Entire cultures are built around the importance of good food. One cannot think about places such as Thailand, Japan, Greece, India or France without thinking about the food. Families and friends gather around food. Obsessions are legendary about the quest for perfect recipes. Wars have been fought over the control of spices, chocolate, and coffee. Food also has long been an analogy for sexual passion, and many foods are considered to be aphrodisiacs.
There have only been a few movies that could translate the tastes and aromas of good food into film. These movies employ themes of using food to gather people together or to ignite passions.
Main Courses
Tampopo – This movie wins hands down as the best celebration of food and the addictions that surround it. Along with the quest for the perfect bowl of noodles, the viewer is drawn into the lives of people that obsess about food.
Eat Drink Man Woman – The opening scene alone wins this movie top honour as a food movie. Good food in this film is what brings the family together.
Ratatouille – This animated movie appeals to the foodie both young and old. A rat with a flair for cooking is the hero of this film. Definitely some adult oriented humour was cooked into this movie.
Chocolat – This movie elevated the sensuality of chocolate and baking. Beautifully filmed and acted, the film artfully stirs up the passions of a small town.
Like Water For Chocolate – Classic film out of Mexico that parallels food and passions. Like many cultures, Mexican culture revolves around good food and communal eating. When emotions and dreams are stifled, they surface through the food in this movie.
Amuse Bouche
These movies center on food, but don’t quite have the holding power of a good meal.
Simply Irresistible – Is a lighter side movie about infusing food with love. Along the same lines as Like Water For Chocolate, but not as well done.
Mostly Martha (Bella Martha) –This movie does center on the life of a chef and her obsessive character. It was remade as the weak American version, No Reservations.
The Sicker Side of Sauce
Food is the focus of these movies, although it is not the standard menu being offered.
Fried Green Tomatoes – The secret is in the sauce. A well done movie, although that isn’t beef they are serving up.
The Cook, The Thief, The Wife and her Lover – One of Greenaway’s classic movies. His films tend to be a bit on the disturbing side, and this one is no exception.
Eating Raoul – A campy film about what to do with dead swingers. Worth watching if only for the sound effect used when someone gets clobbered with the frying pan.
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