The first of four parts (the others being Princess Iron Fan, Cave Of The Silken Web and The Land Of Many Perfumes) showing Shaw Brothers adapting the classical Chinese novel Journey To The West. For those of us accustomed to let's say the Stephen Chow Chinese Odyssey movies based on the same material, the 1966 sensibilities are a little bit more harder to swallow but it remains a fairly charming start with these endearing characters. Ho Fan (who would go on to acclaim for his erotic movies such as Yu Pui Tsuen) stars as Monk Tang who's asked to retrieve Buddhist sutras from India. Along the way he gathers up a trio of protectors who take on Buddhism in order to be forgiven for prior sins. They are Monkey King (Yueh Hua), The Pig (Pang Pang) and eventually Sandy (in addition to a dragon prince turned into the horse for Monk Tang). The movie takes a long time establishing the quartet, perhaps way too long as the feeling of NEEDED tightness do rear its head. Impressing with its charming use of indoor sets and outdoor beauty, director Hoh Mung-Wa also entertains with a special effects spectacle that includes a transformation of a normal-sized into big Monkey King and a giant sea monster. Meeting The Pig reveals more of a stage play approach that includes lots and lots of singing in the Chinese opera tradition, which is a tool not foreign to a local audience but it slows down matters somewhat for at least this Westerner. The continuing banter between Monkey King and The Pig is a center piece that does continue to entertain and the trio's temptation that almost has them losing an important jade is a decent adventure for this outing. It paves the way for possible similar entries in the saga but enough big budget, Shaw Brothers charm helps The Monkey Goes West to invite even the critical ones back for more.

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aka Monkey Fist, Floating Snake (English dub title) and furthermore, this indie should not be confused with the Shaw Brother's movie of the same name and production year.

Monkey Kung Fu expectedly comes off as a pale imitation of successful efforts in similar vein (most notably the Jackie Chan vehicles Snake In The Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master) but due to that profitable concept, all that indie producers bothered with was making a quick buck on the movie title and content (whether good or bad). Shooting it on the cheap (with the outdoor locations being a dead giveaway) may just have been the concept and as you all know, it's the money that makes the world go round...

Bad filmmaking is still not an excuse however and despite veteran appearances (Eddy Ko, Yueh Hua, Chen Sing), the film gains nothing and when the monkey kung fu in itself receives a lackluster showcase, the movie quickly fades away from memory.

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The punishing life of a hostess gets another examination through the eyes of Michael Mak (Long Arm Of The Law II, Sex And Zen), with very unimaginative end results. Despite the fantastic lineup of Cherie Chung, Carol Cheng and Maggie Cheung, the Stephen Shiu/Johnny Mak script offers up nothing new whatsoever and Michael can't exactly bring a fine tuned touch to the various harsh treatment the ladies goes through either. Sure some excessive moments gets your attention, including Maggie Cheung being forced to lose her virginity to an obese gwailo and the rape of Cherie Chung amongst strobe lights is eerie. But it's never enhancing any previous developments in the characters. That's because Mak does nothing with the script outline and even though the very final shot reaches some form of downbeat poignancy, it really doesn't count as meaningful based on the jerking around we've experienced prior. Hu Chin, Shing Fui-On and a very intimidating Wong Chi-Keung also appear.

Lam's (Fung Bo Bo) son Man goes astray one day during a football match where he injures one of his bullies. Being an underdog with a very protective mom who's also a nurse, his stay at the hospital soon develops into extreme paranoia about possible jail time. He ends murdering one policeman but subsequently is shot and killed by superintendent Cheung (Lau Ching Wan). Not being able to cope or forgive, Lam goes on the path of irrational revenge, targeting those precious to Cheung...

David Chiang's last directed film to date, a thriller echoing Misery but thankfully not reenacting the James Caan/Kathy Bates vehicle completely. Chiang brings nothing new to the portrayal of insanity in the face of tragedy but has a thoroughly dedicated Fung Bo Bo at his disposal, a factor that makes Mother Of A Different Kind a highly chilling tale. Chiang and Fung takes advantage of the familiarity and even when going highly over the top (along with the plot), it not only seems logical but a veteran performer like Fung also makes it bearable. Lau Ching Wan backs up in a solid way as the victim nobody believes and Veronica Yip is annoying in the best of ways. A rare movie where comedic relief is welcome.

Sorry excuse for a gangster genre vehicle and not a Golden Harvest production Raymond Chow probably touted highly that year. Jason Pai is Piao, a disgruntled ex-worker at a car repair shop who goes into the trade of being a gangster together with low-life, hoodlum friend (Max Lee). Taking command of existing small gangs, forming alliances with newly found pickpocket chums, Piao and company set their sights on joining one of the big bosses. Probably consciously steered away from being overly nasty and dangerous, that's a major strike against Lam Kwok-Cheung's movie as it would've taken that to distract us. Some grit dammit! What we get is endless scenes of scheming and even when confrontations do occur, life is draining OUT of the overlong flick! Friendship prevails in the end and Mr. BIG continues to stick by the fact that it's lighter than expected.

A box-office success but in reality not a product Michael Hui can and should endorse as intensely as his prior classics such as The Private Eyes. Under Clifton Ko's rather lazy direction, Hui is allowed be lazy too but manages to get in a few solid laughs as a village Mainlander traveling to the big Hong Kong city to live with his sister (Olivia Cheng). On home turf, Hui's Ngan is a crafty fella who can jump between coconut trees and put out cigarette butts from a distance with his spit. When changing locale, he's more of a retarded, fish out of water country bumpkin. Shacking up with the sister, her husband (Raymond Wong) and a rather big family that also has the flower vase-role of the piece unashamedly assigned to Joey Wong, Ngan's innocence will generate annoyance but life affirming lessons about appreciating your loved ones. It's witty to no degree whatsoever as Ngan catches sights of the wonders of modern toilet flushing, find creative ways to not exhale cigarette smoke and accidentally travel to Africa where stupid Africans reside (enter rather poor taste from the filmmakers). Hui, in a role Stephen Chow would adopt at many times to great success, sells the silly gags well during quite few times but is not catering to the audience that liked his clever reason for doing comedy bits in the first place. No satire, no commentary, just a far cry off legendary celluloid and simple fun disappears to a dangerous degree as we move along. Ricky Hui and Mario Cordeo also appear while a host of stars make cameos including Simon Yam, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Fennie Yuen, Rachel Lee, Lowell Lo and Teddy Yip.

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The second Hong Kong made live action adaptation of Tsukasa Hojo's manga City Hunter (the other being Wong Jing's less than faithful take on it, starring Jackie Chan) sees Michael Chow and Eric Kei team up behind the scenes (also on The Spirit Of The Dragon the following year), handling script- and producing duties while also serving up a fun, MUCH cheaper time than said Lunar New Year film from Golden Harvest. Michael Chow is Maang Boh (the Cantonese name for the lead character Ryo Saeba and the pronunciation created the English title of the film), a womanizer, molester and kickass crime fighter. The subtitles sum him up well as "competent but horny" and his adventure prior to setting up his own detective bureau is about protecting Sheron (Pauline Suen), the daughter of a triad boss...

Michael Chow is a fine fit and sinks his teeth pretty deep into this tasteless character but the movie stumbles when dealing ONLY with his attempts at getting laid (even in drag he fails). However the combo of his over the top skills in avoiding bullets, catching bottles, sniffing out and in general climbing every obstacle he's faced with (sometimes helped along by his oversized partner Monster, played by Alex Ng) shows low budget creativity as director Yuen Jun-Man (Nightlife Hero) goes to work with action director Chin Kar-Lok. Appearing less colourful than Wong Jing's adaptation but suitably bringing the audience into a cartoonish Hong Kong world, the likeability is very large despite many flat escapades. Even Maang Boh's sensitive side gets an examination and it basically will never be able to come out as then the perverted one has to go. Can't have that. Also with Francoise Yip, Eric Kei, Ricky Yi and Herman Yau.

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Li Zhi (Kenny Bee) has been inflicted with a curse since birth that means he becomes possessed whenever a woman's touch comes his way. Having a hard time finding a girlfriend therefore, the curse seems to be taking a step back, if only ever so slightly, when he meets Xiao Yu (Carol Cheng). But a little white lie from her jeopardizes the plan to get rid of the curse once and for all...

An idea, a very silly one even, that opens up the gates for any number of tasteless jokes courtesy of Wong Jing, he has no problem having initial fun (in particular when playing out the premise between his willing leads) but maintaining the pace throughout a 90 minute exercise is another matter. Mixing it up structurally with some darker, spiritual matters, Wong doesn't channel any fast energy (be it fun or dark energy... it just needs to be fast) and runs dangerously on mundane comedy-fumes by the end. Even having a mahjong game between humans and a spirit is a desperate concept that expectedly dies quickly but Wong Jing's basic idea very much does too so nothing can be saved. Wong Jing appears in support along with Nat Chan, Chingmy Yau (in her movie debut), Tang Pik-Wan, Francis Ng and Lau Kar-Wing.

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A failed sailor Smart (Kent Cheng) returns home to Hong Kong only to be scolded for not bringing back dough to the household. Threatened to have his family kicked out of their village home, he starts up a fast food business but ultimately, all Smart wants from life is a little bit of extended happiness. The road towards that begins when he meets and falls in love with nurse Mona (Rosamund Kwan)...

Alongside Why Me?, Mr. Smart is one of Kent Cheng's finest hours. Favouring simple minded themes, emotions and beats, we do get contrasting halves which is a little bit of a flaw within this package. Cheng reveals much of his intentions during the first stages of the film, balancing themes and inserting fairly exaggerated comedy from time to time but proceedings feels shy and emotionless. What sets the serious flow in motion is the entrance of the character of Mona and rarely have I seen anyone on screen so genuinely in love with his female co-star. Despite Cheng at the helm, this is not a vanity vehicle for him though as he stays true to a thematic core, talking about life happiness as something necessarily not exclusively reserved for you. Learn to think of your fellow man and family, thus creating perhaps the true form of happiness. This sincerity and realism helps Mr. Smart outgrow its more uneven steps into the story and ends up as a touching winner. Also starring Jaime Chik, Billy Lau (in one of his rare normal roles), Cheung Kwok-Keung, Ann Bridgewater and Chiao Chiao.

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