idea about what to expect.
Get Prepared For Wreck It-Ralph To Break The Internet!
As announced at CinemaCon 2017, the upcoming sequel to Disney’s hit film ‘Wreck-It Ralph‘ finally has a title. The film will be called ‘Ralph Breaks The Internet‘. Disney also took to Twitter to announce the release date as well.
Next year, he’s gonna break it. 👊 Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 opens in theatres on March 9, 2018. pic.twitter.com/HFwiHd4JPK
The video game, and now Internet, themed film proved to be a massive success in 2012 and Disney looks to capture that magic again. The addition of the Internet is polarizing to some fans but it could lend its self to some great comedy.
This could also lead to hit online games like ‘Minecraft‘ and ‘World of Warcraft‘, which would look great in this animated form. Let’s hope the inclusion of memes is kept to a minimum because it will quickly date the film.
‘Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph‘ will open on March 9, 2018.
Let me know what you think of the film in the comments below!
There are times where it feels like this is Love’s thesis statement, and it can be suffocating. As I wrote earlier, this is a show where every major character teeters on a knife’s edge between being sympathetic and vulnerable or an unbearable monster. The most prominent case of this is Mickey (the fantastic Gillian Jacobs), who was more on the sympathy side towards the beginning of the season, but at the end started lingering dangerously close to the monstrous one. Gus (Paul Rust) does plenty of his own teetering, but even though he’s certainly a jerk in his own right, by the end of the season he is so thoroughly outclassed in monstrousness by Mickey that it’s hard not to feel bad for him.
The situations these two end up in because of each other are frequently so uncomfortable that I will find myself unable to look at the show while I’m “watching”; I’ll still be listening, but the awkwardness becomes so palpable at times that it can be easier to look around the room or browse Facebook while it’s on. And on a certain level, it’s brilliant that the show is capable of capturing such raw embarrassment, even when the characters aren’t yet aware they should be embarrassed. But on another level, it can make for a punishing viewing experience, and even when the show is at its most addictive, there’s always a point during the season finale where I will thank God it’s finally over. In this way, my relationship with the show is a lot like the “love” between Mickey and Gus; I don’t know why I like it, and I can’t wait for it to be over, but then I put on the next episode.
To be fair, the reason for the attraction does become more apparent in the second season than it was in the first. In the first season, there was a constant question of why someone like Mickey would ever even give an awkward dork like Gus the time of day, or why a nice guy like Gus would want anything to do with someone as emotionally unstable or irresponsible as Mickey. In the second season, the chemistry between the two leads is brought to the forefront, and a greater number of episodes focus solely on what these two are like when they’re alone together. In these moments, they just seem like a fun couple providing each other with a sense of comfort and stability.
The problem is, Love, like life, is never that simple, and drama arises from conflict. So when the relationship is threatened by distance, and then Mickey starts cheating on Gus with Dustin (Rich Sommer, playing a similar jerk to the one he played on Mad Men), everything falls apart the way everyone knew it would. But the final scene of the season, with Mickey telling Gus she wants to get serious and distracting him while Dustin escapes her balcony, feels painfully anticlimactic.
To a certain extent, this is the purpose of the show, deconstructing rom-com tropes and many storytelling conventions in general to express something the writers’ likely believe is more realistic. On any other show, Gus would have found out Dustin was there, one way or another. But he doesn’t, and ending the season this way is like watching a pin pulled from a grenade that doesn’t explode; sure, it’s safer, and nobody got hurt, but it isn’t dramatically satisfying. Of course this grenade will explode at some point down the line, but the fact that it didn’t here just made the season feel oddly incomplete. It also means that any sense of security these two get from each other is fraught with Mickey’s secret unfaithfulness.
Other random thoughts:
The conversation Gus has about Bruce Willis creates some weird continuity paradoxes within the Love universe; after all, how can Gus have a dream about Home Alone and then not recognize that Mickey’s dad is Daniel Stern?
I’m a huge pop culture junkie, but every scene with Gus’s band is painful. Whether the songs they do are supposed to be funny or just a quirky fun thing Gus does, they do not work. These are the only moments the show makes me uncomfortable without intending to.
Bertie (Claudia O’Doherty) is criminally underused, and when she is onscreen, she has to share much of her time this season with Randy. Randy is the worst, and even the weird frenetic energy of Bertie is not enough to dilute that.
Do these people only work once a week, or is Love set on some kind of perpetual Saturday? They always seem to be able to stay in bed all day, or take a random trip to some other part of L.A. This bothered me throughout the entire season.
What did everyone else think? Was the season as anticlimactic as I thought it was? Is Randy still the worst, or did you hate him less as the season went on?
Pint Pursuits Brewing Company, who brew in Guelph but have a Torontonian address, is an uncle-nephew venture according to their website’s “About Us” page. So far, Pint Pursuits has a single beer on offer, their Lord of Lupulin Pale Ale named for the gland found in hops plants which secretes aromatic oils and gives pale ales their signature aromas and flavours. Lord of Lupulin is available at an ever-increasing number of Toronto pubs, but lucky Ontarians can also pick some up at their local LCBO.
I did just that and brought home a 473-mL tall can. I’m always excited to try a new pale ale, but I’m especially grateful to Pint Pursuits for avoiding the linguistically baffling deference other Canadian brewers show when marketing their pale ales.
Canadian-brewed pale ales are so commonplace now that I, for one, think Canadian brewers should drop the labels “India Pale Ale” and “American Pale Ale” from their products. American brewers of pale ale have, for the most part, dropped “India,” instead electing to call their brews “American Pale Ales,” or APAs. So, rather than slogging through the linguistic morass that is “American-style IPA brewed in Canada,” let’s just call them Canadian Pale Ales (CPAs) or simply “pale ales” and be done with it.
But enough about ale nationalities and linguistic efficiency, let’s drink.
Pint Pursuits Brewing Co.: Lord of Lupulin Pale Ale – First Sip
Lord of Lupulin Pale Ale pours a cloudy pale yellow colour with about a quarter-inch of head that sticks around at the top of my pint glass. This brew’s three varieties of hops give Lord of Lupulin a great tropical smell. I smell notes of banana and citrus as I take my first sip. Weighing in at a respectable 52 IBUs, this brew has a noticeably bitter flavour. Traces of malt provide a sweet base for this bitter brew to explode out of. And, the relatively lively bubbles in combination with Lord of Lupulin’s bitter taste provide a crisp, clean mouthfeel.
Pint Pursuits Brewing Co.: Lord of Lupulin Pale Ale – Last Sip
The problem with reviewing nearly a hundred pale ales is that I find myself saddened at the end of each review. I want to keep drinking, but I’m out of beer. This is a great brew for the acclimatized pale ale drinker, but the lager-only crowd will likely turn their collective nose up at this 5.4% ABV brew, whatever their nationality. Pale ales like this one demand salty snacks as a companion. Chips are good in a pinch, but try this brew with some guacamole to really set it off.
Born in 1993, it has been quite a journey getting to this point in my life. Recently I have been looking back to older movies realizing how influential some were. Others have managed to stay masterpieces in their own right. So take a journey with me as we go back to 1993 and count down the top five films of that year.
5Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (May 1993)
Who doesn’t love Bruce Lee? Okay, I know the real Bruce Lee isn’t the actor. Any chance to look into his life, however, is well worth my time. While it wasn’t the best film of the year I can appreciate the effort that was done. To recreate his life and honor him for what he did within the industry is always a joy to watch.
4The Nightmare Before Christmas (October 1993)
This is Halloween, this is Halloween, and hopefully this song is stuck in your head now. Besides the catchy tunes, this animated film had shown us a masterclass in stop motion animation. Other than it’s excellent animation, this film, as well as the next three in our countdown, transcend time, each and every one still viewed to the utmost today.
3Jurassic Park (June 1993)
Imagining myself side by side with dinosaurs was only a fantasy until this film came out. Jurassic Park ranks 3rd on my list for its incredible special effects combined with a breathtaking soundtrack. While some may argue Jurassic Park deserves #1 out of all the movies that debuted in 1993 I disagree. My argument is that a great story wins me over, rather than the beauty portrayed visually. This being said, Jurassic Park did set a standard for movies to come which is why I rate it so highly.
2Groundhog Day (February 1993)
Sometime in our lives, we have probably wished to redo a moment or get to know someone a bit more. When pushed into the scenario, though, how would you respond? Watching Bill Murray play the role of Phil Connors in Groundhog Day was a treat. While Phil may be a chauvinistic pig, we catch a glimpse at the evolution of a character as he re-lives the same day on repeat. Why is this above Jurassic Park? Maybe I am sucker for good plots, comedy and a bit of love, but it is something I wouldn’t get bored of.
1Schindler’s List (December 1993)
In my mind, Schindler’s List is the indisputable #1 film of 1993. Having taken a few classes in relation to the Holocaust, Schindler’s List did what needed to be done by dramatizing it to an extent where the public would not view it as another Holocaust documentary. Spielberg then chooses to shoot in black and white, as the color would symbolize life thus setting the tone for the movie. The exposure of the holocaust that this movie provides would allow it to standalone as a masterpiece. Yet another message is shown. That once exposed to a different culture of people, maybe we were wrong for ever thinking they were different in the first place.
If you think I’ve gotten my list wrong, please comment below!
1985 – the year the first .com domain was registered. That plastic thingy that prevents hot pizza cheese from getting stuck to the top of the box was invented. The world sang in glorious unification, “We are the World” and “get rid of New Coke.”
It was the year Mr. Snuffleupagus was revealed to the adults on Sesame Street. It was the year Eddie Murphy wanted to party all the time. And, on a brisk, sunny afternoon in October, it was the year I was born.
Amidst the aforementioned, it was also a great year for movies. If you were a fan of action or comedy or fantasy or teen romance or horror or all of the above, there were a plethora of flicks to choose from.
As difficult a decision as it was, here are five of my favorite films from 1985, the year I was born.
The Goonies
“You haven’t seen The Goonies? How have you not seen The Goonies??” Chances are any child of the 80s, or child of a child of the 80s who has not seen this beloved adventure film heard that series of questions too many times – and for good reason. It is, by far, the gold standard of children’s adventure movies.
The Goonies was conceived by one of the greatest storytellers of the 20th century, Steven Spielberg, who gave us timeless gems such as E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Jurassic Park. The story was adapted into a screenplay by Chris Columbus, who magically brought Harry Potter to the silver screen. Richard Donner, who made you believe a man can fly in Superman: The Movie, sat in the director’s chair. And lest we forget the cast sold this quirky adventure, including a young Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, and Jonathan “Short Round” Ke Quan.
The trifecta of auteurs and teen cast expertly make you feel like you are joining in on the adventure to find the long-lost fortune of One-Eyed Willy. And boy do they love a good booby-trap sequence. The characters are fun, the kids are energetic, and the sets are enchanting. Like the other films from 1985 on this list, I frequently pop it in the ol’ DVD player, transporting me back to a simpler time. If you haven’t seen this morsel of nostalgia, stop whatever it is you’re doing, and rent or download, or stream The Goonies today.
Day of the Dead
Let me put this out there – I am terrified of zombies. The notion of the dead rising from the grave with no agenda than to devour my guts gives me nightmares. And yet, I can’t get enough of it. From The Walking Dead, to Shaun of the Dead, to World War Z, I have found myself utterly obsessed with the sub genre. I love the classic approach to special effects – the makeup, the prosthetics, the homemade blood and guts – that zombie films and tv have used since day one, and have only gotten better over time. And you can’t spell zombie film without George A. Romero.
1985’s Day of the Dead is the third and final installment of legendary filmmaker George A. Romero’s original ‘Dead’ trilogy. Yes, he would go on to make three more zombie films in later years, but they didn’t find as much critical success, although they each had their own merits. While Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead are both certified horror classics, Day of the Dead doesn’t get the credit or attention it deserves, other than being one chapter of the Romero Dead saga.
Day of the Dead is certainly the bleakest of the trilogy. The war against the undead is all but lost. Humanity has resorted to hiding in underground government installations, where scientists are studying the undead, searching for a way to cure them, or obliterate them. Unfortunately, there was meant to be a much more epic version of the film, which Romero called the “Gone With the Wind” of zombie films. But the studio cut Romero’s budget in half for Day of the Dead, leaving many fans, and Romero himself, disappointed with the final version. Nonetheless, Day of the Dead is a favorite of mine, a step forward in zombie makeup and practical effects, and a fine piece of Romero’s bigger vision.
The Black Cauldron
Disney has inspired aspiring artists and entertainers for generations, myself included. I could include dozens of Disney films on a list of favorite films. You can’t help but be captivated by the music, by being transported to other worlds and ages, and be inspired by their message to dream, to dare to be better, to LET IT GO. In 1985, Disney made a bold move for their 25th animated feature with The Black Cauldron. Based on Lloyd Alexander’s fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain, Cauldron’s scary villain and dark themes earned it Disney animation’s first-ever PG rating.
Like most things in the 80s, Disney was going through a bit of a transitional period when they released The Black Cauldron. This film drifted a bit too far away from the Disney formula, so much so that it did not do well in the box office. Furthermore, it took over a decade for it to be released on home video. And I have been a fan ever since. Reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings, it’s a tale of dark fantasy, magic, swords and sorcery, something that right up my alley.
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
The first major feature of my favorite filmmaker – Tim Burton, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure is funny, manic, and scary, at times. It was a flick that this odd boy from Jersey grew up loving, and still quote to this day. It’s such an imaginative comedy; one that exists entirely in a realm of big, goofy, unapologetic fantasy.
Pee-Wee Herman is a… unique fellow, that has an amazing customized bicycle as his prized possession. When his bicycle is stolen, he will stop at nothing to retrieve it. He travels across the country, meets the utterly terrifying ghost of Large Marge, wrecks a biker crew’s rides, and wreaks havoc on a Hollywood sound stage. From Danny Elfman’s zany score, to Burton’s masterful grasp of the oddball story and cast, to Paul Reuben’s off-the-wall performance, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure is fresh, fun, and inventive, even to this day.
Of course, the success of this film solidified the careers of Elfman, Burton, and Reubens. Burton went on to direct other classics like Batman, Beetlejuice, and Edward Scissorhands. Reubens took his character to the small screen with the successful Pee Wee’s Playhouse.
Back to the Future
How can this movie not be on anyone’s list? It’s not just one of my favorite films of the year, it’s one of my favorite films of all time.
Unless you’ve been living happily in the year 1885, you probably know the premise of Back to the Future. High-schooler Marty McFly is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-travelling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, and must make sure his high-school-age parents canoodle in order to save his own existence. Producer Steven Spielberg and Writer/Director Robert Zemeckis expertly craft a film that blends sci-fi, adventure, comedy, and romance seamlessly. What makes it all the more classic is that sensational score by John Williams.
Do I really need to say anything more? It’s Back to the Future. 1.21 gigawatts of cinematic enjoyment; one of the greatest films of all time.
It’s truly amazing to look back on the year of my birth and see how many classic films premiered. It was so hard to narrow it down to just five. I have to include some honorable mentions. 1985 was just a damn fine year to go to the movies.
The Breakfast Club, Teen Wolf, Rambo: First Blood Part II, The Color Purple, Out of Africa, Cocoon, Commando, Weird Science, Witness, Brazil, A View to a Kill, Lifeforce, The Return of the Living Dead, Rocky IV, St. Elmo’s Fire, Fletch, Fright Night, Brewster’s Millions, Desperately Seeking Susan, Legend, Re-Animator…
… And, of course, The Care Bears Movie.
What were some of your favorite flicks from 1985? Let me know in the comments!
The future of movies is virtual reality, or at least that’s what Warner Bros and IMAX hope is the case. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the companies are working together on a three-film deal to introduce virtual reality “pods” in select theatres. The initiative begins with Justice League (2017) and Aquaman (2018). However, the third title to get the treatment has not yet been announced.
Virtual Reality and the Blockbuster Film
At the risk of sounding cliche, I’m not sure anyone would object to a more realistic Jason Momoa.
IMAX and Warner Bros. plan to release one new virtual reality experience per year for the next three years. Both companies are relying on the popularity of DC properties to entice movie-goers into adding VR to their cinema routine. The IMAX website details some of the high-tech advantages of virtual reality, including haptic feedback and room-tracking technology. The site does not, however, have any information on the VR pods or the deal with Warner Bros.
The Hollywood Reporter also explains that the VR pods will begin testing in LA, before expanding to other cities in Califonia as well as New York, the U.K., and Shanghai. Depending on the results of these tests, IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond hopes to expand the concept to a global market.
Gelfond has confidence that these movies are the right choice to popularize virtual reality in movie theatres around the world. “Justice League and Aquaman feature some of the most beloved characters on the planet, providing iconic properties to launch this effort.
Would you add a virtual reality element to your movie ticket? What movies would you like enhanced with VR?
Yesterday, we got a few images from the upcoming IT remake. We’ve had a teaser or two. And now, a day before we should finally see the long-awaited trailer, we get a creepy poster.
Check it…
In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
The color palette of this and the images yesterday are a welcome sight, because they aren’t bathed in blue and orange and the texture of the imagery is strong. This poster further whets my appetite.
Stay tuned for the IT trailer some time tomorrow, and the film will hit theaters September 8.
Restarting the Wizarding World with a prequel set some seventy years prior to the Harry Potter series might seem like a gamble. But with author J.K. Rowling assuming script duties and five-time Potter director David Yates returning to the helm, does Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them deliver? Let’s take a look.
The Film
Academy Award Winner Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt Scamander, the Hogwarts exile who will eventually author a compendium of magical creatures and pioneer the discipline of magizoologist. But underneath that studious and seemingly absent minded demeanor, Scamander is a compassionate. Indeed, his true business in the United States is an errand of mercy. Unfortunately, Newt gets off the steamer from England and immediately finds himself in a deep mess as some of his creatures escape.
Visually, the film maintains a continuity with the Wizarding World director Yates inherited from directors Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron and Mike Newell. Simultaneous grounded and unreal; the de-saturated color palette, digital set extensions and costume design offer enough a storybook look for the fantastic to become credible. It also makes the completely CGI creatures in Newt’s suitcase blend more seamlessly into the live action photography.
Which is great as Newt’s quest to find his beloved creatures takes up most of the film’s runtime. He’s eventually joined by ex-Auror Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), her sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) and the No-Maj would-be baker Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler). While the foursome is composed of adults, they capture some of the childlike qualities fondly remembered from the early Potter films. Fogler, in particular, embodies that as the first major Muggle character in Rowling’s Wizarding World. In discovering magic, his character literally wakes up to new possibilities; including a sweet, but chaste romance with Queenie.
One would be tempted to make Kowalski the central character, but the film lives or dies by Newt Scamander and it is hard to think of anyone else in the role except Eddie Redmayne – well, maybe Matt Smith. Scamander has a lot of the Eleventh Doctor about him, but Redmayne imbues what could be an Time Lord impression with pocketfuls of of his own irresistible charm.
Katherine Waterston could also easily lead the picture. As Tina, she’s both confident and kind of a mess; full of heart and instinct, but caught up by her passions. This dedication leads her to lose her job and follow Newt around to prove he’s unleashed a menace in New York. Eventually, the two find common ground and their friendship becomes one of the best aspects of the film.
Of course, no Potter film is without its flaws and in Fantastic Beasts case, its greatest weakness is the presumed call-forwards to potential sequels. The film begins with an attempt to establish a new Voldemort: the dark wizard Grindelwald. The character disappears for much of the film, but his presence is felt as tensions between the Wizarding World and the No-Maj escalate. We eventually learn via Colin Farrell’s admirable attempt to anchor this storyline that Grindelwald wants war to break out between the two factions. Sadly, it is so disconnected from the true charm of the film that when Scamander and company finally become part of the Grindelwald plot, the movie already feels like it has ended.
Oddly enough, Fantastic Beasts shares this flaw with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Special Features
Like the Potter series, one presumes Warner Bros. Home Video will eventually release an Ultimate Edition of the film. Consequently, this Blu-ray release feels light on bonus features. Much of it is built from Electronic Press Kit footage, but offers a few interesting tidbits about the thinking behind the movie: including how the fashions underscore the main four characters.
The most interesting featurette is Before Harry Potter: A New of Magic Begins!, a brief, but interesting look into how producer David Heyman got the band back together for the film. Rowling reveals that while she wanted to write the script, she hashed it out with Potter screenwriter Steve Kloves. Yates also reveals his own trepidation in returning to the Wizarding World and why he ultimately decided to return. The main four cast members also recollect meeting each other and Rowling for the first time. They maintain much of the chemistry they have as characters and it would be interesting to learn more about their experiences making the film in greater detail.
Other featurettes look at some of the minor characters, creature design and creating a Magic-infused 1920s New York. The short segment on realizing the Bowtruckle via puppetry and CGI is definitely worth a look.
There is also a selection of deleted scenes, revealing extra shades to the characters: including Kowalski’s dismay as his No-Maj fiancée leaves him. Other clips present scenes in the film taking place in different locations or extended moments from the set pieces. On moment absolutely missing from the final film is the Goldstein sisters singing the Ilvermorny school song.
The Bottom Line
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a very charming extension of the Potter brand. While its attempt to set-up sequels feels forced, the four main characters establish themselves as a group worth visiting again and again. The special features have polish, but feel too much like advertising to offer a real in-depth look at the first in what will be a long line of Wizarding World films.
There’s a fine line between mitigating risks and playing it too safe. It’s a line the duo behind Sacramento’s Fountainhead Brewing Company has been walking since they first decided to get into the craft beer business.
“We both kept day jobs which was really a struggle,” Daniel Moffatt says. He and Mark Bojescu opened the brewery a year ago in April but kept their jobs in retail management. “So there was a little risk aversion in there because I can’t just walk away from a steady job with benefits.”
Empty crowler cans line the shelves behind the bar.
And it makes sense, both are married with kids, so there’s plenty of reason to be cautious. And it’s not like they didn’t take risks. Moffatt, for example, says he invested his retirement money into the business. Now, looking back they realize the biggest risk they took was playing it too safe with both of them keeping those second jobs.
“In retail especially, in the holiday and Christmas season, I was almost never here and I’m the only one who brews so it really took a hit on our menu,” Moffatt reflects.
How much of a hit? At one point, the brewery, which normally keeps at least 8 beers on tap, was down to three. “I never felt like we were at risk of failing, but my expectations were higher, and I knew his expectations were higher,” Moffatt says. “For our own goals, that’s what was disappointing.”
Even in early March Fountainhead was still catching up on its beer supply.
“I think our growth pace was definitely slowed down due to the double jobs and we could have grown at a more rapid rate if we were dedicated here from day one,” Bojescu adds.
The one thing that was never at risk, the support of their neighbors. “This neighborhood, Hollywood Park, has been awesome, they’ve been so supportive. They come out,” Daniel says. “We have a loyal customer base. Even in the rainy months, they come.”
So as they approach their first anniversary, their approach to running a brewery has changed. Moffatt has quit his retail job. His entire focus is now on brewing beer for Fountainhead and expanding the menu with two rotating experimental taps.
“I think our first year under our belt; we know what the expectation is: having Daniel here full-time to be dedicated to brewing full-time and giving him the capacity to do so,” Bojescu says.
“I’m doing it full time now and our main goal is to fill that menu up,” Moffatt says with the excitement of someone who’s done playing it too safe and is instead doing what he loves.
Fountainhead gets Flowing
Co-Owner Mark Bojescu serving up beer at the bar
Retail management was their jobs, but for Mark Bojescu and Daniel Moffatt, their dreams laid elsewhere.
“My goal, years ago, was to eventually open some kind of restaurant or bar and grill,” Bojescu says.
That’s all the budding homebrewer Moffatt needed to hear, “We were probably sitting around over a beer probably complaining about our jobs… and just jokingly I said if you open a restaurant I’ll brew your beer.”
That joke turned into serious business. Moffatt continued to brew at home, even converting his garage into a 26-gallow brewery. “It started to seem like we started to have some recipes we were pretty proud of and we started doing some of the math and some of the business planning.”
Plans for a restaurant fell away as they learned more about the challenges of permitting and instead their focus shifted to opening a brewery. One of the biggest challenges facing any budding brewery is finding a location. That wasn’t a problem for Fountainhead.
“My father was in the plans of retirement, he’s been in the mechanic industry and he had a building that he owned the last 20 years,” Bojescu says. “He said ‘hey, I got this building, what are your thoughts? Want to do something with it?’”
They’d get the keys to the building located in Sacramento’s Hollywood Park region in 2015. It would take a year of cleanup and renovations, including removing the car lift, before the transformation from mechanic shop to brewery would be complete.
“Construction took a long time, a lot of frustration and challenges that came our way and we looked at each other and said, ‘hey, we’re going to open this place, if it kills us.’ And it took a long time,” Bojescu says.
Fittingly on April Fool’s Day 2016, the one-time joke was reality and Fountainhead Brewery Opened its doors. Moffatt and Bojescu have been at the brewery every day since learning as they go.
“It’s easy to say let’s open this brewery up,” Bojescu says. “A lot of people talk about it. It’s tough, very difficult, a lot more than we even imagined.”
“You do get caught up in the weed and the day-to-day, if you just take a second…” Moffatt pauses turns to Bojescu and raises a glass. “Man cheers, we opened a brewery.”
What’s Next
Fountainhead Brewery is just entering its second year of operation but that doesn’t mean Moffatt and Bojescu aren’t already thinking well into the future.
“You can’t rest on your laurels. You can’t sit back,” Moffatt says, especially now that he’s brewing full-time. “What’s going to really set us apart is that kind of rotating experimental tap. We’ll always have our staples on here, but I’ll always be trying whatever I feel like that day.”
Growth is also on tap at Fountainhead. Moffatt and Bojescu are hoping to add more tanks and fermenters. And even thinking about what’s beyond the walls of their current taproom.
Fountainhead says one way they could grow is up. The high ceilings would allow for taller tanks.
“Obviously we have already talked about what is the next step? Do we need to look at another location? Do we need to have multiple taprooms or a production facility? These are all conversations we have all the time,” Moffatt says.
Another conversation that hasn’t gone away, Bojescu’s dream of opening a restaurant. “I’d love to see food in Fountainhead… I never sleep and I think about the full package, food and beer,” he says. “It’s definitely in the back of my mind; maybe the 5-year plan.”
In the meantime, the pair is preparing to distribute more of their beer. The focus will be on their Hollywood Park IPA and the Station 12 Belgian Blonde. They are the breweries most popular brews and the styles most in demand at restaurants and retailers.
Fountainhead will also focus on those experimental beers in hopes of offering a unique variety to the regulars and new visitors alike.
“They always want change, they always want new and so that’s something we want to provide,” Bojescu says.
The influence of… Ayn Rand?
The Huge banner hanging above the kettles.
So how did Moffatt and Bojescu come up with the name of their brewery?
“We wanted to be kind of the neighborhood watering hole, but we’re not going to call it ‘The Watering Hole’ but some kind of water theme or fountain theme, so the word ‘fountain’ came up pretty early,” Moffatt explains.
Even with a theme Moffatt says coming up with a name for their budding brewery was a challenge. That’s when he fell back on his time as an English Literature Major and the works of noted author and philosopher Ayn Rand.
“The Ayn Rand book, Fountainhead came up, and it was so simple. I just texted (Mark), ‘what about The Fountainhead?’ And he just said ‘yes’. It was that simple.” Moffatt says while the brewery carries the same name as Rand’s famous novel, that’s where theme ends.
As for the brewery’s lion head logo, he says that can be credited to a graphic designer friend. “He was super patient with us and giving us what we asked and he’s then he was like ‘hey this is what I worked on, on the side’ and I was like done!”
