And here we are, our season 3 finale!

This week, we’re closing out the season with Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi), a 2025 Norwegian drama directed by Joachim Trier. The film follows two sisters, Nora and Agnes, as they navigate the sudden return of their filmmaker father, Gustav, who abandoned them years prior. Starring Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning, Renate Reinsve, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, the film is a powerhouse that earned 9 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. 

To toast the finale, we’ve paired the film with The Pale Rose by Sacha Lichine. We were immediately drawn to the label, which evokes the elegance of Golden Age Hollywood. Just as there is so much complexity behind the scenes of a movie, there is a deep, emotional "sentimental value" beneath the surface of this story.

And, a message for our listeners: We are eternally grateful to you for carving out time in your busy lives for our chaotic thoughts. We’re already buzzing for next season: new films, new interviews, new ideas, and, of course, new wines. We’ve been pushing ourselves creatively on and off the mic, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next.

We’re taking some time this summer for vacations and family trips, but while we’re away, it would mean the world if you shared the podcast with your friends and family. We’ll see you in August for the Season 4 premiere. Until the next season (and sip!)

It’s hard to believe next Tuesday is our season three finale!

To celebrate, we’re wrapping up the season with two indie films that dominated this past awards circuit. This week, we’re diving into the 2025 film, Hamnet. The story follows William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, as they celebrate the birth of their son, Hamnet. However, when tragedy strikes and Hamnet dies young, it inspires Shakespeare to write his timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.

Directed by Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao, the film stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, alongside Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and Jacobi Jupe. Fun fact: Jessie Buckley actually took home the Oscar for Best Actress this past season for this incredible role.

We’ve paired Hamnet with a 2023 Averaen Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. Shoutout to Chantal for the assist on this pairing! This name is a loose translation for “Bird Queen,” a combination of the Latin Avis (bird) and the French Reine (queen). It mirrors the opening scene of Jessie Buckley with a hawk perfectly. It’s amazing to how these pairings always seem to align.

Whether you’ve already seen Hamnet or it’s still on your watchlist, we can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Join us in celebrating our 50th episode! 

Good Grief from 2023, written and directed by Dan Levy, was the very first indie film we experienced together in theaters three years ago - and it will forever hold a special place in our podcast history as the film that started it all.

Good Grief is an intimate story about love, loss, and the messy process of moving forward. It follows Marc as he navigates the sudden loss of his husband and travels to Paris with friends, uncovering truths about his relationship, his identity, and the life he thought he knew. 

It’s a film that sits in the uncomfortable spaces: unanswered questions, evolving identities, and the quiet, often complicated reality of being human.
Guys…we’ve recorded this episode multiple times, and at this point, we’re convinced it’s a little cursed. Between lost audio, scheduling chaos, and everything in between, this film really put us through it.
But for our 50th recording, we made it!

To celebrate this milestone, we went all out with not one, but TWO, beverages. 

The first: La Gioiosa Treviso Prosecco, our sparkling, celebratory pick that truly sets the bar with its crisp, refreshing, and festive profile.

And for a non-alcoholic counterpart: Mionetto Prosecco, offering the same light, bubbly experience so everyone can join in on the celebration.

Lastly, we want to thank all of you, our incredible listeners, for being part of this journey. Whether you’ve been here since day one, joined us halfway through, or are just tuning in now, your support means everything to us.

Here’s to many more episodes, more stories, and to finally, breaking the curse! 

Petite Maman (2021), directed by Céline Sciamma, is a French fantasy drama that follows 8 year old Nelly as she copes with the loss of her grandmother. While helping her parents clear out her grandmother's home, Nelly meets a mysterious girl who resembles her mother as a child, giving her a unique window into her parent's past.

We've paired Petite Maman with Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Mother Clone Zinfandel. The name Mother Clone felt especially fitting for the story, echoing the film's exploration of motherhood, memory, and connection. Even the label itself evoked the sense of a safe, intimate space that runs through the film. Sometimes the wine gods guide us to the perfect pairing before we even realize it.

Petite Maman (2021), directed by Céline Sciamma, is a French fantasy drama that follows 8 year old Nelly as she copes with the loss of her grandmother. While helping her parents clear out her grandmother's home, Nelly meets a mysterious girl who resembles her mother as a child, giving her a unique window into her parent's past.

We've paired Petite Maman with Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Mother Clone Zinfandel. The name Mother Clone felt especially fitting for the story, echoing the film's exploration of motherhood, memory, and connection. Even the label itself evoked the sense of a safe, intimate space that runs through the film. Sometimes the wine gods guide us to the perfect pairing before we even realize it.

Let’s dim the lights and step inside something a little more revealing with Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; a sharp, funny, and surprisingly moving story about what it means to rediscover yourself and start again.

At its heart, this film is about women reclaiming their power - owning their desires, their bodies, and their right to feel joy without apology. 

It challenges agism, reframes the idea of sex work, and reminds us that self-love isn’t something you age out of… it’s something you grow into.

Sometimes, what you’re searching for shows up in ways you never expected.

Pairing it with the Keplinger Hangman’s Red Wine from 2017 feels just right - bold, layered, and a little untamed. With rich notes of dark fruit and spice, it mirrors the film’s emotional depth and slow unraveling of inhibition.

Not a passive watch - or sip.

Both invite you to lean into discomfort, vulnerability, and the beauty of truly seeing yourself.

This week, we're taking it back to 2016 and discussing the New Zealand comedy-drama Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Directed by Taika Waititi and starring Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, and Rima Te Wiata, the film follows Ricky Baker, a rebellious foster kid who finally finds a loving home with Bella and her gruff husband, Hec. Following Bella's sudden death, a national manhunt ensues when Ricky and Hec, who initially clash, end up on the run together in the wilderness.

We paired Hunt for the Wilderpeople with Frenzy Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. The name "Frenzy" felt like a perfect match for the film's chaotic and heartfelt journey. With aromas of passion fruit, pineapple, and grapefruit, it's bright, vibrant, and a little wild, much like Ricky and Hec's adventure.

Some films stay with you long after the credits roll, Gruff is one of them.

This remarkable short from Righteous Robot blends handmade paper sets, puppetry, and “gekimation” to create an animation style that feels entirely its own. Every frame reflects the care, craftsmanship, and heart that went into bringing this story to life.

We’re thrilled to see Gruff getting the recognition it deserves. Unique voices and bold creative approaches like this are what make animation such a powerful and exciting art form.

To accompany this episode we’re sipping on the 1924 Port Barrel Aged Pinot Noir - a Pinot with a little attitude. Aged in port barrels, it delivers rich dark berry flavors, a touch of sweetness, and a smooth, velvety finish that makes every sip worth savoring. Chosen for its western-y feel, this wine brings a bit of frontier spirit to the glass.

Tune in and sip along!

What if the most powerful mob story… wasn’t about the mob bosses?

What if the real power lies in the silence that surrounds them.

In today’s episode we’re talking about Fresh Kills, Jennifer Esposito’s incredible film set in Staten Island in the late ’80s and ’90s. Rather than centering the men who run the mob, the story follows two sisters growing up within that world - navigating loyalty, family expectations and the complicated inheritance of a life shaped by organized crime. It’s explores what it means to grow up inside that system: the protection it offers, the pressure it creates, and the constant awareness that some truths are simply never spoken aloud.

For the wine pairing, we opened Saragat Monica Atzei - a bold Sardinian red with ripe dark berries, Mediterranean herbs, soft spice, and a little earthy edge.
Smooth, balanced, and dangerously drinkable.

ALSO, Patrick somehow nailed every single note during the tasting.
Absolute 10/10 performance.

And if things get a little chaotic toward the end of the episode… just know the wine was doing its job a little too well…

This week, we're discussing I Used To Be Funny (2023). The film follows stand up comedian Sam as she navigates life with PTSD and considers joining the search for a missing teenage girl she once nannied. The film stars Rachel Sennot, Caleb Hearon, Olga Petsa, and Sabrina Jalees, and makes the feature writing and directorial debut of Ally Pankiw.

We paired the film with Element[AL] Pinot Noir from Bogle Family Vineyards. The AL is boxed in on the label to reflect its 100% aluminum bottle packaging, offering a sustainable take on a California wine. This Pinot Noir features notes of ripe red berries, cherry, and subtle spice.

For a fun wine fact, Pinot Noir is known as the "heartbreak grape" because its notoriously delicate and difficult to grow, make it both challenging for winemakers and deeply rewarding when done right.