Then, what about “The Champagne of Maine,” a boozy romp depicting how the Massachusetts-(booo)-made coffee-flavored alcoholic beverage and low-rent Kahlúa substitute Allen’s Coffee Brandy inexplicably became our state’s most treasured and copiously consumed brand of hooch. There’s even a can’t miss late-film twist, where our intrepid culinary investigator (I’m picturing Pedro Pascal, mainly because I want him to come to Maine so I can be his best friend) uncovers a dusty, long-forgotten tome called, “Yummy Book.” Which is a real cookbook put out by the deceptively named Massachusetts’ (boooo) company Durkee Mower which never sold mowers, but does sell Marshmallow Fluff, the ideal filling, according to the 1930-era “Yummy Book,” for a recipe called … “Amish Whoopie Pie.” Dum-dum-dummm.Īllen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy long held the title of best-selling liquor in Maine. Or that the Pennsylvania angle is sweetened even more by claims that the Amish there invented the tummy-swelling treat but, thanks to a cultural aversion to leaving a paper trail, the idea was snapped up and appropriated by out-of-staters. Where’s the drama, you ask? Well, how about the fact that there are at least four other states laying claim to the creation of everyone’s favorite, Maine-claimed disc of white goo sandwiched between two slightly dry chocolate wafers, including Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Virginia and Massachusetts (boooo). Up first is “Whoopie!,” a rollicking, tastily exciting depiction of the still-roiling controversy surrounding the invention of Maine’s official treat (not a joke, look up the 2011 Maine legislative record). Whoopie pies are Maine’s official state treat. Greg Kinnear starred as the guy who invented the intermittent windshield wiper in 2008’s “Flash of Genius,” while 2015’s “Joy” chronicled a real-life housewife (Jennifer Lawrence) realizing her dreams by inventing a mop that later sold moderately well on QVC. And I know there’s a whole sneaker culture out there, at least partly inspired by the social phenomenon that were those original Air Jordan 1s, which still look pretty cool.) Also, there have been other movies built around similarly unassuming-looking products and inventions over the years. “Air’s” story looks poised to delve into the social impact of Nike’s ultimately groundbreaking choice of spokesperson, elevating Michael Jordan’s brand even higher than the all-time great could actually leap on his way to the hoop. (Just going to throw out a few essential examples in “Matewan,” “Harlan County, USA,” “The Corporation,” “The Big Short.”) But a sneaker? (Say all you want about the guy’s mediocre Batman and celebrity page ubiquity, but go watch the Affleck-directed 2007 movie “Gone Baby Gone” and get back to me.) There are some good actors rounding out the cast (Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina), all having some fun in their 1980s haircuts and office attire, and “Air” made the canny choice to cast the great Viola Davis as Jordan’s take-charge mom, Deloris, which, apart from counterbalancing all the middle-aged male whiteness, all but guarantees I’ll go and see what is, from the outside, a bafflingly unnecessary piece of corporate propaganda.ĭon’t get me wrong, business is an essential part of human civilization, and movies about the economic and political effects of capitalism are A-OK with this movie fanatic. Opening nationwide this week, “Air” is, naturally, the story of how struggling athletic shoe company Nike (ever heard of it?) took the advice of marketing consultant Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) to pin all their hopes on a brand-new basketball sneaker built around a North Carolina college star and untested NBA draft pick named Michael Jordan. No, I’m not talking about the long-overdue, much needed first warmish breezes of spring (although, hallelujah), but the new sort-of sports movie directed by Ben Affleck and re-teaming Affleck with his “Good Will Hunting” Oscar co-winner Matt Damon in a real-life tale about … a sneaker.
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