Category Archives: Cooking and food

2002, Cooking and food, Crude Talk, Drama, Gay theme, Jewish Culture, Military, War

Yossi and Jagger (2002)

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From NetFlix:

Two Israeli soldiers try to find solace from the constant grind of war in this moving romantic drama. While preparing for a daring moonlit ambush in the snowy mountains of Lebanon, company commander Yossi (Ohad Knoller) and his platoon leader, Jagger (Yehuda Levi), fall in love, carefully hiding their relationship from their comrades. But will the tragedy of war ultimately intrude upon the men’s clandestine affair?

In the New York Times appeared a discussion of the Israeli director Etan Fox and his work over the years which is best summarized with this quote from IMDB:

What is it like to be young in Israel, particularly in the “bubble” called Tel-Aviv? How can you be gay in this country, even in the macho Army named Tzahal? How can you fall in love in a tiny tension-filled country? Can you consider the Palestinians as friends rather than enemies? All these are questions raised by Eytan Fox’s films and TV films…

If you have not yet seen his Walk on Water then you have a treat coming.

If nothing else this film affords us a glimpse into the daily lives of Israeli soldiers. Moreover it avoids the usual gay film clichés. Nothing more than kisses occur on screen.

1994, British Mystery Series, Cooking and food, Detective, TV Series

Pie in the Sky (1994)

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From NetFlix:

In spite of an intense desire to leave police work forever, Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe (Richard Griffiths) finds himself continually pulled in to help solve crimes even after leaving the force to open his dream restaurant, Pie in the Sky. It seems that Assistant Chief Constable Freddie Fisher (Malcolm Sinclair) can’t manage without Crabbe’s brainpower — and refuses to grant him full retirement. Maggie Steed co-stars in this BBC comedy-drama.

Detective Crabbe spends probably more time talking about food than he does working as a detective. Many episodes do not even involve a murder. Which is a way of saying, these episodes from BBC TV are “gentle” detective stories which do not offer grim situations.

More “As Time Goes By” rather than “Waking the Dead”. Try a few. The series went on for years.

2010, Comedy, Cooking and food, Drugs, Feel Good Not For Children, Flirting, Love Story, Medical Theme

Life As We Know It (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Caterer Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) and network sports director Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) discover a reciprocal hatred during an ill-fated first date — but are forced to put their feelings aside when their mutual friends die and they become the guardians for orphaned Sophie. Now, Holly and Eric must learn to live with each other and juggle their promising careers while taking care of the little girl in this romantic comedy.

If you are searching for a good date movie AND you are wild about infants and children, then I have a good film for you. If anything this film shows in a realistic way just how all-consuming a task it is to raise a child, let alone to also want a career. In a way, the only contrived part of the scheme was that a dead couple’s will could stipulate guardians for the orphans without the consent of those guardians. And how realistic is it that the man and woman guardians (who supposedly dislike each other) would consent to the idea AND share the house of the deceased parents ? Who cares! It is a fun film with lots of pleasing sight gags.

Katherine Heigl, who plays the woman Holly, played opposite Gerard Butler in “The Ugly Truth”. Josh Duhamel, who plays the man Eric, so far seems to be mostly Major Lennox in the Transformers films. Josh Lucas had significant roles in The Weight of Water (2001) and Around the Bend (2004).

In some way I resent these films in which the characters, of course, live in a million dollar house deep in wooded suburbia. But then wife Kathy says people watch movies for escape. Good luck on that mortgage!

1990, Comedy, Cooking and food, Detective, Mayhem, Nudity, Sex Scenes, Violent

Miami Blues (1990)

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From NetFlix:

Veteran criminal Junior (Alec Baldwin), just out of prison, moves to Miami to get a fresh start; right after landing at the airport, though, he inadvertently causes the death of a Hare Krishna, sending a weather-beaten Miami detective (Fred Ward) after him. Stealing the cop’s gun, badge and false teeth, Junior embarks on a crime spree and moves in with a former hooker (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who longs to settle down. But can they outrun the law?

Alec Baldwin is probably the best known of the four Baldwin brothers (the others being Stephen, William, and Daniel). In this film Alec is a mere child of 32 years. Currently he is best known for his role in “30 Rock” at the tender age of 53. His appearance has changed somewhat over those 21 years, to say the least.

This crazy, funny, unpredictable, and violent film predates “Pulp Fiction” by four years and could easily have been the inspiration for John Travolta’s film. Junior (Alec Baldwin) is an intelligent, clever, charming, and resourceful thief, liar, and cold-blooded killer. If you can ignore the violence, you might really enjoy watching Junior slip out of one bad situation after the other. There are enough sight gags, sudden twists, and comic understatements to keep anyone interested.

Immediately after getting out of one of his many stays in prison he hooks up with Jennifer Jason Leigh (who is 28 years old in the film). She played Pauline in “Margot at the Wedding”. Her character Susie Waggoner is a sweet, naive hooker (and college student) who really wants to be a homemaker and who thinks she has found a wonderful life partner. Stick around!

Fred Ward, who has nearly 70 performances under his belt, lends comic relief especially as concerns his false teeth. His role as the stereotypical lonely, dedicated detective whose personal life is a shambles is pitch perfect.

Another reviewer of this film said “There’s also a good soundtrack, capped off at the end by Norman Greenbaum’s classic ‘Spirit In The Sky’ .”

2009, Cooking and food, Drama, Fashion, Gay theme, Italian, Love Story, Nudity, Sex Scenes

I Am Love (2009)

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From NetFlix:

Oscar winner Tilda Swinton shows off her multilingual skills in this Italian melodrama, in which family dissension, unbidden desire and other tensions bubble to the surface during the patriarch’s birthday party. When the seemingly picture-perfect Recchi family gathers at the family manse to celebrate the great old man, the veneer of civility falls quickly away in director Luca Guadagnino’s lush, atmospheric film.

To really enjoy this Italian eye candy set in Milan, you should see this film on a big screen. Admittedly I have a prejudice, I am an Italophile. Except for 5 minutes in English and brief shouting in Russian, the film is spoken in an easy Italian accompanied by subtitles just for the Italian. You may also choose subtitles for the hard-of-hearing.

Cooking and food are central to the film, especially since Swinton falls in love with a young cook who is her son’s friend. Some of the film’s plot might strike you as unlikely. Just suspend disbelief and enjoy the parade of beautiful scenery, beautiful homes and furnishings, beautiful food, beautiful clothing, and many beautiful (but always very “skinny”) women. And yes, there are some prolonged nude sex scenes set in the lush Italian countryside.

Viva l’Italia !