Comparing martial arts films of the 1970s to the action blockbusters of 2009/10

Red Cliff, Ip Man and True Legend are already iconic of the early 21st century “martial arts films”-although many can argue they are more action spectacle than true “kung fu” films. The 1970s, on the other hand, didn’t rely on eye-candy effects and were defined more by the true grit of its martial arts actors: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, the Five Venoms, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Jimmy Wong, and other real fighters trained in genuine kung fu, karate and other arts.

Martial Arts Becomes Mainstream But Evolves Into Spectacle

Cult classics such as Enter the Dragon helped change Hollywood. Its growing popularity forced filmmakers to adopt martial arts into the formula of the “action flick.” Through the eighties and nineties, spectacle thrillers were expected to deliver “the fight moves”, even if it was only a few basic moves supported by some stuntmen and wires. Action movies became spectacles that required equal blends of story, drama, pace, “kung fu”, special effects and improbable plot twists.

In the 21st century, this became less “equal” with films relying first on special effects, then improbably plot twists (surprise is important, right?), followed by pace, martial arts skills, drama and-last and possibly least today-story. This trend extended even to the hot movies of the last few years, including Kung Fu Panda, Forbidden Kingdom, G.I. Joe and even the Transformers.

Asian Film Industry Threatens to Out-Spectacle Hollywood

With the full support and weight of China’s cultural industries, Asian film has blossomed into mainstream spectacles in high demand, led by CGI treats such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers and other instant classics. Arguably, Asian film long ago surpassed Hollywood for imagination, with the western producers buying rights to several hugely successful Asian films. With the largest population demographic in the world, there can be no doubt that Chinese films are set to dominate the film industry in years to come.

Red Cliff and Ip Man are perhaps the best known of these new hit-classics, but the rumor mills and fansites are buzzing with all the latest “coming soon” gossip. The big buz movies in 2010 is True Legend (Su Qi Er), starring Zhao Wen-Zho as the historical Begger Su, the originator of drunken kung fu. Donnie Yen returns in both part 2 of the Ip Man saga and in the much anticipated 14 Blades. Chow Yun-Fat breaks the mold and surprises everyone in his role as Confucius.

Both Hollywood and Asia Rely on CGI and Special Effects

The growing spectacle and importance of the “action film” is both enjoyable to the escapist and annoying for the aficionado of the true martial arts. While the actors in many of the films-in particular Asian films-are genuine martial artists (for example, Donnie Yen, Jet Li and Chow Yun-Fat)-the over-dependence on CGI and elaborate choreography turns the adventure into comic book. With notable exceptions, such as Ip Man and Tony Jaa in Ong Bak (and to a lesser extent Ong Bak 2 and 3), most action films rely on the “wow” factor of dazzling camera angles and computer-aided “enhancements.”

Ninja Assassin and the Cross-Over

There are, to be sure, cross-over films such as Ninja Assassin, where actor Rain trained 14 hours a day for months to perfect real martial arts moves (albeit only a handful of repeated moves), blended together with rather Matrix-like special effects. To some, the beauty of the realistic CGI takes away from the pleasure of watching well-choreographed real martial arts.

Ong Bak, on the other hand, led by genuine martial arts expert Tony Jaa, got by on solid martial arts and good choreography. No stuntmen, thank you. Tony Jaa was hailed as the “next Bruce Lee” for this reason, with much buzz and excitement in the martial arts community, and martial arts film fansites.

There’s No Escaping Escapism

Action films are, by design, escapist entertainment. They have become somewhat comic-book (pardon me, graphic novel), but that’s what most audiences do want. We want to forget reality.

Kill Bill and Kill Bill 2 probably came closest to the ideal mix for both the escapist fan and the martial arts practitioner-fan. While it wasn’t “real” by any means, and contained a brilliant and zesty blend of satire, comic-book, spoof, and choreography, it never-the-less nostalgically hearkened back to the wondrous days of Enter the Dragon and the classic Japanese Samarai films of the 70s.

Japanese Film Stays True to Martial Arts Traditions?

Perhaps the film industry most aligned with the older traditions of martial arts film making is Japan. Zatoichi, the Blind Swordsman, was a low-budget film, that became an instant cult classic. Zatoichi took movie audiences back to the classic real-sword skills of the old Samarai films of the earlier decades, and spawned video games and an entire industry.

Less is More? Where is the Real Martial Arts Skill?

Genuine martial arts actors still abound-led by superstars such as Donnie Yen and Jet Li-and most Chinese martial arts actors are proficient. In Hollywood, the film-makers opt for four-move choreography (two kicks, a block and a punch), multiple camera angles (particularly close ups when the skills of the martial artist are not genuine), pounding music, FX, and stuntmen. With the old hopefuls gone from the Hollywood big screen-Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damme and the other promising real martial artists-there’s now a world of difference between Asian film actors-who work in frigid cold, fourteen hours a day in often primitive conditions, hammering out genuinely complex martial arts moves for relatively paltry paychecks-and Hollywood films that now rely on computer and actor stand-ins.

Batman Now Does Kung Fu

Batman now does kung fu, and so does G.I. Joe, and even Hellboy. They’re fun, but the martial artist fan misses the great luminaries of martial arts films who built their careers on the “real thing”: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, David Chiang, Sonny Chiba, Chen Kuan-tai, Tomisaburo Wkayama, Jimmy Wong Yu, Ti Lung and the Liu brothers.

There is a growing list of Pierce Brosnan movies. The Irish actor is famous for playing the role of James Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002.

Pierce Brosnan has appeared in nearly 50 movies including eight television films. His early roles include The Long Good Friday (1980) and the television flick Murphy’s Stroke (1980).

Here is a list of the most admired Pierce Brosnan Movies:

• The Fourth Protocol (1987)
• Mister Johnson (1990)
• Mrs Doubtfire (1993)
• The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)
• Mars Attacks! (1996)
• The Nephew (1998)
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
• The Tailor of Panama (2001)
• Evelyn (2002)
• After the Sunset (2004)
• The Matador (2005)
• Seraphim Falls (2006)
• Shattered (2007)
• Married Life (2007)
• Mamma Mia! (2008)
• The Greatest (2009)
• The Ghost Writer (2010)
• Remember Me (2010)

Now let’s have at look at the most popular Pierce Brosnan movies:

The Ghost Writer (2010)

In this political thriller starring Ewan McGregor, Kim Cattrall and Olivia Williams, Pierce Brosnan is Adam Lang, a previous British prime minister. Lang hires a ghost writer (McGregor) to complete his life story after the first writer had died of accidental causes. The new ghost writer’s life is soon under threat when he discovers secret information on Lang that is supposedly concealed in the manuscript left from his predecessor.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

This popular musical comedy starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried is one of the highest grossing musicals movies of all time. The film uses tunes from the famous Swedish pop group ABBA, and is the tale of bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan (Seyfried) attempting to see her true father. Pierce Brosnan is Sam Carmichael, a New York architect, and one of three men to be sent an invitation to Sheridan’s wedding.

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

In this remake of the 1968 film Brosnan stars alongside Rene Russo as Thomas Crown. He is a wealthy executive and steals an expensive painting from a museum in New York. Insurance investigator Catherine Banning (Russo) believes Crown is behind the theft and soon begins a relationship with him.

Mars Attacks! (1996)

This comic science fiction movie is based on a trading card series released in 1962. It features an ensemble cast including Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Natalie Portman, Joe Don Baker, Jack Black, and Christina Applegate. Pierce Brosnan is Professor Donald Kessler who believes the Martians are good creatures and does not understand the reason for their attack.

Mrs Doubtfire (1993)

In this popular comedy film starring Robin Williams and Sally Field, Brosnan plays Stuart Dunmeyer, the new boyfriend to Miranda Hillard (Field). Stuart has a dislike for Miranda’s ex-husband (Williams) and tries to fit in with her family.

Pierce Brosnan became the fourth 007 actor after a six year hiatus in the series. Here is a summary of each of the James Bond Pierce Brosnan movies:

GoldenEye (1995)

One of the most popular Pierce Brosnan movies is GoldenEye. James Bond is on assignment to halt former MI6 agent Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean) who is planning to use a satellite weapon to destroy England’s economy. 007 is ably assisted by Russian systems programmer Natalya Simonova (Izabella Scorupco) and travels to Monaco, Russia, Cuba during the mission.

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Agent 007 is drawn against Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce), a media mogul who is intending to start a catastrophic war between world powers in order to gain global news rights. Bond receives information from Carver’s wife, Paris (Teri Hatcher), and works with Colonel Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) of the Chinese People’s External Security Force in order to infiltrate Carver’s operation.

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

In Brosnan’s third outing as James Bond he is faced with two key adversaries: Renard (Robert Carlyle), a dangerous terrorist planning a nuclear meltdown in the Bosphorus, and Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) who is working with Renard and planning to control oil supplies into the West. 007 works with nuclear physicist Dr Christmas Jones (Denise Richards) to ensure the deadly scheme fails.

Die Another Day (2002)

Agent 007 joins forces with NSA agent Giacinta Johnson (Halle Berry), Jinx, to prevent villain Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens) from achieving his objectives. Graves is assisting North Korea in its aim to control the Korean Peninsula by making use of his diamond powered satellite weapon. Jinx and Bond travel to Cuba, Iceland and North Korea on this action packed mission.

An interesting hobby or activity is observation of a tarantula’s behaviors. Their range of behaviors reflects a multi-faceted personality, which makes the tarantula a favorite for observant pet owners who like to learn about their pets. Tarantulas definitely let you know what their peeves and idiosyncrasies are, and once peeved, they perform a defense tactic that you may not want to be around to see!

Most tarantulas today have very furry bodies and legs. Apart from the normal hairs that cover the body, tarantulas have a dense covering of stinging, slightly venomous hairs commonly referred to as urticating hairs. As we already know, tarantulas are loners and will remain docile and calm unless provoked or backed into a corner. One of their chief defense tactics when threatened is to release or “flick out” these urticating hairs in the direction of the attacker.

Many a creature has succumbed to the might of the underestimated urticating hairs, which can be deadly to most. As mentioned before, the hairs are slightly venomous, and can instantly poison another creature that attacks the tarantula. However, humans are the exception, as the urticating hairs are not known to cause fatal injuries.

Tarantulas are naturally wild creatures, and cannot be tamed. Hence, it is certainly not recommended that owners handle them unnecessarily. Various side effects from urticating hairs coming in contact with human skin have been reported. The most common of these include itching, soreness and swelling in the affected areas. In worst case scenarios, humans can inhale some of the urticating hairs, which can cause blockages to the nasal passages and result in labored breathing. Several tarantula enthusiasts have actually had to give up their hobby due to unexpected allergic reactions.

Thankfully, urticating hairs can also be used for less violent purposes. Most terrestrial tarantulas use these hairs to mark their territory. Once the terrestrial tarantula makes its silken web, they outline the area with urticating hairs to indicate a prohibited zone. Female tarantulas also release these hairs after they have laid their eggs to serve as a protective barrier from predators that might be interested in feasting on the eggs.

Some tarantula species have more irritating urticating hairs than other species. Nevertheless, it would be wise to stay away from activities that could aggravate your pet tarantula and cause it to react defensively by releasing their hairy, venomous weapons. One may want to believe that after the hairs are released, the tarantula no longer has that defense mechanism. However, rest assured that released urticating hairs are soon replaced by new ones once the next molting process is completed.

Interesting, isn’t it?

Adapted to screen from the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, The Notebook is one of the best romantic dramas to hit the big screen in decades. Garnering high marks from a wide-range of critics, The Notebook is a funny and emotional film which deals with love, relationships, and the risks people take. James Garner turns in a notable performance as the elder man, Duke, who reads the pages of his notebook to dying nursing home resident Allie (Gena Rowlands). Overall, this is a classic “chick flick” with a dramatic twist. Set in the World War II era, The Notebook is a great film…

Duke (James Garner) regularly reads from the pages of a notebook to an older woman in a nursing home. Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, her memories of the parts which he’s read in the past appears and disappears without order, but Duke continues to read to her because of their deep and enduring friendship.

The notebook’s story centers around the lives of a teenage boy and girl who meet at a carnival in the late-1930s. At first, Allie Hamilton doesn’t know what to think of Noah Calhoun, but she soon gives into his insistence that they go out on a date. When Noah and Allie fall deeply in love, Allie’s parents try to break up the couple. The Hamiltons are rich, and Noah and his father are from the poor side of town. Nevertheless, Allie and Noah are determined to be together.

When World War II breaks out, Noah is sent into conflict. He writes numerous letters to his love, but they go unanswered because Allie’s parents are hiding the letters as well as her replies to Noah. After several years apart, Allie becomes engaged to successful businessman. But after reading a newspaper article concerning Noah’s restoration of a historic home he once promised her, she decides to go visit him.

Allie’s visit with Noah turns both their worlds upside down when they learn the truth about the letters. Now, Allie must choose between the fiancée she truly loves and the man who is her real true love…

Actor Ryan Gosling is entertaining and likeable in his portrayal of the young and energetic Noah Calhoun. The Notebook as a film is better served by featuring his superb talents. Likewise, up-and-coming actress Rachel McAdams is brilliant in her role as Allie. The emotions of her young romance are clearly conveyed by a natural and instinctive penchant for delivering her lines in just the right way. Call it onscreen charisma or whatever, but McAdams is one to look out for in the future.

In short, The Notebook is as good a film as it is as a book. Few books translate onto the big screen as well as they read in print, so The Notebook is to be heralded for its ability to do so. Charming and easy to like, the film glorifies the romance of a young couple who find true love – a love that lasts forever. Well-produced and featuring some amazing shots of natural locations, The Notebook ranks as a definite must-see film. Do yourself a favor and go see it today…

Selecting a wedding gift can be unnerving, even when the couple has taken the care to register for what they want. You don’t want to get the cheapest thing on their list, but you can’t afford to be extravagant either. Discounted gift cards are the perfect way to overcome the anxiety of selecting just the right gift. Following are three reasons why.

Guilt-Free Entertaining: Newly married couples are usually on a budget because many are still paying for the expense of a wedding. This means things like eating out, going to the movies or splurging on a nice bottle of wine are out of the question. But, it doesn’t have to be.

Discounted gift cards make for guilt-free entertaining. When you give them as a wedding gift, the couple can still enjoy some of their favorite entertainment activities without busting the budget.

You and your honey want to rent the latest flick? There are cheap gift cards for movie rentals (Blockbuster). The two of you feel up to a night of gaming and good food? Then get some cards for games and eating out (eg, Dave & Busters).

But, that’s not all. Discounted gift cards let you keep the honeymoon alive. How?

Keep the Honeymoon Alive: If you receive discount gift cards from American Airlines as a wedding gift, for example, you can jet off for a weekend of sun, fun and romance wherever they fly.

Want to keep the honeymoon alive closer to home in a simpler way? Something as simple as a gift card to Starbucks can treat you and your honey to a long, cozy talk for two over lattes.

Create the Perfect Nest for Two: Just because you’re newly married does not you’re your home should feel like a “starter” home.

Discounted gift cards to home improvement and home décor retailers like Home Depot; Bath and Body Works and JCPenney can turn even the smallest, cramped nest into a lovely, luxurious home for two.

Now do you see why these cards make great wedding gifts? If there’s a wedding in your future, log on to ABC Gift Cards for discounted gift cards from all of the retailers listed here – and many, many more.

Cunnilingus if performed correctly has the potential to give women exceptional orgasms and many women actually prefer Cunnilingus to full intercourse in terms of satisfaction.

To learn the art of cunnilingus takes a little practice and below we have outlined some tips to improve your technique below.

The art of cunnilingus takes some practice but its practice both you and your partner will enjoy!

Oral Techniques

The Initial Lick

As a start, try licking her from vaginal entrance up her clit and following the outer edges of her vagina covering both sides, going up and down and vice versa can be a great way to start your love making and will relax her and get her in the mood.

Holding The Labial

Hold the two parts together gently with your lips, run your tongue between the inner and outer labia one side at a time

and repeat.

Tongue Intercourse

The majority of a woman’s nerve endings in her vagina are around the opening and within the first couple of inches inside.

Hit them with your tongue when perorming Cunnilingus by inserting it into the vaginal opening, then licking gently in circular motions combined with flicks of the tongue.

Flicking

Spread her outer vaginal lips with your fingers. With your tongue pointed, gently lick and flick your tongue across the clitoris and into the vagina.

When doing this make sure go gently and see the response before being harder with your tongue. Most women need to be extremely wet to enjoy this as it is quite an intense feeling for many women.

Sucking

Expose her clitoris by spreading her lips and gently pull back her hood.

Suck the clitoris (be gentle) and then let it go and repeat again.

This can be an incredible turn on and will be very frustrating, warming her up for the other Cunnilingus techniques that are outlined here.

Holding The Clitoris

Take the clitoris in your mouth and suck on it gently, at the same time flick your tongue around it. This can be done very lightly or aggressively or a combination of the two (find out what your women likes first) this is normally intensely arousing when done correctly.

Its as simple as A-B-C

Try using your tongue to spell the alphabet when performing cunnilingus. This is very arousing as your tongue is moving in lots of different directions. You can use any letters you wish, not just ABC! Listen to the ones that give her most pleasure and remember them!

Other points to keep in mind to make cunnilingus pleasureable are

1. Share a shower or bath together before you start to make sure that you are both clean and add gels and lubricants to enhance taste and stimulation if you wish.

2. Ask your partner what she likes. She can give you directions such as harder, slower, faster, more circles etc

3. Fill your own mouth with as much saliva as you can before you begin and never touch or lick the clitoris when performing Cunnilingus with a dry finger or tongue.

4. Don’t go for the clitoris make sure she is warmed up and aroused. Try gentle kissing and licking around the upper thighs and vulva area and work your way up to the clitoris.

5. Use a variety of ways to arouse her. If you repeat the same motion, your partner can become insensitive to it, keep in mind variety with Cunnilingus and keep her expectations up.

6. As she becomes more aroused, insert a finger or two into her vagina as well.

7. Continue to touch and hold her as she orgasms and after and make her feel wanted and loved.

8. The clitoris has more nerve endings than the entire head of the penis, so be very careful not to be to hard with it go gently and remember ask her all the time what she likes and doesn’t.

Cunnilingus can enhance any relationship and most women love it and getting it right is all about communication.

Following the above tips on cunnilingus will help you satisfy your partner and will enhance your relationship.

What is LPG exactly? Many people want to know. Liquid Petroleum Gas is a refined petroleum gas used as a “green” replacement fuel in converted vehicles. It has become increasingly more popular for back yards than the traditional fire pits as well. It is cleaner and burns without leaving harmful residues. It is also cheaper more compact and easy to store and transport from place to place unlike wood. It does not require cutting down massive forests. It is also much quieter than a wood burning fire and does not shoot embers out at people either so it is safer for children to be near. LPG is a fossil fuel so it has a low carbon energy source so it does not generate as much CO2 when its burnt compared to other forms of fuel. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change which is harmful to the environment such as Charcoal. Therefore, it is a much more efficient fuel source. It also requires little to no maintenance and is usually easy to turn and off with the flick of a switch.

There are also many different choices of styles, shapes, and sizes to accommodate anyone’s needs. Some of the things to look for when buying your LPG fire pit is making sure it has a stainless steel burner to prolong the look of your fire pit. Adding sea glass can also add a nice touch and some fire pits comes with it already. Sea glass comes in many different colors and can be purchased on many websites. Having a cover for your fire pit will also keep it looking nice and will reduce how often you will need to clean it. Some of them even double as outdoor patio tables which have a cover that matches the side and others have vinyl covers. They also come in multiple shapes such as square or round and many are made of aluminum that are woven and have the appearance of being made of wood or wicker. They can also come in Mocha Finishes, Antique Bronze. Most of them will come with a 20 lb propane tank and you want to make sure they have a minimum 50,000 BTU output.

All of these reasons can make it a better alternative than wood fire pits as wood fire pits are much harder to light, clean, and stay lit without constantly tending to it. It also has an energy density that is twice as much as wood. Wood has a density of 13 MJ/L (megajoules per liter) whereas LPG is 26 MJ/L. LPG also has a higher hydrocarbon than wood so it burns completely and leaves no residue or smoke. Also don’ forget that we are losing many of our beautiful forests due to being used for building as well as for burning fires and there is no guarantee that these companies that are cutting down all of the forests are harvesting the trees and are following good reforestation practices.

Draw up a will. Yes, that right, sort out your estate. As I see it, with the freedom of travel comes the responsibility because other people shouldn’t have to clean up your mess.

Suppose, for example, you drink too much Mekong whiskey in Thailand, pass out on the trail and get run over by a slow-moving ox-cart. Unlikely perhaps, but kith and kin shouldn’t have to sort out what to do with your CV and DVD collection and the thousand dollars left in your bank account.

Do a search for “template for writing a will” and find one that suits you. Get it witnessed, leave a copy with your executrix and tick the responsibility number one box. The process of divvying up your possessions is a good exercise as you have to think it through and make decisions.

My will states that I want to be buried Muslim style: Wash the body, wrap it in a white sheet and bury it before sundown in an unmarked grave. Consequently I won’t have an epitaph. But if I did it would read “Some loved her; some hated her; everyone had an opinion.”

Write your obituary. Your obituary is your final statement to the world. Do you really want to leave it to someone else to schmaltz up? What do you want people to remember about you?

Like the will, writing your own obituary moves you one step closer to accepting your own mortality. And this is part of the travel experience. Once you have the base obit done you can update it from time to time to reflect your situation.

If you are stuck and want an example, my contact details are in the resource box. Flick me an email and I’ll send you a copy mine. I had such a wonderful time writing it. Very liberating.

Take out a living will. Basically, a living will is making your wishes known so that if you are in a state where you can’t act, someone else will. It might be that you are in a coma or on life-support and unable to speak.

Do you want the medical types to keep you alive no matter what or do you want them to pull the plug? I went for the latter. And I made a pact with a couple of close friends. If I’m in that state they are to inject me with Nembutal or insulin. That way I will just quietly – and painlessly – drift off into the final adventure, which is how I view death.

Leave someone with ‘power of attorney.’ Careful with this one. The designated person has full power to act on your behalf. That includes selling your CDs and DVDs, taking the thousand dollars left in your bank account and hawking your computer.

I once talked with a woman who said she didn’t have anyone in her life that she could trust. Sad, very sad. I have left people with power of attorney in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. And although I’ve only had to use it a couple of times in 30 some years, it is still a good thing to have in place.

Record the reasons you want to travel. For some it will be finding themselves. Nobel in theory, but if you are lost before you leave, chances are you won’t stumble across the “real you’ out there. Others want to opt for adventure tourism. Go for it. And then there are those who are just after pure, unadulterated hedonism they can’t afford in their home counties.

Me? I travel to meet interesting people, explore unusual markets and try different food and drink. Oh, and along the way I help when and where I can. Very simple; very do-able.

The idea of recording your original reasons is to compare them with your evolution and see how much perceptions shifted by the time you return.

Moving on. Once you reach this stage you are ready to hit the road. Think of it as “insurance” and chances are that if you have it you won’t need it. But if you don’t, some else is stuck with cleaning it all up.

Now you are ready to get your passport and yellow fever shot. Happy travels.

The Shaolin Temple’s 72 Secret And Consummate Arts, also known as ‘Kungs’ or Fighting Exercises’, involve extreme training but can produce astonishing results. Pipa Arts (aka ‘Plucking the Guitar Strings’) an Internal Energy Training Exercise which enables one-finger knockouts, is described, together with details of training methods and their intensity, stages and duration.

Introduction

There are actually a lot more than 72 Shaolin Temple Secret Arts. Various authorities have produced different equally authentic lists, although these have much in common. Yang/Yin, Gang/Rou and Internal/External are descriptors used to Classify these Fighting Exercises or ‘Kungs’

‘Kungs’ involve mostly either Soft ‘Yin Rou Energy’ Training, (mainly Internal) or Hard ‘Yang Gang Power’ Training (mainly External) although a few involve both.

Technical Analysis

Pipa Arts (‘Pipa Gong’) is a specific exercise involving strengthening the power of the finger tips and is a Yin Rou Soft Energy Training Exercise which, hard to master, demands dedicated practice from students if progress is to be achieved.

The finger-nails are flicked outwards (individually and collectively) just like when strumming or playing a guitar. The hidden strength of the fingertips is tremendous yet comparatively unknown thus few realise how to draw upon this. A further version of this exercise: ‘Finger-Tip Spring’ which trains the first two fingers only, instead of all four, using the same methods also exists.

Method

Fold all the fingers into your palm. Next, coil each in turn under the thumb and then flick them out sequentially, one-at-a-time, 60-80 times each. When you reach the little finger do twice this number (i.e. 120-160 ‘flicks’) before working up your fingers, back to the index finger again, for the same number of repetitions as before. Finally, flick out all four fingers simultaneously from your palm 300 times. Ideally this practise should be repeated twice-a-day, morning and evening, for three years to obtain proficiency in this art.

An Optional Extra Stage of ‘Pipa Gong’ involves ‘flicking’ a sack containing coarse sand treated with white vinegar and salt instead of the ’empty air’. Moreover, a traditional extension of this incorporates a number of further ingredients into the sack’s contents. These include such esoteric and hard to obtain materials as wild wolves’ teeth and the gall-bladder of a large python. Although substantial strengthening of the fingernails is the outcome of using such ingredients, I believe that adding full details might prove counter-productive.

The above methods applied to the first two fingers only lead to proficiency in ‘Finger-Tip Spring’.

Overall

Mastery of this skill enables individuals to knock someone with the flick of a single finger to an appropriate point, without leaving a single mark or trace on their opponent-any damage inflicted would always be internal. Old-style Masters trained using the esoteric methods and recipes referred to above could be recognised by the deep, dark discoloration of their fingernails whilst their thumbnails were clear and unmarked. It was always highly advisable to be polite to such individuals and not to annoy them tradition wisely insisted.

If watching a great romantic movie together defines good times for the two of you, then this anniversary, catch up on some of the most romantic films ever made. Nothing like a mushy flick to raise the temperatures and let emotions do all the talking!

Here are the 10 most romantic films to watch on a wedding anniversary .

1. Pretty Woman. A 1990 romantic comedy film, Pretty Woman, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, is the stuff of dreams. Down-on-her-luck Hollywood hooker meets rich businessman who is looking for a glamorous escort for his various social and business engagements. When he asks her to stay with him for a week, their relationship changes from a purely business association to a more intimate one. A they-lived-happily-ever-after ending.

2. Moonstruck. This is another romantic comedy starring Cher and Nicholas Cage. It explores the human emotions that get tangled when set equations are toppled. Cher works as an accountant and is engaged to be married to a rather stodgy person whose life is ruled by a manipulative mother, living in Italy. Cher goes to invite her fiancé’s younger brother and the two promptly feel an inexplicable attraction that blows into a full-fledged affair. Before they know it, they are head over heels in love. Cher’s fiancé eventually breaks the engagement, only to have his younger brother gleefully ask Cher to marry him instead. A delightful peek into an Italian family living in New York, Moonstruck is a must-see for incurable romantics.

3. Serendipity. This romantic flick makes you ask yourself: do coincidences really happen? Or are they little miracles, placed in our life path to guide us to our ultimate destiny? John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, who are both in relationships with different people, meet during the frenetic Christmas shopping season in New York. Their mutual attraction is intense. Kate decides to leave their future to fate and ultimately, through several dramatic twists of the plot, seven years later they are united with each other.

4. Ghost. The late Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore star in this romantic fantasy drama in which Patrick, even after death, becomes a ghost and stays close to Moore just to be able to help her and expose the culprits who were behind his premature death.

5. A Walk in the Clouds. Keanu Reeves is returning home from WWII and meets a young Mexican-American girl on a bus who is home from college to attend the grape harvest at her sprawling family home in Napa Valley. The young girl shares her predicament with him – she is unmarried and pregnant – and Reeves offers to pose as her husband before her rather conservative father and family. The two feel attracted to each other, but Reeves has to first settle matters with his estranged wife. Ultimately, destiny brings them together.

6. Pearl Harbour. A dramatic adaptation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on the morning of December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbour makes for riveting viewing. It is a triangular love story spanning decades, and has superb war scenes, with many twists and turns in the plot. A bitter-sweet ending. Most definitely to be viewed with your soul mate.

7. Sleepless in Seattle. Inspired by An Affair To Remember, this romantic film stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Hanks plays a Chicago-based architect, who along with his young son, relocates to Chicago after the death of wife due to cancer. The young son, however, is determined to find a companion for his still-grieving father and calls in to a radio talk show. After some interesting hits and misses, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks finally do meet on top of the Empire State Building, a la An Affair To Remember.

8. When Harry Met Sally. Another romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan, this time with Billy Crystal. Harry (Billy) and Sally (Meg) have known each other for years and are good friends. Both meet on and off, share their current relationship issues and apparently have one great friendship going. They don’t want to get physically involved with each other because they firmly believe that having sex spoils a perfectly good friendship. But the inevitable does happen one night and things alter forever between them.

9. Notting Hill. Hugh Grant plays a simple book shop owner whose life changes forever when he meets Julia Roberts, the glamorous movie star in this British romantic comedy set in Notting Hill. That the impossible can happen is what the movie shows when the two ultimately marry in a fairy-tale ending.

10. You’ve Got Mail. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan come together again in this romantic film that is a tribute to the internet age in which we live. Both run bookstores, but Hanks’ is a far bigger chain of bookstores. Unaware of each other’s real identities, they become friends via email, using fictitious IDs. Eventually, the two meet as their real selves and fall in love.

Happy viewing!