Genre: Drama

After a surge of period and fantasy styled films, Donnie Yen returns to modern day cop action territory in the somewhat schlocky but no less entertaining ‘Special ID’.

Much of the problem with ‘Speed Angels’ is its apparent contentment with clichés and a dogged determination to be utterly mundane.

A first class cop thriller, that despite it’s flaws and over dramatics is riveting viewing and shows Wilson Yip is one of the best directors working in Hong Kong at the minute.

It would take something quite exceptional to take such cliched elements and make them stand out from the crowd and while it’s an enjoyable feel-good film it’s not the kind of the production that leaves much of a lasting impression.

Despite never straying towards originality and unlikely to win awards, there’s still an admirable mixture of action and drama to commend.

This leans more towards the quick-cut close ups of more recent Hollywood efforts. Most of the fights are also glossed over as short “highlights” rather than letting us see the full action.

‘Still Human’ is everything that good Hong Kong cinema can be. It tells a good story without pomp, grounds it in reality and focuses on ordinary everyday folk.

‘Still Walking’ is mature cinema, thoughtful and deceptively powerful, another significant contribution to world cinema by Hirokazu Koreeda.

Street Fight is a decent attempt by some young filmmakers to make a tournament fighting film.

A fantastic mix of drama and action, ‘Stuntman’ is at once an ode to the action giants of yesteryear and how the modern movie-making world has changed drastically since their heyday, and a touching family drama about redemption.

To say ‘Suicide Club’ is a trip, is an understatement. It’s been a while since I‘ve watched a film that has equally repulsed and mesmerized me.

Its gritty, truthful tone and flawless cast manage to take a sub-genre fraught with cliché and melodrama and give it a provocative resonance that is so very precious.