What movies are you watching?

[Jorge]

As a dramedy, Chef is serviceable. As a movie about a chef, it’s straight garbage. There’s The Bear, then there’s every other movie or show that tried to cash in on foodie culture and failed.

It's a treatise on artistic integrity

Agree on that. Finishing it now.

I think that's totally a fair reading. but it's pretty milquetoast in that regard. "Boo hoo, I can't put my radish slices on my foamy emulsifications any more, I'm gonna go start a food truck."

I'm not suggesting the narrative doesn't have any merit. I'm confidently stating that its execution of food and hospitality as a backdrop of those themes is very surface-level. Like they cobbled the plot together from a quick scan of the Food & Wine archives.

I feel unprepared to defend the movie as it's been several years since I watched it. But this argument reminds.me a bit of some people I know who became so fixated on Whiplash's failure to accurately depict the elite jazz music school experience that they became completely unable to enjoy the film for what it actually is, and what it puts all its effort towards being: a sports movie

[Jorge]

Like I can't think of anything that matters less to me than industry authenticity. Feels like Neil DeGrasse Tyson fact-checking Arrival

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[Jorge]

I get what you're saying, and recognize my attachment to the material makes me especially opinionated about the subject matter. but using a sci-fi fantasy film to make a point about a movie set in the culinary world isn't a great approach.

Fair. Whiplash is the better example. But I guess generally when it comes to plot verisimilitude is more important to me than authenticity. But I can imagine a scenario where I could take issue with an unrealistic depiction of something that is close to me, so I understand

[Anders]

Looking forward to rewatching Whiplash soon (it’s a 2014 movie). Only time I’ve seen it was with an ex that absolutely hated it. Relationship lasted 8 months, and this was 3-4 months in, but I do remember it as one of the early negative moments, in an otherwise fun period.

[Jorge]

but also comparing this movie to Arrival is pretty laughable for the basic reason that Arrival is packed with emotional resonance, and Chef is not. Is it "about artistic integrity"? Sure. Does it resonate? Not for me, and it'd be safe to say that would be the case if it were set in an industry I know nothing about.

I wasn't really comparing the films, they're radically different in every way. More the use of authenticity as a barometer of quality or worth. Chef may not have resonated with you but it did with many people, just as Arrival didn't resonate with some people (like our own Anders)

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[spike]

The only reason we still have netflix is she likes to watch Grey's Anatomy. I should just buy her the box set..

That shit’s on Hulu if you’d get more out of that app.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[Anders]

Looking forward to rewatching Whiplash soon (it’s a 2014 movie). Only time I’ve seen it was with an ex that absolutely hated it. Relationship lasted 8 months, and this was 3-4 months in, but I do remember it as one of the early negative moments, in an otherwise fun period.

I look forward to your three-word review

Preview:

«Had a good time watching this. Superb movie, one of the best movies from 2014. Possibly Miles Teller’s finest performance. Great story, unique cinematography.»

I guess. Won’t watch it for another couple of weeks I think.

[Anders]

but also comparing this movie to Arrival is pretty laughable for the basic reason that Arrival is packed with emotional resonance, and Chef is not. Is it "about artistic integrity"? Sure. Does it resonate? Not for me, and it'd be safe to say that would be the case if it were set in an industry I know nothing about.

I wasn't really comparing the films, they're radically different in every way. More the use of authenticity as a barometer of quality or worth. Chef may not have resonated with you but it did with many people, just as Arrival didn't resonate with some people (like our own Anders)

Yeah but Anders tastes are so enigmatic. He'll gush about some crap like Operation Dumbo Drop, but then lobby hard for a great deep cut like Army Reserve.

Army Reserve is indeed a fine modern Pearl Jam song.

Operation Dumbo Drop sounds like a poor example of what I would like, but I’m glad we all have different tastes. Would be boring if we were all type as typical cinephiles.

[The Argonaut]

Whiplash is a movie about the power of hate. Hate is inspirational, it's creative. Love is weak. Its power pales in comparison to hate's.

[Anders]

Doubt that’s what I will take from rewatching it.

[The Argonaut]

I will make a YouTube video essay to convince you

[Anders]

I don’t usually watch those, but if you make one, I will.

[spike]

Darth Asher over here

[psychobain]

In the Mood for Love

[Malloy]

In the Mood for Love

was scrolling down this page thinking it was littered with some of my least favorite movies and tv shows of this century, until i arrived here