Genre: Drama

Although an above average kung-fu flick (as you’d expect from Chang Cheh) this is one of the weakest of the Venoms films.

‘Shaolin Temple’ is still a major achievement by a film-maker who was one of the true creators of the genre. There is, therefore, plenty to put this near the top of your viewing list.

Rough around the edges it might be, but ‘Shaolin Temple’ is more than a milestone in China’s cinematic history – it’s an ambitious production that manages to pay off.

‘Shaolin Vs. Lama’ is a notch above most Taiwanese chop sockies simply because Lee Tso-Nam knows how to keep it interesting.

It’s certainly not perfect and not among Jackie Chan’s best films, but there is ample entertainment value.

If you like seventies cheese then you might want to pick this one up. Otherwise it’s probably best to avoid unless you happen to be a hardcore Shaw Brothers or Ti Lung fan.

It is heartfelt, but never cloying, sentimental, but never to the point of being overly orchestrated and the kind of gentle tear-jerker that stirs the mind as much as the heart.

Director Guo Xiaolu does manage some scenes of striking realism where the drama and relationships work but soap opera theatrics derails the overall dramatic impact of ‘She, A Chinese’.

Not sure what it wants to be, the latest Japanese production of their beloved property is not the triumphant return some had hoped.

There are some very powerful visual displays of violence that pepper the film throughout, showing us that if you turn to the dark side, you really will become a slave to its master.

A very involving and enticing tale that is made all the more appealing by some top performances from Han Suk-Kyu and Choi Min-Sik.

Not the best of its kind and it drags a little too much with the running time, ‘Shogun’s Samurai’ is still a decent slice of Samurai drama from a time when they used to make them big.