Rating: 
Summary: Amazing! Pure and simple
Review: I found this movie to be refreshingly great! It was very original in the fact that the writers and directors did not spend all of their time trying to over-do it. The characters were wonderful, the acting was great and to put it simple, the storyline was so well written that at the end of the movie you are not left wanting. You actually feel as though you have seen the whole movie and nothing was left out.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Movie
Review: I loved this movie. I'd of rather given it 4.5 stars due to the slightly odd filming style but other than that, it was a wonderful and beautiful movie about choices and the stuff that guides our lives. If you liked "Finding Forrester" or others like it, I feel pretty sure you'll enjoy this one too.
Rating:
Summary: Dreaming of Utopia
Review: I thought Uncorked was absolutely delightful! Some may argue that it is too Utopian, too ideal. But wouldn't you love to find that place? I watched the movie with my parents, and I asked them, "Can we move there?" It wasn't just the beauty of the land, it was the atmosphere: you can be happy without earning money as long as you can find what is right for you. Yes, I am a dreamer. But all I know is I, the dreamer, am a lot happier than everyone else I know. The characters were beautiful as well. Perhaps a little too perfect, but wouldn't you love to know that family? I want to be a part of that family I too am a "young girl with the old spirit" like Laurie. Perhaps I will nevr find the Utopia that Ross and Paul and Laurie and Mya and Uncle Cullen have found, but I will always dream of it. Uncorked made me believe I could find it, if only I can let go and be me.
Rating: 
Summary: British accents, Guitars, and Pillars Oh My!!
Review: Not only was this movie introspective, quiet, and very strange, it was badly edited and at least 30 minutes too long too.
One star has been allotted to the music editors for including some beautiful fingerstyle guitar music, and some work by Sarah Maclachlan and Tara McLean.
The second star has been allotted to the vintage acoustic guild guitar featured prominently in the middle of the movie (by far the best character performance of the show, of course it was playing itself.).
The third and final star is shared by Nigel Hawthorne as the greek chorus, and the giant pillar as the best supportive actor.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly Spiritual and Delightfully Human
Review: Practically Buddhist in his philosophical beliefs, eccentric uncle Nigel Hawthorne spends his time in comtemplation of the universe(from atop a marble pillar on his vast estate). His meditations enable him to see into the true nature of his family and friends, and so he forces them to face their true desires and destinies. The journey to one's destiny, however, can be a difficult one. The path to love may lead you away from the one you're engaged to, and the path to true happiness away from the object of your desires. Blissfully amusing, insightfull, beautifully choreographed, saturated with skilled performances, and woven deftly with graceful music, this film is a must see! The characters discard their egos and fears and find deep inner peace, which leaves the audience truely sated--a thing few films can inspire. It's the kind of film that unfolds like a budding flower, intelligent but not overly intellectual, and with beauty in the most unexpected places.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Little Film
Review: Question: Why does a holy man sit alone atop a mountain? Answer: To gain perspective. Which in the end is what this film is all about-- finding the right perspective on life; figuring out what it is you were truly meant to do or be. And it points out nicely that the wisest among us are often the very ones we are prone to ignore or dismiss out-of-hand. "Uncorked," directed by John Huddles, is a small film that in the end has a substantial message that is almost profound in it's simplicity. Nothing new, perhaps, but something that so many people in our fast food generation fail to recognize or embrace, so this film actually serves as something of a wake-up call to those who have unknowingly lost that all-important perspective, and need it--whether they know it or not. The story takes place at Sachem Farm (which could be anywhere in the world), where Ross (Rufus Sewell) lives with his Uncle Cullen (Nigel Hawthorne) and his brother, Paul (Michael Rodgers), though Paul is something of a hermit and prefers to live in the forests and fields that surround the farm, cultivating gardens out of the wilderness. Ross's girlfriend, Kendal (Minnie Driver), along with her friend, Laurie (Amelia Heinle) arrives for a stay at a very interesting time: Ross is about to conclude a deal that will finance his dream of buying and working a nearby magnesium mine, in which he sees his future and fortune awaiting. Circumstances instigated by Uncle Cullen, however, interfere; the situation turns bad, then gets worse, with the arrival of a pillar-- specially ordered by Cullen and standing at a height of twenty cubits (yes, he specifically ordered it in cubits)-- atop which Cullen subsequently takes up residence, without any intention of ever coming back down. The reclusive Paul, meanwhile, continues to work on his gardens, and Kendal encounters an old flame, Tom (Gregory Sporleder), a neighbor and former high-diver whose dreams of gold were abruptly ended some years before by a broken ankle, and who now spends his time at the lake, obsessed with regaining his form. It's an eclectic bunch, to say the least, not to mention eccentric; and Ross feels it has fallen to him to set the lives of those around him aright. To which each, in turn, say to him in their own way: "Good luck." And such is life on Sachem Farm. Huddles, who also wrote the story and screenplay, has crafted and delivered a quaint, quirky and somewhat insightful film, which he presents rather artistically, though at a pace that leaves something to be desired, at least early on. At times he allows the eye of the camera to roam, lending some quite interesting visual perspectives to the film (such as a moving overhead shot of Cullen atop his pillar), which he combines with different speeds and some jump cuts that are very effective. There are moments, though, when the action seems a bit too "staged," and makes you aware that these are actors playing parts, which tends to take you out of the story. But there are also moments that are extremely engaging-- often humorous and sometimes rather poignant-- that make the whole experience worthwhile. The early part of the film tends to stall and initially seems in need of a destination, but it finds soon enough, and eventually takes you in a direction that is unexpected, but rewarding. As Cullen, Nigel Hawthorne is subtly flamboyant, creating a very detailed and three-dimensional character who very gradually draws you in as the story unfolds. And, interestingly enough, as the character develops-- and quite nicely-- he doesn't change, though the viewer's perspective of him does; and as that perspective on Cullen shifts, it puts the story in a new light, as well. Slowly, the true meaning of what is happening on Sachem Farm begins to emerge, and that deliberate pace set by Huddles that seemed off-putting at first actually facilitates an understanding of the situation at hand. And Cullen-- especially because of Hawthorne's fine performance-- becomes a pivotal element that gives focus to this new perspective. Huddles may have come up a bit short of attaining the emotional involvement and the connection with the audience to which he aspired, but by the end you realize there was a method to his madness, and it actually worked fairly well. Minnie Driver (who served as executive producer of this film, along with her sister, Kate, as well as Hawthorne), does a good job as Kendal, though you get the feeling her character is there mainly to support the story rather than add to it, and serves primarily as a tool to move it all along, as her connection with Tom-- and even Ross-- is a fairly minor part of the plot. Kendal, as well as Laurie, are the two characters you're left wanting to know more about, in fact. Rufus Sewell gives a good, extremely natural performance as Ross, but it's one of those roles that tends to be taken for granted because it is played so effectively, like DiCaprio in "Titanic" or Gable in "Gone With the Wind." It's a matter of not receiving the acclaim that is due simply because the job has been done so well. This film is on a much smaller scale, of course, but the situation is the same. And looking at it objectively, Sewell does an outstanding job here. The supporting cast includes Keone Young (Mr. Tang), Elizabeth Tsing (Maya) and Chalvay Srichoom (Cha). They may not have lined up the Oscars for this one, but nevertheless, "Uncorked" has merit in it's subtle message, and for a pleasant diversion is definitely worth a look. Huddles certainly doesn't drive home his point with a hammer, and it may take you a while to digest it all, but after awhile you may find yourself reflecting a bit and saying, "Yeah, okay...I get it--" And that's the magic of the movies.
Rating:
Summary: A quirky funny vintage with lots of perspective
Review: Ross (Rufus Sewell) is about to make a fortune. He plans to sell all the collected bottles of wine bequeathed to him by his Uncle Cullen, the proceeds of which he will use to buy a manganese mine three miles west of the many-acre Satchem Farm they own. He will become financially solvent, and will be able to marry his girlfriend Kendal, who arrives on the farm with a quiet but pretty friend, Laurie, whom Cullen describes as "the girl with the young eyes but old soul." Laurie's quiet, reserved, very pretty, and has a very nice smile. The title action occurs, thanks to Uncle Cullen, and deliberately it seems, and that appears to be the end of Ross's dream to get somewhere in life, as home insurance does not cover senility. Ross feels the need to be responsible, as his hermit-like brother Paul lives in the arboretum, planting trees with a bunch of H'mong, a peaceful arboreal people hailing from Laos. Kendal has been patient, loving, and exasperated with Ross, but she's more a clear, organized person who thinks Ross should get his priorities straight. She does sympathize with him though, telling Laurie that everything Ross does is "like a perversion of the law of physics. The harder he works, the less he gets out of it." Everybody thinks Cullen has gone around the bend when he has a twenty cubit high (about twenty-eight feet) Greek pillar made of titanium and plexiglass installed in the yard overlooking the woods, and in one of the movie's highlights, proceeds to perch himself atop it a la St. Simeon, who did so in the fifth century as an ascetic practice of achieving enlightenment. Well, everybody except Laurie. He spends the second half of the film on that perch. However, Cullen is far from senile. As he tells Kendal, "life has a long experience of suffering, disappointments, and chaos, but the moment you stop squirming against the catastrophe of being alive, music flies out of the dog doo." But his most important pearls of wisdom are for his nephew, whom he wants to learn what he was put on earth for. What are his special gifts? To this, he enlists the aid of Laurie and Kendal. Other characters include Tom, a former Olympic contender whose career ended when he tripped on his shoelace and broke his ankle. He spends his days diving, his interface to the real world thus severed, and barely says a word, especially to his former flame Kendal, who turned to Ross when Tom cut off communication with her. The best performance and lines comes from Nigel Hawthorne (Cullen) hands down, playing an eccentric, idealistic, and ultimately cleverly strategic old man who's got a lot of perspective in life. As Kendal tells him, "Satchem Farm ...is a growing collection of hermetically sealed neurotics and the not so funny part is the common denominator is you." Such a far cry from the devious Sir Humphrey Appleby in Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He delivers the funniest line regarding a character: "His karma was constipated. I gave him an enema." Laurie is played by Amelia Heinle, who bears a strong resemblance to Denise Richards. Her quiet, reserved manner, warm and compassionate smile really make Cullen's description of her as the girl with "young eyes with an old soul" appropriate. It's her quiet but potent presence and role that makes her outshine Minnie Driver (Kendal), who herself is good in this movie. Keone Yong (Harrison Tang, the wine dealer) has an amusing moment where he plays guitar and sings a funny song in Chinese. His performance either bemuses or dumbfounds his listeners. Michael A Rodgers stands out as Paul, the arboreal hermit brother of Ross. As Ross says in an onscreen narration, it's "so easy to lose perspective on life. It's also not hard as you think to get your perspective back." And this quirky film with its oddballs is a ticklish but heartwarming vintage.
Rating:
Summary: A quirky funny vintage with lots of perspective
Review: Ross (Rufus Sewell) is about to make a fortune. He plans to sell all the collected bottles of wine bequeathed to him by his Uncle Cullen, the proceeds of which he will use to buy a manganese mine three miles west of the many-acre Satchem Farm they own. He will become financially solvent, and will be able to marry his girlfriend Kendal, who arrives on the farm with a quiet but pretty friend, Laurie, whom Cullen describes as "the girl with the young eyes but old soul." Laurie's quiet, reserved, very pretty, and has a very nice smile. The title action occurs, thanks to Uncle Cullen, and deliberately it seems, and that appears to be the end of Ross's dream to get somewhere in life, as home insurance does not cover senility. Ross feels the need to be responsible, as his hermit-like brother Paul lives in the arboretum, planting trees with a bunch of H'mong, a peaceful arboreal people hailing from Laos. Kendal has been patient, loving, and exasperated with Ross, but she's more a clear, organized person who thinks Ross should get his priorities straight. She does sympathize with him though, telling Laurie that everything Ross does is "like a perversion of the law of physics. The harder he works, the less he gets out of it." Everybody thinks Cullen has gone around the bend when he has a twenty cubit high (about twenty-eight feet) Greek pillar made of titanium and plexiglass installed in the yard overlooking the woods, and in one of the movie's highlights, proceeds to perch himself atop it a la St. Simeon, who did so in the fifth century as an ascetic practice of achieving enlightenment. Well, everybody except Laurie. He spends the second half of the film on that perch. However, Cullen is far from senile. As he tells Kendal, "life has a long experience of suffering, disappointments, and chaos, but the moment you stop squirming against the catastrophe of being alive, music flies out of the dog doo." But his most important pearls of wisdom are for his nephew, whom he wants to learn what he was put on earth for. What are his special gifts? To this, he enlists the aid of Laurie and Kendal. Other characters include Tom, a former Olympic contender whose career ended when he tripped on his shoelace and broke his ankle. He spends his days diving, his interface to the real world thus severed, and barely says a word, especially to his former flame Kendal, who turned to Ross when Tom cut off communication with her. The best performance and lines comes from Nigel Hawthorne (Cullen) hands down, playing an eccentric, idealistic, and ultimately cleverly strategic old man who's got a lot of perspective in life. As Kendal tells him, "Satchem Farm ...is a growing collection of hermetically sealed neurotics and the not so funny part is the common denominator is you." Such a far cry from the devious Sir Humphrey Appleby in Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He delivers the funniest line regarding a character: "His karma was constipated. I gave him an enema." Laurie is played by Amelia Heinle, who bears a strong resemblance to Denise Richards. Her quiet, reserved manner, warm and compassionate smile really make Cullen's description of her as the girl with "young eyes with an old soul" appropriate. It's her quiet but potent presence and role that makes her outshine Minnie Driver (Kendal), who herself is good in this movie. Keone Yong (Harrison Tang, the wine dealer) has an amusing moment where he plays guitar and sings a funny song in Chinese. His performance either bemuses or dumbfounds his listeners. Michael A Rodgers stands out as Paul, the arboreal hermit brother of Ross. As Ross says in an onscreen narration, it's "so easy to lose perspective on life. It's also not hard as you think to get your perspective back." And this quirky film with its oddballs is a ticklish but heartwarming vintage.
Rating:
Summary: Worth your time & money!
Review: This movie is so such a riot! It's full of INTELLIGENT comedy - no Dumb & Dumber jokes in this one! No potty humor or crude jokes - thank goodness! A mature take on one man's struggle to "find himself." Wonderfully written, the musical score is PERFECTION and guitarists will appreciate a particularly moving scene with an acoustic played classical style (although the editing is poor during the scene and makes it look like Rufus Sewell is playing the notes two measures behind lol). I thought the editing was fresh and interesting. Nigel Hawthorne was just brilliant, as was Sewell. I don't think I've ever seen Rufus Sewell play so interesting a role. Seemed like he *knew* this character inside and out. Great supporting cast (including Minnie Driver) and direction! Definitely a flick worth checking out!
Rating:
Summary: Worth your time & money!
Review: This movie is so such a riot! It's full of INTELLIGENT comedy - no Dumb & Dumber jokes in this one! No potty humor or crude jokes - thank goodness! A mature take on one man's struggle to "find himself." Wonderfully written, the musical score is PERFECTION and guitarists will appreciate a particularly moving scene with an acoustic played classical style (although the editing is poor during the scene and makes it look like Rufus Sewell is playing the notes two measures behind lol). I thought the editing was fresh and interesting. Nigel Hawthorne was just brilliant, as was Sewell. I don't think I've ever seen Rufus Sewell play so interesting a role. Seemed like he *knew* this character inside and out. Great supporting cast (including Minnie Driver) and direction! Definitely a flick worth checking out!
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