Cast Member: Chow Yun-Fat

What may sound like an unpleasant crime thriller because of the concept and title is actually another of the comedy films that Chow Yun-Fat made earlier in his career.

This is the ‘Citizen Kane’ of HK heroic bloodshed films and it never ages, even after repeat viewings.

What this film lacks in plot, it sure as hell makes up for in action and the finale of ‘A Better Tomorrow II’ is a brutal display of guns, grenades and swordplay.

As a standalone film ‘A Better Tomorrow 3’ is a fairly watchable effort thanks to an intriguing premise, but as a prequel to ‘A Better Tomorrow’ it just doesn’t quite cut it.

For those willing to explore other genres of Hong Kong films though, ‘All About Ah Long’ is a quality film that continues to have a resonance after it has ended.

This highly acclaimed romantic drama proves once again that Hong Kong cinema can be very subtle and is far more varied than some would have the public believe.

Probably best described as a cliché-ridden mess that is condemned by a combination of a poor script, bad casting and laughable action.

Like the first film, it is a slick and intense thriller that boasts solid performances from its cast.

What starts off as quite interesting and engaging becomes progressively more disjointed meaning drama and characters suffer.

The fights are almost seamlessly integrated and amongst some of the best on offer for a few years even if they are not new by Jade screen standards.

‘Curse Of The Golden Flower’ is another sign of the growing confidence of Chinese cinema, the imagination of Zhang Yimou and the iconic status of Gong Li and Chow Yun-Fat.

Loud, day-glo and stuffed with ropey CGI madness, for many ‘Dragonball: Evolution’ will be the stuff of nightmares.