Cher + Michelle + Susan = timeless. Popcorn needed some help.
Dave: I’d always assumed this was a campy film about Cher casting spells on a quaint New England town. And I was right, except for the part where she, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Susan Sarandon have Jack Nicholson’s devil spawn. Also, Susan Sarandon gives up the cello and gets a Bernadette Peters wig. This had all the crazy 1980s stock characters you’d expect from a comedy of its era, with Nicholson playing a Devil who was (probably) really lewd for its time. I’m only sorry DVD outtakes weren’t a thing in 1987, because I feel certain he ad libbed more than a few one liners that would have made the censors faint. Cher is usually unimpeachable but her performance occasionally bordered on lackluster. The woman with the Kathleen Turner voice who played the city councilperson that fell prey to Nicholson’s wiles first deserves a Golden Globe for yelling “Whore!” and “Anal Intercourse!” with such conviction as she’s being dragged out of a church service. Otherwise the cast was beautiful and ridiculous, much like the storyline. If you’ve not rewatched this in a few years, I’d bet it holds up pretty well! (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
About halfway through the prep for this popcorn I heard lots of cursing from the kitchen. Despite that and the slightly singed appearance of a few kernels, it wasn’t bad. The peanut butter and spice combo made this feel like satay. The flavor was great even if the sauce was a bit grainy, though I feel REALLY full after finishing a bit more than half the bowl. If the prep wasn’t so laborious and the popcorn so apt to burn, I’d vaguely consider making it again (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
Joe: I remember begging my parents to let me see this when it was released. I was 10. They wisely said "No." For one thing, the language is pretty coarse, but the theme would've gone right over my head. Glad I waited until I was 43. A lot of old movies don't age well, but this one seems way ahead of its time. There's a thread of feminism that runs through the script, but it's the hot-to-trot trio of Pfeiffer (glory be, is she not one of the most beautiful people on earth?), Sarandon (I've canceled her, tbh, but when it comes to her acting, I still stan), and Cher (queen) that drive home all the humor, nuance, and cheekiness of the script. They chew up every scene they're in. Maybe it was the rum (*winky face*), but I loved this movie. It hit all of my sweet spots tonight. Jack Nicholson, though, is literally the same character no matter what movie he's in. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
I don't know what ding-dong at the Popcorn Board thought this popcorn should bake for fifteen minutes after it was tossed in its delicious sauce, but to them I say: totes unnecessary. I smelled smoke five minutes into the bake and pulled the whole mess out in time to salvage most of it. The sauce was slightly punchy, and thought I don't usually go off-scripts, I sprinkled some Penzey's sate blend over the final product just to give it a little push. Maybe thanks to my last-minute embellishments, it was good. I want to make this again but not bake it next go-around, because it's (⭐️⭐⭐️1/2) now, but could easily be (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️).
Popcorn recipe from: Popcorn Board
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