Why San Diego Is a Paradise for Today’s Gig Worker
Imagine a world where you didn’t have a boss breathing down your neck. A world where toxic coworkers don’t exist. This is the gig economy, and you could be a part of it.
One of the biggest perks about gig careers is that you can work from almost anywhere in the world. Thus, it’s no surprise that picture-perfect San Diego is one of the hottest destinations for gig workers. You could be writing articles on the beach, designing logos on a boardwalk, or driving passengers to beautiful La Jolla.
Discover even more reasons why San Diego is the best location for a gig worker.
An Airbnb Paradise
Do you own property in San Diego? You’re sitting on a gig goldmine. Airbnb hosting is one of the most popular side hustles.
There are more than 150 Airbnb users worldwide, and over 260 people have booked Airbnb stays. This is a fantastic opportunity to cash in on San Diego’s most popular event, Comic-Con! Comic-Con attracts more than 135,000 attendees every year, generating almost $150,000 in revenue for the city.
If you live near the convention area, you could charge up to $200 a night. The average Airbnb during Comic-Con is $164, which will attract interest in no time. Hotels charge up to $700 during Comic-Con!
Beachfront property is another Airbnb goldmine. If you have extra room in Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, or any of San Diego’s gorgeous beaches, you could set up a steady stream of passive income. If you don’t have an Airbnb property yet, research San Diego real estate that would attract the most bookings.
Score Fun Convention Gigs
Comic-Con isn’t just an opportunity for Airbnb hosts. This event is packed with gig opportunities. Comic-Con needs promo models, brand ambassadors, sample servers, sign spinners, pedicab drivers, and more.
San Diego hosts a lot of expos, conventions, and events throughout the year. The best way to find event gigs is to check Craigslist regularly. Bookmark the event’s job page and stay updated on social media.
No Weather Disruptions
San Diego is known worldwide for its ideal weather. Gig workers don’t have to worry about major weather events, like hurricanes, snowstorms, and tornadoes. The city’s rainstorms leave little damage behind.
In San Diego, you don’t have to worry about your power going out during a hurricane or blizzard. The city is hardly impacted by wildfires, unlike its Southern California neighbors. You don’t have to deal with as many disruptions working from home.
Good Vibes
San Diego is known as a friendly place, which is great for gig workers who love to network. A warm and friendly atmosphere makes gig life a lot easier, especially when you’re working for yourself. It’s nice to live in a place where you can strike up a friendly conversation on the street.
Live the Gig Worker Life in San Diego
Who says you can’t be your own boss in one of the most beautiful cities in the country?
Break out of the cubicle and build a career on your terms. Follow these tips to discover the benefits of being a gig worker in sunny San Diego!
Check out the blog for more ideas and inspiration for your city life.
Director: Kim Ki-Duk Cast: Jang Keun-Suk, Ryoo Seung-Bum, Ahn Sung-Ki, Mina Fujii, Lee Sung-Jae, Joe Odagiri, Tae Hang-Ho, Park Se-in, Sung Ki-Yoon, Kim Dong-chan Running Time: 122 min.
By Paul Bramhall
If ever there was an example of a movie destined to seal the fate of its creator, then it could very well be Human, Space, Time and Human, controversial Korean auteur Kim Ki-duk’s latest (and most likely last) movie. Still unreleased in Korea thanks to the accusations of rape and assault made against the embattled director, made when the #metoo movement swept across the Korean entertainment industry in 2017, Ki-duk’s latest does him no favors. Featuring the gang rape of two women, and subsequent repeated individual rape of one of them (by different men), if that isn’t enough to put you off, then bear in mind that at this point we’re not even half an hour in.
Where did it all go wrong for Ki-duk? It’s hard to say, as almost all of his work has been accused of being misognistic in some way, however in his most acclaimed works the cruelty and violence felt like part of a bigger picture that somehow justified it. From his 1996 debut with Crocodile, for the next 10 years Ki-duk was always confronting, but felt like he always had something to say. Movies like The Isle, 3-Iron, and of course his classic Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…And Spring (of which his latest riffs on the title) belong in any conversation on modern Korean cinema, but that’s not the case for his latest. Human, Space, Time and Human feels like Ki-duk has gone too deep into the abyss, creating a piece of work that feels repulsive and shallow, with little other ambition than to shock the audience watching it.
The plot is equal parts baffling and painfully obvious in its intentions. Proceedings open with a ragtag group of travllers onboard a rusted old warship out at sea. Where it’s bound for, and why they’re on it, is never implicitly stated. Amongst them there’s an up and coming politiican (Lee Sung-jae) and his son (Jang Keun-suk), a newly married couple (Mina Fujii and Joe Odagiri), a group of gangsters (led by Ryoo Sung-beom), and a mysterious old man who goes around collecting dust (Ahn Sung-ki). The irony isn’t lost on me that, despite the unpleasant nature of HSTAH (as I’ll refer to it from here on), Ki-duk has assembled an impressivley all-star cast.
Ryoo Seung-beom (who starred in Ki-duk’s 2016 production The Net) is here reunitied with the legendary Ahn Sung-ki (The Divine Fury) for the first time since appearing together in 2003’s Arahan. Mina Fujii is a Japanese actress fluent in Korean, and is well known on Korean shores thanks to her role in 2015’s My New Sassy Girl (less so for 2014’s Monsterz, the insipid Japanese remake of Haunters). Here she speaks Japanese, and is paired with Joe Odagiri (The World of Kanako), himself no stranger to working with Ki-duk after starring in 2008’s Dream. Much like that movie, here language plays no part in the characters understanding of each other, with Fujii and Odagiri able to speak Japanese to Koreans and vice versa. Although on the surface this seems like a quirk, the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced Ki-duk likely couldn’t find a Korean actress willing to accept a part which involves so much physical assault.
In the lead-up to the multiple rapes, Sung-beom and his cronies align themselves with Sung-jae’s ambitious politician, offering to act as enforcers while he positions himself as the leader of the ship, much to son Keun-suk’s disgruntlement. As night passes, when everyone wakes up they find the ship is no longer on the sea, but instead is floating through the sky, the earth far below. With a limited food supply, the allegiances that began to form when the ship was on a more earthly realm begin to take on more sinister purposes. Sung-jae becomes increasingly greedy, and backed by Sung-beom and his thugs, they start to ration the other passengers food so that they can dine in luxury. Fujii realises she’s preganant, but has no idea who the father is, and is only comforted by the confliced Keun-suk (who wasn’t conflicted enough to not rape her, so the baby could also be his). Oh, and just what is the seeminly mute Sung-ki doing with all that dust?
What may contain an element of mystery on paper, unfolds in a heavy handed and plodding manner onscreen, making controversial scenes from Ki-duk’s earlier work seem nuanced in comparison. The only characters with credited names are that of Keun-suk and Fujii, billed as Adam and Eve respectively, making the intention of HSTAH apparent. Ki-duk has shown an interest in both Buddhism and Christianity throughout his career, with Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring being the most obvious example of the former, and more recent efforts like Amen and Pieta focusing on the later. Here the origins of humanity are clumsily transferred to the floating warship, and it’s this element which serves to show just how misguided Ki-duk’s intentions have become.
When asked about the depictions of rape in HSTAH, Ki-duk seemed to believe he’d made a piece advocating pro-life, explaining that Fujii’s character should be seen as the mother of the Earth and saviour of humanity, since so many men impregnated her. It’s a somewhat sad and repungent viewpoint to justify the uncomfortable gang rape, and not only makes it a morally bankrupt experience to watch, but also tarnishes the viewing of his well regarded earlier works. There’s always a question of if an audience should seperate the art from the artist. However with Ki-duk, based on the allegations and his work on HSTAH, as a viewer I found myself questioning if all the naysayers of his previous work may have been right the entire time. Ki-duk’s movies have never been popular in Korea, instead enjoying considerable success overseas (particulrly in Europe), however maybe his native audience always knew what the deal was.
Ironically all of this is wrapped up in the longest running time of any of his movies to date, clocking in at just over 2 hours. It’s a long time to watch something as unsubtle and blatant in its message, and in the latter half the focus shifts to ugly violence. With Sung-jae’s politician consumed by greed, the inevtiable food shortage eventually leads to the passengers having to eat each other. At one point we even get a scene recycled from Pieta, in which Fujii resorts to slicing off a piece of her own flesh in order to feed Keun-suk. Sub-plots are thrown in which add nothing to the plot, such as the capatain and his crew finding a box of grenades, which they intend to use against Sung-jae and Sung-beom. The bickering between a trio of prostitutes proves to be equally meaningless, only adding to the bloated duration.
You may be wondering where exactly Ahn Sung-ki fits into all of this, one of the most respected actors in Korea for over a half a century. The good news is, he’s neither a part of the rape or scenes of violence, instead taking on the role of a mute horticulturist, seemingly focused on growing plants and flowers from what little is available. I admit it was painful to see 2 of my favorite Korean actors, the other being Ryoo Sung-beom, appear in a production such as this. While Sung-beom has worked with Ki-duk before as the lead in 2016’s The Net, that was arguably a very different production to HSTAH. While here he gets to chew up the scenery in his own inimtable way, the nature of his character sucks the fun out of it, only adding to the relentless cruel streak rather than offering a reprieve from it.
In the final scene Ki-duk deviates from his religious allegory, and instead desires to make a point that men and their sexual appetites will ultimately always be forced upon women, regardless of what the relationship is between them. A view of the world that indicates the male population as the hunters, and the female population as the hunted, it’s a stomach churning close to an unpleasant 120 minutes. Much like the rotting flesh of a corpse that one character eats, Human, Space, Time and Human leaves a bad taste, and it doesn’t feel like one that can be washed down easily.
Nemesis: Collector’s Edition | Blu-ray & DVD (MVD Rewind)
Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Albert Pyun’s Nemesis: 2-Disc Collector’s Edition, starring French World Kickboxing Champion Olivier Gruner (Showdown in Manila).
Los Angeles, 2027. Troubled cyborg cop Alex (Gruner) is ordered by police commissioner Farnsworth (Tim Thomerson, Near Dark) to apprehend his former partner and lover Jared (Marjorie Monaghan, Regarding Henry), accused of smuggling data to information terrorists plotting to kill government officials. Systems cowboys, bio enhanced gangsters and cyborg outlaws all play a part in this battle of man vs. machine.
Directed by Albert Pyun (Cyborg, Crazy Six), Nemesis is a “provocative, sleek thriller” (LA Times) that features an all-star supporting cast that includes Brion James (Blade Runner), Thomas Jane (Boogie Nights), Academy Award® Nominee* Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Diamond Cartel), Thom Mathews (The Return of the Living Dead), Yuji Okumoto (American Yakuza) and Deborah Shelton (Body Double).
The Knight of Shadows | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)
Now available on Blu-ray & DVD from Well Go USA is Vash’s The Knight of Shadows Between Yin and Yang, an action-fantasy starring Jackie Chan (The Foreigner,Bleeding Steel).
The film follows a demon hunter (Chan), who is asked to investigate the disappearances of young girls from a small village. When he discovers evil forces are responsible, he sets out to save humanity by way of hidden worlds and colorful dimensions.
Knight of Shadows co-stars Lin Peng (Dragon Blade), Ethan Juan (The Assassin) and Elane Zhong (The Resistance).
The Trigonal: Fight for Justice | Blu-ray & DVD (Gravitas Ventures)
RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2020
On January 24, 2020, Gravitas Ventures is releasing the Blu-ray & DVD for Vincent Soberano’s The Trigonal: Fight for Justice (aka The Trigonal).
Jacob Casa is torn between his love of MMA fighting and his promise to retire. When he starts to considering taking an underground fight, his wife and unborn baby become collateral in a ruthless drug lord’s lunatic ambitions. Jacob finds himself pushed beyond the crossroads into the world of drug-induced underground fighting, where people are the guinea pigs for experimental drugs.
The film stars Ian Ignacio (BuyBust, Showdown in Manila), Rhian Ramos (Empty by Design), Sarah Chang (Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids), Monsour Del Rosario (Techno Warriors) and Gus Liem (Girls vs Gangsters).
Asian students are seen as pretty successful in American, Australian, Canadian, and UK universities. There’s a stereotype going around: if you’re Asian, you’ve gotta be smart. The truth is: you struggle just like any other student. The culture shock is a real thing. You just came to a foreign country, and you got into a completely unfamiliar educational system. It may be more flexible than the education you received back home. Still, it’s different and that’s what makes it challenging.
Coursework is part of the problem. Many Asian students never had to complete 5-paragraph essays before. Now, they have to write stiff, yet interesting papers to earn their grades.
Your teachers will try to use Cody Coursework and other programs to help you handle assignments. For the most part, you’re left on your own.
This can mean only one thing: you need coursework writing tips to get you through the challenge.
10 Coursework Hacks for Asian Students
1. Always Start Early
If this is the type of coursework you’ve never completed before, you’ll need more time to go through the different stages. Start working on the assignment as soon as you get it! Use Google Calendar or a similar tool, so you can track the deadlines.
2. Keep Your Coursework Organized
Don’t delete your assignments once you submit them. Maybe your professor will ask for a revision, so you’ll need to go back to the content. Maybe you’ll get a similar assignment in the future, so you can use this one as a foundation.
Use Google Docs, and organize all coursework into adequate folders.
3. Always Follow the Instructions
Academic projects have to follow a certain format. Follow your teacher’s instructions and you’ll do just fine.
4. Don’t Try to Fit In Too Much
Trying to be like everybody else is a big mistake that Asian students make . Don’t lose your voice! When you have a point of view, show it through the coursework you complete.
5. Collaborate with Other Students
If you offer your collaboration on a project, you’ll achieve two goals at once. Teamwork will help you complete the project more effectively, but you’ll also build connections.
You’ll have something to talk about: the assignment. One thing will lead to another, and you’ll develop friendships through coursework collaboration.
6. Get Help from an Expert
Did you know that you can get reliable coursework help by Writix? If you get stuck and you see no way out, hiring a pro writer is a great solution.
Asian students often require help because they don’t know how to approach these assignments. In addition, not being a native English speaker is a problem. Through collaboration with a writer, you’ll overcome these difficulties.
7. Try Writing Coursework in the Morning
Spending the entire day in class, studying in the afternoon and writing coursework in the evening – that’s the schedule that most students stick to. It’s not the perfect arrangement, though.
Your mind is much more focused early in the morning. You may have to wake up much earlier than usual, but you’ll get used to it.
8. Adopt the Growth Mindset
“I can’t write this. The assignment is too long and it’s too hard. I’ll never make it by the deadline.”
This is the so-called fixed mindset. When you face a challenge you’ve never handled before, you don’t think you can do it.
The growth mindset is the opposite: you’re encouraged by challenges and you’re willing to learn. This is how you should think: “This is hard, but I’ll try. I’ll plan my time and I’ll do my best to complete the assignment well.”
9. Practice Writing
Maybe you won’t complete the perfect assignment from the very first attempt. But you know what? You’ll get better, so don’t give up! Practice writing whenever you get some free time on your hands.
10. Document Your Journey
Have you ever thought about starting your own blog? You can share the challenges and offer tips for other students.
When you share a goal with the entire world, you’ll be more committed to it. This might be the step that makes you a better writer.
You Can Do This!
You’ll be proud of yourself for becoming a better coursework writer.
The assignments may seem ridiculous at first. You’ll get strange topics that aren’t directly related to the career you want to build. However, becoming a better writer is a great goal to achieve, no matter what professional journey you pursue in the future.
If you become a doctor, you’ll have to write reports, recommendations, and research papers. If you become a tech geek, you’ll have to share your ideas through interesting presentations and readable reports. If you become a marketing expert, you’ll need to write emails and social media posts on a daily basis.
Go back to your old work sometimes, and you’ll see what progress you’ve made. It’s like a relevant coursework resume that you’ll keep coming back to. You’ll notice that with each new assignment, you got a bit more confident and attentive in the writing process.
BIO: Nicholas Walker lives a flexible lifestyle that enables him to travel a lot. Through his trips, he connected with different cultures and explored their educational systems. Nicholas writes blog posts that encourage students to become more effective learners.
Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for the Mortal Kombat 3-Disc Collection. This set includes 1995’s Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2: Annihilation and 2011’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy.
Are 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 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.
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 Brothers – Blood 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.
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
“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.
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!
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.
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).
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.
Review any state labor laws to which you’ll comply
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!
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