Cinema is a reflection of our lives, and hunger for good food is a universal feeling. Many movies have made food their sole focus and many more use it as a tool to initiate and revitalize connections between characters. When the characters on-screen slurp piping hot ramen or splurge on a perfect bowl of banana split, it just makes the viewer salivate with desire.
Different movies have used food in a different manner. Some have used it as love language, while others have used it to stabilize the dynamics of a family. Coupled with that, many employ it to show guilty indulgence.
Either way, a great amount of screentime has been dedicated to this artistic endeavor. Food as a whole brings forth a sense of community with the characters as well as the viewer, which is evident from the list below.
List of movies that will make you drool
5) Ratatouille (2007)
Almost everyone is familiar with this animated movie, where a rat wants to be a chef after being inspired by the culinary genius Auguste Gusteau and his book "Anyone Can Cook." Remy, the rat has the perfect sense of taste and smell as if cooking is in his genes.
Not only can he cook brilliant food, he can also compel his friend to cook by puppeteering him. Remy's Ratatouille in the last scene made an entire generation crave a dish which might have been an alien term before this film.
4) Chocolat (2000)
This comedy-drama leaves you craving to gorge on heavenly chocolates. When Vianne Rocher opens a patisserie in a small traditional French village, everyone notices how unconventional she is by their standards.
She wins over one friend at a time, often with the help of her hot chocolate that comes with a secret ingredient. It has all the elements for entertainment, from imaginary kangaroos to friendly pirates, and most importantly, a hundred different ways of using chocolate.
3) Little Forest (2018)
When a young woman leaves the big city to return to her childhood home, she reconnects with the people, the greenery and most importantly to the food of her memories.
She prepares the dishes her mother used to make, like simple Crème Brûlée or korean pancakes and shares them with her friends. This lighthearted film tempts you to prepare dishes with ingredients fresh from your own garden.
2) The Lunchbox (2013)
As the title of the movie suggests, it is a story over a simple lunchbox. It doesn't directly approach food but shows it as a catalyst for relationships. A doting young wife in hopes of rekindling her love with her aloof husband would prepare lunch boxes for him.
One such lunchbox accidentally found its way to Saajan Fernandes. Thus starts the beginning of a friendship. The movie ignites a love for the comforts of a home-cooked meal, created with such attention to detail that a restaurant just couldn’t provide.
1) Julie and Julia (2019)
Based on the real life of Julia Child and Julie Powell, this comedy-drama focuses on both their lives at different points of time. Julia Child is learning to cook at a culinary school in Paris.
Julie Powell, in pursuit of breaking the banality of her everyday life, attempts to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” This charismatic performance urges you to follow the path of Julie and try your hands at the scrumptious recipes.
As a bonus, almost every scene involving food in a Ghibli movie makes one hungry for more
In the age of technology, recipes from different cuisines have left the bounds of bulky books and found their way into movies and documentaries, making them accessible to all and inspiring people to experiment beyond the familiarity of their own cuisine.