#taste of things

[rickchung]

The Taste of Things (La Passion de Dodin Bouffant, dir. Trần Anh Hùng) x VIFF 2023.

Trần makes [the film] such a feast of the senses in full cinematic fashion. It's an intoxicating film of simmering emotions told with a tenderly delightful touch throughout. There's a strong passion for its treatment of food preparation in the true style of a classic French meal. Its blend of romance and cooking for someone you love is so expertly realized.

[kitty-leche]

The Taste of Things (2023) staring Juliette Binoche

[chamerionwrites]

When will someone gently take all the internet food bloggers by the shoulders, look into their eyes, and explain that coconut milk is not a neutral-flavored dairy substitute

[zenathered]

I just found out the most hilariously amazing thing.

[captainjonnitkessler]

The second you start talking about some mysterious "they" that are controlling society in some fashion, you are engaging in dangerous conspiratorial thinking even if you're being woke about it. "They" did not institute the 40 hour work week specifically so you would be too tired to revolt. "They" did not invent the sleek minimalist aesthetic in order to crush the spirit of art in the common people. "They" are not pushing mediocre media into the mainstream in order to poison people's critical thinking skills.

Your best case scenario after that is you talk to someone who actually knows what the fuck they're talking about and you get embarrassed because you can't answer basic questions about your own ideology because you never learned anything past "the ruling class/capitalists/politicians are making things bad and if we got rid of them the bad things would all go away!"

Your worst case scenario is obviously the woo-to-fascist pipeline and you end up believing Jews are poisoning American food supplies with GMOs in order to turn us all into beta cucks, so like . . . maybe just stop blaming "them" before you fall down that route.

Obligatory round of disclaimers: Yes, sometimes people do bad things. Be specific about exactly who is doing what instead of ascribing it to some vague group of shadowy elites. Yes, sometimes things in society are bad. Learn to identify the root causes of complex social issues instead of assuming that they're actually extremely simple to fix and we're just not doing it because of some vague group of shadowy elites. Yes, minimalism isn't for everyone. Learn that some people don't share your tastes and get the fuck over it for the love of god.

[basshole-astard]

PSA: i keep seeing posts about staying cool in extreme heat that include advice like "gatorade is bad actually!" and "don't drink fruit juice it'll just dehydrate you!" and neither of these are true!

regarding fruit juice: there's apparently a misconception that Any Sugar At All will dehydrate you, and that's simply not true. yes, sugar will make you pee more when consumed in large amounts, but 1) the natural sugar in fruits won't do this to you 2) great news! a lot of fruit juices exist without any added sugar in them! 3) honestly even having a glass of the fruit juice with added sugar won't completely dehydrate you as long as you're also drinking water throughout the day. if its hot you deserve a cold treat of a drink!!! can't go wrong with fruit juice!!!

regarding gatorade: maybe this isn't an every day drink, but guess what: if it's 110F/40C or hotter outside, and you don't have AC, or you're moving around a lot outside of the AC, and you're sweating buckets: that's when you drink a gatorade.

gatorade exists to replenish all the electrolytes (salt) and glucose (sugar) that you sweat out. YES it is meant for athletes to drink during intensive work outs and not necessarily for people who aren't doing that kind of exercise. BUT GUESS WHAT! when you're sweating buckets because you had to walk to the bus in extreme heat, that's intensive exercise. please feel free to drink a gatorade after that! that's its intended use case!!!!

no: neither of these drinks should be a total replacement for water. but drinking a lot of water and then treating yourself to a fruit juice with lunch is a good idea!!! drinking a gatorade becuase you just had to walk for 20 minutes in the heat is a good idea!!!

Please Stop Spreading Misinformation About Drinks!!! It's fine if you drink things that aren't water!!!! Yes you should probably always be drinking water but drinking something else As Well isn't going to hurt you!!!! okay!!!! its fine!!!!!!

honestly so long as you are consistently getting Any (non-alcoholic) fluids in you, you're doing great!!!!!! okay!!!! i love you stay safe <3

[jupiter-suggestion]

consider the sperm whale and the squid. an ancient rivalry that dates back millions of years. we know the whales eat the squids. we know the squids do not make it easy for them. we know this because of the scars the whales carry, scars on the outside of their body, and on the inside as well. how badly must you want something to endure wounds inside your mouth? inside your gut?

consider the whale, who is harmed by what sustains her. consider the squid, whose flesh is soft and delicious but refuses to go down easy.

[the-celluloid-correspondent]

Quickie Reviews

The Taste of Things

Dodin Bouffant and his lover Eugenie's lives are surrounded by the art of cooking. They are in love, but she refuses to marry him, so he decides to cook a meal for her to change her mind. 

The Taste of Things is a delicious feast as we follow two master cooks perfecting and bonding over their shared passion. It is a simple film that dives into the simple pleasures of life through the art of cooking. Every scene evolving cooking is mouthwatering and soothing. The first 40 minutes of the film have very little dialogue as we watch our characters prepare a multi-course feast that lasts an entire day. Then as the film transitions into this love story, it is simple and sweet as it shows how far a simple jester can go. And the chemistry between Benoit Magimel and Juliette Binoche is beautiful to watch. However, the film is a little long for my taste and it does drag in the latter half of the film. With that stated, The Taste of Things is a beautiful film that does not deserve to be dragged through the mud because it was picked over Anatomy of a Fall. 

My Rating: B

Perfect Days

Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Outside of his structured routine, he enjoys his passion for music and books. And he loves the trees.

Perfect Days unfolds as a minimalist film, immersing viewers in the intriguing world of a man who finds contentment in life's simple pleasures. Following Hirayama through his meticulously structured week, the film reveals the ebb and flow of his daily experiences. Despite facing challenges, he remains undeterred, and steadfast in his commitment to savoring each moment. Dialogue takes a back seat, allowing the film to convey its themes and character nuances through subtle gestures and the daily cadence of life. Koji Yakusho delivers a remarkably subtle yet powerful performance, skillfully portraying the beauty of simplicity and the profound impact of solitary moments.

Suncoast

While caring for her dying brother, a teenager strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist who protests one of the most landmark medical cases of all time. 

Suncoast was so close to greatness, but its underdeveloped and shallow story holds it back. When the narrative was focused on the conflict between Doris (Nico Parker) and her mother (Laura Linney), was when the film was at its strongest. It was a heartbreaking family drama about the inevitability of death and how it can tear a family apart, especially when one is taken too soon. Then when the inevitable emotional finally comes, it is heartbreaking to watch and Nico Parker delivers a harrowing performance as she grieves for her loved ones. However, when the film focuses on the coming-of-age elements and explores why Doris wants to get out of her family, is where the film stumbles. Doris’s new friend group feels incredibly shallow as they are all portrayed as the most stereotypical fake friend group you can imagine. Then when exploring themes of grief and faith with Woody Harrelson’s character, the themes that his character is set up to explore are never really explored. Overall, Suncoast was so close to greatness, that it just needed a little more polishing.

My Rating: B-

Drive-Away Dolls

Two friends take a spontaneous trip to Tallahassee Florida, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way. 

The basic story of Drive-Away Dolls has the potential to be a fun rom-com. But, its poor execution feels like a film student's first film. It’s poorly made as the direction is all over the place and the editing is jarring.  Furthermore, the movie is not even funny as every joke just made me cringe terribly. This quality is a bit unacceptable given that this is directed and written by Ethan Coen. However, the film’s biggest crime is that I could not stand Margaret Qualley’s character. I found her character to be annoying and incredibly inconsiderate of others. She cheats on her girlfriend and pressures another friend into having hook-up s*x. Her lack of caring and awareness was infuriating, to say the least. However, I did enjoy the performance from Geraldine Viswanathan who kept some of my sanity through this somewhat trainwreck of a movie. Overall, I just expected more from a Coen Brother. 

My Rating: C

[cartoonsinthemorning]

The Most StanTwins Coded Meme ever to exist, and no one went for it yet? Absolutely untolerable, I had to do it myself.

[garbean]

I love dunmeshi for the like.. built in horror of consumption. Like they eat to survive, they eat to honor their prey, they eat to possibly mourn someone. Laios eats monsters because he wants to learn more about the things he loves, Senshi eats monsters to feel included in the ecosystem because he didn't fit in with the outside and with most creatures in general, Chilchuck DOESN'T eat as much as he could because eating too much could kill all the party members, Marcille eats monsters and hates it but she still does it because she'll die before she could save Falin.

[soulmvtes]

it's about the small acts of intimacy... forehead kisses, putting jewelry on you, rubbing your hand with their thumb, putting a jacket on you, touching your necklace, running your hands through their hair, wiping away their tears, peeling them an orange, un/zipping their dress, tying their shoelaces, holding hands, removing an eyelash from their cheek, washing their hair, putting an anklet on them, tucking their hair behind their ear, sorting out their collar, untangling their necklaces, drinking out of a cup in their hands

[lilislegacy]

annabeth whatever your middle name is chase. do not think you got away with that comment

[karies-art]

„You’re like… really hot, dude. Wanna make out?“

„?!?!“

FratBoy!Steve just being his very bisexual self 💖

[bacchuschucklefuck]

truly this one's just for me. I can do what I want foreverrr

[charcoaldustonmyfingers]

Sick Days 2

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Despite how awful colds can be, it’s nice to see the little gestures of care from loved ones. My own family tended to make me tea, so I’d end up with new mugs accumulating whenever I woke up lol

I hope that anyone who’s feeling under the weather can get that care, and that you feel better soon! Well wishes :)