The title of this post is slightly misleading. I’m recommending six food movies, some fictional, some documentaries, and I haven’t seem any of them. But I want to see all of them (and many were recommended on a Chowhound forum so I’m not telling you to watch these completely blindly). Extras bonus: Netflix subscribers can watch the first three movies anytime on the Netflix Instant Queue.
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1) Food, Inc: This was the food movie of last year. But because Food Inc. sounds similar to Fresh, the movie, which I saw at the Creative Alliance a few months ago, I didn’t rush to see it. If you’re in the mood to learn what’s wrong with our food system, I think I’m safe in recommending Food, Inc.
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2) Mondovino: A while ago, I read that those who loved Sideways will enjoy this movie. It was also an Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival so it must be good, right? Maybe. It got mixed reviews on Netflix, with the biggest criticism being the self-important attitude of the wine professionals. This might make me think twice about watching Mondovino, if I didn’t love Sideways…
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3) King Corn: We all know the corn syrup commercial by now, the one where Ms. Corn Syrup offers her hubby a bite of a popsicle made with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). When hubby is hesitant, Ms. Corn Syrup logically explains that her popsicle is made of corn, which is not that bad. King Corn explains why corn is bad. (On a side note, you can watch the corn syrup counter-commercial here, where hubby stands up for himself.)
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4) Big Night: Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub are brothers who run an about-to-be bankrupt Italian restaurant. Of course they must save their place so there you go, that’s the movie. Big Night was recommended many times on the Chowhound forum.
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5) Tampopo: Who wouldn’t want to see a film that is described as a “noodle Western”? In Tampopo, a widow who owns a noodle shop and a truck driver strive to make the perfect bowl of ramen. Good luck finding a copy of the film though. Netflix doesn’t have it. But you can watch a funny and entertaining scene from Tampopo in which an older man explains to his young comrade to correct way to eat a bowl of noodles.
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6) Spain…On the Road Again: A documentary called Spain…on the Road Again where Mario Batali, Mark Bittman, and Gwyneth Paltrow travel through Spain, eating constantly along the way? Sounds like a great PBS series to me. But like Mondovino, this one got mixed reviews, and again the criticisms centered on some of the hosts. Travel and food and Spain still sound pretty entertaining to me though.
What great food movies have I missed?
Great round up. Tampopo is a GREAT movie. Too bad it can’t be found!
@Ninette: I know! If Netflix doesn’t have a movie, I have no idea where to look anymore. Guess we’ll have to make due with the snippets on youtube for now.