Author: Andrew Saroch

A beautifully shot portrait of grief, redemption and family, ‘A Light Never Goes Out’ deserves the plaudits it is receiving and much more.

Few genre films have achieved the cult status that ‘The Crippled Masters’ has and, thanks to a lovely remastered release from Film Masters, it can finally reach a wider audience.

Andrew Saroch looks back at the career of Chinese-American actress Cheng Pei-Pei (鄭佩佩).

‘The Romancing Star’ might be a product of a particular time and culture, but its problems do not lay there – the fact is that it’s unfunny and annoying.

It’s a shame to report that ‘Legend of the Fox’, while peppered with solid characters and decent fisticuffs, is a frustrating experience.

‘Chilli Laugh Story’ is pure Hong Kong, a comedy drama about those that would probably be forgotten about by other film industries.

Once it settles down and the MacGuffin doesn’t become the sole focus of the story, ‘The Legend and Hag of Shaolin’ becomes an enjoyable homage to early 90s Hong Kong cinema.

Part three has none of the charm of the original and doesn’t even stack up well against the second part; this is a lazy, charmless affair that had me looking at the clock every couple of minutes.

Each of the protagonists has their own trial to overcome, each has a solid character arc, and each contributes to the infectious enthusiasm created herein.

While not without some dry humour, Jack Ng’s courtroom drama is a mostly sober look at a theme that pops up in cinema worldwide, namely how the legal system tends to favour those with money and influence.

‘River’ might not reach ‘Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes’ heights of loopy brilliance, but it’s another mixture of Japanese invention and wit that is sure to please those looking for an antidote to bloated Hollywood excess.

A hard slog for some, but a beautiful appreciation of the ordinary for many, a look at how day-to-day life can have a worth all of its own.