Mini-Review: Julie & Julia
We've had yet more rain. 14 inches, not counting the overflow when it was too wicked-wet to empty out the water gauge.
Cold and rainy, we've been cocooning this past week with a marathon of movies. One of the movies in the queue was Julie & Julia.
It was a movie made out of a combination of two books: My Life in France (Julia Child's autobiography) and a memoir of Julie Powell who cooked and blogged her way through Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
After watching this movie I'm convinced there's nothing Meryl Streep can't do. She somehow adapted Child's voice, body language, and mannerisms into a character that bursts to life. Streep is absolutely brilliant.
Amy Adams plays Julie Powell. I adore perky Amy Adams but I couldn't help feeling she was being kind to an otherwise bratty character. Julie Powell comes across as whiny, self-centered, and immature. Amy Adams handled a difficult character with a lot of grace, but you can still see the brat under the blanket. I get annoyed with people constantly in me-me-me mode and this woman seemed to live in that state.
I loved how the director mirrored Julie's life in the 21st century and Julia Child's life in 1940s France. The sets, the clothes, and the food was sheer artistry. The actors were believable. They breathed life into their characters. There wasn't a poor performance anywhere in the movie.
As I like to do with movies, I did some research on the real life people behind the story. I found a new affection and respect for Julia Child. She was a woman who wasn't afraid to show her passion for food and for her husband. The movie is worth watching just to see the romance between Julia Child and her husband, Paul simmer.
Julie Powell, sad to say, seems to have lived up to my suspicions. Apparently, after her blog fame, she wrote another book, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession, a memoir of her adulterous sex life. :facepalm: Judging by the reviews, it was not pretty.
I highly recommend Julie & Julia though. The performances, the sets, and the food will have you salivating to cook up something fancy.
Right now I've got a craving for lobster in garlic butter sauce. Bon appétit.
Are you a foodie?
Cold and rainy, we've been cocooning this past week with a marathon of movies. One of the movies in the queue was Julie & Julia.
It was a movie made out of a combination of two books: My Life in France (Julia Child's autobiography) and a memoir of Julie Powell who cooked and blogged her way through Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
After watching this movie I'm convinced there's nothing Meryl Streep can't do. She somehow adapted Child's voice, body language, and mannerisms into a character that bursts to life. Streep is absolutely brilliant.
Amy Adams plays Julie Powell. I adore perky Amy Adams but I couldn't help feeling she was being kind to an otherwise bratty character. Julie Powell comes across as whiny, self-centered, and immature. Amy Adams handled a difficult character with a lot of grace, but you can still see the brat under the blanket. I get annoyed with people constantly in me-me-me mode and this woman seemed to live in that state.
As I like to do with movies, I did some research on the real life people behind the story. I found a new affection and respect for Julia Child. She was a woman who wasn't afraid to show her passion for food and for her husband. The movie is worth watching just to see the romance between Julia Child and her husband, Paul simmer.
Julie Powell, sad to say, seems to have lived up to my suspicions. Apparently, after her blog fame, she wrote another book, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession, a memoir of her adulterous sex life. :facepalm: Judging by the reviews, it was not pretty.
I highly recommend Julie & Julia though. The performances, the sets, and the food will have you salivating to cook up something fancy.
Right now I've got a craving for lobster in garlic butter sauce. Bon appétit.
Are you a foodie?
Comments
Maria if by foodie you mean meat and potatoes comfort foods than yes guess so. My palate does not run to sophisticated fare but am adventurous enough to try something out of the ordinary on occasion, which has led me to broaden my range of foods slightly from childhood favorites.
Re: Meryl
I know, right! I had to keep reminding myself that she was acting.
http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Julia-Meryl-Streep/dp/B002RSDW80/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1449069105&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=julie+%26+julia
I did hear about this movie; I'm going to have to check it out and see it (we tend to do more action packed films here but sometimes I can sneak in a movie like this). You are right Meryl Streep is an amazing actress with the parts she can do.
I don't know much about Julia Childs except for her cooking, so this was interesting to read about the deep love she had for her husband.
betty
I also loved her in The Devil Wears Prada.
Rent it if you can, or pick it up on Amazon for 4 bucks.
Amy Adams was very cute though. I loved her in Enchanted.
Go and watch it. It gets you on so many levels.
That's what makes Streep brilliant. You don't see she's acting once she gets into character.