Get Ready for St. Patrick's Day with our Top 5 Irish Mob Movies and a Glass of Jameson

Top 5 Irish Mobster Movies

By Jaya Daniel

Only one more day until St. Patrick’s Day. Why not get in the Irish spirit and enjoy some of our favorite Irish mobster flicks? Nothing will get you in the mood to drink whiskey more than enjoying the exploits of the fighting Irish.  

The Boondock Saints, 1999

Cast: Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus

Two brothers begin killing off members of the mafia, not for revenge, but because they see it as a calling from God. Released from prison after accidentally killing two mafia members, they are considered heroes and see this as a sign to rid the world of evil. Interestingly enough, upon learning more about the murders, the detective in charge of the case is having trouble deciding whether the brothers are actually sinners or saints.

The Public Enemy, 1931

Cast: James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods

Bootleggers during Prohibition, Tom and Mike are successful gangsters for Paddy Ryan’s gang. But, when a member of the gang dies, rival bootleggers sense weakness and a gang war breaks out. A bit of a hothead, Tom can’t seem to stay out of trouble and is determined to handle matters on his own terms.

Gangs of New York, 2002

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz

The Five Points district in New York is home to riots, corruption and gang violence. In 1863, Bill “The Butcher” is the most feared of the gang leaders, who wants the area to stay pure and free of immigrants. After witnessing his father’s death, Amsterdam is sent away from Five Points but returns years later -- determined to avenge his father. After finagling his way into The Butcher’s gang, Amsterdam bides his time and rising among the ranks until he can enact his revenge.

The Town, 2010

Cast: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively

Four hometown friends from Boston rob a bank and end up taking a bank manager as a hostage. They release her, unharmed, but Doug (Ben Affleck) goes back to see how much Claire, the manager, remembers of her captures. But, spending time with her has consequences he wasn’t expecting…he falls in love. Unfortunately, love isn’t really an option, as he has to hide his true identity from Claire as well as hide his relationship with Claire from his friends. It also doesn’t help that the FBI is after him and has evidence that could send his world crashing down.

The Departed, 2006

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg

Corruption. Undercover informants. Love. Murder. The Departed has it all. Plagued in deception, the film is a cat and mouse chase between an undercover cop and a mole within the Boston police department, both racing to find out the identity of the other before their own cover is blown. Partnered with an exciting and interesting story, The Departed has an amazing cast with great chemistry.

Eat and Drink Like a Real Irish Man at Jameson’s Barrelman’s Feast

By Soraya Hanzus

In 250 Characters or Less:

Irish whiskey + pan-fried hake + Jameson creme brulee + live music and dancing = need we say more? Jameson’s Barrelman’s Feast is a unique experience that makes it a must on every Dublin sightseeing checklist.  

What Works:

The whiskey, of course! It is recommended to start the experience with a tour of the factory (hint: raise your hand quick when asked to do so, with the intention of having the opportunity to taste different brands of Irish whiskey and even become Jameson certified!), stay around for another drink in the bar area, and then spend the evening at the Barrelman’s Feast. And while the whiskey is incomparable, the food is even better. The four-course meal includes a number of options including pork cutlet, pan-fried hake with sour cream, and ginger marinated gravlax (cured salmon) -- with our favorite dishes being the dill mashed potatoes and Jameson creme brulee.

Be Aware:

Yes, a Jameson cocktail is complimentary. But that is where the freebies end with the purchase of a Barrelman’s Feast ticket. Want more whiskey? Bring cash.

Overall Grade: B+

Bow St, Smithfield Village in Dublin, Ireland

+353 1 8072348

www.jamesonwhiskey.com/us/visit-us/oldjamesondistillery/barrel-mans-feast

10 Most Memorable Oscar Moments

Chris Rock’s opening monologue. No sugar coating here. Chris Rock began the show acknowledging the elephant in the room, #OscarSoWhite. With most jokes landing, -- Will Smith getting paid $20M for Wild Wild West and Jada Pinkett Smith boycotting even though she works in TV and wasn’t invited-- but a few causing cringe worthy expressions -- speaking of lynching will very rarely get the laughs – Rock brought us a funny, straight to the point monologue without any unnecessary showboating.

Stacey Dash cameo. In two words…Epic Fail. Her joke on celebrating Black History Month may have failed, but at least we got another priceless expression from Chrissy Teigen.

Who doesn't love Girl Scout Cookies? Chris Rock surely made Daddy of the Year by selling Girl Scout Cooking for his daughter’s troop and the result was amazing -- he raised over $65,000 and sold carbs to a room full of actors!

Jacob Tremblay. The Room actor stole the show, not once, but throughout the night. From shouting to Chris Rock that he loved him in Madagascar, to his love of Star Wars’ -- Shuffling in his set to see R2De, C3PO and BB-8 and his Darth Vadar socks was priceless --to his excitement over cast-mate, Brie Larson’s win, Jacob was for sure a winner at this year’s Oscars.

Lady Gaga’s Performance of Till it Happens to You. A beautifully touching performance, it was the complete opposite of Gaga’s performance at the Grammy’s. All dressed in white, Lady Gaga sang the powerful song just accompanied by her piano and a stage full of sexual abuse survivors. It was a performance that bought the audience to tears.

VP Joe Biden. Joe Biden, given a standing ovation by the audience, introduced Lady Gaga and encouraged us to ‘change the culture’ on sexual assault.

 Tina Fey and Steve Carell. This comedy duo took the stage to announce Best Production Design, but more memorable was their perfect banter. This was just a reminder of why we so desperately need these two back on our TVs…preferable together.

Surprise win for Mark Rylance. Everyone was expecting Sylvester Stallone to go home with the trophy this year, but Rylance snuck in and won the gold. A poignant performance in Bridge of Spies, his win may have been a shocker, but wasn’t undeserved.

 

Dave Grohl singing Blackbird. The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl took the stage to sing a beautiful acoustic version of Blackbird for the In Memoriam segment. It was a heartfelt rendition of the song and a perfect way to say goodbye to those we lost this year.

Leonardo DiCaprio. After six nominations, 2016 was Leo’s year as he FINALLY took home the trophy for Best Actor for his role in The Revenant. A well-deserved and long overdo win, DiCaprio used his time to not only thank those he’s grateful too, but educate the world that climate change is real.

“And lastly I just want to say this: Making ‘The Revenant’ was about man's relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people out there who would be most affected by this. For our children’s children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed. I thank you all for this amazing award tonight. Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted. Thank you so very much. “

Oscar Review: Hungry Watching Predictions

The Academy Awards are this Sunday. Check out our predictions for the five main categories:

Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

Oscar Review: The Revenant and Copacabana Steakhouse

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter

In 250 Characters or Less:

Hugh Glass is a man with nothing to lose. After being mauled by a bear and left for dead, Glass uses his most rudimentary skills to not only survive, but come back from being buried alive to enact his revenge on the man who killed his son.

What Works:

In two words: Leonardo DiCaprio. I remember seeing photos of DiCaprio and wondering, ‘What was this role that had our normally handsome-faced leading man looking like someone that hasn't showered in a month?’ Well, as it turns out it was a look that marked one of the most transformative characters of his career. Everything from watching him survive a bear attack, to finding warmth within the shell of a horse show the lengths DiCaprio was willing to go to bring this character to life, helping audiences fully understand his struggles. The Revenant is more than just DiCaprio though. There is a great cast, including Tom Hardy, playing an out for himself frontiersman who is motivated solely by greed and fear; Domhnall Gleeson is a Captain who looks out for his men and believes in justice; and Will Poulter, as an innocent young man, caught between doing what is right and doing what he is told.

Acting aside, the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking throughout the film. From the frost bitten woods to the cascading landscapes, the scenery was as much a part of this film as the cast and story.

Be Aware:

The beautiful scenery and extensive details shown of Glass’ step-by-step struggles contributed to this film having a run time of 2 hours and 36 minutes. With the exception of the few action scenes (i.e. the bear scene and final showdown), the film's pace is relatively slow and serene throughout. A beautifully shot and well-acted film, The Revenant is well worth watching, though be forewarned it will require patience.

Overall Grade: A

Copacabana Steakhouse

Courtesy of Yelp.com

In 250 Characters or Less:

This Brazilian churrascaria is a meat lover’s dream. Highlights include its full-blown rodizio offering and popular “meat parade” - a hearty experience to perfectly match the intensity of The Revenant.  

What Works:

If you are a baconatarian at heart, look no further than the Copacabana Steakhouse. This Brazilian churrascaria is widely known for its “meat parade” featuring 14 various offerings of every combination imaginable including its decadent bacon-wrapped turkey. If seeking a little more variety outside of simply meat though, check out its all-you-can-eat rodizio which includes a salad bar and five side dishes.

Be Aware:

Copacabana Steakhouse isn’t for the faint-hearted so be judicious as to when to dine here. This restaurant is best when out celebrating, say a birthday, or other such occasion and isn’t somewhere we recommend swinging by on a whim during the week - especially without a reservation to guarantee a table will be available. The experience calls for skipping a meal beforehand to save room for the massive quantities of food served at the table. Also note that while the rodizio is all-you-can-eat, the drink refills are not.

Overall Grade: A

29 N Main Street in Port Chester

(914) 939-6894

www.copacabanasteakhouse.com