Due to the big kerfuffle that this film has created, you should probably come along to see it even if it is just to say that you have. The storyline has been splashed over the covers of magazines around the world, but quite frankly I can't see what all the fuss is about. Humbert (Irons) marries Charlotte (Griffith) with whom he is lodging in New England. His motive for the marriage, is Charlotte's 12 year old daughter, Lolita. Following Charlotte's tragic death, Humbert and Lolita begin a wayward journey across America, with their relationship changing in an equally wayward fashion.

For my two cents worth, I don't consider Lolita to be a movie we should be protected from-yes, some of the subject matter is not socially acceptable stuff but Humbert is punished for his actions and Lolita appears to be just as much victimizer as victim. Creatures such as Humbert exist in reality too, and as much as we may wish it, protecting us from watching Lolita will not protect our society from the reality that these people exist.

Back off my soapbox for a moment, Lolita is basically a competent film made a lot better by absolutely fantastic casting. Irons plays the tormented lover with class and conviction and as the provocative Lolita, Swain is brilliant. Unfortunately, the film pales in comparison to its predecessors. It fails to capture the comic tone of the novel and lacks the ambiguity and surreal inflections of Kubrick's 1962 film of the same name. Having said that, Lolita is definitely worth a look and if you are able to put aside the controversy and lower your expectations about the content you may be surprised.

Chinese Box is a romance set during the hand over of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule. John (Irons) is a journalist living in Hong Kong, dying of leukaemia and smitten with one of the bar workers, Vivan (Li) who works at one of his regular hang outs. However, all is not well, as Vivan is engaged to the wealthy Chang (Hui), who offers her a future of wealth and security, a far cry from her days of prostitution, when she first met John. As his days pass, John attempts to capture all he can of this colourful city, which over time, he has grown accustomed to. During his travels around the streets of Hong Kong he encounters Jean (Cheung - in an unusual departure from her usual action fare), a streetwise eccentric with an absorbing life story, which John manages to coax out of her and onto his video camera, using a little financial incentive.

Many reviewers have praised this film for mirroring the issues resulting from the Hong Kong change over within its characters. For example, it is suggested that Vivan and Jean are representatives of the old and new generation of Hong Kong peoples respectively. John's travels certainly give the viewer some idea of the social change brooding below the surface of the regular, everyday activities of those who live in this city. Others however have criticised this film for trying to use a narrative to produce a document of this historical event, noting that as a result the story and characters themselves are generally not involving and somehow lacking. However, if you are in search of an 'Idiots Guide to the Change Over' and Hope Floats kind of film, you may be disappointed, as this film at the very least looks good and stays interesting.