Automatic DVD cover via IMDB

We’ve featured many different kinds of movies here on The Cryptosphere’s Film Friday. We’ve served up earnest. We’ve served up tragic. We’ve served up happy. We’ve served up sad. And now, my friends, clear the table; it’s time for the cheese course.

Automatic is a 1995 Die Hard-Terminator II crossbreed that launched the career of star Olivier Gruner.

Who? Exactly.

IMDB sums up the plot thusly:

Robgen industries newest security system is “The J Series Automatic”, an android model designed and programmed to protect humans from violent attacks. But one night, an Automatic named J269 discovers a Robgen executive trying to rape a female employee named Nora Rochester. While trying to stop the crime, he inadvertently kills the executive. At this point, J269 then calls Goddard Marx (his creator and a Robgen chairman) to inform him of the incident. Marx tells the android to stay there with Rochester until help arrives, but Marx is intent on sweeping the fiasco under the rug by sending mercenaries to eliminate both J269 and Rochester. Now the two are fugitives on the run from a para-military hit squad.

Oh, did we mention kickboxing? Yes, there’s kickboxing. No wonder the 90’s loved their pleated pants. I think it was before spandex was invented.

Anyhoodle, today we’re not going to be doing any intellectual or artistic heavy lifting. Sometimes you just want to sit back with a big slice of cheese and a quart of something nasty and drink until the movie actually improves. Here is exhibit one. Enjoy?

Pink Cocktail via Pinterest

With Automatic, the movie, we pair the Automatic cocktail, both because of nomenclature and also because it actually sounds really good, if you like that pickle pucker. It comes to us from country music star Miranda Lambert via Radio.com, and is almost as pretty as our beloved Negroni. Miranda has been going through a very public breakup and is currently single, in case you couldn’t tell from the FIVE YES FIVE OUNCES OF VODKA in this drink. Cheers!

The Automatic

• 5 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce pickled beet juice
• Lemon twist

Pour the vodka and beet juice into a pitcher filled with ice, stir until cold, strain into a cocktail glass. Then drop in the lemon twist. The actual recipe says to shake, but we don’t shake clear cocktails and neither should you.

Categories: Cocktails, Cyberpunk, Film Friday, Hackers, Movies