Chilling With Netflix With Netflix & Chilll’d – Pairing Ben & Jerry’s Newest Flavour With Netflix’s Latest Releases6 min read
Reading Time: 5 minutesWith more than love in the air, probably the best way to spend this Valentine’s Day is to saddle up on the couch with that special someone watching Netflix. While Ben & Jerry’s latest concoction is now available at its scoop shops, it will only be available at your local convenience store in March 2020. Still, one of these tubs would be the perfect third wheel for a romantic night bumming around at home.
Appropriately named Netflix & Chilll’d (three L’s), the pint stars a mix of peanut butter ice cream, sweet and salty pretzel swirls, and a dose of fudge brownies. We at Sinema.SG got our hands on one of these bad boys and well.. the ice cream is pretty good! While we’re not in the business of reviewing food (yet?), we thought what better way to try out the new flavour than by pairing it with the latest releases on Netflix and seeing how well they go together.
Even without the ice cream, we hope our Netflix recommendations can save you five to ten minutes of scrolling endlessly for something to watch when both of you could be busy snacking. And it will probably save the embarrassment of having to explain to your date why you have Meg Ryan films and three different Star Trek series in your recently watched tab. Or maybe that’s just me.
The Ghost Bride 彼岸之嫁
Starring: Huang Pei-jia, Wu Kang-jen, Ludi Lin, Kuang Tian
Pint-sized synopsis: Young woman Li Lan (Huang Pei-jia) is offered the chance to be a ghost bride to a sinister undead and long-lost F4 member, Tian Ching (Kuang Tian). Joining Li Lan on her journey into the supernatural is Er Lang (Wu Kang-jen), who has divine magical powers, and Tian Bai (Ludi Lin), whose hunky hands look like he is wearing hulk gloves.
Digging into the ice cream, the salty taste of peanut butter overwhelms the tongue right from the first bite. I was thirsty after a few spoonfuls, but I would still be nowhere as thirsty as these three guys fawning over the female lead. While the series and the ice cream’s flavour may not be my usual cup of tea, there was still something addictive about both that had me coming back for more.
With the ice cream, its servings of cushy fudge brownies constantly got me digging. Meanwhile, the show’s strong mystery elements and occasional “wait, what?” moments saw me devouring the series before I realised it was all over – moments like why does Tian Bai look so much like Prince Charming in Cinderella, or why does Tian Ching look like he just ran out of 77th Street to haunt this poor girl. Taken together, the addictive quality of both the ice cream and the series makes for a potent and fun pairing.
Check out our review of the series here.
God of Gamblers 2 賭俠
Starring Andy Lau, Stephen Chow, Ng Man-tat, Sinn Lap-man, Monica Chan
Pint-sized synopsis: Moving at a gag-a-minute, Andy Lau, Stephen Chow and Ng Man-tat get into a bunch of comedic shenanigans revolving around gambling.
Despite being a long-time subscriber of Netflix, I was unaware that the streaming service had a treasure trove of Hong Kong comedies from the 1980s and 1990s. God of Gamblers 2 is an entertaining nostalgic trip that reminded me of simpler days catching shows like these on local television and being able to down pints of ice cream without feeling fat and sluggish afterwards.
Much like the loving blend of ingredients synonymous with Ben & Jerry ice creams in Netflix & Chilll’d, the film has a time-tested winning blend of genres. With the taste of pretzel swirls popping out every so often, it was easy to get freaky along with the hilarious gags and over-the-top gambling highs that the film readily supplied. Both ice-cream and film sport no-nonsense fun that is sure to lighten up even the most awkward of dates.
Check out our review of the comedy classic here.
My Neighbor Totoro となりのトトロ
Starring Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto
Pint-sized synopsis: Two young sisters Satsuki and Mei move to the countryside and run into a host of frighteningly bizarre creatures that also happen to be few of the most beloved animated characters in film.
“Yes I love Totoro too!” is a lie I have told way too many girls over the years and I’m glad to be able to finally watch the film legally. While I felt that the ice cream could’ve done with a sweeter undertone, pairing it with My Neighbor Totoro more than makes up for that with the saccharine world brought to life by the masterful strokes of Studio Ghibli.
Both the film and ice cream quite simply radiate youth. The bountiful taste of peanut butter glistens together with the lush scenery of the Japanese countryside. Every delectable chomp into the savoury brownie bites is bound to make anyone smile along with Totoro’s adorable reactions and expressions. While it’s still way too early to call the ice cream a timeless classic, there should be no dispute that the label is an apt description of the film.
To impress your date, why not share with them a fun little theory behind the film as well? Just be prepared to spend the night on the couch.
Check out our review of the animated classic here.
Verdict:
While all three of these selections were each complemented by Netflix & Chilll’d, I have to go with The Ghost Bride as the best pairing. Initially, I was taken aback by the pint’s strong peanut butter taste. Still, I kept digging and chomping. Similarly with the series, while I did groan over some of the family friendly elements, I was still compelled to see through the supernatural mystery to its end. Both were guilty pleasures that I simply couldn’t resist.
While the flavour is now available at its scoop stores, look out for these pints available in March 2020 at supermarkets, convenience stores and online retailers island wide retailing at SGD$13.90 each.
(Pro-tip: pair the ice-cream with a glass of milk for the best experience!)
