Comedies

Secretary

February 23, 2015February 22, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

While the nation enters its second week of 50 Shades of Grey fever, I’m revisiting a movie similar in theme, though far better in execution. Secretary (DVD/Download) has been mentioned in a lot of articles recently, and while I can’t exactly call 50 Shades great cinema, I’m glad that this sub-par movie has brought a really great one back into the spotlight.

After seeing both films, the similarities are striking. Both feature male lead characters with the last name of Grey, and both are essentially about a shy, average girl discovering her true self after meeting a man who introduces her to some pretty kinky sex. The difference between the two films is that while 50 Shades of Grey takes itself SO SERIOUSLY, Secretary is more of a dark comedy. Yes, the sex scenes can be graphic and serious in tone, but the supporting elements are quite funny (Maggie Gyllenhaal on all fours with a saddle and a carrot in her mouth spring to mind). James Spader plays lawyer E. Edward Grey, an oddball employer who has a penchant for S&M in the office, and Maggie Gyllenhaal plays his new secretary Lee Holloway. What I love (and found so romantic that I actually saw this film twice in the theater when it was released) is the way these two damaged people formed an unusual but powerful bond. Mr. Grey understands Lee in a way that nobody else does, and vice versa. He saves her from a life of boredom and mediocrity, and she in return gives him the love he never knew he needed.

My drink this week is an homage to Lee Holloway, who is maybe the hardest working secretary on the planet. Who else would dive into a dumpster in search of a lost file, coming out covered in dirt and old coffee grounds? Ms. Holloway, that’s who. While watching Secretary, I recommend drinking a Dirty Martini.

Dirty Martini

2.5 oz vodka

1/8 oz dry vermouth

½ oz olive brine (from the jar of olives)

1 olive for garnish

Shake liquid ingredients together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice until chilled. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with an olive.

I love that Secretary started a career renaissance for James Spader, and just plain started a career in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s case. It’s such a quirky, odd movie, and I can’t explain why I love it so much, but I do. Sometimes movies are like that. Maybe I just like the idea of someone telling me that I can eat 4 peas and then as much ice cream as I want. Or perhaps I like a man with a keen eye for grammar and spelling mistakes. That must be it. Cheers!

The Grand Budapest Hotel

February 16, 2015February 16, 2015 LizLocke2 Comments

Oscar season is upon us once again, so this week I’m featuring the most cocktail-friendly of the Best Picture Nominees- The Grand Budapest Hotel (DVD/Download)*. Wes Anderson’s charming adventure/caper features all the classic Anderson tropes- fabulous sets, fabulous costumes, refined characters, and beautiful storytelling. It’s a world that I want to step into, martini glass in hand, wry smile on my face. Whatever happens on Sunday night, I’m just glad that more people are talking about this delightful film.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is about a resort hotel in the fictional European republic of Zubrowka (which incidentally is a Polish vodka brand) in the years between “The Great Wars”. M. Gustave is the concierge at this beautiful hotel, where he meets and –ahem- services Madame D. After her sudden death, he is bequeathed a valuable painting, but her family objects and charges M. Gustave with murder. The silky-tongued concierge must now escape from prison and make his way back to the Grand Budapest where the painting has been hidden. Helping him along is his trusted Lobby Boy, and the secret society of the Crossed Keys, a venerable who’s who of Anderson regulars. Ralph Fiennes is absolutely perfect as M. Gustave, playing the character as funny, charming, and desperate all at the same time. Of course I’m madly in love with the sets for the Grand Budapest Hotel, and wish I could check in for a two week break from reality.

My cocktail this week references the famous painting in the film, the fictional “Boy With Apple”. I’m excited to use Calvados this week, which is a French apple brandy. Surely, M. Gustav would have sipped this on many occasions. While watching The Grand Budapest Hotel, I recommend drinking a Grand Apple.

Grand Apple

1.25 oz Calvados

2/3 oz simple syrup

¾ oz fresh grapefruit juice

2/3 oz lemon juice

Pink Champagne

Apple spear (for garnish)

Mix all ingredients except champagne in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with pink champagne and apple.

The hue of this drink is not quite as pink as the Mendel’s boxes of confections in the film, but you get the idea. Because of the addition of pink champagne, this cocktail makes a great addition to your Oscar party this year. I know I’ll be sipping it during the telecast, and wishing I had a Lobby Boy to attend to my every need. Oh wait, isn’t that what they call a husband? 😉 Cheers!

*note: While I love The Grand Budapest Hotel and think it’s a great movie to watch with a cocktail, I will actually be rooting for Boyhood this Sunday. I cannot say enough good things about this film, nor even put into words the impact it’s had on me. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. Then buy the book.

Dramas

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

February 9, 2015February 8, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

“Valentine’s Day is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to sell more cards.” And so begins my absolute favorite movie about February 14^th, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (DVD/Download). The opening line says it all. This is not a ‘sunshine and roses’ romantic comedy. However, it is funny, it is romantic, and it is truly daring and original filmmaking by director Michel Gondry.

Eternal Sunshine asks the question- what if a bad break-up could be erased from our minds? What are the consequences? If you erase the memory, do the same patterns just repeat themselves? The two lead characters are Joel (played by Jim Carrey), and Clementine (played by Kate Winslet). Unusual casting for sure, but these two actors are surprisingly perfect together. The film’s story, written by Charlie Kaufman, is told in non-linear sequence. We think we’re seeing two people meeting on a train for the first time, until gradually it becomes clear that they’ve already dated, fell in love, broken up, then paid a doctor to erase their memories of one another. With no memory of the bad relationship, they are just two people finding each other by chance, and falling in love the same way they did before. Because this is a Michel Gondry film, there are analog special effects during the scenes where memories are being erased, and the results are visually spectacular. A terrific supporting cast includes Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, David Cross, and Tom Wilkinson as the helpful memory-erasing doctor with secrets of his own.

My cocktail this week is an easy one to make, giving you more time to spend paying close attention to the plot of the film (trust me, you need to pay attention). I love the name Clementine, and it’s such a refreshing flavor in the middle of winter, so this week I’m making a Darlin’ Clementine.

Darlin’ Clementine

2 oz vodka

2 oz fresh clementine juice

1 oz simple syrup

Mix all ingredients in a shaker over ice, then strain into a chilled glass. Rub clementine peel around the rim of the glass, then discard.

This movie will always be special to me because I bought it right before my husband and I started dating. I was obsessed with everything Kate Winslet (and still am) so upon saying goodbye on February 13^th, 2005, I told him to call me the next day to wish me a happy Valentine’s Day (just as Clementine says to Joel). He still chides me about it, claiming that was his plan all along. He did call, and that memory is one I don’t ever want to be erased. Cheers!

Classic Films

Harold and Maude

February 4, 2015February 1, 2015 LizLocke15 Comments

One of my favorite things about February is the excuse it provides me to watch romantic movies. To start things off, I’m featuring one of my all-time favorite films, Harold and Maude (DVD/Download). It’s so quirky and beautiful, and I am beyond excited that my local drive-in movie theatre is showing it this weekend. Of course I love seeing movies at the drive-in because I can bring my own drinks, and I’m not at the mercy of overpriced chemical sludge at the snack bar.

Harold and Maude is often ranked as one of the greatest love stories in cinema history, and it’s easy to see why. Harold (played by Bud Cort) is a lonely, depressed young man who enjoys going to funerals and faking his own death. Then he meets Maude (played by Ruth Gordon), a fire-cracker senior citizen who has an amazing zest for life. She shows him how to have fun and above all L-I-V-E! (sorry Matthew McConaughey- you totally stole your mantra from Maude). Harold falls madly in love with Maude, and together they have wild, zany adventures liberating sad little trees from city sidewalks, picnicking in the junkyard, and tooling around in Harold’s Jaguar-hearse. The 70’s décor and costumes in this film are pretty great, and the Cat Stevens soundtrack is phenomenal. What Simon & Garfunkel did for The Graduate, and Aimee Mann did for Magnolia, Cat Stevens does for Harold & Maude. It’s the perfect music for this unlikely, wonderful couple.

Because I’m seeing this film at the drive-in, I have to make sure my drink is easily portable. This is actually a good lesson to learn in case you ever want to bring cocktails to a friend or date’s house. I would suggest investing in some portable barware (nothing glass or breakable!) and pre-mix your liquid ingredients before you go, storing them in a sealed container. Then pack a small cooler with a ziplock bag of ice, and any garnishes, and you should be all set for mixing on the go. For Harold and Maude, I’m using some ingredients that I wouldn’t typically put together, but like the characters in this movie, sometimes the unexpected pairing results in something great. While watching Harold and Maude, I recommend drinking a Maude Taylor (in reference to the classic Mamie Taylor cocktail).

Maude Taylor

1.5 oz scotch

.75 oz lime juice

Ginger Beer

Build drink in a highball glass over ice. Garnish with lime peel.

I would never think to use scotch and ginger beer together, but the resulting taste is sweet and spicy, just like Maude herself. Of course I’m using an aged scotch because, well, things get better with age. Now the only thing missing from my perfect night is that Jaguar hearse- imagine heading to the drive-in in that! Cheers!

Uncategorized

Groundhog Day….. again

February 2, 2015February 1, 2015 LizLocke1 Comment

Image credit Columbia Pictures, Groundhog Day, 1993

I know, I already extolled the virtues of Groundhog Day last year around this time. But the great thing about Groundhog Day is that it always comes around again! Why not have a cocktail do-over? This year, I’ll be serving up my version of Sweet Vermouth with a twist, and doing my best Needlenose Ned impression. How will you be celebrating?

Sweet Vermouth with a Rum Twist

1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth

1 oz rum

.5 oz lime juice

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Lime peel for garnish

Mix liquid ingredients in a shaker, then strain into a rocks-filled glass. Garnish with lime peel and think of Rome- the way the sun hits the buildings in the afternoon.

TV Movies

Pirates of Silicon Valley

January 26, 2015January 26, 2015 LizLocke2 Comments

I had to laugh when I read the recent reports of the Sony e-mail hack. Apparently mega-producer Scott Rudin was in a tizzy over who would direct his new biopic about Steve Jobs. I wondered- doesn’t he know that an AMAZING biopic of Steve Jobs already exists? No, not the 2013 snooze-fest starring Ashton Kutcher. I’m talking about the 1999 TNT original movie Pirates of Silicon Valley (DVD). It’s got everything: hilarious wooden computers, mock turtlenecks galore, atrocious hair extensions, and even Anthony Michael Hall as a CREEPY Bill Gates. If you’re a nerd who enjoys learning about the evolution of home computers and doesn’t mind some laughably bad acting, look no further- this is your movie.

Pirates of Silicon Valley tells the story of how Steve Jobs and Bill Gates got their starts in the computer industry, and how they became fast rivals in the high stakes race of consumer technology. Noah Wyle is actually pretty good as innovator and master salesman Steve Jobs, and Anthony Michael Hall plays Bill Gates as a jealous sociopath. Of course, the script doesn’t exactly pull any punches when it comes to Jobs either, portraying him as a demanding, sadistic boss who terrifies all of his employees. If it sounds like the movie is intense, it is- but in a good way. It’s obvious that the filmmakers were trying desperately to turn a boring story about corporate espionage and computer programming into something entertaining for the general public, and for the most part they succeeded. I walked away knowing a little bit more about these two visionaries (like politicians, they’re all crooks!) and felt wildly entertained by the terrible hairpieces most of the actors endure. All in all- I’d call it a made-for-TV success.

My cocktail this week is a play off the title of the movie. While no actual pirates sail across the screen, there are still wicked, unwashed men attempting to steal vast fortunes from one another. What do pirates drink? Rum of course! While watching Pirates of Silicon Valley, I recommend drinking that classic rum tiki cocktail Planter’s Punch, which for this movie I’m re-naming Programmer’s Punch.

Programmer’s Punch

1 ½ oz dark rum

½ oz lime juice

¼ oz simple syrup

2 oz pineapple orange juice

Dash- Angostura Bitters

Seasonal Fruit (for garnish)

Pour all ingredients except bitters into a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Pour into a highball glass filled with shaved ice, then top with bitters and seasonal fruit.

It’s astonishing to me that Steve Jobs had enough life material to fill a made-for-TV movie long before the invention of the Ipod. As much as I love Noah Wyle and his denim jorts, I do look forward to a follow-up movie about Jobs’ amazing second act. In fact, how great would it be to hire Noah Wyle to play him again?? But pretty please- leave Anthony Michael Hall out of it. I’ve seen enough of his creepy eyes to give me nightmares for weeks. Cheers!

TV Movies

Jewels

January 19, 2015July 27, 2022 LizLocke4 Comments

This was a hard post to write. Over the past weekend, I found myself in the horrible situation of losing my beloved pet. It was a sudden illness, with absolutely no warning, and the loss has rocked me to my core. Thursday there was a dog lying warm in her bed, and by Saturday it was cold and empty. I feel uncomfortable even using the word “dog” because she felt like so much more than just an average member of her species. To me and to my husband, she was our child with fur. Intelligent beyond belief, sweet, funny, full of personality- she made me excited to get up every morning, if only to see that smiling face and wagging tail.

When we lost her, I felt like (and still feel like) an empty shell. Sleeping that night was out of the question- every time I closed my eyes I saw her face, and the tears would start to fall all over again. At loose ends, I found myself awake on the couch at 3am. The movie I found some small comfort in was my old VHS copy of Danielle Steel’s Jewels (DVD). At four hours long, I hoped it would carry me through to sunrise, and it did. For those four hours, I sat curled up in a blanket, tissues in hand, and watched this melodramatic story of a Wallace Simpson-type American woman who meets a British duke, gets swept off her feet, endures the ravages of World War II, creates a dynasty and a thriving jewelry business, and does it all while wearing the very best fashions of the day. It was pure escapist fantasy, and exactly the comfort I needed.

If you find yourself in the mood to watch Jewels, I recommend doing it with a champagne cocktail. In particular, I would choose the French ’77. In true Danielle Steel fashion, the characters drink a lot of champagne throughout the movie, and most of it takes place at a chateau in France. This is one of my favorite drinks, and I think it goes perfectly with this frothy made-for-TV movie:

French ’77

1 oz St. Germain Elderflower liqueur

1/4 oz lemon Juice

3 oz champagne

Pour St. Germain and lemon juice into a champagne flute. Top with champagne, and garnish with a lemon twist.

(sorry, no photo this week)

Grief is a horrible thing, and all a person can do is ride it out. They say time heals all wounds, and I truly believe that. In the mean time, the only thing that is getting me through these initial dark days is the escapism of cinema. Sure, Jewels isn’t great cinema, but sometimes watching beautiful people with gobs of money having trashy affairs is the only thing that gets me through the night. Tomorrow I’ll go back to watching wonderful, high-brow movies like Boyhood and The Theory of Everything (my 2 favorites for 2014). For now though, I have to let myself cry rivers of tears over the loss of our cherished girl Pickles Marie Hasselhoff, put on a comforting movie, and raise a glass of something bubbly in her memory. Cheers.

*Feel free to use the comments section below to tell me what some of your favorite “comfort food” films are. I need all the suggestions I can get.

Uncategorized

The Jacksons: An American Dream

January 12, 2015 LizLockeLeave a comment

There are certain temptations in life that I am powerless to resist- a margarita with my Mexican dinner; a Boden.com clearance sale; that bag of shredded cheese lurking in the refrigerator. The list goes on. In the realm of entertainment, the one thing I can’t resist watching if it happens to be on television is this week’s made-for-TV movie, The Jacksons: An American Dream (DVD). It’s not just that I’m such a big fan of J5’s music, or of the solo work by Michael Jackson. If it were just the music, I’d put on the albums and save myself 4 hours on the sofa. No, there’s something more at play here. It’s the afros, the polyester, the mental work it takes to keep track of which young actor is playing which Jackson brother in a certain era of time (it’s like keeping track of character names in a Russian novel), the melodramatic acting, and all that synchronized dancing. If I turn on VH1 and catch a few seconds of Lawrence Hilton Jacobs yelling at a roomful of kids, forget it- my afternoon is gone.

The Jacksons originally aired on ABC in 1992, and since then it has been replayed on VH1 many, many times (particularly after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009). The first part of the movie was based on Katherine Jackson’s autobiography My Family, The Jacksons, chronicling how she and Joe Jackson raised their ever-growing family in Gary, Indiana. By some miracle they managed to churn out 5 vocally talented, sharp dancers (plus Janet!), and the rest is history. Welcome Back Kotter’s Freddie Boom-Boom Washington plays the evil Joe Jackson, and Angela Bassett is absolutely wonderful as Katherine. Plus, Terrence Howard makes his acting debut buried under an afro, and even Billie Dee Williams pops up as Berry Gordy.

Despite the fact that the Jacksons are devout Jehovah’s Witnesses and don’t drink, I believe that a little alcohol can only improve a TV movie. My drink this week is inspired by my favorite Jackson brother, Tito. Why is he my favorite, you ask? Well, because it’s just fun to say Tito. Conveniently, he shares a name with one of my favorite brands of vodka, so while watching The Jacksons, I recommend drinking a Tito’s Fizz.

Tito’s Fizz

1.5 oz Tito’s Vodka

.5 oz lime juice

3 oz lime sparkling water (such as Perrier with Lime)

Fresh Orange wedge

Fresh Lime wedge

Build drink over ice in a glass. Garnish with orange and lime.

I have to admit, in the grand pantheon/toilet bowl of made-for-TV movies, the production value on this one ranks pretty high. You can practically taste the cold dirty air of Gary, Indiana as Jackie Jackson is forced to move a pile of cinder blocks from one spot in the yard to another, and taste the chlorine in Diana Ross’s sparkling blue swimming pool. I don’t know if there has ever been, or will ever be again, a family as talented or entertaining as the Jacksons, which is perhaps why I can’t look away if this movie is on. Its bloated 4-hour length somehow seems too short. I find myself wanting more Bubbles, more Neverland, and more Janet. Isn’t it about time this movie gets a sequel? Now that’s my American dream. Cheers!

TV Movies

Anne of Green Gables

January 5, 2015July 27, 2022 LizLockeLeave a comment

Now that it’s January, it’s time for me to give up some of my holiday excesses. These would include dozens of Christmas cookies consumed, far too many glasses of champagne drunk, and more imported cheeses than I’m willing to admit to. However, there is one thing I got hooked on during December that I refuse to give up: made-for-TV movies. The Hallmark Channel reeled me in, with their dozens of original Christmas movies featuring C-list actors, impossibly fake snow, and hilariously bad dialogue. By the time Dec. 25^th rolled around, I was in a haze of trashy holiday cheer. Now that it’s January, I may be willing to part with the Christmas sentimentality, but not the so-bad-it’s-good entertainment. Therefore all this month on Cinema Sips, I’ll be highlighting my favorite made-for-TV movies. If you have any favorites, be sure to leave a comment- I’m curious to know if there are any other readers who occasionally go to the dark side…..

To kick things off, I advise cancelling all plans for the upcoming weekend in order to properly settle in with the Anne of Green Gables trilogy (DVD). This will include watching Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and if you can stomach seeing Gilbert Blythe with greying hair and wrinkles, Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story. If that’s too much for you, just the first one will suffice, but I personally find it impossible to watch just one. This Canadian mini-series was based on one of my favorite childhood book series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. How lucky for us Americans that PBS started airing it any time they did a pledge drive in the early 1990’s. Megan Follows is perfect as Anne Shirley, the plucky orphan who loves literature, poetry, and writing, and who was basically my teenage idol before Angela Chase came on the scene. And there are no words to describe my undying crush on her love interest Gilbert Blythe. I still attribute my 5-year period as a redhead on a secret wish to be called “carrots”.

My cocktail this week is based on the great scene where Anne accidentally gets her “bosom friend” Diana drunk. What they think is raspberry cordial is actually currant wine, and Diana has three tumblers of it before barfing in the rose bushes. Currant wine sounds a bit god-awful, but I do like the sound of raspberries. This week, I’m using some leftover champagne and a tasty bottle of flavored vodka to make this Sparkling Raspberry Elixir.

Sparkling Raspberry Elixir

1.25 oz Smirnoff Raspberry-Pomegranate Vodka

.5 oz lemon juice

.5 oz simple syrup

Prosecco or other sparkling wine

Fresh raspberries

Mix vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a shaker over ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a martini glass or champagne flute. Top with Prosecco and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Watching this movie again is like seeing an old friend. When I was younger, it was such a comfort to me that there was someone else out there (fictional or no) who enjoyed using her imagination as much as I did. Green Gables always seemed like such a magical place, filled with flowering orchards, wooden rowboats, puffed sleeves, horse drawn carriages, and poetry. But really, Anne was the one who made it magical- turning a simple pond into the “Lake of Shining Waters”, a petal-strewn road into the “White Way of Delight”, and a red-headed orphan girl into a kindred spirit for all of us dreamers. Cheers!

Classic Films · Holiday Films

The Thin Man

December 29, 2014December 31, 2014 LizLocke2 Comments

This year for New Year’s Eve, I’m taking the advice of one Cinema Sips reader and watching a classic holiday film, The Thin Man (DVD/Download). By enjoying this movie on one of the most celebratory nights of the year, I can feel like I’m attending a fabulous party, instead of sitting at home in my pajamas, trying desperately to make it to midnight.

The Thin Man is based on the Dashiell Hammett novel of the same name, and it follows former detective Nick Charles and his wealthy wife Nora as they get pulled into a murder mystery involving old acquaintances. Myrna Loy plays the lovely, entertaining Nora Charles, always with a highball or martini glass in her hand. Her banter with William Powell as Nick Charles makes you wish that all marriages were like this one. Of course it’s easy to be carefree and relaxed when you have oodles of family money in your bank account, but what makes this couple so unique is that they are incredibly funny, smart, and down-to-earth. Plus, they have the most ADORABLE dog named Asta, and I’m a sucker for a smart, well-trained movie pet.

I know New Year’s is traditionally a champagne holiday (and I’ll of course have a cheap bottle from Trader Joe’s chilling in the fridge) but honestly, you can’t watch The Thin Man without a dry gin martini in your hand. It just can’t be done. I have to think that martinis were served in smaller portions when this movie was made. How else to account for Nora Charles asking a waiter to bring her 6 of them? If I have more than 2 I’m a mess. At any rate, while watching The Thin Man, I recommend drinking a Dry Gin Martini. However many you have is totally up to you.

Dry Gin Martini

2 ½ oz Gin

½ oz Dry Vermouth

Olive

Shake gin and vermouth (to the tune of your favorite waltz) in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with an olive.

There’s really nothing I like more than staying home with an old movie and a classic cocktail. So this New Year’s Eve, while other people are paying way too much for their prix-fixe meals and grappling with Uber surcharges, I’ll be sitting at home, warm and cozy, laughing as William Powell delivers pun after delicious pun, and wishing I had Myrna Loy’s fashion sense, wit, and adorable hangover ice pack. I’ll certainly need it Jan 1^st. Cheers!

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