Jessica Williams isn't a Dope Queen for nothing. And this popcorn. Y'all. This popcorn.
Dave: Okay, so the plot was maybe a little predictable and the underlying story (protracted love affair because of emotional baggage) was a little tired. But Jessica Williams was great in the lead role, and the added messiness of dating and breaking up in the age of social media gave the old story an interesting new twist. I even got a little weepy at the (contrived and ridiculous) ending. It’s definitely a bit of a twist on the romcom genre, and makes dating and relationships seem a bit less daunting and, as the kids say, relatable. Wait, do the kids still say that?? (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
If I was stranded on a desert island and had no access to cheesecake, pound cake, or any other kind of cake, this popcorn would be all I need. Except for maybe a mai tai. Anyway, the curry and coconut combination is unimpeachable and the raisins and almonds, while they make it more of a nice white lady curry, are still pretty delicious. Seriously, we finished the bowl barely 1/3 of the way through the movie and could easily have eaten another batch (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Joe: 2 Dope Queens was literally my favorite podcast for its entire run. The episodes are still available, and you should listen to it. I was sad when it was disbanded, but I'm glad Pheebs and Jessica have gone on to do other things, but based entirely on The Incredible Jessica James, Williams is getting the better material. This movie's plot was so shopworn, but it felt fresh and relevant, mostly because of Williams' all-in performance. There's some powerful subtext, particularly the transformative power of art and theater for minoritized and marginalized peoples. There are some sappy moments, but mostly I found it a lovely and heartfelt. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
Confession: this is the third time I've made this popcorn. I made it for two social gatherings we went to, and it was fairly well-received. So it was high time we made it official. Though the recipe recommends using sliced almonds, coconut, or golden raisins, I use all three because #livedangerously. Also, I toasted both the coconut and the almonds. And I dialed back the salt just a little bit. So obviously now it's the most delicious thing in the world because curry plus anything is as close to nirvana as flavors get. You're welcome. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Popcorn recipe from: Popcorn.org. (The Popcorn Board, 2019).
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