Yam yeung lo 8: Goon choi chai

Simon Loui is Bud Pit, an out of work movie maker. He moves his family to the New Territories to save on the rent. So we put up dramatic non-scares like a crummy landlord, a barking dog, taoist prayer slips on the walls, all of which generate a vague sense of unease, as if I could be doing all kinds of more constructive and interesting things with my time. About forty minutes later the plot finally kicks in, which concerns their beautiful neighbor, possessed by the spirit of a woman looking for her missing child. Bud Ling (Helena Law Lan) must put together a little ceremony with the help of her sons to find the boy, alive or dead. Pretty lackluster, but there is a heart-ripping-out scene midway through, and a finger cut towards the end reminiscent of the classic SNL Julia Child sketch.

Number eight in the Troublesome Night series continues the trilogy's decline. While still a pretty entertaining movie, the movie steers clear of the really scary and ghostly themes that are supposed to be evident in this trilogy and, instead, relies a lot on goofy comedy and slapstick humor. There are smacks of ghost action here and there, but you don't really see any substantial ghost action until toward the climax of the movie. The suspense is also at a bare minimum.

The movie centers around Bud Pitt (Simon Lui) moving to the country side with his mother (Lan Law) and brother (Tong Kai-Fai). He struggles to find work and, while desperately seeking employment, is haunted by their mysterious neighbor, Olive (Nadia Chan).

The story's subtitle is called "Little Coffin," which should be the center of the movie's emphasis, along with Olive. However, instead of emphasizing on this factor, much of the plot involves Bud Pitt trying to find work and chit-chatting with the village locals.

Aside from the lack of suspense and hair-raising moments, this movie isn't too bad. I was still pretty entertained at the film as I thought it was still a little well-paced and had a haunting music score. You also get to see the return of series regular Nadia Chan starring as the ghost-possessed girl and Lan Law starring as ghost-busting Bud Lung (a recurring character from now on).

It's an overall serviceable ghost-comedy.

Grade B-