The 5 Best Fighting Games Available for Consoles

The 5 Best Fighting Games Available for ConsolesAre you fond of fighting games? Whether you are looking to jump into the world of fighting games, through an educational, rewarding and fun experience, or to settle your differences with your friends through video games, we got you covered. In this article, we have mentioned the best 5 fighting games with free game download options. All of them offer a complete fighting experience, each of which is popular on its own. 

Mortal Kombat 11

Mortal Kombat is developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros Interactive Studios. This update of the Mortal Kombat series is the advancement of the storyline that was established in the reboot 2011. The game was released in Europe and North America on 23rd April 2019 for Xbox One. PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows.

There are 24 characters in the game and each character has an initial set of weapons, moves, and outfits. However, the Custom Variation system offers character customization as well. It has some new gameplay features such as “Crushing Blows” and “Fatal Blows”, also new to the series is a Flawless Block mechanic. Another returning finisher is “Mercy” that allows the winning player to revive their opponent. 

Street Fighter V

Another Fighting game that many players like to play is Street Fighter V. The game is developed by Capcom and Dimps and published in 2016 for the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows. It features a side-scrolling fighting gameplay system. The game offers 16 characters at launch and 18 more through paid DLC. As the player proceeds in the game, there is a ton of stuff to unlock.

The combat style of the game is quite fast-paced but technical at the same time. You can find different competitions in ranked games. The best thing about the game is that cross-play is supported between PC and PS4 (console players can easily opt-out playing with PC players).

Injustice 2

Injustice 2

Injustice 2 is based on the DC Universe and is the sequel to Injustice: Gods Among Us. It was developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment. The game is full of DC Superheroes and there is a ton of stuff to unlock. It features 28 playable characters and an additional 10 characters by purchasing the Legendary Edition of the game.

The gear set feature of the game allows you to build character stats according to your preferences. By using special abilities, you can equip and unlock your character’s stats. There are various offline as well as online modes to take part in. 

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ was developed by Arc System Works and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It was released in January 2018 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 (in most regions), in February 2018 (in Japan) and in September 2018 for the Nintendo Switch (worldwide).

The gameplay is inspired by scheme and team mechanics. Out of 24 Dragon Ball characters, players can select any three to form a team. You can control only one character at a time, but can switch between characters in your team at any time during the game. The strategy, mechanics and controls of the game offer an excellent fighting experience. There is an extensive story, a wealth of modes and much more to keep you occupied as you enjoy the game. You can also try online competitions with other players all over the world.

TEKKEN 7

The last game on the list of best fighting games is Tekken 7. It was developed by Bandai Namco Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game was released in March 2015 (in Japan) and in June 2017 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 (worldwide).

Players can enjoy 36 base characters along with an additional 9 through paid DLC. It doesn’t have a lot of game modes but there is still a lot to discover. Furthermore, the fast and powerful combat style keeps you motivated to be a champion.

Conclusion

In this article, we have provided you with insight into the best 5 fighting games available for consoles that can also be downloaded for free. Now, you can make an informed choice while picking any of these games and can start enjoying your gaming experience with friends and family.

Posted in News |

Three Swordsmen (1994) Review

"Three Swordsmen" DVD Cover

“Three Swordsmen” DVD Cover

Director: Taylor Wong
Writer: Shut Mei Yee
Cast: Andy Lau Tak Wah, Elvis Tsui, Brigitte Lin, Yu Li, Leung Si Ho, Siqin Gaowa, Zhao Jian
Running Time: 86 min.

By Paul Bramhall

In 1994 the new wave wuxia genre was fizzling out almost as quickly as it had arrived just a couple of years prior, however the sheer volume of wuxia flicks released during this period prove it wasn’t willing to go out without a fight (preferably an airborne one). The Dragon Chronicles: The Maidens of Heavenly Mountain, Deadful Melody, Ashes of Time, and Fire Dragon all graced Hong Kong cinema screens in 1994, and notably, all of them also starred Brigitte Lin. Not to break the trend, Three Swordsmen was also released in 1994, and perhaps unsurprisingly, also starred Brigitte Lin.

This would be the second time for Lin to share the screen with megastar Andy Lau, after sharing top billing for 1992’s Handsome Siblings, which was also a wuxia. I’m sure fans lament the fact that both of their collaborations also fall into the category of goofy wuxia’s (more on that later), but still, it’s great to see them onscreen together. They also make up two of the three swordsmen that the title refers to. At this point in her career Lin was well known for her popular turn as the androgynous Invincible Asia in Swordsman 2 and The East is Red, so here director Taylor Wong must have thought why don’t we just go all in, and have her play a male character? The decision also finds her unfortunately dubbed with a male voice, but on the bright side, let’s put it down as a win for diversity.

The third swordsmen is played by one of Hong Kong’s most underrated actors, Elvis Tsui. 1994 was hands down the busiest year in Tsui’s whole filmography, clocking in a whopping 14 screen appearances. From Cat III classics like A Chinese Torture Chamber, to the Stephen Chow comedy Hail the Judge, to the modern day wuxia Wonder Seven. This was a guy who was everywhere, and has one of the most instantly recognizable looks in Hong Kong cinema. Thankfully Tsui had spent the previous year practically dedicated to appearing in wuxia flicks, with roles in Butterfly and Sword, All Men Are BrothersBlood of the Leopard, The Sword Stained with Royal Blood, and The Sword of Many Lovers, so was well versed in billowing reams of silk and taking flight.

Three Swordsmen was helmed by Taylor Wong, and it’d be his penultimate movie in the director’s chair, going onto direct the forgotten Cat III romp Girls Unbutton from the same year (which Tsui would also appear in!). Wong is perhaps best described as a journeyman director, with his 1981 debut Return of the Deadly Blade and 1982 sophomore feature Buddha’s Palm considered classics of the slightly out-there realm of kung fu movies. By the end of the 80’s he was dabbling with the heroic bloodshed genre, directing the Chow Yun Fat and Andy Lau collaborations Rich and Famous and Tragic Hero, before transitioning into the 90’s by dabbling in everything from romantic ghost movies (Fantasy Romance) to gambling flicks (No Risk, No Gain). While none of his work is considered in the top tier of Hong Kong classics, Wong’s output was reliably entertaining regardless of what genre it fell into.

While wuxia’s are known for their complex plots, looking back at the early 90’s wave of wuxia flicks, it’s reasonable to say that the most successful ones, such as Ching Siu-Tung’s Swordsman 2, at least maintained a degree of coherency that audiences could keep up with. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there were the wuxia’s that became overly ambitious in their attempts to adapt epic novels into 90 minute slices of entertainment, becoming incomprehensible messes in the process. The Dragon Chronicles: The Maidens of Heavenly Mountain falls squarely into the latter category, and Three Swordsman induces just enough head scratching to also find itself just on the wrong side of the border.

This becomes clear from the opening scene, which involves an announcer holding court to declare who the supreme swordsman is for that year. Addressing an unruly crowd, it quickly becomes apparent that the scene is there to act as an exposition dump which brings us up to speed with current events. The issue is that it goes on for so long that the events the announcer describes (in a lot of detail!) could almost justify another movie all together. Even the onscreen audience becomes frustrated, expressing their displeasure by throwing flowers (yes, flowers) at the announcer in the hope of making him get to the point. While it would have been much more fun to witness the battles he rambles on about, eventually it’s revealed that instead of one winner for this year, there’s three. Apart from causing much strife on the part of the expectant audience, it also turns out that one of them has been framed for murder.

The swordsman in question is The Smiling Man, played by Andy Lau, and the main driver for the plot becomes about Lau clearing his name and the conspiracy he uncovers in the process. At least, that’s as much as I could make out. In 1994 Hong Kong cinema was still very fond of the ‘everything and the kitchen sink’ approach to filmmaking, and while said approach has lent a certain charm to many of the territories favorites, it didn’t lend itself well to plots which require a level of coherency in order to keep up with what’s going on.

However if you’re willing to forego the need to understand the intricacies of the story in order to enjoy Three Swordsmen, then there’s entertainment to be had. Wong enlists the services of two of the era’s best action choreographers in Tony Leung Siu-Hung (who’d direct the Jade Leung vehicle Satin Steel the same year) and Yuen Bun (who directed Once Upon a Time in China IV the year prior). While both are responsible for choreographing some of the classic showdowns in the kung fu genre, notably neither of them really had much experience in the kind of bombastic wire-heavy action that defined the new wave wuxia genre. At this point in his career Siu-Hung was action directing more contemporary fare like To Be Number One and Rebel from China, and while Bun had more experience, it was usually co-choreographing alongside new wave wuxia action maestro Ching Siu-Tung.

As such the action is fun, but it falls short of the intricate wirework Siu-Tung was breathlessly cranking out during the same period. What we do get is Andy Lau wearing surely the most lethal feather down jacket to ever grace the screen, capable of being flung at enemies who subsequently get sliced to pieces, and Elvis Tsui brandishes an aesthetically pleasing oversized sabre that gets a regular workout. All of the usual new wave wuxia tropes are also present and accounted for, including violence which always sounds much worse in writing than it actually appears onscreen (one poor sap has his skin ripped off his face), deadly hair, and awesome sounding locations (Eternity Cliff in Resentment Valley!).

True to form, even the finale wraps up on a bizarre (but happy) note, one that made me think Three Swordsmen almost feels like a product of the 80’s more than it does of the 90’s. Involving the rescue of who can best be described as a Smiling Man groupie in the form of Lisa Tung Wai-Wai (who dropped off the map after Three Swordsman, only her 7th screen appearance after debuting 1992), the preceding fight is hilariously brief, and resolved in such a manner that will either make you smile or feel dazed. In some cases you may even experience both. I’m sure there’s an argument there that this dilemma of feelings is one of the elements that attracts us to Hong Kong cinema in the first place.

While it may look and feel like a wuxia, Wong foregoes the usual broody soundtrack that accompanies such productions, and opts for a chirpily upbeat one delivered through everyone’s favorite HK synthesizer. It acts as an indicator that perhaps Wong never intended to create another melancholic addition to the wuxia cannon, but rather a brisk slice of high flying fun anchored by three of the most popular faces in Hong Kong cinema. Lines like “Smiling Man, with 100,000 troops, you’ll be drowned in their pee!” only reinforce this theory, and to that end, Three Swordsman delivers on its premise. While it’s definitely never going to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Swordsman 2 and Ashes of Time, if you’ve seen the cream of the crop and are wondering what else is out there, chances are Three Swordsmen won’t disappoint.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 6/10

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

The Devil | Blu-ray (Massacre Video)

The Devil | Blu-ray (Massacre Video)

The Devil | Blu-ray (Massacre Video)

RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2020

On February 10th, 2020, U.S.-based label Massacre Video is releasing Chang Jen-Chieh’s 1981 cult favorite The Devil to Blu-ray.

For the first time, this horror classic will be presented with a New, Fully Uncut 4K Restoration with uncompressed Mandarin PCM Audio (with Englis Subtitles).

In The Devil (aka Devil’s Express), a hideously ugly witch casts spells on her victims which turns their insides into snakes and worms.

The film stars Shao Tung Chou (Flag of Honor), Bao Yu Wang (Jackie vs. Bruce to the Rescue), Di Ou (Little Rascals of Kung Fu), Shen Yuen (Na Cha and the Seven Devils), Pin Lo (The Ringing Sword) and Ming Tien (The Seisure Soul Sword of a Blind Girl).

Special Features and Specs:

  • New 4K Restoration
  • Fully Uncut Presentation
  • Uncompressed Mandarin PCM Audio with English Subtitles
  • USA Video Release Versions from original 3/4th Master
  • English Captions for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • Stills Gallery
  • Trailers for other Massacre Video Releases.
  • Region-free

Pre-order The Devil from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, News |

Eagle Shooting Heroes, The (1993) Review

"The Eagle Shooting Heroes" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Eagle Shooting Heroes” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Jeff Lau
Writer: Wong Kar-wai
Cast: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing, Jacky Cheung Hok Yau, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia, Joey Wong Tsu Hsien, Carina Lau Kar Ling, Kenny Bee Chung Chun-to, Sze-Ma Wah-Lung
Running Time: 114 min.

By Paul Bramhall

In case it’s never been said before, Hong Kong cinema owes a debt of thanks to Wong Kar Wai’s 1994 wuxia, Ashes of Time. During its laborious post-production, Kar Wai decided he needed to put some distance between himself and the editing process, and took a break to shoot a quickie slice of life flick that became Chungking Express. Ironically, Chungking Express has been frequently voted the greatest Hong Kong movie ever made. As for the Ashes of Time post-production process, well, let’s just say we got a redux version of it in 2008, and leave it at that. However there was another movie that was born out of the tumultuous Ashes of Time production, and that was the 1993 wuxia The Eagle Shooting Heroes.

Rather than post-production though, Ashes of Time was still very much in the middle of filming when The Eagle Shooting Heroes was announced to be shot. The story is one of Hong Kong cinema folklore, and saw Wong Kar Wai step into the producers chair for what would be a Jeff Lau directed Chinese New Year movie. With the Ashes of Time shooting schedule going both overtime and (more significantly) over budget, The Eagles Shooting Heroes was thrown together for Kar Wai to drum up additional funds that would allow him to carry on shooting, and CNY movies where a sure bet to bring in an audience.

So it was Kar Wai rounded up virtually all of his all-star cast from Ashes of Time, along with action director Sammo Hung, and placed them in the care of Jeff Lau for a brief period, creating what can best be described as the anti-Ashes of Time. Both productions are based on events that take place in the Jin Yong novel Legend of the Condor Heroes, only one casts itself as a self-reflective sombre take on the wuxia genre, and the other a delirious Looney Tunes inspired take on the same material. Sure, it’s difficult to argue that Chungking Express doesn’t deserve its place at the top of peoples Greatest Hong Kong Movie List’s, but I confess to getting just as much enjoyment from both, albeit in very different ways.

Let’s start with the cast. It’s debatable if another Hong Kong movie of the era exists with the amount of talent in front of the camera than there is here. In total 7 of the cast from Ashes of Time appear in The Eagle Shooting Heroes. On the men’s team we have the late Leslie Cheung (in the same year he’d star in the seminal Farewell My Concubine and The Bride with White Hair), Tony Leung Ka-Fai (who was enjoying a year of wuxia’s, also featuring in Flying Dagger and All Men are Brothers – Blood of the Leopard), Tony Leung Chiu-Wai (who also enjoyed a wuxia heavy year, featuring in Magic Crane and Butterfly and Sword), and Jacky Cheung (who featured in Flying Dagger with Leung Ka-Fai).

On the women’s side we have Brigitte Lin (who played the titular The Bride with White Hair alongside Leslie Cheung the same year), Maggie Cheung (who also featured in Flying Dagger and the classic Green Snake during the same year), and Joey Wong (who worked with everyone in 1993 – Maggie Cheung in Green Snake, Brigitte Lin in The East is Red, Tony Leung Ka-Fai in All Men are Brothers – Blood of the Leopard, and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai in Butterfly and Sword). Being a CNY movie though, Lau was able to bring in additional big name cast members to make the roll call even more impressive than the movie it was created to fund, with the likes of Carina Lau, Veronica Yip, and Kenny Bee all making appearances as well.

For fans of this era of Hong Kong cinema, based on the cast alone The Eagle Shooting Heroes would have to make an epic misstep to generate any bad will. Which is of course, where director Jeff Lau comes in. Many would describe Lau’s work as love-it or hate-it, encapsulated by the mad-cap, low-brow everything and the kitchen sink approach that many of his movies are defined by. From his early efforts like Thunder Cops 2 through to more recent offerings like Kung Fu League, the one consistent element of his work is the inconsistency that ploughs through even the simplest of narratives. As with any Hong Kong director that worked regularly throughout the 90’s though, he’s also responsible for some well-regarded favorites, with the likes of Saviour of the Soul, Treasure Hunt, and the 2 Chinese Odyssey movies all arriving onscreen thanks to Lau’s direction.

In The Eagle Shooting Heroes, that mad-cap vibe is perhaps more at the forefront than any of his work before or since. There’s a real feeling that both the cast members and action director Sammo Hung are using their involvement as a chance to let off steam, with everything seemingly cranked up to 11, especially the energy levels. Roles have been switched around as well from the casting in Ashes of Time, with Leslie Cheung now playing Tony Leung Ka-Fai’s character, and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai taking on Leslie Cheung’s role. Only Jacky Cheung maintains the same role in both productions, all be it played completely differently (there’s no manically sung Canto-pop number in Ashes of Time that has him declaring his love to Joey Wong, undercranked to the point of hilarious absurdity for a start).

While everyone is hamming it up acting wise, the same applies to the action, but in a way which may surprise those who’ve been avoiding The Eagle Shooting Heroes under the assumption it’s another wire-work filled flight of fancy. There is wire-work aplenty, however under Sammo’s choreography a number of the fights are well grounded, and despite the lightweight nature of any CNY flick, are also hard hitting. He’d step into the director’s chair for Blade of Fury the same year, as well as taking on action directing duties for Jet Li’s Kung Fu Cult Master, so both movies give some ideas as to what kind of action to expect here. The heavy doubling of the principle cast allows for some stellar kicking displays (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai’s opening fight against multiple opponents is a joy to watch) from the stunt team, accompanied by some painful looking impacts as bodies are hurled into walls.

The slow motion and billowing reams of silk frequently associated with early 90’s wuxia movies are here nowhere to be seen (in fact the only slow motion moment is acted in real time, as a part of the legendary Flirting Eyes Sword Style technique!), with the wistful tone replaced with a kinetic energy that rarely lets up. Lau’s flair for comedic slapstick gets plenty of opportunities to shine, from a scene involving the floating head of a cross-dressing spirit being used as a football, to a flying boot that feels like it draws far more laughs than it actually deserves.

With that being said, sometimes Lau does allow for gags to outstay their welcome. A duel between Leung Chiu-Wai and Jacky Cheung, in which the comedy hinges on Cheung’s promise not to fight back, is stretched to the point that the initially funny premise gives way to boredom, and likewise for a segment where a group get lost in a cave, and keep on encountering a trio of monsters. If you’re wondering what a trio of monsters (specifically actors dressed up in a gorilla suit, a large sparrow suit, and a dinosaur suit) are doing in a tale based on Legend of the Condor Heroes then you probably haven’t realised you’re watching a Jeff Lau movie yet.

But on a serious note, The Eagle Shooting Heroes real ambition is to be a manic send-up of both the wuxia movies of the time, and the old Shaw Brothers and Cathay wuxia’s of a bygone era, and to that end it does an admirable job. In the same way that more recent movies like Keep Calm and Be a Superstar send-up Jackie Chan, having seen the movies being riffed on definitely adds to the viewing pleasure, but is by no means essential. With a cast who are more than game to make a fool out of themselves, frantically paced action scenes, and a joke never more than a few seconds away, as a Hong Kong cinema fan there’s not a whole lot to complain about. Wong Kar Wai movies rarely stick to schedule, but if the result is that we end up with movies like The Eagle Shooting Heroes as a by-product, then maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , |

Fun Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Fun Team Building Problem Solving Activities

Fun Team Building Problem Solving Activities

From The Medici Effect to increased productivity and decreasing burnout, there are dozens of science-backed reasons why every office needs to take team building seriously.

And problem-solving skills aren’t just an essential skill for the people behind successful businesses, it’s a key characteristic in people with successful lives in general.

But how can you foster more “togetherness” through team building problem solving activities in the workplace without making everyone cringe in the process?

Here are three ways to get your team excited about working smarter and better together.

Why Team Building Problem Solving Activities Are So Important

Solid teams can transform a business. A workplace of team players creates a coveted company culture that will attract top talent. Employees with good communication skills make all the difference in every step of a business’s supply chain, from sales to recruitment and managing clients.

Happy employees can be a company’s greatest asset, and unhappy ones can be their downfall.

The ability to problem-solve is vital for the success of every business. Problem-solving opens the mind to new ways of thinking. People who believe they can solve problems approach challenges with more positivity, and with a stronger drive to see a project through.

Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts can be set-up anywhere, both in the office and after work. A scavenger hunt ignites critical thinking in participants. Using riddles and clues to locate items also requires creative, out-of-the-box thinking.

Scavenger hunts can be set up in the office or throughout an office complex. They can even be organized at parks or at local bars. The only real downside is that they can be very time consuming to create, as they require a lot of thought and strategic thinking to organize.

Escape Rooms

The escape room industry has boomed across the country. With thousands of escape room facilities like Escape the Room AZ, Breakout Games, and EscapeSF popping-up in every major city. Escape rooms have many of the same benefits for teams as scavenger hunts do.

Escape rooms foster critical and creative thinking, as well as working together as a team, and communication. But escape rooms offer a completely immersive experience too. They are also much easier to organize because all you have to do is pick a date and time, and your work is done.

Obstacle Courses

Remember things like field-day in elementary, middle and high school? The faculty at school has more reasons than a student’s personal enjoyment behind organizing events like this. Obstacle courses are by far one of the most expensive and time-consuming team building problem solving activities.

Company owners can make a day trip of it, hire a bus service and go to a camp or obstacle course facility that specializes in this type of activity. Dedicated teams can attempt to orchestrate a field day or obstacle course themselves, or through an event planner too!

Click through the rest of our site for even more awesome entertainment ideas!

Posted in News |

Kill or Be Killed | Blu-ray (Dark Force Entertainment)

Kill or Be Killed | Blu-ray (Dark Force Entertainment)

Kill or Be Killed | Blu-ray (Dark Force Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2020

On April 28th, 2020, Dark Force Entertainment will release the Blu-ray for the 1976 James Ryan actioner Kill or Be Killed (aka Karate Killer), a martial arts cult classic directed by the late South African cult favorite, Ivan Hall (Funeral for an Assassin). Presented in a Brand New HD master from only surviving 16mm print.

Two former ranking figures of the Axis powers schedule a deadly martial arts tournament in an isolated locale. The two rivals then race to assemble the top competitors from around the world, with Steve Hunt being the most sought after fighter.

A 1981 sequel for the film, titled Killed and Kill Again, was released on Blu-ray in 2017 by Scorpion.

Pre-order Kill or Be Killed from Amazon.com today!

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles, News |

First Love | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

First Love | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

First Love | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: February 11, 2020

Takashi Miike (Blade of the Immortal, As the Gods Will), one of today’s most prolific filmmakers, re-teams with Oscar-winning producer Jeremy Thomas (13 Assassins, The Last Emperor) for the Japanese/UK collaboration First Love (read our review), which hits Blu-ray & DVD on February 11th, 2020.

Set over one night in Tokyo, the film will follow Leo, a young boxer down on his luck as he meets his ‘first love’ Monica, a call girl and an addict but still an innocent. Little does Leo know, Monica is unwittingly caught up in a drug-smuggling scheme, and the two are pursued through the night by a corrupt cop, a yakuza, his nemesis, and a female assassin sent by the Chinese Triads. According to the production, all their fates intertwine in “spectacular Miike style, at his most and fun and anarchic” (via Deadline).

The film (read our review) stars Masataka Kubota (Tokyo Ghoul), Nao Omori (R100), Shota Sometani (Legend of the Demon Cat), Sakurako Konishi (Mio on the Shore), Becky (A Gambler’s Odyssey 2020), Jun Murakami (Cutie Honey), Sansei Shiomi (Outrage Coda) and Seiyo Uchino (Sanada Maru).

Also on board are some of Miike’s regular collaborators including writer Miyabi Nakamura (The Bird People in China), composer Koji Endo (13 Assassins) and cinematographer Nobuyasu Kita (Blade of the Immortal).

Pre-order First Love from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, News |

How to Set Up Payroll: A Guide for Small Businesses

How to Set Up Payroll: A Guide for Small Businesse

Employee records are a crucial aspect of running a successful business. Financial documents are one such set of documents you’ll need to create and track. So, it comes as no surprise that you should learn how to set up payroll.

Doing payroll in-house gives your business control over its documents. It ensures all paperwork is accounted for, saves money, and other benefits we’ll get into.

What does the process involve when setting up payroll? What are the benefits? And, what resources can you use to make it go as smooth? Let’s find out!

How to Set Up Payroll (Step by Step)

Payroll is the documentation detailing who gets paid what in your business. The documents also outline what you’d submit as part of business taxes. To put it bluntly: You need to provide them for both employees and Uncle Sam.

Get Registered and Compliant

You will begin the payroll set up by applying for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Applications are available by mail, online, faxed in, or over-the-phone. You will use the EIN when submitting information and tax payments.

You will also need to:

You should review other items including your state’s new hire registration system. Worker’s compensation, unemployment tax, and employment eligibility are other items you’ll need to review before setting up payroll and doing hires.

Confused? You could lean on your attorney or business pros to handle this. They can provide the necessary paperwork and filings for a fee. Otherwise, stick to official government resources for your needs.

Schedules, Payments, and Systems

Now it’s time to get into the finer details of having employees. This is, of course, if you completed the federal and state requirements. Get any paperwork out of the way, first, and then follow up with these three items:

  • Schedules — When employees get paid (eg. biweekly)
  • Payments — How employees get paid (eg. direct deposit)
  • Systems — What software/platforms you’ll use (eg. Quickbooks)

A super-simple way to get started is the traditional paper trail. Payments could go out bi-weekly, via check, and recorded with pay stubs and software logging. You can click here to learn more about Paystub creator for this method.

Another great option is using online accounting systems. These tend to handle most, if not all, aspects of payroll. You could train someone in-house to handle it or outsource the task to a tax professional.

Some of the Other Important Tasks

There’s still lots to process when handling payroll in-house. A lot of this is the employee paperwork like W-4’s for taxes and I-9 for eligibility to work.

Include these as part of your payroll to-do:

  • Creating a payroll register
  • Creating an employee handbook
  • Setting up insurances

You have a lot of work cut out for you, no doubt, but stay diligent. It’s vital you follow labor laws when hiring and handling payroll.

Payroll is a Piece of the Puzzle

Learning how to set up payroll is just one of many things you’ll do as a new business owner. There are many other things you’ll learn along the way. From its operations to exit strategies, successful business owners are lifelong learners.

Do you want to improve your business knowledge and success? If so, check out other business guides on our site. There are tons of resources that will make you a better, more successful business owner. Good luck!

Posted in News |

The Loners + Dragon vs. Needles of Death | Blu-ray (Dark Force)

The Loners + Dragon vs. Needles of Death | Blu-ray (Dark Force)

The Loners + Dragon vs. Needles of Death | Blu-ray (Dark Force)

RELEASE DATE: March 17, 2020

On March 17th, 2020, Dark Force Entertainment will release the 2-Feature Blu-ray for 1972’s The Loners and 1976’s Dragon vs. Needles of Death.

The Loners: On his motorcycle Stein (Dean Stockwell), a half-blood Indian, tries to stay out of the hands of the police, who are chasing him for accidentally killing a cop. Together with his friend Alan (Todd Susman) and a beautiful but desperate girl (Patricia Stich), Stein will get involved in a robbery and more death. The police intensify the search, but the three won’t give up that easily.

Dragon vs. Needles of Death: A young man joins a kung fu academy but fails to fit in. He soon runs off with the master’s daughter and becomes a salt smuggler. He ends up joining with the school’s top fighter – his former rival – against a local mob leader. Kung fu craziness abounds in this martial arts outing. The title needles are murderously effective projectiles shot from the wristbands of opponents, and only the most adept martial artists will be able to defeat the enemy. Directed by Chung Gwok-Hang (Lightning of Bruce Lee), the film stars Ang Fung (White Butterfly Killer), Chan San Yat (Seven Man Army), Wong Ping (The Big Boss Part II) and Cho Kin (Island of Fire).

Pre-order The Loners + Dragon vs. Needles of Death from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles, News |

Hulk Hogan Films: The Best/Worst B Action Films Ever!

No Holds Barred

No Holds Barred

It isn’t uncommon to see professional wrestlers translate their success in the ring to the silver screen in modern times. WWE icons Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista have all become major motion picture stars. However, those three men wouldn’t have parlayed their in-ring success into Hollywood superstardom had it not been for one man. Combat sports fans are gearing up for Conor McGregor’s return to the UFC. Fans can use this welcome offer to wager on McGregor or Donald Cerrone before they enter the octagon.

Hulk Hogan first burst onto the film scene with Rocky III. That appearance led to the WWE signing him and marketing him as the biggest pro wrestler of all-time. Since debuting in Rocky III as Thunderlips in 1982, Hogan has appeared in a number of top releases as a co-star. Unfortunately, Hogan’s starring roles haven’t been quite as good in the mainstream. However, if you love good/bad B films, you can’t miss these Hogan films. 

5. Secret Agent Club

Secret Agent Club is one of the least known films Hogan starred in. It came out during the mid-1990s after Hogan’s initial success in wrestling in the WWE and his rebirth as a hated villain in WCW with the NWO. Combat sports fans can get the latest bonus promo codes if they click here before McGregor and Cerrone meet in the UFC. Hogan stars as Ray Chase, a secret spy who steals a laser gun. He is then targetted by the evildoer he stole the gun from and is kidnapped. Chase’s son must then rescue his dad. The film co-stars former The Bold and The Beautiful actress Lesley-Anne Down. 

4. Santa with Muscles

Hogan has claimed Santa with Muscles was his worst movie of all-time and should never have been made. We disagree with his claims. The film was panned by critics and made less than $250,000 at the box office. Yet, it is a fun late-night watch during the holidays. Hogan plays a conceited self-made millionaire (seems topical in 2020), who suffers amnesia. It results in him believing himself to be Santa Claus. Interestingly, this 1996 film stars a young Mila Kunis. 

3. Mr. Nanny

Compared to some of the other films Hogan has starred or acted in, Mr. Nanny feels quite cliched for men and women who come from the combat sports world. Hogan plays Sean Armstrong, a former professional wrestler turned bodyguard. The twist is Hogan must watch out for tech firm head honcho Alex Mason’s mischievous children. Chaos ensues as Hogan protects the kids when bad guys come after Mason’s last tech microchip creation. It feels like this film has been remade unintentionally (or intentionally) by The Rock. 

Suburban Commando

Suburban Commando

2. Suburban Commando

While some films apes on Hogan’s wrestling career, Suburban Commando is a sci-fi film that isn’t too different from movies such as Demolition Man or Judge Dredd. Released in 1991, Hogan plays Shep Ramsey, an intergalactic commando sent to rescue a deposed general, who is on Earth. The film co-stars Christopher Lloyd and includes Mark Calaway, who would become the WWE’s The Undertaker that year. Suburban Commando may have been panned by critics, but it is a fun sci-fi ride that was initially meant for both Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger before the duo agreed to star in Twins. Had it been released in modern times on Netflix, it would be loved.

1. No Holds Barred

Hogan’s most well-known film, No Holds Barred, sees him play the part of Rip Thomas, a championship wrestler. Thomas must fight crooked wrestling promoters and the intimidating Zeus to come out on top. Released in 1989, the film was panned by wrestling fans especially when WWE owner Vince McMahon brought Zeus into the company to fight Hogan at the annual SummerSlam show that year. Rumour has it that Hogan and McMahon were not happy with the original No Holds Barred film script and re-wrote it during a 48-hour cocaine-fuelled writing session. 

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How to Calculate Your Federal Taxable Income From Your Last Pay Stub

How to Calculate Your Federal Taxable Income From Your Last Pay Stub

How to Calculate Your Federal Taxable Income From Your Last Pay Stub

Taxes are a complete mystery to most people. It’s understandable when you realize that the tax code is thousands of pages long.

One of the most challenging things to do is to figure out how much federal income tax is taken out of your paycheck. You can figure out that you have 6.2% of your taxable wages is held for Social Security and 1.45% is withheld for Medicare.

What about your federal income taxes?

If you want to predict how much your take-home pay will be, check out this guide to calculate your federal taxable income.

What are Taxable Wages?

Taxable wages aren’t the same as your actual income. The IRS allows for deductions on your income to determine what your taxable income is.

For example, there are some line items on your pay stub that are subtracted out of your actual income. These are things like health care premium payments and retirement contributions.

For example, let’s say that you made $1000 in the pay period. You contribute $75 to your health care premiums and another $100 to your retirement plan. Your taxable wages are then $825.

Over the course of the year, that can make a big difference in your tax bracket.

Keep in mind that not retirement plans are included in this deduction. There are some retirement programs, like some IRAs that don’t count because you don’t pay taxes on them when you take the withdrawals in retirement.

The ones that are pre-tax contributions will require that you pay taxes on them when you start to withdraw the funds.

How Taxable Income is Taxed

There are a lot of factors that go into calculating how much you’re taxed. Your taxable income amount, your tax bracket, your tax filing status, and the number of allowances you put on your W-4 Form will determine your income tax rate. You can find a list of the tax rates and corresponding filing statuses for 2020 here.

The best thing you can do is to use a program that will automatically calculate your withholding, such as a pay stub maker. That will take into account your health and retirement contributions and then determine your federal tax withholding.

You can use that figure to determine how your taxed.

Understanding Taxable Wages

There is so much to the tax code, figuring out your taxes can be a nightmare. You have to make sure that you understand the difference between taxable wages and your actual income.

Your taxable wages are used to determine your income tax rate, along with several other factors. Knowing all of this can help you make sure that you’re withholding enough taxes so you don’t owe in April.

You also don’t want to pay too much because you’re giving the government a sizable loan that’s free of interest. You want to get it just right.

Check out this site often for more great tech news and tips.

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Get the CBD Facts: 5 Truths About Taking CBD Oil

Get the CBD Facts: 5 Truths About Taking CBD OilIs CBD really the miracle drug it seems to be?

Studies are finding more and more benefits to CBD, and the list of conditions that it can help treat is getting longer.

If you know someone suffering from anxiety, high blood pressure, inflammation, or any of many other conditions, then you should be looking seriously at CBD.

Read these 5 CBD facts to help you know how CBD can help you!

1. Won’t Get You High

CBD oil is found in cannabis, but the facts about CBD are that you can enjoy its benefits without getting high. CBD should not be confused with THC. THC can produce a euphoric state, but CBD is not a psychoactive substance, and most people can drive and otherwise go about their day just fine while using CBD.

2. Legal in Many States

CBD can be derived from either hemp or from marijuana. CBD derived from hemp is legal in all 50 states, while CBD derived from marijuana is legal in some states and still not legal in other states. Check out this source to find out if CBD derived from marijuana is legal in your state or just enjoy the hemp-derived option!

3. Relieves Pain

CBD is an excellent pain reliever, becoming and more and more popular replacement of some of the more traditional pain relievers. Some consider it not only a more natural but also a more effective alternative to ibuprofen and similar drugs.

4. Moderate Dose is Best

A too low or too high dose of CBD can be ineffective, so if CBD isn’t working for you, finding some CBD information about proper dosing may solve your problem. Healthline recommends taking into account your body weight and the condition you want to treat to calculate the right dose for you. They also suggest starting with a lower dose like 20 mg and slowly increasing the dose if that doesn’t treat your condition adequately from the beginning.

5. Shouldn’t Be Combined With Certain Medications

CBD is safe to use, but one of the CBD oil facts not everyone knows about is that there are certain medications that react poorly with it. Any medications that says not to take it after eating grapefruit may also be a bad idea to mix with CBD oil.

If you’re on warfarin, anti-epileptics, or going through chemotherapy, you may need to avoid CBD oil. There are other medications that shouldn’t be mixed with CBD oil, so make sure to check if anything you’re using could be a problem.

Finding Great CBD

If this CBD info has made you think CBD could be right for you, check out the Lazarus Naturals Review by CBD Oil Users. Lazarus Naturals makes excellent products and it lays out in detail the differences between many options so you can find the exact right fit for your situation.

These CBD Facts Can Help You Enjoy Life

Finding a solution to an old problem can make the world seem full of potential.

If you’ve found these CBD facts useful, check out our other articles on news happening around the world!

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Is Replacing Windows Before Selling Your Home Worth It?

Is Replacing Windows Before Selling Your Home Worth It?

Is Replacing Windows Before Selling Your Home Worth It?

Replacing windows in your home will require a sizable investment on your part. On average, homeowners spend anywhere from $650 to $1,500 per window during the window replacement process.

This might make you a little apprehensive about replacing windows right before you sell your home. After all, what’s the point in spending all that money on new windows when you won’t even get to enjoy them?

That’s a fair question. But you shouldn’t let it stop you from thinking about installing new windows in your home before listing it for sale. You can benefit from buying new windows for your home in so many ways when you’re trying to sell it.

Check out why it’s worth it to go about replacing windows before selling your home below.

Improves Your Curb Appeal

When you stick a “For Sale” sign in your front yard, people will start slowing down as they walk or drive by. They will do this so they can get a better look at your home from the outside to see what it’s all about.

For this reason, you want to do whatever it takes to improve your curb appeal. You can make your curb appeal better than it is now by planting new flowers, painting your front door, and power washing your porch.

You can also make your curb appeal better by replacing windows with new ones. If you have older windows in your home they will drag your curb appeal down and scare many potential buyers away.

You’ll be amazed by how much better the exterior of your home looks when you have fresh windows put into place. They’ll draw buyers in and make them want to take a closer look at your home.

Makes the Inside of Your House Look Better

Replacing windows will do more than just make the outside of your house look better. They will also improve your home’s interior design and make the inside of your house more welcoming to others.

If you have older windows in your home at the moment, they might have frames that are fading, cracking, chipping, and showing other signs of wear and tear. These frames will give people the wrong impression when they walk around inside your home.

They might think that you haven’t taken the time to take good care of your home based on the condition of your window frames. You can eliminate this thought from their minds by installing new windows in place of your old ones.

Increases Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Nowadays, people don’t just want homes that look beautiful. They also want homes that are as energy-efficient as they can be.

It’s often hard to tell whether a home is energy efficient simply by walking through it. But when you have window replacement done, you can play up how energy efficient it has made your home.

Most new windows come with double- and, in some cases, even triple-pane glass in them. This glass doesn’t allow air to pass freely through your windows anymore.

As a result, your home will stay more comfortable, and your HVAC system won’t have to work as hard to heat and cool your house. This will work wonders for your home’s energy efficiency, and it’ll provide you with an excellent selling point when listing your home for sale.

Allows More Natural Light to Enter Your Home

Studies have shown that about 80 percent of people who have purchased a home admit to regretting one thing about buying it.

In recent years, one of the biggest regrets that home buyers have had is buying a home that doesn’t get enough natural light. People appreciate the many benefits of living in a home that gets lots of natural light, and they regret it when they don’t buy a home with a lot of natural light in it.

You can make sure your home is bringing in plenty of natural light by putting new windows into it. With new windows, you won’t have to worry about dirty windows stopping natural light from shining directly into your home.

People will see how much natural light your home gets when they walk through it after you’ve had new windows installed. The windows will make such a big difference in how bright it is inside your home.

Provides an Excellent Return on Investment

There are all kinds of home improvements that you can take on prior to selling your house to increase its value. Just make sure you tackle jobs that offer a great return on investment.

Window replacement is one job that will deliver the ROI you’re looking for. Even though it’ll often cost well over $10,000 to replace all the windows in your home, you can bring the value of your home up by over $10,000 most times.

Best of all, doing window replacement isn’t anywhere near as complicated as taking on, say, a kitchen remodeling job. You can have every window in your home replaced by a reputable window company within just a few hours in most cases.

It’s why replacing your windows makes all the sense in the world if you’re searching for a home improvement project that will add value to your house in no time.

Consider Replacing Windows in Your Home Before Selling It

Are you going to be selling your home sometime soon? You should think about replacing windows before you put it up on the market.

You may have to delay listing your home for a few weeks to have window replacement done. But there’s a very good chance your home could sell quicker than it would otherwise with new windows in it.

There’s also a good chance you’ll get whatever you’re asking for your home from a buyer when you have new windows in place. The windows will allow you to enjoy a much better selling experience overall.

Browse through the informative articles on our blog to find other home improvement projects outside of replacing windows that you should take on before selling a house.

Posted in News |

Shatter | aka Call Him Mr. Shatter | Blu-ray (Shout! Factory)

Shatter | Blu-ray (Shout! Factory)

Shatter | Blu-ray (Shout! Factory)

RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2020

On April 28, 2020, Shout! Factory will be releasing the Blu-ray for 1974’s Shatter (aka Call Him Mr. Shatter), starring Stuart Whitman (Crazy Mama, Ruby).

Read the official details below:

Hammer Films and The Shaw Brothers come together again for an exciting action film!

International assassin Shatter (Whitman) completes a contract kill on an African dictator and heads for Hong Kong to collect his payment. But when he finds himself marked for death in a deadly double-cross, the hit man is hunted through the seedy underworld. Now with the help of a kung fu master (Ti Lung, A Better Tomorrow), Shatter must take on the international drug syndicate in a final showdown of violence and vengeance!

Filmed on location in Hong Kong, Shatter (also known as Call Him Mr. Shatter) was the second and last of Hammer’s co-productions with the famed Shaw Brothers studio (The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires). Cult director Monte Hellman (Two-Lane Blacktop, Cockfighter) was replaced mid-production by producer Michael Carreras who completed this troubled-yet-fascinating action thriller that co-stars Anton Diffring (Circus of Horrors) and the legendary Peter Cushing in his final Hammer performance.

Features:

  • NEW! Audio Commentary with critic Bruce G. Hallenbeck
  • NEW! Anything Goes: Hammer Film In The 70s Featurette
  • Audio Commentary With Writer/Director/Producer Brian Clemens, Actress Caroline Munro, And Hammer Films Historian Jonathan Sothcott
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Radio Spots
  • Optional English subtitles for the main feature

Pre-order Shatter from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Asian Titles, DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles, News |

2K Restoration of Bruce Li’s 1976 film ‘Bruce Lee’s Secret’ in the works (as well as some other goodies)

"Bruce Lee’s Secret" Theatrical Poster

“Bruce Lee’s Secret” Theatrical Poster

Actor, writer, director, martial artist and Bruceploitation fan, Michael Worth (Final Impact), has announced yet another Bruceploitation project: The 2K re-master of the 1976 Bruce Li/Ho Chung Tao classic Bruce Lee’s Secret (aka Bruce Lee’s Deadly Kung Fu) – also starring Carter Huang, Hwang Jang Lee and Roy Horan.

Read the details below:

“Our goal is to re-master in 2K the classic 1976 Kung Fu film Bruce Lee’s Secret (aka Bruce Lee’s Deadly Kung Fu) from a recently discovered rare 35mm English print. The 44th anniversary edition of the film will include English audio with newly produced extra features and if we reach our larger goal, brand new supplements and interviews from the filmmakers,” says Worth.

If you haven’t been keeping up with our coverage regarding Worth’s many projects, here’s a quick breakdown of what’s to come:

  • 2K Restoration of the Bruce Li/Ho Chung Tao film Dynamo from The Pearl Collection and VCI Entertainment (the same company that released The Leg Fighters).
  • Martial Art: A Pictorial History of Bruceploitation Posters, a beautiful, limited edition book preserving a 40 year collection of original artwork posters.
  • The Bruceploitation Bible, another upcoming Bruceploitation book. We hear he has some amazing content for this one – the title says it all!
  • 2K Restoration of the Dragon Lee/Mun Kyong-sok film, Deadly Silver Ninja (this is essentially a bonus, if all goes well with the funding for Bruce Lee’s Secret).
  • The release for the 2K Restoration of Yeung Kuen’s Duel of the 7 Tigers, a 1979 film with an all-star kung fu cast: Phillip Ko Fei, Cliff Lok, Han Ying-Chieh, Cassanova Wong and Chiu Chi Ling. This will also be released under The Pearl Collection banner.

If you’re interested in learning more about any of the aforementioned projects, visit the Indiegogo page for Bruce Lee’s Secret, as well as The Bruceploitation Bible Facebook Page.

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