Baking & the Big Screen: Cupcakes & Do Revenge
When I realized that this movie had a scene that legitimately showcased some cupcakes AND I somehow hadn’t done that as a baking blog, I was pretty much over the moon. I’ve spent the last couple of days since I watched Do Revenge telling everyone I know to watch it. It was such a fun time, so getting to wax poetic in this piece on this delightful movie is also therapeutic so maybe I’ll finally stop pestering my friends about it. And since I am relatively experienced with making cupcakes, my challenge was simple: finally make something that I don’t have to tell people, “I promise, it tastes better than it looks.” And thankfully, when I decided to try my hand at some mini cupcakes, they both looked and tasted incredible.
Do Revenge
Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke, Austin Abrams, Rish Shah, Talia Ryder, Alisha Boe, Sophie Turner, Sarah Michelle Gellar
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Released in 2022
Available on Netflix
Somehow, both this movie and my last Baking & the Big Screen for RRR are touchstones for some of the most fun I’ve had watching films this year. Do Revenge is not the most technically perfect movie in the world, or even from this year, but I loved every minute of it. Sure, I’ll admit it. Camila Mendes is not even remotely convincing as a teenager, and despite her being only 28 years old - and many older than her still playing high schoolers, I find it hard to imagine her to have ever been a teenager, let alone passing as one now. Also, the movie is about 15 minutes too long. And now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I can now sing its praises. Everyone in this movie seems absolutely in it. I don’t mean this in the Harry Styles “the best thing about this movie is that it feels like a movie,” but rather that the whole cast is in it. They’re committed. And it shows. Every single person seems to bringing the most energy they can, and despite her looking far too worldly to be a high school senior, this was easily the most I’ve enjoyed Mendes in a piece of media.
The true MVP, even when I didn’t realize it, is truly Maya Hawke. However, as I type that, I feel guilty as I remember all the other fantastic cast members. It’s hard to even pick a weak link. Sophie Turner appears in a cameo that made me legitimately snort. There were roughly five other actors I know from other teen-based properties. Sarah Michelle Gellar is an absolute delight, and she is an example of one of Do Revenge’s other strengths: it is a living, breathing homage to teen movies. There’s a scene that harkens back to a date in 10 Things I Hate About You, there are vibes reminiscent of Heathers and there is a revenge plot worthy of John Tucker Must Die. There is a makeover scene - and they acknowledge how cliche it is. There is a bright, bold soundtrack that made me flashback to the era of Amanda Bynes and Lindsay Lohan helmed flicks. The plot at first seems comfortingly predictable but then takes a few slight turns I was not anticipating. And last but not least, it’s just a delight to look at. The whole movie is covered in scenes alternately filled with pastels and bright, bold colors. I’m not sure the last time I finished a movie and immediately considered restarting it. And for me, that’s a huge deal.
I decided to celebrate the start of getting actual fall weather by making some cupcakes full of autumn flavors. My snickerdoodle cookies always seem to go over well, and I figured you can’t go wrong with cinnamon sugar. I decided to try it with pumpkin pie spice rather than just cinnamon, and it turned out extremely well. Sometimes I get so concerned about underbaking something that I end up drying the whole thing out. Magically, it seems making these teensy little mini cupcakes was a great call in more ways than one. The taste was great and they were - pardon the word usage - moist. I was able to even pipe the frosting in a way I was proud of, and adding a little Cinnamon Toast Crunch churro on top was almost literally the icing on the cake. I loved how these turned out, and it has jumpstarted me into getting excited about baking again. A good movie and a great bake? What more could you ask for?