Somehow Dave and I wrote almost identical intros to our movie reviews. We spend way too much time together. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Dave: I’m playing my “bad gay” card on this review: I haven’t seen the stage version of Dear Evan Hansen. I’d even managed to avoid any major plot points and I didn’t know any of the music before we sat down to watch the movie version. As someone who’s been thinking a lot about self-preservation and self-care lately and, despite great parents and some amazing friends, had a difficult high school experience, the anxiety and discomfort of the characters really hit home. Sure, Ben Platt looked like Skeletor in a few scenes and Andy Samberg in others, but his acting held the film together and kept it from being a total schmaltz-fest. Still, I’m sure the stage version with a younger Ben Platt was probably more satisfying. (️️️⭐️⭐️⭐ 1/2)
Now that we’re in the realm of Nerdery-created popcorn recipes, every week feels like a gamble. Luckily the gambles have all paid off so far! I’m a little suspicious that Joe put mayonnaise in this popcorn, but I don’t care. It was delicious. Spicy taco seasonings in a creamy sauce with a bit of cilantro sprinkled on top? We devoured the bowl before Evan Hansen’s world started to crumble. (️️️️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️)
Joe: I've never seen the theatre production of Dear Evan Hansen. I'd never even heard any of the songs. The story is pretty slight, but the songs are wonderful, heightened by virtuosic singing, especially from Ben Platt. But GOOD LORD is Platt grievously miscast in the lead role. Sure, he won the Tony on Broadway and basically lived this character for who knows long, which lends a deep pathos to his performance. But he looks like a 45 year old next to the other high school students, even though he's probably not much older than them. The lighting doesn't help in the least. Still, if you can momentarily forget about how jarring he looks next to Amandla Stenberg (she seriously looks 15 years younger than him in some scenes, even though she's, like, five years younger), there's much to enjoy about the film. (⭐️⭐️⭐1/2)
We've had a couple of elote or "elote-inspired" popcorns in this journey. When I was deciding what I might tackle in the kitchen tonight, I knew I wanted to create a variation that leaned more into taco seasoning. The ultimate goal was to get closer to an antojito style treat, finger-licking and flavorful. I went into the kitchen with one plan, and while the popcorn was popping, I changed my mind. I adapted an elote sauce from a popcorn recipe we had previously tried, amplifying it with a ton more spices. I combined it with lime juice, crumbled cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. The results? Better than I imagined. Like, way better. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
Popcorn recipe from: Joe Prince 💅
Dear Evan Hansen on IMDB.
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