Author: M.C. Thomason

Shen Chiang’s ‘Call to Arms’ is about as dull and listless as they come, never once engaging its viewer even at the most basic levels of entertainment merit.

Li’s ghostly anthology achieves its ends as a series of cautionary tales of the ills that might befall those who succumb to their own greed and desires.

The film itself is relatively well paced, shoehorning in equal helpings of genuinely amusing comedy set-pieces and soft-focus “cheeky moments”, seemingly flittering by in what feels like no time.

Somewhat frustrating due to its fractured narrative, yet compelling within its aesthetic and themes, Eddie Fong’s directorial debut remains a unique experiment of its era.

Ultimately viewer satisfaction with ‘Summons to Death’ will arguably be measured by one’s affinity for both the Sean Connery-period Bond films or sixties era sensibilities and filmmaking stylings.

Fans of Shirley Yu and Chen Ping or lurid seventies Chinese sex-comedies will find some rewarding nuggets of enjoyment within ‘Crazy Sex’.

Patrick Tam’s ‘Cherie’ is, simply put, little more than a moderately average eighties romantic comedy and decidedly underwhelming when compared against any of the true “greats” of the era.

It entertains, titillates and amuses, as well as throws in a hint of social commentary as afterthought, but it’s a giddy, gaudy way to spend some time, providing of course that the subject matter itself doesn’t offend one’s sensibilities to begin with.

‘Heaven and Hell’ is actually a whole lot more interesting, and engaging, than one would outwardly expect from its (largely) negative reputation.