RKS Literature: Tarus Bulba’s Thoughts on a Seminary Education (Nikolai Gogol)

“You’re a milksop, I see!” Bulba said. “Don’t listen to your mother, my boy. She’s a woman, she knows nothing! What do you need sweetness for? An open field and a good horse, that’s all the sweetness that you need. You see this saber. This saber is your mother! They’ve been filling your heads with filth, that’s what they’ve been doing! The Seminary, and all those books and primers and philosophy and the devil knows what else- I spit on it all!” And Bulba slipped in a word that cannot appear in print.”

Nikolai Gogol, “Tarus Bulba”, 1835.

RKS 2024 Wine: Canadian Pinot Gris From Niagara

Aroma: This platinum-coloured wine has aromas of mango, peach, white grapefruit, pear and wet stone.

Palate: Rather full bodied with some power. It is zippy and a bit cutting but underneath the acidity there is peach, grapefruit and a hint of lychee. Moderate finish.

Personality:  More cutting and sharper than Italian Pinot Grigio.

Food Match: Malpeque Oysters!

Cellarbility: Consume by 2025-year end.

Price: $25 CDN (Ontario).

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 89/100. Wine Align 90/100.

(Closson Chase K.J. Watson Vineyard, 2023 Pinot Gris, VQA Four Mile Creek, Closson Chase Vineyards Inc., Hillier, Ontario, 750 mL, 13%).

RKS 2024 Film: A Freebie from the Visual Communications Archives: “w(HO)”

“w(HO)” is a 2022 American 5-minute mixed media animated short film.

Director Candace Ho relates certain incidents caused by her last name whether it was “Ho.Ho” as a laugh or the insertion  of “izza” between Candice and Ho! But aside from the snickering humour playing on Ho it is also a chronicle of her sexual development.

Cute, lighthearted but insightful with just about as much wisdom a full feature film.

It is available free of charge now courtesy of Visual Communications. Go to https://watch.eventive.org/vcarchives then click on Voices of Pride and scroll to the short to watch for free or for a contribution if you wish.

RKS 2024 Film Rating; 89/100.

RKS 2024 Wine: Louis Aîné & Fils Beaujolais-Villages 2022: Riding on the Zip-Line

A friendly juicy and warm Gamay?

Aroma: Raspberry rules but there is black cherry, blackberry. None of that excessive alcohol plaguing so many red wines. Inviting.

Palate: Blackberry but more acidity than expected but is fine yet still worrisome as one expects something softer and fruitier from a Burgundian Gamay. Not much fruit on the finish.

Personality: Louis Aîné & Fils is a well-regarded powerhouse in the Beaujolais market but I am but an average and unremarkable wine. Reputation and what is in glass often clash.

Food Match: Cold turkey and chicken leftovers with a tomato salad.

Price: $21 CDN (Ontario).

Cellarbility: Drink in 2024. I am wary of the acidity. This wine is just too zippy.

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 84/100. Wine Align 85.

(Louis Aîné & Fils Beaujolais-Villages 2022, AOP, Louis Aîné & Fils, Beaujeu, France, 750 mL, 13%)

RKS 2024 Film: A Freebie from the Visual Communications Archives: “Gio: A Man Wonderfully Created”

“Gio: A Man Wonderfully Created” is a 2015 American 7.5-minute short film.

Gio Carneal, the son of a southern Baptist minister experienced a hostile and bully ridden 1970’s childhood. Self medication with alcohol and drugs leads to his turning to a gay bar where his newfound sense of community and his desire for full acceptance graduated to sex addiction and prostitution in a community that accepted him. A sense of belonging but even that did not stem his depression and contemplating suicide he discovered God eventually being accepted into a Californian evangelical church.

Carneal says why would he choose a life of misery and alienation. His view is that his sexuality is predetermined and in fact genetics gave him no choice. He chose to live his true self and not to masquerade as a heterosexual.

Directed by Michi Tanioka. It is available free of charge now courtesy of Visual Communications. Go to https://watch.eventive.org/vcarchives then click on Voices of Pride and scroll to the short to watch for free or for a contribution if you wish.

RKS 2024 Film Rating; 83/100.

RKS 2024 Film: A Freebie from the Visual Communications Archives: “And God Loves Gays Too”

“And God Loves Gays Too” is a 10-minute short 2009 film directed by Michi Tanioka. The narrator intervenes two parishioners of an Asian American church located in California about how their church views homosexuality.

Parishioner Marian Sunabe explains how a “conversation” occurred between the pastor, herself and a gay man named Gary. Marian had been friends with Gary for many years and remarked he had left the church once he came out. For 7 years he tried various conversion therapies without success. Sunabe explains how the Bible has been selective and erroneously interpreted to justify anti-gay stances.

Another parishioner Bonnie Tang points out that many parishioners quickly make assumptions about homosexuality relying on selective interpretations of biblical passages as opposed to the generalized context of the Bible.

Although the documentary may be dated but by today’s context it is a guidepost about how far certain churches and their parishioners have moved from their earlier positions. 

“And God Loves Gays Too” is available free of charge now courtesy of Visual Communications. Go to https://watch.eventive.org/vcarchives then click on Voices of Pride and scroll to the short to watch for free or for a contribution if you wish.

RKS 2024 Film Rating; 80/100.

RKS 2024 Film: A Freebie from the Visual Communications Archives: “Comfort Girls”

“Comfort Girls” is a 5-minute short film.

The “Comfort Girls” initially appear in a Japanese garden in traditional Korean garb and sing before military officers of nations that have shaped the fate of a divided Korea. The officers sit at a table to a feast ravenously and disgustingly devouring food. The traditional quickly disappears and the Comfort Girls launch into a K-Pop song. This song rips into the occupation of Korea by military powers, the incessant and destructive quest for beauty and the shallowness of the entertainment business.

A compelling short history lesson of Korea and a satirical view of the male approved version of feminine beauty.

Directed by Eugene Lee Young. It is available free of charge now courtesy of Visual Communications. Go to https://watch.eventive.org/vcarchives then click on Voices of Pride and scroll to the short to watch for free or for a contribution if you wish.

RKS 2024 Film Rating; 96/100.

RKS 2024 Film: “I Used to be Funny”: A Filthy Snake in the Grass Bites a Comedian: Absolute Naturalness

The Canadian film titled “I Used to Be Funny” seems incompatible with the progression of the film but hints and innuendos are dropped along the way Hansel and Gretel fashion that taunt the viewer to determine why comedian Samantha Cowell (Rachel Sennott) is no longer funny as at the outset Sam is funny dropping one liners and receiving retorts from her roomies Paige (Sabrina Jadees) and Phillip (Caleb Hearon). Life appears to be jolly but hints are laid suggesting Sam is suffering and they intensify as the film rolls. But why?

Sam was hired as an “au pair” for 13-year-old Brooke (Olga Petsa) attempting to cope with the terminal illness and then the death of her mother Laura. Brooke and Sam hit it off primarily because Sam is not the typical child minder and her endless humour disarms both Brooke and her policeman father Cameron.

Weaving through the past and present it becomes apparent Sam is suffering from PTSD but why? A snake in grass bit Sam and the venom is her PTSD. The snakebite decimates Sam and Brooke and sends them hurtling towards self destruction.

Despite the relentless comedic aura of the film sinister reigns. Rest assured the puzzling title of the film about not being funny anymore is a lighthearted way of addressing a serious issue. It is perhaps her comedic soul that propels Sam to salvation while paradoxically it may have been very well mistakenly interpreted as a license for the snake bite.

Sennott is brilliant in her performance and Jadees and Hearon are lovable instantaneously and cement the complete naturalness of the film. The film is built and is launched into excellence by the interaction of the actors primarily as a result of the writing and directing of Ally Pankiw.

An impressive collage of indie music helps rubbing salt in the wounds.

The film deserves a major North American release. This is how good it is. Available on VOD/iTunes on 2July2024.

RKS 2024 Film Rating 94/100.

RKS 2024 Wine: You Hear “Barbera” Think Piedmont

As Italian wine goes hear “Barbera” think Piedmont with the best Barbera wine being produced near the towns of Asti and Alba. Barbera is Piedmont’s most widely planted variety and technically takes third place in prestige to Barolo and Barbaresco. Often prestige and palate are incompatible.

We try a Barbera D’Asti from Michele Chiarlo.

Aroma: Fig, blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and black plum.

Palate: On the tart side. Acidity in many red wines is off-putting unless the right accompanying food is served There is well integrated acidity in this wine and by that I mean it does not overpower the palate. Black cherry and blueberry battles “harmoniously” with the acidy. Short finish.

Personality: I am straight to the point and will admit I am built for food with some acidity in it. Don’t waste me drinking me at some corporate “team building” cocktail party.

Food Match: Livorno style baked cod.

Cellarbility: With its acidity I feel like “The Lost in Space” robot in a 1960’s television manner wildly waving its arms in distress shouting, “Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning” i.e. best drink now.

Price: $ 16.95 CDN (Ontario).

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 88/100. Wine Align and Wine Enthusiast 92.

(Le Orme Barbera D’Asti 2021, DOCG Michele Chiarlo, Calamandrana, Italy, 750, 14%).

RKS 2024 Wine: Monte Zovo Caligo Veronese 2018

This red wine is a blend of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella.

Aroma: Red cherry, cranberry and raspberry.

Palate: Relatively light and dry with low tannins making it an attractive sipper. Strawberry, raspberry jam and cactus pear. Moderately long finish.

Personality: I am easy going but not a push over. A mere IGT you say but I can stand with wines theoretically above my classification.

Food Match: Pizza Margherita with a Calabrese potato salad on the side.

Cellarbility: Drink by 2024-year end.

Price: $ 15.95 CDN (Ontario).

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 88/100. Wine Enthusiast 90.jamessuckling.com 92.

(Monte Zovo Caligo Rosso Veronese 2018, IGT, Monte Zovo, San Pietro in Cariano, Italy, 750 mL,13.5%).