Having cracked open dozens of white containers of this Cantonese restaurant staple over the years, I found myself curious as to the origins of the titular warlord and the deep-fried fare that regularly wages battle with my colon. Yes, Virginia, there is a General Tso, but according to Ian Cheney’s delectable documentary, the Qing Dynasty ruler had nothing to do with the popular chicken dish that bears his name. One entree does not a documentary make. In addition to touring the Hunan Province in search of answers and riffling through the largest collection of Chinese restaurant menus on record, Cheney soon discovers the quickest way to a racially divided community is through its stomach. Or so thought Chinese immigrants, who at the dawn of the 20th Century learned that tweaking simple dishes to suit American tastes was a quick way to gain public acceptance and make cash. (2014) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.