noralee "What's Cooking" is one of the most non-dogmatic feminist movies I've seen (as compared to say "24 Hour Woman") as exemplified by a climactic scene of one mother stuffing her face with two pieces of homemade pie amidst crisis while declaring "I'm weak? Is it weak to want to hold the family together?" So many holiday or family gathering movies (like "Avalon" and "Hannah and her Sisters" and "Eat Drink Man Woman") have been made by men and they always felt off balance to me compared to my observations and experiences. Here the women in the kitchen are symbolically and functionally at the center of the meal preparation, the meal and the families. Other women directors have been successful at portraying a single ethnic group's family issues, such as "Double Happiness" or Nancy Savoca's "True Love." But this is a multi-ethnic All-Americans Thanksiving in L.A. (reminding me of the children's book "Molly's Pilgrim") an L.A. where people from different traditions (Vietnamese, Chicano, African-American and Jewish) all integrate the trappings of the Pilgrims into that basic of ethnic identity--food-- to intersect in unexpected ways, at work, in the community, in their homes and in their hearts.It's an impressive cast of actresses in particular; it's noteworthy that such a stellar cast would do a small indie -- clearly they jump at the chance to get "meaty" roles for women.The audience laughed, and cried, and gasped. While your popcorn will pale beside the feasts before your eyes, be sure to eat something during the movie cause you'll be real hungry afterwards!(originally written 11/19/2000)

poliglot Hey Where was the Handicap Guy and The Serial Killer and The Cross dressing "Nambla" String Quartet?This film had some good Acting, and great shots of delicious food being prepared. THAT however is all that speaks for it. It also had some NOT SO GOOD Acting. However but that is another issue.The story was a pretentious hodge podge- down your throat Politically Correct gnashing of the teeth. A Post Thanksgiving hi colonic of cleche. A melodrama served over Turkey with Sweet & Sour sauce ala Colonel Sanders as a side dish.Let's see we had the ever popular Lesbians in your face issues -one, pregnant apparently by a Homosexual sperm donor. And voila, after way too much kissing and cuddling (we get the idea already) enter "Diversity?" -, A Black Conservative, A Black Radical, Orientals, some who that might be gang members,, Hispanics issues, The betrayed latin mother now dating a likeable hotie- "Teacher" while scum bag husband gets his marching papers, (here-naturally rpleat with Flamenco playing during the back ground scenes) and of course, a story written and directed by an East Indian Woman...Ummm Humm.!? Well O.K., Why Not!Moving right along,. We had lovers and Liars, Gun Control Issues, Rebellious mis understood Condom Carrying teens.Now toss in one vegetarian-fruitarian body pierced rebellious smart mouth teen girl in puberty who is into Ebonics, charming the gastronomic holiday with her plight and spiel of the American Indian, as she picks over her hosts offering asking them if anything is prepared with animal fat.Of course moving on down the cinematic road to silliness- a film Replete with Affairs, Mother In Laws on the war Path, Ugly politicians (but of course) paint strewn with the "white" paint of black youthful truth and zeal. We even had the Jewish "Bris" issue, "To Circumcise or not to Circumcise, That is the Question"Naturally you had the philandering "Latin" Father, The upwardly mobile Black Conservative who is also a "cheat" but a repentant one.I am quite sure that had the film been just 15 minutes longer, the writer would have introduced a bulimic/anorexic porn star working her way through college while taking care of her HIV positive skin head boyfriend who had lost his job with the ACLU. But alas the movie was greatfully not long enough to go there.The only thing this movie missed was perhaps an introduction by Michael Moore. Or Michael Jackson and Barbara Striesand singing a chorus of "It don't matter if your black or White" They could have recorded it on their cell phones from Michaels Never never land in Santa Barbara, and from Barbara's 10 million dollar New York Penthouse.Isn't anyone tired of this drivel on screen? Actually I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I lived for more than 10 years right there close to Canter's Delicatessen, Near the Fairfax and Beverly Blvd, down the street from the Farmers Market. (the local of this supposed story) I never saw any of these folks.....there were characters and great people of all races of course. But this is touchy feely pabulum forced down the throat of anyone who will listen.O.K I am listening. But tell me a meaningful story about race, and life and love and poetry. Not this trite simplistic politically correct crap.

Dark Eye Here's my two cents.The director gave admirable attempt in trying to give us four different point of views on a typically American tradition, and it has it's share of entertaining moments. But somehow it fell short of my expectations. It gave us four ethnic families, but failed to give us some depth to the material. The film's take on issues is often too shallow to serve any lasting, meaningful merit on such an important cultural topic.What most critics failed to see is that the truth is, most people have very little idea about many other cultures in this world. So we just accept what we see on the screen. Perhaps this contributed to the flawed script, which pigeonholed the families into what we might expect from families of African, Hispanic, Jewish, and Vietnamese decent. Mind you, it seems though that the writers are trying to be as politically correct as possible, and the genuine attempt on being culturally diverse (which many people appreciated, including me), the film is marred slightly by the lack of true, unbiased understanding of different cultures. Hence, the result looks like a bunch of families living out their stereotyped stigma. I loved one scene around the African-American dinner table, where the girl reminded everyone that today their families can enjoy eating Turkey, but at the cost of real Americans who suffered colonialism. It was the best scene of the film, and unfortunately it was a very short scene.The script needs a bit of polish, and has only touched the tip of a bigger iceberg. But nonetheless, this is a very enjoyable film. Highly recommended.

missy_baxter 7-plus out of 10??? Did the other respondents see the same old tired stew that i did with every ethnic stereotype and cliche in the book? Yes, it has a fine cast, but it is totally wasted. You can see the disgust on Joan Chen's face as she nails in her performance. And Dennis Haysbert is trapped in the worst character of his career. My rating: 2.