Pew pew pew and goo goo goo!
Dave: One the one hand, The Killer radiates sleek modernity, like a really fancy bit out of Spy Vs Spy or Get Smart. The gadgets, the globe-trotting, the aliases, and the self-reflexive snark all added up to a movie I should have liked. But the character building kept being interrupted by chase and fight scenes - no matter how well-executed, they can’t substitute for actual character development. Add to that the fact that the movie is built in a series of distinct episodes, and you’re simply asking for a final product that barely holds together. Still, it was a fun watch. (️️️⭐️⭐⭐)
When I found the mommy blog with this recipe on it, I was intrigued. The fairly large amount of apple cider, cinnamon, and orange zest promised a popcorn that tasted a bit like mulled cider, one of my favorite wintertime treats. Despite cooking down several cups of apple cider and then spending a good half-hour making a caramel out of it, the apple and cinnamon hints are really faint. The texture of the caramel, too, is a bit off, giving the popcorn a strange chewiness instead of the light, crunchy caramel coating we’ve gotten with some other recipes. Recipes, I might add, that took a lot less time. (️️️⭐️⭐⭐)
Joe: Even at his most mediocre, David Fincher creates really magnetic films. To that end, The Killer is stylish and compelling, largely due to Michael Fassbender's intense performance. Establishing shots are framed ingeniously, casting an off-kilter quality to the titular character's targets. This viewer was never quite sure who was going to bite it [spoiler alert - most people] and how [you name it]. The tension is ratcheted spectacularly, with one particular showdown nearly matching the brutality of Kill Bill. Sadly, though, this ain't Kill Bill. There's no tongue firmly planted in cheek, no quippy dialogue. This is straightforward action, rendered in an artsiness that only Fincher could pull off - including an ending that's unexpected. Also, The Smiths. Dave was subjected to me singing every single song featured throughout the film - and there were a lot of them. (⭐️⭐⭐1/2)
This morning we watched an episode of The Great British Bake-Off, where nearly everybody seemed to struggle with making caramel. This is the umpteenth popcorn Dave has made using a homemade caramel, and he makes the process look effortless. I can't say I really detected the apple cider flavor in this popcorn, but the caramel was good: gooey and chewy, threatening to pull out my fillings. I enjoyed it, but I don't know that it's a flavor I would return to again and again. (⭐️⭐️1/2)
Popcorn recipe from: Culinary Ginger
The Killer on IMDB.
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