Food Movies: The Topic

[Kafka Zola]

Lot of great movies listed here but my all-time favorite was Louis de Funes' 1970s film about an irascible, egomaniacal restaurant critic who is the head of a Michelin-like group. The name of the film is "L'Aile Ou la Cuisse" (don't know what the US/American name is) and it changed me and my life when I saw it at 5 years of age. From that time onwards, I knew my passion for was food and I wanted nothing more than to be a restaurant critic (which I never became, but still... that film was HUGE for many kids of my generation).

So, if you guys haven't seen it and can find a Version 1 (US-version) copy, then SEE it!!!

Also, in terms of hugely unknown, rarely mentioned but fantastic food movies: "Who Killed the Great Chefs of Europe." God, I love that film. So, so fun!

Mostly Martha, Stanley Tucci's film, Babette's Feast, and several others are super, but for some reason, nothing will ever come close to Louis de Funes' film for me.

[violetfox]

I just watched - and loved - "The Ramen Girl." Brittany Murphy was pretty wonderful, and the film does make me a little sad.

[Shel_B]

Following the lead of Food Songs, how about movies about food?

 

The movies must be a feature length film or documentary, or a short, and food or restaurants must be the subject, not just the title, although there can certainly be subplots that are not about food, cooking, or restaurants.  If it's a film you've actually seen, so much the better.

 

I'll start with a few that come quickly to mind:

 

Tampopo, El Bulli: Cooking in Progress, Supersize Me,  The Big Night, Fast Food Nation, Food, Inc., Chef, and tonight we're going to see Fed Up.

 

What else is there?

Edited June 10, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[Shel_B]

I wonder, would Soylent Green count?

[heidih]

Rehashing again......http://forums.egullet.org/topic/82264-food-movies-the-topic/

[LindaK]

In addition to the list in Heidi's link, a few more recent films that I enjoyed:

 

Haute Cuisine

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Julie and Julia

[SobaAddict70]

Eat Drink Man Woman

Like Water for Chocolate

[chileheadmike]

I really liked Dinner Rush.

[Beebs]

Ratatouille

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

 

(What can I say? I like animated films!)

[nickrey]

A new film, El Somni, was created in conjunction with the Roca brothers from El Celler de Can Roca.

 

Description of the movie from iTunes is as follows:

 

El somni (The dream) is a remarkable film directed by Franc Aleu, which shows the creative process of over 40 international artists who participated in a dinner put together as an opera in twelve dishes, with gastronomic creations by the Roca brothers, from the restaurant El Celler de Can Roca. A visual experience that enables the spectator to get to know the dynamic approach and the challenges that have taken the Roca brothers to the top. Images, matter, music, flavor and smell converge on this journey with guests such as Ferran Adrià, Zubin Mehta, Miquel Barceló, Freida Pinto, Sílvia Pérez Cruz and Harold McGee.

 

Haven't watched it as yet, but looking forward to it.

Edited June 12, 2014 by nickrey (log)

[DianaB]

For me four of Louis de Funès' films stand out, L'aile ou le cuisse has already been cited in this topic but in 2011 so perhaps it deserves another mention. Starring Coluche as the son of de Funès the film is based on production of an elite restaurant guide.

La Soupe aux Choux is one of the best films I have ever seen: two elderly neighbours who pass their days in their rural environment drinking and philosophising, visited by an alien from planet Oxo who sets off back with his flask of cabbage soup which proves a huge hit once back home. He wants the guys to move to Oxo with him to divulge their recipe. Might not sound like much of a film but I found it wonderful first time around and can watch it again and again.

Le Grand Restaurant has de Funès as owner of a Parisian restaurant perhaps based on Maximes. Not as good as L'aile ou le cuise in my view but worth watching for the waiter training....

An older, perhaps less known film is Ni Vu, Ni Connu. This one is in black and white, de Funès lives on the margins of a small French town where his poaching feeds the local economy and it isn't until he is finally caught and imprisoned that his central role becomes evident. This film includes a fishing competition which is one of the absolute classics of French cinema.

All of the above were made in French but there are subtitled versions on sale in the US (Very difficult to find in Europe despite claims on Amazon that some of their DVDs have English subtitles) La Soupe aux Choux is currently on YouTube as an entire film. No subtitles but the story is simple and the acting very visual. My husband speaks very little French and he thoroughly enjoyed this without subtitles. There is a film called Le Grand Restaurant on YouTube but this is a more recent made for TV production, not at all the same thing. I found Ni Vu Ni Connu as a free download via iTunes.

[bonkboo]

Som!

[suzilightning]

Anyone else looking to see "100 Foot Journey"?

 

Kinda looks like "Big Night" meets "West Side Story".

Edited July 16, 2014 by suzilightning (log)

[greatwhitenorth]

Who's Killing the Great Chefs of Europe. Wonderful film with George Segal, Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Morley. Used to watch it like The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

[Shelby]

Anyone else looking to see "100 Foot Journey"?

 

Kinda looks like "Big Night" meets "West Side Story".

I just saw a commercial for this.  I like Helen Mirren AND food, so I'll definitely be seeing this.  Probably wait until it's on a movie channel here at home, though.

[huiray]

Anyone else looking to see "100 Foot Journey"?

 

Kinda looks like "Big Night" meets "West Side Story".

 

 

I just saw a commercial for this.  I like Helen Mirren AND food, so I'll definitely be seeing this.  Probably wait until it's on a movie channel here at home, though.

 

Looks like A.O. Scott was not a fan.     

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/08/movies/in-the-hundred-foot-journey-kitchen-wars-break-out.html

 

--------

 

I've always had a soft spot for Ratatouille.  

Edited August 9, 2014 by huiray (log)

[janeer]

Will see it and decide for myself

[blue_dolphin]

I saw "100 Foot Journey" yesterday and enjoyed it.  The apparent meteoric career of the main character was implausable as were a number of other aspects of the story and the reverence paid to the fragrance from a box of aging spices was almost absurd, though I accept the later as metaphor for the past the the power of scents to elicit memory.  I read the reviews that say, "too sweet, too pretty," and yes, it's that but sometimes that's not a bad thing.  I enjoy challenging, thought provoking films but don't mind an hour or two of enjoyable eye candy from time to time.

 

After watching, I was very hungry but couldn't decide whether to go to an Indian restaurant or to have some pâté and lovely champagne.  Ended up taking the later route so I'm still wanting some good Indian food!

[annabelle]

"Gastro rom-com"  

 

Bwahahaha!!  That's exactly what I thought after watching the ads for this movie. 

 

The fact that Spielberg and Winfrey are behind it insures that it will have extra schmaltz.

[hsm]

It's schmaltzy and predictable, but after a week of crappy news, I didn't mind that a bit. Will most certainly be eating Indian food this week.

Edited August 11, 2014 by hsm (log)

[suzilightning]

$6.00 viewing next Tuesday.   luckily there is an Indian restaurant in the  mall-let next to the theatre....mulligatawny soup and barjas here I come

[Beth Wilson]

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chef_2014/

 

I went to see the movie Chef this summer and now I am obsessed with grilled sandwiches.  It is about a chef and restaurant owner who do not keep up with the times and gets a bad review.  Life changing moments happen as they do in movies. 

 

If you are looking for an enjoyable light movie, it was pretty good.

[janeer]

Went to see 100 ft Journey. It's a food movie; what's not to like? The candied beet is gorgeous. It's a love story, on many levels; what's not to like? He ( chef) is gorgeous; what's not to like? Food breaks down biases and leads to mutual respect; what's not to like??

[John80]

Went to see 100 ft Journey. It's a food movie; what's not to like? The candied beet is gorgeous. It's a love story, on many levels; what's not to like? He ( chef) is gorgeous; what's not to like? Food breaks down biases and leads to mutual respect; what's not to like??

yeah, saw this movie and really enjoyed it

[Kakaroto]

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is pretty amazing.