Dramas

How Stella Got Her Groove Back

April 25, 2016April 16, 2016 LizLockeLeave a comment

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!

Dramas

The Prestige

March 28, 2016March 26, 2016 LizLockeLeave a comment

The upcoming David Bowie tribute concert at Carnegie Hall has me waxing nostalgic about the Starman’s long and eclectic career. While he’s more often associated with the fantasy classic Labyrinth, for me one of his best roles was Nikola Tesla in this week’s film The Prestige (DVD/Download). With this character, Bowie manages to blend science, magic, and faith in a commanding performance that makes us wonder- Edison who?

Tesla is actually a minor part in this fantastic Christopher Nolan film about turn of the century illusionists. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman play rival magicians who go to extreme lengths to outdo one another with their Disappearing Man acts. Christian Bale’s character Alfred seems to possess a true magic, while Hugh Jackman’s character Angier follows a path of science, eventually leading him to Tesla’s lab in Colorado Springs. This film demands repeat viewings in order to fully understand all the plot twists and turns. Truly, the script itself is a work of magic, making us feel like we’re participating in a grand act of illusion.

One of the more popular magic tricks of the Victorian era was the Bullet Catch (the magician appears to catch a bullet out of thin air). As with any magic trick, it’s quite interesting once you understand the science behind it, and Angier uses it for devious purposes. While watching The Prestige, I recommend drinking a Bulleit Catch.

Bulleit Catch

1.5 oz Bulleit™ Bourbon

Dash of bitters

1 teaspoon sugar

Splash of water

1 lemon slice

1 orange twist

1 maraschino cherry

In a rocks glass, muddle sugar and bitters. Add the bourbon, splash of water and a large ice cube. Twist the lemon slice over the glass, then drop in the orange twist and maraschino cherry.

bulleit catch

Like the art of illusion, mixology is heavily based on science. I love knowing that I can add seemingly random ingredients together and somehow, due to flavor profiles and molecular structures and all the things I stopped paying attention to halfway through chemistry class, the drink just works. Is it magic? No. Is there even such a thing as magic? After watching this film, I still don’t have the answer. But I’m inclined to say yes. Cheers!

Dramas

Romeo + Juliet

February 22, 2016February 21, 2016 LizLockeLeave a comment

romeo and juliet — Image Credit: Romeo + Juliet, 1996

So I know I already featured a Baz Luhrmann film on Cinema Sips this month….. and here’s another one! Because it’s still February and still romance month, I couldn’t resist watching Romeo + Juliet (DVD/Download). I adore the 1968 Zeffirelli version too, but for my money, Lurhmann does the best job of capturing the energy of the original play. The director has said in interviews that he wanted to make a film in the way that Shakespeare himself might have done it, and since William Shakespeare was the ultimate entertainer of his day, it stands to reason that by the time the mid-90’s rolled around, he would have incorporated an Ecstasy-fueled party and Mercutio in sparkly sequin drag costumes. Definitely.

Romeo + Juliet stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes in the title roles, and their chemistry is part what makes the film such a success. I love the constant motif of water, particularly how the big balcony scene was done in a swimming pool. The lighting and the turquoise radiance of pool turn it into a much more sensual scene than I ever could have imagined when reading the play. Because it’s Luhrmann there are so many visual treats, even becoming chaotic at times, but the use of the original Shakespearean dialogue helps to balance the frenzy out. Is it word for word Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? No. Does it draw me into the story and make me feel the passion and tragedy of these star-crossed lovers? Without a doubt.

The color of Juliet’s fake-death potion inspired my cocktail this week. Though not actually poisonous, it looks like it might be! While watching Romeo + Juliet, I recommend drinking a Mortal Drug. (Apologies in advance for having to ask for Kinky Blue at the liquor store, but it actually feeds the decades-long Jolly Rancher addiction I have in the best way).

Mortal Drug

2 oz Kinky Blue Liqueur

1 oz Blue Curaçao

¾ oz lemon juice

½ oz simple syrup

Splash of club soda

Mix together Kinky Blue, Blue Curaçao, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then pour into a highball glass. Top with club soda.

Mortal Drug

While watching this film, be sure to look out for all the billboard slogans that are nods to Shakespearean quotes, and listen to the carefully curated pop songs. The version of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” is still one of my favorites. Just, try to look past Clare Danes’ ugly crying. ‘Tis not pretty. Cheers!

Classic Films · Dramas · Musicals · Uncategorized

Valley of the Dolls

January 18, 2016August 5, 2022 LizLockeLeave a comment

It was only a matter of time before I got around to this booze and pill-laden masterpiece of 1960’s camp. Valley of the Dolls (DVD/Download) is that special film that becomes even more enjoyable the more you drink. The crappy dialogue just SPARKLES, I tell you. But beyond the pills and swimming pools and teased hair, there are simply three gorgeous ladies trying to make it in the cutthroat business of Hollywood.

Valley of the Dolls stars Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, and Sharon Tate as three friends looking for love and fame. Based (perhaps a little too loosely) on the fantastic Jacqueline Susann novel of the same name, the film version is a musical featuring rather forgettable songs by Andre Previn (most of which I find skippable). Give me scenes of Patty Duke in her underwear emptying a bottle of scotch into the deep end of her swimming pool. Sharon Tate looks lovely as always and is relatively believable as Jennifer North, star of French “art films” and Barbara Parkins, well, she knows how to pull off a lot of eyeliner and frosted lipstick. Special congrats to Richard Dreyfuss, who scored his first-ever film role in this. Way to start at the bottom.

As I said, there’s a lot of alcohol and pills in both the book and the movie. “Dolls” is short for dolophine, a popular narcotic at the time. I like to substitute Hot Tamales for the pills, and luckily Fireball Whiskey pairs quite well with this candy. Obviously this drink needs to be strong enough to put you into a stupor, but pretty enough to be held while you sit in your peignoir wearing false eyelashes (don’t mock the way I spend my Saturday nights). While watching Valley of the Dolls, I recommend drinking a Burning Doll.

Burning Doll

1.5 oz Fireball Whiskey

3 oz champagne

Splash of orange juice

Combine chilled ingredients into a coupe glass and enjoy!

burning doll

There’s a lot of sarcasm in this post, and much of that comes from jealousy. I mean, who wouldn’t want to take a fistful of barbiturates and wander around the beach all afternoon? And how about having a husband who’s a fashion designer named Ted Casablanca? Now that sounds genuinely fabulous. This week, come drink with me, and be my love. Cheers!

Dramas

Brokeback Mountain

January 11, 2016January 9, 2016 LizLockeLeave a comment

During the Heath-A-Thon I held on New Year’s Eve, I had the pleasure of watching the critically acclaimed drama, Brokeback Mountain (DVD/Download). The tale of two cowboys and the forbidden attraction they share is an unexpected love story, but absolutely essential viewing.

Directed by Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain is full of quiet moments that pull the viewer in. The Wyoming (or Canada?) scenery is gorgeous, as are the two lead characters played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. I love that the story isn’t so much about their sexuality as it is about the difficulty of finding happiness in one’s life. The only place Ennis Del Mar is truly happy is on Brokeback Mountain with Jack Twist, but he can’t see a way to make that happiness last. Work, family, and fear of the unknown gets in the way, until he becomes trapped in a life he hates. Too late he realizes all that he’s lost, and the final scene has me weeping every time. At the end of the 2.5 hours, I feel like my heart has been ripped out right along with Ennis’.

To get through this tearjerker, I need a good cocktail to cheer me up. One of my favorite scenes is when Ennis’ wife Alma, played by Michelle Williams, confronts her husband about his “fishing trips” with Jack Twist. “Jack Twist? Jack NASTY” she spits. It’s not supposed to be funny, but something about her accent makes me giggle every time. While watching Brokeback Mountain, I recommend drinking a Jack Nasty.

Jack Nasty

2 oz Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey

1 ½ oz Apple Cider

¾ oz Lemon Juice

Lemon Twist

Mix whiskey, apple cider, and lemon juice in a shaker (dry shake). Pour into a rocks filled glass, and garnish with a twist of lemon.

Jack Nasty

Contrary to the name, this cocktail is amazingly tasty, and allows me to use one of the 52 mini bottles of liquor I found in my Christmas stocking this year. Win-win! Watching Brokeback Mountain makes me feel incredibly lucky that I was able to build exactly the kind of life I want with the person I love. For so many people in the world, it isn’t that easy. Also, I can be glad that ranching was never a career path laid at my feet. I’ve never been a fan of beans. Cheers!

Dramas

The Social Network

January 4, 2016August 5, 2022 LizLocke2 Comments

As part of my New Year’s resolution this year, I decided to stop procrastinating and actually start (and maintain) a Cinema Sips Twitter page. Something I said I’d NEVER do, but Facebook’s commercialization and subsequent ransoming of business pages has forced my hand. Plus, Twitter has jokes. Lots of jokes. Being the newly tech savvy person that I am, I got to thinking of those halcyon early days of Facebook. Back when it was like a secret club, invite only, with nary an ad in sight. If you weren’t between the ages of 18-25 in 2004, and don’t believe me, just check out this week’s film, The Social Network (DVD/Download).

Fun fact: Mark Zuckerberg and I went to college at the same time, and we’re nearly the same age. Except he’s, well, Mark Zuckerberg and I’m just some girl writing this little blog and spending too much money at the liquor store. While he was writing code and inventing Facebook, I was sitting in a dorm room watching Christopher Guest films on repeat. I find The Social Network to be mildly depressing, in an “oh my God, I’ve done NOTHING with my life” kind of way, but I also consider it to be an exhilarating, entertaining film about the early days of a huge digital revolution. Jesse Eisenberg’s cold villain performance is quite skilled, and I particularly love Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker. And the Winklevoss twins! I totally think there should be a remake of Rope starring Armie Hammer and Armie Hammer as the Leopold and Loeb characters. How creepy would that be?

Apparently these Silicon Valley bigwigs like their girly drinks. Far too many appletinis get consumed in the road to Facebook world domination. Thus while watching The Social Network, I recommend drinking a classic millennial cocktail, the Appletini. Normally I’d never advocate for a pre-made mix, but A) it’s pretty tasty, and B) I’m too busy on Twitter to deal with anything else this week.

Appletini

2 parts Stirrings Appletini mix

1 part vodka

Maraschino cherry (for garnish)

Combine appletini mix together with vodka in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass with a maraschino cherry at the bottom.

Everyone likes to talk about how Facebook has gone downhill, and in a lot of ways it has. I hate the ads, and the sponsored posts, and having to see what all of my friends are “liking” and commenting on at any given moment. For the most part, I just don’t care. But I admit, Facebook has made the world a pretty great place to be. Now I can connect with friends that I would have lost touch with ages ago had I been dependent on just a phone or email address. Sure, I’ve got some geriatric relatives trolling my posts, but you take the bad with the good. And if you’re a fan of the Cinema Sips Facebook page, you’ve got a place to interact with other like-minded movie and cocktail aficionados. So go ahead- Facebook me. Cheers!

Dramas

Titanic

November 30, 2015November 28, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

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!

Dramas

Good Will Hunting

November 2, 2015November 1, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

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.

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

October 26, 2015October 25, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

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).

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

October 19, 2015October 19, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

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).

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!

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