{"id":11695,"date":"2024-02-08T02:18:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T09:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=11695"},"modified":"2024-02-11T15:26:56","modified_gmt":"2024-02-11T22:26:56","slug":"a-leisurely-luminous-portrait-of-love-culture-and-cuisine-the-taste-of-things-is-a-feast-for-the-eyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2024\/a-leisurely-luminous-portrait-of-love-culture-and-cuisine-the-taste-of-things-is-a-feast-for-the-eyes\/","title":{"rendered":"A Leisurely, Luminous Portrait Of Love, Culture And Cuisine, The Taste Of Things Is A Feast For The Eyes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"184\" height=\"273\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.poster.jpg?resize=184%2C273&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11702\" style=\"width:120px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The relationship between Eugenie, an esteemed cook, and Dodin, the gourmet she has been working for over the last 20 years. Growing fonder of one another, their bond turns into a romance and gives rise to delicious dishes that impress even the world&#8217;s most illustrious chefs. When Dodin is faced with Eugenie&#8217;s reluctance to commit to him, he decides to start cooking for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Eshaan M. comments, \u201cA leisurely, luminous portrait of love, culture and cuisine,&nbsp;<em>The&nbsp;Taste&nbsp;of&nbsp;Things<\/em>&nbsp;is a feast for&nbsp;the&nbsp;eyes. It\u2019s all about partnership through a shared passion, conveying feelings through fewer words and baked Alaska.\u201d See his full review below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;Taste&nbsp;of&nbsp;Things<br>By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lZ7Y0PT-yTg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.bb_.jpg?resize=300%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11697\" style=\"width:180px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.bb_.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.bb_.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.bb_.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.bb_.jpg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.bb_.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>A leisurely, luminous portrait of love, culture and cuisine,\u00a0<em>The\u00a0Taste\u00a0of\u00a0Things<\/em>\u00a0is a feast for\u00a0the\u00a0eyes. It\u2019s all about partnership through a shared passion, conveying feelings through fewer words and baked Alaska. With such deep themes and beautiful visuals, no wonder it\u2019s France\u2019s selection for this year\u2019s Academy Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The\u00a0Taste\u00a0of\u00a0Things<\/em>\u00a0is a tough movie to summarize. It\u2019s about so much more than its plot\u2026 but here goes.\u00a0The\u00a0film takes place entirely in a 19th century French manor, mostly in its warmly-lit, wood-accented kitchen and centers on\u00a0the\u00a0bonds between\u00a0the\u00a0characters. Dodin Bouffant (Benoit Magimel), an esteemed gourmet partly based on real-life gastronome Jean Brillat-Savarin, oversees\u00a0the\u00a0meal, helps with\u00a0the\u00a0cooking and visits with his group of friends. His partner in\u00a0the\u00a0kitchen, Eugenie (Juliette Binoche), beams as she whips up dozens of French culinary marvels. They have two assistants, who seem more like daughters,\u00a0the\u00a0teen Violette (Galatea Bellugi) and her niece Pauline (Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire). This scene unfolds each day for years.\u00a0The\u00a0film follows Dodin\u2019s and Eugenie\u2019s romance as it evolves from unspoken partnership to marriage to separation by illness, as well as how\u00a0the\u00a0younger members of\u00a0the\u00a0kitchen grow.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.webp?resize=300%2C200&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11701\" style=\"width:220px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.webp?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.webp?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.webp?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.webp?w=1581&amp;ssl=1 1581w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Director Tran Anh Hung opens\u00a0<em>The\u00a0Taste\u00a0of\u00a0Things\u00a0<\/em>with a 38-minute long tracking-shot scene of\u00a0the\u00a0characters preparing an intricate meal with zero technology (it is\u00a0the\u00a01880s, after all), relishing every step of\u00a0the\u00a0way. I found it so satisfying to watch that I didn\u2019t pay any heed to its length, though this may not be\u00a0the\u00a0case for some viewers, as\u00a0the\u00a0only lines said are \u201cPut\u00a0the\u00a0veal in\u00a0the\u00a0oven\u201d and a couple directions like this. I actually enjoyed getting to know\u00a0the\u00a0characters by watching what they do and observing their body language. There\u2019s many more scenes like this one, none 38 minutes long, though.\u00a0The\u00a0film does have a bit of a languid pace, which takes some getting used to and might not suit some viewers\u2019\u00a0taste\u00a0(pun intended).\u00a0The\u00a0few events that happen outside\u00a0the\u00a0kitchen happen either in\u00a0the\u00a0bedroom, in\u00a0the\u00a0living room or\u00a0the\u00a0adjacent garden. On another note, Dodin and Eugenie\u2019s relationship is a centerpiece of this film, and Magimel and Binoche as Dodin and Eugenie spellbind with their subtle yet powerful acting and palpable bond. Dodin has proposed to Eug\u00e9nie a number of times over their 20 years together, to no avail. She says marriage is not right for them, because their bond is one of mutual respect and tenderness.\u00a0The\u00a0openness with which they discuss love is rare in modern films, as is their clarity on\u00a0the\u00a0matter \u2014 truly a mature romance. Additionally,\u00a0the\u00a0interactions between Binoche and Chagneau-Ravoire as Pauline are a delight to watch. Pauline\u2019s passion for food is shown in a scene where she names each of\u00a0the\u00a0two dozen\u00a0items\u00a0in a dish and when she nearly cries after tasting a baked Alaska; Eugenie sees herself in\u00a0the\u00a0young girl and takes her under her wing. Jonathan Ricquebourg\u2019s mouth-watering and skillful cinematography \u2014 tracking people as if walking beside them, sometimes peering into pots, and sitting at\u00a0the\u00a0same table as Dodin\u2019s \u201csuite\u201d of friends \u2014 along with Tran Anh Huang&#8217;s careful direction adds an indescribable realism to\u00a0the\u00a0film. It\u2019s a film that will make you hunger for more.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.aa_.jpg?resize=300%2C169&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11698\" style=\"width:220px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.aa_.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.aa_.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.aa_.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tasteofthings.aa_.jpg?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>The&nbsp;Taste&nbsp;of&nbsp;Things&nbsp;<\/em>is a film about indulgence \u2014 in food, in love, in family. It also shows viewers that truly powerful relationships are those that transcend labels and that are bound by shared love for one another and, in this case, a shared passion. It shows viewers that food is inextricably tied to love, life and joy. Be forewarned that&nbsp;the&nbsp;film does contain scenes with partial nudity and smoking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give\u00a0<em>The\u00a0Taste\u00a0of\u00a0Things\u00a0<\/em>4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults.\u00a0<em>The\u00a0Taste\u00a0of\u00a0Things<\/em>\u00a0releases on February 9, 2024 in theaters and is an Oscar nominee.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cKKCGtoIOVY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The film &#8220;The Taste of Things&#8221; is a visually stunning portrayal of romance and gastronomy set in a 19th-century French manor. It follows the love story between Eugenie, an accomplished cook, and Dodin, a gourmet, as their working relationship of 20 years flourishes into romance and exceptional culinary creations. Director Tran Anh Hung captures the essence of their bond and the growth of their kitchen &#8216;family&#8217; through long, dialogue-light scenes that focus on detailed food preparation and subtle character interactions. Praised for its deep themes and realism, the film, starring Benoit Magimel and Juliette Binoche, also explores mature themes of love beyond marriage. &#8220;The Taste of Things&#8221; is rated for ages 12 and up and has been nominated for an Oscar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15,14],"tags":[7366,7372,7367,7373,7368,7371,7370,7369],"class_list":["post-11695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film-reviews","category-film-screenings","tag-benoit-magimel","tag-emmanuel-salinger","tag-france-oscar-nominee","tag-freeric-fishbach","tag-galatea-bellugi","tag-jan-hammenecker","tag-juliette-binoche","tag-patrick-dassumcao"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-32D","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11695"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11703,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11695\/revisions\/11703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}