In which one of Joe's favorite snacks is ruined and we watch Anna Kendrick fail.
Note: Dave and I wrote these reviews separately. When merging them into the single document, the eerie similarities of our popcorn reviews made Dave facetiously say, "This just means we're meant to be together" and for me to roll my eyes so far back into my skull I could see my brain stem.
Dave: I'd heard good things about the musical, and Joe has a soft spot for Anna Kendrick. What could go wrong, I thought? I didn't count on self-absorbed, annoying main characters. By the end I was kind of happy the two had broken up - even though we'd seen it coming from the first scene. On some level, though, they were both just self-centered enough to deserve each other. Also, I think the crew thought they were filming a weird revival of Rent where no one got HIV and where one of the artists actually, you know, made art. The shots were full of motion and it all felt a bit too modern and hip for the slightly stodgy (but really endearing) score. I did enjoy that the ending was largely unresolved and sad, though; it kept the entire thing from being too trite. (⭐️⭐️1/2)
My mouth is still burning. This is damn hot. And the addition of the pork rinds seems a bit nonsensical. Against all the heat and citrus the pork rinds are mealy and a bit musty. They might as well have added Brussels sprouts with much the same effect. (⭐️⭐️)
Joe: Like La La Land for depressed people, The Last Five Years benefits from the luminosity of Anna Kendrick but suffers from belt-busting, oversung broadway songs and a male lead whose actions inspire zero sympathy. By the end, it's hard not to think-sing, "Cathy, yooooooou can doooooo betttterrrr!" (⭐️⭐️1/2)
Someone in the test kitchen tasted this spicy, heat-intensive popcorn and bellowed, "This needs something else!" and threw pork rinds into the mix. Because why not. I don't get it. But I do like pork rinds. So. Whatever. (⭐️⭐️1/2)
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