Viewer Comments:The God Of Cookery
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An insane and wild film, a very funny movie. Stephen Chow's "The God Of Cookery" is a classic flick about a chef in a competition that is a whole lot like the "Iron Chef" competitions. The whole gag of this movie is pure fun and goofiness, which I love. A great find.
Thoroughly enjoyable Stephen Chow movie. I should know, I've pretty much seen his entire filmography from some of the worst to some of his best (hello, "Forbidden City Cop"). This is one I definitely pop in to watch once in a while. Oh, and like 99% of Stephen Chow movies, the romance makes no sense at all.
Fantastic! Only Stephen Chow could make a movie like this.
Probably the best HK film I have ever seen. Pure comedy - smart - witty - Hollywood wishes they could do what Steven does!
This past weekend was a Stephen Chow festival. We enjoyed the first show more than the second. "Shaolin Soccer" flowed smoother, communicated well from the heart and mind, and was an action-packed film with a great message: self-confidence dwells within even ugly, semi-emaciated, poor-postured, cigarette smoking, overweight people of all ages and sexes. Women were treated in a truly enjoyable and heroic manner. "The God Of Cookery" used similar technical devices in a story with similar motifs. It seemed less unified, more crudely-handled as a work of film. By seeing both films by the same director on the same weekend, it was possible to feel the noticeable energy drop in "The God Of Cookery". It was good, but on a much lower level than "Shaolin Soccer".
Chow should be rated as one of China's most important, contemporary writer-director-actors.
| Alright, alright, I'm not the biggest fan of HK comedy, or for that fact Asian comedy in general. So perhaps I'm a bit biased in the review, but I wanted to write it anyway.
I loved Shaolin Soccer (I shall refrain from any disparaging remarks about that Mouse company) and figured I might wade into the HK comedy waters even deeper with this, what many seem to consider one of Stephen Chow's better films. Well, I spent most of the movie shaking my head. It's true, the film is "all over the map" but not in a good way. From street-fighting action, to food comedy, to backstabbing, to musical numbers performed outta nowhere. I was lost, and not particularly enthusiastic about the whole affair. I didn't think most of the jokes were funny, and I didn't like Stephen Chow at the beginning of the film, nor at the end. The film was fairly predictable (not an HK film strong suit, I know) but also fairly un-engaging. I just didn't care. And as far as laughing goes, the name of the comeback dish was about the most humorous aspect of the film. I dunno. Maybe if you like Chow, or HK comedies, or really incomprehensible filmmaking, you will enjoy it. As for me, coming from the "bullet ballet" genre, I will quietly return there, all the while just shaking my head in confusion at this puzzling film. |
At first, the film was kind of slow. I watched the first third and considered trading it. But luckily I stayed and, boy, was it a trip! This movie went from being a dud to a stud. It was amazing; the use of kung fu in cooking was something I kept rewinding to watch again and again. The characters are like one big family--you love every one of them. Definitely worth owning.
Absolutely brilliant. One of my favorite movies ever.
This movie is definitely something different. This is the perfect role for Stephen Chow (although he has been type-cast to play these kinds of roles). The final cooking competition is insane. Them Chinese folks sure know how to make a funny film. I would recommend that any Stephen Chow fan should see this movie at least once. Probably not worth owning though.
Stephen Chow is great but Karen Mok is even better! Karen Mok plays Twin Dagger Turkey a disfigured noodle shop owner who harbors a secret crush on the god of cookery. Mok portrays Turkey with all the gusto you would expect, having fun in an unglamorous role that would have sent most HK actresses screaming into the night. An hilarious film with a great storyline which playfully goes back and forth in time with a lot of narrative being explained in the form of flashback. A long awaited sequel may now be in the works according to recent reports from HK. 10/10
-Hellboy
Stephen Chiau puts all his chips behind God of Cookery, using comedy as a springboard to drama and paring his stand-up comedy routines down to zero (the scene when he is beaten up by the bronze men in the Shao Lin Temple, in which we only see the bronze men, is a classic example). Throughout the movie, Chiau appears as an obnoxious nouveau riche, leaving the comedy to other cast members (Karen Mok, Lee Siu Kee, and Vincent Kuk) and the development of the story. Chow's talent is shown in the script (the many twists and turns), the directing (the handling of the complex narrative) and the acting (as a good guy and as an altruistic hero who has seen his days). He has achieved what Michael Hui would not even attempt. If Chiau succeeds in reaching the sanctuary, it is because of his mastery of not only comedy but also drama.
-Thomas Shin
Adding to the structure of The God of Gamblers (betrayal, the struggle to reclaim his loss, mind-boggling contests) pop culture elements (Wa Ying Hung, martial arts novels, TV dramas) turns this calculated plot into an eye-popping story. This hits the laugh spot of those who grew up with the pop culture of the '70's and '80's. Not to be overlooked is that Stephen Chiau knows exactly when to hold and when to fold, eliciting sparks from a host of new comic actors. Bravo!
-Bono Lee
Stephen Chiau's concern in God of Cookery is not cooking but being god. The status of the culinary god depends only on his number of followers. In other words, this is a god made by men. That's why the film needs to summon the presence of Kwan Yin (the female Buddha) to legitimize Chow's status as a god. Many say films should have a heart. One can't say God of Cookery doesn't have one; it's just not a good heart. That's why, at the end, no matter how one looks at it, it's still not a good film.
-Shu Kei
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