Whiskey and Popcorn

It feels like Disney was banking on a hope and dream with it's newest animated feature "Wish." The cast is solid, the art is beautiful, and the songs are fun. But this movie is missing a real core that can resonate with audiences of all ages. Find out why we didn't love this movie in this review. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

When a large Iranian-American family gathers, a family secret is uncovered that catapults the estranged mother and daughter into an exploration of the past, and to discover they are more alike than they know. Directed by the award-winning Maryam Keshavarz, "The Persian Version" is a fantastic film about women, mothers and daughters, and secrets. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

Based on true events, "The Burial" stars Tommy Lee Jones as Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe, a funeral home owner with financial trouble, and Jamie Foxx as Willie E. Gary, an unconventional lawyer. Together the unlikely duo who take on big business. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

Does Lightyear go boldly were no Disney-Pixar film has gone before? Not really. But the film is leaving critics and fans divided, including us. Chris Evans voices Buzz instead of Tim Allen. The movie is not exactly tied to the Toy Story universe. But it does boast a new slate of characters that are very memorable – including one sweet robo-cat. Find out why Lightyear is creating a buzz in this review. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete Mitchell, aka Maverick, á la Tom Cruise, is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. But then he is pulled into duty as a Top Gun instructor. His mission, (should he choose to accept it!) is to train the best of the best for a dire mission unlike anything these pilots have seen before. Diehard fans of the original might be surprised at just how good Top Gun: Maverick is. Dare we say it's better than the original? Take a listen to find out! Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

Jurassic World Dominion is the third and final film in the rebooted Jurassic Park franchise. This time the original cast is thrown in with the new cast and the dinosaurs are literally all over the world. Is this film the epic conclusion it's touted to be? Or more like T. Rex fodder? And just how did host Kaely Monahan convince her editors to allow a full podcast on Arizona's dinosaurs? Find out in this episode of Whiskey and Popcorn! Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

The Belcher's are on the big screen serving up their biggest adventure to date. Literally. The family is faced with possible closure by their bank and landlord if they don't manage to pay up in time. To make matters worse a sink hole opens right in front of their door. What's a family to do? For the Belcher's they keep on carrying on! Fans of the TV show will be charmed by this movie, if have strong opinions on it, and those who haven't watched it will find it a great introduction. Listen to our latest review! Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

Nicholas Cage takes on his greatest performance yet as...himself. In 'The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent' Cage is playing a fictionalized version of himself. As a washed up, overhyped, actor, he struggles to find work in a town that is no longer interested in him. On top of that, his relationship with his ex-wife and daughter are on the rocks. Then comes a chance to earn some money by traveling to Spain to visit a super fan. Turns out, this fan is part of the Spanish mafia. But this doesn't stop Cage and his new buddy from forming a bond closer than brothers. This movie became an instant favorite for us. Listen to our review to find out why. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

The "Fantastic Beasts" franchise feels more like a wounded animal at this point. While highly anticipated, "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" earned 31% less than its predecessor "Crimes of Grindelwald." While there was nothing particularly faulty with the film, the franchise feels boring and tired. Take a listen to our review to find out why. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

The 22nd Phoenix Film Festival is here and Whiskey and Popcorn is back at it. Hosts Kaely Monahan and Tuesday Mahrle caught up with the festival's executive director, Jason Carney, to chat this year's highlights, doing multiple festivals so close to one another, and COVID precautions. You can get tickets and schedule details to PFF 22 at www.phoenixfilmfestival.com. Make sure to like and subscribe for more local, Phoenix and Arizona movie news and reviews. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

"We are all running from something" is the tagline line for this Maine-made movie. Downeast takes the noir genre and gives it a 2021 update. Lobsterer Tommy lives in a small fishing town that is under the thumb of a gangster. Emma is the sister of his now deceased friend Mikey. The need for answers and closure drive Emma to return to the town. But secrets lie around every lobster trap, and a dangerous game of cat and mouse begins. Downeast won Best Ensemble at the Phoenix Film Festival, and it also impressed us as well. Curious about the drinks we paired with this film? Visit our website whiskeyandpopcorn.org for more details!

It's 2025. Kyoka works as a web director in Tokyo. She's still grieving a breakup that tears at her heart. Lonely she decides to purchase a personal care humanoid, a PCH. He arrives and she names him Kai. Able to simulate 60% of human behavior, Kyoka quickly develops feelings for Kai. But things take a creepier twist when she suddenly discovers she's pregnant. Something that should be impossible. 12 Months of Kai takes the concept of artificial intelligence a step further than most films of the same concept. Beautifully directed with riveting acting, it's no wonder this movie won the 2021 Phoenix Film Festival Best SciFi Feature. Curious about our drink choices? Visit whiskeyandpopcorn.org for the recipes!

What happens when you call out for one thousand rock musicians to come to your town and play together, all in the hopes of attracting your favorite band? You get an incredible documentary full of joy, spirit, and human greatness. And that's exactly what We Are the Thousand gives us. It's the story about the world's largest rock band and how they got started. Curious about our drink choices? Visit whiskeyandpopcorn.org for the recipes!

Another fun-filled and Arizona-made film, Planet George follows the hijinks of George, a trustworthy doorman fed up with a rash of low-level crimes in the luxury condo complex where he works and lives. With pleas for help going unanswered, by management, George enlists the help of his goofy childhood friend and the pretty girl next door. The mission: solve the mystery of break-ins and reinvent his lackluster life. Curious about our drink choices? Visit whiskeyandpopcorn.org for the recipes!

Beans is the director Tracey Deer's debut feature. Based on true events, twelve-year-old Beans is on the edge: torn between innocent childhood and reckless adolescence; forced to grow up fast and become the tough Mohawk warrior she needs to be during the Oka Crisis, the turbulent Indigenous uprising that tore Quebec and Canada apart for 78 tense days in the summer of 1990. Curious about our drink choices? Visit whiskeyandpopcorn.org for the recipes!

Kicking off our Phoenix Film Festival experience this year, we started with The Immortal Jellyfish. A truly hilarious film that's so off the wall and charming that it easily ranks as one of our top picks this year. Denny, an off-the-grid oddball who calls a nurse hot-line for help with his nasty "fire piss" problem. When a dying man washes ashore, Denny and nurse Linda get caught up in the drama and become madcap partners in crime-solving. Curious about our drink choices? Visit whiskeyandpopcorn.org for the recipes! Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

Mark Wahlberg and Reid Miller star in this tender story of love, loss, and acceptance. Following the story of father Joe Bell, we learn how his son committed suicided after severe bullying led him to taking his own life. Propelled to walk across the country, Joe tries to come to terms with his son's death while learning to accept his own failings as a parent. This film split us on its merit. Does the story hold up? Is it missing something? Kaely, Tuesday, and returning guest reviewer Jen, dissect this film. You can see Joe Bell in theaters now. And if you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 They are available 24 hours a day in both English and Spanish. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co

The story of Anthony Bourdain has in many ways been eclipsed by the shocking news of his suicide. But the chef with the rockstar life style was so much more than that one moment. This incredible artist lived to push boundaries and fill the void in his soul with as much as he could, be it for good or bad. Director Morgan Neville (Won't You Be My Neighbor), pieced together interviews from family, friends, and production team to paint the complex life Tony lived. Choosing to not dwell on Tony's end but still giving it its due, Neville allows the audience to decide for themselves the truth about the brash yet shy, artist and romantic that was Anthony Bourdain. In this review, we also feature a special guest reviewer who has been a long time fan of Tony's work. You can see Roadrunner: A Film About Bourdain in theaters now. And if you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 They are available 24 hours a day in both English and Spanish. Find out more at https://whiskeyandpopcorn.pinecast.co