Film Critic Ben Lyons Offers Movie and Wine Pairings

Make date night, a movie night. Film Critic Ben Lyons has teamed up with ReserveYourNight.com to offer movie and [yellow tail] Reserve pairings.

BEN’S PAIRINGS:
Date Night Movie Pick:
KRAMER vs. KRAMER and [yellow tail] Reserve Chardonnay

Are you in the mood for a date night that takes you back in time to the 1970s? Bring back that nostalgia by pairing [yellow tail] Reserve Chardonnay with one of my favorite blockbuster rentals of all time, KRAMER vs. KRAMER.

Dustin Hoffman. Meryl Streep. Is the wine already open and you’re looking for the remote so you can press play or do I really have to go on and write more in order to convince you to watch two screen legends at the top of their games, in a film that won five Academy Awards, and was nominated for another four? Fine, if I must…Streep walks out on Hoffman and the young son they share, forcing him to raise the boy on his own. Eventually, he must fight in court to maintain custody of the child when Streep returns and wants to be reunited with her son. Hoffman’s struggle as a single father trying to keep it all together pulls at your heart, his protective and nurturing demeanor plays earnest and true. It’s a beautiful father and son story and a candid look at the inner workings of a broken home. The film won Best Picture in 1980 as well as Oscars for Hoffman and Streep, and two for Robert Benton, one for Best Director and the other for Best Adapted Screenplay.

WHY PAIR CHARDONNAY WITH THIS TYPE OF MOVIE
Romance: Our Reserve Chardonnay is a classic wine that pairs perfectly with those classic movies. And with Streep and Hoffman at their very finest, Kramer vs. Kramer is about as classic as Hollywood gets. We've hand-selected recipes that compliment these heart-tugging love stories - light chicken, vegetarian, Asian recipes and seafood.

You can rent KRAMER vs. KRAMER here.

FOOD PAIRING FOR THE WEB SITE
Chesapeake Bay Pasta Chicken and

WHY PAIR PINOT GRIGIO WITH THIS TYPE OF MOVIE
Comedy: Ever notice the number of great romantic comedy films our there? We paired these greats with Reserve Pinot Grigio, a delightfully fresh, zesty wine. Then, enjoy these lighter food pairings to complement the light-hearted films and fresh wine. Enjoy!

You can rent DAVE here.

FOOD PAIRING FOR THE WEB SITE
Easy Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

Date Night Movie Pick:
JURASSIC PARK and [yellow tail] Reserve Shiraz

Want to try a more action-packed, edgy movie for date night? Rent one of my favorite classics, Jurassic Park, and pair it with a bottle of [yellow tail] Reserve Shiraz. The intense flavor and deep color of the wine will make you feel like you’re in a whole other world - with the dinosaurs.

Sure, we’ve all seen the movie or read the book by this point, but when was the last time you watched it from start to finish? It’s probably been a while, and I bet you quickly remember the feeling you had when you first saw it 17 years ago. It’s a BIG movie. Sam Neil and Laura Dern play archaeologists invited as part of a special group to JURASSIC PARK, a new theme park about to open to the public, where Dinosaurs are genetically engineered to become attractions for tourists. Even today the film maintains an almost magic like quality to it, thanks to some iconic Steven Spielberg movie moments like the T-Rex chasing after Jeff Goldblum in the back of a jeep, and the velociraptors hunting the children in the kitchen. Jurassic Park inspired filmmakers to dream and maximize the power of their imaginations. It’s a shame that subsequent sequels, felt, forced and paled in comparison to the original, which remains one of the biggest blockbusters of all time.

You can rent JURASSIC PARK here.

WHY PAIR SHIRAZ WITH THIS TYPE OF MOVIE
Action: The Reserve Shiraz is an intense wine with big flavor and deep color. The full-bodied goodness makes it a likely combo for pulse-pounding "macho" movies. To top it off, we've selected recipes that are full of rich flavor - pork, beef and filets.

FOOD PAIRING FOR THE WEB SITE
Filet Mignon with Mushroom-Wine Sauce