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We Are Family 出租家人 (2024) Hong Kong 🇭🇰   Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺)   Director Benny Lau Wai-hang returns to form after the underwhelming “Burning” with one of the surprisingly emotional “We Are Family” produced and starring industry veteran Eric Tsang. The family and relationship drama works in many dimensions, namely its resonate with relatable characters, sense of loss and dealing with human emotions at its very core. Sometimes, simplicity is the key to success and for that Lau nails it perfectly in key scenes and manages to take the audience along for the...

Film Review: The Lyricist Wannabe 填詞L (2024) Hong Kong 🇭🇰   Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺) Following her directorial debut of the underrated “My Prince Edward”, best new director Norris Wong followed up with a heartfelt and emotionally charged semi autobiographical film “The Lyricist Wannabe” (on her own experiences) about a struggling and aspiring lyricist roaming thru the complicated world of music. Largely self funded, Wong manages to be true to herself as the film deals with relevant issues on dreams, aspiration, reality and expectations all wrapped up within a coming of age premises that...

Film Review: The Moon Thieves 盜月者 (2024) Hong Kong 🇭🇰 Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺)   Following the reins of Hollywood’s “Ocean’s Eleven” and Hong Kong’s “Once a Thief”, the crime heist genre is rarely explored to in Hong Kong cinema. Director Steve Yuen in “The Moon Thieves” managed to recreate the heist starring the popular Mirror boy band namely Edan Liu, Anson Lo and Keung To and well supported by the always versatile Louis Cheung and the flexible Michael Ning. The problem with this film is not so much its acting, but the premise...

Film Review: Rob N Roll 臨時劫案(2024) Hong Kong / China 🇭🇰 🇨🇳 Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺)   In a career defining comedic performance, Hong Kong award winning actor Aaron Kwok manages to be the X-factor in long time assistant director Albert Mak’s directorial debut in the lunar new year crime comedy “Rob N Roll”. This film works because it never takes itself too seriously and in the process allows the characters to shine with their various over the top traits and antics. With plenty of laugh out loud moments, making it the perfect Chinese...

Film Review: Table for Six 2 飯戲攻心2 (2024) Hong Kong 🇭🇰 Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺)   As far as sequel is concerned, last year box office success “Table for Six” comes with plenty of expectations. Despite missing super box office star Dayo Wong, the film works extremely well when it is focused on relationships, family and the all the good and bad associated with it. It is this infernal of emotions one after another that makes director Sunny Chan so effective as a communicator as it simply translates directly to the audience like gold....