diff --git a/lib/lua/parser.ex b/lib/lua/parser.ex
index 1dc7145..a37ac3a 100644
--- a/lib/lua/parser.ex
+++ b/lib/lua/parser.ex
@@ -105,9 +105,14 @@ defmodule Lua.Parser do
       {:eof, _} ->
         {:ok, Block.new(Enum.reverse(stmts)), tokens}
 
+      # Skip empty statements (semicolons)
+      {:delimiter, :semicolon, _} ->
+        {_, rest} = consume(tokens)
+        parse_block_acc(rest, stmts)
+
       # Skip orphaned comments at end of block (before terminator)
       {:comment, _, _, _} ->
-        # Check if comments are orphaned (followed only by terminator/EOF)
+        # Check if comments are orphaned (followed only by terminator/EOF/semicolon)
         tokens_after_comments = skip_orphaned_comments(tokens)
 
         case peek(tokens_after_comments) do
@@ -117,6 +122,11 @@ defmodule Lua.Parser do
           {:eof, _} ->
             {:ok, Block.new(Enum.reverse(stmts)), tokens_after_comments}
 
+          # Comments followed by semicolons - skip both and continue
+          {:delimiter, :semicolon, _} ->
+            {_, rest} = consume(tokens_after_comments)
+            parse_block_acc(rest, stmts)
+
           _ ->
             # Not orphaned, parse as normal statement (comments will be collected)
             case parse_stmt(tokens) do
@@ -199,11 +209,6 @@ defmodule Lua.Parser do
       {:delimiter, :double_colon, _} ->
         parse_label(tokens)
 
-      # Semicolon (statement separator, optional)
-      {:delimiter, :semicolon, _} ->
-        {_, rest} = consume(tokens)
-        parse_stmt(rest)
-
       _ ->
         # Try to parse as assignment or function call
         parse_assign_or_call(tokens)
@@ -657,6 +662,11 @@ defmodule Lua.Parser do
   # Parse prefix expressions (primary expressions and unary operators)
   defp parse_prefix(tokens) do
     case peek(tokens) do
+      # Skip comments in expressions
+      {:comment, _, _, _} ->
+        {_, rest} = consume(tokens)
+        parse_prefix(rest)
+
       # Literals
       {:keyword, nil, pos} ->
         {_, rest} = consume(tokens)
@@ -813,6 +823,24 @@ defmodule Lua.Parser do
             {:error, reason}
         end
 
+      # Postfix: function call with string literal (syntactic sugar)
+      {:string, value, pos} ->
+        string_arg = %Expr.String{value: value, meta: Meta.new(pos)}
+        {_, rest} = consume(tokens)
+        new_left = %Expr.Call{func: left, args: [string_arg], meta: nil}
+        parse_infix(new_left, rest, min_prec)
+
+      # Postfix: function call with table constructor (syntactic sugar)
+      {:delimiter, :lbrace, _} ->
+        case parse_table(tokens) do
+          {:ok, table, rest} ->
+            new_left = %Expr.Call{func: left, args: [table], meta: nil}
+            parse_infix(new_left, rest, min_prec)
+
+          {:error, reason} ->
+            {:error, reason}
+        end
+
       # Postfix: indexing
       {:delimiter, :lbracket, _} ->
         case parse_index(tokens) do
@@ -842,13 +870,38 @@ defmodule Lua.Parser do
 
         case expect(rest, :identifier) do
           {:ok, {_, method, _}, rest2} ->
-            case parse_call_args(rest2) do
-              {:ok, args, rest3} ->
-                new_left = %Expr.MethodCall{object: left, method: method, args: args, meta: nil}
+            # Method calls support syntactic sugar: obj:method"str" or obj:method{...}
+            case rest2 do
+              # Regular method call with parentheses
+              [{:delimiter, :lparen, _} | _] ->
+                case parse_call_args(rest2) do
+                  {:ok, args, rest3} ->
+                    new_left = %Expr.MethodCall{object: left, method: method, args: args, meta: nil}
+                    parse_infix(new_left, rest3, min_prec)
+
+                  {:error, reason} ->
+                    {:error, reason}
+                end
+
+              # Method call with string literal (syntactic sugar)
+              [{:string, value, pos} | rest3] ->
+                string_arg = %Expr.String{value: value, meta: Meta.new(pos)}
+                new_left = %Expr.MethodCall{object: left, method: method, args: [string_arg], meta: nil}
                 parse_infix(new_left, rest3, min_prec)
 
-              {:error, reason} ->
-                {:error, reason}
+              # Method call with table constructor (syntactic sugar)
+              [{:delimiter, :lbrace, _} | _] ->
+                case parse_table(rest2) do
+                  {:ok, table, rest3} ->
+                    new_left = %Expr.MethodCall{object: left, method: method, args: [table], meta: nil}
+                    parse_infix(new_left, rest3, min_prec)
+
+                  {:error, reason} ->
+                    {:error, reason}
+                end
+
+              _ ->
+                {:error, "Expected '(', string, or table after method name"}
             end
 
           {:error, reason} ->
diff --git a/lib/lua/vm/stdlib.ex b/lib/lua/vm/stdlib.ex
index 6c5e423..fb40a14 100644
--- a/lib/lua/vm/stdlib.ex
+++ b/lib/lua/vm/stdlib.ex
@@ -339,16 +339,11 @@ defmodule Lua.VM.Stdlib do
   defp lua_load([chunk | _rest], state) when is_binary(chunk) do
     case Lua.Parser.parse(chunk) do
       {:ok, ast} ->
-        case Lua.Compiler.compile(ast) do
-          {:ok, prototype} ->
-            # Create a closure from the compiled prototype
-            closure = {:lua_closure, prototype, %{}}
-            {[closure], state}
-
-          {:error, reason} ->
-            error_msg = format_compile_error(reason)
-            {[nil, error_msg], state}
-        end
+        # Compiler currently never returns errors, always succeeds
+        {:ok, prototype} = Lua.Compiler.compile(ast)
+        # Create a closure from the compiled prototype
+        closure = {:lua_closure, prototype, %{}}
+        {[closure], state}
 
       {:error, reason} ->
         error_msg = format_parse_error(reason)
@@ -367,10 +362,6 @@ defmodule Lua.VM.Stdlib do
   end
 
   defp format_parse_error(error) when is_binary(error), do: error
-  defp format_parse_error(error), do: inspect(error)
-
-  defp format_compile_error(error) when is_binary(error), do: error
-  defp format_compile_error(error), do: inspect(error)
 
   # setmetatable(table, metatable) — sets the metatable for a table
   defp lua_setmetatable([{:tref, _} = tref, metatable], state) do
diff --git a/test/lua/parser/expr_test.exs b/test/lua/parser/expr_test.exs
index 8572df9..cac5316 100644
--- a/test/lua/parser/expr_test.exs
+++ b/test/lua/parser/expr_test.exs
@@ -84,4 +84,92 @@ defmodule Lua.Parser.ExprTest do
       assert {:ok, _} = parse_return_expr("return t.a.b.c")
     end
   end
+
+  describe "function call syntactic sugar" do
+    test "parses function call with string literal" do
+      # f "str" is syntactic sugar for f("str")
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Call{func: %Expr.Var{name: "f"}, args: [%Expr.String{value: "hello"}]}} =
+               parse_return_expr(~s(return f "hello"))
+
+      # Works with require pattern
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Call{func: %Expr.Var{name: "require"}, args: [%Expr.String{value: "debug"}]}} =
+               parse_return_expr(~s(return require "debug"))
+    end
+
+    test "parses function call with long string literal" do
+      # f [[str]] is syntactic sugar for f([[str]])
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Call{func: %Expr.Var{name: "load"}, args: [%Expr.String{value: "return 1 + 2"}]}} =
+               parse_return_expr("return load[[return 1 + 2]]")
+    end
+
+    test "parses function call with table constructor" do
+      # f{...} is syntactic sugar for f({...})
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Call{func: %Expr.Var{name: "f"}, args: [%Expr.Table{fields: []}]}} =
+               parse_return_expr("return f{}")
+
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Call{func: %Expr.Var{name: "print"}, args: [%Expr.Table{fields: [_, _, _]}]}} =
+               parse_return_expr("return print{1, 2, 3}")
+
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Call{func: %Expr.Var{name: "config"}, args: [%Expr.Table{}]}} =
+               parse_return_expr("return config{a = 1, b = 2}")
+    end
+
+    test "parses chained function calls with syntactic sugar" do
+      # Can chain multiple calls
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Call{}} = parse_return_expr(~s(return f "a" "b"))
+
+      # Can mix syntactic sugar with regular calls
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Call{}} = parse_return_expr(~s[return f "a"(x)])
+    end
+
+    test "parses method calls with syntactic sugar" do
+      # obj:method "str" is valid
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.MethodCall{object: %Expr.Var{name: "obj"}, method: "m"}} =
+               parse_return_expr(~s(return obj:m "hello"))
+
+      # obj:method{} is valid
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.MethodCall{object: %Expr.Var{name: "obj"}, method: "m"}} =
+               parse_return_expr("return obj:m{1, 2}")
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "comments in expressions" do
+    test "parses comments before expressions" do
+      code = """
+      return -- comment
+      42
+      """
+
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.Number{value: 42}} = parse_return_expr(code)
+    end
+
+    test "parses comments in binary expressions" do
+      code = """
+      return 1 + -- comment
+      2
+      """
+
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.BinOp{op: :add}} = parse_return_expr(code)
+    end
+
+    test "parses comments after operators" do
+      code = """
+      return f(1,2,'a')
+      ~=          -- force SETLINE before nil
+      nil
+      """
+
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.BinOp{op: :ne}} = parse_return_expr(code)
+    end
+
+    test "parses multiple comments in complex expressions" do
+      code = """
+      return (1 + -- comment 1
+      2) * -- comment 2
+      3
+      """
+
+      assert {:ok, %Expr.BinOp{op: :mul}} = parse_return_expr(code)
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/lua/parser/statement_test.exs b/test/lua/parser/statement_test.exs
index c1093a0..f855742 100644
--- a/test/lua/parser/statement_test.exs
+++ b/test/lua/parser/statement_test.exs
@@ -590,4 +590,78 @@ defmodule Lua.Parser.StatementTest do
                """)
     end
   end
+
+  describe "empty statements (semicolons)" do
+    test "parses multiple semicolons at start of code" do
+      assert {:ok, chunk} = Parser.parse(~s(;;print "hi";;))
+      assert %{block: %{stmts: [%Statement.CallStmt{}]}} = chunk
+    end
+
+    test "parses semicolons in do-end blocks" do
+      assert {:ok, _chunk} = Parser.parse("do ;;; end")
+      assert {:ok, _chunk} = Parser.parse("do ; a = 3; assert(a == 3) end")
+    end
+
+    test "parses semicolons after comments" do
+      assert {:ok, chunk} = Parser.parse("-- comment\n\n;;print \"hi\"")
+      assert %{block: %{stmts: [%Statement.CallStmt{}]}} = chunk
+    end
+
+    test "parses semicolons between statements" do
+      assert {:ok, chunk} = Parser.parse("a = 1; b = 2; c = 3")
+
+      assert %{
+               block: %{
+                 stmts: [
+                   %Statement.Assign{},
+                   %Statement.Assign{},
+                   %Statement.Assign{}
+                 ]
+               }
+             } = chunk
+    end
+
+    test "parses multiple consecutive semicolons between statements" do
+      assert {:ok, chunk} = Parser.parse("a = 1;; b = 2;;; c = 3")
+
+      assert %{
+               block: %{
+                 stmts: [
+                   %Statement.Assign{},
+                   %Statement.Assign{},
+                   %Statement.Assign{}
+                 ]
+               }
+             } = chunk
+    end
+
+    test "parses semicolons at end of file" do
+      assert {:ok, chunk} = Parser.parse("print \"test\";;")
+      assert %{block: %{stmts: [%Statement.CallStmt{}]}} = chunk
+    end
+
+    test "parses only semicolons as empty program" do
+      assert {:ok, chunk} = Parser.parse(";;;")
+      assert %{block: %{stmts: []}} = chunk
+    end
+
+    test "parses semicolons with various statement types" do
+      code = """
+      ;local x = 1;
+      ;if x then; return x; end;
+      ;
+      """
+
+      assert {:ok, chunk} = Parser.parse(code)
+
+      assert %{
+               block: %{
+                 stmts: [
+                   %Statement.Local{},
+                   %Statement.If{}
+                 ]
+               }
+             } = chunk
+    end
+  end
 end