Janet LeighEarly last week Soho’s Milk Bar was flooded with people, a modest queue hung close to the doors outside and every hungry mouth waited eagerly to take a bite out of Pulp fiction, fill their bellies full of Orange is the New Black only to top it off with a delectable mouthful of Breaking Bad. It may sound mad but that’s exactly what took place when Virgin Media commandeered the restaurant for one day to create Virgin Media’s TV diner. The whole thing was a cunning ploy to get us pumped about their Big Kahuna Movies bundle.
FilmJuice’s Janet Leigh went along to sample chef Neil Rankin’s insanely eclectic menu, which offered Big Kauhna beef burgers, Red’s apology stew, and apple pie which claimed – rather alarmingly – to be ‘American Pie’ style.
If all this has left you craving some more melt in the mouth movie moments, then join us as Janet shares her quick and dirty list of some of the most enticing food driven movies. Naturally this list could have gone of forever so let’s just call this an amuse-bouche of cracking foodie movies.
Ratatouille
When you put your pallets in the hands of a tiny rat expect ludicrous things to happen. Such as the unlikely alliance between Remy the rat and tentative young kitchen porter Linguini. Together the two create wonderful mouth watering dishes that see Linguini rise quickly up the ranks.
Julie and Julia
524 recipes stuffed into in 365 days, I know what fearful thought is running through your mind, what on earth is happening to all these left-overs and why can’t, oh why can’t they find their way to you? Putting aside this terrifying thought, this charming movie offers more than food porn. When two women strive for purpose in their lives through cooking. Julie Powell takes on the task of cooking Julia Child’s recipes each day for a year while Child attempts to re-invent herself through her passion – cooking.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory /Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Whether you opt for 1971 version or Tim Burton’s 2005 rendition you’re always in for a treat. Impoverished Charlie’s world is turned around when he wins the golden ticket slipped inside a chocolate bar. His tour through the quirky chocolatiers’ factory he finds himself surrounded by everlasting gobstoppers, oversized gummy bears and we find ourselves with an overwhelming craving for all things junk.
Eat Pray love
“I’m having a relationship with my pizza” is one of the gem quotes that can be found in director Ryan Murphy’s film Eat, Pray, Love and it has to be said, who hasn’t been there? Not strictly a food driven movie but definitely worth a mention. After a escaping an unhappy marriage Julia Robert’s character, Liz Gilbert, decides to make some changes in her life that spur her on year long journey around the world. A journey where she painstakingly embarks on a “no carb left behind experiment”…what a chore.
Chocolat
Is there a racier treat than chocolate? Certainly not in this 2000 Lasse Hallstrm flick. Set in 1959, single mum Vianne Rocher (played by Juilette Binoche) finds herself in a small French Village where opens up a confectionery specialising in chocolate much to the disagreement of the mayor, Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina). Her scandalous candy causes a buzz, stirring life into the once placid town.
