Kent Tong (Ken Tong) has information about a micro film that could bring down a wanted gangster so naturally his henchmen (led by Mark Houghton), the FBI (who sends Cynthia Rothrock to Hong Kong to pick up Tong) and the Hong Kong police take part in the hunt. The task locally is handed to lighthearted duo Ching (Miu Kiu-Wai) and Tai Kau (Shing Fui-On)...

Basically having a troupe of willing stuntmen and the likes of Cynthia Rothrock, Luk Chuen, Mark Houghton and Nishiwaki Michiko on board, it's so obvious City Cops was designed as Lau Kar-Wing and crew went along. There's nothing wrong with a basic frame story but the all too familiar contrasting elements of Hong Kong action cinema (movie starts dark and then cuts to the bumbling idiot cops) doesn't gel since director Lau only sporadically delivers in the action department. 14 bearable minutes, the other 70 or so totally uninteresting. There's an amusing romance subplot between the unlikely duo of Shing Fui-On and Cynthia Rothrock but primary highlight takes place when the latter goes head to head with Luk Chuen. Albeit doubled for the more acrobatic feats, Rothrock looks amazing and the subsequent warehouse finale continues this fine combo whenever Rothrock is involved. Also with Suki Kwan, Wu Fung and John Ladalski.

With Dennis Yu (The Beasts, The Imp) mellowed out a bit, Cinema City took him on board, City Hero being the second production he made for the studio. Still, the antics of Dean Shek takes center stage, playing an arguably deranged instructor of special police unit cadets and even though he takes his role seriously at points, he knows no other gear but maximum. He can't win. As for Yu's work, he shows great disinterest when echoing this Police Academy formula (only slight more darkness enters) and offers up no points of interest along the way. When killing off a main character, it's simple attention seeking that works against him greatly.

Even when subsequently ejecting most of the guys from this premise in favour of women, The Inspectors Wears Skirts by Wellson Chin didn't exactly intend to improve on the lame formula. Heck, one might even think the idea for that series came through the casting of Billy Lau in City Hero. A scary thought. Mark Cheng, Michael Wong, Pat Ha and Ku Feng also stars.

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Before Poon Man-Kit went big, historical and tedious with epics such as To Be Number One and Lord Of East China Sea, small stories about small time gangsters infused with loyalty, brotherhood etc was part of his initial streak of films. Hero Of Tomorrow remains a memorable one with high caliber firepower and brutality while City Kids 1989 only fares well for a little while. Third's (Max Mok) family emigrates to Hong Kong and the turbulence of the times eventually sets him on a downwards spiral. Flirts with the gangster world is the step that permanently plants him there, along with childhood friend Sas (Andy Lau). Short and to the point, there's nothing wrong with important pieces of the story only being highlighted briefly but with this brevity comes pretty distant characters that are also part of a pretty ordinary tale. The polished look, a workable double team between the leads and veterans Wong Chung, Shing Fui-On and Pau Hei-Ching lending weight to their characters still can't make City Kids 1989 say anything out of the ordinary. Some ending poignancy and restrained melodramatic acting from Andy Lau is worthy of note. Co-starring May Lo.

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Despite not having a whole lot of originality going for it with its plot content being personal revenge, vigilante acts, choices equaling a journey towards hell and cops in commanding posts being as usual pretty tough to deal with, Sun Chung's (Human Lanterns) re-teaming of Chow Yun-Fat and Ti Lung (both in A Better Tomorrow) is hellish cinema so it's therefore for those who can take it. Sun Chung lights a fuse early on that slowly burns towards ignition, symbolized via Chow's steamy relationship with gangster Ted's (Norman Tsui) girlfriend (a character inflicting doom, played by Tien Niu who shares some quite smoking scenes with lead Chow, especially one on a dance floor) or when just about every innocent soul gets it! It's not John Woo weight to the proceedings and some light detours obviously make a dent in the otherwise excellent, dark impact the film has. Lo Lieh, Michael Chow (as a gay henchman) and Ricky Yi also appear.

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Dick Wei is Lok Han, a Mainlander arriving Hong Kong to look up his sister who's rebelled against him and left with boyfriend Tsai (Ken Lo). She's been forced into prostitution however and Lok Han quickly makes enemies with the underworld in his attempts to get her out...

Johnny Wang, a familiar face from Lau Kar Leung's films but also a director of brutal fare such as Angry Ranger and Escape From Brothel. While there is probably some true commentary about the different train of thoughts between Mainland Chinese people and Hong Kong people, City Warriors first and foremost relies on the action (also directed by Wang). Very few are spared, including women, but it's well-executed gory and intense brutality. It ain't pretty but Wang never set out to make it that and City Warriors succeeds where it aims. Also with Carina Lau, O Chun Hung, Chor Yuen and Phillip Chan.

Lo Lieh directs this sequel/remake of Lau Kar Leung's Executioners From Shaolin, the movie that gave us one of Lo's standout roles of the white haired priest Pai Mei (later portrayed by Gordon Lau in Kill Bill: Volume 2). Well, Pai Mei is dead and Lo instead takes on the very similar role of The White Lotus that's is constantly being challenged by anti-Ching fighter Man Ting (Gordon Lau). What it takes to defeat The White Lotus is perhaps a little female contribution. That's where Kara Hui comes in...

Director Lo takes certain beats of Lau Kar Leung's original but mostly ejects any notion of a serious narrative to make room for comedic strokes instead. Both broad ones as seen through Lam Fai Fong's endearing and funny performance but several doses of welcome quirkiness rears its head, which is a style of comedy not usually associated with martial arts, at least not on my experience. Clan Of The White Lotus could've taken all its cues from the established kung fu comedy staples of the time but feels very much its own thanks to Lo Lieh's clever direction and the marvelous contribution by none other than Lau Kar Leung, this time acting "only" as action director.

Don't think for a second that he's going in half-assed though. No, Lau's set pieces are as fast and furious as ever with constant high quality and complicated bouts, making Clan Of The White Lotus very much resemble a Lau Kar Leung movie after all, but with a twist, which is Lo Lieh's great compliment as head of this Shaw Brother's production. Johnny Wang, Hsaio Huo and Yeung Jing Jing also appear.

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TROY'S REVIEW: Tut, tut - if we are to believe the output of IFD Films and Arts and Filmark International, then it seems that as IN regards criminal activities, ninjas have their fingers in more pies than an average baker! Lo and behold, as shown in this entry, it seems that they have even cornered the lucrative market for illegal human organ farming too! Fear not though, for Interpol are on hand to save the day and resolve to send in a ninja of their own to sort matters out with predictably hilarious results. Cue a plethora of gross over-acting, pants voiceover work and the sort of atrocious editing that renders the film more disjointed than a person that has hit the ground after leaping from a 30 story building and you have a good idea as to the quality of this film. Yes, it's awesome & inept fun from start to glorious end! I've also got to say here that no review of this film would be complete without special mention of the grand finale in this, whereby the viewer would do well to take careful note that when dispatching of evil ninjas, be sure to stand well back, for they are highly explosive!

Never claiming it's presenting an alternate truth behind the death of Bruce Lee, we nonetheless have our plot starting once he has passed away at the hospital. There the Special Bureau Of Investigations (SBI) and a professor (John Benn - The Way Of The Dragon) sets in motion their plan to...clone Bruce Lee! Or rather make Bruce Lee copies that take shape in the form of Bruce Le, Dragon Lee and Bruce Lai. Following every command of their papa professor after being hatched in his groovy lab (disco lights seems to be his sole light source), they are sent out on undercover assassination missions so it was a crackin' idea to clone Lee into copies then! As you can understand, this hokey exercise attempts little class and is obviously a disrespectful attempt at respecting the legend but having said that, parts of The Clones Of Bruce Lee are a hoot (and it's possibly the best concept hatched out of any Bruceploitation effort). Although less so as we move along but the Thailand adventure gives us gratuitous nudity in spades, gold warriors manufactured by yet another mad professor but poisonous plants become the Bruce's weapons against these and finally, the clones square off against each other! Bolo Yeung also appears.

Lam Wai Tung (Miu Kiu-Wai) goes into the diamond robbing business with Chiu Ying Kau (Dick Wei) in order to secure money for his little brother Lam Wai Leung (Max Mok). Running away with the real diamonds, and eventually dying after a chase, it's the brother who's now the target. All while best friend and cop Ben (Aaron Kwok) tries to make sense of the mess unfolding...

Playing it only light when suitable, Close Escape is a solid but more importantly a balanced product out of Hong Kong cinema. Almost a straight on thriller with a plethora of expected beats and compelling (cinematically) brutality, no familiarity is hard to swallow. Yukari Oshima turns up to stir things up in the plot which also means no one involved forgets to utilize her talents (nor Dick Wei's).

One of many Taiwan melodramas featuring Brigitte Lin, Chin Han and Charlie Chin, these over the top strokes (made in all seriousness) are both amusing because of their wild, colourful nature but there's some fairly well honed symbolism present too. In what could only be described as a WOW-entrance, Lin is Tuan Wan-Lu, 18, just graduated, flirtatious and free as a bird. She is THE uncatchable cloud of romance indeed, being bought up and spoiled by her wealthy family. For her beauty alone, no wonder men are falling in love with her to the point that they have no problem stating that they'll die for her. The pendulum she also represent will create tears in two of those suitors. One is journalist Meng Chao (Charlie Chin) who has a mother that doesn't approve of this rather wild and sloppy girl. Yu-Lan (Chin Han) has been present in Wan-Lu's life forever and is certainly a suitable man for her. Especially concerning the fit that the respective families are. But Wan-Lu leans towards the "wrong" choice and when not getting acceptance there, life starts dropping one emotional bomb after the other. And tragedy draws near the more desperate love turns out to be, especially in the men...

Director Chen Hung-Leh adheres to Taiwan cinema style (gelled up lenses and zoom-direction is a staple here) and makes little subtle points that will make Cloud Of Romance feel a bit comedic in its highly melodramatic ways. But with his lead Lin simply being an astonishing presence on all fronts (it's quite an epic performance, be it emotions or fashion-wise) and with some of the symbolism representing the difficulty in choosing a life, a right life, a possible wrong life, all according to tradition, Cloud Of Romance certainly turns out to be an affecting work. Despite us looking down on it a little.