Magic Kitchen

Rating:
Summary: Charming, sweet movie...
Review: This is not due in the States for several months but this movie came in a lot of movies I bought off Ebay. It reminds me of "Practical Magic, "Simply Irresistible" and "Like Water for Chocolate..." and it is different in its own right. Sammi Cheng plays a unwilling chef who works in a restaurant more reminiscent of a home kitchen than a restaurant. Most of the scenes in the movie she is entertaining her friends more so than clients. Sammi inherits her restaurant when her mother, the previous owner, falls into ill-health and the story takes place 3 years after she has taken over the restaurant. Her assistant, Ho, (played by hunky newcomer Jerry Yan) wants her to participate in this "Iron Chef"-like (called "King Chef") competition in Tokyo but she doesn't feel ready and resists doing the contest. While in Tokyo to visit the set of "King Chef" Yau runs into an old boyfriend, Chun, which makes her reevaluate her life and her past relationships. Yau comes to terms with the bad relationship she had with her father growing up, getting over her relationship with Chun (played by Andy Lau), and dealing with her two close female friends who are well-intentioned but self-serving and manipulative. "Magic Kitchen" also features Maggie Q as one of Yau's friends and a very funny cameo by Stephen Fung that is one of the best scenes of the movies. Overall this is a very enjoyable film. If you like this you may want to check out Gigi & Takeshi Kaneshiro in "Turn Left/Turn Right..."