All Film Reviews

They aren’t churning out masterpieces but they are staying true to the franchise and I think that’s all any fan could ask for.

I’d definitely say that this is another fun footnote for the ‘One Piece’ universe that will easily appease your withdrawal symptoms in-between episodes.

This particular effort is easily my favourite so far as it truly understands the heart of ‘One Piece’ and is an absolute joy to watch.

Existing fans will no doubt spend the majority of the movie bemoaning the loss of certain key scenes, while newcomers will be left scratching their heads throughout.

‘One Piece: Episode of Chopper’ is a surprisingly respectful and entertaining reinterpretation of one of my favourite arcs.

The new animation style makes it feel very unique and there’s a real larger-than-life approach to the whole production.

Although this movie marks the fifth big screen outing for the ‘One Piece’ pirate crew, the series is showing no signs of weakness and continues to churn out one successful adventure film after another.

While I don’t think I could call it my favourite of the ‘One Piece’ movies, this seventh outing is yet another fine example of how to make a very entertaining side story.

Although it barely scratches the surface in terms of the quality of the show, this is a good example of how to make an anime series into a film without giving away any of the finer details.

It’s bloody, down and dirty, and the highlight is the stalk and slash sequence of Adkins making his way through various buildings taking out bad guys with a knife.

‘One-Armed Boxer’, while a little rough around the edges, has lost none of its crazy energy and still packs an almighty bloody punch with its almost non-stop 90 minutes of martial arts fight action.

Without any argument, ‘One-Armed Swordsman’ is therefore a quality swordplay film that has much to offer to viewers today.

Eye-popping displays of martial arts mixed with WWE style chair and table smashing exhilarate the senses.

I’d say if you love your action then you won’t be disappointed but I still can’t shake the feeling that if Tony hadn’t left the set half way through, things might have been even better.

‘Ong Bak 3’ has all the hallmarks of a film rushed into production with a complete disregard for cinematic fundamentals and quality control.

The over-the-top style that is often associated with this sub-genre of comedy may not be to everyone’s taste, but it remains entertaining and raises the odd chuckle.

‘Operation Chromite’ isn’t much different from any other recent big budget Korean war epic but on its own well produced terms and commitment to delivering spectacle, certainly entertains.

Lam has made better films but, along with Benny Chan, he is at the forefront of Hong Kong action in terms of delivering large scale spectacle.

What the potential viewers will get with this enjoyable production is a solid combination of some amusing comedy scenes, a few dramatic moments and a couple of well choreographed action sequences.

It’s big, it’s brash and in several sequences surprisingly gory but ‘Operation Red Sea’ is big screen, blockbusting action done well.

This film has been elevated to cult status in recent years and has become a huge favourite with a world-wide audience. All of this is thoroughly deserved.

‘Opium and the Kung Fu Master’ is top-notch old school action but it can’t quite get away from some things that used to mar such films.

For anyone who wants something a bit different from Hong Kong’s blockbusters, this may be a worthwhile purchase. Be warned, though, that ‘Osaka Wrestling Restaurant’ is not going to be to everyone’s taste.

‘Our Little Sister’ is another beautiful work to add to one of the most impressive canons in world cinema, a sincerely-acted, thoughtful meditation on family and the relationship between very different sisters.