Japanese Movies About Food

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

Ratatouille is a 2007 computer-animated comedy film from Pixar Animation Studios, directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava. The film follows a rat named Remy, who dreams of becoming a great chef despite his family's wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. Despite the apparent dangers of being an unlikely - and certainly unwanted - visitor in the kitchen of a fine French restaurant, Remy's passion for cooking soon sets into motion a hilarious and exciting rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down. With the help of his hopelessly disorganized brother, Emile, and a lovelorn street rat named Alfredo, Remy finds himself in the middle of a culinary civil war. He must outcook the fiendish food critic, Anton Ego, and win the admiration of a beautiful Parisian restauranteur, Colette, while avoiding the traps and temptations of life as a rat in Paris.

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

Tampopo is a 1985 Japanese comedy directed by Jûzô Itami. It follows the story of a truck driver named Goro, who becomes an unlikely mentor to a young widow named Tampopo. Together, they embark on a quest to make the perfect bowl of ramen. Along the way, they encounter a number of colorful characters, including gangsters, gourmands, and noodle experts. Through the course of their journey, the two learn lessons about the art of cooking, the importance of friendship, and the power of determination. The film cleverly blends comedy, drama, and food-related hijinks, creating a unique and memorable experience.

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 directed by Ang Lee. The film follows the story of Mr. Chu, a Chinese master chef and father of three grown daughters. As the movie progresses, it follows the family's dynamics and explores the relationships between the father and his daughters as they come to terms with their own individual feelings and hopes. As they navigate the complexities of modern life, they learn to appreciate each other's differences and grow closer together. Through humorous and heartwarming scenes, the film conveys the importance of family, tradition, and food in Chinese culture.

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

"The Lunchbox" is a 2013 Indian romantic drama film directed by Ritesh Batra. The film follows Ila, a housewife living in Mumbai, who prepares a special lunchbox for her absent-minded husband, only for it to be mistakenly delivered to a lonely widower, Saajan Fernandes. Ila and Saajan develop an unlikely friendship through the exchange of notes in the lunchbox, finding solace and companionship in each other. As their friendship grows, Ila and Saajan must decide how far they are willing to go to find the happiness they are both missing in their lives.

From Louis Malle, starring Andre Gregory, Wallace Shawn, Jean Lenauer, Roy Butler
Rated PG

My Dinner with Andre is a 1981 independent film directed by Louis Malle. It follows two friends, André Gregory and Wallace Shawn, who reunite for dinner in a New York cafe. During the meal, the two men exchange stories and activities that they have both pursued over the past year. While André has been traveling around Europe and India, Wallace has stayed in New York, working on a play and growing increasingly dissatisfied with life. Through their conversation, they come to recognize how differently they have chosen to live their lives, and come to appreciate and understand each other in a new way.

From Bruce Beresford, starring Eddie Murphy, Britt Robertson, Natascha McElhone, Xavier Samuel
Rated PG-13

Mr. Church is a 2016 drama film directed by Bruce Beresford. The film follows the story of a young girl named Charlotte “Charlie” Brody (Natalia Dyer), whose mother, Marie (Eddie Murphy), is suffering from terminal cancer. To help take care of her, Marie hires a cook named Henry Joseph Church (Murphy again), commonly referred to as “Mr. Church”. As he settles into his new role, it becomes clear that Mr. Church is more than just a cook, he is a friend and confidante to the family. His presence in their lives helps to bring them closer together, and his wisdom and guidance help Charlie to become the woman she is today. In the end, Mr. Church’s presence in their lives had a deep and lasting impact that resonates with the audience long after the credits roll.

From Directors: Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, starring Marie-Laure Dougnac, Dominique Pinon, Pascal Benezech, Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Rated R

Delicatessen is a 1991 French dark comedy set in a post-apocalyptic world run by a tyrannical butcher. The story follows a struggling young clown who moves into an apartment above a delicatessen and falls in love with the butcher's daughter. As the butcher faces financial troubles, he begins to offer his customers human meat, and the young couple must form a plan to save their love and fight against the oppressive regime. A strong ensemble cast helps bring the offbeat world of Delicatessen to life, including Dominique Pinon, Marie-Laure Dougnac, and Jean-Claude Dreyfus. With its absurd humor, stunning visuals, and endearing love story, Delicatessen is a classic of French cinema.

From Peter Greenaway, starring Richard Bohringer, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Alan Howard
Rated NC-17

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is a British crime drama film written and directed by Peter Greenaway. The film follows Albert, a cruel and profane gangster who runs a high-end restaurant, and his wife, Georgina. When Albert discovers that Georgina is having an affair with a quiet, unassuming bookseller, he devises a cruel and unusual punishment for them both. The story follows their lives and the events that unfold in the restaurant as the macabre situation unfolds. With a striking visual style and a powerful score, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is a unique and unforgettable film.

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

From Percy Adlon, starring Marianne Sägebrecht, CCH Pounder, Jack Palance, Christine Kaufmann
Rated PG

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

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

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

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

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

From Jirí Menzel, starring Ivan Barnev, Oldrich Kaiser, Julia Jentsch, Marián Labuda
Rated R

From John Lee Hancock, starring Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, Linda Cardellini
Rated PG-13

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

From Anthony Lucero, starring Diana Elizabeth Torres, Yutaka Takeuchi, Rodrigo Duarte Clark, Kaya Jade Aguirre
Rated PG

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

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

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

From Maria Ripoll, starring Hector Elizondo, Jacqueline Obradors, Tamara Mello, Jude Herrera
Rated PG-13

From Daniel Cohen, starring Jean Reno, Michaël Youn, Raphaëlle Agogué, Julien Boisselier
Rated PG-13

From Roland Joffé, starring Gérard Depardieu, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Julian Glover
Rated PG-13