The 2020 Vote Is In!

 Well, I survived another year!  The 2020 Spirit Awards ballot is due today at 5pm and I just submitted my own personal ballot this morning.  Per my count, I watched 32 movies this go-round for the period of February 26th - April 8th.  It was actually one of the easiest years to do this since they gave us more time than usual, of which I greatly appreciate.  I think we normally only get about 5 weeks to watch the films and it usually forces me to do several marathon watching binges which I really don't prefer.

I'll post my 2020 film picks fairly soon but I have a few more movies to get through first that are not on the Spirit Awards list.  Overall, the gist of the 2020 Spirit Awards film selection is that 95% of the films were good to great, and that's kind of phenomenal, to be frank.  I usually sit through at least 3-4 that I perceive as real clunkers that make me moan in agony for one reason or another.  This year, the only movie that I would say that I really despised was the much applauded "Dick Johnson is Dead", and it was ironically the first film I watched, starting everything on a bad tone which thankfully didn't persist.  Perhaps it's a matter of opinion but I just don't understand why anyone would find that film either interesting or entertaining, and how you can overlook the exploited opportunistic aspect of the film is mind boggling to me, hence my low opinion of it.  It was this years' "For Sama" for me, a film from last years' list that really sent me over the edge that everyone else seemed to really like.

For more info on the films I watch(ed), please check out my page on Letterboxd.com where all the gory details exist.

New Sun Chips Chili Lime Flavor - the Verdict?

 I found these in the snack aisle the last time I was at a major grocery retailer.  I'm a big fan of Sun Chips, and anyone who knows me really well will tell you that I'm a sucker for trying pretty much anything new when it comes to weird flavors and such.  Since this checked both boxes, well, I immediately grabbed them off the shelf.

So, what's the verdict?  Upon tasting the initial chip, I was taken aback just a bit.  I felt like my mouth had been overwhelmed with salt and intense flavor which is a bit unusual since one of the things that I've always loved about Sun Chips in general is that they're not too terribly strong.  The new Chili Lime flavor apparently is breaking that tradition, though, and the flavor was, to put it simply, rather intense.

I try not to comment too much until I've really had a chance to digest something completely (pun intended) but I think I've formed my overall opinion on Chili Lime Sun Chips.  To be blunt, although they got a bit more tolerable the more I ate them, they basically taste like someone wetted a plain Sun Chip and then dipped it in a packet of taco seasoning meant for ground meat, enough so that it completely covers the chip and hence providing the overwhelming flavor.  If that idea appeals to you, you'll love them and you should immediately run out and make the purchase.  For me personally, though, I think I'll stick with either the plain or the other flavors.  Verdict = nogo!