(UPDATE) #Avengers: Final Film To Be Split In Two?

It looks like Marvel Studios is following the footsteps of “The Hunger Games” as The Daily Marvelite claimed that the studio is planning to split the third and the final “Avengers” film into 2 films!

The report may come in prematurely but The Daily Marvelite claimed that their source told them about that the massive battle between the Earth’s mightiest heroes and the mad titan Thanos will be featured in the final Avengers film. It seems reasonable for them to start planning on how to pan out the battle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the source also said the epic battle would be too complicated and too big to be fit into one film.

It is not confirmed if the final Avengers film will be a 2-part movie or if the story will be split in 2. However, the report claims that the studio has considered slotting the 2 films on May 4, 2018 and May 3, 2019 since Marvel studios president, Kevin Feige hinted that the third Avengers film be released 3 years after “Avengers: Age of Ultron“.

Since the battle will be going against Thanos, “The Guardians of the Galaxy” will most likely make a special appearance final Avengers film as Groot’s voice actor, Vin Diesel let slip that the studio is planing some sort of “merging of brands” for its Phase 3. This bodes well with the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline as they’ve scheduled the sequel of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” to be released on 28th July 2017.

While everything is still kept under wraps, what do you think of the report? Since some old and new Marvel superheroes will be introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe soon, who are the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes that will fight against Thanos? Sound off in the comments box below!

Directed by Joss Whedon, the second Avengers film “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is set to be released on 1st May 2015.

Just hours after Marvel Studio announced its full movie slate, a teaser footage of “Avengers: Infinity War” that was shown during SDCC 2014 has been widely shared on the Internet today. The footage itself looks like a compilation of the scenes taken from the previously released Marvel films but it is definitely a teaser trailer that we’ve never seen before.

We must say, the commentary itself is already making us feeling more excited for the upcoming years! Watch the leaked teaser trailer before the studio removes it:

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Hype’s Movie Review: #TheVisit Is Just A Dark Comedy In Disguise

Is it a cue to get out of the cinema if you were laughing instead of trying to cover your eyes while watching a horror movie? No, not really.

But then again, who would expect a horror movie to be funny? It was only until I watched M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Visit” that I realised that it was exactly the kind of horror movie that will make me laugh, in a good way.

“The Visit” is not a straight-up horror film as it leans more towards the comedic side. It is about a brother and sister who discover their grandparents’ odd and disturbing behaviours when they stay in the old couple’s remote Pennsylvania farm for a week-long trip. And when we say “odd and disturbing”, it involves their Nana laughing by herself in the living room and their Pop Pop “cleaning” his gun with his mouth almost wrapped around the barrel.

There are more messed-up scenes in this film, but we won’t tell you in detail. All we can say is that they may leave you temporarily traumatised. However, all thanks to the iconic Shyamalan twist, “The Visit” is really nothing more than just a dark comedy in disguise.

“The Visit” is a real slow burner because the first half of the movie didn’t really show us anything peculiar about the grandparents.

The entire movie was filmed in home movie-cum-documentary style as the sister, Becca (portrayed by newcomer Olivia DeJonge), is an aspiring filmmaker. She plans a documentary of the week-long visit to the grandparents’ isolated farm in hopes to heal old wounds between them and her mother (portrayed by “Parks and Recreation” actress Kathryn Hahn), who hasn’t spoken to them after she ran off to marry a teacher when she was 17-year-old.

As the father has abandoned the family, both Becca and her brother, Tyler (portrayed by “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” star Ed Oxenbould), are determined to cultivate family connections through this visit.

The siblings have never seen their grandparents before, but their mother did vaguely tell them how they would look like. Thus, the two are tres excited when they’ve finally met their Nana and Pop Pop, treating them like the nicest grandparents ever. Even when they discovered oddities, they convinced themselves that their grandparents are just old and confused.

While his character is a little obnoxious, Oxenbould succeeded at bringing dark humour through his role as the annoying rapper wannabe brother. There were, of course, plenty of cringe-worthy moments from Oxenbould’s character, but it’s all good by the end of the film.

On the other hand, DeJonge’s portrayal of Becca was slightly stiff. Fortunately, there was progress in her performance as her character developed to becoming more than just being an aspiring filmmaker later in the film.

The movie was initially titled “Sundowning”, a psychological phenomenon where patients experience increased confusion and restlessness with some form of dementia. It often results in agitation and mood swings.

In this case, the siblings’ grandparents might be experiencing the worst kind of Sundowning.

Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie excelled at portraying their respective roles as the grandparents onscreen because they are truly the scariest grandparents we’ve ever seen.

Most of the time, Dunagan’s character is calm and collective. She is a real sweetheart and treats her grandkids like Hansel and Gretel by baking cookies for them almost on a daily basis. But as the kids grow more comfortable with their Nana, she creeps us out with her strange behaviour and we’re not even sure if she was possessed by a demon or just simply acting weird.

The same goes to their Pop Pop. He is a quiet and reserved man, but when the film hits the climax, he cranked things up to over-the-top crazy levels on a dime.

Shyamalan does a pretty decent job at building suspense and scares through the eyes of the children in “The Visit”. It’s a good thing that he’s uninterested in throwing tonnes of jump scares in it. Instead, he built up terror purely out of weirdness.

Overall, is this Shyamalan’s comeback film? Definitely. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t call it his best film ever. It’s a baby step, nonetheless. We sure hope that Shyamalan doesn’t get lost in the genre again.

Scheduled for release on 19th September 2015, “The Visit” was produced by Shyamalan and Jason Blum, the producer of “Insidious” and “The Purge“. Mark Bienstock, Steven Schneider, and Ashwin Rajan serve as the executive producers.

For more information about the movie, visit its official website and Facebook page.

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14 Upcoming Films Based On Real-Life Events Releasing In 2021

Blockbuster films ranging from superhero to sci-fi films are huge hits with moviegoers. Even with the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the official release dates of these films, they are still pushing for viewership via online streaming services such as Netflix or HBO GO, some in theatres. However, there are also a variety of other niche movies that serve as a reenactment of past events or stories that movie buffs should check out!

Watching movies based on real-life offers stories that are hardly tackled in blockbuster films and offer realistic perspectives of social issues revolving around the world. Moreover, they offer a more cinematographic approach that will have audiences grabbing some popcorn for an even more exciting and enthralling experience of these real-life based films. Therefore, we provide you a list of ten upcoming films based on real-life scenarios in 2021.

From the best-selling book of the same name, “Penguin Bloom” showcases the story of Sam Bloom (played by Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts). She is a young mother whose life turned for the worse after facing a near-death accident that leaves her paralysed. Her husband (played by Andrew Lincoln), alongside her three sons and mother (played by Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver), are facing hardships adjusting to their new situation. That is when an unlikely ally enters their universe in the form of a wounded baby magpie they name Penguin. Ever since the arrival of the Penguin within the Bloom family, there is a profound difference within Sam’s life, giving her the will to learn how to adapt to life again.

“The Little Things” is a psychological neo-noir thriller inspired by true events. The film follows Joe “Deke” Deacon (played by Denzel Washington), a deputy sheriff of Kern County who is sent to Los Angeles for quick gathering of evidence. He is met with misfortune as he becomes involved in the hunt for a killer who is currently terrorising the city. Jim Baxter is a sergeant of the L.A. Sheriff Department and is leading the search. Enamoured with Deke’s cop-like instincts, Jim unofficially assists him. However, when tracking the killer, Jim is unaware that the investigation is digging up Deke’s past, revealing haunting secrets that may be more threatening than his current case.

Based on a book written by John Prestoni in 2007, “The Dig” takes place in the setting of the Anglo-Saxon ship burial excavation at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England in 1939. Edith Pretty and Basil Brown (both played by Oscar nominees Carey Muligan and Ralph Fienes respectively), the former being a rich widow and the latter being an archaeologist both discover something astonishing that has resonation of the past and the fate of Britain’s uncertain future.

“Minamata” stars Johnny Depp as war photographer W. Eugene Smith. He journeys back to Japan to document the damaging effect of mercury poisoning that resulted in horrible disfigurements in the coastal communities of the country. The movie is a heartfelt yet old-fashioned depiction of how communities can take a stand against corrupted corporations. Moreover, it showcases how journalists who dedicate themselves to trustworthy news can help people overcome these corporations.

A biographical film based on Fred Hampton’s life as a chairman of the Black Panther Party during the late 1960s in Illinois, “Judas and the Black Messiah” stars Daniel Kaluuya who plays Fred Hampton. William O’Neal (played by Lakeith Stanfield) is an FBI informant who is partaking in the infiltration of the Illinois Black Panther Party. Furthermore, he is assigned in keeping track of their ruler, Chairman Fred Hampton. Additionally, O’Neal is also a career thief revelling in the risk of manipulating both his allies and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell (played by Jesse Plemons). The question for O’Neal to ponder or decide; will he join with the good forces or will he subdue Hampton alongside The Panthers by any form of action, just as the FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (played by Martin Sheen) commands.

“Joe Bell” is based on a real-life story of the titular character (played by Mark Wahlberg) who commenced a cross-country walk. By doing this, Joe is hoping to raise awareness of bullying concerning the fate of his son Jadin Bell (played by newbie actor Reid Miller) in 2013. During his journey, Joe must settle aside his own prejudices and conflicted relationship with Jadin. Plus, as stated by Wahlberg himself, this story plays significance to the actor as a father, knowing how fatherhood can make a man change.

Originally titled “Prisoner 760”, the movie changed its name to “The Mauritanian”. The movie is based on the real-life story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi (played by Tahar Rahim). Slahi is captured by the American government and put into prison without any charge or trial. When all hope is lost, Slahi comes across comrades such as defence attorney Nancy Hollander (played by Jodie Foster) and Teri Duncan (played by Shailene Woodley) who is Hollander’s associate. Other than that, “The Mauritanian” presents countless obstacles faced by them in a desperate attempt to seek justice. Also, the film presents military prosecutor Lt. Stuart Couch (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) who uncovers evidence that unmasks a shocking conspiracy.

“Nomadland” is based on the book titled “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” in 2017. Frances McDormand stars in the movie Fern, a woman in her sixties who leaves her hometown to embark on a journey around the American West in her van. Fern never had it easy, as she has lost everything in the Great Recession and seeks hope and hospitality of modern-day nomads in the USA.

In addition, the movie actually cast real-life nomads such as Linda May, Charlene Swankie, and Bob Wells and the depiction of their lives as nomads can be seen unfold within the movie itself.

“Cherry” is based on a 2018 novel written by Nico Walker. This novel was written on a typewriter and Walker was a convicted bank robber when he was staying in a Kentucky federal prison. It centres around Walker’s (played by Tom Holland) own life and how after coming back from Iraq as a war veteran, he suffered from major undiagnosed PTSD.

This leads Walker to a fierce opioid addiction and started robbing banks. The writer’s tale isn’t an ordinary story, rather, it is something unique. This is why the Russo brothers who are directors for the movie version were so keen on making this story come to life on-screen.

Different from the standard biographical drama films, “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” is based on real-life supernatural events that will send chills up your spine. Marking the first time in American history, a murder suspect is using demonic possession as a claim of defence. Now it is up to paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga respectively) to attempt and unmask the truth behind the claim of the murderer. “The Devil Made Me Do It” case will make its appearance as the best source material the franchise has to offer for the “The Conjuring” series. Plus, Malaysians may have high expectations for this movie as Sarawakian born James Wan is producing this film.

Jennifer Hudson stars as singer Aretha Franklin in the upcoming biography drama film that is based on the singer’s life. “Respect” narrates Franklin’s life from being a gospel singer in the church to becoming a very well-known iconic figure within the music industry. Franklin, unfortunately, passed away on 16th August 2018, setting an emotional tone for viewers who mourn the death of the singer.

Will Smith plays Richard Williams in the upcoming film “King Richard”, which tells about the famous tennis father who had an amazing influence on his daughters Serena Williams (played by Aunjanue Ellis) and Venus Williams (played by Saniyya Sidney), both of whom became championship winners.

The movie is a look at the way Richard’s daughters became who they are after his coaching. Williams’ story is remarkable, as he has no tennis background and suffered from big hardships. Despite that, he raised his daughters to become some of the greatest tennis players of all time by training at poorly cared public tennis courts.

“Blonde” is a movie based on the 2000 novel of the same title written by Joyce Carol Oates. The story features a fictional biography of the life of Marilyn Monroe (played by Anas de Armas) and her struggles experienced over the years before meeting her fate. It’s basically a made-up look at the actress’s life. The author already deemed this movie “brilliant”, which gives a promising outlook to this movie’s future success.

“Bombay Rose” is an animated film based on true events and the story chronicles the struggles of Mumbai migrants who all came from small towns. The story also showcases the importance of Bollywood film fantasies to take their focus off residing in the dangerous, crowded city.

“Bombay Rose” was painted frame-by-frame by Paperboat Animation Studios which is situated in Mumbai. The studio makes the movie more aesthetically pleasing and dares to present topical themes such as inter-faith romance, child labour, and economic migration.

“The Power of the Dog” is based on a book written by Thomas Savage in 1967 and tells the story of two rich brothers Phil (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Burbank (played by Jesse Plemons). Phil is known to be smart and strict, while George is meticulous and gentle. Together, they are joint owners of the largest ranch in their Montana valley. But when George is secretly married to local widow Rose (played by Kirsten Dunst), Phil becomes enraged and starts a relentless war to be rid of her by using her son Peter (played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) as a pawn.

Hopefully, these movies will keep moviegoers entertained during 2021.

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The Biebs’ Boob Squeeze

Barely a week after Justin Bieber opened up to Billboard magazine about being unhappy, another issue came in “handy” to derail him once again. Yes, “handy”.

It seems that during a recent meet-and-greet in Miami, fellow Belieber Jocelyn had the time of her life when she received a kiss on her cheek by the 18-year-old teen sensation. Oh, and also, what appears to be a rather inappropriate boob squeeze? True story:

As much as there was photographic proof, Jocelyn readily defended her idol when she tweeted, “People can think what they want but I know what really happened & Justin does too so everyone else’s opinions don’t matter to me.”

The Biebs’ rep also commented on the issue, stating, “That definitely did not happen. He was pulling away from her.” (Source)

Following which, Justin expressed his disbelief via Twitter. Although he wasn’t directly commenting on the controversial picture, he did say:

We must say though, that it was probably just a badly angled shot or an unfortunate trick of the lens. C’mon, Justin hardly seems like he would be the type to cop a feel – out in the open at a meet-and-greet session, no less! Let’s give him some credit, yes?


“Abang Long Fadil 3”: Elizabeth Tan Wanted To Do More Regarding Her Kissing Scene With Jay Iswazir

Elizabeth Tan will be appearing on the big screen again. Her latest movie, “Abang Long Fadil 3”, is set to premier next month. In the action-packed comedy packed flick, she takes on the character of a girl named Alice.

During an interview with the press over the weekend, the singer-actress talked about her kissing scene with Jay Iswazir in the upcoming movie. According to the star herself, her scene with the married actor was done by themselves without the use of camera techniques!

A post shared by SKOP PRODUCTIONS (@skop_ig)

Lizzy told Harian Metro, “It’s real. I wish I could’ve done more (while filming), but the scene came out just like that. If I had been given the opportunity right now, I would have considered a lot about doing the scene. Plus, I wasn’t married at the time we were shooting the movie. Jay was also fine with doing the scene.”

At the same time, the “Payung” singer also expressed her hopes that her appearance in the movie will open up more opportunities for her to perform in more challenging roles in the future. “I spoke to Syafiq Yusof (‘Abang Long Fadil 3’ director) about coming up with a fourth instalment of the franchise. Hopefully, my dream can be fulfilled,” Lizzy said.

“I also hope that that my appearance in this film will help me to gain more opportunities to act in other action movies in the future. A lot of people might not know that I’m very keen on taking on any roles that involve fighting scenes. I am also prepared for any intense training, because I really want to learn how to act in action films,” she added during the chat with the publication.

We also hope your dream will come true one day, Lizzy! In the meantime, check out our coverage for the “Abang Long Fadil 3” premiere at KLCC here.


Malaysia’s Fried Chicken Festival, Ayam Lejen Is Back For Its 2nd Edition!

Malaysia’s legendary fried chicken festival is back in town for its 2nd year! Get ready to welcome Ayam Lejen 2 once again this November!

Set to take place on the 10th and 11th November 2018 (Saturday and Sunday)at the Ara Damansara LRT Space (same place as last year), Ayam Lejen 2 will be bringing in more fried chicken brands as compared to last year.

A post shared by FriedChillies (@friedchillies)

The top 10 local fried chicken brands will be featured in the event and all of them are halal! Here are the legendary chickens who made the list this year:-

There are also fried chicken eating contest, chicken pong and music happening at the fried chicken fiesta which will take place from 11am to 6pm.

Tickets are now on sale at the BOOST app (under EVENT category). Entrance ticket is RM5 per day only and comes with a FREE drink. All day. Kids Under 12 years is FREE.

Check out FriedChilies.com for more info.

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Experience Snowfall In Genting’s Winter Wonderland 2022!

‘Tis the season of magic! Surely, you would want to bring your loved ones to the best Christmas event of the season. And you’re in luck because, Resorts World Genting is one of the best places you can go to to revel in the holiday magic!

This Christmas season, Resorts World Genting (RWG) is snowier and more magical than ever! For families, couples, and groups of friends to enjoy and get away from the rush and bustle of city life, RWG has put together an amazing lineup of holiday events.

Spanning a whole month from now until the new year, visit Liberty Lane in Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park to witness the mesmerising snowfall every 30 minutes from 6.30pm to 11pm. On the Eve of Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the snowfall will go on until midnight to usher in the festivities.

In addition to the mesmerising snowfall, visitors can also experience a ton of other shows and activities. Be sure to catch all the Christmas shows from The Mischievous Elves, Xmas Party, Christmas Stilts and many more happening at regular intervals at Madison Square and Central Park.

During this magical time of the year, almost everywhere within Resorts World Genting including the Kimhua Atrium, SkyWorlds Theme Park, Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park and Gohtong Jaya Baru at SkyAvenue Complex will be decorated with fairy lights, ornate holiday decorations, mistletoes and ornaments! This year, a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree will be right in centre stage in Madison Square flashing in festive red and gold lights.

In addition to these Instagram-worthy decorations, visitors can also enjoy a wide variety of Western, Japanese, Korean cuisines and also Nestlé and Tyson Foods pop-up stores at the Christmas Market. Non muslim adults can warm up in the cold temperature with Edelweiss premium wheat beers at the festively-decked Central Park Gardens.

Genting Winter Wonderland offers a wide variety of activities, so there is something for absolutely everyone! Bring along your your loved ones to enjoy the numerous live performances, music, and snow that are available exclusively at RWG’s Genting Winter Wonderland. Best of all, admission is absolutely free! Come experience Genting’s very own white Christmas from 1st December 2022 to 1st January 2023.

Puteri Teja contributed to this article.


Westlife’s Shane Filan Returning To KL For #LoveAlways Tour 2018

Who’s ready to receive some love from Shane Filan?

The Westlife singer will be returning to Malaysian shores for his “Love Always” 2018 Southeast Asia tour. For one night only, the UK male solo artist will be performing songs from his third and latest album of the same name.

“‘Love Always’, is a collection of some of my favourite classic love songs. It’s an album I’ve wanted to make for a long time. For me there’s nothing quite like singing an amazing ballad and this album is full of them,” the 38-year-old Brit previously said in a statement.

He continued, “Some of the ideas for it came directly from my fans because they would always say to me, we would love to hear you sing this song. So I decided to make a list of all my favourite love songs and then put them together on one album. The hard part was narrowing it down to those that have ended up on the album.”

“There’s also a few original tracks on there some that I’ve written myself. It’s always amazing to get into the studio and see what we can come up with,” the singer added. Some of those tunes include “Completely”, “Eyes Don’t Lie”, and “Crazy Over You”.

Brought to you by Universal Music Malaysia, the details to Shane Filan “Love Always” in Kuala Lumpur are as follows:

Side note: Yes, we know that tickets are currently sold out but Universal Music Malaysia informed us that another batch of tickets will be released in the coming days. Stay tuned ;)

Source: Universal Music Malaysia’s Facebook page.

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Kings & Queen Of Comedy Asia 5

Kings & Queen of Comedy of Asia 5 will be tickling your funny bones on this October. Set to be “Bigger! Better! Bolder!”, it will be a comedy extravaganza showcasing performances by the finest mix of stand-up comedians from around the world. Your cast of stellar comedy superstars are:

The Kings and Queen of Comedy Asia is also a delightful celebration of the “arrival” of the stand-up comedy in Malaysia. After 5 years of laughter, the show promises another massive comedy extravaganza that will give the audience 2.5 hours of non-stop laughter.

Date: 9th October
 Time: 8:30pm onwards
 Venue: Megastar Arena, Jalan Kuchai Lama
 Ticketing: Platinum RM298 (*Meet & Greet), Gold RM228, Silver RM168, Bronze RM108

Tickets can be purchased via Ticketpro or call +603 7880 7999.

Prepare to laugh until you beg for mercy!

*Terms & Conditions of Meet & Greet
 – Will be held 20 mins after show has ended (at stage venue)
 – ￼￼LOL Events Sdn Bhd may, at any time at its sole discretion and without prior notice, vary, modify, delete or add ￼to these Terms and Conditions and may also withdraw or discontinue this Meet & Greet at any time without notice or liability to any party.

For more info on the Kings & Queen of Comedy of Asia 5, hit up their website.


#GiantTwister: Supposed “Tornado” Shocks Butterworth Netizens

The people of Dermaga Dalam, Butterworth were swept off their feet when they witnessed a huge twister on Penang’s mainland.

Social media users were sharing a video of what appears to be a waterspout on their social media pages. This particular video went viral and it created a buzz.

As seen from the Penang Bridge, the twister was spotted moving towards the Butterworth Port. This can be seen in the 23-second video that was being shared by some social media users. You can watch the video here.

The video has since been shared 4,000 times within 18 hours of it going up.

At 4:15pm yesterday, the twister was seen descending from the rainy sky appearing off the coast. Nevertheless, the Meterological Department officials mentioned that there were no reports regarding a tornado.

The spokesman of the Meterological Department said:

There are no tornados or waterspouts. Please ignore all social media pictures and videos.

However, he did mention that there will be heavy rain in the week after next. According to the department spokesman, it is normal for Penang to experience heavy rain at this time of the year.

If there are any reports regarding such incidents, the public could call the department headquarters in charge at 03-79678000 to verify the reports.

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(Photos) First Look At Pavilion Bukit Jalil Before Its Launch This Week

The official launch of Pavilion Bukit Jalil is set to take place this Friday (3rd December) and many (especially those living in surrounding areas like Sri Petaling, Puchong, and Bukit Jalil) are excited to experience the new mall.

Instead of braving through the jam to reach Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, folks living near Bukit Jalil can just head over to the new attraction. There are tons of festivities and exclusive Piazza gatherings that will be happening at the Centre Court starting this week, so we do anticipate a large turn out.

Recently, a passerby managed to take some snapshots of Pavilion Bukit Jalil’s exterior. We’ll be able to get a better view of the interior and Christmas decorations in a few days. But for now, here are some pictures as a teaser.

Will you be paying Pavilion Bukit Jalil a visit to see if it lives up to the hype?

In conjunction with the grand launch, take a look at the Christmas decor. It’s slightly simple compared to Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, but we like that’s different and not an exact replica.

Images Credit: Rizal Hakimm Punyer, Yeoh Eng Choon, Malaysia Shopping Mall.


#Germanwings: Flight 4U9525 Deliberately Flown Into Mountain

An Airbus operated by Lufthansa’s Germanwings budget airline crashed into a mountainside in the French Alps on Tuesday (24th March), killing all 150 people on board including 16 schoolchildren.

Officials struggled Wednesday (25th March) to explain why a jet with 150 people (144 passengers and 6 crew which includes 2 pilots) on board crashed in relatively clear skies, an investigator said evidence from a cockpit voice recorder indicated one pilot left the cockpit before the plane’s descent and was unable to get back in.

But now, it has been confirmed that the plane was deliberately flown into the mountain.

The Guardian reported live from a press conference in Marseille where French public prosecutor said that during the last 8 minutes of the flight, the co-pilot “voluntarily” carried out actions that led to the destruction of the aircraft.

Part of the excerpt from The Guardian reads:

The co-pilot of the Germanwings plane that crashed in the French Alps on Tuesday, killing 150 people, appears to have deliberately flown it into a mountain after locking the flight commander out of the cockpit.

During the last eight minutes of the flight, the co-pilot “voluntarily” carried out actions that led to the destruction of the aircraft, Brice Robin, a French public prosecutor, said at a press conference in Marseille.

Citing evidence from a cockpit voice recorder recovered from the Airbus A320, Robin outlined the last moments of the doomed plane in a chilling account of the actions of the co-pilot, whom he named as 28-year-old Andreas Lubitz.

Robin said Lubitz could be heard breathing right up until the point of impact, suggesting he had not lost consciousness. However, he failed to respond to increasingly desperate calls from the commander trying to break down the cockpit door, or to air traffic controllers. Passengers could be heard screaming just before the crash, Robin said.

Lubitz had been flying for Germanwings since September 2013 after being trained with the airline’s parent company Lufthansa at its facility in Bremen. He had clocked up a total of 630 hours in the air.

Robin said Lubitz had “no reason to do it” and no links to terrorist groups. “There is nothing to suggest this was a terrorist act,” he said.

“For the first 20 minutes of the flight, the pilots spoke in a normal way, you could say cheerful and courteous,” Robin said. “We heard the flight commander prepare the briefing for landing at Düsseldorf and the response of the co-pilot seemed laconic. Then we heard the commander ask the co-pilot to take the controls.

“We heard at the same time the sound of a seat being pushed back and the sound of a door closing.”

Robin said it was assumed that the flight commander needed to go to “satisfy natural needs”.

There was no indication that Lubitz’s actions amounted to terrorism, Robin said. But he stopped short of declaring it suicide, saying only that was a “legitimate” question to ask.

Robin added he had briefed the families of the dead.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who were affected by the Germanwings crash

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#Korea: Koreans Separated By War For More Than 6 Decades, Reunite

Such a unique yet heartwrenching scene played out in Korea yesterday (Tuesday, 20th October) as numerous families separated for decades due to the (technically still ongoing) war between North and South Korea reunite.

During the Korean War, millions of people were forced to be separated from each other and have since been banned from crossing or communicating across the DMZ border. Some of these families/relatives/loved ones haven’t seen each other in over 60 years.

96 families briefly reunited at the Mount Kumgang resort in Noth Korea yesterday. The hall where the reunions took place echoed with weeping and laughter as siblings hugged one another and graying children buried their tearful faces in the laps of parents who had shown up in wheelchairs, barely recognising them.

One story of a couple in particular touched our hearts.

Lee Soon-gyu and Oh In-se were the tender ages of 20 and 18 respectively when they were separated. At that time, they had just gotten married and Lee was 6 months pregnant. The couple have spent a total of 65 years stuck on the opposite sides of the Korean peninsula. Their son, 65-year-old Oh Jang-gyun, who has never met his father, was also present at the meet.

According to a Hankyoreh article, the now 83-year-old Oh revealed it was love at first sight as he told his wife, “Come sit next to me,” the very first time he saw her.

“I can’t tell how much I missed you,” said 85-year-old Lee, who never remarried and raised her son alone. “I have wept so much thinking of us that there are no tears left in me.”

Lee was said to have clasped a watch around her husband’s wrist the moment they met. Lee explained, “Back then in the countryside, watches were very valuable. My heart always ached from the fact that I couldn’t even give my husband a watch so I bought one (for today).”

The couple’s names are inscribed on the back of the watch.

Oh Jang-gyun, the child who was in Lee’s womb at the time the wife and husband were separated, also got to fulfill his lifelong wish.

“I really want to say the word ‘father’ out loud,” he said in an interview with Seoul-based news website Newsis. “I have missed him my entire life.” He wanted his father to take his mother’s hand and apologise for the years she had to spend without him, he said, and for all the hardships she and their son endured.

Jang-gyun added that while his father managed to start a new family in North Korea, his mother struggled to make ends meet, working on a farm during the day and as a tailor at night.

Just you try to remain dry-eyed as you watch the emotional video below:

Their time was to be painfully brief. They were granted permission to be together for only 12 hours, in group and private sessions, until Thursday (22nd October), when they will have to part again. On Thursday, an additional 90 elderly South Koreans will cross the border for another round of 3-day reunions with 188 relatives in the North.

The program, which allows reunions of family members separated by the 1950-53 Korean war, is organised by the South Korean Red Cross. There have been about 20 reunions, limited to only a couple hundred people. since 1985.

Sources: HuffPost Korea, NY Times, akp, DMZ Wiki / Featured image from Yonhap.

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#RabiesOutbreak: 39 Dogs In The Country Tested Positive For Rabies

The Malaysian Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) has confirmed via a statement that 39 dogs have been tested positive for rabies up until 18th September 2015.

According to a report by Astro Awani, citing the DVS, of that number, 19 dogs tested positive in Perlis, 17 in Kedah, and 3 in Penang.

The department had carried out tests on 110 dogs in the 3 states which had been declared rabies-infected areas by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek on 17th September.

It also said some 2,104 canines have been vaccinated up until 18th September. From that number, 1,639 dogs were vaccinated in Kedah while the remaining 465 in Perlis.

In a seperate report by CNA, the DVS said that it has enough rabies vaccine to last them till the new shipment arrives in about a week. Malaysia is awaiting the arrival of 50,000 doses of rabies vaccination from France as it works to contain a rabies outbreak in its northern states.

The CNA report also stated that 2,140 dogs have been put down across Perlis, Kedah, and Penang.

Rabies’ symptoms include fever, headache, excess salivation, muscle spasms, paralysis, and mental confusion, and can lead to coma and brain death. The virus is believed to have spread from a neighbouring country, possibly Thailand.

Malaysia was declared rabies-free by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in 2012. The last rabies outbreak in Malaysia was in 1999.

Sources: Astro Awani (1), Astro Awani (2), CNA, Rabies Wiki / Featured image from FOX News.


Katie Morley Finally Acknowledges The Delicious Taste Of Real Nasi Lemak

UK native Katie Morley found herself in hot water last week following her insulting remark on our national dish nasi lemak via her Twitter. She even gave a 0/10 points for its “wickedly bad” quality.

Most recently, the Telegraph reporter posted a photo of herself enjoying a plate of the scrumptious nasi lemak on the same social media. This came following massive reactions and criticisms given by locals in response to the controversial tweet.

Thank you to all the Malaysians to suggested I should try the real Nasi Lemak. You are right, it’s delicious! Nothing like that BA plane meal I had… pic.twitter.com/Joh1bssJqE

— Katie Morley (@KatieMorley_) January 20, 2020

“Thank you to all the Malaysians for suggesting that I should try the real Nasi Lemak. You are right, it’s delicious! Nothing like that British Airways plane meal I had…” she wrote on the caption. The post has received over 3,600 likes as at time of writing (Wednesday, 22nd January).

The comments section has been flooded with words of appraisal left by netizens. Not only that, she has been also invited to come and visit our country to try other popular national food as well. Check out some of their reactions here:

if you come to malaysia .. please come to my restaurant .. i will serve and make "Nasi Lemak Berlauk" for you 💕

— ël lчйа⁷ || taetae 🇲🇾🇵🇸 (@cikalin__) January 21, 2020

It’s all good there Katie, you should come to Malaysia to taste for more authentic Nasi Lemak. God bless

— Fik Ghazali (@Nasarulfikri) January 21, 2020

— Jonathan Williams (@Jonatha75932763) January 21, 2020

We told you before, Katie. Malaysians love their food a lot. ;)

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One Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Dead, Manhunt Launched For The Other

One suspect of the two suspects in Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings has been apprehended, according to an official with knowledge of the investigation. Another appears to remain on the loose in Watertown after a firefight with police. A 20-block perimeter was established as authorities searched for him.

The Middlesex District Attorney’s office said that the suspect taken into custody was pronounced dead at a hospital. The district attorney’s office did not independently confirm the connection to the marathon bombings.

A scene of chaos descended on Cambridge and Watertown late Thursday night and early Friday morning, as police confirmed an MIT police officer was shot and killed, and an armed carjacking led police on a frenetic chase into Watertown. Hundreds of police officers flooded Cambridge and Watertown.

The district attorney’s office said that explosive devices were reportedly thrown from the car by the suspects. Witnesses in Watertown said they heard explosions. Police officers were screaming about improvised explosive devices.

A manhunt has since been launched in search of the other suspect who’s still on the loose:

Just before 4am, State Police announced they would be going door to door, street by street, in and around Watertown. They warned residents to stay inside and not answer the door unless the person is clearly identified as a law-enforcement officer.


(UPDATE) Live Action “Naruto” Musical Announced, Will Head To Malaysia

Fans of “Naruto” be rejoicing right about now because although the popular manga officially ended in November 2014, there might be something else to keep your fandom well and alive!

Naruto (ナルト) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and dreams to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of all. The series is based on a one-shot manga by Kishimoto that was published in the August 1997 issue of Akamaru Jump.

As of September 2014, the manga has over 200 million copies in print, with over 130 million copies in Japan and the remaining 75 million being overseas, making it the third best-selling manga series in history. The manga is also available in 35 countries outside Japan.

After the manga ended in November 2014, Naruto also had its last film titled, “The Last -Naruto the Movie-“, and it has been playing in Japan theatres since 6th December 2014. If that’s a little out of reach for you, fret not, because we hear that there’ll be a Naruto musical/play dubbed, “Live Spectacle Naruto“!

According to Kotaku, “Live Spectacle Naruto” is slated to begin its run in March 2015 in Tokyo.The musical is part of the Naruto Shin Jidai Kaimaku Project (Naruto’s New Era Opening Project). There will also be performances in Tokyo, Fukuoka, and Miyagi as well as international performances in Singapore, Malaysia, and Macau. Yes, you read right – Malaysia.

The cast members of “Live Spectable Naruto” are as follows:

The musical will be directed by Akiko Kodama and Toshio Masuda will compose the music at Nelke Planning. The musical will cover volumes 1 – 27 of the manga through songs, dance, and acrobatics.

Character stills of the main cast Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Gaara in full costume has also been revealed! Check ’em out:

The other characters who were confirmed to be featured in the play include Hinata, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji.

The play will be held over at the AiiA theater in Tokyo from 21st March – 5th April before heading to Fukuoka from 10th – 12th April, Osaka from 17th – 19th April. Miyagi from 23rd – 25th April, and then it returns to Tokyo from 19th April – 10th May.

We got word that local organiser JS Concert Productions will be the ones bringing the “Live Spectacle Naruto” aka the Naruto musical to Malaysia! They recently made the announcement on their Facebook page – just a teaser and nothing else as of yet. In case you missed it, here it is:

No exact dates or venues have been announced for the Singapore, Malaysia, and Macau performances as of yet but keep checking back with us as we’ll be updating this post with more details as soon as we know!

Sources: SG Cafe, Kotaku, 247, Wikipedia.

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#SNSD: Girls’ Generation To Drop Anniversary Track For SM Station!

SONEs (as Girls’ Generation fans are lovingly known), it’s time to celebrate :)

In conjunction with Girls’ Generation’s 9th anniversary, which falls on 5th August, the female idol group will be releasing a special song to thank their fans. The song, titled “That Summer (0805)”, is the 26th track produced for SM Station.

With lyrics written by member Sooyoung, the girls want to express their appreciation to their fans, who have loved and supported them through the years.

Though “That Summer (0805)” is also Girls’ Generation first group release for SM Station, the members of the girl group are no stranger to the initiative. Previously, members Taeyeon, Yoona, and Tiffany have released “Rain”, “Deoksugung Stonewall Walkway”, and “Heartbreak Hotel” respectively.

Girls’ Generation made their debut in 2007 with their first album, “Into The New World”. But it wasn’t until 2009 that the girls rose to fame with their hit single, “Gee“, which claimed the top spot on KBS’s “Music Bank” for a record-breaking 9 consecutive weeks.

The group has released several chart-topping songs such as “Lion Heart”, “Run Devil Run”, “Oh”, “I Got A Boy”, and “The Boys”.

SM STATION is a special digital music channel project by SM Entertainment which will release 1 single every week for a year.

“That Summer (0805)” will be released on 5th August.

For more information, visit Girls’ Generation’s official Facebook page.


5 Exciting Music Activities & Programs To Enjoy When In South Korea

There’s something about South Korea that keeps pulling us back time and time again. It’s like a siren call. If you’ve been to the country, you’ll know exactly just what we mean.

While sight-seeing and food hunting are often top priority, we recently got to experience the K-pop fever and immerse ourselves in various music activities. From musicals to live performances, here are some attractions to check out the next time you visit Seoul and Gangwon:

Whoever that claims that “less is more” clearly has never attended Music Bank (뮤직뱅크). For the uninitiated, Music Bank is KBS’s long-run music chart show that airs every week where various K-pop stars will come to promote their new singles. There’s everyone from new rookies, indie bands, comeback artists, idol groups and more.

On 4th October, we were fortunate enough to witness Twice (“Fancy”, “Feel Special”), SEVENTEEN (“Fear”, “Snap Shot”), NCT Dream (“Boom”, “Stronger”), ONEUS (“Lit”), Red Velvet (“Zimzalabim”), CLC and many more. Our favourite moments were when the balladeers sang their hearts out live, but watching the other K-pop acts lip sync to their sickening choreography were equally entertaining.

Tickets for Music Bank are given out through an online lottery. After creating a KBS account here, concert-goers can sign up for the lottery in hopes to win tickets here. Application for tickets are usually made a week prior to airing. So if you aren’t lucky this week, try again for the next show.

While we were in the area, we also dropped by…

Ever since it’s first event a decade ago, the Gangneung Coffee Festival has been a tourist attraction for coffee addicts to enjoy the city’s outstanding hand dripped coffee. This coffee culture celebrates famous coffee chains and artisan coffee shops with interesting events including exhibitions, coffee-making process and coffee bean-roasting experience programs.

“Only You” will make you laugh and cry, but more importantly, the message of love will resonate deeply. This contemporary musical drama centers on the life-long marriage of an ordinary couple from Gyeongsang province that spans over 3 decades. Instead of using musical numbers, this award-winning show features famous 1990s K-pop hits.

P/s: Fret not if you don’t understand Korean as subtitles in English, Chinese and Japanese are provided.

The details for “Only You” are as follows:

Daehak-ro is said to be the “Korean version of Broadway where culture meets art”. Since its inception it 2017, Daehakro (대학로) has been a festival where music lovers can gather to enjoy musicals, plays, and various Korean performing art genres.

Earlier this month, we were fortunate to gather at Marronnier Park to witness a series of non-verbal performances by groups of talented locals, all gathered in a single location. These acts are usually staged in major theatres across Seoul.

The 2019 Daehakro Performing Arts & Tourism Festival is held from 2nd September till 27th October. Some of the acts that we got to witness were Drumcat, Pang Show, Chef: A New Brand of Bibap, Sun & Moon, Fanta Stick, Jump, “KUNG” Season 3: Dreamer and Painters.

For more info, check out the official website.

Nanta is a well-known non-verbal performance in Korea that specialises in rhythms, beats and body movements with the help of Korean traditional instruments. To experience this culture performance, visitors can enrol in the Nanta Academy for drum lessons. Besides learning a new skill through the rhythms of Nanta, this hobby is also great for stress relief!

Much has been said about the stunning Changdeokgung Palace (also known as Donggwol). Named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997, Changdeokgung Palace is one of the 5 Grand Palaces built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). As the longest-serving royal residential palace, these architectural gems didn’t just housed kings and queens, but it was also the center of politics and city life back in the day.

The Moonlight Tour offers tourist a different perspective of Changdeokgung Palace. Attendees are given paper lanterns as you explore the grounds. Our highlight though, was the traditional performance at Yeongyeongdang Hall where we also got to enjoy traditional tea.

For the next 30 minutes, there were an array of gugak (traditional Korean music) performances, pansori, shadow play, and traditional dance. The wooden house mirrors the same styles of homes in the Joseon era where the royal family were entertained with various ceremonies and performances.

Do note that foreigners are only allocated limited time slots with only 100 tickets per night. Therefore, visitors are advised to secure tickets online.

The details to Changdeokgung Palace’s Moonlight Tour are as follows:

Day 4 of #HypeMYTravels: Stunning performance by a group of women during our Changdeokgung Moonlight night tour.

A post shared by  Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Oct 6, 2019 at 7:21am PDT

For more information, hit up the Korea Tourism Organisation (Malaysia) website or Facebook page. Alternatively, you can follow them on Instagram.

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Maleficent 2 Full Cast Revealed; First Look At Angelina Jolie & Elle Fanning

Sound the horns, “Maleficent 2” has officially started filming.

Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning were all smiles as they reprise Maleficent and Princess Aurora respectively. The sequel picks up a few years after the first movie and will focus on the relationship between the horned fairy and Sleeping Beauty.

#Maleficent2, starring Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, and Michelle Pfeiffer, is now in production. pic.twitter.com/08CQO3FApS

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) May 29, 2018

The official synopsis for “Maleficent 2” reads:

“A fantasy adventure that picks up several years after ‘Maleficent’, in which audiences learned of the events that hardened the heart of Disney’s most notorious villain and drove her to curse a baby Princess Aurora, ‘Maleficent II’ continues to explore the complex relationship between the horned fairy and the soon to be Queen, as they form new alliances and face new adversaries in their struggle to protect the moors and the magical creatures that reside within.”

The studio confirmed today that the newcomers are Michelle Pfeiffer as Queen Ingrith and Harris Dickinson as Aurora’s prospective love interest, Prince Philip. Chitwetel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein, and Robert Lindsay also fill out the new additions. Rounding out the cast are returning actors Sam Riley (as the raven Diaval), Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville (as the Fairy Godmothers).

A post shared by Elle Fanning (@ellefanning)

Yesterday (Tuesday, 29th May), Fanning posted a selfie of herself being photobombed by Jolie. In another shot, we see the young star laughing away as the 42-year-old Oscar winner flashed a peace sign while sporting the evil fairy’s iconic crown.

Hopefully we’ll get to see more silly antics from the cast.

“Maleficent 2” doesn’t have a release date yet.


#IndianaJones: Is Disney Eyeing Chris Pratt For Lead Role?

It’s only a matter of time before Hollywood decides to put Chris Pratt in every summer blockbuster movie that we will be seeing in the future. Although he attained a certain amount of success through NBC’s “Parks and Recreation“, he rose to international fame through his starring role as Peter Quill aka Starlord in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy“. Disney’s upcoming “Jurassic World” movie that features Chris Pratt is one fine example of how he is one of the most in-demand actors in the Hollywood now.

Thus, Disney is not ready to let go of the Hollywood main man yet as Deadline is reporting that the studio is eyeing Chris Pratt to play the title role of an upcoming “Indiana Jones” film.

Created by George Lucas, the “Indiana Jones” franchise is based on the adventures of a fictional archaeologist called Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones. Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg directed “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, the 1st “Indiana Jones” movie in 1981 with Harrison Ford attached to star.

The success of the film inspired a prequel “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” in 1984 and a sequel “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” in 1989. In 2008, Disney released the 4th feature length movie of the film franchise,”Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”.

The 4th “Indiana Jones” film received tremendous success at the box office despite mixed reviews from the critics and being ranked as one as the worst sequels by various movie websites. Although Disney has acquired the film rights to Paramount’s “Indiana Jones” franchise, it was reported that the 5th “Indiana Jones” film might not happen due to Ford’s commitments towards Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Force Awaken” and other spin-off movies. Ford is keen to reprise the role but the 73-year-old actor admits that he is no longer interested in doing big action scenes.

So, just when we thought that the franchise has finally come to an end, Deadline’s latest report regarding the recast of the title character came as a surprise to us. This isn’t the first time Disney is said to be developing a reboot of the “Indiana Jones” as Latino Review wrote in March 2014 that Disney is looking to replace Ford with a new actor. However, SlashFilm debunked the rumour by stating that it was a rumour and nothing was discussed or planned yet.

Admittedly, it is still early for Disney to comment on the report. Thus, it is best to take this with a grain of salt.

Chris Pratt will be seen next in Colin Trevorrow’s “Jurassic World” and will star opposite Denzel Washington in an upcoming remake of “The Magnificent Seven.”

What do you think of the casting rumour? Do you think Pratt would be the perfect Indiana Jones? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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Hype Malaysia: The Top 10 Films That Wowed Us Throughout 2020

2021 may have just pulled out its curtains and rolled out its grand carpets but that does not mean we can’t take a peek back at its predecessor. Yea, we know. We know. 2020 sucked. Ugh. Some of us can’t wait to move on (or already have…)

Admittedly, 2020 was scarce on blockbusters due to the pandemic. Many potential crowd-pleasers such as “Fast 9” and “Black Widow” were pushed back to this year. Nevertheless, the lack of blockbusters did not mean a decline in cinematic quality. Indeed, many great films did spawn all year round.

So, as we reflect upon what came in the yesteryear, we’ve looked through the good that came before and picked some of the best cherries of 2020. These are the films we thought truly mesmerised, wowed, and brought us to our knees. Let’s take a look!

One Pixar film that is being heavily slept on right now is 2020’s “Onward”, released sometime before we went into full lockdown. Admittedly, it’s not as aesthetically pleasing as “Soul” but in terms of story and heart, “Onward” most definitely outshines the aforementioned film. The premise of the film follows two elven brothers, voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, as they embark on a quest to reunite with their dead father. Amidst its fantasy premise and the brothers’ zany adventures, there is poignant sobriety to the film.

Ultimately, the film is a story about loss and paternal love. One that neglects the cliche platitudes of the typical “he’s in your heart”  message for a higher truth. If there’s one thing Pixar films excel at it is their ability to depict trauma in a way that feels emotionally resonant and accessible. It certainly helps that Holland and Pratt’s naturally bubbly personalities do a lot to inject some real energy into their characters’ performances. If you haven’t seen “Onward”, we strongly recommend you give it a watch with a box of tissues prepared at the side.

Telling the story of the largest public school embezzlement in American history is one thing. Giving it a whole lot more weight and dramatic gravitas to its movement is an achievement on its own. The tale of the Roslyn School scandal is handled by director Cory Finley with masterful storytelling and a terrific ensemble cast.

Hugh Jackman’s Frank Tassone is a deviant calculative persona with an unnatural soothing calm. The layers of reeking foul may be piling but they are hidden within the purifying essence of his words. The beauty of “Bad Education” is that the narrative is twirled in a manner so that the audience is inclined to root for the bad guy. It subverts on the perception of educators being the prime positive influences in our lives, instead, painting this supposedly noble figure as a despicable man. Unquestionably, Jackman is at his best in “Bad Education”, lending his depth to a solid script right up to its dreamlike conclusion. What a performance!

When it comes to indie animated studios, Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon deserves to stand tall amongst its contemporaries. The plucky studio has been responsible for such dazzling classics as the likes of “Song of the Sea” and “The Secret of the Kells”. There’s a strong melancholic tone that runs through its thread of films acknowledging Irish mythology. All of its films are always backed up by superb writing and art direction that puts any modern-day Disney affair to shame. Saloon once again exhibits its Irish pride and top-tier animation work with this year’s “Wolfwalkers”.

While seemingly familiar on the surface to perhaps Pixar’s “Brave”, “Wolfwalkers” is far more nuanced and charming in its presentation. While 3D models and CGI effects have dominated the industry, Cartoon Saloon stubbornly refuses to fall in line. The studio has instead chosen to further refine its 2D aesthetics to create something deeply surreal and oddly natural. The story is a heartwarming yarn of a girl unlearning her hatred of the beasts long thought to be evil. “Wolfwalkers” is an absolute visual feast for the eyes and medicine to the soul. God bless good auld Cartoon Saloon, ye don’ Ireland proud!

“I’m Thinking of Ending Things” is weird. Definitely. There’s no doubt that it relies on drawn-out scenes and odd happenings to drive its narrative forward. Academy Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the man behind scripts like “Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind” leaps into the director’s seat once again to craft a surrealist escapade. Cold sleeting snow pours upon the narrative as its premise becomes more and more bizarre with every passing scene. Jessie Buckley and Jessie Plemons both seep into their roles with a certain uncertainty, playing with a variety of emotions as the movie progresses on.

It might not be an easy flick to process the first time around, but trust us, the ending throws a curveball, redefining the entire movie in the process and demanding a re-watch from a conclusive renewed perspective. This is easily one of the most thoughtful movies of 2020, one that pops up in our heads every now and then to present us with questions.

While there have been influences from the author, H.P. Lovecraft, over the years, it’s safe to say that we’ve yet to see anything that truly honours the author’s legacy in cinema. A piece of celluloid that utterly invalidates the worth of human existence in the face of cosmic evil. So much of horror cinema is reliant on some amount of human agency. On either the consequence of our hubris or power to overcome fear. Lovecraftian horror, however, mocks this notion. Its power lies in the ability to make us feel small in the face of such inhuman forces. At long last, the spell of human exceptionalism is broken in Richard Stanley’s “Colour Out of Space”.

Every minute of it was one anxiety attack after another as we see the Gardners led by Nicholas Cage’s Nathan helplessly try to stave off the extraterrestrial infection that threatens their land. Slowly, but surely, the land morphs into a realm of pure alien imagination. The colour-grading work is top-notch and the body horror on display is a love letter to Cronenberg. “Colour Out of Space” is a truly unique experience that challenges the natural presuppositions of our inherent worth. It is equal parts humbling, terrifying and awe-inspiring.

What would you do if you woke up one day and you realised that you had lost your hearing? How would you feel? How would you react? Could you stand the silence? These are all questions Darius Marder’s “Sound of Metal” aims to answer as we journey through the struggles of Riz Ahmed’s character, Ruben, having to deal with the increasingly deafening silence.

The film’s emphasis on sound is just brilliant. From its roaring opener where we are blasted with mosh and metallic vigour to the eventual silence, the audience is treated to a visceral experience. The unfolding events are both heart-gutting and uplifting as we sense exactly what Ruben hears, be it the decaying fades of a drum kit as he slowly loses his hearing or the faint thumps on a metal slide. Ahmed plays the pained figure beautifully, a reluctant entity, despaired and lost, but finding glimmers of hope from the people surrounding him. Indeed, absolute silence is what the “Sound of Metal” so spectacularly achieves and we can’t stay quiet about it.

Christopher Nolan was bound to end up on our list. The visionary auteur returns once again with his staple in mind-boggle and mind-blowing visuals as he delivers the concept of inverted entropy in the most bombastic manner possible. From films like “Inception” and “Interstellar” to “Dunkirk” and “Memento”, the goal of Nolan’s craft is to tell a story but wring it in such a way that it surprises the audience. And boy, does he go at it!

“Tenet’s” narrative is a skull-cruncher for sure, attempting to wreck your brain at every corner. From its reverse car chases, inverted gunslinging, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson tactical speeches, the palindrome effect is made known, easily making for some interesting storytelling through its agents played by John David Washington and Robert Pattinson. “Tenet” may be the Nolaniest film you will ever see, but it’s also a prime example of why we love the man and his trade.

Next to perhaps folks like Quentin Tarantino or Martin McDonagh, Aaron Sorkin proves to be one of the greatest cinematic writers of a generation. 2020’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is the proof in the pudding. It’s easy to get lost in the details of historical dramas and bio-pieces. Sorkin wonderfully avoids every single one of these pitfalls with masterful pacing and a tight, focused narrative. The film is very much tied within the courtroom and makes the titular Chicago 7 the centre of it all. In lieu of lengthy exposition, it uses the testimonies of each of its key cast to provide ever-richer context to a tumultuous time in American history.

All of it is of course powered by amazing performances all-around. The real star of “Chicago 7”, though, has got to be actor Sacha Baron Cohen. Seeing the comedian deftly merge his comedic timing and character’s inherent sense of smug self-righteousness to create one electrifying Abbie Hoffman was pure pleasure. He steals every scene he’s in, except for one that wholly belongs to actor Eddie Redmayne. Impeccable writing, powerful performances and a story that feels eerily relevant to the state of 2020’s political world, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” easily earns a spot on our list.

The director of “Se7en” and “Gone Girl” may have wowed audiences with his thrilling mysteries in the past decades. Nevertheless, even when David Fincher is not teasing us with the box, he crafts tales with a certain cinematic flair to them. Needless to say, “Mank” is a part of the latter format, but it also paves the road as a whole new vehicle on its own, harking back to the golden age of Tinseltown.

The film’s monochrome outlook depicts a boozy Gary Oldman as a struggling screenwriter as he slowly lugs forward to complete his masterpiece, the stuff of legends, “Citizen Kane”. The spirit of the classics is imbued in the spotlight with a masterful command of filmmaking and tremendous attention to period detail. Much of the film allows Oldman to thoroughly strut his stuff as Mank, providing his ultimate efforts even in the sleaziest moments for the character. In all honesty, we’re not surprised “Mank” will be the reason that he eventually bags the Academy Award for best actor next year. No doubt, Mr Fincher and co. have conjured another winner, people!

We’ll cut right to the chase, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is the funniest film of 2020. There, we said it! So often we see the creative spark of originals dim or falter as the sequels pile on. Either, there’s no real reason that they should exist or they’re far too derivative of their predecessors. “Subsequent Moviefilm” is that rare exception to the rule. It is every bit as hilariously shocking and culturally relevant as its insane 2005 older brother. Arguably, the film takes its real-life shenanigans to whole new heights as it launches barrage after barrage upon the Trump administration and the hypocrisy of the American right.

Actor Sacha Baron Cohen is in peak form but it is his new co-star that deserves our kudos. Maria Bakalova as Borat’s daughter or “female son” Tutar was a riot from start to finish. The young actress has excellent chemistry with Cohen as they wonderfully astound everyone around them with their vulgar antics. There were moments in which we had to pause the film just to properly cackle at the sheer absurdity of it all. Seriously, that Christian pregnancy crisis centre scene was comedic gold. Only possibly topped by one other scene which we won’t spoil. In a year so filled with despair, unquestionably, we needed this!

Wa wa wee wa! There we have it, the best of 2020! Do you agree with our picks? Leave your own top ten in the comments!

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Hype’s Movie Review: #PetesDragon Is One Of The Best Remakes #Disney Has Ever Done

The 2016 version of “Pete’s Dragon” is not just another remake; it is creative proof that wholesome family entertainment can be well-made and enjoyable for audiences of all ages.

This new Disney film will pull on your heartstrings in so many different ways and it actually reminded us of “The Jungle Book” and “The Good Dinosaur”. It’s same same, but different.

Loosely based on Malcolm Marmorstein’s 1977 animated live-action musical film of the same name, “Pete’s Dragon” follows a young orphaned boy named Pete (played by Oakes Fegley) and his caretaker and “pet” dragon, Elliot (voiced by John Kassir). The film starts off with Pete reading his favourite storybook titled “Elliot Gets Lost” before losing both of his parents in an unfortunate car crash in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. Scared and alone, Pete meets a kind dragon with green, grassy fur.

6 years later, Pete is found by park ranger Grace (played by Bryce Dallas Howard); Grace’s fiancé and owner of a lumber mill company Jack (played by Wes Bentley); Jack’s daughter Natalie (played by Oona Laurence); as well as Jack’s brother and hunter Gavin (played by Karl Urban). His life will never be the same again.

Elliot, named after the lost puppy in Pete’s storybook, is one of the most lovable dragons we’ve seen since Toothless from Dreamwork’s hit animation, “How To Train Your Dragon”. On the outside, he’s furry and mean-looking; but on the inside, he’s just a mischievous puppy.

From how he sniffs curiously when he sees something new to how he gets easily distracted by butterflies, Elliot is every kids’ dream pet. The canine traits of the clumsy dragon is no coincidence as to why he is named after a fictional puppy. According to director David Lowery, “You want it to be a giant puppy dog”.

After all, the film begins with Pete saying, “This is the story of a puppy called Elliott”.

Great child actors are always hard to find. Aside from the well-developed CGI dragon, 10-year-old Oakes Fegley’s acting left us in awe. Not only did he handle his emotional parts as well as a professional, but he also impressed us with his fluency of movements when he interacts with Elliot, who was only added after filming was done. It’s not easy pretending to talk to a non-existing dragon, let alone play with it.

His co-star, 14-year-old Oona Laurence also did well in bringing out Natalie’s boyish charms and compassion towards her loved ones.

The film’s adult actors are equally as impressive as Oakes and Oona, especially Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford, who plays Grace’s father, Mr. Meacham. Though they do not have much screen time together, they are arguably the best father-daughter duo we’ve seen in a while. The chemistry between the 2 characters complement each other very well – Mr. Meacham is imaginative and passionate while Grace is logical and loving.

Unlike her “Jurassic World” counterpart, Bryce’s new character does not have any complicated lines or over-the-top clothing, but we won’t be able to forget her subtle acting and affectionate gazes anytime soon.

“Pete’s Dragon” also addresses other themes aside from Pete and Elliot’s beautiful friendship. The film is heavily centred around environmental issues such as excessive logging, forest preservation, and wildlife conservation. For instance, when the money-driven Gavin, who doesn’t really care about Mother Nature, hunts down Elliot simply because he thinks that “people would travel thousands of miles to see a dragon”, it’s as though Disney is spreading the awareness of poaching. In this case, Gavin represents unethical poachers while Elliot represents endangered animals.

But then again, just like most Disney films, you won’t be able to dislike him entirely because he’ll eventually learn that “love prevails all”.

Primarily filmed in New Zealand, we think that the movie has successfully captured the beauty of the forest of the Pacific Northwest and the small-town charm of Millhaven, a fictional suburban area. The cinematography in the woods, done by Bojan Bazelli, invoked a cool, breezey feeling for the audience.

Last but not least, the film’s scores were composed by Daniel Hart and our favourite one is undoubtedly the end credit track. After a little digging, we found out that the folk-infused song, titled “Something Wild”, was played by popular YouTube violinist, Lindsey Stirling! What a surprise :)

You can watch the music video for the original track below:

Slated to hit Malaysian cinemas on 1st September 2016, “Pete’s Dragon” also stars Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Sheriff Dentler, Jim McLarty as Ranger Wentworth, and Ian Harcourt as Deputy West.

For more information, visit the film’s official website and Facebook page.

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Mayday Parade Set To Headline Rockiss Rock On Festival In Malaysia

Florida rock band Mayday Parade will be headlining Rockiss Rock On Festival in Malaysia this coming April.

Mayday Parade will be performing alongside Aussie pop punk band With Confidence on 27th April 2019 in Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus.

TICKETS ON SALE for our show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! RT if you've bought your tickets already.

— Mayday Parade (@maydayparade) March 2, 2019

Marking their 2nd visit to Malaysia since 2014 at Stadium Chin Woo, the band’s arrival in Malaysia is to promote the release of their 6th studio album, “Sunnyland”.

The 5-member band debuted their EP “Tales Told by Dead Friends” in 2006 and sold over 50,000 copies without any label support.

Known for their explosive hits like “Miserable at Best”, “Terrible Things”, “12 Through 15” and “Ghosts”, the band has come a long way since their 2007 debut album, “A Lesson In Romantics” which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Heatseeker’s Chart.

The album held the chart position for 70 weeks, laying the framework for the band’s path to success.

Tickets to Rockiss Rock On Festival will be available for RM99 at eventbrite. More performers will be announced for the festival, stay tuned for more updates.


The One With The Beautiful Depression

If there was one movie that would “disturb” for years to come, this would be it. Feel good movie fans, you may pass on this one. Artsy fans, read on! We have a feeling this might just be your thing.

Released in 2011, “Melancholia” is a depressingly beautiful Lars von Trier film. Starring fresh-out-of-her-Spiderman-role Kirsten Dunst and Alexander Skarsgård, the story revolves around a struggle against what is to come – and what is to come is not your average fairy tale.

The first seven minutes of painstakingly planned and shot images of sadness will either leave you confused or anticipating a film that will not end well. Then, the first half of the story line kicks off with an introduction to Justine (played by Kristen Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård). The “just married” duo are at a wedding party, their wedding party, in the home of Justine’s sister, Claire (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law, John (played by Kiefer Sutherland).

Everything seems fine and well until evidently, Justine starts falling apart at a rapid pace. Her emotions swell and she starts “losing it” – and not in a good, marriage celebratory way. From what we gather, Justine spent a lot of time trying to hold in her (beautifully conveyed) depression but like threads that unravel at seams, she soon came loose and ends up running away from the party at every opportunity.

Even if it means turning down her husband, Michael’s advances and sleeping with a random colleague in a sandpit. Yup. All that happens in a quickened pace while somewhere in outer space, a planet named Melancholia is heading towards Earth. With that in mind, Justine breaks down mentally and emotionally.

And so starts the second half of the story.

Michael leaves her before the party’s over, and Claire and John decides to take her in. Of course, when Justine is placed in between them, they seem like the only normal people in the story line. But even normal people shudder at the acknowledgement that a giant celestial rock is about to demolish Earth upon impact.

Soon, Claire and John start to get sucked into the black hole of depression too:

[youtube id=”x_xsm46s2Gg” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Truth be told, von Trier has made the lives of the characters and even life as we know it seem meaningless when striped of depth. Or rather, when the realization that all life will eventually come to an end whether by an abrupt catastrophic disaster (read: Melancholia planet) or by a natural process. In terms of its cinematic composition, however, only Lars von Trier can make depression look so beautiful – with handheld surreal shots and a colour treatment to match. But the pace of the film is so slow that it burns into you.

It’s no surprise that the epic film has since gone on to bag awards and nominations at many of the world’s most notable award shows and film festivals (e.g. Cannes Film Festival, Bodil Awards, Australian Film Institute, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA).

For more information, visit the movie’s official website.

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G-Dragon Announces First Solo World Tour!

VIPs, if you’re lucky, you might be seeing more of BIGBANG leader, G-Dragon. Over the weekend, entertainment company YG Entertainment announced that the artiste, who just released his “One of a Kind” EP in September 2012, will be going on a world tour! Yup. You read right. G-Dragon, alone.

G-Dragon, whose real name is Kwon Jiyong, is said to be the first Korean solo artiste to be going on this brave venture. The “2013 G-Dragon World Tour” starts in Seoul on 30th March, before it goes on to making stops in other parts of the world.

He’s also all set to create history with this first ever world tour as it includes a three-Dome tour in Japan (Seibu Dome, Kyocera Dome, and Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome). The dates are as follows:

Rumour has it that the performances are expected to command about 230,000 audience members. For now, the Japan leg of his tour is titled, “2013 G-Dragon World Tour in Japan Dome Special” but that’s subject to change. As stated in the poster, more cities and dates will be added as and when they are confirmed.

G-Dragon will be making his way to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as part of his first ever solo world tour. Deets are as follows:

For more information, hit up YG Entertainment’s Facebook page or G-Dragon’s Facebook page.


(UPDATE) Hype’s Must Watch: #THG Mockingjay Part 1

Finally, finally! The full-length trailer for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” is out!

After releasing a series of teaser images and teaser videos for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1”, the full-length trailer for the film was released just today, 16th September.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, “The Hunger Games” is the film adaptation of the Suzanne Collins’ hugely successful YA fiction trilogy. The first book was adapted into movie in 2012 and immediately gained a huge following. Subsequently, the second book “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” was adapted into movie and the film adaptation of the third book “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay”  has been split into 2 films.

The final sequel of “The Hunger Games” trilogy will pick up where the previous film left off by introducing the Rebellion led by President Alma Coin (played by Julianne Moore). After Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence) shatters the game, she will join forces with the rebellion community to save Peeta (played by Josh Hutcherson) from the Capitol and overthrow them.

But can they overthrow the Capitol? Who’ll sacrifice themselves to save the nation?

With over 65 million copies in print in the US alone, the film introduces new characters including the leader of Rebellion, President Alma Coin, and resident director of the Capitol, Cressida. “Game of Thrones” star Natalie Dormer shaved her head for the role as Cressida while Hannibal star Julianne Moore bleached her hair to portray President Alma Coin. The late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman will be appearing in the film where he reprises his unfinished role of Plutarch Heavensbee.

In case you missed it, the Grammy award-winning artiste Lorde has been chosen to curate the soundtrack album for the film. The soundtrack album will be released via Republic Records prior to the release of the film on 21st November.

A new trailer for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” is out! The new trailer finds Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Everdeen) returning to her former home, District 12, that has now become an abandoned district after ruined by the capitol. The new clip also features Lorde’s “Yellow Flicker Beat” that fits perfectly into the movie scene.

And now, fans of “The Hunger Games” are allowed to feast their eyes on the final “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” trailer called “Burn”. If this, in addition to the ones above, isn’t enough to whet your appetite for the film, we don’t know what else will!

For more information, visit the movie’s Facebook page.

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#Grab: Driver Who Flashed Penis At Woman Passenger Gets Dumped By Company

A woman passenger experienced a ride from hell when she was sexually harassed during a GrabHitch ride over the weekend (Saturday, 5th November).

Grab has since confirmed the incident and has taken action by removing the driver from the platform. In case you’re curious, the Grab customer, who goes by the Twitter handle @evonne127, has described her disturbing experience in a series of tweets.

“So I got in the car, and this guy is wearing a singlet and running shorts and I thought, ‘Well, it’s GrabHitch, maybe they’re not professional’,” recounted @evonne127, sensing something was amiss. “He kept trying to talk to me, which I don’t care but I was getting a really creepy vibe from him, but whatever lah I just humoured him.”

To her horror, the driver named Vijayakumar exposed his genitals while they were on the highway. To make matters worst, he started catcalling and whistling at her. He even started to ask some personal questions which made the situation all the more uncomfortable.

“He kept whistling at me like catcall style and I was just on my phone pretending like I didn’t hear him and like I didn’t see that thing. He kept asking me personal shit and at this point, I just shrugged and pretended like nothing was happening,” @evonne127 wrote.

Upon arrival at Sunway Pyramid, she fled the vehicle and immediately got in touch with Grab to lodge an official complaint. “The moment I got there I called Grab. The lady I spoke to was really nice but she didn’t know what to do and she told me to e-mail them. I was frustrated, but she was really nice though so I emailed them and I’m thinking, ‘WTF do I even do at this point?’,” she added.

Hi Evonne, our team member has contacted you and as mentioned, we will look into this and conduct an investigation on the driver

— Grab Malaysia (@GrabMY) November 7, 2016

Such actions is not tolerated on our platform and we are terribly sorry for this horrible experience.

As aforementioned, the ride-hailing app has since removed the driver, stressing that “the safety of all passengers” remains top priority moving forward.

The Twitter user @evonne127 has since made her account private.


The World’s Most Exclusive Suite, Located In Disneyland

There’s a place in Disneyland that was originally intended for Walt Disney and his family to stay at whenever they visited the park. But unfortunately, Walt Disney died before the completion of the park. What is this mysterious place we speak of? None other than the only hotel room inside Disney World.

Located at the Cinderella Castle, the suite was used as a storage and a call centre for almost 40 years before Disney decided to complete the suite in 2005. It’s so super exclusive that only a select few have stayed there. And the lucky few who have gotten a chance to stay in the suite can access it via a private elevator. A concierge/butler is also available all night for guests.

The suite itself consists of Cinderella’s coach mosaic tile floor, which includes 3,4000 24-karat gold pieces. In the Royal Sitting Room of the suite, crystal jewels adorn stained-glass windows which tell the story of Cinderella.

Other features include custom-designed headboards, a custom-made priceless glass slipper created by Steuben Glass, and a 17th-century antique Gothic French fireplace molded from an original in France.

There’s also a Royal Bath which contains a royal throne and the sinks are hand-hammered copper leaf basins with silver leaf. On top of that, there’s a custom-made 4×4, multi-jet Jacuzzi with waterfall faucet and chromatherapy lighting that allows users to create a twilight or starlight atmosphere.

Alright. We need to get really lucky quick because we want to stay there! Just one night?

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Have It All: Jason Mraz Makes Comeback With Uplifting Single

“Here’s to the good times we’re gonna have,” Jason Mraz posted on his social media earlier this week.

For fans who guessed right, it was a tease from the singer-songwriter’s brand new single, “Have It All”. If you’re in need of an uplifting song, Mraz’s latest offering, which was released today (Friday, 27th April), provides the perfect remedy to put you in a good spot.

Similar to how Mraz’s previous singles – “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry)”, “You and I Both”, “Wordplay”, “I’m Yours”, “Lucky”, “I Won’t Give Up” – delivers good vibes, “Have It All” is no different. According to Idolator writer Mike Wass, the song was inspired “by a blessing he received from a buddhist monkey” during his visit to Myanmar.

The 40-year-old singer sings on a the guitar-driven production, “May you know the meaning of the word happiness. May you always lead from the beating in your chest. May you be treated like an esteemed guest. May you get to rest, may you catch your breath.”

“Have It All” is a ray of sunshine, soak it up:

Mraz’s upcoming album is scheduled to be released later this year.


Henry Golding Tapped For Guy Ritchie’s New Crime Drama

Malaysian actor Henry Golding is on a roll! After landing his first acting role in the box office hit “Crazy Rich Asians”, the 31-year-old actor has been receiving plenty of acting offers since then!

“Sherlock Holmes” director Guy Ritchie has tapped the Sarawakian actor to star in his latest British crime dramas “Toff Guys” where he will be starring alongside Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey and People’s Choice nominee Kate Beckinsale.

A post shared by Henry Golding (@henrygolding)

“McConaughey as the inside outsider with Henry and Kate will make for a thrilling Guy Ritchie ride,” said Miramax CEO Bill Block as quoted by Variety.

Ritchie will be directing based on the script which he co-wrote with Marn Davies and Ivan Atkinson. Both writers had previously worked with Ritchie on “Sherlock Holmes” movie series.

A post shared by Guy Ritchie (@guyritchie)

The story of “Toff Guys” explores the collision between European “old money” and the modern marijuana industry. It follows a British drug lord attempting to cash out on his highly profitable empire by selling it off to a dynasty of Oklahoma billionaires.

Golding also slated to star in Paul Feig’s holiday feature “Last Christmas” and an upcoming indie drama “Monsoon”.


8 Funniest Moments From 2014 World Cup So Far

When it comes to the biggest and most prestigious football competition in the world, World Cup gathers all the finest soccer teams to compete against each other. This year, the FIFA World Cup in Brazil has brought quite a few surprises in just two weeks and we had the chance to witness some of the best World Cup moments from the triumphant ones to the emotional ones, and even some plain ridiculous moments.

We gotta admit that the Suarez biting incident has just become one of the best World Cup moments in history. But that’s not all. Some of the football players and football fans proved that they have their own “quirks” too and so..we’ve gathered the funniest moments we have seen from 2014 FIFA World Cup so far.

While Suarez is addicted in biting his opponents, Ivory Coast goalkeeper Boubacar Barry decided that eating grass was the better way to celebrate a goal. Umm, is it time to ban players from biting or eating anything on the field now?

While some of the football players have their rituals for a good game, the exchanging of shirt swap has always been a tradition in football and it’s practised at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. However, the former Sevilla team-mates Ivan Rakitic and Stephane Mbia decided that they wanted more than just shirts and exchanged their shorts as well at the end of the Crotia v Cameroon match.

Clearly, photobombing would’ve been the most epic way to appear in someone else’s photo. When the US head coach Jurgen Klinsmann was taking picture with the local police in Brazil, striker Clint Dempsey pulled off a hilarious “Benedict Cumberbatch” style photobomb behind his coach. Nice.

It’s any football fan’s dream to make a trip to the World Cup to support their favourite team. But what they didn’t expect was the elimination of the team before they can even witness the match. These funny England fans decided to turn their frustrations into a laughable matter. Priceless indeed, guys.

“Please do not film us, our wives think we are fishing in West Wales”. Thanks to their huge banner, these guys still had their few seconds’ worth of fame on TV. Risky, but we hope none of them got caught and ended up having to sleep on the couch or worse, outside the house.

Now, this is absolutely the cool way to handle the embarrassment when someone denies you a handshake. At least this move was proven to be quite effective for the World Cup 2014 referee Joe Fletcher who had a major handshake fail with a FIFA official. Trolled, much?

To prevent the players from stepping over the imaginary line during free kick, a referee had to use the magic vanishing spray to draw the line. And because of that, referee Solis has shown no mercy to stubborn Mexican players Andres Guardado’s and Jose Vazquez as he sprayed on their boots when they were asked to move a little further back.

When the Argentina player Lionel Messi showed up before going into the field, a young boy walked out from his queue and went up to ask for a handshake. Perhaps Messi did not see that young boy who went up to him but he accidentally snubbed that young boy in a handshake line. Just look at his hand hanging in the air, it’s pretty heartbreaking yet hilarious at the same time. Boy, time to take cues from Fletcher!

We are pretty sure that there are more funny World Cup moments coming our way but for now make sure you check out some other funny moments during World Cup’s opening ceremony and funniest names in football history!

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Concert Review: Jackson Wang Gave “100 Ways” To Leave Us Wanting More At Good Vibes!

We went back for Day 2 of the Good Vibes Weekender 2022 music festival yesterday (Saturday, 24th September) and the energy kept getting better and better with each passing hour! Concert goers and music lovers filled the Sunway Lagoon venue as soon as the doors opened to enjoy an evening of fun, excitement, and surprises.

With a line-up of highly talented local and international acts, yesterday’s concert took us back in time where we danced to some upbeat disco music, head bang to good old Alternative Rock, and scream at the top of our lungs when the headliner, the indescribable Jackson Wang  (王嘉爾/왕잭슨) finally took the stage. Here are some of the highlights of what went down yesterday:

Local talents singer-songwriter Liesl-Mae and alternative/genre-fluid band The Peachskins were the opening acts for yesterday’s show. The former gave fans a treat by performing her new unreleased track “Rain Clouds” and has kept the audience entertained with her renditions of Coldplay’s “Yellow” and ended her set with Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever”. Despite a few tech hiccups, The Peachskins still managed to have our eyes glued to them during their entire set with songs like “Ultra Vice”, “Platform Heels” and “Ghost”.

Indie disco band, Late Night Frequency definitely took us back in time for some groovy fun. Saxophonist Mr. Wolf literally blew the audience away every time he took the center stage during his sax solos. The AIM23 winners got us moving to some unreleased songs like “Satu Hari”, and “Ruang” and of course, it was only fitting to have ended their set with their award-winning single “Fun Lust Love”.

Delivering amazing vocal performances was singer-songwriter Leaism. The R&B/Soul artist gave the audience her all when she served us with “Darkside”, and “Shadows”, and even got us dancing along with her to “Gerakkan Aku”. The most memorable moment was when the audience screamed for an encore performance after her set was abruptly cut off due to technical difficulties. The 32-year-old did not disappoint and performed one last song, “Murka Jiwa” even with her mic off. Absolute Queen!

Almost immediately after Leaism ended her set, Malaysia’s very own NYK started off his set over at the Blue Stage with an unreleased track called “Caroline”, perfectly hitting those high notes that left the audience cheering with excitement. The Penang-born musician slowed things down with the emotional “I’m Fine” before introducing fans to another unreleased uptempo track, “All I Do Is Think About You”. As soon as the sun set, NYK took us home with “Daylight”.

Following NYK’s performances, Yonnyboii took the Red stage and he had every reason to be happy last night as the audience sang along to “Boleh Bla”, and “Sakit”. The rapper even showed off his pipes during his performance for “Salahku”. It was also reassuring for the 24-year-old to know that his no.1 fan a.k.a his wife was in the audience supporting him all the way. Ending his set with “Kecewa”, the hip-hop artist did not disappoint and gave the fans a performance to remember.

American DJ Shallou got the audience dancing on their feet (and on each other) during his 1-hour set before we head back to the Red stage to catch Filipino singer-songwriter Beabadoobee, who gave us a rocking set full of headbanging songs like “Together”, “Charlie Brown”, and her favourite song “See You Soon” from her new album “Beatopia”. The rock artist treated the audience to her 2020 hit “Coffee”, a song TikTok enthusiasts are all too familiar with, before ending her set with “Cologne”.

Heading over to the Blue stage, American R&B singer Pink Sweat$ gave outstanding vocal performances of basically all of his songs. The 30-year-old did not miss a beat (or a note) and got us dancing along to songs like “Icey”, “Magic”, and “Pink Money”. After the audience sang along to his hit “At My Worst”, Pink Sweat$ wowed the Sunway Lagoon crowd by bringing a surprise guest to join him for “I Feel Good”.

Now, the moment everyone had been waiting for. GOT7 lightsticks went up as soon as the screen projected the words “MAGIC MAN”. Surrounded by dancers on the Red stage, K-pop idol Jackson Wang gave us a strong and unforgettable entrance by opening his set with “100 Ways”. Everyone had their smartphones in the air to catch the singer’s every movement during the fast tempo “Go Ghost” and we were surprised no one fainted during “Champagne Cool” cause the temperature was definitely rising during that number.

Composures left the venue and minds were blown when the GOT7 member jumped down from the stage to sing “Blow” to the fans at the front. The 28-year-old proved to everyone that he was the definition of the word ‘Performer’. We were also blessed with both older and newer songs like “Drive It Like You Stole It” and “Cruel” respectively. Just when everyone thought the show had ended, Jackson came back on stage to ask fans to recommend him a place to dine to which everyone answered, “MAMAK!”

A post shared by ASTRO XUAN (@xuan.com.my)

MAGIC MAN (album digital) https://t.co/jAl4JkovQ7 pic.twitter.com/Ku3uayccur

— TEAM WANG records (@teamwangofcl) September 24, 2022

#JacksonWang asking the fans where to eat after the #GoodVibesWeekender #GVW2022 show. Here’s everyone’s answer 😝: pic.twitter.com/b2C6feBg08

— Afiq Nuradli ｱﾌｲｸ (@afiqnuradli) September 25, 2022

Overall, Day 2 of the Good Vibes Weekender 2022 music festival left us wanting more. Two days were definitely not enough! Besides getting to see our favourite artists perform on a large stage, it was an amazing opportunity for everyone to discover new music. We’re very much looking forward to what next year has in store for us!

Did you attend both days? Which acts were your favourites? Also, be sure to check out our review for Day 1 of the Good Vibes Weekender 2022.

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NSK Grocer: Largest KL Grocer Debuts In Quill City Mall KL

There’s a new grocer in town y’all! Said to be the largest grocer and the first new modern-grocer concept in Kuala Lumpur City Centre, NSK Grocer recently made its debut in Quill City Mall Kuala Lumpur.

As the first-of-its-kind concept modernising a traditional market setting furnished with a comfortable and pristine environment, NSK Grocer offers various affordably-premium local and imported products all under one roof. The over 85,000 sqft space features a large fresh food section, dry grocery area, wholesale section and a deli.

The first grocer by NSK Group also has a plethora of groceries, household items, poultry items and fresh produce like vegetables, live seafood such as fish, prawns and crabs at reasonable pricing to provide value-for-money for customers.

“We are pleased to have the first NSK Grocer as part of the Quill City Mall family, and we are delighted to bring a distinctive and enjoyable shopping experience to the modern shoppers of today. As one of the reputable malls in KL City Centre, we are always endeavouring to create a shopping experience that is both exciting and convenient for our shoppers where they are able to run their daily needs all in one place – making it an ideal shopping destination for all. We are confident that NSK Grocer has the strong potential and credibility to cater to the needs of people in Kuala Lumpur and across Klang Valley,” said Mr Justin Liew, Senior Vice President of Quill City Mall Retails Sdn Bhd.

Loh Teck Wah, Executive Director of NSK Grocer (KL) Sdn Bhd added that this new modern-grocer concept also caters to varying customers – office workers, young families and college students – who frequent the mall on a daily/weekly basis. “This latest innovative concept is catered to every lifestyle, and we believe that the opening of NSK Grocer in Quill City Mall KL will bring a relaxed shopping experience as well as positive impact to the public, especially for those residing or working in the city centre who are always on-the-go and need a quick dash to the grocer for their daily needs,” he said.

NSK Grocer is located at LG-19-21 Lower Ground at Quill City Mall KL, and opens daily from 9am to 11pm. For more info, visit here.