It’s a Wonderful Life

December 22, 2014December 14, 2014 LizLocke5 Comments

As I’ve mentioned a few times on this blog, I had the pleasure/misfortune of growing up in Indiana, PA, hometown of Jimmy Stewart. Every year at Christmas, my little town in Pennsylvania pretty much claimed ownership of Christmas by declaring themselves not only “The Christmas Tree Capital of the World” (doubtful) but also, the real-life version of the town in the Frank Capra/Jimmy Stewart holiday film, It’s a Wonderful Life. Actually, it’s been said that Seneca Falls, NY was the real inspiration, but Jimmy Stewart was quoted as saying that the film’s set did remind him of Indiana, PA. That’s pretty much all the validation that the town needed to start selling gobs of It’s a Wonderful Life memorabilia in the local shops, and this blatant commercialization was all the validation I needed to boycott this movie for most of my childhood and adolescence. Was I wrong? Yes and no. After watching this film again, I still stand by my assertion that I wouldn’t have appreciated it as a child, but as an adult, it’s maybe my new favorite Christmas film.

In the past, I always boiled down It’s a Wonderful Life (DVD/Download) into just that sappy scene at the end where little Zuzu (seriously, who names their kid Zuzu??) says in her annoying baby voice “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.” That scene is still too saccharine for my tastes, but the rest of the film plays like the best Twilight Zone episode you never saw. George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) dreams of a life of travel and adventure, but is forced to put his dreams aside in order to take over his father’s Savings and Loan. He battles against the rich, money-grubbing Mr. Potter who wants nothing more than to make sure that he himself gets even richer while the poor get poorer. Sound familiar? (I wonder now why the Occupy Wall Street movement didn’t screen this as a propaganda film- a missed opportunity). When his bumbling uncle misplaces the day’s financial deposit, George is in danger of losing the business, going to jail, and losing his family. He contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve, but lucky for him, the angel-in-training Clarence comes down to earth to show him what it would have been like if he’d never been born. Realizing that he’s had an impact on everyone around him makes George see that he’s not the failure he thought he was, and he dashes home through the snow to his family.

You may not look at It’s A Wonderful Life as a particularly boozy Christmas film, but it totally is. George Bailey drinks bourbon, gets into fights, and hangs out at the local watering hole Martini’s. My favorite scene is early on when Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed do the Charleston at the school dance as the dance floor splits open and they fall into the swimming pool below. They walk home, singing the tune that was playing, “Buffalo Gals”. It’s such a sweet scene, and as with everything else he was in, Jimmy Stewart plays it brilliantly. Before watching It’s a Wonderful Life, I recommend buying yourself a bottle of Buffalo Trace bourbon (it is my favorite brand after all) so that you can make this week’s cocktail, the Moon Lasso.

Moon Lasso

2 oz Apple Cider

1 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon

½ tsp Allspice

½ tsp Nutmeg

Rosemary for garnish

Add apple cider and bourbon to a glass filled with ice. Sprinkle with Allspice and nutmeg, and garnish with rosemary.

After revisiting this film again, I think it’s almost a shame that it gets limited to Christmas viewings. Christmas is such a small part of what it’s about. To me, it’s about appreciating your life just as it is, and if that means putting your youthful dreams aside, don’t worry- you’ll make new dreams. My life is a million miles away from where I thought it would be growing up in Indiana, PA. Not better or worse than I pictured, just unimaginably different. After all, I’ve suddenly fallen in love with It’s a Wonderful Life. Now who would have ever seen that coming? Cheers!

Bridget Jones’s Diary

December 15, 2014December 14, 2014 LizLockeLeave a comment

Last weekend I was invited to an ugly sweater Christmas party, and to get inspiration for my costume, I decided to watch a film featuring the ugliest of Christmas sweaters, Bridget Jones’s Diary (DVD/Download). While Bridget Jones isn’t totally a Christmas movie throughout, it does feature Colin Firth in some very festive holiday sweaters and ties. Plus, a movie starring Colin Firth AND Hugh Grant- well, Merry Christmas to me!

Bridget Jones’s Diary was adapted from the entertaining book by Helen Fielding, which loosely borrows the plot from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. This was the novel that launched a thousand Chick Lit ships (my own book included), wherein smart but insecure 30-something women live in a city, date inappropriate men, go out drinking with their friends, have fabulous careers, and worry about dieting and finally finding “the one”. I have to say, this is one of the better books (and films) in the genre, and although there was a great deal of outcry over American Renee Zellweger playing beloved Londoner Bridget Jones, I think she did a great job. Plus, she’s never looked better than she did in this film, causing me to wonder what other stick-figure actresses would look like with a little meat on their bones. Probably, greatly improved.

One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Colin Firth and Hugh Grant get into a fist fight outside Bridget’s apartment. Thus my cocktail this week is inspired by Colin Firth’s fists-o-fury, and is a great addition to any holiday party. While watching Bridget Jones’s Diary, I recommend drinking Darcy’s Milk Punch.

Darcy’s Milk Punch

1 oz brandy

1 oz dark rum

½ oz simple syrup

4 oz whole milk

Dash of vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

Grated Nutmeg

Combine brandy, rum, simple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract in a glass with ice. Stir to combine, and top with whipped cream and nutmeg.

I love to watch this movie around the holidays because, like Bridget, it’s around this time of year that I tend to take stock of my life and figure out what my resolutions should be for the New Year. Like her, my list usually includes dropping a few pounds and cutting back on alcohol units. At least I don’t have to worry about pressure to find a nice, sensible boyfriend- I already have a nice, sensible husband to sport that tacky Christmas tie I’m making him wear. Cheers!

Top 5 Lists

Top Five Crimes Against Christmas Trees

December 11, 2014December 7, 2014 LizLocke1 Comment

I know my readers were maybe expecting a top five list of boozy Christmas films, but there is something much more important to talk about this month. Is anybody aware of just how many Christmas trees come into cinematic danger this time of year? Perhaps I care too much, or perhaps I just like seeing people throw around their Christmas trees, ornaments be damned. You’ll never know. Without further ado, I present the Top Five Crimes Against Christmas Trees.

1) Divine shoves her parents into a Christmas tree in Female Trouble.

Image credit Dreamland, 1974, Female Trouble

No cha-cha heels for Christmas?? JUSTIFIED.

(For the full, amazing scene, check it out here)

2) Mrs. Jorgenson shoves her daughter into a Christmas tree in A Summer Place.

Image credit Warner Bros, 1959, A Summer Place

Merry Christmas, Mama.

3) The Griswold tree catches fire in Christmas Vacation.

Image Credit Warner Bros, 1989, Christmas Vacation

Never leave a senile relative unattended near your tree. Just sayin’.

4) Shootout at a Christmas tree lot in Lethal Weapon.

Image credit Warner Bros, 1987, Lethal Weapon

The real crime is not bullets and cocaine flying around the Christmas trees. The real crime is Mel Gibson’s mullet.

5) Gremlins attack!!!!!! (in Gremlins).

Image credit Warner Bros, 1984, Gremlins

Scariest. Christmas. Ever.

Comedies · Holiday Films

The Hudsucker Proxy

December 8, 2014December 7, 2014 LizLockeLeave a comment

Every year in December, I get out my boxes of ornaments and the plastic Christmas tree and put on that classic holiday record by Alvin and the Chipmunks. You know the main song, where Alvin longs for a hula hoop? Well, the hula hoop inspired this week’s Cinema Sips pick, an underrated Coen Brothers gem The Hudsucker Proxy (DVD/Download).

An homage to so many wonderful films of the 1930’s and 40’s (His Girl Friday, It’s a Wonderful Life, Sullivan’s Travels, etc.), The Hudsucker Proxy follows everyman Norville Barnes (played by Tim Robbins) on his journey from Muncie, Indiana to New York City circa 1958. He gets a job in the mailroom of Hudsucker Industries, but dreams of bigger things. His dream includes a piece of paper with a circle on it, which would later turn out to be the hula hoop. Through a complicated series of events, Norville finds himself promoted to CEO of Hudsucker, where he takes the company to great heights with the hula hoop idea. Eventually, things spiral out of control as his ego gets larger and larger, until he finds himself on the ledge of the forty-fourth floor of the Hudsucker building on New Year’s Eve, ready to jump. Unfortunately this film was a box office flop when it was released, but I still love it for the amazing production design (think Art Deco meets Bauhaus), fabulous costumes, and sparkling script. Plus, any film featuring Paul Newman is okay by me.

My drink this week is inspired by Norville and his lady love Amy Archer’s love of martinis. A great festive version of the classic martini is the pear martini. I like to dress it up with a little fresh pear and cranberries to give it a holiday feel. When watching The Hudsucker Proxy, I recommend drinking a Holiday Pear Martini.

Holiday Pear Martini

1 ½ oz Vodka

3/4 oz Pear liqueur

3/4 oz St. Germain

1 oz lemon juice

Fresh Pear and cranberries for garnish

Combine vodka, St. Germain, lemon juice, and pear liqueur over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with fresh pear and cranberries. Bendy straw optional.

The Hudsucker Proxy is classic Coen Brothers holiday fun, and I’m so excited to watch it again this year. It makes me wish that women still wore hats and talked like Rosalind Russell. As the stress of the holiday sets in, remember to take a two-hour break with this film and a tasty cocktail, and maybe even put on that old Alvin and the Chipmunks record. You know, for kids ;-).

Holiday Films

Home Alone

December 1, 2014November 30, 2014 LizLocke2 Comments

Now that the Thanksgiving leftovers have been totally consumed, I can move on to more pressing matters- Christmas movies! And even more importantly, Christmas cocktails!! This week, I’m featuring one of my favorite childhood movies, Home Alone (DVD/Download). I have to admit, I watched this with some trepidation, worried that it would no longer appeal to my adult brain. I’m here to say, worry not- it’s still funny. Yes, Macaulay Culkin is pretty corny, but the chance to see Joe Pesci again in, well, anything, plus the late, great John Candy, PLUS comedic genius Catherine O’Hara outweighs the massive eye roll I have for Culkin’s trademark scream.

For anyone who has been living under a rock for the last twenty years, Home Alone tells the story of a young boy (played by Macaulay Culkin) who accidentally gets left behind at home while his family travels to Paris for the Christmas holiday. At first he revels in the freedom he has to eat junk food, watch violent films, and go through his siblings’ personal belongings. But eventually, loneliness sets in right around the time some petty thieves try to rob his home. He cleverly booby traps the house against the bumbling burglars, but in the end, it takes the help of an unlikely friend to really save him (like George Costanza, the old man gets to me too).

For my pairing, I’m going to pretend to be Kevin McCallister for a day. That’s right, I’m drinking sugary/chocolate-y cocktails and watching Home Alone, thus rotting my teeth and my brain. While watching Home Alone, I recommend drinking a Chocolate Peppermint Martini.

Chocolate Peppermint Martini

2 oz Godiva chocolate liqueur

2 oz vodka

1/2 oz peppermint schnapps

1 tablespoon half-and-half

Candy Cane and red decorating sugar

Combine liquid ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Meanwhile, rim your martini glass with a little bit of the peppermint schnapps, and dip into the red sugar. Strain your cocktail into the prepared glass, and garnish with a candy cane.

As we decorate our homes for Christmas, buy the presents, and make the travel plans, it can be tempting to throw our hands up and say, “Forget all of it, I’m staying home this year.” This movie reminds me that despite the enormous headache that is Holiday Travel, I would really miss my family if I didn’t get to see them on Christmas. However, if you are traveling this season, remember to come up with a plan of defense for your home- you never know when Joe Pesci will stick his head through the doggie door. Cheers!

Uncategorized

Bonus Thanksgiving Cocktail!

November 26, 2014 LizLockeLeave a comment

You didn’t think I’d leave you stranded on one of the biggest food/beverage holidays of the year with nothing but Rum and Pepsi did you? This Thanksgiving, my cocktail hour will include a White Cranberry Mojito!

White Cranberry Mojito

2 3/4 cups white cranberry juice

2 Tbsp sugar

Handful of fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 1/2 cup white rum

3 cups chilled club soda

Mint sprigs and/or fresh cranberries for garnish

1. Combine cranberry juice, sugar, and mint in a small saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Strain mixture through a sieve into a storage container, discarding the solids. Stir in lime juice, cover, and refrigerate. (Feel free to do this step the night before)

2. Combine juice mixture, club soda, and rum in a large pitcher. Stir to combine. Serve in tumblers or highballs over crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprigs and/or fresh cranberries.

Comedies · Holiday Films

The House of Yes

November 24, 2014November 22, 2014 LizLocke5 Comments

Happy early-Thanksgiving to all the Cinema Sips readers out there! I’m still recovering from the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan-athon last year (I maybe shouldn’t have had the brilliant idea to photograph and consume all the week’s drinks at once), so this year I’m just sharing one film- though it is absolutely one of my favorite Thanksgiving films. In The House of Yes (DVD/Download), no actual Thanksgiving food gets consumed, though there is the offer of “raw” cranberry sauce and croissants. I kind of love this, since admittedly I do not actually cook much on the big day (thank heavens for Texas BBQ take-out!). At any rate, less time in the kitchen means more time for movies and drinks later on. And that is certainly something to be thankful for!

The House of Yes is a dark comedy about one very dysfunctional family’s Thanksgiving holiday. Adapted from a stage play and directed by Mark Waters (of Mean Girls fame), this little indie gem from 1997 features Parker Posey in one of her best roles as a Jackie-O obsessed lunatic who has, ahem, a very close relationship with her twin brother (played brilliantly by the totally underrated Josh Hamilton). He brings home his new fiancé, and the family pretty much goes off the deep end. To top it off, a hurricane hits their town of McLean, Virginia, the power goes out, and they’re left with nothing but Liebfraumilch and dueling piano-playing to entertain themselves. I have to apologize to viewers out there for the presence of Tori Spelling as the fiancé. She garnered a well-deserved Razzie nomination for her performance, and that about says it all.

One of my favorite scenes is when Jackie and her brother Marty have a contest to see who can drink the most rum and Pepsi in a short amount of time. This actually sounds like one of those bizarre, bored-sibling holiday rituals that turns out to be amazingly fun. So without further ado, my drink this week is of course Rum & Pepsi. (Watch the movie, you’ll see why I had to do it.)

Rum & Pepsi

1 oz Rum

3 oz Pepsi

Ice (don’t forget the ice!)

Styrofoam cups (A real glass is fine if you’re trying to save the environment, like me. Baby steps)

Pour the rum and Pepsi over ice into a cup or glass. Or, do like Jackie-O and Marty and chug straight from the bottles.

Like I said, this film is pretty dark, and not exactly family-friendly. But since I always have a quiet Thanksgiving at home with my husband, I can watch twisted films like this. I’m sure everybody out there thinks that their family is a little weird, but take comfort in the fact that your family is probably not as weird as this one. When mom starts to hide the kitchen knives and your brother has to hide the bullets, then you know you’ve got problems. Cheers!

p.s.- the festive cocktail napkin in the above photo was crafted by my very talented mother! Thanks mom 🙂

Top 5 Lists

Top 5 Drunken Movie Performances

November 19, 2014November 17, 2014 LizLocke8 Comments

This was a really hard list to make. I had so many great scenes to pick from. When you think about it, cinema is just filled with actors and actresses stumbling around, slurring their words, and eating greasy diner food. Here, I’ve chosen my personal favorite drunken performances over the years. To the list!

1) Jimmy Stewart as Macauley Conner in The Philadelphia Story

Image credit MGM, 1940, The Philadelphia Story

Hands down, my favorite drunken performance. His speech is slurred just enough, the hiccuping is perfection, and Cary Grant can barely contain his laughter during their memorable scene together. Oscar-worthy indeed. Oh C.K. Dexter Haaaven!

2) Kristen Wiig as Annie Walker in Bridesmaids

Image credit Universal Pictures, 2011, Bridesmaids

Taking a fear of flying to new levels, a drunk Kristen Wiig stumbles through the first class cabin, argues with “Stove” the flight attendant, and poses as Mrs. Iglesias.

3) Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan in A League of Their Own

Image credit Columbia Pictures, 1992, A League of Their Own

He comes out, he smiles, he waves his little hat, and he urinates for an incredibly long time.

4) Dudley Moore as Arthur Bach in Arthur

Image Credit Orion Pictures, 1981, Arthur

Drunk becomes super-classy with a British accent and a manservant.

5) Vince Vaughn as Trent in Swingers

Image credit Miramax Films, 1996, Swingers

Because you’re growns up and you’re growns up and you’re growns up.

(Feel free to sound off in the comments below about some of your favorite picks!)

Dramas

Almost Famous

November 17, 2014November 17, 2014 LizLocke1 Comment

A recent revelation from my music-loving husband inspired this week’s Cinema Sips pick. The man who has an entire room devoted to vintage audio equipment and vinyl records had *gasp* never seen Almost Famous (DVD/Download). How was this possible? I asked myself. You know that scene in a Lifetime movie where the woman realizes that the man she’s married to is full of deep dark secrets and she really doesn’t know him at all? Yeah, it was like that. One of the few movies of the last 20 years that I considered an instant-classic when it was released, Almost Famous is a love letter to rock n’ roll. In short, I consider it essential viewing for any music lover.

Almost Famous is a semi-autobiographical tale written and directed by Cameron Crowe about his time as a teenage journalist for Rolling Stone magazine. In real life Crowe toured with bands such as The Allman Brothers, but in the movie, young journalist William Miller goes on the road with fictional band Stillwater. Of course sex, drugs, and debauchery abound as William is taken under the wing of lead guitarist Russell (played to perfection by Billy Crudup), and he struggles to balance his love for the band against his journalistic integrity. Acting as the Obi-wan of rock journalism and life is the brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman, in one of his best roles as rock critic Lester Bangs. He spouts words of truth such as, “The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.” Deep. And let’s not forget the breakout star of this film, which was Kate Hudson. This was the first role I ever remembered seeing Goldie Hawn’s daughter in, and she really killed it as Band Aid Penny Lane. Funny, exciting, and heartbreaking, she really brought the character alive.

My drink this week is not actually a cocktail, but rather, a beer. Considering this film again, I realized that the characters in it were not really cocktail folk. These were “sell your groupie to another a band for a six-pack of Heineken” folk. My true drinking inspiration came midway through the film, as Russell drinks a beer laced with acid. How fortuitous then that the new “it” beer for craft breweries happens to be acidic sours! I had the pleasure of tasting some sour beers at Jester King Brewery outside Austin, TX this summer, where I learned that this type of beer is made by adding wild yeast strains and/or fruit to the brew, giving it its tart, sour taste. No illegal psychotropic drugs required. When watching Almost Famous, I recommend drinking your favorite Sour Beer (top brands in my opinion are Lindemans, Jester King, and Lost Abbey).

What I love most about Almost Famous is the profound love that all the characters have for music. As Zooey Deschanel prophesizes early on, the records under the bed will set you free. I have to say, I completely agree. I had many of the same records in my teenage bedroom (even a few of them on vinyl because I was hip even then) and listening to Simon and Garfunkel’s “America” or Joni Mitchell’s “Carey” made me excited to leave home and figure out what else was out there in the world waiting for me. Perhaps you readers have some favorite records that set you free when you heard them. If so, I’d love to know what they are. In the meantime, I’ll be watching Almost Famous with a sour beer, and maybe later going through my albums so I can visit some old friends. Cheers!

Classic Films

Sunset Boulevard

November 10, 2014November 10, 2014 LizLockeLeave a comment

Long before Orange is the New Black, there was the original Crazy Eyes- Norma Desmond. As depicted in this week’s Cinema Sips film Sunset Boulevard (DVD/Download), she really was the benchmark against which crazy should be measured. It wasn’t only her eyes; this lady dressed up like Charlie Chaplin, played poker with Buster Keaton, hired silent film director Erich Von Stroheim to be her butler, and held a funeral for her pet monkey. I know Halloween has been over for weeks, but I couldn’t resist one more ghoulish picture. This is a Hollywood horror story for the ages, and absolutely one of the greatest films ever made.

Released in 1959, Sunset Boulevard was written and directed by Billy Wilder. In a deliciously meta twist, it stars former silent movie star Gloria Swanson as former silent movie star Norma Desmond, an actress who was wildly popular during the 1920’s, but could never quite make the leap to talking pictures. This was the unfortunate case with many silent-era stars (ie. Mary Pickford and Clara Bow), and it’s been said that the character of Norma is an amalgam of many real-life actresses from the time. Struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis (played by William Holden) stumbles into her time capsule of a mansion (which bears striking resemblance to Disney World’s Tower of Terror), and because he’s flat broke, he agrees to move in and help her with a terrible screenplay that she thinks will be the start of her career renaissance. Eventually, improbably, they form a romantic relationship, and things pretty much unravel from there.

For my cocktail this week, I’m paying homage to one of the great cinematic funeral scenes. No, I’m not talking about (SPOILER ALERT) Joe Gillis facedown in the pool with a few bullet holes. I’m of course referencing Norma Desmond’s other poor dead companion. Like Michael Jackson, this looney woman has an unhealthy relationship with her pet monkey and upon his death, decides to give him a proper wake in her bedroom. When Joe Gillis stumbles into her mansion in the middle of the afternoon, I’m sure a dead monkey was the last thing he expected to see. Thus this week, my cocktail has to be that old Hemingway favorite, Death in the Afternoon.

Death in the Afternoon

1.5 oz Absinthe

5 oz chilled champagne

Pour absinthe into the bottom of a champagne flute, then slowly pour the champagne over it. The mixture will emulsify, forming a cloudy liquid.

(Note: Be prepared to giggle helplessly for the rest of the night after you drink this. I did.)*

*(Side Note: Is this why Absinthe was illegal in the US for so many years? Too much giggling?)

There are so many wonderful, quote-able lines in this film, but I think my favorite has to be “I am big. It’s the pictures that got small.” This really is an unfortunate truth about Hollywood these days. I’m hard-pressed to think of a movie star that is as big as say Mary Pickford once was, and I could name about ten films just in 2014 alone that to me signal the apocalypse of the film industry (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, anyone?). Sure there are still great films being made, but every year it seems like they are fewer and farther between. Particularly when you hold up a blockbuster, or even Oscar contender from today’s era next to this genius script by Wilder, they seem so, so small. So follow my lead and enjoy a truly classic film noir with your Death in the Afternoon, and get ready for that close-up. Cheers!

(For an extra treat, visit the Cinema Sips Facebook page for a great clip of Kristen Wiig as Norma Desmond, posted on Halloween. I died laughing).

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