anji2

As someone who loves authentic mainland Chinese cuisine and is consistently perplexed by the Chinese dishes here in USA I was delighted to see this film on the big screen at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) and was not in the least disappointed. The film delves into the history of how and why Americanized Chinese dishes and restaurants spread from San Francisco to the East Coast and also briefly delves into China's banquet culture and the history of the General himself. The only thing missing from this film for me was some kind of explanation of the extreme use of MSG in dishes such as General Tso's Chicken but hopefully the directors will take that subject and make a sequel! The style, pace and commentary were all great.

I saw this film at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) and I really enjoyed the story as well as the views of rural and village China. I travel in China myself by long distance bus and (not speed) train, the portrayal seemed very genuine and sincere as well as the scenes of village life. The shots of the environment were breathtaking and the exploration of the value of being "unplugged" and connected to family and roots was just beautiful. I did find it interesting that they translated "QQ" to "Skype"... I understand why but... I suppose there wasn't a better option. Anyway, I would highly recommend this film for anyone who is a lover of travel within China or is interested modern Chinese culture and scenery. The vocabulary is great for those learning Mandarin, too.