Food and Flicks for August 2009
Movie: “Julie and Julia”
Where: Metropolitan Camino Real
7040 Market Place, Goleta (The Costco Center)
Time: 3:40 p.m. (If time changes, we will let you know.)
Dinner: Following movie at “Pastavino” – the brand new Italian restaurant (across from Chili’s) – an easy walk from the theater.
RSVP: Parm or Frank Williams. Reservations for dinner are required (before Friday, August 14).
Synopsis
Based on
two true stories (partly filmed in Santa Barbara!), Julie
& Julia intertwines the lives of two women -- master chef Julia
Child (Meryl
Streep), who arrives in post-war Paris with a
passion for food, and modern-day frustrated secretary Julie Powell (Amy
Adams), who decides to cook her way through Child's classic cookbook -- who
though separated by time and space, are both at loose ends... until they
discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter,
anything is possible.
Reviews: (overall B to B+)
“Meryl Streep's
interpretation of the iconic chef is uncanny. For about two hours, Streep is Julia, and it's not merely a case of mimicry.
She's so good that one can almost understand the existence of the film merely
as an excuse to get Streep on screen in the role."
- Reelviews
The unevenness of “Julie and Julia” arises from an inherent flaw in the film’s premise. Julie is an insecure, enterprising young woman who found a gimmick and scored a book contract. Julia is a figure of such imposing cultural stature that her pots and pans are displayed at the Smithsonian.” - NY Times
“Julie & Julia” is not lacking in entertainment value, especially with the Streep performance. But if the men had been portrayed as more high-spirited, it might have taken on intriguing dimensions.” - Roger Ebert
“Nora Ephron whips up something wonderful in 'Julie & Julia.' Bon appétit, indeed.” - LA Times