Rating: 3.5

While ‘The Miracle Box’ is an imperfect drama, it is without a doubt a film that benefits from a few exceptional performances.

The amusing antics of the Monkey king and Pigsy always seem to make for good movie material and I’m happy to report that this film is no exception.

At times frustrating and yet mostly entertaining, ‘The Myth’ may not be vintage Chan, but there are glimpses here of a performer who is still a valuable treasure for world cinema.

The major strength here is E Jingwen who is such an eternally affable figure that you are rooting for her from the first frame until the end.

‘The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure’ is a big, unapologetic action film that borrows all of the pomp and bombast of its American contemporaries.

‘The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt’ is expertly made, superbly shot and mostly involving. Yet there’s something missing in this odyssey of an elderly woman’s experiences in the city.

‘The Pye-Dog’ is guided through moments where the pace slackens needlessly by distracting the critical amongst us with a triumvirate of stars who gel together exceptionally.

This sequel doesn’t match the original, but there are enough fresh ideas to make it watchable.

‘The Shadow Boxer’ is a fairly standard affair as offered by the Shaw Brother’s studio and is unable to elevate itself to compete with the likes of the classic ‘Boxer from Shantung’ and the exceptional ‘The Water Margin’.

Although nobody could say ‘The Silent War’ has a vice-like grip on the viewer, it features a few moments of genuine excitement and gathers quite a momentum by the final third.

‘The South Shaolin Master Part II’ is a nice little film that most MA fans will surely enjoy. Perhaps not quite as good as the original but a worthy follow-up nonetheless.

While it may not be perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it is still a fast-paced and action-packed thriller that is guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping.