Tag: movie cocktails

Classic Films

Gidget Goes Hawaiian

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Image credit: Gidget Goes Hawaiian, 1961

The thing I love most about 1960s films set in Hawaii are the glimpses of jet set resorts, with their swanky tropical bars and even swankier patrons. It’s even more fun if the featured resort is still in business today, slinging pink cocktails and getting people lei’d.  If you can’t book a stay at The Royal Hawaiian right this second, the next best thing is watching its star turn in 1961’s Gidget Goes Hawaiian (Disc/Download).

With actress Deborah Walley stepping aboard Sandra Dee’s famous surfboard, Gidget Goes Hawaiian picks up where the first film left off. Our beloved surfer girl is pinned, but not for long. Gidget’s parents take her on a Hawaiian vacation against her wishes (talk about first world problems!), where she mingles with other vacationing teens. Mopey, ungrateful Gidget still misses Moondoggie, so her dad (played by the always-delightful Carl Reiner) flies him to Honolulu as a surprise. The catch? There’s a rumor spreading about how Gidget has been unfaithful, so now she has to spend the rest of the movie convincing everyone she isn’t a “fallen woman”. The plot is thin and outdated, but the cocktails are plenty, the hotel is pink, and that’s enough for me.

Speaking of hotels, it’s really fun to see what The Royal Hawaiian looked like in 1961, having personally stayed there in 2024. I don’t have to imagine having a drink at the Mai Tai bar like Carl Reiner because I lived it! In fact, I enjoyed this specific drink, which takes its color inspiration from the hotel’s pink stucco exterior. While watching Gidget Goes Hawaiian, I recommend drinking a Pink Palace.

Pink Palace

2 oz Light Rum

1 oz Grand Marnier

1 oz Cream of Coconut

1 oz Pineapple Juice

1 oz Grenadine

1 cup ice

Maraschino Cherry (garnish)

Combine all ingredients in a blender with ice, and blend until liquid. Pour into a glass and garnish with a cherry and pink umbrella.

In my view, Gidget was the original White Lotus traveler. After Hawaii she headed to Italy, and while there was not a fourth Gidget film (unfortunately), I like to imagine she would have gamely surfed the beaches of Thailand if given the chance. Can you imagine her and Moondoggie at a Full Moon Party??? C’mon Hollywood, let’s make it happen. If we’re rebooting every other franchise, why not the Gidge? Cheers!

Image credit: Gidget Goes Hawaiian, 1961
Dramas

Chaplin

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Image credit: Chaplin, 1992

When times are tough, something that keeps me going is my connection to fellow cinephiles. One way I’ve made these connections is through the terrific film zine Moviejawn, where I’ve been a contributor for the past eight years. The latest issue is all about silent cinema, and in it, I confess my secret shame: until recently, I’d never watched a Chaplin film all the way through. How is this possible, you ask? Well, turns out you can fake it pretty well if you’ve watched this week’s Cinema Sips pick, Richard Attenborough’s Chaplin (Disc/Download).

Biopics are one of my favorite film genres, and having recently eschewed political podcasts in favor of dishy celebrity memoirs, I find myself craving more insight about how great films were made, and in particular, what was happening in a star’s personal life during the process. Chaplin ticks all the boxes: talented actor who sort of looks like the celebrity he’s playing (Robert Downey Jr.), recreation of classic film sets (The Gold Rush, The Great Dictator, etc.), outside forces trying to squash the star’s light (ugh, HUAC), terrific supporting cast playing real icons (Kevin Kline as Douglas Fairbanks!!!), and laughably bad old-age makeup and hair. The best biopics understand they’re not going to squeeze everything in, so instead they attempt to paint the broad strokes of a person’s life, getting to the essence of what made them so successful. Attenborough does this incredibly well, taking us from Chaplin’s Dickensian roots in a British work house, to the vaudeville stage, to America, to California, to his exile in Switzerland, and finally, to his triumphant return at the 1972 Academy Awards ceremony. Some scenes are sped up to mimic the frame rate of the silent films they pay homage to, and this helps the movie move at a satisfying clip. We don’t need to see everything; just the highlights and a few Keystone Cops bits.

The film I discuss in the most recent issue of Moviejawn is City Lights, and given it’s my first foray into the world of Charlie Chaplin, it feels appropriate to celebrate him with the classic cocktail that bears his name. I’ll share it here for my Cinema Sips readers, because it’s also a great one to try while you’re watching Attenborough’s Chaplin.

Chaplin

1 oz Sloe Gin

1 oz Apricot Liqueur

1 oz Lime Juice

Dried lime wheel (garnish)

Combine first three ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with dried lime wheel.

I was surprised by how relevant Charlie Chaplin’s story continues to be today, along with his films. The silent comedian tackled themes of income inequality, authoritarianism, automation, immigration, xenophobia, etc., so it’s no wonder he was a target for a government hell bent on squashing anybody who dared speak out against America’s rotten core. Even more than a story of a flawed man, Chaplin is the story of a flawed country. But the one thing he knew, and the thing that Moviejawn continues to prove again and again, is how wonderfully films can unite us. Even in silence, we can hear each other calling out. Cheers!

*If you’re interested in subscribing to Moviejawn, details can be found here. I also highly recommend the spring issue’s accompanying Silence Please! vinyl record, perfect for immersing yourself in the silent cinema experience!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Comedies

The Fall Guy

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Image credit: The Fall Guy, 2024

I didn’t post a “Best of 2024” list in December because in general, movies are terrible now. However, if I had made a list, The Fall Guy (Disc/Download) would have been included. In a barren wasteland of sequels, franchises, and edgy (read: depressing/scary/boring) indies, this movie stands out for its delightful script, star power, and rarest of all, its romantic plot line.

David Leitch is a director I’ve had my eye on since Bullet Train, and his winning streak of comedic action films continues with this tale of a washed-up stuntman trying to revive his career and his love life. Ryan Gosling is a natural fit for the sarcastic adrenaline seeker, while Emily Blunt is perfect as his former flame/current director who hides her vulnerability behind a tough, capable exterior. It’s only when she’s alone with Gosling that she lets the weight of her responsibilities fall for just a moment, and who better to catch her than the guy who’s made a career out of absorbing blows? Their banter is great, and while the film’s central plot about a stunt double trying to rescue his narcissistic leading man from a group of “very bad people” is a little far-fetched, it leads to some great action sequences featuring flaming boats, a mid-air helicopter grab, and the expert skills of Jean Claude, the French-speaking attack dog.

They say every great character or story has to have a goal, and in this case, that goal is drinking spicy margaritas on a beach somewhere, and maybe making some bad decisions. While watching The Fall Guy, I recommend drinking this Spicy Margarita.

Spicy Margarita

1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt (for rimming)

2 oz Blanco Tequila

1 oz Cointreau

1 oz Lime Juice

3-4 slices Jalapeño Pepper (plus extra for garnish)

Run a lime wedge around the edge of a glass, and dip it in the salt. Fill with ice, and set aside. Fill a separate shaker with ice, and add the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and jalapeño pepper slices. Shake to chill, then pour through a fine mesh strainer into prepared glass. Garnish with more jalapeño slices.

If the only way to get romantic movies out of Hollywood is to fill them with extreme stunts and explosions, then I suppose I’ll have to accept it. But pretty please, also fill them with great actors like Gosling and Blunt, hilarious banter, and some really tasty cocktails. Cheers!

Dramas

Before Night Falls

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Image credit: Before Night Falls, 2000

This week’s film Before Night Falls (Disc/Download) is one I’ve wanted to feature for a long time, but could somehow never find the words. Happily, a recent cocktail discovery spurred me on, with delicious results. I don’t claim to possess even a fraction of the writing talent of Reinaldo Arenas, but I’ll do my best to share why I think this is a great movie to watch right now.

If you assume the average viewer couldn’t possibly have anything in common with a politically-oppressed Cuban poet, then you’re in for a surprise. Director Julian Schnabel makes Reinaldo’s story very accessible, perfectly capturing the tiny, beautiful moments that make up a person’s life. He could be anyone with a particular talent or dream, stuck in a time and place that wants to smother that dream. More than “gay”, or “Cuban”, or “immigrant”, or “AIDS patient”, or any of the labels placed upon him, he is an artist. A human. Stunningly photographed, expertly acted by Javier Bardem, this biopic is a reminder that art is the greatest resistance we have. That even in the most oppressive societies, words have power.

The sad fact that Arenas never lived long enough to be an “old Cuban” makes this drink bittersweet. Still, it’s a great variation on the flavors of a Mojito and feels like a celebration of the Reinaldo of the early 1960s, hunched over a typewriter, finding his voice. While watching Before Night Falls, I recommend drinking an Old Cuban.

Old Cuban

 1 ½ oz Aged Rum

¾ oz Lime Juice

1 oz Mint Simple Syrup

2 Dashes Angostura Bitters

2 oz Dry Champagne

Dried Lime Wheel (garnish)

Combine rum, lime juice, mint simple syrup, and bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain into a coupe glass. Top with Champagne, and stir gently with a barspoon. Garnish with a dried lime wheel.

Before Night Falls launched Javier Bardem’s career in America, and it also introduced the words of Reinaldo Arenas to a new generation. I remember watching it as a high school student and immediately running out to buy one of his books. The poetry of his language is unforgettable and cinematic, and the film is a fitting tribute to a talent that defies labels or borders. Cheers!

Classic Films · Dramas

Only Angels Have Wings

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Image credit: Only Angles Have Wings, 1939

Those who follow the Cinema Sips Instagram account know I love spending Friday night with a cocktail, a pizza, and movie from my Uncle Len’s Criterion Closet. Several weeks ago, I posted about watching Only Angels Have Wings (Disc/Download) and was overwhelmed by the response I received from fans. After getting over my grievance that so many of y’all were holding out on me with your recommendation, I decided the best gift I could give to lovers of this Howard Hawks classic was a cocktail pairing.

Starring Cary Grant as the owner of an air mail service in the fictional South American port town of Barranca, Only Angels Have Wings is kind of like the TV show Wings, except you never really know if the pilots are coming back for episode 2.  The geography in this part of the world makes flying difficult, and planes are forced to travel blindly through thick banks of fog. Jean Arthur arrives on a banana boat (literally, a boat carrying bananas, not the bouncy, inflatable water activity for drunk spring breakers), and after charming a couple of the American pilots, this sunshine meets her grumpy match in the form of Cary Grant’s weathered airman Geoff. He’s got no time for flirting, and no interest in forming attachments when life is so precarious. Just ask his ex, played by a young Rita Hayworth. Of course Jean wears him down, and one bullet wound later, he’s ready to risk something even scarier than a dangerous flight: his heart.

The tropical setting of this movie lends itself nicely to a tiki-inspired cocktail, and lucky for us, Don the Beachcomber came up with an appropriately named one just a couple years after the film was made. While watching Only Angels Have Wings, I recommend drinking a Test Pilot.

Test Pilot

1 ½ oz Dark Rum

¾ oz Light Rum

½ oz Cointreau

½ oz Lime Juice

½ oz Falernum

1 dash Angostura Bitters

6 drops Pernod

Maraschino cherry (garnish)

Combine ingredients in a blender with a cup of ice. Blend for about five seconds, until the ice is crushed but not liquefied. Pour into rocks glass, add more crushed ice if needed, and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Director Howard Hawks does a terrific job with the aerial sequences in this movie, but it’s the horrific bird strike that really had me on the edge of my seat. It’s easy to see why Only Angels Have Wings is so popular among classic film fans because not only is it great to look at, but it maintains a high level of suspense throughout. My friends in cinema, if you wanted me to fall in love with this movie, all you had to do was ask. Cheers!

Dramas

City of Angels

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Image credit: City of Angels, 1998

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: an angel in a trench coat falls for a human, then gives up eternity to be with her. This week, we’re talking remakes, Goo Goo Dolls, and pears with the Nicolas Cage/Meg Ryan romance flick, City of Angels (Disc/Download).

If you like your movies more dialogue and plot-heavy, less philosophical, then you may prefer City of Angels to its German ancestor Wings of Desire. Instead of flashback scenes of the Holocaust, we get panoramic views of the Hollywood sign and Malibu. Humans are still a mess, but they’re a mess in a “first world problem” kind of way. I’m happy to report that angels still hang out in libraries, and Dennis Franz does a great job picking up where fellow TV-cop Peter Falk left off as the wisecracking former angel Mr. Messinger (THAT NAME, lol). When Cage’s Seth meets Ryan’s Maggie, it’s in a Meet Joe Black-capacity, as he escorts the newest member of the afterlife to his next stop. As Seth and Dr. Maggie lock eyes over the heart attack patient she’s trying to revive, something shifts, and for the first time, this angel starts to want something. There are many cringe-inducing moments along the way (Seth hovering in a corner looking like he’s being stabbed in the gut while Maggie “relaxes” in her bathtub, being one), but for me, the romance still works. I want him to throw himself off a building to be with her, and I want her to be the one to bandage him up.

Pears play a pivotal role in this film, which is surprising for such an under-hyped fruit. Not nearly as sexy as the peach (what is it with Nicolas Cage movies and fruit??), it’s still kind of a turn on when Meg Ryan describes it as “sugary sand that dissolves in your mouth.” While watching City of Angels, I recommend drinking a Divine Pear Martini.

Divine Pear Martini

2 oz Grey Goose La Poire Vodka

¾ oz St. Germain

¾ oz Lemon Juice

2 oz Champagne

Fresh pear slices (garnish)

Combine vodka, St. Germain, and lemon juice in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain into a coupe glass. Top with champagne, and garnish with pear slices.

I may not have held onto my VHS copy of this film, but I definitely still have the soundtrack. It’s endured multiple media purges thanks to “Iris” by The Goo-Goo Dolls, “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan and Alanis Morissette’s “Uninvited”. This late-’90s mix is the perfect way to unwind after a tough day spent wondering if anything is within our control; if free will still exists, or if we’re all just puppets on a string. I’m more pessimistic than ever about these existential uncertainties, but I do feel pretty positive about my answer to Seth’s other question. When the guy in the trench coat asks what my favorite thing about being human is, the response will be automatic: movies. Cheers!

Foreign

Wings of Desire

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Image credit: Wings of Desire, 1987

As I’ve mentioned on here a few times already, romance that straddles the line between heaven and earth is one of my favorite film genres. From Heaven Can Wait, to A Matter of Life and Death, to Chances Are, I simply cannot get enough of these fantasy flicks. As reality becomes increasingly less appealing, it seems like the perfect time to watch the Wim Wenders 1987 German classic Wings of Desire (Disc/Download).

Sharing A Matter of Life and Death‘s visual construct of black & white for the heavenly creatures and vivid color for the human world, Wings of Desire takes us from the rooftops to the back alleys of West Berlin, a few years before reunification. In many ways, the romance between an angel and a lonely trapeze artist gets lost among the powerful commentary of a fractured society. At this point in history, Germans have seen their cities and communities crumble to ruins, and people on the whole are pretty depressed. We get a birds eye view (or, an angel’s eye view) of their psyche as the heavenly beings in trench coats listen to their thoughts, and let me tell you, those thoughts are pretty dark. Only love can make the human world bearable, which is a lesson I’m carrying with me on a daily basis.

When the angel Damiel takes the ultimate plunge and becomes human to be with the woman he loves, he’s shocked to discover the flavors he’s been missing all these years. A simple cup of coffee nearly brings tears to his eyes. I know the feeling because this espresso martini is so good, I nearly wept at first sip. While watching Wings of Desire, I recommend drinking a Salted Amaro Espresso Martini.

Salted Amaro Espresso Martini

1 1/2 oz Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur

1 oz Vodka

1/2 oz Amaro Nonino

1/4 oz Cointreau

1 oz Espresso

1 pinch kosher salt

Dried orange slice or orange twist

In a shaker with ice, combine Kahlúa, vodka, Amaro, Cointreau, freshly brewed espresso, and a pinch of salt. Shake until chilled, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a dried orange slice or orange twist.

If you like espresso martinis, this is a fantastic variation on the classic with a bit more depth of flavor. Next week, I’ll be back to discuss the American remake City of Angels, but in the meantime, enjoy this meditation on the things that make life worth living. If Nick Cave, libraries, and coffee beverages do it for you, then Wings of Desire might just be one of those things. Cheers!

Action/Adventure/Heist · Classic Films

High Sierra

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Image credit: High Sierra, 1941

Ida Lupino is having a moment. An actress I’ve always enjoyed, as well as a director I’ve idolized since the first time I saw The Trouble With Angels, this trailblazing icon is finally getting her due thanks to a new biography by Alexandra Seros and a highlighted collection on the Criterion Channel. Before most of the Ida films leave the Channel at the end of this month, I’m making it my beeswax to watch as many as possible, including one of her best: High Sierra (Disc/Download).

Although this film is more often remembered as a star-making vehicle for Humphrey Bogart, Ida’s performance is equally memorable. Her character Marie starts out as the unsatisfied plaything of two inept criminals, but when Bogey enters the scene as infamous bank robber Roy Earle, she knows immediately which guy deserves her attention: the one with the brains. Pining for Earle, while he pines for a young, innocent girl with a club foot (just go with me here), Marie is the steady, loyal presence he needed all along. Although any romance with a thief on the run seems doomed, at least for a short time, this desperado forms a little family with a good woman and an even better dog.

Speaking of dogs, it’s the adorable terrier Pard who helps us realize Earle (and Bogey) are complex characters. They’re not strictly “the heavy”, but they’re not fully innocent either. A complex man deserves a complex blend of liquors, so that’s just what I’m serving up this week. While watching High Sierra, I recommend drinking a Desperado cocktail.

Desperado

1/2 oz Blanco Tequila

1/2 oz Bourbon

3/4 oz Cointreau

1/2 oz Lemon Juice

2 Dashes Angostura Bitters

2 oz Sparkling Wine

2 oz Sparkling Water

Orange Slice and Cherry (garnish)

Combine tequila, bourbon, Cointreau, lemon juice, and bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with sparkling wine and sparkling water, and stir gently. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.

Part noir, part melodrama, part heist movie, High Sierra checks a lot of my favorite boxes. It’s definitely one I’ll be watching again and again, specifically any time I need to travel vicariously to a 1940s Sierra Nevada mountain resort. Meanwhile, I have more Ida Lupino movies to get through, classic film books to read, and a clever dog to spoil. Cheers!

Dramas

Memento

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Image credit: Memento, 2000

I don’t often think about how memory impacts my movie consumption, but this week’s pick Memento (Disc/Download) has brought it to the forefront of my mind. A film I saw twice in the theater during its initial release, but never again in all the years after, I thought I remembered its twists and turns. I thought I remembered the ending. I thought I knew who the good and bad guys were, but I was totally wrong. Turns out, when it comes to this movie, I have amnesia.

Christopher Nolan’s breakthrough film about a vengeful man who has lost his short-term memory asks a lot of its audience. It assumes we’re able to follow as the story is told out of sequence: backward in the color scenes, forward in the black & white scenes, with tattoos and injuries appearing in reverse, their causes unknown. If you make it through with even a vague understanding of the plot, then you might feel pretty smart. Maybe that’s why I liked it so much as a teen and still do now: Memento issues a challenge, and I enjoy being challenged. Technically a neo-noir, the film follows Guy Pearce’s Leonard as he searches for the man he thinks raped and murdered his wife. Characters come into his life (Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano), and you’re never sure if they’re heroes or villains. Ultimately, the whole world seems to be taking advantage of Leonard’s condition, even Leonard himself. There are things he doesn’t want to remember, and it’s easier to move forward if everything beyond the previous five minutes is a black hole.

The story takes place where most of the great noirs have thrived, in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles. Lenny’s world is one of cheap motels, dive bars, and abandoned buildings, with keys to rooms and cars he doesn’t remember. Maybe you’ve had a night of heavy drinking where things got fuzzy after a certain point, or maybe you’re looking for one today. While watching Memento, I recommend drinking this Memory Loss cocktail.

Memory Loss

2 oz Rye

½ oz Fernet Branca

½ oz Bénédictine

1 barspoon Maraschino Liqueur

Orange Bitters

Dried Orange Slice

Combine rye, Fernet Branca, Bénédictine, Maraschino Liqueur, and bitters in a shaker with ice. Stir to chill, then strain into a glass filled with one large ice cube. Garnish with a dried orange slice.

Nolan would go on to have the kind of career most filmmakers dream of, delivering hit after hit both critically and commercially. He’s often played with our perception of reality and time, in films like The Prestige, Interstellar, Inception, etc., and in some ways, Memento seems like the forgotten film of his oeuvre . It’s gotten overshadowed, fading from our memories like one of Leonard’s Polaroids shot in reverse. Personally, I may have forgotten the plot, but I’ve never forgotten the unsettled way it makes me feel. Cheers!

Classic Films

A Matter of Life and Death

LizLocke2 Comments
Image credit: A Matter of Life and Death, 1946

Following a brief hiatus over the holidays, Cinema Sips is back today with the question: what even is time? After a lackluster couple of weeks (honestly, more like fifty-two weeks) spent spinning my wheels, I’m starting to wonder if, like the main character in this week’s pick A Matter of Life and Death (Disc), I too have been visited by Conductor 71. Did the rest of the world stop in time, or did I?

If you’re shaking your head in confusion, then pause what you’re doing right now and go watch this Powell and Pressburger classic. The film features David Niven as a doomed British WWII bomber pilot who escapes a trip to the afterlife thanks to an accounting error from the great beyond and a thick English fog, plus Kim Hunter as the American radio operator who falls for him right before he bails from a burning plane without a parachute. Unfortunately, the higher ups realize their mistake and send an eighteenth century Frenchman to collect him from Earth, but Niv argues that it’s too late: he and the American girl are in love, and it’s not fair to punish her for their mistake. A trial is arranged in which he must argue the case that it’s possible for an American and an Englishman to fall in love at first sight, and while he takes a trip up the heavenly escalator to choose his defense attorney (options: Lincoln, Plato, and presumably Jesus), his mortal body is fighting a mysterious brain disorder. The film tackles a lot of big ideas, such as belief in the afterlife, immigration, xenophobia, and justice, but the biggest idea of all is that love conquers all; even death.

What makes this movie such a fantasy, even beyond its plot and themes, is the amazing Technicolor cinematography by Jack Cardiff. Switching between color for the Earthly scenes and black & white for the Other World, the result is a stunning display of visual achievement (in large thanks to the fantastic restoration efforts this film has benefited from over the years). Naturally, I took my cocktail cues from the vivid colors of Earth, as well as the frequent motif of a rose, which captures the tear of a woman terrified to lose the man she loves. While watching A Matter of Life and Death, I recommend drinking this Conductor 71 cocktail.

Conductor 71

1 1/2 oz Empress 1908 Gin

3/4 oz Cardamom Simple Syrup

3/4 oz Lemon Juice

7-8 drops Rosewater

3 oz Club Soda

Dried rose petals (garnish)

Combine gin, cardamom syrup, lemon juice, and rosewater in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Top with club soda, and stir gently to combine. Sprinkle dried rose petals on the top.

This film may have started as a simple request from the British government to smooth over post-war relations between America and the UK, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted how profound and enduring it would turn out to be. It leaves me feeling as though I just spent a couple glorious hours in suspended animation, and now it’s time to wake up and move forward. I can’t think of a better film to watch at the start of a new year. Cheers!