Washington — The U.S. Treasury department on Friday sanctioned Singaporean Yin Kechen and cybersecurity company Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology Co., accusing both of being involved in a series of hacks against American telecom companies. The intrusions, known under the name “Salt Typhoon,” have allegedly exposed a huge swathe of Americans’ call logs to Chinese spies…
Reasons produced images that has provided more information on exocomet populations than ever before.
Astrophysicists led by a team from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) have imaged a large number of exocomet belts around nearby stars, observing where ice reservoirs of planetary systems are located.
Crystal-clear images from the team’s project titled Reasons (REsolved ALMA and SMA Observations of Nearby Stars), shows millimetre-sized pebbles from within the belts, emitting light, revealing to scientists the location of exocometary belts which are typically tens of hundreds of au (the distance from Earth to the Sun) from their central star.
The team sampled 74 exoplanetary systems, making Reasons the largest sampling of exocometary belts. In these regions, temperatures range from minus 250 to minus 150 degrees Celsius, freezing most compounds, including water.
Using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA), an array of 66 radio telescopes in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile and the Submillimetre Array (SMA), a similar eight-element array in Hawaii – both of which observe electromagnetic radiation at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths – the study captured images that have provided researchers with more information on populations of exocomets than ever before, the team said.
“Exocomets are boulders of rock and ice, at least 1km in size, which smash together within these belts to produce the pebbles that we observe here with the ALMA and SMA arrays of telescopes. Exocometary belts are found in at least 20pc of planetary systems, including our own Solar System,” said Luca Matrà, an associate professor in the TCD School of Physics and a senior author of the study that was published today (17 January) in the Astronomy and Astrophysics journal.
While Dr Sebastián Marino, a Royal Society University research fellow at the University of Exeter and a coauthor of this study, added: “The images reveal a remarkable diversity in the structure of belts. Some are narrow rings, as in the canonical picture of a ‘belt’ like our Solar System’s Edgeworth-Kuiper belt. But a larger number of them are wide, and probably better described as ‘disks’ rather than rings.”
Moreover, the study confirmed that the number of pebbles decreases for older planetary systems as the belts run out of larger exocomets smashing together, but also showed for the first time that this decrease in pebbles is faster if the belt is closer to the central star.
Dr David Wilner, a senior astrophysicist at the Centre for Astrophysics and Harvard and Smithsonian said: “The Reasons dataset of belt and planetary system properties will enable studies of the birth and evolution of these belts, as well as follow-up observations across the wavelength range, from JWST to the next generation of Extremely Large Telescopes and ALMA’s upcoming ARKS Large Program to zoom even further onto the details of these belts.”
The Reasons study was supported by funding from a number of organisations including Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, the EU Horizon 2020 research and the Smithsonian Institution.
Recently, Hera, a planetary defence mission for Earth against asteroids launched last October.
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
Reasons produced images that has provided more information on exocomet populations than ever before.
Astrophysicists led by a team from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) have imaged a large number of exocomet belts around nearby stars, observing where ice reservoirs of planetary systems are located.
Crystal-clear images from the team’s project titled Reasons (REsolved ALMA and SMA Observations of Nearby Stars), shows millimetre-sized pebbles from within the belts, emitting light, revealing to scientists the location of exocometary belts which are typically tens of hundreds of au (the distance from Earth to the Sun) from their central star.
The team sampled 74 exoplanetary systems, making Reasons the largest sampling of exocometary belts. In these regions, temperatures range from minus 250 to minus 150 degrees Celsius, freezing most compounds, including water.
Using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA), an array of 66 radio telescopes in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile and the Submillimetre Array (SMA), a similar eight-element array in Hawaii – both of which observe electromagnetic radiation at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths – the study captured images that have provided researchers with more information on populations of exocomets than ever before, the team said.
“Exocomets are boulders of rock and ice, at least 1km in size, which smash together within these belts to produce the pebbles that we observe here with the ALMA and SMA arrays of telescopes. Exocometary belts are found in at least 20pc of planetary systems, including our own Solar System,” said Luca Matrà, an associate professor in the TCD School of Physics and a senior author of the study that was published today (17 January) in the Astronomy and Astrophysics journal.
While Dr Sebastián Marino, a Royal Society University research fellow at the University of Exeter and a coauthor of this study, added: “The images reveal a remarkable diversity in the structure of belts. Some are narrow rings, as in the canonical picture of a ‘belt’ like our Solar System’s Edgeworth-Kuiper belt. But a larger number of them are wide, and probably better described as ‘disks’ rather than rings.”
Moreover, the study confirmed that the number of pebbles decreases for older planetary systems as the belts run out of larger exocomets smashing together, but also showed for the first time that this decrease in pebbles is faster if the belt is closer to the central star.
Dr David Wilner, a senior astrophysicist at the Centre for Astrophysics and Harvard and Smithsonian said: “The Reasons dataset of belt and planetary system properties will enable studies of the birth and evolution of these belts, as well as follow-up observations across the wavelength range, from JWST to the next generation of Extremely Large Telescopes and ALMA’s upcoming ARKS Large Program to zoom even further onto the details of these belts.”
The Reasons study was supported by funding from a number of organisations including Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, the EU Horizon 2020 research and the Smithsonian Institution.
Recently, Hera, a planetary defence mission for Earth against asteroids launched last October.
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
We have lost a master of the arts, and the best David Lynch movies and shows will officially go down in history as some of the greats. David Lynch, the unique creative mind behind such game-changing works as Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, and Twin Peaks, has passed away at the age of 78, leaving the world a more strange and magical place than when he entered it.Lynch’s legacy is one of great love: for the man, and for his work. The outpouring of disbelief and veneration at the news of Lynch’s death has perhaps not been seen since we lost David Bowie almost a decade ago. And even the fact that these two great artists collaborated in their work is a gift that somehow holds a kind of dreamlike weight. Like Bowie, Lynch was a visionary. A one of a kind. A weaver of surreal dreams. A creator of some of the best movies that changed the people who lived within his world and were fortunate enough to be shown a glimpse inside his head. Like Bowie, Lynch is irreplaceable but leaves us with a body of work that is as boldly entertaining and baffling as it is important.It may seem impossible to attempt a ranking of a filmography as exceptional as David Lynch’s, but we wanted to pay homage to his extraordinary contribution to cinema (and TV) and potentially provide any newcomers with a cheat sheet of where they might like to dive in. Lynch made so many five-star masterpieces that the top entries in our ranking are pretty interchangeable based on mood, time of day, and even the weather… but with a collection of films like his, there’s really no bad place to begin.10. Inland Empire(Image credit: 518 Media Absurda)Year: 2006It’s funny to say with a filmmaker like David Lynch that this one is…’weird’, but with perhaps his most experimental feature, the director created something truly surreal. Filmed entirely by Lynch himself using a low-resolution digital camcorder and shot largely on a scene-by-scene basis without a complete screenplay, Inland Empire has proven polarising amongst even the most die-hard fans, but nearly 20 years after its release, many regard it as an underrated gem.Starring Laura Dern as an actress who begins to embody the personality of her character in a supposedly cursed film production, it also features other frequent Lynch collaborators Harry Dean Stanton, Justin Theroux, and Grace Zabriskie, as well as Jeremy Irons, Nastassja Kinski, William H. Macy, Mary Steenburgen, and Terry Crews. Inland Empire will now go down in cinema history as David Lynch’s final feature film.Read our Inland Empire review for more information.Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox9. The Straight Story(Image credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)Year: 1999Walt Disney and David Lynch may not sound like the most natural match, but when the company released The Straight Story in the United States, it did so to great critical success. A biographical story about one man’s 240-mile road trip on a John Deere tractor to visit his estranged brother before he dies, the film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival and Richard Farnsworth received a nomination for the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the real life Alvin Straight.The subject matter may be uncharacteristic in Lynch’s oeuvre, but The Straight Story paints a picture of simple life and Americana with the director’s dreamlike and unsentimental brush. Sissy Spacek also stars as Alvin’s daughter, Rose, and Lynch’s longtime musical collaborator Angelo Badalamenti provides the score. An accessible entry into the master filmmaker’s canon, The Straight Story more than deserves a place amongst his greatest works.8. Lost Highway (Image credit: October Films)Year: 1997David Lynch’s cinematic use of themes and techniques like illogical action, mysterious characters, doppelgangers and their impact on perceived identity, and mind-bending narrative structure is well recognized, and Lost Highway is a glorious example of his exploration of nightmarish storytelling. One of Lynch’s ‘Los Angeles films’ (along with Inland Empire and Mulholland Drive), Lost Highway is a late-90s film noir that follows Bill Pullman’s musician Fred Madison and his wife Renee (Patricia Arquette) as they navigate threatening VHS tapes, murder and false accusations amidst the Hollywood Hills.The soundtrack was produced by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and features music from artists like David Bowie, Rammstein and The Smashing Pumpkins, as well as an original score by Barry Adamson and Angelo Badalamenti. Although the film received a mixed reception from critics upon release, it has garnered a cult following in the subsequent decades and is now seen to sit amongst the quintessential Lynch pictures.Check out our Lost Highway review for more details.7. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Image credit: New Line Cinema)Year: 1992Following the rabid success of Twin Peaks, which saw early ’90s television fans huddled around the water cooler desperately trying to figure out who killed Laura Palmer, the show ended after its second season leaving a huge gap in interesting TV programming, as well as more than a few people still scratching their heads. But David Lynch wasn’t done with the story of Laura and Twin Peaks, and in 1992 he gave us a feature film prequel: Fire Walk With Me.An altogether darker and more heart-breaking piece of work, the film tells the story of Laura Palmer’s last days, bringing back notable cast members from the show, including Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise, Grace Zabriskie, Kyle MacLachlan, Madchen Amick, and Dana Ashbrook, alongside other familiar faces like Davie Bowie and Kiefer Sutherland. Probably best watched in between season 2 of Twin Peaks and 2017’s The Return (more on those to come), Fire Walk With Me can also be enjoyed if you’ve never seen the show, succeeding as a stylish, nightmarish gut-punch of a horror movie about one teenage girl’s descent into tragedy.6. Wild at Heart (Image credit: The Samuel Goldwyn Company)Year: 1990Laura Dern and David Lynch’s creative partnership will go down as one of the most prolific and fruitful in cinema history, and teaming up his muse with the electrifying Nicolas Cage for the romantic crime picture Wild at Heart was a genius move. The film follows Cage’s Sailor Ripley and Dern’s Lula Fortune, young lovers on the run from Lula’s mother and the criminals she hires to kill Sailor.Based on the novel of the same name by Barry Gifford, Wild at Heart is a sexy and frenetic ride that won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1990, plus an Independent Spirit Award for its cinematography, and also hosts stellar performances from Willem Dafoe, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, Harry Dean Stanton, and Crispin Glover. Exploring the dark side of America through a passionate love affair and tributes to iconic pop culture fare like The Wizard of Oz and Elvis Presley, Wild at Heart helped to establish Lynch as one of the most exciting and innovative filmmakers of his generation.5. The Elephant Man (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)Year: 1980One of David Lynch’s most appreciated works in terms of audience acclaim and awards recognition, The Elephant Man is a biographical work loosely based on the life of John Merrick, a man with a severe physical affliction in 19th Century London, played by the incredible John Hurt. Lynch’s exploration of human dignity is a deeply empathetic work, seeing Merrick go from side-show curiosity to the beloved and respected friend of Anthony Hopkins’ Dr Frederick Treves, and the black and white film looks stunning while it does it.The Elephant Man received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Hurt), Art Direction, Costume Design, Editing, Music, and Adapted Screenplay, and although it didn’t win any, the film did inspire the Academy to introduce the Best Makeup category the following year after industry outcry about its being overlooked. The Elephant Man is one of Lynch’s more accessible and mainstream films, garnering both critical and commercial success without sacrificing any of the director’s characteristic vision.Next, read our list of the best Oscar-winning movies.4. Mulholland Drive(Image credit: Universal Pictures)Year: 2001A love story in the city of dreams, Mulholland Dr. was David Lynch’s ninth feature, and the fact that he was still producing this level of masterpiece at that stage in his career is nothing less than remarkable. The film stars Naomi Watts as an aspiring actress who arrives in LA and befriends a woman suffering from amnesia (Laura Harring) following a car crash, and it develops into a brain-spinning neo-noir work of dreams, alternative realities, Hollywood satire, romance and symbolism that has inspired nearly 25 years of furious interpretation.Amongst is various accolades, Mulholland Drive earned Lynch the Best Director award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and an Oscar nomination to boot, along with wins for Watts as Best Actress and the movie’s cinematography at a number of ceremonies, was ranked as the eighth greatest film ever made in the BFI’s 2022 Sight & Sound poll, and voted the greatest film of the 21st century by BBC Culture in 2016. A beautifully immersive work of art that rewards repeat viewings, Mulholland Drive will take you down the rabbit hole in a dark fairytale imagining of Los Angeles and linger in your brain long after the credits roll.For more on one of the best thriller movies ever made, read our Mulholland Drive review.3. Eraserhead(Image credit: Libra Films)Year: 1977Lynch’s first feature catapulted him into movie-making with a surreal assault to the senses full of droning soundscapes, expressionistic lighting, bizarre humor, dreamy musical numbers, icky sexual symbolism, stomach-churning body horror, and [checks notes] radiator ladies. The wonderful Jack Nance plays Henry, a new father just about holding things together amidst his grim industrial environment while being assailed by the unending cries of his poor mutant baby.This being a very arty independent film, it initially opened to modest interest from audiences but is now considered one of Lynch’s best and is perhaps one of the strongest directorial debuts ever made. In 2004, Eraserhead was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation as a work of cultural, historical or aesthetic significance, and has gained a cult following from long runs being screened around the world as a ‘Midnight Movie’. With such a bold and brilliant inaugural picture, Lynch announced himself to the world as the singular visionary we all came to know and love.2. Blue Velvet(Image credit: De Laurentiis Entertainment Group)Year: 1986Perhaps David Lynch’s most well-known film, Blue Velvet, took some of the surrealist elements of Eraserhead and mixed them with a pulpy murder mystery, throwing in great dollops of romance and psychosexual horror to create a timeless showcase of the great man’s talents as a writer/director. Kyle MacLachlan, another stalwart of Lynch’s work, plays Jeffrey Beaumont, a college student who returns to his small-town American home and becomes embroiled in a sordid criminal conspiracy and a love affair with a troubled lounge singer, played by the spectacular Isabella Rossellini. Laura Dern is superb once again as Jeffrey’s friend and paramour, Sandy and Dennis Hopper is simply terrifying as Frank Booth, the masochistic, gas-huffing psychopath at the center of the action.Angelo Badalamenti is back on duty for the film’s hypnotic jazz-tinged score, and the film’s soundtrack – featuring, of course, Bobby Vinton’s song of the same name – appeared on Entertainment Weekly’s ranking of the 100 Greatest Film Soundtracks. Blue Velvet is a perfect slice of Lynch, spotlighting many of his essential themes and traits. A stone-cold masterpiece that may be his best film.Read our five-star Blue Velvet review for more information on this classic.1. Twin Peaks(Image credit: ABC)Year: 1990 – 2017In 1990, David Lynch changed the face of television forever and, even amongst a filmography as special as his, it’s Twin Peaks that must be marked as his greatest accomplishment. Between the first two seasons and the show’s triumphant return in 2017 with… The Return, Twin Peaks wove the tale of the titular Pacific Northwestern town and its residents, particularly Laura Palmer, the teenage girl whose dead body is found wrapped in plastic in the first episode, rocking the close-knit community and sparking an FBI investigation and a tumbling of uncovered secrets.With their mix of murder mystery, surrealism, comedy, horror, and soap opera, Lynch and his co-creator Mark Frost launched a phenomenon, and although the second season was somewhat troubled and less well received, Twin Peaks is now widely regarded as one of the best TV shows ever made. If you really want to immerse yourself in the world of Lynch, pour yourself a cup of damn fine coffee, grab a slice of cherry pie, and settle in for 48 episodes of genius.
It might be dry January, with ‘blue Monday’ approaching, but thousands of Amsterdammers are this weekend celebrating HotelNacht.In the 11th round of a promotional weekend offering discounted tickets to the capital city’s most luxurious hotels, refined eating and drinking experiences and wacky workshops, this weekend is for Amsterdammers to have an affordable “hotel night” in their own city.For just €99 a head, Amsterdam residents can enjoy a night at hotels from the Krasnapolsky, Pulitzer and Okura to the new Maritim Hotel in Amsterdam north. The ticket also gives access for various parties and events including a pool party and Rembrandt tours.Vincent van Dijk, a man who spent a year staying in hotels and decided to found the initiative 13 years ago in order to bring locals closer to tourists, said it’s a much-needed chance for jollity in dark days – but also points out to local people the facilities that only exist because of the tourism industry.“The tickets are almost sold out, all of the events are nearly full, so everyone wants a party,” he said. “If you look at the world with all of the threats and wars, people are really taking the chance to do something fun.”But there’s a bigger message about an industry that not only provides essential local tax revenue but supports Amsterdam’s wealth of going-out possibilities, from bars and clubs to museums and festivals.“Amsterdammers only know tourists from around the Dam and the tourist parts of town but you don’t really see the real tourists,” he said. “But if you’re in a hotel yourself and you suddenly people like you and I, who are just enjoying the city, you get a very different impression of the tourist industry and that’s a very good thing.”HotelNacht workshop at the Rembrandt MuseumThis year, to celebrate Amsterdam’s 750th birthday, hotels have been invited to come up with creative ideas and the programme includes sake tasting, a karaoke session, burlesque dinner show, salsa night and silent disco and pool party at the Hotel Jakarta.Last year, Amsterdam had an estimated 22 million tourists according to city statistics service and this year, tourist taxes are expected to raise €265.7 million, plus lucrative revenues from visitor parking – at least 3% of the city’s direct total revenue. In 2023, there were almost 75,000 jobs in the tourism sector.At the same time, however, especially Amsterdammers in the centre complain that “overtourism” noise, crowding, nuisance and litter threatens liveability, and Amsterdam municipality is trying a number of measures to contain it.“It’s about finding a balance,” says Van Dijk. “Hotels now also offer a lot to the locals and realise they also need to appeal to them. Guests will hardly hang around in a bar that isn’t a hotspot, hotels organise more events and the relationship is a lot better. Everyone is talking about dry January… but during HotelNacht you’re allowed to play your ‘get out of jail card’ if you want!”HotelNacht runs on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 2025
There is nothing quite like a good action movie. When you go to the movies, what else would you want to see on the big screen other than big explosions? But while there’s a thousand action classics you might be able to name off the top of your head, some action movies fly way under the radar. Way under. It’s about time we induct some underappreciated ones into the canon. While there’s no dispute over the likes of Die Hard, Speed, and The Matrix, there’s still plenty more action movies that don’t get nearly the same amount of appreciation. Whether it was because they bombed at the box office or simply fizzled out in the wider imagination, some action movies remain relics yet to be “discovered.” Even if the movie has all the ingredients to be a massive hit.From overlooked Hollywood tentpoles that bombed to indie features from places like Hong Kong and Japan, these are 32 underrated action movies all genre die-hards need to check out32. The Last Boy Scout (1991)(Image credit: Warner Bros.)While both director Tony Scott and screenwriter Shane Black have disowned their 1991 action-comedy The Last Boy Scout due to meddling by producer Joel Silver, it hasn’t stopped the movie from cultivating a serious devout following. Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans co-star as a mismatched duo – one a down-and-out P.I. (Willis), the other a washed-up football star embroiled in publicity scandals (Wayans) – who team up to uncover a conspiracy that involves both of their worlds. Featuring all the trademarks of a Shane Black script (snappy dialogue, witty side characters) and Tony Scott’s explosive direction, The Last Boy Scout deserves greater recognition.31. Heroes Shed No Tears (1984)(Image credit: Seasonal Film Corporation)After spending most of the 1970s directing kung fu flicks and comedies, John Woo was feeling burnt out by the 1980s. To break away from his contract with Golden Harvest, Woo hurried into production of Heroes Shed No Tears, a somber action drama from a script that Woo deemed “simple” enough to work with a multilingual cast and crew. Indeed, the story is simple: The movie follows a group of mercenaries who try to extract a drug lord hiding in the Vietnam/Laos border. While Woo was mostly checked out of production – with scenes of graphic sex that Woo did not film himself – Heroes Shed No Tears satisfies anyone’s craving for muscular action, a non-stop barrage of bullets that foreshadows Woo’s future era-defining masterpieces.30. The Man with the Iron Fists (2012)(Image credit: Universal Pictures)The kung fu genre left a lasting impression on a generation of New Yorkers, most of all a group of budding rappers later known as the Wu-Tang Clan. The Man with the Iron Fists is the brainchild of Wu-Tang founder RZA, who stars in this big budget homage to ’70s and ’80s wuxia. RZA plays the titular Man with the Iron Fists, a renowned blacksmith in 19th century China who supplies weapons to warring clans vying for control. Eventually, diverse warriors must work together to save their home. Alongside RZA are A-listers like Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, and a pre-Guardians of the Galaxy Dave Bautista. 29. Red Heat (1988)(Image credit: TriStar Pictures)Walter Hill satirizes Cold War era tensions with his buddy action comedy Red Heat, an underrated gem for both Hill and star Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger plays a beefy Russian police officer who teams up with a stiff Chicago cop (Jim Belushi) to track down a drug lord. Not only is Red Heat one of the rare movies where Schwarzenegger’s foreign accent actually fits his character, but his pairing with Belushi makes the movie pure popcorn fun. Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox28. Knights of the Zodiac (2023)(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)Wildly overlooked from 2023 is Tomasz Bagiński’s Knights of the Zodiac, a live-action adaptation of the hit anime phenomenon Saint Seiya. While Knights of the Zodiac disappointed many of the anime’s most dedicated fans, it is actually a pretty solid fantasy action movie with a remarkably star-studded cast. Mackenyu, the son of legendary Japanese film star Sonny Chiba, stars as Seiya, a tough street fighter who is tasked with protecting Sienna (Madison Iseman), the reincarnation of the goddess Athena. Feeling like an episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers with a bigger budget and cast – including Sean Bean, Famke Janssen, and Mark Dacascos – Knights of the Zodiac packs a stronger punch than its low-rent looks let on.27. American Assassin (2017)(Image credit: CBS Films)Dylan O’Brien graduates from teen TV heartthrob to legit action hero in American Assassin, based on Vince Flynn’s spy book series. O’Brien plays Mitch Rapp, a young CIA recruit who helps a veteran of the Cold War (Michael Keaton) prevent the detonation of a nuclear weapon. American Assassin is good old-fashioned ’80s- and ’90s-style entertainment, played straight and without a hint of irony, which is sure to please anyone who yearns for the kind of bygone action movie they just don’t make anymore.26. Man on Fire (2004)(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)Based on A.J. Quinnell’s 1980 novel and the second movie version (French filmmaker Élie Chouraqui helmed a version of Man on Fire in 1987), Tony Scott’s Man on Fire cranks up the dial with a larger-than-life Denzel Washington tasked with protecting and then recurring a young girl (played by Dakota Fanning). While Man on Fire didn’t exactly light up critics, it ignited the box office to gross over $130 million worldwide. Today, Man on Fire endures as the kind of studio action movie that felt dime-a-dozen during its era only to age like fine wine.25. Dragon Tiger Gate (2006)(Image credit: The Weinstein Company)Sure, it’s downright hilarious that a 40-something Donnie Yen plays a teenager. But Dragon Tiger Gate is a banger of a kung fu flick, a movie that marries gravity-defying martial arts action with comic book compositions. Directed by Wilson Yip, Dragon Tiger Gate chronicles three young martial artists – two of them estranged brothers, the other a master of nunchuks – who team up to take down a criminal cult leader and master of a supernatural form of kung fu. Sandwiched between the release of the grounded and dramatic Kill Zone and the international success that was Ip Man, Dragon Tiger Gate goes to 11 on the style dial to feel like a comic book in motion.24. Free Fire (2016)(Image credit: A24)One of the most overlooked movies in A24’s library, Free Fire is a stylish action-comedy where a star-studded ensemble engage in a bloody Mexican standoff. Brie Larson takes center stage of Free Fire, in which a group of criminals and IRA members meet for an arms deal one chilly night in Boston, 1978. When the deal suddenly goes awry, sides are drawn and everyone starts taking cover. Also starring Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, Sam Riley, and more, Free Fire runs wild with its rather basic premise to deliver thrills with kills. If nothing else, the movie’s ’70s wardrobes are to die for, and there’s a John Denver needledrop that will have you laughing your head off.23. Mayhem (2017)(Image credit: RLJ Entertainment)It’s The Purge meets 9-to-5 in Mayhem, where coworkers turn on each other after a strange virus compels everyone to act out on their most dangerous impulses. The Walking Dead’s Steven Yuen plays Derek, a freshly fired lawyer whose office building is suddenly quarantined amid the outbreak of the airborne virus. Teaming up with a desperate client (Samara Weaving), Derek fights his way to the top floor to settle things with his bosses once and for all. Joe Lynch’s Mayhem is a bloody good time, a workplace satire soaked in scarlet that invites anyone frustrated with their jobs to live vicariously – and violently.22. Shoot ‘Em Up (2007)(Image credit: New Line Cinema)A former Black Ops soldier (Clive Owen) with a considerable set of skills must protect a baby from assassins – led by Paul Giamatti – with the help of a prostitute (Monica Belluci). This paper-thin premise is all Shoot ‘Em Up needs to deliver some of the most kinetic shootouts in modern movie history. Directed by Michael Davis and inspired by John Woo’s Hard Boiled, Shoot ‘Em Up is intentionally all style and little substance, a sugary treat for action junkies who prefer all the pulp in their fictions. 21. Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021)(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)While this standalone prequel to the G.I. Joe franchise stumbled at the pandemic-stricken box office, Henry Golding proves his leading man mettle alongside a worthy Andrew Koji (as his antihero clan brother, Storm Shadow). Golding steps into the boots of enigmatic action figure ninja Snake Eyes in his rise from anonymous street fighter to skilled ninja master. While Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, directed by Robert Schwentke, buckles beneath its own weight from having too much and doing too little – not to mention a complete waste of Samara Weaving – Snake Eyes entertains when you see it as a modern revival of the disposable ninja flicks that proliferated VHS rental shelves circa late ’80s and ’90s. 20. American Ultra (2015)(Image credit: Lionsgate)”What if Jason Bourne was a stoner?” That’s the basic (and tremendously fun) idea behind American Ultra, from director Nima Nourizadeh. Jesse Eisenberg stars in the movie as Mike, a convenience store clerk and slacker who discovers he’s actually a sleeper agent with lethal skills after he’s reawakened by the CIA. When the government tries to deactivate him, Mike fights for his life to protect his girlfriend (Kristen Stewart). A deadly combination of espionage action, stoner comedy, and young adult romance, American Ultra is a most unique action movie that hilariously trades tactical vests for flannel and skinny jeans.19. Riders of Justice (2020)(Image credit: Magnet Releasing)Intense and darkly funny, Anders Thomas Jensen’s Riders of Justice is an action-packed movie tinged with explorations of grief. In this Danish-language thriller, Mads Mikkelsen plays a soldier who returns home after the death of his wife in a train accident. He’s soon approached by a survivor who informs him that it was no accident, but actually an orchestrated attack carried out by a criminal gang. Mikkelsen finds himself the unlikely mentor of equally unlikely men who seek both justice and vengeance for their losses. While mostly a red-hot revenge tale, Riders of Justice is unsuspectingly hilarious, resulting in a rare cinematic experience.18. Unleashed (2005)(Image credit: Focus Features)In Jet Li’s best dramatic performance, the martial arts star plays Danny, a feral man who serves as a bodyguard-slash-attack dog for a ruthless Scottish gangster, Bart (Bob Hoskins). After Danny breaks free, he’s taken in by a blind piano tuner (Morgan Freeman) and his stepdaughter (Kerry Condon) who care for and nurture Danny until Bart comes back for his “property.” Directed by Louis Letterier and choreographed by industry legend Yuen Woo-ping, Unleashed packs both a punch and a lot of heart, making it one of the precious few action movies where the drama is just as riveting as the fight scenes.17. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)Guy Ritchie applies his unique brand of humor and action in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, an exaggerated account of the real-life Operation Postmaster during World War 2. Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Henry Golding, and Alan Ritchson take part playing a group of elite British soldiers who form the UK’s first special forces group, using espionage and guerilla warfare to sabotage the Nazis. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is no stuffy history lesson, but rather a fist-pumping show with serious swagger.16. Raw Deal (1986)(Image credit: Lionsgate)The 1980s were quite the decade for Arnold Schwarzenegger. After dominating the world of bodybuilding, Arnie found Hollywood success following his two Conan movies and 1984’s The Terminator. In 1986, he further asserted his profile via the action-thriller Raw Deal. The movie sees Schwarzenegger portray a disgraced FBI agent who gets a second chance when he’s tasked with infiltrating a Chicago crime family to locate the killer of his boss’ son. Raw Deal may not be as big or influential as Schwarzenegger’s other movies, but it’s a no-nonsense, butt-kicking, good old fashioned action movie with one of the greatest action stars of all time in his absolute prime. What’s not to like?15. Versus (2000)(Image credit: Arrow Video)It’s yakuza versus zombies in Ryuhei Kitamura’s debut feature Versus, an underground classic. Tak Sakaguchi plays a runaway prisoner who enters a disagreement with his Yakuza handlers. It just so happens that everyone is lost in a haunted forest where the dead walk again, and a mysterious gate offers incredible powers to those who can seize it. With a tiny budget, an ambitious director, and a collection of actors who would go on to become stars in the tokusatsu genre, Versus is a must-see midnight movie feast where katanas slice up zombies like vegetables. 14. The Heroic Trio (1993)(Image credit: Golden Harvest)Who needs The Avengers when you have The Heroic Trio? In Johnnie To’s kung fu superhero extravaganza, Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui, and Maggie Cheung play gifted heroines who team up to thwart an unholy villain who’s been kidnapping babies as part of a sinister plan. With high-kicking leading ladies, kooky (and spooky) villains, and some of the best fight scenes ever executed during the Hong Kong New Wave (courtesy of choreographer Ching Siu-tung), The Heroic Trio proves the best cinematic superheroes aren’t exclusive to Marvel and DC.13. The Condemned (2007)(Image credit: WWE Studios)Oh sure, The Condemned is a blatant rip-off of Battle Royale and The Most Dangerous Game. But do either of those things have “Stone Cold” Steve Austin? Released by WWE Studios in 2007, The Condemned sees former wrestling champion Steve Austin play a death row inmate who is forced to participate in an illegal reality show where some of the world’s most violent convicts are forced to fight to the death on a remote island. While The Condemned is a sloppy movie, including its commentary on the brutality of mass media and humankind’s penchant for bloodlust as entertainment, it’s a neat exhibition of Steve Austin as a cinematic, punch-now-talk-never antihero – a part “Stone Cold” excelled at for years in the ring. 12. The Shadow Strays (2024)(Image credit: Netflix)Timo Tjahjanto does it again. Cementing himself as an authority of Indonesian action cinema, Tjahjanto’s blood-soaked 2024 flick The Shadow Strays slices and dices countless limbs all in the name of justice. Aurora Ribero plays a trained assassin who, while waiting for her next assignment, undertakes her own rescue mission to save the young boy who lives next door. Eventually, this pits her against her own mentors and employers, encouraging her to question what her life is really for. The Shadow Strays may not reach the same heights as Tjahjanto’s more kinetic 2018 film The Night Comes for Us, but The Shadow Strays is no middleweight.11. Triple Threat (2019)(Image credit: Well Go USA)Some of the greatest action heroes of the direct-to-DVD and streaming era collide in the 2019 ensemble Triple Threat. Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, and Tiger Chen play mercenaries who come to the aid of a billionaire heiress (Arrow’s Celina Jade) to protect her against assassins, played by Michael Jai White, Scott Adkins, and UFC champ Michael Bisping. Light on plot but heavy on high-octane action, Triple Threat is a feast for action aficionados and an effective introduction to the era’s best action stars who have yet to become household names.10. Gatchaman (2013)(Image credit: Toho)Go, go… Gatchaman? Preceding both Power Rangers and its Japanese ancestor Super Sentai, the anime series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (known as Battle of the Planets in the U.S.) chronicled the adventures of bird-like superheroes who use cutting-edge technology to save the world. In 2013, Gatchaman soared to the big screen in a live-action reboot film from director Toya Sato. While Gatchaman gets lost in its own sauce with an overly complicated love triangle subplot, the whole thing feels like an overblown Saturday morning cartoon, and we mean that as a compliment. Tell Batman to stand down. The Gatchaman have gatcha-this.9. District 13 (2004)(Image credit: Magnolia Pictures)If action movies fill you with adrenaline that makes you want to get up and run, you’ll want to run – not walk – to District 13. Directed by Pierre Morel and written by The Fifth Element’s Luc Besson, this landmark action movie from France stars David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli as freerunning police officers who team up to take down a crime syndicate in near-future Paris in the year 2010. (Well, near future for its time.) Remembered for its innovative showcase of parkour, which circa 2004 was unheard of by the mainstream, District 13 still stands out among the pack. In 2014, it was remade into the Hollywood movie Brick Mansions, which notably was the last movie completed by Paul Walker prior to his death.8. Hand of Death (1976)(Image credit: Golden Harvest)Prior to his seismic 1986 Hong Kong blockbuster A Better Tomorrow, John Woo made a handful of kung fu wuxia movies that foreshadowed his genius to come. In 1976, Woo collaborated with pre-fame Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung to deliver Hand of Death, a classic kung fu revenge pic. Dorian Tan plays a gifted student of Shaolin kung fu who is tasked with taking down a ruthless warrior (James Tien) who aims to kill all Shaolin practitioners. While Hand of Death is pretty unremarkable compared to the giants of the genre, it’s still satisfying enough to warrant more than a cursory glance, especially with its showcase of future superstars like Chan and Hung just before their meteoric rise. 7. Unstoppable (2010)(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)While on the surface Unstoppable looks like a pale Speed rip-off, it’s a mistake to underestimate the combined talents of Tony Scott (in his final directorial effort), Denzel Washington, and Chris Pine. Released in 2010 and loosely inspired by the real-life CSX 8888 incident in 2001, Unstoppable tells the story of a runaway freight train loaded with toxic and flammable chemicals barreling towards a densely populated area. Washington and Pine co-star as train engineers on a literal race against time to prevent catastrophe. Appropriately relentless, Unstoppable surpasses expectations to be an engrossing experience that only someone like Tony Scott, with decades of Hollywood experience under his belt, could deliver.6. Pathfinder (1987)(Image credit: Norsk Films)Inspired by Sami legend and in fact the first full-length movie with entirely Sami dialogue, Pathfinder follows a young hunter, Aigin (Mikkel Gaup) who survives a harrowing attack by a rival tribe of nomads. While attempting to outrun the enemy, Aigin plots his revenge. Unlike its more exaggerated and ostentatious American remake from 2007, which felt more like a comic book than an ancient fable, the ’87 Pathfinder is grounded and gripping, its heightened sense of realism adding to the movie’s sense of majesty and triumph against the odds.5. Magnificent Warriors (1987)(Image credit: D&B Films)”Michelle Yeoh is Indiana Jones” should be enough to sell anyone on Magnificent Warriors. Directed by David Chung, Magnificent Warriors sees future Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh play a daring pilot who teams with resistance fighters to defend a remote mountain village against Japanese forces during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It would be decades before Yeoh would win an Academy Award, but Magnificent Warriors is a jaw-dropping showcase of Yeoh’s immense talent and charisma, proving that she’s always been worth gold. 4. Hanna (2011)(Image credit: Focus Features)From director Joe Wright, Hanna stars Saoirse Ronan as the title heroine, a cherubic teenager whose delicate appearance obscures her skills as a lethal assassin trained by her father (Eric Bana). Cate Blanchett co-stars as a ruthless senior CIA agent who dispatches agents after the both of them. While tracking the CIA agent across Europe, Hanna stumbles upon startling revelations about her own origins. A haunting fairy tale in the clothing of a Jason Bourne-esque spy thriller, Hanna proves that looks really can be deceiving. 3. Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013)(Image credit: Millennium Films)Actor Scott Adkins and director Isaac Florentine are a match made in DVD heaven. Regular collaborators in the world of low-budget, high-octane action flicks, their creative synergy reached its apex in the 2013 actioner Ninja: Shadow of a Tear, a direct sequel to their 2009 film Ninja. The movie continues the story of American ninja Casey Bowman, who embarks on a bloody path to revenge after his pregnant wife is murdered. Even if ninjas aren’t your thing, let Ninja: Shadow of a Tear tear away all expectations. 2. Road House (1989)(Image credit: United)I don’t know how else to sell you on the 1989 cult classic Road House except: Patrick Swayze rips a dude’s throat out. In this sweaty ’80s gem, Swayze stars as Dalton, a freelance bouncer who is hired to sort out the rough patrons of the Double Deuce bar in Missouri. What Dalton doesn’t know is just how central he is to the town’s corruption, forcing Dalton to use a level of violence he swore off. It may not look like the most exciting action movie ever made, but that’s what makes it special. It packs heat and goes for the jugular.1. Upgrade (2018)(Image credit: BH Tilt)Essentially a darker sci-fi version of Venom, Leigh Whannell’s 2018 thriller Upgrade sees Logan Marshall-Green play an auto mechanic named Grey who is left paralyzed after street criminals assault him and kill his wife. Grey is then chosen to receive a cutting-edge computer chip that allows him to regain control of his legs. But the chip’s scary artificial intelligence has its own intentions, and offers Grey the chance to get his revenge… for a steep price. Exceptionally violent and eerily sharp, Upgrade is truly the next level of action movies.
Lamar Jackson (via: timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr., the electrifying quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, has been a game-changer since joining the NFL. Selected 32nd overall in the 2018 draft, Jackson made an immediate impact, debuting against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 and guiding the Ravens to the playoffs in his rookie season. With an MVP title in 2019 and three Pro Bowl selections under his belt, Jackson’s dynamic play continues to define the Ravens’ success, cementing his legacy as one of the league’s brightest stars.Lamar Jackson’s Net Worth and SalaryRC sets the stakes for Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen 🗣️ ‘CAREER DEFINING & LEGACY MAKING!’ 😤 | Get UpAs of January 2025, estimates of Lamar Jackson’s net worth vary between $40 million and $100.5 million. This discrepancy arises from different methodologies in calculating net worth, with some sources focusing solely on current assets and earnings, while others project future income from contracts and endorsements.In April 2023, Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension with the Baltimore Ravens, including $185 million guaranteed and an annual average salary of $52 million. By November 2024, his career earnings from
UK tourists have been warned over visiting 38 parts of Spain this summer- or risk a £1,700 fine. Vapers have been warned over heading to the European Union holiday hotspot after 18 Balearic Island beaches have brought in smoke-free zones. Last year, smoking was prohibited on all of Barcelona’s beaches following a successful trial in…
UK tourists have been warned over visiting 38 parts of Spain this summer- or risk a £1,700 fine. Vapers have been warned over heading to the European Union holiday hotspot after 18 Balearic Island beaches have brought in smoke-free zones. Last year, smoking was prohibited on all of Barcelona’s beaches following a successful trial in…
It’s fair to say me and my team-mates at the non-league football club Tamworth FC were pretty keyed up as we prepared for our FA Cup third-round match against Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur on January 12. We’re 96 places below them in the football pecking order and we all have day jobs (in my case as a sports psychology lecturer at Nottingham Trent University).
Unusually for us, we met at Drayton Manor Hotel for “pre-match”, where we could eat and relax prior to the game. Usually, especially if it’s a Tuesday night game, it’s a manic rush to eat, prepare and get yourself from work to the game. So under normal circumstances it’s hard to establish a set pre-performance routine to focus on regulating arousal and anxiety levels and build confidence. But as someone who teaches this sort of thing for a living, I’m always telling students how important it is to prepare properly.
On this occasion, though, we were playing one the the most famous sides in England, if not the world, and a team renowned for being successful in cup competitions. So the preparation was particularly important when you’re so highly motivated and trying to control your nerves and excitement.
To the match itself. Spurs played a strong side, including England international James Maddison among others. By all accounts, we matched Tottenham for 90 minutes, holding them to 0-0, and even having chances to nick the tie in the final late on – in which case we which would have etched ourselves into FA Cup folklore.
For extra time, Spurs turned to the cavalry. They brought on club captain Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski – the last thing I personally wanted to see when cramp had started to set in. Spurs’ fitness, and the introduction of those top-quality players, eventually saw them break our resistance. They ended up strolling to a somewhat flattering 3-0 win. It had almost been one of the unlikeliest shocks in modern FA Cup history, but wasn’t quite to be.
Making a match for Spurs
So why were a part time team, who train twice a week, with most players working full-time, able to match international footballers for 90 minutes? Undoubtedly, an important factor was the game being played at Tamworth’s home ground. Much was made of the fact Tottenham’s players, who are used to world class facilities and luxury, had to get changed in portacabin changing rooms.
Tamworth’s fans at their ground, The Lamb, were treated to an exciting match up against Spurs which went to extra time.
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But perhaps the biggest leveller of all was our artificial 3G pitch. Most teams, even at our level, find it difficult to play on if they don’t use one regularly – let alone Spurs’ players, who are used to playing on surfaces like grass carpets akin to a billiards table or bowling green.
Previous research has defined home field advantage as “the consistent finding that home teams in sports competitions win over 50% of the games played under a balanced home and away schedule”. It found that football teams whose home games are played artificial pitches have a distinct advantage.
Then there was the added motivation of it being the game of our lives. We all love an underdog right? For David v Goliath, read Tamworth v Spurs. Research suggests that when you are labelled as the underdog it can serve to increase the emotional psyching up for the event and motivate the underdog to exert an even greater effort to achieve victory.
More than thinking about winning the tie, before the match we told ourselves we just wanted to do our team and our fans justice and at the very least make it competitive. This helped us to more than match Spurs over the course of the game – and, for a few minutes at least, believe the most unlikely of wins was possible.
Back down to the ground
So, what’s next for us? As I discussed in an interview with ITV straight after the match, for me and the rest of the players, it was back to the reality of work on Monday morning. To say that was quite a comedown is probably a fair understatement. I was asked by a colleague, “How are you feeling?” and I found myself struggling to answer, as I couldn’t really make sense of that myself.
Back to the the day job: Beck-Ray Enoru of Tamworth works during the week at fashion retailer, Zara.
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You often hear the term “post-Olympic blues” from Olympians who have achieved a lifetime ambition by winning a Gold at the Olympic Games, and wonder what’s next or how anything else in their life will compare to that one momentous moment.
Playing an FA Cup game against Tottenham is not quite in the same stratosphere as competing at the Olympics. But I was asked in an interview on Monday morning if it would be the highlight of my career, and it was tough to process that. For most of us in the team, that’s likely to be the biggest and best game we ever play in.
The UK Sports Institute, which provides psychological support to Olympic athletes, has coined the phrase “performance decompression” for the process of “embracing and making sense of what you’ve gone through at an important competition, and then moving on” after an Olympic games. Or post-Spurs, in my case.
As part-time players, we don’t have that chance to decompress. Instead we come crashing back down to Earth with the Monday morning alarm clock. But it’s starting to sink in what an achievement it was for a non-league team like ours to not only get to the third round of an FA Cup, but to more than match Spurs for 100 minutes or so.
A surreal day, amazing experience, and one that I’m so proud to have been part of. Memories to last a lifetime.