As a food and travel enthusiast, Christopher J. Precopia loves it when a movie takes him on a much cheaper journey than airfare. When thinking of food movies, people often go directly to a film like Burnt, which is wholly focused on a singular chef in a highly volatile kitchen. Still, to Christopher J. Precopia, a good food movie is a movie that has people leaving the theater with a craving where no amount of popcorn will be able to fill that void. Some of the films mentioned today by Christopher J. Precopia will have food as the central theme, and others will have food as a supporting actor. Either way, you will want to pick up a fork by the time the credits roll.
While the first two Godfather movies are widely considered the most excellent two mob movies ever made, Christopher J. Precopia watches those movies and thinks of how the camera brought the food and the landscape of Italy, New York, and Cuba to life. When Michael is instructed on how to make Sunday gravy, you can’t help but want to go out for pasta or enjoy a home-cooked meal like only Grandma can make. Sure, there’s much more than food to gather from these films, but it’s incredible how some of the darkness of the themes are counterbalanced by food and wine. When Michael heads to Italy, the film shows the Italian countryside. You will want to travel to Italy after watching these classic American films.
When the movie Big Night came out, people didn’t understand how passionate Stanley Tucci was about food and Italian cuisine. Big Night is a movie that showcases two brothers running an Italian restaurant in 1950’s New Jersey. The movie helps show people’s passion for food, making it more than a meal. One brother sees his food as art, which is to be respected and revered. While the other brother is just looking to keep the lights on. To Christopher J. Precopia, our classic cultural dishes help make us the people we come to be, and that’s a thought watching Big Night always leaves him with. Anyone interested in watching Big Night can do so with a Hulu subscription.
Julie & Julia is one of those movies that will lead to anyone trying French food. Julia Child is the author of one of the most famous cookbooks of all-time. Julie Powell is one of the most recognizable food bloggers in history. The story of Julie & Julia shows the story of how these two powerful women came to be. You learn that both women are driven by their passion for food. During the scenes where they are cooking classic French dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon or Coq au Vin, you want to reach through the screen and have a taste. Fun fact, Stanley Tucci, the driving force in Big Night, plays the role of Julia Child’s strict husband. Christopher J. Precopia knows Tucci is a great actor because the man loves to eat!
Christopher J. Precopia is a man who loves dessert. When other kids were enjoying Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory for the Oompa Loompas singing and dancing, Christopher J. Precopia dreamed of what it would be like to have your own candy factory. One of the best parts of watching the movie back is that the chocolate looks as delectable as ever. It is so fun for children to watch because Willy Wonka is a chocolatier who makes anything imaginable. As someone who believes there is no limit to where food can take you, Christopher J. Precopia can’t recommend this film enough.
Finally, here are two quick children’s movies that can get any kid interested in food. The first is Pixar’s Ratatouille. While the film is made for kids, most jokes land with adults throughout the film. Without providing any spoilers, the scene towards the end when the critic is reminded of his childhood with a single bite of food speaks to everything Christopher Precopia loves about food. There are so many more fantastic food films, but one scene that always stood out to Christopher Precopia comes from Hook. Robin Williams plays a grown-up version of Peter Pan who has completely forgotten about his adventures as a child. What allows the memory to kick back-in? Imaginary food, of course. When he finally starts to see the world around him in neverland and the food comes into focus, it’s an awesome scene!
