Movie Reviews: Skyfall and Lincoln

Oscar Eats: Caviar Bardem, Pomegranate Rose Dessert Tapioca

Caviar Bardem
Serves four

For surprise Oscar-nominee Javier Bardem, whip up this tapioca dessert play on caviar. Like the Spain actor, it’s unexpectedly sensual and also filled with antioxidants. Oh! Not that Javier is filled with antiox…sigh, forget it. It’s a textural delight and flavor bombshell.

1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca pearls
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rose water
1/2 cup milk (coconut milk can be substituted)
pomegranate seeds to garnish
edible rose petals to garnish (optional and if available)

Place pomegranate juice and 1/2 cup water into a heavy saucepan. Sprinkle with the tapioca and let sit for 5 minutes.

Stir in sugar, salt, vanilla, rose water and milk.

Bring slowly to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until tapioca is translucent and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Spoon pomegranate tapioca into serving dishes and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve topped with pomegranate seeds and edible rose petals (if using).

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Hollywood Bites Reviews: Eat Pray Love

If you're a dude or one of the many readers who found Elizabeth Gilbert to be a whiny, self-indulgent yuppie, the film adaptation of "Eat Pray Love" could probably be re-titled "Sit Bored Leave."

But if you're part of the millions of fans who fell in love with one of Oprah's favorite thiiiiings, Gilbert's uber bestselling memoir of the journey she took after her marriage fell apart, then this film is as highly anticipated as a new "Twilight" flick is for a 15-year-old who shops at Hot Topic.

Starring Julia Roberts and directed by "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy, the story moves from Italy (Eat) to an ashram in India (Pray) to a village in Bali (Love), all the while featuring halo-lighting and soft focus on Julia, who has never looked more ravishing. Purists will be pleased to see that Murphy sticks pretty faithfully to the road map of the book, but that becomes both a help and a hindrance.

Gilbert's inner monologue, which, of course, drives the narrative of her book, often becomes either expository voiceover or lingering shots of Roberts gazing beatifically into a sunset here, neither of which are very engaging. The few times Murphy veers off-course, striking out into new territory, the film hits upon some of its best moments, such as when Elizabeth confronts and makes peace with the guilt she feels about divorcing her husband (Billy Crudup in a small but well delivered role) on a rooftop in India. Thankfully, one of the book's most beloved characters, Richard from Texas, not only remains intact but is brilliantly rendered by Richard Jenkins in a scene-stealing performance.

While it can be difficult to sympathize with a woman spending a year frolicking across the globe, having liaisons with Billy Crudup, James Franco (as her post divorce rebound fling) and Javier Bardem (the man who inspires the Love portion of the story), you'll nonetheless walk out craving pizza, passion and plane travel.

Though not necessarily a second helping of the film itself.