Category: Comedies

Action/Adventure/Heist · Comedies

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

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obrother
Image Credit: O Brother, Where Art Thou?, 2000

For a great movie soundtrack, sharp wit, and the screwball comedy genius of George Clooney, look no further than this week’s film O Brother, Where Art Thou? (DVD/Download). One of the top films in the Coen Bros. canon, the plot is loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey. Except here we have a hair tonic-obsessed Clooney standing in for Ulysses.  He’s a Dapper Dan man, dammit!

Upon its release, the bluegrass-inspired soundtrack sold like gangbusters, even surpassing the film’s box office. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, this film perfectly captures the look and sound of the Mississippi Delta. Of course, it wasn’t all banjo riffs and sepia tinted landscapes. Chain gangs and KKK rallies also find their way into the journey of Ulysses Everett McGill and his two prison buddies. It’s an epic tale that must be seen (and heard) to be believed.

One of my favorite scenes involves a group of beautiful sirens calling to the three travelers along the banks of a stream. They feed the men moonshine and lure them into a trap. I’m not advocating getting black-out drunk (there are still a lot of good scenes to watch!) but moonshine can be a fun spirit to experiment with. While watching O Brother, Where Art Thou?, I recommend drinking a Siren Song.

Siren Song

1 ½ oz white moonshine

¾ oz fresh lemon juice

¾ oz pineapple juice

½ oz honey syrup (1 part honey, 1 part water, boiled)

1 dash angostura bitters

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain and serve in a mason jar filled with shaved ice.  Garnish with lemon peel, if desired.

siren song

The big hit song from this film is “Man of Constant Sorrow”, but there are also so many other great examples of Appalachian music. With this flawless soundtrack, and the silver screen charm of Clooney, it’s no wonder that O Brother became an instant classic. To me, it will always be bona fide. Cheers!

Comedies

Empire Records

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Rex Manning
Image Credit: Empire Records, 1995

Every year, April 8th rolls around and I kick myself for not having come up with a celebratory cocktail. What is April 8th, you ask? None other than REX MANNING DAY!!!!! I’m posting this a few days in advance to give you time to dust off your Gin Blossoms CDs and prepare yourself for a sugary cocktail. Maybe take the day off work, banish yourself to the couch. Or just the cushion.

Growing up in the 90’s, Empire Records (DVD/Download) was the movie of my people. You know the types- the weird kids from your art class who watched John Waters films and listened to bands nobody’s ever heard of? They may or may not have worn pleated skirts, combat boots, and/or vintage t-shirts. They probably didn’t have a body like Liv Tyler, but then again, nobody did. This little gem of a movie about one day at a suburban record store quickly became my compass for everything cool. Vintage furniture, quarters glued to the floor, funky buttons with weird slogans- I was obsessed. Featuring a who’s who of future stars like Renee Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Robin Tunney, and Ethan Embry, Empire Records was like an alt-rock version of Dazed and Confused, with the added bonus of fading pop star Rex Manning and his ooo-la-la. In a word- superb.

Renee Zellweger got a lot of press for singing in the musical Chicago, but clearly people forgot her triumphant rooftop performance in this film seven years earlier. Sugar plays a big part in fueling the teen drama, so my cocktail this week is on the sweet side. Plus, I’m still in the throes of leftover Easter candy.  While watching Empire Records, I recommend drinking a SugarHigh.

SugarHigh

2 oz Svedka Strawberry-Lemonade vodka

3/4 oz lemon juice

3/4 oz simple syrup

3/4 oz pineapple juice

2 oz Prosecco

Lemon sugar

To prepare glass, wet the rim then dip in lemon sugar.  In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, lemon juice, pineapple juice, and simple syrup.  Shake vigorously, then strain into prepared glass.  Top with Prosecco.

sugar high

Even now, any time I get stressed out with work/blogging/writing/managing a household, I still remind myself of that famous Corey line from this film, “There are 24 usable hours in every day.” Granted, she was chowing down speed to keep up with her calculus homework and cupcake baking, but still, it’s true. And like Corey, sometimes you just have to let go of all that control and give in to having fun. With that, I shall say no more, mon amor. Cheers!

Comedies

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

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Pee Wee
Image Credit: Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, 1985

If you haven’t watched the new Netflix movie Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday yet- what are you waiting for?? While I thought it was tons of fun, and definitely satisfied my craving for silly jokes and Rube Goldberg machines, I’ll always hold a special fondness for the original cult classic Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (DVD/Download).

An epic road movie about the search for a missing bicycle, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure is Pee-Wee Herman at his finest. Directed by Tim Burton, the film takes the wacky children’s TV show and essentially releases it out into the wild. From this, we got Texas jokes galore – THE STARS AT NIGHT, ARE BIG AND BRIGHT!!!- as well as everybody’s favorite truck-drivin’ ghost Large Marge. Quite frankly, I don’t blame Pee-Wee for embarking on his cross-country quest to recover the stolen bike. Have you seen the bike?? Bad Ass. Getting another one would be as easy as taking a stroll through the basement of the Alamo.

Because Pee-Wee represents the silly child in all of us, I have to assume he’d be drinking perhaps the silliest-named cocktail I’ve ever encountered- The Swizzle. Like his intricate and ingenious contraptions, this drink has endless variations, but I’m using tequila as the base spirit in a nod to his famous biker bar scene. While watching Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, I recommend drinking a Tequila Swizzle. (*Side Note:  If you’re watching Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday, stick with an adult root beer such as Not Your Father’s Root Beer® ).

Tequila Swizzle

1 tablespoons sugar

1/2 oz lime juice

2 oz Gold Tequila

Orange Bitters

Club Soda

Muddle sugar and lime juice in the bottom of a glass. Add tequila, and fill the glass with shaved ice. Top with club soda, and 5 dashes orange bitters. Garnish with a straw and any other fun stir rods you might have.  And maybe a light-up ice cube :-).

tequila swizzle

To be honest I’m getting a little overwhelmed by all the reboots of movies/TV shows from my childhood. However, I can’t deny my excitement over a new Pee-Wee Herman film. The man knows how to make me giggle. But to all the Hollywood executives out there- pretty please, let the Ernest movies rest in peace. Cheers!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Comedies

Inherent Vice

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Inherent Vice
Image credit: Inherent Vice, 2014

I’ve received several requests on Cinema Sips to feature The Big Lebowski, to which I always say, what’s the point? We can all quote it endlessly and drink White Russians without my advocating it. To satisfy the stoner-noir fans out there, I’d rather talk about a movie that is a little more bizarre, and a little less well-known. Like Lebowski, Inherent Vice (DVD/Download) is a movie that demands repeat viewing, almost as much as it demands viewing with a cocktail.

Adapted from the novel by Thomas Pynchon, Paul Thomas Anderson’s hilarious take on the 1970’s Los Angeles underworld was a bit of a mystery upon its release. Critics didn’t seem to know whether to love it or hate it. The consensus was- nobody really got it. Do I fully understand all the twists and turns of a plot centered on a Gordita Beach private investigator, played by Joaquin Phoenix in all his mutton-chop glory? No. Do I care? No. The movie is just cool as hell. Featuring Martin Short as a purple-velour suited dentist, Owen Wilson as a heroin-addicted jazz musician, and Reese Witherspoon playing, well Reese Witherspoon, with all this crazy I just can’t look away. Yes the plot meanders, but it’s so well-acted and so funny, that you just get sucked into the lunacy of it all.

I’m not going to say that the movie needs alcohol or marijuana to be more enjoyable, but it certainly helps. If you happen to live in a non-progressive state (like I do), and can’t get legal access to weed, then certainly the next best thing is a strong cocktail. I’ve come up with this zombie-beach bum hybrid to maximize your viewing pleasure. While watching Inherent Vice, I recommend drinking a Golden Fang.

Golden Fang

1 oz lime juice

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz orange juice

1.5 oz dark rum

1 part apricot brandy

1.5 oz light rum

Splash of lemon-lime soda

Maraschino cherry and citrus fruit for garnish

Build drink over ice in a highball glass, stirring gently to combine. Garnish with a cherry and citrus fruit slice.

Golden Fang

Because of Anderson’s superb directorial skill, Inherent Vice succeeds in immersing the viewer in the world of 1970s LA counterculture. Full of Manson paranoia and unfortunate facial hair, it was certainly a city on the edge. If you’re looking for an escape this week, there’s no better place than Gordita Beach. Cheers!

Comedies

Young Adult

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"Young Adult"
Image credit: Young Adult, 2011

Sometimes you watch a movie, and a character feels so familiar that you fear the screenwriter has set up a secret camera monitoring your every move. This week’s film Young Adult (DVD/Download) is one such film for me. However, instead of shining a light on what my life is actually like, it shows me what my life would be like if I hadn’t made some vital good choices along the way. Essentially, Clarence the Angel paid me a visit, in the form of Diablo Cody.

The similarities between lead character Mavis Gary (played by Charlize Theron) and myself are almost too numerous to count. We’re both writers, we both share a passion for YA lit (oh how I devoured Sweet Valley High books as a teenager), the Kardashians are somehow always on in our homes as white noise, we both drive Mini Coopers (or at least I did at the time this film was released), and we both come from small towns populated by KenTacoHuts and big box stores. Oh, and of course there’s the drinking. The scenes of Charlize Theron viewing herself in the mirror after a night of heavy drinking? Been there. Luckily that’s where the similarities end. I don’t have a high school boyfriend I’m currently stalking and trying to woo away from his wife and baby, and I’m not having a strange, sad relationship with the former “Hate Crime Guy”. Though, I don’t blame her for that one because Patton Oswalt is pretty awesome in this. And he makes his own bourbon. Score!

Young Adult is a fantastic film for Cinema Sips because Mavis loves her bourbon, specifically Maker’s Mark. To go with her sour attitude on life, while watching Young Adult I recommend drinking a Maker’s Mark ® Sour (recipe from MakersMark.com).

Makers Mark® Sour

2 parts Maker’s Mark Bourbon

1 part simple syrup

½ part lemon juice

Lemon or Cherry for garnish

Shake Maker’s Mark ® Bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice and strain into a rock’s glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon and/or cherry, and serve.

Makers Mark Sour

*Note: My drink includes an enormous ice ball that I made with these molds. Perfect for when you want a cocktail on the rocks that isn’t too watered down.

I don’t know what becomes of Mavis after the credits roll, but in my fantasy she and Dolce are still in the Minneapple, having upgraded to a penthouse apartment after she has written a bestselling YA vampire series. And maybe Patton Oswalt stops by with his small-batch bourbon from time to time. Cheers!

Comedies

Say Anything

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say anything
Image credit: Say Anything, 1989

 

This past week I had the pleasure of celebrating Valentine’s Day a little early at my local drive-in movie theater with a screening of Say Anything (DVD/Download). Without being tacky, I’ll just say that this movie is best watched from the backseat. It’s not really a movie that celebrates cocktails in any way, but it DOES feature one of the greatest romantic leads in cinematic history, Lloyd Dobbler.

What can be said about Lloyd Dobbler that hasn’t already been shouted from the rooftops by every teenage girl? As Lloyd, John Cusack is a guy so great that he could only ever exist in the movies. I feel almost bad for him that he’s lovesick over Diane Court “whoa”, a smart, pretty girl who will never truly appreciate what she has (he gave her his heart and she gave him a pen.  I rest my case).  This is a guy who will stand outside your house with a boombox blasting Peter Gabriel, with no hint of embarrassment. This is a guy who will not comment on the fact that you are WAY overdressed for a high school keg party, then end the night by being a dependable designated driver.  Who is this guy? He’s Lloyd Dobbler. And goddamn it he doesn’t want to sell, buy, or process anything.

Lurking over the love story of Lloyd and Diane (besides her father’s IRS troubles) is brainy Diane’s eventual move to England on a scholastic fellowship. Lloyd, being a well-travelled army brat, offers to give her tips- English tips (whatever that means). I’m assuming those tips would include the knowledge that Pimm’s No. 1 is an amazing British liquor export and should be drunk whenever possible. Plus, for a Valentine’s Day cocktail, you can’t get much more festive than this one. While watching Say Anything, I recommend drinking a Pimm’s Royale.

Pimm’s Royale

1.5 oz Pimm’s No. 1

4 oz pink champagne

Strawberry for garnish

Pour Pimms into a champagne flute, then top with champagne. Garnish with a strawberry.

Pimms Royale

Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, Say Anything features amazingly astute dialogue, great music, and above all, teen angst. To me, it’s his greatest achievement as a filmmaker, and Lloyd his greatest character. Sometimes, it just takes the simple courage to pick up a phone and call the girl up. Lloyd gives us all hope. Cheers!

Comedies

Troop Beverly Hills

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Troop Beverly Hills
Image credit: Troop Beverly Hills, 1989

When a box of Girl Scout cookies landed on my desk this week, I was so happy that I practically jumped up and did “The Freddie”. Why Girl Scouts of America insists on selling cookies when most of the country is enduring a post-holiday diet I have NO idea, but I do know that I am powerless against the allure of Thin Mints. I’m also powerless against watching this week’s film Troop Beverly Hills (DVD/Download) while eating said Thin Mints.

If you are a girl who grew up in the late 80’s/early 90’s, you most likely remember this movie (or have it memorized like me). Shelley Long plays Beverly Hills housewife Phyllis Nefler, who takes charge of her daughter’s scout troop despite having zero wilderness experience. Instead of campfires and kumbaya, they have sleepovers at the Beverly Hills Hotel and lessons in diamond appraisal. Instead of door-to-door cookie sales, it’s celebrity fashion shows with Robin Leach. The scout troop is filled with future stars like Carla Gugino and Jenny Lewis, and even a young Tori Spelling pops up in rival troop The Redfeathers! Craig T. Nelson is likeable as always as Phyllis’ soon-to-be-ex-husband, and given the fact that I finally finished watching Parenthood, I literally cannot wait to see young(er) Zeke Braverman battling it out with a feisty redhead.

If you know this movie, then you also know what time it is. Yes, that’s right, it’s- COOKIE TIME! A box of them would be so niiice- (buy some!). This week, I’ll be mixing up a cocktail inspired by my favorite Girl Scout cookie. While watching Troop Beverly Hills, I recommend drinking a Thin Mint Martini.

Thin Mint Martini

Chocolate Syrup

Crushed Thin Mints

1 oz peppermint schnapps

2 oz white chocolate liqueur

2 oz half-and-half

To prepare glass, rim the edge in chocolate syrup, then dip in crushed thin mints. Swirl additional syrup around inside of the glass. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to chill. Then, mix remaining ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into prepared glass.

thin mint martini

I never joined the Girl Scouts as a child, but this was only because I didn’t have Phyllis Nefler as my troop leader. Had there been patches for turquoise jewelry appreciation and 60’s dance moves, I would have signed up immediately. Cheers, to khaki wishes and cookie dreams!

Comedies

When Harry Met Sally

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when-harry-met-sally-1940x900_35829
Image credit: When Harry Met Sally, 1989

There are very few New Year’s Eve scenes in cinema as satisfying as the one in this week’s film, When Harry Met Sally (DVD/Download). That grand speech at the end about wanting the rest of your life to start right now just gets me every time. Sure Meg Ryan has a bad perm and ridiculous long blue gloves, but I can overlook it all for that speech. Harry Burns is a heck of a guy.

The film begins by asking the age old question, “Can men and women ever really be just friends?” Billy Crystal as Harry says no, Meg Ryan as Sally says yes. They bicker, then meet again 5 years later and bicker about it some more, then meet again 5 years after that and decide that the bickering is silly, become the best of friends, then lovers, then nothing. It sounds like a saga of a movie, but Rob Reiner’s skillful direction and Nora Ephron’s genius script keep things moving along quickly. What results is a clever, sharp film about the relationships between men and women, and the pitfalls that await us all. And oh yeah, Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm in Katz’s deli and the whole world freaks out. Quel scandale.

It wouldn’t be New Year’s without a glass of something fizzy in my hand. In homage to Meg Ryan’s big scene, and Rob Reiner’s adorable mother, while watching When Harry Met Sally, I’ll have What She’s Having.

What She’s Having

1 ½ oz gin

¾ oz Cointreau

½ oz Maraschino Liqueur

½ oz lemon juice

Prosecco

Mix gin, Contreau, Maraschino liqueur, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a champagne flute. Top with Prosecco.

what shes having

In my experience, it’s totally possible to have a friendly acquaintance of the opposite sex, but extremely rare for that person to be a best friend. I definitely think there’s some truth to what Harry’s saying. I did have one very close male friend once upon a time…. and then I married him. And with any luck I’ll never have to be “out there” again. After all, nobody else could ever tolerate my inability to order anything as-is from a restaurant menu. Sally, you’re not alone. Happy New Year, and Cheers!

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!