1. Purple Butterfly

At the dawn of Japanese invasion, a young woman is bounded by her commitment to the country and haunted by love affair with a man from the enemy side. Written and directed by the Sixth Generation director Liu Ye with his highly personal touch, and carried by a wonderful cast, Purple Butterfly is the brightest in 2003. (note: a history lesson is needed if you really want a full understanding of  the film.)

1. Infernal Affairs 2

The prequel to the biggest local hit in 2002. Before the mole game, SP Wong is on the way of becoming the chief detective, Sam, a secondary man in the gang has a dream of being the boss; and Ngai, inherited the business from his assassinated father, plans to eliminate everyone he doesn't trust. Well written, skillfully directed and wonderfully performed, Infernal Affairs 2 tells an epic crime story at the dawn of Hong Kong's returning to China in the 1990's.

2. Cell Phone

Having fun with your girl friend while telling your wife that you are at a meeting - but one call or one short message  could easily give your secret away, if someone else gets hold of your cell phone. A comedy with a bitter taste, Cell Phone shows how deeply today's people be enslaved by the hi-tech toy.

2. PTU

One night in the street of Hong Kong, cops from three divisions of the HK police are solving their own problems on two rival gangs, in their own ways. Everything starts when one copy loses his gun in an dark alley. Director Johnny To crafted this puzzle-like thriller with his trademark style.

3. Cala, My Dog!

A Beijing factory worker is trying to retrieve Cala, an unlicensed dog confiscated by the police. Neither his wife nor his son gives him any comfort and only the dog offers him some relief. Getting Cala back is not easy because the license would cost them a great sum of money. Cala, My Dog is about the low-end urban working class. When the country is booming, they are feeling the growing pain.

3. Running On Karma

Andy Lau put on muscle suit to play a muscular man with a good heart, who has some romance with a young police officer. Director Johnny To mixes action, comedy, romance, horror, thrilling, crazy makeup and even Buddhist philosophy into Running On Karmar, an odd film with great joys.

4. Warriors Of Heaven And Earth

A former army lieutenant and now a fugitive lives in the far west has a clash with a cop sent by the emperor to hunt him down. When the bandit leader, pushed by the Turkish ruler, is trying to grab a treasure, two warriors form a band to escort the treasure. With an old-fashion good vs. evil story and nicely choreographed close-to-real actions, Warriors Of Heaven And Earth is a great entertainment.

4. Infernal Affairs 3: End Inferno

The final installment of the trilogy. It is both a prequel/paraquel about the final days of undercover cop Chen Wing-Yang and a sequel about Lau Kin-Ming erasing his dirty history. New characters are brought in for more plots and old characters are assigned with new tasks. Though the film is short for the potentially ambitious story, its first class cast still makes it work.

5. Green Tea

5. Lost In Time

A young girl started taking care of the daughter of her fiancé, a bus driver just killed in an accident, and she even inherits his minibus and job. Another man has been helping her ever since he witnessed the accidence. Their relationship is developing but the girl cannot forget her late fiancé. A nicely written tearjerker strengthened with good acting.