The God of Cookery (1996)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Perfectly adorable

The first must-see film of the year.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Anyone who has seen those reality cooking shows in the vein of Iron Chef will be familiar with their dramatic camera compositions and movements, their exaggerated sound effects and the over-excited running commentary that provides an intensity like a sporting match. In Stephen Chow's The God of Cookery, it takes this spoof to the utter heights of absurdism and then some. In a mock competition under the heavens for the title of God of Cookery itself, Chow dresses as a divine judge who crushes each entrant with the most ridiculous criticisms ever. There is one chef who has even carved a delicate figurine of Buddha out of tofu, but it's declared too cold to eat. And for the crafty final entrant whom has planned ahead for the dismissive God's comments, he finds himself attacked for his ugly looks. This and the moment where the nose-picking cross dresser presents him with flowers are comedic tropes that Chow does not shy away from, and although they may be somewhat low-brow, you can't help but laugh. Chow has captured the tone of these reality shows very well. His cutting is thick and furious and dramatic, made even funnier by the shocked and gasping reactions from each of the characters involved. The sound effects heighten each blow to their melodramatic high - the whooshes and dings like they are competing in a high stakes game show. When Chow insultingly asks the undercover Bull Tong to prove his loyalty, the scene is shot like with an absurd flourish as he drops his pants, spins around and prepares his roll of toilet paper (which he just so happens to have on hand). The slow-motion and overexposed lighting give each of these scenes a soft, warm glow like a photographer shooting a plate of food for a magazine - only Chow does it with every single ridiculous occasion. And when Bull exposes him for the fraud he is, and demonstrates true cooking ability, it is like he is playing a game of Fruit Ninja...only this was years beforehand, with the exaggerated ingredients flying in motion and the rapid swishes of the knife. Chow knows how to milk every last scene for all its comedic potential. When he first unveils the new combined super food Pissing Beef Balls, the others are hesitant of its potency, until they try it out for themselves, and the waterfall of juice that erupts like a volcano is shot from a flurry of different angles and the eater gets consumed by a prancing daydream. This precedent is then extended as each new customer tries them out to hilarious effect. These are people who take their food seriously - no doubt evident by the gang warfare trope that is seamlessly and super seriously applied here (and there is even a The Usual Suspects reference in the mock-up line). The villains will do anything to stop Chow - even arrange his restaurant branch locations to spell die - something that is then reversed upon them. They've even bribed the judge of the final tournament - played hilariously by Nancy Sit as she gives running commentary to the food fight ("Good folding chair") and then has an orgasmic reaction to a simple char siu and rice. And as Chow nearly always does - there is a kung fu element to the way he glides on top of water and into the building for a late dramatic entrance. Nothing is off limits in God of Cookery - it reminds me of another food comedy, Tampopo, where the culinary arts was treated just as seriously. The main romantic storyline here is perhaps a bit cheesy, lacking the depth of say, Kung Fu Hustle, and the subtitles are iffy at times...but you will never once doubt your laughter.

I fail to understand the cult of the celebrity chef: I find the likes of Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey thoroughly obnoxious and the importance that has been placed on their unexceptional vocation an insult to the average hardworking Joe who toils away in obscurity.Almost as perplexing as the popularity of these irritating, over-exposed and overpaid cooks is the number of positive comments for Stephen Chow's The God of Cookery (the majority of which seem to have come from Western viewers!). I've seen more than my fair share of wacky Hong Kong movies, but the succession of crass toilet gags, wacky facial contortions, childish slapstick, and oddball zaniness left me stony faced and frequently scratching my head in confusion. Quite what everyone else found so irresistible about this film is a mystery to me.Maybe The God of Cookery is an acquired taste, repeated viewings revealing hitherto undiscovered subtle flavours, but to be honest, I doubt it and am in no hurry to find out. I think I've lost my appetite for HK comedy for the time being.3.5 out of 10, generously rounded up to 4 for IMDb.

Another terrific film from director/star/co-writer Stephan Chow, the highlight of which are scenes involving The Eighteen Brassmen of Shaolin Monastery, whom provide for particularly inspired comic moments in a movie full of them. Like his breakthrough film in the west, Shaolin Soccer, this film incorporates martial arts into an area not associated explicitly with them.However, The God of Cookery is not as much focused upon cooking as it is upon an ever-expanding group of oddball characters. The most wonderful thing about Chow as a director is that he doesn't simply use them as vehicles for gags but really allow them screen time to do their thing, even if it is just a throwaway role in the film (the 'ugly chef' who is in the very first scene is a good example). This includes ugly duckling/love interest Turkey, whose absurdly brutal personality and violent behaviour is so incredibly funny because Karen Mok, the actress playing Turkey, portrays her so honestly and without guile. There is none of the incredibly unfunny, strained-'trying to be funny' or ironic acting often found in recent American comedies. Chow is apparently a huge fan of Bruce Lee, but his work seems to take as much from Charlie Chaplin, a guy who knew how to be serious-ly funny.Anyway, if you enjoyed Stephan Chow's other comedies or are up for some joyfully absurd silliness, look around for this one, it's worth the effort.

Shi Shen is a hilarious parody to Chow Yun Fat's God Of Gamblers movies. It is all about Stephen Chow playing a role of a famous Chef with a natural born talent for cooking. He makes it big and shows his unmatched strength in the Chinese Cuisine Underworld. He encounters a counterpart who frames him and takes his position as the God Of Cookery and fights his way back to try and regain his position. I enjoyed this movie quite a bit since I enjoyed the God of Gamblers and am amused by Stephen Chow's witty sendups. I give it an 8 out of 10.