Like something from the pages of Gourmet magazine or, better still, the Food Channel (where it rightfully belongs), the good-natured Spinning Plates is lovely to look at. In other words, first-time director Joseph Levy was smart enough to hire a competent director of photography - in this case, Erin Harvey - to make it look appetizing. Levy focuses his lens on the trials and tribulations of three restaurants and their proprietors: a trendy Chicago eatery ranked seventh-best in the world, a bustling 150-year-old family-run country diner in Balltown, Iowa, and a nestling Mexican bar and grill in Tucson. Great for dieters taking a “look but don’t touch” approach, but those in search of artistic nourishment had best look elsewhere. (2012) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.