Comedies

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

LizLocke1 Comment
Image: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 1998

I’m writing to you from the cold confines of an air-conditioned casino, marked safe from the “dry heat” of Sin City. As the most boring Vegas-goer you’ll ever meet, I’m basically the opposite of the characters in this week’s pick Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Disc/Download). But even though I’m a “three drinks is my limit” kind of girl, that doesn’t mean I’m not up for a cinematic visit to the weird, drug-fueled land of Hunter S. Thompson.

In my opinion, this cult classic survives thanks to three things: Johnny Depp’s narration, the soundtrack, and the production design. Thank goodness director Terry Gilliam chose to stay faithful to Thompson’s original novel by setting this in 1971 because the time period offers a rich visual language you wouldn’t get if it was set in the 1990s. This language includes pink shag carpeting at the Flamingo hotel and casino, the revolving carousel bar at the circus-themed casino (how I wish Circus Circus had instead been named Bazooko Circus!!!), and vintage signs blinking over the Strip. I’m along for this ride because the music is good, the guy on the bar stool is saying some pretty interesting things, and I like how everything looks. I’m not there for the plot, of which there is none, or the drugs, of which there are too many.

Speaking of the revolving carousel, I’ve been to the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, but that one sort of creeps along. The Bazooko Circus carousel is a tilt-a-whirl by comparison! While you’re watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I recommend drinking this Carousel cocktail, adapted from Tim Miner’s recipe for Death & Co.

Carousel

1 oz cognac

¼ oz absinthe

½ oz Crème de Noyaux

¾ oz lime juice

½ oz pineapple juice

½ oz simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain into a glass filled with fresh crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple leaf.

With its strong Tiki vibe and strange collection of ingredients, this’ll make you feel like you’re Hunter S. Thompson in a Hawaiian shirt, cozied up to a Vegas bar with your favorite attorney. Maybe the absinthe will make you hallucinate bats or narco agents—who’s to say? Cheers!

Classic Films · Dramas

Picnic

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Image: Picnic, 1955

In my professional opinion, summertime calls for fruity cocktails and shirtless classic film heartthrobs. This week’s film Picnic (Disc/Download) is full of hot people who can’t handle their passion or their liquor, and I think of it as a precursor to my other favorite movie in this hyper-specific genre, Splendor in the Grass. William Inge has always been the king of summer lust.

On first glance, the town in this movie gives me goosebumps because it looks so similar to where I spent my summers in rural Ohio. The actual location is Kansas, but it could be any Midwestern town where houses come with a big backyard, a nosy old woman or two, and a wholesome charm that makes you feel safe enough to ride a bike through the streets with no adult supervision. In Picnic, this wholesomeness contrasts with the dangerous new energy introduced by a handsome drifter (William Holden). He catches the eye of his old chum’s girlfriend (Kim Novak), and works an unmarried, old-maid school teacher (Rosalind Russell) into a drunken lather. Holden and Novak have amazing chemistry, and it makes sense why they’d both throw their lives down the drain for a chance at passion: a life without it would be no life at all.

The movie gets its title from the town’s Labor Day picnic, and what’s a picnic without a giant wall of watermelon?

This cocktail is summer in a glass, and it’s the perfect choice to cool you off when William Holden starts looking too damn hot. While watching Picnic, I recommend drinking this Watermelon Cosmo. 

Watermelon Cosmo

½ cup fresh watermelon juice

2 oz vodka

¾ oz Cointreau

½ oz lime juice

Mint sprig, fresh watermelon (garnish)

Pulse seedless watermelon cubes in a blender until you have about a cup. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, and put ½ cup strained juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add vodka, Cointreau, and lime juice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cube of fresh watermelon and a sprig of mint.

Picnic is a film that demands to be seen on the big screen, and until I get the opportunity to experience its full CinemaScope brilliance, the living room will simply have to do. No bugs, plenty of cocktails, and no chance of sunburn—my favorite kind of picnic. Cheers!

Comedies

The Cat’s Meow

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Image: The Cat’s Meow, 2001

I’ve just returned from my summer travels, and wow, what a whirlwind! Ever hear the phrase, “I need a vacation from my vacation?” I understand it now, and so do the characters in Peter Bogdanovich’s The Cat’s Meow (Disc/Download). Was Hollywood producer Thomas Ince just “dying” to get off the Hearst yacht by any means necessary? Let’s set sail on a weekend full of mystery, intrigue, and maybe a little murder.

In telling the story of the untimely death of “Father of the Western” Ince, Bogdanovich gives us a fascinating glimpse into the world of William Randolph Hearst. It was a world full of lavish parties where guests of Hearst (think: politicians, titans of industry) would mingle with guests of his mistress, actress Marion Davies (think: lowly Hollywood folk) in boozy weekends full of stunning views and lush accommodations. In this case, it’s the Hearst yacht, carrying Charlie Chaplin, gossip columnist Louella Parsons, writer Elinor Glynn, producer Thomas Ince, and other prominent figures of the Jazz Age. They think they’re in for a fabulous cruise to San Diego, but what they don’t realize is that W.R. has trapped them in a game where he holds all the cards, and there are no winners. This man is so petty and paranoid that he spends the whole trip spying on his guests, certain they’re disrespecting him behind his back. And, admittedly, Marion is contemplating a dalliance with the little tramp Chaplin. This ship is full double-crossers and manipulators, and it’s a reminder of why I loathe cruising—you’re stuck in a confined space with insufferable people, and the solution is to either to swim for shore, or get unreasonably drunk.

One positive thing (maybe the only positive thing) I will say about Hearst is that he threw a hell of a dinner party. Even during Prohibition, he allowed his guests one cocktail apiece, plus all the Charleston dancing they could handle. Let’s toast the jubilant Jazz Age with this Charleston cocktail.

Charleston

½ oz gin

½ oz orange liqueur

½ oz maraschino liqueur

½ oz sweet vermouth

½ oz dry vermouth

½ oz cherry brandy

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Stir to chill, then strain into a glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

I was lucky enough to visit the Hearst Castle on my travels, and what a treat it was to see the spaces where Willie and Marion entertained their guests. Everything was so well preserved, it felt like Joan Crawford or Cary Grant could be coming up from the tennis court at any moment, requesting a cocktail before dinner. It preserves a moment in time where the stars came down to earth—mingling, dealing, and dreaming—in this pleasure palace on a hill. Cheers!

Dramas

Milk

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Image: Milk, 2008

Since my summer vacation includes a stop in San Francisco during Pride Month, now seems like a great time to watch one of my favorite biopics, Milk (Disc/Download). Gus Van Sant’s film about trailblazing politician Harvey Milk is essential viewing for anyone who wants to learn more about the gay rights movement, and it’s also a perfect reminder of why the fight continues today.

In our current world, a politician like Harvey Milk seems almost unfathomable. He fought against bigots like Anita Bryant and John Briggs not with hateful rhetoric or kowtowing to the middle, but by taking the radical stance that queer people must come out of the closet and face their oppressors head-on. He reasoned that if more people knew how many of their friends, co-workers, family members, and community members were gay, they would realize the fight is personal. They would understand that gay rights is human rights because these are human beings they already know and love. It was a winning strategy that got an archaic bill targeting gay and lesbian educators defeated, and it raised Harvey’s name recognition throughout the country. Finally, this marginalized community felt like they had a protector in government. But of course, this being America, hope was defeated by gun violence and an entitled, petulant man with a terrible haircut. Some things never change.

As much as I want to make a “Burn in Hell, Anita Bryant” orange juice cocktail, I’m choosing to celebrate the hero instead of the villain. This drink is sweet and smooth, just like Harvey himself. While watching Milk, I recommend trying this Harvey Milk Punch.

Harvey Milk Punch

2 oz bourbon

3 oz whole milk

½ oz crème de cacao

½ oz maraschino liqueur

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Grated nutmeg (garnish)

Shake all liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Milk unfortunately features some truly trash men among its cast, but I’m willing to look past their well-publicized misdeeds in order to focus on the characters they portray. There have certainly been great strides made in LGBTQ+ rights since Harvey inspired a city and a nation, but sadly, America is in a period of backsliding. I hope the pendulum swings the other way soon, just as I hope we have great leaders who will inspire us with messages of love, not hate. I’m ready to be recruited. Cheers!

Classic Films · Comedies

Operation Petticoat

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Image: Operation Petticoat, 1959

What’s better than being trapped on a submarine with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Being trapped on a pink submarine with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This week, Blake Edwards makes military service look downright enjoyable in the 1959 romp, Operation Petticoat (Disc/Download).

We all have our favorite iterations of Cary Grant, but to me, the actor is at his best while playing a grumpy hero who is awkward around women. It’s not that he doesn’t know what to do with a woman; it’s that he doesn’t know what to do with a woman in this particular situation. It’s fun to see Cary try to squeeze past buxom actresses in the narrow, cramped hallways of a submarine, just as it’s fun to watch them wreak havoc on his calm, orderly operation. This navy commander simply wants to get through the South Pacific in one piece, but to do it, he needs every bra, girdle, and can of pink paint he can find. He also needs a man who knows how to get things, and since Morgan Freeman was unavailable, he’s stuck with playboy/petty thief Tony Curtis in dress whites.

When the crew runs out of time to cover their pink paint job with boring old grey, they act horribly embarrassed, but I think it’s fantastic. Why shouldn’t they have the prettiest sub in the fleet? While watching Operation Petticoat, I recommend drinking this boozy version of a “Pink Drink”, the Sea Tiger.

Sea Tiger

1 oz fresh lime juice

1 oz unsweetened coconut cream

2 oz pineapple juice

1 oz dragon fruit syrup

3 oz gold Puerto Rican rum

1 oz PAMA pomegranate liqueur

8 oz crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend for five to ten seconds, then pour into a Tiki mug or glass. Garnish with a flower.

Something I love about this movie is how the female characters bring this submarine to life. Sure, it’s fun to watch Tony Curtis foil Cary Grant’s plans for a professional, by-the-book military operation, but it’s even more entertaining to watch a gaggle of pretty nurses send him into a tizzy. Turns out, pink really is his color. Cheers!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Uncategorized

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

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Image: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, 2024

As I wait for peach season to fully hit central Texas, I’m getting a taste of my favorite summertime fruit with a sparkling cocktail and a post-apocalyptic film about maintaining hope in the darkest of times. I have two peach trees that haven’t yielded a single fruit in ten years, but somehow Furiosa can grow one in a dry wasteland whose main crops seem to be gasoline and bullets. Make it make sense!!! Buckle up, fill your tank with gin—we’re watching Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Disc/Download).

I’m sure I’ll always regret not watching Fury Road upon its initial release (mostly because my husband still hasn’t forgiven me for abandoning him at the movie theater), so when Furiosa came out several years later, I wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. This high-octane thriller carries the visual masterpiece torch perfectly, serving as a prequel to Fury Road by focusing on the origin story of that film’s badass female protagonist. We learn how Furiosa’s mother died, we learn how she lost the arm, and we learn what pushed her to finally make her great escape with the Wives. Along the way, we get another unhinged cult leader in the form of Chris Hemsworth’s Dementus, acting as foil to original evil cult leader, Immorten Joe. Anya Taylor-Joy does a fantastic job filling in the blanks left by Charlize Theron’s Furiosa, and I’m still amazed that a movie marketed toward the male populace managed to birth one of our greatest feminist action heroes. Ladies, there’s plenty here for you, too.

Furiosa carries a peach pit from her homeland, “the place of abundance”, as a reminder of what the world could be like without the corrupt leaders of the Citadel. Let’s cool off with a cocktail that might be icy cold, but still has a subtle bit of heat behind it. While watching Furiosa, I recommend drinking this Spicy Peach Spritz.

Spicy Peach Spritz

1 ½ oz gin (I use Engine, which is not only thematically perfect, but also very tasty!)

1 oz St. Germain

2 slices jalapeno pepper, seeds removed

1 basil leaf, plus more for garnish

2 oz peach juice

3 oz Prosecco

2 oz sparkling water

Muddle the jalapeno and basil leaf with St. Germain and gin in the bottom of a shaker. Add peach juice and ice, and shake to combine. Fill a glass with ice, then double strain the contents of shaker into it. Top with Prosecco and sparkling water and stir gently. Garnish with a sprig of basil.

Having watched the original Mad Max, and half of The Road Warrior before I fell asleep, I can say that I absolutely love the new direction George Miller has taken this franchise. No longer are women relegated to side roles, gimmicks, and victimhood; they are the main characters and heroes of these movies. The visuals just get better and better, and so too does the political, sociological, and environmental commentary. I don’t know what’s next for Mad Max (if anything), but if this saga is over, at least it went out in a blaze of glory. Cheers!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Uncategorized

Raiders of the Lost Ark

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Image: Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981

This week started with a cocktail: a Tiki classic, the Cobra’s Fang. And what’s one of the most iconic cobra scenes in cinema history? Harrison Ford facing off with his slithering, hissing archenemy in Raiders of the Lost Ark (Disc/Download).

Although I’m a Last Crusade girl through and through, I still love aspects of the first installment in Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones franchise. Primarily Marion, who is Indy’s true match in terms of courage, gumption, intelligence, and alcohol tolerance. She’s the kind of heroine I love to see in classic films—a woman capable of taking care of herself, but willing to accept help from a handsome leading man when the situation calls for it. Being kidnapped by Nazis is one such situation. But beyond the great and powerful Marion, this is simply a fun adventure flick and perfect vehicle to showcase Harrison Ford’s charisma. I don’t know much about archeology, but I definitely would have claimed a front-row seat in one of Dr. Jones’ classes.

Now back to the cocktail. The Cobra’s Fang packs a bite thanks to the overproof rum, and Don the Beachcomber was right to blend it with crushed ice to dilute it. Don’t drink this one straight up, or you’ll wind up like that monkey. While watching Raiders of the Lost Ark, I recommend drinking a Cobra’s Fang.

Cobra’s Fang

1 ½ oz 151-proof demerara rum

½ oz lime juice

½ oz orange juice

½ oz passion fruit syrup

¼ oz falernum

1 dash Angostura bitters

6 drops absinthe

1 cup crushed ice

Garnish: cinnamon stick and flower

Blend everything together for five seconds in a blender or drink mixer. Pour entire contents into a pilsner glass or tiki mug. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and flower.

I’m fortunate to be married to the proud owner of Geeki Tikis mug replica of the Peruvian Golden Idol stolen in the opening scenes of this movie, which makes the drinking experience even more fun. Tiki purists may scoff at these pop culture-inspired vessels, but I think they’re perfect for a movie/cocktail night. And, blessedly spider-free. Cheers!

Comedies

Chances Are

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Image: Chances Are, 1989

When people ask me to name my favorite movie, I always have a hard time answering. How does anybody pick just one? But when it comes to naming my favorite movie genre, it’s easy: Interdimensional Romance. I credit the Criterion Channel with coining this term, which basically means romance that defies the laws of space, time, and even death. You may have heard the phrase: “Every love story is a tragedy if you wait long enough”. But in an Interdimensional Romance, love doesn’t end with death—it merely changes into a new form. Chances are, you probably haven’t heard of the movie Chances Are (Disc/Download), but if you believe in the idea that love can’t be limited by our brief human lifespans, you should give this reincarnation rom-com a watch.

Featuring an absolutely stacked cast (Robert Downey Jr., Cybill Shepherd, Ryan O’Neal, and Mary Stuart Masterson), Chances Are follows Washington DC lawyer Louis Jeffries, who dies on the night of his first wedding anniversary, leaving his new bride widowed and pregnant. Upon arriving in heaven, he desperately pleads with the bureaucrats in charge to send him back. They agree to return him to Earth in a new body, however they forget to erase his memories before he departs. That reincarnated baby eventually grows up to take the form of Robert Downey Jr., and through a series of coincidences, Louis finds himself back in his old Georgetown home, triggered by the memories from his past life. Things get weird when he enters into a love triangle with both his wife and his daughter, which then becomes a quadrangle when Ryan O’Neal starts bedhopping. I think this is what they call “high concept”.

If you want to remember Washington DC as it was, with its tasteful, elegant Reflecting Pool and people in suits doing the very important work of keeping our laws, our journalistic integrity, and our cultural institutions intact, then you’ll enjoy seeing the city as it was in 1989. I also love the addition of a cherry tree named George, so while you’re watching Chances Are, I recommend drinking this “George” cocktail.

George

2 oz gin

½ oz Cherry Heering

1 oz lime juice

½ oz simple syrup

2 oz sparkling wine

Cherry garnish

Combine gin, Cherry Heering, lime juice, and simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain into a coupe glass. Top with sparkling wine, and garnish with a cherry.

I had another reason for watching Chances Are this week, and it’s not just my love of Cybill Shepherd’s power suits. You see, my book Follow the Sun recently got reincarnated with a pretty new cover and more marketing support:

I had to laugh, thinking about all the times over the last decade when I’ve said this book was dead. First, when a former agent sat on it for nearly a year, with no response to my emails. Then, when I tried to get a new agent, and again got no response to my queries. Then, when I finally got a great agent, but editors didn’t respond to the pitch (are you sensing a pattern yet?). Then, when I connected with a great editor, got a contract, and the book was finally being published, but marketing didn’t respond. At that point, I thought for sure I’d reached the end of the road. This book was officially deceased, buried under the millions of books published every year that you’ve also never heard of. But three years later, here we are—resurrected again, in a slightly different form. I used to call Follow the Sun my zombie book, but after watching Chances Are, I think I should call it my reincarnated book. Because the truth is, every time it dies and gets reborn, it comes back just a little bit better. This time, the words haven’t changed, but the packaging has improved. I don’t know if there’s another life in store for Follow the Sun after this, but if there is, I hope it’s a good one. I hope it finds the people who will love it. Cheers!

Uncategorized

The Maltese Falcon

LizLocke2 Comments
Image: The Maltese Falcon, 1941

Because I’m planning a trip back to the City by the Bay next month, I’m deep into a San Francisco movie binge. Nothing is off the table, from JLo rom-coms (The Wedding Planner) to Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry (a movie I shockingly LOVED). However, there’s one classic film that absolutely can’t be skipped, even if I might have wanted to: The Maltese Falcon (Disc/Download).

It’s not that I don’t appreciate aspects of this noir. Humphrey Bogart is fantastic as private investigator Sam Spade, in a truly genre-defining performance. The cinematography is stunning, with its chiaroscuro lighting and murky dark alleys. Where I get lost is in the script. Maybe I need to read Dashiell Hammett’s original novel, or maybe I just need to watch this in a theatrical setting with absolutely no distractions. But at a certain point, roughly twenty minutes in, my mind starts to wander, and then boom!

I’m lost.

All it takes is a couple of missed lines for me to wonder who’s double crossing whom, who has the precious falcon statue, what happened to the missing sister, and why the jolly actor from Christmas in Connecticut (Sydney Greenstreet) has two equally offensive character names: Gutman and “Fat Man”. Maybe it makes more sense with a drink? Let’s test the theory.

I thought this film would be a great match for the bottle of Bogart’s gin I picked up last summer, but there’s an unfortunate lack of onscreen martinis. However, there is a scene involving a freighter ship called La Paloma, so I’m going to take that cocktail direction and run with it. Research tells me Sam Spade drank copious amounts of Bacardi rum in Hammett’s novel, so I’m swapping out the traditional tequila base for rum. And since La Paloma goes up in flames, we should probably make that rum extra spicy. While watching The Maltese Falcon, I recommend drinking this Firebird cocktail.

Firebird

2 oz jalapeño-infused rhum agricole (chop a few rings of jalapeño pepper, and soak overnight in the liquor. After infused, remove the solids)

1/2 oz lime juice

3 oz Fever Tree grapefruit soda

Lime wheel and jalapeño ring (garnish)

Fill a tumbler with ice and set aside. Combine infused rhum agricole with lime juice in a shaker with fresh ice. Shake to chill, then strain into prepared glass. Top with grapefruit soda, stir gently, then garnish with a lime wheel and jalapeño ring.

The San Francisco setting goes quite nicely with a film noir aesthetic, so much so that the city becomes like another character. It is as steady and calm as Bogey staring down the barrel of a gun, and you know no matter what happens with the dame or the bird statue, the fog will still roll across the Golden Gate bridge, just as Sam Spade will live to sigh and shake his head once more. Cheers!

Classic Films · Musicals

Pal Joey

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Image credit: Pal Joey, 1957

I’ve never been a fan of musical theater, so you’ll have to forgive me for being late to the Rodgers & Hart party. It wasn’t until I watched Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon that I realized how many of my favorite tunes were penned by this legendary songwriting duo. In this week’s film Pal Joey (Disc/Download), we get to watch them performed by three Classic Hollywood stars at peak hotness: Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, and Rita Hayworth.

If you enjoy showbiz musicals, then you’ll definitely enjoy this one about a scheming singer (Sinatra) who romances a wealthy widow (Hayworth) to build his dream nightclub, all while secretly falling in love with his chorus girl neighbor (Novak). Novak appears aloof before lighting up the screen in numbers like “My Funny Valentine”, while Hayworth is a haughty firecracker from start to finish. She’s supposed to be the villain in this love triangle, but I can’t help but respect the former stripper who has landed the role of respectable Nob Hill society woman, and isn’t eager to give it up. Sure, she dangles the nightclub “Chez Joey” over Sinatra’s head to get him into her bed, but one gets the sense she’s spent plenty of time being the powerless one in a relationship and enjoys having the tables turned. Sinatra’s Joey could easily come off as a spineless louse, but he’s so charismatic in these musical numbers, and in the way he teaches his dog to dunk a bagel in coffee (not good for the dog, but still quite cute), that I’m instantly charmed. I want Joey to be my pal by the end.

Much of the movie takes place in a nightclub that references San Francisco’s bygone red-light district, dubbed The Barbary Coast. I’ve been wanting to try this Prohibition-Era cocktail of the same name for a while, so let’s give it a shake. While watching Pal Joey, I recommend drinking a Barbary Coast.

Barbary Coast

1 oz scotch

½ oz gin

¾ oz white crème de cacao

¾ oz heavy cream

Grated nutmeg (garnish)

Shake liquid ingredients with ice, then strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Dust with grated nutmeg.

I’ve got a trip to San Francisco coming up this summer, and now Pal Joey has me even more excited to take a cable car up those hills! I’ll be humming Rodgers & Hart’s “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”, next to my funny valentine. Cheers!