Archive: Food Movie News
Breaking the Farm Bill Down on Netflix
I've been trying to come up with a way to talk about the 2007 (now 2008) Farm Bill that has been extended yet again to May 16. The nearly $300 billion five-year spending bill is so complicated it will turn your eyes inside out. If it was only about subsidies for wealthy farmers (and non-farmers), that would be one thing. But, as a quick aside and to keep you up to speed, just a few days ago, President Bush threatened to veto the bill over the income limits ($500,000) proposed last week in Congress (and given the thumbs up by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi). Under this bill, non-farmers would still get payments until 2009. But it's also about money for school lunch programs in the developing world, money for organic growers, food stamps, land conservation, and shucks, even tax breaks for thoroughbred race horses -- and that's just...
By Kim ODonnel | May 6, 2008; 09:52 AM ET | Comments (4)
Take Time to Smell the Onions
The movie will be there in November, well before Thanksgiving, the publicist kept telling me. But the arrival of "How to Cook Your Life," the documentary by German filmmaker Doris Dorrie ("Men," "Enlightenment Guaranteed"), kept getting delayed, and admittedly I was annoyed. Ever since I got wind of this movie featuring Zen chef and cooking teacher Edward Espe Brown, I had ants in my pants, which isn't very Zen-like. But now I can cool my jets, as the movie opens this Friday, Dec. 7, at Landmark's E Street Cinema, and the timing couldn't be better. While we work ourselves into a holiday lather over the next few weeks, Dorrie's movie is a welcome respite from the seasonal madness, an opportunity to silence the jingle bells and perhaps smell the onions. The 97-minute movie, which premiered earlier this year at the Berlin film festival, is about nothing and everything. The camera...
By Kim ODonnel | December 5, 2007; 09:48 AM ET | Comments (5)
Tasting 'Ratatouille'
It's rare that I'm champing at the bit to see a movie on opening weekend, but for "Ratatouille," the Pixar feature-length cartoon about a culinarily-inclined rat, I gladly queued up Saturday night. My love for the cartoon and the art of make-believe has continued well into adulthood (Anyone love "The Triplets of Belleville" as much as I did?) but a cartoon about cooking -- well, that's about as good as life gets. The trailer practically had me licking my chops. Remy the Rat makes omelettes the proper way for his pal Linguini. (Walt Disney Pictures) A tale of Remy the Parisian rat who's got a passion for cooking, the film delivers lifelike culinary detail that equals (or maybe surpasses) that of real-life food-centric movies such as "Big Night," "Eat Drink Man Woman" and "Like Water for Chocolate." If you like watching cooking shows, you'll love the attention to technique in...
By Kim ODonnel | July 2, 2007; 11:42 AM ET | Comments (11)
Food To-Do List: Giada at Dupont Market
Sometimes I don't feel like cooking, yet still like to stoke the culinary fire with activities outside the kitchen. Below, a few items of interest which have piqued my curiosity and will surely get me out of the house. And if you've got something to add to this food to-do, by all means share in the comments area. This Weekend Shoppers at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market will get a helping of celebrity eye candy with their bags of produce this Sunday morning. Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network Italian darling and cookbook author will be strolling through the market, with a film crew and entourage in tow. FTV star Giada De Laurentiis. (Food Network file photo) The babe sighting will commence at 10:30 a.m., when De Laurentiis will begin tasting her way through the market, as part of a segment for her show, "Giada's Weekend Getaways," which airs Friday nights....
By Kim ODonnel | May 18, 2007; 10:33 AM ET | Comments (2)
Russell Crowe's Wine; Food Blog on Film
There's a new batch of crumbs to snack on in the gastronomic movie news feed bag. First up is A Good Year," the story of a London investment banker who gets fired and inherits a vineyard in Provence. Based on the 2004 Peter Mayle ("A Year in Provence") novel with the same name, the movie stars Russell Crowe as the bequeathed unemployed banker and Albert Finney as his uncle. Crowe, of course, falls in love amidst the grapevines, and his leading lady is played by Marion Cotillard ("A Very Long Engagement"). Scheduled to arrive in theaters in early November, the 20th Century Fox flick is directed by Ridley Scott ("Black Hawk Down," "Gladiator," "Thelma and Louise"). I've got my own food movie hall of fame (perhaps we should share our favorites), and "Mostly Martha" is near the top of the list. Under the direction of German filmmaker Sandra Nettelbeck, "Mostly...
By Kim ODonnel | July 11, 2006; 12:28 PM ET | Comments (2)
Movie Star Rat is a Gourmand
If you weren't too involved with your popcorn, those of you who caught "Cars" on screen this week may have noticed during previews a culinary tease to yet another Pixar main course, due out next summer. The dish in question is "Ratatouille," the story of a rat in Paris with an epicurean appetite. The trailer is hilarious and has me hungry for more, s'il vous plait. On tap to direct is Brad Bird ("The Incredibles"); as for cast, word is that Brad Garrett ("Everybody Loves Raymond") will be the voice of the chef and that the gourmet rat in question will be the voice of Patton Oswalt ("King of Queens"). The film appears to have nothing to do with ratatouille, by the way, a stewy Provencal dish making use of summer goodies such as eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, garlic and herbs....
By Kim ODonnel | June 14, 2006; 11:59 AM ET | Comments (1)
Julia Child: The Movie?
It's rare that I would have entertainment news to share, but because it's food related, I'm hoping fab Celebritology blog-mistress Liz Kelly won't mind. The late great cooking dame Julia Child will be the subject of a yet-to-be-named film, and the woman bringing her back to life is Joan Cusack. Most recently, Cusack appeared with the star-studded cast of "Friends With Money" (Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand); you may also remember her from "Runaway Bride" and "High Fidelity," or if you're old like me, "Saturday Night Live" skits from the late 1980s. Maybe Cusack should consult former SNL-er Dan Akyroyd (remember his bang-up Julia skits?) for some tips on the accent? Apparently, Cusack announced the news while on air with Martha Stewart late last month. Anyone who saw the episode, let us know in the comments area below. Here's the latest bite on "Fast Food Nation," the movie version...
By Kim ODonnel | June 7, 2006; 11:46 AM ET | Comments (7)
