Perfect Pairings @ Soda Rock Winery

Join AVFilm’s film club! Each month, we will gather in different Sonoma County exclusive locations to explore the intersection of two perfectly paired films curated by AVFilm’s Programming Team. This month, we will gather at Soda Rock to discuss Dead Man and Slow West, a stunning pair of revisionist westerns produced a generation apart by the leading independent studios of their time, Miramax and A24. Veteran filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and first-timer John Maclean bring together some of Hollywood’s top talent to re-invent the Western genre with two innovative tales of misanthropes venturing into the American West. The ticket price includes entrance to the conversation, two glasses of wine perfectly paired with each film, and bar snacks. NOTE: Attendees will view films in the comfort of their homes prior to the conversation. After tickets are purchased, AVFilm will send viewing instructions and recommendations via email. URL: https://avfilmpresents.org/events/perfectpairings/ FILMS DESCRIPTION: DEAD MAN Jim Jarmusch, 1995, USA In one of Jarmusch’s most beautiful and poetic films, Cleveland accountant William Blake (Johnny Depp) is forced on the run after a shootout with the son of the town’s top businessman (Robert Mitchum). After fleeing into the woods, Blake encounters Nobody (Gary Farmer), a Indian shaman who serves as his spiritual guide. Building on the tradition of the acid western, the film reimagines Western expansion as an allegorical quest for enlightenment. Featuring breathtaking cinematography by Robby Müller, an improvised rock score by Neil Young, and exceptional supporting performances by John Hurt, Crispin Glover, Iggy Pop, Gabriel Byrne, and Billy Bob Thornton, Dead Man is a stunning cinematic achievement. 120 minutes. Characteristics: Crisp, Dry, Acquiescent, Enigmatic SLOW WEST John Maclean, 2015, UK Writer/director John Maclean breathes new life into the Western genre with his debut film about a young Scottish man (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who traverses the wild west looking for his lost love. When he hires a morally dubious bounty hunter (Michael Fassbender) to protect him from the fine folk of 19th century America, his quest suddenly becomes more than he bargained for. Gorgeously shot in New Zealand and perfectly melancholy, Slow West constantly surprises its audience at each turn examining Western tropes through a completely original point-of-view. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. 84 minutes. Characteristics: Bold, Original, Dark, Unexpected