Author: LizLocke

Children's · Sci Fi

Flight of the Navigator

LizLocke2 Comments
Flight of the Navigator
Image credit: Flight of the Navigator, 1986.

As kids across America flock to see what passes for entertaining children’s movies these days, I can’t help but reminisce about some of my own summer favorites from childhood. All month long on Cinema Sips, I’ll be featuring kids movies that are near and dear to my heart, along with a cocktail pairing to make it just that much more fun. Because let’s admit, as much as we tell kids to cherish their youth, sometimes it’s pretty great to be an adult.

Kicking things off is that Fourth of July classic, Flight of the Navigator (DVD/Download).  Oh how my brother and I loved to shout “compliance!” at each other in the late 1980’s, in that weird pseudo Pee-wee Herman voice.  The story of a boy who gets abducted by aliens, then returned 8 years later having not aged a day, is the stuff of bad sci-fi, but somehow it works here.  Maybe it’s because of the Disney Soarin’ music, or the creepy puppets, or just the bad 80’s hair (ahem Sarah Jessica Parker).  But whatever it is, I loved it then and my feelings have not faded.  If anything, my appreciation for Twisted Sister has only deepened.

Inexplicably, the 1980’s technology in this film includes the R.A.L.F., or Robotic Assistant Labor Facilitator.  It’s basically a big cardboard box that delivers papers and food.  A prehistoric Amazon drone if you will.  This acronym, and the movie’s Florida setting inspired my cocktail this week, the R.A.L.F. (or, Rum And Lime Flip).

R.A.L.F.

2 oz Dark Rum

1 oz Lime Juice

1/2 oz Pineapple Juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

1 whole raw egg (yolk included)

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Shake vigorously until chilled, and the egg has emulsified.  Strain into a coupe glass.

RALF
Sculptures by Chris Bathgate

No, your eyes do not deceive you- that is not a time-traveling Bruiser, come to visit us in 2016.  In fact it’s my look-a-like dog Peaches, who was very excited to see her doppelgänger on screen this week.  She thought the frisbee scene was aces, but she’s still not sure about the scary giant eyeball on the ship.  Really, neither am I.  Cheers, and Happy Fourth of July!

Comedies

Wonder Boys

LizLocke9 Comments
Wonder Boys
Image Credit: Wonder Boys, 2000

As I prepare for a trip to Pittsburgh later this week, I find myself in the midst of an existential crisis. While it’s always fun to visit distant family, I still find myself sighing at the prospect of I.C. Light and “yinz” instead of “y’all”. Plus, there’s the inevitable feeling of inadequacy returning to the city of my youth, not having quite reached that writing career pinnacle yet.  Wonder Boys (DVD/Download), that fantastic adaptation of a Michael Chabon novel, is exactly what I need in my life right now.

There are many things that draw me toward Wonder Boys- the story of a washed up literary giant who’s struggling to find his footing again. As Professor Grady Tripp, Michael Douglas becomes the teacher every writer wishes they had. Funny, encouraging, eccentric, he treats his students like the contemporaries they are. Tobey Maguire gives a quirky performance as his depressed, brilliant protégé James Leer, and Robert Downey Jr. turns on the manic charm as book editor Terry Crabtree. For cinephiles like me, the movie is a dream, filled with Marilyn Monroe references, and classic film trivia galore. I also love that it satirizes the pretentiousness of the literary and academic worlds, with Michael Douglas as a messy antidote- prowling his car through slushy grey streets, dead dog in his trunk, weed in the glove box. It’s just…. so Pittsburgh.

To me, one of the great things about this city is the constant dichotomy between old and new. Sure there are trendy lounges and hip hotels now, but there are still dive bars in the hills where James Brown impersonators like Vernon Hardapple hang out. As an ode to his pregnant baby mama/cocktail waitress Oola (who never forgets a drink), while watching Wonder Boys I recommend drinking a Double Dickel on the Rocks.

Double Dickel on the Rocks

2 oz George Dickel No. 12® Tennessee Whiskey

Lemon twist

Pour whiskey in a glass filled with cracked ice. Top with lemon twist.

Double Dickel

 

While I struggle to find a place for my latest manuscript (even if that place is buried inside my desk drawer), and I begin working on the next one, I have to remind myself that it’s not about recognition or seeing your book in an airport bookstore, or that coveted interview on NPR.  It’s about the act of writing.  As Professor Tripp says, “Nobody teaches a writer anything.  You tell ’em what you know.  You tell ’em to find their voice and stay with it.  You tell the ones that have it to keep at it, you tell the ones that don’t have it to keep at it too… because that’s the only way they’re gonna get to where they’re going.”  As I return to Pittsburgh, I feel comforted and encouraged by that advice.  I haven’t arrived yet, but at least I know where I want to go.  Cheers!

Dramas · Sci Fi

Gattaca

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gattaca
Image credit: Gattaca, 1997

I am well aware that Cinema Sips is severely lacking in the sci-fi genre, but this is largely because so few good ones get made. Robots, hovercrafts, bad makeup- ugh. However this week, I’m excited to watch a futuristic film that is one of my long time favorites.  Gattaca (DVD/Download) features rockets, gadgets, and gene selection, yet somehow manages to remain an intelligent, thought-provoking drama.  Finally- sci-fi I can get behind!

In addition to beautiful art deco-meets-postmodernist sets, lead actors Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, and a vacant Uma Thurman round out the eye candy quota. It’s actually no coincidence that this film stars two ridiculously good looking men. Hawke’s character Vincent buys the identity of Jude Law’s character Jerome, in an effort to qualify as a genetically superior candidate for the space program. This entitles him to blood, urine, skin samples, hair samples, and endless pithy quips from a drunken, wheelchair bound Law. In essence, it’s the inVALid with the INvalid, in a hot Odd Couple-esque pairing.

In Gattaca, Hawke and Law are like vodka and gin. They look the same, but beneath the surface are wildly different. Therefore my cocktail this week combines these two spirits, with a dash of Lillet thrown in to balance it out (the Thurman of the drink, if you will). While watching Gattaca, I recommend drinking a Vesper.

Vesper

½ oz Vodka

2 oz Gin

¼ oz Lillet Blonde

Lemon twist (for garnish)

Shake vodka, gin, and Lillet over ice until well chilled. Strain into a martini glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.

vesper

While the Vesper is more well-known for being the drink of James Bond, I think this classic cocktail is equally at home in Gattaca. While certain parts are very futuristic, there are many stylistic elements which make the viewer feel transported to the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema. Is Gattaca a sci-fi film masquerading as chic poetic drama? Or the other way around? Either way, it’s even better with a cocktail. Cheers!

Dramas · Musicals

La Bamba

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La Bamba
Image credit: La Bamba, 1987

Sometimes, a girl just needs a good excuse for a margarita. Such is the case with this week’s film La Bamba (DVD/Download). In the pantheon of cheesy musical biopics, this is one of the better ones. Music by Los Lobos, a great cast headed by Lou Diamond Phillips, and of course, those catchy Richie Valens tunes. Do I shed a tear on the Day the Music Died? OK I admit… just one.

Because of La Bamba, the world was introduced to two important things- the history of chicano rock n’ roll, and perpetual People magazine crossword clue Esai Morales.  Despite its 1950’s setting, there’s a definite 80’s sheen to the picture (a la Dirty Dancing). Santana guitar riffs, bad perms, etc. Despite wanting to mock La Bamba, it legitimately sucks me in every time. The story of young, talented Richie Valens (née Valenzuela) who at 17 was killed in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, just as his career was taking off- well, it tugs at the heartstrings.

In happier times however, there are some great scenes of Richie learning to play “La Bamba” in a Tijuana brothel with his alcoholic brother Bob. In tribute to Richie’s Mexican heritage, while watching La Bamba I recommend drinking a Cerveza-Rita.

Cerveza-Rita

1 bottle Mexican beer (such as Dos Equis)

2 oz tequila

1 oz lime juice

2 oz orange juice

1 oz Cointreau

Simple syrup (to taste)

Blend tequila, lime juice, orange juice, Cointreau, and simple syrup in a blender filled with crushed ice until a smooth frozen consistency. In a chilled glass, pour beer 2/3 of the way up. Top with margarita mixture.

Cerveza- rita

One can’t help but wonder what would have happened to Valens had he not died so young. Would he have become the Latin Elvis? Married Donna and pissed off her racist father even more? We’ll never know. One thing is for certain though- because of his music, and this film, Richie Valens has become immortal. Cheers!

Comedies

Austenland

LizLocke2 Comments
la_ca_0416_austenland
Image credit: Austenland, 2013

Due to the publication of Curtis Sittenfeld’s fabulous new novel Eligible (an adaptation of Pride & Prejudice), there has been a lot of recent publicity about the works of Jane Austen. How fortuitous that I’m closing out Cocktails & Corsets month on Cinema Sips, since there happens to be a fantastic movie that celebrates all things Austen, and features Keri Russell in corset-attire. This week’s film Austenland (DVD/Download) is an absolute must for any Austen aficionado.

Based on the novel by Shannon Hale, Austenland is about a Jane Austen superfan who travels to a fantasy resort in England in order to live the Regency-period lifestyle. This means empire waist gowns, croquet, reading in a grassy meadow, and the promise of a romance-filled ball. There are Darcy references galore, a rescue in the rain (on horseback), and catty remarks over high tea. Plus, everybody’s favorite scene stealer, actress Jennifer Coolidge. What time is check-in again?

Although my first instinct for a Jane Austen-inspired cocktail was the Pimm’s Cup, research tells me that this liqueur was not available until decades after the author’s tragically short lifespan. Therefore I’ll be serving a beverage that any Austen fan worth her salt would be drinking during her 5th reading of Sense & Sensibility– tea. While watching Austenland, I recommend drinking an Erstwhile Evening Tea.

Erstwhile Evening Tea

1.5 oz Gin

1.5 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

1.5 oz English Breakfast Tea, chilled

.75 oz Lemon Juice

3 dashes orange bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled teacup, and garnish with a lemon twist.

erstwhile tea

As Jane, Keri Russell makes an interesting statement about the Regency period. She says it’s a lot like a corset- she likes the way it looks, but it makes it hard to relax. In a world where emotions are kept in check, and image and social standing matter far too much, I could see her point. Austenland might not be the best place to establish a permanent residence, but it sure looks like fun to visit. Cheers!

Dramas · Musicals

Cinderella

LizLocke1 Comment
cinderella
Image credit: Cinderella, 2015

As a general rule, I usually avoid all live-action fairy tale adaptations because they tend to be CGI-laden cheese-fests (ahem, Alice in Wonderland). But since it’s Cocktails-and-Corsets month, and since there was quite a bit of drama last year over the corset in Cinderella (DVD/Download), I decided to give this Kenneth Branagh adaptation a shot. And wow- I’m really glad I did!

First of all, just the fact that Cate Blanchett co-stars in this means a 99% chance that it’s good. Her portrayal of the Evil Stepmother Lady Tremaine is masterful, and as always, she wears a costume like nobody’s business. Her long 1940’s Dior-inspired gowns are true works of art, and it makes me wish she and designer Sandy Powell would release a documentary where Blanchett just tries on Powell creations, one after another. Of course there’s the ubiquitous scene of Cinderella (played by Lily James) trying to squeeze her former Downton Abbey co-star into a bone crushing corset (literally, there’s a bone cracking sound effect), whereas Cinderella herself waltzes along with the teeniest waist in the land, nary a broken rib in sight. See, she is princess material!

As always, it wouldn’t be Disney without an ear worm of a song that works its way into your brain and stays for days.  As an ode to this film’s haunting lullaby “Lavender’s Blue”, while watching Cinderella I recommend drinking a Lavender Gin Fizz.

Lavender Gin Fizz

2 oz gin

1.5 oz Royal Rose Lavender Lemon simple syrup

¾ oz lemon juice

Club Soda

Lemon twist

Combine gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with club soda, stir gently, and garnish with a twist of lemon.

Lavender Fizz

I think I’ve always loved the Cinderella fairy tale, mainly because of my spirit animal Gus Gus. He and I share an unparalleled love of cheese. That scene in the animated Disney version where he’s trying to balance all the cheese cubes? Me after a trip to the fridge at night. Happily, his modern CGI doppelganger is still a fan of cheddar. Overall, I was extremely pleased with this adaptation. The film kept in all the things I loved about the classic animated Disney tale, and added in stunning costumes and a little more backstory. Combined with a cocktail, it’s perfection. Cheers!

Dramas

Anna Karenina

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anna karenina
Image credit: Anna Karenina, 2012

Continuing with this month’s theme of powerful corseted women and the ineffectual men who love them, I turn my attention now to 19th century Russia and the classic tale of Anna Karenina (DVD/Download). There have been several adaptations over the years, but my favorite is the most recent film starring Keira Knightley. She’s, to be honest, not that amazing as Karenina, but the film itself is beautifully stylized. Is it a play? Is it a film? Is it Gigi without the singing? Who knows! Who cares!

In Oscar winning creations from costume designer Jacqueline Durran, Knightley frets her way through train stations, lavish balls, theatrical sets, and her chilly home with husband Alexei Karenin, played by Jude Law (with what I fear is his actual receding hairline). I must be getting old if Jude Law is playing the cuckolded husband instead of the dashing young Count Vronsky. I guess it’s not 1997 anymore. For anyone who has ever felt that Tolstoy was inaccessible, director Joe Wright proves you wrong. Through his vision, this classic tale becomes a stylish soap opera- The Cold & the Beautiful, perhaps? Adultery, illegitimate children, unrequited love, suicide- St. Petersburg seems downright scandalous.

My beverage of choice may cause some laughs, but I decided to go literal this week. While watching Anna Karenina, I recommend drinking a White Russian.

White Russian

1.5 oz vodka

.75 oz Kahlua

.75 oz heavy cream

Shake well with ice, then pour into a chilled glass.

White russian

I was surprised to see Alicia Vikander pop up in this film as Kitty, although I shouldn’t have been because she is EVERYWHERE now. Somehow, I managed to watch Burnt, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Anna Karenina all in one week, not knowing this It Girl was in all three. It’s easy to forget about her truly lovely Karenina subplot involving a country boy’s love for a city girl, but next to the flash of Anna and her man triangle, it’s a welcome respite. Critics were certainly torn on this heavily stylized film, but in my opinion, it makes a classic story even more exhilarating. Cheers!*

*Side note, I tried to find the Russian equivalent of “cheers”, but Google tells me a classic toast in Russia involves the telling of a short story or anecdote. That sounds awfully complicated and very Tolstoy. So perhaps this entire post is one long toast. You’re welcome, Russia.

Dramas

Marie Antoinette

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marieantoinette
Image credit: Marie Antoinette, 2006

As if I needed another excuse to drink champagne and eat French macarons- HA! Cocktails & Corsets month shifts to Versailles this week with the film Marie Antoinette (DVD/Download). Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, it truly is quite the female fantasy. Silk, ruffles, pretty pastries, champagne overflowing coupe glasses, and tiny adorable dogs- damn it was good to be a French royal in the mid-18th century! (well, until the peasants revolted and stormed the palace, but let’s not go there).

Inspired by the book by Antonia Fraser, Kirsten Dunst’s Marie Antoinette is simply a young girl with extraordinary privilege and power, in the wrong place at the wrong time. She seems too naïve to realize that it’s a big deal to have your royal subjects starving while you and your friends are living bucolic, lazy days in the French countryside. Why not let them eat cake when bread has become scarce? Cake is amazing. At least, the cakes in this film look amazing. The delectable sweet treats are in line with the clothes, the shoes, the actual Versailles interiors, and the incredible wig achievements that this film beautifully showcases. If the dialogue’s a little sparse, it’s only because it’s almost unnecessary against such beauty. The 80’s New Wave soundtrack and sly inclusion of Chuck Taylors in the bedroom reminds us of the similarities between these French royals and today’s modern wealthy- drunk on money, power and fame. Eventually, it will all come crashing down.

Apparently champagne was preferable to any other beverage in Marie Antoinette’s day. I think I only spied water once, and even then it was in a crystal martini glass.  This sparkling beverage goes very well with all the delicious tarts and pastries on full display, and by adding some berry flavors it’s almost like dessert in a glass. While watching Marie Antoinette, I recommend drinking a Versailles Sparkler.

Versailles Sparkler

5 oz French Champagne

½ oz Crème de Cassis

Raspberries

Simple syrup

First make a raspberry syrup.  Muddle fresh raspberries through a sieve, straining out the seeds.  Mix with a dash of simple syrup, then pour mixture into the bottom of a coupe glass.   Top with crème de cassis, then chilled champagne. Garnish with raspberries.

versailles sparkler

In addition to copious amounts of champagne, I’d also recommend stopping by your local bakery and picking up some delicacies to enjoy during the 2-hour running time. Marie Antoinette might have been spoiled, vapid, and naïve, but two things are certain- she knew how to dress, and she knew how to drink. Cheers!

Classic Films

Gone With the Wind

LizLocke2 Comments
Gone with the Wind
Image credit: Gone With the Wind, 1939.

This month I’m kicking off a special series of posts I like to call “Cocktails and Corsets”. All of these movies feature strong female leads in some truly bone-crushing costuming. These actresses really had to be tough to deal with this torturous undergarment. Perhaps no other movie character in the history of cinema has displayed as much grit and determination as Scarlett O’Hara in this week’s film, Gone with the Wind (DVD/Download). She delivered Melanie’s baby, escaped a burning city, and flirted with Southern scallywags, all while wearing a corset. That takes guts, and possibly a few bruised ribs.

Though Scarlett is pretty tough, she would have been nothing without her maid. Hattie McDaniel is truly the unsung hero of GWTW, lacing up that shapewear with superhuman strength, while reassuring her petulant charge that a bigger waist after childbirth is to be expected. It’s because of Mammy that Scarlett’s outfits were so outstanding. Even wearing some old drapes, she looked like a million bucks (way better than those pesky Von Trapp children). Her tiny figure and opulent gowns quickly attracted the attention of Rhett Butler, but unfortunately, Scarlett’s personality was not nearly as flattering as her clothes.  If I were Rhett, I would have left her for the army too.

Several years ago, I was lucky enough to catch a screening of this film at the historic Fox Theater in Atlanta. Although the film originally premiered at the Loews Theater, the cast stayed across the street from the Fox, at The Georgian Terrace Hotel. I have very fond memories of sipping the most southern of beverages on the veranda of this hotel (though it probably would have tasted better with Clark Gable in proximity).  While watching Gone with the Wind, I recommend drinking a Mint Julep.

Mint Julep

4-5 mint leaves

1 tsp powdered sugar

2 tsp water

2 oz bourbon

Sprig of Mint for garnish

Muddle mint, powdered sugar, and water together at the bottom of a glass. Fill with cracked ice, then top with bourbon. Gently stir ingredients together, and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Mint Julep

One of my favorite stories surrounding GWTW comes from my late grandmother, who used to tell us about how she skipped school with her girlfriends to go see it in 1939. To think of her swooning over Rhett Butler and being scandalized (in a good way) by Scarlett still brings a smile, reminding me that a movie can be a sort of time machine that bridges the gap between generations. If you’ve never taken the time to watch Gone with the Wind and soak in the historical and cultural significance, I have only this to say: Frankly, my dear, you should give a damn. Cheers!

*For more great Gone With the Wind information and behind-the-scenes photos, be sure to check out this amazing book from the University of Texas Press. This is a difficult film for many, with very controversial themes. But by understanding the context in which it was made, I believe it can serve as an important record of our past.

Dramas

How Stella Got Her Groove Back

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How Stella
Image credit: How Stella Got Her Groove Back, 1998

This week Cinema Sips is on the road, vacationing at a lovely five star resort along the Caribbean sea. I’ve been dreaming of a trip like this ever since I first saw this week’s film How Stella Got Her Groove Back (DVD/Download). And no- it wasn’t all a fantasy involving shirtless Taye Diggs (although that’s VERY nice). Really, I just wanted to go lay on a beach while waiters ply me with cocktails all day. Mission accomplished.

Based on the bestselling book by Terry McMillan, the film tells the story of Stella Payne, who travels to Jamaica with her best friend (played marvelously by Whoopie Goldberg) and falls in love with a hot younger man. Unfortunately, the real-life story of McMillan’s Jamaican husband turning out to be gay discredits the fairy tale a bit, but it’s still a great movie. I just have to keep telling myself that there’s no way Taye Diggs would use Angela Bassett for a green card. Nope, no way. After all, have you SEEN that woman’s body?! Let me just go over here and kill myself. After one more trip to the buffet, that is.

Right now I’m enjoying my fair share of tequila and mescal cocktails, but while on a tropical vacation, I hate to play favorites. After all, there are so many great rum beverages to enjoy! While watching How Stella Got Her Groove Back, I recommend drinking a Jamaican Holiday.

Jamaican Holiday

1 oz fresh lime juice

1 oz pineapple juice

1.5 oz Jamaican Dark Rum

.75 oz simple syrup

1 dash angostura bitters

Cherry and paper umbrella for garnish

In a shaker filled with ice, combine all the ingredients and shake until chilled. Strain into a glass filled with crushed ice, then garnish with paper umbrella and a cherry.

Jamaican Holiday

Sure, this movie has some cheesy moments- the smooth jazz soundtrack being one of them. But it’s also a great story about friendship, love, and daring to seek out the pleasure in life. That could mean taking a luxury vacation, or just laughing with a friend over the phone. But… Jamaica sure looks nice. Cheers!