As we look towards the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday, our team of foodies patiently awaits to enjoy all the delicious traditional dishes that come with this unique day of festivities. As you may have guessed by now, we are passionate about cooking, eating and learning about all things food! With that, our team has many different food-related movies that we absolutely love to to binge on in our free time. Here is a Baker’s Dozen of our very favorites for you and your family to watch after feasting.

Family Friendly Films

1. Ratatouille (2007)

“Ratatouille” is a famous Disney comedy-animation movie about a rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a French chef despite his family’s disapproval and the obvious consequences of a rat’s presence in a kitchen, a rodent-phobic setting. When Remy finds himself in the sewers of Paris, he comes across a famous restaurant that Remy idolizes. Despite the dangers of being an unwanted visitor in the kitchen of the famous French restaurant, Remy teams up with a struggling chef to finally explore his passion for cooking. This movie was not only huge upon its launch but is becoming a viral trend online amongst Gen Z and Millennials. The viral app TikTok has had people sharing their love for the movie, and superfans have been developing musicals, rides, merchandise, and more on the app. You can find “Ratatouille” on Disney+, iTunes, YouTube and more.

2. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

This infamous classic is perfect for families and those who want a lighthearted, wholesome film. This musical film is about a poor child named Charlie Bucket who finds a Golden Ticket in a chocolate bar, giving him the chance to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory along with four other children from around the world. Unimaginable things happen throughout their factory tour as they discover this mysterious “world of imagination”. You can find Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory on YouTube, iTunes, and Google Play. 

3. Mostly Martha (2001)

“Mostly Martha” is a German comedy-drama about a strong-willed chef named Martha whose life takes an extremely drastic turn when her sister is killed in a car accident, leaving Martha with her eight year old daughter named Lina. After many attempts to find a babysitter, Martha resorts to bringing Lina to the restaurant where she works everyday. This turns her orderly kitchen upside-down as Martha is occupied taking care of Lina, requiring more new kitchen staff to be brought in. Lina begins to meet and interact with the kitchen staff, even the carefree Italian chef who is instantly at odds with Martha. This wholesome movie is about what family truly means, making it perfect for a cozy movie night. You can find “Mostly Martha” on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Vudu and more.

Comedic Films

4. Big Night (1996)

“Big Night” is a comedy-drama aired in 1996 that shares the lives of two Italian immigrant brothers who live on the New Jersey Shore in the 1950s. The brothers own and operate a restaurant called “Paradise.” One brother, Primo is a gifted and brilliant chef, but is frustrated by customers longing for “Americanized” Italian cuisine. The second brother, Secondo, is wowed by the opportunities America has to offer, and just wants to keep their restaurant afloat despite any setbacks. Business is not going as well as the rival Italian restaurant that is out-competing them. In effort to win over the hearts of Americans, the brothers set out to prepare a feast of a lifetime. You can find “Big Night” on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Pluto TV and more.

5. The Trip (2010)

“The Trip” is a comedy-drama movie launched in 2010. When Steve Coogan is asked to tour the country’s finest restaurants, he envisions spending the getaway with his girlfriend. But, when she backs out on the trip, he is stuck with road tripping with his best friend and main source of aggravation, Rob Brydon. The two friends try to keep their friendship going while they quite obviously see themselves as rivals. Much of the film is improvised, so the conversations the two men have are the highlights of the film. You can find “The Trip” on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Sling TV and more.

6. Tortilla Soup (2001)

“Tortilla Soup” is an American comedy-drama based on the 1994 Chinese film “Eat Drink Man Woman” directed by Ang Lee, telling the story of three Mexican-American sisters, Maribel, Leticia and Carmentry, as they cope and with their veteran chef father Martin who is slowly losing his sense of taste. Although the girls are all grown up, Martin has one mandatory rule: be at home for Sunday dinner. A rift in the family develops when the sisters develop romantic relationships while an unpleasant woman sets her sights on Martin. You can watch this family centric movie on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime and more.

Drama and Romance Films

7. Like Water for Chocolate (1992)

“Like Water for Chocolate” is a 1992 Mexican film based on the popular novel written by Laura Esquivel. The movie is about a woman named Tita living in the early 1900s who is struggling to balance love, family dynamics, and family tradition. Tita’s mother explains that Tita, being the youngest child, cannot marry and instead needs to take care of her mother who is of old age. However, Tita’s siblings, can marry. Nacha, the house chef, takes charge of teaching Tita how to cook flavorful food. Tita learned to infuse her emotions with food. Her story gets flipped on its head when she meets a potential love interest. You can watch “Like Water for Chocolate” on Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and more.

8. Chocolat (2000)

“Chocolat” is a romance-drama film based on the 1999 novel by Joanne Harris. Starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche, this film tells the story of Vianne and her child as they move to a small French town in 1959 and opens an chocolate shop across the square from the church. Vivanne’s unique skills tempt the ultra-traditional villagers to give in to temptation just as Lent begins. You can watch “Chocolat” on Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube and more.

9. Julie & Julia (2009)

Julie & Julia is a biographical comedy-drama movie launched in 2009 staring favorites such as Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci and Chis Messina. The movie contrasts an aspiring cook, Julie Powell, with an established cook, Julia Childs. Julie Powell, frustrated at her job, decides to take on a large project: she vows to prepare all 524 recipes in Julia Childs’ famous cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” in 365 days. The film intertwines Julie’s life with Julia Child’s true tale of how she conquered French cuisine with passion, courageousness, and butter. You can find Julie & Julia on Prime Video, Showtime and more.

10. Uncorked (2020)

“Uncorked” is a brand new 2020 American drama film released by Netflix. The main character, Elijah, works at a wine business and at his family’s local barbecue restaurant. His father expects Elijah to take over the business someday, however Elijah isn’t interested. Elijah explains to his love, Tanya, that he would much rather explore his passion for the wine industry by becoming a master sommelier. As a part of his sommelier program, Elijah is invited to an exchange program in Paris. He faces many twists and turns along the way while chasing his dreams. “Uncorked” is exclusive to Netflix only.

11. Babette’s Feast (1987)

“Babette’s Feast” is a Danish drama film that tells the story of two older, unmarried sister living in a very strict religious community, living a life centered around their father, the local minister and their church. Although both women had a chance to leave the village, the sisters choose to stay with their father and serve the church. A French refugee named Babette arrives at their door once day and  begs the sisters to take her in, committing herself to work for them as maid and chef. Sometime after their father dies, the sisters decide to hold a dinner to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. The sister hesitantly allow Babette to take charge of the preparing the feast of a lifetime for the members of the tiny church and an important gentleman related to one of them. You can watch this critically acclaimed film on HBO Max, Amazon Prime and iTunes.

12. The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” is a comedy-drama film based upon the 2010 novel by Richard Morais. This film tells the story of Hassan Kadam, an extremely talented and self-taught novice chef who opens up an Indian eatery in a small French village after him and his family must evacuate their home in India Acclaimed restaurant owner Madame Mallory has a restaurant just 100 feet away, causing a feud between the two establishments, until Madame Mallory recognizes Kadam’s impressive gifts and takes him under her wing. You can find “The Hundred-Foot Journey” on Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube and more.

13. Vatel (2000)

“Vatel” is a historical drama film that takes place in 1671 and tells the story of three days of festivities for French king Louis XVI, held by Prince de Conde in hopes of impressing the king and receiving economic aid for his struggling chateau in North France. This movie incorporates interesting traditional food within an exhilarating story, perfect for any history buffs. You can find “Vatel” on Vudu or YouTube.

We hope your day is filled with food, fun and everything in between! Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday from all of us at Campus Cooks.