Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

It was marketed as a wuxia film in the style of Yimou's Hero (2002) and House of Flying Daggers (2004), but that was a lie. Okay, there is some martial arts action, but Flower has more in common with a plodding soap opera. It looks expensive but it's terminally boring. Truly, all that glitters is not gold.
Personally I found the colour palette of Hero to be beautiful in its simplicity, with Flower being the direct opposite. And while details in costumes and sets are gorgeous, they're overwhelmed by gaudy golden hues.
If the plotting was up to snuff it would compensate, but it fails there too. Chow certainly looks the part as a moody Emperor, as does Gong Li as his bored housewife Empress, but the drama between them is flat, barren and uninteresting. When something eventful happens it feels hollow. The only memorable character was the Imperial Doctor's wife (played by Chen Jin).

2 threaded chrysanthemums out of 5

NOW YOU SEE ME 2 [2016]

Crap director Jon M. Chu takes over directing duties for the sequel to the 2013 surprise hit Now You See Me.  Fortunately screenwriter Ed Solomon (Men in Black, Bill & Ted's)  is still on board to guarantee dumb mindless fun.
This time around The Four Horsemen step back into the spotlight only to find themselves forced by a wannabe James Bond-esque villain to pull off a near impossible heist.
It doesn't do much to improve upon any of the glaring problems of the first film but nor does it really take a step down in quality either.  It more or less just sits exactly in the same position and hopes for the best.  Based on whether or not you enjoyed the first film will depend on how much you get out of the this retread joyride.

3 hats out of a bunny out of 5

Initial D - Drift Racer (2005)

Aka: Tau man ji D

Takumi is a tofu delivery boy for his drunken father (played by the wonderful Anthony Wong Chau-Sang). His delivery route takes him down the twisty Mt. Akina, a road that some new in town downhill street racers want to own. They take a dislike to the tofu boy.
It's based on a manga, so is a little episodic in pace.
There's racing, obviously, but the main focus of the film is the growth of drifter Takumi.
Avoid the UK soundtrack, it loses some of the emotion.

3½ cups of water out of 5

THE GREEN HORNET [2011]

Director Michael Gondry's bromance superhero adaptation of the 1930's radio serial, The Green Hornet reeks of studio interference, last minute re-shoots & rewrites and multiple cast changes.

Besides Gondry's beautiful use of color and inventive camera work, everything else is just a huge mess.  The cast all look like they know they're out of their element except for Cameron Diaz who seems natural.  I suppose she's used to being in shitfests.  A misguided flop of a film that I so wanted to be a lovable underdog but fails on all levels.

2 one-inch punches out of 5