plus 3, TASTE: Oscar-inspired cocktails toast the movies - The Daily News Online

TASTE: Oscar-inspired cocktails toast the movies - The Daily News Online
Iron Man 2 Game to feature Voices from the Movie! - COMICBOOKMOVIE.com
New Movies Podcast: The madness of Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's 'Alice ... - MLive.com
With the release of Burton’s new movie, ‘Alice’ returns to pop ... - Atlantic City Press

TASTE: Oscar-inspired cocktails toast the movies - The Daily News Online

Posted: 06 Mar 2010 12:07 AM PST

By MICHELLE LOCKE For The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Movie magic will be the toast of Tinseltown on Oscar night, and what better way to bring the festivities couch-side than with a cocktail inspired by this year's nominees.

We asked mixologists from around the country to come up with award-worthy recipes. The results ranged from a classic cocktail that dates to the early days of flight to a bubbly concoction from the ice cream parlor featured in the family-friendly "Up."

So, dim the lights, set out the snacks and raise your glasses up, up in the air. Hurray for Hollywood.

SET THE STAGE: Tips for hosting a fun Academy Awards party.

Recipe note: Some recipes call for exotic ingredients; where possible, we've suggested alternatives. But if you're feeling adventurous, cocktail ingredients such as Parfait Amour, a purple-tinged liqueur, are available online and at some liquor stores.

A number of the drinks call for simple syrup, a common cocktail ingredient that is equal parts sugar and water. To make, heat 1 cup of water to near boiling. Add 2 cups of sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let cool before using. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

AVATAR

This cocktail uses Parfait Amour (or the more common blue curacao) to create a drink with a hue similar to the blue skin of the nature-loving Na'Vi in "Avatar." Imagine enjoying it under the Tree of Life.

AME NA'VI

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Ice

1 1/2 ounces gin

1 teaspoon dry vermouth

1 teaspoon Parfait Amour or blue curacao

1 teaspoon orange juice (no pulp)

Orange peel, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients. Shake, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with strip of orange peel.

(Recipe from Rafael Jimenez Rivera, bartender at the Lobby Bar of the St. Regis in San Francisco.)

CRAZY HEART

Mixologist Tara Shadzi used bourbon in tribute to Jeff Bridges' washed-up country-western singer character in "Crazy Heart," and added roses for love.

SOUTHERN HEART

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Ice

1 1/2 ounces bourbon

1 1/2 ounces elderflower liquor

Juice of 1/4 of a lemon

Rose petals (optional)

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients except the rose petals. Shake, then strain into a cocktail glass. Float fresh rose petals on top.

(Recipe from mixologist Tara Shadzi at Skybar at Mondrian in Los Angeles)

DISTRICT 9

The movie about displaced aliens inspires a drink with a green theme. Slivers of cucumber add a tentacle effect.

ALIEN COOLER

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

1 1/2 ounces julienned cucumber

Ice

1 1/4 ounces premium vodka

3/4 ounce Veev ( or other acai berry liquer)

3/4 ounce lime juice

3/4 ounce simple syrup

Club soda

Cucumber slice, to garnish

Place the julienned cucumber in a 10-ounce tall, narrow tumbler. Add ice, vodka, Veev, lime juice and simple syrup. Fill the glass with club soda. Stir to mix, then garnish with a cucumber slice on edge of glass.

(Recipe from Jon Ojinaga at the Redwood Room at the Clift Hotel in San Francisco)

AN EDUCATION

A classic, sophisticated cocktail in tribute to "An Education," a coming-of-age story set in 1960s England.

MELROSE MANHATTAN

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

1 1/2 ounces bourbon

Splash of tawny port

Dash of juice from maraschino cherries

Mix and serve straight up (no ice) in a small tulip or snifter glass.

(Recipe from the Library Bar at the Warwick Melrose Hotel in Dallas)

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Inspired by Shoshanna, the young woman who gets revenge on the Nazis in wartime Paris -- while wearing a stunning red dress -- mixologist Tony Roumph used French spirits and bright red pomegranate syrup for this drink.

LADY IN RED

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

1/2 ounce pomegranate juice

1/2 ounce lemon juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup

Ice

2 ounces Remy Martin VSOP

1 ounce Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur

Candied ginger and pomegranate seeds, to garnish

In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the pomegranate juice, lemon juice and simple syrup. Measure out 1 ounce of this mixture, then reserve the rest for another use.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the 1 ounce of pomegranate-lemon syrup, Remy Martin VSOP and the ginger liqueur. Shake, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a slice of candied ginger and several pomegranate seeds.

(Recipe from Tony Roumph at the Cityhouse Restaurant at the Parc 55 Hotel in San Francisco)

JULIE & JULIA

This drink is named Vin Amer Fizz in tribute to Julia Child and her legacy of bringing classic French dishes to American households. Vin is French for wine; amer means bitter, and fizz stands for good times.

"Julie & Julia" follows the parallel stories of Child, working on her cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" during the post-war years, and Julie Powell, a modern young woman who shakes up her life by making the recipes.

In true artisan fashion, mixologist Jackson Cannon starts with house-made rose vermouth. But for us American servantless cooks, a store brand works just fine.

VIN AMER FIZZ

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

2 ounces rose vermouth

1 ounce apricot brandy

1/2 ounce lemon juice

1 egg white (or an equivalent amount of pasteurized egg white product, depending on preference)

Ice

Champagne

In a cocktail shaker, combine the vermouth, apricot brandy, lemon juice and egg white. Shake well to emulsify. Add ice, then shake again to chill. Strain into a coupe or martini glass. Top with Champagne.

(Recipe from Jackson Cannon of Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks in Boston)

A SERIOUS MAN

The approaching storm at the end of "A Serious Man" inspired this drink, a take on the dark 'n stormy.

A SERIOUS MAN

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Juice of 1/2 lime

3 ounces ginger beer

2 1/2 ounces premium dark rum

Lime peel, to garnish

Pour the lime juice into a tall glass. Fill with ice. Add the ginger beer, then pour the rum gently on top so it "floats." Garnish with a strip of lime peel.

(Recipe from Bryan Ranere of Foreign Cinema in San Francisco)

UP

"Up," a movie about an old man and his young neighbor who fly in a balloon-powered house to South America, includes some San Francisco Bay area landmarks, including the popular ice cream parlor, Fenton's Creamery, in Oakland. Fenton's master blender Scott Whidden came up with this recipe he says will take you "Up, up and away!"

CELEBRATION ICE CREAM FLOAT

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Italian sparkling water

1/4 ounce orange syrup (such as Torani)

Premium vanilla ice cream

Fill a tall glass with sparkling water and the orange syrup. Mix, then stir 1 teaspoon of the ice cream into the soda until frothy. Gently top the soda with a scoop of ice cream.

(Recipe from Scott Whidden of Fenton's Creamery in Oakland, Calif.)

UP IN THE AIR

The skies inspire a cocktail for "Up in the Air," a movie about a corporate downsizing expert with a passion for frequent flying. This is a classic cocktail that dates to 1916, when flying was a new-fangled adventure. The Creme de Violette gives the drink a tinge of blue sky.

THE AVIATION

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Ice

1 1/2 ounces gin

1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur

1/3 ounce Creme de Violette (or blue curacao)

3/4 ounce lemon juice

1/4 ounce simple syrup

Lemon peel

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients except the lemon peel. Shake well, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Twist a lemon peel over the surface of the drink to add a few drops of lemon oil.

(Recipe from Charles Joly of The Drawing Room in Chicago)

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Iron Man 2 Game to feature Voices from the Movie! - COMICBOOKMOVIE.com

Posted: 05 Mar 2010 11:49 AM PST

Along with the most anticipated film of 2010, Iron Man 2's video game is getting closer to release. May 4th, a couple of days before the film's release. Sega revealed a trailer a while back where we got a glimpse of Black Widow, and heap of War Machine. Other characters to feature in the game is Nick Fury & Crimson Dynamo.

Well now, the very voices from the film, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, and of course, Robert Downey Jr, will be lending their voices to their game's characters.

Celebrated actors Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson have officially signed on to "Iron Man 2: The Video Game," reprising their roles from Marvel Studios' upcoming "Iron Man 2" blockbuster movie. Cheadle voices Tony Stark's close friend and confidant James "Rhodey" Rhodes--the man inside the ultra-powerful War Machine armor--while Jackson joins the game as S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury.

War Machine in "Iron Man 2: The Video Game"
Cheadle and Jackson bring their inimitable talents to the table, rounding out a cast of characters that transports fans into a deeply immersive and authentic cinematic video game experience. Melding characters, themes and ideas from Shellhead's movie and comic book worlds, "Iron Man 2: The Video Game" allows gamers to choose between playing as Iron Man or War Machine as they battle through massively destructible indoor and outdoor environments. Tony and Rhodey both come armed to the teeth with their own distinct assortments of fully-customizable, gadgets and weaponry, as well as vicious melee combat moves. Believe us, you'll need everything in their arsenals to battle the likes of Crimson Dynamo and other classic Marvel foes.

"Iron Man 2: The Video Game" Xbox 360 Box Art
"With an original story line, an exclusive new song tied in to an incredible soundtrack and the voices of Hollywood's top leading men, 'Iron Man 2: The Video Game' offers a video game experience that has something for any kind of gamer," said Sean Ratcliffe, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America. "With the intuitive new control system, this game brings fans of all ages and gaming abilities an Iron Man experience they can enjoy."

In addition to the awesome news about Cheadle and Jackson, we've procured the final, official box art images for every version of the game.

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New Movies Podcast: The madness of Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's 'Alice ... - MLive.com

Posted: 05 Mar 2010 05:30 AM PST

By John Serba | The Grand Rapids Press

March 05, 2010, 8:32AM

Courtesy photoJohnny Depp as the Mad Hatter in "Alice in Wonderland."Skewed perspectives on a skewed perspective: That's what's going on in this week's New Movies Podcast. Grand Rapids Press film critic John Serba and producer/sidekick Cory Olsen discuss oddball director Tim Burton's skewed interpretation of "Alice in Wonderland," which puts Johnny Depp in the Mad Hatter's headgear. They also tackle "Me and Orson Welles," Romanian art film "Police, Adjective," cop drama "Brooklyn's Finest" and new DVDs "Ponyo" and "Where the Wild Things Are."

Give 'em a listen:

You can also download the podcast or subscribe via iTunes.

READ THE REVIEWS

"Alice in Wonderland"
Serba: Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' is imaginative, but depends on Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter for whimsy
James Sanford: Director Tim Burton's quirky remake of 'Alice in Wonderland' is a typhoon of eye candy, starring Johnny Depp

"Brooklyn's Finest"
Sanford: Three cops walk on the wild side in down and dirty 'Brooklyn's Finest'

"Me and Orson Welles"
Sanford: 'Me and Orson Welles' provides entertaining look at larger-than-life legend

"Police, Adjective"
Serba: 'Police, Adjective' provides some food for thought with minimal plot

NEW ON DVD

"Ponyo"
Serba: Animated 'Ponyo' reveals director's sense of whimsy

"Where the Wild Things Are"
Serba: 'Where the Wild Things Are' stays true to classic children's book

"2012"
Serba: Director Roland Emmerich batters us with special effects, cliches in '2012'

E-mail John Serba: jserba@grpress.com

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With the release of Burton’s new movie, ‘Alice’ returns to pop ... - Atlantic City Press

Posted: 05 Mar 2010 12:29 AM PST

Alice Pleasance Liddell was 3 years old in 1855 when her family met a shy deacon named Charles Lutwidge Dodgson in Oxford, England. She was 10 when she urged Dodgson to make a book out of the stories he invented for the three Liddell girls on rowing trips. She was 11 when a mysterious rift ended their friendship. And she was 13 when "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was published under the pen name Lewis Carroll and became an international sensation.

The Alice in Carroll's nonsensical story is 7 years old, born on the same date as Liddell (May 4), and precisely

7 1/2 in the sequel, "Though the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There."

Yet many of the devotees who have adapted the Alice character for other media insist on treating the girl as a curious adolescent and treating her trip down the rabbit hole as a parable of initiation.

A film version from 1933, featuring W.C. Fields, Gary Cooper and Cary Grant among Wonderland's creatures, starred Charlotte Henry, who was 19.

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was beloved by Vladimir Nabokov, who considered it akin to his scandalous "Lolita" and translated Carroll's book into Russian. The Jefferson Airplane made Alice a mascot of the hookah-smoking, mushroom-eating counterculture of the '60s.

In 1976, there was a soft-core porn "Alice in Wonderland" starring former Playboy centerfold Kristine DeBell. In 1981, Meryl Streep, then 33, played the character in a Broadway musical called "Alice in the Palace."

And in Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," which opens today, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is explicitly 19, with no memory of her previous visit to Wonderland.

The Burton film is a sequel of sorts, as the soon-to-be married Alice follows a harried hare back down the rabbit hole and gets caught in a war between the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and the White Queen (Anne Hathaway). Johnny Depp co-stars as the Mad Hatter.

The revisionism is even more extreme in a fantasy-book trilogy called "The Looking Glass Wars" by Frank Beddor. In his books, the heroine is Alyss Heart, the exiled princess of Wonderland, who travels to Earth to seek refuge from her murderous Aunt Redd. While Alyss is waiting for her faithful bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, to spearhead her return to power, she tells her tragic tale to Charles Dodgson - and is shocked when he turns it into a children's story.

Beddor said last week from Hollywood, where he is developing a movie version of the board game Monopoly, that he wanted to liberate Alice from the bookshelves of young girls and make her story a source of excitement for teen boys. His franchise also includes a series of graphic novels called "Hatter M," in which the heavily armed Madigan scours Europe for the exiled princess; video games; a clothing line; and trading cards.

Beddor said that on a recent book tour to England, he was met at Heathrow Airport by a band of angry "Alice" aficionados waving placards that read "Off with his head!"

Yet Dodgson's reputation is hardly pure. Although he was a mathematics professor with a comfortable income, he never married, and some biographers have speculated that his relationship with young Alice Liddell was romantic - or even sexual.

An accomplished photographer, Dodgson is known to have taken many seminude portraits of preteen girls, including Alice, and the pages of his diary pertaining to this period were torn from their bindings and presumably destroyed.

When the author and his muse were reunited for tea two decades later, he wrote in his journal: "It was not easy to link in one's mind the new face with the older memory - the stranger with the so-intimately known and loved 'Alice,' whom I shall always remember as an entirely fascinating seven-year-old maiden." In the movie "Dreamchild," the grown Alice remembers his fascination as illicit.

Whether lurid or loving, Dodgson's devotion is spelled out on the final page of "Through the Looking Glass," in a poem that is also a puzzle. By reading the first letter of each line, alert readers can learn the inspiration for this timeless tale:

A boat, beneath a sunny sky

Lingering onward dreamily

In an evening of July _

Children three that nestle near,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Pleased a simple tale to hear _

Long has paled that sunny sky:

Echoes fade and memories die:

Autumn frosts have slain July.

Still she haunts me, phantomwise,

Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes.