Dinner With a Movie

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...

We eat meatloaf and oatmeal with raisins before discussing Blue Valentine. The exploration of the good and bad behavior and personality traits in the film may be too intense to be entertaining. The slow heartbreak throughout the film explores the control and manipulation in a relationship. Are there sides that we gravitate to based on our own biases, or is everyone just messed up? We may be able t...

We gather here today for some catfish and cornbread before discussing Sinners (2025). Nothing is perfect in this world and this film is no exception, but we find that the good outweighs the bad in this case. The acting, cinematography, choreography, sets, and music really make this movie shine. We confess that we have saved this movie to our favorites.

Your favorite bully, loner, and nerd gather to eat a well-balanced lunch of sushi, sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, Cap’n Crunch sandwiches, chips, and apple juice before discussing  The Breakfast Club . This is a film that every high school kid should watch. We could do without the running in the halls and the unwarranted makeover of the Goth girl. Our “old age” has taught us to walk gently an...

We summon up some pancakes, bacon, and sausage before digging into The Conjuring (2013). The film and its successful spinoffs are an entertaining spin on the events that they are “based on.” Does that make a story more or less believable? For a group of non-believers, we find the shots and some of the story elements deserve praise. We’ll plan ahead next time and invite the Warrens and Bathsheba to...

We escape to another planet to eat Spam, sauces, and macaroons before discussing  Mickey 17 . Is this another Bong hit or pass? The premise of Mickey’s lab rat-like existence is troubling yet thoughtful. Robert Pattison is incredible as all Mickey’s one through eighteen. Although the film captures the insanity and stupidity of today’s politics, it may be a little too preachy for some and could lea...

What do you get when you watch and you eat? Dinner with a Movie is our favorite treat! You guessed it. We’re discussing Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory after we eat tomato soup, roast beef, blueberry pie, and chocolate eggs. This romp through a psychopath’s factory is full of friendly deathtraps for naughty children. Because we’re good boys at DWAM, we can keep bringing you our golden-ticket...

C’mon and have some cheese wrapped in salami and ice cream before we discuss C’mon C’mon. This voyage through mental health and parenting is guided by a kid with an old soul. Brandon isn’t bothered by Joaquin Phoenix and Jose isn’t bothered by Woody Norman so this movie is a pleasant surprise for Blake. Join us for another adventure, C’mon.

We kindly eat cheese pizza before discussing  Be Kind Rewind . Jack Black and Mos Def (Yasiin Bey) lead a great team of friends making movies and creating a community. This episode takes us on a nostalgic journey of the not-so-distant past when we were making films and memories in college. We all find the film charming after we get past the confusing beginning and the emergence of Magnetic Jerry a...

In an attempt to bring you content with more substance, we eat roast chicken, shrimp, eggs, and Diet Coke before discussing  The Substance . Is it a comedy or horror? Is it good or bad? Is it real or a dream? We have no idea, but we have a good time trying to figure out what is going on. Like the Diet Coke, Blake and Jose may have drunk some of the substance and Brandon is having none of it.

Hey, Superstars! Get on the bus. We’re headed to the biblical time of Israel in the seventies to eat cucumber, bell peppers, onions, bread, grapes, and drink a little wine before we discuss  Jesus Christ Superstar  (1974). We all agree that you need multiple watches of the movie to understand what the hell is going on at the beginning and end. We disagree on the need to know the greatest story eve...

LOOK OUT! Your friendly neighborhood Dinnermen are at it again when we eat Cup of Noodles, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, and Dr. Pepper before we discuss  Spiderman  (the Tobey Maguire one). This movie is a great watch if you aren’t paying too much attention to the strange relationships and underdeveloped characters. We agree that Willem Dafoe is wonderful as Norman Osborn and could pos...

There you are, listener! This week, we eat hot dogs and colorful cupcakes before discussing  Hook  (1991). Captain Hook and Smee steal the show and Peter’s children. This would be a great movie about the gay power couple named after the fabulous captain. Alas, it’s loosely about Peter’s need to become a better father. The film has some moments of endearment mixed in with nonconsensual kisses and s...

We’re back in the Colosseum to eat bread, olive oil, grapes, and pomegranate before discussing  Gladiator II  (2024). Is this a better film than the original or a less effective carbon copy that no one needed? Lucius’s unwarranted change from revenge to forgiveness makes the film shallow while the inclusion of a Colosseum naval battle, even with sharks, makes it spectacular. Macrinus’s deception o...

We’re off on another pirate adventure this week when we eat crab, coconut water, melon, pineapple, and apple before discussing  Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest  (2006). The addition of Elizabeth thirsting for Jack’s pirate booty is out of character for a person who just had her wedding to Will Turner ruined. There may be too much silly sword-fighting in the film, but Bootstrap Bill and...

We were looking for a good dinner to have with a movie and stumbled upon kimchi gumbo and  Searching  (2018). Everyone becomes a suspect in this story full of twists, turns, and dead ends that have you on the edge of your seat up until the final reveal. John Cho and Debra Messing are brilliant. It’s a little cliché in places, but a suspenseful ride that’ll make you want to turn the car around and...

We take a ride to a galaxy far, far away to eat sushi and talk about  Rogue One: A Star Wars Story . Is this the best Star Wars movie? We think it is. It has everything from a smart-assed droid to a non-Jedi blind guy. A couple of CGI cameos and misplaced droids brings it down, but just like the Death Star nothing’s perfect. The prequel that nobody asked for delivers the hope for the Star Wars uni...

We eat some grocery store deli food and discuss the movie  Funny People  (2009) this week. Is it nostalgic brilliance or a half-acted mess? We’ll let you decide. One thing we can agree on is that the love story part of the film drags on way too long. With too many comedian cameos to count, this film may be an ode to the past that Judd Apatow thinks is funny more than the audience does.

We took a break from the jar this week to watch something new. Was it a joke or was it  Joker: Folie a Deux ? The world didn’t need another jukebox musical or another Joker movie, so we decided it was more of a gag than a movie. What didn’t make us gag was the talent of the actors and their ability to make something from the lackluster writing. That wasn’t enough to get high praise from us. We hav...