Food Symbolism Movies

I love food symbolism movies. My first "foodie" movie was watching Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe. I must of watched it when I was in high school, all I ever recall is the one scene with the French foodie eating the pressed duck, it was so gross, but so enticing at the same time. I wanted to be him eating the pressed duck. This is why I think these food movies get us to appreciate food, they put many people into a realm of food that many people would normally never be part of. So let's look at a few food movies and you decide whether or not they have been important to the the food realm.

Babettes Feast - If you never watch any other food movie, you need to watch this one. Brings the appreciation of haute cuisine to another level, I limit my words for the excellence of this movie.

Mostly Martha is probably one of my favorite movies ever. An obsessive chef with a propensity for over exaggerated personality will make you love her so much more when she tries to care for her orphaned niece and also try to date a male dominate Italian. Yup, I wish I lived in this type of world. Oh wait I like an Italian chick, she's just a bit more amicable. BTW No Reservations was a rip off of this movie.

Big Night is a funny movie, I mean what other food culture would demand pasta with risotto other than in American abundance. Can I have more starch with my starch please. The story is about a family opening a restaurant, no more info for you, watch it yourself.

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover - This is a movie for the sick puppy in all of us. As much as it is about, let's just say cannibalism is the part of this movie that shocks us all, watch it to find out.

Vatel1671, with war brewing with Holland, a penniless prince invites Louis XIV to three days of festivities at a chateau in Chantilly
the movie originates about a great chef named François Vatel

Spanglish, if only I didn't know that Thomas Keller was involved with this movie. There are some freaking AWESOME food moments int he beginning of this movie, but like CHEF!, this movie falls into the overly emotional realm.

When we have movies like Ratatoullie emerging there must be a love for the culinary craft in the film industry. I think in the future we will have more of these movies (Just don't give me another "Waiting"), we just have to make sure more of us "foodie" types support them and tell the industry what we like so we don't end up with reality show movies.