Five to Watch: Movies About Cooking

I really enjoy watching cooking shows like Masterchef and My Kitchen. Or just watching actual chef’s cook, like Jamie Oliver and Curtis Stone. So what about movies. It’s a theme, but not a common theme. I picked five movies with this theme, that you should most definitely watch.

Chef
The film is about Carl, who is a chef at an upscale restaurant. Because work gets repetitive, he loses his temper. And with that his job. Carl decides to run his own food truck and sell the most delicious food from it. This is without a movie you shouldn’t watch when hungry, it will kill you. It’s such a fun film that gives you a good feeling instantly.

Ratatouille
Remy is a rat with a sophisticated palette. When he comes across the kitchen of a fantastic French restaurant, he teams up with the awkward garage boy Alfredo Linguini. Pixar and Disney are known for its originality and entering the world of French cuisine gave us that too. It’s that it’s on the screen, but I swear I can smell the food when I watch “Ratatouille”.

Chocolat
Single mother Vianne and her daughter movie to rural France and open a chocolaterie across the street of the local church. Their sweet indulgences and Sunday hours cause a moral uproar. For all people that love chocolate. And Johnny Depp. I think it’s an underrated film, it’s so much better if you look at it a bit closer.

Waitress
Jenna is a pregnant waitress practicing the art of pie-making at the diner she works at. She wants to attend the local bake off competition, so she gets enough money to leave her husband. When a new doctor arrives in town, things change. It’s a silly, sweet and loving dramady, with heart and subtle humor.

Julie & Julia
A woman’s attempt to cook every recipe from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I love this film. Two storyline: Julie, a cooking enthusiast trying the cook all the recipes in the book. And the story of Julia Child herself, on her way to completing that book. Both Amy Adams and Meryl Streep are fantastic, an underrated film.

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (June 2015)

A really good month I have to say. I saw some new ones in the theatre and also some older movies. But overall, I saw some really good films. Here are my favorites for this month.

5. Chef

Food porn, that’s what “Chef” is. Don’t watch this movie when you’re hungry. This is such an enjoyable film, I really liked it. Jon Favreau, well done!

 

 

4. How to Train Your Dragon 2

The first movie was already a lot of fun, but the sequel is even better. This is the example of how a good sequel should be. Loads of fun!

 

 

3. Dead Man’s Shoes

A movie that stayed pretty much under the radar, which is a shame. Everyone should see “Dead Man’s Shoes”, because it’s an amazing film.

 

 

2. Jurassic World

This is the movie I’ve been looking for, for such a long time. I probably rated it higher than most people, but it gave me what I wanted. I never expected it to bring me that same excitement “Jurassic Park” gave me when I first saw it, but it’s a great sequel. And Chris Pratt is just so great!

 

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

OMG, this was AWESOME! I knew it was going to be good, but I never expected it to be this amazing. From beginning ‘till end, one giant thrill ride, not a moments rest. Fantastic movie, even better than the original movies.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Spy, The Big Blue, Bronson

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 79: Chef

Director: Jon Favreau

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Vergara, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey Jr.

Description: A chef (Jon Favreau) who loses his restaurant job starts up a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged family.

Review: We all know those cooking shows that make our mouths water. Well, “Chef” is a movie that does the same thing. Jon Favreau stars in this film, but also wrote and directed it.

Good food, that’s the world of Carl Casper. His demanding job as the chef of a restaurant cost him his role as husband and father. Together with his team of cooks and the hostess Molly, he prepares for a food critic who comes to the restaurant. Carl wants a new and exciting menu, but boss Riva wants the usual. It gives Carl a destructive review. After a public tirade, Carl is without a job. With help from his ex-wife, Carl buys a food truck. This is the start of a new food adventure and also a good change to reconnect with his son.

“Chef” is great. Jon Favreau is at his best. His character is very likeable and even with all the big stars surrounding him, your attention goes out to Carl. Food trucks are really hip and the use of social media in this movie is done well too. “Chef” is a feel good movie, but can’t avoid clichés. But the movie has a sincere message: chasing the dream and passion. “Chef” is a movie with a lot of optimism and heart.

Not too sweet, with good humor. Jon Favreau delivered us a great film. Tip: make sure you eat before the movie, because this movie is pure food porn!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

DVD Collection Update (20)

Another update, some really cool movies and series to add to my collection. Here they are!

Off course I had to get "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1". I can't wait for the final movie. This movie I really liked, but I think the bigger audience will appreciate it more when the last chapter comes out.

This season was the final chapter of the series. I really hated "Sons of Anarchy" ending, but it was time. I think that it had to end. Lots of people died in this last season, some characters we really come to love over the years.

"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" was really criticized, but I don't understand. It was a good movie. Okay, it was the least one in the series, but it was very enjoyable and beautifully made! Screw those people, I love it.

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" was on of my favorite 2014 movies. This is just awesome, so it had to be in my collection!

Oh how I love "Intouchables". Such a beautiful movie, it makes me happy!

"Cloud Atlas" was a pretty confusing movie, so time to rewatch it. And I also bought it because I can add another Tom Hanks movie to my collection.

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is also favorite of 2014. I slightly prefered it too the first movie. It just shows how amazing this superhero is, he is actually my favorite superhero. And Chris Evans is just amazing as Cap.

Haven't seen "Chef" yet, but I already know I'm going to love this film. I just love these tyes of movies. And it has a great cast. And I love food.

"Whiplash" is a movie I had to have in my collection. When I first saw it, I wanted to get up in cheer, that's how good it was!

 

I'm a big fan of the Disney cartoon "Beauty and the Beast" and I can't wait to see the live action version it. Untill then I have to do it with the French "La Belle et La Bête". I haven't seen it yet, but it looks like a darker version of the fairytale.

Movie Trailer Sunday (134)

Here are this weeks trailers.

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn

Description: Henry Altmann (Robin Williams) is having a horrible day, made much worse by his visit with Dr. Sharon Gill (Mila Kunis), who abruptly informs him that he only has 90 minutes to live. After storming out of the hospital in disbelief, Henry panics and races through Brooklyn in an attempt to right all of the wrongs in his life, while Sharon desperately scrambles to find him and get him into surgery.

Director: Phil Alden Robinson

Starring: Robin Williams, Mila Kunis, Melissa Leo, Peter Dinklage and Hamish Linklater

Trailer: Trailer "The Angriest Man in Brooklyn"

Comment: It's about time that Robin Williams got a movie worth watching again.

Chef

Description: Chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) suddenly quits his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity for its controlling owner (Dustin Hoffman), he is left to figure out what's next. Finding himself in Miami, he teams up with his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara), his friend (John Leguizamo) and his son to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen -- and zest for life and love.

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring: Jon FavreauSofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt, Emjay Anthony, Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey, Jr.

Trailer: Trailer "Chef"

Comment: It's a microbudget film, but a must-see for me!

Wish I Was Here

Description: A thirty-something man (Zach Braff) finds himself at major crossroads, forcing him to examine his life, his career, and his family.

Director: Zach Braff

Starring: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Josh Gad, Ashley Greene, Joey King and Pierce Gagnon

Trailer: Trailer "Wish I Was Here"

Comment: I still haven't seen "Garden State" yet.

Decoding Annie Parker

Description: Armed with a wicked sense of humor, Annie Parker (Samantha Morton) faces down family loss, a cheating husband and her own mortality. At the same time, Dr. King (Helen Hunt) upends scientific doctrine when she discovers the BRCA1 gene mutation, which revolutionizes understanding and treatment of certain types of breast cancer. How the paths of these two women intersect is funny, irreverent, and heartwarming without the burn.

Director: Steven Bernstein

Starring: Samantha Morton, Helen Hunt, Aaron Paul, Bradley Whitford, Rashida Jones, Richard Schiff, Alice Eve, Maggie Grace, Marley Shelton, Chris Mulkey and Corey Stoll

Trailer: Trailer "Decoding Annie Parker"

Comment: Helen unt is back in the game!

 

The Dolphin Tale 2

Description: It has been several years since young Sawyer Nelson (Nathan Gamble) and the dedicated team at the Clearwater Marine Hospital, headed by Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick, Jr.), rescued Winter. With the help of Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman), who developed a unique prosthetic tail for the injured dolphin, they were able to save her life. Yet their fight is not over. Winter�s surrogate mother, the very elderly dolphin Panama, has passed away, leaving Winter without the only poolmate she has ever known. However, the loss of Panama may have even greater repercussions for Winter, who, according to USDA regulations, cannot be housed alone, as Dolphins, social behavior requires them to be paired with other dolphins. Time is running out to find a companion for her before the team at Clearwater loses their beloved Winter to another aquarium.

Director: Charles Martin Smith

Starring: Nathan Gamble, Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson

Trailer: Trailer "The Dolphin Tale 2"

Comment: Yeah Dolphins!