Flamin’ Hot (2023) | REVIEW

Jesse Garcia and Dennis Haysbert in FLAMIN’ HOT. Photo by Anna Kooris. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

Directed by Eva Longoria — Screenplay by Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chavéz.

Based on Richard Montañez’s memoir titled A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive, Eva Longoria’s Flamin’ Hot follows Richard Montañez (played by Jesse Garcia), a Mexican American, as he gets a job as a janitor at Frito-Lay, which he hopes he can build a career from by slowly rising up the ranks. When the Frito-Lay factory where he is employed hears about the potential of significant layoffs, Richard tries to ‘think like a CEO.’ He comes up with the idea to pitch a spicy chip to Frito-Lay, which utilizes the kind of flavors that Mexican-Americans grow up with. However, when his own bosses won’t listen to him, he has to contact the CEO of PepsiCo (played by Tony Shalhoub).

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REVIEW: The Menu (2022)

Ralph Fiennes’ Julian Slowik sizes up Anya Taylor-Joy’s Margot, who wasn’t supposed to be there, in THE MENU — PHOTO: Eric Zachanowich / Searchlight Pictures.

Directed by Mark Mylod — Screenplay by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy.

Mark Mylod’s The Menu follows Margot (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) and her food-obsessed boyfriend, Tyler (played by Nicholas Hoult). Tyler has paid for them to go to this highly exclusive restaurant called ‘Hawthorne,’ which resides on this little remote island. Hawthorne is home to the world-renowned chef Julian Slowik (played by Ralph Fiennes) and his highly devoted kitchen staff. Tyler has paid an obscene amount of money to get there because he worships Slowik, and, in actuality, the trip wasn’t originally meant for Margot but rather for his ex-girlfriend. In fact, Margot seems wholly disinterested in the pretentious dishes and overall culture around high-end cooking. She stands out immediately among the guests who also include a food critic that can make or break careers (played by Janet McTeer), tech investors, a past-it actor (played by John Leguizamo), and others. For this evening, Slowik has prepared a detailed but theatrical menu that toys with expectations and that takes aim at his guests. But, eventually, Margot and others start to question whether what is happening is showy high-end cooking or something much more malicious.

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