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In Your Dreams 以青春的名義 (2017) - Hong Kong     Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)   As part of the wave of local productions funded by the Hong Kong government comes  a moody and arty film for first time director Tam Wai-ching, starting Carina Lau as the emotionally struggling and lonely housewife and potential young lover in a fantastic debut by Ng Siu-hin. “In Your Dreams” lack coherent storyline, but more than compensate with artistic and pretension to create a dream for the audience to follow through in their mind. The film is clearly aiming for...

The Debt Collector (2018) - USA    Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)     Perfect Netflix action Friday night film, “The Debt Collector” is surprisingly fun, violent and entertaining. Scott Adkins headlines the film as the newbie debt collector partnering with hard man Louis Mandylor and the two plays off each other particularly well. Adkins is an martial arts star that I have a lot of time for, for every film big or small, he gives 110% in the stunts and fight scenes. In the day and age where most ageing action icons will take shortcuts...

Looking Glass (2018) - USA   Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)     Lately, Nicolas Cage is making a lot of movies, low budget and mostly on VOD. Not necessary a bad thing for his fans and mostly observers that all feel that Cage may well shine once again. In this film, Cage does a decent job as peeping tom slash creepy motel owner with a troubled wife played quite convincing by TV actress Robin Tunney. What we get is a slow burner thriller with plenty of mood and setting that build up to an in...

Europe Raiders 歐洲攻略 (2018) - Hong Kong / China     Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia)   The third instalment of the “Raiders” series continue to focus on style over substance and showcase the coolness and charisma of its main star Tony Leung Chiu Wai. If this is a showreel for Leung’s credentials for becoming the first Asian James Bond, then there is probably nobody more cool with ease and have the acting chops to back it up too. Director Jingle Ma made “Tokyo Raiders” on the back of 90s cinematic success of Hollywood -  “Charlie...

Big Brother (2018) - Hong Kong     Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critic Circle of Australia)   Being a pet passion project for Donnie Yen, “Big Brother” is a good film that is equally emotional, engaging and also provides enough well meaning social commentary to boot. It is rare that the best moments in a Donnie Yen film is not a fight scene, but rather Yen as teacher helping his students in out of the box fashion in loggerhead with the out dated and highly competitive Hong Kong education system.    Yen has always been a visionary, his films...