Often been surprised by a movie after what a film critic said about it? Ever felt cheated out of big bucks on the recommendations of a punk 24-year-old? Or really loved the ones they panned? Well, you no longer need to feel out of step with the current movie review band. Different Drummer is for you. Read more about our take on the film world. And get ready to relive your favorite movies with the recipes that follow each review. You can find many other great recipes in Different Drummer’s own Appetite for Murder: a Mystery Lover’s Cookbook, too.
Run Boy Run: Potato Pancake Recipe 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
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Maybe the most inspiring film ever. It’s a true story of Srulik, an 8-year-old Polish Jew who must survive on his own, outwitting the cold, hunger, and the relentless Nazis. And a few others as well.
Read MoreNemesis: Petticoat Tails Recipe 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
/It doesn’t get much better than this. Different Drummer’s Triple Crown: Favorite mystery writer (Agatha Christie), favorite character (Miss Marple) and favorite Miss Marple actress (Joan Hickson).
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The Outfit: The Savile Row Martini Recipe 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁
/A thriller with as many twists and turns as the Bobs, that famous wooden roller coaster from Riverview Park in my native Chicago. And that fits, too, since the dark deeds occur in a dank corner of that Windy City. Our most important character, though, hails from London.
Read MoreRocky: Philly Ribs Recipe 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁🥁
/Rocky is the epitome of the American Dream. Nominated for 10 Oscars and winning 3. A modest $1 million budget that grossed over $200 million at the box office.
Read MoreDiner: Fries and Gravy 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁
/American Graffiti Baltimore style. But this one is more authentic, and yes, quite a bit more vulgar, too. So yes, we have a taste, just a bit, of Animal House, too.
Read MoreIt Happened One Night : Carrot Cake Recipe 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
/The Granddaddy of all rom-coms is still a delight, even if it is 90 years old! And it was the first film to sweep the Oscars, bringing home Academy Awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture, and Best Writing [Only others are One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), and Silence of the Lambs 1991)]
Read MoreThe Boys in the Boat: Potato Bacon Soup 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁
/Who cares if you’ve never rowed in your life. It’s the middle of the Great Depression and you’re living in a rusted-out jalopy eating a can of beans. Making the Washington State rowing team may be the only way to get a roof over your head and a steady paycheck.
Read MoreThe Courier: Russian Caviar Recipe 🥁🥁🥁🥁
/This Cold War spy thriller is based on a real life British courier, so it is grounded in authenticity, and it’s highlighted by a masterful performance by Benedict Cumberbatch, maybe his best performance yet.
Read MoreThe Naked Jungle: South American Hot Chocolate 🥁🥁 🥁 1/2
/Which is worse? Charlton Heston as the arrogant and moody South American plantation owner, or the marabunda, the plague of army ants moving relentlessly toward him, devouring everything in their path.
Read MoreMonsieur Spade : Croque Monsieur (French Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich) 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁
/Sam Sade living out his golden years in the South of France. Who would have thunk it? And it’s surprisingly, good, too.
Read MoreIt’s a wonderful Life : Bermuda Crescent Cookie Recipe 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁🥁
/This Christmas classic was the all-time favorite of its director, Frank Capra, and he screened it for his family every Christmas. It was also one of Jimmy Stewart’s favorites, too.
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Three Days of the Condor: The Condor Cocktail Recipe 🥁🥁🥁🥁1/2
/This 1975 thriller has aged well. The classic paranoia and suspicion of government agencies seem particularly appropriate today. And while it still keeps you riveted to your seat, this thriller actually takes time for character development and great dialogue, unlike the frenetic features Hollywood currently puts out.
Read MoreWhile You Were Sleeping: Homemade Eggnog Recipe 🥁🥁🥁🥁
/Sandra Bullock glows as the lovelorn CTA ticket taker hopelessly in love with a regular commuter, but the whole cast is tremendous as well. She is the shimmering star atop the Christmas tree, but the others are the lights and ornaments that make this film sparkle.
Read MoreSeven Days in Utopia: Lost Maples Eggs, Home Fries and Sausage Patty Recipe 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁
/Luke Chisolm thought his career was over until his life took a detour.
Read MoreMade in Italy: Risotto and Ragu Recipes 🥁 🥁 🥁 1/2
/It starts out crass and cliched, but it ends subtle and sweet. Nothing like financial ruin to mend fences between an estranged father and son – not to mention a crumbling estate in sunny Italy that just might save them both.
Read MoreFrom Russia with Love: Gypsy Salad Recipe 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁
/Best of the Best. Sean Connery is the best Bond and From Russian with Love is his best outing. No wonder is was named the 9th best British Film of All Time by Total Film Magazine in 2004, the only Bond film to make the list.
Read MorePresumed Innocent: Deception Chocolate Cake Recipe 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁
/A voluptuous femme fatale beckons us into a legal labyrinth of sharp turns and blind alleys. And Harrison’s Ford’s assistant DA is as much in the dark as the audience.
Read MoreMagpie Murders: Greek Hummus Platter 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁🥁
/Anthony Horowitz, who brought us the superb Foyle’s War, continues to shine in this double whodunnit. Magpie Murders will also enthrall fans of Agatha Christie as well as those who love Conan Doyle’s Holmes.
Read MoreMiss Scarlet and the Duke: Victorian Steak and Mushroom Ale Pie Recipe 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁
/Venture into Victorian London’s foggy night air for a waiting carriage as the snap of the whip and echoing hoof beats pierce the darkness. No, you are not on an adventure with Sherlock Holmes, or even his newly invented younger sister Enola. You are going with Miss Scarlet, another private detective set to prove herself in a man’s world.
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