What a Yummy Movie!

Let the Oscar race begin…….

MOVIE: “The Help” (2011)

What a cinematic experience!  An incredible cast with AMAZING performances, Spot on costumes and a plot that forces you sit down and listen….What’s not to like?

You will find that as much as I like all the action, CGI, slow motion, car chases and the like; If there is not a story at the heart of it, I’m not invested and have wasted time and money. “The Help” is NOT that kind of movie. It has story and it has heart.

I’ll start with the obvious, as an African American woman, a former Nanny, a current teacher, and a child care advocate I related to Aibileen and Minny (played impeccably by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer respectively).  Aibileen and Minny are part of a society of women that raise white family’s children in Jackson, Mississippi in the 60’s during the Civil Rights movement. They have been put in a situation where their thoughts and feelings have to be put on the back burner because not only could they lose their jobs but their lives.

Then comes Skeeter (played authentically by Emma Stone). She is a white woman from Jackson who has gone to college, to get an education not to find a husband, and comes home to find work. What she discovers is the story of the “Help” and decides that it’s a story worth telling. She doesn’t fit in with her socialite friends and fights to tell the story of these men and women and to courageously be herself. I know I could feel her pain. Thankfully, I’ve discovered that being “different” is not a curse but a true blessing.

There are several supporting roles as well played by, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Sissy Spacek, Ted Welch and Chris Lowell.

I KNOW that this movie is worthy of an Oscar. I HOPE that the Academy doesn’t forget this movie at award season….I know I won’t forget it. I BELIEVE that this movie sheds light on some AMAZING women and I thank all involved for telling this story.

MUNCHIES:  

After this movie I had such a craving for some good ‘ol soul food. I really wanted Fried Chicken but ended up enjoying Fried Catfish at Cracker Barrel. If you have the skills and the time to really throw down in your kitchen…. GO FOR IT!!! “The Help” is a movie that that deserves a soul food celebration.

Get Cooking and Keep Watching,

Cecily

Trick or Treat?....TREAT!!!!

Lord help us sinners…..

MOVIE: “Se7en” (1995)

I still remember seeing this movie for the first time on the big screen. What an experience!!! What a movie!!!!

Brad Pitt plays Detective David Mills who just moved to the city and is joined with a retiring veteran, Detective Somerset, played by Morgan Freeman to show him the ropes. Well, are they in for it. They end up on the trail of a serial killer whose calling card is the seven deadly sins.

For me it’s not about solving the crime but the nuances of the performances. This is Brad Pitt’s movie folks. He gives the cockiness of a rookie, the hunger of a detective who wants to solve the crime and the vulnerability of a family man (wife played by Gwyneth Paltrow). Morgan Freeman is not to be out shined with his performance as a jaded cop who has seen too much. I also noticed Kevin Spacey as an actor in this movie for the first time. He plays the villain with just the right amount of sociopathic kookiness that you take him seriously.

Take a look at this movie and let the story unfold on you.

MUNCHIES:

Diner Grub!!!!.... And hey, if you’re gonna go……

“Chili Cheese Fries”

Ingredients:

Frozen Fries

Chili (homemade preferred)

Colby/Jack Cheese

Bake fries according to package directions and warm chili. Cover fries with chili and then with cheese. Microwave to melt cheese.

If you are not using homemade chili and are getting out of a can please doctor it up with Cumin, Garlic powder, Chili Powder, Onion Powder, and Pepper (no salt, the canned stuff has enough sodium).

Make sure that doctors are on standby for the open heart surgery and Enjoy!!!!!

(In all seriousness, this is not the way to eat too often…. Indulge at your own risk).

Get Cooking and Keep Watching,

Cecily

Halloween.... more than just a Holiday!

How to make a remake…..

MOVIE: “Halloween” (2007)

This is a remake of the 1978 classic which starred Jamie Lee Curtis in her big screen debut. It is the sad story of the Myers family. The son Michael has some….uhhh….issues (to say the least) and takes them out on the world around him in a violently mechanical way. Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake really does a good job of delving into Michael’s world and WHY he does what he does.  Zombie does a fantastic job of sticking to the original plot of the movie, putting a little more meat on the bones of a classic, while at the same time updating it where appropriate. Is there still slicing and dicing? Yes. Is Michael Myers still a killing machine? Unstoppable. The difference? I actually came away feeling like….. If ONLY. If only he’d been given the love and attention he’d craved, if only he’d had different parents, if only someone had been able to get through to him. Oh well…. It makes for a crazy ride and a fun creep fest. It’s only a movie….. (gulp)….right?

MUNCHIES:
Just right for Halloween Night (and I don’t mean Oct. 31^st only)

“Homemade Pizza Sauce”

Ingredients:

1 14oz. can diced tomatoes (San Marizano preferred)1 small onion (diced)

1 medium green pepper (diced)

2-3 cloves of Garlic

Olive oil

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Italian Seasoning

Salt

Pepper

In a Medium sauce pan, heat 2-3  tbsp. of olive oil over Medium heat. Once pan and oil are hot, put in fresh onion and garlic and sweat until translucent. Then you can add tomatoes and Green pepper. Cook through and then either blend with an immersion blender or put into food processor (or counter blender) for blending. Season the sauce with Garlic and Onion Powder, Italian Seasoning, Salt and Pepper to taste. You can spread on Pizza dough, biscuits, or English Muffins to make pizza and top with your favorite toppings. I’d also stock up on my favorite candy treats (Jelly Beans, Sweet Tarts and Twizzlers).

Get Cooking and Keep Watching,

Cecily

Who says men don't understand women?

To me….This is the best “Chick Flick” directed by a man.

MOVIE: “Hope Floats” (1998)

It’s all about opening yourself up, taking chances and relationships. So you’ve gotta have a strong cast and fearless director. Sandra Bullock, Gena Rowlands, Harry Connick Jr., Mae Whitman and Forrest Whitaker all fit the bill here.

It opens with a surprise, not just for Birdee Pruitt (played by Sandra Bullock) but for the audience as well. Birdee has the rug pulled out from under her and ends up back in her old home town of Smithville, Texas. She is fragile and hurt, but, learns to be courageously authentic. Her vulnerability with an underlying strength is never more apparent than in the scene where she is looking for a new job and a former classmate is the door that she had to go through to get there.

Then there is Birdee’s mama, “Mona” (Ramona), played by the iconic Gena Rowlands. What a strong, encouraging character who tells it like it is. She is the wind beneath Birdee’s broken wings who has some fantastic one liners. Some of my favorites are: “Get out there! Go get the stink blown off ‘ya” or “You’re going to school today Rocky”.

To round out the females is the power house Mae Whitman. She holds her own with Sandra Bullock and Gena Rowlands as Birdee’s daughter Bernice. The scene that always gets me is where she is trying with all her little might to leave Smithville and go with her father. It hit especially close to home when I first saw the movie for the first time as I had just lost my father.

As for the males, Harry Connick Jr. quietly, powerfully plays Justin Matisse. Justin is not a “studly” man with tons of “swag”, but, a persistent man who knows what he wants and goes after it…..in ALL aspects of life. He helps Birdee learn to trust and love again and THAT is sexy!

There is a scene that is not to be missed in the movie when Bernice has a really rough day and her family and friends come together to cheer her up in a unique way. The scene always brings a smile to my face. It also highlights the music that Whitaker chooses to use in the movie and what passion he has for the movie as a director.

MUNCHIES:  

My suggestion for munchies is a little different this time. Go to your favorite diner to eat…..and go ALONE!!!! It was a liberating experience for me and as much I enjoy company while I’m eating, I found out that I have the stern stuff to go stag too. My favorite diner is Marietta Diner in Atlanta. Don’t forget to get dessert too….just to spite ‘em. 

Get Cooking and Keep Watching,

Cecily

From "Who?" to "Whooooooo!"

Some are Horror movie fans. I am too…as long there is character development and good acting. No slicing and dicing please.

MOVIE: “The Amityville Horror” (2005)

This is a remake of the 1979 classic which starred Margot Kidder and James Brolin (Yes Josh Brolin’s dad). It is the story of the Lutz family starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George who move into a groovy house in Long Island with their 2 boys and little girl. Little do they know of the family that occupied the house before they took ownership….until weird things begin to happen.

I like that the remake keeps to the original (which is based on a true story). I love the performance of Chloe Moretz as the youngest Lutz and target of the creepiness. She also starred in Kick Ass, and Let Me In and is a promising young actress.

What blew me away, however, is the performance of Ryan Reynolds as George. I’d heard of him from the Van Wilder movies which I never saw. I saw him a slap stick, comedic actor, and then came Amityville….a total departure. He impressed me by completely OWNING the insanity that was George Lutz. Ever since, I have followed his career and enjoyed his work.

What great about this movie is the realism. I was put back into the 70’s with the costuming and set and then sold on the performances. The fact that it’s based on a real life case doesn’t hurt either.

MUNCHIES:  

There is a dinner scene in the movie where the Lutz’s sit down to all American comfort food. Instead of trying to come up with my own recipie, I went to my girl…Rachel Ray. She was my inspiration to get into the kitchen and my gateway to the drug that is The FoodNetwork. Type in the link and enjoy…

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/meatloaf-patties-smashed-potatoes-and-pan-gravy-recipe/index.html

Get Cooking and Keep Watching,

Cecily

The infamous Aussie does it again…….

MOVIE: “The Next Three Days” (2010)

I sometimes miss a movie on the big screen and catch it on video…and regret it. This is one of those times. I would have liked to have experienced this movie in surround sound and with all the visual bells and whistles. HOWEVER, it was still a fantastic movie.

Russell Crowe delivers once again as John Brennan, a husband and father who has some tough life situations thrown his way. His wife, Laura, is accused and convicted of murder. The mental and emotional strains prove to be a lot on her and she attempts suicide. John then goes into hero mode and puts a plan into action to save her sanity and her life.

Crowe does a fantastic job of showing John’s desperation and motivation. There is exceptional character development here coupled with the action. You get a feeling for John’s Blue collar side and his educated side. He is smart enough to be a college professor, yet, tough enough to hang on the streets of Philly. He makes some mistakes along the way, but, uses his wits too. It is a roller coaster ride that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. I’d like to get back on a few more times.

MUNCHIES:  

Ok, time for the “box”. Most grocery stores have “Cheese steak” kits. Pick one up and follow the directions…at least you first time out. After you get the idea…do your own thing and add to the kit.

Get Cooking and Keep Watching,

Cecily

July 17th

I am a lady of the 80’s so let’s Flashback shall we….not Flashdance (tee hee)

MOVIE: “Some Kind of Wonderful” (1987)

Most of us 80’s kids had some John Hughes moment. I picked the lesser glorified of his movies. He didn’t direct it but he did write it. What a cute movie about outsiders getting their moment to shine!

Eric Stolz plays Keith; a blue collar kid who doesn’t quite fit in. His best friend Watts, played by Mary Stuart Masterson is a rocker chick who doesn’t really care to fit in (except with Keith). Lea Thompson is Keith’s love interest, Amanda Jones, who fits in with the rich kids but only on the outskirts.

To see these relationships play out on screen is interesting indeed. I can remember watching this when it came out in ’87 and really thinking it could happen (the mark of a good movie). Of course watching it again, I realize that I WANTED it to happen, but, it is like TOTALLY unrealistic dude. It was fun to be transported back in time and to watch the performances of these leading young people and even their supporting cast. Included were a VERY young Candice Cameron, Elias Koteas, and Maddie Corman. All of whom have gone on to do other movies and continue to work in Hollywood. Pretty Cool!

MUNCHIES:
Talking about turning the ordinary into the Extraordinary…

“Wondrous Hot Chocolate”

Ingredients:
(1 Serving)

1 cup of milk1 package of your favorite Hot Chocolate mix

1-2 DARK Chocolate Hershey’s Kisses

cinnamon

cayenne pepper

Heat your milk and add the Hot Chocolate mix. Drop in the Kisses and add a pinch (literally) of cinnamon and cayenne pepper to taste. It takes the beverage from good to some kind of WONDERFUL!!!

Get Cooking and Keep Watching,

Cecily

Welcome !!!!!

Welcome!!!!!

Hello there...or as Christian Slater in Heathers would put it...."Greetings and Salutations". Cecily Watkins here and, other than God, two of the things I enjoy most are movies and food. SO why not write about them. That is what this blog is all about. I will share my thoughts about movies (past, present and future), along with accompanying food choices and recipes. Welcome and I hope you enjoy........

MOVIE: Beastly (2011)

I JUST saw this one on DVD so this a good place to begin....

I actually had lukewarm hopes for this one and I'm glad that I saw it in the comfort of my home on the small screen. The plot is not new; it is Beauty and the Beast all over again and not in a good way. Maybe it was the acting? It just seemed overly dramatic and over done. Alex Pettyfer does a fair (haha) job as Kyle, the teen dream of his high school. Pettyfer does well at transitioning from the obnoxious pubescent blowhard to the tenderhearted "beast" that wins the affections of the free-spirited, independent, outspoken Lindy played by Vanessa Hudgens. I really liked Pettyfer’s voice for the character as well; I just wasn't feeling the chemistry between the two leads.  I almost wanted to see him get with Kendra, the witch who cast a spell on Kyle to make him ugly, played by Mary-Kate Olsen. Sad to say, but, she, as an evil character, seemed a lot more authentic. I also enjoyed the performance of Neil Patrick Harris as Will, Kyle's tutor and friend. He has some great lines and reminded me of the Doogie Howser that I remember and loved in the 90's. All in all, this is a movie that I saw once and don't have to see again.

MUNCHIES:
Since we’re talking about ugly things that turn out beautifully I recommend what I call a "Scramble" but some restaurants call a "Mess".

Ingredients:
(Serves 4-6)

Hash brown potatoes (I get frozen but if you wanna cut up your own spuds be my guest).
Six eggs

1 small onion (diced)
1 green pepper(diced)
vegetable oil
cheese (I do a Colby/Jack blend....pick your favorite)
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
black pepper
salt

In LARGE skillet drizzle 2-3  tablespoons of vegetable oil and get it nice and hot. Then put in your hash browns. Just as they are getting done and color is just staring to form, put in your onion and green peppers. Let this all come together and cook through. Meanwhile, break your eggs in a bowl and season with salt, garlic powder, cayenne and black pepper to your liking. Add cheese, again to your taste, and whisk eggs incorporating the cheese. Pour egg mixture over potatoes and peppers, keeping the temperature medium to low. Scramble the eggs until done and the cheese is melted. Serve while warm.

Messy looking but sooooooooo tasty. I also add sausage or bacon to the mess but I brown it off first then start the potatoes in the rendered fat.....Mmmmmmmmmm. You can also keep the meat on the side or forgo it all together.

Get Cooking and Keep Watching....
Cecily