CHEF

After talented and dynamic chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) isn't given the space he needs to shine at his L.A. restaurant due to the owner's (Dustin Hoffman) rigid traditional ways, he launches on a social media-fueled tirade against his nemesis food critic (Oliver Platt), which lands him without any job prospects. With a new lease on life, Chef Casper takes to the road with his son and his sous chef (John Leguizamo) to build a brand new food truck business. This smart take on food and chef culture contains poignant messages about the media-driven world we live in and the real meaning of success.

With real heart, Jon Favreau plays a man who must find common ground between his passion for cooking and his love for his son. His direction of an ensemble cast including Sofia Vergara, Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Amy Sedaris, and perhaps, most notably, up-and-coming Emjay Anthony, is refreshingly honest and rings true.

-Mallory Lance