Slog

News & Arts

The Stranger Suggests

Critics' Best Bets
Music Arts & Food

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

  |  

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Chow / Film Eat First, Then See "Food, Inc." for Free Tonight

Posted by on Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 2:57 PM

41ac/1247779966-food-inc-poster.jpg

Tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Guild 45th, you can see Food Inc. for absolutely free—Chipotle Mexican Grill is sponsoring showings all over the country. (Good on you, C.M.G.)

While it does stray into unnecessary propaganda-esque territory, it is One Movie Everyone Should See. Arrive early—it's first come, first served, and it's bound to be mobbed. (There's also a matinee-priced show at 4:40 and another at 9:50.) And eat beforehand—you won't want to after. Here's my review:


DOOOOOOOOM. Are you aware that food in this country is all kinds of messed up? Probably you are, in which case Food, Inc., a 101-level documentary about What's Wrong and Why We Should Freak Out, functions mostly as an emotional wringer and appetite suppressant. It is very effective. Here is a farmer sitting at his kitchen table, tired and defeated: Monsanto, insanely, won't let him use his own crop seeds and help others do the same, as farmers have done since time immemorial. Here is a mother who lost her child to E. coli from a fast-food burger: She determinedly walks through the halls of justice, though it's been years and no headway has been made. (Bonus, repeated several times: home movies of the toddler playing on a lakeshore before he died.) Those chickens that live smashed together in giant dark hangars, bred to have breasts so big they couldn't walk even if they had room? Present, and plenty are prematurely deceased, all limp and feathery. Assembly lines of meat-processing plants are accompanied by foreboding music. Hidden-camera footage shows hogs being shoved en masse into death chambers.

Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan—eminently reasonable, concerned, well-spoken—are interviewed. Joel Salatin, an organic rancher in Virginia, testifies a little wild-eyed, stealing the show. The experts and the facts speak, loud and clear and plenty scary, for themselves; it's a small shame that Food, Inc. doesn't just let them. The clever title sequence is as emptily gorgeous and strangely moving as Andreas Gursky's famous 99-cent store photograph, but when it segues into guys in suits marching across a field toward ominous, smoke-spewing factories, it cheapens the (extremely important) cause. Same with the jaunty tune that accompanies the organic yogurt factory—it'd be terrifying, too, if it had the meat-music. When you've got Schlosser eating a burger and talking you through it, you don't need anything close to propaganda. That being said, everyone should go to www.foodincmovie.com/get-involved.php and do the "10 Simple Things You Can Do to Change Our Food System," because otherwise: DOOOOOOOOM.

[I want to amend the end there: #2 of the 10 Simple Things is a good idea for your pocketbook in general, but the main problem with eating out (as well as eating in) is the quality of the food. Go out as much as you enjoy it and are able, but choose restaurants that are local and responsible about their ingredients. Though when it comes to chains, Chipotle seems like a good one (info about their ingredients and politics here—I've never been, have you?). And just eating at home isn't much of a solution if you're buying mass-market chickens and processed foods full of corn syrup. Food Inc. ought to flesh the list out a bit. Onward.]

Here's the trailer again (in case you missed it when Dan Savage posted and everyone went bananas in comments):

 

Comments (43) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
heywhatsit!? 1
Let the flame war commence.
Posted by heywhatsit!? on July 16, 2009 at 3:07 PM
2
It's not so easy to cherry pick the effects of globalization that only we desire. When the masses become billions, it's no surprise that mass production is required.
Posted by chelovek on July 16, 2009 at 3:13 PM
3
I love Chipotle, but aren't they owned by McDonald's?
Posted by Jesica on July 16, 2009 at 3:18 PM
kid icarus 4
@3 - Per our Wikipedian overlords: "McDonald's has since sold their entire stake in Chipotle; full divestment was completed in October 2006."
Posted by kid icarus http://absintheandoranges.com/ on July 16, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Suz 5
I saw Food, Inc. and loved it. I thought it was well done without being too gross in order to make it's point. It made me glad I switched to veg this past spring and eating mostly raw and unprocessed food.
Posted by Suz on July 16, 2009 at 3:25 PM
6
I think It's also very interesting that Chipotle got ahold of this film to screen just a month after director Robert Kenner, co-producer Eric Schlosser, Raj Patel, and others wrote a letter to Chipotle condemning their lack of respect for workers' rights and fair wages in the tomato industry, on which Chipotle depends:

http://www.ciw-online.org/letter_to_Chip…
Posted by marmot on July 16, 2009 at 3:28 PM
7
I enjoy the Harry Potter music that sets the tone for the intro.
Posted by Special K on July 16, 2009 at 3:30 PM
8
Point #4 annoys me especially if it applies to high school students and not just little kids. By the time I was a teenager, I was old enough to make my own food choices.
Posted by keshmeshi on July 16, 2009 at 3:47 PM
lizzie 9
5) Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week.


How about instituting Meatless Mondays on Slog?

Right now Slog Mondays consist of this: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Posted by lizzie on July 16, 2009 at 4:22 PM
pissy mcslogbot 10
@9: How about some cheese to go with your whine? oh, wait you don't do the dairy thing, hmmm, well then how about you just fuck off?

cool,
thanks
Posted by pissy mcslogbot on July 16, 2009 at 4:36 PM
11
Chipotle is nasty. I've been there twice on my dime.

I won a $25 gift card to them from work and gave it away...and I NEVER give away free food.
Posted by foodie on July 16, 2009 at 4:46 PM
lizzie 12
#10: I was being nice? Bethany is asking people to be better citizens by observing Meatless Mondays, so I suggested Slog do Meatless Mondays. Sorry if I came off as sarcastic.
Posted by lizzie on July 16, 2009 at 5:01 PM
pissy mcslogbot 13
@12: fwiw, you didn't come off as sarcastic, you came off as pushy and tedious.
Posted by pissy mcslogbot on July 16, 2009 at 5:13 PM
lizzie 14
#13: Fair enough, I accept that.
Posted by lizzie on July 16, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Westlake, son! 15
If you liked Food, Inc. I assume you'll also enjoy King Corn. Caught it on PBS a while back. Yum.
Posted by Westlake, son! on July 16, 2009 at 5:28 PM
16
Since nobody really mentioned it in the comments, right now I'm reading "In Defense of Eating" and it seems to make a lot of similar points to this movie. I'd recommend it to anyone curious about what they should be eating instead, it's fairly unpretentious and maybe seems more optimistic than this trailer (I've yet to see the film).
Posted by walrus on July 16, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Fnarf 17
I'm going to shock everyone and defend lizzie here. I don't think you were being pushy or tedious or whiny here. I think Meatless Mondays is a fine idea. How about Fois Gras Friday, though?

Chipotles is freakin' terrible; they make Taco Del Mar look rich and flavorful. Their food is ass, and their sterile corporate-cafeteria look is soul-crushing. Twice, out of necessity; never again.
Posted by Fnarf http://www.facebook.com/fnarf on July 16, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Gomez 18
Bethany is asking people to be better citizens by observing Meatless Mondays, so I suggested Slog do Meatless Mondays.


Better citizens hahahahahaha
Posted by Gomez http://gomezticator.livejournal.com on July 16, 2009 at 5:58 PM
19
@ Lizzie: For what it's worth, most of my Mondays are meatless. I rarely (ha) cook meat, and I'm very choosy about it at restaurants (except Rancho Bravo, which doubtless isn't local/organic but is right next door, sigh). If America took a couple days off meat a week, we'd all be way better off, obviously...
Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on July 16, 2009 at 6:08 PM
pissy mcslogbot 20
first they came for the meat on Mondays posts....and since I wasn't .... meh, fuck it.

still though I predict those tofu Tuesday/Thursdays & seitan Saturday/Sundays will be murder....

...ON YOUR EVER LOVIN' SOUL!!!

though the weed and wasabi Wednesdays have some potential.
Posted by pissy mcslogbot on July 16, 2009 at 6:15 PM
pissy mcslogbot 21
and fnarf Fridays, all fnarf all friday, awwww fnuck yeah!!
Posted by pissy mcslogbot on July 16, 2009 at 6:23 PM
22
I guess this means that foie gras Fridays is off then?
Posted by Senor Guy on July 16, 2009 at 6:30 PM
pissy mcslogbot 23
@ 22: somehow, I think he'd be for it, just a hunch.
Posted by pissy mcslogbot on July 16, 2009 at 6:36 PM
Matt from Denver 24
Fnarf, you once again show why, despite your countless contributions to SLOG on nearly all other topics, you should remain silent on food. My god, you've got terrible taste.
Posted by Matt from Denver on July 16, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Greg 25
I'd be down for Meatless Mondays on Slog and in my personal life. This is an entirely reasonable and potentially fun suggestion. Thanks, lizzie!
Posted by Greg on July 16, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Sargon Bighorn 26
Americans DEMAND cheap food. They get what they want.
Posted by Sargon Bighorn on July 16, 2009 at 7:36 PM
pissy mcslogbot 27
I'd be down for Meatless Mondays in my personal life too, but really not so much on Slog as a writ in stone policy, thats just far too dogmatic and agenda driven (yes, even for the Stranger/Slog).

IMO, It kinda would set a bad precedent and limit themselves journalistically, or whatever it is they do 'round here, but it is also not necessary; you could just point your browser elsewhere on Monday if you don't wanna happen to see some meat. I hear the internet is kind of a big space.

But if there we're a chili feed or the like over the weekend I think they should cover it if they want to on Mondays or whenever, without restriction.
Posted by pissy mcslogbot on July 16, 2009 at 8:02 PM
28
This makes me glad that my family lives in a small town in Montana. Our food is very local and amazing. Our supermarket is about a quarter of a regular-sized grocery store.
Posted by UChi on July 16, 2009 at 8:05 PM
29
Matt in Denver has some serious sand in his vagina.
Posted by Matt in Denver = Sandy Vagina on July 16, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Irena 30
I think Meatless Mondays is a great idea. Go lizzie!
Posted by Irena on July 16, 2009 at 11:27 PM
pissy mcslogbot 31
Irena @ 30: I pretty much always appreciate your opinions, hell, I also like lizzy for her tenacity, but NO, this idea is not all that great.

Some people just get off on being offended, if thats who the Slog editors want to cater to then fine, it's out of my hands.
Posted by pissy mcslogbot on July 17, 2009 at 12:37 AM
Stupid White Man 32
It's disgusting what the lower classes eat in America. These film just gives me more proof to hate the poor and middle classes in this nation. They have simply terrible tastes in food and culture.
Posted by Stupid White Man http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/ on July 17, 2009 at 8:03 AM
Rob in Baltimore 33
One thing I find interesting is that vegans claim you don't need meat or animal products, yet they work so hard developing substitutes that mimic the texture and flavor them.
Posted by Rob in Baltimore http://www.wishbookweb.com/ on July 17, 2009 at 8:53 AM
34
@33 fried tofu doesn't really taste or have the texture of meat. most substitutes taste more like what you season them with, which ought to have you questioning the quality of the meat you're eating if you think that a chicken breast breaded and cooked in sesame oil and a seitan cutlet breaded and cooked in sesame oil taste the same.
Posted by j.lee on July 17, 2009 at 9:04 AM
Rob in Baltimore 35
34, I didn't say it tasted the same. Try re-reading what I wrote.
Posted by Rob in Baltimore http://www.wishbookweb.com/ on July 17, 2009 at 9:26 AM
Rob in Baltimore 36
To add, in fact, most vegen substitute foods taste quite horrible.
Posted by Rob in Baltimore http://www.wishbookweb.com/ on July 17, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Matt from Denver 37
@ 36, actually, tofurkey is very tasty.
Posted by Matt from Denver on July 17, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Rob in Baltimore 38
37, I've had it. Ick!
Posted by Rob in Baltimore http://www.wishbookweb.com/ on July 17, 2009 at 10:33 AM
39
That's the TRAILER? It seems so tacky to use 3/4 of the time to place the names of the filmmakers in there.
Posted by Glazed on July 17, 2009 at 10:53 AM
40
Has anyone else considered why we a born with canines? They are for ripping/tearing and then eating meat.
I guess it's better to ignore Mother Nature when she doesn't agree with our politics.
Posted by chelovek on July 17, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Matt from Denver 41
@ 40, you're a bit late for that debate.
Posted by Matt from Denver on July 17, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Irena 42
@31: I like the idea of veg/vegan recipes and reviews, et cetera, but if it devolved into a flame war every Monday then yeah, it would suck.

@33, 37: I tend to think of Tofurkey as a crime against nature, but then again, I've never had it. Processed soy products are a lot like processed meat -- some are horrible and some are okay in a pinch, but fresh-cooked food is always better.

Tofu is delicious when done right. I like it marinated in liquid smoke for sandwiches, or breaded and fried, and of course in coconut curry... yum!
Posted by Irena on July 17, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Mud Baby 43
Meatless Mondays? But, but, but what about BACON???!!!!
Posted by Mud Baby on July 18, 2009 at 3:14 PM

Add a comment

Advertisement
 

All contents © Index Newspapers, LLC
1535 11th Ave (Third Floor), Seattle, WA 98122
Contact Info | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Takedown Policy