Olivia + Jessie + Anjana + Timothy + Gemma 4eva
Dave: I didn’t think I’d get weepy over a silly dark comedy about a [SPOILER ALERT woman who used her prim and proper veneer to terrorize an entire town], but here I am. While the production sometimes veered a bit towards soap operas, the acting in this little film was amazing. The leads as Rose and Edie made it hard to watch anything else; watching one of them being carted off to hard labor, laughing after the final confrontation with the real (!) villain of the piece definitely made me weep. The cops were comedic without being absolute buffoons, and Edie’s father was nearly totally rotten but with enough pathos to make him legible. This movie was apparently based on a true story, which makes the suffering and class-based sadness all the more hard to watch. Minor style points aside, this movie is gripping, darkly funny, and a fun watch. Would definitely recommend. (️️️️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
I’m not sure a folklorist/ethnomusicologist worth his salt is supposed to enjoy a “Colonial-style” popcorn, but here we are. I’m not sure what this seasoning was designed for, but it works for popcorn fairly well: there was a bit of a bite tempered with something a little sweet (although maybe that was just butter that had begun to caramelize?). In a pinch, this spice blend works serviceably for popcorn. (️️️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
Joe: Olivia Colman could polish any turd. Truly. I think you could give her any script and she'd find a way to imbue her character with enough pathos to carry any film. She's magnetic and natural, and in Wicked Little Letters, she manages to overcome a melodramatic final act that threatens to undo everything that comes before it. To be clear: the first 2/3 of this movie are excellent - even after the perpetrator is revealed. Still, it's fun to see how everything comes undone. Unfortunately, the movie loses a bit of its pepper in the final 30 minutes and occasionally veers into schlock. Was the acting terrific from all the principal actors? Absolutely. Did it soften the blow when things fell apart? Yup. It's thoroughly fun despite its pitfalls. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
It was a busy week at work, and by quarter after 5 this evening, I realized that I hadn't even considered the popcorn I was tasked with making tonight. Luckily, our dear Amy had bought us some seasoning packets from Colonial Williamsburg that she thought would make good toppings for popcorn. Reader, she was not wrong. Despite its stupid moniker, "Colonial Seasoning" slaps. In addition to some dehydrated vegetables, there's an abundance of spices: black pepper and fennel being the most prominent. I wanted to lick the bowl. Thank you, Amy, for coming through for us in the clutch. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Popcorn from: Amelia Bedelia
Wicked Little Letters on IMDB
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