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Last week, the Bumbles asked us about books featured in movies, and despite the fact that I am a BOOK BLOG and READ UNTIL MY BRAINS COME out, I had a hard time coming up with clever ideas. Imagine my excitement when I saw that the topic for this week was food in movies, my other passion. Molly Bumble actually writes and edits restaurant reviews for an online publication, Uptake, so she is a professional foodie and has some great offers this week. I had no issues coming up with a bunch in just a few minutes. Here they are:
1. Babette's Feast - this movie is beginning to become a regular on here, in competition with Jaws and The Shining! If you love to cook, this is one you have to watch. It is a Danish film that won Best Foreign Language Film in 1987, about a refugee who seeks sanctuary by staying with two spinsters as their cook. When she wins the lottery, she uses her winnings to cook a feast for the small village's inhabitants, and effectively breaks down walls and inhibitions.
2. Waitress - totally precious movie about a pregnant waitress in a loveless relationship who bakes incredible pies for a diner with hopes of a better life. her pies all have clever names, crafted and inspired by the woman's mood (like "I don't want to have Earl's baby pie").
3. Julie and Julia - I'd be surprised if this movie doesn't end up on everyone's list. Julia Child is my hero.
4. Ratatouille - not a big fan of rats, but I'd have this one over any evening. Very cute film about a gourmet chef rat and a human protege who is trying to make it in the business.
5. Food Inc. - It simply isn't possible to watch this movie and look at your food the same. Explores agribusiness, the treatment of animals, and farming as a corporation. Fascinating (and scary) stuff.
6. Like Water for Chocolate - the story of a Mexican woman who uses her cooking skills to affect and control the people around her. This movie almost watches like a fairy tale, with lots of magical realism and humor.
So let me have it! Which foodie movies are your favorites??
20 comments:
I love this post! I've actually been in the mood for foodie books and movies, so it's very timely for me :P The only one I've seen is Ratatouille, so there's plenty here to explore.
There's Chocolat (how can you forget a name like that?!!) with Juliette Binoche and my personal all-time favorite not because of the movie but because of the memory: Tampopo. I went on a blind date, and the guy said he forgot his money and would I pay for both and he would get money at an ATM after the movie. However, he ditched me after the movie.... It was fairly pathetic. That was my last blind date (I don't even remember how it got set up) but I never forgot the movie! :--)
p.s. And what about The Cook The Thief, Her Wife and His Lover?
Mmm...Julie & Julia had delicious shots of the dishes that were positively droolworthy :P Do movies about restaurants count? No Reservations isn't bad. That's it...you've stumped me :D
I loved Waitress and think that more people should be exposed to it, because it really was a great little movie. I also think all the bloggers would really appreciate Julie and Julia. I laugh every time I think about Julie having that conversation with her husband about her followers!
I loved the Julia part of that movie...you are right, she is a goddess. not so much the Julie part. Ok, I actually thought she was a whiny, nasty piece of work. :-)
Julie and Julia is perfect for this! Someone else (maybe Margot?) had Babette's Feast on their list too - I need to check it out.
Food INC -- good choice.
My list is here.
I've not seen any of these so I obviously have a lot to look into. It's odd that I love foodie books but don't pay attention to the movies. I'm going to see if the library has any of these.
Great choices. I loved Waitress. I'd add Big Night to the list. It's a fun movie and it left me wanting to eat everything they make at their Italian restaurant.
Wow! I've actually seen three of these & enjoyed them all. Had forgotten Babette's Feast--thanks for the reminder! I note that 4 of your 6 are based on books, so your book blog creds are still solid ;)
Sadly, of these I have only seen Babette's Feast. I've got to get on my Netflix queue.
I wish that Julie & Julia had less Julie and more Julia. I plan on reading Julia's My Life In France later this year, and one of the best food movies I saw was Big Night. The worst was The Cook, The Thief, The Wife and Her Lover (at least that is what I think the title was). Also Eating Raoul was enough to make me NEVER eat again.
I loved all you listed except Babette's Feast. I never made it past the first 15 minutes. Maybe I should try it again...it could have just been my mood.
Food, Inc. was my first eye-opening film about the food industry, although I had already read Fast Food Nation which was equally disturbing. I've watched many more since then and now it's struggle for me every time I pass the meat cases in the grocery store.
And yes, Chocolat!! One of my favorite movies and books. The book is quite different than the movie.
I agree, where is Chocolat?!?
I think you would enjoy The Van based on a wonderful novel of the same name by Roddy Doyle. It's about a bunch of out of work Irish guys who start running a food van to try and make some money. While it may keep you from ever buying chips from a van again, it will crack you up. Both the book and the movie.
I loved The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and Her Lover, myself.
The first one I thought of was Fried Green Tomatoes - although that doesn't have a huge amount of cooking scenes. I love the scene with the food fight though. I agree with Julie & Julia and Ratatouille. I had to laugh about Jill's blind date story. :)
Love Like Water for Chocolate. Oh my that book and film are both favorites of mine.
Other good foodie films: Big Night and Mostly Martha.
Outside of Food Inc. which simultaneously freaked me out and ticked me off, I haven't seen any of these!
I loved Ratatouille!
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