Every week at SiftPop.com, we challenge our writers to choose what they think is the best movie under a certain topic related to a recent release. So this week, with the release of The Menu, we’re counting down our favorite food-centric movies! Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
You know those attack ads that you have been tortured with for the past two to six months during this election cycle? Imagine that but it is just one dude telling you why McDonald’s is the worst possible thing for you to eat. Super Size Me is a brilliant takedown of the fast food business, as it reveals the truth about what Ronald McDonald is putting in your food. Through gross visuals, dietary facts, and brutal interviews with experts and the laymen alike, Morgan Spurlock tells a brilliant documentary tale. Now what makes those political commercials I mentioned earlier unbearable is just how brainless and annoying they are, as they exist just to bash one candidate or another. This assault on the golden arches from Spurlock is easier to watch because of the charm he has, which keeps the movie flowing and enjoyable. Otherwise, it would go down as pleasant as a day-old Big Mac. (Sam Nichols)
One of the funniest and most creative movies of 2009 is Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. This movie kicked off the movie career for this incredibly talented writing/directing duo, who would go on to create some of the best movies of the last 15 years. In the movie, loosely based off of the popular children’s book, we are introduced to Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader), a young scientist who is definitely a bit nutty, pardon the pun. Flint creates a weather machine that makes it rain food. It brings fame and notoriety to his small dying island town, until the machine goes haywire, shooting food out everywhere. The movie also features a ton of notable actors to voice some very memorable characters, like Anna Farris, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Andy Samberg, and James Caan. Not to mention Neil Patrick Harris as Steve the monkey! I was blown away by this movie when I first saw it, in part because I didn’t realize what I was getting into, but mainly because of the cleverness of the comedy. Lord and Miller have made a name for themselves doing “meta” comedy over the years, but this is the movie where they first started to dip their toe into that well. This movie is great for kids and adults alike, and should be at the top of your list of shame if you haven’t seen it; so go watch Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs! (Nick Ferro)
After the last 15 years, Jon Favreau will understandably go down for his contributions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, what he created with Chef, while it obviously doesn’t have the same cultural footprint, was been probably just as impactful for me. Favreau both directs and stars as a chef who rediscovers his passion for cooking after quitting his job at a high-end restaurant, and while traveling the country in a food truck with his son. It’s a feel-good family story (though, being rated R, it’s not necessarilyfor families) that will both put a smile on your face and a rumble in your stomach. The latter point is where the film really makes its mark. It is food porn to the max, and it’s clear, based on how it’s shot, the effort that Favreau put into making Chef feel as authentic as possible.The friendship he spawned with his culinary mentor Roy Choi even gave us a Netflix series that’s a worthy pairing with the film, particularly if you grew up watching cooking shows like I did. (Jake Bourgeois)
Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub, Italian food, and jazz music. What’s not to love? Big Night is the story of two Italian immigrant brothers running a small, middling restaurant on the New Jersey Shore; they have the shot of a lifetime when a friend arranges for popular jazz performer, Louis Prima, and his band to dine in their restaurant for a night. At the same time, they try to navigate personal entanglements that present themselves throughout the course of the coming few days, making the stakes of this important event even more dire. Food is a pivotal element in this film, especially by the end when the two brothers and their waiter prepare an omelet and eat breakfast in an unbroken one-shot (which the TV show Billions played homage to at the end of their fifth season), bringing a hardworking team together after what was undoubtedly the biggest night of their professional culinary lives. This film is a real treat for all pasta lovers and people who have ever followed a dream. I go back it to time and time again, not just for the performances or the underdog story of the American dream, but for the outstanding photography of the authentic Italian cuisine made fresh on camera that is bound to leave me hungry and inspired to cook. (Jeff Alan)
I was not expecting Pig to be about food. I was expecting a Nicolas Cage vehicle about a guy who constantly screams, “Where’s my pig?!” and beats enough people up to rescue it. Instead, I got a subdued Cage with emotion, trauma, depth, and restraint, and a beautiful story about a man who has experienced loss. The elements involving food in Pig are quite amazing, as they represents a number of different things. They represent the dreams that individuals have, whether they want to open up a contemporary restaurant or a pub. Food represents memories, whether poignant or hopeful. It can even present hard work that someone puts in, only for it to be taken away because of critics and loss of ambition. Pig will go down as one of Cage’s best performances and most definitely his best movie in ages. (Mike Hilty)
A decades-long journey of striving for perfection is beautifully and engagingly showcased in Jiro Dreams of Sushi, as the Japanese-language documentary follows 85-year-old sushi master, Jiro Ono, and his restaurant Sukiyabashi. You know it’s going to be interesting when there are twice as many courses as seats for the 10-seat restaurant in a Tokyo subway station which books its reservations a month in advance and serves exclusively sushi. Jiro is the embodiment of the saying, “shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you’ll land among the stars,” as he demands perfection, while knowing it is unachievable. The dedication he has shown across eight decades of work is remarkable, yet he is more affable and funny than any disciplinarian has any business being. This uncommon combination is also shown in the relationship with his sons, including the eldest, Yoshikazu, who is obliged to succeed Jiro, but could very well be outlasted by him. The outstanding cinematography showing off even greater presentation from the chefs makes for stunning visuals. These are backed by a delightful piano score from Philip Glass, which mirrors Jiro’s sushi by being subtly complex and varied, while appearing fairly consistent throughout. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is an inspiring story of passion and perfection with many life lessons doled out along the way, and at a tight 81 minutes it is a delightful breeze of a watch. (Jason Mack)
Sometimes you make a bet on a game that requires a Georgia fan to pick a movie for you, and this time around, SiftPop writer, Matt, decided I should watch Eat Drink Man Woman. However, I found this to be a blessing in disguise. In this Ang Lee movie, there are lessons of love, life, and the generational divide between parents and their children. All of this is centered around where all families congregate and talk: at the dinner table with a home cooked meal. It makes each character feel real, and their relationship with each other, their romantic interests, and their own father feel authentic. The only downside is that this film made me very hungry (save the idea of shark fin soup), but that makes me want to try to make nearly every dish I see on screen. So, if you’re like me and enjoy being inspired by good food and a great story, Eat Drink Man Woman should be mandatory viewing, though maybe not when you’re on a diet. (Joseph Davis)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a fascinating movie that shifts filming styles in a really terrific way. The film initially feels very industrial with the way the interviews and the production of the chocolate bars are being shot, and then later shifts to being really whimsical in its approach. Director Mel Stuart does a great job of giving each of the kids their own vignettes to display their personalities, and possibly foreshadowing some of their shortcomings. Peter Ostrum was an excellent choice as Charlie; he is the juxtaposition of his fellow competitors and has the bright-eyed and honest quality needed to play the character. The true attraction to the film, and likely what gives it its longevity, is the brilliant performance of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. He is complex in his approach to the character; he can be completely condescending and ruthless to a fault, then be almost childlike in the way he speaks about his delicious creations. The vibrancy of the set design and costumes is fantastic, especially the garish appearance of Wonka and the great imagination that goes into the construction of the Factory. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory will pace you in a world of pure imagination with its whimsical approach to world building. (Joe Vargas)
Perfection can be defined in many ways. When preparing food, one might want their dish to turn out perfectly, but this is a difficult feat, even for the best chefs in the world. The film Tampopo chronicles one woman’s journey to make the perfect ramen dish. Directed by Jûzô Itami, the film chronicles the titular Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto), who runs a small ramen shop. After two truck drivers, Gorô (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and Gun (Ken Watanabe), stop into Tampopo’s restaurant, Lai Lai, and get into a fight with some men harassing the owner, they end up back at Tampopo’s. Gorô critiques her ramen after being asked, and the three set on a quest to make Tampopo’s ramen the best in town by analyzing other local ramen dishes and secretly obtaining other competing recipes. One interesting thing about this movie is its use of humor. Foreign films have somehow gotten the reputation that they are all dour and dramatic, but Tampopo does the opposite. It was marketed in Japan as the first “ramen western,” a take on the spaghetti westerns, and it actually achieves this. The whole concept is hilarious to me. There is also a delightfully bizarre subplot of The Man in the White Suit and his lover, who, in vignettes dispersed throughout the movie, have several erotic encounters involving food, which makes the film’s tone even more comical. Tampopo is a hidden gem that will make you laugh, and make you want ramen even more. (Jacob Kinman)
Under normal circumstances, food and rats are two words you’d never want to hear in the same sentence. But they’re an award-winning combination in the movie Ratatouille. It’s an Academy Award-winning combination for Best Animated Film, to be exact. Ratatouille follows the clumsy Linguini (Lou Romano), a restaurant janitor. While cleaning up the restaurant one night, Linguini finds a rat named Remy (Patton Oswalt), who isn’t like other rats. Instead of feeding off garbage, he enjoys cooking and eating gourmet food. The two become unlikely friends when Linguini discovers Remy’s talent, and they work together as the restaurant’s chef. Linguini is the body of the operation, while Remy hides in his hat to help him cook incredible dishes. But of course, it wouldn’t be a Disney movie if there weren’t some obstacles on the journey to success. Ratatouille is entertaining and heartwarming, while touching on important themes. It reminds audiences to follow their dreams, even with limitations. If you’ve ever been an outsider, you’ll find solidarity in Remy and Linguini. And on top of all that, the animated food looks incredible. Beautiful animation, lovable characters, and a fun plot make Ratatouille one of Pixar’s best films. (Diana Gebbia)
The Founder
For an extended period of time from the ‘90s to the ‘00s, Michael Keaton became a bit of a punchline. That all changed with Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) which led to a revival of his career as an elite acting talent with stellar performances in award-winning films like Spotlight,and mainstream films like Spider-Man: Homecoming. Another solid film from his renaissance is The Founder, a film based on the true story Ray Kroc and his hostile takeover of McDonald’s, as well as its meteoric rise as the fast food destination around the globe. The film is subtly directed by John Lee Hancock. He has a great handle on pacing and he gives enough space for not just Keaton, but the rest of this strong ensemble cast, including Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, and Linda Cardellini, amongst others, to really shine. With such strong performances, The Founder takes an otherwise generic biopic and makes it riveting from beginning to end, especially when it’s packed with enough backstabbing and secret dealings that it manages to almost feel like a political thriller… even though it’s a story about a fast-food company. The Founder is a great flick for lovers of food, history, or Keaton; a solid recommendation for everyone. (Heath Lynch)
The Trip
What is a better excuse to make a movie than two friends driving across the countryside eating food? Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon found magic in a bottle when they embarked on The Trip. As a hilarious combination of buddy comedy and ad for delicious-looking food, it is a wonder that it works as well as it does. Coogan and Brydon channel their expert comedic timing in sparring impressions and overall, just exchanging barbs with each other. These exaggerated versions of themselves serve this fun story well, as they deal with personal issues, judge the best food around, and try not to strangle each other along the way. This winning formula of dual comedic experts, amazing looking food, and an endless supply of top-notch comedic impressions of all types of celebrities has spawned quite the unexpected franchise. I could watch these two doing their thing for five more films because they are just that enjoyable. Unexpected depth is just the cherry on top of this tiny gem of a film. (Shane Conto)
Julie & Julia
Welcome to the BEC…. where somehow I weekly fall in love with films I had never imagined I would. Insert, Julie and Julia. I can’t deny how charming and awesome of a feature this is, anchored by an absolute dynamite, impossible not to love cast. Meryl Streep? Exaggerating her character, or absolutely slaying her role? (Hint: it’s the latter; go watch any of Julia Childs’ videos for how perfectly she nailed this!) How about Amy Adams doing her thing where she is absolutely a boss of commanding screen presence alongside Streep? And for the finishing touch, bring in the always-welcome Stanley Tucci. From the triumphs, to the stress, to the failures of nearly burning the kitchen down while cooking/blogging and setting seemingly impossible goals for oneself, Julie and Julia does an incredible job of paying homage to the source material’s conveyance of that journey. It should also be noted, this was a timely film to watch and enjoy to respect the passing of Mrs. Julie Powell last month. Thanks for this gift that everyone should enjoy! (Matt Lawson)
Sausage Party
Have you ever wondered if our food thinks of us as gods who take them to a magical afterlife after we purchase them? Well probably not, because only Seth Rogen could think up a question like that, which he does in the 2016 movie, Sausage Party. This is, hands down, one of the most insane movies I have ever watched. Let me warn you now, this is an animated movie, but it is 100% NOT FOR CHILDREN. Along with Rogen, there’s a ton of comedic genius, with Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, Michael Cera, Salma Hayek, and many others to tell this far-fetched story. I do find myself often rewatching this film, along with several other Rogen movies. The humor is very crass and gross — it’s not just the food that’s alive here. There are always some good laughs to have in a story that goes well over the line. (Austen Terry)
Burnt
For the number of great people in front of the camera (Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Daniel Brühl, Omar Sy, Alicia Vikander, and Lily James) and many others behind the camera (written by Steven Knight, and one of the producers is Gordon Ramsey himself) Burnt has been ignored and forgotten by the moviegoing audience. Ignored, as the box office performance was poor (the movie grossed just over $36 million on a budget of $20 million), and forgotten by everybody else, as I never heard anyone talk about this film. And that’s a shame, as Burnt is a decent hidden gem that might resonate with you if you have ever worked in any kitchen environment. It also gives us a Bradley Cooper in a slightly different role than we are used to. I won’t say this film will surprise you — probably not. It follows a formula that could be described as, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But Burnt has a good enough pedigree, it gets away with it, and you end up enjoying it more than you thought. If you fancy a more-than-decent film about what it’s like working in a high-stress kitchen environment where the only goal is to get Michelin star(s), Burnt is the film to watch. (Luke Burian)