Liz Lemon in a period piece! Kinda sorta - nerds!!
Dave: We were texting with a friend (the same one who provided our popcorn seasoning) about our movie choice tonight, and on that text thread, Joe reminded me that we’d also seen Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express. He also reminded me we’d only kind of liked those, to which I replied “because I have the memory of a goldfish.” I think I always expect these movies to be a bit less tilted towards substance and away from style, but they always disappoint. The flashy period drama showmanship would work if all the performances were 100%, but several actors, including our beloved Tina Fey, simply weren’t almost-cartoonish enough to pull this off. The supernatural themes in particular were left a little less effective because they didn’t fit into the fabric of the rest of the film, which felt a bit moth-eaten by the inconsistent tone. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Has it taken us this many years to realize we should maybe just give in and buy pre-made popcorn seasoning? With the addition of what tasted like a lot of butter*, this popcorn disappeared in our usual record time. I’m dinging it a bit for only tasting a tiny bit lime-y and spicy: mostly I just got salt and, oddly, a fairly strident hit of sugar occasionally. Still, it was delicious, super easy, and I’d definitely make it again! (️️️⭐️⭐️⭐️12)
Joe: We've found both of Branagh's other Agatha Christie adaptations okay to fine, and A Haunting in Venice shows signs of reaching the very good to great range. Anchored by a stellar cast (Tina Fey can turn in a fairly believably dramatic performance! Michelle Yeoh is the GOAT, full stop!), the film runs full-throttle toward a deliciously curious final act. Branagh's direction is, as always, top-notch, with striking exterior shots, off-kilter angles, and swoon-worthy production design. Too often, though, the mood of the film feels under-developed. Is it supposed to be a creepy supernatural film? A nail-biting noir? A cynical cat-and-mouse? This uncertainty keeps the film from being great, so I hope that the next installment - if there is one - sharpens the approach. Still: recommended. (⭐️⭐️⭐️12)
For Christmas, our Nerdery Movie Night fan and one-time collaborator**/co-viewer Chris*** gifted us with several popcorn sprinkles. After a long week at work (seriously, Dave and I both collectively had The Most Exhausting Weeks Since Landing in Fredericksburg), I simply couldn't bring myself to make anything that required more work than shaking liberal amounts of a pre-mixed seasoning on top of buttered popcorn. The good news is it was delicious. The bad news is, there are only 4 more toppings in the set Chris got us, so I can't be lazy forever. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Popcorn recipe from: Joe Prince with a little inspiration from Chris B. 💅🏻
A Haunting in Venice on IMDB.
* ok, ok - I put way too much butter on this. I still loved it.
** this is not to say he won't collaborate again!
*** hi, Chris!
Hey guys! Glad it wasn't a total bust on the popcorn seasoning... You never know with things like that. And a Haunting in Venice was decidedly less... um... sexy? than my other suggestions. 😁