Dramas

Rudy

September 29, 2014 LizLocke1 Comment

Since it’s been one whole year of Cinema Sips fabulousness, I’m harkening back to my very first post on A League of Their Own, where I discussed my general disdain for sporting events, and my inexplicable love for sports movies. This year, I’m switching games so I can talk about one of the all-time best football movies, Rudy (DVD/Download). Now that we’re heavy into college football season, it’s definitely appropriate viewing. While I roll my eyes at a Facebook newsfeed littered with tailgate photos and score updates, I plan on watching Rudy with a tasty autumnal cocktail in my hand to usher in fall. Some autumn spice candles may be lit- we’ll have to see.

Rudy is the wonderful inspirational movie about young Rudy Ruettiger, whose main dream in life is to play football for Notre Dame. He’s not the best student, so he can’t get into Notre Dame on academic merit, and he’s pretty small for a football player, so he’d never be recruited. But, he doesn’t give up. Even after being rejected time and time again, he continues to work on his studies at nearby Holy Cross, improving his grades, until eventually he’s accepted. Then he goes to work on becoming a football player. Everybody tells him he’ll never make the team, but he persists day in and day out, until eventually he makes the practice team. From there, he never misses a practice, and always gives a 110% during training, until finally, they let him dress for a game and run out onto the field with all the other top players. Honestly, during the final moments of the film, with Rudy’s family and friends cheering him on in the stands, I’m a weeping mess. This is the Marley & Me of sports movies- you just can’t watch it without tearing up. The game is utterly uninteresting to me. What makes this such a great film is the courageous, tenacious, and unbreakable spirit of Rudy.

My drink this week is inspired by the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. It features that great Irish export Bailey’s, along with apple and caramel. Perfect for fall, and for when you just can’t drink another pumpkin spice latte. This week, while watching Rudy, I’ll be drinking a Fightin’ Irish Appletini.

Fightin’ Irish Appletini

3 oz Baileys Caramel Irish Cream

1 1/2 oz Smirnoff Green Apple Flavored Vodka

1 teaspoon caramel

1 apple slice

Add Baileys and Vodka into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Prepare glass by swirling caramel on the bottom and sides. Strain liquids into glass, then garnish with an apple slice.

After thinking about this movie, I got to wondering what Rudy Ruettiger did after the big game at the end. If that was his life’s goal, to play in a Notre Dame football game, wouldn’t it all be downhill from there? A little internet research has informed me that he’s now a motivational speaker, which made me remember that the real Rudy actually did come speak at my elementary school 20 years ago, and I’m sure at the time my only thought was, “Well he looks nothing like Sean Astin.” I’m happy that his life took this particular career path though, if only because I’m seeing now how important it is that kids understand that their dreams are attainable. It’s not going to be easy, and nothing will be handed out on a silver platter, but if you work hard enough, and don’t give up, anything is possible. So hats off to Rudy and this movie for inspiring generations of people, and for goodness sake don’t forget to watch it with a box of Kleenex. Cheers!

Dramas

Her

September 22, 2014September 14, 2014 LizLockeLeave a comment

Image Credit Annapurna Pictures, 2013, Her

Although I had already seen this week’s film Her (DVD/Download) while it was in movie theaters last year, I decided it was time to check it out again, this time with my significant other and a lovely, bright cocktail. This was by far my favorite film of 2013, calling to mind other personal favorites like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Lost in Translation. It’s an unconventional love story, set against the backdrop of futuristic urban beauty, and moody instrumental music. I was thrilled when this film won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay because the script by Spike Jonze is truly beautiful. It makes me want to give up writing altogether because I fear that I’ll never be able to string words together as perfectly as he does in this film. Nevertheless, I was thrilled to sit back and let this lovely film wash over me once again.

Her is set in the future, however it feels like a just-out-of-reach future. People basically wear what we wear now (though men’s trousers are a bit more high-waisted), and spend their days glued to their smart phones. The architecture is a little more interesting, and most people don’t read books on paper anymore. Additionally, writing has become such a lost art that the main character Theodore (played superbly by Joaquin Phoenix) has a job crafting personal letters on behalf of others. It’s interesting to watch him writing these romantic love letters while his own love life is crumbling, as he’s still reeling from the dissolution of his marriage. Early on in the film, he gets a new computer operating system, but this OS named Samantha can actually talk to him. They begin a relationship, eventually falling in love. It sounds crazy to think that a man could fall in love with his computer, but oddly enough this is one of the most romantic stories I’ve seen on film in recent years. He’s happy with Samantha (voiced perfectly by Scarlett Johansson) and watching their romance progress is just riveting. I’ve often found that most literary love stories are totally ruined in their translation to film, simply because what I see on the screen never really matches up to the picture I’ve created in my mind. By taking away a physical half in this relationship, Spike Jonze has made a romantic film for the dreamers out there. Samantha the OS is anything I want her to be.

When I started raving about this film many months ago, I had another friend dismiss it by saying “ugh, too much orange.” Well, that’s true, there are a lot of warm colors used in the production design. I actually love all the orange though. Perhaps the reason is because I will always associate the color orange with my time spent studying in Valencia, Spain during college. The city was vibrant and alive, with futuristic architecture by Santiago Calatrava, and I found myself gravitating to bold oranges and reds both in my clothing and design choices. Thus my drink this week is inspired by that time in my life, and really does pair nicely with Her. This week, I’m enjoying Agua de Valencia.

Agua de Valencia

1 cup orange juice

2 oz gin

2 oz vodka

½ bottle cava (sparkling wine)

Sugar to taste

In a large pitcher or bottle, combine all ingredients, adding sugar a little at a time until you get it to your desired sweetness. Chill for an hour, then serve in ice-filled glasses.

This is a great drink for a crowd because it can (and should) be made in advance of your party, and it’s refreshing on those hot days where should be autumn, but unfortunately still feels like summer (hello September in Texas). The drink is a beautiful yellow-orange color, and feels right at home with the visual styling of this film. The characters in Her might be a little lost, and a little sad at times, but they still seem hopeful to me. After watching this, I find myself feeling hopeful too, for even if we’re all eventually tethered to our technology, we’ll still find ways to make personal connections. That’s a world that I’ll still want to live in. Only, don’t expect me to wear unflattering trousers. Cheers!

Dramas

Mermaids

September 15, 2014September 14, 2014 LizLocke1 Comment

Over the summer, I received a request from one ardent Cinema Sips reader for more movies starring Cher. This is somewhat of a tall order, considering that the queen diva rarely does film work. I was actually a bit shocked about how few films were on her resume, the count being only 13. That’s impossible, I thought. She’s Cher!!! I suppose it is a testament to her larger-than-life persona that she’s left such an indelible mark as an actress given the limited film work she’s done. Perhaps no movie epitomizes that persona better than this week’s Cinema Sips selection, Mermaids (DVD). This was always a favorite of mine growing up, for many reasons. A mother who serves only appetizers! Jake Ryan from Sixteen Candles! Polka dot dresses! I could go on and on. Plus, Cher plays a woman who definitely likes a cocktail, so what better movie to watch with a drink?

Mermaids is about a single mother named Mrs. Flax (played by Cher) who moves her two daughters to a small town in Massachusetts (played by Winona Ryder and a very young Christina Ricci) in 1963. Mrs. Flax is hip, scandalous, and fun- basically a lady who’s been around the block a few times. Of course her elder daughter Charlotte is a conservative prude who dreams of being a nun, while simultaneously harboring a fierce crush on the town handyman (played by Michael Schoeffling, aka Jake Ryan of Sixteen Candles fame). Charlotte is constantly embarrassed by her mother, as all teenage girls are, before realizing that maybe her mother is pretty great after all. Rounding out the cast is Bob Hoskins as shoe salesman Lou, who is so charming and kind that Cher can’t help but fall for the loveable galoot. Heck, I kind of fall for him, bald head and love handles be-damned. This is definitely a coming-of-age story, but I love that it’s told from a girl’s perspective, a rarity in Hollywood.

My cocktail this week was inspired by Mrs. Flax’s culinary skills. As her daughter puts it, “Fun Finger Foods is her main source book and it’s all the woman cooks…. Entrees are too much of a commitment.” I couldn’t agree more, and frankly I wish I could get away with pizza bagels and soft pretzel bites every night. But, you know, health. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t turn a drink into a fun finger food. I’m loving the recent Bloody Mary craze going on right now, wherein the more food you can stuff on the top of the glass, the better. Did y’all see the one with the whole roast chicken on it?? Mine isn’t that elaborate, but it does involve small foods on a toothpick. I’m pretty sure Mrs. Flax would approve. When watching Mermaids, I recommend drinking Mother’s Bloody Mary.

Mother’s Bloody Mary

2 oz vodka

4 oz tomato juice

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

3 dashes Tabasco

Salt and pepper to taste

Random small foods- eg. Celery Stalk, andouille sausage, olives, peppers, lemon wedges, etc.

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously and then strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with your small foods on toothpicks- get creative!

The beauty of this drink is that it’s all in the garnish. Whatever you have laying around in your kitchen, if it fits on a toothpick, throw it in! The more the merrier! This is for ladies on the go who don’t have time to prepare a full meal and would rather drink it than eat it, kinda like Mrs. Flax. Was she a bad mother who neglected to serve her children nutritious meals? Perhaps. But did she truly love her daughters and try to do the best she could? Absolutely. I think the same can be said about many mothers out there. I was raised by a single mother who maybe took culinary shortcuts now and again (hello Steak-umm’s!) but she did the best she could and that counts for a lot. This movie makes me appreciate all the mothers out there, who maybe want to fly free and wear sexy clothes and be outrageous, but instead stay home and make peanut butter sandwiches in the shape of a star, and show their kids that they are loved more than anything. Cheers!

Dramas

Frida

August 11, 2014July 27, 2022 LizLocke2 Comments

In the dog days of summer, the only question I really want to hear is a bartender asking me, “Salt or no salt?” I admit, this week’s film is mainly just an excuse for me to drink margaritas in pretty Mexican glassware. However, it is still one that I enjoy watching time and again, and not just because I’m married to a charismatic artist whom I might call Panzón when I’ve had too many drinks. Frida (DVD/Download) is genuinely one of my favorite artist bio films, mainly because of the creativity director Julie Taymor brings to the project.

Frida is of course the story of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, who rose to fame in the 1930’s and gained even greater posthumous recognition during the 1980’s and 1990’s. This film tells the story of her debilitating accident that occurred in her young adulthood, her early paintings, her marriage to artist Diego Rivera, and her activism in later years. Frida is played by actress Salma Hayek, who does a phenomenal job of capturing the artist’s passion and intelligence. Diego Rivera is played by wonderful character actor Alfred Molina, and he’s absolutely fantastic as the fiery politico artist who causes so much happiness and pain in Frida’s life. Several actors make cameos as famous figures, such as Geoffrey Rush as Leo Trotsky and Edward Norton as a young Nelson Rockefeller, but it’s really Hayek and Molina who carry the film. I love watching them fall in love, fight, inspire each other, and champion each other’s work. The best of their marriage is what I feel that I have now with my sculptor/illustrator husband. The worst of it- well, we haven’t gotten to the worst of it and I hope we never do. By worst I mean uni-brow.

You’ve heard me wax poetic above about margaritas in summertime, so I won’t bore you with much more, other than to say that if you’re looking for really great margarita recipes, I urge you to check out Viva Tequila by Lucinda Hutson. This is my margarita bible, and I love trying the different variations she lists while reading about the history of the agave plant and Mexican culture. I can almost picture Frida Kahlo holding up a cobalt blue glass filled with ice and lime juice and tequila while she studies her latest canvas. Or perhaps throwing one in Diego’s face in the middle of a fight. To that end, when watching Frida, I recommend drinking a Caliente Margarita.

Caliente Margarita

2 parts tequila

1 part Cointreau

1 part fresh squeezed key lime juice

Chile salt (here’s a link to a brand I like)

Lime wedge

Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, allowing the ice to melt and dilute the strength of the alcohol a bit. Rub a wedge of lime around the rim of your glass, then dip it in a saucer-full of chile salt, just so the salt coats the rim of the glass. Pour the contents of the shaker into the glass, and garnish with a lime wedge.

Obviously, the chile salt is what makes this margarita “caliente”, mirroring the fiery passion between Frida and Diego. If you’re not into spicy things, you can use a regular salt rim, or no salt at all, but I’m pretty partial to my chile salt after enjoying it on a few margaritas this summer. This recipe is actually adapted from the one Guero’s Taco Bar uses for their tasty house margarita, my favorite in Austin. The ice is key here because it allows the flavors to mellow out. So be liberal with the cold stuff (it is summer after all) and enjoy your spicy margarita while you watch Frida and Diego make love, make war, and most importantly, make art. Cheers!

Dramas

Saving Mr. Banks

June 9, 2014 LizLockeLeave a comment

Pop quiz- what film seamlessly merges a favorite childhood movie with the style and jet-set look of Mad Men? Answer: Saving Mr. Banks (DVD/Download). This was one of my favorite films of 2013, and it’s my personal opinion that Emma Thompson was robbed by not getting an Academy Award nomination- ROBBED. Since it’s maybe a little weird to be pairing a cocktail with a kid’s movie (though Disney World is selling alcohol in the Magic Kingdom now), I’ll forgo my fantasies of getting drunk and singing along with Burt the chimney sweep in favor of a cocktail pairing with a more adult movie about the making of Mary Poppins (DVD/Download). Showbiz movies are my favorite Netflix niche genre, and this particular film is one of the greats.

Saving Mr. Banks offers a behind-the-scenes look at the process of bringing Mary Poppins to the big screen. Based on the books by P.L. Travers, this was a property highly coveted by Mr. Disney, and highly protected by the author. She finally agreed to consider selling him the rights to the stories, only after making sure she had script approval. So, the cranky Englishwoman journeys to Los Angeles circa 1961 and wreaks havoc on the smiley, giddy, happy-to-be-alive Disney employees working on the film. Tom Hanks does a fine job of playing Walt Disney, and particular kudos go to B.J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman for playing the Sherman brothers, who wrote the music and lyrics for so many classic Disney songs. Hearing the songs I know so well being crafted in Saving Mr. Banks gives me a new appreciation for the artistry behind them, and I give credit to these men for strengthening my childhood vocabulary with words like fiduciary and precocious. The movie veers off periodically to discuss Travers’ childhood trauma and how Mary Poppins came to be, and yes Colin Farrell is magnetic as her father, but it’s the adult scenes with Emma Thompson where the movie really shines. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to get up and dance to “Let’s Go Fly a Kite”. I call that a cinematic success.

My cocktail today references the medicinal flavor-of-choice for Mary Poppins. As she says, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, and while this drink is never actually consumed in Saving Mr. Banks, I couldn’t help referencing that wonderful scene in the original film. Thus, when you’re watching Saving Mr. Banks, follow Mary Poppins’ lead and drink some Rrrrrum Punch.

Rrrrrum Punch

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup grenadine syrup

1 cup white rum

½ cup dark rum

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup orange juice

1 pinch nutmeg

Orange slice

Mix all ingredients together in a pitcher, punch bowl, or bottle. Chill in the refrigerator at least an hour before serving over ice. Garnish with nutmeg and orange slice.

I’m not sure what kind of “medicine” this is, but it does certainly make me happy to drink it. Even if Saving Mr. Banks was really just one big Disney propaganda film to make you want to go out and buy Mary Poppins and visit Disneyland, all I can say is- sign me up! Walt Disney had a knack for making people see the magic in our world, and I think he would have been pleased with this film- for even though we’re seeing the real story behind the magic, it doesn’t make it any less delightful. Cheers!

Dramas

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

April 28, 2014September 21, 2020 LizLocke1 Comment

This week, I’m surrounded by gardens, southern society, cocktails, and guns in the Southern classic Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (DVD/Download). This was one of my favorite movies of the 1990’s, and it still holds up well today. It paints Savannah as a mythical place full of people who drink at all hours of the day, sassy drag queens, and gun-toting antiques dealers. I’d say I’m eager to catch a plane there, but who am I kidding- I live in Austin! We’re practically twin cities.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is based on the bestselling non-fiction book of the same name by John Berendt. In it, he chronicles the trial of a wealthy member of Savannah society who is accused of murdering his paramour. Kevin Spacey plays the antiques dealer/bon vivant on trial, and Jude Law has a few brief scenes as his victim/lover. This film was a great place for Kevin Spacey to hone his eventual House of Cards accent, which he does to perfection. Not so great in the accent dept. is Jude Law, who does a sort of cockney/southern hybrid, but I’m willing to overlook it because he’s young and gorgeous (albeit in a redneck-psycho sort of way). The true star of this film (and the book) is of course The Lady Chablis. I love that the character was played by the real life Chablis Deveau because really, who else could possibly do this part justice? And I also love John Cusack as the fish-out-of-water reporter who stumbles into this world of, as he puts it, “Gone With the Wind on mescaline.”

As I have said, this film is excellent with a cocktail pairing because most of the characters treat drinking like a competitive sport. As one person says, “If you’re thirsty, a drink will cure it. If you’re not, a drink will prevent it. Prevention is better than a cure.” This beverage definitely feels medicinal, with its refreshing combination of rum, cognac, and LOTS of ice. When watching Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I recommend drinking this Savannah Julep.

8-10 mint leaves, roughly torn

2 tsp simple syrup

2 oz cognac

1/2 oz dark rum

Mint Sprig

Powdered Sugar

In a cup (a metal julep cup is great if you have it, but I’m going even more southern and using a mason jar), muddle mint leaves and simple syrup. Pour in cognac, to rinse off muddler; remove muddler. Fill the cup ¾ full with crushed ice and stir with a bar spoon. Add a small dome of crushed ice, and pour the rum over the top. Garnish with a mint sprig and a dusting of powdered sugar.

This cocktail is so refreshing that it might be my summer go-to when the temperature spikes above 100. It’ll always make me think of Spanish moss, long languorous afternoons that stretch into warm, humid nights, and genteel southerners with secrets for miles. As you watch Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, concern yourself less with whether or not Jim Williams is guilty, and more with the eccentric group of people that populate Savannah. In this instance, the truth is definitely stranger than fiction. Cheers!

Dramas

L.A. Confidential

March 31, 2014September 21, 2023 LizLocke2 Comments

Gangsters and high-class prostitutes. 1950’s movie stars. Glamorous fashions. Russell Crowe when he was young and thin. That’s right, I’m talking about L.A. Confidential (DVD/Download). This 1997 film based on a James Ellroy novel and directed by Curtis Hanson is one of my all-time favorites, and an absolutely perfect movie to pair with a cocktail. L.A. Confidential deserves and needs your undivided attention, so put down the phones and laptops, and make your drink before you press Play because the plot has more twists and turns than a street in the Hollywood Hills.

L.A. Confidential centers on three LAPD cops iwho find their cases intersecting in one riveting vice/homicide mash-up. Guy Pearce plays bookish detective Edmund Exley, Russell Crowe plays the heavy-handed goon/good guy Bud White, and Kevin Spacey is the fun-loving Jack Vincennes who stumbles onto a vice case that was more than he bargained for. I love the way the script weaves back and forth between their cases, until eventually they are knotted together. Kim Basinger turns in a great performance as Lynn Bracken, the sex worker dolled up to look like Veronica Lake. I love movies that reference classic cinema, and it’s a lot of fun to see actresses/models cut to look like Lake, Ginger Rogers, and Rita Hayworth. Of course one of the best scenes comes at the hands of Vincennes and Exley interrogating Lana Turner and Johnny Stompanato. I laugh every time because it’s one of the rare comedic moments in this pulpy noir film (outside of any scene with Danny DeVito of course).

For my cocktail this week, I’m serving up a drink that would have been fashionable around the time this movie takes place. It was popularized by Raymond Chandler, another Noir writer, though I’m making it a little differently than he would have. In The Long Goodbye, he called for simply “half gin and half Rose’s lime juice,” but I like to add a little simple syrup to my gimlet. After all, Bud White is a sweetie at heart!

White Gimlet

2 oz gin

½ oz Lime Juice

½ oz Simple Syrup

Lime wedge for garnish

Mix gin, lime juice, and simple syrup together in a cocktail shaker over ice. Strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with lime.

This film makes me so nostalgic for the glamour of Tinseltown, because even when they’re crawling around looking for dead bodies or roughing up a gangster at an abandoned motel, these cops still call each other by their full names and wear hats. Things were so civilized back then! Enjoy L.A.Confidential as you sip your gimlet, and try not to get so drunk that you end up whispering “Rollo Tomasi” in your husband’s ear for the millionth time while he tries not to become annoyed with you (not that I’m speaking from experience). Cheers!

Dramas

Blue Jasmine

March 5, 2014September 20, 2023 LizLocke10 Comments

After a very late night spent watching The Oscars on Sunday, I admit I had a tough time getting up the next morning. The only thing that got me out of bed was the promise of seeing a recap of last-night’s dresses all over the internet. I admit that I did pretty darn well in my office Oscar pool, though of course there were some definite sure things on the ballot this year. One of those sure things was Cate Blanchett, who very deservedly won her Best Actress statuette for Blue Jasmine. In celebration of her victory as well as her unfailingly good fashion sense, I’m watching the wonderful film for which she was honored.

Blue Jasmine (DVD/Download) tells the story of a wealthy New York socialite whose cheating, embezzling husband commits suicide while in prison for his financial crimes. Broke and lost, Jasmine seeks refuge at her sister Ginger’s apartment in San Francisco. Throughout the film, we discover that Jasmine’s seemingly perfect former life with her husband (played by Alec Baldwin) was decidedly imperfect. Jasmine manages to torpedo her own life as well as everyone else’s around her, resulting in a well-dressed shell of a woman who talks to herself and drinks Stoli martinis like they’re going out of style. Written and directed by Woody Allen, this film is very reminiscent of A Streetcar Named Desire. Bobby Cannavale is definitely no Marlon Brando, but Blanchett is a fabulous stand-in for Vivien Leigh.

For anyone watching this movie, you’ll notice that Jasmine drinks an awful lot of vodka. Specifically, her drink of choice is a Stoli martini. It’s a classic, but a classic for a reason. I’ve always preferred a twist of lemon over an olive in a martini because I think the tart lemon flavor complements the vodka much better than what is essentially a ball of salt at the bottom of the glass. When watching Blue Jasmine, you really can’t drink anything but a Stoli Martini with a Twist of Lemon.

Stoli Martini

Dry Vermouth

2 oz vodka, chilled

Lemon twist

Pour a small amount of vermouth into a martini glass and swirl it around, just so it coats the sides. Pour out excess. Add vodka into a shaker with ice, and gently stir until chilled (or shake it if you’re a James Bond fan). Pour vodka into prepared glass, and top with lemon twist.

The first time I saw Blue Jasmine, I knew it would be an instant classic. It’s a story that’s timeless, but yet so current. Jasmine is a woman who is unraveling, and it’s riveting to watch it happen. Whether she can be redeemed in the end, we’ll never know. I hope so. But for tonight, raise a glass to the great Cate Blanchett, and be glad that the Oscars only happen once a year (otherwise I might need to borrow a Xanax from Jasmine to manage my excitement). Cheers!

Dramas

Magnolia

February 25, 2014February 25, 2014 LizLockeLeave a comment

I’ll admit it- when I first saw Magnolia, I didn’t get it. Specifically the frogs. However, I think that’s what I really like the most about this film now- it leaves me questioning everything, including my own intelligence. I was tempted to watch this recently after the passing of the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman. Really, no retrospective of his work would be complete without seeing at least one Paul Thomas Anderson film. I am singling out Magnolia because it’s a great film to watch when you’re buried inside on a cold wintry day. Dark and stormy weather mixed with a dark and stormy film makes for a hell of a combination.

Magnolia (DVD/Download) tells the stories of several characters in the San Fernando Valley whose lives intersect over the course of a day. At 3 hours long, you may worry that the film drags by, but let me reassure you that every minute of those 3 hours is entirely necessary in order to give each character their due. The actors are all Paul Thomas Anderson regulars, with the notable exception of Tom Cruise sporting a weird samurai hairdo. This is the rare movie where I actually say afterward, “Wow, Tom Cruise can actually act!” He is surprising and amazing in Magnolia, as is the rest of the large cast. As their stories weave back and forth, you realize how interconnected we all are. The movie is about coincidences and fate, and the connections that we make with other people in our lives. The script is superb, and though I still don’t entirely know what the frog scene is about, it does become a sort of glue that binds the stories together.

My drink pairing for Magnolia is an obvious choice. Given the amount of weather references in the film, I have to pair it with a Dark & Stormy. This is a favorite drink of mine that combines simple ingredients into a refreshing cocktail. I like to imagine that Quiz Kid Donnie Smith finally grows up and goes back to that upholstered bar stool and orders up a tall cocktail like this.

Dark & Stormy

2 oz Dark Rum

3 oz Ginger Beer

Lime Wedge for garnish

Pour Rum and Ginger Beer into a tall Collins glass over ice. Garnish with lime wedge.

Of course, this cocktail is much more innocuous than the cadre of pills in Julianne Moore’s character’s purse, but it won’t leave you passed out in your car later on (hopefully). The big line in this film that gets said over and over again is “The book says we may be through with the past, but the past ain’t through with us.” I think that statement holds true for the simple act of watching this film, for even though I’ve seen it before and think I understand it, watching it now makes me consider it in a new light. So if you continue to be buried under winter weather, give this film a chance (along with a Dark & Stormy) and hunker down for a weird, intense, thought-provoking 3 hours. Cheers!

Dramas

The Great Gatsby

February 5, 2014July 7, 2022 LizLockeLeave a comment

Image Credit Warner Bros. Pictures, 2013

What else can we say about one of the greatest American novels ever to be written? A novel that’s been adapted several times onto the big screen, to varying degrees of success? Plenty, as it turns out. Think what you will about Baz Luhrmann’s most recent adaptation of The Great Gatsby (DVD/Download), but one thing it is not is boring. I’ll admit, at times I found it a bit slow (ahem- everything after the car accident), however the raucous party scenes more than make up for that. Plus, it is a truly perfect film for pairing with a cocktail. Back in the ’20’s, they knew how to pour a good drink.

I don’t need to bore anybody with a synopsis of The Great Gatsby, as I’m assuming we all read it in high school. And if you’ve never read it, order or download it right now!! Even if it’s a bit trite to say, this really is one of my favorite books. I think the reason directors have such a hard time turning it into a movie is because the language in the book is so beautiful. The plot is interesting, sure, but the language- that’s what keeps you reading. The sheer perfection of Fitzgerald’s prose is enough to make me give up writing altogether because I know I’ll never be as talented as he was. However, I can be as drunk as he reputedly was, and so can you if you follow my recipe below!

When watching this movie, which takes place during the roaring ’20s, I’m compelled to use a liquor which was like water back then- gin. I love the culture of the speakeasy and the raucous, never-ending parties of the wealthy, not to mention the clothes and bobbed hairstyles. But really, even the best-dressed character in this film looks naked without a cocktail glass in their hand. Because Baz Luhrmann’s film has more effervescence and pizazz than any other adaptations of this story, I’m serving up a Gin Fizz this week.

Prohibition Gin Fizz

2 oz gin

Dash of lime juice

½ tsp simple syrup

1 egg white

Soda Water

Lime twist for garnish

Pour the gin, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds (I promise, it’s worth it). Strain into a glass and top with soda water. Garnish with lime twist.

I like to drink this and imagine I’m at Gatsby’s mansion, wearing any number of the beautiful creations Carey Mulligan gets to model as Daisy Buchanan. I could probably take a pass on the strange hip-hop/jazz mash-ups that populate this movie in favor of classic jazz, but I’d enjoy every minute of being fought over by Leonardo DiCaprio and Joel Edgerton (can I just say WOW about his performance as Tom Buchanan??). Even if you’ve read the book many times like I have, and have seen all the movies, it’s still pretty fun to watch this version, especially with a tasty cocktail. Is it a perfect movie? No. Is it fun? Absolutely. Jay Gatsby wouldn’t have had it any other way. Cheers!

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