by Brianne Welch | Mar 7, 2013 | News Slider, Opinion
Taqueria del Sol, the new restaurant in 12th Avenue South, has certainly got my vote. The Atlanta-based restaurant opened for the first time in Nashville on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The name of the restaurant makes the diner think of of truly authentic Mexican cuisine, but that is not entirely the case. While Taqueria del Sol is known for fantastic Mexican food, there are some delicious nontraditional items that are much more prominent. The first thing the waiter said to me when suggesting foods to try was that I should try the turnip greens. Now, I had never had them before, and turnip greens did not sound like they would taste good with a taco, but I gave it a shot. I was not disappointed. The turnip greens were spectacular! I make a point of emphasizing them because these turnip greens have been listed as one of the “100 Food You Absolutely Must Try Before You Die” according to Bon Appetit and Garden & Gun magazines. Another menu item that was especially delightful yet different for a Mexican restaurant was the shrimp corn chowder. I have never seen corn chowder as a Mexican dish, but either way, it was absolutely the best thing I tasted. I recommend this dish whenever you visit. Onto some more dishes — tacos and burritos. Taqueria del Sol has some specialty tacos. For example, I had the Memphis taco. It is simply a taco that consists of pulled pork, barbeque sauce and cheese (if you ask). I loved it. The burritos were also fantastic. Several different sauces are offered for the burrito. They offer somewhat...
by Cory Woodroof | Jun 22, 2012 | Uncategorized
After Cars 2, I began to wonder if Pixar’s magic was on a brief hiatus. Sure, Cars 2 isn’t a horrible film. It has some decent qualities, but the entire film just lacks the usual Pixar flair. As a frequent movie-goer, I have to admit that missing that yearly feeling of Pixar awe and wonder really left a hole in my cinematic heart. There’s just something about Pixar films that give viewers a special feeling. Thinking back on Ratatouille, I remember the flashback sequence to food critic Anton Ego’s childhood – that moment of serene bliss when old Ego remembers the feeling of a home-cooked meal. It’s one of my favorite moments in any movie ever. It’s what I feel when I watch movies that I love – many of them opening with the Pixar logo. So after Cars 2 disappointed, I began to wonder if that feeling would ever come back. Brave, the 13th Pixar film, brought back a few shreds of Pixar’s warmth, but not the entire feeling. The original fairy tale helped me remember some of the magic from Pixar’s past, but at the end, I just didn’t get full closure. Brave is a very well done Disney movie, but is it a great Pixar movie? That’s the question at hand. Brave is both an experiment and a dance in the comfort zone for Pixar. While this is the studio’s first fairy tale, Brave features so many staple features of the studio’s lineage of hits that it almost feels as if Pixar is treading light water. While Brave could have used the fierce stamp of originality...
by Cory Woodroof | Jun 11, 2012 | Uncategorized
In the film world, Prometheus has been arguably one of the most anticipated projects in quite some time. Seeing director Sir Ridley Scott return to the genre that made him famous with Alien has been a fanboy’s genie wish for ages. Having Scott return to the Alien universe? Don’t even get some people started. Prometheus initially started out as a straight prequel to Alien. Eventual co-writer John Spaihts created a draft for the prequel, but when the film headed in a different direction, elements of Spaihts’ story remained intact. Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof then took the reins and largely crafted the movie seen today. Both received credit for their work. If I can say anything about Prometheus, I’ll say that this factor looms heavily over the final product. In a brilliantly maddening way, Prometheus lives up to the hype of its ideas but drops the ball when it comes to narrative coherence. A film that tries too hard to be something that it is and probably shouldn’t be (an Alien quasi-prequel), Prometheus suffers from not being able to be its own film, but then again, some of the key plot points would not have received their greatness without a connection to the Alien universe. See where I’m at? Let’s start with what works before I get all flustered. Story-wise, just know a crew of space explorers aboard the Prometheus (led by Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, funded by Peter Weyland – a dying industry titan) head to a new planet to discover answers about the beginning of mankind. Once arrived, the crew finds out certain, terrifying truths that might alter the...
by Cory Woodroof | May 31, 2012 | Uncategorized
Unlike most folks, I have a definitive soft spot for Men in Black II. Sure, the film fails in comparison to the original and has some outstanding flaws, but there’s just something about the goofy follow-up that makes me defensive. Is it a good movie? Eh, not really. When I think of MiB II, I think of Ghostbusters II – a sequel full of fun villains and silly antics. Come to think of it, Ghostbusters and the original Men in Black also share some striking similarities. Both were game-changing works of sci-fi comedy that still carry a strong following. I say all that to say I really dug Men in Black 3. Let me back up a bit. When Men in Black 3 was announced, immediate groans were heard across the galaxy (see what I did there?). Viewed as nothing more than a needless sequel, fans of the original feared yet another lackluster follow-up to tarnish the reputation of the once-popular series. While I may be a fan, I’m in a small group. Honestly, adding in a third installment after a poorly received second feature will never be an easy journey. Just look how Ghostbusters III is doing. Thankfully, Men in Black 3 both returns back to the basics that made the original so fun and avoids the mistakes of the second installment. This time around, the audience finds Agents J (Will Smith returning to the screen after nearly four years away from movies) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) facing a new, time-altering threat in Boris the Animal (Jermaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords), a one-armed time traveling...
by Cory Woodroof | Sep 20, 2011 | News Slider
I really don’t think there is anything Brad Pitt can’t do. While some uneducated film-goers may write him off as one of Hollywood’s hollow “pretty boys”, most film lovers recognize that Pitt is one of the best actors in cinema right now. In Moneyball (based off the novel Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game), Pitt takes the reigns and delivers a fantastic performance as Billy Beane, the GM of the Oakland A’s. Billy Beane’s life revolves around baseball. He, in his glory days, was a star baseball player who was taken into the major leagues right out of high school. Beane’s journey in the major leagues drives his desire for success. Now the manager for a mediocre organization, he loses three major players and looks ahead to the future. His world is turned upside down when he meets Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). Brand, a scout for a rival organization, has a method of baseball that will change the method of scouting (and baseball) forever. Beane is quick to take Brand away from his old job and offer him a position with the A’s. The duo work together to craft a great team on the A’s meager budget and prove their naysayers wrong. The film follows the A’s 2002 season, as well as gives a striking character study of Beane. This is not just a movie about baseball. This is an engrossing look into the life of a man who is willing to do everything he can to be successful, even if it means approaching a radical method of carrying out business. The film itself depends on Pitt’s...
