The Nerdery Movie Night #257: Fire of Love and Steak Seasoning Popcorn

Remember us?!?! We swanned around Europe for a couple weeks then had a busy May, but we're back in the saddle!

Steak Seasoning Popcorn

Dave: Sometimes I wish I loved something as much as these zany folks love volcanoes. The selfless devotion and single-minded pursuit of knowledge that Katia and Maurice Kraftt exhibit is something I’ll probably never experience. I don’t even feel like my dissertation research was as all-consuming as their volcano work. Apart from the gorgeous, if stilted, love story, the archival and stock footage that makes up the film is glorious. It is all weird, unbelievable Nature at her best, creating landscapes and shots that barely seem possible on the terrestrial plane. Lava, ash, and volcanic eruptions are starkly, frighteningly gorgeous. I love Miranda July, but the voiceover is occasionally overwrought, distracting from the core story and gorgeous visuals. Still, this is worth a watch. (️️️️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Steak seasoning popcorn smelled delicious: smoky and tangy and inviting. It tasted good too, though the punch the salt and seasonings packed was a little overbearing after the 4th or 5th handful. To be fair, Joe did ask if I wanted him to pop more popcorn to make the popcorn/seasoning ratio a little more reasonable. I said no because I didn’t want to miss a second of the riveting volcano footage in the documentary. Having reached the end of both the popcorn and documentary (and feeling like I’ve eaten a particularly smoky salt lick), I can admit the seasoning was a bit aggressive. Still, we did eat the entire bowl pretty quickly, and that counts for something! (️️️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Joe: I love a documentary with a strong narrative thread, and that's Fire of Love's major draw. Miranda July's smoky voice tells the story of two volcanologists, merging both the power and fury of their shared fascination with the tenderness and familiarity of being married to someone who gets you. This is not a science documentary, though there are occasional dabblings in how volcanoes work. Rather, we watch two people who are obsessed with volcanoes and how their work in understanding these powerful forces drives their ambition and ultimately causes their demise. Told entirely through the couples' incredible film footage and photography, it is a lasting tribute to love and nature. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

Of course we have Penzey's™️ Chicago steak seasoning in our pantry, but this recipe called for making my own. After almost a week of illness, I was more than up for the challenge. The result is... interesting. Despite all the ingredients, the predominant flavor is sweet instead of smoky and robust (like I was expecting). I was a little overzealous while applying the seasoning, and there was an overwhelming feeling of too much that distracted from what could have been a decent popcorn. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Popcorn: Delish

Fire of Love on IMDb.