Best Movies About Food

From Directors: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, starring Brad Garrett, Lou Romano, Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm
Rated G

Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Written and directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava, it stars the voices of Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Peter Sohn, Brian Dennehy, Peter O'Toole, Janeane Garofalo, Brad Garrett, and Alfred Molina. The film follows the adventures of Remy, a rat, who dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his family's wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When he finds himself in Paris, he teams up with Linguini, a young garbage boy, whose culinary talent Remy assists from beneath the restaurant's floorboards. At the same time, Remy, Linguini, and the all-star cast of characters must battle against the rat-hating food critic, Anton Ego, who has vowed to ruin the newly opened restaurant. Through a combination of creativity, bravery, and friendship, Remy and Linguini's culinary dream becomes reality, as they help to create a dish that proves even a rat can be a chef.

From Jûzô Itami, starring Ken Watanabe, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kôji Yakusho
Rated Not Rated

Tampopo is a 1985 Japanese comedy-drama directed by Jûzô Itami. The film is often referred to as a "ramen western" due to its unusually eclectic mix of comedy, drama and Western genres. The story follows Tampopo, a widow who inherits a rundown ramen shop in Tokyo. With the help of a mysterious truck driver and a band of gourmet experts, she embarks on a quest to create the perfect bowl of ramen. Along the way, the film takes a humorous look at the nuances of Japanese food, culture and society. Tampopo ultimately succeeds in developing her unique recipe for ramen, and the film ends with the ramen shop having become a thriving business.

From David Gelb, starring Jiro Ono, Yoshikazu Ono, Masuhiro Yamamoto, Daisuke Nakazama
Rated PG

"Jiro Dreams of Sushi" is a documentary film directed by David Gelb that follows the life of Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old sushi master and owner of the world-renowned Sukiyabashi Jiro, a three-star Michelin restaurant inside a Tokyo subway station. The film captures Jiro’s life and philosophy as he strives for perfection in his craft, and follows the succession of the restaurant from Jiro to his son Yoshikazu. It also explores the culture of Japanese cuisine, the importance of apprenticeship, and the relationship between Jiro and his sons. Throughout the film, viewers get a glimpse of Jiro’s relentless drive for perfection, as well as the dedication and respect his apprentices and sons have for him.

From Ang Lee, starring Sihung Lung, Kuei-Mei Yang, Yu-Wen Wang, Chien-Lien Wu
Rated Not Rated

Eat Drink Man Woman is a 1994 Taiwanese romantic comedy-drama film directed by Ang Lee. It follows the story of a retired chef, Mr. Chu (Sihung Lung), and his three unmarried daughters (Chien-lien Wu, Kuei-Mei Yang, and Yu-Wen Wang). Each Sunday, Mr. Chu cooks a lavish dinner for his daughters, who have their own distractions as they search for their own paths in life. As the family deals with traditional values, generational divides, and the demands of modern life, they must also confront their own feelings of love and longing. The powerful story of the Chu family is a heartfelt exploration of the universal need for connection and belonging.

From Gabriel Axel, starring Stéphane Audran, Bodil Kjer, Birgitte Federspiel, Jarl Kulle
Rated G

Babette's Feast is a 1987 Danish drama film directed by Gabriel Axel and starring Stéphane Audran. The film is based on a story by Isak Dinesen (pen name of Karen Blixen). The film tells the story of a French refugee of the Franco-Prussian War who becomes the cook for a small, austere Protestant community in a Danish village. Through her cooking, she brings about a transformation of the villagers. Despite the religious nature of the village, the members are able to find an appreciation for life and pleasure that transcends the strictures of their faith. In the end, Babette's Feast is a testament to the power of food and its ability to bring joy to all who partake in it.

From Ritesh Batra, starring Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Lillete Dubey
Rated PG

The Lunchbox is a 2013 Indian romantic drama written and directed by Ritesh Batra, and produced by Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap, Arun Rangachari, and Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film stars Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and follows a mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system between a housewife and a neglected office worker which leads to an unexpected and life-changing friendship. The story takes place in Mumbai, and begins as Ila, a young housewife, prepares lunch for her husband, who is too busy to appreciate it. She sends the lunchbox to his office via the famous dabbawalla delivery system, but it is delivered to the wrong address. The office worker, Saajan, mistakenly receives Ila's lunchbox and appreciates the food and the thoughtful gesture. Ila and Saajan start exchanging notes in the lunchbox, and eventually form an unlikely friendship. As their relationship blossoms, the two discover how food can bring people together and restore lost connections.

From Alexander Payne, starring Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh
Rated R

Sideways follows Miles (Paul Giamatti), a struggling writer and failed novelist, and his best friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) on a weeklong road trip through California's wine country. Miles has had a difficult time since his divorce, and he hopes the trip will give him a chance to clear his head and reconnect with Jack, a semi-successful actor who's about to get married. During their travels, they meet and become romantically involved with two women, Maya (Virginia Madsen) and Terra (Sandra Oh). The movie follows the men as they explore the nuances of each relationship and the challenges they face in their individual lives. Ultimately, each of them must confront their fears and confront what they really want out of life.

From Philip Barantini, starring Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson, Alice Feetham, Ray Panthaki
Rated R

Boiling Point is a 2021 British drama directed by Philip Barantini. It follows the story of two teenage boys from the Midlands who are fed up with their lives and decide to go on the run together. As the boys journey through rural England, they experience the highs and lows of being on the run, while also finding courage and hope in each other. Along the way, they meet a variety of characters, all of whom are affected by the boys' struggles. In the end, the film shows how resilience and friendship can help young people overcome difficult circumstances.

From Abdellatif Kechiche, starring Habib Boufares, Hafsia Herzi, Farida Benkhetache, Abdelhamid Aktouche
Rated Not Rated

From Naomi Kawase, starring Kirin Kiki, Masatoshi Nagase, Kyara Uchida, Miki Mizuno
Rated Not Rated

From Jon Favreau, starring Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman
Rated R

From Directors: Campbell Scott, Stanley Tucci, starring Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci, Marc Anthony, Larry Block
Rated R

From Lasse Hallström, starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon
Rated PG

From Lasse Hallström, starring Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina
Rated PG-13

From Bob Giraldi, starring Danny Aiello, Edoardo Ballerini, John Rothman, Frank Bongiorno
Rated R

From Ofir Raul Graizer, starring Tim Kalkhof, Sarah Adler, Roy Miller, Zohar Strauss
Rated Not Rated

From Sandra Nettelbeck, starring Martina Gedeck, Maxime Foerste, Sergio Castellitto, August Zirner
Rated PG

From Joseph Levy, starring Grant Achatz, Cindy Breitbach, Mike Breitbach, Thomas Keller
Rated Not Rated

From Nora Ephron, starring Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Chris Messina, Stanley Tucci
Rated PG-13

From Adrienne Shelly, starring Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Sisto, Cheryl Hines
Rated PG-13

From Luca Guadagnino, starring Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini, Alba Rohrwacher
Rated R

From Peter Hedges, starring Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke
Rated PG-13

From David Mackenzie, starring Ewan McGregor, Eva Green, Lauren Tempany, Connie Nielsen
Rated R

From Gurinder Chadha, starring Joan Chen, Julianna Margulies, Mercedes Ruehl, Victor Rivers
Rated PG-13

From Bernard Rapp, starring Bernard Giraudeau, Jean-Pierre Lorit, Florence Thomassin, Charles Berling
Rated Not Rated