Top 10 Chick Flicks About Food, Faith, Love, And Travel
Sundance Channel contributor Wendy Todd delivers her Top Ten chick flick picks.
The film EAT PRAY LOVE, starring Julia Roberts is now playing in theaters across the country. Based on a best-selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, it chronicles a woman's journey of self discovery as she eats her way through Italy, prays her way through India, and finds her love in Bali. In tribute, here's a top ten list of chick flicks about food, faith, love and travel. So ladies, grab a cocktail and get comfy, here's your list.
10. SEX AND THE CITY 2 (2010)
Okay, the movie may not have been a blockbuster, but it sure made escaping the misfortunes of love and life in the Big Apple look glamorous but after traveling to Abu Dhabi for a deluxe excursion, Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte come to realize that life and love back home is better than they thought. Storybook endings (mixed with some fierce fashion) equals girl time well spent!
9. FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (1991)
In this Southern portrayal of "girl power" Evelyn, (Kathy Bates) who's become dissatisfied with her marriage finds friendship and support with an elderly woman, Ninny (Jessica Tandy). While discovering her inner strength, Evelyn also learns the history of the Alabama town, Whistle Stop, and a cafe of the same name where fried green tomatoes and um, a special kind of barbecue were served. This film is perfect for women of all ages who still rock!
8. UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN (2003)
Get a divorce, move to Tuscany! That all makes perfect sense in this romantic comedy about a woman (Diane Lane) living in San Francisco, who becomes depressed after her divorce. On a whim while visiting Italy, she buys a broken down villa. And yep, she meets a guy, a chick flick must!
7. HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK (1998)
Stella Payne (Angela Bassett) copes with losing her job by going on vacation to Jamaica with her best friend, (Whoopi Goldberg) and falls in love with a younger man (Taye Diggs). Redefining one's life is hard work but doing it with a little rum punch and cougar bait by your side, all against a tropical island backdrop doesn't sound so bad.
6. THE HOLIDAY (2006)
Two women, (Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet) living on separate continents who suffer unfortunate break-ups engage in major escapism and swap residences. Amanda, (Cameron) living in Los Angeles, and Iris, (Winslet) living in England, trade spaces. In perfect "chick flick" style, they find themselves and (ah, yes) love. Watching Jack Black, who seems a bit miscast as Winslet's romantic interest, is just as entertaining as watching Jude Law's charming performance with Diaz.
5. JULIE AND JULIA (2009)
Based on a true story, a woman literally spices up her life by creating a blog about cooking each dish from Julia Child's cookbook, The Art of Mastering French Cooking. Simultaneously, the film goes back in time to the 50's and chronicles Child's life and love affair with her husband while the two were in Paris (where she both got her cookbook published, and began her career as a chef). Amy Adams and Meryl Streep star in this film featuring New York, Paris, French cuisine and amour, all the ingredients for a chick flick du jour!
4. TORTILLA SOUP (2001)
A retired chef Martin Naranjo, (Hector Elizondo) who's lost his sense of taste is still able to ply his culinary skills. He shows his love for his three daughters who grapple with the inevitable challenges of life, the perils of love, and the devotion to faith by cooking sumptuous Mexican feasts! This is a sentimental favorite that will make you crave home made enchiladas!
3. CHOCOLAT (2000)
Johnny Depp and Juliet Binoche are set in a 60’s tale about a single mom who moves to France and commits brazen blasphemy by opening a chocolate shop across the street from a church during Lent. While dealing with resistance from townsfolk by tantalizing them with chocolate, she has a sensual encounter with an unwelcome and irresistible drifter. When you combine chocolate, Depp and Paris you’re in chick flick heaven!
2. BRIDGET JONES DIARY (2001)
In this hilarious and iconic British tale about a single girl's struggle with self actualization we watch Bridget Jones (a porcine Renee Zellweger) count binge-eating calories while recounting her self doubt over an office affair with her boss (Hugh Grant) in her journal. Later, to celebrate going from foolish to fab she serves her best friends blue soup and ends up with her soulmate. Snagging a smart, rich lawyer with a British accent? Now this is the chick flick total package!
1. MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (2002)
Still the top grossing independent "chick flick" of all time, writer and star Nia Vardalos portrays Toula Portokalos, a single woman from a large Greek family. She makes a self-defining move and decides against working at the family restaurant and meets non-Greek, Ian Miller (John Corbett) while in her new job. They fall in love, and to appease the family Miller gets baptized in a Greek Orthodox Church. And then opa! It's stuffed grape leaves and wedding cake for all! This is the classic fantasy of an average girl who goes for the brass ring and ends up with a guy who's not only nice, but hot! This quintessential chick flick gets the gold!
