The Knife

At least one Sundance party will have good wine: "Bottle Shock"

The 2008 Sundance Film Festival announced its lineup this week and included is a movie that could be the next "Sideways."

"Bottle Shock" is the story of the early days of California winemaking, culminating with the "Judgement of Paris" wine tasting in which we kicked Francophile hiney.

Alan Rickman stars as wine merchant Steven Spurrier and Bill Pullman as Chateau Montelena winemaker Jim Barrett (who commissioned the film with his brother Bo), with Danny DeVito as Grgich Hills founder Mike Grgich.

(For the record, that's Grgich on the left and DeVito on the right.)

Anyway, it's directed by Randall Miller, whose credits include "Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School," and he wrote it with the son and daughter of Sherwood Schwartz, the man who gave the world "The Brady Bunch" and "Gilligan's Island." If that's not a vote of confidence, I don't know what is.

Of note: Spurrier's not happy. He had intended to make his own film, "Judgement of Paris," about the historic event (with a script by Robert Mark Kamen, of Kamen Estate Wines) and has accused the "Bottle Shock" producers of defamation and threatened to sue. According to Decanter.com, where Spurrier is a contributing editor, he was:

"outraged that he is being portrayed as 'an impossibly effete snob'. Having read the script he finds the portrayal of his character 'deeply insulting,' he said.

Liz Fowler of Clear Pictures Entertainment, the producers of the "Judgement of Paris," said the rival film 'is a gross misrepresentation of both himself and the historical accuracy of the event now known as the Judgement of Paris.'

Spurrier said, 'There is hardly a word that is true in the script and many, many pure inventions as far as I am concerned.'

Fowler told decanter.com, 'There are episodes that are completely fictional. Steven Spurrier is portrayed as masterminding the event but there was none of that involved. They fully expected the French to win.' "

Dinner Gets You A Movie: I have a winner!

Contests rule. I've got pages of responses -- some funny, some surprising, all good.

And, may God strike me down, but I'm not going to announce the winner until I've shared the runners-up with you.

First up: The Great Minds Think Alike award, for familiar (if not well loved) films that received multiple votes.

"The Blues Brothers" (2 votes)

"Tampopo" (3 votes)

"Eat Drink Man Woman" (2 votes)

"The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" (2 votes)

"Big Night" (2 votes)

Dinner from a movie: The $125 gift card from Geisha House

As posted Monday, I'm looking for the best and/or worst food movies and/or scenes. The best answer gets a $125 gift card from Geisha House.

There's about 30 comments so far and there's some great ones, including some "Huh?" surprises like "Uncle Buck" and "Rocky."

However, how could no one have mentioned "Beetlejuice"? (Other than the fact that I forgot it, too. Thanks, Sunita.) To jar our memories, then:

I'm taking entries through the weekend, with the winner to come Monday.

A $125 dinner at Geisha House can be yours.

The Knife has joined forces with the Dolce Group to give away a $125 gift card at Geisha House.

To win, answer this question: What's your personal best -- or worst -- of food movies? And why?

Quality over quantity: You can refer to a food/cooking themed movie or just a single memorable scene. (Need to be reminded what the contenders might be? Click through to the jump.)

Leave your judgments in the comments and the most entertaining entry wins the sushi loot. (Don't forget to give a working email address.)

And why Geisha House? Because, prior to the release of "Ratatouille" or "No Reservations," it's in the best food movie of the summer: "Knocked Up." It's the restaurant where... oh, hell, just watch the clip.

Movies about food: Do you have reservations?

Not to be all I heart New York, but that city has launched the first annual NYC FoodFilmFestival.

Food films can be annoying. For every "Big Night" or "Eat Drink Man Woman," there's a "Woman On Top" (A chef who becomes nauseous during sex can only control her motion sickness when... . This threatens her husband, who promptly cheats on her. She moves to San Francisco, launches a food TV show and falls for the producer) or a "Simply Irresistible" (Magical crab gives woman instant ability to cook, enchant, fill her kitchen with dry-ice fog).

God willing, this summer will reverse the trend with "Ratatouille" (animated rat yearns to become a French chef) and "No Reservations" (Catherine Zeta Jones as Gordon Ramsey until Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin teach her to become more like Rachael Ray).

As for the FoodFilmFestival, it's dodged the braindead and the twee but may have fallen victim to the cutes. Titles screening include "Asparagus (A Stalk-umentary)," "American Beer (A Bockumentary)" and "Living on the Wedge (Wisconsin's Artisan Cheesemakers)."

There's more. If you're a glutton for punishment.