February is "Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com, and we'll serve up more than a six pack a week of bar articles all month long. Look for bartender profiles, drink recipes, revamped bar guides and more!
There are those times in which you'd like to be part of the bar culture -- hanging out with friends, drinking a beer or cocktail -- but you just can't drag yourself out the door. Hollywood is more than appreciative of all aspects of bars and booze, from the fun of going out for drinks with friends to the stupid drunkness and hangover that follow.
In the spirit of Bar Month, we've compiled a list of our favorite booze-filled films.
"The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew"
Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas star as Bob and Doug, a pair of Canadian brothers out to score some free beer. They're in a money crunch, so the stick a mouse in a beer bottle and go to complain to the company. Instead of just beer, they get jobs at the Elsinore Brewery to make sure no other beer consumers find mice rather than brew. They've also got to help save the brewery from an evil Brewmeister that wants to take over the world through chemically altered beer.
"Bad Santa"
Billy Bob Thornton stars as a criminal who poses as Santa Claus in order to case the businesses he would like to rob. But Santa hides a bottle of liqueur in his red suit and the boozy humor, as Thornton slurs through his job. He's become a drunkard and unpredictable and the dark comedy ensues as audiences can't be sure he can pull off his latest heist.
"Barfly"
The film gives off an autobiographic tale of author Charles Bukowski, Henry Chinaski (Mickey Rourke) in the movie, as he spends his days and nights living it up in The Golden Horn. Henry finds someone he believes to be his soul mate, Wanda (Faye Dunaway). She's willing to drink just as much as him, although the romance isn't that great, he's happy with her.
"Beerfest"
Two American brothers, Jan and Todd, discover the world of underground beer tournament in Germany. They find two of their German cousins that have a bit of a grudge against the American side of the family. Jan and Todd are challenged to a drinking contest and are defeated. To redeem themselves the head home to create the best beer drinking team they can find and defeat their cousins.
"Cocktail"
Tom Cruise was in prime form back in 1988. Cruise plays Brian Flanagan, a former army soldier, gets a part-time job at a bar in order to put himself through school. It's not as easy as he expected and has to rely on bartending skills he learned from his boss. He soon becomes the most popular bartender in town due to his flairing skills. He ultimate goal is to open up his own bar one day and name it Cocktails & Dreams.
"Coyote Ugly"
Based on the real Coyote Ugly Saloon, the movie version follows Violet Sanford as she heads to the big city only to end up working and dancing in a bar. She loves her job, but she really wants to be a singer. She's got to prove to herself that she can be successful while being able to be herself.
"James Bond" -- any movie
Frankly, 007 has made the martini popular. Everyone, even non-fans, knows his drink order, it's always a martini, vodka or dry depending on the movie and it's "shaken, not stirred." The most recent Bond movie, "Casino Royale," gave an in depth way of preparation for the blonde Bond's dry martini: "Three measures of Gordon's; one of vodka; half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice, and add a thin slice of lemon peel."
"Leaving Las Vegas"
Nicholas Cage and Elizabeth Shue star as an alcoholic who has lost everything, Ben, and a prostitute, Sera. The two start up a relationship after a chance meeting, but it can't last long. Ben keeps reaching for the bottle when everything starts going awry and Sera can no longer handle him.
"National Lampoon's Animal House"
The screenshot of this movie is John Belushi wearing a navy blue shirt holding a bottle of Jack Daniels. However, there's more to this movie than Belushi. On the Faber College campus, there's one fraternity that everyone hates. All they care about is drinking and partying. The dean will do anything to get them off campus, but they're ready for a fight.
"Sideways"
Friends Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Hayden Church) decide to bond on a road trip through wine country in lieu of a bachelor party. The two want to toast the town, but Jack also wants to sleep around before he's trapped by marriage. Miles gives in to Jack's wild ways and finds himself a beautiful woman, Maya (Virginia Madsen). But Miles is too neurotic to be able to keep the relationship stable for long, but he still has his penchant for great wine. "No effing Merlot!!"
"Swingers"
A group of guys lust after the Rat Pack-style of living. But it's mostly about Mike (Jon Favreau), a struggling actor who just broke up with his girlfriend. His friends try to get him back into the dating scene which means going out and partying.
Originally from Des Plaines, Ill., Heather moved to Milwaukee to earn a B.A. in journalism from Marquette University. With a tongue-twisting last name like Leszczewicz, it's best to go into a career where people don't need to say your name often.
However, she's still sticking to some of her Illinoisan ways (she won't reform when it comes to things like pop, water fountain or ATM), though she's grown to enjoy her time in the Brew City.
Although her journalism career is still budding, Heather has had the chance for some once-in-a-lifetime interviews with celebrities like actor Vince Vaughn and actress Charlize Theron, director Cameron Crowe and singers Ben Kweller and Isaac Hanson of '90s brother boy band Hanson.
Heather's a self-proclaimed workaholic but loves her entertainment. She's a real television and movie fanatic, book nerd, music junkie, coffee addict and pop culture aficionado.
