Who Framed Roger Rabbit

March 26, 2018March 25, 2018 LizLockeLeave a comment

Cartoons have all the fun. At least, that’s the impression I get from this week’s film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (DVD/Download). While the human citizens of Los Angeles are busy drinking themselves to death and designing freeways, their animated neighbors get to play patty cake and dance in a Silly Symphony. Who needs Hollywoodland when you’ve got Toontown?

Who Framed Roger Rabbit ushered in a lot of firsts for me. It was the first time I saw Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse in a movie TOGETHER, the first time I learned what “sexy” was supposed to look like (thanks for that impossible bar, Jessica Rabbit), and the first time I had cinema-induced nightmares (again, thanks for that re-inflated, waxy Christopher Lloyd). At 5 years old, my young mind soaked up this picture like a slapstick-starved sponge, delighting in Roger Rabbit and his fellow ‘toons’ antics. As an adult, I gravitate toward gumshoe Eddie Valiant (played by Bob Hoskins), who’s too old for this crap but needs a distraction to keep himself out of the whiskey bottle. Nevertheless, the kid in me still can’t resist a good “Shave and a Haircut” joke.

If I were an entertainment mogul, the first thing on my agenda would be to build a real life Ink & Paint Club. Seriously- a speakeasy filled with dueling pianos and Betty Boop? Genius. My drink of choice? Something lethal. While watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit, I recommend drinking Dip.

Dip

2 oz Gin

¼ oz Dry Vermouth

¼ oz Absinthe

Lemon Twist

Stir together first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice until well chilled. Strain into a martini glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Dip — Side note: I have been waiting YEARS to feel justified in keeping this ugly martini glass in my house. Roger Rabbit just gave me my excuse.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is such a love letter to classic Hollywood and the golden age of animation, that I just want to wrap it up in a bear hug until its eyes pop out. The great thing about this movie is that by mixing cartoons and live actors, the fantastic becomes real. Suddenly, you start to believe that you could get ferried around town in a potty-mouthed taxi, or that the bullets in a gun are actually slow-moving dum-dums with the voice of Yosemite Sam. I know it’s not true, but isn’t it fun to pretend, just for a little bit? Cheers!

Children's · Comedies

The Triplets of Belleville

March 19, 2018March 18, 2018 LizLockeLeave a comment

This week, I found the rare film that bridges the gap between my Mad Max-loving husband and myself. By the time we finished The Triplets of Belleville (DVD/Download), we were both humming “Belleville Rendezvous”, and he enthusiastically admitted that this was the best French (mostly silent) cartoon he’s ever seen. Small pool, but I’ll take it!

Similar to The Artist, this film is largely dialogue-free, thus opening it up to a world-wide audience. You don’t need to speak French to laugh at Bruno the dog barking at trains, or the whistle-blowing little old lady with one oversized orthopedic shoe. It’s ALWAYS going to be funny. When her grandson gets kidnapped by the French mafia and forced into a simulated Tour de France, Grandma and Bruno travel across stormy seas to Belleville, a strange Metropolis-esque city up to no good. Their rescue operation gets some help from three aging singers with a hearty appetite for frogs, and soon they’re all making some strange, fantastic music. It’s delightful, it’s moving, and it’s a glorious love letter to old-school animation.

I don’t know much about cycling, but I do know that in the Tour, the Lanterne Rouge is the cyclist in last place who refuses to drop out. If that isn’t a metaphor for this whole movie, I don’t know what is. Break out the French aperitifs for a Red Lantern cocktail!

Red Lantern

1 ½ oz vodka

½ oz Cointreau

½ oz Chambord

1 oz cranberry juice

½ oz lime juice

Fresh Blackberry or raspberry

Lime Twist

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake, and then strain into a glass. Garnish with a blackberry and lime twist.

Red Lantern

As I get older, and busier, I regret that I don’t take a chance on foreign cinema or animation the way I used to. The Triplets of Belleville reminds me that great films come from unexpected places, and in unexpected formats. And it also reminds me that some things, like the love between a boy and his grandma, or a boy and his dog, are universal. Cheers!

Dramas

Waking Life

March 12, 2018March 10, 2018 LizLockeLeave a comment

Living in Austin, it’s hard not to be a fan of Richard Linklater. So many of his films capture that unique brand of relatable intellectualism that made me fall in love with my adopted home town. As my husband would say, “It’s just a bunch of people walking and talking.” Yep- and I love it! High up on my list of favorite films is this week’s animation pick Waking Life (DVD/Download).

Although Linklater didn’t invent the concept of rotoscoping (the process of animating over film footage), this was the first computer-aided version I’d ever seen. Waking Life felt so fresh in 2001, and still does today. Even though we’ve come a long way with ambitious animation projects (ie. Loving Vincent), the way Linklater uses all these different visual styles to describe a series of dreams is incredibly unique. The picturesque realism used for Jesse and Celine’s pillow talk is so different from the crude lines of the angry guy in the bar, which is so different than the Picasso-esque tango orchestra, that you really feel the emotion in every scene.

What I love most about rotoscoped films is the interplay between light and shadow. Particularly in the scene with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy (giving us a little tease of their Before Sunrise characters’ fates), the light coming through their window gives the whole scene such a romantic glow. Wouldn’t it be great to capture this same feeling with a classic cocktail? While watching Waking Life, I recommend drinking a Golden Dream.

Golden Dream

1 ½ oz Galliano

1 ½ oz Cointreau

1 ½ oz Orange Juice

¾ oz cream

Orange twist for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Golden Dream

If someone were to make a movie of my dreams, it would no doubt feature me walking up an endless set of stairs while simultaneously fretting that I’ve forgotten my locker combination. Riveting, no? Thank heavens Richard Linklater has enough interesting dreams in his arsenal to make up for all of my mundane ones. Cheers!

Children's

The Sword in the Stone

March 5, 2018March 4, 2018 LizLockeLeave a comment

My anticipation and excitement for Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs has me itching to watch more animation this month. I have very strong thoughts on modern animation, having grown up in the days before computers did absolutely everything. Back then, you could go to Disney World’s MGM Studios and actually watch artists use a pencil and paper to draw characters. I know, crazy right? If we’re talking animation, I think it’s essential to begin with Disney- the studio that turned this medium into a true cinematic artform. Although I love so many Disney animated features, my enduring favorite is undoubtedly The Sword in the Stone (DVD/Download).

Some might see this as an odd choice for me, since there is nary a ballgown or princess in sight. However what it lacks in unrealistic romantic ideals, The Sword in the Stone more than makes up for it in visual sumptuousness. When I watch this story of young Arthur toiling away in poverty, learning about science from Merlin the Wizard and Archimedes the Owl, I feel like I can actually see the blood, sweat, and tears that went into drawing each frame. Every line and color cell is visible to the naked eye, with the ultimate effect being a moving painting. This is something I don’t get today with the Pixar films, where everything looks a bit like a plastic toy, regardless of whether it’s a Toy Story sequel or not.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the magnificent, marvelous, mad Madam Mim. She pits good old-fashioned sorcery against Merlin’s scientific approach, but gosh what a delightful villain! Of any character in this film, she seems the most likely to relax with a cocktail after a day of wreaking havoc. While watching The Sword in the Stone, I recommend drinking a Mad Madam Mim Martini.

Mad Madam Mim Martini

1.5 oz vodka

1.5 oz cranberry juice

Dash of Grenadine

1 oz Blue Curacao

Raspberry Cocktail Caviar for garnish (slightly chilled)

Mix vodka, cranberry juice, and grenadine in a shaker filled with ice. Strain into a martini glass, then slowly layer blue curacao. Garnish with Cocktail Caviar balls (aka- the pox!)

madam mim martini

1960’s Disney films have such a unique, gritty style that got lost in the Beauty and the Beast-era films of the 1990’s. Somewhere along the way, it became trendy to take the human element out of the equation. Maybe one day we’ll cycle back, but for now, watch this vintage gem and geek out on Merlin’s science lessons. After all, knowledge is true power. Cheers!

Comedies

Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

February 26, 2018February 24, 2018 LizLockeLeave a comment

You’ll have to forgive me, but I’m totally obsessed with Frances McDormand. The front-runner for this year’s Academy Award for Best Actress (for her unforgettable role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), she’s long been a favorite of mine in films like Friends With Money, and this week’s Cinema Sips pick Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (DVD/Download). No matter what happens on Oscar night, I think we should all bow down to the woman who has made “telling it like it is” into an artform.

As Guinevere Pettigrew, McDormand speaks simple truths softly. She’s the guiding force ditzy American singer/actress Delysia Lefosse (a campy Amy Adams) desperately needs as she juggles three competing bachelors in 1930’s London. Poor Miss Pettigrew just wants a meal, but she’s too busy playing caretaker and maid to this scatterbrained screwball. The art deco sets and costumes are completely transporting, and understated romance makes this script sparkle like a diamond brooch. Will Miss Pettigrew get her happy ending with Joe the lingerie designer? Have a cocktail and find out.

Although Miss Pettigrew doesn’t drink, she finds it difficult to refuse Delysia’s offer of a cocktail. It’s different, you know. Enjoy this classic libation and see if you can guess which bachelor will win Delysia’s heart in this wacky horserace. While watching Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, I recommend drinking a Silver Screen Gin Fizz.

Silver Screen Gin Fizz

2 oz Gin

1 oz simple syrup

¾ oz Lemon Juice

4-5 dashes grapefruit bitters

1 egg white

Club Soda

Combine first 5 ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice first, and shake until frothy. Add ice, then shake vigorously until chilled. Strain into a glass, and top with club soda.

Gin Fizz

This film reminds me so much of wonderful screwball comedies by Preston Sturgess and Howard Hawkes. The dialogue is rapid, the actors look like they’re having the time of their lives, and the costumes make me want to give up my job so I can walk around in satin and fur all day without being ridiculed. I guess I’ll just have to save it for the weekend. Cheers!

Comedies

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 LizLockeLeave a comment

I got on a major Keanu Reeves kick over the summer, diving headfirst into such classics as Point Break, Speed, and yes, even A Walk in the Clouds. Haven’t you always wanted to watch Keanu Reeves sell candy and make wine? I know I have. Obviously, my marathon wouldn’t have been complete without this week’s classic cult comedy, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (DVD/Download). Why do I still love this film? Because Bill S. Preston and Ted ‘Theodore’ Logan make history fun!

When Bill and Ted are visited by the intergalactic time traveler (played by… George Carlin?), they barely question the magic phone booth that will take them to any point in time. Collecting such notable figures as Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Billy the Kid, and Socrates, they put together a kick-ass presentation to wow the crowd at San Dimas High and ace their final exam. The movie shines during scenes when history is juxtaposed with 1980’s America. Seeing Joan of Arc lead a jazzercise class- priceless.

One thing that never changes from 19th-century France to 20th-century America- the fact that Napoleon is a real piece of sh*t. Pushing people out of the way on waterslides, cheating at mini golf- this guy lives up to his reputation. Of course such a pompous ass would have his own cocktail. While watching Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, I recommend drinking a classic Napoleon.

Napoleon

2 oz Gin

½ oz Grand Marnier

½ oz Dubonnet Rouge

Lemon Twist

Mix all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir until chilled, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Napoleon

Although it would go on to launch a pretty bad film sequel and animated TV show, the original Bill & Ted will always be a classic in my book. Wyld Stallyns couldn’t drag me from this one. Cheers!

Comedies

Shakespeare in Love

February 12, 2018August 12, 2022 LizLockeLeave a comment

This Valentine’s Day, I know just what I’m in the mood for- love, and a bit with a dog. Throw in some sumptuous Elizabethan-era costumes, one of the most genius scripts of all time, a saucy Judi Dench, and what have you got? This week’s Ultimate Romance film Shakespeare in Love (DVD/Download).

Before GOOP, before vagina steaming, Gwyneth Paltrow was Viola de Lessups, beautiful muse to Will Shakespeare and feminist icon to every girl who ever dreamed of doing a “man’s job”. I wanted to hate her, she of the porcelain skin and perfect hair that doesn’t even need a comb in the morning. Except, damn it- she’s just radiant in this film. Her chemistry with Ralph Fiennes is amazing, and her joy at playing this character is completely contagious. Plus there’s that script, which takes all the brilliance of Shakespeare’s plays, adds some subtle, witty nods to Elizabethan history, and sparkles with one double entendre after another.

I love a good “putting on a show” plot, so naturally I’m enamored with The Rose theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet née Mercutio née Romeo and Ethel- The Pirate’s Daughter. This film does a fantastic job of showing the humorous side of Shakespearean theatre, and therefore it deserves a light, rose-inspired cocktail to put you in the mood for romance. While watching Shakespeare in Love, I recommend drinking a Rose by Any Other Name.

Rose by Any Other Name

2 oz gin

2 oz Elderflower Liqueur

1 ½ oz lime juice

½ oz simple syrup

½ tsp Rosewater

Fresh rose petals

Combine liquid ingredients over ice, shaking well to combine and thoroughly chill. Strain mixture into a glass, and garnish with rose petals.

Rose by Any Other Name

Can a play (or a film) show the us the very truth and nature of love? I certainly believe it can, and this film does it perfectly. By the final scene, I’m a true believer in the idea that it will all come out right in the end. How? It’s a mystery. Cheers!

Classic Films · Musicals

West Side Story

February 5, 2018May 5, 2021 LizLockeLeave a comment

I have a very important question for all you Cinema Sips readers- are you Team Jet or Team Shark? Personally, I’m Team Jet, due to my not-so-secret crush on Russ Tamblyn. But no matter which side you’re on, I think we can all agree that West Side Story (DVD/Download) is one of the most delightfully jazzy discourses on immigration and gang warfare that cinema has to offer.

Based on the Broadway hit with music by Leonard Bernstein and choreography by Jerome Robbins, West Side Story is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Instead of the Montagues and Capulets, it’s the Jets and the Sharks- Polish vs. Puerto Rican on the mean streets of New York. Jet Tony falls for Shark Maria, and we pretty much know these star-crossed lovers are doomed from the get-go. I adore the production design- one big Technicolor feast for the eyes. Even the songs are catchy, and this coming from someone who is emphatically Anti-Sondheim. Maybe it’s the beautiful Bernstein score that rescues his lyrics. This is one of those rare musicals that’s never going to seem dated, mainly because the story of Romeo and Juliet is so timeless. Plus, what girl hasn’t twirled around the bedroom singing “I Feel Pretty”? Just me? Really? Well okay then.

One of my favorite songs in the film is “America”, Rita Moreno’s snappy ode to her adopted home. However, her native territory of Puerto Rico is no slouch either. It’s got some great things going for it, such as the eggnog-esque cocktail Coquito. Sweet, boozy, flavorful- it’s the perfect pairing for this film. While watching West Side Story, I recommend drinking Coquito.

Coquito

2 cans coconut cream

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups rum

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a blender, mixing well until frothy. Refrigerate overnight, then serve chilled over ice.

Coquito

I like to think that if every American could just watch this incredible film, there would be no talk of a wall or fights about Dreamers. Every person, no matter how they got here or where they came from, deserves a chance at a better life. That’s America. Quick- how can we orchestrate a Turner Classic Movies takeover of Fox News?? Cheers!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Dramas

Hell or High Water

January 29, 2018January 29, 2018 LizLockeLeave a comment

While I was prepping my Top Five Films of 2017 list this year, I took a look back at the 2016 list to see which of those films had the most staying power. I’m definitely guilty of getting swept up in awards season hype, lauding a film then forgetting all about it a month later (cough *Argo* cough). Of any pick from that 2016 list, the one with the best legs is definitely Hell or High Water (DVD/Download). I have watched this movie with a salty Navy vet, several times with my husband, once with my cat-loving mother-in-law, and yet again with my dad (semi-professional “shoot em up” connoisseur). Five stars from everyone, and I’m still not sick of it. I think this one is here to stay.

Hell or High Water is one of those rare films that spans multiple genres, but does it so well that it doesn’t get pigeonholed into any one of them. It could be considered a Western, or a heist film, or even an art-house drama. The story of two brothers robbing small West Texas banks to save the family farm sounds very simplistic, but Taylor Sheridan’s clever script turns this into a complex masterpiece with not a single loose thread left hanging. Chris Pine (sporting the best mustache since Clark Gable swept Vivienne Leigh off her feet) is a revelation as the quiet, thoughtful brother trying to atone for past sins and pull his family out of poverty, and Ben Foster turns in some of his best work as the reckless ex-con who you know right away is too wild to walk away from this unscathed. Jeff Bridges elevates the stereotypical “I’m too old for this shit” Texas Ranger character into an homage to Western cinema heroes- his hotel blanket draped around his shoulders like a serape cape fit for a superhero.

I could get fancy with a Texas-inspired cocktail, but that’s not what this film is about. It’s about average folks and the lengths they’ll go to protect what’s theirs. It’s a movie about sipping a beer on a ramshackle porch, wondering if there’s even such a thing as right and wrong anymore. While watching Hell or High Water, I recommend getting a Shiner Family Reunion 6-pack, maybe a shot of whiskey, and kicking back with a damn good movie.

Shiner beer

I tend to love films about sympathetic criminals because I think there’s a little part of all of us that can relate to good people doing bad things. Like Tom Ripley, I want the Howard brothers to get away with it. Or at the very least, go out in a blaze of glory. The great thing about Hell or High Water is that we get both, but it still leaves you guessing until the very end. Cheers!

Top 5 Lists

Top Five Films of 2017

January 25, 2018January 25, 2018 LizLocke1 Comment

Was it just me, or were movies REALLY good this year? Maybe filmmakers are finally realizing that people want to watch unconventional love stories, fabulous 1950’s clothes, and exotic locations. Maybe writers are realizing that everybody’s mad, and it’s time to say something about it. Whatever happened in Hollywood to make such an incredible year of pictures, I say keep it up. As hard as it was to narrow down my list of favorites, I’m finally able to settle on my Top Five Films of 2017. Cheers!

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri — Image credit: *Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,* 2017.

Take all the rage I feel about social injustice/violence against women/police misconduct, bottle it up, and give it to Frances McDormand to turn into a Molotov cocktail of a film. This is the movie I desperately needed this year.

2. Call Me By Your Name

Is there anything more beautiful than summer in Italy? Maybe this love story.

3. Phantom Thread

1950’s couture gowns, Daniel Day Lewis, and the sexiest breakfast order ever.

4. The Shape of Water

I didn’t expect to fall for a slimy underwater creature, but damn it Guillermo Del Toro- you got me. More Douglas Sirk-inspired romances and six-pack abs please!!!

5. The Florida Project

This film still haunts me, months later. If you’re not angry about the state of poverty and child welfare in America, you obviously haven’t seen tiny masterpiece yet.

*Honorable Mentions: Dunkirk (sound editing like WHOA), Good Time (um, hello Robert Pattinson, can you please be in all the movies now?), and Baby Driver (that soundtrack!!).

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