🎥 8 Underrated Action Movies to pair with your Whiskey

More and more, I'm convinced the critics have a vendetta against action movies. Open up rotten tomatoes and you can find many instances where the critic score and the audience score are dramatically different. My explanation for this would be that grading an action flick by the same criterial that you would apply to an art-film or drama likely ignores the directorial intent and audience appeal of a perhaps shallow but thoroughly entertaining film. When you're just looking to kick back and sip some juice, these underrated action movie throwbacks do plenty to check all of your fast-food action boxes.

1. Dredd (2012) - For Stunning Slow motion Action Sequences

Karl Urban takes to the streets as Judge Dredd, a law enforcement officer with cool armor, a cooler gun, and no need for a jury or executioner. This visually impressive film is self aware and offers deadpan humor in addition to excellent camera placement. The movie well captures the gritty dystopian aesthetic of the sci-fi future comic on which it is based. Both critics and audiences thought this movie delivered above and beyond from a quality perspective, but a disappointing lack of marketing throttled box office performance.

Pair With: Peaty Scotch - Laphroaig 10 - As Gruff as the Judge Himself!

2. Van Helsing (2004) - Monster Slaying Action Reaction

Hugh Jackman takes on a myriad of storied enemies in this Monster of the Week Mashup. Critics weren't big fans of the gratuitous use of early 200s CGI and some of the dialog is a bit campy. On the bright side, the action sequences are well done and non-stop. Those in the right mindset may find the banal script amusing. I watch it every Halloween.

Pair With: Sherry Finished Whiskey - Stranahan's Sherry Cask or Glenmorangie Lasanta - Blood!

3. Treasure Planet (2002) - For Watching with your Kids

This futuristic retelling of Treasure Island, the greatest children's story of all time, features excellent animation, a plucky soundtrack, and memorable characters. A lack of princesses contributed to its relatively obscurity, though in my experience people always get excited when you mention it.

Pair With: Salty Scotch - Bunnahabhain 10 yr Single Malt - Taste the brine!

4. IP Man (2008) - Kung Fu the Way it should be

In Hong Kong film set during the Sino-Japanese war, Bruce Lee portrays a skilled wing chun master captured with his family. Fight choreography is impeccable and the acting superb. It was well received when it launched in China but remains relatively niche in the USA. The film went on to receive three sequels.

Pair With: Japanese Whisky - Nikka Coffey Malt or Nikka From the Barrel - Because far East!

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Movie Poster

5. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) - A Contemporary Fiction Buffet

This mash of up literary leading characters from an assortment of authors features constant action, managing to be quite entertaining in spite of the thin plot and trite dialog that spurred critical ire. Sean Connery joins a large cast outfitted with an impressive assortment of practical effects, jaunty score, and outrageously intricate costumes to defeat a secret evil in a classic world chasing struggle of good versus evil. You'll enjoy this one more if you're relatively well read.

Pair With: Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea - Captain Nemo Approved!

A Knights Tale Movie Poster - Heath Ledger

6. A Knights Tale (2001) - Tasteful Anachronism and Jousting

Heath Ledger stars as a peasant who takes the place of his former liege after the knight passes away, pretending to be a noble in order to complete in a series of jousting tournaments in the pursuit of fame, fortune, and love. Loosely based on the Canterbury tales, this well paced film features endearing characters, lively action sequences, and just the right amount of comedy. Listen for a classic rock soundtrack and look for fashion from the finest European brands highlighted by a monotone and dearly medieval setting.

Pair With: Old Grand-Dad 114 - Salute to the old man!

7. Hellboy (2004) - A Smashing Good Time, Surprisingly Funny

Guillermo del Toro directs Ron Perlman in this fun and big-hearted action flick filled with all sorts of baddies, rock-and-roll, and the occasional dry wit. It suffers from some issues with pacing and didn't resonate with some audiences but did better than expected with critics, probably the best action flick of the year. Who doesn't love a demon working for the US government?

Pair With: Barrel Proof Bourbon - Benchmark Barrel Proof - I think he'd like cheap and big bourbon.

8. Pacific Rim (2013) - Big Robots, Bigger Monsters, Epic Fun

One of the more well crafted CGI popcorners, Pacific Rim combines awesome action, solid acting, and a simple plot to satisfy everyone's inner child. The pacing is solid and a great cast helps to carry the momentum forward. What could be better than robots fighting sea kaiju. A boys night favorite!

Pair With: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Rye or Bourbon - a treat!

🍺 Definitive Light Beer Tier List: Meta-Analysis & Ranking

Trends come and go: Craft Beer, Hard Seltzer, Canned Cocktails, and more. In the world of beverage, the currents are constantly shifting, but one drink has an irrevocable grip on America: Light Beer. Good old beer flavored beer may take a hit from new competition, but brands like Miller Lite and Michelob Ultra constantly sit at the top of sales volume lists, even with the fall of Bud Light and rise of Modelo's Flagship. But which light beer is best? Let's find out. Methodology - Light Beer Ranking Taste preferences vary significantly between consumers, but across a large sample we should be able to get a somewhat representative picture of the populations preferences. For this ranking, we will combine data sourced from multiple beer rating sites with an internal Castle & Cairn house ranking to create an overall beer quality score. The starting population of beer brands will be those that are explicitly branded as "flagship light" or beers with less than 100 calor...

🍺 Costco's Kirkland Vintage Ale 2025 - Review & Tasting Notes

Fall is in the air, and that means we have yet another year of Kirkland's Vintage Ale! Brewed proudly by Deschutes (pronounced "Da-Shootz") in Bend, Oregon, this Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout spends nine months in the wood, picking up what the whiskey left behind (mostly vanillin and tannins). Bottled over the summer, this particular beer is from Lot B. Neither Costco nor the packaging give us much additional detail beyond the ABV and style. I remember finding last year 's edition to be solid but nothing to write home about, fairly dry but a pleasant pour. The use of the work "vintage" to me implies that some changes may be made year-to-year but we'll have to see if our taste buds can help us validate. How does the 2025 vintage fair? 💅Style: Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout 🛒Sourced: $7.99 Costco, GA for a 22oz bottle. $2 cheaper than the 2024 edition! 💥Hops: Not Mentioned sadly. Other ingredients include chocolate malt, milled oats and Dutc...

🥃 Best Bourbons at Every Price Point Guide - Updated for 2025

Bourbon, America's native spirit, offers a wide range of flavors and experiences. Bourbon hunters scour the shelves for rare or premium offerings but a rising tide lifts all ships. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or just starting your bourbon journey, there's a perfect bottle out there for you, and at a price that fits your wallet. Here's a quick guide to some of the best bourbons at various price points in 2025 that you won't have to search all over the world to find. Methodology Pricing will be for $750ml bottles of bourbon since that size the most widely available. Similarly, I am only bringing in bottles that can be readily found in the market (proxying this by using the stock from my local Total Wine for the base catalog and pricing unless noted). The best bourbon in the world isn't the best bourbon in YOUR world if you can't reasonably find it. Additionally, chosen bottles must be versatile enough to be consumed straight or neat as well as in a ...

🥃 Review #40: Kirkland Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2024)

Like Costco's other Scotches, the Kirkland Signature Islay Single Malt is bottled for Alexander Murray and imported by MISA Imports after being distilled and aged in Scotland (TTB.gov plant registry TX-I-1277). The isle of Islay is one of the southern most islands in Scotland and is one of the five whisky regions ensconced in law. There are only nine active distilleries on the island, and the Islay style is typified by strong peat or smoky flavors. As a single malt, we know that the juice in this bottle comes entirely from one of those nine! All of the distilleries are significantly smaller than Glenlivet and many of the mainland producers. Taste testing has people split between Caol Illa, Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte), and Bunnahabhain as being the source. Caol Illa and Laphroig both have done deals for private brand scotch without rights to name the source distillery, but Laphroig does not match the flavor profile for this bottle. Realistically, Caol Illa is the most likely cand...

🥃Review #53: Costco's Kirkland 15YR Highland Single Malt Scotch - 2025

The 2025 release of Costco's Kirkland 15-year Highland Scotch hit shelves in late January and is a recurring installment on an annual cadence. The first pallet to hit my local store sold out almost immediately. Thankfully, we got two more shipments at one pallet each that hung around a bit longer and I was able to snag a bottle. Like in previous years, this Highland Scotch is finished in sherry casks. Alexander Murray & Co. is the bottler with MISA imports out of Texas bringing it to the States for consumption (Costco's standard sourcing pattern for Scotch). The bottle has a nice heft to it and there is an ensconced Alexander Murray Lion adding some nice texture to the front of the bottle. Steve Lipp, CEO of Alexander Murray, calls it "Perfect for after dinner drinking." All-in-all, this shows an attempt to elevate the product and presentation from the ubiquitous blends and non-age stated iterations you'll sometimes find under the Kirkland label. Neither Alex...

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