Monday, February 18, 2013

Foodie Movies



Movies provide us a great escape, but they can also inform and inspire.  Specifically, I love the way art, movies and books can inspire people to cook and eat.  When I think of movies featuring food and eating, these are the first ones that come to mind.

Big Night – I loooooove this movie.  It is filled with such anticipation of a Big event, all of it revolving around one amazing dish, Timbale.  This movie will make you dance, sing and plan a meal….and love your brother.

 Chocolat – Any time there’s a discussion of movies that are surprisingly sexy or delicious to watch, this is on the tip of peoples’ tongues.  The sensuousness, the accents, the chocolat…wow.  This is a movie to see only with someone with whom you are very, very close – or wish to be.
 
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – As foodies sometimes we need to remember the simple love of eating, the child-like joy.  Sing Candyman and I dare to get snobby about fair-trade, organically shade grown 73% cacao chocolate.  Just enjoy it!  And since it inevitably comes up…the old one with Gene Wilder! 
 Delicatessen – Weird, clever, intriguing and disturbing, but creepily hilarious and it all centers around a butcher who will remind you of Sweeney Todd. 

Babette's Feast – Imagine Big Night set in 19th century Denmark.  Imagine the power food can have to shake up the most austere.  This movie is slow, gentle, and somewhat bleak…until the food changes everything.

 Food, Inc. – A must-see documentary.  Imagine the effort many of us put into selecting a toaster or a car.  Why do so many of us not make an effort to know about our food?  I have heard many say, “I don’t want to know.”  You don’t want to know what you put inside your body?  This film is sure to disturb and provoke.  Watch it.

King Corn – This doc is clever, funny, and wonderfully thought-provoking.  I think it got virtually no hype outside the documentary film festival crowd (and how big is that population?), but it is quite well-done with a simple idea.  It will make you think, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Super Size Me – This is arguably the movie that brought food consciousness to the masses.  It is based on a crazy stunt that proves incredibly dangerous – eating nothing but McDonald’s for a month.  Of course, nobody would actually do this, but if you consider the impact, why would anyone eat fast food with any regularity?  You will find this entertaining and scary.

What are your favorite food movies?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great list! One of my personal favorites happens to be Ratatouille. "Anyone can cook!" :)

Anonymous said...

What about "Like Water for Chocolate"? Can't beat food plus a passionate love story.

Mark Janda said...

I have no idea how I forgot those two! Ratatouille and Like Water for Chocolate MUST be on this list - Thank You!!!

Anonymous said...

Must also add Kip Pastor's new documentary "In Organic We Trust" and Deborah Koons Garcia's "Future of Food."

Anonymous said...

For good looking food there is "Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?" from 1978. A comedic murder mystery.

Unknown said...

How can we leave off Eat Drink Men Women, Tampopo or I Am Love (with Tilda Swinton).

Anonymous said...

Luv <3 the food prep shots in Tortilla Soup!
A recent foreign FAV - "Toast" - with Helena Bonham Carter as a competitive culinary step-mom!

turinepi said...

you can also add:
Wedding banquet
Facing Windows
la grande bouffe
Mid-August lunch
Dinner rush
even Pan's labirith, Narnia as well as the Godfather have amazing food scenes!

Anonymous said...

The anticipation I'm in Big Night is for 'timpano'. And I completely agree Ratatouille must be on any list