Author: LizLocke

Action/Adventure/Heist · Holiday Films

Die Hard

LizLocke1 Comment
die hard
Image credit: Die Hard, 1988

I’m taking a break from classic feel-good holiday movies to watch a classic of a different sort. No warm fuzzy Santa Claus types or winter wonderlands here folks- just sweaty Bruce Willis and a Los Angeles skyscraper. Die Hard (DVD/Download) is the Christmas movie for people who hate Christmas movies. With the backdrop of an office holiday party, it still counts as festive, but the main hostage/terrorist crisis makes it seem like a big summer blockbuster. Perfect for when you just can’t stomach any more Rudolph or mistletoe.

John McClane is the quintessential action hero. Muscled, sharp on his feet, and proficient at delivering one-liners like “yippie-ki-yay, motherf*cker,” this is the role that put Bruce Willis on the map. The poor guy just wants to reconcile with his wife and maybe drink a little eggnog, but the former New York cop gets pulled into battle as German terrorists/robbers overtake the wife’s office building. Alan Rickman is horrifically miscast (though maybe my opinion is skewed by one too many viewings of his Colonel Brandon in Sense & Sensibility), and McClane’s estranged wife is played unremarkably by -fun fact- Macaulay Culkin’s aunt Bonnie Bedelia. There are explosions, shoot-outs, and eastern European accents galore, and just when you thought the movie couldn’t get any cheesier, the dad from Family Matters shows up. Amazing.

Because John McClane has a penchant for westerns, and Roy Rogers specifically, I couldn’t resist that classic kiddie cocktail. But like Bruce Willis, I’ve gotta get pretty “dirty” to really turn this movie into something great. While watching Die Hard, I recommend drinking a Dirty Rogers.

Dirty Rogers

5 oz Cola

1 oz grenadine syrup

2 oz Dark Rum

Maraschino cherry

Build drink over ice in a tumbler or Collins glass, stirring gently to combine. Garnish with a cherry.

dirty rogers

Die Hard definitely isn’t the typical movie I watch around Christmas, however I have to admit that it’s kind of perfect when I just want to throw my hands up, push aside all the wrapping I still need to do, and spend a couple hours laughing hysterically at the bad dialogue and even worse acting. Plus, there’s a limo driver named Argyle. Need I say more? Cheers!

Classic Films · Holiday Films

Miracle on 34th Street

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miracle on 34th street
Image credit: Miracle on 34th Street, 1947

If you haven’t begun your holiday shopping yet, what in the world are you waiting for?? Smart folks like me start in November, but if you still need a little incentive, I suggest watching this week’s film Miracle on 34th Street (DVD/Download) to put you in the gifting mood.

Recently deceased acting legend Maureen O’Hara stars in this classic holiday film about a Macy’s department store Santa Claus who just might be the real deal. O’Hara plays an unlucky-in-love divorcee raising her daughter (played by a very young Natalie Wood) to be skeptical of all things intangible- including holiday miracles. Then Kris K. comes along (that’s Kringle, not Kardashian), and he seems like more than just a kind-hearted old man. Claiming to be Santa Claus, he attracts psych evaluators and small children alike. I love that this film from the 1940’s features a strong independent woman like O’Hara, her character an event director at the flagship store. Heck, that’s an impressive job even now. And the sappy message of the movie (Santa is real if you believe!) gets a much needed boost by terrific acting performances and sharp dialogue. At times, I feel like I’m watching a classic Howard Hawkes film, instead of one of the most beloved Christmas movies ever made.

One of my favorite scenes involves Kris Kringle showing off his impressive Santa skills while talking to a Dutch girl. He speaks to her in Dutch because, of course, Santa speaks the language of all children. This inspired my cocktail this week, using the Dutch spirit Genever, a stronger, early version of the typical gin we know today. While watching Miracle on 34th Street, I recommend drinking a Sinterklaas.

Sinterklaas

2 oz Genever

2 oz Apple Cider

½ oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and water)

1 dash Angostura bitters

Cinnamon stick for garnish

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan, and heat on the stove until it just barely simmers. Pour into a heat-safe glass or mug, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Sinterklaas

Your current thoughts about Santa Claus are probably dependent on your age (and I doubt I have many 6 year old readers of this blog), but this movie is so great that it makes me want to believe in Santa Claus. At the very least, it makes me long for the days when department stores were classy and sophisticated, instead of overrun with cheap merchandise and bad lighting. Best of luck with your holiday shopping, and if you find yourself in a Macy’s this Christmas, plan on having a cocktail afterwards- you’ll need it. Cheers!

Dramas

Titanic

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Titanic rose beer
Image credit: Titanic, 1997

Here’s a little history lesson for you. Nearly 18 years ago, in December of 1997, an enormous box office behemoth sailed into movie theaters. Yes that’s right, Titanic (DVD/Download) will soon be an entire adult person old. This makes me feel as geriatric as Gloria Stuart on the bow of that ship. I can still remember the buzz at the lunch table in middle school. Girls making plans to see it at least 5 times over the Christmas holidays, while simultaneously plotting their future lives as Mrs. Leonardo DiCaprio. It was madness. Eighteen years later, I still find the movie entertaining, but I also appreciate a good Titanic parody as much as the next person. I mean, could anybody ever keep a straight face when Billy Zane was onscreen?

As the two leads in the film, Jack and Rose, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet share a unique onscreen chemistry. I witnessed it again in the fabulously underrated film Revolutionary Road, and it makes me wish they’d co-star more often (it’s my secret fantasy that Leo is madly in love with Kate in real life, yet he’s never been able to win her heart. Thus he overcompensates with yachts and supermodels). Titanic is really just Romeo and Juliet meets historical tragedy, with a little saucy Kathy Bates thrown in for good measure. I can’t attest to historical accuracies or inaccuracies, but if the point of the movie is to keep me entertained for 3+ hours, mission accomplished Mr. Cameron.

My cocktail this week is a bit of a no-brainer. In celebrating that great cinematic love story between Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater (seriously, who came up with that name?), while watching Titanic I recommend drinking a classic Jack Rose.*

Jack Rose

4 oz Applejack

2 oz Lemon Juice

1 oz Grenedine

Lime twist (for garnish)

Shake ingredients over ice until chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime twist.

jack rose

*Fun drinking game:  take a drink every time someone says the name Rose.  You’ll be hammered within the first hour.  Then you’ll wonder why people keep saying her name, even when she’s the only other person in the room.

My grandmother used to tell us stories of how she and her girlfriends cut school and drove for hours to go see Gone With the Wind when it was released. That desperation is the only thing I can compare Christmas of 1997 to. We’ll see if Star Wars: The Force Awakens becomes a similar cultural touchstone in the coming weeks. No matter what your feelings are on the schmaltzy Hollywood blockbuster that is Titanic, no one can deny that it brought millions of people together in cinematic viewership. In a world where moviegoing is slowly dying off in favor of at-home options, it’s nice to think about a time when everybody just shut up, put their real lives aside for 3 hours, and got lost together in a little Hollywood magic. Cheers!

Top 5 Lists

Top Five Movie Trilogies

LizLocke2 Comments

With Thanksgiving upon us, I know I’ll soon be in the market for a good excuse to relax after the big meal. If you’re willing to commit to a comfy sofa, and total radio silence from relatives, I suggest you select a stellar movie trilogy and settle in for the night. What follows is my list of Top Five Movie Trilogies. These will get you past the initial food coma, through leftovers/second dinner, and eventually cocktails and pie. Timing is key. Cheers!

  1.  The Godfather trilogy
the godfather
Image credit: The Godfather Part II, 1974

This is how trilogies should be done. Family drama, a dead horse, and a lot of red sauce. Cannoli anyone?

2.  The Bourne trilogy

bourne identity
Image credit: The Bourne Identity, 2002

I’m not typically one for action flicks, but when it includes Matt Damon and glamorous European capitals, I can’t resist. More tortured and damaged than Bond, Jason Bourne could be any one of us. You know, anyone with insane “kill a man with his bare hands” skills.

3.  The Ocean’s trilogy

oceans
Image credit: Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

This trio of movies featuring Danny Ocean and his crew of Hollywood A-listers will certainly keep you awake even after the tryptophan begins to take effect. And with scenes of Brad Pitt CONSTANTLY eating, you may feel the urge to join him. Go right ahead.

4.  The Before trilogy

before sunrise
Image credit: Before Sunrise, 1995

Perhaps an unconventional choice, but sometimes a person just wants something small, intimate, and wonderful.  Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight are quite possibly the most romantic films ever made, and I can’t think of anyone better than Jesse and Celine to share an evening with.  Je t’aime.

5.  The Star Wars trilogy (IV-VI)

Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford
Image credit: Star Wars, 1977

I’m including the original Star Wars trilogy because I fear there might be a mutiny among my readers if I didn’t. Contrary to public opinion, yes I have seen Star Wars, and sorry, it’s just not my thing. However, watching the original trilogy films back-to-back is the only way I would want to see them again. It keeps you in the moment, tuned in, and invested in the fantasy. Plus, young Harrison Ford. Enough said.*

(*Gotta admit, if my only goal is to watch 6 hours of Harrison Ford, I’d personally opt for the Indiana Jones trilogy instead.  But I know- Star Wars is a big deal).

 

Comedies · Holiday Films

Home for the Holidays

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Home for the Holidays
Image Credit: Home for the Holidays, 1995

After a stressful month at work, I am VERY ready to relax with a bounty of food and a pile of movies. I always look forward to Thanksgiving because it means I get to stay home, in the city I love, with my husband and my dog and do absolutely nothing. Christmas can get a little crazy, but Thanksgiving- that’s just for me. Of course it wasn’t always like that. I’ve had my share of awkward relatives and inedible meals, which is why I have such an appreciation for this week’s film Home for the Holidays (DVD). When you find yourself laughing and nodding along, saying, “YES! This is what it’s like!!” you know you’ve found a great movie.

Home for the Holidays was directed by Jodie Foster and tells the story of the Larson family as they come together for one grand Thanksgiving meal. Holly Hunter is as charming as I’ve ever seen her, fleeing her recent unemployment and sexually active teenage daughter to go get criticized by her mother in a big puffy coat. Robert Downey Jr. shines as her younger gay brother Tommy, and together they team up against their bigoted uptight sister Joanna. Anne Bancroft is amazing as the matriarch, and the scenes of her flirting and arguing with her onscreen husband played by the late, great Charles Durning are forever endearing (see my earlier post about 5 Times Anne Bancroft was EVERYTHING). Of course I’m a sucker for a spinster aunt, and it doesn’t get better than Geraldine Chaplin’s Aunt Glady. She hates orange lipstick, she likes to get drunk and tell inappropriate stories, and she keeps her bathroom as clean as a whistle. In short, she’s me in 40 years. Dylan McDermott pops up as a dreamy love interest for Holly Hunter, but really it’s the family dynamics that make this such a joy to watch. As Hunter’s Claudia says, “We’re family- we don’t have to like each other”.

If you want to be as toasted as Aunt Glady on the big T-Day, you’re going to need a tasty cocktail. This year I’ll be making a drink the same color as Claudia’s stylish puffy coat. It pairs nicely with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and snarky comments at the dinner table. While watching Home for the Holidays, I recommend drinking a Cranberry Mule.

Cranberry Mule

3 oz Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka

1/2 oz Lime Juice

8 oz Ginger Beer

Lime and fresh cranberries for garnish

Build drink in a glass over ice.  Garnish with a lime slice and fresh cranberries.

Cranberry Mule

I don’t want to sound like I don’t look forward to seeing my family. I do, of course. But often people get so tied up in making the holiday great that they forget what’s really important. By important, I of course mean Pillsbury crescent rolls, and the relief one feels at realizing your life isn’t as bad as sad sack Russell Terziak’s. That’s always something I’m thankful for. Cheers!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Classic Films · Comedies

How to Steal a Million

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Image Credit: How to Steal a Million, 1966
Image Credit: How to Steal a Million, 1966

I was in the mood for some vintage Peter O’Toole this week, so I went into my DVD vault to find one of my favorite capers. How to Steal a Million (DVD/Download) is everything one could want in a heist film- sparkling dialogue, stylish clothes and cars, a clever plan, and cheeky romance. For any classic film buff that thinks of O’Toole only as Lawrence of Arabia, prepare to meet funny James Bond.

In recent decades, art heist films have experienced enormous popularity, ie. The Thomas Crown Affair, Entrapment, and Ocean’s Twelve. But surpassing them all in style and originality is How to Steal a Million. In this film, Audrey Hepburn is forced to steal her father’s forged sculpture from a Parisian museum before anybody realizes it’s actually a fake. She enlists the help of an art thief, played by Peter O’Toole, who devises a ridiculously clever scheme involving boomerangs, alarms, and Audrey minus her Givenchy couture. Along the way she’s courted by a creepy American businessman played by Eli Wallach, who wants the sculpture for his own unexplained, presumably perverse reasons. Aside from the wonderful script, this film features beautiful shots of 1960’s Paris, as well as maybe the cutest automobile in cinema. Always stylish, Audrey drives around in a little Autobianchi Bianchina sports car (a fancy Fiat 500), and I coveted it so much that when Fiat came out with the 500 Pop, I was first in line to buy one. Sadly, my closet is still missing some Givenchy.

For a classic heist film like this one, the cocktail has to be sophisticated and timeless. One of the most clever parts of the plot involves a boomerang, and without giving anything away, let’s just say the whole operation hinges on it. While watching How to Steal a Million, I recommend drinking a Boomerang.

Boomerang

1.5 oz gin

1oz dry vermouth

1tsp Luxardo maraschino liqueur

1 dash angostura bitters

Garnish: Lemon twist

Stir ingredients together over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add a lemon twist.

Boomerang

The Boomerang cocktail first appeared in the Savoy Cocktail book as a whiskey-based drink, however bartenders are still making it today under a different iteration. I happen to like the gin version better myself, and I’ll take any excuse to use Luxardo maraschino liqueur (a new favorite- sorry St. Germain). If you’re looking for a great date night, this movie and this cocktail are it. Being trapped in a closet with cleaning supplies never looked so sexy. Cheers!

Comedies

Big

LizLocke2 Comments
Image credit: Big, 1988
Image credit: Big, 1988

This past weekend my husband and I decided to throw a children’s party for all of our adult friends. I was inspired by an ingenious episode of Difficult People wherein two friends turn a Manhattan bistro into a haven for adults who still enjoy eating like they’re five years old (see “The Children’s Menu”). I love this… so much. Why should kids be the only ones who get to eat pizza bagels and macaroni and cheese? Why can’t I have my PB&J and a cocktail too? Why does it have to be either/or?

A movie that fully embraces this concept of celebrating the kid in all of us is the Tom Hanks classic Big (DVD/Download). I consider this to be essential viewing within the Golden Age of Hanks, when this comedic genius actually made comedies. After You’ve Got Mail the man pretty much went down a Spielberg rabbit hole and never told a joke in cinema again. But back in the late 80’s, he was just a child, trapped in a man’s body, let loose on the streets of New York. After watching this movie, I’m pretty sure every kid in America aspired to one day have an enormous Manhattan loft with a trampoline and bunkbeds. I know I did. And come on, working for a toy company? Coolest job ever!!!! It saddens me to see the iconic piano scene with Robert Loggia in FAO Schwarz now that the toy store has closed its New York flagship. I remember when my mother took us as children, and I was too shy to get on the piano keys. Ah, regret.

I had to consult an essential book in my cocktail library this week, Kiddie Cocktails. Being married to a non-drinker, I’m always on the hunt for interesting virgin beverages. What I love about this book is that they have wonderful non-alcoholic recipes, which I can easily spike for myself. It’s a win-win for our household. While watching Big, I recommend drinking a Zoltar Zinger*.

Zoltar Zinger

8 oz ginger ale

1.5 oz vodka (optional)

¼ oz grenadine

½ oz lemon juice

4 dashes Angostura bitters

Build drink in a highball glass over ice, topping with ginger ale and stirring gently.

*adapted from a recipe for “The Chomp”, pg 45

Zoltar Zinger

I may have grown up and developed a taste for hard liquor, but gastronomically I never aged beyond seven. Maybe that’s why I’ve always loved Big so much. Tom Hanks is stuck in a world of uptight grown-ups, but he still just does his own thing and eats his baby corn like he’s at a 4th of July barbecue. And people kind of love him for it. So for all the healthy adults out there who want to serve me marinated Brussels sprouts or cauliflower steaks, thanks but no thanks. I’ll be over here in the corner with a plain cheese sandwich and a smile on my face. Cheers!

Dramas

Good Will Hunting

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Image credit: Good Will Hunting, 1997
Image credit: Good Will Hunting, 1997

It FINALLY feels like fall outside, and I’m surrounded by apple spice/pumpkin spice everything. This time of year always makes me nostalgic for crunchy leaves underfoot and college co-eds in sweaters. I can think of no better movie to watch in autumn than Good Will Hunting (DVD/Download). So curl up with a plaid blanket, fix a drink, and prepare to be lulled in by a soothing Danny Elfman score and the timid songs of Elliott Smith. I feel like skipping class all over again!

Good Will Hunting will always be known as the film that made Matt Damon and Ben Affleck famous, as BFFs, actors, and screenwriters. It’s the Hollywood story everyone loves to hear- two childhood best friends write a script, Robin Williams decides he wants to be in it, Harvey Weinstein decides he wants to produce it, the film is made, released, it’s a big success, and the two best friends bask in Oscar glory. Of course, there’s probably a lot more to the story than that, but that PR-approved legend is just as heartwarming as the movie itself. I know this film about a young mathematical prodigy overcoming childhood trauma to find love gets criticized for being too saccharine at times (It’s Not Your Fault) but no one can deny the brilliant performance by Robin Williams as a down-to-earth psychologist, the charming Southie accents of Matt Damon and his crew of friends, or the perfect, weepy Elliott Smith soundtrack. It still kills me that “Miss Misery” lost out on the Oscar to Celine Dion and “My Heart Will Go On”. I demand a recount.

One of the best, and most oft-quoted lines of the film is when Matt Damon’s Will Hunting announces he got the number of a girl in a bar and, well, “how do you like them apples?” I’ve recently fallen in love with Argus Cidery’s Ciderkin hard apple cider, and I’ve been dying to use it in a cocktail. So while watching Good Will Hunting, I suggest drinking Them Apples.

Them Apples

1.5 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon

1 oz butterscotch schnapps

3 oz apple cider

4 oz Argus Cidery Ciderkin

Build drink over ice, stirring gently to combine.

Them Apples

It’s still fun to watch this movie and see how incredibly young Matt Damon and Ben Affleck look. They’re major blockbuster stars now (in fact I just caught Matt Damon in the stellar film The Martian over the weekend), but back then they were just a couple of kids with some Kevin Smith film credits. And of course, my heart aches for all the Robin Williams performances we’ll never get to see in the future. This one is just so damn good. So bundle up, settle in, and if you need me- sorry guys, I gotta go see about a drink. Cheers!

Dramas

The Craft

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Image Credit: The Craft, 1996
Image Credit: The Craft, 1996

Behold the power of Manon! (Manault? Manot? Manoh? Sp.?) What The Craft (DVD/Download) lacks in God-title enunciation, it makes up for in 90’s grunge/emo fashions and alt-rock music. Halloween is coming up, and I really wish I had 3 other female friends eager to dress up as the ladies from this movie. However, convincing someone to willingly copy Fairuza Balk’s makeup style may cause irreparable harm to a relationship.

What I loved about The Craft as a teenager was not just the heavy use of eyeliner, but the idea of harnessing female friendship and using it to combat all those pesky adolescent problems. Sure, they’re witches (sort of), but they’re also just weird teenage girls. Eventually this film spirals into a pseudo horror-thriller with snakes and slit wrists, but in the beginning it’s all colored candles and Letters to Cleo songs. I know by the end of the movie we’re all supposed to realize how bad it is to cast spells against other people, but come on- who doesn’t want to play “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board” with Neve Campbell?

For my cocktail this week, I’m calling on the Four Corners to bring me alcoholic perfection. By Four Corners, I mean Vodka, Triple Sec, Lemon Juice, and Pomegranate. While watching The Craft, I recommend drinking a Blessed Be.

Blessed Be

2 oz. Vodka

.5 oz Triple Sec

.5 oz Lemon Juice

1 oz Pomegranate juice

Licorice (optional, for garnish)

Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with black licorice (or any licorice if you’re still trying to use up some Halloween candy).

Blessed Be

In thinking about The Craft, I started to wonder what spell I would cast now if given the opportunity. Love is covered, I’ve given up on looks (after 30, it is what it is), and outside of politics, bullies tend to disappear after high school. That leaves power, but who wants that kind of responsibility? By the power of 3 times 3, I’ll simply say cheers, and Happy Halloween!

Dramas

The Aviator

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Image credit: The Aviator, 2004
Image credit: The Aviator, 2004

I’m sure I’ve previously mentioned that I adore movies about old Hollywood. The glamour, the scandals- I can’t get enough. This week I’ll be watching Scorsese’s The Aviator (DVD/Download), one of the best films to feature re-imagined classic film stars. Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn; Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow; Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner- the list goes on and on. And yes, there is Leonardo DiCaprio as mogul Howard Hughes, but who are we kidding here- the ladies are the stars of this show.

The Aviator follows Howard Hughes’ career as a movie producer and aviation pioneer, his success overshadowed by a raging case of OCD. Hughes’ money and charm attract a cavalcade of beautiful starlets, but it’s Hepburn who really connects with him. I know, I know, she was meant to be with Spencer Tracy, but a part of me wanted her to end up with Howard Hughes. Cate Blanchett does Hepburn like nobody’s business, completely nailing the WASP-y New England accent and athletic stride. I was less impressed by Kate Beckinsale’s breathy portrayal of Ava Gardner, though of course I loved her costumes! Really though, the best part for me is the fabulous wallpaper in the bathroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel. That iconic giant palm-leaf design is a welcome distraction from DiCaprio’s sweaty overacting mess below it.

The 1930’s must have been an amazing time to be in Hollywood. Not just for the films (though those were good too), but also for the cocktails! Imagine sipping a gin cocktail at the Cocoanut Grove, a drunken Errol Flynn at the next table over, hitting on starlets left and right. Paying tribute to classic drinks and Hughes’ obsession with flying, while watching The Aviator I recommend drinking an Aviation cocktail.

Aviation

1 ½ oz gin

½ oz lemon juice

¾ oz maraschino liqueur

¼ oz crème de violette

Maraschino cherry (optional)

Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice, shake until chilled, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry (optional).

Aviator

Obviously, The Aviator focuses a great deal on Hughes’ aviation experience (including one harrowing plane crash over Beverly Hills), but it’s also a love letter to cinema. Watching the filming of Hell’s Angels is pure fun, and I love seeing how the coloration and technology of cinema changes over time. In short, come for the glitz and action, but continue watching for the style and history. Cheers!