The Hundred-Foot Journey

As consumers of new media we tend to be transient; one of the most appealing aspects of a Blu-ray disk is that it is an actual object that can be wrapped up and given as a gift. "The Hundred-Foot Journey" is so evocative of the heart-warming and "settled" feelings we crave during the holidays -- it's so full of hope and cultural unification -- that you just might want to put a bow on it.

Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) has a talent for preparing food and creating almost magical flavor combinations. (You can virtually smell and taste the flavors, the sensual food photography in this film is so luscious.) When he and his family are forced out of their native India, they attempt to return to the restaurant business in a provincial French town. Though the Kadam family is confident they can interest the French people in Indian cuisine, one woman is out to stop them and drive them out of her community.

Madame Mallory (Helen Mirrren) has a gift for spotting culinary talent. Her own restaurant has earned one Michelin star and she is vying for another, but her establishment is directly across the street -- a mere one hundred feet -- from where the Kadam's want to set up shop. And she's not interested in any competition.

While Madame Mallory works to annihilate her rivals, Hassan awakens to the joys of French cooking, as well as his neighbor's sous chef Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon).

The special features are one of the best reasons to share this Blu-ray. Not only do producers Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey come together to discuss their first collaboration since "The Color Purple," but also we go behind the scenes to see how the noted French director Lasse Hallstrom ("Chocolat" and "My Life as a Dog") makes a movie mouthwatering, and Indian Chef consultant Anil Sharma actually gives us a cooking lesson. You'll want to pull out your spices for his Coconut Chicken.

"The Hundred-Foot Journey"
Blu-ray / Digital HD
Rated PG / 122 min.
100footjourneymovie.com