I’ve received several requests on Cinema Sips to feature The Big Lebowski, to which I always say, what’s the point? We can all quote it endlessly and drink White Russians without my advocating it. To satisfy the stoner-noir fans out there, I’d rather talk about a movie that is a little more bizarre, and a little less well-known. Like Lebowski, Inherent Vice (DVD/Download) is a movie that demands repeat viewing, almost as much as it demands viewing with a cocktail.
Adapted from the novel by Thomas Pynchon, Paul Thomas Anderson’s hilarious take on the 1970’s Los Angeles underworld was a bit of a mystery upon its release. Critics didn’t seem to know whether to love it or hate it. The consensus was- nobody really got it. Do I fully understand all the twists and turns of a plot centered on a Gordita Beach private investigator, played by Joaquin Phoenix in all his mutton-chop glory? No. Do I care? No. The movie is just cool as hell. Featuring Martin Short as a purple-velour suited dentist, Owen Wilson as a heroin-addicted jazz musician, and Reese Witherspoon playing, well Reese Witherspoon, with all this crazy I just can’t look away. Yes the plot meanders, but it’s so well-acted and so funny, that you just get sucked into the lunacy of it all.
I’m not going to say that the movie needs alcohol or marijuana to be more enjoyable, but it certainly helps. If you happen to live in a non-progressive state (like I do), and can’t get legal access to weed, then certainly the next best thing is a strong cocktail. I’ve come up with this zombie-beach bum hybrid to maximize your viewing pleasure. While watching Inherent Vice, I recommend drinking a Golden Fang.
Golden Fang
1 oz lime juice
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz orange juice
1.5 oz dark rum
1 part apricot brandy
1.5 oz light rum
Splash of lemon-lime soda
Maraschino cherry and citrus fruit for garnish
Build drink over ice in a highball glass, stirring gently to combine. Garnish with a cherry and citrus fruit slice.
Because of Anderson’s superb directorial skill, Inherent Vice succeeds in immersing the viewer in the world of 1970s LA counterculture. Full of Manson paranoia and unfortunate facial hair, it was certainly a city on the edge. If you’re looking for an escape this week, there’s no better place than Gordita Beach. Cheers!
Sometimes you watch a movie, and a character feels so familiar that you fear the screenwriter has set up a secret camera monitoring your every move. This week’s film Young Adult (DVD/Download) is one such film for me. However, instead of shining a light on what my life is actually like, it shows me what my life would be like if I hadn’t made some vital good choices along the way. Essentially, Clarence the Angel paid me a visit, in the form of Diablo Cody.
The similarities between lead character Mavis Gary (played by Charlize Theron) and myself are almost too numerous to count. We’re both writers, we both share a passion for YA lit (oh how I devoured Sweet Valley High books as a teenager), the Kardashians are somehow always on in our homes as white noise, we both drive Mini Coopers (or at least I did at the time this film was released), and we both come from small towns populated by KenTacoHuts and big box stores. Oh, and of course there’s the drinking. The scenes of Charlize Theron viewing herself in the mirror after a night of heavy drinking? Been there. Luckily that’s where the similarities end. I don’t have a high school boyfriend I’m currently stalking and trying to woo away from his wife and baby, and I’m not having a strange, sad relationship with the former “Hate Crime Guy”. Though, I don’t blame her for that one because Patton Oswalt is pretty awesome in this. And he makes his own bourbon. Score!
Young Adult is a fantastic film for Cinema Sips because Mavis loves her bourbon, specifically Maker’s Mark. To go with her sour attitude on life, while watching Young Adult I recommend drinking a Maker’s Mark ® Sour (recipe from MakersMark.com).
Makers Mark® Sour
2 parts Maker’s Mark Bourbon
1 part simple syrup
½ part lemon juice
Lemon or Cherry for garnish
Shake Maker’s Mark ® Bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice and strain into a rock’s glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon and/or cherry, and serve.
*Note: My drink includes an enormous ice ball that I made with these molds. Perfect for when you want a cocktail on the rocks that isn’t too watered down.
I don’t know what becomes of Mavis after the credits roll, but in my fantasy she and Dolce are still in the Minneapple, having upgraded to a penthouse apartment after she has written a bestselling YA vampire series. And maybe Patton Oswalt stops by with his small-batch bourbon from time to time. Cheers!
Because I had the foresight to know I’d still be recovering from Oscar-night libations, I’ve arranged a special treat this week. For the first time on Cinema Sips, I am happy to welcome a guest blogger! When the author of the Critic For All Seasons blog approached me about doing a post and cocktail pairing with the wonderful film Two for the Road (DVD/Download), I was thrilled (and not just because this was finally proof that someone other than my mother reads Cinema Sips). If you’ve been looking for more in-depth analyses of films, read on, and be sure to check out my guest’s blog at http://criticforallseasons.blogspot.com. Cheers!
Two for the Road, by A Critic for All Seasons
Two for the Road is a 1967 road trip romance starring Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. Directed by Stanley Donen of Charade and Singin’ in the Rain fame, this picture was billed as a comedy but honestly is a heartfelt drama by present day standards. The film follows the story of Mark and Joanna Wallace, an unhappily married couple traveling to the French Riviera trying to make their relationship work. We then see how the couple first met, cutting to them on a boat crossing the English Channel a decade earlier while the present day Wallaces cross by air. There then are several other cuts through time of similar vacations in France in no real chronological order. These are linked by visual cues, like landmarks or similar weather. The past melds with the present in such a way that each story feels central to the film, versus them being a montage of flashbacks. There are 4 main plots, the melancholic present, their cheerful courtship and two trips from earlier in their marriage. As you would guess, the vacations become more gloomy as time progresses. It’s exciting to see the collapse of their relationship out of order, as the contrast of immediate highs and lows puts everything into perspective.
Keeping track of the jumps in time may be difficult, as narration is used for the first few shifts in time but not after. Luckily, we have great visuals to show passage, specifically vehicles, attire and hair. When the Wallaces first meet they are poor, travel by hitchhiking and wear plain clothes. In the present they travel by their own car, a Mercedes Benz to put their wealth into perspective, and Audrey has beautiful ready to wear clothing. Albert Finney’s clothing also becomes more refined to match his career advances, but our eyes are drawn to Hepburn for obvious reasons. This cinematography of Two for the Road is very playful and aids the story. Besides stressing the bright colors of the environment, the camera shows everything from the perspective of the characters. Whenever there is dialogue, constant cuts happen so we always see the speaker from the person listening. This method of filming is really helpful in having the audience sympathize for Mark and Joanna, as we are put in their shoes whenever they argue, have fun or sulk.
The acting in Two for the Road is amazing and makes the film unique. This is one of the few times that Audrey Hepburn was able to shed her distinguished image and play a faulty character. The Nun’s Story and Breakfast at Tiffany’s have her in similar waters, but here we actually feel dislike for her. Joanna starts out a carefree soul, by the end she is disheartened and miserable most of the time. The joy she had earlier in life comes out only on brief occasions, before it is stifled by Finney. Stark changes in personality are hard to capture, but she managed to do it here and give the audience something to think about. Finney’s portrayal of Mark was pretty decent too, although his character always was harsh so there isn’t a major transformation we can look to. The only main supporting characters were a married couple played by William Daniels and Eleanor Bron. Both did a good job and provided some comic relief as friends of Finney’s character. Daniels was a nice treat since he looked nothing like himself, resulting in me questioning where I heard that voice until I looked up the cast. Overall, Two for the Road is a must see since it combines great acting, a great story and gorgeous images into one two hour block.
The cocktail pairing, like the film, has a French atmosphere, looks beautiful and is very strong. Called the Paris Cocktail, this is a mixture of 1 oz gin, 1 oz dry vermouth and 1 oz crème de cassis. Noilly Prat is recommended since it is made in Southern France, the final destination of the Wallaces in each of their trips. Combine and shake with ice and serve in a martini glass with a flamed lemon peel.
*If you are a blogger and interested in guest-blogging on Cinema Sips, please contact Liz Locke at cinemasips@gmail.com for more information.
So I know I already featured a Baz Luhrmann film on Cinema Sips this month….. and here’s another one! Because it’s still February and still romance month, I couldn’t resist watching Romeo + Juliet (DVD/Download). I adore the 1968 Zeffirelli version too, but for my money, Lurhmann does the best job of capturing the energy of the original play. The director has said in interviews that he wanted to make a film in the way that Shakespeare himself might have done it, and since William Shakespeare was the ultimate entertainer of his day, it stands to reason that by the time the mid-90’s rolled around, he would have incorporated an Ecstasy-fueled party and Mercutio in sparkly sequin drag costumes. Definitely.
Romeo + Juliet stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes in the title roles, and their chemistry is part what makes the film such a success. I love the constant motif of water, particularly how the big balcony scene was done in a swimming pool. The lighting and the turquoise radiance of pool turn it into a much more sensual scene than I ever could have imagined when reading the play. Because it’s Luhrmann there are so many visual treats, even becoming chaotic at times, but the use of the original Shakespearean dialogue helps to balance the frenzy out. Is it word for word Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? No. Does it draw me into the story and make me feel the passion and tragedy of these star-crossed lovers? Without a doubt.
The color of Juliet’s fake-death potion inspired my cocktail this week. Though not actually poisonous, it looks like it might be! While watching Romeo + Juliet, I recommend drinking a Mortal Drug. (Apologies in advance for having to ask for Kinky Blue at the liquor store, but it actually feeds the decades-long Jolly Rancher addiction I have in the best way).
Mortal Drug
2 oz Kinky Blue Liqueur
1 oz Blue Curaçao
¾ oz lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup
Splash of club soda
Mix together Kinky Blue, Blue Curaçao, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then pour into a highball glass. Top with club soda.
While watching this film, be sure to look out for all the billboard slogans that are nods to Shakespearean quotes, and listen to the carefully curated pop songs. The version of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” is still one of my favorites. Just, try to look past Clare Danes’ ugly crying. ‘Tis not pretty. Cheers!
This past week I had the pleasure of celebrating Valentine’s Day a little early at my local drive-in movie theater with a screening of Say Anything (DVD/Download). Without being tacky, I’ll just say that this movie is best watched from the backseat. It’s not really a movie that celebrates cocktails in any way, but it DOES feature one of the greatest romantic leads in cinematic history, Lloyd Dobbler.
What can be said about Lloyd Dobbler that hasn’t already been shouted from the rooftops by every teenage girl? As Lloyd, John Cusack is a guy so great that he could only ever exist in the movies. I feel almost bad for him that he’s lovesick over Diane Court “whoa”, a smart, pretty girl who will never truly appreciate what she has (he gave her his heart and she gave him a pen. I rest my case). This is a guy who will stand outside your house with a boombox blasting Peter Gabriel, with no hint of embarrassment. This is a guy who will not comment on the fact that you are WAY overdressed for a high school keg party, then end the night by being a dependable designated driver. Who is this guy? He’s Lloyd Dobbler. And goddamn it he doesn’t want to sell, buy, or process anything.
Lurking over the love story of Lloyd and Diane (besides her father’s IRS troubles) is brainy Diane’s eventual move to England on a scholastic fellowship. Lloyd, being a well-travelled army brat, offers to give her tips- English tips (whatever that means). I’m assuming those tips would include the knowledge that Pimm’s No. 1 is an amazing British liquor export and should be drunk whenever possible. Plus, for a Valentine’s Day cocktail, you can’t get much more festive than this one. While watching Say Anything, I recommend drinking a Pimm’s Royale.
Pimm’s Royale
1.5 oz Pimm’s No. 1
4 oz pink champagne
Strawberry for garnish
Pour Pimms into a champagne flute, then top with champagne. Garnish with a strawberry.
Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, Say Anything features amazingly astute dialogue, great music, and above all, teen angst. To me, it’s his greatest achievement as a filmmaker, and Lloyd his greatest character. Sometimes, it just takes the simple courage to pick up a phone and call the girl up. Lloyd gives us all hope. Cheers!
Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love. Such are the tenants of the Parisian bohemian crowd in this week’s film Moulin Rouge! (DVD/Download). Since we’re celebrating great love stories on Cinema Sips this month, I had to include it. Power ballads and absinthe- now that’s a fantastic combination.
Moulin Rouge! was directed by splashy-extravaganza master Baz Luhrmann, who always manages to put layer upon layer of pop references and glitter into his films. This musical is no exception, drawing on modern and classic pop tunes for the songs, all collaged together to tell the story of Satine the showgirl and her penniless writer-love Christian. I never thought I’d see “Smells Like Teen Spirit” used in a frenetic musical can-can number, but there we are. Ewan McGregor is utterly charming as Christian, but where the movie falls flat to me is with Nicole Kidman’s performance as Satine. It may not be politically correct to say this, but to me, she just seemed too old for the part. And, not a terribly strong singer. Luckily the movie is rescued by the always-entertaining John Leguizamo as Toulouse-Lautrec. Is there anything this man can’t do?
As is so weirdly highlighted in the film by the appearance of Kylie Minogue as the Green Fairy, absinthe was the beverage du jour among the Parisian bohemian crowd. I’m definitely a fan, and honestly a little wormwood goes a long way toward improving my opinion of Nicole Kidman. While watching Moulin Rouge!, I recommend drinking a Spectacular!Spectacular!
Spectacular!Spectacular!
1 ½ oz gin
½ oz absinthe
¾ oz lemon juice
¾ oz simple syrup
1 ½ oz champagne
Mix all ingredients except champagne in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a flute or coupe glass. Top with champagne.
Despite my opinion that Kidman comes off as an over-the-hill courtesan instead of the tragically young ingénue, I still root for Satine and Christian. I want love to lift them up where they belong! For one brief moment it does, and then… she coughs. Party over. This week, raise a glass to truth, beauty, freedom, and above all things- love. Cheers!
Throughout February Cinema Sips will be featuring some of the great couples of movie history. To kick things off I’ll be starting with a classic. Though they often ran afoul of the law and experienced a bloody ending to their love story, the legend of Bonnie and Clyde (DVD/Download) is one that will live in infamy. I’m going to pretend that the Hilary Duff remake of this film never happened (*shudder*) and instead concentrate on the Warren Beatty/Faye Dunaway masterpiece.
Directed by Arthur Penn, Bonnie and Clyde shares a similar gritty look to his earlier collaboration with Beatty, Splendor in the Grass. The actor is fantastic in both, and as Clyde Barrow he’s equal parts seductive charmer, wholesome Southern boy, and deadly criminal. Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker totally rocks a beret, and she’s a perfect counterpart to Beatty. They may rob banks, but with these two doing it, robbing banks never looked so good.
Because Bonnie and Clyde viewed the laws of our country as mere suggestions, I’m making a classic and appropriately-named cocktail. While watching Bonnie and Clyde, I recommend drinking a Scofflaw.
Scofflaw
2 oz rye whiskey
1 oz dry vermouth
¾ oz lemon juice
¾ oz grenadine
2 dashes orange bitters.
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass.
This film will always be remembered for the violent ending, but it’s also a gorgeous study of the dusty, Depression-era mid-west landscape. Bonnie and Clyde’s band of outlaws are mostly good people who happen to do very bad things, and perhaps that’s why the story is so riveting even today. Even though I know it’s impossible, I still root for Bonnie and Clyde to ride off into the sunset together. And of course, Bonnie would wear a fabulous hat. Cheers!
When a box of Girl Scout cookies landed on my desk this week, I was so happy that I practically jumped up and did “The Freddie”. Why Girl Scouts of America insists on selling cookies when most of the country is enduring a post-holiday diet I have NO idea, but I do know that I am powerless against the allure of Thin Mints. I’m also powerless against watching this week’s film Troop Beverly Hills (DVD/Download) while eating said Thin Mints.
If you are a girl who grew up in the late 80’s/early 90’s, you most likely remember this movie (or have it memorized like me). Shelley Long plays Beverly Hills housewife Phyllis Nefler, who takes charge of her daughter’s scout troop despite having zero wilderness experience. Instead of campfires and kumbaya, they have sleepovers at the Beverly Hills Hotel and lessons in diamond appraisal. Instead of door-to-door cookie sales, it’s celebrity fashion shows with Robin Leach. The scout troop is filled with future stars like Carla Gugino and Jenny Lewis, and even a young Tori Spelling pops up in rival troop The Redfeathers! Craig T. Nelson is likeable as always as Phyllis’ soon-to-be-ex-husband, and given the fact that I finally finished watching Parenthood, I literally cannot wait to see young(er) Zeke Braverman battling it out with a feisty redhead.
If you know this movie, then you also know what time it is. Yes, that’s right, it’s- COOKIE TIME! A box of them would be so niiice- (buy some!). This week, I’ll be mixing up a cocktail inspired by my favorite Girl Scout cookie. While watching Troop Beverly Hills, I recommend drinking a Thin Mint Martini.
Thin Mint Martini
Chocolate Syrup
Crushed Thin Mints
1 oz peppermint schnapps
2 oz white chocolate liqueur
2 oz half-and-half
To prepare glass, rim the edge in chocolate syrup, then dip in crushed thin mints. Swirl additional syrup around inside of the glass. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to chill. Then, mix remaining ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into prepared glass.
I never joined the Girl Scouts as a child, but this was only because I didn’t have Phyllis Nefler as my troop leader. Had there been patches for turquoise jewelry appreciation and 60’s dance moves, I would have signed up immediately. Cheers, to khaki wishes and cookie dreams!
It was only a matter of time before I got around to this booze and pill-laden masterpiece of 1960’s camp. Valley of the Dolls (DVD/Download) is that special film that becomes even more enjoyable the more you drink. The crappy dialogue just SPARKLES, I tell you. But beyond the pills and swimming pools and teased hair, there are simply three gorgeous ladies trying to make it in the cutthroat business of Hollywood.
Valley of the Dolls stars Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, and Sharon Tate as three friends looking for love and fame. Based (perhaps a little too loosely) on the fantastic Jacqueline Susann novel of the same name, the film version is a musical featuring rather forgettable songs by Andre Previn (most of which I find skippable). Give me scenes of Patty Duke in her underwear emptying a bottle of scotch into the deep end of her swimming pool. Sharon Tate looks lovely as always and is relatively believable as Jennifer North, star of French “art films” and Barbara Parkins, well, she knows how to pull off a lot of eyeliner and frosted lipstick. Special congrats to Richard Dreyfuss, who scored his first-ever film role in this. Way to start at the bottom.
As I said, there’s a lot of alcohol and pills in both the book and the movie. “Dolls” is short for dolophine, a popular narcotic at the time. I like to substitute Hot Tamales for the pills, and luckily Fireball Whiskey pairs quite well with this candy. Obviously this drink needs to be strong enough to put you into a stupor, but pretty enough to be held while you sit in your peignoir wearing false eyelashes (don’t mock the way I spend my Saturday nights). While watching Valley of the Dolls, I recommend drinking a Burning Doll.
Burning Doll
1.5 oz Fireball Whiskey
3 oz champagne
Splash of orange juice
Combine chilled ingredients into a coupe glass and enjoy!
There’s a lot of sarcasm in this post, and much of that comes from jealousy. I mean, who wouldn’t want to take a fistful of barbiturates and wander around the beach all afternoon? And how about having a husband who’s a fashion designer named Ted Casablanca? Now that sounds genuinely fabulous. This week, come drink with me, and be my love. Cheers!
During the Heath-A-Thon I held on New Year’s Eve, I had the pleasure of watching the critically acclaimed drama, Brokeback Mountain (DVD/Download). The tale of two cowboys and the forbidden attraction they share is an unexpected love story, but absolutely essential viewing.
Directed by Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain is full of quiet moments that pull the viewer in. The Wyoming (or Canada?) scenery is gorgeous, as are the two lead characters played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. I love that the story isn’t so much about their sexuality as it is about the difficulty of finding happiness in one’s life. The only place Ennis Del Mar is truly happy is on Brokeback Mountain with Jack Twist, but he can’t see a way to make that happiness last. Work, family, and fear of the unknown gets in the way, until he becomes trapped in a life he hates. Too late he realizes all that he’s lost, and the final scene has me weeping every time. At the end of the 2.5 hours, I feel like my heart has been ripped out right along with Ennis’.
To get through this tearjerker, I need a good cocktail to cheer me up. One of my favorite scenes is when Ennis’ wife Alma, played by Michelle Williams, confronts her husband about his “fishing trips” with Jack Twist. “Jack Twist? Jack NASTY” she spits. It’s not supposed to be funny, but something about her accent makes me giggle every time. While watching Brokeback Mountain, I recommend drinking a Jack Nasty.
Jack Nasty
2 oz Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey
1 ½ oz Apple Cider
¾ oz Lemon Juice
Lemon Twist
Mix whiskey, apple cider, and lemon juice in a shaker (dry shake). Pour into a rocks filled glass, and garnish with a twist of lemon.
Contrary to the name, this cocktail is amazingly tasty, and allows me to use one of the 52 mini bottles of liquor I found in my Christmas stocking this year. Win-win! Watching Brokeback Mountain makes me feel incredibly lucky that I was able to build exactly the kind of life I want with the person I love. For so many people in the world, it isn’t that easy. Also, I can be glad that ranching was never a career path laid at my feet. I’ve never been a fan of beans. Cheers!
Cinema Sips 