Shaolin Avengers | aka Invincible Kung Fu Brothers (1976) Review

"Shaolin Avengers" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Shaolin Avengers” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Invincible Kung Fu Brothers
Director: Chang Cheh
Co-director: Wu Ma
Cast: Alexander Fu Sheng, Chi Kuan Chun, Chan Wai Lau, Bruce Tong, Lung Fei, Choi Wang, Johnny Wang Lung Wei, Chiang Sheng, Leung Kar Yan
Running Time: 93 min.

By Martin Sandison

As a kid I remember settling down to watch Chang Cheh’s Shaolin Temple for me the crowning achievement of his monumental Shaolin-cycle. A depiction of the classic story so nuanced, well-acted and topped off with a fantastic end fight, the film is one of the all-time best Shaw Brothers productions. The same year Chang as usual was an incredibly busy man, and made another Shaolin-cycle movie, Shaolin Avengers, featuring Alexander Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan Chun reprising their roles from Shaolin Temple, the film surprised me with an original style of narrative, advanced choreography for the time it was made, and a hilarious and horrid approach to the classic weak spot kung fu movie trope.

Fong Sai Yuk (Alexander Fu Sheng), his brother Fong Xiaoyu (Bruce Tong Yim Chaan, The Naval Commandos) and Hu Huigan (Chi Kuan Chun) have common enemies. In a novel approach to the storyline, they face off against them at the beginning of the film. As the fight progresses, flashbacks reveal the lead up to this deadly battle.

As you would expect from a Shaw Brothers classic like this boasting an innovative narrative, it’s written by Kuang Ni, who scripted most of the greatest films in the canon, and has over 200 writing credits to his name. Chang Cheh also assisted in the writing process, something he did from the very start of his career. The incorporation of the flashbacks never seems forced or jarring, they are a natural way to tell the story. I hold my hands up, and say I don’t have much knowledge of the real Fong Sai Yuk, and whether there is much historical accuracy here. But I’m guessing not, let’s be honest these movies play fast and loose! And there are so many of them telling similar stories, both Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest and the Indies, that for many of them the phrase fast and loose is an understatement.

Interestingly, both this film and Shaolin Temple were not choreographed by the crack masters Lau Kar Leung and Tang Chia. They had the action reins of so many Chang Cheh films at the time, many of the Shaolin-cycle such as slices of brilliance like Shaolin Martial Arts and Men from the Monestary. The choreographers here are Hsieh Hsing and Chen Hsin I, who previously had worked with Chang on the disappointing Marco Polo. Both men cut their teeth in bashers and early 70s Indies such as Hero of Chiu Chow and Hurricane. So do their efforts at least match Lau and Tang? In my mind they most certainly do, and at times are more impactful and mind-blowing than Lau and Tang’s output around the time such as the flappy-handed 5 Shaolin Masters.

‘76 was a watershed year for the kung fu movie, mainly with the release of two Indies: Hong Kong’s Secret Rivals and Taiwan’s The Hot, the Cool and the Vicious. Both films were choreographed by the unsung master Tommy Lee, and ushered in a new style of action. Flashy high kicks, intricate handwork and an impact that hadn’t been seen before were ground-breaking. Shaolin Avengers was made the same year, and I would argue some of that influence can be seen here. There are the usual concentration on traditional styles of kung fu, to the point of overkill, but some takes are resounding in their impact, with a crispness and excellent timing that would be seen as the genre advanced in to the ultimate year of the old school: 1978. Having watched the majority of Fu Sheng’s filmography, I would say here is some of his best action. One take had me in bootwork heaven, as he deals with four lackeys, interchanging kicking techniques brilliantly. Chi Kuan Chun, a legitimate master of real kung fu, is in incredible shape as always and brings a brooding physicality to his role.

The variety of villainous actors displayed here is one sure to turn old school fan heads. ‘Beardy’ Leung Kar Yan, Odd Couple, in one of the first films in which he sported his infamous beard, gets a couple of fights and performs a deadly pull-out-the-innards-Shaws-style finishing move. Wang Lung Wei, Martial Club, the ultimate Shaw Bros villain, has a small part here and a couple of great two-on-ones versus Chi Kuan Chun. Among the lackeys there are Venoms Lu Feng and Chiang Sheng, and The Dragon, the Hero choreographer Tang Tak Cheung. The biggest surprise is that perennial Indie movie villain Lung Fei, in his sole Shaw Brothers part. I love this guy. From my favourite axe-action in Dream Sword to hamming it up as a Karate master in One Armed Boxer, he is always one to rely on. His fight with Fu Sheng on that great set, the wooden poles, is one for the ages.

At times the cracks of Shaw Brothers approach to film-making begin to show; there’s a set used in countless films that stages kung fu contests used here, plus painted backgrounds that look a little silly, taking you out of the film. The formulaic nature is of course present here, with a shooting style, character types and storyline we’ve all seen before; it’s a basic revenge plot, with Shaolin heroes doing their thing, and a standard filmic style with little variation or innovation from what we have seen before. However, when it comes to the fights there is freshness and impact, and the flashback narrative echoes this. Plus – get this – Fu Sheng goes through invincible skin training, meaning his whole body is impenetrable. Apart from… his anus. Whoah.

While not in the top pile of Chang Cheh flicks, for me this one is near the top of the Shaolin-cycle, just shy of its predecessor Shaolin Temple. Will Fu Sheng feel the sting in his brown eye? Watch on to find out.

Martin Sandison’s Rating: 8/10

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

5 Movies We Can’t Wait to Watch in 2020

"Bad Boys 2" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Bad Boys 2” Japanese Theatrical Poster

What makes a movie so exciting that we cannot wait to see it when it comes on the big screen? Well, it must have good writing, acting, and plot line, sound effects, and special effects—if the movie calls for these—and it must have a sizeable budget to produce it. These characteristics will help a movie be successful but they are not guarantees the movie will be a hit. The movie has to cover a subject that has not been explored or if it has been explored. It must be presented in a new way that has never been approached before. There are sequels that will follow the original movie that could be super hits but, again, these sequels do not guarantee they will be successful. There have been series of movies made and the sequels to the original movies were bombs.

2019 was not a kind year to movie lovers as we lost many talented artists in this year. Horror movie icon Sid Haig died in September 2019 from an untold accident. His wife reported on Instagram back in September 2019. He was 80-years-old at the time of his passing. He was best known for his role as Captain Spaulding in the horror classic “House of 1000 corpses” and his career spanned about 6 decades. He was in a few other classics including “The devil’s Rejects” and he starred in the new “3 from Hell.” He was mourned by horror movie fans the world over.

Hopefully 2020 will be a better year with a lot of movie hits to enjoy. We will discuss some potential mega hit movies for 2020 below.

Underwater

Underwater is a dark science fiction thriller that stars Kristen Stewart but the odd thing about the movie is that it was made back in 2017. It is slated to be released Jan. 10, 2020 which is almost 3 years after the fact. But this should not stop moviegoers from going out and viewing this underwater thriller. You may remember Kristen Stewart from “Charlie’s Angels” but the movies co-star T.J. Miller has since practically ruined his career for good. It is rumored he is a substance abuser, he called in a fake bomb scare and he bad mouthed the very series that made him a star.

It remains to be seen if his downfall will hurt the movies grossing capabilities or not. Kristen Stewart may balance out that black mark on the movie. She said in an interview, that the movie is about a group of scientists performing research in an underwater lab located in the sea. There is an earth-rocking earthquake that leaves the scientists trapped underwater unable to escape.

Kristen says this maybe the biggest score she has ever starred in and she is very excited about the movie’s potential. She states that her character is very fragile and she is protective of the character—how she is protective of the character—she did not elaborate. Her character is one of four scientists who do not know each other but rapidly develop some weird relationships.

The earthquake has thrown four unlikely friends together in some very dark and traumatic circumstances. Her character is revealed in sublime traumatic events that occur as the movie progresses. She says on a personal level it was a very hard movie to film and she was cold and exhausted most of the time. She reflects that a main premise of the movie is to show how human

beings will react to traumatic and life threatening circumstances on relationally, personal, and existential point of views. Who are the cowards and the heroes in the movie? It seems like this is a type movie she has never starred in before. It is hoped that because the movie was filmed in 2017 that it will not lose its freshness.

Bad Boys for Life

This is the long-awaited sequel to “Bad Boys 2”– which made is splash on the silver screen 17 years ago—has finally been set to premiere January,17,2020 on Martin Luther King Jr. day which is no coincidence. The movie stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence who are coming together again after nearly 20 years. They will be reprising their characters Sgt. Mile Lowery and Sgt. Marcus Barnett respectively. They are Miami drug agents to face a deadly drug cartel and try to break the cartel’s drug-dealing activities. Fans have been waiting for this movie to surface for years.

Back in 2003, “Bad Boys 2’ grossed the producers a cool 203 million so it was highly successful. All the ingredients are in place to make this movie as successful as or more successful than that 2003 blockbuster. Moviegoers have been tracking the ever-changing production status and now the movie is to officially launch. It was a minor miracle the movie finally was completed.

The two actors enjoy a charismatic chemistry on film and they most likely will not die on the film. The project was off again and on again over the years and when a key player left production the project was all but thought doomed. Martin Lawrence confirmed the movie was dead but Will Smith said in late 2018 that the project had been resurrected. It is supposed to be released in theatres in January, 2020.

The plot line has been kept under wraps so no one really knows which way the movie will go. But it promises to be a great release in the “Bad Boys” tradition. It will certainly not disappoint fans who have been waiting for the film’s release for a long time.

Dr. Dolittle

The movie has been made a couple of times since the original aired in 1967 starring Rex Harrison. But the newer versions never came close to approaching the success that the 1967 classic achieved. The current edition stars Robert Downey Jr. starring as the doctor in this modern version. The plot is about a doctor who has the uncanny ability to talk to animals.

The movie boasts a star-studded supporting cast and this movie may hit iconic status if all the elements are done in order and they come together. Dr. Dolittle can communicate with animals and he is a good friend of the animal kingdom. The character was born from letters a World War 1 veteran wrote to his children at home. The character took on a life of its own. The soldier’s name was Hugh Lofting and the letters turned into popular children’s books that were written starting in the 1920’s until the 1950’s.

The Gentlemen

This movie is coming out on January, 24, 2020 and has a unique plot to say the least. It is focused on an English Drug Lord who tries to sell of his dynasty to a group of Oklahoma billionaires. It will have plenty of action and espionage probably murder in the story line. Guy Ritchie is the director of this pre-1900 thriller about a Drug Lord who tries to sell of his drug empire to some American billionaires. Something goes wrong in the movie and there will be plenty of gun fire during the movie. The movie will not lack in action.

Ritchie, in the past few years has directed genre specific movies including “Aladdin, and King Arthur: The Legend of the Sword” making fans wonder if he has lost his touch as a director. This movie is in lines with the more Ritchie vintage movies of earlier years. Some are claiming this could resurrect the director’s career and renew his fan’s confidence in his directing skills.

Gretel and Hansel

Once upon a time a very long time ago. There was a sister-brother combination named Gretel and Hansel who came upon hard times. The sister led the brother into the woods to a clearing where a candy-made house sat. The house was owned by a cannibalistic witch who had a bad habit of eating human flesh. The movie is an adaption of this timeless fairy tale classic.

Actually, the fairy tale originated in the 19th century and has become one of the most popular fairy tales of all time. The plot focuses on the children tricking the witch into jumping into the burning stove and she burns alive. She tries to fatten up the boy so she can have a hardy meal. She makes Gretel work long hours at extremely excruciating tasks. The movie is a fairy tale but it is also a gruesome tale at its finest.

Evil and good fight it out for preeminence and fortunately good prevails. The kids trick the witch and walk away with her hidden riches. They return home and live off the royalties for the rest of their happy lives. It is not known if this story has ever been made into a movie or not before. Be looking for it in the theatres on January, 31, 2020. It remains to be seen if the movie will be a box office hit or not.

The article has covered some of the potential blockbuster movies that could breakout into major hits if audiences around the world take to this to these movies. Some of the movies do boast all-star casts. Time will tell if we like these movies in 2020 or not.

Posted in News |

The Beast and the Magic Sword | Blu-ray (Mondo Macabro)

The Beast and the Magic Sword | Blu-ray (Mondo Macabro)

The Beast and the Magic Sword | Blu-ray (Mondo Macabro)

RELEASE DATE: February 11, 2020

On February 11, 2020, Mondo Macabro will release the Blu-ray for The Beast and the Magic Sword, a 1983 Spanish/Japanese co-production.

The Beast and the Magic Sword is the last great film from Spanish horror legend Paul Naschy (Night of the Werewolf). Although he would go on making and planning films until his death in 2009, he never again attempted the epic sweep and grandeur of this 10th entry into the saga of Waldemar Daninsky, a man afflicted by the curse of lycanthropy.

In this film we get for the first time an origin story of how the Daninsky curse began back in the 10th century. We then move forward to 16th century Japan where Daninsky has travelled in search of a cure to his affliction.

Co-starring Japanese stage and screen veteran Shigeru Amachi (Sleepy Eyes of Death: Sword of Villainy), and shot in the studios of Toshiro Mifune, The Beast and the Magic Sword is a highly successful and colourful melding of European werewolf legends and dark Japanese fantasy. It features a fight between werewolf and tiger, an evil scarlet-cloaked witch who imprisons Daninsky, a sword fight with a troupe of ghost samurai, and many other unforgettable scenes.

The Beast and the Magic Sword also stars Beatriz Escudero (The Worker), Junko Asahina (Rapeman 1) and Violeta Cela (Eros Hotel).

This is the first Blu-ray release of this film and its first ever US release and includes both a full frame version and a widescreen version.

Special Features:

  • Brand New 4K Restoration from the original camera negative
  • Widescreen and Full Frame presentations of the film
  • Introduction to the film by Paul Naschy
  • The Smile of the Wolf – interview with Paul Naschy
  • Interview with writer and critic Gavin Baddeley
  • Exclusive audio commentary by the Naschy Cast
  • Original trailer
  • Newly created subtitles

Pre-order The Beast and the Magic Sword from Amazon.com today!

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

Essay Help for College Students for the Best Results

Essay Help for College Students for the Best Results

You are a student and of course, you want to get the highest scores in all the subjects. It is either very complicated or impossible at all, due to a bunch of absolutely different reasons. Sometimes, your knowledge is not sufficient to write a paper with the needed quality. Sometimes, you don’t have enough time. And in some cases, you are just lazy. Students need to have rest at least sometimes, you know.

In such cases, academic essays for sale are the most optimal solution, and you can get any custom-written paper on CustomWritings.com.

Essays for Sale from the Best Writing Services Provider

It is very complicated to find the best writing companies online because there are so many of them. That’s why we would recommend to avoid risks and to place any of your “please help me somehow with my papers” request with us, CustomWritings.com.

We will do it not only for a very affordable price, but we include free editing service in any order. No, we don’t doubt in our writers. We know teachers. They are usually unhappy with papers just to show their authority. So, in most cases, they would return a paper just for the sake of this. We cannot leave our dear clients alone in this not very pleasant situation. So, you are going to get free editing services whenever you need it, but only for papers that you have ordered on CustomWritings.com.

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  • All kinds of papers can be requested here. Even if you need a dissertation or a thesis, contact us without any doubt.
  • The highest quality of your college assignment is guaranteed, without exceptions and excuses.

Many more pleasant surprises are waiting for you when you decide to buy your task on CustomWritings.com. Do you want to give it a try? Papers for sale are not a bad solution, and sometimes, it is the only reasonable solution to get a good score and some free time for more urgent and important activities.

Essays for Sale Online Are an Option to Learn New Skills

We know that many students just submit the paper and that’s it. But if your target is to improve your skills or even to learn how to write, you can do it. Essays provided by us comply with all the requirements. Our writers are constantly available for all the needed clarifications you might request. Do you see the point?

Read your paper attentively, find out more about its structure and main elements. There is a lot of information on the web, and you have the best paper that could have been done. Compare its structure with the standards.

Find out more information about smaller elements. Write your own paper and request our editor to make the needed changes. Compare your option with the one of our editor.

How do you like this suggestion: to learn from the ready task? Though, even if your aim is just to order one paper because you usually do them but now, you don’t have time, you should place your order without delays. It will give us more time to provide you with the highest quality and the price will be significantly lower.

To place your order, just move to our website, fill in the special form and make a payment. We are ready to write any paper for you!

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Jesse V. Johnson’s ‘Mercenary’ Trailer kicks ass for the Lord

"The Mercenary" Theatrical Poster

“The Mercenary” Theatrical Poster

Jesse V. Johnson, the filmmaker behind Triple Threat and Accident Man is prepping yet another actioner in the form of The Mercenary (aka Legion Maxx), starring Dominiquie Vandenberg (True Legend) and Louis Mandylor (The Debt Collector).

Maxx (Vandenberg) is a legionnaire turned mercenary. When a mission in South America goes wrong Maxx is left for dead, but he is nursed back to health and reborn with a new outlook on life. He tries to live tranquilly within the confines of his new beliefs surrounded by his new friends at a church. But his peaceful days are short-lived when mercenaries he used to work with cross his path again and he is forced to revisit and face his own demons.

Be on the lookout for The Mercenary on DVD and Digital thisJanuary 7, and definitely don’t miss the film’s Red Band Trailer below (via FCS):

Posted in News |

Shaken not stirred: the best of James Bond

James Bond; the name itself is known not just nationally, but internationally. And, with the release date confirmed to be 2020 for Daniel Craig’s latest movie, it’s only fair to try and pick out five of Bond’s best moments.

Dr. No – “Bond. James Bond.”

It wouldn’t be James Bond without the tagline: “Bond. James Bond.” The very first movie – Dr. No – included the statement in 1962 and it’s since become perhaps the most famous introduction ever.

Sean Connery was the man of the moment, delivering the line with coolness, suavity and confidence – features that every Bond has exuded since that very moment. Of course, it was a casino scene where Connery made his intro, playing baccarat with a Ms. Sylvia Trench.

Such a scene in the 1960s may have shocked a number of people, but, in 2019, with the incredible rise in live – and particularly online – gambling with live betting, best bingo games and slots, it seems every bit the norm.

Goldfinger – Bond meets his sarcastic match

Everyone knows that Bond is renowned for his quick wit. So, when Auric Goldfinger gave Bond a taste of his own medicine in 1964 audiences were shocked.

Connery was again the lead man, asking Goldfinger – whilst he was strapped to a table with a laser bearing down on his private parts – “Did you expect me to talk?” to which Goldfinger replied “No, I expect you to die.”

Of course, not even a betting man would predict that Bond dies, but Goldfinger showed the importance of having strong, just-as-quick-witted villains to rival 007.

The World is Not Enough – Q waves goodbye

It’s an emotional one as Q – the quartermaster at MI6 – retires from the intelligence service. Actor Dennis Llewelyn played Q in nearly all of the Bond movies until The World is Not Enough. Sadly, Llewelyn died three weeks after the film’s release in 1999.

It’s a poignant end with Bond asking Q if he is retiring or not. Q retorts “I’ve always tried to teach you two things. First, never let them see you bleed.” Bond then asks, “And the second?” “Always have an escape plan.” In triumphant fashion, Q disappears down a hole in his laboratory floor.

Skyfall – Gung-ho in Shanghai

With the improvements in technology in the past few decades, James Bond reaped the benefits. Skyfall, in general, was a celebration of picturesque magnificence, but the Shanghai fight scene in particular, drove the movie into legendary status.

A fight between Daniel Craig and villain and would-be assassin Patrice takes place on the backdrop of blue neon lights. Of course, Craig as Bond prevails, but the silhouette-like fight was a moment of pure movie perfection.

Octopussy – Pain on a train

James Bond is no stranger to danger, but when Roger Moore took off on a train’s roof to escape enemies including Kamal Khan, audiences held their breath.

Moore is attempting to stop a nuclear warhead, but finds himself dodging obstacles left, right and centre on public transport’s finest bone-rattler.

Posted in News |

One Missed Call Trilogy | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

One Missed Call Trilogy | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

One Missed Call Trilogy | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

RELEASE DATE: February 20, 2020

On February 20th, 2020, Arrow Video is releasing the Blu-ray for the One Missed Call Trilogy, which includes 2004’s One Missed Call, 2005’s One Missed Call 2 and 2006’s One Missed Call: Final.

Read the official details below:

An iconic trilogy of J-horror films comes to Blu-ray for the first time! Tapping into the same brand of terror as the Ring and Grudge movies, visionary director Takashi Miike (Audition, Blade of the Immortal) presents a modern, high-tech twist on that mainstay of Japanese folklore, the yurei or vengeful spirit, in the form of its own iconic antihero – the terrifying Mimiko.

In the first instalment in the trilogy, 2003’s One Missed Call, student Yoko (Anna Nagata, Battle Royale) receives a phone message from her future self, ending with her own death scream. Two days later, she dies in a horrific rail collision. As the mysterious phone curse spreads, claiming more young lives, Yoko’s friend Yumi (Ko Shibasaki, Battle Royale, 47 Ronin) joins forces with detective Hiroshi (Shinichi Tsutsumi, Space Battleship Yamato), whose sister met the same gruesome fate. But can they unravel the mystery before the clock runs out on the next victim – Yumi herself?

Mimiko’s curse continues to wreak bloody havoc in two sequels – 2005’s One Missed Call 2 and 2006’s One Missed Call: Final, in addition to spawning a TV series and an American remake. This lavish collection from Arrow Video gathers together the original trilogy – with the third instalment making its UK debut – and a swathe of in-depth bonus features for the ultimate spine-tingling experience.

Special Features:

  • Lossless Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and PCM 2.0 soundtracks
  • Optional English subtitles
  • New audio commentary on One Missed Call by Miike biographer Tom Mes
  • The Making of One Missed Call, an hour-long archival documentary on the film’s production
  • Archival interviews on One Missed Call with actors Ko Shibasaki, Shinichi Tsutsumi and Kazue Fukiishi, and director Takashi Miike
  • Archival interview on One Missed Call with director Takashi Miike
  • Archival footage from the One Missed Call premiere
  • Live or Die TV special
  • A Day with the Mizunuma Family
  • One Missed Call alternate ending
  • The Making of One Missed Call 2, a half-hour archival documentary on the film’s production
  • Gomu, a short film by One Missed Call 2 director Renpei Tsukamoto
  • One Missed Call 2 deleted scenes
  • One Missed Call 2 music video
  • The Making of One Missed Call: Final, an hour-long archival documentary on the film’s production
  • Maki and Meisa, an archival behind-the-scenes featurette on One Missed Call: Final with actresses Maki Horikita and Meisa Kuroki
  • Behind the Scenes with Keun-Suk Jang, an archival featurette with One Missed Call: Final’s South Korean star
  • The Love Story, a short film tie-in for One Missed Call: Final
    Candid Mimiko, an archival location tour with the series’ iconic villain
  • Theatrical trailers and TV spots
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
  • First pressing only: Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the films by Anton Bitel

Pre-order One Missed Call Trilogy from Amazon.com today! 

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

Lack of Sleep and Mental Health Problems Among Students

Studies suggest that the lack of sleep may be linked to an increased risk for poor mental health among college students. According to the research presented at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in 2019, college students increase their chances of developing mental health symptoms by 20% with each night of insufficient sleep.

To better understand why sleep is so important especially while having to deal with a lot of academic assignments, let’s get into the characteristics of a sleep cycle.

How Does Sleep Affect Mental Health?

During sleep, a person experiences the so-called “90 minutes cycles” that are comprised of two major categories of sleep. First, there’s the “quiet sleep” category, which is defined by a progression of four particular stages that are leading to the “deep sleep” category.

During the quiet sleep, the muscles relax, the breathing and the heart rate slow down, and the body temperature drops. Quiet sleep helps our body regulate physiological changes, an aspect that is heavily linked to our immune system.

The “deep sleep” category is called REM sleep. This is the period when we pass over to the dream’s realm. When we enter this stage, our body temperature, our heart rate and breathing, and our muscles are starting to function exactly like when we are awake. Various studies suggest that REM sleep contributes to emotional health and enhances memory and learning in complex ways.

What researches have found is that the lack of proper sleep and the disruption of sleep cycles are causing the neurotransmitters and our stress hormones to “run wild” and cause different negative consequences. According to statements spoken by mental health experts during the mental health awareness month, there are four main negative effects of

Impaired emotional regulation

  • Disrupted thinking
  • Increased chances of developing psychiatric disorders
  • Improved stress during the day

When students experience a lack of sleep symptoms, they often neglect them, thus intensifying their sleep deprivation symptoms and increasing the risk of developing various types of sleep disorders.

The Mental Health Risks of Sleep Deprivation

The lack of sleep isn’t the direct cause of mental health issues among students. In fact, there is a significant overlap between various types of sleep disorders (narcolepsy, insomnia, sleep movement disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, etc.) and mental health issues.

When it comes to students, insomnia is a very common cause of mental health disorders (often influenced by the lack of sleep). When I had to write my dissertation, I was suffering from insomnia while being overwhelmed by dozens of different other assignments. In those moments, I realized that I need expert, – excellent custom research paper writing service that can write my research for me.

There are many other students who are facing similar issues and cannot afford to outsource their responsibilities. That equals more stress and problems, which lead to more physical and mental health issues.

According to Harvard.Edu, there are three serious mental health issues that are directly influenced by sleep deprivation:

Depression

Recent studies suggest that 1 out of 5 students who suffer from depression are also dealing with symptoms of OSA (obstructive sleep apnea). When further research has been effectuated, it has been shown that the majority of students who are depressed are also suffering from insomnia. The worst part is that patients who suffer from insomnia will hardly respond to depression treatments, thus leading to a never-ending negative cycle.

Bipolar Disorder

More studies from different countries suggest that 69% to 99% of patients tend to develop insomnia during episodes of bipolarity. When depression is also present, most of those patients tend to sleep excessively while also experiencing restless sleep.

Anxiety Disorders

When students don’t get enough sleep, various types of anxiety might kick in. Studies suggest that sleepless nights increase the risk of developing anxiety among students by up to 25%. It is known that sleep problems are affecting more than half of the patients who experience generalized anxiety disorders and PTSD (post-traumatic stress)

Takeaways

Even though mental health awareness became an important topic in today’s online environment, many students are still not familiar with the significant consequences of mental illnesses. If schools and colleges were to adopt a new subject, mental health should come on top of their priorities.

Rather than making students research fun argumentative essay topics, teachers could contribute to the mental health awareness movement by encouraging various mental health topics that would serve a higher purpose.

BIO: Elizabeth Skinner is a creative writer, academic tutor, and soon-to-become psychologist. She’s extremely passionate about mental health, and she’s dedicating most of her time to students who are in great need of help. In her free time, Elizabeth loves to cook oriental foods, study Chinese, and travel with her dogs.

Pic Source: https://pixabay.com/ro/illustrations/s%C4%83n%C4%83tate-mintal%C4%83-psihologie-2313428/

Posted in News |

Why More And More Gamers Are Getting Comfortable Spending Money Online

Gambling is a fun way of letting loose and spending some quality time with your friends. Online gambling has made the fun, even better! Online gambling casinos are relatively new to the gambling scene. But in a very short period of time, they have managed to attract more and more gambling enthusiasts to their realms. There are a number of reasons why many choose to make the switch between going to a casino in person to just enjoying a gambling game online. Some people spend even more money online than they normally would on a slot machine at a gambling casino.

It’s Cheap!

The great thing about gambling online is that is costs far less than it would at any casino. When players weigh their options, they can find that they would be saving travel costs, ticket costs, and other expensive leisure costs, including pricey meals and drinks. They can just buy a few snacks from a nearby grocery store and start having fun at home. That’s why many people prefer to save those costs and perhaps use the extra cash to have a little more fun with an online game.

It’s More Convenient

Gambling online is absolutely hassle-free. All need is a functioning laptop or any online accessing device, and they’re set. Many people choose to play from the comfort of their own home or any venue that works best for them instead of having to travel. Some people also prefer to gamble at different times of the day or night. If they’ve got busy mornings at work, they can simply login in the evening and start playing, or the other way around if they have busy evenings. The great thing is, online gambling fits with most people’s conveniences and that’s why more gamers choose to opt for it.

There are Many Options

If you gamble offline, your options can be very limited. Whereas, in playing online, you can find a variety of games that suit your mood or gambling preferences. Game creators at master88 made it a point to provide a variety of games to be available both on App Store and Google Play. There are many options for betting on sports to simply having a fun card game with a group of people online. Gamers nowadays prefer to have that liberty of choice that cannot be found as easily offline.

It’s Safer

One important reason why many gamers spend more money on online betting is that it is much safer and securer than it would be to gamble offline. They can set limits for themselves and ensure that they stop once the fun stops. The risk factors are much less while online and provide more control for the players which is always a plus.

Young betters are now moving more and more towards spending their money on online casinos than they would offline for a number of valid reasons. The costs, convenience, and safety of online gambling is of great concern to gamers. Many of which find it cheaper and easier to just have fun online than at a casino. The options are limitless and it’s pretty safe. Most importantly, it’s quite fun!

Posted in News |

Kingdom | Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

Kingdom | Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

Kingdom | Blu-ray & DVD (Funimation)

RELEASE DATE: February 4, 2020

On February 4th, 2020, Funimation is releasing Kingdom on Blu-ray & DVD. his upcoming period martial arts film is a Live-action adaptation of the manga series written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara.

From director Shinsuke Sato (Gantz) comes Kingdom, which follows a young boy (Kento Yamazaki, Death Note) who dreams of becoming the greatest general of the Qin Kingdom.

The film also stars Ryo Yoshizawa (Lost Days), Masami Nagasawa (Gintama), Kanna Hashimoto (Gintama 2), Kanata Hongo (Attack on Titan), Shinnosuke Mitsushima (Third Murder), Masahiro Takashima (Lady Maiko), Jun Kaname (Casshern) and Takao Osawa (Goemon).

Pre-order Kingdom from Amazon.com today! 

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

The Latest action-packed ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ TV Spot reveals the final battle…

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” Theatrical Poster

The final chapter of the saga from a galaxy far, far away will continue in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (aka Star Wars: Episode IX), which hits theaters on December 20th, 2019.

J.J. Abrams (Star Trek), who is also writing and producing, is back in the director’s chair. Co-writers include Chris Terrio (Justice League), Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) and Derek Connolly (King: Skull Island).

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the follow up to J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) – and of course – the original Star Wars trilogy created by George Lucas.

Returning cast members include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, Mark Hamill and of course, the late Carrie Fisher (by way of unused footage from the previous films).

New cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell and the return of Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian.

Watch the New TV Spot for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker below:

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! John Wick 3 | Blu-ray | Only $7.99 – Expires soon!

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum | Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (read our review).

Super assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has a $14 million price tag on his head after killing a member of the High Table, the shadowy international assassins’ guild. Now excommunicado, and with an army of the world’s most ruthless hit men and women on his trail, John must find a way to survive in this third chapter of the adrenaline-fuelled action series.

Co-stars include Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Halle Berry (Die Another Day), Anjelica Huston (The Grifters) and Asia Kate Dillon (Orange in the New Black).

Asian cinema/martial arts fans have welcomed the addition of Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman from The Raid film franchise – Tiger Hu Chen (Triple ThreatMan of Tai Chi) and Mark Dacascos (Ultimate Justice, Showdown in Manila, Drive).

Pre-order John Wick 3 from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all your friends (and enemies) at Cityonfire.com!… And don’t forget about this Bruceploitation book…

"Dynamo" US Theatrical Poster

“Dynamo” US Theatrical Poster

If you recall straight-to-video titles like To Be the Best, Final Impact, Fists of Iron and Isaac Florentine’s U.S. Seals II, then there’s a chance you might remember a martial artist named Michael Worth.

Worth is mostly known for his action film resume in the 90s, but over the years, he has branched out to writing and directing a number of indie films in multiple genres.

But now, Worth is bringing his personal collection into the limelight with Martial Art: A Pictorial History of Bruceploitation Posters, a beautiful limited edition book preserving a 40 year collection of original artwork posters.

Want a copy of Martial Art by next February? Visit the project’s Indiegogo page.

(Psst! From what we hear, Worth is ALSO working on some other Bruceploitation projects that are guaranteed to knock your yellow Asics off! Let’s just say he’s been hanging out – in person – with a lot of Bruce’s ‘n a bunch of Ho’s… )

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! Flying Swords of Dragon Gate | Blu-ray | Only $9.99 – Expires soon!

Flying Swords of Dragon Gate | Blu-ray (Indomina)

Flying Swords of Dragon Gate | Blu-ray (Indomina)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (read our review), starring martial arts superstar Jet Li, and directed by legendary Hong Kong filmmaker, Tsui Hark (The Taking of Tiger Mountain).

The tale continues at the infamous Dragon Inn three years after it was left in ruins. A new gang has taken control of the inn as they secretly search for the nearby lost city of gold. Threatening to expose their search is the arrival of a beautiful fugitive from the palace accompanied by the swordsman who would die to protect her, and a group of assassins who will stop at nothing to find her.

Order Flying Swords of Dragon Gate from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Dragon Chronicles, The: The Maidens of Heavenly Mountain (1994) Review

"The Dragon Chronicles" DVD Cover

“The Dragon Chronicles” DVD Cover

Director: Andy Chin
Producer: Jimmy Heung
Cast: Brigitte Lin, Gong Li, Sharla Cheung, Frankie Lam, Norman Chu, Ku Tin-yi, Liu Kai-chi
Running Time: 97 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Convoluted plots, a dizzying cast of characters, and breakneck pacing are all some of the defining characteristics of many a wuxia movie. From the Chor Yuen directed Gu Long adaptations during the 70’s Shaw Brothers heyday, through to the wire-filled extravaganzas of the early 90’s new wave, as a viewer unacquainted with the source material (if indeed there was any) such productions where often a test of mental agility for western audiences. Despite all of these factors though, I have a soft spot for wuxia flicks. They have an undefinable coolness to them, whether it be watching a poncho adorned Ti Lung slicing through opponents with a twirling blade, or Jet Li fending off multiple projectile swords whilst gliding through the air, there’s a poetic quality that transcends the boundaries of the standard kung fu flick.

Most importantly of all though, no matter how complex the plot gets, generally I find myself able to follow along enough to know what’s going down. Rival clans, dominance of the martial arts world, mystical weapons, and forbidden love – stick them all in a blender, and even if the portions are different every time, you’ll end up with some semblance of what to expect from a wuxia flick. Which brings me to The Dragon Chronicles: The Maidens of Heavenly Mountain. I provided this background partly as a pre-emptive excuse, partly as a cry for help, as in my 20 years of watching these movies, this 1994 slice of wuxia madness is the first time I honestly found myself having no clue as to what on earth was going on.

Less than 5 minutes in I was at a loss, and 85 minutes later things hadn’t improved. From an incomprehensibly complicated spiel that kicks things off via voice over, through to the moment the end credits appeared onscreen, the last time I felt this confused involved downing a few beers before entering an escape room. I suspect most of the blame lays with Charcoal Tan – not the name of the latest shade of fake tan – but the man behind the script, which I use in the loosest possible way. TDC:TMOHM (as I’ll refer to it from here on in) is based on the famous wuxia novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils by Jin Yong. You’ve probably guessed already, but to enjoy TDC:TMOHM as a coherent experience makes pre-reading the novel a must, preferably several times over followed by the CliffsNotes companion piece.

The novel has been adapted into a TV series more times than you can shake a stick at (including one being screened at the time of writing), however squeezing such a sprawling storyline into a single 90 minute movie is a daunting task. In 1982 director Siu Sang attempted to do so under the same title, which notably shares a cast member of TDC:TMOHM in the form of Norman Chu, which has long since disappeared into the annals of wuxia history. It would take 12 years for another director to step up to the table, and that director came in the form of Andy Chin Wing-Keung. Almost all of Chin’s unremarkable directorial efforts fall in the 10 years spanning 1989 to 1998, with 1994 being his most prolific year. Apart from sitting in the director’s chair for TDC:TMOHM, he’d also helm the long forgotten Hong Kong flicks Victory, Crazy Women, How Deep Is Your Love, and Why Wild Girls.

After 1998’s The Lord of Hangzhou he’d drop off the map, randomly popping up 10 years later to co-direct the Donnie Yen fantasy remake of Painted Skin, before fading into obscurity again. Out of all the titles in his filmography though, it’s TDC:TMOHM that provided Chin with his most impressive cast, offering up a trio of leading ladies that would make any Hong Kong director of the era green with envy. Taiwanese starlet Brigitte Lin would round off her bevvy of early 90’s wuxia appearances here, clocking in what would become her final appearance in front of the camera. She’s joined by Gong Li, here just a year after her critically acclaimed turn in Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine, and the trio is rounded off with Sharla Cheung Man, who is probably the only actress who can claim to feature in more new wave wuxia movies than Lin, even if she wasn’t always playing the star.

Having these three actresses share the screen together in a genre such as this is largely what makes TDC:TMOHM remain watchable, even during its most head scratching moments, and there’s many. At one point a guy is brought out on a tray whose body has been cut off from the shoulders down, and is being kept alive by Lin’s evil mystical powers purely to suffer through a life of misery. Imagine a wuxia version of Basket Case, and you won’t be far off. While 1994 heralded Lin’s last year onscreen, it’s easy to imagine she never changed out of her wuxia wardrobe for the entire year. In addition to TDC:TMOHM, she also appeared in Three Swordsmen, Ashes of Time, Fire Dragon, and Deadful Melody. I was going to say she must have been so busy her feet didn’t touch the ground, then realised that considering the amount of wire-work that went into these new wave wuxia flicks, actually that statement is probably true.

Lin plays dual roles, one of an evil twin and one of a good twin, albeit the good twin barely makes an appearance due to being comatose. At this point, let me an issue a warning, that yes I’m going to attempt some sort of synopsis. With Lin playing two of the pivotal three maidens, the other role goes to Gong Li, who from what I could tell was in love with the good twin. All of them are keen to gain the trust of a martial arts master whose been fatally poisoned, but refuses to kick the bucket until his killer is exposed, and he can transfer his power to someone worthy of receiving it. That person isn’t Norman Chu, who plays the power hungry leader of an evil sect, however it could be a naive Shaolin monk (Frankie Lam) that finds himself befriended by Sharla Cheung Man. She’s a part of the evil clan, but seemingly has a good heart, and somehow in the end the monk, the maidens, and Cheung Man team up to defeat Norman Chu.

I won’t spend any more time detailing the plot, as honestly, the above description could be entirely wrong. If anyone needs to clarify any details, the good news is that Charcoal Tan is still around, having most recently contributed to the scripts for the likes of League of Gods and Legend of the Naga Pearls. There’s a certain Zu: Warriors of Magic Mountain vibe to TDC:TMOHM, from the other worldly mountain setting to the presence of Brigitte Lin and Norman Chu. Like Tsui Hark’s classic, there’s also an abundance of animated effects involving laser beam shooting and colourful twirls of energy. Indeed Zu: Warriors from Magic Mountain may have been made over 10 years earlier, but the effects on display make TDC:TMOHM appear like a product of the same era.

The abundance of energy blasts, and techniques such as the Melting Stance (self-explanatory) and Shifting Stance (the ability to teleport like a ninja in a Godfrey Ho movie), are likely there due to our three leading ladies lack of martial arts training. The action is orchestrated by Poon Kin-Kwan, who frequently co-action directed with Benz Kong To-Hoi, but here marks one of the few times he’d strike out on his own (other instances include Black Cat II and Out of the Dark). It’s unremarkable stuff for those expecting the intricate wire-work infused with acrobatics and martials arts that the likes of Tony Ching Siu-Tung would come to perfect, but remains serviceable. There’s not many flicks where you can watch Gong Li and Brigitte Lin chasing each other through the air while firing off laser beams, so for that visual alone I can’t be too hard on Kin-Kwan. It kind of felt like a more beautiful version of a TIE fighter versus an X-wing battle.

Despite the simple pleasure of seeing three of Hong Kong cinemas most iconic actresses sharing the screen together, there can be no denying that TDC:TMOHM is more than anything, an unfathomable mess. Compared to the wistful glances that both Brigitte Lin and Gong Li frequently indulge in, Cheung Man’s wacky character appears to have walked straight off the set of a Stephen Chow movie (which may have been the case, she featured in Hail the Judge the same year), and any semblance of a coherent plot is nowhere to be found. TDC:TMOHM feels like it should have been spread across at least two movies, although maybe the failure to continue the previous years Kung Fu Cult Master made producers reluctant to take the risk. Whatever the case, if you’ve seen every other new wave wuxia flick out there, TDC:TMOHM may still be worth your time, just leave your brain at the door, it’s safer that way.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 4/10

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