FOUR THUMBS UP

Erie Brewing Companys

Railbender Ale

My beer tasting pallet is minimal at best. It mostly includes slamming racks of Keystone during power hours that consist of nothing but Lil' Wayne and 80's pop hits. Sometimes I'll indulge myself and splurge on a case of Miller Light bottles and when I drink anything better it's usually because someone else is paying. That being said, I knew instantly that Railbender Ale was a winner. Despite the bottle resembling a railroad spike the beer inside was smooth and tasted delicious. I also had eaten Taco Bell for dinner that night but the Bell and Beer combo went easy on my stomach the next day. Overall I would recommended Railbender Ale but I won't know where it stacks up until the coming weeks as I sample more brands and become a true beer snob.

3 out of 4 thumbs

Saw IV

Making a fourth movie is a big step for a movie franchise. Instead of wrapping it up in a trilogy like Back to the Future, Pirates, and the Scream movies they decided to go for broke. Once you go past the third movie you become a series and god knows where it will end up. Much like Jason and Freddy it is now possible we will see Jigsaw killing people in space. In the fourth movie they show signs of going downhill. After three movies there are way to many no name characters that are cops, detectives, and victims to keep straight. The biggest star is New Kids on the Block alum Donnie Whalberg and he spends the entire movie with hippie hair moaning and groaning on a block of ice. It would help to watch the other movies before watching this one to know what is going on but I haven't seen the first Saw in over 3 years. For most of the movie I didn't who was doing what and forgot what the characters had done in the other movies. It's fine to do that in a sequel but it's hard to just pick up the movie and watch it if you hadn't seen the other ones especially if you have to watch or remember 4 or 5 other movies.
Saw is still legend at what it does best. The traps are ridiculous and it has enough blood and guts to satisfy. Nothing in this movie tops the needle pit in the 2nd or the best of the Hostel scenes but the hair pulling scene would make even a bald man puke. The trademark Saw twist ending is in play and while not as good as the others it still blows your mind and makes the movie come together. Saw IV was sweet enough that I will continue to watch the movies but I would wait until they hit the dollar theater or one day. Overall the trap scenes and ending make it slightly better than average so I give it

2.2 out of 4 thumbs


The 'Trail