3 things about Billy Ray’s SECRET IN THEIR EYES

Posted on September 23, 2017 by

Secret in Their Eyes [2015]

1. She rips off her forensic gloves and clutches her daughter’s body even closer.
2. The same booth day after day.
3. “You look a million years old.”

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3 things about James Fanizza’s SEBASTIAN

Posted on September 21, 2017 by

Sebastian [2017]

1. They don’t bother to close the front door.
2. “I’m Meryl!”
3. An interesting mystery: why is the dead man’s wife at a gay bar?

This film screens at REELING 35 on September 27.

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3 things about Ken Russell’s THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM

Posted on September 18, 2017 by

The Lair of the White Worm [1988]

1. Pickled earthworms in aspic.
2. She submerges his head beneath the suds with the sole of her boot.
3. Citizen Kane reference.

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3 things about Colin Hanks’ ALL THINGS MUST PASS: THE RISE AND FALL OF TOWER RECORDS

Posted on September 16, 2017 by

All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records [2015]

1. The first record Russ ever bought was “San Antonio Rose,” by Bob Wills. 35 cents.
2. A display: Sinatra–Basie: An Historic Musical First next to A Taste of Honey by Martin Denny.
3. Elton John would show up with a shopping list and buy three copies of each album, one for each of his houses.

I definitely spent my share of time at Tower Records on Wabash during college. I have distinct memories of several CDs I bought there. All the Way, by Jimmy Scott; The Voice of Love, by Julee Cruise; Mambo Fever: Ultra Lounge, Vol. 2; Wrecking Ball, by Emmylou Harris. For a few years in the early years of our relationship, Andy and I had a tradition. On Super Bowl Sunday we went to the Tower Records at Clark/Webster and spent several hours shopping. During the game the place was empty and we could browse freely. We always walked out with a lot of stuff.

When the store on Wabash had its Going Out Of Business sale I made several trips. Kept coming back. It was hard to say goodbye.

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3 things about Bertrand Bonello’s NOCTURAMA

Posted on September 14, 2017 by

Nocturama [2016]

1. It opens like The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.
2. Mannequins of themselves.
3. The police never say a word and are not interested in making arrests.

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3 things about Mark Robson’s ROUGHSHOD

Posted on September 12, 2017 by

Roughshod [1949]

1. An Irish miner.
2. Thanks to the echo in the valley, he dies before his dying words die out.
3. Closing line: “Is there any place in town a man could buy some gingham?”

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El Diablo punch.

Posted on September 9, 2017 by

Tasked with creating a refreshing beverage for my brother’s wedding reception recently, I did the sensible thing and made some punch. I adapted the well known and dependably delicious original recipe (which possibly originated at Trader Vic’s, c. 1946). Pretty easy to assemble!

EL DIABLO PUNCH

40 ounces silver tequila
10 ounces Crème de cassis
15 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice
6 (12 ounce) cans Cock’n Bull Ginger Beer

Add the first three ingredients to a punchbowl and stir. Then gently add a large block of ice. Slowly pour the ginger beer into the punchbowl and stir to combine. Serve in small glasses with additional ice and garnish with lime slices.

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