Police Tactical Unit 2

The second installment of Hong Kong thriller Police Tactical Unit sees Simon (played by Simon Yam) and Maggie (Maggie Siu) reprise their roles as leaders of rival factions within Asia's top crime-fighting squad as they take on one final mission ahead of a major organizational reshuffle.

After the two longstanding rivals are ambushed by a gang of bank robbers, the pair must decide whether to work together to catch the bad guys, or attempt to do so separately. However, there is a catch: after it's all over, one team will be disbanded and the other promoted.

Opening this weekend, the movie is directed by Law Wing-cheong, with Johnnie To (who directed the original) now taking a backseat as executive producer. The film continues To's traditional interest in exploring the bonds of friendship and the balance of good and evil in society.

Moviegoers can look forward to an action-packed thriller and worthy successor to the award-winning PTU, blazing with explosions and retina-bursting cinematography.

Meanwhile, over in Hollywood, Universal Pictures' Fast & Furious 4 reunites ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and agent Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker).The old foes join forces again in a battle against a common enemy amid a barrage of car chases, pimped-up rides and the occasional heist.

Actress Michelle Rodriguez joins in the fun, with Tokyo Drift director Justin Lin again taking the helm to maximum effect. The movie delivered the best opening weekend upon its earlier release in the United States.

Red River is a slower-paced story about the aftermath of the American War in Vietnam, providing tragedy and beauty in equal measure.

Set in a tiny border town between China and Vietnam in 1977, the film follows A Tao, a mentally-challenged Sino-Vietnamese girl played by Zhang Jingchu.

Twenty-three years after suffering a mental collapse, brought on by seeing her family killed during the war, A Tao has matured into a beautiful young woman who retains a childlike innocence that masks her simmering inner turmoil.

Faced with economic uncertainty, she joins a tide of Vietnamese immigrant workers who cross the picturesque border into China with hopes of a better life.

(China Daily 04/24/2009 page13)