Blood Into Wine (2010)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

The concept of a documentary based around the entrepreneurial ventures of a rock star may not be to everyone's palate, one only has to think of the excited anticipation which 'Salmon Farming with Roger Daltrey!' or 'Cheese Making with the floppy haired posh boy who used to be in Blur' would arouse to confirm such a fact.'Blood Into Wine' is about Maynard James Keenan (frontman with Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer); well to be more precise, it's about his vineyard in Arizona. A place where he has been toiling for over a decade to produce a unique and remarkable range of wines. This is a project in which he has partnered with Eric Glomski, an exceptionally affable and knowledgeable expert in the field of challenging cultivation.The documentary very soon focuses less about the man and more about his endeavour and becomes something altogether more fascinating than your average 'rock star' feature. Keenan is an interesting individual and his musical exploits are attested to by a barrage of talking heads, but the real interest lies in the meticulous and challenging procedure by which wine is conceived, grown and processed.The location of Arizona is one which baffles most wine critics, yet upon inspection, the volcanic residue and limestone rich soil evokes a similar planting ground as that of southern Sicily. Different critics and writers are used throughout the film and each brings their own particular observations of the wine industry and the pretensions that exist around it.It will probably be a bit of a let-down for anyone who is seeking a documentary about Tool, but Puscifer get a bit of screen time, including a brief conversation with sometimes vocalist Milla Jovovich. It would be best to approach this with an open mind and an open bottle.Read more at zombiehamster.com

When I read the synopsis I almost rolled my eyes, thinking the premise sounded hoaky. But I remembered how awesome Maynard was, the lead for Tool and other bands.So I did addition: Maynard + Wine = The was relatively low budget movie, but you couldn't tell at all. It was well made and well conceived. I tell you the show stealer was not Maynard but his partner in the wine business, Eric. Eric was a geologist and you can feel his enthusiasm for all things that grow. Listening to him made me inspired about the technical aspects of making wine, geographic location, etc.Maynard inspired me on why 'he' or 'one' should make wine. It is about the journey within yourself, so basically there was a duel message in the film that I thought was a perfect message.This movie was also quite funny and I won't give any of that away. So for an hour and a half I was totally entertained and felt inspired to drink wine, specifically wine from Arizona.I gave it an 8 because nothing gets a 10 unless with very few exceptions.

What we have here is... quite simply; an exploration of two unique minds with very unique approaches towards life and all passions accessible within said life. I will not go on and on about how this film affected me or made me feel... It wouldn't do it any justice. Because just like the premise of the film... it is what it means to YOU... It is how it made YOU feel... I will say on my behalf that it was a genuine motivator in wanting to create and establish meaning to the earth; we as it's keepers treading and roaming it's soil and countless acres... You do not have to be wine fanatics; let alone Maynard fanatics (which is never a problem), to enjoy the sweetness this film offers. Of course it is punctuated by bits of humor that feels quite Maynard-ish, but the overall message is felt strongly.... Take an hour and a half... enjoy it...