Things doesn't bode well when the main credits of Love In Sampan are scored to a low-grade Love Boat-esque-theme and not so surprisingly, things quickly derail from here in this Cat III rated erotic drama.

The problem is that director On has set out to do drama and while the themes of love and the unfair despair that comes with it is well-meaning on paper, On isn't armed with paper, budget or acting, resulting in an effort that reeks. Love In Sampan did of course come out during the heyday of Cat III exploitation filmmaking and many efforts certainly were close to the low quality of this one. Most of the time, others resorted to being uniquely Hong Kong though, which did at least produce some form of charm and fun. Love In Sampan intended to be respectable however. A respectable choice, not a respectable final result.

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The classic underdog story in the hands of Stephen Chow expectedly goes some insane places with also splendid comedic results. Chow is well in tune with both a low key delivery as well as broader hysterics and while some jokes lean towards repetition from earlier films, Chow is simply a master of making the repetitive silliness work wonders each time. Flaws do exist as the romantic angle with Christy Chung is relatively uninteresting but director Lee Lik-Chi knows what the main focus should be; the comedic duo of Chow and Ng Man-Tat running wild. Love On Delivery may sound underwhelming when I say it's just like many other Stephen Chow efforts of the time but believe me, that's a great, big compliment and a sure sign of quality. Was Jim Davies, creator of Garfield, ever given royalties for this film by the way? Co-starring is Lee Lik-Chi, Ben Lam, Wong Yat-Fei, Vincent Kok, Paul Chun with cameos by Billy Chow, Lam Suet and Jacky Cheung.

Carina Lau's character dreams of being a hostess, becomes one and also gets fulfillment in the excitement stakes when she gets involved with a gang of swindlers. Falling in love with one of the members (Tony Leung Ka-Fai), she might actually be the victim of the group's tactics...

With a foot in most genres conceivable in a modern, urban setting, Jacky Pang's film doesn't quite amount to anything largely despite a stunning Carina Lau on screen. Annoyance is a factor due to many facets registering as limp but during the last half hour the film picks up some steam when concentrating to a larger degree on action (choreographed by Yuen Cheung-Yan). Featuring what seems like a stylistic choice of having blood spurt onto the camera lens, main highlight is a nifty garage park fight and shootout capped by a hairy stunt possibly performed by Tony Leung himself. None of this adds up to any thematic closure but there's evidence of a lighthearted caper comedy that would've benefited from coming to life much earlier. Pauline Wong's supporting role as a tough as nails cop should've had a spin-off movie. Has terrific written all over it. Also with Kenneth Tsang, Vincent Wan and Anita Lee.

KENNETH'S REVIEW: Tsui Hark's adaptation of the famed Chinese legend "Butterfly Lovers " (that has been compared to "Romeo & Juliet") is noteworthy for its visual beauty and operatic sensibilities (and the story was shot as an opera at Shaw Brother's, as Love Eterne in 1963) but stumbles in key areas otherwise. Being totally delightful and then switching moods isn't offending throughout but Tsui has trouble getting the depth out of the tragic fates of Chuk Ying-Toi (Charlie Yeong) and Leung Shan-Pak (Nicky Wu). Dressing up as a boy for her studies, her bonding with Leung of course brings in an often touched upon gender-bender angle to Tsui's work. Hatred, playfulness and attraction, Tsui is right in making proceedings farce-like and often succeeds outside of the Yeong/Wu team-up. Within them, we have a more difficult time believing they are truly immersed into the legend and it probably is down to casting. Structurally it's still all good, especially when Tsui unleashes the gloom, the opera-like filmmaking and otherworldly involvement to cap his tragic story. He's in his element here and will create a permanent memory in all after his final, powerful reel. Elvis Tsui, Carrie Ng and Lau Shun also appear.

Public security officer Chang Ao (Ngai Sing) is framed for a murder on another officer (Yukari Oshima) and he manages to flee in cuffs with the only witness in his favour, deaf woman Ling (Nina Li), the mistress of gangster Lin Wei (Elvis Tsui). Taking refuge in the countryside, the two develop feelings for each others but Ling still has an unexpectedly strong bond to ruffian Lin...

Unusually complex and moving considering Lover's Tear also stars Sammo Hung, Lam Ching Ying, Ku Feng and Wu Ma but if you stop and think about it, those veterans had proven their worth in dramas such as Painted Faces, School On Fire and Hong Kong 1941 already. It's still a rare opportunity given by director/co-writer Jacob Cheung (Cageman, The Kid) to profiles highly associated with action to take part in drama. Going past The Defiant Ones reference reveals a low-key love story centering around nobility and the difficult choices of Ling. It's therefore encouraging to see Nina Li come through with such a telling performance, despite the limited dialogue. Her chemistry with stuntman Ngai Sing is lacking though as he is the failed experiment of Cheung's here, fitting poorly as a lead and romantic lead for that matter. Someone like Andy Lau could've better embodied this arc but Lover's Tear still remains engrossing throughout, especially when the stakes are high towards the end. Sammo, Lam Ching Ying and Elvis Tsui are all exceptional towards this end section, dealing with written material with grace coupled with strong, tight direction from Cheung. With its unexpected but fair conclusion, Lover's Tear is underrated but since the main male star pretty much fails, it's not up to the master levels Cheung has reached before.

All's great for newlyweds Heung Cheng (Carman Lee - The Odd One Dies) and Ming Sang (ace director Derek Yee). He brings two children from a prior marriage that was disrupted by his wife's death but wife to be is now also pregnant. Tragedy soon rears its ugly head. Struck by the couple's new acquaintance, cop Long's (Tok Ching-Wa) impulsive behavior as he attempts to apprehend a traffic violator leaves Mang Sing wounded by gunfire and in a coma. Heung Cheng casts aside the friendship with Long to face the greater responsibility as a single parent, even though she firmly believes Ming will come back...

Lee Gwok Laap (Sea Root) is provided with material that is certainly risky in many respects. The challenge involves, at least in my mind, to avoid the highest pitch in melodrama and it also has to do with your delivery of story touches that you are expected to deliver. Lover's Tears doesn't end up advancing to the high division but having Derek Yee around seems to be inspiring for Lee. It is misery of the gravest kind, a story about forgiving, mending and considering what Lee puts Carman Lee's character through, it's very surprising to see him handle it with a gentle stroke rather than the fist. Ponder scenes where she's changing light bulbs, telling dialogue like "How did you father punish you then?!" and you'll immediately realize the credit Lee deserves. The subtlety in the melodrama is very spot on and the story holds a realism that generates probably unconventional movie choices. I'd rather have that. Worthy of criticism is some obviously planted characters for the theme of the film to be furthered and perhaps it isn't as touching always as it should but they're minor setbacks amongst the whole. Anchored to a very good degree by Carman Lee, Derek Yee's supporting role also reminds us about the warmth in his screen presence post-Shaw Brothers. Also with Pauline Suen (Ichi The Killer).

A circle of friends, consisting of player and rice seller Tony (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai), model Billie (Irene Wan - All Of A Sudden), actress Liu (Elaine Kam - Metade Fumaca) and her roommate, singer Chiu (Tsoi Kam) is formed during a messy and drunken night out. When Chiu is brutally murdered, the casual circle of friendship goes through a test that forces all to reexamine their lives. All while a cop (Chow Yun-Fat) is pestering the trio for clues but also looking to connect in his own personal way...

Stanley Kwan's second movie again sees him teaming up with Chow Yun-Fat, one of many fine assets of Love Unto Wastes. Love and waste certainly are key words in this unusual drama (co-written by Yau Daai On Ping who also penned Rouge with Lillian Lee) as it one, takes a loooong time to finally grasp and reward you. Secondly, Kwan lets us experience characters steeped in unsympathetic behavior, misery and imperfections, leaving us all alone in understanding and waiting for whether or not the people will change their ways or grasp an understanding themselves about what destruction they inflict upon their environment. His answers ring true to the character setups, answers that are too unconventional for the general moviegoer to accept but in the end, Kwan's pet theme of outcasts materializes quite nicely and Love Unto Wastes grows immensely.

Much thanks to low-key performances but the supporting role of Chow Yun-Fat is a marvelous showcase for the charm and humanity that Chow brings at the best of times. His commercial breakthrough was just round the corner with A Better Tomorrow so this one under the guidance of Stanley Kwan has sadly been neglected. At least he received a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards, the same year he also won for his performance in A Better Tomorrow.

Produced by Tony Leung Kar-Fai (also lead) and Stanley Kwan, this low-budget drama comes with suffering. Characters are torn and loveless towards themselves, as is the direction on display by first timer Nelson Yu. In a stripped down hands-off style, Yu draws out every image he can despite them being filled with nothing but basic meaning. In an odd way, that stretching makes sense as Yu portrays a slice of seedy life consisting of almost constant dullness but it sure doesn't make for a compelling study on film.

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Tough as nails cop Lau (Lau Ching Wan) is shot by the criminal (Toh Chung-Wah) whose drugs he destroyed but miraculously survives with only the lack of smell and taste as defects. Having neglected his wife (Carman Lee) for so long, she is about to elope to Canada with another man but sticks around her recovering husband. He's definitely changing but she isn't about to accept his previous wrongdoings easily. Nor is his nemesis...

Johnnie To directs with tough style to the action segments but surprisingly is very low-key when Loving You deals with Lau and Lee's characters. At least for a bit seeing as he cranks up the emotions as we roll along and presents some rather familiar and convenient plot devices. The latter being especially true towards the end. Still, for the short experience that Loving You is, To affects thanks to his actors Lau Ching Wan and Carman Lee who shares wonderful chemistry as distanced husband and wife. Again, it's all over quick and therefore never carry great substance but Loving You works well during its brief stay. Ruby Wong also appear.

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Kent Cheng are two kind robbers out to retrieve a specially marked Garfield the cat doll but in the villa where they strike, they face resistance from a lonely child spirit (Jang Paak-Lam - To Catch A Thief). He needs to exact revenge on Cheap Chan (Anthony Wong), the one who killed him for the money in Garfield...

From the era when Johnnie To was not yet Johnnie To, Lucky Encounter becomes mild, light amusement at best but can't conjure up much entertainment overall. Johnnie probably doesn't look back on this and his pre-Milkyway era with pride but then again, there's worse crimes out there. Anthony Wong provides a little scene stealing performance as the drooling, upper class twit of the film. Also with Song Lei (Fruit Punch), Kingdom Yuen, John Shum, Wong Yat-Fei and in a tiny cameo towards the end, Sylvia Chang. And by the way, I highly doubt the filmmakers had permission from Paws, Inc to use their famed creation.

A while into Chor Yuen's Lust For Love of A Chinese Courtesan you realize that it's not so much the remake of his 1972 classic Intimate Confessions Of A Chinese Courtesan but a new take, using the template in which Ai Nu (Nancy Hu) is forced into prostitution under the watchful but loving eye of Lady Chun (Candace Yu). This time however, the story doesn't take the path of revenge and instead turns into something akin to a thinking man's exploitation/erotica vehicle, with unexpectedly good results.

Ai Nu is here taught the ways of the world where sacrificing ones purity and innocence for wealth is the laid down rule. One character even describes the outside world as no better so accept what's within the confines of the brothel. The path of discovery for Ai Nu instead turns into a tale of rediscovering and holding onto innocence but more importantly love, not being devoured by the world of wealthy men where woman are merely emotionless servants. Chor Yuen's has a compelling grip on the material and long patches of dialogue dominates the second half, to an immersing effect. The stunning Shaw Brother's sets and art direction is dependably captured as well.

Where it's clear Intimate Confessions Of A Chinese Courtesan fell down was the lack of depth to characters, especially that of Chun (although Betty Pei Ti elevated the shortcomings greatly). Here she gets the full treatment with not so much classy results but when venturing into the main themes of the film subsequently, you get more of a solid ground to stand on. Ai Nu and Chun's relationship contain different dynamics as well since Ai Nu isn't out for revenge, but it boils down to how lost the characters are and can become.

Lust For Love Of A Chinese Courtesan lacks the full grace and effect of, what you might call the original movie (Candace Yu and Nancy Hu do fine work but are not as memorable as Betty Pei Ti and Lily Ho) and possesses a few cartoonish elements such as the portrayal of the wealthy, horny men. It makes for a not so comfortable contrasting two halves but the rise in quality subsequently in thematics makes many flaws forgettable. Also with Alex Man and Chang Kuo-Chu.

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