Rating: 4.0

Not as plot driven or character based as ‘Five Venoms’, ‘The Kid With The Golden Arm’ concentrates on the stylish action that dominates its running time.

The film is at times prey to quick-cut, music video camera work, but there is enough heart in this quirky little gem to ensure there is plenty of substance alongside the style.

‘The Kung Fu Instructor’ may lack the incisive bite of the great Sun Chung works, but the director is still clearly comfortable crafting a confident work from basic ingredients.

‘The Lady Assassin’ is very good, but there is the nagging feeling that this could have been even better with a little discernment.

Often unfairly nudged aside when the career of kung-fu auteur Liu Chia-Liang is considered, ‘The Lady is the Boss’ is a fun action comedy that came near the end of the Shaw Brothers’ hegemony in Hong Kong.

‘The Last Blood’ may not be the cream of the crop, but it is still an incredibly fun action flick. Just be prepared for a sprinkling of Wong Jing silliness along the way.

It has its faults and no-one could call it the greatest movie ever made. Importantly though, this is a fabulous example of how a combination of technology and innovation can still wow the jaded viewer.

This engrossing team prove to be adept at the rigorous fight scenes and the subtle comedy that further lifts the film above the norm.

Slick, sick exploitation ‘Machine Girl’ is absurd Japanese cinema at its best. About as subtle as a kick in the balls it is nevertheless well designed, gore soaked, action packed and surprisingly funny entertainment.

The veteran comedian is constantly watchable when he’s on the screen and his reaction to the circumstances he finds himself in is simply priceless.

Director Chan Siu Pang has crafted something that would be considered quite an achievement by many critics – an intelligent and exciting kung fu film.

With a director of considerable merit, a cast of fine performers and action that, while not exactly trail-blazing, is certainly very watchable, ‘The Magnificent Trio’ is another good release from Celestial.