Food in Film
Food has often been essential to cinema. A catalyst which brings people together, it can be used for dramatic confrontation, as a comic device or even a metaphor for the meaning of life. Preparing, presenting and consuming food can evoke a mood that is sumptuous, homely, seductive, disgusting or just plain funny. Eloquent in conveying complex messages, food is a perfect vehicle for expressing the subtext in drama and comedy and for revealing intricate aspects about class, emotional states or gender. Sometimes, as in the movies "Babette's Feast" and "Tampopo", it is the real star. In this compilation below, we take the high ground and take a wide view of the social and symbolic meaning of food in film..
Right: Scene from Gabriel Axel's triumphant "Babette's Feast".
Chef (2014)
7.3/10
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, John Leguizamo, Jon Favreau, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey Jr, Sca...
A chef who loses his restaurant job starts up a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged fam... Read more
Chocolat (2000)
7.3/10
Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Lena Olin, Johnny Depp, Carrie-Anne...
The radiant Juliette Binoche opens a chocolate shop in a small, old-fashioned French town where her confections soon stir the passions and scorn of th... Read more
Cowspiracy (2015)
8.3/10
Director: Kip Anderson
Follow the shocking, yet humorous, journey of an aspiring environmentalist, as he daringly seeks to find the real solution to the most pressing enviro... Read more
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
8/10
Director: George A Romero
Starring: Scott Reiniger, Ken Foree, Gaylen Ross, David Emge
As modern society is consumed by zombie carnage, four desperate survivors barricade themselves inside a shopping mall to battle the flesh-eating horde... Read more
Dawn of the Dead ( Blu-ray ) (1978)
8/10
Director: George A Romero
Starring: David Emge, Gaylen Ross, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger
As modern society is consumed by zombie carnage, four desperate survivors barricade themselves inside a shopping mall to battle the flesh-eating horde... Read more
Diner (1982)
7.2/10
Director: Barry Levinson
Starring: Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Daniel Stern, Kevin Bacon, Timothy Daly, Ellen...
Nostalgic, funny, personal memoir of a group of young men in their early 20's, hanging out at their favourite diner in Baltimore, 1959. This was the t... Read more
Dinner Rush (2001)
7.3/10
Director: Bob Giraldi
Starring: Eduardo Ballerini, Sandra Bernhard, Mark Margolis, Vivian Wu, Danny Aiello
For New York restauranteur Danny Aiello, a conflict with his son over turning the family bistro's menu from traditional Italian fare to nouvelle cuisi... Read more
Dumplings (2004)
6.8/10
Director: Fruit Chan
Starring: Bai Ling, Miriam Yeung Chin, Tony Leung (Ka Fai), Pauline Lau
Originally featured as a short in the anthology '3 Extremes', director Fruit Chan has expanded the concept into this feature-length, satirical treatis... Read more
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
7.8/10
Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Sihung Lung, Kuei-Mei Yang, Yu-Wen Wang
Acclaimed comedy-drama from Ang Lee ("The Wedding Banquet") about Chu, a widowed master chef facing such problems as losing his sense of taste, his th... Read more
Eat Pray Love (2010)
5.7/10
Director: Ryan Murphy
Starring: Billy Crudup, Javier Bardem, Julia Roberts, Richard Jenkins, James Franco, Viola...
Believing there's more to life than a husband, house and career, Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) finds herself with a new appetite for life in this inspir... Read more