Category Archives: Reviews

Read along as we seek out the best of what the British Columbia coast (and beyond) has to offer.

07.02.14
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Looking for that Message in the Bottle in The Lunchbox, A Movie Review

July 1-3, 2014

The Vic Theatre
#106 Nootka Court
808 Douglas Street
Victoria, BC

The Lunchbox is a very honest film about the trials and tribulations of two individuals struggling through life in Mumbai (Bombay), India. When Ila (Nimrat Kaur), a housewife struggling to keep her happiness afloat, and Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan), a claims adjuster feeling uncertain for his future, discover each other, the feelings they develop in their correspondence helps them live through difficult times. Interestingly, the way they meet is through a special lunch delivery service.

Unlike the traditional lunch boxes that kids take to school in North America or delivery services in Japan, where bikes with huge square-shaped containers are used, the “take-out” system is different in India. Segmented cylindrical containers (known as tiffins) contain a hot food item (typically cooked fresh that morning) in each part, and it’s delivered in a cloth bag to the office worker. Instead of going out to some diner, they can hit the lunch room. When a city is as huge as Mumbai, just how this delivery system can continue without error has to be asked and the answer is simply that all containers are marked with a unique code to insure the food goes to the right office building, desk and person.

But once in a while, a mistake can happen.

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06.30.14
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[Vancouver, BC] Queen vs. Shuraku (Music or Food?), the Showdown

Shu-Raku
833 Granville St
Vancouver, BC

(604) 687-6622

J: In this trip to Vancouver, our goal was to have fun at the Queen and Adam Lambert concert at Rogers Arena. Part of our plan after the show was to revisit one of our favourite ramen joints, Ramen Jinya, before heading off to the Kingston Hotel for some well deserved rest. Unfortunately things do not turn out as I hoped. My mind could understand Ed’s enthusiasm to stick around after the concert to meet the musicians, but my stomach was not so forgiving. After 30 minutes and no food nor autograph in site, Ed and I did what we always do best — to hit the pavement and hope we could find something remotely edible along the way.

E: One of these days, meeting a musician I adore and getting an autograph will happen! I need something to sit next to my much beloved photo with Metal Queen Lee Aaron! All it takes is persistence and that’s what I do best. But even my tummy was aching and did I want to pass up the foodie scene in Vancouver? I think not!

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06.21.14
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Victoria’s Foodie Friday Recap with The Race for the Golden Scallop

Victoria 2nd Annual Foodie Film Festival
June 20-23

The Oak Bay Beach Hotel‘s fabulous Chef Ian Rennie prepared a delectable taste-testing extravaganza with mini fried fish cakes that was very tangy to the senses and some excellently made mini-portions of halibut and fries (accented perfectly with cilantro). Both are to die for. These were not fries, but frites! These thinly slices morsels had all the right soft and crispy textures to define a fried potato. And the fish was fresher than catching it out of the ocean yourself.

These morsels helped kickstart the later evening of Victoria Film Festival’s Annual Foodie Film Fest. The first film offered was Jadoo: Kings of Curry, and one festive film monger couldn’t want and previewed it through VoD for a teaser for what’s to come. With this show now into its second year, this summer program is definitely going to be a delightful annual event.

Today, three more films (none of them sold out at time of press) and mouth-watering foodie delights will soon be offered. If last night was any indication, yes, even the Two Hungry Blokes may need a third stomach to handle everything that’s offered. Sadly, even we need a break but will return to look at the final day of the festivities.

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06.17.14
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Victoria’s 2nd Annual Foodie Film Festival, Jadoo, Kings of Curry

84min

David Foster Foundation Theatre
Oak Bay Beach Hotel

June 20 at 5:30pm

The Simpsons can learn a thing or two about how to repair old familial wounds in Jadoo: Kings of Curry. When a feud splits two brothers — two professional chefs — and their respective families apart, just what will it take to bring them back together? A marriage.

Shalini (Amara Karan) and Mark (Sleepy Hollow’s Tom Mison) are in love and Shalini’s hope is to have a large wedding that both her dad, Raja (Harish Patel), and uncle, Jagi (Kulvinder Ghir), can cook together. But when they are accusing each other of treachery, just exactly what they are angry at each other for is as mysterious as the country that they hail from: India.

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06.07.14
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Victoria’s 2nd Annual Foodie Film Festival, Zone Pro Site: The Movable Feast

145min

David Foster Foundation Theatre
Oak Bay Beach Hotel

Saturday • June 21 at 5:00pm

Plenty of hilarity and nostalgia can be found in a theatrical culinary odyssey that looks at the “catering” business in Taiwan.
 
Zone Pro Site: The Movable Feast shows how a good nostalgic soundtrack can highlight the silliness that’s found in this film, and when this film has a zaniness of a classic Stephen Chow movie, perhaps Taiwanese director Chen Yu-hsun (陳玉勳) should pair up with him to show what two well respected visionaries can do. The only difference is that Chow has recognition outside of China. He’s known internationally for films like Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. 
 

Their two styles are similar as both filmmakers have a perchance for creating the absurd. Yu-Hsun may not be as well known outside of his home country, and as long as word of mouth continues to praise Zone Pro Site, he may start to get recognition on this side of the Pacific.

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06.05.14
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Jon Favreau’s “Chef” Cooks Up a Delightful Family-Bonding Film

Writer/Director/Actor Jon Favreau certainly has a knack for creating whimsically hilarious movies. He does a better job at films like Swingers and Iron Man than he is with Cowboys & Aliens. But perhaps, that’s because some titles are more ready-made for mass appeal than others. His latest film, Chef, cooks up a delightful tale about Carl Casper (Favreau), a renowned Los Angeles chef who prefers to create gastronomic delights over following the rules.

When he is often challenging restaurant owner Riva (Dustin Hoffman) about what to offer in every night’s top menu selection, he is eventually going to lose his job. When he blows up in front of top food critic Ramsey Michel (nicely played by Oliver Platt), he’s going to need a new line of work.

Thanks to television programs like Eat St. to show foodies where to find fantastic food, the revolution is with chefs who prefer to work their own magic through the window of a food truck. Some do not have the finances to run a proper bistro, so that’s why being portable helps. This film is making its rounds to festivals and theatres around the world to show that touring is a better option.

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