Nerds, Unite!
Dave: My dreams of going to the National Spelling Bee were quashed early, when I misspelled the word “unbutton” in our grade-level competition. Since then, spell check, too-fast typing, and wavering eyesight have further doomed my chances. As evidence, I began this post opining about the National Speeling [sic] Bee. Despite that, this film was in turns heartwarming and cringeworthy - heartwarming for the earnest kids and supportive parents, cringeworthy for the vast class differences on display and the parents that teetered on being overbearing. I loved that it didn’t get too bogged down in details about how the spelling bee came to be, how it changed, or what the rules are - instead it put the participants at the forefront (though the brief interview with the first winner was also delightful). Definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
The operative word in the name of this popcorn is neither "fire" nor "grilled". All I got from this concoction was salt, a bit of something smoky, and occasional bursts of something incredibly spicy. That’s not to say I didn’t finish the bowl, but this was the first time in a while that Kirk Castle has disappointed us! Alas. (⭐️⭐️⭐1/2)
Joe: We generally have a rule about not watching films we've already seen, but it's been nearly 20 years since I've seen Spellbound. I remembered not a bit of it. Well, I did remember that I loved it. Good news: that's not changed. This is a terrific documentary. Anyway, when Dave and I first started dating, we made each other mix CDs (because of course we did). One of the songs on his mix was a Christine Lavin's "Too Old for the National Spelling Bee" . It's goofy, but it hit my WordSmith Spot in just the right place. This film is the perfect snapshot of nerdy kids going at it. It's hard not to root for every one of them. The tension is pretty unbearable once they reach the Scripps Howard, and when most of them inevitably fail, it's pretty damn heartbreaking. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
I used a different type of popcorn with this recipe - a kernel type that's often used with caramel corn. This kind pops larger and puffier, and had I known that, I would have adjusted the sauce. As it stands, what I did make barely coated the volume of popcorn. So the failure of this concoction lies in my inability to adjust. There's a kernel - *eyeroll emoji* - of greatness in this recipe. There's some spice and the kick of A1 steak sauce, but it just tasted kinda bland and buttery. I'd like to make this again with a keen eye toward proper proportions. Then maybe it will be a hit. Maybe. (⭐️⭐️1/2)
Popcorn recipe from: 100 Popcorn Recipes by "Kirk Castle"
Spellbound on IMDB.
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