Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Mexican movie
Review: When I was in college, I minored in Spanish, and as part of one of my Spanish courses, I had to see the movie "Como agua para chocolate" or "Like water for chocolate" (though I'll call it by its Spanish title). After seeing it, I realized it was a wonderful movie."Como agua para chocolate" is a film about Tia, a Mexican girl who wants to marry a boy named Pedro. Her only problem -- and it's a bad one -- is her mother, Mama Elena. Mama Elena upholds an old family tradition where the youngest daughter is to stay home and take care of her mother. It's a good idea in theory, but in practice somebody obviously failed to consider what might happen to the youngest daughter when the mother dies. Because Mama Elena insists that Pedro marry Rosaura and not Tita, Pedro does marry Rosaura -- but only to be near Tita. Tita has to cook the wedding feast, and her tears fall into the batter of the wedding cake. And the magic begins. The two primary actresses are excellent. I really wanted Tita to find happiness -- especially with Pedro. As for Mama Elena, I hated her enough to want to strangle her. Kudos to the actress who played her for creating such a despicable part. The actor who played Pedro was acceptable, but he didn't have that much to do. Of course, it is a film where women are the most important characters, so maybe that's why the actor didn't have much to do. I'm not a food lover, but I am a romantic, and I recommend "Como agua para chocolate" for those who are learning Spanish, for romantics, and for food lovers. Belle Book
Rating:
Summary: THE MAGICAL AND MYSTICAL PROPERTIES OF FOOD...
Review: This film is a feast for the eyes. Based upon the best selling novela of the same name by Laura Esquivel, who also wrote the screenplay, the film successfully captures this tale of forbidden love. Well directed by Laura Esquivel's husband, Alfonso Arau (The Magnificent Ambersons, A Walk In the Clouds), the cast delivers wonderful performances in this mystical tale. During the early twentieth century in Mexico, just south of the border, a girl catches the eye of boy. A number of years later, the boy, Pedro, now a young man, speaks to the girl, Tita, now a young woman, and declares his heartfelt, passionate love for her. Pedro (Marco Leonardi) wants Tita (Lumi Cavazos) to marry him. He and his father meet with Tita's mother, Elena (Regina Torne), and ask if she would give her consent to a union between Pedro and Tita, Elena's youngest daughter. Elena forbids such a marriage to take place, as it is an unbroken family tradition that the youngest daughter remain single, so that she may take care of her mother until the mother dies. Such is the destiny of Tita. Elena, instead, cruelly offers to have her oldest daughter, Rosaura (Yareli Arizmendi), marry Pedro. Surprisingly, Pedro agrees to marry Rosauro, his twisted logic being that this is the only way he can be close to Tita. Thus, begins an untenable situation. Tita, forced by her selfish, harridan of a mother to prepare the wedding feast for Rosaura and Pedro, begins a lifelong sublimation of her passion and emotions with food. Its mystical properties become self evident in the expert hands of Tita, as she becomes a superlative cook. She has the ability to imbue the food that she prepares with the fervor and feelings, both good and bad, that she dare not express. Her love, her pain, her passion is evident in every delightful and delicious dish that she creates, and her feelings manifest themselves in those who ingest her meals. This is a glorious film about love, filled with mystical, magical, and supernatural portents. Sensual and evocative, it details the road that Tita and Pedro must travel before their journey is complete. Wonderfully acted and beautifully told, theirs is a story that will long linger in the mind of the viewer. Awash in amber tones, the brilliant cinematography contributes to the mystical properties of this film. Sumptuous and surreal, it is a feast for the eyes and not to be missed. Bravo! The DVD offers clear visuals and great sound. It does not offer much in the way of special features. Watch it in the original Spanish with English subtitles in order to retain the intended flavor of this superlative film.
Rating: 
Summary: Cosy watching but not much more
Review: " Like Water On Chocholate " is an atmospheric , nostalgic and often naive film about love against all odds . It tells the story of a young girl who , because of traditions and her mother's wishes , can't live her life the way she wants to . By mixing beautiful landscapes , ghosts and genuin sweetness the movie manages to be one of the warmest mexican film imports ever , the ending of it is truly powerful but as a whole it stands somehow uneven . The fairy-tale like texture of it might put off more cynical viewers and the character of the mother is way too evil to be believable . Can deep feelings of love be translated in the kitchen ? " Like Water On Chocholate " fails to convince us so but it's effort is still an enjoyable one .
Rating: 
Summary: A LIP-SMACKING TASTE OF MAGICAL REALISM
Review: "Como agua para chocolate" is a fabulous feast of film, pun intended for the dollops of cooking that make a big chunk of the movie. Set in Mexico at the turn of the century, Tita is doomed never to marry. Her family's tradition requires the first born daughter to spend her life taking care of her mother until death. But Tita is in love with Pedro, and he with her. Since he cannot marry Tita, he asks for the hand of her sister, in order to be near Tita. Tita's third sister runs off with a group of guerillas fighting in the civil war. The movie follows Tita and Pedro through 1932. Along the way, the movie manages to develop some interesting themes about the roles of women in Mexico. The women in the movie are repressed in, and yet empowered by, the kitchen which gives them a mystical control over everyone who eats their meals. Tita, in particular, is forced into the kitchen by her mother and she learns to appropriate the kitchen as her tool of revenge. Food also creates a bound between women that eludes time. Mexican national identity is explored with the mix (often a clash) of cultures that seem to define Mexican History -- Spanish colonialism and its idiosynchracies, indigenous beliefs and traditions, and to an extent American influences. While not a deeply profound film, it is insightful, well done (no food pun intended) and a very refreshing change of tone for movie buffs -- the direction, the cinematography and the narrative lush with a magical quality. It's a tribute to an old vision of romantic love, a love that transcends time, and overcomes distance, madness, and even the direct interference of Tita's family. Some viewers may find this style and tone slow, even boring. But for those who enjoy contemplative film making this is a very enjoyable treat. If you care about movies that veer around culinary moments, "Eat Drink Man Woman" (Chinese) is another excellent movie to wrap your evening around.
Rating:
Summary: Like Water For Chocolate
Review: In the novel, "Like Water for Chocolate," I found it very interesting that two young people, Tita and Pedro fell deeply in love and they could never marry each other. The best part about the book was that they had to hide their feelings from everyone but they knew they loved each other deep inside their hearts. I liked the fact that they loved each other until the day they died and they died making love to each other. I strongly recommend this book to other people.
Rating:
Summary: Feed the mind and eyes .....
Review: Like Water For Chocolate is an intense movie. Set in the era of Mexican society during the Mexican Revolution. Those of us who live in an area where real Mexican food is to be savored, know that the Chocolate has to do with the fact that Mexican food often has chocolate in it's non sweetened as well as sweetened form as an ingredient. The central figure is the youngest daughter in a family with an abusive mother who wants what she wants and what the daughter wants be damned. Much of the film takes place in the kitchen which then as is now in many homes, the center of life. I love the sounds of food being prepared. And while the movie has a dark side i.e. jealousy and passionate sex with good and evil undertones, it also has rich cinema style and is one of those movies where you do not leave the room because you will miss a piece of the puzzle. Is it a perfect movie? No. But it also isn't the empty head American type either. In fact while it is rich in many ways it is also very simple as well. A Yin Yang balance that for someone who wants a good movie that will whett ones intellectual appetite' as well as feed the eyes, is worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Mexican movie
Review: When I was in college, I minored in Spanish, and as part of one of my Spanish courses, I had to see the movie "Como agua para chocolate" or "Like water for chocolate" (though I'll call it by its Spanish title). After seeing it, I realized it was a wonderful movie. "Como agua para chocolate" is a film about Tia, a Mexican girl who wants to marry a boy named Pedro. Her only problem -- and it's a bad one -- is her mother, Mama Elena. Mama Elena upholds an old family tradition where the youngest daughter is to stay home and take care of her mother. It's a good idea in theory, but in practice somebody obviously failed to consider what might happen to the youngest daughter when the mother dies. Because Mama Elena insists that Pedro marry Rosaura and not Tita, Pedro does marry Rosaura -- but only to be near Tita. Tita has to cook the wedding feast, and her tears fall into the batter of the wedding cake. And the magic begins. The two primary actresses are excellent. I really wanted Tita to find happiness -- especially with Pedro. As for Mama Elena, I hated her enough to want to strangle her. Kudos to the actress who played her for creating such a despicable part. The actor who played Pedro was acceptable, but he didn't have that much to do. Of course, it is a film where women are the most important characters, so maybe that's why the actor didn't have much to do. I'm not a food lover, but I am a romantic, and I recommend "Como agua para chocolate" for those who are learning Spanish, for romantics, and for food lovers. Belle Book
Rating:
Summary: Like Water For Chocolate
Review: In the novel, "Like Water for Chocolate," I found it very interesting that two young people, Tita and Pedro fell deeply in love and they could never marry each other. The best part about the book was that they had to hide their feelings from everyone but they knew they loved each other deep inside their hearts. I liked the fact that they loved each other until the day they died and they died making love to each other. I strongly recommend this book to other people.
Rating:
Summary: Like water for chocolate!
Review: This is a very sensual movie about two lovers who could not be together. I loved it and would watch it again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Cosy watching but not much more
Review: " Like Water On Chocholate " is an atmospheric , nostalgic and often naive film about love against all odds . It tells the story of a young girl who , because of traditions and her mother's wishes , can't live her life the way she wants to . By mixing beautiful landscapes , ghosts and genuin sweetness the movie manages to be one of the warmest mexican film imports ever , the ending of it is truly powerful but as a whole it stands somehow uneven . The fairy-tale like texture of it might put off more cynical viewers and the character of the mother is way too evil to be believable . Can deep feelings of love be translated in the kitchen ? " Like Water On Chocholate " fails to convince us so but it's effort is still an enjoyable one .
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