Elite racer Lui (Jacky Cheung) gets into a conflict with rival Joe (Max Mok) and things doesn't turn out smoother when Lui's sister Ann (Rachel Lee) falls in love with Joe. Essentially a triad conflict all this, Ann is caught in that and the one between Lui and his cop-dad (Wu Ma). Feeble notions of honor, loyalty and brotherhood of course begin to draw these characters closer to tragedy...

No twist on the triad-genre occurs despite showing Lui and company racing cars. What follows is the usual restaurant confrontations with fellows gathered, loud exchanges and over the top behaviour by both big brothers as well as followers. It's not fresh in the least and a horribly miscast Jacky Cheung as a triad heavy in a conflict with his dad doesn't play to the charming, at times manic and dramatically strong sides to the actor. Cheung could go over the top in successfully in With Or Without You but no such luck with Off Track. Lui leads a group who's gone so far they never hesitate to mess with the police, Lui feels affectionate towards a girlfriend (Ellen Chan) when only he feels like it and bringing up the idea of marriage to such an unsympathetic character of course proves to be a disaster. I have no problems with unsympathetic characters but Lui's tragic fate isn't very interesting, even when he shows affection for a family member eventually. Far too deep into the triad life and the very unreal notion of pure brotherhood, I'm sure writer Rico Chung is making his point here but I'm merely being nice mentioning it because no freshness or engagement is to be found.

Equally shallow and uninteresting becomes the participation by Rachel Lee and Max Mok with the former trying admirably well though as a family member who sees blame in both her brother and father but the subsequent rival romance has no spark. Problem with all of these characters are that lack of definition and Cha Chuen-Yee insists to initially set them up as stereotypes. The next step would then be to gradually develop but even that he skips in a quick-cut, crucial montage of violence that demonstrates further descent down that tragic spiral.

It's wrong to employ a fast energy and although the racing scenes are acceptable fireworks, Off Track is an uninteresting, melodramatic trek upwards for us while bland characters do their best to go down and drag others with them. It's no news to anyone. Cha Chuen-Yee and Rico Chung managed to spin this topic of triads in their Once Upon A Time In Triad Society movies, right smack in the middle of that triad boom but they were older filmmakers by 1996. A starting point could be worthy of examination if you admire the latter skills but Off Track doesn't even prove it's worth in that regard.

Pink Encounter (Chu Yen-Ping)
After somewhat correctly teasing us with the title card that there will be lesbian action, it's all eventually as this story sets up the running theme of males (and females) losing their head whenever sex is on the top of the agenda. Bathtub salesman Niu Te-Hwa (Kau Ming-Woei) is paid a visit by a sexy woman (Rebecca Cheung) wanting to try out a tub before she commits to buying. Trying out means running the water, undressing and undressing some more. All while a goofy, sweaty salesman ponders if this is all too good to be true. Rebecca Cheung (who will also feature in our last story) gives a sexy performance, is certainly easy on the eyes but here's material that barely survives the short story format. It's literally just the basic plot synopsis, the sales pitch on screen and the story of the weak male mind isn't news to anyone.

House For Rent (Shieh Wen-Cheung)
A down on their luck couple moves into a house where the rich landlady and landlord aren't exactly living in bliss either. When not at home, he indulges in sex with prostitutes while her frustration (sexual of course) build up. The poor couple has to resort to donating blood and we meet them at a crossroads in their life where this seems to have gone on to the point where there's only survival in the air, not attraction. These scarred characters come together sexually but the name of the game is cheating. Clearly made so that the excuse is to feature nudity, despite that Shieh Wen-Cheung directs solid dramatic material. While somewhat corny and silly beats are on display, the final resolution is actually a work of admirable subtlety but of course it's nothing that will rival any solid dramatic FEATURE director.

Lady In Heat (Chu Yen-Ping)
While no English title card is ever shown, presumably this the longest part of the film is also the main attraction so the title applies. Making his own at times hyper stylized version of Basic Instinct, Chu Yen-Ping shows during a stormy night a sex session involving handcuffs and candle wax ending with the bloody murder of a wealthy businessman. Cop Chia Mei (Nomoto Miho - Sex Medusa) handles the case and suspects becomes the housekeeper (Li Bo) and the the lover of the businessman, Young Liu (Rebecca Cheung). Chia Mei is more drawn to Young Liu (sexually of course) and despite the ongoing murder investigation, lust takes over...

Everything has to happen quickly in these stories so there's little room for new interpretation of the material. Chu Yen-Ping is here to showcase the two women and does so in a manner that is pretty much inappropriate (in terms of what is logical for the movie). Sex-scenes feature wind machines making the leads hair blow in a supposed sexy way while they're indoors, Taiwan is apparently suffering from intense lighting storms at night whenever there's sexual encounters and a silly love montage strays way away from the sleazy, steamy mood of the short. Then again it's well sold, clearly manufactured by a male director (the lesbian night club-scene is a testament to this and on the soundtrack we get quite a selection of filthy songs too) and Chu's selection of females are attractive, alone or together.

It's all not very believable, involving or exciting once the twists have been flashed before us but combine all that with some truly, ultra-genuine WTF-moments created late in the tale, we're at least genuinely amazed by the mad mind of Chu's that take matters (seemingly anyway) into supernatural, symbolic directions. The reaction should be "Huh?" and the project that is Lady In Heat will and should be shrugged off. There's positive and suitable filmmaking available as this is a good ol' exploitation-venture but signs late in the last story confirms that the idea of not being dull should've been put forth earlier in the production.

Throwing us off guard by ultra-quickly establishing the fact that main characters are in prison, equally quickly the newcomer Wayne (Kenny Ho) gets abused by the triads. Mentor and best friend forever Henry Tse (Andy Lau) builds up strength in Wayne, within himself and the often preached need for education gets clinched by the duo. All's well when entering life outside then? Nah. As one line gets repeated by Henry about the poor never experiencing fairness in life, circumstances force him into the triads. All while Wayne trains to be a lawyer and tries to keep his best friend above surface the way Henry kept his head above. Ye ol' downwards spiral does continue though...

Arguably writer Nam Yin was on a solid roll as well during this time (1*) and even if you disregard the flat, cheap look of Dragon In Jail, a fact Nam Yin and Kent Cheng can't escape is lack of heart provided for this all too familiar material. The movie really wants to hurry through the prison scenario in a way that feels like Cheng is ticking off the drama beats-checklist and it isn't pretty filmmaking. Instead it's rather forced when throughout the drama is pushed via huge emotional outbursts and Canto-pop music. There is a core here worthy of viewer affection, talking of friendship and brotherhood on an epic scale in terms of time covered. But epic is an enemy for director Cheng when he doesn't want to spend much time on any beat initially. So we're supposed to be treated like rag dolls in a tornado AND endure 100 minutes of it? Ineffective, backwards thinking.

Settling down somewhat as he follows Andy Lau's Henry Tse trying on a straight path but getting thrown off it by triad heavy Charlie Ma (William Ho in a by now patented EEEEEVVVVIIIILLL performance) whose buddy Henry killed (leading to a manslaughter sentence), here's a character that indeed seems right about the fact that no good will come his way. So might as well flow into triad life, for better or worse but it rarely gets better as he endures drug addiction, constant fighting, fear and is disowned by his family. Who says being free is not akin to jail? Affecting notions on paper that are suitably echoed in the case of Wayne as well who has a hard time adjusting to life outside of the walls as he even goes to the lengths of sleeping outdoors rather than within walls. But flat portrayals of all these facets, that then dips heavily into the standard triad genre content with all its loyalty, brotherhood, obligatory to portray rather than effectively doing so is the feeling one get from Kent Cheng's direction. Surprising in a way since he's shown keen skill in handling characters of lower status in his other movies but one key of past success perhaps is due to a confidence in directing his character himself. Here he's totally absent and lost in material rife with opportunities.

But everyone involved go for the often used jugular the more tragic and bloody fates on screen become. Gaining a little momentum towards the end via John Ching's performance as a once enemy turned blood brother to Henry and even Andy Lau's emotional acting, there is a highlight reel moment to take to heart in Dragon To Jail as the final confrontation between Henry and Charlie is brutality and emotions skillfully conveyed by all (including action director Blacky Ko). Threatening to actually make the drama effective for a few minutes, there is indeed not enough felt, passionate strength in the pile next to the clichés. The former pile is dangerously low. The other high as a mountain.

Lo Gin (Banana Spirit, The Heartbeat 100) writes and directs a well timed thriller. Timing being good to make a movie in an era in Hong Kong where the Category III rating was utilized extensively (often for real life crime depiction on the big screen though) and a few years earlier, the erotic thriller got a mainstream upswing in the West via Paul Verhoeven's Basic Instinct. Despite bearing traits though of a pretty stale, quick entry done for the sake of getting nudity up on screen, Fatal Love gives the cheapo cinema of its kind an upswing via sound visual style, extreme sexual violence and fair tension.

Though showing no positive signs akin to that early as Ellen Chan appears in a shower scene, Lo Gin has given us fragments early of latter events in the film that means darkness and a possible lethal outcome for our lead character. The blurry cam isn't a particularly inspiring showcase for this but not even Wong Kar-Wai could make it come off as as anything but lazy and intrusive in that regard. Throwing out such pretensions soon, Lo Gin doesn't inspire when the superiors training Ellen Chan's characters are way to goofy for a serious exercise in the genre but Chan does give us confidence that she will serve the material well when she's asked to act as different types of girls in front of her teachers. So the keywords of not getting emotionally attached are uttered and we know that will be a notion not exercised, what Lo Gin manages to infuse Fatal Love with via probably few tools (the fragmented opening probably is THE tool) is a sexual tension as Debbie and Lau are brought together on-screen. Debbie and Lau run together, exercise together, sweat together and this is fairly well done tension because we also expect a beast to be hidden... in Michael Wong (?!?!). Well, he's a weak performer, dubbed (even though his dubber seems to want to echo Michael's usual switch between Cantonese and English) but his wide-eyed psycho acting techniques are endlessly entertaining. Having said that in general negative aspect of his acting, it all does not detract from the grim violence on the horizon.

Lo Gin doesn't pull any punches and seems to get away with A LOT more than Hong Kong censors usually allow, despite playing within the Category III rating. In particular the sadistic sex scenes, involving in one case force feeding of broken glass and what must be 20+ bloody stabs with a broken bottle run for extensive periods of time. A tool to snap audience right out of a potential slumber, Lo Gin manages to argue to push this way for his showcase of nightly, behind closed doors acts of grimness. This puts Debbie in the expected vulnerable position and it's a shame this rookie undercover seems rather doomed from this point on. Especially when Lau Fuk Tin intrudes into her real life.

Fatal Love is effective, morally questionable exploitation of course but also overall an unusually tight thriller with highly effective detours into grim and sadistic (often sexual) violence. Ellen Chan continues throughout to anchor the film decently and even though Michael Wong is highly laughable, there's no doubt director Lo Gin taps into something oddly effective despite his performance being cartoonish at the same time. Not lacking steam nor painful moments, Fatal Love is more of what you should call premium fodder from the exploitation era of 90s Hong Kong cinema. Even premium fodder was uneven but undeniably had effect.

Occasionally some of the actors and actresses in Lok Daai-Yue's The Complicated Raping Case lit up the screen, even when working with the Category III rating. In particular leading lady Tsui Man-Wah has proven to have a face (and body) that could command it (1*) and Lawrence Ng has managed to log work in genre classics such as Sex And Zen and A Chinese Torture Chamber Story. When brought together here with charisma vacuum Poon Jan-Wai (Brief Encounter) in your run of the mill mystery thriller (that isn't so much about a complicated raping case but more of a missing person-one. What word sells tickets though?), stale and static direction hinders most talent to come through.

Possessing an eye for very few things, Lok Daai-Yue certainly showcases what is often wrong with productions in an era where riding on a wave and making a quick buck was the name of the game. So although tapping into the character of Yiu Yung-Tat by showing his particular perverse leanings (one being that he likes to watch women being raped), distanced direction and a camera just idly standing there makes this short endeavor tough to sit through. As a fan of exploitation though, you do know that if effect is clinched via nasty or sexy moments in sporadic bursts, a lot can be forgiven. Very partially true for The Complicated Raping Case.

Eventually the movie at best is a more sexually explicit TV-thriller of below average standard, with some minor themes uttered by the cops about the perverse nature of the rich and of course the age old notion of not getting sexually involved with persons related to the case is put into non-practice here. A lot of focus is of course directed towards Tom and Jenny and you would be stupid to think she's NOT integral to the secrets in some way. Being very flirty and emotionally unstable, surely it's a game played and not just sexual frustration? It leads to the minor competence showed by director Lok as he manages to amp the sexy factor of the film via Tsui Man-Wah. During select moments we get re-confirmation how much the camera can loves her face (and body) and detailing a darker, rougher side to her (even sexually) at least shows appropriate mood created by Lok.

The camera isn't as bored anymore during those moments but we aren't especially excited to follow anything BUT the moments that adds to Tsui Man-Wah's demo reel if you will. As a murder mystery and a piece of exploitation, The Complicated Raping Case isn't interesting or is able to provide interest. Evident when the clearly told twists and secrets are revealed, the viewer is still stuck in the scenes of violent, sexual behaviour. We Tsui Man-Wah fans will imprint that in our memory. The rest won't and shouldn't bother trying.

Bobby Au and Lily Chung were paired up the year before in Fatal Encounter and and in director Lam Yee-Hung's O.C.T.B Case - The Floating Body (1995) . Effective and quite gory violence cemented a lasting memory for the latter venture and same could be applied to The Woman Behind here. However when interest only peaks very late in the story, via details that I will not relate, you've got yourself some backwards thinking going on here in this relationship-drama.

Looming is the portrayal of the horny male not being to resist temptations, although it doesn't come with the consequences of AIDS like in Fatal Encounter. The Mainland is still awfully dangerous and while Bobby Au's Kwai-San tries to remain focused as long as he can, physical attraction and need is what it is sometimes. Gaining a huge unsympathetic status therefore as he's betraying a marriage not at all in jeopardy (economy is however), the above is hardly revolutionary but are valid themes to examine. The emotional effects of distance and abandonment in other words, events started by one big dope of a character. Now if all this was effective before its ending, The Woman Behind could've escaped the verdict talking of a host of dull patches and distanced direction.

Because Lam Yee-Hung doesn't inspire the production or infuse one bit of sincerity into it. If at one point a stylistic decision was to put the camera far away in order to create the feel of documented reality, it's a choice that fails miserably because now instead the drama is static and therefore frustrates. Tilted angles during phone conversations are completely puzzling directorial thoughts as well. Lam Yee-Hung does have the talented Lily Chung to embody the inner distress of being this gravely betrayed but when given no direction, no wonder the acting goes into an overdrive that barely passes the standard of a soap opera melodrama. It can be argued Bobby Au is onto something with his awkward acting as his character is not really clued into the real effects of his choices but that's being way too kind as a critic.

Despite some unexpected turns in the narrative and an ending with a surprising amount of teeth, The Woman Behind resembles a lot of the murky looking, cheap and quick productions from this era of filmmaking aiming for harsher stuff via the Category III rating. Lam Yee-Hung does prove by the end that a harsh, tough to take and disturbing examination of betrayal and the emotions that goes along with it was in hiding but when flashing opportunities late, all that quickly becomes part of a miscalculation. Doubt these filmmakers were after much status or substance though but then why make a stale drama this subdued (i.e. boring) and with such a limited amount of nudity? That is miscalculating a market demand as well.

Adhering to the long Hong Kong cinema tradition (and a largely gone one) of switching moods drastically within a movie (or movie series), it's definitely possible Cash Chin is of the frame of mind that he greatly enjoys playing with audiences expectations, local or otherwise, and what The Forbidden Legend Sex & Chopsticks II does compared to the first movie is to go down the expected dark routes the brief synopsis of the novel suggests. Now that wouldn't have been a given thing and ultimately I think the production company My Way (1*) wanted Cash Chin to adhere to Hong Kong cinema's old ways and therefore Chin to his. Could've stayed light but it just happened to be more darkness and gore chosen for the sequel. Groovy and ultimately it makes sense watching Ximen Qing developing this way, leaving behind his giddy nature in favour of the ever increasing desire. You raise the bar. You conjure up more danger. You create more bloodshed. You loose control and the bloodshed slowly becomes directed at you. The character of Ximen Qing does become more interesting to follow this time around therefore.

After the multiple nipples have been shown during the opening credits (and a quick recap), life is still bubbly and care free as Ximen plays with Lotus and grapes to very amusing effect the Category III-way. Cash Chin is still having fun because the naughty character is. A character that doesn't apologize for his obsession with sex but a character that is going to go down the expected unsympathetic routes as we learn more of his dark streak. Before all that, Chin has also showcased that his desire for sex-scenes for this movie isn't going to be relegated to quick montages. No, keeping the camera rolling for a long time and pretty much clinching the mood needed for each (be it light, sexy or distressingly disturbing), it's one of the strengths of the more compelling sequel that Chin has accepted the challenge to do justice to the moods as suggested by the synopsis of the novel.

Although Cash Chin is overly obvious when explaining character motivations and themes, it's comforting to see lead actor Oscar Lam finally showing signs of being very correct casting. Looking anything but threatening and instead like a giddy kid having had too much sweats, it's still a fact that he's become an untouchable, resourceful force in his land (essentially owning the justice system is one example). But a kid who likes candy wants more and you let your guard down, something the women around him realize as the subplot about characters wanting revenge for the death of Frankie Ng's Wu Da-Lang appear. It's pretty obvious where we're heading so that sense of signaling the obvious actually plays in Cash Chin's favour as the movie rolls on. It's all about us looking through a huge magnifying glass at Ximen Qing's increasingly depraved actions and abuse.

Having especially been infatuated with sadomasochism and letting others have a go at his concubines, Chin does go far when portraying this particular leaning and certainly pushes the softcore level of the film to the top of the roof. But we're coming back to the fact that he creates steamy erotica as much as he disgusts when Ximen Qing abuses his surroundings. It's a director keeping moods controlled and apart... something that, as it turns out, means that he goes against the tradition of old Hong Kong cinema of this kind. A particular disgusting highlight is Ximen Qing feeding aphrodisiac to Pinky's husband as well as her AND having him in the room while he essentially rapes his now willing wife. It's an outrageous scene with acrobatic sex galore but we're equally involved in following the depravity and degradation in the character.

Basically we're effectively following a doomed dope, through the viewfinder of cinematographer Ross Clarkson who makes the low budget package and the women within it very alluring. The Forbidden Legend Sex & Chopsticks II doesn't in fact possess a whole lot of depth but it in the end displays a difference compared to when it could've been made (back in the 90s). Nowadays, we're in an era in Hong Kong cinema with more spit and polish. The film takes to heart being born in it and with past sensibilities. This series stands out because Cash Chin allows it to be pushed into logical, sexual explicit territory with the background theme of power consummation playing out surprisingly effective on the small scale. Perhaps we're in fact blessed with the fact that this filmmaking more evident in the 90s only pops up very sporadically nowadays. It allows in this case for creating a somewhat deeper thought process behind cheap smut and that is quite a few leaps of development for the Category III softcore erotica. I'm glad it's Cash Chin that's steering the development.

Modern day effort with Jimmy Wang Yu but nonetheless a versus Japan plot is constructed yet again, Knight Errant fits more into standard tactics that thankfully features Jimmy. More often than not the bashing on display doesn't dazzle but from the saw mill sequence and onwards where the revenge driven Japanese are revealed to be both rapists and inept killers, the fury of Wang Yu gets to shine... albeit only fairly well. Using the structure of this location well, veteran Taiwan director Ding Sin-Saai saves the best for last as Wang Yu goes head to head with badass kung-fu grandma played by Tse Gam-Guk (Queen Of Fist and credited on the English print of Knight Errant as Lady With An Iron Fist). Strong beyond belief, even getting run over by a car doesn't stop this woman! You tally up the elements and get a favourable grade out of the uneven Knight Errant easily therefore. Also known as Dragon Fist.

Structurally similar as the big Hong Kong talent on display breaks loose (in the first film it was Andy Lau) and again about the little people fighting for survival amidst the dirt and blood, the choice of theme has been handled well by Chu and probably was here as well before the scissors came in. So as it stands now, End Of The Road never lingers on its possibilities before moving on so we're never emotionally involved in any of the war mayhem or the over the top melodrama. In fact, now the latter is up for criticism while more elaboration on scenes with for instance Ng Man-Tat and Jimmy Lin would've become more felt come ending time. One performer seriously left out is lead Tok Chung-Wa though who compared to mentioned performers screen time is seriously more of a side character (as is O Chun-Hung). I so seriously doubt anyone cutting this film down thought of filmmaker's original intentions. Watch the end credits for snippets of deleted footage. Also with Ray Lui and Rosamund Kwan.

Chin Siu-Ho managed to be put into not only one but two Thailand set B-actioners around this time and BOTH featured either transsexuals or drag queens! But unlike Hero Dream, Dead Target mostly misses out on offering up something so poor it's dead on memorable. The walk into camera-transitions speak volumes of the filmmaking and clearly someone scouted Thailand prior. Hence a lot of those notes being included in the film in the form of street cooks throwing their vegetables as a way of serving and strip joints with aforementioned transsexuals or drag queens. It sounds lively, Dead Target certainly has stuff moving in the frame but not enough. To be specific, not enough hokey outrageousness although the elephants helping out Didi and company to crush and stomp bad guys is classic celluloid. The argument that "well at least it has drag queens, transsexuals and killer elephants" does apply but doesn't cancel out the lack of B-movie spark otherwise.

Quite basic and clichéd, Parkman Wong keeps the pace up in his directing debut though. The buddy formula with Lee and Chow works very well despite expected beats of initially being enemies to being pals and coupled with select violent shootouts from action director Yuen Wah, Final Justice provides a fair balance. One of its themes is the difference between the street cops, anyone behind a desk, the hassle of paperwork and while not a fairly portrayed balance (Ricky Yi's character gets few chances to state his point clearly), it's an intelligent backbone of the film. Stephen Chow was nominated at the Hong Kong Film Awards for his performance. Also with William Ho (despite this being his pre-Category III days, he still manages to end up in a sex scene), Victor Hon and Ken Lo.

Compared to its many friends in the genre during this time, Vampire Buster keeps matters quite dark. Oh there's "wit" and silliness injected via the mentioned Nat Chan (who was probably a result of Wong Jing's participation in the script) and the bickering Jacky Cheung/Elsie Chan couple but surprisingly it stays ever so slightly more closer to what logically should be the true mood of the film. Little is in fact scary however but the requisite energy that Hong Kong filmmakers knew in their sleep is brought forth in a series of fairly exciting battles (mostly when Stanley Fung is possessed).

Released on Hong Kong dvd as Heroic Cops while a VHS release in America tried to sell it as a sequel to The Killer by blessing it with the title Killers Two.

Sole bright spot is a superbly cool Jordan Chan who is greatly aided by fun, violent action directing by Dion Lam and Ma Yuk-Sing. Also with Gigi Leung, Cheung Tat-Ming, Elvis Tsui, Frankie Ng and Moses Chan.

Yue Hoi as his master becomes a fitting father figure with much warmth and since then familiar faces of Hong Kong and Mainland productions, Yue Sing-Wai (Yellow River Fighter) and bald Ji Chun-Hua (Red Sorghum, Tai Chi II) establishes early their memorable screen images. Director Cheung Yam-Yim previously made The Jade Bow (and subsequently Fist From Shaolin that added footage from Jet Li's debut here. Shameless behaviour from someone...) that featured the first dual collaboration of Lau Kar-Leung and Tong Gaai who were subsequently Chang Cheh's duo of choice in this regard at Shaw Brothers and were eventually to become filmmakers in their own right. Lau more frequently than Tong and the former even directed the third, unrelated installment of The Shaolin Temple series called Martial Arts Of Shaolin (again with Jet Li). For a very detailed and excellent breakdown of the importance of The Shaolin Temple, check out the piece (where some of the above info was obtained) by Yves Gendron of Hong Kong Cinema View From The Brooklyn Bridge.

A big scale production, combining the often used animated effects but also suitable inclusions of computer generated imagery, the frantic pacing and wild battles are definitely Tsui Hark and Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain in style which is a high compliment to Andy Chin's work here. The flying battles take place over some quite impressive sets, being both done in the shaky cam tradition but also wire work is captured in a variety of one-shots going across the width of the sets. With his remarkably beautiful leads at center stage, it's no wonder the movie gets a boost visually as well while Sharla Cheung performs the light side of the story impressively. Overall quite an evil character that force-feeds chicken to the monk and gets her senior to cut off his legs, sprinkled throughout are notions of power being quite repetitive and boring, something one character will possibly learn after it's achieved. This is not one, big dramatic intention but a clear train of thought that has a place besides the wild, frantic, hypnotic, hyperactive side of The Dragon Chronicles - The Maidens. You can never blame it for being boring or predictable as Andy Chin showcases the Wuxia world is anything but. It's also decidedly human at points. Also with Liu Kai-Chi.

Produced by Johnnie To, director Vincent Kok provides the expected moral of the story and a polished commercial feel that takes few chances. Unexpectedly not going the nonsense comedy route with the premise, there's still some wild, funny sights gathered up such as the wife candidacy in Ford's family being handled American Idol-style and Ford being reduced to beggar also very quickly makes him grow dreadlocks! Totally amusing but a bit overlong, much of the very bearable nature to Only Fools In Love is due to the fine chemistry and presences of Lau Ching-Wan and Wu Chien-Lien. Wu is exceptionally fetching in period wear (always has been), even flashes her on-screen kung-fu skills at one point and Kok really lights up the screen with her face via various perfect close-ups. It's a sweet and fun time she provides together with her leading man. Also with Billy Lau, Jerry Lamb, Roy Chiao, Wong Yat-Fei and Vincent Kok himself.

Within a trend, who craves effort? Then again having cinematographer Joe Chan make matters look pretty solid and because of the choice of shooting in synch sound, Steve Cheng at least makes us watch on for the above average professionalism on display. The darker turns the story takes engages and although some of the effects of the out of control spiral of violence gets taken down fully by some awful choices of music, The Rules Of The Game can indeed be argued to be familiar in a good way. Louis Koo and Alex Fong display the cool and emotional in solid ways but positive glimpses sporadically in a familiar production doesn't make for a full movie. Unexpected but not approved. Also with Edmond So, Ronald Wong, Simon Loui, Frankie Ng, Wayne Lai and Berg Ng.

Certainly a very lively, comic book adventure in style as director Nico Wong lets us know he feels The Sting has no business operating in the real world or within the notions of sense. But Wong has the skills to back this up as he takes the über-awesome Simon Tam through a plethora of chase scenarios. It's one of those heroes tailored for Andy Lau's inherent coolness as there's no way he's ever going to be in danger and judging by the manic humour on display, here could've laid a Stephen Chow vehicle perfectly suited for that man's screen image of the time as well. Andy Lau continues to prove he's adept at selling fights and take part to an admirable degree, even though the action here is more comedic in style (his encounter with an assassin not QUITE from the modern world is the best action director Lee King-Chu offers up). Bonus points goes to a completely mad Bowie Lam who appears in a variety of disguises, none more memorable than him as Jesus on the cross or as a very ugly baby. Also with Chin Ho and Shing Fui-On. Wong Jing's gambling/prison movies parody Perfect Exchange was also known as The Sting II but has nothing to do with Nico Wong's movie aside from the casting of Andy Lau in the lead.

Rounding off a very Category III-tinged directorial career with even more of the highest rated-kind, Otto Chan certainly worked the atmosphere and emotions the rating can come with. Everything from screwball comedies, dark kidnapping drama and a little Hong Kong flavoured horror, some of us look back fondly on Stooges In Hong Kong and Gates Of Hell so with Don't Tell My Partner, honestly it beforehand feels like a genuinely cheap exit with not even a tiny bit of challenge put forth. It's bonk-a-thon time yes but without any distinction? Do we want that though? Do we need that though? Or is adhering to market demand late in the "golden" era of Category III of filmmaking and working up only half-assed atmosphere and emotions sufficient? It actually warrants an examination to see if half-assed could be considered valid. It's hard to tell if super duper 110% TRULY Otto Chan wants to seriously portray the consequences of cheating on your partner but since he doesn't go all out silly or feature excuses to include sex scenes with every random character in the film, the middle ground is taken. It does result in a fairly boring time though.

Everything I'm going to mention may make Don't Tell My Partner seem more deep than it is but then again, issues of the male rationale behind cheating is quite intriguing when we get it through the eyes of Raymond Tso's David. Equaling it to a high better than drugs, despite his over the top antics when describing all this, it makes for a thought process that is even a little psychological. In the end here's the more likeable character actually as he's clearly not in it for the love and has his moral boundaries. It's only when love strikes David his world spins a little.

So Keith, being timid and believing in traditional values is the one that truly spirals out of control. Not really infatuated with the thought of going behind the back of his partner even when colleagues (in way overexcited fashion) describes the upcoming girl in their office landscape, it does take THAT girl for Keith to be hypnotized to the point of following her around and this in turn develops the irrational side of Keith. Something that would neeeeever happen to him but it's his sin. So perhaps Nancy is the devil sent down to tempt? There's certainly something going on with her front teeth. The storybeats are expected, the colourful cinematography by Johnny Koo (1*) an asset and while this doesn't turn into yet another Fatal Attraction clone, a dark twist could've elevated Otto Chan's work here. Because above thoughts are well and good as well as the rather limited set of fairly hot sex scenes (making them a LOGICAL inclusion) but Chan proves perhaps his greatest effect as a filmmaker was when pushing and punishing.

Because Don't Tell My Partner, while quite even for a Category III sex film, is too subdued to truly involve and this serious stance can't be supported by actors elevating the material. Jimmy Wong's dopey charm and irrational behaviour gets him some slight places while Raymond Tso flows well into the likeable nature of David but female counterparts (especially Ozawa Madoka) are not ready, nor ever will to be taken onto an ordinary journey. Don't Tell My Partner wasn't going to adhere to the standard Category III recipe of Elvis Tsui + period costumes, which is commendable, but when you can't back up that genre-anarchy when making a psychological and fairly serious study of the male mind, your movie in this case becomes one stuck in obscurity when looking at the genre output.

Viewers of certain Hong Kong cinema got a chance to experience Peter Wang as he co-starred in Allen Fong's award winning Ah Ying in 1983. Taking a shot himself at writing and directing in 1986, the co-production A Great Wall mostly uses Beijing as its locale but the cornerstone of its themes rests equally in the West. Peter preaches simple themes and is a director in the case of this film that favours being a bit scattershot when adding up his themes through his key characters. It does create distance and an ambiguity at times but also this basic, yet crucially real enlightenment as East and West collides makes for involving cinema thematically at least.

Early on featuring scenes in Beijing of Chinese traditions such men at a bathhouse and the sport of Ping Pong, we then see the now Americanized family having adopted very well but obviously trying to stick to Chinese heritage as much as logic suggests. Only missing piece in fact may be that the son Paul needs to learn Chinese but Leo Fang, as much as an easy going guy he seems to be, plays the race card all too often in his life. Not happy with the choice of girlfriend by the son and lashing out at his boss for not promoting him due to Leo being Chinese, he is a character jumping to this wild conclusions way too fast. The trip to the old country, where standards seem lower but in reality isn't equal to misery, will trigger that balanced view on matters grating a character like Leo.

We meet dreamers in Beijing, such as Lili talking of her desire to be a writer and those such as Liu Yida (Kelvin Tong - Moon Warriors) who's only been taught to go to college, find a job, an apartment and boom, life goals achieved. Being content with the basic isn't necessarily wrong but the battery of the youngsters won't run out easily. Especially not when you encounter a Western force of life that challenges you to think outside the Chinese box of traditions. One key and an involving one in Wang's and Shirley Sun's script is how you maintain respect for traditions AND individuality in a Chinese society. Thankfully overall Wang's intentions are uplifting and even lighthearted comedy finds its way into the film.

Witness for instance Mr. Chao's (Hu Xiaoguang) Qi Gong exercise every morning that ends with the world's most relaxed and pleasurable fart and although darker issues of prejudice, racism and condemnation of how certain characters have adjusted to their particular society are evident, the message in Wang's frame is a very pleasurable one. The possible turn off for viewers is Wang's sense of non-urgency and lack of center piece plot. Favouring theme as a driving force, it allows for his frame to feel natural, almost documentary-esque but it's not always this quiethood plays into his favour as the movie can feel a bit ambiguous at times.

A Great Wall merits an thorough examination though because as basic as Peter Wang's themes are, they are also undeniably universal still 20 years after the movie was made. Letting us look intimately in and respecting a society based on tradition and respect, it's not a slap in the face of it to preach individuality and this easily digestible trip Wang takes us onto goes into noble territory that has no problems outweighing the occasional slump. Especially not when the movie essentially ends on a fart.

After their critically slammed but fairly well-received, in terms of box office, Hollywood adventure The Messengers, the Pang Brothers was the first crew to get award winner Aaron Kwok back onto screens after terrific acclaim in Patrick Tam's After This Our Exile. Choosing Oxide thankfully (right NOW, I prefer this brother) to direct the Pang Brothers next adventure with Hong Kong and Thai flavour, The Detective almost departs totally from the horror genre they're often associated with to provide an ever growing puzzle of a murder mystery. Coupled with a personal story for our lead character, emotional complexities have been Oxide Pang's forte in the likes of Ab-Normal Beauty. But as even and well produced as The Detective is, it's missing the key ingredient of emotional involvement.

So what detective clichés can Oxide and co-writer Pang Pak-Sing fit into their story here? A few, non-intrusive ones like Tam being out of cash, clashing with the law enforcers and being the wrong guy at the wrong place at the wrong time more often than not. Yet it's not attempts at being cool and doing film noir Hong Kong/Thai style. Thankfully staying away from creating a quirky character but instead focusing on the reasons why he's one to never quit, there's the underlying back story of Tam searching for his parents to propel emotions forward, up to the surface etc. Utilizing sound and startling imagery for tension, Oxide certainly creates a slick, and thick (in terms of heat) frame that benefits from a thoroughly Thai infused setting. Here car chases can and should involve elephants to some degree and realizing audiences wants to be in on the puzzle (believe me, that doesn't seem like the agenda of some filmmakers), Oxide stays away from any obvious over the top stylistic excursions. Reserved only for select moments, he does come off as a filmmaker with many tricks in the book and one is to know when to be reserved.

All well and good but the main premise basically dealing with stocks and money rarely, sometimes never involve. It's a multi character mystery that is done with pretty much the utmost clarity but going back to tension provided, clearly Oxide has little belief in the celluloid created so most of the "excitement" unfortunately is created on the soundtrack. Basically, it doesn't fool us into involvement but instead detaches us even more from it.

Although twists late reveal train of thoughts that could've elevated the status of The Detective akin to how the very final images of Ab-Normal Beauty did, the tool is admirably employed but not interesting enough when placed in the context of what has happened prior as the final pieces of the puzzle are laid to rest. No harm done by the comfortable and solid Aaron Kwok who owns the screen suitably well or the ever so good Liu Kai-Chi who can project goofy and hard within the same character and beat. And again, the film is even (although way too long) a quality you should not ignore but you haven't done a full day's work even in Hong Kong cinema when you refuse to dip. Those uneven efforts reached heights too. Now that Oxide Pang has revealed that his formula isn't waterproof, maybe Danny deserves a chance?

Breaking the wild and acrobatic supersex-session with our Category III superman injuring his back, we're immediately thrown into the low-budget to no-budget world of adults only Hong Kong cinema. Having sex on screen in this way can be as dangerous as working on any kung-fu movie it's said and faced with a dilemma of being an artist or being commercial, director Fok Kin Yiu (Dennis Tang and say his character name a few more times to get the all so subtle joke) starts adhering to audiences demand by making fairly ambitious to eventually ultra-cheap skin flicks. The one thought of social influence of the rating now merely extends to notions of entertaining audiences and certainly we hear a Ho Fan speaking both truths he can agree with and he's clearly being frustrated as well. Temptation Summary II certainly isn't or intended to be a visual splendor in the vein of Ho Fan's previous work or a work of someone forced into catering to audiences demand only. It's too much fun to be the latter.

It ain't Magnolia or Short Cuts but Ho Fan brings in quite a hefty amount of characters surrounding the III. Main one being Lee Chung-Ling's cop Chi who hasn't gathered enough experience to go completely desensitized in his line of work. Going undercover to buy sex, he enters the "swimming sessions" of Mermaid (the character of Hwa Hwa played delightfully by Tsui Man-Wah, co star of Dances With Snakes) and discovers someone he's supposed to bust but has too much damn fun with. Eventually making sure she's not arrested, the two re-connect after a period of disinterest by Hwa Hwa whose main goal is to earn enough money to get a British passport. The center piece and couple whose journey's are not forgotten by Ho Fan (but others are), Lee has proven in I Love Miss Fox and the first Temptation Summary his knack for playing the dope, the crazy husband and the former trait works well with the timid, loving nature of the character of Chi here. Having splendid chemistry with Tsui Man-Wah, Ho Fan extends upon their diner bonding by zooming in onto an aquarium and off into a favourite land of his we are: Fantasy.

One of the few of those sequences that genuinely fits and works, there's little issues about the actors being naked as it's more about a bubbly romance growing and if that isn't taking us far away from exploitation, I don't know what is. Ho Fan has often known a little better than most directors he shared the III rating with. To top it all off, Hwa Hwa is a dedicated woman but has her dilemma of not being able to veer off her goal. Moral dilemmas continues to surface later as the couple are on different sides of the law still but the Chi/Hwa Hwa connection does get buried in naughty disinterest when the focus is not on them.

One of the background notions of the film is fame. Fame your way, fame the cheap way. Tracy (Lee Yuet-Sin) first teaches her sister Michelle that boys are full of crap and only after one thing while she later switches into a total fame prostitute that quickly becomes too big for her humble beginnings as a Category III starlet having been raped by evil Japanese soldiers in her first film "Fun Fun Sex" (who said these producers were sensitive?). The problem we have with Tracy/Michelle-angle is that it approaches filler the longer the film runs. Tracy's story is expected and Michelle is a meaningless background character in the end. Trying to tie up matters via one piece of dialogue towards the end reveals writers and a director with way too much love invested in the material on display.

Side characters of side characters even get their own little sequences that while fun (and bringing up the flesh to "elite" levels), since we've liked two of Ho Fan's characters the short running time becomes an experience where you deflect a whole host of nonsense just to get to them. The winning smile of Tsui Man-Wah and the dopey/conflicted nature to Chi, their story peeks way too early in the film though and what we ultimately end up with is one ordinary romance that bless her heart Man-Wah manages to make survive amongst a lot of stuff that should've remained on the cutting room floor.

It IS a whole lot of fun going behind the scenes of the Category III film though because it shows exactly the lack of glamour cheap adult movies like this rightly has. Ho Fan surely has witnessed characters come and go, fall in and out of love and while not aiming to be heartfelt, his heart IS in the right place when portraying the industry in the laughable (funny) manner anyone should. The package is way overstuffed and too quickly dealt with but ending the movie with outtakes under the credits with suitably delightful moments between those who we found delightful, Temptation Summary II survives its over ambitious behaviour by proving you can have old fashioned fun with a script that, just like in the movie, surely had a giant III in a triangle pre-printed on it.

Liza (Deannie Yip) is a fashion designer and a single mother to 10 year old On (Wong Yue-Man). Having found out that she has cancer and about 6 months left to live, Liza puts On in an orphanage run by Cheung (Simon Yam) in order for his future to possibly secured. His real life father (Cliff Lok) has a way too busy, lower class life but this decision by Liza isn't particularly well planned out. In fact, it's an irrational one which means the mother and son both have crucial life lessons to learn...

Establishing early in a very crucial scene the love and correct tactics Liza uses to calm her son and keep matters playful, despite the subsequent BIG signal that tragedy is looming, director Lam in a surprising movie keeps his main themes rather subdued. In On's eyes, mom may be Superman but those days are coming to a close and Liza's way of living in the moment creates the most heartbreaking, ill decisions she makes over the course of the movie. The orphanage, where the majority of the movie is set in, isn't entirely an inappropriate environment to live in though. These abandoned children stick together, fight together, are up to no good together but here's the uplifting spirit of the movie coming on as these kids have built up tough character-shells. No doubt still vulnerable kids but this center piece of Goodbye Mammie is very rich.

Shooting in seemingly real locations, Lam achieves a terrific realism and atmosphere within the grounds of the orphanage in particular. As mentioned, a rich depth can be found within it too. The adult on a deadline leaves On that also is on a deadline. You either sink into a shell of nothing after you find out you've basically been abandoned and lied to or you showcase a strength you thought you never had that will carry you through all the subsequent challenges of life you're faced with, as a kid or an adult. Learning of responsibility (On being asked to raise his own chickens is the main symbolism of this), discipline, brotherhood and chivalry, these neither obnoxious or cutesy kids aren't too adult for the movie either. Director Lam therefore shows a keen understanding of children and has a fine sense of directing them naturally as well.

In an adult way re-uniting the very flawed adult character of Liza with the stronger On (who learns empathy all on his own, in particular towards the young robber played by Fan Siu-Wong of Story Of Ricky fame) in the later stages of the film, it's two reaching a common, final understanding and bond that doesn't ever flow into the high pitched melodrama you would expect from a Hong Kong drama. That's why it's suitable Goodbye Mammie isn't a tearjerker as it's more busy getting us and characters with into an uplifting mood. With believable performances from Deannie Yip, little Wong Yue-Man (who interacts with bees and snakes in quite the brave way too) and Simon Yam as an important aid for these two, Goodbye Mammie is quite a superb, unknown, rare breed of its kind. A family melodrama that isn't sad that is.

The movie has a lot to live up to as the narrator speaks of this story being a legend but coupled with some stirring slow-motion imagery of our at this point unknown main character riding through the glowing desert and Tao Hong's chillingly effective score with the theme heroism smeared over it, He Ping has an almost hypnotic grip over us. A grip that won't ever fade despite this being a rather calm, at times, soothing wordless experience. With huge attention to detail in make-up and costumes, planting us firmly in a bright but cold, harsh landscape, this calm, soothing calm experience also reveals a pronounced stylized nature. With rather huge symbolism of the myth surrounding character being represented by their entrance within a cloud of sand the wind has conveniently picked up, you would think it's overkill by He Ping to favour these clichés. But Swordsmen In Double Flag Town has a difference maker in its filmmaker that knows his beats and doesn't miss them.

With a somewhat close Hong Kong equivalent in Tsui Hark's The Blade, He Ping's world is indeed not a world of swordsmen that has any magnificent surroundings, temples or big halls. No, this is rooted stuff that is perfectly suited for Mainland filmmakers as they are in my minds the masters of the village drama. But it's not automatic of course and He Ping's crew have worked extensively to bring to the screen a rather colourless and flat world. Sand, rocks and light yellow runs through the movie and this lack of distinction still continues to produce the opposite effect OF distinction. But it's not all style and atmosphere but evident within is a story others have called "a coming of age kung-fu tale".

The character of Haige (Gao Wei) is quite the enigma. Very young and possibly naive (especially when he strikes up the friendship with Lethal Swordsman played by Sun Haiying), he's been told what goals to achieve in the town of Double Flags (finding the other half of his arranged marriage whose only trait he knows of being a mole on her butt), he will be told how to at least learn a skill in order to carry off a trade but when the teacher has passed on, will there be anything left? So it's no wonder Lame Man (Chang Jiang) won't give away his daughter Haomei (Zhao Mana) easily. But despite a lack of common sense and skill, in Haige rests a violent beast in a way. One that comes out in the subtlest of ways first (he wakes up in one scene and does quite the acrobatic feat) but when he consciously tries out his dual swords, it's not usage equal to tuned in this world. Haige will have to learn to live in a world where there's little heroism but instead a grab bag. Harsh, callous violence is never far off. People just want to be left alone, get on with their lives but once you flash your blade or sword that colours the light ground red, you do have to pay for the consequences or take responsibility. The key here is that growth and a firm grip on the notion of responsibility often occurs after tragedy has struck.

This is a downbeat portrayal but ultimately a small, fascinating story told sparsely by He Ping. Continuing his hypnotic rhythm whenever a blade or sword is drawn, for his fight scenes he relies more on build-up (again the Western influence) and in the end brevity rather than long, choreographed brawls. It's a terrific choice that is just as eerie as these flashes of weapons and the sound of them breaking the calm of the atmosphere reminds us of the attempted realism attempted in a fantastical world. Growth and final solutions in He Ping's mind continues to echo real life as well as you don't get anywhere without a little pain. You're also never free of challenges in the future as surely the final shot of riding away in the sunset confirms.

Trying to sum up the plot of Love Story and interpret characters is a little tricky because Tong isn't playing by any set rules. Clearly signaling that much that goes on throughout this very surreal experience is about love, view on love, how you equip yourself with the tool of love, how you can toy with others etc, Tong's initial 30 minutes are quite something to behold though. Detailing in fragments writer Jiang Qin's (Allen Lin) relationships with a variety of women, one is a mute theatre usher (Tracy Tan) that constantly recites the words of a banned book behind her black mask. Okidoki. Doing his promised flashforward, Tong shows that the two have engaged in some kind of relationship and she even breaks down during one moment when she writes on her chalkboard that she's forgotten her words.

There's also a quirky side to Jiang Qin's mostly sexual relationship with a bondage-loving cop (Erica Lee) who also investigates cases involving missing writers (in fact rivals to Jiang Qin). Seemingly giving us the final twist of the movie before the mentioned opening credits 30 minutes in, stuff on display has already taken downright weird detours and we question the reality of it all. Point being that this is book-material Jiang Qin finalizes in his head, no matter how these relationships in real life ended? Up until that 30 minute mark, I had a vague idea and an appreciation for the bold techniques by Kelvin Tong. Then he goes personal (probably), even more weird and vague.

I can argue you should be and flow with a film to see where it takes you and with Love Story you should attempt that stance. Set to a soothing piano score at points and certainly very well crafted technically, it's not easy to flow once you start getting frustrated. The odd fascination of Jiang Qin's stance towards relationship and love (making him very unsympathetic, especially in the way he controls a timid librarian but tables turn when he gets whiff of a wildchild played by Amanda Ling. A meeting that may spell ultimate doom), continues to be explored and he explains to his publisher (Ben Yeung) that his belief is that love requires sacrifice. Is that why we get bloodshed early on in the film or that was fiction? Ultimate purpose still seems to remain the core meaning of love but Tong loses it in a barrage of vignettes making little sense.

Kelvin Tong could've proudly joined a group of filmmakers creating weird cinema for the hell of it because there is something valid at times about escaping to incoherency. Tong isn't enough of a cool kid in that regard though and clearly taking seriously what he brings us in his director's statement, the randomness on display fall into a arthouse category I personally can't side with. Depth and analyzing I do agree with but Tong's massive attack on the senses doesn't create an invite back to explore more. Doubt it would've been better in book-form either. Tong's trip to Hong Kong proved he has clear, concrete intentions and hopefully Love Story was an experiment, a possibly personal journey that he got out of his system. If those intentions are still there, grow up! At one point one reviewer says of Jiang Qin as filling his book with "nonsensical, detailed facial expressions and unmotivated emotions". Kelvin Tong doesn't realize by featuring this quote and doing it himself, he turns the movie on himself.

By female director Kao Pao-Shu comes a surprisingly intelligent genre excursion. Never complicating the drama as The Desperate Chase lives and breathes via its frequent fight scenes, it's nevertheless entirely engrossing the journey's on display. Lung Tai has a chance to break his cycle of violence and make a serious, heroic contribution. A journey carried very well within Jimmy Wang Yu while he also with a spear in his hand never misses a beat in providing trademark/requisite fury. Of note is the terrific finale where Jimmy goes toe to toe with multiple henchmen and elite warriors with sneaky weaponry. The heroism of The Desperate Chase resonates here. That's such an important key. Released in America as Blood Of The Dragon and sporting, for the genre, a well-performed dub job but an awful re-score by Flood. Also with Wang Yu's One-Armed Swordsman co-star Chiao Chiao and Taiwan martial arts cinema token baddie Lung Fei (who's taken down to earth a few notches here).

Typically schizophrenic Hong Kong cinema with a little bit of everything from everywhere (Raiders Of The Lost Ark, E.T, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and so on and so on) crammed into the partially Greece-set film. Wong Jing does nothing but putting his stamp on the film via frequent usage of silliness of the less intelligent kind. Making him and Nat Chan (who literally has no purpose in the structure of the actual narrative) some slightly mild versions of horny perverts (but still horny perverts), you'll have to endure the commercial sensibility of the low-brow kind (at least two gags of said annoying performers slip through into funny territory) in between the terrific Tony Leung Siu-Hung action. Getting the players looking their best and trying their best (Andy Lau in particular) in his fast and bone crunching fights, it's a bearable element erasing thoughts of the unbearable ones but yet Magic Crystal overall charms as a product of its time. Especially cute IS the story of Pin Pin and his newly found jade-friend and the adventure/sci-fi aspect of the last reels provides a cheesy atmosphere of a more correctly tuned kind. Sharla Cheung appears as window dressing as well as Sek Kin, Phillip Ko and Shum Wai.