Movie Foods - Cheeseburger - Ocean's Eleven (2001)

I recall sitting at the movies, and when I saw Brad Pitt eating on that scene near the end; I started salivating. All of a sudden, the popcorn and soda I was holding was not enough. That is why I decided to start making this video series. Yes, it is thirteen years later, but that's a testament on the impact that scene had on me.

I had to look at the movie again to figure out what Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) was eating throughout the film, and he is eating in a lot of scenes. Here is what he is eating: nachos in his first scene; a sandwich, a slushy, and a soda during the recruiting scenes; whatever was available during the eleven's first meeting; a salad in the hotel room; a lollipop when talking to the stripper; shrimp cocktail when he realizes Tess (Julia Roberts) is involved; and the cheeseburger while he is waiting outside a prison -- Now, I am sure I missed some because most of these food scenes happen in short scenes, and you have to be paying attention to notice - during Rusty's heavy dialogue scenes, he does not eat; except the shrimp cocktail scene - why eat shrimp cocktail standing is beyond me.

So, for this recipe, I picked out the foods that really stood out for me: those are the nachos, the shrimp, and the cheeseburger. Now, for this recipe I opted to not put some shrimp on cocktail sauce; instead, I decided to base my shrimp on Jamaican peppered shrimp...

Anyways, onto the recipe

Nacho Cheese:
- 1 Jalapeno
- 250g cheese (grated)
- 2tsp tomato paste
- 2 shallots
- 1tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1tbsp butter
- 2tsp flour
- 2 shots (3oz) tequila
- 1/4 cup milk

Easy mode: get some nacho cheese sauce from the store, add some pickled jalapenos; spread that bitch on the burger.

You can use different types of cheese, monterrey jack would be nice - I couldn't find it.
I used tomato paste, but you can use half a tomato instead.
When it comes to the tequila, you don't have to light it up. I just did that so that the alcohol would wear off quicker, and to make sure that it doesn't light without me knowing. So yes, I do recommend doing that.
I added very little milk (which you can substitute with cream or buttermilk) so that it would set back into a cheese.

Peppered Shrimp
Brine: 1/4 cup salt; 1/4 cup sugar; 2 cups of water (soak the shrimp for about 30 - 40 minutes)
- 1/2 pound shrimp
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 habanero peppers
- 2 tsp of allspice

Easy mode: get some pre-cooked shrimp, follow instructions. Add some tabasco sauce on that bitch. Hell, drench it on cocktail sauce for all I care.

It is always recommended you brine the shrimp. Brining helps with flavor and tenderness of the meat.
You can do the recipe with shrimp out of the shell, but the shell is where the flavor is at.
To make it a more authentic Jamaican dish, you'd add a myriad of spices such as cumin, lemon peppers, etc. These blends tend to be "secret" variations depending on who you ask. I decided to keep mine simple.
Always remember to handle the habanero peppers carefully, so use gloves. Skip this, and if you touch any sensitive part on your body, you will pay for it. Also, you can keep the seeds on for more fire.

Burger Patty
- 300g ground beef
- 2 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- butter to coat

Easy mode: just buy prepared patty for the market.

Yes, you can use your own recipe for your patties if you like. There are tons of variations out there, and you probably have your own version. Personally, I like to keep my burger patties simple. Adding spices, herbs or an egg masks the meat flavor of the burger, that is why I opt for the simple. The flavor is in the condiments, and in this case, the cheese.
Be careful when adding the salt, it is easy to get the meat salty.
Adding butter at the end helps the meat absorb the butter in.
Don't forget to let the meat rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes. It helps the juices permeate the meat, this applies to pretty much every meat out there.

Lastly, always toast your buns. Not only does it add flavor and texture, but it helps the bun keep its structure.

Top Movies to Watch 1

At the request of a friend, I decided to make a list of movies that I highly recommend you watching; mainly because I could never be able to write a review for every single one of them. Remember that this is all subjective, so your taste - and take on these movies - may be completely different from mine. With that said, this list doesn't have a particular order; I'll write them as they come up in my head. I will also be skipping some of the better known and classic movies such as 'Terminator 2 - Judgment Day' (1991) or 'Kindergarten Cop' (1990).

Dredd 3D (2012) - This is the movie that the new Robocop (2014) should have been. Funny, because the original Robocop came out from many rewrites for a movie based on the Dredd series.

Ruby Sparks (2012) - The genius will blow your mind!!!

My Sassy Girl (2001) - Korean. This movie was so popular, and such an instant classic that it was remade in the United States. But its predecessor just doesn't work; even though I am a fan of Elisha Cuthbert. That the remake lacked from the story only works within the Korean culture - with all of its Korean cheesy glory.

A.C.O.D (2013) - Which stands for adult children of divorce. I find it to be a very fun take on a subject that I can relate to quite well.

Punch Drunk Love (2002) - Some famous movie directors and producers put this movie on their top list of movies to watch.

Rocket Science (2007) - I am not sure what the message of the story really is, but damn this movie has heart and charisma. You see Anna Kendrick shine on this one.

Sunny (2011) - Korean. A very heartfelt story with great humor mixed with it - at some point I almost cried.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) - Speaking of crying; I first saw this movie in a weird mood - which combined with this movie; on this one scene I was crying like a little bitch.

Reign Over Me (2007) - One of the subjects that this movie touches upon is incredibly delicate; and this movie takes that subject and turned it into something beautiful. This is one of those movies I can watch many times over.

As Good as It Gets (1997) - If anybody asks me; this is my most favorite movie of all time.

Super (2010) - A very quirky, twisted movie with incredibly violent scenes, but it just works.

I Saw The Devil (2010) - Korean. This movie will make you feel in many ways. But none of them is related to happy.

Revolutionary Road (2008) - Actually, I don't recommend this movie. But I place it on the list because it is about the darkest, most depressing American movie that I have ever seen. And because it makes you go really dark, I can't help but recommend.

Drive (2011) - Anyone who is a fan of 'Daddy Goss' knows this movie.

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) - A very long romantic comedy. I do have a problem with the scene where all the storylines merge near the end, but even then this is one entertaining movie.

Lovelace (2013) - Based on the story of the star actress in the most sold adult movie Deepthroat, Linda Lovelace. I do not know what liberties the filmmakers took from the actual events because it is that sick, but truthfully, I would not be surprised if it was accurate because reality is just that cruel.

My Week With Marilyn (2011) - I've always dreamed of spending time with a big starlett, and fall in love with her, even if for just a week.

The Sessions (2012) - Louis C.K. has a comedy bit where he deconstructs that line "there is someone for everyone". As much as I agree with him this movie shows a more optimistic point of view.

Drinking Buddies (2013) - You'd think this movie is about alcoholism - and it makes me think the main characters are, but this movie is about something else... huh.

Rudo y Cursi (2008) - Mexican. A movie about soccer, but not a sports movie. Incredibly well written, the way I wish I could write in spanish, but the level of genius is: "Over 9000!!!"

The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) - I don't like watching trailers or reading sypnosis before I watch a movie. This one took me by surprise.

Adventureland (2009) - When I first went to watch this movie with a friend, he got bored and we stepped away and went to another movie. However, I did watch it again, it was hilarious.

Blue Valentine (2010) - It is supposed to be one of those romantically depressing movies, but looking past the emotional effect; this movie gets you thinking about the characters and the 'whys'.

Butter (2012) - A movie about butter sculpting as a central theme. So clever.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) - The movie takes a heavy topic, and keeps it human. Beware though, if you're feeling lonely, this movie won't help.

Young Adult (2011) - I bought the DVD for this movie because it had Charlize Theron in it - you don't need another reason, really, you don't.

Midnight in Paris (2011) - You see historical figures of the arts interact together from the eyes of Woody Allen.

Rango (2011) - An animated western movie about a chameleon that is also a sherif.

Big Fan (2009) - There are people to whom being a fan of their sports team is all they have. It is quite sick, but there is a fascinating aspect about that.

Soul Men (2008) - This was Bernie Mac's final movie. But that is not the only reason why you should watch this movie.

Tropic Thunder (2008) - Big dick baby, big dick.

What Happens in Vegas (2008) - A chick flick. It has all the formulaic elements, and it goes well with pop corn and a joint.

3:10 to Yuma (2007) - Never been a fan of westerns, but this remake on a classic is fucking awesome. I saw it because this Russian cobbler in NYC mentioned a pair of legendary boots featured in this movie.

True Grit (2010) - Another western. Another remake on a classic. You watch movies like these, and you realize how badass this genre of movies can be.

Rocky Balboa (2006) - You reading right, the last Rocky movie. It is not superior than the first Rocky (1976); but this movie comes from the heart. Just like the original, it leaves you pumped... but not wanting to beat up the guy next to you.

School of Rock (2003) - A loser rockstar wannabe takes over a class in a private school, and creates his own rock band. It's a fun watch.

The Ramen Girl (2008) - This was Brittany Murphy's final movie - that final scene... fuck

The New Guy (2002) - "Who's the bitch now?"

The Big Year (2011) - Aren't movies about taking you places you have never been? This one is about bird watching.

Summer Wars (Sama Wozou) (2010) - Japanese. A really fun anime. It dials shit up to 11 in terms of out of the box - I believe this was the movie the creator of the Digimon Movie wanted it to be.

The Quiet (2006) - I liked it enough to watch it again with commentaries.

The Holiday (2006) - I remember watching this movie alone during the Christmas holiday season. Not a good idea for a romantic comedy.

Fat Kid Rules the World (2012) - A movie about what someone does for a friend, and what being a friend means - very innocent take on it.

Safe House (2012) - 'Zel is the man!

We Bought a Zoo (2011) - People make fun of Matt Damon for this movie, but it's actually a good watch. I did not like the little shits, but it grows on you.

50/50 (2011) - It's about someone who is dying - but it's not as heavy as the topic.

Up in the Air (2009) - Ever wondered how it would be like to live working for a company that is hired by other companies to fire their employees? Quite bizarre, huh.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) - When I saw this movie I was going through the same thing that the main character was going through; which made me not enjoy the movie. But watching it again - it has some hilarious parts. Funny enough to span a pseudo sequel in 'Get Him to the Greek' (2010).

Let the Right One In (2008) - Swedish. It's a movie about a kid vampire. Good enough to spawn a remake in America, 'Let Me In' (2010). The original one is superior.

The Ringer (2005) - The movie features real mentally handicapped actors - but that's the least, their charm comes explodes through the camera.

Cinderella Man (2005) - Based on the real life story of someone whose story resembles Rocky.

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011) - My favorite movie in this series, to date.

Almost Famous (2000) - I'm two thirds into the movie, and I already recommend it. The amount of faces you'll recognize is hysterical

Birthday Girl (2001) - Nicole Kidman as a Russian woman. Seen it multiple times despite it being a bit slow

Ruby Sparks (2012) - Movie Review

IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE, DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILERS, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW. JUST GO AND WATCH IT FIRST, YOU'LL BE AMAZED

Similar to 'Her' (2013), 'Stranger Than Fiction' (2006), and by a stretch 'Weird Science' (1985); Ruby Sparks is one of those movies that blends fantasy or science fiction with reality in a way that it can make the audience feel like its real - of course, you'd have to stretch your imagination for that to happen.

I consider Ruby Sparks to be a complete movie on its own way - it takes you through a complete journey of misery, to desperation, to dreaming, to happiness, to desolation, into darkness, and back out. It has some great scenes, but much like '500 Days of Summer' (2009); it is not a movie that I could be able to watch it frequently because it is quite heavy in its content -at least for me. So, it being a heavy movie would be my only point against it - which is not bad at all.

Paul Dano plays the character Calvin who is the archetypal nice guy. And I just love the portrayal of that archetype in this movie. He is a nice guy, but he comes in with many flaws to a point that the audience doesn't necessarily have to like him - I didn't. He is incredibly picky with his relationships to the point that he finds himself alone. He is a control freak, and he likes his world a very specific way, and if anyone is to enter it; that other person must adapt. But what makes him so real is that while considering himself to be nice; he is not able to see that he holds many flaws that make him intolerable. And that is what's true with most 'nice' guys. They can be so focused on being nice in order to reach their own concept of being that when they are met with criticism; they shut down to a point that they can be real assholes towards those they claim to care about -- ok, maybe I am talking about myself here.

Working with the qualities of a 'nice' guy; I saw some interviews on the movie, and Zoe Kazan - who plays the female lead (Ruby) and is also the screenwriter - said that the concept of the story was that you can't control the person you love. But I want to go one more. Calvin wrote the idea of this perfect girl, and she grows out of that idea to become a person of her own - which yeah, it is part of the concept. But the idea that Calvin had, the girl that he wrote was who he though he wanted to be with was already destined to leave him. Ruby was already someone who was promiscuous/sexually open since a young age. She was written as a young free spirit, and someone who doesn't like staying in one place. Calvin did not give me the impression that he was anything like that. Moreover, throughout the movie we find that these two are very different in their core. Calvin fell in love with someone that would inevitably leave him. And I think that is what nice guys can do, they fall in love with the idea of someone; and once they are challenged, they can be self-absorbed - meaning that guys who are labeled as 'nice', are in reality not so nice.

My favorite scene is when Calvin comes to terms that Ruby, the character he had been writing, is now real and in the flesh. And he looks at her in wonder and disbelief that it is happening. The face of pure happiness in Calvin, and the face of someone being swept away in Ruby - that whole scene... just watch the movie.

Movie Foods - Fish Tacos - I Love You, Man (2009)

Thanks to this movie, I fell in love with the idea of making fish tacos.

Now, I did some research on the tacos that were made in the movie and they are actually from a restaurant:

James' Beach
60 N. Venice Blvd. Venice, CA, 90291
http://www.jamesbeach.com/

They are mahi mahi fish tacos, and they are complimented with pico de gallo sauce, guacamole, and beans. I have never been at this place because I used to live in Florida. And because I've never lived in SoCal or the California peninsula I never really had access to great fish tacos. So, for a proper movie foods night, getting the tacos from this place is the way to go, otherwise you can make your own.

I decided to take a different approach to the tacos from the restaurant version. I decided to deep-fry the fish because I saw that style from an Anthony Bourdain show where he has fish tacos in Ensenada, Mexico.
I switched the sides to a summer salad because in the movie. Paul Rudd's character mentions that the most romantic night he ever had was with a summer salad, wine, and the movie Chocolat.

Now, onto the recipe:

Summer Salad
Roasted beets:
 - 1 beet, peeled
 - 1 shallot
 - 2 sprigs of rosemary
 - olive oil
At 400F for about an hour

- Sorrel
- Orange
- Cactus fruit (tuna)
- Spearmint

I looked up what is the definition of a summer salad, and I couldn't one. I figured a summer salad is a salad that uses summer ingredients - and the combinations are not something that people think of when they think of a salad. This recipe fits into the rest of the dish, but you can try your own combination.
Be careful when handling the beets, the natural dye will stain everything around it.
Spearmint is very similar to mint; except that I find it to have a stronger "minty" flavor.
Sorrel is an herb with a citric tone to it, so I found it to be a great match in the salad.
I added the cactus fruit as a last thought. Though the flavors were nice, my problem was that the seeds on it were just too much.

Crema Sauce
- 8oz plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic
- pinch of salt
- 1.5 tbsp of chile paste*

This is one cream sauce that you can try to make your own by switching the amount of yogurt, taking out the mayo, or by adding spices, etc. But what you can't skip is the chile paste which is Chipotle in Adobo Sauce - a staple in Mexican cuisine. You can find it in many grocery stores, but where I live, I just couldn't find it, so I had to make my own. I couldn't find chipotles either (smoke dried jalapenos), so I opted to go for a different blend of dried chiles.

*Chiles in Adobo Sauce
- dried chiles of different varieties
- water
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar.

Soak the chiles in hot water for 20 minutes. (save the water)
Brown the onions, garlic, and shallots in a separate pan.
On a blender, blend the soaked chiles and the cherry tomatoes - add water if necessary.
Combine all the ingredients in a pot, bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 hours.

Tortillas
- 1.5 cup of flour
- 1/3 cup of lard
- 1/2 cup of water
- pinch of salt

It is quite easy to make tortillas, but what you have to be careful with is the thickness of the tortillas. Too think and you will end with a doughy center; too thin and the tortillas will be too hard.
Make sure to keep them covered with a damp cloth so they don't get hard.

Fish
Batter
- 1.5 cup of flour
- 8oz beer
- pinch of salt

- fish
- corn starch to coat
- oil for deep frying

I chose to use marlin for this recipe since I was not marinating the fis - also because marlin is widely available around where I live. I find that big meaty fish have a flavor that stands on its own with just a little bit of seasoning with salt and pepper.
Do not overmix the batter, just whisk until it just comes together.
When frying the fish, add some of that batter while cooking in order to get more of that delicious batter and cruch.
Remember that the fish does not take long to cook: the pieces I used were about 100 grams, and they took no more than 2 minutes to be ready. The worst thing you can do to a fish is to overcook it, so be careful

The Ugly Truth (2009) - Movie Review

I still remember when I saw this movie when it came out in theaters. I was in Ontario, Canada, and I saw it with four women - none of whom I had any romantic connection with. It was incredibly entertaining for me, and I am not sure if I was laughing too hard with Mike's (Gerard Butler) misogynist comments - but I didn't care. The movie made me laugh, but then again, sexist humor tends to be my thing.

That is not to say that I was against watching the movie. I knew it had Katherine Heigl in it, and I find her to be very talented and beautiful. I believe this was one of her roles when she was being set as the next great romantic movie star - personally I think her talent goes above that.

I enjoyed the interactions between Mike and Abby. Pretty much every character is great within their roles, but as a smart movie with great insight into gender differences... if you look closely, after digging through all the cheese, it holds a cute message.

The movie says that what men want is a woman: who does not criticize; or that does not want to control the situation because all women are control freaks. Men are simple. They cannot be changed. Well, I do not agree with that. The problem is that it is true that women can be highly neurotic. Being open and honest is one of the priorities for a long-lasting relationship, but it can go to a point where it is just rude.

Near the end, when Mike has to answer why he loves Abby he replies with "the hell if I know." Well, yes, because a romantic relationship takes a level of the inexplicable to be real. But I think there is a reason why they want to get together, and that is because throughout the movie they present to each other as their honest selves, and each accepts the other for who they are, but they never go as far as to going for actual insults - they play on even grounds.