#Malaysia: Passport Renewals Can Be Done Online Starting 1st September

Don’t have time to renew your passport? Fret not ’cause the Immigration Department has just announced that the pilot programme for “MyOnline Passport” will begin on 1st September!

The department’s director-general, Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali, said that the experimental system would be made available in 4 states – Pahang, Penang, Putrajaya, and Sarawak – and 2 Urban Transformation Centres (UTC) – Pudu Sentral in Kuala Lumpur and Galleria@Kotaraya in Johor.

According to Mustafar, the online application for passport renewals can also be done via mobile phone, regardless of the place, time, or day.

“The applicants are allowed to choose any of the passport issuing counters in the 4 states involved, for example, the online application is made in Johor, but (the applicant) may want to collect it (passport) at the Immigration Department counter in Penang,” he told reporters after visiting the Johor Immigration Department at the Setia Tropika Home Ministry Complex on Sunday (28th August).

The new programme aims to overcome the congestion at Immigration offices. He also added that “MyOnline Passport” would be extended to other states if the pilot programme goes well.

Bernama via MMO reported that the new system was introduced to enable people to renew their passport online. Applicants can update their details, upload the required photo, make payment using a debit or credit card, and collect the passport at any of the 6 designated counters.

For more information, visit the Immigration Department’s official website.


18 Christmas Shows For You To Enjoy This Holiday Season!

Jingle those festive holiday bells while you cosy up on your couch with your loved ones watching Christmas movies and series. It used to be Christmas Hallmark movies, but let’s go for something refreshing this year around, shall we?

Let’s brighten up Christmas this year with Apple TV+ and an array of shows from our favourite streaming channels like HBO, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Warner TV and many more! Too many choices that you don’t know where to start? Let us help you!

First off from our HBO GO list is a heartwarming tale of the 10-year-old Jake Doyle’s adventure quest on finding the latest and greatest video game system for Christmas. We are pretty sure 80s kids will be super stoked in this film as it will invoke a feeling of familiar nostalgia while watching it. Jake’s adventure is disastrous, but at the same time makes you giggle like a little girl. Starred by the famous playboy of “How I Met Your Mother” Neil Patrick Harris, along with Winslow Fegley, June Diane Raphael, David Cross and Steve Zahn.

What’s a more fun way to spend Christmas than a stop-motion Christmas animated series? However, this is not your usual stop-motion animation as the complexity of the plot that follows a female elf who works in Santa’s workshop, and dreams of becoming Santa in the future. A great 21st century’s Christmas entertainment that sheds light on power struggles, gender inequality and manipulation in the North Pole. Talking about fresh perspectives, huh?

3) “My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood” (HBO GO)

HBO GO also gives you the chance to celebrate Christmas with Carrie Underwood as she performs her first full-length Christmas album along with our traditional favourites, accompanied with a musical orchestra. John Legend will also be performing alongside her as a special guest on the show! Two amazing vocals side by side? Wouldn’t want to miss that! Not only that, fans will also get to see “Little Drummer Boy” that features her and her son, Isaiah.

Premieres starts on the 16th December 2021.

4) “Double Movies Nightly” (Warner TV: Astro Channel 712 & UnifiTV Channel 451)

Warner TV is bringing you the absolute best box office shows for you to indulge on Christmas with your loved ones. Tickle your funny bone with comedies like “Fighting with My Family”, “Four Christmases”, and “Life As We Know It”. Or if you’re feeling like going on a Christmas heist or Christmas adventure, Warner TV offers you the Ocean’s series and “Aquaman” or “Shazam!”. You could also make Christmas magical by celebrating it in the Great Hall of Hogwarts with the “Golden Trio” or the iconic Hufflepuff, Newt Scamander!

5) “So Much Xmas Magic” (Cartoon Network: Astro Channel 615)

Don’t worry, of course we have shows lined up for younger viewers too! They can enjoy the magic of friendship with “Looney Tunes Cartoon”, “Teens Titans GO”, “We Bare Bears”, and also the premiere of the classic but has been given a new breath, “Tom & Jerry In New York”! Follow our favourite cat and mouse all the way to New York as they chase each other and entertain us with their antics all around the Big Apple.

6) “12 Days to Christmas” (Boomerang: Astro Channel 619)

Not only Cartoon Network is entertaining the younger viewers this holiday, but Boomerang is too. Get ready to be and joyful as the season is with specially lined all-time favourite shows such as “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated”, “Shaun The Sheep”, and many more!

7) “Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues” (Apple TV+)

Christmas is just right around the corner, so we know who is defrosting as we’re speaking: Mariah Carey! Join our Christmas icon along with several other artists like Khalid and Kirk Franklin giving us a rendition of our favourite Christmas tunes. You will also witness her first and only performance of brand new single, “Fall in Love at Christmas”!

This Christmas special includes an interview with Mariah herself, and her 10-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe.

8) “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (Apple TV+)

Join our beloved classic animated character, Charlie Brown in his adventure when he takes up the role of the director for his gang’s play! And at the same time, try to find the ‘perfect’ Christmas tree, deal with his friends’ preference of dancing over acting, and discover the true meaning of Christmas.

9) “It’s Chrismastime Again, Charlie Brown” (Apple TV+)

A collection of Charlie Brown’s short Christmas episodes that includes: Charlie Brown selling wreaths, Peppermint Patty worrying about her Christmas book reports, and many more. Even the episode where the gang is seen in a Christmas play is included!

10) “Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne” (Apple TV+)

Join Lucy’s adventure in throwing the best New Year’s Eve party for the Peanuts gang after a disappointing Christmas not being able to see her grandma. In the midst of that, Charlie Brown was struggling to accomplish his single New Year’s resolution before the clock strikes twelve and starts a whole new year.

11) “‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas” (Apple TV+)

Follow this documentary of Jeremy Morris, a Christmas loving lawyer, try to pull off the biggest community Christmas event in a North Idaho neighbourhood that America has ever seen. However, the homeowners’ association is against Jeremy’s obsession, because apparently, it violates the neighbourhood’s rules. Of course, a fight erupts, and you will start to question who is on the right side?

12) “Ted Lasso: S2, E4: Carol of the Bells” (Apple TV+)

Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, is a college football coach from Kansas. Ted was hired to coach an England’s soccer team although he had absolutely zero experience. In this Christmas episode, Ted embarks on a special mission assigned by Rebecca, Roy and Keeley looks for Christmas miracles, and the Higginses open up their home.

13) “Home Sweet Home Alone” (Disney+ Hotstar)

One of the most famous Christmas classic is adding a new film to it’s franchise! Just like the other films in the franchise, this story follows Max in his witty and mischievous plan to scare unwanted visitors. But this time around, instead of burglars, the unwanted visitors are a married couple who tries to steal a valuable heirloom from his house.

14) “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” (Disney+ Hotstar)

You’ve watched the live-action of it, now catch the premiere of this animated version of one of the best-selling book series, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”! Follow Greg Heffley in his daydreams trying to become rich and famous someday. It’s just that.. he has to get through middle school first!

15) “Ron’s Gone Wrong” (Disney+ Hotstar)

Ron’s “Gone Wrong” is an action-packed animated story that features Ron, who receives a malfunctioning device that is supposed to be his “best friend out of the box”. Discover how messy but beautiful friendship is in this story with Ron!

16) “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” (Disney+ Hotstar)

We all know the tale of the bitter old man Ebenezer Scrooge hating the holiday season. It takes him the visit from three Christmas spirits to wipe that bitter away and spread Christmas happiness again. Watch the retelling of the classic in an amazing visual that will take your breath away.

Sometimes, the holiday season doesn’t always go too well for some of us. And for Rowena, everything seems to be in a mayhem; her parents are getting a divorce, new faces entering the scene and all that she wants for Christmas is for things to go back to how they were. So who does she wish to during Christmas? Santa, of course. But, she ends up being stuck in a loop. It’s Christmas, again and again, and again.

18) “Mickey & Minnie: Wish Upon a Christmas” (Disney+ Hotstar)

Oh no, Mickey, Minnie and the gang are separated all over the world! Can they get back to Hot Dog Hills in time for Christmas? In the midst of the chaos, a mysterious stranger comes along and tells them about the Wishing Star. Now, can the Wishing Star be the Christmas miracle that they are hoping for?

Now that we’ve got a whole list of shows lined up for you to binge during the holidays with your loved ones, what are you still waiting for?

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


The Jonas Brothers Live in M’sia – Yes, Live!

Did you hear, did you hear? Is it real? Don’t be pinching yourselves because heck no, you ain’t dreaming. The rumours are true!

This month, the super talented heartthrobs, the Jonas Brothers will be making their way halfway across the world to stage their first every concert in Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur. Yuh huh! They’re coming to Malaysia, peeps. All the way from New Jersey!

Joe fans, Kevin fans, Nick fans, your wishes have come true.

The Jonas Brothers became a worldwide phenomenon through the Disney Channel TV movie “Camp Rock” and its sequel, “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam”. They were also nominated for “Best New Artiste” at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Oh, wait, but you already know that. We bet you also know their sweet hit song’s lyrics by heart:

[youtube id=”-ZBoPlCzuRY” width=”600″ height=”350″]

They will be here as part of their reunion world tour to promote their newly released fifth album and obviously, they want you to be there. So, you wanna go? Deets are as follows:

Ticketing: RM88, RM188, RM238, RM288 (excluding RM3 processing fee)

Tickets are available online via TicketCharge. Go go, get get. Thank us later!

For more information, visit their official website. Also, feel free to stalk the boys on Twitter.


Swedish-Lebanese Religious Singer Maher Zain Returns To Malaysia For A Tour

Swedish-Lebanese R&B singer Maher Zain is finally coming back to Malaysia after more than 2 years! Bersatu’s chief strategist Dr. Rais Hussin will be bringing the religious singer to Malaysia, he confirmed it on his Twitter.

The politician teased on his Twitter with a mysterious silhouette, but many fans managed to figure out the clue before he officially confirmed it. Dr. Rais even replied to Maher Zain’s tweet, saying that he look forward to seeing the singer’s in Malaysia, to which the singer replied, “Likewise, looking forward as well!”

Look who is coming to #Malaysia soon ! pic.twitter.com/rNrybyIYYV

— Dr. Rais Hussin (@raishussin) October 16, 2018

Likewise, looking forward as well! 😉 https://t.co/D1gP4dvSIy

— Maher Zain (@MaherZain) October 12, 2018

According to Dr. Rais, Maher Zain will be in Malaysia for a tour where he will be performing 4 concerts and 1 charity concert. However, the dates for the tour have yet to be revealed.

Maher Zain who is known for songs like “For The Rest of My Life”, “Insha Allah”, “The Chosen One”, “Barakah Allahu Lakuma”, and more, is no stranger to Malaysia. He last performed in Malaysia in 2016 to promote his 3rd album, “One”.

A post shared by Maher Zain (@maherzainofficial)

Having performed at numerous sold-out concert, the 37-year-old singer is the biggest Arab Muslim artist on Facebook with close to 26 million followers on Facebook. In Malaysia, he was the most googled artist in 2010 and has the highest selling album in the country during that year too!

Stay tuned on this space for more updates!

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#Instagram: Social Media Platform Rolls Out Ads; First One Spotted

Instagram has made a lot of changes in the recent months, some more drastic than others.

And now, the social media platform has finally rolled out another feature that has been in experimentation mode for months – Instagram ads. This also means that your Instagram feed is about to get much more annoying.

The new feature will allow advertisers to run a “slideshow” type of ad (for standard picture posts) as well as video ads that are up to 30 seconds in length. To put that into perspective, normal Instavideo posts only run for about 15 seconds. According to BGR, Insta-junkies in as many as 30 new countries can “look forward” to seeing ads in their feeds. TechCrunch wrote that this include Mexico, India, and South Korea.

And apparently, Malaysia too. Because we’ve just spotted one today, from local e-commerce site Lazada Malaysia:

How does Instagram know what to show you? What makes them think that you’re the target market for the said ad? According to their Help Center, you might see ads based on the people you follow and things you like on Instagram, your information and interests on Facebook and the websites and apps you visit.

But what if they got it wrong? What if you see an ad that you don’t like? Easy. If you click on “Sponsored” at the top right of the ad, you can choose to “Hide This”.

According to Instagram, you can also opt out of seeing ads based on sites and apps off of Instagram and Facebook (their parent company) from your device’s settings. Tweak your choices via Facebook’s ad preferences and ads settings.

But one thing to note though, is that even if you choose to opt out of seeing these types of ads, you’ll still see ads based on your activity on Instagram and Facebook.

On the other hand, if you’re interested in what is being advertised, you can hit “Learn More” and it’ll lead you to a separate page. In this case, clicking on “Learn More” at the bottom right of the Lazada ad led us to the Lazada app in Google Play.

Instagram advertising is not limited to just big brands alone because the platform is opening up ads to businesses for all sizes. Also, since Instagram is allowing advertisers to run 30-seconds video ads, this means that the platform is now going after television advertisers, since they can easily port their commercials into Instagram ads.

Sources: BGR, TechCrunch, Instagram Help Center.


CCXP: 5 Big Reveals From DC At Comic Con Experience

Comic books fans in Brazil had a blast last weekend at Comic Con Experience (CCXP) in São Paulo, Brazil. Both Marvel and DC were present at the convention with each of them vying for fan’s attention.

In addition to Marvel, we are also looking at what new information was provided by Warner Bros. for their DC Extended Universe at CCXP.

DC announced their third original live-action series with “Stargirl”. The upcoming show is said to be a more light-hearted series compared to DC’s other live-action series such as “Titans” and “Doom Patrol”.

The series is also said to be teen-centric and will see the Justice Society and Injustice Society as a major plot point. Unfortunately, the leaked teaser trailer of “Stargirl” at the convention was taken down by DC’s request, so hopefully they will be releasing an official one soon for the public.

New posters for ‘BIRDS OF PREY’ have been officially released. (Source: @wbpictures) pic.twitter.com/x2WiwNvkru

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 6, 2019

Nothing but respect to whoever created these posters. #BirdsOfPrey pic.twitter.com/KqkihKLhi8

— Jay.. (@x_warinmymind) December 6, 2019

Cast members of the highly anticipated “Birds Of Prey” received a warm welcome at CCXP in Brazil. Fans that were lucky enough to be at the event got to watch some footages from the film, and first dips on 2 new posters. Unfortunately, the footages shown and the posters wasn’t publicly available during the time of writing, but rest assured that we will keep you updated when it does.

The flick is set to release on 7th February 2020 and will be a R-rated film, following the success of another DC R-rated film, “Joker”.

Sequels to ‘Aquaman’ and ‘Shazam’ have been officially confirmed by Warner Bros during #CCXP19 pic.twitter.com/k1sOxH9AaU

— ScreenTime (@screentime) December 8, 2019

It’s official, Warner Bros. also announced the sequels to the DC films. Though, it should be pointed out that it was obvious that they were going to do it. Actor Zachary Levi will be returning to the sequel as Shazam, but no official production date has been announced for the film just yet. However, Levi did estimated that production could start as early as June 2020, which would fit nicely into DC’s plans. Likewise, Jason Momoa will also be reprising Aquaman.

Director Matt Reeves is bringing “The Batman” to CCXP, next year. The director recorded a video message to fans at the event, delivering the announcement to a roar of cheers from fans. Production of the new film is expected to start early next year, with the release date for the upcoming Batman flick already being set on 25th June 2021.

New character posters for ‘WONDER WOMAN 1984’ have been officially released. #CCXP19 pic.twitter.com/wuFCpjTSfk

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 8, 2019

They’re 100% inside Diana’s Invisible Jet#WW84 #WonderWoman1984 pic.twitter.com/rLqOHIcHH3

— Jimmy Folino #WhoDey 🐅- BLM, StopAsianHate 🏳🌈 (@MrNiceGuy513) December 9, 2019

Probably the most exciting news that has came out from the DC booth at CCXP was the new trailer for the upcoming “Wonder Woman 1984”. Much of the plot of the film is still being kept under wraps. However, we do know that Chris Pine’s character will be making a return with the setting being place in, well, 1984.

Source: Heroic Hollywood, We Got This Covered, Movie Web.

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Valentine’s Day: Top 5 Cutest Comic Book Film Couples Of All Time

When it comes to tales of noble heroes battling against villanous foes, there always seems to be a love interest lurking somewhere in the background. Whether to fight alongside our beloved heroes or to add some emotional stakes to the plot. Whether it’s Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle or Bruce Banner and Betty Ross, there’s no shortage of iconic superhero couples in the world of comic book films.

We’ve seen these romantic relationships evolve over the years from old-school saviour-damsel dynamics to the more equally empowering partnerships we now see in more modern films. Needless to say, we’ve come a long way from Superman saving Lois Lane from a burning building. What has always stayed the same are these couples’ ability to inspire hope in the viewers that true love can survive the odds!

So with Valentine’s Day here, we’d figure that now would be a great time to count down the cutest comic book film couples out there. Grab your cape and cuddle up on the couch for this one!

Though never fully explored, we think the complicated and intimate relationship that the icy Natasha Romanoff shared with the troubled Bruce Banner is still one worth mentioning. There’s something so tragic and yet beautiful about the two of them getting together. One’s a stoic assassin who has trouble letting her guard down. The other’s a ticking timebomb who needs to keep in control of his emotions lest everything burns to the ground.

It would have been really cool if the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) took time to further develop their relationship.  Are they good for each other? Or is it a volatile codependent relationship that could have torn the team apart? We know that Natasha more than anything wanted to be with Banner but the scientist just couldn’t see a future with them as a couple. Call us corny but we’re suckers for the whole beauty-and-the-beast trope. The logical Banner knows he can’t be with the spy but the Hulk cries out for her. If only Disney hadn’t killed her off (and maybe paid actor Scarlett Johansson a little better); perhaps then we’d finally get to see both these troubled souls at peace.

Deadpool isn’t exactly the most wholesome, or sane, guy out there. A mercenary-turned-superhero who goes around brutally massacring bad guys with katanas while cracking vulgar jokes at the side. Weirdly enough though, his relationship with his girlfriend Vanessa is actually incredibly sweet! They play arcade games together, wear matching holiday sweaters and just generally have a good time around each other. Even after she’s almost murdered by Ajax and Wade’s face looks like a microwaved grape, she still decides that he’s the love of her life. Now that’s commitment right there!

Their relationship fits perfectly with the tone of the “Deadpool” films. They’re not the insufferably self-serious, melodramatic pair that we see in so many other films. Rather, they bring this adorable, yet ironic, energy that makes their on-screen chemistry both believable and hilarious. So you can imagine our dismay at seeing Vanessa’s death in “Deadpool 2”. Poor Wade. Well, at least, he knows she’s waiting for him in Heaven when he’s dies. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to see them reunited when Deadpool enters into the MCU.

You probably know, or have heard, of couples that on the surface seem really argumentative but deep, down they just can’t stay away from each other. It’s almost as if they’re destined to be together. For everyone’s favourite demon pal, Hellboy and the gifted pyrokinetic, Elizabeth “Liz” Sherman, this seems to be the case. They say being in a relationship helps in bringing out the best in one another. Hellboy can be difficult, egotistical and supremely selfish at times but through Liz, he manages to learn and grow into a genuine hero. In turn, Hellboy makes Liz feel like she doesn’t have to hide who she is truly is.

Now before any of you Hellboy purists jump on our case, we’re well aware that in the comics that their relationship is strictly platonic. In Guillermo Del Toro’s films though, the two are just so sickneningly sweet together that we can’t help but ship them. In “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”, Liz is told of a prophecy that her lover is Anung un Rama. A being whose purpose is to herald the end of the world and will cause her untold heartbreak. Despite knowing this, she still chooses to bring Hellboy back to life. Now some would call that decision horribly irresponsible. For us, we think that’s pretty charming.

We can hear the Sam Raimi fans out there sharpening their pitchforks. We get it. Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” featured one of the most legendary kisses in cinematic history! The upside-down shot of Spidey and Mary Jane kissing in the rain will always hold a special place in our hearts. That being said, they were kind of a toxic pair. We only got a chance to see them as a couple in “Spider-Man 3” and by that time, their relationship was in a really messy place. We feel a much healthier and adorable couple would be Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker with Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy.

In “The Amazing Spider-Man”, we saw Gwen being there to support him through a difficult time of grieving before falling love with him. The two of them also share a similar pain of knowing the loss of a father figure. So on an emotional and thematic level, their relationship makes perfect sense. More importantly, we absolutely love the coupley banter between two of them. Something that was missing in Raimi’s trilogy. And though “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” had a lot of issues, we can all agree that witnessing Peter fail to save Gwen was an utter knife right through our hearts. Why, Marc Webb?! She’s so likeable!

If any member of the Avengers ever deserved a happily-ever-after, it’s Steve Rogers aka Captain America. The man has fought Nazis, super-soldiers, a Norse god and alien armies. Even when faced down with a universe-ending threat, he kept up the fight. He could have easily thrown in the towel after watching the love of his life, Peggy Carter, die of old age right before his eyes but he never did. He fought the good fight and he ultimately got the life he deserved. He finally got that dance with Peggy he promised at the end of “Captain America: The First Avenger”.

Sure Cap has had a few romantic flings here and there but his heart was only ever for Peggy. Their love is so strong that they’re meant to be together in different universes! In an episode of Disney’s “What If…?”, we see an alternate reality in which Peggy took the super-soldier serum and Steve remained his frail self. Regardless of all these differences, they still became a couple. It’s also highly implied in the final episode of the series that Captain Carter finds her long, lost lover still alive in the modern era. Therefore, it’s no hyperbole when we say that their love is truly timeless!

So what’s your favourite super-couple out there? Are there any favourites we missed out? Be sure let us know in the comments!


OneZo Malaysia Introduces Bubble Tea With Pokeball Bobas

With so many bubble tea shop available in Malaysia, how does one stands out from the bunch? For OneZo Tapioca, it is by riding on the popularity of a currently trending movie.

With the release of “Detective Pikachu” in the cinemas, Taiwanese bubble tea drink OneZo has taken its creativity to the next level by introducing Pokeball bobas also known as PokeBobas!

. 【POKEBALL 寶貝球珍珠】 寶貝丸你嚐了嗎？還沒？ 快來到丸作和皮卡丘一起探索丸の秘密！ Pika~ Pika~ Have you try Pokeball yet? Try to explore it at all our OneZo outlets in Malaysia. The first and only one in Malaysia! . ▶ Follow Facebook: www.facebook.com/onezo.malaysia ▶ Follow Tiktok ID: 31624128577 (OneZo Malaysia 丸作) . [HANDMADE TAPIOCA IS MY SECRET] #OneZoMalaysia #OneZoMelaka #OneZoSubang #OneZoMuar #OneZoMountAustin #丸作 #丸作食茶

A post shared by  OneZo Malaysia 丸作 (@onezo.malaysia) on May 8, 2019 at 9:20pm PDT

Made from red rice, bamboo charcoal, and coconut, the handmade Pokeball bobas are limited to only 300 cups per day, so if you want to try it out, make sure to drop by the shop early.

The Pokemon-themed bobas went viral when it was introduced in OneZo’s branch in Ontario, Canada. Since then, the other outlets all over the world has included the unique bubbles in its menu.

. 【期限限定新品-寶貝球珍珠】 注意！注意！ 丸粉们，5/4/2019 來臨的星期五，別忘了帶上你們的寶貝家人朋友們一起到丸作分店收集寶貝球珍珠啦！每天只限300杯！動作要快！ 無添加色素、無防腐劑，讓你吃得安心，只在丸作食茶。 ——————————————————————————— 【LIMITED – POKEBALL】 Dear OneZo fans, please remember starting from this coming Friday 5/4/2019, our handmade Pokeball Pearl will be start launching at all our OneZo outlet in Malaysia. 300 cups per day only! Don’t miss it!!! (No artificial colour and preservative added) . ▶ Follow Facebook: www.facebook.com/onezo.malaysia ▶ Follow Tiktok ID: 31624128577 (丸作 Onezo_Malaysia) OUR BRANCH ? OneZo Melaka (HQ) ? OneZo Subang ? OneZo Muar ? OneZo JB (Coming Soon) . [HANDMADE TAPIOCA IS MY SECRET] #OneZoMalaysia #OneZoMelaka #OneZoSubang #OneZoMuar #OneZoJb #丸作 #丸作食茶 #國際品牌 #手作珍珠 #手搖飲品 #時尚飲品 #時尚口味 #潮流飲品 #珍珠奶茶 #紋路脏脏茶 #奶蓋 #水果茶

A post shared by  OneZo Malaysia 丸作 (@onezo.malaysia) on Apr 3, 2019 at 5:34am PDT

What’s harder to catch? Gyarados, MewTwo, Lugia or OneZo Pokeballs ?. Our super limited Pokeball Tapioca just released yesterday in Ontario and some say it sells out under a hour. For those who are lucky to try them, what do you think so far? . Don’t forgot to post any OneZo x Pokemon post and tag us a chance to win movie tickets (Ontario only) . Pikapika⚡Pokeball Tapioca! . . . #pokeball #onezotapioca #contestgiveaway#photocontest #pokemon #ontario #toronto #yyz#torontofood #torontofoodies #tofoodies #dailyhiveto#narcity #summer #summerdrinks #bubbletea#bobatea #boba #narcitytoronto #blogto #pokemonfan#tapioca #handmadetapioca #丸作 #丸作食茶 #神奇寶貝 #cravings

A post shared by  OneZo Tapioca 丸作 (@onezotapioca) on May 11, 2019 at 10:19am PDT

OneZo Malaysia currently has 4 outlets:-

According to OneZo Malaysia’s Instagram page, the PokeBobas are available daily on 12pm, 3pm, 8pm and 10pm until sold out.

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The 2013 IKEA Catalogue Is All Magic

Yesterday, we found out that IKEA stands for “Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd” – the initials of the founder’s name, his family’s farm, and the village where he grew up. Can you imagine our surprise when we discovered that, though? IKEA has been around for 12 years now (it opened in 2000) and yup, it took us that long to figure it out!

All fun facts aside, since its opening in 2000, there has always been one annual IKEA shindig.

Something housewives, interior designers, and even the common people like us look forward to. It’s a source of inspiration, an almanac for IKEA products, and also an IKEA buying guide all tossed into one.

You know which one we’re talking about – the launch of the annual IKEA catalogue.

Early yesterday, IKEA Malaysia launched the new and interactive 2013 IKEA Catalogue. Smaller in size, it comes packed with new additional interactive digital content, accessible through a free new smartphone/table app featuring innovative image recognition technology that offers viewers additional catalogue inspiration on-the-go all year long.

The additional interactive contents includes:

At the launch, Yeong Tze Kuen (Deputy Regional Marketing Manager of Ikano Retail Asia) said, “The new interactive digital initiative will offer more ideas and insights to out consumers in today’s technology. Consumers can view various films with ‘how-to’s and behind the scene clips, image galleries, 3D and interactive views as well as inspiring stories from our product designers”.

Available for Android and iOS users, customers can simply download the IKEA Catalogue app and get started spotting all the phone symbols on the top right corner in the printed Catalogue for more interactive features! Believe us, at first it feels awkward but after a few pages, you’d be searching all 328 pages of the Catalogue for more symbols and pages to scan:

[youtube id=”QQ8HNXtl7jQ” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Go on, try it. And watch the 2013 IKEA Catalogue come to life. Like magic!

For more information, visit IKEA Malaysia’s official website or hit up their Facebook page for more IKEA awesomeness. Lotsa colourful photo galleries in there! Just saying.


Star Wars 101: EVERYTHING You Need To Know If You’re Interested In The Last Jedi But Unsure Where To Start

Note: There is a lot more history in terms of the titles and business aspects of Star Wars that I won’t be touching on in this article. This is the simplified version. This piece isn’t for Jedi Masters but for younglings who are curious about the ways of the force.

So, you’ve been hearing about this “Star Wars” thingy a lot. It seems like everyone is talking about it. Some are saying it’s the new definition of Christmas, while others are claiming it’s THE event of the year. You probably even have a couple of friends who just won’t stop tweeting about how it moved them or changed their life or heck, saved their life. But you… you just have no idea what’s going on. Or for that matter, why people worship this franchise like it’s God’s finest gift to mankind.

You would like to give it a shot, but you just don’t know where to begin. Everything seems so confusing. There’s like 234 different movies. Sequels, prequels, originals, special editions…. WHAAAATTTT? Wait… why is episode IV, V and VI released before episode I, II, and III? And why are there movies with no episode numbers?

Don’t worry young padawan. Show you the way of the force, I will.

For starters, there are NINE Star Wars movies that have hit cinemas, thus far, including “The Last Jedi” which is out in cinemas right now. Eight of them are a part of the main saga and one, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is part of the new anthology series — in simple terms, spinoffs.

The first movie was released way back in 1977. At the time, it was simply titled “Star Wars”. The sequel, which was released in 1980, was titled “Empire Strikes Back”. And the sequel to that, released three years later in 1983, was titled, “Return of the Jedi”. These three movies centre around Luke Skywalker and the rebellion going up against Darth Vader, Darth Sidious, and the Galactic Empire — space Nazis.

Many years later, George Lucas (the Colonel Sanders of Star Wars) decided to work on another trilogy, this time detailing the origins of Darth Vader. This trilogy hit the big screens in the late 90s and early 2000s, but first George Lucas decided to make some changes to the titles (among others) of the already released films. He wanted to standardize everything so that generations to come would have an easier time comprehending the sequence of films.

The next Star Wars trilogy, released in 1999, 2002 and 2005, followed the new standardized titles. They’re called, “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace”, “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones”, and “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith”. These movies focus on how Darth Vader came to be, as well as the rise of the Galactic Empire. They’re collectively known as the PREQUEL TRILOGY.

And that is why Episodes IV, V, and VI came before I, II, and III.

In 2012, Disney bought Star Wars from George Lucas for a whopping $US 4 billion.

In 2015, 10 years after the conclusion of the PREQUEL TRILOGY, a NEW Star Wars trilogy was launched with “Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens”. This is not a reboot nor a remake, but is set 30 years after the events of “Return of the Jedi”. The Star Wars movie that hit cinemas yesterday, titled “Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi” picks up immediately where “The Force Awakens” lets off. And in 2019, we will get the culmination of this new trilogy in the currently untitled “Episode IX”. This trilogy focuses on (mostly) new characters and a fresh storyline, with popular characters from the original trilogy returning in supporting roles.

But there was another Star Wars film that came out last year. What is that about?

That movie, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is the first movie in the new ANTHOLOGY SERIES. Which is basically spinoffs and side stories. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” centres around the soldiers of the Rebellion. It fits in between “Episode III” and “Episode IV”. In 2018, we will be getting the second of the anthology series, titled “Solo: A Star Wars Story”, a movie about young Han Solo.

So, now that you know the briefest history of Star Wars and its complicated titles, where do you begin? First, accept the lightsaber from Maz Kanata. It calls to you. I know you can feel it.

If you’ve accepted the lightsaber from Maz, here are few different ways you can jump on board the Millenium Falcon and go on this Star Wars adventure with us.

First, you have to watch all the movies in its order of release (though, you can watch “Rogue One” before “The Force Awakens”). The reason you should watch the movies in its order of release is to not spoil the big twist that happens in “Empire Strikes Back”, for yourself.

Not only that, you also have to watch all the canonical animated shows and movies, which includes “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels”. But don’t forget about the books, comics, and video games too.

This is what it takes to be a true Jedi master.

But if you’re reading this article, chances are, you’re not going to use this method.

This is exactly like the first method, except you don’t watch the movies in its order of release, but instead watch it in its proper sequence: I, II, III, Rogue One, IV, V, VI, VII… This is a great way to watch the movies if you’re already a fan who is familiar with the lore. But if you’re a clean slate, watching it this way will definitely ruin the big “Empire Strikes Back” twist.  But to be fair, 9Gag has probably already ruined that twist for you.

You’re probably not going to use this way, either.

You’re not interested in video games, books, and animated stuff. You just want to focus on the movies. That’s pretty awesome too. In fact, most fans of Star Wars fall into this category. Just watch all the movies, either in its order of release (preferred) or proper sequence, as mentioned in number 1 and 2 and you’re good to go.

The only downside to this method is that you won’t have complete knowledge and understanding of the deeper lore.

You’re not exactly lazy, you’re just running out of time (I don’t believe you, but let’s just assume you’re telling the truth). You want to watch “The Last Jedi” with your Star Wars buddies this weekend, but you don’t know jack shit. If that’s the case, then you might need a shortcut.

The good news is, while all the Star Wars movies are interconnected, the threads in between each trilogy are thin. Watch the ORIGINAL TRILOGY (IV, V, VI) and then watch “VII – The Force Awakens” and quickly book your tickets to “VIII – The Last Jedi”. You’ll have sufficient knowledge with you and be familiar with the old characters and the new.

Once you’re done watching “The Last Jedi”, you can run home and watch the PREQUEL TRILOGY and the ANTHOLOGY SERIES.

You’re a piece of trash. A dark side loving scum of the earth. Your father probably idolized Darth Sidious. Heck, your father probably IS Darth Sidious. Many might consider you unsavable or too far gone. Mace Windu might warn me against it, but I think there is still some hope left. You can be trained in the ways of the force… slowly. Maybe.

Just watch “VII – The Force Awakens” and head to the cinemas to catch “VIII – The Last Jedi”. You’ll still understand the story completely, but you wouldn’t be very familiar with the backstories of the characters from the ORIGINAL TRILOGY. As a result, you most likely will not comprehend why your Star Wars buddies are beaming like they’re witnessing the rebirth of Jesus Christ right in front of their eyes, nor will you understand why they’re crying like their pet cat died.

But regardless if you’ve watched the past movies or not, “Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi” is brilliant in every regard. It is a movie you should not miss. Whichever method you choose to use, I urge you to pay top dollar and watch this masterpiece in cinemas. It is an experience you do not want to miss.

Also, be sure to check out my review of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” here.

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sooka Launches VIP TV Plan & New Original Series In Conjunction With 1st Anniversary

Through its “sooka Dah Besar Sekarang” celebration at REXKL, sooka, a local entertainment streaming app, honours its first year in Malaysia the spooky way. It does this to recognise its expansion onto Smart TVs with the introduction of sooka VIP TV and to debut its second Original series, “Hantu Raya Pergi Perang”.

“Hantu Raya Pergi Perang” is a horror comedy-drama that depicts the tale of a local rural community that fervently believes in Malaysian ghosts and folklore legends. It is directed by Wan Hasliza and Wan Alak, the award-winning directors of “Keluarga Iskandar”.

The series, which was created in partnership with a local production company called KL Motion, is a premium offering included in the VIP Entertainment and VIP TV subscriptions offered by sooka. It will be available exclusively on sooka for eight episodes, the first of which will air for free on 24th June.

Emarina Kamal, Head of Programming at sooka, shared during the anniversary party, “Our one-year milestone has elevated us from an entertainment streaming app that allows subscribers to stream on-the-go, to now streaming on the big screen – and this is attributed to our subscribers, partners, local content providers and creators. Since our inception, we have registered 1.5 million downloads of our app, streamed a total of 556 million minutes’ worth of entertainment and sports content, and launched two Original series, including the one we are premiering today which is ‘Hantu Raya Pergi Perang’.”

As mentioned above, sooka will provide its second Original series, “Hantu Raya Pergi Perang”, which stars Hun Haqeem, Sharifah Sakinah, Rashidi Ishak, Syean Mokhtar, and Iman Corinne as leading roles. We had the opportunity to speak with the cast themselves and they talked to us about some of the sentimental moments they had with the late Adibah Noor during the shoot. For those who don’t know, the series was Adibah’s last acting project before her unfortunate passing.

“I feel extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to work on a project with Arwah before she passed away. As a result, I feel so grateful with my participation in the entire behind-the-scenes production with the ‘Perang Hantu Raya’ team. I say this because when Arwah was unwell, she naturally was unable to continue with all of her roles. As a result, we hired a body double to fill in for her in all of her remaining sequences,” Rashidi, who plays Pak Osman Buaya in the comedy-horror series, told us.

The seasoned actor added by saying, “However, Alhamdulillah, we were able to secure all of the crucial scenes, like the war sequence. But after that, we had to make compromises by employing her body double in scenes whilst still preserving her voice through voiceover. For that, we went to her home to record all the voiceovers. And I’m just grateful I could be a part of that and work with her all the way through.”

During the media event, Emarina also said, “One year onward from our launch in Malaysia, our expansion onto the big screen could not have come at a better time, as more local content are produced and sports events are available for viewers to enjoy on their preferred screens. Today, we have about 71% of mobile users enjoying our content on mobile devices.

“With sooka VIP TV, we want to further reach to a wider audience who enjoy streaming their favorite content on Smart TVs. With sooka, users will now have the option and convenience to choose how and where they want to consume content, be it on their mobile devices at anytime, anywhere, or on the big screen at the comfort of their homes,” she further added.

In order for consumers to download the sooka app from particular Smart TV models from these brands, sooka collaborated with Samsung, LG, Sharp, and Sony to create the sooka VIP TV offering. The second month of a sooka VIP TV subscription, which costs RM84.90 a month, is free as part of the ongoing “Buy 1 Month, Free 1 Month”* promotion, which is valid until 15th July 15, 2022. The VIP TV plan gives subscribers to Sooka’s current VIP+Sports and VIP Entertainment mobile app subscriptions access to all premium content and permits simultaneous watching on one Smart TV and up to two mobile devices.

The current sooka subscription packages are RM15.90, RM41.90, and RM84.90 per month for VIP Entertainment, VIP+Sports, and VIP TV, respectively. Download the Sooka app from the Apple Store, Google Play Store, Samsung, LG, Sharp and Sony app stores to enjoy Sooka and watch your favourite LIVE sports action and the greatest local entertainment content on your mobile devices and big displays with your loved ones (for VIP TV). You don’t have to stress about commitments as there are no contracts or commitments with any of Sooka’s subscription programmes.

For the latest updates and promotions, follow sooka on Facebook and Instagram or visit their website.

* This promotion is available for subscription via the web through credit or debit card only

* Promotion is valid for new VIP TV subscribers only


Our Picks Of Dope Things To Do In The Klang Valley This Week! (27th Feb-5th March)

Here are our picks of 12 things you can do in the Klang Valley in the next seven days that’ll have you feeling that life is pretty sweeeeet!

One of the most-anticipated concerts is coming to Kuala Lumpur, and the city’s first social hotel, MoMo’s, has wonderful gifts in store for BLACKPINK fans! From the 3rd to the 5th of March, BLINKS will have the fun of their lives enjoying Momo’s exciting packages.

Here are fun-filled activities BLINKS can do before, during and after BLACKPINK’s concert, at Momo’s Hotel:

Friday, 3rd March :
– 2 DJs spinning BLACKPINK + KPop tunes (from 7-10pm)
– Emir Hermono spinning the hottest of R&B, Hip-Hop, Amapiano, Baile Funk at Block Party Fridays (from 10pm onwards)

Saturday, 4th March :
– Warm up your vocals before heading to the concert! Sing-a-long to the best of BLACKPINK at MoMo-oke (karaoke) – from 12pm onwards

Sunday, 5th March :
– Wind down with burgers, fries and a free-flow of mojitos and caipirinhas at MoMo’s Boozy Brunch (from 11am to 3pm). BLACKPINK concert-goers get discounts by showing their tickets.
– Burger + Chicken wings or Cheesy Fries + Milkshake or Beer for RM43
– Free-flow of mojitos +caipirinhas for RM100

Alamanda Shopping Mall will host the VIKids Carnival during the school break. The event boasts a variety of engaging activities, games, and rides for VIKids members. A day at the carnival would be incomplete without fluffy, mouth-watering cotton candy, which will be provided for free. Visit the Alamanda Shopping Centre’s website for inquiries and more information about the event.

Location: 68-3, Jalan 27/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas,

Wanna take your golfing experience indoors? Introducing Wedge, a boutique golf lounge located in the centre of Hartamas. A place where golf meets technology, Wedge is the first location to house Full Swing’s cutting-edge golf simulators, where industry-leading technology utilised by elite players such as Tiger Woods to optimise their performance is made available to keen golfers and aficionados of all skill levels.

Due to popular demand, KL Collectors Market is back – and bigger and better than even! This weekend, march yourself to KL Gateway Mall from the most exciting event of the year. You shouldn’t miss the opportunity to purchase some awesome collectibles to take back home.

For new and experienced mothers, head on over to Fiesta Eebu & Bayi Lokal. You’ll have the joy of your life at this expo with your baby, where you can indulge in fun competitions to parenting and maternal health discussion sessions, and browse booths selling mother and baby products.

Save your pent-up energy for this weekend, as Cyberjaya will hold the Unicorn Finale Fun Run!

Collectors and vintage fans in Malaysia will be happy to find out that Amcorp Mall is having a Collector’s Pick Flea Market, where a variety of vendors will sell vintage apparel, collectibles, handcrafted crafts, and more. Don’t pass up the chance to expand your collections or discover the unique items you’ve been looking for!

Sunny Side Up Market and The Row KL will celebrate female entrepreneurs and women-driven enterprises during their annual women’s day market this March in honour of International Women’s Day!

Join for two fun-filled, feel-good days supporting our local, female-driven companies and their excellent offerings encompassing everything from fashion, head-to-toe accessories, bath and beauty items, to home décor, gifts, home produced food and drinks, and even pet presents!

The 41st TCE Baby Expo will offer assistance throughout pregnancy and confinement through a variety of high-quality goods such as herbal supplements, teas, and oils that have been particularly developed for the specialised requirements of moms.

Whether you’re a first-time mom or a seasoned parent, a team of specialists will be on hand to answer your concerns and assist you in selecting the best items for your requirements.

MyTOWN KL is thrilled to present another Kids Fest! Kids Fest is a family-friendly festival that celebrates all things related to children. Everything from arts and crafts to toys, games, clothing, and educational resources is available.

REXKL is pleased to present a head-banging concert that you will not want to miss. If you’re a fan of the local music scene, you’ll be happy to find out that Bunkface, Noh Salleh, and others will be performing some of their most popular songs! Get your tickets NOW!

School is out, and kids all throughout the country are overjoyed! If you’re seeking a one-of-a-kind holiday experience that’s both invigorating and luxurious, why not visit Malaysia’s very own Desaru Coast? There are several activities for people of all ages, ranging from splashing in waterparks to swinging a golf club at a golf course. If you and your family want to spend your kid’s school holiday at Desaru Coast, it will be unlike any other. Head over to Desaru Coast’s wesbsite to book your next dream vacation.

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Ryan Tedder Hints At Potential Lady Gaga & BLACKPINK Collab

Remember when we previously wrote about a possible collaboration between global superstars Lady Gaga and BLACKPINK for the former’s upcoming album? Looks like Ryan Tedder has just dropped some major hints regarding the project.

During his recent live stream, the world-famous producer announced that he has new music coming out for the YG K-pop ensemble.

200324 Ryan Tedder mentioned #BLACKPINK in his recent Instagram Live

"I'm actually going to be working with BLACKPINK; that's facts."

Ryan Tedder is the lead vocalist of One Republic, and is also a songwriter-producer. pic.twitter.com/AAXk7l6vwf

“I’m a huge fan of BLACKPINK. I’m actually going to be working with the girls. That’s a fact!” the “Bleeding Love” hit-maker was quoted as saying. So, in case you’re wondering what does that has to do with the popular ensemble’s project with Mother Monster, here are some of the theories.

Earlier this month, Ryan appeared in an interview with Official Charts UK. During the chat, he revealed that he has worked with Gaga on one of the songs for her upcoming comeback album. However, he didn’t specifically mention the name of the track at that time.

One of the producers of #Chromatica BloodPop began to follow all members of the Korean band Black Pink. Many fans say that Gaga and BlackPink will collaborate on the new album Lady Gaga pic.twitter.com/Jzw86OmCQ6

— Arthur (@LadyGagaPopNet) March 4, 2020

Ryan’s not alone, though, as Grammy nominee BloodPop was also brought on board for the track. Keep in mind that the famed producer was also spotted following all BLACKPINK members on Instagram. Talk about coincidence?

Recently, an alleged track listing of “Chromatica” was leaked. According to the list, the 5th track “Kindness Punk” would feature BLACKPINK as the guest artiste. Further enhancing the speculations, the girls almost debuted with the name PINK PUNK.

Gaga’s much-anticipated 6th album “Chromatica” will drop on 10th April (Friday). So, will BLACKPINK x Lady Gaga happen? Let’s wait and see.


Re-Hyped : Hype Malaysia’s Weekly News Roundup Episode #4

Re-Hyped : Hype Malaysia’s Weekly Roundup Show Premieres!

Re-Hyped : Hype Malaysia’s Weekly News Roundup Episode #2

Re-Hyped : Hype Malaysia’s Weekly News Roundup Episode #3


#NationalSportsDay: Over 15,000 Ran To The Beat In The 2nd “The Music Run”

Over 15,000 Music Runners thronged the iconic Sepang International Circuit on 10th October 2015 to run, dance and party to the beat of their favourite music tracks at the 2nd edition of The Music Run by AIA.

Its return to Kuala Lumpur, the city that hosted the very first Music Run event in the world in March 2014, was greeted by the largest turnout of fans The Music Run has seen thus far setting a milestone record in the Malaysian Book of Records for making this year’s “Most Number of Participants in a Fun Run”.

Set over 5km, The Music Run by AIA saw participants pass through five zones, each featuring a  different music genre namely rock, pop, old school, hip hop, and dance. Runners helped to decide on the music they wanted to listen to in each zone via a bespoke music selection created in collaboration with digital music partner, Spotify. The more a song was listened to, voted for and shared on Facebook, the more likely it was to end up as one of the songs played during the run.

Concert-quality speakers lined the entire track, creating a truly immersive music experience.

This year’s The Music Run by AIA Kuala Lumpur kicked off in the late afternoon and culminated in a pulsating After Party at The Music Village that lasted throughout the evening. A mass Zumba warm-up session led by Fitness First instructors generated an electrifying atmosphere from as early as 4:30pm.

At 5pm, AIA Bhd.’s Chief Executive Officer, Anusha Thavarajah, flagged off the first wave of Music Runners who grooved to the rousing beats of ‘We will rock you by Queen in the AirAsia Rock Zone. As Music Runners made their way across the 5km Soundtrack, they were treated to activities in each Music Zone, once of the highlights being the AIA Mobile Party Bus in the AIA Dance Zone.

The euphoric mood continued at the After Party held in The Music Village, as Australia’s DJ Greggy kept energy levels at a high with his mix of feel-good songs and upbeat tracks. The event also featured some of the hottest personalities and music acts in Malaysia.

Music Runners were treated to stellar music performances by Paperplane Pursuit and Darren Ashley, while radio deejay Linora Low kept Music Runners fists pumping and hearts thumping long into the night.

The Music Run is owned by Fresh Events Asia and promoted by Exceed Sports & Entertainment.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page. The Music Run by AIA KL final day playlists can be viewed on Spotify here.

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#TrueStories: 10 Films Based On Real Events Coming Out In 2017

There are numerous superhero blockbusters and big-budget comedies coming out in 2017, but hidden among them are a handful of films based on biopics and real life events.

Life is complex and exciting. For years, Hollywood has turned to true stories and events that actually happened for inspiration. While we can expect for more true story movies to come up in the coming months, we’ve compiled a list of 10 movies that will probably tug at your heartstrings when it opens in theatres this year.

In the aftermath of an unspeakable attack, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (played by Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders, and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (played by Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (played by John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (played by J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (played by Michelle Monaghan), this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of one of the most sophisticated manhunts in law enforcement history and celebrates the strength of the people of Boston.

“Hacksaw Ridge” is the extraordinary true story of conscientious collaborator Desmond Doss (played Andrew Garfield) who, in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. He believed the war was just, but killing was nevertheless wrong; he was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon. As an army medic, Doss single-handedly evacuated the wounded from behind enemy lines, braved fire while tending to soldiers and was wounded by a grenade and hit by snipers. He was the first conscientious objector to ever earn the Congressional Medal of Honour.

Based on the romance between Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama and Ruth Williams, “A United Kingdom” is an upcoming British biopic that is directed by “Belle” helmer Amma Asante. Set in London in the 40s, Seretse Khama, the King of Botswana, met Ruth Williams, a London office worker. They were perfect for each other, but interracial was not up to social standards. Their proposed marriage was challenged not only by their families but by the British and South African governments. Despite the challenges that they faced, Seretse and Ruth never wavered – they fought for their love every step of the way and in so doing changed their nation and inspired the world.

“Hidden Figures” is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (played by Taraji Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (played by Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (played by Janelle Monáe) — brilliant African-American women working at Nasa, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: The launch of astronaut John Glenn (played by Glen Powell) into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanised the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.

Based on Diane Ackerman’s 2007 nonfiction book of the same name, “The Zookeeper’s Wife” follows Antonina and Jan Zabinski’s real-life efforts in persevering the Warsaw Zoo and the ailing animals in their villa after their city was bombed during the Holocaust when the Germans invaded Poland.

Based on author David Grann’s non-fiction bestseller, “The Lost City of Z” tells the incredible true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett, who journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilisation that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment who regard indigenous populations as “savages”, the determined Fawcett – supported by his devoted wife (played by Sienna Miller), son (played by Tom Holland), and aide de camp (played by Robert Pattinson) – returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925.

Set during World War II, Christopher Nolan’s epic action thriller revolves around the Dunkirk evacuation (also known as Operation Dynamo), a historical event that saw the evacuation of 400,000 Allied soldiers from the British Empire, Belgium, and France from the beaches of Dunkirk, France between 26th May and 4th June 1940.

This Joseph Kosinski-directed drama tells the story of brave firefighters who battled the Yarnell Hill Fire and lost their lives after a wildfire broke out in Prescott, Arizona in June 2013. “This movie’s not about tragedy. This movie is about the lives of these people and what they were trying to put on the line, and what it meant to them to do what they were doing and what it meant to the community to have them doing it,” said producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura.

Within days of becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill must face one of his most turbulent and defining trials: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty, and freedom of a nation. As the unstoppable Nazi forces roll across Western Europe and the threat of invasion is imminent, and with an unprepared public, a skeptical King and his own party plotting against him, Churchill must withstand his darkest hour, rally a nation, and attempt to change the course of world history.

Hugh Jackman will be playing the legendary showman P.T. Barnum in this biographical musical drama, which details his creative and unusual business tactics that led him to create the famous traveling Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Aside from his 3-ring circus, the musical will focus on his infatuation with opera star Jenny Lind, who was famously known as the “Swedish Nightingale”.

Which movies are you looking forward to watching the most? Let us know in the comments below.

Sources: Pop Sugar, Cheat Sheet, AZ Central.


Steve Aoki Works On Deep House Tunes Under A New Alias

American electro house DJ/producer Steve Aoki has revealed that he has started working on deep house tunes, but he won’t be releasing them under his own name. The Dim Mak boss told Mixmag in an interview about what inspired him to take on the deep house project.

“That kind of environment, (Cafe Mambo in Ibiza), the banging stuff just doesn’t work, so I was playing house: Maceo Plex, Ten Walls, Tiga’s collaborations, Duke Dumont and some more underground stuff.

“I won’t release it under Steve Aoki, it’ll be under another name. I don’t want to confuse people who associate me with my usual sound, and I want it to be judged on its own merits. We’ll see how it does.”

Aoki’s newly inspired interest in joining the “deep house” bandwagon will not hinder his cake throwing act, however. He fully intends to move forward with his typical act and will make every effort to keep the two separate to highlight the two different styles:

“My intention is to showcase music, but the way I see it is that the different props are there to raise the energy and emotion: if people are enjoying themselves then it’s working. To me it’s not a distraction from the music, it’s a supplement.”

Although his new alias still lacks a name, you can be rest assured it’s coming. Aoki’s “Neon Future 1” is out now on Ultra Music / Dim Mak and he promises the album is electro, not deep house.

Keep updated with Steve Aoki via these platforms: Website, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Here’s one of our favourites, “Born To Get Wild” by Steve Aoki ft Will.I.Am. Enjoy!

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#Transformers5: Michael Bay To Kill Off Optimus Prime?

Oh boy did everyone almost fall for this one! Us, including.

This site, known for its celebrity death hoaxes and other fake news, recently posting up an article about Michael Bay and “Transformers 5”. The article claimed that, fresh off his big summer hit flick, “Transformers 4: Age of Extinction”, director Michael Bay is already setting the motion for the next instalment of “Transformers”.

I am so excited about that movie. I am always about my next big hit. Transformers 4 just hit and TMNT is about to hit. But what is foremost in my mind is what I am going to do to Transformers next. I have guys working on the script now and it is almost done. We will start filming in a few months and I am excited. We are shaking it up. Big changes. We took some elements from the 80s movie in this last one and it was a big hit. We made what? $300 million opening weekend? People love it. So we are going to borrow a little more for the the next movie.

He was apparently alluding to the 1986 animated movie ‘The Transformers: The Movie”. The movie takes place ironically  in the future, in 2005, 20 years after the events of the TV series’ second season.

Just in case you haven’t seen the movie or just in case you’ve forgotten the gist of the movie (since it was a really, really long time ago), “The Transformers: The Movie” serves as a bridge between the series’ 2nd and 3rd seasons, with the deaths of several major characters and the introduction of new ones.

Hence, darker and more action-packed than the TV series.

And now, the golden question. When “asked” if he was planning to kill off the lovable Autobots leader too in “Transformers 5”, Michael apparently revealed:

Optimus Prime has served his time. He is old news. He dies heroically in battle, but it is time for leadership to be passed on to a new generation. We will be introducing a new Autobot known as Hot Rod. He is young and hip and sometimes doesn’t think things through, just like Bumblebee. But he will have to learn how to lead what remains of the Autobots against Galvatron and his army of Decepticons.

And will there be any chance that Optimus Prime will be brought back later on? Michael supposedly added, “No. Optimus is dead. For good. As long as I am behind the movies. Case closed.”

No. It’s satirical, guys. All of it. Don’t fall for it and start mourning the not-so-impending-not-just-yet “death” of Optimus Prime.


#TMNT2: Brian Tee Will Be Taking On The Role Of Shredder

Turtles, get ready to meet your arch-foe!

As reported by Hollywood Reporter, Brian Tee has signed on to appear in the sequel to 2014’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles“. Tee will be taking on the role of Shredder, the Turtle’s biggest nemesis.

He will be joining the other confirmed cast including the return of Megan Fox, William Fichtner, and Will Arnett who will be playing the roles of April O’Neil, Eric Sacks and Verne Fenwick, respectively.

Apart from Tee, newcomers to the movie franchise will also include “Arrow“‘s Stephen Amell who will take on the role of masked villain Casey Jones and Tyler Perry who will play scientist Baxter Stockman.

Shredder, the Turtles oldest enemy was created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman before debuting in the same 1984 comic that featured the first appearances of the Turtles themselves. This character plays the role of a leader of the Foot Clan, a criminal organisation that combines various illegal activities including assassination, money counterfeiting, and drug trading.

The role of “Shredder” was previously played by Tohoru Masamune in 2014, helmed by Jonathan Liebesman.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle 2” is slated for release on 3rd June, 2016. David Green is set to direct while Michael Bay is once again on board to produce.

Source & Featured image: comingsoon, THR.

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Interview: Calum Scott & Diana Danielle Reveal Their Favourite Line From “Heaven” & More

Last time we spoke with British singer-songwriter Calum Scott, he shared the inspiration behind his single “Heaven”, his special collaboration with 4 Southeast Asian artists for their own respective versions of the song as well as how much he’s changed as an artist since his “Britain’s Got Talent” days.

Recently, we got the opportunity to speak with the singer again along with one of his collaborators, actress and singer Diana Danielle who represented Malaysia on the song “Heaven”. In this interview, the two artists shared which lyrics from their duet means the most to them and why.

1. Could you tell us more about the collaboration with Diana Danielle?

Calum: Diana and I are on the same label, Universal Music, and I have always had a strong relationship with Asia. Asia has been such a supportive loyal fan base for me. The support in media has been incredible across TV and radio and publications. Not only to mention the fans who have been incredible. So, I just wanted to give back, you know. I took this opportunity with “Heaven” to shortlist some artists on the label in Southeast Asia.

We picked four incredible artists to create four very unique versions of the song, and Diana has brought such a beautiful magic to this song and kind of has just made it grow and change in a way that is just so beautiful. I didn’t see it coming when I wrote the song. I didn’t think, “Oh this might become a duet or maybe at one point in the future it might have this other life”. I didn’t think, I just wrote the song and then Diana’s just brought this beauty to it that I’m so fond of, and so glad to work with such a talented and well celebrated lady in Malaysia.

2. “Heaven” was such a pleasant surprise because fans got to hear not 1 but 5 versions of the song. How do you usually know if a song needs another voice on it?

Calum: I know when I wrote the song, it was kind of just, free from the pressures of writing an album, and I just got to enjoy writing music, which is rare because in this industry, you’re working towards something. And Diana knows that all too well. It’s very rare, you get to be able to do it, just for the love of it, because of course what we do is a hobby first and foremost, we love what we do, but when you become an artist, then you start working towards goals. I think when I wrote “Heaven”, it didn’t have a goal. It was just me writing the song because I love writing music, and so I didn’t think too hard, I didn’t think this could be a duet, I didn’t think that this is going to be a single, I just kind of wanted to write and let it just pour out of my heart.

When we discussed with the label about making the song a duet, I still didn’t think, “Oh, I could hear it being a duet”. I was just kind of interested and excited to see what would happen. When we gave the song to those four artists, and we started receiving the songs back, I was just like, oh my God, this feels like it was written to be a duet. That’s the really exciting thing about music is that it can take all shapes and forms and how you would see in one lane, it suddenly starts to grow and change. I think what Diana has done to this song is just add this new element to the song and a new layer.

It becomes something slightly different. I think that’s the power of magic. The magic of music is that it just creates, it changes form and changes into this brand-new thing and Diana’s voice on the song is incredible. She sings with such sincerity and such authenticity. It really feels that it comes from our heart. That’s what I always want to do, I want to work with other artists that have that real passion, you know, and I think you can hear it a mile away that Diane is incredibly passionate. And this comes across in the music.

3. (To Diana) How was your reaction when you found out you were going to be on a song with Calum Scott?

Diana: I took it calmly. It was something fun, and then suddenly, it becomes real. It transpired into this larger than life project. So of course, I grabbed on the opportunity, although I was like shaking while everything was happening because when the label actually told me and broke the news like, “Okay, how about an opportunity to have a collaboration with Calum?”

I was like, “I know I don’t have many Calums in my life but which one are you talking about?” Because it almost felt like it was not real. Like which Calum, which one? So, yeah that was the reaction, and then I came back to Earth, and I thought, okay, you know what, I really have to work hard on this. I can’t let myself down, and I don’t want to let Callum down. Hearing what Calum said today just makes me want to cry because it still feels surreal. I haven’t met you (Calum) yet, so it almost feels unreal.

4. So you were literally in “Heaven” when you heard the news. For the both of you, what’s one line from the song that means the most to you and why?

Calum: I think that for me personally, I always gravitate to a song when the first lyric brings you in. For example, for me like, with “You are the Reason”, ‘there goes my heartbeat, cause you are the reason’. It’s just such a beautiful way to pull people into the song. I think it’s the same with “Heaven”, “I used to count the stars in the sky, now I count the ones in your eyes.” We look towards the sky, and we say, ‘oh my God, this is beautiful’, and you know, what a beautiful creation, and then to be able to then take that power and put it in somebody’s eyes, and just to. Say all those things to somebody, you know when you’re looking at them. It just feels so magical to have that with somebody you know, so for me it’s just the opening line of the song. It’s beautiful.

Diana:  I never intended to understand this song as a mom, but with music, you get to interpret however way you want. Actually, when I was trying to remember which lyrics that I love, I was about to cry, like a moment ago, I was like “no, no, this is not it”. But, “take me higher than I’ve been, got me questionin’ everything I knew”, as a mom, your kids will take you – again I’m going to start breaking down – but they will take you higher than you will ever realise you’re capable of. And they make you question about the decisions you make and your life choices. So that’s why this song hits me differently because when I look at my kids, it’ll makes you question and challenge the things you do and it makes you become a better person and more responsible.

5. Calum, you said that your new album “Bridges” allowed you to be more of an artist compared to your first album. Could you elaborate on what you’ve learned about yourself as an artist and as a person while writing “Bridges”?

Calum: I think on the first album, I didn’t really believe in myself too much. I think it was probably because I used to work in a human resources office, and I would be sat at my desk, and I’d be typing away and I would dream of doing what I do now. Which is why it’s so surreal for me to be talking to my fans and receiving this support in Malaysia, having duetted with a Malaysian artist, on a single from a second album, just feels totally crazy that I’ve got this opportunity to do it. I think when I had the first album, I almost felt a little bit like, we have this expression in the UK called ‘a deer caught in headlights.’ It means when you’re travelling in a car and an animal sees the headlights and he’s a little bit sort of struck you know, and I feel like that’s kind of how I felt.

I didn’t really believe in myself, and maybe felt like a fraud, I suppose. When I started writing the second album, I think that’s when I started to realise that actually, I’m an artist, like I’m a singer-songwriter. This is my career. This isn’t just a dream come true. This is real life. And that made me just believe in myself more. I felt more confident, so you can hear that there’s a new sense of strength in this album, there’s hope that I didn’t have in the first album. It has allowed me to grow in terms of my song writing, my vocal performance. Everything just seems to have evolved a little bit. So, it’s really helped me as an artist to be more honest, and to be more vulnerable, and to be more raw. I think that’s kind of what’s made me grow to the next level.

6. Since it is Pride Month (when we spoke in June), which song on the album do you think represents Pride to you?

Calum: It’s got to be “Boys in the Street”. It’s a cover of a song by Greg Holden. It’s a beautiful song, just about love and acceptance and about wanting. To be loved by the people that created you. I think it speaks to Pride Month, it speaks to everybody. It speaks to people who may have a rocky relationship with their parents, but it just speaks about acceptance. I think that’s something that I speak highly of and represent in my music, and it’s a pleasure to contribute to that community, and it (“Boys in the Street”) is a song that every single time I sing it, there’s never a dry eye in the house.

Everybody is so emotional when they listen to that song because it’s a very real, emotional kind of tragically beautiful song. And it just fits so perfectly on my album, because that’s the kind of music that I make – tragically beautiful. So, I just asked for Greg’s blessing, and I was able to include it on this album. So, I’m very happy that I was able to include that on what is a very special album.

Stay tuned for our full interview video!

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(Video) 2 Decades Older, But Westlife Can Still Booty Shake With The Best Of Zaddies

Unlike the Westlife “Wild Dreams” tour in Singapore, no one in the audience at Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil threw their panties onstage, asking for a signature. Still there was plenty of entertainment going on as the Irish pop group perform their greatest hits for Malaysian fans.

While their set list for “Wild Dreams” is quite similar to 2019’s “The Twenty Tour”, the quartet switch things up by dedicating a whole segment to ABBA with iconic songs like “Mamma Mia”, “Gimme Gimme Gimme”, “Money Money Money”, “Take A Chance On M”, “I Have a Dream”, “Dancing Queen”, “Waterloo” and “Thank You For The Music”.

A post shared by Nicky Byrne (@nickybyrneinsta)

It was nostalgia at its best as Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily performed their most popular tracks from their discography. Despite it being weekday, the estimated 8000 concert-goers were full of energy, especially during uptempo numbers like “Uptown Girl”, “When You’re Looking Like That” and “Hello My Love”.

During the concert, each member would take a few minutes to chat with the crowd. Nicky’s segment was probably the most exciting. Besides plugging his socials and asking fans to follow his personal Instagram account (Nicky is currently the member with the second highest following after Shane), he also got everyone to whip put their phone torchlights for a little game.

The highlight of the night? We have two of them. It was eargasmic to witness Mark nailing the high notes in “Flying Without Wings” with precision. This goosebumps-inducing moment never gets old.

Another highlight was watching the four of them busting out their dad dancing during the “World of Our Own” and Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” mashup. While some might find it bordering on cringe, the majority of fans loved to see Westlife do their dad dance and shake those booty – or at least attempted to (gotta give them extra credit here).

A post shared by Justin (@justin.volantis)


7 Unique Airbnb Stays That Every Durian Fan Will Probably Love

The most anticipated time of the year for durian lovers is here! Durian season is finally upon us, and excitement (plus delicious durian fragrance!) is in the air. An acquired taste for some, the King of Fruits remains a huge favourite among locals in Malaysia, with many types and varieties to choose from.

As you begin your search this year for the best durian stall or dessert, why not include a funky staycation in your itinerary? From a luxurious villa overlooking a durian orchard to an actual durian treehouse, check out these Airbnb Stays that are a must-visit for every durian lover out there.

A private hilltop hideaway, Brickhouse Bukit Tinggi in Bentong, Pahang offers breathtaking views of rolling hills and surrounding durian orchards. With large open spaces coupled with a minimalist industrial interior, guests can enjoy the fresh air and cool mountain breeze over a restful weekend.

Making a trip to Penang for the infamous Balik Pulau durians, and looking for a place to stay? Head over to Villa Astana at Karuna Hill, a quiet sanctuary amidst the hills. Take a walk at the durian farm in full bloom, or experience stunning sunsets from the balcony while enjoying the outdoor jacuzzi.

Now’s the time to live out your childhood dreams of staying in a treehouse! Also in Balik Pulau, this two-storey, open air treehouse is designed around an 80-year-old durian tree. Set amidst a 16-acre sustainable fruit orchard, this unique lodging is one with nature and with all the modern amenities you’ll need.

If your durian adventure leads you to Hulu Langat, Selangor, here are some dreamy stays to choose from. Overlooking a cascading stream and nestled among luscious greenery, Tanah Larwina and Far Far Away are eco-friendly retreats for those looking to escape from city life. Boasting their own private pools, you can even enjoy s’mores or barbeque in the great outdoors. Both properties are dotted with local fruit trees (durian included) – surely a treat if you visit in season!

Durian season means more reasons to travel south! Immerse yourself in quiet farm life at the Durian Guesthouse in Kulai, Johor. Run by a lovely family, guests can enjoy home-cooked meals and tour the property’s very own permaculture farm, with homegrown fruit trees, herbs and vegetables.

Awake to the sounds of birds chirping and the bubbling river at Aman Dusun: The Blue House – your own little jungle paradise in Hulu Langat. The home boasts its own goat farm and abundant local fruit trees including durian, rambutan and more.

P/s: All stays referenced are intended purely to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse specific stay or experience listings on the Airbnb platform.

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The GALAXY S III Mini Goes On Tour!

The GALAXY S III mini packs intelligent features despite its compact size and design, giving people unrivaled performance and a seamless smartphone experience. Samsung has embarked on a nationwide tour with the device to offer Malaysians more value with every purchase at selected locations within February and March 2013.

Those who purchase the GALAXY S III mini at the road show stand an opportunity to win a number of prizes every day. The purchase of the GALAXY S III mini at the road show warrants:

The eligibility to participate in the bonus hour promotion, which will run five times daily, for a chance to win additional Samsung accessories such as a car charger worth RM 69, a GALAXY S III mini battery (1500 mAh) worth RM 89, and a bluetooth headset worth RM 129.

The nationwide road shows will be held from February until March 2013 at these locations:

This promotion is only available at the specified road show locations. For more information about these road shows, hit up their website.


Hype’s Now Playing: Ne-Yo – Coming With You

Ne-Yo hasn’t stopped impressing the world with his talents because even after a 2-year hiatus, the Grammy award-winner is all geared up to win over the hearts of listeners with his new album.

Titled “Non-Fiction”, the album will mark the 6th project of his music career and his first album in 2 years. Prior to the release of his album, the singer released his latest single “Coming with You” which is also included in his upcoming album. The song was released internationally on Q1 by Motown Records/Compound Entertainment and premiered at UK radio across Radio 1, 1Xtra, Capital, and Capital Xtra.

Ne-Yo’s previous hits include “Let Me Love You”, “Closer”, “Miss Independent”, “Because Of You”, “So Sick” and more. He’ve also written countless hits for other artistes including Rihanna’s “Unfaithful” and Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable”. With 12 million albums and 75 million career singles sold to date, it certainly doesn’t surprise us that his performance at Royal Albert Hall in London and his “House of Blues” Tour in US are sold out. Just recently, he performed for President Obama at the White House National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony.

Although he is best known for R&B roots, Ne-Yo seems to have ventured a little into house music for the 14-track album. This is rather evident in his latest single, “Coming with You”.

Love it or hate it? Drop ’em on us in the comments box below!

For more information, visit his website or Facebook page.


#BTTFDAY: Great Scott! Doc Brown Delivers A Special Message From The “Future”

The future has finally arrived, but it’s a little different from what Emmett Lathrop “Doc” Brown envisioned in “Back to the Future II”.

As some of you may know, today is a very special day for fans of the “Back to the Future” triology. It is the day that Michael J.Fox’s Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd’s Dr Emmett “Doc” Brown chose to travel forward in time from 1989’s “Back to the Future II”.

In celebration of this special day, Lloyd reprised his role as Doc Brown and delivered a video message to everyone who is living in the present.

The video was shot entirely in the iconic DeLorean time machine.

“Great Scott. If my calculations are correct, it is now precisely October 21st 2015,” Llyod said through his character in the video.

“The future has finally arrived. Yes, it is different than we all thought,” he continued, referring to products like the hoverboard and Nike’s self-lacing shoes have yet to exist in the present. “But don’t worry, it just means your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has.”

Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.

To celebrate this special day, the “Back to the Future” trilogy will be shown in the cinemas at select theatres across the world for today only.

Though it won’t be shown in the Malaysian cinemas, but we hope y’all will celebrate #BBTFDAY in your own special way ;)

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Shia LeBeouf Goes Naked For Sigur Rós

Really, what else would make an experimental-ish music video complete and sell better than complete nudity? Especially so if the clip in mention stars none other than “Transformers” lead (no, not Optimus Prime or Bumblebee), Shia LaBeouf.

Directed by Alma Har’el, Icelandic band Sigur Rós’ new video for “Fjögur Píanó” is the third film in their “Mystery Film Experiment” series. Previously, it has seen a dozen filmmakers receiving the same budget to create whatever comes into their heads while listening to songs from Sigur Rós’ new album, “Valtari”.

“Fjögur Píanó” features a very naked (for reasons unexplained) Shia LaBeouf rocking a short pony tail and a beard, and dancer Deena Thomsen. In the video, it seems that they uh, wake up to each other and randomly decide to do some kinda weird, choreographed dance together for an entire morning. No need to rush for work whatsoever.

No jobs, no meetings, no..meaning? Warning: Not safe for work:

[youtube id=”scctp8-xYX4″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

According to Alma, who spend about five days shooting the video, “The full nudity was not planned. It happened spontaneously over the five-day shoot.”

Ah, how? Did Shia suddenly decide to take off all his clothes? World’s greatest unsolved mystery, if you ask us.

“That’s the difference between working within a corporate system and something that artistically takes you place you wouldn’t expect. To me, it’s erotic, but it’s not selling anything”, he added.

Okay, well. One thing we must say though – the instrumental, uh, stuff playing in the background has a good tune. But who are we to comment?

We can barely concentrate on anything else when Shia is busy dancing in the buff!


Hype’s Exclusive: Walking On A Dream With Empire Of The Sun’s Luke Steele

Empire of the Sun had us feeling so alive at Good Vibes Festival.

In 2008, Australian music duo, Empire of the Sun, opened the world to their intergalactic dance vibes and psychedelic costumes with their debut album, Walking On A Dream. Made up of The Sleepy Jackson’s Luke Steele and Pnau’s Nick Littlemore, the duo makes a fantastic mix for two people who come from vastly different musical backgrounds. Known for their flamboyant, psychedelic and fantasy-like facade, some of the duo’s most popular hit singles include “Walking On A Dream”, “We Are The People”, “Standing On The Shore” and “Alive”.

Empire of the Sun made their way to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia over the weekend as they were one of the headliners for Good Vibes Festival 2014. The festival which took place at Sepang Go-Kart Circuit on August 23rd (Saturday) also featured performances by Banks, !!! (Chk Chk Chk) and Ellie Goulding, to name a few.

Despite performing without, Nick Littlemore, Steele went on to put on a phenomenal performance for fans. By far one of the best live performances we have ever experienced, Empire of the Sun’s set featured trippy lighting, flashy headgears and flamboyant costumes which made the whole performance super dramatic and just simply, out of this world. To add on to the whole vibe and energy, Steele even smashed his guitar on stage which got the crowd going even wilder!

Before all the craziness, we had the chance to catch up with Luke Steele. Here’s what the rockstar had to say:

Q: Who is Empire of the Sun, without the makeup and the costumes – do you feel naked?

It’s just Luke Steele. Yeah, I guess it’s not the same and the makeup and costumes, well it’s part of the entertainment, the whole illusion thing.

Q: Do people recognize you without your make up on?

Not really, no. It’s like I’m two different people so it’s kind of cool.

Q: How long does it take for you to get ready?

Probably a couple of hours, as long as a woman takes to get ready I guess. Hahaha.

Q: You and Nick come from very different backgrounds, what made you guys get together to form Empire of the Sun?

I guess you’re always searching for more. The magical feel you know? We were introduced through a friend of ours and it kind of made the lightning strike — roads went open, all the girls took their clothes off and the city went wild. Hahaha. But yeah, it was a sign for us.

Q: What was it like working on the soundtrack for Dumb and Dumber To?

That was an amazing experience because it was our first motion picture. It’s kind of a strange world, because you’re in a separate segment. You have the film directors, the actors working with you and when you put music forward, it has to fit the way the director says. So sometimes, it’s like a paradox because you think “Oh, it was perfect when he kissed the girl but the director goes, “”CUT!””  but the Farrelly brothers are such great directors. And Peter Farrelly is a good friend of mine and they’re just the best of the best. So yeah, it was a great experience.

Q: Your music is not very current and it has somewhat of a 70s feel to it. Why is that?

Yeah I guess it’s because classic records, records from the 1970s, inspire us. So yeah, we want to bring the good things from the old world back.

Q: What would you say is the craziest fan experience you’ve ever had?

We have a fan in Australia who has the crown tattooed on his leg. He also followed us around a bit. Haha. We had a pretty strange fan in Belgium. He came to our show but he really wanted to get backstage. I think he thought backstage was like a giant swimming pool with 300 naked girls and people would slide lobsters down your throats or something because he came backstage and asked us where backstage was. He followed us to a couple of shows and always wanted to get backstage but was never satisfied. Haha

Q: With the success of your first two albums, can we expect a third album soon?

Yeah, we’ve written a lot of songs after the film score so yeah, maybe sometime next year.

Q: We look forward to that! What does the rest of 2014 hold for Empire of the Sun?

We’ve got a few more tours around including Dubai and America. Then we’ve got crazy New Years Eve plans in a few strange places. Haha.

Q: If you had to, which would you give up, hearing or sex?

Oh that’s a pretty easy answer. Give up sex, huh? Pfffft. Hahaha

It was such an honour talking to Luke Steele. So charming, so down-to-earth and just so friendly! Special thanks to our friends from Universal Music Malaysia for making this interview happen.

Stay updated with Empire of the Sun via these platforms –Website, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Check out the photo gallery below to have an idea of what went down during Empire of the Sun’s set at Good Vibes Festival:

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10 Of The Best Japanese Horror Movies Evah!

When it comes to horror, the Japanese have given us an AMAZING supply of both anime and manga that are just downright terrifying – some kept me awake, and some still give me the shudders when I think about them. But what we don’t give them enough credit for are their equally-frightening horror films. There’s just something about the way they portray fear which makes it so unique and especially scary.

So, the next time you’re in the mood for a fright or wanna put on a good horror movie when you’re with friends, consider these 10 flicks (we are not responsible for your nightmares):

Following the suicide of college student Taguchi, several young adults in Tokyo experience terrible visions that spread across the Internet. The city’s disappearance rate rises, and the Internet turns into a haven for evil spirits. Following Michi, Ryosuke, and Harue; three seemingly unrelated stories strive to piece together the mystery of the ghostly visions that are seeping beyond their computer screen.

Yoshimi battles to create a new life for herself and her kid while going through a difficult divorce. They unfortunately move into a flat plagued by enigmatic water leaks and tormented by the ghost of a young girl, which unfortunately makes the difficulties of single parenting and an ongoing custody dispute even more difficult.

A coroner, Yamazaki, notices that a girl’s hair is still growing at an extraordinary rate – after she is found dead at a pier. Yamazaki makes the decision to take the body home with him and starts offering the girl’s hair extensions to nearby hair salons. It quickly becomes clear, though, that the hair has a life of its own with fatal repercussions.

A widower accepts his friend’s invitation to interview women in order to find a new wife. But it doesn’t seem like the girl he likes is the one she claims to be.

Where To Watch: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Apple TV

In a tiny village, friends Kirie and Shuichi see that Toshio (Shuichi’s father), has developed an obsession with snails, filming them in his garden and collecting objects that mirror the spiral patterns on their shells. Kirie notices spirals everywhere else, including in how people carry themselves and how they dress. Shuichi wants to flee to Tokyo as the tragedies start to happen, but Kirie is determined to stay and investigate what is going on.

Kobayashi, a well-known paranormal journalist, disappears immediately after finishing a film. What starts out as an inquiry into weird noises quickly turns into the terrifying mystery of a demonic being by the name of Kagutaba.

Where To Watch: AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, Shudder, History Vault, Shudder Amazon Channel

Many people report hearing weird voicemails – in their own voices – that are from the future. They include the precise time and date of their deaths, as well as audio of them reacting to their own horrific demise.

The idea is that if a structure has experienced an individual terror, it absorbs it and gives it back to all who enter. Police looking into bizarre happenings gradually piece together a number of seemingly unrelated vignettes, all with a gratifying jolt.

A woman and her ex-husband look into a string of young people’s deaths that were allegedly brought on by a strange videotape. When their own kid is a victim, their investigation takes a disturbing turn.

This anthology, whose name is derived from an ancient Japanese phrase meaning “ghost story,” adapts four folktales. An impoverished samurai marries for money, with disastrous effects. Yuki the Snow Maiden rescues a guy who is trapped in a storm, but it costs her. Hoichi, a blind musician, is made to perform in front of a ghostly audience, and the story of a samurai who notices another warrior’s reflection in his teacup.


Aishah Cried After Receiving Backlash For Covering Siti Nurhaliza’s Song

Malaysian singer Aishah was trending all over Twitter after she covered Siti Nurhaliza‘s “Aku Bidadari Syurgamu” during the semi finals of “Muzik-Muzik 35” last week.

Although many people, including Siti herself, enjoyed her performance, some netizens argued that Aishah failed to bring justice to the song, while others pointed out that the ballad doesn’t suit the songstress’ vocal range.

The “Cinta Beralih Arah” singer then took to her Instagram recently to pour out her frustration when addressing the negative feedback she received from the performance. Not only that, she even broke down in tears after reading some of the offensive comments left by the internet trolls!

“Life is quite challenging because we are facing the virtual world generation who feel that they’re immune behind their social media accounts and can simply curse and insult anyone. They’ve lost all their politeness and manners in this world,” the “Gegar Vaganza” winner expressed.

She added, “Unfortunately, the comments that I received were meant to bring down someone’s dignity. I’m fine if you want to criticise my singing. Even though I’ve been in the industry for 34 years, the learning process is still ongoing. I’m willing to learn and am open to constructive criticism. But I just don’t get the cussing of words.”

“Our parents have taught us to be civilised and be respectful of people who are older. However, this doesn’t seem to apply to those in the cyberspace. I could not stop crying since yesterday,” Aishah concluded her caption.

Check out her lengthy Instagram post here:

For those interested, watch her full rendition of “Aku Bidadari Syurgamu” here:

Don’t worry, Aishah. Some of us believe that you’ve done your very best in delivering the song.

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