Author: Alicia

Holiday Cocktails for the Rest of Us
5280.com, Dec. 21

Bar managers are checking their cocktail lists twice this holiday season to roll out new selections for those seeking a festive buzz. These cocktails are characterized by flavors such as nutmeg or pine, mint or eggnog, cinnamon or cider. Almost every Denver neighborhood has a bar that offers one. Here are specialty drinks to seek out before 2015 draws to a close.

Concussion review
Christianity Today Movies, Dec. 21

Concussion tries to achieve the depth and stakes of the Biblical story of Esther, without quite enough unchecked power or genocide to support the claim.

Bonus: I suggested a book in this round-up of “15 Books That Are Good Enough to Give” at Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics.

Miss You Already review
Christianity Today Movies, Nov. 6

Let’s first celebrate how many movies released this year pass the “Bechdel Test” (in which at least two women talk to each other about something other than a man). As a woman and a movie fan, I’m especially pleased by that. But watching Miss You Already, I couldn’t help but wonder why a movie that takes female friendship seriously has to revolve around childbirth and death.

A First Look at the 2016 Winter Warmer
5280.com, Nov. 30

Winter is hard. Drinking shouldn’t be. Fortunately, the Winter Warmer is here to guide you to the coziest spots for cold-weather drinking.

How Quentin Tarantino Protege Zoe Bell Traded Stunts For Acting
The Credits, Nov. 18

It’s not easy to switch from movie “staff” to acting, and Zoe Bell credits being “deluded” or at least “clueless” for her move from stuntwoman to actress. Quentin Tarantino deserves some credit, too. After working with Bell as Uma Thurman’s stunt double in Kill Bill, he went on to cast her in 2007’s Death Proof, her first acting role and one she took reluctantly. This year, Bell is the star of Camino, an independent movie making the rounds that just screened at the Denver Film Festival. She will also appear in Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, which filmed in Colorado and hits select theaters on Christmas day and goes wide on January 8.

Industrial Light & Magic’s Ed Kramer Discusses What It Takes To Work in CGI
The Credits, Nov. 18

Ed Kramer is interested in “historically significant moments” for computer-generated imagery (CGI) in the movie industry. It’s no wonder this has become his passion, since as a computer graphics artist or supervisor he has been a part of many of them —from the seamless blend of real and computer generated water in The Perfect Storm to the dynamic cloth simulation of Jar Jar Binks.

Busy month. Also, if you’re a subscriber, you can hear me talk about my review of The Martian on The World and Everything In It podcast.

The Martian review
World Magazine, Oct. 17

Resilience is the theme of The Martian, a movie about an astronaut stranded on Mars. Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is left behind by his crew, who think him dead, completely alone and in a hostile environment with very limited resources. Watney simply takes stock of his situation and determines, “I’m not going to die here.”

Go Now: Black Eye Capitol Hill
5280.com, Oct. 9

Coffee shop by day, bar by night: Black Eye Coffee, which on Monday opened a new location in Capitol Hill, is the superhero of mixed-use cafes. This little shop manages to do both coffee and cocktails right.

Inside the Sie FilmCenter’s Official Grand Opening
5280.com, Oct. 9

Denver’s home for independent film is officially open for business. The Sie FilmCenter, the permanent location for the nonprofit Denver Film Society, celebrated its grand opening on Wednesday as the finishing touches on its recent redesign were completed. Anna and John J. Sie, who made a donation to allow for the interior and exterior renovations, cut the yellow ribbon at the event. Actress Marisa Tomei attended the ceremony, and Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia dedicated the FilmCenter on behalf of Gov. John Hickenlooper, calling it a “cultural anchor” for the Colfax corridor.

Why The New ‘Feminist’ Rom-Com Is a Lie
Christianity Today Movies, Oct. 28

If you wanted to see a romantic comedy this year, you were in luck—especially if you wanted to see the old formula flipped on its head. A new wave of “feminist” romantic comedies attempted to empower women within the traditional meet-cute to happily-ever-after relationship story arc.

Trendspotting: Lavender
5280.com, Oct. 29

Lavender, an herb from the mint family, is perhaps best known for its floral notes that permeate soaps and perfumes. But look around town and you’ll see that the flowering plant has also been making its way onto menus.

The World as One ‘Room’ (movie review)
Breakpoint, Oct. 30

“Room” is a story about finding light in darkness and redemption in the depths of depravity. Although it’s not for everybody—the hell depicted in this story will be hard for many to watch—it is hard not to root for a movie with such an optimistic and moral narrative arc, especially one done this well.

Drinking My Way Through Summer With The Denver Passport
5280.com – Sept. 15, 2015

The Denver Passport took over my life this summer. Between May 22 and September 7, this little blue book offered 2-for-1 drink deals at 64 Denver bars, and I hit every single one of them. By late August, my quest for stamps ruled every outing. Dates, guests in town, time to kill, or articles to write: Anything was an excuse to hit another bar (or two or three).

Brené Brown: Why We Need to Own Our Failures
Christianity Today – Sept. 18, 2015

We all want to be heroes in our own stories. But when we try to craft a heroic narrative for ourselves, what Joseph Campbell deemed the “mythic journey,” one big thing stands in our way: our failures.

Truth and Consequences
Breakpoint – Sept. 8, 2015

“The Diary of a Teenage Girl” leaps into the debate over how young is too young for sexual activity by pushing the limits of what even the most sexually liberal person would consider acceptable. The opening scene sets the tone: “I had sex today,” Minnie (Bel Powley) announces in the first line of the movie. The thought puts a smile on her young, unadorned face as she walks home through a park.

The Intern fails to do its job
World – Sept 25, 2015

Writer/director Nancy Meyers seems to craft her movies to fit the definition of “feel good.” In the world made for her movies, from It’s Complicated to The Holiday, things might not always go right (for women, mainly) but somehow everything always works out.

Didn’t write much this month, but who cares? I discovered I am listed on Rotten Tomatoes as a critic.

“Dark Places”
Christianity Today – Aug. 6, 2015

Dark Places wants to be a movie about forgiveness. It comes close to asking some big questions, like these: How do we acknowledge the past while living in the present? How do we forgive ourselves for past mistakes without running from the consequences?

Fantastic Four reboot offers a few twists to trite superhero tale
World – Aug. 7, 2015

It is a rare superhero movie that portrays the consequences of becoming a superhero. In Fantastic Four, five teenage scientists make some very foolish decisions and suffer for them by gaining superpowers—invisibility, expandable skin, rock-like durability, and fire.

“The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”
World -Sept. 5, 2015

In the 1960s, while James Bond was regularly taking over the box office, Bond writer Ian Fleming suggested “Napoleon Solo” as the name of another womanizing, besuited spy working for an international government organization called U.N.C.L.E. After premiering on NBC in 1964, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. went on to rival CBS’ Mission: Impossible in popularity; but eventually, as TV was overrun with spies, it became almost a satire of its own genre.

“Trainwreck”
Breakpoint – July 20, 2015

After seeing “Trainwreck,” I think Amy Schumer might be the Nora Ephron of our era. Schumer’s brand of romantic comedy is far raunchier than iconic Ephron works such as “Sleepless in Seattle” and “When Harry Met Sally,” but ultimately explores the same themes, with a similar light touch and optimism for traditional happy endings.

“Trainwreck”
World – July 24, 2015

In Trainwreck, the lead character, Amy (Amy Schumer) insists she’s happy with her life of one night stands and a job writing for an exploitative magazine (called S’nuff) that pays for her fantastic New York City apartment and booze and marijuana habits. But the movie becomes a declaration that a satisfying life requires her to give up the alcohol and drugs and commit to one man.

“Paper Towns”
World – July 24, 2015

John Green sets his wildly successful novels around life transition in the lives of young adults. He taps into this disproportionate drama better than any other modern writer targeting that audience. His formula is simple, but he follows it with laser precision. Basically, he is the Nicholas Sparks of YA.

“Paper Towns”
Breakpoint – July 29, 2015

The trailers for “Paper Towns” lead you to believe Quentin’s (Nat Wolff) love for Margo (Cara Delevingne) is epic. It prompts him to do epic things because she is his “miracle.”

A couple bad movies and my first report on Colorado’s pot industry.

Is Denver’s ‘Pot Coffee’ Experiment Over Already?
5280.com – June 30, 2015

You may have already missed your chance to taste the “pot coffee” you heard about in downtown Denver. CanBria Cafe, located in the lobby of the cannabis-friendly Nativ Hotel at Wazee and 16th streets, opened earlier this month with a menu of gourmet coffee drinks, which included lattes made with options like soy, coconut, or hemp milk, as well as unflavored, vanilla, and peppermint cannabidiol (CBD) oil. But if you visit the café today, you can only order a regular latte, because the marijuana extracts are currently on hold pending legal action.

“An Open Secret“
World Magazine – June 27, 2015

It is possible there is an institutionalized issue of child molestation in Hollywood, but this is not the film to expose it. Amy Berg’s documentary An Open Secret is marketed as “the secret Hollywood doesn’t want you to know.” But the film obscures its “secret” through euphemism, irrelevant context, and insinuation.

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”
World Magazine – July 11, 2015

It’s nothing new for coming-of-age tales to introduce the protagonist to death through the loss of a friend. Requirements for this story are some combination of the following: a self-deprecating hero, benignly neglectful parents, an odd but understanding teacher, an economically challenged neighborhood, and, of course, a heavily foreshadowed but still surprising death.

 

 

 

My May: Elijah Wood, limited edition beer, going through my closet, and the end of the world (again).

4 Lessons About The Future Of Horror From The Stanley Film Fest
The Credits – May 5, 2015

Blood splatters the help, clouds roll over the mountains, zombie baby dolls hang from lamp posts, and the Stanley Hotel glows red at night during the Stanley Film Fest, a horror film festival that just wrapped this past Sunday, May 3. Horror genre icons, amateur filmmakers, legendary producers and Hollywood stars mingled in Estes Park, Colorado over a weekend of shorts and feature films haunted by the horror legacy of Stephen King’s The Shining.

Why I Wore the Same Thing All Week
Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics – May 11,2015

When I read about the art director who wore the same outfit to work every day to simplify her life, I immediately thought: I should try that. I don’t typically hop aboard trends, but I liked the idea of reducing stress by rethinking my daily habits.

Try Breckenridge Brewery’s Hulk’s Mash at Denver Comic Con
5280.com – May 24, 2015

Costumed heroes may be flooding downtown Denver this Memorial Day weekend, but even those without super powers can order The Hulk’s beer.

San Andreas
World – May 29, 2015

The world is ending, again, but this time The Rock is so well established as the man who can save it, San Andreas spends more time coasting on his reputation than establishing peril. San Andreas is a paint-by-numbers end-of-the-world movie. Following a formula so textbook that not a single beat of the plot comes as a surprise, it still manages to entertain thanks largely to the charisma of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Slow month! In my defense, I am working on a long personal essay (stay tuned) and gearing up in my quest to become a hard core backpacker this summer.

Insurgent: Movie review
Breakpoint – March 23, 2015

It’s been a long time coming, but we have finally reached the point where post-apocalyptic movies about young adults have to hinge on more than just the drama of fighting authority or saving a love interest…

Both of the movies I screened in February were enjoyable viewing experiences, even if they weren’t exactly brilliant movies. (I would still watch Will Smith in anything.) Plus, Apollo Robbins was one of the most interesting interviews I’ve ever done.

VFX Supervisor Dan Glass on the Vast World of Jupiter Ascending
The Credits – Feruary 10, 2015

When Andy and Lana Wachowski release a picture, moviegoers can rely on it to be a visual experience. In large part, that is because of the talent of their visual effects team, which has been supervised since The Matrix Reloaded by Dan Glass…

Apollo Robbins Teaches Will Smith & Margot Robbie Art of Grifting in Focus
The Credits – Feruary 24, 2015

When Will Smith and Margot Robbie look credible picking pockets in Warner Brothers’ Focus, opening Friday, it’s due to detailed coaching behind the scenes from a man sometimes known as “The Gentleman Thief.” Apollo Robbins, a performer who once picked the pockets of President Jimmy Carter’s secret service escort, gets top billing as a consultant on the new film because writers/directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love; I Love You Phillip Morris) brought him in at script level in 2011.

Movie revew: Focus
Christianity Today – February 27, 2015

Falling in love with a con man never leads to a happy ending. But Focus scams us into thinking it’s got one, anyhow.