Tonight we ask: what is humor? Who defines "funny"? We also ask: is Ashton Epps Swank a sugar peddler? Like, do her kids spend their days jittering uncontrollably?
Dave: All of the remotely funny moments from View from the Top were in the trailer or the outtakes. The film itself limped along from cliché to cliché before crashing to a conclusion that suggests giving up on your dreams for love, then changing your dreams entirely to find happiness. None of the lead actors really found their comedic timing - Mike Myers was strained trying to be conventionally funny, Christina Applegate fake smiled her way through an unrewarding role, and Gwyneth Paltrow was even more robotic and emotionless than usual. Even the great Candice Bergen couldn’t save this monstrosity. (️⭐️)
It’s been a few months at least since we had a popcorn from Aston Epps’ cookbook, and our blood sugar levels have almost returned to normal. This popcorn shot them sky high again, though, between the peanut butter, the white chocolate melting candy, and the chocolate chips. Long time readers will remember that I’m a sucker for sweet popcorn, with bonus points if they’re sweet and rich enough to make your face flush a little bit when you eat them. While this isn’t an every day popcorn, I’d certainly eat it again! (️️️️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
Joe: "Comedies" from the 2000s are always a bit sus, and View from the Top is no exception. It's head-scratchingly unfunny and makes this viewer wonder a number of things. #1. Has Mike Myers ever been funny? He recycles the same schtick over and over. A little bit of Austen Powers, a little bit of "Coffee Talk", a little bit of Shrek. It's really quite tiresome. #2. I'm rarely offended by much of anything, but has there ever been a time when pretending to have a deformity or a handicap is funny? It isn't. #3. Is Gwenyth Paltrow capable of humor? All signs point to "no". She is grievously miscast. #4. Why is Christina Applegate's formidably talents constantly underused? #5. Were all the execs at Miramax stoned/drunk/tripping when they greenlit this? It's not good. It's emphatically not good. (⭐️)
Maybe Ashton Epps Swank, in between coming down from her sugar highs, is a bloody genius. She has far more hits than misses, and this recipe points to her real talent with the sweet stuff. I can't even imagine what dessert time is like in this household. It's gotta be nuts. Anyway, sweet and delicious. I'd make this popcorn again. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Like last week, our dear friend Todd was with us for The Nerdery Movie Night. Here are his reviews!
Todd: While this was billed as a comedy, it was not funny and barely written as funny. The strong cast defined the term "slumming" through the entire film. Released in 2003, the style was more reminiscent of something from an earlier (80s?) era, with odd edits, inconsistent narration, and sophomoric, broad attempts at humor that almost never hit the mark. Its only saving grace was its exceptionally short run time. ⭐
Tonight's popcorn was addictive, in a way. The blend of white melting chocolate, peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips should have resulted in a home run. But somehow the ingredients didn't quite coalesce, resulting in some really tasty bites and others that were either too sweet or those which lacked the coating. I also felt the need to want to wash my hands after every mouthful. A mixed result. ⭐⭐1/2
Popcorn recipe from: Popcorn recipe from: Party Popcorn by Ashton Epps Swank. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014).
View from the Top on IMDB.
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