Dinner With a Movie

We go out for chashu ramen this week before discussing Ponyo (2008). This film is full of little swimmers, with Ponyo as the biggest and most magical one. The reimagining of a story about a fish who wants to become human is a gentle and cheerful tale. The love between Sosuke and Ponyo is innocently pure throughout. We don’t completely understand some of the Japanese culture in the film, but we app...

We’re letting our birds fly this week after we eat bacon and eggs (not rotten) and discuss Little Voice (1998). We feel the coziness of the small town in this film about a lonely girl who comes out of her shell and learns to fly against her mother’s incessant chatter. The musical numbers and variety acts are second to none. We’re still wondering what happened to poor Elaine.

It’s time for a change this week when we eat hot dogs and cupcakes in the dark before we discuss  About Time  (2013). We enjoyed the relationship between Tim and his dad and wanted more. We also liked the complications that time travel presents, but we unwind when a movie’s rules of time travel are broken or distorted just to complicate the story. We wish we could go back and fix a couple of momen...

This week, we eat some doughnuts and seafood (sushi) before discussing  Saw  (2004). We all wanted to try an escape room after watching the film, but not as crappy as this. It seems like a story built around a big reveal that isn’t exactly what we need to watch. With so many flashbacks and scenes outside of the room, it was hard to focus on what was important. We could envision a better movie in t...

We’re cranking it up to eleven this week when we eat cold cuts and cheese on too small bread, crackers with canned cheese, and Oreo cookies before we discuss  This is Spinal Tap  (1984). The grandfather of every mockumentary in existence has us rockin’ and rollin’ on the floor laughing. Guest, McKean, and Shearer show their comedic genius as British bonehead buffoons. They are correct about one th...

We are headed to the bustling burrow of Bikini Bottom for some Krabby Patties and sundaes (actually hamburgers and milkshakes) before discussing  The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie  (2004). This is a fun-filled, nostalgic trip down memory lane. There’s something about remembering that feeling of excitement and replaying scenes over in your head with your friends that warms your heart like SpongeBob a...

We get huge this week when we eat barbacoa before we discuss  Giant  (1956). We appreciate the cinematography and blocking as well as the actors in this epic western. Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean give spectacular performances that display their massive talent. Even though Giant is seventy years old, it’s still relevant today and ripe for a remake, maybe with better wigs.

We drink and eat our fill of Yoo-hoo and apple pie before discussing  The Nice Guys  (2016). The foolproof trio of detectives, Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, and Angourie Rice, work together to solve this whodunit that really doesn’t need to be solved to be enjoyed. It isn't a mystery that the acting, jokes, and comedic timing are what make this film worth investigating.

We gather to search for more missing movie kids this week, then eat Chinese food before discussing  Prisoners  (2013). This film is fantastically full of raw emotion that encourages you to feel a little pity for every character. We are all susceptible to being trapped and puzzled by our own faith and doing what we believe is right. That is, until someone blows the whistle on us.

We are spending this holiday season together, when we eat roasted chicken, asparagus, and cherries jubilee before discussing  The Holdovers  (2023). Everything about this Christmas movie is spectacular. The writing, cinematography, acting, and music come together to create an honest, humorous, and emotional slice of life. It reminds us that the journeys in our lives are just as important as the de...

We’re stalking the model to solve her riddle as we eat fish and chips, Mars bars, and tea and biscuits before discussing  Sing Street  (2016). This inspirational film captures the expression of the music and fashion of the 80s. Although there could be stormy seas ahead for the young lovers, we can’t help but feel the hopefulness in their journey.

We are entering your dreams and eating fruit, congee, and un café before discussing  Inception  (2010). This action and espionage-packed film set in dreams is fun and entertaining, although the rules are difficult to follow. Are we awake, or are we dreaming in different levels of consciousness throughout the film? As long as the top keeps spinning, we’ll remain the men of your dreams.

We eat a great homemade meal of expensive jam, organic peanut butter, bread, saltines, and salad before we discuss  Mother  (1996). We appreciate the story’s light-hearted approach to fixing a damaged relationship, but finding the perfect woman is not the film’s strongest theme. Although we have mixed feelings about the premise of the story, we find the relationship between mother and son very rel...

We are in Dinner with a Movie paradise when we eat never-ending Olive Garden and discuss  Cinema Paradiso  (1988). This wonderful story about the love of film, young love, and loss is a wonderfully nostalgic view of life. The historical value of French/Italian filmmaking is not lost on us either. This tour through a young man’s memories is a meaningful and timeless work. Now scram and don’t come t...

We give one another hard stares as we eat marmalade sandwiches and candy apples before discussing  Paddington 2.  We admire this hungry bear’s positivity and ability to bring out the best in everyone around him. There will always be a need for Paddington in the world, and we can’t wait to eat another Knuckle’s Sandwich.

What we're doing this week is not a mystery. We eat mini tacos with hot sauce, veggies, pineapple juice, and kombucha before we discuss  Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery  (2022). Is it really a whodunit if you know who the bad guy is from the very beginning? The movie is different enough to be unique to its genre, but we don’t all agree that that’s a good thing. It could be an inexplicable co...

Come sing along with your favorite sixteen-year-old virgins as we eat soul food and then discuss  Hair  (1979). The nostalgia factor figures into Brandon’s love of the film, but with Blake and Jose, it’s neither relatable nor memorable. What the world needs more than ever is some beads, flowers, freedom, and happiness. We agree that the film is ripe for a modern up-do.

Join us on a bad date when we eat dates, tangerines, apples, bananas, bread, and melon before discussing  Raiders of the Lost Ark . It's a movie full of travel, adventure, and an unnecessary need for Marion to be constantly saved. Nonetheless, we enjoy the nostalgic trip that has spawned so many tropes in films that it’s hard to imagine a world without Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr.

Monkeys and spiders and short-legged rhinos; oh, my! We eat peanut butter, bananas, bread, and sugar cookies before discussing  Jumanji  (1995). Is this game out for blood, or is it an omniscient force bent on teaching its players a lesson? Some of us feel the nostalgia, and one wasn’t feeling any of it. Our next game night is going to be wild if we can get our hands on one of these beauties.

We welcome our friend Kyle back for another DWAM escapade when we eat mac and cheese, Spaghetti O’s with meatballs, a Crunch bar, and Haagen Dazs ice cream before we discuss Adventures in Babysitting (1987).  This nostalgic tour of the madness of eighties movie magic gives us a first look at some stars-to-be while the kids teach us how to survive the dangers of the big city. Kyle’s picks always ta...

We’ve got trouble! We eat chicken croquettes and ice cream before discussing  The Music Man  (1962). This film is a slice of Americana that takes us back to a more innocent time when we could be swindled out of our money with the promise of music lessons. Although there is a section after the midpoint that we could all do without, we agree that the songs are well balanced, the choreography is amaz...

This week we party, eat some pizza, and get buzzed on some beers before discussing Manchester by the Sea (2016). This unconventional story makes us want Lee to be able to move on and be happy, yet it never delivers that resolution. Instead, we are left with the smallest hint of healing of an utterly broken man. The film may be full of sadness and grief, but we are always able to find comedy and li...

We eat Cuban sandwiches, tostones, and beignets before discussing the movie  Chef  (2014). Even though the film could have used some well-measured edits, we find that the story is a meaningful tale about finding the correct balance in your life. The perfect mesh of food and fantastical family life is a joy to watch without disorganized domestic hiccups to weigh you down. The film is full of flavor...

We try to keep any happy accidents from happening this week as we eat cheap spaghetti, cookies, and chocolate milk then discuss  Knocked Up  (2007). We agree that the film handles the complexities of pregnancy and having a baby with humor and heart. The meshing of families and comparisons between established and new relationships is meaningful. Ben grows more than the baby in the film and it has a...

We eat pork chops, baked beans, and corn before discussing The Lovely Bones (2009). We find the transitions between the real world and in-between can be visually jarring at times. Although the story is engaging and thrilling, the full attention to detail and the passing of time is crippling. The heart of the film is the talent of its actors. The film has lovely bones, but we needed to perform an a...