Cinema Paradiso

July 13, 2015July 9, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

It’s no secret that I love movies. Why else would I write this blog, week after week? It’s not just for the drinks- I swear. What I love most of all are movies about movies. This brings me to the Italian component of Foreign Cinema Month, Cinema Paradiso (DVD). I’m not ashamed to admit that this schmaltzy, idealistic movie about the power of cinema tugs at my heartstrings every time, turning me into a weeping mess on the sofa. If you’re not affected even a little bit by the final montage, well then, I can’t help you.

Cinema Paradiso is at its core a love story between a boy and the art of cinema. Cute little Salvatore (`Toto’) pesters Alfredo (the projectionist at his local small-town cinema) into letting him help out in the projection room. Alfredo becomes a father figure, teaching Toto life lessons through movies, and encouraging him to follow his dreams of becoming a filmmaker. There’s a tepid love story that weaves itself through Toto’s adolescent years, but it can’t compare to the love stories we see on the screen of the tiny Italian movie theater. The film touches on religious censorship within Italian cinema, thus setting up the big finale. I feel like the Italians are the only ones who could have done this story justice, and their beautiful language only adds to the romance of the film as a whole.

Because this movie is a celebration of cinema, I think it deserves a prosecco toast. Pair it with the Italian aperitif Aperol, and you’ve got yourself a pretty, sparkly beverage evoking the Italian sunset. While watching Cinema Paradiso, I recommend drinking an Aperol Spritz.

Aperol Spritz

3 oz Prosecco

2 oz Aperol

1 oz club soda

Orange twist (optional)

Pour Aperol into a chilled flute or wine glass, and top with prosecco and club soda. Garnish with an orange twist if desired. Toast to il cinema italiano!

There have been a handful of other films about cinephiles (The Dreamers, Hugo, etc.) but Cinema Paradiso will always be my favorite. I first saw it as a teenager in a small town in Pennsylvania, and at the time it made me feel a little less alone. Like maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t crazy for wanting to barricade myself in my room with a stack of VHS tapes from Blockbuster. Toto ended up alright, anyway. In many ways this blog, and the wonderful comments it receives, does the same thing for me as an adult. Here’s to Italy, and amore. Cin Cin!

Monsoon Wedding

July 6, 2015July 28, 2022 LizLockeLeave a comment

Get ready- Cinema Sips is off on an international adventure! For the entire month of July, I’ll be showcasing some of my favorite examples of foreign cinema. I know I have readers from all over the world, so maybe these films aren’t “foreign” to everyone. But for those of us living in the US, be prepared- there will be gorgeous scenery, there will be unusual flavors, and there will be subtitles. Deal with it. To kick things off, we’ll be visiting India through the lens of Monsoon Wedding (DVD/Download). This movie expertly blends contemporary Western culture with traditional Bollywood stereotypes. Add a cocktail, and you’ll feel like an honored guest at the reception.

Monsoon Wedding tells the story of an arranged marriage among upper middle class families in New Dehli. In a four day-long wedding extravaganza, we see the couple meet for the first time, learn their fears and dreams, and watch as distant relatives all come together to celebrate the union. I will admit, I grew up thinking of India through the typical (incorrect) Western lens, however after seeing this movie, I discovered an entirely different side to the country. India is home to a beautiful world full of riotous color, arbors draped in marigolds, steamy summer nights, music, dancing, and laughter. Of course, what would a wedding be without a little family drama too? Director Mira Nair weaves a bold, complicated tapestry of family emotions, making the viewer realize that no matter what country you live in, embarrassing relatives are universal.

Summertime in India calls for a fruity, refreshing drink. Mango seems to be a popular flavor in this country, and the celebratory theme of the movie calls for something light and uplifting. While watching Monsoon Wedding, I recommend drinking a Mumbai Mojito.

Mumbai Mojito

1.5 oz rum

½ cup fresh mango (or frozen, thawed)

4 sprigs mint

1.5 oz lime juice

5 oz oz club soda

Marigold blossom (for garnish)

Muddle mango, mint, and 1 oz of lime juice. Add rum, mix, then pour into ice filled glass. Top with club soda, squeeze of lime, and a marigold.

By far my favorite character in Monsoon Wedding is wedding planner P.K. Dubey. Permanently attached to his Nokia cell phone, he is the heart (and comic relief) of this film. His character is a lot like India itself- a blend of traditional cultural values, and new technology. He can order up a weather-proof tent via this crazy new thing called email, but he can also tell you it won’t rain because the peacocks aren’t dancing. Now isn’t that the kind of planner every bride needs on her side? Cheers!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Classic Films

Jaws

June 29, 2015June 28, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

Lately it seems like Jaws is EVERYWHERE. Because we just passed the 40th anniversary of its release, this movie is popping up at my local indie cinema, a public swimming pool, and of course cable TV. I just can’t escape the shark. But with something this good, why would you want to? Jaws (DVD/Download) is the quintessential summer blockbuster. It’s a film that keeps me riveted and entertained from start to finish, and it makes me feel a little better about the fact that I live in Texas (far, far away from open waters). Featuring plenty of drunk fishermen, it’s also a great movie to watch with a cold cocktail.

Jaws is not simply a movie about a killer great white shark. It’s also a psychological thriller where often what you don’t see is a lot scarier than the sight of the actual latex-covered beast. A dark shadow, the tip of a fin, the tug of a raft- TERRIFYING. This could have turned out to be a laughable schlock-fest featuring a clunky mechanical shark, but with Steven Spielberg’s expert direction, and amazing performances by Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, and Roy Scheider (obviously preparing for his later role as Capt. Nathan Bridger on SeaQuest), it’s a shrewd example of how great horror films can be. I must admit, the scene where Richard Dreyfuss swims under a fishing boat to examine the hull and finds a corpse still makes me scream and jump three feet in the air, even though I know what’s coming. Everything after that- shark attacks, bad 70’s eyewear, the chum bucket- is no big deal.

For my drink this week, I’m paying homage not only to the familiar sight of red-tinged water, but also the filming location of the movie. Set in a fictional coastal New England town called Amity Island, Jaws was actually shot on Martha’s Vineyard. I know my favorite beverage when I’m up in that area is the Cape Codder, and how fortunate for me that Deep Eddy Vodka has essentially bottled this drink with their Cranberry Vodka! While watching Jaws, I recommend drinking a Blood in the Water cocktail.

Blood in the Water

1/2 oz. Lime juice

4 oz. club soda

2 oz Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka

Lime Wedge

Fill a tumbler with ice, lime juice, and club soda. Slowly pour the vodka over the back of a spoon into the glass so that it floats toward the top. Finish with lime wedge, and a macabre swizzle stick!

I love the scene in Jaws when the three men get drunk aboard the Orca and compare bite wounds. Of course, Quint takes it a little too far with his horrifyingly depressing story about the USS Indiana, but up until then it looks like a fun party. In the words of the salty dog himself, “Here’s to swimmin’ with bow-legged women.” Cheers!

Top 5 Lists

Guest Post: Top Five Vomit Scenes

June 24, 2015June 22, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

These stars (and more!) await you on Splotchlife.com

We’ve all been there after a night of heavy drinking- knees on the cold bathroom floor, hugging the porcelain, praying for mercy. I’ve invited another blogger (Splotch!) to do a guest post on the top five cinematic vomit scenes. Oddly enough, none of these picks were drinking related, but nevertheless I completely agree with his choices. Click here to visit the Top Five List. Cheers!

*Be warned- graphic content may not be suitable for young viewers or the squeamish. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Comedies

Summer Rental

June 22, 2015June 22, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

I ask you this- what is summer without a wacky John Candy movie? BORING! This week, I’m watching classic Candy, in that great Carl Reiner film from the 80’s, Summer Rental (DVD/Download). With plenty of sunburns, fake boobs, drunken pirates, and frozen fish sticks, this movie is what summer’s all about.

In Summer Rental, John Candy plays a burned out air traffic controller who is forced to take a month off for some R&R. He packs up the U-Haul and he and the family head down to Florida. The movie’s plot eventually centers on his quest to try and prove his worth as a man by winning a sailing contest, but the best parts have nothing to do with sailing. Watching John Candy lumber down a crowded beach with his arms full of kids and coolers is hilarious, as are his drunken ramblings with the local pirate/bar owner, played by Rip Torn. I know pirates are kind of scary now (see Captain Phillips) but back in the 80’s they were kindhearted men who sported a cheesy accent and a hook for a hand. As is typical, John Candy’s wife is pretty hot, yet he spends most of the movie ignoring her, sending her into the sympathetic arms of John Larroquette. Also keep an eye out for the girl from the Goonies, and a young Joey “Whoa!” Lawrence. Casting doesn’t get much better than this, folks.

In celebration of fun-loving pirates, vacations, and a man named Candy, I’m featuring a pirate drink that’s tropical-inspired, and rimmed with one of my favorite candy snacks. While watching Summer Rental, I recommend drinking a Barnacle.

Barnacle

1 oz white rum

1 oz Curacao

1 oz pineapple juice

½ oz lime juice

½ oz lemon juice

½ oz simple syrup

1 oz Sprite

Rainbow Nerds candy

Honey

First, prepare glass. Rim chilled glass with honey, then nerds. Freeze glass for 30 minutes if necessary to make nerds stick more firmly. Second, prepare the beverage. Combine first six ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then pour into prepared glass. Top with Sprite.

I think this movie is best known as “the one where John Candy gets a sunburn”. The sunburn is that epic. Skin cancer be damned, sometimes a guy just needs a good base. Add to that a broken leg and a long sleeved sports jersey on a 105-degree day, and it’s one heck of a look. Cheers!

Classic Films

North by Northwest

June 15, 2015June 15, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

As families across the US make their way to top summer tourist destinations, I got to thinking about a place that’s certainly on my bucket list of attractions to visit- Mount Rushmore. However, I’m terrified that my trip would be a letdown because I’ve already visited this engineering marvel through the eyes of Alfred Hitchcock in the film North by Northwest (DVD/Download) many, many times. Truly, without Cary Grant scaling Thomas Jefferson’s forehead, is there even a point to seeing it in person?

North by Northwest is one of my favorite Hitchcock films, full of twisty plot developments, nail-biting suspense, and chic mid-century style. Cary Grant’s iconic grey suit is perfect for his portrayal of a Mad Men-era advertising exec, who through a case of mistaken identity, becomes involved in a secret spy mission to recover government documents from villains played by James Mason and a very young Martin Landau. Along the way Grant meets Eva Marie Saint, and they share a risqué rendezvous on the 20^th Century Limited train. Can I just say, if train travel were as glamorous as it appears in North by Northwest, summer journeys would become a whole lot more appealing to me. Just imagine- craft cocktails, white linen tablecloths, en suite bathrooms, and Cary Grant waiting for you on a comfy bed in your cabin- what could be better?

It was INCREDIBLY difficult to pick just one cocktail pairing for this movie because there are so many great beverage moments. First there’s bourbon, Martin Landau’s murder weapon of choice (see above photo). Then there’s the fabulous train that Cary Grant stows away on, the 20^th Century, which incidentally has a cocktail named after it. But if I have to pick just one drink, I have to go with the beverage Grant orders in the dining car- The Gibson. It’s classic, it’s timeless, and sophisticated- just like this film. While watching North by Northwest, I recommend drinking a Gibson.

Gibson

2 oz Gin

1/3 oz Dry Vermouth

Pickled Cocktail Onion

Fill a shaker with ice, then add gin and vermouth. Stir well, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an onion.

There are several famous moments in North by Northwest, such as the big scene where Cary Grant is chased through a corn field by a crop dusting plane, and the climax on Mount Rushmore, but my favorite part is when he tosses his monogrammed matchbook to Eva Marie Saint as she sits in James Mason’s Frank Lloyd Wright-esque lair. Walking around with your own personalized matches- now that’s about as classy as it gets. Cheers!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Classic Films

Swiss Family Robinson

June 8, 2015July 28, 2022 LizLocke2 Comments

Land ho! This week on Cinema Sips, I’m mixing business with pleasure by featuring a movie and drink that are factoring strongly into my current vacation to Disney World. As any true Disney fan knows, the very best thing in the Magic Kingdom is the Dole Whip at the Aloha Isle. A creamy soft-serve pineapple concoction that I always get floated over pineapple juice (aka- the Dole Whip Float), it’s something I dream about on hot summer days. Just thinking of that sweet, tart pineapple flavor makes my mouth water. This amazing snack is found just beside the Swiss Family Treehouse, a recreation of the island treehouse featured in this week’s film Swiss Family Robinson (DVD/Download). The bench nearby will be my home-away-from-home for a few days, while I scarf down enough Dole Whip to put myself in a diabetic coma.

Swiss Family Robinson is based on the novel by Johann David Wyss, and it came out during what I like to think of as the Golden Age of Disney live-action films. In the 1950’s and 60’s Disney released such gems as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Pollyanna, Darby O’Gill and the Little People, and The Parent Trap. Oh, to be a kid back then! (I was stuck with Angels in the Outfield ). In Swiss Family Robinson, The Robinson Family (father, wife, and 3 sons) gets shipwrecked on an uninhabited island in the South Pacific after a tedious pirate battle. They manage to salvage important things like livestock, tools, two Great Danes, and a pipe organ (how could you possibly survive on an island without one of those??). The pirates make a few more attempts to seize the family, but in the meantime the Robinsons set about crafting a pretty awesome treehouse. It’s got ladders, curtains, the aforementioned organ, a dining table, separate bedrooms, and even a watermill. Later on a young lady arrives, setting off a tepid love triangle between the middle and eldest sons (team Ernst all the way!!!) and the youngest son manages to pull a Kevin McCallister and booby trap the island against future pirate invasions. If they could re-make this with Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as pirates, my life would be complete.

The following drink recipe was given to me by a very wise Disney employee years ago, after I went on and on about how much I love Dole Whip. My husband even surprised me with several pounds of dry Dole pineapple mix so that I could attempt it at home, but alas, it lacked the creaminess that you get from the machine. Over the years, I’ve found that using pineapple sorbet yields an excellent result, so this week, while watching The Swiss Family Robinson, break out the blender to make a Dole Whip Dream.

Dole Whip Dream

2 cups pineapple sorbet

¼ cup Butterscotch Schnapps

¼ cup Southern Comfort

¼ cup dark rum

1 cup pineapple juice

½ cup ice

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a tiki mug and enjoy with a straw and a tiki umbrella.

It’s worth noting that Disney’s Polynesian Resort now has a Dole Whip cocktail on their Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace menu, called the Spikey Pineapple. Of course I had to taste test it (just in the name of due diligence) and I can assure you all that my version is better. If you can’t make it to the Mouse House this year, do the next best thing by watching this movie full of island adventure and shirtless young men, and mix up a VERY tasty Polynesian beverage. Cheers!

Dramas · Musicals

The Thing Called Love

June 1, 2015July 28, 2022 LizLocke2 Comments

Anyone who knows me knows that I am addicted to prime-time television dramas. The O.C., Gossip Girl, Scandal– I’ve watched them all. One of my current guilty pleasures is the show Nashville, which my husband refuses to sit through because in his words, “All the men look the same, and I can’t tell anyone apart.” I have to admit, he’s kinda right; however, I’ll watch Connie Britton in just about anything, so I keep tuning in week after week. Now that the last season is over and my TV has gone dormant for the summer, I’ll have to get my romance and country music fix elsewhere- which brings me to this week’s film The Thing Called Love (DVD/Download). If you haven’t seen it, this Peter Bogdanovich 90’s classic is essentially what Nashville the TV show wishes it could be. No gimmicks, no flashy Christina Aguillera-casting, just good music and hot guys. Hello Music City!

The Thing Called Love follows young singer-songwriter Miranda Presley (no relation) on her journey from New York to Nashville. Between waiting tables at the Bluebird Café, spontaneously marrying bad boy musician James (played by River Phoenix, in his last completed film role) and rooming with a young Sandra Bullock at a disco-themed motel, she learns what it takes to write a great song. The songs for the film were written by stellar real-life country musicians, and actually performed by the actors themselves (a rarity in Hollywood). River Phoenix is so charismatic in his role, and it’s truly heartbreaking to realize this was the last one. Like James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause- you watch wondering all the while what might have been.

My sources tell me that one of the essential drinks in Nashville is the Bushwacker. Originally invented in Pensacola, FL, bars of Nashville have somewhat adopted it as their own. This is a great one to sip as the weather heats up, and perfect for the film because you know Linda Lou Linden was downing these every night. Actually, her beauty pageant dress kind of reminds me of this white frothy concoction. While watching The Thing Called Love, I recommend drinking a Bushwacker.

Bushwacker

2 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur

1 oz dark rum

1 oz crème de cacao

4 oz cream of coconut

4 oz half-and-half

2 scoops Vanilla ice cream

Whipped Cream

Maraschino cherry

Pour liquid ingredients into a blender with a cup of crushed ice, and blend until mixed. Pour into a glass, then top with whipped cream and a cherry.

There are a lot of variations of this drink, so feel free to add in Amaretto, Vodka, and/or Baileys Irish Cream, depending on how boozy you like your beverages (this could turn into the Tennessee version of last week’s Long Island Iced Tea if you really wanted it to). I’ve never actually been to Nashville, but this movie (and this drink!) make me want to go. Don’t worry though, I’d never be drunk enough to shout from rooftops or audition at the Bluebird. The ears of Nashville are safe. Cheers!

Comedies

Weekend at Bernie’s

May 25, 2015May 25, 2015 LizLocke2 Comments

Happy Memorial Day, Cinema Sips readers! This day traditionally heralds the start of summer (which in Texas means that I can’t venture outside comfortably until October). If you are lucky enough to have the day off work, then I suggest you spend it not at a picnic getting eaten alive by mosquitos, but rather in an air-conditioned house watching this week’s film, Weekend at Bernie’s (DVD/Download). I love that it has gained a cult following over the years, though I’ve secretly always been partial to the even more bizarre Weekend at Bernie’s II, featuring a voodoo priestess and a brief appearance by Patti Mayonnaise.

Weekend at Bernie’s is about two lowly financial employees at a big Manhattan insurance firm. They accidentally discover evidence that their boss (Bernie) has been embezzling from the company, and before he can have them killed, Bernie himself is murdered at his house in the Hamptons. His employees, played by Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman, discover his body, but before they can do anything about it, party guests descend on the house. They decide to keep up the ruse that Bernie is still alive, which involves some great work by actor Terry Kiser, a master of the art of jelly limbs. The movie then turns into one big party full of guys in Miami Vice apparel and women with moussed perms and unflattering thong bikinis. The house itself is pretty great in an 80’s sort of way, full of glass brick and neon bar lighting. Even with a corpse in the middle of the living room, Bernie’s party is the place to be.

Although tempted to feature a Corpse Reviver this week, I think a more appropriate drink for this particular film would have to be the Long Island Iced Tea. Too many of them and you’ll be staring into space with Bernie’s amused smirk on your face while people try to pose your limbs into a lifelike arrangement. Plus, what’s a Hampton’s party without this boozy drink? While watching Weekend at Bernie’s, I recommend drinking a Long Island Iced Tea.

Long Island Iced Tea

1 oz vodka

1 oz white rum

1 oz silver tequila

1 oz gin

1/2 oz triple sec

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup Cola, or to taste

Lemon wedge

Mix alcohol and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake until chilled, then pour entire contents (ice included) into a Collins glass. Top with cola and a lemon wedge.

I read an article last year about a company (BBQ Films) that recreated the Weekend at Bernie’s party in New York. All I can say is, pretty please come to Austin. After all, Bernie is a resident here!! If I ever see him shuffling down the street, I might die of excitement. (Bad joke?) Cheers!

Classic Films · Musicals

Gigi

May 18, 2015July 28, 2022 LizLockeLeave a comment

Responding to a reader request this week, I’m featuring what has been deemed by many as the last great MGM Musical, Gigi (DVD/Download). The original Broadway play starred a young Audrey Hepburn, who sadly declined the lead role in this 1958 musical film version. Leslie Caron is charming enough, but let’s face it, she’s no Audrey.

Gigi is the story of a young woman in Paris who is groomed for life as a courtesan by her grandmother and great-aunt. She grows up thinking of family acquaintance Gaston as an older brother-type, until her meddlesome family pushes them together romantically. Gaston suddenly sees Gigi in a new light, and offers to make her his mistress. She refuses initially, then relents. Then he reconsiders their arrangement, but then proposes marriage. If this sounds confusing, it is. I actually needed some Wikipedia help to get through this one, and I’m still not sure I totally understood it. The main problem originates from the severe French accents that most of the actors use. I probably would have done better if they had actually spoken French, with subtitles. Much of the plot moves forward through the songs, however the tunes weren’t all that catchy to me. I prefer musicals with big, splashy song-and-dance numbers (like Singin’ in the Rain), and that just isn’t Gigi. This is more of a My Fair Lady, Rex Harrison “I’m speaking these songs because I can’t really sing” variety of musical. I tip my hat to Maurice Chevalier, who manages to make the pedophile anthem “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” seem marginally charming. This is probably the best song from the film, though I have personal negative connotations after dancing to it in a kindergarten recital while a Maurice Chevalier look-alike twirled us around on stage. And then I stumbled mid-twirl. But I digress.

There are some fabulous scenes at Belle Epoche haunt Maxim’s, where art nouveau scenery frames colorful men and women drinking champagne and gossiping. I love that the men in Gigi are unafraid to drink copious amounts of champagne, as I feel it’s fallen victim to a “girly” reputation in recent decades. Therefore, while watching Gigi, I recommend drinking a Sparkling Gigi-tini.

Sparkling Gigi-tini

1 oz Vodka

2 oz Pineapple Juice

½ oz Brandy

2 oz champagne

Mix Vodka, Pineapple, and Brandy together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and top with champagne.

Two things I really did love about Gigi were the costumes and the sets. All that art nouveau fabulousness in Maurice Chevalier’s apartment made me swoon, and Leslie Caron’s white dress toward the end (which I mistook for a wedding dress because up until that point I still didn’t understand she was learning to be a courtesan) was pretty fantastic. How did I live all these years without black fans jutting out from my shoulders? Cecil Beaton was truly a master of art direction. With stunning visuals orchestrated by Vincent Minnelli, you could do worse than this musical. And of course, a little champagne makes everything better. Cheers!

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