Right smack in the middle of drivel like Feel 100% and affecting efforts such as Love Is Not A Game, But A Joke, sits Vincent Kok's Cause We Are So Young. Playing out like a chapter of ache from the lives of coke can collector Chuen (Leo Koo, the standout performer in the film, playing it shy and inexperienced very well), Leung (Edmond So) with the well laid out life plans and emotionless DJ Paul (Mark Lui), what's likeable about Kok's slight lean towards nonsense comedy/felt youth romance is his intention to speak through the ages of his subjects. Therefore no experience experienced feels too basic as betrayal and longing for love is as real as anything and Kok's exaggerated first half generates much laughter as well (Big and An Autumn's Tale gets referenced in neat ways throughout). Also with Gigi Lai, Nicola Cheung, Kathy Chow with cameo appearances by Andy Lau, Lee Kin-Yan, Law Kar-Ying, Lee Lik-Chi, Tats Lau, Jan Lam, Lee Siu-Kei and director Vincent Kok himself.

Keeping the Bruceploitation away from the feature product (but probably not from the promotion), Bruce Le's Challenge Of The Tiger provides sincere B-movie energy. Meaning a genuine sense of innocent B-movie fun with a keen eye for what he's giving back the world. That is specifically himself and Richard Harrison (pre-IFD days) as two CIA agents tracking down a formula that kills sperm. Something that can't fall into the wrong hands, like Hwang Jang-Lee's for instance...

It's wise not to ask too many questions about the formula but instead enjoy the concoction on screen that is often mighty entertaining. Harrison's character loves his women so naturally, because this is adult entertainment after all, we get a slow motion sequence with his women playing tennis topless (a scene reportedly directed by Harrison himself). Him and Le stop by both Spain, Hong Kong and Macau in their hunt but it's in the former country and a bull fighting arena the film's premium sequence is offered up. After some high kicking and sharp shooting, Le is facing off against a bull. Using some unexpected filmmaking skill here, mixing a bully dummy and probably a double, it's capped in crazy fashion when the demise of the bull is given an X-ray shot a la Sonny Chiba's Street Fighter! It's enough lunacy for the movie to live on because it can't live up to it for the remainder. Nevertheless, some crazy dubbing and genre favourites Bolo Yeung, Kong Do and Hwang Jang-Lee are there to further confirm Bruce Le knew what product to crank out. It may not be refined B-movie art, but shining as a powerful fighter and a sincere sense gets you a long way and especially so since Le doesn't tip his toe in Bruceploitation at all really for this one (he doesn't even take off his shirt very often).

Working his way up the ranks by assisting the likes of Sammo Hung on Enter The Fat Dragon, Eric Tsang made his directorial debut in the old school martial arts vein with The Challenger (also known as Deadly Challenger). An effort more known thanks to the better reunion movie the year after (The Loot), problematic Tsang's direction may be but it gives way eventually to some astounding martial arts. Basically teaming up a thief (David Chiang) driven by money and Norman Tsui's character driven by revenge, unfortunately the film is also driven by tedious direction favouring grating genre-comedy. What Tsang does right however is mostly letting the fights play out at a high class level always rather than inserting pratfalls or Dean Shek into the choreography. But thoroughly rockin' the film becomes during the second half as the magical duo of Chiang, Tsui and baddie Phillip Ko deliver incredibly fluid and detailed choreography under the direction Chik Ngai-Hung (who also worked on The Loot) and Huang Ha. Especially Ko cements his legendary status. Tsang does definitely have playtime cinematically (as seen in a flashback done in the style of a silent movie) but The Loot showcased the better wit and therefore also showcases the growth of the filmmaker. Debut-wise, Tsang does give us classical martial arts cinema overall. Also with Lily Li.

Buy the DVD at:
Yesasia.com

TROY'S REVIEW: Bruce Baron and Pierre Tremblay from the incomparable Ninja Champion once again team up in this similarly entertaining effort from everyone's favourite hack master Godfrey Ho. In this crazy entry, Baron plays good cop, and ninja to boot, Mark who is desperately trying to bring down the evil black ninjas. Unbeknownst to Mark however, his own boss Dickie (Tremblay) is in fact the head of the criminal organization. Intercut into this tale is another story featuring Billy, a young man who after witnessing his family brutally slaughtered at the hands of a ruthless gang, decides to take revenge. This is where it gets a tad more complex however as our Godfrey attempts (with minimal success) to join the two tales together. According to this version, Mark employs Billy to locate the head of the gang, a somewhat portly chap going by the name of The Red Devil (so called as he wears a rather garish looking red shirt with white tassels all over it). Ostensibly, the logic of this plot contrivance is that if Billy can track down the aforementioned gang leader, it will in turn lead Mark to discover the true identity of the leader of the black ninjas... Yes, it makes very little sense to me too. But let us not dwell on such inconsistencies. Ney, let us instead revel in the numerous, hilarious scenes on offer in this which include Billy being "attacked" by a "vicious" dog which is so obviously not interested in the actor that it has to be literally thrown at him! Also brace yourself for the nail biting climax in which a little kid called Tommy finds himself hanging perilously over the edge of a vast cliff. Or at least that what we're expected to believe. In fact, the cliff is clearly a gentle incline of about five feet! Damn, the kid could have easily walked up it! Best of all though is a scene near the start where we see a ninja mugging a business man in a public park and reliving him of a suitcase full of diamonds. Mark just happens to be nearby and saves the day by transforming himself into a flying stick (!) which then trips over the fleeing ninja thief. A sword battle subsequently ensues (with Mark now back in human form), with Mark the clear victor. The very best bit is the response of the defeated ninja who in an riotous scene of overacting, declares to Mark, 'You're a damn good ninja!' Indeed. Also known as Challenge Of The Ninja.

KENNETH'S REVIEW: A basher from the vault at Shaw Brothers that right now seems destined to not ever come out in remastered form. In all honesty, that's a shame in itself but there are other flicks of the same fate that TRULY deserves the better one. Chin Han (not the one starring in many Taiwan romances and Center Stage) plays Lo Fu who returns to a home town in ruins. Parents dead, martial arts school closed down and his brother (Lung Fei) on a power rampage. Only option is to fight and at times beside the female heroine of the piece, played by Shih Szu. The movie seems tailored after a Jimmy Wang Yu vehicle a la The Chinese Boxer but is not Wang Yu-clichéd. It carries the genre staples rather. There's grit in Chin Han, solid ferocity (Shih Szu's comes off as poor and good, from scene to scene) and the biggest genre staple of them all, the rehabilitating training sequence turns out to be the best one The Champion offers up. My weakness personally are for such scenes. Also known as Shanghai Lil And The Sun Luck Kid.

Mainland gang vs Hong Kong gang vs cops, one of which has a relationship with the daughter of a gangster boss, Lau Hung-Chuen (Devil Fetus) sees this world as Hong Kong movies should have more often. In other words, as a violent, bloody place and for the sake of our movie entertainment, that is really a splendid choice. Building up to an incredible climax, violence is vicious, evil, cruel, bloody AND gory (yep, THAT much). Also as the movie rolls along, the crew is not afraid of daredevil stunts, vehicular and pyrotechnics action, all of which is incorporated in the rough and gritty gunplay finale that will have you realize Champion Operation is unfortunately a hidden action gem deserving of a higher profile despite no high profile stars or world class narrative. Starring Anthony Tang and Norman Tsui appears in support.

Short but sweet romantic comedy that comes out on top thanks to a good double act by Anthony Chan and Sandra Ng. Law Gam-Fai wrote Dr. Lamb the same year and he proves not only a contrast in his work but a genuine feel for a simple sincerity. That is then competently handled by director Chin, resulting in a much painless 80 minutes of whacky fun and expected sentiments. Which is more than I ever expected from this effort to tell you the truth. Also with Michael Chow, Carrie Ng, Kenneth Tsang and Alfred Cheung.

Buy the DVD at:
HK Flix.com
Yesasia.com