Cinderella is one of the most iconic Disney films that exist with a transformation scene rumored to be Walt Disney’s favorite of them all. It’s a wonderful princess film filled with everything that makes Disney what it is and such a classic that no matter how many great Disney films are released from now on, the image of Cinderella, her glass slipper, and Prince Charming’s castle will always be synonymous with Disney itself. Here I give you a comfy cozy Cinderella-themed meal perfect for November and the film.
For my appetizer I went with a two-part snack. The first is a drink named after the film’s titular princess; Cinderella. It’s fruity and delicious and is really pretty to look at too. To go with it, I wanted to make a snack honoring the super adorable mice sidekick in the film. I took strawberries for the mice bodies, used candy for the tails, almond slivers for the ears and frosting for the eyes. These came out really realistic-looking, almost too much so to eat!
For an entree I went with the theme of pumpkin. Not only is it perfect for November but when Cinderella’s fairy godmother makes her a carriage to go to the ball in, she transforms it from a pumpkin. This is the specific recipe I used. You’re supposed to cook the stew in the pumpkin but due to some technical difficulties on my end it didn’t quite work out that way. Nevertheless, this stew was super delicious and hearty and perfect during cold weather.
For dessert I wanted to make glass candy because of the importance of the iconic glass slippers in this film. I tried it first on the stove and failed miserably but then I found this recipe which uses the microwave and was way easier and it came out perfectly. The glass tastes just like regular candy. I would advise against letting children participate in this recipe, however; since it can be messy and also very very hot and they may burn themselves. Despite that, it’s quick and easy and comes out fantastic.
Cinderella is a delightfully classic film and the meal I designed to go with it turned out great. The snacks were cute and fun, the entree was warm and cozy, and the dessert was perfectly themed. Thanks for reading the latest installment of Disney Dinner and a Movie! Next month’s installment is going to be a little different so keep an eye out for it!
The winter holidays are once again upon us and in the middle of stressing over spending money and gaining weight, we should all take a moment to think of how we can celebrate this year without drastically increasing our carbon footprint.
1. Decrease your electricity usage with LED, solar, or energy-saving lights
Decorating our houses with bright lights is for some a highlight of the season but it can wreak havoc on your carbon footprint (and electric bill as well). According to HGTV, “Only 10 percent of the electricity used to light an ordinary light bulb is turned into light. The other 90 percent is wasted as heat.” One way to not only decrease your impact on our environment and save some money as well is to invest in LED or solar lights and decorations. There are also energy-saving bulbs, which use only a quarter of the electricity of standard ones. Each energy-efficient light bulb can save up to $14 and around 88 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
2. Do all your shopping at once
Gas is expensive, even when at it’s lowest prices in years. Not to mention it is a highly nonrenewable resource that we will run out of soon. To conserve this precious resource, and your money, try to do all of your shopping at once. Make a list (check it twice) of all the gifts you need to buy and try to get all your shopping done in as little trips as possible. This will save you gas and a few headaches as well.
3. Gift greener
Give “green” gifts. If you know someone who uses tons of water bottles, considering buying them a reusable bottle and a water filter. According to Brita’s website, one of their filters “can replace 300 bottles of water and save over $600 a year.” Do you know a family who eats lots of fruits and veggies? Consider buying them (or your own family) a CSA membership. Eating local food can be extremely beneficial to your health (they are fresher and better for allergies), the environment (less travel means smaller carbon footprint) and the local economy. Find out more about local agriculture and CSA’s in your neighborhood here. Some other ideas for greener gifts include other reusable products like coffee mugs or handcrafted items made from things that would have otherwise been discarded.
4. Gift wrap greener
Tons of wrapping paper is used every year for a few gifts to look pretty and then thrown away. There are a couple different ways you can save some trees (and maybe even some money). One would be to reuse gift bags. Save them from one year and keep them in good condition to use for gifts the next year. Another fun way to bag gifts is using reusable tote bags. Not only are they super cute and work as gift bags, but the recipient can then use them for long after the holidays in their daily routine to cut down on plastic bag use. As for wrapping, you can use old newspaper to wrap your gifts. It would have been thrown out (or hopefully recycled) after reading anyway so why not reuse it while simultaneously avoiding buying wrapping paper?
5. Buy a real tree
If your holiday celebrations including buying and decorating a Christmas tree, try buying a live one rather than a fake one. Research has been done comparing the two and it has been found that real trees are better for many reasons. For one thing, they are an investment in the local economy. They’re also a greener option in that “a single farmed tree absorbs more than 1 ton of CO2 throughout its lifetime.” With the growing loss of our planet’s trees, planting more is much better for our atmosphere. Each acre of Christmas trees produces enough oxygen for almost twenty people every day. Another great thing about real trees is “treecycling”. After the holidays are over Christmas trees can be recycled to be used to landscaping, creating playgrounds, and fighting erosion. To find a treecycling center near you check out here or here or contact your local Home Depot.
Since the Holiday Season is supposed to be about giving, let’s remember to give back to our planet as well!
No, Anastasia is not a Disney film. It was released by Fox Animation Studios in 1997 and starred the voice talents of Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, and Christopher Lloyd. While this column is traditionally for Disney films I decided to make an exception this month for a film released “Once Upon a December.” Anastasia is, in my opinion, as good as any of the Disney princess films. Beautiful animation paired with strong characters and fantastic songs makes this one of those animated features from my childhood that I will always love. So please forgive my devitation from Disney and enjoy this Anastasia themed meal.
Anastasia is the story of the lost Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia. Since much of the movie takes place in Russia (and is a kid-friendly and very loose version of Russian history) I had to try out some Russian recipes. For a first course I did some research into Russian foods and one dish that kept popping up was Herring under a Fur Coat, or shuba. Traditionally this is made with diced herring layered over with boiled vegetables and mayonnaise. Since I don’t eat most of those ingredients I found this awesome recipe for a vegan version. At first I was extremely hesitant to take a bite but once I mustered up the courage I found that it was actually pretty good. You wouldn’t think that these ingredients would taste good together but they actually do. This was an experimental success.
For the main course there was only one option: stroganoff. Not many foods are featured in this film but there is a part in the song “Learn to Do It” where she proclaims she “never cared for stroganoff.” Being that this line is a memorable one from the film, and that it is a classic Russian dish, I found this vegan version that uses mushrooms. It was absolutely scrumptious and I had two helpings of it the first night. This one is highly recommended!
For dessert I took two different cues from the film. The first was champagne. One example of the movie’s excellent animation is the scene where Dimitri watches the dancers in his champagne glass. The drink itself is symbolic of elegance and decadence and perfect for Anastasia’s past life as royalty and her grandmother’s current lifestyle in France. I used this recipe to make mini champagne cupcakes and created my own strawberry and chocolate icings. To add to the flashiness I added edible gold flakes. These cupcakes instantly became some of my favorite desserts ever. The champagne taste is distinct yet pleasant and the batter not too sweet so that you can easily pair it with super sugary icing without being overwhelmed. I paired this champagne cupcake with Anastasia’s drink: hot water with lemon. Dessert was absolutely splendid.
Overall this was a pretty interesting installment of Disney Dinner and a Movie. While I did take a chance with a non-Disney film, Anastasia’s nostalgia and Russian themes helped me create a wonderful meal for this or any December.
We talk about Scream Queens a lot here at House of Geekery; past ones, present ones, and underrated ones as well. 2014 is just about over and while examining this past year’s horror selections there was one clear winner as to who was the reigning Scream Queen of 2014 and that is Miss. Olivia Cooke.
Who is She?
Born in 1993 in Oldham, UK, Olivia studied acting in college and began on stage, eventually landing herself a role in the British miniseries Blackout. Besides acting, Cooke enjoys ballet, gymnastics and has worked with Bulgari to support the “Save the Children” campaign.
Olivia Cooke for the “Save the Children” campaign
Where Have You Seen Her Before?
Before 2014 you may have seen Cooke in one of two British miniseries: Blackout and The Secret of Crickley Hall. The latter was one of her first horror-centric projects about a house haunted by crying children. In 2013 Olivia then went on to land the role of Emma Decody in the first season of The Bates Motel. Emma is young Norman Bates’s sickly best friend. The series is a prequel to the classic Hitchcock film Psycho.
Olivia Cooke in “Bates Motel”
What Did She Do This Year?
Bates Motel’s Season 2 aired in the spring of 2014 is the first of a long list of horror projects that makes Cooke 2014’s biggest Scream Queen. Cooke was the star of big screen horror this year with major roles in 3 releases. The first is April’s Hammer studios film The Quiet Ones about a 1972 parapsychology experiment. Cooke played Jane Harper, a young woman with supernatural abilities.
Olivia Cooke in “The Quiet Ones” (2014)
In the summer of 2014 Cooke showed up in The Signal, a sci-fi thriller which received mixed ratings at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Cooke plays Hayley, one of three MIT students who track a rival computer hacker to a Nevada desert and find something surprising awaiting them.
Olivia Cookie in “The Signal” (2014)
The third of Cooke’s triple horror feature of the year was the much-anticipated yet disappointing Ouija which was this year’s big horror Halloween release. Despite bad reviews, Hasbro’s first film had box-office success and showed a story of a bunch of young people who mess with a ouija board and (not surprisingly) get messed with back. Cooke led the cast as Laine Morris.
Olivia Cooke in “Ouija” (2014)
What Does Her Future Hold?
Cooke’s biggest upcoming project is Me & Earl & the Dying Girl in which she plays a high school student with leukemia. The film will co-star Thomas Mann and Ronald Cyler II. Cooke also landed the role of Tirzah in the upcoming remake Ben-Hur alongside Morgan Freeman and Toby Kebbell. While it seems Cooke may be focusing on dramas instead of horrors lately we hope she makes her way back to the genre that she owned this year: horror.
Cooke shaved her head for her role in the upcoming “Me & Earl & the Dying Girl”
A new year is upon us which means a new crop of horror films. Listed below are the horror films set to release in 2015 (release dates are for the United States).
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death (January 2)
This sequel takes place 40 years after the first haunting and has a group of children from WWII London who awaken Eel Marsh House’s evil spirit. Starring: Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine, and Phoebe Fox.
Frankenstein (January 16)
The classic Mary Shelley tale told from Igor’s perspective. Starring: Daniel Radcliff, James McAvoy, Andrew Scott and Jessica Brown Findlay.
The Confines (January 20)
A young woman takes a job as a night security guard in an abandoned building and experiences strange occurrences. Starring: Jason Patric, Louisa Krause and Mark Margolis.
The Vatican Tapes
The Vatican Tapes (February 27)
An exorcism film about a young woman, her local priest, and some powerful religious figures. Starring: Michael Peña, Djimon Hounsou, Dougray Scott and Kathleen Robertson.
Muck (March 13)
A group of friends must battle numerous evils in an ancient burial ground. Starring Kane Hodder, Jaclyn Swedberg, and Lauren Francesca.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (March 13)
The latest installment in this series stars Billy Shepperd and Tyler Craig.
The Encounter (June 5)
A man is found alone in the forest and must remember the horrifying events of the previous nights. Starring: Owen Conway, Megan Drust, and Clint James.
Insidious Chapter 3
Insidious Chapter 3 (June 5)
A prequel to the original, this film shows us psychic Elsie Rainier as she tries to help a young woman. Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Lin Shaye and Stefanie Scott.
Sharknado 3 (July)
This time the sharks are after Washington, D.C. and Orlando, Florida. Starring: Tara Reid, Ian Ziering, and Vanilla Ice.
Poltergeist (July 24)
A remake on the classic tale of a suburban house invaded by angry spirits. Starring: Sam Rockwell, Jared Harris, and Rosemarie DeWitt.
Kennedi Clements will star in the Poltergeist remake.
Sinister 2 (August 21)
A mother and her twin sons must survive in a rural house with malevolent forces. Starring : Shannyn Sossamon, James Ransone, and Nicholas King.
The Visit (September 11)
Shyamalan’s newest film about a brother and sister discover their grandparents are involved in something disturbing in middle-of-nowhere Pennsylvania. Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Ed Oxenbould, and Erica Lynne Marszalek.
Kitchen Sink (September 4)
Three teens must survive in a world of humans vs zombies vs vampires. Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Ed Westwick, and Bob Odenkirk.
Jessica Chastain in Crimson Peak
Crimson Peak (October 16)
In del Toro’s latest film, a young author deals with childhood friends and mysterious new players. Starring: Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, and Tom Hiddleston.
Scouts vs. Zombies (October 30)
Three scouts must save their town from a zombie outbreak on their last camping trip. Starring: Patrick Schwarzenegger, Halston Sage, and Tye Sheridan.
Friday the 13th (November 13)
The latest of this epic series is due out in November and is rumored to be found footage style.
Krampus (December 4)
A demon punishes naughty people during the Christmas season. Starring: Allison Toman and Emjay Anthony.
Krampus
Exact Release Date Unknown
It Follows
A young woman experiences nightmares after a sexual experience and along with her friends must escape something terrifying closing in. Starring Maika Monroe, Heather Fairbanks, and Linda Boston.
XX
XX is an upcoming horror anthology featuring all female directors including Karyn Kusama, Mary Harron, Jennifer Lynch, Sofia Carrillo and Jovanka Vuckovic.
The Boy
The boy is the story of a 9 year-old sociopath and his journey to becoming a killer. Starring: Rainn Wilson, David Morse, and Mike Vogel.
Origins
Written by legendary director George A. Romero and his son, this film, which takes place in the 1960’s, is about a scientist whose life work may be the end of mankind.
The Chair
A death row inmate must survive his psychotic Warden and his own sanity. Starring Zach Galligan, Noah Hathaway, and Naomi Grossman.
The Exorcism of Molly Hartley
A sequel to the lackluster original, this film follows adult Molly who must be exorcised of an evil spiti by a fallen priest. Starring: Devon Sawa, Gina Holden, and Sarah Lind.
Everto
A young girl and her friends are terrorized by a murderer with a mysterious background. Starring: Alessandra Spoletini.
Haeger’s Pass
Haeger’s Pass
Four friends on a weekend camping trip find themselves the target of revenge. Starring: Casey Russell, Zim Campbell, and Kevin Groenhof.
The Purge 3
The third installment in this series centers on the very first purge event.
There Are Monsters
A mom and daughter must survive a mysterious creature. Starring Loretta Yu and Guy Germaine.
The Diabolical
Madison and her children are haunted by a presence in their suburban home and turn to a scientist for help. Starring: Ali Larter, Merrin Dungey, and Chloe Perrin.
The Diabolical
The Final Table
A group of poker stars are abducted and forced to play a deadly game. Starring: Rudy Quintanilla, Justin Little, Rachel Alig, Angela Kerecz, and Merric McCartha.
February
Two women come together to fight evil in a boarding school. Starring: Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka.
Yoga Hosers
Teenage yoga lovers team up with a man-hunter to battle an evil presence threatening their party in Canada. Written by Kevin Smith and Starring Johnny Depp, Genesis Rodriguez, Natasha Lyonne and Haley Joel Osment.
The Hallow
A family in a remote part of Ireland must battle demonic creatures in their woods. Starring: Bojana Novakovic and Joseph Mawle.
Maggie
Maggie
A teenager in the Midwest becomes infected with a zombie virus and her father must stay by her side as she deteriorates. Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, and Joely Richardson.
Bone Tomahawk
A horror western about four men in the Wild West who must rescue a group of captives from cannibals. Starring: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Lili Simmons, and Sean Young.
31
Rob Zombie’s upcoming film is about a series of kidnapping on the days leading up to Halloween and includes a violent video game and evil clowns. Starring: Sheri Moon Zombie and Bari Suzuki.
Knock Knock
Eli Roth’s newest is about a pair of femme fatales who go after a married man. Starring: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, and Ana de Armas.
The cast of The Final Girls
The Final Girls
A group of teenagers get transported into an 80’s slasher film with one of the girl’s famous scream queen mother. Starring Nina Dobrev, Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, and Alexander Ludwig.
Cabin Fever
A remake of Eli Roth’s original about college students who contract a flesh-eating virus in the woods. Starring: Gage Golightly, Dustin Ingram, Eli Roth, and Mathew Daddario.
Definition of Fear
The British film is about four young women who spend a weekend in a cabin and realize they may not be alone. Starring: Jacqueline Fernandez, Katherine Barrell, and Mercedes Papalia.
Don’t Hang Up
Another British film stars about drunken prank calls that have deadly consequences. Starring: Sienna Guillory, Gregg Sulkin, and Garrett Clayton.
Disclaimer: As always this is just one blogger’s opinion and there’s no right way to talk about fashion, we all have different opinions, etc. and so forth.
It’s that time of year where the holidays are over and we’re left with miserable weather and nothing to celebrate for a while. If you’re like me and hate the cold, you may want to spend your dark winter nights curled up on the couch with a horror film. Here’s a list of ten great winter-themed horror films, in no particular order, to chill your bones.
1. The Shining (1980)
The Shining is often credited as one of the best horror films ever made. It’s also extremely terrifying in a psychological and claustrophobic kind of way. Watch as a family fends off their off-the-wall father while trapped in a creepy hotel during a blizzard and you won’t be disappointed.
2. The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter’s The Thing is one of the best horror films out there. Watching these men fight off a shape-shifting deadly alien in ridiculously cold temperatures in the middle of nowhere lends for a great movie experience.
3. The Invisible Man (1933)
One of Universal’s classic monster movies, The Invisible Man is about a scientist who manages to turn himself invisible but also accidentally into an insane murderer. While perhaps not as popular as Dracula or Frankenstein, it’s just as good.
4. Wind Chill (2007)
Wind Chill is a lesser-known horror film starring one of today’s It Girls Emily Blunt. Two college students who barely know each other set off to drive home for Christmas break from college. They break down and must survive freezing temperatures and malicious ghosts.
5. 30 Days of Night (2007)
30 Days of Night is a fantastic adaptation of the graphic novel about a town in Alaska which goes a month without sunlight. Unfortunately for them a group of terrifying vampires have come to make the town into a buffet.
5. Dead Snow (2009)
Dead Snow is certainly an original film. Its premise is that a group of medical students go skiing and come across zombie Nazis. If that doesn’t sell you on watching this film, I don’t know what will.
6. Cold Prey (2006)
Cold Prey is super popular Norwegian horror film that spawned two sequels. The story follows friends on a snowboarding vacation who take shelter in an abandoned hotel, only to find that the worse danger is on the inside.
7. Let the Right One In (2008)
Forget about the unnecessary remake; this Swedish film is so much m than a vampire movie. It deals with real life issues like friendship and bullying, mixes them with just enough supernatural events, and sets the story is a dreary cold atmosphere to create a great film.
8. Misery (1990)
Misery is Stephen King’s classic put to film and stars Kathy Bates as a crazy stan who will stop at nothing to keep her favorite author locked up with her during a snow storm. Perfect for your winter cabin fever.
9. Frozen (2010)
Not to be confused with the Disney favorite, this film is about friends who get stuck on a chairlift. Their decisions become more and more important as they face the idea of freezing to death or possibly even worse fates.
10. The Thing from Another World (1951)
This original tale that inspired the classic The Thing is often overlooked because of how great Carpenter’s version is but don’t be fooled; this is one of the best horror films of the 1950’s. The story is similar to the remake about a team of scientists fighting off an alien organism in the arctic. It also featured the first full body burn by a stunt man on film which is pretty awesome.
I don’t think there’s much I can say about Frozen that hasn’t been said already. Disney’s 2013 classic has broken records around the world and become its own cultural phenomena. It’s a classic fairy-tale twisted into a story about sisters, strength, and snow; Frozen will stay in Disney’s top accomplishments for many years to come. Since January is an especially cold month for me I decided this was the perfect time to make a meal based on Disney’s most popular movie.
Frozen takes place somewhere in Scandinavia so I turned to the trust world wide web to find some Scandinavian recipes. I came across this recipe for fig walnut bread and decided it looked delicious and boy was I right! It was pretty easy to make (more of a cake-like recipe than a bread one) and came out the perfect consistency. Whether you want to eat it for dessert, snack, or breakfast like I did, this sweet yet hearty bread will work perfectly.
For my entree I had only one choice: sandwiches! After doing some research (and remembering what I read in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series) I found that open-faced sandwiches are quite popular in Scandinavia. Basically you make them using a single slice of bread with one or more food items on top. The typical Scandinavian version (known as smørbrød), is made with a slice of buttered bread and topped with meat or fish and a vegetable. For my own version I used whole wheat bread, vegan mayo, vegan Canadian bacon, cucumber, and tomato. That’s the great things about sandwiches; you can make them however you want!
For dessert I had an idea that would incorporate details from both sisters; chocolate ice cream. Ice cream to symbolize Elsa’s ice powers and chocolate because both of them love it so much. Using our brand new Dessert Bullet, we made chocolate “ice cream” with frozen bananas, vanilla extract, and carob powder. It tasted absolutely delicious and is a healthier and dairy-free version of ice cream. I topped the dish with these cute sparkly sprinkles I found at the grocery store and thought resembled ice. Voila! A frozen themed treat that you won’t feel guilty for eating.
I love writing this Disney Dinner and a Movie column because it not only gives me an excuse to rewatch Disney films, but it also a reason to explore new recipes from all over the world. This installment was no exception and I was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out. If you have reservations about trying something new; let it go!
For horror film lovers, every holiday is cause for something scary. Here are ten films perfect for Valentine’s Day, whether you’re watching them alone or with someone else.
1. Valentine (2001)
Valentine is about a pre-teen who is rejected and humiliated by the girls at school and comes back as an adult to hunt them down and kill them. This stands above your average slasher film because of the unique kills, interesting reveal, and awesome Valentine motif throughout.
2. Pontypool (2008)
Pontypool is a horror and also a psychological thriller about a deadly virus in Canada. The movie centers around a talk radio host on Valentine’s Day.
3. Fatal Attraction (1987)
Fatal Attraction is the quintessential love gone wrong horror thriller. Or rather, affair gone wrong. This movie will remind you why love and attraction are dangerous things.
4. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
While the inserted romance between Mina and Dracula in Coppola’s version of this classic may anger some die-hard fans of the book, it’s hard to deny the romanticism attached to this film both in the plot line but also in the whimsical and beautiful way it’s shot.
5. My Bloody Valentine (1981)
A psycho killer attacks Valentine celebrators. Simple and fun. Some people prefer the 2009 remake but the original is more revolved around the holiday itself. Either way, these films are great for V-Day.
6. Near Dark (1987)
This gritty vampire film is good for Valentine’s Day because of the romance between Caleb and Mae. Many fans will cite this film as what a real vampire romance should look like.
7. Lovers Lane (2000)
Based on the famous “escaped psycho with a hook for a hand” urban legend, this movie is about a serial killer who attacks couples on Valentine’s Day.
8. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead is the classic horror comedy about a regular guy trying to survive a zombie attack and win back his girlfriend. Also, you don’t really need an excuse to watch Shaun of the Dead.
9. The Lost Boys (1987)
Another romantic vampire film; this one is more sparkle than grit. A young man is seduced into a becoming a vampire and must fight his curse to save himself and the woman he loves.
10. Let The Right One In (2008)
If you like your romance more sweet and subtle and wrapped up in a story about a young boy and his mysterious vampire friend, then this is the pick for you.
The Toy Story trilogy is not only one of Disney/Pixar’s best creations but also one of the best film trilogies of all time. Three delightful tales of a young boy’s toys and how they grow as he does. The series will make you laugh, cry, and feel nostalgia all at once. Below you will find a meal I put together that goes with this trilogy and has enough heartiness for adults and plenty of fun for kids too!
My appetizer for this meal was based on the sometimes neurotic but always lovable cowboy Woody. Since cowboy food always makes me think of cornbread I made these delicious corn muffins. I then topped them with stars cut out from tomatoes to represent Woody’s status as sheriff. The recipe was ridiculously easy and very yummy. I also want to throw a shout out to these fantastic re-usable muffin cups that were cheap and way better than the paper kind since you can throw them in the dishwasher and they don’t stick to the food!
Pizza Planet is the famous food establishment from the Toy Story series. It’s a super cool space-themed pizzeria that was turned into a real eatery in Disney World. To pay homage to Pizza Planet and the idea of childhood in general, I make pizza for this entree. I bought a pre-made whole wheat pizza crust and topped it with sauce, soy cheese, onions and olives. Making homemade pizza is great for a couple of reasons. First, it’s incredibly easy. You can have each friend or family member decorate and make their own. Second, you can make it however you want! If you haven’t had a “make your own pizza” dinner night yet then get on it!
Drawing inspiration from lovable space man Buzz Lightyear for dessert was an easy choice: astronaut ice cream! This is the first time in the history of this column that I’ve bought a dish instead of made it myself but this was such a perfect touch for the film that I couldn’t resist. I purchased Neapolitan freeze-dried ice cream from a museum gift shop. It has an odd and unique texture but retains the flavor of ice cream perfectly. Kids and adults will both love this mini food adventure!
If you’re looking for a night to feel young again then pop on a Toy Story film and enjoy some corn muffins, pizza, and astronaut ice cream for the full Cowboy-astronaut-Toy Story experience!
Coming Soon: Disney Dinner and a Movie: Big Hero 6
Big Hero 6 is the last Disney release to come out and it will be hard to top it. A wonderful blend of superhero action and poignant realistic emotional drama, this is a film that can not only be enjoyed but connected with by people of all ages and types. BH6 is equally as funny as it is sad; as equally charming in it’s unrealistic technology as it is staunchly realistic in its portrayal of loss, love, and friendship. BH6 is up there with some of the other Disney greats and I can’t recommend it enough.
For an appetizer I took inspiration from the team’s lovable if not anxious physics student: Wasabi. Wasabi is such an interesting and strong flavor it can be used it lots of different things. I found this recipe online for wasabi edamame hummus. It was really good! This is the same texture and idea of hummus but using edamame and wasabi is a nice change from the standard garlic and chickpeas. I stayed light on the wasabi per my preferences but if you want yours with more of a kick then just up the wasabi! Another great snack recipe.
For the main course I wanted a dish that represented the fantastic and creative San Fransokyo which is a city that is a mix between California’s San Francisco and Japan’s Tokyo. The design in the film is a gorgeous mix of American sea-city and Asian architecture so I came up with the idea of an Asian-inspired burger. The US loves their hamburgers so I took this classic American dish and added some typically Asian flavors by browsing the interwebs and getting ideas. In the end I settled on a Thai Basil Edamame burger topped with a ketchup soy sauce mix, fried onions, tomatoes, and avocado. It was absolutely delicious and I’m temped to top all my burgers like this from now on.
For dessert I took inspiration the team’s other member with a food name, the sweet fashionista and chemistry whiz Honey Lemon. I found a recipe online for honey lemon cookies that came out super scrumptious and moist. They were perhaps too lemony (which was due to my own estimating of ingredients) but the mix of sweet and sour made these delightful and a great dish to serve with tea. I’ll add this cookie recipe to my saved folder for sure.
This was a great meal that mixed sweet, sour, savory, and whatever the heck wasabi counts as. The meal contains all the wonderful and delicious flavors that are as diverse as the characters in Big Hero 6 itself.
Coming Soon: Disney Dinner and a Movie: The Emperor’s New Groove
April is a busy month: April Fool’s Day, Easter, Passover, Spring Break, Spring itself. What better way to celebrate then with ten themed horror films?
1. April Fool’s Day (1986)
Start off your month with this 80’s slasher classic about a bunch of college kids on a remote island who get picked off one by one. The ending is especially awesome.
2. Night of the Lepus (1972)
April has Easter and Easter is all about bunnies so if you’re into campy silly B-movies check out this one about giant mutant rabbits that attack the southwestern US.
3.Easter Bunny Kill! Kill! (2006)
This is a lesser-known horror film about a homicidal man dressed as a giant bunny who goes after a young boy’s tormentors. Not an award winner but definitely Easter Bunny-themed.
4. Atrocious (2010)
Atrocious is a film about siblings who, over Easter week, explore their vacation home and discover something really scary.
5. The Reaping (2007)
Easter is a big deal in April but let’s not forget Passover! Celebrate the biblical plagues by watching this film about a small town suffering from them and investigated by Hilary Swank.
6. Jeepers Creepers (2001)
Spring break is here for many of us and this is one of those horror movies that takes place over it. In this one a brother and sister drive home for break and encounter a terrifying organ-eating creature.
7. Piranha 3D (2010)
Another fun time during Spring Break is Piranha 3D but this time it’s killer piranhas in Lake Victoria that wipes out a bunch of college kids.
8. Rites of Spring (2011)
April is all about the real start of the showers and flowers that come with Spring and in this film, each Spring girls go missing from a town hiding lots of secrets.
9. The Ruins (2008)
With Spring comes a rebirth in nature, including lots of beautiful green plants. In The Ruins those plants turn out to be the villain and a wonderfully crafted story makes you scared of something that was once harmless.
10. The Birds (1963)
Another film about nature gone bad, The Birds is one of Hitchcock’s classic horror films and no matter how old it gets, it’s always scary and always fun to watch.
The Emperor’s New Groove has the misfortune of being released during Disney’s Post-Renaissance phase which means it often goes unnoticed among the classics of the 1990’s or the modern revival films. It is, however; a hilarious, heart-warming and thoroughly entertaining film. A buddy comedy about an emperor-turned-llama and an every day man with a great family, this movie provides us an exciting adventure, colorful characters, and the fantastic setting of ancient Peru. If you’ve somehow missed seeing this one, go out and watch it and maybe have some of the following foods as well!
For an appetizer I decided to try and replicate Kronk’s famous spinach puffs that he serves Yzma and Kuzco. I used this recipe that I found online and they turned out absolutely delicious. By the end of the night they were all gone and I even made a second batch the next night. It’s no wonder Kronk was so proud of them. These are highly recommended.
For an entree, the most appropriate dish to make would have been cuy, the roasted guinea pig prominent throughout Incan culture or whatever sort of giant pill bug they ate at the restaurant. Since I definitely wasn’t going to make either of those, I instead chose a simple recipe for Incan salad. The salad is made up of quinoa, beans, corn, veggies, and spices. It was incredibly fast and easy to make as well as yummy and nutritious. Definitely a winner here.
For dessert I went with a regional classic: alfajores. These are shortbread-esque cookies filled with dulce de leche. I found an awesome recipe to make a vegan version. The cookies came out flaky and soft with the filling a delicious sweet and nutty flavor. These were a fun way to end my Incan-inspired Emperor’s New Groove meal.
It took me much longer in my life than I’d like to admit to watch The Emperor’s New Groove but I’m so glad I finally did. A fantastic film combined with delicious South American cuisine makes for a great night!
Director Adam Wingard has been releasing his work for over ten years but recently burst onto the horror scene with recent successes like You’re Next (2011) and The Guest (2014). He’s also submitted segments for the popular V/H/S (Segment: “Tape 56″) film and its sequel V/H/S 2 (Segment ” Phase I Clinical Trials”). In today’s showdown we put this budding director’s two most popular and well-loved films against each other: You’re Next and The Guest.
Warning: This blog contains heavy spoilers for both films!
Plot: Both You’re Next and The Guest are great films will great plots. You’re Next is about a woman who goes with her boyfriend to his family reunion only to have the family become isolated in their home and preyed upon by a group of deadly villains in animal masks. The Guest is something a bit different. The film is about a family who welcomes into their home and their lives a man who was a friend to their deceased soon in the army only to discover he might not be what he seems. I don’t have anything bad to say about either of these storylines. You’re Next had an awesome twist but the creepy home invasion plot has been done before while The Guest offers something truly original.
Winner: The Guest
Hero: Both these films feature awesome heroines. The Guest gives us Maika Monroe’s Anna, the sister of David Collin’s fallen comrade. At first she is friendly with her new houseguest but becomes suspicious of his identity and motives. Anna is an awesome hero who fights against David using her wits. While there’s nothing bad to say about Anna, it’s hard to compete with the iconic Erin from You’re Next (played by Sharni Vinson). At first we think she’s the typical “final girl”: sweet and relatable to the audience. Then we find out that she’s actually a secret badass who uses her survivalist background to defend herself against the intruders in the most awesome of ways. Both films do a good job of presenting us with layered heroines but Erin from You’re Next will go down as one of the best final girls in the history of horror.
Winner: You’re Next
Villain:
In You’re Next the family is set upon by a group of weirdos in creepy animal masks who carry all sorts of dangerous weapons. We’ve seen this type of masked intruder villain before and they’re definitely scary. In The Guest, the villain is actually the main character. At first we think David Collins might be a good guy but as the movie goes on, Dan Stevens manages to portray his character cracking slowly and as we learn more about him we realize who he really is and by the end he is truly terrifying. There’s nothing wrong with the masked fiends in You’re Next but the combined characterization and performance of Dan Stevens as David Collins makes The Guest the winner in this category.
Winner: The Guest
Ending: One thing that makes Wingard’s two films so strong is their endings. You’re Next delivers us multiple great twists throughout the film and just when we think everything is okay, an unlucky cop gets the bad end of one of Erin’s booby traps. The characters in The Guest go through Hell and back to finally think their tormentor is dead only to see him escape at the very end with a brand new identity. Both fills deliver smashing endings that leaves audiences thinking about them long after the movie is over.
Winner: Tie
Memorable Scenes: Both films give us some memorable scenes. The Guest shows Dan Stevens go calculatedly berserk on a diner and chase two siblings through a creepy maze of mirrors. Despite these awesome scenes, it’s hard to compete with You’re Next’s gruesome and original kills. Whether it’s the hidden wire throat cut or the infamous blender scene, You’re Next impressed even the most seasoned of horror vets with its originality and memorability.
Winner: You’re Next
Overall Winner: Tie
These films might not be the best to compare as they both cross different genres. You’re Next is a horror film with hints of dark comedy while The Guest is more of a thriller with elements of a horror film. Whatever your personal preference is, both You’re Next and The Guest are fantastic movies from Adam Wingard that prove he has plenty of talent up his sleeve. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.
It somehow slipped by me last Fall when they announced there will be a remake of one of my favorite horror films: I Know What You Did Last Summer. The 1997 slasher follows four teens who make a terrible mistake that catches up with them a year later. I always watch this film around July 4 and relish it’s small fishing town atmosphere and effective chase scenes that still get me on the edge of my seat no matter how many times I’ve seen it.
I’m not at all surprised to hear that Hollywood is remaking this one but I’m unsure if it will be more like the slasher film or the thriller-drama version in Lois Duncan’s original novel. I am excited to hear that Mike Flanagan (the writer/director of Oculus) will be writing the script. For the sake of this column, let’s pretend it’s going to be a straight remake of the film. This is who I would cast. Spoilers ahead so stop reading if you haven’t seen this 90’s classic yet!
Alex Steele as Julie
Most people will remember Steele as Tori in Degrassi: The Next Generation. She’s been in a few films since but this would be the perfect Final Girl breakout role for this actress who is the right balance of pretty and serious to play Julie.
Noah Gray-Cabey as Ray
Noah Gray-Cabey is best known for his role as Micah in Heroes. He’ll be debuting his teenage self in Heroes: Reborn and what newly mature actor doesn’t need a horror movie to prove they’re old and wise?
Sasha Pieterse as Helen
Sasha Pieterse gained fame in her multi-faceted role of Allison on Pretty Little Liars. She’s got the prom queen looks and acting chops to pull off what I think is an underrated horror role. And don’t forget, it’s all about the hair!
Luke Benward as Barry
Luke Benward was a star on the short-lived ABC Family drama Ravenswood. He’s got the handsome jock look down perfectly; just what’s needed to play Barry.
Neal McDonough as Benjamin Willis
Benjamin Willis is the secret pyscho everyday fisherman who stalks and kills our teenagers as revenge. Neal McDonough is great as Dum Dum Dugan and I would love to see him in this role.
Dylan Minnette as Max
Max is the typical useless character; thrown in to show how desirable the lead girl is and to be a random kill to make our villain seem scarier. Dylan Minnette from Prisoners and Scandal is my choice to play Max.
Alexis Knapp as Elsa Neal
Elsa is Helen’s older sister. She’s equally pretty but obviously jealous of her sister’s youth and popularity. I like Alexis Knapp and I’d like to see Elsa’s role expanded in the remake.
Grace Gummer as Missy Egan
Grace Gummer has that mysteriousness needed to play the creepy yet sympathetic character of Missy Egan.
I’m in the middle of completing The Disney Challenge, which is when you watch all the official animated Disney films in order, I got to thinking that I wish I could read Disney films and voila! Here is the Disney Literature Challenge. I’ve compiled a list of all the books, stories, poems and plays that inspired the classic animated Disney films in order. I’ve included links when possible. Enjoy!
Fantasia is a Disney classic and a truly underrated one at that. Most people will instantly recognize Sorcerer Mickey but I don’t think the film itself gets enough credit. Filled with beautiful animation created to go along with famous classical music pieces, Fantasia is a sight to see and hear every time it’s on. I’ve loved this movie both as a kid and as an adult and had a lot of fun creating a meal around it since it was really all inspirational and not particularly literal.
For an appetizer I took inspiration from the segment Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This animation features a bunch of beautiful imagery but I’ve always loved the dancing flowers best. To pay homage to them I made these delicious and ridiculously easy flower shaped apple pastries. They are so gorgeous they will convince people you are a master in the kitchen, despite being incredibly easy and quick to make.
For the entree I wanted to go with a dinosaur theme since dinosaurs are part of the Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky segment. I found this fantastically clever recipe for a “dino egg nest” online. The nest is sauteed kale and veggies while the “eggs” are baby potatoes. This is a nutritious meal that just happens to look super fun as well.
For dessert I looked toward the segment The Pastoral Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven which features creatures and figures from Greco-Roman mythology. Since most of the characters get drunk on wine, courtesy of the God Bacchus, I knew I had to incorporate it. I decided on a red wine chocolate cake which came out quite heavenly. Another addition to my recipe book! Unfortunately I managed to lose the photo I took of the cake so the photo below is from the website with the original recipe.
This was another wonderful and delicious entry into the Disney Dinner and a Movie series!
Coming Soon: Disney Dinner and a Movie: The Parent Trap
The Parent Trap was one of my favorite films growing up. A set of twins is separated at birth when their super selfish parents get divorced and decide that their hatred for each other is more important than their daughters knowing they have siblings. Annie lives with her mom in the UK and Hallie lives with her Dad in California. They end up meeting at a summer camp somewhere on the East Coast and hatch a plan to get their family back together. It’s an incredibly fun film and Lindsey Lohan is fantastic as both twins.
For appetizer, which was really more of a breakfast, I wanted to make something that represented Annie and her British heritage. When I think British foods I think scones and I’ve always wanted to make them so here they are. I choose blueberry because it’s my favorite. They came out fantastic! I was doubtful that a vegan version would capture the right scone consistency but boy this recipe exceeded all my expectations!
For dinner I went with a Hallie theme and made chili, her favorite food as they mention in the movie. Chili is great because it can be made is so many different ways depending on your preferences. Mine had red beans, carrots, onions, and lots more. It was delicious and I ate all the leftovers. Since Hallie and her father live on a vineyard, I suggest pairing it with some of your favorite wine!
Dessert was a no-brainer for me. Since the twins bond by their mutual love for oreos and peanut butter I knew I had to have those ingrediants. Then I found a recipe that was for peanut-butter oreo s’mores which was even more perfect since what food is more “summer camp” than s’mores? These were incredibly easy, quick and delicious. Highly recommended.
This was the perfect film to end my summer with; a great family classic and lots of summer flavors and treats!
It’s with great sadness that I learned about Wes Craven’s passing. He was my favorite horror director; a brilliantly creative man who helped to revolutionize the horror genre. In his honor, I will dedicate this Showdown blog to him. I will be comparing arguably his two greatest and most memorable films. However the breakdown turns out, we’re the winners here to be able to have two masterpieces created by the infamous Wes Craven.
Plot:
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) is about a man who kills teenagers in their dreams. We find out that the man, Freddy Kruger, was a child murderer who the parents ganged up on years ago. Now he’s a sadistic burned ghost-like creature who stalks kids in their dreams and kills them with his creepy knife-fingers. Craven’s concept for this film was a combination of the real life night terrors that lead to the death of a few Cambodian genocide survivors as well as a homeless man who creeped him out as a kid. The end result is the most original slasher killer until then; instead of teens being stalked by a silent zombie, they have to fear going to sleep. Scream (1996) is a slasher film for a newer generation. Ghostface, aka two deranged teenagers, use cell phones and kitchen knives to terrorize Sidney Prescott and the other teens at her High School. There’s nothing bad I can say about Scream’s plot but the sheer originality of Freddy Kruger and A Nightmare on Elm Street, especially in the year it was released, gives it the edge here.
Point: A Nightmare on Elm Street
Characters:
Let’s break this down. Wes Craven was known for creating some of the best final girls of all time. We have Nancy Thompson in ANOES who fights back and kicks Freddy’s ass. Then we have poor Sidney Prescott who survived four films’ worth of psychos with knives and did it with plenty of spunk. There’s no way to choose between these two. As for the villains, this one goes to ANOES. While Stu and Billy made for an excellent pair on screen, Freddy Kruger is truly iconic. As for side characters, this is where Scream pulls ahead. ANOES may have Johnny Depp but Scream has Tatum, Randy, Dewey, and Gail. The cast of that film is so perfect, it’s hard to beat. That makes this category a tie overall.
Point: Tie
Scares:
This is the most subjective category for sure. Everyone is scared of different things. Scream presents us with a creepy sadistic masked man who reminds us that we’re not even safe in our own homes. ANOES gives us Freddy Kruger, the monster who will make us fear even sleeping in our own beds. While watching the films themselves, being scared really comes down to the individual. From what I’ve gathered from the people I know, it’s ANOES that has stuck with more people and made them lay awake at night for a long time after the movie was over.
Point: A Nightmare on Elm Street
Twist:
ANOES has the classic horror twist ending. Just when you think the characters will live happily ever after, it turns out that Freddy is still going to kill them all anyway. Scream’s twist is definitely better; the entire movie had us guessing who the killer would be and it turned out to be two of the main characters. This was a definite shocker to most people and worked so well that it spawned three sequels and many more villains.
Point: Scream
Social Relevance:
ANOES will always be held up as a classic for all horror fans; there is no doubt about that. However, it came out during a time when slashers were big. Scream has the honor of having been fresh and new, revitalizing the slasher genre in the 1990’s. Without it, who knows where the genre would be now?
Point: Scream
Overall Winner: It’s a tie!
When it comes down to it, you can’t objectively pick a better film. They’re both fantastically made by one of the best directors in horror history. Both feature stellar casts, awesome villains, kickass final girls, and quotable moments. They’re very different films so it will end up being subjective as to which the viewer prefers, but I think we can easily say that Wes has left a legacy behind him with A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream.
Peter Pan is one of Disney’s classics; based on a much-loved novel this is a story that has been told time and again. It’s a wonderful story of three siblings who escape to Neverland with the boy who refused to grow up. Some of Disney’s most famous characters came from this film: including Peter Pan himself, his mischievous fairy sidekick Tinkerbell and of course the dastardly Captain Hook. This is a fun, whimsical tale and I hope you enjoy the meal I created to go with it.
For our first dish, I was inspired by Tinkerbell and decided to make something that is foreign to me but apparently very popular in the land down under: Fairy Bread. It’s basically just bread with butter and sprinkles. The name, colors, and sugary taste are all reminiscent of Peter’s feisty sidekick Tink. I didn’t particularly like this myself but I suppose if I was a child I would and if it had nostalgia factor for me than I can see why this might be so popular in Australia. It was quick and easy and added plenty of color to the table!
For our main course I took inspiration from Captain Hook and his pirate pals and made “Pirate” stew. I took used this recipe for ideas including adding brown sugar and rum for a Caribbean flavor. In the end I used whatever faux meat and veggies I had in the house, along with the other rich flavors, and eventually came out with this yummy sweet stew. It was a perfect dish for September since stew is warm and hearty yet the Caribbean flavors are still reminiscent of summer.
For dessert I had to make something named after the titular character himself: Peter Pan. These are Peter Pan cookies, a famous recipe that started with Peter Pan peanut butter. It doesn’t matter what brand you use, these peanut butter cookies are delicious and easy. I went along with the typical criss-cross pattern of the cookies and added a sprinkle of pixie dust for good measure.
This was a fun and sweet edition of the column and while I didn’t love the fairy bread, I will definitely be making the stew and peter pan cookies again.
Coming Soon: Disney Dinner and a Movie: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
