Cast Member: Wayne Lai

With a welcome big screen appearance by Anita Yuen and an all-star rendition of Sam Hui’s beloved ’Private Eyes’ theme, this celebration of Hong Kong is an unpretentious distraction.

Well worth giving your time to, as long as you’re prepared for things to go out on a whimper rather than a bang.

There is no doubt that this quirky and engrossing production has its faults; not all of the loose ends are successfully tied up and those that are seem to work out a little too neatly.

‘Frugal Game’ is a pleasant comedy that stands out of the rest of the market because of its odd glimpse of invention.

In its own way it is quite a diverting drama that has its moments of chemistry between the two leads. It’s just unfortunate that the b-movie direction undermines the hard work of the cast.

It’s certainly not a film that will rock anyone’s world, but as a throwback to a bygone era of Hong Kong horror it’s a refreshingly rewarding treat.

Samson Chiu can be congratulated for taking a bold step in a new direction while still retaining much of the gentle punch that is associated with the brand.

‘My Name Is Fame’ is essentially a platform for Lau Ching Wan and the actor makes full use of this opportunity.

There may not be much here that we haven’t seen before, but it’s certainly been a while since we’ve seen most of it done so well.

For anyone who wants something a bit different from Hong Kong’s blockbusters, this may be a worthwhile purchase. Be warned, though, that ‘Osaka Wrestling Restaurant’ is not going to be to everyone’s taste.

‘Queen Of Kowloon’ is a needlessly miserable drama that prefers wallowing in empty disaster to telling a story we might actually find ourselves involved in.

‘Satan Returns’ can’t decide if it’s a serious dark thriller or a goofy over-the-top action horror combo.