How in the world David Chiang managed to end up in this low-budget, broken English language modern martial arts actioner of 100% inept-status, god only knows. Hong Kong cinema gave him minor spotlights in 2 Young and Election recently but this throwback to genre "fun" of yesteryears (in particular American produced films of its kind) has evidence of a Chiang (credited as John here) being old and bored. Yet, playing Master Dragon, he's the best part of Tai Chi Warriors, where there exists valid themes of disillusioned students of his choosing darker martial arts paths, new students trying to find acceptance and cocky, black, sexist, wannabe movie stars named Bruce (with credits such as "Karate Elvis" and "Transsexual Karate Queen" under their belt) trying to punch their way through the Tai Chi-way American style. It's performed atrociously, in heavy Chinese accents mostly, personal drama is told in ham fisted style, drab comedy appears (the Tai Chi bowling game would've needed resources to pull off some effects. Here it's just student film levels on display) but the usage of stock elements of genre flicks isn't necessarily a bad choice. I can even swallow the appearance of new wave Wuxia fight scenes in this modern scenario and it probably isn't 2000 miles away from crap that came out 20 years before it but that's still not an excuse. It's a mess with no official release on the horizon but that fate would be well deserved. Can't say I was bored though, which is perhaps a cardinal sin to admit as a reviewer? You be the judge.

Very little seems wrong and little right about Dick Cho's Danny Lee-vehicle but eventually scoring with edgy and suspenseful sequences of action and getting a Jack Lemmon/Walter Matthau-esque chemistry out of Lee and Wu Ma, Takes Two To Mingle grows. Lee is the impulsive, often annoyingly loud-mouthed cop who is very protective of his sister (Fennie Yuen). When she brings home boyfriend KK (Lam King-Kong), the son of a rumoured to be triad businessman (Wu Ma), this particular hell breaks loose. On the more dangerous side of the story coin, Ricky Yi is working within the company of Wu Ma's alongside dangerous, sharp shooting villains. Straight and often barely decent, director Cho eventually finds a flow that is very entertaining, mixing comedic banter, Lee's particular fists before brains attitude and fun touches such as one of the timid cops finding an outlet via guns to really let loose. Lam Wai also appears.

After a rare lunar event, out of the earth rises 3 Ching Dynasty characters. One is Huang Zhin (David Wu - Full Throttle), a royal servant to Little Princess (Chan Cheuk-Yan - Fatal Termination) who also is awakened along with the feisty Blood Devil (Daai Cheung). Huang ends up in the hands of Chu Kor Yee (Joey Wong) and her brother Tai Lit (Billy Lau) while a pair of wacky electricians (Eric Kot and Jan Lam, aka the Soft Hard DJ duo) tries to figure out the origins of Little Princess that they are stuck with...

A great, big history lesson in the opening narration perhaps signals something significant but it's merely a basic lead into a Manfred Wong directed piece that's flirting with elements already present in The Reincarnation Of Golden Lotus and The Iceman Cometh. It's certainly broad and a product that tries to commercially satisfy on all levels but Wong's choice to try and balance the elements still creates little distinction in A Tale Of The East. It goes through its comedy routines courtesy of the "comedy" performers, some cuteness and over the top fantasy fighting but overall stands out little despite having ideas. It register as dull even at points. I Kuang appears in support as his own creation Wisely, dishing out helpful advice while nods to The Evil Dead and Ghostbusters (with a sliiiiight re-working of its famous theme can be seen and heard. Manfred Wong himself as well as Lawrence Cheng, Amy Yip and Alfred appear in cameos.

Referencing Peter Fleming's book, Feng Xiaoning's first of his "War And Peace" trilogy (that was followed by Lovers' Grief Over The Yellow River and Purple Sunset) takes place in the early 1900s as a small British expedition heads for Tibet. Stuck in an avalanche due to their defiance against respecting local gods, they are saved by a poor family living on the Tibetan planes. Part of the expedition, Jones has to tend to his wounds before returning and begins experiencing an on the surface uncivilized culture that has as much of a valid place in evolution as his normal, high-tech reality. Perhaps even more. More is coming though as British forces are preparing to enter Tibet as liberators, with full force...

Feng Xiaoning is careful not to expose either side as heavenly. The Tibetans uses human sacrifice to please the gods and are bound very much by that otherworldly reasoning. Portraying them as divided by rich and poor, emotions come together in characters that sometimes are looking for simple love only, simple life only and individual choice not governed by social status. The awakening of the character of Jones sees even the Western world mix perfectly with the quote unquote simple reality on the outskirt of civilization and tending to these smaller, more intimate sections becomes a stepping stone of great importance for director Feng when he unleashes his epic sensibilities later. The vistas are dependently beautiful at all times but Feng has an eye for large scale mayhem. He does produce the odd abstract and overly explicit symbolism at times but this is nonetheless powerful, speaking in a global perspective to boot. When one force has decided it knows best (the British in this case), events unfold that are unifying a people in death and in spirit. That's possibly even stronger than a million cannon balls inflicted upon your land. Many times reincarnation is touched upon in A Tale of The Sacred Mountain and therefore a sense of sadness does come with the material because now into the 21st Century, we're still making the same flaws as a human race and not realizing until late what the essence of simplicity is. Simple still means humanity. Don't touch that. Ning Jing (Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker , Set To Kill) co-stars.

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The palace of heaven is threatened to be destroyed by Against nature-Boy so a supreme buddhist with supernatural powers (Lam Ching Ying) sets out to locate the chosen one who can withstand such an evil force,; the Sharp-witted Buddha. Thinking his blood brother and fellow buddhist (played by Wu Ma) has located the one, it turns out that it's village boy Dragon (Chin Ka-Lok) who unknowingly is the Sharp-witted Buddha. Time is short to truly enlighten him and the threats are drawing closer...

Mang Hoi utilizes some fine looking temple locations and a lighthearted tone that surprisingly, and thankfully, never takes the broad comedy route. While nothing astonishing ever occurs in The Tantana, a likeable cast gets Mang Hoi places of acceptance despite this having the feeling of just another production. Mang Hoi himself appear as well as Sammo Hung and Tai Po.

One of those titles corresponding exactly to the content, A Taste Of Killing And Romance initially can be viewed upon as PERHAPS offering up a more solid mix than usual through its attractive leading performers and a female director at the helm of an action picture. Aside from some not totally uncool ventures into visual style, Veronica Chan makes us taste one sweet and one sour taste, with the latter belonging to the romance sadly. Standard chemistry between Andy Lau and Anita Yuen, playing hitman and hitwoman respectively, doesn't cut it but Stephen Tung's action is rousing. Veronica Chan obviously is somehow connected to the choice of featuring this much brutal bloodshed but Stephen brings the explosive factor to it, be it in sadism- or gunplay mode. Mark Cheng's deliciously evil supporting act enhances matters also. Co-starring is Waise Lee and Christine Ng. Keep your eyes peeled for a debatable partial rip-off/homage concerning The Killer.

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Jimmy Wang Yu is Tsang Leung aka The Dragon who ends up injured and taken in by Hsiao Yang (Sam Hui) and his eventual (but not until all the ducks grow and breed) wife Ah Hsiang (Sylvia Chang). But when the local gambling house begins squeezing all the money and sense out of the town's gambling addicts, a recovering Tsang steps up to do the righteous thing...

Shot in Thailand and getting a rough, gritty aura to surround the film, there's even deeper, tragic ideas being attempted by director Lo Wei and that deserves kudos in itself. They aren't successful ideas but makes The Tattooed Dragon a more bearable experience as a movie (despite canned melodrama at points). Because as fun, tough and bloody as the fight scenes (of the basher kind) with Jimmy Wang Yu are, they're also not as frequent as one would like. The further you get into Lo Wei's collaborations with Jimmy, the more you realize how movies perked up when he himself took directing reigns in other films. They could be equally dark, often goofy but definitely almost always more fun and bearable. Lo Wei never learned that. Also starring James Tien and Lonnie the dog.

Following his critically acclaimed anti-triad movie Mongkok Story, young and upcoming director Wilson Yip (Juliet In Love, The White Dragon, SPL) teamed up with producer/writer Vincent Kok for this comedy/satire/romance. Teaching Sucks!! is a title that represents a starting point for the character journey Yip takes teachers Lam (Jan Lamb who is also the voice of adult McDull) and Wong (Anthony Wong, again collaborating with Yip after his wonderful turn in Mongkok Story) on. As Yip's visuals indicate, these guys have lost inspiration in their line of work and their fellow teachers are all going through the motions. Enter a fresh beauty in the teacher's lounge, namely Miss Lee (Cathy Tsui - Time And Tide) and she inspires her fellow personnel to actually fight for such things as keeping the astronomy club. Meanwhile, all seemingly falls for her, none more so than best friends Lam and Wong...

At its core, Teaching Sucks!! a simple romance but one peppered with Yip's compelling habit of going off on off-beat tangents and injecting unusual story beats. He makes a bold move by hinging a lot on Cathy Tsui's character as she is an important key for both the teacher's work and Lam and Wong's desire to obtain fulfilled lives. Tsui doesn't necessarily come through as it's an awkward performance but Yip does come through by "just" making her a sweet presence. That works as a counterpart since Jan Lamb and Anthony Wong are such a likeable duo, creating sweet, sincere and heartfelt emotions eventually. Arguably, the movie takes some odd detours (still related to the character arcs though) but Yip easily keeps the audience's attention on an entertainment-level when doing this. Best examples being a sudden birth during a teacher's meeting and Lam's visit to a teaching coach (a very funny Cheung Tat-Ming). Christine Ng, Kim Yip, Lee Kin Yan, Bobby Yip, Lee Lik Chi and Wilson Yip himself also appear.