This is one of my favorite movies. I love how the characters and the plot develop slowly. Each character is totally unique and has something great to give to the plot that is so bizarre you wonder what in the world is happening. But everything is connected in a surprising way. It's one of those movies that you don't get until the end when everything is pulled together-and then you are stunned. The relationships that the characters portray having with each other is very realistic and common - even though their story is so strange. I'm not a new-ager, but I think that this movie definitely warrants a watch. Awesome job!! I wish they would put more out like this. Favorite part: when Ross gets his guitar and plays his heart out. Nothing like it!

Minnie Driver and her sister were two of the co-producers. It is set in California, a farm that looks like it could be near the wine country. Uncle Cullen (superb Nigel Hawthorne) and two brothers co-own the land and whatever else is on it. Uncle Cullen comes off as more than a bit eccentric, to the constant consternation of one of the brothers, Ross (played smartly by Rufus Sewell). The other brother communes with nature and seems content with going off into the woods to work on the garden.Ross's problem is that he never has been really successful at anything. Well, there was this one thing, apparently a very gifted musician playing the guitar and composing, but he wanted to be a business success, and needed cash to buy an old manganese mine, sure that it would be his big enterprise, and also allow him to win the hand of Kendal (Minnie Driver).As the story begins we see a Mr Tang, buying agent, and Ross examining each of the old bottles of rare wine in the cellar, Ross hoping to sell then for the thousands that will allow him to buy the mine. But, nothing goes as Ross plans.SPOILERS. One morning everyone wakes up to wine everywhere, even in the well water. Turns out that Uncle Cullen has opened each of the wine bottles and poured them out, in effect short-circuiting Ross' plan. The make matters worse, Uncle had delivered a very large while column in the yard, and the bill to Ross was over $126,000. When it was all done, however, it turns out Uncle Cullen was the smartest one, facilitating Ross' getting back to the guitar, the former champion diver to quit looking for perfection, and generally helping all to realize that it is best to live to your strengths and not try to become something you are not.

I picked this up mostly because I like many of the films that Minnie Driver has played. However 'Uncorked' (the video title of 'On Sachem Farm') is not a vehicle to showcase what she does, and she doesn't do that great at that. I would have liked to know a lot more about Laurie (Amelia Heinle), and less of Kendal (Minnie Driver). I felt the 'Matrix'-like special effects distracted in almost every case -- especially the 3-4 scene subliminal montage as Laurie looks through the telescope at the garden (twice!). Continuity, pacing, and plain effective story telling were weaker than I had expected. I did like the video overall. 5.5/10

Dialogue that practiced what it was preaching... in that, if one just sits down things will become clear. Uncorked (or ‘At Sachem Farm') will probably click more with new agers than gen-Xers... highlighting the silliness of pursuing material wealth over personal happiness and fulfillment. Excellent cinematography coupled with an outstanding soundtrack (Tara MacLean, Sara McLachlan, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Grant Lee Buffalo) combine to make it one of the best ‘feel good' movies I've seen in a while.